the nation - march 22, 2011

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VOL. 6, NO. 1706 TUESDAY, MARCH 22, 2011 TRTRTRTRTRUTH IN DEFENCE OF FREEDOMUTH IN DEFENCE OF FREEDOMUTH IN DEFENCE OF FREEDOMUTH IN DEFENCE OF FREEDOMUTH IN DEFENCE OF FREEDOM N150.00

Jega: INEC official for trialover voters register fraud

Commission gets new ICT headHOW did some sensi-

tive materials fornext month’s elec-

paganda by the opposition.Among the suspects is an

INEC official, Osunlola Aki-nyinka, head of the Informa-tion Technology Unit, wholost his job yeaterday. A newman was appointed.

Akinyinka may face trial,if found to have erred, INECchair Prof. Attahiru Jega saidyesterday.

It was also learnt that Jegadirected all Resident Elector-al Commissioners to protectvoters registers in their cus-

tody.The original voters register

for Oyo State is still intact atthe INEC’s headquarters inAbuja, it was learnt.

Jega spoke on the matteryesterday in Abuja. He toldsome civil society organisa-tions that INEC strongly be-lieves that staff who exhibitinclinations towards subvert-ing its aspirations for probitydeserve to be prosecuted. Hesaid the Head of INEC’s ICTUnit in Ibadan, who wascaught in a hotel with fourothers along with six DirectData Capture machines was

acted without the knowl-edge or consent of the Resi-dent Electoral Commission-er in Oyo State.

Jega said: “What has hap-pened in Ibadan is very,very unfortunate. The headof the ICT unit in Ibadanwas caught in a hotel roomwith four other people whoare not INEC officials withsix DDC machines.

“Obviously, they havebeen arrested; investigationis going on in trying to de-termine whether he was act-ing alone or whether he hadpartners who are his collab-

tions in Oyo State get intowrong hands?

This is the subject of aprobe by the IndependentNational Electoral Com-mission (INEC), followingthe arrest of some suspectsin Ibadan. They were saidto be tampering with thevoters register in 27 localgovernments. The suspectswere reportedly sponsoredby Governor AdebayoAlao-Akala, who denied itall and dismissed it as pro-

From Yusuf Alli, Jide Babalola,Abuja and Bisi Oladele, Ibadan

Continued on page 2

GOVERNOR Gbenga Daniel yes-terday appeared at the campaignrally of the Peoples Party of Ni-

geria (PPN) to stump for its candidates,including Gboyega Isiaka, its governor-ship candidate.

Although Daniel said he remains withthe Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)whose governorship candidate is Gen.Adetunji Olurin, his action is an indica-tion of the total breakdown of his trucewith former-President Olusegun

Obasanjo.Olurin yesterday vowed to probe the

administration of Daniel, if he is elect-ed.

The governor was at the PDP rallyalso at the MKO Abiola Stadium whenPresident Goodluck Jonathan came tolaunch his campaign in the state, buthe was booed.

Obasanjo won the battle for the PDP,Ogun forcing Isiaka, Daniel group’sfactional candidate, to defect to PPN.

Daniel vowed a few days ago to handover power to the “person who is the

Olurin vows to probe Daniel

Ernest Nwokolo, Abeokuta and BisiOladele Ibadan

Governor seeksvotes for PPN

Jimoh Ibrahim’smother kidnapped•Police search for suspects

NEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSPage 5

•Jonathan meets businessmen

New tax policyon the way NEWSNEWSNEWSNEWSNEWS

Page 4

Continued on page 2

orators within INEC oroutside.

“He left people in the of-fice who were still workingovernight, producing thevoter register to say he wasgoing home around 8pmand, evidently, he left andwent to the hotel to perpe-trate whatever crime hewas caught perpetrating.

“So, I think as I speakwith you now, the pictureis not complete; but the

good thing is that you weretrying to do somethingwrong and you were caught.We are doing our best nowto investigate and determinethe extent to which damagehas been done with our datain Ibadan.

“Obviously, we are com-mitted to prosecuting anyperson who has committedany offence and this is a very

•Lagos StateGovernorBabatundeRaji Fashola(right)receiving aN50 millioncheque for theLagos StateSecurity TrustFund fromthe ChiefOperatingOfficer ofDangoteGroup, Mr.OlakunleAlake in hisoffice atAlausa, Ikeja…yesterday

Nigeria’s truly national newspaper

Police quiz five suspects

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THE NATION TUESDAY, MARCH 22, 20112

NEWS

Continued from page 1

grievous offence. We havetaken decisions; we have al-ready sent somebody to takeover as the head of ICT inIbadan so that all these in-vestigations can be done andthe work also as we preparefor elections can continue.

“It is very unfortunate. Ihave said it before that thereis no overemphasising the factthat wherever you have thou-sands of people in an organi-sation, there are bound to bethose who are reckless, whoare fraudulent and who, inspite of whatever else you do,they are still criminally mind-ed and determined to perpe-trate crimes.

“The challenge for every or-ganisation is to have the capac-ity to apprehend such offend-ers in order to penalise themin accordance with the law. It’sa very unfortunate thing thathas happened.”

Jega said since all data hadbeen forwarded to the head-quarters, it is easy to verify ifany had been tempered with.

Five employees of the Inde-pendent National ElectoralCommission (INEC) in OyoState were yesterday quizzedby the Police in connectionwith the voters registrationmanipulations.

It was gathered last nightthat the five officials were in-vited by the police after theINEC official arrested on Sat-urday gave information sug-gesting that more officials ofthe commission were involvedin the illegal act.

They were quizzed in theafternoon at the SCID Iya-ganku and released immedi-ately.

INEC official for trial over Oyo voters register fraud

THE Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN)has asked INEC to explain to Nigeri-ans the arrest of suspects, who alleg-

edly tampered with registration materials,barely two weeks to the polls.

Governorship candidate of Accord in OyoState Senator Rashidi Ladoja and a PeoplesDemocratic Party (PDP) chieftain, Senator Le-kan Balogun, called for a thorough investiga-tion into the matter.

In a statement by its National Publicity Sec-retary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the ACN saidunless INEC acts quickly to regain the confi-dence of Nigerians, who were shocked by theIbadan incident, it will be difficult for any-one to have confidence in the ability of thecommission to organise free, fair and credibleelections next month.

The ACN said the questions that INEC needsto provide answers to urgently include howthe suspects got hold of the DDC machinesand the voter register that were found withthem, on behalf of which political party theywere acting and whether the DDC machineswere among those stolen or not.

‘’We have read in the papers that the sus-pects were acting in collusion with the Peo-ples Democratic Party (PDP), but it will beimportant for INEC, acting with the police, toinform Nigerians whether this is true or not,and to reveal whether or not the Resident Elec-toral Commission for Oyo state was involved,in which case he will have to be sanctioned.

‘’It is also necessary for INEC to confirm pub-lished reports identifying one of the suspectsas Osunlola Akinyinka of INEC’s information

unit. If this is true, what is INEC doing to putits unscrupulous employee in check beforeand during the polls? And how pervasive isthis kind of activity?’’ ACN queried.

The party recalled alerting Nigerians to thedangers posed by the stealing of INEC’s DDCmachines at the airport, and INEC’s assurancethat the theft would not have any effect on theregistration process.

Ladoja, and Balogun called for a thoroughinvestigation of the alleged manipulation ofthe voters’ registers in 27 local governmentareas.

Balogun also called for the redeploymentof the Resident Electoral Commissioner, MrAyo Adakeja, to restore the confidence of theelectorate in the electoral umpire.

The two politicians spoke through separatestatements in Ibadan yesterday.

Four people were arrested on Saturday at aprivate hotel in Old Bodija area of Ibadanwhile allegedly tampering with voters’ datain six computers belonging to the IndependentNational Electoral Commission (INEC). Someother items recovered from them were said tolink them with the PDP.

Ladoja, who spoke through the DirectorGeneral of his campaign organisation, Hon.Adeolu Adeleke, condemned the illegal actand called on the Inspector General of Police,Hafeez Ringim, to bring perpetrators to book.

Balogun said the action is a negation of thehope expressed in Prof. Attahiru Jega’s lead-ership of INEC the umpire, adding that it wasa sad reminder of the country’s dark days.

ACN, Ladoja, Balogun seek actionFrom Bisi Oladele, Ibadan

A KWA Ibom State hascontinued to lamentits loss of 86 oil wells

to Rivers State and its impli-cation for its economy.

Senator Akpan Udoedohealso spoke on how a deal wasstruck between the two states.

Akwa Ibom State DeputyGovernor Patrick Ekpotu de-scribed last Friday’s decisionby the Supreme Court, whichceded 86 oil wells to Rivers,as “surprising, worrisomeand unfortunate”.

Ekpotu, who is the Chair-man of the State’s BoundaryCommittee, spoke yesterdayin Uyo. He said for the Su-preme Court to base its deci-sion on an agreement be-tween two state governors

and not on technical and his-torical arguments, meant “ithas invariably empoweredstate governors to adjust theircommon boundaries withoutrecourse to the NationalBoundary Commission”.

He said the essence of theNational Boundary Commis-sion had been threatened bythe Supreme Court, which, inhis view, did not allow theCommission to play its consti-tutional role, or follow consti-tutional provisions on thematter.

He said the Commissionwas set up in the aftermath ofthe ceding of parts of Nigeriato Cameroon through an

agreement signed betweenthen Head of State, YakubuGowon, and his Cameroon-ian counterpart, AhmaduAhidjo, to prevent a recur-rence of such a unilateralsigning off portions of its landto a neighbour by any politi-cal leader in the country,

The Deputy Governor saidif governors were disallowedfrom creating Local govern-ment areas, a matter whichonly affects their states, aswas the case with Lagos State;it became curious that anagreement by two governorsof neighbouring states couldadjust their boundaries.

Describing the judgment asa bad precedent, he warnedthat if the Supreme Court’s

decision was not reviewed, thecountry could witness gover-nors having problems withneighbours and countries be-cause of similar agreement.

He urged legal minds to riseand prevail on the SupremeCourt to review itself on the is-sue.

Former Minister of State forthe Federal Capital Territory(FCT) Senator John Udoedehe,yesterday gave an insight intothe controversial oil wells’deal between Akwa Ibom andRivers States was struck.

Speaking in Uyo, the AkwaIbom State capital, Udoedehesaid former President Oluseg-un Obasanjo brokered the dealbetween former Governor Vic-tor Attah of Akwa Ibom and

his Rivers State counterpartDr. Peter Odili “to stabilisethe region.”

He denied that former Gov-ernor Victor Attah signed anagreement ceding the wells toRivers State.

“I am very happy that Sec-retary to the State Govern-ment Obong Umana OkonUmana has come forward toput the record straight. Attah,who fought for the oil mon-ey that the state is now enjoy-ing did not sign any agree-ment to forego 86 oil wells toRivers State”, he said.

He recalled that he was asenator during the periodand was privy to the deal forpeace and stability of the re-gion.

Akwa Ibom laments loss of 86 oil wells to Rivers From Iniobong Ekponta, Uyo

It was also learnt that the ar-rested INEC official wasbrought to the Agodi head-quarters of the commission inhandcuff. His office was thor-oughly searched by the policebefore he was taken back.

The Commissioner of Police,Mr Adisa Bolanta, confirmedthe incident last night. He said

investigations would contin-ue, adding that no one foundto have committed any illegalact would go scot-free.

A report suggested that theREC, Mr Ayo Adakeja, wassummoned to the nationalheadquarters of the commis-sion by Jega. But the Public Re-lations Officer of the commis-

sion in Oyo State, Mr AyodeleFolami, denied this.

According to source, a com-mittee in the commission hasbeen inaugurated to look intohow Direct Data Capture(DDC) machines were smug-gled out of INEC’s office in OyoState and taken into a hotel inIbadan.

A source in the commission,who pleaded not to benamed, yesterday said: “Wehave started probing the theftof these DDC machines andwe may engage security agen-cies to get to the root of thefalsification.

“We are yet to ascertainwhether the suspect hadworked under instruction orin collusion with some peo-ple. Also, it is too early tojump into conclusion wheth-er the Resident ElectoralCommissioner, Ayo Adakeja,was involved or not.

“We want to appeal for un-derstanding as INEC chair-man and his National Com-missioners are on top of thesituation

“The good thing however isthat the tampering will nothave affect. The original reg-ister of Oyo State is in our cus-tody. We want to assure thepeople of Oyo State that thereis no cause for the alarm.

“Already, a new Head ofICT has been appointed forthe INEC office in Oyo Stateto go and put things right.”

Responding to a question,the source added that all Res-ident Electoral Commission-ers have been directed to pro-tect registers in their custody.

“This latest dimension is aneye opener that we have to beextremely vigilant as the elec-tions approach,” he said.

The Chief Press Secretary toProf. Attahiru Jega, the INECchairman, Mr. Kayode Id-owu, said: “Investigation hascommenced and INEC hastaken all measures to makesure that what ever has beendone will not infringe on theauthentic voters register.”

From left: Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) Publicity Secretary Lai Mohammed, Bishop David Oyedepo, Chancellor, Landmark Uni-versity, Omu-Aran, Kwara State, the state’s ACN gubernatorial candidate, Mr. Mohammed Dele Belgore (SAN), and Hon Dele Isholaafter the dedication of the new university on its campus in Omu-Aran...yesterday. PHOTO: KOFOWOROLA BELO-OSAGIE

Olurin: I’ll probe Daniel

people’s choice”. He de-scribed Olurin as the court’snot the people’s candidate.

He also solicited supportfor his deputy, Alhaja Salim-ot Badru, and one of hiscommissioners, Prince Seg-un Adekoya, who are run-ning for House of Represen-tatives seats on the platformof the PPN.

But the governor, who isthe Southwest co-ordinatorof the Goodluck SamboCampaign Organisation,called on members of thePPN to vote for Jonathan inthe presidential election.Oodua Peoples Congress(OPC) Founder Dr FrederickFasehun was at the rally tosupport Daniel and the

Continued from page 1 Goodluck/ Sambo ticket.Isiaka said posterity had

programmed him for the ser-vice of the citizens at this“critical moment in the histo-ry of Ogun state.”

Noting that PPN is the par-ty to beat in next month’s poll,Isiaka pledged to run a peo-ple-oriented administrationanchored on four pillars –“growing the economy, pro-viding quality services,strengthening our people andsociety and energising ourgovernment and the polity”,if elected into office.

Speaking during a “Meetthe people” programme orga-nised by the Ogun State chap-ter of the Nigeria Labour Con-gress (NLC) in Abeokuta,Olurin said he would “exam-ine closely” the finances of theDaniel administration to as-certain whether the hugedebt incurred by the state fol-lowed due process in the lasteight years.

He said he had observedthat the state’s debt profile isnot only a subject of contro-versy between the governorand members of the House ofAssembly, but also becausethe interest of Ogun peoplewill be better served, if theyknow how much the stateowes and whether the debtwas judiciously incurred.

Finance Commissioner MrKehinde Shogunle had stat-ed that the state’s debt pro-file as at late 2009 stood atN21bn.

Represented by his run-ning mate Mr Tunde Ola-dunjoye, Olurin said his mo-tive was “not to witch–huntanybody”.

His words: “We are not af-ter anybody. We will notwitch-hunt anybody. Whatyou and I know is that if youmove into a new house, evenif the house is painted, youmay want to apply your ownpaint. It is very natural foryou to look at it closely.

“And don’t forget, therehas been an issue of contro-versy and doubt over howmuch Ogun State owes, espe-cially between the House ofAssembly and the presentgovernor. So, it is just natu-ral that when we take over,we will ask questions be-cause Ogun state wants toknow.”

Olurin has faulted the in-clusion of Isiaka’s name inthe list of candidates releasedby the Independent Nation-al Electoral Commission(INEC).

He said the process may bechallenged in court.

According to a statementby the Head of the MediaCommittee, Olurin Cam-paign Organisation, Mr. LaiLabode, Isiaka’s name was“smuggled into the listthrough the back door”.

Said Olurin: “We are con-cerned at the way and man-ner his name was smuggledinto the list through the back-door. It is clear to all that thedeadline for the withdrawaland substitution of candi-dates was

February 28, 2011.“So, the questions that all

men of good conscienceshould ask are: At what pointdid Isiaka become a candi-date of the Peoples Party ofNigeria (PPN)? Was it beforeor after the judgment? Whatwould have happened hadthe court declared him thecandidate of the PDP? Whatis the role of INEC in all ofthese?”


NEWS

3

there Sunday. At least 70 vehicles— including armored personnelcarriers and tanks — were de-stroyed.

British military spokesman Maj.Gen. John Lorimer Monday dis-missed the Libyan announcement.

“Although a Libyan cease-firewas announced again there hasbeen no evidence to suggest therehas been a change in their stance,”he said.

Gaddafi’s whereabouts unknown afterallied forces’ strike on compoundTHE heart of Muammar

Gaddafi’s compound in Tri-poli lay in shambles yester-

day following bombing by theUnited States and its allies, prompt-ing a debate about whether the al-lies were trying to kill the Libyanleader.

U.S. Vice Adm. Bill Gortney saidneither Gaddafi nor his residencehad been targeted. “We are notgoing after Gadhafi,” he told re-porters at the Pentagon. Askedabout reports of smoke rising fromthe area of the Libyan leader’s pal-ace, Gortney said, “We are not tar-geting his residence.”

The British called off a secondbombing run targeting the com-pound for fear of hitting civilians,a Ministry of Defence spokesmantold CNN yesterday, declining tobe named in line with British tra-dition.

The ministry said earlier thatRoyal Air Force GR4 Tornadoeswere told not to launch weaponsafter “information came to lightthat identified a number of civil-ians within the intended targetarea.” At the time it did not iden-tify the target of the aborted mis-sion.

Gaddafi’s whereabouts — and hisplans after promising a “long-drawn war” — remained unknownyesterday.

The U.S. military mission inLibya may have peaked, spokes-man Vince Crowley said yester-day.

“We are moving from the actionphase to a patrolling phase,” saidCrowley, a spokesman for themilitary’s Africa Command. “Ouraircraft participation has... pla-teaued, if not reduced somewhat.”

A witness in the Libyan city ofMisrata reported “absolute de-struction and carnage” by Gaddafiforces on Monday — despite theregime’s recent call for a cease-fire.

“Misrata is being flattened andrazed to the ground as we speak,”said the man, whom CNN is notnaming to protect his safety. “He(Gaddafi) is using tanks and snip-ers to terrorize the city.”

The man added, “They are shoot-ing people in the main street andon the back street.”

The Libyan military announcedthe cease-fire after an attack nearBenghazi — the heart of the Libyanopposition forces. Coalition forcespounded a Libyan military convoy

Of the 185, 10 of them were children. The rest were adults.About 128 Nigerians returned on March 10, aboard the same Air Malta

flight.According to the spokesman of National Emergency Management

Agency (NEMA) Yishau Shuaibu, the returnees comprise men, number-ing over 92, while the rest were women.

Shuaibu said 170 Nigerians were being expected but only 128 made the jour-ney.

A fortnight ago, about 128 Nigerians were also evacuated.

185 stranded Nigerians arrive in LagosBy Kelvin Osa- Okunbor

respect. I also think that it is un-wise to set as specific goals thingsthat you may or may not be able toachieve.”

The Security Council resolution,which passed Thursday, allowsmember states “to take all neces-sary measures to protect civiliansunder threat of attack in the coun-try ... while excluding a foreign oc-cupation force of any form on anypart of Libyan territory.”

Gates did not mention Libya inSt. Petersburg, Russia, during hisappearance Monday with Russianmilitary officials. Russia has beencritical of the air bombardment ofLibya.

CNN’s Nic Robertson was

by Libyan officials to survey thedestruction.

Robertson reported a four-storybuilding was heavily damaged. Heheld a chunk of metal retrievedfrom the site — with writing inEnglish — that appeared to befrom a cruise missile.

A Libyan government officialsaid the building had been used byGadhafi officials and said therewere no casualties from the strike.

The building is about 100 yardsfrom a statue of a golden fist crush-ing a model plane emblazonedwith “USA” — a monument to the1986 American bombing of Libyain which a U.S. plane was shotdown.

a m o n gs e v e r a lW e s t e r njournaliststaken in-s i d eGaddafi ’sb o m b e dcompound

Asked about the possibility oftrying to kill Gaddafi to end hisregime, U.S. Secretary of DefenseRobert Gates said it would be “un-wise” to set specific goals.

I think that it’s important that weoperate within the mandate of theU.N. Security Council resolution,”Gates told reporters Sunday whileon a plane to Russia. “If we startadding additional objectives, thenI think we create a problem in that

EFCC recovers $9b in three years•Waziri advises developed nations on looted funds

countries to stop serving as safe havensfor looted funds from developing nations.

She said the commission had recoveredover $9billion in three years.

She also called for more global actionsagainst the scourge of money launderingacross the world.

According to a statement by FemiBabafemi, Head of Media and Publicity ofthe EFCC, Mrs. Waziri made the call atthe weekend at a conference againstmoney laundering and economic crimein London.

Mrs Waziri, who presided over the threesessions of the conference explained in thepaper she presented that the Nigerian gov-ernment has continued to take steps toaddress the menace of money launderingthrough “a comprehensive AML/FC re-gime that encapsulates legal framework,regulatory framework, and institutionalframework as well as domestic and inter-national cooperation.”

She said: “I agree with the UN whichsays that around $148 billion is stolen fromAfrica by the political leaders, the busi-ness elite and civil servants with the collu-sion and connivance of banking industriesin Europe and North America.”

From Yusuf Alli, Managing Editor,Northern Operation.E CONOMIC and Financial Crimes

Commission chair Mrs. FaridaWaziri, has advised developed

“This tells us that both the developingeconomies, who are the victims of this men-ace in terms of losing their resources throughcorrupt leaders and getting stigmatised as aresult of negative publicity, as well as thedeveloped economies which provide safehavens for these looted funds, have to domuch more in term of waging a dispassion-ate war against the scourge of money laun-dering.”

She said the EFCC had recovered over$9billion in three years from looters of pub-lic funds.

The EFCC boss also disclosed that in thepast two and a half years, she has introducedseveral preventive measures such as sus-tained public awareness campaigns throughthe Anti-Corruption Revolution; BudgetTracking; Transactions Clearing Platform,TCP; Foreign Remittance Monitoring.

She explained that the detection and en-forcement approaches had also been en-hanced through relevant legal frame workssuch as the recent passage of the amendedAnti-Money Laundering and Anti-TerrorismActs; Sustained intelligence gathering onPolitically Exposed Persons, PEPS; Prosecu-tion of cases as well as conviction, recover-ies and confiscation regime.

She added: “It was a combination of allthese efforts that have led to the recovery ofover $9 billion USD in less than three years;a conviction record of over 150; 1500 casescharged to court including over 60 high pro-file ones within the same period.

“The EFCC will continue to work withother stakeholders to stamp out the men-ace.

“Between 2005 and October 2010 the Com-mission through the Financial IntelligenceUnit, FIU received 5,063 Suspicious Trans-action Reports, STRs and a total of 46,507,704Currency Transaction Reports within thesame period, adding that more of such re-ports are daily analysed by operatives tocurb money laundering.

Other speakers at the conference praisedthe commitment of the EFCC to the waragainst graft in Nigeria and called for closerties across the borders.

Those who delivered papers at the confer-ence include: Phillip Hacket QC of ArgentChambers, UK; Daren Allen of BerwinLeighton Praisner LLP; Zia Ullah, formerGroup Head of Sanctions and Policy atBarclays Bank; Emma Oettinger of Law So-ciety England and Wales; Dr GbengaOduntan of University of Kent, UK; ChrisChukwu of CBN; Tonye Cole of SaharaGroup; Yemi Johnson of Openspaces Com-pliance, UK among others.

•People mill around Gaddafi’s residence after a missile totally destroyed an administrative building in the Libyan leader’s complex inTripoli…yesterday. PHOTO: AFP

ABOUT 185 stranded Nigerians were at the weekend evacuated from Libya.The returnees arrived in Lagos on Sunday night aboard an Air Maltaflight.


NEWS

was committed before its Ad-ministrator, Justice Umaru Eri(rtd) came into office, the In-stitute has said.The fraud is being probed bythe Independent CorruptPractices and Other RelatedOffences Commission (ICPC).

The NJI made the clarifica-tion in a statement in Abujaby its Head of Information,Mr. Madu Emezie.

Emezie said: “ TheN6billion fraud investigationis the figment of the imagina-tion of the former secretaryof the institute, Mrs. Bolatito

‘Alleged N6b fraud in NJI committed before judge’s tenure’

“The contract was awardedbefore the constitution of thecurrent management of theinstitute. There was already acase of financial misconductlevelled against the institutebefore the coming of Justice

Eri. This was the reason Eri, aretired Chief Judge, was ap-pointed to come to reform andre-position the outfit.

“The Justice Eri – led man-agement caused the allegationagainst the former manage-ment to be investigated. Theresult was the termination ofthe appointment of some cul-pable staff.

“However, a few of themremained in NJI, until furtherinvestigations revealed theiridentities.

“Those identified also hadtheir appointments terminated.These are the people, led by theformer secretary, Mrs. BolatitoAJibade, who are now work-

ing hard to discredit the insti-tute,” he revealed.

Emezie queried ICPC’sprobe of alleged N6billionfraud “ when only N4.6billionwas approved.”

“And mind you, if N6billionwas squandered, it means theworth of the contract shouldhave been at least three timesthat amount for you to be ableto steal so much,” he added.

Emezie also clarified thatthe Administrator “neversponsored any of his childrenabroad with NJI’s funds.

He said: “Only two peoplehad ever been sponsoredabroad by NJI, and they were

not Justice Eri’s children. Theywere the secretary, Body ofBenchers, who was sent on aworkshop to London in 2008and the then president ofCommonwealth Magistratesand Judges Association,CMJA, who attended a con-ference of the CMJA in Turksand Calicos. These were notJustice Eri’s children.

“In fact, Justice Eri caused arevenue account to be opened,which had two accounts:Contractor Registration Feesand the NJI workshop fees.These records and cash booksand others are available forany one to cross-check,” hesaid.

T HE alleged N6billionfraud in the NationalJudicial Institute (NJI)

From Yusuf Alli, ManagingEditor, Northern Operation

Ajibade, the alleged peti-tioner, whose appointmentwas terminated along with 34others as a result of their in-volvement in the allegedgraft matter.

“The contract for the devel-opment of the NJI wasawarded by the Federal Ten-ders Board in 2002, when thecurrent administrator wasstill the Chief Judge of KogiState. The contract’s worth wasN4.6billion and certificates ofpayment made by the NJIwere awarded by the FederalJudicial due process office.

yesterday said it has begunthe trial of a United States-based Nigerian Lawyer,Ephraim Emeka Ugwuonye,for alleged diversion of$1.550million tax refund inrespect of the sales of fivehouses belonging to NigerianMission in Washington DC .

Ugwuonye was arraignedbefore an FCT High Courton a one-count chargebordering on fraud.

A statement by the Headof Media and Publicity ofthe EFCC, Mr. FemiBabafemi, said: “Ugwounyewas arraigned yesterdaybefore Justice SuleimanBelgore for defrauding theFederal Government of$1.550m.

“His arraignment fol-lowed the leave sought bythe EFCC through its coun-sel, Festus Keyamo, to filecriminal charges againsthim.”

EFCC arraignslawyer overtax scandal

TFrom Yusuf Alli, ManagingEditor, Northern Operation

HE Economic andFinancial CrimesCommission (EFCC)

‘The N6billionfraud investiga-tion is the fig-ment of theimagination ofthe former secre-tary of the insti-tute.’

Crimes Commission (EFCC), MrDavies Ibrahim, allegedly forged theagency’s documents to perpetratefraud.

Ibrahim, an administrative officerwith EFCC, is standing trial withSomorin Olusegun, a G.S.M re-pairer, before Justice JosephOyewole for allegedly defraudinga policewoman.

At the resumed hearing yesterday,

Court told how EFCC official ‘forged documents’ to defraudBy Joseph JibuezeAN Ikeja High Court, yester-

day heard how an official ofthe Economic and Financial the EFCC witness, Mr Efa Okim, told

the court that EFCC sent some docu-ments found in the possession of theaccused to handwriting analysts forverification.

EFCC also wrote to some banks andtelecommunication firms to ascertain ifIbrahim was indeed involved in the al-leged fraud, Okim said.

His words: “We needed to ascertainhis involvement because he is one ofour staff, despite the fact that he hadalready confessed to the crime volun-

tarily.“So, we sent the documents to hand-

writing analysts because they were of-ficial documents which had minuteson them, but which have not passedthrough official channels.”

The witness added that the EFCCtook a sample of Ibrahim’s handwrit-ing, which was sent to the analysts forcomparison.

Okim said they discovered that theywere his forged handwriting.

Ibrahim and Olusegun are facing aseven-count charge, which includesconspiracy to obtain money by false

pretence, forgery and tendering of falsedocuments.

The duo pleaded not guilty to thecharges during their arraignment.

EFCC alleged that the accused withothers still at large obtained N55, 000from Mrs Augusta Eleshin on August16, 2008 .

They collected the money fromEleshin under the pretence that it wouldbe used to compromise the investiga-tion of a petition purportedly writtenagainst her husband, Saka Odofin, theEFCC alleged.

Sector (OPS) ofgovernment’s readiness toaddress the infrastructuralproblems in the country.

The President promised toprovide various incentives.He said government wouldalso look into multipletaxation.

He said a national taxpolicy will be announcedwithin two weeks.

Addressing the OPS inLagos, Jonathan said govern-ment is aware of all thevarious problems facing theOPS. He said basic infra-structure will be provided.

Minister of FinanceOlusegun Agangasaid multiple taxation isvery critical to the develop-ment of the economy, hencea national tax policy will beestablished in two weeks.

President of ManufacturersAssociation of Nigeria(MAN), Mr Kola Jamodusaid issues such as multipletaxation, decay in infrastruc-ture and policy inconsis-tency should be looked into.Those in attendance includedrepresentatives of MAN,NECA, LCCI, NACCIMA,among others.

Fed Govt toannounce newtax policy

P RESIDENT GoodluckJonathan has assuredthe Organised Private

890 to contestsenatorial seats

By Bolade Omonijo, GroupPolitical EditorT

yesterday released the listof candidates contesting the109 seats in the senate. Thelist posted on thecommission’s websiteshowed that 877 candidatespassed the test at the closeof nomination and substi-tution on February 14.

In Ogun State where thelisting of Mr. GboyegaNasir Isiaka as governor-ship candidate of thePeoples Party of Nigeria(PPN), the senatorial candi-dates were named as WaliuTaiwo for the West, Mon-day Ijaduoye for the Cen-tral and Prince AbiodunOdusanya for the East.

Sokoto State has 44 can-didates, the highest in the36 states and the FederalCapital Territory; 41 inOgun and 36 in Anambraand Zamfara States.

Yobe, Gombe, Cross Riverand Jigawa are fielding theleast number of candidates.Only 10 candidates are con-testing on the platform offour political parties in YobeState. Three, the Congress forProgressive Change, CPC;Peoples Democratic Party,PDP; and the ruling All Ni-geria Peoples Party, ANPP inthe East and West senatorialdistricts, while NationalConscience Party, NCP, alsohas a candidate in the North.

Gombe has 13 candidates,including the outgoing gov-ernor Alhaji Danjuma Goje,while 14 candidates are con-testing in each of Anambraand Jigawa States.

Other former and servingelected governors on the listinclude Boni Haruna(Adamawa North) Orji Kalu(Abia North), Chimaroke

Nnamani (Enugu West),Saminu Turaki (BenueNorth West), Kabiru Gaya(Kano South), IsiakaAdeleke (Osun West) andOlusegun Agagu (OndoSouth).

Others are Joshua Dariye(Plateau Central), AhmedMakarfi (Kaduna North),Adamu Aliero (Kebbi Cen-tral), Olagunsoye Oyinlola(Osun Central), AyodeleFayose (Ekiti Central),Achike Udenwa (Imo West),Bukar Abba Ibrahim (YobeEast), Ali Modu Sheriff(Borno Central) and JollyNyame (Taraba North).

HE Independent Na-tional ElectoralCommission (INEC)

union and resume negotiation with government offi-cials in the interest of peace.

The appeal, which was made on behalf of the state gov-ernment by the Commissioner for Health, Alhaji LadiHassan became necessary in view of the strategic im-portance of the sector to the people.

Alhaji Hassan, who disclosed that government hadalready offered the union 40per cent of ConsolidatedHealth Salary Structure (CONHESS), given the prevail-ing economic situation in the country, also promised toreview same when the National Committee on Reviewof Revenue Allocation completes its assignment.

He therefore advised the health workers to followthe path of honour and resume work immediately attheir respective duty posts.

The Commissioner described the action of the unionleaders as unprofessional especially when negotiationon the matter is still on-going and advised them to sus-pend the industrial action immediately and go back tothe drawing board.

He assured that adequate security arrangements havebeen provided for all health facilities in the state as wellas security of lives and properties of those who wereprepared to resume work immediately.

Hassan however warned that the rule of no work nopay is still in force and will be invoked on any healthworker that fails to comply with government directives.

Kwara begs healthworkers to end strike

T HE Kwara State Government has appealed to thehealth workers and their union leaders to imme-diately suspend the strike embarked upon by the

•INEC chair Attahiru Jega

•ACN presidential candidate Mallam Nuhu Ribadu addressing the crowd at the presidential rally in Ado-Ekiti...yesterday. With him are from left AsiwajuBola Ahmed Tinubu, party chair Chief Bisi Akande, running-mate Fola Adeola, Governor Kayode Fayemi and Ekiti Central Senatorial candidate BabafemiOjudu PHOTO: TOYIN ANISULOWO


NEWS5

home of billionaire business-man Mr. Jimoh Ibrahim andkidnapped his 65-year-oldmother, Mrs. Mafe Ibrahim.

Police spokesman AremuAdeniran, who confirmed thedevelopment, told reportersin Akure, the Ondo State cap-ital, yesterday that the inci-dent was reported at Igbota-ko police station around11.30pm on Sunday.

It was gathered that the gun-men arrived at the one-storeybuilding in the outskirts oftown around 8pm, pretendingto be customers, who wantedto buy some locally mademats from her.

The guard on duty, Dona-tus Ekuma, said Mrs Ibrahimwas upstairs when the kid-nappers arrived.

Ekuma said: “Four of themcame in a vehicle. Two alight-ed and demanded to seemama. They claimed to be hercustomers and said they want-ed to buy some mats.

“I told them she was rest-ing upstairs, but they insistedon seeing her personally be-fore making their purchaseand I obliged them. Whenmama came out, they draggedher forcefully into their vehi-cle.

“I immediately raised thealarm, but the gunmen point-ed their guns at me and otherdomestic staff, ordering us tolie face-down.”

Sources said the kidnapperswere yet to demand any ran-som from the family.

Jimoh Ibrahim’s mum kidnapped in Ondo

From Damisi Ojo, Akure, BisiOladele, Ibadan, and Soji

Adeniyi, Osogbo

OUR unknown gun-men on Sunday stormedthe Igbotako country

It was learnt that Mrs Ibra-him left her phone at homeand does not know anynumber off-head.

Jimoh Ibrahim said: “I wasat a function in Omu Aran,Kwara State, when I got a textmessage of the incident inIgbotako. Even though it waslate at night, I informed tophierarchy of the Nigeria Police.

“Inspector-General ofPolice (IGP) Hafiz Ringimquickly responded byswinging into action. TheCommissioner of Police,Ondo State, was also kindenough to visit Igbotakowithin a short period of time.The police have commencedinvestigation and they aremaking useful progress.

“Ondo State GovernorOlusegun Mimiko made atelephone call to me yesterdayafternoon and promised towork with the police tounmask this gruesome crime,which is unacceptable in acivilised society.

“I thank the public andassure them that the Nigeriansecurity agencies are up to thetask. I am confident thatmama will return homesafely.

“The public is urged to note

that the police will publish thefull report of theirinvestigation. I will not beable to make further statementon this matter in order not toobstruct investigation. I’msure that God Almighty willgive us success in this matter.”

Osun State Governor RaufAregbesola decried Mrs Ibra-him’s abduction.

Aregbesola said her kidnapfurther raises questions on thedeplorable security situationin the country and urgedsecurity agencies to ensurethat she’s released safely.

A chieftain of the AccordParty (AP), Mr Julius Olaoye,was allegedly abducted at theweekend in Ibadan, the OyoState capital, by suspectedmembers of the National Un-ion of Road Transport Work-ers (NURTW).

Another member of the par-ty, Mr. Ajasa Balogun, and hiswife, Kehinde, were injured,while appealing to the hood-lums not to abduct Olaoye.

The incident reportedly oc-curred at an AP office in IyanaChurch at about 7pm on Sun-day.

A factional leader of theNURTW was said to have ledthe armed men to the scene ina Mercedes Benz jeep andwhisked Olaoye away to anunknown destination.

The AP House of Assemblycandidate in Lagelu Constit-uency, Mr. Temitope Olatoyin(a.k.a Sugar) told reportersyesterday that the case hadbeen reported at Monatanpolice station. He said theCommissioner of Police hadalso been petitioned.

Police spokesman OlatunjiAjimuda said he had not beenbriefed.

An Osogbo-based busi-nessman, Alhaji Raufu Olai-ya, was on Sunday eveningabducted by four gunmen.

Olaiya, a leading beer dis-tributor, was abductedaround 8.30pm, at a gas sta-tion located at Olaiya junc-tion.

A source said: “They werefour in number. Two of them,who were wearing army uni-forms, pretended to be drag-ging one of them in a fight,until they came close to Olai-ya. They suddenly let go ofthe man they appeared to befighting with and made forAlhaji, saying this is the man.They carried Alhaji like asmall boy into their jeep,where the driver was holdinga gun to scare people way.”

Olaiya’s daughter, Bolanle,said they had reported thecase to the police.

Police Commissioner Solo-mon Olusegun said he wasn’taware of the incident.

F

A(PDP) in Oyo State, Elder WoleOyelese, yesterday said Gov-ernor Adebayo Alao-Akala andhis predecessor, Senator Rashi-di Ladoja, do not deserve to re-turn to office.

Alao-Akala is the governor-ship candidate of the PDP andLadoja is the standardbearer ofthe Accord Party (AP).

In a statement in Ibadan, thestate capital, Oyelese, said theduo were corrupt and per-formed poorly in office.

He alleged that Alao-Akalaand Ladoja were responsible forthe state’s retrogression, urgingthem to shun do-or-die politics.

Alao-Akala, Ladoja too corrupt to return asgovernor, says Oyelese•’Oyelese is frustrated’

From Bisi Oladele, Ibadan

GOVERNORSHIP as-pirant of the PeoplesDemocratic Party

The statement reads: “I findit difficult to reconcile myselfwith the idea of a second termfor an administration with arecord of pedestrian perform-ance, monumental corruption,hypocrisy, indifference to egal-itarianism, a fire brigade ap-proach to issues, decadence ofunparalleled proportions anda complete failure to make OyoState excel.

“There is no moral justifica-tion for a thief to condemn a pickpocket. They are both guilty.

“I challenge Akala to waivehis immunity for one weekand walk freely on the streetsof Ibadan to see if the public ison his side.”

In a statement, Alao-Akala’sSpecial Adviser on Communi-cation, Prince Dotun Oyelade,said: “Oyelese has finally wok-en up to the grotesque realisa-tion that none of the three can-didates is good enough for Oyo

nationwide today.In a statement by its Managing Director/Editor-In-Chief, Mr.

Louis Odion, the management said National LIFE will continueto be strong on in its reporting, analyses and commentaries.

The statement reads: “In its almost three years of operations,National LIFE, one of the rare genres of vanishing tabloid news-papers in this country, has been unique in its underscore ofhuman-angle stories, entertainment and politics.

“These are our core drive areas as we place human beingsand humanity at the helm of our operations. In our reneweddrive to serve the people better on these triangular core areas,the newspaper will even be more resilient in the underscore ofthese areas.

“The newspaper, which is simultaneously printed in threeparts of the country-Lagos, Port Harcourt and Abuja, affordsadvertisers and readers an opportunity to read fresh news inall parts of the country on a daily basis.

“One of National LIFE’s core strength is that it is being run byseasoned journalists, who have made their marks in the FourthEstate of the realm.

“The daily production of the newspaper would give the or-ganisation an opportunity to demonstrate to the reading pub-lic, our philosophy of putting people at the core of our opera-tions. We make no pretension to anything other than rigourand courage in pursuit of the truth.”

Explaining the modification of its old pay-off, ‘Heart of theMatter,’ to ‘The People Power,’ the management said it wasconsistent with its avowed commitment to the cause of thedowntrodden.

National LIFE now daily ATIONAL LIFE will hit the newsstand as a daily today.

The newspaper, which has been a bi-weekly, produc-ing on Saturdays and Sundays since July 2008, goesN •’I’ve confidence in police’

•Aregbesola challenges security agencies

State.“It is very strange that after los-

ing the PDP ticket, he has notthought it fit to forget the past andsupport his party. We still encour-age him to summon courage andjoin the victory train.”

Director-General of theLadoja Campaign Organisa-tion Adeolu Adeleke said:“Oyelese needs the sympathyof all, having failed in his bidto get the governorship ticketof the PDP.

“Oyelese had in the pastpraised Ladoja’s administra-tion. Therefore, his recent out-burst against Ladoja is as a re-sult of anger, disappointmentand frustration.”

rally at the Government Field in Ore, Odigbo Local GovernmentArea.

Addressing a mammoth crowd, Mimiko said the only thingthat could keep the rigging machine of the Peoples DemocraticParty (PDP) in check was the vigilance and resilience of thepeople during next month’s polls.

He said: “We promised four years ago to deliver the promisesof democracy in an unprecedented manner. The results arethere for all to see in the areas of health, education, markets,roads and other infrastructure, both in the urban and ruralareas.

“What has become obvious is that the PDP has no clue as tohow to win any vote, having squandered the last opportunity.They are only concerned with ways to rig elections and preventlawful votes in the state, having not made the most of theopportunity they had until they were voted out of office in2007.

“We know they are stockpiling arms and recruiting youthsto help them foment trouble. We also know they are trying tomove fake policemen into identified locations to intimidatethe people into apathy and submission.

“Their thinking is that if you are prevented from voting,they can inflate figures and announce fake results. So, you haveto prevent them, and the way to do so is to vote and wait to seethe result of your votes declared.”

Defend your votes,Mimiko urges electorate

From Damisi Ojo, Akure

NDO State Governor Olusegun Mimiko yesterdayurged the electorate to protect their votes.

He spoke during the Labour Party (LP) campaignO

•Ondo State Governor Olusegun Mimiko addressing a crowd of Labour Party (LP) supporters at the Government Field inOre...yesterday

an alliance with the ActionCongress of Nigeria (ACN) forthe purpose of winning nextmonth’s general elections.

Its National Chairman,Chief Michael Koleoso, calledon members of the party to votefor ACN candidates.

He ruled out any deal withthe Peoples Democratic Party(PDP), stressing that AD has notendorsed President GoodluckJonathan for the Presidency.

Koleoso, who has informedthe Chairman of the Independ-ent National Electoral Com-mission (INEC), Prof. AttahiruJega, about AD’s alliance withACN, denied a statement cred-ited to Senator Mojisoluwa Ak-infenwa that the party has en-dorsed Jonathan.

He said Akinfenwa was notmandated to speak on behalfof the party, adding that he isnot a member of the AD’s deci-sion-making organ.

Koleoso said INEC had re-jected the party’s move to fusewith the ACN, following its

By Emmanuel OladesuDeputy Political Editor

HE Alliance for De-mocracy (AD) yester-day said it has formedT

AD in alliance withACN, says Koleoso

•’We have not endorsed Jonathan for President’

convention in Lagos last year.He lamented that INEC’s

response to the fusion of ADwith ACN was communicat-ed to factional leaders of theparty, who had earlier beendisowned by the commission.

Koleoso said: “We acceptINEC’s position that fusionmay be impossible, but thatdoes not in anyway changethe leadership of the party. Wehave since opted to enter intoan alliance with the ACN, in-stead of fusion.

“We have ordered all ADaspirants and candidates torun on the platform of theACN. We did it before in 1999when the presidential candi-date of the AD, Chief OluFalae, ran on the platform ofthe then All Peoples Party(APP).

“We are ready, willing andable to cooperate with yourvisionary leadership as chair-man of INEC, but we standfor justice and rule of law inthe country.”

•Ibadan politician, Osogbo businessman abducted


NEWS

CAMPAIGN 2011

tour of the five local governments in his district.The campaign started in Ezeagu yesterday.Ekwremadu will visit Udi, Oji River, Awgu and Aninri.In Ezeagu, the candidate met with the executives of more

than 20 wards.Ekweremadu’s Media Adviser Paul Odenyi said the cam-

paigns were a follow-up to the rallies by the Senator and thegovernor in the zone.

Odenyi said: “ The Senator does not take for granted thegoodwill which he enjoys among his constituents.

‘’That is why he is meeting them at the ward level and giveopportunity to those who want to ask questions.

“We believe that the President’s campaign for one-man one-vote is a laudable project and that is why the Deputy SenatePresident is going from ward to ward.

‘’It is a victory carnival because the village will have seetheir candidate and connect with him directly.’’

The lawmaker representing Udi/Ezeagu in the House ofRepresentatives, Ogbuefi Ozomgbachi, were among thosewho accompanied the senator to Ezeagu.

Mr. Toby Okechukwu, candidate for Oji-River/Awgu/An-inri will join Ekweremadu on the visit to his constituency.

By Nneka Nwaneri

L

Fashola promises to turnMile 12-Ikorodu road to six lanes

geria (ACN) in Ikorodu.Fashola said: “PDP held a

meeting. They are afraid of elec-tions. They mobilised peoplefrom Oyo and Ogun states tocreate confusion in Ikorodu.

‘’They want to repeat thesame during elections. Let ourfathers and leaders be vigilant.We will resist them.

“On the day of election,thumb print the space whereyou see the broom. Give us thatone day and we will give youfour years of great and unquan-tifiable service.”

Party supporters from Ijede,Ipakodo, Owutu, Imota, Ibeshe,Isiwo, Odogiyan and and Ig-bogbo were hosted by PrinceAbiodun Ogunleye, AsiwajuOlorunfunmi Basorun, AsipaKaoli Olusanya, Olukoga andPrince Lanre Balogun.

State Chairman of the par-ty Otunba Dele Ajomale pre-sented flags to Alhaji Gben-ga Ashafa (Senate), MrsAbike Dabiri-Erewa (Houseof Representatives), Sunai

Agunbiade and Mrs Nos-mot Akinsola (House ofAssembly).

Defectors from the PDP,led by Olu Ogunborisa, aformer lawmaker, were ad-mitted into the ACN byAjomale.

The party chairman en-joined them to work for thesuccess of the party at thepolls.

Present at the campaign,which took place at the Iko-rodu Town Hall, were Fas-hola’s wife, Abimbola, Sen-ator Olorunnimbe Mamora,former Speaker of the Houseof Assembly, Joko Pelumi,Chief Adeseye Amingo, MrsToun Ajomale, Chief FunsoOlogunde, Kayode Opeifa,Mrs Folake Sokunbi-Kaloka-lo, Bolaji Sanusi and localparty leaders.

Fashola paid tribute to themonarch, the Ayangburen ofIkorodu, Oba Salau Oyefusi,and other eminent Ikoroduleaders, including the lateTOS Benson, Chief AdeniranOgunsanya, Chief BabatundeOgunsanya, Olukoga, Baso-

run and Ogunleye.He said they were credible

leaders.The governor hailed the

people for defying the sun tohear their leaders.

He said it was a demostra-tion that they were ready tosupport him and ACN at theelections.

Fashola appealed to theparty leaders and followers toput the acrimony behindthem and work for the inter-est of the party.

He listed his achievementsin Ikorodu as the building ofa High Court Complex, pro-vision of water, jetties, roadsand establishment of a driv-ers’ institute.

The governor said: “Thir-ty-one road projects are goingon. We have awarded Ibesheroad and Isawo and Isheriroads.

Fashola told the people toreject the PDP.

He said the PDP frustratedthe Independent Powerproject (IPP), which was host-ed by the division.

Fashola said PDP could notdo much for Nigerians be-cause it devoted 25 per cent ofthe budget to capital project.

rebuild the Mile 12-IkoroduRoad, if re-elected into officenext month.

He said commuters, whoavoid the Lagos-Ibadan Ex-pressway, use the road as analternative.

The governor said thishad put pressure on theroad.

Fashola said: ‘’There istoo much pressure on Mile12-Ikorodu road. When La-gos-Ibadan Expresswaypacked up, commuters shift-ed to this road.’’

He said: “We have com-pleted the design for theroad. It will be a six lane-road, with one line forBRT.”

Fashola urged the peopleof Ikorodu to be vigilant.

He said the Peoples Dem-ocratic Party (PDP) was al-legedly planning to mobi-lise thugs from Oyo andOgun states to disrupt theelections in Ikorodu.

The governor spoke at thecampaign rally organisedby leaders and members ofthe Action Congress of Ni-

By Emmanuel Oladesu,Deputy Political Editorand Miriam Ndikanwu

•Says PDP wants to cause violenceAGOS State GovernorBabatunde Fashola(SAN) has promised to

Ekweremadu beginsward-to-ward campaign

•Fashola, with ACN chieftains addressing party supporters in Ikorodu ...yesterday PHOTO: DAYO ADEWUNMI

LLam challenges Oyo Police boss over security

From Bode Durojaiye,Ogbomoso

haji Lam Adesina haswarned the Police Commis-sioner, Adisa Bolanta,against compromising secu-rity before, during and afternext month’s election.

Adesina gave the warningat a rally in Ogbomoso at theweekend.

The rally witnessed a hugecrowd, as people trooped outto declare their support forthe party’s governorship can-didate, Abiola Ajimobi.

The people carried soli-

EADER of the ActionCongress of Nigeria(ACN) in Oyo State Al-

darity placards, some of whichread: ‘’We want a change’’,‘’Enough of PDP’s token gov-ernance’’, ‘’Ajimobi, save oursouls from political thuggery,’’and ‘’No water, electricity andgood roads in Ogbomoso.’’

Policemen and other securi-ty agencies had a hectic timecontrolling the crowd.

At some communities inOgo-Oluwa and Surulere coun-cils, the people presented a cat-alogue of problems to the gov-ernorship candidate.

Ajimobi also visited tra-ditional rulers in the areas.

Lamalleged that the Peo-ples Democratic Party (PDP)had sown fake police uni-forms to be used during theelections.

He said: “We wish to tellthe Commissioner of Policeto be above aboard and liveup to expectation.

‘’We are law-abiding, butwill resist plans by the PDPto rig the elections.’’

The ACN leader appealedto parents to prevail on chil-dren not to allow themselvesto be used as thugs.

He said: “If the youths failto heed the warning, and goahead to wear the fake policeuniforms to cause mayhem,they will not remove the uni-forms again till they die. Wemean it.

‘’Anything can happen any-time. We have had enough ofpolitical robbery and won’ttolerate it this time around.”

Lam told the people that avote for ACN was a guaranteefor a better future.

He said the four cardinalprogrammes of the late ChiefObafemi Awolowo would beimplemented.

ship candidate Mrs PaulineTallen has decried the neglectof Jos East by successive gov-ernments.

She spoke during a cam-paign visit to the Ada Gwomof Afizere, Mr EmmanuelMagaji.

The candidate said the areahad remained backward fol-lowing “neglect and injustice.”

Mrs Tallen regrettedshameful that there was onlyone government secondaryschool in the council.

She said if elected, her ad-ministration would not ne-glect education of the youthsbecause it’s a major way toempower the people.”

Mrs Tallen deplored thecontinued closure of schoolsby the Jonah Jang administra-tion.

She said this had broughthardship to families.

The LP governorship can-didate said: “We shallconsultyou before any project is exe-

PLATEAU State DeputyGovernor and LabourParty (LP) governor-

DEPUTY Senate President and Peoples Democratic Par-ty (PDP) Senatorial candidate for Enugu West SenatorIke Ekweremadu has begun a ward-to-ward campaign

Tallen decries neglect of Jos Eastcuted in the area, becausewhat we may consider to beimportant, may not be whatyou want.

‘’We will work togetherfor the good of the council.’’

She said the restoration ofpeace in the state would beher priority, adding that nodevelopment couldtakeplace in a violent place.

The Ada Gwom ofAfizere assured the candi-date that his people wouldvote for her.

He said: “We have sufferedand are tired of people whopay lip service to our plights.

“A particular governor-ship candidate came here andpromised to give us a mortu-ary. I want to tell you thatpeople of Afizere have reject-ed his mortuary.”

Magaji said the area need-ed secondary schools, roads,water and health care facili-ties.

The monarch said: “Wehave tried others and theyfailed us. We believe you willsave us.”

T

THE NATION TUESDAY, MARCH 22, 2011 7

NEWS

CAMPAIGN 2011

•From left: Plateau State CPC Chairman, Alhaji Mubashiru Aliyu, Plateau CPC governorship candidate Mr Podar Johnson and Gen. Buhari...yesterday PHOTO: NAN

PDP accuses LP of planting bombs in JosTbour Party (LP) of master-minding the explosion thatrocked Jos, the Plateau Statecapital, on Sunday. PDP denied that it shelvedits governorship campaignrally scheduled for Bukuru,Jos-South, over the explosion.

PDP Deputy ChairmanMr Raymond Dabo claimedthe opposition was respon-sible for the explosions.

He urged the police toensure that the perpetratorswere prosecuted.

Dabo said: “Our opponentsare planting bombs every-where in Jos now; the aim isto scare people away fromvoting, but we urge our sup-

porters to remain calm.”Director of Publicity, Jang

Campaign Organisation MrJonathan Ishaku, said LPshould be investigated be-cause of its perceived vio-lence at campaign rallies.

Ishaku said: “Everywhereit goes to, you find it inflict-ing violence on the people.

‘’It is a violent party andsuch things cannot be be-yond it.

“The party perpetratedviolence in Mangu wherethey brought PDP bill-boards down, injured ourmembers and destroyedour office.

‘’But we have appealed

to our supporters to remainpeaceful because we are apeaceful party.”

Ishaku said the campaignrally was not put off becauseof the security situation.

The Publcity director said:“We shelved the campaigns topay our respect to the late Headof Plateau State Civil Service,Mr Satti Dakwak.’’

LP has denied the allegationsthat it was behind the blasts.

It accused the PDP of politi-cising the explosions to gainsympathy.

LP’s Director of Publicity MrSylvanus Namang told theNews Agency of Nigeria(NAN) that LP was not a vio-

lent party.Namang said: “PDP

knows that it has lost theelections. It is becomingdesperate by embarkingon diversionary tactics. Itis the PDP that is plantingthese bombs.

“Even the way PDP wenton air when the incident hap-pened was enough to createsuspicion.

‘’The state government re-sponded even before the po-lice said anything.

“Nigerians are no foolsand they know those behindthese bomb explosions. TheLP certainly cannot be be-hind such dastardly act.’’

Two people, who were al-legedly about to bomb achurch on Sunday, died whenthe bombs exploded in theirhands.

Special Task Force (STF)spokesman Capt. CharlesEkeocha, told NAN that an-other bomb explosion wasfoiled at the Mountain of Fireand Miracles Church on Sun-day.

Capt. Ekeocha said the twomen, who planted the bombs,came on a motorcycle and dis-appeared after dropping theexplosive.

Policemen stationed aroundthe church, he said, observedthe action and alerted the Anti-Bomb Squad, which rushed tothe scene and removed the de-vice.

HE Peoples Democrat-ic Party (PDP) yester-day accused the La-

AN in-law of Chief MikeOghiadomhe, the President’sChief of Staff, Mr JacobsonNasamu, has dumped thePeoples Democratic Party(PDP) for the ruling ActionCongress of Nigeria (ACN)in Edo State.

Nasamu, first cousin tothe wife of Oghiadomhe,led his supporters to theACN at a rally in Fugar,Etsako Central, on Sunday.

He hailed GovernorAdams Oshiomhole’sachievements in Etsako.

Nasamu urged defectedACN members to returnand join the governor indeveloping the state.

Oshiomhole said ACNwas peace-loving and urgedthe people to shun violence.

He warned that “anybodyplanning trouble will meeta strong force.”

Oshiomhole said: “Wewant progress, we wantdevelopment and I don’twant our people to be usedfor battle. We will insist ona free and fair electionbased on ‘One man, OneVote’. Anybody who isbuying weapons, tell themto bring their own chil-dren.”

Oghiadomhe’sin-law dumpsPDP for ACN

•Labour : it’s all lies •Ruling party shelves rally

said it has no plans to lobbythe Ogun State governorshipcandidate of the Peoples Par-ty of Nigeria (PPN), Gboye-ga Isiaka, to quit the race.

Olurin, in a statement yes-terday by his campaign or-

I’ve no plans to lobby Isiaka, says OlurinHE Chief AdetunjiOlurin Campaign Or-ganisation yesterday

ganisation, said he did notneed Isiaka’s support to be-come governor.

He said there was no at-tempt to pressure Isiaka toconcede the governorship tohim.

The statement reads:“Olurin has his machineryand he enjoys support, not

only among the Yewa-Aworipeople, but throughout thestate. He does not need anyopposition politician, least ofall, an opponent he has defeat-ed.

‘’They may both hail from thesame part of the state, butOlurin and Isiaka now belongto opposing parties.

‘’It is not true that Olurinand his supporters are inter-ested in closing ranks withIsiaka’s camp.

“We reiterate that no onehas, and no one will consid-er persuading Isiaka to ‘stepdown’ for Olurin.

“The position of theOlurin camp is that every

candidate for the governor-ship seat of the state shouldprepare and go to the pollsnext month to prove theirpopularity.

‘’We have no doubt thatOlurin and the Peoples Dem-ocratic Party (PDP) enjoy wideacceptability and will emergevictorious in the elections.”

THE presidential candidateof the Congress for Progres-sive Change (CPC) Gen.Muhammedu Buhari (rtd)has promised that he wouldenthrone true federalism ifelected next month.

He spoke at the GenUsman Hassan Katsina PoloField Jos.

He said: “My governmentwill ensure the principle oftrue federalism as enshrinedin the Constitution.

“Because I believe truefederalism will bring anend to the civil unrest wehave been witnessing inthe past 12 years ofdemocracy.

“True federalism willgive rise to the establish-ment of state police whereevery state governor willcontrol the police of hisstate.

‘’The Nigerian Policewill be answerable to thestate governors and therewill be police-communityrelations.

“I have come to addressmy supporters in Josalthough the securityattempted to frustrate myvisit to Plateau State.

“Having ruled the nationbefore as Head of State, Iknow more of the needs ofthe country than any of thecandidates on the presiden-tial race.”

Gen Buhari was accompa-nied by his running mate,Pastor Tunde Bakare.

The presidential candi-date said: “Change in thiscountry is inevitable,because the situation isalarming.

‘’Insecurity, hunger,cheating and criminalityhad become landmarks.

‘’The citizens of thiscountry have been left inthe hands of selfish andcorrupt leaders.”

Buharipromises truefederalism

From Yusufu Idegu andMarie Therese Peter, Jos

swept through Ekiti and Osunstates yesterday.

A huge crowd turned outin Ado-Ekiti and Osogbo toreceive the party’s presiden-tial candidate, Nuhu Ribadu,his running mate, Fola Adeo-la and other leaders of theparty.

The party’s National Chair-man Chief Bisi Akande, andNational leader Bola AhmedTinubu, addressed the crowdin Ado-Ekiti.

Tinubu described the Peo-ples Democratic Party (PDP)as the enemy of the people.

He urged them to sweepaway the ruling party dur-ing the elections.

The former Lagos Stategovernor urged the crowdto vote and defend theirvotes to ensure that theywere not ‘stolen’.

Ribadu promised a betterlife for the people.

The train of the ACNcampaign stormed Ado-Ekiti at about 3:55pm.

It comprises a richlyadorned Marcopolo Luxurybus and a convoy of about

50 cars.Also on the entourage were:

Chief Audu Ogbe, former na-tional chair of the PDP andChief Abiola Ajimobi, OyoState ACN governorship can-didate.

Present are Governor Kay-ode Fayemi and his wife, Bisi,Deputy Governor FunmiOlayinka, Senatorial andHouse of Representatives’ can-didates of the party

They were presented with theparty’s flags.

The space beside the NNPCmega station on Iworoko-UNAD road was filled as thou-sands of party faithful shoutedin joy to welcome the presi-

dential hopeful and his en-tourage.

They sang different famil-iar ACN tunes.

Morakinyo Adebayo, amember of the House ofAssembly representing IkoleConstituency I and FemiAdeleye, representing Ido-Osi Constituency II defectedto the ACN.

Thousands of membersand supporters trooped outyesterday to receive RibaduAdeola in Osogbo.

Despite the late arrival ofthe Ribadu campaign team,the ACN supporters waitedto receive the party’s presi-dential candidate.

The Ribadu campaign teammoved to Ekiti State by road.

Ribadu addressed his partysupporters in many commu-nities on his route to Ado-Eki-ti.

He drove to Ila, countryhome of Chief Akande.

Addressing party supportersat the Osogbo City Stadium,Governor Rauf Aregbesolapraised the people for theirpatience.

He urged them to vote forACN.

Senatorial candidates ProfSola Adeyeye, Mr MudashiruHussani and Jide Omow-orare were presented to thepeople.

ACN broom revolution sweeps across Ekiti, OsunT From Sulaiman

Salawudeen, Ado Ekitiand Suji Adeniyi, Osogbo

HE Broom Revolutionof the Action Congressof Nigeria (ACN)


NEWS

Man arrested over allegedAvestigation into the murderof his four-year old crippledson.

Ighohwo Ibo, who is fromOginibo in Warri South Lo-cal Government, allegedlypoisoned his son with Gam-alyn 20.

Commissioner of PoliceMamman Ibrahim Tsafemade this known yesterdayduring his maiden briefingin Asaba, the state capital.

Tsafe said Ibo confessed tothe crime and has beencharged to court.

crime was committed.“His cover was blown when

his wife returned and askedafter the boy. He could notgive any reason. She report-ed him to the police.”

The commissioner said thecommand had arrested 18persons for robbery, murder,kidnapping and vandalisa-tion of Power Holding Com-pany of Nigeria (PHCN) ca-bles.

According to him, items re-

MIDDLE-aged man isassisting the police inDelta State in their in-

He said: “Police investi-gation revealed that Ibogave his son Gamalyn 20because he claimed the boyhad become a burden tohim.

“He allegedly buried thecorpse near his bathroomwith the intention of con-cealing it from his wife,who was away when the

•The late Uwagbama

covered include 15 locallymade pistols, live cartridg-es, battle axe, and handsets.

Other items includecharms, bags, DVD players,cash and a Toyota Camrycar with registration EZ567 LSR.

He said some of the sus-pects had been charged tocourt , adding that investi-gation was still on goingin some cases.

Tsafe warned car owners,who have tinted glass to re-move them, as it was an of-fence under motor vehicles(prohibition of tinted glass)Decree 6 of 1991.

killing of sonFrom Okungbowa

Aiwerie, Asaba

ACN candidate escapes assassinationTEdo South, Senator EhigieUzamere, last weekend es-caped assassination when afour-man gang opened fire athis convoy.

His police orderly, SgtEkaeze Onyinchi, was killedand his driver, Mohammed,was wounded.

The incident occurred onZabayo Street off StadiumRoad in Benin.

One of the attackers was,however, killed while at-

driver in the hip.” “My orderly shot at them

and killed one but others es-caped. I was informed thismorning that the police havearrested others.

“My party believes in oneman, one vote and not one manone bullet. The killing in Ben-in is too much. Tensions arehigh. The primaries within theACN are over and we are onlythree senatorial candidates.

“The struggle of movingmy people out of mental slav-ery will continue. This is whatI believe in even if it cost me

HE Action Congressof Nigeria (ACN) sen-atorial candidate for tempting to retrieve Ony-

inchi’s gun.It was learnt that the com-

bined effort of the vigilancegroup in Ugbihoko villageand policemen led to thearrest of two others. Oneescaped.

Uzamere said: “We tookcover to identify where theshots were coming fromonly for me to discover thatmy orderly and driver hadbeen hit. My orderly wasshot in the chest and my

my life. I am not going tobe moved. We must get tothe promised land.”

The ACN Chairman, Tho-mas Okosun, condemnedthe incident. He said: “Weare not out to capture votes.We believe in serving thepeople. The people shouldcurse whoever wants to takethe blood of another person.The police should investi-gate the matter.”

Commissioner of PoliceDavid Omojola said the po-lice were on the trail of theattackers.

From Osagie Otabor, Benin

Tto the investigations into the re-cent bomb explosion in the state.

It said it acted in the best in-terest of justice and the securityof the people.

The opposition had througha statement by the Secretary-General of the Coalition of Ni-gerian Political Parties (CNPP),Chief Willy Ezeugwu, allegedthat the government was usingthe issue to muzzle the opposi-tion.

But, the Senior Special Assist-ant to Governor Sullivan Chimeon Media and Communications,Chukwudi Achife, dismissedthe claim as lacking in sub-stance.

He said the reaction of the op-position figures to their invita-tion by the police raises suspi-cion, regarding their innocence.

Achife dismissed insinuationsthat the government was behindthe bombings, saying that thosemaking the insinuations weremocking their intellect.

HE Enugu State Govern-ment has decried the re-action of the opposition

Enugu Govtreplies CNPP

From Chris Oji, Enugu

THE remains of ChiefBartimaeus Emenike Uwag-bama, father of Chief IkechiEmenike, will be interredon Saturday, March 26 atthe Uwagbama familycompound in Umukabia,Ohuhu Umuahia NorthLocal Governorment, AbiaState. He was 91.

The late Uwagbama wasa successful businessman,who specialised in automo-bile repair. He is survivedby his wife Helen; eightchildren and many grandchildren.

PRINCESS Rebecca UkiaroroAlufohai of Sabongida-Ora,Owan West Local Govern-ment of Edo State is dead. Shewas 101.

On Friday, there will be awake-keep at her residence,124 Obe Street, Sabongida-Ora.

Her remains will be in-terred the following day aftera service at the Cathedral ofSt. John, Sabongida-Ora.

She is survived by fivechildren, 24 grand childrenand 11 great grand childrenamong whom are Mr. G.PAlufohai, former Provost,College of Education, Igue-ben, Edo State; Dame V.O.Alufohai-Iruobe Principal,Uhonmora Secondary Com-mercial School, Uhonmora-Ora, Edo State, and Mr. A.JAlufohai, Managing Partner,Costec Consultants, Lagos.

Funeral forEmenike’s father

Womanpasses on

I’m under pressure to rig, says Anambra RECTProf. Chukwuemeka Onu-kogu, yesterday said he isunder pressure to compro-mise next month’s elections.

But he said he would notgive in to the demands of mis-chievous politicians.

Onukogu spoke in his of-fice in Awka, the state capi-tal. He said some politicianshad approached him withdemands to do their biddingduring the elections.

fer.“My refusal to do the bid-

ding of politicians has elicit-ed malicious reactions fromthem but no amount of black-mail can change my stance.”

Onukogu allayed the fearsof voters and parties over thediscrepancies in the voters’register.

He said his office has re-ceived software to correct anyshort coming, adding that noone will be disenfranchised.

The REC said “mischievouspoliticians”, who are hoping

HE Resident ElectoralCommissioner (REC)in Anambra State, The REC said his charac-

ter and commitment to hisjob cannot be sacrificed forany person or group.

He decried the antics ofpoliticians who he de-scribed as irresponsible,stating that they do not ad-here to nor respect the con-stitutions of their parties.

His words: “If politicianscannot put their houses inorder, I wonder the kind ofleadership they want to of-

to win through rigging,will be disappointed asthere cannot be a successfulrigging if the REC is notcommitted to rigging.

“It is impossible to rigelection in a state if the RECis not totally committed toit, so in Anambra it will beimpossible to rig because Iwill not change my zero tol-erance to electoral vices.”

He warned INEC work-ers and ad hoc staff againstany form of electoral mal-practice.

From Adimike George,Onitsha

•The judges taking their oaths...yesterday PHOTO:NAN

TSouth senatorial zone, PrinceNicholas Ukachukwu, hasthreatened to sue the Independ-ent National Electoral Com-mission (INEC) chairman, Prof.Attahiru Jega, if some “atroci-ties” are not corrected.

Ukachukwu said INEC sub-stituted his name with that ofDr. Andy Uba.

He said: “From where didAndy Uba’s name come into thelist? Who conducted the prima-ries that produced Andy Uba?All these things they did dur-ing the administration of ChiefOlusegun Obasanjo and gotaway with will not repeat them-selves again.

“PDP has written Jega to dothe right thing or be preparedto face contempt proceedings inthat respect. I’m assuring youthat if Jega fails to do the rightthing by correcting all theseatrocities within one week, herisks going to jail before theelection, we are ready.”

HE Peoples Democrat-ic Party (PDP) candi-date for Anambra

Candidateto sue JegaFrom Nwanosike Onu, Awka

yesterday inaugurated 110 ofthe 210 Election Tribunal Judg-es, in Abuja.

This was in accordance withthe provisions of Section 9 ofthe sixth schedule to the Con-stitution (Second AlterationAct), 2010.

They have the original andexclusive jurisidcition to hearand determine petitions relat-ing to National Assembly,House of Assembly and gover-norship elections in the 36 statesand the Federal Capital Terri-tory (FCT).

The CJN advised the judgesto guard against unscrupulouspersons who would try to cor-rupt, infuence and/or coerceyou into taking wrong deci-sions.

“This you must resist at allcost. You must act in accordancewith the dictates of the oathwhich you have just taken aswell as your good conscience”.

CJN inauguratesTribunal Judges

From KamarudeenOgundele, Abuja

T HE Chief Justice of Ni-geria (CJN), JusticeAloysius Katsina-Alu,


NEWS9

nie Okonkwo was attackedwith a matchete by a sus-pected hoodlum at the pop-ular Eke Awka market.

Also, the campaign trainof the former Governor ChrisNgige was stopped at themain market, Onitsha, yes-terday with four of his cam-paign vehicles destroyed.

Okonkwo is seeking re-election on the platform ofAccord Party.

Ngige is also gunning forthe same seat on the plat-form of Action Congress ofNigeria (ACN).

The state police com-mand through its PublicRelations OfficerEmekaChukwuemeka confirmedthe incidents yesterday.

Okonkwo described theincident as unfortunate andbarbaric.

He said: “I thought thatthis contest is going to be afree and fair one. I neverknew that some people aredesperate. Only God savedme in the hands of thosehoodlums.”

The Director-General ofAnnie Okonkwo Campaign

Political violencerises in Anambra

HE SENATOR repre-senting AnambraCentral Senator An-

Organisation, Martins Ig-bokwe said: “The tradersinvited Okonkwo to comeand address them at themarket because of the trans-former he gave them, havingbeen in the dark in the mar-ket for eight years andaround 10am when the sen-ator arrived and wanted tomount the podium, a manran towards him with abrand new matchete to stabhim. He was prevented bythe security people but theknife slightly touched thesenator who was bundledout of the place.

“Things got out of handwhen the boy wanted to killthe mobile police man, whoshot him in the leg.”

Some of the traders saidthe hoodlums were alleged-ly sponsored by the All Pro-gressives Grand Alliance(APGA).

However, the state chair-man of APGA, Chief MikeKwentoh denied the allega-tion.

He said:“APGA can nev-er attack anybody. We arenot violent. The allegation isnot true.”

Some thugs believed to be

T

Government Area yesterday,leaving seven people dead.

There was a fight in Farin-gada between Christiansand Hausa-Fulani settlers around Tomatoes Market.

Seven die in Jos violenceFrom Yusufu Aminu

Idegu and Marie TheresePeter, Jos

One Christian boy wasallegedly attacked and killedby suspected Hausa Muslimin Farin-Gada.

Some Christian youths in

ACN douses tension over Ekiti Central candidate

Bishop David Oyedepo yester-day said the country is poorbecause of lack of adequatemanpower. He spoke at thecommissioning of the Land-mark University Omu-Aran,Irepodun Local GovernmentArea of Kwara State.

The Chancellor of the Uni-versity, Bishop Oyedepo saidthe institution would place at-tention onagricultural revolu-tion.

He described as painful thefact that Nigeria still importsthe bulk of her food needs.

He said the University,which will commence academ-ic activities with over 1,000 stu-dents, would strive to producegraduates with the requiredman power to develop thecountry.

Oyedepo said: “Nigeria andsome other oil- rich nations arestill poor because they are na-tion of lack of capacity and abil-ity to form full capacity forwhat they have.This is the rea-son why private sector thrivesmore

than the public sector.”He added: “Universities are

supposed to be cooking potsof development.

In the next 10 years there willbe unprecedented develop-ment in Omu Aran area.

“With this University, Godis setting a stage for unstoppa-ble development in Omu Aranand Kwara State. Education isresponsible for nation’s attain-ment of independence. Allstrong nations today de-rivedtheir strength from trans-formational education.

Candidate, Chief (Mrs.)Oluremi Tinubu, oon, onMonday spoke in defence ofthe Lekki toll.

She said its import faroutweighs the hordes ofcomplaints trailing it andurge the concerned citizens togive the government sometime to work things out as thepresent state administrationhas been doing.

Tinubu’s wife appeals to residents over toll gatesThe Senatorial Candidate

met with residents of LekkiPhase 1 in an interactivesession as part of hercampaign train. Thegathering was marked withquality attendance of theresidents.

Responding to series ofposers by the residents on thetoll gate, Mrs. Tinubu said:“The toll gate was built byinvestors to generateinvestments through public-private partnership. And I am

sure that with time, therewould be rebate for frequentusers because the ACN is alistening party that is alsopoised to ensure the Lagos,and indeed, Nigeria isreinstated as a reference pointin the committee of Nationsin Africa and the world atlarge.

“We are seeing a situationin which Lagos State will soonbecome like the UnitedKingdom and even, theUnited States of America

•Okonkwo stabbed•Ngige’s vehicles destroyed

alleged roles in the judgment that removed former governorsOlagunsoye Oyinlola (Osun) and Segun Oni (Ekiti).

Joined as defendants in the case are the Attorney-General ofthe Federation (A-GF), National Judicial Council (NJC) and theFederal Judicial Service Commission (FJSC).

In a motion on notice filed by the party’s counsel, Mr. SegunIlori, the party wants the court to also restrain the AGF, NJCand the FJSC from admitting, recognizing or treating JusticeSalami as the President of the Court of Appeal pending thehearing and determination of the substantive case before thecourt.

The party wants the court to restrain Salami from performinghis function of office pending the hearing and determination ofthe case.

PDP claims Justice Salami is being investigated by the NJCfor over allegations of abuse of judicial powers in respect of itspetitions against him.

His continued exercise of powers, the party argued, mayprejudice the outcome of the investigation.

The party also said that Justice Salami is also beinginvestigated following a petition by 1000 registered voters ofIdo Osi Local Government Area in respect of abuse of power ofthe court, breach of fundamental rights of the voters.

It also alleged that Justice Salami is subject of investigationon his affinity and unethical communication with the leadersof the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), one of the partiesparticipating in the 2011 elections in April.

‘’His continued exercise of the power of his office in relationto setting up of election tribunal may be prejudicial to theinterest of other political parties and candidate for election’’,the party said.

In the originating summons, the plaintiff wants the court todeclare that Salami is not fit and proper person to continue toperform the functions of the President of the Court of Appealduring the pendency of the investigation.

*A declaration that the continuance of the performance of thefunctions of office of the President of the Court of Appeal,particularly as it relates to the setting up of Election Tribunal,supervision of justices of the Court of Appeal by the 1stdefendant will prejudice the rights, interest and obligations ofthe plaintiff and its members.

No date has been fixed for the hearing of the case.

members of the state govern-ment task force preventedNgige from addressing thetraders.

Ngige said the attack on

his convoy was terrible, add-ing that he was not aware ofthis point-and-kill politics inAnambra.

He said three of his vehi-

cles were destroyed, includ-ing two belonging to ACNsenatorial candidate in An-ambra North zone, Mrs. Jes-sie Balonwu.

IOLENCE eruptedin Farin Gada, JosNorth Local

the area protested the killingof their colleague.

Business activities wereparalysed, as people wereforced to remain indoors.Soldiers patrolled the area. y.

In a similar development,the men of the STF engagedthe youths of Jenta Adamu,

parts of Jos North localgovernment as the youthsattempted to disrupt thecampaign rally of GenMuhammed Buhari. Thoughno life was lost in theencounter, the STF membersarrested three of the youths.

V

CTION Congress ofNigeria (ACN), LagosCentral SenatorialA

PDP sues Salami overOni, Oyinlola’s removal

From: Kamarudeen Ogundele, AbujaHE Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Osun State hassued the President of the Court of Appeal, Justice Isa AyoSalami before a Federal High Court, Abuja, over hisT

Why Nigeria is poor,by OyedepoFrom Adekunle Jimoh, Ilorin

PRESIDENT, LivingFaith Church (a.k.aWinners Chapel),P

• Okonkwo at the police station...yesterday

This follows a court order obtained by Senator Bode Ola, tothe effect that he is the candidate of the party.

Party chairman in Ekiti State Mr. Jide Awe said last nightthat the party did not authorise Senator Ola to go to court. Hereaffirmed that the ACN candidate is Mr. Babafemi Ojudu.

Awe, who said the party decided its candidate long beforenow, said: “We were not notified of any court case up tillnow.”

He said his signature was forged in some of the documentspresented before the court.

“It’s all forgery, we have reported to the Police. We were notin anyway connected to this action, our candidate for the sen-atorial election is Babafemi Ojudu,” he said.

A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja yesterday said Ola isthe ACN candidate for the senatorial district.

Delivering Judgment in a suit Ola filed against the Inde-pendnet National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the ACN,Justice Abdul Kafarati said the only valid and authentic list ofnominated candidates of the ACN is that containing Ola’s name

From Kamarudeen Ogundele, Abuja

——a list Awe said never existed.He gave the declaration upon reading his Affidavit and after

hearing his lawyer, Mr. A. A. Williams.The Judge observed that the party did not file any counter

affidavit to the deposition of the Plaintiff.“That the order for declaration that based on the dictates of

Section 87 of the Electoral Act 2010, the second defendant (ACN)candidate for the Ekiti Central Senatorial district election to beheld on April, 2011 must be the person who secure majority ofthe votes cast in the indirect primaries conducted by the 2nddefendant for the Ekiti Central Senatorial District on January10,2011 is granted.

“That order for declaration that the only valid and authenticlist of nominated candidates of the second defendant for thegeneral election is that which bears the name of the plaintiff asthe 2nd defendant’s candidate for the Ekiti Central Senatorialdistrict is granted.

“That the 1st defendant is hereby ordered to recognise, screenand publish the name of the plaintiff as the authentic candidateof the second defendant for the general elections for the senatein Ekiti Central Senatorial District.

HE Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) yesterdaymoved to douse tension over its candidate for EkitiCentral Senatorial district.T

(USA); and even citizens ofthose countries will run toNigeria as some of our peoplehave been running to them.All we need to do to ensurethat we attain the Nigeria ofour collective prayers is tovote out the Peoples’Democratic Party (PDP) andvote in the ACN across theboard and with that in placewe shall have true federalism.From that point, everythingwill be harmonized andNigeria will surely work.”


NEWS10

ment Area of Lagos, havesaid they would not allowany elected office holders totrample on their rights.

The residents said at aTown Hall meeting thatthey would demand effectiveand accountable represen-tation from elected officers.

They were led by the pub-lisher of Vanguard , Mr. SamAmuka, Dr. Basirat Giwa,Mrs. Sola Adebule, IbironkeGbenle and Victor Mbama-lu.

The meeting was held atAnthony Village RecreationGround.

Of 14 candidates seekingelection into the Senate,House of Representativesand House of Assembly

from the council, nine werepresent at the meeting.

They are Mr. UchechukwuDonatus (ADC, Lagos Houseof Assembly), Mr. CourageGeorge (ADC, House of Rep-resentatives), Mr. AnuoluwapoAkerele (CPC, House of Rep-resentatives), Dayo Alebiosu(ACN, House of Representa-tives) and Mr. Olatunji Adesan-ya (CPC, Lagos House of As-sembly).

Others are AdedoyinAdeyemi (LP, House of Repre-sentatives), Mr. Lanre Ajose(PDP, Lagos House of Assem-bly), Prince Olusegun Ade-fioye (APGA, House of Repre-sentatives) and Abeeb Olayin-ka Mustapha (ANPP, LagosHouse of Assembly).

Amuka noted that AnthonyVillage had enlightened resi-dents, including the late ChiefGani Fawehinmi and Dr. Beko

Ransome-Kuti.He said: “The people we

elect to office should knowthat they can no longer takethe people who elected themto office for granted.

‘’They are supposed to beserving us. They are not ourmasters. And the messagefrom what you have heardfrom these people today is thatthey must be accountable tothe community.

‘’We take this quite serious.Our secretariat is here. We aregoing to demand from thosewe have elected, summonthem to attend to us from timeto time and, if they do not re-spond, we have access to news-papers, television and radioand we will let the peopleknow.”

The candidates said if elect-ed they would be responsbleto the people.

Lagos residents demandquality representation

RESIDENTS of AnthonyVillage, Ajao Estate inKosofe Local Govern- lion gallons

At a news conference to mark the World Water Day today,the corporation’s Group Managing Director Mr Shayo Hollo-way said the Corporation would meet the deficit by Decem-ber.

Holloway said: “The first phase of the plan is the comple-tion of 15 mini-water works, with five yet to be officially inau-gurated.

‘’The 15 mini-waterworks are in Ajangbadi, Ikorodu, “EpeAgric”, Meiran, Abule-Egba, Ikate, Mosan Okunola, Isheri-Oshun and Ajegunle.”

He said they were initially designed to have a five-kilome-tre reticulation to serve 500 houses.

The Corporation chief said they would be expanded tocover all houses in their respective locations.

He said the theme of this year’s Water Day: Water for Cit-ies: Responding to Urban Challenges, was designed to addressthe government’s response to the water needs of residents.

Holloway said: “The current water needs in Lagos today is500 million gallons per day, whereas we provide above 200million gallons, an almost 45 per cent deficit.

‘’But this deficit is being addressed with additional waterworks and the provision of an independent power project thathas stabilised the capacity of the Adiyan and Iju Water Workssince last year.”

He said Phase 2 of the Adiyan Water Works, which has beenapproved by Governor Babatunde Fashola would double the70 million gallons produced at Adiyan.

Corporation produces200m gallons of water

By Yinka Aderibigbe

HE Lagos State Water Corporation has said it produces200 million gallons of water daily. It said the daily water need in the state was 500 mil-T

President in next month’s elections.The delegates, led by former Presidential Political Adviser

and governor of Anambra State, Chief Chukwuemeka Ezeife,met with the factional leadership of Afenifere, the pan-Yorubasocio-political group, at the home of the late Senator AbrahamAdesanya.

The delegation, comprising members of the rested SouthernLeaders Forum, were in the ancient town to attend the funeralof Adesanya’s widow, Mrs Rosanna Aarinola Adesanya, whowas laid to rest at the weekend.

Sources said the President was worried over the popularityof the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) in the Southwest.

Besides, they said the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) wasin deep crisis in the region.

Except in Ondo State, where the Labour Party (LP) endorsedthe President for the election, other states have refused to yieldto appeals that the zone should get into mainstream politics,following past neglect by the Obasanjo Administration.

Ezeife’s group met with Pa Reuben Aregbesola, Chief SupoSonibare, Senator Mojisoluwa Akinfenwa, Senator Biyi Duro-jaye and other Afenifere chieftains.

Chief Ayo Adebanjo, a staunch critic of the PDP was said tohave deliberately avoided the President’s delegation.

A source said the representative of Asiwaju Bola Tinubu atthe funeral ceremony, Dr Leke Pitan, representative of Gover-nor Babatunde Fashola (SAN), Prof Dele Badejo, and Rev. TunjiAdebiyi, refused to attend the meeting, despite entreaties bythe delegation.

He said: “Senator Durojaye was caught unaware, but as anexperienced politician, he employed tact, reason and wisdom.he reluctantly attended the meeting, which was informal any-way.

‘’But he stood firm. Otunba Durojaye told Dr Ezeife that theSouthwest has made up its mind and that it is too late to strikeany deal whatsoever.

“People like Akinfenwa and Sonibare appeared keen, butthe delegation took the observation and remarks of SenatorDurojaye serious. The delegation promised to continue withconsultations in the Southwest”, the source said.

Jonathan’s men meetwith Afenifere

By Emmanuel Oladesu Deputy Political Editor

EMISSARIES from President Goodluck Jonathan have heldmeetings with selected Yoruba leaders at Ijebu-Igbo,Ogun State, to seek the support of the Southwest for the

Lawmaker for KosofeDayo Bush-Alebiosu distrib-uted a leaflet outlining 60projects he attracted to theconstituency in the last fouryears.

The residents condemnedthose who did not attend.

over 20,000 market men andwomen from the 433 majormarkets in the state to fea-ture in the state’s first mar-ket carnival.

The board’s Deputy Chair-man, Mrs. Folashade Tinu-bu-Ojo, said the carnival isexpected to hold on tomor-row and Thursday at the Po-lice College, Ikeja, Lagos.

20,000 traders for market carnivalBy Miriam Ndikanwu

Mrs. Tinubu-Ojo said Gov-ernor Babatunde Fashola willattend the programme.

He will be joined by hiswife, Emmanuella, Commis-sioner for Local Governmentand Chieftaincy Affairs Roti-mi Agunsoye; his counterpartsin Economic Planning andBudget and Women Affairs andPoverty Alleviation Ben Aka-bueze and Mrs. Adejoke Ore-

lope-Adefulire and the Chair-man of the State MarketBoard, Mama Abibatu Moga-ji.

Mrs. Tinubu-Ojo said: “Thecarnival, with the theme ‘TheRole of Market Operators inThe Development of LagosState, as a Mega City, willfeature road show from Ike-ja, through Surulere, Isoloand Oshodi, including inter-active sessions and exhibi-tion.”

AGOS State Market De-velopment Board hassaid it has mobilisedL

following a fire outbreak thatgutted a section of the Katsi-na Central Market.

Eye witnesses told theNews Agency of Nigeria(NAN) in Katsina that the fire,whose cause was yet to be es-tablished, started around 9am. and razed 30 second-hand clothes’ and shoes’shops.

A victim, Salisu Moham-med, told NAN that the fireallegedly started from a gen-erator repair shop.

Malam Ibrahim Abubakar,who also lost everything tothe inferno, praised the fireservice for their response.

He said their efforts pre-vented the fire from spread-ing to other parts of the mar-ket.

Fire guts marketROPERTY valued atmillions of naira weredestroyed on MondayP

I, Mrs. Abraham Folashade of Block5B Red Street, Jakande Estate, Isolo,Lagos notify the general public that Ihave applied to LSDPC for its consentto change ownership of Block 5B RedStreet, Jakande Estate, Isolo, Lagos,which was originally allocated toDeaconess Otedola Folake M. I havemade series of efforts to contactDeaconess Otedola Folake M. theassignor from whom I bought theproperty but all efforts to locate herproved abortive. I hereby indemnifythe Corporation against any futureclaims that may arise if my applicationis granted and undertakes to pay costof any dispute that may arise onsame. LSDPC, Deaconess OtedolaFolake M. and general public pleasetake note.

CHANGE OF OWNERSHIP

I, Mrs. Florence OlugbengaOmotehinwa of No. 85, AkereleStreet, Surulere, Lagos notify thegeneral public that I have applied toLSDPC for its consent to changeownership of No. 85, Akerele Street,Surulere, Lagos, which was originallyallocated to Edward Iwegbuna. Ihave made series of efforts tocontact Edward Iwegbuna theassignor from whom I bought theproperty but all efforts to locate himproved abortive. I hereby indemnifythe Corporation against any futureclaims that might arise if myapplication is granted and undertakesto pay cost of any dispute that mightarise on same. LSDPC, EdwardIwegbuna and general public pleasetake note.

CHANGE OF OWNERSHIP

WAREHOUSE (2 BAY)- OSHODI/ANTHONY

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The general public is hereby informed that the above named CHURCHhas applied to Corporate Affairs Commission, Abuja for registrationunder Part C of The Companies and Allied Matters Acts, 1990.BOARD OF TRUSTEES:1. PASTOR VICTOR KALUNTA IWUALA - GENERAL OVERSEER2. PASTOR EZENWANYI JANE ONYEABO - TREASURER3. SISTER MYRA ADAKU IWUALA - SECRETARY

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES:(a) To propagate the Gospel of Christ(b) To Establish churches to fulfill the propagation of the Gospel of the

Lord Jesus Christ(c) To establish, promote and organize prayer centres for the spread of

the Gospel of Jesus Christ worldwide.(d) To enhance deliverance by means of fasting and prayers, and to

promote the well-being of members.(e) To establish educational and health institutions.

Any objection to the registration should be forwarded to The Registrar-General, Corporate Affairs Commission, Plots 420, Tigris Crescent, offAguiyi Ironsi Street, Maitama, Abuja, within 28 days of this publication.

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11THE NATION TUESDAY, MARCH 22, 2011

12

POLITICSTUESDAY, MARCH 22, 2011

THE NATION

E-mail:- [email protected]

• From left: Sambo, President Jonathan and Shema at the Katsina presidential rally before the crash.

Sour moment for Jonathan in Katsina

IT was a frightening spectacle last Tuesday. Midway into President GoodluckJonathan’s campaign rally in Katsina,

protesting hoodlums popularly referred toas ‘Kauraye’ took over the arena, lootingcampaign platforms on which audiencestood.

While the chains of presidential andstate security agencies kept watching, theKauraye boys constituting the chunk ofPeople’s Democratic Party (PDP) youth sup-porters in the venue waited till midwayinto the president’s campaign, to pull downthe platforms made of irons and metals. As President Jonathan was descendingthe stair-case of the platform, the kaurayesstarted dismantling and looting metals,furniture and plastic chairs, while the secu-rity personnel watched the ugly scene thatturned out to be a national embarrassment.

Source informed The Nation that, thoughthe presidential team equally felt embar-rassed, they were forced to stomach the uglysight in the spirit of partisanship.

It was not a particularly joyous momentfor the president’s campaign train. Reason:Five persons including the Aide-De-Camp(ADC) to Governor Ibrahim Shehu Shemaof Katsina State, ASP Aminu Ibrahim, werekilled instantly when the governor’s con-voy was involved in an accident alongDaura road early on that day.

The accident which occurred in ZakaliyaVillage of Mashi local government councilalong Katsina-Daura Road around 9: 45 am,involved the governor’s official vehicle, ablack Land Rover Range Rover SUV and acommercial bus.

It was before the arrival of PresidentJonathan.

While Governor Ibrahim Shema was laterwith the presidential campaign team, theDeputy Governor, Bar. Surajo Danmari ledthe team to Dan Marna grave-yard wherethe remains of the ADC were interred.

Other dignitaries at the burial were in-cluded Secretary to the State Government,Head of Service of the state; state PDPChairman and some other governmentfunctionaries. The late Aminu Ibrahim whowas survived by two wives and seven chil-

dren was buried according to Islamic rites. The deceased who died at his prime age

of forty years old, was described by many asa big loss to the Katsina community for hisunparalleled humility, dedication to workand his unique relationship with others.

Earlier, President Jonathan promised hewould not fail Katsina people for support-ing him in the last primary election whichgave him and Namadi Sambo the presiden-tial ticket to contest this year’s general elec-tion to lead the country for the next four years.

Exuding sobriety, the president, in hisspeech, said his campaign would have beencoloured with singing and dancing, saying:“It is a very sad day for us; we mourn withthe family of the ADC, and we really havesympathy for the family and we pray thatAllah gives them the fortitude to bear theloss.”

He thanked the Katsina PDP family fortheir votes for him and Sambo during PDPprimaries in which they won clearly to be-come flag bearers in 2011 presidential elec-tion coming up in April this year. “I will notdisappoint you; we will work with you. Whatthe late president Umar Yar’adua would havedone for Katsina people, we will do for you,”he pledged.

The president, still in sober reflection, saidGod used so many people to bring him towhere he is today and the three principalpeople among them are; his former Gover-

nor Dipreye Alamieseigha, Chief OlusegunObasanjo and late President Umar MusaYar’Adua.

Unfortunately according to the President,Yar’Adua couldn’t complete his first four years,adding that owing to the development, hecould not execute his robust plans for Nigeriaas exemplified in his Seven Point Agendawhich included the issue of power, water andother things that would have been solved.

He promised to join hands with the stategovernor, the sons and daughters of Katsinato develop the state as he would develop otherparts of the country.

President Jonathan who also appreciatedGovernor Shema’s achievements in the statesaid he had commissioned some projects in-cluding a ring road, 250 tractors and the sta-dium under construction in the state.

The president also commended the lateYar’Adua family for their warm reception andfor always taking him as their son right fromthe time he was a vice president, a gesturewhich he said, had given him a sense of be-longing as a son of Katsina.

He said he had also been more challengedby the warm reception given him by the EmirsDaura and Katsina and the traditional titlegiven him by the former, which conferred onhim some rights as a son of Katsina. He there-fore promised that he would not disappointthe people of the state for the four years he

President GoodluckJonathan may not forgetin a hurry his experiencein Katsina when he tookhis campaign there. Be-sides a tragedy thatnearly marred the show,some irate Peoples Demo-cratic Party (PDP) youthsdid the unthinkable.ISAH IDRIS was there.

it was PDP thugs that attacked his convoy onhis way to a neighbouring town, Efon Alaaye.The younger Odebunmi alleged that the PDPdestroyed his campaign office in Aramoko Ekitiand other property.

Addressing newsmen in his community, theDeputy Speaker, who was alleged by the PDPto have masterminded the attack, said two carsin his convoy were marked by machete cutsand his cloth torn to shreds by the PDP thugs.

He alleged that his elder brother and a sena-torial candidate of the PDP in Ekiti Central Sena-torial District in the forthcoming election, Mr.Kayode Alufa allegedly blocked the road asearly as 9.30am in company of hired thugs andthreatened to deal with any ACN member thatcame their way.

Odebunmi disclosed: “My brother and his

PDP thugs did not only attack me and some of myloyalists, they went as far as Erinjiyan, Ipole,Ikogosi and other places within my constituencyand dealt with some of our members simply be-cause they had been rejected by the people fortheir lack-lustre performance in the last four years

“The PDP has been threatening my people inthe last two weeks, but I decided to handle thematter with maturity. It got to a stage that I had tolodge complaints at Aramoko Divisional PoliceStation. When my brother realised that his peoplewere going wrong, he had to call me andapologised personally over this threat

“How on earth could I have hired thugs to de-stroy my people and my town, where I had mytreasures? My children, wife, parents and man-sion were there, unlike my brother who has noteven a single block of house as a member of Housein that community.”

Ekiti deputy speaker recounts ordeal with thugsFrom Toyin Anisulowo, Ado-Ekiti

IT is perhaps no longer news that three persons were arrested by men of the Ekiti StatePolice Command in connection with the

clash that broke out in Aramoko in Ekiti WestLocal Government Area of the state. It occurredlast Wednesday between the loyalists of thePeoples Democratic Party (PDP) andtheir counterparts in Action Congress of Ni-geria

It was a crisis between the loyalists of twobrothers, Mr. Gbenga Odebunmi, an ACNmember and Deputy Speaker of the StateHouse of Assembly, and Hon. KehindeOdebunmi, a PDP chieftain and serving mem-ber of the House of Representatives who iseyeing the same seat in the April elections.

The Deputy Speaker exonerated himself inthe attack that disrupted the campaign rallyof his elder brother (Kehinde), claiming that • Odebunmi

and Sambo hope to lead the country. Sambo, also in sober mood, offered one-

minute prayer repose of the soul of thegovernor’s aides who died early hours ofthe day to rest in peace. He thanked thepresident for the federal university givento Katsina and assured the people of moredevelopment if voted into power for thenext four years.

Sambo also promised to establishschools for the Almajiris where they wouldhave both the modern and Arabic educa-tion and be relevant to themselves and thesociety.

The acting national chairman of People’sDemocratic Party, Alhaji Bello Halliru saidPresident Jonathan had taken over whatPresident Yar’adua promised to do forKatsina and the country in general.

Governor Shema who was just recover-ing from the shock of accident and the deathof his ADC prayed for the soul of the de-ceased for the brief moment he addressedthe crowd.

He added that Katsina was the home ofPDP with an overwhelming support butmust go out soliciting for people’s votesduring the general elections.

Governor Shema assured the presidentthat, out of over three million people whoregistered during the last registration exer-cise, 99.9 per cent would vote for PDP toachieve the desired victory.

POLITICS


A HOUSE that is dividedagainst itself cannot stand.That is the lot of the Peoples

Democratic Party (PDP) in DeltaState as preparations for the nextelections hot up.

Its rancorous primaries and lossof internal democracy are its alba-tross. Now, the pendulum of vic-tory seems to be swinging in thedirection of opposition parties.

Delta North Senatorial District isworst hit by the internal bickering.

The highest political office beingcontested by notable political ac-tors in the area is the senatorial seat.Leaders of the zone have resolvedto wait till 2015 before trying theirluck at the goverorship race.

However, what will happen innext month’s election may be a pre-dictor of what is likely tohappenin 2015.

There are two camps working atcross purposes. The first camp isloyal to Governor EmmanuelUduaghan. Members of this cau-cus loath the way the party chair-man, Chief Peter Nwaoboshi, hasrun the party in the last four years.

On the other hand, another cau-cus is made up of aggrieved mem-bers who have either defected toother parties or continue to fight theinjustice from within.

In either situation, the oppositionparty, particularly the DemocraticPeoples’ Party (DPP), Action Con-gress of Nigeria(ACN),Justice Partyand Accord Party (AP), have be-come the major beneficiaries. Al-though some PDP members haveargued that the ruling party, whichwon the January 6, 2011 re-run elec-tion, is better placed to repeat thefeat, the path is laced with thorns.The DPP, one of the opposition par-ties, has not relented. Also, ACN isforging ahead with optimism.

Delta North, which has alwaysheld the balance of power in DeltaState, has often voted for PDP, butin the last six weeks, DPP is itch-ing to change the equation. hasbecome a formidable opposition,no thanks to DPP leaders, includ-ing Hon. Ned Nwoko, Dr. OlisehImegwu, Hon.Okoh Festus

Deputy Political Editor EMMANUEL OLADESU writes onthe battle of wits between the ruling Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) and opposition parties as Delta State warms up for thenext month’s elections.

PDP, DPP, ACN battlefor Delta North

• Nwoko

Chukwuyem, Chuks AustineEsogbue, Osi Okocha, Joe Utomi,Nwanze Oduah, Noye Philips,and Chike Ugwunmadu.

Ndokwa/Ukwuani Federal Con-stituency

During the re-run election,DPPwon in Ndokwa East, OshimiliSouth and Ukwuani local govern-ments. PDP won in Ndokwa West.Today, the picture has changed asDPP appears to have gained foot-hold in Ndokwa nation, with thelikes of Dr.Oliseh Imegwu andElder Chike Ugwumadu romNdokwa East joining the party.This has bolstered the support baseof Chief Fidelis Tilije, the deputygovernorship candidate of DPP,who is from Ukwuani local gov-ernment.

In Ndokwa East, Dr. OlisehImegwu, who was the Speaker ofDelta State House of Assembly, hasjoined DPP. He is now the Houseof Representatives candidate forNdokwa Ukwuani Constituency.Imegwu was removed from officeand suspended for complainingabout the marginalisation of hisarea.The people of Ndokwa latervent their anger on PDP at the re-run poll.

Imegwu and Tilijie are popularin the zone and they are thorns inthe flesh of the ruling party. Theyhave vowed to cut to sizes the in-fluence of the PDP.

However, the PDP still has astrong and effective structure inthe area a free and fair electionwill show which of the two isstronger.

Ika Federal ConstituencyThe PDP is vulnerable in Ika Fed-

eral Constituency. In this constitu-ency, the party is utterly divided.The gap between the governor andHon. Sam Obi, who acted as gover-nor for two months when he wasdethroned by the court, has wid-ened. A source said: “Prince SamObi is being queried seriously forthe actions he took while he acted.The people of Ika South are veryuncomfortable with such moves,which might lead to the impeach-

ment of Obi. This is the constitu-ency of Dr Cairo Ojugboh and Hon.Kingsley Noye Philips, who brieflydethroned the former Speaker,Hon. Martins Okonta of PDP. Bothmen are back to the trenches”

Eyes are on Dr. Ojugboh, who isfighting for personal survival,rather than the victory of DrOkowa. Sources said the camp ofOjugboh is uncomfortable with thepolitical ascendancy of Dr. Okowa.There is the suspicion that he isscheming to become a minister, ifPresident Goodluck Jonathanwins next month.

As Special Assistant to the Presi-dent on National Assembly Mat-ters, Dr. Ojugboh is still a commit-ted member of PDP, but he will notbe pre-disposed to giving his fullsupport to Dr. Okowa, said asource.. Another point hurtingPDPin Ika Federal constituency isthe imposition of Hon. Doris Obohon the people of the constituency.Thus the people see DPP and ACNas credible alternatives.

Aniocha /Oshimili Federal Con-stituency

During the re-run in January, PDPwon in three of the four local gov-ernment areas that make upAniocha Oshimili Constituency.But the party lost in Oshimili South,the seat of government. The mis-management of the ward, local gov-ernment and state congresses hasled to disenchantment against thePDP. Over the race for Delta StateHouse of Assembly, Osi Okocha ischallenging Victor Ochei, an engi-neer, in court. In Oshimili North,Hon. Emeka Nmadu is also in courtprotesting an alleged imposition ofPat Mozea, on the people. Conse-quently, Uche Ugeh and OsiOkocha are hoping to benefit fromvoters’ anger against PDP and itscandidate. The people of OshimiliNorth are known for their resist-ance to imposition of any candi-date on them. This is the local gov-ernment of Chief Peter Nwaoboshi,but political observers argue thatthe PDP party chairman is still un-happy that his ego was bruised atthe PDP primaries.

LAGOS East Action Congressof Nigeria (ACN) candidate,Alhaji Gbenga Ashafa, has re-

viewed the 12 years of PeoplesDemocratic Party (PDP) adminis-tration at the federal level, describ-ing the party as the problem of Ni-geria.

“The tsunami that is happeningin Japan is natural. The tsunami thatis killing Nigeria is PDP. They havedone it for 12 years and the masseshave not benefitted”, he told re-porters at a media session held byhis campaign organisation in La-gos.

Urging Nigerians to insist onchange in the next election, the 56-year old retired Permanent secre-tary said a vote for the ACN presi-dential candidate, Mallam NuhuRibadu, and his running mate, MrFola Adeola, is a vote for transfor-mational leadership.

“Ribadu will take Nigeria to its

By Emmanuel Oladesu,Deputy Political Editor

Ashafa: Nigerians are tired of PDP

In Aniocha North, the defectionof Prince Ned Nwoko into DPP haschanged the fortune of the party inthe area. This is due to his out-standing performance as a federallawmaker between 1999 and 2003where he sponsored 23 bills, in-cluding the New National Mini-mum Wage Bill and the EFCCbill. The rumbles that trailed re-turning of Engineer Victor Ocheiin Aniocha North is also anotherfactor hurting PDP in AniochaNorth. Aggrieved members haveeither gone to court or vowed tovote against imposition of can-didates by the PDP. This is anominous development for theparty.

Chief Nwanze Oduah who iscontesting the Oshimili Southseat in Delta State House of As-sembly said that “DPP has a firmgrip of eight of the nine local gov-ernment areas in Delta Northand that is not good for PDP”.

In Delta Central Senatorial Dis-trict where the deputy chairman,Chief Ighoyota Amori, was re-turned as the winner, there have

been massive protests and thismay work in favour of Chief PiusEhwerido, who is contesting on theticket of DPP. Chief Ogboru per-formed well in the Delta CentralSenatorial Zone in the last electionand the can be sustained, if DPPputs its house in order. But DPPhas to contend with the presenceof ACN, which has Obarisi OvieOmo- Agege as its flag bearer. Heis from comes Delta Central Dis-trict.

In the last election, DPP won inIsoko South, but now Isoko Northhas embraced DPP. In Delta SouthSenatorial District, Chief JamesManager remains favoured to re-turn to the Senate and Chief Solo-mon Ogba, who lost the Senateseat, may be compensated with aministerial nomination. Thingslook good for PDP in this region,but a close geo-political survey ofthe political development in DeltaState shows that PDP is vulnerablein 20 of the 25 local governmentareas in the state.

Waiting to reap from that vulner-ability are the opposition parties.

pride of place in the world”, Ashafaadded, assuring that he would im-plement the time-tested progres-sive programmes.

He expressed delight at the warmreception accorded to the presiden-tial flag bearer across the country,pointing out that ACN has suc-ceeded in enlarging its coast.

“ACN will clear the SouthwestStates. The party has excelled in La-gos, which is the mirror of Nigeria.Governor Fashola has built on thefoundation laid by Asiwaju BolaTinubu, a dogged fighter. ACNwill replicate these achievementsat the centre:, he added.

The candidate unfolded his visionfor the Lagos East District, promis-ing to engineer a legislative advo-cacy that would tackle power out-age, flooding, promote education,foster youth development and

boost employment.But, like other senatorial candi-

dates, he has not spoken on the agi-tation for special status for the statewithin the federation and the un-finished business of possible list-ing of the additional Local Coun-cil Development Areas (LCDAs),although these two challenges aregermane to the progress of Lagos.

The senatorial candidate said thatLagos East District deserved effec-tive representation which the out-going senator, Dr OlorunnimbeMamora, had offered for eightyears in the Upper Chamber.

“Having served in Lagos Statemeritoriously, I wish to serve in ahigher capacity. There is a revolu-tion in Nigeria. It has started in La-gos. It has moved to Edo, Ekiti andOsun. Ribadu and Adeola wouldconsummate it at the center.

“ I am happy to take over fromDr Mamora. He is the face of the

senate. We have been friends. Weserved together in 1979. I will im-prove on what he has done”,Ashafa said.

The technocrat-turned politicianrecalled that he had commissioneda research team to analyse the needsof the local governments constitut-ing the district.

He promised to encourage agri-cultural development by enhanc-ing the Agric Youth EmpowermentScheme through a collaborative ef-fort with the state government, cor-porate bodies and internationalagencies geared towards youthemployment.

Ashafa lamented the menace offlooding at Mile 12/Ikorodu area,promising to mobilise the federalgovernment to arrest the trend.

“Flooding is due to the law of na-ture. The Mile 12-Ikorodu entranceis below sea level. federal govern-ment should commit ecologicalfund to arrest the menace”, he said.• Ashafa

‘There are two camps working at cross purposes.The first camp is loyal to Governor EmmanuelUduaghan. Members of the caucus loath the way theparty chairman, Chief Peter Nwaoboshi, has run theparty in the last four years. On the other hand, an-other caucus is made up of aggrieved members whohave either defected to other parties or continue tofight the alleged injustice from within’

14 THE NATION TUESDAY, MARCH 22, 2011


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JUSTICE MohammedIdris of the FederalHigh Court, Lagos

yesterday suspendedjudgment in a suit bysacked Director-Generalof the Nigerian Stock Ex-change (NSE), Prof NdiOkereke-Onyuike, inview of the NSE’s requestto file defence in the case.

Okereke-Onyuike is bythe suit, contesting hersack last year, by the Se-curity and ExchangeCommission (SEC) alleg-edly in connection withthe then dwindling for-tune of the capital mar-ket.

Justice Idris told partiesyesterday that he in-tended to entertain anapplication by NSE, seek-ing to either be allowedto file a defence to thecase or that the plaintiffbe directed to reargue itscase.

The judge said he hadto abort his scheduledjudgment in the case ondiscovering the NSE’sapplication.

Lawyer to the NSE,Babatunde Irukera, latermoved the applicationand urged the court to ei-ther order that the plain-tiff should re-argue thecase, or that NSE shouldbe allowed to put in itsdefence to the suit.

O k e r e k e - O n y i u k e ’ slawyer, BodeOlanipekun, argued thatNSE’s motion was in-tended to arrest the judg-ment, and that it hadbeen overtaken by events.

He further stressed thatthe prayers sought byNSE could not be granteduntil an earlier proceed-ings of the court was setaside. He observed thatthere was no applicationto that effect.

He urged the court to dis-miss the motion and pro-ceed to deliver judgment.

Justice Idris consequentlyfixed April 4 for ruling onthe motion and possiblejudgment.

Okereke-Onyiuke is con-testing her removal on thegrounds that she was de-nied fair hearing and thatthe action was part of theelaborate design orches-trated by SEC to “humili-ate” her.

She urged the court toamong others, award N3billion damages againstSEC for her allleged “un-lawful removal.”

Okereke-Onyiuke:Courtsuspendsjudgment onNSE’s request

By Eric Ikhilae

N IGERIA is losingN153 billion ($1 billion) annually to soft-

ware licensing, delivery ser-vices and technical supportin Information and Commu-nication Technology (ICT), itwas revealed yesterday.

According to the Presidentof the Institute of SoftwarePractitioners of Nigeria(ISPON), Mr. Chris Uwaje,this is in addition to evidenceof colossal losses to banks, oilsector, and the government.This is due to inconsistentversion upgrade and pro-cesses leading to failed soft-ware products, project imple-mentation and services.

Uwaje spoke in Abuja when

‘Nigeria loses N153b yearly to software licensing’From Dele Anofi, Abuja

he led members of the insti-tute on a courtesy call on theExecutive Vice Chairman ofNigerian CommunicationsCommission (NCC), Dr Eu-gene Juwah where he la-mented that the state of ICT inthe country could not contrib-ute substantially to nationaldevelopment.

He listed unregulated stateof foreign software productsin Nigeria, non-existent na-tional policy and legislationon software, implementa-tion of e-government, e-edu-cation, tele-medicine andprotection of our cyberspacefor national security and sur-

vivability as other factorsconfronting the growth ofICT.

He said the visit was infurtherance of theinstitute’s national advo-cacy for the establishmentand adoption of nationalsoftware strategic policy.

Uwaje stressed the needfor collaboration betweenkey stakeholders on thecritical and challenging ICTissues in national develop-ment.

He said it was theinstitute’s “professionalopinion that our nation isfaced with a monumentalchallenge on how to struc-ture, configure and reposi-

tion Information and Com-munications Technology andespecially software Nigeria,as a prime industry for na-tion building, national secu-rity and global competitive-ness.”

According to him, to addressthese concerns, “there is fun-damental need to establish aninitiative to review existingICT policies, strategies and es-tablish as well as implementa National Software strategyand policy aimed at ensuringthat Nigeria will be able to sat-isfy its domestic, regional andinternational requirementsfor application software solu-tions, content developmentand usage.”

THE Chairman of theNigeria Extractive In-dustry Transparency

Initiative (NEITI), Prof. AssisiAsobe, yesterday urged theNigerian National Petro-leum Corporation (NNPC)to pay into the FederationAccount the remittances it iswithholding.

Speaking with newsmen inAbuja, Asobie said duringNEITI 2005 audit, it was dis-covered that NNPC owed theFederal GovernmentN640billion.

He claimed that whenNEITI questioned the debt,NNPC owed the FederalGovernment, the corpora-tion argued that it withheldthe money because the gov-ernment was owing it sub-sidy funds that was even over

the N640billion.He added that NEITI, how-

ever, urged the corporation tocomply with the standard ac-counting process by payingthe Federal Government andlater demanding for its sub-sidy money.

He said: “Let me give youone typical example that iscausing problem betweenNEITI and NNPC. We saidNNPC is owing the govern-ment N640 billion. That iswhat NEITI 2005 audit found.“But NNPC said no and weasked why ? They said be-cause the government is ow-ing us for subsidies or some-thing even greater than that.We said the governmentshould pay NNPC but NNPC

should not use the non-pay-ment of subsidy as a basis fornot paying the governmentwhat it owes. We don’t doaccounting that way. Wedon’t. If I owe you I pay andthen demand what I owe.”

Commenting on the auditreport, Asobie said: “If yougo to the 2005 audit report,and go back to 1999, it wouldbe discovered that theamount of money that wasgot from the oil sector alonewas over N16 trillion.

“But go and look at thegovernment budget from1999 to 2005, it will be dis-covered that the figure isclose to N16 trillion.

“He, however, raisedsome questions saying:“The question is whatabout VAT? What about in-

come tax. If this is what thegovernment is getting fromthe oil sector alone and thisis what the government isputting in the budget, youshould ask questions. Butwho is going to ask the ques-tions? It is not NEITI. It is thecivil society.”

He said NEITI is not atoothless bulldog as criticsclaim because the law that es-tablished it makes provisionfor sanction except that theorganisation cannot pros-ecute.

He said if an organisationor firm gives NEITI a falseinformation, the law pro-vides for action to be takenincluding the imprisonmentof the staff and it can recom-mend to the Federal Govern-ment to seal up an entity.

Pay Fed Govt’s N640bdebt, NEITI tells NNPC

• Asks civil society to question budgetFrom John Ofikhenua, Abuja

THE National Association of Nigerian Traders (NANTS) has de-

cried the spate of landacquisition by foreigngovernments and interests inNigeria and other develop-ing countries.

Relying on the UnitedNations report on this devel-opment, the President of theassociation, Mr. Ken Ukoaha,said the UN report stated that“74 million acres of farmlandin the developing worldwere acquired by foreigngovernments and the socalled foreign investors overthe first half of 2009, anamount that equal to half ofEurope’s farmland”.

Though he applauded thegovernment’s effort toinvest in agriculture, helamented the neglect ofsmall-scale farmers in thescheme of governmentpolicies for national agri-cultural growth. 2008 hesaid, witnessed “a trulyextraordinary number ofnegotiations on the part ofgovernments and privatefirms looking to sign agree-ments that would conferownership of, or long termleases on, land abroad”.

Ukoaha stated these at thevalidation workshop ofLand Grab study in Nigeriaand Its Effect on Small ScaleFarmers in Abuja, statingthat the focus of the work-shop was to see the adverseeffect of land grabs on smallscale farmers.

He noted that all the dealsresulted in signed contracts,stressing that while manywere still under negotia-tions, “others have fallenapart because of adversereactions in the countrieswhere the land is located orbecause the global financialcrisis has dried up availablecapital.”

Traders lamentfarm landsacquisition byforeignInvestors

From: Franca Ochigbo,Abuja

• Mr. Keith Richard, Managing Director and Mr Kachi Onubogu, General Manager, Marketing all of Promasidor NigeriaLimited, at the unveiling of new communications materials for Cowbell Milk in Lagos... yesterday.


BUSINESS NEWS

LAGOS – ABUJA Departure Arrival1. Aero 06.50 08.102. Associated 07.00 09.303. Air Nigeria 07.00 08.204. IRS 07.00 08.205. Dana 07.02 08.226. Arik 07.15 08.157. Chanchangi 07.158. Air Nigeria 08.15 09.359. Dana 08.10 09.2010. Aero 08.45 10.0511. Arik 09.15 10.1512. Chanchangi 10.00 11.0013. IRS 11.15 12.3514. Dana 12.06 12.2615. Aero 12.20 13.3016. Air Nigeria 13.25 14.4517. Chanchangi 13.30 14.3018. Arik 13.45 14.4519. IRS 14.00 15.2020. Aero 14.10 15.3021. Air Nigeria 14.50 16.1022. Dana 15.30 16.5023. Chanchangi 15.30 16.3024. Arik 15.50 16.5025. Aero 16.00 17.2026. IRS 16.30 17.5027. Arik 16.50 17.5028. Dana 17.10 18.3029. Chanchangi 17.30 18.3030. Air Nigeria 17.35 18.5531. Air Nigeria (T/TH) 18.30 19.5032. Arik 18.45 19.4533. Aero 19.20 20.40

LAGOS – BENIN1. Arik 07.30 08.302. Associated 08.30 09.103. Aero 10.50 11.504. Arik 11.45 12.455. Associated 13.00 13.406. Aero 14.25 15.207. Arik 15.30 16.308. Associated 16.00 16.40

LAGOS – CALABAR1. Arik 07.30 08.502. Aero 11.20 12.403. Arik 12.50 14.104. Aero 16.00 17.20

LAGOS – JOS1. Arik 10.55 12.152. Aero 11.15 12.45

LAGOS – KADUNA1. Aero 08.00 09.102. Chanchangi 10.00 11.003. Arik 10.00 11.104. Arik 15.10 16.20

LAGOS – PORT HARCOURT (CIVIL)1. Aero 07.15 08.352. Arik 07.15 08.353. Arik 09.00 10.204. Dana 09.27 10.405. Aero 10.50 12.306. Arik 11.40 13.007. Air Nigeria 12.00 13.108. IRS 13.30 15.009. Arik 14.00 15.2010. Dana 15.03 16.2011. Air Nigeria 16.00 17.1012. Arik 16.10 17.3013. Aero 16.15 17.3014. Arik 17.10 18.30

LAGOS – OWERRI1. Aero 07.30 08.402. Arik 07.30 08.403. Air Nigeria 13.40 14.554. Arik 14.00 15.105. Arik 16.30 17.40

LAGOS – WARRI1. Arik 08.15 09.152. Aero 11.50 12.503. Arik 11.55 12.554. Aero 14.55 15.55

LAGOS – KANO1. Air Nigeria 07.10 08.502. IRS 08.00 09.453. Dana 08.10 09.404. Arik 12.20 14.005. IRS 14.00 15.456. IRS 18.15 19.55

LAGOS – OWERRI1. Arik 07.20 08.302. Arik 14.00 15.103. Arik 16.30 17.40

LAGOS – UYO1. Dana 10.35 11.35

LAGOS – MAIDUGURI1. IRS 11.15 13.152. Arik 15.50 18.00

LAGOS – ILORIN1. Overland 07.15 08.002. Arik (M/T/TH/F) 17.30 18.00

Flight ScheduleMONDAY - FRIDAY

LAGOS – ABUJASAT/SUN

Arik 7.15; 10.20; 2.20; 5.20pm– 7.30; 9.15; 10.20; 2.20; 4.50; 6.45Aero 07.30; 09.35; 13.10; 14.50; 20.20– 07.30; 09.35; 13.10; 14.50; 20.20Air Nigeria 08.15; 14.30; 17.15; 18.30– 08.15; 13.30; 14.30; 17.15; 18.30

THE Federal Government hasset a target of $10 billion asForeign Direct Investment be-

tween 2012-2014 from a new GasRevolution Agenda.

President Goodluck Jonathan isalso scheduled to launch the agendaon March 24, said the Minister of Pe-troleum Resources, Mrs. DezianiAlison-Madueke.

Speaking with journalists in Abuja,the minister said:”Today’s event ismeant to acquaint you with majordevelopments in the oil and gas in-dustry which, we believe, will havefar reaching effect on the socio-eco-nomic development in Nigeria. Thisis specifically in respect of Mr.President’s gas revolution agendawhich will be launched on Thurs-day, the March 24, 2011, by Presi-dent Goodluck Ebele Jonathan.”

She noted that in view of the abun-dant availability of 187 TCF naturalgas in the country, Jonathan is of astrong vision to re-industrialise Ni-geria using this vast natural re-sources.

But Alison-Madueke explained thatthe vision is anchored on the key car-dinal principles, which include: sig-nificantly improved power availabil-ity for all, re-positioning of Nigeriaas the undisputed regional hub forgas-based industries such as fertiliser,petrochemical and methanol, a geo-graphical spread industrialisation,and creating wealth rapidly acrossthe nation.

The envisioned gas based industry,which she called industrial rebirth,comprises the following: “A worldscale petrochemical plant. Two worldscale fertiliser plants. Five fertiliserblending plants, A methanol plant,an LPG distribution plan.”

Asked where the plants will be lo-cated, the minister said they wouldbe based near their sources in theNiger Delta, while other plants willbe spread across the country.

Fed Govt targets$10b investmentin gas

From John Ofikhenua, Abuja

AGROUP of contractors to theNigeria Mobile Telecommunications (M-tel), mobile

subsidiary of Nigerian Telecom-munication Ltd (NITEL), has initi-ated the process of winding thetelecoms firm, for failing to pay itsdebts.

The group, M-tel ContractorsGroup, had through its counsel, MrSulaiman Usman, served a demandon M-tel requiring her to pay itsmembers over N400 million owedthem.

In a statement by its Secretary-Gen-eral, Sebagen Noboh, the group said

it is exploring a legal means to seekredress, since the demand notice,which lapsed after three weeks, is thefirst step required for a creditor toliquidate a company unable to payits debts.

The demand of payment of debtnotice was served and recieved onMarch 17, 2011.

It reads: “According to the Compa-nies and Allied Matters Act section408(d), “A company may be wound

up by the court if the company isunable to pay its debts.”

Section 409(a), says: “A companyshall be deemed to be unable to payits debts if a creditor, by assignmentor otherwise, to whom the companyis indebted in a sum exceeding 2,000then due has served on the company,by leaving it at its registered officeor head office, a demand under hishand requiring the company to paythe sum so due, and the company hasfor three weeks thereafter neglectedto pay the sum or to secure or com-pound for it to the reasonable satis-faction of the creditor.”

Contractors threaten to liquidate M-tel overN400m debt

From: Dele Anofi, Abuja

NIGERIA cannot develop economically if her research innovations do not get to the

public, the Director-General, Na-tional Board for Technical Incuba-tion (NBTI), Prof. Gambo LarabaAbdulahi, has said.

She expressed disappointmentthat the country is only interestedin wooing investors, a develop-ment she described as unhelpful.

She spoke before the signing of aMemorandum of Understanding(MoU) in Abuja between NBTI andthe National research Institute forChemical Technology (NARICT)on how to take the research mate-rials from the research institutesand establishments to the door step

of the public.Abdulahi disclosed that through

industrial development, Nigeriacan generate wealth and create jobs.

She said can only be achieved bycreating sustainable industries:She said: “Those sustainable indus-tries have to be based oninnovation.This is a very impor-tant opportunity for us that we arecoming together to formalise anagreement between the twoorganisations. We have to partnerto serve the country and at thesame time able to deliver the divi-

dends of science and technology tothe people. We do realise the po-tential of NARICT. I can say thatwe know NARICT to be one of themost productive research institutesin the Ministry of Science and Tech-nology.

“NARICT has been struggling tosee how its research can reach thegeneral public. There are quite anumber of attempts ofcommercialisation but most of itremains a prototype, pilot level orslightly a bit beyond that. And theproblem being that in Nigeria, eco-nomically we are not developed interms of industrialisation to allowthe industries to come forwardlooking for this kind of output.

Why Nigeria’s economically under developed,by NBTI chiefFrom: Gbenga Omokhunu, Abuja

ODU’A Investment Limitedhas sealed a partnershipagreement with a Canadian

telecoms firm to reposition itstelecoms subsidiary, O’net.

The new partner, Concave Tele-communications InternationalGroup, Canada, is coming about twoyears after a careful search for a se-rious partner for the firm began.

In a statement by the Media Rela-tions Manager, Odu’a InvestmentLimited, Mr Victor Ayetoro, the com-pany said the new deal with a foreignfirm would help make O’net servicesmore efficient, enhance its coverageand make it more responsive to theunfolding dynamics of the telecom-munication market.

Ayetoro explained that with thenew agreement, Concave, with op-erations spread across NorthAmerica, Europe, Middle East andNigeria would provide technicalmanpower and funds for the systemupgrade and overhaul of O’net, whichwould enable the company to be-come a dominant player in the South-west telecoms market and beyond.

At the signing of agreement atOdu’a corporate headquarters inIbadan, Ayetoro quoted the GroupManaging Director (GMD), Odu’a,Mr Adebayo Jimoh, as saying thatthe deal was to retool O’net and re-position it to meet the yearning de-mands of its ever loyal customersfor sustainable service delivery,comparable with international bestpractices.

Odu’a partnersCanadiantelecoms firm toreposition O’net

From Bisi Oladele, Ibadan

THE Council of the NigerianStock Exchange (NSE)yesterday rolled out

penalties for breach of the rulesgoverning dealing members.

The recommendations are to beeffected after input from brokersand final approval by the Council.

The Council said these infractionsinclude unauthorised sale ofsecurities, verification of shares inconnivance with another,misappropriation of funds andthird party transactions, amongothers.

Part of the draft recommendationscontained in the documentobtained by The Nation, states thatif a dealing member sells“securities without theauthorisation of the owner, thedealer shall be required to buy backthe securities, and where the saletransaction is N5 million and belowin value, he would be liable to paya fine of N100,000 and N5,000 forevery day from the day of theunauthorised sale until the day thedealing member completes buyingback the shares for the owner.

New capital market rulescomingBy Tonia Osundolire and Eshiet

Uyoatta

But where it is above N5 millionin value or the dealing member hadengaged in such unauthorised saleof securities on a previousoccasion, the upcoming penaltysays, “the member shall have itsdealing licence withdrawn by theCouncil of the exchange,” and aswell face other sanctions.

For equity and fairness, the newrules say, “No dealing member shallhave its licence withdrawn, unless theDisciplinary Committee of Councilhas made a finding that the DealingMember engaged in the unauthorisedsale of securities within the ambit ofArticle 1(b)(iii) and has made arecommendation to Council that thelicence should be so withdrawn,provided always that during thependency of any investigative ordisciplinary proceedings, the DealingMember shall be suspended from

trading.”Determined to enthrone confidence

in the market and bring sanity to theexchange, the Council recommendsthat “any dealing member that inconnivance with another verifiesshares owned by any other person,shall be liable to pay a fine ofN50,000.”

Furthermore, the draft states thatunder no circumstances “shall adealing member thatmisappropriates its clients funds bepermitted to keep any benefitsaccruing from such misappropriation,including but not limited to bonuses,rights, cash dividends, capitalappreciation and any profitwhatsoever.” It added: “where thefunds are N5 million and below invalue, member will be liable to returnthe funds with interest at two per centabove the Monetary Policy Rates, orwhere he was found guilty before andit is above N5 million, the member’slicence will be withdrawn by thecouncil of the exchange and inaddition return the money withinterest at two per cent above theMonetary Policy Rate.”

• From left: Area Sales Manager, Lagos Gateway Nigeria Plc, Dele Akinloye; winner of a brand new Chevrolet inthe Guinness Win Big promo, Olushola and Category Manager (Innovation), Guinness Nigeria Plc, GbengaOlujuyitan, during the raffle draws and prize presentation in Lagos.

17TUESDAY, MARCH 22, 2011

geria, Mr Jide Ayo-Vaughan saidoil production from deepwaterprovince of West Africa has risenby 300 per cent in 10 years from 85,000 barrels per day in 2000 to 2.5million barrels per day as at the endof last year.

Ayo-Vaughan, who spoke at thejust-concluded Offshore West Af-rica conference in Accra, Ghana, alsoreiterated ExxonMobil’s commit-ment to promoting the develop-ment of the industry in West Af-rica.

He said: “Deepwater productionhas been the biggest success storyin West Africa in the past decade.From 85,000 barrels of oil per dayin 2,000, production has risensteadily to 2.5 million barrels of oilper day in 2010, a 30-fold increase.Over 25 billion of oil equivalentbarrels have been discovered indeepwater West Africa since theearly 90s and the potential remainssignificant.

“ExxonMobil is playing an activepart in enabling the successful de-velopment of the West African oiland gas industry. This conference

comes at a pivotal time in the for-tunes of the global energy indus-try and ExxonMobil fully supportsthe goals and objectives of thisconference in effect

Nigerian deepwater output iscurrently 800,000 barrels per day,which provides job opportunitiesthat support indigenous oil ser-vice companies.

The Managing Director of Na-tional Engineering and TechnicalCompany (NETCO), a subsidiaryof Nigerian National PetroleumCorporation (NNPC), Mr LewisBinitie-Cassidy, also said the en-gineering company grossed a turn-over of N5 billion in 2010.

The NETCO boss told newsmenon the sidelines of the OffshoreWest Africa conference that “theglobal financial meltdown, the Pe-troleum Industry Bill and the un-rest situation in the delta region,negatively impacted on the vol-ume of jobs we had during lastyear,” adding that the companyplans to diversify into procure-ment and construction servicesthrough partnerships, but that in-volves increasing its capital base.

He said the PIB, which is beforethe National Assembly, whenpassed into law, would address thechallenges facing the oil and gas in-dustry in Nigeria.

He said NETCO spearheaded theexecution and practice of engineer-ing jobs and construction supervi-sion in all the project managementrequired in the turnaround mainte-nance of Nigeria’s refineries.

His predecessor, KennethEjuoneastse, had also noted thestrength of the engineering com-pany saying their engineers cancompete in a part of the world. Hesaid the jobs NETCO gets were not

as a result of being a subsidiary ofNNPC, but due to competence andstandard delivery.

Binitie-Cassidy said: “It is part ofour mandate to train our engineersand build capacity. With the Nige-rian content bill now in place, andthe IOCs still bent on moving jobsabroad, we should also be thinkingof how we can come up with strate-

gies to keep the jobs within the coun-try.”

NETCO, he added, plans to givemaximum support and confidenceto Ghana National Petroleum Com-pany to develop its engineering armand technology.

“We are offering ourselves toGhana National Oil Corporation andencouraging them to start an engi-

neering arm, now that they are pro-ducing oil, they will want to refine,build petrochemical plants to keepadding value rather than just export-ing.

NETCO started commercial opera-tions in August 1989 as a joint ven-ture with Bechtel and has executedmore than 50 engineering projects,which includes Chevron’s onshoregas plant of the Escravos Gas ProjectPhase 1, a project that involved morethan 143,000 engineering man-hours.

West African deepwater productionsoars by 300%, says ExxonMobil

Stories by Emeka Ugwuanyi

T HE Executive Director/General Manager,Deepwater, ExxonMobil Ni-

THE Nigerian ElectricityRegulatory Commision(NERC) has revealed the

strategy it is deploying to restruc-ture the Nigerian Electricity Sup-ply Industry (NESI) for a betterperformance on the generaleconomy.

The Chairman of the commissionDr Sam Amadi, who disclosed thisat the power sector reform plat-form workshop organised by Cen-tre for Social Justice in Abuja, saidthe strategy involves putting inplace policies that would ensure asignificant improvement in avail-able and declared generation capac-ity required for meeting perma-nent growth in demand across thenetwork.

Other measures include reduc-tions in transmissions and distri-bution losses, thermal losses, rev-enue diversion and infrastructuretheft and delivery of smart gridand networks by expanding thedensity of metered customers.

Amadi noted that the commis-sion in line with its mandate wouldformulate policies for effectiveregulation of transmission and dis-tribution and stimulation of com-petition wherever feasible in gen-eration and supply.

He stated that the need to havebetter formulated policies explainswhy the commission has been con-sulting on appropriate processesand making stakeholders an inte-gral part of all policy proceedings.

“It is obvious that we are on

course for a workable policy. Forinstance, stakeholders’ consulta-tions, which began in Calabar inFebruary had sectoral partici-pants, investors, stakeholders andinstitutional agencies coming to-gether for deliberation.

“Our intent was to invigoratethe reform process by understand-ing external perceptions regard-ing progresses made, potentialsuccess factors and shortcomingswhile ascertaining issues thatstakeholders may want NERC toinclude in its long range strategicgoals,” he said.

He added that from the Calabarand most recent stakeholder en-gagements, the commission hasbeen able to articulate its tacticaland strategic vision for the sectorwhile learning some of the thingsstakeholders may want to see thecommission do.

He noted that the group consul-tation, which was held recentlyalso afforded corporate bodies,civic society and consumers theopportunity to distil their viewsregarding NERC’s policy makingprocess.

The final stage of the consulta-tion process he said will be sched-uled as soon as NERC board com-pletes internal conversations onthe feedback the commission re-ceived from stakeholders’ engage-ments that have been concluded.

He promised that all concerns,anxieties, hopes and aspirations forthe reform would be attended to

but pleaded with consumers, civicsociety and all interested parties inthe power sector to support NERCin carrying out its role.

When all these policies are imple-mented, he assured that thegovernment’s goal of powering ournational economy to the top 20 by2020 through energy security wouldbe achieved, adding that therewould be tangible improvementsin many areas.

“With all the efforts being made

by the commission and the govern-ment we are certain we will meetup with our desire to be one of the20 greatest economises by the year2020

“That would mean that we wouldhave been able to record improve-ments in many areas.

“There would have been widerspread public power accessibility,especially covering the inner andremote communities. Also, the un-warranted status of Nigeria being

the largest market for generatorwould have been reversed. Apartfrom this, the disturbing fact thatour power output is far less thanthose of less populated countrieslike Ghana, Egypt, Venezuela, Al-geria and Indonesia would havebeen addressed. In addition, thegradual progression towards na-tional energy sufficiency which willultimately build to national energysecurity would have been realised,”he said.

NERC moves to create effective power industry

• NETCO rakes in N5b turnover

• One of the turbines at Omotosho Power Plant

• MD, ExxonMobil Nigeria, MarkWard

• Nuhu Wya, Minister of State for Power, inspecting facilities at the Olorunsogo Power Plant, while officials of thecompany look on.

18

ENERGY


OANDO Marketing, a subsidiary of Oando Group, hasinvested over $1 million in

its lubricant business.The company said the invest-

ment was to optimise productionof lubricant and improve capacityat the blending and filling plants.

The measure is seen as proactive,said an industry operator, espe-cially now that the governmentwants to flush out illegal distribu-tion and sales points to check fak-ing and adulteration.

The Department of PetroleumResources (DPR) and the StandardOrganisation said they resolved toensure that the sale of base oil aslubricant to Nigerians should bestopped and that culprits would besanctioned.

The DPR official in charge ofdownstream operations, MrGbenga Koku, had told The Nationthat from January this year, lubri-cants should only be sold at fillingstations and designated areas andsuch lubes must be branded in thename of the company that blendsthem.

Such decision is to ensure that thediscovery of any adulterated lube,the company that owns productwould be held responsible. How-ever, counterfeiting of lubricantshas been a common practice in Ni-geria and that most companies inthe business said eradication ofsuch practice might beunachievable but efforts are being

made to reduce it drastically.Oando Marketing with the current

investment, has purchased and in-stalled new automated, high capac-ity machines, which have the capac-ity to carryout automated qualitychecks, which will further improvethe existing high quality standardOleum brand of lubes from Oando’sstable that is already in place.

The fund injected into company’slube sector has been used to im-prove its Kaduna blending plant,introduce bulk oil in one litre and adevice to check counterfeiting of itslubes.

A source from the company said:“Kaduna Lubes Plant now has aninstalled filling capacity of 100 mil-lion litres of lubricant per annum,so Oando Marketing can meet huge

demand arising from the ban oflow quality lubricants and baseoils from the streets by SON andDPR.

“The company has also intro-duced the production of bulk oilin one litre can in compliance withSON’s directive and Oando Mar-keting has also introduced a sealand spout cap to curb counterfeit-ing to ensure value for money forthe customers. This device ensuresthat any of customers that buys ourlubricant would confident that thelube oil is genuine and of interna-tional standard.

“There is now an optimised dis-tribution channels with an in-builtloyalty scheme to boost speedy de-livery and constant availabilitynationwide.”

Oando invests $1m in lubricants to boost qualityBy Emeka Ugwuanyi

THE Civil Society Coalitionon the Petroleum IndustryBill (PIB) has lauded the

House of Representatives formaking considerable progress to-wards the passage of the PIB intolaw and urged the Senate tofollow the footsteps of the Houseof Representatives by actingurgently on the bill before end oftheir tenure.

Currently, the House of Repre-sentatives considered the reportof the Joint Committee on the Billbut the Senator stood it down onthe excuse that they “are beingput under unnecessary pres-sure” by civil society groups whoprotested the delay at the Na-tional Assembly.

Reacting to the developments,Dr. Otive Igbuzor of the AfricanCentre for Leadership, Strategyand Development, said: “Wecommend the House of Repre-sentatives for its positive dispo-sition and response to the yearn-ings of Nigerians on the PIB,which will bring proper regula-tion, corporate social responsi-bility, transparency and account-ability in the oil and gas.”

He expressed disappointmentwith the Senate for refusing to lis-ten to the voice of Nigerians call-ing on them to concur with theHouse of Representatives to en-sure that the Bill is passed beforeMay this year.

The group also called on the ex-ecutive arm of government todemonstrate more seriousnesstoward the passage of the bill.The Executive Director of the Af-rican Network for Environmentand Economic Justice (ANEEJ)and Coordinator of the Civil So-ciety Campaign on the PIB, Rev.

David Ugolor, said: “This is anexecutive bill but while Mr Presi-dent has repeatedly reassuredNigerians that the bill will bepassed before May this year, thebody language of the executivearm of government seems to sug-gest that there is no strong com-mitment to seeing the PIB becomelaw. Nigerians want to see moreexecutive commitment to its pas-sage rather than the present pre-occupation with politics. Wecannot afford to sacrifice gover-nance on the altar of politics.”

Reacting to the complaints bythe Senate that it is “under un-necessary pressure” from civilsociety groups, the group saidit would not yield to blackmailbecause citizens engagementwith legislative processes is afundamental right that cannotbe denied. “In an era where in-clusion of civil society voiceshas become the norm, ratherthan the exception, it is sad thatour legislators would attempt todiscountenance the people’syearnings,” Ugolor added.

The PIB is a comprehensivelegislative document that seeksto introduce changes that willmake Nigeria’s oil and gas sec-tor more transparent, efficientand responsive to the needs ofthe nation’s citizens. It has suf-fered several setbacks since itwas first presented three yearsago due to what has been de-scribed as a “conspiracy”against it by forces that are ben-efitting from the rot in the sec-tor. The delay has bred uncer-tainty in the oil and gas sector,which has deterred potential in-vestments into the sector esti-mated at billions of dollars.

PIB: Group urges Senateto pass bill into law

NIGERIA will have to investan estimated $50 billion forthe development of oil re-

serves in its deepwater fields it hasbeen revealed.

The Chairman and Managing Di-rector, Chevron Nigeria, AndrewFawthrop, stated that the amountwas needed to develop existingfields and to recover known accu-mulations.

The existing fields would require$10 billion while known accumu-lation would need $40 billion, hesaid.

Fawthrop noted that resources inthe deepwater are so huge that thegovernment, Nigeria National Pe-

‘Nigeria needs $50b investmentin deepwater development’

troleum Corporation (NNPC) andInternational Oil Companies(IOCs) through their JVs needed tobrace for big investments in thedeepwater to increase reserves andproduction.

He stated that the investmentwould be for the building of facili-ties and platforms and pipelines ata reasonable cost, adding thatstable government policies, taxesand financial terms would, how-ever, be required for the invest-ment to be viable.

Fawthrop said such investmentswould, however, need a portfolioof opportunities for efficienciesand impact for investors and ser-vice companies to build support ca-pabilities and continuity of pro-grams for communities.

To this end, the Chevron boss be-lieves the government, IOCs,NNPC, indigenous companies,service companies and communi-ties, all have a part to play if thedeepwater project must be success-ful.

On the current condition of itsfields, Fawthrop stated that thecompany has continued to improvethe recovery from current fields bystudying and gathering more dataon the reservoirs through intelli-gent completions or higher seis-mic that allow improved tech-niques to be used to increase thepercentage of oil from a reservoir.

He added that the company hasbeen very active in supportingmarginal field operators by pro-viding technical and operational

support to operate old fields or olddiscoveries.

He noted that this has helped inbuilding economic and technicalproficiencies of indigenous oil andgas players for them to add re-serves to their companies and toNigeria by developing fields thatfit their portfolios.

He assured that the company isalways ready to support the gov-ernment aspirations for increasedreserves and productions just as ithas being doing for close to 50years.

“For us in Chevron, we are proudto be partners with the Nigeriangovernment and have been activein the country’s upstream energybusiness for about 50 years now.We will continue to pursue an en-during partnership which is a keyto strengthening the Nigerian in-dustry in today’s complex globalenergy environment. We will ac-tively strive to add reserves in Ni-geria, “ he said.

In the area of gas, Fawthrop ex-pressed confidence that the com-pany will continue to add reservesfor it to be a reliable supplier ofhigh quality gas to plants in Nige-ria and also to regional projectssuch as the West Africa gas pipe-line

Before the deepwater projectcame on stream in 2005, the pro-duction of oil has been largely ac-counted for by onshore and shelfproduction activities. But since itsarrival the production fromdeepwater has filled the gap andthis has caused onshore and shellproduction to dip.

• Wale Tinubu, Group CEO, Oando

• Fawthrop

• From left: Mrs. Buki Bademosi, Head, Administration and Operations, Strategic Energy; Adeyemi Oreagba,Manager, LPG, Oando Marketing and Auwulu Ilu, President, Nigeria Liquefied Petroleum Gas Association, at abriefing by Nigeria LPG Association in Lagos.

By Bidemi Bakare

IRAQ plans to boost its oil storage capacity to 7.8 millionbarrels per day by the end of

this year, an official said, as theOrganisation of PetroleumCountries (OPEC) member hasembarked on major crude pro-duction and export expansionplans.

Iraq is building eight new tanksin the southern Faw peninsula,which will add a storage capac-ity of 2.8m bpd to Iraq’s capacityof 5m bpd now, Uday Nader, anengineer at state-run South OilCompany, said.

“The company is undertakingan ambitious project on twostages to raise the export capac-ity from the southern terminals,”he said during a visit to Al Fawoil warehouse, south of the oil

hub of Basra.“We are building now eight

storage tanks with capacity of2.8m bpd which will be finishedby the end of this year, and weare also building another eighttanks with the same capacity, whichwe will finish by the end of next year.”

Nader said construction of twosouthern oil export terminals was ontrack. Iraq intends to build at least fournew floating ports.

That would raise Iraq’s exportcapacity from Basra to 4.5m bpd bythe end of this year from 1.9m bpdnow.

Iraq is likely to increase its storagecapacity to 50million barrels by theend of 2012, to help cope with the an-ticipated jump in crude productionand because it wants to broaden therange of crude export grades.

Iraq plans to increasecrude storage capacity


EDITORIAL/OPINIONCOMMENT

F

EDITORIAL FROM OTHER LAND

Too soon to writeoff nuclear power

utes later a tsunami washed away thousands oflives. Now, a third disaster threatens as techni-cians desperately try to keep the FukushimaDaiichi nuclear power station from releasingradioactive material.

During all of this, the Japanese people havereacted with fortitude. In a rare television ap-pearance, the emperor asked Japanese to“hand in hand, treat each other with compas-sion and overcome these difficult times.” Thatseems to be exactly what they are attempting;and the skeleton staff at Fukushima Daiichi istaking on more than its share, only brieflyevacuating the site after detecting a radiationspike on Tuesday, then returning to continuecooling the reactors.

Though the reactors are shut down, they arestill producing immense quantities of heat. Itdoesn’t appear that catastrophic levels of ra-diation have leaked from the plant’s thick con-tainment barriers, but U.S. officials still havefew details. The next few days will be critical.

On this side of the Pacific, the crisis has rein-vigorated a debate on nuclear safety. Oppo-nents of atomic power say this crisis provesthat the risks can never be eliminated. That’strue. There will always be challenges that de-signers don’t fully anticipate.

Yet Energy Secretary Steven Chu insistedWednesday that he and President Obama wantto retain nuclear energy as an option, and theyhave good reason to do so. Generating electric-ity carries risks, no matter how you do it. Burn-ing fossil fuels pumps harmful gases and par-ticulates into the air every day, causing respi-ratory illness and cancer in thousands. Peopledie in explosions of coal mines, oil drillingrigs and natural gas pipelines. Unlike nuclearenergy, burning fossil fuels contributes to thegravest environmental threat of our time — cli-mate change, which is likely to affect not thou-sands or millions of people, but billions.

Nuclear accidents pose a uniquely frighten-ing danger: the prospect, in a worst case, oflarge swaths of territory being poisoned anduninhabitable for decades or longer. Mr. Chuand Nuclear Regulatory Commission Chair-man Gregory B. Jaczko are right to have thegovernment closely examine what happens inJapan and adjust U.S. policy as necessary. Butthe Fukushima plant is old. New plants woulduse more sophisticated technology, such assmall-scale high-temperature gas reactors thatuse fuel in forms that shrink the risk of melt-down further still. A proposed nuclear plantin Georgia would not require backup power inorder to activate emergency cooling systems.

Events in Japan will affect the “nuclear re-naissance” to some extent, no matter what Mr.Chu or anyone else says, and all the more if thedamage is not contained. Our thoughts, as ever,are with the Japanese people struggling to cope;beyond that, it is too soon to form broad andabsolute judgments on relative risks.

• Washington Post

F

Killer convoys• Innocent people will continue to die unless we check executive drivers’ recklessness on

our roadsIVE persons died and 10 otherswere injured on March 15 when twocommercial buses collided with the

T

Sound judgmentSitting governors that win rerun can only conclude their tenure

IRST CAME an earthquake so powerfulthat it shifted Japan’s largest island,Honshu, eight feet eastward. Thirty min-

judicially resolved, unless an appealleads otherwise. His current term,according to the Federal High Court inAsaba will now end on May 29. Thismakes him eligible to stand as candidateof the People’s Democratic Party (PDP)during the April 16 governorshipelection.

The Court of Appeal, Benin City divi-sion, had on November 9, 2010, nullifiedUduaghan’s election victory of April 14,2007, thereby ordering a re-run that tookplace on January 6. He took an oath ofoffice on January 10 at about 5-6p.m. ButPresident Goodluck Jonathan signed theamended 1999 Constitution into law atabout 10.00am the same day Uduaghantook oath of office and allegiance for the

HE controversy regarding the ten-ure of Governor EmmanuelUduaghan of Delta State has been

second term as governor. This presiden-tial act was the genesis of the court actionthat the Asaba court adjudicated over.

The two principal issues that the courtdecided over were whether Uduaghanwas entitled to fresh four years based onhis fresh oath of office of January 10 andif he was caught by the web of Section180 (2) (A) of the 1999 Constitution asamended. Section 180 (2) (A) of theamended 1999 Constitution of Nigeriastates: “In the determination of the four-year term, where a re-run election hastaken place and the person earlier swornin, wins the re-run election, the time spentin office before the date the election wasannulled shall be taken into account”.

In tandem with the true purport of thisprovision, the Justice Ibrahim Buba whopresided over federal high court ruledagainst tenure renewal for the incumbentgovernor of Delta State. By this judgment,no sitting governor that wins a re-run elec-tion will henceforth start a fresh term ofoffice but conclude his remaining term.The learned justice, with this judgment,has cured the mischief inherent in theformer constitution regarding re-run elec-tion-cum-tenure. The reviewed constitu-tion hereby mandates the current DeltaState governor to be a “de jure and not defacto governor”.

We agree with the position that the con-stitution did not ever contemplate a situ-ation where a governor will serve forseven or more years in office just becausehe won a re-run election. The judge was

right in his observation that the mandateof the governor is with ‘the electorateand does not lie with the court under athin disguise of official interpretation.’It is a good thing that the court in thisregard did not allow itself to be used toachieve an immoral political end.

This case must be distinguished fromany other before it. The judgment is un-ambiguous and a courageous interpre-tation of the real intendment of the law-makers’ mindset while reviewing theparticular section. We call on lawyers inthe country to give proper legal adviceto their clients on very glaring cases thatcan lead to an affront to the law and anavenue to not only waste the time of thecourt but also ridicule it. But for the mis-chief of these lawyers, most of whomare, unfortunately, senior men in the Barand inner Bar, the courts would have onseveral occasions been spared the agonyof time-wasting litigations. There shouldnot have been any argument regardingwhat a fresh election and a re-run elec-tion means.

We hope that now that the issue hasbeen resolved by the court in Delta Stateon who is entitled to a fresh term as serv-ing governor, no one will ever bring upthe matter again. The judgment thatemanated from the federal high court,in our view, is very reasonable. It hasdefinitely helped us to resolve, once andfor all, one of the contentious issues inthis democratic dispensation.

official car of the Katsina State Gover-nor, Alhaji Ibrahim Shema, on Katsina-Daura Road. The accident, which wasavoidable, occurred at about 9.30 a.m.in Zakalia Village in Mashi Local Gov-ernment Area of the state. GovernorShema was travelling to Daura to re-ceive President Goodluck Jonathan, whowas expected to pay courtesy calls on theEmir of Daura, Alhaji Umar Faruk andthat of Katsina, Abdulmumini Usman,before proceeding to address party faith-ful in Katsina, in continuation of hispresidential campaign.

Although the governor only had minorinjuries, his Aide-de-Camp, ASP AminuIbrahim, and four passengers in thebuses died.

If eyewitnesses’ accounts were any-thing to go by, the accident might havebeen avoided if the road had been ingood shape and if the convoy was notover-speeding. The accident reportedlyoccurred on a failed portion of theKatsina/Daura Road when an on-com-ing vehicle, in an attempt to avoid somebad portions of the road, broke into thegovernor’s convoy. This action causedthe vehicles in the convoy to suddenlyscreech to a halt. The result was the mul-tiple crashes which became inevitableconsidering the speed at which the con-voy was trave;lling.

This wasn’t the first fatal crash involv-ing President Jonathan’s campaign. Avehicle in his large convoy crashed intoa civilian vehicle just outside Port

Harcourt during a February 12 visit to thecity. At least two people were reporteddead from the accident, although authori-ties would not confirm that. Withoutdoubt, car crashes are common on thecountry’s poorly maintained roads, withdrivers often travelling at high speed andovertaking slower vehicles, leading tohead-on collisions and high death tolls.But the recklessness of executive andpoliticians’ convoys is something else.

Delta State Governor, Dr. EmmanuelUduaghan, once advised the FederalRoad Safety Commission (FRSC) to traindrivers on convoys and certify them fitbefore issuing them with certificates ofproficiency before they can be allowedto drive. “… It is even worse sometimeswhen the governors are not in the con-voy,” Dr. Uduaghan said.

This is not all; politicians’ convoys alsoflout the country’s traffic rules, witharmed men with machine guns usingthreats and force to push traffic out of theway. In short, it is an understatement tosay that convoy drivers have become aserious menace on the roads as evidentin road obstructions and laneindiscipline, which have become theirmajor hallmarks. They need to be tamed.

This is where the police come in. FormerInspector-General of Police, OgbonnaOnovo, said the force had set up monitor-ing teams to carefully evaluate the driv-ing behaviour of convoy drivers; andwhoever is found to have contravened therule would be summarily tried in accord-ance with the service rules and metedwith appropriate punishment.

We are not aware of any such punish-ment meted to anyone. And this is so be-cause the governors and other public of-ficers in the convoys are the real culpritsby proxy. Our laws prohibit any driverrevving above 100 kilometers per hour(KMPH), even on the express way. So,for any public officer, no matter the posi-tion, to allow his or her driver to over-speed is tantamount to abuse of officeand a breach of the road safety laws.

Still, the buck stops at the desk of thelaw-enforcement officers. They mustrein in people who terrorise other roadusers. If their own lives have duplicates,others’ haven’t. This is why we have toget tough with those who maim and killordinary Nigerians with impunity justbecause they have the privilege of driv-ing public figures. After all, Nigeria isnot the only place where there are pub-lic officials. It is not so in civilised climes.

‘We are not aware of any suchpunishment meted to anyone.And this is so because the gov-ernors and other public offic-ers in the convoys are the realculprits by proxy ... Still, thebuck stops at the desk of thelaw-enforcement officers.They must rein in people whoterrorise other road users. Iftheir own lives haveduplicates, others’ haven’t’

‘We agree with the position thatthe constitution did not ever con-template a situation where a gov-ernor will serve for seven ormore years in office just becausehe won a re-run election. Thejudge was right in his observa-tion that the mandate of the gov-ernor is with ‘the electorate anddoes not lie with the court un-der a thin disguise of official in-terpretation’

TRUTH IN DEFENCE OF FREEDOMManaging Director/Editor-in-Chief

Victor Ifijeh

• EditorGbenga Omotoso

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20

EDITORIAL/OPINIONTHE NATION TUESDAY, MARCH 22, 2011

EDITOR’S MAIL BAGSEND TYPEWRITTEN, DOUBLE SPACED AND SIGNED CONTRIBUTIONS, LETTERS AND REJOINDERS OF

NOT MORE THAN 800 WORDS TO THE EDITOR, THE NATION, 27B, FATAI ATERE ROAD, MATORI, LAGOS.E-mail: [email protected]

ered the atmosphere. Oppositionparties are naturally making thefailures and shortcomings of in-cumbent elected officials the sub-ject of their campaigns rather thantelling people their own programswhere they have any. What abouta situation where the incumbenthave done well, does it mean thatthe opposition will have nothingto campaign about?

This question pops up anytime Ithink about the forthcoming gu-bernatorial election in Lagos State.I use to wonder what the opposi-tion will use in their campaigns ofcalumny. Can opposition partiesin Lagos State reasonably tell thepeople to vote for change? If theytell people this, will Lagosians notask them – what change?

I have noticed that it is only inLagos State that the oppositionhave not been able to say to thepeople that the incumbent electedgovernment has not performed;maybe because of the fear of be-ing stoned by Lagos residents whoare living witnesses to the peace-ful atmosphere and the incredibledevelopment going on in LagosState in the last four years. It is hardto deny that the four years ofFashola administration has signifi-cantly touched all the aspects ofpeople’s lives in Lagos State. To

Fashola: second term guaranteed

SIR: It is election time hencethe chant of ‘vote for this,don’t vote for that’ has cov-

Nigeria or the President of PeoplesDemocratic Party? Why do PDPaspirants believe that until whenwe align with the central govern-ment, we cannot enjoy dividend ofdemocracy?

Listening to the party’s aspirants

on national television boast thatLagosians must vote for them inorder to connect to federal govern-ment, one is tempted to ask: is Mr.President our President or theirPresident?

If being in opposition is to bedisconnected from federal govern-ment as they say, then kudos toAsiwaju Bola Tinubu and Gover-nor Babatunde Fashola for doing a

wonderful work since 1999 whenthey were disconnected from fed-eral government.

Have those governments con-nected to the centre fared better?

Lets ask the PDP, what do theyhave to show for their 12 years inoffice. What have they offered ex-cept high level of crime in the coun-try, killing every minute in Jos,bomb attack in kitchens and bed-

SPresident of PDP or Nigeria?

IR: It is high time we find ananswer to this question. Isour President the President of

rooms, goats and sheeps playingOlympic games at our airports,dying educational systems, sickhealth sector, crippled judiciaryand sleeping economy.

Isn’t Nigeria herself disconnectedfrom the presidency?

•Alonge OladeleLagos

some of us, Babatunde Raji Fashola(BRF) is the only person we pointto, when people argue with us thatthere is no hope for Nigeria.

That is why the campaign by thePeople’s Democratic Party in LagosState is more of a tussle for powerand the quest to capture the great-est state by all means rather thanany promise or readiness to evendo half of what BRF has done. Eventhe minority said to be not in sup-port of BRF for the second term areafraid of the consequence of not

casting their votes for him becausenobody in Lagos wants any stan-dard below the status quo. The fearthat another person may not up-hold the great policies of BRF haveleft his critics confused. Lagosiansfear that a new government mayabolish the BRT system, returnOshodi market to its old ways, re-turn the beggars to the streets,bring back the car-parks to road-sides and return the metropolis ofLagos to its old ways of heightenedinsecurity.

As I look into the next four yearsof Fashola’s administration, I seegreater things to come; but morethan those greater things, I fear forwhoever will succeed him in 2015.The reality is that such a person willhave to go extra miles to outshinehim in performance. The truth isthat any subsequent administrationthat achieves an inch less than theachievement of BRF’s administra-tion will not be appreciated byLagosians.

This is a great lesson to otherpoliticians that rather than kill in-nocent citizens and rig elections,the secret to an easy climb intosecond term in office is good gov-ernance in the first term. When apublic officer performs beyond theexpectations of the people, theywill be ready to even elect him thethird time if not that the constitu-tion will not permit.

For now, we are only releasingBabatunde Raji Fashola to LagosState for the next four years to con-clude his transformationprogrammess. After that, the mo-ment he evaporates in Lagos, wewant him to condense in Abuja.

• Akintujoye Eniayo Israel

(Peniela)Obafemi Awolowo University,

Ile-Ife, Osun State.

EDITORIAL/OPINION

THE NATION TUESDAY, MARACH 22, 2011

Brational discourse on the wage albatross would arousekind of emotive reactions I got on the matter. While somedescended to name calling for what they considered anattempt at playing the devil’s advocate for the governors,some responses were simply un-put-down-able!

I must say that I saw it coming. After all, blackmail, evera poor substitute for logical arguments would seempermissible in the season of politics. However, thedevelopment has somewhat reinforced my belief that thetime to confront the politics of blackmail as far as thewages conundrum is concerned is now.

The issue seems clear as daylight. We cannot pretend tobe “federal” when the states are effectively vassals to thefederal behemoth. The states have a duty to resist,administratively, legally and constitutionally unfair federalimpositions. It is not just in the matter of wages alone butin every aspect of their relations.

That was the crux of my message last week.Not surprisingly, no less than half-a-dozen of my readers

called to express the view that I wrote the way I did becauseLagos, currently locked in tango with its doctors over thewage issue, is involved. They are right. Apart from servingas a model in the federalist quest; the centre of excellencehas never pretended to be anything but a clear leader inthe battle charge to re-configure the landscapes of ourfederalism. I consider both crucial and essential to thehealth of the republic hence my being enamoured.

The point again is that unified wages across the board isnot only unworkable, it has become iniquitous in thecurrent circumstances. Some say why not; after all politicaloffice holders maintain unified wages? Myanswer is: thatitself is anomalous; there should be no need for unifiedwages, be it for governors or whoever, across the states.That is the whole idea behind fiscal independence.

By glossing over the finer principles underlying theirtango with the state government, issues such as contractsbetween employers and employees, the boundaries ofcontracting parties in wage negotiations, the striking healthworkers laid themselves open to charges of arbitrariness.This I consider unfortunate given their privileged positions.

How does one explain the threat by doctors in federalestablishments in Lagos State to join their statecounterparts in solidarity over pay? The threat to shutdown the remaining point of access to public health careservices in the state (if the threat has not been carried outalready) is obviously meant to pressure the stategovernment to turn the treasury taps to usher in theCONMESS deluge! Does that sound familiar? Does anyone

Our mandate robbers haveR ipples

[email protected], 08054504169 (Sms only, please)

R

More on rageover wages

Rsets the tone right now, in the po-litical South West, with the bur-lesque going on among disgracedand ignominiously ousted mandaterobbers in Ekiti, Osun and Ondostates.

Were the inimitable Prof. Rotimistill alive, and was tickled enoughto put pen to paper to write a playto capture the on-going absurdity,he probably would title it, OurMandate Robbers Have Gone MadAgain!

epublican

21

EMEMBER Ola Rotimi’s bit-ing comedy, Our HusbandHas Gone Mad Again? That

God bless Prof. Rotimi, the famous playwright of blessedmemory. But even he was a product of the rich Yoruba oraltradition, rippling with wit that would have made enviousJohn Donne (1572-1631), the clear leader of the English poeticschool called the Metaphysical Poets, and world acclaimedmaster, of his age, of poetic wit and conceit.

The Yoruba, never ever short of words to hammer repro-bates, have come down hard on the proverbial fool, whowould rather lose his life than be separated from his freebie:“Eni ri nkan e, to fe ku pelu e; owo eni to ti sonu nko?” If youhappened on fortune and would rather die than give it up,what would the owner, who lost that fortune, do – die manytimes over?

It is a mark of the moral sewers of Olusegun Obasanjo’smainstream children, which jars on the Yoruba pristine val-ues, that they appear deaf, dumb and blind to this Yoruba wit.They did not hap on any mandate. They stole it – and in themost brazen of manners. Yet, they would rather die, becausethe stolen mandates have since been prised off their itchyfingers!

That is the only way to explain the outrage going on – ifpeople are not too repulsed to even want to discuss it.

After wasting precious breath on infantile newspaper inter-views and corrupted the public space with fond and self-serv-ing arguments, Olusegun Oni, the disgraced gubernatorialusurper of Ekiti, has since actualised the absurd potentials ofthe proverbial alien who turns himself into an abject object ofmockery, but insists he is celebrating the Muslim eid: Gambarinseleya, o loun nsodun ileya!

Mr. Oni, judicially certified beneficiary of vote robbery andillegal governor for three-and-a-half years, and in Ekiti of allplaces, still has the effrontery and temerity to mount a roadshow in a comic suit asking the Court of Appeal to reverseitself in a terminal judgment that even those Abuja demigodstelling Oni and co fancy tales about night magically turninginto day, know is unimpeachable!

And if you want any further evidence that Mr. Oni has vir-tually turned alien to those pristine Ekiti values that purport-edly moulded him, you need not go far. A few days after Mr.Oni’s road show of shame in Ado, the Ilawe-Ekiti commu-nity, at the launching of the Veritas Catholic University, againmanifested those simple and honest values that made Ekitiworld famous, as a land of honour and virtue.

Receiving a donation at the university launch, the Ilawefolks insisted on publicly writing a receipt for the donatedsum, just to prove to the donor who was represented and theworld that the donation was delivered. Could the same Ekitihave produced the unrepentant Oni vote-thieving gang andthis hardy people of honour as Ilawe so gloriously demon-strated? Indeed, as the Yoruba say, a sheep that frolics withdogs is doomed to eating faeces!

But move over from the Ekiti Oni of yesterday to the newRip Van Winkle of the neighbouring Ondo State. Now, theoriginal Rip Van Winkle, in the tale of American WashingtonIrving, slept for 20 years only to jerk awake to find the worldcompletely changed.

Olusegun Agagu, Ondo’s new Rip Van Winkle, has “slept”for only two years. But for all you know, his two-year stuporwould appear to have done more damage to him than theoriginal Rip – or how else would anyone explain Dr. Agagu,judicially and judiciously ousted two years ago, just jerkingawake to write a petition to the National Judicial Council(NJC) to have a second look at another terminally determinedand well acclaimed case?

ing-anyone-can-do-about-it hue is back mounting the soapbox to become senator of the same people whose mandate heso outrageously abandoned! Is shame dead in the land ofOduduwa? Of course, it is the same federal powered-impu-nity that wilfully refuses to punish electoral malfeasance thatis making Agagu and fellow mandate robbers get more bra-zen by the day.

That takes the matter to the third leg of the unholy trinity,across the border in Osun: the pair of Iyiola Omisore andOlagunsoye Oyinlola. Now, the less said in decent and cul-tured company, of Iyiola Omisore, the better. It is only in thesickly mainstream of Nigerian politics that an Omisore, near-pariah in Omoluabi company, would make it to the Senate andeven chair the Senate’s appropriation committee. So, ifOmisore tried to malign people with honour as he did in hisinfamous advertorial, it is a clear case of wilful destruction ofwhat he has not and may never have.

As for retired Brig-Gen. Oyinlola, his is an abiding recordof disappointment, both as military administrator in Lagosand controversial and later illegal governor of Osun, in a waythat conclusively proves his arid thinking and near-zero vi-sion. But Oyinlola too, like Dr. Agagu, has petitioned theNJC and is warming up for a shot at the Senate.

But what is Oyinlola telling his constituents – that he stoletheir votes once and he would steal it again? That incompe-tence is virtue in politics and therefore his proven incompe-tence as illegal governor should propel him to the Senate?

But, of course, Oyinlola, Omisore, Agagu and Oni embarkon the proverbial tortoise’s journey. They are sworn to notcoming back until they are fully and thoroughly disgraced.

As for their Abuja sponsors, whose sense of impunity giftsthese South West reprobates Dutch courage, history is thereto make mincemeat of them and their illusory power. Beforethen however, let them be wary of turning Nigeria into an-other Somalia. Destroying the Judiciary, because politicalcry-babies and mandate robbers would not be consoled, be-cause they have lost what they stole, is akin to building a soldexpressway to Mogadishu.

Are the Abuja demigods too far gone to realise this self-imposed danger?

And pray, what would the NJC be review-ing? That a certain Sam Omatseye, a jour-nalist and The Nation Editorial Board chair-man, did not turn a palm wine tapper tovote Agagu, in a voodoo election organisedunder the presidency of Olusegun Obasanjo,Agagu’s father in mainstream politics, in thebest tradition of do-or-die elections? Or thatNelson Mandela did not abandon the highideals that made him a global icon, to voteAgagu? Or that Mike Tyson did not deserthis boxing ring and self-inflicted personalproblems to coast down Ondo’s watersideto vote Agagu?

Of course, an ousted “governor” of the we-have-rigged-the-election-and-there-is-noth-

gone mad again

“Oyinlola, Omisore, Agagu andOni embark on the proverbialtortoise’s journey. They are swornto not coming back until they arefully and thoroughly disgraced.”

[email protected] 08051101841

Sanya OniPolicy

‘With CONMESS’ anarchy setloose on the health sector, society,not just the health sector is alreadyfalling apart. Why would teachersnot demand for their equivalent ofCONMESS? Or even civil servants?’

need additional evidence of the militaristic mindset drivingthe rage over wages?

Where will it end? No one knows. As if readers do notknow already, nurses in Lagos last week joined their doctorcounterparts to “consolidate” their demand for CONMESS.Yes, they also want the federal pay for their members.Should we be surprised to see ambulance drivers, mortuaryattendants, laboratory technologists join to press forCONMESS?

With CONMESS’ anarchy set loose on the health sector,society, not just the health sector is already falling apart.Why would teachers not demand for their equivalent ofCONMESS? Or even civil servants?

May God help us all. FEEDBACK

Re: The politics of wagesI have just read your Tuesday column titled “The politics

of wages”. The whole problem with our industrial relationssystem should be blamed on the military incursion intopolitics. It was the military that came with the idea ofunified salary structure for Nigeria. Before the militaryincursion, the four regional governments were payingwages according to their abilities and workers werecontented. As a Grade Two teacher in the Northern Region,I was earning 20 pounds (1967) while my colleagues in theWestern region earned 16 pounds and six shillings. In theeastern region it was 15 pounds. That was the operation oftrue federalism. After enjoying a unified salary structurefor several years, it has become impossible for Nigerianworkers to accept the idea of each state paying according tothe resources available to it.

The new minimum wage, if it is to be implemented by allstates without separate negotiation would lead to job losses

or early retirement except the revenue formula is reviewedin favour of states and local governments.

Barrister Ayo Olalere, IbadanIt is tragic that the low trust level the unions have for

the governors. What with the profligacy and wastageof scarce resources, unaccounted for security votes andother malfeasance? Only good governance can bring thedesired change in wage distribution and end the malaiseof strikes ravaging the economy.

AdamadeI agree that you have the right to advocate for the

states especially when Lagos is involved. Sir, try andfind out the genesis of the CONMESS issue and whowere the parties from inception. You have the right toyour bias but try and put it on sound logic. I guess youhave never seen anything wrong with federally directedpolitical office holders’ emoluments?

Dr. Olatunji, Ibadan.Thanks for your reasoned views as always. But the

politics of wages raises some issues that I want to clarify.National minimum wage is not peculiar to Nigeria. Itoperates in the UK and USA. It was also introduced inNigeria by Awo. The base line is to ensure that noworker is paid slave wage. This would happen if thereis no regulation. Minimum wage is the determinedbaseline for further negotiation by various unions andgovernments which you cannot go below. The 18,000was agreed to by the tripartite committee of federal,state governments and labour; so why the cry now?

The lifestyles of governors, their spouses and childrencall to question their insistence that there is no moneyto pay. N18,000 translates to N600 per day for eighthours job. However, there should be relativity of payto stem the tide of agitation.

LanreWith a sound electoral system this wage problem

would not be there. Any governor not willing to payshould be ready to go. Most states have potentials togenerate enough to pay but only wait for federalallocation and treat such money as personal.

Yinka.

Y delving into the raging issue of wages on thispage last week, although I knew I was touching a“live wire”, I least expected that the ordinarily

EDITORIAL/OPINION

“RWhen Abdullahi Dikko was appointed the

customs helmsman 18 months ago, not manypeople gave him a chance to succeed. The re-ception, expectedly, had a grill of reservationand caution, a mix that neither expressedfriendship nor hatred. But like a man armedwith the vision for achievement, Dikko, notminding this initial distraction, soon settleddown, mapped out a clear programme for hisjob. He has since gone about it with utmostdedication, candour and commitment.

He left no one in doubt that it was not go-ing to be business as usual at the nation’s portsand borders. Naturally, his boldness, cour-age, and uprightness have elicited a foggyrelationship between him and some old fo-gies. That has attracted unrelenting smearcampaign, malicious propaganda and outright false hood. After reading through thepuerile reasons adduced by a faceless group,which gave its name as ‘Save Nigeria FreightForwarders group, calling for the probe andremoval of Dikko as customs helmsman, onecan not but laugh over their palpable igno-rance about the man, Dikko. Since providencethrust Jonathan on Nigeria as its helmsman,he has sufficiently demonstrated that he isnot an ethnic bigot that will sacrifice meriton the altar of political expediency. Not a fewwould readily attest to the circumspection andlarge- heartedness of President Jonathan inretaining Dikko as the customs helmsman andSanusi Lamido Sanusi as the CBN governor,despite the frivolous petitions sent to him byeconomic saboteurs to make him relieve themof their jobs.

The wisdom in his decision to retain theduo of Dikko and Sanusi is evident for all tosee today.

At this period of global economic melt-down, calling for the removal of Dikko whoseinitiatives and exemplary integrity has trans-lated into additional revenue to the nation’scoffers is the greatest disservice any one cando to the economic well-being of Nigerians.As St Christopher once remarked, “If youdoubt my ability, behold my work!

Dikko’s laudable and verifiable achieve-ments in the last 18 months as customs helms-


A look at Dikko’sstewardship at Customs

By Lanre Aminu

Ioffice. The late professor who served underthen military ruler General Ibrahim Babangidawas on his first official visit to federalgovernment health institutions in Lagos andas his convoy left Yaba for the CentralLaboratory at Oshodi, the pilot car wasblowing siren, clearing the way for theHonourable Minister. As we approachedFadeyi on Ikorodu Road, the Minister,narrating his experience to the Reporters Corpslater, said he drew a deep breadth and lookedat where he was and what was happening onthe road as the traffic started giving way toallow his entourage to pass. He said he feltembarrassed. Why should anybody clear theroad for him, he wondered? He said he feltout of place in that kind of environment giventhe fact that as a Prof. at the Lagos UniversityTeaching Hospital (LUTH) then, he could onlyafford a Gulf car and was enjoying himself.Now in a big car and a long convoy of officialvehicles, with one clearing the way for him.,he felt he was oppressing the public; and theman felt sad. The Prof.you’ll agree with mebelonged in the old school.

Our public officers today, save a few, don’tcare whatever happens to the motoristswhenever their convoys of at times twentycars’ were on the road. if you refuse to leavethe road for them or give way when you hearthe siren, you have yourself to blame. They

Suicide drivers

WAS on the entourage of a one timehealth minister, Professor OlikoyeRansome-Kuti shortly after he assumed

drive anyhow without regard for traffic rulesand regulations. They often drive at top speedand recklessly too as if they have anappointment with death. Some of them do andhave actually kept that appointment with deathand are in their graves now. My annoyance isthat they did not die alone; they took innocentsouls along with theirs.

One of these mad drivers nearly took the lifeof one state governor, Barrister Ibrahim Shemaof Katsina State whose convoy was recentlyinvolved in a fatal accident that claimed the livesof his Aide de Camp, a police officer, and someinnocent civilians in the other vehicle comingin the opposite direction. Thank God for Hismercies, Governor Shema is still here with us.Then sitting governor of old Sokoto State in thesecond republic, Alhaji Shehu Kangiwa was notthat lucky as he fell off a horse and lost his lifewhile playing Polo. Though his death was alsoan accident, but of a different type, late Kangiwa,I think, was the first sitting State governor todie in office, but at the rate at which some of ourState governors today are conductingthemselves on the road, one or two of themmight soon join him on the other side.

Just when you think the Shema experiencemight have taught these suicide drivers alesson, a vehicle usually in the convoy of NigerState governor Babangida Aliyu was last weekinvolved in a fatal crash as the driver washeading to a location a day ahead of theGovernor who was to address a rally at thetown the following day.

This executive lawlessness/recklessnesson our highways is getting worrisome andthe earlier the matter was addressed thebetter. The various law enforcementagencies charged with ensuring safety on

our roads, particularly the Federal RoadSafety Corps, FRSC, seem to be losing thebattle to bring these drivers and theirbosses who either encourage them to overspeed and drive dangerously or indulgethem, to book. In fairness to the FRSC, theCorps has almost shouted itself hoarsewarning drivers on convoys of state chiefexecutives, top government officials andtop military chiefs against dangerousdriving. The Corps seem helpless in theface of lack of cooperation by the topfunctionaries whose drivers were involvedin this act of recklessness. First, it is verydifficult for the Police of FRSC Marshalsor Commanders to stop the driver whenhe is overspending and when theysucceeded in doing this, the boss at the backof the car instead of cautioning

his driver or allowing the road safety officialdo their work, would rather tongue lash theofficials questioning their temerity for stopinghis convoy. What can the poor official do? Ifhe insists on booking “Oga’s” driver, the bosscould order his boys to teach him a lesson orhe could be gentle with him by only callingthe commander’s boss on phone and reportingthe embarrassment the ‘small rat’ has justcaused him. Pity the Commander or Marshalon the road as he would be lucky if his bossmerely warned him against such act of rudenessto a VIP in future. In extreme cases he couldlose his job or posting. So, to avoid any ofthese, the safety official on the road simplyignores these drivers and their bosseswhenever they encounter them on the roadhoping that one way or the other the roadwould punish them. By the way, the roaddoesn’t forgive, at the appropriate time it

punishes such reckless drivers; and it’spunishment could be fatal. Ask

Governor Shema.If these guys and their bosses die through

their reckless driving without taking any otherlife with theirs not a few will not blink an eye,after all it’s their lives. But when one considerthe collateral damage involved and thedamage done to the families of the innocentvictims’ one is left with no other option thanto call for harsher punishment for drivers ofthese VIPs whenever they were caughtviolating traffic rules.

But beyond this, the bosses involved shouldbe able to rein in their drivers when theyindulge in overspeeding or dangerousdriving. If for no other reason. they shouldremember that their own lives are at stakeand accident doesn’t discriminate.

Nigeria has lost too many lives to roadaccidents and road traffic accident has probablyclaimed more lives in the country than saymalaria or such other killer diseases. RoadTraffic Accident is fast becoming a major publichealth concern and everybody must getinvolved in efforts to tackle it. The statisticsare scary. A visit to the accident wards at ourmajor hospitals will reveal the truth. We needto change our driving culture. it is a fact thatmost drivers on our roads including the oneson official convoys never went through anyformal training before sitting behind thesteering. Majority were self thought. Childrenlearning how to drive by driving daddy’s sparecar while he was away at work is almost theorder of the day. Prospective drivers getdriving license delivered to them at homewithout going through the rigours of a drivingtest once they can pay for it. How many of ourdrivers know the highway code? The worstculprits are even the commercial drivers assome of them can neither read nor write. So,where do we go from here?

The problem is not with the suicide driversand their accomplice bosses alone, it is a generalproblem, it’s just that accidents involving VIPsget reported in the media because of thepersonalities involved. How many times havewe urged our drivers to speed up so that we canmeet our appointment even when we didn’tleave home on time? Unless we change ourattitude and mind set to this and our otherproblems, no amount of legislation will saveus from the impending disaster. Let’s act now.

VIEW FROM THE FOREIGN PRESSEST satisfied with doing well, andleave others to talk of you as theywill”- Pythagoras

man are reassuring testimony of his great-ness. On assuming the leadership of the ser-vice as the Comptroller-General, Dikko andhis management team in line with WorldCustoms Organisation (WCO)’s diagnosticteam report rolled out a six-point agenda todrive the reform process. These include,-maximising the potentials of the servicethrough capacity building; moral rebirth fordiscipline and integrity in the service; reward-ing productivity and ensuring an enhancedwelfare package for officers and men of theservice; consolidating on the current e-Cus-toms initiative through ASYCUDA for inter-national best practices; continued collabora-tion and partnering with stakeholders andinternational organizations, and fosteringunderstanding of the service, in the eye ofthe general public, using an intensified and awell-coordinated public relations platform.

There has been collaboration, cooperationand partnership with stakeholders and inter-national organizations and, also fostering ofmutual understanding between the CustomsService and the general public through coor-dinated public relations. There have also beencollaborations between the Nigeria CustomsService and Customs administrations of othernations in various areas of mutual interests.His management team did not loose sight ofthe fact that enhanced welfare package booststhe morale of workers and their commitmentto duty. This made him to repair all brokendown vehicles hitherto considered irrepa-rable. A major agenda of Dikko led manage-ment team is the consolidation of the currentE-customs through ASYCUDA for interna-tional best practices and ensuring welfarepackage for officials. With the improvedwelfare package for officers and men, hismanagement team has restored a new spiritof hard work and zeal to earn more revenue

to the coffers of the nation. Dikko adminis-tration has drastically reduced human con-tact with funds, through e-declaration, e-pay-ment and e-remittance to the Central Bankof Nigeria. Also under Dikko’s leadership,the service has been repositioned and re-en-ergized to man porous borders in the coun-try.

Before assuming the mantle of leadership,it is on record that the service found it diffi-cult to contain the hazardous task of curtail-ing and possibly eradicating smuggling. Thisillicit trade seems to have defied all solu-tions known to previous management teamsof the service. With his coming on board,smuggling activities have not only been dras-tically reduced, all areas of revenue leakageshave also been blocked through aggressiveborder patrol.

He took bold steps to reduce corruption inthe service and consequently, increase rev-enue accruing to the nation’s coffers. Amongthe measures is the review of the processesin the nation’s port done in 2009 which led tothe setting up of customs duty investigationteam. Between October and December 2009,the team successfully investigated 118 cases!In the process, underpayment to the tune ofN12 billion was recovered to governmentcoffers. Secondly, the special operation of theJoint Task Force on physical examination ofgoods at the ports led to the discovery ofevasion of import duties and fees, under-declaration of imported items, sharp prac-tices by importers and non-payment of othersundry charges.

The Joint Task Force on Physical Examina-tion of goods at the ports which comprisesthe men of the Nigerian Customs Service,the Economic and Financial Crimes Com-mission (EFCC) and Independent Corrupt

Practices and other related Offences Commis-sion recovered over N99 billion under-de-clared import duties in Apapa Ports in twomonths.

The other two task forces set up by theDikko led management to check the influx ofcontraband into the country and to block rev-enue leakages have not only minimizedsmuggling, but have also added additionalN9 billion to government coffers. On Janu-ary 6, this year, the head quarters of NigeriaCustoms Service released the score card ofits activities in 2010. The service disclosedthat it generated a total revenue of N546, 640,394, billion between January and December2010, out of its N561 billion target for theyear, this apart from seizures of prohibitedgoods running into billions of naira it made.According to the release, a total of N24, 719,936,666 was lost to waivers and concessionsgranted by the federal government. This, therelease revealed, accounted for the short fallin the revenue collected for the year.

Putting into consideration the global eco-nomic melt down, the score card is certainlyno mean feat. The questions that should agi-tate the minds of right-thinking persons andall those who meant well for this country iswhy would any one want him remove as thecustoms boss? The answer to this poser cannot be far-fetched: Those that want Dikkoremoved for no other reason than not pan-dering to their selfish biddings are the smug-glers and dishonest importers and freightforwarders who are not finding it easy tocontinue with their dishonest activities whichis harming the economic well-being of Ni-gerians. One wonders why any body wouldwant to rise against the custom boss at thistime when he has opened a channel of com-munication with all the stakeholders that haspromoted peace at the port. The attacks onthe customs boss is as a result of his far reach-ing reforms that has led to plugging all theloopholes through which revenue is fritteredaway. Dikko’s detractors, irrespective of hiswidely acknowledged achievements, are nothappy with the new dispensation because itis no longer business as usual.

• Aminu is a public affairs commentator and theNational Coordinator of Oodua Youth For GoodGovernance

‘The problem is not with thesuicide drivers and theiraccomplice bosses alone, it is ageneral problem, it’s just thataccidents involving VIPs getreported in the media becauseof the personalities involved.How many times have weurged our drivers to speed upso that we can meet ourappointment even when wedidn’t leave home on time?’

NationTuesday, March 22, 2011 FREE COPY PAGE 23

Pg.24Pg.24

NIGERIA’s 22-man list for Sunday’sAfrican Cup of Nations qualifieragainst Ethiopia in Abuja is

retained despite the forced absence ofWorld Cup dazzler and reigning NigeriaFootballer of the Year, Vincent Enyeama.

Enyeama sent word to Head Coach,Samson Siasia at the weekend that he wasdown with ankle injury for which he hasbeen receiving injections, but medicalpersonnel at his Israeli club, Hapoel TelAviv have now told him to rest the ankle.

However, Siasia’s selection for the must-win tie against the ofEthiopia at the National Stadium, Abuja isun-reduced after Wigan Athletic ace VictorMoses confirmed he would be available forthe encounter.

The 22-year old becomes the tenth strikerin Siasia’s line-up for the must-win tie, andall players are expected in camp latest thisevening, when the training commences.Yesterday, Siasia released NnamdiOduamadi of AC Milan and EkighoEhiosun of Warri Wolves to Eguavoen forthe Olympic Games qualifier againstEquatorial Guinea taking place at theSamuel Ogbemudia Stadium on Saturday.

However, midfielder Oduamadi andforward Ehiosun will join up with theSuper Eagles after the match in Benin City.They will be part of the internationalfriendly game between Nigeria andKenyan senior teams billed for the NationalStadium, Abuja on Tuesday, 29th March.Also yesterday, Siasia denied news making

Walyas Antelopes

the rounds that he had invitedSunderland FC ace Nedum Onuoha forthe match.

Meanwhile, all members of thetechnical crew including Head CoachSiasia have turned up at the team’sTranscorp Hilton hotel camp.

1. Joel Obi2. Obinna Nsofor3. Sunday Rotimi4. Chibuzor Okonkwo5. Julius Ubido6. Ikechukwu Uche7. Kalu Uche8. Peter Utaka9. Ahmed Musa

1. Obafemi Martins2. Bamidele Aiyenugba3. Taye Taiwo4. Fengor Ogude5. Mikel Obi6. Victor Moses7. Osaze Odemwingie8. Victor Anichebe9. Olubayo Adefemi10. Joseph Yobo11. Efe Ambrose12. Solomon Okoronkwo13. Dele Adeleye

PLAYERS’ PROPOSED ARRIVALDATES

Monday 21st March (yesterday)

Tuesday 22nd March (today)

Taye Taiwo seekssolace in AC MilanTaye Taiwo seekssolace in AC Milan

UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUEUEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE

Ronaldo in fitness

race for Spurs’ clash

Ronaldo in fitness

race for Spurs’ clash

Pg.24Pg.24

Enyeamaout, VictorMoses in

Enyeamaout, VictorMoses in

AHEAD OF ETHIOPIA CLASHAHEAD OF ETHIOPIA CLASH

•Enyeama

Eagles camp scantyEagles camp scantySiasia: Adeleye my biggest discoverySiasia: Adeleye my biggest discovery

Pg.24Pg.24

Pg.24Pg.24

24 41TUESDAY, MARCH 22, 2011

NATION SPORT NATION SPORT

Other Sports...Other Sports...Other Sports...Other Sports...Other Sports...Other Sports

REAL Madrid striker CristianoRonaldo could be sidelined for up tothree weeks due to a hamstring injury,leaving him in a race against time tobe fit for the first leg of theirChampions League quarter-finalagainst Tottenham.

Ronaldo recently missed two gameswith a hamstring problem but returnedto action in Wednesday’s ChampionsLeague game against Lyon.

He also started Saturday’s derby winat Atletico Madrid, playing around 70minutes in both matches before beingreplaced.

The £80million man complained of

Ronaldo in fitness race for Spurs' clashpain in his left thigh following thederby and he underwent medical tests,where the extent of the damage wasconfirmed.

Ronaldo is now set to miss Portugal’supcoming friendlies against Chile andFinland. He may struggle to befit forMadrid’s league match against SportingGijon in a fortnight and the ChampionsLeague clash with Tottenham on April5.

Nine-time European championsMadrid reached the last eight of theChampions League for the first time inseven years after knocking out Lyon inmidweek.

JOHN TERRY Sunday night declaredhe would be 'honoured and proud' tobe asked to captain England.

He said: "I never stopped hoping I'dlead my country again."

England boss Fabio Capello publiclyrevealed he plans to give Terry his oldjob back for the Euro 2012 qualifier

Terry: I never gave up skipper dreamagainst Wales in Cardiff next Saturday.

It could become a permanentappointment with Capello believingthe Chelsea defender has served hispunishment a year after his sacking.

Speaking for the first time about thecaptaincy, Terry told SunSport: "I'vealways done whatever the managerneeds of me to make sure we win.

"Beating Wales is the most importantthing as it's a massive game. I movedon very quickly from the decisionabout losing the captaincy and I'venever fallen out with the manager. ButI've never given up hope that I willcaptain England again.

"When the manager told me in thatmeeting at Wembley that I was losingthe job I accepted and respected hisdecision - even though I did notnecessarily agree with it - shook hishand and his assistant Franco Baldini'shand and told them I'd always give100 percent.

"The manager said he reallyappreciated that and hoped that wouldbe the case.

"Since then he's said to me how I'vedone that and he's been proud of mefor it.

"I've always respected him as a coach,a manager and as a man."

MANCHESTER City striker MarioBalotelli has been fined a staggering£300,000.

The Daily Star says Balotelli has beenfined £300,000 by the EnglandPremier League side for his red cardchallenge on Dynamo Kiev’s GoranPopov.

Balotelli, 20, met his angry bossRoberto Mancini on Saturday to behanded a punishment of two weeks’wages.

The stroppy Italian internationaltravelled to London with the rest ofthe City squad for Sunday’s 2-0 lossto Chelsea at Stamford Bridge.

Man City finesBalotelli£300,000

KENNY DALGLISH has backed AndyCarroll and Luis Suarez to bring theglory days back to Anfield.

Liverpool's new forwards arebeginning to strike up a goodunderstanding and impressed during

Dalglish tips Carroll, Suarez to restore glorythe 2-0 win over Sunderland onSunday.

Dalglish was able to name the duotogether in his starting line-up for thefirst time since they were signed duringthe January transfer window.

Suarez netted the second goal at theStadium of Light and King Kenny couldnot be happier with the pair'scontribution.

The Reds boss said: "The two lads webrought in during January playedtogether for the first time and showeda lot of very encouraging signs.

"Andy made a fantastic physical effort

to play 90 minutes on Thursday in theEuropa league and another 70 atSunderland.

"Luis chipped in with a fantastic goaland the two of them showedencouraging signs of what we can lookforward to.

"I don't think there is a set time forpartnerships to form — it eitherhappens or it doesn't.

"Suarez looks a good player andscored a fantastic goal for us. We have alot of good viewing ahead of us."

MILAN midfielder Gennaro Gattusohas pointed out that the Rossoneri needto be more ruthless in front of goal inthe wake of his side's 1-0 Serie A lossaway to Palermo on Saturday evening.

"We have conceded two easy goals inthe last two games. We created plentyof chances ourselves, but scored onlyone goal. We need to be more ruthlessin front of goal and we also need a bitof luck," the midfielder was quoted assaying by Sky Sport 24.

Gattuso went on to say that Milan areapparently not doing enough at themoment and that he fears i Diavoli couldblow the Serie A title.

"We know that we need to improve,as what we're doing apparently isn'tenough. There's always a fear you couldblow it, because having earned just onepoint from our last two games makesyou aware that things aren't going asexpected."

The influential midfielder thenlooked ahead to the derby against rivalsInter after the international break.

Gattuso: Milanneeds moreruthlessness

THE 2012 Africa Cup of Nationsqualifying clash between Ivory Coast andBenin this week will be played in Ghana.

The civil unrest in the Ivorian capital inthe wake of the political unrest in thecountry has forced the decision for thegame to be moved.

The Group H match will not be playedin Accra.

The Ivorian Football Federation bossJacque Anouma had resisted FIFA’searlier attempt to have the game movedto Accra because of the violence in hiscountry.

But after consultation with CAF, theIvorians have agreed the security ofplayers and fans could not be guaranteedif the game is played in Abidjan.

“We thought we could host the matchin Abidjan even after FIFA’s pressure tomove it from here,” Anoma said.

“But the situation on the ground andlack of security guarantee from thegovernment led us –we and CAF to decideon relocation to nearby Accra, Ghana.

"The players will be in Accra fromTuesday, March 21. They will do a fewdays of preparation and will play thismatch that is very crucial for Ivory Coast,”he added.

Ivory Coast are top of Group H withmaximum six points after two matches.

Second-placed Benin have four points,Rwanda are third with one point whileRwanda have no points.

Ivory Coast/Benintie moved to Accra

UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE...UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE...UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE...

UEFA on Monday ruled out any changeto the ticket prices for the ChampionsLeague final at Wembley in May despite

Champions League final: UEFAstands by ticket pricing

Michel Platini admitting they were tooexpensive.

The cheapest ticket on public sale forthe final on May 28 will be £150 plus a £26booking fee and UEFA president Platinihas said family tickets should be half theprice they are on sale for.

But UEFA general secretary GianniInfantino said at a news conference inParis: 'The ticket prices for Wembley willnot change - the ticket sales have alreadystarted and the president expressed hisopinion about that.'

The final will be the second time it hasbeen played on a Saturday - a movePlatini championed to enable morefamilies to attend.

ARSENE Wenger has admitted thatbeing knocked out of the ChampionsLeague by Barcelona has had apsychological effect on his Arsenal side.

The Gunners, who dropped two pointsin the Premier League title race away toWest Brom on Saturday, underwent anightmare week earlier this month,losing the League Cup final and thencrashing out of both the ChampionsLeague and FA Cup to see theirsilverware aspirations take a hammerblow, having not won a trophy in sixyears.

Now, Wenger's side are five pointsbehind league leaders ManchesterUnited with a game in hand and theFrenchman has admitted that thepressure to take the title has increasedsince going out of Europe.

Wenger was quoted as saying by TheSun: "You cannot go out of theChampions League like we did and haveno doubt. It's a massive blow.

"We had four targets and suddenly wehave only one. So the pressure increases.

"But this team wants to do well and I'mso desperate to help them get what theydeserve because their attitude from thefirst day of the season has beenabsolutely spot-on.

"That's why I think they deserve to berewarded and I'm confident they will."

Wenger: Cup losshas increased

pressure on Arsenal

AGED 38 and in the twilight of his career,Brazilian star Rivaldo remains troubledby the 1998 World Cup final loss to France.

The Samba Boys went down 3-0 in theshowpiece match, but 13 years onRivaldo still can't shake the badmemories.

"It was the worst defeat [I haveexpereinced]," Rivaldo told FIFA.com.

"It was really sad, particularly with theamount of rumours and nonsense thatwere flying around afterwards," hecontinued.

Rivaldo, who now plies his trade forBrazilian giants Sao Paulo, is admanantRonaldo's infamous 'tongue-swallowingincident' had no bearing on the outcomeof the final.

"There are a lot of people from thatSelecao who use that as an excuse. Theysay things would have been different. ButI’m of the opinion that, even if [Ronaldohad] been 100 per cent, we’d have stilllost because we played badly."

FRANCE 1998 WORLD CUP DEFEAT

Ronaldo's incidenthad no bearing

—Rivaldo

A 22-year-old blonde is reportedly thenew girlfriend of sex addict golfer TigerWoods.

Alyse Lahti Johnston, the step-daughterof an official at IMG sports agency whichrepresents Woods, was introduced to thegolfer by her step-father, The Sunreported.

News of their relationship emergedafter Woods's ex-wife Elin Nordegren,31, bought a mansion worth 7.5 millionpounds ($12 million) with divorce moneyshe got from the golfer.

Woods will reportedly have to payaround 100 million pounds to his ex-wifeafter the divorce settlement. They havetwo children - Sam, 3, and Charlie, 2.

Another mistress of the golfer, 36-year-old Rachel Uchitel, has reportedlyqualified as a private detective.

Tiger Woods hasnew girlfriend

HARRY Redknapp has urged JermainDefoe not to wear a T-shirt saying ‘100Goals’ under his Spurs shirt again.

The England striker moved up to 99Tottenham goals with his double atWolves – his first top-flight strikes of thecampaign

“I hope he doesn’t wear the T-shirt again– it’s tempting fate,” said Redknapp. “Hewas unlucky.”

“To be fair to him, he was up half thenight because one of his -grandparents diedlast night.

“But he wanted to play and I’m sure he’dhave loved to score against the Hammersbecause the fans love him there. He alwaysgets a good reception and I’m sure he’dlike to have put a goal past them.”

100 goals T-shirt: Defoeurged not to tempt fate

BARCELONA defender Dani Alves isfull of ambition for the remainder ofthe season and is hopeful of winningthe treble again with the Spanishpowerhouse.

The Blaugrana currently sit top of theLiga table with a five-point lead overrivals Real Madrid. They take on LosBlancos in the final of the Copa del Reyon April 20 and meet Shakhtar Donetskin the quarter-finals of the ChampionsLeague.

"We are only thinking of one gameat a time and we're hoping to go as far

Barca could win treble again —Alvesas possible in all competitions. It willbe very difficult to win the treble again,but it's definitely not impossible. Wehave to stay focused for every game,"said Alves to El Mundo Deportivo.

"It'll be very difficult to win La Liga. Itwon't go unpunished if we lose aleague game. We have to stayconcentrated to avoid any moredifficulties."

The Brazil international then lookedahead to the Champions League finalat Wembley and stated that he's eagerto write history.

AHEAD OF NIGERIA/ETHIOPIA CLASH:

Eagles camp scantyA S at midday on Monday,

March 21 2011 only fourplayers had turned up at the

camp of Nigeria’s men national team,the Super Eagles.

The four players, Sunday Rotimi

(Dolphins), Julius Ubido (Heartland),Chibuzor Okonkwo (Heartland) andEkigho Ehiosun (Warri Wolves) allplay in the domestic League but chiefmedia officer of the Nigeria FootballFederation (NFF), Ademola Olajiresays there is really no cause for alarm.

Olajire told naijafootball247.com thatthe camp opened on Mondaymorning and the players based inEurope were expected to arrive lateryesterday.

“Right now there are just fourplayers in camp and they are the onesthat play in the home league,” Olajiretold naijafootball247.com yesterday.

“The camp opened today(Monday) so you would expect themto come in later. So I believe they willactually start full training tomorrow(today),” Olajire said.

Captain of the team, Joseph Yobo,Osaze Odemwingie, ObafemiMartins, Obinna Nsofor, DeleAdeleye were expected to arrive lastnight.

Others players who promisedMonday arrival were AdefemiOlubayo, Ahmed Musa, Joel Obi, andNnamdi Oduamadi.

Head coach of the side, SamsonSiasia has already given the playerstoday as their deadline to arrive.

The Eagles play against Ethiopiain a 2012 Africa Cup of Nationsqualifying match in Abuja onSunday.

OLYMPIC GAMES QUALIFIER

Faith Irabor gets FIFA appointment•Nigerian to supervise Cameroon vs E/Guinea clashRETIRED FIFIA-badged referee,

Faith Irabor of Nigeria has beenappointed to supervise the Referees Instructors Course in Ghana

the same year and the CAF Re-evaluation Course in Cairo Egypt in2009 where she excelled with otherWomen Instructors in both thetheoretical and practical tests thatwere conducted by the CAF RefereesCommittee.

The performance in the Instructorscourse singled her out to be amongthe Women former FIFA Referees

and Assistant Referees CAF and FIFAwould like to designate in support ofwomen football refereeing in Africa.

"I am very happy that Faith Iraboris now being uplifted to serve footballat a higher level but I strongly advisethat to succeed she needs to show alot commitment to her assignmentsand thoroughness in presentingreports that will meet the highstandard expected by CAF and FIFA,"Linus Mba, another retired referee,advised.

discovery thus far.The central defender was a rough,

unpolished diamond and not yet 17 whenSiasia took a chance on him at the 2005FIFA Under-20 World Cup in theNetherlands.

“I got (Dele) Adeleye from nowhere; hewas not even playing for 3SC. I saw himand I liked his height,” revealed the Eaglescoach.

Siasia: Adeleye my biggest discovery

SUPER Eagles coach, Samson Siasia,has picked Metalurh Donetskdefender Dele Adeleye as his biggest

“He was too rough even back then thathis tackle cost us the cup at the Junior WorldCup, but he was responding to trainingand was willing to learn that by the time Itook him to the Olympics, he finished thetournament without a single booking.”

Siasia has now given Adeleye anotherchance to be part of the full internationalteam against Ethiopia on Sunday in Abuja.

This was after he was shut out followinga blunder that allowed Tunisia to drawlevel with Nigeria in a crucial 2010 WorldCup qualifier in Abuja, which almostdenied Nigeria a ticket to South Africa.

“That mistake started from the attack andit was not just Dele who was to blame,”defended Siasia.

“We’re all human and so make mistakes.We need to be corrected, not cast away,especially a young player like that. If wedon’t make mistakes, we cannot learn.”

The Eagles handler will thereforechallenge the Ukraine-based centre half towork harder and not allow what he has sofar achieved, get into his head.

“He should not let ego get into his head,rather he should work hard and keep hishead down, be disciplined and be moreconsistent,” he offered.

At the weekend in Ukraine, the 23-year-old Adeleye celebrated his return to theEagles by scoring his second goal of theseason against Vorskla in a league game.

has addressed the concerns of athleteswaiting on the Presidency for rewardsfor winning laurels in majorcompetitions in 2010. Bada toldNationSport that it was in thegovernment’s plans.

He said: “I think it is still in thepipeline, you know how governmentbureaucracy works. It is in the offingand most of the athletes that went forthe Commonwealth Games (Delhi2010) were rewarded. I think thegovernment is trying to imbibe thisculture of reward of excellence.”

Athletes had expected PresidentGoodluck Jonathan to receive them inDecember last year and shower eitherpraises or more likely reward themmonetarily but, days into the end ofthe first quarter of the New Year, thereis still no inkling from the seat ofpower as to when or if indeed they

Presidential reward: AFNdispels athletes fear Eagles camp scantyBy Stella BamawoT HE Technical Director of the

Athletics Federation ofNigeria, (AFN) Sunday Bada

will get any governmentremuneration.

Sports men and women awaitingrewards include those that competedand did well at the IAAF and theAfrican Athletics Championship inKenya.

The National Sports Commission(NSC) had proposed a uniform rewardsystem for all the country’s athletes.The Presidency bought the idea and acommittee with the Secretary to theFederal Government as chairman andmembers from the Finance Ministry,NSC and other ministries was set up.A letter was forwarded to thePresidency for a date in December tohost the successful athletes but till dateno reply has been received.

It will be recalled that Nigeria won 8gold, 5 silver and 5 bronze to takesecond position with an overall pointof 198.0 behind host Kenya.

minutes.Djokovic, who won the Australian

Open in January, remains unbeatenin 2011 following his 18th victory ofthe year.

He moved up to second in therankings - behind Nadal - on Monday.

And after defeating the Spaniard ina final for the first time in six attempts,he will surely have his sights set onoverhauling him for top spot soon.

Sunday's final was a pulsatingencounter from the outset, with thefeeling of a Grand Slam clash, and bothmen were keen to stamp theirauthority as early as possible.

Nadal had the first chance at 2-2, 0-40, but four break points wentbegging as he appeared to get edgy atthe key moments, before he finallyconverted his fifth oppportunity.

Djokovic, bristling with intent, hitback straight away with a spectacularbackhand cross-court winner and aforehand up the line to make it 3-3,only to then slip behind again withthe first really loose game of the day.

Nadal was able to keep Djokovic atbay as he served out the set and it wasnow a question of whether theSerbian, who had not suffered a defeatsince losing to Federer in London fourmonths ago, had the energy to comeback.

Djokovic beats Nadal in Indian Wells final

OLYMPIC QUALIFIERS

he receives two million naira (about$13,000) to offset his investment.

Were he to carry out his threat, Ehiosunwill be ruled out of even featuring for theOlympic team in Saturday’s qualifier inBenin City.

The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF)have since waded into the drama.

MTNFootball.com was informed thatEhiosun and AC Milan left wingerNnamdi Oduamadi were let go by Siasiafor the country’s Olympic team.

This followed the release of Parmamidfielder Obiora Nwankwo earlier lastweek by Siasia to the Olympic team.

Foot Club.One sticking block would be the fact

he does not hold an EU passport, thus ifsigned he would take up the seasonquota assigned to each Serie A team andsubsequently limiting Milan’s othertransfer targets.

However, being a free agent, hecertainly fits in with the current transferstrategy at Milan of picking up goodplayers on the cheap.

SUMMER TRANSFER

Taye Taiwo seeks solace in AC Milanby Innocent Amomoh with Agency

reportTHE controversies surroundingthe proposed move of SuperEagles’ left back, Taye Taiwo

may soon be laid to rest with the recentresolve by the Olympic Marseille (OM)ace to team up with Serie A side ACMilan.

Taiwo, whose contract with the FranceLigue 1 giants is billed to expire thisseason, has declared that Milan is hisfavoured destination when he movesfrom OM in the summer.

Over the weekend however theNigeria international was heavilylinked with a move to Premier League

side Aston Villa, but from all indications,the Netherlands 2005 U- 20 World Cupsilver medalist will snub the move fora sojourn in Italy.

“I’m very pleased that Milan haveshown an interest in signing me. Milanare my first option when I leaveMarseille this summer,” he told Canal

Ehiosun to lead U-23s attack

NIGERIA’S Super Eagles coachSamson Siasia has releasedstriker Ekigho Ehiosun, who is

enmeshed in a row with his agent, tolead Nigeria’s attack in an Olympicqualifier against Equatorial Guinea thisweekend.

The Warri Wolves striker, who made asensational goal-scoring Eagles debutagainst Sierra Leone last month, isentangled in a spat with his London-based agent after he stayed away fromtrials in Norway recently.

The player’s agent has threatened notto surrender the player’s passport until

•Player’s participation threatened by agent’s N2m claim

Olympic Games qualifying matchbetween Cameroon and EquatorialGuinea on April 2 in Yaounde at theAhmadou Ahidjo Stadium.

Irabor, who is the first Nigerianformer Woman FIFA Referee to serveas Match Commissioner in anyinternational football competition,retired from active refereeing in 2004,after participating in the Zonal CAF

Eguavoen are expected in Benin Citytoday, ahead of a friendly match against

Eguavoen’s pros to hit Benin today

ALL the foreign-based playersinvited to the camp of the nationalU-23 team by Head Coach, Austin

Insurance FC of Benin.The 12 players will join up with 18

domestic League players as preparationintensifies for Saturday’s 2012 OlympicGames qualifying match againstEquatorial Guinea, slated for the SamuelOgbemudia Stadium on Saturday, March26.

Among the foreign-based called upby the former Super Eagles’ supremoare former U-17 World Cup –winningcaptain Haruna Lukman, U-20 WorldCup captain Jude Ighalo, NosakhareIgiebor, Nurudeen Orelesi, Ibok Edet,Dele Ajiboye, Obiora Nwankwo,Chukwuma Akabueze, Ganiyu Oseniand Danny Uchechi.

With Siasia’s release of AC Milan’sNnamdi Oduamadi and Warri Wolves’striker Ekigho Ehiosun to the U-23 team,Eguavoen’s hands are indeed full.

NOVAK Djokovic proved he is a realthreat for the world number one spotwith victory over Rafael Nadal in theBNP Paribas Open final in IndianWells.

The Serbian, who guaranteed thenumber two ranking by defeatingRoger Federer in the semis, beatNadal 4-6 6-3 6-2 in two hours and 25

qualifying match against Namibia atthe National Stadium, Abuja onSunday, 3rd April.

Assistant General Secretary(Competitions) of the Nigeria FootballFederation (NFF), Dr. MohammedSanusi said yesterday that theFederation had alreadycommunicated the venue and date ofmatch to world football –governingbody, FIFA.

“The match is an Olympics qualifierand we had to communicate earlyenough to the world football –governing body on date and venue.The match will be played at theNational Stadium, Abuja on Sunday,3rd April,” said Dr. Sanusi.

The Super Falcons, reigningchampions of Africa have beentraining in Abuja ahead of the two-legfixture, with the second leg coming upin Windhoek mid-April. Namibiaoverpowered Angola on aggregate inthe earlier round while the Falconsdrew a bye following the withdrawalof Congo.

Falcons toplay in Abuja

THE national women’s team,Super Falcons will play their2012 Olympic Games

REAL Madrid's Portugueseinternational Pepe has agreed acontract extension until June 2015,sports daily Marca reported onMonday.

The 28-year-old defender, whojoined Real from Oporto in 2007 for30m euros after helping thePortuguese side win back-to-backleague titles, will sign the newcontract before the end of theseason, the newspaper said.

His current contract with Realends in June 2012.

Under the new deal Brazil-bornPepe will earn around four millioneuros annually, up from 1.8meuros, according to Marca. His agenthad been asking for his salary to belifted to six million euros per year.

Pepe moved to Oporto from CSMaritimo in 2004 after threesuccessful seasons with theMadeira club which he joined fromthird division SC CorinthiansAlagoano in Brazil.

Pepe signs newMadrid deal

until 2015

•Djokovic

•Eguavoen

•Gattuso

•Platini

•Ike Uche

•Woods

PROPERTY * The Environment * Mortgage* Apartments * Security* Homes *Real Estate

Website:- http://www.thenationonlineng.com email:- [email protected], March 22, 2011

25

•Luxury flats such as this may be hard to replicate

- PAGE 26 - PAGE 37- PAGE 27

•Diamond Bank trainsconstruction entrepreneurs

•Wastewater management:Lagos shops for N75b

•‘Experts fret oversub-standard iron rods

Are CBN reforms a disincentive to housing?Complaints arerife that theCentral Bank’sreforms havehindered growthof the propertymarket becausemany choiceestates are outthere withoutbuyers.Stakeholdersbelieve that theCBN reforms havebeen more of adrawback than anincentive, OKWYIROEGBU reports.

THE property market used to bebooming. There were investors andbuyers. The investors are still there,

but there are no longer buyers. Whatcould be responsible for this glut? Devel-opers blame it on the economy. To them,the economy in the first quarter witnessedsevere credit squeeze because of the CBN’sintervention in the banking industrywhich manifested in a slump in the realestate business as funding was not forth-coming for new developments.

They also noted that there is a sharpdecline in demand for properties, espe-cially at the upper end of the market, suchas Ikoyi, Victoria Island and Lekki. Somehave their valuation reduced by as muchas 10 per cent in the highbrow areas.

In a paper, entitled, “Banking reforms,economic empowerment and the real es-tate sector,’ delivered in Kaduna last week,the 2nd Vice President, Nigeria Institu-tion of Estate Surveyors & Valuers, JamesOmeru, observed that real estate devel-opers and manufacturers as well as finan-cial sector operators, are currently lament-ing that the banking reforms have cre-ated more problems leaving in its trailcollapse of scores of businesses, unem-ployment and low capacity utilisation.

He said a cross section of players in theindustry believe that the reforms oughtto have brought succour and relief to theirbusiness but were disappointed at the fall-out of the much trumped reforms.

National President, Real Estate Devel-opment Association of Nigeria (REDAN),Chief Olabode Afolayan, said the CBN re-forms fell short of expectation.

“The short and long term effects of suchreforms ought to have been envisaged. I

mean for almost six months, no single trans-action took place in the real estate sector.Tell me for how long shall we wait to reapfrom the reforms,” he stated.

He lamented that the intervention has cre-ated fear in the minds of some developersand as it stands currently, no bank wants totake the risk of giving loans to creditors,not minding the fact that some of them ac-tually rely on the credit facilities from thebanks to carry out their businesses.

Afolayan furthermore, stated : “ The bank-ing reforms actually forced property pricesto decline in some areas, which is believedto be a result of banks’ debtors selling offtheir properties below open market valuesto enable them to settle their debts and thusavoid prosecution by the Economic and Fi-

nancial Crime Commission (EFCC). “ I think there is rapid disposal under self-

imposed forced sale conditions of propertyand real estate owned in the country andabroad by the big debtors of many banksin Nigeria”. The proceeds of which are be-ing applied toward the prompt amortiza-tion of their loans to avoid prosecution bythe EFCCC and possible conviction as wellas disgrace,” he added.

Speaking under condition of anonymity,chief executive of a Lekki-basedMicrofinance Bank, said: “ The MFBs andthe micro sectors are the worst hit by theeffects of Sanusi’s reforms because of theirlevel of dependence on funds.

“Our activities have almost become para-lysed due to over dependence on two ma-

jor sources of funds, which are the de-positors’ funds and funds from commer-cial banks for on-lending. But unfortu-nately, the commercial banks are notlending anymore due to the tight meas-ures of the reforms.”

Omeru, in his paper, also noted thatmanufacturers on their part, are lament-ing that the reforms aggravated a bad situ-ation in the real sector. He said from hisinvestigations, they complained that dueto the ‘unique approach’ of the CBN Gov-ernor, “who made many banks to takerisk management to a ridiculous level andin the process denying many firms andancillary business the much needed funds

•Continued on page 26


PROPERTY/ENVIRONMENT

26

•From left: Oguguo and Peters at the event

•CBN’s head office in Abuja

DIAMOND Bank organisedan enterprise seminar inOwerri, Imo State, to raise

the hope of some of its customersand other operators of micro smalland medium enterprises in the con-struction sector.

It was also put in place to enablethese small to medium scale playersin the sector to learn how to growtheir businesses and also imbibemodern trends in the managementof their businesses by developing awebsite to let the world get infor-mation about them and their busi-nesses.

Bank customers were also excitedto hear that they could grow theirbusinesses through loans without therigorous process of coming up withcollateral, but the Co-ordinator forMSME Chima Nnadozie was quickto add that bank customers seekingloans to grow its business must alsomeet the bank criteria by providingsatisfactory history of the business.

The bank’s aim to provide solu-tions to entrepreneurs at this levelwas well-explained to participants.

Topics treated include four waysto grow your business by ToluDelano; effective partnership forbusiness growth by Hillary Oguguo;the web and you by Zero One andbusiness insurance by ClaraEzuruike.

On ways to grow business, theseminar offered the participants theopportunities of identifying key is-sues in this direction, which it said,include the task of increasingnumber of customers suitable totheir line of businesses, increase inthe number of times customers comeback, increase the value of each saleand increase the effectiveness of eachprocess within the business.

The resource person stated that itis cheaper to maintain existing cus-tomers than to look for new ones

Diamond Bank trains construction entrepreneurs

and advised that entrepreneursshould spend more time with theirexisting customers and map out newstrategies to capture new customers.This would mean, he said, ensuringthat every entrepreneur should bepeculiar in a particular sector bymaking sure that its products andservices can be distinguished fromothers. The participants were in-formed on the need to implementsales system using research and pro-motion plan to achieve maximumresults

They were also told to remain inbusiness to achieve their inherentvision to deliver services on prom-

ise and should not allow themselvesto be moved by market dictatedchanges of reducing quality of prod-ucts or changing business focus be-cause others have changed.

On effective partnership, Oguguosaid no business can survive with-out trust and integrity.

He attributed most failed busi-nesses in Nigeria to entrepreneursnot being trustworthy and advisedparticipants to build their businesseson trust. “Effective partnership mustbe built on trust and integrity,” headded.

He stressed that relationships arenot left to chance as they must bedeveloped intentionally. He ad-vised the participants to enforceagreements, keep promises and also

meet the people’s need.Oguguo reiterated that effective

partnership must also be driven bythe entrepreneurs’ desire to acquirethe necessary skills and capacity toimplement business plans, whichmust also be understood by thoseworking with these entrepreneurs.

This, he said, must be with up-to-date legal status and refusing to com-promise ethics.

Nnadozie, said the bank is target-ing the group because they are theengine room of the nation’seconomy.

“They are responsible for 80 percent of the GDP. They are responsi-ble for employing the majority ofpeople in the country, which con-tribute to the growth of the economy.

The seminar, he said, was part ofDiamond Bank offer to its custom-ers for providing solutions to theirproblems. The bank in its desire toassist customers can also provideloans to enable entrepreneurs growtheir businesses without tears of pro-viding collateral, he said. The semi-nar he explained have been ex-tended to non-customers of the banksince it is aimed at developing a sur-vival strategy for entrepreneursacross the country.

To the participants, it was a usefultime spent with the bank’s resourcepersons.

According to Joy UkachukwuNwaiwu, participating in the semi-nar has opened her eyes to new andprofitable ways of doing her inter-locking stone manufacturing busi-ness.

She acknowledged that she gaineda lot, particularly in partnership,trust and integrity as ingredients toenable her to move its business for-ward. “I learnt also that l can get loanwithout collateral to expand my busi-ness,” she added.

Another manufacturer at theevent, Ibe Ikechi, commended the or-ganisers of the seminar. “I learnt alot on how to expand my businessby opening a website, insurance andpartnership,” she said.

A contractor, Chief Aham Ikeadisaid: “I am into road and housingconstruction. I got to understand thatno matter the kind of business youdo, it is necessary that it must be ICTcompliance. You can open a websiteto give the world the opportunity toknow about yourself and your busi-ness. I am now convinced about in-surance. Insurance is good for per-sons and businesses. My car was sto-len by armed robbers but insuranceagency paid me substantial sum tominimise the pains of losing mypriced car,” he said.

Are CBN reformsa disincentiveto housing?to operate,” their businesses havecollapsed.

Chairman, Board of Directors,Nigeria Breweries PLC, ChiefKola Jamodu, while reacting tothe effects of the reforms, said oneof the consequences of the sweep-ing reforms in the banking sector,is that access to credit facility re-mained a major challenge espe-cially to companies and entrepre-neurs. This had a profound effecton our supplies, customers, otherkey partners and consumers headded.

President, Manufacturers Asso-ciation of Nigeria (MAN), AlhajiBashir Borodo, told journaliststhat long before the banking re-forms, the manufacturing sectorhad been on its knees, crippled byprotracted infrastructure chal-lenges, particularly power, butaverred that the banking reformsaggravated an already bad situa-tion.

President, Lagos Chamber ofcommerce and Industry LCCI,Otunba Femi Deru, in a positionpaper on the issue stated that theeconomy in the past few monthswitnessed severe credit squeeze.He ascribed it largely to the on-going reforms of the banking sec-tor. He said: “The credit condi-tion took its toll on businesses inthe first quarter, manifesting inareas such as reduction in capac-ity utilisation of many manufac-turing concerns as a result of lackof access to working capital frombanks.

There was abandonment ofprojects in the construction indus-try by contractors who could notget funds to complete the projects.Many of them could also not bepaid by their clients; slump in thereal estate business as funding wasnot forthcoming for new propertydevelopment.

Also there was a sharp declinein demand for properties, espe-cially at the upper end of the mar-ket.

Omeru further in his papermaintained that despite the re-forms, investing in housing devel-opment is still characterised withchallenges of exit point for the dis-posal of the completed housingunits after construction which pre-vents property developers fromrecycling their finances to providemore houses to the people.

He said: “The available fundsfrom the Federal Mortgage Bankof Nigeria (FMBN) are not enoughto service the National HousingFund (NHF) contributors that ap-ply for loans and private devel-opers that require Estate Develop-ers Loan (EDL). For instance, theNHF had as at September 2005 anoutstanding commitment of overN15 billion as undisbursed ap-proved loans as both facilitiesgranted from it against a net col-lection of less than seven billion.This is besides the outstanding ap-plications valued at N44billion,this unarguably does not encour-age investment.’’

Furthermore, he decried the factthat people are not adequatelyempowered to access the NHF

loans which affects the demand forcompleted housing units resultinginto housing glut in major statecapitals in the country.

There is high profile ofaffordability question among in-tending and prospective buyers ofcompleted remuneration of mostworkers unable to afford the sell-ing prices of houses developed by

•Continued from page 25

the developers, he added.Lending his voice to the discourse

the President of the Nigeria Insti-tution of Estate Surveyors & Valu-ers (NIESV), Mr. Bode Adedijiurged his colleagues to all waysmake intellectual contributionstowards the revival of the real sec-tor of the nation’s economy whichhe said, has been neglected for a

,long time. He pointed out that thatno meaningful economic transfor-mation especially the muchtrumped vision202020 can makeany meaningful impact withoutthe active participation of survey-ors. He asked that interest shouldbe rekindled on why policies failin the country even with all theresources deployed into them.

By Okwy Iroegbu,Asst Editor



THE Lagos State Government has urged theprivate sector to build

N75 billion infrastructurefor managing wastewater.

Speaking at thewastewater investment fo-rum tagged Wastewatersectoral policy – unveiling theinvestment opportunities heldat the Eko Hotel and Suites,Governor BabatundeFashola said the govern-ment decided to adopt pri-vate financing to comple-ment budgetary funding toaddress the problem.

Fashola lamented thatmanagement of wastewaterhas been neglected in thestate ,adding that there is anurgent need for the state toembark on rapid infrastruc-ture procurement and devel-opment to provide the re-quired facilities needed tomanage the wastewater gen-erated by the residents of thestate.

He said: ”The state willthrough the five-year ag-gressive infrastructuralpolicy provide 10 new megawastewater treatment plantsand rehabilitation three ex-isting ones in conjunctionwith our development part-

•Wastewater House, Ikeja, Lagos PHOTO: OKWY IROEGBU

ners .These, in addition, to the

four recently rehabilitationat Oke-Afa Abesan, Iponriand Alausa will cut across 32Local Government Areasand Local Council Develop-ment Areas to serve almostsix million inhabitants ofthe state and increase capac-ity to about 35 per cent.”

He said the state’s existingwastewater infrastructure ca-pacity is deficit with over 90per cent, adding that theshortfall provides opportu-nity discerning investors tobenefit from huge popula-tion, cosmopolitan lifestyleand high level of economicpower of the people.

“Its successful implemen-tation signifies a healthierenvironment, a wealthierand productive populationand ultimately, a prosper-ous people. From long timeconcessionairing to shortterm operations and man-agement contract, supplyand management contract,turnkey project, concessionand even private owner-ship of assets , the

Wastewatermanagement:Lagos shopsfor N75b


wastewater sector in Lagosstate is an investor haven,”he added.

Corroborating the gover-nor’s view on the need to ef-fectively manage the state’swastewater , the state Com-missioner for EnvironmentDr. Muiz Banire, said thestate’s wastewater facility issix per cent, saying there is

the urgent need to quickenthe pace towards providingthe 94 percent infrastructuredeficit to cater for the grow-ing need of wastewatermanagement in the state.

The commissioner saidthe private sector need topartner with the state gov-ernment to raise the moneyneeded for effective manage-

ment of wastewater in thestate to ensure the septagetreatment facilities are madeavailable with provision ofreasonable access to haulagetrucks , while all existingwaste water treatmentplants in the state.

“The government, throughher policies, has created ena-bling environment to ensure

sustainability of investmentin the short, medium andlong term investment plansto assure good Returns OnInvestment (ROI) thatabound in the wastewatersector and benefit of for thecitizens, adding that the part-nership with the private sec-tor would yield mutual ben-efit.

THE Nigerian Societyof Engineers (NSE)has charged the Na-

tional Income, Salaries andWages Commission(NISWC) to determine anenhanced entry point intothe civil service for engi-neers like other profession-als.

The President of the Nige-rian Society of Engineers,Mr. Olumuyiwa AladeAjibola, made the call whenhe visited the Commission,Chief Richard Egbule, inAbuja. He noted that despitegovernment’s promises inthe past, the salary has stillnot taken effect.

“We are worried that theplacement of engineers onSalary Grade Level 08 step4, on entry into the civil serv-ice has not taken into ac-count the peculiarities asso-ciated with the training,work schedules and re-sponsibilities of engineers.

“We note that other pro-fessionals like doctors, law-yers, accountants and ge-ologists are placed on en-hanced entry points in thepublic service while this isnot the case for engineers.

“The society has since2005 made proposals to thegovernment for the im-provement of conditions of

Engineering practice in Ni-geria which he said led to agovernment white-paper onStrategic plans for Engi-neering Development andControl in Nigeria amongst,which is a proposal for anengineering salary struc-ture.

“Other professionals likedoctors, lawyers, account-ants and geologists wereplaced on enhanced entrypoints in the public service.

“We, therefore, seek yoursupport for a new entrypoint to be approved. Weask that the entry point forengineers into the publicservice should be Gradelevel 10 step 4 and that en-gineers should be upgradedto GL 12 step 5 immediatelythey get registered withCOREN while those al-ready registered withCOREN on entry will be ongrade level 12 Step 5,” heemphasised.

Responding, the Chair-man of the National Income,Salaries and Wages Com-mission, Chief Egbule ex-pressed shock that engi-neers were not taken alongwith other professionals. Heasked the society to fight for

the revision of the schemeof service for engineerswhich he said was the onlyway the society can achieveenhanced entry point.

There may be need tomake fresh engineeringgraduates go through someform of internship beforetheir registration. He saidsuch an arrangement willenhance their escalation tothe entry point requested.

Chief Egbule asked the so-ciety to liaise with the officeof the Head of Service of theFederation, which he saidhad the power to initiate theprocesses needed to realisethe request of the society.

He observed that the soci-ety’s request was legitimateand promised that the com-mission would support theprocess if the need arose. Henoted that a National Com-mittee of Experts on Param-eters for Wage fixing hadjust recently submitted itsreport to the Federal Gov-ernment and was awaitingthe whitepaper.

He expressed optimismthat the White Paper wouldcorrect some of the injusticesmeted out to the engineersin the structure, saying thesociety had a good case.

Implement new salary forengineers, group urges govt

From Franca Ochigbo,Abuja

‘The society has since 2005 made proposals to the government forthe improvement of conditions of Engineering practice in Nigeriawhich he said led to a government white-paper on Strategic plans

for Engineering Development and Control in Nigeria amongst,which is a proposal for an engineering salary structure’



THE Lagos Waste Management Authority (LAWMA)has bought and handed over

tricycles to some Private SectorParticipants (PSP) ‘under the payas you go scheme’ to combat wastein areas not accessible to thecompactor trucks.

The Managing Director ofLAWMA Mr. Ola Oresanya, dis-closed this at the launch and hand-ing over of the tricycles to PSP op-erators.

According to the LAWMA boss,the statutory responsibility ofLAWMA is to ensure that Lagos isclean irrespective of the socio-eco-nomic status of the residents. Henoted that his agency is commit-ted in the drive to ensure a sus-tainable, clean and healthy Lagosenvironment and would stop atnothing to achieve the desired re-sult.

He acknowledged that certain ar-eas in the state have very narrowroads where the waste compactorscannot maneouvre and has intro-duced the tricycles as a solution fortheir waste management and alsoan avenue to integrate cart push-ers into the bigger programme ofwaste management to preservetheir means of livelihood and pro-tect them from crime.

He reiterated the ban on cartpushers in Lagos State, called ondisbanded members to form co-operatives to benefit from the tri-cycles waste management pro-gramme.

Explaining how the pay as youdrop scheme works, the LAWMA

boss said it is designed for low in-come earners who cannot afford topay for waste management bills atthe end of the month but find it

•Oresanya at the tricyles’ launch

LAWMA distributes tricycles to PSP operators

Stories by Okwy Iroegbu,Asst Editor

•Youths at a Climate Change programme

more convenient to pay per dropas its being collected or operatedby cart pushers.

According to him, the state gov-ernment wants residents of suchareas to enjoy a healthy environ-

ment under a flexible and condu-cive arrangement.

Speaking further he saidLAWMA began a pilot scheme ofusing tricycles about three yearsago in Ijora Badia, adding that the

success of the scheme in the area iswhat necessitated the procurementand handing over of tricycles tomore PSP operators.

He charged the operators to ob-serve a maximum radius of 3kmto the compactor trucks whileworking on the streets, adding thatwhen the tricycle is filled up, therefuse will be evacuated into thebigger trucks, which would movethe waste to the dumpsite.

Beneficiaries of the newly deliv-ered tricycles are Dark Gold, fromAboru in Abule Egba, Bola Goldfrom Isale Oja in Agege and thepioneer operator, Biospheres whocovers Badia.

On the payment model for thebeneficiaries, Oresanya revealedthat the operators of the tricyclesare to pay for it by instalments forfour years without any initial de-posit, while other slum areas asidentified would be covered underthe new arrangement.

Speaking on behalf of the ben-eficiaries, Alhaji AbdulwaahidAdeleke, commended the man-agement of LAWMA for makinggood its promise of procuringmore tricycles for waste manage-ment and noted that with the ini-tial introduction of the scheme,waste management in the formerunaccessible areas of Badia has in-creased tremendously.

The LAWMA chief called onresidents to join hands with thestate government by paying forwaste bills promptly and urgedthem to call on LAWMA for back-up service.

LAGOS State Governor,Babatunde Fashola hascommended the Climate

Change Clubs in schools for keep-ing faith with their ideals threeyears after their establishment.

He spoke during the third yearanniversary at the Police College,Ikeja.

Fashola said the club remainsthe seed of a passionate genera-tion of environmental activistsand the brigade of a greener andsustainable environment. He said:“Early in the life of this adminis-tration, we acknowledged that themost potent of the weapons atcombating climate change is ad-vocacy through public education..

“This is what led us to the pur-suit of advocacy aimed at inform-ing and empowering our youngones about the ideals of a healthyenvironment through the estab-lishment of the Climate ChangeClubs”. Fashola, who was repre-sented by the Environment Com-missioner, Dr. Muiz Banire,commended the pupils on theircontribution as active players inthe regeneration of the State en-vironment. He regretted that thebeauty of the environment van-ished as a result of neglect of ur-ban planning in the process of cityexpansion and development thatwas uncontrollably struggling tomeet the needs of a growing popu-lation.

The governor boasted that thestate is successfully building ageneration that will not repeat themistakes that adults have made.

Threeyears on,clubmakesimpact

He said: “There is no doubtingthe capability of children in effect-ing desired change in the society,whoever still thinks otherwise be-longs to the past. You are very in-fluential change agents in the so-ciety.“

He warned of the looming dan-ger and the need to avert it or itsconsequences mitigated to thebarest minimum.

According to him, as a result ofClimate Change, water sourceshave been polluted, lives lost, for-est wiped out, desertification,wide spread diseases and pesti-lence with near extinction ofbiodiversity.

He observed that the frequencyof disasters around the globe hasbeen increasing in a manner un-precedented in human history.

Fashola recalled that at the lastLagos Climate Change Summit,Dr. Kenny Tang, a global leader

in sustainable and environmentalfinance, described 2010 as year ofdisasters, and that 373 natural dis-asters occurred in last year alonewith a consequential economicloss of 110 United States billiondollar where 300,000 people werereported killed and 207 millionothers affected.

He warned that the nation is inthe legion of world’s most vulner-able countries to climate changeimpacts.

According to him,desertification, flood, drought,erosion are some of the danger-ous consequences of global warm-ing in the country. On the optionsavailable, he responded: “The firstis abatement or mitigation optionand the other is adaptation and asfar as our administration is con-cerned, we are at the forefront ofboth options, deploying enoughresources, human and material, to

both sectors.Earlier, the Environment Com-

missioner, Dr Muiz Banire, in aspeech read on his behalf by thePermanent Secretary of the min-istry, Mrs. Titi Anibaba,commended the children on theawareness and commitment onclimate change issues but encour-aged them to do more.

He said part of the success storyof the club is the docudrama enti-tled: “If Only,” debate competi-tions and expository lectures de-livered by members of the club.He noted that part of ways theministry devised to strengthen theclub is through the organisationof a workshop for principals andteachers in the state public schoolssensitise and preparing them totake over the clubs in schoolswhere they are already mature tobreak new grounds. Banire alsosaid: “We have expanded the

scope of the knowledge sharedwith our children on issue whichbother on solid waste, sewage andwaste water, erosion and floodmanagement. Equally placed onthe front burner aredesertification, protection ofwetlands and coastal lines whichare the environmental problemswe face as a nation. Educative ma-terials such as hand book, manu-als and CDs were (and are) stillbeing distributed to the studentsto further sharpen their knowl-edge. In conclusion, the Commis-sioner maintained that as a re-sponsive government, they can-not but come to terms with thefact that the young ones are moreeffective in information dissemi-nation and have greater stake onthe issue. What our response istoday determines their futureand perhaps the continuity ofmankind,” he added.

29


•Continued on page 38

•LAWMA driver jailed fordriving on BRT lane

– P.30

TUESDAY, MARCH 22, 2011

• National Industrial Courtready for trade disputes

Tthe electoral fraud which characterised the 2007 polls. Theylost their jobs because of this monumental fraud. Now theyare fighting back. Former Governors Olusegun Oni (EkitiState); Olusegun Agagu (Ondo) and Olagunsoye Oyinlola(Osun) are seeking a return to office at all costs.

They have suddenly overcome the shock which over-whelmed them and have embarked on an unusual - manysaid doomed - adventure that has no precedence in the analof electoral dispute.

The first casualty of the three was Agagu who, on February23, 2009, lost in his appeal against an earlier judgment of the

HE three of them have certain things in common. Theyare former governors and members of the PeoplesDemocratic Party (PDP). They were beneficiaries of

lower tribunal that sacked him.On the said date, the Justice Umar Abdullahi-led appeal

panel of justices of the Court of Appeal, which sat in Benin,Edo State, confirmed an earlier decision handed out by theOndo State Governorship Election Tribunal on August 26,2008, headed by Justice Garba Nabaruma.

The lower tribunal, while ruling in favour of the Dr.Olusegun Mimiko of the Labour Party, had, after nullifyingall votes from Ilaje Local Government Area, where Agaguhails from, held that Mimiko scored 198,269 lawful votes asagainst 128,669 votes left of what the Independent NationalElectoral Commission (INEC) had unlawfully credited toAgagu of the PDP.

On October 15, last year, Oni also fell from power, cour-tesy of the decision of the Justice Isa Ayo Salami-led appealpanel, which after a painstaking analysis of evidence pre-sented by parties, held in favour of Dr. Kayode Fayemi ofthe Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN).

The case, which began shortly after the April 14, 2007 elec-tion, went before the lower tribunal twice and also the ap-peal tribunal twice. Oni won twice at the lower tribunal,Fayemi won twice at the appeal tribunal, the last being thatof October 15 in which he was asked to assume office.

The appeal panel, which sat in llorin, Kwara State, resolvedfour out of the five grounds of appeal in favour of Fayemi. Itnullified the contentious results of four wards in Ido-OsiLocal Government Area, Oni’s home.

It subsequently deducted the nullified votes from the finalscore of both candidates, thus leaving the ACN with 105,

631. PDP scored 95, 176.The last to fall was Oyinlola, who was sacked on Novem-

ber 26, last year by a unanimous decision of the appellatecourt’s panel headed by Justice Clara Bata-Ogunbiyi. In thejudgment that ended the longest election dispute in thenation’s history, the panel upheld the prayers of the ACNcandidate, Rauf Aregbesola, particularly on nullification ofelections in 10 local governments. After deducting the nulli-fied results, ACN was left with 198, 799 votes as against PDP’s172, 880.

Everyone had thought Agagu, Oni and Oyinlola took theirfate with equanimity, hoping that they had gone under tostrategise for the next elections.

A few weeks earlier, they had, on separate occasions, filedpetitions at the National Judicial Council (NJC) and copiedPresident Goodluck Jonathan, raising spurious allegationsthey are yet, and may never be able, to substantiate.

Oni took the unusual drama a step further on March 14when he went before the Appeal Court, Ado –Ekiti, to chal-lenge his ouster five months ago.

Oni, in the suit filed on his behalf by constitutional lawyerProf Ben Nwabueze (SAN), is, among others, praying theregular court to reverse a decision that was given by a panelset up strictly for election appeals. He also prayed for theconstitution of a new appeal panel to re-hear the case.

Since the three ex-governors seem to be exposed to similarlegal counsel, it is believed others may follow Oni’s step byreturning to court.

•Agagu •Oni •Oyinlola

- P.36

•Experts sneer as Oni, Agagu,Oyinlola seek a return to power

Three ousted Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governors are seeking to return to power at all cost. Former Governors OlusegunOni (Ekiti); Olusegun Agagu (Ondo) and Olagunsoye Oyinlola (Osun) have petitioned the National Judicial Council (NJC),accusing the Election Appeal Tribunals, which sacked them of wrongdoing. Oni went a step further by praying the Court ofAppeal to reinstate him. What are these former governors up to? ERIC IKHILAE and JOSEPH JIBUEZE ask

Theatre ofthe absurd


LEGAL OPINION

IN this era of incessant strikes by workers ,there could never be any

better time for the coming of the IndustrialCourt, which accords the status of a superiorcourt of record on the court.

Not only that, with the signing into law ofNigeria Third Alteration Bill 2010, whichestablishes the National Industrial Court as acourt of superior record, it has also given thecourt the needed legal backing to intervenein industrial disputes.

For President Goodluck Jonathan to okaythe bill, it was not just a matter of necessitybut that of a burden. Earlier, he queried theincessant use of strikes in the country, aninstrument that ought to be the last resort afterother means of negotiation or dialogue havefailed.

This, he noted, has impacted negatively onthe country’s economy, adding that labourmatters always suffer delays at conventionalcourts. But the same cannot be said of theIndustrial Court, a specialised court set up todeal with trade and industrial-related disputesin the workplace.

The Minister of Labour, Emeka Nwogu,described the signing of the bill as a milestonein the history of industrial and labour relationsin this country.

“The importance of the law to labour andindustrial harmony cannot be overemphasised. Apart from promoting industrialharmony, it will equally serve as an appellatecourt in cases coming from the IndustrialArbitration Panel (IAP), which is set up tohandle issues concerning labour crises in thecountry.

‘’It will also promote foreign directinvestments because investors will haveconfidence in the judicial system on industrialcases that will emanate from their investmentsin the country.

“It will equally ensure speedy settlement ofindustrial cases,” the minister said.

The court was established in 1976 by Section19(1) of the Trade Disputes Decree No.7 of1976. According to it, the court is to havejurisdiction and power on the settlement ofdisputes. The Act has since been made to gothrough some amendments before the billwas assented by the president.

Labour disputes are major issues in the country. It was for this that President Goodluck Jonathan condemned the use ofstrikes by workers to settle scores. However, with the signing into law of the Industrial Court Bill, succour seems tohave come the way of both employers and employees. VINCENT IKUOMOLA writes on the long journey to thecoming of the bill that observers say is poised to change the face of the legal system.

‘National Industrial Courtlaw ‘ll promote harmony’

Besides, it must also be noted that it was nota smooth sail for the new law. Given thestrides and level of transformation that havegone into the court that took off in 1978 andregarded as a desert prior to 2003, the turn ofevents has shown the level of work that havebeen put to bear on the court under JusticeBabatunde Adejumo, its president. All thesewere almost affected by a pronouncement ofthe Supreme Court in February last year.

The apex court had ruled that “thejurisdiction of the state High Court asconferred by the constitution can only becurtailed or abridged or even eroded by theconstitution and not by an Act or Lawrespectively of the National Assembly or of astate Assembly. It means, therefore, that wherethere is a conflict in that regard between theprovisions of the constitution and theprovision of any other Act of law of theNational Assembly respectively, the provisionin the constitution shall prevail except bydirect and clear provision in the constitutionitself to that effect.”

This declaration, according to Adejumo,rather than allow it kill the transformationspirit that was already in place, became asource of inspiration. So, not willing to allowthe pronouncement throw spanner into theworks of the court, which has moved from itswater-logged abode in Lagos Island to a moresuitable environment in Victoria Island, hewrote the Chief Justice of the Federationseeking his permission to submit theIndustrial Court Bill to the NationalAssembly. He was given the green light andthat marked the beginning of the journeyaimed at bringing confidence to investors andworkers alike.

Let it be noted that this was not the firsttime the bill would come up. It was part ofthe attempted 1999 Constitution amendmentthat was thrown into the dustbin with thecontroversial Third Term Bill.

That was why while watching PresidentJonathan signing the amendment to theconstitution into law some days ago,Adejumo said he was just full of gratitudeto God, noting that the event signalled anew beginning of a brighter future foremployees and employers.

The president said it is the beginning of

greater commitment to settling industrialdisputes with dispatch, adding that the billhas placed on the laps of the court a greatresponsibility which it could not affordto mishandle.

He also noted that NIC is important toinflow of foreign investment. He explainedthat no foreigner would want to invest inan economy where he is not sure of amechanism for dispute resolution apartfrom the conventional court.

TRivers State capital city of Port Harcourt onMarch 29, at the Conference Hall of the RiversState Ministry of Justice, Port Harcourt. The theme is: Effective Conduct Of ElectionPetitions And Appeals.

This seminar is topical and could not havecome at a better time in view of the promisesheld out by the Nigerian Government andthe Electoral Commission (INEC) to Nigeri-ans and the entire world that next month’selections will be credible, free and fair. Thereis no doubt that the credibility of the electoral

NBA holds seminar on election petitionsAhead of next month’s general elections, the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) Section onLegal Practice (SLP), chaired by Mr Emmanuel Ukala (SAN) will, at a seminar, examinethe challenges of effective conduct of elections petitions and appeals.

HE Section on Legal Practice of the Ni-gerian Bar Association (NBA) is sched-uled to hold a one-day seminar in the

process in Nigeria cannot be seen as com-plete without judicial intervention in theresolution of electoral disputes and griev-ances, where such disputes arise. It is forthe purpose of positioning the lawyer and,indeed, the Judiciary to deal effectivelywith the fall outs of the electoral process,especially by way of election petitions thatthis seminar has been put in place.

The essence of the seminar is to focus onpractical ways of ensuring proper and ef-fective conduct of Election Petitions and Ap-peals as well as highlighting some of theavoidable pitfalls which militate againstthe effective conduct of election petitionproceedings.

Although the primary target audiencefor the seminar is the young lawyer whowill perhaps be conducting his f irstelection petition proceedings, there is nodoubt that the seminar will be verybeneficial to judges and judicial officers,especially those that will be charged withthe conduct of Election Petit ionproceedings as Chairmen or members ofElection Petit ion Tribunals/AppealPanels. It will equally be of great benefiteven to those legal practitioners who areconsidered veterans in the conduct ofelection petition proceedings since theElectoral Act 2010 (as amended) is new.

The seminar is designed to facilitate theempowerment of the target audience withthe necessary rudiments and knowledgebase required for effective conduct and par-ticipation in an election petitionproceeding or appeal. Renown JudicialOfficers and experts in the field of electionlitigation have been lined up as paperpresenters and resource persons and topicsto be discussed include:

•Election Appeals: Avoidable Pitfalls;•Conduct of Election Petitions: Best

Practices; and•Effective Conduct of Election Petitions:

Useful Tips.Participants will thus have the unique

benefit of peeping into the working of themind of the Appellate Judge while engagedin the conduct of election petition appealsas well as to be exposed to thoseconsiderations relevant to the ElectionPetition Tribunal Judge while determiningan election petition.

The seminar promises to effectuateknowledge transfer and empowerment ofthe young lawyers in the field of electionpetition which hitherto seemed to be theexclusive preserve of a few notableindustry giants. Eminent jurists and legalicons are expected to grace the occasionincluding the President of the Nigerian Bar

Association, Joseph B. Daudu (SAN), theChief Judge of some states among otherjudges and judicial officers.

The highlight of the event will be the of-ficial presentation of the first Section onLegal Practice Manual on election petitionsin Nigeria. The manual is both incisive andin-depth in the topic it treats and is designedas a “road map” to enable any practitionernavigate his way through the murky wa-ters of election petitions sometimes con-sidered as the minefield of technicalities.The manual is the first of its kind from thestable of the Section On Legal Practice andwill be presented by Hon. Justice Iche N.Ndu KSC, the Chief Judge of Rivers State.The manual is a “must have” for anyoneseriously considering the prosecution ordefence of an election petition, election pe-tition Appeal, or contemplating the task ofhearing and determining one as a judicialofficer. Adroit and savvy politicians willalso find the manual most illuminating asit discusses the dynamics of election litiga-tion in a step by step approach.

The participants will also earn creditpoints for this seminar under the Manda-tory Continuing Legal Education Schemeof the Nigerian Bar Association(NBA) andenjoy the traditional hospitality of RiversState, the Garden City of Nigeria.

Investors “would want to be sure that thereis a place they can go in case there is a disputewith his workers. So, before coming, theywould always find out from their embassiesand those who do not have, would alwaysask friendly nations with embassies. So, youcan see that the court is central to attractinginvestors into the country”.

No doubt the challenges ahead of NIC areenormous but the court is very much preparedfor it, Adejumo noted.

•Justice Adejumo

•Ukala (SAN)

22, 2011 31 THE NATION TUESDAY, MARCH 22, 2011

LAW COVER CONT’D

•Continued from page 29

•Nwobike

In their bid, they have thrown to the windall sense of caution and civility, throwingunsubstantiated allegation at every direction,without bothering who is hurt. As at the lastcount, two libel cases had been filed againstthem. One by the ACN and the other byAdeniyi Akintola (SAN), with another seniorlawyer, Rickey Tarfa (SAN) putting finish-ing touches to his own case.

Critics are curious as to what their true in-tention is, bearing in mind that by the provi-sion of the 2006 Electoral Act, under whichthe 2007 election was conducted, and whichguided the conduct of the electoral tribunals,governorship election disputes end at the ap-pellate court.

There has never been any departure fromthat provision, except the new amendmentto the Electoral Act 2010, which has now ex-tended governorship election disputes to theSupreme Court.

Oni, Agagu and Oyinlola are not hoping toreap from this new amendment as such al-teration is never allowed to assume a retro-active effect. Their election was held underthe 2006 Act, so also will their case be con-ducted under the same Act.

Observers are, however, not underestimat-ing the capacity of the ruling PDP to spring asurprise through its agents within the Judi-ciary. They cite the Sokoto episode wherethe Supreme Court assumed unlawful juris-diction over a case that was never meant tobe adjudicated on by the apex court. Are thesethree again counting on the Supreme Courtthis time? Will the apex court act as an inter-loper in this case as it did in the Sokoto case?What plans do they have up their sleevesthis time around?

Experts have described their new move asan adventure to no where, arguing that suchsteps are not supported by any known lawsin the land. They also queried the role playedby lawyers in all these confusion. They askedfor instance, why a lawyer would indulge insuch act intended to abuse the nation’s justiceadministration process. They wonder whathappens to the trite saying thatthere mustbe end to litigation of a single issue.

To them, the Judiciary should be sparedthe unhealthy episodes that played out at theapex court in the cases involving Andy Ubaof Anambra State and Agbaso of Imo Statewho kept bordering the court with a singleissue.

Experts say this development has furtherreinforced the need for the establishment ofan Election Offences Tribunal (EOT) recom-mended by the Justice Mohammadu Uwais’Electoral Reform Committee (ERC).

They argued that had such a tribunal beenin existence before now, people such as Oni,Agagu and Oyinlola, whose culpability forelectoral offences have been established bythe judgment handed out by the tribunals,would have by now, been serving their pun-ishments rather than being left to disturb thepeople’s peace.

Rickey Tarfa (SAN)A senior lawyer, Rickey Tarfa (SAN), said

such a request by Oni has no legal basis inlaw. He described it as an abuse of the pro-cesses.

“It is an abuse of the administration of jus-tice. If there was any petition or applicationlike that, it is an application that is predi-cated on recklessness. We should not reallybe condoning this kind of things. They makenonsense of the process of administration ofjustice. I don’t subscribe to that kind of ap-proach.

Tarfa said the time is over due for the es-tablishment of the Electoral Offences Tribu-nal, saying: “I guess they need to work onthe need to put in place the Electoral OffencesTribunal. “This is because the success of ev-ery democracy is dependent on the transpar-ency of the process of electing the leader-ship. If we don’t get it right we can not grow.People must be punished for electoral of-fences. Otherwise we may never get it right,”he said.

Femi Falana

•Falana

Rights activist, Mr. Femi Falana, describedOni’s return to the court as one embarkingon a “stupid adventure,” noting that theousted governor returned to the court be-cause he lacked honest and sound legal ad-vice.

Falana said Oni made some money whilein office and he must spend it. “There is noprecedent for this case and the timing is alsowrong. Oni lost twice at the Court of Appeal,but he has chosen to challenge the latest one.Why not challenge the first judgment fromthe same court, which nullified his electionand ordered a rerun?

“Segun is suffering from an uncontrolleddose of hallucination compounded by lackof honest and sound legal advice.

“He has taken his complaints to the NJC,the only body empowered by the law to dealwith cases of allegation of corruption againstjudges. While the body is yet to decide on hiscomplaints, he rushed to the same court heis accusing of misconduct.

“It is only a confused mind that can en-gage in such a wasteful misadventure. Oniheld thanksgiving service twice followinghis removal, where he asked God to forgivehim for engaging in manipulation of elec-tion. We can only wish him success in hisill-advised adventure,” Falana said.

Joseph Nwobike (SAN)Another senior lawyer, Dr. Joseph

Nwobike (SAN), denied knowledge of anylaw that supports Oni’s new adventure. Headvised that the court should be allowed todeal with the case appropriately on its ownaccord.

“I am not aware of any law which sup-ports those applications. I am also awarethat the judgments are final decisions whichhave been obeyed. However, since the ap-plications have been filed, it is prudent toallow the courts to decide them one way orthe other.

“The courts are manned by highly experi-

enced judicial officers who are capable ofreaching just decisions on the matters,” hesaid.

He also supported the urgent need for theestablishment of the EOT, which he saidwould go along way in deterring intendedelection laws violators.

“The need to either establish electoral of-fences tribunal or empower the electoral tri-bunals to try electoral offenders can not beover emphasised. We need it now. It is ei-ther the government set up separate tribu-nals to prosecute people involved in elec-toral malpractices or it gives the regular elec-toral tribunals or power to prosecute suchoffenders.”

Nojim TairuAlso, Nojim Tairu said Oni’s request is ab-

surd as there is no legal basis for his prayer.He noted: “For the purpose of election pro-ceedings, the Court of Appeal is the finalcourt of jurisdiction.

“A review of its judgment will bemalapropos in the present legal regime. Theidea of electoral offences tribunal may bedesirable, but at present unrealistic at this11th hour of the election itself. But even ifestablished, the tribunals will still operate un-der the same setting as the present courts.

“The operators of such a specialsed courtwon’t be a special breed of judges, lawyers,officials and litigants in a different environ-ment setting than we have now. So then, ourexpectations about ideas that worked well inother climes should not be higher than theexistential realities we know about ourselves.You smile at a mirror, you see a smile; youfrown at the same mirror, you get a frown.”

Morakinyo OgeleTo Mr Morakinyo Ogele, Oni is unsure of

what he actually desires. He wondered whythe ex-Governor would ask a court he accusedof corruption to reverse his removal fromoffice.

“(Segun) Oni should tell the whole worldif he won the primary election of his partylet alone the real election.”

Ebunolu AdegboruwaMr. Ebunolu Adegboruwa argued that al-

though Oni’s recent move may not amountto a mission impossible, it is an uphill taskwith a slim chance of success.

“Yes, if they are able to establish that thejudgments are nullities or based on frauds,they (the judgments) can be set aside by thesame court that gave the judgments. It willbe a serous proceeding,” he said.

Ike Ofuokwu“The Court of Appeal cannot reverse it-

self. They become functus officio once judg-ments/rulings are delivered. If the framersof our Constitution did anticipate a rever-sal, they would have drafted it to be so inclear terms.

“The establishment of an Electoral CrimesTribunal/Commission would have been ex-cellent and most appropriate to effectivelytackle and eliminate to the barest minimumelectoral frauds. However, not establishingit should not adversely affect future electionsas we still have existing courts that canhandle issues if we’re truly serious abouttackling them.

“The credibility of our elections lies in thehands of the electorates and the politiciansthemselves if they are willing to play by therules. What guarantee do we have that theelectoral courts would not be a further av-enue to continue to celebrate criminality?”

Theophilus Akanwa“It would have been in the interest of the

nation to have an Electoral Crimes Tribu-nal or Commission to deal decisively withelectoral offenders. The reason Nigeria iswhere it is today without meaningful de-velopment is because of bad leadership. Themanipulations, snatching of ballot boxesand all manner of electoral fraud is thecourse of bad leadership. The lack of goodroads, electricity, security, etc all start fromrigging the wrong people into elective po-sitions.

“If electoral tribunal is set up to bring tobook the perpetrators of electoral crime, itwould be better for the future of Nigeria. Ifelectoral offenders go unpunished, Nigeriawould remain stagnant while the treasurywould continue to be looted. Then the timewould come when Nigerians would nolonger believe in the electoral process if noth-ing is urgently done to punish electoral of-fenders.”

Jonathan Iyieke“The Court of Appeal can under certain cir-

cumstances where its decision is perverseand/or reached per incuria reverse itself. Thisis the practice of the courts. Even supremecourts in Nigeria and United States ofAmerica have had occasion where its deci-sion were reversed.

“However, it’s not the law that evenwhere the decision of the court is clear on amatter that an aggrieved party would ap-ply for reversal of the judgment of thecourt. The court will simply decline juris-diction on the mere fact that it has becomefunctus officio and can only be corrected bythe appellate courts.

“The creation or non-creation of electoralcrime tribunal in Nigeria, in my opinion,may not simplicita or by itself correct the fu-ture electoral processes in Nigeria. The prob-lem we have is implementation and corrup-tion. Once we are able to tackle the prob-lems, the criminals will be sure that theywill be punished.

Udoka Ejilibe“The Court of Appeal can’t reverse its de-

cision for the simple reason that once it pro-nounces its decision, it becomes functus offi-cio. Its decision can only be attacked by wayof further appeal to the Supreme Court. Nev-ertheless, the Court of Appeal like othercourts of record are empowered to correctcertain slips in their judgments, such as cleri-cal errors.

“The establishment or non-establishmentof electoral offences tribunal is not a sine quanon to having a free, fair and transparent elec-tion. What is needed is avoidance of collu-sion and connivance of the police, INEC andother federal agencies. You don’t need to stylea criminal court any special name to enable itto try electoral offences. What is lacking isthe total absence of political will of either thepolice, Attorney-General of the Federationor other prosecuting agencies to try the of-fenders.”

•Tairu •Ofuokwu

Theatre ofthe absurd


LAW & SOCIETY

NIGERIAN INSTITUTE OF ADVANCED LEGAL STUDIES (NIALS) FOUNDERS’DAY LECTURE AT UNILAG CAMPUS, AKOKA, LAGOS

•From left: Guest lecturer, Prof Yemi Osinbanjo (SAN); Chairman, Prince Bola Ajobola (SAN)and Director-General, NIALS, Prof. Epiphany Azinge (SAN). •From left: Prof. Peter Fogam, Prof. Nnamdi Aduba and Mr J. T. Aajegbajo

•From left: Alhaji Tofunmi Salman, Prof. Lanre Fagbohun and Prof. Paul Idornijie. •From left: Mrs Uwen Eteng, Akin Ajibola and Prof. Adebambo Adewopo

•From left: Dr. Mosope Fagbongbe, Prof. Animi Awah and Mrs Sena Jerry-Imahiagbe. •Dr Chinyere Ani and Okay Agu

•A cross section of participants •From left: Dr Adebisi Arewa, Jeoma Omaliko and Mrs Helen Chuma-Okoro

PHOTOS:DAVID ADEJO


LAW & SOCIETY

•Mr Tunde Akanni and Mrs Omolara Qadri

ONE-DAY TRAINING ON VOTER EDUCATION ON MANDATE PROTECTION IN NIGERIA BY THECENTRE FOR DEMOCRACY AND DEVELOPMENT (CDD) AND THE OPEN SOCIETY INITIATIVE FORWEST AFRICA (OSIWA) IN LAGOS

•Idayat Hassan and Kolawole Ogunbiyi

•Mr Suleiman Arigbabu (left) and Tunde Olakunle •Dr Peter Okereke (left) and Jone Michael

•From left: Mr Tayo Olaifa, Ayinde Semiu and Muniru Bello •Moyeni Bukor and Patience Yawus

•Mrs Olusola Akai and Alhaja Billi Balogun •From left: Babatunde Awe, Nwabueze Emeka and Nwagu Kenechukwu


FROM THE COURT

email:[email protected]

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gabriel AMALU

LAW ANDLAW ANDLAW ANDLAW ANDLAW ANDPUBLIC POWERPUBLIC POWERPUBLIC POWERPUBLIC POWERPUBLIC POWER

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PHOTO ADEJO DAVID

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are celebrating what they should rather see as our country’s constitu-tional predicament. For them, the constitution is a dumb documentthat should be exploited. Now the ‘dumb’ constitution would havebecome exceptionally numb if Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan had gottenaway with his attempt to spend more than seven years for his firstterm in office. I think Nigerians should be worried that despite theclear signals from the Maghreb countries that a fraudulent law is nolaw, our politicians are not perturbed.

The treatise on this development by Stephen Kola-Balogun a guestcolumnist in Thisday newspaper edition of Tuesday, March 8, 2011,arguing that our courts reached their decisions in error is very inter-esting. In the article he argued that the constitution did not use theword nullification, as one of the envisaged contexts for the removal ofa governor in Section 188 of the pre amended constitution; and theimportation of the word by the learned justices in their judgmentsnullifying the elections and ordering new elections were, therefore,unconstitutional.

There is no doubt that a combined reading of sections 180, 188, 189,190 and 191 of the pre-amended constitution shows clearly that themakers of the constitution did not envisage a situation where a personpurportedly elected to the office of governor would spend some yearsin office after which the election is declared a nullity.

While the word ‘nullity’ may not be in the constitution, I do notagree that such importation renders its usage unconstitutional. I amof the view that what the learned Justices did was to assume the statusof a law maker to fill the lacuna in the law. That I think with respectthey are entitled to do by the provisions of Section 6 of the constitu-tion, particularly in its subsection (6)(a). That provision gives the courtthe preeminence authority in its exercise of judicial powers, when itprovides that it “shall extend notwithstanding anything to the con-trary in this constitution, to all inherent powers and sanctions of acourt of law.”

That, in essence, gives the court enormous powers as long as it isexcising the due powers of a court of law. With due respect I alsobelieve it is that constitutional provision that allows our law practi-tioners to resort to the traditions and procedures of English courts,whenever they are challenged by any lacuna in our own laws. But inmaking up for such a constitutional or statutory lacuna, the courts cannot go lay wire and seek to undermine the ground norm, the edifice uponwhich the whole enterprise of constitutionalism depends? I think it shouldnot, otherwise it will be removing the rug from its own feet, for which it willonly precipitate a fall.

What I think the courts with due respect can do in the case of the governorsis to look at the constitution as a composite document, and apply the mischiefrule of interpretation, by seeking to mitigate the injustice that the lacunaattempts to foist on our constitutional democracy. There is no doubt that theextension sought by the five plus one governors, is an attempt to exploit whatthey see as a constitutional loophole. So, the mischief rule should be used tostop them. Because both in law and logic, their effort to appropriation a firstterm of office that will effectively last more than four years is repugnant,reprehensible and undemocratic.

In law there should be no reasonable doubt that what the five plus onegovernors went for after the nullification of their elections were a re-run,whatever words the courts may have used. It is definitely not a fresh electionas envisaged by Section 178 of the pre amended constitution. Where it not amere re run, such elections would have been open to all qualified candidates,as provided by section 177 of the pre amended constitution, instead of onlythose who ran in the previous election that was annulled. With the closure ofthe public space against bonafide citizens willing and constitutional empow-ered to contest such elections every four years, from a court ordered re run, thelogic of a fresh mandate for the reelected candidates is defeated.

There would have been a constitutional quagmire were entirely new candi-dates to emerge from an ordered re run, if such fresh candidates are asked tomerely complete the balance term of four years, at least in logic, if not in law.The dilemma arises from the lack of social justice in such an instance, as apretender would have enjoyed substantial part of a mandate, while the ownerdeals with a left over.

It was to resolve the lacuna in our constitution that the learned Justice easilyrelied on Section 180(2)(a), using the date of the oath of office as acommencement date once a Governor is re sworn in. That reliancewith due respect was wrong. So with utmost respect, my take is that acomposite reading of the constitution, would reveal that section180(2)(a) cannot apply to the oath taken by a Governor after a re runelection as is the present case.

So with respect, there are no compelling reasons for the court todeclare that the mandate of the governors of Adamawa, Cross River,Bayelsa, Kogi and Sokoto should extend beyond a constitutionallyenvisaged term of four years. Such an extension, I am of the opinion,is without a foundation in law and logic, as should be set aside onappeal.

Tenure extension forgovernors is wrongHE attempt by some governors to surreptitiously serve morethan four years for a first term in office is worrisome. The gov-ernors of Adamawa, Cross River, Bayelsa, Kogi and Sokoto states

ment Authority (LAWMA), SamuelAdeniyi, for driving a refuse dis-posal truck on the dedicated BusRapid Transit (BRT) lane.

The Lagos Attorney-General andCommissioner for Justice, OlasupoShasore (SAN) arraigned him on acount charge of driving the truck,numbered 69, on the BRT corridorat Palm Groove Bus stop, onIkorodu Road on February 2.

The offence is contrary to Section9 (1) of the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT)Lite Regulation, 2007.

By Joseph Jibueze

LAWMA driver jailedfor driving on BRT lane

before a Lagos High Court inIgbosere for N250 million. He ac-cused the firm of being negligent,a development he said resulted inhis permanent disability.

In the suit numbered LD/490/201,filed by Mr. Tochukwu Aboh of thefirm Onu, Uduma and Associates,the plaintiff wants the court to de-clare that Seven Up was negligentin its action, a situation which ledto his permanent disability.

The claimant, in the statement ofclaim, stated that he is a staff mem-ber of Allan Quarter Ventures, acompany that is responsible formaking pallets and general carpen-try for Seven Up’s trucks

He stated that he had been on theemployment of the said Allan Quar-ter since February last year and that

LAGOS Magistrates’ Court,Igbosere, has jailed a driverof the Lagos Waste Manage- Adeniyi pleaded guilty to the

charge. The Magistrate, Mrs M. O.A. Ogunsanya, convicted and sen-tenced him to 14 days imprison-ment. She gave him an option of afine of N5,000.

Shasore said Adeniyi’s convictionand sentencing “has clearly sent asignal to officers who dischargepublic functions in Lagos State thatthey can be prosecuted if they floutthe law.”

A Punch photojournalist, StanleyOgidi, had taken a photograph ofthe convict as he drove on the lane. It was reported in the newspaper

on February 3.

Man sues Seven Up, demands N250mBy Eric IkhilaeA BUSINESSMAN, Kalu

Ezema, has sued Seven UpBottling Company Limited he had risen to the post of a Super-

visor of all the works contracted tohis company by the defendant.

The plaintiff averred that on Oc-tober 23, 2010, he was at thedefendant’s office at about 8:30amfor official assignment, but that theSeven Up staff member who was toassign work to him was busy, a de-velopment that compelled them toreschedule the task for another day.

He stated that on his way out ofthe company’s premises, a lorry be-longing to Seven Up, with registra-tion number XQ 727 FST, driven byone Mr. Jimoh alias Alfa was speed-ing towards the gate and later lostcontrol.

The claimant further averred thatthe lorry eventually hit him, andslammed his two legs and fracturedwith bruises on him, adding that it

took efforts and with difficulty be-fore his legs were pulled out fromthe truck with the assistance ofpeople around.

He added that ever since theevent, the defendant abandonedhim to his faith, and even ignoredthe letters written by his lawyer onthe need for the bottling companyto take care of his medical expenses.

The claimant added that secureof the incident, he could no longertake care of his six siblings, wifeand four children who have hith-erto depended on him for survival.

He is, therefore, urging the courtto declare that the defendant wasnegligent in the event that led tohis permanent disability and is li-able to pay the damages as com-pensation.

The defendant is yet to respondto the case and no date has beenfixed for its hearing.

•Oba Aladejugbe unveiling the centre while guests and officials look on

•Shasore

lawyers to improve on the welfareof the junior ones under them. This,he said, would encourage the younglawyers to work with more dedi-cation for the benefit of the profes-sion.

He berated the habit of seniorlawyers who, he said, pauperisethose under them by paying thempoor wages.

“I respectfully advocate that suc-cessful seniors who handle big casesshould endeavour to give a per-centage to their useful juniors whenfat fees are collected on such fatbriefs.

“This would go a long way inencouraging and motivating thejuniors into putting in their best themore. At the end of the day, bothparties are the better for it and this

By Adegunle Olugbamila

‘Afe Babalola tasks lawyers on juniors’ welfare’

A SENIOR Advocate of Nige-ria (SAN), Aare AfeBabalola, has urged senior

makes the profession grow.“This, I believe, is one surest way

by which we, as lawyers, can helpone another, the profession and thenation.”

Babalola spoke at the inaugura-tion of a Bar Centre which he do-nated to the Nigeria Bar Association(NBA), Ekiti State Branch. The cen-tre is located at the High Court inAdo-Ekiti.

Babalola added: “A lot of dam-age has been done to our infrastruc-ture and the practice of law is noexception. Today, lawyers now rideon Okada (commercial motocycles)to court. In the court room, seniorsshowcase their age at the bar withtattered gowns, dirty and perfo-rated wigs and bibs. Out of 10 law-yers interviewed, hardly would you

find more than four who couldwrite a letter free of grammaticalerrors.”

The secretary to the State Govern-ment Alhaji Ganiyu Owolabi, whorepresented Governor KayodeFayemi, assured the lawyers of thegovernor’s support andcooporation.

The magnificent structure valuedat N100 million, according to theNBA Chairman, Luke Ogundele,consists of a perimetre fence, drain-age system, conference and relax-ation hall, among others.

Ogundele canvassed the need toequip the building and maintain it.

The Ewi of Ado Ekiti Oba RufusAdeyemo Aladejugbe, urged allprominent descendants to imitateAare Babalola by coming back andimproving the land with theirwealth.

THE NATION TUESDAY, MARCH 22, 2011 37


Experts fret oversub-standard

iron rods

Nigeria Institute of Building(NIOB), Lagos chapter, Mr. KunleAwobodu, urged the governmentto create various testing centres foriron rod tensile strength. He de-cried a situation where buildershave to contend with the state Ma-terials Testing Centre at Ojodu nomatter the distance from their op-

erational site. He said if the gov-ernment can replicate the testingcentres, that it will go along wayto deter people from using substandard iron rods.

In her remarks, Chairman, Ni-geria Institute of Architects (NIA),Lagos Chapter, said the institute isconcerned about the hike in the

price of cement. He warned that ifit is not checked urgently, the casesof building failure may increase.The NIA chairman, who was rep-resented by the Vice Chairman, MrFemi Shodunke tasked the gov-ernment on verifying the actuallocal capacity in cement manufac-turing to do the needful.

•Iron rods

•From left: Awobodu, Shodunke, Oyenuga and Abass at the event in Lagos PHOTOS: OKWY IROEGBU

TWO Researchers have saidthe most effective way totackle the effects of Climate

Change ravaging the world is toeducate the public on the menaceof land erosion and the public’srole in tackling the problem. Theysaid public awareness is the bestway to approach the problemstare off the menace.

A Research Fellow at the Afri-can Institute for Applied Econom-ics (AIAE), Mr. Emeka CelestineNzeh and Mrs. Rita Ogugua Eboh,the Extension Specialist II of theCentre for Entrepreneurship andDevelopment Research (CEDR) ofthe University of Nigeria, Nsukkastates this of their research inEnugu being spearheaded by theAfrican Technology Policy Stud-ies Network (ATPS).

According to them, differentcommunities in Enugu State, Ni-gerians need to be more educatedand better informed about Cli-mate Change, noting that peopleshould also be made to understandhow Climate Change can ad-versely affect their lives drasti-cally, especially when adequatemodern adaptation measures arenot applied.

They said key indigenous tech-nologies adopted by farmers inEnugu to combat Climate Changein planting date, change in crop-ping patterns, change in harvest-ing date of crops, change in plant-ing distance, introduction of new

How to combat Climate Change, by researchersbreeds of crop(s), changes in thestorage mechanism and change inthe processing techniques.

Others are use of mixed farm-ing/cropping, agroforestry, andlastly tunguya farming tech-niques, among others.

The report also added that alleconomic activities is affected byClimate Change, as is quality oflife, saying: “It is obvious thatunless we concern ourselves now,it will be too late to help EnuguState society take preventativemeasures and we will end up be-ing ill-equipped to deal with ournew reality.

The scientific community mustbe involved in studying ClimateChange and forecasting weather,and then transmitting this infor-mation to all sectors of the soci-ety, industry and economy so thatthese sectors can adapt and beready to meet a very different fu-ture than the present.

The Enugu State government,especially, should adopt strategiesand policies that will encourageimproved farming practices and

agricultural methods, and that willprotect our cherished agriculturalactivities which is the mainstay ofour economy”.

According to them, individualsand communities in Enugu Statehave adapted behaviour or poli-cies geared at restoring and con-serving the environment and In-creased self-reliance, avoiding un-regulated forest exploitation,planting appropriate tree species,protecting water sheds, usingagroforestry and organic farmingtechniques and maintaining ad-equate food supplies lessen thevulnerability of the food supplysector are some of the recent adap-tive measures by different farm-ing communities in the state.

“Also maintaining water levelsso that fish can spawn, plantingdrought-resistant crops, drainingwetlands for rice cultivation, andreforming land tenure and landmanagement policies in somecommunities are the recentmechanisms in place. At some lo-cal communities, erecting contourbunds around farmlands as a safe-

guard against soil erosion andflooding; using organic manureinstead of the more preferredchemical fertilizers; establishingwood lots with fast-maturingplant species that yield domesticfuel wood for community mem-bers; reducing bush-burning; us-ing disease-resistant, quick-ma-turing crop and plant species (cas-sava sticks, fruits and nuts); prop-erly preserving seeds and plantseedlings to ensure healthy ger-mination in the succeeding farm-ing season; also helps to mitigatethe affects of climate change.

Furthermore, limiting access toeroded and erosion-prone areas,and initiating and stringently en-forcing anti-erosion laws whichact as human deterrents has beenput in place in some communities.Other adaptation measures in-clude adopting new farming ap-proaches (such as mushroom farm-ing and planting more fruit treeorchards), using improved varie-ties; identifying and conservingthreatened and endangered spe-cies of plants and animals and rais-

ing public awareness on the im-portance of bio-diversity in differ-ent communities,” the reportnoted.

The researchers called on thepeople to control human activitieswhich can adversely affect the en-vironment, stressing that humanactivities are probably what driveboth land degradation and climatechange.

“Deforestation”, for example, “ahuman activity is a well-knownfactor causing land degradation byerosion. Also, contributing to theproblem are population pressures(urban populations are growingand contributing to environmen-tal decay and pollution), failure toimplement appropriate technolo-gies (the burning of fossil fuels andfirewood is prevalent), poverty,and local land-use policies. Hu-mankind is guilty of decreasingforest density, pollution of envi-ronment and degradation of landresources that result to food stor-age. While changes in climate con-ditions affect agricultural and for-est productivity overall, illegallogging in Enugu State has exac-erbated the decline in both den-sity and floristic richness of theforests. With the progressive andrapid disappearance of the mostpopular indigenous timber spe-cies, attention has now shifted tovirtually every other tree speciesto meet the rising demand forwood,” they averred.

BUILT environment profes-sionals have raised the alarmover fake and substandard

iron rods in the market.They warned that if nothing is

done to redress the situation, thebuilding sector may face unpleas-ant consequences.

Mr Victor Oyenuga, President,Nigeria Institution of Structural En-gineers (NISstructE), said the preva-lence of substandard iron rods andthe high cost of cement remains themain issue in building collapse. Hesaid: “The situation being createdby cement scarcity and poor qual-ity iron rods reinforcement has be-come a threat to the aspirations ofpotential house-owners. We, thekey professionals in the buildingdesign and construction field,would not escape blame in the re-sultant effects or consequences ofbuilding collapse that might be at-tributed to the present situation”.

Oyenuga revealed that samplesof iron bars procured from majordistributors around Lagos failed thestructural tests they were subjectedto. More astounding, according tohim, is the revelation that identicalhigh tensile (HT) iron bars of thesame size, produced by the samemanufacturer recorded varied andconflicting results. On current ce-ment price hike, he said: “ The re-quired quantity of cement in themix for block moulding, setting,plastering and for concrete will becompromised if clients could not gobeyond budget or provide extrafund to catch up with the inflation-ary trend. The prevalence of re-bagged cement and sharp practicesmay lead to defective buildings thatmight fail in future.”

Agreeing with the fact that ce-ment manufacturers is faced withthe monumental challenge of en-

Stories by Okwy Iroegbu,Asst Editor

•Predict serial building failures

ergy provision and logistics, hecalled on the government to ad-dress with urgency the privatisa-tion of power generation and dis-tribution to enhance efficiency inthe sector. said: “The increase in thecost of diesel, which has raised thecost of haulage, should be lookedinto. Improvement on the condi-tion of our roads will drasticallyreduce vehicle repair cost beingincurred by haulage firms. Inten-sifying efforts to revitalise our rail-way system, especially to link steelrolling and cement factories is atask that must be given a prior-ity”. He argued the need for a policyframework based on analyticalobservations and rational deci-sions in the cement sector, espe-cially as it relates to importationof the commodity.

According to him, if the nation isendowed with limestone and ironore, if the drive for alternativesource of revenue overcomes theoil syndrome, if there is commit-ment in the backward integrationpolicy, cement will be available ata very cheap rate.

Oyenuga said with the presentlevel of local production and fu-ture capacity, the nation would onexporting pedestal, earning for-eign currency to boost its mono-lithic export economy.

Speaking further on iron rods, heurged that for quality production,manufacturers of iron bars shouldconsider billet for their raw mate-rials and avoid the use of scraps orif it must be used, care should betaken to ensure that the embed-ded impurities be properly sepa-rated.

Immediate past Chairman of the

‘Also maintaining water levels so that fish can spawn, plantingdrought-resistant crops, draining wetlands for rice cultivation,

and reforming land tenure and land management policies insome communities are the recent mechanisms in place’


PROPERTY/ENVIRONMENTBUILDING MATERIALS PRICES

•FHA Diamond Estate, Isheri-Olofin, Lagos

Materials Market Prices

Blocks N K9x9 150 006x6 130 00Cement per bag 2,000 00Cement per tone (20) 32,000 00Doors 33x81 Malzonia 15,000 0033x81 Teak 4,000 0033x81 Omo 7,000 0033x81 Unpolished Omo 5,000 0033x81 Maliana Polished 7,000 0033x81 Maoghany 12,000 00Earthwork wash gravel (5tons) 27,000 00Unwashed gravel (5tons) 25,000 00Granite per lorry load(30 tons) 165,000 00Sharp sand per lorry (5tons) 17,000 00Sharp sand per lorry (10 tons) 26,000 00Laterite filling sand per lorry (15 tons) 23,000 00Hardcore per lorry load (30 tons) 200,000 00Electrical cables 1mm 2 single core per roll 2,000 001.5mm 2 single core per roll 1,900 002.5mm 2 single core per roll 2,800 004mm 2 single core per roll 4,800 001mm 2 twin cable per roll 2,000 001.5mm 2 twin cable per roll 4,000 001.5mm 2 three core per roll 6,000 002.5mm 2 three core cable 7,500 004mm 2 three core cable per roll 18,000 00Galvanised Mild Steel/Electrical Conduct Pipes20mm diameter pipe 3.60m length (dignity) 150 0025mm diameter pipe 3.6m length (dignity) 160 00Glass 6x24 plain 5mm 90 006x36 plain 5mm 140 00Louvre carrier UNIC 8 blade carrier 600 00UNIC 6 blade carrier 450 00Nails1" Ordinary per bag 6,000 0011/2 Ordinary per bag 6,000 002" Ordinary per bag 4,600 004" Ordinary per bag 5,000 005" ordinary per bag 5,500 001" UK per bag 6,000 002"UK per bag 4,600 003" UK per bag 4,600 005" UK per bag 5,500 00Plywood ¼ white imported plywood 1,200 00½ white imported plywood 2,300 00¾ white imported plywood 3,400 00¼ Mahogany veneer plywood 1,700 00½ Mahogany veneer plywood 2,700 00¾ Mahogany veneer plywood 3,750 00¼ particle board 700 00½ particle board 1,500 00¾ particle board 1,900 00PVC Electrical Conduct pipes20mm diameter pipe per 3m length 100 0025mm diameter pipe per 3m length 120 00Reinforcement25mm full standard Ukraine hit imported rod per ton 165,000 0020mm full standard Ukraine hit imported rod per ton 155,000 0016mm full standard Ukraine hit imported rod per ton 150,000 0012mm full standard Ukraine hit imported rod per ton 145,000 0010mm full standard Ukraine hit imported rod per ton 145,000 00Roofing and ceiling sheetSuper light weight 31/2x8feet 1,200 00Super light weight 31/2x6feet 1,500 00Super light weight 21/2x6feet 800 0031/2x8 feet s.t. 2,000 0031/2x6 feet s.t. 1,600 00Tiles20x30 Viaeny wall tiles 700 0020X30 wall tiles (carton) 1,500 00

THE clamour to vestland in the hands ofprivate individuals in

the country will stifle devel-opmental projects of stategovernments, the Director-General of the Kwara StateBureau of Lands, AlhajiKamaldeen Ajibade, has said.

In his view, therefore, thecall for the review of LandUse Act in the country in fa-vour of private ownership isan abnegation of develop-ment.

Ajibade added that it wouldbecome almost impossible topurchase land needed for de-velopment by state govern-ments from private concerns.

The director-general toldreporters in Ilorin, the statecapital, adding that the bu-reau had in the last 15 monthsgenerated over N750 millionto the state government cof-fers.

He noted that the increasein land revenue was due tothe various efforts of theagency that which has suc-ceeded in curbing leakagesand other corrupt practices inthe management of land in

‘Land Use Act review in favour ofindividuals is anti-development’

THE Lagos State Technical Committee onLand Excision has vis-

ited 316 communities out ofthe identified 503 commu-nities for the granting of ex-cision rights by the govern-ment.

Excision areas are geo-graphical land areas ex-empted from the govern-ment acquisition as the LandUse Act of 1978 had vested allland within a state in the gov-ernor, who is expected tohold it in trust for the publicand allocate portions of theland to individuals for devel-opment purposes and retainsome for overriding publicinterest.

In a statement signed bythe Public Relations Officer,of the Lands Bureau, Mr.Moshood Adebisi, on Friday,he stated that the Senior Spe-cial Assistant to the Gover-nor on Land Matters, who isalso the Chairman of thecommittee, Mr Aina Salami,revealed that 503 commu-

From Adekunle Jimoh,Ilorin

the state.Ajibade, a commissioner

nominee in the outgoing ad-ministration, explained thatunder the new regime, thesanitisation of activities in-volving the acquisition ofland in the state had made itpossible to issue Certificatesof Occupancy in less thanthree weeks and praised theforesight in granting theagency autonomy to operateoutside the ministry.

He said the developmentwas partly responsible for thesuccess recorded during theperiod.

Another advantage of thereform, according to Ajibade,is that it has now becomeimpossible for one depart-ment to commence and con-clude the allocation of landwithout reverting to otherdepartments in the bureauwith the creation of a FrontDesk, which has helped in re-ducing underhand activitiesof employees.

With this, the value of land

has also appreciated acrossthe state, according toAjibade, who revealed thatwhereas a plot of land couldbe sold for N25,000 in thepast, such property now sellsfor between N2 million andN5 million.

His words: “Last year, thebureau contributed N500million to the state InternallyGenerated Revenue and inthe first quarter of this year,we have exceeded half thatamount. We have also en-sured that customers havebeen detached from our staffto reduce the incidences ofunderhand activities. Wehave also eliminated doubleallocation of land by the in-troduction of the front deskwhich now dispatches lettersof allocation.

“The land regularisationprogramme, which wasmeant to curb the activitiesof land speculator has alsobeen very effective. Today,every piece of land that is al-located is audited. Transac-tions in cash have also beenstopped to eliminate corrup-tion.”

nities had earlier submittedapplications for the releaseof parts of their original landto them.

He quickly added that themere fact that members ofthe committee had visited acommunity did not signifythat the excision process hadbeen completed, but notedthat final approval would begranted by GovernorBabatunde Fashola.

The aide to the governorsaid the reform of the sys-tem of processing applica-tions for excision, was to en-sure thoroughness andproper titling of excised landin the state.

He was quoted in the state-ment as saying: “The proce-dure is also to ensure that inthe process of consideringexcision applications, the de-velopment planning of theLagos mega city is main-tained.”

Salami said details of ap-provals would be publishedin newspapers at the conclu-sion of the processing of theapplications, while the gov-ernment would subse-quently issue Certificates-of-Occupancy on the approvedland, but land speculatorsnot to pre-empt the out-come.

According to him, applica-tions from settlements alongthe Ibeju-Lekki axis consti-tute about 60 per cent of theapplications received, whilethe balance are from Epe,Ikorodu, Kosofe, Ogudu,Badagry and Ojo areas of thestate.

He assured that the re-maining communities thathad not been visited by thetechnical committee wouldbe reached before the end ofthe month, while notingthat the final report on thosealready visited were beingcollated preparatory to beenforwarded to the governorfor approval.


Lagos to excise 503 communitiesin Ibeju-Lekki , Badagry, others


DISCOURSE

International Financial Reporting Standards(IFRS), the Securities and ExchangeCommission (SEC) has issued directives toall quoted and significant public interestentities to submit their IFRS roadmap to thecommission for review and subsequent peri-odic monitoring. This SEC directive haspositively elicited conscious deliberations bymanagement of affected entities on IFRSimplementation implications. Other regula-tors (CBN, NICOM, PENCOM, NSE) are alsopushing hard within their jurisdiction toensure that the planned adoption date onJanuary 1, 2012 is accomplished. As entitiesmove to comply with this national policy onIFRS, planning is paramount, and procrasti-nation and passivity, likely counterproduc-tive.

The European experienceWhen the European Union converted to

IFRS in 2005, it was, for many companies, anunpleasant trip driven by the tight timelinesimposed by the European regulators. With-out the luxury of time to convert on a stag-gered basis, many companies were forced torush through the process, leading to ineffi-ciencies and ineffectiveness. Among the les-sons learned were the following:

The magnitude of the project was underes-timated: Some companies began the processwith the misconception that conversion wasprimarily an accounting issue. That notionwas replaced with a dawning realization ofthe true scope and complexity of the project.

Some projects were too narrowly focused:Due to the tendency cited in the bullet above,some companies didn’t pay proper attentionto the nonfinancial impacts of conversion,including the effect on information technol-ogy, human resources, legal and tax.

Procrastination and delays were sometimescostly: Some companies paid a price forwaiting until the (already tight) deadline wasimminent, in terms of higher costs andgreater diversion of resources.

Manual processes were relied upon: Somecompanies relied upon manual changes andspreadsheets, which led to errors, costly re-work, and other unintended consequences.

The information systems implications wereoften underestimated: Due to exhaustivedisclosure requirements under IFRS, signifi-cant upgrades to software applications wererequired to capture the additional informa-tion. Upfront planning to carry this out wasnot always implemented on a timely basis.

Some companies resorted to extraordinarymeasures: These companies did not achieve“business as usual” state for IFRS reportingbecause they weren’t able to fully integrateIFRS into their systems and processes. Instead,the first-year financials were produced usingextraordinary, labor intensive andunsustainable measures.

Potential benefits were deferred: In somecases, due to these cited factors, the first-yeareffort focused primarily on “getting it done.”Potential benefits in terms of reducing com-plexity, increasing efficiency, decreasingcosts, and improving transparency had to bedelayed. Several years in, some companiesare only now starting to realize benefits fromIFRS implementation.

IFRS roadmap: Planning a safe, economical trip

Drafting the implementation roadmap.A carefully drafted roadmap may allow a

company to generate value from an exercisethat otherwise could be solely reactive andcompliance-driven. The map may lead toreduced implementation costs, standardiza-tion and centralization of statutory report-ing activities and related controls, potentialtax savings in certain areas, greater consist-ency of accounting policy application, and, ifdesired, even core finance transformation.

The following items may help lead througha safe journey.

Designate a sponsor and a project leader.Someone needs to take charge, so identify aleader with clout to sponsor the effort, suchas your chief financial officer, chief account-ing officer, or other C-suite executive. Alsochoose a project leader who will run the day-to-day aspects of the operation and reportback to the sponsor. Because the effort willrequire the cooperation of many, yourdesignees will likely need sophisticatedpeople skills to persuade when possible anddemand when necessary. These leadersshould be able to exert influence across theorganization when there are IFRS-relatedchanges to implement, problems to solve, anddecisions to be made. This role becomesespecially important in larger, matrixed or-ganizations that may have dozens of differentIFRS work streams - from accounting and taxto systems and controls - working in parallel.

Create a PMO. A project management of-fice provides a single point of coordinationthat can help you leverage project benefits;facilitate the consistent application of account-ing policy and changes across a globalenterprise; issue important communicationsand consistent nomenclature; deploy stand-ard templates; and help all parties adhere toa single, unified plan.

Determine where you are. It’s hard to reachyour destination if you don’t know your start-

ing point. Find answers to these preliminaryquestions:

What are our current and pending IFRSreporting requirements?

How many local GAAPs do we currentlyreport under?

How many of our business units alreadyprepare IFRS financial statements?

How many of our competitors have con-verted?

Do we have a major ERP or finance trans-formation project in the works?

Are we involved in or considering a majoracquisition?

What is the level of IFRS knowledge withinthe company, both domestically and globally?Will training or hiring be required toaugment it?

Prioritize your people needs. Many com-panies face a dearth of IFRS knowledge withintheir organizations. You may need to employa combination of training, hiring, andtransfers to bridge the gap.

Engage your independent auditor. Con-sider getting assistance with your effort bydrawing upon a well-informed source - yourindependent auditor. Larger accounting firmslikely have participated in numerousconversion projects; tap into that knowledgeearly in the process.

Get your team aligned. Gather key mem-bers of your executive team to bring every-one up to speed and get thinking aligned.Consider asking your independent auditorto make a presentation. Make sure youragenda includes an IFRS primer and a regu-latory update. Discuss your current report-ing status across all entities. Explore the po-tential impacts across departments, divisionsand geographies. And end up with a Q&Asession to hear and address concerns.

Budget now, even if you plan to spend later. The financial implication could impact sig-nificantly on the company’s cash flow; thereis need for proper financial planning.

Address accounting changes. Your first stepis the most obvious: develop a full under-standing of the accounting changes associated

• CBN governor, Sanusi Lamido

By Uwadiae Oduware

with a transition from GAAP to IFRS. Signifi-cant variability exists by industry; seek outguidance tailored to your sector. Some mul-tinationals can find in-house expertise in unitsalready reporting under IFRS. Other organi-zations may need to develop their talentthrough training or hire professionals alreadyversed in the standards.

Refresh your policies. Conversion to IFRSmay facilitate a revisit of fixed assetcomponentization, inventories, derivatives,revenue recognition and other accountingpolicies. In other words, IFRS provides a re-fresh exercise for accounting policy imple-mentation, with the aim of more transparentand timely financial reporting.

Consider nonfinancial impacts. Expandyour focus to include operational adjustments,including systems, people and process im-plications. Consider, for example, how anaccounting change such as revenue recogni-tion might impact the configuration of an ERPsystem.

Investigate presentation and disclosure re-quirements. IFRS rules for presentation anddisclosure differ significantly from GAAP andmay require data and information that youdon’t currently capture. The differences maynecessitate changes in systems, processes andcontrols.

Communicate frequently. Be vocal withinternal and external constituents regardingthe changes around IFRS. Consider creatingwebsites, blogs and road shows to educateemployees, avoid confusion, and engage thelarger organization in the effort. Investorsand analysts will appreciate being kept in-formed, and such communications may evencontribute to the perception that your com-pany is forward-thinking and ahead of thepack.

Leverage existing projects. If you havestarted - or are about to start - an enterpriseresource planning (ERP) or finance transfor-mation project, now is the time to factor inIFRS considerations. Recent versions of ma-jor ERP systems are designed to accommo-date IFRS, which can be mapped in, usuallywith significant cost savings. A finance trans-formation project, conducted hand-in-handwith an IFRS conversion, can yield efficienciesfor both.

Consider shared services centers. IFRS pro-vides a compelling reason to establish sharedservices centers, with the prospect of consoli-dating dozens of local GAAPs down to a sin-gle reporting standard. Geographically dis-persed finance offices could be drasticallyreduced or even eliminated in favor of a cen-tral finance function, strategically located totake advantage of tax incentives, payroll sav-ings and facilities cost reductions.

Conduct a trial run. Implementation mightbe easier if you take a bite-sized approachstarting with a single country or reportingentity. Use existing reporting requirementsand local country IFRS requirements to youradvantage. For example, subsidiaries incountries adopting IFRS over the next yearsmay be good candidates for a trial run. Learnfrom this initial conversion exercise, andapply the lessons learned to the global rolloutdown the road.

• Uwadiae is Partner, Akintola Williams,Deloitte, and can be reached [email protected]

F URTHER to the approval by the Fed-eral Executive Council of the Road Mapfor Nigerian Companies to adopt the

BUSINESS INTERNATIONAL

part of efforts to cut emissions of greenhousegases.

After the basic framework of the proposalwas announced, public support for JuliaGillard’s administration collapsed to historiclows, weighed down by concerns about risinghousehold energy bills.

Voters according to Bloomberg news, werebaring their teeth at a prime minister whopromised before last August’s election that herparty had no intention of pursuing a pollutiontax.

Citing the realities of minority government,Ms Gillard now wants to set a carbon pricenext year before moving to an emissions trad-ing system as early as 2015 as part of key struc-tural economic reforms.

The conservative opposition leader, Tony

Australia mulls contentious carbon tax to cut emissionsAbbott, accused the Prime Minister of deceitand told reporters her dramatic change of heart“was a performance worthy of Walt Disney”.

Supporters, though, say the carbon tax wouldlift Australia, which emits more greenhousepollution per person than almost any othercountry, out of the environmental “dark ages”.

For their part, business groups insist thecountry would bleed jobs if the levy became areality.

“There is a lot of apprehension within ourmembership on the possible impact to Aus-tralia’s competitiveness of an economy-widecarbon tax or emissions trading scheme in theabsence of a binding global agreement,” saidPeter Anderson, the chief executive of the Aus-tralian Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

Critics say Julia Gillard’s change of heart onthe carbon tax is ‘deceit.’

Two of Australia’s resources giants, Rio Tintoand Woodside Petroleum, have joined the criti-cism.

They insist that without wholesale alterations,the tax could be potentially ruinous for busi-ness, although some of the major banks havewelcomed the proposal.

It would affect 1,000 Australian companies,including some of the country’s biggest pollut-ers.

In theory, they would be encouraged to cleanup their act, because lower emissions wouldlead to a smaller financial liability.

Although precise details are still to be workedout, the government would use the receipts tocompensate industry and households for higherenergy bills, as well as funding renewable en-ergy projects to create employment.

Chris Dunstan, research director at the Insti-tute for Sustainable Futures at the University ofTechnology Sydney, says the carbon tax wouldput a price on emissions from Australia’s coal-fired power stations and the burning of fossilfuels.

In absolute terms, we’re about the 10th larg-

est emitter of greenhouse gases in the world”Said Chris Dunstan of the University of Tech-

nology Sydney.He adds that this pollution is an “external

economic cost” that is borne by the communityand the environment, but is not built into theretail price of electricity and petrol, for exam-ple.

A tax, likely to be between 20 and 30 Austral-ian dollars (US$19.90-$29.80; £12.30-£18.50) pertonne of emissions, would start to incorporatethat externality into the cost of energy and othersources of carbon pollution, at a time when aca-demics believe Australia needs to show globalleadership.

“When it comes to carbon emissions, we’reone of the highest per capita emitters of car-bon,” Mr Dunstan told the BBC in Sydney.

“But also, in absolute terms, we’re about the10th largest emitter of greenhouse gases inthe world, so what we do actually matters inthe context of international action.”

A USTRALIA’s Labour government isgrappling with potentially combusti-ble plans to introduce a carbon tax as

‘Communicate frequently. Bevocal with internal and

external constituents regardingthe changes around IFRS.

Consider creating websites,blogs and road shows to

educate employees, avoidconfusion, and engage thelarger organization in the

effort. Investors and analystswill appreciate being kept in-

formed, and suchcommunications may evencontribute to the perception

that your company is forward-thinking and ahead of the pack’


BUSINESS INTERNATIONAL

tors, has said Japan ’s status as alarge supplier of semiconductorsand other components to the glo-bal telecoms market will have aserious impact on supply as a re-sult of the quake-triggered tsunamithat hit it a week ago.

The company, however, added itwas too early to say to what ex-tent.

It assured that the economic situ-ation in Japan would have no ma-terial impact on the company’ssales in the first quarter of 2011.

In a statement made available toThe Nation, the company, whilecommiserating with the Japanese

Japan tsunami: Global telecoms market may beaffected, says Ericsson

By Adline Atili

further conclusions before we canfully assess the situation.”

0A massive 9.0-magnitude earth-quake had occurred near the north-eastern coast of Japan a week ago,creating extremely destructive tsu-nami waves which hit the countryjust minutes after the earthquake,triggering evacuations and warn-ings across the Pacific Ocean .

The earthquake and tsunamihave caused extensive and severedamage in the north-eastern partof the country, leaving thousandsof people confirmed dead, injuredor missing, and millions more af-fected by lack of electricity, waterand transportation as a result of theeffect on the country’s nuclearplant

Japanese authorities is on savinglives and supporting affected areas.

“At the same time, Ericsson isanalysing the broader effects onthe telecommunications industryand Ericsson’s business. The tel-ecommunications industry, as wellas many other industries, sourcecomponents from Japan .

“It is reasonable to expect that theevents in Japan will affect supplyof components but it is too early tosay to what extent.

“Business continuity plans andwork to assess the impact onEricsson and mitigation activitieshas been ongoing since March 11.

“Typically such activities includesupply and sourcing activities suchas spot market purchases, redirect-ing orders to alternative suppliersand tight collaboration with ourJapanese supplier base.

“Although it is too early to getan accurate picture of how Japaneseenterprises are affected, and howthis affects Ericsson and the indus-try, no material impact onEricsson’s sales are expected for Q12011.

“We will continue to closelymonitor the situation in Japan totake further action where necessary.It is however too early to draw any

on the state of affairs in the coun-try, said it remains fully commit-ted to supporting all its customersin all ways possible in ensuringthat the vital mobile networks arefunctioning satisfactorily.

According to the Media and Pub-lic Relations Officer, Ericsson Ni-geria , Omasan Ogisi, the companywill focus significantly on support-ing customers in securing func-tionality of vital telecommunica-tion services.

Ogisi said: “The situation in Ja-pan is still developing and focus of

ERICSSON, leading providerof technology and managedservices to telecoms opera-

Abdullah of Saudi Arabia boostedgovernment spending on Friday.

King Abdullah announced about$93billion (£57billion; 66billioneuros) of benefits to lift wages andcreate jobs in order to quell anypotential unrest.

On its first day of trading sincethe move, the Saudi stock marketrose 4.5per cent, while the Qatariexchange climbed 2.6per cent.

The Oman exchange was up 1.3%.“Saudi Arabia contributes almost

50% of the GDP of the Gulf Co-op-eration Council countries... a boostin the kingdom’s economy willreflect in all regional markets andthat is what we saw today,” saidHesham Tuffaha at Riyadh-basedBakheet Investment Group.

The council comprises Bahrain,Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabiaand the United Arab Emeriates(UAE).

The latest stimulus package in-cluded $67bn to build 500,000 newhomes, with additional funds go-

ing towards creating new jobs andpaying higher wages for civil serv-ants.

A similar package worth about$36bn was announced last month.

Meanwhile, the Saudi central banksaid regional unrest would havelittle impact on the country’seconomy.

“I have checked all the numbersand there has not been any notice-able outflows or abnormal outflowsin Saudi Arabia during the past fewweeks so it has been business asnormal,” said the bank’s governor.

One market not to benefit fromthe Saudi stimulus was Kuwait,where shares fell 1.6% after UAE-based telecommunications com-pany Etisalat dropped its $12bn bidfor local rival Zain on Saturday.

Saudi Arabia has largely escapedthe mass protests shaking the Mid-dle East.

But in the country’s oil-rich East-ern Province, bordering Bahrainwhere Saudi Arabia has sent 1,000troops to help quell unrest, therehave been protests from the minor-ity Shia Muslim population.

Middle East stocks rise onSaudi cash injection

RISEN sharply, despite re-gional unrest and western airstrikes on Libya, after King

other Organisation of PetroleumExporting Countries (OPEC) coun-tries such as Algeria, Nigeria, Ecua-dor, and Kuwait fell, official pri-mary data from exporting countriesshowed.

Saudi Arabia’s crude oil exportsreached 6.39 million barrels per dayin January from 6.05 million barrelsin December, according to Saudiofficial data posted on the Joint Data

ally after government tests showedthe industry has regained enoughstrength to boost dividends andshare buybacks.

JPMorgan Chase & Co. (JPM),Wells Fargo & Co. (WFC) andGoldman Sachs Group Inc. (GS)were among six lenders that dis-closed more than $16.2 billion inshare buybacks and $5.4 billion ofannualised dividend increases yes-terday, according to data compiledby Bloomberg. The banks made theirannouncements after learning theypassed a Federal Reserve reviewof their financial health.

“This is a real signal by the Fed-eral Reserve to tell the world thatthe US banking system is back,”said Gerard Cassidy, an analyst atRBC Capital Markets. “We are go-ing to see, in our view, over thenext three years, a dramatic in-crease in the dividends.”

$22b increase in payouts, buybacks afterFed review

Regulators are allowing banksto begin restoring dividends thatwere cut in early 2009 during thefinancial crisis, when investorsand analysts were speculatingsome banks might need to be na-tionalised. Losses tied to homemortgages, commercial real estateand business lending drained capi-tal, leading to more than 300 fail-ures.

The Fed had demanded 19 of thebiggest lenders undergo stresstests before they could consideractions that would reward share-holders by dipping into capital.The process was formally com-pleted weekend, and within hours,banks began announcing theirplans.

JPMorgan said it may repur-chase $15 billion in shares andboosted the payout rate to a levelequal to $3 billion in additional

annual payments, while WellsFargo said shareholders could re-ceive as much as $7.7 billion.

Goldman Sachs said it will buyback $5 billion of preferred stocksold to Warren Buffett’s BerkshireHathaway Inc. during the finan-cial crisis and may raise its divi-dend or repurchase common stock.

The six banks that raised payoutsand approved share buybackstook more than $64 billion in bail-out funds during the financial cri-sis.

The total increase in paymentsto shareholders announced yester-day was calculated by adding thevalue of the share buybacks plusdividend increases.

Dividends were annualised overfour quarters and multiplied bythe number of outstanding shares,which were reduced to account forthe total stock buybacks. The valueof the shares repurchased waspegged to the closing price onMarch 17.

UNITED States bank inves-tors may be rewarded withan extra $22 billion annu-

last day of trading before thequake.

Toyota Motor Corp. (7203) andSony Corp. (6758), two of Japan’sbiggest manufacturers, are facingworst-case scenarios of long-termproduction shortfalls as scores ofplants remain closed and workersare idled in the aftermath of theMarch 11 earthquake and tsunami.

“The current situation is still dif-ficult,” Chisato Kitsukawa, aspokesman for Tokyo-based Sony,by phone weekend. The companyhas shut eight plants in Miyagi,Ibaraki and Fukushima prefec-tures, and workers are inspectingequipment and facilities, he said.Toyota has said it will keep 21auto and components plants closeduntil March 22.

Sony and Toyota’s efforts toresume production are compli-cated by the need for hundreds ofdifferent components to buildTVs and cars from a variety ofdifferent suppliers that may havesuffered plant damage in theearthquake and tsunami.

Japan is also facing electricityshortages because a nuclear-power plant was crippled by thetemblor.

“This will be played out not indays, but in weeks,” said JohnHoffecker, head of the automotivepractice at consulting firmAlixPartners LLP in Detroit.

“Nothing on this scale has reallyoccurred before.”

The earthquake and tsunamikilled more than 7,000 people anddamaged or destroyed more than100,000 buildings in the Tohokuregion of northeastern Japan, ac-cording to the National PoliceAgency of Japan. Workers are alsobattling to prevent a nuclearmeltdown at a plant north of To-kyo.

Sony and Toyota, based in ToyotaCity, Japan, have both fallen 12 percent in Tokyo trading since March10, the last day of trading beforethe quake. The Topix Index hasdropped 11 percent.

Keisuke Kirimoto, a Toyotaspokesman, didn’t immediatelyreply to message left on hiscellphone weekend.

For Sony, the most significantdamage is to its Tagajo plant, inMiyagi prefecture, that producescoating materials for magnetictapes, touch-panel mobile devicesand Blu-ray discs. Short-term re-covery is “very difficult due toflooding caused by the tsunami,”Sony has said.

The electronics company and itssuppliers probably have at leasttwo weeks of inventory on hand,which offsets disruptions, said Jor-dan Selburn, principal analyst forconsumer electronics at IHSiSuppli Corp. The more likelychallenges are a shortage of basiccomponents and power supplies,he said.

Toyota, Sony disruptionsmay last weeks

S ONY and Toyota have bothfallen 12 percent in Tokyotrading since March 10, the

JPMorgan leads Saudi crude oil Januaryexports rise as Nigeria, Algeria fall

Initiative website, known as JODI.Exports from Algeria fell by

122,000 bpd to 684,000 bpd, whilethey fell in Nigeria by 146,000 bpdto 2.41 million bpd. Kuwait’s ex-ports fell slightly by 11,000 bpd andexports fell by 17,000 bpd in Ecua-dor.

Exports from the rest of the 13member countries of OPEC in-creased during that month withexception of the UAE, which did notsubmit data.

Significant increase in crude oil

exports during January came fromSaudi Arabia and Venezuela afterthey added 347,000 bpd and 168,000bpd, respectively.

JODI is supervised by the Riaydh-based International Energy Forumand its data goes back to 2002. Theinitiative only runs primary officialdata from submitting parties.

Saudi Arabia, the world’s largestholder of proven oil reserves, in-creased crude oil output in Januaryby 460,000 bpd above its OPECquota.

SAUDI Arabia’s crude oil ex-ports increased by 5.4 per centin January as exports from

• Dr. Alex Otti, Group Managing Director/CEO Diamond Bank and HE Alh (Dr.) Aliyu Magatakarda Wamakko,the Excutive Governor of Sokoto State at a courtesy visit by the Bank’s mamagement to the government houserecently.

Tuesday, March 22, 201142

“...they know they could have easily scored seven or eight goalshere (Ijebu-Ode) and the fact that they missed so many goal scoringchances was not such a good thing.”

SLIDING TACKLE

FIFA and CAF instructor, Paul Bassey assessingthe performance of Sunshine Stars of Osun Statein Sunday’s CAF Confederation Cup first round, firstleg match played in Ijebu-Ode.

NIGERIA PREMIER LEAGUE...NIGERIA PREMIER LEAGUE...NIGERIA PREMIER LEAGUE...NIGERIA PREMIER LEAGUE...NIGERIA PREMIER LEAGUE...NIGERIA PREMIER LEAGUE...NIGERIA PREMIER LEAGUE...NIGERIA PREMIER LEAGUE...NIGERIA PREMIER LEAGUE...NIGERIA PREMIER LEAGUE...

Ibrahim, scored one of the goalsas Nigeria’s Sunshine Starsdefeated Tiko United ofCameroon 2-0 in a CAFConfederation Cup first round,first leg match in Ijebu-Ode.

Nigeria’s otherrepresentatives in thecompetition, Kaduna United,were equally 2-0 winners overvisiting Foullah Edifice ofChad, also on Sunday.

Young striker KayodeAbiodun, a replacement for illUkeyima Akombo, openedscoring for Sunshine Stars twominutes after the break.

This was after a scoreless firsthalf during which the Akureteam wasted several scoringchances and missed theexperience of Cletus Itodo inmidfield.

Abiodun’s goal forced theCameroonians out of theirdefensive shell and they foughthard to cancel this deficit.

Sunshine Stars younggoalkeeper Moses Ocheje evenhad to make a point-blank saveon one occasion when aCameroonian striker was clearon goal.

However, the lively Ajani,with 10 goals in the NPL by thehalfway mark, made victorycertain for the team in the 75thminute with a superb header

L

Ajani Ibrahim brightensSunshine Stars

Ajani Ibrahim brightensSunshine Stars

EADING scorer in theNigeria PremierLeague (NPL), Ajani

off a cross from the right byDayo Ojo.

At the Kaduna TownshipStadium, Ali Adamu gave thehosts a 37th minute lead with asuperbly struck, left-footed

drive from inside the box,before a Linus Adams free kickmade it 2-0 in favour of theConfederation Cup debutants10 minutes after the interval.

Foullah Edifice fought to

reduce the tally, missing twoclear chances late in the gameto fire a warning signal theywill be more dangerous athome when they will attackmore.

‘Sports’ Bassey believes Nigerianclub, Sunshine Stars will progressto the next stage of the OrangeCAF Confederations’ Cup.

Bassey was among thespectators at the GatewayInternational Stadium, Ijebu-Odeas Sunshine outclassed Tikounited of Cameroun 2-0 onSunday.

Bassey, who expressedconfidence in the ability of theNigerian club to post anothervictory over the Cameroonianson their own pitch, howeverbemoaned the failure of theNigerians to score more than twogoals on the night.

“This was a game Sunshineshould have put to bed here inNigeria,” Bassey toldSuperSport.com.

“Having said that, they knowthey could have easily scoredseven or eight goals here (Ijebu-Ode) and the fact that they missedso many goal scoring chances wasnot such a good thing,” hestressed.

Paul Bassey praises Nigeria’s CAF Cup rep.

CONFEDERATION ofAfrican Football (CAF)instructor, Charles

The CAF chief is howeveroptimistic about the chances ofSunshine Stars in the return fixture.

“With what I saw in the first leg,Sunshine can win in Cameroonbecause they are much better thantheir opponents. I will besurprised if they fall at this stage,”he said.

Bassey also praised Enyimba FCand Kaduna United followingimpressive results in theirrespective Continental games.

miss his team’s CAFChampions League returnleg tie against Morocco’sWydad early next month afterhe suffered a knee injury inCasablanca on Sunday.

“His knee was hit frombehind after just 25 minutesand so he could not continuethe match,” Pillarsspokesman, Idris Malikawa,told MTNFootball.com.

“It looks to be a seriousinjury that may keep him outof the return match in Kano.But we will really know theextent of the injury after a scanback in Nigeria.”

Thompson’s enforcedreplacement, Obi Eguene,

Injury blow for Pillars’ Thompson

KANO Pillars starmidfielder JosephThompson is likely to

Enyimba drew 0-0 withGabonese side, Union SportiveBitam in Gabon while KadunaUnited were 2-0 winners againstChadian outfit, Edifice Foullah inKaduna.

“Kaduna United have done wellas they are relative newcomersin the competition. As forEnyimba I really cannotcomment since I did not see thegame to assess theirperformance.”

Five NPL coaches for the sack

who will soon be sacked.Several coaches have already

been shown the door by the firstround of the Nigeria PremierLeague (NPL) – Erasmus Onuh(Bukola Babes), KennedyOkogba (Ocean Boys), TundeAbdulrahman (JUTH), LadanBosso (Niger Tornadoes),Emmanuel Osigwe (Heartland)and Ndubuisi Nduka (PlateauUnited).

MTNFootball.com now lists thetop five coaches most likely toget the chop as the league hotsup in the second round.

5. Fatai Amoo (Shooting Stars)The former Eagles assistant

coach is first to admit that histeam were the biggestunderachievers of the first roundof the Nigeria Premier League(NPL).

They lie in 14th place, only fourpoints from the drop zone,despite an improved financialassistance from owners, OyoState government.

Amoo is also realistic to tellMTNFootball.com that the job isabout hiring and firing.

“I agree we have not metexpectations as the results havenot been coming, but at the sametime we are trying to build a newteam,” argued Amoo.

“I’m ready for whateveroutcome because this job is allabout hiring and firing.

“But I also trust mymanagement because theyknow we are heading in the rightdirection, all the hard work isbeginning to manifest positivelyand the fans should just bepatient.”

4. John Zaki (Lobi Stars)With vice-chairman and

former international DominicIorfa breathing down coachesnecks, the coaching post at LobiStars is easily one of the mostunstable in the league.

Former schoolboy

T HERE are two types ofcoaches – those who havebeen sacked and those

international John Zaki hassupposedly been calling theshots at his hometown club, whoare within the top 10 clubs in thefirst round, but face a moredifficult second round that couldsee them slip down therelegation pack, if their cashproblems persist.

The consequence would beZaki having to look for anotherjob elsewhere…

3. Bernard Ogbe (GombeUnited)

The experienced former NigerTornadoes and Enyimba coachmay have eaten more than hecould chew as his Gombe Unitedare looking more and moreordinary with every kick of theball.

When the ‘Desert Scorpions’insist on veterans like BalaManu, who should be knockingthe 40s, and Alhaji Kwaranga,very little should be expected ofthem. Relegation will certainlysound the death kneel for Ogbe.

2. Garba Gusau (ZamfaraUnited)

Zamfara United have managedto hang on to top flight action forseveral seasons now despitehaving a shoestring budget.

However, it is lookingincreasingly likely that their luckwill not hold out this term andthey will slump to the lower tierfinally.

This would mean that coachGarba Gusau will be made oneof the scapegoats for thisdemotion.

1. Larry Eceli (Ocean Boys)The little known Ocean Boys

coach is top favourite to be sackedin the second round of the seasonafter he was placed on half salaryfollowing his team’s thrashingat Heartland on the second to thelast game of the first stanza.

His team, champions only fiveyears ago, will barely squeezepast an unlucky 3SC on the finalday of the first round as thesword of Damocles hangs overhim.

would later be red-carded forunsportsmanlike conduct inthe 79th minute of a matchwon 2-0 by WydadCasablanca.

Officials informedMTNFootball.com that Pillarsare contemplating an earlykick-off time of 2pm localtime for the ChampionsLeague second round, secondleg match at the Sani AbachaStadium in Kano.

The match is now fixed forSunday, April 3, a shift by daybecause of the start of generalelections in Nigeria on April2.

Two years ago, Pillarsreached the semi-finals of thecontinent’s foremost clubcompetition on only theirdebut appearance.

Ogunjobi wants more from Sunshine

Ogunjobi, has chargedSunshine Stars to improve ontheir performance in the CAFConfederations Cup.

Ogunjobi, a former boardmember of the NigeriaFootball Federation (NFF)was at the Gateway Stadium,Ijebu-Ode, when SunshineStars earned a 2-0 victory overCameroonian side, Tiko

C HAIRMAN of OsunState FootballAssociation, Taiwo

United, to mark a historicdebut in the continent.

Two second half goals fromKayode Abiodun and NigeriaPremier League (NPL) topscorer, Ibrahim Ajani ensuredmaximum celebration forplayers and supporters of theAkure side.

“Sunshine have justifiedtheir second position on theNPL log with theirperformance against TikoUnited. However, they must

work harder to complete thejob during the second leg inCameroon.

“The players were morecoordinated in the second half,which explains why theywere able to break theresistance of the opposition.Dayo Ojo was one of theplayers who impressed me,”Ogunjobi told SuperSport.com.

The football administratorexpressed concern about theoutput of Sunshine’s strikers

on match day. “I think thereshould be more work on theattack,” he said.The absence ofUkeyima Akombo andIbrahim Babale resulted in aseries of missed chances onmatch day.

Highly rated former ASECMimosas forward, IfeanyiInyam, was the worst culpriton match day and Sunshineboss, Gbenga Ogunbote, gavehim a desired break minutesafter the interval.

•Ajani Ibrahim celebratesafter scoring a goal forSunshine

MARITIME

Stories by Oluwakemi Dauda,Maritime Correspondent

•Lagos port


Govt to maximiseopportunities in

maritime

Operators score Customs boss high

Board probes fire incident

51

THE Federal Government is tomaximise the unlimited op-portunities in the maritime

sector, the Managing Director, Ni-gerian Ports Authority (NPA), MrOmar Suleiman told The Nation inLagos last week.

Among the opportunities,Suleiman said, are the nation’s ter-ritorial waters, with a total coast-line of about 800 kilometres whichprovides for investment in ship-building and Greenfield port devel-opment.

Suleiman said the Federal Govern-ment has embarked on wrecks re-moval, port expansion, channel andtowage management, safety ofnavigation, protection of marineenvironment, container stacking atKirikiri and Tin Can Island portsand provision of additional carparks for port users.

He said the Federal Governmenthas also concluded plans for the re-habilitation of Tin Can Island portquay wall and apron, Julius Bergerterminal and Koko port as part ofits port development plan for thenext 25 years.

Suleiman stated that the procure-ment process for the constructionof Marina Jetty, Bonny Jetty, Cala-bar Finger Jetty and Port HarcourtFinger Jetty is already in progress.

He said plans are on to see to thepilotage and berthing of vesselswith deeper drafts in Lagos pilot-age district, adding that the Nige-rian Shippers’ Council, banks andconcessionaires have dropped theirvarious charges in a bid to reducethe cost of doing business.

The NPA boss said the council hasalso removed port administrativeand sorting charges, saying it hascommenced implemention of the

Inland Container Depots (ICDs)project on Build Own, Operate andTransfer (BOOT) to bring shippingservices to the doorsteps of ship-pers and maximise the opportuni-ties in the industry

The ICDs, Suleiman said, apartfrom helping in reviving andmodernising the railways, wouldhelp in decongesting the ports andpromote comprehensive modal in-tegration and proffer permanentsolution to some of the problemsfacing the industry.

To achieve the required depthsand maximise the opportunities inthe sector, he said the dredging ofLagos and Bonny/Port is on.

He said he was not happy overthe delay in cargo clearance at theport.

Suleiman suggested a Single Win-dow Electronic Trade Facilitationinitiative, which could resolvemost of the major problems con-fronting cargo clearing at the portsto be adopted.

“A Single Window ElectronicTrade Facilitation initiative willeliminate human contact and theuse of discretion, which have beenidentified as major causes of delayin the clearance of cargo at theports.

“The electronic system would notonly facilitate trade but also ensureimprovement in revenue genera-tion and help developmental plans.

He said the situation at the sea-ports calls for a one-stop-shop thatwill accommodate all relevantagencies where importers and theirclearing agents can clear theirgoods at the same time.

He said: “A one-stop shop would

stop a situation where one govern-ment agency will clear goods hereand another will intercept it there.Corruption needs to be eradicatedat the ports to boost revenue andenhance trade facilitation.

Technology, he said, has broughtabout the need for speed. Shippers,importers and freight forwardersare constantly searching for moreefficient ways to get their businessdone at the port.

On port concession, Suleiman saidthe Ministry of Transport has setup a committee to audit the per-formance of the concessionairesand that government is planningto review the tariffs charged bythe terminal operatos.

He said the review would makethe ports competitive, encourageimporters and their agents since itwould eliminate arbitrariness andensure parity with ports ofneighbouring countries.

The NPA boss said shippingplays a vital role in world trade

and sees it as the backbone of theworld economy. “Without shipsand transportation services thatships provide the world wouldnot be as prosperous as it is todayand many countries would not beable to participate in world tradehence the reason why the FederalGovernment is set to maximise theunlimited opportunities in themaritime industry,’’ Suleimansaid.

Suleiman praised the concessionprogramme, noting that it was theonly way the ports could competefavourably globally.

He bemoaned the delay in paperdocumentation by the Customsand the banks and said the issueneeds to be addressed to enhanceefficiency and boost revenue gen-eration.

The NPA boss said the FederalGovernment to repositioning therail system for more efficient trans-portation of goods.

The revitalisation of the rail sys-

• Suleiman

THE Comptroller-General ofthe Nigeria Customs Service,Alhaji Dikko Abdulahi has

been described a good trade facili-tator.

Operators said no other Comp-troller has achieved whatAbdullahi achieved since he wasappointed.

With his revenue generation ini-tiative and anti–smuggling activi-ties, operators said, he has per-formed wonderfully well.

Speaking with The Nation in Lagoson Friday, the National Presidentof Association of Nigerian LicensedCustoms Agents (ANLCA), AlhajiOlayiwola Shittu, said the Customs

boss has brought modernisationand welfare of his officers to thefront burner to reduce leakages andcorruption in the service.

On the issue of upgrading ofworking tools and provision ofequipment to boost productivity,Abdullahi, the ANLCA chief said,has emerged as a frontline motiva-tor.

Another operator and Chairman,Soul Enterprise, Mr FolushoAdelakun, said from his first emer-gence on the public scene as theCustoms helmsman, “he has left noone in doubt that he came with only

THE Marine Board of Inquiryhas started probing the fireincident involving a fishing

trawler (M/V ZAHRA) atMusheshe Jetty, Kirikiri light ter-minal 11, Tin Can Island, Lagos.

Chief Magistrate NureniKuranga is the President of theboard.

The board was set up to investi-gate and establish the circum-stances that led to the fire inci-dent and subsequent explosion ofthe trawler; to investigate andestablish owners and chatterersof the vessels and those who mayhave connection with the vessels.

According to its President, theboard was also mandated toidentify and cross-examine thecrew members on board at thetime of the incident with a viewto establishing the cause of thefire and the circumstances thatled to it.

The board, he said, needs to es-tablish the actual crew memberson board with a view to determin-ing the nature of the incident, toassess the compliance of the ves-sel with the standard prescribedby the International Ship andPorts State Control (ISPS) code at

evant experts who would work asa team to ensure thorough inves-tigation and transparency in theexercise.

The court was set up as a sevenmember Marine Board of Inquiryas part of the efforts of the Fed-eral Government to find the cause

• Dikko

what can, without doubt, be a mes-sianic zeal to reposition the service.

“He came with a six-point agendato reposition the service. As a fineCustoms personnel whose risethrough the ranks saw him acquir-ing wholesome skills and experi-ences until he emerged as theComptroller General, he was con-versant with the needs of the ser-vice. He was also quite uncomfort-able with the public image of theNigeria Customs Service.

‘‘On both fronts, he came deter-mined to change the course of theNCS for the better with a clear un-

derstanding that a well trained, re-munerated and motivated person-nel is key to maximising the poten-tials of the service.

‘‘Within the first 15 months of hisemergence as the number one Cus-toms personnel in the country,Abdullahi’s score card has set himout as an outstanding trade facilita-tor, a motivator extraordinary andan unflinching reformer,”Adelakunsaid.

It is for this reason that the boardand management of Maritime Me-dia Limited intends to honour himon April 8, as the Maritime Man ofthe Year 2010.

The event would take place inAbuja.

the time of the fire and to recom-mend appropriate measuresneeded to be put in place to en-sure safer shipping and cleaneroceans.

The board has experiencedhands such as marine engineers,captains, safety officials and rel-

of the fire incident and to reiter-ate its position in promotingsafety in the maritime industry.

‘‘I pledge on behalf of membersthat our assignment would be car-ried out transparently and profes-sionally,” Kuranga said.

Operators said the effort by theFederal Government to set up theboard was commendable as itshows its sincerity in promotingsafety in the maritime sector.

AREA Controller of ApapaArea 1 Command of theNigeria Customs Service

(NCS), Comptroller SuleimanIdris, has approved the rerout-ing of all homogeneous contain-ers that are more than five forphysical examination.

Idris disclosed this while ad-

dressing Maritime Reporters As-sociation of Nigeria (MARAN), inApapa during the week.

He said the rerouting of contain-ers will be based on application.

Idris urged all governmentagencies participating in exami-nation at the port to ensure allexaminations are done jointly to

reduce some of the re-occurringproblems militating againsttrade facilitation and productiv-ity.

“It is the desire of the Comp-troller General to improve theservice delivery of the NigeriaCustoms Service in order to re-ciprocate the kind gesture of the

Federal Government and con-solidate the gains ofmodernisation embedded in thedestination inspection contract.These are some of the reasonswhy we have approved rerout-ing of containers to make ourports attractive for business,”Idris said.

Apapa Customs approves rerouting of containers

tem, he said, would also ensuresafety of lives and properties andprovide unlimited opportunitiesfor investors.

• Dikko gets Maritime award on April 8

MARITIME

Stories by OluwakemiDauda,

Maritime Correspondent

Stories by Oluwakemi Dauda,Maritime Correspondent

Maritime Watch

Cargo clearance, payment made easy


Terminal invests N2.5b oninfrastructure

Customs, ICPC vow to stop corruption

CARGO clearance at theseaports has beenmade easy with the in-

troduction of a new IT ini-tiative tagged Call-Cus-toms-tariff.

The initiative was intro-duced by Peace Global Sat-ellite Communications Lim-ited, a telephone networkoperator based in Lagos.

Speaking with The Nationon the new concept in Lagoson Friday, the Managing Di-rector of the company, Mr.Livingstone Oreye, said itwas developed to make iteasy for people to access andknow the Customs duty pay-able and also help in mak-ing clearing of goods easierand faster.

He said the initiative putsall the amount payable onimported goods at the fin-gertip of every importer,clearing agent and the gen-eral public by using theirphone.

‘‘What the importer, agentor member of the public

THE management of ENL Consortium Limited said it hasexpended N2.5 billion on infrastructure at its Apapa termi-nal. The company took over the terminal five years ago.

The General Manager of the company, Mark Walsh saidthe amount was spent on infrastructure and manpower de-velopment.

According to him, the need to invest the sum was borneout of the desire to ensure efficiency in service delivery.

“What we have been able to do is to invest approximateclose to N2.5 billion into the terminal. Fixing the roadsthrough provision of basic infrastructure, providing moreequipment, having things available, and having more ex-pertise inside the field here. So, the money has gone backinto the industry,” he said.

Walsh said the port concessionaires have been able to in-crease cargo throughput at the nation’s gateway, adding thatthere was the need to reduce cargo dwell time so that con-tainers could be cleared on time.

“The main achievement of port concession in the last fouryears is the increase in throughput. The turnover of cargoeshas made it cheaper for shipowners to come to Nigeria. In-stead of their vessels staying 10 to 15 days on the high sea,they now stay just five and eight days. So, it saves them a lotof money daily.

This improvement should reflect in the overhaul cost forconsumers at the end. But unfortunately, in between whatthe middlemen and some of the agents do, it affects the over-haul cost. But on the terminal operators, especially here, wehave been able to reduce cost to make it cheaper and easierfor the consumer or the consignee to get their goods into thecountry.”

THE Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Federal OperationUnit (FOU) Zone A has been praised for protecting thenation’s economy with its adoption of unique approachesto combat smuggling activities in the zone.

A rights activist, Mr. Martins Ikhilae, gave the commen-dation in Lagos on Friday.

He said the Zone is living up to expectation based on thearrest of some smugglers who attempted to import multi-million naira contraband through the Agbara water ways.

The activist said the anti-smuggling unit’s performance inrecent time was an indication that the nation was adequatelyendowed with committed and patriotic Customs officialswho have the country interest at heart.

To him, the criticism of the Customs Comptroller’s deci-sion to deploy junior officers for sensitive assignments wasbaseless. He said what should form the basis of assigningpeople for assignments are professional ability and intelli-gence, not seniority.

Ikhilae said the anti-smuggling unit led by Mr. VictorDimka, a Deputy Comptroller of Customs, has performedwell having recorded numerous successes in the intercep-tion of multi-billion contrabands from smugglers.

He said the achievements were informed by the variousstaff motivational policies introduced by the ComptrollerGeneral, Alhaji Abdullahi Dikko who is fondly referred toas father of all by officials of service.

He described Dikko as a man laden with professional ideasand experience, attributes which he said has now mani-fested in the improved services of the NCS.

Describing the unit’s achievements as outstanding, Ikhilaepraised the Customs leadership for its ability to source ca-pable and reliable personnel for the highly sensitive as-signments.

He said the outstanding performance of the Zone hasdemonstrated its ability and resolve to rescue the nationfrom its economic crisis.

Activist commends FOU

THE Nigeria CustomsService’s Anti-corrup-tion and Transparency

Monitoring Unit (ACTU),Southern Zone, in partner-ship with the IndependentCorrupt Practices and OtherRelated Offences Commis-sion (ICPC), have declaredtotal war on corruption.It said officers, who engagein the vice that has robbedthe Customs of its reputa-tion would have themselvesto blame.

ACTU said it is deter-mined to fight and rid theservice of bad officers andmen that are tarnishing theimage of the organisation.

The monitoring unit saidany Customs officer accept-ing bribes from importers,smugglers, clearing agentsand other port users wouldbe exposed, and could be dis-missed from the service.

Speaking at a seminarjointly organised by ACTUand ICPC to boost the anti-corruption crusade amongofficers and men of the ser-vice, the Comptroller-Gen-eral of Customs, AlhajiDikko Abdullahi, said theleadership of the service hasput in place a lot of mea-sures to improve the livingand working conditions ofofficers and men of the ser-vice, to discourage themfrom engaging in acts of cor-ruption.

The event was held lastweek, at Customs zonalheadquarters, Yaba, Lagos.

Abdullahi was representedat the event by ComptrollerJack Y Bot.

The fight against corrup-tion, the Customs boss said,is not a fight against indi-viduals or personality, buta fight against vices.

Abdullahi, who harped onthe need to re-focus and con-solidate as the nation’s lead-ing non-oil revenue earner,said his administration willdemonstrate a zero per centlevel for all the vices thathave dented the image of theservice and reduced its effi-ciency.

The guest lecturer fromthe Lagos State University(LASU), Dr Dapo Thomas,said the fight against corrup-tion will not yield the ex-pected result except the gov-ernment is ready to enforce

the legislation that set upanti-corruption agencies.

Corruption, he said, is soembedded in our nationallife that everybody appearsto be involved in it and ifnot, must know of someonewho is.

Thomas said it is widelyheld that corruption is sopervasive that the publicand private sectors are af-fected.

According to him, a cur-sory prognosis of the phe-nomenon reveals that cor-ruption in Nigeria manifestsin at least four major variet-ies:

• Occasional or opportu-nistic – this comes in theform of paying bribes togain an unfair advantage andor abuse of position by tak-ing bribes

• Widespread corruption –Society endorses takingbribes by all and sundry asbeing socially acceptable.

• Systemic corruption –Everyone is on the take,from employees to employ-ers, private citizen to officeholder, in an attempt to reap

personal gain. This oftenleads to outright extortionfrom anyone requiring ser-vice.

• Destructive corruption –This manifests clearly in theattitudes of politicians, gov-ernment officials and secu-rity operatives seekingmore wealth, while bra-zenly showing off extrava-gant lifestyles that can onlyprovoke others to think thatcorruption is a way of life.

From these, Thomas said,Nigerians are conscious ofthe fact that these variousforms of corruption notonly stultify developmentas state resources are di-verted for personal use butalso imbue governance withinefficiency and bad leader-ship.

Contributing, the Officerin Charge of ACTU at thezone, CSC Joseph Awodu,said the focus of the semi-nar was to sustain the driveagainst all corrupt tenden-cies in the service, educat-ing and sensitisation of allofficers and men of the ser-vice and the general publicabout the destructive effectof corruption on theeconomy.

Over 3,000 ACTUs, he

said, were established bythe government to comple-ment at the micro-govern-mental level the duty ofICPC with the hope thatthe ACTUs would consti-tute a constant internalcheck on corrupt practicesin any government estab-lishment.

In Awodu’s paper en-titled: Where are we? Andwhere are we going in the cor-ruption crusade, he urgedofficers and men of the ser-vice to avoid the followingcorrupt tendencies:

Running of entries, re-lease of goods withoutproper examination anddocumentation, ‘Flying ofcontainers’, improper tally-ing, conniving with othersecurity agents, bank offi-cials, importers and theiragents to defraud govern-ment, use of recycledcheques, fake RAR, fakeSGD, overlooking of con-cealment, falsification ofdocuments, under invoicingand under declaration, re-leasing of prohibited itemsand aiding and abettingsmuggling among others.

Over 60 officials of Cus-toms, ICPC, reporters andother stakeholders at-tended the event.

needs to do is to dial 01-2303333 and follow the voicedirective.

“The enquirer will thenhear the rate of import dutyand other charges, withouthuman intervention. Every-thing is automated. This is atno cost to the inquirer out-side the call cost. ‘’

The beauty of Call-Cus-toms-tariff, Oreye said, ‘‘is italso offers users the oppor-tunity to access the tariffthrough interactive text mes-sages.

“The strength of the Call-customs-tariff concept is thatit is new and unique with thepotential of placing Cus-toms tariff at the palm ofeverybody that has aphone.”

The initiative, apart fromgiving users Customs tarifffor imported goods, alsohelps prospective importersto know whether the itemsto be imported are prohib-ited or not.

“This saves the importer

the embarrassment of hav-ing his items seized and be-ing prosecuted for import-ing contraband.

‘‘The adoption of the ini-tiative will translate tohigher compliance hencehigher revenue collectionby the Customs Service onbehalf of the Federal Gov-ernment.

‘‘Call-customs-tariff willenable easy reference to thetariff even while on themove; thereby enhancingconflict resolution betweenCustoms officers and stake-holders in the field. It wouldalso promote justice andhonesty in accordance withInternational Chamber ofCommerce’s (ICC) commit-tee on Customs and TradeRegulations Guidelines 40,41, 42 and 43 interpretationsparagraph 5 which states,among other things, that“Transparency is essentialfor both customs and thetrading community.

‘‘The initiative is in accor-

dance with ICC guidelineNos. 28 and 35 which expectCustoms information to beavailable to the publicthrough the media and thattariff and related informa-tion/data be available to thetrading community from anautomated system” whichan (Interactive Voice Re-sponse ( IVR) server is.

“Being available on thephone of everyone 24 hours,the initiative removes a lotof ignorance and administra-tive bottlenecks therebyhelping the current drive bythe Federal Government tosee that goods brought intocountry are cleared within48 hours. It also helps in-crease the level of efficiencyand service delivery in Ni-gerian ports.

On how to use the facility,Oreye said a first timershould access the users guideby visitingwww.peaceglobal.net.ngwhere the users’ guide canbe accessed in PDF format.

IN line with the new system of data capturing machine pro-posed by the Nigeria Custom Service (NCS) known as theWIFI, the Chairman of the Association of Nigerian LicensedCustoms Agents (ANLCA), Tin Can Island Port (TCIP) Chap-ter, Mr. Kayode Farinto, has charged all clearing agents onthe need to have an attitudinal change towards the newdevelopment, as it deals with integrity and honesty.

Addressing agents in Lagos, Farinto explained that themachines have been installed at the various ports in Lagosand were ready to start operation.

According to him, each of the machines can cover about1.5-kilometre radius, with two of them already installed atthe TCIP.

Inaugurating a new set of coordinators for the chapter,Farinto said there is the need for them to improve them-selves and be ICT-compliant in order to function properlyin the new system.

He said a register would be opened at the secretariat sothat agents who wish to be trained would put down theirnames and a specialist would be invited to come and trainthem for one week on how to use the Wifi system.

“The new system is password-driven and you must pro-tect your password jealously so that someone else will notuse it to commit fraud, otherwise we will not be able todefend you again, because it has to do with integrity.

Customs have always accused agents of corruption, butthis time around we are ready to prove to them that agentsare not corrupt but we are compliant by the success of thenew system put in place,” Farinto stated.

ANLCA challenges agents

• L-R: Jack and Assistant Controller-General, Customs, Taylor J. Olufemi at the event.PHOTO: OLUWAKEMI DAUDA

AVIATION

53

Get in touch on this line 08023509878


KelvinOsa-Okunbor

with

AIRPORTWATCH

[email protected]

KelvinOsa-Okunbor

with

AIRPORTWATCH

[email protected]

FRONTLINE airline Arik Air isto establish a national carrierfor Sierra Leone under a

multi-billion dollar deal, The Na-tion has learnt.

Leon Air will begin operationsin July, barring last-minutehitches. It will be operated by ArikAir under a joint venture agree-ment (JVA).

The airline will, initially, be fly-ing between Freetown andHeathrow in London, Arik AirManaging Director, Chris Nduluesaid after Sierra Leone’s PresidentErnest Bai Koroma visited Arik’sfacilities in Lagos.

He said the first phase of the op-eration would be carried out withtwo of the airline’s B737-800 air-planes on a wet lease arrangement.

Wet lease means Arik Air willsupply the airplane, crew and alsohandle the maintenance, while anagreement on how the SierraLeonean government pays will beworked out to suit both parties.

According to Ndulue, necessarypapers and approvals have beensought, while licenses have alsobeen applied for.

“The new airline has a board andI happen to be a member. Arik Airhas the controlling stake in thejoint venture. The new airline alsohas a Managing Director. We willuse the B737-800 for the services.The airline has already applied forslots and approvals to commencedirect flight services betweenFreetown and London Heathrow.The number of frequencies andother destinations will be workedout with by Leon Air and the Si-erra Leonean authorities. We willregister about three or four air-planes with the Civil AviationAuthority of Sierra Leone so thatwe can easily joggle airplanes inthe event that the initial two have

to be withdrawn for maintenanceor something,” he stated.

Ndulue said Koroma was im-pressed with the top-level facili-ties the airline has, stressing thatconcerted efforts are on to ensurethe success of the joint venture.

Ndulue also frowned at the multi-designation of foreign airlines onlucrative routes in Nigeria, de-scribing it as a development ca-pable of strangulating existing do-mestic carriers. He thus urged thegovernment to involve the airlinesin meetings where Bilateral AirServices Agreements (BASA) aresigned or deliberated upon.

“Multi-designation weakens do-mestic airlines because routeswhere they fly to feed internationalairlines, they lose it and when youlose it, in translates to revenue loss.From constant revenue loss, youroperations shrink because the lu-crative routes are gone.

That’s why various countries’government are careful in signingBASA agreements. They are benton protecting their own airlines.So, they hardly embrace multi-des-ignation and that’s why we shouldstop it in Nigeria. We have madethis known to the Ministry of Avia-tion and the Nigerian Civil Avia-tion Authority (NCAA). It shouldbe stopped,” he stated.

Meanwhile, the Chief ExecutiveOfficer of Dana Air, JackyHathiramani, has been named the‘Airline CEO of the Year 2010’ atthe air transport award in Nigeria– the Nigeria Aviation (NIGAV)Awards. The ceremony was heldon Saturday, March 12, at the OceanView Restaurant, Victoria Island,Lagos.

According to the NIGAV Awards

Committee, Hathiramani clinchedthe award for his exemplary lead-ership and passion for excellencewhich has seen Dana Air grow tobecome one of Nigeria’s leadingairlines in just over two years ofits operations, and his outstandingcontributions to the growth anddevelopment of the aviation indus-try.

In his response, Hathiramani ex-pressed appreciation to theorganisers of the award for thehonour bestowed on him and re-iterated his commitment to steer-ing Dana Air to enviable heights,not only within the local travel in-dustry but on the regional and in-ternational front too. He alsopledged to continue to work withrelevant government agencies andother stakeholders on programmesthat will better the lot of the indus-try and the travelling public.

Initiated in 2007, the NIGAVAwards is an annual event held torecognise those companies and in-dividuals that have made outstand-ing contributions towards the de-velopment of the aviation indus-try and related activities in Nige-ria. The award aims at promotingdevelopment and healthy compe-tition among players in the indus-try. It encourages best practices,helps continuity in aviationprogrammes and enhances airtransport trade.

This year’s award was themed‘Expanding Air Transport BusinessOpportunities’ and had in atten-dance notable aviation personali-ties such as the Director-General ofthe Nigeria Civil Aviation Author-ity (NCAA), Dr. Harold Demuren,who gave the key note address onthe essence of maintaining highlevel customer-centered air trans-port services.

Kenya Airways considers faster means of payment

KENYA Airways (KQ)Information ServiceDirector Mr Kevin

Kinyanjui has said the airline willin the coming months introducebetter means of providing qualityservices to its customers throughthe use of information technology.

Speaking at the officialinauguration of Mandilas TradersAssociation Secretariat at TinubuSquare, Lagos, Kinyanjui said theairline would not rest in its questto make the airline better. He saidhis major preoccupation nowwould be to keep introducing a farmore accessible way of paymentto customers.

“Our duty is to communicate ournetwork on time to our numerouscustomers through the use of

internet services. That’s why weat KQ have embraced the use ofinfotech for dissemination of in-formation from KQ to ourcustomers.

“We always want to keep work-ing hard day and night in our questto introduce a more accessible wayof payment in KQ each time ourdear passengers want to fly to ournumerous routes. We will not restuntil we make KQ the best in theworld in terms of services providedand internet services,” he stressed.

Kenya Airways has alsointroduced more internationaldestinations to its long lists ofroutes namely Luanda (Angola),Nampula (Mozambique), Rome(Italy) and Malindi (Kenya).

The airline will on July 3

introduce Abuja-Nairobi route aspart of its plans to provide far moreimproved services to its numerouscustomers in Nigeria. This cherrynews was disclosed by KQ CountryManager for Nigeria and Republicof Benin, Daniel Maundu.

“We shall be introducing Abuja-Nairobi route in July by the spe-cial grace of God. It is part of ourplans to make life more conven-ient for our numerous customersin Nigeria who travel to the FarEast for business and holiday. Pas-sengers in Abuja will not need tomove down to Lagos from Abuja,rather they can easily book theirflights from Nnamdi Azikwe In-ternational Airport in Abujaenroute our hub in Nairobi,” hesaid.

Arik to establish nationalairline for Sierra Leone

Stories by Kelvin Osa-OkunborAviation Correspondent

• Arik aircraft

ONE could imagine the state of minds of passengers aboard the ArikAirplane following last Wednesday’s bomb scare. The passengers hadbarely boarded when one of them received a message alerting her to abomb planted inside the plane. The passenger quickly notified the se-curity agencies and in no time, there was bedlam at the Port HarcourtInternational Airport, Omagwa .

The development brought out the best in Arik Air. It showed its readi-ness to handle emergencies whenever they arise.

The ripple effects of the bomb scare could not have come at a bettertime than now, that aviation authorities unveiled a new technology toidentify explosives aboard any aircraft.

The technology - Trace Detector equipment – was unveiled at a train-ing workshop for aviation personnel.

They were trained by British experts on the use of Explosive Trace Detec-tors (ETD) being installed in major international airports in the country.

The explosive detectors are fitted at the Murtala Mohammed Interna-tional Airport, Lagos; Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja;Port Harcourt International Airport, Omagwa and the Mallam AminuKano International Airport, Kano.

“Nigeria remains an important air-bridge to the UK and we are keento facilitate the legitimate movement of people in both directions,”said Robin Gwynn, deputy high commissioner of the British Embassyin Nigeria during the closing of the workshop held at the trainingschool of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), Lagos.

“But our governments are also determined to work together to pre-empt and frustrate those who seek to do us harm. Once identified, in-cluding through programmes like this in the use of state-of- the-artequipment, the full powers of the law can be applied,” said Gwynn.

He said his home government was delighted in partnering with Ni-geria in the fight against terrorism, adding that this is supposed toprovide maximum protection and mutual assistance for both nations.

As reported on this page last week, there is urgent need for perimeterfencing of the nation’s airports. Nothing drives home this point morethan the fire which engulfed a section of the air side at the MallamAminu Kano International Airport, Kano, barely a week after rams andgoats invaded the Bauchi airstrip.

The fire was said to have been caused by people living around theairport who were burning bush while hunting for wild animals. GoingGame hunting near the airport did not start today. It is a pastime theyengage in at the expense of the airport.

In a statement the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) said:“The FAAN last week lost one of its fire officials, Subairu Mohammed,in a fire at the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport, Kano.

“The inferno emanated from a bush fire from the neighbouring com-munity and spread to the airport around its perimeter fence with the aidof the raging wind, often experienced during the harmattan in the north-ern part of the country.

“Officials of the Air Rescue and Fire Fighting Services of the Authority,rushed to the scene in two fire trucks and an ambulance immediatelythey observed smoke at a location about 150 metres from the thresholdof runway 24 at 10.50am.

“Though the fire officers were able to contain the fire at about 11.25am,it, however, went out of hand about 1pm as there was a sudden change inthe wind direction and strength, developing whirl wind or devil dust,resulting in the escalation of the fire.

“The resultant blaze spontaneously engulfed one of the fire tenders, whichwas equipped for combating such fires and positioned at the approach ofrunway 06, about 200 metres from the threshold, trapping the fire officers.

“All efforts by the authority’s fire officers on ground to put the fire outproved abortive.

“Though four of the trapped fire fighters were rescued with variousdegrees of injuries and burns, one of their colleagues, however died inthe disaster. The injured are receiving treatment at a government hospi-tal in Kano.

“Mohammed, whose death was later communicated to his family mem-bers by the management of the airport, has since been buried accordingto Islamic rites.”

Operation stop the bomber

Curbing poachers’ excesses

AIR MidWest Airlines had a dream. The dream was for an all-businesscabin aircraft. If it had gone ahead with the idea, it would have been thefirst airline to have such a plane in its fleet in the industry. But the dreamdied before it became a reality. The airline itself is gone; gone with thewinds, so to say. Last year, it was learnt that the Nigeria Civil AviationAuthority (NCAA) had deregistered the aircraft belonging to the airline.

The reason for the action, it was learnt, bordered on the seeming dif-ficulty of the airline to service the lessor, thereby raising fresh doubtsover its viability.

Although neither the regulator nor the airline has confirmed the de-velopment, there is disquiet in the industry that the airline’s wingsmay have been clipped before it could dominate the Nigerian skies.

With this development, what has become of the partnership betweenoperators of the carrier and the Imo State government, which is said tohave a stake in the airline?

What also happens to the airline’s dream, of having an all-businesscabin aircraft?

Will Air MidWest Airline fly again? Questions; questions; questions.Will somebody provide the answers?

Dreams die first

55

HEALTHTHE NATION



By Oyeyemi Gbenga-Mustapha,Senior Health Correspondent

Firm deploys SMS to fight counterfeit drugs

pany, personal referral or through govern-mental and non-governmental agencies in thecomfort of your home.

That was the vision of Olatunji Awonusisome eight years ago when he left the shoresof the country for the Asia Pacific. Then, manysaw him as a brain drain, but the vision heheld so closely to his heart pushed him on. Hegarnered every medical knowledge and ex-perience he could. Now he is back in the coun-try and zealously putting his knowledge toaction.

He has established a medical outfit calledMedic Angels to pass the message.

Dr Awonusi , a graduate of Olabisi OnabanjoUniversity, Ago Iwoye, Ogun State could nothide his disdain for a situation where manyNigerians are dying of long forgotten diseasessuch as diarrhoea, polio, malaria or pneumo-nia. And others such as cancer, diabetes andhypertension mitigating the lives of Nigeri-ans. He said the global trend now is patient’ssafety and not really to admit patient in theconventional hospital.

“What pains most is that we have the re-sources, human and natural to ensure goodhealth care delivery. You can imagine a pa-tient receiving treatment at a facility and afterbeing discharged, he is back there to receiveattention for another disease he picked upthere. Or even his condition worsening whenon admission, all because the hospital is notpart of him. It is good to catch diseases in aproactive manner.

“People prefer to stay in their natural habi-tat. That is what Medic Angels wants to add asvalue to Nigeria as is being done in placeslike Australia. I have over seven years work-

Expert set to boosthealth service

ing experience in the health care industry bothin Nigeria and Australia. I was involved inmanaging various projects with major traumahospitals in Australia, providing evidencebased care to clients and patients. I am settingout to transfer home based health care here inNigeria, a novelty in the country at the mo-ment.”

He noted that Nigerians do not practise pre-ventive medicine but curative, “Many do notgo to hospitals for medical check up. They gowhen their conditions have worsened like incancer cases. A simple step at home, of takingthe Blood pressure (Bp), urine test, self-breastexamination are all preventive measures thatcan be done at home. There is no need to get tothe hospital to do that. At the hospital, onemay pick some other infections. Medic Angelinnovation is about pro-activeness, more offield work.”

Medic Angels will assist in facilitating tripsto its partner hospitals in Australia for clientsthat might need further trips to its partnerhospitals in Australia for clients that mightneed further specialist attention, as well as fa-cilitate medical tourism for those who desireto go to Australia for comprehensive check-ups or treatment.

The organisation also will provide individu-ally planned and co-ordinated packages ofcare, tailored to help older Nigerians to re-main living at home. Aged Care packages aredesigned for people who need assistance withbathing, meals, shopping, medication man-agement and getting around.

Medic Angels extended aged care at homeare tailored packages of care, for people withmore complex needs, and require services such

as registered nursing care, care by a physi-otherapist, dietician or other type of alliedhealth care, personal care, transport to ap-pointments, social support, home help andassistance with oxygen and/or enteral feed-ing.

Dr Awonusi is exploiting avenue wherehe will be able to access grants from Aus-

tralia to ensure free fee paying services, as“Before coming home, I have already regis-tered Medic Angels as a non governmentalorganisation (NGO). In Australia, there isAusFund. We want to start Medic Angels asa profitable organisation and then translateit to non-governmental organsation (NGO).Out there, they want records of perform-ances, the money is there and they are will-ing to assist developing countries like Ni-geria. When I left things were a little okay,but now, things have gone really bad.”

So, to set the ball rolling, the Medic An-gels is providing an affordable fee-for-serv-ice health care such as Hospital-in-the-Homeand Post-Acute Care as at now, because, “AsI used to say, I do not see problems but chal-lenges, the situation here of epileptic elec-tric supply, low flow of water, poor remu-nerations of doctors are all challenges I amovercoming gradually and which must notbe allowed to kill the vision.

“Medic Angels believes one of the bestplaces to get well and remain independentis in the comfort and privacy of your home.We provide a range of nursing andhealthcare services in your home or otherplace such as work or school. When you arereferred to us or you sign on with us indi-vidually, our nurses will assess your healthneeds and work with you to develop a careplan that best suits your requirements.Where appropriate, we also teach you oryour family to provide the care, or parts ofthe care if you wish. Our services are deliv-ered in an environment that promotes dig-nity, integrity and a respect for cultural, lin-guistic and social differences.

“We have consultants and a network of fa-cilities with state-of-the earth equipment.We will tap into tele-medicine as well. Sud-den death syndrome (SDS) will be reduced.When people screen, for example, hyperten-sion, we will tell him what to do. Not justgive him the result to walk away with, asbeing done here. Mental health and coun-selling are part of qualitative health caredelivery. The innovation will reduce theload in the hospitals, reduce presentation.Nigerians’ health index will pick up.”

ance of medicines and security devices. Thismakes it difficult for end users - patients andmedical practitioners to differentiate genuineand counterfeit medicines.

Technology is now to the rescue. The Na-tional Agency for Food Drug Administrationand Control (NAFDAC) is introducing cut-ting edge information technologies (IT) tofight counterfeiting.

These include Minilabs, Radio FrequencyIdentification (RFID) for securing NAFDAC’sdocuments; Mobile Authentication Service(SMS to confirm the authenticity of NAFDACnumbers on medicines) and the use of RamanSpectroscopy, that is, the TruScan, for on thespot identification of counterfeit products.

A company, the Janssen-Cilag Pharmaceu-ticals, an offshoot of Johnson and Johnson, inan attempt to stamp out the ripping of con-sumers by fakers of its product, Nizoral hasbought the idea of Mobile Authentication Serv-ice (MAS) and partnered Sproxil Inc., to pro-vide IT services on each pack of the productfor consumers to either purchase a genuineproduct or decline fake product.

It is in form of scratch-off labels. It is easy touse and with no cost to consumer. It actuallyworks anywhere there is a mobile phone. Theanti-counterfeiting strategy delivers auto-matic protection with the Mobile Product Au-thentication solution. All a consumer needsdo is to scratch and text PIN code on the prod-uct to 38353. The consumer will instantly re-ceive an SMS confirming the authenticity orinaccuracy of the product.

It is not easy to know a fake drug by merely looking at it. Some counterfeits look identical to the genuine products, evento the trained eye. OYEYEMI GBENGA-MUSTAPHA reports a company’s effort to protect its products and safeguardconsumers’ health via mobile authentication service (MAS).

All the GSM mobile networks in Nigeriaare involved in this. And they share the com-mon short code 38353. It is encouraged that ifa consumer does not have a cellular signal atthe point of purchase, he should check themedication as soon as his phone picks up acellular signal.

The Chief Executive Officer of Sproxil, DrAshifi Gogo, during the launch of the tech-

nology for the product said: “As mobile net-work operators aggressively expand theircoverage, areas without cellular signal arefast becoming rare.”

He warned consumers not to be gullible tofakers who may say a code represents all thepacks in a box. “There is a need to scratch andtext the Sproxil codes on each blister beforeconsumption. The MAS technology is very

secure. It is based on Asymmetric Encryption,the same technology that powers trillions ofdollars in bank transfers and E-commerceworldwide. We have simplified access to suchtrusted technology and localised it for cashbased societies. It is better to save the code38353 in one’s address book to help avoidbeing tricked by counterfeit label instruc-tions.”

•Awonusi

•From left: Director Brand Protection, MEA, Tim Hayes; Deputy President, Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria, Olumide Akintayo, NAFDACPort Inspection Directorate, Momodu Segiru and President, Nigerian Association of Dermatologists, Prof. Abel Onunu, at Janssen-Cilag Anti-counterfeiting Summit in Lagos.

I MAGINE receiving home nursing, and aquality health care, based on referralfrom doctors, through insurance com-

COUNTERFEITERS are becoming in-creasingly sophisticated and able toimitate companies’ packages, appear-

‘Nigerians do not practisepreventive medicine, but curative.Many do not go to hospitals formedical check-ups. They go whentheir conditions have worsenedlike in cancer cases. A simple stepat home, of taking the BloodPressure (Bp), urine test, self-breast examination, arepreventive measures that can bedone at home’

HEALTH


HealthTourism

Dr Dheeraj Bojwanie-mail:

[email protected]

With

Dr. Bojwani is the Chief Executive of Forerunners HealthcareConsultants, India’s Pioneer Medical tourism organisation.

Tel: 07042394040, 07090830097, 08191462542.

Robotic surgery in IndiaT

Hernment’s continued effort to en-sure disease prevention, manage-ment and control.

Chukwu said this at the inaugu-ration of the Avian InfluenzaTreatment Centre (AITP) and theDiagnostic Laboratory at the La-gos University Teaching Hospital(LUTH).

According to him, the humanhealth AITP and diagnostic labo-ratory in Lagos is one of the labo-ratories and treatment centresbuilt for the diagnosis of influ-enza and treatment of serious casesof respiratory disorders.

Chukwu said the Federal Minis-try of Health through the AvianInfluenza Control Project (AICP)it charged with helping to preparethe health system for a possiblepandemic of influenza.

He said the Ministry of Healthand the World Bank have startedbuilding three new influenza di-agnostic laboratories at Ibadan,Maiduguri and Port Harcourt in

2008 to serve as a regional refer-ence laboratories.

Chukwu said the ministry hasalso commenced the upgrading offour zonal laboratories at Lagos,Kano, Enugu and Sokoto last yearto enhance medical response capa-bility and also virological diagnos-tic capability.

He said work is in progress to es-tablish treatment centres at theeight teaching hospitals wherelaboratories were located with thesupport of the World Bank.

Chukwu called on interested sci-entists, researchers, chest physi-cians and other health workers tomake the best of the facilities andcome out with meaningful findingsor discoveries that will benefit thepeople through the control ofemerging and re-emerging dis-eases.

He said Africa is the most affectedcontinent, adding that scientistsmust rise up to the occasion bycoming up with appropriate scien-

tific solutions and contribute tothe global knowledge on how tofight the disease.

He said the laboratories andcentres will provide an atmos-phere for enhancing the begin-ning of such collaboration, anidea which he said was supportedby President Goodluck Jonathan.

Chukwu urged state govern-ments and the health institutionsto put in place sustainable mecha-nism and make adequate provi-sion to address emergency situa-tions and pandemic.

The Chief Medical Director ofLUTH, Prof. Akin Osibogun, saidLagos is a good location to im-plement interventions of impor-tance to protect the health of thepublic, and the decision to estab-lish the AITLC at Lagos which hasbetween 10 and 18 per cent of thecountry’s populations is most ap-propriate and commendable.

Osibogun said about 10 millionpeople live in Lagos, adding thatthe hospital will continue to pro-vide succour to the sick and hopeto the dying.

Minister reiterates govt’scommitment to disease control

By Oyeyemi Gbenga-Mustaphaand Wale Adepoju

EALTH Minister ProfOnyebuchi Chukwu, hasassured of Federal Gov-

blood transfusion in Nigeria.These problems, among others,

will constitute the topics of dis-course at the inaugural confer-ence of the African Society forBlood Transfusion, EconomicCommunity of West Africa(AFSBT ECOWAS).

AFSBT ECOWAS’s RegionalVice-President, Prof. BanjiAdewuyi, said the problem ofblood transfusion is too large,hence the need for regional co-operation to ensure safety ofblood and blood recruiting. “Wehave two sub-region groupingscoming together to address theissue.”

He briefed the press on the In-augural conference ofAFSBTECOWAS billed for March29 and 30, at De Renaissance Ho-tel, Ikeja, Lagos.

Adewuyi said AFSBT ECOWASis a sub-regional group of the Af-rican Society for Blood Transfu-sion (AFSBT) and was establishedat the annual general meeting ofthe body held between June 24and 27 in Nairobi, Kenya.

According to him, the missionof AFSBT is to promote theknowledge and ethical and pro-fessional practice of blood trans-fusion, towards attaining greaterquality, safety and sufficiency ofblood in Africa.

Haematologists to hold inaugural

Wale Adepoju

The objective of AFSBT, he said,is to serve as advocacy to nationalgovernments for improvement inblood safety and sufficiency, andsetting standards and goals inblood transfusion practice.

Other objectives of the body areexchange and dissemination ofknowledge of blood transfusionand extension of the frontiers ofknowledge in blood transfusionscience and practice through re-search and publication of findings.

Chairman, Local OrganisingCommittee, Dr Sulaimon Akanmu,said the three plenary sections ofthe programme would addressquality assurance in blood bank-ing, blood component preparationwithout centrifugation, accredita-tion criteria for blood bank andnucleic acid testing for TTI.

Akanmu said not many doctorswere willing to go into the sub-specialty of haematology due toeconomic reasons, adding thatmore doctors needed to be encour-aged to specialised, “At the mo-ment, there are about 50 haema-tologists in the country. In a coun-try of about 140 million people, atleast one haematologist to 100,000would be necessary.”

He identified non-availability ofblood, safety of the practice,

infrastructural and fractionationas some of the challenges ofblood transfusion practice in Af-rica.

Akanmu added that people al-ways give 1,001 reasons theyshould not donate blood, addingthat blood transfusion has differ-ent dimensions to it such as thetechnological know-how toscreen blood.

Akanmu said the places whereblood is received are not befittingenough and donors may not wantto give blood as a result of this.

He said the country is still lag-ging behind in fractionation ofblood because the equipment andtraining to break blood into its vari-ous components such as red bloodcell, platelets plasma is not avail-able. “A patient may need onlyplatelets and not the entire blood,but if the total blood is transfusedto the patient it may affect him be-cause he only needs a particularcomponent of blood,” he said.

Akanmu said there must beother ways to recommend pa-tients for stem cell transplanta-tion also known as bone marrowtransplantation, adding that inthe past only clinical recommen-dation is relied upon but thereare other ways of determiningpatients who need the transplant.

Delegates are expected fromECOWAS countries such asGhana, Sierra Leone and Gam-bia.

devices and complex imaging.Robotic surgery, computer-as-sisted surgery, and robot-assistedsurgery are terms for various tech-nological developments that aredeveloped to support a range ofsurgical procedures. Robot-assisted surgery was de-veloped to overcome limitationsof minimally invasive surgery. In-stead of directly moving the in-struments, the surgeon uses acomputer console to manipulatethe instruments attached to mul-tiple robot arms. The computertranslates the surgeon’s move-ments, which are then carried outon the patient by the robot. In sim-ple words robotic surgery ismicrosurgery in which the sur-geon performs surgery by ma-nipulating the hands of a robot

“Robotic surgery in India is anew and exciting emerging tech-nology that is taking the surgicalprofession by storm. Up to thispoint, however, the race to acquireand incorporate this emergingtechnology has primarily beendriven by the market. In addition,surgical robots have become theentry fee for centers wanting tobe known for excellence in mini-mally invasive surgery.”

A robot performing surgerysounds like a scene out of a Hol-lywood sci-fi flick. But fiction isfast turning into reality in Indianoperation theatres where high-precision robotic surgeries – a lesscumbersome procedure than con-ventional operations – are gain-ing acceptance. Leaving behindthe days of low technology meth-ods, doctors are now ushering ina new era of medical treatmentsuccessfully. Robotic surgery isthe next major revolution in thefield of surgery since the discov-ery of anaesthesia. So far morethan 60 chest surgeries have beenperformed through robots in In-dia. Earlier, the use of robotic sur-gery was confined to the field ofcardiology. However, the doctorssoon discovered that it was muchmore useful for other surgeries.

During the procedure, a surgeonis seated at a console that containsseveral advanced controls, notunlike video game controllers(though much more advanced).This console also contains a moni-tor on which she can view the pa-tient through one or more videocameras. At the patient’s side, therobotic apparatus is guided by thesurgeon—from first incision,through all of the surgicalmaneuvers, and then finishingwith the closing sutures. The “ro-bot” is equipped with various ro-botic arms, specialised grippingdevices and laparoscopic camerasto provide the surgeon workingat the console full control of thesurgery. Since the surgeon is al-ways present during the proce-dure, one obvious question thatarises (even from other surgeons)is: why perform robotic surgeryat all? Apparently the robotic armsallow for unprecedented controlof the surgical area. The move-

ECHNOLOGY is revolu-tionising the medical fieldwith the creation of robotic

ments of the surgeon’s hands arecaptured, filtered, and transmittedto the robot to provide fluidmovements while minimisingtremor and unwanted motion. Ini-tial use of robotic surgery has beenhighly successful and the rate ofcomplications has been quite low.Patients, while somewhat appre-hensive at first, appreciate the suc-cess and quick recovery from ro-botic surgery.

Currently there are three typesof robotic surgery systems avail-able in India: Supervisory-Con-trolled systems, Telesurgical sys-tems and Shared-Control systems.

• Supervisory-Controlled sys-tems (a.k.a. Computer AssistedSurgery) are the most automatedof the three. The surgeon under-takes considerable prep work, in-puts data into the robotic system,plans the course of action, takes x-rays, tests the robot’s motions,places the robot in the appropri-ate start position and oversees therobotic action to ensure every-thing goes as planned.

• The Telesurgical robotic sys-tem is the second type of deviceused in modern robotic surgery.The most common variety, the DaVinci Robotic Surgical System, en-hances the surgery by providing3-D visualisation deep withinhard-to-reach places like theheart, as well as enhancing wristdexterity and control of tiny in-struments. This technology allowssurgeons to make quicker, morecontrolled and more accuratemovements by using the robotarm with its wider range of mo-tions.

• The Shared-Control System isthe final category of robotic sur-gery devices. In this system, thehuman does the bulk of the work,but the robot assists when needed.In many cases, the robotic systemmonitors the surgeon, providingstability and support during theprocedure. Before getting started,the surgeons program the robotsto recognise safe, close, boundaryand forbidden territories withinthe human body. Safe regions arethe main focus of the surgery.

Robotic surgery in India is usedfor a number of different proce-dures, including:

• Coronary artery bypass• Cutting away cancer tissue

from sensitive parts of the bodysuch as blood vessels, nerves, orimportant body organs like pros-tate

• Gallbladder removal• Hip replacement• Hysterectomy• Kidney removal• Kidney transplant• Mitral valve repair• Pyeloplasty (surgery to correct

ureteropelvic junction obstruction)• Pyloroplasty• Radical prostatectomy• Tubal ligation• Gastric BypassRobotic surgery cannot be used

for some complex procedures. Forexample, it is not appropriate forcertain types of heart surgery thatrequire greater ability to manipu-late instruments in the patient’schest.

•From left: Akanmu, Adewuyi and Consultant Haematologist, Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), DrTitilope Adeyemo at the event

conferenceI NADEQUATE haematolo-gists and safety of blood arepart of the problem affecting


EQUITIES

2ND-TIER SECURITIESAGRICULTURE/AGRO-ALLIED

Company Name No of Deals Quotation(N) Quantity Traded Value of Shares (N) FTN COCOA PROCESSORS PLC 2 0.54 11,000 5,720.00 LIVESTOCK FEEDS PLC 1 3 0.50 1,324,420 672,372.00 PRESCO PLC 1 2 6.85 124,214 816,481.52Sector Totals 2 7 1,459,634 1,494,573.52

AIR SERVICESCompany Name No of Deals Quotation(N) Quantity Traded Value of Shares (N) AIRLINE SERVICES AND LOGISTICS PLC 3 1.86 36,500 68,205.00 NIGERIAN AVIATION HANDLING COMP PLC 6 4 9.30 326,425 3,043,115.99Sector Totals 6 7 362,925 3,111,320.99

AUTOMOBILE & TYRECompany Name No of Deals Quotation(N) Quantity Traded Value of Shares (N) DN TYRE & RUBBER PLC 1 0.50 1,000 500.00 R. T. BRISCOE (NIGERIA) PLC 1 3 2.90 106,167 301,920.16Sector Totals 1 4 107,167 302,420.16

BANKINGCompany Name No of Deals Quotation(N) Quantity Traded Value of Shares (N) ACCESS BANK PLC 162 8.57 10,642,324 91,203,376.35 AFRIBANK NIGERIA PLC 4 5 1.81 1,482,634 2,686,242.05 DIAMOND BANK PLC 6 7 7.35 10,986,463 78,224,869.10 ECOBANK NIGERIA PLC 3 1 4.29 571,998 2,359,062.82 FIRST CITY MONUMENT BANK PLC 141 6.30 40,498,184 248,635,247.86 FIDELITY BANK PLC 5 7 2.78 4,428,707 12,286,538.94 FIRST BANK OF NIGERIA PLC 752 13.46 13,693,616 182,288,887.35 FINBANK PLC 4 6 0.70 3,003,087 2,114,563.45 GTBANK PLC 405 19.00 15,177,854 288,263,412.28 STANBIC IBTC BANK PLC 3 3 8.83 512,637 4,498,634.72 INTERCONTINENTAL BANK PLC. 9 8 1.36 3,171,027 4,294,642.47 OCEANIC BANK INTERNATIONAL PLC 133 1.90 5,862,721 10,937,635.36 BANK PHB PLC 4 4 1.38 2,028,848 2,766,868.98 SKYE BANK PLC. 9 0 8.10 1,552,103 12,546,028.25 SPRING BANK PLC 2 1.46 9,678 13,452.42 STERLING BANK PLC 4 7 2.50 1,925,075 4,806,944.49 UNITED BANK FOR AFRICA PLC. 171 8.37 4,130,007 33,965,096.44 UNION BANK OF NIGERIA PLC 146 2.98 3,181,920 9,327,641.24 UNITYBANK PLC 2 3 1.06 1,416,883 1,523,843.80 WEMA BANK PLC 4 6 1.59 3,616,617 5,916,037.39 ZENITH BANK PLC 331 14.70 7,190,526 104,841,467.44Sector Totals 2,870 135,082,909 1,103,500,493.20

BREWERIESCompany Name No of Deals Quotation(N) Quantity Traded Value of Shares (N) GUINNESS NIGERIA PLC 5 5 195.00 66,668 12,378,343.33 INTERNATIONAL BREWERIES PLC 1 1 6.08 25,783 160,986.00 NIGERIAN BREWERIES PLC 155 75.20 1,945,140 146,279,316.92Sector Totals 221 2,037,591 158,818,646.25

BUILDING MATERIALSCompany Name No of Deals Quotation(N) Quantity Traded Value of Shares (N) ASHAKA CEMENT PLC 6 0 26.70 552,626 14,066,799.93 CEMENT CO. OF NORTHERN NIGERIA PLC 2 1 10.51 442,114 4,734,037.34 DANGOTE CEMENT PLC 1 7 124.89 42,235 5,039,234.50 LAFARGE WAPCO PLC 1 8 37.18 305,360 11,368,011.00Sector Totals 116 1,342,335 35,208,082.77

CHEMICAL & PAINTSCompany Name No of Deals Quotation(N) Quantity Traded Value of Shares (N) CHEMICAL AND ALLIED PRODUCTS PLC 1 0 37.00 26,819 1,003,215.90 PORTLAND PAINTS & PRODUCTS NIG PLC 2 5.28 1,500 7,530.00Sector Totals 1 2 28,319 1,010,745.90

COMMERCIAL/SERVICESCompany Name No of Deals Quotation(N) Quantity Traded Value of Shares (N) RED STAR EXPRESS PLC 3 2.90 504,500 1,463,205.00Sector Totals 3 504,500 1,463,205.00

CONGLOMERATESCompany Name No of Deals Quotation(N) Quantity Traded Value of Shares (N) A. G. LEVENTIS (NIGERIA) PLC 3 1.90 28,464 51,519.84 JOHN HOLT PLC 1 7.21 774 5,301.90 PZ CUSSONS NIGERIA PLC 1 1 31.92 300,482 9,591,385.44 SCOA NIGERIA PLC 1 7.48 247 1,756.17 TRANSNATIONAL CORPORATION OF NIG PLC 3 1 0.78 21,308,208 16,620,402.24 UAC OF NIGERIA PLC 7 1 31.35 219,522 6,890,129.66 UNILEVER NIGERIA PLC 7 1 24.36 383,098 9,525,359.14Sector Totals 189 22,240,795 42,685,854.39

CONSTRUCTIONCompany Name No of Deals Quotation(N) Quantity Traded Value of Shares (N) COSTAIN (WA) PLC 2 6.60 95,208 628,372.80 JULIUS BERGER NIGERIA PLC 1 0 47.25 14,013 634,970.53Sector Totals 1 2 109,221 1,263,343.33

ENGINEERING TECHNOLOGYCompany Name No of Deals Quotation(N) Quantity Traded Value of Shares (N) CUTIX PLC 1 2.06 5,000 10,800.00Sector Totals 1 5,000 10,800.00

FOOD/BEVERAGES & TOBACCOCompany Name No of Deals Quotation(N) Quantity Traded Value of Shares (N) 7-UP BOTTLING CO. PLC 1 1 45.00 15,465 696,138.09 CADBURY NIGERIA PLC 3 3 25.00 88,807 2,227,558.74 DANGOTE FLOUR MILLS PLC 112 15.86 324,334 5,221,115.89 DANGOTE SUGAR REFINERY PLC 130 12.38 2,628,082 32,240,875.44 FLOUR MILLS NIGERIA PLC 1 1 87.00 6,564,651 570,966,398.85 HONEYWELL FLOUR MILL PLC 1 4 5.51 70,800 393,128.00 NATIONAL SALT COMPANY NIGERIA PLC 1 1 5.75 47,324 282,412.02 NIGERIAN BOTTLING COMPANY PLC 1 8 35.50 74,341 2,630,409.50 NESTLE NIGERIA PLC 5 3 425.50 205,243 87,265,693.24 TANTALIZERS PLC 1 6 0.53 1,397,400 731,049.00 UTC NIGERIA PLC 1 0.77 2,750 2,035.00Sector Totals 410 11,419,197 702,656,813.77

HEALTHCARECompany Name No of Deals Quotation(N) Quantity Traded Value of Shares (N) EVANS MEDICALPLC. 2 1.20 112,300 134,760.00 FIDSON HEALTHCARE PLC 1 5 2.03 1,441,865 2,858,708.50 GLAXOSMITHKLINE CONSUMER NIG. PLC 2 3 29.65 108,845 3,069,166.65 MAY & BAKER NIGERIA PLC. 1 9 4.65 268,720 1,258,686.72 MORISON INDUSTRIES PLC. 1 10.02 5,000 47,600.00 NEIMETH INTERNATIONAL PHARMA PLC 2 7 0.99 486,810 468,504.90 PHARMA-DEKO PLC 1 4.28 100 407.00 UNION DIAGNOSTIC & CLINICAL SERVICES PLC 2 0.50 57,100 28,550.00Sector Totals 9 0 2,480,740 7,866,383.77

HOTEL & TOURISMCompany Name No of Deals Quotation(N) Quantity Traded Value of Shares (N) CAPITAL HOTEL PLC 4 3.34 100,005 318,015.90 IKEJA HOTEL PLC 2 3 1.47 1,656,420 2,419,586.40 TOURIST COMPANY OF NIGERIA PLC 1 4.76 100 476.00Sector Totals 2 8 1,756,525 2,738,078.30

INDUSTRIAL/DOMESTIC PRODUCTSCompany Name No of Deals Quotation(N) Quantity Traded Value of Shares (N) FIRST ALUMINIUM NIGERIA PLC 1 0.66 21,400 13,482.00 VITAFOAM NIGERIA PLC 1 2 5.00 166,724 816,159.00 VONO PRODUCTS PLC 1 3.25 50,000 162,500.00Sector Totals 1 4 238,124 992,141.00

INFORMATION & COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGYCompany Name No of Deals Quotation(N) Quantity Traded Value of Shares (N) CHAMS PLC 5 0.50 1,330,000 665,000.00 STARCOMMS PLC 5 0.90 131,560 118,404.00Sector Totals 1 0 1,461,560 783,404.00

INSURANCECompany Name No of Deals Quotation(N) Quantity Traded Value of Shares (N) AFRICAN ALLIANCE INSURANCE PLC 2 0.50 15,000 7,500.00 AIICO INSURANCE PLC. 2 7 0.99 2,899,936 2,884,326.20 CONTINENTAL REINSURANCE PLC 1 4 0.90 5,441,900 4,890,710.00 CORNERSTONE INSURANCE CO. PLC. 5 0.50 300,000 150,000.00 CUSTODIAN AND ALLIED INSURANCE PLC 4 5 3.20 52,986,710 165,267,768.40 GOLDLINK INSURANCE PLC 4 0.59 8,750 4,987.50 GUARANTY TRUST ASSURANCE PLC 3 1.68 216,500 362,400.00 CONSOLIDATED HALLMARK INSURANCE PLC 1 0.50 28,198 14,099.00 INTERNATIONAL ENERGY INSUR COMP PLC 1 0.50 200,000 100,000.00 LASACO ASSURANCE PLC. 3 0.50 110,000 55,000.00 LAW UNION AND ROCK INSURANCE PLC. 3 0.52 130,100 67,652.00 MUTUAL BENEFITS ASSURANCE PLC 4 0.50 55,800 27,900.00 N.E.M. INSURANCE CO. (NIG.) PLC. 6 6 0.52 12,765,934 6,529,914.71 NIGER INSURANCE CO. PLC. 1 0.67 250,000 167,500.00 PRESTIGE ASSURANCE PLC. 1 2.12 1,678 3,607.70 STACO INSURANCE PLC 1 0.50 2,000 1,000.00

STANDARD ALLIANCE INSURANCE PLC 3 0.50 60,000 30,000.00 UNIC INSURANCE PLC. 1 0.50 66,500 33,250.00 UNIVERSAL INSURANCE COMPANY PLC 3 0.50 60,000 30,000.00 INTERCONTINENTAL WAPIC INSURANCE PLC 1 1 0.56 281,150 154,381.00Sector Totals 199 75,880,156 180,781,996.51

LEASINGCompany Name No of Deals Quotation(N) Quantity Traded Value of Shares (N) C&I LEASING PLC 2 1.48 22,000 31,020.00Sector Totals 2 22,000 31,020.00

MARITIMECompany Name No of Deals Quotation(N) Quantity Traded Value of Shares (N) JAPAUL OIL & MARITIME SERVICES PLC 114 1.50 5,739,244 8,597,683.89Sector Totals 114 5,739,244 8,597,683.89

MEDIACompany Name No of Deals Quotation(N) Quantity Traded Value of Shares (N) AFROMEDIA PLC 1 0.53 100,000 53,000.00 DAAR COMMUNICATIONS PLC 8 0.50 47,000 23,500.00Sector Totals 9 147,000 76,500.00

MORTGAGE COMPANIESCompany Name No of Deals Quotation(N) Quantity Traded Value of Shares (N) UNION HOMES SAVINGS AND LOANS PLC 2 5 0.68 3,238,233 2,181,536.58Sector Totals 2 5 3,238,233 2,181,536.58

OTHER FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONSCompany Name No of Deals Quotation(N) Quantity Traded Value of Shares (N) CRUSADER NIGERIA PLC. 3 0.50 160,000 80,000.00 ROYAL EXCHANGE PLC 1 5 0.54 659,407 348,574.79Sector Totals 1 8 819,407 428,574.79

PACKAGINGCompany Name No of Deals Quotation(N) Quantity Traded Value of Shares (N) NIGERIAN BAG MANUFACTURING COMP PLC 9 0 2.88 4,941,307 13,931,018.71 POLY PRODUCTS (NIGERIA) PLC. 1 1.77 2,794,588 4,946,420.76Sector Totals 9 1 7,735,895 18,877,439.47

PETROLEUM (MARKETING)Company Name No of Deals Quotation(N) Quantity Traded Value of Shares (N) AFRICAN PETROLEUM PLC. 3 7 22.52 157,058 3,528,009.20 BECO PETROLEUM PRODUCT PLC 2 2 0.50 1,251,480 625,740.00 MRS OIL NIGERIA PLC 1 0 66.56 10,947 709,614.88 CONOIL PLC 1 38.00 173 6,245.30 ETERNA OIL & GAS PLC. 3 4.55 73,700 319,121.00 MOBIL OIL NIGERIA PLC. 2 2 150.10 189,982 28,574,050.70 OANDO PLC 192 56.60 1,009,987 56,235,490.18 TOTAL NIGERIA PLC 1 7 216.92 73,597 16,001,573.77Sector Totals 304 2,766,924 105,999,845.03

PRINTING & PUBLISHINGCompany Name No of Deals Quotation(N) Quantity Traded Value of Shares (N) LONGMAN NIGERIA PLC 2 6.84 571,859 3,911,515.56 UNIVERSITY PRESS PLC 1 0 5.15 140,854 731,326.20Sector Totals 1 2 712,713 4,642,841.76

REAL ESTATECompany Name No of Deals Quotation(N) Quantity Traded Value of Shares (N) UACN PROPERTY DEVELOPMENT CO. PLC 7 16.30 1,123,697 18,318,636.10Sector Totals 7 1,123,697 18,318,636.10

ROAD TRANSPORTATIONCompany Name No of Deals Quotation(N) Quantity Traded Value of Shares (N) ASSOCIATED BUS COMPANY PLC 8 0.61 92,270 55,420.00Sector Totals 8 92,270 55,420.00

TEXTILESCompany Name No of Deals Quotation(N) Quantity Traded Value of Shares (N) UNITED NIGERIA TEXTILES PLC 2 0.70 1,034 754.82Sector Totals 2 1,034 754.82

THE FOREIGN LISTINGSCompany Name No of Deals Quotation(N) Quantity Traded Value of Shares (N) ECOBANK TRANSNATIONAL INCORP 1 1 15.50 875,888 13,073,186.64Sector Totals 1 1 875,888 13,073,186.64

Overall Totals 4,886 279,791,003 2,416,971,741.94

NIGERIAN STOCK EXCHANGEDAILY SUMMARY AS AT 21-03-11

NIGERIAN STOCK EXCHANGEDAILY SUMMARY AS AT 21-03-11

CIS chief lists gains ofMiddle East crisis

•ASI extends gain by 0.72%

THE crisis in the MiddleEast, according to theChartered Institute of

Stockbrokers (CIS) Presi-dent, Mr Mike Itegboje,should be seen as a positiveeffect on the capital market.

Reacting to opinions at-tributing the crisis in Mid-dle East to the recent lossesin the market, the CIS chiefsaid it should rather putsmiles on the faces of theNigerian investors since it ismore like an advantage be-cause the next point of callmay be Nigeria.

“I feel it should be an ad-vantage to us in Nigeria thatthere is crisis in the MiddleEast because the next ques-tion will be, where will theinvestors want to put theirmoney, if they pull out ofthe Middle East? The nextdestination will be our mar-ket,” he said.

He said attributing themajor daily transactions toforeign investors is not trueas majority of investors inthe market are Nigeriansand will always be them.

He said losses recorded inthe market have to do withthe up coming electionwhere many politicians areselling off to fund their cam-paigns.

“When more people areselling to make money, thesupply will be higher than

the demand. As soon as theelections are over, things willreturn to normal,” he said.

Also, he said another an-gle to the situation is thatinvestors outside the coun-try are wary of how theelections will go and theimpact it will have on theeconomy.

“There is a possibility thatthey are afraid of somethinghappening to their invest-ment and their not beingable to move out of the mar-ket. This makes them holdback their money ratherthan invest in the market.

Meanwhile, activities atthe capital market sustainedthe positive tempo recordedlast Friday. Yesterday, theNigerian Stock Exchange(NSE) All-Share Index (ASI)gained 0.72 per cent over itslast closing position. TheNSE ASI closed at 24,555, upfrom 24,378.72 points re-corded at the end of the pre-vious trading session. Themarket capitalisationequally appreciated by N56billion as it stood at N7.845trillion, up from N7.789 tril-lion last Friday. The NSE-30,used in monitoring the ac-tivities of the blue chip com-panies in the market alsoappreciated by 8.10 basis

points as it close at 1,056.02,up from 1,047.92, its last clos-ing position.

On the sectoral standing,it was a mixed bag as twoout of the four sectors re-corded points appreciationswhile the remaining two re-corded further losses of po-sitions. NSE Food/Bever-ages lost 5.73 points, NSEOil/Gas depreciated by 7.24points. The NSE Banking andNSE Insurance appreciatedby 11.59 points and 0.92points, respectively.

Investors yesterday ex-changed a total of 279.791million shares from all thesub-sectors worth N2.416 bil-lion in 4,886 deals. The Bank-ing sub-sector was the mostactive with 135.082 millionshares worth N1.10 billionexchanged by investors in2,870 deals. FCMB, GuarantyTrust Bank Plc, First Bank Plc,Diamond Bank Plc and Ac-cess Bank Plc were the mostactive in this sub-sector astheir combined volume was90.99 million units valued atN888.61 million.

At the end of transactions,29 stocks recorded shareprice appreciations led byZenith Bank with a gain ofN0.70, while on the oppositeside of the table, 30 stocksdepreciated and were led byPZ with a drop of N1.68from its share price.

By Tonia Osundolireand Eshiet Uyoatta


FOREIGN NEWS

A LLIED forces carry-ing out air strikes inLibya say Colonel

Gaddafi ‘not targeted’scope” and “explicitly doesnot provide legal authorityfor action to bring aboutGaddafi’s removal frompower by military means”.

Two allied raids on Tripo-li provoked heavy barragesof anti-aircraft fire aimed atmissiles and aircraft that wein the city could neither seenor hear.

The city echoed with gun-fire and the sky lit up withthe red glow of tracerrounds. Several loud explo-

Muammar Gaddafi himselfis not a target, despite anovernight attack against hiscompound.

The head of the US AfricaCommand Gen Carter FHam said attacking ColGaddafi was not part of hismission.

And a French spokesmansaid that even if the Libyanleader’s exact location wasknown, he would not befired on.

The United Nations haspassed a resolution to pro-tect civilians as Col Gadd-afi fights a rebellion thatbroke out last month.

On Sunday United K ing-dom Defence SecretaryLiam Fox said targeting ColGaddafi could “potentiallybe a possibility”.

However, on MondayBritain’s Chief of DefenceStaff, Sir David Richards,said targeting Col Gaddafiwas “not allowed under theUN resolution”.

And Prime Minister Dav-id Cameron told MPs thatwhile he still wanted ColGaddafi to go, the UN reso-lution was “limited in

T HE constitutional court in Benin has confirmed Pres-ident Boni Yayi as the winner of last week’s presiden-tial election.

Benin President BoniYayi’s victory confirmed

It said President Yayi, who has been in power since 2006,had received 53% of the vote.

Opposition leader Adrien Houngbedji has said he will notaccept the result, calling the election a “plot”.

Correspondents say Benin is regarded as a democracy inthe troubled West African region.

The vote was twice delayed following complaints that morethan one million people were not registered to vote and prep-arations for the poll were not complete.

sions rocked the city, includ-ing one at Col Gaddafi’s ownresidential compound.

The compound had filledup with enthusiastic support-ers of Col Gaddafi only theprevious day - civilians whosaid they were ready to diewith him if necessary.

It is not known whetherany of them were still in thecompound when the missilesstruck. Some journalists weretaken to the site during thenight.

by allied strikes

T HOUSANDS of sup-porters of IvoryCoast’s disputed

Gbagbo’s supportersjoin Ivorian army

The fighting has led some90,000 people to cross intoneighbouring Liberia, theUN refugee agency says.

UNHCR head Antonio Gu-terres said the conflict couldaffect countries across WestAfrica.

“The risks of destabilisingthe region are enormous,” hetold the BBC’s Network Af-rica programme.

He pointed out that Libe-ria was a poor country recov-ering from its own civil warand said hundreds of otherrefugees had also crossedinto Ghana.

Ivory Coast, the world’slargest cocoa producer, usedto enjoy the highest livingstandards in West Africa.

SThe November electionwas supposed to reunite itafter a 2002-3 civil war but

President Laurent Gbagbogathered yesterday at anarmy base to enlist, amidfears the crisis could desta-bilise West Africa.

The young activists wereheeding a call to join thearmy from a key ally of MrGbagbo, Charles Ble Goude.

He urged them to fightsupporters of Alassane Ouat-tara, widely recognised asthe winner of last year’s elec-tions.

Forces loyal to Mr Ouat-tara have gained more ter-ritory in the west.

The New Forces ex-rebelshave taken the town ofBlolequin, residents say - thefifth they have seized in re-cent weeks.

Mr Gbagbo refuses to cedepower.

On Saturday Mr Goude, ap-pointed as Mr Gbagbo’syouth minister, urged hissupporters to join the armyand “liberate” the country -the New Forces still controlnorthern areas.

The BBC correspondent inthe city says the crowdpushed at the gates of mili-tary headquarters as soldiersstruggled to keep order.

•Gbagbo

P RESIDENT EarnestKoroma haslaunched a five point

Koroma unveils agenda for Sierra Leonetric power project improvedpower supply in Freetownand rural areas.

Government is also work-ing towards commercializa-tion of agriculture. The ulti-mate goal is to transformsmall scale farmers from sub-sistence to commercial level.Already, government pro-vides farmers with inputs,extension services, and seed-lings to boost productivity.

On infrastructural develop-ment, major towns have beenlinked with trunk A roads. It

programme christened“Agenda for Change” in Si-erra Leone. It encompassesthe government new strate-gic development plan.

The agenda for change willfocus on five key sectorsnamely: energy, agriculture,infrastructural develop-ment, health and education.

Koroma disclosed that hisadministration has with thecompletion of a hydro elec-

has stepped up the develop-ment of feeder roads in therural areas so that farmerscould have access to marketsin urban areas.

The Koroma administra-tion has introduced free med-ical health for pregnant wom-en. Beside, it has improved onhospital facilities and supplyof drugs.

A panel set up to reviewthe education sector has sub-mitted its report and the gov-ernment White paper isready.

TOP generals, ambas-sadors and sometribes threw their

Yemen’s top generals back protestersthroughout a civil war, nu-merous uprisings and mili-tant campaigns, has seen astring of allies break rankswith him in recent days.

Despite that, pan-Arab TVchannel Al Arabiya quotedSaleh as saying the majori-ty of Yemenis were withhim and that he was “hold-ing on,” while Al Jazeerasaid he had asked Saudi For-eign Minister Saud al-Fais-al to mediate in the wors-

support behind Yemen’santi-government protest-ers yesterday in a majorblow to President Ali Ab-dullah Saleh as he tries tosurvive growing demandsfor his immediate depar-ture.

The president, a perenni-al survivor who has stayedin power for 32 years

ening crisis.Defence Minister Mo-

hammad Nasser Ali was dueto read a statement on statetelevision announcing thatthe defections were againstthe constitution, an officialsource said.

The latest defections andresignations were apparent-ly sparked by Saleh’s deci-sion to resort to violence todeal with the continuingprotests against his rule.

63

SPORT EXTRATHE NATION TUESDAY, MARCH 22, 2011

the Siasia tutored side notto take Walya Antelopes ofEthiopia for granted inSunday's African NationsCup qualifiers at the AbujaNational Stadiumas thereare no minnows in Africanfootball.

Kanu, who said everyteam wants to play in theNations Cup, advised thatthe Eagles should approachthe game with the EastAfricans as if they areplaying world top footballplaying nations.

"My advice to Eagles is toapproach the match as ifNigeria is playing againstArgentina or Brazil.Everybody is ready for thegame. Let's see the matchlike a World Cup final.Football, at times is notwhat we think.

"In those days when weplayed countries likeEthiopia, we knew theresults would either be 6-0or 8-0, but now, it is nolonger like that. For now, Ibelieve they are wellequipped for the match,"Kanu said.

The Portsmouth forwardhowever urged Nigeriansto be patient with the SuperEagles.

"We have to be patient

Kanu to Eagles: Don'ttake Ethiopia for granted

•Sets July date for cardiac hospital fund-raiserBy Bimbo Adesina

FORMER Super Eagles’captain NwankwoKanu has challenged

especially now that we havea new coach in SamsonSiasia who is doing great.The way he started isencouraging and I think weshould all support him tobuild a good team. Lets givehim time and he will comeup with a good team that wedesire," Kanu stated.

Meanwhile, the formerInter Milan striker hasgiven a July date for the

fund-raising ceremony ofhis N5 billion KanuCardiac Specialist Centreproposed for the city ofAbuja.

Kanu revealed that theFederal Government hasalready allocated a 5000-sqaure metre of land to theKanu Heart Foundation forthe medical centre in theFederal Capital Territory,(FCT) which will house afully equipped 40-bedcardiac hospital and other

infrastructure.In addition, there will also

be six cardiothoracic ICUbeds for post-operativecardiac surgery patients andsix coronary care unit bedsfor cardiology patients.

"We want the dream tocome true. I'm appealing toNigerians to help make thedream come true. Kanucannot do it alone, but withthe cooperation of well-meaning Nigerians, I’mconvinced we can do it,"Kanu added.

of Kenya the sum of N7.8million (about $50,000) forthe match against the SuperEagles on Tuesday, nextweek.

NationSport gathered froma source at the NFFsecretariat that the sum willbe paid as appearance fee tothe East African countrywho are expected in thecountry on Sunday.

According to the source,the NFF will have to coughup the $50,000 (about

NFF to pay Kenya N7.8mFrom Patrick Ngwaogu,

AbujaTHE Nigeria FootballFederation (NFF) willpay the Harambee Stars N7.8m). The Kenyans,

expected to arrive in Abujaon Monday morning, willbe lodged in the TranscorpHotel in Abuja, where theSuper Eagles will also behoused for the matchagainst the Ethiopians andwill be there for the friendlyagainst Kenya.

The match against theKenyans was hurriedlyorganised by the NFF as aface saving measure aftertwo others were called offat the last minutes.

Sunday in Ibadan. The eventwhich started in 2009 remainsthe only full marathon race inthe country, with the runnersexpected to cover a distance of42Kilometres.

The designated routes for therace, according to the organisers,are the Lagos-IbadanExpressway, Ring road-Dugberoad.

Athletes and officials areexpected to start arriving Ibadanon Thursday to familarise withthe routes. Spokesman for theorganisers, Shina Alawodedisclosed that the race will flagoff at 7am by the Sports Minister,Taoheed Adedoja.

Ibadan set forSplash marathon

By Stella Bamawo

He confirmed that over 700runners both in the male andfemale category have registeredfor the race which has a total oftwo million naira as prizemoney. “All the logistics havebeen put in place and indicationsare rife that more runners willregister before (Sunday) March27. We have secured twohospitals for emergency eventhough we don’t pray for anydisaster.”

Alawode also dismissed therumour that the Ibadan marathonwill from 2012 be upgraded to aninternational event, with Athletesfrom Ethiopia, Kenya, Moroccoand other nations expected.“What we are doing now is tohelp our athletes improve theirstatus; we understand the passionof our people to see the likes ofHaile Gerbressalisee, Martin Lel,Paula Radcliffe and other topmarathoners and this will bepossible when we have acorporate sponsor.”

Meanwhile, sponsor of theSplash Integrity Marathon,Bayo Akande has promised tocontinue the sponsorship of theannual event. An elated Akandesaid the idea is to flush outcorruption which has affectedevery sector of the countryincluding sports.

“This race is designed to kickagainst corruption, we sportspeople must come together totackle corruption and that’s whyit’s being staged in conjunctionwith the Independent CorruptPractices Commission.”

ALL is set for the 3rdSplash FM IntegrityMarathon billed for

disagreed with the informationfrom the Nigeria FootballFederation (NFF) thatSunderland of England player,Nedum Onouha has beendrafted to the Super Eagles teamthat will play Ethiopia onSunday.

He told 2muchsports.com at theteam’s camp in Abuja that therewas no time that they hadextended an invitation to theplayer who had refused onseveral occasions to play for theNigeria National team.

We didn’t inviteOnouha, insists KalikaASSISTANT coach of the

Nigeria National Team,Simon Kalika has

"We did not invite NedumOnouha for this match. And wedo not have the plan to do thatat present. There is no truth atall in the news of theinvitation," Kalika said.

Meanwhile, he confirmed theinvitation of Wigan FC striker,Victor Moses for the match. Theteam is expected to fully cometo life today when all theinvited players would havearrived in the camp.

Kalika maintained that theperformance of the playersduring training will determinewho will be selected to play thematch against Ethiopia.

EAGLES/HARAMBEE STARS FRIENDLY

OLATUNJI DARE

AT HOMEABROAD

TUESDAY, MARCH 22, 2011 TRUTH IN DEFENCE OF FREEDOM VOL. 6 NO.1,706

Tomorrow in THE NATION

DELE AGEKAMEH

CCCCCOMMENTOMMENTOMMENTOMMENTOMMENT & D & D & D & D & DEBEBEBEBEBAAAAATETETETETE

[email protected]

http://www.thenationonlineng.net

...TRAFFIC JAM?

RIPPLESRIPPLESRIPPLESRIPPLESRIPPLESPresidential debate: WHY I DIDN’T

ATTEND–Jonathan Tilting atwindmills

THARDBALL

The coming reparations

•Agagu

WUduaghan, when he won a court-ordered polland took a fresh oath of office.

That singular act, he claimed in a recent courtpetition, eviscerated the oath of office he tookwhen he was elected for a four-year term in2007, and with it his tenure between then andthe day the courts voided that election.

The petition failed.If it had succeeded, Dr Uduagahan would

have gone on to hold office for eight years,and would have been eligible for four more.For, technically, the eight years would havecounted as a single term that was only brieflyinterrupted. He might yet succeed on appeal.

Five other state governors whose 2007 elec-tions were voided and who, like Uduaghanwon the subsequent poll, have successfullymoved the courts to hold that their substan-tive terms began the day they took the oathof office following the poll, and that no elec-tions could be held in their states until fouryears have passed, counting from the poll thatrestored them to power.

They all appear to have taken to mind theassurance late President Umaru Yar’Aduagave Segun Oni that if he won the rerun elec-tion in Ekiti, he would be the first Nigerian tohold the office of governor for six years, com-prising the two years he had already served,plus a fresh four-year term.

Oni was declared winner of the rerun allright, but served no more than a year beforethe courts cut through all the fraud and sub-terfuge and voided his purported election.

He is back in the courts again, Oni, askingthe court of final jurisdiction to vacate its ownruling. He is probably calculating that if hesucceeds, he might return for a fresh oath andanother four years in office, counting fromthe day the court reverses itself. His fellowpetitioners, Dr Olusegun Agagu and PrinceOlagunsoye Oyinlola are probably makingthe same calculation.

If they succeed, and the statute of limitationhas not expired, it cannot be long before Pro-fessor Oserheimen Osunbor files for restora-tion in Edo, too. Nor would I rule out RashidiLadoja seeking to supplant the Oyato of Oyo

No two cases are exactly alike, and it maywell be that Ibrahim Idris of Kogi, LiyelImoke of Cross River, Murtala Nyako ofAdamawa, Aliyu Wamakko of Sokoto, andTimpriye Sylva of Bayelsa, may well succeedwhere Delta Governor Uduaghan failed.

But they must not push too far the claimtheir tenure started only when they won thepoll ordered by the courts to resolve disputesarising from an earlier poll.

For if the second oath truly and legally evis-cerated the oath they took on being elected in2007 as they claim, does it not follow, mutatismutandis, that it must also eviscerate all acts

done or purported to have been done pursuantto that first oath?

It would mean that between the first oath andthe second, the governors had held office ille-gally. In practical terms, this would mean thatall the bills they signed into law are null andvoid and of no consequence whatsoever; thatall those who held office under them — thecommissioners with or without portfolio, thespecial advisers on dirty tricks and other “spe-cial duties” — had done so illegally, since thegovernors had no legal authority to appointthem.

HEN did Dr Emmanuel Uduaghanbecome governor of Delta State?

Two months ago, says Dr

•For comments, send SMS to 08057634061

parties have their feet firmly planted onearth, offering programmes, ideologies andachievements for votes, the PDP allows itselfthe ambition of capturing the federal seat ofpower, states and legislatures withoutconcrete achievements. The clearestmanifestation of this utter disconnect is theparty’s ambition to retain its hold on Oyoand Ogun States and to seize Lagos State fromthe hands of a performing opposition party,the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN). Wherethe PDP got this chimerical notion of offeringnothing for something is hard to tell. Asreward for the confusion and paralysis inOgun State, the PDP and its presidentialcandidate, President Goodluck Jonathan, areplotting feverishly to ensure the state staysin the ruling party’s bag.

The PDP factions in the state areirreconcilable, and the war between theminterminable, but leaders of the party aredetermined to hold on to the state. Do theyhope to bring peace sometime in the nearfuture? There is absolutely no indication theruling party elders understand anything butwar. Indeed, there is even a hint in their

Published and printed by Vintage Press Limited. Corporate Office: 27B Fatai Atere Way, Matori, Lagos. P.M.B. 1025,Oshodi, Lagos.Telephone: Switch Board: 01-8168361. Editor Daily:01-8962807, Marketing: 01-8155547 . Abuja Office: Plot 5, Nanka Close AMAC Commercial Complex, Wuse Zone 3, Abuja. Tel: 07028105302.

E-mail: [email protected] Editor: GBENGA OMOTOSO

‘With the spate of violence that has characterisedthis year’s electioneering, no one is quite sure ofwhat will happen during the actual elections whichstart on April 2’

All official expenditure during the periodwould amount to misappropriation, if notoutright looting, since it was not backed byany authority. Having been bestowed on thewrong persons, all their titles and awardswould stand revoked. The titles and awardsthey conferred on others would stand revokedtoo.

Each time their sirens blasted the air, theystand accused of wantonly causing panic andalarm. Each time their motorcade racedthrough residential neighbourhoods, theystand accused of endangering the lives of the

people. Each time their entourage was in-volved in an accident, they should be chargedwith reckless driving. If the accident resultedin any deaths, they stand to be charged withculpable homicide.

If the five governors – call them the Tena-cious Five –succeed, it would be open seasonfor aggrieved persons to file all manner ofclaims against then, in respect of which theywill no longer be able to claim executive privi-lege.

I am also thinking of those who contrib-uted campaign funds or other assets on theexplicit or implicit understanding that com-mensurate returns would follow. Where noreturns followed, the governors should beprepared to face breach-of-contract lawsuitsfor compensation that may well run into thebillions.

The governors were privy to state secretsand highly confidential information theywere not entitled to receive. This, I gather, isa breach of the National Security Act and theOfficial Secrets Act, for which they will nowhave to answer.

Those among them who may have brokenanyone’s heart had better start short-listingsmart lawyers for the “wanton infliction ofemotional distress” lawsuits that are sure tofollow.

Women who traipsed all over the placecommanding obedience and awe as “first la-dies” must at the very least now be deemedaccessories to grand impersonation. Some ofthem will doubtless qualify as grand imper-sonators in their own right, which wouldmake them doubly answerable at law.

All in all, it is going to be a time of repara-tions, the kind of which the world has neverseen.

Those who served under the Tenacious Fivein one capacity or another will have to re-fund to the Exchequer, with compound inter-est, the total amount they earned during theentire period by way of salary and allow-ances, and the cash equivalent of other ben-efits.

The governors who suborned them into liv-ing on illegal earnings in the first place will,of course, bear the brunt of the reparations.All those “security votes” will have to be re-paid in full, plus all the salaries and allow-ances, not forgetting all the expenditures theyunlawfully authorized.

All this is without prejudice to other claimsthat aggrieved persons may institute againstthem or their proxies.

So, their Tenacious Excellencies, and theformerly excellent but now desperate trio ofOni, Oyinlola and Agagu, not forgettingUduaghan, had better be careful what theyask for. They just might get it.

•Hardball is not the opinionof the columnist featured above

HE Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) isprobably the only gravity-defyingparty in Nigeria. While other political

carefree attitude to politics that they hopetheir gladiatorial contests would interestthe electorate. The most remarkable thingabout the stagnation in Ogun is that noweek passes without one effort or the otherto hammer a peace deal between thewarring factions. At the weekend, ChiefOlusegun Obasanjo and a few party eldersin the state failed to reach some form ofunderstanding with the Group of 15legislators who fought Governor GbengaDaniel to a standstill. The president is alsoreported to be trying to reconcile all thewarring groups in Ogun, Oyo and Lagos inorder not to lose elections in the three states.So far, the efforts have failed.

Yet, the PDP has talked confidently ofwinning the three states. However, byincluding Lagos, which the PDP has neithergiven any special help and considerationnor done anything whatsoever in the statein fulfilment of its constitutionalresponsibility, it is obvious the party has

become detached from reality. To worsenits quixotic politics, the party is evenadvertising its plans to light up Nigeria afterthe electorate might have voted for theparty’s presidential candidate. What did itspend 12 years in power doing? Afterspending more than a decade in power andshovelling billions of dollars down thelarge throat of power projects, neitherelectricity generation nor distribution hasimproved. The party mutes that failure, buturges us to vote for Jonathan on the basisof his “recently unveiled power plan whichwill achieve steady power and light up thiscountry like never before.” If only theycould light up this country like before –like in the 1960s and 70s.

When a party, its presidential candidateand governorship standard-bearers arerunning for office on poor records andempty boasts, the country must steel itsmind in readiness for a perversion of thedemocratic process, for a dangerous tiltingat windmills. That perversion is alreadymanifesting in the ruling party’s desperatetactics to sequester opposition leaders andundermine the balloting process. If onlythey can read the signs of the times in Westand North Africa.

‘It would mean thatbetween the first oathand the second, thegovernors had heldoffice illegally. Inpractical terms, thiswould mean that all thebills they signed intolaw are null and voidand of no consequencewhatsoever; that allthose who held officeunder them ...had doneso illegally, since thegovernors had no legalauthority to appointthem’

•Uduaghan

•Oni •Oyinlola

the nation - march 22, 2011

Documents

defence of freedomuth

governor gbenga daniel

theadministration of

governorship candidate

defence of freedom n150

ict unit

attahiru jega saidyesterday

suspectsin ibadan