05062017 - Presidency, NASS flex muscles over 400 ‘strange projects’

LAGOS SCHOOL KIDNAP: 

Abductors reject 

N2m offer, 11 

relocate victims 

Failure to implement 

Guaranteed Minimum 

Pension undermines 

Pension Reform 

Act — Apere 

26 

** 

VOL. 25: NO. 63304 MONDAY, JUNE 5, 2017 

Buhari 

will 

return 

before 

June 11 

—Kalu, 

ex-Abia gov 

42 

2017 BUDGET: 

Presidency, NASS flex 

muscles over 400 

•In talks to 

resolve grey 

areas 

‘strange projects’ 

•As Osinbajo 

gives 

conditions for 

assent 

SEE STORY ON 

PAGE 8 

Female 

IDPs 

accuse 

soldiers of 

demanding 

sex for 

favours 

8 

REMEMBERING KUDIRAT ABIOLA: From Left; Mr Abdulmumin Abiola, Alhaji Jamiu Abiola, (sons), Dr. Hafsat Abiola-Costello 

(daughter), OPC National Co-Ordinator, Otunba Gani Adams, former Lagos Military Governor, Admiral Ndubuisi Kanu (retd), and 

President, Women Arise, Dr Joe Okei-Odumakin, during the 21st Year Anniversary of the death of Mrs Kudirat Abiola, held at MKO 

Crescent, Toyin Street, Ikeja, Lagos. PHOTO: Kehinde Gbadamosi. 

Mr & Mrs 

RECALL OF JUDGES: Lawyers back 

NJC as Sagay kicks 

5 

COLUMNISTS 

OWEI 

LAKEMFA 

Isaac Boro: A man 

meets a Nation 

30 

HENRY 

BOYO 

The oppresive 

contradictions in 

Nigeria’s economy 28 

Falana petitions 

Osinbajo over 

continued detention 

of El-Zakzaky 14

2—Vanguard, MONDAY, JUNE 5, 2017

Vanguard, MONDAY, JUNE 5, 2017—3


Vanguard, MONDAY, JUNE 5, 2017—5 

POCKET CARTOON 

OSHODI—Policemen take over Oshodi, Lagos, yesterday over clashes between factions of the 

National Union of Road Transport Workers, NURTW. 

RECALL OF JUDGES: Lawyers back 

NJC as Sagay kicks 

By Wahab Abdullah, 

Dapo Akinrefon, 

Godwin Ositse, 

Ikechukwu Nnochiri 

LAGOS — Senior 

lawyers have lent 

their support to the 

National Judicial 

Council, NJC, which 

weekend recalled some 

indicted judges, just as 

chairman of the 

Presidential Advisory 

Committee Against 

Corruption, PACAC, 

Professor Itse Sagay 

frowned at the 

development, saying “it 

is absolutely wrong to 

recall a judge whose 

case is on-going.” 

The National Judicial 

Council, NJC, headed by 

the Chief Justice of 

Nigeria, CJN, Justice 

Walter Onnoghen, 

recalled the judges at 

the end of its 82nd 

meeting on June 1, a 

development that has 

continued to elicit 

reactions. 

According to the NJC, 

the recalled jurists 

include Justice John 

Inyang Okoro of the 

Supreme Court, Justice 

Uwani Abba Aji of the 

Court of Appeal; Justice 

Hydiazira A. Nganjiwa 

of the Federal High 

Court; Justice A. F. A. 

Ademola of the Federal 

High Court who has 

been discharged and 

acquitted; Justice Musa 

H. Kurya of the Federal 

High Court; and Justice 

Agbadu James Fishim of 

National Industrial 

Court of Nigeria. 

It will be recalled that 

the NJC had said its 

decision was predicated 

on the fact that of the 

eight judges asked to 

withdraw from their 

judicial duties on the 

request of the Attorney- 

General of the 

Federation, Mr. 

Abubakar Malami, SAN, 

pending the conclusion 

of investigations on 

corruption allegations 

against them, only three 

IT'S UP TO YOU 

BY AYO ADIO - 08104802192 

With authority should come responsibility, 

never let a position you occupy trample on 

the dignity of other people. 

TAKE HEART 

BY ELLA RANDLE- O8084919482 

As you move your own energy level up out of a 

rut mentality, you’ll have an uplifting effect on 

all Wthe rut dwellers in your life -Wayne Dyer 

henever someone seeks your permission to 

try something, before saying no, ask yourself 

if you want to stay at ordinary levels of living. 

Ordinary implies being stuck in the rut, you’ll 

attract other rut dwellers, and your mutual impact 

will be to stay in your ordinary rut-complaining, 

finding fault, wishing, and hoping for better days. 

A shift in consciousness and the whole world is 

perceived differently. 

SAYINGS OF OUR PEOPLE 

A dog that does not heed the hunter’s call, gets 

lost in the forest. 

had been charged to 

court. 

NJC, in a statement by 

its Director of 

Information, Mr. Soji 

Oye, weekend, asked 

various Heads of Court 

to direct the six 

suspended Judges to 

resume their judicial 

duties with effect from 

June 7, “as there are 

already backlog of cases 

in their various courts 

for the past eight 

months.” 

Reacting yesterday, 

chairman of the 

Presidential Advisory 

Committee Against 

Corruption, PACAC, 

Professor Itse, SAN, 

said: “It is absolutely 

wrong to recall a judge 

whose case is ongoing. 

‘’It is wrong for the NJC 

to have recalled that 

judge. That is just my 

view. It is wrong because 

the case is ongoing. The 

matter has been filed 

and we don’t know what 

the outcome is going to 

be. If the outcome is 

negative for the judge, 

then he has to leave 

again, so it does not 

make sense. 

“Second, with regards 

to the other judges who 

were not charged, that is 

charges were not 

brought against them 

and that is why they were 

recalled, on principle, 

there is nothing wrong 

with that. But I want to 

ask a question, before 

recalling them, did the 

NJC consult with the 

anti-corruption agencies 

and the DSS, that 

arrested them in the first 

place? If you didn’t 

consult the agencies 

(EFCC and DSS), it can 

result in an 

embarrassing situation. 

“If you consult them 

and they say they are no 

longer interested in 

pursuing the cases, then 

you can recall them. But 

if you consult them and 

they say they are 

trying to dot on the 

charges they are going 

to file in a week or two, 

then you don’t recall 

them because after you 

recall them in such a 

circumstance and 

charges are filed 

against them, what you 

have is that a judge 

today becomes an 

accused in another 

court. 

‘’The image of the 

judiciary is going to be 

severely damaged. So, I 

don’t think the NJC has 

used its discretion 

judiciously in this 

matter.’’ 

Meanwhile, two of the 

affected judges — 

Justice Sylvester 

Ngwuta of the Supreme 

Court and Justice Rita 

Ofili-Ajumogobia of the 

Federal High Court, are 

already standing trial 

before different courts. 

Though Justice 

Ademola of a Federal 

High Court in Abuja was 

equally charged to 

court, he had been tried, 

discharged and 

acquitted of all 18-count 

criminal charges the 

Federal Government 

preferred against him. 

SANs back NJC 

But most other lawyers 

Vanguard spoke with 

yesterday threw their 

weight behind the NJC. 

They maintained that 

the NJC acted within the 

law, adding it would 

amount to gross 

injustice to continue to 

keep the affected Judges 

in abeyance when no 

form of corruption 

charge had been entered 

against them in court. 

In his reaction, 

Mallam Yusuf Ali, SAN, 

said: “You can’t keep 

the Sword of Damocles 

on people’s head 

forever. The event 

leading to this problem 

happened more than six 

months back, and there 

is presumption under 

our law that you cannot 

bring allegation without 

proof. So, they are 

presumed innocent and 

they are public officials, 

if tomorrow, if they find 

proof, they can bring 

charges against them, 

then they can be 

summoned. But it’s not 

good to keep them in 

suspense. They were 

kept in suspense in their 

professional life, their 

family life etc. So, if there 

is nothing against them, 

they have to go back to 

their work. It is good the 

NJC took that decision 

now.” 

Also reacting, 

Babatunde Fashanu, 

SAN, said: “The public 

may not be happy about 

it, they will feel that they 

were just being 

protected. However, 

they cannot be kept 

perpetually without trial, 

except that there is 

conviction that they have 

cases against them which 

is yet to be resolved. 

They can also be kept if 

there are other pending 

cases or petition before 

the NJC. However, in 

absence of such, they 

have to return to their 

work. 

“As at now, the Judges 

are presumed innocent 

since there is no petition 

and no case against them 

before the NJC. For 

instance, one of them has 

been acquitted while no 

charges are preferred 

against others, there is 

no justification to keep 

them at bay.” 

FG should apologise 

to the judges — 

Ozekhome 

Constitutional lawyer 

and rights activist, Chief 

Mike Ozekhome, SAN, 

took a slightly different 

position, saying the NJC 

acted belatedly. 

He said the Federal 

Government ought to 

apologise to the Judges 

“for the public odium, 

embarrassment, obloquy 

and shame their 

unjustified arrest, 

detention and media trial 

impacted on them. 

“The state should stop 

persecution, rather than 

prosecution. We are not 

in a Banana Republic or 

in George Orwel’s 

Animal Farm. Until the 

appellate court upturns 

the earlier judgment of 

the lower court, such 

judgment subsists and is 

enforceable. 

“The only exception is 

if there was a stay of 

execution, since a mere 

appeal does not operate 

as a stay of execution. It 

is, therefore, right for the 

NJC to recall the judges 

to work. It was even too 

late in coming.” 

Norrison Quaker, SAN, 

said in his reaction: “It 

is a welcome decision, 

this is because majority 

of the judges asked to 

return to work have not 

been charged to court 

almost six months they 

were accused of graft. 

The one charged to court 

was discharged and 

acquitted. If you look at 

the pattern adopted by 

NJC, you will observe 

that those who have been 

investigated, tried and 

freed and those that no 

charges are filed against 

are the ones recalled. 

“I believe their trial 

will have nothing to do 

with cases brought 

before their court in 

whatever manner. 

However, those who are 

not comfortable among 

them can proceed to 

retirement.” 

Mr Paul Usoro, SAN, 

said that the security 

authorities ought to have 

carried out a proper 

investigation before 

arresting the suspects. 

He was of the opinion 

that since nothing 

concrete had been found 

to hold on to them, they 

should return to their 

jobs. 

“They cannot be 

suspended for ever, if 

nothing has been found 

on them,’’ he said. 

According to Mr. 

Usman Uztaz, SAN, “the 

NJC took a good 

decision. You cannot 

continue to keep 

somebody in suspense 

over a yet-to-be-filed 

charge. If you don’t have 

a case against somebody, 

to continue to subject 

that person to perpetual 

punishment will be 

against both natural and 

constitutional rights. 

“To continue to punish 

someone you have not 

made any case against is 

contrary to the law of 

God and the law of 

nature.” 

Continues on Page 61

6—Vanguard, MONDAY, JUNE 5, 2017 

A-Ibom LG 

boss 

arrested over 

scribe’s 

death 

By Chioma 

Onuegbu, Dennis 

Udoma & Emmanuel 

Ayungbe 

UYO—A transition 

committee Chairman 

of a local government in 

Akwa Ibom State has been 

arrested over the death of 

council secretary. The 

council boss was arrested 

alongside three others. 

It was gathered that the 

arrest was effected last 

Wednesday by police. 

It was further gathered 

that two other persons, who 

were arrested in Port 

Harcourt, Rivers State, have 

already confessed to the 

police that they were paid 

N300,000 to perpetrate the 

act. 

Meanwhile, the 

deceased’s sister in-law, 

speaking with journalists in 

Uyo yesterday on condition 

of anonymity, said that the 

council Chairman had 

sworn that he has nothing 

to do with the murder of the 

council secretary. 

It would be recalled that 

on Sunday April 16, four 

unidentified gunmen shot 

dead the scribe while he 

was in his farm very close 

to his residence in 

Ukanafun. 

He was a member of the 

Caretaker Committee 

sworn in by Governor 

Udom Emmanuel, but was 

not allowed to assume duty 

until his death. 

Contacted, the state’s 

Police Public Relations 

Officer, DSP Chukwu 

Ikechukwu, who said the 

matter is under 

investigations, added: 

“The Commissioner of 

Police has said he would 

brief the press on the matter 

soon, so you will get the full 

details on the matter.” 

By Perez Brisibe 

E KETE—GUNMEN, 

suspected to be 

kidnappers, have abducted 

Mrs. Theresa Sakpra, the wife 

of the Delta State 

Commissioner for Special 

Duties, Governor’s Office, 

Chief Henry Sakpra. 

Mrs. Sakpra was said to have 

been abducted, last Thursday, 

around the Ekete Inland 

Junction along the DSC 

Expressway in Udu Local 

Government Area of the state. 

Giving details of the incident, 

a police source hinted that the 

victim was whisked away to an 

unknown destination by the 

:Vanguard News :@vanguardnews :@vanguardnews NEWS HOTLINES: 08052867023, 08052867058 

Otodo-Gbame demolition victims buried amid tears 

By Monsuru 

Olowoopejo 

LAGOS—TEARS flowed in 

Badagry, Lagos, when the 

two victims of Otodo-Gbame 

community demolition, 45- 

year-old Elijah Avonda and 

20-year-old Daniel Aya, were 

buried. 

The burial of the two victims 

came barely two months after 

Lagos State Government 

demolished the about 50-yearold 

community in Lekki, Eti- 

Osa Local Government. 

At the burial, weekend, 

hundreds of residents from 

We sell stolen Keke for 80,000; 

motorcycle, N40,000—Suspect 

•I wept like a baby, searched drainage for my stolen Keke—Victim 

By Joseph Undu 

LAGOS—A 21-year-old man, 

Ekene Chukwuan, arrested 

by operatives of Rapid Response 

Squad, RRS, of the Lagos State 

Police Command for allegedly 

stealing tricycle, popularly known 

as Keke Napep, and motorcycles 

(Okada) in Lagos, has revealed 

that his gang sells stolen tricycles 

for N80,000 and motorcycles for 

N40,000. 

He also revealed how he was 

introduced into motorcycle and 

tricycle stealing business by his 

mentor, who he referred to as 

Alhaji. 

Meanwhile, an Okadaman, 

popularly called Anishere 

Kukushi, who operates in Ikotun 

area of the state, told Vanguard 

that a new tricycle cannot be 

bought for less than N500,000, 

while an Okada is priced from 

N200,000 upward. 

The suspected thief, 

Chukwuan, who is alleged to be 

a member of a five-man gang that 

specialises in the crime, was 

nabbed in the early hours of 

Thursday after he and four other 

members of his gang broke into 

an apartment at Iyana-Ejigbo. 

Chukwuan said: “I relocated 

Delta Commissioner's wife kidnapped 

hoodlums on her way home 

after dropping one of her 

sales girls along the 

expressway. 

The source said: “The 

hoodlums went away with the 

victim in her car, which was 

later recovered the following 

day along the Effurun/Ughelli 

section of the East-West 

Road.” 

Police keep mum 

Contacted, the state’s Police 

Public Relations Officer, DSP 

Andrew Aniamaka, said: “The 

facts are not known to me, so 

I cannot speak on it.” 

Meanwhile, youths under 

the aegis of Udu Youth 

slum communities in the 

state and friends of the 

victims, paid their last 

respects to both men. 

Avonda and Aya were 

allegedly killed by stray 

bullets during the 

demolition of structures in 

the community by the state 

government. 

While Aya was buried at 

Muwo, Badagry West, 

Avonda was buried at Apa 

Kingdom. 

Some of the mourners, who 

accompanied the corpse to 

their separate home towns, 

broke down in tears when the 

from Amukoko to Ijora in search 

of greener pastures because I 

was told there is money in Ijora 

and Mushin. 

“I worked as a truck pusher at 

Ojuade Market, where I helped 

people convey their goods from 

one location to another before 

Alhaji told me to stop the work 

for a better one. 

“Alhaji told me he was called 

for a work by one Ajona, and 

asked me if I will like to join him, 

promising me a better pay and 

less stress. I accepted Alhaji’s 

idea, but didn’t know we were 

going for robbery. 

“On getting to Ejigbo, Ajona, 

who is the leader, told us to stay 

at a particular place till night fall 

before entering into the 

apartment where we unchained 

a motorcycle and a tricycle. We 

put the motorcycle inside the 

tricycle while Ajona drove off 

with two others in the tricycle. 

“We were on our way when 

we met RRS men, who stopped 

us but we refused to stop. So 

they chased us. We were at full 

speed, trying to escape, when 

we crashed. We took to our 

heels, but the policemen caught 

me.” 

He also claimed in a statement 

Council, UYC, while 

describing the spate of 

kidnappings in the area as 

alarming and cowardly, 

appealed to the hoodlums to 

release the victim. 

The youths, in a statement 

by its President, Mr. Otito 

Yembra, said: “The abduction 

of Chief Sakpra’s wife was 

not only a cowardly act by 

desperate characters that 

seek to profit from their 

criminal conduct, but also a 

sore reminder of the growing 

resurgence of criminality as 

it concerns the despicable 

and anti-social kidnapping 

industry in Urhoboland and 

Udu in particular.” 

victims were finally laid to 

rest. 

I lost my only source of 

joy— Avonda’s mother 

Speaking to Vanguard 

after the burial, Elijah 

Avonda’s mother, Blessing, 

lamented that her only 

source of joy has been 

killed. 

The octogenarian, a petty 

trader, disclosed that her 

late son was a fisherman and 

often goes fishing at the 

lagoon for sale by the 

family, which has “been our 

source of income.” 

Ekene Chukwuan 

to the police that “we sell 

stolen Keke Napep for between 

N75,000 and N80,000, while 

motorcycles are sold between 

N30,000 and N40,000.” 

I wept like a baby 

—Keke’s owner 

Meanwhile, owner of the 

motorcycle, Mr. Nduka 

Oyekachi Innocent, 31, who 

was alerted of the theft and 

invited to RRS office, said he 

wept like a baby on 

discovering that his Keke was 

missing because he got it on a 

hire-purchase arrangement 

from a businessman. 

He was to repay N1,000,000 

within one and half years, 

according to the agreement he 

signed. 

He explained further that 

the businessman gave him the 

Narrating how her son met 

his death, Blessing said: “On 

that day, my son was returning 

from the lagoon where he had 

gone to catch fish that would 

be sold by the family. On his 

arrival at the shore, he was 

killed by a stray bullet.” 

In tears, she noted that the 

death of her only son had 

“brought another burden on 

the family.” 

She said at this age, “I cannot 

run around so much again to 

generate income. My late son 

had been the main source of 

my support. 

“He has been killed and left 

tricycle in February and he had 

just repaid N220,000 out of the 

N1,000,000. 

His words: “I woke up the 

following morning only to 

discover that the Keke was 

missing. I searched everywhere, 

including the drainage because I 

was so much devastated and 

worried about the debt and how 

to take care of my family. 

“Immediately, I went to Ejigbo 

Police Station to report the 

incident before I was informed 

later that RRS officers had 

arrested one of the suspected 

thieves.” 

Recovered from the suspect 

were iron cutter, a tricycle and a 

motorcycle. 

The suspect has been 

transferred to the State Criminal 

Investigation Department for 

further investigations.


wives and children behind. 

The challenge is who will cater 

for the needs of the family 

Elijah left behind? I cannot 

understand.” 

Police killed my brother, 

says Aya’s brother 

Elijah Ngbo, worried by 

death of his younger sibling, 

Daniel Aya, alleged that an 

officer of the Nigerian Police 

deployed to the community by 

the state government shot and 

killed his brother. 

Ngbo lamented that two 

months after the tragedy, the 

relevant authorities have not 

revealed the policeman that 

killed his brother. 


Cattle seller, herbalist arrested over kidnapping: 

Apprentice lures master's son 

out of Church with ice cream 

The suspects 

By Dayo Johnson 

AKURE—A cattle seller, an 

apprentice, a herbalist and 

two others have been arrested 

by police detectives in Ondo 

State over the kidnap of a 

traditional ruler and an eightyear-old 

primary school pupil in 

the state. 

The cow seller, 30-year-old 

Usman Momodu, was arrested 

with N112,000 cash said to be 

part of ransom collected from the 

family of the traditional ruler, 

Oba Daudu Sunday, the 

Oluyani of Iyani, in Akoko area 

of the state last month. 

Also recovered from the 

suspect was a Nokia handset 

which phone number allegedly 

used for negotiation of ransom. 

Oba Daudu was kidnapped by 

six armed men along Oba Akoko- 

Owo Road and released after 

three days, when his family paid 

ransom. 

Taking master's son 

On the kidnap of the eightyear-old 

boy, the apprentice, 

Obinna Stephen; herbalist, Eze 

Ifeanyi Okeke and two others, 

Police arrest 2, deploy 200 officers to 

Ebonyi, C’River boundary communities 

By Peter Okutu 

A BAKALIKI—EBONYI 

State Police Command, 

weekend, said it had arrested 

two notorious robbery suspects 

at Ezzamgbo, Ohaukwu Local 

Government Area of the state. 

In a statement by the state’s 

Police Public Relations Officer, 

DSP Jude Madu, the two robbery 

suspects, Oge,18, and Emeka, 

20, were arrested by men of 

Ohaukwu Police Division in the 

area in collaboration with the 

youths and men of vigilante in 

the village. 

He said two locally-made 

Joel Carol and Christopher 

Anthony, were arrested for 

kidnapping the boy, son of 

Stephen’s master, Ezechiefoh 

Chuks, during Sunday service 

at Don Bosco Catholic Church, 

Araromi, Akure. 

Stephen succeeded in luring 

him out of the church by 

promising to buy him ice cream. 

He then handed him over to his 

accomplices, who took the boy 

away, returned to the church 

and continued with worship. 

Vanguard gathered that the 

boy was kept at a herbalist’s 

house in Akure, from where he 

did all the negotiations with the 

boy’s family as they reportedly 

demanded N10 million ransom 

from the boy’s father. 

It was gathered that during 

police investigation, one of the 

church members reportedly 

informed the police that he saw 

Obinna putting the little boy on 

a motorcycle during church 

service and was driven away. 

Stephen later confessed and 

led detectives to the native 

doctor’s hideout at Omoniyi 

Street, Agbogbo in Akure, where 

the victim was rescued. 

double-barrelled pistols, Army 

uniform with blood stains, two 

iron cutters, one saw-blade, 

two machetes, one hammer, 

one dagger, one gas cooker, 

one laptop, two ladies 

motorcycles, two 950 power 

generators, one Samsung 

handset, one standing fan, 

two speakers, one iron bar, 

one CD player, torch light and 

a bag containing some clothes 

were recovered from them. 

Madu said: “Also arrested is 

a cult leader in the same area. 

He is Chidi, 19. He was also 

arrested with his axe, while 

his members fled on sighting 

Vanguard gathered that 

other suspects were 

apprehended at the herbalist’s 

hideout, while waiting for the 

father of the victim to pay the 

ransom. 

On the monarch’s kidnap, 

the state’s Commissioner of 

Police, Hilda Harrison, said 

that the cow seller was the 

leader of the gang that 

kidnapped the Oba. 

She revealed that the 

suspect had confessed to the 

commission of the crime 

along with others, while 

By Emma Amaize 

LAGOS—LUCK ran out of 

a suspected kidnapper, 

Shuaibu, an indigene of Kogi 

State, whose gang abducted 

a 70-year-old man, Mr. 

Charles Eze, in Delta State, 

in April 22, as he was nabbed 

by the police yesterday. 

Delta State Commissioner of 

Police, Mr. Zanna Ibrahim, 

said: “Though the kidnap 

syndicate released the victim, 

the police. Efforts are on to 

arrest the remaining members 

of the syndicate.” 

Reacting to the land 

disputes between Ofunakpa 

Inyimagu community in Ikwo 

Local Government Area of 

Ebonyi State and Nsobo 

community in Obubara Local 

Government Area of Cross 

River State, the police 

spokesman added that “police 

took necessary measures to 

restore normalcy in the areas. 

“About 200 policemen are 

still stationed in these 

communities to protect lives 

and properties.” 

efforts are on to arrest 

fleeing members of the 

gang. 

On the kidnap of the eightyear-old 

boy, the Police boss 

said one locally-made pistol, 

one Beretta pistol, some live 

ammunition and two live 

cartridges were recovered 

from the suspects at their 

hideout. 

Harrison pointed out that 

the suspects would soon be 

arraigned in court at the 

conclusion of the 

investigations. 

abducted along Idumuga- 

Obomkpa Road after 

collecting ransom, police kept 

monitoring the group. 

“Acting on intelligence, 

operatives of the State Anti- 

Kidnapping and Cyber 

Crimes Squad, SAKCCS, 

arrested Shuaibu, 35. 

The Commissioner said the 

suspect, who reside at 

Ogbe-Obi village, Illah, 

Oshimili North Local 

Government Area, “has 

2 die in 

Owerri 

robberies 

By Chidi 

Nkwopara 

O WERRI—TWO 

people were 

reported dead, weekend, in 

a foiled robbery attack at Hot 

Junction, Ulakwu, Owerri 

North Local Government 

Area of Imo State, while an 

innocent citizen was 

gunned down by fleeing 

hoodlums in Owerri 

municipality. 

Vanguard gathered that 

one of the mobile telephone 

service providers came 

with a police escort to move 

their earnings when the 

hoodlums struck. 

An eyewitness said that 

the hoodlums arrived in a 

Toyota Sienna car at 4p.m., 

“when the robbers arrived. 

They quickly moved to a 

hotel, which shares a 

common boundary with the 

telephone provider’s outlet, 

where the police escort was 

said to be having a drink. 

“They attacked the 

policeman and tried to 

disarm him. In the ensuing 

scuffle, the policeman let off 

a shot which fatally 

wounded one of the 

robbers. 

“When they eventually 

overpowered the 

policeman, they shot him 

several times at close 

range, took his rifle and 

escaped with their 

wounded colleague.” 

The eyewitness said it 

was not very clear if, in the 

circumstance, the robbers 

succeeded in carting away 

the company’s money. 

In another development, 

it was gathered that fleeing 

robbers ran into a police 

patrol team along Tetlow 

Road, Owerri, and started 

firing indiscriminately. 

A resident, who simply 

identified himself as 

Evaristus, told Vanguard 

that one of the bullets fired 

by the criminals hit an 

innocent citizen, who died 

on the spot. 

According to Evaristus, 

“the hoodlums started firing 

because they must have 

reasoned that the police 

team was waiting for them.” 

Police nab kidnapper, 2 robbery suspects in Delta 

confessed and mentioned his 

cohorts and investigation is 

ongoing.” 

Meanwhile, a police 

surveillance patrol team and 

Owa Oyibu vigilante unit in 

the state, weekend, arrested 

two robbery suspects. 

Recovered from both 

suspects, said to be indigenes 

of Anambra State, were two 

locally-made cut- to-size 

pistols and two live 

cartridges.

8—VANGUARD, MONDAY, JUNE 5, 2017 


Presidency, NASS flex muscles over 

400 ‘strange projects’ in 2017 budget 

•Hold talks to resolve grey areas 

•As Osinbajo gives 2 conditions for assent 

By Soni Daniel, 

Northern Region 

Editor 

ABUJA— AS the nation 

eagerly awaits the 

take-off of the 2017 budget, 

more than half way into the 

fiscal year, the Presidency 

and the leadership of the 

National Assembly made 

last minute attempts, last 

night, to salvage the 

document by sorting out 

areas of disagreement. 

The meeting between the 

Presidency and the 

leadership of the National 

Assembly to hammer out 

the grey areas in the 

budget, was underway at 

press time. 

According to impeccable 

sources, the Presidency, 

which prepared the budget, 

is riled that the leadership 

of the National Assembly 

unilaterally introduced 

more than 400 ‘strange 

projects’ into the budget 

before belatedly passing it 

last month. 

The said projects, 

Vanguard understands, are 

mostly roads, health 

centres, recreational 

centres, water and electricity 

schemes, which are under 

state and local governments 

that were never evaluated, 

designed or included by the 

Presidency in the budget. 

At the same time, the 

presidency is concerned 

that the NASS inexplicably 

slashed allocations to key 

federal agencies and 

projects and added them to 

its budget, raising it from 

COMMISSIONING: From left, Professor Sunday Owolabi, Deputy 

Vice Chancellor, Babcock University; Ayo Liadi, Executive Director, Lagos & 

South West, United Bank for Africa, UBA, Plc; Prof. Ademola Stephen Tayo; 

Dr. Daniel Giang, Loma Linda University, California; and Isiaka Usman, 

Regional Director, Lagos 3 Region, UBA Plc, at the commissioning of new 

UBA Plc Business Office, Babcock University, weekend. 

N115 billion to N125 

billion at this time of 

economic hardship 

without considering the 

impact on other 

Nigerians. 

The Presidency is also 

said to be worried that the 

NASS jerked up the budget 

by N143 billion without 

explaining where the 

additional cash would be 

derived from, saying the 

‘distortions’ would 

adversely affect the 

implementation of the 

budget. 

A top presidency official, 

who spoke to Vanguard last 

night, said the extraneous 

items introduced by the 

NASS into the 2017 budget 

would have an adverse 

effect on the generality of 

Nigerians, if not expunged. 

“These illegal insertions 

into the budget presented 

to them by President 

Muhammadu Buhari last 

year, do not in any way 

indicate that they were done 

for purely altruistic reasons. 

From the look of things, it 

is clear to us that the 

projects were added for 

pecuniary and political 

reasons and they cannot 

advance the cause of the 

ordinary man in the society. 

“How can state and local 

government projects that 

do not have designs and 

cost be inserted into a 

national budget by those 

who will still turn round 

tomorrow to blame the 

executive of nonimplementation 

of the 

budget, if assented to by 

the President in the form it 

was transmitted?” the 

source queried last night. 

Osinbajo gives 2 

conditions 

for assent 

A top official of the 

administration confirmed to 

Vanguard that although 

Acting President, Prof. Yemi 

Osinbajo, was eager to 

assent to the appropriation 

bill to "move the country 

forward," he could only do 

so on two major conditions: 

that NASS would not insist 

on the full implementation 

of the "imported 400 

projects" and would not also 

accuse the executive of not 

implementing the budget 

in full. 

It will be recalled that the 

Presidency proposed a 

budget of N7.3 trillion in 

December 2016 but the 

NASS jerked it to N7.44 

trillion. 

But Senate Leader, 

Ahmed Lawan, defended 

the increase of the budget 

by N143 billion, saying that 

it would take care of vital 

projects, such as the second 

runway for the Nnamdi 

Azikiwe International 

Airport and others. 

Female IDPs accuse 

soldiers of demanding sex 

in exchange for favours 

•It's another blackmail —Defence 

spokesman 

By Kingsley 

Omonobi, Abuja, 

with agency reports 

M AIDUGURI— 

SOME victims of the 

conflict in the North-East 

have accused soldiers and 

members of the civilian Joint 

Task Force, JTF, of raping 

women and girls in internally 

displaced persons, IDPs, 

camps and a hospital in 

Borno State. 

The victims in a petition 

sent under the Knifar 

Movement, a body 

advocating the rights of 

displaced persons, called on 

the National Assembly to 

come to their rescue. 

But the military authorities 

in a swift reaction, yesterday, 

dismissed allegations as 

another blackmail against 

soldiers assigned to ensure 

order and safety in IDPs 

camps. 

The victims said the 

alleged harassment had 

continued unabated since 

2015 when they were 

displaced from their homes 

as a result of the insurgency 

in the region. 

They also alleged that 466 

of them have died in Bama 

Hospital camp, while 279 

others in the area are being 

detained in military barracks 

and Maiduguri maximum 

prison “for offences they did 

not commit.” 

The victims demanded the 

release of their people in 

“illegal detention.” 

“First, we sold our 

jewellery to them to get food. 

Then we sold our clothes. 

When we didn’t have 

anything left, they asked for 

sex. Young women were 

forced to date the civilian JTF 

members and soldiers to feed 

London terror attacks 

sickening, atrocious 

— Osinbajo 

By Emma Ujah, 

Abuja Bureau Chief 

A BUJA—ACTING 

President, Prof. Yemi 

Osinbajo, yesterday, 

condemned, in strong 

terms, the terror attacks on 

London, the United 

Kingdom. 

The condemnation was 

contained in a statement by 

Senior Special Assistant to 

the President on Media & 

Publicity, Office of the Vice 

President, Mr. Laolu 

Akande. 

Prof. Osinbajo called for 

greater global collaboration 

with a view to eliminating 

extremist ideologies from 

the world. 

their children,” the petition 

read. 

“Most of us arrived in 

Bama Hospital camp by the 

end of 2015 and early 2016. 

We were initially only given 

food once in a day, just maize 

flower. There was not 

enough water either. If you 

wanted more food, you had 

to pay the civilian JTF and 

soldiers who guarded the 

camp. 

“If they would hand out 

extra food, the women had 

to pay by giving them sex. 

Sexual violence and rape by 

the civilian JTF and soldiers 

were rampant. 

“Even after we moved to 

Maiduguri, some of our 

women and girls are still 

being harrassed by the 

civilian JTF and soldiers. We 

also continue to hear from our 

people back in Bama 

hospital and Banki camp that 

the sexual abuse continues.” 

It's another 

orchestrated blackmail 

—Defence spokesman 

Meanwhile, Director of 

Defence Information, Major 

General John Enenche, told 

Vanguard in a telephone 

chat, yesterday, that the 

Army or the military had no 

direct access to the IDPs or 

administration of the camps, 

saying that aspect was being 

handled by the civil 

authorities. 

According to Enenche: 

“The military only provides 

security for the camps from 

attacks by Boko Haram or 

attacks from hoodlums. 

This is done outside the 

perimeter fencing. So there 

is no way any soldier can 

be inside the camp 

soliciting for sex. It is 

another orchestrated 

blackmail." 

The statement read: 

“Acting President Yemi 

Osinbajo, SAN, strongly 

condemns the sickening 

atrocity perpetrated by a 

misguided and cowardly 

group of terrorists, who 

attacked innocent persons 

in the London Bridge area 

on Saturday night. 

“Prof Osinbajo states that 

Nigeria stands with the 

government and people of 

the United Kingdom and 

extends our condolences to 

the families of the victims. 

“The acting president 

notes that the latest attack 

in the UK reinforces the 

need for the global 

community to act with 

greater vigour to overcome 

the extremist ideologies 

which underpin terrorism.”

Vanguard, MONDAY, JUNE 5, 2017 — 9



PPPRA failed to remit N167bn to 

FERMA — Gaya 

By Omeiza Ajayi 

ABUJA— 

Former 

governor of Kano 

State, Senator Kabiru Gaya, 

has accused the Petroleum 

Products Pricing and 

Regulatory Agency, 

PPPRA, of failing to remit 

about N167 billion to the 

Federal Roads 

Maintenance Agency, 

FERMA, in the past seven 

years. 

Gaya, who represents 

Kano South Senatorial 

District in the Senate, in an 

interview with journalists in 

Abuja, yesterday, urged 

Nigerians not to panic over 

alleged moves by the 

Senate to increase the 

pump price of petroleum 

products by N5. 

According to him, there is 

no need to panic because 

the issue has not been 

discussed on the floor of the 

Senate. 

He said: “In the last 

seven years, I have been in 

the Senate. There was a N5 

levy for which the Petroleum 

Products Pricing and 

Regulatory Agency, 

PPPRA, was supposed to 

be deducted, not to 

increase, even when pump 

price was sold at N87 per 

litre from the amount sold 

and remit to FERMA to 

maintain roads. 

“From our calculation, 

Stopping gas flaring’ll boost 

Nigeria’s revenue — NNPC 

By Michael Eboh 

ABUJA— 

THE 

Nigerian National 

Petroleum Corporation, 

NNPC, yesterday, stated 

that Nigeria’s revenue 

would grow significantly if 

a law prohibiting gas 

flaring by oil and gas 

companies operating in 

Nigeria was enacted. 

Group Managing 

Director of NNPC, Dr. 

Maikanti Baru, made this 

submission during a oneday 

public hearing on Gas 

Flaring Prohibition Bill 

2017 at the National 

Assembly in Abuja, 

weekend. 

Baru, who was 

represented by Managing 

Director of Nigerian 

Petroleum Development 

Company, NPDC, Mr. 

Yusuf Matashi, stated that 

the NPDC, the exploration 

and production arm of the 

NNPC, was already going 

ahead to see that the 

monetization of flared gas 

was realised, despite the 

challenges of the past. 

He noted that the NPDC 

was the highest gas 

supplier to Nigerian 

domestic market and was, 

therefore, committed to the 

reduction and elimination 

of gas flaring to generate 

more revenue for the 

country. 

He said the NNPC had 

put in place measures and 

facilities to curb gas flaring 

preparatory to the 2020 flare 

out deadline by the 

Department of Petroleum 

Resources, DPR. 

Baru expressed NNPC’s 

strong support for the 

legislation to reduce gas 

flaring, adding that the 

corporation considered the 

legislation from the 

financial benefits it 

promises to capture rather 

•Insists no plan to increase fuel price 

PPPRA has not paid N167 

billion to FERMA . I raised 

this issue then and wanted 

to continue this time again 

that the same N5, which 

was supposed to be paid 

before and they didn’t pay 

and now should also be 

deducted, reduced and 

removed from the N145 not 

to increase." 

Gaya, who is the 

Chairman, Senate 

Committee on Works, said 

there was a deliberate 

distortion of facts with 

regards to the Road Fund 

Bill proposed by his 

committee. 

He said it was clear that 

some people were out to 

LAUNCHING: From left, Deji Oguntonade, Head, FINTECH, Guranty 

Trust Bank; Segun Agbaje, Group Managing Director; Bolaji Lawal, Executive 

Director/Head, Digital Banking, and Sina Ayegbusi, Chief Technology Officer, 

all of GTBank, at the launch of GTWorld Mobile APP, in Lagos. 

than seeing it from the 

point of view of penalty. 

Also speaking, Senate 

President, Dr. Bukola 

Saraki, who was 

represented by Deputy 

Minority Leader, Senator 

Bala Ibn Nallah, while 

declaring open the public 

hearing, said the issue of 

gas flaring was a national 

embarrassment, adding 

that the 8th Senate was 

committed to enacting a 

legislation that would end 

gas flaring in the country. 

He said: “Gas flaring is 

as old as crude oil 

exploration in the country. 

We are, therefore, 

committed to this 

legislation which seeks to 

put an end to gas flaring 

which has deprived the 

nation of huge revenue, 

impacted the lives of oil 

producing areas negatively 

and depleted the ozone 

layers.” 

make mountains out of a 

mole hill, adding that it was 

an attempt to dent his 

image and that of the 

government of President 

Muhammadu Buhari by 

mischief makers, who 

should rather educate the 

public on the true position 

of the bill. 

He said: “People are 

complaining because they 

don’t know the challenges 

before members of the 

Senate Committee on 

Works. We have a lot of work 

to do because there are 

about 34 projects that were 

not included in the 2016 

budget but we made sure 

that they are now included 

in the 2017 budget." 

CJN okays 

Mustapha as 

new S-Court 

Chief 

Registrar 

By Ikechukwu 

Nnochiri 

ABUJA — THE Chief 

Justice of Nigeria, CJN, 

Justice Walter Onnoghen, 

has okayed the appointment 

of Mrs. Hadizatu Uwani 

Mustapha as the new Chief 

Registrar of the Supreme 

Court. 

A statement from the CJN, 

yesterday, indicated that 

Mrs. Mustapha will assume 

office on July 1, to replace 

the current Chief Registrar, 

Mr. Ahmad Gambo Saleh. 

The statement further 

revealed that Saleh will on 

the same day resume in his 

new position as the Secretary 

of the National Judicial 

Council, NJC. 

Mrs. Mustapha’s 

elevation to the apex court 

was contained in a Letter of 

Offer of Appointment dated 

May 31 and signed by the 

Secretary of the Federal 

Judicial Service 

Commission, FJSC, Mrs. 

Bilkisu Bashir. 

According to the CJN, 

“Mrs. Mustapha emerged 

from a strong field of six 

applicants interviewed by 

the FJSC on May 30.” 

Until her appointment, 

Mrs. Mustapha was the 

Deputy Chief Registrar of 

the Sharia Court of Appeal 

of the Federal Capital 

Territory, FCT. 

According to a 

statement,“Born in Gwoza, 

Borno State, on August 8, 

1961, Mrs. Mustapha holds 

a Bachelor of Law (LL.B) 

degree from the University 

of Maiduguri, which she 

earned in 1984 before 

attending the Nigerian Law 

School, Victoria Island, 

Lagos, for her Barrister at 

Law (BL) programme in 

1985." 

Leaked tape: Adeyemi 

asks NJC, DSS, others to 

probe Melaye, judge 

By Omeiza Ajayi 

A BUJA—IMMEDIATE 

past senator, who 

represented Kogi West 

Senatorial District, Smart 

Adeyemi, has asked the 

National Judicial Council, 

NJC, and Department of 

State Service, DSS, to probe 

the judgment of Kogi State 

Election Tribunal, which 

dismissed his petition, and 

declared Dino Melaye as 

duly elected senator for the 

district. 

Speaking with journalists, 

yesterday, in Abuja, while 

reacting to a leaked 

telephone conversation 

alleged to have involved 

Senator Melaye and the 

chairperson of the tribunal, 

Justice Akon Ikpeme, 

Adeyemi also called on 

anti-graft agencies to wade 

into the matter. 

He said: “I, hereby, call 

for a thorough investigation 

by the appropriate 

authorities, that is, the 

Chief Justice of the 

Federation, Minister of 

Justice and Attorney- 

General of the Federation, 

National Judicial Council, 

NJC; Economic and 

Financial Crimes 

Commission, EFCC; 

Independent Corrupt 

Practices and other Related 

Offences Commission, 

ICPC, and Department of 

State Service, DSS. 

“I hold the view that the 

Justice Akon Ikpeme-led 

panel has the burden to 

come out and prove their 

innocence to the world, 

especially as touching on 

the recent leaked telephone 

conversation between her 

and a litigant in her 

tribunal, in the person of 

Dino Melaye.” 

Sen. Melaye has, 

however, denied having 

any such conversation with 

the judge, saying his 

accusers were only envious 

of his rising profile. 

He said: “Sahara 

Reporters and awada 

kerikeri using voice over to 

malign me because my 

case with them comes up a 

in few days time (5th June 

2017),” the senator had 

tweeted. 

However, Adeyemi said 

an expert analysis of the 

leaked audio tape would 

prove otherwise. 

“If my brother Dino 

denies the audio clip, let 

him look at the mirror before 

him, the person will appear. 

For two years I kept praying 

to God to make a show of 

shame of all conspirators 

against me at the tribunal. 

By the power of God, more 

revelations would still 

come,” he stated. 

FG raises alarm over 

worsening cases of fake 

news 

ABUJA— THE Federal 

Government has 

urged Nigerians to be extra 

vigilant in view of the 

worsening cases of fake 

news being spread by 

unscrupulous persons, 

who are bent on 

destabilizing the polity and 

causing disunity among 

the country’s various ethnic 

and religious groups. 

In a statement issued in 

Abuja, yesterday, Minister 

of Information and Culture, 

Alhaji Lai Mohammed, 

said over this weekend 

alone, several major cases 

of fake news were 

recorded, each of them 

capable of causing panic, 

triggering chaos or setting 

one group against the 

other. 

He said a gory video of a 

blast that occurred many 

years ago was being 

circulated along with the 

false news of a bomb blast 

in Abuja, while news of a 

non-existent bomb blast in 

Lagos was also widely 

circulated, forcing the 

police to promptly debunk 

the fake news. 

Mohammed also said the 

latest strategy being employed 

by the purveyors of 

fake news was to attribute 

to top government officials 

improbable statements 

that were capable of 

destabilizing the polity, 

causing tension and 

threatening the country’s 

unity. 

"This is why we are 

appealing to Nigerians not 

to ever engage in a kneejerk 

reaction to any news, 

and to subject every 

information to a very 

serious scrutiny by 

checking with security 

agencies and government 

spokespersons,’’ he said. 

The minister described 

the fake news phenomenon 

as ‘the scourge of our times’ 

which will probably get 

worse in the months ahead, 

hence the need for all 

Nigerians to be very 

vigilant so that fake news 

purveyors do not succeed 

in their quest to sow the 

seeds of chaos and 

confusion. 

He also appealed to the 

traditional media, which 

had a reputation to protect, 

to join the campaign 

against the purveyors of 

fake news.

VANGUARD, MONDAY, JUNE 5, 2017 — 11 


LAGOS SCHOOL KIDNAP: Abductors 

reject N2m ransom offer, relocate victims 

By Evelyn Usman 

L 

A G O S — 

INDICATION 

emerged yesterday that 

the six Senior Secondary 

School students who were 

abducted at the Lagos 

Model Collage, Igbonla, 

Epe, 11 days ago, have 

been relocated to another 

camp outside Lagos and 

Ogun creeks. 

The kidnappers had 

given parents of the 

abducted students 

Tuesday last week 

deadline to pay N20 

million ransom for the 

release of each of the 

students, threatening to 

relocate them if their 

demand was not met. 

On the expiration of the 

deadline, three members 

of the gang who had gone 

to survey the waterways 

prior to the planned 

relocation were arrested 

in Benin, the Edo state 

capital, by operatives of 

the Inspector-General of 

Police Intelligence 

Response Team, IRT, last 

Tuesday 

But Vanguard gathered 

that the relocation of the 

student was done at the 

early hours of yesterday 

through a new route in the 

creeks between the border 

of Lagos and Ogun states. 

Aside, earlier threat to 

relocate the students, 

another major reason for 

the relocation as gathered 

was dwindling food supply 

to the camp. 

Yesterday’s relocation 

was the second time the 

abducted students would 

be moved from one 

kidnappers den to another. 

The first relocation was 

done upper weekend, two 

days after the abduction. 

Policemen comprising 

those from the Lagos State 

Police command, Marine 

Unit and the IGP Intelligent 

Team who stormed the first 

camp where the students 

were kept, engaged some 

kidnappers found at the 

camp in a gun duel. 

In the process,two boats 

belonging to the militants 

were sunk, while some 

gang members managed 

to escape. However when 

checks were conducted 

round the camp, the 

students were not found. 

There were reportedly 

indications that they were 

moved out few hours 

before the operatives’ 

arrived. 

Meanwhile, Vanguard 

was informed that a parent 

of one of the victims, who 

was contacted at the early 

hours of Saturday by the 

kidnappers, was asked to 

bring his own part of 

ransom. The parent, as 

reliably gathered, was 

EKITI FUEL CRISIS: Jubilation as Fayose, oil marketers 

end face-off 

A DO-EKITI—WILD 

jubilation yesterday 

greeted the end to a threeweek 

face-off between Ekiti 

State Governor, Ayodele 

Fayose and oil marketers in 

the state as the two parties 

agreed to sheath their 

swords after a peace 

meeting brokered by 

Governor Rauf Aregbesola 

of Osun State, in Osogbo 

yesterday. 

According to Fayose’s 

Alake writes FG over plan to scrap FUNAAB course 

By Daud Olatunji 

A BEOKUTA—THE 

Alake and Paramount 

Ruler of Egbaland, Oba 

Michael Gbadebo has 

protested against the plan 

by the Federal Government 

to scrap the College of 

Management Sciences, 

COLMAS, at the Federal 

University of Agriculture, 

Abeokuta. 

The Alake’s letter, dated 

May 15, 2017 sent to 

President Muhammadu 

Buhari and his Vice, Prof. 

asked to take the money to 

a location at Odogunyan 

area of Ikorodu at a 

specified time. 

However on reaching 

the designated point,the 

caller changed the 

collection point four times 

without showing up. 

The parent who went with 

N2 million, as reliably 

gathered, was asked to 

come the following day to 

another location in 

Shagamu, with an 

instruction to put the same 

cloth he wore. Again, he 

reportedly waited close 

to six hours without any 

sign of anyone coming to 

pick the money. 

UNVEILING: From left; Company Secretary, Sterling Bank Plc, Justina Lewa; 

Sterling Bank’s Environmental Make-Over Ambassador, Olumide Adedeji 

(BADOO) and Group Head, Brand Management and Communications, 

Sterling Bank Plc,Mr. Henry Bassey during the unveiling of Olumide Adedeji 

as Sterling Bank’s Environmental Make-Over Ambassador in Lagos. 

Chief Press Secretary, 

Idowu Adelusi, a 

communique from the 

peace meeting was signed 

by governors Fayose and 

Aregbesola, the Nigerian 

Union of Petroleum and 

Natural Gas Workers, 

NUPENG’s General 

Secretary, Joseph Ogbebor; 

Independent Petroleum 

Marketers Association of 

Nigeria, IPMAN’s Zonal 

Chairman, Debo Ahmed 

and PTD NUPENG’s 

National Vice Chairman, 

Yemi Osinbajo was sent 

through a member of 

Abeokuta South Federal 

Constituency, Olusegun 

Williams, while the Senator 

representing Ogun Central 

at the National Assembly, 

Dr. Lanre Tejuoso was 

copied. 

A copy of the letter was 

obtained by Vanguard 

through the Alake’s media 

aide and the Aare Baaroyin 

of Egbaland, Olootu Layi 

Labode, yesterday in 

Abeokuta. 

The plan by the Federal 

Solomon Kilanko. 

The resolutions are that: 

*An ad-hoc committee be 

constituted to fashion out in 

clear terms the conditions 

and guidelines for the 

establishment and 

operations of filling stations 

in Ekiti State; 

*The committee 

comprising representatives 

of Ekiti State Government 

and oil and gas stakeholders 

shall commence work on 

Wednesday 7th June, 2017; 

*In the spirit of 

government, according to 

the Alake, was 

communicated through the 

announcement of a 

directive by the Minister of 

Education, Adamu Adamu, 

to the effect that Specialized 

Universities should stop 

running Management 

Courses. 

The paramount ruler said 

the action has caused a big 

disquiet in Nigeria, 

especially in all the areas 

where the enormous 

advantages of such 

universities are appreciated. 

reconciliation, Ekiti State 

Government agreed to 

reverse the revocation of 

some Certificates of 

Occupancy of landed 

properties on which filling 

stations are built, except the 

ones on waterways, canals 

and where there is no 

justification for such 

revocation; 

*In that same spirit, the 

government agreed to stop 

further demolitions pending 

the outcome of the 

committee’s report. 

Consequently, NUPENG, 

IPMAN and other related oil 

and gas unions were to 

suspend the industrial 

action embarked upon by 

their members, with 

immediate effect. 

LAGOS LG POLLS: APC submits 

candidates, after ‘rat race’ 

By Emmanuel Aziken, 

Political Editor 

THE 

All 

Progressives 

Congress, APC in Lagos 

State has forwarded its 

candidates for chairmen and 

councillors in the 

forthcoming local 

government area elections 

to the Lagos State 

Independent Electoral 

Commission, LASIEC, 

Senator Tokunbo 

Afikuyomi, chairman of the 

electoral panel, which 

conducted the primaries said 

last night. 

In a statement made 

available to Vanguard, 

Senator Afikuyomi also 

explained that the heat 

generated by the primaries 

was on account of what he 

described as the “rat race” 

by the contenders, who 

knew that winning the APC 

ticket was as good as being 

elected. 

Besides, he said that the 

APC leadership in the state 

relied on primaries and 

consensus in choosing 

candidates for the election. 

That decision, however, 

sparked crises in several 

areas and more notably in 

Surulere, Shomolu, Amuwo 

By Dayo Johnson 

AKURE—THE crisis 

in the Ondo State 

Chapter of the All 

Progressives Congress, 

APC, deepened weekend, 

as the embattled State 

Chairman, Hon Isaac 

Kekemeke, described the 

vote of no confidence 

passed on him as 

scandalous and irritating. 

Kekemeke insisted that 

he remained the 

unshakable elected state 

chairman of the ruling 

party. 

Some members of the 

State Executive Council, 

SEC, passed a vote of no 

confidence on the 

Odofin and Oshodi where 

one person died in a brush 

between party supporters. 

Afikuyomi in the 

statement said: 

“Our party’s constitution 

provides for both direct and 

indirect primaries to pick the 

candidates. In its wisdom, 

the APC leadership in 

Lagos opted for a 

combination of primaries 

and the consensus option 

in compliance with the 

provisions of Articles 20 

(ii)a, (iii)a and 21(xi) of the 

APC Constitution. 

“That was done to ensure 

the emergence of real 

grassroots leaders and 

knowledgeable party men 

and women who can 

positively impact the lives of 

the people at the local level, 

who can make the muchneeded 

difference in 

governance and deliver 

dividends of democracy to 

our people. This is what we 

need to complement the 

wonderful work Governor 

Akinwunmi Ambode has 

been doing. 

“The process had started 

from the stakeholders’ 

meeting where the 

decision on the modality 

for the election were 

taken and ratified.'' 

I remain Ondo APC chairman 

— KEKEMEKE 

Chairman for failing to 

discharge his 

responsibilities, neglect 

and dereliction of duty, 

among other offences . 

A three-man facts finding 

disciplinary committee was 

immediately set up to 

investigate the former 

Chairman while his deputy 

Ade Adetimehin was 

directed to act in his stead. 

But reacting to the 

decision of the SEC, 

Kekemeke said; “This 

scandalous and irritating 

move prompted by a 

promise of pot of porridge 

for the action by a segment 

of party executive, though 

not unexpected, beats the 

imagination of many 

reasonable party people.''



NUPENG vows to shut down oil industry 

By Victor Ahiuma- 

Young 

NIGERIA Union of 

Petroleum and 


NUPENG, weekend, 

vowed to shut down the oil 

sector and the entire 

country, should the Federal 

Government go ahead to 

hand over the Port Harcourt 

Refineries and Petrol 

Chemicals, PHRC, to 

Oando as planned, 

ignoring the recent 

resolution by the Senate 

halting the agreement by 

the government and Oando 

over PHRC. 

Speaking with journalists 

in Lagos, President of 

NUPENG, Mr Igwe 

Achese, insisted that there 

was no way the oil workers 

would allow what 

happened in the electricity 

sector where Nigerians 

were short-changed and 

now made to pay for 

darkness instead of light, to 

happen to PHRC. 

NUPENG president, 

who is also the Deputy 

President of United Labour 

Congress of Nigeria, ULC, 

contended that the 

supposed agreement 

entered into between the 

Federal Government and 

Oando unilaterally without 

the involvement of 

stakeholders was 

unacceptable. 

He said: “We have 

continued to wonder why 

the sale of public assets such 

as the Port Harcourt 

Refineries is being done in 

secret. Whether you are 

bringing in foreign 

investors, direct or indirect 

partnership or whatever, 

Navy boosts Delta community's medicare 

By Gab Ejuwa 

O GHARA—THE 

Nigerian Naval 

Logistics Command 

Headquarters, Oghara, 

Delta State, in exercise 

of its social 

responsibility, has 

deployed its medical 

team to various sections 

of its host community in 

Oghara, Delta State, to 

treat people of the area 

of malaria, de-worming 

of children, laboratory 

tests and distribution of 

knowing that there are 

stakeholders in this sector 

and these stakeholders are 

also tax payers, you don’t 

just take any decision at 

will. There are workers, 

host communities, local 

government and even state 

government who are critical 

stakeholders. They cannot 

just be ignored. 

“Among all these 

stakeholders, more 

importantly, the workers 

who are the operators of the 

assets, their future is being 

mosquito nets. 

According to the Flag 

Officer Commanding, 

Rear Admiral Belgory 

Elvis Ibe-Enwo, “The 

exercise is to further 

strengthen the 

harmonious and 

amicable relationship 

between the military and 

the civilians in the 

community. 

“This programme 

provides free medical 

test and care for the rural 

people and it is not the 

first by the Nigerian 

mortgaged. Don’t they 

deserve to know what 

happens to their future? It 

is unfortunate that each 

successive civilian 

administration tends to be 

autocratic and yet we are 

in a democracy. Worst of all 

is the fact that we are 

beginning to see that some 

of the policies and the way 

the policies are being 

thrown at us, are marks of 

an autocratic system of 

government where the 

norms and principles of 

democracy do not matter." 

Navy. While it is done 

annually in the Navy, 

this is, however, the 

maiden edition in 

Oghara and environs. 

We aim to reduce 

diseases in our local 

communities and 

improve the health care 

in the rural area. 

“The peoples’ response 

is very positive. The 

turn up is good and we 

hope that the next time 

it will be organised, 

more people will turn 

up.” 

DEDICATION OF BAYELSA STATE GOVERNOR'S 

CHILDREN IN YENAGOA PHOTOS: NWAKPA CHIJIOKE 

A reception to mark the dedication of Bayelsa State Governor's Children was held in Yenagoa, the state capital, 

yesterday. Photos: Nwankpa Chijioke. 

From left: Sen. Foster Ogola; Bayelsa State Deputy Governor, Rear Admiral 

Gboribiogha John Jonah (retd); Bayelsa State Governor, Mr. Seriake Dickson 

and wife, Racheal. 

Governor Dickson (middle); his wife, Racheal (left) and Deputy Governor, 

John Jonah. 

From left: Alabo Tonye Graham-Douglas; Amb. Godknows Igali, ex- 

Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Power and Labaran Maku, former 

Minister of Information and Communication. 

From left: Mr Boma Obuoforibo, President, Ijaw National Congress; Chief 

David Spiff, Secretary to Bayelsa State Government and wife.

VANGUARD, MONDAY, JUNE 5, 2017—13 


Itsekiri debates on Warri, maritime varsity 

unnecessary —Ijaw group 

By Emma Amaize 

W ARRI—IJAW 

P e o p l e ’ s 

Development Initiative, 

IPDI, Warri, Delta State, 

yesterday, joined issues 

with the Iwere People 

Congress, IPC and Niger 

Delta Omega, both Itsekiri 

groups, over their separate 

contentions on the 

ownership of Warri and 

ultimatum to rename the 

location of Nigerian 

Maritime University, 

NMU, Okerenkoko, 

describing their 

outpourings as needless 

distractions. 

The Ijaw rights group, in 

a statement by the national 

president, Austin Ozobo, 

said: “The IPC was clearly 

out to mislead the public, 

as it is not true that leases 

B2 covering 360 acres and 

B5 covering 180 acres, 

erroneously referred to be 

350 acres by the Itsekiri, 

were granted by Chief 

Dore Numa and other 

Itsekiri chiefs, acting for and 

on behalf of the Olu of 

Warri. 

“Dore Numa was an 

agent of government and 

never acted on behalf of 

Jekri (Sekiri). Though, he 

annexed people’s lands 

under the cover of 

government, Ogbe-Ijoh 

people are the owners of 

Warri. Dore was not an 

indigene of Warri. He was 

from Benin River, another 

Ijaw territory. The lands in 

question were leased to 

Royal Niger Company and 

United Africa Company, 

UAC, by Ogbe-Ijoh 

people. Dore only acted as 

a representative. 

“It is not true that the 

leases do not indicate 

ownership as claimed by 

IPC or that the lands do not 

have ownership 

consequent upon the lease. 

If truly the lands were free 

lands that were occupied by 

government and the said 

companies, there would 

have been no need for 

deed or lease agreements 

by such companies and the 

Warri Province 

government. 

“It will interest you to note 

that several letters of 

disclaimer of Title of land 

Delta NUJ elects Ikeogwu as Chairman 

...Vanguard’s Akuopha emerges Fin Sec 

...as Okowa hails Ikeogwu 

By Festus Ahon Oyowe, Secretary; 

A SABA—NIGERIA 

Celestine Afokobah, 

Assistant Secretary; Joy 

Union of Mordi, Treasurer; 

Journalists, NUJ, Delta Ochuko Akuopha of 

State Council, has elected Vanguard Newspapers, 

Michael Ikeogwu as its Financial Secretary and 

Chairman. Ikeogwu Salvation Ogono, Auditor. 

polled 156 votes to defeat Speaking after his 

his closest opponent, election, lkeogwu, who is 

Fidelis Egugbo, who got the Uvwie Bureau Chief 

130 votes. 

of The Pointer Newspaper 

Also elected were said the welfare, 

Patrick Ochei, Vice empowerment and unity 

Chairman; Churchill of journalists across the 

King Diete-Spiff, Monalisa Chinda get 

Garden City Advancement Awards 

By Joseph Erunke 

A BUJA—FIRST 

Military governor 

of old Rivers State, King 

Alfred Diete-Spiff, has 

been nominated for the 

2017 edition of the 

prestigious Garden City 

Advancement Awards, 

GCAA. 

Mr Robinson Koyoyo, 

Project Director of 

GCAA, told newsmen 

that foremost Nigerian 

were written by Numa 

Dore. Dore’s letter of 

disclaimer to Agbassa 

Uhrobo people was dated 

February 28, 1923, while 

the one for Ogbe-Ijoh 

people was written and 

dated November 10, 1923. 

Dore’s letter of disclaimer 

of title written to His 

Lieutenant-Governor was 

dated February 23, 1923. 

The letters were forwarded 

to the Commissioner of 

Lands, Lagos, from the 

resident, Warri Province, 

Warri, on March 19, 1923. 

“We have read the 

purported Appeal Court 

judgments of 1923 and 

1931 respectively referred 

Actress, Monalisa 

Chinda and the current 

SSG of Rivers State, 

Kenneth Kobani, were 

also nominated for the 

awards. 

Other nominees for the 

awards, which will hold 

in October, include 

Rivers State Waste 

Management Agency, 

traditional rulers, as well 

as industrialists, veteran 

entertainers and leaders 

from the region. 

to in their mischievous 

publication. We have not 

seen where the counsel to 

the Agbassa Uhrobo 

people, S.L Bucknor, 

admitted in court that he 

was instigated to forge 

those documents. Equally, 

there was no time Dore 

said the letters were forged. 

We challenge them to 

publish the court 

proceedings where 

Bucknor allegedly 

confessed that he was 

instigated to forge the 

documents. 

“Ijaw ownership of Warri 

does not lie on Chief Dore 

Numa’s letters but was only 

cited as reference as there 

Mr Koyoyo said that 

the names were among 

the list of nominees made 

available by organisers 

of the awards, Heritage 

Plus, an NGO that 

celebrates productivity, 

excellence and good 

governance. 

He said that the 

nominees would be 

honoured because of 

their contributions to the 

peace and development 

of the region. 

was no need relying upon 

it in court, since Ijaw 

ownership of Warri 

predated the existence of 

Itsekiri in the current Delta 

State.” 

On the call on the Federal 

Government to rename 

NMU, Okereenkoko 

within 14 days, IPDI said, 

“We equally condemn the 

14- day ultimatum given to 

government by the Itsekiri 

to rename Nigeria 

Maritime University, 

Okerenkoko. 

“Itsekiri should desist 

from things that are capable 

of causing ethnic discord. 

Attempt to rename NMU 

will hit the brick wall." 

LEATHER FAIR: From left: Founding Member, WIMBIZ, Mrs Adeola 

Azeez; Chief Executive Officer, Nigeria Export Promotion Council, NEPC, 

Mr. Olusegun Awolowo; Creative Director, FEMIHANDBAGS, Mrs Femi 

Olayebi; Executive Director, Small and Medium Enterprises, BoI, Mr Waheed 

Olagunju; Chairman, Access Bank Plc, Ms Mosun Belo-Olusoga and Senior 

Consultant to Ogun State Governor, Mrs Yewande Amusan, during the Lagos 

Leather Fair held in Lagos, weekend. 

state were his priority. 

Meanwhile, the state 

governor, Dr Ifeanyi 

Okowa, 

has 

congratulated Ikeogwu on 

his emergence as 

Chairman of the NUJ, 

Delta State Council. 

Okowa, in a statement 

by his Chief Press 

Secretary, Charles 

Aniagwu, said that 

Ikeogwu won a keenly 

contested election as all 

contestants campaigned 

vigorously to earn the 

trust and support of their 

colleagues. 

Saying that Ikeogwu, no 

doubt enjoys the 

confidence of his 

colleagues who 

overwhelmingly elected 

him to lead them despite 

several postponements of 

the election, he 

congratulates Fidelis 

Egugbo and all others 

“who fought gallantly for 

various positions. You 

may have lost today, but 

be rest assured that you 

have enriched the 

democratic process of the 

NUJ.” 

Scripture Union celebrates 

150yrs, flays cult killings 

By Jimitota 

Onoyume 

PORT 

HAR- 

COURT—THE 

Scripture Union has 

condemned the incessant 

killings by cultists in Rivers 

State, urging youths to shun 

cult activities and other 

related vices. 

Making the appeal 

weekend, in Port Harcourt 

under the aegis of Scripture 

Union of Nigeria, SU, at a 

briefing to mark 150 years 

anniversary of the body, Port 

Harcourt Regional 

Chairman of SU, Dr 

Sotonye Cookey, said it was 

disturbing that cultism had 

found its way to even 

primary schools, stressing 

that government and 

parents should do more to 

tackle the monster cutting 

short several lives in their 

prime. 

He said: “Today, we take 

notice of the decay in our 

society, that we have never 

seen before. The decay 

sprang from the collapse of 

family structure. Cultism, 

exam malpractices, 

assassination, kidnapping, 

prostitution, drug pushing 

and other vices are 

prevalent among the 

people. They are 

hopelessly confused. The 

only solution is Jesus.” 

Edo Assembly to commence 

screening of Commissioner 

nominees 

BENIN—EDO State 

House of Assembly 

will this week commence 

the screening of 

Commissioner 

nominees. 

It will be recalled that 

Governor Godwin 

Obaseki had last week 

appointed 192 Special 

Assistants. 

The Special Assistants 

were drawn from the 192 

wards across the 18 local 

government areas of the 

state. 

Vanguard gathered 

that the list of the 

commissioner nominees 

will be submitted to the 

House today by the state 

government for their 

consideration. The 

House had earlier 

approved the 

appointment of 12 

Special Advisers for the 

governor. 

Osinbajo lauds SON on ease of 

doing business 

THE 

Standards 

Organisation of 

Nigeria, SON, has been 

commended by acting 

President, Professor Yemi 

Osinbajo, over the recent 

Micro, Small and Medium 

Enterprises Clinic held in 

Calabar, Cross Rivers State. 

Speaking during a visit to 

the SON exhibition stand 

on the occasion held at the 

International Conference 

Centre, Calabar, Osinbajo 

acknowledged the recent 

efforts by the organisation 

in promoting the Federal 

Government’s initiative on 

the ease of doing business 

in Nigeria. 

He said: “I know this is a 

new SON, ready to go, a 

business facilitator and not 

one that hinders business.” 

Osinbajo was 

accompanied to the SON 

stand by the governor of 

Cross Rivers State, 

Professor Ben Ayade, 

among other dignitaries. 

They were received by a 

host of SON officials, led by 

the Regional Coordinator 

for South South, Mr. 

Papaye Don-Pedro. 

C-River cultivates biggest 

forest in West Africa 

By Emma Una 

C ALABAR—CROSS 

River State 

Forestry Commission has 

begun the cultivation of 

the biggest forest in West 

Africa with the planting 

of five million 

indigenous species of 

trees across the state 

which in addition to the 

existing forest reserves 

will form large canopy 

on roads and parks 

across the state 

Mr Bette Obi, 

Chairman and Chief 

Executive Officer of the 

Forestry Commission 

told Vanguard, weekend 

in Calabar that 

improved indigenous 

species of tree seedlings 

are being planted in 

designated areas across 

the state. 

“We have both timber 

and economic tree 

seedlings which we are 

planting in designated 

areas in the 18 local 

government areas 

stretching over 100,000 

hectres across the state 

and this will culminate to 

the largest forest in West 

Africa,” he said.

14 — VANGUARD, MONDAY, JUNE 5, 2017 


Young & Demola 

Akinyemi 

I LORIN—THE 

Senate President Dr. 

Bukola Saraki, weekend 

said the proposed National 

Road Fund Bill 

recommendation by the 

Senate committee on Works, 

would not lead to any 

increase in the current pump 

price of fuel. 

This came as Nigeria 

Union of Petroleum and 


NUPENG, condemned the 

Senate recommendation for 

a N5 levy on fuel price, 

saying it would make the 

price of a litre petrol to sell 

above N145.00. 

Saraki, who made the 

clarification while speaking 

with newsmen in Ilorin, 

Kwara State after the 

breaking of fast, also said 

the Senate would this week 

discuss a motion on the 

interest rates being charged 

by commercial banks on 

loans to customers, 

particularly entrepreneurs 

who borrowed funds to stay 

afloat and contribute to the 

National Gross Domestic 

Product, GDP. 

According to him: “This is 

an opportunity to clarify the 

inaccurate reporting. There 

is a Bill call the National 

Road Funds Bill. Our roads 


New Bill won’t lead to fuel price hike — SARAKI 

...As NUPENG blasts Senate over planned N5 petrol levy 

across the country are not 

adequately funded. If we 

are banking on the 

appropriation, we will not 

be able to adequately fund 

and refurbish our roads. 

Anybody that read the full 

report would have known 

that after the public 

hearing, which involved 

Falana petitions Osinbajo over 

continued detention of 

Elzakzaky 

LAGOS lawyer, Mr 

Femi Falana, has 

petitioned the Acting 

President, Yemi Osinbajo, 

over the continued 

detention of leader of 

Islamic Movement of 

Nigeria, IMN, Sheikh 

Ibraheem Elzakzaky, and 

his wife, Zeinab, despite 

court orders, saying they 

should be released. 

In the petition, entitled, 

‘’Request for the release of 

Sheikh Ibraheem 

Elzakzaky and his wife 

from illegal detention,’’ 

Falana said: ‘’We are 

Solicitors to Sheikh 

Ibraheem Elzakzaky and 

his wife, Hajia Zeinab 

Elzakzaky who are 

currently detained illegally 

in an undisclosed 

detention dungeon at 

Abuja by the State 

Security Service. 

‘’On behalf of our clients 

we are compelled to draw 

Your Excellency’s attention 

to the following facts. On 

December 12, 2015 the 

Nigerian Army unleashed 

unmitigated violence on the 

Shia Community in Zaria, 

Kaduna State under the 

pretext that there was a plot 

to assassinate the Chief of 

Army Staff, General Yussuf 

Buratai. During the violent 

attack, the Army massacred 

347 Shiites including 

women and children. Aided 

by the Kaduna State 

government the Nigerian 

Army secretly buried the 

dead bodies of the victims 

of the barbaric attack in an 

unmarked grave without 

any autopsy whatsoever. 

Up till now, the bereaved 

families of the deceased 

have not been officially 

informed of the extrajudicial 

execution of their loved 

ones.'' 

stakeholders from the road 

and transport industry, it was 

recommended that N5 from 

each litre of petrol should be 

channeled towards our 

roads. However, this is not 

going to be additional naira, 

but N5 out of the present 

price of N145 that Nigerians 

are currently paying at the 

pump.'' 

But reacting to the 

controversial N5 

recommendation, 

NUPENG in a statement 

through its President, Igwe 

Achese, contended that 

this would be one tax and 

levy too many, considering 

the recession, poverty and 

hunger in the land. 

NUPENG vowed to resist 

the move if passed into law, 

because it would further 

cause untold hardship on 

the citizens of this country. 

According to the 

statement: "NUPENG 

condemns in its entirety the 

imposition of 0.5 percent 

charges on passenger fares 

as part of the levy. 

NUPENG notes that the 

levy will be used to fund 

road projects is not tenable 

as it will encourage 

corruption, since the whole 

process will not be 

transparent. We call on the 

Senate to stop the passage 

of the N5 levy on fuel price 

on innocent and hard 

working Nigerians who toil 

day and night to make ends 

meet. 

''We advise the Senate 

FIRS introduces 6 online tax 

solutions 

THE Federal Inland 

Revenue Service, 

FIRS, has introduced six 

key electronic solutions (e- 

Services) to enhance 

convenience, transparency 

and round the clock 

processing and payment of 

taxes. 

Some of the e-Services, 

which could now be 

accessed online, are 

taxpayer registration 

(through e-Registration); 

payment of Stamp Duties 

(through e-Stamp Duty); 

payment of taxes (through 

online payment: e-TaxPay, 

Remita). 

Others are; receiving of 

electronic receipt after 

payment of taxes (through 

e-Receipt); filing tax 

returns online (through 

e-filing) and online Tax 

Clearance Certificates 

and Federal Government to 

look at other ways to fund 

the roads, infrastructure 

with recovered monies from 

looters and through public 

private partnership 

schemes, instead of 

further impoverishing 

poor Nigerians that 

voted for them.'' 

(TCC) through electronic 

Tax Clearance Certificate 

(e-TCC solution). 

The Executive Chairman, 

Tunde Fowler, who 

explained this in Abuja, 

said the e-Services 

innovation represented “a 

revolution in tax 

administration in Nigeria. 

“The idea behind the six 

ICT solutions is to make 

tax payment as easy as 

ABC, to bring convenience 

to our taxpayers. 'The ICT 

solutions which we are 

bringing to the doorsteps of 

taxpayers will ensure that 

taxpayers could pay, get 

receipt, and get TCC, from 

the comfort of their homes 

and offices anytime, 

anywhere in the world and 

round the clock. This saves 

the time of taxpayers, is 

transparent, fast, easy to 

use and convenient,'' 

Fowler said.

My mother was 

a disciplinarian, 

says Obanikoro 

LAGOS—A former 

Minister of State for 

Defence, Senator Musiliu 

Obanikoro, has described 

his late mother, Alhaja 

Wasilat Obanikoro, as a 

disciplinarian who made 

great impact on the lives of 

her children and the people 

around her. 

Alhaja Wasilat Obanikoro 

died in the early hours of 

Saturday at her residence 

in Lagos. 

She was aged 95 and had 

since been buried 

according to Islamic rites. 

The former senator 

speaking on the life and 

times of the deceased in 

Lagos yesterday, said 

Alhaja Wasilat Obanikoro 

was a firm believer in 

education as a tool for 

liberation, adding that he 

had always known his 

mother to be a hard working 

woman, who touched 

several lives through her 

generosity. 

The former Nigerian 

Ambassador to Ghana said 

that his late mother was a 

devout Muslim. 

Obanikoro said she would 

be sorely missed by her 

children and the people 

whose lives she touched. 

He, however, said that his 

consolation was that she 

lived a good life and left 

good legacies for her 

children. 

He said: “Mama was 

highly disciplined, hard 

working and very religious. 

“She saw social, economic 

and spiritual liberation in 

education despite the fact 

that she did not attend 

school early enough in life. 

“Her focus was more on 

academic and religious 

education. She was very 

generous and was never 

perturbed by criticisms. She 

will be missed by all of us.” 



OSHODI: Lagos arrests warring NURTW, RTEAN 

factional leaders 

By Bose Adelaja 

LAGOS—THE Lagos 

State government 

yesterday, said, it has 

arrested the different 

warring factional leaders of 

the National Union of Road 

Transport Workers, NURTW, 

and Road Transport 

Employers Association of 

Nigeria, RTEAN, allegedly 

fomenting trouble around 

Oshodi and its environs in 

the past few days. 

The crises at Oshodi 

erupted after the death of 

Rasaq Bello, popularly 

known as Hamburger, 

which resulted into the 

attack on innocent citizens. 

Bello, a prominent 

member of NURTW, was 

allegedly shot dead in 

Shogunle area of Lagos 

State during the local 

council primaries of the 

All Progressives Congress, 

APC. 

The death has been 

generating fear in the 

area as area boys have 

seized the occasion to 

attack innocent members 

Adeboye declares ‘holy war’ against kidnappers, herdsmen 

By Sam Eyoboka & 

Olayinka Latona 

L 

A G O S — 

OBVIOUSLY 

piqued by the activities of 

kidnappers who had lately 

resorted to abducting 

school children for ransom, 

the General Overseer of the 

Redeemed Christian 

Church of God, RCCG, 

Pastor Enoch Adejare 

Adeboye, Friday night 

declared holy war against 

kidnappers and their 

collaborators in the nation’s 

armed forces. 

Addressing a mammoth 

of the public. 

The Chairman Lagos 

State Task Force, 

Superintendent of Police, 

Olayinka Egbeyemi, who 

disclosed the arrest in a 

statement, assured i 

members of the public of 

safety of lives and properties 

around Mafoluku, 

Shogunle, Sadiku, Ladipo 

and the entire Oshodi area 

of the State. 

He said the suspects 

include one ‘Taloo’ ‘Alayoo’ 

and ‘Ijee’ currently being 

interrogated by the Lagos 

State Commissioner of 

Police Mr. Fatai Owoseni. 

Egbeyemi said the 

Unions’ activities across the 

entire Oshodi area is 

presently under the checks 

and control of Lagos State 

Task Force and other 

security agencies who were 

strategically positioned for 

the maintenance of peace 

and orderliness. 

The Chairman urged 

members of the public to 

ignore misinformation about 

‘Bomb Explosion’ and 

‘Security Alert’ around 

crowd of worshippers at 

the church’s monthly Holy 

Ghost service at the new 

auditorium in Asese area of 

Ogun State, the revered 

cleric urged the army of 

faithful to join him in 

prayer against 

kidnapping. 

“A few days ago, there 

was the report that 

kidnappers abducted six 

Senior Secondary School 

students of Lagos Model 

College, Igbonla, Epe. I 

want you all to join me in 

praying that God should 

send fire to the camp of all 

OTODO-GBAME DEMOLITION: 2 victims buried 

amid tears •‘I've lost my only source of joy' 

By Monsuru 

Olowoopejo 

L AGOS—TEARS 

flowed freely in 

Badagry Local Government, 

Lagos State, when the two 

victims of Otodo-Gbame 

Community demolition, 45- 

year-old, Elijah Avonda and 

Daniel Aya, 20, were buried. 

The burial of the two 

victims came barely two 

months after Lagos State 

Government allegedly 

demolished the community 

said to have lived in Lekki, 

Eti-Osa Local Government 

area for more than 50 

years. 

At the burial over the 

weekend, hundreds of 

residents from slum 

communities in the state 

and friends of the victims 

paid their last respect to 

both men who were 

allegedly killed by straybullets 

during a two-day 

demolition of structures in 

the community. 

While Aya was buried at 

Muwo, Badagry West at 

about 1:30 pm, Avonda was 

buried at about 4:30 pm at 

Apa Kingdom. 

Some of the mourners, 

who accompanied the 

corpse to their separate 

home towns, broke down in 

tears when their corpses 

were finally lowered. 

I have lost my only 

source of joy - Avonda’s 

Shogunle and Oshodi 

trending on various social 

media. 

He warned miscreants 

and hoodlums to desist 

from causing chaos around 

Oshodi and the entire parts 

of the state as anyone 

•As RCCG donates ICU equipment to LASUTH 

mother 

Speaking to Vanguard in 

an interview after the 

burial, Elijah Avonda’s 

mother, Blessing, who 

spoke in tears, lamented 

that her only source of joy 

was allegedly hit by police 

stray-bullet and died 

instantly. 

The octogenarian, a petty 

trader, disclosed that her 

late son was a fisherman 

who used to go to the 

lagoon to catch fish for 

onward sale by the family; 

twhich had been their 

source of income. 

Narrating how her son 

met his death, Blessing 

said: “That day, my son 

was returning from the 

Flooded during the heavy down pour at Balogun Road, Iju Ishaga, Lagos, 

yesterday. Photo: Akeem Salau. 

those who are kidnapping 

for ransom. 

He also led the 

congregation to pray to God 

to expose all their 

collaborators in the nation’s 

security forces and disgrace 

them, just as he prayed for 

the release of the six 

students before yesterday. 

Further angered by 

growing violent crimes 

across the nation, Pastor 

Adeboye also urged the 

crowd to pray for the 

cessation of all violent 

crimes in the country 

including the shedding of 

innocent blood by either the 

remnants of defeated Islamic 

fundamentalist group, Boko 

Harm or Fulani herdsmen. 

And for minutes the crowd 

responded in prayers 

against these groups of 

criminals, saying the 

international community 

looked on with increasing 

concern and interest as the 

security situation in parts 

of Nigeria looks 

increasingly volatile. 

RCCG donates ICU 

equipment to LASUTH 

Meantime, the Redeemed 

Christian Church of God, 

RCCG, Apapa Family, 

yesterday, donated some 

sets of Intensive Care Unit, 

ICU, equipment to the 

Lagos State University 

Teaching Hospital, 

LASUTH, Ikeja. 

The equipment include: 

arrested would be 

immediately charged to 

court for prosecution. 

The Chairman, who 

commended Governor 

Akinwunmi Ambode for 

providing security agencies 

across the state with 

four CR 5,000 ICU beds, four 

Alpha Active 4 Mattresses, 

B-Braun infusion pumps, 

syringe pumps, mulitiparameter 

patient monitors 

and bedside lockers 

The church had also 

refurbished and 

equipped the ICU in the 

Surgical Emergency 

modern equipment 

however called on 

members of the public to 

immediately report any 

unlawful activities of 

miscreants and 

hoodlums to appropriate 

security agencies. 

section of the hospital. 

The Head Pastor of 

RCCG, Apapa Family, 

Idowu Iluyomade, spoke at 

the inauguration of the units 

and handing over of the 

equipment. 

Iluyomade said that the 

donation was part of the 

church’s Corporate 

Social Responsibility. 

Nigeria, 186 other countries 

storm Geneva for ILC 


Young 

NO fewer than 4,000 

workers, employers 

and governments’ 

delegates from the 

International Labour 

Organisation, ILO’s 187 

member states, including 

Nigeria, will from today 

attend the 106th session 

of the International Labour 

Conference, ILC, in 

Geneva, Switzerland. 

The conference will take 

place at the UN Palais des 

Nations in Geneva. 

Participants will tackle a 

wide range of issues. 

Plenary sessions will be 

broadcast live on 

www.ilo.org. 

At the opening ceremony 

coming up on June 5, the 

Conference will elect its 

President and Vicepresidents 

to be followed by 

the opening address by ILO 

Director-General, Guy 

Ryder and 

this year’s report of the 

head of the ILO: Work in a 

changing climate: the Green 

Initiative, provides a 

roadmap for a just transition 

to a green economy. 

Later in the day, Tabaré 

Vázquez, President of the 

Eastern Republic of 

Uruguay, is expected to 

address the Conference. 

The conference, will on 

June 12, hold World Day 

Against Child Labour. The 

theme for this year is: In 

conflicts and disasters, 

protect children from child 

labour. 

The Conference will also 

have to decide on the 

abrogation of six ILO 

Conventions. 

The different committees 

will report back to the 

plenary session of the 

Conference once they have 

completed their work.

16 — Vanguard, MONDAY, JUNE 5, 2017


18 — Vanguard, MONDAY, JUNE 5, 2017 

THE ennoblement of Nigerian-born 

Anne-Marie Osawemwenze Ore- 

Ofe Imafidon as a Member of the 

Most Excellent Order of the British 

Empire, MBE, by Her Majesty, Queen 

Elizabeth II is another pointer to the 

proven potential of the Nigerian 

spirit. 

Miss Imafidon’s investiture on May 

19, 2017, was in recognition of her 

role in promoting the study of 

science among girls and young 

women in Britain. 

Miss Imafidon has indeed earned 

her honour and is also well qualified 

for the role she is playing in steering 

British and European women into the 

sciences. In 2013, she founded STE 

Mette, a social enterprise through 

which she has inspired thousands of 

British and European girls between 

ages five and 22 to pursue careers in 

Science, Technology, Engineering, 

and Mathematics. 

Miss Imafidon was well prepared 

to be a mentor, having set records 

that have only recently been also 

broken by her siblings. At 27, she is 

Salute to Nigeria’s “smart” 

family 

the youngest scientist to have been 

recognised by the British Monarch 

since 1870. At age 10, she was the 

youngest girl to pass two GSCE 

examinations (Secondary School 

Certificate Examination) in 

Mathematics and ICT and by age 11, 

she had passed the Advanced Level 

exam in Computing. 

She won a British scholarship 

while she was 13 to study Mathematics 

at Johns Hopkins University and at 

age 17, she commenced a Masters 

Degree programme in Mathematics 

and Computer Science at the 

University of Oxford and set the 

record of being the youngest to obtain 

the Master’s Degree in that discipline 

at the age of 20. 

Miss Imafidon’s achievements 

understandably drew the attention of 

some of the leading global 

corporations. 

By age 24, she had garnered 

enviable experiences at Lehman 

Brothers, Goldman Sachs, Hewlett- 

Packard and Deutsche Bank. 

Remarkably, her extraordinary gifts 

are also shared by members of her 

family. Her twin siblings, Peter and 

Paula Imafidon, beat her record when 

they at age nine became the youngest 

to enter high school and also the 

youngest to pass the University of 

Cambridge examinations. 

Another sibling, Christina at age 

11, was admitted to the United 

Kingdom University and became the 

youngest person ever to attend a 

British University. It is no surprise 

that the Imafidon family originally 

from Edo State has been dubbed the 

smartest family in Britain. 

We salute the salutary 

contributions of the Imafidon family 

to scholarship and society. Many 

Nigerians are bound to draw 

inspiration from their 

achievements. 

The strides of the Imafidons show 

the innate capacities of many 

Nigerians who have mainly been 

suppressed by the failure of 

leadership in Nigeria. 

We call on the authorities to 

accord the Imafidon family with 

special recognition and work 

towards providing the enabling 

environment that made it possible 

for this Nigerian family to attract 

global recognition in a land far away 

from theirs. 

By Godwin Etakibuebu 

RELIEF came the way of the Emir of 

Kano , Sanusi Lamido Sanusi last week 

as some great Nigerians rescued him from the 

shadow of death. We were told that with the 

intervention of these Nigerians, which included 

the Acting President; Professor Yemi Osinbajo, 

General Ibrahim Babangida, General 

Abdulsalam Abubakar, the Sultan of Sokoto, 

amongst many others, what would have been 

a doomsday for the man was averted, as the 

State Governor gave instruction to the State 

House of Assembly to stop the probe. 

While we must be grateful to these messiahs 

who fought gallantly in rescuing a veritable 

prey from the Lion in its den, we cannot overlook 

the “generosity” of the Lion that let go an 

already caged prey. The caged prey in this 

drama is the Emir; Mallam Muhammad 

Sanusi 11, while the Lion is no other person 

than the Governor of Kano State; Abdullahi 

Umar Ganduje. l salute all involved in this 

rescue operation fervently. However, if the truth 

is to be told, the war is not yet over though a 

battle has just been won. 

There are yet many rivers to be crossed before 

arriving the land of Eldorado in Kano Emirate. 

Let us try to “decode the coded rules of 

engagement” in the war going on in Kano. To 

do this successfully, we should be analysing the 

characters of the personae dramatis and the 

functionality of the invisible powers behind the 

façade. Knowing the personae dramatis and 

their characters is not as difficult as identifying 

the invisible individuals who are dictating the 

terms, places, times and instruments of the war 

in Kano. 

Let us start with the “rescued prey” himself; 

OPINION 

Emir of Kano and the aborted Tsunami 

Mallam Muhammad Sanusi 11. Of course, 

Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, SLS, was not just an 

ordinary person that could easily be pushed 

aside. His giant strides in the public service 

made statements for themselves. While he 

publicly took the landscape of the Nigerian 

financial empire with such unchallenged 

The last of drums of war’s 

beating in the Kano Emirate 

might not yet be over. It is 

only time that shall speak 

and interpret the political 

schemings of the Kano 

Emirate 

prowess, he was not necessarily admired by all 

those who crossed his path but those who 

ignored him did so, mostly though, to their peril. 

He is conventionally controversial, royally 

loquacious, brilliantly enigmatic, fearlessly 

audacious, religiously scholastic and socially 

influential. 

To some people, the Emir is a religious 

fanatic. This class of people would readily point 

to the controversy that roped his name into the 

brutal beheading of an Igbo trader; Gideon 

Akaluka, in Kano on 15th of August 1995, an 

episode that pitched General Sanni Abacha’s 

government against him, SLS, and eight others 

suspected to have been involved, until a former 

Chairman of First Bank; Alhaji Umar 

Mutallab, came to his rescue. 

You may not like him, given his frankness 

and bluntness, with boldness of course, when 

addressing issues but you might be compelled 

to respect and admire him when it comes to 

presentation of facts on figures and his in-depth 

knowledge on most topics. Truth is that the Emir 

is extremely and adorably brilliant. His tenure 

as the Governor of CBN shall remain a positive 

watershed in the annals of the Nigerian 

financial development history. 

My limited knowledge of the man tells me 

that he has this “natural repulsiveness to 

everything anti-knowledge and this would 

always stare up a holy rebellion” in him, against 

authorities, and inclusive of Presidents, at any 

time. He was boldly up against President 

Goodluck Jonathan about the way he ran the 

economy – a stand that put him in trouble of 

being suspended from office as Governor of 

CBN. He has not proved to be different in the 

present dispensation, which is why he told 

President Buhari recently that “if this 

government continues to behave the way the 

last government behaved, we will end up where 

Jonathan ended. You may not like it, but that is 

the truth. You have to listen”. Will the Emir learn 

to shut-up his mouth from saying what he 

believes, even after the interventions of these 

great Nigerians? I have my doubts. 

The second personality for consideration on 

whether the war in the Emirate has ended with 

the intervention of these great Nigerians or not 

is the Kano State Governor; Abdullahi Umar 

Ganduje. I doubt so much if his ambition for 

second tenure [2019-2023] would not be a 

casualty as long as Mallam Muhammad 

Sanusi 11 remains on the throne. My conclusion 

is on political exigency. The governor has 

fallen out of favour with his predecessor [Rabiu 

Kwankwaso] who made him governor in the 

first place. He has chosen to cast his loyalty on 

the President Buhari’s presidency so that his 

second tenure can be actualised. 

In the other hand, Senator Rabiu 

Kwankwaso himself, being seen as a threat to 

President Muhammadu Buhari’s second 

tenure [that is if his health would allow him] 

needs to be “caged” urgently if Ganduje would 

continue as governor till 2023 because a 

“loosed” Kwankaso in Kano State could pull 

more than enough influence to put Ganduje in 

the dustbin of political oblivion, by 2019. This 

feared influence of Kwankwaso is real in Kano, 

not necessarily because he was a past governor, 

but more of the fact that the Emir he made 

[Mallam Muhammad Sanusi 11] could 

influence the peoples’ votes against Ganduje. 

The third personae dramatis that could 

elongate the war in Kano Emirate beyond the 

peace created by these great Nigerians is the 

Buhari’s presidency and this is for the reason 

given above. President Buhari second tenure’s 

ambition [again, health willing] sees 

Kwankwaso as enemy and if Mallam 

Muhammad Sanusi is Kwankwaso’s friend, 

then he [the Emir] remains a terrible enemy of 

Abuja that must be ferociously removed with 

“military alacrity”. 

While we thank the peace makers for what 

they have been able to achieve so far, at least 

for now, the last of drums of war’s beating in 

the Kano Emirate might not yet be over. It is 

only time that shall speak and interpret the 

political schemings of the Kano Emirate. 

Mr. Etakibuebu, a veteran journalist, 

wrote from Lagos.

External reserve falls by $535m in May 

•CBN intervention hits $6.84bn 

•Scarcity of funds to re-emerge 

By Babajide Komolafe 

THE nation’s external 

reserve recorded its 

second monthly decline of $535 

million last month. This came 

as the Central Bank of Nigeria 

(CBN) had intervened in the 

foreign exchange market by 

selling $6.84 billion from 

January to last month. 

According to the CBN, the 

external reserve fell from 

$30.864 billion at the end of 

April to $30.329 billion on May 

31, translating to decline of 

$535 million during the month. 

Vanguard analysis showed 


that the reserve rose steadily by 

$7.06 billion from $23.93 billion 

on October 24 last year to $30.99 

billion on May 4 when it 

commenced its steady decline. 

The reserve grew by $819 

million in November, $1.07 

billion in December, $2.33 

billion in January and by $1.47 

billion in February. The 

reserve, however, dropped by 

$645 million in March, while it 

also grew by $573 million in 

April. 

The decline in the reserve in 

May was driven by increased 

dollar sales by the Central 

Continues on page 21 

Pg 31 

Pg 22 

Pg 28


FINANCIAL VANGUARD 

Economy in rebound: Stocks gain N1.3trn in bulls market 

•Return-on-investment up 14.5 per cent 

•Banking sector leads, oil & gas sector lags 

By Nkiruka Nnorom 

THE unprecedented 

bullish run that 

prevailed in the 

equities market for most part 

of last month (May), 

especially at the later part of 

the month that saw the 

equities capitalisation gallop 

to over N10 trillion mark has 

resulted in huge N1.29 trillion 

gains to investors. 

The action pushed the 

Return-on-Investment, RoI, 

for the period to 14.5 per cent, 

higher than the year-to-date, 

ytd, return, which stood at 9.8 

per cent, a development 

market operators attributed to 

some positive macroeconomic 

developments in the 

country and better than 

expected first quarter, 2017 

(Q1’17) results. 

The capital market operators 

further opined that Prof. Yemi 

Osinbajo’s return as the 

Acting President helped to 

buoy activity in the market 

within the period. 

Financial Vanguard findings 

on the stock market activities 

in the period showed that the 

banking sector topped others, 

appreciating by 26 per cent on 

the back of gains in top 

banking stocks like FBN 

Holdings Plc, Ecobank 

Transnational Incorporated, 

ETI, United Bank for Africa, 

UBA, Zenith Bank Plc and 

Guaranty Trust Bank Plc. 

The late passage of the 

Petroleum Industry Bill, PIB, 

by the National Assembly, 

NASS, in the later part of the 

month could not lift sentiment 

in the oil and gas sector as it 

lagged behind others, 

depreciating by 2.5 per cent. 

This, however, was an 

improvement compared to 5.4 

per cent negative return 

recorded in the sector in the 

five month to end May, 2017. 

Consequent upon the rally, 

the equities’ capitalisation 

rose by N1.29 trillion from 

N8.91 trillion at the beginning 

of the month’s trading session 

to N10.2 trillion, thus 

representing 14.4 per cent 

returns. 

Also, the All Share Index, 

ASI, rose by 14.5 per cent 

from 25,756.51 points to settle 

at 29,498.91 points. 

Positive macroeconomic 

developments 

Some of the positive 

developments that impacted 

the market during the period 

include the creation of the 

investors and exporters 

foreign exchange window by 

• Kennedy Uzoka, 

MD, UBA Plc 

• Ade Ayeyemi, 

Group MD, ETI 

the Central Bank of Nigeria, 

CBN, which allowed easy 

access to foreign exchange by 

both investors and exporters. 

Since the introduction, the 

window has prompted 

unprecedented rally in the 

stock market, according to 

capital market operators. 

During the period, the 

Purchasing Managers Index, 

PMI, rose to over 50 per cent 

indicating revival in private 

sector operation. 

Added to these is the gross 

domestic products, GDP, 

figure, which, though, 

contracted to 0.5 per cent in 

April, was a significant 

improvement against the two 

previous positions. 

Banking sector leads 

The positive run was spread 

across the entire sectors as 

four of the sectors recorded 

price appreciation with the 

exception of the oil and gas 

sector that depreciated in 

value during the month. 

The banking sector led, 

rising by 26 per cent on the 

• Peter Amangbo, 

Zenith Bank MD 

• Urum Kalu Ekeh, 

MD, FBN Holdings 

back of 67.2 per cent, 37.5 per 

cent, 28.9 per cent, 27.7 per 

cent and 27.2 per cent 

increase in FBN Holdings Plc, 

ETI, UBA, Zenith Bank and 

As the economy 

recovers from 

stagflation, there 

is natural 

tendency for 

financial assets to 

shift to equities. 

Foundation for 

current rally in the 

capital market was 

laid when several 

full year results 

and dividend 

payouts were 

unexpectedly 

impressive 

GTBank respectively. 

This was followed by the 

consumer goods sector, which 

rose by 19.1 per cent driven 

by activity in Nestle Nigeria 

Plc which rose by 

20.4 per cent and 

GlaxoSmithKline 

that advanced by 

20.7 per cent during 

the month. 

The insurance 

sector was the next 

with 11.9 per cent on 

account of impressive 

return 

on 

Axamansard 

Insurance and Law 

Union & Rock 

Insurance Plc which 

rose by 43.3 per cent 

and 30.7 per cent 

respectively. The 

industrial goods 

sector recorded 1.96 

per cent return 

during the period. 

However, losses in 

Seplat Petroleum 

Development 

Company and Mobil 

Oil Nigeria Plc that 

depreciated by 14.2 

per cent and 14.3 per 

cent respectively left 

the oil and gas sector 

with negative return 

of 2.5 per cent. 

Healthcare 

stocks lead 

gainers 

Further breakdown 

of activities in the 

market showed that 

for every loser, there 

was three gainers as 

61 gainers emerged 

during the month 

compared to 21 losers, while 

89 recorded no price change. 

Companies in the 

pharmaceutical sector 

appreciated the most with 

Fidson Healthcare and May 

& Baker Plc leading the rest 

with 107.3 per cent and 75.3 

per cent to close at N2.28 and 

N1.49 respectively. 

FBN Holdings Plc in the 

financial services sector 

followed, appreciating by 67.2 

per cent to close at N5.30 per 

share, while Oando Plc and 

Axamansard Insurance closed 

as the last on the top five 

gainers, rising by 46.2 per cent 

to close at N8.45 and 43.3 per 

cent to close at N2.26 per 

share respectively. 

ASI to hit 40,000 pts, 

Osinbajo Ag Presidency is a 

factor - Operators 

Explaining the rally 

witnessed in the month, Mr. 

David Adonri, Managing 

Director/CEO, Highcap 

Securities Ltd, said that 

market recovery is imminent 

if the economy grows steadily 

out of stagflation. 

He opined that there is 

possibility that the ASI could 

hit 40,000 points this year. 

“As the economy recovers 

from stagflation, there is 

natural tendency for financial 

assets to shift to equities. 

Foundation for current rally in 

the capital market was laid 

when several full year results 

and dividend payouts were 

unexpectedly impressive. The 

market has also benefited 

from CBN foreign exchange 

special window for foreign 

investors,” he said. 

He added that the positive 

feeling of Professor Yemi 

Osinbajo’s come back as 

Acting President may also 

have increased investors’ 

confidence in the market. 

Adonri emphasised that the 

majorly impressive Q1’17 

results served as foundation 

for the recovery being 

witnessed. 

He, however, said that the 

rally would not be in 

continuous unbroken stretch, 

stressing that the bull and 

bears run would, as usual, be 

intermittent. 

On expectation for the 

quarter two 2017, Q2’17, he 

said that with steady 

improvement in the economy, 

performance at the end of 

Q2’17 should surpass what 

was witnessed in Q1’17. 

Adding his voice, Mallam 

Kurfi Garba, Managing 

Director/CEO, APT Securities 

& Investment Ltd, said: “The 

economy is responding 

positively, the market is doing 

the same because the market 

looks at the future. If the 

economic situation looks good, 

the market will project that 

the future will likely be better 

than now, so the market will 

start moving in the positive 

direction.” 

June turns up with bulls 

Meanwhile, the positive 

sentiment continued in the 

Nigerian Stock Exchange, 

NSE, in the new month, June, 

as investors have recorded 

N647 billion gains within the 

first two trading days of the 

month. This represents 6.3 per 

cent increase within the two 

days period. 

Similarly, the ASI rose by 6.4 

per cent to settle at 31,371.63 

points, pushing the year-todate 

returns to 16.7 per cent. 

Specifically, the market 

capitalisation, which 

represents the total value of 

equities listed and traded on 

the Exchange went up by 2.8 

per cent on June 1, 2017 to 

N10.479 trillion from N10.198 

trillion, while on June 2, 2017 

it rose further by 3.5 per cent 

to close at N10.845 trillion 

from N10.479 trillion. 

In the same vein, the ASI 

jumped by 2.8 per cent on 

Thursday, June 1, 2017 to 

close at 30,314.14 points. It 

rose by further 3.5 per cent to 

31,371.63 points on Friday, 

June 2, 2017.


External reserve falls by $535m in May 

Continues from 

page 19 

Bank of Nigeria (CBN), 

and the slight drop in 

price of crude oil price 

from $53.69 dollars on 

April 12 to $48.85 per 

barrel on June 1st. 

V a n g u a r d 

investigations revealed 

that the CBN has 

intervened in the foreign 

exchange market by 

selling $6.84 billion to 

meet various forex needs. 

Last week, the apex bank 

sold $460 million in the 

interbank foreign 

exchange market, 

comprising $285.8 

million for Retail 

Secondary Market 

Intervention Sale 

(RSMIS), $100 million for 

Wholesale SMIS, $52 

million for SMEs and $45 

million for invisibles. In 

addition to these, the 

apex bank also sold 

$40,000 to each of the 

3,145 bureaux de change 

across the country, 

translating to injection of 

$125.8 million in the 

retail segment. 

Naira appreciates 

to N371/$ 

Meanwhile the naira 

appreciated to N375 per 

dollar in the parallel 

market due to weak 

demand which resulted 

to dollar glut. Vanguard 

survey revealed that the 

parallel market exchange 

rate dropped from N382 

per dollar the previous 

week to N371 per dollar 

at the close of business 

on Friday, indicating N9 

appreciation for the 

naira. 

BDC sources told 

Vanguard that the 

demand for dollars was 

low throughout the week. 

This, it was gathered 

prompted glut of dollar in 

the market with market 

operators refusing to buy 

dollars from members of 

the public. 

A BDC chief executive 

who spoke to Vanguard 

on condition of 

anonymity said: “I am not 

buying dollars this week. 

We have to wait till next 

week because people are 

not coming to buy dollars 

this week. Nobody knows 

where the rate will be 

next week. You might end 

up having problem 

selling the dollars you 

bought this week.” 

The naira also 

appreciated in the 

Investors & Exporters 

forex window as the 

exchange rate for the 

window fell to N378.56 

per dollar from N380.22 

per dollar the previous 

week. 

The appreciation 

recorded by the naira will 

likely persist this week. 

According to analysts at 

QUARTERLY REAL GDP GROWTH RATE 

Vetiva Capital 

Management Limited, a 

Lagos based investment 

firms, “We expect further 

CBN interventions in the 

coming week to continue 

to sustain liquidity in the 

foreign exchange market 

and possibly further prop 

the naira”. 

Scarcity of funds to reemerge 

in interbank 

Cost of funds will likely 

rise this week in the 

interbank money market 

as the market is expected 

to experience scarcity of 

funds. Though the 

market will experience 

inflow of N73.6 billion 

from matured treasury 

bills, this is, however, 

inadequate to balance the 

impact of outflow to fund 

dollar purchases from the 

CBN. 

The CBN 

offered N162.1 

billion worth of 

bills comprising 

N45 billion 

worth of 

secondary 

market bills and 

N117.1 billion 

worth of primary 

market bills. The 

offer recorded 

N299.2 billion 

subscription 

while the CBN 

sold N214.3 

billion 

Last week, the market 

enjoyed marginal relief 

from liquidity pressures, 

owing to previous week’s 

inflow from statutory 

allocation fund of over 

N400 billion. 

Consequently average 

short term cost of funds 

fell by 330 basis points. 

According to Financial 

Market Dealers Quote 

(FMDQ), interest rate on 

Colateralised (Open Buy 

Back, OBB) lending fell 

to 8.33 per cent from 11.6 

per cent the previous 

week. Similarly, interest 

rate on Overnight 

lending dropped to 9.08 

per cent from 12.42 per 

cent the previous week. 

Also reflecting the 

liquidity relief in the 

market, treasury bills 

offered by the CBN 

during the week enjoyed 

85 per cent over 

subscription. The CBN 

offered N162.1 billion 

worth of bills comprising 

N45 billion worth of 

secondary market bills 

and N117.1 billion worth 

of primary market bills. 

The offer recorded N299.2 

billion subscription while 

the CBN sold N214.3 

billion. 

The N45 billion worth of 

secondary market (Open 

Market Operations, 

OMO) bills offered by the 

CBN attracted N97.5 

billion subscription, 

while the apex bank sold 

N97.2 billion. The 

N117.1 billion worth of 

primary market bills 

offered by the CBN 

attracted N201.7 billion 

subscription while the 

apex bank sold N117.1 

billion. 

Analysts weigh in on 

PMI in May 

The CBN during the 

week released its 

Purchasing Managers 

Index (MPI) report for 

May. The report showed 

that the manufacturing 

sector expanded for the 

second consecutive 

month, while the nonmanufacturing 

sector 

recorded expansion for 

the first time after 16 

months of contraction. 

This according to 

Afrinvest analysts 

indicate that the nation’s 

recovery from economic 

recession is in full swing. 

They said: “We believe 

the expansions in the 

Manufacturing and Non- 

Manufacturing sectors 

highlight the fact that the 

economic recovery is in 

full swing and we expect 

a positive feedback on 

Q2:2017 GDP numbers. 

Consequently, we 

forecast Q2:2017 GDP to 

settle at 0.7 per ent which 

implies that the economy 

will be out of recession. 

Interestingly, the 

Employment sub-index of 

the Manufacturing and 

Non- Manufacturing 

sectors expanded for the 

first time in 2017, which 

suggests renewed 

optimism of business 

owners on the future 

economic conditions. 

Hence, we expect that 

sustained improvements 

in FX liquidity and ease 

of doing business will 

continue to drive 

expansion in business 

activities in the interim.” 

Analysts at Vetiva 

Capital also said that the 

Vanguard, MONDAY, JUNE 5, 2017 — 21 

INTERBANK INTEREST RATES 

May PMI shows that the 

nation’s economic 

recovery is continuing at 

healthy pace. They said: 

“Unsurprisingly, 

Nigeria’s economy is 

showing marginal 

improvement, no doubt 

supported by recovering 

oil parameters and a more 

liquid FX market. These 

will likely be aided by 

increased efforts to 

improve the ease of doing 

business in the country 

spearheaded by the 

Acting President. 

“Recent executive 

orders to increase 

government efficiency 

and legislative directives 

to expand credit to 

MSMEs should support 

economic recovery. 

However, persistent 

inflation pressure (May 

forecast: 15.8 per cent) 

remain a worry and will 

continue to pressure 

business margins and 

consumer wallets. 

Nevertheless, reinforced 

by recent PMI numbers, 

we expect an economic 

rebound (2.1 per cent y/ 

y) in Q2’17.” 

C 

M 

Y 

K



World Bank to support OAuGF’s drive on 

accountability, transparency 

THE World Bank has 

expressed its willingness to 

support the Office of the Auditor- 

General for the Federation 

(OAuGF) in the drive to enthrone 

accountability and transparency 

in Nigeria by ensuring timely, 

speedy and successful 

completion of the public 

accountability process. 

Dr. Edward Olowo-Okere, 

Director, Governance Global 

Practice of the Bank, stated this 

when he paid a courtesy visit to 

the Auditor-General for the 

Federation, Mr. Anthony Mkpe 

Ayine, at the Audit House, audit 

institution’s headquarters in 

Abuja. 

Speaking during the visit, 

Olowo-Okere said the World 

Bank would like to see that the 

Public Accountability circle is 

completed on time, and thus 

would like to assist the OAuGF 

to achieve this goal. 

“We want to support the 

accountability process so that the 

public accounts are completed 

on time; that the audit is 

completed on time and laid 

before parliament and 

parliament also does their own 

part of reviewing the audited 

account and take action on time, 

also with the 

Executive arm responding on 

time on the recommendations 

that have been made by the 

Public Accounts Committee, to 

complete the accountability 

circle,” he stated. 

Responding, Mr. Ayine 

thanked the World Bank for its 

support over the years, while 

listing a number of challenges 

which he implored the bank for 

further assistance. 

By Adegbesan Elizabeth 

STERLING Bank Plc and 

LEAP Africa have 

commenced partnership to 

enhance capacity of young 

chief executive officers in small 

and medium enterprises 

(SME) sector. 

Mr. Henry Bassey, Chief 

Marketing Officer, Sterling 

Bank, in company of Founder 

of LEAP Africa, Ndidi 

Okonkwo Nwuneli, at a press 

conference to announce the 

LEAP Africa’s 12th CEOs 

Forum tagged “Managing 

Growth for Profitability”, 

disclosed this yesterday. 

The LEAP Africa CEOs Forum 

is designed to support SME 

development in Nigeria and 

equip business owners to build 

sustainable organizations. The 

Forum also exposes business 

owners to the importance of 

planning for their succession 

and instituting effective 

systems and structures, and 

values within their 

organizations, to ensure long 

term sustainability. 

Nwuneli explained that, “In 

Specifically, Mr. Ayine stated 

that “as the foremost Audit 

Institution working and helping 

the country in transparency and 

accountability we need to 

reposition ourselves effectively so 

that we can discharge the 

mandate that we have.” 

To do this, he said the OAuGF 

has submitted an Audit Bill which 

is now before the National 

Assembly, to afford it the 

administrative and financial 

autonomy desirable to function 

effectively. His words: “We have 

prepared and submitted an Audit 

Bill, which the House of 

Representatives has passed; and 

this Audit Bill is now before the 

Senate, the upper chamber of the 

National Assembly. It is our hope 

that if this Audit Bill is passed, 

it will help this office to have 

the kind of audit independence 

that the Supreme Audit 

Institution should have. 

“So if we have support from 

you in this area we will also 

appreciate it; because for now, 

we lack that administrative and 

financial autonomy as a Supreme 

Audit Institution.” 

He stated: “Our remuneration 

is tied to the Civil Service 

structure; as such it makes things 

difficult to attract the kind of good 

hands we should have. And if 

this Audit Bill is passed we will 

have the necessary structure on 

ground that we can be taken out 

from the Public Service structure.” 

He listed some of the other 

challenges that the OAuGF 

would appreciate support from 

the World Bank to include 

capacity building for its 

workforce. He said the OAuGF 

needs support in the areas of 

audit tools it uses, like Computer 

Assisted Auditing Techniques 

(CAATs), and to also adopt tools 

like Teammates audit software or 

audit command language, 

among other modern auditing 

tools 

“We need support for us to be 

able to build capacity for our staff 

in the area of international public 

sector accounting standards, 

because training for an auditor 

and retraining is very necessary. 

We would like to compete 

globally; we are in a global 

village now, so having skilful 

manpower is very, very 

necessary. So, in the area of 

training and retraining, we will 

also appreciate if we havesupport 

from the World Bank,” Mr. 

Ayine stated. He also appealed 

to the World Bank to assist in 

engagement with the National 

Assembly to see to the speedy 

consideration of audit report 

when it is laid before it. 

VISIT: Mr. Anthony Mkpe Ayine, Auditor-General for the Federation (l) receiving Dr. 

Edward Olowo-Okere, Director, Governance Global Practice of the World Bank on a courtesy 

visit to Office of the Auditor-General of the Federation. 

Sterling Bank, LEAP Africa move to boost capacity of young CEOs 

the previous CEO forum 

including this year we capture 

everybody, we just talk about 

the level of business, maybe 

you run a business for like a 

year or two. But for next year 

we are thinking young CEOs 

forum because we have a lot of 

young people doing 

outstanding things and starting 

businesses, 

“You know about the 

unemployment rate, many 

more people are looking at 

small businesses and 

enterprises as a way out of the 

unemployment line. We are 

thinking how can we support 

this people, how can we bring 

young people building 

businesses together”. 

GTB introduces GTWorld, assures customers on USSD platform 

By Babajide Komolafe 

GUARANTY Trust Bank Plc 

said that its newly 

introduced mobile application, 

GTWorld will not replace its 

USSD banking service but rather 

complement it. 

Managing Director/Chief 

Executive, GTBank, Mr. Segun 

Agbaje, stated this while fielding 

questions from journalists during 

the launching of GTWorld. 

Agbaje stated that while the 

USSD platform was targeted at 

all mobile phone users, GTWorld 

was targeted at Smartphone 

users. 

He said that USSD Platform 

was introduced to ensure that all 

the customers of the bank can 

conduct mobile banking 

irrespective of the kind of phones 

they use. We are aware 

everybody will not have a 

Smartphone, so the USSD 

platform will be sustained to 

ensure that those who do not 

have Smartphone can use their 

phones to conduct banking 

transactions. 

Built on the back of the bank’s 

customer-centric digital strategy, 

GTWorld features biometric 

authentication, such as facial 

recognition and fingerprint, 

which recognizes a customer and 

adapts to how and when they 

want to bank. The Mobile 

banking app also features a 

seamless switch to GAPS Lite, the 

online banking platform for small 

businesses which offers a flexible 

and secure channel to make 

payments and collections 

anywhere in the world. 

With the rapid growth of 

Smartphone penetration in 

Nigeria, there has been a steady 

increase in the adoption of mobile 

banking solutions. Smartphone 

users are, however, very 

conscious about the security, 

efficiency and convenience of 

such applications; and on those 

three fronts, the GTWorld app 

excels remarkably. the mobile 

banking App offers customers 

access to more than 90 percent 

of the Bank’s services on their 

Smartphones, guarantees further 

security through biometric 

authentication and ensures 

convenience through the Quick 

feature, which enables a user to 

perform transactions without 

signing in, among others. 

Ecobank Group 

named most 

innovative bank 

of the year 

ECOBANK 

Group’s 

pioneering work to use 

digital technology to financially 

empower millions of people 

across Africa has been 

recognised for driving 

‘Innovation in Banking’ at the 

African Banker Awards. 

Held under the patronage of 

the African Development Bank 

(AfDB), the annual event is 

highly regarded as the most 

prestigious award ceremony in 

the continent’s banking and 

finance sector. Ecobank 

triumphed against strong 

competition thanks to its leadingedge 

efforts to transform banking 

in Africa and create higher levels 

of financial inclusion. 

This includes being the first 

bank to introduce a pan-African 

card enabling customers to 

withdraw cash and make 

payments across 36 markets in 

Africa. While the 2016 launch of 

the revolutionary Ecobank 

Mobile App, which is focused on 

financially empowering 100 

million new customers in Africa 

by 2020 has resulted in more 

Africans gaining access to 

financial tools than ever before. 

FCMB produces 

winners of 

Millionaire promo 

season 4 

FIRST City Monument 

Bank (FCMB) Limited has 

produced another set of 

millionaires in its ongoing 

reward scheme tagged, ‘’FCMB 

Millionaire Promo Season 4”. 

The latest millionaires, who won 

N1 million each, emerged from 

the electronic draws held across 

Nigeria. In addition, 640 other 

customers of the bank were 

rewarded with various exciting 

gift items, ranging from LED 

televisions, power generating 

sets, decoders, tablets, smart 

phones and other consolation 

prizes. 

At the Lagos regional draw 

held at FCMB’s Broad Street 

branch, Musa Mohammed 

emerged the winner of 

N1million, while at the Abuja/ 

North regional draw in Abuja, 

Yahaya Mohammed was 

rewarded with the same 

amount. In addition, Vidal 

Effiong was announced the lucky 

winner of N1million from the 

South-East/South-South draw 

that took place at the Oron Road 

branch of FCMB in Uyo, Akwa 

Ibom State, just as Mr. and Mrs. 

James Okechukwu (joint 

account) are now N1million 

richer on account of their 

winning at the South-West 

regional draw held at the 

Gbongan-Ibadan Road branch of 

the Bank in Osogbo, Osun state. 

The “FCMB Millionaire Promo 

Season 4” commenced in March 

this year and will run till October.


Stocks: Expectation of economic recovery to 

further boost confidence this week 

By Peter Egwuatu 

INDICATIONS have shown 

that the equity market will 

receive further boost this week 

as expectation of economic 

recovery continues to heighten 

given the bullish trend 

recorded in recent weeks. 

However, market analysts and 

operators have expressed 

mixed views as some believe 

that some investors will take 

profit from the recent bull run 

to sell, while others said that 

bargain hunting will 

characterise the market to 

sustain bullish trend. 

Also, on a year-to-date basis, 

the Nigerian Stock Exchange, 

NSE All share index increased 

by 16.73 per cent. The sector 

gauges, showed that the NSE 

Banking Index, the NSE 

Insurance Index, the NSE 

Consumer Goods Index and 

the NSE Industrial Index 

revved by 400 bps, 608 bps, 

768 bps and 917 bps to close at 

376.44 points, 140.75 points, 

776.06 bps and 1,853.65 points 

respectively. 

Market outlook: 

Market analysts from Cowry 

Asset Management said “This 

week, we expect a mix of profit 

taking and bargain hunting 

activities amid boost in investor 

confidence.” 

Analysts from Meristem 

Securities Limited stated 

“Positive investor sentiments 

continued into the week, as we 

saw significant appreciations 

on stocks trading at low prices 

compared to their historical 

levels. We also note that the 

15.67 per cent gain on Dangote 

Cement to N192.93 pushed 

the market further into the 

positive region. In the coming 

week, while we expect the 

SHAREHOLDERS of May 

& Baker Nigeria Plc 

have commended its Board of 

Directors for the remarkable 

achievement in resuming the 

manufacture of vaccines in the 

country as Nigeria’s Federal 

Executive Council had 

ratified the 12-year old 

agreement between it and the 

company. 

The shareholders also 

commended the Board for an 

improved financial 

performance and declaring 

dividend despite the harsh 

operating environment. 

Managing Director/CEO of 

May & Baker Nigeria Plc, Mr. 

Nnamdi Okafor, who 

announced the good news 

while addressing 

shareholders at the 66th 

annual general meeting of the 

company held in Lagos said 

“with the action of the Federal 

positive sentiments to continue, 

we may see some profit taking 

on counters which have 

recorded share price 

appreciation.” 

Market Transactions: 

Meanwhile, a total turnover 

of 2.319 billion shares worth 

N23.813 billion in 22,310 deals 

were traded last week by 

investors on the floor of the 

Exchange in contrast to a total 

of 1.877 billion shares valued 

at N20.055 billion that 

exchanged hands last week in 

Executive Council (FEC), the 

partners will immediately 

take steps to reconstitute the 

board of Biovaccines Nigeria 

Limited, the company set up 

for the purpose of vaccine 

manufacturing in Nigeria 

through the May & Baker 

partnership with the Federal 

Government.” 

In 2005, May & Baker 

entered into a joint venture 

with the Federal government 

to take over the facilities of the 

Federal Vaccine Production 

Laboratory (FVPL) in Yaba for 

the purpose of resuming 

vaccine production which had 

stopped due to the inability of 

the FVPL to cope with 

operational challenges. The 

project was however delayed 

due to the non ratification of 

the agreement by successive 

governments. 

Chief Boniface Okezie, 

19,979 deals. 

The Financial Services 

Industry (measured by volume) 

led the activity chart with 1.950 

billion shares valued at 

N15.479 billion traded in 

14,381 deals; thus contributing 

84.12 per cent and 65.00 per 

cent to the total equity 

turnover volume and value 

respectively. 

The Consumer Goods 

Industry followed with 156.358 

million shares worth N2.875 

billion in 2,804 deals. The third 

place was occupied by 

Chairman, Progressive 

Shareholders Association, 

said the investment in local 

vaccine production will 

certainly multiply the turnover 

and profitability of May & 

Baker. He commended the 

management of the company 

for remaining resolute on the 

local vaccine project despite 

the long delays in its 

realization. 

Commenting on the 

performance of the company, 

Chief Timothy Adesiyan, 

president, Nigerian 

Shareholders Solidarity 

Association, said May & 

Baker has kept its year end 

financial performance very 

impressive despite harsh 

operating environment. He 

said the addition of vaccine 

into the business of the 

company will lead to 

astronomical growth in 

Conglomerates Industry with a 

turnover of 70.452 million 

shares worth N168.377 million 

in 739 deals. Trading in the Top 

Three Equities namely – 

Diamond Bank Plc, FBN 

Holding Plc and United Bank 

for Africa Plc (measured by 

volume) accounted for 978.710 

million shares worth N4.137 

billion in 5,028 deals, 

contributing 42.21 per cent and 

17.37 per cent to the total 

equity turnover volume and 

value respectively. 

Shareholders commend May & Baker vaccine production 

•Okay 6 kobo dividend 

Vanguard, MONDAY, JUNE 5, 2017 —23 

earnings. He commended the 

company for being consistent 

in declaring dividends. 

May & Baker increased its 

turnover in the 2016 financial 

year by 12 per cent, to N8.5 

billion in 2016. Profit before 

tax grew by 143 per cent to 

N346 million. Deferred 

taxation and back duty taxes 

however whittled down the 

bottom-line to a net loss of 

N41 million. 

The company declared 

dividend of 6 kobo for every 

50 kobo share. The 

management attributed the 

impressive performance to 

cost optimization measures 

which reduced distribution, 

sales and marketing expenses 

by 11 per cent, finance costs 

by 12 per cent and 

administrative costs by 6 per 

cent. 

CIS engages 

finance minister, 

SEC on 10 year 

capital market 

master plan 

By Peter Egwuatu 

AS part of effort to 

addressing the lull in the 

Nigerian capital market 

occasioned by the economic 

recession, the Chartered Institute 

of Stockbrokers, CIS, said it will 

engage the Minister of Finance 

and the Securities and Exchange 

Commission, SEC, on the 10- 

year Capital Market Master Plan 

(CMMP) in order to make the 

market more attractive to 

investors. 

A Board member of the CIS, 

Alhaji Umaru Kwairanga, who 

disclosed this to Vanguard said 

that the Institute empowered by 

Act 105 of 1992 (Laws of the 

Federal Republic of Nigeria) as 

the only body that has legitimate 

statutory powers to train and 

certify bona fide professionals in 

the securities and investment 

industry in Nigeria, has active 

interest in the development of its 

members and the market in 

general. 

To this extent, he said the 

Institute will engage the Minister 

of Finance, Kemi Adeosun, 

Director General of SEC, Mounir 

Gwarzo and other relevant 

government agencies over the 

CMMP that is expected to help 

spur the market to greater height. 

According to him “The Plan, 

which was launched in 2015 is a 

very detailed and thoroughly 

researched document that is 

intended to guide the evolution 

of the Nigerian capital market 

into a global masterpiece by the 

year 2025.We will engage with 

government authorities to ensure 

the fullest implementation of this 

plan.” 

While commenting on the 

upcoming CIS annual workshop 

scheduled to take place on July 

4 at the NICON Hilton, Abuja, 

Alhaji Kwairanga, who is the 

organising committee Chairman 

said “ Investor confidence is 

gradually returning as can be 

seen by the positive numbers in 

recent weeks. Our prayer is that 

the Government, the Central 

Bank of Nigeria and other 

regulators remain consistent in 

their resolve to tackle the issues 

that have held our economy and 

this country’s potential down in 

recent years.” 

Commenting further, he said 

“In view of the foregoing and the 

need to encourage the 

government to leverage on the 

capital market to finance this 

year’s budget deficit, it has 

become imperative to create a 

platform for cross fertilisation of 

ideas. In pursuit of this noble 

goal, we have, therefore decided 

to hold a strategic national 

workshop with the theme: 

‘Transiting from recession to top 

global power: a Working template 

for Nigeria.’



Managing equity investments during 

market downturns — FDC 

By Emeka Anaeto, 

Business Editor 

Nigerian Stock Exchange 

rebounded last week 

after previous week’s 

reversal of the four-week stretch 

bull-run, validating some 

analysts’ position that last 

week’s loss was nothing more 

than a dead cat bounce. 

Since the launch of the 

Investors’ and Exporters’ (I&E) 

Foreign exchange window, the 

Nigerian equities market has 

appreciated on 24 of the 28 

trading days. The generally 

positive sentiment in the bourse 

was evident in trading activities 

last week as the benchmark 

index advanced on all trading 

days of the week. Notably, on 

Friday, the largest daily gain 

since May 2016, was recorded 

as the All Shares Index (ASI) 

grew 3.5%. Consequently, the 

Nigerian equities market 

appreciated 7.9% week-onweek 

to close at 31, 371.63 

points while year-to-date (YtD) 

return strengthened to +16.7% 

Many analysts believe that 

the market fundamentals is still 

very strong, particularly in light 

of the improved stability and 

liquidity in the foreign currency 

market and the reported 

stability in the macro-economic 

environment, as the Monetary 

Policy Committee (MPC) of the 

Central Bank of Nigeria, in line 

with consensus expectations, 

retained the Monetary Policy 

Rate (MPR) at 14% previous 

week. 

However, it appeared 

investors were less swayed by 

the recently published first 

quarter 2017 (Q1’17) gross 

domestic products figures 

which revealed that the 

Nigerian economy was 

beginning to reverse the steady 

decline, though the GDP 

contracted for the fifth 

consecutive quarter and still 

remains in recession. 

Consequently, the equity 

investors’ community remained 

enticed by the usual sectors, the 

banking and consumer goods 

stocks. 

Again, though the National 

Bureau of Statistics (NBS) 

revealed that the total value of 

capital imported into Nigeria in 

the Q1’17 declined by 41.36% 

to USD908.27 million, driven by 

a fall in other investment, 

notably, portfolio investment 

was the only category to record 

an increase from the previous 

quarter. This gave the 

impression of a returning of the 

overseas’ capital into the stock 

market despite the persisting 

macro-economic challenges. 

Stockbrokers have been 

recording increased patronage 

from the section of the investing 

publics who had abandoned the 

stock market in recent years 

due to the long-drawn bear run 

and the attendant huge losses. 

Their return followed a return 

of confidence and near recovery 

in the market in the past few 

•Bismark Rewane, CEO FDC 

weeks. 

However, bears resurfaces 

intermittently in the stock 

market despite the positive 

sentiments pervading the entire 

economic spaces and the stock 

market. Though many analysts 

attributed the development to 

profit taking after almost five 

weeks of bullish trading, some 

observers believed the reemergence 

of bears may signal 

cautious optimism. 

At the backdrop of the 

development which many 

analysts believe would heighten 

this week we bring you the inhouse 

advice of Financial 

Derivatives Company Limited, 

Most 

importantly, 

investors 

must respond 

strategically 

rather than 

react to 

market 

developments 

in periods of 

slowdown 

a Lagos based investment 

house, headed by one of the 

leading Nigerian economists, 

Bismarck Rewane. 

Exerpts; 

In this time of economic 

slowdown investors may be 

asking them-selves if they have 

the appetite to stay in the 

market. 

Periods of recession or 

economic downturn are rife with 

uncertainty, dampened appetite 

•Oscar Onyeama, NSE CEO. 

Stock Market Performance in the last 10 days 

for investments and heightened 

risk. 

The natural response in such 

periods may be to delay 

investing until conditions 

improve. In extreme cases, 

investors may pull out of the 

markets all together. 

The financial crisis/global 

recession in 2008 left a bad taste 

in the mouth of investors. Some 

vowed never to return to the 

stock market while others 

reduced their participation to 

the barest mini-mum. 

The Nigerian stock market 

was not exempt. Between 2008 

and 2009, investors witnessed 

significant erosion in the value 

of their investments as the 

market lost N7.24trn from a 

high of N12.64trn.2 This saw 

reduced participation in the 

stock market for both foreign 

and domestic investors. 

As the current economic 

slowdown shows its ugly head, 

investors will be less likely to 

make the same mistakes as 

those made in 2008/2009. 

As the old saying goes: once 

bitten twice shy. Investors are 

likely to remain on the sidelines 

until there is some semi-blance 

of recovery. While accepting that 

this approach (which is purely 

risk averse) is understandable, 

there are approaches to 

investing that can be used when 

transacting in the stock market 

especially during downturns. 

Most importantly, investors 

must respond strategically 

rather than react to market 

developments in periods of 

slowdown. With a bit of proactivity 

and flexibility, investors 

can still participate in the 

market, despite the economic 

downturn. 

Here are a few ways on how 

to stay invested: 

1.)Take advantage of lower 

stock prices to increase their 

holdings especially if they have 

a long term outlook. By 

purchasing ad-ditional stocks, 

investors also reduce their 

average unit cost of purchase. 

Another good strategy is 

identifying oversold stocks to 

purchase (i.e buying into a 

stock that has seen a lot of 

selling and is ripe for a 

turnaround). 

2.)Invest in dividend paying 

companies with consistent 

paying policy or defensive 

stocks with good dividend 

history. 

3.)Manage losses – Markets 

exaggerate themselves in the 

direction of losses. Therefore 

losses have to be minimized. 

This can be done by setting and 

adhering to price limits. Stop 

loss orders, usually executed by 

brokers, are designed to limit 

investors’ loss on a position in 

a security. With a stop loss order, 

a market order to sell is 

triggered when the stock trades 

below a certain price and it will 

be sold at the next available 

price. 

4.)Be ambivalent about bear 

markets – adopt the right 

mental approach, knowing 

there are opportunities also in 

Bear markets. 

5.)Diversify across asset 

classes and investment types to 

reduce risk. Having a 

percentage of your portfolio 

spread amongst stocks, bonds, 

cash and alternative assets such 

as real estate assets, is the core 

of diversification. A proper asset 

allocation strategy will allow you 

avoid the potentially negative 

effects resulting from placing all 

your eggs in one basket. 

6.)Invest in assets that help 

preserve capital. 

7.)Avoid increasing your 

borrowing especially to invest 

in the stock market. This is 

clearly not a time to increase 

leverage. 

8.)Consider Inverse ETFs. 

Investing in ETFs is similar to 

using a combination of 

advanced investment strategies 

to profit from declining prices. 

Even though these are 

instruments which are not 

available in the Nigerian 

investment space, they are readily 

available in developed 

markets. 

9.)Play safe. Playing safe 

means putting a larger portion 

of your portfolio in money 

market securities such as fixed 

deposits, treasury bills and 

other instruments with shorter 

maturities and acceptable 

yields 

Investment strategies have to 

be dynamic. Different strategies 

should be adopted in periods of 

boom and bust. The best advice 

one can give during a recession 

is to take the time to revisit longterm 

goals, and adjust overall 

asset allocation to protect 

assets. 

It is important to note that in 

spite of all the strategies out 

there, nothing is entirely 

foolproof. It is expected that 

investors proceed with caution 

and also seek the services of 

professionals who would offer 

guidance.


Over 12,000 disengaged workers get N4b 

from pension contribution 

By Rosemary Onuoha 

DUE to the incessant loss 

of jobs occasioned by the 

economic downturn, a total of 

12,464 disengaged workers 

were paid N4 billion from their 

pension contribution in the 

third quarter of 2016 by their 

different Pension Fund 

Administrators (PFAs). The 

payments were made in 

accordance with the Pension 

Reform Act, 2014 which allows 

workers below 50 years under 

the Contributory Pension 

Scheme, CPS, to access 25 per 

cent of their pension 

contribution if they are not able 

to get another job after four 

months. 

According to the 2016 third 

quarter report of the National 

Pension Commission 

(PenCom), the private sector 

accounted for 95.43 per cent of 

the figure which represents 

By Favour Nnabugwu 

LAGOS State Government 

has conducted a verification 

exercise of non-pensionable staff 

in 20 local governments and 37 

local community development 

areas of the State. 

The exercise was carried out 

by the State establishment 

department under the Lagos 

State Ministry of Establishment, 

Training and Pensions, in 

conjunction with the Office of the 

Head of Service and Office of the 

Auditor General 

Commissioner, Ministry of 

Establishments, Training and 

Pensions, Dr. Akintola Benson 

told Vanguard Insurance last 

week that recommendations of 

the committee have been 

approved for implementation by 

the State Governor, Akinwunmi 

Ambode. He said the 

department has also, in 

173,578 of the disengaged 

workers, while the public sector 

accounted for 4.57 per cent, 

totaling 8,305 disengaged 

workers. The pension regulator 

noted that N56.9 billion has 

been paid to 181,883 

disengaged workers since the 

inception of the CPS. It said 

N1.84 billion was also paid as 

death benefits to beneficiaries 

of 532 deceased employees 

within the quarter under 

review. 

Commenting on this 

development, Managing 

Director/Chief Executive, 

Sigma Pensions Limited, Mr. 

Dave Uduanu said that 

requests by disengaged 

workers to access 25 per cent 

of their pension contribution is 

constantly on the increase to 

enable them keep body and 

soul together until they secure 

another job. 

Uduanu said that inadequate 

conjunction with the Office of 

Transformation, Creativity and 

Innovation, carried out an 

exercise on workforce planning 

and streamlining of contract 

appointment at the Lagos Water 

Corporation. 

In the same vein and in line 

with extant provisions, approvals 

for payment of severance 

allowance in respect of political 

office holders who had completed 

their tenure in office were 

obtained from the Governor. He 

added that the department 

compiled and submitted the 

changes witnessed on 

establishments matters within 

the last 50 years in Lagos State. 

He noted that in line with the 

directive of the Governor for the 

replacement of written 

examinations towards 

promotions, with structured 

training, the office supervised the 

contribution of funding remains 

a major challenge in the 

pension industry amid the 

present global fiscal constraint, 

noting, “We can understand. 

Its current reality of ours, the 

economy is on the downturn 

but we’re looking forward 

positively but many employers 

are not able to pay employees 

contribution. 

“For those that have and are 

still in business many of them 

have shed weight, which 

means if they previously had 

100 employees, they now 

manage with thirty or forty. So 

it’s not the fault of those 

employers, it’s an economic 

situation, not even in Nigeria 

alone. And looking at what 

government has put in place 

over the years since the new 

administration came in, we feel 

positive that things will turn 

around very soon.” 

From left: Victor Akisanya of RFIB (UK), Mr. Badejo Onaduja of RTS Global insurance Brokers, 

Mr. Sola Ajayi of AIICO Insurance Plc and Mr. Bosun Oduniyi of AIICO Insurance at the just 

concluded 44th African Insurance Organization (AIO) in Kampala, Uganda 

Lagos conducts verification of 

non-pensionable workers 

compliance of the directive, 

service–wide, adding, “In the 

last one year, the CSPO has 

achieved a lot. Pensioner 

population in the main stream 

stands at 8512 as at April, 2017. 

The total sum of N1. 84 billion 

was paid as pensions from May 

31, 2016 to April 30, 2017. 

“The office forwarded 185 

Lagos State pensioners with 

federal shares complaints 

ranging from short payment of 

gratuity and arrears to stoppage 

of monthly pensions to the 

Director-General, Pensions 

Transition Arrangement 

Department (PTAD) office, 

Abuja. It also facilitated the 

reinstated payments of additional 

15 pensioners that have just 

attained the Expected Date of 

Pension (EDOP), and 

adjustments in pension”, he 

added. 

Vanguard, MONDAY, JUNE 5, 2017 —25 

Africa Re charges Ambassadors, 

High Commissioners on CSR 

Stories by Favour Nnabugwu 

AFRICA Reinsurance Corporation (Africa Re) has tasked 

Ambassadors and High Commissioners in Nigeria to support 

the needy and less privilege in the country. 

The Deputy Managing Director of Africa Re, Mr Ken 

Aghoghovbia, told Vanguard Insurance during the celebration of 

the 54th Africa Day in Abuja this should form major part of their 

corporate social responsibility. 

“This action by the African Group of Ambassadors and High 

Commissioners is all the more laudable as the assistance will 

help lift the needy out of their desperate conditions and will 

provide comfort and hope to these underprivileged in the country 

and the Federal Capital Territory.” 

Aghoghovbia said the pan-African reinsurer with predominantly 

African shareholders, provides reinsurance capacity to over 60 

countries across Africa, Asia, the Middle-East and Brazil. 

“Africa Re is always pleased to be part of such commendable 

actions that promote the welfare of fellow Africans. Such actions 

are part of the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) of Africa 

Re in the markets where it operates, he said.” 

He said that he Corporation is passionate about its involvement 

in Africa activities, “It is gratifying for Africa Re to be part of 

praiseworthy initiatives like providing equipment and learning 

materials to schools specialized in the education of 

underprivileged children with disabilities.” 

The leading reinsurer in Africa, he recalled was set up 41 years 

ago by members of the African Union and the African Development 

Bank even as he stated that Africa Re Group remains the 

leading reinsurance company in Africa. 

Losses in Nigeria, competition force 

African oil & energy pool dip 15.93% 

THE African Oil & Energy Insurance Pool witnessed a decrease 

of 15.93 percent in premium income, to US$16,051,959 in 

2016 from US$19,093,197 in 2015. 

The profit also decreased considerably to US$47,881 in 2016from 

US$ 5,595,662 in 2015. In the year under review, the African Oil 

& Energy Pool generated half of its business from offshore/onshore 

projects, and the remaining half solely from onshore activities. 

The decrease is still attributable to the loss of business from 

Nigeria resulting from the creation of its Energy Pool. 

Other reasons are the slide in premium rates because of 

continued competition in the market place and the global downturn 

in oil & gas businesses. The review of the sector results further 

showed that the formation of a local oil and energy pool by Nigeria 

affected the performance of the sub-regional pool. 

In February 2016, the Nigerian insurance underwriters, in their 

bid to ensure active participation in underwriting of businesses 

of oil multinationals in the country, formed their own energy pool. 

The Energy sector faced a number of challenges which include 

low oil prices, pressure on cost control, lay-off of workers and the 

risk of cyber-attacks. 

In the upstream sector, market capacity rose to USD 7.72 billion, 

up from USD 7.56 billion while over USD5.5 billion of upstream 

energy losses were recorded in 2015. 

In the downstream sector, market capacity is up from USD6.19 

billion to USD6.50 billion. Losses from this sector stood at USD2.58 

billion in 2016 (2015: USD1.91 billion). 

The Pool negotiated its treaties in an environment of excess 

capacity which enabled it to obtain covers at competitive terms. 

AIO urges insurance operators to 

publish books on insurance 

AFRICAN Insurance Organisation (AIO) is encouraging 

insurance practitioners in Nigerian and other countries to 

write book on insurance to partake in AIO’s book award. 

The Secretary-General of AIO, Ms Prisca Soares announced 

the winner of the 2017 book award, titled, ‘Development of 

Insurance in Mozambique’ written by Mr. Isreal Muchena 

Soares told the over 850 insurance executives in Kampala, 

Uganda, at the just concluded 44th AIO conference that 

insurance operators should find time within their busy schedules 

to write books and participate in the AIO awards. 

Mr. Muchena, winner of the book award is an Assistant Director, 

Operations, in Mauritius office of Africa Reinsurance Corporation 

(Africa Re). In Development of Insurance in Mozambique, Israel 

Muchena explores these and many other questions regarding 

insurance and its development. 

In his review, he relies on his many years of experience in the 

insurance sector of Mozambique and many other African 

countries.

26—Vanguard, MONDAY, JUNE 5 , 2017 


Failure to implement Guaranteed 

Minimum Pension (GMP) 

undermines the Pension 

Reform Act — Apere 

Managing Director, Linkage Assurance Plc, Dr. Pius Apere in 

this interview discusses implications of the failure of the federal 

government to implement the Guaranteed Minimum Pension in 

the Pension Reform Act 2014 and its impact on the welfare of 

Nigerian pensioners. Excepts 

By Favour Nnabugwu 

WHAT are the 

expectations of 

pensioners? 

Nigerian Pensioners have 

high expectations on the 

National Pension Commission 

(PENCOM) and/or 

Government to timely, 

efficiently and effectively 

implement all provisions of 

pension regulations. These 

expectations arise from the 

need to have sustainable 

standard of living in retirement. 

Under the prevailing pension 

regulations in Nigeria, one of 

the ways to achieve the 

pensioners’ social welfare goal 

is the implementation of the 

Guaranteed Minimum Pension 

(GMP) as provided in section 

84(1) of the Pension Reform Act 

(PRA) 2014 as amended, which 

states that “all Retirement 

Savings Account (RSA) holders 

who have contributed to 

licensed Pension Fund 

Administrators (PFAs) for a 

number of years to be specified 

by the Commission shall be 

entitled to a guaranteed 

minimum pension as may be 

specified from time to time by 

the Commission”. 

Redistribution 

of resources 

The GMP is akin to an income 

support from the government 

and can be considered as a 

variant of social security policy 

that ensures redistribution of 

resources to its populace. In 

this case, it acts as a safety net 

for pensioners. 

In practice, the GMP is a form 

of underpin applicable in a 

defined contribution (DC) 

scheme, such as the 

Contributory Pension Scheme 

(CPS) currently being operated 

in Nigeria, which has a main 

benefit that is defined 

contribution in nature, with a 

promise that the benefit will be 

at least a defined benefit (DB) 

amount (i.e. the GMP), usually 

a percentage of final salary at 

retirement date. 

The importance the 

Government attached to the 

welfare of retirees has led to the 

provision of the GMP in the 

Act. It is however surprising 

that the PenCom is yet to 

finalize the modalities for the 

implementation of the GMP, 

more than ten years after the 

CPS was established in the 

country since 2004. 

What is the rationale for 

GMP Provision in PRA 2014? 

The traditional thinking has 

been that members in DC 

schemes bear all the risks and 

rewards and receive whatever 

outcomes are produced at 

retirement. These DC schemes 

may have the legal ability to 

adjust members’ liabilities 

including contribution rates 

automatically, as asset values 

move up or down, therefore 

limiting the need to immunize 

asset/liability movements. This 

is a scenario where no GMP is 

applicable. 

On the other hand, a DC 

system such as CPS under PRA 

2014 that forces compulsory 

contribution rates (section 4(1) 

of PRA 2014) and entails 

significant tax concessions 

(section 10 of PRA 2014) should 

not, under reasonable 

circumstances, be left to 

require members to bear all 

risks over many decades of 

membership. Thus, the 

introduction of guaranteed 

minimum pension (GMP) in 

section 84(1) of PRA 2014 is 

quite appropriate with the aim 

to reduce the risk of volatility 

in standard of living in 

retirement facing the 

pensioners. Thus, the 

investment risk and cost of 

GMP are not only borne by 

RSA holders but also by 

PenCom, pension operators 

and Government. 

The GMP is usually to protect 

the scheme members (RSA 

holders) against some of the 

risks of low investment returns, 

particularly in the event of 

exceptionally poor investment 

conditions, for instance, during 

the global economic crisis in 

2008 and particularly the 

economic down turn currently 

being experienced in Nigeria. 

Furthermore, a more 

generous GMP may also be 

applied on a temporary basis 

after a conversion of a scheme 

from a defined benefit form to 

a defined contribution form, 

and thus, the implementation 

of GMP would had been very 

appropriate immediately after 

the introduction of the 

Contributory Pension Schemes 

(CPS) in 2004. 

Funding of GMP 

PenCom had been mandated 

to establish and maintain a 

fund to be known as the 

Pension Protection Fund (PPF) 

for the benefits of eligible 

pensioners approved or 

recognized under section 82(1) 

of PRA 2014.The Fund would 

•Dr. Pius Apere 

be applied to fund the 

minimum pension guarantee 

and also pay compensation to 

eligible pensioners for shortfall 

or financial losses that could 

arise from investment activities, 

amongst others. The PPF 

requires funding by the 

Government, PenCom and 

There is no 

indication that the 

Federal 

Government has 

started contributing 

the required one per 

cent of its employees 

wage bill since the 

government is still 

struggling to fund 

the accrued pension 

liabilities of existing 

pensioners under 

the old DB pension 

regime 

Pension Operators. Section 

82(2) of the PRA 2014 states that 

the” PPF shall consist of: An 

annual subvention of 1% of the 

total wage bill of total monthly 

wage bill of employees in the 

Public Service of the 

Federation towards funding the 

GMP; Annual pension 

protection levy paid by 

PENCOM and all licensed 

operators (PFAs) at rate to be 

determined by PENCOM, from 

time to time; and Income from 

investment of the PPF. 

Indeed, the funding of GMP 

is the responsibility of the 

government in other 

jurisdictions (such as in the UK 

and Chile, just to mention a 

few) to ensure that pensioners 

will not have less than a certain 

amount to live on. In Chile the 

cost of funding the GMP is 

expressed in terms of the 

nation’s Gross Domestic 

Product (GDP). This metric is 

more appropriate than that 

specified in (a) above, since 

private sector employees in 

CPS who retiree may also 

qualify for GMP. There is no 

indication that the Federal 

Government has started 

contributing the required 1% of 

its employees wage bill since 

the Government is still 

struggling to fund the accrued 

pension liabilities of existing 

pensioners under the old DB 

pension regime. 

Annual pension protection 

levy 

The Current Annual Pension 

Protection Levy (APPL) is 3% 

of management fee earned by 

operators, as determined by 

PenCom in October 2016. The 

current levy is not likely to be 

adequate to fund the GMP for 

private sector retirees. 

The income from investing 

PPF is likely to be small as fixed 

income securities may 

constitute a greater proportion 

of its investments relative to 

investing in equities. 

As employees of 

organizations with less than 

three employees as well as selfemployees 

shall be entitled to 

join the CPS (section 2(3) of 

PRA 2014), the number of 

future retirees qualifying for 

GMP is likely to increase 

exponentially over time. Thus, 

there will be a corresponding 

increase in future GMP liability 

which is also likely to put a 

strain on PPF, having 

considered the funding 

methodology as stated in the 

Act in the light of present 

economic situation in Nigeria. 

The number of retirees 

qualifying for GMP will be 

reduced if many employees are 

encouraged to make annual 

voluntary contribution (AVC) 

and this will in turn reduce the 

strain on PPF. 

Thus, the adequacy of the 

PPF will be tested if the GMP 

is fully implemented to take 

effect retrospectively, thereby 

allowing all those who have 

retired since the contributory 

pension scheme was 

established in 2004 to qualify 

for the GMP provided the level 

of pension in payment is below 

the GMP to be set by 

PENCOM. 

The implications for non 

implementation of GMP 

Despite the importance of 

GMP in managing the 

pensioners’ standard of living 

in retirement, the 

implementation of GMP has 

not commenced since the CPS 

was established in 2004. The 

delay in implementation of 

GMP could be attributed to the 

following: Computational 

complexities. The assessment 

of the level of GMP and the 

cost of GMP requires stochastic 

modeling techniques. This is 

clearly a task which should be 

under the control of an actuary 

and as such PenCom should 

obtain the relevant actuarial 

professional services. 

Availability of required 

funds to finance the GMP 

For instance, in April 2017, 

the federal government 

released the sum of N54million 

out of the outstanding Accrued 

rights. Accrued rights are 

benefits which the workers who 

were in the public service prior 

to 2004 when the CPS was 

introduced are entitled. 

Welfare of 

pensioners 

The effects of nonimplementation 

of the GMP on 

the welfare of pensioners can 

be summarised as follows: 

Increased low standard of 

living or high poverty 

incidence among current 

pensioners due to no pension 

increases allowed for under the 

CPS. The GMP (if 

implemented) would have 

cushioned the effect of no 

pension increases. There is a 

growing sense of 

disenchantment among current 

pensioners under the new CPS 

because of the token monthly 

pension benefits they have 

been receiving over the time 

relative to the huge gains (from 

investment returns and 

dividends) the Pension Fund 

Administrator (PFAs) are 

currently making. The GMP (if 

implemented) would have 

eliminated the disenchantment 

among current pensioners. 

Non-implementation of 

GMP in state governments’ 

pension laws. 

The states Governments in 

Nigeria have also enacted 

their pension laws (to include 

the GMP provisions) in line 

with PRA 2014 for the Federal 

Government employees. The 

Continues on page 28


Vanguard, MONDAY, JUNE 5 , 2017—27 

“A leader is best/ when people barely know he exists…” Lao-tsy, 6th Century 

AD. (VANGUARD BOOK OF QUOTATIONS, VBQ p 124). 

LAO-TSY, one of China’s greatest philosophers and sages lived at a time 

and in a country in which even your worst enemy would acknowledge 

whatever you do that is right. For that matter, your best friend would tell you to 

your face, and not behind you, what you did wrong. None of those two acts of 

courage and pursuit of truth 

exist in Nigeria today – 

especially among the political 

class and their camp followers. 

That leaves the independent 

assessment to those of us who 

are non-partisan; who carry no 

party card and who are 

privileged to write columns and 

influence public opinion. In 

one week, I found myself 

praising the Governor of the 

Central Bank of Nigeria for his 

overall good performance in 

the last two years and carpeting 

him for forecasting that 

recession will end in June. The 

latter is not his business; it is 

like a player in a game 

predicting the outcome of the 

game. That is foul play of the 

worst kind. 

“I hold that man in the right 

who is most in league with the 

future”, said Henrik Ibsen, 

1828-1906, (VBQ p 71), who 

was one of the earliest futurists. 

Few people in public office, in 

Nigeria and elsewhere have a 

capacity for thinking of 

measures that will actually 

result in the transformation of 

their societies. Most are like 

those working on the Federal 

Government’s “give-away” 

programmes. They can only 

think of giving away cake they 

don’t help to bake. 

This series continued last 

week with a focus on the 

Ministry of Transportation 

which is the only Ministry 

totally “in league with the 

future.” Its cardinal focus is on 

the wider expansion of 

Nigeria’s railway system which 

had been neglected since 1960. 

Yet, there is no single one of 

the top twenty five largest 

economies, even South Africa 

which we claim is smaller, but 

acknowledge is more 

advanced, which does not run 

its economy on a robust rail 

system. This is not the time and 

place to discuss how Nigeria 

with the ninth largest 

population and eleventh 

largest land mass became a 

trailer, tanker, and 911 economy 

– resulting in tremendous 

losses of lives and goods on our 

highways and adding 

enormous costs to our finished 

goods and services. For 

instance the chief reason 

Nigerian rice or any other 

finished products cannot 

compete with imported rice is 

the transport cost and the 

massive losses associated with 

transporting rice on Nigeria’s 


By Providence 

Emmanuel 

MICROFINANCE Bank 

(MfB) operators have 

identified some of the 

weaknesses in the codes of 

corporate governance for Other 

Financial Institutions (OFIs) in 

Nigeria, made available, 

February 2017, on the Central 

Bank of Nigeria’s website. 

Recall that to strengthen 

governance practices, ensure 

high ethical conduct and provide 

minimum acceptable governance 

standards for Other Financial 

Institutions in Nigeria, the CBN 

developed distinct governance 

codes of corporate governance for 

the primary mortgage 

institutions, microfinance banks, 

mortgage refinance companies; 

development finance institutions, 

bureau de change and finance 

companies. 

It was in the light of this that 

the Society for Corporate 

Governance (SCGN) 

penultimate week, organised a 

one day validation workshop for 

the review of the report of the 

corporate governance and board 

structure survey for MfBs with 

the theme: “Survey on Board 

Structure and Corporate 

State of the Nigerian economy at 

half-way mark – 4 

Governance for Microfinance 

Banks in Nigeria” bringing 

together stakeholders in the MfBs 

subsector, CBN, among others. 

SCGN in partnership with 

AFOS Foundation with support 

of the Office of the Director of 

Other Financial Institution 

Supervision Department 

(OFISD) of the CBN carried out 

a baseline survey on the 

governance structure of 

registered microfinance banks in 

Nigeria and to better present the 

peculiarity of the industry to the 

regulator in the midst of the 

proposed code of corporate 

governance for other financial 

institutions by the CBN. 

Issues raised are that the CBN 

with the code is adding additional 

cost to the sub sector especially 

with regards to service of an 

independent consultant who 

would be charging consultancy 

fees. The CBN had in its draft 

stated that the code is applicable 

to all MfBs in Nigeria and that 

external auditors of MfBs shall 

report annually to to the CBN, 

the extent of the MfBs’ 

compliance with the provisions 

of the code. 

Another argument was that the 

MfBs are divided into three 

categories of national, state and 

pot-holes called roads. 

One Minister, Mr Rotimi 

Amaechi, had taken a good look 

at all these and together with 

the President had embarked on 

ensuring that the railway 

system is strengthened during 

the first four years and to make 

the process of expansion 

irreversible by making 

arrangements that will make it 

almost impossible for 

successors to abandon the 

projects once they get 

underway. By the time he is 

through, the sharp reduction in 

the number of those behemoths 

rambling through our 

highways will be reduced. Most 

of them will no longer 

undertake those long, tiring 

and murderous journeys which 

tear up our roads, increase the 

carnage on the roads and 

produce more widows and 

orphans than even Boko 

Haram and herdsmen put 

together. Increase in commuter 

and commercial use of railways 

will transform lives along all 

the areas of Nigeria rail lines 

pass through, reduce cost of 

living and promote faster 

MfB operators identify deficiencies of CBN’s 

corporate governance code 

unit MfBs, and as a result of the 

structure and capitalisation 

capacity of the unit MfBs they 

cannot cope with the cost of 

servicing an independent 

Corporate 

governance in 

the MfB sub 

sector is non 

existent as you 

can see from 

findings 

consultant. Further to this is that 

if the CBN wants the MfBs to 

operate as MfBs, they must 

develop a template and not be 

using their template to measure 

MfBs board. Contrary opinions 

from a participant at the 

workshop was that the sub sector 

cannot not fit into global best 

practices because of costs 

involved. 

Corporate goverannce an 

emerging thing for MfBs 

In a separate chat with 

Financial Vanguard, Company 

economic growth. 

In a master stroke, the 

Ministry signed a concession 

agreement with General 

Electric, GE, to handle the 

Lagos-Ibadan line for a start. 

GE is the best of the best 

globally when it comes to 

building locomotive engines 

and it also has an enviable 

reputation for running global 

standard operations, for 

transfer of technology and for 

social responsibility. Nigerian 

fortunate to be employed by 

GE, if they are willing to learn, 

will never regret it. In the days 

of one of its legendary 

Chairmen, Watson, in the 

1970s, GE was the one Fortune 

500 company where every 

American graduate wants to 

work and from which people 

exited to bigger jobs elsewhere. 

To demonstrate their 

commitment to Nigeria, GE, 

had first of all donated some 

coaches to the Nigerian 

Railways which should make 

more comfortable rides 

possible. In addition, the 

company is partnering with the 

Miller Centre in Santa Clara, 

Secretary, Fidson Healthcare Plc, 

Mr. Yomi Adebanjo, said: 

“Corporate governance in the 

MfB sub sector is non existent 

as you could see from findings 

but the reason it is not existent 

was not far fetched. 

Implementing corporate 

governance comes with a cost 

and if you look at the nature of 

that industry it is more or less 

small, their over heads are big 

enough for them when we factor 

in their operational cost of having 

to power the office. 

“MfBs are in categories, most 

of them that have issue of cost 

are the smallest category not 

everybody. Those that operate 

national are like other banks just 

that they are microfinance in their 

sphere of operation, once all 

indices that affect their cost is 

addressed then corporate 

governance is a very simple 

thing. 

“It is an emerging thing they 

will grow into it, I see them 

catching up quickly with the idea 

of board charter being adopted 

by them, I think in a matter of 

time we will see a difference. The 

code is not about CBN, it is an 

alignment with global best 

practices, when they measure 

you else where, they measure you 

USA, to combat maternal and 

child mortality in sub-Saharan 

Africa. Nigeria will be the 

major beneficiary of that 

partnership. 

What is puzzling is why the 

Minister of Transportation has 

not been receiving the 

accolades he deserves for all he 

has accomplished in two years. 

The only answer to that is that 

Mr Amaechi is too selfeffacing. 

Like salt in a good pot 

of soup, he thinks his work 

speaks for him. Nothing can be 

further from the truth in 

Nigeria’s political and social 

environment. Here in Nigeria, 

irrespective of what you 

achieve, if you don’t blow your 

own horn, nobody will blow it 

for you. Worse still they could 

blow the wrong tune. 

Furthermore, political 

opponents and rivals for the 

President’s attention are 

always eager to downplay or 

mis-interpret your greatest 

achievements. 

Of one thing I am certain. In 

eight years time, if not sooner, 

Amaechi’s work in giving 

Nigeria a more robust railway 

system will become the best 

legacy of the Buhari 

administration. In fifty years, 

after the other parts of Nigeria 

would have been linked, some 

people will certainly remember 

the quiet man who started it all. 

MICRO-FINANCE 

according to best practice and 

best standard that is 

acceptable worldwide. It is for 

us to rethink our polity and get 

things in order.” 

Code unacceptable for unit 

MfBs 

In his argument, President 

National Association of 

Microfinance Banks, NAMB, 

Mr. Valentine Whensu, said: 

“these independent consultants 

would now be certified by 

CBN for them to come. The 

issue of cost is an issue in this 

industry. Again we say we 

don’t want to water down, we 

want to remain standard, it 

now becomes a basis of 

examination every year. 

“How many MfBs in units 

are making money to take care 

of some of these costs? CBN 

standard will currently be 

different, we have three 

categories of MfBs, even if you 

want to put this into the code, 

the national who can afford it 

based on their capitalisation, 

structure and risk level, is not 

the same thing as the unit. 

“If you set for national as a 

code, I dont have a problem 

but for the units that are still 

struggling, adding additional 

cost is a burden because 

consultants will start running 

everywhere to apply for this 

job. We need to work on that, 

it should not apply to unit 

mfbs.”

28 — Vanguard, MONDAY, JUNE 5 , 2017 

(08052201997) 

The oppresive contradictions in Nigeria’s economy 

THE following is a 

summary of a 

presentation by this writer to 

the House of Representative 

Committee on Recession, in 

Lagos recently. 

“Readily available evidence, 

ironically, indicates that the 

fundamental cause of our 

presently distressed economy 

and precariously sliding Naira 

exchange rate, is actually that 

of too much money supply, in 

both Naira and foreign 

exchange terms. Evidently, 

CBN’s management of the 

supply of money is basically 

defective, such that the 

albatross of inflation has 

invariably remained in double 

digits for several years, with 

serious consequences for 

purchasing power of all Naira 

incomes, consumer demand, 

productivity, investment and 

social welfare. 

Similarly, with foreign 

reserves, we have deliberately 

created a market paradigm, 

that at best, will ensure that the 

Naira rate will remain static, 

even if dollar earnings 

quadruple, as witnessed in 

recent years. 

Instructively, with an abiding 

tradition of systemic surplus 

Naira liquidity, it would be 

presumptuous to expect any 

succor from the critical 

monetary indices, which drive 

inclusive growth in every 

economy; indeed, persistent 

too much Naira supply has 

ceaselessly continued to fuel 

inflation. However, since it is 

not realistic for cost of 

borrowing to be lower than the 

inflation rate, it becomes clear 

that double digit inflation rates 

will inevitably predicate cost of 

funds above 10% to make 

Nigeria’s industrial production 

less competitive; thus, 

successful import substitution 

will remain a mirage; 

consequently, Nigeria’s 

economy will remain a 

dumping ground for imports, 

if the problem of persistent 

excess Naira liquidity remains 

unresolved. 

Similarly, an inflation rate that 

remains closer to 20% will 

invariably make every static 

income earner to lose 100% of 

the value of their income every 

5 years. Inflation is an economic 

ravager, and Nigeria’s 

economy will never truly 

flourish, until the Monetary 

authorities eliminate or 

drastically reduce the dismal 

presence of excess money 

supply, which invariably fuels 

inflation, which in turn, propels 

higher cost of funds, and drives 

weaker exchange rates, which 

propel higher fuel prices, to 

make deregulation of the fuel 

supply business unpopular. 

It would be impossible for 

CBN to deny the horrid 

challenge caused by excess 

liquidity when it is decidedly 

on track to mop up over N7Tn 

of excess funds from the money 

market this year; this would 

translate to an average interest 

income of over N700bn 

primarily for banks. Curiously, 

the ‘celebrated’ 2017 budget 

expenditure is also about 

N7Tn!! 

Obviously, if CBN and the 

public sector readily pay upto 

17% to borrow and sterilize 

burdensome excess funds, 

banks would be unlikely to 

show enthusiasm for lending to 

the real sector, particularly, with 

the attendant challenges of 

power, multiple taxation and 

high interest rates which will, 

inevitably, increasingly induce 

non performing loans. 

Nevertheless, Nigeria’s 

monetary authorities have 

brazenly carried on for decades 

with a self assurance that 

Nigerians will never 

interrogate the true cause of the 

disenabling spectre of excess 

Naira liquidity that spurs the 

three evils of rising inflation, 

rising cost of fund and a weak 

Naira exchange rate, 

simultaneously with CBN’s 

consolidation of increasing 

foreign reserves. 

However, it is also undeniable 

that although substitution of 

freshly minted Naira values for 

market that is undeniably 

suffocated with excess Naira 

supply. CBN’s interventions, 

in the forex market, is infact a 

suicidal approach to slowly 

killing the Naira, as it 

invariably sells its dollar stock 

for higher Naira bids. 

Nonetheless, despite over 15 

years of this writer’s advocacy 

on this clearly deliberate 

enemy action, it is still business 

as usual, as the banks flourish, 

while the rest of the economy 

wrestle with deepening 

poverty. 

It is evident, however, that if 

dollar certificates are adopted 

for paying allocations of dollar 

denominated revenue, the 

persistent debilitating burden 

of systemic excess Naira 

liquidity will vaporise, and 

CBN’s Cash Reserve Ratio can 

then be modulated nearer an 

equilibrium rate, where CBN 

has no need to restrain inflation 

by enticing banks with high 

interest rates to mop up and 

sterilize systemic excess Naira 

liquidity. 

Such a payments reform will 

set in motion a new market 

paradigm that would reduce 

the volatile spectre of excess 

Naira and rising inflation; 

consequently, the resultant 

lower inflation rates will induce 

lower cost of borrowing, and 

the Naira would have a better 

fighting chance in the market, 

if CBN’s dollar auctions cease, 

while the market becomes free 

of CBN’s stranglehold 

monopoly, with all the inherent 

distortions to efficient resource 

allocation. 

Nigerians may continue to 

remain in denial of this reality 

to their eternal peril. Indeed, 

Naira rate will never 

significantly improve, even if 

income from crude oil 

quadruples. For example, it is 

a contradiction that Naira 

steadied around N80=$1 

despite a paltry $4bn reserves 

between 1995-98 but 

inexplicably fell below 

N150=$1 even when CBN 

reserves expanded beyond 

$60bn between 2006-7! 

Presently, with $30bn 

reserves, the Naira ironically, 

exchanges for between N305- 

400=$1, even when crude oil 

price has risen beyond $38 to 

$50+/barrel, and our Naira rate 

clearly remains under siege. 

The authorities recognize this 

truth, but it is clear that they 

certainly hope that Nigerians 

will look elsewhere for an 

appropriate solution, while they 

and their collaborators continue 

to lap up the benefits from this 

excess liquidity charade! 

Conversely, if dollar 

allocations are paid with dollar 

certificates, the dollars will 

remain domiciled in CBN, even 

after the banks have purchased 

the certificates from 

constitutional beneficiaries, in a 

free market, outside the present 

monopolistic framework. 

The banks would 

subsequently sell their dollar 

purchases to local customers in 

an open market to pay for only 

approved and attested import 

bills. The commercial banks 

would ultimately instruct the 

CBN to pay such overseas 

supplies from the forex balance 

in the respective bank’s account 

with CBN to ensure 

transparency. 

This arrangement will 

minimize round tripping, 

currency hoarding, and the faux 

pas of funding bureau de 

change with official dollars etc. 

The list of positives to the 

economy is endless, but the 

pains to the oppressors who 

have been making stupendous 

gains from the current 

arrangement, will become 

sweet relief for millions of other 

Nigerians. 

Truth they say is more 

chrome! It is time to free our 

economy from the clutches of 

these financial sharks.” 

SAVE THE NAIRA!! SAVE 

NIGERIANS!!! 


MICRO-FINANCE 

Failure to implement GMP undermines Pension Reform Act 

Continued from page 26 

non-implementation of GMP by 

PenCom has also led to the 

State Governments to ignore 

the existence of GMP provision 

when implementing their 

Pension Laws. For example, 

State Governments such as 

Lagos State which can afford 

to implement a GMP for its 

retirees are not making any 

effort to introduce the GMP. 

The delay in implementation 

of GMP by PENCOM has 

defeated the original aim of the 

GMP provision in PRA 2004 as 

amended under PRA 2014, 

particularly during this period 

of economic recession when the 

pensioners’ incomes have been 

eroded by inflation and thus 

they are living in poverty in 

retirement. 

Resultant effect on GMP 

The resultant effect of nonimplementation 

of GMP is the 

increase in likelihood of more 

pensioners dying in Nigeria 

than expected as a result of 

significant reduction in future 

pension income to live on. 

In addition, the delay in the 

implementation of GMP has 

If CBN and the 

public sector 

readily pay up 

to 17 per cent to 

borrow and 

sterilize 

burdensome 

excess funds, 

banks would be 

unlikely to 

show 

enthusiasm for 

lending to the 

real sector 

distributable dollar revenue 

invariably pumps up CBN’s 

forex reserves, it has also 

served as a primary feedstock 

for the burden of systemic 

surplus Naira. Evidently, 

commercial banks, particularly 

will earn over N700bn as 

interest charges for lending to 

the CBN, and other 

government agencies; sadly, 

the social impact of such public 

loans has remained minimal. 

It is clearly a contradiction for 

the monetary authorities to 

expect a stronger Naira 

exchange rate, when the 

constitutional custodian of the 

Naira, i.e. the CBN, persists in 

AUCTIONING rations of $ 

against the Naira, in a money 

created room for a call by a 

section of the Senate for 

amendments of section 7(1) of 

PRA 2014 to allow for a lump 

sum withdraw of up to 75% as 

against 25% upon retirement as 

a result of the economic 

hardship current pensioners 

are experiencing. 

If the proposition is allowed 

and passed, it implies that 

more pensioners will qualify for 

the GMP with the resultant 

additional strain on the PPF. 

Also, there is high tendency for 

the remaining 25% of RSA 

balance to provide a relatively 

meagre pension benefits. 

Thus, this would further 

deteriorate the future welfare 

or standard of living of 

pensioners, leading to more 

deaths in retirement than 

expected. 

However, the 25% lump sum 

payout of the RSA balance is, 

in practice, the ideal payout 

proportion not only in a DB 

scheme but also in a DC 

scheme. Hence, the 

proposition of 75 per cent lump 

sum payout will more or less 

make the CPS a gratuity 

scheme rather than a pension 

scheme. 

Above all, the failure of 

previous PenCom Board(s) to 

implement the GMP has given 

the newly constituted Board an 

immediate challenge and/or 

priority to implement the GMP 

if it is to be seen as providing 

for pensioners’ welfare. 

There is no better time than 

now to implement the GMP as 

the current pensioners are in 

dire need to have a sustainable 

standard of living in retirement 

in this period of serious 

economic hardship facing the 

country.

VANGUARD, MONDAY, JUNE 5, 2017 —29 

Attack in pictures 

LONDON ATTACK: 

12 arrested, 7 dead, 

48 injured 

•Police fired 50 shots to kill 3 attackers 

•General election to still hold on Thursday 

TWELVE people 

have been 

arrested after the 

London terror attack 

which left seven people 

dead and 48 injured. 

The arrests in Barking, 

east London, followed a 

raid at a flat belonging 

to one of the three 

attackers. 

A van hit pedestrians 

on London Bridge at 

21:58 BST on Saturday. 

Three men then got out 

and stabbed people in 

nearby Borough 

Market. 

The attackers were shot 

dead by eight officers 

who fired 50 bullets. A 

member of the public 

was accidentally shot. 

They remain in 

hospital in a non-critical 

condition, Assistant 

Commissioner Mark 

Rowley said. 

Condemning the 

attack, Theresa May 

said it was “time to say 

enough is enough”. 

Twenty-one people 

injured in the attack are 

in a critical condition, 

NHS England has said. 

Controlled explosions 

were carried out at the 

flat in Barking during 

the raids on Sunday 

morning. 

According to 

neighbours, the dead 

attacker lived there for 

about three years and 

was married with two 

children. It is the third 

terror attack in the UK in 

three months, following 

the car and knife attack 

in Westminster in 

March, in which five 

people were killed, and 

the Manchester 

bombing less than two 

weeks ago, in which 22 

people were killed. 

Most political parties 

have suspended 

national general 

election campaigning, 

but the prime minister 

said full campaigning 

would resume on 

Monday. 

The general election 

will go ahead as 

planned on Thursday. 

Twelve people have 

been arrested after the 

London terror attack 

which left seven people 

dead and 48 injured. 

The arrests in 

Barking, east London, 

followed a raid at a flat 

belonging to one of the 

three attackers. A van 

hit pedestrians on 

London Bridge at 21:58 

BST on Saturday. 

Three men then got out 

and stabbed people in 

nearby Borough 

Market. 

The attackers were 

shot dead by eight 

officers who fired 50 

bullets. A member of 

the public was 

accidentally shot. 

They remain in 

hospital in a non-critical 

condition, Assistant 

Commissioner Mark 

Rowley said. 

Condemning the 

attack, Theresa May 

said it was “time to say 

enough is enough”. 

Twenty-one people 

injured in the attack are 

in a critical condition, 

NHS England has said. 

Controlled explosions 

were carried out at the 

flat in Barking during 

the raids on Sunday 

morning. According to 

neighbours, the dead 

attacker lived there for 

about three years and 

was married with two 

children. 

It is the third terror 

attack in the UK in three 

months, following the 

car and knife attack in 

Westminster in March, 

in which five people 

were killed, and the 

Manchester bombing 

less than two weeks 

ago, in which 22 people 

were killed. 

Internet must be regulated to prevent terrorism—PM 

PRIME 

Minister 

Theresa May has 

called for closer regulation 

of the internet following a 

deadly terror attack in 

London. At least seven 

people were killed in a 

short but violent assault 

that unfolded late 

Saturday night in the 

heart of the capital, the 

third such attack to hit 

Britain this year. 

May said on Sunday that 

a new approach to 

tackling extremism is 

required, including 

changes that would deny 

terrorists and extremist 

sympathizers digital tools 

used to communicate and 

plan attacks. 

“We cannot allow this 

ideology the safe space it 

needs to breed,” May 

said. “Yet that is precisely 

what the internet and the 

big companies that provide 

internet-based services 

provide.” 

“We need to work with 

allied democratic 

governments to reach 

international agreements 

that regulate cyberspace to 

prevent the spread of 

extremist and terrorism 

planning,” she continued. 

“We need to do everything 

we can at home to reduce 

the risks of extremism 

online.” May’s call for new 

internet regulations was 

part of a larger strategy 

to combat terror, 

including what she 

described as “far too 

much tolerance of 

extremism in our country.” 

It was not immediately 

clear how May would 

crack down on social 

media and internet firms, 

but she has long been an 

advocate of increased 

government surveillance 

powers. 

Trump criticised for tweet about attack 

US President Donald 

Trump appeared to 

misconstrue a statement 

while launching an attack 

on Twitter of London 

Mayor Sadiq Khan in the 

wake of the terror attacks 

which killed at least 

seven people. 

Trump, writing on 

Twitter Sunday, said: “At 

least 7 dead and 48 

wounded in terror attack 

and Mayor of London 

says there is “no reason 

to be alarmed!” 

But when Khan said in 

a statement that there 

was no cause for alarm, 

he was referring 

specifically to a visible 

increase in police 

activity on the streets of 

London in the wake of 

the attack. 

“Londoners will see an 

increased police presence 

today and over the course 

of the next few days. 

There’s no reason to be 

alarmed,” he said. 

Khan told CNN’s 

Christiane Amanpour that 

the attack was “evil and 

cowardly” while also 

emphasizing that more 

police would be on the 

streets of London in the 

coming days.

30-- Vanguard, MONDAY, JUNE 5, 2017 

Isaac Boro: A man meets a 

Nation 

ISAAC Jasper Adaka Boro was 

thirty when he was shot dead 

in controversial circumstances 49 

years ago. Yet, he continues to 

inspire youths in the Niger Delta 

who were not born when his 

restless soul was laid to rest. He 

became a romantic figure frozen 

in youth and time; inspiring 

generations to fight for peoples’ 

rights. In this wise, he was like the 

romantic Ernesto Che Guevara 

and the inspiring Bob Marley, both 

of whom died at 36, and the fiery 

internationalist, Franz Fanon who 

died at 39. All four, captured in 

the youth of time. 

Boro Day, May 16, the 

anniversary of his death is 

commemorated annually in 

Kaima and as a public holiday in 

Bayelsa State. I was part of the 

commemoration this year. As I sat 

behind Captain Samuel Owonaru 

who was Boro’s deputy in the 

insurgent Niger Delta Volunteer 

Service, I wondered what inspired 

youths like him and Nothingham 

Dick, fifty one years ago, to pick 

up the gun and declare secession 

in the name of “the Niger Delta 

Peoples Republic”. Perhaps, the 

answer is in Boroh’s explanation 

to his father, Mr.Jasper Pepple 

Boro. On February 22, 1966, father 

and son met at home in Kaiama. 

Untapped treasure of the treasure base of Nigeria 

By Prince Kabari 

RIVERS State, the treasure base of the 

nation, is celebrated its Golden 

Jubilee at a time when Governor Nyesom 

Wike is turning the State into projects site of 

some sort in unmistakable demonstration 

that even now is no time to think of what 

you do not have but to think of what you can 

do with what there is. The plethora of 

quintessential projects including 

construction of Jetties, roads, bridges, 

edifices, parks and gardens, amongst others, 

which take in hand infrastructure gaps to 

accelerate economic growth, has no doubt 

earned him the people’s title “Mr. Projects.” 

There is no gainsaying that such imposing 

feat is indeed brave and adventurous 

especially against the backdrop of 

continuing dwindling Federal Accounts 

Allocation to the State. More so is the fact 

that the immediate past Governor of the 

State, Mr. Chibuike Amaechi, had tactlessly 

disclosed at a thanksgiving service held by 

the Greater Together Campaign 

Organisation in Port Harcourt on Sunday, 

May 17, 2015 that Rivers State was broke. 

He said: “In Rivers State, no money. I think 

Wike is coming, we are waiting. He will look 

for money for salary; there is none... So he 

will have to manage. But when he pays out 

salary, we will see if any of them can do 

what we did in this State; whether they can 

build the schools, the roads, even to get a 

loan.” 

In spite of the prognostication that the ‘oil 

rich state’ moniker used for oil producing 

states including Rivers was virtually no 

longer spot-on the current administration 

of the NEW Rivers State seems to be 

The latter offered his son 

sponsorship abroad to further his 

education rather than take up 

arms against the government. He 

feared that the action will ruin the 

family. 

Boro rejected his father’s offer. 

He explained why: “ The Ijaws 

were going into perpetual 

bondage; if we did not strike now, 

not only our families but also the 

entire Ijaws would be infernally 

chained.” The next day, he made 

a prophetic address to the rebels 

before they struck: “ Today is a 

great day, not only in your lives, 

but also in the history of the Niger 

Delta. Perhaps, it will be the 

greatest day for a very long time. 

This is not because we are going 

to bring the heavens down, but 

because we are going to 

demonstrate to the world what 

and how we feel about oppression. 

Before today, we were branded 

robbers, bandits, terrorists or 

gangsters, but after today, we shall 

be heroes of our land”. Indeed, 

although the revolt was crushed by 

the Nigerian military in twelve 

days and the leaders including 

Boro were sentenced to death - 

before being pardoned by another 

government - they became heroes 

with Boro passing into Ijaw 

folklore. 

directing scarce public resources to critical 

growth sectors of the economy that would 

ultimately improve the wellbeing of the 

people. 

The Port Harcourt Pleasure Park at the 

heart of the State Capital which has just been 

commissioned would not only serve the 

needs of day trippers and generate revenue 

that is much-needed but also heighten the 

grandeur of the city as well. A notable 

Successive governments of 

the State had been 

incredibly far away from 

harnessing the natural 

endowments and rich 

tourism potentials that 

abound in the environment 

in relation to its name 

attraction at the Park is the lake that is 

constructed apparently to bring to light the 

cozy atmosphere around the watersides 

which is in fact a major signature of Rivers 

State. 

Indeed, we can find many natural habitats 

in the hinterlands and developing those 

areas would have better served the interest 

of the State rather than the wacky white 

elephant scheme conceived by the erstwhile 

administration in the name of Port Harcourt 

Monorail Project that was to cost the State 

well over Seventy Billion Naira; a very 

conservative cost of seven flyovers according 

to experts. It is our choices far more than 

our abilities that show what we truly are. 

The lakeside outlook at the Park is 

At the Boro Day, the Chairperson, 

Professor Ongoebi Maurene 

Otebu, the pioneer Vice 

Chancellor of the Nigeria 

Maritime University told the 

gathering: “Whatever I have 

become, as the first female 

Professor of Mechanical 

Engineering, is attributable to the 

three men; Major Boro, Captain 

Owonaro and Nothingham Dick. 

Their struggles opened up 

education for us. They sacrificed 

for us. But for them, my likes would 

Boro chose a 

different course, 

navigating into 

the creeks of the 

Niger Delta with 

its dense forests 

where he began 

what seemed an 

unwinnable 

armed struggle 

not have gone to high school.” 

The first Military Governor of 

the old Rivers State, HRM Alfred 

Diete-Spiff, the Amayanabo of 

Twon-Brass said anything that can 

be done to immortalise Boro 

should be done; “ I remember the 

Navy was deployed to Bori as part 

of the deployment to stop Isaac. 

He did not want bloodshed. All he 

did and fought for was justice; 

from his struggle, Rivers State was 

created, Bayelsa State was 

created. We hope and pray that one 

day we will hear that Oloibiri 

(where oil was first discovered) 

which has been discarded and is 

today, desolate, will become a 

state; Oloibiri State.” 

The Special Adviser to the 

President on Niger Delta and 

Coordinator of the Presidential 

Amnesty Programme, Brigadier 

General Paul Boroh (Rtd) 

reiterated his message: “Isaac 

Boroh was unique; when it was 

time for agitation, he agitated, 

when it was the season for protests, 

he led it, and when he thought the 

times called for armed struggle, he 

established the Ijaw Volunteer 

Service to prosecute it. However 

when it was time to lay down his 

arms, he did, was tried and got 

amnesty. For him, the amnesty was 

a bond to maintain peace, and he 

never again picked up the gun to 

fight his country… Boro fought for 

the unity, indivisibility and 

progress of our country. Let us 

continue in this path.” 

The Bayelsa State Government, 

represented by the Commissioner 

for Culture and Ijaw National 

Affairs, Mr. Austin Dressman 

stressed the need to educate the 

youths on the origin of the 

struggles in the Niger Delta 

adding: “The future does not 

belong to the faint hearted; it 

belongs to the courageous.” 

Captain Owonaru who was 

given an award for his invaluable 

contributions to the Niger Delta 

struggles, dedicated it: “To the ongoing 

struggles of the Izon (Ijaw) 

man and to the struggles of the 

people of the Niger Delta in their 

efforts for self- actualization” 

Isaac Boro at 20 had been a 

Deputy Headmaster of a 600-pupil 

primary school and a police 

officer. He was President of the 

University of Nigeria, Nsukka 

Students Union and a graduate at 

a time there were very few 

graduates in the country. He had 

before him, an assured life of 

privilege and affluence; and that 

life spread before him, like a 

canvas in the sky. But Boro chose 

a different course, navigating into 

the creeks of the Niger Delta with 

undeniably, in my view, an inspiration to 

explore the tourism potentials of the State. 

Inspiration gives a desire and decision 

makes it an intention but action makes it 

real. People and Government need 

encouragement to take action and that’s 

what this expose seeks more than anything 

else. It is instructive to note that Rivers State 

is tomorrow, or some future day, what we 

establish today. We are today what we 

established yesterday or some previous day. 

Fifty years ago, several indigenous ethnic 

groups (including Ogoni, Ikwerre, Abua, 

Ekpeye, Ibani, Opobo, Okrika, Kalabari, 

Etche, Ogba, Engenni, Obolo and others) 

who had been merged with the chartered 

territories of the Royal Niger Company to 

form the colony of Southern Nigeria were 

carved into an autonomous region known 

as Rivers State, with the split of the Eastern 

Region of a loosed union called Nigeria; an 

experiment that is still struggling to work. 

Until 1996 the State which currently is made 

up of 23 local government areas and located 

in the south-south geopolitical zone of the 

Federation covered the area now known as 

Bayelsa State. 

Rivers State with its capital in the Garden 

City of Port Harcourt covers a total of 

11,077km land area and has an estimated 

population of about 5 million people who 

have a rich and unique cultural heritage and 

usually known to be friendly and hospitable. 

The state is very well known for its vast 

reserves of crude oil and natural gas. It was 

perhaps the richest and most important 

section of the African zone of the British 

Empire at the time. Rivers State, the treasure 

base of the nation, has two major oil 

refineries, two major seaports, airports, and 

various industrial estates spread across the 

Send Opinions & Letters to: 

opinions1234@yahoo.com 

its dense forests where he began 

what seemed an unwinnable 

armed struggle. He had been 

influenced by the Cuban 

revolution of 1959 and had told 

the rebel army to adopt its 

principles: “Fidel Castro’s 

popularity with the peasant 

population in Cuba was his 

sincerity of purpose and his selfrestraint 

in dealing with the 

peasants. Therefore anybody 

within the Service violating this 

principle faced immediate court 

marshal”. 

He had been born in Oloibiri 

where in 1956, oil had been 

discovered in commercial 

quantities and which like the rest 

of the Niger Delta was neglected. 

He complained that the three 

majority ethnic groups in the 

country were oppressing the 

minorities. 

Also, as a Chemistry graduate, 

he must have fully understood the 

benefits of crude oil mining in the 

Region, its environmental 

implications, how the people were 

been short-changed because of 

their ignorance and the collusion 

between the oil companies and the 

authorities. 

Even his efforts to explain the 

situation to the Niger Delta people 

might not have been accepted 

whole heartedly because of lack 

of consciousness. Also, they might 

not have understood his resort to 

armed struggle. These might 

explain the lack of wide support 

for the revolt. But three decades 

later, when youths, inspired by his 

example picked up the gun, they 

had massive support amongst the 

Ijaws. 

Boro fought Nigeria as a rebel, 

then fought for the unity of the 

country; dying in the uniform of 

the Nigerian Army as a Major. It 

was a case of a man meeting a 

nation and sacrificing his life for 

its future. 

land. More than 40% of the country’s output 

of crude oil is produced in the state. 

Also, prior to the discovery of oil in 

commercial quantity in 1958, Agriculture 

was the primary occupation of the people of 

Rivers State. Around 19th century when the 

industrial revolution reached its crowning 

in England, the area was then referred to as 

Oil Rivers Protectorate due to its abundant 

palm oil and kernel which basically 

constituted the main revenue source of the 

country. However, suffice it to say that in 

addition to the abundance of oil and gas 

reserves and agriculture, the indigenous 

peoples of Rivers State are surrounded with 

rivers and live within the rainforest which 

offers fascinating sights to behold. 

Interestingly, the name, Rivers State, as 

we are told, derives from the many rivers 

that border its territory, and understandably 

so, including the Atlantic Ocean on the south 

and Imo River on the north. Others include 

Santa Barbara River, Bonny River, Ogoni- 

Andoni River, New Calabar River, Nun River, 

River Orashi, San Bartholomeo River, 

Sombreiro River, and St. Nicholas River 

amongst others. The inland part of Rivers 

State consists of tropical rainforest with huge 

tourism potential and towards the coast the 

typical river delta environment features 

many mangrove swamps. 

Unfortunately, however, successive 

governments of the State had been incredibly 

far away from harnessing the natural 

endowments and rich tourism potentials that 

abound in the environment in relation to its 

name. Instead, development in Rivers State 

has unduly been moving northwards 

particularly within the capital city where 

there are evidently limited natural 

attractions, if any at all. 

Mr. Kabari, a public affairs analyst, 

wrote from Port Harcourt, Rivers State. 

C 

M 

Y










40 -- VANGUARD, MONDAY, JUNE 5, 2017 

My book examines older women’s erotic yearnings 

– Sarah Manyika 

INTERVIEW 

By Prisca Sam-Duru 

Sarah Manyika’s Novella, 

Like a Mule Bringing Ice 

Cream to the Sun since 

publication, has continued to 

elicit comments from readers 

across the globe due to its 

rare subject of aging, 

especially as it concerns 

sexual yearnings of older 

women. 

The poetically-tinged 

second novel, Like a Mule 

Bringing Ice Cream to the 

Sun, featured in The New 

Yorker‘s “Briefly Noted” 

section, preceding a review of 

the novel. Published in 2016 

by Cassava Republic Press, 

the novel which highlights the 

fact that age is not a barrier to 

enjoying life, became the first 

by an African to be shortlisted 

for the Goldsmiths Prize. 

The protagonist, Dr. Morayo 

Da Silva, born in Jos, 

Nigeria, and now lives alone 

in San Francisco, is close to 

her 75th birthday. Funnil 

enough, the elderly Nigerian 

woman who is determined to 

keep up with her youthful 

energy, plans marking her 

seventy-fifth birthday by 

getting a tattoo. The retired 

professor’s ebullient lifestyle 

is however, truncated by a fall 

which sends her to the Good 

Life Rehabilitation Center for 

a brief period. 

On this humorous, subtle 

The 2016 edition of the 

Etisalat Prize for 

Literature will remain unique in 

the history of the prize. 

For the first time, a Nigerian writer, 

Jowhor Ile, clinched the prestigious prize 

instituted for first-time fiction authors 

across Africa. 

This year’s prize is also unique in the 

sense that prior to announcement of the 

winner on 20th May, 2017 in Lagos, the 

final battle lines were drawn between the 

two Nigerians and the South African. 

It will also be remembered as the 

edition in which all the works of the 

finalists – And After Many Days, Mr. And 

Mrs. Doctor and The Seed Thief – had 

strange titles but rich contents. 

The race which began in June 2016 with 

call for entries by the sole sponsor of the 

Prize, Etisalat Nigeria, finally came to 

an end with Ile’s entry adjudged the best. 

Two days before the final, a book reading 

event was held at Four Points by Sheraton, 

Lagos, in honour of the finalists. At the 

end of that good time with the finalists, 

the US-based Nigerian professor of 

English, Julie Iromuanya, was tipped to 

win. 

Jowhor Ile received a cash award of 

£15,000 and an engraved Montblanc 

Meisterstück pen. Attached to the prize 

money is an Etisalat-sponsored 

•Dr. Sarah Manyinka 

but mesmerising thoughts 

about aging, friendship, race 

and loss Manyika explained 

that, Like a Mule Bringing 

Ice Cream to the Sun 

examines how black 

• 

characters living in whitedominated 

areas in America 

shape the way they age. It 

x-rays questions about socioeconomic 

issues and not just 

about the complexities of race. 

fellowship at the University of East Anglia where 

Professor Giles Foden, author of The Last King of 

Scotland, will mentor the winner. 

Born in 1980 in Port Harcourt, Ile took to writing 

early and has had his short stories published in 

McSweeney’s Quarterly and Litro Magazine. 

Ile, who disclosed that his interest was in people 

and families, says that inspirations for his stories 

come from little things. Little wonder his winning 

entry, a 256-page novel, And After Many Days, 

which was set in Port Harcourt in the oil-rich Niger- 

Delta region of Nigeria, revolves around the family. 

The book tells the story of a 

75-year old woman living in 

America. She lived a fanciful 

lifestyle as a diplomat but now 

lives a lonely life in her old 

age. 

“I’m very much interested 

in identity, the way we see 

ourselves and the way 

others see us. I’m interested 

in looking deep into our 

humanity, what makes us 

different,” said the author. 

In response to what 

informed her to delve into 

such subject, given that she 

is a young woman, she said 

that “works that reflect on the 

need for greater tolerance and 

understanding in this 

fractured world of ours, 

should be encouraged. Also, 

when I’m writing, I’m drawn 

to stories I want to read about 

but can’t find. So I wanted to 

read stories about older 

women. That’s why I wrote 

the book. I’m interested in 

building characters that are 

invisible, old and poor people 

who do not always have 

voices and at the end, they 

revolt. The story is uplifting 

as it explores a rare subject 

which is how we age and how 

we age in our culture as well 

as issues relating to dementia. 

I’ve seen friends who’ve 

gone into dementia and it 

feels bad. So, I attempted to 

address our relationship with 

them or how we treat them at 

least. 

Like a Mule Bringing Ice 

How Jowhor Ile won the Etisalat literature prize 

By Prisca Sam-Duru 

Jowhor Ile 

The award-winning book 

narrates the story of a family 

whose 17-year old son and 

sibling, Paul Utu, got missing 

during the rainy season of 

1995. 

Burdened with the loss, the 

family was torn apart, their 

search for answers uncovering 

several family secrets. 

“While writing, I wanted to 

celebrate Port Harcourt, 

knowing things have 

changed...Port-Harcourt used 

to be really beautiful but 

things are no longer the 

same,” the author said. 

Ile’s announcement followed 

the unanimous selection of his 

book by a panel of judges 

chaired by multiple awardwinning 

novelist, poet and 

former Arts Editor of 

Vanguard, Helon Habila. 

Speaking at the Prize 

presentation, the Chief 

Executive Officer, Etisalat 

Nigeria, Matthew Willsher, 

congratulated the winners 

and restated the company’s 

commitment to offer 

Nigerians and other Africans 

the best platform to express 

their passion and creativity. 

Cream to the Sun, Manyika 

hinted, also examines the 

issue of race. “Sometimes you 

change environment and find 

yourself living with an entirely 

new people. At this point we 

are dealing with perceptions 

of people and how we 

respond to others. We hear 

stories of shooting of black 

people in America and how 

they are treated even in old 

people’s homes.” 

“What is it like sexually, 

when one gets to old age? As 

the days break, I get closer 

to that age. I learn a lot from 

my characters. As I observe 

older women and as I grow 

older, I want to learn how 

they manage their sexual life 

and move with the trend. 

One major thing the book 

harps on is openness of spirit 

which is what I want to hold 

on to as I grow older,” 

Manyika stated. 

Sarah Ladipo Manyika, 

was born and raised in 

Nigeria by her Nigerian 

father and British mother. 

Married to a Zimbabwean, 

Sarah has lived in Kenya, 

France, and England. She 

holds a Ph.D. from the 

University of California, 

Berkeley, and currently 

teaches literature at San 

Francisco State University. 

She sits on the boards of 

Hedgebrook and San 

Francisco’s Museum of the 

African Diaspora and was the 

Chair of Judges for the 

Etisalat Prize for Literature 

in 2015. Manyika’s first 

novel, In Dependence, is 

currently being read for the 

Joint Admissions and 

Matriculation Board (JAMB) 

examination. 

Poetry 

TERRORISTS AS 

LOOSERS 

BY OSA AMADI 

(In solidarity with the 

Manchester terrorists’ 

bomb victims) 

The terrorists lost the 

battle to the devil 

The battle to choose 

good over evil 

Now they strap bombs 

on their heart 

To blow themselves and 

humanity apart 

Humanity that has 

never lost a battle 

Because it stands 

together in rattle

VANGUARD, MONDAY, JUNE 5, 2017 -- 41 

The autobiography of Chief 

Obafemi Awolowo 2 

Evolution of 

a Federalist 

LITERARY REVIEW 

By OSA AMADI 

The agitation for 

restructuring and 

(true) federalism is a 

recurring decimal in 

Nigeria’s political discourse. 

Just as many do today, Awo 

also believed that federalism 

was the magic wand, the 

final solution to Nigeria’s 

terminal illness. His idea of 

federalism – the drawing of 

state boundaries along 

linguistic lines – was 

somewhat realised with the 

splitting of Nigeria into 12 

states, even beyond 

linguistic lines, shortly after 

the Civil War broke out. But 

problems have remained. 

What went wrong? 

Awo traces the origin of the 

idea of federalism in Nigeria 

to himself and his political 

party, the Action Group 

(chapter 12, page 160).”Until 

1951, when the Action Group 

proclaimed its slogan of 

‘Unity through Federation’, 

the question as to what type 

of constitution Nigeria 

should have was not at all an 

issue in the country’s 

politics,” he writes. 

Awo’s idea of drawing 

provincial boundaries along 

linguistic lines, again, was 

derived around 1930 from 

literary materials he read 

“with unquenchable 

interest” on Indian political 

events. “One of the 

pronouncements of the 

Indian leaders which struck 

the right chord in me,” Awo 

says, “was the one relating 

to the revision of provincial 

boundaries along linguistic 

lines, in the reframing of the 

country’s constitution.” 

He was convinced that this 

arrangement was the 

antidote Nigeria needed for 

her sickness. But Awo kept 

this thoughts to himself, saying 

he felt unqualified to recommend 

it because “at that 

time...the public status of the 

person who said a thing 

counted far more than the intrinsic 

merits of what was 

said.” 

By 1940, Awo had gathered 

enough political and 

economic weight to warrant 

his views commanding an 

audience and substantial support. 

He then went ahead to 

expound his idea of federalism: 

“Nigeria should have as 

many provinces, zones, 

regions or states as there 

were linguistic or ethnic 

groups in the country, and 

that each region should have 

a legislature and government 

of its own. There should 

be a central parliament and 

My friends 

thought the 

ideas were 

bright and 

ingenious but 

highly explosive 

BY OSA AMADI 

THERE is a movie set in Nazi 

Germany, in which Adolf Hitler’s 

men (the Gestapo) barged into 

an aircraft and pointed at some Jews 

and commanded them to follow them. 

In Nazi Germany, when the Gestapo 

comes for you, that means you are 

dead, especially if you were a Jew. 

As the Gestapo and the selected 

Jewish men were almost out of the 

door, a certain man inside the aircraft 

who was not selected stood up and 

government to which the various 

linguistic groups in the 

country would be represented. 

Under these arrangements 

each ethnic group 

could develop its own peculiar 

culture and institutions in 

accordance with its wishes, 

and the inter-tribal acrimony 

and jockeying for leadership 

which were rearing their 

heads would cease.” 

How did people receive 

Awo’s proposition? “My 

views were shot down by my 

friends,” Awo writes. “They 

thought the ideas were 

bright and ingenious but 

highly explosive.” 

At that time, Nigeria was 

run by the British Colonists 

on the basis of two 

protectorates - the Northern 

and Southern Protectorates 

forged in 1914. In 1946, the 

Arthur Richard Constitution 

split the colonised country 

into three regions: the 

Northern, Western and 

Eastern regions. After 

suspension of the republican 

constitution of 1963 by the 

military regime in 1966, 

General Yakubu Gowon 

actualised Awo’s dream by 

splitting the country into 

twelve states along linguistic 

lines, but as an outgrowth of 

the civil war. From 12 states, 

Nigeria became 19 states. Today, 

there are 36 states separated 

by linguistic boundaries 

in the Federal Republic of Nigeria. 

The addition of the word 

‘true’ to federalism agitation 

in Nigeria shows that the 

federalism operating in the 

country today is perhaps 

different from the federalism 

Chief Obafemi Awolowo had 

in mind. Or is it? 

Prof. Ben Obumsele (1930-2017) 

The consummate professor, soldier, and writer 

• Ben Obumselu 

shouted: “Sir!” 

Hitler’s men stopped and turned. 

“I, sir, I am also a Jew,” the man 

said. 

“Really? Ok, follow,” the Gestapo 

man said. The man joined his fellow 

Jews – to the grave, of course! 

There is some kind of affinity 

between this Nazi/Jewish story and 

the decision Professor Obumselu 

made in 1967 when the Nigerian 

Civil War broke out. He left Ibadan, 

where he was a lecturer, for his 

home region in Eastern Nigeria and 

joined the Biafran struggle. I believe 

he could have, as a graduate of 

Oxford University and a lecturer 

easily left the country to avoid 

danger and save his skin; or possibly 

remained on the federal side as a 

saboteur like many did in those 

days. By that measure, Obumselu, 

was not just a professor and literary 

critic, he was also a brave soldier. 

A graduate of English and classics 

from University of Ibadan, 

Obumselu was the first president of 

the National Union of Nigerian 

Students. Among his 

contemporaries were Chinua 

Achebe, Wole Soyinka, and Chris 

Okigbo. Professor Obumselu must 

have inherited art and creativity 

from his father, Albert Obumselu, 

who was a church organist. 

After graduating from the 

University of Ibadan, Obumselu was 

appointed Assistant Registrar at 

WAEC, Accra, Ghana and Lagos. 

His statesmanship and creative 

writing skills endeared him to 

political power holders who relied 

on him for political advice. As a 

soldier who defended his 

homeland, he rose to the rank of 

Adjutant General in the Biafran 

Army, gathering intelligence for 

the ‘Spartan’ force, and writing 

speeches for Emeka Odumegwu 

Ojukwu. 

Nobel Laureate, Professor Wole 

Soyinka described Professor 

Obumselu as “a solid academic; one 

of the pioneers of the distinctive 

University of Ibadan brand, and 

one whose personality helped to 

shape Nigeria’s collegial culture 

before its later debasement.” 

Dr. Okey Ndibe, citing Obi 

Nwakanma’s work in an 

encyclopedic biography titled 

Christopher Okigbo, 1930-67: 

Thirsting for Sunlight, says 

“Obumselu helped to shape 

Okigbo’s poetic impulses towards 

aesthetic clarity…Okigbo learnt 

early to trust Obumselu’s 

judgment as a more rigorous 

craftsman.” 

Indeed, Professor Benedict Ebele 

Obumselu was a repository of fine 

intellect, creativity, and physicmilitary 

bravery – a rare 

combination in men. Luckily for us, 

he has left behind, enough DNA in 

his sons and daughters.



Buhari'll return before June 11 

—Kalu, ex-Abia gov 

•Says President's health has improved considerably 

By Lawani Mikairu 

LAGOS— FORMER 

Abia State Governor, 

Orji Uzor Kalu, yesterday, 

said President Buhari 

would be returning to 

Nigeria before June 11 and 

urged Nigerians to desist 

from spreading messages 

of hate and division about 

the health of the President 

who he said is fast 

recuperating. 

Speaking in an interview 

at Murtala Muhammed 

Airport, Ikeja, Lagos, Kalu 

said the President's health 

has improved considerably 

when he visited him in 

London last week. 

According to him, it was 

inhuman for some 

Nigerians to be spreading 

falsehood about the health 

of Buhari, instead of 

praying for him to recover 

fast and return to his duty 

post. 

Kalu said he visited 

London to have a first hand 

knowledge of the state of 

health of the president, 

adding: “I went to 

Washington to visit some 

business partners and from 

there, stopped at London to 

see Mr President who is 

recovering very fast. 

"I am excited over the 

state of health of President 

Buhari despite the hate 

messages people were 

spreading about him. I am 

disappointed with the 

statement coming from 

some Nigerians about the 

health of the President. 

“The messages some 

Nigerians have been 

spreading in the social 

media are unhealthy. I am 

calling on Nigerians to 

have a change of heart. 

Being a president does not 

mean you cannot be sick. 

The hate messages are 

becoming too much. There 

must be a good sense of 

tolerance among the ethnic 

groups. We are all one.” 

He also said it would be 

wrong to embark on any 

assessment of the duties of 

the Acting President, whom 

he said has been carrying 

out his constitutional 

duties. 

State of the nation 

On the state of the nation, 

Kalu said Buhari had done 

well in the fight against 

insurgency and the war 

against corruption but 

noted that the government 

should obey constitutional 

provisions as they affect the 

judicial arm of government. 

He said: “The 

government has done well, 

but there is a lot of suffering 

in the land. The masses are 

suffering, going through 

economic problems. The 

administration has done 

well, but must obey the law 

of the land, by respecting 

judicial processes. 

Government must pursue 

the hard and the soft of 

democracy and that 

include the rule of law and 

respect of the constitution. 

Biafra: Re-arresting Kanu'll not 

stop struggle for freedom —IPOB 

By Chinedu Adonu 

E 

N U G U — 

INDIGENOUS 

People of Biafra, IPOB, has 

declared that re-arresting 

their leader, Nnamdi Kanu, 

for allegedly violating his 

bail conditions would not 

change the struggle for 

Biafra restoration. Rather, it 

would fuel the agitation. 

Responding to the calls 

being made by a certain 

faceless group that the 

IPOB leader should be rearrested, 

IPOB 

Spokesman, Emma 

Powerful, in a statement, 

said it would be a big 

mistake should the Federal 

Government give in to such 

baseless suggestion, 

pointing out that it was his 

earlier arrest and detention 

that heightened the 

agitation. 

The organisation pointed 

out that those making such 

calls were envious of the 

popularity of the IPOB 

leader and the huge 

success, the May 30, 2017 

sit-at-home order to mark 

the 50 years of Biafra 

declaration recorded. 

According to the 

statement,“we, the 

Indigenous People of 

Biafra, IPOB, and its 

leadership worldwide find 

laughable, the calls by some 

unscrupulous individuals 

On IPOB 

sit-at-home order 

On the sit-at-home order 

by IPOB, Kalu said it was 

wrong for people to sit at 

home, because it will affect 

the economy of the South- 

and groups who were jittery 

because of the 100 per cent 

total compliance by 

Biafrans on May 30, 2017 

sit-at-home order and the 

electrifying popularity of 

our able leader, Mazi 

Nnamdi Kanu. 

“We are aware that those 

who were using unknown 

names and groups to call 

for Kanu’s re-arrest are 

those who were jittery over 

his rising popularity and 

that of IPOB in the world 

today. 

“The success of May 30, 

2017 sit-at-home and 

Biafra 50th anniversary was 

a clear indication that these 

individuals calling for rearrest 

of Kanu were 

inconsequential in the 

society and were envious of 

Kanu's popularity. The 

history of the event this 

year will not be erased and 

it must be an annual event 

year in, year out. 

“Arresting Mazi Nnamdi 

Kanu again cannot stop the 

agitation. Rather, it will be 

a very big mistake on the 

side of the Federal 

Government and her 

security operatives because 

when the security 

operatives arrested him on 

his arrival from London in 

his hotel room in Lagos, it 

sparked protests and rallies 

across the world and drew 

East, adding that the 

people have the right to 

agitate. He called for 

enlightenment in the 

pursuance of a united 

country. 

According to him, “Most 

people may not understand 

what the issues are, but with 

time, they will understand. 

There is strength in unity. 

God did not make a mistake 

by putting us in one 

country." 

VISIT: Governor Rochas Okorocha of Imo State (right) welcoming 

Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Idris Ibrahim, during a courtesy call on the 

governor at Government House, Owerri, weekend. 

the attention of the world 

leaders and other relevant 

world organisations closer 

to the quest for Biafra 

independence. 

“We don’t give a damn, 

whether they arrest him or 

not. We don’t bother. 

Keeping Nnamdi Kanu in 

or out of Nigeria prison 

matters nothing to us 

because the restoration 

effort continues unabated. 

Having Mazi Nnamdi 

Kanu in prison is good for 

the struggle to restore 

Biafra." 

Marginalisation: I’m 

practising what Ojukwu 

taught Ndigbo — Ngige 

•Says FG has paid N6bn mobilisation 

fee for 2nd Niger Bridge 

By Emeka Mamah 

& Johnbosco 

Agbakwuru 

ENUGU — MINISTER 

of Labour and 

Employment and former 

Governor of Anambra 

State, Senator Chris 

Ngige, has said he was 

practising what the late 

leader of Ndigbo, Dim 

Odumegwu Ojukwu, 

taught them in 1982. 

Ngige made this known 

while reacting to 

criticisms from Movement 

for the Sovereign State of 

Biafra, MASSOB, over 

his alleged defence of 


Buhari on his lopsided 

appointments of top 

political office holders 

against Ndigbo, further 

advised that Igbo should 

avoid placing all their 

political eggs in one 

basket by voting wisely in 

2019. 

Ngige, had in an 

interview blamed the Igbo 

political class for 

allegedly rejecting 


Buhari in 2015, by voting 

massively for former 

President Goodluck 

Jonathan, who eventually 

lost the general election to 

Buhari. 

According to him, 

MASSOB's position was 

uninformed and a shot in 

the wrong direction. 

In a statement signed by 

his Special Assistant, 

Media, Nwachukwu 

Obidiwe, the minister 

defended his advice to 

the Igbo, saying: “I wish 

to put it on record that my 

position is exactly the 

same position our late 

leader, Chukwuemeka 

Odumegwu Ojukwu took 

in 1982 when he left the 

Igbo dominated Nigeria 

Peoples Party, NPP, to join 

the National Party of 

Nigeria, NPN. 

“Ikemba reasoned that 

while Igbo give support to 

Zik’s NPP, there was also 

the wisdom in spreading 

our political net to the 

waters of the ruling party. 

Ikemba did so to ensure 

that Ndigbo were not all 

boxed into a regional 

party or enclave which 

can disconnect or limit 

their participation in the 

nation’s apex political 

conclave. 

“If Ojukwu thought that 

doing otherwise was 

myopic in 1982, why is a 

section of the Igbo 

crucifying Ngige for 

preaching and practising 

the wise counsel of our 

eternal leader, Ikemba? 

“I wish to further add 

that there is enough 

opportunity for the Igbo to 

make up whatever 

perceived loss they 

currently encounter but 

our leaders need to shun 

the creeping political 

narrowness and play 

politics more astutely. 

“What matters most is 

not how big the positions 

we occupy are, rather, 

what we are able to 

achieve for the Igbo with 

what we occupy. 

“Today, work is on-going 

on all the major federal 

roads in the South-East; 

Enugu- Onitsha, Enugu- 

Umuahia-Aba-Port 

Harcourt, Port Harcourt- 

Owerri, Oba-Nnewi– 

Arondizuogu- Okigwe, to 

mention a few while Julius 

Berger has been mobilized 

to the tune of N6 billion for 

the 2nd River Niger 

Bridge." 

Consensus needed on S-East Dev 

Commission —Metuh 

By Charles Kumolu 

AFORMER Publicity 

Secretary of the 

Peoples Democratic Party, 

PDP, Chief Olisa Metuh, 

has called for a consensus 

when next the South East 

Development Commission 

Bill is introduced, noting 

that the rejection of the bill 

should not be taken as the 

end of the matter. 

He particularly stated 

that the commission was 

needed to address what he 

termed the long neglect of 

the South-East geopolitical 

zone since the end of 

Nigerian civil war. 

Metuh in a statement, 

yesterday, urged members 

of the National Assembly to 

engage more in robust 

debates, noting that the 

commission is the least the 

region needs at the 

moment. 

His words: “The rejection 

of the bill for the 

establishment of the South 

East Development 

Commission by the House 

of Representatives does not 

demonstrate the desired 

spirit of national 

accommodation and 

sensitivity towards the 

people and problems of the 

South-East zone. 

“The South-East Caucus 

of the National Assembly 

must, however, be 

commended for bringing 

the issues of the needs of 

the region to the front 

burner. It is also 

heartwarming to note that 

a good number of 

lawmakers from other geopolitical 

zones supported 

the bill. 

“The current momentary 

hitch in the bid to establish 

a South East Development 

Commission, therefore, 

must not be seen as the end 

of the road, or a badge of 

defeat."


ZAHAR 

My name was wrongly 

written as Abdulmalik 

Mustapha Zahar 

instead of Abdulmalik 

Mustapha Zahradeen. 

Henceforth, I wish to be 

known and addressed 

as Abdulmalik 

Mustapha Zahradeen 

which is my correct 

name. All former 

documents remain valid. 

General public please 

take note. 

MOLOKWU 

I, formerly known and 

addressed as Mrs. 

Molokwu Obianuju, 

now wish to be known 

and addressed as Mrs. 

Onuzulike Obianuju. 

All former documents 

remain valid, general 

public please take note. 

UGBOBOR 


addressed as Miss 

Ugbobor Florence, 



Idoghor Florence 

Oghenero. All former 

documents remain 

valid. General public 

please take note. 

IGBRU 



Igbru Onome Rita, now 

wish to be known and 


Oshowho Onome Rita. 


remain valid. General 

public please take 

note. 

OKEKE 


addressed as Okeke 

Ogochukwu Ifeoma, 


and addressed as 

Amaechi Ogochukwu 

Ifeoma. All former 


valid. UNIABUJA, 

UNIZIK and the 

general public please 

take note. 

ODUNZE 

Addition of Name 

My name was formerly 

Odunze Emmanuel, 

but I now wish to add 

the name Nwachukwu 

and be known and 

addressed as Odunze 

E m m a n u e l 

Nwachukwu. All 

former documents 



OSIFO 

Addition of name 


addressed as Osifo 

Nosa hereby add the 

names Rory John and 

henceforth wish to be 


as Osifo Rory John 

Nosa. All former 


valid. First Bank Plc. 

and all the authorities 

concerned please take 

note. 

GODBLESS 


addressed as Sule 

Arome Godbless, now 


addressed as Sule 

Arome Emmanuel 

Godwin. All former 




IGBOKO 



Blessing Amarachi 

Igboko, now wish to be 


as Mrs. Amarachi 

Blessing Amuzie. All 




MICHAEL 


addressed as Miss Esther 

Michael, now wish to be 

known and addressed as 

Mrs. Esther Nwankwo. 


remain valid. Nnamdi 

Azikiwe University, 

NYSC and the general 

public to take note. 

VANGUARD CLASSIFIED 

ABU 

NIGERIA 

DIEPREGHA 



Diepregha Maria 

Ebilade-ere, now wish 

to be known and 


Seibi Maria Powede. 




MOLOKWU 



Molokwu Patricia 

Chinyere, now wish to 

be known and 


Ajanobi Patricia 

Chinyere. All former 




GWANI 

I, formerly known as 

Miss Helena Enoch 

Gwani, now wish to be 


as Mrs. Helena 

Fodeke. All former 




EGWUATU 



Ijeoma Ogochukwu 

Egwuatu, now wish to 

be known and 


Ijeoma Ogochukwu 

Okosun. All former 




JIMOH 

This is to confirm that 

the names, Ayodeji 

Jimoh Thomas and 

Ayodeji Thomas refer to 

one and the same 

person but now wish 

to be known and 

addressed as Ayodeji 

Jimoh Thomas. All 




ZIBO 


addressed as Ene Zibo, 


and addressed as Ene 

Caroline Princess. All 




CHUKWUJIOKE 

I, Ajanobi Chibuzor 

Mgbowa, wish to 

inform the general 

public that the surname 

of my first daughter 

Chimereze Esther and 

that of all my unborn 

children be known and 

addressed as 

(Chukwujioke). General 


NWAGBARA 



Nwagbara Odinakachi 

Rachael, now wish to 

be known and 


Jamin Oforbuike 

Odinakachi Rachael. 




ILECHIE ANWULI-OKOH AMADI 

EWEMALI 


addressed as 

Miss Amara Jennifer 

Ilechie, now wish to be 


as Mrs. Nwaukoni Ike 

Amara. All former 






Anwuli-Okoh Amayebi 

Lesley, now wish to be 


Mrs. Okoh Amayebi 

Lesley. All former 


Raw Materials Research 

and Development 

Council and general 


Correction of Name 

I am Abu Samuel 

Joseph, but my name 

was wrongly written as 

Abu Samuel, but now 


adressed as Abu 

Samuel Joseph. All 





addressed as Nigeria 

Agberia Ernest, now 


addressed as Ojeni 

Ernest. All former 





addressed as Chisom 

Cynthia Amadi, now 


addressed as Cynthia 

Omorodion. All former 




This is to confirm that the 

names Elakeche Idaa and 

Ewemali Elakeche 

Emmanuella refer to one 

and the same person. I 

now wish to be known and 

addressed as Elakeche 

Idaa. All former 


General public please 

take note. 

ANYACHOR 


addressed as Anyachor 

Rhoda Chinyere, now 


addressed as 

Onyeagba Chinyere 

Rhoda. All former 




OKE 


addressed as Joseph 

Oke now wish to be 


as Joseph Oke Peter. 


remain valid. First 

Bank Plc and the 

general public please 

take note. 

EMEKE 


addressed as Kelvin 

Chukwuemeke Odagwe 

and Kelvin Emeke 

Odagwe, now wish to be 


Kelvin Odagwe. All 

former documents remain 

valid. First City 

Monument Bank Plc 

(FCMB) and the general 


CHIEJINA 



Ngozi Judith Chiejina, 



Ngozi Judith 

Aigbepue. All former 




OTOIDE 


addressed as Otoide 

Oselenonomene 

Mercy, now wish to be 


as Eranga Osemene 

Mercy. All former 




OZOCHIOKE 


addressed as 

Miss Ozochioke Nice 

Jennifer Nnenna, now 



Bernard Jennifer 

Nnenna Chikadibia. 




We need 

quality data 

to achieve 

food security 

—KALE 

A BUJA—NIGERIA 

cannot achieve 

growth and development 

in its economic 

diversification plan 

without proper planning 

and access to quality data 

in the agricultural sector, 

the Statistician General of 

the Federation, Dr. Yemi 

Kale has said. 

Dr. Kale stated this on 

Wednesday at the 

presentation and formal 

handover of Agricultural 

Market Information 

System, AMIS Computer 

Assisted Interviewing, 

CAPI System to the 

Federal government by 

Food and Agriculture 

Organization of the United 

Nations, FAO at NAF 

Conference Centre, Abuja. 

AMIS CAPI system is 

an inter-agency platform 

set up for the collection of 

agricultural data in 

Nigeria and to enhance 

food market transparency 

and policy response for 

food security. It was 

launched in 2011 by the 

G20 Ministers of 

Agriculture following the 

global food price hikes in 

2007/08 and 2010 to about 

150 per cent. 

OAS, ADA 

partner to 

boost 

helicopter 

services in oil, 

gas sector 

L AGOS—NIGERIAN 

indigenous aircraft 

charter operator, OAS 

Helicopters has 

partnered the United 

Arab Emirates helicopter 

company, Abu Dhabi 

Aviation, ADA, to provide 

Helicopter services to 

Nigeria oil and gas sector 

of the economy. 

This partnership was kick 

started, weekend with the 

arrival of ADA’s 15 Seater full 

offshore equipped helicopter 

AW-139 with registration 

number A6-AWH at OAS’ new 

Terminal NAFBASE Airport, 

Port Harcourt . The ADA and 

OAS’ relationship had been 

undergoing technical and 

legal structuring since 2015. 

According to OAS 

Helicopters Managing 

Director and CEO, Capt 

Evarest Nnaji, “ the 

practical kick off of the 

partnership, which is 

landmarked by the arrival and 

the physical presence of ADA 

crew and equipment, is one 

investment step the Nigeria 

aviation will enjoy moving 

forward, especially in the area 

of oil and gas aircraft support 

services”.





48—Vanguard, TUESDAY, JUNE 5, 2017



Free medical 

checks for 

500 

residents in 

Alimosho 

By Gloria Orogun 

OVER 500 people in 

Alimosho Local 

Government Area of 

Lagos, benefitted from 

free medical checkups 

organised by the 

Westfield Development 

Initiative to commemorate 

the world malaria day. 

The Executive Director, 

Mrs Omobola Lana said 

“malaria is preventable 

and treatable and WDI 

outreaches aim to put 

more Long Lasting 

Insecticide Treated Nets 

(LLINs) in homes, 

communicate the 

message of prevention 

and appropriate 

treatment seeking 

behaviour and hopefully 

improve preventive 

practices and reduce 

incidences of malaria in 

Alimosho”. 

A medical consultant, 

Dr. Damilare Adekanye 

said the aim of the 

programme was to 

sensitise people about 

malaria. “We have a 

whole team of doctors, 

nurses and lab 

technicians to diagnose 

and treat Nigeria. 

”The symptoms for 

malaria and many other 

illnesses are not specific; 

the only way to actually 

confirm these illnesses is 

through testing. 

Programs like this help 

sensitize people that not 

every illness is malaria”. 

A Board member Mrs 

Bunmi Akinkugbe stated: 

“The medical outreach is 

better than what other 

organisations do because 

the professionals are the 

once handling it. 

The focus all around the 

world is prevention so this 

programme helps those in 

the rural area because 

apart from treating malaria, 

we give them health talks 

on how they can prevent 

malaria with treated bed 

nets and we also teach 

them basic hygiene. 

Mr Charles Eguredo 

said the major challenge of 

the initiative is funding and 

societal ignorance. ”We are 

hoping to see strategic 

stakeholders who are 

committed to seeing a 

healthy Nigerian society 

commit themselves to 

support both monetary 

and substance to join us to 

roll back malaria from our 

society”. 

Active sex life improves job satisfaction 

— STUDY 

A 

recent study by 

Oregon State 

University, OSU researcher 

on the relationship between 

work and sex habits of 

married employees has 

revealed that those who 

prioritized sex at home 

unknowingly gave 

themselves a next-day 

advantage at work, where 

they were more likely to 

immerse themselves in their 

tasks and enjoy their work 

lives. 

According to the Associate 

Professor, OSU's College of 

Business, Keith Leavitt, 

maintaining a healthy 

relationship that includes a 

healthy sex life will help 

employees stay happy and 

engaged in their work, 

which benefits the 

employees and the 

organizations they work for. 

"We make jokes about 

people having a 'spring in 

their step,' but it turns out 

this is actually a real thing 

and we should pay attention 

to it," said Leavitt, an expert 

in organizational behavior 

and management. 

Leavitt explained that the 

study showed that bringing 

work-related stress home 

from the office negatively 

impinges on employees' sex 

lives. In an era when smart 

When work 

carries so far 

into an 

employee's 

personal life 

they sacrifice 

things like sex, 

their 

engagement in 

work can 

decline 

PRESENTATION: Yobe State Governor, Ibrahim Gaidam receiving some educational 

materials from the Acting Director General of NAFDAC, Mrs Yetunde Oni, when she 

paid an advocacy visit to the Governor’s office recently. 

Yobe backs NAFDAC against fake drugs 

Pharma coys canvass effective drug import policy 

By Naomi Uzor 

N IGERIA’S 

pharmaceutical 

companies want policy 

consistency and clarity as 

well as a new strategy for 

drug importation to enable 

them stay afloat, add more 

workers to their direct and 

indirect staff. 

Speaking 

at 

Pharmaceutical 

Manufacturers Group of 

the Manufacturers 

Association of Nigeria 

(PMG-MAN)/ Private 

Sector Health Alliance of 

Nigeria (PHN) Forum in 

Abuja, Okey Akpa, 

President of PMG-MAN, 

said policy flip-flops had 

phones are prevalent and 

after-hours responses to 

work emails are often 

expected, the findings 

highlight the importance of 

leaving work at the office. 

"When work carries so far 

into an employee's personal 

life that they sacrifice things 

like sex, their engagement 

in work can decline. 

The researchers' findings 

published in the Journal of 

THE fight against 

circulation of fake and 

substandard drugs and 

other regulated products 

received a boost last week 

as the Yobe State 

government donated land 

to the National Agency for 

Food and Drug 

Administration and 

Control, NAFDAC, for the 

building of a state-of-the-art 

office complex. 

Announcing this when 

the Acting Director General 

of NAFDAC, Yetunde Oni 

many times threatened to 

shut down over 120 

pharma companies in the 

industry. 

Akpa said drug makers in 

the country were not 

carried along when some 

major policies affecting 

them were made. 

“The Common External 

Tariff (CET) threatened to 

wipe us out until the 2016 

Fiscal Policy, which 

changed the dynamics. 

The CET provides for five 

to 20 percent tariff for 

importation of 

pharmaceutical raw 

materials and excipients 

but allow finished 

medicines to enter into any 

Management revealed that 

sexual intercourse triggers 

the release of dopamine, a 

neurotransmitter associated 

with the reward centers in 

the brain, as well as 

oxytocin, a neuropeptide 

associated with social 

bonding and attachment. 

That makes sex a natural 

and relatively automatic 

mood elevator and the 

benefits extend well into the 

paid State Governor, Alhaji 

Ibrahim Gaidam, courtesy 

visit, Gaidam also 

promised to provide an 

operational vehicle to 

NAFDAC to assist in 

patrolling all nooks and 

crannies of the state. 

He said the donation 

demonstrates the 

commitment of his 

government to partner with 

NAFDAC in ridding the 

state of the menace of drug 

misuse and poor handling 

country in the sub-region at 

no duty. We are grateful that 

the Federal Government 

intervened with the 2016 

Fiscal Policy which imposed 

tariffs on four categories of 

imported drugs,” he said. 

“We need to have an 

import strategy. What we 

are saying is, hand over 

importation to those who 

are already manufacturing 

medicines. That means 

they have plans to start 

producing the drugs. When 

you hand importation to 

those who are not 

manufacturing and have 

no plan to do so, you are 

discouraging local 

manufacturing,” he said. 

next day, Leavitt said. 

To understand the impact 

of sex on work, the 

researchers followed 159 

married employees over 

the course of two weeks, 

asking them to complete 

two brief surveys each day. 

They found that employees 

who engaged in sex 

reported more positive 

moods the next day, and the 

elevated mood levels in the 

of pesticides and agrochemicals. 

Directing the state 

Commissioner for Land to 

make available a parcel of 

land, he also directed the 

Head of Service to provide 

office accommodation in the 

two other senatorial districts 

so as to improve the 

logistics challenges being 

faced by NAFDAC in the 

state. 

The Acting Director 

General of NAFDAC, Mrs. 

Yetunde Oni was in Yobe 

State for a sensitization 

campaign on “Rational use 

of Controlled Medicines, 

Safe handling of Chemicals 

and Responsible use of 

pesticides and Agricultural 

Chemicals”, said the land 

would house a NAFDAC 

stand alone office, 

warehouse and laboratory 

complex that would shorten 

the registration process and 

bring activities of the 

Agency closer to the 

grassroots. 

"We will continue to 

sensitize the general public 

on the public health 

implications of these 

substandard, falsified and 

unwholesome regulated 

products and the efforts of 

NAFDAC in tackling this 

ugly menace," she said. 

morning led to more 

sustained work 

engagement and job 

satisfaction throughout the 

workday. 

The effect, which appears 

to linger for at least 24 

hours, was equally strong 

for both men and women 

and was present even after 

researchers took into 

account marital satisfaction 

and sleep quality, which are 

two common predictors of 

daily mood. 

"This is a reminder that 

sex has social, emotional 

and physiological benefits, 

and it's important to make 

it a priority," Leavitt said. 

"Just make time for it." 

Jim Iyke is 

WRAN 

ambassador for 

maternal, child 

health 

By Victoria Ojeme 

THE White Ribbon 

Alliance Nigeria 

(WRAN) has named 

renowned movie actor, Jim 

Iyke as it's ambassador to 

help save women from 

dying during child birth. 

The National 

Coordinator, Mr Tonte 

Ibraye said Iyke would 

help prioritise maternal and 

child health in the country. 

Ibraye said saving 

motherhood required 

involvement of men to help 

women make timely 

decisions. 

"With Jim Iyke to speak 

on the matter, he would 

serve as a model to other 

males and encourage them 

to support their wives, 

daughter, sisters to seek 

care, go for antenatal and 

make sure when it's time to 

deliver they should do so 

in a health facility. 

"We are at the moment 

pushing for the universal 

right of child bearing 

women and the Federal 

ministry of health has taken 

leadership of that and it was 

even taken before the 

council of health and it was 

adopted, and so far it has 

become the standard of 

practice". 

Responding, Iyke said 

the mandate and 

responsibility given to him 

is a call to action which he 

said he intends to take 

seriously. He said the 

campaign to save women 

and children is quite 

personal to him because his 

sister died while giving 

birth. "I will go any length 

to save women and 

children. I hope that people 

will listen to me, especially 

my male folks and make 

the right decisions that will 

help save lives.”






56 -- Vanguard, MONDAY, JUNE 5, 2017 

YOUR LUCK TODAY 

By Joshua Adeyemo Phone 08056180139 

CAPRICORN; Take your health more seriously than before. 

However that is not to say you have to ignore your 

responsibilities at work. Respect your senior colleagues. 

AQUARIUS; The influence looks more favourable to you 

now. You will certainly become more enterprising to the 

betterment of your cause. Right now nobody can ignore 

you. 

PISCES; Those of you who are more observant within 

your base of operation will have more to gain. Prepare to 

take good advice from the veterans within your base. 

ARIES; Although your personal ideas are very reliable 

and capable of bringing success, you will need to be as 

co-operative as possible to achieve your desire. 

TAURUS; It is important you take your sources of making 

money very seriously. Both hard work and element of 

luck will work favourably for you. 

GEMINI; Placement of the Moon will encourage you to 

become a little bit aggressive; here is a day when your 

leadership ability will assist many. 

CANCER; The Moon=s placement can force agitation 

on the minds of some of you but if keep your head above 

the cloudy atmosphere you will not have anything to fear. 

LEO; Young-at-heart Librans may be greatly excited today 

and for the next few weeks; if you take good decision 

on your love life you will enjoy it. 

By Richard Eromosele 

ONE of the major 

reasons 

why some of us 

have remained 

where we are in life 

is because of the 

fear of going wrong. 

The truth is that 

L E I S U R E 

THOUGHT FOR TODAY 

The right to be wrong 

TERROR MUDA in “Never say goodbye” 

we can’t be right if 

we have not mastered 

the act of going 

wrong. As a result 

of this, we think 

constantly consciously 

or unconsciously 

of what 

people will say. Remember, 

this is 

your life. You have 

the right to be 

wrong. The only 

way you can learn 

how to do it, is to 

know many ways it 

cannot be done. So, 

take a decision now. 

Do what you want 

to do. Make mistakes, 

correct your 

mistakes and move 

on. You will succeed. 

By Kola Fayemi 

VIRGO; Here is an ambitious day for many of you. The 

more practical you are about your reasonable desire the 

better for your cause. Be more family minded. 

LIBRA; Good luck will knock at your door. Although it is 

good to plan ahead, you have to take advantage of now 

that presented good opportunities. 

KAPTAIN AFRIKA in “Pretty Lunatic’ By Andy Akman 

SCORPIO; Keeping both your personal and other people 

secrets will do you lots of good today. Then tomorrow is 

your big day; prepare yourself accordingly. 

SAGITTARIUS; Here is a day when your closeness to the 

influential people can be source of assistance to both 

yourself in particular and your group in general. And 

then your love life is getting better. Exhibit loving maturity. 

ASTROLOGICAL COUNSELLING 

Send your date e and place of birth th to the Astr 

trological 

Counselling, P.M.B 100 

007, 7, Apapa, Lagos 

Good Health for me? 

Dear Joshua, 

I have never gone through any major sickness since I was born 

but it is always good to know, especially as people are saying that 

those that do not fall-sick often can die the very first time such 

happen. Can they be right? Please tell me about my financial prospects. 

Iyabo, Benin. 

Dear Iyabo, 

They are wrong. And you have no cause to fear. Actually my 

findings here pointed to your hard beginning-health wise. If you 

ask your parents they would tell you much than you think you 

know about yourself 

Leo and Scorpio that hosted your natal Sun and Moon are members 

of few strongest Star signs available (when talking of health/life 

and death). Thus you are well endowed. 

Although as both the Sun and Moon were at loggerheads when 

you were born you must have gone through some tough times 

health-wise, especially when you were younger, very great ability of 

Scorpio to survive and good aspects the planets enjoyed during 

your birth hour are indications of good health for you. And as your 

age advances so also your health will continue to improve. 

Then concentration of many heavenly bodies in health related 

Virgo is another pointers to good health. However that is not to say 

you will go through adulthood life without any health related challenges 

but when they come you have what it takes to survive and be 

back on the road to sound health. 

What to watch out for include TOOTHACHE, the chest/back, 

stomach and at very advanced age may come circulatory system 

related challenge. Being a female Scorpio born person always pay 

good attention to gynaecological related ailments and fever is 

common in this part of the world. 

But then all ailments mentioned here are mere warnings (although 

to be taken seriously) nothing fatalistic please!!!! 

Although you can be generous, kind and loving you are not the 

extravagant type. Thus you are reliable and can make success of 

your family purse. You are practical analyst with respect for your 

family dignity, therefore putting aside money for raining days comes 

natural to you 

Occasionally you think that money don’t come as faster as desired 

by you but it comes eventually after a few lesson. Luckily for you 

Libra that hosted your natal planet of desire (Mars) is money and 

partnership/marrige related. Thus money will find it way into your 

life either personally or via joint efforts between you and your husband. 

VIRGINIA 

HOME & ABROAD 

dadadekola@yahoo.com 

By Lawrence Akapa


58 — VANGUARD, MONDAY, JUNE 5, 2017 

MID-TERM: 

Without propaganda 

APC can do better 

— ABC NWOSU 

PROFESSOR Alphonsus Nwosu was former 

Minister of Health and one of the 

commissioned officers in the Biafran Army 

during the Nigeria/Biafra civil war. In this 

interview, he argues that the All Progressives 

Congress, APC-led government has performed 

abysmally adding that the ill-health of 

President Muhammadu Buhari has diminished 

his ability to perform. Excerpts: 

By Johnbosco Agbakwuru 

HOW do you assess the 

two years of President 

Muhammadu Buhari’s 

government? 

I speak as a Nigerian and as a 

strong member of the Peoples 

Democratic Party, PDP. I have 

sympathy for President Buhari 

because of his illness, but clearly, 

governance has taken a nose 

dive for the worse since 2015. If 

APC gets out of its propaganda 

mood, it will acknowledge that 

the value of the Naira to the 

value of the dollar has become 

unbearable in the last two years. 

It was stable before, it did not 

exceed N200 per dollar before, 

but now it even got to N500 per 

dollar. 

Propaganda or no propaganda, 

that is not good. The cost of 

living has increased. 

Unemployment especially youth 

and graduate unemployment 

have worsened, these are bad 

indices for any country, and I can 

go on. 

The excuse that it is 16 years of 

PDP that caused the rot is, to say 

the least, very irritating and 

annoying. This is a government 

that inherited GSM; this is a 

government that inherited debt 

relief which it is now enjoying, 

this is a government that is 

enjoying the Bonny Liquefied 

project, and it is unable to start 

the Brass Liquefied project. 

It is about projects, it is going 

to be about federal colleges, it is 

going to be about policing, and I 

think that when they get out of 

their propaganda mood, and 

they evaluate it, they will see that 

there is so much to be done. So, I 

don’t rate them well at all, but I 

have sympathy that the man at 

the helm of affairs is trying to 

regain his health. I wish him well. 

It diminishes our humanity not 

to wish any person who is sick 

well. 

You mention the president’s illhealth. 

Were things okay even 

before he fell ill? 

I was a minister of health, 

Buhari’s illness is not a sudden 

illness. Buhari has been 

managing his illness before he 

won the election. The pressures 

of campaign exacerbated his 

illness, and the pressure of 

governance made it that he, 

therefore, requires 

hospitalisation. So, I will not go 

on that line at all except to wish 

him well. 

But those managing him should 

have seen the danger of not 

appointing a cabinet 

immediately and waiting for 

months. 

Former President Olusegun 

Obasanjo appointed me on May 

29. As the political adviser, I was 

given CVs, resumes of all 

ministers within 48 hours to one 

week of his being the president. 

I had confidential copies of 

resumes of all those he wanted 

to make ministers. And as soon 

as the National Assembly was 

proclaimed, I got those ministersdesignate 

cleared in the National 

Assembly within the first two 

weeks of his swearing-in so that 

Propaganda or 

no propaganda, 

that is not good. 

The cost of 

living has 

increased. 

Unemployment 

especially youth 

and graduate 

unemployment 

have worsened, 

these are bad 

indices for any 

country, and I 

can go on 

each person knew exactly and 

President Obasanjo said, this is 

what I want you to do, we have 

no time to do this. And by that 

time, oil was less than 20 dollars 

per barrel not 100, not 50, not 40 

but less than 20 dollars per barrel. 

If everybody will get out of the 

propaganda mood again, go and 

Google oil prices in the world, 

you will see when you are lying. 

The debt of Nigeria was $30+ 

billion, the external reserves that 

Obasanjo inherited was less than 

$3 billion compared with $30+ 

billion inherited by this 

government. Compare with oil 

prices inherited by this 

government, compare it with the 

debt relief, they are now sharing 

the refund. Somebody made the 

debt relief and refund possible. 

Instead of being grateful and 

building on, you are saying 16 

years of PDP rot because you are 

fixated on President (Goodluck) 

Jonathan, you forget President 

Obasanjo who had eight years, 

you forget President Yar’Adua the 

most honest President to have 

ruled this country, who declared 

his assets publicly from day one, 

he was also ill. 

So, I think we should just get 

out of the propaganda mood and 

focus on governance, if we do 

that, things will start to get better. 

But if we start the blaming game, 

it is your fault; it is not your fault, 

those of us who served previous 

PDP governments can defend 

ourselves and can acquit 

ourselves very well. 

But that is not going to help the 

electorate; the electorate want 

roads, railways. The railway this 

government commissioned from 

Kaduna to Abuja, who built it? 

Was it there before? 

What is your opinion on the 

current administration’s 

application of the principle of 

federal character? 

The simple answer is no. 

Annoyingly no. Brazenly, they 

are flaunting it trying to say that 

nothing can happen. 

Why do you say so? 

I will answer you by way of 

illustration. Everything you see 

in the South-East, the protest, the 

IPOB (Indigenous People of 

Biafra), everything you are 

seeing, the upsurge, is as a result 

of the flaunting of the federal 

character. When a person is of 

the same father with you, and it 

is clear to him, we have a saying 

in my town Nnewi that if a man 

is fighting for his father’s 

property and is shaking, you 

should subject him to a DNA test, 

he is not his father’s son. 

The Igbo are fighting that they 

are bona fide Nigerians and so 

when you are sharing their 

father’s property with complete 

disregard for them, what can they 

do? Any Igbo man who is afraid 

to assert himself in Nigeria is not 

an Igbo man. That is why people 

are not against what IPOB, 

MASSOB are doing. 

You make many appointments 

in the presidency not one Igbo is 

appointed. You do police 

recruitment; you do DSS 

recruitment, you promote or 

appoint all senior officers, and 

Continues on page 51


Continued from page 50 

the Igbo are not there, no matter 

how liberated you are, no matter 

how Nigerian you may be, as an 

Igbo, it stinks to the high heavens. 

So, what is your position on 

the agitation of Nnamdi Kanu, 

the leader of IPOB calling for a 

Biafran Republic? 

I was the Secretary of the 

Ojukwu burial committee, and I 

believe it didn’t come by chance. 

I come from the same town with 

Ojukwu; I am related to Ojukwu, 

I have associated with Ojukwu for 

a long time. I was with Ojukwu 

when he came back from Ivory 

Coast; I was with Ojukwu when 

he ran for Senate, we were living 

in Enugu. 

I am in a position to know 

exactly what he thought about 

that. I don’t believe that the 

proper thing is to Igborise Biafra. 

Biafra was not an Igbo concept. 

In fact, the name Biafra did not 

come from the Igbo. It was two 

people from the present Rivers 

State that suggested Biafra. 

People like me, who left my final 

year at the university and got 

commissioned in the Biafran 

Army, fought in the trenches and 

at the end have a completely 

different view of the present 

attempt to Igborize the Biafra 

concept. We are happy that non- 

Igbo are realising again and are 

back into this matter that it is a 

fight against injustice. 

It is a fight against pogrom; it is 

a fight for survival that nobody 

has the right to wake up and 

murder his fellow citizen for no 

reason. I am now happy that it is 

not an Igbo thing. But just like 

Biafra, the authority to declare 

Biafra was given by Eastern 

Nigeria Consultative Assembly. 

And after that authority was given 

to Ojukwu, it asked him to declare 

at the time he did. He didn’t 

declare it immediately he was 

given the authority. You can now 

see the difference here. 

There was a discussion, there 

was a meeting at Presidential 

Hotel Enugu, structured meeting 

with members from all over the 

Eastern Region and only a 

fraction was Igbo. So, I think that 

three essential ingredients 

should be sought by the present 

people. The consensus of 

everybody and the authority to do 

that. 

Two, to define what it is all about 

and three to articulate how it can 

be obtained. People cannot be 

forced into it. If you like listen to 

them, if you don’t like, don’t listen 

to them. Tomorrow, you will get 

old and die, and it will continue, 

and it will get to the time when 

your children and your children’s 

children will not be able to enforce 

this your current arrogant 

posture. 

IPOB directed that Ndigbo 

should sit at home on May 30 to 

honour the past Biafran heroes 

that lost their lives during the civil 

war, what is your take? 

Nnamdi Kanu is entitled as a 

Nigerian citizen, as an Igbo 

person to call for whatever he 

Without propaganda 

APC can do better 

— ABC NWOSU 

desires and those who want to 

obey him will obey him. 

The difference was that in 1966 

Ojukwu was appointed and 

given authority as the military 

governor of the East and he had 

that authority and he even 

subjected himself to our deciding 

on that authority. So, I look at it 

from that angle. For me, it is not 

30th May that is my problem. 

Even when I was in government 

at the federal level, I always 

observed (that period) with a lot 

of prayer to my God. I never went 

out; it was a day of meditation 

Biafra was not an 

Igbo concept. In 

fact, the name 

Biafra did not come 

from the Igbo. It 

was two people 

from the present 

Rivers State that 

suggested Biafra 

because 29th May 1966 was a 

terrible year for Ndigbo. That was 

the day that the pogrom began. 

Before July 29, there was May 

29, and those who don’t know 

what happened on May 29 are 

excused from whatever they do, 

but I carry the burden of that 

history and I knew that that was 

the day people started killing 

Igbo and the Igbo started running 

and realised that they were no 

longer safe. 

So, for me, that day even if I 

feel like going out for a drink, I 

stay inside home holding my 

rosary and praying to God to 

cleanse our national soul from 

that evil that happened that 29th 

May. So you can see that I have 

a totally different attitude that has 

nothing to do with Nnamdi Kanu 

because I don’t even know when 

he was born. He wouldn’t even 

know what I am talking about. 

He probably lost no one he can 

remember being brought home 

that day. It is like remembering 

the anniversary of your father who 

died in an unfortunate 

circumstances; it is different from 

what he is doing. So that is how I 

look at it. 

Did you encourage members 

of your household to obey the 

stay at home order on 29th May? 

I am one person created by God. 

I have told you what I will do. I 

will stay at home May 26, May 

27, May 28, May 29, May 30 and 

up to June 1st. Why? Because it 

was from May 26 and 27 that the 

meetings were held, the 

mobilisation done on the 27th, the 

peoples’ burst to the centres 

where the killings would take 

place and 29th the actual killings 

took place and were not stopped 

until about June 1st when the 

leaders went to the governor of 

Northern Region then and sued 

for peace. 

I was in my final year at the 

university when this was 

happening, and I pray for this not 

a matter of unforgiveness. 

Forgiveness is not the thing; it is 

cleansing, blood is not water. So 

for me as a human being seeking 

to carry back my soul to the creator, 

26, 27, 28, 29, 30, June 1st for me 

means a period of purification, a 

period of cleansing. 

EKITI 2018: I'll step down 

if you find a better 

legislator — DARAMOLA 

A MEMBER of the Seventh House of Representatives and 

Governorship Aspirant on the platform of the All 

Progressives Congress, Bimbo Daramola told a select 

Journalists in Ado-Ekiti that two years is too small to clear 

the gargantuan mess left behind by the 16 years of Peoples 

Democratic Party rule, he also agreed with the immediate 

past Governor of Ekiti State and the current Minister of 

Solid Minerals Development, Dr Kayode Fayemi that Ekiti 

2014 Gubernatorial election remained an unfinished 

business. Excerpts: 

By Rotimi Ojomoyela 

NIGERIANS 

are 

complaining that they are 

yet to see the results of change 

promised by your party in the 

2015 Presidential Election. What 

is your take on this? 

I don’t want to say people are 

insatiable but it is like a man who 

has been thirsty and he is looking 

for an opportunity to get some 

water to drink or to quench his 

thirst. 

Unfortunately, he gets to an 

oasis, ordinarily where he 

expects that there would be 

water, and of course there was 

water but he finds out that the 

water has been poisoned. 

We must be able to reconcile the 

expectations of Nigerians and 

the realities of the 16 years of PDP 

government. So what we should 

be looking out because there is 

no magic wand anywhere. 

Are you claiming that the 

promises made by your party 

have been fulfilled? 

Agreed, the APC made 

promises to Nigerians and we 

own up to those promises. 

Agreed, APC may not have met 

the expectation of the people in 

two years, but the truth of the 

matter is that, I believe strongly 

that the APC has not lost currency 

Let me tell you that I have been 

around in Ekiti, since 2006.And 

I want to tell you that I know Ekiti 

very well like every other person 

or may be more than some of the 

people who are also jostling for 

the gubernatorial seat with me. 

What do you have in stock for 

the party and the people of the 

state? 

The question is how much do I 

know these people? How much 

of Ekiti people do you know? And 

I modestly say today that I know 

where the shoe pinches. 

If you need to know a man, 

then go back to his reputation. I 

humbly can say that in the years 

that our people have been going 

to the House of Representatives 

and the Senate, I dare anybody 

to tell me if there is anyone who 

has moved more motions on the 

floor of the House than I did from 

1999 to date. 

If I can get anyone who 

surpasses me, I tell you I won’t 

run for governorship again. I am 

talking about impactful motions. 

I also want someone to tell me 

who has been a member of 

serious ad-hoc committees in 

•Daramola 

either of the chambers. 

Then, in terms of constituents 

and constituency relations, I.m 

more than ready to present my 

sore cards to Nigerians. 

And I have told you that if after 

two years in office as governor, I 

don’t point the state to the path 

of development and grace, I will 

tender my letter of resignation. 

The June 2014, Governorship 

election in Ekiti State has been 

described by Dr Kayode Fayemi 

as an unfinished business, what 

is you take on this as the Director 

General of JKF Campaign 

organization at that time? 

I’m drawing inspiration from the 

unfinished business and I agreed 

with Dr Fayemi, that it is an 

unfinished business. It will forever 

be an unfinished business, we 

can never get to the end of it, that 

anybody will be able to distil and 

find out what happened and how 

did Ekiti go down on the 21st of 

June, 2014. It will forever be an 

unfinished business till historians 

will come. 

Dr Fayemi represented an idea 

that we all believed. I’m 

interested in what becomes of that. 

I do not know how this business 

will be finished, the best way to 

finish the unfinished business is 

to get our state back next year. 

That will help us to even take 

an informed inquisition into what 

happened. 

The truth of the matter is that, 

that business cannot be concluded 

in the space between now and 

2018. More than anything else, 

we need to prepare and seriously 

too and I’m not too happy. 

The party needs to be energized 

to be able to stand against a man 

on ground in his own way like 

Dr Peter Ayodele Fayose, you 

can’t deny that.

60 --- Vanguard, MONDAY , JUNE 5 2017 

EDITED BY EMEKA AGINAM 

Conduct referendum now, 

IPOB tells FG 

Walla Amos 

they want. 

You are totally out of point here. 

How do you expect the Federal 

Government to conduct 

referendum when referendum 

is not in the constitution? Better 

think right 

Abubakar Umar Isa 

The enemy of Ndigbo is 

Ndigbo itself. I remember a 

time in this country when all 

the six ministers in Jonathan’s 

kitchen cabinet were all Igbo’s. 

Ayim Pius Ayim was SGF, Ngozi 

Okonjo Iwealla was in charge 

finance, Emeka Wogu was in 

Labour and productivity, Berth 

Nnaji was in Power and 

Energy, Dieziani Madueke 

was the powerful minister for 

oil. The 6 of them outside d 

Federal Executive Council 

would meet and decide what 

and what not to be discussed 

at d larger FEC. Whatever they 

decided will eventually be the 

position of government. In six 

years, this was the situation. 

Okiro and Onovo had d police 

under 

Obiwale Adewale 

I doubt if they even know what 

UnapologeticallyYoruba 

Unfortunately for IPOB, they 

are in no position to make such 

demands of an elected 

government in a democracy. 

You have Governors and 

member of the National 

Assembly representing the 

South East in this 

administration. They are the 

ones any responsible 

government will listen to 

Namy Unapologetically 

Yoruba 

There are different types of 

Referendum . Wether 

referendum is in the 

constitution of a country or not, 

your stand on referendum is 

like slaves who want freedom 

must go to their slave owners 

and ask for permission to be 

free, and their slave masters 

shall tell the slaves, if you 

agree among yourselves to be 

free, you can go 

WJasper Namy 

The means to get a referendum 

is by first amending the 

Constitution, then your elected 

•Igbo leaders 

representatives will move a 

motion in the National 

Assembly after which it will 

be adopted by a simple 

majority, INEC will now 

conduct the referendum and 

51% of the people must say yes. 

So follow the process and stop 

t 

Yorubaronu Ebele Olisah 

I beg to disagree with the 

notion of disintegration of 

IPOB. Nobody gives a toss to 

the agitators. What is 

happening is just a comedy of 

the absurd going round and 

round. The earlier the better 

they have representation in the 

NASS the better for the so called 

‘referendum’. 

Ebele Olisah Yorubaronu 

Same here . I’m here for 

entertainment purposes. The 

issue of Biafra has gone beyond 

social media caricature. 

Buhari at 2: Why some Nigerians don’t 

want to accept change — Lai Mohammed 

Oforleta Chibuzor Victor 

Which change is the minister 

talking about? Positive or 

negative change? Change from 

bad to worse, I no want your 

change again 

Night Crawler 

Change is the only constant 

thing in life and it has come to 

stay. This administration is 

doing everything in its power 

to clean the mess of previous 

administration. Soon we will 

leave our past behind and focus 

on the future. Join the moving 

train when others are 

progressing else you will be left 

behind 

Höly Wähala 

Do you know what economic 

recession is all about? If so, do 

you know that on average it 

takes 18 months to come out of 

a typical economic recession 

evidenced by Greece and 

Spain in the EU much less 

Nigeria in third World? Pal, if I 

run the numbers by you most 

of you here will get a heart 

attack. Nigeria is in her fifth 

straight quarter of negative 

GDP growth and caught in 

comatose recession yet, you are 

there talking about a moving 

train in messy quicksand. 

dele20 Night Crawler 

This administration is 

unique, creative and 

innovative in the way of ruling 

this nation 

progressive 

Chibuzor Victor 

Oforleta 

•President Buhari 

How would you see the 

change when corruption has 

eaten the social fabric of the 

nation? 

dele20 Sincere-Voice 

This administration has 

positively reflected on our 

nation as change is everywhere 

Barack Obama 

Forever grateful for the service and 

sacrifice of all who fought to protect our 

freedoms and defend this country we love. 

larry Iloh @larryIloh 

Paxman on Theresa May Battle For 

Number10: A blow hard that collapses at first 

sign of gunfire... on her avalanche of U-turns 

United Nations 

Climate change is undeniable 

APC primaries crisis: Casualty now two as 

protesters sack party’s state secretariat 

Oluwole Awonuga 

APC should henceforth be doing written 

examination for their aspirants. After the 

written exam, they should do oral and 

practical tests. This will assist the party in 

assessing the mental capability and the 

preparedness of aspirants for elective 

positions. This will enable the party to 

weed miscreants from elections 

Chukwudi Felix Atueyi 

Nigeria is now officially a movie full of 

Actors. Acting President, Acting EFCC 

Chairman.... I can’t wait for the complete 

movie. 

bobisa 

When you have greedy and mischievous 

elders running things, it always ends like 

this. When you take delight in shedding 

human blood all in the name of elections 

Nwa_Afrique 

Tinubu must allow internal democracy 

in Lagos APC. Enough of the imposition 

of candidates. 

unbiasedjudge 

TRENDING ON THE TWITTER 

WHO 

It’s World No Tobacco Day. Tobacco 

threatens our future. Tobacco damages 

our health. We can beat tobacco. Say 

no Tobacco 

Abike Dabiri-Erewa 

The reward for hard work is more 

work 

UN Peacekeeping 

UN Peacekeepers day! Now, more 

than ever, it is essential that we 

PDP does not need to worry about APC in 

2019 because I know they will massacre 

themselves all, just for the primaries. 

Fidelis C. Obodoeze 

APC is worse than PDP. PDP spent 16 years 

and bred evil but in just two years APC has 

bred far worse evil in the country. 

Daniel Dalon 

APC has now become the new PDP. PDP took 

up to 12 years in power to become insensitive 

to its voters wishes and began to impose 

candidates on its constituents. APC is doing it 

in record time - less that two years. 

continue investing in peace 

Segun Oruame 

Nigeria Democracy Day is time 

to ponder if the APC merely brought 

a change of government or truly 

brought change to Nigeria 

United Nations 

When you vote, think of your 

grandchildren on how people can 

take climate action.



RECALL OF JUDGES: 

Lawyers back NJC as Sagay kicks 

Continues from Page 5 

Mr. Dayo Akinlaja, 

SAN, said: “My candid 

view is that there is 

absolutely no legal 

impediment against 

recall of the suspended 

judges that have no 

corruption cases 

pending against them. 

In the first place, they 

were suspended not 

because that was what 

the law dictated, it was 

purely to pamper public 

sentiment at that time. 

“The NJC, I believe, 

took the decision then to 

assuage public feeling. 

It was a spontaneous 

reaction that was made 

on the spur of the 

moment. I don’t think 

there is any reason 

whatsoever they should 

not be recalled since 

nothing has been pinned 

against them. 

“However, taking into 

consideration that one of 

the Judges, Justice 

Ademola, was arraigned 

and had been 

discharged and 

acquitted by the trial 

court. The issue or 

argument that his matter 

is already on appeal may 

raise some moral 

questions. This is 

considering that the 

appellate court could 

still direct that he should 

go back and face trial 

before the court of first 

instance, that is if the 

appeal is decided 

against him. 

“Therefore, his own 

case is somehow 

different. But even at 

that, it still boils down to 

the issue of morality. 

Issue of morality takes a 

bow when confronted by 

the law. When morality 

and the law meet, 

morality certainly gives 

way to the law.” 

Another lawyer, Chief 

Sebastian Hon, SAN, 

also applauded the NJC 

over the decision, 

describing it as a most 

welcome development. 

“The NJC, even 

though is, under the 

Constitution, not subject 

to any body’s direction 

or control, decided to 

tacitly support the anticorruption 

drive of the 

government in the first 

place by suspending 

those judicial officers — 

even when they were not 

arraigned and convicted. 

“Since the Executive 

could not arraign them 

or secure conviction, the 

NJC just did the needful, 

as some of us urged 

them to do. No country 

treats its citizens the way 

those judicial officers 

were treated; and the 

NJC just woke up to its 

constitutional and moral 

responsibility - by taking 

this bold step.” 

Speaking in similar 

vein, Mr. Chris Ebare, a 

maritime lawyer, said the 

development was 

welcome and good for 

both the judiciary and 

the nation because after 

the saga, Nigerians have 

had a different 

perception of the of the 

judiciary. 

Ebare also said that 

since the judges had 

been found not to be 

culpable, there should be 

no need for the 

suspension to continue. 

“The NJC is a credible 

institution that will not 

support any form of 

injustice and corruption.” 

For Chris Asoluka, a 

former Commissioner in 

Imo State, it is within the 

purview of the NJC to 

review the suspension of 

the judges, which it had 

done. 

NJC’s decisions can be 

defended in only a few 

cases — OTTEH 

Joseph Otteh, Director, 

Access to Justice, said 

“Concededly, there are a 

few instances where the 

NJC’s decision can stand 

up to scrutiny: the failure 

of the government to 

formally bring charges 

against some of the 

judicial officers accused of 

corruption after many 

months of investigation 

would be taken to mean 

that, in spite of all the 

grandstanding and 

boisterous noisiness in 

defence of its “sting” 

operations, the 

government has nothing 

on them at the end of the 

day, notwithstanding that 

it had tarred everyone 

with the same brush. For 

the future, the 

government must reflect 

and learn from its 

misjudgements and 

forwardness, when it 

comes to investigating 

allegations of corruption 

against Judges. No 

judicial officer should 

have to go through the 

terror of being so publicly 

humiliated in the absence 

of strong and compelling 

justification. 

“However, not all the 

cases fall into this 

category; some judges 

have been charged to 

court and proceedings are 

still continuing against 

them. The NJC’s en-bloc 

recall of the Judges on its 

current list papers over 

the cracks. One of the 

judges on its list is 

currently charged before 

the Code of Conduct 

Tribunal even though he 

has not been formally 

arraigned at this time. 

Some others are named in 

several other indictments 

against persons they are 

said to have acted in 

concert with. Some of the 

evidence elicited during 

the trial of some of the 

judges on the list are 

extremely perturbing. 

While a court may not see 

fit at this time to conclude 

that the evidence 

tendered at trial yet 

reaches the thresholds to 

convict for a criminal 

offence, the evidence 

non-the-less creates deep 

impressions about the 

weaknesses of the 

Nigerian judiciary in the 

minds of reasonable 

observers of the trial and 

should not be swept under 

the carpet. 

“It is important to note 

that the NJC does not 

itself have powers to 

undertake criminal 

prosecutions but it has its 

own sphere of disciplinary 

responsibilities and 

authority over Judges. 

The Judiciary has a Code 

of Conduct for judicial 

officers: whether or not 

the provisions of that code 

have been broken is a 

legitimate and expedient 

inquiry that the NJC 

needs to pursue quite 

apart from whatever is the 

outcome of a criminal trial 

prosecuted by third 

parties. 

“We think that the NJC’s 

recall decision suffers 

from two major flaws: first, 

it did not make a 

plausible differentiation 

and distinction regarding 

the respective situations of 

the various Judges on its 

list. It treated different 

cases alike and literarily 

gave everyone, deserving 

or not, a free pass. 

“Second, given the 

inexorable necessity of 

restoring public 

confidence to the 

Judiciary, the NJC ought 

to have done more to 

demonstrate that we are 

not returning to the status 

quo ante, or returning to 

the state of “normal” 

Nigerians had been used 

to in matters relating to 

judicial integrity. The NJC 

has a responsibility, quite 

apart from what third 

parties (such as 

prosecutors) do, to police 

the Judiciary and 

safeguard the integrity of 

the judicial institution. 

“We do no think the NJC 

has sufficiently 

discharged that obligation 

to its fullest extent before 

recalling the Judges. The 

NJC ought to have 

adopted a more proactive 

standard that will ensure 

that all misconduct 

allegations against 

Judges, irrespective of the 

existence of criminal 

proceedings related to 

them, and irrespective of 

whether those allegations 

are referred to the Council 

by anyone else, are 

thoroughly investigated 

by the Council to insure 

that no one whose 

conduct has been the 

subject of reasonable 

suspicion, is again asked 

to sit in judgment over 

others. By asking the 

Judges to be recalled enbloc, 

the NJC gives the 

public the impression that 

our Judiciary is quite 

content to remain in its 

un-regenerated, 

uninspiring form.” 

AGM: From left— Mrs Oyindamola Ehiwere, Company Secretary; Mr Osaro 

Isokpan, Chairman and Mrs Hamda Ambah, MD/CEO, all of FSDH Merchant 

Bank, at the company's Annual General Meeting in Lagos. Photo: Akeem 

Salau. 

SUMMIT: From left— CEO, Spectranet 4G LTE, David Venn; Chairperson, 

Alliance for Affordable Internet, A4AI, Dr. Omobola Johnson; and Director, 

Technical Standard & Network Integrity, Nigerian Communications Commission, 

NCC, Mr. Fidelis Onah; at the Broadband Summit 2017 organised 

by BusinessDayin Lagos. 

LAUNCHING: From left— Gansirey Seck, Regional Manager, Misys West 

Africa; Mitchell Elegbe, Group Managing Director, Interswitch; Chinyere Don- 

Okhuofu, Divisional Chief Executive Officer, Interswitch Industry Vertical 

Markets and Carlos Teixera, Head of Corporate Banking, Global Solutions 

Group at Misys IMEA, during the launch of the partnership between 

Interswitch and Misys in Nigeria & Digital Trade & Cloud event in Lagos. 

Photo: Akeem Salau. 

SUMMIT: From left— MD/CEO, Main One, Funke Opeke; Director, Strategy, 

Airtel Nigeria, Tenu Awoonor and Managing Director, Vodacom Nigeria, 

Lanre Kolade, at the 2017 Broadband Summit organised by BusinessDay in 

Lagos.

62 --- Vanguard, MONDAY, JUNE 5, 2017 

Dammy Krane’s predicament: 

It takes a dragon 

heart to be me, 

he once posted 

on social media 

..as Tapjets vows to prosecute him 

Stories by Benjamin Njoku 

Popular Nigerian singer, Oyindamola Emmanuel a.k.a Dammy Krane 

once posted on social media that “It takes a dragon heart to be me.” 

That post, which he made on the 15th of December, 2015, may have 

come to fruition following his present predicament. 

Dammy Krane was arrested in Miami, the United States, last Friday, for 

credit card fraud. An American private jet service, Tapjets, had reported 

the singer to the Police, claiming that Dammy Krane booked for their 

service using details of a stolen card. 

According to the private jet service company, “This was why we 

reported the singer to the police and he was arrested for credit card 

fraud, grand theft and identity theft.” 

“Our policy is to prosecute to the fullest extent,” the company wrote 

on their Twitter handle. 

Meanwhile, undeterred Dammy Krane shared a post on his Twitter 

handle, saying, this is the time he will know his true friends. “In 

weird situations like this, you will start to see, who is with you and 

who isn’t. No fake love,” he wrote, adding, “See ehn… Understanding 

is a three-edged sword. Your side, my side, and the truth. Make 

dem talk.” 

Reacting to Dammy Krane’s arrest, Special Spesh, who is the Head of 

Corporate Sponsorship for DMW/HKN, the record label where the singer 

is signed to, posted a video with the caption, “ We dey togeda!!!!! #jetlife!!!! 

#diafada we are all scammers even your fathers are scammers and cheats 

once they see the opportunity to make and gain extra dem go put head!!!!! 

its a Nigerian p!!!!!” Dammy is currently in jail, pending when he meets 

his bail requirements. Believe it or not, his post. 

•Peace Anyiam 

•Dammy Krane 

Five star music drops 

manager, Soberekon 

Five Star music has announced that it has 

dropped its former manager Soso Soberekon 

in the bid to strengthen the record label, skills 

and improve its strategy and relationship with 

clients. 

This was made known by Kcee, the younger 

brother of the CEO of the record label, Emeka 

Okonkwo a.k.a E-money. 

According to a statement he posted on his 

Instagram page, weekend, Kcee said, “Five 

Star Music unveils new expansion and growth 

plans. As the label continues to grow , it is 

also important to grow our man power,skills 

and clients relations. In view of this ,the label 

has officially appointed a new manager 

.Henceforth all bookings and activities relating 

to Five Star music should be directed to Mr Dike 

Chidozie.” 

— AMAA boss, Peace Anyiam-Osigwe 

‘Why corporate Nigeria need to support us’ 

AHEAD of the hosting of this year’s edition of 

the prestigious Africa Movie Academy 

awards,AMAA, founder of the body, Peace Anyiam- 

Osigwe, went down memory lane during the week, 

declaring that the transparency and integrity of 

AMAA jury members are the rare qualities that set 

the brand apart from other award organizations in 

Nigeria. 

Peace,made this clarification during an 

interactive session with journalists in Lagos. This 

year’s AMAA awards is scheduled to hold on 

Saturday, July 15, at the National Theatre 

complex, Iganmu , Lagos. 

According to her, although, the 

uncompromising firm stand of AMAA jury 

members has earned the brand a bad name 

than it has given it a good name, the past 13 

years has seen AMAA moved away from being 

an African brand to a global brand. 

Reviewing the activities of AMAA in the past 

13 years, Peace said, apart from rewarding 

movie stars in Africa, AMAA has trained over 

5000 youths in film making. Besides, “Toronto 

Film Festival did not just happen. We invested 

by ensuring that jury members of these 

international film festivals are part of AMAA. 

It’s important we begin to make that 

evaluation between what is a sustainable event and event that survive 

on its own.” 

On competing with the organizers of Africamagic Viewers Choice 

Awards, AMVCA, Peace noted that they are not in competition with 

any award organization. “Dstv gives AMAA major support in terms 

Anitajosephfanspage 

When you give importance to people, 

they think that you are always free. But 

they don’t understand that you make 

yourself available for them every time... 

Appreciate each person that gives you 

his or her time. 

Realangelaokorie 

Thank you lord for my life, thank you for 

everything , without you am nothing, 

without you i would have been dead, i 

am not better than the one’s that are dead, 

but because of your grace and mercy you 

kept me. I surrender all to you, you alone 

deserve all the praise. Thank you for 

loving me. 

Jim.iyke 

When MEN visits late to decide the next 

course of affairs. Young Democratic party 

founder, Hon Henry Nwabueze, H.E 

Ikedi G.Ohakim and DG Young 

Democratic party. #Blessed 

#NextChapter #YDP #GodChosen 

#Gladysboi #AbujaNiteChronicles 

Bankyadesua 

With the right person, you don’t have to 

work so hard to be happy. It just happens, 

effortlessly... 

So much joy in one picture =ØÞd’þ 

@eLDeeTheDon 

Worrying about the possibility of failure 

is the reason most people don’t start, but 

failure is part of growing, it is necessary. 

•Kcee 

We are not competing with AMVCA 

of coverage. So, we don’t see them as our competitors. We are not in 

competition with AMVCA. We have Best of Nollywood Awards,BON, 

and other award bodies. For me, the more the merrier. You should 

look at what makes you different. What makes AMAA different is the 

transparency in our selection process and the fact that it’s totally based 

on merit. The transparency and integrity of our jury members are 

part of the things that our critics are using to give us a bad name,” 

she said. 

Speaking further, Peace said, “AMAA is more respected by AMVCA. 

AMAA is not a voting awards. I heard some people were questioning 

why films like ‘’76' which got many nominations, including in the 

Best Director of Cinematography at AfricaMagic Viewers Choice 

Awards couldn’t get nominations at AMAA. I replied them, saying 

they should evaluate the quality of the films in competition this year.” 

Peace believes that after 13 years of existence, AMAA supposed to 

be a strong brand that corporate Nigeria should be willing to do 

business with. “I can’t understand why we can’t have major 

sponsorship. I’m trying to move away from government support for 

AMAA. But Government need to feel the value of tourism. And we 

understand the valuation of tourism and what AMAA brings to the 

table. It’s not just an award that brings a lot of people into the country, 

but how do you know make use of those people to impact on your 

economy through tourism.” 

“That’s what I think Bayelsa State missed it when the state was 

hosting the awards ceremony. There has never been an evaluation 

of the movie industry and there has never been an evaluation of what 

AMAA has brought into the nation’s economy in the past 13 years. 

AMAA has ensured that our films break into the international film 

circuit.” 

Peace, however, revealed that part of the reasons she technically 

stepped aside in 2014, was to make the AMAA brand self-sustainable. 

“I didn’t want it to be about Peace,” she enthused.

Vanguard, MONDAY, JUNE 5, 2017 — 63 

AFCON qualifier: Eagles' 

preparations halfway through 

The Super Eagles are 

halfway through 

their preparations for the 

upcoming AFCON 2019 

qualifiers against South 

Africa, thanks to the 10- 

day training tour they 

had in France. 

Camp sources said 

coach Gernot Rohr tried 

various formations 

during drills before 

settling for two different 

formations based on how 

South Africa play. 

The source further 

revealed that because 

the coach had already 

settled for how they want 

to play against South 

Africa, he gave the 

players two days rest 

before training resumes 

today in Abuja, ahead of 

the June 10 cracker. 

“We already know how 

we are going to approach 

the game against South 

Africa from our training 

tour in France. So I can 

say we are halfway 

through 

our 

preparations for the 

game”, one of the 

players confirmed. 

“During our training 

tour in France we did a 

lot of drills regarding 

formations before 

settling for two 

formations. The coach 

said the formation to 

apply would be 

GREAT COMPANY: Mr. Francis Peters, Deputy 

MD, Aiteo Group (which signed up as NFF’s 

biggest–ever partner some weeks ago) (r) with 

FIFA President Gianni Infantino (l) in Cardiff, 

Wales venue of the UEFA Champions League final 

on Saturday. 

Rohr, Eagles skipper meet NFF 

bosses over cash 

Continued from back 

page 

bad as regards our 

bonuses, allowances 

and even ticket 

refunds,” said one of 

the affected players. 

Officials have already 

promised the Eagles 

will be paid the win 

bonus for the World 

Cup qualifier in 

Zambia in October last 

year. 

Nigeria won 2-1 in 

Ndola, but the players 

are yet to be paid the 

$5,000-a-man bonus 

several months after. 

“The players have 

again submitted their 

bank details and there 

is some hope they will 

now get this payment 

from the NFF,” . 

In the meantime, the 

Eagles are scheduled to 

train today evening at 

the Abuja National 

Stadium before they fly 

out to Uyo ahead of 

Saturday’s AFCON 

qualifier against South 

Africa. 

Kick-off time in Uyo is 

5pm. 

dependent on how our 

opponents approach the 

game,”the player said. 

“There is no point for 

Nigerians to worry over 

the break given to the 

players. They needed a 

breather, after ten days 

drilling in France which 

included two friendly 

games against Corsica 

and Togo”, the played 

stressed. 

Edo U-13 tourney: Use 

sports to eradicate 

crime, Imafidion tasks 

Gov Obaseki 

The cup donor and 

financier of the 

just concluded Edo U-13 

football championship, 

Mr. Gregory Imafidon has 

charged the Edo State 

governor, Godwin 

Obaseki, to channel 40% 

percent of the state’s IGR 

into sports development 

programmes. 

The Edo-born USbased 

ex-player stated 

this while presenting gift 

items and a giant gold 

trophy and medals to the 

winners of the competition 

at the Samuel Ogbemudia 

staching Benin City. 

“I am very happy 

watching these wonderful 

kids display various 

football artistry here at the 

Samuel Ogbemudia 

Stadium. You can see that 

they are elated and 

smiling home with the gift 

and cash prize. It is a big 

day to me. This is the main 

reason why this 

government of Godwin 

Obaseki showed channel 

just a little percentage of 

the state funds into 

developmental sports 

programmes”. 

Itel Mobile uses football to fight 

drug abuse 

As part of its 

intensified 

efforts to promote 

healthy living and safety 

in the society, itel 

mobile, one of the 

world’s largest makers 

of mobile phones, has 

taken to Nigerian 

campuses to sensitize 

students on the danger 

of drug abuse and how 

they can prevent 

themselves from it. 

The campaign which 

is aimed at arresting 

the worrisome rate of 

drug abuses among 

Nigerian students, was 

part of the company’s 

Corporate Social 

Responsibility (CSR). 

Recall that cases of 

drug abuses have 

become rampant on our 

campuses, with the 

unhealthy practices 

causing deaths or 

deformations in some 

instances, while in 

some, it led the 

students 

to 

unwholesome 

behaviours, which 

threatens the peace 

and stability of the 

society. 

In order to address 

this challenge, itel 

sponsored a 5-aside 

football tournament 

tagged “Powerball 

Tournament”, which 

focused on sensitizing 

the students on the 

hazard of drug abuse 

and how to guide them 

against it. 

Juve rake in • 109m from 

Champions League 

Juventus lost the 

Champions 

League Final to 

Real Madrid, but still 

earned more from the 

tournament this season 

than any other club: 

• 109m. 

The Bianconeri were 

beaten 4-1 in Cardiff 

and a victory would’ve 

generated income of 

• 113m from UEFA, 

sponsors, TV rights 

and ticket sales. 

Chelsea 

attacker 

Eden Hazard 

would consider a move 

to Real Madrid if the 


winners were to make 

an approach. 

“Of course, I would 

consider it if Madrid 

made an offer,” Hazard 

told reporters. 

“I am keen to win 

trophies. It would be 

great to win the 

Champions League. 

But Chelsea’s goal is to 

win the Champions 

League as well. 

Honestly, I do not know 

what will happen. 

“I only know that I 

Ronaldo 

Defeat proved to still 

be very lucrative 

indeed, as Calcio E 

Finanza note they 

pocketed • 109m 

through their 

participation in the 

Champions League. 

That’s more than any 

other club this season, 

as winners Real Madrid 

took home just • 80.9m. 

Juve are also the first 

side ever to break the 

• 100m barrier for 


revenue. 

This is largely due to 

the market pool, as 

there were only two 

Italian entrants this 

season, Roma going out 

in the preliminary 

round against Porto. 

Juve only had to split 

the TV rights for Italy 

with Napoli, who were 

eliminated by Real 

Madrid in the Round of 

16. 

Ronaldo: A new era 

has begun 

Real Madrid have 

laid 

the 

foundations for a 

lasting dynasty in 

Europe after claiming 

three Champions 

League titles in four 

seasons under Carlo 

Ancelotti and 

Zinedine Zidane. 

The Italian took over 

at the Bernabéu from 

José Mourinho and 

calmed the turbulent 

waters left behind by 

the Portuguese and 

Zidane has continued 

in his mentor’s image 

during his time at the 

club, promoting a 

sense of unity and 

mirroring Ancelotti’s 

Hazard: I’ll consider 

Madrid offer 

still have a contract 

with Chelsea for three 

seasons and that we 

just had an amazing 

2016-17 campaign. 

We want to 

continue 

this path and 

want to build 

on this in 

t h e 

Champions 

League. 

“I am 

avuncular approach to 

the players. 

The result is the 

club’s first Liga and 

European double since 

1958 and with an 

average squad age of 

26.5 years of age there 

could be plenty more to 

come, especially with 

new blood in the form 

of Marcos Llorente 

(22), Jesús Vallejo (20) 

and Theo Hernández 

(19) likely to join the 

first team next season. 

Vinícius Júnior (16) will 

arrive in the next year 

or two and Real are 

likely to join the 

bidding war for Kylian 

Mbappé 

summer. 

Barca salute Madrid 

C ongratulatory 

messages 

would have come 

flooding in for Real 

Madrid after they beat 

Juventus to claim the 

Champions League on 

Saturday. 

But one message in 

particular came from an 

unlikely source, league 

rivals Barcelona. 

One could argue it is a 

great show of 

sportsmanship, cheering 

on your compatriots to win 

Europe’s most coveted 

on 

•Hazard 

feeling very well at 

Chelsea. But you never 

know what will happen. 

“I have not met with 

the board yet to discuss 

a new deal. I have two 

games with Belgium 

club competition. 

However Barca and Real 

share one of the most 

fierce rivalries in 

European football and the 

tweet has caused some 

mixed responses from 

(18) this 

coming up first and I 

am off on my holiday 

after that. 

I want to think about 

football as little as 

possible.” 

fans. 

The Catalan giants 

tweeted: ‘Congratulations 

@RealMadrid for 

winning the trophy in 

Cardiff.’ 

Venus, Muguruza crash out 

Defending champion 

Garbine Muguruza 

was unhappy with a 

“really tough” crowd after 

defeat by home favourite 

Kristina Mladenovic at 

the French Open. 

The Spaniard, 23, lost 6-1 

3-6 6-3 on a packed 

Suzanne Lenglen Court 

which gave its full backing 

to Mladenovic. 

Seven-time Grand Slam 

winner Venus Williams 

lost to Swiss Timea 

Bacsinszky.

Vanguard, MONDAY, JUNE 5, 2017 

Battle of Uyo: 

Musa, Abdullahi 

defy Rohr 

ohr, , insist 

•Musa 

on Ramadan fast 

•Abdullahi 

TODAY'S PUZZLE 

NPFL RESULTS 

Pillars 2 Lobi 1 

MFM 1 FCIU 0 

ABS 2 Tornadoes 1 

Wikki 2 El-Kanemi 1 

Rangers 1 Nasarawa 1 

Enyimba 1 Plateau 0 

Katsina 1 Abia Warriors 0 

Remo 2 Gombe 0 

3SC 1 Sunshine 0 

FIFA U-20 World Cup (Q/Final Results) 

Venezuela 2 USA 1 

Portugal 2 Uruguay 2(4-5 pen) 

Today's Matches 

Italy v Zambia 9am 

Mexico v England 12noon 

Sudoku 

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. 

AFCON qualifier: 

Eagles’ preparations 

halfway through 

Barcelona 

salute Real Madrid 

YESTERDAY'S ANSWERS 

Eagles stars, Ahmed 

Musa and Shehu 

Abdullahi have insisted 

on observing the 

Muslim Ramadan fast 

for the upcoming 

AFCON qualifier 

against South Africa 

despite pleas by coach 

Gernot Rohr they should 

at least defer it. 

Alhassan Ibrahim 

‘Muazzam’ and fresh 

call-up Moroof Youssef 

of Zamalek are the other 

players on the 23-man 

squad who will insist on 

the Ramadan fast. 

A team official 

specially informed that 

Musa and Shehu fasted 

during the friendly 

DETAILS 

INSIDE 

Across 

27 Cover (3) 

2 Sorcery (5) 28 Blemish (4) 

7 Fete (4) 

30 Performed (3) 

8 Take (6) 

31 Child (3) 

9 Adjusted (5) 33 Slumber (5) 

11 Tear (3) 

36 Part (6) 

13 Fish (3) 

37 Speed (4) 

15 Deserve (4) 38 Late (5) 

16 Snake (3) Down 

18 Sported (4) 1 Enthusiasm (5) 

19 Fervour (7) 2 Rug (3) 

20 Too (4) 

3 Firearm (3) 

22 Responsibility (4) 4 Rotter (3) 

23 Jersey (7) 5 Expert (3) 

25 Flat (4) 

6 Track (5) 

Across: 1, Slot 5, Supper 8, Remit 10, 

Cinema 11, Eyed 14, Pacing 15, Concert 

18, Pin 19, Ire 21, Send 23, Inane 24, Seed 

27, Gig 29, Met 31, Nagging 32, Raised 

34, Tine 35, Erotic 38, Alder 39, Defend 40, 

Penny. 

against Togo in Paris 

and an unhappy Rohr 

hauled them off after the 

first half. 

Interestingly, Musa 

still scored twice within 

the first 17 minutes to 

give the Eagles a 

healthy lead. 

QUICK CROSSWORD 

10 Cupid (4) 

11 Eased (7) 

12 Ironed (7) 

13 Join (7) 

14 Sweet (7) 

16 Trite (5) 

17 Enquired (5) 

18 Court (3) 

21 Possess (3) 

24 Cash-box (4) 

26 Call on (5) 

29 Artery (5) 

32 Intelligence (3) 

33 Fixed (3) 

34 Stray (3) 

35 Snoop (3) 

YESTERDAY'S SOLUTIONS 

Both players are 

expected to start against 

South Africa on June 10 

in Uyo, but they may 

well have limited game 

time because Rohr does 

not expect them to give 

their best as a result of 

the fast. 

Rohr 

ohr, , Eagles skipper meet 

NFF bosses over cash 

O utstanding 

payments will top 

the agenda when top 

officials of the Nigeria 

Football Federation 

(NFF) led by president 

Amaju Pinnick meet 

today with Super Eagles 

coach Gernot Rohr and 

stand-in captain Ogenyi 

Onazi. 

The Eagles are 

grumbling over unpaid 

bonus, appearance fees, 

ticket refunds and camp 

allowances as they were 

not paid for the training 

camps in London in 

March as well as that in 

France this past week. 

“It has never been this 

Continues on page 63 

•Rohr 

Down: 2 Lei 3, Trench 4, Hem 5, Step 6, Precis 

7, Ragged 9, Marring 12, Yap 13, Dine 16, 

Once 17, Train 20, Engaged 22, Noon 24, Spread 

25, Emit 26, Desire 28, Ignore 30, Ten 33, Dead 

36, Rep 37, Inn. 

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: EZE ANABA. Phone: 01—4548355, All correspondence to P.M.B. 1007, Apapa Lagos.

05062017 - Presidency, NASS flex muscles over 400 ‘strange projects’

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