08042019 - KILLINGS, BANDITRY: Sorrow in Anambra, Zamfara, Katsina, Rivers, Borno

PoS transaction 

failures threaten 

cashless policy, 

financial 

inclusion 

INSIDE 

Speakership: Benue, 

Plateau memberselect 

endorse Dyegh 

Poll: Why we’re calm, 

Kwara PDP elders, youths 

14 

14 

ONNOGHEN: 25 lawyers 

discontinue suit 

against Buhari, Ag CJN 

•Don fires 2 posters at NJC 

•SAN urges Ag. CJN to shun 

tribalism, ethnicity 9 

VOL. 26: NO. 63781 

MONDAY, APRIL 8, 2019 

KILLINGS, BANDITRY: 

Sorrow in Anambra, Zamfara, 

Katsina, Rivers, Borno 

•As kidnappers, herdsmen, robbers, other criminals go on rampage 

•It'll be ridiculous to say I'm not concerned —Buhari 

•Lagos fire service boss, 7 others kidnapped; •Police station attacked, 

two cops killed in Kaduna; •5 killed, 46 injured in Maiduguri blast 

•FG orders foreigners to quit mining sites within 48-hrs 

•8 killed in Rivers cult invasion; Bayelsa LG boss' dad abducted – P6 

ANTI-TERRORISM... 

By Olasunkanmi 

Akoni, Johnbosco 

Agbakwuru, Bashir 

Bello & Monsuru 

Olowoopejo 

ABUJA—With 

r e n e w e d 

killings and 

kidnappings by bandits 

and herdsmen in 

Zamfara, Kaduna, Borno, 

Lagos, Katsina, and 

Anambra states, 

President Muhammadu 

Buhari, yesterday, said it 

would be “ridiculous and 

unfair” to suggest that 

he was not concerned 

about the killings. 

This came as the 

Federal Government, 

yesterday, ordered 

foreign miners to vacate 

mining sites in Zamfara 

State and its environs 

within 48 hours. No 

fewer than 50 people 

were killed, last Tuesay, 

by armed bandits in the 

state. 

The Federal 

Government also 

announced the 

suspension of mining 

activities in the state so 

Continues on Page 5 

Mr & Mrs 

Members of the Police Anti-Terrorism Joint Squad during a prayer before embarking on Operation Pup Adder at Katari Town 

on Kaduna-Abuja Expressway in Kaduna, yesterday. Photo: NAN. 

Galadima’s 

daughter'll be 

ashamed of her 

dad for 

embarrassing 

her —SAGAY 

45 

AuGF raises 

alarm over 

untreated 

audit reports 

by NASS 

9 

Rivers: Amaechi, 

Malami pressing 

to reverse 

Supreme Court 

ruling — PDP 

COLUMNISTS OWEI LAKEMFA 33 SOBOWALE 31 HENRY BOYO 32 

12 

Okorocha vs INEC: 

PDP candidate asks 

judge to hands off 

case, alleges bias 

14

2 — VANGUARD, MONDAY, APRIL 8, 2019

VANGUARD, MONDAY, APRIL 8, 2019 — 3

4 — VANGUARD, MONDAY, APRIL 8, 2019

Vanguard, MONDAY, APRIL 8, 2019—5 

POCKET CARTOON 

President Muhammadu Buhari with from left: SSA Diaspora, Abike Dabiri, 

Senator Abu Ibrahim, National Security Adviser, Babagana Monguno and 

Foreign Affairs Minister, Geoffrey Onyeama as he arrives Dubai for the 

Annual Investment meeting, yesterday. 



Continues from Page 1 

as to curtail armed 

banditry that has been 

terrorizing the people of 

the place. 

The kiilings in Borno 

State have showed no 

respit, as no fewer than 

five persons were killed 

while 46 others 

sustained various 

degrees of injuries when 

Improvised Explosive 

Device, IED, was 

triggered at popular 

Muna park in 

Maiduguri. 

Spokesperson of the 

National Emergency 

Management Agency, 

NEMA, in North-East, 

Mr. Abdulkadir Ibrahim 

confirmed that the 

bombing was triggered 

by two suicide bombers 

on Saturday’s evening. 

Ibrahim said: 

“Immediately we 

received a distress call, 

emergency response 

teams were dispatched to 

the scene. The suspected 

suicide bombers had 

detonated their 

explosives within five 

minutes interval at 

Muna Dalti settlement as 

a result, three persons 

died with the two 

bombers, while other 

innocent people 

sustained various 

degrees of injury.” 

Also speaking on the 

development, the 

Director, Rescue 

Operation of State 

Emergency Agency, 

SEMA, Usman Kachala, 

said the incident 

occurred about 8p.m. 

Kachala said the 

corpses had been 

evacuated while 45 

others injured in the 

suicide bomb attack are 

currently receiving 

treatment in Maiduguri 

General Hospital. 

Kachala said: “The two 

female suicide bombers 

detonated Improvised 

Explosives Device 

(IEDs) vests strapped to 

their bodies in a 

crowded place at Muna- 

Dalti area of Maiduguri 

on Saturday night. Two 

of the deceased actually 

died while on admission 

in the hospital.” 

Kidnapping in Lagos 

Also in Lagos, Acting 

Director of the Lagos 

State Fire Service, Mr. 

Rasaki Musibau and 

seven others were 

kidnapped, weekend, by 

gunmen on the Itoikin- 

Epe Road in Ikosi-Ejirin 

Local Council 

Development Area, 

LCDA in the state. 

Those identified by the 

police boss were Lagos 

fire boss, Rasaki 

Musibau (male), 

Mufutau Adams (male), 

Funmilayo Adelumo 

(female), Asiogu Martha 

(female), Lasisi Muka 

(male) and two others 

Sources told Vanguard 

that the abductors 

stopped vehicles 

conveying the victims at 

Iwoye Bridge around 

8p.m, and ordered the 

occupants to alight from 

their vehicles before 

whisking them to an 

unknown destination. 

It was learned that the 

axis had become the new 

den for kidnappers lately 

after abducting Ikosi- 

Ejirin council chairman, 

Mr. Ajijedidun Samson 

Adebisi and Vice 

Chairman of Lekki 

LCDA, last month. 

A family member, who 

spoke on condition of 

anonymity, told 

Vanguard that the fire 

service boss was 

abducted on Saturday. 

The family member 

said: “He (Musibau) left 

home at about 5pm on 

Saturday. He drove 

himself and after 

leaving home, he had 

telephone conversations 

with friends till 7pm. 

And since then, we have 

not been able to reach 

him. 

“The gunmen did not 

leave with his vehicle; 

where he had his phone 

and other belongings 

which were retrieved by 

the family. He was the 

only person in his 

vehicle. We plead that 

they release him to us 

urgently. He is a loving 

father and diligent in his 

work.” 

Police deploys antikidnap 

squad 

Confirming the 

abduction, Police Public 

Relation Officer, PPRO, 

Bala Elkana, told 

Vanguard that the Lagos 

Commissioner of Police, 

Muazu Zubairu, has 

deployed a special squad 

to ensure the prompt 

rescue and arrest of the 

perpetrators. 

Elkana said: “It is true. 

The abduction happened 

Saturday about 8pm on 

Iwoye Bridge on Ikosi- 

Ejirin-Epe road. Some 

hoodlums blocked the 

bridge and whisked 

away seven persons 

including the director of 

fire service. The Lagos 


Muazu Zubairu, has 

visited the scene Sunday 

night. 

“We have deployed our 

special anti-kidnapping 

unit to comb the entire 

axis, rescue the victims 

and arrest the 

perpetrators. 

“I want to assure the 

family of the victims that 

they should remain calm. 

The Nigerian Police has 

started trailing the 

perpetrators and we 

assure them that the 

victims will be rescued 

alive. We have 

intensified patrol on that 

axis and other 

adjourning roads,” he 

Insecurity: Avoid 

traveling or moving 

alone, DG warns Corp 

members 

In Kastina State, in the 

face of current security 

challenges, the Director 

General, National Youth 

Service Corps, NYSC, 

Major-General Suleiman 

Zakari Kazaure, has 

warned corp members to 

be security conscious 

and avoid travelling or 

moving alone. 

Major-General 

Kazaure gave the 

warning when he paid 

an inspection visit on the 

2019 NYSC Batch A 

Corp members deployed 

to Kastina State and 

camped at the NYSC 

permanent orientation 

camp along Mani road, 

Katsina. 

He said: “I 

admonished you to be 

security-conscious 

anywhere you are posted 

for your place of primary 

assignment, PPA. Avoid 

travelling or moving 

alone and also avoid 

following a particular 

track, instead, you 

should move in groups 

Continues on Page 41 

By Bose Adelaja, Ebun Sessou, 

Yinka Latona, Chiamaka Uba, 

Dickson Omobola &Tolulope Oke 

Criminal acts of some Nigerians in S-Arabia, UAE (1) 

added. 

I 

see this as a 

personal thing . It 

has to do with the 

Nigerian mentality and 

laziness on the part of 

some people. They don’t 

want to work. 

The solution, I believe, 

is for us as a people to 

change our mindset, 

and how we do things in 

this country or another 

country. 

Mr.Olalekan 

Adedamola 

Unemployed 

They should be 

judged as 

individuals not as 

Nigerians. 

They did not go there 

on behalf of the country. 

The whole country 

shouldn’t be tagged a 

disgrace because of their 

bad behaviour. 

Miss Olabisi Alice 

Entrepreneur 

Iwould say the attitude 

of this set of Nigerians 

abroad is very bad and 

shameful. Nigeria's 

reputation has been 

dragged into the mud. 

These Nigerians are 

unpatriotic, they have in 

various ways created an 

ugly picture thereby 

making foreigners think we 

have nothing positive to 

offer. These acts are likely 

to destroy our relationship 

with other countries. 

Miss Ojodale Joy, 

Student 

These events are not 

abberations. No one 

was surprised by news of 

Nigeria’s criminal exports 

. 

They are simply playing 

out what they have in 

them. 

Corruption has become a 

culture in this country, and 

our leaders reflect the 

population’s 

predisposition to crime 

and corruption. 

Mr. Okelade Adeolu 

Guitarist/writer 

It is bad! 

These people are bad 

eggs tarnishing the image 

of our country abroad. 

They should be really 

dealt with for such 

behaviours to serve as 

deterrent to other 

Nigerians who may be 

nurturing such thoughts 

when they go abroad. 

Miss Olasupo Damilola 

Student 

There is a high level of 

poverty in Nigeria 

making Nigerians to seek 

greener pastures elsewhere. 

The truth is that the grass 

is not that green over there 

as well. That is why some 

Nigerians get involved in 

all sorts of crimes in order to 

survive. If Nigeria was 

good, we will not have 

problems like these. 

Americans living in Africa, 

hardly get involved in any 

form of crime because their 

country is good. 

Mr. Aremu Olumide 

Student

6—Vanguard, MONDAY, APRIL 8, 2019 

Woman dies 

after SUV 

plunges into 

Ogun river 

By Daud 

Olatunji 

A BEOKUTA—A 

woman taking her 

daughter to school, yesterday, 

lost her life along Ijebu-Ode- 

Benin expressway when her 

Lexus SUV plunged into 

Ososa River in Odogbolu 

Local Government Area of 

Ogun State. 

The daughter, who is a 

student of Tai Solarin 

University of Education, 

reportedly sustained severe 

injuries in the accident that 

occurred at 2:40 p.m. 

The Ogun State Public 

Relations Officer of Traffic 

Compliance and 

Enforcement Agency, 

Babatunde Akinbiyi, said the 

accident was as a result of 

over speeding. 

He said the vehicle was 

from Lekki in Lagos and 

heading to Ijebu-Ode when 

the accident happened. 

Akinbiyi further explained 

that the woman was the driver 

and was taking her daughter, 

who is a student of Tai Solarin 

University of Education back 

to the school. 

He said: “As a result of overspeeding, 

the woman lost 

control of the vehicle and 

plunged the vehicle into the 

river. 

“The driver, who is the 

woman and mother of the 

lady, lost her life, while the 

daughter is receiving 

treatment at the Ijebu-Ode 

General Hospital. 

“The accidented vehicle has 

been removed from the river 

and deposited at the Motor 

Traffic Division Odogbolu.” 

NAF 

helicopter 

blade kills 

Aircraftman 

Ablade of Nigerian Air 

Force, NAF, helicopter, 

weekend, killed an 

aircraftman in Bama, Borno 

State. 

It was gathered that 

Aircraftman, ACM, Umaru 

Abdul Ganimu, was part of 

the NAF team actively 

engaged in counterinsurgency 

operation in the 

North-East. 

ACM Ganimu Umar was 

passing through the side of 

the functioning rotor when 

the blade chopped off his 

head. 

The aircraft was 

recovered and taken back 

to the airbase without any 

damage on tail rotor. 

He has since been buried 

according to the Islamic 

rites at the Maimalari 

Military Cemetery in 

Maiduguri after the family 

members were duly 

informed. 

Father, son docked for allegedly raping, 

impregnating teenager 

•Man arrested for defiling 14-year-old girl 

By Esther Onyegbula 

A44-year-old man, Kabiru Oke, 

and his 19-year-old son, Oke 

Faruq, have been arraigned in court 

for allegedly raping and impregnating 

a teenager, who lived with them at 1, 

Olatikupo Street, Egbeda, Lagos. 

It was gathered that victim (name 

withheld), lived with the suspects for 

a couple of years while the unholy 

affairs lasted. 

It was also gathered that on March 

27, 2019, the mother of the teenager 

(name withheld) reported the incident to 

the Gender Unit, Police Command. 

According to her, the husband of her 

elder sister, Kabiru Oke, and his son, Oke 

Faruq, raped and impregnated her 

daughter who lived with them. 

Victim’s account 

According to the victim, my uncle, 

Kabiru Oke, started having carnal 

knowledge of me from October 20, 2018, 

and since then he constantly had sexual 

intercourse with me, while his son, Faruq, 

8 feared killed as cultists invade Rivers 

community 

By Davies Iheamnachor 

PORT HARCOURT— NO fewer 

than eight persons were feared 

killed in Mgbuodohia community, 

Rumuolumeni clan, Obio Akpor Local 

Government Area of Rivers State as 

cultists invaded the area. 

It was gathered that a cult group 

invaded the community in the early 

hours of yesterday in search of their 

rivals as they moved from house to 

house in search of rival cultists and 

succeeded in killing eight of their 

targets. 

The development caused panic in 

the area as residents took to their heels 

for safety. 

Gunmen abduct Bayelsa council 

boss' father 

By Samuel 

Oyadongha 

YENAGOA — CHIEF 

Wellington Magbisa, the 70- 

year-old father of Caretaker 

Chairman of Sagbama Local 

Government Area of Bayelsa State, 

Michael Magbisa, has been 

kidnapped by unknown gunmen. 

Vanguard learned that the 

septuagenarian was abducted in 

the early hours of yesterday at his 

Mile 2 residence, in the riverside 

town of Sagbama. 

The gunmen numbering about 

five were said to have stormed the 

community through the River 

Forcados in a speedboat and 

escaped through same route. 

A community source told 

Vanguard: “They came in a 

speedboat, marched to their victim’s 

residence and gained access to the 

main house through an unprotected 

window. 

“The old man was dragged out of 

his bed at gunpoint to their waiting 

boat and taken to an unknown 

destination.” 

Also, son of the victim, Michael 

Magbisa, who is the caretaker 

chairman of the council area, in a 

telephone chat said though the 

abduction of his father is unsettling, 

he believed that the kidnappers 

would treat him with care. 

Magbisa added: “My father is a 

God-fearing person and with 

prayer, he will be released.” 

He, however, said the kidnappers 

were yet to contact him, adding: “I 

have no contact from the 

kidnappers yet.” 

Chairman of Rumuolumeni Community 

Development Committee, CDC, Mr. 

Sunny Odum, who confirmed the killings, 

expressed sadness over the incident. 

He confirmed that over eight persons 

died during the attack in the community, 

describing it as strange. 

Odum, however, assured residents not 

to panic over the incident, but to go about 

their normal businesses as security 

operatives would, with the help of the 

community, track down the perpetrators 

of the crime and bring them to book. 

He said: “This is what we saw this 

morning. It is a cult related matter. I want 

to assure the residents here that there is 

no cause for alarm." 

At press time, efforts to reach the Rivers 

State Police Command for confirmation 

proved abortive. 

Spokesman of the state police 

command, Mr. Asinim Butswat, while 

confirming the incident said: “Yes, we 

heard of the abduction. It occurred in 

the early hours of today (yesterday) at 

Sagbama. 

“Report at our disposal has it that the 

gunmen were five in number. They 

gained access to the house through an 

unprotected window and escaped 

through the river. 

“The police have commenced 

investigations into the matter. All sister 

agencies have been alerted to rescue 

the victim and also arrest the 

perpetrators of the heinous act.” 

The suspects 

started having sex with me January this year. I endured 

it all as both of them constantly threatened to kill me if I 

ever tell anybody about the affairs. 

"It was when my mother noticed the changes in my 

body and discovered that I was pregnant that I had to 

open up to her.” 

Confirming the incident, DSP Bala Elkana, Police Public 

Relations Officer, Lagos State said the two suspects in 

the case, who were arrested and charged to Magistrate's 

Court 2, Ogba for defilement, were remanded in Kirikiri 

prison, while the victim was taken to Mirabel Centre by 

the Gender Unit for medical examination. 

Man arrested for allegedly defiling 

14-year-old girl 

In a related development, a 45-year-old trader, 

Marainerume Alfred of Oke Itunu Church Close, Ejigbo, 

was arrested for defiling a 14-year-old girl. 

It was learned that the suspect and the victim lived on 

the same street and that he usually called the victim into 

his shop while on her way back from school, along Iyana 

Ejigbo, Lagos, where he sells home videos and have 

unlawful sexual intercourse with her in the shop. 

However, their sex escapades, which began since May 

2018, continued till March 27, 2019 when the victim’s 

grandmother perceived some odour coming from the 

victim when she returned from school and subjected her 

to questioning. 

She opened up to her grandmother.She further stated 

that the suspect threatened that she would die if she ever 

disclosed it to her parents. That the suspect usually give 

her some drugs to take and equally mix salt and water for 

her to take after sex, to prevent her from getting pregnant.” 

RESCUED: Sympathisers rescue victims of accident at Katari Village on 

Kaduna-Abuja highway in Kaduna, yesterday. Photo: NAN.


Missing 5-yr -old boy found dead 

inside septic tank 

By Evelyn Usman 

RESIDENTS of Olukayode 

Street in Ijegun, a Lagos 

suburb, were thrown into shock, 

weekend, following the 

discovery of the bloated body of 

a five-year-old boy inside a 

septic tank. 

The corpse was discovered to 

be that of Abdulramon, who was 

declared missing. 

Late Abdulrasman, as 

gathered, attended an Islamic 

school on Oloyo Street, close to 

his parents residence, on 

Wednesday. He was said to have 

taken permission to go and 

defecate. 

Apprehension, however, set in 

at about 8 pm, when his elder 

sister, who also attends same 

school, did not see him. She 

went home, apparently thinking 

he could have gone home, only 

to be informed he was yet to get 

home. 

Search parties combed the area 

without luck. While the search 

was still on, news, filtered in 

Friday morning that a bloated 

body was found inside a septic 

tank at Olukayode Street. 

When Vanguard arrived the 

scene at about 10.15 am, the 

bloated body, which was in its 

decomposing state, had been 

removed from the septic tank. 

On closer observation, it was 

discovered that part of the 

Building where late Abdulramon's bloated body was 

found inside septic tank. 

deceased hair was shaved and 

his body slightly burnt, with 

strings tied round his wrists. 

A resident, Aina Olatunde, 

said: “Some students that 

were going to school raised 

the alarm, which alerted 

residents, on noticing the 

body in the soak away. It was 

later discovered to be that of 

the missing boy. 

“During the search on 

Wednesday and Thursday, 

some people came to check 

the septic tank because it was 

opened but they did not see 

the body. On how it found its 

way here is a question we are 

all begging for an answer.” 

Another resident, a woman, 

who was sighted wailing, said her 

children also attend same school 

with the deceased. 

The woman, who did not 

disclose her identity, said: “We 

suspect foul play here. Yes, the 

school is on the same street with 

the building where the body was 

found. But from the distance, 

there is no way the boy would 

have walked from the school to 

here alone.” 

The deceased's father was said 

to have gone to the Isheri Oshun 

Police division, where he had 

earlier reported his 

disappearance to inform them of 

the development. 

Police arrest cult/robbery gang members 

after shootout in Benue 

... with Emma'nKen (08163121378) 

Shion sir! Guilty as charged 

That's life here for you! 

By Peter Duru 

MAKURDI—BENUE State 

Police Command has 

smashed an eight-man gang 

suspected to be involved in recent 

cult related attacks, killings and 

robberies in Otukpo and its 

environs in the Benue South 

district, after a gun battle. 

Parading the suspects at the 

Command Headquarters in 

Makurdi, the State Police 

Commissioner, Mr. Omololu 

Bishi, explained that information 

at the disposal of the command 

indicated that the cult members 

had recently been involved in 

robberies and also engaged his 

personnel in exchange of gunfire. 

According to him, “they are 

suspected to be involved in 

several cases of armed robbery 

and culpable homicide. In one of 

the robbery cases, they engaged 

our men in a shoot-out along 

Otukpo-Ado road. 

“They were, however, arrested 

and after an on the spot search, 

two locally made pistols, two 

expended cartridges, one AK-47 

bayonet and one camouflage shirt 

was recovered from them,” he said. 

Also paraded by the Police 

Commissioner was a five-man 

robbery gang that specialised in 

robbing unsuspecting motorists on 

the busy Ugbema junction in 

Suspects with the state police boss. 

Buruku Local Government Area of 

the state. 

Bishi explained that “members of 

the gang were arrested after a 

distress call from a victim, who said 

the gang blocked the road along 

Abakwa in Buruku Local 

Government Area where they were 

robbing motorists of their 

belongings. Our officers rushed to 

the scene and sighted the robbers 

who took to their heels. 

“Further investigation, however, 

led to the arrest of Kumater Orduen, 

Terhemen Dev, Terna Atama, 

Terdoo Abata and Felix 

Iorgube, all of Mbagen in 

Buruku Local Government 

Area.” 

He said items recovered from 

the gangs were 12 different 

firearms, five live cartridges, two 

expended cartridges, 11 live 

ammunition, one knife and 

assorted phones. 

He said the suspects would 

be arraigned in court at the end 

of investigations. 

Do you want to become manchelor


VICTORY DINNER: From left, Vice President,Prof. Yemi Osinbajo; Boss Mustapha, Secretary 

to the Government of the Federation, SGF; Governor Nasiru el-Rufai of Kaduna State; his wife, Mrs 

Ummi el-Rufai; and Prof Umar Garba Danbatta, Executive Vice Chairman, Nigerian Communication 

Commission NCC, during the victory dinner in honour of President Muhammadu Buhari and Vice 

President Yemi Osinbajo, organised by Kannywood Entertainment Industry and National Youth 

Council of Nigeria, in Abuja. 

Nigeria records N25bn cyber fraud in 

5 years — CIFIAN 

By Chris Ochayi 

C HARTERED 

Institute of Forensic 

and Investigative Auditors 

of Nigeria, CIFIAN, has 

raised the alert over N25 

billion cyber fraud recorded 

in the nation’s financial 

institution in the last five 

years 

The Pro-tem President of 

CIFIAN, Dr Victoria 

Enape, who disclosed this, 

weekend, during the 

induction ceremony of 

about 120 members in 

Abuja, expressed concern 

over the increased volume 

of financial frauds in the 

country. 

She said CIFIAN was 

worried about the 

development, which is 

inimical to the development 

of any country, warning 

that: “If nothing is done 

about it now, the future 

generation will have 

nothing to fall back on. “ 

Tasking the newly 

inducted members, she 

said: “We are 

commissioning all 

members to go and be good 

ambassadors of CIFIAN in 

their various organisations 

to ensure that jointly we 

prevent fraud, corruption 

and cyber crimes in Nigeria 

and stop further loss of 

billions of naira as being 

recorded in the last five 

years. 

“As you are aware, the 

recorded fraud volume in 

Nigeria financial institution 

due to cyber increased 

dramatically to about N25 

billion in the past five 

years.” 

On the organisation, she 

said: “CIFIAN is saddled 

with the responsibility of 

providing skills to 

professionals from relevant 

fields on the use of scientific 

and technology to detect, 

prevent and investigate 

fraud no matter how small 

or big and also put in place 

some sophisticated 

mechanisms to prevent 

future occurrence. 

“Therefore, CIFIAN 

membership cuts across 

other professions like law, 

criminology, economics, 

psychology, police 

detectives, etc.” 

Dr. Enape, who said the 

Bill to establish CIFIAN 

was passed by the Senate 

on July 5, 2018, wondered 

why the House of 

Representatives failed to 

concur with the passage of 

the bill close to a year after. 

Bayelsa govt seals Agip facility over alleged 

safety checks violation 

By Samuel 

Oyadongha 

BAYELSA State Physical 

Planning and 

Development Board, 

weekend, sealed off a facility 

owned by Nigerian Agip Oil 

Company, NAOC, in Biseni 

area of Yenagoa over alleged 

violation of environmental, 

health, technical integrity 

and safety checks required 

in line with the state 

Physical Planning and 

Development Law, 2015. 

Chairman of the agency, 

Ebi Waribigha, said the 

development followed an 

eviction order issued in 

Yenagoa. 

He said: “The eviction 

order had granted the 

government of Bayelsa State 

power to effect the eviction 

of Agip and all occupants of 

the premises to enable the 

Physical Planning and 

Development Board to 

conduct environmental, 

health, technical integrity, 

and safety checks at the 

facility.” 

The facility was reportedly 

built without a building 

permit as required by the 

Bayelsa State Physical 

Planning and Development 

Law (2015). 

The court had also directed 

the Commissioner of Police, 

the Commander of the Joint 

Task Force, JTF, and all 

security agencies to facilitate 

the enforcement of the 

eviction. 

The owner of the facility 

was said to have continued 

work despite a subsisting 

order and a notice to 

discontinue drilling on the 

site . 

“The facility violated the 

Bayelsa State Physical 

Planning and Development 

Law of 2015, which requires 

that all developers of existing 

property in the state built 

without obtaining 

development permits under 

previous planning laws 

applicable in the state submit 

such facilities to scrutiny and 

validation.’’ 

African ministers hail 

Buhari’s economic agenda 

By Johnbosco 

Agbakwuru 

A BUJA—AFRICAN 

Ministers of Labour, 

Employment and Social 

Affairs have commended 

President Muhammadu 

Buhari’s economic agenda, 

especially the 

administration’s Economic 

Recovery and Growth Plan, 

ERGP. 

The ministers also extolled 

Nigeria’s Minister of Labour 

and Employment, Senator 

Chris Ngige for championing 

the cause of the continent at 

the Governing Board of 

International Labour 

Organisation, ILO, since his 

election in 2017. 

The ministers took particular 

note of the leading voice 

which Nigeria’s Minister of 

Labour and Employment has 

given to Africa that 

culminated in making ILO 

elevate him to head 

government side of the 

tripartite even as a deputy. 

The ministers commended 

President Buhari at the 3rd 

Biannual Special Technical 

Committee on Social 

Development, Labour and 

Employment under the 

auspices of African Union 

Commission at Addis Ababa, 

Ethiopia with the theme, 

“Poverty Eradication 

Through Strategic Investments 

at National and Regional 

Levels Towards Social 

Development, Labour 

and Employment in Africa.” 

Speaking, as the lead 

discussant in a paper entitled, 

“The Efforts of the Nigerian 

Government Towards the 

Eradication of Poverty In 

Nigeria,” Ngige said the 

economic development 

agenda of Buhari 

administration was tailored 

towards a concurrent growth 

of the three-tier federal 

structures of national, states 

and local governments in line 

with the diversity of the nation. 

Samsung Heavy Industries 

wins Nigerian content award 

SAMSUNG 

Heavy 

Industries Nigeria 

Limited, SHIN, has been 

recognised by Nigerian Oil 

and Gas Opportunity Fair, 

NOGOF, for most impactful 

contribution to local content 

development since 2017, at 

the NOGOF 2019 awards 

ceremony in Yenagoa, Bayelsa 

State. 

The award was presented 

by Secretary to the Bayelsa 

State Government, Kemela 

Okara, to representative of 

SHIN, Mr. Chul Jeong. 

SHIN said in a statement 

that the prestigious award was 

a proof of its philosophy that 

responsible investment, 

powered by a belief in people, 

unlocks potential that can 

drive real change. 

The company disclosed that 

it invested significantly in 

human capacity development 

to meet the high demands of 

constructing the Egina 

Floating Production Storage 

Offloading, FPSO, unit, a 

flagship offshore project which 

will produce close to 10 per 

cent of Nigeria’s total oil 

production. 

According to the company, 

the Egina project included 

more than 560,000 man 

hours of training provided to 

local Nigerians, who never 

had training in the 

shipbuilding or welding 

industries and 9.7 million 

man hours of labour, which 

were carried out on Nigerian 

soil. 

Speaking while receiving 

the award, Jeong, said: “This 

award is proof of our vision 

for a future of extraordinary 

growth and opportunity - a 

future, which builds capacity 

and capabilities within local 

companies and the local 

workforce.” 

According to him, the 

award is also a proof of 

SHIN’s vision for “a future 

where the combination of 

Korean efficiency and 

expertise, fused with 

Nigerian talent and passion, 

presents limitless possibilities. 

That is why this award is so 

important to me and to 

everyone at SHIN. I thank 

you, and we accept this award 

with honour and pride.” 

Alleged N1.4b fraud: Stop 

campaign of calumny against 

OSGoF, group warns politicians 

By Onozure 

Dania 

CITIZEN 

Rights 

Watch, a civil society 

organisation, has warned 

politicians involved in 

alleged campaign of 

calumny against Surveyor 

General of the Federation, 

OSGoF, Ebisinte Awudu, to 

desist or face the wrath of 

the people of the Niger 

Delta, saying the 

mischievous campaign 

against high ranking 

officers from the region was 

vexatious and wicked. 

Some politicians had last 

week sponsored a claim 

through an audit report on 

alleged complicity in N1.4 

billion case, and theft of 

public assets against 

Awudu, and his office, the 

OSGF. 

The CSO in a statement, 

yesterday, in Yenagoa, 

Bayelsa State, noted that 

though every public officer 

should be disposed 

to scrutiny, the sponsored 

indictment and removal of 

high ranking indigenes of 

the region would no 

longer be tolerated. 

The group in a 

statement by Mr Eriye 

(Rivers) and Stephen 

Nicodemus (Bayelsa) 

noted that despite the 

peace and revenue 

contributions made to the 

Nigerian nation by the 

Niger Delta, the high 

ranking officers, 

including the suspended 

Chief Justice of the 

Federation, the retired 

Director General of the 

Department of State 

Service, DSS, “and now 

the Surveyor-General, 

who is a Niger Deltan and 

delivering on his mandate 

with list of achievements 

have become a target of 

wicked campaigns. 

Group lauds Kachikwu, Baru over transformation, 

transparency in oil sector 

By Babatunde 

Jimoh 

NIGER Delta Oil 

Communities Agenda, 

NIDOCA, has commended 

the Chairman, Board of 

Nigeria National Petroleum 

Corporation, NNPC and 

Minister of State for 

Petroleum Resources, Dr. Ibe 

Kachikwu and Group 

Managing Director, GMD, of 

NNPC, Maikanti Baru, for 

the remarkable achievements, 

transformation and 

transparency in the country's 

oil sector. 

Director, Media and 

Publicity of the group, Mr 

Emma Akpovoka, in a 

statement in Warri, yesterday, 

said: “In the last three and half 

years, a careful review and 

assessment of happenings in 

the oil sector, the duo of Dr. 

Kachikwu and Baru have 

worked collectively to attained 

the remarkable achievements 

and transformation in the 

country oil sector. 

“Though President 

Muhammadu Buhari is also 

the substantive Petroleum 

Minister, however, Kachikwu 

and Baru have initiated and 

implemented policies to the 

satisfaction of Mr. President. 

"Under the current 

administration of President 

Buhari, the Nigeria's oil 

sector has witnessed 

tremendous reorganization, 

become more effective, 

efficient and transparent to 

investors."

VISIT: From left—Secretary to Ekiti State Govt, Biodun Oyebanji; GM, Finance & Investment, Odua Investment 

Company Ltd, Mrs. Yinka Tunji-Ojo; Ekiti State Gov, Dr. kayode Fayemi; Group MD/CEO, Odua Investment 

Company Ltd, Adewale Raji; Head, Corporate Affairs, Victor Ayetoro; and Project Evaluation Manager, Soji 

Sangobiyi, during a visit by the company’s management team to the governor in Ado-Ekiti, on Friday. 

Onnoghen: 25 lawyers discontinue suit 

against Buhari, Ag CJN 

•Don fires 2 posers at NJC 

•SAN urges Ag CJN to shun tribalism, ethnicity 

By Emma Amaize, 

Ikechukwu 

Nnochiri & Ike 

Uchechukwu 

A BUJA—TWENTY- 

FIVE lawyers have 

approached a Federal 

High Court sitting in Abuja, 

asking it to terminate 

further hearing on suit 

challenging what they 

termed as illegal 

suspension of former Chief 

Justice of Nigeria, CJN, 

Justice Walter Onnoghen, 

by President Muhammadu 

Buhari. 

The plaintiffs, led by 

human rights activist, Mr. 

Johnmary Jideobi, said 

they decided to discontinue 

the suit after they got 

information that Justice 

Onnoghen had succumbed 

to pressure and voluntarily 

tendered a resignation 

letter to the 1st defendant, 

President Buhari. 

They told the court that 

pursuing the legal action to 

its logical conclusion would 

amount to “crying more 

than the bereaved,” 

notwithstanding the fact 

that the matter was earlier 

fixed to be heard on May 

By Henry Umoru 

ABUJA—THE Auditor 

General for the 

Federation , AuGF, 

Anthony Ayine, has urged 

members of the National 

Assembly to as a matter of 

urgency, take steps to clear 

the backlogs of audit reports 

that were submitted to 

them, just as he said that, 

to the best of his 

knowledge, there was no 

Auditor-General’s report 

that has been fully 

considered by the National 

Assembly since 1999. 


Senators and members of 

23. 

vanguardnews @vanguardnews @vanguardnews 

Don fire posers 

at NJC 

Meanwhile, a University 

teacher and farmer in Edo 

State, Dr. Isaiah Osifo, has 

raised two posers for the 

Nigeria Judiciary Council, 

NJC, over its 

recommendation of 

compulsory retirement for 

Justice Onnoghen, who 

was forced to give up his 

job, recently. 

Osifo said: “It is 

meaningless for the 

sycophants of President 

Buhari to celebrate or 

justify the resignation of 

Justice Onnoghen without 

concern for the dangerous 

consequences of a bad 

precedent in a country 

without respect for the rule 

of law. 

“Can NJC and Nigerians 

tolerate situations where 

elected President can sack 

the head of the judicial arm 

of government without 

recourse to the rules and 

constitutional provision? 

Can NJC and Nigerians 

tolerate situations where 

elected state governor can 

sack the chief judge of a 

state without recourse to the 

laws and the constitution of 

Nigeria? 

“The resignation/ 

retirement of Justice 

Onnoghen should make 

less news compared to the 

dangers that are inherent 

in a society without the rule 

of law. Double standard 

and its application in any 

judicial system erode the 

confidence of the people in 

the judiciary and place the 

nation in the category of a 

dangerous and 

unpredictable country. 

“If NJC cannot rescue 

the judiciary, who else can? 

Democratic and civilised 

nations always avoid 

subordinating law to satisfy 

any individual or a group,” 

he asserted. 

SAN urges Ag CJN 

to shun tribalism 

Also, the Head of 

Chamber of Mba Ukweni 

and Associates, Mba 

Ukweni, SAN, has urged 

the Acting CJN, Justice 

Tanko Muhammad to shun 

tribalism and ethnicity and 

adhere to oath of the office 

as prescribed by the law 

and moral principle. 

of National Assembly in 

promoting public 

accountability,” explained 

that for audit report to be 

seen to have been fully 

considered after 

submission, a resolution of 

the National Assembly on 

the audit report must be 

transmitted to the Executive 

arm for necessary action, 

adding that for audit report 

to be submitted to the 

National Assembly, “we 

work with the financial 

report of the Accountant 

General of the Federation 

financial report.” 

The AuGF who disclosed 

Speaking with Vanguard, 

weekend, Ukweni said: 

“The Acting CJN is the 

most senior Justice of the 

Supreme Court and until 

President appoints a new 

person, let him lead the 

Judiciary properly. The 

Justices have their oaths of 

office, let him follow the 

oath of office and work in 

accordance with the tenets 

of the constitution and shun 

tribalism and ethnicity.” 

On the resignation of 

former CJN, Ukweni said 

“If the situation has 

reached this level where 

there is no more trust, the 

best option for him was to 

resign. I don’t see anything 

wrong with that. 

Onnoghen’s resignation 

was appropriate. 

“I don’t see it to be 

inappropriate. I think it is 

appropriate because what 

is he doing now, since this 

problem started? He has 

not been performing his 

duty as the CJN. So why is 

he still there? If he has 

become a major problem 

and he put in his 

resignation or voluntary 

retirement, so to say, to 

enable the system move 

on, I see it as a very 

honourable step taken by 

him.” 

AuGF raises alarm over untreated audit reports by NASS 

the House of 

Representatives should 

ensure timely consideration 

of audit reports as well as 

take a critical look at late 

responses to audit queries 

by ministries, departments 

and agencies. 

Ayine who spoke in Abuja 

at the ongoing orientation 

programme for Senatorselect/members-elect 

of the 

9th National Assembly, 

said there was no doubt that 

corruption had stifled 

economic growth and 

development in the country. 

The AuGF who delivered 

a paper entitled, “The role 

that they were already 

working on the 2017 

financial report for 

submission to the National 

Assembly for consideration, 

said that the last report 

submitted to the National 

Assembly was for year 

2016. 

Ayine said: “Corruption 

has stifled economic growth 

and development in our 

country. I am therefore, 

optimistic that synergistic 

effects of efforts of the three 

arms of government in 

ensuring openness and 

accountability can put 

Nigeria on a good 

pedestal." 

VANGUARD, MONDAY, APRIL 8, 2019—9 

Saraki urges Qatar to end 

visa restriction for Nigerians 

By Henry Umoru 

A BUJA—SENATE 

President, Dr. Bukola 

Saraki, has called on the 

Government of Qatar to 

end its visa restriction on 

Nigerians. 

Saraki spoke yesterday 

during a meeting with the 

Prime Minister and 

Minister of Interior of Qatar, 

Sheikh Abdullah Bin 

Nasser Bin Khalifa Al- 

Thani, in Doha. 

He said lifting the ban 

would help Qatar in 

showcasing its vast 

investment opportunities, 

technological advancement 

and other achievements to 

the rest of the world, just 

as he called for more 

collaboration between the 

two countries, especially its 

parliament. 

In a statement from his 

Media Office, the Senate 

President who led a 

National Assembly 

delegation to the 140th 

General Assembly of the 

Inter-Parliamentary Union, 

IPU, taking place in Doha, 

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lamented that the visa ban 

was negatively affecting 

Nigerians as it prevents 

them from visiting the 

middle east nation. 

The Senate President 

said: “I think both countries 

(Nigeria and Qatar) need 

to strengthen their ties, 

especially our parliaments. 

We need to collaborate to 

achieve many things 

together. The collaboration 

will be good for the two 

countries and for our 

people. 

“I want to make an 

appeal that the visa 

restrictions placed on 

Nigerians be lifted. 

Nigerians are good people 

and we travel a lot. This 

restriction is not good for 

both countries and I urge 

you to reconsider your 

position on that. 

"The world needs to see 

the good things you are 

doing here and lifting your 

visa ban on Nigerians will 

encourage more people to 

come here and enjoy your 

beautiful country." 

We didn't abandon ex-soldiers 

—Military Pensions Board 

By Kingsley 

Omonobi 

A 

B U J A — 

AUTHORITIES 

of the Military Pensions 

Board, MPB, have said that 

a video that went viral, 

accusing the board of 

abandoning retired military 

personnel and failing to pay 

pensions to ex-soldiers 

should be ignored as the 

video is a misrepresentation 

of facts. 

Noting that a fact finding 

team was put in place to 

investigate the issues 

raised by the author of the 

video, one Army Private 

Ibrahim Umoru, the MPB 

said it was discovered that 

the soldier failed to attend 

mandatory verification 

exercises from 2003 to 2019, 

to ascertain if he was still 

alive, as is the procedure 

for payment of pensions. 

With his reappearance, 

the board has initiated 

processes to ensure that he 

was paid pension while 

also investigating his 

disappearance and refusal 

to partake in the verification 

exercises for 16 years. 

A statement by Flight 

Lieutenant Obasi 

Okoroafor, Public Relations 

Officer of MPB said, “MPB 

wishes to state that the 

video did not represent the 

actual fact of the issue. It is 

not only untrue but baseless 

and misrepresentation of 

facts capable of misleading 

unsuspected members of 

the public. 

“The Board on 

discovering the video 

circulating in the social 

media sent a fact finding 

committee to investigate 

the claims with a view of 

finding the true state of the 

claims. The committee 

visited the site and 

discovered that the 

pensioner with service 

number 63NA/339199 pte 

Ibrahim Umoru is a 

pensioner from the 

Nigerian Army and has 

been receiving his monthly 

pension from 2003 to 

March 2019 without any 

delay." 

We’ve revitalised over 4,000 

PHCs —Health minister 

By Luminous 

Jannamike 

ABUJA—MINISTER of 

Health, Prof. Isaac 

Adewole, has said the 

Federal Government has 

revitalised over 4,000 

Primary Healthcare 

Centres, PHCs, across the 

country from 2015 to date. 

He spoke at the flag-off 

of a special medical 

mission to Jiwa Emirate in 

Abuja by Association of 

Nigerian Physicians in the 

Americas, ANPA, weekend. 

He said, “Over the years, 

Nigeria’s healthcare 

system collapsed. But what 

we have done in the last 

four years is to revitalise the 

PHCs. We want to rebuild 

the PHC system. We are 

committed to doing 10,000 

of it. We have done over 

4000 and we are still 

counting. FCT has done 

225, Osun State is doing 

332 and Kaduna about 250. 

I think we will really get to 

the 10,000 mark. 

“What we are also doing 

is to fund the PHCs 

through a unique 

approach."

10 — VANGUARD, MONDAY, APRIL 8, 2019 

DOCTOR’S KILLING: Tackle 

age-long insecurity around 

LUTH— Lagos NMA 

•Says death a big loss to health sector 

By Chioma Obinna 

L Nigerian AGOS—THE 

Medical 

Association, NMA, in 

Lagos, yesterday decried 

the killing of Dr Stephen 

Urueye by suspected 

hoodlums, calling for a total 

review of security around 

the hospital and the 

medical college. 

Urueye, a University of 

Lagos trained medical 

doctor, was stabbed to 

death by suspected 

hoodlums 24 hours after his 

convocation, last Friday. 

In a telephone chat with 

Vanguard, the Lagos NMA 

Chairman, Dr Saliu Oseni 

said while the body of 

doctors is still in shock over 

the death of the young 

doctor, the Police and the 

hospital management 

including the College of 

Medicine authorities 

should immediately tackle 

the age long insecurity 

around the area. 

Oseni, who wondered 

why a hospital 

environment should be 

unsafe, said: “The 

government needs to do 

more about insecurity in 

the area because there 

have been some cases of 

insecurity around that area 

for long now which we feel 

that the hospital authority 

and the Police Command in 

the area should have taken 

care of before now. 

“It is not good enough 

that a surrounding of an 


hospital is not safe because 

both the staff and the 

patients are not safe. We 

probably prefer that there 

should be a police patrol 

around there. 

“Above all, hospital 

authorities should review 

the security around that 

area and ensure that the 

hospital is safe for patients 

and relatives including 

staff.” 

Oseni, who said the 

NMA is still in shock over 

the death of the medical 

doctor, pointed out that 

there have been several 

records of theft even within 

the school hostels and the 

hospital 

He said: “Occasionally, 

some patients have 

complained about attacks 

by hoodlums around that 

area. It is important that the 

lives of health providers 

and patients are safe and 

we think that the 

government and police 

force should wake up and 

make the area safe for all. 

“For our member that was 

killed, it is a big loss to the 

country and body of doctors 

particularly around this 

time we have shortage of 

medical doctors. It is so 

painful that someone will 

go through the rigour of 

medical training and lose 

his life a day after 

convocation. 

“Lagos NMA is still in 

shock following his death 

last Thursday after his 

convocation.” 

Housing scam: Court summons Ooni's 

brother, NAWOJ president 

Ogunwusi 

By Gabriel Olawale 

LAGOS—A 

Lagos 

High Court sitting at 

Igbosere, Lagos State, has 

summoned a brother of the 

Ooni of Ife, Prince Tunji 

Ogunwusi and his 

company, Prime Waterview 

Holdings over the botched 

housing scheme for which 

payments made by over 800 

Nigerians remain 

unaccounted for. 

Also expected to appear 

before Justice K.O. 

Dawodu, on Wednesday 

April 10, are the 

incumbent president of 

the Nigeria Association of 

Women Journalists, 

NAWOJ, Mrs. Ifeyinwa 

Omowole, the National 

Treasurer, Mrs Tosin 

Odusola, and immediate 

past chairman of the 

Lagos State Council of the 

Nigeria Union of 

Journalists, NUJ, Mr Deji 

Elumoye. 

A copy of the summons 

signed by Deputy-Director, 

Mrs Achere Cole and LSW 

Administrator, Rosemary 

Ubajaka and made 

available to newsmen at the 

weekend was entitled 

Request to appear before 

the ADR Judge. 

It read in part: “Be 

informed that the 3rd and 

6th Respondents have been 

requested to appear before 

Hon. Justice K.O. Dawodu 

at the Lagos Multi-Door 

Courthouse on Wednesday, 

April 10, 2019 at 2:00pm 

prompt to give reasons for 

their refusal to submit.” 

Omowole had, with the 

support of Odusola and 

Elumoye, floated a mass 

housing scheme, first for 

female journalists; later 

both males and females; 

and much later all interested 

Nigerians. 

About 800 people 

subscribed to the scheme 

and made payments both in 

dollars and Naira, many 

committing about N2 

million. 

The project expected was 

to be executed by 

Ogunwusi’s company, 

Primewaterviews 

Holdings. 

Five years on, the houses 

have not been built and the 

various sums paid by the 

subscribers have not been 

refunded. 

When 26 of the 

subscribers reported the 

matter to the Economic and 

Financial Crimes 

Commission, EFCC, 

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admitted 

receiving N70 million from 

NAWOJ but claimed that 

he had spent it clearing 

Bush and importing 

electrical fittings from 

China although the houses 

were yet to be built. 

The respondents have 

evaded summons by the 

Lagos State Multi-door 

Courthouse to which the 

matter was reported by 26 

out of the over 800 

subscribers seeking refund 

of their payments, interests 

and damages among 

others. 

Counsel to the 

petitioners, Oluyinka 

Olujimi Esq., explained 

that the court summons is 

a clear indication that the 

ADR is set for the next 

level in ensuring that 

Justice is done in the 

matter and that the 

respondents do not treat the 

ADR with levity any longer. 

POLLS: LNSC intelligence gathering 

assisted us well — Lagos CP 

By Monsuru 

Olowoopejo 

LAGOS—THE Lagos 

State Commissioner 

of Police, Muazu Zubairu, 

has disclosed that 

intelligence report 

received from Lagos 

Neighbourhod Safety 

Corps, LNSC, assisted 

‘We’re ready 

to work with 

Dapo Abiodun’ 

A BEOKUTA— 

DISENGAGED 

Ogun State 2011 Workers 

Movement has vowed to 

work with the All 

Progressives Congress, 

APC, governor-elect, 

Prince Dapo Abiodun, 

who won governorship 

election on March 9. 

In a statement by its 

President, Samuel 

Awolesi said it was ready 

to work with the new Ogun 

government and the people 

so as to engender real time 

development and growth. 

the Police in enforcing law 

and order especially 

during last poll in the 

state. 

Zubairu noted that their 

ability to gather 

intelligence at the 

grassroots has also 

contributed to reduction in 

crime within the state. 

The Commissioner of 

Police, represented by the 

Area Commander, Area A, 

Lion Building, Assistant 

Commissioner of Police 

Bode Ojajuni, said this 

weekend at the second 

year anniversary of the 

security outfit held at 

Elegbeta Sports Complex, 

Ebute Ero, in Lagos 

Island. 

He said: “LNSC is the 

only agency in Lagos that 

is obviously partnering 

the police in terms of 

security. In almost all the 

police stations in Lagos, 

we have a segment of 

LNSC. 

“We work together, 

brainstorm together and 

during the last general 

elections, the LNSC 

played a fantastic and 

superb role. I want to 

thank you (LNSC) for that 

feat that was so obvious 

and it was one of the best 

supports we ever 

received.” 

ANNIVERSARY: From left; Group Executive Director, Strategy, Portfolio Development & Capital Projects, Dangote 

Industries Limited and Baaselu of Itori, Chief Devakumar Edwin, HRM Oba Abdul-Fatai Akorede Akamo, 

Agbodere Kinni, the Olu of Itori, HRM Oba Adedotun Aremu Gbadebo, Alake & Paramount Ruler of Egbaland, 

at the Grand finale of 15th coronation anniversary of olu of itori in Itori Ogun State weekend. 

74 road projects’ll be abandoned by Ambode, says report 

By Olasunkanmi 

Akoni 

LAGOS—A 

Non- 

Governmental 

Organisation, NGO, Tracka, 

has presented a report that 

showed that the 

administration of Governor 

Akinwunmi Ambode of 

Lagos State may likely 

abandon at least 74 road 

projects across the state 

after the expiration of his 

tenure in May. 

According to Tracka, a 

subsidiary of Budgit, the 74 

projects were among the 

181 road projects flagged off 

by the state government 

across the 20 Local 

Governments and 37 Local 

Council Development 

Areas, LCDAs. 

The report came barely 

one year after the state 

government announced 

commencement of 181 

roads to be completed in 

phases and awarded at 

N18.5 billion, targeted at 

reducing travel time and 

boost commercial activities 

in the state. 

In a statement by Head 

of Tracka, Damen Ilevbaoje 

said: “Given the population 

and rising number of 

industries in Lagos, the 

government’s effort to 

repair roads, reduce 

mishaps and ease traffic is 

duly commendable. 

However, it is imperative to 

note that the financial 

breakdown of the projects 

E NUGU—THE 

Congress of the 

Association of Resident 

Doctors, ARD, University of 

Nigeria Teaching Hospital, 

UNTH, has reversed and 

retracted its last month’s 

publication in some 

newspapers where it 

apologised to the Chief 

Medical Director, CMD 

and withdrew its petition 

against former Deputy 

Director of Finance, DDF, 

Mr. Chukwu Onuchukwu, 

to anti-graft agencies. 

Onuchukwu is now the 

Director of Finance and 

remains secret. 

“The only information in 

the public space is the gross 

amount allocated for the 

roads and the part payment 

by the state government. 

As such, the quest for 

transparency and 

accountability is fiercely 

strangled by the 

government. 

“Out of 175 roads tracked 

by our team, only 54 are 

completed, 38 are ongoing 

while eight bear 

unspecified locations, all at 

the time of our last visit in 

February 2019. Tracka 

confidently reports that a 

higher number of the roads 

(74) are yet to be 

constructed.” 

Resident doctors insist on petition against UNTH’s 

official 

Accounts, UNTH. 

The previous decision to 

apologise and withdraw the 

petition was taken at its 

Ordinary General Meeting 

on February 27, 2019 on the 

basis that the petition was 

baseless and vindictive. 

However, at an emergency 

general meeting on April 2, 

2019 at UNTH, Ituku-Ozalla 

Enugu, the Congress 

resolved to forge ahead, 

according to a statement by 

ARD’s president, Dr. 

Akponye Solomon, and 

General Secretary, Dr. 

Okam Izuchukwu. 

Izuchukwu affirmed that 

the petition, which has not 

been officially withdrawn 

from anti-graft agencies, 

would be given accelerated 

attention to satisfy the wish 

of the congress because it 

has merit. 

The emergency congress 

based its decision on the 

reason that the majority of 

its members were either 

taken unawares or were not 

present at first statutory 

OGM on February 27, 2019 

where the previous step was 

taken. 

It stressed that the new 

resolutions are based on the 

majority decision.

Vanguard, MONDAY, APRIL 8, 2019 — 11 

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

CORONATION: From left; Representative of Governor Gboyega Oyetola of Osun State, Hon. Mudasiru Toogun 

presenting the congratulatory letter to new Alajase of Ajase-Ile, Onikoyi Abesan VI, Oba Abdulramani Aderemi 

Ajado Sanni; Engr. Abimbola Daniyan, representing former Governor Rauf Aregbesola and Deputy Director of 

Protocol in Osun Government, Mr Kareem Lateef, during the coronation ceremony of the New Alajase of Ajase- 

Ile Onikoyi Abesan, at Stadium in Ajase-Ile, Porto-Novo, Republic of Benin weekend. 

Land grabbers poison OAU varsity 

dam; VC petitions police 

•We’re investigating the matter — IDB 

By Gbenga Olarinoye 

O management 

SOGBO—THE 

of 

Obafemi Awolowo 

University, OAU, Ile-ife, 

has accused some 

individuals of the host 

community of “criminally 

poisoning”’ the institution’s 

dam which provides water 

to the OAU community of 

over 30,000 students and 

staff. 

The university authorities 

have petitioned the 


Osun State Command, a 

copy of which was obtained 

by our correspondent in 

Osogbo through the 

university Public Relations 

Officer, PRO, Biodun 

Olanrewaju. 

The petition alleged that 

the campus is endangered 

by the activity of those it 

described as land-grabbers 

who the petition alleged 

“forcefully gained access to 

the dam by overpowering 

the security official on duty, 

Mr. O.A Omotosho. 

The petition, which 

named one of the attackers 

as Idowu Ogunwusi (alias 

Dagunduro), claimed the 

group freely used 

dangerous weapons 

including guns, cutlasses 

and axes during the attack. 

The incident, the 

university claimed, 

occurred at about 3 p.m. on 

Wednesday, April 3, 

adding that those involved 

described themselves as 

members of a “Great Ife 

Development Board.” 

The petition, entitled 

Complaint of Criminal 

Pollution of Opa Dam, 

Obafemi Awolowo 

University, Ile-Ife, noted 

that the assailants gained 

access to the dam through 

a portion of the university 

land adjoining Parakin 

Area. 

The petition signed by 

the Vice Chancellor of the 

university, Prof. Eyitayo 

Ogunmodede reads in 

part: “I wish to formally 

make a complaint of 

criminal pollution of Opa 

Dam in the Obafemi 

Awolowo University, Ile-Ife 

by some murderous 

members of the Ife 

Community. 

“On 3rd April 2019 at 

about 1500hours, a report 

of invasion and pollution of 

the University Dam by a 

group of people who 

claimed to be members of 

Great Ife Development 

Board was received by the 

Security Unit of the 

University. 

Ondo inaugurates mini power grid 

By Dayo Johnson 

A 

K U R E — 

GOVERNOR 

Rotimi Akeredolu of Ondo 

State has inaugurated the 

85kw Igbatoro Onigari 

solar mini-grid power 

project in Akure North 

IJENDU 

In my BVN my name is written as 

Amarachi Miracle Ijendu, now I am 

married my name is Amarachi Jombo 

Nwaogburu. The general public and 

Wema bank should please note that 

both name belong to one and the 

same person and All former 

document remain valid. 

GBORO 

Confirmation of name 

My name is Solomon Gboro but 

now wish to be known as Obahor 

Erute Solomon.The general public 

should please note that both 

names belong to one and the 

same person and all former 

document remain valid. 

area of the state. 

Equally launched was 

the pilot of a scalable 45kw 

cabin-type mini-grid power 

project in Gbagira town in 

Ilaje local government 

area of Ondo State. 

The Special Adviser on 

Public Utilities to the 

governor, Engineer Tunji 

Ariyomo commended the 

duo of Foundation for 

Partnership Initiatives in 

the Niger-Delta, PIND, 

and A4 and T Power 

Solutions for the success of 

the Gbagira project. 

He said that the Gbagira 

power plant now brings to 

five the number of 

successfully completed 

community power 

interventions by the 

Akeredolu-led government 

in the past two years. 

Ariyomo said: “The 

Ondo State government 

just last year provided offgrid 

solar intervention in 

Ebute-Ipare, Aboto and 

Igbobini towns through 

another private firm, 

Messrs R. R. Reynolds. 

“Today, we are delighted 

that PIND and A4 and T 

Solutions have continued 

this serious business of 

providing quality 24/7 

electricity for our people 

using alternative 

technology. 

“Another private firm is 

building an Independent 

Power Plant, IPP, that will 

service government-owned 

establishments and 

government-owned 

residential estates in Akure 

while another company is 

building an IPP around 

Igbokoda to service the 

community and adjoining 

areas as well as the 

university campus in 

Igodan Lisa.” 

In his remarks, the 

Olugbo of Ugbo Kingdom 

Oba Fredrick Akinruntan 

said with the advent of the 

IPP in the community, the 

socio-economic nerves of 

the community would 

experience 

development. 

meteoric 

“The group of people who 

were fully armed with 

guns, axes, cutlasses, 

invaded the lower level of 

OAU dam and polluted the 

water with chemicals which 

led to the death of several 

fishes and other aquatic 

animals. 

“The report also indicated 

that these criminally 

minded individuals gained 

access into the dam 

through a portion of 

University land at Parakin 

area, Ile-Ife, where there 

had been several reports of 

land encroachment by 

some Ife indigenes. 

“The suspected culprits 

threatened the University 

Security Operative 

manning the area, Mr. O. 

A. Omotosho, with guns 

and some other dangerous 

weapons. They however 

escaped on sighting 

reinforcement from the 

University Security 

Department. Fortunately, 

one of the ringleaders of the 

invaders, Mr. Idowu 

Ogunwusi, alias 

Dagunduro, was identified 

by the University Security 

men sent as reinforcement. 

“The action of these 

people therefore poses 

serious danger to the 

health and lives of staff, 

students and other 

members of the university 

community." 

When contacted on the 

matter, the Police Public 

Relations Officer of the 

Osun State Command, 

Mrs. Folasade Odoro, said 

she was on a casual leave 

when the reporter called 

her yesterday on phone. 

We’re investigating the 

matter—IDB 

The immediate 

president of IDB, Prof. 

Muib Opeloye said the 

board is aware of the 

university petition to 

Osun police command. 

He said the board had 

held meeting over the 

issue to find the true 

position on the matter. 

He assured that after 

thorough investigations 

by the board, its findings 

would be made known to 

the public. 

WORLD HEALTH DAY: AGPMPN 

calls for re-introduction of 

community health inspectors 

By Daud Olatunji 

A BEOKUTA—THE 

Association of 

General and Private 

Medical Practitioners of 

Nigeria, AGPMPN, 

yesterday, advised the 

governments both at the 

state and local government 

levels to re-introduce the 

community health 

inspectors for the 

improvement of the health 

of the populace in the 

country. 

Chairman of AGPMPN 

in Ogun State, Dr. Rabiu 

Kusimo gave this advice at 

a lecture as prt of activities 

marking the World Health 

Day in Abeokuta. 

Kusimo while speaking 

on this year’s theme: 

Universal health coverage, 

said: “Good health is not 

only the absence of diseases 

but a state of complete well 

being of the individuals and 

these coalesce into the 

health of all in the 

communities or nations.” 

“The local government 

should consider as a matter 

of urgency, the reintroduction 

of the health 

inspectors back into our 

communities. 

“The primary health is the 

pillar of health and it should 

be so supported and the 

institutions in that cadre 

should be empowered to 

function in that stead.'' 

No regret serving in Fayemi’s 

cabinet, says ex-Rep 

By Rotimi Ojomoyela decided to take up 

A Commissionernominee 

in Ekiti State and tremendous impacts in the 

DO-EKITI—A 

commissioner’s job, 

Faparusi said that no 

position is too small to make 

former member of the lives of the people. 

House of Representatives, He said: “I am not one of 

Mr. Bamidele Faparusi, the politicians that believed 

yesterday, assured that you have to be governor or 

members of the newly President before you can 

appointed state executive bring radical change to the 

council are ready to give lives of your people. 

their best to the upliftment “It is a known fact that 

of the state in every sector. legislators don’t execute 

The Commissioners 

designate cleared by the 

House of Assembly will be 

inaugurated on Tuesday by 

Governor Kayode Fayemi 

and assigned portfolios. 

Speaking with newsmen 

in Ado Ekiti on why he 

projects, but as a federal 

legislator representing 

Emure/Gbonyin/Ekiti East 

federal constituency, I 

brought a lot of landmark 

projects to my constituents 

that had been sources of joy 

to them.'' 

AIG Oyebade leads 10km 

fitness walk in Ibadan 

By Emma Nnadozie 

L Assistant AGOS—THE 

Inspector- 

General of Police in charge 

of Zone XI, comprising 

Ondo, Osun and Oyo 

States, Leye Oyebade, 

weekend, led a- 10km walk 

for fitness exercise 

organised by Inspiration 

100.5 FM Ibadan. 

The 3rd edition of the 

‘walk for fitness’ 

commenced about 6.45am 

from the radio station at 

Osuntokun, Bodija 

Housing Estate through 

Bodija Market en route to 

Sango, Mokola and 

A GOVERNOR 

BEOKUTA— 

Samuel Ortom of Benue 

State and his Akwa Ibom 

State counterpart, Dr. 

Udom Emmanuel, 

weekend said they owed 

their victories to the prayers 

of the saints in the country. 

Giving their testimonies 

at the April edition of 

Redeemed Christian 

Church of God, RCCG, 

Holy Ghost Service, the two 

PDP governors told the 

worshippers that by 

strength shall no man 

terminated at Cocoa House, 

Dugbe at 9.30am. 

The Police boss stressed 

the importance of exercise 

for the enhancement of 

physical and mental fitness 

of an individual, stating 

that regular exercise could 

help the development of the 

body and soul. 

He lauded the efforts of 

the management of 

Inspiration FM in 

promoting individual 

wellbeing through periodic 

fitness walk and promised 

to continue to partner and 

support the media in 

general and Inspiration 

FM in particular. 

Our re-election divine, say govs 

Ortom, Udom 

prevail, stressing it was 

clear for all Nigerians to see 

that their separate victory 

was divine. 

Gov. Ortom, the first to 

speak, recalled how he 

went to the General 

Overseer, Pastor Enoch 

Adejare Adeboye and his 

wife in 2014 before his 

decision to vie for the 

governorship election. 

Also speaking, Governor 

Udom of Akwa Ibom State 

gave God glory, saying it 

was Him who helped him 

overcome all the 

challenges he faced during 

the election.

12—VANGUARD, MONDAY, APRIL 8, 2019 

Dickson offers automatic 

employment to 307 PhD, MSc 

holders, medical doctors 

By Samuel 

Oyadongha 

Y ENAGOA— 

GOVERNOR 

Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa 

State has offered automatic 

employment to 307 

products of the Bayelsa 

State Scholarship Scheme, 

who have concluded their 

doctorate degree and 

master degree programmes 

in various disciplines. 

A statement by the Special 

Adviser, Media Relations, 

Mr. Fidelis Soriwei, on 

Sunday, quoted the 

governor as having offered 

automatic employment for 

107 PhD holders and 200 

MSC degree holders 

during a meeting with 

beneficiaries of the scheme 

in Yenagoa. 

Dickson also announced 

automatic employment to 

all medical doctors, 

pharmacists and public 

health specialists and other 

beneficiaries of the 

scholarship scheme. 

The governor told the 

audience that the 107 PhD 

holders would be deployed 

to the three state-owned 

universities - the Niger 

Delta University, University 

òf Africa and the Bayelsa 

Medical University as 

lecturers. 

He also said other 

people, who studied 

medicine and other 

professional courses at 

Master Degree level would 

be engaged by the state 

government in the various 

medical facilities and the 

civil service respectively. 

The beneficiaries of the 

scheme returned with 

PhDs and MSCs in 

disciplines such as 

Electrical/Electronics 

Engineering, Agricultural 

Economics, Agric 

engineering, International 

relations, Pharmacy 

Practice, Public Health, 

Computing, and 

Electronics System, Gas 

turbine engineering, 

Natural Resources 

Management, 

Environmental Law and 

Management, Statistics 

among others. 

Tribunal grants order for 

inspection of election 

materials in Delta 

By Festus Ahon 

ASABA—DELTA State 

Governorship, 

National and state House 

of Assembly Elections 

Petitions Tribunal has 

granted an order for the 

inspection of materials for 

the March 9 and 23 

National Assembly, 

governorship and House 

of Assembly elections in the 

state. 

Secretary of the Tribunal, 

Mr. Ahmed Gusau, who 

disclosed this to newsmen 

in Asaba, said the court 

would continue 

preliminary sitting today. 

According to Gusau, the 

Tribunal had granted 

applications for substituted 

service on respondents in 

the petitions filed by Dr. 


Emmanuel Uduaghan, 

Doris Uboh, Sebastian 

Okoh, Monday Igbuya, 

Sam Mariere, and John 

Agoda. 

He said one petition was 

filed against Governor 

Ifeanyi Okowa by Great 

Ogboru of the All 


APC, while another one 

was against Senator Ovie 

Omo-Agege. 

Also, another petition was 

filed against Senator Peter 

Nwaoboshi, while two were 

against Senator James 

Manager. 

Gusau said nine petitions 

were also before the 

Tribunal with respect to the 

House of Representatives 

election, adding that 37 

were filed for the House of 

Assembly election. 

Maritime university, fulfilled N-Delta dream 

—Buhari, Otuaro 

By Emma Amaize 

O KERENKOKO— 

PRESIDENT 

Muhammadu Buhari has 

said that the Nigerian 

Maritime University, 

NMU, Okerenkoko, Warri 

South-West Local 

Government Area, Delta 

State, is a manifestation of 

his vision to re-write the 

story of the Niger Delta 

region. 

He spoke through the 

Vice President, Prof Yemi 

Osinbajo, represented by 

Senior Special Assistant to 

the President on Niger 

Delta, Mr.Edobor Iyamu, at 

the first matriculation 

Rivers: Amaechi, Malami pressuring Ag 

CJN to reverse S-Court judgment —PDP 

By Dirisu Yakubu 

A BUJA—PEOPLES 

Democratic Party 

,PDP, has accused the 

Minister of Transport, 

Rotimi Amaechi and his 

Justice counterpart, 

Abubakar Malami of a plot 

to influence Acting Chief 

Justice of Nigeria, Tanko 

Mohammed to cause a 

constitutional crisis in 

Rivers State. 

The party also said it has 

been informed that the All 


APC, stalwarts were 

allegedly prevailing on 

Justice Mohammed, to 

reverse the February 12, 

2019 final judgment of the 

Supreme Court, which 

upheld the verdict of the 

trial court that lawfully 

excluded the APC from 

participating in the 


governorship and state 

Assembly elections in 

Rivers State. 

Addressing a press 

conference on Sunday, 

National Publicity Secretary 

ceremony of the institution 

at its Kurities Campus. 

Acting Governor of Delta 

State, Kingsley Otuaro, 

indicated that Niger Delta 

people were on the same 

page with President Buhari 

on the actualisation of 

NMU. 

Buhari said: “NMU, 

Okerenkoko is one of the 

strongest demonstrations of 

the commitment of my 

administration to the 

developement of the Niger 

Delta. The new vision for 

the Niger Delta is to ensure 

that the huge resources of 

the Niger Delta are put to 

work for the good of the 

of the party, Kola 

Ologbondiyan said the 

decision to bar the APC from 

participating in the 2019 

elections in the state was 

taken by a court of 

competent jurisdiction. 

He said: “The leader of 

the APC in the state, 

Minister of Transport, 

Rotimi Amaechi, has 

engaged in fresh 

conspiracies to subvert the 

will of the people as 

expressed at the polls. 

“The PDP has information 

on how Rotimi Amaechi 

has been going around in 

Rivers State, giving 

assurances that he has the 

ears of the Supreme Court 

under the leadership of 

Acting CJN, Justice Tanko 

Mohammed, saying the 

Supreme Court will reverse 

its final judgment on APC 

primaries and pave the way 

for fresh elections in Rivers 

State, in which the APC will 

be allowed to participate. 

“Rotimi Amaechi goes 

about boasting that the apex 

court in the land, the 

Supreme Court, will 

people of the region. 

“The NMU, Okerenkoko, 

will be known around the 

world as the centre of 

excellence and a repository 

of knowledge in maritime 

matters. 

“For the matriculating 

students and the pioneer 

staff, I enjoin you to 

discharge your duties with 

dedication and pride and 

to continue to carry 

yourselves as excellent 

ambassadors of this 

university.” 

Acting Governor of Delta 

State, Otuaro, assured that 

the state government would 

give the best support to the 

growth and development 

of the university.’’ 

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He said the government 

was very much concerned 

about the university’s 

dockyard in Gbaramatu 

kingdom, adding that he is 

the head of a committee to 

interface with the federal 

government and Nigerian 

Maritime Administration 

and Safety Agency, 

NIMASA, to actualise the 

plan. 

“To our matriculants, you 

are indeed a reflection of 

the outward working of the 

inward working of the 

mind. Therefore, you are 

here to be conditioned in 

mind and in character 

when learning so that at the 

end of the day, you will 

become an integrated 

personality." 

MATRICULATION: From left—Senior Special Asst to the President on N-Delta Affairs, Chief 

Edobor Iyamu, who represented the Vice President; Senator James Manager; Julius Pondi, 

Senator-elect for Delta South; DG, Nigeria Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, NIMASA, 

Dr. Dakuku Peterside; Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of Council, Nigeria Maritime University, 

NMU, Okerenkoko, Delta State, Chief Timipre Sylva; Acting Governor of Delta State, Kingsley 

Otuaro; and Commissioner for Higher Education, Delta State, Dr Jude Sinebe, during the first 

matriculation ceremony of NMU, Okerenkoko Delta State, weekend. 

reverse itself and call for 

fresh elections in Rivers 

State. 

“Nigerians can recall that 

in nullifying the APC 

primaries and barring it 

from fielding any 

candidates in Rivers State 

in the 2019 general 

election, the High Court 

held, and rightly too, that 

APC’s primaries in the state 

were invalid and cannot be 

considered. 

“Acting upon the final 

judgment of the Supreme 

Court, the Independent 

National Electoral 

Commission, INEC, on 

February 23, 2019 held the 

Presidential/National 

Assembly elections and on 

March 9, 2019 conducted 

the governorship and state 

House of Assembly 

elections in Rivers State, in 

which the APC, having 

been lawfully excluded, did 

not participate. 

“Nigerians can also recall 

how the APC, having been 

frustrated by its lawful 

exclusion, used security 

agents to violently disrupt 

the smooth conduct of 

elections in Rivers State. 

“In the course of the 

elections, the APC, 

however, adopted the 

governorship candidate of 

the African Action 

Congress, AAC, bankrolled 

his election and made 

thugs available to him, with 

the view to using them to 

muscle votes. 

“In spite of these 

conspiracies by the APC, 

the will of the people 

prevailed, as they braved 

the odds, resisted all 

machinations and voted 

overwhelmingly for the 

PDP and all its candidates. 

“Spontaneous jubilation 

in Rivers State and across 

the country, in addition to 

the general outpouring of 

goodwill to Governor 

Nyesom Wike and other 

candidates of the PDP on 

their victory, clearly 

demonstrate the PDP’s 

popularity and acceptance 

not only by the people of 

Rivers but also by lovers of 

democracy all over the 

world."

Vanguard, MONDAY, APRIL 08 , 2019 — 13 


VISIT: From left—Mr Emeka Anaeto, Business Editor, Vanguard Newspaper, Mrs Patience Ogwara, 

member New Nigeria Foundation, Mr Eze Anaba, Editor, Vanguard Newspaper, Mrs Layide Adesanya, 

Leader New Nigeria Foundation; and Mrs Chikodi Chiedo, Member, New Nigeria Foundation, during 

a courtesy visit to Vanguard by New Nigeria Foundation, at the Vanguard's head office, Apapa, Lagos. 

Photo: Kehinde Gadamosi 

Speakership: Benue, Plateau memberselect 

endorse Dyegh •As Bago joins race 

By Jimoh Babatunde 

& Emman Ovuakporie 

ABUJA—HOUSE of 

Representatives 

members-elect from 

Benue and Plateau states 

yesterday threw their 

weight behind the 

speakership ambition of 

John Dyegh,of All 


APC, in Benue state, 

claiming it was the turn 

of the north central to 

produce the speaker for 

justice and equality. 

This came as Chairman 

House committee on 

Maritime, Umar 

Bago,APC, Chanchaga, 

Niger State, formally 

joined the race for the 

speakership of the House 

of Representatives. 

Speaking in Minna, 

Niger State, weekend, 

Bago said his emergence 

as a speaker would 

answer the legitimate 

agitation of the people of 

North Central for equity. 

According to him, “As a 

representative from the 

North Central and by 

extension from Niger 

State it will be very fair for 

the party to zone the 

position of speakership to 

the north central as we 

remain committed 

Progressives desirous of 

political growth of our 

great party.” 

He argued that the zone 

pulled the third highest 

votes at the 2019 

presidential election for 

the APC and President 

Buhari” 

The lawmaker who won 

his re-election to the 9th 


promised to lead the House 

for optimal legislative 

impact in all ramifications, 

saying “If given the 

opportunity, the leadership 

will derive its strength from 

an unprecedented 

inclusivity as the guiding 

principle even with me as 

“primus inters pares”. I am 

a committed and loyal party 

member ready to lead the 

ninth Assembly House of 

Representatives having 

been in the house since 

2007. I am eligible and one 

of the most ranking 

members from the Northcentral 

contesting for the 

position. I am also currently 

the Chairman, house 

committee on maritime. 

Meanwhile, Dyegh, who 

represents Gboko/Tarka 

federal constituency is the 

only APC member-elect 

from Benue; and is set 

formally declare his 

intention to contest\ 

tomorrow. 

The members-elect who 

revealed this at the 

weekend when they were 

hosted to a social 

gathering by Dyegh in his 

residence in Abuja, 

argued that since the 

position of senate 

Polls: Why we’re calm, Kwara PDP 

elders, youths 

By Demola Akinyemi 

I LORIN—ELDERS 

and youths of the 

People’s Democratic Party, 

PDP, in Kwara State, 

weekend gave insight 

into while members had 

remained calm after the 

general elections. 

The group on the aegis 

of Concerned Stalwarts of 

Kwara PDP, commended 

the incoming governor of 

the All Progressives 

Congress, APC, Alhaji 

Abdulrahman 

Abdulrazaq, and all 

winners of the 2019 

general elections in the 

state for their feats and 

urged them to emulate the 

sportsmanship of Senate 

President and PDP 

national leader, Dr Bukola 

Saraki. 

The group membership 

included PDP ward, local 

government chairmen 

and secretaries, youth 

leaders in all the five local 

president had been taken 

to the north-east, the 

north central, which gave 

the third highest number 

of votes in the presidential 

election should be 

compensated with 

speaker. 

Those who endorsed 

him included Francis 

Agbo, PDP, Benue , 

member-elect for Ado/ 

Ogbadigbo/Okpokwu 

federal constituency, 

Richard Gbande, PDP, 

Benue, representing 

Katsina Ala/Ukum.Logo 

federal constituency, Bob 

Tyough, PDP, Benue, 

representing Kwande/ 

Ushongo federal 

constituency, Solomon 

Maren, from Plateau, 

Benjamin Mzondu, 

representing Makurdi/ 

Guma federal 

constituency of Benue, 

government areas in Ilorin 

emirate, as well as notable 

politicians like Alhaji 

Abdulkadir Oba Ajara, 

Alhaji Hassan Atanda 

Zoroh, Alhaji Nurudeen 

Gasali Alaaya, Alhaji Saadu 

Agaka, Alhaji Saad 

Ajelanwa, Alhaji Amasa 

Okolo, Engineer Obashola 

Alabi, Alhaji Musa 

Ayelabegan, Hajia Nimota 

Oba Wankasi-Suleiman, 

and Alhaji Sule Maja, 

among others, as members. 

Speaking with journalists 

in Ilorin, leader and 

secretary of the group, 

Alhaji Oba Ajara and Alhaji 

Nurudeen Alaaya, 

respectively, called on all 

winners of the general 

elections to emulate Dr. 

Saraki, for accepting result 

of the election as an act and 

destiny of Allah, describing 

him as a rare democrat. 

According to the 

spokesman, “were any 

politician to find himself in 

the political situation Dr. 

Dachung Musa Bagos, 

representing Jos South/ 

Jos East and Kpam Jimin 

Sokpo, representing 

Buruku federal 

constituency of Benue. 


lawmakers the ruling 

party must take into 

consideration the diverse 

ethnic, religious and 

geopolitical colouration of 

the country and balance it 

for equity, fairness and 

justice” 

Earlier, Dyegh, reelected 

for the third time, 

told the members-elect 

that he decided to join the 

race because he was 

competent and had the 

required experience and knowhow 

to lead the House and use 

the legislature to team up with 

the executive to take the 

nation to the next level. 

Bukola Saraki found 

himself, the state would 

have been set on fire. As a 

man blessed with quickwitted 

resilience, he has put 

everything that transpired 

in the right perspective of 

the will of Allah for the good 

of all. Interestingly, PDP 

has won more states under 

his national leadership of 

the party, and expecting 

more from tribunal 

judgment. 

“Kwara State today 

remains a role model state 

in political maturity by the 

niche carved for it by the 

rare leadership qualities 

and virtues of this great 

politician and democrat that 

is peerless among equals.” 

On next line of action 

after the defeat of Saraki 

political dynasty in the last 

elections, Alhaji Ajara said 

“We’ll go back to drawing 

board. Reorganize 

ourselves, since we now 

know true members of the 

fold." 

Kwara youths canvass for 

Popoola as incoming Speaker 

By Demola Akinyemi 

I LORIN—KWARA 

Youths Democratic 

Alliance, KYDA, weekend 

urged the leadership of 

All Progressives 

Congress, APC, in Kwara 

State, to consider Saheed 

Popoola, as the incoming 

Speaker of the state 

House of Assembly. 

The group called on 

APC to allow core 

legislative and political 

experience alongside the 

rules of the house to 

guide the party in the 

emergence of the 

leadership of the 9th 

assembly. 

KYDA recalled that 

Popoola representing 

Balogun/Ojomu on the 

platform of APC was the 

only lawmaker that dared 

the directi\ve of Senate 

president Dr Bukola 

Saraki, and stayed back in 

APC, while others left for 

People’s Democratic Party, 

PDP. 

At a briefing,the 

Spokesperson of the 

group, Mallam Yakub 

Bello, said campaigning 

for Popoola to become the 

next Speaker became 

imperative in view of the 

need for merit and loyalty 

because of the high 

expectations of Kwarans 

from the incoming 

administration. 

He said, “ there is no 

doubt that, the new 

governor-elect, Alhaji 

Abdulraham Abdulrasaq 

needs an articulate and 

capable new speaker that 

possesses all needed 

qualities to lead the house 

and not just a new 

lawmaker that has just been 

elected into the house. 

Strike: NANS urges Taraba 

Govt to address lecturers 

grievances 

By Femi Bolaji 

J ALINGO— 

NATIONAL 

Association of Nigerian 

Students, NANS, Taraba 

State University, TSU 

chapter, has appealed to 

Governor Darius Ishaku, 

to end the ongoing 

strike by the institution’s 

lecturers to avoid 

prolonging students’ 

stay in school without 

graduation. 

Recall that the 

Academic Staff Union of 

Universities, ASUU, TSU 

chapter last Wednesday 

resumed its earlier 

shelved industrial strike 

over issues of funding 

among others. 

The union in 2018 

suspended the industrial 

action following 

assurances that the state 

government would meet 

its demands. 

President of NANS, 

TSU chapter, Ande Boyi, 

while reacting to the 

strike, noted that prompt 

action was needed from 

the state government to 

save the situation.



Okorocha vs INEC: PDP candidate asks 

Judge to hands off case, alleges bias 

By Ikechukwu 

Nnochiri 

A DATE BUJA-—CANDI 

of the Peoples 

Democratic Party, PDP, in 

the disputed Imo West 

Senatorial election, Mr. 

Jones Onyereri, has asked 

Justice Taiwo Taiwo of the 

Federal High Court in Abuja 

to disqualify himself from 

the suit Governor Rochas 

Okorocha filed to compel 

the Independent National 

Electoral Commission, 

INEC, to issue him a Certificate 

of Return as the Senator- 

elect for the District. 

Okorocha had in a suit 

marked FHC/ABJ/CS/296/ 

2019, maintained that 

INEC lacked the statutory 

powers to withhold his Certificate 

of Return, saying he 

was validly elected to occupy 

the senatorial seat. 

He is praying the court to 

declare that INEC acted in 

error when it refused to recognise 

him, even after the 

returning officer had declared 

him winner. 

Okorocha’s bid to secure 

an interim order against 

INEC had suffered setback 

last Friday following joinder 

applications by four candidates 

that participated in 

the senatorial poll, who separately 

urged the court to 

admit them as interested 

parties in the suit. 

Those the court considered 

their requests and 

joined in the suit were Mr. 

Nwachukwu Clement of 

KOWA party, Precious 

Nwadike of United Progressive 

Party, UPP, Dr. 

Uche Ibeh of Labour Party, 

and the All Progressive 

Grand Alliance, APGA. 

The court had earlier 

joined Hon. Onyereri of 

the PDP and Senator Osita 

Izunaso of APGA as 

interested parties in the 

case. 

The applicants were added 

as 2nd to 7th Defendants 

in the matter. 

They had notified the 

court of their intentions to 

file preliminary objections 

to challenge the competence 

of the suit. 

The Defendants said they 

were opposed to the issuance 

of Certificate of Return 

to the plaintiff. 

Meantime, though the 

court adjourned the case 

till Tuesday for hearing, 

PDP’s candidate, Onyereri, 

in an application he filed 

pursuant to section 22(1) of 

the Federal High Court 

Act, 2004, and section 36(1) 

of the 1999 Constitution, as 

amended, applied for an 

order transferring the suit 

to the Chief Judge of the 

High Court for reassignment 

to any other judge. 

The PDP candidate who 

was joined as the 2nd Defendant 

in the matter, 

through his lawyer, Mr. 

N.A. Nwawuchi, SAN, 

gave reasons why he said 

Justice Taiwo was no more 

qualified to continue with 

the hearing of the matter. 

In an affidavit that was 

deposed to by one Chijioke 

Nzekwe, he averred: “That 

this matter came up on 5/4/ 

2019 before Honourable 

Justice Taiwo Taiwo of the 

Abuja Judicial Division of 

the Federal High Court of 

Nigeria. I was one of the 

Lawyers that represented 

the 2nd Defendant / Applicant 

in this matter on the 

said date. 

“That in the course of the 

said proceedings, the said 

Judge made utterances 

which clearly showed that 

he had taken sides in this 

matter. 

“That the Honourable 

Justice Taiwo Taiwo told the 

Counsel for the 1st Defendant, 

one Mrs Wendy 

Kuku, that it was the 1st 

Defendant that caused all 

the problems that gave rise 

to this suit. 

“According to His Lordship, 

if the 1st Defendant 

had done the right thing, 

there wouldn’t have 

been the need for parties 

to come to court.’’ 

FG plans FID on Ibot, Ikike, 

LNG train 7 in 2019 

...As NCDMB presents 80 opportunities 

worth $100bn 

By Udeme Akpan 

THE Federal Govern 

ment and International 

Oil Companies, IOCs, 

plan to take Final Investment 

Decision, FID, on 

three projects - ExxonMobil’s 

Ibot, Total’s Ikike and 

NLNG Train 7 - before the 

end of 2019. 

The Executive Secretary, 

Nigerian Content Development 

and Monitoring 

Board, NCDMB, Simbi 

Wabote, who disclosed 

this at the just-concluded 

2nd Nigerian Oil and Gas 

Opportunity Fair, NOGOF, 

in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, 

said: “Two years ago when 

we held this workshop we 

talked about ExxonMobil’s 

Ibot, Total’s Ikike and 

NLNG Train 7. Today they 

are going through the funnel 

and within the next few 

weeks, they would take 

Final Investment Decisions 

(FIDs) on Ikike and Ibot 

and before the end of the 

year, they would take FID 

on Train 7. We focus and 

follow through on those 

opportunities. Every two 

years we roll on new opportunities 

and add to the 

compendium.” 

According to Wabote, 

these would create opportunities 

for indigenous and 

other investors in Nigeria, 

and will present 80 business 

opportunities worth 

$100 billion for operators. 

He said the projects 

were contained in the 

Compendium of Nigerian 

Content Opportunities in 

the Oil and Gas Industry 

launched at the event. 

The projects and opportunities 

cover the upstream, 

midstream and 

downstream sectors of the 

Nigerian oil and gas sectors 

and were collated 

from presentations by various 

oil and gas companies 

at the first edition of 

Court orders sale of tax evaders’ 

property to defray N35.9m debt 

ABUJA—THE 

Fed 

eral High Court, Abuja, 

has ordered sale of two 

landed property belonging 

to two tax evaders: Zaibadari 

Company Limited and 

Tradecraft Nigeria Limited 

to defray N35.9 million tax 

debts. 

The court granted the sale 

order following prayers by 

the Federal Inland Revenue 

Service, FIRS to allow it sell 

the landed property of the 

two firms to defray the tax 

liabilities which amounted 

to N18. 8 million against 

Zaibadari and N17.1 million 

against Tradecraft. 

FIRS approached the 

court for an order to sell the 

property after the two firms 

failed to honour a series of 

demand notices issued to 

pay their outstanding tax liabilities. 

In moving the court to 

grant the order, counsel to 

the FIRS, Collins Ugwunebo, 

told the court that Zaibadari 

was indebted to the 

FIRS to the tune of N18. 8 

million, while Tradecraft 

owed the Service N17.1 million 

in 2015. 

FIRS issued and served 

demand notices on the two 

firms and gave them 30 

days within which to pay 

arrears of taxes to the FIRS. 

Both firms failed to pay 

within 30 days the arrears 

of taxes. 

FIRS relied on Section 

33(2) of the Federal Inland 

Revenue Service, Establishment 

Act, 2007 and 

served Warrants of Distraint 

on the Respondents giving 

them 14 days to pay the tax 

due or risk the sale of their 

property to settle the tax 

debt. 

Despite the Warrants of 

Distraint served on the two 

companies, both failed to 

pay the tax arrears, This led 

to the two suits against 

Tradecraft and Zaibadari. 

On !7 October 2018, 

NOGOF in 2017 and updated 

at workshops organised 

by the Board in October 

2018. 

Also speaking, the Minister 

of State for Petroleum 

Resources, Dr. Emmanuel 

Ibe Kachikwu, said the development 

of the opportunities 

would require the 

contributions of various 

entities, including the Department 

of Petroleum Resources 

(DPR) for approvals, 

Nigerian National Petroleum 

Corporation 

(NNPC) for negotiations 

and the oil companies, 

which would take FIDs, 

among others. 

He said: “We must avoid 

a situation whereby NCD- 

MB might work very fast 

and gets to the goal post 

and others are just taking 

off. We would create an 

arrangement that involves 

everybody and be 

clear about the deliverables, 

timelines and opportunities 

and bring out 

something which everyone 

can then drive.’’ 

“We would have some 

agreements with them to 

FIRS complied with the order 

of the court that it 

should run adverts in the 

Leadership newspaper to 

serve Zaibadari through 

substituted means. 

Ugwunebo, in an affidavit, 

told the court that Zaibadari’s 

assessment was 

based on 20 per cent of 

N62,675, 200 million which 

was the “deemed profit of 

the respondent (Zaibadari) 

landed property located at 

Plot 551 Wuye B03, FCT 

Abuja, valued at N313, 

3376,000 million.” 

On 23 March 2019, Justice 

A. I Chikere noted that 

“despite the service of process 

on the respondent’s 

company, it refused, neglected 

and failed to state 

its side of the case nor have 

counsel appear on its behalf 

to state its case. 

“It is trite law that an averment 

in an affidavit which 

is not challenged or controverted 

is deemed admitted 

as true. See DIGAL Vs 

NACHANG (2005) All 

NWLR (pt240) pg 41 at 46. 

Also in the case of ATA- 

MAH & ANOR Vs 

EBOSELE & ORS (2018) 

LPELR 3825 where the 

court held that ín the nature, 

a party who has or has 

every opportunity to 

present its case before 

the court and who fails 

to do so cannot be heard 

too complain.’’ 

Niger senators back Lawan’s 

race for Senate President seat 

MING INNA—SERV 

and elected 

Senators in Niger under 

the platform of the All Progressives 

Congress, 

APC, weekend endorsed 

Senator Ahmed Lawan for 

the ninth senate president 

seat. 

The endorsement was 

contained in a statement 

issued in Minna and 

signed by three senators, 

Mohammed Sani Musa – 

Niger East, Sabi Abdullahi 

– Niger North and 

Senator-elect, Muhammad 

Bima-Enagi - Niger-south 

in Minna. 

According to them, Lawan 

has an impeccable 

character and undeniable 

wealth of experience as a 

lawmaker to drive the aspirations 

and vision of the 

9th Senate towards achieving 

its mandate. 

“There is no doubt that 

Lawan has also demonstrated 

stability, reliability 

and fidelity towards ensuring 

sound and people-oriented 

legislation at the 

Senate as he demonstrated 

in the build-up to the 

2019 general elections 

where despite the pressure 

from the opposition, remained 

resolute and committed 

towards promoting 

the good course of the Senate 

as the apex law-making 

organ in the country. 

“Sen. Lawan is one Nigerian 

who has remained 

detribalised, bi-partisan 

and accommodating to 

varying views as long as 

they are positive to the 

wellbeing of Nigerians. 

“He has demonstrated 

this in his support for legislations 

sponsored by lawmakers 

who might not 

have been in the same political 

parties with him at 

the floor of the senate.’’ 

“Sen. Lawan will promote 

homogeneity of purpose 

at the 9th denate and 

foster unity amongst distinguished 

senators as 

well as other arms of government.’’

Herdsmen attack in Anambra: 

Obiano to cut short his trip abroad 

By Vincent 

Ujumadu 

A WKA—GOVERNOR 

Willie Obiano of 

Anambra State, currently 

on a trip abroad, may be 

forced to return before the 

scheduled date following 

weekend’s attack by 

suspected herdsmen in 

some communities in 

Anambra West Local 

Government Area of the 

state in which six people 

were feared dead. 

Suspected herdsmen 

stormed some hamlets in 

an area known as 

Agweopia, Iyiogbu and 

Iyinkolo camps in Anambra 

West and started firing guns 

on the houses while the 

occupants were still asleep, 

killing six people and 

wounding many others in 

the process. 

The area had become 

notorious for herdsmen 

attack, thus putting 

pressure on the joint 

security taskforce set up by 

the state government to 

ensure peaceful 

coexistence between the 

herdsmen and the farmers. 

An earlier attack by the 

herdsmen in the area this 

year claimed three lives, 

while crops worth 

thousands of naira were 

destroyed. Some of the 

houses destroyed during 

the attack were yet to be 

rebuilt. 

Those injured during 

weekend’s attack had been 

taken to some private 

hospitals in Otuocha for 

treatment, while 

inhabitants of the affected 

communities had taken 

refuge in neighbouring 

communities. 

Anambra State 

commissioner for 

information and public 

enlightenment, Mr. Don 

Adinuba told Vanguard 

yesterday that a report of 

the incident had been sent 

to Governor Obiano who, 

it was gathered, may come 

back to the country earlier 

than his scheduled date of 

return in view of the 

seriousness of the attack. 

He urged the people of 

the area to remain calm; 

assuring that government 

would do everything 

possible to end the frequent 

attacks by herdsmen in 

Anambra West local 

government. 

Cleric condemns 

attack 

Also speaking on the 

attack, the Anglican Bishop 

of Mbamili Diocese, Rt. Rev 

Henry Okeke appealed to 

the youths of the area not 

to take the law into their 

hands, warning that doing 

so would escalate the 

problem. 

The cleric said: “What is 

happening in Anambra 

West is very unfortunate. 

These people are poor 

farmers and the constant 

destruction of their crops is 

adversely affecting them 

economically. 

“This area is the food 

basket of Anambra State 

and we expect both the state 

and the federal 

government to do 

something about the 

frequent attacks. They must 

not watch while the people 

are killed by the herdsmen 

and their farms destroyed." 

LAUNCHING: From left—Hanna Colman, Supply Chain Director; Udolisa Henrietta, Site Quality Manager, 

Lagos; Adenike Adebola, Marketing Director; Aisling Ryan, Formulated Product & Beer Specialist, Diageo 

Ireland; Viola Graham-Douglas, Corporate Relations Director; and Anthony Alozie, Supply Chain 

Programme Manager, during a tour at Guinness Brewery at Ogba, Lagos, as part of events to launch 

Guinness Gold. 

Imo: Army hands over 3 suspected bombers to 

police 

By Chinonso 

Alozie 

O WERRI—THREE 

suspected bombers 

arrested by the Army, 

during the just concluded 

Governorship/House of 

Assembly elections in Imo 

State have been handed 

over to the state police 

command. 

It should be recalled that 

the suspects were arrested 

by the Army at Iho collation 

centre in Ikeduru Local 


state. 

Vanguard was told that 

the suspects made their 

way to the collation centre 

with some of their 

explosives hidden in their 

clothes. As they were 

positioning to accomplish 

their aims, the army 

personnel on ground 

suspected their move and 

they were arrested. 


However, investigation 

revealed that the Army also 

handed over other suspects 

who were found wanting 

during the said elections. 

Public Relations Officer, 

PRO, 34 Artillery Brigade, 

Obinze, Mohammed 

Bawa said: “The Army has 

handed over to the Imo 

police, those suspects 

arrested during the 

elections in Imo State.” 

The arrest of the suspects 

followed protests by the 

Ikeduru people where the 

incident took place. 

It has been reported that, 

the reason for the protest 

was to call on the police to 

prosecute the suspects as 

well as fish out the sponsor 

of the said incident. 

To this end, they have 

continued to stage protests 

to the Imo police command 

in Owerri, requesting that 

the law should be applied 

in the event that led to the 

arrest of the said bombers. 

At the time of filling this 

report, several calls to the 

phone of the Public 

Relations Officer of the Imo 

State Police Command, 

Orlando Ikeokwu, did not 

go through as his phone 

was switched off. 

NDLEA arrests 65 for drug offences in Ebonyi 

By Peter Okutu 

A BAKALIKI— 

EBONYI State 

Command of the National 

Drug Law Enforcement 

Agency, NDLEA, said it 

has arrested 65 persons for 

their alleged involvement 

in drug peddling and 

racketeering between 

January to April 2019. 

The command also 

arrested five suspects at the 

weekend and impounded 

3.8 kg of cannabis when 

officials of the agency 

raided a community town 

hall located at Amaike 

Ezzangbo in Ohaukwu 

Local Government Area of 

the state. 

The state deputy 

commander in-charge of 

Intelligence and 

Operations, Mr Ibrahim 

Bashir stated this when 

officials from the agency 

sealed off a community 

town hall where cannabis 

and other related drugs 

were stored. 

He disclosed that 15 of 

the suspects were 

prosecuted within the last 

three months. 

Bashir said the key 

suspect whose name is 

Amadi Chukwuma (male, 

35 years) was held in the 

custody of the agency in 

addition to the exhibits. 


agency has been gathering 

intelligence reports and it 

is in that direction we have 

been carrying out of tasks 

of ridding the state of 

crimes. 

VANGUARD, MONDAY, APRIL 8, 2019—15 

FG, NACCIMA hail Enugu govt 

for enhancing Ease of Doing 

Business in Enugu 

By Chinedu Adonu 

E NUGU—MINISTER 

of Industry, Trade and 

Investment, Dr. 

Okechukwu Enelamah and 

the National President of 

Nigerian Association of 

Chambers of Commerce, 

Industry, Mines and 

Agriculture, NACCIMA, 

Iyalode Alaba Lawson have 

commended Governor 

Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of 

Enugu State for his 

administration's innovative 

measures and 

steadfastness in enhancing 

the ease of doing business 

in the state. 

The duo also 

congratulated Ugwuanyi 

for the state's recent 

impressive rating as 

second in the list of the five 

most reformed states in ease 

of doing business in the 

country, in 2018. 

Kaduna, Enugu, Abia, 

Lagos and Anambra states 

were last week, rewarded 

NEWS HOTLINES 

018773962, 

08052867058 

at the Presidential 

Enabling Business 

Environment Council, 

PEBEC, Awards 2019 for 

being top reformed states 

in ease of doing business 


The awards were 

presented by Vice 

President Yemi Osinbajo, at 

the Old Banquet Hall of the 

Presidential Villa, Abuja. 

Speaking during opening 

ceremony of the 

30th Enugu International 

Trade Fair, the minister who 

was represented by his 

Senior Special Adviser, 

Emeka Ifezulike, said that 

the recent feat recorded by 

Ugwuanyi's administration 

"is no mean achievement", 

stressing: "We have to 

congratulate our amiable 

Governor of the State,Rt. 

Hon. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi for 

his steadfastness in making 

Enugu State very 

conducive for businesses to 

thrive". 

Obi introduced equity, not 

zoning in Anambra —Aide 

FORMER Governor of 

Anambra State and the 

PDP Vice Presidential 

candidate in the last 

election, Mr. Peter Obi did 

not introduce nor 

contemplate introducing 

zoning in the gubernatorial 

elections in Anambra State. 

This was made known by 

his Media Adviser, Mr. 

Valentine Obienyem who 

was reacting to the news 

from various sources 

crediting Mr. Peter Obi with 

the introduction of zoning 

in the gubernatorial 

politics of Anambra State. 

In a release made 

available to the press, Mr. 

Obienyem who 

acknowledged that Obi 

was the person who, 

single handed, insisted 

that the governorship 

should go to Anambra 

North against even the 

GTB must comply with S-Court 

judgment, pay N8.7bn debt —Court 

GTB’s bid to stop 

Innoson from taking it 

over nosedived last Friday, 

April 7th, 2019 as the 

Federal High Court sitting 

in Ibadan refused to hear 

or grant it an injunction to 

restrain Innoson from 

continuing to levy execution 

against it; the court also 

refused to stay execution. 

Despite the decision of 

the Supreme Court on 

February 27th 2019 

dismissing the appeal by 

Guaranty Trust Bank , GTB, 

and affirming thereby the 

concurrent judgment of 

Court of Appeal, Ibadan 

division and Federal High 

Court Ibadan which 

ordered GTB by way of 

position of his party – 

APGA – at that time, said 

it was more of Obi, “in the 

spirit of justice and equity 

insisting that the 

governorship candidate 

should go to Anambra 

North since they were at 

that time, the only zone yet 

to produce a governor.” 

Obienyem said it was more 

of Obi trying to achieve 

balance of representation to 

avoid what was clearly 

unjust and capable of 

snowballing into crisis for 

the state. 

"Obi's position was 

equitable and not to be 

confused with 

entrenchment of rotation in 

Anambra’s Charter of 

Equity or whatever it is. 

“If at any time the state 

wants rotation or any form 

of political arrangement, it 

would not be the imposition 

of one man." 

Garnishee Order 

Absolute to pay Innoson 

Nigeria Ltd the sum of 

N2.4 billion with a 22 per 

cent interest, per annum, 

on the judgment sum until 

the final liquidation of the 

judgment debt, the bank 

is yet to comply with this 

order. 

In order to stop Innoson 

from continuing with taking 

over its assets in execution 

of the aforesaid judgment, 

GTB approached the 

Federal High Court Ibadan 

on Friday, 5th April 2019 

and requested the court, 

through a motion, to stay 

execution and or for an 

injunction restraining 

Innoson from continuing 

with executing the


SUMMIT: From left— Kayode Ariyo, ED, Business Development & Operations, Stanley Peters, ED, 

Technology & Innovation, Kehinde Adisa, GM, Corporate Services & Administration and Chuks Anakudo, 

Chief Product Officer, at the Global Accelerex pre-POS Summit briefing in Ikeja, Lagos. 

Imo gov: Annul Ihedioha's election, declare 

me winner Uzodinma tells tribunal 

O Governorship 

WERRI—THE 

candidate of the All 


APC, in the March 9th 

governorship election in 

Imo State, Senator Hope 

Uzodinma has petitioned 

the Imo State governorship 

election Petition Tribunal, 

asking it to nullify the 

declaration of the candidate 

of the PDP, Emeka 

Ihedioha, as winner of the 

election by the 

Independent National 

Electoral Commission, 

INEC. 

The petition therefore 

urged the tribunal to 

declare Senator Uzodinma 

of the APC winner of the 

election, haven polled 

majority of the lawful votes 

cast at the election and 

satisfied the mandatory 

constitutional threshold 

and spread across the state 

and “ought to be returned”. 

The petition alleged that 

the INEC fraudulently 

excluded votes casted for 

the APC at the polling units 

across the state which gave 

the PDP candidate 

advantage, adding 

however that after 

tabulating the valid votes at 

the polling units, the APC 

candidate defeated the 

PDP candidate with a large 

margin. 

The petition opined that 

“it was at the course of 

collation of the results at the 

ward, Local Government 

and State levels, that the 

3rd respondent, INEC, 

incorrectly stated the votes 

of the 1st Respondent 

(Ihedioha) and thus 

reduced the votes of the 

petitioners by excluding the 

results from the polling 

units where the petitioners 

scored overwhelming 

majority of the votes cast. 

The petitioner further 

avers that “in order to give 

unfair advantage to the 1st 

and 2nd Respondents, the 

INEC unlawfully credited 

the 1st and 2nd 

Respondents with votes 

arising from over voting in 

all of the polling units in 

Aboh Mbaise, Ezinihitte 

and Ahiazu Mbaise LGAs. 

The petition further 

argued that the INEC did 

not comply with the Electoral 

Act 2010 and INEC 

guidelines for 2019 general 

By Emmanuel 

Elebeke 

ABUJA—THE Executive 

Vice Chairman of the 

Nigerian Communications 

Commission, NCC, Prof. 

Umar Garba Danbatta, says 

the Commission is ready to 

drive the process of 

attaining 70% broadband 

penetration in the next 

couple of years, if that is set 

as the new target by the 

Federal Government. 

Danbatta made assertion 

while delivering a goodwill 

message at an investment 

summit of Kaduna State 

Government, KADINVEST 

SSASGOC tasks govts on new minimum 

wage 

By Alemma Aliu 

BENIN CITY—THE 

Senior Staff Association 

of Statutory Co-operations, 

and Government Owned 

Companies, SSASGOC, 

has called on governments 

at all levels to ensure 

payment of the proposed 

minimum wage just as it 

urged President 

Muhammadu Buhari to 

expedite action on the 

minimum wage once 

Brother Int'l unveils new biz machines, 

scanners 

By Gabriel 

Olawale 

LInternational, AGOS—BROTHER 

makers of 

office automation and 

document management 

solutions provider have 

refreshed its products range 

from business machines to 

document scanners as part 

of the brand’s regional 

growth strategy. 

Speaking in Lagos during 

Dealers Conference 

Workshop organised in 

partnership with Skysat 

Technologies, Sales Division 

elections when it recruited 

relatives of the PDP 

candidate, Emeka 

Ihedioha as collation 

NCC ready for 70% broadband 

penetration —Danbatta 

4.0 at the weekend and 

expressed optimism about 

the commitment of the 

agency toward taking the 

broadband penetration to 

the next level. 

“When I was appointed 

by 

President 

Muhammadu Buhari in 

2015, broadband 

penetration was only 8.5 

per cent. It has now risen 

to 33%, an equivalent of 63 

million Nigerians 

enjoying the services. I am 

particularly thrilled y to see 

that the rising trend has not 

only been sustained, but 

the NCC is now ready to 

take it to the next level,” 

jointly passed by the two 

chambers of the National 

Assembly. 

President General of the 

group Comrade 

Muhammad Attahiru 

Yunusa stated this in Benin 

City, Edo State when the 

union which is affiliated to 

the Trade Union Congress, 

TUC, held its National 

Administrative Council 

Meeting where it called for 

a review of the pay for 

political office holders and 

lawmakers saying their pay was 

Manager of Brother 

International (Gulf) FZE, 

Mr. Mohammed Noor 

said that Brother’s latest 

Ink refill Tank System 

series delivers enhanced 

print quality, paper 

handling capabilities and 

page yields for SMBs and 

SOHOs. 

He explained that the 

products are designed 

specifically for high print 

volume home offices and 

small workgroups, “the 

new products have been 

designed to cater to the 

ever-changing needs of 

Officers and Returning 

Officers in most of the Local 

Government Areas in the 

state during the election. 

said Danbatta. 

It will be recalled that 

Nigeria attained its 30% 

broadband target in 2018 

through measures and 

strategies put in place by 

the NCC under the 

leadership of Prof Danbatta, 

a development that has 

attracted industry-wide 

commendations. 

Speaking further at the 

occasion, Danbatta also 

urged Fleek Network 

Limited, the licensed 

Infraco for the North West 

to quickly mobilise to site 

with a view to deploying 

broadband infrastructure in 

the region. 

too high. 

He said: "We are public sector 

union, we are all aware about the 

new minimum wage, our position 

now is for President 

Muhammadu Buhari to assent 

the new minimum wage bill 

before we now know those state 

governors that cannot pay the 

money. When it becomes a law 

then we will now see which of 

the governors that cannot pay 

the fund. We have a template of 

what we can do to compel those 

governors to pay the new 

minimum wage, we will also come 

out with a communiqué" 

the consumer who is 

always looking for quality 

and cost-effective document 

management solutions. 

“Brother International 

with Skysat Technologies as 

a preferred partner and 

authorized representative 

in Nigeria, are 

continuously working to 

address the demand in 

Nigeria market by 

delivering and offering 

high quality products from 

Laser & Inkjet printers/ 

MFP, High Speed 

Document Scanners to 

Innovative 

printers." 

Labeling 

Nationwide Power Outage Hits 

Sudan – Ministry 

A 

nationwide blackout plunged Sudan in dark 

ness on Sunday, the Ministry of Water Resources, 

Irrigation and Electricity said. 

"A failure on the Rabak-Masqar-Sennar-Maranjan-Alhasahisa 

power line caused the national energy 

grid to go down," the ministry said in a statement. 

The authority did not give any reason for the failure, 

saying technicians were working to restore power 

supply. 

The outage comes amid months of anti-government 

protests that began last December as a public 

outcry against rising living costs and general economic 

hardships. Mass rallies prompted President 

Omar Bashir to dissolve the cabinet and declare the 

state of national emergency. 

Bitcoin (BTC) Price Could Reach 

$7,000 -CEO, PIFAO 

BITCOIN (BTC) is witnessing a great boom at 

the moment. Cryptocurrency investors and prominent 

traders, who are quick to tracing reasons behind 

price increments, have not been able to fathom 

what activated the long expected but surprising 

surge. 

As we keep on wondering what actually led to the 

increase, founder of a prominent independent financial 

advisory organisation, has insinuated that the 

Bitcoin (BTC) price could touch the $7,000 considering 

the pace at which the digital asset is firing. 

Nigel Green, founder and CEO of deVere Group, 

one of the world’s largest independent financial advisory 

organizations, said “there is a mounting sense 

that Bitcoin is back”, and so, averred that the crypto 

winter has reached its end. 

According to the CEO of the advisory organisation, 

there is no doubt that Bitcoin will move up 

over the coming weeks and months. The spooky upsurge, 

he said would result into a steady gains for 

investors and will reawaken institutional interest in 

the sector. 

Oil set for longest run of weekly 

gains since 2017 

CRUDE is set for the longest weekly winning 

streak since November 2017 amid concerns over 

supply shortfalls from countries like Venezuela and 

optimism over US-China trade talks. 

Futures in New York rose as much as 0.9pc on 

Friday, leading to a 4pc rally for the week. 

Opec's production dropped for a fourth straight 

month in March while Venezuela's oil output has 

plunged by half amid power failures, according to 

people familiar with the matter. As for the discussions 

between the US and China, China's Vice Premier 

Liu He said the two sides "reached new consensus 

on such important issues as the text" of a 

trade agreement, Xinhua News Agency reported. 

Brexit: How is the lingering uncertainty 

impacting financial institutions? 

THE Brexit fiasco has gone from a surprise referendum 

result to a political quagmire that has threatened 

to bring down U.K. Prime minister Theresa May’s administration 

and cast a pall over Britain’s future. With a 

third defeat for Mrs May’s withdrawal proposal, and a 

planned fourth vote on the way, there is no clue as to 

what an actual exit from the European Union (EU) will 

look like, apart from disorganized. 

This extends a dark cloud over the U.K.’s short- and 

medium-term outlook, and it has already impacted the 

economy both in ways that are immediately clear, and 

some which may take a while to realize. Even so, perhaps 

one of the biggest blows Brexit has dealt, as well 

as the uncertainty surrounding it, is the dampner it has 

put on financial institutions in Britain.

Vanguard, MONDAY APRIL 8, 2019 — 17

18 — Vanguard, MONDAY, APRIL 8, 2019 

PREDICTABLY, there have been 

some rumblings between 

governors-elect and departing 

governors over alleged lastminute 

financial dealings barely 

seven weeks to the hand-over 

date of May 29, 2019. 

Usually during this twilight 

period between tenure-end and 

handover, varying degrees of 

mistrust are generated between 

departing governors and their 

successors, especially where 

there are hostile changes of 

government. 

Hostility often arises when 

incumbent governors fail to 

secure a second term (as in the 

cases of Lagos, Adamawa and 

Bauchi states) or a departing 

governor fails to replace himself 

with a hand-picked successor 

(Imo and Ogun states) or an 

opposition political party is 

coming to power (Imo, Bauchi, 

Kwara and Adamawa states). 

Departing governors should wind up 

Already, there have been open 

exchanges between the All 

Progressives Congress, APC’s 

outgoing Governor Rochas 

Okorocha of Imo State, whom the 

Peoples Democratic Party, PDP’s 

incoming Emeka Ihedioha had 

warned to desist from allegedly 

borrowing and diverting billions 

of naira from banks. 

The same is true of Bauchi where 

PDP’s incoming Senator Bala 

Mohammed has accused the 

outgoing incumbent, APC’s Alhaji 

Mohammed Abubakar of plans to 

employ 8,000 teachers and award 

the N30,000 minimum wage to 

workers, which has since been 

denied. 

We wish to advise the outgoing 

governors that this is not the 

right time to dabble into any new 

projects or award new contracts. 

With less than two months to 

vacate the seat of power, all 

outgoing governors should 

devote the remaining time to 

finish strong by pursuing the 

completion of ongoing projects 

already paid for by the state. 

This is the time for winding up 

and getting the handover records 

ready to make it easy for 

newcomers to take off smoothly. 

They should bear in mind that 

the end of their period of 

immunity is at hand, and any undue 

financial splurge will result in a 

spate of prolonged discomfort for 

them shortly after handing over. 

On the other hand, the incoming 

chief executives should be patient, 

yet vigilant. The tenures of the 

incumbents are still running. They 

still have full executive powers 

until the midnight of May 28, 2019. 

They should be allowed to 

complete their official tenures with 

dignity and honour. 

We call on the incoming 

governors, members of the various 

state Houses of Assembly, the 

citizens of the various states and 

the law enforcement agencies to 

join hands and ensure that those 

who engage in the last-minute 

abuse of their offices are 

comprehensively brought to 

account. 

Last-minute looting must not be 

condoned. 

OPINION 

Between the president and a party man 

By Banji Ojewale 

BETWEEN the patience of a 

president and the truculence of a 

party man, there is a chasm spoiling to 

swallow the whole nation. President 

Muhammadu Buhari says his second 

coming is going to be a calculated 

departure from the past, when he and his 

party were shy to run an inclusive 

government on account of the sharply 

divisive politics that preceded his advent. 

So now, although the cloud of bitter 

politics is still overcast, Buhari says he’s 

about to deal with it through patiently 

accommodating interests outside his 

political family. That is the reasonable 

and guarded interpretation most watchers 

are giving his declaration after his victory 

at the poll of February 23. 

Buhari said: “I …want to assure that we 

will continue to engage all parties that 

have the best interest of Nigerians at 

heart…Our government will remain 

inclusive and our doors will remain 

open…It is the only way to build the 

country of our dream: safe, secure, 

prosperous and free of impunity and 

primitive accumulation by those entrusted 

with public offices.” 

But Adams Oshiomhole, the national 

chairman of the president’s All 

Progressives Congress, APC, has presented 

what contradicts his master’s position. 

Addressing newly-elected APC members 

of the House of Representatives, 

Oshiomhole said all the spoils of office in 

the incoming National Assembly will be 

pocketed by his party. He said: “We will 

not share power…We should make this 

thing clear so that those who may not 

understand what is happening don’t fall 

into the trap.” 

He gave no room for the opposition to 

have a ‘say’ in the National Assembly in 

the business of nation-building. His 

explanation is that he doesn’t want APC to 

experience the mistakes of the past when 

the party lawmakers were left on their own 

and wolves in sheepskins moved in to 

scatter them. 

But isn’t it possible that Oshiomhole’s 

belligerent actions would do more of 

‘scattering’ the party and the nation now 

than lack of imposition in the House 

leadership allegedly caused? The 

‘mistakes’ the ex-labour leader is scared 

of might again come upon the party, and 

more frighteningly upon the nation in a 

larger shape. With grave consequences. 

At a time we need healing after the poll, 

not many would go against the president’s 

decision to opt for an inclusive 

administration, without compromising 

party purity and the spirit of sharing the 

spoils of war. If an electoral battle has been 

won, the next stage should be to seek to 

wipe the tears of those grieving their loss. 

It’s not as if you’re turning over your hardwon 

victory to your ‘adversaries’ or 

opponents. But it’s the price you pay for 

peace to be won. 

You don’t create a cold war after a 

‘hot’one. A cold war tends to wear you out 

over the years more than the open one does, 

as the world witnessed between the West 

and East in the subterranean hostilities 

that succeeded World War 2 between 1939 

and 1945. 

It is unhealthy and disruptive for the 

polity if all we do after an election is to 

have a confrontational and 

contumacious conquistador whose 

consuming preoccupation is to trigger 

new battles that leave no room for 

conducive atmosphere for development 

and movement to the next level. 

His posturing that APC, despite its lack 

of absolute majority especially in the 

Senate, can corner all the ‘loot’ brought 

from the warfront is filled with pitfalls. 

The national chairman of the party 

believes only the decreeing of leaders in 

NASS can guarantee exclusive custodial 

It is unhealthy and 

disruptive for the polity if all 

we do after an election is to 

trigger new battles that leave 

no room for conducive 

atmosphere for development 

and movement to the next 

level 

ownership of election booty. 

How about the potential injury to the 

independence of the legislature, 

considered to be the face of modern 

presidential democracy? The party 

leader’s argument that the winner must 

take all is dictatorial, undemocratic and 

contemptuous of the norms of civilized 

governance. 

The main worry, however, is that where 

you have a legislative chamber stripped 

of powers to order its own house and has 

to lean completely on the government and 

the party, it has in effect handed over the 

mandate it received from the people to 

outsiders. The party and the executive must 

recede, somehow, to the shadowy margins 

after the election of an independent 

legislature. If these two must contribute to 

their leadership, it mustn’t be by fiat the 

way APC is going about it. 

It must be through principled consensus 

and negotiations, with all the legislators 

across the parties involved. We are on the 

way to installing marionettes posing as 

lawmakers if we allow Oshiomhole to have 

his way. 

It’s like merging the executive and 

legislative wings of government. We won’t 

benefit from the staying strength of the 

checks and balances that a true separation 

of the organs of government promises in 

the presidential system. 

Many who support the former Edo State 

governor allude to a so-called party 

supremacy to give his argument 

ammunition. It is primitive talk in a liberal 

setting.They forget that in the larger 

consideration, the party itself must stand 

relegated at the summons of higher 

national interests the lawmakers are called 

upon by the people to pursue on their behalf. 

That’s an assignment infinitely superior 

to that of an ideologically bereft, pillageseeking 

party asking to subtly corrupt and 

undermine the sanctity of the nation’s most 

important arm of government.That’s 

suicidal to a democracy still said to be in 

its nascent stage, some two decades after 

we birthed it! 

•Ojewale, a political analyst, wrote from 

Lagos

By Babajide Komolafe 

COST of funds is expected to 

rise further this week as 

outflow for foreign exchange 

purchases and liquidity mop up by 

the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, 

aggravate liquidity condition in the 

interbank money market. 


Cost of funds to rise further as DMO unveils N345bn bond offer for Q2 

•External reserves hit 6mths high at $44.68bn 

Last week cost of funds rose 

sharply due to drop in market 

liquidity as the CBN mopped up 

N525 billion through auction of 

secondary market, Open Market 

Operations, OMO treasury bills, 

TBs. The CBN also sold N95.68 

billion worth of fresh TBs (primary 

market) to replace matured primary 

market TBs of same value. This 

resulted to outflow of N620.68 

billion, which cancelled out the 

impact of N108 billion inflow from 

matured OMO bills during the 

week. 

Consequently, average short term 

cost of funds rose by 545 basis 

points. Data from FMDQ showed 

that interest rate on Collateralised 

(Open Buy Back, OBB) lending 

rose by 543 bpts to 15.29 percent 

last week from 9.86 percent the 

previous week. Similarly, interest 

rate on Overnight lending rose by 

547 bpts to 16.14 percent last week 

from 10.67 percent the previous 

week. 

Projecting that this trend will 

Continues on page 24 

MONDAY, APRIL 8, 2019 

PoS transaction failures threaten 

cashless policy, financial inclusion 

•Growth rate decelerates in Q1’19 

•Bankers advise against using PoS 

•Mobile money agents lament 

•We are addressing the problem — NIBSS 

By Babajide Komolafe & 

Elizabeth Adegbesan 

T 

HE widespread and incessant 

failure of transactions 

through Point of Sale, PoS, terminals 

is threatening the cashless policy as 

well as the financial inclusion efforts 

of the banking industry. 

Consequently, growth rate in value 

of transactions decelerated in the first 

quarter of 2019 (Q1’19) due to inadequate 

capacity on the part of electronic 

payment operators to cope with rising 

volume of transactions. 

Financial Vanguard analysis of data 

from the Nigerian Inter-Bank Settlement 

System, NIBSS, showed 

that value of PoS transactions grew by 

34 percent (as against 66 percent in 

Q1’18) to N633.8 billion, year-on-year 

(y/y) in Q1’19. 

It also represents 65 percent deceleration 

in growth rate when compared 

to the growth rate of 98 percent recorded 

in Q1’17. 

Also following the same trend, volume 

of PoS transactions grew by 56 

percent in Q1’19 to 83.8 million from 

53.6 million in Q1’18. But this represents 

a 45 percent deceleration in 

growth rate when compared with the 

101 percent recorded in Q1’18. It also 

represents a 56 percent deceleration 

in growth rate when compared with 

127 percent growth recorded in 

Q1’17. 

PoS transaction failures persist 

Though NIBSS recently met and 

agreed on measures to address PoS 

transactions failure and delay of reversal 

credit to cardholders 

account, but Financial Vanguard investigations 

revealed that the problem 

has not abated, prompting some bank 

staff to advise customers 

to temporarily stop using PoS terminals 

for transactions. 

Data obtained from NIBSS showed 

that as at Tuesday April 2, PoS transactions 

failure rose to 20 percent, from 

16 percent average for March. This 

means that one out of every five trans- 

Continues on page 20 

FSDH Merchant Bank 

projects 11.29% inflation 

rate for March 

22 

Market sentiment 

may worsen this 

week — Analysts 

24 

ASHON is ready for 

commencement of 

commodities, futures 

exchange — Ezeagu 25 

C 

M 

Y 

K


FINANCIAL VANGUARD 

PoS transaction failures threaten cashless policy, financial inclusion 

COVER 


actions initiated via PoS terminals 

across the country was 

not successful. 

NIBSS data also revealed 

that out of about 948,000 PoS 

transactions initiated on April 

2nd, about 198,000 failed or 

were unsuccessful. 

This is worsened by the fact 

that most times, the account 

of cardholders initiating the 

transaction is debited and the 

reverse credit is usually not 

executed within 24 hours as 

expected. 

Threat to Cashless policy 

and financial inclusion 

The enormity of the problem 

and how it may undermine 

the cashless policy as well as 

the financial inclusion 

efforts of the banking industry 

are reflected in the experience 

of some agents of banks 

and mobile money who spoke 

to Financial Vanguard. 

“The good thing about the 

PoS is that it makes 

people have access to their 

fund through their ATM card. 

The bad experience I had using 

PoS is the network problem 

coming from Interswitch,” 

said Salami Olarenwaju, 

Samsoft Global Concept Limited, 

a bank and 

mobile agent. 

Failure in 

transaction 

Continuing he said: “The 

relationship between Interswitch 

and the power bank of 

the PoS is not smooth. Then 

peradventure, when a customer 

is debited through PoS 

without pay, the time frame 

for the reversal of such fund 

is longer which makes most 

of the customers to stop using 

the PoS because by the 

time there is failure in transaction 

and they expect a reversal 

in 24 hours which they 

didn’t get, they get frustrated. 

“Another issue is with interrupted 

withdrawals. This is a 

situation where the customer 

account is debited without 

completion of transaction, we 

ask the customer to go to their 

bank to fill an error form. The 

duration of the reversal takes 

a long time because of the 

processes involved to solve 

the problem. 

“When I carry out a PoS 

transfer, the fund is supposed 

to drop to the recipient bank 

account but because of the 

network issue, the fund will 

neither go to the recipient nor 

come back to my account from 

where the money is transferred. 

On such occasion, as 

an agent I would need to follow 

up with my bank for a fund 

reversal.” 

Also narrating his experience 

with customers, Kosoko 

Sheu Tijani, of TK Investment, 

a mobile money and 

The good thing 

about the PoS is 

that it makes 

people have 

access to their 

fund through their 

ATM card. The 

bad experience I 

had using PoS is 

the network problem 

coming from 

Interswitch 

actions which causes a lot of 

inconveniences to the customers 

and myself. The worst part 

of it all is when the network 

goes off completely the transaction 

is not successful and 

the customer is debited. That 

is the most annoying situation 

in this PoS business. 

“The reversal of their debited 

fund is now the real issue 

because according to the issuers 

of the PoS, they won’t 

be held responsible for any 

declined transaction. When 

customers get debited when 

bank agent, said: The PoS has 

solved the issue of people 

standing in queues from the 

bank to get their money and 

save their money but despite 

its usefulness I have had 

problems with the network. It 

sometimes fails during transa 

transaction is declined, they 

expect to get fund because 

they had already gotten the 

debit alert. There is 50 percent 

certainty that the money 

would be reversed immediately 

or within the next 24 

hours but there is much certainty 

that after the declined 

transaction and debiting, the 

money would be reversed into 

their account later. 

“So while processing the 

reversal at the bank, what I 

have been noticing is that the 

bankers or let say the customer 

care officer at the bank 

have been telling the customers 

to stop using PoS because 

they are getting debited and 

they find it difficult for them 

to process their reversal to get 

the money back into their account 

and they make it look 

as if it is the agents that are 

trying to manipulate or take 

their fund away from their 

bank account. This situation 

has really been the fault of this 

business.” 

Inadequate 

capacity 

Financial Vanguard investigations 

revealed that the root 

cause of the above challenge 

is inadequate capacity on the 

part of electronic payment 

operators in the PoS ecosystem 

to cope with rising volume 

of transactions. 

Some bank staff who spoke 

to Financial Vanguard on condition 

of anonymity, however, 

pointed accusing fingers to 

Interswitch, operators the 

Verve card scheme, which accounts 

for about half of electronic 

payment transactions in 

the country. They alleged that 

the PoS transaction failure is 

frequent with the Verve cards. 

“Interswitch is the one doing 

these things to us. There 

is no issue with our system. It 

PoS failure rate 

has always been in 

double digits because 

of the complexity 

of the PoS 

network. In the 

best of times we 

record 12 percent 

failure rate, 

with six out of 

this 12 being 

caused by insufficient 

funds (in 

cardholders’ account) 

is Interswitch system that is 

responsible,” a branch manager 

of a Tier 1 bank told Financial 

Vanguard on condition 

of anonymity. 

Interswitch, however, declined 

to respond to these allegations 

when contacted by 

Financial Vanguard. 

Financial Vanguard investigations 

as well as data from 

NIBSS, however, indicate that 

banks and card holders were 

responsible for about nine out 

of 10 PoS transaction failures 

in March. NIBSS data for 

March 29, 2019, showed that 

five out of ten (51 percent) PoS 

transactions failure were 

caused by cardholders while 

banks caused four out of ten 

(42 percent) of the failures. 

According to an industry 

source, who spoke on condition 

of anonymity, some banks 

are not making the investment 

to upgrade their capacity and 

this is what is affecting the 

system. He said given the interdependent 

nature of the 

PoS ecosystem, all the operators 

should be upgrading 

their capacity simultaneously 

as failure on the part of just 

one operator to do this will 

affect the whole system. He 

added that the reason why 

some operators are foot dragging 

in terms of capacity upgrade 

is because there is no 

sanction for not doing so, and 

hence the problem may persist 

for a while. 

NIBSS reacts 

However, Acting Managing 

Director/Chief Executive, 

NIBSS, Mr. Niyi Ajao, told 

Financial Vanguard that 

stakeholders are making efforts 

to address the challenge 

and the efforts are yielding 

good results. 

He said: “PoS failure rate 

has always been in double 

digits because of the complexity 

of the PoS network. In 

the best of times we record 12 

percent failure rate, 

with six out of this 12 being 

caused by insufficient 

funds (in cardholders’ account). 

The PoS problem has 

abated in the last two weeks, 

as all stakeholders have been 

working together to improve 

performance and the effort is 

yielding good results as can 

be seen in the NIBSS realtime 

monitoring dashboard 

available to the public on 

NIBSS web site”.



Cost of funds to rise further as DMO 

unveils N345bn bond offer for Q2 

Continues from page 17 

continue this week, 

analysts at Lagos 

based Afrinvest Plc, 

said: "Given that 

system liquidity is 

expected to remain 

tempered as the CBN 

sustains OMO 

auctions, with N33 

billion worth of 

instruments expected 

to mature on April 11, 

2019, we expect rates 

to remain elevated 

next week." 

Making a similar 

projection, analysts at 

Lagos based Zedcrest 

Capital Limited, said: 

"We expect rates to 

trend higher opening 

the new week, due to 

expected outflows for 

the weekly wholesale 

FX auction by the 

CBN. 

Meanwhile the Debt 

Management Office 

(DMO) has unveiled 

plans to borrow up to 

N345 billion through 

FGN bond auction in 

We expect 

rates to trend 

higher 

opening the 

new week, 

due to 

expected 

outflows for 

the weekly 

wholesale FX 

auction by 

the CBN 

the second quarter of 

the year (Q2'19). 

The DMO disclosed 

this in its Bond 

issuance calendar for 

(Q2'19). According to 

the calendar, DMO 

will offer up to N135 

billion worth of 5-year 

bond, N135 billion 

worth of N10-year 

bond and N75 billion 

worth of 30-year bond. 

Naira in mix 

performance as 

External reserves hit 

six months high at 

$44.68bn 

The nation's external 

reserve maintained its 

upward trend last 

week rising to six 

months high at $44.68 

billion. 

Data from the 

Central Bank of 

Nigeria, CBN, showed 

that the reserves 

recorded a weekly 

increase of $427 

million to $44.68 

billion last week 

Wednesday from 

$44.245 billion on 

Wednesday of the 

previous week. 

Financial Vanguard 

analysis showed that 

this represents a six 

months high, since 

September 24, when 

the reserves stood at 

$44.61 billion. From 

September 24, 2018 

the reserves declined 

steadily for five 

months to $41.296 

billion on February 

28, 2019 following 

increased foreign 

exchange sales by the 

CBN in a bid to ensure 

stable exchange rate. 

But from February 

28, the reserves had 

been on the rising 

trend buoyed by huge 

dollar inflow from 

Foreign Portfolio 

investors, which 

injected $6 billion in 

the first quarter of this 

year (Q1'19). Since 

then the reserves had 

risen by $3.4 billion as 

at Wednesday last 

week. 

On the foreign 

exchange scene, the 

naira recorded mixed 

performance in the 

parallel market and in 

the Investors and 

•DMO Bond Issuance calendar 

•Primary Market Auction Results 

Exporters (I&E) 



naijabdcs.com, the 

exchange rate platform 

of the Association of 

Bureaux De Change 

Operators of Nigeria 

(ABCON), the parallel 

market exchange rate 

rose slightly to N358.8 

per dollar last week 

from N358.50 per 

dollar the previous 

week. This translates 

to 30 kobo 

depreciation for the 

naira in the parallel 

market. 

The naira however 

appreciated by 30 

kobo per dollar in the 

I&E window last week. 

Data from FMDQ 

showed that the 

indicative exchange 

rate dropped to 

N360.33 per dollar last 

week from N360.68 

per dollar the previous 

week. 

On the other hand, 

the volume of dollars 

traded in the I&E 

window rose by 11.4 

percent to $1.2 billion 

last week from $1.1 

billion the previous 

week. 

•Money market & Forex Market rates



FSDH Merchant Bank projects 11.29% inflation 

rate for March 

By Babajide Komolafe 

FSDH Merchant Bank has 

projected a further decline in 

the inflation rate to 11.29 percent 

in March. The inflation rate 

declined for two consecutive 

months from 11.44 percent in 

December to 11.31 percent in 

February, according to data from 

the National Bureau of Statistics 

(NBS). 

“FSDH Research expects the 

March inflation rate to drop 

marginally to 11.29 percent from 

11.31 percent in February 2019”, 

the bank said in its inflation watch 

report released on Friday. 

The bank stated further: “If our 

estimate comes true for March 

2019, it means that the first quarter 

of the year 2019 was a good 

quarter for the Nigerian economy 

as FSDH Research expects the 

inflation rate to drop further in 

March. FSDH Research’s latest 

review of food prices and other 

major items that make up the 

Consumer Price Index (CPI) basket 

(alcohol beverages, clothing and 

footwear, housing, water, 

electricity, gas and other fuels and 

etc.) suggests that the inflation rate 

should reduce further in March. 

The Monetary Policy Committee 

(MPC) of the Central Bank of 

Nigeria (CBN) cited the 

moderation in the inflation rate 

since January as one of the 

justifications for a cut in the interest 

rate in March 2019. 

“Our preliminary checks also 

suggest that imported inflation 

rate (i.e. prices of goods using 

FBNQuest Merchant Bank impacts students with financial literacy 

FBNQuest Merchant Bank, 

the investment banking and 

asset management subsidiary of 

FBN Holdings Plc, took the 

nuggets of financial literacy to 

secondary school students across 

the country to commemorate the 

2019 Global Money Week 

(GMW). 

The 2019 Global Money Week 

was themed “Learn Save Earn.” 

Representatives of FBNQuest 

Merchant Bank, imparted over 

800 students with the knowledge 

required to make wise financial 

decisions as they proceed with 

their academic and career pursuit 

in life. They emphasised the 

importance of being grounded on 

the essentials of financial literacy 

Ecobank boost financial inclusion with Ecobank Pay 

at Ariaria market 

MANAGING 

Director, 

Ecobank Nigeria, 

Patrick Akinwuntan, has assured 

businesses in Ariaria Market, 

Aba, of better ease in receiving 

their payments. 

Akinwuntan who launched the 

Ecobankpay zone at the market 

said it will facilitate easy, secure 

and convenient transactions for 

merchants within Ariaria and 

other surrounding markets. The 

EcobankPay Zone is a digital 

payment hub enabling businesses 

within a location adopt 

Ecobank’s wide range of digital 

products for ease of payments for 

goods and services. 

“It is our determination to 

create ease of payment and boost 

economic activities most 

•L-R: Member, Governing Council, Bank Directors’ Association of Nigeria (BDAN), 

Onari Duke; President, Governing Council of BDAN, Osaretin Demuren; Chairman, 

Board of Directors, Fidelity Bank Plc, Ernest Ebi; and Vice President, Governing Council, 

BDAN, Funmi Oyetunji at the 2019 Bank Directors’ Conference themed ‘Cybersecurity 

in Banks: The Role of the Board’ held at the Oriental Hotel in Lagos on Thursday. 

imports as raw materials) lessened 

in March. The marginal 

appreciation in the value of Naira 

in March compared with the 

relative stability in the prices of 

food items on the international 

market provided a gain on the 

prices of consumer items in 

Nigeria. 

which include budgeting, 

learning to save and the various 

types of financial accounts 

available for this purpose. 

Volunteers from FBNQuest 

Merchant Bank went further to 

cover and highlight how students 

can take advantage of investment 

opportunities in fixed deposits 

and mutual funds from a young 

age, cultivating the habit of 

putting money away to meet 

medium to long term financial 

goals. 

Schools visited include; 

Government Secondary School, 

Kuje – Abuja, Government 

Secondary School, Gwarimpa, 

Federal Government Boys 

College, Apo – Abuja; Federal 

especially in a town like Aba, 

renowned for indigenous 

production of shoes and textiles. 

Our digital offering will be an 

opportunity for both buyers and 

sellers to increase their sales in 

an enhanced and secured way and 

without fear. The EcobankPay 

digital hub makes it easy for the 

seller to be paid instantly and 

buyers pay with ease and also 

have rest of mind associated with 

doing business without carrying 

cash around. Our Xpress point is 

also around for you to transact 

with ease, in as much as you have 

your phone you can bank with 

Ecobank”. 

“The initiative of the 

Ecobankpay zone is to deepen 

financial inclusion in the 

“The increase in the global price 

of crude oil in March and increase 

in the inflow from the Foreign 

Portfolio Investment (FPI) led to 

the appreciation in the value of 

the Naira. The value of the naira 

at end-March at N360.47 per 

dollar compared with end- 

February at N361.13 per dollar 

Government Girls College 

Abuloma, Holy Rosary College, 

Government Girls Secondary 

School Rumuokwutaamongst 

others. 

Speaking on the event, Kayode 

Akinkugbe, Managing Director/ 

Chief Executive Officer, 

FBNQuest Merchant Bank stated 

that: ”This initiative driven by 

the CBN provides institutions the 

opportunity to impart useful 

financial knowledge to young 

students at an early age. The 

importance of teaching financial 

literacy at this crucial stage of 

learning cannot be 

overemphasised as it is pivotal to 

building sustainable economic 

growth and development. 

communities and specifically aid 

business transactions between 

merchants 

and 

clients. EcobankPay’s unique 

offering is that anyone from any 

bank in Nigeria can pay with 

MasterPass, mVISA and mCASH 

with any phone by scanning QR 

code or using USSD”. ”If the 

person that wishes to buy goods 

from you is coming from a bank 

that has mVisa and wishes to pay, 

the same QRcode would accept 

an mVisa payment and vice 

versa. That creates synergy 

between us and the other banks 

and convenience for the 

merchants. And as you know, the 

QRcode is much cheaper than 

having a point of sale (PoS)”. 

indicates that the value of the naira 

strengthened by N0.66. 

“Although our expected inflation 

rate forecast is still higher than the 

target of the CBN, the relative low 

inflation rate may encourage the 

issuance of Commercial Papers 

(CPs) that will enable corporates 

to fund their short-term capital 

requirements.” 

FBNQuest Merchant Bank is 

proud to participate in this 

initiative annually and therefore 

takes the responsibility of raising 

a generation of financially 

literate young adults seriously”. 

Fidelity Bank 

presents N79m 

to winners of 

GAIM promo 

By Elizabeth Adegbesan 

FIDELITY Bank said it has 

presented N79 million and 

consolation prizes to winners of its 

Get Alert In Millions (GAIM) 

season-three promo since its 

inception. 

The bank’s Chief Executive 

Officer/ Managing Director, Mr 

Nnamdi Okonkwo, disclosed this 

in the fifth prize presentation of 

GAIM season-three promo held in 

Lagos last week. 

Represented by Mrs. Chijioke 

Ugochukwu, Executive Director, 

Shared Services and Products, 

Fidelity Bank, Okonkwo said: 

“Welcome to the fifth prize 

presentation of the GAIM season 

three promo. Today we will be 

giving out consolation prizes of 

refrigerators, television sets and 

generator sets. Thirty winners 

emerged in all and the cash that 

was won was in the category of N1 

million and N2 million. 

Sixty millionaires have emerged 

so far. We still have 17 more 

millionaires before the promo 

ends. N79 million has been given 

out so far and N31 million still 

remains.” In its fifth presentation, 

the bank presented N12 million 

cash prizes in two categories of N2 

million and N1 million to twelve 

customers and 18 consolation 

prizes comprising television sets, 

refrigerators and generator sets to 

18 customers. 

Speaking to Journalists at the 

sidelines of the event, the winner of 

the N2 million cash prize, Mr. 

Chidozie Ifeanyi Luke, said: “I sell 

electrical appliances and articles. 

When I was called, at first I was 

shocked and afraid it was a scam 

but when I started receiving 

incessant calls and was called to 

attend the presentation, I believed. 

Fidelity is my own bank. God will 

bless them from the top 

management to the staff. “ 

FCMB Easy Account facilitates 

access to banking services – CEO 

FIRST City Monument Bank (FCMB) has launched a new 

product called FCMB Easy Account. 

Described as banking made accessible to all, a significant 

and value-added feature of this product is that the telephone 

numbers of the customers, without the first digit, serve as 

their respective account numbers. The Account is an enhanced 

version of its *329# Unstructured Supplementary Service 

Data (USSD) platform. 

In a statement, the bank explained that FCMB Easy Account 

has been designed to make banking accessible to all Nigerians 

and will help to achieve the laudable goal of financial inclusion 

for most Nigerians as set by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN). 

It is a product open to all, particularly to meet the needs of 

low-income earners and the unbanked segment of the society. 

It enables the account holders have access to convenient and 

secured financial services, irrespective of their locations. 

The bank stated that the self-service, stress-free and secured 

FCMB Easy Account, available on all the Global System for 

Mobile (GSM) networks in Nigeria, (Globacom, MTN, 

9Mobile and Airtel), enables everyone anywhere in Nigeria 

open an FCMB Easy account from his or her location, by 

dialing *329# from their mobile phones and following the 

instructions. The development enables Nigerians who wish 

to open accounts and carry out banking transactions on their 

mobile phones do so from any location-rural, urban and 

remote, even if there are no banks physically located at the 

area. Internet service availability which has been a major 

constraint to mobile banking service access is not required 

for FCMB Easy Account as the account operates on the USSD 

platform.




Market sentiment may worsen this week – Analysts 

By Nkiruka Nnorom 

STOCK analysts have said 

that the huge sell-off witnessed 

in the market last week 

will continue this week after 

the major equities indicator – 

the All Share Index (ASI) 

dropped below 30,000 basis 

points. 

According to them, the market 

requires a positive trigger 

to come out of its present state. 

At the end of transactions 

last week investors lost N547 

billion, as the market capitalisation 

slumped to N11.124 

trillion from N11.672 

trillion, while the ASI 

dropped by 4.6 percent to 

29,616.38 points, a development 

analysts attributed to 

unimpressive earnings releases 

by most of the corporates 

last week. 

In their projections, analysts 

at United Capital Plc said that 

they do not expect equities to 

continue to weaken except the 

fundamentals move in the 

unfavourable direction. 

“On one hand, we do not 

expect equities to continue to 

weaken unless fundamentals 

move in an unfavorable direction. 

On the other hand, 

though the market is clearly 

mispriced on both a fundamental 

and technical perspective, 

a near-term recovery in 

equities would only be 

spurred by a catalyst,”they 

said. 

They listed some of the positive 

triggers to include expected 

listing by MTN and 

favourable oil price trends, 

saying that until these events 

materialize, sentiments could 

continue to remain choppy. 

Also, analysts at Afrinvest 

Securities, said: “Despite the 

overall negative performance, 

we observed increased buying 

activity on bellwether stocks, 

and we expect this trend to be 

sustained in the coming week 

as investors seek to take 

position in attractively priced 

stocks. However, in the 

absence of major triggers that 

could drive positive 

sentiments, we maintain a 

bearish near-term outlook.” 

Analysts at Cordros Capital 

AS part of efforts to boost 

investor education and 

increase investor participation 

in the Nigerian capital market, 

the Nigerian Stock Exchange 

(NSE) has flagged off 

a marketing campaign that 

positions the Exchange as a 

leading securities exchange 

that provides investors with 

varied investment options. 

Themed, “The Multi-Asset 

Sustainable Exchange”, the 

campaign will run across 

print, broadcast, outdoor and 

digital media. 

Commenting on the cam- 

also shared the view, but 

extended a word of caution to 

investors in the absence of a 

positive catalyst. 

Meanwhile, breakdown of 

activities last week showed 

that performance was bearish 

across all sectors. The 


THE Securities and Ex 

change Commission, 

SEC, has indicated that of the 

over 90 initiatives outlined in 

the Capital Master Plan, it has 

completed implementation of 

13 out of the 66 it started implementing 

since 2015. 

Acting Director General of 

the SEC, Ms. Mary Uduk, 

who disclosed this on the sideline 

of the first quarter Capital 

Market Committee meeting 

in Lagos, also said that the 

Commission will undertake a 

review of the 10-year Plan to 

align it with current realities 

in the macroeconomic, political 

and market environment. 

The Capital Market Master 

Plan is a blueprint for the development 

of the Nigerian 

capital market in core areas 

such as investor protection 

and education, professionalism, 

product innovation and 

consumer goods sector declined 

the most on sell-off in 

Beta Glass (-18.9%), Dangote 

Flour Mill (-16.2%) and Unilever 

Nigeria Plc (-10.3%). 

The banking sector trailed 

behind with 6.1 decline following 

losses in UBA Plc(-19.5%), 

NSE launches multi-asset brand campaign 

paign, Mr. Olumide Orojimi, 

Head, Corporate Communications, 

NSE, stated: “The 

campaign is coming against 

the backdrop of the innovative 

offerings NSE has birthed 

since its intentional transformation 

that commenced in 

2011. During this period, the 

Exchange has achieved phenomenal 

milestones, deployed 

cutting edge technology 

for trading and the use of 

artificial intelligence to monitor 

its market; upscale securities 

in its market with the 

flagship listing of the first 

sovereign green bond in an 

emerging market; establishment 

of an Investors Protection 

Fund; launch of a corporate 

governance rating system 

and more recently, the 

unveiling of the NSE Sustainability 

Disclosure Guidelines 

for quoted companies”. 

“As the Exchange transits to 

a demutualized entity, its 

credential as multi-asset securities 

Exchange will be 

adequately communicated 

through series of creative 

messaging in this campaign. 

While investors’ appetite for 

Ecobank Transnational 

Incorporated (-12.1%) and 

Access Bank Plc (-11.6%). 

The industrial goods, insurance 

and oil and gas sectors 

fell by five percent, 3.9 percent 

and 2.4 percent respectively. 

CAPITAL MARKET MASTER PLAN: 

Implementation of 13 initiatives completed — SEC 

expansion of the capital market’s 

role in Nigeria’s economy. 

The master plan was also 

to help catalyse the emergence 

of Nigeria as a top 20 

global economy. 

Uduk said that 66 initiatives 

are at various stages of implementation 

and it is hoped 

many of them will be concluded 

before the end of this year. 

She explained that some of 

the concluded initiatives include 

dematerialization of 

shares, recapitalisation of 

capital market operators, setting 

up of a National Investment 

Protection Fund and the 

establishment of the West African 

Securities Regulators 

Association among others. 

Other achievements, according 

to her, include e-dividend 

mandate, Direct Cash 

Settlement initiative, roadmap 

on commodities ecosystem, 

new listing, financial literacy, 

law reviews, non interest 

capital market products 

among several of the 

initiatives. 

Uduk said the SEC and market 

stakeholders have taken 

up the initiatives outlined in 

the Master Plan document in 

a systematic manner while 

also painstakingly engaging 

with the government, its 

agencies and other critical 

stakeholders whose support 

and collaboration is required 

to achieve the objectives outlined 

in the Master Plan. 

She said the Commission 

appreciates the tremendous 

support and collaboration it 

has received from market operators 

and various stakeholders 

in the capital market, 

adding that the partnership 

has advanced the collective 

aspiration to accelerate the 

growth of the market and 

contribute to the development 

of the nation’s economy. 

capital market products continues 

to evolve, this campaign 

highlights NSE’s offering 

which transcends 

stocks. 

“We are committed to driving 

sustainable products, 

responsible investment in a 

market that is orderly and 

transparent while leveraging 

cutting edge technology. 

This commitment is shared 

by all of our employees who 

continue to champion the 

development of new and 

improved experience for 

investors in our market”, 

Orojimi added. 

Fidson Healthcare 

targets 73.5% 

pre-tax profit 

growth in 5 years 


FIDSON Healthcare Plc has 

said it plans to grow its pretax 

profit by 73.5 percent in the 

next five years to December 31, 

2023 to N5.97 billion from N3.44 

billion at the end of 2019 financial 

year. 

The company also said it is targeting 

75 percent revenue growth 

to N35.13 billion from projected 

N20.08 billion in 2019. 

Presenting, the company's 'Facts 

behind Figures' at the Nigerian 

Stock Exchange, NSE, the Managing 

Director, Mr. Fidelis Ayabae, 

said the company is on track 

to achieve the target with the deployment 

of the proceeds of its ongoing 

N3 billion Rights Issues. 

The Rights Issue, according to 

him, would help the company to 

optimise its capital structure by 

deleveraging its balance sheet, 

thereby reducing the financing 

cost and strengthening its ability 

to maximise capacity utilisation 

at its WHO compliant manufacturing 

factory. 

Already, he said the company 

has secured N2 billion facility 

from the Bank of Industry, BOI, to 

buoy its working capital. 

Additionally, Ayabae said the 

company intends to introduce a 

number of new high value products 

with very good volume in order 

to maximise production capacity 

while also increasing revenue 

and profitability. 

“Going forward, Fidson seeks to 

refinance its expensive short-term 

debt with proceeds from the 

Rights Issue as well as cheaper, 

long term debt with the target to 

reduce the average cost to debt 

from 18 percent to 13 percent. 

“In addition, volume growth 

will be enhanced by the increased 

capacity of the factory with increase 

in production time to 24 

hours following a switch to gas 

generation. Going forward, the 

plan is to directly import its raw 

materials, which is expected to reduce 

cost of raw materials by 

about 20 percent while also negotiating 

improved pricing from 

suppliers and adjusting prices of 

some products upwards. The direct 

importation of raw materials 

will take advantage of Central 

bank of Nigeria (CBN) retail window 

to reduce exchange rate 

costs,” he said. 

He assured that Fidson committed 

to delivering consistent returns 

to its shareholders, saying that it 

has paid out a total of N1.9 billion 

in the last 10 years with an 

average dividend yield of 6.5 percent 

over the period. According to 

him, Fidson seeks to increase its 

payout ratio to up to 30 percent 

and is poised to continue to return 

greater value to investors. 

Also speaking, the chairman, Segun 

Adebanji, said: “We have 

strong partnership with various 

overseas and local partners in order 

to deliver unique products and 

cost effective services. We also have 

three years tax holiday, which we 

have not started implementing 

and it could be extended by 

another two years. So, we hope to 

plough back these monies into our 

operation. There is also an upward 

patronage from the government, 

which we hope will continue.”


ASHON is ready for 

commencement of 

commodities, futures 

exchange — Ezeagu 

The Chairman, Association of Stockbroking Houses of 

Nigeria, ASHON, Chief Patrick Ezeagu in this interview 

explained the significance of the Approval- in- Principle 

recently granted for the commencement of Lagos 

Commodities and Futures Exchange, LCFE, by the 

Securities and Exchange Commission, SEC. He also spoke 

on privatisation of public entities, mutual fund trading 

platform among others. 

By Peter Egwuatu 

NOW that Association of 

Stock broking Houses of 

Nigeria, ASHON has been 

granted the Approval-In 

Principle for Lagos Commodities 

and Futures Exchange, LCFE, by 

the Securities and Exchange 

Commission, SEC. What is the 

significance of this approval and 

what is the next line of action? 

The Approval-In-Principle 

means SEC believes that we are 

on course and we can start to set 

up for operations, that is, do those 

things that erstwhile regulatory 

requirements hindered us from 

doing. We were given the window 

to prepare for final approval. This 

endorsement by SEC signifies that 

we are very close to the 

commencement of full operations. 

Is ASHON the soul promoter 

of LCFE? How prepared are 

stockbrokers to fully trade in 

commodities and derivatives? 

Yes. At the inception, ASHON as 

the promoter of the commodity 

exchange did a feasibility study 

which has now become the 

roadmap for the project. In it, we 

have made provision in 

conjunction with the Chartered 

Institute of Stockbrokers, CIS, to 

train all our members on the 

workings of the new commodity 

exchange. 

Commodity 

exchange 

Indeed, we had done some initial 

training and others will follow 

soon before we fully roll out. 

Is ASHON considering holistic 

training for its members to help 

them build capacity for the takeoff 

of the commodity exchange? 

What about the financial press? 

The training of our members is 

to be handled by our institute, 

CIS, which is empowered by law 

to train professionals in the 

capital market in Nigeria. The 

financial press is also a member 

of the capital market community 

and as partners we shall look into 

a collaborative effort to ensure 

that they are trained with support 

coming from some of our other 

partners. 

Stockbrokers are calling for the 

privatisation of all moribund 

government enterprises through 

the capital market, against the 

background of the future 

privatization programme. What 

is your advice to the government? 

The government should always 

patronize the capital market to 

make it more viable. The 

professionals in the sector should 

be involved in policy making to 

make this privatization initiative 

a success. Consequently, and to 

ensure transparency, all future 

privatization processes should be 

done through the capital market. 

ASHON is believed to have 

restructured its Governing 

Council. What informed this 

development and does it have to 

do with the birth of LCFE? 

The restructuring of the 

Governing Council of ASHON is 

in keeping with provisions of the 

constitution of the association. 

What happened was that we 

The 

government 

should always 

patronize the 

capital market 

to make it more 

viable 

wanted to ensure that our 

secretariat is empowered to 

become more visible in the 

scheme of things. We changed the 

nomenclature of our principal 

officers to reflect global best 

By Peter Egwuatu 

THE proposed listing of 

MTN, privatisation of 

Nigeria National Petroleum 

Corporation, NNPC and the 

remaining power sector 

privatisation will attract more 

participation of investors in the 

capital market and thus enhance 

financial inclusion in the 

country, former Minister of 

National Planning, Dr. 

Shamshudeen Usman has said. 

He further expressed dismay 

that only 3.3 million people 

participate in the market out of 

180 million people, while urging 

the federal government to 

privatise the NNPC and the 

remaining power sector entities 

by way of public offer and list 

them on the Nigerian Stock 

Exchange, NSE for more 

participation of investors in the 

market. 

Speaking at the 2019 Capital 

Market Summit and Award 

night organised by the 

Association of Stockbroking 

Houses of Nigeria, ASHON, 

Usman, who was the key note 

speaker at the occasion with the 

theme “Financial Inclusion – 

The Capital Market 

•Patrick Ezeagu, ASHON Chairman 

practices 

Can you avail the investing 

public of the benefits of the 

Mutual Funds Trading Platform 

recently launched by the 

Nigerian Stock Exchange of 

which ASHON was involved? 

There are so many advantages 

of trading in mutual funds to 

which the recently launched 

trading platform will bring to the 

fore. It is the simplest way to 

achieve a reduction in risk by way 

of diversification of one’s 

portfolio. Investors will enjoy the 

expertise of a professional fund 

manager without paying extra for 

the service. It affords them the 

opportunity to enjoy economies of 

scale which is achieved through 

the pooling of other peoples funds 

to increase bargaining power. 

They have the opportunity of easy 

entry and exit which this platform 

further provides. It also 

encourages the financial inclusion 


of the retail investors. 

ASHON is preparing for its 

national capital market summit 

and awards ceremony. What is 

the significance of this year’s 

event? 

The uniqueness of this year’s 

Capital Market Summit and 

Awards ceremony stems from the 

fact that ASHON has undergone 

a lot of realignment of values. The 

association has been registered 

with SEC and we are making 

various efforts in diversifying the 

income streams of our members 

through the creation of other 

trading areas like commodities 

with the birth of the LCFE and the 

recently launched Mutual Funds 

Trading Platform of NSE. 

The Nigerian stock market has 

been wobbling in recent months 

as it took a beating from 

uncertainty prior to the general 

election. What is your advice to 

potential and existing investors 

in this respect? 

The advice to potential and 

existing investors is to continue to 

have hope in the market. What the 

elections had done to the market, 

it did to all other sectors of the 

economy. The elections will come 

and go, they should not take 

panicky decisions. They should 

also always use the services of 

stockbrokers who are 

professionals in accessing the 

market. 

What is your advice to the 

government in terms of 

protecting the stock market and 

the economy, knowing fully well 

that the market is very sensitive 

to uncertainties? 

There are a lot that the 

government should do but basic 

of which is to provide the enabling 

environment, ensure economic 

stability of the economy and 

intervene where necessary e.g. the 

case of Contract Stamp 

contentions between NIPOST and 

FIRS, waiver of VAT for capital 

market transactions and granting 

incentives for companies quoted 

on the stock exchange, provide 

basic infrastructures like power to 

boost the economy, reintroduce 

margin trading, constitute the 

board of SEC, provide direct 

incentives to capital market, and 

review the effects of minimum tax 

on our members, etc. 

What can you say about trade 

groups or associations in the 

Nigerian capital market; do you 

support the call for regulatory 

authorities to fund them? 

Yes, I am in support of this 

demand. We need to discuss with 

the regulatory authorities the 

issue of funding of trade groups/ 

associations/institutes like 

ASHON and CIS to include a 

percentage of transaction charges 

as is the case with other 

associations in Nigeria outside 

the capital market. We are 

proposing a 0.1 percent of 

transaction cost shared between 

ASHON and CIS. 

Capital Market: MTN listing, NNPC privatisation will spur more participation 

of investors – Usman 

Perspective” said "we do not know 

how the privatisation of some of 

the government assets will take. 

The privatisation of the power 

sector was not properly done in 

the past. So if government is to 

privatise some of these entities 

then it should allow people to 

participate through public 

offering and list them on the 

Nigerian Stock Exchange, NSE. 

The issue of private placement is 

not the best if we must deepen the 

market." 

The Director General of 

Bureau of Public Enterprises 

BPE, Patience Oniha also harped 

on issue of low participation of 

the populace in the capital 

market. 

According to her :" I think we 

may need a special fund that will 

be use to educate the public on 

financial inclusion as this will 

further help enhance 

participation in the financial 

market. The operators also need 

to introduce more products that 

will attract investors of different 

categories. ” 

In his opening address, 

ASHON's Chairman, Chief 

Patrick Ezeagu said: " Following 

the pursuit of expanded scope 

of its operations, the Association 

of Stockbroking Houses of 

Nigeria (ASHON) has changed 

its corporate identity to 

Association of Securities Dealing 

Houses of Nigeria (ASDHON). 

The Summit attracted cream of 

capital market experts, policy 

makers, 

regulators 

and operators in the Nigerian 

Financial industry such as 

former president NSE, Aig- 

Aigboje Imoukhuede, President 

of NSE, Abimbola Ogunbanjo, 

Alhaji Oladejo , former Deputy 

Director General, NSE, Bukar 

Kyari, former Chairman 

Nigerian Economic Summit 

Group, among others. 

Commenting on new logo and 

corporate name, ASHON’s 

Chairman, Ezeagu explained 

that the new name was long 

overdue in line with the changing 

dynamics of operations of 

ASHON’s members. He 

explained that it was too limiting 

to call the individual members 

stockbrokers because aside from 

equity trading, they deal in an 

array of securities, including 

derivatives, 

fixed 

income securities, commodities 

among others. 

“ The name you bear defines 

you. It is long overdue for our 

members to drop a name that 

portrays them as dealing in 

equity trading alone. We are 

trained and qualified to deal in 

many commodities. Our new logo 

is symbolic. 

The new name implies the 

true position of normal market. 

A normal market is never static 

continually. Bullish and bearish 

trend are normal features of a 

stock market 

Speaking as well, Chairman of 

the occasion, Chief Olusegun 

Osunkeye said: “The capital 

market is very important that 

government cannot ignore as it 

is a catalyst for economic 

development." 

He commended the 10 year 

Capital Market Master Plan led 

by Tola Mobolurin, saying " 

ASHON should take advantage 

of this plan to develop the 

market. We need more advocacy 

in the market to ensure that there 

is more participation. Also, in the 

case of cost of transaction of 

raising fund from the market 

need, it needs to be considered. 

Generally the cost of doing 

business is very high and need to 

be tackled by the government.”

26—Vanguard, MONDAY APRIL 8, 2019


28 —Vanguard, MONDAY APRIL 8, 2019


30—Vanguard, MONDAY APRIL 8, 2019


Transport, education and the 

rule of con men 

Having won the elections, it means that the same government will work hard 

to finish the project— Minister of Transport, Rotimi Amaechi 

THE Minister was on yet 

another inspection tour of 

the work being done on the Lagos- 

Ibadan railway project - which as 

everybody now knows has missed 

so many deadlines promised for 

its launching by the Federal 

Government. In another example 

of the con games they play with 

Nigerians, the Vice President 

visited the project during the 

campaigns and after being driven 

through a hastily prepared 

portion of the railway line 

promised Nigerians that the line 

would be inaugurated before the 

elections. 

If only Osinbajo, a professor of 

law had interrogated the minister, 

he would have discovered the lies 

told about the project. Now a new 

date has been fixed. Nobody 

should expect the Ministry to 

deliver on its promise. It will most 

probably fail again. I have my 

reasons. 

Below are the first few 

paragraphs of an article published 

in April 2017 after Minister 

Amaechi had promised Nigerians 

that the Lagos-Ibadan railway line 

would have been almost completed 

by the end of that year. 

Amaechi starts a lasting 

revolution in the South west 

“Lagos-Ibadan rail project to 

start this month” News Report. 

When Buhari announced his 

cabinet members and granted the 

Ministers portfolios, nobody 

could have selected the Minister 

for Transport, Rotimi Amaechi as 

the minister most likely to succeed 

in the first term. Compared with 

appointees from the Southwest 

and Southeast who had received 

rave reviews as governors of their 

states or prolific national 

publicity secretaries, Amaechi 

apparently had no chance to top 

the class of 2015 Ministers. 

To make matters worse, the 

controversies over the 2015 

budget, the frustration over power 

supply and crazy bills, exchange 

rate which seems to be flying 

higher like a kite, loan requests, 

security issues, and now officially 

acknowledged food scarcity have 

all combined to make Nigerians 

forget the fact that transport is still 

one of the three most vital services 

governments provide and it is the 

second most powerful glue 

(money is first) binding all 

economic activities. It deserves 

more attention than it is getting 

from most economic and social 

commentators. Starting today, 

transport will receive the 

attention it deserves. 

Fortunately, not all of us have 

lost focus. When the Buhari 

administration clocks its second 

year in office on May 29, 2017, 

one Minister will be able to beat 

his chest that his Ministry has 

made significant progress. More 

than that Amaechi and Buhari are 

about to leave one of the longest 

lasting legacies in the Southwest 

and South-South corner of 

Nigeria - starting with the West.” 

I never met Amaechi before that 

announcement; but like a lot of 

South-westerners, I make frequent 

trips to Ibadan I have several 

friends for whom the rail line 

would constitute a “God-sent” 

gift. 

You cannot adopt politics as a 

profession and remain honest— 

Louis M. Howe, 1871-1936. 

VANGUARD BOOK OF 

QUOTATIONS, p 192. 

But, although I am not a 

journalist, after co-habiting with 

those rascals for almost thirty 

years, as well as having regular 

tutorials from Area Boys, I soon 

got hold of myself. I promised to 

monitor the project and that was 

what happened. Despite my 

abhorrence for Nigerian rails 

after one dreadful experience, I 

got on them in order to observe 

first hand the progress of the rail 

project that would transform our 

lives in the South West. Then, I saw 

the lies unfolding. By the time Vice 

President Osinbajo came to make 

his false promise on the line, it was 

clear that it is indeed true that 

politicians cannot be believed. 

By May last year, a full year 

after I had earlier thought we 

would be celebrating President 

Buhari’s legacy project, it was 

clear to me that Nigerians had 

been swindled. Every leader of the 

All Progressives Congress, APC, 

who had accepted the Minister’s 

assurances regarding the progress 

of the project had been cruelly 

deceived. USSR leader, Josef 

Stalin, would have had the 

Minister shot. 

The story in PUNCH of 

Saturday, March 30, 2019, on 

page 44, by Okechukwu Nnodim 

was aptly titled “Lagos-Ibadan 

railway project won’t be 

abandoned – FG, NASS”. So now, 

we had descended from a project 

launched with high hopes and 

which was used to gather votes in 

We have descended 

from a project 

launched with high 

hopes and which was 

used to gather votes 

in Lagos, Ogun and 

Oyo states to one 

facing the possibility 

of being abandoned 

Lagos, Ogun and Oyo states 

facing the possibility of being 

abandoned. 

Senator Gbenga Ashafa, APC, 

of Lagos State, Chairman of 

Committee on Land Transport, 

spent the last three years without 

demonstrating concern for the 

project which would benefit his 

people. Now a lame duck senator, 

he wants to guarantee a promise 

which had been turned into a con 

game by the APC government. 


Meanwhile, Nigerians continue to 

suffer and die on the Lagos-Ibadan 

highway and goods by the billions 

perish as well. How on earth can 

we have rapid economic growth 

when we can’t complete 130 

kilometres of rail line in 36 

months? Obviously, next time 

Amaechi or Osinbajo or Buhari 

makes a promise about Lagos- 

Ibadan rail line, nobody should 

believe him. 

Against stupidity (of Nigerian 

government officials) the gods 

themselves struggle in vain — 

Fredrick Von Schiller, 1795-1805. 

One rule of thumb you can 

adopt for judging the quality of a 

man’s intelligence and grasp of 

the issues in discussion is to listen 

to or read his recommendations. 

Those who have had the 

opportunity to watch the British 

Parliament in session over 

BREXIT would be impressed by 

the depth of knowledge of all the 

members, irrespective of position, 

on the matter. 

Here in Nigeria, we have a 

disaster on our hands which can 

easily be summarised this way. 

Thirteen million school age 

children are not in school. Nigeria 

not only has the largest number 

of kids in that category; our kids 

constitute forty-two per cent of the 

world’s present and future 

illiterates. For comparison 

readers need to be reminded that 

China has a population 1.2 

billion; India 1.1 billion and 

Nigeria only 200 million. 

We did not reach 13 million in 

four years; so nobody is holding 

Buhari responsible for the entire 

number. In fact, during 

Obasanjo’s second term, it was 

disclosed that 10 million kids were 

out of school. 

The Minister of Education then, 

Dr. Oby Ezekwesili, said she 

doubted the estimates. I offered to 

drive her through all our 36 states 

within three months to show her 

where they were. The offer was 

naturally not accepted. Otherwise 

it would have been global news. 

Minister of Education in 2019, 

Malam Adamu Adamu, wrongly 

posted to the Ministry, does not 


NDIC commends NAMBLag, BGV efforts to enhance 

bank examination 

NIGERIA Deposit Insur 

ance Corporation, 

NDIC, has commended the efforts 

of the Lagos State 

Chapter of the National Association 

of Microfinance Banks, 

NAMBLag, in partnership with 

Buklamd Global Ventures, 

BGV, Nigeria Limited, to enhance 

preparation of MFBs for 

enhanced bank examination. 

Director, Special Insured Institutions 

Department, SIID, 

NDIC, Mr Joshua Etopidiok, 

gave this commendation while 

speaking at one day capacity 

building workshop titled: “Understanding 

Regulatory Requirements 

in Bank Examination”, 

organised by NAMBLag, 

in partnership with Buklamd 

Global Ventures. 

Etopidiok who was represented 

at the occasion, stated: “Your 

effort must be commended, 

NDIC support is in support of 

the training which would help 

get a broader understanding of 

the regulatory guideline. This 

training is coming at the right 

time, examiners want the bank 

to survive and grow, we expect 

a better relationship with regulators 

after this training,” he 

said. 

Facilitators at the workshop 

include: Former Examiner, 

Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, 

Mr. Kola Durojaye; Former 

Examiner Nigeria Deposit Insurance 

Corporation, NDIC, 

Mr. Olalekan Jinadu; Managing 

Director/Chief Executive, 

Infinity MfB, Mrs. Clara Oloniniyi; 

among others. 

Speaking at the workshop, 

Olalekan Jinadu said that 

regulatory requirements are 

complex while describing it as 

a standard that is set requiring 

action. 

He said: “Regulatory requirements 

are complex, it is 

like setting a standard and expecting 

action, so when you are 

taking the butts, to ensure compliance, 

there are lots of challenges. 

The challenges are not 

in having the numbers in terms 

of requirements that you need, 

but also, the skill set that are 

required to ensure compliance 

are also a challenge. 

“The environment is not helping 

matters, knowing that you 

have to combine, supervision, 

regulation and profit making. 

You want to meet the expectation 

of your shareholders, all 

the stakeholders, including 

regulators, so it is a big challenge. 

“Training and retraining to 

build capacity helps to upscale 

the skill of staff in order to meet 

the expectation of the regulator,” 

he said. 

In his remark, Chairman, 

NAMBLag, Mr Omololu Fatunbi, 

said that information 

helps to make a bank healthy. 

Fatunbi stated: “Training is 

what we are known for, we are 

active capacity builders. Training 

is key for us, for a bank to 

be healthy, you must be well 

informed, if your bank is doing 

well and your books are good, 

you will have people coming 

to do business with you but if 

your books are untidy, nobody 

wants to talk to you. The training 

is timely. We expect knowledge 

addition that would translate 

in their business and improve 

their business pattern,” 

he said. 

On her part, Founder BGV, 

dispute the claims. He instead 

offered a solution. According to 

our former colleague in the 

newsroom, parents of the kids 

should be jailed. It required a third 

reading to convince myself that 

this was a Nigerian minister’s 

solution offered soberly (I know 

he does not drink alcohol) in full 

expectation that it would be 

considered. Offered on April 1, 

(and today is April Fools’ Day), it 

would have been received as the 

“Joke of the Day”. 

The idea is so ridiculous, it 

summarises why we cannot 

develop when jokers are in charge 

of serious ministries and agencies 

of government. Two reasons are 

sufficient to point to the futility of 

expecting much from our 

education sector when the 

ministers posted there are 

ignorant of the major causes of 

our biggest disaster and how to 

tackle the problem. 

To jail the parents of out of 

school kids will call for 

constructing prisons for at least 

three million adults. Where is the 

money? To arrest the parents, you 

have to first of all apprehend the 

kids and hold them. The minister 

will be shocked to know that close 

to half of those in the Northern 

states, who account for almost ten 

million, cannot locate their 

parents. The same invitation is 

extended to him as I sent to Dr. 

Ezekwesili on this matter. I will 

show him several parts of his own 

North where millions of kids 

roam the streets without a parent 

in sight. 

Transport and Education, two 

vital ministries, have revealed how 

development is retarded because 

we don’t have ministers in the real 

sense of the word. One minister 

continues to shift the deadline; the 

other offers an asinine proposal 

to solve a major problem. How 

can we develop with people like 

these? 

Buhari promised to appoint 

people based on merit. What is 

“merit” to him? From what we 

have now, four years have been 

wasted. 

Microfinance 

Mrs. Osifeso Kehinde, said 

that it partnered with NAM- 

BLag to have a wider coverage 

of MfBs who would be part of 

the programme. 

“We are management consultant, 

for MfB, primary mortgage 

institutions; we do visibility 

study for organisations. We 

want them to attend the programme 

so that they can understand 

how they can go 

about their operational activities 

and be able to make profit 

and be able to meet regulatory 

requirements and manage the 

depositors fund in their bank. 

Some do not know how to manage 

MfBs that is why some 

close down. 

“We want them to understand 

the bane of credit administration 

and how to be more proactive 

to meet up with the regulatory 

requirements during the 

course the examination,” she 

said.


(08052201997) 

Oppressive Bank Charges: Stamp Duty sef dey inside 

THERE is increasing 

public concern on the 

forced burden of the serial rape 

of tens of millions of bank 

customers’ accounts, with a 

multiplicity of charges which 

dove-tailed the CBN’s 

facilitation of the Cashless 

Policy and the related 

electronic settlement of 

transactions. 

Although E-banking may 

have triggered a higher 

velocity of cash flow, 

notwithstanding the inherent 

inflationary threat, it has also 

become increasingly apparent 

that millions of bank customers, 

irrespective of political, ethnic 

or religious loyalties, are 

clearly disturbed nationwide, 

that E-banking is turning out 

to be an expensive game, in 

which banks always win, while 

the seemingly helpless 

customers are ignored and left 

to rant and rave in vain, in a 

one-sided game, in which, they 

have inadvertently become 

trapped! 

It is inexplicable, that despite 

considerable savings from 

smaller bank office floor space, 

and contract workforce, with a 

more competitive cost of mass 

application of information 

technology, the cost of 

operating bank accounts has 

unexpectedly steadily climbed, 

for every customer, since former 

CBN Governor, Lamido Sanusi 

fast-tracked ‘E’-banking less 

than a decade or so ago. 

Notably, however, despite the 

significant revenue from very 

high rates of interest on the 

primary banking business of 

lending money to customers, 

the additional income from a 

padded list of bank charges 

alone, may still exceed N500bn 

annually, and still remain less 

than 1% of the total value of all 


AMEN appeals to FG to create entrepreneurial bank 

By Elizabeth Adegbesan 

THE Association of Micro 

Entrepreneurs of Nigeria, 

AMEN, has called on the government 

to establish an entrepreneurial 

bank saying that 

Micro Small and Medium 

enterprises could not access 

credit due to stringent criteria 

for loan assessment in 

commercial banks and microfinance 

banks. 

AMEN President, Comrade 

Prince Saviour Ichie, made 

this call over the weekend at 

a press conference in Lagos. 

According to Ichie, limited 

access to fund is killing the 

businesses of entrepreneurs 

and increasing unemployment 

rate in the country. 

transactions settled through the 

banks in the same period; 

instructively, as revealed by the 

data on E-payment channels in 

Nigeria’s banking sector, the 

Banking Sector recorded about 

5.3bn volume of transactions 

valued at N340 Trillion in the 

third quarter of 2018. Arguably, 

therefore, a consolidation of the 

myriad oppressive charges, 

including stamp duty on all 

customer accounts may indeed 

exceed 1% of the total value of 

transactions, i.e. well over 

N12trn annually. 

This obvious cash cow of 

prostrate bank accounts of 

customers, has not escaped the 

attention of the usual motley 

cabal of public predators. We 

may never know who actually 

pressed the button; however, 

on 15th January, 2016, 

Nigeria’s Banking Regulatorin-Chief 

issued a circular 

directing that, in order to boost 

Government revenue drive, 

every bank must begin to 

deduct N50 stamp duty, on all 

deposits made into bank 

accounts, with a value of N1000 

and above. This, according to 

the Governor, was in 

compliance with the Stamp 

Duty Act of 2004. Ultimately, 

the obvious question is whether 

or not the preceding CBN 

Governors failed in their duty, 

not to have invoked the 2004 

Act much earlier, in order to 

also help ‘boost’ Government’s 

revenue drive? Not surprising, 

nonetheless, there is nothing 

to suggest that any CBN 

Governor, past or present, 

actually suffered any sanction 

for such gross dereliction of 

duty to the Fatherland! 

However, on April 2nd, 2018, 

a Punch Newspaper story titled 

“Stamp Duty: RMAFC gets 

approval to probe banks,” the 

He said:" We are now calling 

on the federal government 

as a matter of urgency to establish 

an entrepreneurial 

bank whereby a micro entrepreneur 

can have access to 

credit loan within 48 hours 

because what we have now 

cannot sustain us. This day we 

are calling on the federal government 

of the day, President 

Muhammadu Buhari to look 

inward and see that things are 

going well in this sector. 

"We decided to call this press 

conference so that Nigerias 

and the government of the day 

would be aware of what is 

happening in this industry. 

Micro entrepreneurs are the 

bedrock of every economy in 

any serious country but it may 

paper reported that the Apex 

Bank had, actually anchored its 

directive (of January 15, 2016), 

on a Court ruling obtained by 

(one) Kasmal International 

Services Ltd in 2014, to the 

effect that “the 22 banks 

operating in the country should 

remit more than N6trn to 

NIPOST through the 

Company, as (the value of) 

Stamp Duty they were 

supposed to have collected 

since the Stamp Duty Act was 

passed into law in 2004!” 

Furthermore, according to 

the report, the Postmaster 

General of the Federation, Mr. 

Bisi Adegbuyi had also written 

A total and 

accurate refund, 

should not be a 

serious 

challenge with 

the adoption of 

e-technology 

to the CBN Governor, on the 

“state of the stamp duties being 

collected on behalf of the 

Federal Government;” the 

Postmaster General, 

consequently, also, demanded 

access to the customer records 

of all banks so that a forensic 

audit could be conducted to 

determine what amount should 

have actually accumulated in 

the Stamp Duty Account, since 

the Court ruling obtained by 

Kasmal International Services 

Ltd in 2014. 

It is notable, that the Revenue 

Mobilization & Fiscal 

Allocation Committee 

(RMFAC), the Accountant 

interest you that we the micro 

entrepreneurs in Nigeria are 

having it so difficult. So many 

things have been going on 

and especially for us to do 

business and do it well. Most 

of us in the industry are aware 

that for us to access fund is a 

very difficult thing. 

"Talking of the microfinance 

banks, their own is suicide. 

The only hope we have is the 

Bank of Industry (BOI) and 

the BOI has a lot of responsibilities. 

They carry both international 

companies and micro 

entrepreneurs. The criteria 

the international companies 

use to access fund is the same 

they give to micro entrepreneurs 

that is why we cannot 

have access to fund. 

General, and NIPOST are 

reportedly now collaborating to 

determine what should have 

accrued in the Stamp Duty 

Account to date. Furthermore, 

the Punch report also suggests 

that between January 2016 and 

31st December 2018, only 

“N30bn had so far been 

realized through the collection 

of electronic stamp duties, even 

when NIPOST and its agents 

have conversely projected 

revenue estimates of over 

N475bn every year,” if stamp 

duty was diligently and 

efficiently collected, as 

allegedly amplified by a 

private study. 

In their reaction, Standard 

Chartered Bank, who were not 

satisfied with the 2014 

judgment, consequently, filed 

an Appeal against Kasmal 

International Services and 22 

others. Instructively, Justice 

Ibrahim Saulawa, and four 

other Justices of the Court of 

Appeal, all held that “Stamp 

Duty Act 2004” did not impose 

a duty on Money Deposit 

Banks to deduct N50 on bank 

deposits! Thus, according to the 

Appeal Court, “electronic 

transactions were not covered 

by the Stamp Duty Act of 

2004.” 

The question of interest for all 

bank customers, from the above 

narrative, is whether, it is 

N30bn that was collected since 

2016, or over N475bn/annum as 

speculated by NIPOST, how 

will the total cash, so far 

collected, be disbursed? 

Presumably with the Court of 

Appeal judgment, the cash 

sum should, of course, be 

properly returned to those from 

whose accounts (pockets) these 

funds were picked in the first 

place. A total and accurate 

refund, should not be a serious 

"The rate of unemployment 

in Nigeria is getting too high, 

the reason is that we the entrepreneurs 

that should have 

helped to cut down the rate 

of unemployment cannot do 

so because of the factor we 

just mentioned. The little job 

our youths have today is betting 

and that is why Nigeria 

is called a consuming nation 

instead of a producing nation. 

"For us to expand in our 

businesses, we need funds so 

that we can be able to accommodate 

more youths in Nigeria. 

For the fact that he wants 

to bring in new cabinets, we 

want to say that the person 

that would be appointed to 

pilot the affair of the Ministry 

of Trade and Investment 

challenge with the adoption of 

e-technology, while the 

deposits should also attract 

cumulative annual interest 

charges at the current lending 

rate before refunds are made. 

It is curious that the CBN 

Governor was eager to obey the 

earlier Court Order of 2014 in 

favour of Kasmal International 

Services Ltd, but has clearly not 

shown any respect to the latter 

judgment of the Court of 

Appeal, which ruled in favour 

of everyone who operates any 

account with the Money 

Deposit Banks, with its 

decision that Electronic 

transactions were not covered 

by the Stamp Duty Act of 2004! 

Nonetheless, despite the 

ruling of the Appeal Court, it 

is unlikely that both the banks 

and the ubiquitous Public 

Sector Regulators and 

Predators will easily let go of 

the “Stamp Duty Cash Cow.” 

Alarmingly, the daylight 

robbery of tens of millions of 

bank customers still continues, 

often, with the rampant 

violation also of the statutory 

exemptions from Stamp Duty 

on “withdrawals or transfers 

from Savings Accounts, and on 

receipts of payments of Wages/ 

Salaries, as well as on any 

deposit and fund transfers 

done by SELF into another 

owned account in the same 

bank or any other bank.” 

Ultimately, it is arguably also 

counterproductive to decry 

contraction in consumer 

demand and output, as a result 

of inflation, while the odious 

contraption of oppressive bank 

charges are celebrated 

simultaneously as source of 

income to banks and 

Government agencies! 

You may share your 

oppressive bank charge 

experience 

at 

www.betteranigerianow.com. 

ECONOMY 

should be somebody that has 

been in the business. We don't 

want a medical doctor who 

has not experienced the pain 

of being an industrialist. With 

this, they can be able to have 

the feeling of what we are facing." 

He further called on BOI to 

reduce the time frame of processing 

loans saying, "We still 

want to call on BOI as a matter 

of urgency, loan process 

should not be more than two 

months. Most of us here, including 

me, my loan process 

is going to a year and six 

months and as of last week, 

they brought a letter telling 

me that my loan facility have 

expired."

Upside down, they turn us 

SENATOR Hassan Adisa 

Babatunde “HAB” Fasinro, 

one of the founding fathers of Lagos 

State, passed away March 31, at 99. 

A senator of the Second Republic, he 

was called to the Bar in 1951. He 

attended Ereko Methodist School 

and the Methodist Boys High 

School, MBHS, Lagos. 

A leading Muslim of his day, he 

did not hesitate to send his son, 

Adekunle Habeeb Fasinro, to 

MBHS where we were classmates 

in the 1970s. 

He was part of a long line of 

Muslim leaders who chose to send 

their children to Christian schools 

not just because they were broad 

minded, but also because they knew 

that religion is essentially a private 

affair and that when a child is 

exposed to other religions, he can 

only be better informed and 

schooled. 

The late Chief Moshood 

Kashimawo Abiola who attended 

Baptist Boys High School, Abeokuta, 

repeatedly made this point in his 

eventful political career. 

A leading Muslim leader and 

powerful politician of the 1950s, and 

one of the richest Nigerians of that 

era, Alhaji Sule Oyesola Gbadamosi, 

SOG, did not only decide to send his 

son, Rasheed Abiodun Gbadamosi, 

RAG, to MBHS in 1956, but also 

took him to live in the household of 

the then Principal, Reverend S.A. 

Osinulu. The son who became one 

of the leading industrialists in the 

country and was the country’s 

Minister of Planning, used to say one 

of his greatest advantages was being 

thoroughly schooled in Christianity 

and Islam. 

These cases, including those of 

Christians like my uncle who 

attended Ahmadiya College and my 

bosom friend who went to Jubril 

Martins, Iponri-Lagos, were not 

unique. Religion and religious 

differences were simply not an issue. 

In Lagos, it is not uncommon to find 

a nuclear family with members 

being Muslim, Christian and 

traditional religion adherents. All 

faiths are respected and many 

Lagosians, irrespective of their 

religious obligations, participate in 

all religious festivals. 

The Gbadamosi family, one of the 

leading families in Lagos, is aware I 

am a Christian. Yet, when on 

February 5, 2018, the family marked 

the 25th anniversary of the passing 

of their patriarch which was largely 

a Muslim affair, I was honoured to 

deliver the Memorial Lecture. 

In my lecture, I had posited that: 

“SOG demonstrated in practice that 

we cannot run our politics and 

governance based on religious 

discrimination. When in July 1957 

some Muslim groups decided to 

introduce religion into politics by 

forming an Islamic party, the 

National Muslim League, Egbe 

Musulumi Apapo, he and some 

leading Muslims countered it. They 

formed the United Muslim Council 

and succeeded in checkmating the 

sectional party. 

“The SOG generation did not 

permit religious cleavages. In the 

Second Republic, when the AG 

transformed into the Unity Party of 

Nigeria, UPN, it did not allow 

religious considerations to decide 

who led the people. It actually had 

two persons from the same religion 

as governor and deputy governor in 

the states they controlled. In Lagos 

The day the people 

allow religious 

conflicts is the day 

the unity and 

harmony in the West 

will be 

compromised 

State, they had two Muslims, Alhaji 

Lateef Jakande and Alhaji Rafiu 

Jafojo as governor and deputy 

governor; in Oyo State, they had two 

Christians, Chiefs Bola Ige and 

Sunday Afolabi, as were Chiefs 

Adekunle Ajasin and Akin 

Omoboriowo in Ondo State. In 

Ogun State, there were Chiefs Victor 

Olabisi Onabanjo and Sesan 

Soluade, who later became the 

Agbaakin of Egba Christians. Had 

we continued in the SOG culture, our 

country might have experienced less 

contentious and fragmentary 

politics.” 

Dousing tension in our electoral process 

By Adewale Kupoluyi 

THE just-concluded general elections 

can be described as a mixed grill of 

positive and unpleasant experiences. While 

some politicians were elected into various 

offices across the states without acrimony, 

the elections did not go without the bitter 

stories of ballot snatching, rigging, killings, 

abductions and falsification, among others. 

The atmosphere was soaked in tension in 

many places that voting took place. This 

could largely be responsible for why there 

was general voter apathy. The desperation 

to get into public offices at all cost could be 

the basis for why political activities have 

assumed frightening dimensions in recent 

times. 

No doubt, our electoral system is tensionfilled 

from the beginning to the end. 

Ecological analysis of the political process 

shows a direct linkage between tension and 

violence. The current political system makes 

it extremely difficult to breed a generation 

of leaders that are passionate to render 

selfless service to their fatherland because 

many people are scared away from politics. 

Tension begins immediately a party wins an 

election. The losing party rushes to the 

election tribunal; whether there is merit or 

justification for doing that or not is another 

ball game. Huge resources are committed 

to fighting legal tussle in a bid to reclaim 

‘stolen mandate’. 

In our dear country, opposition politics is 

not what it should be. What do we have? It is 

finding of faults and engaging in a genre of 

criticism where nothing good is seen about 

the ruling party. Little attention is paid to 

evaluating the quality of governance with a 

view to adding value that could impact 

people's lives positively. When elections are 

fast approaching, various aspirants spring 

up to vie for elective posts. In most cases, 

those contesting have godfathers who tell 

them what to do rather than doing what the 

people expect them to do as their 

representatives. Those aspiring to assume 

leadership positions are usually handpicked 

to serve particular interests by clinging to 

power by all means and creating tension. 

Nigerian political parties hardly observe 

internal democracy that allows for the 

emergence of natural leaders. As 

mentioned, what usually happens is that rich 

aspirants or those with powerful sponsors 

simply handpick their stooges to run for 

elections. Victims of imposition either 

decamp to other parties or remain within 

and fuel disaffection. This trend has 

dominated our political landscape. Prior to 

elections, for fear of loss and inability to 

garner popular support, politicians 

patronise thugs and other unconventional 

means either to silence potential opposition 

or hindrance that could come their way. 

Hate speech and extra-judicial killings are 

weapons that politicians deploy in 

advancing their causes. The tension builds 

up to electioneering. 

All manners of parties spring up with 

inchoate manifestoes, philosophies and 

programmes. At the last general elections, 

without prejudice, most of the presidential 

aspirants had no business vying for the 

highest position in the land. It amounted to 

sheer mockery of the entire process for 

someone that is not popular at the local 

government level, not to talk of state, to 

aspire to become president of the whole of 

Nigeria! This is uncharitable and 

laughable. This is not to say that people 

should be prevented from exercising their 

constitutional freedom of association, but 

the point here is that, there is need for 

sincerity of purpose and realistic aspiration. 

There is no point funding mushroom parties. 


Tragically, latter day politicians, 

political jobbers and even some 

academics, employing ethnicity, 

regionalism and religion, have 

turned our beautiful country upside 

down. 

This way, they have succeeded in 

consigning issues of merit, good 

governance, peoples’ welfare and 

security to the background. The 

country’s attention is diverted from 

the 13.5 million out-of-school 

children and the fact that as I write, 

fellow Nigerians, including children, 

are dying of starvation in our 

Internally Displaced Peoples camps. 

The issues this tribe of Nigerians are 

concerned with are sharing offices 

and positions. 

A non-governmental organsiation 

which has made this its selling point 

is the Muslim Rights Concern, 

MURIC, which has made stirring 

religious sentiments and divisive 

politics its primary project. In its 

latest insidious press statement on 

April 4, MURIC, employing its usual 

intemperate language, attacked 

Governor Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti 

State over his alleged choice of 

commissioners. MURIC 

proclaimed: “This list is heavily 

lopsided. Fayemi is ill-advised. He 

has grossly shortchanged Muslims. 

How can he give us only one 

commissioner out of 14? What 

parameter did he use? 

"This is most disappointing. 

Fayemi has blindfolded Muslims in 

Ekiti State. Muslims are not part of 

his government. Ekiti State executive 

is not truly representative. It is 

undemocratic. It is a sham. The 

disappointment is even more painful 

because Governor Fayemi had been 

touted as a very liberal Christian. But 

see what he has done to us.” 

MURIC proclaimed: “We reject 

this in Allah’s Mighty Name. It could 

have been different if the Muslims 

had not said anything earlier but 

they did. They asked for 

The rat race to avoid going into oblivion by 

such parties fuels tension. 

There is always tension over pre-election 

and post-election attacks on Independent 

National Electoral Commission, INEC, 

offices and security personnel. Oil prices are 

similarly not spared from the tensed up 

political climate. For instance, few weeks 

before the polls, international Brent crude 

oil futures were sold at $67.28 a barrel, up 

16 cents; while the United States’ West Texas 

Intermediate, WTI, crude futures were at 

$57.39 per barrel, up about 13 cents. Another 

factor responsible for tension during 

elections is the proliferation of small arms 

There is need for 

attitudinal change that 

suppresses avoidable 

tension; elections also 

should be sacred and 

sacrosanct 

in the country. At the end of electoral 

activities, persons in possession of illegal 

arms tend to commit armed robbery, 

kidnapping and other crimes in the society. 

Deployment of military during elections 

is gradually becoming the norm and 

inducing tension. This is an absurdity. The 

role of the military during elections should 

be limited, except when absolutely 

necessary. The use of military during polls 

seems to have been abused as the soldiers 

take laws into their hands and flout electoral 

regulations. Innocent citizens, electoral 

observers and journalists were reportedly 

maltreated and assaulted by military men. 

This increases tension and discourages the 

conduct of peaceful elections, just as 

indiscriminate shift in election dates induces 

anxiety. What do we have at the end of the 

Send Opinions & Letters to: 

opinions1234@yahoo.com 

proportionate representation but this 

is what Fayemi gave them: an empty 

pot of porridge. Ekiti Muslims do 

not deserve this humiliation. It is a 

betrayal in view of the undiluted 

support they gave Fayemi during the 

elections. 

"If this is a snub, there is always 

another day. If it is an act of impunity, 

we all know that power is transient 

and even the high and mighty will 

need the poor and weak somewhere 

along the line. We are used to 

powerless conscience subjugating 

conscienceless power. What we are 

not used to is powerless conscience 

getting away with it.” 

Then like making a call for Jihad, 

MURIC proclaimed: “Only the deep 

can call to the deep. It is a wakeup 

call to Muslims to re-strategise and 

they will do just that…MURIC 

charges Muslims in Ekiti State to 

tighten their seat belts. The struggle 

ahead is not only political but 

intellectual. They must go into 

politics in large number and with 

diversification. Enough is enough.” 

I lived most of my life in the West, 

and I know this type of attitude is 

alien to the region; religion has never 

been an issue, and the day the people 

allow religious conflicts is the day 

the unity and harmony in the West 

will be compromised, and it will 

begin the type of debilitating 

downward slide the country has been 

forced into by ethnic and religious 

jingoists who pretend to be national 

leaders. 

This is liberal democracy, and no 

one can stop any organisation, 

including MURIC, from presenting 

a case, taking a stand or making 

demands. But it should be within civil 

culture and discourse devoid of 

threats, intemperate language and 

incitement to violence. After all, 

poverty and hunger do not 

differentiate between people of 

different faith or ethnic origins. 

day? Compromised and inconclusive 

elections! When results are to be announced, 

the electorate stay glued to their television 

and radio sets, tensed up. 

There is need to fix a few things so as to 

get our elections right. To begin with, there 

is need for attitudinal change that suppresses 

avoidable tension. Elections should also be 

sacred and sacrosanct. Conducive 

environment must be put in place to 

engender free, fair, credible and transparent 

elections. Tension jeopardises people’s health 

and destabilises orderliness. Political offices 

should be made less attractive such that 

desperation to get into political offices is 

reduced. Political arrogance that suggests 

that power is the birthright or exclusive 

occupation of certain segments of the polity 

stirs tension. Candidates with such mentality 

would stop at nothing to get into power and 

invariably brewing tension associated with 

‘do-or-die’ politics. 

As a way forward, politicians should desist 

from creating tension by polarising the 

electorate. Security operatives should 

conduct themselves with dignity and 

integrity. The neutrality of the security 

services and responsible conduct of party 

agents will largely bring about the desired 

electoral process that would stimulate the 

emergence of desired leaders required for 

our democracy. Nigerians should not be 

discouraged from participating in the 

electoral process. 

Apathy favours the perpetration of the 

political class that is ever ready to mobilise 

die-hard supporters to the polling booths to 

do its bidding. The people should reclaim 

their destiny through active civic 

responsibility under a tension-free climate 

where real democracy thrives. 

•Kupoluyi wrote from the Federal 

University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, 

FUNAAB. 

C 

M 

Y

34— Vanguard, MONDAY APRIL 8, 2019 

Galadima’s daughter would be ashamed of his father for 

embarrassing her all over the country – Sagay 

* Says Buhari saved Nigeria from catastrophe by not signing electoral bill 

* Anybody who contests against Lawan in APC should face severe sanctions 

CHAIRMAN of the Presidential Advisory Committee 

Against Corruption, PACAC, and legal icon, Professor 

Itse Sagay, SAN, was literally shooting from his hips 

in a chat with Vanguard on the state of the nation, the 

2019 general polls, and battle for Ninth National 

Assembly leadership. He also dissected and described 

as hog-wash the allegations of a chieftain of the Peoples 

Democratic Party, Alhaji Buba Galadima against 

President Muhammadu Buhari and the ruling All 

Progressives Congress, APC, for militarising and 

manipulating the 2019 elections among others. 

By Olayinka Ajayi 

On Galadima’s allegations that 

President Buhari used the 

military to rig the polls in his 

favour 

Sincerely, I don’t seem to 

understand what befell Buba 

Galadima at his old age that made 

him to continually talk recklessly 

and becoming irresponsible. You 

know it is a shame that he has 

become totally irresponsible and 

indisciplined in his language. It 

is very sad. I don’t know what he 

lost or didn’t get in APC that 

affected him mentally that he is 

talking childishly and 

embarrassingly. What Galadima 

said is pure nonsense. 

Militarisation of the election, 

was it the military that was voting? 

The military didn’t stop anybody 

from going to vote. So what does 

he mean by militarisation? I wish 

he could go to Rivers State to vote 

without the military, and see if he 

would come back alive. The 

military saved us from bloodshed, 

especially in Rivers and Akwa- 

Ibom where no election has ever 

been free. Rivers particularly, 

they always write results. In 2015, 

Governor Nysome Wike’s result 

was just written by hand. The card 

reader read total votes cast as 

229,000, and Wike claimed to have 

1.2 million votes. There has never 

been election in that place and if 

the military had not been 

involved, there would be no 

election. So, without the military 

in many parts of these country 

like Zamfara and most parts of the 

North-East and volatile areas, 

there would be no election. Let us 

be grateful to the military and 

thank them because if we annoy 

them and they withdraw, the 

bloodshed in our elections will 

cause a civil war. So, let Galadima 

stop talking nonsense, let him 

respect himself, withdraw from 

the public and just disappear. 

On Galadima’s comment that 

his daughter, is one of the most 

qualified in President Buhari’s 

cabinet 

We thank God because for me 

that implies that Buhari’s 

administration goes for quality 

and merit. Let us face it, President 

Buhari is a broad-minded man, a 

good human being because if he 

were to behave like the ordinary 

Nigerian, he will be so bitter, 

sarcastic and acidic and in fact so 

caustic in his language and 

attitude. However, Buhari is still 

Prof. Itse Sagay, SAN 

accommodating the young lady 

despite his father. That means he 

is a righteous man. So if the lady 

is very good, that confirms that 

Buhari goes by merit. The lady 

would be very ashamed of his 

father for embarrassing her all 

over the country. 

His take on the just concluded 

general elections 

I am definitely not happy about 

the manner it was handled. 

Nigerians pretend a lot when they 

talk about militarisation. When 

they know deep in their hearts 

that we cannot do without the 

military. Without the military you 

cannot hold elections that would 

be peaceful. Unless they would 

kill everybody like they did in 

2015. That is the hypocrisy of 

Nigerians, which I find very 

annoying when we know clearly 

we cannot do without the military. 

Second is the tendency of the 

judiciary to declare a particular 

party unopposed. That was what 

they did in Rivers by eliminating 

the APC, while declaring the PDP 

unopposed. So it was a one party 

election. Same thing is about to 

happen in Zamfara so the PDP 

that lost the elections can just 

walk into governance. Those are 

the things I think that are 

bedevilling our democracy. 

Also, the Independent National 

Electoral Commission, INEC, has 

It’s a shame. 

Where a party 

has won an 

election with 

handsome 

majority, a 

minority party is 

shamelessly 

scheming to take 

the leadership 

position of the 

majority party 

been very unpredictable and 

perverse in some ways. For 

example, the way it pursued the 

issue of Zamfara to an 

unreasonable extent where it 

turned the right of observation to 

the right to determine either there 

were primaries or not. How did 

INEC come to the conclusion that 

all the votes in Rivers State were 

valid except in some few places 

and therefore you cannot conduct 

fresh election? The over 800,000 

votes are suspicious because in 

2015 what the card reader read in 

terms of those who actually voted 

was about 229,000 and it was only 

the Supreme Court that said 

anybody who was ticked should 

be regarded as having voted. The 

figure jumped from 229,000, in the 

card reader, to 1.1 million in 

voters’ register. So, those things 

that happened then, some of them 

are happening now. With these, I 

think INEC has not been fair 

enough and was a little biased 

against the APC in order to prove 

to the PDP and the whole world 

that he (INEC Chairman) was not 

afraid of the government. 

How would you describe the 

call in some quarters for deregistration 

of parties that 

performed poorly at the polls to 

the 91 political parties to smaller 

number? 

I absolutely agree with them, 91 

parties is ridiculous. Once there 

is an opportunity Nigerians tend 

to abuse it. There are people with 

one-man party all over the place. 

In a federal election, some parties 

didn’t get up to 1,000 votes when 

one person was getting about 15 

million votes. I feel such parties 

should be penalized. Just imagine 

the length of the ballot paper, 

complicated, causing confusion. I 

think a law should be 

promulgated that will have the 

effect of cutting down the number 

of parties contesting elections to 

nothing more than 10. 

But some are of the view that 

electorate should be the 

determinant of political party’s 

lifespan 

Unless they are saying if the 

party does not perform in an 

election up to a minimum level, 

they should be removed. I think 

it is a very good idea. There 

should be some set parameters of 

a minimum a political party must 

attain in all elections. Like scoring 

five percent of the general votes. 

Or if you fail to produce 

lawmakers at any level both in 

Senate and the House of 

Representatives then 

automatically you are deregistered 

so that clowns would 

not be forming political parties to 

ridicule our electoral system by 

abusing the opportunities the late 

Chief Gani Fawehinmi created. 

Some people blamed the bogus 

multi-party system to the electoral 

act President Buhari refused to 

sign? 

Absolutely not. 91 political 

parties in the last elections has 

nothing to do with the electoral 

act. There was nothing in that 

electoral act that limited the 

number of parties. What was in 

Continued from page 35

Vanguard, MONDAY APRIL 8, 2019 — 35 

NINTH REPS SPEAKERSHIP: I am nobody’s anointed, 

will carry APC, PDP, others along – Namdas 

Hon. Abdulrazaq Namdas is a ranking member of the House of Representatives from 

Jada/Ganye/Mayo Belwa/Toungo federal constituency of Adamawa State. He is currently 

the spokesperson of the House. In this interview he spoke on why he is running for the 

speakership of the incoming 9th Assembly, saying that legislature/executive harmony 

is his priority. 

By Levinus Nwabughiogu 

What informed your decision 

to contest for the 

speakership of the House of 

Reps? 

I have been a ranking member 

of the House of Reps, a member 

of the Pan African Parliament and 

served one time as the vice 

chairman of the caucus of the Pan 

African Parliament. I have got the 

necessary legislative experience. 

I am the spokesman of the House 

of Reps. It is not easy to speak on 

behalf of the House especially 

when we are having issues with 

the Nigerian public on the way 

they look us as legislators. To have 

navigated all these without issues 

shows that if I become the 

speaker, I will invest seriously in 

this image issue. 

If I am elected as a speaker I will 

make sure that we are on the same 

page with the executive without 

necessarily compromising our 

independence as a legislature 

because the entire thing about 

legislature is lobby. So we would 

tell the executives, since we are 

in the majority if you have 

something tell us before hand, we 

will lobby our colleagues that are 

in the opposition to support some 

of those laudable projects of the 

government and together we 

would be able to achieve a lot. 

Last time you said that you are 

nobody’s anointed, you are 

running on your own and you 

have the people with you. How 

much of this contact among your 

Anybody who contests against 

Lawan in APC should face 

severe sanctions — Prof. Sagay 

Continued from page 34 

the electoral act that I felt was 

significant was the electronic 

transfer of votes. Which in 

principle is very good provided it 

is hacker proof. And it wasn’t 

hacker proof. What was 

introduced, there were people 

who were trained in anticipation 

of the presidential election to hack 

into it and introduce fake result. 

So there is need to put those 

things into consideration before 

going ahead to sign the electoral 

act. President Buhari absolutely 

saved Nigeria from catastrophe 

for not signing the electoral act. 

How do you see the raging 

tussle for the leadership of 

forthcoming Ninth National 

Assembly? 

It’s a shame. Where a party has 

won an election with handsome 

majority, a minority party is 

shamelessly scheming to take the 

leadership position of the majority 

party compromising unreliable 

and unprincipled members of the 

majority party. It shows that 

Nigeria’s political culture as far 

Hon. Abdulrazaq Namdas 

colleagues have you made? 

Truly speaking, nobody is 

sponsoring me to be a speaker. I 

am the speaker of the people and 

I have decided to come out on my 

own, to tell my colleagues that if 

you want to have the 

independence of the legislature, 

the person that will emerge at the 

end of the day to be speaker is 

as political party is concerned is 

still at the stone-age level where 

the propensity of self over 

principle and what is right is 

overwhelming. Secondly, there 

are members of that political party 

allowing themselves to be used 

the way the Senate President 

Bukola Saraki behaved. 

Reverting the right of their party 

to personal gain, sabotaging 

everything and bringing the 

opposition that lost to a leadership 

position is a terrible disgrace. 

This time, something has to be 

done about such people. Anybody 

who goes to contest against 

Senator Ahmad Lawan in APC as 

Senate President should face very 

severe sanction. So severe that 

nobody would ever try it in his life 

again. So, nobody will ever be a 

traitor and a serpent within a 

majority party and think he can 

ever get away with it. 

But is that not the beauty of 

Democracy 

No. That is the ugly face of abuse 

of democracy. In fact, it is a great 

abuse, it is lack of culture, lack of 

discipline, and making 

democracy look ugly. 

going to be among us and you 

have to concentrate this 

discussion on the people you are 

going to lead. Of course, you will 

also speak with your party but the 

thing is that once you emerge as 

speaker, everybody will leave you; 

how you are able to manage your 

colleagues and multi task is 

where the politics of the 

legislature is. 

The party has zoned the Senate 

presidency to your zone, North- 

East; do you think you still stand 

a chance? 

The more the merrier. I am not a 

senator but a member of the 

House of Reps. The zoning I am 

talking about is the one that 

affects my house as a person. 

Even if I eventually continue, I am 

not the only person contesting 

and I think even if the Senate 

president is zoned to the North- 

East, we are happy that we have 

number three, but I am not sure 

there are unopposed candidates, 

he or one other person may be 

contesting. So, if on account that 

it is zoned to my side and I refuse 

to contest, what happens if the 

person goes to the polls and didn’t 

make it? We will lose everything? 

So if he gets it I am happy that we 

have number three and if I get it, 

then we have more because it is 

election, it is not appointment. 

My interaction with my party 

officials is that they are going to 

be fair in their decision and I have 

to give them the benefit of the 

doubt, I have no reason to doubt 

their fairness. I am very serious 

with my aspiration. 

If the party approaches you and 

asks you to settle for another 

position instead of speaker, will 

you do so? 

Election is what you think you 

can afford and for now, I believe I 

can lead the House and let us get 

to the river before we cross it. 

The national chairman of your 

party said PDP is 

inconsequential, you can do your 

elections and leaders emerge 

without their input... 

The national chairman is a 

politician and we are politicians 

and sometimes we make some of 

these statements to see how we 

can keep and motivate our 

members. But I think right now 

when you become speaker 

certainly you cannot work in 

isolation, you have to work with 

everybody, in fact not only PDP, 

there are other parties in the 

House as well, everybody matters. 

I would say the 

system is getting 

complex on a daily 

basis, even the 

electorates are 

getting even more 

sophisticated. So, 

what happened in 

2015 may not 

necessarily occur 

The last time Dogara won election 

it was with just eight votes. Of 

course we are looking at the 

majority that we are and I believe 

that the majority is good for us but 

everybody should run in a manner 

that you will be happy with 

everybody because we all are 

equal. 

Conventionally, the majority 

party has always produced the 

speaker of the House and Deputy 

speaker but we saw things 

change in 2015 in the Senate; the 

provision of the law says that 

members of both chambers shall 

elect for themselves leaders and 

it was not narrowed to a political 

party. 

What does this mean to you? 

It is not a constitutional matter, 

the law doesn’t stop anybody from 

contesting but the truth is that we 

are not independent candidates. 

We contested under a platform of 

a political party and it has been a 

convention all through that if you 

enjoy such majority in the house 

at least it is your member that 

should produce the speaker or the 

senate president. So, I think for 

the good of the parliament, even 

the opposition with the numbers 

we have today, it is only fair that 

we are allowed to produce a 

leader and when we produce that 

leader, it is also fair on the part of 

the leader to carry everybody on 

board because that is what 

leadership is all about. 

What is your assessment of 

2019 elections? 

There is actually room for 

improvement because they have 

tried but we could see challenges 

right from the first time the 

election was postponed, we felt it 

was not well managed and the 

spate of inconclusive elections 

and some challenges in terms of 

crises across a few states. I think 

we really need to do more and I 

feel here it is not the issue of the 

Independent National Electoral 

Commission, INEC. I think both 

the National Assembly and INEC 

should be on the same page; we 

should be able to come out with a 

good electoral act. Of course, we 

believed that if the earlier 

electoral act that we passed was 

signed probably, we may not have 

experienced what we 

experienced. 

Would you now crave for the 

presidential assent to the 

electoral bill? 

I think that now that it has not 

been assented to, we should take 

advantage as new members 

returning, coming with new 

ideas, and look at the electoral act 

again. What we had experience 

now probably we didn’t include 

it in the electoral act, this will give 

us an opportunity to introduce 

some of the things that we think 

we could do. For instance, the last 

time we had this electronic voting 

system that is by transmitting the 

results from units to ward, from 

ward to local government 

collation centres electronically, 

this would have reduced the level 

of corruption because whether 

you run away with the ballot box 

or not, by electronic means 

people would have the result. 

Most Nigerians are of the view 

that the current INEC has taken 

the country back like when 

democracy was birthed in 1999... 

I would say the system is 

getting complex on a daily basis, 

even the electorates are getting 

even more sophisticated. So, what 

happened in 2015 may not 

necessarily occur. I can assure you 

that they have tried but they need 

to do more, we want the best. 

When you were going for the 

elections, did you anticipate the 

number of victories the PDP got? 

To be sincere, as a member of 

APC, I believe that just like the 

kind of majority we have in the 

National Assembly, I thought that 

was how we will get across the 

states, that we would get more 

governors and the PDP less but 

we are politicians and the PDP 

has ambushed us in some areas. 

In Adamawa State, I never 

believed that with a sitting 

governor and we would lost the 

state to PDP. But it actually 

happened. The first time I noticed 

there was a problem was when in 

the presidential and National 

Assembly elections, I was the only 

APC candidate that won in the 

entire southern senatorial zone of 

Adamawa. PDP took two of the 

three senators and four of the eight 

members of the House of 

Representatives. It was then I 

knew that we needed to work 

hard. 

You are from Adamawa state 

and of the APC and the PDP has 

produced the governor there. 

How do you intend to work for 

the common good of the people? 

I am APC and I still believe in 

the manifesto of the APC and we 

have promised to take Nigeria to 

the next level and that next level 

included my constituency. The 

most important thing is that we are 

not opposition at the national 

level and I am a member of the 

House of Reps at the federal level 

so I am not in opposition but 

when I get back home I am seen 

as an opposition. I think the most 

important thing is that there are 

some bi-partisan things we do as 

politicians, when it comes to 

critical national issues and state 

matters; that is for the 

development of the people, I think 

we would be able to put aside our 

differences to work towards 

promoting one goal and after that 

we can go back to our partisan 

issues when the time comes.


By Osa Mbonu-Amadi, 

Arts Editor 

The past one year, especially 

the first three months of 

2019, has been a dark period for 

the arts community in Nigeria. 

Between February 2018 and 

March 2019, the country lost up 

to eight prominent artists and 

operators in the industry. 

The deceased include Professor 

Akinwunmi Isola (1939–2018), 

Nwachukwu Frank Ukadike 

(1959-2018); Olabisi Silva (1962- 

2019); Pius Adebola Adesanmi 

(1972-2019); Okwui Enwezor 

(1963-2019); and Paul Emema 

(1965-2019). 

Professor Akinwunmi Isola 

(1939–2018). Saturday 17 

February 2018 will remain a day 

of gloom for family, friends and 

the Yoruba theatre. It was the 

day the popular Yoruba 

playwright and scholar, 

Professor Akinwunmi Isola, 

passed on to the great beyond. 

The renowned playwright, 

actor, culture activist and scholar 

had spent his life time producing 

works that promoted the Yoruba 

language. Akinwumi Isola was 

a propagator of Yoruba 

language, culture, and 

progenitor of Yoruba literature 

who made Yoruba history 

popular beyond the shores of 

Africa. He died at the age of 79 

in his Akobo home in Ibadan, 

Oyo State. Ishola was a visiting 

Professor at the University of 

Georgia. 

Prof. Isola was born in Ibadan 

in 1939 and attended Labode 

Methodist School and Wesley 

College, before proceeding to 

the University of Ibadan where 

he earned a B. A. in French. He 

later bagged an M.A. in Yoruba 

literature from the University of 

Lagos in 1978. After obtaining 

his Master’s in Yoruba 

Literature, he commenced 

academic work as a lecturer at 

the Obafemi Awolowo 

University, Ile-Ife, where he was 

appointed professor in 1991. 

Isola wrote his first play, 

Efunsetan Aniwura between 

1961 and 1962 while still a 

student at the University of 

Ibadan. This was followed by 

the novel, O Leku, which was 

later turned into a movie. He 

also wrote a play entitled Olu 

Omo published in 1983. In 1986, 

he wrote and composed the 

college anthem for Wesley 

College, Ibadan. Prior to his 

demise, he delved into 

broadcasting and created a 

production company that turned 

a number of his plays into 

television dramas and films. 

Prof. Akinwunmi made history 

when he surprisingly delivered 

a university convocation lecture 

in Yoruba language at the 

Adekunle Ajasin University, 

Akungba-Akoko, Ondo State. 

His other works include; 

Efunsetan Aniwura, Oleku 

Iyálóde Ìbàdàn, and Tinúubú, 

Ìyálóde ¸gbá (1970); Madam 

Tinubu (1998); Ogún ÍmÍdé 

(1990); Belly Bellows (2009); and 

Herbert Macaulay and the Spirit 

of Lagos (2009). 

Ikeogu Oke Ikeogu (1967- 

2018) was an author, journalist 

and award-winning poet. In 

2017, he won the Nigeria Prize 

for Literature for his first 

collection of poetry, Heresiad. 

The Heresiad was nominated 

for the Nigeria Prize for 

Literature, along with work by 

Ogaga Ifowodo and Tanure 

Ojaide. The Heresiad won. In his 

acceptance speech, Ikeogu 

described poetry as “healthy 

narcotics.” “I am happy to be 

addicted to it as shown by my 

refusal to be swayed by such 

concerns. I have invoked the 

poem here hopefully to arouse 

the contemplation of how one’s 

resolve to pursue one’s dreams 

in spite of such concerns is the 

•Prof Akinwunmi Isola 

best decision that can lead to a 

fulfilled life,” he wrote in his 

acceptance speech. 

The book, which the judges 

described as “a bold and 

wonderful experiment whose 

great strength also could have 

been its great weakness” was 

also said to be “a work that 

speaks to an intense 

commitment to innovation, 

tenacity, joyful experimentation 

and social commentary in a way 

that provokes delight and 

engagement.” 

Before he died on November 

24, 2018, at the age of 51, Ikeogu 

wrote his own epitaph thus: 

“Here lies a man who loved 

virtue and art, and gave to both 

his fortunes and his heart.” He 

also left for the living, one of the 

most useful pieces of advice in 

the world: “Time is too precious 

to waste doing something you do 

not love, even if it brings you 

fortune.” 

He had an MA in Literature 

from the University of Nigeria, 

Nsukka and a BA degree in 

English and Literary Studies 

from the University of Calabar. 

Professor Nwachukwu Frank 

Ukadike (1959-2018) received 

his Bachelor of Arts from 

Croydon College, London, in 

1980 and a Master’s degree in 

film and telecommunications 

from the University of Oregon in 

1982 before moving on to New 

York University to earn a 

Master’s degree in cinema 

studies in 1986 and a PhD in 

1989. He was on the faculty of 

the University of Michigan 

before he joined the Tulane 

faculty in 1998. Professor 

Ukadike was a scholar of cinema 

•Ikeogu Oke 

and film history with special 

interest on African cinema, film 

and media of the African 

Diaspora. 

Olabisi Silva (1962-2019). She 

was Founder and Artistic 

Director of the Centre for 

Contemporary Art, Lagos (CCA, 

Lagos) which opened in 

December 2007, to promote 

research, documentation and 

exhibitions related to 

contemporary art in Africa and 

abroad, Bisi collected artworks 

•Olabisi Silva 

•Pius Adesanmi •Okwui Enwezor •Paul Emema 

When death swept through 

Nigerian arts community 

Nigerians woke up 

on Sunday, March 

10, 2019 to the 

horrible news of 

the crash of 

Ethiopian Airlines’ 

Boeing 737 MAX 8 

in Addis Ababa, 

Ethiopia of which 

Professor Adesanmi 

was among the 

passengers. No 

single soul, out of 

the 157 passengers, 

survived the crash 

from numerous exhibitions and 

was also the founder of the Asiko 

Art School which was part art 

workshop, part residency, and 

part art academy. She was on the 

editorial board of n.paradoxa, an 

international feminist art journal 

and was the guest editor for the 

Africa and African diaspora 

issue of n.paradoxa (January 

2013). 

Professor Pius Adebola 

Adesanmi (1972-2019) was born 

in Isanlu, in Yagba East Local 

Government area of Kogi State, 

Nigeria. He earned a Bachelor 

of Arts in French language from 

the University of Ilorin in 1992, 

a Master’s degree in French from 

the University of Ibadan in 1998, 

and a PhD in French Studies 

from the University of British 

Columbia, Canada, in 2002. His 

writings were often satiric, 

focusing on the absurd in the 

Nigerian social and political 

system. 

Nigerians woke up on Sunday 

March 10, 2019 to the horrible 

news of the crash of Ethiopian 

Airlines’ Boeing 737 MAX 8 in 

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia of which 

Professor Adesanmi was among 

the passengers. No single soul, 

out of the 157 passengers, 

survived the crash. 

Okwui Enwezor (1963-2019). 

Okwuchukwu Emmanuel 

Enwezor was the youngest son 

of an affluent Igbo family in 

Awkuzu in Anambra State. In 

1982, Okwui moved to the Bronx 

area of the USA at the age of 18 

after a semester at the 

University of Nigeria. In 1987, 

he earned a Bachelor of Arts 

degree in political science at the 

New Jersey City University. After 

graduation, he embraced poetry, 

and performed at the Knitting 

Factory and the Nuyorican Poets 

Café in the East Village. 

His study of poetry led him 

through language-based art 

forms like Conceptual Art to art 

criticism. After putting on a 

couple of small museum shows, 

he had his breakthrough in 1996 

as a curator of In/sight, an 

exhibit of 30 African 

photographers at the 

Guggenheim Museum. He 

served on numerous juries, 

advisory bodies, and curatorial 

teams. 

Okwui died on 15 March 

2019, in Munich, Germany. 

Paul Emema (1965-2019). Paul 

Okeoghene Emema was a native 

of Oleh in Isoko town of Delta 

State. Before he studied Mass 

Communication at the 

University of Uyo, he had 

created and written all the 

episodes of the popular TV 

series, Behind the Clouds and 

later, Supple Blues produced by 

the Nigerian Television 

Authority, NTA. His work, 

Barbers Wisdom was selected as 

part of the South African ‘New 

Directions Initiative’, and 

directed by Amaka Igwe on 

35mm; produced by Tajudeen 

Adepetu. He was co-writer, coproducer 

and co-director of over 

100 episodes of I Need to Know, 

a commissioned series on girlchild 

HIV education. 

He was confirmed dead on 

March 12, 2019, at the age of 52. 

Professor Gabriel Okara 

(1921-2019). Gabriel Imomotimi 

Okara is generally considered to 

be one of the founders of modern 

African literature. Okara and his 

contemporaries were faced with 

the challenge of overcoming the 

problem involved in expressing 

African idioms and thoughts in 

English language. What later 

became perfected as African 

Writing by writers like Chinua 

Achebe was an experiment 

began by writers like Gabriel 

Okara. 

Okara tried to enlist into the 

British Royal Air Force during 

World War II. When he failed to 

complete his training in the air 

force, he settled for the British 

Overseas Airway Corporation 

which later became British 

Airways. 

From 1945, he worked in a 

publishing company owned by 

colonial government of Nigeria 

as a printer and bookbinder. 

Between 1964 and 1970, he went 

into the Eastern Nigerian 

Government Service as 

information officer, and from 

1971 to 1975, he served the 

Rivers State Newspaper and 

Television Corps as general 

manager. 

A native of Bumoundi in 

Yenagoa Local Government Area 

of Bayelsa State, Okara 

attended Government College, 

Umuahia, from 1935 to 1941. He 

later studied at Northwestern 

University, Evanston, Illinois, 

where he was awarded a degree 

in comparative journalism in 

1960. 

Some of Gabriel Okara’s 

works include The Voice (a 

novel, 1964); The Fisherman’s 

Invocation (poems, 1978); Little 

Snake and Little Frog (children’s 

literature, 1981); An Adventure 

to Juju Island (children’s 

literature, 1992); The Dreamer, 

His Vision (poems, 2005); and As 

I See It (poems, 2006); Collected 

Poems (edited, 2016). 

Apart from Professor Gabriel 

Okara (1921-2019) and 

Professor Akinwunmi Isola 

(1939–2018), the rest are young 

men and women in their early 

50s. As we mourn these losses, 

we pray to God and say, please 

father, do not allow these types 

of calamities to befall us again.

Vanguard, MONDAY, APRIL 8, 2019 —37 

Odion’s book advocates 

new system of government 

lecturers teach in schools. 

Also, in tradocracy, any 

person, whether poor or 

middle class, including the 

rich, can contest for any 

political position because 

money is not tagged for 

political competition. 

In this interview with 

Osa Mbonu-Amadi, 

Odion Johnbosco Obumese 

marshals out the advantages 

of Tradocracy, his innovation. 

What’s wrong with the 

existing system? 

In their book, How 

Democracies Die, Professors 

Steven Levitsky and Daniel 

Ziblatt wrote that the presence 

of democratic institutions in a 

country does not necessarily 

mean that democracy is alive 

and well in that country. 

“The tragic paradox of the 

electoral route to 

authoritarianism,” they 

wrote, “is that democracy’s 

assassins use the very 

institutions of democracy – 

gradually, subtly, and even 

legally – to kill it...many 

government efforts to 

subvert democracy are 

“legal”, in the sense that 

they are approved by the 

legislature or accepted by the 

courts. They may even be 

portrayed as efforts to 

improve democracy – 

making the judiciary more 

efficient, combating 

corruption or cleaning up the 

electoral process.” 

So, what’s the alternative? 

Tradocracy. That is an 

alternative and better system 

of government to democracy. 

In tradocracy, electoral 

commission will not be 

controlled, financed or 

policed by government. 

Members of the commission 

are not appointed by 

government and elections 

are not policed by 

government. All professions 

are arms of government in 

tradocracy unlike in 

democracy whereby only one 

professional body, the law or 

judiciary, constitute an arm 

of government. 

In this system, there are 

four arms of government as 

against the three-arm 

system in democracy. The 

fourth arm is the researchure, 

and the representatives of this 

arm are known as 

researchurers. They represent 

professions, not states or 

senatorial districts. The 

primary function of the 

researchure is the 

harmonisation of professions. 

Your book also mentioned 

home cell court, Knowledge 

Theater, etc. 

Yes, tradocracy has home 

cell court known as native 

court controlled by local 

government councils. They 

are mobile courts which can 

be invited into homes to 

settle family disputes or 

domestic problems. In 

tradocracy too, innovation 

degree certificates are 

awarded to people with 

creativity by a knowledge 

theater. Seminars and 

symposia are used to select 

and confirm people with 

creativity for the purpose of 

innovative degree award. 

People with innovation 

degrees shall be employable 

and can contest for any 

political position. 

Knowledge Theater shall 

only award certificates to 

people with new ideas or 

new innovations or creativity. 

For example, an individual 

who discovers cure for cancer, 

diabetes, etc, 

shall be 

awarded the 

h i g h e s t 

innovation 

degree and such 

individual shall 

be allowed to 

teach in the 

university in 

the area of his 

creativity. This 

means that in 

tradocracy, 

university lecturers shall 

be academic lecturers and 

innovation degree 

lecturers. This method of 

education shall stimulate 

innovative tendencies 

amongst students. One 

might be a university 

professor but might not 

Seasoned theatre producer, 

Ayo Jaiyesinmi, has an 

exciting deal for theatre lovers 

this Easter as her acclaimed play, 

ITAN The Story, will hit the stage 

again. The play that usually leaves 

the audience enthralled even long 

after they have seen it, is coming 

back bigger than ever, based on 

the calibre of actors it is parading. 

For instance, people who have 

always associated with celebrity 

fashion entrepreneur, Funmi Ajila- 

Ladipo, will see her in another 

colour during the performance. 

The reason is that she is one of 

the lead members of the 70-man 

cast, with professionals such as 

Albert Akaeze, Nissi George and 

Omowumi Dada also doing what 

they know to do bet. 

Well, for fans of 

Instagram comedian, 

Broda Shaggi, it is time 

to behold what he can 

do in a feature drama 

such as ITAN as he is 

also a character there. 

ITAN was inspired by 

the need to resolve 

generational tensions, 

according to 

Jaiyesinmi. 

She explains: 

“Generational diversity 

and the emerging 

culture and future have 

impact on work and 

communities and this 

should be appropriately 

managed. It provokes 

thoughts around the 

I 

s 

tradocracy an 

antidote to 

rigging? 

Rigging of 

•Odion 

election shall 

be regarded 

as treason in 

tradocracy. 

Tradocracy is 

t h e 

government of 

the wellbeing 

of people, 

structured into 

four arms, a sovereign 

have innovative or creative 

ability. 

This type of education 

electoral commission and 

department of morality. It 

is an advanced and a better 

will help stimulate system of government to 

researches and industrial democracy. 

growth of a country. In 

democracy, only academic 

From Thespian Theatre, ITAN 

is back at MUSON for Easter 

emerging digital space and how 

life, work, spaces and communities 

will change over the coming years. 

ITAN is an intriguing stage play 

performed in English, laced with 

cultural and contemporary dance 

and music. 

“ITAN is even more delightsome 

this Easter. Re-scripted and part 

of 52-episodes story from the 

Comic Book Series: Tales From the 

Realm. The play cuts across 

different generations and it’s been 

enhanced to make sure that each 

‘Generation’ feels at home and 

thoroughly melts into the scenes 

that mirror them. The Music and 

Dance is revamped and fantastic 

and on the cultural flank, the 

audience gets to experience a bit 

more of other Nigerian cultures. Get 

ready to be thrilled at this super 

exciting show.” 

The play is based on what the 

producer calls cross-generational 

conflicts prevalent in our modern 

day world. In ITAN, an old and 

lonely recluse and village elder, Pa 

Latinwo, is shocked to find out that 

he has a grandson somewhere in 

the city. He sets off with high 

hopes to connect with the one 

person he can call family. 

He finds his grandson, Dee-Kay, 

but rather than acceptance, this 

city gangster dares to challenge 

Pa Latinwo’s beliefs and motives. 

Both rooted strongly in their 

generational beliefs, get into a 

bitter scuffle. Asiko, TIME 

personified, 

intervenes and 

takes them on a 

journey into the 

past and the 

future. They 

both discover 

dark secrets 

that have been 

shrouded by the 

veil of time. 

Does this 

mediation save 

the day or tear 

both worlds 

further apart? 

The audience 

have 90 minutes 

to experience 

the answer this 

Easter.

38 — Vanguard MONDAY, APRIL 8, 2019 

Drug-trafficking: Another Nigerian arrested 

in Saudi Arabia – Presidential aide 

Jayjay 

Anyone having value 

for life won’t deal on 

drugs. 

dap muo 

Dear Royal 

Ambassador, death may 

be the penalty for drug 

trafficking in your 

‘kingdom’, but where 

does common-sense 

punishment ends and 

human right violation 

starts. As injurious as 

drug trafficking is to 

societies, it is not murder 

even as many civilized 

nations are continuing 

to outlaw death penalty, 

even for murder. 

emezana 

Trafficking drugs to 

the Kingdom of Saudi 

Arabia, Singapore, 

Thailand, Malaysia, 

The Philippines and 

some Moslem Asian 

countries automatically 

Buhari 

attract capital 

punishment: death 

sentence either by 

hanging or beheading. 

Nigerians and the FGN, 

please massive 

enlightenment 

campaign is needed 

here. 

Banditry: I’m one of unhappiest world 

leaders — Buhari 

Burden of shame 

My dear president, the 

banditry comes from 

your political arms. 

Your political associates 

and opponents are 

mixing the cards only 

for their own 

advantages. 

ally 

Buhari is not unhappy 

president but he is the 

luckiest president. To 

be president at Buhari’s 

age, with his level of 

competency, with his 

level of education in 

contravention with the 

country’s constitution 

makes Buhari the 

luckiest president, so I 

don’t. 

Adetunji Isaac 

Abeegunde 

President Buhari 

government has been 

doing everything 

within his power to end 

the killing. And by the 

grace of God the end is 

here. 

omo56 

If President Buhari is 

unhappy,what about 

the thousands of 

Nigerians who are 

victims of fulani 

herdsmen? 

Power-shift to Southern Nigeria in 

2023, non-negotiable — APC chieftain 

Daddy peace Musa 

M. Dantsoho 

I will personally prefer 

power remains with an 

educated and 

economically sound 

northerner. 

Ekwuoma Idumute 

Umu-ugbede 

Rational democracy is 

not working.He who the 

cap fits, should wear it. 

Political parties should 

not only put their best 

foot in the front - they 

should more so put up 

the best qualified 

candidates forth: I 

mean, decent people. 

Daddy peace 

Ekwuoma Idumute 

Umu-ugbede 

The president can come 

from anywherePeople 

must be supported on 

account of competence. 

kassauto 

They already shouting 

2023.Meanwhile, 2019 

has not started yet. No 

wonder there is no 

progress in this country. 

Victor 

There will be no one 

Nigeria come 2023. 

Restructure or 

disintegrate. 

TRENDING ON TWITTER 

Muhammadu Buhari 

@MBuhari 

I want to appeal to 

Nigerians that we 

should not politicize 

this tragic situation 

in Zamfara. How can 

I be indifferent to the 

senseless killings 

and kidnapping of 

my fellow citizens by 

bandits, and the deep 

trauma and 

impoverishment that 

these attacks inflict 

on them? 

Ibrahim B. 

Babangida 

@General_Ibbro 

The killings in 

Zamfara is highly 

condemnable; the 

government should 

do more in 

protecting the lives 

and properties of 

every Nigerian.

Netanyahu vows to annex West Bank as 

Palestinians kick 

P ALESTINIANS 

voiced alarm while 

Israelis weighed the gravity 

on Sunday of Prime Minister 

Benjamin Netanyahu’s 

sudden election promise to 

annex Jewish settlements in 

the occupied West Bank. 

Some Israeli commentators 

saw the right-wing leader’s 

pledge on Saturday, as 

Tuesday’s national ballot approaches, 

as mainly a bid to 

siphon votes from ultranationalist 

rivals long advocating 

annexation. 

But after years of resisting 

far-right calls to formally put 

West Bank land captured in 

the 1967 Middle East war 

under permanent Israeli 

hold, Netanyahu could be 

counting on support for a 

dramatic shift from his close 

ally, U.S. President Donald 

Trump. 

“Who says that we won’t 

do it? We are on the way and 

we are discussing it,” Netanyahu, 

asked why he had 

not extended Israeli sovereignty 

to large West Bank 

settlements, told Israel’s 

Channel 12 News. 

In March, Trump broke 

with decades of international 

consensus by recognising 

Israeli sovereignty 

over the Golan Heights, territory 

Israel captured from 

Syria. That followed his December 

2017 recognition 

of Jerusalem as the capital 

of Israel, and the U.S. embassy’s 

move to the holy 

city last May. 

Asked in an interview on 

Friday on Israel’s Channel 

13 why he wasn’t pressing 

Trump now to approve a 

West Bank settlement status 

change, Netanyahu replied: 

“Wait until the next 

term.” 

Rwandan President Paul Kagame, Jeannette Kagame and their oldest son 

Ivan Cyomoro Kagame attend a wreath laying ceremony during the commemoration 

of the 25th anniversary of the genocide at the Genocide Memorial 

in Gisozi in Kigali, Rwanda April 7, 2019.REUTERS/Baz Ratner 

Taking Netanyahu at his 

word, Palestinians seeking 

statehood in the West Bank, 

Gaza and East Jerusalem 

called his settlement annexation 

remarks a violation of 

international law regarding 

occupied territory. 

“His declaration is not just 

in the heat of ... electioneering 

campaigns,” said Hanan 

Ashrawi, a Palestine Liberation 

Organization official. 

“This is the end of any 

chances of peace.” 

Rwanda honours those killed in genocide 

25 years ago 

*France's Macron to declare April 7 as commemoration day 

RWANDAN President 

Paul Kagame began a 

week of solemn ceremonies 

on Sunday to commemorate 

the lives of 800,000 Tutsi and 

moderate Hutus murdered 

during the Rwandan genocide, 

a three-month-killing 

spree that began 25 years 

ago. Kagame laid a wreath 

at the Gisozi genocide memorial 

site, where over a 

quarter a million of people 

are buried, before the government 

began an afternoon 

of speeches and song. 

“There is no way to fully 

comprehend the loneliness 

and anger of survivors and 

yet over and over again we 

have asked them to make the 

sacrifices necessary to give 

our nation new life. Emotions 

had to be put in a box,” Kagame 

said, his tall, thin form 

projected onto television 

screens around the nation. 

“We are far better Rwandans 

than we were. But we 

can be even better still. We 

are the last people in the 

world who should succumb 

to complacency.” 

The 100 days of slaughter 

began on April 6, 1994, after 

President Juvenal Habyarimana 

and his counterpart 

Cyprien Ntaryamira of Burundi, 

both Hutus were 

killed when their plane was 

shot down over the Rwandan 

capital. The attackers 

have never been identified. 

Among the legacies of the 

genocide is the International 

Criminal Court, which 

grew out of tribunals to investigate 

and prosecute those 

responsible for atrocities committed 

in Rwanda and during 

the Balkan wars of the 

1990s.At least 10 heads of 

state are attending, as well 

as Canadian Governor General 

Julie Payette and European 

Commission President 

Jean-Claude 

Juncker.“Meanwhile, 

French President Emmanuel 

Macron wants to declare 

April 7 as a national day of 

commemoration of the 

Rwandan genocide, his Elysee 

office said in a statement 

on Sunday. 

VANGUARD, MONDAY, APRIL 8, 2019 — 39 

May defends talking to 

Labour on Brexit 

PRIME Minister Theresa May has insisted she had 

to reach out to Labour in a bid to deliver Brexit or 

risk letting it "slip through our fingers". 

The PM said there was a "stark choice" of either leaving 

the European Union with a deal or not leaving at all. 

And shadow business secretary Rebecca Long-Bailey 

says if no-deal became an option Labour would consider 

"very, very strongly" voting to cancel Brexit. 

Some Tories have criticised the PM for seeking Labour's 

help on her deal. 

Commons Leader Andrea Leadsom said the Tories were 

working with Labour "through gritted teeth", adding that 

no deal would be better than cancelling Brexit. 

MPs have rejected Mrs May's Brexit plan three times 

and last week's talks between the two parties were aimed 

at trying to find a proposal which could break the deadlock 

in the Commons before an emergency EU summit 

on Wednesday. 

However, the three days of meetings stalled without 

agreement on Friday. 

In a video message posted on Sunday, Mrs May said 

she could not see MPs accepting her deal "as things 

stand". 

She added that she had been looking for "new ways" to 

get a deal through Parliament, but it would require "compromise 

on both sides". 

"I think people voted to leave the EU, we have a duty 

as a Parliament to deliver that," she added. 

Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn has said he was "waiting 

to see the red lines move" and had not "noticed any great 

change in the government's position". 

Algeria's parliament to 

elect interim president 

tomorrow 

ALGERIA’s parliament on Tuesday will elect a new 

interim president, state news agency APS said on 

Saturday, after veteran ruler Abdelaziz Bouteflika resigned 

following mass protests. 

Bouteflika ended 20 years in power on Tuesday after a 

final nudge by the military, following six weeks of protests 

calling for democratic reforms after almost 60 years 

of monolithic rule by veterans of the 1954-62 independence 

war against France. 

Under the constitution, both chambers of the assembly 

need to formally confirm the vacancy of the presidency 

and elect an upper house president to run the country on 

an interim basis for three months until elections. 

The current upper house chairman Abdelkader Bensalah 

stands to become interim president as of now. 

But he, like Prime Minister Nouredine Bedoui and 

Tayeb Belaiz, head of a Constitutional Council who had 

formally received Bouteflika’s resignation, are facing pressure 

from protesters to quit as they are seen as close to 

the establishment. 

Demonstrators want a completely new political landscape 

and they see the three as part of an old guard 

which helped keep Bouteflika in power for 20 years. 

In the weeks before Bouteflika’s resignation, his inner 

circle was depleted by the resignation of several of his 

close allies from influential positions in politics and business. 

Thousands of Sudanese protesters 

hold second day of sit-in outside 

Bashir's compound 

T 

HOUSANDS of protesters held a sit-in outside 

Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir’s residence in 

central Khartoum on Sunday, having camped there overnight 

following the biggest demonstration in months of 

protests against his 30-year rule, witnesses said. 

At least one person died on Saturday during “rioting” 

in Omdurman, Khartoum’s twin city, state news agency 

SUNA said, without giving details on the cause of death. 

Sudan has seen months of mostly small but sustained 

protests against Bashir’s rule in which dozens of demonstrators 

have been killed. Security forces have used 

tear gas, stun grenades and live ammunition to disperse 

protests, witnesses have said. 

Bashir has refused to step down, saying that his opponents 

need to seek power through the ballot box. 

Since the sit-in began on Saturday, security forces tried 

several times to clear the protesters from the compound’s 

vicinity using tear gas, including on Sunday morning, 

but thousands remained. 

Apparently emboldened by the success of similar but 

much larger protests in Algeria which forced ailing President 

Abdelaziz Bouteflika to step down last week, 

Sudanese activists called for Saturday’s protests to mark 

the anniversary of the 1985 military coup that overthrew 

autocratic president Jaafar Nimeiri following mass protests 

against his rule.

40—Vanguard, MONDAY APRIL 8, 2019 

YOUR LUCK TODAY 

By Joshua Adeyemo Phone 08056180139 

ARIES; This is the wrong time to fan embers of discord, 

especially within your working arena. Getting things done 

properly will earn you success. Be loving. 

TAURUS; Deception is in the air today. Unless you are 

very cautious those who thought they are more clever 

would take undue advantage of you to the detriment of 

your finances. Do away with gambling with matters of 

the heart. 

GEMINI; If you allow minor domestic challenge to go 

out of hands you would be the loser to the detriment of 

your cause. Make sure temper don’t over shoot acceptable 

limit, especially around 8.48pm till mid night. 

CANCER; As the day progresses you will encounter challenges 

you will need to handle with maturity. But here is 

a day when element of good luck will see you through. 

L E I S U R E 

TAKE HEART — ELLA RANDLE 

“You are only going to be as good as the people 

you surround yourself with. Be brave enough to let 

go of the ones who keep weighing you down.” Take 

Heart Quotes- 

When people are filled with love, they project 

love.Trust your inner senses or intuition.You know 

when someone is being loving towards you or being 

hateful or spiteful. Refuse to engage. Don’t allow 

yourself to get into such toxic space. -Ella Randle- 

TERROR MUDA in “Never say goodbye” 

SAYINGS OF 

OUR PEOPLE 

At the bottom 

of patience 

one 

finds heaven. 

~ African 

proverb 

By Kola Fayemi 

LEO; Although there will be challenges they will serve as 

the needed tonic to make head way; certainly success 

indicated for you. Be cautious from 8.48pm till mid night 

VIRGO; You are likely to over do things to the resentment 

of people within your base of operation. It is important 

you respect your superiors. Be family minded. 

LIBRA; If you don’t accord the law and it’s agents needed 

respects you may walk your way into avoidable trouble. 

Deception is around; be warned. 

SCORPIO; You may find yourself between some difficult 

people who want you to do their different biddings. Let 

reason be your guard so that you are not used painfully. 

SAGITTARIUS; If care is not taken you may be deceived 

just to pick cashew nuts from burning fire for others the 

way you can get your fingers burnt. Watch carefully from 

8.48pm. 

DUDU in “ROLLING HOT” By A.O. OLAIDE 

CAPRICORN; Those of you working late this evening 

will need to be on your guard, especially between 8.48pm 

till mid night as minor but costly mistake is possible. All 

of you should think of the law and say no to whatever 

cant be placed above board. 

AQUARIUS; Friends may unconsciously disappoint you 

today; that is to say it is better you don’t expect too much 

from promises made to you especially from 8.48pm. 

PISCES; Those of you who have been rigid of recent may 

be paid back in your own coins. Try your best to pacify 

your spouse and/or other important partners of yours. 

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 

CAN COLOUR HELP? 

Dear Joshua, 

I have it nice in some areas of my life while other side can 

not be said to be Ok Why? Somebody tells me that combination 

of good colours can assist; is it true? Anyway what 

are my colours, love life, socials, luck and the future? 

Seyi, Abuja. 

Dear Seyi, 

Yes good colours can enhance good prospects and mitigate 

some hard aspect if applied at the right time rightly 

Here is where a few challenges are indicated. Although 

you are the disciplined type, because of closeness between 

Venus (love) and difficult Saturn (tough challenges/delay) 

you just can not totally escape frustration in your love life. 

But as Saturn will not put one on trial without adequate 

reward, you will eventually be rewarded and be happy. Yet 

have it at the back of your mind that you must not expect 

too much through love. Luckily for you as Lucky Jupiter 

will soon be at a positive angle to your natal planets very 

soon, things will soon improve very rapidly. 

Yours is an active and happy social life. But then if POLI- 

TICS comes your way do not say no. 

Your POWERFUL MIND, both YOUR PERSONAL and 

OTHER PEOPLES’ INFLUENCES are many times sources 

of your SUCCESS. Then eleventh hour help assistance 

and or help always come your way some times when hopes 

are almost lost. You are meant to achieve GREATNESS. 

YELLOW/GOLDEN and black are your favourable colours. 

Your 36th year on earth will bring you unexpected break 

through which you can build on. And I am saying congratulations. 

VIRGINIA 

HOME & ABROAD 

dadadekola@yahoo.com 

By Lawrence Akapa





so that whatever 

happens, there is always 

someone to tell the story. 

“I also urge you to 

respect the culture and 

tradition of your host 

community wherever you 

will be posted for your 

primary assignment. No 

man in Africa will want 

his tradition or culture 

disrespected. So be coolheaded 

and humble 

anywhere you find 

yourselves. 

“Let me also charge 

you to become productive 

thinkers and doers in 

your efforts to move 

Nigeria and your society 

forward. I urge you to go 

out there and impact 

positively on the lives of 

people of your host 

community. Identify 

their problem and find a 

solution to that problem. 

By that, you would be 

leaving an indelible 

mark by touching on 

their lives positively,” 

DG Kazaure said. 

Earlier, the state coordinator, 

NYSC Katsina, 

Hajiya Ramatu Sanda 

said over 2,100 corps 

members reported and 

registered in the camp 

while noting that the 

Corp Members have so 

far displayed high level 

of discipline. 

Police station attacked, 

two cops killed 

In Kaduna, two 

policemen were killed 

when their police station 

was attacked. The 

gunmen also attacked 

Kakangi Village in Birnin 

Gwari. It was gathered 

that the bandits 

descended on the village 

and began shooting into 

the air before torching 

some houses. 

Scores were said to 

have been killed, 

although the exact figure 

could not be ascertained. 

A community source, 

said the suspected 

bandits burnt down a 

police station at Kakangi 

village, Birnin Gwari 

Local Government Area 

of Kaduna state, killing 

two policemen. It was 

gathered that the 

gunmen arrived the 

community on 

motorbikes around 

5a.m., and began 

shooting sporadically. A 

resident of the 

community, who did not 

want to be named said 

the suspected bandits, 

who were armed with AK- 

47, killed two other 

persons. 

Those who sustained 

injuries in the attack 

have reportedly been 

taken to the hospital for 

treatment. The state 

Police Public Relations 

Officer, Yakubu Sabo 

while confirming the 

incidence said a 

reinforcement had been 

sent to the area. 

“We received a distress 

call through DPO 

Randagi on 6/4/19 about 

1900hrs that Armed Men 

in large number entered 

Kakangi village of B/ 

Gwari LGA a 

neighbouring 

community to Niger 

state, shooting 

sporadically attacking 

the villagers. 

“Combined teams of 

PMF Personnel, 

conventional Police and 

Vigilante were quickly 

mobilized to the village 

engaged the bandits in 

fierce gun duel and 

successfully repelled the 

attack. Our gallant men 

gunned down three of 

the the bandits and 

several others escaped 

into the bush with bullet 

wounds. 

“However, two of our 

men paid the supreme 

sacrifice during the 

intense gun duel with 

the bandits. One Insp 

Aliyu Mohammed and Sgt 

Rabiu Abubakar both 

attached to Randagi 

Division, while Sgt 

Ibrahim Nasir along with 

six civilians were injured 

and are now receiving 

treatment at the General 

Hospital B/Gwari. 

“The attackers also 

torched some houses in 

the village. The 

Command has mobilized 

more reinforcement to the 

area with a view to 

apprehending the 

perpetrators of this attack 

and bring them to justice. 

“The Commissioner of 

Police, CP Ahmad 

Abdurrahman has 

condemned the attack and 

assured members of the 

public that the Command 

will fish out the culprits. 

He however appealed to 

the good citizens of the 

State to support the Police 

with prompt and relevant 

information that could 

help in getting rid of the 

bandits in the state. 

“The Commissioner of 

Police prayed for the 

repose of the souls of the 

gallant officers who lost 

their lives in the operation 

and quick recovery of the 

injured persons,” he said. 

In Anambra State, 

suspected herdsmen had 

weekend stormed a farm 

settlement at Mmiata 

Anam, Anambra West 

Local Government of the 

state, killing six persons 

and inflicted severe 

wounds on 30 others. 

One of the victims, said 

“The herdsmen stormed 

the Agweopia Farm 

Settlement Camp and 

Iyinkolo Farm Settlement 

Camp respectively, 

around 5.40a.m., on 

Friday, killed people and 

burnt houses and raped 

women and escaped 

before information 

reached the people in the 

community.” 

According to the victim, 

who was lucky to escape, 

“Before people of the 

area knew what was 

going on, the herdsmen 

had killed six people, 

leaving about 30 people 

with different degrees of 

injuries.” 

Protection of 

Nigerians, my main job 

— Buhari 

Meanwhile, President 

Buhari insisted that 

ensuring the protection of 

lives of Nigerians remains 

his primary responsibility. 

Responding in his 

tweet that he was 

indifferent to the killings, 

he wrote “It is ridiculous 

and unfair to suggest that 

I am not concerned about 

the situation in Zamfara, 

or doing anything about 

it. Ensuring the 

protection of the people 

of Nigeria is one of my 

primary responsibilities 

and functions. No other 

issue dominates my 

attention as much. 

“We are fully 

determined to tackle this 

challenge ferociously 

until these remorseless 

killers are crushed and 

utterly defeated. We have 

deployed security agents 

to all the areas currently 

under attack, and we are 

constantly fine-tuning 

and escalating our 

security strategy. 

“I am constantly in 

touch with the security 

chiefs, and receive 

regular briefings on the 

situation in Zamfara and 

across the country. Let me 

assure that we will 

continue to do everything 

to motivate and equip 

them to respond 

effectively to all our 

security challenges. 

“I want to appeal to 

Nigerians that we should 

not politicize this tragic 

situation in Zamfara. 

How can I be indifferent 

to the senseless killings 

and kidnapping of my 

fellow citizens by bandits, 

and the deep trauma and 

impoverishment that 

these attacks inflict on 

them?” 

IGP on foreign miners 

Similarly, briefing State 

House correspondents at 

the presidential villa 

Abuja, yesterday on the 

situation in Zamfara, 

acting Inspector-General 

of Police, Mohammed 

Adamu, said that any 

foreign miner that 

continues mining 

activities would have his 

license revoked. 

The briefing was 

attended by Chief of Staff 

to the President, Abba 

Kyari; Director General, 

Department of State 

BOMB BLAST VICTIMS—Victims affected by a double suicide attack, that 

killed at least three people and wounded more than 30, yesterday in Maiduguri. 

Borno State. Photo: AFP. 

Services, DSS; Yusuf 

Bichi and Director 

General National 

Intelligence Agency, NIA, 

Ahmed Abubakar. 

The Police IG said that 

it had been established 

that there was a nexus 

between activities of the 

bandits and illicit miners, 

adding that a combined 

team of security forces will 

be now dispatched to the 

area. 

He said: “As part of 

sustained efforts to flush 

out, and permanently put 

an end to armed banditry 

and criminality in Zamfara 

State in particular and the 

North West in general, the 

Nigeria Police Force in 

collaboration with the 

Nigerian Military and 

other security services 

have commenced 

“Operation PUFF- 

ADDER” which is a full 

scale security offensive 

against the bandits. 

“The operation is aimed 

at reclaiming every public 

space under the control of 

the bandits, arrest and 

bring to book all 

perpetrators of violence in 

the area and their 

collaborators, achieve a 

total destruction of all 

criminal camps and 

hideouts, mop up all illicit 

weapons fuelling the 

violence and attain a full 

restoration of law and 

order in the affected 

communities. 

“Our commitment at 

protecting the sanctity of 

life and property is 

irrevocable, and we will 

not scale-down the 

pressure on the armed 

bandits until they are 

totally flushed-out. 

“Meanwhile, in the face 

of intelligence reports that 

clearly establish a strong 

and glaring nexus 

between the activities of 

armed bandits and illicit 

miners — with both 

mutually re-enforcing 

each other, the Federal 

Government of Nigeria 

has directed as follows: 

“Mining activities in 

Zamfara and other 

affected states are hereby 

suspended with 

immediate effect. 

Consequently, any 

mining operator who 

engages in mining 

activities in the affected 

locations henceforth will 

have his licence revoked. 

“All foreigners 

operating in the mining 

fields should close and 

leave within 48hours. I 

want to assure the 

general public, 

especially in the affected 

areas that the security 

services are doing their 

best to address the 

situation. 

“May 1 appeal for the 

cooperation of the local 

communities, especially 

the traditional and 

religious leaders within 

the community. 

“Meanwhile, we note 

the use of social media to 

spread fake news, 

falsehood and deliberate 

misinformation. We 

therefore, urge our 

citizens to exercise 

restraint in circulating 

unconfirmed information 

capable of doing more 

damage to us all. 

“Let us not allow the 

social media to hijack our 

sense of judgment and 

capture our minds 

negatively.” 

Causality figure in 

Taraba Tiv/Jukun clashes 

rises to 10 – Official 

Also in Taraba State, 

Chairman of Wukari Local 


state, Mr Daniel Adi, 

has confirmed that 10 

people were killed and 

several others injured in 

the ongoing clashes 

between Jukun and Tiv 

ethnic groups. 

The Jukun and TIV 

ethnic groups share 

common boundary 

between Benue and 

Taraba states. 

In an interview with 

newsmen in Wukari, 

yesterday, Adi who 

called for calm, further 

disclosed that more than 

nine communities had so 

far been razed and 

displaced from the Kente 

ward of the affected area. 

“As I am talking to you 

now, several households 

including Government 

Day Secondary School, 

GDSS, Kente, were burnt 

down by the attackers in 

the early hours of today. I 

made efforts to contact my 

counterpart in Ukum LGA 

in Benue to appeal to his 

people to lay down their 

arms and embrace peace,” 

Adi said. 

He disclosed that the 

Wukari LGA was footing 

the bills of several injured 

persons currently 

receiving treatment at the 

Wukari general hospital. 

Meanwhile, Chief David 

Kente, a former All 


APC, governorship 

aspirant who hailed from 

the area, has condemned 

the wanton destruction of 

lives and property. 

He described the crisis 

as unfortunate, adding 

that the Tivs and Jukuns 

in Kente had co-existed 

peacefully for many years 

after their first clashes in 

1991. 

He appealed to both the 

Tivs and Jukuns to 

embrace peace and sheath 

their swords, promising 

that all those who lost their 

property to the current 

crisis on both sides of the 

borders would be assisted. 

“You see this is 

achievable because after 

the 1991 clashes between 

the two ethnic groups in 

Kente area, I single 

handedly provided 

succour to all the affected 

communities by providing 

roofing sheets, cement 

and related building 

materials. 

“I also provided 

boreholes to the affected 

communities both on the 

Benue side and Taraba,” 

he said. 

The Police Public 

Relations Officer, PPRO, 

of the Taraba Police 

Command, Mr David 

Misal, confirmed the 

development. 

He however, said after 

the death of two persons 

at the initial stage of the 

crisis on April 1, the 

police was yet to 

ascertain the actual 

casualty figure. 

Misal also confirmed 

that the command had 

deployed additional 

officers and men to 

restore peace and order 

in the area.


AJIBOYE 

This is to confirm that the 

name, Ajiboye Niyi Oladayo 

and Ajiboye Oladayo 

Oluwafemi refer to me. All 

former documents remain 

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note. 

IKEDINAEKPERE 

I, formerly known as Akunna 

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Godspower, now wish to be 

known as Akunna Ikedi 

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documents remain valid. 

General public take note. 

ESIEGBUUYA 

I, formerly known as Miss 

Esiegbuuya Oritseweyinmi 

Grace, now wish to known 

as Mrs. Okotie 

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valid. General public please 

take note. 

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I, formerly known as Edemo 

Pendeicta Efomena, now wish 

to be known as Irikefe Edemoh 

Efemena. All former 

documents remain vaild. 

Unity Bank Plc. General public 

take note. 

IFEMBIRI 


Maryjane Anenechi Ifembiri, 

now wish to be known as 

Maryjane Ananechi Abiahu. All 


valid. Nnamdi Azikiwe 

University and the general 

public please take note. 

MOSES 

I, formerly known as Omue 

Amejuma Moses, now wish 

to be known as Omue 

Amejuma. All former 


General public please take 

note. 

OKOLI 

I, formerly known as 

Onyinyechi Beloved Okoli, 

now wish to be known as 

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All former documents remain 


take note. 

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My name was wrongly written 

as Oyenubi Omowunmi 

Alimot, instead of Oyelude 

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I, formerly known 

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I, formerly known as Justina 

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Ihenacho Chinenye Bianca, 


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take note. 

EVWERHAMRE 


Evwerhamre Abigail, now 

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CONVOCATION/AWARD: From left; UNILAG Pro-Chancellor, Dr Wale Babalakin 

(SAN); Alhaja Lateefat Okunnu; Alhaji Femi Okunnu; Executive Secretary, 

National Universities Commission (NUC), Prof. Abubakar Rasheed and 

UNILAG Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Oluwatoyin Ogundipe after the conferment 

of a honorary doctorate degree on Okunnu at UNILAG. 

UNILAG Pro-Chancellor Dr Wale Babalakin (left watching as the Registrar, Mr Oladejo 

Azeez (2nd left); and the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Oluwatoyin Ogundipe; dress up Alhaji 

Femi Okunnu; who was conferred with a honorary doctorate degree. 

GRADUATION: 

Miss Aderinsola 

Adekoya, daughter 

of Vanguard's 

Deputy Editor, Mr 

Adekunle Adekoya 

here poses with her 

mum, Mrs Ayo 

Adekoya during 

her convocation at 

the University of 

Lagos, Akoka, 

where she obtained 

an M.A. in English 

Literature. 

MENTORSHIP: From left: Executive Director, Pheek Foundation; Mrs Morolake 

Babayeju, Guest Speaker and CEO, Swan Elite Ltd, Aisha Atta and Founder Pheek 

Foundation & CEO, iCentra Taopheek Babayeju during the Pheek Foundation’s W40 

Career Devt and Mentoring Programme for women held in Abuja at weekend.



OPERATION POGBA: 

Real Madrid step up 

pursuit of United star 

Real Madrid have stepped 

up their pursuit of 

Manchester United 

midfielder Paul Pogba by 

launching ‘Operation 

Pogba’. 

The World Cup winner is 

very much on Los Blancos’ 

radar and the La Liga giants 

hope his agent Mino Raiola 

‘can apply pressure’ at Old 

Trafford to lure him away, 

according to Spanish 

publication Marca. 

Although Madrid 

manager Zinedine Zidane 

reportedly expects a ‘drawnout 

saga’ to try to bring 

Pogba to the Bernabeu in 

the summer transfer 


Ahead of France’s Euro 

2020 qualifying win over 

Moldova last month, Pogba 

was quizzed on interest 

from Spain. 

‘Like I’ve always said, 

Real Madrid is a dream for 

anyone. It’s one of the 

biggest clubs in the world,’ 

•Zidane 

he said. 

‘There is also Zidane as a 

coach and it’s a dream for 

anybody who likes football. 

For now, I’m at Manchester. 

•Pogba 

We don’t know what the 

future holds. I’m at 

Manchester and I’m happy.’ 

Zidane warmly welcomed 

the interest expressed by 

Costa faces ban of up to 12 

games for insulting ref 

•Diego Costa 

Diego Costa’s sending 

off in Camp Nou on 

Saturday night during 

Atlético’s 2-0 defeat to 

First-half goals by 

Themba Zwane and 

Wayne Arendse along with 

strikes by Ricardo 

Nascimento, Gaston Sirino 

and Phakamani Mahlambi 

gave Sundowns their very 

first win over the Egyptian 

giants in five attempts. 

Speaking after the game, 

Barcelona cost his side 

dear as the title was 

effectively wrapped up 

by the reigning 

CAF Champions League: 

Sundowns did homework on Al 

Ahly – Mosimane 

an understandably 

delighted Mosimane 

brushed off any suggestion 

that his side were lucky, 

stating that the win was 

courtesy of thorough 

planning and perfect 

execution by his players. 

“We watched eight games 

of Al Ahly,” Mosimane was 

quoted as saying by 

PowerFM. 

“The last two were of 

Pyramids and Zamalek. We 

got the patterns, how they 

play. We did our homework. 

•Mosimane 

It wasn't luck. We worked 

for it. We knew all their 

danger areas, all their 

danger men,” he added. 

Meanwhile, despite the 

resounding win, 

Mosimane has refused to 

get too carried away 

showing respect to his 

opposite number Martin 

Lasarte who is now seen as 

having his head on the 

chopping block. 

champions, but the 

striker could also pay 

dearly for his moment of 

madness with a possible 

ban of between four and 

12 games to be decided 

by the LaLiga 

disciplinary committee. 

Match referee Jesús Gil 

Manzano stated in his 

report of the incident in 

the first half that Costa, 

disagreeing with a 

decision, shouted an 

insult at him 

repeatedly: “In minute 

28 the player (19) Da 

Silva Costa, Diego, was 

sent off for the following 

reason: He came at me 

with a loud voice, saying: 

‘me cago en tu puta 

madre! me cago en tu 

puta madre!’” 

A widely-used phrase 

in Spanish, the literal 

translation of which is “I 

shit on your whore 

mother,” it could see 

Costa slapped with a ban 

of between four and 12 

games under Article 94 

of the Liga disciplinary 

code, which cites 

“directing insulting or 

offensive language at the 

referee, assistant referees 

or fourth official, except 

in cases where is 

constitutes part of a more 

serious offence” as being 

punishable to that 

degree. 

However, if LaLiga 

decides to be merciful, 

Costa could be charged 

under Article 117, which 

prohibits “disdainful or 

contemptuous 

language” towards 

officials. If Costa is found 

to have been in breach of 

this rule and not the 

more serious Article 94, 

his ban will be two or 

three games. 

Pogba in moving to Real 

Madrid this summer. 

Meanwhile, Eden 

Hazard’s move to European 

giants Madrid is on the 

verge of being completed, 

according to reports in 

Spain. 

Champions League: 

Ronaldo will 

be fit 

for Q-final 

clash against 

Ajax 

J u v e n t u s 

manager Massimiliano 

Allegri has revealed that 

Cristiano Ronaldo should 

be fit for the first leg of their 

Champions League quarterfinal 

against Ajax this week. 

The Portuguese star has 

been out of action since 

March 25 after suffering a 

thigh injury while on 

international duty with 

Portugal. 

Despite the five-time 

Ballon d’Or winner’s 

absence, Juve have claimed 

nine points out of nine in 

Serie A but it will be a relief 

to have him back in 

Amsterdam on Wednesday 

night. 

Speaking after Saturday 

night’s narrow 2-1 win over 

AC Milan, Allegri gave a 

positive update on his star 

man’s fitness. 

‘He (Ronaldo) always feels 

ready, but I told him to rest 

(against Milan),’ the Italian 

said. 

•Ronaldo 

Oshoala, Payne out of 

Falcons friendly 

Asisat Oshoala and Antionette 

Oyedupe Payne will definitely 

not feature for the Super Falcons 

in their high profile friendly 

against Canada today. 

Barcelona star Oshoala has 

not trained with the African 

champions since their arrival in 

Spain as she is still recovering 

from a hamstring injury 

suffered against Atletico 

Madrid. 

It is understood that the former •Oshoala 

Arsenal and Liverpool striker briefly 

met with her teammates upon their 

arrival in Spain before returning to Barcelona to continue her 

rehabilitation. 

As for Toni Payne, Sevilla received her invitation letter late 

and have refused to release her to the Nigeria Football Federation 

because of their precarious league position. 

Super Falcons manager Thomas Dennerby wanted to observe 

the former United States U17 international at the training camp 

with a view to including her on the roster for the 2019 Women’s 

World Cup. 

The Nigeria Football Federation have applied to FIFA for a 

one-time change of association and are confident that it will be 

approved before the World Cup. 

Oboabona shines as Gorica slay Rijeka 

back extended his 

impressive form in the top 

tier league to steer Gorica 

to 42 points after 28 rounds 

of matches. 

Kristijan Lovric’s 48th 

minute strike proved to be 

enough for the homers to 

snatch maximum points at 

the ŠRC Velika Gorica 

(Velika Gorica). 

Next weekend, Rijeka 

•Oboabona 

Nigeria international 

Godfrey Oboabona 

enjoyed a spectacular 

outing in the Croatian 

HNL.1 to help HNK Gorica 

pip Rijeka 1-0 to move to 

sixth on the ladder. 

The hard tackling centre 

are at home to Inter 

Zaprešic for a Saturday 

night game, while Gorica 

will aim to move up the log 

with a tricky match against 

Slaven Koprivnica. 

Oboabona joined the 

Stadion Radnik outfit after 

departing Saudi Arabia 

side Al-Ahli at the end of 

the 2017-18 season. 

MRI knocks out five regulars 

from Eaglets AFCON squad 

Five members of the national U17 team, the Golden Eaglets 

that helped the team lift the WAFU B U17 Championship 

in Niger Republic won’t be part of the squad to the U17 Africa 

Cup of Nations as they failed to scale through the Magnetic 

Resonance Imaging (MRI) test. 

The test is usually done to help know if the players are 

within the age limit for the tournament, no thanks to the 

menace of age cheats which has seen some teams parade 

players that are older than the stipulated age range for the 

tournament. 

Top among the list is one of the best players in the Nigerian 

team, goalkeeper John Ikedinachukwu Amah who had a near 

perfect display at the WAFU B Championship which Nigeria 

won on penalty kicks after drawing 1-1 with Ghana in the 

final. 

Also the left and right full backs of the team Muhammed 

Ibrahim and Babatunde Akinsola Jimoh were also knocked 

out by the scan, same as influential left footed midfielder 

Hassan Hussein and striker Favor Akeem. 

•Eaglets 

LMB reschedules Kwese Premier 

League Preseason tourney 

The League Management Board, LMB of the Kwese 

Basketball Premier League has announced the 

rescheduling of the preseason tournament earlier 

scheduled for April 8-10, 2019 

A statement signed on behalf of the League 

Management Board by Ajibarede Bello disclosed that 

“the rescheduling is necessary in order to adequately 

harness the technical, logistical and financial resources 

to support the participation of the league clubs” in view 

of the difficult financial situation of the clubs. 

Stressing that the “preseason tournament is meant to 

assist teams recruit players, fine-tune rosters and 

prepare for the new season.” 

The LMB stated that a new date will be communicated 

to the clubs soon. 

“In the interim, the League Management Board will 

continue to strategize, engage clubs and keep all 

concerned updated on all efforts to kick-start the new 

season,” the statement said.



ARSENAL missed the 

chance to climb above 

North London rivals 

Tottenham as they slumped 

to a 1-0 defeat at Everton in 

a game that saw them create 

few chances. 

Defender Phil Jagielka — 

a late replacement for the 

unwell Michael Keane — 

scored the only goal after 10 

minutes, sliding home from 

close range, with Unai 

Emery’s side unable to 

muster a response. 

Arsenal thought they 

should have had a penalty 

after two minutes when 

Alexandre Lacazette ran 

into the area and appeared 

to be caught by Kurt 

Zouma, but referee Kevin 

Friend waved the appeals 

away. Friend was in the 

thick of the action moments 

later, booking Arsenal’s 

Matteo Guendouzi for a 

foul on Lucas Digne, with 

Digne needing treatment 

before he could continue. 

Arsenal miss chance to 

return to third place 

Everton made the 

breakthrough after 10 

minutes when Jagielka, in 

the Arsenal box at a long 

throw, finished at the near 

post when the ball fell to him 

Lionel Messi has surpassed Iker 

Casillas as the Liga star with most wins 

in the competition as he helped Barcelona 

take a huge step towards the title on 

Saturday. The Catalans were made to sweat 

for the three points by Atletico Madrid, 

despite the visitors losing Diego Costa early 

in Camp Nou due to a red card for dissent . 

It was not until the 84th minutes that Barca 

made the breakthrough, having seen Jan 

Oblak frustrate the likes of Messi and Luis 

Suarez with a string of brilliant saves. 

at close range. 

Digne and Richarlison 

combined as the home side 

looked to double their lead, 

Andre Gomes firing over 

from outside the area. 

Messi sets new Liga landmark 

Suarez converted with a stunning strike 

from the edge of the area that flew into the 

net beyond the goalkeeper’s grasp to break 

the deadlock against the 10-man 

Colchoneros. Messi then stepped up just 

two minutes later with an outrageous nolook 

finish that left Oblak rooted to the 

spot, assuring a hard-fought 2-0 victory for 

the league leaders. It also marked a 

moment of individual distinction for the 

Argentina, as he sent another longstanding 

Liga record tumbling. 

With Everton on top, 

Arsenal had a second player 

booked when Sokratis 

Papastathopoulos hauled 

down Dominic Calvert- 

Lewin after Gylfi 

Sigurdsson had found him 

in midfield with space to 

run into. 

Pele returns to Brazil today 

Brazilian 

football 

legend Pele, who has 

been in hospital in Paris, 

will return to Brazil today, 

his advisor told AFP on 

Saturday. 

“We’re going back to Sao 

Paulo on Monday,” said the 

advisor, without providing 

•Pele 

Ronaldinho’s son Joao 

Mendes de Assis 

Moreira has signed his first 

professional contract with 

Cruzeiro. 

The promising forward, 

who will be playing with the 

under-14 squad, has signed 

a deal for several years. 

“[Cruzeiro] were the team 

that opened the gates for 

me. I am very fond of the 

club,” he said. “The training 

sessions are great and the 

infrastructure is top level. 

We’re talking about Brazil’s 

best club and it’s a pleasure 

to be here.” 

Cruzeiro were unaware 

that Joao was the son of 

former Brazil international 

Ronaldhino until after he 

joined the club. 

NFF to support Chukwu’s 

medical treatment 

The Nigeria Football Federation has moved to provide 

support for former Nigeria captain and coach 

Christian Chukwuemeka Chukwu to overcome his present 

health challenges and get back on his feet soonest. 

President of the Nigeria Football Federation, Mr. Amaju 

Melvin Pinnick, who is in the United Kingdom, said 

yesterday that he has mandated the Chairman of Enugu 

State Football Association and Member of the NFF 

Executive Committee, Hon. Chidi Ofo Okenwa to pay a 

visit to the 1980 Africa Cup of Nations –winning team 

captain and get the details of his challenges and what he 

needs to be done to return him to good health. 

“I am not in Nigeria presently but I have asked the NFF 

Acting President, Barr. Seyi Akinwunmi to take full charge 

and ensure that this matter is treated promptly. It was for 

this kind of development that I spoke about the welfare 

foundation for our legends at the 2nd AITEO-NFF Awards 

in Lagos on 1st April 2019. The NFF would always be there 

to lend support to our legends in their hour of need,” 

Pinnick said. The NFF President, who is also 1st Vice 

President of CAF and President of AFCON, is on his way 

to Cairo, Egypt for final inspection of facilities for this year’s 

Africa Cup of Nations finals, as well as meetings of the 

AFCON organizing committee and CAF Exco ahead of 

Friday’s draw ceremony for the championship. 

Early reports on the health challenges of the former 

Nigeria defence stalwart indicated that there is need to 

raise the sum of $50,000 for his round trip to the United 

States of America, surgery, medication and general aftersurgery 

care. A patron of Chukwu’s former club, Enugu 

Rangers FC, Mr. Benson Ezeomeogo Ejindu made this 

known in a Facebook post seeking to raise funds for the 

legend. Christian Chukwu captained the senior national 

team of Nigeria as they won their first – 

ever Africa Cup of Nations title in 1980, 

receiving the brand new Unity Cup from 

then President Shehu Shagari. He also 

captained the Enugu Rangers FC team 

that won the Africa Cup Winners’ Cup 


Nicknamed ‘Chairman’ for the 

authority he exuded as he marshalled 

the defence and launched onslaughts 

on the opposition defence for club 

and country, Chukwu also 

served as assistant coach of 

the first team to win a FIFA 

World Cup trophy for 

Nigeria – the Golden 

Eaglets that triumphed at 

•Christian Chukwu 

the FIFA U16 World Cup 

in China in 1985. 

any more details. 

The three-time Soccer 

World Cup winner was 

admitted to a Paris hospital 

with a urinary tract infection 

on Wednesday, the day after 

appearing at a promotional 

event with France striker 

Kylian Mbappe. 

The hospital has not said 

when the 78-year-old will 

be discharged. 

Brazilian news website 

G1 reported that Pele had 

intended to come out of 

hospital on Saturday to 

return to Brazil but had 

been delayed by further 

tests and would stay under 

observation until he was 

100 percent. The infection 

was not serious and was 

under control, according to 

members of Pele’s 

entourage. 

Ronaldinho’s son signs 

for Cruzeiro 

•Moreira 

Ahead France 

2019: Fierce 

test for Super 

Falcons in 

Spain 

After pounding a first 

division club from 

Iceland (UMF Selfoss) 6-1 

on Friday, Nigeria’s Super 

Falcons face a more 

worthwhile test when they 

square up to their Canadian 

counterparts in a friendly 

match in the city of Murcia, 

Spain today. 

Following earlier tests 

against teams like China 

and Belgium in the run –up 

to the 8th FIFA Women’s 

World Cup finals in France 

this summer, the nine –time 

African champions will be 

able to truly measure their 

progress against the 

Canadians, who have 

promised to field their full 

strength on the day. 

Bayern crush 

Dortmund to 

reclaim top spot 

Champions Bayern 

Munich dismantled 

Bundesliga title rivals 

Borussia Dortmund 5-0 on 

Saturday, scoring four goals 

in a flawless first half to 

reclaim top spot and get 

back on course for a recordextending 

seventh straight 

league crown. 

Bayern exploded into 

action and scored twice in 

the opening 17 minutes 

through Mats Hummels 

and Robert Lewandowski, 

adding two more from Javi 

Martinez and Serge Gnabry 

before the interval. 

Lewandowski’s strike 

meant he became only the 

fifth player in Bundesliga 

history to reach the 200-goal 

mark and the first foreigner 

to do so.


Vanguard, MONDAY, APRIL 8, 2019 

TODAY’S PUZZLE 

Sudoku 

FRIDAY’S ANSWER 

TODAY’S CROSSWORD 

QUICK CROSSWORD 

THURSDAY’S SOLUTION 

How to Play Sudoku 

ACROSS 

1 Mislaid (4) 

3 Final performance before 

retirement (4,4) 

9 Eldest son of French 

king (7) 

10 Evade (5) 

11 Deduce (5) 

12 Ingenious (6) 

14 Charitable giver of 

help (4,9) 

17 Rupture (6) 

19 Large striped cat (5) 

22 More competent (5) 

23 Scandinavian country (7) 

24 Precious stone (8) 

25 Average (4) 

DOWN 

1 Digs (8) 

2 Powdered tobacco (5) 

4 RAF officer (4,9) 

5 Female relative (5) 

6 Rich, luxurious (7) 

7 Scottish valley (4) 

8 Financial holdings (6) 

13 Continuous (8) 

15 Coincide partly (7) 

16 Part of the eye (6) 

18 Compass bearing (5) 

20 Forest clearing (5) 

21 Asian country (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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08042019 - KILLINGS, BANDITRY: Sorrow in Anambra, Zamfara, Katsina, Rivers, Borno

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