18042019 - PRESIDENTIAL TUSSLE:I always beat you in every election, Buhari tells Atiku

OLU FASAN 

STATE OF THE NATION 

Nigeria’s deep 

fiscal quagmire 

and tax 

31 

conundrum 

Buhari 

8 

set to 

dissolve 

cabinet 

Apapa, Badagry, 

other Lagos roads: 

FG, Lagos govt 

abandon motorists, 

commuters 

to misery 38 

Access Bank declares N45.10bn pre-tax profit in Q1 

ECONOMY 

POWER: National grid system 

collapses 6 times in 4 months 

GTBank reports 57bn profit for Q1’19 

Investors withdraw N94.09bn 

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19 

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19 

VOL. 26: NO. 63789 THURSDAY, APRIL 18, 2019 

PRESIDENTIAL TUSSLE: 

I always beat you in every 

election, Buhari tells Atiku 

•Queries powers of tribunal to order fresh election 

•Adds: Not only do I have SSCE, I rose to top of my military career 

APC House of Reps-Elect dinner... 

By Ikechukwu 

Nnochiri 

ABUJA — 

President 

Muhammadu 

Buhari, yesterday, took a 

swipe at the presidential 

candidate of the Peoples 

Democratic Party, PDP, 

Alhaji Atiku Abubakar in 

the recently concluded 

presidential election, 

describing him as a 

serial loser. 

In a preliminary 

Continues on Page 5 

Naira 

appreciates 

to N359/$ in 

parallel market 

41 

Mr & Mrs 

President Muhammadu Buhari (M) with APC National Chairman, Adams Oshiomhole (left) and House Leader, Femi Gbajabiamila 

as the president hosts APC House of Representatives-Elect to dinner in State House, Abuja, Tuesday. State House photo. 

SUBSIDY REMOVAL: 

Court 9 

dismisses 

suit on sale 

of 9-Mobile 

$1.2bn Malabu Oil 

9th NASS: PDP, 

We’re yet to scam: Court 

Reps blast 

find formula orders arrest of 

Oshiomhole 

that works 

41 Adoke, Etete, 4 

on c’ttee 

14 

—Finance Minister others 

chairmanship 

8 

COLUMNIST GAMBO DORI 17 IKECHUKWU AMAECHI 40 

C 

M 

Y 

K

2 — Vanguard, THURSDAY, APRIL 18, 2019

Vanguard, THURSDAY, APRIL 18, 2019 — 3


vanguardnews @vanguardnews @vanguardnews 

Vanguard, THURSDAY, APRIL 18, 2019 — 5 

POCKET CARTOON 

ON SECURITY—Wife of the President, Hajia Aisha Buhari (4th right) flanked by the wife of the 

Chairman, APC Governors Forum, Dame Nkechi Okorocha (4th left) and a Security Expert, Mrs. 

Olufunke Amos (3rd right) joined by other wives of governors after a workshop to discuss the role of 

women in finding lasting solutions to the security problems in the country at the State House, Abuja, 

yesterday. Photo: Abayomi Adeshida. 

I always beat you in every election, 

Buhari tells Atiku 

Continues from Page 1 

objection he filed to 

challenge the 

competence of the 

petition that Atiku and 

PDP, lodged against his 

re-election on February 

23, President Buhari, 

boasted that he had 

always defeated the PDP 

candidate in every 

electoral contest that 

both of them took part 

in. 

Buhari maintained 

that the electorate 

always chose him ahead 

of Atiku, in both interparty 

or intra-party 

contests, using the 2014 

presidential primaries of 

the All Progressives 

Congress, APC, as an 

instance. 

“The respondent 

further avers that at every 

previous instance, 

whether at intra-party or 

inter-party contests, 

where he and the 1st 

petitioner had vied, he 

has always been the 

preference of the 

electorate and/or 

delegates. 

“In particular, at the 

primary election 

conducted by the 3rd 

respondent (APC) in 

2014, to pick its 

presidential candidate 

for the 2015 election, the 

1st petitioner and 

respondent, amongst 

others, were the 

candidates and while the 

respondent polled 3,430 

votes, 1st petitioner 

came a distant third with 

954 votes,” President 

Buhari stated in the 

process he filed before 

the Presidential Election 

Petition Tribunal sitting 

in Abuja. 

Buhari also queried the 

powers of the tribunal to 

nullify his election 

victory at the poll, 

contending that the joint 

petition Atiku and the 

PDP entered against him 

was incompetent as it 

was based on 

conjectures. 

Insisting that reliefs 

the petitioners are 

seeking from the 

tribunal were “vague, 

nebulous and lacking in 

specificity,” he argued 

that most of the issues 

and grounds of the 

petition were not only 

“mutually exclusive,” 

but also outside the 

jurisdiction of the 

tribunal. 

He contended that by 

virtue of Section 31(5) 

and (6) of the Electoral 

Act, 2010, as amended, 

only the Federal High 

Court or High Court of a 

State has jurisdiction to 

adjudicate on some of the 

issues, among which 

included the allegation 

that he was bereft of the 

requisite educational 

qualification. 

Buhari told the tribunal 

that contrary to Atiku’s 

allegation that he 

submitted false academic 

qualifications in the 

Form CF001 he used to 

secure clearance from 

the Independent 

National Electoral 

Commission, INEC, he 

said he was at the time 

of the election, 

“eminently qualified to 

contest the election, 

having not only the 

minimum qualification of 

reading up to secondary 

school level, but rose to 

the peak of his career as 

a General in the 

Nigerian Army with 

cognate experience and 

training. 

“All information in the 

affidavit submitted by 

the respondent for the 

purpose of his election to 

the office of President of 

the Federal Republic of 

Nigeria is true and 

correct, to the best of his 

information and 

knowledge,” he added. 

Consequently, he 

maintained that all 

paragraphs of the 

petition relating to, or 

touching on his alleged 

non possession of 

requisite educational 

qualification, “are liable 

to be struck out.” 

He argued that the 

alternative relief in the 

petition seeking a fresh 

election, was 

inconsistent with relief 

409(a), (b), (c), (d) and 

(e) of the same petition, 

saying, “thus, all the 

reliefs in the petition are 

liable to be struck out.” 

“The entire reliefs are 

not justiciable, as the 

petitioners who claim to 

have scored majority of 

lawful votes in 

substantial number of 

states, are also 

questioning their own 

return in those states; the 

petitioners cannot act as 

petitioners and 

respondents in the same 

petition. 

“By the petitioners’ 

pleadings, they claim to 

have majority of votes 

cast at the election in 

Rivers Bayelsa, Akwa 

lbom, Enugu, Ebonyi, 

Abia, Imo, Delta, Cross 

River, Edo, Anambra, 

Ondo, Oyo, Benue, 

Plateau, Adamawa, 

Taraba, and the Federal 

Capital Territory, Abuja; 

yet, they seek an 

alternative and 

incongruous relief that 

the presidential election 

of February 23, 2019, be 

Continues on Page 41 

By Bose Adelaja, Ebun Sessou, 

Yinka Latona, Chiamaka Uba, 

Dickson Omobola&Tolulope Oke 

How can the killing of innocent citizens by Police, Customs be stopped? (4) 

THE incessant kill 

ing of innocent people 

by the Nigerian Police 

Force is unfortunately 

not a new trend but 

the rate at which it happens 

is now scary. This 

menace will not stop until 

the root cause is addressed. 

Nigerians are 

reaping the reward for 

recruiting less educated 

people into the Police. 

Holistic reform is required. 

Mr. Haruna Ismail, 

Security expert 

I 

think the Nigerian 

Police Force should 

be overhauled. Young intelligent 

people with 

proper training should be 

brought in. These days, 

people dread police officers 

and it is not supposed 

to be. People should see 

a police officer and be 

happy but the reverse is 

the case. The police are 

supposed to serve and 

protect not kill and 

destroy.Mr. Michael 

Ekanem, Visual communicator 

I 

think the customs are 

already imitating the 

unprofessional conduct 

of the police and it is 

quite unfortunate. I am a 

member of the EndSARs/ 

ReformPoliceNg Movement. 

I am afraid we 

might not stop having 

these frequent occurrences 

of police brutality 

until the Police Reform 

Bill 2018 is passed, and 

signed to law. 

Mr. Oluyemi Fasipe, 

Communication Strategist 

Incessant killing of in 

nocent citizens by security 

personnel is condemnable. 

It is caused by 

the virus in the system 

which is corruption. 

Many of the para-military 

officers are inexperienced 

and lack orientation 

because they took 

the job for the sake of unemployment 

and not because 

of passion. 

Mr. Laoye Laide, Security 

Personnel 

In a society where 

lives aren’t valued, 

and where people only 

think about how to survive, 

the killings by the 

police is a threat to our 

existence. It is sad that 

people in the executive 

arm of the government 

do not care. They don’t 

care about the security of 

the populace. As we 

struggle daily to survive, 

we also struggle to secure 

ourselves. 

Mr. Toyosi Ayeleso, 

Brand Strategist 

We should amend 

the constitution to 

make it possible for a law 

that would punish police 

officers who commit such 

a crime. The punishment 

should be severe. Also, 

the government should 

put in place a better border 

policing system so 

that everything entering 

the country is correctly 

checked to end the killings 

by customs officers. 

Mr. Olajide Oladele, 

Pastor

6—Vanguard, THURSDAY, APRIL 18, 2019 

NSCDC officer’s 

death: Police 

dock 2 traffic 

wardens for 

culpable 

homicide 

By Joseph 

Erunke 

ABUJA—THE Police 

have charged two 

dismissed traffic wardens 

allegedly responsible for the 

death of an officer of 

Nigerian Security and Civil 

Defence Corps, NSCDC, 

ASP Ogah Jumbo, to court 

for culpable homicide. 

The police, in a statement, 

yesterday, by Force Public 

Relations Officer, DCP Frank 

Mba, said the two dismissed 

traffic wardens, Idoko 

Sunday and Katdel Dabit, 

were arraigned in court, 

yesterday, “for complicity in 

the unfortunate death of an 

NSCDC officer." 

The police in the statement 

said: “The arraignment of 

the erstwhile traffic wardens 

is sequel to the outcome of 

investigation into the case of 

alleged discreditable 

conduct and unlawful 

exercise of authority reported 

against them on 20th 

March, 2019. 

"The former traffic wardens 

had earlier been subjected to 

the internal disciplinary 

procedures of the Force – 

tried in an Orderly Room, 

and dismissed before their 

arraignment. Police 

investigations positively 

indicted them for assault and 

excessive use of force on the 

deceased after his arrest. 

“Forensic analysis by a 

pathologist as seen in the 

autopsy report clearly traced 

the cause of death to injuries 

inflicted on the deceased 

during his encounter with 

the traffic wardens. 

“For avoidance of doubt, 

the autopsy report states, in 

part, that the death ‘was due 

to blunt force injury to the 

head; multiple skin and soft 

tissue injuries on the fore 

head and face, and that there 

was no natural disease in the 

body to sufficiently explain 

the sudden death'.” 

“While the force deeply 

regrets the unfortunate 

incident, which resulted in 

the death of ASC Ogar 

Jumbo, the IGP enjoins the 

public not to lose faith in the 

force, reiterating his earlier 

assurances that under his 

watch, no form of impunity 

or 'man’s inhumanity to man' 

will go unpunished. 

He, therefore, warned that 

like the indicted traffic 

wardens, any police officer 

found wanting for unlawful 

use of force and other sundry 

offences, will be publicly 

named, shamed and 

brought to book to serve as 

deterrent to others. 

:Vanguard 

News 

I’ve lost count of how many kidnap victims 

I killed, says arrested kidnappers' guard 

By Dayo Johnson, 

Joseph Erunke, Harris- 

Okon Emmanuel & 

Bashir Bello 

MANY were left speechless, 

yesterday, at the 

headquarters of Katsina State Police 

Command when a member of a 

kidnap syndicate, Sani Haruna, said 

he has lost count of the number of 

victims he killed for failure of their 

relatives to pay ransom. 

Also yesterday, a suspected 

kidnapping kingpin in Akwa Ibom 

State, Edidiong Uduak Bill alias 

Barrister, complained that his father 

bolted with his proceeds from 

kidnapping running into several 

millions of naira. Just as soldiers in 

Ondo State arrested five kidnappers 

and rescued four victims. 

Sani Haruna, who was paraded 

alongside other suspects arrested 

for various criminal offences in the 

state, said most of the killings were 

on the order of their gang leaders. 

According to him, “I don’t kidnap, 

it is our leaders who kidnap. I only 

guard the kidnap victims. And they 

ask me to kill them if their relatives 

fail to show up to pay ransom. 

“They threatened to kill me if I 

refuse to kill them. I don’t know how 

many kidnap victims I have killed. 

I am only given N20,000 or N10,000 

as my share after they released 

victims and got ransom.” 

Speaking during the parade, the 

state Commissioner of Police, 

Sanusi Buba, disclosed that Haruna 

was arrested in Dandume Local 

Government Area of the state. 

He said the command also 

arrested a female kidnapper and 

wife of a notorious kidnapper, Safiya 

Alh. Yakubu , after raiding their 

hideout in Kafur Local Government 

Area of the state. 

According to him, “based on 

credible intelligence, the command 

succeeded in raiding a criminal 

hideout at Sabon Layin Sira village, 

Kafur LGA of Katsina State. After a 

fierce encounter with the bandits, the 

police team succeeded in dislodging 

them. 

My father stole my proceeds 

from kidnapping, suspect 

cries out 

Also, yesterday, suspected 

kidnapping kingpin, Edidiong 

Uduak Bill alias Barrister, paraded 

by Akwa Ibom State Police 

Command led by the Commissioner 

of Police, Zaki Ahmed, narrated how 

his father bolted away with his 

proceeds from kidnapping. 

The suspect confessed to being the 

leader of a notorious Vikings secret 

cult group in Etinan, which has been 

terrorising residents of the town and 

its environs in recent times, adding 

that he masterminded the kidnap 

of a lady at Uyo, who paid N4.5 

million as ransom, which his father 

stole a part of. 

"My father took my share of the 

money. We collected N4.5 million 

and I gave my gang members N2 

million. I took my share home and 

buried it in my father’s compound 

and my father saw it, and he took 

the money and ran away. Till now, I 

have not seen him,” he said. 

Soldiers arrest 5 abductors, 

rescue 4 hostages 

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

•My father stole my proceeds from kidnapping, suspect cries out 

•Soldiers arrest 5 abductors, rescue 5 hostages 

•As police nab spiritual father, one other 

In a related development, 

soldiers from 32 Artillery 

Brigade, Akure, in Ondo State 

arrested five suspected 

kidnappers after a raid of their 

hideout in Owo area of the state. 

While four others escaped, 

the troops were able to rescue 

five of the hostages. 

A statement last night by 

Assistant Director, Army Public 

Relations, 32 Artillery Brigade, 

Akure, Captain Victor Olukoya, 

said the arrested kidnappers 

have been terrorising the 

people of the state. 

According to the statement, 

“the troops made the arrest 

when they carried out a raid, 

Tuesday, at about 1:00am, on 

the kidnappers’ hideout at 

Jugbere village in Owo Local 

Government Area. 

“The operation was based on 

a tip off, that suspected 

kidnappers had kidnapped 9 

farmers in a farm belonging to 

one Mr Godwin Ugu. 

“The rescued hostages and 

some of the suspects, who 

sustained minor injuries, are 

presently undergoing first aid 

treatment at the 32 Artillery 

Brigade Medical Centre. 

Suspected abductors from Ondo State. 

“Items recovered from the 

hoodlums include: one dane 

gun, one axe, two cutlasses, 

eight live cartridges, one 

handset and charms. 

“Suspects will be handed 

over to the appropriate security 

agency at the conclusion of 

preliminary investigation. 

Police nab spiritual 

father, one other 

Yesterday in Abuja, the police 

also announced the arrest of a 

“spiritual father” and one other 

person involved in the recent 

kidnap of Channels Television 

staff, Mr Friday Okeregbe, in 

Abuja. 

The police, in a statement by 

the Force Public Relations 

Officer, DCP Frank Mba, said 

Sani Haruna, the suspect. 

detectives from the IGP 

Intelligence Response Unit, 

IRT, and other operatives 

attached to Operation Puff 

Adder arrested one 48 years 

old Mallam Salisu Abubakar, 

a native of Dutsinma Local 

Governnent Area of Katsina 

State, who was involved in the 

act. 

“The mallam, a selfconfessed 

spiritual father of 

kidnappers terrorising Abuja- 

Kaduna expressway and parts 

of other North-West/North- 

Central states of the country, 

was arrested, Tuesday, 

following painstaking 

intelligence and subsequent 

manhunt, in his hideout, in a 

forest at Galadimawa village, 

Kaduna State, “the statement 

explained. 

Police arrest abductor 

of Channels TV staff 

Similarly, the police said its 

operatives in Abuja, arrested one 

Godwin Ige ak.a Wite , a 28- 

year-old native of Akoko-Edo 

Local Governnent Area of Edo 

State, who it said was the fourth 

member of the gang responsible 

for the kidnap of Channels TV 

staff, Mr. Friday Okeregbe. 

“ The operatives recovered 

from him one Barretta pistol, one 

locally made pistol, 11 live 

ammunition, two live cartridges 

and one Honda Accord car with 

number plate. KWL 420 GU 

with which the victim was 

kidnapped on March 22, 2019,”it 

said.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, APRIL 18, 2019—7 

Police nab lady ritualist, 10 

bandits in Katsina 

By Bashir 

Bello 

KATSINA — 

KATSINA State 

Police Command, 

yesterday, paraded a 

female ritualist and 

fraudster, one 

Hassatu Isah, 30, 

who collected N1.9 

million from one 

Rabiu Haruna with 

the intent to provide 

him with spiritual 

powers. 

According to the 

command, “nemesis 

caught up with her 

when she could not 

deliver the spiritual 

powers to the victim 

and he demanded the 

return of his money. 

“She then planned 

to kill him by hiring a 

killer, one Babangida 

Dalha, whom she 

contracted with 

N50,000 for the job. 

“In the course of 

investigation, the 

suspects were 

arrested and 

confessed to have 

administered poison 

with intent to kill the 

victim, which failed 

and they eventually 

resorted to physical 

killing of the victim 

200 level varsity 

student, Jibrin Anas. 

before they were arrested. 

Investigation still ongoing.” 

I bought N7,000 gun for 

self protection, 200 level 

varsity student 

The police command also said it 

arrested a 200-level student of Federal 

University, Jibrin Anas, in possession 

of one locally made revolver with 

rounds of 0.8mm live ammunition. 

The suspect told journalists during 

the parade that he bought the gun at 

the cost of N7,000 for self protection 

after he was attacked sometimes along 

Nasarawa-Benue State highway by 

unknown gunmen. 

10 bandits arrested, 

motorcycles recovered 

“Similarly, on April 12, 2019 

between 11:00hrs and 17:00hrs, 

operatives attached to Operation Puff 

Adder raided some criminal hideouts 

Alleged female ritualist, Hassatu 

Isah. 

around Rugu forest, which 

include Garin Waziri and 

Mahuta villages in Safana LGA 

and Ilella village, Batsari LGA 

of Katsina State. 

“In the course of investigation, 

the following suspected bandits 

were arrested and 10 

unregistered motorcycles were 

recovered. 

“Those arrested include Jamilu 

Abu, Yarima Lawal, Tasi’u Tukur, 

Abu Audu, Samaila Abubakar, 

Hamisu Bawa, Yusuf Inusa, 

Rabe Sani, Bilya Yakubu, 

Ibrahim Bawa, Yusuf Abdullahi 

and Abdullahi Ibrahim.” 

The command, however, said 

it succeeded in arresting one 

Sani Ibrahim alias Kwalba in 

Safana, who is a member of 

kidnap syndicate and expert in 

arms repairs who services arms 

for bandits in the forest. 

... with Emma'nKen (08163121378) 

Throw back Thursday 

I just they pass oooo..... 

You have to obey to avoid more troubles 

Commercial motorcyclists come handy along Oshodi-Apapa Expressway as trailers 

and tankers take over the expressway, yesterday. Photo: Lamidi Bamidele. 

Nasarawa massacre: Victims get mass burial 

By David Odama 

LAFIA— Tears and anger 

rolled in Akwanga Local 

Government Area of Nasarawa 

State as victims of the recent 

killings were laid to rest in 

Kochum-Numa village of 

AKwanga council area of 

Nasarawa State. 

Recall that 17 persons were 

killed last Sunday at a naming 

ceremony in Mada community 

by gunmen suspected to be 

herders. 

Sixteen of the 17 victims of 

the attack were committed to 

mother earth after Christian 

rites. 

One of the deceased, who 

was a DJ at the party, was 

buried according to Islamic 

rites a day after the attack. 

The mass burial took place 

about noon after the 

deceased bodies were moved 

from the Akwanga General 

Hospital mortuary to the 

village. 

It was a moment of grief 

for family members, friends 

and other sympathisers as 

tears flowed freely over the 

gruesome murder of their 

loved ones. 

Governor Tanko Al- 

Makura, who had earlier 

visited the traditional ruler, 

Samson Gamu Yare, at his 

palace in Akwanga, before 

being led to the Akwanga 

General Hospital where the 

deceased bodies were 

deposited, sympathised with 

the families of the victims and 

the entire Mada nation. 

He appealed to the affected 

families to remain calm while 

the law enforcement agencies 

carry out investigations and 

possible arrest of the culprits. 

Several other people were 

wounded in the attack and are 

currently receiving treatment at 

different hospitals across the 

state.

8—Vanguard, THURSDAY, APRIL 18 , 2019 

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

By Emman 

Ovuakporie, 

Johnbosco 

Agbakwuru, 

Levinus 

Nwabughiogu & 

Dirisu Yakubu 

PEOPLES Democratic 

Party, PDP, and some 

members of the House of 

Representatives, 

yesterday, berated 

National Chairman of All 

Progressives Congress, 

APC, Comrade Adams 

Oshiomhole, over his 

comments that APC would 

not share chairmanship of 

House of Representatives 

committees with the 

opposition in the 9th 

House because it has twothird 

majority. 

While making his 

remarks at the dinner 

hosted by President 

Muhammadu Buhari for 


members-elect at the old 

Banquet Hall, 

Presidential Villa, Abuja, 

Oshiomhole said: “From 

the lessons we have learnt 

from what happened in 

2015, we are determined 

that in 2019 we would not 

repeat those mistakes. We 

draw the appropriate 

lessons from those 

mistakes and we move on. 

If you are elected, it 

means you are tested and 

trusted. 

“Out of 223 APC elected 

members, about 67 were 

re-elected, the rest are 

new members. In other 

climes, you don’t go into 

coalition when you are in 

the majority, you do so 

when you don’t have the 

numbers. We have the 

numbers, out of 360, 

Nigerians elected 223 

APC members because 

they don’t want Mr. 

President to face the 

trauma of 2015.” 

PDP blasts 

Oshiomhole, says 

we’ll shock APC 

PDP said Oshiomhole 

lacked understanding of 

the internal working 

mechanisms of the 

hallowed chambers, 

adding that there is no 

way the Speaker of the 

House and President of 

the Senate would emerge 

without the support of 

lawmakers elected on the 

platform of PDP. 

In a chat with Vanguard, 

yesterday, Deputy 

National Publicity 

Secretary of the party, 

Diran Odeyemi, said PDP 

has a joker it was keeping 

close to its chest, warning 

that when the chips were 

down, “both Oshiomhole 

and APC will be 

shocked.” 

He said: “We wonder 

why Oshiomhole will 

continue to display a clear 

BRIEFING: From left, Marketing Director, Afrocet Montgomery, 

Mr Jamie Pearson; Regional Director, West Africa, Afrocet 

Montgomery, Mr George Pearson; and Executive Secretary, 

Advertisers Association of Nigeria, Mrs Ediri Ose-Ediale, during a 

press conference on the inauguration of The Nigerian Food Event 

in Lagos, yesterday. Photo: Kehinde Gbadamosi. 

9TH NASS: PDP, Reps blast 

Oshiomhole over non-sharing 

of c’ttees chairmanship 

•We'll shock Oshiomhole, APC — PDP 

•Bago, Yakub, Dyegh, Namdas vow to contest 

lack of understanding of 

how the leadership of the 

federal parliament 

emerges. It seems he 

believes that his choice of 

Ahmed Lawan and Femi 

Gbajabiamila for the 

Senate President and 

Speaker of the House of 

Representatives 

respectively will see 

fruition without the 

support of our lawmakers. 

We have our own 

strategy and at the right 

time, both him 

(Oshiomhole) and the 

APC will be shocked.” 

Odeyemi noted that as 

a party “still learning the 

ropes” having only won 

elections in 2015, “APC 

can be forgiven for 

thinking the leadership of 

the National Assembly is 

its own to determine.” 

On chairmanship 

of c''ttees 

On the chairmanship of 

the committees, the 

publicity scribe 

counselled Oshiomhole 

not to be in a hurry, 

stating that very soon, the 

chairmen would emerge 

in a way he would find 

difficult to understand. 

“He should not be in a 

hurry and like I said, 

Oshiomhole appears to 

have little understanding 

of how these things work. 

The chairmen of the 

committees are not his to 

appoint. The earlier he 

realises this, the better for 

him,” he added. 

Oshiomhole’s 

threat is empty 

—Reps 

Some members took a 

swipe at Oshiomhole over 

his comment that APC 

would not share 

committees chairmanship 

with the opposition. 

Most lawmakers 

Vanguard spoke with 

dismissed the comment as 

lacking substance. 

Chairman, Reps C’ttee on 

Stock Exchange and 

Capital Market, Tajudeen 

Yusuf, said Oshiomhole 

simply exposed his level of 

understanding of the 

legislature 

He said: “In 1999, who 

was in majority, was it not 

PDP? The opposition had 

their way. In 2003, 2007, 

2011, which party was in 

majority? It was PDP and 

opposition had their fair 

share. The APC chairman 

does not have the depth to 

decipher how the 

legislature operates so we 

are not threatened at all.’’ 

Deputy Committee 

Chairman on FCT, Segius 

Ogun, simply said: “It is no 

threat and a non-issue.’’ 

On his part, Jarigbe 

Jarigbe said: “Nobody who 

is not a member of the 


can dictate what happens 

in the House of Reps.’’ 

Bago, Yakub, 

Dyegh, Namdas 

vow to contest 

Meanwhile, the APC has 

a tough nut to crack 

regarding the misgiving of 

some speakership 

aspirants, who, yesterday, 

insisted on running in spite 

of the adoption of House of 

Representatives Majority 

Leader, Gbajabiamila, as its 

candidate for the 9th House 

of Representatives speaker. 

The adoption of 

Gbajabiamila was unveiled 

at the Presidential Villa, 

Abuja on Tuesday when 

President Buhari had a 

dinner meeting with APC 

members-elect, and party 

leaders. 

On a day that the House 

of Representatives was 

unusually calm, aspirants, 

who insisted on proceeding 

with their ambitions, 

yesterday were 

Mohammadu Bago 

(Niger), Yusuf Yakub 

(Adamawa), John Dyegh 

(Benue), and Abdulrazaq 

Namdas (Adamawa) 

among others. 

While Dyegh asked APC 

to rescind its decision and 

zone the speakership to the 

North-Central, Bago said 

he would not surrender or 

retreat on his aspiration; 

Namdas insisted he was 

still in the race; and Yakub 

urged ‘’all actors in this 

political show to observe 

caution and to realise that 

nothing is actually at stake 

in an issue that is basically 

among colleagues, who on 

their own will rise to the 

demand of duty when the 

time comes.” 

Buhari set to dissolve 

cabinet 

•Directs ministers to submit 

work report within a week 

By Johnbosco 

Agbakwuru 

A BUJA—IN 

preparation for the 

dissolution of his cabinet, 

President Muhammadu 

Buhari, yesterday, directed 

his cabinet members to 

submit their work report 

within one week. 

The ministers have been 

told that the 9th and 10th 

Federal Executive Council, 

FEC, meetings will take 

place on April 25. 

A statement by the Senior 

Special Assistant to the 

President on Media and 

Publicity, Malam Garba 

Shehu in Abuja read: “As 

the first term of the 

President Buhari 

administration winds 

down, the President has 

asked for a comprehensive 

'status reports on policies, 

programmes and projects' 

from cabinet members on 

their respective ministries, 

departments and agencies. 

“These reports have April 

24, as the deadline for 

submission to the 

Presidential Audit 

Committee in the office of 

the Vice President. 

“A circular to this effect by 

Boss Mustapha, Secretary 

to the Government of the 

Federation, SGF, also 

requested members of FEC 

to 'ensure that all 

outstanding memoranda 

they intend to present to 

FEC are submitted to the 

Cabinet Affairs Office, 

Office of the Secretary to the 

Government of the 

Federation, not later than 

April 30, 2019'. 

“The circular also 

informed members that the 

'9th and 10th meetings of 

the Council have been 

rescheduled for April 25 

and May 2, 2019 

respectively' in view of the 

Easter break and May Day 

celebrations.” 

EFCC arrests 40 FIRS officials 

over alleged N1.bn fraud 

By Soni Daniel, 

Northern Region 

Editor 

DETAILS of how top 

officials of the Federal 

Inland Revenue Service, 

FIRS, connived with middle 

and junior staff to defraud 

the agency of N1.6 billion 

emerged last night, as 

security agents said they 

had arrested and 

interrogated no fewer than 

40 suspects implicated in 

the fraud. 

The travelling documents 

of no fewer than 40 officials 

of FIRS have also been 

impounded by the 

operatives of the EFCC, 

who are investigating the 

fraud. 

Findings by Vanguard 

revealed that two directors 

of the revenue agency, who 

have also made useful 

statement to the security 

agencies, spearheaded the 

multi-million fraud, which 

altogether gulped N2.1 

billion between 2017 and 

2018. 

Further findings revealed 

that although the staff were 

entitled to some reasonable 

amount of money as Duty 

Tour Allowance, DTA, the 

senior officials used their 

positions to overpay them 

with an ‘understanding’ for 

the beneficiaries to return an 

agreed overpaid 

percentage back to the 

‘facilitators.’ 

FCDA averts clash between 

army, police over land 

FEDERAL 

Capital 

Territory Development 

Authority, FCDA, yesterday, 

averted a clash between the 

army and police over 

ownership of land in the 

territory. 

The land in dispute, 11 

hectares, is located around 

Kuje junction, Giri District, 

Airport Road. 

While the army had 

cleared the land and 

deployed some of its 

personnel to protect it, the 

police erected a sign board, 

which announced that the 

site was for its proposed 

secondary school. 

However, sensing a 

possible clash between 

them (army and police), both 

invited FCDA to demarcate 

the land between 

them. 

The police currently has a 

barracks in over 40 hectares 

beside the disputed land. 

Yesterday, FCDA 

deployed one of its 

Surveyors, Mr John 

Omouokhome, to 

demarcate the land as 

demanded by the army and 

police. 

The exercise was 

witnessed by Brig.-Gen. 

Lawrence Araba, the 

Executive Director of the 

Nigerian Army Welfare 

Limited by Guarantee and 

Mr Kanu Okoronkwo, an 

Assistant Commissioner of 

Police.


VISIT: Executive Director, UBA Plc, Mr. Ayoku Liadi; Lagos State Governor-elect, Mr 

Babajide Sanwo-Olu; Group Managing Director/CEO, UBA Plc, Mr. Kennedy Uzoka; and 

Business Manager, Bishop Abolade Cole Business Office, UBA, Mrs Adaeze Nnama, during 

a congratulatory visit of UBA management to the governor-elect in Lagos, yesterday. 

CONSTITUTION: Senate moves to 

internal 

override Buhari’s veto 

mechanism 

...passes PIGB, Police Reform Bill, 6 others 

...approves single 5-year tenure for IGP 

•N1m fine, 2-year jail term for extra-judicial killings 

By Henry Umoru 

ABUJA—THE Senate 

has begun the process 

of overriding President 

Muhammadu Buhari’s 

veto on the Constitution of 


Nigeria, 1999(Fourth 

Alteration, No.28) Bill, 

2018. 

It was one of the bills the 

President had declined 

assent to out of the several 

bills that were passed by 

the National Assembly and 

forwarded to him to sign 

into law. 

Also yesterday, five other 

constitution amendment 

bills earlier rejected by the 

President, passed second 

reading. 

They include the 

Petroleum Industry 

Governance Bill, 2019; 

National Institute for 

Hospitality and Tourism 

Bill, 2019; National 

Research and Innovation 

Council Bill, 2019; Stamp 

Duties Act (Amendment) 

Bill, 2019; National 

Agricultural Seed Council 

Bill, 2019; Agricultural 

Credit Guarantee Scheme 

Fund (Amendment) Bill, 

2019; and Independent 


Commission, INEC Act 

(Amendment)Bill, 2019. 

Unlike the budget 

timeline bill, the five other 

bills will be presented to the 

President for assent. 

President Buhari had 

declined assent to the bills 

and they will be forwarded 

to the House of 

Representatives for 

concurrence. 

On the Constitution of 


Nigeria, 1999 (Fourth 

Alteration, No.28) Bill, 

2018, the bill which has to 

do with the budget 

timeline, seeks to amend 

the 1999 Constitution by 

making it mandatory for the 

president and governor of 

a state to lay the annual 

budget estimates before 

parliament, three months to 

the end of a financial year. 

Tagged: SB. 733, the 

Constitution of the Federal 

Republic of Nigeria, 1999 

(Fourth Alteration, No. 28) 

Bill, the proposed 

legislation, which scaled 

first reading on Tuesday, 

passed second reading 

during yesterday plenary. 

The bill sponsored by the 

Deputy Senate President, 

Ike Ekweremadu (PDP, 

Enugu West) yesterday 

scaled second reading. 

It will be recalled that 

President Buhari had in 

2018 declined assent to the 

constitution amendment 

bill on the grounds that 

Section 2 (b) and 3 (b) of 

the proposal ‘appear not to 

take full cognisance of the 

provisions of Section 58 (4) 

of the 1999 constitution.’ 

The move to override 

President Buhari’s veto was 

sequel to Senate 

consideration and adoption 

of the report of the Senator 

David Umaru (APC, Niger 

East) led Technical 

Committee on Declined 

Assent to bills by the 

President. 

While rejecting the 

President’s submission, the 

Umaru-led panel had 

posited that the bill was not 

in conflict with the 1999 

constitution, as claimed by 

the President. 

The purpose of the bill, the 

Committee explained, was 

to ensure that Nigeria 

reverts to the January to 

December budget cycle. 

“It should be understood 

that this Bill seeks to make 

it mandatory for Mr. 

President and Governor of 

a State to cause to be 

prepared and laid before 

parliament, estimates of the 

revenues and expenditure 

of the federation for the 

next financial year, not later 

than 90 days to the end of 

a financial year. And for the 

parliament to pass the 

Appropriation Bill before 

the commencement of the 

next financial year. 

“The legislative intent 

behind this Bill Is to ensure 

that we run a normal 

financial year. From the 

wordings of the provisions, 

there was no stipulation 

that Mr. President must 

assent to any Bill within a 

specified period.” 

Senate President, Bukola 

Saraki who presided over 

the session, referred the 

bills to the Committee on 

Constitutional Review. 

...passes Police 

Reform Bill, 

approves single 

5-year tenure for 

IGP 

Senate yesterday, also 

passed the Police Reform 

Bill, approving a statutory 

five year Single term for the 

Inspector - General of 

Police, IGP. 

The Senate in providing 

for five year single tenure 

for any IGP appointed, said 

that the tenure of such an 

office is statutory not 

withstanding his or her 

retirement age. 

The Senate has also 

approved a jail term of two 

years and a fine of 

N1million for a Police officer 

found guilty of being 

involved in extra- judicial 

killing. 

The Senate also approved 

a two year jail term or N5m 

fine as punishment for any 

impersonator as Policeman 

or Police officer, while 

disciplinary 

is 

recommended for any 

Police officer who brutalises 

or killed an innocent 

citizen. 

The Bill was read the 

third time and passed. 

According to the Senate, 

appointment of such an 

officer as Inspector General 

of Police, will also be 

subjected to confirmation of 

the Upper Legislative 

Chamber as it is for all 

service chiefs, Chief Justice 

of Nigeria, CJN, Ministers, 

Ambassadors, Heads of 

Statutory Commissions and 

Agencies . 

The passage of the Bill for 

an Act to repeal the Police 

Act CAP P19 laws of the 

Federation of Nigeria, 2004 

and enact the Nigeria Police 

Act, 2019 to provide for the 

framework for the Police 

Service and ensure 

cooperation and 

partnership between the 

Police and communities in 

maintaining peace and 

combating crime and for 

related matters, was sequel 

to the consideration of the 

report of the Police Affairs 

Committee on Police 

Reform Bill, 2019(SB.683) 

as presented by the 

Chairman, Senator Tijjani 

Laura (Zamfara North). 

Provisions for these and 

others, are contained in the 

Police Reform Bill passed 

by the upper legislative 

chamber, yesterday during 

plenary. 

Addressing journalists 

after the passage of the bill, 

Chairman of the Committee 

, Tijjani Kaura said the bill 

containing 131 clauses will 

change the face of the Police 

in the country from what it 

is presently to people 

friendly one if eventually 

signed into law by the 

President . 

He said, “All the age long 

draconian laws in the Police 

Act of 1943 have been 

removed to make the Police 

people friendly, efficient 

and more effective in crime 

detection and security 

service delivery.” 

Reps to pass 2019 

budget next week 

...task FG on remaining Chibok girls 

By Levinus 

Nwabughiogu & 

Emman 

Ovuakporie 

ABUJA—HOUSE of 

Representatives is 

likely to pass the 2019 

budget next week. 

The passage is hinged on 

the receipt of the report of 

the 2019 Appropriation 

Committee from Mustapha 

Dawaki who made the 

presentation at yesterday’s 

plenary presided over by 

Deputy Speaker, Yusuf 

Lasun. 

The consideration and 

adoption of the report 

carrying the details of the 

Court dismisses suit on sale 

of 9mobile 

By Innocent Anaba 

LAGOS—A Federal 

High Court sitting in 

Lagos, yesterday, 

dismissed a suit by 

Spectrum Wireless 

Communications Limited 

against Emerging Markets 

Telecommunications 

Services, EMTS, owners of 

9mobile, challenging the 

sale of the company. 

Trial judge, Justice CJ 

Aneke in a ruling on the 

preliminary objections by 

counsel to EMTS upheld 

the defendant’s argument 

that there was no direct 

shareholding relationship 

between Spectrum 

Wireless and EMTS, 

thereby vesting on 

Spectrum the right to sue 

EMTS to protect its alleged 

shareholding in EMTS. 

The court also upheld the 

defendant’s position that 

there is no privity of contract 

between EMTS and 

Spectrum as Spectrum is 

not a shareholder in EMTS 

and cannot be said to have 

been directly affected by the 

actions of its shareholders; 

Mubadala Holdings Cyprus 

Ltd, Myacynth and 

Etisalat International Nigeria 

Ltd. 

The court further held 

that the defendant’s 

position that if at all 

Spectrum has a right of 

action, its action should be 

against PTHNV, the 

company it originally 

invested in and not EMTS. 

The court consequently 

upheld the submission of 

counsel to EMTS that not 

being a shareholder of 

EMTS, Spectrum lacks the 

locus standi to bring the 

suit against EMTS on the 

basis of any decision taken 

by the shareholders of 

EMTS. 

The court therefore, 

upheld the defendant’s 

argument that Spectrum 

lacks the locus standi to 

sue, adding that the 

concept of “indirect 

shareholding/economic 

interest” claimed by 

Spectrum is unknown to 

Nigerian law, which only 

recognises members of a 

company as those named 

in its Register of Members. 

Senate Presidency: Borno 

people abandon Shettima 


Atwo BUJA—SEVENTY- 

hours after the 

governor of Borno State, 

Kassim Shettima threw his 

weight behind the Senate 

Leader, Senator Ahmad 

Lawan (APC, Yobe North) 

for the Senate Presidency 

in the 9th Senate, some 

concerned citizens of the 

state, yesterday, said that 

the governor was on his 

own. 

A statement yesterday in 

Abuja by Yakubu Umar, 

spokesman and on behalf 

of Concerned Borno 

Citizens, said: “It is rather 

surprising that while the 

state is counting on the 

governor’s support for 

Senator Ndume, he is 

clearly seen working 

against the aspiration. 

N8.83 trillion budget report 

would be made at the 

Committee of Supply. 

Similarly, the House at 

the plenary also called on 

the Federal Government to 

ensure the recovery of the 

remaining Chibok girls 

who were kidnapped in 

2014. 

This followed a motion 

by Asabe Bashir adopted 

by the House. 

...proceed on Easter 

break 

Meanwhile, the House 

adjourned till April 23, 

2019 to allow members 

observe the Easter 

celebration. 

“The governor therefore, 

spoke in his personal 

capacity, which he is 

entitled to, and not for and 

on behalf of the 

stakeholders and elders on 

the platform of Concerned 

Borno citizens. 

“Among the reasons we 

advanced for Senator 

Ndume’s aspiration are 

the fact that he has the 

people at heart. He is a 

loyal party man and has 

the privilege of being a 

Minority Leader in the 

House of Reps 2007-2011. 

"He is a senator with a 

sound cognate experience, 

Senate Leader 2015-2017, 

Director of the North East 

Presidential Campaign 

Council 2019, among 

other credentials."

10 — VANGUARD, THURSDAY, APRIL 18, 2019 

EASTER: FG declares Friday, 

Monday public holidays 

By Omeiza Ajayi 

A BUJA—THE 

F e d e r a l 

Government has 

declared Friday 19th and 

Monday 22nd April 

2019, Public Holidays to 

mark this year’s Easter 

celebration. 

The announcement was 

contained in a statement 

issued yesterday in 

Abuja and signed by the 

Permanent Secretary in 

the Ministry of Interior, 

Barr. Georgina Ekeoma 

Ehuriah. 

“The Honourable 

Minister of Interior, Lt. 

Gen. (rtd) Abdulrahman 

Bello Dambazau, CFR 

PhD, who made the 

declaration on behalf of 

the Federal Government, 

enjoined all Christians to 

emulate the exemplary 

attributes of Jesus Christ 

amongst which are 

tolerance, love and peaceful 

co-existence”, she said. 

The statement urged all 

“Nigerians at home and 

abroad to use the 

occasion to pray for the 

Peace, Unity, and 

Progress of our great 

country Nigeria 

irrespective of diversity 

in religious beliefs. 

“General Dambazau 

while wishing all 

Nigerians a happy and 

peaceful Easter 

celebration, further called 

on them to support the 

administration of President 

Muhammadu Buhari in its 

determination to take the 

country to the next level”. 

Court orders release of NBA 

President’s int’l passport 

By Innocent Anaba 

LAGOS—A Federal 

High Court sitting in Lagos, 

yesterday, varied the bail 

condition granted 

President of the Nigerian 

Bar Association, NBA, Mr. 

Paul Usoro, SAN and 

ordered the release of his 

international passport. 

Trial judge, Justice 

Rilwan Aikawa also 

directed the defendant to 

inform the office of the 

acting chairman of the 

Economic and Financial 

Crimes Commission, 

EFCC, each time he wants 

to travel out of the country. 

The decision followed an 

application filed and 

moved by lead counsel for 

the defendant, Chief Wole 

Olanipekun, SAN, to that 

effect. 

Counsel for the EFCC, 

Rotimi Oyedepo did not 

oppose the application but 

urged the court to hold that 

the defendant drop the 

passport whenever he 

returns from a journey. 

He argued that it would 

be difficult to have the 

Property worth millions of 

naira lost to fire in Ibadan 

By Ola Ajayi 

IBADAN—A building 

at Oke-Ado area of 

Ibadan was gutted by fire, 

yesterday, leading to loss of 

property valued at millions 

of naira. 

Though, no life was lost, 

people living in the house 

said they ran out leaving 

their property behind when 

the fire started. 

The affected house is one 

of the old buildings built 

with clay. 

The cause of the fire was 

attributed to a surge after 

the power was restored. 

One of the residents in the 

area, Olalekan Okikiola told 

Vanguard that “the fire 

started at ile Ojagbusi from 

an electric cooker that was 

left on when the power was 

restored in the area.” 

defendant in court if his 

travel schedule clashes with 

court date. 

But Olanipekun assured 

that court proceedings 

would prevail over travels 

whenever there is a clash. 

Usoro is facing a 10 

counts charge levelled 

against him by the EFCC. 

The anti graft agency 

accused him of laundering 

N1.4billion belonging to 

Akwa Ibom State 

Government, a charge the 

defendant had consistently 

denied, saying the money 

was part of his legitimately 

earned professional fees. 

Before the ruling for the 

release of the international 

passport, the judge had 

adjourned to May 10 to 

enable the Attorney 

General of Akwa Ibom 

State, Uwemedimo Nwoko 

and three others mentioned 

in the body of the charge 

respond to a counter 

motion filed by the 

prosecution. 

However, the judge 

intervened and ruled that 

further proceedings will 

commence May 10. 

Okikiola said: “I was 

called by a friend that the 

fire started when I took my 

son to his coaching class. I 

was told that our house 

caught fire. I quickly 

rushed back home. We 

thank God there was no 

loss of life. 

“No casualty was 

recorded but property 

worth millions of naira got 

lost. Some of the things lost 

to the fire were electric 

equipment, furniture, 

house utensils, and clothes 

among others. 

Speaking with newsmen 

about the fire incident, Mrs. 

Blessing who said her 

children escaped death by 

the whiskers, lamented that 

that she lost all her property 

adding that the only thing 

left for her was the cloth she 

was putting on presently. 

ALLEGED $793,800 FRAUD: EFCC 

arraigns Justice Ajumogobia today 

By Soni Daniel 

A detaining BUJA—AFTER 

her, the 

Economic and Financial 


EFCC, is set to arraign 

Justice Rita Ngozi Ofili 

Ajumogobia at the 

Federal High Court in 

Lagos. 

Justice Ajumogobia 

was arrested on Tuesday 

by operatives of the 

EFCC shortly after being 

discharged and 

acquitted by Justice 

Hakeem Oshodi of 

corruption charges 

brought against her. 

Details of the 

documents sighted by 

Vanguard showed that 

Ajumogobia will be 

arraigned before 

Justice Rilwan Aikawa of 

the Federal High Court, 

Ikoyi, Lagos, on 18-count 

charge bordering on 

corruption and money 

laundering. 

One of the 18 charges 

reads: “That you Hon. 

Justice Rita Ngozi Ofili 

Ajumogobia and Godwin 

Obla, SAN, on or about 

the 21stday of May 2014 

in Lagos within the 

jurisdiction of this 

Honourable court 

conspired to indirectly 

conceal the sum of N5 

million in Diamond Bank 

account of Nigel and 

Colive Ltd, which sum 

you reasonably ought to 

have known forms part of 

proceeds of unlawful act 

to wit: unlawful 

enrichment and you 

thereby committed an 

offence contrary to 

sections 18 (a), 15 (2) (a) 

SIGNING: From left; Executive Director, Sahara Group, Temitope Shonubi 

and Regional Director for Africa, United Nations Development Programme 

(UNDP), Ms. Ahunna Eziakonwa, signing the Memorandum of 

Understanding to Promote Sustainable Energy and the SDGs in Africa in the 

presence of Nigeria’s Permanent Representative to the UN, H.E. Ambassador 

Tijani Muhammad-Bandé (left) and Administrator, United Nations 

Development Programme (UNDP), Achim Steiner in New York, USA. 

OYO GOV POLL: I was displaced by 

conspiracy — ADELABU 

By Ola Ajayi 

I CANDIDATE B A D A N — 

of 


Congress, APC, in Oyo 

State, Chief Adebayo 

Adelabu said that he was 

displaced by the conspiracy 

and coalition of five other 

governorship candidates. 

He noted that the results 

of the March 9 election “still 

keep our supporters 

wondering.” 

He said this while 

speaking with newsmen 

after his return from a twoweek 

vacation abroad. 

Adelabu, a former Deputy 

Governor of Central Bank 

of Nigeria said the election 

result was shrouded in 

mystery and this compelled 

his party to approach the 

election tribunal. 

He described his loss as 

a blessing in disguise. 

He said: “Whatever 

happens to a man is either 

a blessing or a lesson. 

However in this case, it’s 

both a blessing “in 

disguise” and a lesson to 

come out a better and 

stronger person. 

“Electoral losses, as read 

in history, have made great 

leaders come out stronger, 

better and more successful 

and never to depress or 

discourage them. 

“I take solace in the 

persistence and tenacity of 

our 357,000 strong genuine 

voters (which is larger than 

what ushered in the last 

three successive 

governors) and kindness 

MARITIME CRIMES: US, NN launch 

Operation Junction Rain 

By Evelyn Usman 

L Nigerian AGOS—THE 

Navy and 

its United States 

counterpart have launched 

an operation code-named 

Junction Rain , with a view 

to enforcing maritime laws 

and checkmating excesses 

of pirates and other 

criminalities in the nation’s 

waters and the Gulf of 

Guinea corridor. 

The one-week operation 

which was conducted 50 

nautical miles off the Lagos 

shore, resulted in the arrest 

of two vessels , with 20 crew 

members. 

Addressing journalists at 

the end of the exercise, 

yesterday, at the Naval 

Dockyard, Victoria Island, 

the Fleet Commander, 

Western Fleet/Officer in 

Tactical Command, OTC 

of Operation Junction Rain 

2019, Commodore Dickson 

Olisemenogor, revealed 

that about 100 ships were 

of the Money Laundering 

Prohibition Act, 2011 as 

amended and punishable 

under Section 15 (3) of the 

same Act”. 

A source close to the 

of history and posterity.” 

“The devil is in the details 

like they say, as a first 

timer, with 357,000 genuine 

votes, we remained the 

single strongest candidate 

trial said the 

arraignment of the 

embattled former judge was 

to avoid keeping her in 

EFCC custody beyond the 

stipulated 48 hours. 

in the 2019 Guber elections 

claimed to be displaced by 

the conspiracy or coalition 

of five other guber 

candidates.” 

“This also gave out our 

party as the single strongest 

and most popular party in 

the last elections. 

•Interrogates 100 ships 

interrogated during the 

operation, out of which 40 

of them were boarded. In 

the process, two of them 

were arrested. 

He said the operation, 

organized by the United 

States of America, included 

relevant maritime agencies 

for the first time to combat 

the scourge on the nation’s 

water. 

Describing the operation 

as huge success, he stated 

that it had helped to keep 

the nation’s sea line open for 

normal commercial 

shipping to take place. 

He disclosed that while 

the operation lasted, some 

of the sea robbers were 

forced to flee to South Africa 

and Garbon, to evade arrest. 

The operation, he stated 

further established synergy 

between the navy and 

participating maritime 

agents, adding that vessels 

that were boarded during 

the operation was enhanced 

through information by 

sister agencies. 

He therefore, warned 

criminals to keep off the 

nation’s water, saying, “ For 

criminals at sea, this is the 

time to realize that it is not 

time for them to operate. 

Some of them even left 

Nigerian territorial water . 

There were some vessels we 

actually went out to pick 

but we found out that most 

of the vessels were already 

in South Africa, Garbon and 

other places. For the fact 

that we have denied them 

the use of the sea for this 

number of days, goes to 

show that it is no longer 

business as usual for them. 

“So, we are using this 

opportunity to warn all 

criminals at sea that this 

operation has not ended. It 

is still ongoing.

SWEARING-IN: From left; Speaker, Ekiti State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon Adeniran Alagbada; Deputy Governor, 

Bisi Egbeyemi; Ekiti State Governor, Dr Kayode Fayemi; Head of Service, Mr Ayodeji Ajayi, and wife, Mrs Ajayi; 

during the swearing-in ceremony for Ajayi as the state’s new Head of Service in Ado-Ekiti yesterday. 

Fayemi wins as S’Court dismisses 

Oni’s appeal 

By Ikechukwu 

Nnochiri & Rotimi 

Ojomoyela 

A Supreme 

BUJA—THE 

Court, 

yesterday, declined to sack 

Governor Kayode Fayemi of 

Ekiti State from office on the 

premise that he was not 

eligible to contest the July 

14, 2018, governorship 

election that he eventually 

won. 

The apex court, in a 

unanimous judgment by a 

five-man panel of Justices, 

dismissed the suit that was 

lodged by a former governor 

of the state, Mr. Segun 

Oni, who lost the 

governorship primary of the 

All Progressive Congress, 

APC, to Fayemi. 

Oni who came second in 

the primary election, had 

among other things, 

contended that Fayemi was 

not legally qualified to take 

part in the contest having 

failed to firstly resign his 

position in President 

Muhammadu Buhari’s 

cabinet. 

Fayemi won the party’s 

primary poll on May 12, 

2018 at a time he was the 

Minister of Mines and Steel 

Development. 

He officially resigned the 

position on May 30, 2018, 

about 18 days after he had 

secured the APC 

governorship ticket with a 

total of 941 votes as against 

481 votes that was polled by 

his closest rival, Oni. 

However, in the suit filed 

shortly after the primary 

election, Oni argued that 

constitutionally, Fayemi, 

ought to have relinquished 

his ministerial position, at 

least 30 days to the primary 

poll. 

He urged the court to, 

among other things; 

determine whether or not 

Fayemi’s action was not in 

gross violation of the 1999 

Constitution, as amended, 

as well as APC Guidelines. 

Besides, he argued that 

Fayemi was previously 

indicted by a Judicial 

Commission of Inquiry that 

was constituted by the 

former Governor, Mr. 

Ayodele Fayose. 

The Panel’s White Paper 

:Vanguard 

News 

•My victory, an opportunity to move Ekiti forward — Gov 

•Says he has no grudge against Segun Oni 

which indicted Fayemi and 

banned him from holding 

public office for 10 years, 

was subsequently quashed 

by a Federal Capital 

Territory High Court at 

Bwari. 

Aside Fayemi and APC, 

INEC was cited as 

Respondents in Oni’s suit. 

Meanwhile, both the 

Federal High Court in Ekiti 

State and the Abuja Division 

of the Court of Appeal 

dismissed Oni’s case. 

Dissatisfied with 

decisions of the lower 

courts, the former governor 

took his case before the 

Supreme Court where he 

also lost yesterday. 

In the judgement 

delivered by Justice Amiru 

Sanusi, the apex court held 

that the suit had become 

statute barred. 

The court equally held 

that Oni’s suit was caught 

up by section 285 of the 1999 

Constitution, which made it 

mandatory that all preelection 

cases must be filed 

within 14 days after the issue 

in dispute occurred. 

Justice Sanusi noted that 

from records before the 

Supreme Court, the 

appellant lodged his case 42 

days after the cause of action 

arose, thereby making it 

legally incompetent to be 

adjudicated upon. 

Consequently, the apex 

court dismissed the suit. 

Oni’s request 

Oni had urged the court 

to determine, “Whether by 

virtue of All Progressives 

Congress constitution and 

particularly Articles 2 and 5 

of All Progressives Congress 

2014 Guidelines for the 

nomination of candidates for 

public office as applicable to 

the APC Governorship 

primaries conducted on the 

12th May, 2018, the 1st 

Defendant being a serving 

member of the Federal 

Executive and Federal 

Minister of Solid Minerals, 

Mines and Steel 

Development having not 

resigned his appointment as 

a member of Federal 

Executive and Minister of 

Solid Mineral, Mines and 

Steel Development, at all or 

at least 30 days to the said 

primaries election of 12th 

May, 2018 was qualified to 

contest and participate in 

the said APC governorship 

primaries of 12th May, 

2018 as an aspirant in that 

election.” 

My victory an 

opportunity to move Ekiti 

forward — Fayemi 

Meanwhile, Governor 

Fayemi has described his 

victory at the Supreme 

Court as an opportunity for 

the state to move forward 

without further 

encumbrances. 

The governor said the 

apex court judgment has 

made it abundantly clear 

that he resigned in line 

with the constitutional 

provision and that the 

primaries of the party 

which produced him as 

APC governorship 

candidate in Ekiti State in 

2018 was free, fair and 

credible. 

Speaking at the swearing 

in of the new Head of 

Service, Mr Ayodeji Ajayi, 

shortly after the Supreme 

Court judgement, Fayemi 

said: “Ekiti must move 

forward, enough of these 

distractions. Enough of 

Awhefeada to review Mudipapa 

A 

B R A K A — 

PROFESSOR of 

English and Literature and 

Dean, Faculty of Arts, Delta 

State University, Abraka, 

Professor Sunny 

Awhefeada will be the 

reviewer of Life Lessons 

from Mudipapa, a book 

written by Mr. Francis 

Ewherido, Saturday 

Vanguard columnist and 

chartered insurance broker. 

Mudipapa deals with 

courtship, marriage, family 

life, parenting, life 

challenges and retirement. 

Awhefeada belongs to 

the new generation of 

Nigerian literary scholars. 

He studied English at the 

Universities of Benin and 

Ibadan before settling 

down as a lecturer in the 

Department of English and 

Literary Studies at the 

Delta State University, 

VANGUARD, THURSDAY, APRIL 18, 2019 — 11 


these recriminations, over 

matters, that ought not to 

go to court.” 

The governor said: “It is 

clear that I resigned in 

accordance with the 

constitution of the land and 

that the shenanigans that 

culminated in the White 

Paper that said Fayemi 

should not serve in public 

office have been dealt with 

in the appropriate law 

courts as the trash that it 

was at the time. 

“It also shows clearly that 

the primaries that took place 

in Ekiti for anyone who is 

objective enough, the 

cleanest, the fairest and 

most credible primaries that 

ever has taken place in the 

history of electioneering in 

Nigeria.” 

Fayemi said: “Now that 

the highest court in the 

land has pronounced 

definitely on it, I hope he 

would see it as a cue to play 

a more active role in the 

party. Oni, to the best of my 

knowledge remains a 

member of APC. I believe 

he has not removed himself 

from the party. But I think 

this would not lead to 

another round of 

recriminations and attacks.” 

Abraka where he rose 

through the ranks to 

become a professor and the 

Dean of the Faculty of Arts. 

Awhefeada is a 

columnist with the Daily 

Independent and he 

currently edits The 

Guardian Literary Series. 

The presentation of Life 

Lessons from Mudipapa 

comes up on Sunday, May 

5, 2019, in Lagos, under the 

distinguished 

chairmanship of Chief 

Johnson Barovbe, 

Proprietor Westminster 

College in Lagos. 

The President General of 

Urhobo Progress Union, 

Olrogun Moses Taiga, is 

the Father of the Day, while 

the actnig Rector, Seminary 

of SS Peter and Paul Major 

Seminary, Bodija, Ibadan, 

Rev. Fr. Anthony Ewherido, 

is the chief host. 

Farmers-herdsmen clash: Ekiti 

monarch faults Police over 

casualty claim 

By Rotimi Ojomoyela 

A DO-EKITI— 

AGAINST the 

denials by the Ekiti State 

Police Command that 

nobody was killed in the 

Monday attack at Iyemero - 

Ekiti, the traditional ruler of 

the Community, Olu of 

Iyemero, Oba Ebenezer 

Ogungbemi, has insisted 

that two people were killed 

in the attack allegedly 

carried out by suspected 

Fulani herders 

Some suspected 

herdsmen had in the early 

hours of Monday invaded 

a farmstead at Eda in 

Iyemero, in Ikole Local 

government and shot a 

seven year old boy and a 

couple which led to the 

death of the husband, who 

later died later died. 

The Commissioner of 

Police, Mr. Asuquo Amba 

had in a statement, on 

Tuesday, dismissed the 

widely circulated report 

that the attack was 

perpetrated by suspected 

herdsmen. 

Amba also denied the 

claim that two people were 

killed in the attack, 

describing the report as 

mere hearsay. 

He claimed that 

preliminary report by his 

command indicated that the 

attack was carried out by 

armed robbers and that 

nobody died during the 

operation. 

Monarch faults Police 

boss 

However, the monarch 

insisted that two persons 

were shot dead. He said 

this when the delegation 

sent by Governor Kayode 

Fayemi to commiserate with 

the town visited him ruler. 

Oba Ogungbemi said: 

“They invaded the 

community at midnight and 

shot a seven year old boy 

and scattered his head. They 

also shot a couple in the 

By Dayo Johnson & 

Ola Ajayi 

AKURE—A prominent 

Yoruba leader, the 

Olowo of Owo, in Ondo 

State, Oba David Olateru- 

Olagbegi has died. 

He reigned for 16 years. 

Reliable family source 

said the traditional ruler 

passed on Tuesday night at 

age 77 at the University 

College Hospital UCH, 

Ibadan, Oyo State. 

The late Oba, who is 

popularly referred to as 

DVF, was the eldest son of 

the late Olowo of Owo, Sir 

Titus Olateru Olagbegi 11 

KBE. 

DVF was installed as the 

traditional ruler of the 

ancient town in December 

11, 2003 by the late 

governor, Olusegun 

Agagu. 

The late monarch was the 

current chancellor of 

University of Jos and former 

other house and the 

husband died after they 

were rushed to Ikole 

General Hospital and the 

bullets could not be 

extracted from his body 

early enough. 

“They have removed the 

bullets from the body of the 

wife and she has been 

referred to Federal 

Teaching Hospital, Ido Ekiti 

for treatment. 

“What we know is that the 

robbers used to escape 

through Ikole-Itapaji- 

Iyemero-Eruku route to 

Kwara State after robbing 

banks in Ado Ekiti, it is a 

fact that we have a porous 

border.'' 

He restated calls for the 

establishment of a police 

station in the town to curb 

these vampires. 

He added: “The correct 

information now is that, two 

people had died. People 

can’t go to their camp, 

because they are afraid. 

“About 60 of them have 

been displaced and they 

were here in my palace till 

Wednesday before they 

left.” 

Fayemi regrets killings, 

builds police post 

Condoling the monarch, 

Fayemi, represented by the 

Information Commissioner, 

Mr. Muyiwa Olumilua, 

said government would 

take every necessary step 

to nab the killers and bring 

them to justice. 

Fayemi said: “We 

sympathise with you 

because lives of Ekiti 

people are precious to us 

in this government. 

“As part of the ways to 

arrest this situation, the 

governor has begun the 

construction of a police post 

in Iyemero. We are 

assuring you that 

something like this won’t 

happen again. 

“But in spite of this 

provocative attack, they 

should remain calm and be 

law abiding, particularly 

the farmers.'' 

Olowo, Oba Olateru-Olagbegi dies 

at 77 ...Olubadan reacts 

chairman of the Ondo 

council of Obas. 

Contacted on the 

monarch’s death, a 

prominent son of the town, 

who spoke in confidence, 

said: “By the way, Obas 

don’t die in Yoruba land. I 

think it is sacrilegious to 

post it like that. 

“The Olowo of Owo has 

travelled for three months 

to commune with his 

forefathers.'' 

Olubadan reacts 

Meanwhile, the 

Olubadan of Ibadanland, 

Oba Saliu Adetunji, Aje 

Ogungunniso 1 has 

described the late Oba 

Olateru-Olagbegi as a 

great man, even in death. 

Oba Adetunji made this 

statement while reacting to 

the death of the monarch. 

He said the death of the 

traditional ruler came as a 

rude shock to him but noted 

that he lived an exemplary 

life worthy of emulation.

12—VANGUARD, THURSDAY, APRIL 18, 2019 

Buhari replaces Kokori 

as NSITF Board chair 

By Johnbosco 

Agbakwuru 

AMuhammadu BUJA—PRESIDENT 

Buhari 

has approved the 

appointment and 

inauguration of the Board 

of the Nigeria Social 

Insurance Trust Fund, 

NSITF. 

The new board of the 

NSITF to be inaugurated 

today is headed by Mr. 

Austin Enajemo-Isire. 

Before now, former 

unionist, Frank Kokori was 

announced to be the 

Chairman of the NSITF 

Board before his new 

appointment as Chairman 

of the Michael Imoudu 

National Institute for 

Labour Studies, MINILS, 

Ilorin, Kwara State. 

A statement by Rhoda 

Ishaku Illiya, Assistant 

Director, Press, Ministry of 

Labour and Employment, 

said: “The President, 

Federal Republic of 

Nigeria, His Excellency, 

Muhammadu Buhari, 

GCON, has approved the 

appointment of members of 

the Board of the Nigeria 

Social Insurance Trust 

Fund, NSITF, a parastatal 


under the supervision of 

the Federal Ministry of 

Labour and Employment. 

“The Board is headed by 

Mr. Austin Enajemo-Isire, 

a Chartered Accountant, 

professional Insurance 

Executive, and Banker.” 


statement Mr. Austin 

Enajemo-Isire is to serve as 

the Chairman and Mrs. 

Ijeoma Orji Okonkwo to 

serve as Secretary. 

Other members are 

Olawale Osuolale Timothy, 

Dr. Mohammed Yinusa, 

Comrade Waheed 

Adewale Adeyanju, 

Comrade Ibrahim Khaleel, 

Dr. Ifeoma Anyanwutaku, 

Dutse, Umma Aminu 

(Mrs), Jasper Azutalam, 

Member/Executive 

Director, Finance, Tijani 

S u l e i m a n 

Member/Executive Admin, 

Mrs Kemi Nelson 

Member/Executive 

Director, Operations, Mr 

Ade Bayo Somefun 

Member/Managing 

Director & Chief Executive 

“The Board is to be 

inaugurated today, by the 

Minister of Labour and 

Employment, Senator 

Chris Ngige. 

Senate passes bill prohibiting gas flaring 

•Offenders to pay N10m fine 


ABUJA—THE Senate, 

yesterday, passed the 

bill for an Act to prohibit gas 

flaring in Nigeria. 

The bill, which passed 

second reading in 2017, 

also contains provisions on 

inaccurate data collation, 

gas flaring fee, powers of 

the minister to make 

regulations, as well as the 

repeal of the Associated 

Gas Re-Injection Act 2004. 

The Senate resolved that 

any person acting on behalf 

of a licensee to supply 

inaccurate data to the 

Department of Petroleum 

Resources or to any other 

person duly empowered by 

a lawful authority, commits 

an offense and shall be 

liable upon conviction to a 

fine of N10 million or to 

imprisonment for a 

maximum term of six 

months or to both fine and 

imprisonment. 

The Senate also resolved 

that where the Minister 

grants an extension to an 

exemption granted under 

section 4(1)(b) of the Act, 

the fee payable by the 

lessee or licensee under 

sub-section(1) of this 

section shall attract a 

surcharge on the total 

volume of gas flared. 

After a clause by clause 

consideration by the 

Senate, the bill was read 

the third time and passed. 

Resolution of the Senators 

was sequel to the 

consideration of the report 

of the Committee by its 

Chairman, Senator Bassey 

Akpan. 


approved report: “Where 

10,000 barrels or more of oil 

is produced per day, in any 

lease or licence area, the 

lessee or licensee shall be 

liable to the Federal 

Government for a 

minimum flare payment of 

$2 or its equivalent in naira 

at the prevailing exchange 

rate per thousand standard 

cubic feet of gas flared 

within such lease or licence 

area, irrespective of 

whether the flaring is 

routine or non- routine 

flaring. There shall be no 

liability for the payment 

where the flaring was 

caused by an Act of war, 

community disturbance, 

insurrection, storm, flood, 

earthquake or other natural 

phenomena which is 

beyond the reasonable 

control of the lessee or 

licensee. 

“Among others, the bill 

seeks to ensure that natural 

gas shall not be flared or 

vented in any oil and gas 

production operation, block 

or field, onshore or gas 

NEWS HOTLINES 

018773962, 

08052867058 

facility which shall 

commence operations after 

the commencement of the 

Act. 

"With the passage, it will 

now be ensured that no 

operator shall establish an 

oil and gas facility in 

Nigeria without obtaining 

authorisation from the 

minister for the design 

phase, the commissioning 

and the production phases. 

“It equally seeks to 

ensure that natural gas is 

not flared or vented in any 

oil and gas production 

operation, bloc or field, 

onshore or onshore, or gas 

facility. 

"The bill also seeks to 

ensure that no operator 

shall establish an oil and 

gas facility in Nigeria 

without obtaining 

authorisation from the 

minister for the design 

phase, the commissioning 

and the production phases." 

Edo chief judge tasks judicial 

staff on professionalism 

By Alemma Aliu 

BENIN CITY - EDO 

State Chief Judge, 

Justice Esohe Ikpomwen 

yesterday charged judicial 

workers in the state to give 

their best, stressing that 

judiciary remains the last 

hope for justice and fair 

hearing. 

She gave the charge 

while presenting an award 

of recognition to Mrs. 

Cecilia Audu, a Deputy 

Director in the State High 

Court which was presented 

by a Benin-based lawyer 

and philanthropist, Afolabi 

Olayiwola, to coincide with 

his annual scholarship 

award to indigent students 

in the state. 

She urged the workers to 

be diligent at their duty 

posts, noting that no matter 

where they serve, they will 

be noticed, recognised and 

rewarded. 

Earlier in his speech, 

Afolabi said: “This award is 

a wake-up call to all and 

sundry who have been 

privileged to occupy a 

sensitive place in our 

society to pause a little and 

give back a little of what life 

has graciously given them.” 

I ordered early payment of 

April salary to appreciate 

Edo workers —Shaibu 

AS workers in Edo State 

celebrate early 

payment of salaries ahead 

of Easter, Acting Governor, 

Philip Shaibu has said he 

ordered the payment to 

appreciate the people for 

their support. 

Recall that workers in the 

state got alert for their April 

salary yesterday, earlier 

than the 26th day of the 

month. 

Giving more insight into 

why he ordered the 

immediate payment of 

April salary, Shaibu said he 

wanted to appreciate the 

workers for their hard work 

and support. 

He said: “I am grateful to 

Edo workers and 

appreciate the support as 

well as how hard they work 

to ensure that the state 

government realises its 

objectives. That was why I 

ordered that the salary be 

paid ahead of time. I hope 

that with this gesture, this 

Easter celebration will be 

memorable for our workers. 

“Many civil and public 

servants in the state were 

paid yesterday in Edo State 

because we followed our 

tradition of ensuring that 

their welfare takes top 

priority in our plans. The 

gesture will ensure that 

they have enough funds to 

celebrate with their family 

and friends. The same 

applies to political 

appointees who have also 

been paid.’’ 

PRESENTATION: From left, Legal Adviser, Bank of Industry, BOI, Hassan Osuwa; Executive 

Director, Small and Medium Enterprises, SMEs, BOI, Shekarau Omar; and Managing Director/ 

Chief Executive Officer, Jaiz Bank Plc, Hassan Usman, during the presentation of N3 billion 

cheque to Jaiz Bank by BOI, in Abuja. 

Stop harassing our members, PDP tells Edo govt 

By Gabriel 

Enogholase 

BENIN—EDO State 

chapter of the Peoples 

Democratic Party, PDP, has 

accused the state 

government of harassing, 

intimidating and 

victimising its members, 

especially those, who 

defected from the All 


APC. 

A statement in Benin, 

yesterday, by the party’s 

state Publicity Secretary, 

Mr. Chris Nehikhare 

identified Chief Osamede 

Adun, a businessman 

Omo-Agege mourns with 

Urhobo, Sen Eferakeya’s family 

L AWMAKER 

representing Delta 

Central Senatorial District 

in the Senate, Sen Ovie 

Omo-Agege has condoled 

the family of renowned 

Professor of Pharmacology 

and Toxicology, late Sen. 

Adegor Eferakeya who 

passed on last Tuesday. 

Omo-Agege, in his 

condolence massage said: 

“The late Sen. Adegor 

Eferakeya, who 

represented Delta Central 

Senatorial District in the 6th 

Senate, was a renowned 

medical practitioner in 

Nigeria. 

“With his demise, our 

nation has lost a great 

public servant, who was a 

champion for dignity, 

accountability, and 

transparency. 

“I have lost an uncle and 

a mentor whom I learned a 

lot from. I drew inspiration 

from his leadership, 

intellect and moral courage. 

He was never afraid to 

speak truth to power." 

who re-joined PDP eight 

months ago as a victim of 

victimisation, harassment, 

and intimidation by the 

government. 

Nehikhare said: “His 

businesses have been 

singled out for all sorts of 

intimidation. 

“Below are a few of the 

incidents that Adun 

experienced in the last few 

months: Edo State 

Government demolished 

Chief Osamede Adun’s 

Shopping Mall on Mission 

Road and forcibly turned it 

into a parking lot even 

when the matter is pending 

in a competent court with 

Honorable Justice VOA 

Oviawe presiding. 

“Edo State government 

closed down Bob Izua 

Borrow Pit located at 

Ikuenobo and Iguomo 

communities, Benin-City. 


closed down Bob Izua 

Abattoir near Oluku, Benin 

City and Bob Izua Abattoir 

at Ikpoba Slope. These 

matters are currently 

pending at the Federal 

High Court No.1, Benin 

City, with Honourable 

Justice Umar presiding. 


gave notice to compulsorily 

acquire Bob Izua Yard near 

his house beside Oba 

Market Road where his 

buses are parked. 

‘It is clear and unfortunate 

that as 2020 approaches, 

EDSG has begun to harass 

and intimidate people. 

“We call on all Edolites 

and Nigerians to condemn 

these acts and prevail on 

the government to be 

tolerant of the opposition 

and govern the state 

without intimidation, 

harassment, victimisation, 

and vindictiveness”. 

Attempts to get Governor 

Godwin Obaseki’s Special 

Adviser on Media and 

Strategy, Crusoe Osagie for 

his reaction failed as he 

could not be reached.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, APRIL 18 , 2019 — 13 


SUMMIT: From left —Uche Gob-Agundu, Chairman, Chartered Institute of Procurement & Supply (CIPS), 

Nigeria; Sam Achampong, Regional Director, CIPS Middle East, North Africa and West Africa; Aku Adi, Ghana 

Country Chairman CIPS; Babs Omotowa, VP. Shell Upstream Exploration and Production (key note speaker) 

and Patrick Umoh, Contract Manager, Solewart Nigeria Ltd Port Harcourt, during the Chartered Institute of 

Procurement & Supply (CIPS) Nigeria Summit 2019 tagged "Raising the bar: Deriving business value through 

supply chains" at Radisson Blu Hotel, Ikeja, Lagos. Yesterday. Photo: Bunmi Azeez 

8 LGAs in Kaduna facing security 

challenges — PEACE COMMISSION 

•As ACF tells FG to do more to safeguard the North 

By Ben Agand 

K 

A D U N A — 

CHAIRMAN of 

Kaduna State Peace 

Commission, Reverend 

Josiah Idowu-Fearon has 

raised the alarm that not 

less than eight out of 23 

local government Areas, 

LGAS, in Kaduna State are 

bedeviled by security 

challenges and appealed to 

the people to cooperate 

with the security agencies 

to tackle insecurity in the 

state. 

At a briefing in Kaduna 

yesterday, Bishop Idowu- 

Fearon said the security 

challenges in the 

affected local governments 

were “worrisome”. 

According to him: “While 

efforts were focused on the 

Southern Senatorial Zone, 

new areas of violent 

confrontation surfaced in 

the central zone particularly 

in Kajuru and parts of Igabi 

LGA. The most worrisome 

is the recurring violent 

confrontations in Kajuru 

local government area. 

While we commiserate with 

all the victims, we assure 

the people of the state that 

these unfortunate crises 

will soon be curtailed. 

“The Challenges of 

insecurity in many parts of 

the state are quite 

worrisome. This is most 

prevalent in Birnin Gwari 

local government as well as 

many parts of Chikun, 

Giwa, Igabi, Kachia, 

Kajuru, Kagarko and 

Kauru local governments. 

We appeal to the people of 

the state , as well as the 

security agencies to join 

hands to address this 

unfortunate situation of 

armed robberies, raiding of 

villages, kidnapping, 

rustling of cattle and other 

forms of rural crimes.” 

He however expressed 

confidence that with the 

commitment shown by the 

people of the communities, 

especially in Kajuru local 

government area, peace 

would soon be restored. 

By Boluwaji 

Obahopo 

L 

O K O J A — 

CONSTRUCTION 

works on the 16 Km Ganaja 

-Otokiti dual carriage bypass 

have been 

abandoned following nonrelease 

of fund by 

government for the 

completion of the project. 

The road awarded in 2014 

was part of the N20 billion 

bond project by previous 

administration of Governor 

Idris Wada and had not 

received the needed 

attention despite its 

importance to the security, 

and socio-economic growth 

of the state and the country. 

Speaking at the site 

yesterday, the contractor 

handling the project, 

CeeZali Limited appealed 

to the state government to 

offset its indebtedness to the 

firm and release fund to 

enable it continue with the 

project. 

Public Relation Officer of 

the company, Jethro Daniel 

who spoke with newsmen, 

Meanwhile, the Arewa 

Consultative Forum,ACF, 

has called on the Federal 

Government and security 

agencies to “do more” to 

safe guard the north, which 

has been described by the 

Northern Elders Forum, 

NEF, as bandits land. 

In a Communiqué at the 

end of its national 

executive council 

meeting in Kaduna, the 

ACF said government 

must evolve strategies to 

address the peculiar 

security challenge of each 

zone in the country. 

The communique by 

Ibrahim Biu, ACF’s 

Publicity Secretary said 

the security agencies 

should take the fight to 

the bandits. 

The forum condemned 

the crisis between the Tivs 

and Jukun in Benue and 

Taraba states, respectively 

and called for an end to 

the bloodletting. 

Lack of funds stalls work on 

16km Ganaja-Otokiti road 

•Contractor, community urges Kogi govt to release funds 

said unless fund was released, 

completing the project would be 

a mirage. 

He said the company had 

completed the earth work twice, 

done the culvert and divider on 

both sides following the appeal 

from the state government for it 

to return to site four weeks ago 

with the promise of making 

payment. 

Also, the Ganaja community 

where the project took off 

appealed to the state government 

to release fund so that the road 

could receive quick attention. 

Zamfara Insecurity: We 

don’t want ‘fire brigade’ 

solution — Miners 

By Gabriel Ewepu 

A BUJA—MINERS 

under the auspices of 

Miners Association of 

Nigeria, MAN, yesterday, 

said security measures put 

in place to curb illegal 

mining and criminality in 

the mining sector led to ban 

on mining activities in 

Zamfara and Kano States 

by the Federal Government 

and should not be a ‘fire 

brigade’ solution. 

This appeal was made by 

the National President, 

MAN, Kabir Kankara, 

while commenting on the 

recent assurance given by 

the Minister of State for 

Mines and Steel 

Development, Abubakar 

Bwari, to miners and 

investors that the ban 

imposed by the 

government was 

temporary. 

Kankara said: “Some 

INEC blames wrong account 

numbers for delay payment 

of ad-hoc staff 

By Marie-Therese 

Nanlong 

J OS—INDEPENDENT 


Commission, INEC in 

Plateau State has blamed 

some adhoc staff it engaged 

during the general 

elections for the delay in the 

payment of their stipends 

saying the Commission has 

no intention not to pay. 

The State INEC Head, 

Publicity and Voter’s 

Education, Osaretin 

Imahieyerobo brought the 

issue to the fore during a 

town hall meeting on post 

election dialogue in Plateau 

State organized by Search 

for Common Ground, a civil 

society organization. 

According to him, “We 

did our best before, during 

and after the elections, we 

Kwara speakership: APC foundation 

members support house rules, endorse 

Saheed 

By Demola 

Akinyemi 

I FOUNDATION 

L O R I N — 

members of the All 


APC, in Kwara State under 

the aegis of Legacy and 

Foundation group, 

yesterday claimed the 

groups have been 

marginalized. 

The group urged the 

leadership of APC in the 

state to compensate the 

group with Speakership 

position, in the person of 

Saheed Popoola . 

At a briefing in Ilorin, 

spokesperson of the group, 

Ganiyu Saka while 

alleging marginalisation 

said, “ 96 per cent of 

candidates that emerged 

during the primaries were 

decampees from the PDP 

and therefore left out 

legacy and foundation 

members without any 

ticket(s)to either state and 

national assembly positions 

including the governorship 

and deputy governorship 

positions”. 

“ We decided to agree on 

this during the period as 

most of us who were 

foundation members of 

APC could afford the 

nomination forms to seek 

elective positions during 

the time as the decampees 

leaders hijacked all the 

nomination forms for their 

members that decamped 

with them to APC.” 

He added, “ I want to say 

that these decampees 

including the governorelect, 

Alhaji Abdulrahman 

Abdulrazaq, his deputy, 

Mr. Kayode Alabi and some 

of the elected members to 

both state and national 

assembly have enjoyed 

political patronage in the 

name of ensuring that the 

party “sacked” the Saraki 

political dynasty in the 

state”. 

persons are waiting to see 

this ban, it is not like they 

are scarring people, and 

this is a protective measure. 

They are trying to correct 

the problems that have 

been there. 

“Before the ban on mining 

activities in order for security of 

lives and properties can be 

restored, people who have been 

scared away will come back and 

invest. So with this, when 

government sorts this out it will 

be a very encouraging situation 

for miners. 

“It is a call and it is an appeal to 

the government that the security 

measures put in place right now 

does not become a ‘fire brigade’ 

approach where criminals or 

bandits who have turned to 

illegal miners will just be pushed 

to some other places, and 

thinking everything is now 

normal and better, which our 

miners who are legitimate mining 

license owners return to start 

operations, this criminals will also 

come to perpetrate their 

criminality again." 

started the sensitization 

very early and we 

collaborated with diverse 

stakeholders but the 

political parties didn’t do 

much in term of voter’s 

enlightenment. The people 

should demand good 

governance from the 

people they voted for. 

We are appealing to 

those at the tribunals 

should accept the verdict 

of the tribunals, four 

years is not a long time. 

Nigeria is the only 

country where the 

system is shut down and 

sealed off because of 

elections it is because we 

don’t trust ourselves. It 

is not INEC’s fault but 

our fault as Nigerians. 

“For the adhoc staff, I 

know that even the NYSC 

members are not happy 

with us but it is not our 

fault but that of the adhoc 

staff who didn’t give 

correct account numbers. 

Please go to our office and 

rectify your account 

details with us so that you 

will be paid as soon as 

possible.” 

Stakeholders from the 

civil 

society 

organizations, CSOs, 

security agencies, 

traditional and 

community leaders, the 

media and others 

present at the event 

reviewed what transpired 

in the elections, 

identified the 

shortcomings and called 

for improvement ahead 

of the 2023 elections.

14 — VANGUARD, THURSDAY, APRIL 18, 2019 

Step up measures to end 

rising cases of killings in 

Nigeria, CAN tells FG 

By Umar Yusuf 

Y OLA—NATIONAL 

President of the 

Christian Association of 

Nigeria, CAN, Reverend 

Samson Ayokunle, has 

called on the Federal 

Government to adopt 

measures to stop the rampant 

and senseless killings 

in most parts of the 

country. 

The CAN President 

spoke yesterday in Yola 

after donating relief materials 

to Internally Displayed 

Persons, IDP’s, at 

the Saint Theresa Catholic 

Cathedral, saying “ 

Security of lives and 

property is solely the responsibility 

of the Fedral 

government and as such 

all measures it deem necessary 

to end the bloodshed 

in the land must be 

put in place immediately. 

If there’s need for the 

federal government to 

seek foreign assistance to 

put to an end the menace 

of killings and kidnapping 

in the country 

will be applauded by all. 

“There’s no reason for 

the Federal Government 

to continue to deceive 

Nigerians and propagating 

that the Boko Haram 

sects have been degraded, 

even as Madagali local 

government area of 

the state is still under the 

control of the sects. 

“Even if the insurgency 

BOKO Haram is defeated 

and Other crimes 

resulting in the killings of 

Nigerians is on the increase, 

then we have to 

look inwards towards 

solving the problems of 

bandits, kidnapping, cultism, 

herdsmen attacks 

and other crimes that is 

ravaging the nation 

now”, the Can President 

advised. 

Speaking on the Chibok 

girls, Pastor Ayokunle 

called on the Federal government 

to ensure their 

release from captivity especially 

Leah Shaibu, 

adding that the same 

method to secure the release 

of others should 

equally be applied for the 

remaining ones still in 

captivity. 


$1.2bn Malabu Oil Scam: Court orders arrest 

of Adoke, Etete, 4 others 

By Ikechukwu 

Nnochiri 

Don’t dictate for us, Agbarho kingmakers 

tell Delta monarch 

By Etop Ekanem 

AGBARHO 

King 

dom Traditional 

Council of Chiefs in 

Ughelli North Local Government 

Area of Delta 

State have asked the Delta 

State Traditional Rulers’ 

Council not to dictate for 

the kingdom. 

In a statement signed by 

the kingmakers—Chief Ibini 

Eriaporhe, Chief Thomas 

Akatugba and Chief 

Sunday Anaughe— on 

behalf of the kingdom in a 

responseto the Delta State 

traditional rulers council in 

a statement, credited to 

Speaking on the rampant 

killings of innocent 

people by the police, Rev 

Samson Ayokunle said 

such culprits should be 

brought to book to serve 

as deterrent to others. 

“I want those liable for 

the killings of innocent 

people to be dealt with as 

enshrined in the constitution, 

since the victims 

they killed are not animals 

even so, there must 

be a reason for killing 

animals “. 

He donated 

N500,000) cash, ,100 

bags of maize, 60 bags of 

guinea corn, 10 bags of 

rice, 30 cartons of oil, and 

30 cartons of Maggi to 

the aid of the IDPs. 

Chairman, Delta State traditional 

rulers council, Dr. 

Emmanuel Efeizomor II 

and second vice chairman 

and Pere of Akugbene 

Mein,Pere S Luke Kalanama 

VIII, condemned the 

action which they described 

as handwork of individuals 

desecrating the 

traditional institution with 

disrespect for failed attempt 

to depose HRM 

Majesty Samson Ogugu 

for selfish interest. 

The Agbarho kingmakers 

said: “Our attention have 

been drawn to to a Vanguard 

newspaper publication 

signed by members 

STAGE PLAY: From left; Senior Manager, Programme & Implementation, MTN Foundation, Abasi-Ekong 

Udobang; Founder/Artistic Director, Rue14 Studios, Keke Hammond; Founder/President, Wellbeing Foundation 

Africa and wife of the Senate President, Toyin Saraki; Chief Operating Officer, MTN Nigeria, Mazen Mroue and 

Senior Manager, Quality Assurance & Compliance, MTN Nigeria, Oladimeji Joseph at the finale of the MTN 

Foundation supported stage play “High” at the Shell Hall, MUSON Centre, Lagos. Photo: Akeem Salau. 

ABUJA—A 

High 

Court of the Federal 

Capital Territory sitting at 

Jabi, has issued a bench 

warrant for the arrest of the 

immediate past Attorney 

General of the Federation, 

Mohammed Adoke, SAN, 

former Minister of Petroleum, 

Dan Etete, and four 

other persons that were fingered 

in the $1.2billion 

Malabu Oil bloc fraud. 

Others the court said 

should be arrested are four 

foreigners that were accused 

of complicity in the 

alleged fraud-Raph Wetzels, 

Casula Roberto, Pujato 

Stefeno and Burrato 

Sebastiano. 

The arrest warrant 

against them followed a 

motion ex-parte marked 

M/5290/2019, by the Economic 

and Financial 


EFCC. 

EFCC, which predicated 

the motion on alleged refusal 

by the former AGF, 

Etete and the others to 

make themselves available 

for prosecution, equally 

secured leave of trial 

judge, Justice Danlami 

Senchi, to execute the arrest 

warrant outside the jurisdiction 

of the court. 

Other defendants in the 

substantive charge with suit 

No. CR/124/2017, are Shell 

Nigeria Exploration Production 

Company Ltd, Nigeria 

Agip Exploration 

Ltd, Eni SPA, Aliyu 

Abubakar and Malabu Oil 

& Gas Ltd. 

EFCC anchored its request 

for an arrest order to 

be issued against six of the 

defendants on provisions 

of sections 35 and 37 of the 

Administration of Criminal 

Justice Act, 2015, section 

20 (1) (b) of the Money 

Laundering (Prohibition) 

Act, 2011, as well as, section 

35(1) (c) of the 1999 

Constitution, as amended. 

The commission, through 

its lawyer, Mr. Aliyu Yusuf, 

told the court that since 

March 2, 2017, when the 

charge was filed, the six 

defendants, “have refused, 

neglected and/or failed to 

of the Delta State Traditional 

Rulers Council executive 

on April 10, 2019, 

threatening to bring back 

the dethroned monarch of 

Agarho kingdom, HRM 

Samson Ogugu, over alleged 

gross personal misconduct 

and abuse of the 

throne. 

“In the paper allegedly 

credited to the Chairman 

Delta State traditional rulers 

council, Dr. Emmanuel 

Efeizomor II supported by 

Pere of Akugbene Mein 

kingdom, Pere S. Kalanama 

VIII averred that no individual, 

no matter how 

highly placed, could dethrone 

any traditional ruler 

without due process. 

appear before this court to 

be arraigned on the said 

charge.” 

It maintained that the 

court has the power to issue 

warrant for the apprehension 

and production of 

the 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th 

and 9th Defendants, who 

it said “are suspected to be 

presently hiding outside 

the jurisdiction of the 

court.” 

It will be recalled that the 

By Victor Young 

NIGERIA Union of 

Petroleum and Natural 

Gas Workers, NU- 

PENG, has pleaded with 


Buhari, to use his second 

term in office to end Nige- 

UK, AECF launch $20m solar 

power programme in Nigeria, 

others 

By Michael Eboh 

THE United King 

dom and African Enterprise 

Challenge Fund, 

anti-graft agency had alleged 

that Adoke, Etete, an 

oil mogul, Abubakar, and 

Malabu Oil & Gas Ltd, had 

sometime in 2000, corruptly 

received the aggregate 

sum of $801,000,000.00 in 

relation to the grant of oil 

prospecting license in respect 

of OPL 245 from 

Shell Nigeria Exploration 

Production Company, Nigeria 

Agip Exploration 

Ltd, and ENI SPA. 

OPL 245 is regarded as 

one of the biggest oil blocs 

in Africa. 

It was initially awarded 

to Malabu Oil & Gas Ltd 

in 1998 by late military 

head of state, General Sani 

Abacha, in a process the 

EFCC insisted was against 

all known government regulations. 

EFCC said its investigations 

revealed that Malabu 

Oil & Gas Ltd secured 

OPL 245 through fraudulent 

scheme involving high 

scale bribery and corruption 

by top management of 

the company and some 

government officials. 

End Nigeria’s reliance on imported petroleum 

products, NUPENG tells Buhari 

AECF, yesterday, said they 

had launched the second 

phase of the $20.8 million, 

programme that seeks to 

promote and deepen access 

to solar home systems in 

Nigeria and four other 

countries, Ethiopia, Somalia, 

Ghana and Senegal. 

Mr. Daniel Ohonde, 

Chief Executive Officer of 

AECF, said the project 

would enable the company 

to continue investing in 

private sector companies in 

the countries, to deliver 

business models which are 

aimed at accelerating access 

to transformative solar 

home systems to rural markets 

in sub-Saharan Africa. 

According to him, the 

project, which is part of its 

Renewable Energy and 

Adaptation to Climate Technologies, 

REACT, programme, 

promotes a market-based 

approach for the 

delivery of solar home system 

products and services 

in the five countries. 

ria’s reliance on imported 

petroleum products to meet 

local consumption. 

President of the Union, 

Prince Williams Akporeha, 

who spoke in Lagos yesterday, 

said Nigerians 

would be for ever remember 

President Buhari if he 

could ensure that the issue 

of imported petroleum 

products became a thing of 

the past before the end of 

his tenure. 

According to Akporeha: 

“It is a shame and a serious 

embarrassment that 

Nigeria, the 6th leading 

crude oil producing countries 

in the world depends 

on imported products to 

meet local demands. How 

long can we continue to live 

with the issue of subsidy 

removal and fuel scarcity? 

How long can we continue 

to depend on the vagaries 

of international crude 

price to determine the prices 

of the products we consume 

locally? How long 

Nigerians continue with 

this incessant fuel scarcity 

and fear of fuel scarcity? 

The report that Nigeria has 

spent over N6trillion on 

subsidy for the Premium 

Motor Spirit (PMS) also 

known as petrol in the last 

few years is a serious concern 

to us as Nigerians and 

as NUPENG particularly. 

Yet, Nigerians deserve to 

enjoy the benefits of being 

an oil producing country. 

“As a Union, NUPENG 

wants to stress that it will 

be economically suicidal to 

completely remove subsidy 

on pms without putting 

in place robust palliatives 

for the citizenry to cushion 

the effects on the masses. 

‘’However, NUPENG 

pleads with President Buhari 

as a patriot whose love 

for Nigeria and Nigerians 

remain undiluted and unquestionable, 

to use his second 

term in office to permanently 

end Nigeria’s reliance 

on imported petroleum 

products to meet local 

demands. 

‘’We are urging His Excellency 

to do all within his 

powers to ensure that the 

four public refineries are 

fully rehabilitated to perform 

at full capacity, as 

well as ensure that more 

refineries come on stream 

to refine products for not 

only local consumption, but 

for export as well. If the 

President can do this, Nigerians 

will forever remember 

him and be grateful 

to him. As a Union, we 

will give the President all 

necessary supports required 

from us to put an 

end to this shame of depending 

on imported 

products for local consumption.” 

“We want to use this medium 

to appeal to NU- 

PENG members involved 

in petroleum distribution 

chain to intensify efforts at 

ensuring unhindered free 

flow of supplies to filling 

stations nationwide before, 

during and after the Easter 

celebrations.”

VANGUARD, THURSDAY, APRIL 18, 2019—15 

MASS: Former Gov. of Anambra State, Mr. Peter Obi (right), with the Auxiliary Bishop of Awka 

Diocese, Most Rev. Dr. Jonas Benson Okoye (left), during the 2019 Chrism mass at St. Andrew’s 

Catholic Church, Adazi-Nnukwu, yesterday. 

New varsities, polytechnics not to burden 

Ihedioha —Okorocha 

...promises hitch-free transition 

•As clerics call on INEC to release Okorocha's Certificate of Return 

By Chinonso 

Alozie & Prince 

Okafor 

O 

W 

E R R I — 

GOVERNOR 

Rochas Okorocha of Imo 

State yesterday said that his 

newly created six 

universities, four 

polytechnics and two 

colleges of education would 

not be a trap for the 

incoming government of 

Emeka Ihedioha. 

Okorocha spoke to 

newsmen at Government 

House, Owerri where he 

also inaugurated a team 

headed by Professor Chima 

Iwuchukwu to pursue the 

take off of the said higher 

institutions in the next two 

weeks by getting the 

approval from the National 

Universities Commission, 

NUC. 

He also promised a hitchfree 

transition, saying: “I 

will guarantee a hitch-free 

transition. I am still the 

governor till May 29. It is 

not what anybody should 

be afraid of. It will be done 

according to the 

constitution.” 

Okorocha noted that part 

of the plan of his 

administration was to 

engage investors in the 

education sector under the 

Public Private Partnership, 

PPP, as backed by the law 

established by the Imo State 

House of Assembly. 

He stated that investors in 

the education sector would 

partner with the 

government to ensure that 

standard is maintained in 

the new higher 

institutions. 

According to Okorocha, 

“With these institutions put 

in place, the dreams of our 

people would have been 

achieved. Education will 

remain the industry of Imo 

State. What we plan was to 

lure investors into Imo 

State. They will come and 

invest in our institutions, 

under the Public Private 

Partnership, PPP, 

arrangement to assist us in 

the full take-off of the 

universities. 

“For those of you who are 

conversant with the history 

of Imo State, education is 

one of the viable industries 


“When I came into office 

in 2011, I told Imo people 

that my top priority is 

education and I want to tell 

you that we have done a 

lot in this area. 

“We have created six new 

universities, four 

polytechnics and two 

colleges of education. By 

the time they take off, this 

will accommodate 

thousands of our children 

who go outside the state in 

search of admission and in 

most cases, they do not get 

it. Now, the opportunity is 

here for them to take 

advantage of. 

“We have set up a team 

headed by Prof 

Iwuchukwu. They have two 

weeks to meet with the 

NUC to get the approval for 

the tertiary institutions.” 

Release Okorocha’s 

certificate of return, 

MPO tells INEC 

Meantime, Missionaries 

and Pastors Organisation, 

MPO, has called on the 

Independent National 

Electoral Commission, 

INEC, to as a matter of 

urgency, release the 

certificate of return of the 

Governor of Imo State, 

Rochas Okorocha. 

MPO is an umbrella body 

of pastors and missionaries 

of all denomination in 

Nigeria. 

However, Archbishop 

Onyeagoziri Okeugo of the 

MPO, during a press 

conference yesterday in 

Lagos, said: “Having 

watched with keen interest 

all the events that took 

place during our last 

election across the nation, 

we want to say kudos to the 


Electoral Commission for 

the work they have done. 

But the job is yet to be 

completed. 

“We are calling upon 

INEC to release the 

certificate of return of 

Okorocha who was duly 

declared winner of Imo 

West Senatorial District by 

the returning officer. 

“We believe the right 

thing to do is to give the 

certificate of return to him 

and anybody who is 

offended should go to court 

which is the hope of the 

common man. 

“We are calling on INEC 

to take note that the eyes of 

international community 

are watching, even a 

common man in the street 

knows that politics is being 

played somewhere and 

could destroy the integrity 

of President Muhammadu 

Buhari who stands against 

corruption. 

“I hereby, on behalf of 

MPO, call for the release 

of Okorocha's certificate of 

return and urge Nigerians 

to always be ready to stand 

up against impartiality. 

“It is happening against 

Okorocha of the southeast 

today; it can happen to 

anybody of the south west, 

north or anybody across the 

nation tomorrow." 

It should be recalled that 

Justice Taiwo Taiwo of the 

Federal High Court, 

Abuja, last week withdrew 

from the suit filed by 

Governor Rochas Okorocha 

of Imo State in respect of 

his Certificate of Return. 

Justice Taiwo announced 

his decision to withdraw 

from adjudicating on the 

matter based on 

allegations of bias 

against him. 

COSCON wants investigation into 

Atiku, Buhari’s nationality 

It’s national embarrasment—Ohanaeze 

COALITION of Civil 

Society Organisations 

of Nigeria, COSCON, the 

umbrella body of all civil 

society groups in Nigeria 

has called for an 

independent investigation 

into the allegation that 

Atiku is from Cameroon 

and Buhari from Guinea. 

The group through its 

Director of Programmes, 

Promise Edomobi, 

lamented that foreigners 

have been ruling Nigeria 

since independence, 

finding their way into 

political, security and civil 

service sectors of the 

country. 

Edomobi called for a full 

investigation into the 

allegation saying that if its 

found to be genuine, both 

persons should be 

deported immediately. 

In another development, 

the spokesman of 

Ohanaeze Ndigbo world 

wide, Chuks Ibegbu has 

expressed worry over the 

allegation and counter 

allegation that Atiku and 

Buhari are not Nigerians. 

Ibegbu called for "a full 

enquiry into this 

embarrasing matter. I am 

IPOB, Delta CP disagree 

over killings 

By Emma Amaize 

A SABA—THE 

Indigenous People 

of Biafra, IPOB, has 

alleged that Police in 

Delta State shot dead two 

of its members during a 

peaceful procession, 

Tuesday at Asaba, while the 

third injured victim died 

yesterday in a hospital. 

Commissioner of Police 

in the state, Adeleke 

Adeyinka, who spoke to 

Vanguard on phone, 

however, said, “There was 

nothing like that, police did 

not kill anybody.” 

IPOB Publicity Secretary, 

Emma Powerful who 

dismissed the 

Commissioner’s denial, 

said, “Nigerian Police 

killed 2 IPOB members in 

Asaba yesterday (Tuesday) 

during a peaceful rally in 

Asaba, Delta State, while 

some were taken to 

hospital. 

“One of those taken to 

hospital was pronounced 

Partner with Church for devt, 

Obi advises 

VICE 

Presidential 

candidate of the PDP, 

Mr. Peter Obi has called on 

good-spirited Nigerians to 

aware that foreigners infiltrate 

Nigeria but this latest 

accusation and counter 

accusation is worrisome 

and we need to get 

to the truth and the root." 

He also urged the 

election petition tribunals to 

be dispassionate and rely 

on the results from the 

polling units to arrive at the 

scores of all candidates in 

the last election. 

Ibegbu further called on 

the Federal Government to 

take over the treatment of 

the woman whose hands 

were cut of by a herdsman 

at Ogbor Hill in Aba. 

dead yesterday (Tuesday) 

evening because of injury 

he sustained in the course 

of attack on the peaceful 

movement," he asserted 

He gave the names of the 

dead as Moses Akarachi, 

Delicious Ifeanyi and 

Uchenna Oga, noting that 

they were on sensitisation 

mission for upcoming 

Biafra referendum when 

police killed them. 

He insisted the group did 

not invade any police 

station, saying, “It is on 

record that IPOB does not 

go with arms. Since 

inception of this great 

movement, IPOB members 

have not been found or 

involved in any violent act. 

We are a peaceful 

movement and remain so 

till Biafra sovereignty is 

restored. The whole world 

is actually aware of IPOB 

as the most peaceful 

freedom fighting group". 

Powerful said the legal 

team of the group has 

contacted the police and is 

waiting to know the offence 

of the arrested members. 

Imo doctors begin strike today 

By Chinonso 

Alozie 

O WERRI—THE 

Nigeria Medical 

Association, NMA, Imo 

State chapter, yesterday 

announced it’s resolve to 

begin an indefinite strike 

after its 14-day ultimatum 

issued to Imo State 

government expired. 

In a statement to 

newsmen in Owerri by the 

state chairman of NMA, 

Kyrian Duruewuru and 

Secretary, Ogaziechi 

Kenneth, the group added 

that all doctors both from the 

state and federal 

institutions would be part 

the strike. 

The reason according to 

NMA was that their 

grievances were not given 

the desired attention by the 

state government. 

Duruewuru recalled that 

“The NMA Imo State in 

line with its resolutions 

during it’s emergency 

general meeting which 

held on Sunday, 31st 

March, 2019, at the NMA 

Imo State secretariat 

Owerri, issued a 14-day 

ultimatum from April 4, 

2019.” 

Their demands included 

the call for “immediate 

payment of 30 percent 

balance of the monthly 

salary of doctors which has 

accrued for 40 months; 

immediate payment of the 

three-month arrears of 

salary owed doctors 

employed in the state. 

always support the 

Church for meaningful 

development. Obi said this 

yesterday after 

participating at the Chrism 

Mass at Awka, Adazi- 

Nnukwu and Nimo. 

Recalling that Chrism 

Mass is a time the Church 

set aside for the blessings 

of different oils used in her 

apostolate and a time the 

faithful also show support 

to their bishops for the 

various work he is doing in 

the Diocese and his 

numerous charities, Obi 

called on the people of God 

not to be tired. 

Obi who said his 

partnership with the 

Church, especially in the 

area of education and 

health was part of the key 

to his success when he was 

the governor, advised those 

in government to partner 

with the Church because 

they also serve the people, 

even with more 

commitment.


WORKSHOP: From left— Anita Otubu, Head, Energizing Education Programme, REA; Lolade Abiola, 

Head, Mini Grids REA; Stella Abimbola Shopeju, Deputy Managing Director, Lumos Nigeria and 

Ifunanya Nwadu-Dozie, Head, Solar Home Systems REA, at the REA-World Bank workshop on the 

Nigerian Electrification Project, NEP, in Abuja. 

Edo records 20,000 new registration 

in public schools, begins open day 

By Alemma Aliu 

BAPPARENTLY 

ENIN CITY— 

benefiting from the 

innovations introduced into 

its education system, Edo 

State government said it 

has recorded 20,000 

increase in registration of 

pupils for primary 

education in the state. 

Executive Chairman of 

the State Universal Basic 

Education Board, SUBEB, 

Dr Joan Oviawe stated this 

yesterday in a chat with 

journalists to herald the one 

year of its special 

intervention programme in 

primary education called 

EdoBest (Edo Basic 

Education Sector 

Transformation). 

She said so far, 7,000 out 

of the 11,117 primary school 

teachers have been trained 

and provided with tablets 

on modern teaching techniques 

and through the 

process also get feedback 

on the performance or otherwise 

of the teachers in 

terms of regularity in teaching 

and punctuality in 

class. 

Oviawe said another set 

of 615 teachers are currently 

undergoing training 

while she said nothing less 

than 800,000 free text 

books have been distributed 

to primary schools. 

Just as she said the Board 

has introduced electronic 

record for pupils with their 

data and those of their parents 

and guardians captured 

to monitor movement 

of pupils from one school 

to another and keep their 

proper records including 

academic performances. 

She also told journalists 

that 232 public schools are 

being rehabilitated across 

the state with 56 of this 

number undergoing 

complete reconstruction. 

“All these are being done 

in line with the vision of 

Governor Godwin Obaseki 

who is determined to take 

the standard of education 

particularly primary 

education to a very high 

level so that any pupil 

leaving primary six will be 

well equipped to even 

teach. This is being done 

at no cost to the pupil 

because primary education 

is completely free.” 

She said to check cases 

of vandalism of school 

facilities, a School Board 

Management Committees 

(SBMC) has been 

established to take 

ownership of the facilities 

and help protect them just 

as she said the recent reintroduction 

of subvention 

to the schools is to provide 

needed funding to 

maintain the facilities being 

produced by the 

government. 

She said Open day which 

enables parents to visit 

schools and see how their 

children were being taught 

has also been introduced 

and would hold twice in a 

term. 

United sees Boeing's 737 MAX 

flying this summer, deliveries 

before year-end 

United Airlines expects Boeing Co's grounded 737 

MAX jets to return to service this summer, with deliveries 

resuming before the end of the year, an executive 

said yesterday, reassuring investors concerned 

about a prolonged suspension. 

The 737 MAX was grounded worldwide in March following 

two fatal crashes, forcing Boeing to freeze deliveries. 

Boeing is under pressure to upgrade the software 

and convince global regulators that the plane is safe to 

fly again, a process expected to take at least 90 days. 

Chicago-based United, which is part of United Continental 

Holdings Inc, removed its 14 MAX aircraft from 

its flying schedule through early July, while U.S. competitors 

that own the MAX have planned their flying 

schedules without the aircraft into August. 

United was due to take delivery of another 14 of the 

jets this year. 

Qualcomm gains $30bn in 

market value after Apple 

settlement 

Qualcomm Inc added $30 billion to its market 

value after it resolved a legal battle with Apple Inc, 

a move that secures its leadership in 5G phone chips 

and could pave the way for a similar settlement with 

China's Huawei Technologies. 

The company's shares, which closed up 23 percent 

on Tuesday after the announcement, rose as much as 17 

percent yesterday, hitting their highest in nearly two 

decades. 

The deal with Apple, coming at the cusp of the 

rollout of high-speed 5G network, could help Qualcomm 

return to the preeminent position it held in the early 2010s 

when it dominated the transition to 4G mobile networks 

and expanded revenues dramatically. 

FCC chairman opposes China 

Mobile bid to provide US 

services 

Federal Communications Commission chair 

man Ajit Pai, yesterday said he opposes China 

Mobile Ltd's bid to provide U.S. telecommunications 

services and that the commission will vote on 

whether to deny the application in May. 

"It is clear that China Mobile's application to 

provide telecommunications services in our country 

raises substantial and serious national security and 

law enforcement risks," Pai said in a statement. China 

Mobile first applied for permission in 2011. 

FCC officials said approval could have boosted 

Chinese intelligence gathering efforts. 

The comments amid a broader US campaign to 

limit the role of Chinese telecommunications firms 

in the build out of 5G networks comes as Western 

governments grapple with the national security implications 

of moving to 5G, which promises to be at 

least 100 times faster than the current 4G networks. 

Apple accused in US lawsuit of 

securities fraud over iPhone 

sales in China 

Apple Inc was accused in a new lawsuit of securi 

ties fraud for concealing a slump in demand for 

iPhones, particularly in China, leading to a $74 billion 

one-day slide in its market value once the truth became 

known. The complaint filed on Tuesday seeks damages for 

investors who bought Apple stock in the two months before 

Chief Executive Tim Cook on Jan. 2 unexpectedly reduced 

Apple's quarterly revenue forecast as much as $9 billion, in 

part because of the intensifying U.S. trade war with China. 

It was the first time since the iPhone's 2007 launch that 

Apple had cut its revenue forecast. 

Apple's share price fell 10 percent the next day, leaving 

the Cupertino, California-based company's market 

value roughly 40 percent below its $1.1 trillion peak three 

months earlier. 

Cook and Chief Financial Officer Luca Maestri were 

also named as defendants in the proposed class action. Apple 

did not immediately respond on Wednesday to requests 

for comment. 

All stories credited to Reuters

Life after insurgency 

IWAS in Maiduguri on a routine 

visit when by happenstance I 

watched on the local television a 

harvest of exotic tomatoes in a 

greenhouse farm in Njimtilo - a 

settlement just before Auno, the 

nearest major village to Maiduguri 

on the Damaturu road. What struck 

me was both the size of the 

greenhouse as well as the tomatoes 

that were being harvested. The 

greenhouse farms I have so far seen, 

particularly those dotted in the 

suburbs of Abuja, were much smaller 

than the Njimtilo one and the size of 

the tomatoes harvested were the ones 

you only see in those highbrow 

outlets in Abuja and Lagos. I became 

curious. 

My curiosity was further 

heightened when I realised that it was 

Borno State deputy governor, 

Usman Mamman Durkwa, who was 

leading the harvest. I wondered why 

I have never noticed the structures 

whenever I drove into Maiduguri. 

Probably, I missed seeing the 

imposing structures because they 

were adjacent to one of the last 

security checkpoints into Maiduguri 

and at that end of the stressful journey 

one was always eager to get over and 

done with it. One wouldn’t be in the 

best frame of mind to scan the bushes. 

Nevertheless, I resolved to pay a visit. 

I found out that the greenhouse 

farm is actually the hub, the nucleus, 

of a number of related industries that 

had been in the works for quite some 

time. When I visited the first time I 

was privileged to be taken around 

by Ibrahim Ali, a Special Adviser of 

Borno State governor and 

coordinator of the entire project. I 

have known Ibrahim Ali as a wellrounded 

public figure who had been 

a member of the House of 

Representatives in the Second 

Republic, and thereafter an elected 

chairman of Maiduguri 

Metropolitan Council, a Minister of 

State, Petroleum Resources and MD, 

Federal Housing Authority. A US 

trained engineer, Ibrahim Ali has 

also been known to have a deep and 

abiding interest in agriculture. A few 

days later when I visited again it was 

Abatcha Jarawa, also an engineer, 

who was also involved in setting up 

the net house who took me around. 

The Njimtilo green house, one of 

the largest in Africa under a 

retractable roof net house, covers an 

area estimated at over 5.3 hectares. 

When I was ushered into the 

greenhouse the first impression I had 

was how cool it was at that time when 

it was already about noon. The end 

of March temperature outside was 

already climbing up into three digits. 

But I learnt that, that was the beauty 

of the retractable roof net house. It 

has a cooling effect on the grounds 

and crops cultivated under its 

canopy enjoy increased quality 

production. There were other crops 

under cultivation but it was the 

ripening, brilliantly reddishcoloured 

tomato fruits that caught 

attention under a translucent light. 

The tomato fruits were rampant on 

ridges after ridges, as far as one’s eyes 

could see. What a sight to behold! I 

was just wowed! 

Ali told me that the intention of 

setting up the greenhouse was to 

reposition the state through means 

of agriculture as part of the state 

government’s response to the 

destruction of the citizens means of 

livelihood by the Boko Haram 

terrorists. It is all part of the grand 

vision of Governor Kashim 

Shettima to use agriculture to fight 

poverty and end insurgency. Himself 

an agricultural economist and a 

banker, Shettima would rightly be 

viewed as one of the most 

experienced public servants in the 

state government having served as 

commissioner in the key ministries 

of finance, local government and 

education, before being elected as 

governor. 

There is an 

immediate need to set 

up a formal structure to 

get the industries to the 

next level of their selfsustenance 

and their 

ultimate use to the 

community 

As soon as he became governor he 

went after his vision earnestly making 

wide consultations across the 

country among stakeholders in the 

agriculture sector. He humbly 

knocked on many doors to gather 

ideas on what to do. Audu Ogeh now 

Minister of Agriculture was his ally 

and Honorary Special Adviser and 

they collaborated on many of the 

interventions in agriculture to 

enhance farmer support services, 

encourage agricultural 

mechanisation, processing and 

farmer entrepreneurial skills. 

Governor Settima’s harrowing 

experience in administering a state 

besieged and traumatised by 

insurgents, probably underlines his 

Vanguard, THURSDAY, APRIL 18, 2019 —17 

17 

empathy for the citizens and 

prepared him to harness all the 

resources of the state to give the 

greatest good to the greatest number 


What is remarkable about the 

greenhouse is the range of industries 

in the hub that form a complete 

agriculture-based value chain. There 

is a paste and juice industry for 

tomatoes, mangoes, oranges and the 

like; a dehydration plant for onions, 

pepper and related vegetables; a 

garri processing plant; a corn chips 

and cake baking industry; and a 

bottled water industry. Other 

prominent industries include the 

solar panels industry and the PVC 

pipe factory. 

The solar panel factory is said to 

be the largest in Africa and will 

annually be producing 40 

megawatts worth of panels with a 

capacity of 300 watts each. The PVC 

pipe factory that is also set to take 

off will be producing all types of 

pipes, conduit, water hose and drips, 

and will target as its market the 

small and large-scale irrigation 

farmers, municipal water suppliers, 

boreholes drillers, etc. It is said that 

though there are a number of PVC 

pipes industries in the country, the 

one I saw in Njimtilo is the most 

comprehensive because as Ali 

explained, it is the only one operating 

six lines of production. 

What is more remarkable about 

these industries is that they were 

bought directly from their 

manufacturers in transactions that 

cut off second and third party 

meddlesomeness. And as the 

factories arrived Maiduguri, it was 

the local engineers and technicians 

assembled from University of 

Maiduguri, Ramat Polytechnic and 

like institutions that successfully 

unpacked and set them for testing. I 

did not come across a single foreign 

technician in the premises. 

I had the privilege to further 

confirm that when I went back a few 

days later to spend a whole day in 

the premises. That day the last of the 

factories - the juice extracting one - 

was in the process of being 

assembled for testing. I watched how 

Ali and his colleagues, Umar 

Zubairu and Chris Wakawa, all 

engineers, supervised the 

installation. Over endless cups of tea 

with the hot April winds swirling 

around us I kept probing them 

whenever I caught their attention on 

the present predicament of the 

project as well as its sustainability. 

The only problem the project faced 

at that time was to do with supply of 

electricity. The whole project was still 

on generators which were expensive 

to maintain. This is despite the fact 

that the supply and distribution of 

electricity in Maiduguri and 

environs had improved 

tremendously. But they remain 

hopeful that in the next few days the 

project will hook on to the 133 KVA 

line for a more efficient and cheaper 

supply of electricity. The other 

question that nags the mind is where 

does this range of massive 

investments go from here? It is 

evident that by the close involvement 

of local engineers and technicians 

some lessons had been learnt from 

the failures of many such enterprises 

established with the best of 

intentions. At least now the intricate 

know-how of all the industries is 

within the immediate grasp of the 

locals. But as I saw it, there is an 

immediate need to set up a formal 

structure to get the industries to the 

next level of their self-sustenance and 

their ultimate use to the community. 

Other questions that beg for 

answers include the control of the 

industries and the farm itself. Will 

the government continue to run them 

or will it allow a partnership with 

the private sector or even completely 

withdraw and allow a full takeover 

by private hands? I guess Governor 

Shettima must be mulling over these 

nagging questions affecting this 

paramount legacy before handing 

over in the next few weeks. I am 

confident we will get the answers 

soon. Keep a date with this page. 

Tackling maths phobia among students through competitions 

By Olumide Bajulaiye 

MANY students claim not to like 

mathematics. But for some, the 

issue with maths is more than simply 

disliking algebra or fractions. For some 

students, maths anxiety impacts them by 

affecting their working memory, 

disrupted by math anxiety in both 

elementary and secondary school students. 

This can lead students with math anxiety 

to be as much as half a school year behind 

their peers. Even for students who don’t 

struggle with maths anxiety, it’s important 

to develop positive study habits that will 

help them as the subject becomes more 

complex. 

Research has confirmed that maths 

anxiety is linked to poor performance, and 

can make teaching the subject a daily 

struggle. So, how can teachers help 

students overcome their fear? How can 

they instil a love for a subject that so many 

students find intimidating? The 16th 

Annual National Mathematics 

Competition, ANMC, organised by the 

Nigeria Tulip International Colleges, 

NTIC and the National Mathematical 

Centre, Abuja held last week, aimed at 

rewarding hard work for pupils who really 

devoted much time to surmount the 

phobia, which their peers associate with 

mathematics. 

According to the managing director of 

NTIC, Sabri Unal, who is also a 

mathematics teacher himself, even with 

almost 40,000 participants in 2019, the 

school hopes to increase the number of 

contestants in the coming years. “We are 

helping to remove the maths phobia 

among primary school pupils especially 

and being one of the key subjects to 

anything in the world, one needs to be 

successful in mathematics. 

“For the students, they should trust 

themselves, concentrate on what they are 

doing and rediscover the power they really 

have in themselves to be abreast with 

whatever life brings along in the future. 

It’s no surprise that confidence is a huge 

factor in students’ anxiety towards 

mathematics. Previous negative 

experiences with the subject can lead to a 

negative and defeatist attitude. To 

overcome this, you should provide 

students with regular confidence-building 

exercises that look challenging but enable 

all students to do well. This boost in 

confidence and self-efficacy can decrease 

anxiety and fear, as students feel more and 

more capable and motivated,” Unal said. 

According to him, the competition is 

organised in four zones. “What has 

happened here today is the same way 

NTIC is organising in three other 

locations - Kaduna, Lagos and Ogun. And, 

there are other students whom we are also 

giving different percentages of 

scholarships, though they are not 

mentioned here.” 

Unal disclosed that for 16 years, NTIC 

has been promoting effective teaching and 

learning of maths at the primary level and 

developing greater capacity through its 

Annual National Mathematics 

Competition. “The main reason for the 

competition was to deal with the phobia 

for mathematics among our children 

because maths is the foundation for 

anything you want to do or be in life and 

the competition has helped in achieving 

this objective,” he said. 

During the ceremony, the top three 

positions were awarded with full tuition 

plus cash prizes that ranged from 

N100,000 to N300,000. Their 

mathematics teachers were not left out as 

they too received cash prices up to 

N200,000. The first position went to Ejezie 

T. Euzebius from Mount Olive School, 

Anambra State, while the second and third 

positions were taken by Jessica James 

from Pleroma International School, Port 

Harcourt and Tamunodumotein Sekibo 

from Tender Year Preparatory School, 

Abuja, respectively. 

The coordinator of the exam, Mr. Yerkin 

Shaimerdenov, disclosed that since the 

inception of the competition in 2003, 

171,631 pupils across Nigeria had 

participated in it and NTIC had offered 

100 per cent scholarship that covers 

tuition plus hostel fee for six years 

(throughout secondary school) to 180 

outstanding students who had participated 

in the competition.” 

The first prize winner, Euzebius, who 

Mathematics is the core of 

any academic endeavour that 

one wishes to embark on and 

this made management decide 

that there is need to organise 

this kind of competition 

was full of happiness and fulfillment, said 

that what helped him was that he read his 

books and stayed up in the night with the 

help of his mother. 

Mr. Anoli Theophilus, his mathematics 

teacher said: “I feel very excited that our 

efforts in the final analysis yielded fruit. 

For more than a year now, we have been 

grooming him. The boy is a very smart 

person and has confidence in himself; he 

will always take things seriously as he is 

disciplined. Education without character 

is not complete. There is this component 

of discipline and character that plays a 

very big role in making one learn.” 

For Dr. Steve Dele Oluwaniyi, who 

represented the national director of the 

National Mathematical Centre, Abuja, 

the annual national mathematics 

competition is a very laudable project and 

is worth emulating and improving upon. 

“NTIC has been doing a lot towards 

improving the teaching and learning of 

mathematics in Nigeria right from the 

basic level to the Olympiad. We have 

almost 40,000 candidates participating 

in the competition this year and the 

preparation of the questions, marking and 

awards were not easy.” 

“Mathematics is so strategic and 

fundamental that there is nothing one can 

achieve either organisationally or 

individually without putting a premium 

on the study of mathematics,” he said. 

In his response, Muazu Omeji, Principal 

of NTIC Boys Boarding Section in Abuja, 

noted that as a school, the NTIC believes 

that mathematics is the core of any 

academic endeavour that one wishes to 

embark on and this made management 

decide that there is need to organise this 

kind of competition. 

He said: “As it is now, the competition is 

held nationwide. One of the benefits of 

the competition is that because of the kind 

of grooming we give them, so many of the 

students have won scholarships to study 

in universities, both locally and 

internationally.” 

Aniekan Ekpo, a mathematics teacher 

from Cross River State, said: “It has been 

an annual competition for us since 2003. 

Students sit for the exams in various states 

and before, there used to be three slots for 

states but now, it has been increased to 

five. The best five students from the states 

are invited to come to Abuja, then we chose 

the best 12 who are individually given 

prices.” 

•Bajulaiye, a social analyst wrote from Abuja 

C 

M 

YK

18 — Vanguard, THURSDAY, APRIL 18, 2019 

APRIL 14, 2019 marked the fifth 

anniversary of one of the saddest days 

in the history of Nigeria – the 

abduction of 276 girls of the 

Government Girls Secondary School, 

Chibok in Borno State by Boko 

Haram Islamic terrorists. The girls 

were taking their school certificate 

exams when the terrorists came at 

night, wearing military uniforms and 

deceiving them that they were being 

taken to safety only to ferry them to 

unknown destinations. 

The Federal Government has 

managed to secure the release of 107 

of the schoolgirls through swap deals 

with the terrorists, but at least 112 of 

them remain in custody of their 

abductors. Also, on February 19, 2018, 

another 110 girls of the Government 

Girls Science and Technical College, 

Dapchi in Yobe State, were abducted 

by the Abu Musab Al Barnawi faction 

of Boko Haram. 

They were held for nearly one 

month before they were brought back 

Chibok girls: Five years, still counting 

in broad daylight by the terrorists 

without Miss Leah Sharibu, the only 

Christian among them whom the 

terrorists continue to detain till date 

because she refused to convert to 

Islam. 

The abductions of these schoolgirls 

became the metaphors that triggered 

a worldwide campaign, #Bring Back 

Our Girls, BBOG. In Nigeria, the 

campaign was fronted by Dr. Oby 

Ezekwesili, Hajiya Hadiza Bala 

Usman, Hajiya Aisha Yusuf and 

others. They held vigils mainly at the 

Unity Fountain, Abuja and often 

marched to the Presidential Villa 

demanding action. 

Many newspapers mounted daycounting 

campaigns on their front 

pages and wrote countless editorials 

in support of the pressure on the 

government and the terrorists to 

release the girls. 

However, over the years, despite the 

Muhammadu Buhari regime 

succeeding the Goodluck Jonathan 

government in 2015, it appears that 

the BBOG campaign has virtually lost 

steam. Newspapers have abandoned 

their day-counts. The Federal 

Government rarely says anything 

about it except the shop-worn Twitter 

responses of President Buhari that he 

“would never rest” until the girls are 

freed. 

Much of the dampened spirit came 

from several sources last year. These 

included the Twitter posting by Ahmad 

Salkida, a journalist known to have 

credible links to the terrorists, that 

only 15 of the Chibok girls were still 

alive, and even those were “married 

off” to the terrorists. 

The full burden for the rescue of all 

abducted schoolgirls or at least, 

credible information about their 

current fates, lies fully with the 

Federal Government. We are no 

longer satisfied with the oft-recycled 

reassurances from the President in 

response to mounting pressures. 

It is high time the nation was told 

the naked truth about the situation of 

the girls to enable us begin to hold 

certain individuals or groups to 

account for their acts of commission 

or omission in the failure of the 

Federal Government to protect the 

Chibok and Dapchi schoolgirls. 

OPINION 

The problem with Nigerian religionism 

By Tochukwu Ezukanma 

AS he wasted away in a Nazi 

concentration camp, reality dawned 

on this German aristocrat. In a letter to his 

wife, he wrote: “Every man is a special 

thought of the Creator’s mind”. He was right 

or creation would have been mass 

production. God did not standardise a 

template for man, and then, mass-produced 

him, with everyone looking the same. It is 

because He thought about each and every 

one of us in a special way that he made each 

of us special: individually distinct. The 

Psalmists in Psalm 82: 6 wrote: “Ye all are 

gods”, and Jesus Christ agreed with the Jews 

in John 10:34 that we “are gods”. Yes, every 

man is a special thought of God’s mind - a 

miniature God - created with individualised 

identity, temperament, talents and destiny. 

In this our excessively religious country, 

we passionately worship God. We frequent 

the church, pay our offerings, tithes and first 

fruits, sow seeds, and sing praises and pray 

to God. Lamentably, despite our enthusiasm 

for God, we disregard and disdain the visible 

and palpable gods that pervade our lives - 

man. 

Imagine a flight passenger that started a 

fight with the pilot, and as, he was teaching 

the pilot a punching lesson, the pilot, bruised 

and flustered, was losing control of the 

plane. And, as the plane floundered and went 

off course, the passenger, as he continued to 

pummel the pilot, also continued to pray to 

God to grant him journey mercy and lead 

him safely to his destination. 

It is not impossible that God may answer 

his prayer. But the best way for him to have 

ensured God’s journey mercy, and thus, a 

safe flight would have been to respect and 

obey the pilot and his crew, the miniature 

gods appointed by the Supreme God to 

direct his journey. 

The problem of the flight passenger is that 

he refused to realise that man is god, and 

that the pilot and his crew are small gods 

appointed by the Supreme God to take him 

to his destination. Like the pilot and the crew 

manning that flight, every man we encounter 

is a miniature God playing a given role in 

accordance to the will of the Almighty God. 

These roles may be grand, even monumental 

or minute, even insignificant; magnificent 

or detestable, but all in line with His divine 

design. 

In the same way, the flight passenger 

would have made it easier for God to answer 

his prayers by recognising and respecting 

the mini-gods designated to guide his flight; 

our worship of God becomes meaningful 

and more rewarding when we acknowledge, 

respect and love the small Gods we 

encounter routinely in our everyday lives. 

There has been an inordinate growth of 

the Christian religion in Nigeria. Village 

communities and city neighbourhoods are 

studded with churches. Believers are in 

churches on Wednesdays, Thursday, Fridays, 

and of course, Sundays. 

There are morning devotions, mid-night 

vigils, Sunday services, Fellowship meetings, 

and one revival and crusade after another. 

These religious gatherings are filled with 

praise and worship, prayers, exhortations 

and the usual sermons. Paradoxically, 

Nigerians are very fraudulent, wicked and 

violent; they have very little regards for 

human life. Even the bastions of the 

Christian faith, the churches, are suffused 

with selfishness, dishonesty, intolerance and 

other none Christ-like attributes that the 

Bible repeatedly stated should not exist 

among Christians. How can a 

country inundated with the Christian 

doctrine founded on love, humility, 

compassion, lawfulness, etc, remain full of 

hate, arrogance, cruelty, lawlessness, etc? 

It is because Nigerians, especially, the 

rulers and those in power and authority, do 

not know that man is God; and that it is in 

serving man that we serve God, and in loving 

man that we love God. They refuse to realise 

The true love and worship 

of the Supreme God is in 

respecting, caring and loving 

man, the miniature Gods that 

pervade our lives 

that in brutalising man, you brutalise God, 

and in lying to, and stealing from, the 

people, you lie to, and steal from God. The 

Bible tells us that there are millions of angels 

in heaven assigned solely to the worship of 

God. So, although we should sing praises 

unto Him, but, by the standards of these 

angels’ heavenly symphony, our worship 

songs must be discordant and croaky: just 

noise. 

The giving of offerings, paying of tithe and 

first fruit, and the sowing of seed that 

presently dominate the preaching of most 

Nigerian pastors, are all fine but not the 

essence of Christianity. In Matthew 5 verse 

23 to 24, the Bible says: If you bring your 

gift (offering, tithe, etc) to the altar and then 

remember that your brother has something 

against you, go first reconcile with him 

before you offer your gift (offering, tithe, etc). 

In other words, making peace with man and 

living in peace and love with him is 

spiritually more important than our 

offerings to God. God does not need the 

money the pastors squelch out of us and 

“give” to God. It lines the pastors’ pockets. 

Does God not own the world and all that is 

in it? 

There is really nothing that man can do 

for God. It is in doing to man that we do to 

God. We can only love God by loving our 

fellow human beings and serve God by 

serving man. It is in respecting man that we 

respect God; and in caring for man, we care 

for God. To honour God and dishonour 

man, revere God and despise man, love God 

and hate man is hypocritical, sinful 

absurdity. The true love and worship of the 

Supreme God is in respecting, caring and 

loving man, the miniature Gods that pervade 

our lives. 

Jesus Christ made this point in Matthew 

25 verse 34 to 40: “Then shall the King say 

unto them… Come you bless of my Father, 

inherit the kingdom prepared for you…For 

I was hungry, and ye gave me meat: I was 

thirsty, and you gave drink: I was a stranger, 

and ye took me: Naked, and ye clothe me. 

And the righteous will ask: ‘Lord, when saw 

we thee hungry and fed thee, thirsty, and 

gave thee drink, stranger, and took thee in, 

or naked and clothe thee?’ And the King shall 

answer…them: ‘Verily I say unto you, 

Inasmuch as ye have done unto one of the 

least of these my brethren, ye have done it 

unto me’”. 

Yes, in doing unto man, you do unto God. 

Man is an expression and an embodiment 

of God. There is God in man and man in 

God. For we all are gods. 

*Ezukanma, a public affairs commentator, 

wrote from Lagos.

ELECTRICITY: National grid suffers 6 

system collapses in 4months 

...as 7 GENCOs generate 0mw 

....N161bn lost to inefficient gas supply 

By Prince Okafor 

The national grid has 

suffered six system collapses 

in the first four months of the year, 

implying more setbacks for the 

nation’s power sector, in spite of 

ample investment by the Federal 

Government through the 

Transmission Company of Nigeria, 

TCN, to stabilise the grid. 

This development undermined 

distribution of electricity to Nigerian 

households, resulting to 

intermittent darkness. 

System collapse is witnessed 

when a system disturbance occurs 

with the grid not being able to 

withstand the disturbance, which 

usually leads to a blackout or 

abnormally low voltage in a 

significant part of the power system. 

A report obtained by Vanguard 

from the Ministry of Power, Works 

and Housing, PWH, shows that 

total collapse occurred five times in 

January, while one partial collapse 

was witnessed in April. 

The report also showed that 

seven Generating Companies, 

GENCOs in the country are yet to 

generate any megawatt to the 

national grid. 

The seven GENCOs include 

Alaoji NIPP, Afam IV-V, Ibom, 

ASCO, A.E.S, Trans Amadi, Egbin 

ST6. 

A source who spoke on condition 

of anonymity told Vanguard that 

the major reason why the GENCOs 

were not able to generate electricity 

to the grid was as a result of nonavailability 

of gas due to 

accumulated debts. 

Furthermore, a report obtained 

from the office of the Vice President, 

Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, shows that, an 

estimated amount of N161 billion 

was lost to an insufficient gas 

supply, distribution, transmission 

and water reserves from January 

to April 15, 2019. 

Commenting, Chief Executive 

Officer, All-On, a renewable energy 

CURRENCY BUYING SELLING 

US DOLLAR 

POUNDS 

EURO 

FRANC 

YEN 

CFA 

WAUA 

RENMINBI 

RIYAL 

SDR 

DANISH 

RAND 

$87.35 -3.15 

2,395.00 31.00 

$12.47 -0.04 

$71.56 -0.16 

$63.97 -0.08 

305.95 306.45 306.95 

399.6319 400.285 400.9381 

345.7541 346.3191 346.8842 

304.1252 304.6223 305.1193 

2.7324 2.7369 2.7414 

0.5085 0.5185 0.5285 

424.7336 425.4277 426.1218 

45.5837 45.6586 45.7336 

81.5845 81.7178 81.8512 

425.2705 425.9655 426.6605 

46.3392 46.4149 46.4907 

. 21.697 21.7325 21.768 

CBN Exchange rate as at 17/04/2019 

company, Mr. Wiebe Boer blamed 

this development on bad-grid 

investment decisions in the power 

sector value chain. 

He said: “There are enormous 

bad-grid investment opportunities 

in high-density low-income urban 

areas in Nigeria. This is not just a 

deeply rural play. 

“Nigeria is coming from over four 

decades of underinvestment in the 

power sector, resulting in 120 

million Nigerians in either a nogrid 

or bad-grid situation. 

“This is more people than the 

entire population of the next largest 

African country and almost the 

population of all of the rest of West 

Africa. The energy gap serves as 

the foundation for a lot of the 

challenges the nation faces; health, 

education, insecurity, 

unemployment, environmental 

pollution, amongst others. 

“We have an installed capacity 

of approximately 10,000 

megawatts, MW and a distributed 

capacity of just over 4,000MW on 

Vanguard, THURSDAY, APRIL 18 , 2019 — 19 

a good day; to serve a population 

of about 198 million persons in 

2019, despite numerous projections 

to increase capacity over the years 

that have not materialized. 

“This is not acceptable. We 

cannot continue to be the nation of 

perpetual darkness. We cannot 

continue to normalize this and just 

accept that in Nigeria power will 

always be a problem – and the 

national excuse for why we haven’t 

achieved what we should have as 

a nation. 

“We need to make sure that the 

on-grid and off-grid section of the 

power chain do not drift apart so 

wide that they cannot seek common 

ground. The power gap is too 

massive for either one to solve, and 

we are better off through 

collaboration”. 

MOU: From left: Segun Opeke, Directorate Head, Lagos Directorate, Polaris Bank; Ms. 

Chantelle Abdul, MD Mojec International; Abdullahi Mohammed, Executive Director, Abuja/ 

Northern Region; Mrs Mojisola Abdul, Chairperson Mojec International; Innocent Ike, 

Executive Director, Technology & Services, Polaris Bank, at the MoU signing ceremony between 

Polaris Bank & Mojec Int’l on retail financing scheme for MAP meter acquisition scheme for 

Nigerians in Lagos 

Foreign investors withdraw N94bn from 

stock market in 2 months 

By Nkiruka Nnorom 

Foreign investors have 

withdrawn N94.09 billion from 

the Nigerian stock market in the first 

two months of the year as the equities 

market continues to tumble. 

The total foreign outflow 

represents 56.7 percent of 

total foreign portfolio 

commitment in the stock 

market during the two 

month period and outpaced 

foreign portfolio inflow, 

which stood at N71.74 

billion, by 23.8 percent. 

Total foreign investors’ 

stake in the market stood at 

N165.8 billion within the 

period. 

Breakdown of monthly 

foreign inflows, according to 

Data on Foreign & Domestic 

Portfolio Participation on the 

Nigerian Stock Exchange, 

NSE, shows that foreign 

outflows increased by 5.20 

percent month-on-month 

(MoM) from N37.11 billion 

in December 2018 to N39.04 

billion in January, while it 

rose by 41 percent MoM in 

February to N55.02 billion. 

Analysts at United Capital 

Plc explained that the 

current risk-off sentiment 

in the market may have 

something to do with investor 

uncertainty, as markets are coming 

to terms with the policy implications 

(and the resulting impact on the 

macro-economy) of President 

Muhammadu Buhari’s re-election. 

The firm in a report themed, “FPIs 

are selling Stocks but buying T-Bills 

& Bonds, Why?”, affirmed that the 

recently concluded full year 2018 

earnings season, as well as the 

reduction in the monetary policy 

rate (MPR), have failed to support 

or trigger a bull run in the stock 

market, adding that investors 

probably want to see bold policy 

moves that can put Nigeria on the 

path to a more sustainable long-term 

growth. 

Looking ahead, the analysts said: 

“Over 2018, many investors 

withdrew from emerging and frontier 

markets (Nigeria inclusive) and 

bought more assets in the US due to 

the spike in US bond yields, as well 

as the appreciating dollar. Worsened 

by election uncertainty, the Nigerian 

equity market saw a net foreign 

outflow to the tune of N66.2 billion 

over 2018, compared to net foreign 

inflows of N336.9 billion in 2017.’’ 

Access Bank declares N45bn pre-tax profit for Q1 

By Nkiruka Nnorom 

Access Bank Plc has 

declared N45.10 billion as 

Profit Before Tax, for its first quarter 

ended March 31, 2019, representing 

64.4 percent increase compared to 

N27.44 billion posted in the 

corresponding quarter in Q1’18. 

Highlights of the bank’s Q1 

financial statement released on the 

Nigerian Stock Exchange, NSE, 

showed that the bank’s earnings 

rose by 16.4 percent to N160.12 

billion on the back of 9.1 percent 

increase in interest income. 

Its net assets also was up 17.5 

percent to N576.47 billion from 

N490.51 billion in Q1’18, while the 

interest income rose to N95.12 billion 

from N87.24 billion. The basic 

earnings per share at N1.39 kobo 

was 80.5 percent increase compared 

to N0.77 in the corresponding 

period in 2018. 

Commenting, Herbert Wigwe, 

Group Managing Director/Chief 

Executive Officer, Access Bank, 

said: “The group delivered solid 

earnings underscoring the value 

potentials of the newly expanded 

business model. Gross earnings 

showed a16 percent increase to 

N160.1 billion from the prior year, 

comprising strong earnings on 

interest income and non-interest 

income of 69 percent and 31 percent 

respectively, whilst Profit before Tax 

(PBT) grew by 66 percent to 

GTBank 

reports N57bn 

profit for 

Q1’19 

By Babajide Komolafe 

Guaranty Trust Bank Plc 

yesterday released its 

unaudited financial results for 

the quarter ended March 31, 

2019 (Q1’19), which showed that 

profit before tax (PBT) rose by 8.3 

percent to N57 billion during the 

quarter. 

A statement from the bank said: 

“Gross earnings for the period 

grew by 1.2 percent to N110.3 

billion from N109 billion posted 

in March 2018. Profit before tax 

improved to N57 billion from 

N52.6 billion recorded in the 

corresponding period of March 

2018, representing a growth of 

8.3 percent. Customers’ deposits 

also rose by 6.0 percent to N2.410 

trillion in March 2019 from 

N2.274 trillion in December 

2018, whilst the Bank’s Loan 

book grew by 1.6 percent from 

N1.262 trillion as at December 

2018 to N1.282trillion in March 

2019. 

“Balance sheet remained strong 

with the Bank closing the quarter 

ended March 31, 2019 with Total 

Assets of N3.556 trillion and 

Shareholders’ Funds of N627.2 

billion. In terms of Assets quality, 

NPL ratio and Cost of Risk closed 

7.03 percent and 0.05 percent in 

March 2019 from 7.30 percent and 

0.34 percent in December 2018 

respectively.” 

Commenting, Managing 

Director/Chief Executive Officer of 

Guaranty Trust Bank Plc, Mr 

Segun Agbaje, said; “Going into 

2019, we knew that it would be a 

challenging year, but our strategy 

and unwavering focus on 

delivering value for our customers 

and shareholders continues to 

underpin our ability to consistently 

deliver solid results despite 

changing market variables. We 

carried on the momentum of the 

previous year, posting strong 

growth in earnings, effectively 

managing costs and leveraging our 

digital-first customer-centric 

strategy to deliver world-class 

services that are simple, cheap and 

easily accessible.” 

He further stated that: “Whilst 

ensuring the long-term growth of 

our business is the greatest value 

that we can create for our 

communities, we are also 

leveraging our resources, 

expertise and network to help 

people thrive. That’s why, from 

April 28 to May 1, 2019, we are 

organizing the biggest food and 

drink festival in Africa to give 

small businesses in the food 

industry the platform, network 

and access to the markets that they 

need to grow.” 

N45.1billion 

“Our capital and liquidity position 

remained above regulatory levels, with 

CAR at 19.5 percent and liquidity ratio 

of 47.6 percent further demonstrating 

the capacity of the enlarged balance 

sheet to cope with possible negative 

shocks. Following the successful 

completion of the merger with 

Diamond Bank in March 2019, we 

have now fully positioned ourselves 

in the retail market with a view to 

bringing the power of banking to the 

doorsteps of millions. 

“We are providing a broader 

platform to facilitate payments services 

in Nigeria and across Africa, by 

harnessing our significantly enhanced 

digital technology capabilities.”


Many people find the 

entrepreneurial 

journey to be a lonely and 

stressful one, fraught with 

highs and lows, elated wins, 

and crushing losses. The 

crux of anxiety is 

uncertainty; entrepreneurs 

fear the future and worry 

about how they will cope. 

The absence of a regular 

pay check, market 

fluctuations, and the 

inevitable risk-taking 

required to grow, only 

compounds this 

uncertainty. 

As an entrepreneur, you 

are your biggest asset and 

How w to over 

ercome entrepreneurial anxiety 

ty 

your mental health is every 

bit as important as your 

physical health. Anxiety is 

one of the most common 

mental disorders that we 

can suffer from, so here are 

five ways to manage your 

entrepreneurial anxiety. 

Self Compassion: As an 

entrepreneur, failure is 

inevitable. But being 

compassionate to yourself 

cushions you against 

failures, allowing you to 

bounce back and try again 

because you learn that 

failure is just part of being 

human. It's treating 

yourself as you would a 

good friend, with 

understanding, kindness, 

and respect. 

Taking breaks: It's time 

to start working smarter, 

not harder. Your brain is 

not designed to work flat 

out for 10 hours a day. You 

need time-outs to process 

information and perform at 

your best. Schedule breaks 

into your diary to make 

sure they actually happen 

and head out for a walk, 

have a stretch, meditate, 

make tea, daydream, read, 

or phone a friend. 

Meditation: Meditation 

doesn't take time away from 

your busy schedule; it gives 

you time. Famous 

entrepreneurs who 

espouse the benefits of 

meditation include Tim 

Ferris, Oprah, and Russell 

Simmons. Those with a 

regular practice report 

increased mental focus, 

lowered stress and anxiety, 


and higher levels of 

creativity 

Phone boundaries: 

Mobile phone addiction is 

on the rise. Each time you 

check your emails, receive 

a new tweet, or an 

intriguing news story pops 

up on your our phone, 

you get a hit of dopamine. 

You get addicted to your 

phones. Being at the beck 

and call of your mobile and 

answering email 24/7 is 

bad news for your mental 

health because it keeps you 

on high alert, never 

allowing you to fully switch 

off. 

Procrastination: 

Anxiety 

and 

procrastination are often 

linked. When you feel 

scared and joverwhelmed 

it can be hard to take 

action and get things done. 

If you fear failure, you might 

struggle even to get started. 

Then the more you put 

things off, the more 

pressure you're under, 

making it even harder to 

focus and concentrate. 

•Culled from LSETF Digest 

Over 59m Nigerians work in MSMEs 

sector 

— SMEDAN 

By Yinka Kolawole 

The Micro, Small and 

M e d i u m 

Enterprises 

(MSMEs) sector offers 

more than 59 million 

jobs in Nigeria, the Small 

and Medium Enterprises 

Development Agency 

(SMEDAN) has said. 

Deputy Director, 

Enterprise Development 

and Promotion, 

SMEDAN, Ibrahim 

Abdumalik, disclosed 

this at a capacity building 

workshop for young 

business owners, 

organised by SMEDAN in 

Yenegoa, Bayelsa State. 

According to him, there 

are over 37 million 

MSMEs in Nigeria 

offering over 59 million 

jobs. He noted, 

regrettably, that the 

global recession had 

adversely affected so 

many enterprises with 

MSMEs as the worst 

affected, adding 

however that the 

challenges posed by the 

recession should serve 

as a catalyst for 

innovative enterprises. 

Abdumalik who 

represented the 

Director-General, Diko 

Radda, at the event, said 

the training was 

designed to curtail the 

mortality of small 

businesses in Nigeria. 

He stated: "MSMEs are for 

sure the most viable 

instruments for 

diversifying our 

economy and tapping 

into the rich but largely 

dormant resource 

deposits across the 

length and breadth of 

Nigeria. 

"The stiff competition in 

the global markets has 

tended to further stifle 

the operations and 

growth of our MSMEs 

that can rightly be 

classified as 'endangered 

species'. The fatalistic 

state of the majority of 

these enterprises is as a 

result of either 

environmental or 

e n d o g e n o u s 

constraints. 

"This intervention is 

essentially to reinforce 

my 

agency's 

commitment towards 

ensuring the easing of the 

harsh operating 

environment especially 

for MSMEs." 

Another Deputy Director 

at SMEDAN, who was a 

also resource person at 

the training, Chibuzo 

Osuoha, noted that the 

programme was 

simultaneously going on 

in Ogun and Kaduna. 

She said that the training 

was packaged to address 

the problems identified 

by SMEDAN to be 

responsible for the failure 

of small businesses. 

"We have taken time to 

groom young businesses 

and we noticed some 

deficiencies and lapses, 

so, we created a 

curriculum that would 

LCCI opens entrepreneurship mentoring programme 

By Naomi Uzor 

The Lagos Chamber of 

Commerce and 

Industry, LCCI, is today 

launching its 2019 

Entrepreneurship 

Mentoring Programme, 

aimed at helping to curb 

the lingering high rate of 

unemployment in 

Nigeria. 

Director General, LCCI, 

Mr. Muda Yusuf, in a 

statement disclosed that 

this year's edition which 

is the 7th in the series, will 

also feature exhibitions 

by beneficiaries of the 

scheme. 

He stated: "The scheme is 

a notable Corporate 

Social Responsibility 

(CSR) initiative of the 

Chamber, and its 

objective is to create and 

develop an army of young 

entrepreneurs that will be 

enhance their 

management skills," she 

stated. 

According to Osuoha, the 

participants were 

selected and put through 

a sensitisation 

programme on how to 

manage small businesses 

profitably. 

She said the 104 

beneficiaries, who run 

existing businesses were 

divided into two groups 

and would be assisted 

with a grant for 

operational space for one 

year. 

able to manage their 

various businesses 

efficiently. We are 

preparing them to be the 

future 'Fortune 50' 

companies in Nigeria. 

"One sure way of 

investing in the future of 

the economy is 

mentoring the youth to 

create and manage 

businesses. It is a way of 

launching them into the 

Establishing accounting 

system for small business 

The series on standard financial management has been 

slightly modified after some repeated publications. 

We are introducing more elements that are reflected in 

a standard requirement for loan applicants in financial 

institutions. 

Thus an extended portion of the series is starting today 

with discussion on book-keeping meaning establishing 

a standard accounting system for an MSME. 

Earlier we had noted the overriding importance of 

sound financial management for survival and thriving 

of any business, more for small or emerging 

businesses. We had also listed the key elements of the 

sound financial management practices to include, 

setting up or opening a business bank account; creating 

and maintaining a budget, establishing an accounting 

system and book keeping method and this would be 

subdivided into two other practices, viz, account 

review and establishing a credit control system. The 

last content on this series focused on creating and 

maintaining a business budget. In another series we 

shall delve into a detailed discussion on budgets and 

forecasting which gives medium to long term view of 

the growth of the business. 

Today we look at establishing an accounting system 

for the business. 

Accounting (or bookkeeping) is a process of recording 

the financial transactions of a business. Keeping good 

records for your business can assist you to apply for 

finance, review your business activities, manage 

effectively and comply with tax requirements. 

For tax purposes you are legally required to keep 

records related to your income, payments to 

employees, payments for supplies and all inputs into 

the business and other sundry business expenses. 

Very important for the purpose of this topic is that 

your business cannot have access to loan without an 

accounting system. 

There are two types of accounting methods; Cash and 

Accrual. Next week we delve into more details on these. 

business world, much 

better equipped to ride 

on the waves and 

challenges in their quest 

for success." 

According to him, 

developmental initiatives 

such as entrepreneurship 

d e v e l o p m e n t 

programmes will be the 

focus of the mentoring 

scheme. 

"The lingering high rate of 

unemployment in a 

consumer based 

economy like ours can 

only be solved with 

programmes aimed at 

investing in the future 

business leaders. In a bid 

to achieve this, LCCI is 

unreservedly committed 

to mentoring programme 

geared towards 

contributing 

meaningfully to the 

development and 

empowerment of our 

youth," Yusuf added.


By Henry Ojelu 

Mr. Uwemedimo 

Nwoko is the 

Attorney General 

and Commissioner of 

Justice, Akwa Ibom State. 

In this interview, he spoke 

on remedies for victim of 

election violence, FoI Act 

and non custodian 

sentencing, among others. 

Excerpt 

How would you assess 

crime rate in Akwa Ibom 

State now, compared to 

when this administration 

came into office in 2015? 

There is a wide difference 

between Pre-2015 May, 2015 

May and Post-2015 May. 

There is a wide difference 

between the crime statistics. 

In the Pre-2015 May, Akwa 

Ibom State use to witness 

killings and inexplicable 

acts. Assassinations and 

armed robbery were rife. 

Post 2015 May, everyone has 

the record. Communities, 

individuals, judges etc 

testified to the fact that there 

is a remarkable difference 

between the crime rate of 

that time and present day. It 

is to the credit of the current 

administration that has put 

the security architecture on 

ground which has turned out 

to be a success in term of 

reducing and minimizing 

crime. 

Since your state adopted 

the Child Rights Act, what 

has posed the biggest 

challenge in the 

implementation of the act? 

Basically, what have posed 

the biggest challenges for us 

in the implementation of the 

act is tradition and religion. 

Tradition in the sense that a 

lot of communities still don’t 

understand the basic rights 

of the child. So it requires a 

more vigorous education 

particularly of the rural 

populace to understand the 

basic needs of the child 

within the contest of the 

Nigerian Constitution and 

the Akwa Ibom State Child 

Rights Act. Religion on the 

other hand plays a major role 

at the centre, being that 

some people still hold the 

believes that some children 

are being possessed by 

witchcraft spirits. A lot of 

children are still being put 

through very heinous 

process of trials in the name 

of trying to remove such 

spirits. I want to say that the 

state is fighting that very 

vigorously. Not just in the 

deployment of the laws of 

the state but also through 

collaboration with nongovernmental 

organisations 

like the one being run by the 

governor’s wife, Mrs Martha 

Emmanuel. We have 

prosecuted a lot of church 

owners who still engage in 

such practice. In the last four 

years, we have brought the 

matter to the barest 

minimum. It is no longer a 

rampant case. You rarely 

find children being 

08152060944 

Religion, culture major challenges of Child Rights 

Act implementation -----Nwoko, A’Ibom AG 

•Nwoko 

subjected to such harrowing 

experiences again. 

Some states in the country 

are using the 


Justice Rules, ACJL to 

ensure effective justice 

administration in their 

states. What is the state of 

ACJL in your state? 

We don’t have a functional 

ACJL in Akwa Ibom State 

yet. Right now, that law is 

still with the state House of 

Assembly as a bill. The 

House had actually passed it 

and it was at the point of 

being assented to. But for a 

law like that, we needed to 

put it through the major 

stakeholders. Judges had 

issues with implementation. 

The police and other security 

agencies were complaining 

of inadequacies and logistics 

problems in terms of 

implementation. The 

prosecution also had issue 

with the law. So I discovered 

that if I advice the governor 

to assent to the bill, we may 

have a technical law in our 

hands. It may amount to 

having a law that cannot be 

implemented. Right now, the 

bill is still with the state 

Assembly. I don’t know 

whether this present 

Assembly will be able to pass 

it before their exit. 

Do you think there is need 

for urgency passage of the 

bill? 

Well, for the purpose of 

reform yes. The society is 

dynamic and we keep on 

moving forward and 

advancing in all facets of life. 

To that extent, there is the 

need to pass the bill into law 

so that we can also catch up 

with other states in terms of 

speed of prosecution. But my 

advice is that we should not 

jump from frying pan to fire. In 

so many cases, some states 

have jumped into it and are 

facing a lot of challenges. It 

is better that before the law 

comes in, we should be able to 

put in place, basic logistics that 

would enhance the 

implementation of the law. 

What is success level of 

prosecution in your state? 

I don’t have the full statistics 

here with me, but I can tell you 

that we have achieved alot. We 

have recorded several 

convictions for capital 

offences. Last year, we secured 

the convictions of so many 

kidnappers. The popular one 

among them is the case 

involving three police officers 

and four other persons 

involved in kidnapping. 

We followed that case 

through and secure conviction 

against them. If you also 

remember, there was the case 

of a barber who was killed and 

cut into pieces. We also 

secured theconviction of those 

involved in the murder. 

If there should be 

a remedy for 

victims of 

election violence, 

it should be 

packaged within 

the framework of 

INEC’s mandate 

Akwa Ibom State is one of 

the states notorious for not 

honoring Freedom of 

Information, FoI Act. Why is 

that so? 

Obtaining information under 

the FoI Act is a very simple 

thing in our state. A person 

applies and every application 

is subject to scrutiny. It is not 

every application that is 

granted. When the 

applications come, the ones 

that have merit, we grant them 

without hesitation. There are 

some applications that even 

when you see them, you will 

know that the applications are 

made in bad fate. You don’t 

just grant an application just 

because someone applied. 

That is why it is called an 

application. Every application 

must be scrutinised. You don’t 

just get what you requested 

just because you applied for it. 

There are certain public 

interests that have to be 

considered before any 

request is granted. For those 

who apply, we have no reason 

to refuse, after all it is public 

information. You may not 

know, but I can tell you that we 

grant more than 90 percent of 

applications that come 

through the FoI Act. 

Non- Constodian sentencing 

is gradually gaining traction 

in some climes in 

decongesting the prisons. 

What is your state doing in this 

direction? 

I will be honest with you, we 

have not put such in place as 

of this moment. We are still 

applying the criminal code 

and conviction is still strictly 

according to the law. The 

sentencing of convict is guided 

by the existing laws. In view of 

the need to decongest the 

prisons, we have made visits to 

the prisons a more regular 

exercise to ensure that those 

who ordinarily shouldn’t be 

there are removed from the 

facilities. About two months 

ago, I treated a case file when 

I discovered that two persons 

were remanded in Ekot 

Ekpene Prisons, for allegation 

of stealing a goat. When I 

treated the case, I found that 

the men have not been 

charged to court. That was 

since September 2017. 

Immediately I finished 

treating the file, the following 

day, I call the Director of 

Public Prosecution, DPP. I 

personally drove to the prison, 

made all necessary 

preparations and got them 

released. There was actually 

no point keeping them in that 

place. There was a clear 

mischieve in that case which I 

had instructed should be 

investigated. Someone is 

accused of stealing goat and 

he is remanded in prison for 

over two years without 

arraignment in court. 

There was also the case of a 

minor detained in the prison. 

Obviously somebody went and 

manipulated the age of the 

minor from 15 to 25. 

Morally and legally, that was 

a very wrong thing to do. I 

went to the prison personally 

with my team and ensured 

that the minor was released. 

This is the kind of spirit that 

this government works on 

because the fundamental 

rights of indigenes of this 

state are of high priority to the 

governor. We don’t joke with 

such situations. 

What would be the focus of 

your ministry in the next four 

years? 

By the grace of God, we 

intend to bring in more 

innovations. I hope I should 

be able to establish the Public 

Defender Office within the 

office of the Attorney-General 

so that in peculiar cases, 

government should be able to 

provide lawyers for indigent 

accused persons as is done is 

some other states. This will 

ensure that the rights of such 

accused persons are not 

trampled upon. If we have all 

the basic things we need, one 

of the things we plan to set up 

is a crime data base so that it 

will be possible to track down 

people who are disposed to 

criminal activities. With that, 

we should be able to know 

who is a 1 st , 2 nd and 

3 rd offender as the case may 

be. This will also help us to set 

up a forensic laboratory to 

identify criminals possibly by 

their finger prints and other 

means. These are some of the 

things we hope to do. For the 

ACJL, we hope to effectively 

put that in place so that we will 

be able to catch up with the 

rest of the world in term of fast 

tracking the criminal justice 

system in the state. 

How would you describe the 

last election in your state? 

Let me begin by saying that 

one of the saddest things that 

still happens in this country, 

is election violence. Election 

is supposed to be a very 

simple and seamless process 

where people who aspire to 

serve the state or the country 

should just go out and seek 

the approval of the people. I 

don’t see why it should be a 

do or die affair. Unfortunately, 

that is what we have in this 

country. Now, as for Akwa 

Ibom State, I can say that we 

have about 90 per cent 

peaceful election. That does 

not mean that we did not have 

pockets of violence. We had 

few cases which were clearly 

indentified. I don’t want to 

start mentioning names 

because the police is still 

doing their investigation but 

we had cases where even the 

primaries of the opposition 

party in Akwa Ibom State was 

violent. Two young people 

were killed during that 

primaries. But generally, the 

last election in the state, was 

peaceful. 

What remedy would you 

suggest for victims of election 

violence? 

Unfortunately, there is no 

such remedy anywhere. It is 

something that should have 

been provided by INEC or the 

Federal Government because 

election is organised by INEC. 

If there should be a remedy for 

victims, it should be packaged 

within the framework of 

INEC's mandate. There 

should actually be a way of 

compensating people who 

suffered various forms of 

violence during election. 

C 

M 

Y 

K


NIGERIA: Lady Justice has fallen 

By Awa Kalu, SAN 

I 

struggled to find an 

appropriate title for this 

brief article. The competing 

titles were: “Onnoghen, what 

manner of Justice?”; “Lady 

Justicia and her imbalanced 

scale”; and the one I 

eventually chose- “Nigeria: 

Lady Justicia has fallen”. The 

reason for choosing the current 

title arises from 

AsiwajuAdegboyegaAwomolo, 

SAN’s lament over the 

confusing signals from the 

trial of the Chief Justice of 

Nigeria at the Code of 

Conduct Tribunal, CCT. It was 

the necessity to abide by the 

age old tradition, of avoiding 

commentary on pending trials 

that compelled me to reject the 

title- “Onnoghen, what 

manner of justice” so as not to 

prejudge the outcome of the 

trial of the learned Chief 

Justice of Nigeria. 

For the avoidance of doubt, 

when Lady Justicia falls, the 

signs are ominous. If you paid 

a visit to the headquarters of 

the Federal High Court in 

Abuja, or the Oyinkan 

Abayomi Road premises of the 

same Court in IkoyiLagos, you 

would find the statue of Lady 

Justicia. Similarly, the 

headquarters of the High 

Court of Enugu State, in 

Enugu, has the bronze statue 

of Lady Justicia in its 

premises. In addition, 

whenever you’re in the Abia 

State Judiciary headquarters 

in Umuahia, God’s own State, 

you would find proudly 

mounted the statue of Lady 

Justicia. 

Without a shred of doubt, the 

statue of Lady Justitia is an 

assurance that ‘Justice’ can be 

found in those premises. This 

is because Lady Justicia is 

universally considered the 

symbol of justice. She usually 

stands erect, blindfolded, 

robed, holding a balanced 

scale of justice and wielding 

a sword. All these represent 

impartiality, objectivity and 

enforcement of the law. 

I say she has fallen in 

reference to the cinematic film 

‘Olympus Has Fallen’, a film 

with a plot narrating terrorist 

attacks on the White House in 

the United States of 

America.In this film, the 

bodyguard of the President 

was removed from his job 

against his wish and for no 

reason of any legal wrong 

doing. He ends up saving the 

President and his son in a 

terrorist attack, by entering 

into the White House amidst 

the chaos and without the 

knowledge of the security 

officials. 

Indeed, Lady Justicia has had 

a terrorist attack but in her case 

in Nigeria, this terrorist is 

injustice.Injustice, if you don’t 

mind, has crept into the very 

fabric of what we have always 

known as Nigerians in our 

economic and financial 

transactions, our electoral 

process, our communal life, 

our religious and social life 

and behold, our judicial 

process. Yes, Lady’s Justicia’s 

scale is imbalanced and an 

imbalanced scale does not 

signify or indicate justice. 

The concept of justice is a 

universal language, despite 

its varying practicality from 

country to country. In fact, in 

the normal scheme of things, 

it should motivate every aspect 

of the legal system in any 

country. This is because it 

knows no class, no creed, no 

ethic group, no gender, and 

ought to be served equally, in 

line with Thomas Aquinas’s 

reasoning that ‘Justice is in 

subjects as well as rulers’. It 

is indeed a concept that 

permeates many aspects of 

human life. 

Those who practice 

Christianity, will know that 

injustice was indeed one of the 

reasons God destroyed Sodom 

and Gomorrah. In the broader 

perspective and beyond 

religion, justice connotes the 

rule of law and the idea of 

fairness. It is fuel to the 

progress of a nation. 

Therefore, when a country 

wallows in the quagmire of 

injustice, it is no surprise that 

poverty, crime, lawlessness 

and so on, will inevitably be 

the result. 

Consequently, Asiwaju 

Awomolo, SAN, in a much 

publicized press statement has 

said of the trial of the Chief 

Justice of Nigeria that “the 

case has clearly shown that 

Nigerian Judiciary is very 

weak, vulnerable and not 

independent. The security of 

tenure of a judicial officer is a 

mere wishful thinking.” This 

is notwithstanding the several 

laws that govern the 

appointment, removal, 

remuneration, pension plan 

and even retirement age of 

judicial officers. 

The supreme law of the land, 

that is, our Constitution 

provides that appointment and 

removal of a judicial officer 

particularly, the Chief Justice 

of Nigeria, shall be by the 

President on the 

recommendation of the 

National Judicial Council 

(subject to confirmation of 

such appointment by the 

Senate or removal by the 

President acting on an 

*Onnoghen 

address supported by twothirds 

of the majority of the 

Senate) as the case may be. In 

addition to this, even the 

remuneration of the Chief 

Justice of Nigeria and all other 

members of the judiciary are 

protected by law as the 

Constitution provides that the 

amount standing to the credit 

of the Judiciary shall be paid 

directly to the Judiciary. 

It is this writer’s 

view that what 

has happened to 

Onnoghen, 

contains a recipe 

that would in due 

course be tried on 

many other high 

functionaries of 

the judicial 

branch... But just 

as the traducers 

are not at this time 

smelling of roses, 

it may be 

scientifically 

speculated that in 

due course also, 

'what goes 

around, will come 

around' 

It is clear that this is to ensure 

the independence of the 

judiciary. However, the fact 

that public funds are 

controlled by the Executive 

begs one to ponder on the true 

independence of the Nigerian 

Judiciary and even the legal 

profession as a whole. It is not 

farfetched to think this way 

because as Awomolo, SAN 

pointed, “it is unthinkable that 

the head of the Judiciary will 

be treated the way Onnoghen 

was treated and not a whimper 

came from the body of men and 

women of highest distinction 

in the legal profession.” 

As stated above, the National 

Judicial Council indeed plays 

a key role in the appointment 

of the Chief Justice of Nigeria. 

Therefore as Awomolo 

queried: “Is it not dangerous 

that the President can appoint 

a Chief Justice without the 

recommendation of the 

National Judicial Council, 

NJC? Whereas political 

matters and election matters 

were treated with dispatch, 

and judgment delivered 

within hours, the appeal of the 

Chief Justice of Nigeria, six 

weeks after argument, was 

ordered to be kept away in the 

file. There is no association of 

Nigeria Judges to speak a 

word. […] Nobody knows who 

is next, a precedent has been 

laid. The Honourable 

Attorney-General of the 

Federation seems pleased.” 

From the foregoing, it is 

obvious that many stones 

have been thrown at Lady 

Justicia. It is to bring heavy, 

the wind of injustice that has 

brought Lady Justicia to the 

ground. Continuing the 

lamentation from the bar, the 

well-respected Senior 

Counsel, further stated that: 

“Men, who sit in judgment 

over fellow human beings are 

representatives of God on 

earth and everyone shall face 

the Almighty God, on the last 

day, to give account of his 

stewardship. On that day all 

secrets shall be laid bare.” 

“The Bar Association has” 

Chief Awomolo continued, “by 

reason of personal leadership 

ambition, been rendered 

ineffective, divided and weak. 

It is unable to speak boldly to 

secure the independence of 

the Judiciary.” With no less 

than 80 branches in the 

Federation, not one single 

branch of the Nigerian Bar 

Association made a categorical 

statement all through the saga. 

“Elders of the Bar and men of 

goodwill should rise from their 

deep sleep. People, who must 

sit in judgment over others, 

must be men and women of 

character, learning and 

maturity. The mental status 

and background of such 

judges must be certified 

approved.” 

Awomolo further said that: 

“the experience of 

Onnoghen’s trial has brought 

to the fore the urgent need for 

institutional reforms to ensure 

that agencies like the CCT was 

made independent.” 

It is this writer’s view that 

what has happened to Justice 

Onnoghen, contains a recipe 

that would in due course be 

tried on many other high 

functionaries of the judicial 

branch and probably, on other 

persons whose category 

maybe unknown at this time. 

But just as the traducers are 

not at this time smelling of 

roses, it may be scientifically 

speculated that in due course 

also, “what goes around, will 

come around.” Apart from a 

few, each Nigerian hides in 

the cocoon of his comfort zone 

when sinister things are 

happening in quarters that 

seem distant. However, 

democratic ethos if followed, 

are the best guarantees of the 

brand called democracy. 

Justice Walter Onnoghen was 

taken out of office beclouding 

the real substance of the war 

of corruption not being fought 

in a tight manner, further 

spreading the perception of 

apparent injustice. If in the 

end, the public opinion is in 

favour of what the Federal 

Government has done, then 

the war against corruption will 

gain additional momentum but 

if doubts remain as to the 

transparency of the whole 

process as well as the 

validation of the facts, then the 

war will continue to create 

doubt about Lady Justicias’s 

scale, balanced or imbalanced. 

EDITORIAL 

Innocent Anaba 

( Head) 

Ikechukwu 

Nnochiri 

Contributors: 

Henry Ojelu, 

Onozure Dania 

C 

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08052202308 (sms only) 

Stories by Victor Young 

LAST week, Vanguard 

published report of the 

exemption of some workers from 

the N30,000 minimum wage 

largesse as contained in the Bill 

sent to President Muhammadu 

Buhari by the National Assembly 

for assent. 

In this edition, stakeholders 

including some members of the 

Tripartite Committee on New 

Minimum Wage, speak on the 

issue. 

Those who spoke are 

President of United Labour 

Congress of Nigeria, ULC, and 

General Secretary of National 

Union of Electricity Employees, 

NUEE; Joe Ajaero.Director- 

General of Nigeria Employers’ 

Consultative Association, 

NECA, Mr. Timothy Olawale; 

Secretary General of the 

Association of Senior Civil 

Servants of Nigeria, ASCSN, 

Bashir Lawal and Vice President 

of Nigeria Labour Congress, 

NLC, and General Secretary of 

Non-Academic Staff Union of 

Educational and Associated 

Institutions, NASU, Prince Peters 

Adeyemi. 

Ajaero 

According to the of President 

of ULC: “The existing 

Minimum Wage Act talks about 

50 threshold, and if the Bill 

awaiting Presidential assent talks 

about 25, then it is an 

improvement and more 

progressive. But we are looking 

at a situation where a ceiling no 

longer exit so that if you employ 

one worker, even it is a domestic 

worker, you should pay him or 

her the prevailing national 

minimum wage. This is what is 

obtainable in other countries of 

the world. Domestic workers are 

protected under the minimum 

wage. 

“So, if you have one domestic 

worker, it could be a security 

man, it should be covered by the 

minimum wage law. We need to 

continue the campaign to totally 

remove the ceiling because a 

worker is a worker. The fact that 

they are 100 in one place, does 

not reduce the prices of goods 

in the market. Every worker 

goes to the same market whether 

he or she is working with 

100,0000 persons in a factory or 

working alone with the 

employer. So, the basis for 

saying whether it is 50 or 25, 

should not be there in the first 

place. The minimum wage 

should be for every worker 

irrespective of the number at a 

particular work environment. 

Olawale 

On his part, NECA Director- 

General said: “The 25 threshold 

is part of the recommendation of 

the tripartite committee; it was 

not contrived by the legislature. 

It is to protect and take into 

considerations the interest of 

small medium and micro 

*Joe Ajaero 

Shut out of workers from minimum wage: 

enterprises who ordinarlly 

especially those who are in the 

informal sector that might find it 

difficult, or struggle to 

implement the new minimum 

wage. So, it is not new. It was 

discussed and debated upon 

and everybody agreed to it at the 

plenary.” 

Lawal 

But ASCSN Secretary- 

General said: “As far as the 

committee is concerned, what it 

did was to removed the ceiling 

so that all employers of Labour 

will be affected. So, we put a 

caveat allowing those 

employers that might have 

difficulty in one way or the other, 

within the ambit of the law to 

make application to the 

appropriate agencies of 

government, in this case, the 

Minister of Labour and 

Employment, to ask for 

NLC insists on review of power sector privatisation 

Nigeria 

Labour 

Congress, NLC, has 

berated electricity distribution 

companies in Nigeria on the 

aegis of Electricity Distribution 

Companies, DISCOs, for 

continuous imposition of 

estimated billing on 

Nigerians. 

NLC in a communiqué at 

the end of its Central Working 

Committee, CWC, meeting, 

called on government to 

declare a state of emergency 

in Nigeria’s power sector and 

take necessary steps to arrest 

the situation, ordering the 

reversal of the privatization 

exercise in the power sector. 

The communiqué said 

“The CWC decried the 

continuous exploitation of 

electricity consumer by 

Discos through estimated 

billing. The CWC went on 

to call on government to 

*Timothy Olawale 

exemption. Such application 

will be treated on merit by the 

Minister in consultation with the 

National Labour Advisory 

Council, NLAC, as regards to 

any employer that comes 

forward to complain that he or 

she cannot pay the minimum 

wage. The criteria has been 

spelled out in the draft we did. 

“What we did was supposed to 

be a recommendation to 

government . I can tell you that 

what we did was fine as we have 

removed the ceiling. So, if you 

as an employer believes that the 

nature of your job, and by the 

revenue generation, output and 

so on, you will not be able to pay 

the new minimum wage, you 

apply to appropriate agencies of 

government to look at it 

whether it is justifiable. If it is 

Justifiable, they will grant you 

your exemption. That was what 

we recommended.” 

THE International Labour 

Organization, ILO, is to 

launch a new report on 

Occupational Safety and 

Health, OSH, today. 

The report reviews the ILO’s 

100 years of achievements in 

OSH and reveals some of the 

emerging challenges and 

opportunities in creating 

better 

working 

environments. 

*Bashir Lawal Alade 

Adeyemi 

For NLC Vice President, “I 

cannot readily give you the 

accurate recommendation, but I 

know we were even saying that 

every employer of Labour should 

pay the minimum wage. We were 

even talking about situation 

where there are some Lawyers’ 

Chambers who earn so much 

but employ about five or six 

persons. So, we argued that we 

cannot use the number of 

employees to determine 

whether somebody can pay or 

not because there are some 

private employers, individuals 

who earn so much that employ 

fewer workers. 

“Before, the threshold was 50 

and Labour was pushing for a 

total removal of the number and 

employers were pushing for a 

ceiling. I think we now came 

down to a lower figure. I served 

in the same committee with 

NECA former Director General, 

*Prince Peters Adeyemi 

•It's to protect vulnerable employers - NECA 

•No, every worker deserves minimum wage -- Labour 

declare a state of emergency 

in Nigeria’s power sector 

and take necessary steps to 

arrest the situation, 

ordering the reversal of the 

privatization exercise in the 

power sector. 

“The CWC also 

condemned the continued 

refusal by many DISCOs to 

supply prepaid meters to 

electricity consumers in the 

country describing the use 

of estimated billing as 

daylight robbery of poor 

workers and citizens. 

The CWC re-affirmed the 

commitment of Congress to 

ILO to launch new report on OSH today 

Embargoed copies of the 

report, Safety and Health at 

the heart of the future of 

Work: Building on 100 years 

of experience will be made 

available to journalists upon 

request, starting on the 

afternoon of Tuesday 16 April, 

2019 by contacting 

newsroom@ilo.org . 

A press briefing will be 

held, today in press room 1 at 

Mr. egun Osinowo and we 

recommended a complete 

removal. There were issues about 

those who work in the 

Agricultural sector and they that 

would also be affected. But at the 

end of the day, the conclusion was 

that you cannot completely 

remove the threshold. 

“There is also the argument 

that those who cannot pay 

should apply to the Minister of 

Labour and Employment, who 

will now discuss with other 

groups. These groups are 

supposed to be members of the 

National Labour Advisory 

Council whether they can 

qualify for exemption or not. In 

fact, there was the issue that 

those who want exemption can 

apply to the Minister of 

Labour and the Minister in 

consultation with the National 

Labour Advisory Council will 

consider such application on its 

merit.” 

picket NERC for failing in 

its regulatory duty and also 

DISCOs that have refused 

to obey Nigeria’s laws and 

court processes against 

estimated billing of 

electricity consumers in 

Nigeria.” 

the Palais des Nations. 

Speakers will be: Joaquim 

Pintado Nunes Acting head, 


Health and Manal Azzi, 

Technical Specialist, 


Health. Embargoed 

documents will be sent 

automatically to UNOG 

accredited correspondents as 

soon as they become available.


C 

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#BBOG: Obe, Oyebode, Ajayi, call 

for release of 112 Chibok girls, 

Leah Sharibu, others 

BY EBUNOLUWA 

SESSOU 

Nigerian women have called 

for the release of of the 112 

Chibok girls still in the captivity 

of the Boko Haram insurgence. 

They also called for the release of 

the only Dapchi girl, Leah Sharibu 

among others. 

The women known for 

championing 

the 

#BringBackOurGirls, BBOG, in a 

statement signed by the BBOG, 

Lagos Family, made available to 

WO as it marked the 5th 

anniversary on Sunday, April 14, 

of the abduction of 276 schoolgirls 

from Government Girls Secondary 

School, Chibok, Borno State. 

In an exclusive interview with 

WO, the women lamented that the 

abduction of the girls was long 

overdue saying that government 

should ensure release of the 

remaining abducted girls. 

A legal practitioner, Ayo Obe 

who is one of the #BBOG Lagos 

family, frowned that, the release 

of the abducted Chibokgirls is 

taking so long.Adding that 

government should bring back 

all the captives of Boko Haram. 

On her part, Aisha Mohammad 

Oyebode, a human rights 

activist explained that, “112 

Chibokgirls are still with the Boko 

Haram which is more than half 

of the abducted girls that have 

been released. 107 girls have 

been released through 

negotiable, 54 of them in 2015 

Ayo Obe 

while 83 girls were release in 

2017 and that is situation in 

terms of the number. 

“We will continue to retain this 

in the conscious of the people. If 

you recall, Leah Sharibu, the only 

girl from Dapchi is still in captivity 

among others. So, what we are 

doing is to bring to the world and 

Nigeria’s consciousness that we 

still have hundreds of women and 

girls still in the net of Boko Haram. 

We must be put it in the political 

agenda not just national but 

internationally. 

“Until, the last girl is released 

and accounted for, there must 

always be hope. We have heard 

series of reports that we have lost 

Oyebode 

some of the girls but they must 

be accounted for, it is important. 

“The questions posed on the 

international communities on 

ensuring the safety of women and 

girls and ensuring that there is no 

repeat of kidnap of women and 

girls henceforth is germane. And 

I believe there are international 

laws and rules that challenge this 

kind of mass astrocity and there is 

responsibility to protect the 

women and girls as well as 

declaration of human right and 

laws to protect and prevent this 

kind of situation but the issue now 

is about implementation. 

“We must continue to ask 

ourselves, how we intend to 

BY EBUNOLUWA 

SESSOU 

Stakeholders in the Human 

Resources Management 

have called on employers of 

labour at all levels to cultivate the 

culture of training and retaining 

workers as well as create equal 

access for workers in order to 

improve productivity and 

profitability. 

They made the call at the just 

concluded a-2-day summit on 

human resource management, 

themed: “The Art of Employee 

Engagement”, in Lagos recently. 

Speaking with WO, the 

Founder, HR Expo Africa, Mrs. 

Erefa Coker disclosed that the 

programme was aimed at 

bringing international 

conference to Lagos where global 

perspective and speakers can 

highlight issues on Human 

Resources as well as proferring 

solutions to them. 

implement the laws, how do we 

make it everybody’s 

responsibility, not just in Nigeria 

but to ensure this does not 

happen again. These are the 

things we are asking for. 

“What we are saying 

specifically is that the issue of 

women and gender balances 

must be on the table. It has be to 

one of the issues to be discussed. 

Other issue we have been talking 

about apart from the kidnap of 

women and girls is the use of 

women and girls as suicide 

bombers. 

“Women and girls have been 

used as suicide bombers by Boko 

Haram. And also the issue of 

gender balance. Every discussion 

and negotiation must be about 

what we are doing about gender 

balance,it is important”, she 

said. 

Meanwhile, the Executive 

Director, Lagos Trade Fair 

International Complex, Mrs. 

Lucy Omosefe-Ajayi, said, “My 

prayer is that they should be 

released but I believe President 

Mohmmadu Buhari is doing 

everything humanely possible to 

bring back the girls that are in 

Boko Haram captivity. They are 

our girls and children and we are 

not happy with what is 

happening to them but I believe 

that they will be released. 

“I also used my birthday which 

was April 15, to pray for the 

release of the Chibok girls as well 

as Leah Sharibu, the only Dapchi 

girl and other women and girls 

Human Resource: Stakeholders harp 

on training and re-training 

...say it improves productivity, profitability 

•Erefa Coker 

•Sarah 

According to her, 

“International conferences are 

very expensive for average HR 

person to apply for. Therefore, we 

decided to bring delegates to 

attend HR programme with 

affordable price and at the same 

time get maximum learning 

opportunities and this was the 

first of its kind. 

“HR is a fundamental aspect of 

any organisation and it has to do 

with human management. And if 

you do not know how to manage 

your HR well, it is bad. People are 

the most important aspect of 

organization and if they are not 

managed properly, it is a 

problem. 

“So we thought, we should teach 

the HR personels properly so as 

to know how to manage people. 

So, when they come for this 

training, they go back with a 

renewed mind, thought and 

insight on how to manage people. 

“People need to continue to 

learn on how to improve on human 

management which changes with 

the tides. It is important to know 

how to engage people further. And 

with the sections and speakers 

available, there is no doubt that 

Countinues on page 26 

Nigerian female 

supacop CSP 

Dolapo Badmus 

elevated to 

force Provost 

BY CHRIS ONUOHA 

The Zone 2 Police Public 

Relations Officer, PPRO, 

Onikan, Lagos, Chief 

Superintended of Police, 

Dolapo Badmus has stepped 

up her career to a new post. 

The delectable and vibrant 

super cop known for her high 

sense of fashion and ever 

presence on social media chat 

was redeployed to the 

Enforcement and Disciplinary 

Department of the Nigerian 

Police Force Headquarters as 

Provost. Under this new 

elevation, she will be in charge 

of disciplinary actions to be 

taken against erring Police 

officers. 

You may recall that CSP 

Badmus in her capacity as 

PPRO Lagos and PPRO Zone 

2 brought some level of sanity 

to the force through her 

numerous interventions to 

broker understanding 

between the force and the 

society. She organised a 

celebrity awareness show, 

where Nigerian musicians, 

comedians, Nollywood actors 

and influential celebrities 

performed together to sensitise 

the public about the dangers 

of hard drug, cultism and 

Yahoo deals. Besides, she was 

the exponent and the 

controversial mediator on 

SARS activities and the 

general public. 

Speaking with CSP Badmus 

on her new posting, she said: 

“It’s a great task for me. It’s an 

indication that I am being 

recognized to find me worthy 

to be posted to a department 

that upholds discipline 

especially at this moment that 

seems there are too many 

complaints against our men on 

the field. I will contribute my 

quota” 

•Dolapo Badmus 

C 

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#ProtectTheGirl Child campaign: 

Providing adequate access to justice, 

our mission — Philanthropist 

Young, bold, and resilient 

are words that best describe 

one of Nigeria rising lawyer, 

business and philanthropy 

enigma, Moses Oruaze 

Dickson, the Managing 

Solicitor of TRIAX Solicitors 

with great passion for helping 

less privilege, particularly the 

youths, and vulnerable 

women in the society. 

Oruaze, as he is fondly 

called, is one of the voices in 

the Nigerian legal service 

industry as much as he has 

built a reputation for himself 

as a philanthropist to take note 

of. He champions the course of 

people of the Niger-Delta 

region through the Goldcoast 

Developmental Foundation, 

which he founded in 2012. 

In this interview with 

Olasunkanmi Akoni, 

Dickson talks about his plans 

on job creation, through his 

commitment to philanthropy. 

Excerpts: 

What is the brain behind 

your foundation? 

I believe that when God 

blesses you financially, you do 

not raise your standard of 

living, rather raise your 

standard of giving. Having 

stared at the face of poverty 

and refusing to bow 

throughout my upbringing, I 

have always felt a deep 

responsibility to give back to 

my community. I credit my 

parents, particularly my late 

mother, Mrs. Goldcoast 

Dickson for instilling the ethos 

of philanthropy, particularly 

my responsibility as a Christian 

to give and care for the less 

priviledged in our society. I 

believe our role as citizens is 

to truly support our society so 

that future generations and 

those unborn will live better 

lives and strive for more than 

they think is possible today. 

Continues from page 25 

all the delegates will learn from 

all the sections. HR is continuous 

learning for any organisation 

because no organisation has a 

peculiar problem. 

“Beyond the conference, there 

will be an open conversation on 

learning. There are free tools 

online for people to learn more 

and go back to their organization 

to impact what they have 

learned. It is not just 

engagement but also 

performance management 

across board. Also, Taiwo Ajayi, 

one of the organisers of HR Expo 

Africa, noted that, the 

programme was basically a 

premium learning for HR 

professionals across board so as to 

create a global persepective to HR 

and bring in issues that are 

trending. 

“The entirety of this program 

is aimed at helping organisations 

improve their productivity. HR 

are personels who make policies 

that affect workers. Therefore, it 

is not always about money but 

also people who do the work. The 

issues addressed include how 

organizations would attract the 

best talents and how they can 

engage the best talents. 

In her contribution, Sarah 

How do you think more 

people, especially the 

youths, women can be 

encouraged to commit to 

philanthropy. 

I truly believe that charity 

and philanthropy do not 

necessarily mean you have to 

spend money. There are 

several avenues available to 

almost everyone in society on 

how to give back. I often tell 

people to donate their time, 

talents and belongings for the 

good of others. I think there 

can be collective efforts to 

helping the less priviledge, 

especially the young ones and 

vulnerable women. 

Can you tell us about 

TRIAX Solicitors? 

Triax Solicitors was founded 

with the vision to become one 

of the leading law firms in the 

country that is focused on 

niche practice, particularly in 

commercial law. So far, we 

have been able to successfully 

complete high profile projects 

worth over $100 million. This 

we have achieved within our 

short existence of three years. 

Also, we have been able to 

expand our operations from 

Bayelsa State to Abuja and 

about to open a new office in 

Lagos State. We have a network 

of about 20 staff members for 

now and still growing. 

As a law firm, we are 

committed to supporting the 

communities where we do 

business by widening access to 

justice, education and finance. 

We collaborate with clients, 

Non-Governmental 

Organisations, NGOs and 

charitable organisation to 

deliver these community 

outreaches and pro bono 

services, with partner-led, 

client-focused teams. 

Our community outreach 

focuses on providing the best 

Fitzgerald, Managing Director, 

Executives in Africa, explained 

that, “There is hardly an 

organization in the world that is 

not having the challenge of 

keeping the best talent. And that 

is the reason for human resource 

management. It is impossible to 

say that there is one rule in 

solving human issues in 

organisation. Organizations 

must look for ways to keep the 

people engaged. 

“I have been a recruitment 

manager for 24 years and I have 

been doing research for 10 years 

on human resource and that is 

my profession. I understand 

that, as organisation, there is a 

purpose to impact positively in 

people and to train the best 

leaders. 

“Some organisations are not 

fulfilling their potentials because 

they do not have the right people. 

So, it does not matter the 

opportunity or the business you 

have, what matters is finding the 

right way to manage your workers. 

Your people are the company 

and the success story and it is 

important to access the best 

talent to run your organization", 

she said. 

In her contribution, Dr. 

Jummy Okoya, Royal Docks 

possible support to our NGO 

and charity clients, whilst at 

the same time expanding the 

capabilities of our people and 

strengthening relationships, 

partnership and collaboration. 

Our initiatives provide all of 

our people, at all levels, with 

opportunities to practice and 

enhance the skills that are key 

to their development, making 

them more effective and wellrounded. 

One way we measure the 

impact of this commitment is 

by setting ourselves an annual 

target of helping 5,000 people 

a year. We have a varied 

programme of community and 

pro bono activities, which 

focus on access to justice, 

access to education and access 

to finance. 

What CSR projects has 

your firm executed? 

Over the years, we have 

partnered with non-profit 

organisations inclduing the 

Goldcoast Development 

Foundation to support less 

privilege individuals through 

our pro-bono services. We also 

partnered with the 

International Federation of 

Women Lawyers,FIDA, 

Bayelsa State chapter to fight 

violence against the girl child 

through 

the 

#ProtectTheGirlChild 

challenge. This campaign was 

in response to the increasing 

cases of sexual violence on 

young girls across the country, 

which we feel that something 

must be done to address it. We 

plan to formally launch the 

#ProtectTheGirldChild 

campaign, providing legal 

services as well as financial 

support to ensure that victims 

of such violence are protected 

and given adequate access to 

justice. 

You were a speaker at the 

School of Business and Law, 

University of East, London urged 

employers to find ways 

providing 

workable 

environment for workers to be 

the best. 

“It is globally accepted for 

employees to have their flexible 

time. We must also make sure 

that people’s well-being and 

mental health are looked after. 

“I believe, that is the way to 

show commitment to your 

employees that you are looking 

after them. The well-being and 

the psychology capital of 

individuals help them to 

perform well and flourish in 

their respective ways”, she 

explained. 

On what business owner stand 

to gain by motivating their 

workers, she said, “There are so 

many research revealing to us 

that when employees are 

engaged, they perform better 

which brings about high 

productivity and organization 

become profitable as a result of 

that. When people are self 

motivated, they will be more 

productive. 

“The issue of man know man is 

outdated and every organization 

should do away with it. In 

Nigeria, it should be 

meritocracy. There must be 

equal platform on the qualities 

•Moses Dickson 

last edition of Social Media 

week in Lagos, what were 

your experience? 

The last edition of Social 

Media Week in Lagos was my 

first time of attending the 

conference, and I had the 

privilege to be invited to 

facilitate two sessions at what 

is unarguably the largest 

technology, new media and 

business conference on the 

continent of Africa. This weeklong 

conference was a 

whirlwind of in-depth panel 

discussions, keynote speakers, 

networking chatter and 

discussions into how social 

media and technology is 

changing business, society, 

and culture on the continent 

and the world. 

During one of my sessions, I 

talked about how technology 

and social media can help the 

insurance industry connect 

more to the youth market. Not 

only are we interested in the 

industry, but we are also 

interested in dealing with 

issues around claims 

management, which is one of 

the major challenges of the 

insurance industry. 

Stakeholders harp on training and re-training 

and attributes required by 

organisation. People should be 

allowed to shine based on what 

they bring to the table and not 

based on who they are connected 

to. “Organization benefits when 

it gives individual chance 

because they have qualities, 

skills, knowledge and attributes 

they can bring to the workforce. 

It should be purely based on 

credit. It is important to let people 

know that there is a future on 

career development and 

progression. Research has shown 

that people look for career 

progression and development in 

whatever organization they 

work and so, it is not only about 

the salary. 

“One of the researches done 

in the UK revealed that one of 

the reasons, why people stay 

with a particular employer for 

a longtime is because, there is 

future and hope for them to 

fulfill their own psychology 

contract. They should be 

provided opportunity to 

develop themselves in future. 

When employers develop their 

employees, there will be 

profitability and productivity 

will raise", she said. 

Street Project 

Foundation, 

AAAN-Women-in- 

Advertising 

partner on Digital 

Amazons 

BY PRINCEWILL 

EKWUJURU 

Street Project Foundation, 

an organization 

committed to youth 

employment and crosscultural 

dialogue through 

creative arts, has announced 

partnership with the 

Association of Advertising 

Agencies of Nigeria’s,AAAN, 

Women-in-Advertising,WIA, 

on the launch of its new 

initiative, “Digital Amazons”. 

Digital Amazons is a threeweek 

capacity building 

programme for girls between 

the age of18 and 25 year old, 

who are exceptionally gifted in 

different areas of the Creative 

Arts. 

The goal is to expose 

participants to latest digital 

skills that will prepare them for 

work in Advertising and the 

creative industry at large. Call 

for applications kicked off on 

1 April, with the deadline fixed 

for 28 April. The first cohort is 

expected to run from 

scheduled to run from 13 -31 

May at NG_HUB from 

Facebook, Yaba, Lagos. 

Speaking on the initiative, 

WIA Chairperson, Mrs. Tope 

Jemerigbe said: “We embraced 

this initiative by Street Project 

Foundation because it aligns 

with our objective to bring more 

women into our profession and 

improve their skill-sets.” 

She added that WIA will 

provide resource persons, who 

are veterans in the Advertising 

industry, to facilitate sessions 

during the three-week training 

programme. Internship 

placements will also be offered 

to expose the young women to 

the world of work in 

Advertising. In addition, WIA 

will hold seminar and 

mentorship sessions with 

young women already 

involved in Advertising and 

Communication practice for 

every cohort of the Digital 

Amazons programme. 

The Founder and Lead 

Visionary of Street Project 

Foundation, Mrs. Rita Ezenwa- 

Okoro, explained that Digital 

Amazons was created in 

alignment with the 

foundation’s mission to 

facilitate opportunities for 

youth employment and 

enterprise development, using 

creative arts as a tool. 

“Our partnership with AAAN- 

Women-in-Advertising is very 

strategic and timely. If we must 

raise a critical mass of female 

Creative Directors and Chief 

Creative Officers in the 

industry, intentional steps 

must be taken and Digital 

Amazons presents us with that 

opportunity to build the 

capacity of female creatives, 

through training and 

mentoring,” she said.


Women highlight 10 point agenda on 

redirecting Nigeria’s future 

...speak on women empowerment, mental education, others 

The International Women’s Day has come and gone, yet 

the memories still linger especially the Vanguard 

International Women’s Day Round Table that took place on 

March 29,2019 at the beautiful hall of Radisson Blu Hotels, 

located at Victoria Island, Ozumba Mbadiwe, Lagos. 

With the invited guests at the roundtable, the women who 

came from all walks of life took turn to discuss the theme: 

Redirecting the Nigeria’s future: the role of women. 

The summary of the over two hours discourse as contained 

in this piece is summed up for action by all stakeholders 

including governments at all levels, corporate organisations 

as well as Nigerians at large to take affirmative action in 

redirecting the future of Nigeria at all levels. 

Highpoint of the event were the 10 points agenda 

highlighted including mentoring the younger girls, sponsoring 

women programmes, maximum collaboration of women, 

improved education system, political participation, 75 percent 

appointment of women in position of power, removal of 

complexity, alleviating poverty in the country, taking politics 

to the grassroots,leadership relationship for women, housing, 

and social development. 

Taking turns as questions were posed to them, the women 

explained that, there was no better time to take action than 

now. 

For Uju Uzo-Ojinnaka, 

CEO , Traders of Africa, 

TOFA, women should be 

mobilised in politics. 

“Engagement of women can 

only come through grassroot 

mobilisation; expansion of the 

female gender and putting 

women in key positions in 

sectors such as education; 

housing and social media”. 

Women should understand 

the rudiments of politics—- 

Fashola 

For Mrs Kudirat Fashola, 

CEO, Kuddy Cosmetics, said, 

“Women should understand 

the rudiments of politics and 

take opportunities by 

lobbying for positions for 

women in order to chart the 

way forward especially in 

redirecting the future of 

Nigeria using women as tools 

for positive change”. 

Lucy 

By Ebunoluwa Sessou 

& Elizabeth Uwandu 

Women should take away 

phobia-—Ajayi 

Mrs Lucy Omosefe-Ajayi , 

Executive Director, LITFC, 

disclosed that until women kill 

their phobia for politics, they 

will not make meaningful 

impact in the country. 

“APC led government has 

given women opportunity by 

making political forms free for 

them. However, at the 

grassroots level, some of them 

have phobia to run for electoral 

positions, forgetting that they 

have the warmth to influence 

change. 

“We should not be setback 

by formal education rather 

women should know that they 

have enough mental capacity 

to make changes. “If women 

are not educated, they should 

endeavor to educate their 

female children so that they 

can enjoy the dividends of 

political participation. 

“One thing about my party 

is that they have given women 

opportunities to participate in 

electoral process and made it 

free for them, while men have 

to pay. But what I found out is 

that some women are still 

afraid and that is why I am 

trying my best to educate 

women at the grassroots level. 

They believe politics is a man’s 

world and they claimed not to 

be financially bouyant to 

contest elections. 

“I told them is all about 

intelligence and not really 

about going to school. If you 

do not go to school, it does not 

mean you are not intelligent. 

“ I have challenged women 

to ensure that their female 

children go to school, even if 

they were not educated”. 

African system makes 

women believe they are not 

enough – Coker 

Erefa 

In her contribution, Mrs 

Erefa Coker, Founder, HR 

Expo Africa, and HR strategy 

consultant, called on women 

to constantly develop 

themselves and be competent 

to gain relevance rather than 

waiting behind the door. 

“Women should create 

innovations and build 

strategies so that they can be 

able to make impacts.”I feel 

women are not given enough 

opportunity. You found out that 

in the Western world, you see 

that they talk about equality, 

balance among others. But, in 

Nigeria, women are used to 

be slienced not only in politics, 

but are also abused. 

“Women need to be well 

equipped and position 

themselves strategically. This 

is because, when you are 

strategically placed, people 

will come to you. My take is 

to solve your bosses-bosses 

problems. So as women, if we 

begin to develop yourselves, 

we will be brought to the table, 

or better still, we will bring 

their seats to the table. 

Save Our Women and Girls, 

SOW&G has said that it is 

saddled with the responsibility 

to give women within Lagos 

communities health tips and 

free medical test. 

Speaking, Ambassador 

Unyime-Ivy King from SOW&G 

Foundation said, SOW&G 

stormed Sangotedo area, 

Ibeju-Lekki, Lagos with the 

aim of ensuring that women 

are in goof health condition.” 

According to her, only a 

healthy woman can build her 

home, adding that the level of 

awareness on practices are 

inimical to the health of the 

family, and could result in long 

term health problems. 

On her part, the representative 

Gamu 

Medubem 

Constantly developing 

ourselves and our skills are 

very important. And capacity 

building is very important. Be 

creative and unique. Look for 

opportunities where you 

communicate and competent 

is very important”. 

Bill or not, man and woman 

should have equal 

opportunities - Adebisi 

SOW&G gives free health test 

of United Nations, UN and 

Knowledge Assistant of UNIC, 

Lagos, Mrs Bolanle Olumekor 

sensitized the women on 

gender equality. 

She encouraged the women to 

ensure their female children 

are given equal opportunities 

as the male children. Olumekor 

also tasked women not to just 

marry them out at early ages 

according to traditional 

dictates. 

For Dr Tolu who gave the 

health tips, focused on how to 

deal with the day to day 

harmful things that people do 

and think are helpful to their 

health. 

Examples of such practices, 

she noted are how women 

Ojinnaka 

Fashola 

Foluke Adebisi, said, women 

and men should be given 

equal right. “I want a 

environment where women 

and men are given equal 

opportunity and women 

should not be treated as 

second class citizens. 

Engagement of women 

should come from grassroots- 

—Ojinnaka 

handle scissors, put the feet or 

arm of their children inside 

fire thinking they are teaching 

them the lessons of life. 

She lamented that some 

women use urine to wash their 

eyes during any eye challenge. 

She said: “Urine is a waste 

product from the body, 

therefore it’s wrong and more 

harmful to the person. 

She, therefore taught the 

women simple things they 

could do to take care of 

diarrhea at home. She said 

women can use gari and water 

to treat some minor diarrhea 

at house. 

“Hand washing is very very 

important, washing your 

hands alone can prevent more 

than fifty percent of the illness 

that one could encounter,” she 

said. 

Change can only start from 

us – Medubem 

Folashade Ambrose 

Medebem, Director Lafarge, 

African Plc said, “Women 

need to collaborate.We know 

in Nigeria that there is dearth 

of data. And through, 

legislation, women are not 

been well represented. So, we 

need to address the issue of 

data legislation on the part of 

the constitution and 

collaboration among women. 

And not just women 

collaborating but being clear 

of what they are doing”. 

Women can’t do much 

without mobilization—- 

Ominiabohs 

Helen Ominiabohs 

representing former, first lady, 

Lagos state, Dame Abimbola 

Fashola, said, “I feel that a lot 

has to be done in terms of 

mobilization and 

encouragement. We find out 

that competent women are 

relunctant because they are 

not praised or encouraged. 

“The men tend to take all 

the glory. When you 

encourage women, they will 

be willing to risk. But when 

they are not encouraged, they 

would remain at the 

background doing what they 

know how to do best. 

Therefore, lot of mobilization, 

encouragement and support 

will create enabling 

environment for women to 

soar especially in business 

and politics”. 

Patriarchy system is greatly 

hampering women —Gamu 

Lecturer/Chartered Estate 

Surveyor and Valuer, 

University of Lagos said, 

Hadjia Faoziah Shade- 

Gamu,”I believe that our 

society is too patriarchy. We 

need to come together on our 

own as women to fight 

patriarchy. The fact is that 

this country is not moving 

anywhere. Even, if 10 percent 

of us are successful and 90 

percent are not we are all not 

successful. Then we ought to 

be taking people along. 

“Everybody should join a 

party, whether it is the ruling 

party or not, it does not really 

matter. What matters is that 

you are involved. 

“Men are not running this 

county well. God did not 

create us that it is all male or 

all women affair.

C 

M 

Y 

K 


UTME: Oloyede’s special attention for blind 

candidates is model for Africa — OKEBUKOLA 

•As Adedoja seeks computer education for the blind 

By Dayo Adesulu 

THE Registrar, Joint 

Admission and 

Matriculation Board 

(JAMB), Professor 

Ishaq Oloyede’s special attention 

to blind candidates sitting for the 

Unified Tertiary Matriculation 

Examinations (UTME) has been 

commended in many countries 

and cited as model for Africa. 

Former Executive Secretary 

(NUC) and UNESCO consultant, 

Professor Peter Okebukola during 

the UTME for blind candidates 

in Lagos said:’’This JAMB 

initiative has been cited in the last 

two years in several countries, as 

a good model for Africa.’’ 

You will recall that in 2017, 

JAMB’s leadership under 

Professor Ishaq Oloyede set up 

the Equal Opportunity Group 

with Professor Peter Okebukola, 

as Chairman. The Group is made 

up of senior academics including 

experts in special education and 

other relevant stakeholders. 

Speaking with Vanguard 

during the examination, Professor 

Okebukola said: ‘’The goal of the 

Oloyede-led JAMB is to ensure 

that no Nigerian who is eligible, 

is prevented from taking the 

UTME regardless of disability, 

adding, ‘’Professor Oloyede 

holds the firm view that we must 

have a level playing field for all 

candidates.’’ 

According to him, so long as the 

candidate is intellectually capable 

and meets the minimum 

conditions for admission in the 

university/polytechnic/colleges of 

education of choice, he/she 

should have a good chance of 

admission placement. 

He said 390 blind candidates 

on Tuesday and Wednesday this 

week wrote the examinations 

across the UTME centres in 

Abuja, Lagos, Kano and Enugu 

States under the chairmanship of 

Professor Peter Okebukola. 

Many of the 139 blind 

candidates who sat for the UTME 

at the University of Lagos, 

UNILAG centre, expressed joy for 

the equal opportunity that JAMB 

under the leadership of Professor 

Ishaq Oloyede has given to them. 

‘’So far, a respectable number 

of blind candidates processed 

through the JAMB Equal 

Opportunity Group (JEOG) have 

secured admission to federal, 

state and private universities, 

polytechnics and colleges of 

education,’’ he said. 

In the breakdown of the four 

JAMB centres for the blinds 

From left: NYSC State Coordinator, Ogun State, Mrs Belinda Faniyi, Ag Director, Corps 

Welfare, NYSC. Mr Abdul Rasheed Sanusi,Camp Director, Mrs Mojisola Oyenuga, Camp 

Commadant,Captain MO Airende and Assistant Director of Press, Mrs Florence Takon. 

A respectable 

number of blind 

candidates 

processed 

through the 

JAMB Equal 

Opportunity 

Group (JEOG) 

have secured 

admission to 

federal, state and 

p r i v a t e 

universities, 

polytechnics and 

colleges of 

education 

across the country, he said that 

Abuja had 57 candidates, Enugu 

59, Kano 135 and Lagos 139. 

Speaking in the same vein, 

Former Minister for Sports and 

Special Duties and Former 

Provost of the Federal College of 

Education Special Oyo, Professor 

Taoheed Adedoja said: ‘’As an 

Educator with passion for 

person’s with disability am here 

as one of the monitoring teams 

for the JAMB Examination for 

blind persons being held at the 

University of Lagos.’’ 

‘’The recent law that has been 

passed by the National Assembly 

and signed by President Buhari 

will open better access to disabled 

people in Nigeria,’’ he said. 

He reiterated that it is a good 

thing for our country to have 

opportunity for persons with 

disability to have access to higher 

education in Nigeria. 

He said: ‘’We have had a lot of 

cases of discrimination against 

disabled persons, even those that 

are not disabled in Nigeria does 

not have the opportunity to access 

higher eduction in Nigeria. ‘’If 

you look at the last five years, only 

about 16 to 17 percentage of 

youths in secondary schools and 

graduates have access to higher 

education. 

‘’JAMB is conscious of the need 

and opportunity given to people 

with disability particularly blind 

persons that desire education. I 

think, it is a welcome 

development in this country. 

‘’Irrespective of ones disability, 

there is virtually no academic 

discipline that disabled persons 

cannot do, Those on wheelchair 

can study medicine, study law, 

economics and virtually 

everything you can think of. 

‘’The same thing with blind 

persons, blind persons can be best 

lawyers in this country, can be 

best engineers even computer 

scientists, blind persons can be 

best economics in this country, 

blind persons can be best teacher, 

blind persons can undertake any 

course of study in the Social and 

Management sciences.’’ 

Asked his assessment of the 

examination, Professor Adedoja 

said: ‘’You can see for yourself that 

the blind persons are very happy 

that the country is catering for 

them, they are happy that they 

are going to have opportunities 

in life, opportunities in education, 

that is why special centre is 

created for them. 

‘’Virtually all the opportunities 

that are available for non blind 

persons are also available to blind 

persons but they need to acquire 

more opportunities. One of the 

best ways of acquiring more 

opportunities is to give computer 

education to the blind person. 

Out of one hundred blind persons 

in Nigeria, only one blind person 

is computer literate. 

‘’Out of 100 blind persons, the 

maximum you have with 

computer knowledge is two. 

Today, out of about one hundred 

and thirty-nine blind candidates 

that are sitting for JAMB, only 

JAMB is 

conscious of the 

need and 

opportunity 

given to people 

with disability 

particularly 

blind persons 

that desire 

education 

seven of them are computer 

literate. We can not leave this to 

government alone, the private 

sector must come in to assist the 

blind people to be computer 

literate because computer literacy 

is key.’’ He explained that 

without computer literacy, they 

can not fit into the social economic 

development of any country, can 

not have access to information and 

key issues in education and E- 

learning. 

In his remarks, former Vice- 

Chancellor of Ekiti State 

University, Professor Samuel 

Bandele said he was delighted 

to join other professors in the 

supervision of the UTME for the 

blind. 

He said: ‘’This is one of the 

exceptional unique innovations 

brought in by the current registrar 

of JAMB, Professor Ishaq 

Oloyede. ‘’I am particularly 

encouraged that he committed this 

kind of special programme in the 

hands of Prof. Okebukola who 

does everything to perfection. 

He urged everyone to 

appreciate JAMB innovation for 

the blind. 

‘’They should not be deprived 

of university education. This is 

one of the most novel innovation 

that the jamb registrar has brought 

into the examination. 

‘’Candidates should be grateful 

to God, the current leadership of 

JAMB and also to those 

managing this particular type of 

innovation. ‘’They should take 

advantage of it and when they get 

to the university, they should 

excel and know they are humans 

like others.’’ 

On his part, Barr. Danlami 

Basharu, the Executive Director 

of the Anglo Welfare Association 

For the Blind and the current 

chairman of the United Nations 

Committee on the Right of 

Persons with Disabilities said he 

was satisfied that the blinds are 

being given the ability to sit for 

the Jamb examination. 

He, however said that he would 

have preferred that blind 

candidates use the CBT. He said: 

‘’The Nigeria Association of the 

Blind have been discussing with 

JAMB, stating that we want the 

blind students to be fully involved 

in the CBT type examínations. 

‘’However many of our students 

at the moment are not conversant 

with the use of the computer. ‘’We 

have discussed with JAMB to 

give us about five years whereby 

we can train all the blind students 

with the use of the computer. This 

will also help them to sit for 

mathematics examinations 

because mathematics has been a 

difficult issue for blind students. 

‘’However that is not possible 

for now because we have realized 

that JAMB has made exceptional 

grounds to ensure that they take 

the examination which is very 

appreciable and met united 

nations requirements as well.’’


FCMB partners ASIF on Corps 

members empowerment 

5 yrs after Chibok girls' abduction... 

By Ikechukwu Agada 

IT was an emotional 

sight across the world 

as Nigerians all over 

the world gathered to 

empathise and solidarise 

with the children and 

families of the abducted 

school girls five years on. 

Tears freely had a field day 

as speakers took turns to 

express misgivings over the 

five years captivity of the 

Chibok school girls. From 

Abuja to Lagos and all over 

the world, the Bring Back 

Our Girls(BBOG) 

campaigners congregated 

under the theme : 

“INTERFAITH VIGIL” 

which held from April 12 th 

to April 14 th . At the Unity 

Fountain in Abuja, 112 

empty seats depicting 

school seats of the Chibok 

girls were arranged. The 

leading voices of the 

campaign in Abuja like 

Oby Ezekwesili and Aisha 

Yesufu were present as an 

honour to mark the grand 

finale of the vigil on Sunday 

14 th of April.One of the 

parents broke down 

uncontrollably as she wept 

bitterly telling God via 

proverbs to intervene. 

Investigationsby 

Vanguard reveal that the 

campaigners erected a 

conspicous billboard with 

different inscriptions, some 

of them reads:'' 

#5YearsTooLong,#Rescue 

OurGirlsNow, 

#BringBackOurGIRLS.'' It 

was also discovered from 

their bold inscriptions that 

276 girls were kidnapped 

five years ago, 57 escaped, 

107 were found/released 

while 112 are still missing. 

In Lagos, at the Falomo 

roundabout venue, Eti-Osa 

L.G.A, the vigil went on for 

three days. At the grand 

finale led and compered by 

Mrs Yemi Ramson Kuti, it 

was time for sober reflection. 

With a national anthem that 

betray loyalty to Nigeria to 

other touching choruses, 

several speakers held the 

audience spell bound with 

their encouraging speech. 

Mrs Yemi Ramsom Kuti 

“said that the people at the 

helms of affair in Nigeria 

must expedite actions that 

will ensure freedom for the 

remaining girls’’. The 

secretary to the Ikoyi/ 

Obalende LCDA who stood 

in for the chairman said “ 

that the government at the 

local level feels the pain of 

the parents and would not 

hesitate to communicate the 

message to the state and 

federal levels”. Several 

clerics from different faiths 

also prayed for the release 

of the kids. In a heavily 

worded message, Pastor 

Ituah Ighodalo of the Trinity 

House Church, Lagos 

encouraged the 

campaigners never to 

relent in praying, for God 

answers prayers. Using 

bible verses to buttress his 

points, he reminded the 

audience that five is a 

number of grace, as such, 

a special grace will locate 

them for good. He prayed 

extensively for the release 

of the girls. 

Mrs Ayo Obe, a lawyer 

and activist, read a prepared 

Students of 

C o r o n a 

Secondary 

S c h o o l , 

A g b a r a 

displaying 

cultural 

d a n c e 

during their 

Annual Inter 

H o u s e 

Sports held 

at the school 

new sporting 

complex, 

A g b a r a , 

Ogun State. 

speech which took the 

audience down memory 

lane on the activities of 

Boko Haram in Nigeria 

starting from Chibok to 

Dapchi and others. Mrs 

Yemi Adamolekun also 

charged the group to 

remain faithful and 

committed, trusting God 

that in the end, they will 

celebrate the release of the 

girls. Finally, Mr Stephen, 

an anchor and an NTA TV 

series climate energy host, 

said he lost his cousin, an 

INEC adhoc staff in Rivers 

State as a result of the new 

wave of killings ongoing in 

the country. He reminded 

the audience that he has 

been an apostle of peace 

supporting the Buhari 

administration but decried 

the recent incessant taking 

of lives by armed bandits. 

JAMB candidates donate food items to 

orphanage home 

By Henry Ojelu 

A 

group of 

candidates 

preparing for the 

forthcoming Joint Admission 

Matriculation Board, JAMB 

examination have donated 

several food items to the 

Citadel of Grace Mission 

International Orphanage 

home in Igando, Lagos. 

The over 150 candidates 

currently attend Success 

Mandate Pre-Varsity 

Academy which organises an 

annual Mandate to Save-A- 

Soul Project to orphanage 

homes. 

Items donated by the 

candidates includes, bags of 

rices, tubers of yam, vegetable 

oil, noodles, custard, toiletries 

and baby care products. 

Speaking during the 

presentation of the items to 

the orphanage home, 

Coordinator of Success 

Academy and Founder of 

Save-A-Soul Charity 

Outreach, Mr. Ken Anoruo 

said his dream is to 

continuously encourage the 

younger general to imbibe 

the culture of generosity and 

empathy. 

Mr. Anoruo who is also a 

lawyer noted that as the 

students prepare to enter 

another phase of their 

academic pursuit, it is 

important that they should be 

exposed to the noble goal of 

giving to the needy and less 

privileged in the society. 

“ This is the 10 th year since 

we started this project and by 

the grace of God, the impact 

has been tremendous. What 

you see here is gift of love 

contributed by students in our 

tutorial academy for the 

welfare of the children in this 

orphanage home. 

By Buhari Abu 

FIRST City 

Monumental 

Bank (FCMB) in 

partner with Activate 

Success International 

Foundation, ASIF have 

empowered corps members 

with entrepreneurial skills 

during the 2019 edition of 

the 

‘Youth 

Entrepreneurship and 

Empowerment 

Programme’ (YEEP) held 

across three NYSC 

orientation camps in Lagos, 

Abuja and Benue States. 

The aim of the ‘Youth 

Entrepreneurship and 

Empowerment 

Programme’ (YEEP) is to 

mentor corps members on 

practical steps to become 

successful entrepreneurs in 

their chosen fields and to 

also provide career 

guidance. 

The initiative which is in 

line with the bank’s 

commitment towards 

youths empowerment in 

entrepreneurship would 

create an avenue for 

sponsoring capacity 

building programmes 

embark on by industrious 

corps members. 

The bank constantly seeks 

for avenues to provide 

multiple opportunities that 

would inspire, empower 

youths with the requisite 

resources to start successful 

businesses and enable 

them to be actively 

engaged to become 

successful business 

owners. 

Speakers who spoke at 

the event include; the 

founder of Activate Success 

International Foundation, 

Ms. Love Idoko who 

By Elizabeth Uwandu 

Sports activities have 

b e e n 

described as veritable 

tool to raise children who are 

academically and 

physically sound. Mrs. 

Adesua Obaseki , Director, 

FasTrack Group of School, 

Festac made this known at 

its 2019 inter-house 

competition recently. 

The event which saw pupils 

and students of the school 

engaged in sports activities 

such as; relay race, bursting 

the balloons, picking of the 

balls, parents relay race 

among others, had pupils 

from the Nursery and Primary 

section took part in the march 

past competition. While 

Emerald (Green) house took 

the first position with 84 

percent; second position was 

taken by Ruby (Red) house 

with 81 percent. For the 

secondary section, Yellow 

delivered her lecture in 

Abuja alongside Mr. Seyi 

Adekunle of Vodi Tailors 

and popular actor cum 

broadcaster, Uti 

Nwachukwu. 

Others were, cerebral 

actor and author, Femi 

Jacobs and Mr. Apeh 

Iwodi, an architect cum 

entrepreneur who was in 

charge of Lagos while 

Pastor Abel Uloko, a 

socioprenuer, thought 

leader and life coach 

mentored the corps 

members on entrepreneur 

in Benue State. 

One of the speakers, Love 

Idoko while delivering her 

lecture on ‘Six Things I 

Wish Every Youth Knew’ 

said: ‘’Youths must 

endeavour to make the 

right decisions, have a plan, 

be their own greatest fan, 

detoxify their lives, read 

books and be a good 

finisher. 

‘’Success as an 

entrepreneur starts with the 

right decision. You must 

never underestimate the 

impact a single decision can 

have as one wrong move 

can ruin a career, business 

or one’s entire life. ‘’To be 

successful, you need to 

have a plan. 

‘’No matter where you 

are in life, you can be 

successful if you have a 

plan for action. You also 

need to look at your life and 

evaluate the relationships 

you keep. Some 

relationships are energy 

draining and toxic. ‘’If you 

are serious about your 

dream, you have to detoxify 

your life. You must also read 

books to update your 

knowledge and remain 

relevant in your field.'' 

Sports: A Tool for total 

child devt 

house took the Gold medal 

with 83 percent, Green house 

took the second position while 

Red house took the silver 

medal. 

Mrs. Obaseki, explained 

that the reason behind the 

inter-house sports festival to 

encourage the enthronement 

of sports as a necessary tool 

for the development of the 

child. Her words,” FasTrack 

prides herself as a leading 

school that encourages extracurriculum 

activities like 

sports, arts and the use of 

technology in the education 

of children. 

“ We aim to produce a 

“Total Child”, one who can 

compete with others from 

within and outside the 

country. In addition, ensure 

that the parents and 

management relationship is 

cordial, because parents 

play an important role in the 

development of children” she 

said.


japhdave@yahoo.com 

08066625505 

Peju Layiwola returns with Indigo Reimagined 

Peju Layiwola, with her work, Even Mother’s Wrapper Couldn’t Cover 

By Japhet Alakam 

EXACTLY one year after the 

Inaugural exhibition of 

the Raw Gallery at Rhodes 

University, Grahamstown, 

South Africa, Peju Layiwola, a 

Professor of Art History and 

current Head of the Department 

of Creative Arts, University 

of Lagos returns with another 

solo exhibition titled, 

Indigo Reimagined. The exhibition 

which will revisit the 

indigenous clothing tradition 

of dyed fabrics known as adire 

in south-western Nigeria is 

scheduled to hold on the 13th 

of June and run to 30th of July 

2019 at the main Auditorium 

gallery of University of Lagos, 

Akoka. 

Peju Layiwola who earned 

her BA in 1988 at the University 

of Benin, Benin City; an 

MA and Ph.D. in Art History 

at the University of Ibadan, 

Nigeria in 1991 and 2004 respectively 

according to 

sources followed her mother, 

Princess Elizabeth Olowudaughter 

of Oba Akenzua II 

of Benin in a career as an artist, 

adding art history to the 

mix. Layiwola’s work, in a variety 

of media ranging from 

metalwork and pottery to textile 

and sculpture, addresses 

diverse strains of the 

postcolonial condition. She 

focuses on personal and communal 

histories which centralize 

Benin as both an ancient 

kingdom and a contemporary 

city. 

Indigo Reimagined highlights 

the 

multidimensionality of this 

artistic practice whilst simultaneously 

providing us with 

a window into the beauty 

and functions of other indigenous 

crafts like pottery and 

metal work associated with 

dyeing. These installations 

are not limited to the dyed 

textile as a site of adornment 

and signification. Instead, 

they redirect our gaze at the 

very process of ‘art as art’ in 

their own right; in a sense, 

the process, methodology 

and labour of making art is 

itself conceived of as art. 

This conceptual, yet tactical, 

engagement with cloth compels 

the viewer to look at the 

often neglected but important 

aspects involved in the process 

of this long-standing tradition 

of indigo dyeing. 

The show stands as a reflection 

of modern urban culture 

in the introduction of new 

themes, techniques, and materials. 

It ultimately challenges 

the viewer to see cloth 

in its multiple sociocultural 

and political dimensions. 

According to her, there will 

be a panel discussion of the 

exhibition scheduled to hold 

at the next Lagos Studies Association 

conference, June 27- 

29, 2019; a gallery talk with 

the artist and discussion with 

Fela and the Kalakuta Queens goes to South Africa 

By Prisca Duru 

FOLLOWING its successful 

premiere of the powerful 

musical production of Fela and the 

Kalakuta Queens, at the state-ofthe-art 

Terra Arena, Victoria 

Island, Lagos, Nigeria, Bolanle 

Austen-Peters (BAP) Productions, 

is set to take the world renowned 

story of the Abami Eda, to South 

African State Theatre. 

Fela and the Kalakuta Queens 

will be on South Africa’s stage 

from 27th March until 7th April 

2019. 

Speaking on the scheduled 

outing, BAP Director, Mrs. 

Bolanle Austen-Peters said: “This is a 

phenomenal development. It is gratifying 

to know that my production is the first ever 

musical from Nigeria to be showcased by 

the South African State Theatre. This is a 

validation that Nigerian theatre and 

musicals have come to stay. In line with 

the Federal Government’s desire to export 

non-oil products, theatre has emerged as 

one sector that is living up to that 

expectation. With over 60 people being 

taken to South Africa, this is indeed a new 

dawn.” 

Speaking further, Austen-Peters said: 

“Nigerians form a strong community in 

•Fela and the Kalakuta Queens 

promoting Nigerian and African culture 

in notable cities around the globe. We 

believe that a historic and cultural 

production like Fela and the Kalakuta 

Queens will be received well in South 

Africa - considering Fela’s iconic status 

and the increasing interest in afrobeat 

internationally,” Peters reiterated. 

Also commenting on the play, Artistic 

Director of the State Theatre, Aubrey 

Sekhabi said: “We have a thriving 

community representing the diaspora in 

Pretoria and believe that this will bring 

them out for theatrical entertainment. The 

story of Fela Kuti and the Kalakuta Queens 

is a timeless critique of 

post-independence 

Africa, with strong 

commentary about 

greed, corruption, 

abuse of power, 

underdevelopment and 

African leaders’ 

relationships with their 

former colonial masters. 

The message in the 

music was as relevant 

during Fela’s time as it 

is today.” 

In line with the 

theatre’s Pan African 

outlook, the musical chronicles the 

complicated life and times of the late 

legendary musician, Fela Anikulapo Kuti, 

also known as Fela Kuti, or simply Fela. 

From birth to life as a defiant and 

uncompromising social activist, a 

flamboyant musical maestro and his historic 

marriage to his 27 wives (known as the 

Queens), the story of Fela and his Kalakuta 

Queens is a compelling one, while at the 

same time deeply moving and emotionally 

engaging. It travels through the honest and 

selfless love the icon had with his dancers 

(Queens) who left their homes to follow 

him, believing in his vision of building a 

better community through arts and music. 

Elizabeth Olowu, mother of 

the artist, who is celebrated 

as the first female to specialise 

in the art of bronze casting 

in Nigeria. She will 

speak about the early career 

of her daughter and about 

her artistic practice as a pioneering 

student of the Department 

of Creative Arts, 

University of Benin. She 

will also provide insights into 

her inroad into the art of 

metal casting in Benin whilst 

working with the guild of 

Benin bronze casters. 

In Layiwola’s teaching, 

writing, and art, there is continuous 

engagement with 

themes of artifact pillage, repatriation 

and restitution; history, 

memory and cultural imaginary; 

gender and cultural 

heterodoxy; the continually 

mutable processes of production. 

Her work moves from the 

emotive space of art pillage in 

Africa captured in previous 

exhibitions: Benin 1897.com: 

Art and the Restitution Question 

(2010), Whose Centenary 

? (2014) and Return 

(2018) into a gentler engagement 

with cloth and its multiple 

significations. 

This exhibition brings together 

her overall experience 

and engagement with cloth. 

Some of her article on textile 

include ‘Lace Culture and the 

Art of Dressing Well in Nigeria; 

African Lace: A History 

of Trade, Creativity and 

Fashion in Nigeria, Eds. 

Barbara Plankensteiner and 

Mayo Adediran, Museum of 

Ethnology, Vienna (Museum 

fur Volkerkunde,); New Forms 

of Commemoration; Royal 

Textiles of Benin, The Nigerian 

Field, Vol. 74, 1 and 2, 

Pp.5-19. 

Her hands on experience 

leading workshops on tie dye, 

batik, silk painting at her 

women’s centre for art in 

Surulere, Lagos extend her 

trajectory. Added to this is the 

designing of costumes for the 

public art project Whose Centenary? 

Igun Street, Benin 

City in 2014. 

Call for entries for 

Bristol short story 

Prize 

ENTRIES are invited for the 

2019 Bristol Short Story 

Prize. The competition is open 

to all writers around the world 

whether published or unpublished, 

UK or non-UK based. 

The closing date for entries 

is midnight (BST) May 1st 

2019. 

20 stories will be shortlisted 

and published in Bristol 

Short Story Prize Anthology 

Volume 12. 

The winner and two runners 

up will be selected from the 

shortlist and announced at an 

awards ceremony in October 

2019. 

1st prize is £1,000, 2nd prize 

is £500, 3rd prize is £250. 17 

further prizes of £100 will be 

presented to the remaining 

shortlisted writers. All 

shortlisted writers will receive 

two free copies of the anthology. 

Prizes will be sent to any 

writer on the shortlist who is 

unable to attend the awards 

ceremony. 

The judging panel will be 

chaired by literary agent, 

Kate Johnson. 

Kate will be joined on the 

panel by editor, Lucy Cowie, 

and writers Billy Kahora 

and Polly Ho-Yen.

LAST week, most Nigerian 

newspapers were awash 

with stories about the 

International Monetary 

Fund’s 2019 Article IV 

Consultation with the country. 

This is an annual process in 

which the IMF scrutinises a 

country’s economic 

management and reports its 

findings. 

The IMF doesn’t pull 

punches in its reports, and 

this year it minced no words 

about the state of Nigeria’s 

economy. Economic growth is 

stunted, it said, by “persisting 

structural and policy 

challenges”. One of such 

challenges is “low revenue 

mobilisation”. As the IMF put 

it: “The revenue base is simply 

too low to address the current 

challenges”. 

Nigeria is, of course, a 

mono, oil-dependent 

economy, which is at the mercy 

of volatile world oil prices for 

70 per cent of its revenue. At 

5.9 per cent of GDP, Nigeria 

has the worst tax to GDP ratio 

in sub-Saharan Africa and at 

three per cent of GDP, its nonoil 

revenue mobilisation is one 

of the lowest in the world. As 

a result, this country is 

constantly prone to fiscal 

shocks, as every adverse 

movement in world oil prices 

puts its economy out of kilter. 

But being in dire fiscal straits 

has rarely constrained 

Nigeria’s budget sizes. For 

instance, as the economy went 

into a tailspin in 2015, 

following the collapse of oil 

prices, 

President 

Muhammadu Buhari’s 2016 

budget was N6.08 trillion, with 

Nigeria’s deep fiscal quagmire 

and tax conundrum 

a deficit of N2.2 trillion. 

The following year, with the 

economy still in recession, the 

budget was a record N7.29 

trillion, with a deficit of N2.3 

trillion. The 2018 budget was 

ratcheted up to N9.12 trillion, 

with a deficit of N1.95 trillion. 

All the budgets were based on 

unrealistic revenue 

projections, resulting in 

bigger deficits, funded 

through increased 

borrowings. 

Government officials are 

quick to say that Nigeria’s 

spending, deficit and debt 

levels are not extraordinary by 

international standards. 

Indeed, looked at in isolation, 

that’s true. For instance, at 12 

per cent of GDP, government 

spending as a share of GDP is 

low when compared to, for 

example, India’s 27 per cent, 

China’s 34 per cent or the 

UK’s 38 per cent. Equally, 

Nigeria’s debt as a share of 

GDP is low at about 27 per cent 

when you consider that for 

several countries it’s well over 

70 per cent. 

But such comparisons are 

misleading because they 

ignore the critical issue of debt 

service to revenue ratio. As the 

IMF once pointed out, 

“Nigeria’s Debt/GDP ratio, at 

about 25 per cent, is relatively 

low, but debt servicing, which 

takes about 50 per cent of 

There is no social 

contract in Nigeria; 

instead, what exists is 

deep distrust between 

government and 

citizens,which, of 

course, breeds 

systemic noncompliance 

revenue, is quite high.” 

Indeed, the IMF estimates 

that servicing the outstanding 

debt will gulp up about 63 per 

cent of the Federal 

Government’s revenues for 

2019! A country that spends 63 

per cent of its revenues on 

servicing debt, surely can’t 


have much left to spend on 

priority areas, such as health 

and education. 

That was the context in which 

IMF advised Nigeria to 

broaden its revenue base “to 

lower the ratio of interest 

payments to revenue and make 

room for priority expenditure”. 

But how would Nigeria 

achieve this? The truth is that 

this country is woefully 

incapable of mobilising 

internal revenues and, on 

their part, the citizens are 

unwilling to pay taxes, lacking 

any moral imperative to do so, 

let alone the statutory 

obligation. As someone put it: 

“In Nigeria, the government 

pretends to tax people and 

people pretend to pay”! 

Yet, this is a serious matter, 

for the statistics are 

staggering. According to a 

recent analysis, 67 million of 

Nigeria’s labour force of 77 

million are not registered tax 

payers. 

In 2016, just 241 people paid 

more than N20 million in 

personal income taxes, as 

reported by the Ministry of 

Finance. Indeed, Dr. Tunde 

Fowler, the executive 

chairman of the Federal Inland 

Revenue Service, RIRS, was 

quoted in one newspaper as 

saying that “over 6,772 

billionaires don’t pay tax”. 

Less than six per cent of 

registered taxpayers are active 

in the corporate income tax 

category, and Nigeria raises 

less than one per cent of GDP 

in VAT revenue, according to 

the IMF. 

With such an abysmally low 

revenue mobilisation, with a 

tax-to-GDP ratio of just six per 

Send Opinions & Letters to: 

opinions1234@yahoo.com 

cent, the worst in Africa, 

Nigeria certainly lacks the 

wherewithal to achieve 

accelerated growth and 

develop state capacity. Which 

is why it is ludicrous that the 

Buhari government is talking 

about raising the VAT rate by 

50 per cent and introducing 

new taxes when there are 

acute weaknesses in the tax 

administration system, as well 

as the problem of systemic 

non-compliance. 

But there is systemic noncompliance 

because 

government lacks legitimacy 

in the eyes of the people. That 

lack of legitimacy stems from 

the woeful failure of successive 

Nigerian governments to meet 

the basic needs of the people. 

Nigerians literally have to 

look after themselves. 

Think of it: nearly 50 per cent 

of Nigerians have no access to 

electricity; only 29 per cent 

have access to sanitation; over 

90 million of the people live 

in extreme poverty; two-thirds 

of the world’s hungriest 

people live in Nigeria and 

seven other countries, and 

Nigerians are the sixth most 

miserable people in the world. 

Truth is, there is no social 

contract in Nigeria; instead, 

what exists is deep distrust 

between government and 

citizens,which, of course, 

breeds systemic noncompliance. 

Nigeria is in a deep fiscal 

quagmire yet faces a serious 

tax conundrum: it lacks the 

capacity to administer taxes 

and, more worryingly, the 

legitimacy to induce voluntary 

compliance. 

Delta politics of zoning: The myth and deceit 

By Brown Depreye 

DELTANS have never been more 

apprehensive of their political 

future like they felt before the 2019 

governorship election. 

This feeling was occasioned by not 

only the threats from the All 

Progressives Congress, APC, 

chairman, Adams Oshomiole, on the 

need to colonise Delta State but also 

on what happens in 2023 when the 

zoning system imposed on the state in 

2007 by the then Governor James Ibori 

expires. 

Fair as it appears, this zoning was a 

mere exercise designed to satisfy the 

interest of certain individuals, as the 

only way of hanging on to the corridors 

of power. Like as in every good movie 

that has two ends, the zoning 

arrangement in Delta State seems to 

be heading towards a tragic end. 

What will happen at the end arena 

remains a matter of prophetic guess 

work as many nationalities in the state 

are beginning to ask the inevitable 

question: ‘How Did we get here and 

who is the ultimate beneficiary’ of this 

so ‘beautiful’ zoning forced down our 

throat? 

There is no doubt that the Peoples 

Democratic Party, PDP, has remained 

the political landlord of Delta State, 

having won all the elections so far in 

the state. It is also an established fact 

that with zoning, the PDP has 

produced excellent leadership in the 

state. 

However, there is an emerging 

school of thought with an already 

established large followership that now 

questions or views the political 

arrangement as serving the interest of 

a select few. 

This school of thought has its main 

campus in the Ijaw axis of the state 

with satellite campuses in Isoko and 

Ndokwa axis of the state and their 

students are many. Their position is 

that if the zoning arrangement must 

continue in Delta State, it must 

continue from the South Senatorial 

District that houses the Itsekiris, Ijaws 

and Isokos. 

Their argument is hinged on the 

premise that by 2023, all the three 

senatorial districts in the state would 

have had a taste of the exercise and it 

will only be fair that the South 

Senatorial District which has 

consistently turned in the highest 

number of votes be allowed to enjoy 

the highest office which their votes 

gave to Central and North senatorial 

districts. 

They argue further that Central 

Senatorial District has already 

produced two civilian governors of the 

state in Chief Felix Ibru and James 

Ibori. The Ijaws who hold strong to this 

argument have the sympathy and 

understanding of the Isokos who feel 

highly marginalised in the zoning 

arrangement. 

For the Isokos, they have been turned 

to the wretched of the earth, or so they 

argue. They are vexed by the fact that 

in this present dispensation, under the 

government of Okowa, all they have 

The Isokos argue that since 

they have nothing to live for, 

they would rather work with 

the Ijaws and Ndokwas to 

ensure that the next governor 

does not come from the 

Urhobo axis as the PDP has 

not really fared well in 

Urhoboland 

gotten is a miserable office of the 

Majority Leader of the House of 

Assembly, while the Urhobos who are 

waiting with smiles for 2023, are gifted 

with the powerful position of the 

Speaker of the House, the number 

three man in the state. 

The Isokos argue that since they 

have nothing to live for, they would 

rather work with the Ijaws and 

Ndokwas to make sure that the next 

governor does not come from the 

Urhobo axis as the PDP has not really 

fared well in Urhoboland. 

According to them, Isoko, despite 

having so many oil wells in its two local 

governments, remains the most 

marginalised in the state. They have 

exhibited brotherhood where 

necessary, received pains for their 

fellow Deltans only to be dumped at 

the end of the day. 

It will be too sad if by 2023 the Isoko 

nation and its leaders choose to remain 

fourth class citizens in a state where 

their input in terms of both natural and 

human resources are required to move 

the state forward. 

In these cacophony of arguments, 

what is evident and sure is that it will 

not be business as usual in Delta, come 

2023 because the Ijaws and Isokos are 

spoiling for their pound of flesh. 

How the political leaders led by 

incumbent governor handle the 

emerging threat will determine which 

party wins the next gubernatorial 

election in Delta State. Until then, the 

comedy is still loading. 

The year 2023 definitely will create 

a new dawn for Deltans, that is if 

urgent steps are taken to correct 

perceived marginalisation and 

appease the aggrieved. 

•Depreye, a public affairs analyst, 

wrote from Asaba, Delta State

32—Vanguard, THURSDAY, APRIL18, 2019 

YOUR LUCK TODAY 

By Joshua Adeyemo Phone 08056180139 

ARIES: CERTAINLY some people will get on your nerves, yet, 

you must not over react at least because of the immediate 

future. Truly this is the wrong time to gamble with love. 

TAURUS: THE moon fluctuates early this morning. That is 

why you will need to guard against confusion likely to be caused 

by others. 

GEMINI: THE Moon at difficult angle to aggressive mars is 

capable of bringing unnecessary argument and avoidable confusion. 

To before warned is to be fore armed. 

CANCER: EARLY morning blues will affect many people today 

(yourself inclusive) but luckily for you, things will go according 

to your plans. And you will need to be more careful 

with money. 

LEO: THE Moon fluctuates early in the morning. And if care is 

not taken you would promise more than you can actually deliver 

to the resentment of others. Yet, you’ll win. 

VIRGO: BEHIND – the – scene activities are sources of avoidable 

trouble especially before mid morning period when influence 

of the Moon’s fluctuation will last. Avoid inordinate ambition. 

LIBRA: IT’S important you don’t allow your thought for and/or 

about the future derail your plans for the present so that success 

will not elude you. Romantic attractions along your career/ 

business lines may become stronger sooner than you think. 

SCORPIO: EARLY morning blues will affect many people 

around you meaning that not everybody can be taken for granted 

especially along your career/business lines. 

L E I S U R E 

TAKE HEART — ELLA RANDLE 

“You may not be able to control someone’s negative 

behavior but you can control how you participate 

in it.” -Take Heart Quotes- 

Many times when people are dealing with difficulties in 

their lives, those around them become the targets of their 

unhealthy coping strategies. The most important thing 

you can remember is that this is about them, not you, 

and therefore don’t take it personally. -Ella Randle - 

TERROR MUDA in “Never say goodbye” 

SAYINGS OF 

OUR PEOPLE 

You cannot 

work for food 

when there is 

no food for 

work. ~African 

Proverb 

By Kola Fayemi 

SAGITTARIUS: MAKE sure you perfectly understand what 

you are doing within your working arena before mid morning 

period or else costly mistakes would be made. Be tolerant. 

DUDU in “ROLLING HOT” By A.O. OLAIDE 

CAPRICORN: TOMORROW is your day. Therefore you are 

advised to leave some important decisions and/or action till 

tomorrow when the heaven will smile at you. Your love life is 

favoured. 

AQUARIUS: TOMORROW may prove more challenging. 

Thus, if there are things you should do now, you better don’t 

contemplate procrastination as you are likely to be stretched 

full length tomorrow. Watch what you tell others early in the 

morning. 

PISCES: AS the Moon fluctuates early in the morning some 

people may promise more than they can actually deliver. And 

if you take them for granted, you would be disappointed. 

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 

What about my star? 

Dear Joshua, 

KINDLY analyses my star and tell me about myself especially 

my luck. 

I want to know about my love life, social life and how to become 

successful in life. I have seen people who are close to me became 

big success without much struggle from them. Would my 

own be like them too? 

Quadri, Abuja. 

Dear Quadri, 

You are different to those you said came by success: in your own 

case you will need to work hard and earn success. It is important 

you watch and take practical precaution about inability to 

hold on to your gains for long. Some times unexpected assistance 

use to come your way at 11th hour. Your being friendly 

with the influential personalities especially WOMEN will help 

your finance greatly. Speculative venture is not the best for you. 

Your magnetic personality makes it difficult for members of 

your opposite sex to the betterment of your love life. 

Luckily for you, you know how not to allow your rugged/rigid 

personality to harm your love life; you are a sweet lover, although 

can be argumentative some times. Love happiness indicated 

for you. If you can analyze both your environment and 

social situation, you will have more to gain from social activities 

more than it’s attendant pressure. 

You will need to drop unnecessary rebellious approach when 

dealing with your social life; although what looks like radical 

approach can earn you a few number of friends who may not be 

in position to assist you. Many people love your gentle approach 

and will be willing to assist you especially the more 

influential personalities. Once again women can be helpful 

here 

VIRGINIA 

HOME & ABROAD 

dadadekola@yahoo.com 

By Lawrence Akapa



A-Ibom goes tough on indiscriminate 

refuse dumping 

By Chioma 

Onuegbu 

UYO—AKWA Ibom 

State Government 

has warned against 

indiscriminate dumping of 

refuse on major streets of 

Uyo, the state capital, 

saying those caught in the 

act would be arrested and 

prosecuted. 

Chairman of Akwa Ibom 

State Environment 

Protection and Waste 

Management Agency, 

AKSEPAWMA, Akpan 

Ikim gave the warning 

while responding to 

questions on a live radio 

interview yesterday in Uyo. 

He noted that sanitary 

agents have been 

mobilised for the task. 

He said: “With the 

environmental health 

officers that we have, we 

have already restructured 

a whole lot and the 

enforcement officers are on 

the streets now, so anyone 

caught littering the 

environment would be 

arrested and prosecuted. 

“The issue of throwing 

waste from the car would 

be a thing of the past. We 

have set aside 6a.m., 

to7p.m., to evacuate 

refuses and any person 

caught dumping refuse 

after that will be arrested.” 

On the non availability of 

receptacles in some 

strategic places within the 

state capital, Ikim disclosed 

that government had 

partnered a Chinese 

company to supply more 

and bigger receptacles 

especially as the population 

of Uyo continues to 

expand and grow. 

AWARDS: From left; Akintude Olaposi, Agency Manager, Hinterland 

Travels and Tours Ltd; Bodunrin Olowolagba, British Airways Sales Manager, 

Nigeria and Habib Alkali, CEO, Hinterland Travels and Tours Ltd during the 

presentation of an award certificate to the highest sellingtravel agent in the 

year 2018 in Northern Nigeria at the British Airways workshop and 

Performance Recognition awards held in Abuja. 

Bayelsa elders intervene, receive committee report 

on IYC central crisis 

BAYELSA 

Elders 

under the aegis of 

the Ijaw Youths Elders’ 

Advisory Council, have 

intervened and halted a 

possible violent 

confrontation among Ijaw 

youths in the Central 

Zone after the elevation of 

the Chairman, Tari Porri 

Okowa, Oborevwori mourn 

Eferakeya 

By Festus Ahon 

ASABA—DELTA State 

governor, Ifeanyi 

Okowa and Speaker of the 

state House of Assembly, 

Sheriff Oborevwori, 

yesterday, condoled with 

the family of late Senator 

Adegor Eferakeya, who 

passed on Tuesday at 78 

years. 

The duo in separate 

statements, described the 

renowned Professor of 

Pharmacology and 

Toxicology as a prominent 

Urhobo son whose service 

would be missed by all. 

Okowa in a statement by 

his Chief Press Secretary, 

Mr Charles Aniagwu, also 

commiserated with the 

people of Delta Central 

senatorial district, the 

Urhobo nation, Deltans, as 

well as political associates 

and friends of the deceased. 

According to him, the late 

Senator, who represented 

as the member of the state 

House of Assembly 

representing Ekeremor 

Constituency 1. 

The succession battle, 

which provoked tension 

among Ijaw youths under 

the Central Zone, was 

due to the non-availability 

of transition plan and who 

Delta Central senatorial 

district in the 6th Senate, 

was a renowned medical 

practitioner in Amukpe- 

Sapele where he lived a life 

of service to God and the 

nation. 

The governor 

commended the late 

Senator’s disposition to 

serve the people and the 

nation whenever he was 

called upon, while always 

promoting democratic 

values and culture among 

his people. 

Also, Oborevwori in a 

statement by his Chief 

Press Secretary, Mr Dennis 

Otu said; “The news of the 

demise of a prominent 

Urhobo son and a 

respected chief in Okpe 

Kingdom, Senator 

Eferakeya came to me as a 

rude shock. 

“We are surely going to 

miss him. I pray God to 

grant his soul eternal 

rest and the family the 

fortitude to bear the 

irreparable loss.” 

Ikim urged residents to 

see last Saturday 

Sanitation exercise which 

begin by 7a.m., and end 

by 10a.m., as a collective 

responsibility aimed at 

ensuring homes are clean 

and healthy. 

He maintained that 

government has 

restructured all apparatus 

including waste 

to replace the elevated 

Chairman of the IYC 

central zone. 

The Elders’ Advisory 

Council under the 

Chairmanship of Mike 

Wenobowei, had set up a 

10-man committee 

headed by Elder Warri 

Welman to shop for a 

credible replacement from 

the Sagbama/Ekeremor 

axis to complete the 

remaining months of his 

tenure. 

Speaking in Yenagoa, 

while submitting the seven 

pages report to the IYC 

Elders’ Advisory Council, 

Chairman of the 

Committee, Warri Ombu, 

noted that the committee 

consulted widely and 

superior argument 

prevailed and it was zoned 

to Ekeremor area, where 

three candidates, Ebilade 

Ekerefe, Miss Emi Egbe 

and Thomas Tenkiri 

emerged. Following the 

records process, Thomas 

Tenkiri emerged as a 

worthy successor. “ 

The Committee, in its 

report also recommended 

that “The outgoing 

Chairman of the IYC, 

Central Zone should be 

honoured with a 

comprehensive send-forth 

programme and be 

properly consulted towards 

a successful exit and 

handover on or before April 

19, 2019.” 

Receiving the document 

from the Committee, 

Chairman of the Elders’ 

Advisory Council, Mike 

management, enforcement 

officers, and health officers, 

to ensure a clean and safe 

environment. 

According to Ikim, the 

AKSEPAWMA Law 

authorises the agency, “to 

visit manufacturing 

companies, residents, and 

abattoir to inspect and 

ascertain adherence to the 

best sanitary conditions.” 

Kenibowei, dismissed the 

claims of complicity against 

the council, noting that the 

Committee was allowed to 

reach out to all concerned, 

including Tari Porri, the 

state governor, Seriake 

Dickson, “The decision to 

intervene on issue of 

succession was done in 

good faith and to save IYC 

Central Zone,'' he said. 

It was gathered that 

some factions of the IYC 

central zone had 

wrongfully claimed that 

some members of the IYC 

central zone executives 

had the ambition and 

were scheming to take 

over from Porri, who had 

insisted that he was not 

under any constitutional 

obligation to resign his 

appointment. 

It was also learned that 

the Chairman of the Elders’ 

Advisory Council, 

Wenibowei, was accused of 

working with the accused 

to undermine the interest 

of Porri. 

Tari Porri in response 

announced that the 

dissolution of the advisory 

council and removed 

Wenibowei from his 

position, saying the elder 

stepped beyond his 

bounds. 

Porri said the position of 

central zone chairmanship 

of IYC was zoned to the 

Western part of the state, 

adding that if he decided 

to resign voluntarily, 

someone from the West 

would take over from him 

and complete his tenure. 

Delta Chief Judge pardons 

206 inmates 

By Akpokona 

Omafuaire 

WARRI—AS part of 

efforts to decongest 

Nigerian prisons, Delta 

State Chief Judge, Justice 

Marshal Mukoro has 

released a total of 206 

inmates across the prisons 


Justice Mukoro disclosed 

this in a remark during his 

prison visit to Warri. 

The Chief Judge said 

2,613 cases were reviewed 

in the process. He 

explained that of the 

number, 18 were granted 

bail, while 206 were 

released. 

Mukoro also said that in 

Warri, 875 inmates 

(warrant) were also 

reviewed, adding that 

seven were granted bail 

and 56 released. 

Justice Mukoro said the 

ages of those released 

range between 17 and 25 

years. 

According to him, “This 

is very worrisome. It shows 

family values are broken. It 

shows many parents are 

not responsible.” 

He urged parents to take 

proper care and train their 

children very well. 

Mukoro stressed that 

many adults are not 

exhibiting good examples 

for youths. 

He also enjoined faith 

based organisations as well 

as political leaders to 

ensure that youths are 

properly nurtured. 

Ukori chides Edo Commissioner 

over comment On Egbema 

By Gab Ejuwa 

A 

prominent politician 

in Warri North Local 

Government Area and 

Chairman of Egbema and 

Gbaramatu Communities 

Development Foundation, 

Ambassador Jude Ukori 

has chided the 

commissioner of 

Communication and 

Orientation, Edo State, Paul 

Ohonbamu on his 

comments that Egbema 

people are strangers to the 

Benin people. 

Recalled that Ohonbamu 

had last week said in one 

of the national dailies that 

there was a Supreme Court 

Judgment that gave the 

entire Egbema land to the 

Oba of Benin, adding that 

it was because they heard 

that there will be 

development of seaport in 

Gelegele, that prompted 

the Egbema people to insist 

they want their own king. 

Ukori in a chat said it was 

disappointing for such 

statement to come from a 

high ranking public officer 

of the status of 

Commissioner for 

By Onozure Dania 

HIS Royal Majesty, 

S.P. Luke, Kalanama 

VIII, Pere of Akugbene- 

Mein Kingdom has urged 

Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of 

Delta State to collaborate 

with Niger Delta 

Development Commission, 

NDDC, and other agencies 

to ensure the completion of 

Ojobo-Bomadi-Gbekebor 

Road project. 

Kalanama VIII noted that 

the ongoing construction of 

the Bomadi-Gbekebor 

section of the road had 

dragged on for so long, 

therefore, required 

collaborative effort between 

the state government and 

the NDDC. 

In a statement at the end 

of the Akugbene-Mein 

traditional Council meeting 

Communication and 

Orientation of Edo State 

that the Egbema people are 

strangers in their own land. 

“The statement is inciting 

and capable of igniting 

crisis in the area. The 

Egbema people are the 

aborigines of the land they 

are occupying and there is 

no court case that ceded any 

part of Egbema land to Bini 

people. We have our own 

king duly recognised by the 

then government of Mid- 

Western Region, the then 

Bendel State until it was 

split into Edo and Delta 

states. 

“Delta State government 

on her part duly recognised 

our present monarch HRM 

King Gold Oro Tiemo, Bini 

Pere III, the Agadagba of 

Egbema Kingdom, while 

Edo State government 

failed to recognise him. 

“I was surprised that 

Ohonbamu cited a case 

between the Benin people 

and a family in Gelegele 

community which is not 

part of Egbema kingdom 

while making reference 

to the proposed seaport 

in Gelegele.'' 

Monarch tasks Okowa on 

Ojobo-Bomadi-Gbekebor road 

project 

....Tells gov to partner NDDC 

presided over by Pere Luke, 

he explained that, if the 

road project was given its 

required attention and 

when completed , it would 

help to cushion the 

economic hardship 

experienced by the people. 

The Council also 

congratulated Okowa for 

his resounding victory at 

the poll and charged him 

to pay more attention to the 

Bomadi Local Government 

Area of the state in areas of 

human capital and 

infrastructural 

development in his second 

tenure. 

The Akugbene-Mein 

Kingdom thanked his 

subjects for their conduct 

before, during and after the 

general election, noting 

that it indicates political 

maturity.

34—VANGUARD, THURSDAY, APRIL 18, 2019 

:Vanguard 

News 

9 prisoners regain 

freedom in Imo 

By Chidi 

Nkwopara 

O WERRI—NINE 

inmates of the 

Federal Prison, Owerri, 

have regained their 

freedom, courtesy of the jail 

delivery session carried out 

by the Imo State Chief 

Judge, Justice Paschal 

Nnadi. 

The lucky inmates 

included Anayo Akuneme, 

Paul Okoro, Chimaobi 

Nwosu, Ifeanyi Ekezie, 

Solomon Igbosoroeze, 

Chukwuka Emeribe, 

Onyinye Ekegha, 

Emmanuel Christopher 

and Eze Maduabuchi. 

Speaking before the 

commencement of the 

exercise, Justice Nnadi 

explained that the law 

empowers the State Chief 

Judge to periodically look 

into the status of prison 

inmates, with a view to 

setting free, those that may 

have spent more time than 

they would have, if 

properly convicted. 

He recalled that when a 

similar exercise was 

conducted late last year, no 

fewer than 29 inmates were 

set free. 

“The jail delivery exercise 

would continue after the 

Easter break. I have no 

doubt that what we are 

doing today will ultimately 

add up to the people’s 

happiness during the 

Easter festivities”, Justice 

Nnadi said. 

The Chief Judge ordered 

that the cases of three 

detainees, Fidelis Allison, 

Samuel Okoroafor and 

Christiana Eze, who were 

not aware of the pendency 

of their matters, should 

resume immediately in 

court, wherever they are 

listed. 

Justice Nnadi charged all 

the freed detainees to 

“refrain from anything that 

would bring you back into 

confinement. You must be 

of good behaviour and an 

asset to the society”, Nnadi 

said. 

Vanguard recalls that the 

Federal Prison Owerri, 

which was constructed by 

the colonial masters to take 

care of about 500 is today, 

housing 2,127 inmates. 

According to the statistics 

displayed on board, 2,069 

inmates are males, 58 are 

females, while only 214 are 

convicted and serving their 

terms in the prison. 

Legal Aid Council lauds 

Ugwuanyi’s commitment 

to justice delivery 

D IRECTOR-GENERAL 

of Legal Aid Council of 

Nigeria, Aliyu Bagudu 

Abubakar has commended 

the administration of Gov. 

Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of 

Enugu State for the 

speedy signing of the 


Justice Law of Enugu State 

2017 into law. 

Abubakar, who also 

applauded the state 

government for its 

implementation of the law 

described it as “the best in 

the country”. 

The Legal Aid Council 

DG gave the 

commendation when 

members of the body paid 

a courtesy visit to the 

Government House, 

Enugu. 

He equally lauded the 

state government for the 

prompt payment of 

monthly subvention to the 

Legal Aid Council, adding 

that “this gesture shows that 

the government takes 

everyone into heart, 

especially in the area of 

justice delivery”. 

Abubakar who 

appreciated Ugwuanyi for 

his commitment to the 

progress of the Judiciary in 

the state, said: “The Legal 

Aid Council is here to 

assure you that we are 

ready, capable and willing 

to continue to partner with 

other stakeholders to 

enhance justice delivery in 

the state”. 

The DG disclosed that 

the council’s target “is to 

ensure that all the 774 

Local Government Areas 

of Nigeria are covered so 

that access to justice is 

delivered closer to the 

people, especially those 

who cannot afford to 

transport themselves 

around when they have 

matters”. 

Responding, Ugwuanyi, 

while welcoming the 

delegation to the 

Government House, 

reiterated his 

administration’s 

determination to create a 

more conducive and 

enabling environment for 

the effective administration 

and dispensation of justice 


Represented by his 

deputy, Mrs Cecilia Ezeilo, 

the governor highlighted 

the progress made so far by 

his administration in the 

Justice Sector, saying: 

“These include but not 

limited to such milestones 

as the enactment of the 

Child Rights Law of Enugu 

State; the enactment of the 

Enugu 

State 


Justice Law considered the 

best in Nigeria; 

establishment of a 

functional multi-door Court 

House Law; and 

sustenance and upgrade of 

the Enugu State Sexual 

Assault Referral Centre, 

among others. 


VISIT: Enugu State Commissoner of Police, Sulaiman Balarabe (2nd right), in a group 

photograph with Igwe Dr Emmanuel Ugwu other traditional rulers and the Police Command 

spokesman, Ebere Amarizu, during a courtesy visit to the traditional ruler of Ibagwa Kingdom 

in Nike, Enugu State. 

Unknown gunmen murder town union 

leader in Anambra 

bounty on killers 

•Obiano places N5m bounty 

on killers 

By Vincent 

Ujumadu 

A WKA—UNKNOWN 

gunmen have 

murdered the president 

general of Nimo Town 

Progressive Union in 

Njikoka Local Government 

Area of Anambra State, 

Chief Anthony Igboka. 

Igboka, a former member 

of the Anambra State 

House of Assembly and 

state chairman of 

Progressive Peoples’ 

Alliance, PPA, was killed in 

his car on his way home 

after an outing. He was 

driving himself at the time. 

The state police command 

said yesterday that there 

were sporadic gunshots 

around the Nimo market at 

about 8.30pm, which was 

about the time Igboka was 

killed. 

The Anambra State Police 

Public Relations Officer, 

PPRO, Mr. Haruna 

Mohammed said in a 

statement that on hearing 

the gunshots, the police 

patrol team attached to 

Nimo division rushed to the 

scene and saw Igboka on 

the driver’s seat of his 

Chevrolet SUV vehicle, 

laying unconscious in the 

pool of his blood and his 

body riddled with bullet 

wounds. 


victim was rushed to Beke 

Hospital, Nimo where he 

was confirmed dead by the 

medical doctor, adding that 

the corpse had been 

deposited at the hospital's 

mortuary for autopsy. 

The police statement said: 

“Preliminary investigation 

revealed that the victim was 

shot at close range by four 

armed men who escaped in 

a pickup van towards 

Abacha - Eziowelle road. 

Twenty five expended 

ammunition of 7.62 mm 

ammunition were 

recovered at the scene. 

“The commissioner of 

police, Mr. Mustapha 

Dandaura has visited the 

scene and ordered for a full 

scale investigation to 

ascertain the circumstances 

surrounding the incident 

and bring the perpetrators 

to justice.” 

The statement appealed 

to the public to avail the 

command with useful 

information that could help 

in arresting the 

perpetrators. 

Anambra State 

government said it received 

the news of the killing with 

shock. 

Obiano places N5m 

Commissioner for 

Information and Public 

Enlightenment, Mr. C. Don 

Adinuba said Governor 

Willie Obiano had been 

briefed on the violent death 

by the Commissioner of 

Police, adding that the 

governor had announced a 

N5m reward to any person 

who could provide useful 

information on the identity 

of the killers. 

The governor described 

the killing as utterly 

heartless, noting that 

Igboka’s elder brother, 

Chief Charles Igboka, a 

former Nigerian diplomat, 

died only two weeks ago 

and was yet to be buried. 

“It is a shame that the 

killing of Chief Igboka 

should take place in the 

week leading to Easter 

when men and women of 

goodwill throughout the 

world are reconciling 

themselves with God and 

fellow human beings." 

Railway: Igbo group accuses FG of marginalising 

S-East, S-South 

By Anayo Okoli 

UMUAHIA—A group, 

Igbo Ekunie Initiative, 

IEI, has frowned at the 

exclusion of South-East 

and South-South geopolitical 

zones in National 

Railway Project by the 

Federal Government and 

described the action as 

“another example of 

Chibuike Amaechi and 

President Buhari’s 

unpatriotic politics of hate 

and exclusion”. 

The group said that it was 

very unjust for the Federal 

Government to borrow 

huge amount of money for 

a national project only for 

some sections of the country 

to be excluded from the 

project. 

They accused both 


Buhari and Transportation 

Minister, Chibuike 

Amaechi of deceiving the 

people of South East and 

South South with fake 

promises that the zones 

were covered by the 

railway contract only for the 

funding not to materialize, 

saying that the APC 

government practices what 

they called “apartheid 

policies of exclusion”. 

In a statement signed by 

its President, Chief 

Tochukwu Ezeoke and the 

Secretary, Lawrence 

Nwobu, Igbo Ekunie 

Initiative accused the 

Buhari government of 

deliberately abandoning 

the railway contract in the 

two zones awarded by the 

regime of former President 

Goodluck Jonathan. 

“The attention of Igbo 

Ekunie Initiative, a coalition 

of professionals in Nigeria 

and the Diaspora has been 

drawn to a report detailing; 

the blatant neglect and 

exclusion of the South East 

and South-South in the 

national railway project. 

This is despite the federal 

government borrowing 

billions of dollars and 

mortgaging the whole 

nation to a debt that only 

some sections benefitted 

from. 

“The administration of 

Goodluck Jonathan 

awarded contracts in 2011 

for Port Harcourt to Aba, 

Umuahia, Enugu, Oturkpo, 

Makurdi, Kafanchan, 

Kaduna and Kuru-Jos, 

Bauchi, Gombe, 

Maiduguri. 

“Train services were 

incrementally introduced 

from 2014 as sections were 

completed. The contracts 

were at 85 per cent 

completion when President 

Buhari took over in May 

2015 and abandoned 

rehabilitation and 

construction of the railway 

line. 

“The South West has been 

enjoying railway services 

since 2012 with the Lagos 

to Kano and Lagos to 

Abeokuta rail lines; the 

North has had the Lagos 

to Kano lines since 2012, 

Kano to Nguru since 2013, 

Minna to Kaduna, Ilorin to 

Kano since 2014 and 

Zaria-Kaura since 2015. 

“For over two years, the 

Minister of Transportion, 

Chibuike Amaechi 

repeatedly claimed that the 

Federal Government was 

embarking on a new $20 

billion Port Harcourt to 

Maiduguri railway line 

which turned out to be false 

when President 

Muhammadu Buhari 

denied knowledge of the 

project during the recent 

elections. 

“We note that in the case 

of the South East and 

South South, the minister 

of transportation Chibuike 

Amaechi and the Buhari 

administration have 

deliberately excluded the 

South East and South 

South while deceiving the 

public to believe otherwise."

Vanguard, THURSDAY, APRIL 18 , 2019—35 


Killings: Troops arrest 11 suspects, 

recover haul of arms in Nasarawa 

•As IGP deploys squad to fish out perpetrators 

By Joseph 

Erunke & David 

Odama 

L AFIA—Military 

Operation Whirl Strokes 

in Nasarawa State has 

arrested no fewer than 11 

suspected bandits and 

recovered 38 assorted 

weapons, including an 

Israeli army assorted rifle 

known as Clariom 5. 56. 

This came as Inspector- 

General of Police, 

Mohammed Adamu, 

ordered Nasarawa State 

Police Commissioner to 

immediately fish out 

perpetrators of the killings in 

Akwanga Local Government 

Area of the state. 

The troops of Operation 

Whirl Strokes led by Major- 

General Adeyemi Yekini, who 

disclosed this, yesterday, in 

Lafia at a briefing, noted that 

the troops carried out nine 

operations in the past five 

weeks from March 9 to April 

17 in the state. 


troops apprehended 11 

suspected bandits and 

recovered 37 assorted 

weapons during its recent 

operation in four local 

government area covering 

Toto, Doma where the Isreali 

rifle was recovered, Obi and 

Awe in Nasarawa State. 

According to him, “the 

breakdown of the operations 

showed that four AK-47 rifles, 

two G3 rifles, one Clarion 5.56 

Isreali Commando Assort 

rifle, one submachine gun, 

three pistols and 20 locallymade 

pistols were recovered. 

“In addition, we recovered 

389 rounds of ammunition, 

one grenade, while 11 

suspects were arrested. A 

number of them were 

neutralised by our forces 

during the operations. I 

should also add that some of 

them that fled from their 

camps and hide out during 

the operations, our men are 

still on their trail.” 

Also speaking, Sector-3 

commander of Operation 

Whirl Strokes in-charge of 

Nasarawa State, Navy Lt. 

Emmanuel Igwe, said the first 

operation of the troops was 

in Tunga area of Awe Local 

Government Area of the state 

where one AK-47 rifle, one 

magazine and 15 rounds of 

ammunition were recovered. 

According to Igwe, “the 

second operation was in Toto 

LGA where troops intercepted 

a vehicle conveying four 

suspected Egbura militias 

and recovered three weapons 

with 144 rounds of 

ammunition, one grenade 

and some locally made 

charms. 

"In Doma LGA, a distress 

call was made to the our 

troops and we intercepted 

three armed militias and 

recovered a magazine and 58 

rounds of ammunition. 

IGP deploys 

squads to fish out 

perpetrators 

In Abuja, the Inspector 

General of Police, IGP, also 

ordered immediate 

deployment of combined 

units of intervention squads 

to provide additional support 

to the existing operatives in 

the state. 

The immediate deployment 

of the combined units of 

intervention squads is 

intended to provide 

additional support to the 

existing operatives in the 

state. 

The Force Public Relations 

Officer, DCP Frank Mba, in 

a statement, yesterday, said 

the IGP’s action was “against 

the backdrop of the shootings 

on 14th April, 2019 in Numa 

Kochu village, Nasarawa 

State which resulted in the 

injury to and death of 

innocent persons. 

“The IGP has further 

directed the Commissioner of 

Police, Nasarawa State, to 

identify and fish out all 

persons connected to the 

dastardly killings.” 

“While restating the 

commitment of the force to 

uncover and bring the 

perpetrators of the killing to 

justice, the IGP implores any 

member of the public with 

useful and credible 

information that could aid the 

ongoing investigation not to 

hesitate to avail same to the 

police through the following 

phone numbers: 

08033097663, 08033674246.” 

WORKSHOP: From left, Niyi Adebiyi, Director, Corporate Communications, 

Visa West Africa; Francis Galadima Wasa, Deputy Director, Payments 

Systems Management Department, Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN; Bankole 

Falade, Director, Government Relations, Visa West Africa, and Aribidesi 

Lawal, Risk Manager, Visa West Africa, during the Payments Security 

Workshop organised by Visa for CBN, in Abuja. 

End insurgency in North-East, 

Otuaro tells military 

By Etop Ekanem 

ACTING Governor of 

Delta State, Kingsley 

Otuaro, has urged the 

military to do everything 

possible to free all abducted 

girls and end insurgency in 

the North-East of Nigeria. 

This came as he praised the 

army for providing peaceful 

oil production environment as 

well as exhibiting 

professionalism in the recent 

polls in Delta State. 

Otuaro spoke in his Asaba 

official residence when the 

Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen 

Tukur Buratai, paid a courtesy 

call on Government 

Government House,which 

coincided with Otuaro’s 

birthday. 

The acting governor said he 

was impressed by the show 

of love and commitment that 

has seen the army follow 

details towards giving a 

befitting burial to one of its 

own, Late Major General 

David Ejoor, erstwhile Chief 

of Army Staff. 

He said: “I want to also 

commend the strategic role 

your formations have played 

to privide maximum security, 

especially in oil producing 

area in Delta State, which is 

one topmost oil producing 

state with so much 

infrastructure to protect in 

Warri South, Warri South- 

West, Warri North, Burutu 

among others. 

“The military has partnered 

Delta State government for 

the resultant peaceful oil 

production environment with 

improved economic intake. 

There is need for greater 

security collaboration as 

achievement of our goals is 

dependent on security, which 

is why we set up several 

institutional structures, 

including Advocacy 

Committee Against 

Vandalism of Oil and Gas 

Facilities. Our partnership 

with Presidential Initiative on 

Niger Delta resulted in 

increased oil production. 

“We are proud of what you 

are doing in the North-East 

where there is insurgency 

going on. You have our 

support to bring this 

insurgency to an end. We 

have no country other than 

Nigeria. Let us soon celebrate 

the end of this insurgency. I 

urge you to work harder to 

release our abducted girls still 

in custody.” 

Responding, Buratai, who 

congratulated Otuaro on his 

birthday, said he was in the 

state to condole with the 

family of late Maj Gen David 

Ejoor ahead of plans to bury 

the former Chief of Army Staff 

as well as see the new 63 

Brigade in the state. 

COAS consoles monarchs, 

family over Ejoor's death 

By Jimitota 

Onoyume 

WARRI— CHIEF of 

Army Staff , 

Lieutenant-General Tukur 

Buratai, has described late 

General David Ejoor (retd), 

former Military 

Administrator of old 

Midwestern state, as a 

gentle officer who gave his 

best to his father land. 

Speaking when he paid a 

condolence visit to the family 

of the late General Ejoor at 

his residence in Olomu, the 

Olu of Warri, Ogiame 

Ikenwoli, and the monarch 

of Olomu Kingdom, His 

Royal Majesty, Dr Richard 

Ogbon-Ogoni Oghoro I, 

Buratai said the army was 

pained by the demise of Ejoor 

who was also at a time a 

Chief of Army Staff. 

He said the contributions 

of General Ejoor to the unity 

of the country will remain 

evergreen in the memories 

of all, adding that Nigerian 

army would work with the 

family and the state 

government to give the late 

officer a befitting funeral. 

The family of late General 

Ejoor thanked the army chief 

for the visit. The monarchs 

in their separate responses 

at their palaces also thanked 

the Army chief for the 

condolence visit. 

They used the occasion of 

the visit to appeal for more 

army presence in their areas. 

The monarch of Olomu 

Kingdom paid glowing 

tributes to late General Ejoor, 

describing him as a worthy 

son of the kingdom. 

He appealed for more sons 

and daughters from the area 

to be recruited into the army. 

On his part, the Olu of 

Warri said Itsekiri were also 

proud of the late Ejoor, 

recalling that when he was 

military administrator, he 

redressed an injustice 

against the Itsekiri throne. 

“Even if he was from the 

Urhobo extraction, he was 

important to us. He brought 

justice to our throne. We 

want a military base in the 

riverine area. Where your 

presence is it calls for 

discipline,” he said. 

DPR seals fuel stations in Bayelsa over price hike, sharp 

practices 

to many of the outlets, 

By Samuel 

Oyadongha 

Y ENAGOA— 

Department of 

Petroleum Resources, DPR, 

in Bayelsa State, has 

sealed some filling stations 

in the state for selling 

above the official pump 

price of N145 per litre of 

petrol and other sharp 

practices. 

The agency led by its 

Head of Operations, 

Ibinabo Jack, clamped 

down on the stations when 

he paid unscheduled visits 

Benin River port: Obaseki 

awards N6.8bn contract for 

dualisation of Ekehuan road 

By Gabriel 

Enogholase 

BENIN —TO provide 

needed infrastructure to 

fast track the development of 

Benin River project and 

accelerate sustainable 

development in the state, 

Governor Godwin Obaseki 

of Edo State has awarded a 

N6.8 billion contract for the 

dualisation of Ekehuan 

Road and construction of 

underground drainage 

system on Uwadiae Street. 

The contract was awarded 

during a recent executive 

council meeting held before 

the governor proceeded on 

his annual leave. 

The project was awarded 

at a cost of N6,812955739.70. 

On completion, it will 

“enhance the state 

government’s desire to 

transform Benin into a 

modern city and serve as a 

booster to the development 

of the Benin River port,” a 

document on the contract 

said. 

The Benin River port is 

one of the big-ticket projects 

followng an earlier 

warning last week to desist 

from selling above the 

official price. 

The stations affected were 

those selling above N145 

per litre, hoarding the 

product as well as 

underdispensing to 

of Governor Obaseki-led 

administration in the state to 

drive industrialisation and 

boost exports. 

The port project, which is 

being developed in 

partnership with China 

Harbour Engineering 

Company Limited, CHEC, 

would serve as a conduit for 

products to be manufactured 

at Benin Industrial and 

Enterprise Park, Benin Auto 

Park, Benin Production 

Centres and other industrial 

clusters across the state. 

Vanguard gathered that 

preliminary work on the 

project had been completed 

by the Chinese company, 

even as the Federal 

Government has approved 

a Marine Police Post at the 

site of the port project. 

It will also serve as a sister 

port to the Lekki Deep Sea 

Port being developed by 

CHEC. 

Residents in Ekehuan 

Road and Uwadiae 

commended the governor for 

the projects, noting that the 

projects would reduce traffic 

logjam and curb flooding. 

customers having tampered 

with their meters. 

Jack, who spoke to 

newsmen during the 

operation in Yenagoa, said 

they were out to survey as 

part of their duties to make 

sure that members of public 

were not short-changed by 

petroleum retail marketers.


It’s risky to undergo plastic surgery to 

gain people’s attention – Stephanie Coker 

Stories by Tolulope Abereoje 

Every woman’s dream is to 

look good and have a 

flawless physique all the 

time, but the idea of going 

under the knife just to look 

perfect and gain attention 

doesn’t seat well with popular 

TV presenter and OAP, 

Stephanie Coker Aderinokun. 

In a recent post on her 

Instagram page, the media 

personality showed off her 

figure stated that although the 

photo looks perfect, she is 

imperfect but lives happily 

with her flaws. Stephanie 

stated that doing plastic 

surgery on its own is risky and 

if anyone would take that risk, 

it should be for themselves 

and not to impress men who 

themselves look like ‘Humpty 

Dumpty’. 

“Although this was captured 

perfectly by renowned 

photographer, Kelechi 

Amadi-Obi, this image is not 

flawless and it has nothing to 

do with lighting, angles or the 

environment. It is because the 

subject herself is imperfect. I 

always wanted to keep this 

image in my closet room for 

my eyes only. Until last week 

when a friend said she was 

•Mocheddah 

going to get a BBL. Now I am 

not opposed to one altering their 

looks, it is not my place to judge. 

However, I do find following such 

life threatening trends to grab 

the attention of others a bit 

risky, especially when 

most men on this side of 

the world are walking 

around looking like 

Humpty Dumpty. There 

have been a handful of 

cases that I personally 

know of women who 

have lost their lives to 

plastic surgery. 

I say all this to 

say, if you are going 

to get plastic 

surgery, please 

do it for 

yourself at 

least, and 

research the 

risks to your 

health and weigh 

up your options,” 

she advised. 

Being an adult is hard work 

- Mocheddah 

Adulthood they say, 

comes with its 

challenges and 

responsibilities, and 

although it is hard to keep 

up with the hustle and 

bustle that comes with the 

age, a lot of adults keep 

up a smiling face to hard 

the pains they go through 

to survive. 

Nigerian rapper, 

Mocheddah has come out 

to admit to the fact that 

being an adult is indeed 

hard and being an 

entrepreneur is harder. She 

also said that every once in 

a while, she lets out the 

tension by crying, after 

which, she continues with 

her work in order to survive 

“After a good cry, I wipe my 

tears, drink tea, get on the 

phone and get work done. 

40% of my time is spent on 

Nollywood actor, IK Ogbonna 

threatens to drag lady to court over 

gay accusation 

Actor IK Ogbonna has 

threatened to slam a 

lawsuit against a US-based 

Nigerian lady, Joyce Boakye, 

who accused him of being 

gay in a recent video she 

posted on her Instagram 

page. 

Joyce in the video alleged 

that the actor abandoned his 

pretty wife, Sonia, and is now 

going after Nollywood actors 

who he desires to sleep with. 

She asked him to come out of 

the closet and admit his 

sexuality to the world just as 

Bobrisky did and is living fine 

with it. 

But reacting to the 

allegation, IK Ogbonna in a 

letter written to her by 

his lawyers, 

Moshood Shehu 

and Associates 

demanded an 

apology from 

Joyce within 

seven days 

and that if she 

fails to do this, 

a lawsuit will be 

filed against her 

at the Lagos State 

•Ogbonna 

High Court. 

He also took to his Instagram 

page to lament how people 

misuse their freedom of 

expression as he challenged 

the lady to provide proofs if her 

claims are true. 

“A free platform created for 

promotion and marketing has 

given people cheap voices to 

speak cheaply about people’s 

hard earned integrity. Most of 

those who want us to come out 

with “who we truly are” as they 

claim, have themselves 

nothing to show to anyone. The 

noises are mostly made and 

heard from the empty barrels. 

We give attention to what is of 

value not what takes our 

attention from what is of no 

value. And very soon, society 

must weed out the tares 

that prevent the wheat 

from standing out. If 

you come with 

allegations 

please come 

out of the 

closet with 

proof 

y o u r 

allegation,” 

he wrote. 

to 

•Stephanie 

the phone talking. I’m either 

talking to a staff, a supplier 

or trying to get logistics 

company to “do their job” on 

time because customers need 

their orders. Another 40% is 

spent on the field in the sun, 

buying materials I would 

need or on a bike trying to 

meet up with a delivery. The 

last 20% is what I have left 

for myself, family and other 

businesses I run. It is hard, 

I cry. I cry a lot. That’s the 

only way you can survive as 

a Nigerian business owner. 

Do not let my Instagram slay 

pictures deceive you; being 

an adult is hard work, being 

an entrepreneur is even 

harder. If you must chop, you 

must work. 

On the brighter side, God 

rewards hard work, so you 

will always reap what you 

have sown. I’m writing this 

to let someone out there 

know that it is hard for me 

too, but we will survive,” she 

revealed. 

•Olamide 

Olamide, Eniola 

Badmus join 

Ogun 

Governor-Elect 

Economic 

Transition 

Committee 

S elf-acclaimed 

Nigerian king of 

street music, Olamide, 

and popular Nollywood 

actress, Eniola Badmus 

have found their way into 

the corridors of power as 

they have been named 

alongside others as part 

of the Ogun governorelect, 

Dapo Abiodun’s 

Economic Transition 

Committee. 

The billionaire 

businessman who won 

the 2019 Ogun State 

Governorship election, 

made the announcement 

via Instagram on 

Monday, April 15,2019. 

The duo who are both 

indigenes of Ogun State, 

were named in the 

Economic Transition 

Committee, to work as 

part of the Commerce 

and Industry subcommittee 

by the 

incoming governor. 

According to Dapo 

Abiodun, there will be 10 

committees which will 

see to the transition 

process. 

A follow up post on the 

governor-elect’s page 

reveals that the economic 

transition committee and 

work groups are to be 

inaugurated on 

Wednesday April 17, 

2019. 

They will be joining 

other celebrities like 

Richard Mofe-Damijo, 

Okey Bakassi, Nkiru 

Sylvanus, Yul Edochie 

and Desmond Elliot in 

getting political 

appointments. 

•Eniola



By Charles Kumolu, 

Kingsley Adegboye, 

Esther Onyegbula & 

Monsuru 

Olowoopejo 

:Vanguard 

News 


LAGOS—THE 

perennial traffic gridlock 

in Lagos got to a crisis 

point yesterday, as major 

parts of the state became 

inaccessible as a result of 

failed roads and blockade 

of the highways by trucks. 

Many motorists and 

commuters across the 

metropolis were either 

stranded in the traffic or 

had to trek long distances 

to their various 

destinations. 

It was a horrific 

experience for road users, 

who lamented that the 

Federal Government and 

its Lagos State 

counterpart have 

abandoned them to 

misery. 

Since last Monday, 

residents have had to 

contend with a more 

chaotic traffic snarl after a 

heavy downpour that left 

most areas flooded. 

Virtually all the failed 

roads in the city became 

impassable, making road 

users to experience untold 

hardship in the process. 

Major roads in the 

mainland like Apapa/ 

Oshodi Expressway, 

Funsho Williams Avenue, 

Ikorodu, Road, Airport 

Road, Mobolaji Bank- 

Anthony Way, Mile 2/ 

Badagry Expressway, 

Lagos Ibadan 

Expressway Way by Old 

Toll Gate, and Gbagada/ 

Oworonshoki 

Expressway, among 

others were practically not 

passable for a major part 

of yesterday. 

In Lagos Island, Old 

Kingsway Road, Adeniji 

Adele, Obalende, Eko 

Bridge, Ijora Bridge, and 

Ahmadu Bello Way, 

witnessed vehicular traffic 

gridlock at various times 

yesterday. 

It was also the same 

story in adjoining roads in 

the areas mentioned as 

many motorists were 

stuck. 

The case of Apapa/ 

Oshodi Expressway and 

Lagos/Badagry 

E x p r e s s w a y , 

Oworonshoki/Gbagada 

Expressway was mainly 

as a result of the presence 

of fuel tankers, trucks and 

failed roads. 

Others were not 

unconnected to collapsed 

roads and absence of 

efficient traffic 

management system. 

Frustrated commuters, 

who shared their 

experiences with 

Vanguard, wondered why 

the federal and state 

government left the roads 

in deplorable states for 

TRAFFIC GRIDLOCK: FG, Lagos govt abandon 

motorists, commuters to misery 

•As failed roads, trucks, fuel tankers compound traffic 

woes 

•Easter preparations, responsible for gridlock 

•FG appeals to residents on Oshodi/Apapa Exp Way 

such a long time. 

They added that if 

nothing is done urgently 

on the state of the roads, 

the state risks witnessing 

a total shutdown in the 

coming rainy season. 

Others wondered if the 

Federal Road 

Maintenance Agency, 

FERMA, and the Lagos 

State Public Works 

Corporation, LSPWC, 

were ignorant of the state 

of the federal and state 

roads. 

Lagos monarch berates 

FG 

Lamenting the state of 

the Lagos-Badagry 

expressway, a traditional 

ruler in Badagry, Oba Idris 

Oladele Kosoko of Iworo 

kingdom in Olorunda 

local government of 

Badagry, berated the 

Federal Government for 

allegedly being 

insensitivite to the plight 

of road users. 

The monarch said: "The 

condition of the Badagry 

Expressway is very 

disheartening. This is one 

important link road to 

other countries in West 

Africa. There is a huge loss 

of economic activity as a 

result of the poor condition 

of the road. It is in a 

terrible condition. Vehicles 

break down and loss of 

man hours is causing a lot 

of hardship on the people. 

A journey of about 45 

minutes from Okokomaiko 

to Badagry now takes 

almost 4 hours. Now that 

the rain are back, we are 

not sure if the road will 

be passable again." 

"If the construction work 

is suspended, there 

should be palliative 

measures to fill the pot 

holes and make vehicular 

movement easy." 

Easter festival 

responsible—LASTMA 

Contrary to the reasons 

found to be responsible 

for the situation, the 

Lagos State Traffic 

Management Authority, 

LASTMA, attributed the 

chaos on the roads to the 

Easter festivities. 

LASTMA's Public 

Affairs Officer, Mahmud 

Hassan, told Vanguard 

that the traffic 

management body has 

been engaging traders 

and other stakeholders. 

Hassan said: "Before 

the Easter festive season 

we have received 

commendation from 

motorists because they 

were able to move easily 

in Lagos. 

"In the last couple of 

days, the number of 

vehicles on Lagos roads 

has increased 

tremendously and 

number of people 

trooping into the state for 

commercial purposes has 

also increased. All these 

are contributing to the 

gridlock we are currently 

experiencing in Lagos. 

"Due to the activities of 

traders, we recently 

engaged them especially 

those from markets that we 

have discovered their 

members have become 

major impediment to 

traffic flow in the state. 

Some of their members 

trade on the road. At the 

meeting, we appealed to 

the traders to leave the 

roads in order to allow free 

flow of traffic. 

"Also, we are deploying 

more LASTMA officers to 

some strategic locations 

which we have discovered 

often have high rate of 

vehicular movement at 

this time of the year. 

Some of the locations are 

Oyingbo, Ikeja Along, 

Ketu-Ojota, Iyana- 

Oworo, Ikorodu 

roundabout. After this, we 

will continue to monitor 

the situation to reduce 

travel time in the state. 

"I want to assure 

motorists and commuters 

that after the holiday, the 

huge traffic we are 

experiencing in the state 

will cease. Before now, the 

travel time had reduced 

and motorist commended 

us for our prompt action. 

But lately, it increased due 

to the festive period." 

FG appeals to 

commuters, motorists 

As reconstruction of the 

Apapa-Oshodi- 

Oworonshoki-Ojota 

Expressway officially 

commenced, an appeal 

has gone to motorists and 

commuters plying the 

ever busy dual 

carriageway to cooperate 

with the contractors 

handling the 

reconstruction works at 

Section1 Subsections A, B, 

D, and Sections 3 and 4 

for a seamless 

reconstruction period and 

smooth flow of traffic at all 

times for timely delivery 

of the project which is 

expected to be completed 

in 24 months. 

Making the appeal, 

yesterday, after the 

stakeholders' meeting on 

provision of traffic 

management, control and 

adequate security during 

the reconstruction period, 

the Federal Controller of 

Works in Lagos State, 

Adedamola Kuti assured 

that plans have been put 

in place to ensure that 

trucks are cleared out of 

the expressway for smooth 

reconstruction works. 

The Controller, who said 

there will be presence of 

traffic and security officers 

at diversions to ensure 

seamless reconstruction 

period and smooth flow of 

traffic, as part of traffic 

management plans by 

stakeholders, said people 

should exercise patience 

and cooperate with 

construction workers 

during the period. 

Kuti said: "People are 

not expected to drive 100 

kilometres per hour when 

construction work is 

ongoing. If they drive at 

50 kilometres per hour, 

they will still arrive at 

their destinations and it is 

better to arrive safely than 

to speed to problems. 

"I also appeal to people 

that anybody who has no 

business going to Apapa 

during this period should 

try and stay away. If we all 

cooperate with the 

contractors by obeying 

simple instructions to do 

the right thing, the project 

will be delivered in 24 

months. The project will 

be done in sections. It is 

not expected that the dual 

carriageway and the 

service lane will be done 

at the same time. While 

the dual carriageway is 

being done, the service 

lane will serve as a 

diversion for motorists and 

commuters." 

Truck owners to move 

On plans to get rid of 

trucks from the 

expressway, Chairman, 

Amalgamation of 

Containers and Truck 

Owners Association of 

Nigeria, Olaleye 

Thompson said: "We have 

been having meetings 

with truck owners on the 

need to remove trucks out 

of the road, and they have 

agreed to remove their 

trucks out the expressway 

for the smooth 

reconstruction works on 

the road." 

Corroborating 

Thompson, Federal Road 

Safety Corps FRSC, Lagos 

Sector Commander, Hiu 

Omeja said they cleared 

the expressway when 


Buhari visited Lagos, 

adding that the trucks will 

be cleared out of the road 

this time again for smooth 

reconstruction period. 

Omeja said: "We did it 

when President Buhari 

visited Lagos. We told 

truck drivers not to enter 

Lagos that period and 

they obeyed. It will 

happen again, this I 

assure the public."

VANGUARD, THURSDAY, APRIL 18, 2019 — 39 

OGUN: From right; Prince Kunle Adesina, APC chairman, Yemi Sanusi, 

former CBN Deputy Governor, Committee chairman, Mr Tunde Lemo; 

Governor-elect Prince Dapo Abiodun, his Deputy, Mrs Noimot Salako- 

Oyedele during the inauguration of economic transition committee and work 

groups. Photo: Wunmi Akinola. 

Rotn Sanjeev Tandon, Past President, Rotary Club of Lagos Island, with Rotn Lalwani 

Manu, a Trustee, Geeta Ashram Foundation and his colleague, Rotn Anil Gopwani, 

encouraging a beneficiary of the Free Eye Cataract Surgical Operation sponsored by 

Rotary Club Lagos Island District 9110 Nigeria, Rotary Intl and Geeta Ashram 

Foundation, Lekki, Lagos at General Hospital, Lagos Island, recently. 

Enugu State Police Command Public Relations Officer and the National Coordinator 

of Police Campaign Against Cultism and other Vices, POCACOV, SP Ebere Amarizu, 

presenting anti-cultism and social behaviour awareness to the Inspector-General of 

Police, Adamu Mohammed at the Force headquarters, Abuja, recently. 

From left; Opeyemi Awojobi, Product Placement/Sponsorship Manager, Tolaram 

Group, Miss. Jackie Ibiso, 2019 Lagos NYSC (First Batch) Miss Bold and Beautiful, 

Prince Mohammed Momoh, Camp Coordinator, Lagos State NYSC, Mrs. Omotayo 

Azeez- Abiodun, Public Relations Manager, Tolaram Group during 2019 NYSC Miss 

Bold and beautiful contest sponsored by LUSH Hair, Lagos NYSC Orientation Camp. 

Peru's ex-President kills himself 

to avoid arrest 

PERU’s former pres 

ident Alan Garcia 

died in a hospital in Lima 

on Wednesday, hours after 

shooting himself in the head 

to avoid arrest in connection 

with a bribery probe, authorities 

said on Wednesday. 

Garcia, who had six adult 

children, was 69. 

A skilled orator elected 

president twice, first as a 

firebrand leftist and then as 

a champion of foreign investment 

and free trade, 

Garcia had been dogged by 

allegations of corruption in 

recent years that he had repeatedly 

denied. 

Garcia was one of nine 

people a judge had ordered 

to be arrested on Wednesday 

for alleged involvement 

in bribes distributed by Odebrecht, 

a Brazilian construction 

company that triggered 

Latin America’s biggest graft 

scandal when it admitted in 

2016 that it had paid kickbacks 

to politicians across 

the region to secure lucrative 

contracts. 

While three former presidents 

in Peru have also been 

ordered to jail in connection 

with Odebrecht, Garcia had 

blamed his legal troubles on 

political persecution, accusing 

President Martin Vizcarra 

without evidence of trying 

to silence him. 

“Others might sell out, not 

me,” Garcia said in some of 

his last broadcast comments 

on Tuesday, repeating a 

phrase he has used frequently 

as his political foes became 

ensnared in the Odebrecht 

investigation. Members 

of his once-powerful 

Apra party announced his 

death to crowds gathered 

outside of hospital Casimiro 

Ulloa, where he suffered 

three cardiac arrests 

and underwent emergency 

surgery. 

“Apra never dies!” his 

supporters chanted to news 

cameras as police in riot 

gear stood by. 

Vizcarra’s government 

ordered flags to be flown at 

half mast. “I’m dismayed 

by the death of former president 

Alan Garcia,” Vizcarra 

said on Twitter. “I send 

my condolences to his family 

and loved ones.” 

Toppled Bashir moved from residence 

to Khartoum's Kobar prison 

* Uganda says it is willing to consider asylum 

FORMER Sudanese 

president Omar al- 

Bashir has been moved to 

Kobar prison in Khartoum 

from the presidential residence, 

family sources said 

on Wednesday, and a prison 

source said he was being 

held under tight security 

in solitary confinement. 

Sudan’s military ousted 

Bashir after weeks of mass 

protests that climaxed in a 

sit-in outside the Defence 

Ministry compound. Protests 

are continuing and 

their leaders say the unrest 

will not cease until the ruling 

Transitional Military 

Council (TMC) hands 

power to a civilian-led authority 

ahead of elections. 

The Sudanese Professionals’ 

Association (SPA), 

leading the revolt, has 

Notre Dame probe ramps up as 

investigators question workers 

PROSECUTORS in 

vestigating the causes 

of the inferno that tore 

through Notre Dame cathedral 

in Paris have interviewed 

construction workers 

and security staff, as 

more details emerged about 

US slaps new sanctions on Cuba, 

Venezuela to pressure Maduro 

called for sweeping change 

to end violent crackdowns 

on dissent, purge corruption 

and cronyism and ease 

an economic crisis that 

worsened during Bashir’s 

last years in power. 

In initial steps to tackle 

corruption, the TMC ordered 

the central bank to 

review financial transfers 

since April 1 and to seize 

“suspect” funds, state news 

agency SUNA said on 

Wednesday. 

SUNA said the TMC also 

ordered the “suspension of 

the transfer of ownership of 

any shares until further notice 

and for any large or 

suspect transfers of shares 

or companies to be reported” 

to state authorities. 

Bashir, 75, had been detained 

under heavy guard 

THE Trump administra 

tion on Wednesday 

imposed new sanctions and 

other punitive measures on 

Cuba and Venezuela, seeking 

to ratchet up U.S. pressure 

on Havana to end its 

support for Venezuela’s socialist 

president, Nicolas 

Maduro. 

Speaking to a Cuban exile 

group in Miami, U.S. 

national security adviser 

John Bolton said the United 

States was targeting Cuba’s 

military and intelligence 

services, including a military-owned 

airline, for additional 

sanctions and was 

tightening travel and trade 

restrictions against the island. 

Bolton’s speech followed 

the State Department’s 

announcement on 

Wednesday that it was lifting 

a long-standing ban against 

U.S. citizens filing lawsuits 

against foreign companies 

that use properties seized by 

Cuba’s Communist government 

since Fidel Castro’s 

1959 revolution. 

President Donald Trump’s 

decision, which the State 

Department said could unleash 

hundreds of thousands 

of legal claims worth tens of 

billions of dollars, drew swift 

criticism from European and 

Canadian allies, whose companies 

have significant interests 

in Cuba. 

in the presidential residence 

inside the compound 

that also houses 

the Defence Ministry, before 

being shunted to 

Kobar prison late on Tuesday, 

the family sources 

said. 

Kobar, just north of central 

Khartoum adjacent to 

the Blue Nile river, housed 

thousands of political 

prisoners under Bashir’s 

repressive rule and is 

Sudan’s most notorious 

jail. 

Meanwhile, Uganda 

said it will consider offering 

asylum to al-Bashir 

despite his indictment by 

the International Criminal 

Court (ICC), a foreign affairs 

minister said on 

Wednesday. 

the effort to contain the 

blaze. 

Thirty employees working 

at the Paris landmark 

before the fire broke out 

were interviewed by Paris 

prosecutors , the Paris 

prosecutor's office said. 

The Paris fire service, 

meanwhile, said the ninehour 

battle to save the 

building was one of them 

most complex it had ever 

undertaken. 

At one point, it was 

feared that the entire 

structure might be lost 

"If the flames had actually 

got to the timber 

frames of the belfries then 

we would have lost the cathedral 

completely because 

it would have led 

to a chain reaction of collapse," 

said Gabriel Plus, 

a spokesman for the fire 

service.


Stolen mandates, matters 

miscellaneous 

NOBODY can beat 

Nigerian politicians 

to the game of mischief. 

When it comes to that, they 

are at their creative best. 

I have had a good laugh 

since the beginning of what 

seems to be the conclusion 

of the first phase of the 


Electoral Commission’s 

otherwise inconclusive 

elections. 

First phase because 

elections in Nigeria, even 

after the mayhem and 

outright banditry, still 

remain inconclusive until 

the courts make the final 

pronouncements. And 

almost every single poll is 

challenged in court. That is 

Nigeria’s homegrown 

democracy. 

So, the voters exercise 

their civic duty but the votes 

most times are neither 

counted nor count. 

Perhaps, the former 

Union of Soviet Socialist 

Republics, USSR, dictator, 

Joseph Stalin, had our 

beloved country in mind 

when he uttered the quip: 

“Those who vote decide 

nothing. Those who count 

the vote decide everything”. 

This malevolent idea was 

not original to him because 

in his 1922 novel, Uncle 

Henry, George Creel, an 

investigative journalist, 

writer and politician who 

served as the head of the 

U.S. Committee on Public 

Information, a propaganda 

organisation created by 

President Woodrow Wilson 

during World War I, wrote: 

“There’s more to an election 

than mere voting, my boy, 

for as an eminent American 

once said: ‘I care not who 

casts the votes of a nation if 

they’ll let me make the 

count.’” 

Muhammadu Buhari and 

his party, the APC, with 

INEC chairman, 

Mahmood Yakubu, as their 

chief enforcer, have taken 

the country to the next level 

of electoral comedy. The 

APC has reduced elections 

in Nigeria to a farce. 

But why am I having a 

good laugh? Nigerian 

politicians have upped the 

ante of clowning. They are 

court jesters or how else 

does one explain the 

strident cries of stolen 

mandates even by those 

who lost elections in their 

families and wards? 

In fact, the 2019 elections 

can aptly be titled ‘stolen 

mandates polls’. 

Everybody’s mandate has 

Who did Emeka 

Ihedioha, the PDP 

candidate who 

won the Imo State 

governorship 

election steal the 

mandate from – 

Uzodinma, 

Nwosu or 

Okorocha? 

been stolen by everyone. 

Have we become a country 

of mandate-robbers? 

Everyone is a suspect. Even 


Buhari is crying foul. 

Nigeria has become one 

huge wailing orchestra. 

While some of these claims, 

at least on face value, have 

merit, most are spurious. 

For instance, when the 

presidential candidate of 

the Peoples Democratic 

Party, PDP, Atiku Abubakar, 

says: “I have just 

inaugurated my legal team 

and charged them with the 

responsibility of ensuring 

that our stolen mandate is 

retrieved,” some Nigerians 

can reasonably say, well …! 

He came second in the 

presidential election with 

11,262,978 votes against 

Buhari’s15,191,847 votes. 

But not so when the 

presidential candidate of 

the Youth Progressive Party, 

YPP, Professor Kingsley 

Moghalu, claims that his 

party’s votes were “stolen, 

suppressed and diverted”. 

But it even gets more 

ridiculous, if not bizarre, 

when Senator Godswill 

Akpabio’s paroxysm is 

thrown into the mix. INEC 

declared Christopher 

Ekpenyong of the PDP 

winner of the Akwa Ibom 

North West senatorial 

election with 118,215 

against Akpabio’s 83,158 

votes. Akpabio, former 

governor of the state and 

incumbent senator, would 

hear none of that. 

“Incontrovertible result 

sheets from the INEC office 

in Uyo, showed different 

figures that I secured 

138,256 votes as against 

Ekpenyong’s 123,843 

votes,” he claimed. His 

media aide, Anietie Ekong, 

amplified the claim: “We are 

not satisfied with the results 

and outcome of that 

election. That is why the 

former governor and the 

party approached the 

election petitions tribunal to 

ventilate their grievances as 

well as reclaim their stolen 

mandate.” 

Akpabio himself became 

more comical with his claim 

that: “My mandate is solid 

and waiting for me. You 

know that I cannot fail 

election, I cannot fail. Do 

you expect me to fail? Won’t 

you love me to be your 

senator? I can’t fail.” 

Meanwhile the man 

whose vaunted mandate 

was stolen lost eight out of 

the ten local governments 

in the senatorial zone. Of 

course, his constituents 

don’t expect him to fail. 

They failed him, a fact the 

Presidency did not 

appreciate when it took 

Akpabio’s claim from the 

prism of ridiculous to the 

absurd. 

I laughed heartily when 

Buhari vowed he would 

reclaim APC’s stolen 

mandate in the state. 

“What happened on 

February 23 was robbery. 

The votes of the people 

were stolen, but we are not 

deterred. We are going to 

make sure that everything 

that was stolen … would be 

restored,” Buhari said 

through his deputy, Yemi 

Osinbajo. 

APC’s governorship 

candidate in the state, 

Nsima Ekere, latched onto 

the rope of deceit thrown 

at the sinking political ship, 

assuring supporters of 

victory. 

Yet, in the election, APC 

lost the entire 10 National 

Assembly seats and the 

presidential election to 

boot. The PDP must be 

damn good in their alleged 

trade of mandate robbery to 

pull off that feat under the 

Buhari presidency. 

The PDP in turn accused 

the Vice President and his 

party of living in a fool’s 

paradise. 

In Delta State, the APC 

governorship candidate, 

Great Ogboru, claimed his 

mandate was stolen by the 

incumbent governor, 

Ifeanyi Okowa, and 

promised to reclaim same. 

“I promised you a few 

weeks ago that we shall be 

in the proper arena to 

address the issues,” he told 

his supporters at a press 

conference. “We have since 

the past few days filed our 

petitions to challenge the 

illegalities committed by 

the PDP and its leaders in 

Delta State on March 9, 

2019, and we believe that 

with God on our side, that 

situation will surely be 

reversed.” 

The God of Nigerian 

politicians is long-suffering 

indeed. 

Meanwhile, the courts 

have declared that Ogboru 

was not even qualified to 

fly the APC flag. So, his 

candidacy was stolen. Poetic 

justice! 

But the prize for the most 

ridiculous claim deservedly 

belongs to Biokpomabo 

Awara, the Rivers State 

African Action Congress, 

AAC, governorship 

candidate. “I want Rivers 

people, especially my 

teeming supporters, who 

are being pained by what 

they are seeing, to keep 

hope alive. Victory is 

certain. We are going to 

bring back the stolen 

mandate,” Awara said after 

INEC finally announced 

the result of the 

governorship poll. 

Many people are still 

scratching their heads, 

trying to figure out what he 

was talking about. 

The incumbent governor, 

Nyesom Wike, won the poll 

with 886,264 votes against 

Awara’s 173,859 votes. The 

margin was 712,405 votes. 

But Awara is assuring his 

people: “We are going to 

reclaim the stolen mandate 

… I want Rivers people, 

especially my teeming 

supporters, who are being 

pained by what they are 

seeing, to keep hope alive. 

Victory is certain. We are 

going to bring back the 

stolen mandate.” 

In Imo State, it is the same 

song of lamentation. Hope 

Uzodinma of the APC and 

Action Alliance’s Uche 

Nwosu, are both claiming 

their mandates were stolen. 

While Uzodinma is 

accusing Governor Rochas 

Okorocha for the grand 

theft, Nwosu, Okorocha’s 

son-in-law, is pointing 

fingers of blame at 

Uzodinma as the 

archetypal mandate robber. 

Firing back at Okorocha’s 

taunt that the APC failed in 

Imo because it fielded 

Uzodinma, the APC 

candidate said: “I will 

reclaim my mandate which 

Okorocha and Ihedioha 

stole … and then I will have 

something to tell 

Okorocha.” 

Not wanting to be 

outdone, Nwosu is also 

throwing tantrums. “As far 

as I am concerned, this is a 

stolen mandate and I will 

challenge it at the tribunal. 

I have confidence that the 

judiciary will do the right 

thing,” he said. 

So, who did Emeka 

Ihedioha, the PDP 

candidate who won the Imo 

State governorship election 

steal the mandate from – 

Uzodinma, Nwosu or 

Okorocha? 

With Nigerian politicians, 

answers to such questions 

blow in the wind. 

Electoral 

comedy 

This was a sentiment 

amplified by former 

Nicaraguan dictator 

Anastasio Somoza when he 

quipped hubristically after 

one of his kangaroo 

elections that: “Indeed, you 

won the elections, but I won 

the count.” 

So, the Nigerian military 

in organising the 1999 

elections took the 

admonition to heart. 

President Olusegun 

Obasanjo upped the ante 

of electoral malfeasance 

and President



NEWS HOTLINES 

018773962, 

08052867058 

RIVERS NYSC—Mr George Nweke, Permanent Secretay, Special Duties, Rivers SSG's Office and Mr 

Chinwendu Chukwu, Rivers State NYSC Coordinator inspecting Guard of Honour mounted by corps 

members at the Closing Ceremony of Orientation Course for Batch A members deployed to Rivers State 

held at the State's NYSC Permanent Orientation Camp in Nonwa/Gbam, Tai Local Government Area, 

yesterday. Photo: Nwankpa Chijioke. 

Subsidy Removal: We’re yet to find 

formula that works — Finance Minister 

•FEC okays $247.3m foreign loan for electrification 

By Johnbosco 

Agbakwuru 

Aof BUJA—MINISTER 

Finance, Hajia 

Zainab Ahmed, yesterday, 

said that Nigeria has not 

found a formula that works, 

hence, it would not 

contemplate to exit the 

subsidy regime. 

This came as the Federal 

Executive Council, FEC, 

approved $247.3 million 

loan facility from the African 

Development Bank, AfDB 

and French Government 

On subsidy, she said: 

“We have not been able to 

develop an effective 

formula that will replace 

the current subsidy regime. 

Until we find a formula that 

will work for Nigeria, we 

will not contemplate to 

remove subsidy. 

“As you know what works 

in Ghana and other 

countries, may not work 

here.” 

The Minister also 

explained the difference 

Naira appreciates to N359/$ in 

parallel market 

By Babajide Komolafe 

between under recovery 

and subsidy, stressing that 

under subsidy regime, 

money was paid directly to 

Independent Petroleum 

Marketers for importation 

of fuels, while on under 

recovery, the Nigeria 

National Petroleum 

Corporation, NNPC, is the 

sole importer of petroleum 

products. 

The Senior Special 

Assistant to the President 

on Media and Publicity, 

Malam Garba Shehu said 

that FEC approved the bill 

for the establishment of a 

Nigeria Army University in 

BIU, Borno State. 

“You will recall the council 

in April 2018 approved the 

establishment of the 

university. The bill will be 

forwarded to the National 

Assembly for legislation.” 

Zainab Ahmed who 

briefed State House 

Correspondents after the 

FEC meeting presided over 

by President Muhammadu 

The naira yesterday appreciated to N359 per 

dollar in the parallel market thus reversing 

the depreciation suffered on Tuesday 

According to naijabdcs.com, the live exchange 

rate platform of the Association of Bureaux De 

Change Operators (ABCON), the parallel market 

exchange rate dropped to N359 per dollar yesterday 

from N360 per dollar on Tuesday, translating to one 

naira appreciation of the naira. 

However, the naira depreciated by 19 kobo in the 

Investors and Exporters (I&E) window. 

Data from FMDQ showed that the indicative 

exchange rate for the I&E window rose to N 360.42 

per dollar yesterday from N360.23 per dollar on 

Tuesday, translating to 19 kobo depreciation for the 

naira. 

Buhari at the Council, 

Presidential Villa, Abuja, 

said, “Council approved 

three memos for Ministry 

of Finance. First, it 

approved $150 million loan 

facility from the AfDB and 

$50 million loan from 

African Grow Together 

Fund to finance the Nigeria 

electrification project. 

I always beat you in every election, Buhari tells Atiku 

Continues from Page 5 

nullified and a fresh 

election ordered, without 

first praying for the 

nullification of election in 

the states where they 

claim to have won.” 

He argued that by 

virtue of section 137 of 

the Electoral Act, 

petitioners cannot 

question results of 

election in states where 

they claim to have won 

and still retain 

themselves as 

petitioners. 

He further contended 

that by virtue of section 

285(9) of the 

constitution, some of 

Atiku’s complaints, 

including his alleged 

ineligibility to contest the 

2019 presidential 

election, being preelection 

matter, can no 

longer be litigated upon 

or considered since 14 

days had elapsed since 

the supposed cause of 

action arose. 

“Pursuant to section 

285(10) of the 

constitution, this court 

lacks the jurisdiction to 

countenance both the 

complaints and the 

reliefs altogether,” 

Buhari insisted. 

“The project is a 

nationwide initiative to be 

implemented by the rural 

electrification agency. The 

project aligns with the 

strategy of Federal 

Government on electrifying 

rural community. 

“The project has four 

components, first is solar 

hybrid mini-grid for rural 

Similarly, he argued 

that all portions of the 

petition relating to the 

use of Card Reader 

Device are liable to be 

struck out, same being 

incompetent and not 

rooted in any existing 

legislation. 

He equally argued that 

every aspect of the 

petition grounded on or 

relating to electronic 

data purportedly 

retrieved or downloaded 

from INEC’s server are 

also liable to be struck 

out, “same being 

incompetent and not 

rooted in any existing 

legislation.” 

“That there were no 

incidences of corrupt 

practices at the election 

of February 23, 20l9, as 

alleged by the 

petitioners and that the 

declaration and return of 

the respondent President 

of the Federal Republic 

of Nigeria is valid and in 

compliance with the 

provisions of the 

Constitution, the 

Electoral Act, and all 

other Laws, Rules, 

Guidelines and 

Regulations, regulating 

the election. 

“That the election of the 

economic development. 

The second is productive 

appliances equipment for 

off-grid communities and 

the third is energising 

education while the fourth 

component is institutional 

capacity building. 

On the second approval, 

she said, “The second 

approval the north Core 

dorsal regional 

transmission project. This is 

a project that is part of the 

pipeline for the pipeline for 

the wWest Africa power pull 

priority projects. The 

intention is for the creation 

of regional power pull in 

the region of West Africa. 

“The post project aims to 

connect Nigeria, Niger, 

Benin Republic, Togo, 

Burkina Faso with a high 

voltage 330 kilowatts 

transmission line, to 

facilitate energy trade 

amongst participants. 

“The project is in the total 

sum of $640 million out of 

which each of the four 

countries involved has a 

component. Nigeria has 

the smallest component in 

this pact which is a total 

loan of $27.3 million IADE 

facility, it is a concessionary 

loan.” 

FCT Minister, 

Mohammed Bello said, 

FEC approved three 

memos from his ministry for 

the rehabilitation of 12.6 

kilometer of road from the 

junction Gwagwalada in 

the Abuja Lokoja A1 

express way. 

“It will pass through 

Gwagwalada Specialist 

Hospital upto Bello village 

at the cost of N1.3 billion, 

with a completion period of 

eight months. 

“Council also approved 

respondent as the 

elected President of the 

Federal Republic of 

Nigeria is valid and was 

conducted in substantial 

compliance with the 

provisions of the 

Electoral Act. 

“Contrary to paragraph 

17 of the petition, the 

respondent states that 

the petitioners scored a 

total of 11,262,978 votes, 

trailing far behind the 

respondent who scored a 

total of 15,191,847 votes, 

with a margin of 

3.328.869 votes.” 

Insisting that he 

validly earned the 

number of votes credited 

to him by INEC, Buhari, 

said there was “nothing 

affecting the integrity of 

the election as there was 

nothing untoward on the 

Form ECBDM) and no 

calculation errors can he 

revealed by any genuine 

forensic examination or 

statistical analysis in 

respect of the election. 

“The 1st respondent 

was duly elected by the 

majority of lawful votes 

cast at the election to the 

office of the President, 

and shall at the trial, rely 

on [NBC FORMS 3C8 

MA) and ECBE, issued 

the award of contract for the 

provision of cultural zone 

at the cost of N1.3 billion 

with a completion period of 

nine months.” 

$8.7bn for rail project 

The Minister of 

Transportation, Chibuike 

Amaechi said that his 

ministry presented two 

memos and both of them 

were approved. 

“The first one was an 

amendment to an earlier 

approval. There was an 

approval for $8.7 billion for 

Ibadan to Kano to 

Oshogbo, to Minna to 

Abuja, Minna to Kaduna, 

Kaduna to Kano. What we 

sought for was the variation 

because the financing 

authority wanted to find just 

$5.7 billion. We needed 

approval to negotiate the 

reminder as a commercial 

loan. 

“Again the President 

approved that we add 

Oshogbo to Ekiti as part of 

the construction. It was not 

there earlier. That will cost 

us a total of $500 million. 

“The next one was 

approval for N474.4 million 

for the purchase of 22 

number operational 

vehicles for the Nigeria 

Civil Aviation Authority. 

There will be two Hiace 

vehicle and 21 others.” 

He said the unit price for 

each of the buses was 

N27.5 million and they 

were two. 

“Don’t forget that there is 

nothing we do that does not 

go through due process. So 

they would have checked 

the actual prices in the 

market. And the other ones 

are N28.5 million multiple 

by 21 vehicles.” 

by the 1st respondent at 

the election. 

“Further to paragraph 

1 of the petition, 

respondent denies that 

the 1st petitioner voted at 

all at the election, and 

further states that 1st 

petitioner did/does not 

have any right to be 

returned an elected at 

the said election, having 

been rejected at the polls 

by the electorate and the 

respondent having been 

overwhelmingly voted by 

the electorate, and 

returned by the 1st 

respondent as President 

in the said election. 

“The respondent 

further states that he did 

not only score majority of 

lawful votes cast at the 

election into the office of 

President of Nigeria at 

the election of February 

23, 2019, convincingly, 

but also had/has the 

requisite constitutional 

spread of one-quarter of 

the total number of votes 

cast in more than twothirds 

of the States of the 

Federation,” President 

Buhari argued in the 

objection he filed 

through his team of 

lawyers, led by Chief 

Wole Olanipekun, SAN.




By Patrick Azamosa 

THE ruling All Progressives 

Congress, APC, has said 

that it is working on building 

a National Assembly whose 

actions and practices will be 

in line with what obtains in 

developed democracies 

across the world, and take it 

away from what has been the 

practice in the national 

legislature in recent times. 

The party said this desire 

has informed its actions, 

especially with its decisions on 

the election of the leadership 

of the Assembly and its key 

officers, and wants all 

lawmakers elected on its 

platform toe the party’s line. 

The party has endorsed 

Senator Ahmad Lawan (Yobe 

North) for senate president, a 

move that is raising dust in 

the party with Senator Ali 

Ndume (Borno South) 

insisting that he would not 

step down for Lawan. 

Expressing the position of 

the party in an interview with 

Vanguard, the National 

Publicity Secretary of the 

APC, Mallam Lanre Issa- 

Onilu said the party’s 

insistence on deciding who 

holds what position in the 

National Assembly was in 

line with standard practice in 

developed democracies 

across the world and that any 

party member, who was not 

ready to abide by the decision 

of the party was free to return 

the seat to the party and take 

a walk rather than staying in 

the party and playing antiparty. 

According to him, “asking 

for autonomy of National 

Assembly to decide its own 

affairs is a complete 

misunderstanding of what the 

National Assembly is all 

about, there is nothing like 

that in any National Assembly 

anywhere in the world. 

National Assembly is not a 

political party, there is a ruling 

party, there is opposition, but 

National Assembly itself is not 

the opposition, it is the 

Peoples Democratic Party, 

PDP, in the National 

Assembly that is the 

opposition. 

“The APC members are 

members of the ruling party 

and they are there to 

implement the policies and 

programmes of the party as 

promised to Nigerians on 

which basis they voted for us. 

So, when you get to the 

National Assembly you don’t 

go to obliterate the dividing 

line between the opposition 

and the ruling party, ones you 

do that our lawmakers are 

betraying the majority who 

voted for us on the basis of our 

campaign. 

“There is no such thing as 

the National Assembly as a 

unit, they are only a unit in 

terms of their responsibility to 

pass a law and do their 

oversight, besides that our 

lawmakers are supposed to 

be defending the position of 

the ruling party, because they 

are part of the ruling party and 

the opposition will be 

defending the position of the 

opposition party, it is the 

national interest that will 

mediate between the two 

divide. 

“What has been happening 

•Ndume 

SENATE PRESIDENCY: APC frowns at 

senators eyeing PDP for support 

in the past which has 

appeared to the people as the 

normal thing is completely 

wrong and it is not 

democracy. So, when you go 

to the National Assembly and 

you have the majority, all the 

committees are there so that 

they can assist the ruling party 

to fulfill its promises, so if you 

put critical committees in the 

hands of the opposition, 

because they are not part of 

the manifestos that are to be 

implemented you leave 

yourself open to fail, you don’t 

need them because you are to 

choose committee by majority 

and you have the majority and 

you want to implement your 

own programmes. 

No sharing of power 

“Why should you go and 

share power, I am not saying 

it could be ruled out 

completely, it can only happen 

when if there is an issue to 

pass into law and you need 

two third and you don’t have 

it and need opposition to 

achieve it and they make their 

By Dirisu Yakubu 

ABUJA- Leaders of Kogi 

State chapter of the 

Peoples Democratic Party, 

PDP, yesterday met in Abuja, 

the nation’s capital with a 

commitment to win the 

November 2 governorship 

election in the state. 

Also, the National Working 

Committee, NWC, of the party 

has insisted that former Vice 

President and Presidential 

candidate of the party in the 

2019 election, Alhaji Atiku 

Abubakar would get justice at 

the election petition tribunal 

sitting in Abuja. 

The position of the party came 

at the end of a crucial meeting 

of Kogi PDP stakeholders at 

the Party’s National Secretariat, 

in Abuja, where the leaders 

resolved to forego all personal 

ambitions and work together in 

the interest of the party and the 

Kogi people ahead of the poll. 

demands, that is what politics 

is all about,” he said. 

Speaking on the alleged 

plans by some senators 

including former Gombe State 

governor, Sen. Danjuma Goje 

and former Senate Leader, Ali 

Ndume to contest the position 

of the Senate President 

despite the position of the 

party leadership endorsing 

Senate leader, Ahmed Lawan 

for the position, Issa-Onilu 

said so far the duo are within 

their democratic right to seek 

the position, but that their 

decision between now and 

when the party takes its final 

position will determine how 

they will be treated within the 

party. 

“If all our members will be 

good party men we do have 

the number to elect our 

National Assembly 

leadership, those insisting 

that they want to be Senate 

Presidents for instance are 

within their rights as members 

of the party, their interest is 

democratic, what the party 

now does between now and 

when they will be going in to 

•Lawan 

elect their officers is what is 

important. 

“You must understand that 

you cannot be a member of 

the National Assembly if you 

are not a member of a political 

party, so it is the party that 

sponsored you and it is 

because you have accepted to 

abide by the dictates of the 

party, it is like any other 

group or association that we 

all belong to, when you join 

you have agreed to abide by 

their rules, so if you now 

emerge after the party has 

presented you and given you 

their own ticket and on that 

you have become a lawmaker 

you are expected to abide by 

whatever the party decides, 

but you have a right to fight 

within the party so that the 

party can adopt you, but once 

that fails, whoever has won 

within the party you all have 

to back him. That is party 

politics. 

“If you go outside of that you 

must have made up your mind 

that you are leaving the party, 

so anyone that now goes 

ahead to be working with the 

•Oshiomhole 

opposition, that is carrying 

party politics too far and you 

are saying you don’t believe 

in that party policies anymore, 

the decent thing for you to do 

at that point is to drop the 

party seat, that is what you 

will see in advanced 

democracies, because once 

you say I don’t agree with you 

it means you do not belong to 

that association again, but you 

cannot continue to be on that 

seat given to you by the party 

and begin to oppose it from 

within and keeping camp with 

their enemy or with 

opposition. 

“If any senator runs for the 

senate presidency seat against 

the position of the APC with 

the support of the PDP it will 

be considered as anti party,” 

he said, adding that, “It will 

take a while for the people to 

get to the normal 

parliamentary practice which 

the APC is aspiring to achieve, 

because what has been 

happening in the National 

Assembly is completely 

abnormal,” he said. 

Kogi Guber: PDP leaders meet in Abuja, set eyes on victory 

•Secondus 

In his opening remarks, PDP 

National Publicity Secretary, 

Kola Ologbondiyan, who 

incidentally hails from Kogi 

said the party’s “winning 

streaks in the just concluded 

governorship elections in 

Bauchi, Imo, Rivers, 

Adamawa, Bauchi, Osun 

among other states will be reenacted 

in the forthcoming 

Kogi governorship election. 

The publicity scribe said the 

party had the support of the 

people of the state, “who are 

now looking up to it to rescue 

the state from the misrule of 


Congress, APC, under 

Governor Yahaya Bello, 

adding that the PDP cannot 

afford to fail them. 

“As we all know, our people 

have gone through pains, 

acute poverty, hunger, 

dehumanization, 

brutalization, job losses, 

untimely deaths, suicide and 

all sorts of anguish as a result 

of the misrule of the 

incumbent APC government. 

“The people of Kogi State are 

therefore looking up to the 

PDP for rescue and we cannot 

afford to fail them. We must 

therefore not allow anything to 

demoralize us as the winning 

streaks, which our party 

displayed in Imo, Adamawa, 

Bauchi, Osun among others, 

will be repeated in Kogi state 

by the grace of Almighty God. 

“In this race, we must also 

bear in mind that we have the 

support of the people. Kogi 

state has always been home 

to the PDP notwithstanding 

the temporary setback of the 

APC. We must therefore 

prepare ourselves, stand with 

the people and salvage our 

dear state from the pangs of 

misrule. Our people yearn to 

move forward and we must 

give them that leverage which 

they earnestly seek.” 

Party stalwarts at the 

meeting included former 

governors, Capt. Idris Wada 

(retd), Alhaji Ibrahim Idris, 

former deputy governor, Yomi 

Awoniyi, Senator Tunde 

Ogbeha, Chief Patrick 

Adagba, state PDP Chairman, 

Engineer Sam Uhuotu as well 

as other critical stakeholders 

drawn from all the 21 local 

government areas of the state.

Vanguard THURSDAY, APRIL 18, 2019 — 45 

De Ligt: We 

fear nobody 

Ajax captain Matthijs de Ligt insists 

they “have no reason to fear any 

opponent” after knocking Juventus out 

of the Champions League. 

“It’s unbelievable. We are so happy that 

we did it and so proud of the team,” De 

Ligt told ViaSportFotball. 

This result follows two draws against 

Bayern Munich in the group stage, plus 

eliminating holders Real Madrid with a 

4-1 win at the Bernabeu. 

“We know that we have a lot of technical 

quality, so we don’t fear any opponent. 

We know we can play and, as you can 

see, we are really good at the moment. 

We have no reason to fear anyone. 

“I am not thinking about the semi-final, 

I’m just enjoying this moment, as you 

never know how long it’ll last. It was an 

unbelievable night and we have to enjoy 

it. 

“I can’t describe how proud I am of 

these players. I knew we could do it, but 

the fact that we did is unbelievable.” 

•Ole 

•Ince 

José Mourinho taking 

over Bayern Munich 

would bring “a certain 

glamour” to the club 

and the Bundesliga, 

says Michael Ballack. 

Current Bayern coach 

Niko Kovac as 

endured a difficult first 

season at the Allianz 

Arena, with Borussia 

Dortmund providing his 

team with a much 

sterner test in the 

Bundesliga and 

Liverpool eliminating 

them from the 

Champions League 

last 16. 

Should Bayern decide 

to make a new 

appointment Ballack 

believes Mourinho, 

who he played under at 

Chelsea and has been 

unemployed since being 

sacked by Manchester 

Nigeria Para-Powerlifting 

Federation honours 

Sanwo-Olu, Ezeilo 

United have gone backwards since 

Solskjaer got job permanently — Ince 

anchester United have 

M declined since Ole 

Gunnar Solskjaer was 

appointed permanent manager 

and the board should have 

waited longer to make a 

decision, according to Paul Ince. 

Solskjaer was named interim 

manager of United in 

December following the sacking 

of Jose Mourinho and was given 

the job permanently in March 

after an upturn in results. 

However he has lost three of 

his five games since then, 

including both legs of the 

Champions League quarter 

final against Barcelona - 

something Ince feels was 

inevitable, given the change in 

pressure from being interim 

coach to full time boss. 

Speaking to Paddy Power, 

Ince said: ‘United look a 

different team now Ole is 

permanent manager – I always 

said this would happen. It’s a 

very, very tough job for Ole to 

take this team forward. 

‘When he was the interim 

manager they were creating 

chance after chance, and now 

Mourinho would bring glamour to Bayern — 

Ballack 

United in December, 

would be the ideal 

candidate. The 

Portuguese has also 

been linked with Inter 

Milan and Olympique 

Lyon and said last 

week he hopes Kovac 

stays on, but former 

Bayern midfielder 

Ballack thinks he can 

bring an impetus that 

Germany has not seen 

since Pep Guardiola 

•De Ligt 

arrived in 2013. 

“Niko Kovac is the 

coach at the moment 

and that should be 

respected. He is doing 

a good job. [But] one 

cannot deny that at some 

point in the future a 

commitment from 

Mourinho would bring 

a certain glamour to 

the club and the 

Bundesliga,” Ballack 

told Sport Bild. 

Oboh will be the chief 

host while the Minister 

of Youth and Sports, 

Solomon Dalung will 

lead other dignitaries to 

the event which kicks off 

at 5 pm. 

he has the job permanently 

they’ve gone backwards! 

‘I always said the pressure 

would be on if he got it 

permanently. I said this would 

happen months ago. This is why 

I said what I said at the time – 

I’ve seen it loads of times that 

while a manager is interim the 

mood picks up and everyone 

feels like they have a chance, but 

when he becomes the manager, 

they’re worse than they were 

before. 

‘This is what I meant when I 

said that there was such a cloud 

over United that all Ole had to 

do was to come in and change 

the environment. No pressure on 

the players, just go out and play. 

Now, they’re in a position where 

they could get top four, and the 

stress and pressure is on.' 

The Vice President of 

the Nigeria 

Olympic Committee, 

Chief Solomon Ogba, 

has submitted that the 

maiden Lagos Media 

Marathon scheduled to 

take place next month is 

another plus for the 

laudable initiative by 

Governor Akinwumi 

Ambode to revive the 

culture of road races in 

Lagos and the country 

at large. 

Ogba reckoned that 

the marathon being 

planned by the 

journalists was in 

furtherance to the solid 

foundation and enabling 

Supporters Club to storm Egypt with 500 members 

Nigeria Football Supporters 

Club have announced 

plans to storm Egypt with about 

500 members to drum support for 

the Super Eagles at the 

forthcoming Nations Cup. 

Disclosing this to the media 

yesterday when he officially 

unveiled plans by the club to 

support the various national 

teams as they prepare to 

participate in World Cups and 

TBS hosts Lagos Games 

Festival 

All is set for the 

maiden edition 

of Lagos Games Festival 

being put together by 

Doingson Technologies 

Limited, an event 

ticketing company. 


company’s media and 

publicity officer, 

Damilola Aleje, “the 

event which is the first 

of its kind in Lagos will 

hold at the Tafawa 

Balewa Square, Lagos 

Saturday, April 20.” 

She told our reporter 

that “the festival is 

aimed at reviving the 

gaming culture in 

Nigeria and to bring 

communities of games 

lovers , share 

experiences in a relaxed 

atmosphere where 

people can learn and 

have fun. It will also 

engender friendship and 

connectivity among the 

Nations Cup, National 

Chairman of the club, Rev 

Samuel Ikpea announced that 

the club was making necessary 

arrangements with the various 

embassies to ensure that travel 

documents are procured on 

time for members. 

Nigeria will this year 

participate in Africa Nations 

Cup in Egypt, Women World 

Cup in France, U-20 World Cup 

participants.” 

She disclosed that 

games such as video 

games, table tennis, 

snooker, play station 

among others would 

feature at the one-day 

event. Over 1,000 

participants are being 

expected and that 

winners will have the 

bragging rights over 

their rivals for the next 

one year. 

Also speaking, the 

CEO, Shina Charles 

Memud said, the idea 

behind the games 

festival is to celebrate 

sport culture and create 

games business in 

Lagos. 

“We will be creating 

variety of games that are 

educating, fun, 

comprising of both 

digital and physical 

games with tournament 

games,” he stressed. 

Lagos Media Marathon, big plus 

for Ambode — Ogba 

environment helped put 

in place by Gov. Ambode 

who has done a lot in the 

last four years to ensure 

that Lagos and indeed 

Nigeria takes its rightful 

place on the global map 

for sports tourism. 

While speaking in 

Lagos, the former 

President of the Athletic 

Federation of Nigeria, 

commended the brains 

behind the Lagos Media 

Marathon for taking the 

vision of Gov. Ambode’s 

revival of the culture of 

road races to a new level 

by introducing 

registration fees for 

running in a 10km race 

All roads lead to Oriental Hotel, 

Victoria Island, Lagos April 28, 

as the Nigeria Para-Powerlifting 

Federation has planned to honour the 

Lagos State Governor-elect, Babajide 

Olusola Sanwo-Olu and the Deputy 

Governor, Enugu State Barr (Mrs) 

Cecilia Ezeilo. 

According to sources, the federation 

has concluded plans to honour the two 

politicians with the titles of Patron and 

Matron. 

Their investiture will be coming up 

at the luxurious Oriental Hotel on April 

28 as reward for their enormous 

contributions to the development of the 

sport in the country. 

President of the Nigeria Para- 

Powerlifting Federation Mrs Queen 

•Sanwo- 

Olu 

•Ezeilo 

which is the global 

standard like in the 

London, New York and 

Boston Marathons 

among others. 

Ogba advised the 

organizers of other races 

in Nigeria to take a cue 

from the Lagos Media 

Race and introduce 

registration fees. 

“I am very excited with 

this wonderful idea to 

have the Lagos Media 

Marathon which I hear 

would be the first of its 

kind in this part of the 

world. We must thank 

Governor Ambode for 

reviving the culture and 

people; including 

journalists keying into 

the initiative,” the NOC 

Vice President said. 

in Poland and the U-17 World 

Cup in Brazil and Ikpea is 

optimistic that the Supporters 

Club as the number 12th 

player on the pitch will be 

there to cheer the teams to 

victory even as he commended 

their sponsors and most 

especially Globacom 

Telecommunications and 

others bodies that have stood 

by the club.

46— Vanguard, THURSDAY, APRIL 18, 2019 

Nigeria first to book FIFA U17 

World Cup ticket 

Five –time world champions 

Nigeria became the 

first African team to book a 

2019 FIFA U17 World Cup 

ticket after 1-0 defeat of 

Angola in Dar es Salaam 

yesterday. 

Olakunle Olusegun 

earned the ticket to the 

tournament semi finals and 

to Brazil 2019 when he 

hooked a 21st minute penalty 

to the roof of the net 

with Angola’s goalkeeper 

Geovani stranded. But the 

Golden Eaglets were guilty 

of profligacy and the technical 

crew certainly has 

much to do still. 

As happened against 

host nation Tanzania on 

Sunday, the Eaglets proved 

to be masters of use of space 

and close control, but they 

mostly lacked the right ideas 

and punch in the final 

third, just as some passes 

went astray at critical moments. 

Two –goal hero against 

Tanzania, Wisdom Ubani 

could have been on the 

scoresheet in the 11th 

minute but his fierce effort 

from a 22 –yard free kick 

went narrowly off target. 

Angola were not to be 

brow-beaten, as Zito 

latched onto the ball a few 

metres from the centre and 

nce again Nigerian referees 

Owill not whistle at the Africa •Ronaldo 

Cup of Nations. 

Confederation of African Football 

(CAF) yesterday released 

the list of 27 officials that will 

handle the games of the 2019 AF- 

CON tournament and it followed 

a decade long tradition of Nigerian 

referees missing out on FIFA and CAF tournaments. 

The 2019 African Cup of Nations will take place in Egypt 

between June 21 and July 19. 

Full list of referees: 

Mostafa Gharbal (Algeria), Helder Martinez (Angola), 

Joshua Bondo (Botswana), Pacifique Ndabihawenimana 

(Botswana), Aliom Aliom (Cameroon), Gehad Geresha, 

Mahmoud El-Banna, Amine Omar (Egypt), Bacary Gassama 

(Gambia), Daniel Laria (Ghana), Peter Waweru (Kenya), 

Mamadou Keita (Mali), Radwan Jaid, Nour ElDin El- 

Jaafari (Morocco), Jackson Bafaza (Namibia), Jean Jack 

Ngambo (DR Congo), Louis Hazikimana (Botswana), Megete 

N’Diaye (Senegal), Bernard Camille (Seychelles), Al- 

Fadel Mohamed Hussein (Sudan), Victor Miguel (South 

Africa), Sadek Al-Salmy, Youssef El-Sarairi, Haitham Kairat 

(Tunisia), Gianni Sikazowi (Zambia). 

unleashed a rocket that 

goalkeeper Sunday 

Stephen, in for the jittery 

Suleman Shaibu, did 

well to punch away. 

Three minutes later, 

Stephen had to be alert 

to push away another 

fierce Angolan shot, but 

two minutes later, at the 

other end, Ubani’s swift 

turn and shot came quite 

close with Geovani beaten. 

An Angolan defender 

handled the ball in the box 

under pressure in the 21st 

minute, and Olusegun 

made no mistake from the 

spot to put Nigeria in front. 

They could have had 

Salah named one of Time 

magazine’s 100 most 

influential people 

AFCON 2019: 

CAF shuns Nigerian 

referees again 

ferent. 

‘I just live my life normal. 

Most of the time I stay at 

home, I don’t like to go out.’ 

Salah also spoke about 

the importance of gender 

equality in a passionate 

speech. 

He added: ‘I think we 

need to change the way we 

treat women in our culture. 

It’s not optional. 

‘I support the woman 

more than I did before, because 

I feel like she deserves 

more than what they 

give her now, at the moment.’ 

John Oliver, who is a huge 

Liverpool 

supporter 

and the host 

of HBO’s Last 

Week Tonight 

Juventus’ share price on 

the Borsa Italiana tumbled 

by 24 p e r - 

With John Oliver, wrote about the 

Egypt international. 

Oliver wrote in the magazine: 

‘Mo Salah is a better human being 

than he is a football player. And 

he’s one of the best football players 

in the world. 

‘You’d be hard-pressed to find a 

professional athlete in any sport 

less affected by their success 

or status than Mo, 

which is incredible 

because I can’t imagine 

the kind of 

pressure that 

comes with 

the intensity 

of 

adoration he 

receives.’ 

Champions League ouster: 

Mohamed Salah is one of 

the covers star for the Time 

magazine’s 100 most influential 

people. 

Music artist Taylor Swift, 

actor Dwayne ‘The Rock’ 

Johnson, actress Sandra Oh, 

journalist Gayle King and 

politician Nancy Pelosi 

were on the other covers. 

NBA’s LeBron James, 

U.S. soccer’s Alex Morgan, 

tennis player Naomi Osaka, 

middle distance runner 

Caster Semenya, golfer and 

pro gamer ‘Ninja’ (Richard 

Tyler Blevins) were also 

named in the top 100. 

Masters winner, Tiger 

Woods, has featured three 

times and La Lakers’ James 

has been on the list four 

times. 

Osaka, Morgan and Semenya 

are among a record 

48 women to be named in 

the top 100. 

In an interview with the 

Time, Salah said football 

fans in the Middle East herald 

him like a son. 

He said: ‘To be the first 

Egyptian in [this] situation 

and no one has done this 

before … it’s something difmany 

more, but Shedrack Tanko 

bundled against the upright 

in the 42nd minute when it 

Juve share price tumbles 

cent after their Champions 

League exit to Ajax 

Juve closed business on 

Tuesday at €1.69 but opened 

the following morning at just 

€1.30, although the price 

has since climbed back up 

to €1.41. 

Nonetheless, it repre- 

•Tijani 

•MO 

sents the Bianconeri’s biggest 

fall for some time – 

greater than after their 2-0 

defeat to Atletico Madrid in 

February. 

The Old Lady have also 

missed out on €13m in prize 

money, as well as potentially 

€33m if they won the competition 

Super Eagles coach Gernot Rohr’s wish to 

test the team with the Black Stars of 

Ghana ahead of the African Cup of Nations 

may not materialise. 

Reports in Ghana suggested that the Black 

Stars would be in the UAE at the time of the 

match and it would be difficult making the trip 

to Nigeria to play the game. 

According to a report on Footy-Ghana.com, 

Nigeria approached only one member of the 

Ghana authority. 

“They actually wanted to play us [Ghana] in 

Nigeria and they had discussions with only the 

Deputy Sports Minister (Perry Okudzeto),” said 

Ghana football official. 

“But we may be in United Arab Emirates which 

will be difficult.” 

Ghana have chosen to hold a three-week pre- 

Afcon 2019 camping in Abu Dhabi. In recent past, 

the four-time African champions have used the 

U-17 AFCON: Zenith Bank 

hails Eaglets, Olusegun 

Zenith Bank Plc on Wednesday congratulated the 

Golden Eaglets of Nigeria for picking a ticket to the 

FIFA U-17 World Cup billed to take place later this year 

in Brazil. 

Nigeria defeated Angola 1-0 yesterday in Tanzania to 

confirm a place in the U-17 finals with six maximum 

points from two matches. The country earlier defeated 

host Tanzania 5-4 on Sunday in a highly entertaining 

encounter. 

The bank specifically showered praises on the scorer 

of the lone goal for Nigeria, Olakunle Olusegun, who 

incidentally is a product of outfit in the NFF/Zenith Bank 

Future Eagles project. 

It was learnt that shortly after the match yesterday, an 

official of the bank called the team camp in to congratulate 

the players and officials of the team. 

The ongoing Africa U-17 Africa Cup of Nations has 

continued to be of huge interest to the chieftains of Zenith 

Bank plc because of the bank’s investment on youth 

football in the country. 

“Some of the players here are products of Zenith Bank 

football projects and so we understand why the company 

is excited at this time. Our key players are from the 

NFF/Zenith Future Eagles project,” an official of the team 

said on Wednesday. 

Apart from Olusegun, Akinwunmi Amao, voted as 

MVP of the nine-goal thriller in the Tanzania/Nigeria 

match, is also a product of the Zenith/NFF partnership. 

Nigeria’s last match in the preliminaries of the ongoing 

competition is against Uganda. 

The Eaglets will need to avoid a defeat against the 

Ugandans to finish as group leaders. Uganda defeated 

Tanzania 3-0 yesterday. 

Heineken UCL Tour: 

Puyol ignites Uyo fans 

The quiet city of Uyo, the capital of Akwa Ibom State, 

erupted with ecstasy moments the long awaited 

UEFA Champions League Tour got underway yesterday 

morning when former Barcelona defender Carles Puyol 

brought the famous Big Ears, the UEFA Champions 

League Trophy sponsored by Heineken to the 

public glare. 

The symbolic entry first at the Emerald Event center 

where the World Press conference took place 

was backed by an ensemble of former Nigeria 

internationals; Austin Jay Jay Okocha, 

Mutiu Adepoju Austine Eguavoen and ‘Gentle 

Giant’ Uche Okechukwu, Puyol held aloft the 

UCL Trophy on stage for the first public view of 

the iconic UEFA Champions League trophy. 

The three-time winner of the Champions League 

with FC Barcelona,Puyol addressed the gathering 

that also had in attendance, indigenes of the 

State explained that his excitement at coming to 

Uyo and being able to see the Super Eagles legends 

who he played against as the Star Shine 

Shine Bobo Team during the Unmissable game 

at the Uyo International Stadium later in the day. 

•Okocha and Puyol 

Super Eagles, Black Stars friendly off 

United Arab Emirates (specifically Dubai) twice 

as pre-tournament base for some Nations Cup 

campaigns – first the 2013 Afcon in South Africa 

and the recent one, Gabon 2017. 

•Eagles


Vanguard, THURSDAY, APRIL 18, 2019 

TODAY’S PUZZLE 

Sudoku 

FRIDAY’S ANSWER 

TODAY’S CROSSWORD 

QUICK CROSSWORD 

THURSDAY’S SOLUTION 

How to Play Sudoku 

ACROSS 

1 Hitherto (10) 

7 Evident (8) 

8 Fire injury (4) 

9 Looked at (4) 

10 Trading ban (7) 

12 Definitely (7,4) 

14 Parentless children (7) 

16 Employed (4) 

19 Require (4) 

20 Lift (8) 

21 Plague (10) 

DOWN 

1 Freedom from war (5) 

2 Distinguished (7) 

3 Chilled (4) 

4 Last (8) 

5 Seventh sign of the Zodiac (5) 

6 Thrifty (6) 

11 Least advanced in 

age (8) 

12 Notified of a risk (6) 

13 Take no pat (7) 

15 Be evasive (5) 

17 Idle bee (5) 

18 Scottish dance (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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18042019 - PRESIDENTIAL TUSSLE:I always beat you in every election, Buhari tells Atiku

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