Independent 20170816-readme.ng

ASUU, FG Meeting Ends In Deadlock 

INNOCENT OWEH 

ABUJA 

The crucial meeting between the 

Read it online. Exactly as it 

appears in print. Subscribe to 

INDEPENDENT e-Paper. 

/<strong>Independent</strong>ngr @independentngr www.independent.ng • N200 

INDEPENDENT 

VOL. 15 NO. 542 WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 16, 2017 

THE MOST READ NEWSPAPER AMONG THE POLITICAL AND BUSINESS ELITE 

LOCAL AND INTERNATIONAL MARKETS 

COMMODITIES CURRENCIES - MARKETS 

BRENT US$50.64 COFFEE US$132.05 

CBN 

Parallel 

Market 

NSE 

MPR 14 0/N 86.9583 30.42 

USD 305 370 

1M 19.6226 0.58 

GOLD US$1278.40 SUGAR US$13.22 

ASI 37,096.60 

POUND 396 477 

16.10 3M 22.1958 0.10 

COCOA US$1860.00 N. GAS US$2.947 EURO 360 432 

% 

CAP N12.786trn 

6M 23.6251 0.09 

Commission Promotes 

6000 Police Officers 

INFLATION 

FMDQ – NIBOR 

CONTINUES ON .A5 • 

27 Killed, 83 

Injured In Boko 

Haram Suicide 

Attack In 

Maiduguri .A5 

lSuspends Special Promotion Over Bribery Allegation 

EFCC Begins 

Probe Of 

Failed Federal 

Road Projects 

In South-East 

The Economic and Financial 

Crimes Commission (EFCC) 

says it has initiated investigations 

into failed federal road 

contracts in the South-East. 

The commission has invited 

all contractors awarded 

various road contracts by the 

Federal Government for ques- 


leadership of the Academic Staff 

Union of Universities (ASUU) and 

the Minister of Labour and Employment, 

Chris Ngige, on Tuesday ended 

with no concrete resolution reached. 

The meeting which had executive 

members of ASUU and labour officials 

held at the Minister’s Conference 

Room, Ministry of Labour and 

Employment, Federal Secretariat, 

Abuja. 

The meeting will, however, continue 

on Thursday, August 17, 2017 

.A4 

Anti-Buhari 

Protest: Charly 

Boy, Others 

Escape Death At 

Wuse Market 

NICHOLAS UWERUNONYE 

JIDE OYEKUNLE 

ABUJA 

An alleged group of traders on 

Tuesday attacked a group of 

protesters led by Charles Oputa, 

popularly known as Charly 

Boy, at the popular Wuse Market 

in Abuja. Some traders said 

members of the group actually 

escaped death. 

A trader in the market said 


Some youths on rampage during attack on Charly Boy and members of #ResumeorResign group at Wuse Market in Abuja on Tuesday. 

PHOTO: JIDE OYEKUNLE 

Govt Officials Attempted To 

Undermine Osinbajo – Presidency 

TEMIDAYO AKINSUYI 

LAGOS 

The presidency on Tuesday 

revealed that some senior government 

officials attempted to 

undermine the authority of 

Acting President Yemi Osinbajo 

by taking memos and documents 

to President Muhammadu 

Buhari who is currently on 

medical vacation in the United 

Kingdom (UK). 

Making the revelation in an 

interview he granted Channels 

Television on Sunrise Daily, 

Garba Shehu, Senior Special 

Assistant to the President on 

Media and Publicity, however, 

said the president refused 

audience with the senior government 

officials and referred 

them to Osinbajo in Nigeria. 

Shehu, was reacting to an 

allegation by a human rights 

lawyer, Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa, 

who said Nigerians are 

being ruled from another country 

as sensitive materials are 

CONTINUES ON .A4 •

A2 

Business 

Town Planning Officers, 

Quacks Subvert Nigerian 

Architects – Ladega 

/<strong>Independent</strong>ngr @independentngr www.independent.ng 

News 

INDEPENDENT WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 16, 2017 

Whistle-Blower Policy: FG Receives 

5,000 Tips On Looted Funds 

I would say yes. You will actually be 

shocked and surprised to hear certain 

stories. There is a building in Cairo 

in a metropolis called Heliopolis. The 

building there is the headquarters of 

the African Export Import Bank. 

.C4 

Politics 

Constitution Doesn’t 

Require Buhari To Disclose 

Health Status – Shehu 

This is a democracy and we respect the 

rights of citizens to protest. Yes, it’s not a 

bad thing that about a dozen or so people 

congregating there to raise placards to ask 

those questions they are asking. 

.D1 

Sport 

D’Tigress Leave For Mali 

Wednesday 

D’Tigress will on Wednesday leave for 

Bamako for the 2017 Afrobasket tournament 

aboard an Air Cote d’Ivoire flight 

at 9:45am. 

The delegation which will be led by the 

Vice President of the Nigeria Basketball 

Federation, Babatunde Oguande will 

include 12 players, three technical crew 

members led by Sam Vincent and four 

other backroom staff. 

Newsmakers' 

.A14 

“The truth is that there is nothing 

in the Electricity Power Sector 

Reforms Act that stops any state 

from doing so, so the only thing they 

must do is to get NERC’s permit 

and licenses depending on whatever 

categorization of investment they 

want to do whether it is distribution 

or generation. I will support any 

state that wants to get involved in 

generating and also distributing 

power under its own arrangement.” 

- Babatunde Fashola, 

Minister of Power, Works and 

Housing. 

Mrs. Kemi 

Adeosun, Minister 

of Finance, 

on Tuesday said 

that the Federal Government 

has received a total 

of 5,000 tips from Nigerians 

through the Whistle-Blower 

Policy. 

She said this in Abuja 

during a presentation on 

“The Whistle-Blower Policy 

and its implication for 

public servants” which was 

delivered at a seminar organised 

by the Bureau of 

Public Service Reforms. 

The Whistleblower Policy 

which was launched in 

December 2016, is aimed at 

addressing the issues of corruption 

in the management 

of government resources. 

The finance minister 

explained that out of the 

5,000 reports received 

from Nigerians, about 365 

of them were actionable, 

adding that this has resulted 

in the recovery of huge 

sums of money for the government. 

Adeosun who did not provide 

details of the amount 

recovered when asked to do 

so noted that out of the 365 

actionable tips received by 

the government under the 

policy, over half of them 

came from public servants. 

As of June this year, the 

ministry had said that the 

sum of N11.63 billion had 

been recovered under the 

whistle blower policy with 

about N375.8 million paid to 

20 providers of information 

under the policy. 

She explained that the 

actionable tips dwelt on corrupt 

practices issues such 

as contract inflation, ghost 

workers, illegal recruitments, 

misappropriation 

of funds, illegal sale of government 

assets, diversion 

of revenues, and violation 

of Treasury Single Account 

regulations, amongst others. 

She said during the review 

of the information received, 

it was observed that 

certain types of tips keep 

recurring. 

For instance, Adeosun 

noted that 144 or 39 percent 

FG To Auction N135bn Bonds August 23 – DMO 

The Federal Government 

has offered for subscription 

by auction, N135 billion 

bonds in its August 23 auction, 

according to the Debt 

Management Office (DMO). 

The offering circular 

out of the 365 actionable tips 

relate to misappropriation 

and diversion of fund; 60 

complaints representing 16 

per cent relate to ghost workers, 

illegal recruitments 

and embezzlement of funds 

meant for personnel emolument, 

56 tips or 15 per cent 

relate to a violation of the 

TSA regulations. 

She added that 49 actionable 

tips or 13 per cent relate 

to contract inflation/violation 

of the procurement 

act and failure to carry out 

projects for which funds 

have been released, while 34 

tips or nine per cent relate to 

non-remittance of pension 

and National Health Insurance 

Scheme deductions. 

CBN Injects $364m Into Inter-Bank Forex Market 

The Central Bank of Nigeria 

(CBN) has intervened 

in the inter-bank market 

to the tune of $364 million 

to sustain liquidity in the 

foreign exchange (forex) 

market. 

Isaac Okorafor, Acting 

Director of Corporate 

Communications Department, 

CBN, said this in a 

statement on Tuesday in 

Abuja. 

Okorafor said the Retail 

Secondary Market Intervention 

Sales (SMIS) 

received the largest allocation 

of about $264.1 million. 

He said the CBN also offered 

$100 million to authorised 

dealers in the wholesale 

window. 

“The CBN also received 

requests from authorised 

forex dealers on behalf of 

their customers, for which 

results will be released. 

“The bank remains 

committed to achieving a 

Reps Probe FHA Over N3.7m Suspicious Expenditure 

AHMED MUSA 

ABUJA 

The House of Representatives 

Committee on Public 

Accounts on Tuesday set up 

a six-man sub-committee to 

probe the Federal Housing 

Authority over a suspicious 

expenditure running into N3. 

7million. 

This followed a query 

raised by the Office of the 

Auditor-General of the Federation 

for the year ended 2010. 

Tasking the sub-committee, 

Kingsley Chinda (PDP, Rivers), 

who chairs the Public Accounts 

Committee of the House, urged 

the members to examine the 37 

queries relating to deficit operating 

surplus. 

INDEPENDENT recall 

that the queries were stepped 

down earlier due to the inability 

of the agency to avail the 

panel with a copy of its 2009 

budget and audited accounts 

for 2009. 

Agric Loan Not National Cake, NGO Tells Farmers 

PATIENCE OGBO- 

DO-IWUAGWU 

BAUCHI 

Fahimta Women and Youth 

Development Initiative 

(FAWOYDI), a Non-Governmental 

Organisation 

(NGO), has attributed 

non-repayment of loan obtained 

by farmers as a factor 

hindering development 

of agriculture in Nigeria. 

Tosin Suberu, the Programme 

Officer of FAWOY- 

DI, stated this while presenting 

a paper Tuesday 

on “Smallholder Farmers 

Accountability to Agriculture 

Financing in Nigeria” 

organised by Fahimta in 

collaboration with Actionaid 

Nigeria in Bauchi. 

He frowned at the way 

some farmers refer to agricultural 

loan as a national 

cake which to them is not 

supposed to pay back, saying, 

“This attitude is killing 

obtained from the DMO’s 

website on Tuesday in Abuja 

indicated that it would 

sell N35 billion of a bond, to 

mature in July, 2021, at 14.50 

percent. 

It would also sell N50 billion 

at 16.28 per cent to mature 

in March 2027, while 

another N50 billion of paper 

would be sold at 16.24 per 

cent, to mature in April 2037. 

All the bonds on offer are 

reopening of previous issues, 

the circular said. 

Nigeria issues sovereign 

bonds monthly to support 

the local bond market. 

It also created a benchmark 

for corporate issuance 

to fund its budget deficit. 

convergence of rates at the 

inter-bank and Bureau-de- 

Change segments of the 

market,” he said. 

The apex bank had recently 

intervened in the 

wholesale, Small and Medium 

Enterprises (SMEs) 

and invisible windows to 

the tune of $195 million. 

Other documents demanded 

include the authority’s 

cash books for income and 

expenditure. 

Chinda, therefore, urged 

the FHA to avail the sub-committee 

with the documents 

and ensure maximum cooperation 

in order to carry out 

the assignment efficiently. 

agriculture development in 

the country.” 

Suberu said, “Non repayment 

of agricultural 

loan by farmers has affected 

Agric bank in the country 

because most farmers 

are seeing such loan as national 

cake and do not pay 

back.” 

Delta Steel Contractors Appeal To AMCON Over N8bn Debt 

JUSTICE IYASERE 

Contractors who did business 

with the previous investors 

in Delta Steel Company 

(DSC), Ovwian-Aladja, Delta 

State, now Premium Steel 

and Mines Limited, have appealed 

to the Assets Management 

Company of Nigeria 

(AMCON) to defray the more 

than N8 billion indebtedness 

to save them from further 

hardship and pains. 

Pat Natie, Secretary of 

Udu Contractors Association 

and Prince Joshua Efe, 

Chairman of Debt Recovery 

Committee, in a letter to 

AMCON, said they had earlier 

complied with a directive 

to submit all proofs of 

claims against the company, 

which were dully verified, 

lamenting that till date, the 

contractors had not been paid 

as against an earlier promise 

to that effect.

INDEPENDENT WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 16, 2017 /<strong>Independent</strong>ngr @independentngr www.independent.ng A3 

Obiano Re-Nominated APGA Flag- 

Bearer For Nov 18 Guber Poll 

CHUKWUJEKWU ILOZUE 

AWKA 

Governor of Anambra 

State, Chief Willie Obiano, 

was on Monday re-nominated 

flag-bearer of the 

All Progressives Grand 

Alliance (APGA) in the 

November 18 governorship 

election in Anambra 

State. 

Obiano was sole candidate 

of the party in the 

party primary held at the 

Dora Akunyili Women Development 

Centre, Awka. 

A total of 1,092 delegates 

voted in the primary election 

from whom Obiano 

got 1,070 ‘yes’ votes. Eleven 

voters said ‘No’ while another 

11 votes were invalid, 

according to the chairman 

of the eight man election 

panel who issued Obiano 

certificate of return. 

GBENGA FATUROTI 

OSOGBO 

Sharon Ikeazor, Executive 

Secretary of Pension 

Transitional Arrangement 

Directorate 

(PTDA), has disclosed 

that the agency has removed 

no fewer than 

15,200 ghost retirees from 

the Federal Government 

payroll in 2016. 

Speaking at the ongoing 

biometric verification 

of pensioners who 

retired from the federal 

civil service carried out 

in Osogbo, capital of 

Osun State, under the 

Defined Benefit Scheme 

(BS) in the South West 

zone, Ikeazor disclosed 

that the agency removed 

no fewer than 15,200 

ghost retirees from the 

Federal Government payroll 

in 2016. 

She affirmed that 

the ongoing biometric 

verification of pensioners, 

who retired from 

the federal civil service 

The South West Zonal 

Executive Committee of 

the People’s Democratic 

Party (PDP) has filed a 

suit before a Federal High 

Court, Abuja, seeking an 

order for the nullification 

of the 75th National Executive 

Committee (NEC) 

meeting of the PDP and 

the ratification or adoption 

at the special non-elective 

national convention of the 

party held last Saturday. 

The zonal executive, 

among other demands, 

also prayed the court to 

In his acceptance 

speech, Obiano promised 

to continue to spread prosperity 

in the state, adding 

that after eight years in office, 

other states will come 

to Anambra to learn how 

to turn their states into a 

world class state. 

He stressed that in his 

second term, he will concentrate 

on people as well 

as faith based organizations. 

In his own speech, former 

national chairman of 

APGA and director-General 

of Obiano Campaign 

Organization, Chief Victor 

Umeh, said APGA remains 

the party to beat. 

He pleaded with opponents 

of his party in the 

election to play according 

to the rules, saying that 

for anyone to be elected, 

he must count on the people’s 

votes. 

PTDA Uncovers 15,200 Ghost 

Pensioners In Civil Service 

would provide accurate 

database and eliminate 

ghost retirees, who may 

want to benefit from the 

payment of pension allowance. 

Ikeazor, who said the 

exercise was designed to 

provide fool proof data 

for all federal pensioners 

in the South West said after 

verification processes, 

that terminates at the 

quality assurance stage, 

PTDA, which is a Federal 

Government agency 

would commence the 

payment to the retirees 

after three months. 

Speaking during an 

interview at the sideline 

of the verification 

exercise, she maintained 

that “the verification 

of pensioners 

throughout the country 

started in 2015 at Southeast 

and the Northwest. 

The next phase we have 

in 2016 was the Northeast 

and after that, we 

moved to the South 

South. Now, we are in 

the Sout West”. 

grant an order nullifying 

the ratification by and/or 

affirmative resolution of 

the convention approving 

or effecting the dissolution 

of the PDP South West Executive 

Committee and the 

appointment of a South 

West Zonal Executive 

Committee in replacement 

thereof. 

The suit was filed in 

the court on behalf of the 

members of the South 

West Zonal Executive 

Committee of the party by 

its zonal secretary, Chief 

FG Faults ASUU’s Indefinite Strike 

•Says Action Negates Section 41 Of Trade Disputes Act, Cap T8, 2004 

INNOCENT OWEH 

ABUJA 

A 

fresh twist to 

the indefinite 

strike called by 

the Academic 

Staff Union of Universities 

(ASUU) emerged on 

Tuesday, with the Federal 

Government accusing the 

Union of breaching laid 

down constitutional procedures 

before embarking on 

the industrial action. 

Specifically, Minister of 

Labour and Employment, 

Dr. Chris Ngige, broke his 

silence over the strike, saying 

ASUU failed to give the 

Federal Government the 

mandatory 15 days notice, 

as contained in Section 41 

of Trade Disputes Act, Cap 

T8, 2004. 

He stressed that he expects 

ASUU to immediately 

suspend the strike pending 

the outcome of the Babalakin 

Committee set up by 

Government on Monday, 

13th February, 2017 which 

was sitting on the demands 

raised by the union. 

Ngige who spoke 

through his Deputy Director, 

Press in the Ministry, 

Pega Otemolu. 

The suit, FHC/ 

ABJ/732/2017, has the 

<strong>Independent</strong> National 

Electoral Commission 

(INEC), the PDP, Senators 

Ahmad Makarfi and Ben 

Obi, Eddy Olafeso, Bunmi 

Jenyo and the Inspector-General 

of Police, as 

defendants. 

This is even as the Ogun 

State chapter of the party 

under the leadership 

of Adebayo Dayo is also 

praying the same court 

to set aside its purported 

dissolution by the National 

Executive Committee 

(NEC) and the National 

Convention. 

The case with Suit No: 

FHC/ABJ/CS/701/2017 

has Engr. Adebayo Dayo 

and Alhaji Semiu Sodipo 

as the first and second 

plaintiffs who sued for 

themselves and on behalf 

of the Ogun State Executive 

Committee of the 

People’s Democratic Party 

(PDP). 

The defendants are the 

PDP and the <strong>Independent</strong> 

Samuel Olowookere, stated 

that his Ministry only 

received ASUU’s letter notifying 

him of the strike on 

Monday, 14th August, 2017, 

when it had already commenced 

the action. 

ASUU’s leadership led 

by Biodun Ogunyemi had 

declared a nationwide 

strike on Monday, over alleged 

recalcitrance by Federal 

and State governments 

to implement the provision 

of the 2009 Agreement, the 

MoU of 2013 and the understanding 

reached in 

November, 2016. 

The development has 

thrown over 80 public universities 

in the country 

into jeopardy, with their 

students, undergraduates 

and postgraduates alike, 

complaining. 

Whilst the Minister of 

Education, Adamu Adamu, 

has hitherto kept mum 

over the teachers’ action; 

Ngige has sent a subtle appeal 

to them to shelve the 

strike in the interest of the 

nation. 

Ngige said, “There was 

an on-going renegotiation 

of the 2009 agreement between 


and ASUU by the Babalakin 

Committee which 


set up on Monday 13th 

February, 2017, and which 

is already addressing the 

issues raised by ASUU. 

“Though the Federal 

Government did not wish 

to apportion blame, it is 

important to note that 

ASUU did not follow due 

process in the declaration 

of the industrial action as 

it did not give the Federal 

Government the mandatory 

15 days notice as contained 

in the Section 41 of 

Trade Disputes Act, Cap 

T8, 2004. 

“In fact, it was on Monday 

14th August, 2017 that 

the Office of the Minister 

received a letter dated 13th 

August, 2017 from ASUU; 

that is, one full day after it 

commenced the strike. 

“The letter was to inform 


that ASUU has 

started strike and not a 

declaration of intention to 

go on strike as contained 

in the Trade Dispute Act, 

2004.” 

According to the Minister, 

since the case was being 

addressed, it was against 

the spirit of Dialogue 

National Electoral Commission 

(INEC). 

According to the suit 

filed by Otemolu, the PDP 

deliberately defied and 

subverted the order and 

judgment of the Federal 

High Court in SUIT NO. 

FHC/L/CS/605/16, delivered 

on the May 17, 2016 

and June 24, 2016 respectively; 

and also contravened 

the terms and purpose 

of the interim order 

made on August 10, 2017, 

by the Federal High Court. 

The plaintiff contended 

and Collective Bargaining 

Agreement (CBA) for 

ASUU to embark on strike 

as enunciated in the ILO 

Convention. 

“The Federal Government 

therefore wishes to 

appeal to ASUU to consider 

the students who are 

currently writing degree 

and promotional examinations, 

call off the strike and 

return to the negotiation 

table. 

“The Ministry of Labour 

and Employment will 

ensure that a time frame 

will be tied to negotiation 

this time around.” 

“The Babalakin Committee 

was ever ready to 

continue the negotiation, 

indeed, it has all the necessary 

ingredients for 

fruitful social dialogue as 

well as adequate powers to 

negotiate and make recommendations 

to the Federal 

Government,” Ngige said. 

Meanwhile, academic 

activities are going on unhindered 

at the University 

of Abuja. When INDEPEN- 

DENT paid a visit to the almost 

three decade institution, 

the situation betrayed 

no indication that teachers 

had downed tools. 

South West Executive Committee, Ogun Exco Sue Makarfi, Obi, Others 

News 

Nkem Okeke, Deputy Governor, Anambra State (left); Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, Governor, Enugu State (second left); David Umahi, 

Governor, Ebonyi State (middle); Okezie Ikpeazu, Governor, Abia State (second right), and Rochas Okorocha, Governor, Imo 

State, during a press briefing after the meeting of the South-East Governors in Enugu on Monday. 

PHOTO: NAN 

that the PDP violated an order 

of interim injunction 

restraining the party from 

operating in the South 

West Zone of the party 

through any committee in 

which the applicant, Chief 

Pegba Otemolu and Chief 

Makanjuola Ogundipe 

are not members in the 

capacity of Secretary and 

Chairman respectively of 

the South West Zonal Executive 

Committee of the 

PDP pending the hearing 

and determination of the 

motion on notice.

A4 

News 



Commission Promotes 6000 Police Officers 

The Police Service 

Commission 

(PSC) has approved 

the promotion 

of over six thousand 

police officers. 

According to PSC 

sources, the list of promoted 

police officers will 

be sent to the Inspector 

General of Police, Ibrahim 

Idris Kpotum, within 

the week for announcement. 

However, PSC says it 

has suspended special 

promotion for policemen 

until further notice. 

Mike Okiro, Chairman 

of the commission, 

who disclosed this at a 

news conference in Abuja 

on Tuesday, said that 

the suspension became 

imperative, following 

complaints and allegations 

by members of the 

public. 

“Given the avalanche 

of disparaging reports, 

comments and allegations 

revolving around 

special promotions, the 

commission has decided 

to put on hold all recommendations 

until further 

notice,” he said. 

Okiro said that the 

promotions already processed 

would be referred 

back to the I-G of police 

for more details on the 

beneficiaries. 

He said that the commission 

had also set up a 

committee to investigate 

allegations of bribery 

against some members of 

the commission by some 

police officers. 

According to the 

chairman, the chairman 

is expected to submit its 

report in two weeks. 

“As a responsible organisation, 

the commission 

ensures that promotions 

are given to only 

deserving officers based 

on merit to encourage 

hard work,’’ he said. 

He said that guidelines 

developed by the commission 

on procedures for 

promotion had been sent 

to the I-G of Police. 

“To ensure objectivity, 

transparency and accountability 

in the process, 

the commission has 

also developed and issued 

guidelines on special promotion 

to the Nigeria Police 

Force.” 

He said that the implementation 

of the guidelines 

was being monitored 

and reviewed by 

the commission regularly. 

Okiro said that officers 

considered for special 

promotion in the force 

must have sufficiently 

shown concrete evidence 

for meriting it. 

“It should, however, be 

noted that performance 

of normal or routine duty 

will not qualify an officer 

for special promotion,’’ 

he said. 

He said that officers 

with exceptional performance 

or behaviour 

would be considered for 

special promotion even 

if they have not served 

the minimum number of 

years on a rank. 

Okiro said that the 

commission does not 

unilaterally award special 

promotion to officers, 

adding, “The major 

source or recommendations 

for special promotion 

is the I-G of Police,’’ 

he said. 

•CONTINUED FROM .A1 

being taken by ministers 

and senior government 

officials to the UK for 

approval by President 

Buhari. 

According to Adegboruwa, 

who was also a 

guest on the television 

programme, the ruling 

All Progressives Congress 

(APC) has lost the 

moral right to retain 

power when the administration 

of President 

Buhari expires in 2019. 

He added that the citizens 

have the right to 

know the health status 

of their president who 

has been in the UK for 100 

days, and that those asking 

him to either resume 

or resign were right. 

“Personally, we as Nigerians 

deserve to join 

the president in prayers 

to ask that he be healed 

and return to his duty 

post. But in terms of the 

length of stay, in terms of 

the manner of treatment, 

in terms of the strategy 

of relating with Nigerians 

concerning what 

the president is going 

through, it’s quite very 

discouraging and unfortunate 

because this is 

a party that came into 

power on the mantra of 

change and engagement 

and so we will be surprised 

that the president 

could be going through 

any circumstance of ill 

health which Nigerians 

are not entitled to know. 

“Today marks 100 days 

that the president has 

been out of the country 

on a consecutive basis 

Govt Officials Attempted To Undermine Osinbajo – Presidency 

and you wonder whether 

you can say you have 

such leadership in terms 

of the capacity of the 

executive president to 

manage the affairs of a 

nation. So I believe those 

agitating that the president 

should resume or resign 

are right in the sense 

that we didn’t anticipate 

that we will be ruled from 

another country because 

Nigeria is a sovereign nation,” 

he added. 

However, Shehu, who 

accused Adegboruwa of 

making reckless statements, 

said he is aware 

that the president sent 

back some senior government 

officials who tried 

to bypass the acting president 

by taking sensitive 

materials for approval in 

the UK. 

“I am surprised that 

he (Adegboruwa) as a 

lawyer has spoken so 

recklessly on so many 

matters about which he 

showed lots of dispassion 

about those matters. 

That was reckless 

of him because he said 

things that are just completely 

untrue. This man 

that has just spoken with 

Nigerians said this country 

is being run from the 

United Kingdom (UK). 

He said memos are being 

sent to the UK and that 

ministers are reporting 

to the president. That is 

false. He doesn’t know 

what he is talking about”. 

“Let me tell you this 

story. I am aware that 

senior officials of government 

have gone to 

President Buhari in the 

UK and taken some documents 

to him and asked 

him to deal with it. The 

president said ‘No, I 

won’t! The man responsible 

for the country is in 

Abuja, go back to him’. 

So, I think the idea is to 

make President Buhari 

look as if he is in charge 

but it is even disrespectful 

to the acting president”. 

Also speaking on 

whether it is morally 

right for the president 

to tell Nigerians the 

ailment he is receiving 

treatment for or whether 

he should resign if he 

feels he can no longer 

continue, Shehu said the 

constitution of Nigeria 

does not mandate the 

president to disclose to 

Nigerians the state of 

his health. 

He, however, said the 

president may decide on 

his own volition to tell 

Nigerians upon his return 

to the country if he 

deems it fit to do so. 

“You said morality, I 

have no competence placing 

morality in the realm 

of politics. However, I 

must say that I think the 

president has done the 

most that anybody can 

do in this circumstance. 

What I am saying is that 

there is politics and there 

is morality and they 

don’t always mix. 

“That is not to say that 

you can ask this question 

from the president if the 

president had said to 

you that ‘I will give full 

disclosure, one hundred 

percent of my health 

situation in all circumstances’. 

If the president 

fails to do that, then he 

has a moral problem. 

“When he campaigned, 

he said that I 

will declare my assets 

publicly. He got to office 

and lawyers of many 

colours are saying ‘sir, 

you don’t have to do it 

because there is no basis 

for it in law’. But because 

that commitment 

had been given, on the 

99th day of the 100 days 

promise he made, the 

president published his 

assets. The vice president 

also published his 

assets. Therefore, had it 

been the president had 

reneged on this promise, 

people would have raised 

the issue of morality. As 

it is now, we are dealing 

with matters of law. 

“The constitution 

of this country doesn’t 

make it a requirement 

for him to say that he 

must disclose his health 

situation. He went to the 

UK in January and when 

he returned, without the 

prompting of anyone, he 

faced the television cameras 

and said this is what 

I went through. 

“So, let’s give him the 

benefit of doubt and a little 

bit of patience. President 

Buhari will return. 

I will not be surprised if 

he stands before everyone 

and says ‘this is what 

I went through and it’s all 

over’”, he said. 

Speaking on the occasion 

of the president’s 100 

days in the UK, Matthew 

Urhoghide, representing 

Edo South Senatorial district 

in the National Assembly 

said the demands 

by some Nigerians that 

President Buhari should 

resign on health grounds 

is childish, saying the Nigerian 

constitution does 

not provide for that. 

Speaking in an exclusive 

chat with INDEPEN- 

DENT, Urhoghide said 

the fact that he is a member 

of the opposition People’s 

Democratic Party 

(PDP) will not make him 

support an unnecessary 

demand. 

Urhoghide, who is 

the Chairman, Senate 

Committee on Culture 

and Tourism, said rather 

than dissipating energy 

on whether the president 

should resign or not, Nigerians 

should pray for 

the quick recovery of 

the president so he can 

resume his work for the 

betterment of the country. 

He added that the president 

has fulfilled constitutional 

requirements by 

handing over to his deputy, 

Yemi Osinbajo, who is 

now the acting president. 

“If somebody is ill, it 

is not due to a desire of 

his. It’s just nature. I don’t 

know why people are 

making an issue out of 

it. To me, it is completely 

unnecessary. Let us pray 

for the well-being of this 

man so he comes back 

and continue his work. 

“All these people who 

are clamouring that the 

man should resign, do 

they want to take over his 

job? If they want his job, 

they should wait till 2019 

and contest in the presidential 

election. Why do 

they want him out? 

“He has an acting president 

who is doing the job, 

why can’t they just allow 

the man to have some 

rest? That I am a PDP 

senator does not remove 

my opinion on what illness 

and wellness means. 

Everything comes from 

God and I don’t know why 

those clamouring for the 

president’s resignation 

over health issues are 

playing God. 

“Resign on what 

grounds? Does the constitution 

provide for that? 

That when somebody is 

ill, the person resigns? 

We don’t have such position 

in our constitution. 

These are things that are 

completely out of the 

spheres of influence of 

man. 

“These are things that 

are in the exclusive preserve 

of God. Mandela 

was ill for 33 years and 

there are other countries 

where you find important 

dignitaries falling 

sick. So, I believe asking 

the president to resign on 

health grounds is a childish 

demand”. 


EFCC Begins Probe Of Failed Federal Road Projects In South-East 

tioning. 

The EFCC’s Zonal 

Head of Operations, 

Johnson Babalola, said 

this on Tuesday in Enugu 

while briefing journalists 

on the activities of the 

commission in the past 

seven months in the area. 

Babalola said that 

probe became necessary 

in view of the deplorable 

condition of the roads in 

the zone. 

“The deplorable condition 

of federal roads in 

the South-East has caught 

our attention. The zone 

has one of the poorest 

roads in the country. Yet, 

the contracts were awarded. 

“So, we have invited 

the contractors and we 

are currently inspecting 

their records. Everything 

that surrounds the award 

of the contracts and execution 

of the roads will be 

probed.” 

Babalola urged members 

of the public to avail 

the commission of useful 

information that would 

aid it to do the investigation. 

He said that the whistle 

blowing policy of the 

Federal Government still 

subsisted and urged the 

people to leverage on it. 

“We solicit for useful 

information from members 

of the public in order 

to get to the root of 

the investigation we have 

started.” 

He said that anyone, 

including contractors, 

politicians or ordinary 

Nigerians found culpable 

during the investigation 

would be prosecuted. 

Babalola also said 

that the zonal office had 

created an office at the 

Akanu Ibiam International 

Airport, Enugu, 

to checkmate money 

laundering. 

He said that the effort 

was in partnership with 

other sister agencies that 

had roles at the airport. 

He said that the EFCC, 

under the supervision 

of Ibrahim Magu, had 

recorded significant feat 

in the onslaught against 

corruption. 

Babalola attributed 

the success story of the 

commission to the zeal of 

President Muhammadu 

Buhari who had been at 

the vanguard of the fight. 

“Since the inception of 

this administration there 

has been resurgence in financial 

crime fight.” 

Babalola said that 

though the commission’s 

successes had drawn the 

ire of some politicians 

and their cronies, the 

commission was not deterred.


/<strong>Independent</strong>ngr @independentngr www.independent.ng A5 

News 


the attackers were pro-Buhari 

protesters. 

Charly Boy has been 

leading a protest demanding 

the resignation 

or return of President 

Muhammadu Buhari 

who is receiving medical 

treatment in the UK. 

Some of the traders 

said that the action of the 

protesters was politically 

motivated and not a representation 

of the minds 

of Nigerians. 

According to a trader, 

Charly Boy arrived the 

market on a power bike 

in company of other 

members of his group 

carrying placards and 

wearing T-shirts with 

inscription ‘Ourmumudondo’. 

He said some members 

of his group made 

efforts to gain entry into 

the market which was resisted 

by market officials 

leading to argument. 

“This attracted the 

youths in the market, 

believed to be loyal to 


Buhari who launched a 

Anti-Buhari Protest: Charly Boy, Others Escape Death At Wuse Market 

counter-attack against 

the group. 

“The youths began 

chanting Sai Baba! Sai 

Baba!! Sai Baba!!! And descended 

on the protesting 

group, chasing and hurling 

sticks and stones on 

them. 

“It took the intervention 

of the policemen 

who fired tear-gas into 

the air to disperse the 

angry mob to save situation”, 

he said. 

“Charly Boy came to 

this market with some 

cameramen doing his 

protest here. 

“I was standing in 

front of my shop when I 

saw him running for his 

dear life, being chased by 

those youths,” another 

trader at the market said. 

“They nearly lynched 

him, because those 

youths almost overpowered 

police security near 

him.” 

He was rescued by 

security operatives who 

fired gunshots and teargas 

to disperse the angry 

crowd. 

The security operatives 

later returned to 

remove Charly Boy’s motor 

bike from the market, 

using tear-gas to disperse 

the protesters who tried 

to stop them. 

A jewelry trader, 

Malam Adamu Musa, 

said that the protesters 

had the right to protest 

but pointed out that they 

ought to know that the 

president was not on 

“honeymoon” in the UK. 

“These protesters 

should know that it 

is not everything that 

one should politicise, 

especially the issue of 

health,” Musa said. 

Filibus Abuh, a petty 

trader, said that they 

never expected the protest 

to be taken to the 

market where common 

Nigerians were looking 

for their daily bread. 

Abuh said that the protest 

disrupted business 

activities in the market 

for some hours. 

The spokesman of the 

Police Command in the 

FCT, DSP Anjuguri Manzah, 

said that the prompt 

intervention of the police 

averted a major clash between 

two opposing sides 

at the market. 

“The police had 

brought the situation 

under control at the market,” 

Manzah said. 

He said that to forestall 

further breakdown 

of law and order, the 

management of the 

market had ordered its 

closure. 

Manzah also said that 

a large contingent of 

policemen had been deployed 

to the market to 

provide security. 

Wuse market is Abuja’s 

largest and is dominated 

by northerners, 

many of them supporters 

of President Buhari. 

The group had also 

protested at the popular 

Unity Fountain in Abuja. 

Last week, police teargassed 

the protesters, 

including the popular 

entertainer, Charly Boy, 

alleging that hoodlums 

had infiltrated the protest 

march. 

Charly Boy also collapsed 

in the process. 

We’ll Not Be Stopped— 

ResumeorResign Group 

Meanwhile, Deji Adeyanju, 

convener of the ResumeorResign 

group, agitating 

for full disclosure 

on the health of President 


has said the group 

will not be deterred in its 

quest for the right thing 

to be done. 

In a statement, Adeyanju 

said that they were 

attacked by known supporters 

of President Muhammadu 

Buhari while 

on a visit to Wuse Market, 

adding that the assault 

was spearheaded by 

a member of the pro-Buhari 

support group. 

The statement reads: 

“This attack was completely 

unprovoked. 

This is the third in a series 

of attack carried out 

against us using a combination 

of policemen and 

paid hoodlums. 

“It is saddening that 

the administration of 


Buhari would rather 

commit scarce national 

resources to such underhand 

tactics than give 

full disclosure regarding 

the health of the president. 

“We reiterate commitment 

to remain resolute 

in demanding full disclosure 

regarding the state 

of health of the president. 

“It is the right of the 

Nigerian people to know 

the true state of health 

of the man they voted 

into power and for whose 

healthcare they are paying. 

“We also restate our 

commitment to remain 

law abiding in the face 

of such constant provocation. 

Our rights to 

freedom of speech and 

peaceful assembly are 

constitutional rights that 

we will not allow to be abrogated,” 

he pledged. 


where parties to the dispute 

hope to take significant 

steps towards the resolution 

of the issues raised 

by ASUU. 

The forum agreed on 

the forensic audit of the 

sum of N30 billion earlier 

given to ASUU in 2010 and 

further agreed on monthly 

remittances to ASUU 

while the audit lasts. 

Ngige said he wishes 

to assure members of 

ASUU and all Nigerians 

that government was already 

at work to resolve 

all outstanding issues in 

line with the resolve of 

the present administration 

to cast any form of 

disruption of universities’ 

academic calendar into the 

dust bin of history. 

The strike called by the 

Academic Staff Union 

ASUU, FG Meeting Ends In Deadlock 

of Universities (ASUU) 

on Monday paralysed activities 

in most of the 88 

federal and state owned 

universities in the country. 

ASUU commenced an 

indefinite nationwide 

strike due to Federal Government’s 

failure to fulfill 

the 2009 agreement made 

with it. 

Prof. Biodun Ogunyemi, 

ASUU President, said on 

Monday in Abuja that 

the decision to embark on 

the industrial action was 

resolved at its emergency 

National Executive Council 

meeting held on August 

12. 

According to him, 

during the strike, “There 

shall be no teaching, no 

examination and no attendance 

of statutory 

meetings of any kind in 

any of our branches till 

government meets the 

union’s demands”. 

Biodun Ogunyemi said 

the action became necessary 

owing to breach of 

the memorandum of understanding 

(MoU) for the 

2009 FG/ASUU agreement 

on financing of state universities; 

breach of the 

conditions of service; 

refusing to honour the 

Earned Academic Allowance 

(EAA) and re-negotiation 

of the agreement. 

Ogunyemi, while addressing 

a press conference 

on Monday, said the 

2009 agreement revolved 

around conditions of service, 

funding, university 

autonomy and academic 

freedom all of which government 

has been lackadaisical 

in implementing. 


is believed to owe 

universities over N880 billion 

in intervention fund 

as a fallout of the NEEDS 

Assessment report. 

Also on the list of the 

union’s demands are: 

foot-dragging over ‘funds 

for the revitilisation 

of public universities, 

non-release of NUPEM- 

CO operational licence, 

non-payment of earned 

academic allowances, 

payment of fractions/ 

non-payment of salaries, 

retired professors and 

their salaries and university 

staff schools. 

In the 2013, in the MoU 

entered with ASUU, the 

Federal Government 

agreed to make funds 

available for the revitalisation 

of the university 

system, amounting to N1.3 

trillion in six years, based 

on yearly release of N220 

billion, starting with N200 

billion in 2013. 

There was also an 

agreement to open a 

dedicated revitalisation 

account with the CBN 

to warehouse the fund, 

including setting up a 

central monitoring committee 

to monitor the 

implementation of the 

revitalisation of the universities. 

ASUU also accused 

government of reneging 

on payment of outstanding 

balance of the Earned 

Academic Allowances 

after verification of the 

payment made from the 

initial N30 billion, among 

others. 

It would be recalled 

that at a recent public 

function, Abdulrasheed 

Abubakar, Executive 

Secretary, National Universities 

Commission 

(NUC), met with bursars 

of universities across the 

country, and stated categorically 

that university 

administrators should 

jettison clamour for full 

autonomy as the Federal 

Government would never 

concede to such demand. 

He explained that in 

view of the fact that public 

universities rely on 

government for subventions 

to operate, granting 

them autonomy would be 

tantamount to throwing 

away its regulatory rights, 

especially checking financial 

excesses in the institutions. 

A woman suicide bomber 

blew herself up and killed 

27 others at a market in 

northeast Nigeria on Tuesday, 

two local officials said, 

in an attack bearing the 

hallmark of Boko Haram 

militants. 

Two more suicide bombers 

detonated their devices 

at the gates to a nearby refugee 

camp, wounding many 

people, an emergency services 

official said. 

According to agency report, 

in all, 83 people were 

wounded in the three explosions 

near the city of 

Maiduguri, epicentre of 

the long-running conflict 

between government forces 

and Boko Haram. 

Nigeria’s military last 

year wrested back large 

swathes of territory from 

the Islamist insurgents. 

27 Killed, 83 Injured In Boko Haram Suicide Attack In Maiduguri 

But they have struck back 

with renewed zeal since 

June, killing at least 143 

people before Tuesday’s 

bombings and weakening 

the army’s control. 

The group has waged an 

eight-year war to create an 

Islamic state in northeast 

Nigeria, and provoked 

international outrage by 

kidnapping more than 200 

schoolgirls known as the 

Chibok Girls in April 2014. 

Its better-known faction, 

led by Abubakar Shekau, 

has mainly based itself in 

the sprawling Sambisa forest, 

and been characterised 

by its use of women and 

children as suicide bombers 

targeting mosques and 

markets. 

A rival faction, based in 

the Lake Chad region, led 

by Abu Musab al-Barnawi 

and boasting ties to Islamic 

State, has in the meantime 

quietly become a deadly 

force capable of carrying 

out highly-organised attacks. 

Last month, an oil prospecting 

team was captured 

by al-Barnawi’s group. At 

least 37 people, including 

members of the team, died 

when rescuers from the 

military and vigilantes attempted 

to free them. 

The Boko Haram insurgency 

has killed 20,000 

people and forced some 2.7 

million to flee their homes 

in the last eight years. 

We’ll Carry Out Fresh 

Attacks In Maiduguri, 

Shekau Warns 

Meanwhile, Abubakar 

Shekau, leader of the Boko 

Haram sect, has threatened 

to carry out fresh attacks in 

Maiduguri, capital of Borno 

State. 

The ancient city has 

come under repeated attacks 

from the sect in the 

last one month. 

In a new video, Shekau 

vowed to deal with the people 

living in Maiduguri “because 

of their association 

with infidels. 

“You are finished, you 

the people of Maiduguri, 

we will finish you for choosing 

the way of the infidels, 

for embracing democracy,” 

said the sect leader who 

spoke in Arabic. 

Shekau also denied the 

claim of the military that 

he sustained injuries in an 

air raid. 

He added that if the military 

succeeds in capturing 

him, his ideology would 

outlive him. 

“I am fine, nothing has 

happened to me. I am even 

stronger than I was before,” 

he said. 

“I am nothing. Even if 

you capture me, you cannot 

capture the religion of 

Islam. You can capture me 

today because I am nothing. 

But it won’t stop the 

religion of Allah which we 

are committed to. This gun 

I am holding is nothing, we 

rely strongly on the ultimate 

power of Almighty God.” 

On July 22, Tukur Buratai, 

Chief of Army Staff, 

gave his men 40 days to capture 

Shekau dead or alive. 

Boko Haram Attacks 

Two Villages In 

Adamawa 

Boko Haram insurgents 

also attacked and razed 

Muduvu and Nyibango 

villages in Madagali Local 

Government Area of Adamawa. 

The attack is coming few 

days after similar ones in 

Ghumbili and Mildu villages 

of the area where several 

lives were lost. 

Chairman of Madagali 

Local Government 

Council, Malam Yusuf 

Muhammed, said on Tuesday 

in Yola that the latest 

attacks lasted from 11pm 

to 12 midnight on Monday.

A6 

News 



Buhari Calls Koroma, Condoles With Sierra 

Leoneans Over Tragic Mudslide 


Buhari has condoled 

with President Ernest 

Bai Koroma and the 

people of Sierra Leone 

over the loss of lives 

and devastation caused 

by mudslide in the West 

African country. 

Femi Adesina, Presidential 

Special Adviser 

on Media and Publicity, 

said Buhari expressed 

his condolence in a telephone 

call from London 

to Koroma on Tuesday. 

Buhari stated that 

the hearts of Nigerians 

were with the people 

of Sierra Leone in this 

Angry Students Shut Down 

Bayelsa Varsity Over Fee Hike 

IGONIKO ODUMA 

YENAGOA 

Angry students of the 

Niger Delta University, 

Wilberforce Island, have 

shut down the institution 

in protest against 

what they termed outrageous 

hike in tuition fees 

and electronic course 

charges. 

The students were also 

aggrieved that the university 

authority did not involve 

the Students’ Union 

Government (SUG) in decision 

making processes. 

The protest, which took 

place on Monday at the 

university main campus 

in Amassoma, disrupted 

academic activities and 

paralysed commercial activities 

in the community. 

The students, who demanded 

the halt of the 

fees, barricaded the main 

entrance to the institution 

and prevented vehicular 

Alhaji Shettima Yerima, 

leader, of the Coalition of 

Northern Group (CNG), 

has claimed that the 

October 1 quit notice 

issued by Arewa youths 

to Igbos residing in the 

north had the backing 

of prominent leaders of 

the region. 

He made this disclosure 

in Lafia, during 

the zonal meeting of the 

coalition in Nasarawa. 

He explained that in 

June 2017, a group of 

prominent northern 

leaders met with members 

of Arewa youths to 

take the position. 

“On June 6, 2017, a 

group of leaders from 

the North came together 

to deliberate on the 

situation in the country. 

“After their deliberation, 

we realised the 

need to make a statement 

on the activities 

tragic period in the history 

of the country. 

He prayed that Almighty 

God would comfort 

those mourning 

their loved ones as well 

as those that suffered 

other losses. 

Koroma thanked Buhari 

for his show of concern, 

brotherly love and 

wished him good health. 

At least 270 people 

were reportedly killed on 

Monday after heavy rains 

over-ran the city’s drainage 

system and created 

one of the most devastating 

floods Freetown has 

experienced. 

movements for several 

hours. 

Mr. Kemes Mitin, the 

institution’s SUG president, 

who led the protest, 

said the management of 

the Bayelsa State-owned 

university was gradually 

turning it into a private 

one in its quest to generate 

more revenue. 

He called on the university’s 

authorities to review 

the fees and levies downwards 

as he stressed that 

many students would not 

afford the high cost of education 

at the institution. 

Although, no official of 

the NDU was on hand to 

address the protesting students, 

they carried out the 

demonstration peacefully 

without skirmishes. 

This is the second time 

since May that students 

of the institution would 

take to the streets to draw 

attention to hike in the 

fees and other levies at 

the university. 

Northern Leaders Asked Us To 

Give Igbos Quit Notice – Yerima 

of the Biafra agitators 

in the country”, he said. 

As the deadline 

draws closer, he said 

the group would soon 

meet to take a stand on 

the next line of action. 

He said the Kaduna 

declaration was in 

response to the Biafra 

agitation. 

“We cannot fold our 

hands to watch an individual 

hold this country 

to ransom. 

“We can’t allow an 

individual insult our 

leaders and play over 

our sensibilities,” he 

said. 

He said the quit notice 

was a signal to 

Kanu and his group 

that Nigeria cannot be 

undermined by a single 

individual, even as he 

described Kanu as a frustrated 

human being seeking 

political relevance. 

Olusola Teniola, President, Association of Telecoms Companies of Nigeria (left); Daniel Asapokhai, Executive Secretary, Financial 

Reporting Council of Nigeria (second left); Prof. Umar Danbatta, Executive Vice Chairman, Nigerian Communications Commission 

(NCC) (third left); Senator Olabiyi Durojaiye, Chairman, NCC Board (middle); Irene Robinson Ayawale, Head/Legal Counsel, 

Nigerian Stock Exchange (third right); Sunday Dare, Executive Commissioner, NCC (second right), and Clement Baiye, member, 

NCC Board, during the code of corporate governance for telecom industry sensitisation workshop in Lagos on Tuesday. 

Saraki Promises Quick Passage Of Anti- 

Hate Speech, Jungle Justice Bills 

ROTIMI AKINWUMI 

ABUJA 

Bukola Saraki, 

President of the 

Senate, has assured 

that once 

the Senate resumes plenary 

in September, the 

upper legislative chamber 

will give quick attention 

to Bills that seek to 

prohibit hate speeches as 

well as jungle justice. 

The rising tension in 

the country, he said, has 

become worrisome, noting 

that the Senate can no 

longer act as if all is well. 

In a statement signed by 

Mr. Yusuph Olaniyonu, his 

Special Adviser on Media 

19 Lawmakers Back New Edo Speaker 

FRANCIS ONOIRIBHOLO 

BENIN 

and Publicity, Saraki stated 

that the Senate is ready 

to give the Hate Speech Bill 

accelerated consideration 

when it is presented by 

the executive. 

“At this point in time, 

when people are heating 

up the political and social 

space with their utterances, 

the Hate Speech 

Bill will help to mitigate 

against verbal attacks 

or expressions against 

individuals or groups on 

the basis of ethnicity, religion, 

and even gender. 

“This will help to 

send a clear message 

with accompanying punitive 

measures to those 

negative elements in our 

society that are fond of 

Adjoto Kabiru, the new 

Speaker of Edo State 

House of Assembly, on 

Tuesday presided over the 

plenary with18 members 

attending. 

Adjoto elected on the 

platform of the All Progressives 

Congress (APC) 

representing Akoko-Edo 

Constituency 1 was on 

Monday elected by 16 

members of the house 

after the impeachment 

of the former Speaker 

Justine Okonoboh (APC) 

representing Igueben 

Constituency, the Deputy 

Speaker Elizabeth Ativie 

(APC) and the majority 

leader, Foly Ogedengbe 

(APC), Owan East Constituency. 

Those absent from 

the plenary were the impeached 

three principal 

officers and Magnus Ezehi-Igbas 

(PDP) representing 

Esan North-East 11, 

who was also suspended 

for trying to resist the 

impeachment process on 

Monday. 

Also absent were Audu 

Abdul Ganiyu (APC), Etsako 

West 1 who was on 

apology and Chris Okaeben 

(APC) Oredo West 

who was absent without 

any reason. 

At the sitting the 

Speaker who commended 

the members of the 

house for the new leadership 

assured that it would 

provide purposeful and 

proactive leadership to 

ensure that members legislate 

for the betterment 

of the entire people of 

the state. He also ordered 

the Clerk of the house to 

ensure the immediate retrieval 

of all official vehicles 

in the custody of the 

impeached three principal 

officers for the use of 

the new elected officials. 

FRANCIS ONOIRIB- 

HOLO 

BENIN 

A group of Esan speaking 

People in Edo Central 

Senatorial District, 

under the aegis of Concerned 

Esan Sons and 

Daughters on Tuesday 

decried the marginalisation 

of the district in 

the politics of Edo State. 

The group, which rose 

from a meeting in Benin 

City where the impeachment 

of Dr. Justine 

Okonoboh was discussed, 

in a communique, noted 

with great concern the 

open marginalisation and 

discrimination against 

Esan people. 

While urging the government 

to urgently intervene 

in the crisis rocking 

the state House of Assembly, 

the group called for 

distasteful comments 

that hurt, offend and 

provoke retaliation,” the 

president of the senate 

said. 

Saraki also stated that 

the Anti-Jungle Justice 

Bill (SB. 109), which is 

sponsored by Senator 

Dino Melaye, (APC-Kogi), 

will also help to curtail, 

protect and prohibit 

Nigerians across the 

country from meting out 

extra-judicial justice to 

perceived offenders without 

recourse to statutory 

legal channels. 

“There have been many 

cases of extrajudicial executions 

across the nation. 

We all remember the “Aluu 

Four” incident, and several 

other notorious cases 

of phone and food thieves 

being set ablaze. 

“We cannot have a situation 

where people feel 

that they can take the law 

into their hands. 

“Therefore, we must 

put in place careful stopgaps 

and penal measures 

to protect the sanctity of 

our communities” Saraki 

said. 

The Senate President 

also stated that the committee 

on judiciary and 

the rules and business 

committees of the senate 

would work to ensure that 

Anti-Jungle Justice Bill is 

quickly passed and sent to 

the House of Representatives 

for concurrence. 

Group Alleges Marginalisation Of 

Edo Central Senatorial District 

the immediate reversal of 

the speakership position 

to the zone. 

In the communiqué 

signed by Mr. Roy Oribhabor, 

the convener of the 

meeting, said since the 

Edo South had the governor 

and the North, the deputy 

governor, it was only 

fair for Central to have the 

speakership position. 

He, however, said that 

it was the position until it 

was truncated by the ouster 

of Dr. Justine Okonobor 

as the Speaker of the 

assembly on Monday. 

The group called for 

the urgent and immediate 

reversal of the position if 

the people of the central 

senatorial district is to 

have sense of belonging. 

“We call on Edo State 

government to as matter 

of urgency intervene in 

the crisis in Edo State 

House of Assembly.”


Reps Walkout CBN, UBEC Officials 

Over Poor Representation 

AHMED MUSA 

ABUJA 

IGONIKO ODUMA 

YENAGOA 

The Campaign for Development 

and Democracy in 

Bayelsa (CDDB), a Yenagoa-based 

non-governmental 

organisation, has urged 

the people of Kolokuma/ 

Opokuma Local Government 

Area of the state to 

imbibe the practice of participatory 

democracy. 

CDDB also asked the 

people to use their permanent 

voter’s card (PVC) to 

“vote out suffering and 

usher in good governance 

and development in their 

area” in the next governorship 

election. 

Dr. Ekiyor Welson, 

Executive Director of 

DANIEL ABIA 

P/HARCOURT 


has been enjoined to 

channel more investment 

to science and technology 

sector for the speedy development 


Nyesom Wike, Rivers 

State Governor, who made 

TOR VANDE-ACKA 

MAKURDI 

Benue State government 

has declared that it has 

shut down about 2,424 

illegal nursery, primary, 

secondary and tertiary 

institutions spread 

across the 23 local government 

areas (LGAs) 

of the state. 

Government also 

warned the “powerful individuals” 

responsible for 

the establishment of the 

illegal schools not to dare 

government by reopening 

such institutions without 

following the approved 

laid down procedures. 

Prof. Dennis Ityavyar, 

The House of 

Representatives 

Committee on 

Public Accounts 

on Tuesday walked out 

officials of the Central 

Bank of Nigeria (CBN) 

and the Universal Basic 

Education Commission 

(UBEC) over what it 

termed improper official 

representation and 

appearances before it. 

Both agencies had sent 

representatives who appeared 

before the committee 

to defend the Auditor 

General of the Federation 

(AuGF’s) queries for 2010 

but the committee tactically 

advised them to excuse 

the gathering and go 

back to inform their chief 

executives and accounting 

officers to appear in 

person. 

However, the marching 

order was not without a 

fair hearing on the part 

of the committee as members 

listened to the leader 

of UBEC delegation, Mr. 

Umoru Gambia a director 

at the Commission, who 

explained that the executive 

secretary, Mr. Dikko 

Suleiman could not appear 

because he had gone 

to Silicone in the US for a 

seminar on basic education. 

Consequently, TajudeenYusuf 

(PDP, Kogi) 

asked the director whether 

he has a letter to back 

up his claim that his principal 

gave him mandate 

to represent him and he 

responded that there was 

no such communication. 

Yusuf therefore said: 

“We can’t conduct an exercise 

in futility because 

we can’t carry out an investigative 

hearing that 

will remain endless. 

Ruling on the matter, 

committee, chairman, 

Kingsley Chinda, (PDP, 

Rivers), told the officials 

that “it is our tradition to 

only honour accounting 

officers and no reason was 

adduced for his absence. 

“Your excuse on his behalf 

is not acceptable, you 

still have a period of grace 

which is the last one, once 

he fails to appear we’ll apply 

the relevant sections 

of the Constitution to 

compel him to appear. 

“The secretariat will 

furnish you with the next 

date that he is expected to 

appear before us”, Chinda 

ruled. 

Meanwhile, as soon as 

the CBN team led by one 

Mr. Lazarus Agbor, a director 

at the bank announced 

his appearance, he told the 

members that just like the 

case with UBEC, no letter 

of authority was given to 

him to represent the CBN 

governor as he is unavoidably 

absent. 

He told the committee 

that the governor and two 

deputy governors were in 

South Africa and the third 

deputy governor was in a 

meeting at the Presidential 

Villa. 

Dropping the gavel 

on their case, chairman 

Chinda said: “This is the 

first invitation to the CBN 

governor and he never 

deemed it fit to honour the 

parliament’s invitation. 

Vote Out Suffering In Next Guber Poll, 

Group Tells Bayelsa Communities 

CDDB, made the call at 

the weekend when the 

group took its campaign 

on people-centered electoral 

process to the Kolokuma/Opokuma 

LGA. 

During the sensitisation 

tour, the group held town 

hall meetings at Kaiama, 

headquarters of the LGA, 

and Igbedi community 

which were attended by 

community leaders, chiefs, 

elders, women and youth 

groups from the various 

communities in the area. 

The event also saw to 

the official commissioning 

of the CDDB offices 

in Kaiama and Igbedi to 

coordinate its activities in 

the LGA. 

Welson appealed to 

the people not to allow 

politicians enslave them 

anymore with imposed 

candidates by inducing 

them again with money 

on election day. 

“Only vote for people 

with credible and sparkling 

character, those 

that can create jobs for the 

masses and take development 

to the grassroots in 

the state, into positions of 

trust”, he said. 

In his remarks, Chief 

Gbeinpei Appah, chairman 

of Kaiama Community 

Development Committee, 

described CDDB 

as a new initiative that 

has the capacity to change 

the face of politics and development 

in Bayelsa. 

He advised the state 

leadership of the NGO to 

ensure that their presence 

was well established in all 

communities in the state 

to send a clear political 

message to the political 

class. 

Invest In Technology For National 

Development, Wike Urges FG 

the appeal said it became 

necessary because technology 

was the catalyst 

of quick development. 

Speaking at the Government 

House Port Harcourt 

on Tuesday when he 

granted audience to national 

executive council 

of the Science Teachers 

Association of Nigeria 

(STAN), Governor Wike 

regretted that the Federal 

Government is yet to give 

the sciences, the priority 

attention they deserve. 

Governor Wike noted 

that science teachers 

should be encouraged 

with necessary incentives 

to carry out their responsibilities 

of preparing 

Nigerian children for developmental 

roles. 

Benue Shuts 2,424 Illegal Nursery, Primary, 

Secondary, Tertiary Institutions 

State Commissioner for 

Education, Science and 

Technology, disclosed 

this at a press briefing at 

the old banquet hall of 

the Benue Peoples’ House, 

Makurdi of Tuesday. 

A breakdown of the 

numbers of schools shut 

down is 1,975 nursery/ 

primary schools; 435 secondary 

schools and 14 tertiary 

institutions. 

According him, “Illegal 

schools in our context 

refers to schools that have 

not been duly certified by 

the Ministry of Education 

or have not obtained 

operational approval for 

their establishment. That 

is, they (institutions) are 

yet to obtain phases two 

and three approvals as in 

the case of primary and 

secondary schools respectively.” 

He lamented that “Illegal 

schools have caused 

a lot of havoc in the educational 

system in the 

state to the school child”, 

adding that such schools 

are “perpetrators of examination 

malpractices; 

the so-called miracle centres 

employing mostly untrained 

and unqualified 

secondary school leavers 

as teachers.” 

Stating some of the reasons 

for the closure of the 

schools, Ityavyar said, the 

institutions were behind 

the “Poor performance of 

students in both internal 

and external examinations; 

enhance massive 

examination malpractice 

in schools; production of 

half-baked graduates and 

decay in moral values 

and norms in the society 

among others. 

Sokoto Assembly 

Impeaches Deputy Leader 

News 

The Sokoto State House 

of Assembly has impeached 

its Deputy Leader, 

Alhaji Kabiru Ibrahim 

(APC- Kware), following a 

no-confidence vote passed 

by members. 

Alhaji Salihu Maidaji, 

the speaker, announced 

the decision of the House 

at a plenary on Tuesday 

that the removal was 

endorsed by the 21 members. 

“I have received a letter 

of vote of no confidence 

in the Deputy House 

Leader duly signed by 21 

members of the Assembly 

in accordance with Order 

Six, Section 11, sub-section 

(3) of the Standing 

Orders of Sokoto State 

House of Assembly 2014 

as amended. 

“The signatures of the 

21 members that passed 

the votes of no confidence 

in Kabiru Ibrahim, member 

representing Kware 

as Deputy House Leader 

are hereby accepted. 

“Consequently, we 

replace him with Alhaji 

Ibrahim Sarki as the new 

Deputy House Leader 

(APC- Sokoto North II),” 

he said. 

In an interview with 

newsmen after the impeachment, 

the House 

Leader, Alhaji Garba Bello 

(APC- Yabo), noted that 

the vote of no confidence 

followed constitutional 

breaches by Ibrahim. 

He accused Ibrahim of 

engaging in some political 

activities ahead of the 2019 

general elections in violation 

of INEC guidelines. 

“Ibrahim arranged 

a delegation with other 

members to mobilise in 

support of a governorship 

aspirant and as such 

he breached our Standing 

Orders.” 

HELEN 

I, formerly known and addressed as UJU 

HELEN EZEAGU, now wish to be known and 

called OBIANUJU HELEN EZEAGU. All other 

documents remain valid. General public please 

take note. 

OLUWAKEMI 

I, formerly known and addressed as MISS REBECCA 

OLUWAKEMI AJEWOLE, now wish to be known 

and called MRS REBECCA OLUWAKEMI. ADESUYI. 

All other documents remain valid. General public 

please take note. 

CONFIRMATION OF NAME 

This is to confirm that AMAOBI IKECHUKWU 

OGBONNAYA and OGBONNAYA OBINWANNE 

are one and same person. All former documents 

remain valid. General public take note. 

NWABOLIWE 

I, formerly known as MISS MIRIAN MGBATOGU 

now wish to be known as MRS MIRIAN 

NWABOLIWE OZOH. All former documents 


FERDINAND 

I, formerly known and addressed as MR. 

FERDINAND IBEAFUKWAM MONDAY, now 

wish to be known and called MR. IBE MONDAY 

FERDINAND. All other documents remain valid. 

General public please take note. 

PUBLIC NOTICE 

EL-CHANNUN INTERNATIONAL FOUNDATION 

This is to inform the general public that the above named organization has 

applied to the Corporate Affairs Commission for registration under part “C” 

of the Companies and Allied matters Arts.1990. 

THE TRUSTEES ARE: 

Pastor (Princess) Agnes Udo Kingbrown 

- Intl President 

Eno Enobong Ekiko 

- Intl Coordinator 

Mrs. Rosalind Mfon Okon 

- Secretary 

Unwanaobong Enobong Ekiko 

- Member 

Pastor (Engr) Sunday Titus Uboh 

-Member 

Pastor (Barr) Uto Ralph Essien 

(Legal Adviser) 

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: 

1)Empowerment. 

2) Rehabilitation of women especially the girl child. 

3) Fight against domestic violence of any kind. 4) Rehabilitation and 

training of prostitute and traffic women/girls. 5) Enlightenment / 

sensitazation on health related issues especially as it concerns women etc. 

Any objection to this registration should be forwarded to the Registrar 

General, Corporate Affairs Commission, Plot 420 Tigris Crescent, Maitama, 

Abuja, within 28 days of this publication 

Signed 

PASTOR (PRINCESS) AGNES UDOH KINGBROWN (INTL PRESIDENT)

A8 

News 

Osun Denies 

Outbreak of 

Lassa Fever 

GBENGA FATUROTI 

OSOGBO 

Osun State government 

has denied outbreak of the 

dreaded Lassa fever in any 

part of the state. 

A statement issued and 

signed by Mr. Sola Fasure, 

Media Adviser to the Governor, 

the government said 

there is no confirmed case 

of outbreak of the fever in 

the state. 

The government noted 

that the case of a corpse 

brought from Lagos, which 

death was linked to Lassa 

Fever, was subjected to 

laboratory test and tested 

positive to the fever but was 

buried before the autopsy 

report came out. 

According to the statement, 

the State’s Ministry 

Of Health promptly put 

the relatives of the corpse 

on a 21-day surveillance but 

none of them exhibited any 

symptoms or signs of the 

fever. 

Government also said 

that there is round the 

clock surveillance going on 

across all the local governments 

in the state to make 

sure that the people are protected, 

prevented and safe 

from the disease. 

Government therefore 

directed that the people 

should be on red alert and 

take necessary and proactive 

interest in what goes on 

around them so as to report 

any strange symptoms to 

the authorities on time. 

Stop Sale Of 

Unauthorised 

Drugs, NAFDAC 

Warns Dealers 

DANIEL ABIA 

P/HARCOURT 

The National Agency for 

Food and Drug Administration 

and Control (NAF- 

DAC) has called on Patent 

Medicine Dealers in Delta 

State to desist from selling 

unauthorised drugs and 

vaccines in their premises. 

Jude Ndekile, the state 

NAFDAC Coordinator, 

stated this in Asaba while 

displaying some unwholesome 

products confiscated 

by the agency. 

“In course of our routine 

inspection we have 

observed that some patent 

medicine stores sell drugs 

that are beyond their mandate,” 

adding that drugs 

such as high dose tramadol 

of 120ml, 200ml and 250ml 

were being sold in patent 

medicine stores while 

banned drugs like anlagen 

injections, gentamycin 20 

injections and other injectables 

were found in some 

stores.” 


Our Achievements In Office Are 

Undeniable, PDP Replies APC 

ROTIMI AKINWUMI 

ABUJA 

The war of words 

between the ruling 

All Progressives 

Congress 

(APC) and the opposition 

Peoples Democratic Party 

(PDP) has refused to abate 

as the opposition party 

insisted yesterday that it 

performed excellently in 

office as against the abysmal 

report the APC is ascribing 

to it. 

Since last Saturday 

when the former President, 

Goodluck Jonathan, 

openly at the non-elective 

convention of the PDP 

gave pass mark to the administration 

of the PDP 

before the advent of the 

APC government, both 

parties have been firing 

salvos at each other. 

The opposition party 

in response to the latest 

diatribe by Garba Shehu, 

Special Assistant Media 

to the President, said that 

the government of the day 

is making efforts at undermining 

its achievement in 

office. 

In a statement signed by 

Prince Dayo Adeyeye, National 

Publicity Secretary 

of the PDP, the opposition 

party said the attempt 

by various members of 

the APC to downplay the 

achievements of PDP was 

borne out of ignorance. 

Faulting the APC further, 

the PDP insisted that 

the ruling party is obviously 

being economical with 

the truth because it has 

not been able to make any 

meaningful impact on government 

over two years 

into its four year mandate. 

“We have read comments 

made by the National 

Publicity Secretary 

of the All Progressives’ 

Congress (APC), Alhaji 

Bolaji Ojo-Abdullahi, Mallam 

Garba Shehu, Special 

Assistant to the President 

on media and other senior 

members of the ruling 

party such as former 

Governor Segun Oni and 

Dr. Osita Okechukwu, the 

Director General of the 

Voice of Nigeria where 

they attempted to rubbish 

the comments made by former 

President Goodluck 

Jonathan that his administration 

performed well 

during his term in office. 

“It is our firm belief 

that these statements were 


borne out of ignorance, 

are lacking in depth and 

are devoid of the sort of 

critical thinking that one 

would expect from highly 

placed government officials. 

“However, these officials 

seem bent on continuing 

what has become 

an official position of the 

ruling party to reduce 

commentary on public issues, 

and indeed the art of 

governance, to comedy. 

“It is shameful and embarrassing 

that having 

been in power for two and 

a half years, the ruling 

party is unable to point 

to cogent, convincing and 

data driven achievements. 

“Instead, it has spent 

the bulk of its time designing 

and implementing 

a communication strategy 

around massive propaganda, 

half-truths and outright 

falsehood in an attempt to 

continually deceive the Nigerian 

people.” 

The party insisted that 

its achievement are visible 

and should be accepted so 

by the ruling party. 

For the sake of emphasis, 

we reiterate our 

position that the administration 

of former President 

Goodluck Jonathan 

performed well during its 

term in office. 

“There are no indices 

anywhere in Nigeria, or 

indeed in the world, by 

which the administration 

of President Muhammadu 

Buhari can be measured 

as performing better than 

any PDP administration 

since 1999. 

“For the avoidance 

of doubt, some of the 

achievements of our party 

while in power include: As 

at May 29th, 2015 Nigeria 

was the largest economy 

in Africa valued at over 

$500 billion. A combination 

of the incoherent 

policies and the incompetence 

of the ruling party 

have significantly shrunk 

the size of the Nigerian 

economy since the inception 

of the current administration.” 

“As at May 29th, 2015 

Nigeria was the No 1 destination 

for Foreign Direct 

Investment (FDI) in Africa. 

Up to that point, investors 

responded to the policies 

designed and implemented 

by the Jonathan administration 

by investing 

billions of Dollars in the 

Nigerian economy.” 

Godwin Obaseki, Governor, Edo State, addressing intending pilgrims, during his visit to the hajj camp in Dumez Road, 

Benin City, Edo State on Tuesday. 

U C H E N W O S U 

UMUAHIA 

Ude Oko Chukwu, Abia 

State deputy governor, 

has asked journalists to 

be objective, fair and unbiased 

in their reportage 

in line with the ethics of 

their profession, even as 

he urged them to collaborate 

with government 

to enthrone a durable democracy. 

In a statement signed 

by Orji Francis Okpe, his 

Personal Assistant, the 

Abia number two citizen 

explained that journalists 

as the conscience of the 

society, must focus on development 

journalism, ensure 

factual reportage by 

investigating their sources 

of news thoroughly and 

balancing stories before 

going to press. 

Oko Chukwu, who was 

reacting to reports linking 

him with the arrest and 

detention of one Prince 

Dan Iyke, a critic of the 

state government in Ohafia, 

Abia State, condemned 

the incessant attack on 

public office holders by 

media practitioners who 

publish without verifying 

their stories. 

He lamented that several 

public office holders 

had been condemned in 

public without having 

the opportunity to react to 

allegations made against 

them and urged media 

practitioners to resist the 

urge to vilify public office 

holders and strive to verify 

their reports before 

going to press. 

“My attention has been 

drawn to reports making 

the rounds that I masterminded 

the arrest and 

UPP Suspends 

Chidoka, Others 

For Anti-Party 

Activities 

CHUKWUJEKWU ILOZUE 

AWKA 

Anambra State chapter 

of the United Progressives 

Party (UPP) has 

suspended indefinitely 

two of its governorship 

aspirants, namely former 

Aviation Minister, Chief 

Osita Chidoka; and Chief 

Chudi Ofodille for alleged 

anti-party activities. 

The party also announced 

the suspension 

of the party’s National 

Treasurer, Mr. Flint Obiekwe, 

and National Assistant 

Secretary, Nwabueze 

Anyichie, following its 

emergency meeting in 

Awka on Monday. 

The state chairman of 

the party, Dr. Sylvester Igwilo, 

addressing the press 

said their suspension subsists 

pending the determination 

of their case by the 

party’s disciplinary committee 

of seven members 

set up in line with Article 

21, Paragraphs 3 and 4 of 

its Constitution. 

He stated that Chidoka 

and Ofodille who defected 

to UPP from the People’s 

Democratic Party (PDP) 

did not show documentary 

evidence of their resignation 

from their former 

party as required by Article 

7 Paragraph B of the 

UPP Constitution. 

According to him, both 

aspirants introduced 

money politics into the 

party as well as inducing 

members to gain advantage. 

Reeling out their infractions, 

he said that the 

duo “introduced money 

politics by inducing members 

with cash donation, 

which tends to bring the 

image of the party to ridicule; 

going to Abuja to 

deposit illegal N5 million 

without consent and approval 

of state Executive 

Committee; appearing 

for a purported screening 

without the approval 

and authority of the state 

Executive Committee outside 

the provision in the 

party’s constitution Article 

16(d).” 

Be Objective In Your Reportage, Abia Deputy Gov Charges Journalists 

detention of one Prince 

Dan Iyke. This allegation 

is unfounded. The purveyors 

of such information 

went to the public without 

verifying their reports. I 

have no hand in his arrest. 

“Those accusing me of 

masterminding his arrest 

should rather contact the 

Police to ascertain why he 

is being detained. I have 

no hand in his arrest,” 

he said.

INDEPENDENT 

Politics 

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 16, 2017 

Our View 

Stop The Brain 

Drain In Health 

Sector Now 

A recent report that 

about 2,500 Nigerian 

medical doctors of different 

cadre are going 

to leave the country in 

search of better opportunities 

abroad in September 

is worrisome. 

D6 

Why Fayose 

And Buhari Must 

Work Together 

– Owolabi 

A government is the reflection 

of the society; 

no government can 

perform better than 

the ability of the components 

of the society. 

D3 

Quote Of The Week 

“If you don’t see 

anything wrong when 

leaders flash the 

images of their sibling’s 

matriculation or 

graduation ceremonies 

in some of the world’s 

most prestigious or 

elitist universities, you 

shouldn’t see anything 

wrong with ASUU strike 

and demand for a better 

deal for Nigerian Universities. 

Giving some 

children the best of 

education and denying 

some children same is 

aimed at entrenching 

and sustaining a political, 

social and economic 

dynasty of class order.” 

- Shehu Sani, Senator 

Representing Kaduna 

Central Senatorial 

District. 


Temidayo Akinsuyi +2348051334311; temidayo.akinsuyi@independentnig.com 

•Interview 

•Our View 

•Your Views 

Constitution Doesn’t Require Buhari 

To Disclose Health Status – Shehu 

Garba Shehu, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity was a guest on Channels 

Television on Tuesday where he spoke on the calls by some Nigerians that President Muhammadu 

Buhari should resume or resign. He also responded to claims by a human rights lawyer, Ebun- Olu 

Adegboruwa that Nigerians are being ruled from the United Kingdom (UK).TEMIDAYO AKINSUYI who 

monitored the session brings the excerpts: 

You recently issued a statement that 

those asking President Buhari to resume 

or resign are overstepping their 

bounds. Why did you say that? 

This is a democracy and we 

respect the rights of citizens to 

protest. Yes, it’s not a bad thing 

that about a dozen or so people 

congregating there to raise placards 

to ask those questions they 

are asking. The problem is that 

when you probably know where 

they are coming from; when they 

are vassals of the opposition political 

party and their antecedents 

are written all over their faces. 

We wish that they were more 

dispassionate individuals, honest 

Nigerians who really have the 

interest of the country at heart 

and not agency of the opposition 

political party. 

Does it take away the credibility of 

what they were saying because quite 

a number of people also share their 

view? We just had Ebun Adegboruwa 

this morning who is not a known 

member of any political party and he 

said he believed what the protesters 

are asking for is quite right. How do 

you respond to that? 

I am surprised that he (Adegboruwa) 

as a lawyer has spoken 

so recklessly on so many matters 

about which he showed lot of dispassion 

about those matters. That 

was reckless of him because he 

said things that are just completely 

untrue. This man that has just 

spoken with Nigerians said this 

country is being run from the 

United Kingdom (UK). He said 

memos are being sent to the UK 

and that ministers are reporting 

to the president. That is false. He 

doesn’t know what he is talking 

about. Let me tell you this story. 

I am aware that senior officials of 

government have gone to President 

Buhari in the UK and taken 

some documents to him and 

asked him to deal with it. The 

president said ‘ No, I won’t! The 

man responsible for the country 

is in Abuja, go back to him’. So, 

I think the idea is to make President 

Buhari look as if he is in 

charge but it is even disrespectful 

to the Acting President. 

The very fact that you mentioned 

that such a scenario arise was one of 

the things Mr. Adegboruwa pointed to 

and that is loyalty. He said the loyalty 

Shehu 

of the ministers will continue to lie 

with the president who appointed 

them and not the Acting President. 

What is your take on this? 

That doesn’t follow. Anybody 

who said that doesn’t understand 

the implications of the constitution 

of this country. Once the 

president has transferred power 

to the Acting President, if you are 

the Inspector- General of Police 

and the Acting President said 

go and do these things, you are 

fired if you refused to do it. So, 

nobody will joke with their jobs. 

Yes, we are loyal to the president 

but everyone knows that this is 

the locus of authority. 

Shouldn’t the people who tried to 

undermine the authority of the Acting 

President be fired? 

No. Maybe they are mistaken. 

That is to underscore to you that 

this is a law and order president. 

If this is a president who wanted 

power for his own sake, he would 

probably have been giving directives 

from over there. But he said 

‘no, I have done the right thing. I 

have handed over to the Acting 

President. Deal with him’ and 

that is how directives should be 

done. 

The law has specified what should be 

done if the president falls ill, but when 

you look at the political situation, can 

the law really handle that? 

The law and the constitution 

have foreseen it and I think constitution 

is very fair to individuals, 

in this case President Muhammadu 

Buhari. The constitution 

gives him the process by which he 

can go and take care of himself. I 

also believe that the constitution 

is also fair to the country because 

by handing over the reins of authority 

to the Acting President, 

the constitution is also fair to the 

country. 

For how long can the president be 

away for? 

The constitution of Nigeria 

is an evolving document. As we 

are speaking, it is an open-ended 

thing. There is no timeline. As 

long as the right thing has been 

done, which the president has 

done by handing over to his deputy, 

it is off the table. 

D3 

D6 

D7 

D1 

We all wish the president well, but 

if he feels the illness will take a long 

time, maybe six months and he has 

just four years, do you think it will be 

fair for Nigerians to ask him to resign 

or for the president to say I may not 

be able to continue? 

In choosing the president, we 

had a ticket which is a candidate 

for president and a candidate 

for vice-president- one team. So, 

therefore once that team is in 

place, you have lost nothing. 

Do you think the president has moral 

grounds to tell Nigerians if he will not 

be able to continue? 

You said morality, I have no 

competence placing morality in 

the realm of politics. However, 

I must say that I think the president 

has done the most that anybody 

can do in this circumstance. 

What I am saying is that there is 

politics and there is morality 

and they don’t always mix. That 

is not to say that you can ask this 

question from the president if the 

president had said to you that ‘ I 

will give full disclosure, one hundred 

percent of my health situation 

in all circumstances’. If the 

president fails to do that, then 

he has a moral problem. When 

he campaigned, he said that I 

will declare my assets publicly. 

He got to office and lawyers of 

many colours are saying ‘sir, you 

don’t have to do it because there 

is no basis for it in law’. But because 

that commitment had been 

given, on the 99th day of the 100 

days promise he made, the president 

published his assets. The 

vice- president also published 

his assets. Therefore, had it been 

the president had reneged on 

this promise, people would have 

raised the issue of morality. As it 

now, we are dealing with matters 

of law. The constitution of this 

country doesn’t make it a requirement 

for him to say that he must 

disclose his health situation. He 

went to the UK in January and 

when he returned, without the 

prompting of anyone, he faced 

the television cameras and said 

this is what I went through. So, 

let’s give him the benefit of doubt 

and a little bit of patience. President 

Buhari will return. I will not 

be surprised if he stands before 

everyone and says ‘this is what 

I went through and it’s all over’.

D2 

Politics 



Obasanjo Tasks Nigerian 

Youth On Governance 

AUGUSTINE ADAH 

LAGOS 

The desire to have a 

place in the leadership 

position of the 

country has always 

been the pursuit of youths 

in Nigeria. That was why 

several events organised to 

mark this year’s International 

Youth Day focused 

on their roles in the governance 


For instance, several 

speakers at Youth Governance 

Dialogue, an event 

organised by the Youth Development 

Centre, an arm 

of the Olusegun Obasanjo 

Presidential Library 

(OOPL), in Abeokuta took 

time to encourage them to 

work hard in order to assume 

leadership position. 

While former President 

Olusegun Obasanjo who 

spoke at the event agreed 

that our youths have important 

role to play in the 

governance of the country, 

urged them to work harder. 

To Obasanjo, leadership 

positions are never given on 

a platter of gold and urged 

the youth to work for them. 

He noted that moral values 

had been eroded, unlike in 

the 50s and the 60s, adding 

that sound moral values 

were necessary ingredients 

for leadership. 

In Obasanjo’s view, Nigeria 

is in dire need of leaders 

who are academically and 

spiritually sound. 

He urged the youth to 

stop complaining, “moaning 

and agonising”. He advised 

them to get ready to fit 

into elective offices as there 

were moves now to lower the 

age for President, Governor 

and National Assembly. 

”I joined politics from 

the top. The only position I 

contested for is President, 

but I had a track record of 

achievements, which led to 

that. 

”Nobody will choose you; 

you have to choose yourself. 

Why should you have to become 

president at the age of 

40? “Why can’t you become 

president at the age of 35? 

Why can’t you become president 

at the age of 30? 

”General Gowon became 

Head of State at 33. I became 

Head of State at 39. And it is 

because of my track record, 

and thanks to Abacha (the 

late Gen. Sani Abacha) for 

putting me in jail. 

”Those were the reasons 

why I had the opportunity 

to come back as elected 

President. The point is this 

-how are you prepared? Are 

you really prepared? 

Obasanjo 

I joined politics 

from the top. The 

only position I 

contested for is 

President, but I 

had a track record 

of achievements, 

which led to that 

”You should engage in 

things that will bring about 

unity and integration. You 

see yourselves as Nigerians 

and one family instead 

of pursuing things that 

could divide the country,” 

Obasanjo said. 

Kanu Agabi (SAN), former 

Attorney General of 

the federation who spoke 

at the event in the paper titled 

“The role of our youth 

in contributing to the Peace 

and stability of the nation,” 

advised youths across the 

country to strive towards 

unity and peace of Nigeria. 

He said, ”If Obasanjo can 

make it, you can also make 

it. He joined the army and 

survived. When he was sent 

to prison, he survived. He 

was sentenced to death but 

here he is.” 

In view of rampant cases 

of youths involvement 

in kidnapping, cultism and 

other forms of criminalities, 

Bayo Ojo (SAN) who 

was also former Attorney 

General and Chairman 

of the occasion, advised 

youths to shun violence and 

“remain committed to Nigeria’s 

development”. 

Reacting to Obasanjo’s 

advise, Eric Oluwole, National 

President, Yoruba 

Youth Council (YYC), said 

it is time the youths realise 

that it is not only tomorrow 

that belong to them but now. 

He said, “There is a saying 

before now that the 

youths are leaders of tomorrow, 

but we don’t want 

to wait for tomorrow, we 

want the youths to be part 

of what is happening now.” 

Oluwole expressed confidence 

in the ability of Nigerian 

youth to assume a leadership 

role in the country 

and commended Obasanjo 

for baring his mind on the 

matter. 

He “I can assure you that 

in 2019 general elections, 

you would see more of our 

youths coming out to contest 

than the previous practice.” 

Senator Suileman Nazif 

representing Bauchi North 

described the recent vote in 

favour of a bill seeking to 

alter sections 65, 106,131 and 

177 of the 1999 Constitution 

as a move to include Nigerian 

youth in the process of 

governance. He commended 

the National Assembly for 

such bold step. 

The decision by members 

of the National Assembly 

could be described as 

a positive response to the 

request by a coalition of 

youths from different ethnic 

groups in the country 

appealing to government 

to allow them participate 

in governance by ceding 50 

percent of both position to 

them as a panacea to youth 

restiveness in the country. 

They urged politicians 

in the country to give heed 

to their demand before the 

forth coming 2019 general 

elections in the country. 

The group under the aegis 

of Ethnic Nationality Youth 

Leaders forum, met few 

days before the decision of 

the senate to amend the constitution 

in order to give the 

youths better opportunity. 

According to a communiqué 

signed by the presidents 

of the Ohaneze Youth, 

Ijaw Youth Council, Yoruba 

Youth Council, Arewa 

Youth, Middle Belt Forum, 

North East and Ibibio Youth 

Council, they vehemently 

agitated that if government 

wants to nip in bud conflicts, 

they must give them 

elective and appointed positions 

from state to federal 

levels. 

The President of Ijaw 

Youth Council, Pereotubo 

Oweilaemi, who read the 

text of the communiqué to 

newsmen in Abuja, lamented 

that the interest of the 

youth is not being protected 

and that is why they are saying 

it’s a must that by 2019, 

irrespective of any political 

party in the country, they 

should give Nigeria youths 

50 per cent of elective position 

and 50 per cent of 

appointed position after 

election. 

It could be recalled that 

Not Too Young to Run Movement, 

a Non-Governmental 

Organisation, led by one 

Mr. Samson Itodo stormed 

the National Assembly on 

July 25 demanding that the 

age restriction on elective 

and appointive positions 

in the country be removed 

from the constitution. 

Itodo expressed displeasure 

over the past practice 

where age has become a 

barrier for youths aspiring 

to elective and appointive 

positions. He maintained 

that time had come for 

young Nigerians to be given 

the opportunity to run 

for office, adding that once 

a person is eligible to vote, 

he or she should be eligible 

to run for office.

INDEPENDENT WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 16, 2017 /<strong>Independent</strong>ngr @independentngr www.independent.ng D3 

Politics 

Why Fayose And Buhari Must 

Work Together – Owolabi 

What is your assessment of 

the President Muhammadu 

Buhari administration so far? 

A government is the reflection 

of the society; no 

government can perform 

better than the ability of the 

components of the society. 

The problem we have is that 

there is character deficit in 

Nigeria, not only in terms 

of the leaders, but also of 

the followers to the extent 

that they are now so corrupt 

that they are now looking for 

thieves, armed robbers and 

the most corrupt elements 

as people that they will vote 

for because they will buy 

them. There is no magic this 

government, the last one or 

the future will perform without 

the transformation and 

change of attitude of the followership. 

But, it is the job 

of the leader to put in place 

a mechanism to change the 

attitude of the people voluntarily 

and not by coercion as 

we are doing in Nigeria. It 

has to be a deliberate effort 

to use knowledge and wisdom 

to transform the minds 

of the people. So, I call upon 

all professionals, all those 

who have gone through the 

walls of tertiary education 

to come out, no good job 

can be done by an individual. 

You remember when the 

former President of United 

States, Mr. Barack Obama 

came to Ghana in 2009, he 

refused to come to Nigeria. 

He sent a missile to us, he 

said, ‘you guys are looking 

for strong men, you should 

be building strong institutions.’ 

If we cannot have 

leaders who have the capacities 

and the desires to work 

together, we cannot develop 

Nigeria 

Do you think this present government 

uses coercion, rather 

than wisdom and intelligence 

to govern the Nigerian people? 

The government we inherited, 

civil or military, 

has been indoctrinated in 

the culture of command and 

control leadership. That is 

why we operate a military 

system, while we are supposed 

to be a democratic 

country. Democracy is the 

government of the people, 

for the people and by 

the people. It is a team approach. 

But, here, we have 

been indoctrinated to believe 

that there is a magician 

who will come and solve a 

problem that is for all of us 

to solve. So, we have people 

who abuse authorities 

and think they are not part 

of the problem. We need a 

leader who understands the 

human needs, body, psyche 

and has the knowledge to 

help the people. But here in 

Nigeria, we are recycling 

‘Dr. Makanjuola Owolabi is an All Progressives Party (APC) gubernatorial aspirants in the 

forthcoming 2018 election in Ekiti State. In this interview with OLUSEGUN KOIKI, he spoke 

on the performance of the President Muhammadu Buhari administration and his ill-health, as 

well his plans for Ekiti State, among other issues. Excerpts: 

Owolabi 

The captain may be 

better than you, but 

he’s not the deputy 

God. We are prone 

to errors, but we can 

only be safe if we 

operate as a team. 

That is what we are 

lacking here and that 

is why we are failing 

people who are motivated by 

passion to capture power by 

any means, even when they 

cannot remember what that 

power is supposed to be used 

for. This is why we are in a 

mess today. 

There was a protest recently 

in Abuja against President 

Buhari’s stay in UK due to his 

continued ill-health. What is 

your take on the absence of the 

president from office? 

My opinion is actually 

based on the training that 

I have been giving professionals 

in the past 40 years 

because in aviation, we have 

come into a position where 

we now know that it is the 

entire team that would be 

responsible for the survival 

and safety of the aircraft and 

not just the captain. President 

Buhari is not the only 

one who will rescue Nigeria. 

Has he not got ministers? 

Are they spare tyres? Has he 

not got a vice president? The 

constitution puts the power 

in the hands of an Acting 

President. It is the attitude 

of the ministers and the followers 

that is causing problems 

because we should have 

our loyalty to the nation and 

not to a human being. This 

is clear in the oaths that we 

take. The loyalty is to the 

flag and not to an individual. 

When you go to London, 

New York or even Dallas, do 

you need to know their governors 

or President or Prime 

Minister before anything 

works there? Unfortunately, 

we have a culture of command 

and control in Africa. 

But, we need to start changing 

it. Culture is meant to be 

dynamic. 

There are several ethnic 

agitators across the country, 

demanding for restructuring. 

How do you think Nigerian can 

move forward as a nation? 

Nigeria is a country manufacturing 

answers and forgetting 

the questions. That 

is why it has taken us 18 

years to have a nation. A reasonable 

people and country 

would have sat down to look 

at the mechanism, structures 

and the modalities. 

That would have been number 

one issue over 60 years 

ago. But, here we are today 

still doing trial and error. 

Restructuring is a disaster 

that has come because of our 

attitude and mode of operation. 

I served in the Nigerian 

Air Force, I lived in Kaduna 

for over 40 years and three 

out of four of my children 

were born in Kaduna. When 

it came to politics, to get an 

ordinary party card, despite 

my years there, I was being 

reminded that I was not a 

son of the soil. I had to come 

to Ekiti State to have a party 

card. 

We don’t have a country 

based on patriotism. Chapter 

2 of the Nigeria Constitution 

actually made it very clear 

on what should be done. But 

we are not doing it. If we can 

make Chapter 2 justifiable, 

we would all be Nigerians 

first before you remember 

where you came from. An 

American is an American 

•CONTINUES ON D4

D4 

CHANGE OF NAME 

SALAMI 

I, formerly known and addressed as AKANDE 

VICTORIA MOTUNRAYO, now wish to be known 

and called SALAMI VICTORIA MOTUNRAYO. 

All other documents remain valid. General 

public please take note. 


INDEPENDENT 

Classified Ads 

Make payment to INDEPENDENT Account, type 

the material by following any of the samples below, 

attach marriage certificate/Court Affidavits and send 

with evidence of payment to: 

independentadvert@gmail.com 

advert@independentnig.com 

Bank Details 

AKINYEMI 

Formerly known and addressed as MISS 

ODUKEYE OLUFUNKE MARY now wish to 

be known and addressed as MRS AKINYEMI 

OLUFUNKE MARY. All former documents 


OJOCHIDE 

I, formerly known and addressed as OJOCHONU 

AWOJU, now wish to be known and called 

GEBRIEL FAITH OJOCHIDE. All other documents 

remain valid. General public please take note. 

MIRACLE 

I, formerly known and address as FOUT 

SYLVESTER now wish to be called and 

addressed as SYLVESTER MIRACLE. All former 

documents remain valid, general public take 

note. 

ASUQUO 

I, formerly known and addressed as MATTHEW 

MARY EYO, now wish to be known and adressed 

as MARY EYO ASUQUO. All documents bearing 

former name remains valid.General public 

take note 

FAITH 

I, formerly known and addressed as BILLY 

EKAETE CLETUS, now wish to be known 

and called OSEGHALE FAITH EKAETE. All 

other documents remain valid. General public 


MAXWELL 

I, formerly known and addressed as AZUBUIKE 

MAXWELL CHINEDU, now wish to be known 

and called UKO-UDOM MAXWELL CHINEDU. 

All other documents remain valid. General 

public please take note. 


That SALE USMAN BABAYA and SALE USMAN 

are one and same person. My date of birth 

of birth was wrongly written as 2/01/1986 

instead of 1/01/1975. All other documents 


ELVIS 

I, formerly known,called and addressed as 

ELVIS GEDU now wishes to be known, called 

and addressed as CAPTAIN ELVIS GEDU. All 

former documents remain valid. General public, 

banks and all concerned should please take note 

SPACE 

FOR SALE 

Call: 

08060200365, 08063673279 

Email: 

independentadvert@gmail.com 

advert@independentnig.com 

FIRST BANK: INDEPENDENT NEWSPAPERS LIMITED 

ACCOUNT NO: 2012255355 

GBADEBO-ODUALA 

I, formerly known and addressed as ESTHER 

ADEOLA ODUALA, now wish to be known 

and called ESTHER ADEOLA GBADEBO- 

ODUALA. All other documents remain valid. 

General public please take note. 


This is to confirm that KELLY ESE OJO and OJO 

KELLY OKPAKO is one and same person but 

now wish to be known and addressed as OJO 

KELLY OKPAKO. All former documents remain 

valid. Ecobank Plc and general public take note. 

MELINDA 

I, formerly known and addressed as OHAI, 

MELINDA IJEOMA, now wish to be known 

and called OHAI, MELINDA OLACHI. All other 

documents remain valid. General public please 

take note. 

CHARLES 

I, formerly known and addressed as MERCY 

INYANG BENJAMIN now wish to be known 

and adressed as MERCY CHARLES NDEM. 

All documents bearing former name remains 

valid.General public take note. 

CHUKWUNONSO 

I, formerly known and addressed as EZEUNO 

STANLEY NONSO, now wish to be known and 

adressed as DANIEL CHUKWUNONSO JOEL. 

All documents bearing former name remains 

valid.General public take note 

AKOGWU 

I, formerly known and addressed as AKOGWU 

ONUCHE, now wish to be known and called 

AKOGWU PETER. All other documents remain 

valid. General public please take note. 

SHERIFATU 

I, formerly known and addressed as ALASA 

SHERIFATU ROSE, now wish to be known and 

called GODWIN SHERIFATU ROSEMARY. All 

other documents remain valid. General public 


ADDITION OF NAME 

That on some of my documents, my name was 

written as AKPAN INIKO. That I now add the 

name IFIOK. That I now have my complete name 

as IFIOK INIKO AKPAN. All other documents 


JUSTINA 

I formerly known,called and addressed as SAMUEL 

IRUH JUSTINA AKPOS now wishes to be known, called 

and addressed as PEREKEKEME IRUH JUSTINA. All 

former documents remain valid.General public, banks 

and all concerned should please take note. 

DAVIDSON 

I, formerly known, called and addressed as FELIX 

IGBINOVIA now wishes to be known, called and 

addressed as FELIX URIEL DAVIDSON. All former 

documents remain valid. General public, banks 

and all concerned should please take note. 


Visit: 

Abuja Office: Dawakin Hill Extension, Opposite 

First Gwarimpa Gate, Gwarimpa-Kubwa 

Expressway, Abuja. 

Lagos Office: 8, WEMPCO Road, Ogba, Ikeja, 

Lagos 

Asaba Office: <strong>Independent</strong> Road, Opposite 

Asaba International Airport, Asaba, Delta State. 

Requirement for Change of Name: 

Women: Marriage Certificate or Court 

Affidavit; Men: Court Affidavit 

JAMES 

I, formerly known, called and addressed as MISS 

NDIPMONGUWEM JOSEPH EDET, now wish to 

be known, called and addressed as MRS JOY IME 

JAMES. All former documents remain valid.The 

general public to please take note. 

ADDITION OF NAME 

I wish to add my native name EKUFIBAKUMO to my 

my account number 3012648060 with First bank. That 

I now wish to be call and address as ARMY JOSHUA 

EKUFIBAKUMO. All former documents remain valid. 

First bank Plc and general public take note. 

ODIMAYEMI 

This is to confirm that JAMES ADEBUMI and 

ODIMAYEMI ADEBUMI refers to one and the same 

person, now wish to be known and addressed as 

ODIMAYEMI ELIJAH ADEBUMI. All other documents 


MIBUENENI 

I, formerly known as MR UNUKE MIBUENENI 

MASON now wants to be known and adressed 

as Mr MASON TYSON MIBUENENI.All 

documents bearing former name remains 

valid.General public take note. 

CHRISTIAN 

I, formerly known and addressed as UTONG FUBARA 

CHRISTIAN, UTONG FUBARA CHRISTIAN .K. and UTONG 

FUBARA, now wish to be known and adressed as UTONG 

KAGUGOLEK CHRISTIAN. All documents bearing former 

name remains valid. General public take note 

JOHN 

I, formerly known and addressed as IGWE 

PATIENCE, now wish to be known and called 

JOHN PATIENCE. All other documents remain 


OKON 

I, formerly known and addressed as UDO 

JOSEPHINE ETIM, now wish to be known 

and called OKON PEACE. All other documents 


SODIQ 

That on some of my documents, my name was written 

in abbreviation as SHOW OLAMILEKAN SODIQ. That I 

now want my name to be written in full as SHONEYE 

OLAMILEKAN SODIQ. All other documents remain 


KENNETH 

I, formerly known, called and addressed as URAMA 

KENNETH . E. now wishes to be known, called 

and addressed as URAMA KENNETH EJIKE. All 

former documents remain valid. General public, 

banks and all concerned should please take note. 

MICHEAL 

This is to inform the general public that the names UGOKPA 

MICHAEL and UGOKPA MICHAEL ORE belong to one and 

same person now wishes to be known,called and addressed 

as UGOKPA MICHEAL. I also wish to state that my correct date 

of birth was 25th July 1937.All former documents remain valid. 

General public, Banks and all concerned should please take note.

BAMIDELE OGUNWUSI 

LAGOS 

IBTC Bank (-5.0%), Guaranty million units and N5.4 billion IBTC Bank (-5.0%) and Guaranty 

Trust Bank (-1.5%) and Lafarge respectively. 

Trust Bank (-1.5%). 

At the close of trading yesterday, Cement WAPCO (-4.8%). 

Performance across sectors Likewise, the insurance and 

the All Share Index recorded a Consequently, year-to-date was largely bearish as all indices 

consumer goods index dipped 

2.3 per cent decline to settle at gain pared to 38.0 per cent. Accordingly, 

under our coverage closed 1.0 per cent apiece on the back 

37,096.60 points as profit taking 

investors lost N294.5 in the red. The industrial goods of sell pressures on Mansard 

further hit the market. 

billion as market capitalisation index waned the most, down 4.2 Insurance (-4.7%) and Nigerian 

Performance was largely settled at N12.8 trillion. 

per cent owing to a decline in Breweries (-1.6%) while negative 

dragged by negative sentiment However, market activity the price of Dangote Cement 

sentiment towards Forte 

towards Dangote Cement (-4.3%) improved as volume and value (-4.3%) while the banking index Oil (-4.6%) and Oando (-1.4%) 

as well as profit taking in Nigerian 

traded surged 23.9 per cent and followed, shedding 1.2 per cent dragged the oil & gas sector 0.4 

Breweries (-1.6%), Stanbic 28.7 per cent to settle at 391.6 on account of losses in Stanbic per cent lower. 

Business 

INDEPENDENT 



Power Generation 

Hits 6800mw 

– Fashola 

Minister of Power, Works and 

Housing, Babatunde Raji Fashola, 

said power generation and 

transmission in the country has 

improved, saying that as at August 

10, 2017, the generation was 

6, 863 megawatts (mw), while the 

transmission rose to 6, 700 mw, 

against the 5,000 mw in 2016. 

Speaking yesterday in Kano, 

Fashola said: “The Federal 

Government is doing its best to 

ensure improvement in electricity 

supply. Government has 

embarked on serious expansion 

of transmission capacity with 

some power plants already completed, 

while others have reached 

advance stages of completion.” 

He assured support for 

any state willing to involve in 

generation and distribution of 

electricity. 

Fashola, who was in Kano for 

the 18th monthly power sector 

and stakeholders meeting, said 

there was no monopoly in the 

business of electricity generation 

and distribution and that state 

governments and big companies 

could also involve in the business. 

CAC Delists 44,000 

Nigerian Firms From 

Database 

The Corporate Affairs 

Commission (CAC), have so 

far delisted 44,000 companies 

from the database, while 1.5 

million companies have been 

registered, the Registrar General 

of the Commission, Bello 

Mahmud, disclosed this in an 

interview with our Correspondent 

in Abuja. 

He said the development 

was sequel to several breaches 

of the Companies and other 

Matters Act (CAMA), and other 

extant regulations of the 

commission, notably, late and 

outright refusal to file returns. 

“So far there is an improvement 

and a current ratio of 45 

per cent. We are still checking 

on company records especially 

in terms of compliance 

for those who have not been 

filing. 

NSE Index Down By 2.3% In Bearish Trading 

Sylvester Enoghase +2348075038724 sylvester.enoghase@independentnig.com 

MOHAMMED SHOSANYA 

LAGOS 

The ongoing reforms of 

the Nigerian National 

Petroleum Corporation 

(NNPC), will place the 

Corporation on a long- term 

growth trajectory for the benefit 

of all stakeholders, its Group 

Managing Director, Dr. Maikanti 

Baru, has said. 

Baru, while receiving a delegation 

from the NNPC Retired Staff 

Association led by its President, 

Chief George Owarieta, in Abuja, 

yesterday, stated that restructuring 

the Corporation was the surest 

way to sustainable growth and 

profitability. 

“On restructuring of the 

NNPC, definitely there are benefits 

in the exercise both to the 

How NNPC Can Be 

Profitable, By Baru 

nation and to the organisation 

itself. If we don’t take actions, we 

shall continue in the trajectory of 

declining revenues and increased 

deficit, a trajectory that will ultimately 

lead the Corporation nowhere, 

the trajectory that so many 

state-owned corporations had followed 

and they are no more. The 

trajectory that will lead to chaos 

and I don’t think it is the trajectory 

that we would like the NNPC 

to follow,” Dr. Baru said. 

The GMD stated that NNPC 

management under his leadership 

was working hard to block 

• Customs Generates N1.2bn Daily At 

Tin Can Port – Bashar 

• ASUU Strike Puts Varsity 

Examinations On Hold 

any identifiable leakage within 

the system to ensure that all resources 

are judiciously utilised 

for the benefit of all stakeholders 

and the nation at large. 

He stated that the Corporation 

would ensure that its restructuring 

plan aligned with that of the 

Federal Government for the benefit 

of all Nigerians. 

He called on the Retired Staff 

Association to make valuable contributions 

based on their wealth 

of experience to the successful 

implementation of the ongoing 

reforms in the Corporation for 

– B6 

– B9 

B1 

better results. 

The GMD, however, said the 

Corporation was working round 

the clock to weather the storm in 

the wake of prevailing economic 

reality in the country. 

Earlier, the Chairman of the 

Association, Chief George Owarieta, 

commended the NNPC 

led by Dr. Maikanti Baru on the 

landmark achievements in the industry, 

and expressed confidence 

in the ability of the current management 

of the Corporation to 

discharge its fiduciary responsibilities 

effectively. 

Abu Ejoor, Non-Executive 

Director, Global Utilities 

Management Company (left); 

Victor Gbolade Osibodu, 

Chairman, Vigeo Group 

(second left); Ramachand 

Ran Viswanathan, Executive 

Vice President, International 

Marketing, Genus (second 

right), and Tosin Osibodu, 

Business Development 

Manager, Vigeo Group, during 

the signing of memorandum 

of understanding in Lagos at 

the weekend. 

Arik Air Migrates To Hitit’s Crane Solution For Passenger Processing 

OLUSEGUN KOIKI 

LAGOS 

Arik Air has completed the migration 

of passenger service solution 

to Hitit’s crane solution suite. 

With the migration, the airline 

became the eighth African airline 

to sign to the facility. 

A statement by its spokesman, 

Mr. Adebanji Ola, said that Hitit CS 

actively supports airlines’ operations 

in Nigeria, Tanzania, Tunisia 

and Namibia, having prioritised 

Africa as an area of strategic focus. 

He hinted that in 2016, Hitit’s 

reservation system processed 

more than 55.5 million passenger 

bookings worldwide. 

Sequel to the successful migration, 

Arik Air would enjoy access 

to the premium suite of Hitit crane 

solution of innovative products 

covering passenger reservation, 

departure control, website, operations 

planning, customer care and 

revenue accounting. 

He noted that the migration 

to crane solutions had been completed 

by June this year, while 

the airline had started to use the 

platform. 

Hitit CS he emphasised had 

a clear strategic focus on Africa. 

Gainers 

SEPLAT 482 2 

CONOIL 33.89 1.3 

GLAXOSMITH 21 1 

BERGER 7.14 0.34 

UNILEVER 45.63 0.13 

Dana Air Flight Schedule 

LAGOS - ABUJA 

Monday - Friday 

7am, 12.42pm, 15.03pm, 16.11 and 17.55pm 

Abuja - Lagos 

9am, 10.45am, 14.25pm, 18.00pm, 19.35pm. 

SATURDAYS 

Lagos - Abuja 

7am, 11.25, 12.42pm, 17.10 

Abuja - Lagos 

9am, 10.45am, 13.22pm, 2.40pm,7pm 

SUNDAY 

Lagos - Abuja 

8am, 11am, 4.36pm, 5.37pm 

Abuja - Lagos 

9.54am, 12.42pm, 6.30pm, 7.30pm 

Since 2015, the airline and travel 

IT solution provider from Turkey 

have convinced eight African airlines 

as new customers to benefit 

from its innovative IT solutions. 

Top Gainers/Loosers as at Tuesday August 15, 2017 

Losers 

DANGCEM 225 -10 

NB 190 -3 

WAPCO 60.01 -2.99 

FO 51.5 -2.5 

STANBIC 38.95 -2.05

B2 

/<strong>Independent</strong>ngr @independentngr www.independent.ng INDEPENDENT WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 16, 2017 

CompanyNews 

FirstBank Promotes 3,000 Staff 

First Bank of Nigeria Limited 

has promoted over 

3000 of its workforce in 

its recent promotion exercise 

targeted at rewarding staff 

for strong performance in driving 

the Bank’s business. 

The Bank in recognition of 

the hard work and contributions 

of staff rolled out unprecedented 

promotions across board, moving 

up over 3000 staff members 

in spite of the difficult economic 

down turn and challenging operating 

environment. 

In the bid to constantly improve 

employee welfare, career 

development and progress, First- 

Bank continuously develops its 

staff and invests in its talent pool. 

This year’s promotions was 

targeted more towards lower 

and middle management cadres 

within the Bank in recognition 

of their pivotal role in customer 

service delivery and the Bank’s 

transformational programme. 

The performance review is 

an annual exercise in the Bank 

tailored to recognise and reward 

members of staff who have excelled 

as well as disengage members 

of staff who performed 

poorly in the last financial year. 

According to Adesola Adeduntan, 

MD/CEO, First Bank 

of Nigeria Limited “With the 

2017 promotions, the Bank has 

delivered on its commitment to 

always reward staff performance 

and build a motivated workforce. 

Our priority as an institution is 

to empower and build the capacity 

of our people as they are our 

best assets. Our people are also 

our surest path to achieving our 

strategic goals and accelerating 

business performance across all 

key business indices”. 

The Management of First 

Bank of Nigeria Limited remains 

committed to building an 

institution that will always put 

its stakeholders - employees, customers, 

investors, communities, 

institutions and businesses – at 

the heart of the business. 

Ibukun Awosika, Chairman, Board of Directors, First Bank of Nigeria Limited (middle) with the graduate 

level policy students from the Harvard University Kennedy School of Government during the students’ 

visit to the bank in Lagos recently. 

ECONOMY SNAPSHOT 

We Can Save Our Way Out Of Recession 

The deposit rate at 7.50 per 

cent in 2016 helped stifle 

savings and ultimately, investment. 

When investment 

is low, growth is stunted or 

makes a reverse into negative 

territory. It helps partly 

explain why the economy 

slipped into recession, and 

also partly suggests that we 

need to ramp up savings to 

get out of it. 

In deposit terminology, a 

term Deposit Rate refers to 

the amount of money paid 

out in interest by a bank or 

financial institution on cash 

deposits. Banks pay deposit 

rates on savings and other 

investment accounts, according 

to deposits.com. 

Investopedia classifies 

deposits rate to include; certificates 

of deposit, savings 

accounts and self-directed 

deposit retirement accounts. 

According to tradingeconomics, 

Nigeria’s Deposit 

Interest Rate decreased to 

7.50 per cent in 2016 from 

9.10 per cent in 2015. 

Deposit Interest Rate in 

Nigeria averaged 11.38 per 

cent from 1980 until 2016, 

reaching an all-time high 

of 23.24 per cent in 1993 and 

a record low of 5.27 percent 

in 1980. 

The trend also reveals a 

steady rise in deposit rates 

between 2006 and 2009 after 

which there was a steep drop 

in 2010 and 2011. It has been 

a jigsaw since. 

It was reported last year 

that between April 2015 and 

April 2016, the total deposits 

of bank customers with 

the Deposit Money Banks 

dropped by 5.6 per cent or 

N1.03trn from N18.54trn to 

N17.51trn. 

Adding to the erosion in 

savings is the rise in core 

inflation now put at 222.96 

Index Points in June from 

220.05 in May Index of 2017 

by the National Bureau of 

Statistics (NBS). 

Core Consumer Prices in 

Nigeria averaged 126.76 Index 

Points from 2006 until 

2017, reaching an all-time 

high of 212.34 Index Points 

in February of 2017 and a record 

low of 69 Index Points 

in January of 2006. 

Despite the inflation bite, 

living wage remained stagnant 

over the years. “Living 

Wage of Individuals in Nigeria 

remained unchanged 

at N43415.20 /Month in the 

fourth quarter of 2016 from 

N43415.20 in the third quarter 

of 2016” (See Graph). 

<strong>Independent</strong> BMIU 

Unity Bank Splash Gifts To Verve Card Holders 

Unity Bank Plc has lined up 

gifts splash as it is set to activate 

a reward bonanza in a 

campaign tagged Unity Verve 

for Value promo. 

The scheme is packaged 

to reward old and new card 

holders by offering sets of 

incentives to deserving active 

customers who use their 

Verve debit card on electronic 

platforms such as ATM, POS 

and WEB. 

The star prize is an all- expense 

paid trip to Ghana which 

will be won by four customers 

from the 4 geographical zones. 

The winners will emerge 

out of highest frequency of 

transactions and volume. The 

lucky winners will embark on 

a 4-day fun filled vacation. 

A statement from Unity 

Bank states that four runnersup 

in each of the four zones will 

be rewarded with 8 (Eight) 5.0 

KVA Generators, while N100, 

000 (One hundred thousand) 

worth of airtime will be given 

out to customers monthly, between 

August and November 

30, 2017. 

Taiwo Oluwole, Head, 

E-Business Group, Unity Bank 

Plc therefore urges customers 

to partake and take advantage 

of this special offer by requesting 

for Verve Cards and use the 

card frequently to increase 

chances of winning. 

Verve is a Naira denominated 

card linked to customer’s 

savings, current or corporate 

account and used to settle purchases 

within Nigeria. For 

multiple account holders of 

Unity Bank Plc, all accounts 

can be linked to one card to 

enable accessibility to funds 

on any account type. 

As a Chip and PIN secured 

debit Cards, it offers customers 

with 24-hour access to funds on 

ATMs, POS, and WEB within 

Nigeria thereby reducing the 

risk and the inconvenience of 

carrying cash. 

NIM Endorses Air Peace Managerial Strategy 

The Nigerian Institute of Management 

(Chartered) has lauded 

the management of Air Peace 

for its managerial skills in moving 

the airline and the Nigerian 

aviation industry forward. 

This is as the institution 

said that Mr. Allen Onyema, the 

Chief Executive Officer (CEO) 

of the airline led the airline to 

make huge contributions to the 

development of Nigeria’s economy. 

A statement by Mr. Chris 

Iwarah, the spokesman for Air 

Peace, said that the institute, 

which recognised Onyema as 

one of the recipients of the 

‘Management Excellence’ award 

of the 2017 Management Summit 

of the South South Zone held 

in Uyo, Akwa Ibom, stressed 

that it was satisfied with the job 

creation and corporate social 

responsibility projects of the 

airline. 

According to Iwarah, the 

institute noted that it had observed 

over the years the strict 

application of best management 

practices in the airline with the 

highest number of aircraft in its 

fleet in Nigeria at present. 

The statement said: “We have 

observed, with keen interest, 

your strict adherence to the application 

of best management 

practices in the running of Air 

Peace airline since its inception. 

Sources: Tradingeconomics, World Bank, NBS, Wageindicator Foundation



B3 

Brands&Marketing 

Adekanmbi 

Marketing communications experts 

have said that bulk data 

will assist to transform the way 

marketing businesses are done. 

Bayo Adekanmbi, Chief 

Transformation Officer, MTN 

and Steve Babaeko, Chief Executive 

Officer/ Chief Creativity 

Officer, X3M Ideas, made the 

disclosure at a learning session 

tagged “Marketing in the Era 

of Big Data-The Changing Paradigm,” 

organised by BRAND- 

CRUNCH, an online brand and 

marketing platform. 

In his submission, 

Adekanmbi stated that massive 

data is shaping the way businesses 

are being run globally 

and there is now a cross industry 

shift due to data disruption. 

In the marketing space, he explained 

that bulk data can be 

used to predict the sentiment 

of customers on their ability to 

Why Nigeria Failed To 

Re-Brand, By Practitioners 

In 

Branding practitioners 

have identified poor 

funding, lack of clarity 

of purpose and 

insincerity on the part of 

government as some of the 

reasons the various efforts 

at re-branding Nigeria had 

failed in the past. 

The observation was made 

in Lagos at the Meeting of 

Minds forum, organised by 

Brandish Publications recently 

where some practitioners 

in the nation’s integrated 

marketing communications 

sub sector of the economy, 

argued that unless some of 

those issues were addressed, 

the dream of effectively 

re-branding the country and 

making it attractive to foreign 

investors would remain a mirage. 

Meanwhile, Mr. Lolu Akinwunmi, 

former Chairman of 

the Advertising Practitioners’ 

Council of Nigeria (APCON), 

argued that one of such attempts 

in the past, the ‘Good 

People, Great Nation Campaign,’ 

which he played a major 

role in, did not make the 

desired impact due to lack of 

proper funding by the government 

of the day, among other 

reasons. 

He said: “For instance, at 

a time, we requested for N50 

million to set up an office in 

Lagos for the campaign, there 

was no response. I, as the 

Chief Executive Officer of the 

campaign team was shuttling 

between Abuja and Lagos 

every other week, spending 

my money. I was never reimbursed. 

He added: “All these contributed 

to the little or no 

impact the campaign made 

then”. 

He also identified inappropriate 

nomenclature for 

the campaign, as one of the 

reasons it failed to resonate 

with Nigerians, while insisting 

that the campaign was 

rather attitudinal and not a 

re-branding exercise as erroneously 

labelled. 

He faulted the branding 

initiative that was unveiled in 

2009 under the then Minister 

of Information, Dora Akunyili 

saying that “Professor Dora 

Akunyili wasn’t a student of 

communication, but she is 

very brilliant. The critical 

error was to name that exercise 

re-branding. What she 

had in mind was something 

that would change the attitude 

of Nigerians and not about 

re-branding the country.” 

It would be recalled that 

under the late Dora Akunyili 

as a Minister of Information 

that the country unveiled a 

new branding initiative which 

Babaeko 

had the campaign theme, “Nigeria. 

Good People, Great Nation”, 

as a replacement of the 

failed ‘Heart of Africa’ project 

that was unveiled under former 

President Obasanjo. 

Dr. Jonathan, who was then 

a Vice President, attended the 

ceremony where he explained 

that the campaign was “a 

genuine way to re-orientate 

Nigeria(ns) toward believing 

in themselves again, and to 

change the perception of the 

country both locally and internationally.” 

He also added that failure 

on the part of Nigerians to see 

such campaign as an enduring 

project that must be given 

a chance, instead of quick-fix, 

also contributed to its inability 

to resound with the target 

audience. 

Experts Harp On Value Of Bulk Data 

To Marketing Communications 

buy. He added that brands now 

target customers at a certain 

time based on insights gathered 

from Twitter keywords 

like #Thank God It’s Friday 

and others. 

He added that with Big Data, 

a lot can be done, ranging from 

monitoring of competitors’ 

effort in the market and monitoring 

the reach of news item 

and its impact on a brand’s perception. 

He said, “Internet of Things 

(IoT) connects all manner of 

end-points, unraveling a treasure 

trove of data. Ubiquitous 

networks and device proliferation 

enable access to a massive 

and growing amount of traditionally 

information. Analytics 

and business intelligence tools 

empower decision makers as 

never before by extracting and 

presenting meaningful information 

in real time, helping 

us be more predictive and reactive” 

In his contribution to the 

brain storming event, Babaeko 

said that Big Data analytics 

will help practitioners understand 

the changing consumer 

behaviours and competitive 

activities, which will help advertising 

agencies, marketing 

communication practitioners 

and brands decide on what creative 

or campaigns to launch to 

engage consumers. 

He therefore urged practitioners 

to embark on retooling 

of its personnel to be able to 

survive in the new ecosystem, 

which is technological-driven 

and ever changing. 

Speaking on the importance 

of the digital trend, convener 

of the event and the publisher 

of BRANDCRUNCH, O’Lekan 

Babatunde, said: “The Nigerian 

marketing industry should not 

be caught napping as the era of 

Big Data dawns on everyone.” 

Indomie Bags 

LCCI’s Award 

recognition of business resilience 

and excellence despite the 

harsh operating business environment 

in the country, the Lagos 

Chamber of Commerce and 

Industry (LCCI) ,has conferred 

‘Brand of The Year’ Award to 

Nigeria’s leading noodles brand, 

Indomie Instant noodles at the 

just concluded LCCI Commerce 

and Industry Awards 2017, 

which took place at Oriental 

Hotel, Lagos, recently. 

The objective of the yearly 

Award is to recognise, promote 

and celebrate private and public 

institutions operating in Nigeria 

for best business practices, 

growth through innovations, 

business sustainability and positive 

impact on the people and 

society. 

Receiving the award on behalf 

of Indomie, Group Head, Public 

Relations, Dufil Prima Foods Plc, 

Ashiwaju Temitope, thanked the 

organisers of the award, saying it 

was an honour to be recognised as 

the Brand of the Year. 

According to him, “We are 

honoured as a brand to have won 

this prestigious award and this 

is to further attest to the fact that 

Indomie Instant Noodles is not 

just the leading Nigerian noodles 

brand but also the most preferred 

instant noodles in homes and everywhere 

noodles is consumed.” 

Ashiwaju further expressed 

that: “Consumers remain the focus 

of our business; and Indomie 

will continue to give them value 

for money through our innovative 

products which consumers 

have come to know us for over 

the years in order to meet their 

daily needs.” 

Rivers Now Open For 

Outdoor Business 

– RISAA BOSS 

The Acting Managing Director, 

Rivers State Signage and Advertisement 

Agency (RISAA), Engr. 

Chukwudi Dimkpa has called on 

corporate and business organisations 

to take advantage of the 

improved outdoor advertisement 

landscape and invest in Out of 

Home industry in Rivers State. 

Dimkpa said the city of Port 

Harcourt and its environs is beginning 

to wear a new look following 

the ongoing clampdown on unauthorised 

billboards and Signages. 

The exercise which began from 

Mile 1, Ikwerre Road, Airport 

Road, Igruwuta, Rumukpokwu 

and Rumuokoro has now been extended 

to YKC Road, Peter Odili 

Road LNG Nkpogu and Eastern 

by Pass Roundabouts. 

According to the RISAA 

boss, “The enforcement exercise 

is aimed at complimenting the 

efforts of the Governor Nyesom 

Wike led administration to improve 

the scenic beauty of the 

state, attract investors and improve 

commerce.

B4 

Brands & Marketing 


Cappa & D’Alberto Wins Grenadines 

N40bn Atlantic Resort Contract 

Grenadines Homes, a 

member of Palton 

Morgan Holdings, 

has signed on Cappa 

& D’Alberto as its main contractor 

firm for the Atlantic 

Resort firm. 

At a brief ceremony in the 

company’s Lagos head-office 

for the signing-on of Cappa & 

D’Alberto as the main building 

contractors for the project, 

Chairman, Palton Morgan 

Holdings, Femi Banwo said: 

“To remain ahead in the game, 

we chose to align with partners 

that share our vision, passion 

and commitment to advancing 

lives and excellent delivery.” 

He said the Atlantic Resort 

is conceived not just to redefine 

the Nigerian skyline but 

to confer on it a uniquely dignifying 

identity and boost the 

Western Union, a leader in 

global payments services, has 

announced the launch of the 

“Western Union Mega Promo,” 

in Nigeria for 2017. 

Designed specifically for 

Nigerian consumers who conduct 

outbound money transfer 

transactions, Western Union 

will give away new cars to two 

lucky winners, in addition to 

50 consolation prizes, in the 

first phase of the promotion 

which will run from July 24 

to August 31, 2017. 

The Western Union Mega 

Promo is an initiative to reward 

Nigerian customers. 

To qualify for this promotion 

individuals must send money 

quest for megacity status by 

Lagos State, hence 

“We opted for HOK Architects, 

famous for their work on 

The Emirates Stadium among 

other edifices across the world 

to create a unique design. We 

are also working with Brash 

Brands, they branded the Burj 

Khalifa, the tallest building in 

the world”, he said. 

The project is expected to 

boost Nigerian economy with 

an ultramodern estate project 

of over N40 billion, and is 

expected to attract both local 

and foreign direct investments 

while also providing numerous 

employment opportunities. 

Banwo said the project will 

be handled by the best in class 

consultants and professionals. 

In his words: “And each contractor 

and partner has been 

overseas via Western Union 

from July 24, 2017, to August 

31, 2017. 

“Western Union began its 

journey in Nigeria over 20 

years ago and we appreciate 

the loyalty and trust of our 

Nigerian customers. Over 

the past two decades, we have 

helped connect Nigerians to 

their loved ones by moving 

money for education, healthcare, 

and regular support, 

amongst many other reasons. 

We know this ability to transfer 

funds securely and conveniently 

helps individuals and 

families fulfil their ambitions, 

dreams and heart’s desires,” 

said Aida Diarra, Western 

Two New Cars, Others For 

Grabs In Western Union Promo 

Union Vice President for Africa. 

“Rewarding our consumers 

is important to Western 

Union, and a part of what 

we do. We recently concluded 

our Western Union Easter 

Promotion which was highly 

successful. This time around, 

we have stepped it up several 

notches by giving away new 

cars and other high-value prizes,” 

she added. 

Customers who use their 

My WU loyalty card when 

placing their outbound transactions 

will also have triple 

the opportunity of winning 

prizes during the Western 

Union Mega Promo. 

carefully chosen because the 

objective is to construct to the 

highest quality. Hence, we are 

using Cappa & D’Alberto, a 

firm with experience, having 

been here since 1932, whose 

tenacity for excellent delivery 

has earned a high reputation 

for breathing life into complex 

architectural designs with 

high levels of comfort and 

safety guaranteed.” 

Group Managing Director, 

Palton Morgan Holdings, Adeyinka 

Adesope, described 

the project as part of the company’s 

efforts to actualise the 

burning desire to play an active 

role in the transformation 

of Lagos into a megacity. 

“The vision driving this 

project is to build an iconic 

world class project that will be 

the pride of the nation, a project 

that every Nigerian both 

home and abroad can be proud 

of while also meeting the taste 

and lifestyle aspirations of discerning 

individuals, irrespective 

of nationality or creed, 

and I can see today that we are 

achieving that,” Adesope said. 

The Atlantic Resort will be 

a luxury destination that will 

boast of world-class amenities. 

According to Adesope, 

“We see an evolution of prosperity, 

where both nationals 

and expatriates will long to 

live, work, relax and go about 

their legitimate activities. We 

are optimistic that this project 

would expand the tourism potentials 

of Nigeria. The retail 

spaces will deliver a premium 

lifestyle offering, while the exclusive 

offices will be built to a 

grade ‘A’ specifications”. 

Korede Bello, Glo brand ambassador (middle), flanked by Mary Onyemeachi (left); Adu Oluwapelumi (second left); Mobolani Olaniyi (third left); 

Abimbola Alatise (third right); Olapegba Olalere (second right), and Oluwusi Similoluwa, all Glo subscribers, during the Akure edition of the Glo 

mega music nationwide tour in Akure, Ondo State at the weekend. 

Lipton Big Idea 

Promo Enriches 

Nigerians 

Rotary Club Of Ojodu Commissions 

N6.2m Community Projects 

As part of commitment to raise 

values and a better society, Rotary 

Club of Ojodu, at the weekend, 

made material donations 

and commissioned a school project 

worth N6.2 million in Ojodu, 

a community that shares boundaries 

with Lagos and Ogun 

State. The project was commissioned 

by the visiting Pacesetter 

District Governor, Rotarian Dr. 

Adewale Ogunbadejo. 

Other activities carried out 

by the club include free medical 

checkup service, polio vaccination 

for 300 children, donation of 

treated mosquito nets to nursing 

mothers and commissioning of 

a renovated block of six classrooms 

in Ojodu-Abiodun Primary 

School, Ifo Local Government, 

Ogun State. The club also paid an 

Lipton, a tea brand from the 

stables of Unilever Plc, has 

awarded Nigerians across 

the country with one million 

naira each in its recently concluded 

Big Idea promo. 

The promo which began in 

May, 2017 ran across the thirty 

six states of the Federation 

including Abuja, the Federal 

Capital territory, and saw participation 

from thousands of 

Nigerians. 

While the promo lasted, 

Lipton offered its customers 

an opportunity to transform 

their big ideas into realities 

by financing winning ideas. 

Commenting on the success 

of the promo, Brand Manager, 

Lipton Nigeria, Sarah Adoki, 

stated that Lipton is honoured 

that it was able to put smiles 

on the faces of Nigerians by 

providing needed resources to 

actualise their big ideas. 

“We decided to carry out 

this promo in a bid to encourage 

people to share their big 

ideas and get funds to bring 

those ideas to reality. Nigeria 

is abundant with great thinkers, 

but many are limited by 

funds. Lipton is proud to have 

supported them through the 

Big Idea Promo, and we look 

forward to rewarding more 

of our loyal customers soon,” 

says Adoki. 

Salamatu Mohammed from 

Abuja; Khadija from Kano; 

Amarachi from Lagos; Kenneth 

Okoro from Abia; Afonja 

from Oyo state and many 

others are among the lucky 

winners of N1 million each. 

One of the winners, Amarachi, 

who resides in Lagos, 

applauded Lipton for the 

initiative and for their willingness 

to give back to the 

society. According to her, “I 

have always wanted to start 

a business, and becoming a 

winner is just the boost that 

I need. Now I can fully go into 

my business with this fund 

from Lipton. I am so grateful 

to Lipton and Unilever for this 

great opportunity”. 

assessment visit to Ojodu-Abiodun 

Primary Health Centre. 

Speaking during the commissioning 

of the project, the District 

Governor, Rotarian Dr. Ogunbadejo 

explained that activities of 

the club in OJodu community is a 

display of the Rotary Club values 

which revolves around service to 

humanity, peaceful coexistence 

and humanitarian assistance. 

According to Ogunmbadejo, 

“This is what rotary is all about: 

selfless service to the people and 

community without expecting 

anything in return. We have six 

areas of focus one of which is 

help reduce maternal and child 

mortality; that is why we donated 

insecticide treated nets to nursing 

mothers and carry out polio 

immunisation for children.



B5 

NSE Price List As At Tuesday, August 15 

Stock Report

B6 



Shipping & Logistics 

Andrew Utulu, +2348033562254, andrew.utulu@independentnig.com 

ANDREW UTULU 

LAGOS 

The Nigeria Customs Service 

(NCS), Tin Can Island 

Command has said that it 

generates an average of 

N1.2 billion, daily to the Federal 

Government coffers. 

Comptroller Yusuf Bashar 

made this disclosure during the inauguration/swearing 

in ceremony 

of the Tin Can Island chapter of the 

International Freight Forwarders 

Association (IFFA), and the official 

launching of the Association’s operational 

vehicle. 

The new IFFA members include: 

Ojo Peter Akintoye , chairman; 

Marvins Lawani, Vice Chairman; 

Chinedu Odiaka, Treasurer; Tope 

Fatimehin, General Secretary; 

Umunnakwe Ernest, Financial Secretary; 

Christian Ekeyekwu, Public 

Relations Officer(PRO); Iyakwari 

Kyauta, Assistant Secretary and 

Steve Igban, Director-General(DG). 

The Customs boss used the 

opportunity to caution clearing 

Customs Generates N1.2bn 

Daily At Tin Can Port – Bashar 

agents to desist from false declaration 

of cargo, under declaration, 

indiscriminate dropping of containers 

on port access roads and 

illegal parking of their vehicles 

around Tin Can port. 

The Controller, who was represented 

by Nnadi Dera, Deputy Controller 

in charge of enforcement of 

the command, urged the agents to 

collaborate with customs and other 

agencies in ensuring that port infrastructures, 

especially the roads 

are maintained. 

Bashar also appealed to the 

agents to shun unnecessary violent 

protests at the port; rather, 

he said they should initiate their 

protest through viable communication 

with relevant government 

agencies. 

He said: “We seek your collaboration 

in ensuring that port infrastructures 

are maintained, while 

we are urging relevant government 

agencies to maintain access road to 

the port, we also encourage you to 

talk to your members to park their 

vehicles appropriately, there is no 

need doing double parking, there is 

no need burning tyres on the road 

because they deplete the roads, 

there is also no need dropping your 

containers indiscriminately on the 

roads, we should help government 

to achieve its objectives 

“Everybody has the right to protest, 

but the days of going on the 

streets to protest violently is gone, 

today we encourage everybody to 

initiate their protest through viable 

communication with relevant 

government agencies” 

Going by the recent revenue collected 

by the command, Bashir said 

that Tin Can Customs have become 

a command to beat. 

He said that on the average now, 

the command is making N1.2billion 

daily for the government from the 

port. 

He attributed the success recorded 

with the revenue to efforts from 

all stakeholders. 

Prince Ozor Chukwurah, member, 

Board of Trustrees(BOT) of 

IFFA called for tolerance among 

stakeholders and other sister associations. 

He harped on freedom of association, 

saying that he is a member 

of Association of Nigeria Licensed 

Clearing Agents (ANLCA), adding 

that it does not bar him from becoming 

an IFFA member. 

“Being a member of any other 

association does not stop you from 

being a member of IFFA. Whatever 

you chose is what you get. It is for 

the good of the industry”, he admonished, 

adding that “We want to 

ensure that people work on behalf 

of the government. We need to sit 

with the government agencies, discuss 

issues as it affects the industry 

and how to move the nation’s economy 

forward”, he said. 

Dr. Sam Onyemelukwe, National 

President of IFFA, assured 

that his members were ready to 

collaborate with the Federal Government 

in meeting it’s expectations 

from the port, and to ensure 

success in ease of doing business. 

NPA Panel Recommends 

Payment For Calabar 

Dredging 

The newly sworn in EXCO, IFFA, Tin Can Island Command 

NIMASA Disclaims Employment Media Report 

Nigerian Maritime Administration and 

Safety Agency (NIMASA), has denounce 

the misinformation in the media, particularly 

online platforms, that there is 

an ongoing recruitment exercise in the 

Agency. 

Isichei Osamgbi, Head, Corporate 

Communication of the Agency in a 

statement made available to <strong>Independent</strong> 

said: “It is imperative to state, in 

the interest of the unsuspecting public, 

that the Agency has not launched 

a recruitment campaign of any kind at 

the moment; and that NIMASA is not 

associated with any of the adverts being 

peddled on various social media platforms 

to defraud unsuspecting citizens 

seeking legitimate employment in the 

organisation”. 

This clarification, he said, was necessitated 

by the recruitment advert 

supposedly floated by the Agency and 

circulated on various social media platforms, 

with the intention of misleading 

and defrauding Nigerians. 

“As inimical as the spurious advert 

may be to the lives of unsuspecting and 

desperate job seekers in the country, the 

Agency’s management under the leadership 

of Dr. Dakuku Peterside would 

continue to operate within the tenets of 

its core values of commitment, Accountability, 

Discipline and Transparency in 

dealing with its stakeholders, including 

Nigerians who may wish to contribute to 

the development of the country through 

employment in NIMASA”. 

Osamgbi noted that the most common 

tactics of the scam involved: twitter 

and/or text messages, e-mails, 

as well as letters inviting gullible and 

desperate job seekers for fake job interviews 

at different locations across the 

country claiming to be consultants to 

NIMASA. 

The Agency, according to him, has 

informed appropriate authorities of 

the activities of these unscrupulous elements 

who are going about peddling 

false information to defraud unsuspecting 

Nigerians and “we appeal to 

members of the public, particularly job 

seekers, to treat any of such adverts as 

fake, as the Agency is currently not in 

the process of employing. Anyone who 

entertains such invitations does so at his 

or her own risk”. 

He, however, noted that NIMASA, as 

a responsible Agency of the Federal Republic 

of Nigeria, has not commissioned 

or contracted any individual or group to 

engage in recruitment of anybody on 

behalf of the Agency. 

Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), has recommended 

that Calabar Channel Management 

Company Limited (CCML), 

be paid the balance of work done and 

allowed to continue the dredging till 

completion. 

The recommendation, <strong>Independent</strong> 

gathered was made by an audit committee 

set up by NPA. 

The committee was headed by, Prof. 

Idris Abubakar, Executive Director, Engineering 

and Technical Services of the 

agency. 

The report’s recommendations on 

page 13 (iii) stated, among others, that 

having verified volumes dredged, all outstanding 

payments due to CCML should 

be effected in line with the provisions of 

the JV agreement. 

Citing paragraph iv of the same recommendations, 

saying that CCML be 

paid, the statement said: “In view of the 

subsisting presidential approval for the 

JV, CCML be allowed to continue with 

the operations, but at a reduced scale to 

be determined by the authority’s need 

and CCML’s board technical and finance 

committee. 

“The Calabar dredging issue has been 

mired in controversy lately with allegations 

flying round that the contract was 

awarded to Niger Global Engineering 

and Technical Services Limited without 

due process, and that despite the fact that 

the company did no job, it was paid $12 

million,” the statement said. 

Also, the statement said that documents 

available to CCML said that Niger 

Global Engineering, United Bank for 

Africa dated September 2, 2015 also revealed 

that Societe De Dragage/Lusembourg 

SA was paid the sum of $3,600,000 

on August 21, 2015 while Dredging International 

Services was paid $1,207,440 on 

August 24, 2015 and Nigerian Westminster 

Dredging & Marine Limited was 

paid $500,000 amounting to $6,307,440.

Real 

INDEPENDENT 

Emmanuel Badejo 

+2348060806806 

Estateemmanuel.badejo@independent.ng 



Discord Over Call To Constitute 

National Construction Board 

C1 

EMMANUEL BADEJO & 

NKASIOBI OLUIKPE 

LAGOS 

The constitution of a 

National Construction 

Board in Nigeria may 

not come soonest, as 

professionals within construction 

industry are yet to come to 

terms with the proposal. 

As such arguments for and 

against the proposition rage on. 

While some say that is one 

sure way to maximize the potentials 

of the industry, others 

have kicked, describing the 

proposition a mere academic 

exercise, which would further 

encumbered the industry. 

But search by INDEPEN- 

DENT reveals that the United 

Kingdom, Malaysia, South Africa 

and a few other countries, 

which saw the potentials of 

such a board have established 

in their clime. 

Notable proponents of the 

idea are former presidents of 

the Nigerian Institute of Quantity 

Surveyors (NIQS), Olusegun 

Ajanlekoko and Chuks 

Omeife, erstwhile president, 

Nigerian Institute of Building 

(NIOB). 

It is the same position 

According to Ajanlekoko, the 

need for a construction board 

that will be established by law 

could be overemphasized, as 

its constitution will redefine 

the place of the construction 

industry and the economy of 

the country. 

Ajanlekoko, now president, 

Commonwealth Association of 

Surveying and Land Economy 

argued that if it remains an 

association, it would only be a 

toothless dog that cannot take a 

decisive constitutionally bound 

decision. 

According to him, despite 

each group within the construction 

industry has its own regulatory 

board, a construction 

board operating at the level of 

an association will not be more 

than advocacy. 

He said this board, if constituted, 

will put an end to multiple 

rancor’s with the country’s 

Ajanlekoko 

Sonaike 

construction industry, saying 

its membership will involve all 

professional bodies in Nigeria’s 

construction industry. 

According to him, countries 

like United Kingdom, developing 

nations like Malaysia and 

South Africa had keyed into 

this, contending that it was 

high time the country takes a 

definite action on this matter. 

Earlier, Ajanlekoko had enjoined 

members of the Building 

Collapse Prevention Guide 

(BCPG) to continue the struggle 

started by him and senior professionals 

to compel the government 

to establish ta National 

Construction Industry Board. 

The board, he said should 

have the mandate to manage 

the construction industry and 

effectively coordinate the built 

Umaru 

Omeife 

environment professional activities 

and programmes. 

Similarly, Omeife had also 

used his position as NIOB 

president to urge the Federal 

Government to establish a 

construction industry development 

board. 

He said the board would do 

much good by collapsing the 

wide gap among the professionals 

in the construction industry. 

But, Chairman, Architects 

Registration Council of Nigeria 

(ARCON), Umaru Aliyu 

said he is not in support of 

construction board, which will 

superintend over the regulatory 

boards of each professional 

group within the construction 

industry. 

He said such, however, could 

be an association and not a regulatory 

body, contending that 

will be duplication of efforts 

and thereby increasing the bureaucratic 

process of correcting 

any ills within the construction 

body. 

Although, Olayinka Sonaike, 

Chairman, Estate Surveyors 

and Valuers Registration Board 

of Nigeria (ESVARBON), who 

noted that the board, which is 

a baby of the All Professional 

Bodies of Nigeria (APBN), was 

a welcome ideal, he, however, 

added that, it must remain at 

the level of an association. 

According to him, the surveying 

profession, which he 

superintends, is a member of 

APBN and the estate surveying 

and valuation board of Nigeria 

regulates the practice of estate 

surveying and valuation practice. 

“If you follow that analogy, 

the ESVARBON is in full support 

of the constitution of a 

construction board for the built 

environment. 

As you know, APBN is an 

association of all professional 

bodies in Nigeria. The board 

that is being proposed in my 

view should be a forum for various 

regulatory bodies to interact 

and form a common policy 

for the construction industry.” 

Sonaike added: “This new 

board, if I get it right should be 

an association of the regulatory 

bodies of the construction 

sector. It has to be voluntary because 

all the regulatory bodies 

are already empowered by law 

and we cannot enact another 

law to bring them together, as 

this may create another conflict. 

To Olusegun Ladega, an architect, 

the proposition is not 

necessary at all. 

“I always laugh because 

this is the typical bureaucrat 

solution to a problem. It is 

ridiculous and it is going to 

create unnecessary confusion. 

You don’t need any board. You 

create such a board, is it at the 

federal or state level. You will 

be running into issues of jurisdiction. 

According to him, development 

control under our constitution 

and as has been confirmed 

by the Supreme Court 

on May 13, 2003, is a state function 

and therefore, setting up 

a national or supranational 

body, will only exist in Abuja 

as a toothless bulldog. 

He added that just like we 

have the National Building 

Code, the truth is that it remains 

a piece of paper until the 

states domesticate it because 

development control and the 

enforcement of all the rules relating 

to the built environment 

is a function of the state. 

In his argument, he said: “So, 

is the federal institution going 

to come and interfere in what 

is happening on a construction 

project? That is ridiculous; it is 

not going to happen. It is a unitary 

mindset that does not sit-in 

within a federal constitution. 

“Secondly, if it is because of 

all these collapses that go on, is 

that how you solve the problem? 

If it is the issue of enforcing 

regulation that you think is primarily 

responsible for collapse, 

then what you need to do is to 

challenge the institutions that 

are supposed to regulate to take 

their regulatory functions seriously; 

as well as challenge 

the state chief executives to 

empower the institutions to 

professionally, efficiently, carry 

out their functions without 

fear or favour and without any 

political interference. 

“Let me tell you the biggest 

problem we have in this country 

with regards to anything 

relating to the built environment 

and even the management 

of the environment, is 

the fact that there are economic 

and political influences that 

are so powerful, they thwart 

and frustrate anything the 

state has by way of plans and 

objectives. 

“What they need is not that 

nonsense, which is a bureaucrat 

way of solving a problem, 

but let the bureaucrats 

and all those employed by the 

state inside all those agencies, 

that are supposed to monitor 

construction and all physical 

constructions, do their jobs 

without fear or favour or political 

interference. Then we 

will have sanity”, Ladega said. 

Supreme 

Court Validates 

Family's Right 

To Ogun Land 

Town Planning 

Officers, Quacks 

Subvert Nigerian 

Architects 

– Ladega 

‘Amazing 

Grace' 

Hymn Old 

Vicarage Up 

For Sale 

C.3 C.6

C2 

Real Estate 

EMMANUEL BADEJO 

LAGOS 

A 

building and civil engineering 

contractor, 

Cappa & D’Alberto 

has clinched a deal to 

construct N40b Atlantic Resort 

project in Lagos. 

A property development firm 

Grenadines Homes owns the 

project, which will be an architectural 

masterpiece. 

And after meeting all requirements, 

as specified by law and 

the developer, Cappa & D’Alberto 

was chosen as the main contractor 

for the ambitious real 

estate project. 

Both parties at the weekend 

endorsed a Memorandum of 

Understanding (MoU), ahead 

to the take off of the flagship 

project. 

And barring any unforeseen 

circumstances, the project, 

scheduled to commence in November 

this year, was conceived 

in response to the demand for 

Grade A office spaces which 

continues on an upward trajectory 

due largely to the size 

of Nigeria’s Gross Domestic 

Product (GDP), growing population, 

emerging middle class and 

more specifically the thriving 

business environment in Lagos 

owing to economic activities in 

the state. 

Besides, there has been an 

increase in the number of global 

firms venturing into Lagos. 

Consequently, investment into 

mixed used developments has 

become a viable venture, as 

global firms gaining inroad into 

Nigeria market elect to have 


LAGOS 

As Nigeria is being projected to 

become the third largest population 

in the world by 2050, Nigerians 

have been advised to channel 

their investments into the real 

estate sector. 

The Perfection Real Estate 

Investors Cooperative Society 

(PREICS) gave the advise in 

Lagos recently, while formally 

launching its housing estates located 

both at Ikorodu and Lekki, 

Lagos State. 

PREICS, an independent 

membership-based real estate 

club, is aimed at creating wealth 

through real estate investments 

for the benefits of its members. 

Speaking at the launching of 

the housetypes, Mr. Niyi Adeleye, 

Managing Director, PRE- 

ICS, said in spite of the economic 

downturn rocking the country, 

his firm’s initiative is aimed at 

bridging the housing gap in Nigeria. 

PREICS, according to Adeleye, 

was born out of a passion 

to tackle the myriad challenges 

in the real estate sector of the 

Nigerian economy. 

Historically, he said: “The 

concept of the PREICS came 


Cappa & D’Alberto Clinches N46bn 

Atlantic Resort Project In Lagos 

Atlantic-Resort 

early 2011 because of the need 

and passion to provide solutions 

to real human problems in the 

real sector of our economy while 

empowering people financially. 

We formally established and 

inaugurated PREICS on August 

25, 2012. We later launched a 

campaign for membership with 

our friends and other people 

who possess the same mindset 

with us about wealth creation 

through real estate. 

He added: “We came together 

to kick-off the wealth creation 

process by pooling our resources 

together in order to take advantage 

of opportunities by investing 

in real estate and to enjoy all 

the benefits thereof together. By 

pooling our resources together 

we have been able to get involved 

in some mega real estate deals, 

we have also invested into expanse 

of land in different locations 

that is today known as the 

Perfection Cooperative Estate 

brand.” 

According to him, the housing 

scheme will kick off from the 

Perfection Cooperative Estate 

Phase 1 in Ibeju Lekki, Lagos. 

Adeleye, who revealed that 

their members have been receiving 

passive income on investment 

every quarter from wealth 

there executives who are majorly 

expatriate in close proximity 

to their working place. 

Dubbed as the most iconic 

destination for work, live and 

play in Africa and a symbol of 

excellence, the project is to be 

built on 3.4 hectares of land on 

Water Corporation Drive, off 

Ligali Ayorinde Street, Victoria 

Island, Lagos and will comprise 

one commercial tower and two 

residential towers overlooking 

the Atlantic Ocean. 

The residential tower is made 

up of unit types 1 and two bedroom 

apartments, three bedroom 

maisonettes, one unit four 

bedroom terrace apartment and 

two, five bedroom penthouse 

maisonettes. 

The project is conceptualised 

by the United Kingdom arm of 

HOK, the largest architectural 

and engineering firm in America 

working in conjunction with 

ECAD Architects. HOK Architects 

is reputed for its design 

of the master plan for Dubai 

Marina. 

Speaking at the signing of the 

Memorandum of Understanding 

(MoU) between Grenadines 

Homes and Cappa & D’Alberto 

in Lagos, Mr. Femi Banwo, 

Chairman, Palton Morgan 

Holdings, being the parent company 

of Grenadines Homes, promoters 

of the resort, said upon 

completion, the project will 

deliver a world-class luxury edifice 

comprising of four towers, 

outstanding hotel, restaurants, 

shops and retail outlets. 

“It is going to be the best 

thing coming from Nigeria and 

out of this world, a serene environment 

with school where you 

can live. We have selected the 

best partners that worked on the 

best projects of the world like 

Perfection Cooperative Society Unveils 

Housetypes, Urges Increased Investments 

An impression of the highrise building compromising 10 threebedroom 

apartments and 10 mini flats 

created from time to time, urged 

Nigerians to take advantage of 

their various products, which 

guarantee impressive yields. 

According to him, the initiative 

has been generating 

employment opportunities for 

professionals like architects, legal 

consultants, land surveyors, 

quantity surveyors, and engineers, 


Dr. Meckson Okoro, chairman 

of the occasion, said investments 

in real estate sector remained investors’ 

haven. 

Okoro harped on how the 

nation's economy can be diversified 

and the imperative of the 

real estate sector in the present 

economic reality. 

Okoro said, “The core purpose 

of creating this society is mainly 

to empower people and provide 

solutions to the human problems 

in Real Estate sector, while the 

ultimate goal is to aspire by all 

means to achieve financial freedom 

for each and every member 

of the society through Real Estate 

wealth.” 

Dwelling on other qualities 

of real estate Okoro added that, 

“It is a better store of wealth because 

it appreciates in value and 

therefore magnifies the Returns 

on Investment. If you check the 

lands that were cheap back in 

Emirates Stadium, to work on 

the project to inspire hope and 

pride in the country,” he said. 

He explained that some of the 

money for the project would be 

sourced locally and offshore, 

adding that more Foreign Direct 

Investment (FDI) would be coming 

into the country through 

the project. 

In his remark, the Managing 

Director of Grenadines Homes, 

Adeyinka Adesope, stated that 

the vision of the company is to 

build a first class project that 

would re-write the history of 

Nigeria and unleash the economic 

potentials that would 

attract more tourists into the 

country. 

He said, “we expect them to 

deliver the first phase, a 20-storey 

building in 18 months but 

the whole four towers may take 

up to three years. We are confident 

that Cappa & D’Alberto, 

an indigenous company that 

has been in Nigeria since 1932, 

will deliver on time to specification,” 

he said. 

“Brash Brands, the creative 

branding agency that breathed 

life into the tallest building in 

the world, Burj Khalifa Dubai, 

is defining the unique personality 

of the Atlantic Resort for 

attraction, sustainability of 

value and class for would-be investors 

and home owners. 

the years, their value now would 

have definitely gone up. 

“Also check the house rents 

that were peanuts back then, you 

would see how much the rent has 

increased. For example, in 1995- 

1999, one could still buy a plot 

of land in Lekki Phase 1 for one 

million naira or less, but today, 

that same land would range from 

N150m-N200m depending on the 

location. 

According to him, the cash 

flow is constant, easily predictable 

and subject to good tenants 

who are willing to pay their rent 

when due as opposed to those 

who prefer making a case in the 

law court instead of paying their 

rent. 

He explained that high return 

on investment with little risk 

potential because of the ever-increasing 

demand on housing 

and land, saying housing has no 

alternative. 

Debo Adejana, Managing Director, 

Realty Point Limited and 

the guest lecturer at the event 

said investment into real estate 

was a gold mine being neglected 

by Nigerians due to ignorance. 

Adejana said that areas that 

have developed to become city 

centres were once remote areas 

people ran away from. 

He advised that investments 

into real estate should not be delayed 

as according to him experience 

had shown that procrastination 

took away opportunities 

for people to either be land or 

house owners.



C3 

Real Estate 

Supreme Court Validates 

Family's Right To Ogun Land 


LAGOS 

Amosun 

Members of Somolu 

Okunseide family 

of Ogun State have 

gotten the Supreme 

Court verdict validating their 

ownership to a large parcel of 

landed property located within 

a sprawling township in 

Ogun State. 

They, including Aremu 

Yeku, Jide Kotoye, and Ayinde 

Showunmi for Somolu 

Okunseide recently won a 

legal battle against representatives 

of Adejonlu Abinu 

family of Ibasa, Igaun, Ogun 

State. 

Although the family of 

Adejonlu Abinu family represented 

by Adejonlu, Adisa 

Ade, Kola Oso and Sunmonu 

Seidu, were the appellants, 

they, however, lost the battle 

to the Somolu Okunseide 

family. 

Essentially, the appeal borders 

on declaration of title 

to land. 

Before the apex’s court, 

the appeal was against the 

ruling of Ogun State High 

Court sitting Abeokuta delivered 

on the 21st day of 

October, 1988 dismissing the 

claim of the appellants then 

plaintiffs. 

The appellants as plaintiffs 

commenced the action 

by writ of summons before 

the High Court of Ogun 

State, Otta Judicial Division 

in suit No. HCT/5/85 claiming 

against the defendants 

(now respondents) that the 

defendants, were their native 

customary tenants in 

respect of the land occupied 

for farming by them at Ibasa, 

Iganun Village of Ogun 

State. 

They, having denied and 

still denied the plaintiffs’ 

title and claimed and still 

claimed to be the absolute 

owners of the said premises 

and the land thereto contrary 

to native law and custom. 

The position of the appellants 

as seen from their 

pleadings and evidence were 

that their progenitor migrated 

from Ile-Ife, settled on the 

land in dispute called Ibasa. 

The appellants pleaded 

further that after their several 

years of settlement and 

farming at Ibasa, the Odeyale 

came to settle with Adejonlu 

and the said Odeyale was settled 

at Olowotedo. 

Thereafter, they claimed 

that, Odeleye, who in company 

of his brother, Yeku came 

to settle with Odeyale who 

after abandoning his former 

settlement at Olowotedo, settled 

at Ibasa. 

The appellants, therefore, 

claimed that these three 

brothers were their customary 

tenants. 

The defendants/respondents 

who laid claim to a wider 

area of land defended the 

action for themselves and on 

behalf of Somolu/Okuseinde 

family and asserted that Somolu 

was the original owner 

of the land in dispute. 

They also based their case 

on traditional evidence based 

on settlement as well as act 

of ownership and not only 

denied the historical facts set 

up by the appellants, which 

purportedly linked them 

with appellants’ ancestors 

but also vehemently denied 

the issue of customary tenancy. 

The respondents pleaded 

that their ancestor Somolu 

originally settled on a vast 

parcel of land, which included 

the land in dispute. 

While the plaintiffs called 

seven witnesses before closing 

their case, the defendants 

called five witnesses. 

Counsel for the parties 

thereafter addressed the 

court. 

In his address, at the end 

of the oral testimonies, 

counsel for the defendants 

contended that the plaintiffs 

failed to establish that they 

(the defendants) were their 

customary tenants at Ibasa. 

He explained that the ancestors 

of the defendants settled 

thereat. He pointed out 

that the plaintiffs and their 

witnesses confirmed that the 

ancestors of the defendants, 

namely, Odeyale and Odeleye 

founded Olowotedo and created 

Oluweri Stream or river. 

Contrariwise, counsel for 

the plaintiffs urged the court 

to find that they made out a 

case that it was the plaintiffs' 

ancestors, namely, Abinu and 

Adetonlu, who first settled 

on the land, having migrated 

from Ile Ife, stopping over 

at Ijebu Ode. They finally, 

settled down at the land in 

dispute. 

In a reserved judgment 

delivered by the Ogun State 

High Court on October 21, 

1988, the High Court found 

that the traditional evidence 

Drawing conclusion 

from the submissions 

by the parties, Justice 

Chima Nweze, in his 

lead judgment said 

it was clear from the 

traditional evidence 

of both parties that 

the evidence of the 

defendants by far 

outweighed those 

of the plaintiffs 

and that will entitle 

the defendants to 

judgment 

Nweze 

called by the defendants outweighed 

those of the plaintiffs. 

The court conclusively 

dismissed the plaintiffs' case 

and entered judgment in favour 

of the defendants. 

Unsatisfied, the plaintiffs 

appealed to the Court of Appeal, 

Ibadan. 

And after hearing arguments 

for and against, the 

Court of Appeal dismissed 

the appeal on the ground that 

it was devoid of merit. 

According to the Court of 

Appeal, there was no legal 

basis to disturb the findings 

of facts of the trial Judge. 

Aggrieved, the appellants 

filed a further appeal to the 

Supreme Court by way of 

application for leave, which 

was granted and notice of 

appeal was filed. A motion 

for interlocutory injunction 

was also filed to restrain the 

respondents from continuing 

the sales and trespass on the 

land subject matter of the appeal 

pending the final determination 

of the appeal. 

In reaction, the respondents 

filed a notice of preliminary 

objection and 

appellants filed a counter 

affidavit. 

Set out as issues for resolution 

are whether having 

regard to the pleadings and 

totality of evidence adduced, 

the court below was right in 

dismissing the appellants' 

appeal? 

Like the trial Court, the 

Court of Appeal also dismissed 

the Plaintiffs' appeal 

to it from the said judgment. 

This further appeal to 

this Court is the appellants 

expression of their disavowal 

of the validity of the reasoning 

of the lower Courts 

judgment. 

Although three issues 

were originally formulated 

in the brief of argument filed 

on May 14, 2012, counsel for 

the appellants abandoned the 

second and third issues at the 

hearing of the appeal on November 

29, 2016. They were 

accordingly, struck out. 

Drawing conclusion from 

the submissions by the parties, 

Justice Chima Nweze, 

in his lead judgment said it 

was clear from the traditional 

evidence of both parties 

that the evidence of the defendants 

by far outweighed 

those of the plaintiffs and 

that will entitle the defendants 

to judgment. 

According to him, the 

plaintiffs have failed to discharge 

the onus placed on 

them... 

“In all, I find no scintilla 

of merit in the appellants’ 

complaint against the judgment 

of the lower court. I, 

therefore, unhesitatingly enter 

an order dismissing this 

appeal”, he concluded. 

Their lordships including 

Mary Peter-Odili, Kumai 

Aka’ahs, Kudirat Kekere- 

Ekun and Ejembi Eko, who 

agreed with the lead verdict, 

unanimously dismissed the 

appeal.

C4 

Real Estate 



Town Planning Officers, Quacks 

Subvert Nigerian Architects – Ladega 

As Lagos State government 

makes efforts at embarking 

upon its urban renewal plan, 

Olusegun Ladega, Managing 

Director, Interstate Architects 

Limited spoke to NKASIOBI 

OLUIKPE on what he thinks 

should be uppermost on the 

plan. Excerpts: 

However, the truth must be told. What is 

the state of our economy? 

If you say we need more architects, have 

the over 6,000 you mentioned been fully 

engaged? 

They are not fully engaged because 

of a number of factors. The first reason 

is the economic forces, which means that 

projects of the kind and size and scope and 

dimension that were easily available in the 

days when we entered into the profession, 

which kept us very busy, with lots of projects, 

do not exist any longer. Secondly, we 

also have a big problem. The fact that the 

biggest market for architectural services is 

the residential building market but it is the 

sector where unfortunately, we architects 

face biggest challenge because you have 

so many quacks and imposters competing 

with us to render the services that architects 

render; services such as design of the 

building, providing documentation for the 

building construction and the monitoring 

and supervision of the construction. 

Ladega 

In your own opinion, do you think the Nigerian 

architects have done well to meet the 

challenges of the 21st Century? 

I would say yes. You will actually be 

shocked and surprised to hear certain 

stories. There is a building in Cairo in a 

metropolis called Heliopolis. The building 

there is the headquarters of the African 

Export Import Bank. Interstate Architects 

Nigeria Limited designed it. There was an 

international competition amongst firms 

of architects based across Africa for the 

design and Interstate Architects won the 

competition. 

The kind of things that the expatriate 

firms imported into Nigeria, we, Nigerian 

professionals have also gone elsewhere to 

do them. 

There are buildings designed by Nigerian 

architects that have won international 

awards for creativity, innovation and for 

the quality of architecture. 

It is not that the Nigerian architect cannot 

design a 50-storey building, why not? 

But the point is, there isn’t a need for a 

50-storey building in Nigeria yet. For that 

reason, no one has made a demand for the 

Nigerian architect to design one. So, the 

fact that you do not have a 50-storey building 

in Nigeria does not mean that Nigerian 

architects cannot design one. The simple 

truth is that there hasn’t been a need for 

one yet. If the need for one arises and it 

has to be done in Nigeria, a Nigerian architect 

will be contacted to do it and he 

will go ahead and do it, ditto other kinds 

of complicated or simple buildings. 

So, there are three things here: is there 

a need for it? Is there a patron for such a 

project and can they finance such a project? 

What I am trying to say is that, we have 

the capability, creativity and the resourcefulness 

to handle practically any kind of 

projects. 

The quacks have so 

empowered themselves 

that they influence what 

happens in the town 

planning office to subvert 

the architects and whether 

we like it or not, failure to 

enforce the laws of the land, 

and failure to sanction, are 

part of the reasons we are 

where we are 

When your generation graduated, hopes 

were high and opportunities abound but 

same do not apply to the new generation 

of architects. Why? 

It is a reflection of the state of the economy 

and the absence of sufficient opportunities 

for these young architects to express 

themselves. I told young architects in our 

firm here that years back when I graduated, 

it was a completely different Nigeria, a 

Nigeria when there was a lot of confidence 

in what the economy had to offer. Unfortunately, 

things have changed. 

When we graduated from school, we 

were among the highest paid professionals 

in Nigeria. But unfortunately, things 

have reversed because of the state of the 

economy and the demand for the services 

of architecture practitioners. Those changes 

are not the fault of the practitioners but 

that of economic forces that have come into 

play, which means that there are fewer opportunities. 

Now if we look at our population, and 

the number of architects we have here, 

you will discover we need more architects. 

But don’t you think it has to do with the 

service charges of the architects, which 

some of the patrons of these quacks think 

is beyond them? 

That I will even say is also a large bit 

of misinformation. Nigeria is a country 

where superstition meets with oldwife’s 

tale to influence people more than truth 

and reality. It’s a pity. The architects’ 

services are directly proportional to the 

cost of the project. It means the architect 

charges a percentage (seven and a half) of 

the cost of constructing the building as his 

fees. A small insignificant percentage! People 

without even inquiring assume based 

on inaccurate information. 

According to the laws in the state, drawings 

presented for planning approval are 

supposed to be produced by an architect. 

And the way to determine the authenticity 

of the drawings is that there will be an 

architects’ stamp on them. There is also a 

challenge here as there are fake architects’ 

stamps. It is so bad that in some states, the 

quacks have so empowered themselves that 

they influence what happens in the town 

planning office to subvert the architects. 

Whether we like it or not, failure to 

enforce the laws of the land, and failure 

to sanction, are part of the reason we are 

where we are. So many buildings are collapsing 

all over the place. Has anything 

happened to those quacks responsible for 

the collapse? Has anything even happened 

to the civil servants who are supposed to 

be monitoring all the building constructions 

going on in the states? In every state, 

there are officers who are paid through our 

tax, who have a duty to go around the state 

and check on buildings under construction 

and if there is any form of non-compliance, 

they are supposed to shut down the 

building. My question is how come some 

of those constructions continue, some of 

them even completed? People have moved 

in before they collapse. Name any state 

of the federation where the officers who 

are supposed to ensure compliance with 

building procedures have been sanctioned 

for a collapse? 

This is not an issue for the professionals 

alone. The state has structures that are supposed 

to prevent these things from happening, 

and people earn salaries for occupying 

positions of compliance officers and there 

are non-compliances all over the country. 

CONTINUES ON P.C5 •

INDEPENDENT WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 16, 2017 /<strong>Independent</strong>ngr @independentngr www.independent.ng E1 

Niger Delta 

MOUTH OF THE SOUTH 

Isaac Asabor 

+2348020565643 

isaac.asabor@independentnig.com 

Community 

Protest Paralyses 

Pan Ocean’s 

Operations In 

Delta 

The people of 

Ovade-Oghara Community 

in Ethiope 

West Local Government 

Area of Delta 

State have embarked 

on an indefinite protest 

paralyzing the 

operations of Pan 

Ocean Oil Corporation 

(Nigeria) Limited 

(PANOCO). 

Okowa 

Pledges To Use 

SMARTART 

Agenda To 

Rev Up Youths 

Career 

E2 

Delta state Governor, 

Senator (Dr.) Ifeanyi 

Okowa has pledged 

to use his administration’s 

SMARTART 

Agenda to rev up the 

career of the youths 

in the state to enable 

them achieve their 

dreams. 

E3 

Sacked Edo 

APC Publicity 

Secretary’s 

Kinsmen Protest 

Removal 

Kinsmen of the sacked 

Edo State Publicity 

Secretary of the All 

Progressives Congress 

(APC) Comrade 

Godwin Erhahon 

on Tuesday took to 

the streets of Ologbo 

Nugu Community in 

Orhionmwon local 

government area of 

the state to protest the 

removal of the former 

party spokesman from 

office. 

E4 

ExxonMobil Responsible For 95% 

Oil Spills In A/Ibom – AKIPCON 

Dr Ufot Phensen is the National President,Akwa Ibom Oil Producing community development network 

(AKIPCON). In this exclusive interview with our Correspondent, Idongesit Ashameri, he spoke on the fight against 

environmental degradation by oil companies operating in the state, the aborted public hearing by the commission 

of enquiry set up by the National Human Right Commission (NHRC), alleged outdated pipelines by Exxonmobil, 

and the politics of palliative instead of compensation by oil companies in the event of oil spills. Excepts 

AKIPCON and other Niger Delta 

agitators some months ago 

engaged oil companies in a panel 

of enquiry set up by the National 

Human Right Commission. What 

has been the outcome of that 

engagement? 

As you are fully aware, the 

Akwa Ibom Oil Producing 

Community Development 

Network (AKIPCON), has 

been in the process of spearheading 

the struggles for the 

realization of socio-economic 

benefits, compensation and 

human right of the people of 

Akwa Ibom state for decades 

of oil exploration activities by 

oil companies in Akwa Ibom 

state. We are backed up with 

an irrevocable power of attorney 

donated to the executive 

officers of the organization, 

having been empowered by 

our royal fathers who have 

equally suffered the impact of 

oil exploration and violation 

of human right of the people 

of Akwa Ibom state. We decided 

to petition the National 

Human Right Commission 

of Nigeria in 2015. The commission 

came, carried out 

an on-the-spot investigation 

of human right violations in 

Akwa Ibom state and the team 

was led by the then executive 

secretary of the commission, 

Prof. Bem Angwe. 

The team visited Ibeno, 

Eket, Eastern Obolo, Esit 

Eket, Mbo and other parts of 

Akwa Ibom state. The team 

was surprised that oil companies 

in Akwa Ibom state are 

still flaring gas. We saw torn 

nets, polluted fishing equipments, 

including outboard engines, 

and also saw the quality 

of water drank by the people. 

The areas, especially Ibeno 

stank by the emission of gas 

from cocked and uncocked oil 

wells across the state. the team 

also discovered that all these 

amounted to human right violation, 

and that the people of 

Akwa Ibom state are severly 

impacted by polluted air, both 

on land and water, and even 

through the food they eat. We 

eat poisonous foods, polluted 

Sea foods of which some were 

dead! 

The team saw dead birds, 

witnessed where human be- 

Phensen 

ings died, and where medical 

reports and death certificates 

were issued. They witnessed 

those affected by the degradation 

were tested in government 

hospitals and discovered 

that the situation in Akwa 

Ibom was, and still, deplorable 

and pathetic. 

The then executive secretary, 

having studied the mandate 

of the commission, as enshrined 

in sections 5&6 of the 

National Human Right Commission 

Act 1995 as amended 

in 2010, that section of the act 

mandate the commission to 

investigate any form of human 

right violation, it does 

not spell out any no go area, 

nor boundary. That is to say 

that the commission has the 

right to investigate any source 

of human rights violation and 

that is exactly what the commission 

was doing. 

The executive secretary 

set up a Special Investigation 

Panel (SIP) in 2016 and 

the commission’s SIP visited 

Akwa Ibom four times where 

four successful public sittings 

were held at the federal high 

court Uyo, with all the oil 

companies. Those alleged to 

be polluting Akwa Ibom environment 

were in attendance. 

They stated their cases, we 

also stated our cases. When 

Shell, a notorious culprit discovered 

that the commission 

was going to make a monetary 

determination for the people 

of Akwa Ibom state, that is to 

say drawing the conclusion 

and telling each of the oil 

companies how much they 

had to pay to the people of 

Akwa Ibom state for polluting 

our environment, and causing 

human right abuses and violation, 

they sensed that they 

were guilty and decided to 

run to Uyo federal high court 

to restrain the SIP from further 

sitting and making clear 

determination as stipulated 

by national human right act 

section 5&6 of 1995 as amended 

in 2010. 

Shell also led other oil companies 

like Total, Total Exploration, 

Seven Exploration 

otherwise known as Septa 

Energy, ADAC Petroleum and 

Monopoly, they went to Court 

on grounds of the fact that 

the SIP has no jurisdiction 

nor competence to entertain 

oil and gas matters which 

the companies had earlier admitted 

their faults and later 

claimed that hearing any oil 

related matter and accessing 

compensation is the responsibility 

of federal high court 

in Nigeria. 

The Court in its ruling by 

Hon Justice Riman, accused 

the NHRC of acting ultra vires, 

that is, acting outside the 

mandate of the commission, 

whereas the commission acted 

within the limit of the law 

which established it. So, we 

now see the ruling of Riman 

as a calculated attempt to rubbish 

and dilute the powers, 

render the NHRC of Nigeria 

established by Nigerian law 

and African Charter to which 

Nigeria is a signatory. This is 

also a big blow and absolute 

disregard to the dignity of 

our great country by oil companies 

from nowhere to try to 

rubbish the commission of the 

Federal Republic of Nigeria. 

It is also aimed at denying the 

people their rights. Those are 

the four angles to it. It is an 

attempt to permanently deny 

the people their right and finally 

it has opened a very wide 

window for violence. 

What exactly do you mean by 

such action opening a window for 

violence? 

What I mean by the action 

of Shell, and these other 

companies going to court 

to restrain the NHRC to 

have opened the window of 

violence is that you remember 

there was a spill at Eket 

on July 7th, youths blocked the 

entrances of ExxonMobil, if 

Shell and other companies had 

agreed for that peaceful resolution 

by the National Human 

Right Commission, that action 

would not have been. Staff of 

ExxonMobil were shut off, if 

not for quick intervention of 

patriotic Akwa Ibom people. 

The situation in Akwa Ibom 

State as far as non payment of 

compensation to the people of 

Akwa Ibom State is concerned 

is like a time bomb, there is no 

body that can guarantee absolute 

peace in Akwa Ibom State 

because people are sitting on 

a gun power, at any time anything 

can explode. 

So the situation is very dangerous. 

Why not allow yourself 

to be judged? We surrendered 

ourselves to be judged by the 

panel, we appeared before the 

panel. That was the first time 

CONTINUES ON .E3 •

E2 



Oduduwa 

News 

Community Protest Paralyses Pan Ocean’s Operations In Ovade-Oghara 

SUNDAY APAH 

UGHELLI 

The people of 

Ovade-Oghara Community 

in Ethiope 

West Local Government 

Area of Delta State 

have embarked on an indefinite 

protest paralyzing the 

operations of Pan Ocean Oil 

Corporation (Nigeria) Limited 

(PANOCO). 

The community stated that 

parts of their grievances was 

that PANOCO started oil exploration 

in the area 45 years ago 

and has under-developed the 

community. Protesting Ovade 

elders, Chiefs, Women including 

youths stormed the premises of 

Pan Ocean Oil Company at 5:30 

am yesterday bearing placards 

with inscriptions such as “Pan 

Ocean should go”, “Pan Ocean 

leave our land for us, Enough 

is Enough”, “The marriage between 

Pan Ocean Oil Company 

and Ovade Community is heading 

for a divorce due to Neglect 

and suffering of the people over 

40 years of oil exploration and 

exploitation” , “Fadeyi leave 

us alone”and “Re-instate our 

sacked youths” among other 

inscriptions. They chanted solidarity 

songs while they matched 

on every available space around, 

preventing both human and 

vehicular movements from 

entering and coming out from 

the company’s premises while 

their protest continued as at the 

time of filing this report. 

The Chairman of the Community 

Mr. Hitler Igbakpa, the 

Secretary Hon. Odeh Oghominene 

Festus, Chief Simeon 

Ogheneovo Odeh, the Chief 

Prince of Oghara Kingdom and 

others who addressed journalists 

said despite about 45 years 

of oil exploration from Ovade 

Community by Pan Ocean Oil 

Corporation that what they have 

in return is the systematic, malicious 

and provocative under 

development of their community 

and people. They maintained 

that due to the prolong 

oil exploration/exploitation in 

their community by PANOCO 

that their once arable and fertile 

land is currently subjected to severe 

environmental (ecological) 

degradation. 

They explained further that 

having suffered from a prolonged 

history of persistent and 

consistent chain of Institutionalized 

oppression, suppression, 

victimization, marginalization 

and discrimination from Pan 

Ocean Oil Corporation in different 

realms of development, 

particularly in human capital 

and socio-economic aspects of 

development, that all efforts 

made to reverse the status quo 

have failed as they could not result 

to peaceful settlement 

Mr. Igbaka, who spoke on 

behalf of the community, noted 

that even a peace move that 

included the Governor of Delta 

State Dr Ifeanyi Okowa, was 

dishonoured by the company. 

He added that before the ongoing 

protest, which they termed 

the (mother of all) will be called 

off, that Pan Ocean should with 

immediate effect, and unconditionally 

reinstate one of their 

sons, Mr. Tobore Hosanna who 

they laid off sometime ago. 

They equally gave the condition 

of consummating the 

drafting, signing and implementation 

of the Global memorandum 

of understanding 

(GMOU) with the Community 

and the immediate upgrading, 

re-reticulation and extension of 

existing moribund water project 

in Ovade Community. Included 

in their demand also is the immediate 

commencement of the 

construction of an access (Link) 

road between Ovade Community 

and Ovade Oghara flow station, 

Gas Plant which was the 

reasons for their protest. 

While appealing to the youths 

to remain calm, he urged the 

youths to remain calm. He said, 

“the youths should ensure that 

the protest is peaceful, they 

should desist from any act of 

lawlessness which is capable of 

truncating their original plans, 

we must actualize our aim with 

the drop of our blood and we 

must remain in the premises 

of the company both Night and 

day until our demands are met.” 

A youth leader, Mr. Andrew 

Onomroba, who also bared his 

mind on the lingering issue, 

said the youths have also being 

denied employment by the 

Company as it has continued to 

employ people from other parts 

of the country. He noted that 

the community is blessed with 

all kinds of skilled personnel 

that can be employed to work 

in the company instead of the 

occasional un-skilled labour the 

company has been employing 

from non-host communities. 

However, the urgent intervention 

of the Divisional Police 

Officer of Oghara station 

C.S.P Tomitope Fashugba and 

Military men from 19 battalion, 

Koko, who arrived the company 

as early as 7:30 am to pacify fray 

nerves prevented the youths 

who were already spoiling for 

war to become violent. The 

intervention of the police prevented 

the original plans of the 

elders from being hijacked by 

the youths. 

Government Evacuates Blocked Water Channels In 

Delta Communities To Check Flooding 

Amaechi Udemba, Press Secretary on prints to Governor, Delta State (right); Mike Okeme, Special 

Adviser to the Governor on Labour and SeviCom (middle), and Patrick Ochei, Vice Chairman, Nigeria 

Union of Journalist, Delta State chapter, during the burial of late Lady Gloria Adlie Udemba, mother of 

Amaechi, at Issele-Uku, Aniocha North Local Government Area, Delta State at the weekend. 

PHOTO: GODDY UMUKORO 

SUNDAY APAH 

UGHELLI 

The Delta State Government 

has evacuated blocked water 

channels in Sapele, Oghara, 

Aghalokpe, Warri, Effurun, 

Ughelli, Asaba, and other communities 

in the bid to reduce 

flooding in the State. 

Hon. John Obukohwo Nani 

whoh led the team that carried 

out the water channel evacuation 

exercise defied rain to inspect 

the ongoing de-flooding 

exercise in the affected areas 

and other parts of Delta state 

with over 50 swamp buggies 

working at the same time. 

Nani in an interaction with 

the media said, the Delta State 

government decided to embark 

on the exercise on account 

of the heavy down pour which 

rendered Deltans across the 

state homeless. 

He further thanked Deltans 

for the support accorded 

the Ministry to de-flood their 

various areas and advice them 

not to block the water ways in 

their surroundings. 

Nani advised owners of illegal 

structures that are noted to 

be obstructing the water ways 

to remove all in the interest of 

the people living in these areas. 

Reacting to the state government 

effort of de-flooding 

the areas, Comrade Prince 

Orhomonokpaye, thanked 

the state government for his 

prompt action in helping to 

de-flood the affected areas and 

giving a new life to the people 

living in the affected areas. 

LG Employees In Bayelsa Flay Reappointment Of Caretaker Chairmen 

Governor Seriake Dickson of 

Bayelsa State has been advised 

by the National Union of Local 

Government Employees to discard 

any plan of reappointing 

local government caretaker 

chairmen in the state. 

The advise was given by 

the state Chairman, NULGE, 

Mr. Akpos Ekiegha, during a 

news conference in Yenagoa, 

the state capital, on Saturday. 

Ekiegha explained that the 

cost of running the caretaker 

system, in the face of the 

declining federal allocations 

was linked to the salary arrears 

owed LGA workers in 

the state. 

He advised the governor 

to give Heads of the LGAs to 

administer the councils as 

Acting Chairmen for a period 

of eight months to enable 

them clear the arrears 

owed workers in the various 

councils. 

Against the foregoing backdrop, 

he said: “If the Heads of 

LGAs are allowed to run the 

system as Acting Chairmen, 

believe you me, there will be 

nothing like salary arrears. 

He cited Cross River and Delta 

states as examples of state 

running the same system. 

He continued: “If civil 

servants are allowed to man 

the system, they know their 

boundaries, they cannot ask 

for a security vote of N20m 

but the caretaker chairman 

will ask for a security vote of 

between N20m and N40m. 

He added that “They (caretaker 

chairmen) would say 

there is security problem in so, 

so community. Therefore, they 

will say they need N100m to go 

and solve the problem, but we, 

as civil servants, have a limit. 

Our main focus is to pay our 

workers’ salaries and if any 

money is left, it will be intact.” 

He buttressed his advice 

by saying that within the 

short period that the caretaker 

chairmen of the eight 

LGAs were relieved of their 

appointments, coupled with 

little improvement in federal 

allocations, that accumulation 

of salaries owed council workers 

had shrinked to only four 

and a half months. 

The appealed to Governor 

Dickson to keep to his promise 

that by September 2017, 

the government would take 

over the payment of primary 

school staff from the local 

governments to enable 

them to pay regular salaries 

of their workers, adding that 

the non-payment of the primary 

school staff by the state 

government was part of the 

reasons the LG workers were 

currently on strike in the state. 

He used the opportunity to 

throw light on the speculation 

making the rounds that the 

state government was interfering 

with local government 

funds. 

He said, “The government 

of the state has never interfered 

with the allocation of 

the councils but has rather 

ensured that the allocation of 

the councils are freely given to 

them for judicious use.” 

He further added that it 

was at the request of the Joint 

Councils of NULGE and Medical 

Health Workers Union 

during the last days of the 

elected LG chairmen that the 

Governor directed the withholding 

of January to March, 

2016 allocations. 

He noted that the allocations 

were later disbursed to 

the councils under the immediate 

past caretaker committees 

to pay workers’ salary 

arrears. 

Ekeigha commended Dickson 

and the Commissioner for 

Local Government, Dr. Agatha 

Goma, for the judicious use of 

the London-Paris refunds and 

the July allocation that had resulted 

in the payment of salaries 

of workers ranging from 

two to three months depending 

on the financial strength 

of the councils. 

He advised all LG workers 

to avail themselves of the ongoing 

verification exercise in 

the various LGAs, particularly 

in Ogbia, where he claimed 

that massive payroll fraud had 

been suspected.

INDEPENDENT WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 16, 2017 /<strong>Independent</strong>ngr @independentngr www.independent.ng E3 

News 

Okowa Pledges To Use SMARTART 

Agenda To Rev Up Youths Career 

Delta state Governor, 

Senator (Dr.) Ifeanyi 

Okowa has pledged 

to use his administration’s 

SMARTART Agenda 

to rev up the career of the 

youths in the state to enable 

them achieve their dreams. 

The governor made the 

pledge recently when he played 

host to the Delta State representative 

in the forthcoming 

reality show tagged “Labour 

Room,” Comrade Oshevire 

Onefe and a representative of 

the Nigeria Rebirth Foundation, 

organisers of the reality 

show in Asaba. 

The governor, who was represented 

by his Political Adviser, 

Omimi Esquire, said that 

Delta State and Deltans have 

always remained number one 

in positive things, and on that 

note advised that the opportunity 

should be used to educate 

the world that the state is 

blessed with both human and 

natural resources. 

He explained that the era 

where people are fed with negative 

information about the 

state was over; pointing out 

that the state is blessed with 

men and women that have 

excelled as academicians, industrialists 

and leaders in all 

spheres of life. 

Governor Okowa assured 

the state representative of 

government’s support towards 

clinching the number one position 

at the reality show contest 

and urged Comrade Oshevire 

to redouble efforts towards 

surmounting the challenges 

that may crop up in the contest, 

which will be contested 

by representatives of 30 states 

of the country and FCTCT, 

Abuja. 

Earlier, the Niger Delta coordinator 

of the Nigerian Rebirth 

Foundation, Comrade 

Young Piero said that the visit 

to the governor was to present 

a flag to the Delta State representative 

in the reality show 

contest, as well as create the 

needed awareness about the 

contest which kicks off on 

September 2, 2017. 

Comrade Piero said that 

winners of the reality show 

will enjoy investments worth 

over N200 million, adding that 

the move was intended to open 

new doors of opportunities for 

jobless youths. 

The Delta State representative 

to the reality show, Comrade 

Oshevire Onefe said that 

he will use the platform to tell 

the true story of Delta to the 

world, urging youths to see 

challenges as stepping stones 

to breakthroughs in life. 

Highlights of the visit to 

the governor was the presentation 

of flag and certificate 

to Comrade Oshevire, as well 

as planting of a palm tree to 

signify green vegetation and 

the unity of the nation. 

Prof Obioha Nwana, former President, Science Teachers Association of Nigeria (STAN) (left); Mohammed 

Moulud, President, STAN (second left); Nyesom Ezenwo Wike, Governor, Rivers State (second right), and 

Prof Ben Akpan, Executive Director, STAN, after the association’s visit to the governor in Port Harcourt on 

Tuesday. 

PHOTO: NAN 

•CONTINUED FROM E1 

SPDC JV Reaffirms Commitment To Develop Kula, Belema Communities 

Oduduwa 

ExxonMobil Responsible For 95% 

Oil Spills In A/Ibom – AKIPCON 

such a high powered panel sit 

in the Niger Delta and every 

community that had cases 

with oil companies in the Niger 

Delta withdrew their cases 

and brought the cases before 

the commission because of 

the confidence they had. Over 

33 cases were withdrawn from 

various Courts in the Niger 

Delta region, and brought before 

the commission. Why not 

allow yourself to be judged? 

But they refused, they went to 

the Court because they knew 

they could conspire with the 

Court to frustrate the people 

of Akwa Ibom State, it is unacceptable, 

we will not accept 

that. 

So what are you determined to 

do now that the commission has 

not been allowed to entertain 

your case? 

We have gone to the appeal 

court. We have filed all the 18 

cases in appeal court in Calabar 

and in Abuja. The one 

of ADAC is filled in Abuja. 

These ones for the other oil 

companies have been filled 

in calabar, and had been 

appropriately served. That 

is action one. Action two 

is a State-wide protest that 

we are arranging to tell the 

public that we are dissatisfied 

with the ruling and the 

position that the oil companies 

have pushed the people 

of Akwa Ibom State into. So, 

we are going to tell the oil 

companies that enough is 

enough. They have denied 

us of good drinking water, 

they have denied us of good 

air, good houses. Look at the 

roof-tops, they are all dilapidated, 

buildings cracking here 

and there. Look at the quality 

of the food we eat, poisonous 

foods everywhere. Look 

at corpses. Medical reports, 

death certificates issued by 

government hospitals to show 

that many people have died. 

And they say that they are not 

going to pay compensation, 

they must pay because they 

have money to bribe corrupt 

judges in Nigeria and they 

think they will go scot free, 

they must pay. 

ExxonMobil recently defended 

that there are other smaller offshore 

companies whose facilities 

are also spilling oil. From your 

investigations, have you also 

been able to trace oil spills to other 

companies? 

That question is very very 

important. I want to tell you 

that ExxonMobil is responsible 

for 95% of oil spill in 

Akwa Ibom State. This is 

because ExxonMobil is operating 

with outdated pipelines. 

This information I am 

giving to you is recorded in 

our memo to the commission. 

They were supposed 

to change their pipelines 

since 20 years ago. Pipelines 

that were laid since 1971, not 

replaced! Those pipelines 

have been under the waters 

from 1971 and they have not 

changed them. The technical 

advice was that those pipelines 

were due for replacement 

since 1997. ExxonMobil 

has not changed a single pipeline 

since they started operations 

in Akwa Ibom in 1974. 

They came to Akwa Ibom in 

1971. That was the year they 

laid those pipelines. Since 

then they have not changed 

anything. Let them tell the 

public when they effected 

such change and who supervised 

them because the National 

Oil Spill Detection and 

Response Agency, NOSDRA, 

should know about it. Other 

government agencies should 

have known about it. No certificate 

to show that they have 

changed those pipelines, that 

is why those pipelines are 

bursting frequently, spilling 

oil from left, right and center, 

because they are taking us for 

granted. 

The Shell Petroleum Development 

Company of Nigeria Ltd 

operated Joint Venture (SPDC 

JV) has said that it is poised to 

develop its host communities 

in the Niger Delta contrary to 

speculation that it has reneged 

in its promise. The management 

of the petroleum development 

company also decried 

the illegal occupation of Belema 

Flow Station and Gas Plant 

today (August 11) by some persons. 

SPDC has informed the 

authorities of the illegal occupation 

that it is working 

towards resuming safe operations. 

Debunking allegations 

of neglect of communities in 

Kula kingdom and Belema in 

Rivers State, SPDC said it had 

implemented a Global Memorandum 

of Understanding 

(GMoU) in the area that led 

to a wide variety of social 

investment projects including 

university scholarships 

awards. 

It explained that, the Rivers 

State Government initiated a 

mediation process for the resolution 

of the disagreements 

in the community, which had 

resulted in the creation of the 

Kula Project Implementation 

and Monitoring Committee 

(PIMC) in 2012. The PIMC 

served as an interim platform 

for the delivery of social investment 

initiatives and programmes 

worth N263 million 

in the Soku-San Berth Project. 

These projects are separate 

from the GMoU projects initiated 

by communities using 

funds provided by the SPDC 

JV. 


a GMoU was signed in 

2014 for the Kula Cluster but 

has not been implemented because 

of continuing intra-community 

disagreements. As at 

2015, there were a total of 11 

court cases involving different 

groups with SPDC as a co-defendant 

in all of them. 

The company in a statement 

said, “Sadly, these legal suits 

and disputes have rendered it 

impossible to implement more 

planned development projects 

in the affected communities,” 

said SPDC’s General Manager, 

External Relations, Igo Weli, 

while commenting on the allegations 

of neglect. 

It added that “Notwithstanding 

that SPDC has divested 

its equity in OML 24, 

which covers most of the communities 

in Kula and Belema, 

the SPDC JV has continued to 

implement agreed Social Investment 

programmes such 

as scholarship and entrepreneurship 

schemes for the communities 

there”. 

Despite the challenging 

environment, the SPDC JV 

set aside more than N600 

million for a five-year period 

beginning 2014 for development 

initiatives at Kula and 

the satellite communities of 

Belema, Offoinama and Boro. 

SPDC JV has also invested 

over N352 million in Improvement 

of school infrastructure, 

sanitation and health outreach 

programmes, construction of 

walkway for the community 

and electricity supply in Kula 

Kingdom in the past 10 years. 

The host communities of 

OML 25, including Belema and 

Offionama have continued to 

benefit from contract awards, 

employment of unskilled 

labour and our social investment 

programmes, including 

yearly award of regular and 

special scholarships to eligible 

candidates from the area. With 

the divestment of its interest 

in OML 24, SPDC relinquished 

operatorship of the facilities 

in that field. 

SPDC’s social investment 

activities focus on community 

and enterprise development, 

education, health, 

access-to-energy, road safety 

and since 2016. Collectively, 

Nigeria has the second largest 

concentration of social 

investment spending in the 

Shell Group. The SPDC JV 

partners have contributed 

$29b to the economic growth 

of Nigeria between 2012–2016. 

SPDC JV is currently supporting 

the various GMoU Cluster 

Development Boards and mentoring 

NGOs to deploy a total 

of N7 billion for development 

projects of host communities’ 

choice in the Niger Delta under 

the GMoU program

E4 

Oduduwa 

Edo Inaugurates 

Task Force To Tackle 

Human Trafficking 

Mr. Godwin Obaseki, the Governor 

of Edo State, on Tuesday 

inaugurated the State Anti-Human 

Trafficking Task Force as 

a way of tackling the age-long 

social problem in the state. 

While addressing the Committee 

that would be led by Prof. 

Yinka Omorogbe, the Attorney 

General and Commissioner 

of Justice, Governor Godwin 

Obaseki during the inauguration 

of the committee, at Government 

House, Benin City, 

on Tuesday, August 15, 2017, 

lamented that the state was 

fast becoming synonymous 

with human trafficking and 

charged the taskforce to urgently 

redeem the state’s image as 

Edo people do not want to be 

associated with the stigma any 

more. 

The Task Force, according to 

the governor, would harmonize 

the efforts of the federal government 

through the National 

Agency for the Prohibition of 

Trafficking In Persons (NAP- 

TIP) and other international 

organizations involved in the 

fight against human trafficking. 

He said, “It is has been 

suggested that a special court 

be established in the state to 

prosecute perpetrators. We 

are losing our young people 

to this negative trend and we 

must make human trafficking 

a thing of the past in the state.” 

He charged the task force made 

up of representatives of security 

agencies, Non-Governmental 

Organisations (NGOs), NAP- 

TIP, Ministries, Departments 

and Agencies of government, 

religious and traditional institutions, 

to come up with modalities 

on how to domesticate the 

federal government’s law on 

trafficking in the state. 

The taskforce was also 

charged to come up with a comprehensive 

action plan for combating 

trafficking in persons as 

well as programmes that will 

help in reintegrating victims of 

the illicit trade into the society. 

In her remarks, the Chairman 

of the task force, Professor Yinka 

Omorogbe, who is also the 

Attorney General of the state, 

commended the governor for 

the initiative and said that it 

would bring an end to the problem, 

with the cooperation and 

support of all members of the 

society. She assured that members 

of the taskforce would live 

up to the confidence reposed on 

them and pledged that a working 

document would be ready 

within the six-week period given 

to them. 

It would be recalled that the 

governor in June 2017 promised 

free education for indigenes of 

the state deported as victims 

of human trafficking from Italy, 

Libya, and other parts of 

the world. The disclosure was 

then made by by Julie Okah 

Donli, the director general of 

National Agency for the Prohibition 

of Trafficking In Persons 

(NAPTIP), in an interview with 

Osasu Igbinedion on The Osasu 

Show. 



BENIN 


Sacked Edo APC Publicity Secretary’s 

Kinsmen Protest Removal 

News 

Armed Robbery Attacks Force Patients To Shut Benin Central Hospital 

Patients receiving treatment 

at the Benin Central Hospital 

on Tuesday shut down entrance 

gates to the hospital as 

a result of an alleged relentless 

armed robbery attack 

Protesting patients who 

were women overpowered the 

security guards at the gate 

who tried to stop them and 

padlock the gate with their 

own keys. 

The spokesperson of the 

protesters, Loveth Ogenekaro, 

said the protest was to 

register their grievances over 

what she described as incessant 

robbery incident in the 

hospital. 

Kinsmen of the sacked 

Edo State Publicity 

Secretary of the All 


(APC) Comrade Godwin 

Erhahon on Tuesday took to 

the streets of Ologbo Nugu 

Community in Orhionmwon 

local government area of the 

state to protest the removal of 

the former party spokesman 

from office. 

The protesters, who were 

made up of elderly men and 

women, boys and girls and 

members of the APC in Unit. 

3 Ugu Ward 9 in the Community, 

called on the State Executive 

of the party to investigate 

allegations of anti - party 

activities levelled against the 

former party State Publicity 

secretary. 

They insisted that the allegation 

that he (Erhahon) voted 

against Governor Godwin 

Obaseki during the last governorship 

election in the state 

and displayed his voter’s slip 

soon after casting his vote to 

confirm that he voted against 

APC as alleged was not true. 

They added that the allegation 

levelled against him by those 

who petitioned him was not 

only false but an attempt to 

call a dog a bad name in order 

to hang it. 

Spokesmen for the community, 

Chief Gaius Eheneden, 

Mr Jimoh Erhiamiator (APC 

chairman in the area) and 

Godwin Aigbogun, a political 

activist, said that the community 

will not take the issue 

lightly if not investigated unless 

the leadership of the party 

wants it to die in the area. 

They said, “the allegation 

that Comrade Godwin Erhahon 

voted against Godwin 

Obaseki in the governorship 

election in Edo state is not 

only false, but an attempt to 

call a dog a bad name in order 

to hang it. There is no iota of 

truth in it but it was a figment 

of the imagination of his ac- 

She said, “last Sunday at 

about 1am, armed robbers 

through the ceiling entered 

the maternity ward and 

disposed a patient’s relation 

of N100,000 and three 

phones. 

She added that “This is not 

the first time of robbery attack 

in the hospital, last week 

patients at the accident and 

emergency ward were also 

robbed and the management 

is not doing anything about 

it.” 

According to Oghenekaro, 

after the attack, they briefed 

the hospital management of 

the development but nothing 

Protesters 

Buildings erected on drainage channels at Yenizuagene in Yenagoa on Tuesday. PHOTO: NAN 

was done about it, saying that 

the management only came to 

the ward to access the situation 

without addressing the 

patients who were traumatise 

by the attack. 

She explained that ”The 

money was meant to settle 

the hospital bill of the patient 

who delivered at the hospital. 

I was the one who borrowed 

her N5000 to buy drug.” 

She however attributed the 

development to poor security 

situation in the hospital. 

Philip Ugbodaga, the Chief 

Medical Director of the hospital, 

who addressed the protesters, 

assured the aggrieved 

cusers. 

They stated that “ Few days 

to the governorship election, 

he, Erhahon was at Ugu Ward 

9 to mobilize the people for 

Obaseki. We all listened to 

him and voted for the APC. 

He never voted for the PDP as 

being alleged by his traducers. 

We were there when he voted, 

he never displayed his voter’s 

card. 

“ We are solidly behind our 

son because he never committed 

the offence which he 

is being accused of. Comrade 

Erhahon was never invited to 

defend himself nor a committee 

raised to probe the allegation 

against him. This is too 

bad for the party” 

The community thereafter 

placed a curse on whoever 

was responsible for the travails 

of their son, saying that 

with the curse on his head, he 

will not live to see the end of 

this year. 

patients that adequate security 

would be provided. 


he said, “When the incident 

happened, I reported 

the matter to the police and 

our security guard were able 

to get one the robbers and 

was handed over to the police. 

We have requested for police 

presence at night.” 

He said the patients believe 

that the robbery was done in 

collaboration with an insider 

because when they entered 

the ward, they didn’t even 

ask for the money, but went 

straight to where the money 

was kept to pick it.



C5 

Real Estate 

‘Supreme Court, Answer To NIA, ARCON Feud’ 

•CONTINUED FROM C4 

And those guys are still keeping their jobs. 

You once advocated for a massive urban 

renewal exercise. Now we are talking 

about upgrade to urban renewal, what 

shape do you think it should take? 

Urban renewal is critical. I will go back 

again to down town Lagos because I am 

deeply connected to it, hence, very passionate 

about that location for so many reasons. 

It is a part of Nigeria that I have been studying 

as a subject since my university days. 

My B.Sc. project was on urban renewal 

proposal for down town Lagos. My M.Sc. 

thesis was also on down town Lagos renewal. 

That means, it is an area I have been 

passionate about, watching and studying 

for the past 40 years of my life. 

If you go to Lagos Island especially the 

areas of Marina and Broad streets and 

those streets that immediately branch 

off or lead into them, streets like Nnamdi 

Azikiwe, Abiboki, Martins, Breadfruit, 

Balogun and a few others, if you look 

around those streets, there are almost 100 

purpose-built office buildings that once 

accommodated the crème of the Nigerian 

business and professional enterprises, 

from the oil companies to banking to insurance 

and all the major maritime businesses, 

professional services, even all the 

best restaurant in Lagos were once located 

around this area including night clubs. The 

major department stores were all there. 

Something happened that many of these 

buildings are now deserted. 

What happened that these building are not 

occupied? 

It is very simple. The Lagos State government 

and the local government! I blame 

them 100 per cent. They failed to protect 

the environment. Safety and sanitation 

and abuse of the environment! When it 

becomes unsafe for you to go in and out 

of your office, will you not go and look for 

somewhere else, especially when you are 

not the owner of the building? 

Two, when you suddenly get to your 

office and you want to park and discover 

somebody has suddenly put a shade in 

front of the building, frying dodo, and you 

are unable to send that person away from 

the place and he is there in connivance 

with the staff of the government institution 

that is supposed to ensure that that 

institution is clean, tidy and without abuse. 

And the state fails to see that the consequence 

of failing to protect the prime 

central business district of Lagos has now 

led to failures in other areas. They fail to 

connect it and fail to see that they are responsible 

for it. 

What is it that happened? Lagos CBD 

became un-conducive for enterprises to 

continue to run their businesses in those 

places, one by one they began to relocate 

their businesses to Victoria Island and 

Ikoyi, which were meant to be residential 

areas. The result of which is the mess that 

Ikoyi and Victoria Island have become. 

They are now talking about Model 

City Master Plan whereby you can build 

a 30-storey building. Fine, but what are 

they doing about going to the Lagos Island, 

which was a purpose designed CBD and 

in which there are billions of dollars in 

real estate assets wasting away. There are 

office buildings that are just waiting for 

occupants to come. 

If Lagos Island were to be conducive for 

big businesses, the buildings that are abandoned 

wouldn’t be abandoned or sub-optimally 

used as at today. 

What steps do you think should be taken 

to correct this? 

In 2008, I sent a proposal to the Lagos 

Ladega 

State government on what can be done to 

correct this, based on the fact that we were 

working on a project and it was taking me 

to the Lagos Island every day. For a period 

of five years, I was in that place for almost 

every day, studying and looking at what 

was wrong. 

The state is not even seeing what it is 

losing. They are just looking at the peanuts 

they are collecting from those traders, 

when they are supposed to be looking at 

millions of naira on those properties that 

are abandoned. If those properties were 

occupied by big businesses, commercial 

tenement rates will be paid on those properties 

to the state. The state is losing billions 

in property taxes simply because it 

has failed to address property degradation. 

There are very simple steps that can be taken 

to address this and these are there must 

be down town clean up. This is very easy 

because reliable infrastructure such as 

tarred roads, functioning drains, running 

tap water, pedestrian pavement, massive 

Marina Car Park, street/traffic lights already 

exist there. You don’t have a flooding 

problem on the Island. So, its easy to reverse 

the degradation in that area through 

a cleanup process, a restriction of undesirable 

activities, by dividing the Lagos Island 

into zones and certain activities would be 

limited to some zones. These things can be 

properly run in such a way that they don’t 

degrade the environment. 

Again, you will have to compartmentalize 

these activities into certain areas, as 

well as improve the security around. 

How do you see green architecture and 

how are the Nigerian architects integrating 

it into their practice? 

Green architecture is a word that has 

been misused, misunderstood and abused 

in all kinds of manner. Green building, 

green architecture and, or sustainable 

building, are all tied together and often 

people use them interchangeably. 

Perhaps, there is more of green architecture 

going on here. Some people will 

narrow green architecture to using off grid 

energy. That is not it. It is talking about putting 

up a building, using as little as possible 

of material/natural resources, doing it in 

such a way and manner that it creates little 

or no negative effect on the environment, 

using materials/energy efficiently, to design 

buildings that even at the end of the 

life of that building a significant amount 

of materials can be harvested from it for 

reuse. 

So, the concept behind green building 

is what I will call the three Rs. Reduce is 

the number one. Reduce the amount of 

materials you would use for the building; 

reduce the amount of energy that you need 

to run the building; reduce the impact of 

the building on the environment and reduce 

the amount of waste in the process 

of creating the building. 

Then, the second one is Recycle and the 

third is Reuse. You are putting on buildings 

that are durable and easily adaptable 

to other uses. It’s a whole lifecycle thing. 

Durability is about using as much as possible 

of natural resources from renewable 

sources. 

The principles of green are: resource 

efficiency, materials efficiency, indoors air 

quality, durable and requiring minimal 

maintenance. All these are considerations 

in green buildings and I would say that 

many of these principles of green buildings 

are already being used here. It may not 

be full suites of all the components, but in 

bits and pieces the components are being 

used here. 

There has been a call for the constitution 

of a Construction Board and we all know 

that each of these professional bodies also 

have their regulatory boards. Would that 

not amount to duplication? 

I always laugh because this is the typical 

bureaucrat solution to a problem. It is ridiculous 

and it is going to create unnecessary 

confusion. You don’t need any board. You 

create such a board, is it at the federal or 

state level. You will be running into issues 

of jurisdiction. 

Development control under our constitution 

and as has been confirmed by the 

Supreme Court on May 13, 2003, is a state 

function. So if you set up a national or 

supranational body, it will exist there in 

Abuja as a toothless bulldog. 

Just like we have the National Building 

Code, the truth is that it remains a piece 

of paper until the states domesticate it 

because development control and the enforcement 

of all the rules relating to the 

built environment is a function of the state. 

So, is the federal institution going to 

come and interfere in what is happening 

on a construction project? That is ridiculous; 

it is not going to happen. It is a unitary 

mindset that does not sit-in within a federal 

constitution. 

Secondly, if it is because of all these 

collapses that go on, is that how you solve 

the problem? If it is the issue of enforcing 

regulation that you think is primarily 

responsible for collapse, then what you 

need to do is to challenge the institutions 

that are supposed to regulate to take their 

The final authority on 

interpreting any law is 

the Supreme Court of 

Nigeria. You don’t need 

to go through the lower 

levels in the courts because 

you are just asking for 

interpretation. Some suits 

have been instituted, but as 

far as I am concerned those 

who instituted them were 

wrongly advised 

regulatory functions seriously; as well as 

challenge the state chief executives to empower 

the institutions to professionally, 

efficiently, carry out their functions without 

fear or favour and without any political 

interference. 

Let me tell you the biggest problem we 

have in this country with regards to anything 

relating to the built environment and 

even the management of the environment, 

is the fact that there are economic and political 

influences that are so powerful, they 

thwart and frustrate anything the state has 

by way of plans and objectives. 

Political or business interest have been 

instigating the perversion of a Master 

Plan, whereby the state says this place is 

meant to be a football field, powerful economic 

interest working in concert with 

the politically influential person cause a 

change to take place. You suddenly look at 

the place and see a big hotel coming up in 

an area that is supposed to be a children’s 

playfield and nothing happens; the state is 

also perverting its own rule or subverting 

its own regulations. And we see that all 

over the place. 

What they need is not that nonsense, 

which is a bureaucrat way of solving a 

problem, but let the bureaucrats and all 

those employed by the state inside all those 

agencies, that are supposed to monitor construction 

and all physical constructions, do 

their jobs without fear or favour or political 

interference. Then we will have sanity. 

In your own view, how do you think the 

ARCON/NIA issue can be resolved or will 

the feud linger forever? 

There is a simple solution to this thing 

that will take us just a few months to resolve. 

But for reasons best known to everybody, 

that path has not been chosen. And 

it is very simple. The final authority on interpreting 

any law is the Supreme Court of 

Nigeria. You don’t need to go through the 

lower courts because you are just asking 

for interpretation. Some suits have been instituted, 

but as far as I am concerned those 

who instituted them were wrongly advised. 

My own view is that we should just approach 

the Supreme Court of Nigeria and say 

by virtue of so, so and so clause in the AR- 

CON Act, is ARCON empowered to do what 

its doing? 

If the law does not permit ARCON to 

do it, Supreme Court should now make a 

pronouncement that ARCON should desist 

from doing some certain things it is 

currently doing and restore everything to 

the original position. The court will also 

further directive, which will stand as a final 

interpretation of the Act until amended by 

the National Assembly.

C6 


Real Estate 

‘Amazing Grace' Hymn Old Vicarage Up For Sale 


LAGOS 

The vicarage (residence 

of a Vicar) where the 

‘Amazing Grace’ and 

world’s most recognizable 

songs, were written in 

Buckinghamshire, England, is 

up for sale. 

The Old Vicarage, which has 

six bedrooms, outbuildings and a 

swimming pool, housed its owner, 

John Newton between 1764 and 

1780. 

John Newton was a former 

slave trader who wrote the hymn 

after realizing the errors of his 

early profession. 

The former slave trader and 

born-again Christian wrote the 

iconic hymn - which has been embraced 

by the African American 

community - after acknowledging 

how despicable his earlier profession 

had been. 

The Old Vicarage is in the 

market town of Olney, and comes 

with several outbuildings, including 

a workshop and garage. 

It sits within walled grounds, 

offering a high degree of privacy 

and featuring formal lawns edged 

by herbaceous borders and an 

outdoor swimming pool. 

According to Ian Denton, of 

Jackson-Stops and Staff, the Old 

Vicarage is the ideal home for 

buyers wishing to escape the hustle 

and bustle of city life, in search 

of a lifestyle transformation in a 

period country house steeped in 

history. 

“From the annual duck race 

on the River Ouse to the local 

market that takes places in the 

Market Square every Thursday 

and the Olney Pancake Race, 

which finishes just outside The 

Old Vicarage's gates, there is always 

something to enjoy in this 

thriving market town.” 

Today, the spacious Georgian 

The Old Vicarage in Buckinghamshires Olney is for sale 

house is flooded with light and 

spread across three floors. 

It boasts many period features, 

including sash windows with 

working shutters, as well as dado 

rails. However, some of the rooms 

need updating. 

John Newton used one of the 

bedrooms as his study and two 

biblical texts that were inscribed 

above the fireplace still remain. 

Lord Dartmouth built the 

main part of the house for the 

Reverend John Newton. 

It remained in church ownership 

until 1986, when it was 

acquired by the John Newton 

Christian Trust and used as a 

Christian Conference Centre until 

1991. It was then purchased by 

the current owner and returned 

to a private residence. 

John Newton was born in London 

in 1725 and went to sea at the 

age of 11, ending up as master of 

ship-taking slaves from Africa to 

the Caribbean. But he later realised 

the error of his ways and 

turned his back on seafaring after 

turning to God. 

He was given the post of curate 

at the Church of St Peter and St 

Paul in the Buckinghamshire 

town of Olney. 

It was during this time that 

he composed hymns for his 

weekly sermon, often with the 

help of his neighbour, the poet 

William Cowper. 

The famous lyrics of Amazing 

Grace are: Amazing grace! 

How sweet the sound That saved 

a wretch like me! I once was lost 

but now am found, Was blind, 

but now I see. Together they produced 

a book of 282 hymns by 

Newton and 66 by Cowper. 

Some claim that Amazing 

Grace was copied from the melody 

of a song sung by slaves on 

Newton's ships, with Newton 

John Newton 

inspiring his friend William 

Wilberforce MP to successfully 

lobby for the abolition of slavery. 

The old Vicarage is within 

easy walking distance of the 

market town of Olney, with nearby 

Milton Keynes offering more 

extensive shopping and leisure 

facilities. 

The town has its own sporting 

facilities, offering clubs for fans 

of tennis, rugby, football, running 

and sailing. The family bathroom 

features a roll top bath on clawed 

feet and a fireplace. 

Toronto Housing Market Nosedives, Calls For Economic Diversification 


LAGOS 

While the real estate sector 

has not made any impactful 

contribution to most countries 

in West Africa and Nigeria 

in particular, it has 

been the main stay of other 

developed economies, such 

as Canada. 

However, recent report 

has it that the Canadian 

housing market of recent 

has been down, an issue 

which Gluskin Sheff ’s 

chief economist, David 

Rosenberg, referred to as a 

good development. 

According to Rosenberg, 

it will be the first indication 

of a much-needed shift 

away from leaning solely 

on the housing segment 

for economic strength in 

Canada. 

Rosenberg made the remark 

in the wake of latest 

data released by the Toronto 

Real Estate Board, which 

showed a dramatic 40.4-percent 

year-over-year drop 

in GTA (Greater Toronto 

Area) residential property 

sales in July. Average selling 

price last month stood 

at $746,218, up by 5 per cent 

year-over-year but nearly 

19 per cent below April’s 

record $920,791. 

The situation also saw 

some observers predicting 

that the development might 

prompt a mass exodus 

among the thousands of 

workers (from agents and 

home stagers to construction 

workers) that have 

entered the sector over the 

past few years. 

In turn, this could prove 

to be the straw that breaks 

the camel’s back as the loss 

of a large number of skilled 

professionals might lead 

to even further industry 

slowdown—and an eventual 

winding down of a national 

economy that has grown to 

lean heavily upon the housing 

segment. 

For instance, analysts 

disclose that in red-hot Toronto, 

the number of real 

estate agents has surged 

upward to over 48,000 since 

2008, representing 77 per 

cent growth (compared to a 

26.9 per cent growth nationally 

in the same period). 

“To a lot of people, housing 

is a get-rich-quick 

scheme. But history shows 

when the market turns, 

half of the agents leave,” 

Toronto real estate agent, 

David Fleming, recently 

reports. 

According to Canada’s 

2016 census, which the statistics 

agency is releasing 

piecemeal this year, supply 

of new houses in Toronto 

exceeded household demand 

by almost 30,000 between 

2011 and 2016. 

“Between 2011 and 2016, 

the number of households 

in Toronto rose to 2.14 million, 

an addition of about 

146,200, according to the 

census data, the latest 

round of which came out 

Wednesday. That compares 

to 175,825 new homes built 

over that period. In other 

words, supply of new houses 

exceeded real household demand 

by almost 30,000 over 

those five years.” 

Some of the imbalance between 

supply and household 

formation over the past five 

years is a consequence of the 

construction slump during 

the last recession. Over the 

previous census period — 

2006 to 2011 — completions 

totaled 160,195, compared 

with 188,450 new households. 

In other words, supply 

almost perfectly matched 

natural household demand 

over the past 10 years. 

The report went on to indicate 

that one segment of 

the Toronto market where 

lack of supply is definitely 

a problem is single-detached 

homes. These highly-coveted 

properties accounted for just 

29 per cent of new builds over 

the past five years, down from 

40 per cent over the 10 years 

prior. They’ve also been growing 

at a much slower pace than 

household formation. The 

number of single-detached 

homes in Toronto is up about 

13 per cent over the past decade, 

versus 19 per cent in 

the number of households 

formed. 

It is also reported that almost 

half of young adults 

in Toronto live with their 

parents, the highest ratio 

in Canada, according to last 

week’s census figures. Pent up 

demand from these so-called 

basement kids may quickly 

emerge to take up any pricing 

slack. 

Diana Petramala, an economist 

at Toronto Dominion 

Bank, says the high proportion 

of young adults living with 

their parents is slowing the formation 

of new households.


Property listing in Delta 

1) For sale in Ubeji New Layout Warri Delta State. 

It's contain 6 flats of 2 bedroom each on each block building. Each block 

is 20 million negotiable, while the 3 blocks are 60 million negotiable very 

close to the tarred road with other buildings surrounding it 

………………………………………………………….. 

2) 3 Bedroom Block Of Flats For Sale at Ubeji, Off Refinery Road, Warri, 

Delta; in a very secured environment with stable power supply and 

tarred road to the house 

₦15,000,000 

…………………………………………… 

3) Residential Land for sale, Oil Road, Jeddo, Warri, Delta 

It is a genuine plot of land measuring 100/100 at jeddo for sale with 

C of O. 

Price: ₦2,000,000 

………………………………………… 

4) Brand new 5 bedroom bungalow at Bendel Estate Warri, Delta State 

with BQ, large parking space, CCTV, speaker phone system, car pot, at 

a very secured location. 

Price: ₦80,000,000 

…………………………………………….. 

5) Genuine plot of land with C of O at Jeddo for sale. This land can be 

used for residential and commercial purposes. 

₦1,000,000 per plot 

……………………………. 

6) A Liquefied Petroleum Gas Plant of almost one acre at Uti Street, 

Off Pti Road, Warri, Delta Warri: 6 pumps, 7 offices, 1 conference hall, 1 

supermarket,1 salon with office, 40kva gen, 1 lube bay with equipment's. 

₦250,000,000 

………………………………………………….. 

7) A luxury 5 bedroom duplex with modern facilities and all rooms in 

suite at Effurun, GRA, Warri, Delta 

N60million 

Property Details 

Type: Detached Duplex 

Bedrooms: 5 

Bathrooms: 5 

Toilets: 6 

Furnishing: Furnished 

…………………………………………. 

7) A 5-Star Hotel Building, 90 per cent completed for sale at Effurru 

Roundabout, Warri, Delta State: 

Build up area: 1175.25sqm 

Swimming pool 

Title: C of O. 

Price: #270m 

………………………………… 

8) Commercial Property Bungalow 

5 Bedroom Commercial Property For Sal located at 15th Street, Bendel 

Estate, formerly a well known Club in Warri, Bendel Estate, Warri, Delta, 

₦50,000,000 

………………………………… 

9) Land For Sale at Warri, Delta at a high profile and serene 

neigbhourhood. . 100 plots of land available 

Document: Governor's consent. 

₦650,000 

……………………………. 

10) 15 Bedroom Hotel / Guest House For Sale at Area F , Ogunu Road., 

Warri, Delta 

This newly completed hotel of 15 bedrooms is all ensuit with 2 bars , 

a gym , a large packing space that will accommodate 20 vehicles in a 

serene environment with all facilities required in a modern hotel. 

80,000,000 

……………………………….. 

11) Plots of land for sale at St. Marys' Street, Effurun-Sapele/Enerhen 

Rd and at Iyara Street., Warri, Delta 

N13,000,000 

……………………………………….. 

12) Hotel / Guest House for Sale 

43 Room Hotel In A Highbrow Area, Commissioner Road, Off Jakpa 

Road, Warri, Delta. 

₦350,000,000 

……………………………………… 

13) Tank Farm 

Tank farm for sale at Koko Town in Delta State. A new tank farm of 

60,000 metric ton capacity on 5 acres land with jetty. 

Title: C of O. 

₦8,000,000,000 

…………………………………………… 

14) Half Plot of Land for mixed use purposes adjacent Numa Maternity 

Hospital, at Igbudu (ddpa), Warri, Delta State 

The property is at the Igbudu Scheme and measures over 1436 square 

meters. Half of this plot is being put up for sale. 

₦13,500,000 

…………………………………. 

15) Residential land for sale 

Property Description 

Urgent Sale of 600 Sqm Land 

Havilla Garden City 

Title: Registered Survey 

Location: Udu, Warri Delta State 


Up For Grabs 

Plot Size: 600sqm (150ft by 50ft) Full Plot 

Outright Payment: = ₦850,000 

12 Months Installment @ ₦900,000 

Initial deposit @ ₦75,000 

Monthly payments for 12 months @ ₦75,000 

…………………………………………….. 

16) Detached duplex with a well tiled and fenced compound, with 

gate man's house n a self contained as well. Off Refinery Road, 

by Mekalva Hotel, Warri, Delta. 

Call for price 

………………………………….. 

17) Land For Sale 

A plot of land at warri gra, delta state #10m. More details 

₦10,000,000 

……………………………………… 

17) Hotel / guest house for sale at Ubeji, Warri, Delta 

₦80,000,000 


One storey building at roofing level comprising of 24 rooms with 

2 suites up, a VIP bar and main bar downstairs with a large kitchen 

and laundry and gigantic 25ft/13ft soak away. The completed 

office building comprising of a self contain and 2 single rooms, 

available land space with well space groomed tree and flowers. 

Suitable also for school, church and even apartment complex, 

property has C of O asking price is N80m. The entire size is approx 

1 acre. 

……………………………… 

18) 127 bedroom hotel / guest house for sale at GRA Extension, 

Warri, Delta 

₦1,600,000,000 

…………………………….. 

19) Newly Built Tank Farm For Sale at Warri, Delta 


This is a newly built tank farm that has only been test-runned 

and found very effective. There are no leakages anywhere at all 

and everything is in a perfect working condition. 

It has a storage capacity of 60million litres of products refined. It 

has a total of four tanks. The arrangement was that two tanks 

are for PMS, one tank for DPK and one for AGO. 

This does not affect whatever arrangement you may have if you 

eventually buy it. This tank farm is presently occupying a land 

mass of Four Thousand Two Hundred Hectares of land (4,200) 

which can contain a modular refinery. It is three kilometers away 

from the landing jetty with about 14 meters water draft that can 

accommodate a 10,000 tons vessel and has Six loading arms 

on three plat forms. Remember that this property has office 

complex of more than ten big rooms up and down and a very 

big laboratory to enable you test your products and Two One 

Hundred and Fifty KVA (150kva) sound proof generators for both 

lighting points and pumping of products. 

We have been able to procure all the DPR papers and even the 

lifting license from The Federal Government of Nigeria all at once. 

just to make it easy for the buyer. 

₦12,000,000,000 

……………………………………….. 

20) A Storey Building, Off Jakpa Road, Effurun,, Warri, Delta, 

Detached Duplex for Sale 

₦30,000,000 

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, 

21) 6 Bedroom Terraced Duplex For Sale at Oba Ile Road, Akure, 

Ondo 

A seven bedroom mansion seating on 6 plots of land on a 

mountain top in one of d most beautiful estates in Akure. Service 

quarters and a gate house inclusive. 

₦28,000,000 

……………………………… 

22) Block Of Flats For Sale behind Adegbemile and Cultural Center, 

Akure, Ondo 

The house has three units of two bedroom flats and a room and 

parlor self contained with all necessary modern facilities . 

₦17,000,000 

…………………………………… 

23) Commercial Property for sale 

2 Plots with structures at finishing Level, NNPC Station, along 

Akure - Ado Road Off Ado Garage, Akure, Ondo 

This land boasts of a large room with 8 other and spaces for 

convenience. It has been completely roofed, the ceiling finishing 

is asbestos borehole with pumping is available. The site is very 

suitable for commercial purposes like event hall, shopping 

complex, factory etc. Another advantage the site has is that it is 

adjoining the road with ease of accessibility. 

Title available include a survey plan and agreement 

Asking price is 15m 

₦15,000,000 

……………………………… 

24) Block of flats for sale at Road Maker, Igoba, Akure, Ondo 

₦10,500,000 


It is made of a unit of three bedroom flat, a unit of two bedroom 

flat and two units of a room self contained with nice finished and 

all other necessary facilities. 

C7 

Real Estate 

…………………………….. 

25) 2 Nos 3 Bedroom Bungalow 

2 Nos 3 Bedroom Bungalow, Oshinle Quarters, Akure, Ondo, Flat for Sale 

₦13,000,000 

………………………….. 

26) 2 Plots of Land, at Olokuta Area, Ondo Road, Akure, Ondo, Residential 

Land for Sale 


2 Plots of Land located at about 150m from Akure-Ondo Highway and 

very close to the new WEMABOD International Market (for Building 

Materials) currently being constructed by the Ondo State Government 

at Olokuta Area, Ondo Road, Akure. 

There is a valid Letter of Allocation from the Ondo State Properties 

Development Commission and there is a major access road to the land. 

The land is also located as a cornerpiece 

₦750,000 per plot 

………………………………… 

27) Commercial property for sale 

₦80,000,000 

2131 Square Metre of Land with Old Structures, Opposite Oando Filling 

Station, S.O Oba Adesida Road, Akure, Ondo, 


Suitable location for banks,shopping complex and all other commercial 

investments 

…………………………….. 

28) 

Hotel / Guest House For Sale 

Jojein hotels and Resorts in Akure, Ondo State for outright sale or JV. 

It's a functioning 3 star hotel with modern equipments and facilities, 

100 rooms, resorts . 

₦1,500,000,000 

………………………………. 

29) 4 Bedroom Bungalow 

4 Bedroom Detached Bungalow For Sale at Federal Housing Estate, 

Shagari Village, Akure, Ondo 

₦8,000,000 

……………………………… 

30) 13 Plots Of Land 

13 Plots of Land, Off Adeshida Layout, Akure, Ondo. 

We have good expanse available at Adeshida layout. its 1 km from the 

land of assembly in Akure. We have five plot on the major road for 

commercial use and eight behind for residential purpose. All the land 

can be categorized as mixed used 

₦20,000,000 

……………………………. 

31) Land for sale at Seebi, Irese, Alagbaka, Futa, Oba-ile, Akure, Ondo 

₦500,000 

768 sqm Total Area 

………………………….. 

32) 5 bedroom detached duplex for sale at Alagbaka, Akure, Ondo 

N30,000,000 

………………………………………… 

33) 5 bedroom terraced duplex for sale at Alagbaka Housing Estate, 

Akure, Ondo 

₦65,000,000 

……………………………… 

34) 3 Bedroom terraced Duplex and a Bq Attached, 95 per cent 

completed at Court of Appeal, Akure, Ondo 

₦50,000,000 

………………………………………. 

35) 4 Bedroom Terraced Duplex with 2 bedroom and a room self 

contained both behind the duplex For Sale behind School Of Nursing, 

Off Shoprite, Alagbaka, Akure, Ondo 

₦35,000,000 

……………………………………………. 

36) 4 Units Of 3 Bedroom Flat 

A commercial property of 4 Units of 3 Bedroom Flat, Ijapo Estate, Akure, 

Ondo, Block of Flats for Sale (uncompleted) first phase of plumbing, 

electrification and window work is done good for letting. 

₦20,000,000 

…………………………………. 

37) 3 Bedroom House For Sale at Ijapo Estate, Akure, Ondo. An old 

building in Ijapo Eestate in the heart of the city it can be renovated. 

₦12,000,000 

……………………………… 

38) 4 Bedroom Detached Bungalow For Sale,Opposite Solton Hotel, 

Ijapo Estate, Akure, Ondo 

The price is slightly negotiable . 

₦13,000,000 

……………………………. 

39) 2 bedroom flat for sale Very Close To Futa Junction, The Four Square 

Church Junction, Akure, Ondo 

₦30,000,000 


2 Bedrooms 

3 Toilets 

1,200 sqm Total Area 

600 sqm Covered Area 


A completed 4 units of 2 bedroom flats fenced with gate, painted inside 

out on a two plots of land, left with just the finishing of interlocking.

C8 

Since signing an agreement 

with the City of 

Dubai by the Lagos 

State Government in 

June, 2016 on the development 

of the Lagos Smart City, many 

people have been wondering 

what a smart city would look 

like. Ironically Lagos itself 

is believed to be one heck of 

a smart city where only the 

‘smart ones’ survive –you have 

to be smart to get on a bus and 

even when you are on a BRT 

queue as we have it today, you 

could still be outsmarted by 

a crafty lone ranger in a split 

of a second; On top of that 

you have to be pretty smart 

to earn a decent living in this 

ever-buzzing city; Other times 

you have to turn your gear to 

smart if you must beat the crazy 

traffic in the shortest possible 

time, else you spend long 

hours ‘snailing’ down the road 

with puckered brow and lest 

you forget, you have to be extremely 

smart to find your way 

around without getting lost. 

But Smart homes/cities are 

not restricted to Lagos alone. 

So what then makes a smart 

city in an already ‘smart’ city 

an interesting concept? 

Here is why. The smart city 

concept is one that thrives on 

intelligence, sophistication and 

automation. It’s not the typical 

hustle and bustle kind of ‘smart’ 

some of us are already used to. It’s 

smartness with ease, flexibility 

and simplicity. With the magic 

of a small device on your hand, 

your building is almost entirely 

under your control even when 

you are nowhere near. Perhaps 


Real Estate 

You Don’t Have To Live In Smart City To Live Smart 

Illustration of a smart city 

the only thing you still may not 

be able to do is to physically move 

the house to your friend’s place. 

Simply put, Smart City consists 

of Smart buildings and Smart 

infrastructure. Smart homes/ 

offices used to be the exclusive 

privilege of those in the top echelon 

of the society but as it is now, 

there is something for the low and 

middle class. 

Technology is for the benefit 

of everyone, irrespective of class, 

gender and race. In fact technology 

may be threatened with extinction 

if it is only restricted to 

a set of people. By building smart 

cities, the options are opened to 

people of all status to have a 

stake, even if it’s just as little. A 

square-Metre of space in a smart 

home/city is generally safer and 

comfortable to live in than 1001 

square-Metre of space in a dull 

or boorish home/city. Are you 

pondering what I am pondering? 

Apart from the automation side 

of smart homes, they are often 

very elegant, exquisitely finished 

and customized to suit individual 

preferences of taste and lifestyle. 

Never mind, I perceive you are 

thinking about power issues. In 

a country where public power 

supply continues to make a false 

of people’s high hopes, I very 

well understand your fears. But 

come to think of it, you would be 

surprised that for smart home 

concepts, even power respects 

technology. Smart home devices 

are often designed as low-power 

consumers and can be powered 

by off-grid solutions. Most of 

these devices can power themselves 

by relying on simple solar 

radiations. 

In a typical smart home, with a 

press of a set of buttons or clicks 

on wi-fi enabled hand-held or virtual 

remotes respectively, you control 

all windows and doors within 

the building, including opening 

and closing of the gate and skylights 

in the roof from virtually 

any location. Users can also monitor 

and control activities within 

the house on their 

mobile devices; 

making it easier for 

working class parent 

to keep tab on 

their kids at home 

while they are away. 

Smart homes can 

be customized to 

recognize the occupiers 

of a building 

and their pets and 

automatically allow 

them gain access 

at any time while 

denying access to 

strangers and even 

blowing an alarm 

when there is an 

intruder. Smart 

building can welcome 

you in with 

your favorite song 

playing in background 

mood and 

bid you goodbye 

by responding with 

a go-come tune. The 

heating, ventilating and air-conditioning 

(HVAC) system can be 

automatically adjusted to suit 

your desired temperatures and 

humidity levels using the same 

simple device. It can help control 

taps, switches and security alarm 

system; you can turn the entire 

space to night mode at night and 

even switch off all devices when 

you are away. So don’t wait till 

the Smart City is fully built. Go 

smart already. 

Engr. Osaz’ Enobakhare, is 

an award-winning contractor, 

structural engineer and the 

CEO of Heavens Contractors 

Ltd. 

08167394799 

LAWMA And Poor Waste Management Practices In Lagos 

In this photo taken Friday, Jan, 24. 2014, a scavenger in Lagos, Nigeria sorts out iron and plastic to sell at 

the Olusosun dump site, the city's largest dump. 

AP PHOTO 

In June, Lagos State Governor, 

Akinwunmi Ambode launched 

CLI – an abbreviation for Cleaner 

Lagos Initiative and the Lagos 

Environmental Sanitation Corps, 

LAGESC, to alleviate the problem 

of environmental pollution in Lagos 

state. In this article, we look 

at the poor waste management 

practices in Lagos that led to the 

introduction of CLI and LAGESC 

in line with world practices. 

Lagos has been described as the 

largest waste-generating state in 

the country, as over 15,000 metric 

tonnes of waste is believed to be 

generated in the state every day, as 

a result poor management practices 

in Lagos cannot be overlooked 

or condoned. 

In 2007, the Lagos Waste Management 

Authority was instituted 

to tackle the worrisome and health 

threatening menace of waste in 

the state which had already become 

an environmental nuisance 

at the time. 

LAWMA was created by law to 

ensure proper collection and disposal 

of waste in the Lagos metropolis, 

and invariably, improve 

the poor waste management practices 

in Lagos state . Though there 

has been an improvement since 

they began operations but there 

still seems to be a void somewhere. 

In recent times, the ineptitude 

of LAWMA has been put on the 

front burner. There is now an increasing 

chain of refuse dumps 

in most parts of the state ahead 

of the start-off date of the newly 

inaugurated CLI. 

Even some residences of the 

state have not been spared of the 

refuse ‘takeover’. Lagosians now 

dispose refuse indiscriminately, 

has was the norm several years 

ago which spells doom for a city 

with over 21 million inhabitants. 

For a state that survived the 

Ebola outbreak that reared its 

ugly head three years ago, another 

outbreak of a health hazard of 

any kind will be pushing our luck 

too far. 

Accusing fingers point to various 

directions; some blame the 

government for its mismanagement, 

others blame the waste 

management authorities while 

the people have not been exonerated 

either. 

Albeit wherever the pendulum 

swings, the most important thing 

is not to trade blames but to find 

solutions to a deteriorating situation 

and in turn bring sanity to 

a city that has been named the 

fastest growing in Africa. 

Arguably, the indiscriminate 

dumping of refuse in many nooks 

and crannies of the state may have 

even been responsible for the flood 

disaster that plagued the Lagos Island, 

and more disaster could be 

in the offing if necessary steps are 

not taken to bring the environmental 

nuisance to an end. 

It has now become common 

knowledge that LAWMA has not 

been efficient in its duties with 

their inconsistencies and untimeliness 

Though their task doesn’t come 

easy and the environmental activities 

of Lagosians don’t make the 

situation any better, however they 

are supposedly paid handsomely 

for their efforts. Invariably, to 

whom much is given, much is 

required. 

Citizens are billed and residences 

are sealed when the needful 

is not done, hence this must be 

followed by swift running of the 

duties they’ve been saddled with. 

If citizens still go on to dump 

refuse in canals, drainages, rivers, 

along the streets and even on highways 

then the activities of LAW- 

MA should be questioned without 

mincing words. 

The ban of the monthly environmental 

sanitation I suppose 

was done with good intentions, 

but we still don’t see the justification. 

It is no longer in doubt that 

our cities are inundated with the 

challenges of un-cleared solid 

wastes. 

In addition, the hue and cry 

over the health consequences of 

exposed and fermenting rubbish 

have not been quantified, although 

their impact is noticeable 

The question then is; for how 

long will Lagos continue to fight 

to clear mounting heaps of solid 

waste from their environment. 

Our strategic centers of beauty, 

peace and security are being overtaken 

by the messy nature of over 

flowing dumps, unattended heaps 

of solid wastes emanating from 

household or domestic or kitchen 

sources, markets, shopping and 

business centers. 

Debo Adejana, MD, RealtyPoint 

Limited 

08059100256


INDEPENDENT 

Education 


Oyeniran Apata 

+2348057514433 

oyeniran.apata@independentnig.com 

B7 

A’Ibom Govt Explains Recruitment 

Of 1,569 Science Teachers 

UNILAG To 

Host 2017 Good 

Governance 

Summit 

IDONGESIT ASHAMERI 

UYO 

Governor Udom Emmanuel 

of Akwa 

Ibom State has linked 

his decision to employ 

1,569 Science Teachers 

to his plan to commence engineering 

courses at the state 

tertiary institutions. 

Governor Emmanuel made 

this disclosure while interacting 

with government house 

School Owner 

Urges Ex-Students 

To Imbibe Positive 

Attitude 

Pastor Olusegun Alonge, Proprietor 

of the Barachel Model 

College, Ifako-Ijaiye, has tasked 

graduate students of the college 

to endeavour, as much as possible, 

to develop positive attitudes 

at all times in the pursuit of 

their future careers. 

Delivering an address during 

the school’s graduation ceremony 

recently, Pastor Alonge, said 

life outside the classrooms and 

school calls for more caution 

and urged the alumnus of the 

school always strive for success 

and develop a sense of optimism 

in their lives after school. 

He advised them to shun all 

forms of social vices, cultivate 

the habit of reading, and inculcate 

good behaviour that would 

be benefitting, the families, 

friends, community, country, 

and the world at large. 

“I seize this opportunity to 

congratulate the graduates 

since today marks another milestone 

in your lives, the end of 

your secondary schooling and 

the beginning of a new page in 

your lives which hopefully will 

be a brighter one if you imbibe 

good moral behaviours and stay 

away from illicit drugs and other 

vices”, he stated. 

He asked them to be confident 

about their abilities and 

be proud of who they are, saying 

they must have the desire 

to achieve excellence in their 

various fields of endeavours as 

the decisions they make, henceforth 

would determine which 

way their lives will go. 

According to him, they 

should make maximum use of 

opportunities, like Information 

Technology (I.T) that is available 

now at their disposal to 

improve their learning as those 

were not available to earlier generations. 

Pre-School System Increases 

Emotional Stability In Children - Ogburn 

SEYI TAIWO-OGUNTUASE 

LAGOS 

David Ogburn, an educationist 

and the Principal of Avi-Cenna 

International School has stressed 

the need to expose children between 

the ages of two and three 

to early year pre-school system. 

According to him a child that 

passes through this stage has 

more emotional stability as well 

as some basic introduction to academics 

and basic counting methodologies 

over others. 

Addressing parents at the unveiling 

of a model early Years Pre- 

School and Nursery department 

commissioned by Mrs. Bolanle 

Ambode, wife of the Lagos state 

correspondent at Ibom airport, 

shortly on arrival from 

an official trip to Abuja. 

The Governor, who disclosed 

this, explained that 

he was working towards full 

commencement of engineering 

courses at the State Polytechnic 

and University, saying 

that the foundation for quality 

learning must be strengthened. 

He pledged to leave no stone 

unturned in the training and 

provision of learning infrastructure 

for the young people 

in science oriented courses in 

secondary schools in the state. 

He said his administration 

decided to commence with the 

recruitment of 1,569 teachers 

to teach all science subjects 

and English language in secondary 

schools in the state. 

Emphasising the need to 

build capacity and strengthening 

manpower ahead of the 

impending economic recovery 

in the country, the governor 

said; “Certainly, as we prepare 

governor in Ikeja, explained that 

the idea was to raise the early 

learning childcare provision at 

the school. 

According to him the centre 

would offer new opportunities 

to engage and stimulate a deeper 

interest in learning for pupils 

thereby laying a solid foundation 

for entry into primary school. 

“Education is much more than 

what is taught in the classroom, 

children learn from their community 

on how to behave, they also 

learn from the school environment,” 

he said. 

The principal said the whole 

area is themed around a street 

scene with brightly decorated 

shops including; realistic street 

furniture, adding that the school 

towards economic recovery, we 

need to also build capacity in 

order to move on, if I don’t do 

that, it means that I don’t have 

faith in the economy.” 

Assuring the people of the 

state to remain focussed irrespective 

of the distractions, 

Emmanuel stated; 

“I am one of those that have 

full confidence in the economy, 

that as we move towards the 

last quarter of the year, the 

economy should be back on 

the part of recovery.” 

Mrs. Bola Ambode, Wife of Lagos Sate Governor (left); Prince Mohammed Momoh, NYSC Lagos 

Coordinator (second left) and Mrs. Rachael Ideawor, NYSC Skill Acquisition and Entrepreneurship 

Development, SAED, officer (right) as the first lady inspects products made by corps members at the Iyana 

Ipaja camp recently. 

PHOTO: OYENIRAN APATA 

is committed to continuous improvement 

and to creating an 

enabling environment for all the 

pupils. 

He reiterated that the idea has 

to do with improvement facilities 

and the way the school engages its 

pupils in teaching areas especially 

where there is need to develop how 

to control their emotions as well as 

the way they interact with other 

children. 

“At this stage they learn 

through variety of methods not 

expected of normal secondary 

school students where the teacher 

stands in front of the class, we inculcate 

a sense of play into them, 

they learn to use their body for coordination, 

they learn to socialise 

and communicate,” he said. 

To further boost the promotion 

of good governance among African 

leaders, Leadtimes Africa 

Magazine, in collaboration 

with the Chartered Institute 

of Management Consultant 

(CIMC), Canada, would hold 

her 3rd international edition 

of the summit on Good Governance 

in Africa Leadership. 

This year’s summit, the 

third in the series, themed, 

“Promoting Good Governance 

in African Leadership at the 

Grassroots: A Case for Democratisation 

of Local Government 

in Nigeria,” will feature Dr. 

Abubakar Sadiku Ohere, the 

Kogi State Commissioner for 

Local Government and Chieftaincy 

Affairs, as the keynote 

speaker. 

The programme, billed for 

the University of Lagos come 

September 2017, will feature 

prominent personalities who 

had made meaningful impacts 

on humanities in their chosen 

careers. 

Professor Lambe Adeyemi, 

Africa Coordinator, World Association 

of Academic Evaluators 

and Assessors (WAAEA), 

a co-convener of the summit, 

who spoke to INDEPENDENT 

in Lagos at the weekend, said 

the event is one way of recognising 

and rewarding excellence 

in quality service delivery. 

He said that His Royal Highness, 

Alhaji (Dr.) Shaban Audu 

(Nizazo111), Etsu of Kwali; 

Hon. Justice Abdul Fatayi Kuti, 

Pioneer Judge of Abuja High 

Court; Hajiya (Dr.) Aishatu 

Ngulde, former Executive Secretary, 

Borno State Education 

Endowment fund; Dr. Dayyabu 

Garga, Plateau State Commissioner 

for Local Government; 

and Dr. (Mrs.) Agatha Goma, 

Bayelsa State Commissioner 

for Local Administration, will 

serve as special guests at the 

occasion. 

In three separate letters 

signed by Professor Buba 

Mshelia, Prof. (Barr.) Lambe 

A. Adeyemi and Barrister 

BabajideLadega, few selected 

individuals, who had distinguished 

themselves would be 

honoured with honorary doctorate 

awards, Leadtimes Africa 

Award for Transparency and 

Accountability and induction 

of others as Chartered Management 

Consultants by Chartered 

Institute of Management Consultant, 

Vancouver, Canada. 

Professor Adeyemi, those 

to be honoured had been seen 

beacon of hope for the less-privileged 

and strong proponent 

of good governance in African 

leadership.

B8 

Education 



FG Urges ASUU To Suspend Strike 

As the Federal Government 

yesterday 

urged the Academic 


(ASUU), to suspend 

its 24 hours old strike in the 

interest of the nation, the 

unions in some Federal and 

state Universities have complied 

with the directive of 

the president of the union. 

Sen. Chris Ngige, the Minister 

of Labour and Employment, 

who made the appeal 

in a statement signed by 

the Deputy Director, Press 

in the Ministry, Samuel 

Olowookere, said there was 

an on-going renegotiation of 

the 2009 agreement between 

the Federal Government and 

ASUU by the Babalakin Committee 

which the Federal 

• Compliance Increases As UNIUYO, LASU, TSU Others Join Strike 

Government set up on Monday 

13thFebruary 2017, and 

which is already addressing 

the issues raised by ASUU. 

According to the statement; 

“It is important to note 

that ASUU did not follow due 

process in the declaration of 

the industrial action as it did 

not give the Federal Government, 

the mandatory 15 days’ 

notice as contained in the 

Section 41 of Trade Disputes 

Act, Cap T8, 2004. 

“In fact, it was on Monday 

14th August, 2017 that the Office 

of the Minister received 

a letter dated 13th August, 

2017 from ASUU, that is, one 

full day after it commenced 

the strike.” 

It further noted that the 

letter was to inform the Federal 

Government that ASUU 

has started strike and not a 

declaration of intention to 

go on strike as contained in 

the Trade Dispute Act, 2004. 

The Minister further said 

that since the case was being 

conciliated, it was against 

the spirit of Social Dialogue 

and Collective Bargaining 

Agreement (CBA) for ASUU 

to embark on strike as enunciated 

in the ILO Convention. 

Meanwhile, the UNIUYO 

ASUU has explained that decision 

to join the nationwide 

indefinite strike was due to 

federal government’s consistent 

failure to honour its 

agreements with the union. 

Speaking through the 

institution’s branch Chairman 

of the Association, Dr 

Aniekan Brown, the union 

explained that the industrial 

action follows several pleas 

and warnings to the Federal 

Government of Nigeria. 

The union regretted that 

Nigeria is probably the only 

country in the world where 

the government spends more 

money on propaganda than 

on the education of its citizenry. 

In the same vein, the Taraba 

State University chapter 

of the union has instructed 

its members to boycott lecture 

rooms and comply with 

the directives of its national 

body. 

Comrade Reuben Jonathan, 

TSU-ASUU chairperson 

in an interview with IN- 

DEPENDENT disclosed that 

compliance would be total at 

the university. 

Also Dr Isaac Oyewunmi, 

ASUU LASU Chairman, told 

INDEPENDENT that compliance 

was not optional, saying 

that it was a collective 

agreement and compliance 

would be total as directed 

by the national body of the 

union. 

Day Kinsmen Honoured UNIUYO Registrar 


UYO 

It was indeed a grand honour 

as the people of Nsit Ibom Local 

Government Area of Akwa 

Ibom State rolled out drums to 

celebrate one of their illustrious 

sons, Mr Aniediabasi Udofia, the 

Registrar of the University of 

Uyo, in a grand reception. 

Udofia, who assumed office 

as Registrar of the institution in 

2016, is captured on record as the 

third indigene of the area to have 

served the University in such capacity, 

and therefore considered 

one of the worthy ambassadors 

of Nsit Ibom. 

The grand reception which 

attracted the academic, professional 

and traditional communities 

across the state and beyond, 

also featured presentations of 

awards of honour to the Registrar, 

unanimously agreed to be 

an illustrious son of the area, the 

immediate past registrar, Mrs 

Edak Umondak, an indigene and 

a posthumous award to a onetime 

Registrar from the area, Mr Dickson 

Mkpongoyong. 

The honour of such rare 

grand reception, as enunciated 

throughout the goodwill messages 

presented at the occasion was 

largely motivated by Udofia’s 

track record of integrity, hard 

work and professionalism. 

His citation as presented on the 

occasion by Dr Daniel Udoh indicated 

that Udofia had his Nigeria 

Certificate in Education (NCE) in 

1988 from the University Of Cross 

River State, a degree in Political 

Science Education, Master’s degrees 

(M.Sc.), Educational Technology 

and M.Sc, International 

Relations from the University of 

Uyo. 

A record of his professional 

experience further indicated that 

Udofia has steadily and resourcefully 

gone through virtually every 

cadre of educational administration 

as he began his career journey 

as a class teacher in 1991 as 

Youth Corps member. 

Udofia 

He was enlisted into the services 

of the University of Uyo in 

1993 as Administrative officer II. 

He resourcefully rose to the position 

of an Assistant Registrar 

and further to the rank of Senior 

Registrar with responsibilities in 

the University Publications Unit. 

He was later posted to the Directorate 

of Personnel Affairs where 

he headed the Senior Administrative 

and Technical Staff as well 

as Academic Staff Establishment 

Units as a Principal Assistant 

Registrar. 

Having traversed all the various 

administrative units, departments 

and faculties of the institution, 

Udofia in 2010 in search 

of further challenges he moved 

to Federal University of Agriculture, 

Abeokuta, where he worked 

in the Senate and Admissions 

from 2012 until his posting to the 

postgraduate school of same institution 

as the school’s Secretary. 

Udofia, a husband and father 

of five is also a member of several 

professional bodies. He is a fellow, 

Chartered Institute of Public 

Management in Nigeria, member, 

Nigeria Institute of Management 

(Chartered), and member, Association 

of University Administrators. 

Also to his credit are 

awards and formal appreciation 

and recognitions on the course of 

his administrative career. 

Addressing the grand reception, 

the Vice Chancellor of the 

University of Uyo, Prof Enefiok 

Essien (SAN) who corroborated 

the professional prowess of the 

Registrar, acknowledged that Nsit 

Ibom has so far produced three 

Registrars for the University of 

Uyo. 

He aligned with the general 

notion that the area is blessed 

with intelligent and dependable 

administrators. 

He applauded as welcome development, 

the decision by Nsit 

Ibom people to honour their own 

and charged the generality of 

Akwa Ibom people to emulate 

same. 

The Vice Chancellor, however, 

advised Udofia to continue to position 

himself creditably as the 

people of the area will constantly 

look up to him as ambassador 

and inspiration to younger generation. 

In his remarks, the well celebrated 

and generally admired 

Registrar of the University of 

Uyo, Mr Aniediabasi Udofia appreciated 

his kinsmen for the honour 

done him, but also seized the 

opportunity to address youths of 

his Local Government Area and 

indeed youths across the country 

on the need to adopt an enduring 

approach to life. 

Udofia who attributed challenges 

facing Nigeria today to 

wrong approaches to life by the 

youths used the occasion to caution 

Nigerian youths against 

uncontrolled materialistic spirit, 

with its associated quest for 

speedy achievements, if the society 

must achieve the desired level 

of sanity. 

Udofia said youths must devote 

time to secure an enduring 

future for themselves through 

study, hard work, integrity and 

perseverance. 

He reiterated that the quest to 

acquire everything life has to offer 

overnight, has plunged many 

youths into life courses which 

may ultimately ruin their future. 

He, therefore, called on the 

elders to guide the youths aright 

by directing them through a life 

course of hard work, integrity 

and patient. 

His words; “Nigeria is in trouble 

today because our youths are 

not getting it right. Life is not all 

about money, so struggling to 

acquire everything overnight is 

not just right. A materialistic lifestyle 

does not guarantee a bright 

future. Our elders should guide 

the youths aright”. 

He paid glowing tributes to the 

Vice Chancellor of the University 

of Uyo, Prof Enefiok Essien 

(SAN) for his accommodating 

disposition; his elder brother, Mr 

Godfred Essien for sacrificing his 

shoulders to enable him attain a 

comfortable balance; and the Nsit 

Ibom Professionals Association 

for finding him illustrious and 

worthy of such motivating honour. 

In his goodwill message, the 

president, Nsit Ibom Professionals 

Association (NIPA), Prince 

Ime Obot attributed the honour 

to Udofia’s personality, integrity 

and professional track record. 

He, therefore, assured that 

professionals from the area will 

continue to identify with the Registrar 

as they trust his enduring 

stamina to deliver excellent services. 

Old Boys Donate 

Computer 

Centre To SPCC 

Aghalokpe 

As part of activities marking 

its 35th reunion anniversary, 

the 1982 set of St. Peter 

Claver’s College (SPCC) 

Aghalokpe, in Delta State is 

set to give back to its Alma 

Mater by constructing a fully-equipped 

computer center 

in the school. 

Dr. Felix Ekpo, Chairman 

of the organising committee 

at a meeting at Kayriot hotel 

in Warri, disclosed that the 

string of activities lined up 

for the celebration will take 

place between Friday 18 and 

Sunday 20 August, 2017 in 

Warri and Aghalokpe respectively. 

According to him, this is 

the second time the ’82 set 

would be having a reunion, 

having held its maiden edition 

in 2007. 

Ekpo also said that this 

year’s reunion is special because 

of its inclusive nature 

and international flavour. 

“Members of our set are 

coming in from three continents 

for this great event. 

They are coming in from the 

United States, Canada and 

the United Kingdom for this 

reunion. It’s an august occasion 

holding in August, and a 

time to recall fond memories 

of our school days as well as 

give back to our alma mater,” 

Ekpo said. 

Ekpo also disclosed that 

works on the proposed computer 

center had started, 

adding that the foundation 

stone-laying ceremony will 

take place on Saturday, 19 August 

2017 under the watchful 

eyes of the President- General 

of the SPCC Aghalokpe 

Old Boys Association, 

Professor Patrick Igbigbi of 

Delta State University and 

the spiritual guidance of the 

school principal, Rev. Father 

Christopher Ogaga.

INDEPENDENT WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 16, 2017 /<strong>Independent</strong>ngr @independentngr www.independent.ng B9 

Education 

OYENIRAN APATA 

LAGOS 

As the national body of the 

Academic Staff Union Of 

Universities (ASUU), again 

called out its members in 

the 88 Federal and State owned varsities 

to proceed on an indefinite strike 

beginning from Monday August 14, 

2017, learning activities may soon 

grind to a halt soon. 

The resorts to strike as the only 

message understood by the government 

had remained the only option 

open to the union since 1999 when it 

shut the nation’s varsity system for 

five months to press home demands 

for improved tertiary education system 

and remuneration. 

It is on record that the union had 

embarked on strike for a record 13th 

times with little to show for the exercise 

as government continues to treat 

education with levity. 

Professor Biodun Ogunyemi, the 

National President of the union, who 

announced the decision of the union, 

directed that during the strike, there 

shall be no teaching, no examination 

and no attendance of statutory meetings 

of any kind in any of the union’s 

branches across the country. 

Dr. Ogunyemi, during the press 

conference in Abuja, declared a ‘total, 

comprehensive and indefinite’ 

nationwide strike after a nationwide 

consultation with members of the 

union in the state at an emergency 

NEC meeting held on Saturday, August 

12, 2017. 

Halt To Planned Examinations 

However, as the strike gathers 

momentum in affected institutions, 

INDEPENDENT reports from the 

Federal University, Wukari, Taraba 

State showed that students may hurriedly 

complete the ongoing second 

semester examination. 

At the University of Lagos, Akoka 

campus there are indications that 

undergraduate examinations earlier 

scheduled to hold this month may 

also be put on hold by the management 

of the university in view of the 

prevailing circumstance. 

Though, academic and learning 

will obviously be disrupted in institutions, 

parents and candidates seeking 

for spaces in public university on the 

other hand are also agitated as the 

development may also put on hold admission 

exercises for fresh students. 

Dr Isaac Oyewunmi, ASUU LASU 

Chairman, in a reaction said; “It 

is not optional we are all on, we all 

agreed before this strike, the strike 

has began as directed by the ASUU 

national body, it is not optional.” 

Parents, Prospective Students 

Lament 

Mr. John Ezewanne, a concerned 

parent told INDEPENDENT that he 

was saddened at the declaration of 

the strike by the union, and called 

on the government to accede to the 

requests of the union. 

“Why has it become the practice by 

the union to declare strike as auspicious 

moments in the life of learning 

in varsities? This is a period parents 

are worried and preparing for the 

admission exercise for spaces their 

wards in tertiary intuitions. It is 

time for government for government 

to show enough commitment to the 

plight of education in the country. 

He added; “I must confess we are 

not happy about development in the 

ASUU Strike Puts Varsity 

Examinations On Hold 

• Parents Lament As NANS, ERC, Others Back Decision 

Buhari (left) and Ogunyemi 

Nigeria’s public education sector. 

Parents and candidates obviously are 

going through mental torture during 

periods like this recently declared by 

the ASUU. Government must act fast. 

What is the problem with governance 

in Nigeria after signing an agreement 

to make education worthwhile since 

1995 and 2013? 

In the same vein, Taiwo Ogunmoyela, 

a prospective student of Law 

at the Olabisi Onabanjo University, 

Ago-Iwoye, Ogun State, expressed 

disappointment at the declaration 

of strike, saying that it had demoralised 

her. 

“It is a pity that I may miss another 

opportunity! What does the future 

hold for me now that the brightest 

moment of my life is hanging in the 

balance? I have written JAMB twice 

and third attempt with good grade is 

threatened, “She lamented. 

This is no time for students 

and parents to take a 

position of neutrality in the 

ongoing conflict between 

ASUU and the government. 

What is at stake is the fate 

of public education and 

the future of the country 

so for that reason, this 

struggle is also the struggle 

of all students, parents and 

working people in general 

NANS Gives FG 21 Day Ultimatum To 

Resolve Issues 

As the congresses of ASUU continue 

to meet in varsities across the 

country to ensure total compliance 

with strike order, Comrade Chinonso 

Obasi, the president of National 

Association of Nigerian Students 

(NANS), has also expressed dissatisfaction 

with the government’s handling 

of the education sector. 

Giving the Federal Government 

21 days within which to resolve all 

issues agitating the minds of the 

union and causes of setback in the 

education sector, NANS urged the federal 

government to do all it can to get 

ASUU back to the classrooms. 

Obasi said the demands of ASUU 

are reasonable and touch on the integrity 

of government, especially in the 

light of the fight against corruption. 

“In the light of the foregoing we 

here give the federal government 21 

days to resolve outstanding issues 

with ASUU in the interest of longsuffering 

Nigerian students who are 

forced to bear the brunt of government 

insensitivity,” NANS stated. 

ERC, Others Lend Support 

In the same vein, a group, Education 

Right Campaign (ERC) has also 

lend support called by ASUU and 

urged the government to address the 

demands of the union, saying that 

they were all genuine and germane 

for the development of tertiary education 

sector in the country. 

ERC in a statement jointly signed 

by Hassan Taiwo Soweto, National 

Coordinator and Ibukun Omole, the 

group’s National Secretary said: “We 

also call on ASUU not to make this 

strike a sit-at-home action. Rather activities 

like public rallies, leafleting, 

mass meetings and demonstrations 

should be organised regularly in and 

outside of campuses to ensure that 

the issues which have necessitated 

another strike are clearly explained 

to members of the public whose support 

and active involvement is vital 

if ASUU’s crusade to salvage the education 

sector is to succeed.” 

The group, in the statement made 

available to INDEPENDENT said it 

was unexplainable and unacceptable 

that ‘government finds money to buy 

exotic cars for lawmakers, finance 

the outrageously expensive treatment 

of President Buhari in London 

and guarantees insanely luxurious 

lifestyle for political office holders’, 

without resolving call for improved 

funding of public education and meet 

the needs of academic staff. 

To avoid situation whereby the 

strike drags on endlessly, ERC parents, 

the general public, existing and 

prospective students to rally round 

ASUU and in unison call on the government 

to fulfill its responsibility 

towards public education. 

The group added: “This is no time 

for students and parents to take a 

position of neutrality in the ongoing 

conflict between ASUU and the government. 

What is at stake is the fate 

of public education and the future of 

the country so for that reason, this 

struggle is also the struggle of all students, 

parents and working people in 

general.” 

Possible Split In Ranks 

Meanwhile, the ASUU chapter in 

the University of Ilorin, UNILORIN 

said it will not be joining the national 

body in its industrial action aimed at 

pressing home its demands. 

The chapter’s chairman, Uthman 

Abdulraheem, during an interview 

monitored in Lagos on a local television 

station on Tuesday morning, 

said it would, however, benefit from 

whatever positive outcome emerges 

from the strike. 

Advancing reasons for the chapter’s 

position, Mr. Abdulraheem said: 

“We were not involved…the invitation 

to vote was not extended to us. 

We were not communicated.” 

Mr. Abdularaheem, however, expressed 

sympathy for the action and 

blamed the government for “not respecting 

dialogues”. 

UNILORIN is one of the nation’s 

premier institutions that rarely joins 

in strike actions since 2001 when over 

49 lecturers of the school were sacked 

for participating in that year’s nationwide 

strike. 

ASUU Demands 

The indefinite strike called by the 

union is demand that the general public 

have now become very familiar 

with. They are: government refusal to 

fully implement the 2009 ASUU/FGN 

agreement, 2013 MOU particularly its 

provision for a Public Universities 

Revitalisation (Needs Assessment) 

fund totalling One Trillion, three 

Hundred Billion Naira out of which 

only N200 billion had been paid so far. 

Others are: Payment of fractions/ 

Non-payment of salaries especially 

in state Universities; Non-Payment of 

Earned Academic Allowance (EAA); 

Non-release of operational license 

of NUPEMCO as well as other issues 

concerning the welfare of academic 

workers.

B10 

HealthCare 

/<strong>Independent</strong>ngr @independentngr www.independent.ng WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 16, 2017 

INDEPENDENT 

Chioma Umeha 

+2348023135460 

chioma.umeha@ 

independentnig.com 

CHIOMA UMEHA 

To reduce the growing 

proportion of new HIV 

infections among children, 

Nigerian journalists 

have been called to increase 

reports which promote issues 

bordering on the Elimination of 

Mother to Child Transmission 

(eMTCT) of HIV. 

Journalists Alliance for the 

Prevention of Mother to Child 

Transimission of HIV/AIDS 

(JAPIN) in Calabar, Cross River 

State, made the call recently 

during a three-day workshop it 

organised to assess individual 

and collective efforts towards 

eMTCT of HIV with emphasis 

on communications through the 

mass media. 

Lamenting that Nigeria has 

the second highest global burden 

of HIV/AIDS and also contributes 

the largest proportion 

of new vertically acquired HIV 

infections among children, JAP- 

IN said stressed media’s role in 

halting the trend. 

The meeting brought together 

journalists from various 

media organisations across 

the country among other stakeholders 

in HIV industry who 

expressed worry over the country’s 

poor indices infant HIV 

infections. 

For instance, Dr. Sunday 

Aboje, National Coordinator, 

National AIDS/STI Control 

Programme, (NASCP) Federal 

Ministry of Health, in his presentation, 

said that Nigeria is 

still home to the highest number 

of children living with HIV/ 

AIDS worldwide. 

Dr Aboje, who was represented 

by Assistant Chief Scientific 

Officer of the agency, Taiwo 

Olakunle, said “Nigeria has the 

second highest burden of HIV 

globally with 3.4 million people 

estimated to be living with HIV; 

1.7 million HIV positive women 

and 380,000 children less than 

15 years. 

“Nigeria has the largest number 

of paediatric HIV cases in 

the world. Nigeria also contributes 

the largest proportion of 

new vertically acquired HIV 

infections among children. 

“The country has come a long 

way in its effort to control the 

Consumption of contaminated 

food, unclean water and intake 

of overdose drugs has been 

identified as the major causes 

of various categories of hepatitis 

in human body. 

Dr. Johnson Ogunmade said 

this during an annual health 

seminar and get-together organised 

for Ogun State Ministry 

of Health community 

health practitioners with the 

theme; ‘Reducing prevalence 

of hepatitis disease: Role of 

Community Health Practitioners’ 

held in Abeokuta. 

Ogunmade said hepatitis A 

Child HIV: JAPIN Seeks More Media 

Report To Halt New Infections 

Participants at the workshop. Inset: Symbol of solidarityfor People living with HIV. 

Nigeria has the 

largest number of 

paediatric HIV cases 

in the world. Nigeria 

also contributes the 

largest proportion 

of new vertically 

acquired HIV 

infections among 

children 

Contaminated Food, Drug Abuse 

Increase Risk Of Hepatitis - Experts 

which was the most commonest 

among the five categories in 

the country was as a result of 

drug abuse, unclean environment 

and intake of contaminated 

food and water, adding 

that hepatitis B if not quickly 

diagnosed can kill even faster 

than HIV/AIDs and can easily 

be transmitted through body 

fluid. 

He said hepatitis C and D 

can be transmitted through 

unprotected sex and blood 

transfusion respectively, 

while that of hepatitis E could 

be transmitted through water-borne 

diseases, saying that 

symptoms to watch out for all 

categories of hepatitis include 

fatigue, fever, nossia, vomiting, 

pale, stooling, abdominal pains 

and lost of appartite. 

Charging participants to 

always advise their patients 

to imbibed good hygiene life 

style, maintain cleaner environment, 

avoid the intake of 

contaminated food, watching 

of fruits before consumption 

and stay away from undercooked 

food, Dr Ogunmade 

said that hepatitis disease can 

HIV/AIDS epidemic, particularly 

in PMTCT. Beginning with 

the pioneer 11 PMTCT-provider 

tertiary health facilities in 

2002, the country now has 7,265 

health facilities providing 

PMTCT services at all levels 

of the health care system.” 

Aboje, however, stated that 

Nigeria’s target on eliminating 

new HIV cases in children 

among other things for 2018 

was to ensure 50 per cent of 

HIV-exposed children have access 

to HIV prophylaxis treatment 

and early infant diagnosis 

services. 

He also declared that funding, 

inadequate political commitment, 

and funding at state 

and LGA levels, weak health 

infrastructure as well as inadequate 

engagement of the 

private health sector as some 

challenges against eliminating 

new HIV cases in children. 

However, Geoffrey Njoku, 

United Nations Children’s Fund 

(UNICEF) Communications Expert, 

expressed grave concern 

on many pregnant positive 

women who miss out on Anti-Retroviral 

Treatment (ART). 

The Communications Expert 

urged journalists to create 

greater awareness on the role 

of comprehensive package of 

PMTCT interventions in eliminating 

child HIV infections. 

The comprehensive package 

of PMTCT interventions 

includes HIV testing services 

(HTS), care of HIV-exposed infants 

comprising early infant 

diagnosis and linkage to treatment 

(EID/T). 

Others are family planning 

services, antiretroviral (ARV) 

and Cotrimoxazole prophylaxis 

for mother-infant pairs, cervical 

cancer screening and use of 

lifelong antiretroviral therapy 

(ART) for women. 

Responding, participants decried 

situations where government 

officials are unavailable 

when specific data is needed 

for particular stories, prompting 

journalists to go for internet 

sourced information and data. 

They therefore called on 

government to make available 

accurate data to aid in the reportage 

of issues. 

Dr Abiola Davies, HIV/AIDS 

Specialist and a senior representative 

of UNICEF, who was 

also one of the workshop facilitators, 

charged journalists to 

read wide, get accurate data on 

issues of PMTCT/eMTCT and 

attend training to obtain accurate 

information to authenticate 

their reports. 

Sola Ogundipe, the National 

Coordinator of JAPIN and 

Health Editor with Vanguard 

Newspapers, enjoined journalists 

to network with their 

peers and take advantages of 

the information available on 

the internet and the social media 

to be informed of trends in 

reporting on issues of PMTCT. 

The meeting was organised 

with support from United Nations 

Children Fund (UNICEF). 

be greatly reduced when people 

imbibed the habit of regular 

hand washing. 

Speaking earlier, the Chairman, 

National Association of 

Community Health Practitioners 

of Nigeria (NACHPN) 

Ogun State Ministry of Health 

Branch, Comrade Afuape Olusola 

said the training was 

aimed at eradicating hepatitis 

in the state, saying that to accomplish 

it, campaign against 

hepatitis must start from the 

Community Health workers 

who are closer to the rural 

dwellers.

INDEPENDENT WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 16, 2017 /<strong>Independent</strong>ngr @independentngr www.independent.ng B11 

FG Commissions Ultra-Modern 

Medical Warehouse In Abuja 


has commissioned an 

ultra-modern medical 

warehouse in Abuja for 

storage of drugs and other 

medical commodities 

that it procured or those 

donated by partners before 

final distribution to 

the end users. 

Commissioning the 

facility on Monday, Prof. 

Isaac Adewole, the Minister 

of Health, said that the 

facility, named ‘Premier 

Medical Warehouse’ was 

a product of joint effort 

between the Federal Government 

and partners. 

“I want to declare publically 

that within this 

country, I am yet to see facility 

like this, so I truly 

agree that this is the work 

of our partnership”. 

Adewole explained that 

there are three things that 

constitute good health 

system, Human Resources, 

Drugs/ Commodities 

available in the facility 

and Data emanating from 

the facility. 

The three things are 

complementing one another 

and it is only when 

the three are put to gather 

that a strong health 

system would have been 

built. 

“A facility that have 

human resources and 

there are no commodities, 

people will go there only 

once, they are not likely 

to come back, if there is 

no data you cannot really 

fine tune what is going 

on, you cannot determine 

progress and so to 

me what we are doing is 

actually to put in place a 

strong system that will deliver 

commodity in good 

qualities or in good shape 

to our people”. 

The Minister thanked 

the US Government and 

Globalfund for supporting 

the project. He assured 

that the Ministry 

will work with private 

stakeholders in the management 

of the facility. 

He said that the facility 

in Abuja will take care of 

the northern part of the 

country while the other 

one in Lagos would services 

the entire southern 

part of the Nigeria. 

Adewole said “for us in 

the Ministry we would ensure 

that we put all that is 

necessary to ensure that 

this facility is put to use, 

we would advertise it, we 

would let people know 

and we would provide 

oversight for the management”. 

The Minister said 

that facility would also 

provide opportunity for 

building capacity so that 

overtime, the Ministry 

would be able to replicate 

it in other part of the 

country. 

In his remark the US 

Mission Director in Nigeria, 

Mr. Stephen Haykins 

said that the Premier 

Warehouse in Abuja and 

Lagos would overcome 

the challenges of warehousing 

and distribution 

of drugs in Nigeria. 

Akinboboye Emerges First Black To 

Chair Cardiovascular Disease Board 

The American Board 

of Internal Medicine 

(ABIM) has announced 

the appointment of 

Olakunle Akinboboye, 

MD as chair of the ABIM 

Cardiovascular Board. 

The appointment of 

Akinboboye by the 81 

years old ABIM, is the 

first by the body to have a 

black Chair of the Cardiovascular 

Disease Board. 

The Cardiovascular 

Board is charged with 

certifying all deserving 

cardiologists in the 

United States. The Board 

which comprises 12 

members from all over 

the country is charged 

with the responsibility 

of conducting, certifying 

examination for all trainees 

in cardiology nationwide 

and also carrying 

out periodic knowledge 

assessments of all practicing 

cardiologists in the 

United States. It is one of 

the specialty boards of 

the ABIM. 

ABIM’s specialty 

boards are where the 

frontline work, at the 

discipline-specific level 

is done with the roles 

to define, refine and set 

standards, perform oversight 

assessment, build 

partnerships and also 

responsible for the broad 

definition of their discipline 

across certification 

and maintenance of certification. 

Dr. Akinboboye is certified 

in cardiovascular 

disease, hypertension 

and sleep medicine, an 

associate professor of 

clinical medicine at the 

Weill Medical College 

of Cornell University 

in New York. He is also 

the medical director of 

Queens Heart Institute/ 

Laurelton Heart specialist 

in Rosedale, Queens, 

New York. 

A past-president of 

the National Association 

of Black Cardiologists’ 

(ABC), Akinboboye also 

serves as Chair of the 

Clinical Trials Committee 

of the organization, 

He also serves on the 

International Board of 

Governors of the American 

College of Cardiology 

as the liaison for Africa. 

PSN Donates Medicines, 

Food Items To Yobe IDPs 

Pharmacists under 

the auspices of 

Pharmaceutical 

Society of Nigeria 

(PSN), has donated drugs 

and food items worth over 

N50 million to Internally 

Displaced Persons (IDPs) 

in Yobe state. 

The gesture is in line 

with the society’s philosophy 

of humanitarian 

service and Corporate 

Social Responsibility 

(CSR). 

It would be recalled 

that in 2015, PSN donated 

drugs, food items and 

clothes worth over N50 

million to Borno State 

Government for IDPs, 

while in May 2017, and 

the society also donated 

Ceftriaxone injection 

worth over one million 

naira to Sokoto State 

Government to tackle the 

Meningitis Outbreaks. 

The donation was formally 

handed over to the 

Deputy Governor of the 

states, Alhaji Danlami 

Ali, who is also the Chairman 

of the Task Force on 

IDPs and Returnees. 

The deputy governor 

was represented by the 

Commissioner for Health, 

Dr. Mohammed Bello, 

who was supported by 

the Permanent Secretary 

of the State Emergency 

Management Agency and 

the Director of Pharmaceutical 

Services, Pharmacist 

Maisule Kumsani 


Pharm. Ahmed Yakasai, 

the President of PSN 

in a statement in Lagos 

HealthCare 

said, “A sense of responsibility 

demands that we 

must support our people 

in need and help the government 

in championing 

a whole new agenda to 

promote the welfare of 

the citizenry in Nigeria. 

“Our professional 

pedigree and orientation 

makes it too obvious 

that availability and 

affordability of essential 

medicines in any health 

system confers credibility 

on same. 

Yakasai, explained 

that this is why the association 

donated drugs, 

food items and clothes 

worth over N50 million 

to Borno State Government 

for the IDPs in 2015 

and Ceftriaxone Injection 

to the Sokoto state Government 

for the Meningitis 

outbreak earlier this 

year. 

The PSN boss said: 

“Established in 1927 in 

consonance with its philosophy 

of humanitarian 

gestures and Corporate 

Social Responsibility 

(CRS), the PSN feels compelled 

to contribute and 

touch the lives of our 

brothers and sisters 

wherever they are in the 

country, especially those 

in various IDPs camps. 

Our correspondent 

report that Pharmacist 

Ahmed Yakasai was assisted 

in delivering the 

items by the chairman 

of Yobe state chapter of 

PSN and other executive 

members of the association. 

Pharm. Ahmed Yakasai, President, Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN) responding to questions from 

journalists after the donation of drugs and food items to Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in Yobe state. 

The Ogun State Government 

has inaugurated 

a 38-man committee on 

State Strategic Health 

Development Plan (SSH- 

DP), in conjunction with 

Pathfinder International 

in order to reduce maternal, 

child mortality rate 

in the State. 

Inaugurating the committee 

at the Olusegun 

Obasanjo Presidential Library 

(OOPL), Abeokuta, 

Dr. Babatunde Ipaye, the 

State Commissioner for 

Health charged them to 

think out of the box in 

discharging their responsibilities. 

Ipaye said the committee 

had a five-year period 

to develop a plan for the 

State towards meeting the 

expectation of the Federal 

Ministry of Health in having 

bottom-top approach 

to the National Strategic 

Plan on Health. 

Ogun Inaugurates Committee On 

Strategic Health Deveploment 

The Commissioner 

charged the committee to 

deliver the best, saying; 

“whatever development 

adopted in the State will 

be sent to the Federal 

Government as part of 

National Health Plan.” 

“We are modifying the 

expectation of Federal government 

plan in such a way 

that it will have positive impact 

on our people, not only 

to fulfil federal government 

template, but to build on 

our three-tier programmes 

of primary, secondary and 

tertiary health services,” 

Ipaye said. 

He further stressed 

that it was imperative to 

manage health care of the 

people, especially at the 

local communities and 

to reflect the approach 

of financing health, particularly 

the Community 

Based Health Insurance 

Scheme (CBHIS), “Araya” 

which permits indigent 

people of the State to key 

into the scheme. 

Ipaye added that the 

committee would also 

provide a template for the 

State in fortifying the over 

477 Primary Health Care 

Centres with necessary 

equipment, manpower 

and international aids 

that would enable them 

provide efficient health 

care services to people in 

the rural communities. 

The Health Commissioner 

said that every Federal 

constituency of the 

State would have effective 

healthcare centres in order 

to provide comprehensive 

services to the people. 

He noted that the programme 

would focus 

more on the treatment of 

Malaria, HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis, 

Maternal care, 

Immunization and others 

through partnerships between 

the State Government 

and International 

bodies for best results. 

Dr. Nofiu Aigoro, the 

Permanent Secretary, 

Ministry of Health, urged 

the committee to fasttrack 

implementation of 

health care services delivery 

for the benefit of 

the masses, noting that 

he had confidence in the 

committee to deliver useful 

work plan.

B12 



HealthCare 

CHIOMA UMEHA 

A from 

16-year-old Daniel 

Akishi Terpase 

suffering 

Ameloblastoma 

of Mandible 

currently needs the help 

of Nigerians. 

Akishi was neither 

dumb from birth nor was 

he born sad, but his present 

predicament has make 

life really difficult for him. 

While his peers are going 

to school or play around 

he stays in-door shedding 

tears. 

His travails began at 

the age of four with a 

small spot in the mouth. 

According to Ande Terumbul, 

his brother, the 

small spot was initially 

not perceived as serious as 

it didn’t prevent him from 

completing his primary 

school education. 

“By the time he was 

10, it had grown very big 

and affected his teeth. We 

tried several traditional 

and medical treatments it 

didn’t work and the more 

Boy, 16, Cries For Help To 

Effect N4.1m Cancer Surgery 

Akishi 

he grows the more the jaw 

expands and scatters the 

teeth. 

Terumbul explained 

Ogun State Health Commissioner 

Dr. Babtunde 

Ipaye has said residents 

will benefit from a free 

eye surgery programme 

and a gift of recommended 

glasses to those with 

sight problems. 

Ipaye spoke in Sagamu 

while flagging-off a weeklong 

programme organised 

by “The Collectives”, 

a community-based project 

providing free eye 

screening and surgery. 

The Commissioner 

said the next round of the 

programme would enable 

residents get surgical interventions 

for their eye 

problems, such as cataract 

and glaucoma. 

The Ogun state Ministry 

of Health boss said 

over 20,000 residents benefits 

from social health 

insurance scheme, called 

Araya, where the government 

takes care of the less 

privileged. 

According to him, 

about 24 health facilities 

both private and public 

were already enlisted, 

treating patients which 

the government paying 

the premium every 

month. 

He noted that basic eye 

care was also part of the 

“Araya” Scheme, where 

the state government put 

together all the essential 

primary health care component 

or elements and 

basic eye care, including 

issuance of recommended 

glasses to those who in 

dare need of it. 

He said that there was 

that when there was no 

improvement, he decided 

to bring him down 

to Lagos from Benue 

State. 

Despite his academic 

brilliance, Akishi is 

unable to complete his 

education and feeding 

is a difficult task. 

“He ought to be in 

SSS 2 now but his predicament 

is trying to cut 

his dream short. The situation 

has degenerated 

to the extent that he cannot 

eat solid food. 

“He uses two fingers 

to put little quantity of 

food in his mouth and 

the things he can eat 

are noodles and bread 

soaked in tea. 

“He cannot play with 

his mates because he 

looks scary and they 

feel repulsed. He can’t 

move freely and have to 

a bill before the State 

House of Assembly to 

have a law that would 

make health insurance 

available for all the citizens 

of the State, where 

members of the public 

would contribute a token 

and government would 

subsidise and people 

would be enlisted in the 

social health insurance 

scheme called “Araya” 

like it’s done in advanced 

country. 

Ipaye appreciated the 

members of “The Collectives” 

for their laudable 

initiative, especially in 

restoring of the people’s 

sight both through the 

provision of glasses and 

surgical operation, admonishing 

other non-governmantal 

to take a cue 

covers his mouth with 

handkerchiefs.” Appealing 

to kind-hearted 

Nigerians, Terumbul 

said just N600,000 had 

been realised from the 

N4.1 million requested 

for corrective surgery. 

A medical report 

signed by the Medical 

Director, Adeeh Davies 

Hospital and Scan Centre, 

Dr. K.O. Odunayo 

showed that there was 

an expansile lytic lesion 

of the lower jaw which 

involves the region of the 

mandibular isthmus. 

The report noted: “Tomographic 

features are 

highly suggestive of malignant 

ameloblastoma.” 

If you are touched by 

Akishi plight, kindly send 

your donation to Terpase 

Daniel Akishi, Fidelity 

Bank, 6040443239 or contact 

07018486633. 

L-R: Director, Ports Inspection Directorate, National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Mrs. 

Maureen Egbigbeyi Acting Director General, Mrs. Yetunde Oni; Head, Investigation and Enforcement, Mr. Kingsley Ejiofor; and 

Director, Special Duties, Alh. Abubakar Jimoh, at the media presentation on seizures of unregulated products and arrest of 

culprits by agency in Lagos recently. 

Ogun Residents To Enjoy Free Eye Treatment 

from them. 

Dr. Oladapo Awode, 

Consultant Ophthalmologist, 

charged the government 

at all levels to make 

issue of blindness in the 

country priority and matter 

of policy in tackling it 

through the provision of 

available, accessible and 

affordable eye care service 

at primary health 

care, secondary and tertiary 

care services. 

Noting that globally 

38 million people being 

blind, half of them were 

from cataract and about 8 

million people blind from 

glaucoma which was the 

worst of all, he said blindness 

from glaucoma was 

irreversible, while blindness 

from cataract was 

reversible. 

THE ABC OF INFERTILITY 

with 

DR. TAIWO 

OREBAMJO 

09090009002 

info@thelifeshoreclinics.com 

Poor Eggs Cause Of 

Unexplained Infertility 

For about 10 per cent of 

infertile couples we cannot 

determine what the 

reason for their infertility 

is. The diagnostic 

label we use for them is 

unexplained infertility, 

which just means that we 

cannot provide an explanation 

as to why they are 

infertile. 

For many of these couples 

, we have now found 

that the reason for their 

infertility is poor quality 

eggs. This can often be 

a difficult diagnosis to 

make; and it is one which 

is often overlooked by 

many gynecologists , especially 

when the woman 

is young and has regular 

cycles. 

What is oopause 

Some women with 

poor quality eggs have 

poor eggs because they 

have impaired ovarian 

reserve. Every woman 

is born with all the eggs 

she is ever going to have 

in her life; and as she 

gets older, she keeps on 

depleting her ovarian reserve 

until she becomes 

menopausal. However 

, for at least 10 years before 

reaching the menopause 

, her egg quality 

declines, so that she has 

enough eggs to produce 

enough hormones to get 

regular menstrual cycles, 

but not enough to make 

a baby. This is called the 

oopause. 

Since her cycles are 

regular , this lulls her 

- and her gynecologist 

- into a false sense of security. 

The good news is 

that there are accurate 

tests to check ovarian 

reserve. These include a 

high-resolution vaginal 

ultrasound scan to check 

the antral follicle count; 

and a blood test to check 

the levels of AMH , or 

anti-Mullerian hormone. 

A low antral follicle 

count and a low AMH 

level both suggest poor 

ovarian reserve. In these 

cases the problem is that 

we have to technology 

to make the diagnosis 

but the diagnosis is not 

made properly because 

of a lack of awareness. 

Another example 

There is another group 

of women, who have apparently 

normal ovarian 

reserve, but poor quality 

eggs. The group is much 

more frustrating to deal 

with. It is only when IVF 

or ICSI is done for these 

women that we find out 

that they have an egg 

problem. Here is the explanation. 

Some of these women 

will grow eggs poorly in 

response to superovulation. 

Such a poor ovarian 

response is a marker 

for poor ovarian reserve. 

Unfortunately, they have 

a normal antral follicle 

count and normal AMH 

levels, which means this 

diagnosis is made only 

after the IVF superovulation 

has started. 

The third group is perhaps 

the most difficult. 

These are women who 

grow a sufficient quantity 

of follicles in response 

to superovulation ; and 

have high estradiol levels 

as well. Egg collection is 

usually uneventful ; and 

the doctor often retrieves 

eight to 16 eggs for them. 

If IVF is done, when 

the fertilization check is 

performed the following 

day, much to the embryologist’s 

surprise and 

the patient’s dismay , it 

is found that the fertilization 

is very poor even 

though the sperm are 

fine and actively motile. 

If ICSI is being done, the 

embryologist often finds 

that the eggs are morphologically 

normal; or are 

very fragile. 

For example, these 

eggs have granular cytoplasm; 

or vacuoles in 

their cytoplasm ; or dark 

areas within the cytoplasm. 

( We call this the 

“fragile egg syndrome”.) 

Since normal eggs are 

simple spherical formless 

blobs, these subtle 

cytoplasmic abnormalities 

are often missed or 

overlooked. The embryologist 

may also noticed 

that the eggs are fragile, 

and the cell membrane offers 

little resistance to the 

injection pipette. Many 

of these eggs may die 

during the ICSI process.


‘Politicians Must Not Be Jobless People’ 

Politics 

•CONTINUED FROM D4 

before he remembers he is 

from Texas or Dallas. The 

disaster we have in Nigeria 

is that we didn’t form nationality 

citizenship whereby 

you are first a Nigerian 

before you remember your 

tribe. It is that disaster that 

is still hunting us till date. 

How come that my children 

who didn’t grow up in Ekiti, 

but in Kaduna, cannot have 

same rights as others in 

that state? Our systems are 

designed in such a way that 

even when they were going 

to Armed Forces Primary 

School, to even get that form 

filled, I needed to first get a 

local government chairman 

of my state of origin. By the 

way, I was born in Ile-Ife. 

But, these leaders who are 

doing these would get their 

own wives travel to London, 

New York, deliver there and 

claim all the rights of those 

countries. But, here, we 

cannot do that. This is what 

has led us to where we are, 

where people have the gut to 

be calling other Nigerians by 

their tribes. It is because all 

of us have not first formed a 

nation where we have a common 

citizenship that we are 

Nigerians. The only exception 

is maybe when we are 

playing football. We should 

be a Nigerian first and that 

is what Chapter 2 of the Nigerian 

Constitution says. We 

need to put it into effect. 

How far have you gone with 

your desire to rule Ekiti State? 

I am not one of those who 

wait to be drafted because 

that is not leadership. I 

have been fully trained, prepared 

with the wisdom and 

the knowledge necessary to 

serve any group of people, 

even the entire country. But, 

I want to start from Ekiti 

State. In the whole of my 

town, there is no electricity 

in this modern world. Look 

at those children, their libraries 

are on the internet. 

Even to get forms for exam 

purposes, they are on the 

internet. Have we not sentenced 

the next generation 

to destruction? This is my 

own passion and motivation. 

I am not here for the love of 

power; I am determined to 

recognise that the only legitimate 

and lawful ways 

is to have a democratically 

elected government with a 

leader with good character, 

who can develop the entire 

land for peace and progress 


We are blessed. Ekiti State 

has the capacity to be the 

food basket of the whole of 

West Africa. I know when 

President Buhari was campaigning 

in Ado Ekiti, he 

made a promise of an airport, 

which we plan to make 

an agro-airport, just like 

Kebbi State. Even now, some 

good leaders in the North, 

Kaduna State for example, 

Owolabi 

Reasonable people 

should within the 

authority support 

each other. I must 

support Fayose 

even though we 

are in different 

political parties. He 

too must support 

Buhari because 

he’s the head of 

the country today 

has been able to key into the 

Federal Government plans 

and their own leadership 

acumen to get the people to 

be enjoying travels from the 

state to all over the world 

now. We shall also ensure 

that from Ekiti State, people 

can go all over the world. 

But, that require leadership. 

This is why I tell my followers 

that my political party 

is Ekiti State. But, Ekiti 

State is part of Nigeria. I do 

not believe that we should 

make the mistake of the 

past where the Yoruba leaders, 

for example, were more 

of regional politicians. This 

country belongs to all of us. 

Until it is restructured, power 

and resources reside with 

the Federal Government. 

Those resources are for all 

of us. 

I am telling my people 

through this medium to understand 

that the basis for 

choosing the political party 

to support is that which 

controls the Federal Government. 

We need to tap into 

our resources as a nation 

to develop Ekiti State, too 

just as they are developing 

other parts of Nigeria. It 

would be a suicidal mission 

for anybody to do otherwise. 

Anything sectional, it can’t 

stand. The state can’t pay 

workers’ salaries now. It is 


that is bailing it out. It is 

a shame. So, we have to be 

reasonable, not because I am 

a retired military man who 

was schooled in patriotism. 

Quite frankly, Nigeria as a 

nation is great. If I had my 

way, it would be like China 

where we have only one national 

party. But the focus 

should be to develop the nation 

and not the pockets of 

individuals. That requires 

people who can think out of 

the box, people who are leaders 

and have the strength 

and courage of the Biblical 

Joshua because the job at 

hand is very difficult. The 

road may be very complex, 

but leaders must have the 

courage, strength and character 

to ensure that we succeed 

in this nation. 

What is your assessment of 

the present government in the 

state? 

There are seven dangerous 

character traits that are 

responsible for failures and 

disasters even in politics. 

Anybody who has anti-authority 

attitude is a disaster 

waiting to happen. Every 

one of us is to support whoever 

God puts in a position. 

Whether he’s a David, Herod 

or Nebuchadnezzar it is irrelevant. 

I tell everybody 

around me that anybody 

who abuses Governor Ayodele 

Fayose would leave my 

camp because you are indirectly 

abusing me too. I am 

from this state and as at today, 

he’s the number one citizen 

of this state. Also, anybody 

who abuses President 

Buhari is insulting himself 

and also insulting all of us 

because Buhari is the head 

of the country today. So, 

people with anti-authority 

attitude are very dangerous. 

Reasonable people should 

within the authority support 

each other. I must support 

Fayose even though we are 

in different political parties. 

He too must support Buhari 

because he’s the head of the 

country today. We are in a 

nation where we don’t support 

people because they are 

not in our camp. We must 

communicate with each other. 

We must respect each other 

even though we disagree. 

We once had a President in 

this country that drove away 

his Vice-President, just because 

they disagreed. Those 

are not the good traits of 

leadership. It’s like a pilot 

who drove out his co-pilot. 

Of course, they are going 

to crash. They must work 

together, they must respect 

each other. 

Also, we must educate 

each other. A political leader 

or a governor should not 

be the one who sits on a seat 

and be collecting salaries, 

cheating people. You are 

supposed to educate the people. 

That is what we call the 

leader. Also, a leader must be 

assertive. We now train our 

co-pilots that they are not extra-tyres. 

The captain may 

be better than you, but he’s 

not the deputy God. We are 

prone to errors, but we can 

only be safe if we operate as 

a team. That is what we are 

lacking here and that is why 

we are failing. 

Politicians should not 

be jobless people, you must 

have a second address. That 

is why we have this buying 

and selling of votes. We 

should have seen you succeed 

in something before 

venturing into politics. A 

man who has not succeeded 

in anything, why are you 

surprised that he’s crashing 

your state or country? They 

are disasters waiting to happen. 

In my own situation, I 

am fully prepared by God. 

What I am saying is that 

leadership is what we should 

take very seriously. That is 

why I coined my political 

movement ERA (Ekiti Restoration 

Agenda), which is to 

restore the political dignity 

and honour of Ekiti State, 

the Fountain of Knowledge, 

but has become the butts 

of jokes all over the world; 

home of Professors being 

ruled by people who hardly 

know their left from right.

D6 



INDEPENDENT 


Our View 

A 

recent report that 

about 2,500 Nigerian 

medical doctors 

of different cadre 

are going to leave the country 

in search of better opportunities 

abroad in September 

is worrisome. 

The survey which was 

conducted by NOIPolls in 

collaboration with Nigerian 

Health Watch, whose findings 

cut across junior, mid 

and senior level medical 

practitioners in both public 

and private medical institutions 

revealed that 8 out of 

every 10 medical doctors, 

representing about 88 percent 

of the medical doctors 

in Nigeria are currently 

seeking work opportunities 

abroad. 

Further findings by the 

survey show that out of 

about 72, 000 medical doctors 

registered with the Medical 

and Dental Council of Nigeria, 

only about 35,000 are 

currently practicing in the 

country. Further checks from 

the Nigerian Medical Association 

(NMA) show that out 

of an estimated 40, 000 of its 

members in Nigeria, quite a 

number have since left the 

profession to venture into 

other areas. 

Also, the report highlighted 

that United Kingdom (UK) 

Executive Editor ❱ Ted Iwere 

Managing Editor ❱ Ade Ogidan 

Editor, Daily ❱ Don Okere 

Editor, Saturday ❱ Hazeez Balogun 

Editor, Sunday ❱ John Omachonu 

News Editor ❱ Charles Okoh 

Bureau Chief, North ❱ Tony Ezimakor 

Sport Editor ❱ Peter Edema 

Life Editor ❱ Yemi Adebisi 

Business Editor ❱ Sylvester Enoghase 

Politics Editor ❱ Temidayo Akinsuyi 

Chairman, Editorial Board ❱ Donatus Duru 

Head, Bus. Intelligence ❱ Kirk Leigh 

Photo Editor ❱ Kunle Ajayi 

Head Graphics ❱ Michael Jacob 

Digital Assets Manager ❱ Blessing Ameye 

Copy Sales Manager ❱ Andy Akukwe 

Advert Manager ❱ Folasade Agboola 

Chief Finance Officer ❱ Athenatius Chima 

G.M. Print Services ❱ Henry Eduwaye 

Head, Human Resources ❱ Bunmi Oni 

Directors 

Alhaji Gambo Lawan (Chairman), Otunba Olusola 

Adekanola, Ted Iwere (Managing), Adaobi Nwakuche 

Hotlines 

Newsroom: 08111813017. Circulation: 08077352800. 

Advert: 08054935517. Subscription: 08057523955 

and the United States of 

America (USA) are the top 

destinations for the Nigerian 

medical doctors. Of course, 

there is a preponderance of 

erudite Nigerian medical 

practitioners in many other 

developed and developing 

nations- such as Canada, the 

Caribbean and Saudi Arabia 

who are doing quite well under 

conducive working conditions 

and better reward. 

For sure, this is undoubtedly 

a reflection of a Nigerian 

health sector that needs 

urgent governmental attention. 

In fact, the wanton lack 

of requisite facilities, work 

environment and conditions, 

career development, and low 

reward system are among 

the factors causing the massive 

exodus of the country’s 

medical personnel to other 

countries where they get it 

better. 

Unfortunately, government 

has not been able to 

do much in addressing the 

perennial challenges in the 

sector, thereby improving the 

working condition of medical 

doctors in the country 

and giving the profession 

its deserved pride of place. 

Often, the media had been 

awash with the news of one 

industrial action or the other 

by the members of the NMA 

VISION 

To be Nigeria’s First Truly <strong>Independent</strong> National Quality Newspaper 

OUR MISSION 

To produce a quality, vibrant and viable newspaper that will inform and form 

the nation’s present and aspiring political, business, economic and cultural 

leadership; challenge and inspire the nation’s journalists to advance and 

defend the public good; and deliver superior value to all stakeholders. 

EDITORIAL POLICY 

We shall be independent on all matters, but shall never be neutral on any 

matter, especially those concerning the well-being of Nigerians. 

© <strong>Independent</strong> Newspapers Limited, October 1, 2001 

Stop The Brain Drain In Health Sector Now 

and its subsidiaries, due to 

poor welfare, working tools, 

and condition of service. 

There are also media reports 

that some doctors who 

have been recruited in some 

public medical institutions 

have not been paid for several 

months. Of course, these 

developments have worsened 

the conditions which 

are causing these doctors to 

leave the country in droves. 

It is even more worrisome 

that this phenomenon has, 

over time adversely affected 

health care delivery, in the 

sense that it has left enormous 

workload for the few 

available medical doctors. 

Currently, statistics show 

that the doctor-patient ratio 

in Nigeria is 1 : 4,250 patients, 

which is far below the 

World Health Organisation 

(WHO) recommendation of 1 

:600 patients. This is, certainly, 

not acceptable by any 

standard. 

Not a few experts believe 

that there is lack of faith 

by most Nigerian leaders on 

the country’s health system. 

Only this week, the British 

Broadcasting Corporation 

(BBC) reportedly cast aspersion 

on President Buhari’s 

long absence from the country 

for medical treatment 

abroad, insinuating that it 

was an indictment in the 

lack of confidence in Nigeria’s 

health sector. 

Therefore, to address the 

conditions leading to the 

mass exodus of many of the 

nation’s finest medical practitioners, 

it is imperative for 

government at both the federal 

and state to now declare 

some form of emergency in 

the nation’s health sector, 

with a view to revamping the 

entire system. This is a task 

that can no longer be delayed 

and must be pursued with 

an unalloyed political will. 

Perhaps, when government’s 

policy to restrict public officials 

from indiscriminate 

health tourism abroad is religiously 

implemented, it will 

do the country and its health 

sector a world of good. 

More so, we urge the NMA 

to encourage its members 

to form partnerships with 

a view to enhancing service 

delivery in the heath sector. 

Perhaps, as a form of incentive, 

government should 

grant some form of tax holidays 

to such consortium of 

doctors who are willing to go 

into such partnerships. With 

the required enabling environment 

created, the exodus 

of doctors would certainly 

minimise and the health sector 

would be better for it.


Your Views 

Articles/Opinions should be a maximum 

of 750 words sent with the writer’s photograph 

to: opinion@independentnig.com 

CROSSWORD 

with 

AYODEJI Ajayi 

09084528388 

(sms only) 

ayodejideajayi@gmail.com 

I 

recall vividly with profound pride 

and nostalgia that as privileged undergraduate 

in the then prestigious 

Department of Mass Communication, 

University of Lagos, several years ago, I 

can say, unequivocally, that the Nigerian 

education sector had public universities 

that were truly centres of excellence, in 

terms of meaningful teaching, learning, 

research, as well as sustainable partnerships 

and relationship between universities 

and their immediate environments. 

In those days, reputable public 

universities especially, University of 

Ibadan, University of Lagos, University 

of Nigeria, Nsukka, and Ahmadu Bello 

University, Zaria, were not only centres 

of academic excellence, they were also 

passionately patronised by many eminent 

parents and guardians that wanted their 

children and wards to attend these frontline 

universities. Consequently, it was 

not surprising that, unlike other public 

universities, this set of unique tertiary 

institutions attracted dedicated, hardworking, 

visionary, honest, intelligent, 

and detribalised Vice-Chancellors, Registrars 

and Bursars. The Vice-Chancellors 

were highly revered for discharging their 

responsibilities with unquestionable 

CHUKWUDI OBI 

On The Senate, Ports And Revenue Leakages 

One is constrained to join issues 

with “Mr. Yahaya Sadique”, supposedly 

a Kaduna-based writer 

over an article authored by him 

and published recently in THISDAY. The 

article entitled “The Senate, Ports and 

revenue leakages” is, to say the least, a 

disservice to the cause of truth. Although 

it hinges its premise on the ports and attempts 

by the senate to investigate alleged 

revenue leakages at the ports, it dwells 

extensively on a statement recently issued 

by respected elder statesman and former 

Military Governor of Kaduna State, Col. 

Umar Abubakar Dangiwa Umar (rtd). 

And that is really pathetic. 

One finds it distasteful that “Mr. 

Sadique” would disparage a man who 

has remained one of the most committed 

patriots and has never shied away from 

speaking his mind on national issue, no 

matter how contentious they are. To insinuate 

that the statesman is under the 

influence of the NPA, is to say the least, a 

disgraceful position not expected of anyone 

conversant with our national history 

and national interest at heart. 

But it does not seem that the writer under 

discussion is in tune with the current 

state of affairs going by the content of his 

article, especially as it concerns the NPA. 

Anyone familiar with the current state of 

affairs at the NPA would readily testify 

to the increasing level of transparency 

at the agency. 

Just on Tuesday this week, a report in 

The Nation quoted a statesman and former 

Governor of Ogun State, Chief Olusegun 

Probe Of Vice-Chancellors 

integrity and this was attributed to the 

unflinching support received from relevant 

stakeholders. But today, more than 

four decades after graduation, it saddens 

my troubled mind whenever I ruminate 

over the current decaying infrastructure, 

economic and financial rot, fast declining 

quality of education, mass production of 

unemployable graduates, as well as unending 

moral decadence bedevilling virtually 

all public universities across the 

country. As it is in public hospitals, including 

university teaching hospitals, often 

described as mere consulting clinics, most 

of the public universities are not better 

than glorified secondary schools. 

It is unfortunate that rather than set 

up the number of universities they can 

successfully cater for and ensure they are 

adequately funded for uninterrupted academic 

calendars, as well as world-class 

academic standards in terms of teaching, 

learning, research and quality of graduates 

produced, in-line with global best practices, 

successive administrations, especially 

since the return of civil rule in 1999, have 

indiscriminately established new universities, 

some of which have not fully taken 

off, based on primordial reasons such as 

politics and geographical location. 

No wonder rather than serve as citadel 

of outstanding academic accomplishments, 

compared with their counterparts 

on the African continent or indeed, worldwide, 

none of Nigeria’s public universities 

meets global standards. This explains why, 

except private universities, virtually all 

those owned by federal and state governments 

are continuously gasping for breath, 

largely due to inadequate funding, mismanagement 

and unbridled corruption. 

It is disgusting that these days, unlike 

in the past, Vice-Chancellors, Registrars 

Osoba as saying the following about the 

new administration at the NPA. “If anybody 

is complaining about Hadiza Bala 

Usman…it must be that such people are 

not transparent. And if you are not transparent 

and compliant to the rules and regulation 

of NPA, you will run into troubled 

waters with Hadiza Bala Usman.” 

How does this differ from Umar comments 

made about her just a few hours 

before Osoba said the foregoing? 

It is unfortunate that it is this same person 

that Sadique is accusing of not just 

embarking on a media campaign against 

the Senate Committee on Customs, Excise 

&Tariffs and Marine Transport, but 

recruiting “supporters” in an imaginary 

media trial. 

From what I have read about the NPA 

in the past couple of months, its management 

has shown commendable commitment 

to instituting a culture of transparency 

at the organisation. 

Concerning their relationship with the 

Senate, the only public comments that can 

be attributed to the NPA are those which 

offered explanations on issues raised by 

the Senate committees and went on to assure 

of its readiness to provide further 

information. Two examples of these are 

statements entitled: “NPA welcomes Senate’s 

investigation of its JV Enterprises,” 

published in the July 7, 2017 edition of 

Leadership and “No evidence of 282 missing 

vessels, says NPA,” published in the 

July 27, edition of THISDAY. From this, it 

is evident that the NPA does not need any 

mouthpiece to communicate its opinion 

to stakeholders in the Nigerian project. 

Having said that, there is a need to 

and Bursars of public universities, constantly 

visit offices of Economic and 

Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) 

for questioning over alleged financial irregularities. 

This is shameful; whereas 

Vice-Chancellors, being Chief Executive 

Officers rather than corrupt political leaders, 

are expected to demonstrate sterling 

leadership qualities for others to emulate. 

Public university Vice-Chancellors are not 

different from politicians because they are 

appointed either by the President in the 

case of federal universities or by governors 

for those owned by state governments. 

Since many of such appointments are not 

based on merit but political, religious or 

personal considerations, the Vice-Chancellors 

have no option but dance rhythmically 

to tunes of their benefactors, at the 

expense of the success and survival of the 

university system, which is currently in a 

big mess. Like the sickening Nigerian polity, 

public universities have been polluted 

and require sweeping sanitisation for the 

entire university system to regain its lost 

glory. For years, accounts of many public 

universities have not been audited and this 

has given room for corruption. 

It is amazing that most of the reports of 

inquiry into financial irregularities involving 

some Vice-Chancellors, Registrars and 

Bursars are yet to be released. Also, those 

that were indicted in some state universities 

were merely sacked and allowed to 

go away and sin no more, instead of being 

penalised to serve as a deterrent. Having 

realised none of their indicted predecessors 

has been punished for financial profligacy, 

this has invariably emboldened more 

Vice-Chancellors and other principal officers 

to engage in corrupt practices. However, 

this raging endemic problem posing incalculable 

threat to survival of university 

highlight part of the report in ‘The Nation’ 

of August 3, 2017, which he quoted in 

his article. He had written: “…To support 

this position, which Col. Umar seemed to 

align to, the same publication stated more 

than four instances where vessels had 

come to Calabar Port and exited the Port 

without any proper documentation.” He 

went ahead to list these occasions when 

vessels were not properly documented 

and concluded that: “If these are true, 

then the NPA has tacitly admitted that, 

indeed, vessels enter the Nigerian waters 

and disappear without documentation. 

This tacit admission validates the position 

of the Senate that, indeed, vessels do 

enter Nigeria’s territorial waters under 

the watch of the NPA and exit without 

documentation, hence the Public Hearing 

by Senate to look at the revenue leakages 

in the Ports. This tacit admission by the 

NPA, therefore, explains the aversion of 

the MD of the Nigerian Ports Authority to 

honour the invitation of the Senate Committee 

and testify at the Public Hearing.” 

My own understanding of the part of 

the report in The Nation is different. In 

my own understanding, the ships quoted 

in the article by “Mr Sadique” have 

nothing to do with the 282 ships that were 

said to be missing. On the contrary, they 

explicate the conclusion of the investigations 

into actives of the Calabar Channel 

Management Company and the attempt 

to hoodwink the NPA by the appearance 

and disappearance of these ships which 

were supposed to have been deployed as 

part of the company’s dredging contract. 

Furthermore, in the THISDAY report 

of July 27, earlier cited, the NPA explained 

education in Nigeria must not be allowed 

to persist. Protection of interests of lecturers, 

students and the university system to 

ensure smooth operations on campuses to 

avoid disruption of academic calendars is 

now a paramount responsibility of owners 

of public universities. 

Recent disclosure by Executive Secretary 

of National Universities Commission 

(NUC), Professor Adbulrasheed Abubakar, 

that Ibrahim Magu-led EFCC would soon 

commence investigations into financial 

irregularities involving some Vice-Chancellors 

and Bursars of federal universities 

is a welcome development that is long overdue. 

Apart from alleging that some VCs 

live above their means, Abubakar revealed 

that most of the 40 federal universities can 

hardly generate enough funds for themselves. 

I recall that earlier this year, President 

Muhammadu Buhari had hinted that 

his administration would probe federal 

universities. The president’s pronouncement 

clearly shows the disturbing level of 

financial rot in many federal universities 

and urgent need to stem the tide and save 

the system from total collapse. 

EFCC should in the spirit of government’s 

anti-corruption crusade, ensure 

the investigations are thorough and that 

those found culpable are severely punished 

to serve as a deterrent to others. Vice-Chancellors, 

by virtue of their sacred duties are 

expected to exhibit exemplary conduct in 

management of affairs of their institutions. 

Whoever indulges in corrupt practices 

no matter how highly connected, should 

face the wrath of the law. It is unacceptable 

for public university authorities to be agitating 

for full autonomy when their institutions 

continuously depend largely on 

grants from government and even funds 

collected are yet to be accounted for. 

that it was presented with a number of 

documents on July 20, 2017 while another 

set was passed on to it through the Nigerian 

Shippers Council on July 24, 2017. 

The report said after looking through 

the documents, the NPA discovered that 

of the 29 items handed over to it, only five 

vessels were identifiable with the other 24 

items being repetitions of the five identified 

vessels. 

The THISDAY report further said the 

organisation was unable to conduct a 

meaningful review of the documents sent 

through the Nigerian Shippers Council 

because they did not include data like vessel 

names, arrival date of vessels, port of 

arrival, name of terminal and no rotation 

number of vessels, that will enable verification. 

It also said that the situation had been 

communicated to the Senate Committee. 

What is clear from the administration 

of the NPA is that it is committed to the 

war against indiscipline of Buhari administration. 

And as it concerns Col. Umar, 

one does not know what a man of his conviction, 

a man who stood against wrong 

decisions taken by his superiors in the 

military, should be accused of falsehood 

by “Sadique”. 

For me, Col. Umar called the attention 

of Nigerians to issues that are pertinent 

to national survival. It is a period in our 

country when men and women of virtue 

are scarce, Umar is one of such and we 

should not grudge him for identifying 

people like him and standing with them. 

No, we should not! 

Obi, a maritime business Analyst, wrote in 

from Lagos.

D8 



WorldPolitics 

Oyeniran Apata 

+2348057514433 

oyeniran.apata@independentnig.com 

US Decries Islamic State 

‘Genocide’ Of Christians, Others 

The Trump administration 

denounced the 

Islamic State group on 

Tuesday for carrying 

out "genocide" against Christians 

and other religious minorities in 

areas under its control. 

Secretary of State Rex Tillerson 

said the group is "clearly 

responsible for genocide" against 

Christians and Yazidis in Iraq 

and Shiite Muslims in Syria and 

elsewhere. His comments were 

made as the State Department 

released its annual report on 

international religious freedom. 

Tillerson said he was making 

the pronouncement to "remove 

any ambiguity" about previous 

genocide assertions made by his 

predecessor, John Kerry, who 

in March 2016, determined that 

genocide was occurring in Islamic 

State-held areas but was criticized 

by lawmakers and religious 

groups for not declaring genocide 

was taking place earlier. 

Neither administration's genocide 

determination carries with 

it any legal obligation for the U.S. 

or others. 

"ISIS has and continues to 

target members of multiple religions 

and ethnicities for rape, 

kidnapping, enslavement and 

death," Tillerson told reporters 

in presenting the report. 

"ISIS is clearly responsible for 

Secretary of State, Rex Tillerson leaves after speaking on the release of the 2016 annual report on 

International Religious Freedom on Tuesday at the State Department in Washington. 

genocide against Yazidis, Christians 

and Shia Muslims in areas 

it controlled. ISIS is also responsible 

for crimes against humanity 

and ethnic cleansing directed at 

these same groups, and in some 

cases against Sunni Muslims, 

Kurds and other minorities," Tillerson 

said. 

"The protection of these 

groups - and others who are targets 

of violent extremism - remains 

a human-rights priority 

for the Trump administration." 

The wife of Zimbabwe's president 

has been accused of assaulting 

a young woman at an 

upscale hotel in South Africa, 

though she did not show up for 

court Tuesday as police had indicated. 

It was not immediately 

clear where Grace Mugabe 

was. Minister of Police Fikile 

Mbalula said in a video posted 

by local broadcaster eNCA that 

she had handed herself over 

to police. 

But a police spokesman, 

Vishnu Naidoo, later said no 

arrest had been made and police 

were talking with the suspect's 

lawyers. 

The case draws yet more 

attention to the increasingly 

outspoken wife of the world's 

oldest head of state, 93-yearold 

President Robert Mugabe. 

Last month she challenged her 

husband publicly for the first 

time to name a successor, positioning 

herself as a possibility 

as his advanced age takes a toll 

ahead of next year's election. 

Twenty-year-old model Gabriella 

Engels has accused 

Grace Mugabe of assaulting 

her Sunday night while she 

was visiting mutual friends 

of Mugabe's sons in a hotel 

room in an upscale Johannesburg 

suburb. She claims the 

first lady's bodyguards stood 

by and watched as Mugabe attacked 

her. 

Engels posted several photos 

on social media showing 

a gash in her forehead, which 

she called a result of the alleged 

encounter. 

"She flipped and just kept 

beating me with the plug. 

Over and over," Engels told 

local news channel News24. 

"I had no idea what was going 

on. I was surprised. I needed to 

crawl out of the room before I 

The religious freedom report, 

which is mandated by Congress, 

covers 2016 and does not address 

the Trump administration's decision 

to temporarily halt the 

admission of all refugees, many 

of whom are fleeing religious persecution. 

The administration has 

appealed challenges to the suspension 

of those admissions to 

the Supreme Court. 

An appendix to the report covering 

refugees said admissions 

are "a vital tool" in addressing 

could run away." 

Police confirmed that a 

20-year-old woman registered 

"a case of assault with intent 

to do grievous bodily harm" on 

Monday, but said the suspect 

could not be named as she had 

not yet appeared in court. 

"The investigation into this 

case has already reached an 

advanced stage," a police statement 

on Tuesday said. 

It was unclear whether 

Mugabe would qualify for diplomatic 

immunity if charges 

are brought against her. 

religious persecution and other 

human rights abuses. It said 

more than 70 per cent of the 

nearly 85,000 refugees admitted 

to the U.S. in 2016 came from five 

nations - Congo, Syria, Burma, 

Iraq and Somalia - where the 

report itself said that freedom to 

worship is under threat. 

Syria and Somalia are among 

the six mainly Muslim nations 

that are also included in the administration's 

visa ban that is 

also before the Supreme Court. 

Zimbabwe’s First Lady Accused Of Assault In South Africa 

Mugabe. 

Gabriella Engels forehead with 

a gash allegedly inflicted by 

Mugabe in Johannesburg, South 

Africa. 

There was no immediate 

comment by Zimbabwe's government 

or ruling party. Zimbabwean 

press reported earlier 

this week that Mugabe, 52, was 

in South Africa seeking medical 

attention. 

It was not clear Tuesday 

night whether Mugabe was 

still in South Africa or had returned 

to Zimbabwe. 

"If she went back, I just hope 

the police can do something to 

get her back," Engels told The 

Associated Press. "I don't want 

her to get away with this." 

Maduro Orders 

Military Exercises 

After Threat By Trump 

Venezuelan President Nicolas 

Maduro, on Monday, ordered 

the military to conduct exercises 

after US President Donald 

Trump’s threat of a possible 

armed intervention in the crisis-stricken 

country. 

Maduro told a crowd of supporters 

in Caracas that he had 

organized a round of military 

drills for August 26-27 in response 

to the threat. 

“I have given the order to the 

armed forces’ joint chiefs of staff 

to start preparations for a national 

civil-military exercise for the 

integrated armed defense of the 

Venezuelan nation,” he said. 

He vowed to defend his country 

“with tanks, planes and 

missiles” as the crowd chanted 

“Yankee go home!” 

Trump said on Friday that the 

US was mulling a range of options 

against Venezuela, “including 

a possible military option if 

necessary.” 

His words have bolstered Caracas’s 

oft-repeated claim that 

Washington has designs to grab 

control of its proven oil reserves, 

the largest in the world. 

Defense Minister General 

Vladimir Padrino called 

Trump’s comments “crazy,” 

saying it showed America had 

“dropped its mask” in terms of 

wanting to attack his country. 

In a speech, he warned that 

Washington wanted to steal the 

OPEC nation’s oil reserves. 

Algeria's PM Sacked 

Three Months In 

Office 

Algerian President Abdelaziz 

Bouteflika sacked Prime Minister 

Abdelmadjid Tebboune on 

Tuesday, less than three months 

after appointing him, the presidency 

said, according to state 

media. 

"President Abdelaziz Bouteflika 

on Tuesday relieved Prime 

Minister Abdelmadjid Tebboune 

of his duties and appointed 

Ahmed Ouyahia", the 

president's chief of staff, in his 

place, the presidency said in a 

statement carried by the official 

APS news agency. 

Bouteflika's National Liberation 

Front (FLN) and the Rally 

for National Democracy (RND) 

led by Ouyahia together enjoy 

an absolute majority in parliament 

after winning re-election 

on May 4. 

In a surprise move three 

weeks after the vote, the president 

named Tebboune, who had 

been housing minister, to the 

post of prime minister in place 

of Bouteflika's ally Abdelmalek 

Sellal. 

According to a government 

source who spoke to AFP on 

condition of anonymity, 71-yearold 

Tebboune was dismissed 

because his "vision was not in 

line" with the president.


News 

Lagos To Transform Oworonshoki 

To Transport, Entertainment Hub 

Bayelsa Community Protests 

Neglect By Shell 

IGONIKO ODUMA 

YENAGOA 

There was tension in Bayelsa 

State on Tuesday as the 

aggrieved people of Akenfa 

community in Yenagoa 

Local Government Area 

protested neglect by Shell 

Petroleum Development 

Company of Nigeria. 

They blocked the road 

leading to some oil wells 

operated by Shell in the 

area, demanding justice 

as a host community. 

They also vowed to continue 

with the agitation 

until the management 

of the oil major sits at a 

roundtable with them to 

address years of neglect. 

They told a team of 

Shell personnel that came 

to pacify them to ensure 

a meeting involving both 


BENIN 

Twenty five beneficiaries 

of the presidential amnesty 

programme on Tuesday 

graduated from the Ogbebor 

Leadership and Skills 

Acquisition Academy. 

The training programme 

is part of efforts 

to empower ex-agitators 

from the Niger Delta region. 

Drawn from Rivers, 

Bayelsa and Delta states, 

the trainees were taken 

on rubber technology, 

products manufacturing 

techniques and other 

sociological and communication 

skills and the 

programme lasted for six 

months. 

Col. Paul Ogbebor (rtd), 

The Lagos State government 

on Monday outlined 

plans to transform 

the blighted areas of 

Oworonshoki Waterfront 

into one of the biggest 

transportation, tourism 

and entertainment hubs 

in Nigeria. 

Ade Akinsanya, Commissioner 

for Waterfront 

Infrastructure Development, 

in a statement, 

said that the project will 

improve the aesthetics 

and security of the environment, 

while attracting 

investments in water 

transportation and 

boosting socio-economic 

activities in the axis, with 

the provision of shopping 

malls and related infrastructures. 

According to the commissioner, 

the proposed 

entertainment and mega 

ferry terminal site, already 

under reclamation, 

would divert a lot of human 

and vehicular traffic 

gridlocks away from the 

Lagos Island and take 

advantage of the central 

location and accessibility 

of the proposed Oworonshoki 

terminal to the Apapa 

Port, Ikeja Airport and 

other parts of the state. 

“Youths and residents 

will enjoy quality sports, 

recreational, entertainment 

and emergency 

response facilities at the 

terminal. 

“Commuters transiting 

through the terminal will 

not only enjoy state-of the 

arts infrastructure, they 

will also be able to park 

and ride and park and 

cruise from the state-ofthe-art 

jetty, thus reducing 

the carbon emission level 

and travel time within the 

city,” Akinsanya said. 

parties was convened without 

delay or they would disrupt 

oil production. 

Mr. Chima Jackson, the 

youth president of Akenfa 

community, insisted that 

the road would remain 

closed until they hear directly 

from Shell. 

He said they decided to 

take action because Shell 

has refused to fulfill its part 

of the agreement it entered 

into with the community. 

Jackson said the community 

has nothing to 

show since 1972 when Shell 

started drilling crude oil 

from their environment. 

In his response, a member 

of the Shell’s team 

promised to convey the 

community’s grievance 

to the higher authorities, 

saying he would report 

back to them in three 

days. 

25 Amnesty Beneficiaries 

Graduate From Ogbebor Academy 

president and chairman 

board of directors of the 

academy said the training 

was most rewarding to the 

trainees adding that the 

on the job training of the 

youths in rubber technology 

would qualify them 

for the National Business 

and Technical Examination 

Board (NABTEB) 

Modular Trade Certificate 

on rubber technology. 

He commended the 

Federal Government’s 

agriculture initiative 

which is targeted at reviving 

erstwhile abandoned 

rubber plantations and 

businesses which are currently 

yielding Malaysia, 

Vietnam, Thailand and 

India annually about 50 

billion US dollars and 1.5 

million jobs created in the 

affected countries. 

Clem Ugorji, Public Affairs and Communications Director, Coca- Cola, West Africa Business Unit (left); Sade Morgan, 

Legal, Public Affairs and Communications Director, Nigerian Bottling Company Ltd (NBC) (second left); Hamish 

Banks, Vice President, Public Affairs and Communications, The Coca-Cola Company, Eurasia and Africa (middle); 

Klaske de Jonge, Public Affairs and Communications Director, Coca-Cola Hellenic Bottling Company (CCHBC) 

(second right), and Adenike Shobowale, Assistant General Manager, Human Resources and Administration, Lagos 

Waste Management Authority (LAWMA), during a visit to LAWMA in Ijora, Lagos. 

Omokri To Garba Shehu: Jonathan Built 

Only Federal Varsity In Katsina 

As the brickbats 

between 

ex-President 

Goodluck Jonathan 

and ruling All 


(APC) led government of 


Buhari, continues unabated, 

Reno Omokri, a 

former aide of Jonathan, 

has told Garba Shehu, 

senior special assistant 

to President Buhari on 

media and publicity, that 

the only federal university 

in Katsina State was 

built by the last administration. 

Nyesom Ezenwo Wike, 

the governor of Rivers 

State, has said that if 

Nigeria is to experience 

rapid development, it 

must invest heavily in 

science and technology. 

Wike spoke at the Government 

House in Port 

Harcourt on Tuesday 

when he granted audience 

to the National Executive 

Council of the 

Science Teachers Association 

of Nigeria (STAN), 

regretting that the Federal 

Government was yet to 

FELIX IGBEKOYI 

ASABA 

Federal University 

Dutsin, Katsina, is one of 

the nine universities which 

Jonathan founded in February 

2011. 

In a statement on Tuesday, 

Omokri said Shehu’s 

claim that there was no capital 

project completed under 

Jonathan “further exposes 

his intellectual laziness and 

failing memory”. 

“It is quite sad that 

Garba Shehu does not 

know that oil constitutes 

only 15 percent of Nigeria’s 

GDP and thus a fall 

in the price of oil should 

not lead to a collapse of 

the Nigerian economy 

as has been experienced 

under President Buhari,” 

the statement read. 

“If Garba and his boss 

are willing to learn, the 

Jonathan Foundation 

and the Peoples Democratic 

Party can arrange 

a course for them to be tutored 

on the subject-how 

to grow your economy to 

be the largest in Africa. 

We make bold that we are 

experienced in that area. 

“Obviously Garba 

Shehu has forgotten that 

when his boss was commissioning 

the Abuja-Kaduna 

187KM fast railway 

that enables Nigerians 

work in Abuja and live in 

Kaduna, he was forced to 

admit that the project was 

conceived, built and completed 

by the Jonathan 

administration. 

“At that event, President 


said about the $1.5 

billion project and I quote 

‘This project was conceived 

by a previous administration, 

started by 

the last government.’ My 

question to Mr. Shehu is 

this-who is a liar between 

him and his boss? 

Wike Calls For Increased Investments 

In Science, Technology 

give science the priority 

attention it deserves. 

He said that science 

teachers should be encouraged 

with necessary 

incentives to carry out 

their responsibilities of 

preparing the children 

for the future. 

“Nigeria cannot develop 

unless the nation 

invests in the teaching of 

MASSOB Leaders in 

Delta South and Central 

Senatorial district have 

described Nnamdi Kanu, 

the leader of Indigenous 

People of Biafra (IPOB) 

, as an enemy of Biafra. 

They said Biafra referendum 

has since been 

conducted before the United 

Nations (UN) in 2004 

while the call for referendum 

is a belated issue. 

In a statement signed 

by MASSOB leaders Joseph 

Odikpo and Pastor 

Francis Chigbo, Elder 

In-Council and Director 

of Religious Affairs respectively, 

the body said 

they have gone far in this 

struggle and anybody 

trying to draw them back 

science and mathematics 

at all levels. That is the 

way to go. 

“We cannot talk of 

development without science 

and mathematics. 

There must be the needed 

encouragement and 

incentives for teachers of 

mathematics,” Wike said. 

The governor commended 

STAN for their 

should be regarded as enemy 

of Biafra. 

Actualisation of the 

struggle is already a business 

done without further 

stress and that the call to 

boycott Anambra election 

in November this year is 

Anti-Igbo which should be 

condemned by well-meaning 

Igbo sons and daughters. 

“When Biafra leaders 

contributions to the development 

of science 

education in the country 

over the last six decades. 

He informed his visitors 

that his administration 

had invested in 

equipping science laboratories 

in select schools 

in order to ensure that 

students have practical 

knowledge. 

Nnamdi Kanu, Enemy Of Biafra - MASSOB Leaders 

submitted their bill of 

right to the UN, Nigerian 

government was summoned 

by the UN where 

they were told that a section 

of the country wants 

to go away and, it was then 

the news was broken to the 

whole world,” adding that, 

during the period, Chief 

Olusegun Obasanjo was 

the President in 2004,” 

they said in the statement.

A10 

UNIUYO ASUU Explains Decision To 

Join Indefinite Strike 


UYO 

As the on-going nationwide 

indefinite strike 

declared by the Academic 


(ASUU) enters 

its third day, the University 

of Uyo (UNIUYO) 

branch has explained 

that it is joining the action 

due to Federal Government’s 

consistent 

failure to honour agreements 

with the union. 

ASUU declared a nationwide 

strike in the 

nation’s public universities 

on Monday, an 

action which paralysed 

academic works in the 

higher institutions, including 

examinations, 

as all the lecturers down 

tools. 

Dr Aniekan Brown, 

the institution’s ASUU 

branch chairman, who 

spoke to INDEPEN- 

DENT on Tuesday, noted 

that the industrial 

action followed several 

pleas and warnings to 

the government, stressing 

that the authorities 

CLEMENT EKONG 

YOLA 

Following the rampant 

killings in Madagali 

Local Government 

Area of Adamawa State, 

Alhaji Yusuf Muhammad, 

chairman of the 

council, has expressed 

disappointment on the 

attitude of the Federal 

Government over the recent 

attacks in communities 

of Mildu, Wumbili 

and Bakin Dutse by Boko 

Haram insurgents. 

Alhaji Yusuf Muhammad 

lamented that 

the attacks has led to 

EMMANUEL NZOMIWU 

ENUGU 

Less than 24 hours after 

the Academic Staff 

Union of Universities 

(ASUU) embarked on an 

indefinite strike action, 

the Non-Academic Staff 

Union of the University 

of Nigeria, Nsukka 

(UNN) began its own 

indefinite industrial action. 

The strike commenced 

on Monday by 

the Joint Action Committee 

of the non-teaching 

staff paralysed administrative 

activities 


did not do anything to 

avert it. 

He added: “In spite of 

all entreaties, the government 

has failed to 

abide by its own agreements 

and Memoranda 

of Understanding (MoU) 

with ASUU. 

“Specifically, the issues 

in contention include 

payment of fractional 

salaries and, in 

some cases, outright 

non-payment of salaries; 

non-payment of 

earned academic allowances 

as agreed by 

the FG; non-implementation 

of agreements 

on pensions of retired 

professors; inability of 

government to release 

the operating licence for 

NUPEMCO (the universities 

pension commission) 

as stipulated in the 

ASUU-FGN agreement; 

poor funding of universities.” 

He regretted that 

Nigeria might be the 

only country in the 

world where the government 

spends more 

money on propaganda 

than on the education 

of its citizenry. 

Madagali Killings: FG Not Serious 

About Security – LG Boss 

the dead of people and 

wanton destruction of 

properties worth millions 

of Naira by the 

terrorists, stressing 

that since the demise of 

the vigilante chairman 

last month that axis 

has become so porous 

to the detriment of the 

community. 

He said the lackadaisical 

attitude of the Federal 

Government to address 

the security issues 

in the area has resulted 

into another killing on 

Tuesday’s morning, 

adding that this has given 

the terrorists more 

room to regroup for fresh 

attacks on residents. 

UNN Non-Academic Staff Embark 

On Indefinite Strike 

in the university on 

Tuesday. 

Addressing the 

non-academic staff before 

the commencement 

of the strike, Comrade 

Paul Erua, the Chairman 

of JAC, said they 

were embarking on the 

strike because of the 

failure of the university 

to pay them their 

earned allowances such 

as hazard allowance, 

over-time, shift allowance 

and union checkoff 

dues as well as 

payment of 15 percent 

deducted from June 

salary, among other demands. 


Human Trafficking: Obaseki 

Seeks Home-Grown Solution 


BENIN 

Mr. Godwin 

Obaseki, 

Edo State 

governor, on 

Tuesday inaugurated 

the state Anti-Human 

Trafficking Task Force, 

a measure that would 

proffer a new set of 

home-grown solutions 

to the age-long social 

problem. 

Obaseki lamented 

that the state was fast 

becoming synonymous 

with human trafficking 

and charged the taskforce 

to urgently redeem 

the state’s image as Edo 

people do not want to be 

associated with the stigma 

any more. 

The new measure, he 

said, would complement 

the efforts of the Federal 

Government through the 

National Agency for the 

Prohibition of Trafficking 

In Persons (NAPTIP) 

and other international 

organisations involved 

in the fight against human 

trafficking. 

“It is has been suggested 

that a special 

court be established in 

the state to prosecute 

perpetrators. We are 

losing our young people 

to this negative trend 

and we must make human 

trafficking a thing 

Captain Ayo Akere, Camp Commandant, National Youth Service Corps, Lagos State (left); Oluseye Oladejo, 

Commissioner for Special Duties and Inter–Governmental Relations, Lagos State/Chairman, Governing Board, 

NYSC (second left); Mohammed Momoh , Coordinator, NYSC, Lagos State (second right); and Adewunmi Adekanye, 

Permanent Secretary, Ministry for Special Duties, Lagos State, during the closing of orientation course for the 2017 

Bath ‘A’ Steam II corps members at Iyana-Ipaja, Lagos on Tuesday. 

PHOTO: SUNDAY OLANIYAN 

JUSTICE IYASERE 

Senator Ovie Omo- 

Agege, representing 

Delta Central Senatorial 

District, has 

urged members of the 

state chapter of the All 


(APC) to close ranks 

and unite in the party’s 

interest. 

Omo-Agege, who described 

himself as the 

highest elected APC political 

office holder and 

its leader in Delta State, 

gave the charge while 

addressing members 

of the ‘Light of APC’, 

a pressure group within 

the party, at a meeting 

at Abraka, Ethiope 

East Local Government 

Area of the state. 

He stressed that efforts 

would be made 

to ensure that APC in 

the state would not be 

in disarray, even as he 

warned against internal 

squabbles among 

the members, stressing 

that “leadership is not 

bought, but earned.” 

Olorogun Great 

Ovedje Ogboru, an APC 

chieftain and founder 

of the ‘Light of APC’, 

News 

of the past in the state,” 

the governor said. 

He charged the task 

force made up of representatives 

of security 

agencies, Non-Governmental 

Organisations 

(NGOs), NAPTIP, Ministries, 

Departments and 

Agencies of government, 

religious and traditional 

institutions, to come up 

with modalities on how 

to domesticate the Federal 

Government’s law on 

trafficking in the state. 

Obaseki charged the 

taskforce to come up 

with a comprehensive action 

plan for combating 

trafficking in persons as 

well as programmes that 

would help in reintegrating 

victims of the illicit 

trade into the society. 

In her remarks, Professor 

Yinka Omorogbe, 

the Chairman of the task 

force, who is also the Attorney 

General of the 

state, commended the 

governor for the initiative, 

saying that it would 

bring an end to the problem, 

with the cooperation 

and support of all members 


She assured that 

members of the taskforce 

would live up to 

the confidence reposed 

on them and pledged 

that a working document 

would be ready within 

the six-week period given 

to them. 

Anambra: Activist Urges INEC To Probe Alleged Registration Of Aliens As Voters 

GLORIA ANAEZE 

ONITSHA 

Comrade Vincent Ezekwue, 

the Rights Activist 

and commentator on 

national affairs, has appealed 

to state Resident 

Electoral Commissioner 

to investigate circumstances 

surrounding the 

alleged registration of 

aliens as voters in the 

state and take urgent steps 

to unravel those behind it. 

Ezekwue told Dr. Nwachukwu 

Orji, the Resident 

Electoral Commissioner, 

to investigate the alleged 

collection of N500 gratification 

before voters are 

registered or collect their 

voter’s card at various 

local government headquarters. 

He said that the resident 

electoral commissioner 

should as a matter 

of urgent importance 

direct electoral officers 

in various local governments’ 

councils to ensure 

that registration of voters 

were carried out in a 

transparent manner to 

ensure that every legible 

voter in the state got registered. 

Close Ranks, Omo-Agege Urges Delta APC Members 

“It is of prime importance 

to alert the Resident 

Electoral commissioner to 

map-out strategies to dispatch 

uncollected voters’ 

cards in various INEC 

headquarters in the Local 

government council and 

sanction any INEC officer 

collecting money from 

voters before their voters’ 

cards would be given to 

them,” he said. 

advised that no party 

member should be 

marginalised in the 

build-up to the 2019 

elections. 

Others who spoke 

at the meeting include 

Chief Frank Kokori, 

member of the party’s 

Board of Trustees 

(BoT); Sir Richard Odibo, 

and Dr Veronica Ogbuagu, 

among others.


PASCHAL NJOKU 

ABUJA 

An Abuja Federal 

High Court, on 

Tuesday granted 

permission 

to Saminu Turaki, the 

former Governor of 

Jigawa State, to travel to 

Singapore for medical 

treatment. 

Turaki is being prosecuted 

by the Federal Government 

on a 32-count 

criminal charge bordering 

on alleged money 

laundering amounting 

to N36 billion while in of- 

Ex-Edo PDP Gubernatorial 

Aspirant Resigns 


BENIN 

Hon. Matthew Iduoriyekemwen, 

a former governorship 

aspirant of the 

People’s Democratic Party 

(PDP) in Edo State in the 

2016 election and one of 

its founding members, has 

dumped the party. 

Iduoriyekemwen, a 

member of the Senator Ali 

Modu Sheriff’s faction of 

PDP before the Supreme 

Court judgment gave the 

party’s leadership to the 

Ahmed Makarfi, disclosed 

his decision to quit during 

a meeting with his supporters 

in Benin City on 

Tuesday. 

He said: “I have tendered 

my resignation letter to the 

leadership of the PDP, both 

at the state and the national 

level, and my next line of 

action will soon be unveiled 

to the public. 

“This decision has not 

been easy. But, I have decided 

that it will be in the 

best interest for my political 

career, business and 

Mr. Godwin Obaseki, 

the Edo State governor 

on Tuesday charged the 

state delegation to the 

2017 Hajj in Mecca, Saudi 

Arabia, to be good ambassadors 

of the state. 

Obaseki who gave the 

charge during a visit to 

the 260 intending pilgrims 

at the Hajj Camp on Dumez 

Road, Benin City, 

said, “The exercise you 

are about to embark on 

is a holy one, and one of 

the pillars of the Islamic 

religion. Don’t joke with 

it. You are courageous, 

upright and honest citizens 

of the state and I 

know you will demonstrate 

all these qualities 

in the Holy Land.” 

He maintained that 

he was ready to partner 

with people that gather 

in the name of God because 

of what God has 

done in his life, adding 

family. It is with nostalgia 

that I came to this decision, 

which I believe, will 

suit my political interest 

and those of my numerous 

supporters across the 

length and breadth of Edo 

State and beyond. 

“To resign from a party 

that I participated in 

its formation in 1998 and 

remained a steadfast and 

loyal member and leader 

till my exit this day, I believe 

that the PDP, which 

we formed years ago is no 

longer the PDP we have today 

after it was hijacked by 

persons who run the party 

as their personal estate.” 

Iduoriyekemwen was 

former Majority Leader 

of the state House of 

Assembly and later the 

state’s representative in 

the board of the Niger 

Delta Development Commission 

(NDDC). 

Though he did not disclose 

his next line of action, 

it was being speculated 

that he and thousands 

of his supporters might 

join the All Progressives 

Congress (APC). 

/<strong>Independent</strong>ngr @independentngr www.independent.ng A11 

Alleged N36bn Fraud: Court Okays 

Ex-Jigawa Gov’s Medical Trip Abroad 

fice as governor of Jigawa 

State. 

The former governor 

was arraigned before 

Justice Nnamdi Dimgba 

alongside three companies, 

INC Natural Resources 

Limited, Apel 

Construction Limited and 

WideHeart Construction 

Limited. 

He later secured bail 

from the court to the 

tune N500 million and two 

Hajj: Obaseki Charges Edo Pilgrims 

To Be Good Ambassadors 

that his presence at the 

Hajj Camp was to make 

sure the pilgrims were 

comfortable and to bid 

them farewell to the Holy 

Land. 

Obaseki, however, 

disclosed that the late 

inauguration of the state 

Muslim Welfare Board 

was due to the efforts of 

some people to politicise 

the selection of the members. 

He said, “The work of 

God is not about politics, 

as every politician wants 

to be on the State Muslim 

Welfare Board. I wonder 

if the board is for politics 

or the work of God. 

If Allah calls you to serve 

him, serve him with a 

true heart and a sincere 

mind, not to manipulate 

a religious process. The 

interference in the process 

delayed the setting 

up of the board.” 

Olakunle Churchill, President/founder, Big Church Foundation (left); Dolapo Osinbajo, wife of Acting President/ 

special guest (middle), and Uloma Nwosu, founder, ELFREEDA Foundation, during the unveiling of ELFREEDA 

Foundation, a non-governmental organization in Oweri, Imo State at the weekend. 

ECHE NWAOBASI 

NNEWI 

Igwe Charles Agbala, the 

traditional ruler of Uke 

Town in Idemili North 

Local Government Area 

of Anambra State, has 

backed the recent position 

of the state traditional 

rulers council that 

the people of Anambra 

North Senatorial Zone 

should produce the governor 

during the forthcoming 

election based on 

zoning formula among 

the three senatorial 

zones namely Anambra 

North, South and Central 

that make up the state. 

Disclosing this to newsmen 

during the celebration 

of his second New 

Yam festival (Iwaji) held 

NOA, FIDA Partner To Curb Violence Against Women 

TOYIN ADEBAYO 

ABUJA 

The National Orientation 

Agency (NOA) and 

the International Federation 

of Women Lawyers 

(FIDA) Tuesday struck 

a new partnership to 

work towards curbing 

violence against women 

during forthcoming election 

in Anambra State 

and in the 2019 general 

sureties in like sum, each 

on N250m bail bond. 

Justice Dimgba had 

adjourned the case to September 

19 for hearing in 

accordance with the first 

adjournment granted by 

the Federal High Court, 

Dutse, before Turaki absconded. 

In view of this, Justice 

Dimgba held that the matter 

would be continued 

before Justice Sabi’u Yahuza 

of the Dutse Federal 

High Court who originally 

adjourned proceeding to 

September 19. 

However, the defendant 

returned to Justice Dimgba, 

a vacation judge, to seek 

for leave of court to travel 

abroad on health grounds. 

In a short bench ruling, 

the court granted Turaki 

leave to travel to Singapore 

for medical treatment 

on the condition 

Anambra Guber: Monarch Backs 

Zoning To Anambra North 

at his Palace, Nkwelle Uke 

last weekend. 

Igwe Agbala said the 

zoning formula was good 

for the state and would reduce 

tension, acrimonies 

and high cost of seeking 

for elective post as well 

as brings about equitable 

and even development of 

various senatorial areas 

as people of each zone 

would use its chances to 

tend and extend development 

to every part of the 

state. 

“Traditional rulers 

of all towns union in the 

state are all happy and 

in support of zoning in 

deciding who becomes 

elections. 

Dr. Garba Abari, disclosed 

this when he received 

the FIDA Nigeria 

President, Mrs. Ifeyinwa 

Aguba, represented by 

the Secretary, Mrs. Rhoda 

Moore, on a courtesy visit. 

Abari strongly condemned 

violence against 

women, especially in elections, 

stressing the need 

to open up the political 

space for women and other 

vulnerable groups who 

that a serving Senator 

of the Federal Republic 

of Nigeria shall write an 

undertaking that the defendant 

would return to 

Nigeria to face trial. 

Justice Dimgba also 

ordered the release of 

Turaki’s international 

passport, which he said, 

must be returned to the 

court registrar before the 

expiration date of the annual 

vacation of judges in 

the governor of the state. 

Everybody is in support 

because we believe it will 

quicken even development 

of three senatorial 

zones of the state. 

“As it stands now, it 

is the turn of Anambra 

North Senatorial Zone 

to produce who would 

be governor in the November 

18th governorship 

election. We are not 

baring people of other 

senatorial zone from 

contesting and exercising 

their constitutional 

rights. All we are saying 

is that a particular senatorial 

zone should be left 

to produce and after that 

have so far been marginalised. 

In a statement to newsmen 

in Abuja, Mr. Oaul 

Idenyi, the Head, Press 

Unit, stated that Mr. Abari 

also identified the need 

for political will to mainstream 

women in political 

parties in the country, 

urging women caucuses 

of political parties, from 

the ward levels upward, 

to make input towards 

empowering women and 

News 

September. 

“Having reviewed all 

the processes filed by the 

defendant in respect of 

the application seeking 

leave of court to travel 

abroad on health grounds, 

it is my view that this motion 

be granted. 

“I am minded to grant 

the application, more so, 

when there was no credible 

opposition to the motion 

same having been 

served on the prosecution. 

“Therefore, I grant 

leave to the defendant to 

seek medical attention 

abroad,” Justice Dimgba 

stated. 

it would shift to another 

senatorial zone,” he said. 

Governor Obiano is 

from Anambra North, 

he has done well so far 

and has continued to 

impress us. If somebody 

has done well and 

said he would go back, 

courtesy demands that 

he should be allowed to 

go for a second tenure, 

he has taken almost four 

years. I am of the opinion 

that he should be voted 

in for a second tenure 

to complete the zone’s 

eight years tenure as 

stipulated in the zoning 

arrangement,” the royal 

father added. 

providing them a level 

playing ground in politics. 

The NOA Director General 

said that the agency 

was committed to upscaling 

its partnership with 

FIDA to take the advocacy 

for women political 

empowerment to all political 

parties, States, Local 

Government Areas and 

the National Assembly, 

especially as the Anambra, 

Osun and Ekiti polls 

approach.

A12 



Metro 

Emmanuel Udom 

+2347055670245 

emmanuel.udom@independentnig.com 

My Husband Deserts Home When Eid-El-Kabr 

Draws Nearer, Wife Tells Court 

A 

divorce-seeking 

housewife, 

Risikat 

Ojo says her 

husband, Mathew Ojo, 

deserts home whenever 

Eid-el-Kabr and other 

festivals draw nearer in 

order not to spend money 

during the festival 

periods. 

Risikat testified on 

Tuesday in an Idi-Ogungun 

Customary Court, 

Agodi in Ibadan, Oyo 

State in a divorce suit 

she filed against her 

husband. 

“My lord, Ojo did not 

pay my dowry and was 

in the habit of abandoning 

me at home and pack 

out to unknown destination 

whenever Ileya festival 

and other festivals 

draw nearer. 

“He will stay away 

throughout the period 

and return a week after 

the festival, just to avoid 

buying clothes, food items 

and other expenses. 

“He is a woman in 

man’s form, because I 

clothe him, feed him, pay 

house rent and shoulder 

all his responsibilities. 

“The only role he 

Two Bizmen Face Trials 

For Alleged N16m Theft 

Two businessmen — Obadiah 

Ogi and Adeyemi 

Abaekere — who allegedly 

stole N16 million worth 

of Vitali tomato paste on 

Tuesday appeared before 

an Ebute Meta Chief 

Magistrates’ Court in 

Lagos. 

The accused — Ogi, 42, 

and Abaekere, 40 — were 

arraigned on a four-count 

charge bordering on conspiracy, 

stealing and forgery. 

They, however, pleaded 

not guilty to the charges. 

The duo, according to 

Police Prosecutor Chinalu 

Uwadione, committed 

the offences on May 31 

at Ogba in Ikeja area of 

Lagos. 

He said the accused 

were given the consignment 

(N16 million Vitali 

tomato paste) for delivery 

to a customer in Kano 

State, but failed to do so. 

“The accused also 

forged documents, letter 

heads for introduction, 

timely delivery guaranteed 

letter and recommendation 

letters which they 

used to cover up their 

tracks,” he told the court. 

The offences contravened 

Sections 287, 365(3), 

(i), 366 and 411 of the 

Criminal Law of Lagos 

State, 2015. 

The Chief Magistrate, 

Mrs Oluyemisi Adelaja, 

admitted the duo to a bail 

of N2 million each with 

two responsible sureties 

each in like sum. 

She said the sureties 

should also deposit N100, 

000 each into the account 

of the court’s chief registrar. 

The case has been adjourned 

until September 

13 for trial. 

CLEMENT EKONG 

YOLA 

Adamawa State Command 

of the National 

Drugs Law Enforcement 

Agency (NDLEA) has 

arrested two suspected 

drugs traffickers at the 

Jimeta Ultra modern 

market in Yola with hard 

drugs weighting 222 Kilograms. 

Disclosing this on 

Tuesday while parading 

the suspects before newsmen 

with the cartoons of 

the drugs, the State Commandant 

of the Agency, 

Yakubu Kibo explained 

that his operatives acted 

based on a intelligence 

report and arrested a 

Chadian national, Adamu 

Muhammad with five cartoons 

of tramadol tablets 

weighing 186 Kilograms, 

while trying to negotiate 

for a commercial vehicle 

plays is sex, but I am no 

longer interested in sex 

without responsibility, 

because I used the proceeds 

of my business to 

cater for him and this has 

wreaked my business. 

“He has left home 

again as Eid-el-Kabr 

is coming up soon, but 

I will not wait in his 

house till he returns as 

he always do,“ Risikat 

stated. 

Ojo, a panel-beater in 

his defence denied all the 

allegations, but blamed 

his wife for deserting her. 

“Risikat is a troublesome 

woman and I decided 

to stay away from 

home whenever she troubles 

him. 

“She used to fight me 

at the slightest provocation; 

she also fights neigbours. 

“I support the divorce 

and I urge the court to 

grant her request so that 

I can have rest of mind; 

I am ready to support 

her for the care of the 

only child we have,’’ Ojo 

stated. 

President of the court, 

Chief Mukaila Balogun 

and the court’s assessors, 

Ganiyu Alao and Aare 

Samotu, resolved that 

there was no more love 

between the parties. 

“Parties are to go 

their separate ways, they 

stand unmarried since 

evidence has proved 

that the respondent did 

not pay dowry. 

“Custody of the only 

child of the union is to 

remain with the petitioner 

and N4, 000 is awarded 

against the respondent 

on monthly basis, being 

money for the care 

and maintenance of the 

child”, the court ruled. 

Cleaners of Jos 

University Teaching 

Hospital protesting 

over non-payment 

of their 10 months’ 

salary in Jos, Plateau 

State on Monday. 

PHOTO: NAN 

Angry Students Shut 

Down Niger Delta 

University Over Hike In 

Fees 

IGONIKO ODUMA 

YENAGOA 

NDLEA Arrests Two Suspected Drug Traffickers 

NDLEA officials 

Angry students of the 

Niger Delta University, 

Wilberforce Island, 

Bayelsa State have shut 

down the institution in 

protest against outrageous 

hike in school fees 

and electronic course 

charges. 

The students are also 

angry that the university 

does not involve the Students’ 

Union Government 

officials in its decision 

making process. 

The protest, which took 

place on Monday at the 

university main campus 

in Amassoma disrupted 

academic and commercial 

activities around the university 

community. 

The students, who demanded 

halting of the 

school fees, barricaded 

the main entrance to 

the school and prevented 

vehicular movement 

for several hours. 

Kemes Mitin, President 

of NDU-SUG, who 

led the protest, said the 

Bayelsa State-owned 

University’s management 

was gradually 

turning the school into a 

private institution in its 

quest to generate more 

revenue. 

He called on the university’s 

authority to review 

the fees and levies 

downwards as many students 

would not afford 

the fees and levies. 

to transport it to Chad 

Republic through Cameroon. 

Kibo further said that 

the other suspect who 

gave his name as Peter 

Danboyi and claimed to 

be a University’s graduate 

was arrested with a 

cartoon of Codeine cough 

syrup weighting 3.9 Kilograms 

and a cartoon of 

Rohypnol tablets weighting 

11grams in the same 

market during the raid. 

He explained that the 

destruction of youths by 

drugs consumption is 

at an alarming rate and 

need collective support 

to address the menace in 

our societies so that the 

future of the country can 

be saved. 

He appealed to the 

authorities of the neighbouring 

countries of 

Cameroon, Niger and 

Chad Republic to man 

their borders properly so 

that the activities of these 

illegal drugs peddlers can 

be checkmated properly 

and adequately. 

He however attributed 

the continued recording 

of drugs pushing to porous 

nature of our boarders, 

adding that all hands 

must be on deck to put a 

stop to the crime drastically. 

Responding to questions 

from journalists, 

one of the suspects, Peter 

Danboyi confessed to 

the crime, saying he was 

a graduate and that lack 

of job took him to drugs 

trafficking. 

According to him, “I 

am a University graduate 

and I was introduced 

to drugs trafficking by a 

friend due to lack of job “, 

Danboyi confessed.


Forfeit N206m To FG, Court 

Orders Businesswoman 


LAGOS 

A Federal High Court in 

Lagos on Tuesday ordered 

that the sum of N206 million 

belonging to a businesswoman, 

Akinola 

Olubunmi Vera and her 

firm, Vermi Studio Products 

be forfeited to the 

Federal Government over 

alleged financial malfeasance. 

Justice AbdulAziz Anka’s 

order was sequel to 

an ex-parte application 

filed by counsel to the 

Economic and Financial 

Crimes Commission, 

George Chai-Yakua. 

The commission stated 

that the sum was suspected 

to be proceeds of fraudulent 

transactions perpetuated 

by Mrs Akinola and 

her company. 

Justice Anka ordered 

that the money be forfeited 

by EFCC pending the 

Evans: Court Adjourns Ruling 

On N300m Against Police 

Justice Abdulaziz Anka 

of the Federal High Court 

in Lagos has adjourned 

till Wednesday (today) the 

ruling on whether to hear 

a suit filed against the Nigeria 

Police Force, Commissioner 

of Police Lagos 

State, Fatai Owoseni and 

the Special Anti-Robbery 

Squad, Lagos State Police 

Command by suspected 

billionaire kidnapper, 

Chukwudumeme Onwuamadike, 

a.k.a Evans. 

Evans is claiming the 

sum of N300 million as 

general and exemplary 

damages against the 

police for alleged illegal 

conclusion of its investigation 

and possible prosecution 

of the case. 

Praying the court to 

grant the request, the 

EFCC lawyer, Chia-Yakua 

informed the judge that 

the sum was domiciled 

in two First Bank accounts 

with account Nos: 

3100844602 belonging to 

Vermilion Studio Products 

and 3011147218 belonging 

to Vera. 

According to a supporting 

affidavit by an EFCC 

investigating officer Paul 

Ugema, the commission 

commenced investigation 

of the matter following a 

petition it received. 

It alleged that the respondents 

diverted over 

N206m property of Mooncrest 

Enterprises Nigeria 

Limited 

“It was discovered that 

the respondents were 

making suspicious fund 

transfers into the accounts”, 

he added. 

detention and unconstitutional 

media trial. 

The suspect in the suit 

is also asking the court to 

declare that his continued 

detention since June 

10 without arraignment 

violates his fundamental 

rights as guaranteed under 

the 1999 Constitution. 

But Justice Anka adjourned 

ruling on the case 

till August 16 after listening 

to the submissions of 

counsel to Evans, Olukoya 

Ogungbeje and that of 

the Special Anti-Robbery 

Squad and the Lagos State 

Commissioner of Police, 

Emmanuel Eze. 

Brothers Arraigned For 

Exporting Cocaine 

MOHAMMED SHO- 

SANYA 

LAGOS 

Two brothers, Onowu 

Chucks Sunday and Onowu 

Isaac Chukwuka 

were arraigned before 

a Lagos Federal High 

Court on Tuesday for 

aiding a convicted South 

African lady, Lorato Lekganyane 

to export 1.210 

kilograms of cocaine. 

They were slammed 

with a three count charge 

bordering on conspiracy, 

unlawful exportation of 

the said banned drug and 

aiding and abetting by 

the National Drugs Laws 

and Enforcement Agency 

The prosecutor, Augustine 

Nwagu told the 

court that the brothers 

between April and May, 

2016, conspired a South 

African, Lerato Lekganyane, 

who has been 

convicted by a Nigeria 

Federal High Court, to 

export 1.210 kilograms 

of Cocaine. 

They were also alleged 

that on May 20, 2016 at the 

Muritala Muhammad 

International Airport, 

Ikeja, without lawful 

authority exported 1.210 

kilograms of cocaine. 

NDLEA also alleged 

that the second defendant, 

Onowu Isaac, aided 

the convicted South African 

lady, Lerato Lekganyena, 

to export the 

banned drug. 

The offences contravene 

14(b), 11(B) and 

Metro 

Ozubulu Church Attack: ‘Bishop’ Aloysius 

Ikegwuonu Visits Hospitalised Victims 

Aloysius Ikegwuonu, 

the 

alleged South 

Africa-based 

drug dealer accused of 

being the target in the assassination-style 

murder 

of 13 persons at a Catholic 

Church in Anambra 

State nine days ago, has 

returned to Nigeria. 

Bishop, as he is popularly 

called, returned 

to the community and 

visited the victims of the 

shooting that involved 

him as the target of the 

suspects. 

Mr. Ikegwuonu was 

spotted, according to 

agency report, in Anam- 

Ikegwuonu, during the visits to Hospital 

14(a) of the National 

Drugs Laws Enforcement 

Agency, Act Cap N30, 

Laws of the Federation 

of Nigeria, 2004. 

The accused pleaded 

not guilty to all the 

charges, but the prosecutor 

prayed the court that 

they be remanded them 

in prison 

Their counsel, Prosper 

Ojakovo, pleaded with 

the court to admit his clients 

to bail, adding that 

the first defendant had 

earlier been earlier been 

admitted to bail. 

Ojakovo also prayed 

the court to admit the 

second defendant to bail 

in liberal terms. 

The presiding judge 

Justice Abdul Aziz Anka, 

ordered that the second 

defendant, Isaac, be remanded 

in prison pending 

the hearing of his bail 

request, which he fixed 

for August 18,this year. 

bra nearly one week and 

a half after heavily-armed 

men attacked worshippers 

at St. Philip Catholic 

Church Amakwa Ozobulu, 

in Ekwusigo Local 

Government Area. 

State governor Willie 

Obiano said that intelligence 

reports linked the 

attack to a feud between 

two kingpins in Ozubulu: 

Mr. Ikegwuonu and one 

Chinedu Akpunonu (a.k.a 

Oborocho), both of whom 

live outside Nigeria. 

According to eyewitnesses, 

upon arrival at 

the church the gunmen 

had combed the area in 

search of Ikegwuonu and 

when they could not find 

him, began executing innocent 

worshippers who 

knew nothing of the feud 

between the two men. 

In a statement, the 

Bishop of the Diocese, 

Hilary Odili Okeke, stated 

that Cyprian Ikegwuonu, 

father of Aloysius, died 

from the brutal attack 

while his wife, Caroline, 

is listed among the 22 surviving 

victims. 

Although perceived 

by most people as a drug 

dealer based in South 

Africa, the younger Ikegwuonu 

is widely-loved 

and accepted for being a 

“philanthropist”. 

He is the founder of 

the non-governmental 

Ebubechukwu Uzo Foundation 

Ozubulu, which 

assists members of his as 

well as neighboring communities, 

and has tarred 

some roads in the area. 

Ikegwuonu, according 

to agency report, arrived 

in Nigeria on Saturday 

and has made statements 

to the police, giving details 

of the feud that led 

to the deadly shooting. 

A police source said he 

also revealed the assailants’ 

names and revealed 

that they had demanded a 

huge ransom from him in 

exchange for peace. 

Court Remands Prophet Over Alleged N70m Fraud 


LAGOS 

A Lagos Federal High 

Court, yesterday ordered 

the remand of a Prophet 

of Celestial Church of 

Christ, Prophet Oladele 

Olufemi Ayoola, at Ikoyi 

prison in Lagos for allegedly 

defrauding a 

couple of N70million 

Justice AbdulAziz 

Anka’s order was sequel 

to the arraignment of 

the clergy man on a five 

count amended charge 

bordering on fraud, 

stealing, impersonation, 

forgery and false accusation. 

The 45-year-old prophet, 

whose church is located 

in Oke-Ira, Ogba, Lagos, 

was alleged to have 

between 2008 and December 

2016, pretended to be 

a spiritualist, soothsayer 

capable preventing 

all type of spiritual and 

physical attack. 

The police prosecutor 

alleged that the Prophet 

who carried out the acts 

between Lagos, Ogun 

and Ekiti States, fraudulently 

obtained the sum 

of N70 million from Abbey 

N Becky Enterprise 

and Nichole Integrated 

Investment Limited, 

which were represented 

by Peter Omokaro and 

Catherine N. Omokaro, 

under the pretence that 

he will assist them spiritual. 

The police alleged that 

the prophet defrauded 

the two firms through 

his bank account numbers: 

2055838342 and 

2060863319 domiciled 

with United Bank for 

Africa (UBA) Plc. 

He was also alleged to 

have forged the two firms 

identity cards, which he 

used in claiming to be a 

staff of the companies, 

as well as made a false 

accusation against Peter 

Omokaro, one of the 

fraud victims. 

The offences are punishable 

under section 

1 of the Advance Fee 

Fraud and other related 

Offences, 2004, and 

Sections 390(9), 467(2) 

(b), 448 and 210(b) of the 

Criminal Code Cap C38, 

Laws of the Federation 

of Nigeria, 2004, (as 

amended). 

The prophet h pleaded 

not guilty to the charges. 

Justice Anka, ordered 

his remand in Ikoyi 

prisons till August 17, 

when his bail request 

would be heard by the 

couple.

A14 


Sport 

Peter Edema 

+2348050498540 

peter.edema@independentnig.com 

D’Tigress Leave For 

Mali Wednesday 

D’Tigress will 

on Wednesday 

leave for Bamako 

for the 

2017 Afrobasket tournament 

aboard an Air Cote 

d’Ivoire flight at 9:45am. 

The delegation which 

will be led by the Vice 

President of the Nigeria 

Basketball Federation, 

Babatunde Oguande will 

include 12 players, three 

technical crew members 

led by Sam Vincent and 

four other backroom 

staff. 

The players will be 

led by Captain Aisha 

Mohammed, Evelyn 

Akhator, Ezinne Kalu, 

Sarah Ogoke, Adaora 

Elonu, Chioma Udeaja, 

Nkechi Akashili and 

Upe Atosu. Others are 

Ndidi Madu, Cecelia 

Okoye, Ugo Nwaigwe 

and Nyingifa Atonye 

Jennifer. 

The Technical crew 

will consist of two assistant 

coaches, Peter 

Ahmedu and Ochuko 

Okworogun while Mfon 

Udoka (General Manager) 

and Amachree 

Mactaben (Player Development 

Manager) 

will form part of the 

delegation for this year’s 

apex women's basketball 

tournament in Africa. 

North West zonal 

representative on the 

board, Suraju Yusuff, 

Larai Garba (Team 

Doctor) and Bakare 

Umulkuthum (Physio) 

and Oni Afolabi (Media 

Ezenwa, Odeh Assure 

On CHAN Qualification 

CHIBUIKE CHUKWU 

LAGOS 

Ikechukwu Ezenwa, the 

CHAN Eagles captain, 

and the team’s forward, 

Stephen Odeh, have assured 

Nigerians that the 

team would beat their 

Benenoise counterparts 

and qualify for next Africa 

Nations Championship 

(CHAN) in Kenya. 

The CHAN team lost 

1-0 to Benin Republic on 

Sunday in the last leg 

qualifiers for the biannual 

championship. 

Speaking on Tuesday 

ahead of the second leg, 

which comes up at the 

Sani Abacha Stadium in 

Kano, both players sounded 

very confident of overcoming 

Benin Republic, 

even as they expressed 

sadness on the late goal, 

which condemned them 

to that defeat. 

“We are sad that we lost. 

Adaora Elonu taking a jumper against Mozambique 

But that is just one leg of 

the qualifiers. We are going 

to qualify but I know 

they (Benin Republic) 

will come with all tricks,” 

a source close to Ezenwa 

confided to <strong>Independent</strong>. 

Speaking in the same 

vein, Mountain of Fire 

and Miracles Ministries 

(MFM) Football Club’s 

Odey, said that the national 

team had their own chances 

but were undone by the 

late goal from their hosts. 

He expressed the hope that 

they would qualify. 

“We played well and 

had our own chances but 

they scored. That was 

very painful. But I have 

one promise for them; 

they will be defeated and 

we will qualify,” Odey was 

quoted as saying from 

their hotel in Kano. 

The match comes up at 

the Sani Abacha Stadium, 

Kano, by 4pm on Saturday. 

Ezenwa 

Officer) will complete 

the Nigerian team who 

will be gunning for their 

third Afrobasket trophy. 

Meanwhile, in line 

with the NBBF’s long 

term plan, Adaeze 

Alaeze (Virginia Commonwealth 

University) 

and Elawure Tina Odion 

(First Bank) who 

have been identified as 

future prospects have 

been added to the 12 man 

rooster as they continue 

their developmental 

programme with the national 

team. 

The team will start 

its campaign against 

Mozambique on Saturday, 

19th. 

Abia Warriors Football 

Club of Umuahia striker, 

Sunday Adetunji has 

undergone a successful 

surgery on his fractured 

left arm at the Federal 

medical Centre, Umuahia. 

The former Shooting 

Stars of Ibadan hitman had 

fractured his forearm after 

he scored his second goal 

in Abia Warriors’ 4-2 away 

PETER EDEMA 

LAGOS 

Nigerian Sports Award has 

opened its nomination portal 

for the 2017 Awards on Tuesday 

August 15, 2017. 

The awards will be in 20 

categories. 

This was disclosed on 

Tuesday by Kwenku Tandoh, 

the chairman of the award 

panel, who also promised to 

improve on what their predecessors 

achieved. 

Ogenyi Onazi, the Super 

Eagles vice captain, 

has said that his 

move from the Turkish 

league to Championship 

side, Birmingham 

City, would provide 

new challenges for him 

as the club battles to 

return to the Premier 

League. 

The Super Eagles 

star, who provided update 

on his potential 

move to Birmingham 

City from Trabzonspor, 

disclosed that he had 

been a long target for 

Birmingham Coach, 

Harry Rednapp, since 

his playing days at 

Lazio. 

Redknapp views the 

Nigerian as a player 

who could play a part 

in their bid to gain promotion 

to the English 

Premier League. 

The former Lazio 

ace, who revealed that 

Redknapp wanted to 

sign him while he was 

manager of Tottenham 

Hostspur, said that he 

was hoping to complete 

the switch in few 

days time citing the 

ambitions of the club 

as a factor in his decision 

to join the club 

after a phone call with 

the manager. 

Adetunji Undergoes 

Successful Surgery 

Birmingham Move 

Provides Fresh 

Challenge – Onazi 

“It’s almost a done 

deal. It would be a new 

challenge for me. This 

club wants to return to 

EPL, they also want to 

sign good players that 

will ensure the promotion 

of the team back 

to the Premier League. 

I want to be part of the 

group,” 

Onazi 

victory over Lobi Stars in 

Makurdi. He was initially 

rushed to the emergency 

unit of the Benue State University 

Teaching Hospital, 

Makurdi where he received 

treatment before he was 

transferred to Umuahia. 

At the federal Medical 

Centre, Umuahia a team 

of doctors operated on the 

forearm and successfully 

joined both ends of the broken 

bones. 

“It was an open reduction 

internal fixation surgery 

to join both ends of the 

broken bones and hold them 

in place and I’m very happy 

it was very successful”, Dr 

Enyinnaya Anozie, head, 

Abia Warriors medical unit 

who was part of the team of 

doctors that carried out the 

surgery told www.abiawarriorsfc.com. 

Dr Anozie revealed that 

the player was in a stable 

condition and could even 

return to action earlier than 

expected. 

Nigerian Sports Award Open Nomination Portal 

In improving the awards, 

he said that improving the 

awards feasibility was one 

of their cardinal points, 

saying, “We will increase the 

awards feasibility by reaching 

the nooks and cranies 

of the country. We will also 

make it more nationalistic.” 

According to him, the 

new panel would improve 

upon the content because 

‘the better the content, the 

better for the sponsors.” 

He also promised to improve 

on the awards sponsorship 

base and also to 

work together with a chosen 

area of corporate responsibility. 

“We want to relate to the 

society. We want the awards 

to be the platform fpr supporting 

a course. This will 

encourage NGOs to support 

the award,” he said. 

Tandoh also promised 

to re-categorise the awards 

with only those where there 

were activities in the year in 

question that would be nominations.


President of the 

Athletics Federation 

of Nigeria 

(AFN), Hon Ibrahim 

Gusau, has said that 

only proper grassroots 

development will restore 

the Nigerian athletics 

lost glory. 

Gusau spoke against 

trhe backdrop of the zero 

performance of Team Nigeria 

at the just concluded 

IAAF World Championships 

in Athletics in London. 

Gusau, who spoke on 

telephone from the London, 

said “It is time to return 

to the basics. 

“After my election, I told 

the nation we were returning 

to the basics. We had 

the World championships 

and we knew it must be 

over before we start our 

own realities. Truth is Nigerian 

athletics is down. 

To rise does not need palliative 

measures. It is a 

fundamental surgery. 

“Surgeries can be very 

painful but they bring 

succour at the end of the 

day. Having been a board 

member for eight years, I 

already understand where 

the troubles are. That is 

our focus right now. 

On the world championships, 

he said, “Competitions 

are like examinations. 

If you did not 

attend lectures, field 

studies, assignments that 

students take during the 

Gusau 

session, it tells you what 

quality of pass to expect. 

We are aware of the situation 

of things before now; 

we wanted to first of all 

see how much it can be 

salvaged. 

“I expected bronze from 


Only Grassroots’ll Restore Nigerian 

Athletics Lost Glory – Gusau 

the women’s 4x400m. We 

had internal issues which 

were compounded by organisational 

dislocations. 

Beyond this, I commend all 

the athletes who attended 

and competed at the championships. 

Two, we shall 

reinvigorate our system 

within the AFN to make 

it work seamlessly like all 

great institutions. 

“I can say that, if possible, 

at least two of the six 

Athletics Development 

centres, where we plan to 

raise new kids, will be in 

place before the end of the 

year. We are starting in Plateau 

State. That is a state 

known for middle and long 

distance running. That is 

one set of disciplines we 

had abandoned. Since we 

are giving that priority, 

give us a little more time 

and we shall blossom. 

He added, “I promised 

that every geo-political 

zone of the country will 

have a national athletics 

development centre to coordinate 

the comparative 

athletics talents of their 

zones. I am not in a hurry 

for medals. I need medals 

but what needs to be done 

first must be in place and 

that is the revolving door 

for great, young and promising 

athletes.” 

The former House of 

Representatives member 

also disclosed that, “every 

athlete in Nigeria, will 

be given insurance cover 

from next season. The 

Golden League is being 

re-worked just like the 

National Trials. More athletics 

coaches will be engaged, 

so those with good 

programmes should start 

working harder.” 

The U-15 National Team, 

known as Future Eagles, 

will on Wednesday 

and Thursday play two 

international friendly 

matches against their 

Moroccan counterparts 

in Rabat, Morocco. 

Both teams will play at 

the National Football Centre, 

Rabat starting from 

4pm on Wednesday, and 

again clash at the same 

venue on Thursday from 

mid-day. 

The squad and their 

officials arrived in Rabat 

on Sunday, and have had 

three training sessions at 

the National Football Centre 

ahead of the friendly 

games. 

The players were selected 

from the pool that 

emerged from the inaugural 

edition of the NFF/ 

A15 

Sport 

Nigeria’s U-15 To 

Play Morocco 

Zenith Bank Future Eagles 

Championship held 

in Ijebu-Ode, Lagos and 

Abuja in the last quarter 

of 2016. 

NFF First Vice President 

and Chairman of 

the NFF Youth Development 

Committee, Seyi 

Akinwunmi, who is head 

of delegation in Morocco, 

said that he was delighted 

with the composure and 

discipline of the players. 

“I have been with the 

boys for a couple of days 

and I am happy with their 

general attitude. I can see 

discipline, dedication and 

humility, and I can also see 

ambition. 

“These matches are 

just friendly sessions but 

I believe the boys will gain 

tremendously from the experience.” 

Hazard Trains With First Team 

Eden Hazard has started 

training with Chelsea 

since his ankle injury on 

international duty with 

Belgium in June. 

The attacker will not return 

to first team action, 

as Antonio Conte admits 

that it was difficult to set 

a date on when he would 

be available for selection. 

He is not expected to 

make the squad that will 

play Tottenham Hotspur 

this weekend at the Wembley 

Stadium. 

Chelsea winger Pedro 

is nursing an ankle problem 

which kept him out of 

Saturday's loss to Burnley. 

Michy Batshuayi, 

Cesc Fabregas and the 

Blues new boy Tiemoue 

Bakayoko were among the 

Chelsea stars in action as 

Conte's began their preparations 

for the Tottenham 

match. 

Bakayoko is yet to make 

his debut for Chelsea since 

his £40million move from 

Monaco this summer due 

to an ongoing knee problem. 

Ronaldo's 10 Career Red Cards 

Cristiano Ronaldo was 

handed a five-match ban 

on Monday for pushing 

a referee after being 

controversially sentoff 

in Real Madrid's 3-1 

Spanish Super Cup, first 

leg win at Barcelona. 

AFP sports takes a 

look at all of the World 

Player of the Year's 10 

career dismissals. 

1. Saturday, May 15, 

2004, Aston Villa 0 Manchester 

United 2 

Ronaldo scored in 

United's 2-0 win away to 

Aston Villa on the final 

day of the season, but 

was booked twice for 

diving and time wasting 

late on. 

His first booking was 

eventually rescinded 

meaning he didn't have 

to serve a suspension. 

2. Saturday, January 

14, 2006, Manchester 

City 3 Manchester United 

1 

The Portuguese was 

shown a straight red 

card for a late challenge 

on former United 

favourite Andy Cole as 

the Red Devils went on 

to lose the Manchester 

derby 3-1. 

3. Wednesday, August 

15, 2007, Portsmouth 1 

Manchester United 1 

A straight red card 

and three-match ban 

was again dished out to 

Ronaldo for an apparent 

headbutt on Portsmouth 

midfielder Richard 

Hughes in a 1-1 draw at 

Fratton Park. 

4. Sunday, November 

30, 2008, Manchester 

City 0 Manchester United 

1 

Ronaldo saw red in 

a Manchester derby 

once more, this time for 

two bookable offences 

after a trip on Shaun 

Wright-Phillips and 

then an inexplicable 

handball. 

5. December 5, 2009, 

Real Madrid 4 Almeria 2 

A first red card in La 

Liga came in Ronaldo's 

debut season for two 

petulant late bookings 

coming after he had 

missed a penalty and 

also scored Los Blancos' 

fourth goal in a 4-2 win. 

6. January 24, 2010, 

Real Madrid 2 Malaga 0 

Just a month later 

Ronaldo doubled his 

count of red cards at 

the Bernabeu when he 

elbowed Malaga midfielder 

Patrick Mtiliga 

in the face as he tried 

to escape the Dane's 

clutches. Earlier, the 

Portuguese had scored 

both Madrid's goals in 

a 2-0 win. 

7. May 17, 2013, Real 

Madrid 1 Atletico Madrid 

2 

On a disastrous night 

for Real as they lost a 

Madrid derby for the 

first time in 14 years, 

Ronaldo kicked out at 

Atletico captain Gabi 

in the final few minutes 

and was shown a 

straight red. 

8. February 2, 2014, 

Athletic Bilbao 1 Real 

Madrid 1 

Ronaldo was given 

a three-game ban after 

clashing with Athletic 

defender Carlos Gurpegi 

and then showing 

his disagreement with 

the referee when he was 

shown a straight red 

card as he left the field. 

9. January 24, 2015, 

Cordoba 1 Real Madrid 

2 

Arguably his most 

violent discretion as he 

kicked out at Cordoba 

defender Edimar. 

10. August 13, 2017, 

Barcelona 1 Real Madrid 

3 

Ronaldo packed plenty 

of action in a 24-minute 

appearance as a second-half 

substitute as 

he smashed into the top 

corner to give Madrid a 

2-1 lead. 

However, his decision 

to celebrate by removing 

his shirt to flex his 

muscles proved costly 

as he was booked and 

just two minutes later 

saw a second yellow 

card for diving in the 

referee's eyes in an attempt 

to win a penalty. 

Ronaldo

independentngr @independentngr www.independent.ng 

INDEPENDENT 



Thinker's Corner 

Nobody ever drowned in his 

own sweat. 

– Ann Landers 

Sam Kargbo 

samkargbo@hotmail.com 

The Supreme Court has held 

that where a Constitution 

provides for the procedure for 

the enactment of an Act or law, 

the legislature must comply with the 

procedure set down in the Constitution. 

See INAKOJU V. ADELEKE (2007) 

4 NWLR (pt. 1025) 423 where the Supreme 

Court held that it is the primary 

custodian of the Constitution, and if 

any arm of the government, including 

the court itself, acts unconstitutionally, 

the court has inherent power under 

Section 6(6) of the 1999 Constitution to 

intervene. 

Where a statute provides for a procedure 

to be followed before arriving 

at a particular situation, noncompliance 

will be fatal. A Bill not passed according 

to law is a nullity. Therefore, 

an Appropriation Bill that follows not 

the procedure laid down by the Constitution 

is a nullity, even if the President 

assents to it. 

Simply put, the Constitution vests 

budgeting power in the President, and 

the power to appropriate funds for the 

funding of the budget in the National 

Assembly. The process is initiated by 

the President, who causes the Ministries, 

Departments and Agencies of the 

Presidency to prepare, in itemized or 

distinctive heads, estimates of revenue 

and expenditure for the financial year. 

These estimates are laid before each of 

the Houses of the National Assembly. 

There are several sources of income or 

revenue for the Federal Government. 

Each of the proposed sources must be 

authorized by the National Assembly. 

By virtue of Section 36 of the Fiscal 

The Executive, National Assembly 

And Federation’s Budget (3) 

Responsibility Act, the Minister of Finance, 

through the Budget Office of the 

Federation, has the respeonsibility to 

monitor and evaluate the implementation 

of the Annual Budget, assess 

the attainment of fiscal targets and 

report thereon on a quarterly basis to 

the Fiscal Responsibility Council and 

the Joint Finance Committee of the 

National Assembly. 

Also, by virtue of Section 36 of the 

Fiscal Policy Act, the creation, expansion 

or improvement in government 

action which result in an expenditure 

increase must be accompanied by -- (a) 

an estimate of the budgetary or financial 

impact in the year it becomes effective 

and in the two subsequent years; 

and (b) a statement by the person requesting 

for the expenditure, stating 

that the increase is consistent with 

the Appropriation Act and the Medium-Term 

Expenditure Framework. 

Thus, the National Assembly has, 

inter alia, the power to: 

i. Ensure that the budget is consistent 

with the provisions of the Fiscal 

Responsibility Act and Section 16 of 

the Constitution. 

ii. Deny funds to heads of expenditure 

that do not meet the letter and 

spirit of the Fiscal Responsibility Act 

or federal character and/or Section 16 

of the Constitution; 

iii. Deny funds to heads of expenditure 

for which funds were appropriated 

in the previous Appropriation Bill but 

not used for that purpose or poorly executed; 

and 

iv. Allocate less or more funds to estimates 

stated in heads of expenditure 

to promote efficiency or reduce waste; 

The National Assembly cannot, however, 

be the proposer and authoriser 

of revenues and expenditures of the 

Federal Government. Although the National 

Assembly can tinker with the 

budgets as presented to ensure constitutional 

and statutory compliance, it 

cannot substitute the President’s budget 

with its own. In the first instance, 

the Appropriation Bill, which authorises 

the withdrawal of the funds necessary 

to fund the expenditure estimates, 

must contain the heads of expenditure 

contained in the estimates presented 

by the President. 

Secondly, the Constitution creates 

a mandatory duty on the President, 

which the National Assembly cannot 

interfere with. Thirdly, the need to reduce 

the Budget into a Bill is to check 

the President and prevent him from 

using moneys withdrawn from the 

Consolidated Fund for purposes other 

than those specified in the Appropriation 

Bill. The Dasukigate turns on this. 

Lastly, the power to authorise the funding 

of the budget – one of the checks 

and balances in the Constitution – is 

not meant to filibuster the President’s 

power to make Budgets. 

Conclusion 

Nigeria is a constitutional democracy. 

The principles of separation of 

powers and checks and balances are 

entrenched in the Constitution. Although 

the Constitution empowers 

the National Assembly to serve as a 

check on the power of the Executive 

arm of Government to make budgets, 

the Constitution does not contemplate 

that such powers would be used to 

encroach on the powers of the Executive. 

Indeed constitutional democracies 

have varying degrees of weight given 

to the Executive and Legislative arms 

of Government in the budget-making 

and implementation cycles. 

By the tenor of the 1999 Constitution 

and such supporting Statutes like the 

Fiscal Responsibility Act and the Finance 

(Control and Management) Act, 

it is the Executive that has the power to 

formulate the content of the budgets of 

the Federation. The National Assembly 

can in theory withhold funds for heads 

of estimates in a budget but cannot remove 

heads of estimates laid before it 

by the President and replace them with 

its own. 

MAN IN THE NEWS 

Yuguda’s Defection: Testing An Unpopular Platform 

AUGUSTINE ADAH 

When Mallam Isa Yuguda, former 

governor of Bauchi State, announced 

his decision to quit the 

Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), 

the expectation of many observers 

was that he would join the ruling 

All Progressives Congress (APC) as 

a possible way of escaping from investigation 

by the Economic and Financial 

Crimes Commission (EFCC). 

However, Yuguda, few days ago 

proved several observers wrong 

when he decided to join Green Party 

of Nigeria (GPN). Yuguda joined 

the party with all his supporters 

including former commissioners in 

his cabinet and Alhaji Habibu Aliyu, 

a former minister. 

According to Alhaji Salisu Ahmed 

Barau, Yuguda’s spokesperson and 

former Commissioner for Information 

in Bauchi State, Yuguda announced 

the decision to pitch tent 

with the new party at Jos last Saturday. 

He said, “At that meeting, 

Malam Isa Yuguda announced to 

the people that based on the recommendations 

of a committee set up to 

assess the viability of any political 

party that he may join, he finally settled 

for the Green Party of Nigeria.” 

Yuguda was elected Governor of 

Bauchi State, Nigeria in April 2007 

on the All Nigeria Peoples Party 

(ANPP) platform. 

In April 2009 he changed allegiance 

from the ANPP to the People's 

Democratic Party (PDP). Yaguda was 

re-elected governor on 28 April 2011. 

Yuguda as member of the PDP 

had served as Minister of Aviation 

under former President Olusegun 

Obasanjo and as governor for two 

terms also on the platform of the 

party. 

In 2015, his dream of going to the 

Senate under the PDP was shattered 

when he was defeated by Malam Ali 

Wakili of the APC. One of the reasons 

for the defeat of Yuguda and 

PDP in the election, according to 

analysts, was the feud existing in 

the PDP hierarchy in the state. For 

instance, instead of Adamu Mu’azu, 

former National Chairman of the 

party and Senator Bala Mohammed, 

the then FCT Minister to work for 

the victory of the party in the state, 

they were engaged in strife. 

The rift between the two leaders 

gave opportunity to the then APC 

which was an opposition party in 

the state to win almost all elections 

in the state. 

However, Yuguda attributed his 

defeat to the will of God and opportunity 

for younger politicians to 

serve the people. 

It is not yet clear whether Yuguda 

would want to re- contest the senatorial 

election in 2019, but political 

pundits ascribed his action to part 

of political ploy for a better bargain 

in the forth coming general elections 

which is about 18 months away. 

At the moment, only time would 

tell whether or not Yuguda would 

remain popular in his voyage to 

unpopular party in the politics of 

Bauchi State. 

Printed and Published by <strong>Independent</strong> Newspapers Limited. Head Office: 8, Wempco Road, Ogba, Lagos. Tel: Newsroom: 01-4535267; 08111813017; Advert: 08051362350; 08057116024. Circulation: 

08077352800. Subscription: 08057523955. Abuja Office: Dawakin Hill Extension, Opposite First Gwarimpa Gate, Gwarimpa-Kubwa Expressway, Abuja. 08054103463; 08051461675. Asaba Office: 

<strong>Independent</strong> Road, Off Asaba International Airport, Delta State. Email: info@independent.ng Website: www.independent.ng ISSN 1595-983X Editor: DON OKERE, 08051725112.

Independent 20170816-readme.ng

Create successful ePaper yourself

Delete template?

Save as template?