14032019 -Rowdy session in Senate over elections

C 

M 

Y 

K 

OLU FASAN 

STATE OF THE NATION 

Second term: 

Buhari must 

work smarter, 

not harder 

31 

DISCOURSE 

Ndigbo in 

Lagos and the 

sad new 

politics of 

ethnicity 40 

Kaduna 

imposes dawnto-dusk 

curfew 

•As community 

leaders say over 100 

killed in 3 days 32 

MINIMUM WAGE: 

Senate C’ttee 

concurs with Reps, 

approves N30,000, 

to pass Bill Tuesday 

Power sector suffers more setbacks 

9 

19 

VOL. 26: NO. 63764 THURSDAY, MARCH 14, 2019 

Rowdy session in Senate 

over elections 

•Senators differ on plans to probe militarization of polls 

•As House moves to probe inconclusive elections by INEC 

•Says development portends danger to democracy 

ELECTORAL CRIME SUSPECTS... 

By Henry Umoru & Emman Ovuakporie 

ABUJA— 

THE yesterday, threw the 

a l l e g e d Senate into a rowdy 

militarization and session. 

massive rigging of the •SEE EDITORIAL, P. 18 

February 23 Presidential, 

National Assembly and This came as the 

March 9 Governorship, House 

of 

State Houses of Representatives, 

Assembly and Federal yesterday, resolved to 

Capital Territory, FCT, set up an adhoc 

Area Council elections, Continues on Page 5 

INCONCLUSIVE ELECTION: What the electoral act says...Section 53. (2) “Where the votes cast at an election in any polling unit 

exceed the number of registered voters in that polling unit, the result of the election for that polling unit shall be declared void by the Commission and 

another election may be conducted at a date to be fixed by the Commission where the result at that polling unit may affect the overall result in the 

Constituency.” 

20 feared 

dead in 

Onitsha 

tanker 

accident 

•Six in 

Kogi State Commissioner of 

Police, CP Hakeem Busari, 

yesterday, paraded 52 suspects 

arrested with their arms for 

political thuggery, kidnapping, 

armed robbery in Lokoja. 

Photo: Boluwaji Obahopo. 

2019 UTME 

8 

FG bans use of Senate decries 

begins April 

11, says 

Boeing 737 Max 8, 

Nigeria’s high 

debt profile 9 

7 JAMB, fixes 9 planes in Nigeria 9 die, scores injured 

mock exams •Govt’s directive does in Lagos school 

another crash for April 1 9 not affect us — Air Peace building collapse 

FG working hard to reverse mismanagement of economy — Buhari 8 

10 

Mr & Mrs

2 — Vanguard, THURSDAY, MARCH 14, 2019

Vanguard, THURSDAY, MARCH 14, 2019 — 3


vanguardnews @vanguardnews @vanguardnews 

Vanguard, THURSDAY, MARCH 14, 2019 — 5 

POCKET CARTOON 

Non-Career Ambassadors— From right: President Muhammadu Buhari 

with Amb. Ashimiyu Olaniyi (Pakistan); Amb. Deborah Iliya (Congo); Amb. 

Baba Ahmed Jidda (China) and others during a courtesy visit a delegation of 

Non-Career Ambassadors in State House, Abuja, yesterday. State House 

photo. 

Rowdy session in 

Senate over elections 

Continues from Page 1 

committee to investigate 

the Independent 

National Electoral 

Committee, INEC, on 

the spate of inconclusive 

polls that had trailed this 

year’s general election. 

The rowdy session in 

the Senate followed a 

point of order by the 

Chairman, Senate 

Committee on the 

Federal Capital 

Territory, FCT, Senator 

Dino Melaye, Peoples 

Democratic Party, PDP, 

Kogi West. 

Melaye had requested 

to properly present a 

motion on the elections 

in another legislative 

day, but senators on the 

platform of the All 

Progressives Congress, 

APC, vehemently kicked 

against and tried to 

frustrate it. 

Senator Melaye, who 

came under Order 42 of 

the 2015 Senate Standing 

Order as Amended, 

sought the permission of 

the Senate President, Dr. 

Bukola Saraki, and his 

colleagues to allow him 

come forward with a 

motion to debate what he 

described as the 

militarization of the 

general elections, 

insisting that ‘this 

cannot be swept under 

the carpet.’ 

In his presentation, 

Senator Melaye, who 

noted that his position 

was not political, said the 

motion would help curb 

electoral malpractices 

and correct the situation 

in future elections. 

He said: “What I am 

raising this morning has 

nothing to do with 

political parties. I want 

to bring before this 

Senate the elections, 

both on March 9 and 23 

in this country and I 

believe that the Senate 

of the Federal Republic 

of Nigeria shall not close 

its eyes to the 

happenings of those 

elections. 

“I want that election to 

be debated on this floor. 

I want to bring a motion 

to be addressed by this 

Senate in the next 

legislative day so that the 

militarization of the 

process, the abuses of 

this election, will not go 

undiscussed in this 

parliament for posterity 

sake. 

“This is my prayer. Let 

it be discussed as a 

Senate. We will debate 

and give accounts of 

what happened in our 

various senatorial 

districts with the vision 

of correcting electoral 

malpractices.” 

At this point, Senate 

President, Dr. Bukola 

Saraki, who presided, 

put the question to a 

voice vote and there was 

loud echo of “ayes and 

“nays”. 

Saraki, who ruled that 

the prayer be adopted, 

said according to the 

Senate’s Standing 

Order, only one-fifth of 

the lawmakers was 

required to support the 

prayer before it could be 

adopted. 

“Distinguished 

colleagues, by the order, 

you only need one-fifth 

of the senators to support 

the motion. It will be 

taken in the next 

legislative day,” he said, 

The trouble 

It was at this point that 

trouble started as the 

Senate Leader, Senator 

Ahmad Lawan, APC, 

Yobe North, drew the 

attention of the Senate 

President and his 

colleagues to the fact 

that there was a nonpartisan 

motion on the 

floor, but they did not 

hear the ruling of Saraki. 

Amid the increasing 

noise at the hallowed 

chamber, Senator Lawan 

asked, “A non-partisan 

motion was on the floor. 

You ruled. We didn’t hear 

the ruling. What was 

your ruling?” 

On his part, the deputy 

Senate Majority leader, 

Senator Bala Ibn 

Na’Allah, APC, Kebbi 

South, noted that there 

was no motion, adding 

that Senator Melaye 

introduced himself as a 

“senator-elect”. 

Na’Allah said, “He was 

not speaking as a 

senator.” 

Disturbed by the action 

and trying to calm the 

charged senators, Saraki 

again explained his 

ruling, saying when the 

motion was at the end of 

the day brought before 

them, it will not be 

partisan as the 

leadership of the Upper 

chamber would look at it 

properly before it would 

appear on the Order 

Paper. 

According to him, legal 

action will be taken 

where necessary. 

Trouble continued as 

Senator Barau Jibrin, 

APC, Kano North amid 

the rowdiness who stood 

up to question Saraki’s 

ruling again, quoted the 

order of the Senate 

which permits a 

lawmaker to challenge 

the opinion of the Senate 

president/the chairman, 

saying, “I don’t know 

your ruling on the 

motion.” 

Saraki, however, 

pleaded with his 

colleagues not to abuse 

the process of the 

plenary and move on to 

other important business 

of the day. 

Since plenary session 

will not hold today, 

following the collection 

of Certificates of Return 

by the lawmakers from 



Commission, INEC, 

Senator Melaye may not 

be able to present the 

motion, but for another 

legislative day. 

Inconclusive 

polls: Reps to 

probe INEC 

Meanwhile, the House 

of Representatives, 

yesterday, resolved to 

set up an adhoc 

committee to investigate 



Committee, INEC, on 

the spate of inconclusive 

polls that had trailed this 

year’s general election. 

The general consensus 

Continues on Page 46 

By Bose Adelaja, Ebun Sessou, Yinka 

Latona, Chiamaka Uba & Dickson 

Omobola 

2019 Polls: Security agencies and 2019 polls (1) 

The use of military 

during the 

elections was arbitrary. 

To me, it was a ploy to 

undermine Nigeria’s 

democracy. 

There are reports of 

voters who were 

harassed by military 

personnel while some 

people decided to stay 

back home. 

Mrs. Funmi John 

Entrepreneur 

We are not in a 

banana republic 

whereby the Federal 

Government will foist the 

military on us during 


I agree there are 

security challenges across 

the country but that 

should not be used as an 

excuse to bring that huge 

number of military 

personnel out during the 

last elections. 

Mr. Marcus Kolawole 

Businessman 

In my opinion, I 

think we need more 

military men than what 

we had during the last 

elections. I believe it is 

for our own good. Some 

political thugs caused 

serious crisis in some 

areas. 

Ballot boxes were 

snatched by political 

thugs in areas where 

there were not enough 

securitymen. 

Mr. Stephen Ogbodo 

Student 

No 

government 

should use 

military power as a ploy 

to undermine the 

country’s democracy. 

What we experienced 

during the justconcluded 

election, was 

not too good for us as a 

nation. It was not in the 

best interest of our 

democracy. 

Miss Peace Nwosu 

Teacher 

Personally, 

I 

commend the effort 

of our military personnel 

for the role they played 

in the past elections. If 

not for the presence of 

the securitymen before 

and during the elections, 

there would have been 

serious crisis in the 

country. People should 

not politicise the 

intervention of the 

military during the 


Miss Temilola Alli 

Student 

I 

support the presence 

of military men 

during the governorship 

election because the 

intervention of the 

military stopped a lot of 

violence that could have 

erupted during the 

election. There were 

reports about some 

politicians who recruited 

thugs and sponsored 

them to engage in ballotsnatching. 

Miss Remilekun Ojo 

Teacher

6—Vanguard, THURSDAY, MACRH 14, 2019 

3 Niger Delta 

Ministry 

officials to 

forfeit N264m 

property to FG 

By Soni Daniel 

ABUJA—THREE officials 

of the Ministry of Niger 

Delta Affairs are to lose 

property worth N264 million 

to the Federal Government, 

according to the Independent 

Corrupt Practices and Other 

Related Offences 

Commission, ICPC. 

The ICPC suspects that the 

officials used their positions 

to acquire the wealth, which 

it says is far above their 

earned income. 

The three officials— Poloma 

Kabiru Nuhu, Mangset 

Longyl Dickson and Daniel 

Obah— jointly own 19 plots 

of land, 10 hectares of 

farmland and two duplexes, 

spread around Abuja and 

three towns in Rivers State. 

A statement made available 

to Vanguard by the 

spokeswoman for ICPC, Mrs 

Rasheedat Okoduwa, said the 

10 hectares of farmland 

located in Kuje, Abuja, was 

allegedly acquired through 

corrupt acts by Nuhu, a 

Principal Accountant with the 

ministry. 

The commission said: “The 

move to seize the property 

follows an investigation by 

ICPC of the assets of Nuhu, 

Dickson and Obah, all staff of 

Niger Delta Affairs Ministry, 

which has established that the 

trio allegedly have assets 

whose values are well above 

their legitimate earnings and 

incomes. 

“The ICPC, relying on 

Section 48 (2) of the Corrupt 

Practices and Other Related 

Offences Act 2000, which 

gives it the power of seizure 

of assets obtained by 

individuals through corrupt 

means will seize 15 plots of 

land, all located in 

Gwagwalada, Abuja from 

Nuhu. 

“Nuhu will also temporarily 

lose ownership of 10 hectares 

of farmland valued at N50 

million and an uncompleted 

duplex, valued at N90 

million, at Apo Estate, Abuja, 

to the Commission. 

“On his part, Obah, a 

Principal Accountant in the 

Finance and Account 

Department of the same 

Ministry will also lose 

temporary ownership of a 

N60 million-valued fourbedroom 

duplex located in 

Karsana, Abuja, and three 

plots of land with a collective 

value of N64.5 million located 

in Abe Ndoni, Obio-Akpor 

and Port Harcourt, River State. 

“The third suspect, Dickson, 

will lose ownership of a plot 

of land valued at N7 million, 

located at Kubwa, a suburb of 

Abuja.” 

By Dayo Johnson 

AKURE—A twist was, 

yesterday, introduced to the 

alleged torture to death of the father 

of an eight-year-old girl, Rasak 

Ahmed, arrested for incest by officials 

of Nigeria Security and Civil Defence 

Corps, NSCDC, Ondo State 

Command. 

The command through its 

spokesperson, Samuel Oladapo, 

denied that the suspect was tortured 

to death, but said he committed 

suicide while in their custody. 

However, in a swift reaction, the 

deceased's widow, Mubiat, put a lie 

to the suicide story by the command, 

insisting that he was tortured to death. 

Speaking with newsmen, Mubiat 

said: “l was there that afternoon when 

he was being beaten with sticks by 

no fewer than 10 of their officials. 

“He was tied upside down and was 

beaten inside their cell, while they 

tried to make him confess to the 

allegation. 

“It was when we came back to give 

him food that afternoon that we were 

informed that he had committed 

suicide.” 

Recall that the younger sister of the 

deceased, Mrs Taiwo, while speaking 

on behalf of the family alleged that 

his brother was beaten to death with 

a stick, while detectives were trying 

to extract confessional statements from 

him. 

The deceased, who was arrested on 

Sunday over allegations of incest at 

his Aule residence in Akure 

metropolis, died three days after in 

the command's cell. 

Mrs Taiwo had sent an SOS to both 

President Muhammadu Buhari and 

the state governor, Rotimi Akeredolu 

to investigate his brother’s death. 

However, speaking with newsmen, 

the command’s image Maker, 

Oladapo, said “ it is not true that the 

suspect who was arrested for having 

carnal knowledge of his 8-year-old 

daughter was tortured by our officials. 

“ The suspect was arrested on 

Sunday following a complaint 

by his son, Ibrahim, that his 

father was having sexual 

intercourse with his sister. 

“The suspect was arrested by 

our men at our out-post station 

and brought to the state 

headquarters on Monday for 

proper investigations. 

“And during our investigation, 

Ahmed confessed to the offence 

and attributed it to devil’s work. 

“Before he was detained in the 

cell, he was complaining and 

begging that he should be 

allowed to put on his buba and 

sokoto because he had a cold 

which we obliged. 

“Meanwhile, he was brought 

to the headquarters around 

6p.m. and surprisingly, when 

one of our men approached his 

cell to deliver food brought by 

one of his relatives he was 

found dangling on iron door 

of the cell being a short man, 

having torn his cloth to hang 

himself. 

“It was unfortunate that he 

was the only inmate in the cell 

which made it easy for him to 

carry out the dastardly act,”. 

Absolving the command of 

complicity, Oladapo said the 

“NSCDC is civil and does not 

torture suspect let alone killing 

a suspect. 

FOR ADESANMI: 

Members of the 

University of Ibadan 

community marching for 

late Nigerian-born 

Canadian Professor, Pius 

Adesanmi, who was 

aboard the ill-fated 

Ethiopian Airliner that, 

Sunday, crashed East of 

Bishoffu, 45 kilometres 

from Addis Ababa, 

yesterday. PHOTO: Dare 

Fasube. 

Death in Ondo NSCDC cell saga: 

He committed suicide, says NSCDC 

•They're lying; he was tied upside down, beaten to death with stick—Widow 

Gunmen attack Police Station 

in Edo, kill DPO, 3 officers 

By Alemma Aliu 

ADivisional Police Officer, 

DPO, and three other 

officers were Tuesday night 

killed in Afuze, headquarters of 

Owan-East Local Government 

Area of Edo by gunmen that 

attacked the police station. 

The said gunmen after the 

incident in the police station also 

reportedly attacked the office of 

the Independent National 

Electoral Commission (INEC) 

in the town, where they blew up 

a police van in the compound 

with explosives. 

The officers killed in the attack 

were: Supt. Tosimani Ojo, the 

DPO of the station; Sgt. Justina 

Aghomon, a pregnant woman, 

Insp. Sado Isaac and Cpl. Glory 

David. 

A witness, Mr Godwin 

Ikpekhia, yesterday, said that 

the incident occurred at about 

8:00 p.m. on Tuesday, while 

many of the officers in the 

division had gone on outside 

duties. 

“We only heard gunshots and 

nobody knew what actually 

happened until Wednesday 

morning. 

“The divisional police officer, 

alongside three other officers 

who were on duty were killed 

on the spot, inside the 

building. 

“The hoodlums didn’t just 

stop at that; they went to the 

INEC office and were shooting 

sporadically at policemen who 

were on duty there. 

“Election materials and a 

police van at the INEC office 

were burnt by the hoodlums,’’ 

he said. 

The Edo Commissioner of 

Police, Mr Muhammed 

Danmallam, who visited the 

scene, said that investigation 

would commence immediately. 

Danmallam vowed that those 

responsible for the attacks will 

be brought to book. 

“The motto of NSCDC is civil. 

We do not torture because it is not 

our tradition and it is against our 

mandate,”. 

Oladapo said that the corpse 

had been deposited in a 

government hospital for autopsy 

while the police had commenced 

an investigation to confirm the 

cause of his death. 

While asking members of the 

public not to see the command in 

a bad light, the spokesperson 

pointed out that “this was not the 

first time that the command would 

be handling incest cases. 

“Urgent steps will be taken to 

curb the increasing cases of 

criminality in the Owan axis of the 

state,’’ he said. 

It would be recalled that four 

policemen were killed and burnt 

with their patrol van by unknown 

persons in July last year. 

The incident happened in a 

roadblock at Uzebba-Aviosi 

junction along Ifon road, 

Sabongida-Ora. 

Also, in January 23, All 

Progressives Congress (APC) 

House of Assembly candidate for 

Owan West, Mr Ohio Ezomo was 

kidnapped while his orderly was 

killed on the spot. 

Meanwhile, the Commissioner 

of Police in Sokoto State, Mr 

Aminu Koji, yesterday, confirmed 

the killing of two police personnel, 

Asp. Abdullahi Maisaje and Sgt. 

Usman Ibrahim, while on election 

duty. 

Addressing newsmen in Sokoto, 

Koji said the officers were 

ambushed by gunmen on their

Vanguard, THURSDAY, MARCH 14, 2019—7 

Kerosene tanker kills 20 

in Onitsha 

By Vincent Ujumadu, 

Chimaobi Nwaiwu & 

Nwabueze Okonkwo 

NO fewer than 20 people were, 

yesterday afternoon, crushed 

to death by a tanker laden with 

kerosene at Upper Iweka 

Onitsha, Anambra State, with 

scores reportedly injured. 

Also yesterday, six people 

were crushed at Ibughubu 

Market, Umuchu, in Aguata 

local government area of the 

state in an accident involving a 

truck loaded with cement and a 

lorry with property worth 

millions of naira destroyed. 

According to an eye witness, 

the kerosene tanker driver drove 

through the service lane at 

Upper Iweka Onitsha where he 

reportedly lost control around 

Adam and Eve Motors and 

crushed many traders and 

vehicles in the process. 

It was hectic time for 

emergency respondents, the 

Police, Federal Road Safety 

Corps, Onitsha and Anambra 

State Traffic Agency and Willie’s 

Work Force, WWF, to evacuate 

dead victims and those with 

injuries, including the affected 

vehicles from the road. 

Eyewitnesses said the victims 

might be more considering the 

distance where the tanker lost 

control and where it was halted 

as many people and vehicles 

were dragged while descending 

the ever busy Service Lane at 

Upper Iweka where over forty 

different transport companies 

are located. 

Many body parts and blood of 

the victims were seen along the 

road the tanker drove through 

before it finally stopped at the 

public toilet building located at 

Upper Iweka. 

A Toyota Siena belonging to 

Onitsha South Transport 

Company that was discharging 

passengers on arrival from 

Enugu was one of the vehicles 

crushed with the passengers. 

The State Chairman of the 

Nigerian Red Cross Society, 

NRCS, Prof. Peter Katchy, 

speaking with newsmen at the 

scene, disclosed that the bodies 

of the deceased persons had 

been deposited at a hospital 

morgue, while three persons, 

who sustained serious injuries, 

were rushed to Pieta Specialist 

Hospital and Toronto Hospital. 

Katchy added that one of the 

dead persons in his 30s lost his 

head completely and was lying 

headless at the compound of the 

hospital. 

However, at about 5.58p.m., 

when Vanguard visited Toronto 

Hospital, more than 200 

sympathisers were gathered in 

the compound, trying to catch a 

glimpse of the dead and 

survived victims. 

Doctors and nurses in the 

hospital were busy running 

round to save the lives of the 

surviving victims. 

Medical Director of Toronto 

Hospital, Prince Emeka Eze, 

who was away in the United 

Kingdom, UK, was also heard 

instructing the doctors and 

nurses not to ask for any deposit 

from the victims, but to save lives 

first. 

He also ordered for immediate 

blood transfusion for the 

surviving victims who may have 

lost blood in the accident. 

Matron of the hospital, Ijeoma 

Ogegbulam, while speaking with 

Vanguard, said 10 people were 

deposited in the hospital 

morgue, and out of the ten, two 

died at the emergency theatre 

due to excessive loss of blood, 

while eight died at the scene of 

the accident before they were 

brought to the hospital. 

Ogomegbulam said seven 

surviving victims, four female and 

three male are currently on 

admission in the hospital, adding 

that their chances of survival were 

very bright. 

When Vanguard called the 

Police Public Relations Officer, 

Anambra State Police Command, 

Mr. Mohammed Haruna, at 

about 6.20p.m. yesterday, his 

phone indicated that it was 

switched off. 

The DPO of Central Police 

Station, Onitsha, Mr. Ifeanyi 

Ibru was too exhausted to speak 

to newsmen when he was 

approached for comment at the 

scene and at Toronto Hospital 

when he led his men to visit the 

survivors of the accident. 

... 6 at Ibughubu 

Also yesterday, the accident 

involving a truck loaded with 

cement and a lorry at Ibughubu 

Market, Umuchu, in Aguata 

local government area of 

Anambra State reportedly 

claimed the lives of six people 

By Daud Olatunji 

ABEOKUTA—MEN of Ogun 

State Police command have 

arrested a 25-year-old man, Seyi 

Ajiboye, for forcefully having 

carnal knowledge of a 14-yearold 

down- syndrome girl (name 

withheld). 

The Police Public Relations 

Officer in the state, Abimbola 

Oyeyemi, disclosed this in a 

statement made available to 

newsmen in Abeokuta, 

yesterday. 

Oyeyemi said the suspect was 

arrested following a report 

lodged at Agbado Divisional 

headquarters by the victim 

accompanied by her parents last 

week Friday. 

He said “the victim complained 

that while she was coming from 

a church service at Oluwalogbon 

Street Abule Ijoko, the suspect, 

who resides in the area, lured her 

into his room, forcefully removed 

her underwear and had carnal 

knowledge of her without her 

consent. 

with property worth millions 

of naira destroyed. 

It was gathered that the 

drivers of the vehicles died 

in the accident alongside 

four other persons, while 

scores of people, mainly 

traders and a conductor of 

one of the vehicles sustained 

various degrees of injury. 

One of the victims was Mr 

Aaron Ononuju, 65 years 

from Umuchu. 

An eyewitness, Mr Joshua 

Agbasiri told Vanguard that 

the two trucks collided before 

they rammed into the market 

stalls, 

causing 

pandemonium in the area. 

“The truck carrying cement 

was in a high speed and 

apparently due to brake 

failure, it pushed the tipper 

to the opposite side of the 

market where it destroyed 

shops and inflicted injuries 

on some shop owners,” he 

said. 

The chairman of Ubughubu 

Village, Mr Titus Ike, said 

three shops belonging to one 

Okwudili Egbobuike and 

Nonso Ezekwelu, were most 

affected. 

He said: “Nonso’s shop 

was worse because he and 

his mother became victims. 

There are other people I 

don’t have their details 

because I have not been to 

the hospital where the 

bodies were deposited. 

“We are going to install speed 

breaker on this road because we 

are tired of this re-occurring 

accidents. This place is a valley, 

especially the market area. 

“We don’t want people killed 

again. Two years ago, we lost 

nine persons. We lost two 

students two months ago and 

we just lost three today.” 

Man rapes 14-yr-old down 

syndrome girl in Ogun 

“She stated further that the 

suspect increased the volume 

of his musical tape to the 

maximum making it 

impossible for people around 

to hear her screaming. 

“On the strength of the 

report, the DPO Agbado 

Division, CSP Olatunji 

Omonijo led his detectives to 

the area where the suspect was 

promptly arrested. 

“He has since made a 

confessional statement to the 

effect that he actually 

committed the crime. 

“The victim has been taken 

to the hospital for medical 

treatment and report. 

“Meanwhile, the 

Commissioner of Police Cp 

Ahmed Iliyasu has ordered 

the immediate transfer of the 

suspect to Anti-human 

trafficking and child labour 

unit of the State Criminal 

investigation and intelligence 

Department for proper 

investigation and 

prosecution.” 

... with Emma'nKen (08163121378) 

Adekunle, you think only you 

like Gold? Boy eyes shine ooo 

Live well, Sally. The dead are alone 

Throwback Thursday: 

If you know the name of this 

tournament, call in for a prize

8—Vanguard, THURSDAY, MARCH 14, 2019 

ROUNDTABLE: From left, Mr. Magnus Nnoka, President, Risk Management Association 

of Nigeria, RIMAN; Ms. Kaodi Ugoji, Associate Executive Director, Corporate Development, 

FMDQ OTC Securities Exchange, FMDQ; Mr. Allan Ralph Thomson, Managing Director/ 

CEO, Dreadnought Capital, lead facilitator; and Ms. Jumoke Olaniyan, Vice President, 

Market Architecture, FMDQ, at the FMDQ-sponsored Q1 2019 quarterly risk roundtable of 

RIMAN at Exchange Place, Lagos. 

FG bans use of Boeing 737 Max 8, 

9 planes in Nigeria 

By Lawani 

Mikairu & 

Johnbosco 

Agbakwuru 

ABUJA — THE Federal 

Government, yesterday, 

banned the use of Boeing 737 

Max 8 and Max 9 planes by 

any airline operator in Nigeria 

airspace. 

The Ethiopian Boeing 737 

MAX 8 plane had on Sunday 

crashed a few minutes after 

take-off in Addis Ababa, 

killing all 157 people aboard, 

including two Nigerians. 

But Air Peace airline in a 

swift reaction, yesterday, said 

the Federal Government’s 

order banning the use of 

Boeing 737 Max 8 aircraft 

from flying in Nigeria’s 

airspace does not affect it 

since it had no such aircraft 

type in its fleet. 

The airline currently has an 

order with Boeing Aircraft 

manufacturing company for 

10 B737 Max 8 aircraft. 

Meanwhile, US and 

Canadian governments 

also, yesterday, grounded 

the Boeing 737 Max 8 

aircraft. 

Briefing State House 

correspondents at the end of 

the Federal Executive 

Council, FEC, meeting, 

presided over by President 

Muhammadu Buhari at the 

Council Chamber, 

Presidential Villa, Abuja, 

Minister of State for Aviation, 

Hadi Sirika, said the B737 

Max 8 and 9 aircraft would 

not be allowed into Nigeria 

until the cause of the plane 

crash in Addis Ababa was 

determined. 

He said: “Regarding 

Boeing 737 Max 8 and Max 

9, that has been in the news, 

there is no cause for alarm as 

there is no operator in Nigeria 

that is using that type of 

airplane. 

“The Nigeria Civil Aviation 

Authority, NCAA, whose 

mandate it is to issue 

advisory, has already said 

nobody should fly into 

Nigeria or out of Nigeria 

using Boeing 737 Max 8 and 

Max 9, pending the 

determination of the actual 

cause of the crash in Ethiopia 

and also pending the outcome 

of the response of the 

manufacturer, which is 

Boeing. 

“Regardless of the 

enormous safety records of 

this plane, it has caused 

concern in the world of 

aviation and you know 

aviation it is universal. 

Whatever affects one, affects 

the other because aircraft will 

be flying in and out. 

“So, we have issued 

directive that no operator with 

Boeing 737 Max 8 or Max 9 

should operate into and 

outside our airports and this 

is being carried out. 

“Regarding Air Peace and 

Arik orders, whether those 

orders were confirmed or 

intent, it is to our knowledge 

in the ministry that they won’t 

be in the country until the 

next two years or so. And this 

is enough period to sort out 

whatever problem it is with 

that plane." 

FEC okays 

3 memos 

He disclosed that three 

memos were presented to 

•US, Canada too 

•Govt’s directive does not 

affect us —Air Peace 

FEC from the Ministry of 

Transportation and Aviation 

yesterday, which were 

approved. 

He said the first one was 

the approval of N529 million 

for the supply and installation 

of X-ray machines, cargo 

scanners and walk-through 

metal detectors at Enugu 

Airport, with a completion 

period of 12 weeks, while the 

second was approval for the 

upgrade and rehabilitation of 

the main in-take transformer, 

landing system and domestic 

underground 11KVA circuit at 

the Malam Aminu Kano 

International Airport at 

N719,332,450 million. 

Sirika said council also 

approved the award of 

contract for the procurement 

of security and safety projects 

at the nation’s airports Phase 

II, including the supply of 

extreme x-ray machines at the 

Nnamdi Azikiwe 

International Airport, Abuja, 

Mallam Aminu Kano 

International Airport and Port 

Harcourt International Airport 

at the cost of N4,530,955,500 

billion. 

He said N622 million 

variation was approved by 

FEC for the Minna Airport 

terminal building, which was 

abandoned since 2012 for 

lack of funding. 

Govt’s directive 

does not affect us 

—Air Peace 

Meanwhile, Air Peace 

Airline, yesterday, said the 

Federal Government order 

banning the use of Boeing 

737 Max 8 aircraft from flying 

in Nigeria’s airspace, did not 

apply to it, since there was 

no B737 Max 8 in its fleet. 

Making the clarification in 

a telephone chat with 

Vanguard, Air Peace 

Corporate Communication 

Manager, Mr Chris Iwarah, 

said the minister’s directives 

only confirmed the airline’s 

position that it was watching 

and monitoring the outcome 

of Ethiopia Airlines crash 

investigation and also does 

not currently fly Boeing 737 

MAX 800 or any MAX 

series. 

Iwarah further said the 

Federal Government order 

only affected foreign airlines 

operating into Nigeria with 

such aircraft type. 

FG working hard to reverse terrible 

mismanagement of economy —Buhari 

Johnbosco 

Agbakwuru 

A BUJA—PRESIDENT 

Muhammadu Buhari 

said, yesterday, that the 

Federal Government was 

doing its best to correct and 

reverse the terrible 

mismanagement the 

country had experienced in 

previous administrations in 

the country. 

President Buhari, who 

stated this when he 

received a delegation of 

non-career ambassadors, 

who were at State House, 

Abuja, to congratulate him 

on his re-election, said: 

“With some luck, our best 

will be good enough.” 

He said Nigeria was 

trying to live within its 

means, adding that 

government was 

determined to upgrade the 

country’s profile, both 

locally and internationally. 

The president said it 

would be inexcusable for 

government not to take care 

of its ambassadors in their 

various stations, hence the 

special attention being paid 

to the country’s foreign 

missions. 

Speaking on behalf of the 

delegation, Ambassador 

Ashimiyu Olaniyi said 

Buhari’s election in 2015, 

and his recent re-election, 

were divine interventions 

in the affairs of the country. 

Olaniyi in a statement by 

Special Adviser to the 

President on Media and 

Publicity, Chief Femi 

Adesina, said: “You are 

God-sent. You have always 

come on stage at the critical 

moments of our national 

history to right the wrongs 

of the past.” 

He added that the 

President would be 

remembered “as an astute 

political leader who does 

not interfere in the political 

affairs of states,” noting 

that the singular quality 

had given credibility to all 

elections conducted since 

2015. 

Polls: Assent to amended 

Electoral Act, int’l 

observers appeal to Buhari 

•As protesters storm INEC hqtrs 

over inconclusive elections 

By Omeiza Ajayi, 

with agency report 

UYO—AN International 

Election Observer 

group, Pan African Women, 

PAN, projects that 

monitored the general 

election in Nigeria has 

appealed to President 

Muhammadu Buhari to 

assent to the amended 

Electoral Act. 

The call came on a day 

protesters, under the aegis 

of Save Nigeria Democracy 

Group, SNDG, yesterday, 

stormed the headquarters 

of Independent National 

Electoral Commission, 

INEC, declaring that the 

results from the just 

concluded elections "did not 

reflect the true voting 

direction of Nigerians" and 

queried the high 

incidences of nonconclusion 

of the processes. 

Publicity Secretary of PAN 

project 2019, Ms 

Mphoentle Keitseng, who 

monitored the governorship 

and House of Assembly 

elections in Akwa Ibom, 

made the appeal during an 

interactive session with 

newsmen in Uyo, 

yesterday. 

According to her, the 

electoral bill will help to 

facilitate and regulate 

proper conduct of 

subsequent elections in the 

country. 

She noted with dismay 

that the just concluded 

governorship and House of 

Assembly elections were 

marred with irregularities 

such as vote-buying, ballot 

box-snatching, 

intimidation, thuggery and 

disruption of voting 

process. 

Protesters storm 

INEC hqtrs 

Meanwhile, protesters, 

under the aegis of Save 

Nigeria Democracy Group, 

SNDG, yesterday, stormed 

INEC headquarters in 

Abuja in protest, declaring 

that the results from the just 

concluded elections "did 

not reflect the true voting 

direction of Nigerians" and 

queried the high 

incidences of nonconclusion 

of the processes. 

The protesters bore 

placards with inscriptions 

such as “The people’s 

mandate cannot be stolen”, 

“Atiku will not congratulate 

Buhari”, “Prof.Yakubu must 

resign”, “Inconclusive 

election is a shame”, “Atiku 

will get justice,” among 

others. 

Speaking in the presence 

of some INEC staff who 

came out to receive the 

protesters, leader of the 

group, Comrade Tijani 

Abdulmumuni, said 

INEC’s refusal to conclude 

the collation of results from 

select states gave credence 

to the concern that the 

Presidency was in cahoots 

with INEC, some state 

governors and APC to drag 

the country into chaos, 

which must be rejected at 

all cost. 

Malabu scandal: Middleman 

who received $520m appears 

before Italian court 

APRINCIPAL suspect 

in the controversial 

Malabu oil scandal, Abubakar 

Aliyu, yesterday, appeared 

as a witness before an Italian 

court in Milan. 

Aliyu is alleged to have 

acted as a “middleman” for 

top officials of former President 

Goodluck Jonathan’s 

administration in the longrunning 

controversy. 

He is being questioned in 

Italy over his role in what had 

been described as one of 

Africa’s most controversial 

corrupt oil deal. 

The Malabu scandal 

involved the transfer of about 

$1.1 billion by Shell and ENI 

through the Nigerian 

government to accounts 

controlled by a former 

Nigerian petroleum minister, 

Dan Etete. From accounts 

controlled by Mr Etete, about 

half the money ($520 million) 

went to accounts of 

companies controlled by Mr 

Aliyu, popularly known in 

Nigeria as the owner of AA 

oil. 

During the trial in Italy, 

yesterday, the prosecutors 

announced that an Italian 

lawyer who claimed to be 

acting for Aliyu visited them 

yesterday asking for a new 

delay. 

An anti-corruption 

campaigner who covered the 

trial, Barnaby Pace of UK 

Global Witness, however, 

said the lawyer was not 

present in court and that no 

written request was 

submitted. 

But as proceedings 

commenced, Aliyu confirmed 

that he received the 

information regarding the 

charges against him. 

He was, however, 

reminded he could choose 

not to answer questions as he 

could incriminate himself in 

the process.


Minimum wage: Senate c'ttee concurs 

with Reps, approves N30,000 

•Presents report Tuesday, to pass the Bill same day 

By Henry Umoru 

ABUJA—THE Senate 

Adhoc Committee on a 

New National Minimum 

Wage Bill, 2019, has 

concurred with the House of 

Representatives, 

recommending N30,000 as 

the accepted minimum wage 

for Nigerian workers, against 

the N27,000 proposed by the 

Federal Government. 

The committee, which is 

chaired by Deputy Chief Whip 

of the Senate, Senator Francis 

Alimikhena (APC, Edo 

North), met, yesterday, at 

Senate Room 431 New 

Building, concurred with 

members of the House of 

Representatives that had 

earlier recommended a wage 

of N30,000. 

A source told Vanguard, 

yesterday, that at the meeting 

of the committee, Alimikhena 

asked all the members to make 

contributions one after the 

other on the new minimum 

wage. 

According to the source, all 

the members agreed on 

N30,000 across board, having 

taken the bill clause by clause. 

Vanguard also gathered 

that the senators agreed on 

very stiff punishment for civil 

servants who do not go to 

work. 

Consequently, a fine of 

N75,000 was said to be 

recommended for payment 

by any erring civil servant. 

The senators were said to 

have complained about local 

government workers who 

abscond from their duty posts, 

only to wait and come to the 

secretariat whenever salaries 

were ready. 

The committee, Vanguard 

learned, would present its 

report to the Senate at plenary 

next Tuesday for passage into 

law same day. 

It would be recalled that the 

Senate President, Dr. Bukola 

Saraki, had on Monday, 

announced that following the 

absence of the Chairman, 

Senate Adhoc Committee on 

New National Minimum 

Wage Bill, Senator Olusola 

Adeyeye, APC, Osun Central, 

Deputy Senate Majority 

Whip, Senator Francis 

Alimikhena would now head 

the panel in acting capacity. 

Meanwhile, Chairman, 

Senate Committee on Local 

Content, Senator Solomon 

Adeola (APC, Lagos West), 

yesterday, called for the 

review of revenue allocation 

formula by Revenue 

Mobilisation and Fiscal 

Commission as a way of 

effectively implementing the 

recommended N30,000 

minimum way across all tiers 

of government. 

Making his contribution 

during a meeting of the 

Senate Ad Hoc Committee 

on Minimum Wage, Adeola 

supported the recommended 

N30,000 contained in the 

National Minimum Wage 

Bill, adding, however, that 

the law, when passed, must 

be implemented by all the 

three tiers of government. 

In a statement signed by 

his Media Adviser, Kayode 

Odunaro, Senator Adeola 

said: “ I am in support of the 

recommended minimum 

wage as it will go a long way 

in cushioning the challenges 

faced by workers." 

Senate decries high debt 

profile, as senators begin 

debate on 2019 budget 

By Henry Umoru 

ABUJA—THE rising 

debt profile of Nigeria 

on yearly basis came to the 

front burner, yesterday, as 

senators began debate on 

the general principles of the 

2019 Appropriation Bill of 

N8.83 trillion presented 

before the National 

Assembly by President 

Muhammadu Buhari. 

Senators, who raised the 

alarm over the increasing 

debt profile, however, called 

on the government to put 

caution above everything. 

According to the senators, 

if serious caution is not 

taken, it will return the 

country to a highly 

indebted one that it 

experienced prior to the 

2005 debt relief granted it 

by the Paris Club. 

Debate on the 

Appropriation Bill by the 

senators kicked off after the 

Senate Majority Leader, 

Senator Ahmad Lawan (All 


APC), presented the lead 

debate of the figures of the 

budget and its objectives. 

Presenting the lead 

debate, the Senate leader 

said: “About 89 per cent of 

the deficit (N1.65 trillion) 

will be financed through 

new borrowings, while 

about N210 billion is 

expected from the proceeds 

of privatisation of some 

public enterprise. 

"Debt Service/Revenue 

Ratio, which was high as 69 

per cent in 2017, has led to 

concerns being raised about 

the sustainability of the 

nation’s debt. 

"Therefore, while the 

national debt remains 

sustainable, it is imperative 

that we tackle our revenue 

problem so that we do not 

end up with a debt 

sustainability issue. 

“The 2019 budget seeks 

to stimulate the national 

economy, making it more 

competitive by focusing on 

infrastructure development, 

delivery of inclusive growth 

and prioritizing the welfare 

of Nigerians to safeguard 

lives and property; 

"It also seeks to equip 

farmers with technology 

and techniques; 

empowering and enabling 

mines to operate in a safe 

and secured environment 

and training of our youths 

through revival of our 

vocational institutions to 

ensure they are competitive 

enough to seize the 

opportunities that will arise 

for this economic revival.” 

2019 UTME begins April 

11, says JAMB 

•Fixes mock exams for April 1 

By Joseph 

Erunke 

ABUJA—THE Joint 

Admissions and 

Matriculation Board, 

JAMB, has announced that 

its 2019 Universal Tertiary 

Matriculation 

Examination,UTME, 

would begin on Thursday, 

April 11. 

JAMB also announced 

that it has fixed Monday, 

April 1, 2019, for its 2019 

mock examination earlier 

scheduled for Saturday, 

March 23, 2019. 

JAMB’s Head of Media, 

Dr Fabian Benjamin, said 

in a statement, yesterday, 

that the change was due to 

certain circumstances 

beyond the board’s control. 

The statement read: 

“Candidates who had 

indicated interest in the 

mock examination at the 

point of registration and 

have since printed their 

Senators, Reps-elect get 

Certificates of Return today 

By Omeiza Ajayi 

A 

B U J A — 

INDEPENDENT 


Commission, INEC, has 

dismissed speculations that 

it had altered its earlier plan 

to present Certificates of 

Return to newly-elected 

federal lawmakers, saying 

the event will go on today as 

scheduled. 

There were reports that the 

event had been shifted to 

March 23, but when 

contacted, Chief Press 

Secretary to INEC 

Chairman, Mr Rotimi 

Oyekanmi, simply described 

it as “fake news.” 

mock examination notification 

slips need not print 

another one. 

“All the details on the slips 

remain the same except the 

examination date which is 

now April 1, 2019. 

“The board has also 

scheduled to conduct the 

2019 Unified Tertiary 

Matriculation examination, 

UTME, from Thursday, 

April 11, 2019. Candidates 

are to begin the printing of 

the 2019 UTME notification 

slips from Tuesday, April 2, 

2019. 

“All candidates who 

registered for the 2019 

UTME are to ensure that 

they print their examination 

notification slips before the 

day of the examination as 

no excuses would be 

entertained. 

“The public should note 

that the board would not 

reschedule examination for 

any candidate. Candidates 

can print their slips 

anywhere." 

NCC expects more support 

from Buhari govt —Danbatta 

By Chinasa 

Afigbo 

N IGERIAN 

Communications 

Commission, NCC, has 

congratulated President 

Muhammadu Buhari on 

his re-election, saying his 

selfless service to the nation 

facilitated his victory at the 

polls. 

Executive Vice- 

Chairman of the 

commission, Prof. Umar 

Danbatta, in a statement 

signed by Director, Public 

Affairs of the commission, 

Mr Nnamdi Nwokike, 

observed that the 

commission has, in the last 

four years, received the 

unwavering support of the 

president, which helped not 

only in reasserting its 

regulatory independence, 

but also making it a global 

household name in 

regulato`ry excellence, and 

operational efficiency. 

He said broadband 

penetration was 8.5 per cent 

when President Buhari 

assumed leadership of the 

country and appointed 

Danbatta as the Chief 

Executive Officer of the 

NCC in 2015, but three 

years down the line, history 

was made when Nigeria 

surpassed its national 

broadband penetration 

target of 30 per cent, hitting 

31.48 per cent penetration 

at the end of December, 

2018. 

He also expressed 

optimism that with the 

support the commission 

was enjoying from the 

Presidency, NCC was now 

ready to take broadband 

penetration to the next 

level. 

Accordingly, Certificates of 

Return will be presented at 

the International Conference 

Centre, Abuja, today, to 

senators-elect and later same 

day to members of the House 

of Representatives-elect. 

The commission said: 

“Certificates of Return for 

governors and deputygovernors-elect, 

members of 

state Houses of Assemblyelect 

and chairmen and 

councillors for the FCT shall 

be presented in each state of 

the federation by the 

Supervising National 

Commissioners and 

Resident Electoral 

Commissioners, RECs, on a 

date to be announced next 

week.”

10 — VANGUARD, THURSDAY, MARCH 14, 2019 

By Evelyn Usman, 

Olasunkanmi Akoni, 

Dayo Adesulu, Bose 

Adelaja, Monsur 

Olowopejo, Esther 

Onyegbula & 

Elizabeth Nwandu 

LAGOS—No fewer than 

nine persons including 

Nursery and Primary school 

pupils, lost their lives after a 

three storey building caved 

in, yesterday, at Dagara, 

street, Ita Faaji, Lagos 

Island. 

However, 24 of them, 

majority of who were females 

were rescued and rushed to 

the Lagos Island General 

Hospital, where doctors 

battled to resuscitate them. 

Some of the injured had 

fractures, bruises and severe 

cuts on part of their bodies, 

while scores of others were 

still strapped under the 

debris with rescue operators, 

including residents making 

frantic efforts to evacuate 

them, as at 7.45pm. 

The top most floor of the 

three storey building was 

occupied by Ohel Nursery 

and Primary school, with a 

pent house on it. 

The school had about 100 

pupils as at the time of the 

incident. 

While the first floor was 

purely residential, the 

ground floor was for 

residential and commercial 

purposes. The first, second 

and pent house, as gathered, 

caved in at about 10.30am, 

burying the pupils, staff and 

residents. 

Youths in the area were said 

to have commenced 

evacuation work before the 

arrival of rescue operators. 

Residents however, 

claimed that rescue 

operators arrived the scene 

about two hours later. 

Among the first corpses 

brought out from the rubbles 

was that of a six-year-old 

Primary one pupil identified 

as Adeyemo Taiye, whose 

parents live in the same 

building. 

Her twin sister, Adeyemo 

Kehinde, was later brought 

out at about 2.19 pm, 

alongside a pregnant 

woman. 

Kehinde who was 

struggling to remain 

conscious was rushed to the 

hospital while her mother, a 

petty trader, was seen 

wailing. 

Cause of collapse 

Vanguard gathered that 

the collapsed building and 

about 15 others on Dagara 

and Massey streets had 

been marked for demolition 

by the Lagos State 

Government. 

Residents alleged that 

each time government 

officials came; owners of the 

affected buildings would 

give them money ranging 

from N30, 000 to N150, 000, 

depending on the number 

of floors, to prevent their 

buildings from being 

demolished. 

Thereafter, owners of the 

buildings would repaint 

them to erase the red mark 

on it. 

One of the residents who 

spoke with Vanguard, Mr 

M.M Labidjo, said, “The 

incident occurred at about 

10.30am but there was no 

rescue operators until two 

hours later. The building 

Nine dead, scores injured in collapsed Lagos building 

•My son had premonition of tragedy — mother 

•LASG explains reason for collapse; Buhari condoles with victims' families 

had visible cracks on it 

before it collapsed. Most of 

the houses here were 

marked for demolition, but 

corrupt Lagos State officials 

usually collect money from 

landlords. As I speak, one 

of the marked houses here 

has its pillar tilted to a 

corner, yet the landlord has 

not done anything to 

address it and people are 

still living there. 

“This particular building 

that collapsed was built 

about 50 years ago. They 

have told the owner to work 

on the cracks .As if that was 

not enough, the owner of 

the school built a pent house 

on it, where children in 

crèche occupied.” 

Lamentations 

A woman, who was 

sighted wailing and rolling 

on the floor, said her sister’s 

three children were pupils 

of the school. 

The woman, who simply 

gave her name as Iya beji, 

said: “My sister’s three 

children are still under. 

They are of ages 7, 9 and 

11. Ah! God, save Ibrahim, 

Yusuf and Oloade for us.” 

As she wailed, another 

woman, Iya Adio, who 

resides at Messy Street, but 

sells fish at Ijora, placed her 

two hands on her heads as 

she marched briskly to 

where evacuation was 

going on. 

In her confused state, she 

started removing the debris 

with her hands in an 

apparent attempt to get to 

where her three children 

were trapped. But she was 

prevented from further trial, 

as she was informed that 

one of her children had 

been rushed to the hospital. 

Another woman 

identified simply as Iya 

Gbenji, blamed herself for 

allowing her son to go to 

school, saying : “Gbenji did 

not want to go to school 

today (yesterday). He said 

he had stomach upset and 

I thought it was one of his 

pranks. I gave him bread 

and tea and also made him 

to eat out of the food he was 

to take to school, yet, he 

said he won’t go. I did not 

know he had a premonition 

of what was to occur. 

“I had to give him 

N50.000 and an extra piece 

of meat before he 

reluctantly left. When I 

heard about the collapse, I 

screamed and concluded 

that could have been his 

reason of not wanting to go 

to school…” 

She was cut short by a 

relative who suggested 

they go to the hospital to 

know if her son was among 

those rushed there. 

Another parent, lamented 

that his three children only 

started school yesterday, 

having being home since 

the term began, following 

his inability to pay their 

school fees. 

Names of rescued, 

injured victims 

When Vanguard visited 

the Lagos Island General 

The building. 

Hospital, relatives of 

rescued victims were 

sighted pacing the 

Accident and Emergency 

ward. 

None of them could 

speak on the condition of 

their loved ones. 

Twenty-four victims were 

admitted at the hospital. 

Among them were 14 

females and nine males. 

They were: Adeyemo 

Kehinde, Adedoyin 

Rukayat, Sanusi Rukayat, 

Suleiman Baraka, Rasheed 

Shukurat , Komolafe Saidat 

, Hassan Omotolani , 

Abimbola Faruq and Alabi 

Quayum. 

Others are: Afolabi 

Rodiat, Olawusi Rokibat, 

Alawu Fayibat, Adedoyin 

Kehinde, Rasheed Labat 

,Naimot Tise, Alabi Kabiru, 

Shashore Kabiru, 

Ogunsanwo Daniel , 

Owolabi Ayomide and 

Ayeni Faruo. 

More buildings will 

collapse – ARCON 

President 

President of the 

Architects Registration 

Council of Nigeria, Dipo 

Ajayi, who was at the scene, 

said more of such tragedy 

would occur in the area if 

government did not take 

urgent step to evacuate 

residents whose buildings 

had visible cracks. 

Wondering why such 

buildings were still being 

occupied by tenants, he 

said, “If you look at this 

environment, it is one of the 

oldest places in Lagos. Most 

of the buildings here are 

dilapidated. In a matter of 

time, some of them will come 

down on their own because 

they are very weak. 

These buildings were 

built with bricks. There are 

no iron rods and no 

reinforcement, which 

means the urban renewal 

of this place, is overdue. It 

is the responsibility of 

Government to relocate 

these people in order to 

forestall a re- occurrence.” 

Why building caved in 

— LASG 

Meanwhile, General 

Manager, Lagos State 

Building Control Agency, 

LASBCA, Olalekan 

Shodeinde, blamed the 

tragedy on the additional 

structure on it. 

He confirmed that the 

building was marked as 

distressed in 2017, after it 

experienced foundation 

failure, when the bearing 

capacity of the soil could not 

sustain the added 

structures on the building. 

Shodeinde, who was 

represented by the agency's 

secretary, Tayo Fakoluyo, 

said: “The additional load 

of penthouse imposed on 

the distressed structure 

added to the design 

capacity and load being 

transferred through the 

structural members made 

the building heavier than 

the capacity of the soil 

which is the ultimate load 

bearer.'' 

Ambode, Army, Police 

officers visit scene 

Governor Ambode who 

visited the scene, 

sympathized with those 

affected by the tragedy. 

He informed that 

integrity tests had been 

conducted on some 

buildings in the area, to 

ascertain whether they 

were habitable, threatening 

that any building that failed 

the test would have the 

necessary action taken on 

it. 

On the part of the state 

government, he said it 

would take care of the 

hospital bills of those 

admitted. 

Already, he said his 

deputy was at the hospital 

to see the injured, adding 

that after the treatment, they 

would be kept in a proper 

place for further care. 

Also at the scene, were 

the General Officer 

Commanding the 81 

Division of the Nigerian 

Army, Major General Sani 

Yusuf; the Commander 9 

Brigade, Brigadier General 

Timothy Lagbaja; 

Commissioner of Police, 

Lagos State Police 

Command, Zubairu 

Muazu; Commander 

Rapid Response Squad, 

RRS , Tunji Disu, and the 

Area Commander ‘A’ Bode 

Ojanuni. 

Also present were 

Chairman, Lagos State 

Emergency Management 

Agency, Mr. Adeshina 

Tiamiyu, and the 

Chairman, Lagos State 

Neighborhood and Safety 

Corps, DIG Isreal Ajao 

(retd) among others. 

Rescue operators at the 

scene included the Police, 

officials of the National 

Emergency Management 

Agency, NEMA, Lagos 

State Ambulance Service, 

Lagos State Fire Service, 

Lagos State Building 

Control Agency, and 

Federal Fire Service. 

Others were the Nigeria 

Security and Civil Defence 

Corps, Nigeria Red Cross 

Society and LSNSC. 

40 persons rescued 

— LASEMA 

The General Manager, 

LASEMA, Adesina 

Tiamiyu, who spoke with 

journalists at the scene, 

said: “We have rescued 

close to 50 and about 40 of 

them are alive. I can’t give 

an exact figure because we 

keep taking them in and out 

and it is not the counting 

that is important now. We 

will be able to put our 

figures together when 

evacuation is over and by 

then, we will talk to the 

press. 

“We must get to the 

bottom of this building and 

we must account for 

everybody that is in this 

building as claimed. The 

school must have record of 

pupils who have been here 

and we also expect parents 

to come around to identify 

those of them that have been 

rescued. For those who are 

still being rescued, their 

parents are here, we will 

allow them to identify them 

as we bring them out and 

after which we will take a 

head count to ensure that 

nobody is still trapped 

within the building. 

‘’We have provided 

oxygen for those who are 

weak. We have also been 

able to drill a hole so we can 

be able to reach them. Our 

escalator has created a safe 

place from the side, to 

enable us enter. If we start 

from the front, it will be very 

difficult because that will be 

putting weight on the 

already weak structure.’’ 

Similarly, Chairman of 

Lagos Island Local 

Government, Mr Samau 

Bashua, said though the 

primary thing was to save 

more lives, he added that 

legislation on illegal private 

schools and distress 

buildings would be 

addressed later. 

He said: ‘’We are 

collaborating with the Lagos 

State Government Building 

Control Agency LASBCA, 

to identify more of these 

buildings as we have been 

doing. When we identify 

more , we will pass the 

information to government 

for seal up.’’ 

As at time of this report, 

Bashua said: ‘’We have 

confirmed 9 dead, but we 

hope to be able to rescue 

the rest still trapped soon 

enough.’’ 

Buhari sympathizes 

with families of victims 

Meantime, President 

Muhammadu Buhari, in a 

statement by his Special 

Adviser on Media and 

Publicity, Femi Adesina, 

sympathized with the 

families of victims. 

The President in the 

statement charged the 

Lagos State government to 

do all that was needful, to 

avoid future recurrence of 

such tragic developments. 

He said, “It touches one 

to lose precious lives in any 

kind of mishap, particularly 

those so young and tender. 

May God grant everyone 

affected by this sad incident 

fortitude and succour.”

VANGUARD, THURSDAY, MARCH 14, 2019 — 11 

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

VISIT: Ogun State Governor-Elect, Prince Dapo Abiodun (right) with the Awujale and Paramount Ruler of 

Ijebuland, Alayeluwa Oba S.K Adetona, during a thank-you visit to Aafin Awujale in Ijebu Ode on Monday. 

OYO GOV POLL: We may challenge 

PDP’s victory in court — APC 

I 

B 

A D A N — 

CHAIRMAN of 

the All Progressives 

Congress, APC, in Oyo 

State, Chief Akin Oke, 

said his party may 

challenge the victory of 

the Peoples Democratic 

party, PDP, PDP, in 

Saturday’s governorship 


N11.5b fraud: Absence of witness stalls 

Alao-Akala’s case 

By Ola Ajayi 

IBADAN—TRIAL of a 

former governor of Oyo 

State, Otunba Adebayo 

Alao-Akala and two others 

over alleged N11.5 billion 

fraud was, yesterday, 

stalled following the 

absence of prosecution 

witness who was to give 

elections in the state. 

Oke, who made the 

disclosure in an interview 

with the News Agency of 

Nigeria, NAN, however, 

urged party members to 

remain calm and 

supportive. 

He said: “I want to thank 

our party members, 

particularly those of them 

evidence in support of the 

11-count charge preferred 

against the accused by the 

Economic and Financial 

Crimes Commission, 

EFCC. 

Justice Olalekan Owolabi 

of the Oyo State High 

Court, sitting in Iyaganku, 

Ibadan, Oyo State, granted 

the EFCC’s request after its 

Okowa’s victory: I’ve been 

vindicated — ESQUIRE 

POLITICAL Adviser to 

Governor lfeanyi 

Okowa of Delta State, 

Omimi Esquire has said 

that the resounding victory 

of the governor has proved 

right his earlier prediction 

that the All Progressives 

Congress, APC 

governorship candidate, 

Chief Great Ogboru will 

lose woefully at the March 

9 polls. 

Speaking with newsmen 

after the results were 

announced at the 

Independent National 


INEC office in Asaba, 

Esquire said he had 

always known that Ogboru 

would be no match for 

Governor Okowa. 

The visibly-elated political 

adviser stated that the 

governor’s giant strides in 

the development of critical 

infrastructure across the 

three senatorial districts 

was an added advantage 

to the overwhelming 

victory of Governor Okowa. 

Omimi said: “l have said 

it times without number that 

Ogboru will lose woefully 

to Governor Okowa. Apart 

from Delta being a PDP 

State, the governor’s 

unprecedented track record 

of tangible developmental 

infrastructure across the 

state has endeared him to 

the vast majority of Deltans. 

You can’t stop a winning 

team that is touching the 

lives of Deltans such as this 

administration of Governor 

Okowa has done.” 

The political aide thanked 

people of Delta State for 

believing in the governor 

as demonstrated by the 

result of the polls. 

He assured that Governor 

Okowa’s second coming to 

the Dennis Osadebay 

House will witness more 

dividends of democracy as 

well as prosperity to all 

Deltans through robust 

implementation of the 

SMART agenda. 

who supported and voted 

for the party. 

“I ask them to be 

courageous; we will do all 

that is needful. If we 

discover that there is 

something unlawful in the 

process of the elections, we 

will go by lawful means. 

“Our legal team is 

studying the result and the 

situation, if there is genuine 

need, then we will go 

through the legal process.” 

A coalition made up of 

some aggrieved members 

of the party had backed the 

PDP governorship 

candidate, Mr Seyi 

Makinde, to defeat APC’s 

candidate, Adebayo 

Adelabu. 

•Court adjourns case till May 2 

counsel, Dr. Ben Ubi, told 

the court that the second 

witness, Mr. Abdulrasheed 

Bawa, who is also the 

current head operations in 

the commission’s Port 

Harcourt zonal office, was 

unable to make it to the 

court. 

The former governor is 

standing trial alongside the 

commissioner for Local 

Government and 

Chieftaincy Matters during 

his tenure, Hosea Agboola, 

and an Ibadan-based 

businessman, Femi 

Babalola. 

The charge against them 

border on conspiracy, 

awarding a contract without 

budgetary provision, 

obtaining by false pretence, 

acquiring property with 

money derived from an 

illegal act and concealing 

the ownership of such 

property, among others. 

Among the offences, 

according to the 

information on the court 

papers, was a road contract 

worth N8.5bn, which Alao- 

Akala awarded between 

2007 and 2009 to Pentagon 

Engineering Services, 

Babalola’s company, 

allegedly without 

budgetary provision. 

The said contract was 

executed on behalf of the 

33 local governments in the 

state. 

Also in the charge is the 

allegation that the former 

governor ordered the 

supply of drilling machines 

on behalf of the 33 local 

governments in the state to 

the tune of N3.5 billion. 

Apart from the allegation 

of conspiring with Agboola 

to withdraw N2.9bn from 

the Oyo State Local 

Government Joint Account, 

the anti-graft agency is 

equally prosecuting the 

former governor for 

allegedly illegally 

acquiring some property on 

Old Bodija road, off Rotimi 

Williams’ road, when he 

was in office. 

The offences were said to 

contravene Section 22 (4) 

of the Corrupt Practices and 

Other Related Offences Act 

and Section 1 (18) of the 

Advanced Fee Fraud Act. 

The presiding judge then 

adjourned the matter to 

May 2, 2019 for 

continuation of trial as he 

ordered the prosecution to 

make its witnesses available 

at the next date. 

Stop politicising the Army, 

Olowu warns politicians 

Lagos doctors urge Sanwo-Olu to resuscitate 

37 non-functional health care centres 

By Olayinka Ajayi 

L Medilag AGOS—THE 

90 Group, 

made up of the 1990 

medical and dental 

graduates of University of 

Lagos, College of 

Medicine, have urged the 

Lagos State Governor- 

Elect, Mr Babajide Sanwo- 

Olu to resuscitate 37 non 

functional Primary Health 

and Dental Care Centers 

in the state when sworn in. 

By Gbenga 

Olarinoye 

O SOGBO—THE 

Olowu of Kuta in 

Aiyedire local government 

area of Osun State, Oba 

Hammed Adekunle 

Makama, yesterday, 

warned unscrupulous 

politicians in the country 

to stop politicising the 

Nigerian army. 

The monarch, in a 

statement issued in 

Osogbo, said the report 

from some states in the 

South South indicated 

that military were used to 

perpetuate violence on 

innocent citizens. 

He warned desperate 

politicians to stop 

dragging our military 

into politics because of its 

dire consequence on our 

stability and national 

cohesion. 

The statement read in 

part: “In the process of 

using the army to subvert 

the will of the people, 

especially in Rivers state, 

some of them were 

attacked and hospitalized. 

By Abdulmumin 

Murtala 

K ANO—ALHAJI 

Hashim Suleiman, 

the Senior Special Assistant 

to Governor Abdullahi 

Ganduje on Urban 

Beautification has resigned 

his appointment on the 

basis of the governor’s 

refusal to accept defeat in 

the governorship election. 

Suleiman tendered his 

letter of resignation to the 

Secretary to the State 

Government yesterday. 

Suleiman in his 

resignation letter thanked 

the governor for offering 

him the opportunity to 

serve while attributing his 

reason as the failure of 

Ganduje to concede defeat 

to the governorship 

candidate of the People’s 


Abba Kabir Yusuf. 

They made the demand in 

a press statement 

congratulating Sanwo-Olu 

and his wife, Ibijoke for the 

victory at the polls. 

Spokesman of the group, 

Dr Dele Babade said they 

are happy on the election of 

the husband of their 

classmate, Dr (Mrs) Sanwo- 

Olu. 

“It is a thing of joy for us”, 

he said, “ and we are quite 

confident that Dr (Mrs) 

Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu is 

“We owe our military high 

regards because of their 

oath to protect our territorial 

integrity and if the need 

arises, lay down their 

precious lives for the 

country. 

“We believe our military 

is apolitical and that 

explains why the Chief of 

Army Staff, Lt Gen. Tukur 

Yusuf Buratai promised to 

set a high-powered 

investigative panel to 

unravel the level of 

culpability of any 

disgruntled army officer 

if any, before, during 

and after the election. 

“The international 

observers commended 

the army during the 

presidential and 

national assembly 

elections two weeks ago 

for maintaining the 

peace." 

He, however, reiterated 

his call for better funding 

that is commensurate to 

meet the procurement of 

modern equipment and to 

motivate the officers and 

men to give their best. 

SSA resigns to protest Ganduje’s 

refusal to accept defeat 

He further stated that 

Abba won the election but 

it was declared 

inconclusive in 

controversial circumstances 

by the Independent 


Commission, INEC. 

According to him, 

Ganduje, as a transparent 

Khadimul-Islam (The 

Custodian of Islam) ought 

to have conceded defeat, so 

as to serve as a precedent 

to other Muslims, who 

serve Allah in truth and 

sincerity. 

In his letter of resignation, 

dated, Wednesday, March 

13,2019, which he 

personally signed, he said: 

‘’I write to formally inform 

you of my voluntary 

resignation from the office 

of SSA, Beautification. I 

thank you for offering me 

the opportunity to serve 

under your administration 

as SSA.’’ 

professionally prepared 

and ready to play a major 

supportive role to her 

husband as the First Lady 

of the pre-eminent State in 

Nigeria”. 

He added that their “firsthand 

knowledge of Dr 

(Mrs) Sanwo-Olu, makes 

them confident in assuring 

Lagosians of a 

compassionate and 

empathetic First Lady and 

urges them to give her and 

her husband their full 

cooperation.”

12—VANGUARD, THURSDAY, MARCH 14, 2019 

Osanebi, Otuaro, Muturu 

hail Okowa, PDP on victory 

By Festus Ahon & 

Chris Ochayi & 

Perez Brisibe 

A SABA—DEPUTY 

Speaker of Delta State 

House of Assembly, Mr 

Friday Osanebi, Chairman, 

Board of Trustees, Atiku 

Abubakar Media 

Vanguard, AAMV, 

Shadrach Otuaro and a 

member of Delta State 

Waterways and Land 

Security Committee, and 

Chairman of Amnesty 

Programme, Phase 2, 

Ambassador Kingsley 

Muturu, have 

congratulated Governor 

Ifeanyi Okowa and the 

Peoples Democratic Party, 

PDP, for the victory recorded 

in the March 9 elections in 

the state. 

Osanebi while 

commending his 

constituents who trooped to 

his residence in Beneku 

community upon the news 

of the declaration of Okowa 

as winners of the last 


and state House of Assembly 

elections, made a surprise 

cars gifts to two of his 

constituents. 

He told party faithful and 

supporters that the reelection 

of Okowa for 

another term of four years 

was worthy of celebration as 

it was a reward for diligence 

and hard work. 

Also, the state 

Commissioner for 

Transport, Mr Vincent 

Uduaghan and the member 

representing Ukwuani 

constituency in the state 

House of Assembly, Dr 

Alphonsus Ojo said 

“Deltans rewarded the 

governor for his hard work 

and achievements. 

Governor Okowa’s 

performance in all sectors of 

the state is unequalled. 

“We thank Deltans for 

standing firm with Okowa. 

The people came out in their 

large numbers to massively 

vote for him. Okowa's 

victory has brought stability 

to the polity of Delta State.” 

Shadrach Otuaro on his 

part, said: “I believe that 

Deltans decided to re-elect 

Governor Okowa because 

his administration has 

performed exceedingly to 

transform the state, as well 

as their lives positively. 

“Deltans reciprocated with 

their massive votes for the 

PDP in the gubernatorial 

election in appreciation of 

the human capital 

development and 

infrastructural projects he 

(Okowa) has done to 

transform the state. 

“I, therefore, applaud the 

governor, his deputy and the 

entire Delta State PDP 

family led by the state 

chairman, Kingsley Esiso as 

they begin the next phase 

of the SMART agenda for 

the overall benefit of all 

Deltans.” 

Muturu in a statement in 

Abuja, said, “Dr Okowa reelection 

for the second four 

years showed the 

confidence the people of 

Delta repose in him. 

“His numerous projects in 

Bomadi LGA, such as 

rehabilitation of Bomadi 

water works, construction of 

Zion Road to Winners, 

construction of NEPA 

Towers across Bomadi 

River, renovation of 

Bomadi General hospital 

and construction of an ultramodern 

market are just but 

a few of the many 

dividends of democracy 

enjoyed by Bomadi people 

in the first term of Governor 

Okowa. 

“We appreciate your 

efforts in bringing these 

projects to Bomadi people 

and you to see all of them 

to completion." 

UPU congratulates Okowa, 

Urhobo legislators 

THE Urhobo Progress 

Union, UPU, has 

congratulated the Governor 

of Delta State, Dr Ifeanyi 

Okowa, on his re-election. 

In a statement by the 

President General of UPU, 

Olorogun Moses Taiga, he 

urged the governor to use 

his new tenure to bring 

more developments to the 

Urhobos, in particular, and 

Deltans in general. 

“The Urhobo nation is 

expecting more 

development projects from 

the government in the next 

four,” Taiga said. 

The UPU also 

congratulated all the 

legislators from Delta 

Central, who won the 

elections to the state House 

of Assembly. 

He urged them to always 

promote Urhobo interest 

and work towards the 

development of 

Urhoboland. 

Taiga urged all those who 

lost elections and are 

aggrieved to seek legal 

redress, adding “The 

Nigerian electoral system is 

not perfect and you have 

every right to go to court if 

you feel aggrieved, but 

every action you take 

should be legal. No more 

violence, we have lost too 

many people already.” 

FG orders NNPC, NPDC to take over 

Shell’s assets in Ogoni 

By Michael Eboh 

THE 

Federal 

Government, 

yesterday, revoked the 

operating licence granted 

Shell Petroleum 

Development Company, 

SPDC, for Oil Mining 

Lease 11, in Ogoni land 

and transferred the 

operatorship of the assets 

to the Nigerian National 

Petroleum Corporation, 

NNPC and its upstream 

subsidiary, the Nigerian 

Petroleum Development 

Company, NPDC 

In a letter dated, March 

1, 2019, with Reference 

Number: SH/COS/A/8540 

by Chief of Staff to 

President Muhammadu 

Buhari, Mr. Abba Kyari, the 

Presidency directed the 

NNPC and its upstream 

subsidiary, NPDC to take 

over the operatorship of the 

entire asset. 

In the letter entitled, 

‘Operatorship of Entire Oil 

Mining Lease, OML, 11’ 

and addressed to the Group 

Managing Director of 

NNPC, the Presidency 

gave the NNPC a deadline 

of April 30, 2019 to take 

over operatorship of the 

asset. 

The Presidency disclosed 

that the decision was to 

ensure smooth resumption 

of oil exploration and 

production activities in 

Ogoniland, going by the 

delicate situation in the 

community. 

The letter reads, “Kindly 

note that the President has 

directed NNPC/NPDC to 

take over the operatorship, 

from SPDC, of the entire 

OML 11 not later than April 

30, 2019 and ensure smooth 

re-entry, given the delicate 

situation in Ogoniland. 

“Directed NNPC/NPDC 

to confirm by May 2, 2019 

of the assumption of the 

operatorship. Please accept 

A-Ibom Assembly passes N672.9bn 

appropriation bill into law 

By Chioma 

Onuegbu 

UYO—AKWA Ibom 

State House of 

Assembly has passed the 

state appropriation bill of 

N672.984 billion for the 

2019 fiscal year into law. 

This is against the 

N670.718billion budget 

proposal presented by the 

state governor, Mr. Udom 

Emmanuel on November 

13, 2018 on the floor of the 

House. 

The 2019 appropriation 

bill was passed yesterday, 

after the consideration and 

adoption of the report 

submitted by the House 

Committee on Finance and 

Appropriation chaired by 

Mr. Usoro Akpansoh, 

member representing 

Ibeno/Esit Eket state 

constituency. 

In his remarks, Speaker 

of the House Mr. Onofiok 

Luke said they tailored the 

2019 Appropriation Bill 

christened, “Budget of 

Industrialisation for Poverty 

Alleviation,” to meet salient 

socioeconomic agenda of 

government in the areas of 

infrastructure 

development, job creation 

and revenue generation. 

He said, “And to keep the 

budget in sync with current 

needs and having 

considered the opinions of 

Akwa Ibom people and 

stakeholders, we decided to 

increase the total budget by 

a little over N2 billion to 

bring the 2019 estimate to 

N672.98 billion. 

“It must be emphasised 

that what we approved 

emanated from the wishes 

of stakeholders who 

considered the parameters 

for the 2019 proposal 

during the public hearing 

on the budget. 

“Our overall objective 

the assurances of my 

highest regards.” 

The NNPC currently 

holds 55 per cent in OML 

11, while Shell, Total and 

Eni hold 30 per cent, 10 per 

cent and five per cent 

respectively. 

The Ogoni communities 

in River State, had for more 

than 24 years, refused to 

grant access to Shell for 

crude oil exploration and 

production following the 

controversial killing of Ken 

Saro Wiwa and eight other 

Ogoni activists, by the 

administration of late 

General Sani Abacha. 

OML 11 lies in the 

southeastern Niger Delta 

and contains 33 oil and gas 

fields of which eight are 

producing as at 2017. 

COMMEMORATION: From left, Mr. Ulhas Theurkar, HR Manager, Simba Group, sole 

distributors of TVS tricycles; Mr. Karthik Govindarajan, Head of Marketing; Chioma Akpotha, 

Nollywood star; Mr. Vivek Pendharkar, Deputy Head, Simba Group; Mrs. Naved Hassan, 

Head of Training; and Mr. Nitesh Kumar, at the just concluded celebration of International 

Women's Day in Lagos. 

was to see that priority was 

given to areas of immediate 

importance to the people 

while we pursue the larger 

goal of full-scale 

industrialisation. This 

House believe that the 2019 

Appropriation Bill, having 

been anchored on 

identified needs of the 

people will give impetus for 

our sustained industrial 

development." 

Amnesty beneficiaries, group congratulate Buhari 

By Gabriel 

Enogholase 

B 

E N I N — 

BENEFICIARIES 

of the second phase of the 

Presidential Amnesty for 

ex- militants in the Niger 

Delta, have congratulated 


Buhari on his victory and 

re- election in the February 

23, 2019 Presidential 

election. 

In a statement in Benin 

City, Edo State, yesterday, 

by Clement Wodo, Goddy 

Kaduna Dengo Benin, 

Olotu Wanemi, Stephen 

Ebinsite and Kingsley 

Muturu, they said 

Buhari’s victory at the poll 

was as a result of his 

integrity which has 

endeared him to Nigerians. 

“We urged you to run an 

all inclusive government as 

you promised to ensure the 

unity of the Nigerian 

people irrespective of 

creed, tribe or religion," 

they stated. 

S-South group 

congratulates 

Buhari, Sanwo-olu 

Meanwhile, the South- 

South United People 

Forum, SSUPF, Lagos State 

chapter has also 

congratulated President 

Buhari and Babajide 

Sanwo-Olu, governor-elect 

of Lagos State, on their 

victories at the just 

concluded presidential and 

governorship polls, 

respectively. 

Addressing newsmen in 

Lagos, chairman of SSUPF, 

Paul Ogholemu, thanked 

Nigerians for supporting 

President Buhari and all 

the candidates of the All 


APC, in Lagos, to 

guarantee continuity and 

completion of all projects 

that would make life better 

for Nigerians. 

He said: “The group has 

been following events in 

the country with keen 

interest and knows who 

President Buhari is. We 

know where he met the 

country and where the 

country is now. We have no 

doubt that he is taking 

Nigeria to an enviable 

height.”


14 — Vanguard, THURSDAY, MARCH 14, 2019 

SCENES AT COLLAPSED LAGOS BUILDING 

A four-storey building at Mercy Street, Ita Faaji, Lagos Island, Lagos collapsed yesterday. The third floor of the building 

accommodates a nursery and primary school. PHOTOS: LAMIDI BAMIDELE, BUNMI AZEEZ & AKEEM SALAU. 

The building. 

Governor Akinwunmi Ambode discussing with Mr Tiamiyu Adeshina, 

General Manager, Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA). 

TOP, RIGHT, BELOW & BELOW RIGHT: The pupils being rescued. 

Grief-stricken parents of the trapped pupils. 

Lagos State Police Commissioner, Mr. 

Zubairu Muazu at the scene.

VANGUARD, THURSDAY, MARCH 14, 2019—15 

Okorocha’s suspension tears Buhari 

support group 

Ndigbo for voting for makes it mandatory for a 

Buhari in the February 23 candidate to have 25 per 

•As Imo gov accuses REC 

presidential and National cent in 2/3 of the local 

Assembly elections. governments in the state by 

of destroying democracy 

announcing the PDP 

By Anayo Okoli & 

Chinonso Alozie 

UMUAHIA—ONE of 

the Buhari support 

groups, Presidential 

Support Committee, PSC, 

has been thrown into crisis 

over the suspension of Imo 

State Governor, Rochas 

Okorocha by the National 

Working Committee, NWC, 

of the All Progressives 

Congress, APC, for alleged 

anti-party activities. 

The group has therefore 

suspended some of its 

officials for questioning the 

decision of the NWC in 

suspending Okorocha. 

Recall that shortly after 

the Presidential polls, the 

party's NWC met and 

clamped an indefinite 

suspension on Governors 

Rochas Okorocha of Imo 

State and Ibukunle 

Amosun of Ogun State, 

accusing them of involving 

in anti-party activities. The 

two governors had 

sponsored their preferred 

governorship candidates in 

different political parties 

when they failed to secure 

APC tickets for them. 

However, some officials of 

the PSC has picked holes 

in the suspension, 

particularly in Okorocha’s 

case and went ahead to 

issue the NWC ultimatum 

to lift the suspension on 

him. 

The members who 

questioned the suspension 

included the Director of 

Inter-Party Affairs, South 

East, Robert Ngwu; 

National Legal Adviser, 

Ejikeme Ugwu; and 

Director, Political Matters, 

Comrade Maxwel Okoye. 

They said the suspension 

was a ploy to disorganise 

Ndigbo ahead of the 2023 

presidential election when 

the party would zone the 

position to the South-East. 

But the South-East Zonal 

coordinator of the group, 

Mr. Chamberlain Adiaso 

has disowned the officials 

that challenged the 

suspension, saying that 

they did not have the 

support of the group and 

further described them as 

unserious members of the 

committee. 

According to him, they 

are “cheap people in the 

committee”, pointing out 

that as the leader of the 

PSC in the South-East, any 

meeting held behind him 

was null and void. 

He said: “APC is a 

disciplined party and has 

the NWC as the highest 

decision-making body of 

the party. Anyone who 

questions the authority of 

the NWC is also 

questioning the powers of 


Buhari as the leader of the 

APC." 

Adiaso also commended 

Okorocha accuses 

Imo REC of destroying 

democracy 

Meanwhile, Imo State 

Governor, Rochas 

Okorocha has accused the 

Resident Electoral 

Commissioner, REC, Imo 

State, Professor Francis 

Ezeonu of wrecking 

democracy in the state. 

Okorocha alleged that the 

manner he handled the 

2019 elections in the state 

showed that he was 

brought to Imo after the 

2015 election to return 

People's Democratic Party, 

PDP, to power in the state. 

The governor who spoke 

when youths came on 

protest over the ugly 

developments in the 2019 

elections, yesterday at the 

Government House, said 

the REC had acted illegally 

by ignoring the provision 

of the Constitution that 

S-East monarchs, workers congratulate 

Ugwuanyi on his re-election 

THE 

Executive 

Committee of the 

South-East Council of 

Traditional Rulers 

yesterday, congratulated 

Governor Ifeanyi 

Ugwuanyi of Enugu State, 

on his re-election at last 


election in the state. 

In the same vein, workers 

in the state through the 

Trade Union Congress of 

Nigeria, TUC, also 

congratulated Ugwuanyi 

for his “well-deserved 

landslide victory” at the 

polls, stating that the 

“jubilatory election is a true 

representation of the 

wishes of the entire Enugu 

state workers”. 

The royal fathers, who 

briefed newsmen through 

the chairman of the 

Committee, His Royal 

Majesty, Igwe Alfred 

Nnaemeka Achebe (Obi of 

Onitsha), shortly after they 

paid Ugwuanyi a courtesy 

visit at the Government 

House, Enugu, said they 

“join the people of Enugu 

State in thanking God for 

the peaceful elections that 

took place in the state”. 

He stated that the victory 

“shows that his previous 

four years was done very 

well”, saying: “We thank 

God for that and hope that 

he will build on his 

achievements in the last 

four years to give him room 

for stronger days in the next 

four years”. 

The Enugu State workers 

in a congratulatory 

candidate, Emeka 

Ihedioha winner, even 

though he only met the 

requirement in nine local 

governments instead of 18 

LGAs which is 2/3 of 27 

LGAs. 

His words: “I say so 

because coming by the 

actual calculation, the 

person that won this 

election is Ugwumba Uche 

Nwosu. Uche Nwosu won 

the election landslide. If 

you remove the 

manipulation of results 

from Mbaise, Uche Nwosu 

won with over 50,000 votes; 

if you cannot declare him 

winner because you have 

someone already, then they 

should go for a re-run 

because you cannot change 

the constitution of the 

Federal Republic of 

Nigeria to favour a 

candidate.” 

VISIT: Enugu State Governor and Governor-elect, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi 

(right) and Chairman, South-East Council of Traditional Rulers, His 

Royal Majesty, Igwe Alfred Nnaemeka Achebe (Obi of Onitsha), when 

members of the Executive Committee of the council paid him a 

congratulatory visit at the Government House, Enugu, yesterday. 

message by the chairman 

and Secretary of TUC, 

Comrade Igbokwe 

Chukwuma Igbokwe and 

Comrade Benneth 

Asogwa, maintained that 

Gov. Ugwuanyi’s victory 

“speaks volumes of your 

good works in Enugu 

State”. 

The body told the 

governor that “your 

administration will 

continue to put smile on the 

faces of Enugu State 

workers as you will do 

more to improve the 

welfare of workers in the 

state.” 

We'll take Enugu to new 

heights —Ugwuanyi 

By Chinedu 

Adonu 

FOLLOWING the reelection 

of Gov. Ifeanyi 

Ugwuanyi of Enugu State 

to serve his second term in 

office, he has pledged to 

improve the lives of the 

people and lift the state to 

an unprecedented height 

of development. 

Governor Ugwuanyi 

equally pledged to 

devote energies and time 

to work harder for the 

wellbeing and prosperity of 

all the people as his 

government was open to 

new ideas and new visions 

to lay a solid foundation for 

a more prosperous Enugu 

State. 

The governor who made 

this committment in a 

victory speech made 

available to journalists said 

that his victory was a victory 

for both the highly placed 

individuals in the society 

and the less privileged, 

including wheel-barrow 

pushers, bus drivers, Keke 

riders, traders and others. 

His speech read: “It is 

with a heart full of joy and 

thanksgiving that we exalt 

the Almighty God of 

Abraham, the God of Isaac, 

the God of Jacob and the 

awesome God of David for 

the resounding victory that 

He granted us in the 

March 9 governorship and 

House of Assembly 

elections in Enugu State. 

“Therefore, with utmost 

gratitude and humility, I 

Election over, get back to work, 

Obiano tells govt officials 

By Vincent 

Ujumadu 

A WKA—GOVERNOR 

Willie Obiano of 

Anambra State has directed 

members of his 

administration to face their 

responsibilities with greater 

vigour and dedication 

because the election is now 

over. 

In a memo to members of 

the State Executive Council 

yesterday, Governor 

Obiano, whose party, the 

All Progressive Grand 

Alliance, APGA, won 24 out 

of the 30 seats in the State 

House of Assembly contest 

last Saturday, reminded 

them of the enormous work 

facing the state and urged 

them to get cracking 

without further delay. 

He said: “Much as all of 

you were involved in the 

electioneering campaign 

and gave the House of 

Assembly election your best 

shot, this is not the time to 

rest on your laurels, but 

time to work harder for the 

people of our dear state who 

expect so much from us. 

“You scored over 80 per 

cent, and this is a brilliant 

performance in any 

wholeheartedly accept the 

mandate that you, the 

good people of Enugu 

State have again bestowed 

on me. 

“This victory does not 

belong to me alone. It 

belongs to Ndi Enugu – 

our political leaders and 

other stakeholders 

irrespective of party 

affiliations; the market men 

and women; the barrow 

pushers; taxi and 

commercial bus drivers; 

okada and keke riders; 

petty traders, other artisans, 

town unions; community 

leaders, the clergy, our 

revered traditional rulers, 

civil servants, the farmers, 

the professional class, youth 

and women groups, 

students and others who 

are the true heroes of our 

democracy. 

“And so, to you, Ndi 

Enugu, I am deeply 

humbled that you have 

once again invested your 

trust and faith in our team. 

It is now for me and my able 

Deputy, Her Excellency, 

Lolo Cecilia Ezeilo to 

continue to work for you. 

“In truth, the victory is 

not a winner-takes-all. In 

our spirit of brotherhood, 

everyone is a winner. 

Therefore, I reach out my 

hand of friendship and 

partnership to my fellow 

contestants. I invite all of 

you to join hands with me 

so that together, we shall 

build a better Enugu State, 

to the glory of God." 

examination. It shows the 

tremendous confidence 

Ndi Anambra repose in not 

just the candidates who 

won the election, but all of 

us flying the APGA flag. 

“APGA has been at the 

helm of affairs in Anambra 

State since 2006 and the 

narrative has been radically 

different ever since. 

Consequently, APGA has 

become not just a political 

party in the state but a 

movement. Our people 

believe fervently in it. 

“The way to reciprocate 

the people’s solidarity is for 

us to always bear in mind 

the immortal words of Chief 

Obafemi Awolowo, namely, 

that the greatest legacy a 

leader can give to his or her 

people is to etch his name 

in the minds and hearts of 

the people. 

“As you know very well, 

the most immediate 

challenge before us is to 

become the first state to pay 

the new minimum wage 

once the appropriate bill is 

signed into law. The new 

national minimum wage 

bill will increase the state’s 

monthly bill by N1.4 

billion".


HEALTH POLICY: From left— Executive Director, Osun Health Insurance Scheme, Dr. Niyi Oginni; 

Osun HNIS coordinator, Ahmed Yahaya; Country Director, Health Policy Plus, Dr. Onoriode Ezire; 

General manager, Nigeria Health Insurance Scheme, HNIS, Mrs Idiot Ambilowo; Governor Gboyega 

Oyetola; his deputy, Gboyega Alabi and others, during a visit by the executives of Health Policy plus of 

the United States Agency for International Development, USAID, in respect of roll-out of States Social 

Health Insurance Scheme, SSHIS to the Governor in his office, Abere, Osogbo, yesyerday. 

Virtual security: NCC hands over ICT 

equipment to Nigerian Army 

By Emmanuel 

Elebeke 

ABUJA—THE Nigerian 

Communication Commission, 

NCC, yesterday, 

donated a set of ICT 

equipments to the Nigerian 

Army Institute of Technology 

and Environmental 

Studies, Makurdi in Abuja 

to enhance research. 

The items include 10 

laptops, 1 colored laser 

printer, 2 black and white 

Osanebi presents cars to constituents to celebrate 

PDP's victory in Ndokwa East 

By Festus Ahon 

ASpeaker SABA—DEPUTY 

of the Delta 

State House of Assembly, Rt 

Hon Friday Osanebi, says 

Ndokwa East Local 

government area is a 

traditional territory of the 

Peoples Democratic Party, 

PDP. 

Osanebi stated this while 

addressing constituents 

who trooped to his 

residence in Beneku 

community upon the news 

of his declaration and that 

of Dr Ifeanyi Okowa as 

winners of the last 

Saturday's Governorship 

and State House of 

Edo anti-trafficking task force takes 

campaigns to communities 

By Alemma Aliu 

BENIN CITY—THE 

Edo State Taskforce 

Against Human 

Trafficking, ETAHT, has 

taken its campaigns to 

communities urging 

traditional institutions to 

compliment its efforts in 

ridding the state of the 

menace. 

At the palace of Otaru 

of Auchi in Etsako West 

local government area, 

HRH Alhaji Aliru 

Momoh Ikelebe III 

chairperson of the task 

force, Prof Yinka 

Omorogbe said the visit 

laserjet printers and 1 projector. 

Presenting the items, the 

head of ICT department, 

NCC, Engr. Abraham 

Oshadame said the 

donation was in response to 

a request made by the 

institute in October 2018 in 

which the institute solicited 

for the Commission's 

intervention in the area of 

provision of ICT facilities for 

their use. 

He said the Commission 

Assembly elections. 

The Deputy Speaker at 

the event where he made a 

surprise cars gifts to two 

Constituents, told party 

faithfuls and supporters that 

the re-election of Dr Ifeanyi 

Okowa for another term of 

four years was worthy of 

celebration as it was a 

reward for diligence and 

hard work. 

Osanebi commended the 

people of Ndokwa East for 

believing in continuity and 

good governance, assuring 

that the next four years will 

witness greater 

development. 

"Today, we gather in 

was to "educate, sensitize 

and enlighten the people 

of Auchi on the dangers 

of human trafficking and 

irregular migration in 

Edo state." 

She said statistics 

showed that Auchi 

community has lesser 

human trafficking cases 

than other communities, 

but with a high rate of 

irregular migrants. It is 

important for the youth to 

understand the effect of 

this perilous journey 

than to be deceived by 

empty promises. 

On his part, Ikelebe III 

commended the effort of 

is determined to assist the 

Nigerian army because of 

the crucial role they play in 

the security of the nation 

and expressed confidence 

that the tools would 

enhance their performance 

going forward. 

" I am delighted to inform 

you that the Commission 

promptly responded to the 

request by making 

donation of the ICT 

equipment to the institute. 

"The Commission no 

Beneku to celebrate God's 

faithfullness in the life of the 

state. Okowa represents 

light and the light shall 

continue to shine in 

Ndokwa East. We are all 

PDP faithful, friends and 

people of same family. It is 

our victory because we 

voted for a better and 

FG to empower 500 

women, youths in S-East 

By Vincent 

Ujumadu 

AWKA—NO fewer than 

500 women and youths 

from the five states in the 

the task force to fight 

human trafficking and 

irregular migration in 

Edo state. He added that 

this issue of human 

trafficking is not Edo 

state issue alone but it’s 

a national problem that 

the government needs to 

look into. 

At the palace of Ugieneni of 

Uzairue also in Etsako West, 

Omorogbe who is also the Attorney 

General and Commissioner 

for Justice Edo state said the visit 

was to educate,sensitize and enlighten 

the people of Uzairue on 

the dangers of human trafficking 

and irregular migration. 

doubt expects that this gesture 

will go a long way to 

complement the efforts of 

the Nigerian army towards 

achieving its mandate and 

to further enhance the security 

of the country. 

"It is our hope that this 

donation will.make a difference 

on the staff and students 

of our instrument not only 

by improving their acess to information 

and ICT tools but to developing 

appreciation of ICT for 

improved efficient in teaching and 

learning in various subjects." 

greater Ndokwa East. I 

congratulate my governor, 

I rejoice with the people of 

Ndokwa East. We pray 

against distractions. Let us 

come together as a people 

to make our local 

government area better". 

Osanebi said. 

South East geopolitical zone 

currently undergoing a 

week- long skills 

acquisition training 

programme in Awka are to 

be empowered by the 

Federal Government. 

The Zonal Intervention for 

Constituency Programme, 

which is taking place at the 

Senator Uche Ekwunife 

Events Center in Awka, is 

jointly sponsored by the 

Federal government 

through the New 

Partnership for African 

Development, NEPAD. 

National Coordinator and 

Chief Executive Officer of 

NEPAD, Princess Gloria 

Akobundu, who spoke 

through the director in 

charge of Programmes 

Development and 

Implementation, Mr. 

Emmanuel Abang told the 

participants that the 

greatest gift one could have 

in life is skill and 

knowledge and urged them 

to take the training serious. 

MTN to list on NSE in May - MTN 

CEO 

South African telecoms firm, MTN Group Ltd 

expects its Nigerian subsidiary to list on the local 

stock exchange “probably more towards April and 

May”, the unit’s chief executive said on Wednesday. 

The listing should be no later than halfway through 

the year, Ferdi Moolman, chief executive of MTN 

Nigeria told reporters in the commercial capital of 

Lagos. 

MTN last week said it aimed to list its Nigerian 

unit on the Nigerian Stock Exchange during the 

first half of 2019 without raising new money from 

investors immediately. 

MTN Nigeria said it would simplify its capital 

structure prior to the listing. The Nigerian company 

also said its subscriber base grew to 58 million users 

in 2018, up 6 million. 

Nigeria is MTN’s biggest market, with 52.3 million 

users in 2017, and accounts for a third of the 

company’s annual core profit, but has proven 

problematic in recent years. 

South Africa’s rand slips as Brexit 

chaos weighs on risk demand 

South Africa’s rand weakened early on 

Wednesday as the ongoing crisis in Britain over 

its exit from the European Union soured global risk 

appetite. 

At 0630 GMT the rand was 0.24 percent weaker at 

14.3800 per dollar compared its overnight close in 

New York. The currency was volatile, rallying to a 

three-day high of 14.2250 before retreating after 

British lawmakers again rejected a deal to quit the 

E.U. 

Uncertainty over Brexit as well as caution over the 

prospects of a trade agreement between the United 

States and China has seen risk demand ebb, with 

investors increasingly opting for safe-haven assets 

like the dollar, Japanese yen and gold. 

Gold rose to a near two-week peak after reclaiming 

the key $1,300 level in the previous session, and 

was up 0.2 percent in early trade. 

Jumia pushes ahead with New York 

listing 

Jumia, the African e-commerce company of 

German start-up investor Rocket Internet, has 

filed for a New York initial public offering, which 

could value the firm at $1.6 billion or more. 

Jumia, founded in 2012 offers online shopping, 

logistics and payment services, but is losing money. 

The company says its business is expanding, and 

the continent’s development will make it a better 

market, with a growing young population, more 

infrastructure investments, urbanisation and rapid 

economic growth. 

The New York filing did not say how many shares 

Jumia would sell, nor at what price. Morgan 

Stanley, Citigroup, Berenberg and RBC Capital 

Markets are leading the IPO. 

In December, Jumia was valued at 1.4 billion euros 

($1.6 billion) with shares at 14.74 euros, according 

to the filing. 

Italy’s Eni makes major oil find in 

Angola 

Italian company Eni said on Wednesday it had 

made a major oil discovery in Angola that would 

boost its credentials as one of the most successful foreign 

oil producers in Africa in recent years. 

The find is Angola’s largest offshore discovery in years 

and may help Africa’s second-biggest crude producer avoid 

a steep decline in output due to the ageing of its other 

fields. 

Oil accounts for 95 percent of exports and around 70 percent 

of revenues, and the government has recently offered better 

fiscal terms and more collaboration to international energy 

firms in an effort to help its mostly impoverished population. 

Eni said its new Agogo prospect in Angola’s deep waters 

contained between 450 million and 650 million barrels of 

light oil with potential for further upside.

Massive turnout that upset 

politicians 

TWO days before the 

Gubernatorial and House of 

Assembly elections I was at the 

Nnamdi Azikwe Airport, Abuja, 

heading to Maiduguri on a Max 

Air flight. It was a motley crowd 

that gathered to join the flight. 

There was the usual, excited, 

crowd of husbands and wives living 

in Abuja, along with their troops 

of children, going home to their 

spouses. But out of the crowd those 

that really stood out were the 

politicians, who came in all shades 

and hues. Many of them that day 

seemed rather weary and 

expectant, looking forward to the 

culmination of their efforts of the 

past year or so, and were not keen 

to engage in undue meddlesome 

small talks. 

A lot of the politicians I spotted 

in the crowd had crossed parties 

so many times, zig-zagging like 

crabs, that I had difficulty tagging 

them. With many of them you 

would not be sure whether to 

commiserate for the loss or 

congratulate them for the win in 

the Presidential election. 

Personally I was on the flight to 

observe the voter turnout in that 

part of the country – a turnout that 

was so heavy in Borno and Yobe 

states that it looked out of tune with 

the national pattern, and was 

pooh-poohed as implausible and 

thus controversial. 

By Carl Umegborofo 

PRESIDENTIAL candidate of All 

Progressives Congress, President 

Muhammadu Buhari polled 15,191,847 

votes to defeat his closest rival, Atiku 

Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party 

who got 11,262,978 ballots in the 2019 

presidential poll. Resultantly, Buhari was 

declared President-elect by the umpire. The 

poll ran concurrently with that of the Senate 

and House of Representatives. By 

implications, Buhari’s ‘Next-Level’ package 

has gathered momentum. 

Ultimately, masses solemnly look forward 

to succour, particularly flourishing socioeconomic 

activities, infrastructural 

development and employment 

opportunities in the next four years vis-à-vis 

the ‘Next-Level’ mantra. Relatedly, a 

moment ago, President Buhari pledged to 

work harder in the next administration, 

which initially misconstrued to refer to 

toughish times. Sensibly, the overwhelming 

trust the masses reposed on the President by 

this reelection cannot be taken for granted; 

thus, good policies are required to impact 

their lives and welfare. 

Essentially, politics in Nigeria has 

subconsciously undergone a paradigm shift, 

leaving some powerful political dynasties 

in unforgettable shocks; overpoweringly 

flattened by peoples’ franchise. Moneypolitics 

too got heavy punches. Hopefully, 

future elections in the county may begin to 

epitomise merit and a level playing ground. 

Why? Scores of self-acclaimed ‘deciders’ 

were knocked out of the ring; synchronising 

Kingsley Moghalu’s catchphrase: “retiring 

the old political-class”. 

Beyond that, a baffling account is the 

trajectory of PDP votes from the return of 

democracy in 1999. For emphasis, prior to 

the introduction of Smart Card-Readers for 

accreditation, PDP had in 1999 - 18.7million 

votes; 2003 – 24.4million; 2007 – 

24.6million, and finally in 2011 - 

Soon the airport protocols were 

over and the flight rolled and 

gathered steam. Nose up in the air, 

the plane was soon high up gliding 

effortlessly above Abuja and 

heading north-east. One of the best 

times to travel in this part of the 

country. Though the rains have 

come, once or twice, the southwesterly 

and the north-easterly 

winds have not yet begun their 

battle for controls of the skies. It 

was still calm above the clouds 

with hardly any jolting turbulence. 

I soon dug into my seat and set 

myself in the mode of reflections, 

particularly pertaining to the last 

election that took place a few days 

ago and the brouhaha that broke 

out when the figures were released. 

Many of us were irked by utterances 

of some political gladiators to the 

effect that the figures from the 

extreme north-east were not 

believable. 

I had voted in Abuja but my wife 

voted in Maiduguri and I recall 

conversing with her in the early 

morning of the election when she 

reported deafening booming 

sounds emanating from either the 

direction of Giwa Barracks or Polo 

grounds, both short distances from 

our residence on Circular Road. It 

turned out to be that they were 

being shelled from indeterminate 

directions possibly all in the 

attempt by the usual suspects to 

22.5million votes. Eventually, when Card- 

Reader was introduced for digital 

accreditation, PDP votes suddenly dropped 

to 12.8million in 2015. In the recent election, 

PDP recorded 11.2million votes. The hard 

question is how did the party come by the 

high figures it persistently obtained before 

the advent of Card-Readers? Could it imply 

that schemers persistently allocated figures 

with impunity, hence such gargantuan 

discrepancies? A big question mark indeed. 

Sadly, the courts affirmed the elections. 

On the other hand, Buhari maintained 

average of 12 million votes before the 

Apathy, violence and 

administrative challenges 

that affected all parties 

uniformly are clearly not 

sufficient grounds to annul 

an election 

introduction of Card-Readers. Subsequent 

to the merger that birthed APC and increased 

Buhari’s numerical strength, his polls 

strenght under the Card-Reader, rose to 

15.4million votes in 2015 to defeat 

Goodluck Jonathan. In the just-concluded 

poll, even as incumbent, Buhari maintained 

15 milion votes. A cursory look at Buhari’s 

scores logically points to consistency, both 

prior to and during the Card-Reader era. 

Beyond doubt, Smart Card-Reader exposed 

and outsmarted the old order. 

Further indications empirically 

suggesting credibility of the poll include 

Dino Melaye’s victory. His name wouldn’t 

have been omitted in any lists if 

predetermined results (rigging) truly played 

out. The lawmaker won his re-election bid 

for the reason that democracy is a game of 

discourage voters from coming out 

to exercise their civic 

responsibilities. But that was 

exactly what was needed to ginger 

voters out of their comfort zones 

to queue up in the polling units. 

That and more was what I 

confirmed from my interactions as 

the flight touched down and I 

made my way into Maiduguri. 

There was a widespread 

indignation in the insinuation that 

Borno and Yobe had become 

ghostly areas and depopulated as 

most people had been killed or 

moved to other parts of the country 

and the neighbouring countries. 

People who carry such stories 

forgot that the two states are home 

to over six million souls going by 

The two State 

Governors, Kashim 

Shettima and 

Ibrahim Geidam that 

had lived and 

governed through 

the dark days of the 

insurgency will be 

leading a formidable 

team to the National 

Assembly 

Buhari’s reelection and matters arising 

the 2006 census and though it is 

true that they had borne the brunt 

of the insurgency, the number 

killed is in hundreds. 

Yes, villages and towns had been 

displaced, but the reality is that the 

Internally Displaced Persons, IDPs, 

have mostly been catered for in 

Maiduguri and Damaturu and 

other centres within the two states. 

It is true that some numbers have 

slipped into other parts of the 

country and the neighbouring 

Vanguard, THURSDAY, MARCH 14, 2019 —17 

17 

countries but it would be 

scurrilous to be talking of 

depopulation due to such 

movements of a number of 

families. 

It is common knowledge that in 

Yobe State, by end of 2016, the IDP 

camps had all been closed and the 

affected families returned to their 

homes. I had the privilege of 

visiting the last camp in Damaturu 

two years ago and I wrote about it 

on this page and even then the 

camp was in the process of closure. 

In Borno the insurgency had 

persisted despite the fact that the 

military had significantly 

degraded the power of the 

terrorists and recaptured all the 

lost territory. 

Yet the fact remains that a 

significant number of IDPs have 

returned to their homes. There is 

plenty of evidence that the Borno 

State Government had rebuilt 

homes for the citizens in many 

local government headquarters, 

built from the scratch, in many 

towns and villages, markets, 

schools, hospitals to attract and 

resettle those displaced earlier. 

This can explain why, while 20 

local governments voted in IDP 

camps in 2015, only two, Abadam 

and Kukawa were constrained to 

do so in 2019 and the number of 

votes though important, were 

paltry 10,000 or so. 

It would have been more 

engaging if the critics of the voter 

turnout had questioned why people 

who were so deprived and harassed 

by terrorists still came out to vote 

and in such large numbers. I would 

put my thumb on the people’s 

resilience and of course the elite 

mobilization urging them to resist. 

Somehow there seemed to have 

been a total unanimity among the 

elites on the direction to go, 

agreeing that the only means of 

salvation was to vote for the party 

numbers. Probably, Melaye didn’t face the 

degree of heat the Senate president, Bukola 

Saraki, contended with in Kwara. 

For example, Senator Saraki contended 

with overwhelming forces, including the 

Minister of Information, Alhaji Lai 

Mohammed, leading a league of Kwara 

professionals, and then Gbemisola Saraki, 

a powerful voice in the dynasty who worked 

to deliver the state for her party, APC. Above 

all, the masses had for long been yearning 

for power-shift away from the Saraki 

political dynasty. The dynasty led by his late 

father, Chief Olusola Saraki, controlled 

Kwara politics for decades before Bukola 

took over. Eventually, the recent political 

tremor knocked him out like a dream. 

In Adamawa, Atiku’s home state which 

was overwhelmingly projected in his favour, 

recorded the opposite as votes were evenly 

divided between the two contenders. One 

may hastily conclude that rigging played a 

role if not meticulously weighed. Notably, 

the state produced the incumbent Secretary 

to the Government of the Federation, SGF, 

Mustapha Boss and retired Brig. Buba 

Marwa who are highly influential figures 

in the state and the ruling party. 

Atiku was equally an APC chieftain until 

he sensed uncertainty over the ruling party’s 

ticket against the incumbent, hence the last 

minute defection to the PDP. Unfortunately, 

these prominent figures wouldn’t have 

abandoned the ruling party they supported 

for years for another party when they are 

key players in the administration and the 

party. 

In Chief Olusegun Obasanjo’s polling 

unit, the former president’s son, Olujonwo 

who led the Buhari Youths Organisation, 

BYO, a strong campaign support group for 

Buhari’s reelection bid, campaigned 

vigorously across the country and overseas 

including the United States. Olujonwo 

severally visited, reiterated unwavering 

support for President Buhari’s re-election. 

that when in government had 

largely kept the blood thirsty 

terrorists at bay. 

Many who were in Maiduguri 

that morning of the Presidential 

election could attest to the mortar 

attacks and the courage to come 

out in large numbers to vote. And 

one could see from the clean sweep 

of the seats by those coming to the 

National Assembly from the two 

states. The two State Governors, 

Kashim Shettima and Ibrahim 

Geidam that had lived and 

governed through the dark days of 

the insurgency will be leading a 

formidable team to the National 

Assembly. Both of them will be 

senators and they had also 

encouraged their appointees as 

commissioners, heads of 

parastatals, local government 

chairmen to seek for seats in the 

National Assembly. 

I guess they want to bring to 

national attention the 

depravations suffered by the 

region. This could partly account 

for the massive turnout as people 

were mobilized to vote not only for 

the sitting President, but also for a 

National Assembly that could be 

supportive to him. On the morning 

of the Gubernatorial and the State 

Assembly election, I rode around 

to see the voter turnout. 

Maiduguri was at peace with no 

reported incidence of attack, 

though there was said to be an 

attempt on Friday to attack Mafa, 

about 40 kms on the Gamboru 

Ngala route, but the group of 

terrorists were quickly repelled. In 

all the places I visited I witnessed 

something akin to festivities in 

every polling station and one 

could see that many would wait 

until the votes were counted. The 

turnout was less than the previous 

election but as many said it was 

the first election that really 

mattered. 

Hence, delivering the polling unit in favour 

of the ruling party cannot be misconstrued 

as irregularity but strategic planning and 

actions. 

Furthermore, Godswill Akpabio, an APC 

chieftain and ardent supporter of Buhari’s 

reelection bid, shockingly lost his senatorial 

ticket possibly as reprisal shot over Justice 

Walter Onnoghen’s foreign account saga 

against President Buhari and his ruling party. 

Outside that, Akpabio had overwhelming 

votes in 2015 while in the PDP having led 

the state two terms as action governor. 

Critically, Atiku’s grumbles against the 

outcome incidentally didn’t show that 

INEC’s records differed from PDP agents’ 

accounts which would have been a 

fundamental flaw. Instead, Atiku merely 

questions how states ravaged by war could 

get massive votes, and that ballots in his 

strongholds were suspected to have been 

suppressed particularly Akwa-Ibom State 

having less than the votes in 2015. 

Unfortunately, the number of registered 

voters is never a factor in a poll but the 

figures that showed up for accreditation and 

voted. On the two contentions, the umpire’s 

duties do not include mobilising voters on 

election days, but exclusively for contestants 

and political parties. 

In conclusion, apathy, violence and 

administrative challenges that affected all 

parties uniformly are clearly not sufficient 

grounds to annul an election. The 

postponement affected many voters. 

Appraisingly, foreign observers from the 

European Union, EU and United Kingdom, 

without prejudice, affirmed the poll as 

reasonably credible, free and fair, apart from 

identified administrative challenges which 

the commission should do well to address 

in future elections. On these premises, 

peoples’ votes convincingly counted. Thus, 

INEC deserves commendations. 

Aligning with Lorie Myers: “True 

sportsmanship is excellence in motion”. 

•Umegboro, a public affairs analyst, wrote 

from Lagos. 

C 

M 

YK


INCONCLUSIVE elections in 

Nigeria have indeed acquired the 

spectre of a scourge on our 

democracy. Increasingly, the 

expectations of major political 

contestants and anxious voters are 

left in abeyance for weeks after 

elections as a result of 

inconclusive elections which have 

acquired an ugly presence in the 

process of changing political 

leadership. 

The results of no fewer than six 

states are currently hanging in the 

balance after the March 9, 2019 

Governorship and State Houses of 

Assembly elections. These are: 

Kano, Sokoto, Benue, Plateau, 

Bauchi and Adamawa States. 

This has raised the fear that inconclusive 

elections have been 

mainstreamed as a technical 

strategy to rob potential winners 

Scourge of ‘inconclusive’ elections 

of victory. 

Section 26 Part 53 of the 

Electoral Act forbids the INEC to 

announce the winner of an 

election if the number of cancelled 

votes can mathematically alter the 

result of the exercise. 

This provision shot into the 

limelight in November 2015 during 

the off-cycle Kogi governorship 

election. It was declared 

inconclusive because the margin 

between the front-runner, the late 

Alhaji Abubakar Audu of the APC 

and Governor Idris Wada of the PDP 

was less than the 49,953 cancelled 

votes. APC eventually won. 

Also in Osun State, the 

inconclusive governorship election 

of September 2018 sparked off 

electoral issues that are still being 

contested in court. But critics saw 

what happened in Osun as a dress 

rehearsal for the 2019 general 


The large number of inconclusive 

elections is unsettling. Already, the 

polity is getting restive. Some 

women protested in Sokoto on Tuesday, 

and the Nigerian Intervention 

Movement, NIM, or Third Force is 

mobilising for a nationwide protest 

against what it calls the “brazen 

corruption of our electoral system” 

which inconclusive elections now 

appear to represent. 

Inconclusive polls, apart from being 

a guzzler of valuable time and 

scarce public funds, show our 

growing inability to conduct cleancut 

elections. It could lead to 

serious upheavals. Rogue elements 

in the armed forces and security 

agencies now join unscrupulous 

politicians to foul elections and get 

them declared inconclusive to 

pervert the people’s mandates. 

That is unacceptable. It is a slap 

on, and derogation of, our 

democracy. It must stop. Our 

democracy must become 

competitive again, and the people 

must be allowed to give or take 

power from politicians. 

OPINION 

Between election violence and the spoils of office 

By Banji Ojewale 

In rivers and bad governments the 

lightest things swim at the top.- 

Benjamin Franklin (1706-1790), 

American scientist and philosopher. 

NIGERIA’s elections are always a 

period of hemorrhage, seasons of 

internecine bloodletting, that, strangely, 

does not bring down our population. Just 

do a study of our cyclical polls. None 

came and went away without taking away 

precious souls. They have all soaked us 

in blood either before, during or after 

the ballot. Even the June 12, 1993 

presidential contest we celebrate didn’t 

consummate its benignity. It wasn’t 

allowed to. The vampires showed up to 

ruin the chance to dance. They annulled 

what Providence offers only once in a 

lifetime. What we got on the proverbial 

silver platter, we have since been looking 

for in a golden platter. It’s been quite 

an agonising quest, made unbearable 

by the high toll in the lives we lose when 

we blow the whistle for electioneering. 

Unfortunately, and tragically so, what 

we get at the end of each exercise, 

mostly incompetent and self-serving 

politicians and office holders, does not 

justify the enormous resources we load 

into the project. You go into an enterprise 

to return with profit and fulfillment. But 

Nigerians have been repeatedly 

outwitted, shortchanged. We heed the 

call of the authorities and the political 

lords to sacrifice our precious time, to 

set aside the work that earns us the little 

to live on and to brave the inclement 

elements of nature and those posed by 

hoodlums and uniformed men and all 

we harvest are death of dear ones and a 

parasitic club of men and women. 

We never get what we are promised, 

either by those who run a term or two. It 

isn’t remunerative business, receiving 

dross, loss and curse after you have 

pumped much into the deal in fervid 

hope of mouth-watering returns. Why 

must we experience such grief at the 

threshold of potential joy? The 2019 

election is gone, or substantially gone; 

but it is a spectre that has thrown itself 

into our future. That is to say that poll 

violence and the (s)election will go on 

leave now, to resurface when we are set 

for the ballot in four years. 

But the good news is that these 

recurring demons, abiku and ogbanje 

spirits, are not invincible. We can 

exorcise them if we degrade public office 

and politics as a haven of prosperity. 

The weapon to deploy in our fight 

against murderous politics and thieving 

political office holders is to abolish wages 

for them altogether. The spirit of do-ordie 

in political contests arises from the 

backward mentality that political office 

is worth dying for because it is the god 

that drives society’s resources. So, why 

won’t you worship it and fall at its feet 

for survival? Why won’t you seek to 

invest your blood in it? Why won’t you 

thrash the spiritual injunction and then 

begin to seek first the political kingdom 

so that all other things shall be added to 

you? 

The way out, as I proposed sometime 

ago, is to disincentivise politics and its 

so-called spoils by making public office 

disagreeable to those whose goal is to 

make a fortune and not to serve. Some 

concerned citizens whose position 

matches this view suggest we drastically 

reduce the pay and allowances of our 

politicians. But I want us to go beyond 

What we get at the end of 

each exercise, mostly 

incompetent and self-serving 

politicians and office holders, 

does not justify the enormous 

resources we load into the 

project 

this pay-cut option, because in my 

opinion it only addresses the issue 

halfway, not dealing it a deathblow. 

Secondly, it opens the way for abuse and 

underhand bargain with the civil 

servants for doctoring of figures in 

respect of the office holders’ wages. 

Thirdly, there will be hardly resistible 

clamour for salary increase to reflect 

‘economic realities’ as we often put it. 

To eliminate these foreseeable 

challenges, we should aim for a system 

that ‘de-wages’ all political office 

holders, from the presidency and aides 

and federal cabinet down to the 

governors and their ruling paraphernalia 

with the local council administration. 

They all should be sustained by the state. 

Our tax would maintain them and their 

families. Their school-age children will 

attend public schools. They and their 

families will be barred from seeking 

medicare abroad or in private facilities 

here in Nigeria. The state will be 

responsible for all the basic needs of their 

families during and after their tenure. 

They would not have to be anxious 

about their future or that of their 

dependents after such a selfless service 

to the people. It is such fear of the future, 

the uncertainty of the years that would 

follow your alienation from office, that 

creates the cradle of corrupt enrichment 

in politics and the civil service. But in 

the system we are proposing, the state 

would look after the public officer who 

has sacrificed for the people. The state 

will be there for them. 

Naturally, there won’t be luxury and 

free money in that regime of selflessness 

of work for the people. It is the fantasy 

about the state’s bottomless wealth being 

the property of the political office holder 

that is responsible for the violence that 

accompanies our elections and politics. 

We call it the spoils of office. But they 

are the catalysts that call forth the 

bantamweight of our society to aim for 

leadership. These sybaritic adventurers 

don’t give us our best. They throw up 

the barbarian for the noble work of the 

land, bringing out the truth of Benjamin 

Franklin’s remark: the lightest 

personalities are always in charge. Their 

heedless hunt for spoils of war and office 

delivers nothing but violence and 

stunted growth. Let’s save the nation by 

denying them a foothold in the future. 

•Mr. Ojewale wrote from Lagos.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, MARCH 14 , 2019 — 19 

Power sector suffers more setbacks 

By Prince Okafor 

CURRENCY BUYING SELLING 

US DOLLAR 

POUNDS 

EURO 

FRANC 

YEN 

CFA 

WAUA 

RENMINBI 

RIYAL 

SDR 

DANISH 

RAND 

$92.80 0.00 

2,204.00 0.00 

$12.30 -0.03 

$67.00 0.33 

$57.43 0.56 

305.95 306.45 306.95 

399.4483 400.1011 400.7539 

344.4385 345.0014 345.5643 

302.8908 303.3858 303.8808 

2.7494 2.7539 2.7584 

0.5052 0.5152 0.5252 

423.7266 424.4191 425.1116 

45.5674 45.6423 45.7172 

81.578 81.7113 81.8446 

425.4457 426.1411 426.8365 

46.1442 46.2196 46.295 

. 21.349 21.3839 21.4188 

CBN Exchange rate as at 13/03/2019 

Gas Supply, distribution 

and transmission facilities 

continue to plague the 

availability of electricity to 

many households in the country, 

leading to about N86 billion 

loss of revenue to the 

power sector in the first two 

months of 2019. 

Available statistic reveals 

that financial, operational, construction, 

market, macroeconomic, 

contract and regulatory 

risks, also add to the challenges 

faced by the sector, 

even with the intervention 

funds from both the federal 

government, World Bank, African 

Development Bank, 

amongst others. 

A report obtained by Vanguard 

from the office of Vice 

President Yemi Osinbajo, indicated 

that Nigeria, has in 

the past two months (January 

– February, 2019) gave a 

breakdown of this figure with 

N41.4 billion lost in the first 

month of 2019, while 

N44.4billion was lost in February. 

To further indicate the worsening 

state of the power sector, 

the report also stated: “On 

March 11, 2019, average energy 

sent out was 4,114 

MWH/Hour (down by 92.47 

MWH/Hour from the previous 

day), 2,793.58 MW was not 

generated due to unavailability 

of gas. 

“176 MW was not generated 

due to unavailability of transmission 

infrastructure, while 

168.6 MW was not generated 

due to high frequency resulting 

from the unavailability of 

distribution infrastructure 

“The power sector lost an 

estimated N1.51 billion on 

March 11, 2019, due to insufficient 

gas supply, distribution 

infrastructure and transmission 

infrastructure,” the report 

added. 

Reacting to this development, 

the Executive Secretary, 

of the Generating Companies, 

GENCOs, Mrs. Joy 

Ogayi, said: “This shows low/ 

minimal optimization of generation 

capacity due to constraints 

on the transmission 

and distribution networks. 

Without these constraints, additional 

3,000MW could be 

made available to customers, 

and also serve as an incentive 

for Generation Companies 

(GenCos) to recover the unavailable 

capacity of over 

5,000MW. 

“In pursuing the current 

administration’s agenda of incremental 

power, there is need 

for optimal utilization of what 

is available and the need to 

recover the installed capacities, 

leading to a decrease in 

stranded or unutilized load/ 

power. This calls for phased 

and well planned utilization.” 

Speaking further, Ogayi 

said: “For the short term, Nigeria 

needs to optimize what 

is available and what can be 

recovered, while in the medium 

to long term with effective 

planning, she can procure 

new capacities by embracing 

renewables and suspend 

thermals, but only after collective 

utilization is at its peak. 

Sequencing is key. This approach 

will be a cheaper, more 

effective, and bench-markable 

in meeting the power requirement 

in Nigeria. 

“The emphasis/solution here 

is phased planning of the generation 

capacities in view of 

the fact that even what is available 

plus installed, is not 

enough to meet demand forecast 

which stands at over 

22,000MW.’’ 

From left, Chairman, Vitafoam Nigeria Plc, Dr. Bamidele Makanjuola, Group Managing 

Director/CEO, Mr Taiwo Adeniyi, Finance Director, Mr Joseph Alegbesogie and Non- 

Executive Director, Mr Sam Okagbue at the Company’s 57th Annual General Meeting (AGM) 

in Lagos. 

Buhari to open Enugu Intl trade fair next 

month 


The organisers of the 

Enugu International Trade 

Fare are expecting that President 

Muhammadu Buhari will declare 

open the fair in April, 2018. 

The team which visited the 

Vanguard Newspaper yesterday, 

said that plans have been concluded 

to have the President attend the fair 

in person. 

The President of the 

Enugu Chamber of 

Commerce, Industry, 

Mines and Agriculture, 

ECCIMA, Mr. Emeka 

Udeze, said that the event 

with the theme: 

“Promoting and 

Enhancing Value 

Addition in the Oil and 

Non-Oil Sectors of the 

Economy for Robust 

Economic Growth and 

Development”, which is 

in its 30th edition, will 

start on Friday, 5th April 

and run through to 

Monday, 15th April, 2019 

at the International Trade 

Fair Complex, Golf 

Course, G.R.A, Enugu. 

Speaking through the 

Vice President, Dr. Emma 

Nwankpa, he stated: “We 

are expecting that the Fair 

would be declared open 

by the President and Commander- 

In-Chief of the Armed Forces of the 

Federal Republic of Nigeria. 

The Chamber has made 

appreciable progress to ensure that 

the Fair is successful held to the 

satisfaction of all stakeholders. 

“Let me emphasis here that even 

though we are passing through 

election and democratic transition 

in the country, yet we need to be 

upbeat about our economic affairs 

because the economy remains the 

centre piece of our survival, growth 

and development. 

“The 30th Enugu International 

Trade Fair would therefore provide 

the cleavages to gauge the economic 

outlook of our nation, the attendant 

associated risks and opportunities 

that would be inclined to the 

business environment/landscape to 

make informed business and 

investment decisions. 

“We are very hopeful that the 30th 

Enugu International Trade Fair 

would be a success, despite attendant 

challenges in the economic 

environment. Indeed, a number of 

strategies have been put in place by 

the Chamber towards ensuring that 

all Stakeholders realize meaningful 

outcome from participation in this Fair 

including a number of side attractions 

that would interest the Public. 

“We are particularly happy that we 

have been receiving streams of 

enquires and interest from corporate 

organizations and institutions 

declaring interest to participate in the 

30th Enugu International Trade 

Fair.” 

Plastic firm 

harps on 

enabling 

environment for 

FDI 

By Naomi Uzor 

Lexsz Plastics, a recycling 

company, has urged the 

Federal Government to improve 

on infrastructure so as 

to boost Foreign Direct Investment, 

FDI, in the country. 

In a chat with newsmen in 

Lagos, the Executive Director, 

Lexsz Plastics, Oba Olufemi 

Akowe, said government 

should create a conducive 

business environment, especially 

on infrastructure, so that 

businesses can flourish and 

attract more FDIs into the 

country. 

Oba Akowe stated: “With 

four production lines refining 

and processing, Lexsz Plastics 

is the largest plastics recycling 

enterprise in the entire West 

Africa and can attract more FDI 

if infrastructure is put in place. 

“The production scale of PET 

bottles per year amounted to 

over 100,000 tons to meet the 

major chemical Yangtze River 

Delta region of China class 

enterprise demand for a large 

number of raw materials.” 

Speaking further, he said: 

“With over ten thousand local 

workers, the company’s products 

not only save a lot of energy 

and resources, but also 

effective for environmental 

protection areas in Lagos state 

and its environs.” 

He stressed that the company 

has been empowering 

public, private sector operators 

in Nigeria in clearing waste in 

the environment and since 

inception in 2011 has relied 

solely on waste supply by individuals, 

government agencies 

cleaning dump sites and 

it own waste cleaning efforts 

to acquire raw materials for 

recycling to feed its factory. 

“We rely on individuals who 

go round the cities and towns 

picking wastes and later sell 

to us. We also help the governments 

in some South West 

states to clear the state dump 

sites and even pay their agencies.” 

he said. 

SEC to impose stiffer sanctions on DCS, e-mandate defaulters 

By Nkiruka Nnorom 

The Securities and Ex 

change Commission, SEC, 

will henceforth impose tougher 

sanctions on registrars and dealing 

member firms of the Nigerian 

Stock Exchange, NSE, that try 

to frustrate the on-going e-dividend 

registration geared towards 

reducing the quantum of 

unclaimed divided and the direct 

cash settlement (DCS) initiative. 

According to the SEC in a notice 

to the operators, registrars 

that fail to credit any successful- 

ly mandated accounted within 

two days or fails to render quarterly 

account of all mandated accounts 

will pay N1 million penalty 

and an additional sum of 

N20, 000 for every day the violation 

persists. 

In the same vein, the Commission 

will impose penalty of not 

less that N10 million on stockbrokers 

or any dealing member 

that fails to credit proceeds of sale 

of clients’ investment directly 

into the client’s account. 

On the amended e-dividend 

registration mandate, the SEC 

said: “Registrars shall ensure that 

all mandated shareholder accounts 

are credited with all outstanding 

unclaimed dividends 

within two days. This will increase 

the rate of compliance by registrars 

and help to reduce the quantum 

of unclaimed dividends. 

“Registrars shall forward status 

reports on all mandated shareholders 

accounts on a quarterly 

basis. Justification: This is to enable 

the Commission monitor the 

level of compliance with the E- 

Dividend Mandate Management 

System.”


Vanguard, THURSDAY, MARCH 14, 2019— 21




Vanguard, THURSDAY, MARCH 14, 2019— 25


IWD: How far 

can MDG 5 go? 

By Ebunoluwa Sessou 

ONE of the key points of 

the 2019 International 

Women’s Day, IWD, is Gender 

Equality, the fifth Goal in the 

Millennium Development 

Goals, MDGs. 

Despite the widely acclaimed 

progress achieved towards 

gender equality and women’s 

empowerment under the 

MDGs (including equal access 

to primary education between 

girls and boys), women and 

girls continue to suffer 

discrimination and violence in 

every part of the world. 

This is against the backdrop 

that gender equality is not only 

a fundamental human right, but 

a necessary foundation for a 

peaceful, prosperous and 

sustainable world. 

Research revealed that one in 

five women and girls between 

the ages of 15 and 49 years, have 

reportedly experienced 

physical or sexual violence by 

an intimate partner within a 12- 

month period and 49 countries 

currently have no laws 

protecting women from 

domestic violence. 

The practices, including child 

IWD: Nestle launches new gender balance 

acceleration plan in Central and West Africa 

...says more women in the workplace make business sense 


AS part of efforts to promote gender 

balance in the workplace, Nestle has 

launched an ambitious programme called 

Gender Balance Acceleration Plan from 

Aspiration to Action, as part of its activities 

to celebrate the 2019 International 

Women’s Day. 

Nestle’s Global CEO, Mark Schneider, 

disclosed that the company’s acceleration 

plan to make gender balance a priority was 

based on three pillars including bold 

leadership, an empowering culture and a 

set of enabling practices. 

According to him, in the Central and 

West Africa Region, CWAR, the company 

aims to bring the Gender Balance 

Acceleration Plan to life through its multipronged 

initiatives, such as training to 

raise awareness on gender biases, career 

development and mentoring programmes 

for women, gender-sensitive succession 

planning, offering breastfeeding rooms and 

nurseries at work, as well as the 

implementation of its maternity protection. 

“At Nestle CWAR, increasing the number 

of women in the workforce and boosting 

gender balance is helping to drive 

innovation,” he said. 

Nestle, the world’s largest food and 

beverage company, believes that a gender 

balanced workforce makes business sense 

as it helps to boost innovation and 

performance, which better serves the needs 

of its consumers. 

In the same vein, Total Performance 

Management Manager for Technical at 

Nestle CWAR, Bunmi Etty-Mfon, noted 

that: “When there’s a good mixture of men 

and women, team-building activities tend 

to be more balanced, helping to develop 

•Temitope Musowo 

marriage and Female Genital 

Mutilation, FGM, are still 

prevalent which means that 

much work needs to be done to 

completely eliminate such 

practices. 

According to reports, 

providing women and girls with 

equal access to education, 

health care, decent work, and 

representation in political and 

economic decision-making 

greater empathy among individuals and 

teams. Diversity stimulates greater effort 

from everyone, leading to improved 

decision-making. 

“Also, as the majority of consumers in our 

region are women, it gives us great 

perspective to lead in innovation,” she said. 

Also, Rahmatou Palm, Category Manager 

for Nescafe business in Burkina Faso, Mali, 

Niger, Togo and Benin and a member of 

the Cluster Management Committee of 

which half are women, agrees that diversity 

is key to the company’s growth. 

“Gender balance is important to 

complement the thinking between men and 

women, leading to more productive debates 

and innovative decisions. It also fights 

against discrimination to ensure a better, 

and more dynamic workplace,” she 

emphasised. 

...to increase the number of women 

in senior executive positions by 2022 

The company has also concluded plans 

to increase the number of women in senior 

executive positions globally by 2022. This 

underscores the company’s commitment to 

providing equal opportunities for everyone 

at the company. 

The CEO Nestle, Mark Schneider said 

the decision to increase the number of 

women in the workplace is to make a 

statement that women are instrumental to 

success. According to him: “It is simply the 

right thing to do. We believe that a more 

diverse workforce with more women at the 

top will reinforce our inclusive culture and 

make Nestlé an even better company. We 

are setting measurable goals to hold 

ourselves accountable. We know that 

improving gender balance will lead to 

better decisions, stronger innovation and 

processes, will fuel sustainable 

economies and benefit societies 

and humanity at large. 

Implementing new legal 

frameworks regarding female 

equality in the workplace and 

the eradication of harmful 

practices targeted at women, is 

crucial to ending the genderbased 

discrimination prevalent 

in many countries around the 

world. 

higher employee satisfaction. 

“Nestle has embedded gender balance in 

all its Human Resources practices. The 

company was recently included in the 2019 

Bloomberg Gender-Equality Index, GEI. 

Nestlé is now building on this momentum 

and setting new goals to drive further action. 

“Nestle has made progress in recent years 

increasing the number of women in 

managerial positions. Today, 43 percent of 

these roles are held by women. With its 

Gender Balance Acceleration Plan, Nestle 

will now put further emphasis on increasing 

the proportion of women in the group’s top 

200 senior executive positions from around 

20 percent currently to 30 percent by 2022. 

This is another step in Nestlé’s journey 

towards gender parity. 

“Gender Balance Acceleration Plan 

includes the following specific actions: 

Supporting all managers to foster an 

inclusive workplace and ensuring that they 

are trained on unconscious bias; 

Encouraging the use of Nestlé’s paid 

parental leave program and flexible work 

policies in place in all Nestlé operating 

companies. 

Also, Executive Vice President, Head of 

Group Human Resources and Business 

Services Béatrice Guillaume-Grabisch, “The 

Nestlé Gender Balance Acceleration Plan 

strengthens our existing commitment to 

enhance gender balance in our workforce. 

We are confident that everyone, men and 

women, will play a key role in advancing 

gender equality and creating a better place 

to work. 

“Gender balance is a key component of 

Nestle’s approach to diversity and inclusion. 

This is an integral part of the company’s 

culture and is one of the ways Nestlé brings 

its purpose and values to life”, she said. 

In his submission, Mr. 

Temitope Musowo, President, 

Blossom Africa Initiative, an 

NGO, said the campaign theme 

for the year 2019 International 

Women’s Day, Balance for 

Better, can be well situated 

within the context of Goal 5 of 

the SDGs: “Achieve gender 

equality and empower all 

women and girls,” which 

targets are to end all forms of 

discrimination against women 

and girls everywhere,eliminate 

all forms of violence against all 

women and girls in the public 

and private spheres,including 

trafficking, sexual and other 

types of exploitation. 

He explained that progress is 

being made at forging a more 

gender-balanced world. “The 

society is more conscious of that 

now than before, as cultural 

barriers and instructional 

barricades are being removed 

to ensure women and girls take 

their rightful place in the 

scheme of things. 

“Although, there is still more 

to be achieved to ensure a 

gender-balanced world, 

however , concerns are already 

being raised by various thinkers 

that as we push for women 

empowerment and 

participation, this shouldn’t be 

at the detriment of the male folks 

who may suffer neglect just to 

ensure women are given a 

chance. 

“This concern seemed 

legitimate to the extent that it is 

being anchored on the fact that 

women should not be given a 

place above men just because 

they are women but only 

because they merit it. 

Therefore, the consciousness for 

gender-balance should not 

override merit and competency. 

“No doubt, women and girls 

everywhere, must have equal 

rights and opportunity and be 

able to live free of violence and 

discrimination. Women’s 

equality and empowerment is 

one of the 17 Sustainable 

Development Goals, also 

integral to all dimensions of 

inclusive and sustainable 

Continues on page 27 

C 

M 

Y 

K


IWD: Why Rite Foods wants to 

celebrate women in special ways 

— MD Rite Foods 

•Laments continuous subjection of women to discrimination 

By Elizabeth Uwandu 

MR Seleem Adegunwa, 

Managing Director, 

Rite Foods Limited, RFL, has 

stated that as part of activities 

marking the 2019 

commemoration of 

International Women’s Day, 

tagged: BalanceforBetter, 

the company was delighted 

to give Nigerians, especially 

the females, a treat come 

March 30. 

RFL MD, who described 

women as the salt of the 

world said there was a need 

to celebrate the female 

gender, noting that IWD was 

a time to reflect on the 

progress women have made; 

a period to call for change 

and to celebrate acts of 

courage and determination 

by ordinary women who 

have played extraordinary 

roles in the history of their 

country and communities. 

Adegunwa whose company 

IWD: How far can MDG 5 go? 

Continues from page 26 

development. In short, all the 

SDGs depend on the 

achievement of Goal 5. 

“The theme of this year’s 

International Women’s Day is a 

call to action. To ensure gender 

equality by 2030 requires urgent 

action to eliminate the many root 

causes of discrimination that still 

curtail women’s rights in 

private and public spheres. For 

example, discriminatory laws 

need to change and legislation 

adopted to proactively advance 

equality. 

“The bitter truth here is that 

political power for instance, is 

given but you have to go for it. 

The womenfolk need to rally 

round themselves to collectively 

change the political landscape 

to favour the women. 

“In the just-concluded 

elections, many women 

indicated interest in running for 

one office or the other, how many 

women voted for their fellow 

women? Most men who 

emerged winners got their 

victory through majority 

votes from women. So, many 

a times, women are their own 

enemy,” he said. 

Meanwhile, Julia Atta, 

Production Manager for 

Milks in Nestle Ghana, noted 

that “For any woman in a 

male-dominated 

environment, even a genuine 

reason can become a 

woman’s excuse. For 

example, I felt I had to turn 

down an opportunity to go 

into production because I got 

makes Bigi & Rite 

Sausages, Bigi Beverages, 

Bigi Premium Table Water 

and Fearless Energy Drinks, 

explained that “IWD 

celebrated on March 8 yearly 

serves as a focal point in the 

movement for women’s 

rights. Its origin is traced to 

the beginning of Russian 

women suffrage in 1917 and 

became an international 

celebration for women in 

1975 by the United Nations. 

“However, despite Nigeria 

being a member to the UN 

alongside many other 

countries, women and girls 

who represent half of the 

world’s population are still 

subjected to all sorts of 

gender discriminative 

practices. 

“Unfortunately, there is still 

an extremely long way to go 

in achieving satisfactory 

equality of rights and 

opportunities between men 

and women. Therefore, it is 

pregnant, even though 

factory management made me 

an offer. At the time, I was 

unsure it was the right 

decision to join, as 

production was not seen as an 

ideal environment for my 

‘condition’,” Julia said. 

Women leaders 

inspiring other women 

Creating a solid pipeline of 

female talent across all levels 

enables more women to climb 

of paramount importance to 

think equal, build smart and 

innovate changes that will 

end the multiple forms of 

gender violence and secure 

equal access to economic 

resources and participation 

in political life,” Adegunwa 

explained. 

Speaking on the activities 

lined up for the campaign 

tagged Food, Drinks and 

Her 2019, he said Rite Foods 

Limited is especially going 

to celebrate women in two 

arms with activities such as 

Pitcher’s Corner & Speed 

Networking Spot; Robotic 

Vending Machine; 

Subsidized RFL products for 

Purchase; 3d video & photobooth 

RFL branded 

machine; RFL Branded Dart 

Board raffle draw. 

“The first arm is targeted 

at Rite Foods Limited 

followers on social media 

platforms and individuals 

up the career ladder to top 

positions, which has a ripple 

effect of encouraging other 

women to achieve their 

goals. 

“Being a career woman is 

never a burden or added 

responsibility, but a platform 

to inspire and motivate the 

people you are lucky enough 

to impact,” Julia continued. 

“When a woman is 

appointed to a leadership 

role, some people believe 

•Adegunwa 

interested in women 

empowerment, rights and 

equality; while the second 

arm of this campaign aside 

from the pre-event 

registration stage is the 

this is because of a gender 

balance strategy and not 

based on merit. It must be 

based on non-discrimination, 

equal opportunities, 

competence and providing 

the right support for both 

men and women in the 

workplace. This is how we 

will be genuinely able to 

highlight and remove the 

roadblocks to career 

advancement at work,” she 

added. 

main event and is 

targeted at women in 

the cocktail business in 

Nigeria; specifically 

the Female Mixologist 

Association of Nigeria. 

“So, March 30 will be 

exclusively all-women 

affair that will have two 

sessions. The morning 

session will witness: 

Augmented Reality 

Display of Fearless 

with an RFL branded 

woman as the subject; 

Networking amongst 

mixologists and panel 

discussion session to be 

moderated by Lara 

Rawa & Mrs. 

Adegunwa; including a 

3D Motion RFL 

branded interactive 

photo-booth. 

“The afternoon 

session will feature: 

Cocktail Innovation 

Contest; Unique RFL 

chill out at the spot and 

a panel discussion 

moderated by 

Aderonke Sobodu.” 

Adegunwa added: “Our 

primary audience will 

include women from age 18 

and above that will come 

from urban, semi-urban and 

rural areas. They are women 

who are technically savvy 

and use the net to impact 

lives. The second audience 

is men aged 18 years and 

above and are urban, semiurban 

and rural dwellers. 

These are men who desire 

gender balance and already 

engaging in activities that 

encourage gender 

equality. ” 

Gender 

equality 

On the benefits of the 

programme, he said: “This 

event is aimed at 

communicating the Rite 

Foods brand in a light which 

supports gender equality, 

leveraging on the 

International Women’s Day 

platform which is known for 

its affiliation to fostering 

peace and unity amidst 

gender disparity in countries 

across the globe. 

“To promote the feminine 

gender and create a platform 

highlighting the strength of 

a woman, their survival in 

the male-dominated society; 

create a platform where 

women can interact, educate 

and pitch ideas to each other; 

engage and have a personal 

relationship with the brand’s 

female consumers; create 

brand visibility and 

awareness to prospective 

and already existing 

consumers and; place the 

Brand in the positive space 

of the consumers’ minds by 

generating unique ideas, 

activities and engagement to 

commemorate the 

International Women’s Day,” 

Adegunwa intoned.


IWD: Why we’re equipping 

women and men for gender 

balance coverage — Alaka 

•says a balanced newsroom 

is a better newsroom 


JOINING its voice to others 

in celebrating the 2019 

International Women’s Day, 

the Wole Soyinka Centre for 

Investigative Journalism has 

said it is not only working for a 

#BalanceforBetter newsroom, 

but that it is intentionally 

equipping women and men for 

a gender-balanced media 

coverage. 

In a statement signed by the 

Centre Coordinator, 

Motunrayo Alaka, the call for 

gender parity across board is an 

ultimate call for a better 

functional world. 

According to her: “The 

importance of women in 

society has always been 

undeniably huge. Women have 

proven that they are also full 

members of society having 

their influence on all areas 

unconditionally. Our societies 

are evolving, so also our 

attitudes and outlooks; women 

are no longer relegated in the 

various spheres of life and this 

is amazing. 

“However, the percentages 

and ratio of female to male 

being heard is unimpressively 

low. The 2019 IWD theme: 

Balance for Better, illustrates 

how there is an urgent need for 

a balance of roles played 

between the female and male 

gender in the society. 

“Society says the woman is too 

short, too tall, too talkative, too 

quiet, not skilled enough, too 

skilled. When it’s her turn, the 

men in charge raise questions. 

It is the primitive patriarchy 

way but it is only a matter of 

time. Change has happened. 

Society will have to catch up. 

The Wole Soyinka Centre of 

Investigative Journalism took 

to training female reporters 

and journalists through the 

ReportWomen! Female 

Reporters Leadership 

Programme , FRLP, supported 

by Free Press Unlimited, FPU, 

thereby equipping them with 

the right skills and tools to take 

on leadership roles as they 

influence 

gender 

mainstreaming in their 

newsrooms which in due 

course, affects every facet of the 

society. 

“ReportWomen is a project of 

the WSCIJ. It was launched 

in 2014 with the 

collaboration of the Royal 

Netherlands Embassy with 

the goal of increasing the 

reportage of the issues of 

access and abuse as they 

affect girls and women in 

Nigeria. It initially trained 

80 reporters across Nigeria, 

commissioned more than 31 

published stories and 

produced a documentary: 

The untold stories of girls 

and women in Nigeria, 

thereby contributing to 

bettering the existential 

realities of girls and women. 

Given some stories from the 

Fellows speak to why the call 

for balance for better is not 

just a women’s issue, but a 

call to drive a better working 

world, Akala revealed that, 

reports by female reporters 

are evident that there is 

more to do in terms of 

reporting issues relating to 

women and the girl-child. 


PROFESSOR Olabisi 

U g b e b o r 

is the first woman to be a 

Professor of Mathematics from 

the University of Ibadan, her 

alma mater. Born in Lagos and 

educated at Queen’s College, 

she gained admission to study 

Mathematics in 1969 at the 

University of Ibadan. 

She is among the few 

Nigerians who got a 

scholarship from secondary 

education to the Ph.D level. 

Prof. Ugbebor, a guest 

speaker at the event, spoke on 

Electioneering; the sad reality 

of the relegation of women to 

the background and the rise of 

girl-child molestation among 

other things. 

The Mathematician of repute 

lamented that only two 

candidates were known during 

the election. 

“Why has it always been a 

two-way race in all our 

elections? From 1999 to date, 

only two candidates matter, no 

matter how long and how many 

choices we have. Why? Why 

are we not prepared to take a 

chance and look at other 

candidates? 

“The election should be on 

the best irrespective of sex. See 

Nigerian women for instance, 

they are one of the best 

educated in the world because 

our fathers and mothers did not 

discriminate against us. Yet, 

someone said that he is a 

presidential candidate and 

refused to elect a vicepresident 

who is a woman. 

“However, the issue of 

insurgency and insecurity 

hinder over 50 per cent of 

Nigeria’s best brains. 

Insurgency crises affect 

children and adolescents very 

badly. They cannot go to 

school, they are not settled, 

their hands are in their mouths. 

Ten to 20 per cent of children 

worldwide now suffer from 

mental disorder. Can you 

imagine a child on her way to 

school being kidnapped? She 

may go mad because these are 

things they have not 

experienced before. These are 

things that are not part of our 

history; depression has not 

been part of our history. Think 

of Leah Sharibu. In the whole 

of Africa, it is expected that five 

per cent of the population aged 

15 and above, suffer from 

mental disorder. 

“These were not so when I 

was a little child. We were 

happy jumping up and down. 

All our houses were shrubs, 

nobody had high gates and 

everybody was everybody 

else’s keeper. In my 

neighborhood in Lagos when 

I was growing up, if a 

•Motunrayo Alaka 

Sexual abuse: If I was molested, how would I 

have become a professor? — Prof. Ugbebor 

•Prof. Ugbebor 

Christian is in labour, an Alhaji 

will come out by 2 am bring out 

his car and help her. Are these 

things here today? 

“I will like to ask the local 

government chairman, how 

many primary health care 

delivery systems do you have? 

How many members of the 

House of Assembly have 

donated part of their 

constituency allowance to 

ensure that these clinics have 

doctors? What about violence 

against children, how many 

cases were dealt with? How 

many children were removed 

from such a situation? These 

are the questions to ask in 

order to make choices in the 

future. 

“Again, I do not care what 

people have been asking 

before. But what about 

security? There is a village 

close to Abuja where girls have 

stopped going to school 

because there are no good 

roads and transporters cannot 

ply that route. They trek miles 

to go to school and on their way 

back, they are kidnapped. 

“What is the Councillor or the 

potential Councillor doing? 

I am telling you if roads are 

fixed, and the vehicle can ply, 

parents will tell the drivers to 

look after their children. 

“If I were molested on my 

way to school, I will not be a 

Professor of Mathematics 

today. We were protected by 

this country. We were the 

apples of our parents’ eyes. 

Nobody dared touch us. And 

then people give away their 

children at 13 to become the 

fourth, fifth wife when brains 

are being honed when they are 

supposed to study 

mathematics, physics and 

economics to take Nigeria out 

of doldrums. 

According to her, everyone 

has a role to play in ensuring 

a gender-balance for a better 

economy and state. The 

media plays the role of a 

gatekeeper, scorekeeper, 

and a watchdog. This goes 

a long way in ensuring 

equity in society and the 

shaping of public opinions. 

A balanced newsroom looks 

at stories from every side. 

Balance makes both equal. 

Equal makes both better and 

better yields more gain! 

Balance drives a better 

working world. 

“Today, the importance of 

women in society is beyond 

any suspicion. Women with 

their ambitions, intelligence 

and strength have proved 

that the word “inferior,” has 

nothing in common with 

their gender,” she said. 

Speaking on poverty 

alleviation and unemployment, 

she said: “Do you know that 

there are no programmes for 

poverty alleviation? This 

government has disappointed 

us over and over again. 

Everybody put their mind in 

this current president, that 

when he comes, everything 

will be okay. But alas, 

disappointment is now a 

welcome song. And everybody 

says to your tent O Israel. Let 

us go back to regionalism. If we 

had not been tribalistic, 

Nigeria would have been a 

giant in the world. 

On education 

Now, educational policy has 

to do with poverty. There is a 

formula in Mathematics called 

markup chain theory. It has 

been able to prove that if a 

woman scrubbing floor and has 

a brilliant son or daughter and 

he is allowed free education or 

scholarship, that child can buy 

a house for the mother in her 

lifetime. But when you remove 

all these opportunities, as 

scholarships are not available, 

people become all kinds of 

things. 

Education is not well funded, 

mathematics education is 

dysfunctional; education 

should be encouraged to a high 

level. We are very brilliant in 

Nigeria, but we need moral 

character. A strong correlation 

exists between the 

understanding of mathematics 

and its pursuit to research on 

the one hand and economic 

prosperity on the other hand. 

If all these indices that affect 

our choices are put into place, 

education, good road, quality 

health care system etc., there 

will be no rigging in the 

election.



japhdave@yahoo.com 

08066625505 

Race for 2019 LNG Prize for 

Literature begins 

By Japhet Alakam 

THE race for the 

eventual winner of the 

US$100,000 prize for The 

2019 Nigeria Prize for Literature 

and The Literary 

Criticism Prize has started. 

This follows the formal announcement 

of call for 

entries by the The Advisory 

Board for the prizes comprising 

Emeritus Professors Ayo 

Banjo and Ben Elugbe in 

addition to Professor Jerry 

Agada, requesting writers to 

submit their entries. The 

yearly literary prize is endowed 

by Nigeria Liquefied 

Natural Gas, NLNG, 

Limited to honour the author 

of the best book by a Nigerian 

within the last four 

years. 

The Literature Prize now 

in its 15th year comes with 

a money prize of $100,000 

whereas the Literary Criticism 

Prize has N1 million 

as reward. 

The prize rotates among 

four literary genres – prose 

fiction, poetry, drama and 

children’s literature. This 

year is for children’s 

literature and as expected, 

the Nigeria Prize for Literature 

2019 will be looking for 

entries for this year’s edition 

in children’s literature. The 

organisers have also included 

a new category for 

literary criticism. 

The Nigeria Prize for Literature 

is the richest prize 

in African literature worth 

US$100,000 to the winner. 

The prize which was 

founded in 2004 to honor 

literary erudition by 

* Past winners of Children’s literature: Adeleke 

Adeyemi (2011) and Prof. Akachi Adimora- 

Ezeigbo (Co-winner 2007). 

Nigerian authors rotates 

among four genres, repeating 

the cycle every four 

years. 

The Literary Criticism 

Award 

This year, the prize has 

upped the ante as it seeks 

entries for literary criticism 

as well. As the aim is to promote 

Nigerian literature all 

over the world, this prize is 

open to all critics wherever 

they may come from. Contestants 

will send in three 

critical essays published in 

majorly scholarly journals 

with a track record of dedication 

to excellence and an 

international circulation. 

The winner of this prize 

will go home with 1,000,000 

Naira. 

Just like with the drama 

prize, all entries must be 

made by April 5, 2019 and 

winners will be announced 

in October and will be 

presented to the public on a 

later date. 

The Nigeria Prize for Literature 

has since 2004 

rewarded eminent writers 

such as Gabriel Okara (cowinner, 

2004, poetry), 

Professor Ezenwa Ohaeto 

(co-winner, 2004, poetry) for 

The Dreamer, His Vision; 

Ahmed Yerima (2005, 

drama) for his play, Hard 

Ground; Mabel Segun (cowinner, 

2007, children’s 

literature) for her collection 

of short plays, Reader’s 

Theatre; Professor Akachi 

Adimora-Ezeigbo (co-winner, 

2007, children’s 

literature) for her book, My 

Cousin Sammy; Kaine 

Agary (2008, prose) for her 

book, Yellow Yellow; Esiaba 

Irobi (2010, drama) who 

clinched the prize posthumously 

with his book, Cemetery 

Road; Adeleke 

Adeyemi (2011, children’s 

literature) with his book, The 

Missing Clock; Chika 

Unigwe (2012, prose), with 

her novel, On Black Sisters 

Street; Tade Ipadeola (2013, 

poetry) with his collection of 

poems, The Sahara 

Testaments; Professor Sam 

Ukala (2014, drama) with 

his play, Iredi War; Seasons 

of Crimson Blossom, 

Abubakar Adam Ibrahim 

(2016, prose); The 

Heresiad, Ikeogu Oke 

(2017, poetry) and Embers, 

Soji Cole (2018, drama). 

Improving reading culture: Octogenarian calls 

for return to British system of education 


NIGERIA’s education 

system will be better 

improved if the country promotes 

reading culture and 

also revert to British system 

that included: primary, 

secondary, further, and 

higher education. This was 

the submission of Mrs 

Maureen Bakare, first 

Director-General of Lagos 

State Commission for 

Women. 

Mrs Bakare who holds a 

degree in English Language 

& History from the 

University of Ibadan and a 

Postgraduate Diploma in 

Education from the University 

of Leeds in the UK, 

recently marked her 81st 

birthday by hosting the Association 

of Nigerian 

Authors, ANA, Lagos chapter 

in her residence. She 

noted that education standard 

was poor because 

teacher education was also 

poor. 

According to the former 

Director-General of Lagos 

State Service Commission: 

“Education is poor presently 

because the teachers themselves 

receive poor training. 

So I think Nigeria should go 

back to the British system of 

education as it has been 

* Mrs Maureen Bakare(m) reading during her 

81st birthday, flanked by Mr Adeyemi Adebiyi, 

ANA Lagos chairman(left) and a guest. 

proven to be less expensive 

to run. And at the end, the 

children have a sound 

education,“ she said. 

Speaking on how she was 

able to keep fit, read without 

glasses, remember and 

describe historical events, 

Mrs Bakare said the impact 

of reading to a nation cannot 

be over-emphasised. “The 

secret to my retentive 

memory is reading. 

“I believe that there is future 

for the education sector 

if the government does the 

right thing by funding the 

sector; improving on the 

teacher training quality, including 

the enthronement 

of reading culture. These 

will go a long way to 

promote communication.“ 

On his part, Mr Yemi 

Adebiyi, chairman, ANA Lagos 

chapter who led writers 

such as Brenda Nwafor, 

ANA Lagos-Secretary; Sola 

Alamutu, Linda Davis; Dr 

Noble; Yinka Kadiri and 

others to honour Mrs 

Bakare said the contribution 

of the Octogenarian to Arts 

and Education will remain 

indelible. 

How Amosun bowed to Labour power 

•To clear arrears of deductions by April among other agreements 

By Victor Young 

DESPITE receiving 

billions in bailout 

funds, Ogun State 

Government continues to 

owe its workers arrears of 

salaries. Mostly affected 

are workers of the Tai 

Solarin College of Education 

who have been owed 

arrears of salaries and 

pension for close to a decade.” 

These were the words of 

the President of Nigeria 

Labour Congress, NLC, 

Ayuba Wabba, while addressing 

guests and 

delegates at the opening 

ceremony of the recent 

12th Quadrennial National 

Delegates Conference of 

NLC, on February 5, 2019. 

According to Wabba: 

“The Ogun State 

Government had also purportedly 

proscribed the 

Senior Staff Union in Colleges 

of Education, Nigeria, 

SSUCEON, branch 

in the College of 

Education. Many workers 

of the Tai Solarin College 

of Education have fallen 

victims of avoidable 

ailments and even 

untimely death as a result 

of the victimisation by the 

Ogun State Government. 

The state government has 

also refused to remit all 

statutory deductions from 

the wages of workers in the 

state to the unions for the 

past three years. 

“Furthermore, Chairman 

of the Ogun State Council 

of the NLC, Comrade 

Akeem Ambali, was disengaged 

from his employment 

with the state government 

since 2015. His crime 

was that he diligently represented 

the interest of 

workers in Ogun State. 

Congress had approached 

*Gov. Ibikunle Amosun 

Ogun State Government a 

number of times to reverse 

this unjust decision but had 

always met a brick wall. In 

our letters, we reminded 

Governor Amosun that Nigeria’s 

1999 Constitution 

grants freedom of association 

to workers and that the 

provisions of our Trade Union 

Act and ILO Conventions 

protect the right to 

unionisation. Ogun State 

Governor has refused to 

honour agreement on the 

utilisation of the bailout 

fund. We shall immediately 

from this Conference 

schedule a day of protest 

in Ogun State. 

"As expected, one of the 

resolutions of the 

conference was a March 5, 

day of protest in Abeokuta 

to solidarise with workers 

of Ogun State who had 

allegedly been dehumanized 

and denied their benefits. 

There is no doubt, the 

face-off between the state 

government and Labour 

had been on for more than 

three years. 

But with the mandate of 

NLC’ NDC, the highest 

decision-making body of 

congress, the stage was set 

for a major confrontation 

between Ogun State 

Government and Organised 

Labour. 

As mobilisation for the 

*Ayuba Wabba, NLC 

President 

protest heightened, there 

were reports that the 

government was talking 

tough and threatening to 

disgrace leaders of NLC 

should they dare enter the 

state. 

Labour grievances 

Responding to the purported 

threat, Wabba 

declared that NLC had 

“taken note of the threat by 

Governor Ibikunle Amosun 

but we want to assure him 

that his threats will not 

deter us from defending the 

interest of workers in Ogun 

State whose rights he has 

been trampling upon 

especially on the following 

issues: 

1. The non-remittance of 

statutory deductions from 

workers’ salaries for pensions, 

cooperative, ileya, 

Christmas etc. over a 

period of one hundred and 

five (105) months; 

2. The non-utilisation of 

the last tranche of the Paris 

Club refund for the 

payment of gratuity for both 

state and local government 

workers since 2013 despite 

signing a collective 

bargaining agreement 

with organised labour in 

Read full story on 

www.vanguardngr.com 

Prudency, professionalism, drive our new 

philosophy — FOBTOB 

FOOD, Beverage and 

Tobacco Senior Staff 

Association, FOBTOB, has 

disclosed that prudency and 

professionalism are the core 

values driving its new philosophy 

to distinguish itself 

from other unions in the 

country. 

President of the 

association, Quadri 

Olaleye, at a get-together 

with a cross section of media 

to appreciate journalists for 

their support over the years, 

said many things have happened 

differently since the 

inception of his administration. 

According to him, the 

association had imbibed 

prudency and professionalism 

as part of its core values 

in its operations, saying: 

“Before, we used to have different 

offices in a building, 

now we have an open office 

which is part of our journey 

to excellence. It makes us 

work faster, respond to issues 

faster and it also builds our 

inter relationship. We are a 

union and we want to be different 

in the comity of unions 

even with the way we do 

things. The reason is because 

we belong to private 

sector and the way we do 

things in our sector especially 

the food and beverages, 

we want everybody to 

recognise us as totally different 

union from others. 

“By our constitution and 

agreement, the only people 

that are exempted from being 

our member are the 

Managing Directors and the 

Human Resources Directors, 

all other directors are our 

members. A union that a Director 

belongs to, makes the 

union different from the 

common ones, this has led 

us on the journey for 

excellence. As at the time the 

present executive came on 

board, there was no fund to 

carry out activities and we 

were asking our employers 

to donate for us to meet some 

of our immediate obligations, 

but now things have 

changed.” 

On some of his leadership’s 

achievement so far, 

Olaleye said: “In 2017, we 

commissioned a 26- room 

hostel in Kwara State University, 

KWASU; in 2018 we 

were in Auchi Polytechnic to 

launch another 24 rooms 

hostel. As we speak, we have 

kick-started another which is 

double of the ones in the 

previous locations, a 49- 

room hostel in Oye Ekiti, 

Ekiti State, to be commissioned 

in 2020. We are distributing 

the hostels according 

to how our union is structured. 

We put ourselves 

under pressure to be accountable 

as an association. 

There are a lot of companies 

that we have not covered; 

Nigerians need more than 

whatever they are getting 

presently.” 

Continuing, Olaleye informed 

that the decline in 

students' performance in 

universities had spurred the 

association to come up with 

a merit award initiative.

PRESIDENT Muhammadu 

Buhari recently told 

leaders of the Arewa 

Consultative Forum who paid 

him a congratulatory visit that 

he would work harder in his 

second term. “This is my last 

lap”, Buhari said, “I will try to 

work harder.” The subtext is an 

admission that he didn’t work 

hard enough in his first term. 

Most people would say he 

didn’t work hard at all! But a 

president who ballsed up his 

first term cannot blithely 

promise to work harder in his 

second because it’s “my last 

lap”. Why is Buhari’s “last lap” 

more important than his first? 

Four years is too significant in 

a nation’s life to be wasted! 

You might admonish that the 

election has come and gone; we 

should look forward, not back. 

I agree. But Buhari’s comment 

raises two questions about the 

future. The first is that, going 

forward, can he really work 

harder? The second is: Even if 

President Buhari can work 

harder in his second term, is 

that what he should do? Well, 

on the first question, my view 

is that Buhari, who relishes 

being called “Baba Go-slow”, 

cannot, in fact, work hard, let 

alone harder. And on the 

second, well, I believe Buhari 

mustn’t “try to work harder,” 

which, in any case, he can’t do, 

but work smarter! 

By his own admission, 

President Buhari is not a hard 

worker. In 2016, during a visit 

Second term: Buhari must 

work smarter, not harder 

to General Olusegun Obasanjo 

on the 40th anniversary of the 

creation of Ogun State, Buhari 

thanked Obasanjo for tolerating 

him as Minister of Petroleum 

during his military regime 

(1976-79), “because God knows 

that I am not used to working 

as hard as he used to.” In 2015, 

Buhari said in South Africa that 

he wished he had been 

president at a younger age, 

adding: “Now, at 72, there is a 

limit to what I can do.” If Buhari 

couldn’t work hard as a 34-yearold 

minister and considered 

himself limited by age at 72, 

why should anyone believe he 

can work “harder” as a secondterm 

president at 76 going on 

to 80? 

Those who know Buhari attest 

to his inability to work hard, his 

laid-back and hands-off work 

ethics, and his slackened 

approach to issues. One senior 

politician, said to be close to the 

president, told the Financial 

Times: “General Buhari doesn’t 

delegate, he abdicates,” which 

chimes with the view that he 

surrendered the running of the 

country to a shadowy cabal. 

Leaders must be readers, but a 

Buhari ally, Junaid 

Mohammed, once said that: 

“Buhari couldn’t read two 

As president, 

Buhari doesn’t really 

need to work very 

hard, but he needs to 

work smarter by 

providing the right 

vision and 

leadership 

pages of a book in a year.” 

Whether in jest or in earnest, 

Buhari himself said: “I am a very 

slow reader,” blaming being an 

ex-soldier! So, Buhari’s promise 

to work harder this time must 

be taken with a pinch of salt! 

But that brings me to the 

second point. Buhari doesn’t 


need to work harder; rather, he 

must work smarter. Of course, 

hard work has long, rightly, 

been venerated. Thomas 

Edison famously said that: 

“There is no substitute for hard 

work.” But in recent times, 

attention has shifted to working 

smarter. There are several books 

on “How to work smarter, not 

harder.” This shift is not 

intended to denigrate hard 

work, but to stress that working 

smarter, that is, intelligently, 

produces better results than just 

working harder! 

As president, Buhari doesn’t 

really need to work very hard, 

but he needs to work smarter 

by providing the right vision 

and leadership and by 

assembling a team of talented 

technocrats to deliver the 

vision. Unfortunately, President 

Buhari did none of these in his 

first term. He didn’t provide the 

right vision for this country; he 

didn’t show real leadership; 

and he formed a largely 

mediocre and incompetent 

cabinet. 

In a recent editorial, the 

Financial Times wrote that: 

“Buhari ran a lacklustre 

administration, with no obvious 

sense of direction, and no 

coherent strategy.” That’s not a 

commentary on his inability to 

work hard, but, rather, on his 

lack of vision and competence. 

It takes vision and competence 

to create a sense of direction 

and a coherent agenda, 

implemented by able 

Send Opinions & Letters to: 

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technocrats. Buhari runs a 

statist government, but any 

government can ban any 

product or control anything. 

However, it requires more 

intellectual rigour and 

competence to develop policies 

that generate economic 

prosperity and increase general 

welfare. Buhari also rejects 

political restructuring; but it 

takes more than brute state force 

to engender stability and unity 

in a multi-ethnic nation. 

In his congratulatory 

message, General Ibrahim 

Babangida, former military 

ruler, advised President Buhari 

“to be creative in formulating 

policies that would improve the 

nation’s economy” and “to heed 

to the yearnings of reasonable 

Nigerians for restructuring.” 

Essentially, Babangida was 

urging Buhari to work smarter 

by embracing sensible policies, 

such as business-friendly 

reforms and restructuring. 

Surely, working smarter 

requires an attitude adjustment. 

Unfortunately, President Buhari 

has promised a more-of-thesame 

agenda. “We have laid the 

foundations and we are 

committed to seeing matters to 

the end,” he said. 

Thus, for Buhari, working 

harder means pursuing the 

same failed policies. That’s not 

smart. It would hurt Nigeria and 

make his vaunted “last lap” a 

wasted opportunity as his first. 

He must work smarter, not 

harder! 

Resisting the assault on the spirit of Lagos 

By Tayo Ogunbiyi 

HIGHLIGHTING the ethnic and 

tribal composition of our great 

country is always a hurting venture for 

patriotic and detribalised minds. One of the 

banes of the country’s march to greatness is 

tribalism and ethnicity. Our diverse ethnic 

and tribal configuration has always been a 

major setback in our quest for a united, 

prosperous and strong nation. 

Unfortunately, the nation’s elite, rather 

than emphasise more on the things that bind 

us together as a people, often play the ethnic 

and tribal cards for chiefly selfish and other 

primordial considerations. The elite have 

discovered that ethnicity, tribalism and 

religious sentiments remain cheap channels 

through which they could play upon the 

intelligence of the ordinary folks in the 

country and they have learnt to use them to 

the maximum for their advantage. 

It is a common thing in Nigeria for 

political jobbers and certified opportunists, 

who usually have nothing good to offer the 

people, to fan tribal and ethnic sentiments 

across the land. Usually, the strategy is for 

them to pretend as defenders of the people; 

same people whose interests they have always 

trampled upon for ephemeral concerns. 

In Nigeria, Lagos remains, perhaps, the 

only major melting points where all 

Nigerians could feel at home, irrespective 

of ethnic and religious differences. There is 

no other state that has opened its doors to 

accommodate Nigerians of various shades 

as Lagos does. It has always been the 

tradition of successive governments in the 

state to accord every resident in the state 

fair deal in the scheme of things. 

This is the spirit of Lagos. It is this tradition 

that subsequent governments in the state has 

been building upon for years. Without a 

doubt, the state government is often 

motivated by a strong desire to build a state 

where everyone, irrespective of ethnic, tribal, 

religious and other such concerns, could 

productively earn a decent living in a safe 

and secure environment. The main goal is 

to have a state where ethnic and tribal 

considerations count for nothing. 

In Lagos State, in terms of strategic 

positioning, the Ministry of Budget and 

Economic Planning is, perhaps, the most 

crucial of all the State’s MDAs. It is the 

ministry that prioritises the expenditures of 

the state government. It is a testimony to the 

non-tribal disposition of the state 

government that this all important agency 

was once, for eight years, under the 

leadership of Mr. Ben Akabueze, a 

professional banker and economist of Igbo 

descent. To further reinforce its non-tribal 

posture, the Lagos State Government named 

a few of its housing estates as well as a parks 

after prominent Nigerians such as Chief 

Emeka Anyaoku and Rear Admiral Ndubuisi 

Kanu. 

In the past 19 years, Lagos has continued 

to show the way forward in its commitment 

to an indivisible Nigeria where no one is 

denied of opportunities for self actualisation 

on mundane considerations. The state’s 

primary, secondary and tertiary health 

facilities and, indeed, other such 

infrastructure remain accessible to all 

Nigerians without any discrimination. The 

State Security Trust Fund has continued to 

ensure the safety and security of every Lagos 

resident. The public primary and secondary 

schools in the state have continued to open 

their doors to all Nigerians irrespective of 

tribal and ethnic affiliations. 

Since the inception of the now popular 

Spelling Bee competition among public 

secondary schools in the state, some of the 

winners that have emerged as ‘One Day 

Governor’ sufficiently demonstrate the 

cosmopolitan nature of the state’s public 

schools. A breakdown reveals that out of the 

lots, two are from Edo State while the 

remaining four are of Igbo extraction. 

In Lagos State, excellence and competence 

remain major factors in the recruitment of 

its workforce. Apart from the Federal Civil 

Service, the Lagos State Public Service 

remains, perhaps, the only one in the country 

that employs people without regards to 

ethnic and tribal factors. Today, the State 

Public Service has in its fold Nigerians that 

cut across the major ethnic/ tribal divides in 

the country. 

While some states in the country employ 

The sad 

manipulation of our 

people through 

ethnic, religious and 

sectional differences 

has caused a lot of 

harm to our nation 

or even retrench based on indigenisation 

considerations, Lagos State has simply 

continued its policy of absorbing qualified 

Nigerians into its Public Service. It is on 

record that sometime ago, a state in the 

South-East zone disengaged ‘non-indigenes’ 

from its workforce. This has never been the 

case in Lagos State. 

The relative peace being enjoyed in the 

state is a reflection of the unrelenting effort 

of the state government to accommodate 

various interest groups in the state. On a 

regular basis, the state government 

organises stakeholders' meetings with the 

leaders of the ethnic/tribal communities in 

the state to rub mind together on how to 

make Lagos a better place for all. 

Specifically, the state government has a 

healthy relationship with the various ethnic 

and tribal groups in the state. The result of 

this robust relationship is the atmosphere 

of peace and harmony that currently reign 

in the state. 

The issues involved in the development 

and growth of Lagos State and, indeed, 

Nigeria transcends ethnic and religious 

sentiments. The brotherly love and bond that 

have existed between the Lagos State 

Government and the diverse ethnic and tribal 

groups in the state must not be 

compromised. Fifth columnists, whose 

major pre-occupation is to fan the ember of 

disaffection for self-seeking interests must 

not be allowed to profit, as it is their practice, 

from the current false campaigns. The 

hospitable nature of Lagos indigenes is 

legendary. It is a global legend that the 

people of Lagos State are hospitable. And 

so is the present government of the state and 

previous administrations. 

In a political season, unusual things 

happen and perhaps we are living in an 

interesting time. There is too much at stake 

for anyone to begin to incite non-indigenous 

population against their host state. It is a 

very dangerous and unwarranted pattern. 

The sad manipulation of our people 

through ethnic, religious and sectional 

differences has caused a lot of harm to our 

nation. It breaks the unity of our people and 

turns their attention away from the urgent 

and real matters of public interest. 

Given the current thinking in Lagos State, 

it is strongly believed that all stakeholders 

in the state should play a major role in 

ensuring the full realisation of the lofty 

policies and programmes of the state 

government for the common good. 

Therefore, to further strengthen the current 

development strides in the state, there must 

be continuous constructive engagements 

and collaborations between all groups, 

interests and actors in the state. This is the 

only way forward. This is the spirit of Lagos. 

•Ogunbiyi, a civil servant, wrote from 

Alausa, Ikeja, Lagos


Kaduna imposes dusk-to-dawn 

curfew on community 

•As leaders say over 100 persons killed in 3 days 

By Ben Agande 

K 

A D U N A — 

FOLLOWING the 

killing of no fewer than 100 

persons in three days by 

gunmen in some villages 

of the volatile Kajuru, 

Kajuru Local Government 

Area of Kaduna State, the 

state government, 

yesterday, imposed a duskto-dawn 

curfew on the area 

in a desperate move to 

arrest the killings said to be 

taking place daily basis. 

A statement by Chief 

Press Secretary to Governor 

Nasir el-Rufai, Samuel 

Aruwan, said the decision 

was informed by the latest 

“security assessment.” 

According to the 

statement, “security 

assessments have 

necessitated the imposition 

of a dusk-to-dawn curfew 

on all parts of Kajuru Local 

Government Area effective 

from today, Wednesday, 

March 13, 2019. The duskto-dawn 

curfew is also 

extended to Kujama and 

Maraban Rido, which are 

in Chikun Local 

Government Area. 

“The curfew in the 

affected areas will be in 

effect from 6pm to 6am 

daily, until further notice. 

Security agencies have 

been directed to ensure 

strict enforcement of the 

curfew. The Kaduna State 

government appeals to all 

residents and communities 

in the affected areas to bear 

the inconvenience of the 

curfew and cooperate with 

the security agencies.” 

Leaders say over 

100 persons killed 

Giving the detail of the 

killings, Adara 

Development Association, 

ADS, in a statement by its 

Assistant National 

Secretary, Luke Waziri, 

alleged that “terrorists have 

been wreaking havoc in our 

lands for long” with 

nothing being done. 

According to him, “first, 

Ungwan Barde was 

attacked on February 10, 

2019, and nobody said 

anything, though those in 

government knew about it. 

Furthermore, the 

government pretended that 

the 11 persons killed did not 

matter. 

"Then Karamai, another 

of our community was 

attacked on February 26 

with 38 persons killed. 

While the victims were 

buried in a mass grave and 

the injured yet to recover, 

Ungwan Barde village was 

attacked again on Sunday, 

March 10. 17 persons were 

killed and dozens of 

houses burnt. 

“The next day, while we 

were still searching for 

more dead bodies, Inkirimi 

and Dogonnoma villages 

in Maro were attacked. 52 

persons were killed and 

dozens injured. 

"The smoke had barely 

settled when an attack was 

launched in the evening at 

Ungwan Gora (Labi 

Village) with dozens injured 

and 43 houses burnt down. 

Thousands of households 

have been displaced now 

and are moving from one 

village to the other in 

search of safety and refuge. 

“In all these, not a single 

person has been arrested, 

not even questioned. This 

is despite the fact that all 

the attacks took place either 

in the morning or in the 

evening, in full glare of 

everyone.” 

VISIT: From left, Olaide Bamidele, Nike Atunrase, Gov-elect Lagos 

State, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu, and Director, Sanwo-Olu Integrity 

Group, Taiwo Jowosi, during a courtesy visit of Integrity Group 

members to the gov-elect. 

Middle Belt group knocks INEC over 

Benue gov poll 

By Peter Duru 

M AKURDI— 

MIDDLE Belt 

Movement for Justice and 

Peace, MBMJP, has taken a 

swipe at Independent 


Commission, INEC, for not 

declaring Governor Samuel 

Ortom winner of the March 

9 gubernatorial election, 

claiming available records 

show the Peoples 


candidate won the election. 

Recall INEC had declared 

Benue gubernatorial election 

inconclusive on the grounds 

that the margin of lead 

between Ortom and 

Emmanuel Jime of All 


APC, stood at over 81,000, 

which was less than the 

121,019 registered voters in 

areas that had their votes 

cancelled. 

Ortom scored 410,576 

votes while his closest rival, 

Jime, garnered 329,022 

votes. 

Reacting, yesterday, 

Convener of MBMJP, Joe 

Bukka, argued that the 

electoral body erred by not 

declaring Ortom winner of 

the election. 

According to him, “it is 

shocking for some of us. 

INEC is a body that works 

with statistics and they keep 

records as well. We all know 

from the records that 179 

polling units were affected in 

the cancellation. 

"Instructively from our 

record, which was obtained 

from INEC, the total number 

of Permanent Voters Cards, 

PVCs, collected by the 

electorate in the effected 

communities that host the 

PUs stands at 61,040. 

“This clearly indicated that 

there is no way the APC can 

cancel the over 80,000 

deficit. So why did INEC, 

which is the custodian of this 

statistical information not 

declare Governor Ortom as 

governor? We smell a rat and 

INEC must come out clean 

in this matter.” 

Simba Group, TVS celebrate International 

Women’s Day 

SIMBA Group, sole 

distributors of TVS tricycle 

brand has celebrated the 2019 

International Women’s Day 

with a women-empowerment 

focused event. 

The highlight of the event, 

hosted by Nollywood star, 

Chioma Akpotha, was the 

graduation ceremony for 30 

women from the latest batch 

of Simba’s “Queen Riders” 

programme, established to 

teach women from underrepresented 

backgrounds how 

to safely ride and repair 

tricycles to boost their families’ 

disposable incomes 

In attendance at the event 

were Ms Kuforiji aka “Mama 

Keke” and representatives of 

MISS, a microfinance 

institution that provides 

finance for graduates of the 

programme to buy TVS 

tricycles. 

Simba and TVS have a long 

association with women’s 

empowerment. The Simba 

Training School conducts 

advanced courses in tricycle 

repair and maintenance 

along with the riding 

programme. 

Speaking at the event, 

Akpotha encouraged the new 

graduates to confidently 

pursue their dreams, adding 

that women were equal to 

men and could even rise 

higher. 

Mama Keke, who has 

become a successful business 

woman, shared the story of 

the hardship she faced in her 

life and how she surmounted 

such to become successful. 

She also offered tips on how 

to succeed in the sector. 

A spokesperson for the 

Simba Group said: “This 

initiative is part of our humble 

efforts to empower women in 

Zamfara APGA rejects gov, 

Assembly polls results 

By Innocent 

Anaba 

ALL Progressive Grand 

Alliance, APGA, has 

rejected the results of the 

governorship and state 

House of Assembly elections 

conducted in Zamfara State 

and vowed to challenge the 

outcome at the tribunal. 

Governorship candidate of 

the party in the state, Alhaji 

Sani Shinkafi, in a statement, 

yesterday, said: “After 

consultation with our party 

members and a review of the 

outcome of the governorship 

and state House of Assembly 

elections conducted on 

March 9, 2019 in Zamfara 

State, we reject the results of 

the governorship and state 

House of Assembly election 

results announced by 


Electoral Commission, INEC. 

"The result was not the true 

reflection of the votes cast. We 

in APGA reject the result in 

all its entirety, as party agents 

in Bindin, Wonaka, Mada, 

Kware, Kurya, Dansadau, 

Cigama and all areas affected 

by the armed bandit activities 

across the 13 local 

government areas of Zamfara 

State said card readers were 

not used at all during the 

Nigeria while contributing to 

the economic development of 

the country and Nigerians in 

general." 

Mutu lauds Deltans over 

Okowa’s re-election 

M 

E M B E R 

representing 

Bomadi Patani Federal 

Constituency at the 

National Assembly, 

Nicholas Mutu, has 

commended the people of 

Delta State for voting 

massively for Governor 

Ifeanyi Okowa in 


election, saying it is a way 

of appreciating the 

governor for the 

development strives across 

the state. 

Mutu while reacting to 

the re-election of Governor 

Okowa for a second term of 

election. 

“Security agents and 

officials of INEC of 

collaborating with the 

candidate of All Progressives 

Congress, APC, to 

manipulate the exercise. 

Security agents, official of 

INEC and the state 

government’s vigilante 

group, called YANSAKAI 

collaborated to steal the 

mandate the Zamfara people 

gave to our party. 

"Our party agents told us 

how security agents which 

comprise of the military, 

mobile police overpowered 

them in some areas to 

manipulate, allocated and 

altered the results in 

connivance with INEC 

officials to turn down the 

victory of our party in favour 

of the APC. 

“The results were not the 

true reflection of the votes cast 

and we have decided to 

challenge the results of the 

election at the election petition 

tribunal. We are also going 

to challenge the 

disqualification of APC to field 

candidates for the elections 

due to their none conduct of 

the party primary in line with 

the provision of Section 87 of 

the Electoral Act 2010 as 

Amended. 

Alleged Internet fraudster 

docked in Ilorin 

By Demola 

Akinyemi 

I LORIN—ECONOMIC 

and Financial Crimes 

Commission, EFCC, 

yesterday, arraigned one Ajayi 

Temitope Charles, at the 

Kwara State High Court on a 

five-count charge of Internet 

fraud. 

The accused person, who 

pleaded not guilty to all the 

charges before Justice M. 

Abdulgafar, was allegedly 

caught with document with 

intent to defraud unsuspecting 

members of the public. 

In the first count against the 

accused, who is also known 

as Teresa Simon, it was said 

that, on February 28, 2019 in 

Ilorin, he had in his 

possession document in his 

gmail account containing false 

pretence with intent to defraud, 

and thereby committed an 

offence contrary to sections 6 

and 8 (b) of the Advance Fee 

Fraud and other related 

offences. 

Temitope Charles, who 

pleaded not guilty to all the 

charges when they were read 

to him, said in his statement 

that the male adult finder site 

on his system was meant to 

appear as woman to find 

friends and nothing more. 

four years, noted that the 

electorate overwhelmingly 

voted for Okowa due to the 

unprecedented 

performance in enhancing 

their living standard 

through the numerous 

empowerment 

opportunities made 

available by the 

government. 

According to him, "the 

massive vote from the 

electorate in Delta State for 

Governor Ifenayi Okowa is 

an expression of 

appreciation for the 

wonderful performance by 

Governor Okowa in his first 

term."


Election results true reflection of A'Ibom people's wishes—IPAC 

By Chioma Onuegbu 

U YO—OPPOSITION 

political parties in 

Akwa Ibom State, on the 

platform of Inter-Party 

Advisory Council, IPAC, 

have expressed satisfaction 

with the conduct of the 

elections in the state, 

stressing that the outcome 

was a true reflection of the 

wishes of the people. 

This assertion is 

contained in a statement by 

42 state chairmen and 

LEADERS of Ikwerre 

ethnic nationality have 

called on the Independent 


Commission, INEC, to 

immediately complete the 

process of the governorship 

and state House of 

Assembly elections by 

announcing results duly 

collated from all polling 

units in Rivers State. 

The Ikwerre leaders also 

called on President 

Muhammadu Buhari to 

withdraw his soldiers to 

allow the election process 

to be peacefully and 

credibly concluded. 

The leaders, drawn from 

Ogbakor Ikwerre, Ikwerre 

Chiefs and Elders Forum, 

Rivers vendors lament dip in sales over election crisis 

By Egufe Yafugborhi 

PORT HARCOURT— 

NEWSPAPERS 

vendors in Rivers State 

have raised the alarm over 

negative effect of stalemated 

Rivers State governorship 

and state House of 

Assembly elections on sales. 

Imoh Micah, Secretary, 

Newspaper Distributors 

leaders of IPAC in Uyo, 

yesterday. 

It said: “One indisputable 

lesson in the just-concluded 

elections in Akwa Ibom 

State is the majesty of God 

in the affairs of man and, of 

course, the unflappable will 

of the people to determine 

who rules them. 

“Democracy is about the 

supreme will of the people 

and not an exercise that is 

conducted under duress or 

through the nozzle of the 

gun or the sharp edges of 

Supreme Council of 

Ikwerre Traditional Rulers 

and Okpo Club of Nigeria, 

decried the illegal activities 

of the soldiers during the 


Role call 

Their position was 

presented by Chief 

Onueze Okocha(SAN) of 

Okpo Club, while 

addressing newsmen in 

Port Harcourt, yesterday. 

Other prominent leaders 

at the conference include 

Ochioha Orabule Adele 

(Ogbakor Ikwerre), 

Ochioha Professor Otonti 

Nduka (Ogbakor Ikwerre), 

Prince Paul Wonodi 

(Ikwerre Chiefs and 

Association of Nigeria, 

NDAN, Rivers chapter, told 

Vanguard in Port Harcourt, 

yesterday: “Anyone 

deluded that the avoidable 

crisis politicians have 

foisted on the elections in 

Rivers is promoting our 

sales is dead wrong. 

“People, including many 

who buy papers are angry. 

Look at major Aba Road, 

the bayonet. 

“The results of the 

elections are the true 

reflection of the wishes of 

the people. 

“We feel proud that in our 

lifetime, credible and 

people-centric elections 

could and were held and 

the voices of the people 

and their votes mattered.” 

The leaders of 

opposition parties, 

however, expressed 

dismay over claims by the 

opposition All 

Ikwerre leaders to INEC: 

Declare Rivers' results based 

on polling units 

Elders), Eze Ben Ugo 

(Supreme Council of 

Ikwerre Traditional Rulers) 

and Eze Morgan Amadi 

(Supreme Council of 

Ikwerre Traditional Rulers) 

They said: “The 

President, Commander-in- 

Chief of the Armed Forces, 

Muhammadu Buhari, 

should direct the Chief of 

Army Staff to immediately 

withdraw his soldiers to 

allow the election process 

to be peacefully and 

credibly concluded. 

“INEC should 

immediately complete the 



elections process by 

announcing results duly 

collated from all polling 

units of Rivers State.” 

The Ikwerre leaders 

blocked to traffic by security 

operatives to protect 

elections because of bad 


“People are suffering, 

taking detours, so they are 

not stopping to check 

papers, but just preoccupied 

with how to 

meander through the 

choking gridlocks. 

“As I speak, all our 


APC, that the elections 

were rigged by the 

electoral umpire in favour 

of People’s Democratic 

Party, PDP. 

They stressed that the 

elections only proved that 

PDP had a commanding 

almost cult-like 

followership in Akwa Ibom 

State and the results 

announced were the true 

reflections of that deep 

sense of fidelity to the party 

by Akwa Ibom people. 

PEPSODENT'S WORLD ORAL DAY: From left—Immediate past President, Nigerian Dental 

Association, NDA, Dr Bode Ijarogbe; Dental surgeon/Founder, Faces and Braces Dental Clinics, Dr. 

Remilekun Williams; President, NDA, Dr. Evelyn Eshikena; Category Manager, Oral Care, Unilever Nigeria, 

Toluwaleke Salu; Head, Dentistry Division, Ministry of Health, Bola Alonge, and Brand Manager, 

Pepsodent, Oluwaferanmi Muraina, during Pepsodent's 2019 World Oral Health Day briefing/oral health 

awareness walk in Lagos, yesterday. 

called on all Ikwerre sons 

and daughters in all 

political parties to 

immediately refrain from 

all actions that are 

exposing the people to 

insecurity and danger. 

They urged all communities 

in Rivers State to be 

vigilant to ensure that 

their communities are not 

used as theatres of 

election-related wars and 

brigandage. 

According to the 

Ikwerre leaders, the 

negative activities of the 

soldiers and policemen 

during the governorship 

and state Assembly 

elections appeared to be in 

line with the earlier threats 

by certain politicians to 

make the state 

ungovernable. 

vendors who sell papers 

between blocked Water 

Lines and Hotel 

Presidential returned to 

NDAN, yesterday, with 

their papers, complaining 

that people are not 

buying. 

“People are not happy 

and not confident with 

the results of the elections 

in Rivers. The dominant 

Okowa’s victory well 

deserved—Team Hilary 

TEAM Hilary for 

Okowa has 

described the landslide 

victory of Governor 

Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta 

State, as a well-deserved 

one. 


Director General of the 

group, Engineer Dan 

Ossai, Team Hilary said 

“Okowa’s second tenure 

endorsement by way of 

his landslide victory did 

not come as a surprise to 

many people 

considering his 

monumental 

achievements in all 

sectors and also his 

humane approach to 

governance. 

“All over the state, his 

imprint in all sectors can 

By Simon Adewale 

THE 

National 

Coordinator of 

Refuel Okowa, an 

initiative aimed at 

fuelling 100 tricycles and 

100 motorcycles monthly 

during the campaign for 


Okowa’s re-election, Mr. 

Okiemute Sowho, has 

congratulated Okowa of 

Peoples Democratic 

Party, PDP, on his reelection 

for a second term 

in office. 

Sowho, who is also the 

Youth Leader of Ward 3 

in Sapele, Sapele Local 

Government Area of the 

state, said the electorate 

deserve even a much 

bigger congratulation for 

rewarding Okowa’s 

exemplary and transformational 

leadership with 

be seen by the people. He 

believes in giving the 

people quality lifestyle 

through investment in 

gigantic and durable 

infrastructures, 

empowerment of the 

youth, indigent and 

women and many others. 

“From the spread of the 

votes for Okowa, it is 

obvious that it is a pan- 

Delta affair powered by the 

people’s belief in his 

genuineness and also 

sincerity of purpose in all 

his endeavours.” 

Team Hilary further said 

it was attuned to the 

promise made by Okowa 

that he will do much more 

in his second tenure, 

which will commence on 

May 29.” 

... as youth leader congratulates 

Okowa on his re-election 

OGBE Ijoh-based 

Ijaw Pressure 

Group has urged 

Governor Ifeanyi Okowa 

of Delta State to 

accelerate the human 

and infrastructure 

development of the state 

in appreciation of the 

revalidation of his 

mandate for another four 

years. 

In a congratulatory 

the electoral victory. 

Addressing newsmen, 

Sowho stressed that 

Okowa’s victory was well 

deserved in view of the 

positive impact of his 

administration on the lives 

of the people of the state, 

describing the outcome of 

the election as an 

expression of the will of 

the people. 

He added that he was 

confident that Delta State 

would witness greater 

level of development in all 

sectors during Okowa’s 

second term in office, as 

the elections in Delta State 

showed that performance 

still counts and that the 

average voter, if allowed 

to make his or her choice 

freely, would vote for the 

candidates and the party 

that have the greater 

impact on their lives. 

...Ogbe-Ijoh group, too 

complaints at the news 

stand is that Rivers people 

wanted change. 

“They wanted Atiku, but 

Buhari had been retained. 

“Now for governorship, 

it is very open that they 

are trying to rig the 

elections. They even 

accuse some newspapers 

of taking sides and not 

reporting the real situation.” 

message to Okowa, the 

group noted that his reelection 

for a second term 

by the people of the state 

was undoubtedly a 

testimony to Okowa’s 

administration’s impactful 

strides in the development 

of the state since 2015. 

Chairman of the group, 

Mr. Zinc Funpu, and 

Secretary, Mr. Patrick 

Mozimo, charged Okowa 

and all the newly-elected 

members of the state 

House of Assembly to see 

their victories as one for all 

Deltans and to deliver 

more projects for them 

during his second term. 

The group prayed God 

to endow the governor 

and the legislators with 

good health and wisdom 

to continue to steer the 

ship of the state on the 

path of peace, progress 

and prosperity.


Stay away from my 

Adoration Ministry, 

Mbaka warns politicians 

...says Buhari’s victory divine 

By Dennis Agbo 

E NUGU—SPIRITUAL 

Director of the 

Adoration Ministry Enugu 

Nigeria, AMEN, Rev. Fr. 

Ejike Mbaka has told 

politicians in the country to 

stay away from anything 

that concerns the spiritual 

affairs of his ministry. 

The fiery Catholic priest 

sounded the warning 

during his Wednesday 

weekly prayer at his prayer 

ground, at Umuchigbo- 

Nike, Enugu State. 

Mbaka also disclosed to 

the adoration worshipers 

that in a new revelation he 

had from God, "some set of 

social miscreants" would 

soon attack him. 

He stated that his 

religious inclination was a 

gift that God bestowed on 

him to save the captives and 

preach the message of God 

to his people. 

He said: “The gift I have 

is not sold in the market, 

neither do you get it 

anywhere in the world. So, 

when I prophesy, you are 

not in a position to criticise 

the prophesy I give 

SPAR wins 2019 best retail, 

superstore brand 

LEADING chain of 

hypermarket stores, 

SPAR, has emerged winner 

of the “Best Retail and 

Superstore Brand 2019” 

award in recognition of its 

excellent service to 

Nigerian consumers and 

value the brand has 

brought to West African 

sub-region. 

The announcement was 

made at the 3rd edition of 

the West Africa Brands 

Excellence Awards in 

Lagos. 

The annual award which 

is organised by the Institute 

of Brand Management of 

Nigeria, IBMN, is aimed 

at identifying, recognising, 

because it is from the oracle 

of the Holy Spirit. 

“Those who are still 

plotting for the downfall of 

the adoration ministry 

should remember the 

present condition of Mr. 

Peter Obi, politically and if 

they don’t desist from that, 

they will be failing in all 

their endeavours. 

“The victory of President 

Muhammadu Buhari is 

divine. Could anybody 

believe that after all the 

insults that were thrown at 

him, Buhari will win the 

presidential election? So, 

his victory has spiritual 

connotation. 

“Even in Enugu State, 

didn’t you see what 

happened? I told Senator 

Ayogu Eze the 

governorship candidate of 

the APC that he will not win 

the election and that 


Ugwuanyi will finish his 

eight years in office. Didn’t 

it happen? Out of over 

400,000 votes that were cast, 

was it not 10,000 votes that 

he got? So my prophesy is 

not from man, but from 

Enugu guber: Why my supporters 

stayed away —Ayogu Eze 

By Dirisu Yakubu 

A Director BUJA—MEDIA 

of the Senator 

Ayogu Eze Campaign 

Organisation, Okey 

Ezirigwe yesterday said 

supporters of the All 


APC, governorship 

candidate in Enugu State 

boycotted the Saturday’s 

election to protest what he 

termed the “curious” 

removal of the lawmaker’s 

name from the list of 

governorship candidates 

for the election a few days 

before the election. 

Mr. Ezirigwe said till the 

day of the election, the 

Senator’s name had not 

been restored to the list of 

candidates for the election, 

God" 

even after the Abuja Division 

of the Court of Appeal 

had ruled to that effect. 

“Though the Independent 


Commission, INEC, was 

served the court order at 

5pm on March 7, 2019, 

Senator Eze’s name was 

not on that list even by the 

time the polls closed at 

2pm on Saturday March 9, 

2019", the spokesman 

said. 

He wondered how INEC 

expected Eze to 

meaningfully participate 

in an election where his 

supporters had been 

informed in the umpire’s 

portal that he was no longer 

a candidate for that 

election. 

and rewarding companies 

that are renowned for 

introducing best branding 

management practices 

across West African. 

The Registrar/ Chief 

Executive of IBMN, 

Desmond Esorougwe, 

described the selection of 

SPAR as the "outcome of a 

study which placed the 

brand ahead in the retail 

industry in Nigeria. 

“SPAR Nigeria is 

renowned for its positive 

impacts on the lives of 

consumers. Its 

philanthropic gestures and 

the provision of innovative 

products and services are 

well known," he said. 

Mozambique-based Nigerian murdered 

during election in Imo 

O 

W 

By Chinonso 

Alozie 

E R R I — 

RELATIVES of 

Mozambique-based 

Uchenna Aguguo, who 

came to Nigeria during the 

elections to exercise his 

franchise, have cried out for 

justice over the murder of 

Aguguo, who was killed at 

a polling unit in Imo State 

where he had gone to cast 

his vote during the just 

concluded governorship 



Narrating their pains in 

Owerri, Chimezie 

Odoemena, Director Media 

and Strategy, to Victor 

Obinna Ogazie, Njaba 

Constituency candidate to 

Imo House of Assembly 

under the All Progressives 

Grand Alliance, APGA, 

called on politicians to end 

killing of innocent 

citizens. 

Aguguo was said to have 

been murdered at Polling 

unit 004, Umuaka Ward 4, 

in his Amiyi community in 

Njaba Local Government 

Area of the state. 

Odoemena said that the 

deceased was shot dead by 

suspected political 

assassins as he was trying 

to alight from his car to cast 

his vote, alleging that the 

political thugs also moved 

to Uba community to 

intimidate voters among 

other areas. 

He said: “What we are 

calling for now is total 

cancellation of the election. 

We are pleading that the 

security agencies in the 

state investigate the killing 

of our brother. We want 

those who planned this 

dastardly act to be exposed 

and face the law." 

He was worried that the 



INEC, had declared a 

winner for the Njaba State 

Constituency after 13 

polling units were 

cancelled, adding that the 

votes in the said polling 

units were over 6,000, 

claiming that Peoples 


candidate, Uju Onwudiwe 

Umahi plans to defect to APC before May 

29, says Ogbuoji 

•It's APC's new propaganda after rejection —Umahi’s aide 

•Ogbuoji's defeat has stripped him of political relevance 

in Ebonyi —Umahi 

By Dennis Agbo & 

Peter Okutu 

E NUGU—ALL 

Progressives 

Congress, APC, 

governorship candidate in 

Ebonyi State for last 

Saturday’s election, 

Senator Sonni Ogbuoji has 

alleged that Governor 

David Umahi of the state 

would defect to the APC on 

or before May 29 

inauguration day. 

Ogbuoji made the 

allegation in Enugu on 

Tuesday, at a press 

conference on the outcome 

of the February 23 


assembly elections in the 

state. 

He described the 

elections as "a mock 

exercise, where people 

were coerced to reject a 

happy future" and accused 

some of his party members 

of being moles in his camp. 

He said: “We therefore 

reject in its entirety, the 

shambolic exercise, the 

processes that led to it and 

the result or outcome. 

“I am aware also of those 

among us that desired the 

change we targeted to 

bring, seemingly worked 

for it but in the actual sense, 

worked in contrary direction 

and deliberately frustrated 

the change they claimed to 

belong. 

“A clearer picture of this 

is the information we have 

now that while the governor 

of Ebonyi State, David 

Umahi had acted as a mole 

in PDP all along, he has 

started making moves to 

ditch PDP and cross over 

to the APC on or before 

May 29." 

Ogbuoji however gave 

notice of approaching the 

tribunal for reversal of the 

Ebonyi mandate and 

urged faithful party 

members not to be 

discouraged. 

Ogbuoji lied 

—Umahi's aide 

Governor Umahi’s 

spokesman and Chief Press 

Secretary, Emmanuel Uzor 

however punctured 

Oguoji's claim , saying: “It 

is not true. It is one of the 

new propaganda of the 

APC, having been rejected 

by the people of the state. 

Umahi is more concerned 

on delivering quality 

development to the state 

and thinks less about 

politics.” 

could not have emerged 

winner. 

Odoemena said APGA 

had called for the total 

cancellation of the 

election. 

“On the day of the 

election, he was shot dead 

by thugs of our opponents 

at Amiyi community where 

he came to cast his vote. 

They also took their 

assassination attempt to 

Uba community, our 

candidate's home town. 

“We are calling on INEC 

to cancel the entire election. 

We are wondering why 

after 13 polling units were 

cancelled with over 6,000 

votes, INEC went ahead to 

declare the candidate of 

AA, Uju Onwudiwe the 

winner,” Odoemena said. 

FORUM: From left, Hakeem Belo-Osagie, Chairman, Métis Capital Partners; Professor Peter 

Tufano, Dean, Oxford Business School; and Aigboje AIG Imoukhuede, Chairman, Coronation 

Capital, at the Oxford Business Forum Africa. 

Ogbuoji no longer 

relevant in Ebonyi — 

Umahi 

Also reacting to Ogbuoji's 

allegation of defection, 

Umahi said the APC 

governorship candidate 

has been stripped of any 

existing political relevance 


He said: “Come to think 

of it, Ogbuoji alleged in his 

press conference that 

Governor Umahi was a 

mole in PDP, a statement 

that is not just unfortunate 

but irresponsible because 

he (Ogbuoji) lacks all 

moral justifications to know 

who is a mole and who is 

not because he represents 

what a typical mole in APC 

was. 

“Expectedly, a man 

rejected by both his family 

members and the 

generality of Ebonyi State 

like Senator Sonni Ogbuoji, 

has begun his immodest 

naked dance in the market 

place."


VISIT: 

Chief Medical 

Director, Jos University 

Teaching Hospital, 

JUTH, Professor 

Edmund Banwat (right); 

Deputy Governor of 

Plateau State, Professor 

Sonni Tyoden(2nd 

right); Governor Simon 

Lalong(middle) and 

other members of the 

cabinet during the visit 

to National Youth 

Service Corps, NYSC, 

members injured 

during election in Jos. 

Kaduna crisis: CAN, PFN sue 

for peace, unity 

By Sam Eyoboka 

FOLLOWING 

the 

protracted sectarian 

violence in Kajuru Local 

Government Area of 

Kaduna State, which has 

resulted in the loss of 

several lives and 

destruction of properties, 

Christian Association of 

Nigeria, CAN, in the 19 

northern states and Abuja 

as well as the Pentecostal 

Fellowship of Nigeria, 

PFN, have called on 

Kaduna State government 

to put an end to the killings 

and reunite the warring 

parties. 

Chairman of CAN in the 

19 northern states and 

Abuja, Rev. Yakubu Pam, 

and Secretary General of 

PFN, Apostle Emmanuel 

Kure, lamented the 

continued destruction of 

human lives while the 

authorities in the state 

appeared to be helpless. 

According to the CAN 

Chairman, “if Governor 

Nasir el-Rufai has just been 

re-elected despite his 

Muslim-Muslim ticket, he 

NNPC, Chevron sign gas 

agreement with Dangote 


THE Nigerian National 

Petroleum Corporation, 

NNPC, and Chevron 

Nigeria Limited, CNL, 

have signed a gas sale and 

aggregation agreement 

GSAA, with Dangote 

Fertiliser Limited, 

DFL, with Gas 

Aggregation Company of 

Nigeria Limited as 

aggregator. 

NNPC and CNL are 

obligated to supply 

70mmScf/d of natural gas 

to Dangote Fertiliser to 

start up the newly-built 

fertiliser plant. 

Mr. Jeffrey Ewing, 

should regard himself as 

true leader, demonstrate 

the spirit of unity and close 

this division that is going 

on in the state. That is the 

only way that I can say 

congratulations to el-Rufai. 

“Honestly, I am highly 

disappointed with what is 

happening. 

“El-Rufai should change 

his style of leadership. The 

government body 

language should be for 

By Emem Idio 

Y ENAGOA—TWELVE 

host communities in 

Ekeremor and Southern 

Ijaw Local Government 

areas of Bayelsa State have 

dissociated themselves 

from an alleged 21 days 

ultimatum to Shell 

Petroleum Development 

Company, SPDC, over 

Further Oil Development, 

FOD, OML 79 projects. 

They spoke in a 

statement, yesterday, in 

Yenagoa by the Community 

Chairman/Managing 

Director, CNL, Mr. Morgan 

Okwoche, Managing 

Director/CEO of GACN, 

and Mr. Devakumar 

Edwin, Group Executive 

Director, Strategy, Capital 

Projects & Portfolio 

Development of DFL, 

executed the agreement, 

respectively, on behalf of the 

three companies, while 

NNPC executed the 

GSAA. 


General Manager, Policy 

Government and Public 

Affairs, CNL, Esimaje 

Brikinn, it stated that 

“Dangote Fertiliser located 

at Ibeju Lekki, Lagos, is a 

unity. Everything at this 

point must be focused on 

uniting the state and that 

is what I will give him as 

an advice.” 

On his part, PFN 

Secretary-General, said: 

“We need to ask questions, 

because there is something 

not just right about it all. 

Once it is clear that it is 

strategic, we will hold the 

government accountable 

and we pray that the 

government is able to find 

solutions. 

“But it won’t change our 

Development Committee, 

CDC, chairmen of Amatu I 

and Amatu 2 communities 

Mr. Niowei Maya and Mr 

Hall Bara-Indi, 

respectively, and CDC 

chairmen of Bisangbene, 

Letugbene, Bilabiri I, 

Bilabiri II, Ezetu, Ekeni, 

Agge, Orobiri, Azambiri 

and Ogbentu communities 

under SPDC EA Field. 

It said the communities 

did not mandate anybody 

to speak on behalf of the 

host communities 

concerning the OML 79 

flagship mega project 

designed to support the 

Federal Government’s 

drive to develop the 

agricultural sector and inturn 

improve the Nigerian 

economy. 

“Natural gas is the 

feedstock of the Dangote 

Fertiliser plant. This GSAA 

for the supply of the major 

raw material needed to run 

the fertiliser plant is another 

demonstration of NNPC/ 

CNL Joint Venture, JV’s 

commitment to the 

domestic gas market. 

“It is currently the largest 

and most on-spec supplier 

of gas to the domestic 

market.” 

holding them responsible 

for security. They should be 

proactive in security and 

not wait till it happens. 

“There is a place the 

government looked into in 

Katchia council; that is 

where most people who do 

these things come from. 

“I warned them during 

our prayer summit at the 

stadium that it is 

important that the 

government finds a 

meeting point between the 

northern and the southern 

part of Kaduna.” 

Bayelsa communities dissociate selves 

from ultimatum to SPDC over OML 79 

projects. 

They said: “The 

allegations by some 

criminal elements, who are 

masquerading in the style 

of press release without 

including their identity for 

reasons best known to 

them, are aimed at 

distracting the good 

working relationship 

between SPDC and the 12 

EA host communities. 

“In line with the SPDC 

rules and regulations, we 

the EA Field 12 host 

communities chairmen, 

women leaders and youth 

leaders were invited to 

Freedom to Operate, FTO, 

meeting in Yenagoa, 

Bayelsa State capital, 

alongside the four Clusters 

Development Boards, 

CDB, chairmen to discuss 

contracts and employment 

accruing to the 12 

communities. 

“Same was shared 

among the 12 host 

communities chairmen, 

women, youth leaders and 

CDB chairmen. 

“The earlier statement of 

court action against SPDC 

after a 21-day ultimatum by 

one Mr. Paul Oweipade, 

who is not an indigene of 

Amatu 2 as he claims, is illmotivated 

and intended to 

jeopardise the good 

relationship between 

SPDC and the 12 EA Field 

host communities.” 

Delta gov, Assembly polls 

free, fair—Observers 

By Festus Ahon 

A 

S A B A — 

COALITION of 

Accredited Observers in 

Delta State for the 

general election has said 

the governorship and 

House of Assembly elections 

in the state were 

free, fair and devoid of 

any political malpractice 

to a great extent. 

The coalition, 

comprising domestic 

observer groups 

accredited to monitor the 

elections in Delta State, 

at a briefing on the 

outcome of the elections 

in the state in Asaba, 

said the awareness 

provided by the state 

government prior to the 

elections helped the 

electorate to conduct 

themselves in a manner 

By Egufe 

Yafugborhi 

PORT HARCOURT— 

AHEAD of the 



INEC, fact-finding 

progress report on 

stalemated Rivers State 



elections, Peoples 


has claimed victory in the 

suspended polls. 

The INEC team from 

Abuja came in Monday 

night and left 

unannounced yesterday. 

But Rivers PDP 

Chairman, Mr. Felix 

Obuah, yesterday, 

claimed reports at the 

disposal of the 

Funkekeme commends 

voters' turnout in Delta 

THE Director General 

of Delta State Peoples 


Campaign Organisation, 

Mr. Funkekeme 

Solomon, has 

commended voters in 

Delta State, saying the 

people understood that 

the positions being vied 

for directly affect their 

lives, hence the 

impressive turnout. 

Funkekeme explained 

that although the 

presidential and 

National Assembly 

elections witnessed a 

good turnout, the 



elections witnessed more 

g r a s s r o o t s 

representation in the 29 

polling units in Ojobo 

community. 

devoid of all forms of 

acrimony. 

The coalition Chairman, 

Sado Danladi, said: “The 

military personnel, 

especially the soldiers in 

Delta State, were very civil 

in their approach to this 

domestic exercise as they 

did not in any way 

interfere with the will of the 

people by trying to cow 

electorate to favour any 

political party. 

“They were unbiased in 

carrying out their duties 

and except for instances 

where they had to caution 

to prevent security 

breaches, they acquitted 

themselves with 

professional excellence.” 


reports from the fields 

were unanimous, 

commending all those 

involved in the elections. 

Rivers PDP claims victory 

ahead of INEC report 

commission indicated that 

his party had won all 

legislative seats so far 

collated and sure of victory 

for Governor Wike in the 

governorship. 

Obuah said: “Summary 

of the results so far shows 

PDP has won 26 states 

House of Assembly seats 

against perceived zero 

showing by Transport 

Minister, Chibuike 

Amaechi-backed African 

Action Congress, AAC’s 

perceived zero showing. 

“Obuah said PDP has 

also snatched 14 National 

Assembly seats in the 

suspended exercise. 

These victorious 

candidates would be 

among those to be issued 

certificates of return 

tomorrow(today).” 

Also, residents of the 

community in Burutu 

Local Government Area of 

the state lauded the 



INEC, security agencies 

and other collaborative 

agencies for the peaceful 

and well-coordinated 

conduct of the 


house of Assembly 

elections in their 

community. 

They noted that all 

involved in the exercise 

worked to see that it was 

successful, especially the 

early arrival and 

distribution of the 

materials, adding that 

contrary to earlier fears, 

Ojobo community was 

devoid of violence and 

card reader malfunction.

36— Vanguard, THURSDAY, MARCH 14, 2019 

08152060944 

Election violence: What remedy for victims? 

With the Presidential, National Assembly, governorship and state 

Assembly elections held, though supplementary elections were 

ordered in six states by the Independent National Electoral 

Commission, INEC, following their inconclusiveness, a new date of 

March 23, has, however, been fixed for supplementary elections to 

be held in those states, namely: Benue, Kano, Sokoto, Bauchi, Plateau 

and Adamawa. 

With the elections almost out of the way, attention is gradually 

shifting fully to the tribunals. 

As a matter of fact, the Presidential candidate of the People's 

Democratic Party, PDP, Atiku Abubabar is at the tribunal 

already. One common feature in the just-concluded February 23 and 

Electoral Act should be amended to protect 

Nigerians during elections ----Ekwunoh 

THE recent orgies of 

violence which punctuated 

the recently held elections in 

Nigeria, particularly in relation 

to the presidential election, 

have called for succinct 

examination of the place of our 

laws in aid, assistance and 

protection of their numerous 

victims, in line with the legal 

maxim and aphorism of ubi jus 

ibi remedium. 

States prominent in the most 

unfortunate unleashment of 

violence on sea of innocent 

citizens, who trooped out, in 

droves, in patriotic response to 

clarion calls for performance 

and discharge of civil duties 

and responsibilities to the 

country, include, but are not 

limited to, Rivers, Lagos, 

Borno, Adamawa, Kano, 

Kwara, Kaduna and Akwa 

Ibom. In these and other states, 

many people who went to 

purify the streams of 

democracy ended up in 

mortuaries and, if lucky, in 

hospital wards. 

No doubt, sponsorship of the 

acts of violence arises, mostly, 

from politicians, either with 

their parties’ subterranean 

support, or of their own 

individual motions, with its 

embers being fanned more in 

geo-political areas where 

performances of such parties 

and politicians are expected to 

be abysmally low. 

Sadly, plethora of penal 

provisions in the Electoral Act, 

2010, as amended, against 

perpetuation of electoral 

violence, though couched in 

fine platitudes, never frontally 

addressed direct remedial 

issues germane to violent 

afrontations, appurtenant to 

such victims, personally. 

Such provisions as sections 94, 

95, 96, 98, 126, 128 and 131 of 

the Act merely legislate 

against such highly 

reprehensible actions, as 

display or use of physical 

force, violence, coercion, 

incitement, disorderly 

conducts and manners, 

possession of offensive 

weapons, undue influence, 

infliction, or threat of infliction, 

of physical or spiritual injuries, 

abduction, duress and related 

criminalities, without converse 

provisions as to beneficial 

remedies such as restitution in 

integrum provisions, open and 

accruable to such victims. This 

is certainly, a sorry and 

regrettable lacuna in the Act. 

With the unfortunate lacuna in 

the Electoral Act (supra), 

*Morah Ekwunoh 

victims of such electoral 

violence have no choice than 

to have recourse to, and look 

upon, the provisions of both the 

Constitution of the Federal 

Republic of Nigeria, 1999, (as 

amended); and the African 

Charter on Human and 

Peoples’ Rights, (Ratification 

and Enforcement), as 

encapsulated in Volume 1, 

Cap.A9, Laws of the 

Federation of Nigeria, to which 

Nigeria is a leading signatory, 

in the comity of African 

nations. 

In the case of constitutional 

remedies, provisions in 

Chapter 4 thereof provides 

clear legal roadmaps for 

victims’ enforcement of 

infringed fundamental rights, 

as may inure to them. 

Sections 33 (1), 35 (1), 41, 44 

and 46 (1), among others, of 

the Constitution (supra) 

readily come in aid of such 

victims. 

Similarly, African Charter on 

Human and Peoples’ Rights ( 

Ratification and Enforcement 

Procedure) Act (supra), also, 

provides the fulcrum and hub 

upon which the engine of 

March 9 elections is the violence that characterised the process. About 

30 persons were said to have been killed during the Presidential and 

National Assembly elections of February 23. 

About the same number was killed during the governorship and 

state Assembly elections. Aside the deaths recorded, many are still 

in the hospitals on account of injuries sustained during the polls. 

This edition of Vanguard Law and Human Rights, features two 

lawyers, Mr Macaulay Ugwummadu, who is also Chairman of 

Committee for the Defence of Human Rights, CDHR and Chief Morah 

Ekwunoh, Principal Partner at M.C. Ekwunoh & Co, as they wrote 

on remedies available to victims of election violence. 

Excerpts: 

remedies 

revolve in 

favour of 

victims. Parts 

of its relevant 

provisions in 

this respect 

include 

Articles 4, 5, 

6, 12, 13 

a n d 1 4 

thereof. 

Also exist are 

remedies 

under the 

common law 

of torts, under 

which the 

victims can 

sue under a 

different and 

distinct 

procedure. 

In view of the 

obvious 

lacuna in the 

Electoral Act, 

as shown 

a b o v e , 

legislative 

intervention, 

through 

u r g e n t 

amendment of 

the Act, with a 

view to 

adequately 

not only providing muchneeded 

protection for millions 

of Nigerians during 

elections, but also affording 

them, or their next-of-kin, in 

the event of death, 

commensurate restitutions. 

Here, enactments by some 

states, led by Lagos State, 

which made adequate 

provisions in their 

Administration of Criminal 

Justice Laws for 

compensation of such victims 

of electoral violence, can 

provide proper template. 

In this way, the ‘aladdin 

cave’ brazenness with which 

such violence is unleashed on 

the citizenry will be 

annihilated and made a relic 

of the ugly past, thus not only 

realising the loudable 

objectives and intendments of 

the Electoral Act. 

Perpetrators of the heinous 

acts will also be punished for 

their evil behaviours, and 

made examples of, in the 

overall public interest. The 

victims or their relations, as 

the case may be, on their 

parts, will have the deep 

larceration of feelings inflicted 

on them assuaged. 

Victims can approach 

courts for redress 

----Ugwummadu 

CERTAINLY, the 

nation can 

neither afford nor be 

indifferent to the 

consequences of 

election-related 

violence and human 

rights abuses. 

Under the Electoral 

Act 2010, a few 

election-related 

violent behaviours 

and abuses could be 

found in Sections 

117(1)(a) dealing 

with acts of defacing, 

destroying 

&removing notices of 

documents required 

for registration; 128 

relating to general 

disorderly conducts 

at election; 

129(1)(f)(i)(j) 

dealing with 

offences on election 

day and in 

particular, being in 

possession of 

offensive and 

dangerous weapons, 

loitering without 

excuse, snatching 

and destroying 

electoral materials 

respectively and 

131(1)(a)&(b) relating to the 

general behaviour of threat of 

use of force and inflicting 

injury. 

The following remedies are 

available for victims of 

electoral violence and abuses. 

(a)Criminal Prosecution: 

Where the alleged violent act 

amounts to an outright crime 

so described and punishable 

under our criminal laws, then 

the State must find the will to 

condemn and show enough 

resentment by arresting, 

investigating and prosecuting 

the culprit at the behest of the 

victim who should be the 

complainant and a possible 

witness in the prosecution. 

(b) Under S.150 of the same 

Electoral Act 2010, the 

Commission, INEC, is 

empowered to prosecute the 

culprit which could attract 

some remedial/restitutive 

reliefs in favour of the victim 

depending on the injury 

caused. 

(c)Compensation and 

Restitution: Depending on the 

scale of the violence and 

impact, the Government of the 

day may constitute a panel of 

inquiry whether judicial or 

administrative, with a view to 

* Macaulay Ugwummadu 

ascertaining the actual degree 

of injury, abuse or deprivation 

and adequately compensate 

and rehabilitate the victims. 

(d)Enforcement of 

Fundamental Human Rights: 

Where the alleged violent 

behaviour and abuses 

complained of amounts to a 

breach of the fundamental 

rights of the victim, (s)he 

reserves the right under S.46 

of the 1999 Constitution and 

Ord.2 of the Fundamental 

Rights(Enforcement 

Procedure) Rules 2009 can 

approach either the State or 

Federal High Court of the 

State where it occurred to seek 

redress over the violation. 

(e)Disciplinary action: 

The victim can file a petition 

to the relevant higher 

authorities against identified 

individual(s) or state 

functional with a view to 

ensuring that disciplinary 

measures or possible criminal 

prosecution are initiated 

under the extant laws. 

(e)Compensation: 

The victim can institute an 

action for the enforcement of 

his fundamental right and 

claim adequate compensation 

against the individual and the 

institution that he represents 

if the violation is perpetrated 

by operators of the coercive 

institution. 

C 

M 

Y 

K

Vanguard, THURSDAY, MARCH 14, 2019 —37 

S-Court sides with Nigerians in interpretation of Montreal 

Convention 

By Henry Ojelu 

In the aviation sector, the 

Montreal Convention 1999, 

MC99, is the internationally 

accepted rules guiding 

airlines and passengers. The 

convention establishes 

airline's liability in the case of 

death or injury to passengers, 

as well as in cases of delay, 

damage or loss of baggage 

and cargo. 

One of the provisions in the 

convention is the limit of claim 

that a passenger can claim 

from any airline in the event 

of breach of contract. But the 

Supreme Court has set a new 

precedent with regards to the 

application of that clause in 

the country. 

Ruling last month in an 

appeal brought by one Miss 

Promise Mekwunye against 

Emirates Airline, the apex 

court held that denial of 

boarding is a repudiation of 

contract and a breach of the 

fundamental term of a contract 

which does not entitle an 

airline to rely on Montreal 

Convention which sets 

limit of claims in an action 

between the airline and its 

passenger. 

Background 

Miss Mekwunye who was 

then a student of North Texas 

University, Denton, Texas, 

USA, had in 2008 dragged the 

airline to court for refusal of 

boarding of her two-way flight 

ticket from Dallas to Nigeria 

and back for no reason and for 

further refusing to fully 

refund the cost of the ticket of 

American Airline she bought 

to come back to Nigeria. 

In the suit before the 

Federal High Court, 

Mekwunye claimed that she 

had bought the airline return 

ticket for $2,067 in May 2007 

but upon presentation of the 

ticket for issuance of boarding 

pass in December 2007, she 

was denied boarding. 

She further claimed that the 

airline offered no reason for 

its action leaving her stranded 

for days at the airport until she 

was able to secure a more 

expensive flight ticket on a 

longer route to Lagos. 

She prayed the court to order 

the airline to refund the full 

cost of her American airline 

ticket and to pay for damages 

she suffered as a result of the 

ordeal. 

In its judgment delivered on 

November 15, 2010, the 

Federal High Court held that 

the refusal of Emirates Airline 

to carry Mekwunye amounted 

to a breach of contract of 

carriage. Consequently, the 

court ordered full refund of 

ticket without any deduction or 

charge, and further granted 

N2.5 million in general 

damages and N250,000 in 

legal costs against the airline. 

Not pleased with the court’s 

decision, Emirates Airline 

appealed the judgment 

before the Court of Appeal 

Lagos. 

The airline contended that 

the trial Judge erred in law 

when he awarded 

N250,000.00 in legal fees 

when the plaintiff claimed 

1,000,000.00 but led no 

evidence. 

The airline contended that 

the award of general damages 

was contrary to the Montreal 

Convention which not only 

limits the damages recoverable 

but placed obligation to prove 

wilful misconduct/gross 

negligence against the airline 

before the airline can be liable 

for damages. 

The airline also contended 

that the award of additional 

N2.5m damages is double 

compensation since the trial 

court had awarded the 

plaintiff the refund of the 

amount used in purchasing 

her ticket. 

In its judgment of April 11, 

the earlier judgment of Federal 

High Court. 

The apex court held that the 

trial court was right in ordering 

Emirates Airline to pay in the 

circumstances N2.5m as 

general damages in addition 

to ticket refund as the airline 

It would, therefore, 

in my view be unfair 

and unjust for the 

respondent as the 

carrier to merely 

refund the flight 

ticket without 

compensation or 

generally damage 

for the lost of time, 

stress, 

embarrassment and 

inconvenient she 

suffer in 

consequence of 

breach of contract by 

the respondent 

2014, the Court of Appeal 

upheld the airline's appeal 

and upturned the award of 

N250,000 and N2.5million 

earlier awarded to Mekwunye 

by the lower court. 

Supreme Court 

decision 

But in a lead judgement 

delivered by Justice Ejembi 

Eko in an appeal filed by 

Mekwunye, the Apex Court 

overruled the decision of the 

Court of Appeal and upheld 

WORKERS WELFARE: From left: Martins Uzoegwu, 

President of National Union of Electricity Employees, NUEE; 

Joe Ajaero, General Secretary of NUEE, and Managing 

Director/Chief Executive Officer, Eko DISCO, Adeoye 

Fadeyibi, during the signing of Condition of Service at Eko 

DISCO's head office, Lagos. 

cannot rely on the Montreal 

Convention for limitation of 

liability when it was guilty of 

fundamental breach of the 

contract as argued by the 

appellant’s lawyer and father, 

Dr. Charles Mekwunye. 

The Supreme Court further 

held amongst other things 

that the Court of Appeal was 

wrong to have heard and 

upturned the decision of the 

lower court when Emirates 

Airline never obtained leave 

of court to file the appeal as 

to costs. 

The judgement reads in part: 

“In the instant case, the 

appellant paid for flight ticket. 

She was denied boarding 

even after confirming the 

flight three times. In 

consequence therefore, she 

was stranded for two days 

NBA-SBL set to hold 13th annual 

business law conference 

By Innocent Anaba 

The Nigerian Bar 

Association Section on 

Business Law, NBA-SBL, will 

hold its 13th Annual Business 

Conference in Lagos, from 

June 26-28, 2019. 

Speaking on the yearly 

event, chairman of the 

Conference Planning 

Committee, CPC, Dr Adeoye 

Adefulu disclosed that the 

2019 theme will focus on 

growth, investment and 

employment; looking 

beyond rhetoric. 


conference will dig in deep to 

search for practical solutions 

to achieve inclusive 

economic growth, 

maintaining, attracting and 

retaining investment and 

increasing employment 

options for the youth within 

the Nigerian economy. 

He said: “At this conference, 

we will be assembling a host 

of esteemed speakers both 

international and domestic, 

who will discuss key topics 

within our theme such as the 

role of the private sector, 

moving Nigeria from an oil 

exporting economy to value 

additions, creating an 

enabling business 

environment and so many 

other topics with the aim of 

broadening our perspectives 

without explanation, 

apologies and alternative 

arrangement and was 

constrained to pay for a longer 

route on a more expensive 

ticket. 

“It would therefore in my 

view be unfair and unjust for 

the respondent as the carrier 

to merely refund the flight 

ticket without compensation or 

general damage, for the lost 

of time, stress, embarrassment 

and inconvenience she suffer 

in consequence of breach of 

contract by the respondent.” 

The apex court also held that 

the airline’s denial of board 

was a repudiation of its 

contract with Mekwunye and 

a breach of the fundamental 

term of the contract which 

does not entitle it to rely on 

the Montreal Convention 

which sets limit of claims in 

an action between an airline 

and it passenger. 

*Dr Adeoye Adefulu 

as lawyers.” 

He added that there would be 

a line up of social events, 

such as dinners and concerts 

with several special guest 

artists to entertain 

conferees. 

The section on business law 

is the specialised arm of the 

NBA, which engenders the 

development of commercial 

law and specialist commercial 

law practice in Nigeria, uses 

its annual conference to seek 

to create an environment for 

business lawyers within and 

outside Nigeria to engage on 

issues relevant to their fields 

as well as to establish a 

thriving relationship between 

the business community and 

government institutions. 

EDITORIAL 

Innocent Anaba 

( Head) 

Ikechukwu 

Nnochiri 

Contributors: 

Henry Ojelu, 

Onozure Dania 

C 

M 

Y 

K




Ndigbo in Lagos and the sad new politics of 

ethnicity 

By Pat Utomi 

I 

know Femi Kusa. He is a 

friend and a classmate. I 

knew of him from his Daily Times 

days. Then we met at the University 

of Nigeria shortly after the 

end of Nigerian Civil war. I have 

read his reflections on Ndigbo 

and the politics of Lagos. And 

have followed with considerable 

curiosity the Galestormhis article 

set off and some of the responses 

to his rebuke of Ndigbo. 

My reaction has been influenced 

by a number of experiences 

from my own life’s journey. Two 

related to the times I shared with 

Femi at Nsukka, the other came 

from a few years later in Graduate 

School, in the United States. 

I shall start from the latter. 

When I was at Indiana University, 

a certain Professor of comparative 

politics and former Vice 

President of the University, J Gus 

Liebenow remarked that it was a 

shame that some very bright African 

students were completing 

Ph.ds in Economics, Education 

and even Political Science and 

other disciplines with little understanding 

of the American system 

of government. He thought this 

particularly unfortunate because 

such people ought to be the kinds 

to turn to for light on how the 

American system worked, on return 

to their home countries. Who 

better to elucidate on the American 

way, in his home country 

than a US education Ph.d. 

Liebenow, a Liberia expert, 

pushed for fellowship that could 

take some of the top Phd prospects 

from Africa, as interns, to 

the corridors of American government. 

He got his way. 

I turned out to be the first to be 

selected for this programme and 

went off to the US Capital, Washington 

DC as an intern in the Indiana 

Washington Office for rotation 

through the officesof members 

of the Indiana Delegation to 

the US Congress. 

While the opportunity allowed 

me the bragging rights of engaging 

the American way in observing 

and asking questions directly 

of a Senator who would later 

become Vice President of the 

United States (Dan Quayle) and 

a Congressman who would dominate 

foreign policy oversight 

from the House of Representative 

for many years, (Lee Hamilton), 

I suspect the opportunity advanced 

Liebenow’s goal because 

I have done many hours of talking, 

in the 38 years since that exposure, 

on how the American system 

works. 

Some people at UNN were apparently 

not as smart as J Gus 

Liebenow. If they were, one of the 

Yorubas that ventured to Nsukka 

just after the Civil War, should 

probably not be one to raise issues 

of questionable charity towards 

a people he had ample opportunity 

to better understand. 

In those days at UNN some of 

my closest friends were Yorubas: 

My classmate from Loyola College 

Ibadan, GbengaSadipe, 

Folu Ayeni, First Class Graduate 

and Class Valedictorian in 1974, 

who would, with his wife Bose, 

found Tantalizers, years later; 

Ade Ogidanwho would work at 

the Guardian for many years 

with Femi Kusa, and Ademola 

Ayegoro, among others. Most 

times we gathered in Baba’s 

room, a room next door to that 

of Clement Ebri, later Governor 

of Cross River State. It was part 

of a season in which things ethnic 

seemed peculiar to me. I was 

sometimes “one of those Yoruba 

boys”, other times a Midwest boy 

and at others an identity challenged 

rascal. But I had fun, happy 

with myself and with everyone 

around. 

My Yoruba tribe at UNN did 

not get in the way of association 

with my old school mates from 

Christ the Kings College Onitsha, 

so I had another cluster. What’s 

in the language you claim as 

mother tongue? Well, Femi Kusa 

and I, got a chance to leave UNN 

reflecting on this because at our 

farewell party, Prof. Donatus 

Nwoga, the Dean of Faculty, gave 

a speech I still lift from till this 

day; and we got gifts of books. I 

am not sure if Femi got the same 

book I got but mine was a novel 

by the Kenyan writer, Mugo Gatheru; 

A Child of Two Worlds. 

When I read Femi’s piece, which 

has been called Xenophobic, and 

compared to the kind of remarks 

that set off genocide in Rwanda, 

what I saw was a spirit trapped 

in the desire to be modern but 

struggled with capture of the medieval. 

Femi is smart and capable 

person and quite deliberate 

in what he does but we all can be 

trapped by things within and just 

outside of us. 

Human emotion 

Human Emotion is a subject 

that fascinates me. This is why 

the work of people like Joshua 

Greene at Harvard, who draws 

from Neuro Science and Psychology 

to explain Emotions and how 

people respond to the need for 

both cooperation and competition 

in the advance of human 

endeavor, intrigues me. I was 

quickly inclined to send my 

friend Femi Kusa, Greene's 

book; Moral Tribes. 

Responding to Femi with Fury 

will do little to change how he 

thinks of a people just as the passionate 

response in abuse tends 

to turn off. The shower I vitriol in 

response, therefore seemed quite 

unhelpful from my point of view. 

Adducing rational measurable 

benefits of cooperation and identifying 

faults in reasoning may 

better help a person struggling 

as we all tend to be, to locate 

themselves in the modernity/medieval 

mindset continuum, may 

help a little more. 

The bigger problem for me is 

that many who vilify Femi actually 

live the shortcomings they 

point out on Femi. They are pockets 

of what they accuse him of but 

they do not publicly declare such. 

But if they show that Ondo State 

and Oyo states, with few Igbos, 

seemed to have voted like Okota, 

in Lagos, they may make Femi 

think. Did Femi think about that 

in coming to conclusions so divisive 

and threatening of cooperation? 

Why did such a people who 

take over the territory of others 

vote a Northerner the Mayor of 

Enugu in the 1950s? There are 

many examples that could point 

a different way. But stereotypes 

reduced the pressure to think. 

They make life easy but potentially 

dangerous because they 

can perpetuate unreason. 

In our earlier years in the department, 

at UNN, the Head of 

Department, Ezenta Eze, taught 

a class on Gestalt. The idiosyncratic 

furging of the shape of reality 

should not be dismissed. 

Some personal experience can 

shape a view others can consider 

Prof. Pat Utomi 

jaundiced or biased. Condemning 

such outright may therefore 

be unfair. Maturity demands continuing 

sensitivity to the fact that 

people see reality differently, 

which neither makes them good, 

or bad people. 

Identify politics is a significant 

point today in Nigeria. K. K. Komolafe 

of Thisday, in writing 

about my politics, thought, I 

should have run for office from 

Lagos rather than Delta. I know 

Lagos and are better known here, 

he submitted. 

Femi Falana and a few others 

have suggested same. Nothing 

Exposure, Experience, 

and Education 

confer privilege of a 

moral Authority. Femi 

should have exercised 

that moral authority. 

Sadly, Nigeria is more 

divided today on ethnic, 

religious and other 

parochial cleavages 

than when we experienced 

a civil war 40 

years ago 

wrong in principle, but maturity 

suggests to me that it is early days 

yet for such. My response to such 

prodding is a nice smile. Surely 

if we want to build a nation, then 

the nationality question has to be 

addressed. We can choose not to 

build a nation and federate or 

separate but we need to try things 

before we decide. 

Still, it does not mean anybody 

has the entitlement to denying me 

a right that is fundamental. Maturity 

must come from all sides. 

But what makes a difference is 

the conduct of leaders. As we saw 

with Yugoslavia, well captured by 

Robert Kaplan in Balkan Ghosts, 

once Josef Tito died the story was 

different. 

The Filipino Professor, of Chinese 

ethnic stock, at Yale University, 

Amy Chua, years ago, wrote 

the book World on Fire, about 

how globalization was stoking 

ethnic hatred against marketdominant 

minorities. In her list 

of such groups were Jews, Chinese 

minorities in places like the 

Philippines (her own ethnic 

stock) and Igbos of Nigeria. It is 

easy and cheap to attack such 

groups. 

In my own writings from my 

work in South East Asia, I have 

also referred to an “Emigrant 

Economistic Ethnic” to explain 

why migrant peoples tend to be 

economically successful. In my 

view, they are often shut out of 

the politics of the land by the indigenous 

people, and often out of 

High Society, and so their passions 

become uncommonly focused 

on economic pursuits. They 

invariably tend to thrive and that 

creates new irritation with the indigenes. 

How newly arriving Vietnamese 

Boat people in the US 

outperformed African Americans 

was a favorite example of mine. 

Understanding these phenomena, 

and a little maturity keeps 

cooperation and progress on the 

roll. 

There is a daughter of the Oba 

of Lagos who reminds me that 

when Oba Rilwan Akiolu was under 

fire during the 2015 elections 

for remarks about Igbos being 

drowned in the Lagoon I was the 

only one that stood up for him. 

All I did was a simple offer of 

maturity. First he had no capacity 

to enforce such a thing, and 

secondly, I know he speaks joking, 

in such tones. So seeing it 

for what it is, the kind of remark 

many make in their living rooms 

but do not really mean, helped 

diffuse what could have boiled 

over. Many wars have been 

sparked off by little deeds that 

nature handling could avert. This 

is why I am pained that Femi 

Kusa should have known that it 

is a duty of his education and exposure 

to avoid comments that 

can be termed hate speech. 

I have been both loved and 

abused for making myself available 

to support the work of every 

Government of Lagos. That disposition 

has never made me any 

less Igbo. Neither has the fact that 

I was born in the North and have 

such close friendship with 

friends from across Northern 

Nigeria but that did not manage 

to get in the way of my championing 

resistance after the annulment 

of elections of June 12, 

1993, which was pitched, by 

some, as a North/Southwest 

cleavage. 

Exposure, Experience, and Education 

confer privilege of a 

moral Authority. Femi should 

have exercised that moral authority. 

Sadly, Nigeria is more divided 

today on ethnic, religious and 

other parochial cleavages than 

when we experienced a civil war 

40 years ago. 

Leaders have a duty not to pour 

petrol on emotions of people 

yet to have enough information 

about their neighbours to improve 

understanding and cooperation. 

Policies ought to promote 

balanced development so 

there are enough centres of 

thriving economic conurbation 

to reduce such tensions. Sadly, 

with the poor politics of narcissism 

that dominates the Nigeria 

landscape with individuals in 

pursuit of self-interest, in the 

name of politics, provoke fear 

of neighbours where good leadership 

would have focused on our 

shared humanity and how to cooperate 

for the advance of the 

Common Good. 

My experience has thought me 

that the stereotyping of any ethnic 

group by politicians anywhere 

is a true measure of their 

weakness, whether it be in the 

United States, Indonesia or Nigeria. 

I long learnt that no 

group of humans were created by 

God more good or less bad than 

the others. This is why I often 

make the claim that there are no 

more than six of Nigeria’s 36 

states that I can arrive into and 

not have a friend so close that I 

will get an invitation to spend the 

night in their home. 

Whether it be Maiduguri where 

Mohammed Hayatudeen has a 

home or Biu in the same Borno 

State where Ahmed Kuru, Ibrahim 

Usman and others have hosted 

me; or Abia where I have several 

dozen options including the 

Ohuabunwa’s, Ottis, Ogahs; or Ekiti 

where I can go from Fayemi’s to 

the Onis and Falana’s or Sokoto 

where the Sultan himself has provided 

accommodation for most of 

my visits there and I have enjoyed 

dinner in his tent with him and Bishop 

Mathew Kukah, the classic example 

of ethnic and religious tolerance. 

'Attacked for investing 

out side of Igboland' 

I have never understood that 

Ndigbo are attacked for investing 

outside of Igboland. Canvassing for 

them to return home to invest, had 

that been done would have been attacked 

and criticised as parochialism. 

Perhaps this is the opportunity 

for the Governors of Igbo bearing 

states to lay out a regime of incentives 

and run a campaign promoting 

think home. 

If those governors are really clever, 

they should take the campaign 

further, and welcome people from 

the South West, and North to move 

to Igbo people majority bearing 

states. A fair number of Hausa Fulani 

colonies already exist in Igbo 

states. 

Asari Dokubo already made the 

point that many Yorubas fly into the 

oil fields of South-South and South 

East, make their fortunes and leave 

no development behind. Strangely, 

it is those who add value 

that are being vilified. 

This is the 21st Century. A 

new slavery in which people are 

denied their fundamental human 

right and citizenship rights cannot 

be accepted. That is why CNN runs 

its Freedom project. Politicians and 

intellectuals who promote such are 

working their way towards the International 

Criminal Court. They 

may do well to first visit the Genocide 

Memorial in Kigali, Rwanda. 

In this twenty-first century you 

cannot actively, by subterfuge or 

directly, deny people their rights 

and insist you cannot leave them 

alone to go their way when you do 

not have their time. That is slavery. 

The doctrine of self-determination 

emerging in the UN Universal Declaration 

of Human Rights at its 

founding, which began to unwind 

the sovereignty and None interference 

doctrines which began with the 

Peace of Westphalia in 1648, rejects 

that. As the lawyers say. You cannot 

probate and reprobate. You cannot 

celebrate what Igbos helped build 

as Lagos and deny their humanity, 

For those who try proove that historically 

Lagos is a “no man’s land” 

or an outpost of the Benin Kingdom 

and those who make the point 

that if Lagos desires or aspires to a 

global megacity, the cosmopolitan 

nature of such ambition means 

that like Paris, London and New 

York it has to end up as belonging 

to no ethnic groups, my take is that 

all just play into the hand of a group 

of selfish politicians. Nobody told 

the original Londoners that London 

was no man’s land. The nature of 

the course of things just sorts 

things out. A little maturity can 

buy all of the peace we all crave 

for. 

The trouble with Nigeria is that 

many of the truly mature do not 

care to act and the politicians 

who thrive in bringing to conflict 

people who ordinarily live in 

peace as neighbours, but are lacking 

in maturity, are the most vociferous 

in expressing their points 

of view. 

*Pat Utomi, Political Economist 

and Professor of Entrepreneurship 

is founder of the Centre 

for Values in Leadership.

SB Abubakar: A harvest of 

Firsts, built on a solid vision 

By Emma Agu 

ONE of the paradoxes of the cur 

rent fixation with partisan political 

debates and controversies is the tendency 

to lose sight of some sublime and 

era-defining achievements, taking place 

across the length and breadth of Nigeria. 

Time and again, ‘ordinary’ people, led 

by men and women, with uncommon 

vision, are busy doing great things that 

not only impact on the present but hold 

the key to unlocking the future greatness 

of the societies in which they live. 

These leaders are the dreamers. To 

them, once placed in a position of responsibility, 

they push beyond the limits, 

exploring new horizons that will lead to 

greater heights of achievement. 

Staying away from public 

controversies 

Within a governmental setting, especially 

the military, such leaders endeavour 

to stay away from public controversies. 

When they are seen, it is for the right 

professional or career reasons; if they are 

involved in any controversy, it has to do 

strictly with their official duties. They are 

usually the pace-setters who create paradigm-shifting 

initiatives; they are the 

record breakers who create something 

out of nothing. 

I make bold to say that, in Nigeria, one 

such person is the present Chief of the Air 

Staff, Air Marshal Sadique Baba 

Abubakar. For effect, my assessment is 

not based on hearsay or things I picked 

up from the media. Rather, it is an honest 

portrayal of my observations based on a 

period of close interaction with the Service 

during which I saw, first hand, some 

of the proud achievements of the Muhammadu 

Buhari Administration, 

through the research and development 

activities of the Nigerian Air Force. 

From my intimate observations, I am 

convinced, without equivocation, that 

chroniclers of Nigeria’s history will remember 

Air Marshal Abubakar, as one 

of the greatest revelations of the Muhammadu 

Buhari Administration. This has 

nothing to do with his physical appearance 

as it is very easy, to pick him out in a 

crowd. Nor has it to do with his flawless 

and enchanting delivery on national television, 

as he marshals the various activities 

of the Service, under his command. 

Nor would it be said that he just dropped 

from the moon. No. He was always part 

of the Air Force. Like other officers, he 

was busy, quietly playing crucial roles in 

the nation’s security architecture. 

But that anonymity was broken by the 

call of duty. Perceptive students of leadership 

models would have noticed his 

unique disposition once he released his 

vision statement, upon his appointment 

as Chief of the Air Staff, by President 

Buhari, in July 2015. The statement 

read: “To reposition the Nigerian Air 

Force into a highly professional and disciplined 

force through capacity building 

initiatives for effective, efficient and 

timely employment of air power in response 

to Nigeria’s national security imperatives.” 

He realised that to achieve his highminded 

vision would require a comprehensive 

package based on doing everything 

right: the right manpower in, quantity 

and quality; the right capacity building 

initiatives that placed training on an 

unprecedented pedestal; the right motivational 

environment by making welfare 

of Service personnel and their families 

a first charge item; the right equipment 

in terms of the right aircraft and 

ancillary support for aircraft maintenance. 

It is to his credit that the NAF has 

reactivated 13 aircraft, with the reactivation 

of another six soon to be completed; 

three helicopters - one EC-135, one 

Mi-35P and a Dauphin – as well as three 

L-39ZA tactical trainer aircraft. 

As anyone who takes more than a passing 

interest in these matters will discover, 

the reactivation of aircraft did not just 

happen in a vacuum. Rather, it is the result 

of a deliberate emphasis on and 

painstaking commitment to, research 

and development (R&D) whereby NAF 

personnel have not been simply challenged 

to put their training to practical 

Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal 

Sadique Baba Abubakar 

effect; they now do their work within an 

operational milieu that recognizes them 

as critical stakeholders in national development. 

In pursuit of his paradigm 

of local maintenance of the NAF equipment, 

the CAS Abubakar has inspired 

the men and women, under him, to greater 

heights of patriotism and achievement. 

In the process, he has also initiated the 

biggest civil-military collaboration in 

R&D, in the annals of Nigeria’s history. 

Nigerians will be delighted to realize 

that, since 2015, the Nigerian Air Force 

reactivated most of the, hitherto, unserviceable 

aircraft in its fleet, with the active 

collaboration of Nigerian universities. 

This collaboration has far-reaching 

consequences for national development 

and captures the very essence of 

the Muhammadu Buhari doctrine of 

looking inwards, in finding solutions to 

the nation’s problems. The most profound 

benefits include indigenous capacity 

building (within the NAF and the 

universities) and cost saving that runs 

into millions of dollars. Yet, nothing compares 

with the importance of this collaboration 

for national security as, reactivating 

the platforms, has contributed 

greatly towards the successes recorded 

in the fight against the Boko Haram 

insurgency, since the advent of the present 

Administration in 2015. 

To this, it is important to acknowledge 

that, in a very important sense, these 

achievements are the direct result of the 

unambiguous policy thrust, passion and 

Nigerians will be delighted 

to realize that, since 2015, 

the Nigerian Air Force reactivated 

most of the, hitherto, 

unserviceable aircraft 

in its fleet, with the active 

collaboration of Nigerian 

universities 

support of President Buhari himself who, 

from the very beginning, made the 

counter-insurgency campaign, a cardinal 

programme of his administration. 

There could not be any greater evidence 

of this than the fact that, in less than four 

years, the Federal Government has acquired 

18 new platforms (aircraft) to 

boost training and the combat readiness 

of the NAF. These are 12 Super 

Mushshak trainer aircraft, four Mi- 

35M helicopter gunships, two Agusta 

101 helicopters (handed over from the 

Presidential Air Fleet in virtually new 

condition) as well as two Bell 412 helicopters, 

which have been retrofitted to 

perform light combat functions. This 

number is aside the additional 22 aircraft 

that have been ordered by the Federal 

Government, which include 12 Super 

Tucano attack aircraft, an additional 

Mi-35M helicopter gunship as well 

as five other helicopters – 4 A109P light 

attack helicopters and A139W utility helicopter 

– expected to be delivered from 

Italy. Others are three JF-17 Thunder 

Multi-role fighter aircraft and a special 

mission aircraft recently ordered to enhance 

surveillance of Nigeria’s maritime 

environment. 

What should not be lost is the fact that, 

whereas Air Marshal Abubakar’s record 

portrays him as a highly patriotic and 

disciplined officer, his emotional commitment 

to the Buhari doctrine explains, 

to a large extent, the fact that the Nigerian 

Air Force has been a strong factor in 

the successes recorded by the Administration. 

When Air Marshal SB Abubakar’s 

career runs its full course, he will be leaving 

fulfilled that, during his era as the 

Chief of Air Staff, and inspired by the 

leadership of President Muhammadu 

Buhari, the Nigerian Air Force was able 

to record some very significant firsts. Top 

on the list of these “firsts” is in the area 

of diversity management, of gender inclusion 

which has seen the production 

of the first female fighter pilot in Nigeria. 

What this means is that Nigerians 

will no longer see female fighter pilots 

in Egypt or Israel as foreign fantasies: 

they are here with us, flesh and blood, 

the product of courage. Flying Officer 

Omolara Kafayat Sanni, who was the 

best in her student’s pilot course in Nigeria, 

is presently undergoing training in 

the United States. 

The second “first” is also in the area of 

gender inclusion. Under the Buhari Administration 

and coinciding with the 

CAS Abubakar leadership, the NAF is 

on the verge of producing its first 

female helicopter pilot in the person 

of Flying Officer Oluwadamilola Oke 

who is presently undergoing training 

in South Africa. 

The third “first” is very significant because 

for the first time, in several decades, 

the aircraft serviceability status of “operable 

aircraft” has reached in the proportion 

of 78-82 per cent. This is an unmistakable 

evidence of the success of the 

current administration’s insistence on efficient 

management of resources at our 

disposal, not only to save costs but to 

keep the country’s Services in a state of 

combat readiness. 

The fourth “first” was recorded in the 

area of doctrinal changes by the development 

of the NAF Special Forces capability, 

comparable to similar forces 

in other countries. These Special Forces 

and units have been instrumental in the 

timely and effective degradation of criminal 

gangs and protection of NAF bases 

and resources thereby guarding against 

embarrassing attacks, on NAF facilities, 

as was the case at Maiduguri in December 

2013. 

Fifth, it should also be placed on 

record that, for the first time, the Nigerian 

Air Force has established reference 

hospitals in Port Harcourt and Bauchi 

while, from the initial sole cancer screening 

centre in Abuja, the NAF has cancer 

screening centres in four other NAF locations; 

namely Maiduguri, Makurdi, 

Kaduna and Bauchi. 

Sixth, for the first time, the NAF has 

achieved multiple in-country periodic 

depot maintenance of three of its platforms-the 

C130H, the Alpha Jet and 

the L-39 aircraft, in three different locations 

in the country. For Air Marshal 

Abubakar, the inspiration for this 

comes from the desire first, to save cost 

but much more importantly, to scale 

up the proficiency levels of the NAF 

engineers and technicians by boosting 

their capacity to undertake these kinds 

of maintenance. 

NAF Weapons Meet 

While this may not be a first, it is instructive 

that the NAF Weapons Meet 

of 2018 was the first time it was holding 

after over 30 years! 

But definitely, there is no questioning 

whether the NAF International Air 

Power Seminar of 2018 was the first 

in the annals of Nigeria. It was. It attracted 

to Nigeria, the leadership of the 

Air Forces of other countries and provided 

a rich opportunity for cross-country 

sharing of global trends and best 

practices. 

Finally, and this has been broached 

earlier; the unprecedented leap in research 

and development will stand out, 

for all times, as the signature achievement 

of the Air Marshal Abubakar era 

and an undeniable contribution to 

both the security architecture and sustainable 

development of Nigeria. It is a 

monumental project, spanning space 

and peoples of all interests and specializations; 

creating employment, nurturing 

skills and competences, enhancing 

combat readiness and generally placing 

our economy on stronger footing. 

Setting aside politics, eschewing the occasional 

natural instinct for mischief and 

pettiness, it is my belief, that in our sober 

moments, the high-minded firsts recorded 

by the Nigerian Air Force, under the leadership 

of Air Marshal Sadique Baba Abubakar, 

will be seen as emblematic of President Buhari’s 

enduring legacy in Nigeria’s national 

security objectives. 


TRIBUTE 

Mike Angere goes home today 

YOGA expert and columnist in 

Vanguard newspapers, Mr. Mike 

Angere, who died last Friday in 

Lagos after a brief illness, will be 

buried at Atan Cemetery in Lagos 

this morning. Born Michael 

Angere on September 28, 1948, 

Mike as he was fondly called by 

friends and colleague, joined 

Vanguard Media Limited as a 

columnist. 

For over two decades, he wrote 

the "Keep Fit" column in the 

weekend title of Vanguard where 

he taught his readers various 

Yoga exercises that promote 

fitness and health. The 

Ghanaian-born Yoga expert soon 

endeared himself to ardent Yoga 

fans who followed his keep fit tips 

like a religion. 

Although he became famous for 

this passion, what many did not 

know about Mike was that he 

was a great singer and guitarist. 

When in a happy mood, he often 

pulled out his guitar which 

became a permanent feature in 

the Allure office. 

Before his death, he had taken 

his love for music a notch higher, 

A man of many parts 

Debbie Akindele-Ojo: My 

friend, Yogi, Gist partner 

and overall encourager. A few 

months of Yoga was my gift from 

Uncle Sam 15 years ago. I had 

thought it was no big deal, all 

they do is stretch! My God was I 

wrong, Yoga stretched muscles I 

didn’t know I had, hurt like hell 

in those first few months! 

Some moves took years to 

master and I am so glad I didn’t 

quit. My Catholic Yogi. I used to 

get irritated by people who 

confused Yoga with Buddhism. 

Do- gooders who were more 

ignorantly judgemental than 

Godly! 

Over the years we became so 

close we gisted more than we 

exercised. My big brother, fellow 

writer in the Vanguard stable. 

Always harassing the account’s 

department for Debbie’s cheque. 

“It’s your due, You must get it” 

and he always got it for me. So 

it’s with a heavy heart that I bid 

you farewell my friend! 

Mike with the tender heart, fiery 

temper and quick tears. A man 

so in touch with his soul, he didn’t 

balk at tenderness. 

He loved the Rolling Stones, 

played the Guitar, a very jolly 

good Soul was he! You loved life 

and it loved you right back. Fare 

thee well my friend, say me well 

to all the Greats. Rest in peace 

Mike Angere, Vaya con Dios! 

Principled yet firm 

Alero Atsimene: My dear Mike. 

Unconventional in all your ways. 

Tradition didn’t go down well with 

you. That’s probably why we hit 

it off. You were principled and 

firm yet kind. You dictated your 

own terms and were respected for 

it. I admired the way you 

effortlessly engaged all 

generations like you were born 

in that time. 

You had such valid dreams. I 

reckon now we can’t get that hit 

song from you again but, you were 

a hit back to back. Thank you for 

accepting me like I did you 

•The late Michael Angere 

heading to the studio where he 

recorded 13-track album with the 

stage name Mackenzie. 

Greatly, influenced by music 

greats like Rod Steward, The 

Beatles, Mikie Jagger and Elvis 

Presley, his songs were also 

influenced by their works. He 

never got around to formerly 

dropping this album before he 

passed on last Friday. He will be 

greatly missed by friends and 

family especially, the Vanguard 

family with whom he had greatly 

endeared himself. May his soul 

rest in peace. A few tributes from 

some journalists he interacted 

with are published on this page. 

without inhibitions. I miss crazy, 

kind you; my dear friend. 

Lover of good 

conversation 

Jemi Ekunkunbor: Good night 

my free-spirited friend 

You were the friend that stuck 

closer than a brother, reliable and 

loyal. A jolly good fellow you 

were, no dull moment with you. 

You loved a good conversation, 

music, and on a good day, you 

pulled out your guitar which has 

become a permanent feature in 

the Allure office, and dished out 

tunes of Rod Stewart which we 

both liked. 

You were generous and kind. 

Every year, you reminded me of 

my birthday days before the day. 

You made light weighty matters, 

helping one smile when it’s 

difficult to do so. You did so many 

little things that touched one 

deeply. Perhaps, the only thing 

you didn’t succeed in doing was 

making me a yoga convert. Your 

work here is done now Mike. 

Rest in peace. 

Mike Angere-Omo Ghana 

Remi Diagbere: When Mike 

turned 70 in September 2018, I 

told him 'Mike, you are going to 

be here for a long, long time’, little 

did I or any of us on the Allure 

Desk know he was going to 

depart a few short months after. 

Mike was my friend. I met him 

in the early ’90s, through a mutual 

friend, the late actor Enebeli 

Elebuwa, aka Andrew. I brought 

him to the Vanguard, shortly after, 

about 20 years ago, when we 

needed a keep fit writer. He never 

stopped appreciating me for that. 

Mike was a friend with benefits. 

He had a positive impact on me, 

and I dare say on everyone in 

Allure. He was quick to 

sympathise, and even quicker to 

give a telling whenever you did 

wrong. He was fearless, trusting 

and kind — a good man, and a 

professional to the core. I will 

certainly miss him. Rest in peace, 

my friend.

C 

M 

Y 

K 


By Dayo Adesulu 

AFTER the 2019 elections, 

JAMB candidates are 

expected to write the Unified 

Tertiary Matriculation 

Examination, UTME begining 

from April, 11 and mock 

examination fixed for April, 1 

In place of the previous date 

scheduled for the CBT 

examination, the authorities of 

Joint Admissions and 

Matriculation Board (JAMB) has 

rescheduled its mock 

examination for April 1, 2019. 

Its spokesperson, Dr. Fabian 

Benjamin had explained that the 

purpose of the mock examination 

was to enable candidates 

familiarize themselves with the 

use of CBT, adding, “It would not 

be used for any assessment 

process.” 

He clarification the insinuations 

from some quarters that marks 

from the mock examination would 

be added to scores obtained in 

the main examination. 

“Mock examination was 

introduced in 2017 to give 

candidates the opportunity to 

familiarize themselves with the 

conduct of Computer Based Test, 

particularly, candidates who are 

not conversant with the use of 

computers,” he explained. 

Besides, there are other 

preparations candidates have to 

put in place before the 

examination. Candidates are to 

begin the printing of their mock 

examination slips from 

Wednesday 6th, March. I hope 

you are aware that the 

examination board had released 

the novel to be read by all 

candidates who will participate 

in the 2019 UTME. 

Candidates are to note that 

irrespective of their choice of 

course of study, they will be 

tested on a general text on 

“Sweet Sixteen” authored by 

Bolaji Abdullahi for UTME, 

while the book titled: “The Last 

Days at Forcados High School” 

by H. Mohammed is for Direct 

Entry Candidates. 

Also, did you know that 

textbooks have been 

recommended for candidates 

sitting for any subject during the 

UTME? All subjects have 

recommended textbooks for the 

2019 examination. Any candidate 

who wishes to score high marks 

should adequately prepare for 

the examination using the 

recommended textbooks. Below 

are some of the recommended 

textbooks for English Language 

and Mathematics. 

JAMB recommended books for 

Use of English: Attah, M. O. 

(2013) Practice in Spoken 

English for Intermediate 

and Advanced Learners, 

Maiduguri: University of 

Maiduguri Press 

•Bamgbose, A. (2002) English 

Lexis and Structure for Senior 

JAMB: What 

candidates need 

know as exam 

begins April,11 

Secondary Schools and colleges 

(Revised Edition), Ibadan: 

Heinemann 

•Banjo, A. et al (2004) New 

Oxford Secondary English 

Course Book Six for Senior 

Secondary Schools, Ibadan: 

UP Plc. 

•Caesar, O. J. (2003) 

Essential Oral English for 

Schools and Colleges, Lagos: 

Tonad Publishers Limited 

•Daniel Jones (2011) 

Cambridge English 

Pronouncing Dictionary, 

Cambridge: Cambridge 

University Press 

•Egbe, D. I (1996) 

Mastering English Usage and 

Communication Skills, Lagos: 

Candidates are to 

note that 

irrespective of their 

choice of course of 

study, they will be 

tested on a general 

text on “Sweet 

Sixteen” authored 

by Bolaji 

Abdullahi for 

UTME 

By Buhari Abuh 

Founder, Caleb 

University, Imota, 

Lagos, Dr. Ola 

Adebogun has been honoured 

with a title: 'Garkuwan 

Matassan Arewa’(protector of 

Youths) and the medal: 

‘General of Educational 

Development in Nigeria by the 

Northern Youth Council of 

Nigeria (NYCN). 

According to NYCN, the 

award was presented in 

recognition of his immense 

contribution to educational 

development in Nigeria. 

Speaking during the 

presentation ceremony held at 

Caleb University, Imota, 

Lagos, the President of the 

Northern Youth Forum, 

Comrade Isah Abubakar, 

represented by Hon. Sadiq 

Abdulkareem said: ‘’The 

award is a result of Dr. 

Tisons 

•Idowu, O. O, Sogbeson, T. S, 

Adofo, A. K. Burgess, D. F and 

Burgess, L. J. (1998) Roundup 

English: A Complete 

Guide, Lagos: Longman 

• Idris, U. (2001) Oral 

English at Your Fingertips 

for Schools and Colleges, 

Lagos, M. Youngbrain Publishers 

•Igiligi, E. C. and Ogenyi, S. 

O. (2010)Grammar and 

Composition in the G.S.M. 

Age, Enugu: Joe Hills 

Production Services 

JAMB recommended books for 

Maths: 

•Adelodun A. A (2000) 

Distinction in Mathematics: 

Comprehensive Revision Text, 

(3rd Edition) Ado –Ekiti: FNPL. 

•Anyebe, J. A. B (1998) 

Basic Mathematics for 

Senior Secondary Schools 

and Remedial Students in 

Higher/ institutions, Lagos: 

Kenny Moore. 

•Channon, J. B. Smith, A. M 

(2001) New General 

Mathematics for West Africa 

SSS 1 to 3, Lagos: Longman. 

•David –Osuagwu, M. et al 

(2000) New School 

Mathematics for Senior 

Secondary Schools, Onitsha: 

Adebogun’s unalloyed 

commitment to the 

educational growth and 

dedication 

i n 

supporting 

youths 

across 

Nigeria.’’ 

He said 

Africana – FIRST Publishers. 

•Egbe. E et al (2000) Further 

Mathematics, Onitsha: Africana 

– FIRST Publishers. 

•Ibude, S. O. et al (2003) 

Algebra and Calculus for 

Schools and Colleges: 

LINCEL Publishers. 

•Tuttuh – Adegun M. R. et al 

(1997), Further Mathematics 

Project Books 1 to 3, Ibadan: 

NPS Educational. 

•Wisdomline Pass at Once 

JAMB. 

Moreover, unlike previous 

years where a candidate could 

be posted anywhere to write his 

examination, in 2019, the venue 

of the examination will be at any 

centre in the candidate’s chosen 

examination town. The board 

enjoins all candidates to 

jealously guard all their details 

pertaining to the 2019 Unified 

Tertiary Matriculation 

Examination and (UTME/DE) 

Direct Entry. 

NYCN honours Adebogun with ‘Education General’ 

that the awardee has 

supported many youths with 

various levels of scholarships 

irrespective of their states of 

Prof. Ishaq Oloyede 

origin, adding that he was a 

detribalized person. 

‘’His detribalized nature and 

unwavering support to the 

cause of youth empowerment 

and educational advancement 

endeared him to the Council,’’ 

he said. 

He also pointed out that the 

enviable position of Caleb 

University as role model in 

tertiary education and its 

sound academic programmes 

were some of the reasons for 

the award. 

Through Adebogun’s 

benevolence and scholarship 

schemes which he made 

available for the less privilege, 

Comrade Abubakar reiterated 

that his contributions has 

helped many youths in Nigeria 

gain access to world class 

education. 

Abubakar equated the efforts 

of Adebogun to that of the first 

prime minister of an 

independent Nigeria, Alhaji 

Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa 

who worked tirelessly to make 

life better for his people and 

for the independence of 

Nigeria. 

In his remark, the Ag Vice 

Chancellor, Caleb University, 

Professor Nosa Owens-Ibie 

who led other principal 

officers of the University to 

receive the award on behalf 

of the founder, lauded the 

leadership of NYCN for the 

recognition. 

He urged the youths to 

uphold good ideas, discipline, 

humility,focus, selflessness, 

moral uprightness, godliness, 

patriotism and hard work 

which he described as the 

hallmark of the founder.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, MARCH 14, 2019— 43 

From left, Mr R S Amao, Director; Mrs R O Amao, Proprietress and extreme 

right, Pastor Jaiyeola Joseph, Grand patron during the Inter house sports 

competition of Perfection Gate schools, Ikotun. 

CYFI trains 40 teachers on 

21st century skills 


ARMED with the 

belief that teaching 

has gone beyond the 

normal chalk and class 

room experience, the 

Carrington Youth 

Fellowship Initiative, 

CYFI 2018 Education 

Team recently organized 

a three day seminar 

tagged, “ Upskilling 

Teacher’s Educational 

Transformation for 40 

teachers across 10 schools 

in Lagos. 

Speaking at the training 

facilitated by young 

individuals through ,” 

The Teaching Edge 

Nigeria initiative, 

Patrick Wilcox, Vice 

Consul with the U.S 

Consulate General in 

Lagos whose office 

sponsored the training 

tasked the teachers to 

avail themselves of skills 

learned which will make 

a positive difference in the 

lives of their pupils and 

for the country at large. 

“We are pleased to have 

you attend this training, 

and are confident you will 

be able to learn useful 

skills to apply in your 

teaching. 

“Each of you as a 

teacher is in a unique 

position to influence 

Nigeria. This is a rapidly 

growing country with a 

very large population of 

youth. What you do in 

teaching those youth 

makes a difference in 

their lives and teaching 

them well can make a very 

positive difference , both 

for them and for the 

country. “Wilcox said. 

For the young facilitators 

that included: Hannah 

Afia, a Demand Analyst, 

Nestlé Central and West 

Africa Region, Accra, 

Ghana; Abraham Femi 

Abraham, Programmes 

Officer, LEAP Africa; 

Toluwanimi Afolayan , 

Research Officer at the 

Federal Institute of 

Industrial Research 

Oshodi, Lagos State, 

Nigeria; Eleso 

Moyosoreoluwa, a 

Broadcast Journalist and 

event host, Hammed 

Kayode Alabi , 

Founder/Executive 

Director Kayode Alabi 

Leadership and Career 

Initiative (KLCI) the 

training was timely as 

teaching has become a 

dynamic profession that 

demands that the 

teachers become abreast of 

changes in the 

profession. 

According 

to 

Moyosoreoluwa, “At the 

workshop, after careful 

selection of participants 

and facilitators from the 

education sector, 40 

teachers across 10 

schools in Agege 

community were trained 

on 21st century skills 

including emotional 

intelligence, future of 

works, class room 

psychology, gender 

inclusion, facilitation 

skills, design thinking 

and so on. 

TASUED V-C marks one 

year in office 

Vice-Chancellor, Tai Solarin 

University of Education, 

Ijebu-Ode, Ogun 

State, Professor Abayomi 

Adelaja Arigbabu will be 

one year in office on Tuesday 

19th March 2019. To 

commemorate the event, 

the university management 

has outlined a programme 

of events to celebrate 

the anniversary. 

According to a release 

issued by Deputy Registrar 

(Media & Corporate 

Affairs) of the institution, 

Mr Dapo Oke, Friday 

15th, Monday 18th, and 

Tuesday 19th March, 

2019 are days during 

which special programmes 

will be held for 

a modest celebration of the 

event. The 3-day programme 

will afford the 

vice-chancellor the opportunity 

to have interactive 

sessions with students 

and staff of the university 

and secondary school 

(TASUESS). He will also 

use the occasion to address 

the University General 

Assembly on the 

“State of the University”. 

Tomorrow, Friday 15 

March, Professor Arigbabu 

will hold an interactive 

session with TAS- 

UESS staff and students 

at the school’s premises 

in Igbeba, Ijebu-Ode, 

which will be followed by 

a special Jumat service in 

•Prof. A. Arigbabu 

honour of the vice-chancellor 

at TASUED Central 

Mosque. 

The events continue on 

Monday with a Health 

Walk on campus in the 

morning, to be followed by 

interactive sessions with 

students union executives 

and other students, academic 

staff, deans and 

directors and staff unions. 

In the afternoon, a football 

match of staff and student 

teams holds. 

The anniversary events 

are rounded off on the 

third day, Tuesday 19th 

March with a TASUED 

Christian Community 

prayer session, after 

which the vice-chancellor 

will deliver a State of the 

University Address. 

Greensprings/Kanu Football Camp: 

Best footballer gets scholarship 

IN furtherance to the 

school’s commitment to the 

development of young 

African children, 

Greensprings School has 

introduced the Sponsor-A- 

Star project to encourage 

corporate organisations 

sponsor children with 

potentials to excel in the 

game of football. 

Thus at the end of 5 days 

Greensprings/Kanu 

football camp, awards will 

be issued to the 

participants based on their 

performance at the camp. 

The grand prize of 

educational scholarship 

into Greensprings School 

will go to the most 

promising player in the 

camp. 

Among other benefits, the 

Union Bank will support 

enable five football loving 

By Oghenefego Obaebor 

SENIOR Secondary 

Students who are good at 

Science, Technology, 

Engineering, and 

Mathematics (STEM) 

subjects stand the chance 

to get N7.5million 

scholarship, as Interswitch 

Group, a leading Nigerian 

Pan-African digital 

payment and commerce 

solutions company vowed 

to reward winners in the 

InterswitchSPAK National 

Science competition. 

The competition, which is 

targeted at SS2 students 

aged between 14 and 17 

years, is the CSR initiative 

of the company. 

Disclosing this recently 

during a press briefing in 

Lagos, the Group Chief 

Product and Marketing 

Officer, Interswitch, Cherry 

Eromosele explained that 

competition focuses on 

driving the increased 

interest in the study of 

Science, Technology, 

Engineering, and 

Mathematics (STEM) 

subjects among Senior 

Secondary School students 

across Nigeria. 

‘’The aim of 

InterswitchSPAK is to 

children from underserved 

communities, to experience 

world class football training 

and compete for the 

ultimate prize of an 

educational scholarship to 

study at Greensprings 

School. 

You will recall that since 

the inception of the football 

camp, nine students from 

underserved communities 

have been awarded 

educational scholarships 

into Greensprings School. 

Some of these students 

have progressed into the 

Under-15 National Team of 

Nigeria, while some others 

have had the opportunity 

to play in European football 

clubs. In return, 

Greensprings School 

hopes that when these 

students become 

superstars, they will give 

Greensprings/Kanu during training on camp 

back to the society through 

youth empowerment 

initiatives. 

To register, interested 

students are to visit the 

website or pick up a 

registration form from any 

Greensprings School 

campus. Registration 

closes on Friday, 5th of 

April 2019. 

Greensprings/Kanu 

Football Camp was 

established in 2012 by 

Greensprings School and 

Kanu Heart Foundation, to 

enable children between 

the ages of 5 and 17 years 

enhance their football 

skills. During the camp, 

children get first class 

training by coaches from 

West Bromwich Abion 

Football Club UK and 

Dutch Football Association 

Netherlands, supported by 

coaches from the Lagos 

State Football Association. 

The participants also get a 

lifetime opportunity to 

receive direct mentoring 

and coaching from 

Nigerian football legend, 

Kanu Nwankwo. 

Drills to look forward to 

at the camp include; cone 

exercises, circle of cone, 

cut-backs, shooting from a 

square pass, one-touch 

shooting, three goal drill, 

lay-offs, turns, chest control, 

headers on goal, basic short 

passes, shuffling passes, 

stamina drills, tackling, 

sliding tackle, goalkeeping 

and other exciting drills. 

STEM: N7.5m scholarship from Interswitch 

awaits outstanding students 

encourage and guide the 

students along career paths 

that will help them achieve 

full optimization of their 

potentials and dreams to 

become inventors or 

entrepreneurs,’’ she said. 

According to her, the 

competition will kick off 

with a national qualifying 

examination from which 81 

finalists will emerge to 

compete at the 

InterswitchSPAK TV quiz 

competition, adding, ‘’ 

The InterswitchSPAK 

programme includes a 

Master-class, an 

Innovation Challenge and 

a TV quiz competition 

around STEM subjects.’’ 

Eromosele, who urged 

all eligible students to 

participate and register in 

this second edition, 

stressed that the importance 

of STEM education cannot 

be over-emphasized in our 

society in view of current 

societal challenges. 

She said: “At Interswitch 

we understand that 

technology is key to solving 

most of our challenges in 

Africa. Promoting and 

rewarding excellence in 

STEM subjects among 

secondary school 

students is our way of 

preparing the younger 

generation to take up this 

challenge”. 

Speaking on the 

registration process, 

Enyioma Anaba, Group 

Head, Brands, at 

Interswitch Group, 

explained that the 

competition is open to girls 

and boys in public and 

private secondary schools 

in Nigeria, aged between 

14 and 17 years. She 

further explained that new 

schools are required to 

first register on the 

InterswitchSPAK platform 

before registering their 

students, while returning 

schools can directly register 

their students. 

Each such school 

is expected to register six 

students each, at least two 

of which must be girls. 

Registration is done online 

a 

t 

www.interswitchspak.com 

The overall winner will be 

awarded a five-year 

scholarship in any tertiary 

institution, a laptop, a gold 

trophy and monthly 

stipends throughout the 

duration of the scholarship, 

all totalling N7.5million.


Boeing wants entire global fleet 

of 737 MAX grounded 

*As Trump grounds jets; shares fall again 

*Black boxes bound for Europe 

BOEING has recom 

mended the temporary 

grounding of it’s “entire 

global fleet” of the 737 

MAX aircraft after several 

countries, including the US, 

banned their use in the wake 

the Ethiopian Airlines crash 

that killed all 157 people on 

board. 

Boeing said it proposed 

the suspension to the US 

Federal Aviation Administration 

(FAA) on Wednesday 

“out of an abundance of caution”. 

“We are supporting this 

proactive step out of an 

abundance of caution,” Boeing 

said in a statement on 

its website. 

“We are doing everything 

we can to understand the 

cause of the accidents in 

partnership with the investigators, 

deploy safety enhancements 

and help ensure 

this does not happen 

again.” 

The FAA ordered the temporary 

grounding of the 737 

MAX aircraft shortly afterwards. 

The moves came 

minutes after US President 

Donald Trump issued an 

emergency order calling for 

the grounding of all Boeing 

737 MAX 8 and MAX 9 aircraft 

in the country. 

Sunday’s crash, that took 

place just outside Ethiopia’s 

capital Addis Ababa, was the 

second accident involving 

the US-based aerospace giant’s 

MAX 8 model within 

six months. 

Last October, a Lion Airoperated 

MAX 8 went down 

in Indonesia in October, killing 

189 people. 

Both crashes took place 

shortly after takeoff and have 

prompted intense scrutiny 

over the aeroplane’s control 

systems. 

In addition to the US, several 

other nations have also 

banned the use of 737 MAX 

models in their airspace in 

recent days, including China, 

India and the 28-countries 

comprising the European 

Union. 

Shares in the company fell 

precipitously on Wednesday, 

plunging by nearly 

three percent and putting 

the stock down more than 

13 percent since before Sunday’s 

crash. 

However, Ethiopian Airlines, 

said it had concluded 

plans to send the black 

boxes to Europe from a disaster 

that has rocked the 

global aviation industry. 

In November, two incidents 

were reported to the 

NASA-run Aviation Safety 

Reporting Database that involved 

problems in controlling 

the 737 MAX at low altitude 

just after take-off with 

autopilot engaged, according 

to documents first published 

by the Dallas Morning 

News and verified by 

Reuters. 

“We discussed the departure 

at length and I reviewed 

in my mind our automation 

setup and flight 

profile but can’t think of any 

reason the aircraft would 

pitch nose down so aggressively,” 

one pilot said. 

In another case, the pilot 

said: “With the concerns 

with the MAX 8 nose down 

stuff, we thought it appropriate 

to bring it to your attention.” 

Boeing did not respond 

immediately to a request for 

comment, but it has previously 

said it provided appropriate 

information to pilots 

to use an existing procedure 

to handle the issue of erroneous 

data affecting the antistall 

system. 

No deal Brexit opposed by British 

lawmakers 

BRITISH lawmakers on 

Wednesday overwhelmingly 

rejected leaving 

the European Union without 

a deal, paving the way 

for a vote to delay Brexit to 

seek a way out of Britain’s 

worst political crisis in generations. 

Lawmakers voted by 312 

to 308 in favor of a cross-party 

motion that ruled out a 

potentially disorderly ‘nodeal’ 

Brexit under any circumstances. 

It went further than the 

government’s own planned 

motion, which noted that 

parliament did not want to 

leave without a deal on 

March 29 and that the default 

legal position was to 

leave without a deal unless 

one was ratified by parliament. 

While the approved motion 

has no legal force and 

ultimately may not prevent 

a no-deal exit after a possible 

delay, it carries considerable 

political force. 

After two-and-a-half years 

of negotiations and two 

failed attempts to pass a 

Brexit deal proposed by 

May, the vote against a nodeal 

exit still leaves undecided 

how, when and on 

what terms Britain will leave 

the club it joined in 1973. 

After lawmakers crushed 

her deal for a second time 

on Tuesday, May said it was 

still the best option for leaving 

in an orderly fashion. 

Ahead of Wednesday’s 

vote, the pound headed for 

its biggest daily rise in 2019 

as investors bet on a vote 

against a no-deal Brexit. It 

rose again on the result of 

the vote. 

As the United Kingdom’s 

three-year Brexit crisis spins 

toward its finale, diplomats 

and investors see four main 

options: a delay, May’s deal 

passing at the last minute, 

an accidental no-deal exit or 

another referendum. 

If Britain does seek a delay, 

it will require the agreement 

of all the bloc’s other 

27 members. 

The EU would prefer only 

a short extension, with the 

deadline of EU-wide parliamentary 

elections due May 

24-26, although it is unclear 

that this would be long 

enough to solve the impasse 

in London. 

LIBYAN SLAVE TRADE: Foundation 

cautions against illegal immigration 

By Dickson 

Omobola 

CAPTAIN Dafieko 

Sama Foundation 

has warned against illegal 

migration to Europe 

through Libya, saying that 

nearly 500,000 immigrants 

are detained in the 

country. 

It also commended organisations 

and individuals 

who have assisted its 

campaign against the 

deadly trip, especially 

CNN journalists, Raja 

Razak, and Nima Elbagir, 

who it said, took the risk to 

cover the slave trade at 

Treeq Alsika Migrant Detention 

Center in Tripoli 

and Sabha involving Nigerians 

and other African 

youths. 

The foundation in a statement 

by Captain Dafieko 

Sama said during its encounters 

with some of the 

journalists covering the issue 

in Libya, Nigerian illegal 

immigrants were more 

in population. 

His words: “The organisers 

of this wicked trade 

simply took advantage of 

the illegal immigrants from 

Africa and mostly hit were 

immigrants from Nigeria. 

“There were some who 

came to our foundation for 

assistance and we were able 

to assist them, while we 

couldn’t help others. 

There was a Niger Delta 

youth, Akim Mimi Amoo, 

who was recommended to 

us for assistance by the police. 

His case was so desperate 

that we could not ignore, 

he had some disputes with 

the members of the Niger 

Delta militants and information 

available to us 

showed that he lost some 

members of his family because 

of his romance with 

these militants and he was 

left with no safe option but 

to flee Nigeria and ended 

up in Libya. ''

Group Chairman, 

First Bank of 

Nigeria, Mrs. Ibukun 

Awosika, said 

commercial bank had 

been investing in 

enhancing the skills 

and knowledge base 

of Small and Medium 

Enterprises (SMEs) 

through training. 

Speaking against drop 

of the clamour by 

SMEs to access loan 

from banks to develop 

their businesses, at a 

VANGUARD, THURSDAY, MARCH 14, 2019—45 

How banks are supporting SMEs — FirstBank Chairman 

media chat in Lagos, 

Awosika noted that 

commercial bank 

loans have always 

been too expensive 

for SMEs because of 

the high interest rates 

involved. 

She explained that 

instead of jumping to 

begin to give those 

loans, the bank had 

been investing in 

developing their 

skills and knowledge 

gap through training 

before partnering 

with institutions such 

as the Bank of 

Industry (BoI). 

"What we have been 

doing is to invest 

heavily in organising 

programmes that will 

help develop the 

knowledge and the 

skills of those in 

entrepreneurship 

business, which form 

the small and 

medium enterprises 

that we are talking 

about. 

"As we invest in their 

development and 

knowledge, we are 

also facilitating their 

ability for them to 

have the right kind of 

financing for the 

business. We worked 

very closely with the 

bank of industry to 

develop the kind of 

sustainable financing 

that SMEs can apply 

for. This is because 

what we sell is based 

on the cost at which 

we get the money. If 

you give us deposit, 

you expect us to pay 

you 13 per cent of the 

interest; we cannot 

give out a loan at 

anything below that 

because we are going 

to incur cost in the 

process." 

Awosika said she grew 

up in a small business 

all the way to where 

she is now, adding 

that the experience 

has helped her to 

understand the SMEs 

sector well. 

13,000 MSMEs benefit from SMEDAN's 

conditional grant scheme 

Stories by Yinka Kolawole 

More than 13,000 

micro, small and 

m e d i u m 

enterprises (MSMEs) have 

benefited from the 

conditional grant scheme 

(CGS) of the the Small and 

Medium Enterprises 

Development Agency of 

Nigeria (SMEDAN). 

Director-General of 

SMEDAN, Dr Dikko Umar 

Radda, disclosed this 

recently at the flag-off of 

the Conditional Grant 

Scheme (CGS) in Bauchi 

State. 

He recalled that the 

scheme was first 

introduced in 2017 in 145 

Local Government Areas 

of Katsina, Gombe, 

Ebonyi, Oyo, Akwa Ibom 

and Benue States. 

According to him, 13,000 

MSMEs have so far 

benefited from 

entrepreneurship 

training, formalisation of 

registration of businesses, 

provision of insurance 

and access to finance 

through grant of 

N50,000. 

Radda said MSMEs 

represented 96 per cent of 

business activities in the 

county, adding that 90 

per cent of them are 

informal and populated 

by people at the bottom 

of the pyramid, hence the 

introduction of CGS for 

micro enterprises in 

Nigeria. He said that the 

process would enable 

informal enterprises 

metamorphose into 

formal sector, 

industrialize the nation, 

develop the rural 

economy, stem youth 

restiveness and 

unemployment as well as 

create sustainable 

economy growth and 

development. 

The SMEDAN DG noted 

that the scheme was 

extended to Lagos, Bauchi 

and Sokoto States, 

targeting 6,000 

•Maniatis John, Deputy General Manager and Veronica Kalu-Ufe, Quality 

Assurance Manager, both of Golden Sugar Company, displaying the Global Food 

Safety Initiative (GFSI) Award won by the company in Nice, France 

beneficiaries, to 

encourage job creation, 

business formalisation, 

improved productivity 

and capacity 

enhancement of the 

operators. 

Radda stated: "The 

scheme would move the 

micro enterprises from 

the informal to formal 

sector, create jobs, wealth 

and alleviate poverty in 

the society. It will also 

enhance competition of 

these enterprises towards 

meeting national, regional 

and global standards as 

well as improving 

internally generated 

revenue to reduce 

dependence on oil 

revenue." 


agency will work in 

partnership with banks, 

the Federal Inland 

Revenue Service (FIRS), 

business development 

service providers (BDSPs), 

state and local 

governments, insurance 

companies and Corporate 

Affairs Commission (CAC). 

In his remark, Governor 

Muhammed Abubakar of 

the state, while speaking at 

the occasion, said that the 

scheme would stimulate 

the generation of revenue 

Golden Sugar Company wins international food safety award 

Golden Sugar Company 

Limited (GSC), a 

subsidiary of Flour Mills of 

Nigeria Plc (FMN), one of 

Nigeria's leading Foods and 

Agro-allied Group, has won 

the Global Food Safety 

Initiative (GFSI) Award. 

The award was announced 

during 2019 GFSI 

conference recently held in 

Nice, France where 

industry leaders around 

the world from Africa, Asia, 

the Americas and Europe 

came together to discuss 

the key food safety trends 

in the fast moving 

consumer goods (FMCG) 

sector. 

Mike Robach, Chairman of 

GFSI Board said: "The Global 

Markets Awards 2019 

recognizes the commitment 

of companies all over the 

world to their food safety 

journey. This year, the 

Selection Committee 

focused on the effort and 

innovations the companies 

have made in creating an 

environment for food safety 


He urged the beneficiaries 

to make judicious use of 

the funds to be granted to 

them towards industrial 

development of the state. 

In a related development, 

SMEDAN has earmarked 

N103.5 million as grants 

for 2,070 small scale 

business owners in Sokoto 

State. 

At the flag-off of the 

scheme for beneficiaries in 

23 local government areas 

of the state, Radda said the 

move is in a bid to enhance 

the SMEs and ensure their 

survival. 

and a culture of continuous 

improvement. 

Golden Sugar Company, a 

major advocate for the 

development of the Sugar 

Value Chain in Nigeria, was 

the only recipient company 

from Africa at the awards 

this year. 

Robach said that the 

company was recognized 

for boosting its client base 

beyond direct consumers 

to multinational industrial 

clients and reduced food 

safety-related complaints. 

Standard financial 

management for MSMEs (3) 

We are in the third edition of the discussions in this 

series on financial management for small 

businesses. Last week we focused on the issue of setting 

up a business bank account. Today we advance to 

creating and maintaining a business budget. 

Business Budget 

For the purposes of delineating the scope of what a 

business budget should be for a small business, just see 

it as proposed financial requirement in terms of cost of 

production and sales or cost of services delivery within 

a definite period, matched with forecast income and 

expectations for the same period. In other words, you 

state the expected businesses with the cost of executing 

them and the corresponding cash flow to meet those 

costs. 

Set a realistic budget for your business to help you meet 

financial goals. A budget allows you to understand your 

current situation and make projections. Compare 

forecasts to actual financial results to determine if you 

are over-spending or have created additional income. 

The best bet is usually to build on the actual figures you 

recorded in a previous period. 

This takes us to a periodic perspective of budgeting. You 

should draw an annual budget, usually from January 

through December and this should be done some weeks 

before January. 

Then create half year budget out of the full year and a 

quarterly budget also. If possible, and it is advisable, 

draw a monthly and even weekly budget out of the 

quarterly. And like the annual budget create the budgets 

days or weeks ahead of the period of the budget. 

The other key value of the budget is inspirational and 

disciplinary. It is of no value all the efforts in this if the 

budget is not ruthlessly executed. Aim to outperform 

the budget, driving to earn more than you budgeted, 

while striving to spend less per unit of product or 

services. 

In some subsequent series we shall address the subject 

of sound budgeting or financial planning and forecast 

for small businesses. But next week we shall be looking 

at the third element of sound financial management for 

small businesses, which is establishing an accounting 

system and book-keeping method. 

Speaking on the awards at 

the company's head office in 

Lagos, yesterday, Maniatis 

John, Deputy General 

Manager, GSC said: "We are 

delighted to be a part of this 

year's conference and to 

have been selected as 

winners. Our journey 

through the Global Markets 

Programme has been truly 

inspirational and indeed 

rewarding. We know that 

Golden Sugar is enjoyed by 

millions of Nigerian families 

every day, so this is just one 

of the many initiatives that 

we have put in place to 

assure them of our 

commitment to quality and 

safe food for all." 

In her remarks, Veronica 

Kalu-Ufe, Quality 

Assurance Manager, GSC, 

said the company 

commenced the process of 

certification in 2014 and 

was first certified in 2015, 

recertified in 2017 before 

attaining the requirements 

that finally clinched this 

award for it.


vanguardnews @vanguardnews @vanguardnews 

NEWS HOTLINES 

018773962, 

08052867058 

ASSESSMENT:From left: National Commissioners, Independent National 

Electoral Commission, Prof. Anthonia Okoosi-Simbine; Ahmed Tijani and 

Dr. Adekunle Ogunmola, during the accredited observers assessment on 

the just concluded 2019 General Election in Abuja, yesterday. Photo: Gbemiga 

Olamikan. 

Rowdy session in 

Senate over elections 

Continues from Page 5 

of the lawmakers in their 

various legislative 

inputs is that if electoral 

matters were not 

properly resolved now, 

the situation portended 

danger for the nation’s 

democracy. 

This followed a motion 

under matters of urgent 

national importance 

promoted by Sunday 

Karimi Steve, (PDP, 

Kogi), wherein he drew 

attention to the critical 

issues of inconclusive 

elections in six different 

states of the North. 

Vanguard recalls that 

INEC, citing different 

reasons ranging from 

cancelled votes and 

inability to conduct 

election in some local 

governments and polling 

units in Kano, Sokoto, 

Benue, Bauchi, 

Adamawa and Plateau 

respectively, declared 

governorship elections 

in those states 

inconclusive. 

While leading the 

debate, Karimi, citing 

the situation in the 

affected states, warned of 

impending danger 

should the rescheduled 

supplementary elections 

be manipulated in 

favour of the ruling 

party. 

“This issue is very 

important to all of us. 

The spate of 

inconclusive elections in 

Nigeria is becoming 

worrisome. And we see 

a situation where INEC 

has different rules for 

similar situations. 

“If you add all the 

cancelled votes in all the 

states in the country 

during the presidential 

election, the candidate of 

the APC shouldn’t have 

been declared winner as 

the number of cancelled 

votes should have 

necessitated a 

declaration of the 

election as inconclusive. 

“But when it came to 

governorship elections, 

Naira up to N360.29/$ in 

I&E window 

By Elizabeth Adegbesan 

Despite a 66 percent decline in the volume of 

dollars traded, the naira yesterday appreciated 

to N360.29 per dollar in the Investors and Exporters 

(I&E) window. 

Data from FMDQ showed that the indicative 

exchange rate for the window dropped to N360.29 

per dollar from N360.44 per dollar on Tuesday 

translating to 15 kobo appreciation of the naira. 

The volume of dollars traded on the window 

dropped by 66 percent to $60.94 million from $180.69 

million traded on Tuesday. 

Similarly, the naira yesterday appreciated by 20 

kobo in the parallel market yesterday. 

According to naijabdcs.com, the live exchange rate 

platform of the Association of Bureaux De Change 

Operators (ABCON), the parallel market exchange 

dropped to N358 per dollar from N358.2 per dollar 

on Tuesday translating to 20 kobo appreciation of 

the naira. 

they are mostly 

inconclusive in states 

where the opposition 

was clearly in the lead. 

And why should INEC’s 

guideline be made to 

supersede the 

constitution?” Karimi 

queried. 

In his contribution, 

Aliyu Sani Madaki (PDP, 

Kano), said: “What 

happened during the last 

election was that things 

were done without 

recourse to the laws. 

INEC acted in manners 

that showed bias. Where 

PDP was leading, they 

declared 

it 

inconclusive.’’ 

Madaki warned of dire 

consequences to the 

nation should Kano 

election be manipulated 

to favour the APC whose 

candidate is trailing with 

tens of thousands of 

votes. 

Dan Achibong (PDP, 

Akwa Ibom), noted that 

“this problem has 

occurred and what we 

should be bothered about 

is how do we correct it”? 

“In my state, we had 

elections and there were 

similar issues, but the 

state resident electoral 

commissioner stood his 

ground by going through 

each result and 

comparing them with the 

number of registered and 

accredited voters in the 

registers and card 

readers and he declared 

the results.” 

He called for a holistic 

amendment to the 

Electoral Act and the 

constitution to guarantee 

true independence of 

INEC. 

The House Leader, 

Femi Gbajabiamila 

(APC, Lagos), reminded 

his colleagues of the 

manner their arguments 

missed the point about 

inconclusive elections. 

He said while members 

seemed to be on the 

same page on the issue, 

the approach to solving 

the problem fell short of 

legislative intervention 

that it required. 

“I want to make it 

abundantly clear that 

everybody in this House 

is on the same page on 

this issue of inconclusive 

elections. However, the 

difference is the manner 

we seek for the solution. 

“I have listened to the 

debate and a lot of us 

seem to misinterpret the 

position of the law and 

we do not have the 

powers to interpret the 

laws. While we agree 

that inconclusiveness 

should be something of 

the past, the question is 

how do we move forward 

in a manner that reduces 

the powers of INEC to set 

guidelines that 

encourages these kinds 

of situations. 

The stand of 

the law 

“Inconclusive election 

didn’t start today. We 

remember the issue in 

Kogi State in 2015, and 

our colleague Faleke is 

here. He went all the 

way to the Supreme 

Court, which ruled that 

INEC was in order as it 

has the powers to 

conduct and regulate 


“So there is a Supreme 

Court ruling on this 

matter. The only way we 

can reverse the Supreme 

Court ruling is to amend 

the provisions of our 

constitution that allows 

INEC to set guidelines 

outside the Electoral Act 

and the constitution. 

“But until that is done, 

we can’t be here and 

take a political approach, 

then we must take the 

legislative approach by 

amending the laws to 

limit the powers of INEC 

from setting guidelines 

that are outside the 

Electoral Act and the 

constitution. It could be 

one or two lines or 

paragraphs, but it can 

make the difference.” 

Abdulrazak Namdas 

(APC, Adamawa) 

blamed the political class 

for the situation, saying 

though lawmakers 

agreed that INEC had 

powers to run an 

election, the issue of 

manipulation and 

rigging by politicians 

should be looked into. 

He called for a change 

of attitudes by 

politicians whose 

desperation led to issues 

of inconclusive 

elections, adding that 

the clause that allows 

INEC to set guidelines 

should also be looked at. 

The House, following 

an amendment to the 

prayers, resolved to set 

up an adhoc committee 

to look into the issue of 

inconclusive elections 

and report back to it. 

Amnesty office denies allegations of looting, vandalism 


LAGOS—The office 

of the Special 

Adviser to the President 

on Niger Delta and 

Coordinator, Amnesty 

Programme, yesterday 

dismissed reports of 

looting of starter packs 

and vandalism of 

property at its training 

facility in Bayelsa State. 

Murphy Ganagana, 

Media aide to the 

Special Adviser to the 

President on Niger Delta 

and Coordinator, 

Amnesty Programme, 

Prof. Charles Dokubo, 

who issued the refutal in 

a statement, described 

the report as not only 

nonsensical, false, 

preposterous, 

mischievous, wicked, but 

also a calculated attempt 

to smear Dokubo’s hardearned 

reputation. 

The statement read: 

“The attention of the 

Office of the Special 




Programme, has been 

drawn to some 

mischievous reports in 

some print and online 

news portals on the 

circumstances 

surrounding the recent 

invasion of Presidential 

Amnesty Programme 

Vocational Training 

Centre in Kaiama, 

Kolokuma/Opokuma 

Local Government Area 

of Bayelsa State. 

“The malicious and 

false reports which 

followed a stagemanaged 

protest hired 

by their sponsors to 

achieve a predetermined 

goal, had 

alleged that the Special 




Programme, Prof. 

Charles Dokubo, 

orchestrated the looting 

of items meant for 

empowerment of 

residents of communities 

impacted during the 

Niger Delta crises to 

cover up fraud at the 

Amnesty Office. 

“The hired protesters 

also reportedly alleged 

that no action was taken 

by Prof. Dokubo 

throughout a five day 

period that the looting of 

starter pack items and 

vandalism of property at 

the training facility 

lasted. 

“We wish to state 

emphatically that these 

allegations are not only 

nonsensical, entirely 

false, preposterous, 

mischievous and wicked, 

but a calculated attempt 

to smear the hardearned 

reputation of 

Prof. Dokubo, a descent 

and incorruptible scholar 

of international repute 

who has, within one year 

in office, given hope to 

the Niger Delta People 

through fresh initiatives 

that would reposition the 

Amnesty Programme to 

its original mandate. 

“It is on record that the 

invasion and looting of 

items at the Kaiama 

training facility occurred 

in the presence of 

security personnel 

including the police and 

the military deployed in 

the centre, but they were 

simply overwhelmed by 

the numerical strength of 

the massive invaders. 

“The incident was also 

immediately reported at 

the Divisional Police 

Headquarters at Kaiama, 

and later at the Bayelsa 

State police command 

headquarters in 

Yenagoa. Complaint on 

the incident by an official 

of the Amnesty Office 

was properly 

documented by the 

Bayelsa police in its 

crime diary. 

“The police had 

promptly launched an 

intensive investigation 

on the incident and have 

some suspects in 

custody. None of the 

suspects arrested in 

connection to the looting 

of items and vandalism 

of the facility, has linked 

any official of the 

Amnesty Office to the 

crime. 

“We urge enemies of 

the Niger Delta, 

particularly ambitious 

politicians eyeing Prof. 

Dokubo’s office to desist 

from smear campaigns 

and other ignoble acts 

capable of portraying the 

Niger Delta people in 

bad light. 

‘’Sponsoring illmotivated 

protests aimed 

at causing mischief and 

splashing muddied 

water on Dokubo, a 

patriot and committed 

Niger Deltan will do no 

one any good. 

“ P r e s i d e n t 

Muhammadu Buhari is 

committed and 

determined to turn 

around the sad narrative 

of the Niger Delta 

through 

the 

instrumentality of the 

Amnesty Programme. 

‘’We should all support 

his effort by playing 

progressive roles to 

compliment Prof. Dokubo 

in moving the Amnesty 

Programme to the next 

level."



Tragedy foretold 

•Over 1000 buildings marked for demolition 

including tragic house 

By Kingsley Adegboye 

Unless something urgent 

is done, we may be 

witnessing more building 

collapses, as over 1000 

buildings in Lagos Island have 

been allegedly certified 

distressed. 

Mr. Kunle Awobodu, 1st Vice 

President, Nigerian Institute of 

Building NIOB, and the immediate 

past President of Building 

Collapse Prevention Guild 

BCPG, while reacting to yesterday’s 

collapsed building in 

Ita Faji Street, Lagos Island, 

said “From our findings which 

revealed over 1000 structures 

were distressed, we had also 

recommended that those structures 

should be earmarked for 

demolition in Lagos Island. 

‘’We equally told the state 

government to carry out integrity 

test on more structures in 

the area, but due to lack of political 

will, nothing was done 

by the government”, pointing 

out that the incessant building 

collapses being recorded in 

Lagos Island, is due to the peculiarity 

of the local developers 

who are not professionals. 

Awobodu said the five-storey 

building with a pent house that 

collapsed yesterday morning 

killing unspecified number of 

school children, had been earmarked 

for demolition because 

it was discovered to be structurally 

distressed. 

According to him, Lagos Island 

which used to be the historical 

base of Brazilian returnees, 

and a symbol of magnificent 

buildings, has become a 

citadel of building collapse because 

of activities of quack developers. 

Describing Lagos Island developers 

as more or less businessmen, 

Awobodu, a professional 

builder said what the 

developers do is to deceive 

Lagos Island landlords to surrender 

their old buildings to 

them for redevelopment and at 

the end of the day, they end 

up developing shoddy structures. 

Lamenting the efforts of the 

Nigerian Institute of Building 

and those of Building Collapse 

Prevention Guild to address 

the incidents of building collapse 

in Lagos Island as regrettable, 

he said “We talked to 

them to see reasons to desist 

from developing shoddy structures 

in the area. They promised 

to do the right thing, but 

unfortunately, we are hearing 

of building collapse everyday. 

Insisting that political influence 

in Lagos Island has greatly 

contributed to the incessant 

collapses in the sprawling environment, 

Awobodu said the 

way forward is for the state 

government to as a matter of 

urgency set up a special task 

force to check the rate at which 

buildings are collapsing in the 

The Ita Faji building collapse yesterday 

area. 

Also reacting to the incident, 

Lagos State Building Control 

Agency LASBCA, said the 

building that caved in had been 

marked for demolition since 

last year because it was discovered 

by the Agency to be distressed. 

Titi Ajirotutu who 

spoke to our correspondent on 

phone on behalf of LABSCA, 

said the Agency was shocked 

to hear of the collapse of the 

same structure that earmarked 

for demolition a year ago. 

The residents who spoke with 

our correspondent lamented 

the high number of lives that 

have been lost to the collapse 

of such buildings in the past. 

They also appealed to the government 

to stop churches and 

school owners in the area from 

using high-rise buildings as 

their base for operations 

They alleged that the collapsed 

building had been 

marked for demolition but government 

officials failed to carry 

out the demolition because 

the owner bribed them. 

“The building has been 

marked for demolition, but the 

government officials always 

collect bribe from the owner 

which was the reason lasted till 

yesterday before it eventually 

caved in. The owners of such 

distressed buildings always 

boast that they have people in 

government they can bribe to 

overlook the proposed demolition 

of the buildings” one of 

the residents alleged. 

It would be recalled that last 

year the state government disclosed 

that it had identified 

149 distressed buildings 

across the State in the last one 

year, out of which 40 have 

been demolished. 

They alleged that 

the collapsed building 

had been 

marked for demolition 

but government 

officials failed to 

carry out the demolition 

because the 

owner bribed them 

Commissioner for Physical 

Planning and Urban Development, 

Prince Rotimi Ogunleye 

disclosed this at a ministerial 

press conference in 

Alausa, Ikeja, Lagos, Southwest 

Nigeria. 

He added that in the next 

phase, 38 other defective 

structures had been earmarked 

for demolition, as 

government would not tolerate 

cases of collapsed buildings 

in any part of the State. 

“In a systematic approach to 

curtail occurrences of building 

collapse, 149 distressed 

building were identified at different 

locations of which 40 of 

such have been removed 

while the next phase of 38 

structurally defective structures 

have been earmarked for 

removal. Others would follow 

suite to safeguard lives and 

property,” he said. 

Ogunleye also revealed that 

the Ministry embarked on an 

Intensive Audit, through the 

Lagos State Material Testing 

Laboratory (LSMTL) and visited 

the 57 Local Government/ 

Council Development Areas 

of the State to inspect both ongoing 

construction sites and 

completed buildings suspected 

to be distressed. 

“Consequently, 1,842 sites 

were visited, 1,392 test advice 

notices were served and information 

on buildings identified 

as distressed were forwarded 

to the Lagos State 

Building Control Agency 

(LASBCA) for necessary action,” 

he stated. 

The commissioner said in 

last year’s briefing, the Ministry 

announced the embargo 

on the development of Petrol 

Filling Stations (PFS) in the 

State so as to take inventory 

and review requirements 

geared towards safety of lives 

and property, and orderly development. 

“Taking into account the recent 

explosion of 2 (two) Gas 

Plants in the State, a more 

comprehensive revision to include 

gas plants was deemed 

necessary. This exercise is 

nearing completion with inputs 

from relevant MDAs of 

Government. Once completed, 

a Public Notice would be 

issued. 

“With regards to illegal, unsafe, 

non-conforming developments, 

the activities of unscrupulous 

developers continue to pose a lot 

of challenges to Government. 

However, all hands are on deck 

to control their operations by continuous 

monitoring and enforcement 

as well as utilizing the 

Whistle Blowing Policy which 

provides an avenue for stakeholders 

to expose any kind of information 

or development activity 

that is deemed illegal, 

unethical, or non-conforming. 

“The Ministry urges all Lagosians 

to report distressed 

buildings, illegal and non-conforming 

developments to the 

Lagos State Building Control 

Agency (LASBCA), Lagos State 

Physical Planning Permit 

Authority (LASPPPA) and Lagos 

State Materials Testing 

Laboratory (LSMTL) through our 

Helplines on our handbills,” he 

said.

YOUR LUCK TODAY 

By Joshua Adeyemo Phone 08056180139 

PISCES: Your mind is clearer and if you take your personal ideas 

more seriously today, unexpected success will be yours. Be more 

loving. 

ARIES: Your friends may come up with good ideas about your 

social life the way both your career/business and finances will be 

benefited. Good suggestions from younger persons within your home 

and other base of operation should be taken more seriously today. 

TAURUS: Both your personal ideas and suggestions from your 

tried and trusted friends should be taken more seriously today, more 

especially if such will have direct effect on your finances. Be more 

ambitious. 

GEMINI: Although you are power house of ideas, there is nothing 

wrong in your becoming more receptive to others with good ideas 

meant to enhance both your business and money-making-ability. Be 

more loving. 

L E I S U R E 

TAKE HEART — ELLA RANDLE 

TERROR MUDA in “Never say goodbye” 

Vanguard, THURSDAY, March 14, 2019—49 

“Life holds so many simple blessings, each day 

bringing it’s own individual wonder.”-John McLeod- 

“When do we stop thinking everything is wonderful? 

Most often when we grow up. 

Actually this very moment is a beautiful place to rekindle 

the flame of wonderment and gratitude. Take 

a moment and pause in wonder, in awe and reverence. 

Especially for the very simple things in our lives 

we take for granted. - Ella Randle - 

SAYINGS OF 

OUR PEOPLE 

Wine, women 

and food give 

gladness to 

the heart. ~Ancient 

Egyptian 

Proverb 

By Kola Fayemi 

CANCER: You will have good and new ideas very suddenly. Such 

ideas should be noted in black and white so that you don’t forget what 

can bring great breakthrough. 

LEO: It is good to be as confident and ambitious as you are now but, 

it is equally important you give in to spirit of co-operation as others can 

come up with good ideas meant for your success very suddenly. 

VIRGO: Forget about tough challenges you went through recently 

and concentrate on the best way to move forward today. Here is a day 

when unexpected gift from your partner can positively lift up part of 

you. 

LIBRA: Those of you willing to embrace hard work and practical 

approach will have genuine cause to smile for unexpected financial 

success. Don’t discourage your colleagues with new ideas at work. 

SCORPIO: New ideas that cross your mind very suddenly today 

should be taken very seriously as such can lead to tangible success 

either now or in the near future. Family issues and matters-of-theheart 

are favoured. 

DUDU in “ROLLING HOT” By A.O. OLAIDE 

SAGITTARIUS: Your creativity quotient will be enhanced. And 

you are part of those that can come by new and powerful ideas 

suddenly today the way your working pattern will be lifted. Try to be as 

family minded as possible. 

CAPRICORN: Tomorrow will bring you good result in many ways 

but if you are more co-operative today, you will have genuine cause to 

smile. This is the wrong time to reject good ideas from your spouse 

and/or business partners. 

AQUARIUS: Good ideas to enhance your working method and 

considerably enhance your finances will come your way very suddenly; 

you are therefore advised to go around with pen and paper. Be 

more family minded. 

ASTROLOGICAL COUNSELLING 

ASTROLOGICAL COUNSELLING 

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

trological 

Counselling, P.M.B 100 

007, 7, Apapa, Lagos 

BASIC CHARACTERISTICS OF SCORPIO 

RULER = PLUTO.QUALITY = FIXED.ELEMENT = WATER. 

SYMBOL = THE EAGLE/ SCORPION.GROUP = FEMININE 

.ZODIAC POSITION = NUMBER 8 

Scorpio - the eighth of twelve zodiac signs, stands for secret, sex, 

sin, death, jealousy and regeneration. You can see that sex and death 

have powers to compel any earth’s inhabitant to surrender. Thus, 

Scorpio is the most powerful of all the 12 zodiac signs. That is why 

you are endowed with strong will powers that can be used to regenerate 

either yourself or those close to you. 

Scorpio is a water sign. It’s natives are emotional types with powerful 

intuition. They are of inclination to protect their loved ones and/ 

or the people with weaker personality, however, if they have any 

cause to doubt the loyalty or sincerity of such person/persons, they 

tend to become jealous and the strong love they have for the person 

can turn to hatred. And as they are the type capable of intensive love 

and bitter hatred, it is not good to incur their wrath. 

Scorpio-being a member of fixed signs, it’s natives are not keen 

lovers of change. That is why you always love to make success of any 

important project of yours before consideration can be given to 

another one. And by so doing, you make yourself a reliable person. 

The water element of Scorpio makes them highly mysterious 

personalities who intuition (and emotion) can be regarded as extraordinary. 

Although, other influence in your natal horoscope can 

tempt some people to think that you are very open; the truth is, you 

can be highly secretive person who knows what he wants and how to 

get it. Your being secretive has many advantages, thus, you are encouraged 

not to be tempted to open up unnecessarily whenever it 

comes to manipulation of unseen forces or psychic energies. Let it be 

known that African Scorpio born person that refuses to acknowledge 

the reality of occult forces heads for failure. 

VIRGINIA 

HOME & ABROAD 

dadadekola@yahoo.com 

By Lawrence Akapa

50— Vanguard, THURSDAY MARCH 14, 2019 

Inconclusive Polls: 

How to resolve 

By Dirisu Yakubu 

The declaration of six of the 29 

governorship elections conducted last week 

as being inconclusive has raised the issue 

of inconclusive elections in the country to a 

new height. By that count, it meant that 20 

of the elections conducted last Saturday 

were inconclusive. The issue remarkably, 

is not limited to governorship. Eight of the 

109 Senate contests were also declared 


With the election management body fixing 

new dates for polls to resolve the stalemate 

civil society organisations and allied 

stakeholders have weighed in on the issue. 

They have urged the 9 th National 

Assembly to prioritize a review of the nation’s 

electoral laws to prevent a repeat of 

inconclusive elections in the future. 

Founder and President of Women Arise, 

Dr. Joe Odumakin expressed worry over 

the number of states where the elections 

were stalemated. 

Apart from the financial implications, she 

further observed that the exercise now 

slated for March 23 would also cost the 

nation huge resource of time. 

“It is a worrisome development and this 

once again raises the inevitable need for us 

to critically review our electoral laws and 

the system of voting itself. 

“Beyond the burden of time re-run 

elections imposes on INEC and other 

stakeholders in the electoral process, we 

need to be worried about how much of our 

resources that will have to be deployed into 

concluding inconclusive elections. 

“The 2019 general elections have 

witnessed an unprecedented number of such 

situations (inconclusive elections) and I hope 

that INEC, National Assembly and other 

stakeholders will consider a quick review, in 

order to save the country from worse situations 

in the nearest future.” 

She further lamented the development this 

way: “The spate of inconclusive elections 

in the 2019 elections is the highest in the 

annals of democratic system of governance 

since 1999. 

“Given the humongous amount of N242 

billion spent on the 2019 general elections, 

one would have expected a very much free, 

fair and credible elections in the model of 

1993 elections. 

“The template for deepening democracy 

was laid by Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, when 

he gave the then INEC Chairman, 

Professor Attahiru Jega and his team the 

much needed enabling environment for the 

conduct of a free and fair elections. 

“Inconclusive elections make us to spend 

more resources that could have been 

deployed for the execution of capital 

projects. 

“The introduction of the Card Reader 

technology made a whole lot of difference 

in 2015 Elections.” 

Sharing her experience 

from the monitoring of the recently 

concluded polls, Dr. Odumakin noted that 

“The Electoral Act clearly stipulates the 

circumstances that warrant the declaration 

of an election inconclusive. But reports from 

the field and domestic observers indicated 

so many manipulations.” 

She recommended a holistic review of the 

electoral system in subsequent elections, 

saying “There is a need for us to replicate 

the voting pattern of developed nations like 

the United States in Nigeria. 

“The Card reader machines process in 

Nigeria is presently a sham. It has been 

compromised by unscrupulous elements in 

our political space. 

“The need for the introduction of Electoral 

Offences Tribunal cannot be over 

emphasized. 

“The Cubicle for casting of votes should 

be made more enclosed as voters are 

usually being monitored by party agents 

who are being used for vote buying at the 

polling units. 

We just can’t continue like this as a 

progressive nation.” 

On his part, Constitutional lawyer and 

convener, Coalition of Human Rights 

Nigeria's latest crisis 

•Yakubu 

Defenders, Inebehe 

Effiong, sees 

inconclusive 

elections as threats 

to democracy in the 

land. 

According to 

him, “Inconclusive 

elections 

pose serious 

danger to our 

electoral process 

and democracy. 

INEC position on 

this should be revisited. 

“The Constitution requires that a winner 

should be declared based on majority of 

lawful votes cast and twenty-five percent of 

votes in two-third of the local government 

areas of the state or constituency. 

“History has shown that supplementary 

elections rarely inspire greater confidence 

•Kalu 

•Ohabunwa 

The case in Abia North is, however, 

drawing serious contentions 

between the two major parties. Senator 

Mao Ohabunwa, the candidate of the 

PDP is drawn in battle with Dr. Orji 

Uzor Kalu, a former governor of Abia 

State who was the APC candidate in 

the election. 

Kalu defeated Ohabunwa based on 

the number of votes collated with 

31,201 votes as against the 

Ohuabunwa’s 20,801. 

However, 38,000 votes were 

cancelled in the election in which the 

difference between the two men was 

put at 10,400. 

The declaration of Kalu as the 

in the process. The electorate do not trust 

the electoral commission in this regard. 

“It is my view that the National Assembly 

should give a legislative solution to this 

problem by amending our laws. INEC 

should not have a discretion.” 

He continued: “The Electoral Act gives 

INEC discretion to organise supplementary 

A stalemate in Abia North 

winner of the election has, 

however, agitated Ohabunwa 

who has now filed a petition to 

INEC demanding a rerun 

based on section 33 (e) Rule 17 

(E) (e) of the Electoral Act. 

It is an issue that has now 

pitched Ohabunwa against 

INEC with his assertion that the 

election management body 

erred in its own law by making 

a return when the election was 


“Abia North cannot be different. INEC has 

done it before (rerun) in some states and 

senatorial elections where the number of 

votes cancelled were higher than the 

marginal lead,” Ohabunwa declared in a 

statement made available to Vanguard. . 

“From what the Independent National 

Electoral Commission purports to have as 

result of Abia-North senatorial election, the 

gap between the Senatorial Candidate of 

All Progressives Congress, Chief Orji Uzor 

Kalu, and the Candidate of our Party; 

Distinguished Senator Mao Ohuabunwa, 

is only ten thousand and four hundred 

votes.” 

Ohabunwa claimed that “on the other 

hand, votes cancelled in Arochukwu and 

elections where the total number of 

registered voters in the areas or polling units 

where elections could not hold is more than 

the margin of win. However, this does not 

reflect the reality. 

“In many instances, fewer people actually 

have voters card in the affected areas. 

Therefore, it should not be based on names 

on the voters register but number of PVC 

collection and accreditation. My conclusion 

is that a winner should be declared once 

the constitutional requirement is satisfied 

by a candidate.” 

Taking a slightly different position is 

Haruna Abdullahi, founder of the Open 

Dialogue Initiative, who opined that 

inconclusive polls are not necessarily bad 

omen for the nation’s electoral system. 

“As unfortunate as inconclusive elections 

may be, I still think it’s better the right things 

are done than rushing to declare results that 

will leave room for shoddy and messy 

outcomes. 

“Let the processes be followed so that no 

one is cheated at the end of the day. Again, 

our culture of subverting process is the reason 

we have inconclusive elections.” 

“Politicians should avoid the temptation 

of winning at all cost and they should help 

in sensitising their supporters to play by the 

rules,” he added. 

Speaking to Vanguard on the issue, the 

Executive Director, Global Peace and Life 

Rescue Initiative, GOPRI, Amb. Melvin 

Ejeh, said the development was an 

embarrassment to the country, charging 

INEC to brace up in its onerous 

responsibility with a view to resolving it. 

Ejeh, who noted that the high rate of 

cancelled results which sometimes 

overwhelmed the winning margin 

between candidates were responsible for 

the action, asked the commission to liaise 

with the National Orientation Agency, 

NOA, with a view to carrying out intensive 

awareness campaign drive to every nook 

and cranny of the country. 

According to him, "it is when the voters 

are adequately informed on how to vote 

for their preferred candidates without 

necessarily tampering on areas that can 

invalidate or void their votes that 

inconclusive elections as being currently 

witnessed in the country can come to an 

end.. 

Nkporo alone amount to more than thirtyeight 

thousand. 

“The governorship elections of Adamawa, 

Benue, Kano, Plateau and others were 

declared inconclusive for similar reasons. 

“The big question that INEC need to 

answer is why is it difficult for it to order a 

rerun for Abia north , even when it has been 

established that the number of cancelled 

votes ,38 ,000 was far above the marginal 

lead of about 10.400. The delay in taking 

this honourable decision in the case of Abia 

north is criminal and illegal.” 

“We ask the commission reverse this 

illegality as it has done in the case of Orlu 

senatorial election where the commission 

was reported to have removed the name 

Governor Rochas Okorocha from the list 

of senators elect due to be issued certificate 

of return tomorrow.”

VANGUARD, THURSDAY MARCH 14, 2019 — 51 

I'm in Akwa Ibom to count 

ballots, not money — IGINI 

Barrister Mike Igini, the Resident Electoral Commissioner in Akwa Ibom 

State, has become a sort of democracy hero after reportedly standing in the 

way of attempts by some interest groups to compromise the recent elections 

in Akwa Ibom State. 

The outcome of the election has broken myths and mystified many. From 

the issues that preceded the conduct of the polls, Vanguard sought an 

interview on the pressures and pains that attended his preparation for the 

election. 

Excerpts 

By Johnbosco Agbakwuru 

O n speculations for his removal from 

Akwa Ibom State? 

Iam focused on the job at hand. 

What I have promised here is to 

give a fair and equal opportunity 

to all the political parties and their 

candidates in the state. 

I have assured the people of Akwa 

Ibom State that elections will be credible 

and for the first time after 1999, election 

materials can now be delivered in all 

the polling units and audited by party 

agents before the commencement of 

polls. People should disregard all the 

inaccuracies and innuendoes and 

insinuations going on because they are 

all lying. 

On speculations on his removal 

That’s what I am saying, and that is 

a common thing you will be hearing, 

and they have been talking about that 

always. But the question is why do you 

want to remove me? That is the question. 

Why is it that in our country today, when 

a man says he wants to do the right 

thing, a man who has embraced certain 

pristine values to do the right thing is 

the one having problems? Why is it that 

that is the kind of thing you find in our 

country? That people want to do the 

right things; they are putting all kinds 

of hindrances on his way. Why is it so? 

My friend, if I had compromised, I 

wouldn’t have any problem today. I can 

now confirm to you that in my experience 

in the Nigerian public, integrity is very 

difficult to maintain. You are 

endangered if you are talking about 

integrity. What kind of country are we? 

Why was it as if we were going to war? 

Look at the number of people that were 

killed in other parts of the country 

during last the election. Have we lost 

our sense of humanity? We are grateful 

to God that nobody died here in Akwa 

Ibom, but the fact that people were killed 

in other places is worrisome. 

The military was visibly present, and 

some of the operatives were acting 

against their rules of engagement in 

parts of the country? 

In my experience here in Akwa Ibom, 

the security personnel that worked with 

me did very well. The same goes with 

the police who are working with me. 

And so I cannot put all of them in the 

same bloc. However, the report I got 

from other places were contrary to my 

direct experience. At the same time, we 

had a situation where the NYSC 

members had very terrible experiences. 

But it was the police, for instance, that 

helped us rescue the corps members. If 

you look at the whole thing, it is a mix, 

but my message to all stakeholders is 

that this election will come and go, and 

after the election, every institution of the 

Federal Republic of Nigeria and all the 

personnel that worked must remember 

that there is a history book. There is a 

book that the history of this election 

would be written, and the role that each 

of the security agencies played will be 

recorded in that book and so shall they 

be remembered. 

Question is why do you 

want to remove me? That is 

the question. Why is it that 

in our country today, when 

a man says he wants to do 

the right thing, a man who 

has embraced certain 

pristine values to do the 

right thing is the one 

having problems? Why is it 

that that is the kind of 

thing you find in our 

country? 

Mike Igini. 

I must also say that in the final 

analysis, there is a high court of history 

that will sit in judgment on these people 

over the roles that every one of us 

played either in the advancement of our 

democracy or the regression of our 

democracy. 

It will show whether we were men of 

courage, whether we were men of sound 

judgment or whether indeed, given the 

opportunity, that most of us that have 

been given today and people in the 

other institutions, we did the right 

things for our country. 

I did not come here to count money. I 

only came here to count ballot papers. 

Those who want to compromise are the 

ones who are shouting out there. I can 

tell you that. 

You mean those who want you to 

compromise are the ones shouting for 

you to be removed? 

That’s correct. Those looking for 

compromise in the process are the ones 

who are also calling for my removal. 

Why would you remove a man who says 

he wants to give everybody an equal 

opportunity, equal chance and there is 

no evidence so far of any compromise 

of any kind because I carry everybody 

along. 

I have never stepped into the house 

of any human being since I came to this 

state. When adults and supposedly 

respected people, who have held public 

offices before could tell lies from the pit 

of hell that the son of man had been 

having meetings with people that he 

doesn’t even know, it is most 

unfortunate.




•Zidane 

•Maradona 

Maradona: Ronaldo 

Is a sorcerer 

Diego Armando Maradona falls 

in love with Cristiano 

Ronaldo. The former Napoli star, 

who is regarded as one of the best 

players ever in the history of the 

game, was full of praise for the 

Portuguese ace who dragged 

Juventus to the Champions League 

quarter-finals through an incredible 

hat-trick scored against Atletico 

Madrid on Tuesday night. 

Speaking to Marca, Maradona 

said: “We Argentineans are proud 

of Messi but Ronaldo is an animal. 

He said he’d need to score three 

goals and that’s what he did. 

‘’Ronaldo is pure power and is 

now also a sorcerer. There are 

players who are touched by the 

magic wand,” Maradona said 

after Dorados, the side he coaches, 

were knocked out of the Copa MX. 

Madrid players smile 

as Zidane oversees 

first training session 

Z 

inedine Zidane yesterday 

oversaw his first training 

session at Real Madrid’s 

Valdebebas training ground since 

he was confirmed as Julen 

Lopetegui’s replacement earlier 

this week. 

The team enjoyed a day off on 

Tuesday, before returning for their 

first session under the new-old 

French coach, who was met by 

plenty of familiar faces, as well as a 

few new ones. For the likes of 

Alvaro Odriozola, Mariano and 

Thibaut Courtois, returning Zidane 

becomes their third coach since they 

joined Madrid last summer. 

At 11am, Zidane began 

preparation for the first of eleven 

games that he will take charge until 

the end of the season. And despite 

the gloomy position the club finds 

itself in after having been recently 

taken out of the running for three 

competitions, there were plenty of 

smiling faces during the upbeat first 

training session under ‘Zizou’, who 

was seen constantly grinning 

throughout and gladly took part in 

ball-work drills with the players. 

Zidane to earn €12m per year 

.half of what Simeone pockets 

Zinedine Zidane will earn a fixed annual 

salary of € 12m at Real Madrid, which is 

exactly half that of Atletico Madrid boss 

Diego Simeone. 

El Confidencial have outlined the details of the 

Frenchman’s return to the European champions, 

which has seen him sign a contract until 2022. 

The report claims the 46-year-old’s previous 

deal at Madrid had seen him earn around € 7.5m 

per season, with add-ons this time included 

which are based on on-field success. 

Simeone is the best paid Coach in the world 

while Jose Mourinho – who was also heavily 

linked with a return to Madrid – was paid € 20m 

annually at Manchester United. 

The report also cites Spurs boss Mauricio 

Pochettino at € 10m, with Jurgen Klopp on € 8.5m 

at Liverpool and Juventus Coach Max Allegri 

earning € 8m. 

• Hazard 

AFCON 2019: Ighalo warns 

Eagles of ‘comfort zones’ 

Super Eagles striker, Odion Ighalo said ahead of the 

Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Seychelle, 

that the national team players need to be focused and 

not get too comfortable following their high ratings. 

The Eagles have already qualified for the tournament 

billed for June in Egypt, Ighalo stated that the team can 

win their fourth title if the team can build on their 

successes so far. 

“I just want us to keep the concentration level high. 

We are in a good direction. 

“We want to compete, we want to do better than what 

the Eagles before us have done in the past. 

“We just want to continue to work hard together as a 

team, not to feel relaxed just because we have gotten the 

ticket to the AFCON. 

“It’s one thing to qualify and it’s another thing to go 

there and perform and that is what we want to do. Who 

knows – everything is possible.” 

Chelsea plan 

for Hazard’s 

summer exit 

Chelsea reportedly already 

have plans in place to cope 

with the loss of Eden Hazard 

after accepting that he will join Real 

Madrid in the summer. 

The Belgian forward is back on 

Real’s agenda following the return of 

Zinedine Zidane in the Bernabeu 

dugout. 

Los Blancos are rumoured to have 

already contacted Chelsea about a 

big-money deal and are confident 

they can finally land their long-term 

target. 

Hazard is out of contract at Stamford 

Bridge next year and has offered no 

indication that he is going to sign an 

extension, leaving Chelsea will little 

choice but to cash in for a nine-figure 

fee. 

With the Blues facing a two-window 

transfer ban, The Telegraph reports 

that the club are in limbo and have 

two different strategies ready for 

Hazard’s departure. 

Chelsea were prepared to sell at 

least one of Willian or Pedro at the end 

of the season, it is claimed, but that 

will no longer be the case. 

Returning loanees such as Tammy 

Abraham, who has impressed in the 

Championship with Aston Villa this 

term, will also be kept at the club next 

season rather than loaned out again. 

However, should their transfer ban 

be temporarily lifted by FIFA, that 

strategy will go out of the window and 

new players will be recruited. 

•Ighalo 

Guardiola wary of Juve, Ronaldo 

Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola has singled out 

Juventus as favourites to win the Champions 

League this season. 

Ronaldo’s hat-trick fired Juve into the quarter-finals, 

cancelling out Atletico Madrid’s 2-0 lead from the first 

leg of their last-16 tie. 

Guardiola’s City will also be involved in Friday’s draw 

after they thrashed Schalke 10-2 on aggregate. 

“We [Barca] won two, but I lost seven,” he was quoted 

as saying by the Evening Standard. 

“So I am not Real Madrid. Madrid is out, but there’s 

still Juventus. These guys take Cristiano Ronaldo - they 

go there to win the Champions League with Juventus. 

“He has all the pressure on his shoulders, he scores 

three versus Atletico Madrid and they go through. That is 

the type of guy you face to achieve the next stages’’ 

Juve share price jumps up 

Juventus’ share price shot up by over 20 percent in wake 

of their Champions League comeback against Atletico 

Madrid. 

Juve opened the Borsa Italiana on Wednesday at €1.58 – 

a 24% increase on the €1.22 they closed with the previous 

evening. 

It comes three weeks after the Bianconeri’s share price 

plummeted following their 2-0 defeat to Atletico in the 

first leg of their Champions League last-16 tie. 

A Cristiano Ronaldo hat-trick secured a 3-0 victory in 

the second leg on Tuesday night, sending the Old Lady 

into the quarter-finals – and making them at least €10.5m 

better off. 

Chelsea, Arsenal eye q-final tickets 

on StarTimes 

Nigerian football fans will continue to enjoy live 

sporting action of the Europa League round of 16 

second leg tie as Chelsea and Arsenal continue their quest 

for continental glory today when they return to the Europa 

League action. 

Arsenal host Rennes at the Emirates stadium while 

Chelsea travel to Ukraine for the second leg of their tie 

against Dynamo Kiev, with both matches being broadcast 

live in Nigeria by StarTimes on its sports channels. 

Chelsea have one foot in the next round courtesy of their 

3-0 victory in the first leg, but they face a team that have 

scored 10 goals, without conceding any in their three home 

games since returning from winter break. 

Chelsea will be looking to complete the job and seal 

their place in the quarter-finals of the Europa League 

when they travel to Ukraine to take on Dynamo Kiev i 

Arsenal have it 

all to do tonight as 

they bid to recover 

from a shock away 

3-1 loss to Rennes 

but Manager Una 

Emery’s will have 

to dust themselves 

up and pick up the 

pieces as they bid 

to overturn the 

deficit to seal their 

place in the last 

eight of the 

tournament. 

Neymar faces UEFA sanction over VAR 

comments 

EFA has opened an investigation into comments 

Umade by Neymar on social media following Paris 

Saint-Germain’s Champions League exit at the hands of 

Manchester United. 

Brazil international Neymar watched from the stands 

at Parc des Princes asUnited claimed a 3-1 win in the 

second leg of their last-16 tie to progress to the quarterfinals 

on away goals. 

Marcus Rashford scored the crucial 

third goal from the penalty spot after a 

contentious handball decision 

against defender Presnel 

Kimpembe, prompting a furious 

response from Neymar on Instagram. 

“This is a disgrace, they put four 

people that know nothing about 

football in charge of looking at the 

replay for VAR,” he wrote. “There is 

no penalty. How can it be a handball 

when it hits his back?! Go f*** 

yourselves!” 

UEFA confirmed on 

Wednesday that it has 

appointed an inspector 

to look into Neymar’s 

•Neymar remarks.


Vanguard, THURSDAY, MARCH 14, 2019 

TODAY’S PUZZLE 

Sudoku 

FRIDAY’S ANSWER 

TODAY’S CROSSWORD 

QUICK CROSSWORD 

THURSDAY’S SOLUTION 

How to Play Sudoku 

ACROSS 

1 Bizarre (10) 

7 Speed (8) 

8 Comply with orders (4) 

9 Border (4) 

10 Moscow citadel (7) 

12 Amused (11) 

14 Soon (archaic) (7) 

126 Fit of shivering (4) 

19 Breakwater (4) 

20 Until now (8) 

21 London rail terminus 

(10) 

DOWN 

1 Grossly overweight (5) 

2 Idea (7) 

3 Analagous (4) 

4 Dawn 8) 

5 Tempest (5) 

6 At the back (6) 

11 Soaked (8) 

12 Insect with large rear 

pincers (6) 

13 Lack of proper care (7) 

15 Immature form of insect (5) 

17 Devoured (5) 

18 Renowned public school 

(4) 

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

of the same number). 

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

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

blocks) contains number from 1 through 9. This means that no 

number can appear twice in any block, column or row. 

No mathematics is involved – no adding, subtraction, division or 

multiplication, just plain logic and your imagination. 

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14032019 -Rowdy session in Senate over elections

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