MAIDUGURI— Two suspected Boko Haram suicide
bombers blew themselves up near Sulemanti
Mosque in Maiduguri metropolis, Borno State, in
the early hours of yesterday.
The suspects, according to Borno State Police
Command, strapped with Improvised Explosive
Devices, IEDs, targeted a mosque in Sulemanti.
However, the bombs went off, killing the two
suspects during midnight Ramadan prayers.
Spokesman of Borno Police Command, Isuku
Victor, confirmed the incident yesterday in
Maiduguri, stating that “a team of Police
Explosives Ordinance Department, EOD, has been
deployed to the scene this morning (yesterday)
near Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation,
NNPC, depot.”
A civilian Joint Task Force member, Bukar
Fantami, said the suicide bombers were
intercepted near a mosque premises, where they
blew themselves up.
Fantami said: “The people in the mosque took to
their heels, while we challenged the explosives-
strapped suspects on their mission to the
mosque, before the explosives exploded near the
mosque, under this tree.
“It was God that saved us. We would have been
killed in the dawn suicide bombings. One of our
members was injured by a shrapnel from the
explosives. A woman also sustained a leg injury.
She has been taken to a nearby clinic for
treatment.”
On how the suspected terrorists sneaked into
Maiduguri, Fantami said: “Sulemanti ward and
the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, quarters, south
of the metropolis, is porous with no military
posts and patrols at the south flank.”
Meanwhile, the mosque has been condoned off
by soldiers and policemen to prevent any further
attacks on mosques and other public places in
the metropolis.
Tuesday, 28 June 2016
Enyimba seek Sundown downfall
Enyimba of Aba are in Pretoria, South Africa with
the aim of taking all three points from Memalodi
Sundowns and launch themselves back into
reckoning for the CAF Champions League.
Having fell 1-0 in Port Harcourt to Zamalek,
Enyimba need to pick up the pieces on
Wednesday, when they clash with the South
African champions. Enyimba defender, Idris
Aloma was optimistic that the Nigerian
champions will win the rest of their games and
qualify for the semi-final.
“It’s unfortunate that Enyimba FC lost at home
to Zamalek SC in their first match in the group
stage but it’s now important for us to win when
they play against Mamelodi Sundowns on
Wednesday,” Aloma told Goal.
“If they secure a win away and at home against
Sundowns then a semi final birth might be insight
for Enyimba FC.
“The win against Abia Warriors on Wednesday
will serve as booster for the team but it’s very
important for the management of the club to
meet the needs of the team as its obvious that
they still have a bright chance to make the last
four.”
Enyimba FC and Mamelodi Sundowns are
pointless with Zamalek SC topping the three-
team group with three points.
the aim of taking all three points from Memalodi
Sundowns and launch themselves back into
reckoning for the CAF Champions League.
Having fell 1-0 in Port Harcourt to Zamalek,
Enyimba need to pick up the pieces on
Wednesday, when they clash with the South
African champions. Enyimba defender, Idris
Aloma was optimistic that the Nigerian
champions will win the rest of their games and
qualify for the semi-final.
“It’s unfortunate that Enyimba FC lost at home
to Zamalek SC in their first match in the group
stage but it’s now important for us to win when
they play against Mamelodi Sundowns on
Wednesday,” Aloma told Goal.
“If they secure a win away and at home against
Sundowns then a semi final birth might be insight
for Enyimba FC.
“The win against Abia Warriors on Wednesday
will serve as booster for the team but it’s very
important for the management of the club to
meet the needs of the team as its obvious that
they still have a bright chance to make the last
four.”
Enyimba FC and Mamelodi Sundowns are
pointless with Zamalek SC topping the three-
team group with three points.
I started sleeping with my daughter
A 41-year-old man, Raymond Anyanwu, who
reportedly raped and impregnated his 15 years
old daughter, said that frustration led him into
the act.
Anyanwu, who committed the offence at Ajao
Estate, Isolo, said: “I started sleeping with my 15-
year-old daughter sometime around January,
after I lost my job.
“I am a transporter, but I took to alcohol after I
lost my job and could not meet up with my
responsibilities as the head of the house.”
Vanguard gathered that Raymond Anyanwu
sleeps with his daughter when his wife has gone
to work.
However, trouble started after the victim’s aunty
suspected that she was pregnant. After carrying
out a test at home, they discove-red she was
pregnant.
The victim, it was learned, revealed that her
father was responsible for her pregnancy, and
the mother decided to play it down as a family
issue after her husband beat her up, warning her
not to disclose the incident to anyone.
Vanguard learned that Lagos State Ministry of
Youth and Social Development alerted the police
and the suspect was arrested last Wednesday.
Meanwhile, the victim’s mother had arranged for
an abortion, which had been carried out before
she was rescued and taken into protective
custody by the Lagos State government.
The case, which is currently being investigated
at the Gender Unit of Lagos State Police
Command, will be charged to Ikeja Magistrate’s
Court today.
reportedly raped and impregnated his 15 years
old daughter, said that frustration led him into
the act.
Anyanwu, who committed the offence at Ajao
Estate, Isolo, said: “I started sleeping with my 15-
year-old daughter sometime around January,
after I lost my job.
“I am a transporter, but I took to alcohol after I
lost my job and could not meet up with my
responsibilities as the head of the house.”
Vanguard gathered that Raymond Anyanwu
sleeps with his daughter when his wife has gone
to work.
However, trouble started after the victim’s aunty
suspected that she was pregnant. After carrying
out a test at home, they discove-red she was
pregnant.
The victim, it was learned, revealed that her
father was responsible for her pregnancy, and
the mother decided to play it down as a family
issue after her husband beat her up, warning her
not to disclose the incident to anyone.
Vanguard learned that Lagos State Ministry of
Youth and Social Development alerted the police
and the suspect was arrested last Wednesday.
Meanwhile, the victim’s mother had arranged for
an abortion, which had been carried out before
she was rescued and taken into protective
custody by the Lagos State government.
The case, which is currently being investigated
at the Gender Unit of Lagos State Police
Command, will be charged to Ikeja Magistrate’s
Court today.
Hausa artist disappear after singing about
Yola— Ado Daukaka, a popular local Hausa singer
in Adamawa State, has been abducted in
mysterious circumstances, few hours after
releasing a song against corruption and
incompetence.
One of the wives of the popular singer said some
strangers came and asked after him Saturday
morning after he had gone to the mosque for the
early morning prayer, adding “we told them
Daukaka left for the mosque. From then till now
nobody knows his whereabouts.”
“We search police stations for him to no avail,”
said one of the wives, who does not want to be
named in print.
Already, people are associating his
disappearance with his latest song entitled
‘Gyara Kayanka,’ where he said politicians
elected on the platform of the ruling party were
just deceiving people.
“The way and manner things are happening in
the state will not augur well for anybody. They
just want to intimidate those that are criticising
the charade being played in the state,” another
said.
Also reacting, the state chairman of Adamawa
Concern Citizen, a pressure group in the state,
Hussaini Gambo Bello, condemned in totality the
abduction of the famous singer.
The state Police Command confirmed the
incident.
in Adamawa State, has been abducted in
mysterious circumstances, few hours after
releasing a song against corruption and
incompetence.
One of the wives of the popular singer said some
strangers came and asked after him Saturday
morning after he had gone to the mosque for the
early morning prayer, adding “we told them
Daukaka left for the mosque. From then till now
nobody knows his whereabouts.”
“We search police stations for him to no avail,”
said one of the wives, who does not want to be
named in print.
Already, people are associating his
disappearance with his latest song entitled
‘Gyara Kayanka,’ where he said politicians
elected on the platform of the ruling party were
just deceiving people.
“The way and manner things are happening in
the state will not augur well for anybody. They
just want to intimidate those that are criticising
the charade being played in the state,” another
said.
Also reacting, the state chairman of Adamawa
Concern Citizen, a pressure group in the state,
Hussaini Gambo Bello, condemned in totality the
abduction of the famous singer.
The state Police Command confirmed the
incident.
Buhari furious over death of
ANGERED by the reported cases of malnourished
children and dying Internally Displaced Persons,
IDPs, in government camps in Borno State,
President Muhammadu Buhari, yesterday met
with top officials of the state government,
seeking explanation into the issue.
The president sought explanations following the
recent statement and photographs released by
Doctors Without Borders- (Médecins Sans
Frontières), MSF, showing malnourished persons
in the camps.
This came as Minister of Health, Professor Isaac
Adewole directed that a team proceeded to
Borno State following report that eight children
were dying daily from malnutrition in the state.
Officials of the Borno State Emergency
Management Agency, SEMA, and the National
Emergency Management Agency, NEMA, on
Sunday left Maiduguri ahead of the meeting with
the president at the Aso Villa.
President Buhari was said to be angry at reports
that persons displaced by the Boko Haram,
currently seeking refuge at government-owned
camps, have been dying of malnutrition despite
the billions of naira and materials provided by
the federal, state governments, non-
governmental organisations and private
individuals to assist the displaced persons.
Last week, the MSF issued a statement, saying,
about 24,000 IDPs were in dire health situation
with at least 30 people, mostly children dying
every day.
Two weeks ago, the Borno State governor,
Kashim Shettima, paid a visit to Bama camp
upon receiving reports that hundreds of
malnourished persons recently rescued from
Boko Haram captivity were dying in a camp in
Bama, 75 kilometre from Maiduguri, the state
capital.
Shettima ordered the relocation of 61 heavily
underfed children to the intensive care unit of
the Umaru Shehu Ultramodern Hospital in
Maiduguri, where they are currently being
treated.
Another set of over 400 persons with lesser
cases of malnourishment were also moved out
of the camp to a special care unit for proper
feeding and medication.
But before the Governor’s visit to Bama, dozens
of the IDPs had died of hunger-induced ailments,
an official said.
Meanwhile, Professor Isaac Adewole directed an
emergency team to Borno State Borno State
following report that eight children were dying
daily from malnutrition in that state
Adewole gave the directive to the Director-
General of the National Centre for Disease
Control (NCDC) Dr Abdusalami Nasidi on the
inaugural meeting of the governing Board of the
ECOWAS Regional Centre for Disease Control
yesterday in Abuja.
Prof Adewole said “NCDC needs to as a matter
of urgency, dispatch a rapid emergency team to
Borno state. There is a nutritional emergency in
Borno State where it is been reported that eight
children stand the risk of dying every day if
nothing is done to arrest the situation. The
President, Gen Muhammad Buhari has given a
directive and so this is my first assignment to
you. There is need to dispatch an emergency
team to Borno State.”
children and dying Internally Displaced Persons,
IDPs, in government camps in Borno State,
President Muhammadu Buhari, yesterday met
with top officials of the state government,
seeking explanation into the issue.
The president sought explanations following the
recent statement and photographs released by
Doctors Without Borders- (Médecins Sans
Frontières), MSF, showing malnourished persons
in the camps.
This came as Minister of Health, Professor Isaac
Adewole directed that a team proceeded to
Borno State following report that eight children
were dying daily from malnutrition in the state.
Officials of the Borno State Emergency
Management Agency, SEMA, and the National
Emergency Management Agency, NEMA, on
Sunday left Maiduguri ahead of the meeting with
the president at the Aso Villa.
President Buhari was said to be angry at reports
that persons displaced by the Boko Haram,
currently seeking refuge at government-owned
camps, have been dying of malnutrition despite
the billions of naira and materials provided by
the federal, state governments, non-
governmental organisations and private
individuals to assist the displaced persons.
Last week, the MSF issued a statement, saying,
about 24,000 IDPs were in dire health situation
with at least 30 people, mostly children dying
every day.
Two weeks ago, the Borno State governor,
Kashim Shettima, paid a visit to Bama camp
upon receiving reports that hundreds of
malnourished persons recently rescued from
Boko Haram captivity were dying in a camp in
Bama, 75 kilometre from Maiduguri, the state
capital.
Shettima ordered the relocation of 61 heavily
underfed children to the intensive care unit of
the Umaru Shehu Ultramodern Hospital in
Maiduguri, where they are currently being
treated.
Another set of over 400 persons with lesser
cases of malnourishment were also moved out
of the camp to a special care unit for proper
feeding and medication.
But before the Governor’s visit to Bama, dozens
of the IDPs had died of hunger-induced ailments,
an official said.
Meanwhile, Professor Isaac Adewole directed an
emergency team to Borno State Borno State
following report that eight children were dying
daily from malnutrition in that state
Adewole gave the directive to the Director-
General of the National Centre for Disease
Control (NCDC) Dr Abdusalami Nasidi on the
inaugural meeting of the governing Board of the
ECOWAS Regional Centre for Disease Control
yesterday in Abuja.
Prof Adewole said “NCDC needs to as a matter
of urgency, dispatch a rapid emergency team to
Borno state. There is a nutritional emergency in
Borno State where it is been reported that eight
children stand the risk of dying every day if
nothing is done to arrest the situation. The
President, Gen Muhammad Buhari has given a
directive and so this is my first assignment to
you. There is need to dispatch an emergency
team to Borno State.”
We will not surrender to fulani herdsmen
MAKURDI—Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue
State, has declared that his administration will
not surrender the state to the invading Fulani
herdsmen, following unending attacks on Benue
communities by herdsmen.
The Governor who lamented that the activities of
the herdsmen were hindering farming in the state
said the government would not give out its land
to herdsmen for open grazing.
Ortom who spoke in Makurdi, at the end of the
Town Hall Meeting he held with stakeholders in
the three senatorial zones of the state, said the
government would continue to support those who
were prepared to ranch their cattle in the state.
He said the decision of the state government to
enact a law to prohibit open grazing of cattle
was borne out of the commitment of his
administration to end frequent invasion of the
state by herdsmen.
Governor Ortom said agriculture remained the
biggest industry in the state, noting that available
land in the state could not accommodate farming
and cattle grazing at the same time.
He regretted the lives being lost in several Benue
communities due to the activities of herdsmen,
stressing that the administration was working
round the clock to ensure that peace reigned
across the state.
Governor Ortom said, “I have made it clear that
we will not surrender Benue to herdsmen. We
are saying that we do not have land for grazing.
Though we are ready to support those that are
prepared to ranch their cows but for those
involved in open grazing should find other states
because with the new law that would soon come
into effect, that practice will not be acceptable
in Benue State.”
State, has declared that his administration will
not surrender the state to the invading Fulani
herdsmen, following unending attacks on Benue
communities by herdsmen.
The Governor who lamented that the activities of
the herdsmen were hindering farming in the state
said the government would not give out its land
to herdsmen for open grazing.
Ortom who spoke in Makurdi, at the end of the
Town Hall Meeting he held with stakeholders in
the three senatorial zones of the state, said the
government would continue to support those who
were prepared to ranch their cattle in the state.
He said the decision of the state government to
enact a law to prohibit open grazing of cattle
was borne out of the commitment of his
administration to end frequent invasion of the
state by herdsmen.
Governor Ortom said agriculture remained the
biggest industry in the state, noting that available
land in the state could not accommodate farming
and cattle grazing at the same time.
He regretted the lives being lost in several Benue
communities due to the activities of herdsmen,
stressing that the administration was working
round the clock to ensure that peace reigned
across the state.
Governor Ortom said, “I have made it clear that
we will not surrender Benue to herdsmen. We
are saying that we do not have land for grazing.
Though we are ready to support those that are
prepared to ranch their cows but for those
involved in open grazing should find other states
because with the new law that would soon come
into effect, that practice will not be acceptable
in Benue State.”
Buhari angry with naira devaluation
ABUJA— Even with the Currency flexibility policy
recently invoked by the Central Bank of Nigeria,
CBN, to enable market variables determine the
value or otherwise of the Niara, President
Muhammadu Buhari yesterday insisted that the
policy was not beneficial to the economy.
The CBN policy, it would be recalled, came as an
economic and market strategy to systematically
devalue the Niara, following its free fall recently.
It was one decision that didn’t come so easy as
president Buhari never wanted to further devalue
the currency.
He had on several occasions in many
international fora in Egypt and Kenya said that
further devaluation of Niara would mean “killing
it”, and challenged Nigerian economists and
financial analysts to convince him.
Now, while speaking breaking his Ramadam fast
with members of the Nigerian business
community at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, last
night, the President said the CBN policy was yet
to benefit the country.
He said: “I don’t like the returns I get from the
CBN concerning the devaluation of the Naira. In
August 1985, the Naria was N1.3 to a dollar but
now you need N300 or N350 to a dollar. What do
we derive from that? How much benefit can we
derive from this ruthless devaluation of the
Naira.
“I’m not an economist neither a businessman, I
fail to appreciate what the economic explanation
is. What has happened to us now is that we have
maneuvered ourselves into mono-economy which
led to the collapse we are seeing now”.
To get Nigeria out of the employment crisis, the
President placed the responsibility of creating
jobs on the door steps of the business
community.
recently invoked by the Central Bank of Nigeria,
CBN, to enable market variables determine the
value or otherwise of the Niara, President
Muhammadu Buhari yesterday insisted that the
policy was not beneficial to the economy.
The CBN policy, it would be recalled, came as an
economic and market strategy to systematically
devalue the Niara, following its free fall recently.
It was one decision that didn’t come so easy as
president Buhari never wanted to further devalue
the currency.
He had on several occasions in many
international fora in Egypt and Kenya said that
further devaluation of Niara would mean “killing
it”, and challenged Nigerian economists and
financial analysts to convince him.
Now, while speaking breaking his Ramadam fast
with members of the Nigerian business
community at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, last
night, the President said the CBN policy was yet
to benefit the country.
He said: “I don’t like the returns I get from the
CBN concerning the devaluation of the Naira. In
August 1985, the Naria was N1.3 to a dollar but
now you need N300 or N350 to a dollar. What do
we derive from that? How much benefit can we
derive from this ruthless devaluation of the
Naira.
“I’m not an economist neither a businessman, I
fail to appreciate what the economic explanation
is. What has happened to us now is that we have
maneuvered ourselves into mono-economy which
led to the collapse we are seeing now”.
To get Nigeria out of the employment crisis, the
President placed the responsibility of creating
jobs on the door steps of the business
community.
Maradona urge Messi to stick with Argentina
Argentine football legend Diego Maradona on
Monday urged Lionel Messi not to follow through
on his vow to quit the national team after its
defeat in the Copa America Centenario.
"Messi has to stay in the national
team... He will go to Russia in form to
be world champion" at the 2018 World
Cup, Maradona was quoted as saying
by La Nacion newspaper online.
Monday urged Lionel Messi not to follow through
on his vow to quit the national team after its
defeat in the Copa America Centenario.
"Messi has to stay in the national
team... He will go to Russia in form to
be world champion" at the 2018 World
Cup, Maradona was quoted as saying
by La Nacion newspaper online.
Ikpeazu remove as Abia state governor
The Federal High Court sitting in Abuja presided
over by Justice Okon Abang has annulled the
election of Gov. Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia State
and ordered INEC to issue a Certificate of Return
to Mr. Uche Oga, a member of the Peoples
Democratic Party, who contested the
governorship ticket with the governor.
The order was based on the allegation that
Ikpeazu submitted false information to his party,
the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, for the
party’s governorship primary in December 2014.
The court held that Mr. Ikpeazu was guilty of tax
evasion and was, therefore, unqualified to have
contested the 2015 governorship election in the
state.
The court also ordered the governor to vacate
office immediately, and hand over to Mr. Ogah,
who came second in the PDP governorship
primary in Abia.
The accusation
Gov. Ikpeazu was accused by two members of
the PDP for failing to pay personal income tax
promptly as at when due for 2010 and 2011 in
line with Section 24(f) of the 1999 Constitution,
which states that “It shall be the duty of every
citizen to … declare his income honestly to
appropriate and lawful agencies and pay his tax
promptly.”
In suit no. FHC/ABJ/ CS/1086/2014, dated
December 22, 2014, and instituted at the Federal
High Court, Abuja, two individuals, Obasi Eke and
Chukwuemeka Mba, had asked the PDP and
INEC to disqualify Mr. Ikpeazu from contesting
the governorship election.
The plaintiffs contended that Mr. Ikpeazu was
not fit and proper, having failed to pay his
personal income tax for two years in line with
the demand of the Constitution of Nigeria.
They further asked the court for “A declaration
that the 3rd de fendant, Mr. Ikpeazu, having
failed and/or refused to pay his personal income
tax promptly as at when due for the years 2010
and 2011 in compliance with the mandatory
provisions of Section 24(f) of the CFRN, 1999, as
amended, as well as Paragraph 13 of Part IV of
the Electoral Guidelines for Primary Elections
2014, is not a fit and proper person to contest
the gubernatorial election of Abia State in the
2015 general election, and is accordingly
disqualified from contesting the election.”
They also asked for an order barring the PDP
from presenting Mr Ikpeazu as candidate for
governor in the 2015 election.
Other reliefs sought by the plaintiffs included an
order barring INEC from accepting Mr. Ikpeazu
as Abia State PDP governorship candidate for
the 2015 election.
They also requested a consequential order that
the candidate at the PDP primary election of
December 8, 2014, who polled the second
highest number of votes cast at the said election
should be pronounced the rightful candidate of
the party for the governorship election.
Don’t panic, I remain your governor, Ikpeazu
tells Abians
Reacting to his removal from office, the
Governor of Abia State, Dr Okezie Ikpeazu called
on Abians not to panic, but to remain calm over
the judgment delivered in favour of Mr. Uche
Oga against him, in the case of alleged
falsification of tax receipts.
Governor Ikpeazu, who said that he has faith in
the judiciary and rule of law, added that he will
appeal the ruling as he has instructed his
lawyers to file an appeal immediately against the
said judgment.
The Governor noted as an appointee of the Abia
State Government from 2011 to 2014, when he
served as the General Manager, Abia State
Passengers Integrated Manifest and Safety
Scheme (ASPIMSS), and first Deputy General
Manager, Abia State Environmental Protection
Agency (ASEPA) Aba and Environs respectively,
before his resignation in October 2014 to contest
the Governorship election in the state, his taxes
were deducted at source, and when he had need
of his tax clearance in 2014, he applied to the
Abia State Board of Internal Revenue, and was
duly issued with his tax receipts for the period in
question.
He maintained that he remains the Governor of
the state according to law and will await the
final determination of the matter by the
appellate court.
over by Justice Okon Abang has annulled the
election of Gov. Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia State
and ordered INEC to issue a Certificate of Return
to Mr. Uche Oga, a member of the Peoples
Democratic Party, who contested the
governorship ticket with the governor.
The order was based on the allegation that
Ikpeazu submitted false information to his party,
the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, for the
party’s governorship primary in December 2014.
The court held that Mr. Ikpeazu was guilty of tax
evasion and was, therefore, unqualified to have
contested the 2015 governorship election in the
state.
The court also ordered the governor to vacate
office immediately, and hand over to Mr. Ogah,
who came second in the PDP governorship
primary in Abia.
The accusation
Gov. Ikpeazu was accused by two members of
the PDP for failing to pay personal income tax
promptly as at when due for 2010 and 2011 in
line with Section 24(f) of the 1999 Constitution,
which states that “It shall be the duty of every
citizen to … declare his income honestly to
appropriate and lawful agencies and pay his tax
promptly.”
In suit no. FHC/ABJ/ CS/1086/2014, dated
December 22, 2014, and instituted at the Federal
High Court, Abuja, two individuals, Obasi Eke and
Chukwuemeka Mba, had asked the PDP and
INEC to disqualify Mr. Ikpeazu from contesting
the governorship election.
The plaintiffs contended that Mr. Ikpeazu was
not fit and proper, having failed to pay his
personal income tax for two years in line with
the demand of the Constitution of Nigeria.
They further asked the court for “A declaration
that the 3rd de fendant, Mr. Ikpeazu, having
failed and/or refused to pay his personal income
tax promptly as at when due for the years 2010
and 2011 in compliance with the mandatory
provisions of Section 24(f) of the CFRN, 1999, as
amended, as well as Paragraph 13 of Part IV of
the Electoral Guidelines for Primary Elections
2014, is not a fit and proper person to contest
the gubernatorial election of Abia State in the
2015 general election, and is accordingly
disqualified from contesting the election.”
They also asked for an order barring the PDP
from presenting Mr Ikpeazu as candidate for
governor in the 2015 election.
Other reliefs sought by the plaintiffs included an
order barring INEC from accepting Mr. Ikpeazu
as Abia State PDP governorship candidate for
the 2015 election.
They also requested a consequential order that
the candidate at the PDP primary election of
December 8, 2014, who polled the second
highest number of votes cast at the said election
should be pronounced the rightful candidate of
the party for the governorship election.
Don’t panic, I remain your governor, Ikpeazu
tells Abians
Reacting to his removal from office, the
Governor of Abia State, Dr Okezie Ikpeazu called
on Abians not to panic, but to remain calm over
the judgment delivered in favour of Mr. Uche
Oga against him, in the case of alleged
falsification of tax receipts.
Governor Ikpeazu, who said that he has faith in
the judiciary and rule of law, added that he will
appeal the ruling as he has instructed his
lawyers to file an appeal immediately against the
said judgment.
The Governor noted as an appointee of the Abia
State Government from 2011 to 2014, when he
served as the General Manager, Abia State
Passengers Integrated Manifest and Safety
Scheme (ASPIMSS), and first Deputy General
Manager, Abia State Environmental Protection
Agency (ASEPA) Aba and Environs respectively,
before his resignation in October 2014 to contest
the Governorship election in the state, his taxes
were deducted at source, and when he had need
of his tax clearance in 2014, he applied to the
Abia State Board of Internal Revenue, and was
duly issued with his tax receipts for the period in
question.
He maintained that he remains the Governor of
the state according to law and will await the
final determination of the matter by the
appellate court.
Stop wasting experience in the Police
The appointment of an Acting Inspector General
of Police,IGP,from the rank of Assistant
Inspector General, AIG,has created another
season of instability in the commanding heights
of the Nigerian Police force.
If precedent is followed,the choice of MrIbrahim
Kpotun Idris by President Muhammadu Buhari as
the new IGP will compel the premature
retirement of the six serving Deputy Inspector
Generals, DIGs. They were appointed after the
immediate past IGP Mr Solomon Arase assumed
office April 21, 2015.
President Buhari settled for Mr Idris as the new
police boss following an integrity test conducted
on the top echelon of the Force. Before his
appointment, he was in charge of Operations at
the Force Headquarters until Tuesday last week.
Idris was at different times Commissioner of
Police in Nassarawa and Kano States. Apart from
his first degree in agriculture, he holds another
bachelor‘s degree in law. He had also won a
‘Medal of Merit’ in international peace keeping
operation.
President Hari is empowered by the law to
appoint any suitable senior police officer as
Inspector General. He made the right choice
given the background of Idris. The Acting IGP is
expected to bring his wealth of experience to
bear in the policewhich has a crucial role to play
in sustaining the nation’s democracy.
Beyond this, the new dispensation in the police
leadership has far reaching implications for the
nation, the system and the career of the senior
officers that would compulsorily retire. The six
DIGs who are the first set of casualties are
barely a year in office.
The nation invested so much in their training for
optimal performance. This comes with
experience which is invaluable. With their
untimely exit, the Force will be denied a cream
of crack officers who still have value to add to
the system. They are leaving at a time they are
bracing up to the challenges of their offices.
Nigeria is in dire need of a more effective police
system that guarantees law enforcement, crime
detection and prevention as well as respect for
human rights. This feat can only be attained with
tested hands who are not easy to come by.
We bemoan a situation where top police officers
who have something to offer are routinely retired,
especially at this time when the nation is
grappling with serious security challenges.
We recommend that the office of IGP should
have a tenure. This will afford the nation an
opportunity to get the best out of the Digs and
AIGs. The Acting IGP has two and half years to
retirement. The implication is predictable if his
successor is picked from the lower ranks of
those in line of succession . The nation cannot
afford this costly waste any more.
of Police,IGP,from the rank of Assistant
Inspector General, AIG,has created another
season of instability in the commanding heights
of the Nigerian Police force.
If precedent is followed,the choice of MrIbrahim
Kpotun Idris by President Muhammadu Buhari as
the new IGP will compel the premature
retirement of the six serving Deputy Inspector
Generals, DIGs. They were appointed after the
immediate past IGP Mr Solomon Arase assumed
office April 21, 2015.
President Buhari settled for Mr Idris as the new
police boss following an integrity test conducted
on the top echelon of the Force. Before his
appointment, he was in charge of Operations at
the Force Headquarters until Tuesday last week.
Idris was at different times Commissioner of
Police in Nassarawa and Kano States. Apart from
his first degree in agriculture, he holds another
bachelor‘s degree in law. He had also won a
‘Medal of Merit’ in international peace keeping
operation.
President Hari is empowered by the law to
appoint any suitable senior police officer as
Inspector General. He made the right choice
given the background of Idris. The Acting IGP is
expected to bring his wealth of experience to
bear in the policewhich has a crucial role to play
in sustaining the nation’s democracy.
Beyond this, the new dispensation in the police
leadership has far reaching implications for the
nation, the system and the career of the senior
officers that would compulsorily retire. The six
DIGs who are the first set of casualties are
barely a year in office.
The nation invested so much in their training for
optimal performance. This comes with
experience which is invaluable. With their
untimely exit, the Force will be denied a cream
of crack officers who still have value to add to
the system. They are leaving at a time they are
bracing up to the challenges of their offices.
Nigeria is in dire need of a more effective police
system that guarantees law enforcement, crime
detection and prevention as well as respect for
human rights. This feat can only be attained with
tested hands who are not easy to come by.
We bemoan a situation where top police officers
who have something to offer are routinely retired,
especially at this time when the nation is
grappling with serious security challenges.
We recommend that the office of IGP should
have a tenure. This will afford the nation an
opportunity to get the best out of the Digs and
AIGs. The Acting IGP has two and half years to
retirement. The implication is predictable if his
successor is picked from the lower ranks of
those in line of succession . The nation cannot
afford this costly waste any more.
Itsekiri may fight back
SAPELE- FORMER Member of the Delta
Waterways Security Committee, DWSC,
Warri, Delta State and ex-Itsekiri warlord,
Comrade Omolubi Newuwumi, aka ‘Gentle
General,” has warned that the Itsekiri
ethnic nationality would defend itself if the
Niger Delta Avengers, NDA, does not desist
from the provocative bombing oil and gas
installations in its (Itsekiri) territory.
Newuwumi, the Itsekiri equivalent of Ijaw‘s
Tompolo and former Commissioner for
Youths in the state , told Niger Delta Voice:
“The bombing of oil and gas facilities in
Itsekiri territory is absurd; it is an act
capable of provoking the Itsekiri nation and
personalities like me.
I am categorically saying that if they
continue, they may force us, Itsekiri, to
protect our territory, especially if the
present administration fails in their
responsibilities to protect lives and
properties. “
Bombings of oil installations
He said: “We will be prepared to assist the
government to end the bombings of oil
installations in our area just like the role of
the civilian JTF in the north, which has
yielded successful results. As I said before,
the destruction caused us by the Ijaw,
which wanted to wipe us (Itsekiri) from the
earth's surface is still there, years after the
crisis ended.
“The memories are still fresh in our mind for
those of us who lived to tell the sad tales of
woes and wanton destruction and killings in
our communities. We will not fold our hands
this time to let them destroy us as they did
before. "The then federal and state
governments failed to protect us from the
Ijaw until we decided to take our own
destiny into our hands and defend ourselves.
I just hope this present government will not
abandon us to our fate,” he added.
Why Itsekiri youths are not throwing bombs:
On why Itsekiri youths were not carrying
arms and bombing pipelines in the creeks
like their Ijaw counterparts, he said: “Itsekiri
people are a group of intellectuals, peace -
loving and law- abiding people, hence
carrying guns is not a way of life for them.
If you look at history, you will find out that it
was an Itsekiri man, the late Justice Atake
that first started the intellectual struggle for
resource control even before Ken Saro
Wiwa.
“So the struggle is not a new thing for us, it
is just that we are not used to militancy,
kidnapping and other forms of criminality in
our fight for true federalism and equality for
the region. Anyway, we are soon coming out
with a formidable platform to tackle all
these issues because the Itsekiri have kept
silent for a while now.
New group: “Very soon, a new group, which
is non-political called the Niger Delta
Patriotic Front, NDPF, will emerge and come
out with its agenda and demands. There will
be no genuine negotiation without the full
involvement of the Itsekiri ethnic nationality
because in Delta for example, the numbers
of oil wells in Itsekiri land is much more
than that of any other tribe,” he asserted.
Encounters with Tompolo: On his attitude
towards the struggle and what makes it
different from Tompolo’s, ‘Gentle General’
said: “We share different ideologies. In the
war (referring to Ijaw/Itsekiri war), the
Ijaw, which Tompolo led was more like the
aggressor, but I only rose to lead my people
in defense when the government of that
time failed to defend us against our more
formidable opponents for more than two
years.”
Total annihilation
Newuwumi said he had met with Tompolo on
two occasions in the Benin River and his
defunct Camp 5. His words: "Yes, during the
battle to save my people from total
annihilation from the surface of the earth,
we met during the Warri crisis. I remember
an occasion in the Benin River when I was
coming from rescuing my people stranded in
Ogheye community. I will tell that story at a
later date.
“However, beyond that, we both represent
different things to different people. Maybe
we might be fighting the cause of liberating
the people of the region from socio-
economic slavery in the midst of plenty, but
we sure have different ideologies and
different ways of looking at things. "I for
one, I repeat once again, abhor violence,
kidnapping and destruction of government
and oil companies' installations to get even
with government, but maybe he has a
different approach.
"The choice of non-violence is a personal
decision, which I have taken for a long time,
but that does not mean that we, as Itsekiri,
are weak, we only look at things from
different perceptive. I am still a gentle
general, as my people know me very well. It
is just that I choose to remain calm and
peaceful. “My second encounter was when
we met also in his Camp 5 when we agreed
to put an end to the crisis between the
Itsekiris and the Ijaw. Like my first
encounter, I will tell the story of my second
encounter on a latter day.”
Avengers formed to destabilize Buhari govt:
Scrutinizing the NDA and its mission, he
said: “The pattern of their operation is very
clear and an indication that it was formed to
frustrate the present administration. The
destruction of pipelines and oil installations
is unmistakably terrorism and economic
sabotage. Simply put, they are faceless,
senseless and partisan in nature, and an
orchestrated attemipt devised by corrupt
individuals and politicians to frustrate the
present administration’s resolve and
determination to fight corruption in the
country."
He went on: “They are only using fighting
for resource control for the Niger Delta as a
means to achieve their egotistical desires
because if not for their own selfish desire,
why are they asking the federal government
to release some individual found to be
involved in corrupt practices.”
Newuwumi added: “Another aspect of the
Avengers is the deliberate attacks on oil
installations, which apart from killing the
already Nigeria fragile economy is also
destroying the region’s environment and its
ecosystem. The destruction affects the
immediate environment and health of the
people the Avengers claim to protect.”
He also said: “Like the name, Avengers, I
think it was primarily formed to avenge the
prosecution of their brothers and some
corrupt Nigerians, who are facing criminal
charges, if not, what are they avenging and
who are they avenging for?"
Attacks on Ayiri Emami
On the attacks by Ijaw people on Itsekiri
leader, Chief Ayiri Emami, who has been
very vocal against the Avengers, he said:
“Without mincing words, those who are
blaming him chose to run away from the
obvious fact. The Niger Delta area is a
peculiar terrain, where everybody seems to
know each other. Nobody, I repeat nobody
or group of persons will dare carry out such
nefarious activities in backyard of the
person he is pointing fingers at without his
knowledge or him knowing them.”
Whom do Avengers represent?
Commenting on the plan to negotiate with
Avengers, he said: “It just a pity that the
Nigeria government has concluded
arrangements to negotiate with them just
like the amnesty deal. But to me, it is very
unfortunate, especially with some of the
conditions in their demands like the release
of Col Sambo Dasuki (retd) and leader of
the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB,
Nnamdi Kanu , which has no bearing
whatsoever with the Niger Delta struggle.
“Well, let them negotiate with them; let us
see what their demands are really and the
persons behind the masquerade. It will also
let us know or confirm if the person they
said Ayiri is pointing fingers at is behind the
whole arrangement. However, beyond all
these, the question on my mind are who do
they want to negotiate with, for whom are
they negotiating and is it for the ethnic
nationalities of the Niger Delta or for only
the Ijaw?
“Who are those to go there to negotiate
with government? In whose interest, I do not
think the negotiations will work because
already the components of the formation of
the group, NDA, is faulty, their demands are
faulty and did not articulate all the demands
of the Niger Delta people. “Just like the
amnesty program, which made some
individuals super rich and a particular ethnic
group very rich, the negotiation is bound to
fail unless the Federal Government do what
is right for the people of the Niger Delta,”
Newuwumi declared.
Waterways Security Committee, DWSC,
Warri, Delta State and ex-Itsekiri warlord,
Comrade Omolubi Newuwumi, aka ‘Gentle
General,” has warned that the Itsekiri
ethnic nationality would defend itself if the
Niger Delta Avengers, NDA, does not desist
from the provocative bombing oil and gas
installations in its (Itsekiri) territory.
Newuwumi, the Itsekiri equivalent of Ijaw‘s
Tompolo and former Commissioner for
Youths in the state , told Niger Delta Voice:
“The bombing of oil and gas facilities in
Itsekiri territory is absurd; it is an act
capable of provoking the Itsekiri nation and
personalities like me.
I am categorically saying that if they
continue, they may force us, Itsekiri, to
protect our territory, especially if the
present administration fails in their
responsibilities to protect lives and
properties. “
Bombings of oil installations
He said: “We will be prepared to assist the
government to end the bombings of oil
installations in our area just like the role of
the civilian JTF in the north, which has
yielded successful results. As I said before,
the destruction caused us by the Ijaw,
which wanted to wipe us (Itsekiri) from the
earth's surface is still there, years after the
crisis ended.
“The memories are still fresh in our mind for
those of us who lived to tell the sad tales of
woes and wanton destruction and killings in
our communities. We will not fold our hands
this time to let them destroy us as they did
before. "The then federal and state
governments failed to protect us from the
Ijaw until we decided to take our own
destiny into our hands and defend ourselves.
I just hope this present government will not
abandon us to our fate,” he added.
Why Itsekiri youths are not throwing bombs:
On why Itsekiri youths were not carrying
arms and bombing pipelines in the creeks
like their Ijaw counterparts, he said: “Itsekiri
people are a group of intellectuals, peace -
loving and law- abiding people, hence
carrying guns is not a way of life for them.
If you look at history, you will find out that it
was an Itsekiri man, the late Justice Atake
that first started the intellectual struggle for
resource control even before Ken Saro
Wiwa.
“So the struggle is not a new thing for us, it
is just that we are not used to militancy,
kidnapping and other forms of criminality in
our fight for true federalism and equality for
the region. Anyway, we are soon coming out
with a formidable platform to tackle all
these issues because the Itsekiri have kept
silent for a while now.
New group: “Very soon, a new group, which
is non-political called the Niger Delta
Patriotic Front, NDPF, will emerge and come
out with its agenda and demands. There will
be no genuine negotiation without the full
involvement of the Itsekiri ethnic nationality
because in Delta for example, the numbers
of oil wells in Itsekiri land is much more
than that of any other tribe,” he asserted.
Encounters with Tompolo: On his attitude
towards the struggle and what makes it
different from Tompolo’s, ‘Gentle General’
said: “We share different ideologies. In the
war (referring to Ijaw/Itsekiri war), the
Ijaw, which Tompolo led was more like the
aggressor, but I only rose to lead my people
in defense when the government of that
time failed to defend us against our more
formidable opponents for more than two
years.”
Total annihilation
Newuwumi said he had met with Tompolo on
two occasions in the Benin River and his
defunct Camp 5. His words: "Yes, during the
battle to save my people from total
annihilation from the surface of the earth,
we met during the Warri crisis. I remember
an occasion in the Benin River when I was
coming from rescuing my people stranded in
Ogheye community. I will tell that story at a
later date.
“However, beyond that, we both represent
different things to different people. Maybe
we might be fighting the cause of liberating
the people of the region from socio-
economic slavery in the midst of plenty, but
we sure have different ideologies and
different ways of looking at things. "I for
one, I repeat once again, abhor violence,
kidnapping and destruction of government
and oil companies' installations to get even
with government, but maybe he has a
different approach.
"The choice of non-violence is a personal
decision, which I have taken for a long time,
but that does not mean that we, as Itsekiri,
are weak, we only look at things from
different perceptive. I am still a gentle
general, as my people know me very well. It
is just that I choose to remain calm and
peaceful. “My second encounter was when
we met also in his Camp 5 when we agreed
to put an end to the crisis between the
Itsekiris and the Ijaw. Like my first
encounter, I will tell the story of my second
encounter on a latter day.”
Avengers formed to destabilize Buhari govt:
Scrutinizing the NDA and its mission, he
said: “The pattern of their operation is very
clear and an indication that it was formed to
frustrate the present administration. The
destruction of pipelines and oil installations
is unmistakably terrorism and economic
sabotage. Simply put, they are faceless,
senseless and partisan in nature, and an
orchestrated attemipt devised by corrupt
individuals and politicians to frustrate the
present administration’s resolve and
determination to fight corruption in the
country."
He went on: “They are only using fighting
for resource control for the Niger Delta as a
means to achieve their egotistical desires
because if not for their own selfish desire,
why are they asking the federal government
to release some individual found to be
involved in corrupt practices.”
Newuwumi added: “Another aspect of the
Avengers is the deliberate attacks on oil
installations, which apart from killing the
already Nigeria fragile economy is also
destroying the region’s environment and its
ecosystem. The destruction affects the
immediate environment and health of the
people the Avengers claim to protect.”
He also said: “Like the name, Avengers, I
think it was primarily formed to avenge the
prosecution of their brothers and some
corrupt Nigerians, who are facing criminal
charges, if not, what are they avenging and
who are they avenging for?"
Attacks on Ayiri Emami
On the attacks by Ijaw people on Itsekiri
leader, Chief Ayiri Emami, who has been
very vocal against the Avengers, he said:
“Without mincing words, those who are
blaming him chose to run away from the
obvious fact. The Niger Delta area is a
peculiar terrain, where everybody seems to
know each other. Nobody, I repeat nobody
or group of persons will dare carry out such
nefarious activities in backyard of the
person he is pointing fingers at without his
knowledge or him knowing them.”
Whom do Avengers represent?
Commenting on the plan to negotiate with
Avengers, he said: “It just a pity that the
Nigeria government has concluded
arrangements to negotiate with them just
like the amnesty deal. But to me, it is very
unfortunate, especially with some of the
conditions in their demands like the release
of Col Sambo Dasuki (retd) and leader of
the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB,
Nnamdi Kanu , which has no bearing
whatsoever with the Niger Delta struggle.
“Well, let them negotiate with them; let us
see what their demands are really and the
persons behind the masquerade. It will also
let us know or confirm if the person they
said Ayiri is pointing fingers at is behind the
whole arrangement. However, beyond all
these, the question on my mind are who do
they want to negotiate with, for whom are
they negotiating and is it for the ethnic
nationalities of the Niger Delta or for only
the Ijaw?
“Who are those to go there to negotiate
with government? In whose interest, I do not
think the negotiations will work because
already the components of the formation of
the group, NDA, is faulty, their demands are
faulty and did not articulate all the demands
of the Niger Delta people. “Just like the
amnesty program, which made some
individuals super rich and a particular ethnic
group very rich, the negotiation is bound to
fail unless the Federal Government do what
is right for the people of the Niger Delta,”
Newuwumi declared.
Lagos outlaw omo onile
Lagos State government yesterday warned that it
is set to visit the activities of land grabbers, also
known as Omo-onile , in the state with full wrath
of the law.
The warning was delivered by the government
through the state Attorney-General and
Commissioner for Justice, Mr Adeniji Kazeem
who said the state is ready to apply the full
wrath of the law on anybody caught forcibly
taking another person’s land in the state.
Inaugurating a five-man Special Task Force to
curb the criminal activities of land grabbers, the
government said it will henceforth enforce the
state government rights over land in Lagos and
to also work with all security agencies to
implement state government and private property
rights in the state.
The terms of reference of the committee,
include: “to reduce to a barest minimum the
activities of persons or corporate entities who
use force and intimidation to dispossess or
prevent any person or entity from acquiring
legitimate interest and possession of property
acquired through state government or private
transactions.
Beside the committee is: “to coordinate the
efforts of the various agencies of government
charged with enforcing the state government
rights over land in Lagos and to work with all
security agencies to ensure enforcement of state
government and private property rights in Lagos
State”.
Kazeem explained that the state government’s
decision to set up the task force is in realisation
that in recent years, “the land grabbers have
caused havoc and unrest in different parts of the
state by dispossessing legitimate land owners of
their properties, thereby stifling commercial
activities in the state.
“It is therefore important that the state
government not only identifies the effects of the
problems being perpetrated by these
unscrupulous elements on commercial activities
and peace of the citizenry but also find lasting
solutions to the menace”, he noted.
Beside the commissioner said the task force
“was to protect investors and maintain law and
order” adding, “this by implication will encourage
the verification of legal claims through litigation
rather than resorting to violence”.
He said that the State Assembly is about passing
a law that will exclusively deal with the activities
of the land grabbers and prescribe appropriate
stiff penalty for offenders.
is set to visit the activities of land grabbers, also
known as Omo-onile , in the state with full wrath
of the law.
The warning was delivered by the government
through the state Attorney-General and
Commissioner for Justice, Mr Adeniji Kazeem
who said the state is ready to apply the full
wrath of the law on anybody caught forcibly
taking another person’s land in the state.
Inaugurating a five-man Special Task Force to
curb the criminal activities of land grabbers, the
government said it will henceforth enforce the
state government rights over land in Lagos and
to also work with all security agencies to
implement state government and private property
rights in the state.
The terms of reference of the committee,
include: “to reduce to a barest minimum the
activities of persons or corporate entities who
use force and intimidation to dispossess or
prevent any person or entity from acquiring
legitimate interest and possession of property
acquired through state government or private
transactions.
Beside the committee is: “to coordinate the
efforts of the various agencies of government
charged with enforcing the state government
rights over land in Lagos and to work with all
security agencies to ensure enforcement of state
government and private property rights in Lagos
State”.
Kazeem explained that the state government’s
decision to set up the task force is in realisation
that in recent years, “the land grabbers have
caused havoc and unrest in different parts of the
state by dispossessing legitimate land owners of
their properties, thereby stifling commercial
activities in the state.
“It is therefore important that the state
government not only identifies the effects of the
problems being perpetrated by these
unscrupulous elements on commercial activities
and peace of the citizenry but also find lasting
solutions to the menace”, he noted.
Beside the commissioner said the task force
“was to protect investors and maintain law and
order” adding, “this by implication will encourage
the verification of legal claims through litigation
rather than resorting to violence”.
He said that the State Assembly is about passing
a law that will exclusively deal with the activities
of the land grabbers and prescribe appropriate
stiff penalty for offenders.
England panicked says Iceland hero
Iceland hero Ragnar Sigurdsson said England's
over-confidence caused their humiliating 2-1
defeat to the Nordic minnows and they
"panicked" in one of the most stunning football
upsets.
"They thought this would be a walk in the park,"
said Sigurdsson, who scored Iceland's first goal.
"But we had faith in our ability," he said.
Roy Hodgson's side crashed out of Euro 2016
after the 30-year-old defender cancelled out
Wayne Rooney's fourth-minute opener.
"I think its the second or third goal scored with
long throw, its one of our weapons that we use a
lot, so no surprise there," he said.
Then Kolbeinn Sigthorsson's tame shot squirmed
past England goalkeeper Joe Hart for an 18th-
minute winner.
"We didn’t feel that they created any chances,"
said Sigurdsson.
"Kane had an opportunity and headed straight at
our goalkeeper. A lot that we were heading
away, long shots from distance we were keeping
clear. I wasn’t really stressed apart from the last
minute," he said.
The last minutes were "a bit difficult".
"They started off very well with great power and
got an early goal, but I think they were a little bit
shocked by the equaliser and the 2-1 goal
straight after, I think they panicked a little bit,"
he said.
"I think (England) are obviously a good team and
tried hard but as you know its not easy to score
a goal against Iceland".
over-confidence caused their humiliating 2-1
defeat to the Nordic minnows and they
"panicked" in one of the most stunning football
upsets.
"They thought this would be a walk in the park,"
said Sigurdsson, who scored Iceland's first goal.
"But we had faith in our ability," he said.
Roy Hodgson's side crashed out of Euro 2016
after the 30-year-old defender cancelled out
Wayne Rooney's fourth-minute opener.
"I think its the second or third goal scored with
long throw, its one of our weapons that we use a
lot, so no surprise there," he said.
Then Kolbeinn Sigthorsson's tame shot squirmed
past England goalkeeper Joe Hart for an 18th-
minute winner.
"We didn’t feel that they created any chances,"
said Sigurdsson.
"Kane had an opportunity and headed straight at
our goalkeeper. A lot that we were heading
away, long shots from distance we were keeping
clear. I wasn’t really stressed apart from the last
minute," he said.
The last minutes were "a bit difficult".
"They started off very well with great power and
got an early goal, but I think they were a little bit
shocked by the equaliser and the 2-1 goal
straight after, I think they panicked a little bit,"
he said.
"I think (England) are obviously a good team and
tried hard but as you know its not easy to score
a goal against Iceland".
Monday, 27 June 2016
violence not the way forward
Ado-Ekiti —Governor Seriake Dickson of
Bayelsa State, has canvassed for dialogue
as the only way out of the recurrent
violence in the Niger Delta, saying waging
war against the militants would only
exacerbate the already volatile situation in
the region.
Militants under the aegis of the Niger Delta
Avengers had declared war on the FG,
destroying national assets, and incurring
huge financial losses, running to billions of
naira and massive reduction in the
production of crude oil, which output was
put at fifty percent of its original capacity.
While the Federal Government’s military
option to hunt down the militants appeared
to have failed, Governor Dickson joined his
voice with that of other leaders in the
region, calling for dialogue between the
militants and the federal government as the
only way out of the logjam. Dickson also
urged both parties to come to a round table
and dialogue for peace and stability.
The governor gave the advice at the
weekend during the Ekiti State University
(EKSU) ‘s 21st Convocation ceremony where
he was awarded with Doctorate Degree in
Public Administration in recognition of his
exemplary leadership.
The governor received the honour alongside
the Chancellor of the University and
traditional ruler of Aramoko-Ekiti, Oba
AbdulAzeez Adegoke Adeyemi, and the Ekiti
State-born legal luminary, banker and oil and
gas magnate, Mr. Gbenga Oyebode, while a
total of 18,685 candidates received the
institution’s Degrees, Diplomas and Post-
graduate Diplomas.
Giving the breakdown, the Vice Chancellor
of the University, Prof Oye Bandele said
3,054 are full-time, 392 Sandwich, 10,613
from Affilliate colleges and 3,937 part-time
students. In the post graduate category, 78
are PhD degrees, 366 for Masters, 127 for
professional Masters and 118 are for Post-
Graduate Diploma. In all, he said a total of
24 students made First Class honours
degree.
Let us fight food insecurity, Fayose charges
Nigerians
Meantime, the Ekiti State Governor, Mr
Ayodele Fayose, has called on Nigerians to
pay more attention to agriculture, saying
there is food insecurity in the country that
must be tackled. He stated this also during
the 21st convocation ceremony of the Ekiti
State University, Ado-Ekiti. A statement by
his Chief Press Secretary, Mr Idowu Adelusi,
quoted the governor as urging fresh
graduates and school leavers to see
different segments of agriculture as fertile
ground to secure employment.
“Let us focus on agriculture because we are
not only fighting Boko Haram and insecurity
but we already have food insecurity and
when you have food to eat a large part of
the problem is solved. It is not everybody
that will build house, but everyone of us
must eat, even if it once a day.
“Those that are graduating, the queue out
there is long and white collar jobs are rare,
those who even have such jobs, are they
paid regularly?. The situation is getting
tougher every day. We must invest more in
agriculture,” the governor said. Fayose, who
lauded the EKSU Vice Chancellor, Prof. Oye
Bandele and his team for their efforts, said
they still needed to look inward to generate
more revenue.
Bayelsa State, has canvassed for dialogue
as the only way out of the recurrent
violence in the Niger Delta, saying waging
war against the militants would only
exacerbate the already volatile situation in
the region.
Militants under the aegis of the Niger Delta
Avengers had declared war on the FG,
destroying national assets, and incurring
huge financial losses, running to billions of
naira and massive reduction in the
production of crude oil, which output was
put at fifty percent of its original capacity.
While the Federal Government’s military
option to hunt down the militants appeared
to have failed, Governor Dickson joined his
voice with that of other leaders in the
region, calling for dialogue between the
militants and the federal government as the
only way out of the logjam. Dickson also
urged both parties to come to a round table
and dialogue for peace and stability.
The governor gave the advice at the
weekend during the Ekiti State University
(EKSU) ‘s 21st Convocation ceremony where
he was awarded with Doctorate Degree in
Public Administration in recognition of his
exemplary leadership.
The governor received the honour alongside
the Chancellor of the University and
traditional ruler of Aramoko-Ekiti, Oba
AbdulAzeez Adegoke Adeyemi, and the Ekiti
State-born legal luminary, banker and oil and
gas magnate, Mr. Gbenga Oyebode, while a
total of 18,685 candidates received the
institution’s Degrees, Diplomas and Post-
graduate Diplomas.
Giving the breakdown, the Vice Chancellor
of the University, Prof Oye Bandele said
3,054 are full-time, 392 Sandwich, 10,613
from Affilliate colleges and 3,937 part-time
students. In the post graduate category, 78
are PhD degrees, 366 for Masters, 127 for
professional Masters and 118 are for Post-
Graduate Diploma. In all, he said a total of
24 students made First Class honours
degree.
Let us fight food insecurity, Fayose charges
Nigerians
Meantime, the Ekiti State Governor, Mr
Ayodele Fayose, has called on Nigerians to
pay more attention to agriculture, saying
there is food insecurity in the country that
must be tackled. He stated this also during
the 21st convocation ceremony of the Ekiti
State University, Ado-Ekiti. A statement by
his Chief Press Secretary, Mr Idowu Adelusi,
quoted the governor as urging fresh
graduates and school leavers to see
different segments of agriculture as fertile
ground to secure employment.
“Let us focus on agriculture because we are
not only fighting Boko Haram and insecurity
but we already have food insecurity and
when you have food to eat a large part of
the problem is solved. It is not everybody
that will build house, but everyone of us
must eat, even if it once a day.
“Those that are graduating, the queue out
there is long and white collar jobs are rare,
those who even have such jobs, are they
paid regularly?. The situation is getting
tougher every day. We must invest more in
agriculture,” the governor said. Fayose, who
lauded the EKSU Vice Chancellor, Prof. Oye
Bandele and his team for their efforts, said
they still needed to look inward to generate
more revenue.
Soldiers kills in Delta
OLEH —SOLDIERS from the 222 Battalion of
the Nigerian Army, have arrested two
persons in Idheze community, Isoko South
Local Government Area, Delta State,
following the suspected vandalization of a
major Nigeria Agip Oil Company, NAOC,
pipeline in the area.
It will be recalled that the pipeline was
allegedly vandalized in the early hours June
13, 20l6 with the resultant oil spill causing a
heavy fire outbreak which led to the
destruction of farmlands and economic
crops in the community.
Community sources, however, said they
were still confused as to whether the oil
spill was as a result of vandalism of the
pipeline or equipment failure, noting that the
incident was still subject to investigation by
security agencies.
A source who preferred anonymity told
Vanguard that one of those apprehended by
the soldiers “is an indigene of the
community whose house is very close to the
place where the incident took place.
“The other person is the youth leader of the
community. He was working in a community
in Bayelsa State, when the incident
happened. As a youth leader, he was called
home after the oil spill and when he got
home, he was invited by the soldiers.
Thereafter, he was arrested and still being
detained.
“As we speak, investigations are still on and
they want to go to Bayelsa to find out if he
was actually there working as at the time of
the incident.”
Confirming the arrests, a security source
said that matter was still under
investigation.
the Nigerian Army, have arrested two
persons in Idheze community, Isoko South
Local Government Area, Delta State,
following the suspected vandalization of a
major Nigeria Agip Oil Company, NAOC,
pipeline in the area.
It will be recalled that the pipeline was
allegedly vandalized in the early hours June
13, 20l6 with the resultant oil spill causing a
heavy fire outbreak which led to the
destruction of farmlands and economic
crops in the community.
Community sources, however, said they
were still confused as to whether the oil
spill was as a result of vandalism of the
pipeline or equipment failure, noting that the
incident was still subject to investigation by
security agencies.
A source who preferred anonymity told
Vanguard that one of those apprehended by
the soldiers “is an indigene of the
community whose house is very close to the
place where the incident took place.
“The other person is the youth leader of the
community. He was working in a community
in Bayelsa State, when the incident
happened. As a youth leader, he was called
home after the oil spill and when he got
home, he was invited by the soldiers.
Thereafter, he was arrested and still being
detained.
“As we speak, investigations are still on and
they want to go to Bayelsa to find out if he
was actually there working as at the time of
the incident.”
Confirming the arrests, a security source
said that matter was still under
investigation.
This devaluation be like 419
The ‘419’ scam is well known in Nigeria for
boasting empty promises of stupendous
returns which induce victims to willingly part
with their valued possessions. The
perpetrators of this fraud, ply their trade
nationwide with targets which cut across
the social spectrum and include otherwise,
successful businessmen and highly
educated professionals, who are usually
gullible and driven by the unreasonable
expectation of clearly unrealistic returns on
their ‘investments’. Ultimately, the bubble
would burst and much pain and sorrow
would follow.
Similarly, the IMF and other respectable
international financial agencies and local
economic experts, have commended the
recent devaluation and floating Naira
exchange rate as ‘investments’ that would
ultimately yield great dividends.
We are encouraged to believe that the new
forex regime will recharge our economy and
sustain inclusive growth with increasing job
opportunities, and also reduce our almost
total dependence on export revenue from
crude oil, by facilitating the realization of a
diversified economy.
It is also suggested that a floating rate
would create a level playing ground, and
encourage marketers to reduce NNPC’s
present unwieldy monopoly of fuel imports
and also attract investors to build more
refineries locally. Nonetheless, the promise
that the new forex policy would attract
much needed foreign investment inflow, is
probably the most notable claim by
supporters of the new regime.
Consequently, CBN trusts that the reported
$10-$15bn hurriedly evacuated from Nigeria
when oil prices slumped, would be
channeled back by foreign investors; sadly,
however, the present level of uncertainty
and insecurity sustained by our internal
socio-economic tensions may not encourage
a quick return of investors as yet.
Incidentally, the desperation of foreign
portfolio investors to evacuate their funds
from Nigeria contributed in no small
measure to the present battered Naira
exchange rate. As usual, portfolio investors
primarily target the unusually high returns on
CBN and Federal government’s loans; thus,
such investors may borrow at low rates
below 5% from offshore banks and reap a
harvest of 10% and much more in Nigeria.
Expectedly, however, portfolio investors
would naturally still want assurances that
ultimately, their original profit projections
would not be wiped out by another
devaluation. Furthermore, the elevated level
of insecurity and Naira rate instability may
also deter potential “foreign direct
investors”, whose operations would
positively add value to our industries and
infrastructure and also create additional job
opportunities locally.
Thus, the sum of the above narrative is that,
the present devaluation and floating Naira
exchange rate, may not immediately propel
the expected return of over $10bn outflow
from Nigeria; in this event, it would be
misleading to suggest that the Naira rate
will soon become stabilized by a bountiful
inflow of dollars, as presently speculated.
Conversely, barely 8 hours after the
commencement of the new forex regime,
the cost of “yet to be realized speculated
benefits”, had already made significant
dents on our economy. For a start, Nigeria’s
erstwhile celebrated $510bn Gross Domestic
product, immediately crashed below $350bn,
while per capita income crashed from over
$1000 to well below $600 as a clear
testimony of deepening poverty.
In addition, the dollar value of all equity
listed on the Nigeria stock exchange also
plunged from almost $48bn on Friday 17th
June to below $25bn at the close of
business on Monday 20th June, when the
new forex regime commenced. Invariably, all
cash income and savings held in Naira, also
immediately fell below 60% of their dollar
purchasing value on commencement of the
new forex policy.
Similarly, the equally celebrated over $25bn
accumulated national pension fund, also lost
over $10bn, just like that, to imperil the
future welfare of our senior citizens; in truth,
we were all literally reduced to size within
24 hours and any offshore expenditure we
make, thereafter will henceforth require
almost 50% more Naira to fund.
In addition, all outstanding dollar
denominated loans, (personal, corporate or
government) will immediately also require
much more Naira to service and repay;
consequently, widespread default on foreign
loans and outstanding import bills will
prevail.
Thus, foreign credit lines, which hitherto
supportively reduced raw materials import
cost to local industries, may also be cut to
further compound already spiraling
operational costs and instead challenge the
export competitiveness of Nigeria’s real
sector. The Naira value of Public sector
external debt obligations would also
increase and raise the ratio between annual
debt service charges and actual income well
beyond the present 35kobo on every one
Naira revenue.
Although the NNPC management had
remained unexpectedly reticent on the
impact of the new forex policy on fuel
prices, however, the pump price of petrol
cannot remain at N145/litre, if the Naira
exchanges for N280=$1 or more. Indeed,
unless NNPC accommodates a new round of
subsidies, petrol will inevitably sell well
above N200/litre shortly.
Invariably, Marketers would also defer their
fuel imports until the price issue is resolved;
if however, in the interim, NNPC’s congested
import schedule faulters, severe supply
shortages will resurface, and extended
queues and frustrating delays at fuel
stations will return.
Nevertheless, since budget 2016 made no
provision for subsidy, a deregulated price
regime will spike petrol price and ultimately
propel inflation rate well above 20% and
create serious consequences for consumer
demand and investment, with collateral
adverse impact also on employment. In
addition, the recently established electricity
tariff structure, which was predicated on
Naira exchange of N197=$1, will become
unsustainable, and a further hike in
electricity tariff will be inevitable, much
against consumers’ expectations.
Sadly, the earlier commended 30% budget
for capital expenditure, will also suffer,
because the import components for
infrastructural enhancement may now
require almost N300bn more to fully
implement; in other words, public
expectation for urgent infrastructural
remediation will still have to remain on hold.
Furthermore, our desire to diversify output
and revenue sources away from crude oil,
will also become severely challenged by
unstoppable rising production cost, which
will invariably drive higher inflation rates
and, in turn, compel higher CBN monetary
policy rates, to push cost of borrowing well
above 30%. Ultimately, the operations of the
real sector will become crippled and any
hope of economic diversification will also
become dimmed.
On the security front, the fiscal allocations
voted to increase the capacity of the Armed
Forces, will invariably also become
inadequate and would require additional
appropriation to implement. Sadly however,
our presently distressed financial state will
obviously make such supplementary
allocation a challenge, unless we further
deepen our already oppressive debt profile.
Ultimately, the question must be why we
agreed to readily sacrifice so much as a
pound of our flesh on a mere platter of yet
to be realized promises and benefits.
boasting empty promises of stupendous
returns which induce victims to willingly part
with their valued possessions. The
perpetrators of this fraud, ply their trade
nationwide with targets which cut across
the social spectrum and include otherwise,
successful businessmen and highly
educated professionals, who are usually
gullible and driven by the unreasonable
expectation of clearly unrealistic returns on
their ‘investments’. Ultimately, the bubble
would burst and much pain and sorrow
would follow.
Similarly, the IMF and other respectable
international financial agencies and local
economic experts, have commended the
recent devaluation and floating Naira
exchange rate as ‘investments’ that would
ultimately yield great dividends.
We are encouraged to believe that the new
forex regime will recharge our economy and
sustain inclusive growth with increasing job
opportunities, and also reduce our almost
total dependence on export revenue from
crude oil, by facilitating the realization of a
diversified economy.
It is also suggested that a floating rate
would create a level playing ground, and
encourage marketers to reduce NNPC’s
present unwieldy monopoly of fuel imports
and also attract investors to build more
refineries locally. Nonetheless, the promise
that the new forex policy would attract
much needed foreign investment inflow, is
probably the most notable claim by
supporters of the new regime.
Consequently, CBN trusts that the reported
$10-$15bn hurriedly evacuated from Nigeria
when oil prices slumped, would be
channeled back by foreign investors; sadly,
however, the present level of uncertainty
and insecurity sustained by our internal
socio-economic tensions may not encourage
a quick return of investors as yet.
Incidentally, the desperation of foreign
portfolio investors to evacuate their funds
from Nigeria contributed in no small
measure to the present battered Naira
exchange rate. As usual, portfolio investors
primarily target the unusually high returns on
CBN and Federal government’s loans; thus,
such investors may borrow at low rates
below 5% from offshore banks and reap a
harvest of 10% and much more in Nigeria.
Expectedly, however, portfolio investors
would naturally still want assurances that
ultimately, their original profit projections
would not be wiped out by another
devaluation. Furthermore, the elevated level
of insecurity and Naira rate instability may
also deter potential “foreign direct
investors”, whose operations would
positively add value to our industries and
infrastructure and also create additional job
opportunities locally.
Thus, the sum of the above narrative is that,
the present devaluation and floating Naira
exchange rate, may not immediately propel
the expected return of over $10bn outflow
from Nigeria; in this event, it would be
misleading to suggest that the Naira rate
will soon become stabilized by a bountiful
inflow of dollars, as presently speculated.
Conversely, barely 8 hours after the
commencement of the new forex regime,
the cost of “yet to be realized speculated
benefits”, had already made significant
dents on our economy. For a start, Nigeria’s
erstwhile celebrated $510bn Gross Domestic
product, immediately crashed below $350bn,
while per capita income crashed from over
$1000 to well below $600 as a clear
testimony of deepening poverty.
In addition, the dollar value of all equity
listed on the Nigeria stock exchange also
plunged from almost $48bn on Friday 17th
June to below $25bn at the close of
business on Monday 20th June, when the
new forex regime commenced. Invariably, all
cash income and savings held in Naira, also
immediately fell below 60% of their dollar
purchasing value on commencement of the
new forex policy.
Similarly, the equally celebrated over $25bn
accumulated national pension fund, also lost
over $10bn, just like that, to imperil the
future welfare of our senior citizens; in truth,
we were all literally reduced to size within
24 hours and any offshore expenditure we
make, thereafter will henceforth require
almost 50% more Naira to fund.
In addition, all outstanding dollar
denominated loans, (personal, corporate or
government) will immediately also require
much more Naira to service and repay;
consequently, widespread default on foreign
loans and outstanding import bills will
prevail.
Thus, foreign credit lines, which hitherto
supportively reduced raw materials import
cost to local industries, may also be cut to
further compound already spiraling
operational costs and instead challenge the
export competitiveness of Nigeria’s real
sector. The Naira value of Public sector
external debt obligations would also
increase and raise the ratio between annual
debt service charges and actual income well
beyond the present 35kobo on every one
Naira revenue.
Although the NNPC management had
remained unexpectedly reticent on the
impact of the new forex policy on fuel
prices, however, the pump price of petrol
cannot remain at N145/litre, if the Naira
exchanges for N280=$1 or more. Indeed,
unless NNPC accommodates a new round of
subsidies, petrol will inevitably sell well
above N200/litre shortly.
Invariably, Marketers would also defer their
fuel imports until the price issue is resolved;
if however, in the interim, NNPC’s congested
import schedule faulters, severe supply
shortages will resurface, and extended
queues and frustrating delays at fuel
stations will return.
Nevertheless, since budget 2016 made no
provision for subsidy, a deregulated price
regime will spike petrol price and ultimately
propel inflation rate well above 20% and
create serious consequences for consumer
demand and investment, with collateral
adverse impact also on employment. In
addition, the recently established electricity
tariff structure, which was predicated on
Naira exchange of N197=$1, will become
unsustainable, and a further hike in
electricity tariff will be inevitable, much
against consumers’ expectations.
Sadly, the earlier commended 30% budget
for capital expenditure, will also suffer,
because the import components for
infrastructural enhancement may now
require almost N300bn more to fully
implement; in other words, public
expectation for urgent infrastructural
remediation will still have to remain on hold.
Furthermore, our desire to diversify output
and revenue sources away from crude oil,
will also become severely challenged by
unstoppable rising production cost, which
will invariably drive higher inflation rates
and, in turn, compel higher CBN monetary
policy rates, to push cost of borrowing well
above 30%. Ultimately, the operations of the
real sector will become crippled and any
hope of economic diversification will also
become dimmed.
On the security front, the fiscal allocations
voted to increase the capacity of the Armed
Forces, will invariably also become
inadequate and would require additional
appropriation to implement. Sadly however,
our presently distressed financial state will
obviously make such supplementary
allocation a challenge, unless we further
deepen our already oppressive debt profile.
Ultimately, the question must be why we
agreed to readily sacrifice so much as a
pound of our flesh on a mere platter of yet
to be realized promises and benefits.
Sheriff working with Oshiomole against PDP
EDO State chairman of the Peoples
Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Dan Orbih,
has said that a hundred Modu Sheriffs
cannot suspend him and his executive from
performing their functions as they were duly
elected by the party faithful in the state.
Orbih was reacting yesterday in Benin to a
statement credited to Sheriff in which he
supposed suspended him and his executive
from performing the activities of the party
for three months.
He said, “For us in Edo state we want to
ignore the statement from Sheriff because
to me I see his statement talking of the
suspension of a duly elected State Executive
Council as the ranting of a sinking former
acting National chairman.
“For us in Edo state, we have decided to
ignore Sheriff because he was never an
elected chairman of the party and that at
some point, he was appointed as acting
National chairman for three months and at
the expiration of the three months, it was
just natural that he should pack his load and
go home. But he is now holding on as if
everything in his life depends on this
position.
“Let me use this opportunity to say that
Sheriff from all indications is working with
Governor Adams Oshiomhole and APC in
Edo State to see how they can cause
disaffection among the members of our
party. Let me say this; no amount of efforts
by Sheriff and his co-travelers will distract
us from our mission to rescue the state
from the clutches of the deceitful APC
government of Adams Oshiomhole”
Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Dan Orbih,
has said that a hundred Modu Sheriffs
cannot suspend him and his executive from
performing their functions as they were duly
elected by the party faithful in the state.
Orbih was reacting yesterday in Benin to a
statement credited to Sheriff in which he
supposed suspended him and his executive
from performing the activities of the party
for three months.
He said, “For us in Edo state we want to
ignore the statement from Sheriff because
to me I see his statement talking of the
suspension of a duly elected State Executive
Council as the ranting of a sinking former
acting National chairman.
“For us in Edo state, we have decided to
ignore Sheriff because he was never an
elected chairman of the party and that at
some point, he was appointed as acting
National chairman for three months and at
the expiration of the three months, it was
just natural that he should pack his load and
go home. But he is now holding on as if
everything in his life depends on this
position.
“Let me use this opportunity to say that
Sheriff from all indications is working with
Governor Adams Oshiomhole and APC in
Edo State to see how they can cause
disaffection among the members of our
party. Let me say this; no amount of efforts
by Sheriff and his co-travelers will distract
us from our mission to rescue the state
from the clutches of the deceitful APC
government of Adams Oshiomhole”
Gunning after IDP rice
We are shocked and saddened by the sorry
stories making the rounds that some
unscrupulous government officials are now
going after the food items which are meant
to feed the victims and escapees of Boko
Haram attacks who have been sheltered
inside and outside the Internally Displaced
Persons (IDP) camps in the North East,
especially Borno State.
Earlier last week, reports had it that some
officials of the National Emergency
Management Agency (NEMA) were caught
re-bagging the rice procured by government,
charitable Nigerians and foreign donors for
the feeding of the IDPs. When the story
broke, the Borno State Governor, Alhaji
Kashim Shettima, ordered an investigation
with a view to dealing with those behind
those dastardly acts.
On Thursday, June 23,
there were media reports that a “shootout”
took place in the Borno State Government
House between policemen stationed to
guard the rice meant for the displaced
persons and some soldiers. The reports had
it that the soldiers attempted to hijack the
distribution of the rice, which met with stiff
resistance from the policemen on duty, and
thus sparked the shootout that injured a
policeman.
We commend the Borno State Government
for the prompt steps it took to nip both acts
of brigandage in the bud. The Army also
acted with dispatch and ensured that the
few rogue soldiers who instigated the
violence were apprehended for disciplinary
action.
It is saddening that food meant for the care
of people displaced from their communities
is now being targeted by criminal-minded
government officials and a few misguided
soldiers who see it as another government
bonanza to grab by hook or crook.
Unfortunately, the noble intention to include
refugees who live outside the IDP camps in
the distribution of the food items was
misconstrued as an opportunity for-a free
for-all attitude to the relief materials.
We urge the state government and the
military authorities to make an example of
those found culpable in these crimes to
serve as an example to others with the
same intention that such inhuman behaviour
cannot be tolerated.
There have been many reports of severe
malnutrition among the IDPs (especially
those living inside the Camps) consequent
upon poor quality of food. With millions of
mouths to feed at least twice a day, the
Borno State Government is bearing a burden
that only requires collective efforts to assist
the victims to survive.
Those of us who are more fortunate should
extend our hands of charity and love to
those in need as no one knows when it
might be his or her turn to need the help of
other kind-hearted people.
We hope and pray for the speedy end of the
Boko Haram war so that IDPs can go back
to their communities and resume their
livelihood – with human dignity.
stories making the rounds that some
unscrupulous government officials are now
going after the food items which are meant
to feed the victims and escapees of Boko
Haram attacks who have been sheltered
inside and outside the Internally Displaced
Persons (IDP) camps in the North East,
especially Borno State.
Earlier last week, reports had it that some
officials of the National Emergency
Management Agency (NEMA) were caught
re-bagging the rice procured by government,
charitable Nigerians and foreign donors for
the feeding of the IDPs. When the story
broke, the Borno State Governor, Alhaji
Kashim Shettima, ordered an investigation
with a view to dealing with those behind
those dastardly acts.
On Thursday, June 23,
there were media reports that a “shootout”
took place in the Borno State Government
House between policemen stationed to
guard the rice meant for the displaced
persons and some soldiers. The reports had
it that the soldiers attempted to hijack the
distribution of the rice, which met with stiff
resistance from the policemen on duty, and
thus sparked the shootout that injured a
policeman.
We commend the Borno State Government
for the prompt steps it took to nip both acts
of brigandage in the bud. The Army also
acted with dispatch and ensured that the
few rogue soldiers who instigated the
violence were apprehended for disciplinary
action.
It is saddening that food meant for the care
of people displaced from their communities
is now being targeted by criminal-minded
government officials and a few misguided
soldiers who see it as another government
bonanza to grab by hook or crook.
Unfortunately, the noble intention to include
refugees who live outside the IDP camps in
the distribution of the food items was
misconstrued as an opportunity for-a free
for-all attitude to the relief materials.
We urge the state government and the
military authorities to make an example of
those found culpable in these crimes to
serve as an example to others with the
same intention that such inhuman behaviour
cannot be tolerated.
There have been many reports of severe
malnutrition among the IDPs (especially
those living inside the Camps) consequent
upon poor quality of food. With millions of
mouths to feed at least twice a day, the
Borno State Government is bearing a burden
that only requires collective efforts to assist
the victims to survive.
Those of us who are more fortunate should
extend our hands of charity and love to
those in need as no one knows when it
might be his or her turn to need the help of
other kind-hearted people.
We hope and pray for the speedy end of the
Boko Haram war so that IDPs can go back
to their communities and resume their
livelihood – with human dignity.
Tough pool does not bother us
Nigeria’s senior team stalwarts have refused
to be worried about being housed in the
African 2018 FIFA World Cup qualification
series’ so –called group of death.
Reactions have been sharp, immediate and
interesting, from NFF President Amaju
Pinnick’s “now we must quickly sort out the
issue of Head Coach and his assistants and
put every other thing in place in good time,”
to former Eagles’ captain and member of
the NFF Technical Committee Garba
Lawal’s “I would rather lose to Algeria than
lose to Chad.”
Now, the players themselves have come out
to express confidence that the Super Eagles
can earn a third straight FIFA World Cup
ticket despite the challenge of Algeria,
Zambia and Cameroon.
Interim Head Coach, Salisu Yusuf
Without any doubt, this is a tough draw but
with commitment, determination and
motivation, the Super Eagles will scale these
hurdles and qualify for the 2018 World Cup.
Ogenyi Onazi
This is not a bad draw. I believe the Super
Eagles are equal to the task.
All we need to do now is to start planning
from this very moment. We have to get our
coach in place and give him, whether white
or black, a very conducive environment to
work. I am confident that by the grace of
God we will qualify. We will give our 100% in
every game and try to win whether home or
away. Every match must be taken as a
matter of life and death.
Leon Balogun
Far from easy, but it’s the hard road that
leads to success. Let’s take this opportunity
and earn our spot.
William Troost Ekong
I think it’s a tough draw, but I never
imagined we were going to get any easy
opponents on the way to 2018 World Cup. I
believe that we can do it. If we can put
everything in place structurally for all
members of staff and players to focus on
just the games, together with the support of
our nation we will be successful.
Elderson Echiejile
It is not an easy group, I must say, but we
have all what it takes to finish top of that
group and I believe we can. We have to
start preparing NOW (put everything in
proper place). It is never too early to start
preparing for such matches. We are the
Super Eagles.
Brown Ideye
At this stage of football, tough groups like
the type we have found ourselves are to be
expected. To get to the World Cup, we
cannot cut corners or relax or take things
for granted. The World Cup is the biggest
football stage where you meet the best of
the best, so getting there will be tough.
Now, we have to be prepared to work hard.
If we work hard together as a team we will
win matches and if we win our games we
will qualify. The media have to be involved
in this as well. They (media) have a huge
role to play in motivating and psyching our
team to do well. Everything is in our hands,
we must plan well and ensure our house is
in order. I believe we will qualify.
to be worried about being housed in the
African 2018 FIFA World Cup qualification
series’ so –called group of death.
Reactions have been sharp, immediate and
interesting, from NFF President Amaju
Pinnick’s “now we must quickly sort out the
issue of Head Coach and his assistants and
put every other thing in place in good time,”
to former Eagles’ captain and member of
the NFF Technical Committee Garba
Lawal’s “I would rather lose to Algeria than
lose to Chad.”
Now, the players themselves have come out
to express confidence that the Super Eagles
can earn a third straight FIFA World Cup
ticket despite the challenge of Algeria,
Zambia and Cameroon.
Interim Head Coach, Salisu Yusuf
Without any doubt, this is a tough draw but
with commitment, determination and
motivation, the Super Eagles will scale these
hurdles and qualify for the 2018 World Cup.
Ogenyi Onazi
This is not a bad draw. I believe the Super
Eagles are equal to the task.
All we need to do now is to start planning
from this very moment. We have to get our
coach in place and give him, whether white
or black, a very conducive environment to
work. I am confident that by the grace of
God we will qualify. We will give our 100% in
every game and try to win whether home or
away. Every match must be taken as a
matter of life and death.
Leon Balogun
Far from easy, but it’s the hard road that
leads to success. Let’s take this opportunity
and earn our spot.
William Troost Ekong
I think it’s a tough draw, but I never
imagined we were going to get any easy
opponents on the way to 2018 World Cup. I
believe that we can do it. If we can put
everything in place structurally for all
members of staff and players to focus on
just the games, together with the support of
our nation we will be successful.
Elderson Echiejile
It is not an easy group, I must say, but we
have all what it takes to finish top of that
group and I believe we can. We have to
start preparing NOW (put everything in
proper place). It is never too early to start
preparing for such matches. We are the
Super Eagles.
Brown Ideye
At this stage of football, tough groups like
the type we have found ourselves are to be
expected. To get to the World Cup, we
cannot cut corners or relax or take things
for granted. The World Cup is the biggest
football stage where you meet the best of
the best, so getting there will be tough.
Now, we have to be prepared to work hard.
If we work hard together as a team we will
win matches and if we win our games we
will qualify. The media have to be involved
in this as well. They (media) have a huge
role to play in motivating and psyching our
team to do well. Everything is in our hands,
we must plan well and ensure our house is
in order. I believe we will qualify.
Saturday, 25 June 2016
How Ize-Iyamu got the crown
Obviously, the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium was
the natural choice of venue for the governorship
primaries of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.
In choosing the stadium, the party kept faith with
tradition as the place had played host to such
activities in the past. Members of the ruling All
Progressives Congress (APC) had completed
their governorship primaries inside the football
pitch only 24 hours earlier. With about three
courts collapsed into a stage to accommodate
about 750 delegates and other stakeholders, the
venue proved to be a smart choice.
The Congress started with accreditation of
delegates, a task that was decentralized to save
time. The process, which was supervised by
officials of the Independent Electoral Commission
(INEC) was done at three centres in Benin,
namely Emporium Hall for Edo North delegates,
Edo State secretariat of the PDP for Edo Central
delegates and Okada House for Edo South
delegates.
As early as 9:00 a.m, the process had started
and by 12 noon the delegates had started
trooping to the stadium. Ebonyi State governor,
Mr. Dave Umahi, who was the chairman of the
election committee, raised the curtains with his
remarks.
The governor of Delta State, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa,
who was also present, gave a brief
remark. Umahi commended the conduct of the
accreditation exercise, informing everyone
present that the only mandate given to his
committee was to conduct a free and fair
primary election.
Okowa in his goodwill message assured that he
would always be with the Edo PDP at all times,
urging them not to capitulate in the face of
intimidation by the ruling party. Unlike in the
past, the exercise was done in two hours to the
admiration of the attendees. Voting commenced
at 1:45 p.m while sorting of votes ended at
about 3:45 pm. Results were declared
immediately. A former governorship candidate in
Lagos State Mr. Jimi Agbaje at the end
announced Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu as the
winner.
He garnered 584 votes, representing about 82
percent of valid votes, defeating Mr. Matthew
Uduoriyekemwen, who scored 91 votes and Chief
Solomon Edebiri, who polled 38 votes. Though
the show was a day for Ize-Iyamu, Edo State
chairman of the PDP, Mr. Dan Orbih, was
generally commended for the peace in Edo
PDP. Speaking in that regard, Gombe State
governor, Alhaji Ibrahim Dankwambo said: “I
congratulate the very good people of Edo State
for this wonderful exercise, I have never seen an
election so transparent.
There was no invalid vote in this exercise, and I
hereby call on our party men and women to
support whoever is declared the winner of the
primaries.” On his part, Okowa said: “I thank
God that I witnessed this primary today, and we
promised our brothers in the race that we are
going to conduct a free and fair primary, and I
believe that is what we have done today. For our
people and me in Delta State, we promise our
support; we promise our prayers. We will be on
your campaign grounds, and I want to
congratulate you ahead of time because I know
that with what we see today, the oneness in us,
we will win the election.”
Umahi commended Orbih, the governorship
aspirants, their agents and for the successful
conduct of the primaries. He added that in every
process of the primaries, they were all carried
along just as he thanked the governors of
Gombe, Delta and Rivers states for their support
during the exercise. He pleaded with the
aspirants and their supporters to work with
whoever emerged as the winner.
In his acceptance speech, Ize-Iyamu commended
the leaders and other party members for lifting
the PDP up at a very critical time. He noted that
the PDP under Orbih was able to expose the
alleged corrupt practices of the state
government. Also, Ize-Iyamu noted that the state
chapter of the PDP is deepening democracy,
adding that Orbih never went out to campaign
with any of the aspirants.
How Ize-Iyamu won
For those, who had keenly observed the
gubernatorial race in the PDP, Ize-Iyamu’s
victory did not come as a surprise. When the
former South-south Vice-Chairman of the now
defunct Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN)
defected in 2014 from the PDP, there was a
political tremor in Edo State. The reason was
that four lawmakers of the ruling APC defected
with him, thereby increasing the number of PDP
lawmakers in the House of Assembly from five to
nine.
The APC had alleged that the PDP lawmakers
wanted to impeach Oshiomhole and an impasse
between the APC and PDP lawmakers followed.
With the array and calibre of politicians backing
Ize-Iyamu, many argued that he actually got the
ticket before the primaries. Drawn from the three
senatorial districts, his supporters included but
were not limited to the following; Chief Gabriel
Igbinedion, Senator Yisa Braimah, Chief Raymond
Dokpesi, former Governor Lucky Igbinedion and
Prince Tony Omoaghe. Ize-Iyamu’s preparation
for the exercise also outshined others.
He is reputed as the only politician in the state
with a house dedicated to politicking. The
building otherwise called Ize-Iyamu Campaign
Office had long existed years before the race to
occupy Edo State Government House
started. That was why many believed that Ize-
Iyamu was already looking ahead of the
primaries to the general election even before the
primary.
Even more, many PDP chieftains had over time
convinced themselves of the fact that if they
must takeover the government from the APC
that Ize-Iyamu was the most credible and
entrenched person to lead the onslaught and
hence it was not difficult that many party
chieftains supported him.
the natural choice of venue for the governorship
primaries of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.
In choosing the stadium, the party kept faith with
tradition as the place had played host to such
activities in the past. Members of the ruling All
Progressives Congress (APC) had completed
their governorship primaries inside the football
pitch only 24 hours earlier. With about three
courts collapsed into a stage to accommodate
about 750 delegates and other stakeholders, the
venue proved to be a smart choice.
The Congress started with accreditation of
delegates, a task that was decentralized to save
time. The process, which was supervised by
officials of the Independent Electoral Commission
(INEC) was done at three centres in Benin,
namely Emporium Hall for Edo North delegates,
Edo State secretariat of the PDP for Edo Central
delegates and Okada House for Edo South
delegates.
As early as 9:00 a.m, the process had started
and by 12 noon the delegates had started
trooping to the stadium. Ebonyi State governor,
Mr. Dave Umahi, who was the chairman of the
election committee, raised the curtains with his
remarks.
The governor of Delta State, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa,
who was also present, gave a brief
remark. Umahi commended the conduct of the
accreditation exercise, informing everyone
present that the only mandate given to his
committee was to conduct a free and fair
primary election.
Okowa in his goodwill message assured that he
would always be with the Edo PDP at all times,
urging them not to capitulate in the face of
intimidation by the ruling party. Unlike in the
past, the exercise was done in two hours to the
admiration of the attendees. Voting commenced
at 1:45 p.m while sorting of votes ended at
about 3:45 pm. Results were declared
immediately. A former governorship candidate in
Lagos State Mr. Jimi Agbaje at the end
announced Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu as the
winner.
He garnered 584 votes, representing about 82
percent of valid votes, defeating Mr. Matthew
Uduoriyekemwen, who scored 91 votes and Chief
Solomon Edebiri, who polled 38 votes. Though
the show was a day for Ize-Iyamu, Edo State
chairman of the PDP, Mr. Dan Orbih, was
generally commended for the peace in Edo
PDP. Speaking in that regard, Gombe State
governor, Alhaji Ibrahim Dankwambo said: “I
congratulate the very good people of Edo State
for this wonderful exercise, I have never seen an
election so transparent.
There was no invalid vote in this exercise, and I
hereby call on our party men and women to
support whoever is declared the winner of the
primaries.” On his part, Okowa said: “I thank
God that I witnessed this primary today, and we
promised our brothers in the race that we are
going to conduct a free and fair primary, and I
believe that is what we have done today. For our
people and me in Delta State, we promise our
support; we promise our prayers. We will be on
your campaign grounds, and I want to
congratulate you ahead of time because I know
that with what we see today, the oneness in us,
we will win the election.”
Umahi commended Orbih, the governorship
aspirants, their agents and for the successful
conduct of the primaries. He added that in every
process of the primaries, they were all carried
along just as he thanked the governors of
Gombe, Delta and Rivers states for their support
during the exercise. He pleaded with the
aspirants and their supporters to work with
whoever emerged as the winner.
In his acceptance speech, Ize-Iyamu commended
the leaders and other party members for lifting
the PDP up at a very critical time. He noted that
the PDP under Orbih was able to expose the
alleged corrupt practices of the state
government. Also, Ize-Iyamu noted that the state
chapter of the PDP is deepening democracy,
adding that Orbih never went out to campaign
with any of the aspirants.
How Ize-Iyamu won
For those, who had keenly observed the
gubernatorial race in the PDP, Ize-Iyamu’s
victory did not come as a surprise. When the
former South-south Vice-Chairman of the now
defunct Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN)
defected in 2014 from the PDP, there was a
political tremor in Edo State. The reason was
that four lawmakers of the ruling APC defected
with him, thereby increasing the number of PDP
lawmakers in the House of Assembly from five to
nine.
The APC had alleged that the PDP lawmakers
wanted to impeach Oshiomhole and an impasse
between the APC and PDP lawmakers followed.
With the array and calibre of politicians backing
Ize-Iyamu, many argued that he actually got the
ticket before the primaries. Drawn from the three
senatorial districts, his supporters included but
were not limited to the following; Chief Gabriel
Igbinedion, Senator Yisa Braimah, Chief Raymond
Dokpesi, former Governor Lucky Igbinedion and
Prince Tony Omoaghe. Ize-Iyamu’s preparation
for the exercise also outshined others.
He is reputed as the only politician in the state
with a house dedicated to politicking. The
building otherwise called Ize-Iyamu Campaign
Office had long existed years before the race to
occupy Edo State Government House
started. That was why many believed that Ize-
Iyamu was already looking ahead of the
primaries to the general election even before the
primary.
Even more, many PDP chieftains had over time
convinced themselves of the fact that if they
must takeover the government from the APC
that Ize-Iyamu was the most credible and
entrenched person to lead the onslaught and
hence it was not difficult that many party
chieftains supported him.
Xhaka miss send Poland to Semi
Jakob Blaszczykowski proved again he has the
midas touch for Poland as the Borussia
Dortmund winger gave his side a first-half lead in
the last-16 clash.
Xherdan Shaqiri's spectacular second-half
bicycle kick levelled for Switzerland and with the
scores 1-1 after extra time, the clash at Saint-
Etienne's Stade Geoffrey Guichard went into
penalties.
Xhaka, who will join the Gunners after the
European Championship finals, sent Switzerland's
second penalty wide while Poland nailed all five
kicks.
Blaszczykowski, nicknamed 'Kuba', then drilled
home Poland's fourth shot and his nation was
sent into delirium when Grzegorz Krychowiak
nailed the crucial fifth kick.
Poland have not reached the quarter-final of a
major tournament since the 1982 World Cup.
And the result meant Poland preserved their
record of never having lost in 18 games when
Blaszczykowski has scored.
"Let's hope it continues until the final," the
scorer said.
"It was the most difficult match so far. The
Swiss made life hard for us," said
Blaszczykowski, who spent last season on loan
at Fiorentina.
"We dragged it out of their hands.
"I'm delighted, it was a historic moment for us,
because we are in the top eight in Europe."
The Poles will now play Portugal or Croatia in
the quarter-finals in Marseille on Thursday.
Shaqiri said Xhaka will bounce back after his
crushing disappointment.
"I think Granit is very professional and he can
cope with it," said man-of-the-match Shaqiri.
"He’s disappointed, but that’s football and
mistakes can happen."
It was a historic occasion for both sides as
neither had previously reached the knockout
stages of a Euro finals.
Despite his success in converting in the penalty
shootout, Robert Lewandowski, the top scorer in
qualifying with 13 goals, remains without a
regular goal in France.
The Bayern Munich striker constantly dropped
back into midfield to run Poland's attack.
The Poles dominated the first half, while the
Swiss ruled the second.
Poland squandered a gold-plated chance in the
opening minute as a lazy pass from Swiss full-
back Johan Djourou fell into Lewandowski's path.
The star striker enticed Swiss goalkeeper Yann
Sommer off his line, but Arkadiusz Milik fired
over with the goal at his mercy.
At the other end, Blerim Dzemaili, then Admir
Mehmedi had chances for the Swiss before
Fabian Schaer headed straight at Lukasz
Fabianski.
After creating their fair share of chances, Poland
finally went ahead when Kamil Grosicki broke
down the left from a Swiss corner.
His pass found Blaszczykowski unmarked at the
far post and the winger drove his shot home on
39 minutes.
The Swiss grabbed the game by the scruff of
the neck as they hunted a second-half equaliser.
They camped in the Poland half for long spells
with goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski under constant
siege.
In a bid to boost their attacking options, Swiss
coach Vladimir Petkovic switched to two strikers
for the last 30 minutes.
He put Breel Embolo on for attacking midfielder
Blerim Dzemaili and the move paid off.
A free-kick by Swiss dead-ball expert Ricardo
Rodriguez was heading for the top right-hand
corner until Fabianski's glove intervened with 15
minutes left.
Swiss striker Haris Seferovic had his head in his
hands when his shot hit the crossbar.
But Shaqiri's brilliant left-footed effort, just inside
the post in the 82nd minute, gave Fabianski no
chance, as the Swiss drew level.
When extra-time started, Swiss substitute Eren
Derdiyok, who was playing in attack alongside
Shaqiri twice tested Fabianski as the Nati
chased a winner.
Swiss coach Vladimir Petkovic said he felt for
Xhaka, but the defeat hurt more.
"I’m very sad for him, but it’s not just about him,
it’s disappointing as the Swiss players gave
everything," said Petkovic.
"We weren’t clinical enough and as a result of
the lottery of the penalty shoot-out, if you miss
one, it can be crucial."
midas touch for Poland as the Borussia
Dortmund winger gave his side a first-half lead in
the last-16 clash.
Xherdan Shaqiri's spectacular second-half
bicycle kick levelled for Switzerland and with the
scores 1-1 after extra time, the clash at Saint-
Etienne's Stade Geoffrey Guichard went into
penalties.
Xhaka, who will join the Gunners after the
European Championship finals, sent Switzerland's
second penalty wide while Poland nailed all five
kicks.
Blaszczykowski, nicknamed 'Kuba', then drilled
home Poland's fourth shot and his nation was
sent into delirium when Grzegorz Krychowiak
nailed the crucial fifth kick.
Poland have not reached the quarter-final of a
major tournament since the 1982 World Cup.
And the result meant Poland preserved their
record of never having lost in 18 games when
Blaszczykowski has scored.
"Let's hope it continues until the final," the
scorer said.
"It was the most difficult match so far. The
Swiss made life hard for us," said
Blaszczykowski, who spent last season on loan
at Fiorentina.
"We dragged it out of their hands.
"I'm delighted, it was a historic moment for us,
because we are in the top eight in Europe."
The Poles will now play Portugal or Croatia in
the quarter-finals in Marseille on Thursday.
Shaqiri said Xhaka will bounce back after his
crushing disappointment.
"I think Granit is very professional and he can
cope with it," said man-of-the-match Shaqiri.
"He’s disappointed, but that’s football and
mistakes can happen."
It was a historic occasion for both sides as
neither had previously reached the knockout
stages of a Euro finals.
Despite his success in converting in the penalty
shootout, Robert Lewandowski, the top scorer in
qualifying with 13 goals, remains without a
regular goal in France.
The Bayern Munich striker constantly dropped
back into midfield to run Poland's attack.
The Poles dominated the first half, while the
Swiss ruled the second.
Poland squandered a gold-plated chance in the
opening minute as a lazy pass from Swiss full-
back Johan Djourou fell into Lewandowski's path.
The star striker enticed Swiss goalkeeper Yann
Sommer off his line, but Arkadiusz Milik fired
over with the goal at his mercy.
At the other end, Blerim Dzemaili, then Admir
Mehmedi had chances for the Swiss before
Fabian Schaer headed straight at Lukasz
Fabianski.
After creating their fair share of chances, Poland
finally went ahead when Kamil Grosicki broke
down the left from a Swiss corner.
His pass found Blaszczykowski unmarked at the
far post and the winger drove his shot home on
39 minutes.
The Swiss grabbed the game by the scruff of
the neck as they hunted a second-half equaliser.
They camped in the Poland half for long spells
with goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski under constant
siege.
In a bid to boost their attacking options, Swiss
coach Vladimir Petkovic switched to two strikers
for the last 30 minutes.
He put Breel Embolo on for attacking midfielder
Blerim Dzemaili and the move paid off.
A free-kick by Swiss dead-ball expert Ricardo
Rodriguez was heading for the top right-hand
corner until Fabianski's glove intervened with 15
minutes left.
Swiss striker Haris Seferovic had his head in his
hands when his shot hit the crossbar.
But Shaqiri's brilliant left-footed effort, just inside
the post in the 82nd minute, gave Fabianski no
chance, as the Swiss drew level.
When extra-time started, Swiss substitute Eren
Derdiyok, who was playing in attack alongside
Shaqiri twice tested Fabianski as the Nati
chased a winner.
Swiss coach Vladimir Petkovic said he felt for
Xhaka, but the defeat hurt more.
"I’m very sad for him, but it’s not just about him,
it’s disappointing as the Swiss players gave
everything," said Petkovic.
"We weren’t clinical enough and as a result of
the lottery of the penalty shoot-out, if you miss
one, it can be crucial."
NFF to hire experience coach
Olajire made the assertion while reacting to the
draws for the 2018 World Cup in Russia in an
interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN)
on Saturday in Lagos.
Nigeria is drawn alongside Zambia, Algeria and
Cameroon in the draws made on Friday at the
African Football Confederations (CAF)
Headquarters in Egypt.
It is noteworthy that Cameroon has appeared
seven times in the mundial, while Nigeria has
featured five times and Algeria four times.
``The first major task for the football house is to
get an experienced coach who will be saddled
with the responsibility of the qualification.
``Our first reaction to the qualifiers is to source
for an experience coach to tutor the team. We
believe in the ability of our players, but they
need a capable hand to tutor them.
``We are not afraid of any team, or their ranking
in Africa, our own responsibility is to ensure the
qualification of the Super Eagles. That is
sacrosanct,’’ Olajire said.
A former coach of Super Eagles, Fanny Amun,
said that Nigeria had a chance to qualify if
things are put in the right perspectives.
``I think every team in that group has equal
opportunity to qualify, everybody wants to go to
the World Cup, and teams like Algeria and
Zambia are not push over too.
``We must start preparation immediately and it
must start with the appointment of a good coach
either local or foreign; the most important task is
Nigeria’s qualification.
``This task of qualification has been missing in
the past when we did not qualify for two
consecutive Nations Cups. The only hope we
have now is this qualification and we must not
bungle it.
``However, I believe that Nigeria can qualify if
the right thing is done at the appropriate time
and not later.
``The NFF should settle down to business and
solve the issues surrounding the appointment of
a coach,’’ he said.
Amun also advised the NFF to have cordial
relationship with the technical crew and the
players in the team of which failure might spell
doom for Nigeria’s qualification from the tough
group.
``NFF should have good rapport with the team
generally; they should not force anybody to play
or beg anyone to represent the country, for what,
if I may ask?
``Money should also not be in the front burner,
many of us have served this country faithfully
and this is where we are today; serving the
country is a privilege and not monetary gain.
``The controversies over issues of bonuses
should stop and only patriotic players should be
invited with terms and conditions which should
be pay as you go for bonuses.
``Players should get paid after qualification and
not getting paid either they qualify us or not
because at the end of the day some players get
paid for doing nothing,’’ he said.
Amun contended that only few countries still pay
bonuses to their senior team.
``Lets call a spade a spade; we have done too
much charity in this country which gets us
nowhere.
``National team bonuses should be tied to
qualification that is the way to go,’’ he said.
draws for the 2018 World Cup in Russia in an
interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN)
on Saturday in Lagos.
Nigeria is drawn alongside Zambia, Algeria and
Cameroon in the draws made on Friday at the
African Football Confederations (CAF)
Headquarters in Egypt.
It is noteworthy that Cameroon has appeared
seven times in the mundial, while Nigeria has
featured five times and Algeria four times.
``The first major task for the football house is to
get an experienced coach who will be saddled
with the responsibility of the qualification.
``Our first reaction to the qualifiers is to source
for an experience coach to tutor the team. We
believe in the ability of our players, but they
need a capable hand to tutor them.
``We are not afraid of any team, or their ranking
in Africa, our own responsibility is to ensure the
qualification of the Super Eagles. That is
sacrosanct,’’ Olajire said.
A former coach of Super Eagles, Fanny Amun,
said that Nigeria had a chance to qualify if
things are put in the right perspectives.
``I think every team in that group has equal
opportunity to qualify, everybody wants to go to
the World Cup, and teams like Algeria and
Zambia are not push over too.
``We must start preparation immediately and it
must start with the appointment of a good coach
either local or foreign; the most important task is
Nigeria’s qualification.
``This task of qualification has been missing in
the past when we did not qualify for two
consecutive Nations Cups. The only hope we
have now is this qualification and we must not
bungle it.
``However, I believe that Nigeria can qualify if
the right thing is done at the appropriate time
and not later.
``The NFF should settle down to business and
solve the issues surrounding the appointment of
a coach,’’ he said.
Amun also advised the NFF to have cordial
relationship with the technical crew and the
players in the team of which failure might spell
doom for Nigeria’s qualification from the tough
group.
``NFF should have good rapport with the team
generally; they should not force anybody to play
or beg anyone to represent the country, for what,
if I may ask?
``Money should also not be in the front burner,
many of us have served this country faithfully
and this is where we are today; serving the
country is a privilege and not monetary gain.
``The controversies over issues of bonuses
should stop and only patriotic players should be
invited with terms and conditions which should
be pay as you go for bonuses.
``Players should get paid after qualification and
not getting paid either they qualify us or not
because at the end of the day some players get
paid for doing nothing,’’ he said.
Amun contended that only few countries still pay
bonuses to their senior team.
``Lets call a spade a spade; we have done too
much charity in this country which gets us
nowhere.
``National team bonuses should be tied to
qualification that is the way to go,’’ he said.
CAF expel Enyimba opponets
Algerian club Entente Setif were disqualified
from the CAF Champions League Friday after
crowd trouble during their opening group game,
the African Football Confederation said.
Frustrated as their lacklustre team headed to a
2-0 defeat by Mamelodi Sundowns of South
Africa on June 18, Algerian spectators hurled
various missiles onto the pitch.
Items thrown on the pitch included bottles and
firecrackers and some spectators and security
personnel were injured.
After a fruitless 10-minute attempt to restart
play, the Malian referee abandoned the match
which had reached stoppage time.
Kicking out Setif leaves Sundowns, Enyimba of
Nigeria and Zamalek of Egypt in Group B and the
clubs finishing first and second advance to the
semi-finals.
The other group comprises Al Ahly of Egypt,
ASEC Mimosas of the Ivory Coast, Wydad
Casablanca of Morocco and Zesco United of
Zambia.
Setif are the second club after Etoile Sahel of
Tunisia to be disqualified from the group phase
of the Champions League since its 1997 launch.
from the CAF Champions League Friday after
crowd trouble during their opening group game,
the African Football Confederation said.
Frustrated as their lacklustre team headed to a
2-0 defeat by Mamelodi Sundowns of South
Africa on June 18, Algerian spectators hurled
various missiles onto the pitch.
Items thrown on the pitch included bottles and
firecrackers and some spectators and security
personnel were injured.
After a fruitless 10-minute attempt to restart
play, the Malian referee abandoned the match
which had reached stoppage time.
Kicking out Setif leaves Sundowns, Enyimba of
Nigeria and Zamalek of Egypt in Group B and the
clubs finishing first and second advance to the
semi-finals.
The other group comprises Al Ahly of Egypt,
ASEC Mimosas of the Ivory Coast, Wydad
Casablanca of Morocco and Zesco United of
Zambia.
Setif are the second club after Etoile Sahel of
Tunisia to be disqualified from the group phase
of the Champions League since its 1997 launch.
Brexit boss says anxiety understandable
Leading Brexit businessman Tim Martin, founder
of the Wetherspoons pub chain, has said anxiety
about leaving the European Union was
"understandable".
But he told the BBC that there was no need to
"rush into" EU exit talks.
On Saturday, EU leaders called for negotiations
to start "as soon as possible" now that the UK
has voted to leave the bloc.
"They are saying that because they are in a real
panic; they have no cards to play," Mr Martin
said.
He added: "Contrary to what some people think,
we are in a much stronger position than the EU.
We can afford to take our time."
The UK has a more prosperous economy with
lower unemployment, and should wait until a new
prime minister is chosen before entering talks,
he said.
'Anxiety'
His comments come after another Leave
supporter, JCB's chairman Lord Bamford, said
the UK had "little to fear from leaving the EU".
The Wetherspoons chairman said "anxiety is
understandable but it's a vote for democracy".
"Businesses never regret increased democracy
because democracy and prosperity are
inextricably linked," he told the BBC.
Shares in Wetherspoons dropped 8% on Friday as
the FTSE 250 index, on which it is listed,
suffered its biggest ever daily slide in the wake
of the referendum result.
But Mr Martin said: "In 1987 there was a stock
market slump by 27% and the economy boomed
for the next couple of years.
"There's a good chance the economy will pick
up following Brexit."
That will partly come from a cheaper pound, he
said, after it touched 30-year lows against the
dollar on Friday.
'Urgency'
Ruth Lea, economic adviser at the Arbuthnot
Banking Group and a Leave supporter, said that
despite the share falls, fears of another stock
market crash did not materialise.
She told the BBC's Today programme that she
also expected "trade to continue very much as it
is today" with the EU, even after the UK leaves.
Talks will start when the prime minister triggers
an EU clause called Article 50, a decision David
Cameron left to his successor when he
announced on Friday that he would step down .
Earlier, European Commission president Jean-
Claude Juncker said a proposed delay in those
talks "doesn't make sense".
German foreign minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier
agreed that talks should begin "as soon as
possible", while his French counterpart Jean-
Marc Ayrault said there was "a certain urgency".
of the Wetherspoons pub chain, has said anxiety
about leaving the European Union was
"understandable".
But he told the BBC that there was no need to
"rush into" EU exit talks.
On Saturday, EU leaders called for negotiations
to start "as soon as possible" now that the UK
has voted to leave the bloc.
"They are saying that because they are in a real
panic; they have no cards to play," Mr Martin
said.
He added: "Contrary to what some people think,
we are in a much stronger position than the EU.
We can afford to take our time."
The UK has a more prosperous economy with
lower unemployment, and should wait until a new
prime minister is chosen before entering talks,
he said.
'Anxiety'
His comments come after another Leave
supporter, JCB's chairman Lord Bamford, said
the UK had "little to fear from leaving the EU".
The Wetherspoons chairman said "anxiety is
understandable but it's a vote for democracy".
"Businesses never regret increased democracy
because democracy and prosperity are
inextricably linked," he told the BBC.
Shares in Wetherspoons dropped 8% on Friday as
the FTSE 250 index, on which it is listed,
suffered its biggest ever daily slide in the wake
of the referendum result.
But Mr Martin said: "In 1987 there was a stock
market slump by 27% and the economy boomed
for the next couple of years.
"There's a good chance the economy will pick
up following Brexit."
That will partly come from a cheaper pound, he
said, after it touched 30-year lows against the
dollar on Friday.
'Urgency'
Ruth Lea, economic adviser at the Arbuthnot
Banking Group and a Leave supporter, said that
despite the share falls, fears of another stock
market crash did not materialise.
She told the BBC's Today programme that she
also expected "trade to continue very much as it
is today" with the EU, even after the UK leaves.
Talks will start when the prime minister triggers
an EU clause called Article 50, a decision David
Cameron left to his successor when he
announced on Friday that he would step down .
Earlier, European Commission president Jean-
Claude Juncker said a proposed delay in those
talks "doesn't make sense".
German foreign minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier
agreed that talks should begin "as soon as
possible", while his French counterpart Jean-
Marc Ayrault said there was "a certain urgency".
Friday, 24 June 2016
A return to regional structure
DEFINITELY, we are at cross roads and perhaps
at a cuI-de-sac. This explains why we have been
vacillating over our choice of system of
government, heated arguments over revenue
sharing formula, creation of more states, more
local government councils, resource control and
so on.
We become more incensed each passing day as
we haplessly see our economy collapsing rapidly
in addition to the massive decay of our
infrastructure, the unprecedented plundering of
our national economy by the managers of the
economy who rail roaded their way to power
either through the barrel of the gun or callous
rigging of elections. Also, the raging violence on
the land has conspired with all these to
compound our problems.
These man made problems have placed us in a
quagmire, constructing a way out becomes a
major problem. This is why public commentators
at various fora, proffer several solutions on the
way forward. Even in beer parlours, offices,
motor parks the debate continues endlessly as
the frustrations of the down trodden slides
deeper.
Reverting to the regional structure recently
brought to the fore by Chief Emeka Anyaoku, a
highly respected statesment and a patriot to the
core, needs to be examined. Advancing his
reasons in nostalgia like others who had
previously favoured this argument, recalled the
tremendous achievements recorded under that
arrangement, which was practiced in a very
competitive and exciting years of Nigeria’s
golden era of Federalism. He reminded us that
the nation was developing better unlike under the
present 36 states arrangement where many
states remain unviable and unable to pay salaries
of civil servants.
The former Secretary General of the
Commonwealth, reasoned that the 36 states
structure is burdensome because of the huge
resources spent on governance catering for 36
states houses of assembly and 36 judiciary
services. No one doubts the argument of our
statesman, but returning to the former regional
structure, will defmitely return us to the polemics
of the past, the cry of marginaliation, the a
gitation of more states that dominated the last
decade of the struggle for independence. Then
as the nationalists, clamoured for independence,
the northern and southern minorities were also
agitating for more states coupled with the Niger
Delta politicians asking for a fair deal. These
demands were the safety values the minorities
asked for hinged on wider participation in
governance.
With the 36 states created, there is wider
participation in governance not withstanding
some inherent man made problems. Going back
to the huge success of the former regions
before and after independence, we should not
forget that the regions were allowed to legislate
on the appropriate legislative lists approved by
the constitution.
The Federal Government then, legislated on
exclusive list, the regions legislated on
concurrent list along with the central
government, while the local governments were
left with the residual list. The governments of
the regions were resourceful, encouraged
agricultural development and export of
groundnut, cotton, hides and skin from the North,
cocoa, timber, rubber, palm products from the
west and East regions respectively. Revenue
from these sustained their regions, universities;
hospitals and several kilometres of roads were
built by the regional governments. The funding of
free education by the western region government
was solely from cocoa export.
The North also spent its resources to educate
northerners in its strive to bridge the wide
education gap between the North and the south.
The local governments recorded resounding
success, building and maintaining dispensaries,
rural feeder roads, don’t forget PWD of that era.
All these were possible when we had
constitutionalism at work, not now when we have
unitary government masquerading as federalism.
One can recall when late Chief Obafemi
Awolowo, the flag bearer of Unity Party of
Nigeria and his rival, late Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe of
Nigerian Peoples Party replayed their rivalry of
the past when Chief A wolowo boasted that his
region had highest primary and secondary school
enrolment in the country while Zik boasted his
region built more kilometres of road.
That was Federalism at work. This is where the
failure of the 36 states was planned and
executed by the unpatriotic intrusion of the
military in national politics, a development, the
civilian regimes of the second Republic 1979 -
1983 and the current civilian regimes of 1999 to
date have been unable to reverses for the good
of the country.
The situation we found ourselves today is
painful, a situation that truncated the orderly
developments started by our founding fathers.
This is the making of our managers of resources,
the visionless, the scoundrels and buccaneers in
government who allowed the nation to careen.
The state and local governments cannot
generate fund, but go to the Abuja Santa Clause
for statutory allocation which is far more than
their Internally Generated Revenue (IGR).
A return to genuine and full federalism is the
panacea that will extricate us from this
quandary. Constitutionalism should be allowed to
thrive for rapid growth of Nigeria.
In this regard, all tiers of government - central,
States and Local Governments should share
powers as stipulated in the 1999 constitution.
The Local Governments should be freed from the
State governments’ mindless expropriation of its
powers as stated in Schedule Four of the
constitution.
Mr. Paul Orie, editor -in-chief , West Coast
Trader, wrote from Lagos.
at a cuI-de-sac. This explains why we have been
vacillating over our choice of system of
government, heated arguments over revenue
sharing formula, creation of more states, more
local government councils, resource control and
so on.
We become more incensed each passing day as
we haplessly see our economy collapsing rapidly
in addition to the massive decay of our
infrastructure, the unprecedented plundering of
our national economy by the managers of the
economy who rail roaded their way to power
either through the barrel of the gun or callous
rigging of elections. Also, the raging violence on
the land has conspired with all these to
compound our problems.
These man made problems have placed us in a
quagmire, constructing a way out becomes a
major problem. This is why public commentators
at various fora, proffer several solutions on the
way forward. Even in beer parlours, offices,
motor parks the debate continues endlessly as
the frustrations of the down trodden slides
deeper.
Reverting to the regional structure recently
brought to the fore by Chief Emeka Anyaoku, a
highly respected statesment and a patriot to the
core, needs to be examined. Advancing his
reasons in nostalgia like others who had
previously favoured this argument, recalled the
tremendous achievements recorded under that
arrangement, which was practiced in a very
competitive and exciting years of Nigeria’s
golden era of Federalism. He reminded us that
the nation was developing better unlike under the
present 36 states arrangement where many
states remain unviable and unable to pay salaries
of civil servants.
The former Secretary General of the
Commonwealth, reasoned that the 36 states
structure is burdensome because of the huge
resources spent on governance catering for 36
states houses of assembly and 36 judiciary
services. No one doubts the argument of our
statesman, but returning to the former regional
structure, will defmitely return us to the polemics
of the past, the cry of marginaliation, the a
gitation of more states that dominated the last
decade of the struggle for independence. Then
as the nationalists, clamoured for independence,
the northern and southern minorities were also
agitating for more states coupled with the Niger
Delta politicians asking for a fair deal. These
demands were the safety values the minorities
asked for hinged on wider participation in
governance.
With the 36 states created, there is wider
participation in governance not withstanding
some inherent man made problems. Going back
to the huge success of the former regions
before and after independence, we should not
forget that the regions were allowed to legislate
on the appropriate legislative lists approved by
the constitution.
The Federal Government then, legislated on
exclusive list, the regions legislated on
concurrent list along with the central
government, while the local governments were
left with the residual list. The governments of
the regions were resourceful, encouraged
agricultural development and export of
groundnut, cotton, hides and skin from the North,
cocoa, timber, rubber, palm products from the
west and East regions respectively. Revenue
from these sustained their regions, universities;
hospitals and several kilometres of roads were
built by the regional governments. The funding of
free education by the western region government
was solely from cocoa export.
The North also spent its resources to educate
northerners in its strive to bridge the wide
education gap between the North and the south.
The local governments recorded resounding
success, building and maintaining dispensaries,
rural feeder roads, don’t forget PWD of that era.
All these were possible when we had
constitutionalism at work, not now when we have
unitary government masquerading as federalism.
One can recall when late Chief Obafemi
Awolowo, the flag bearer of Unity Party of
Nigeria and his rival, late Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe of
Nigerian Peoples Party replayed their rivalry of
the past when Chief A wolowo boasted that his
region had highest primary and secondary school
enrolment in the country while Zik boasted his
region built more kilometres of road.
That was Federalism at work. This is where the
failure of the 36 states was planned and
executed by the unpatriotic intrusion of the
military in national politics, a development, the
civilian regimes of the second Republic 1979 -
1983 and the current civilian regimes of 1999 to
date have been unable to reverses for the good
of the country.
The situation we found ourselves today is
painful, a situation that truncated the orderly
developments started by our founding fathers.
This is the making of our managers of resources,
the visionless, the scoundrels and buccaneers in
government who allowed the nation to careen.
The state and local governments cannot
generate fund, but go to the Abuja Santa Clause
for statutory allocation which is far more than
their Internally Generated Revenue (IGR).
A return to genuine and full federalism is the
panacea that will extricate us from this
quandary. Constitutionalism should be allowed to
thrive for rapid growth of Nigeria.
In this regard, all tiers of government - central,
States and Local Governments should share
powers as stipulated in the 1999 constitution.
The Local Governments should be freed from the
State governments’ mindless expropriation of its
powers as stated in Schedule Four of the
constitution.
Mr. Paul Orie, editor -in-chief , West Coast
Trader, wrote from Lagos.
Trump hail Brexit
Donald Trump hailed Britain's vote to leave the
EU as "fantastic" shortly after arriving in
Scotland on Friday for his first international trip
since becoming the presumptive Republican
presidential nominee.
"I think it's a great thing. I think it's a fantastic
thing," he told reporters.
Ahead of his visit, Trump had told Fox News that
he felt Britain should "go it alone" and leave the
28-member EU in a move that could shape the
continent.
Trump swooped down by helicopter into his
Trump Turnberry golf course, where a large
Scottish flag flew in front of the picturesque
seafront, as protesters gathered nearby.
The visit is brief, long enough to cut the ribbon
on a refurbishment of his golf course, returning
to the US presidential campaign by Saturday.
The New York celebrity tycoon has caused alarm
in Europe with his abrasive style and pledges to
deport millions of undocumented immigrants and
build a wall on the border with Mexico.
His proposal to ban Muslims from entering the
United States drew the ire of Britain's Prime
Minister David Cameron, who called the idea
"stupid, divisive and wrong".
His main rival for the presidential vote in
November, Hillary Clinton, seized the moment to
post a video compilation of criticism from
Cameron and others.
"People in Scotland are not thrilled about Trump
coming to their country," Clinton posted on
Twitter. "We know the feeling."
- 'Not welcome' -
Two groups, Scotland Against Trump and Stand
Up To Racism Scotland bussed protesters to the
golf resort to picket the property mogul.
"Scotland is a progressive, tolerant and
multicultural country and we oppose the bigotry
that Donald Trump represents," Keir McKechnie
of Stand Up To Racism Scotland told AFP.
"We want to tell the world that he's not welcome
here."
Jonathon Shafi of Scotland Against Trump said
he wanted the gathering to demonstrate unity
with protesters in the United States that have
disrupted Trump rallies.
"We want to send a message of solidarity to
movements like Black Lives Matter that we are
united in opposition," Shafi told AFP.
On Saturday, Trump is expected to travel to the
Trump International Golf Links, his course in the
eastern coastal village of Balmedie, a resort that
has been controversial with locals.
Some irate neighbours living next to the course
have raised Mexican flags in symbolic opposition
to Trump.
The trip is in a starkly different atmosphere than
a visit to Germany by Barack Obama in 2008,
when the US president was the presumptive
Democratic nominee.
Obama addressed a crowd of tens of thousands
about his hopes of closer links to a unified
Europe.
Trump has criticised the continent's leaders as
"weak", and accused them of inadequate
measures to combat terrorism after attacks in
Brussels this year.
EU as "fantastic" shortly after arriving in
Scotland on Friday for his first international trip
since becoming the presumptive Republican
presidential nominee.
"I think it's a great thing. I think it's a fantastic
thing," he told reporters.
Ahead of his visit, Trump had told Fox News that
he felt Britain should "go it alone" and leave the
28-member EU in a move that could shape the
continent.
Trump swooped down by helicopter into his
Trump Turnberry golf course, where a large
Scottish flag flew in front of the picturesque
seafront, as protesters gathered nearby.
The visit is brief, long enough to cut the ribbon
on a refurbishment of his golf course, returning
to the US presidential campaign by Saturday.
The New York celebrity tycoon has caused alarm
in Europe with his abrasive style and pledges to
deport millions of undocumented immigrants and
build a wall on the border with Mexico.
His proposal to ban Muslims from entering the
United States drew the ire of Britain's Prime
Minister David Cameron, who called the idea
"stupid, divisive and wrong".
His main rival for the presidential vote in
November, Hillary Clinton, seized the moment to
post a video compilation of criticism from
Cameron and others.
"People in Scotland are not thrilled about Trump
coming to their country," Clinton posted on
Twitter. "We know the feeling."
- 'Not welcome' -
Two groups, Scotland Against Trump and Stand
Up To Racism Scotland bussed protesters to the
golf resort to picket the property mogul.
"Scotland is a progressive, tolerant and
multicultural country and we oppose the bigotry
that Donald Trump represents," Keir McKechnie
of Stand Up To Racism Scotland told AFP.
"We want to tell the world that he's not welcome
here."
Jonathon Shafi of Scotland Against Trump said
he wanted the gathering to demonstrate unity
with protesters in the United States that have
disrupted Trump rallies.
"We want to send a message of solidarity to
movements like Black Lives Matter that we are
united in opposition," Shafi told AFP.
On Saturday, Trump is expected to travel to the
Trump International Golf Links, his course in the
eastern coastal village of Balmedie, a resort that
has been controversial with locals.
Some irate neighbours living next to the course
have raised Mexican flags in symbolic opposition
to Trump.
The trip is in a starkly different atmosphere than
a visit to Germany by Barack Obama in 2008,
when the US president was the presumptive
Democratic nominee.
Obama addressed a crowd of tens of thousands
about his hopes of closer links to a unified
Europe.
Trump has criticised the continent's leaders as
"weak", and accused them of inadequate
measures to combat terrorism after attacks in
Brussels this year.
Saraki, others will face fair hearing
ABUJA - The Attorney General of the Federation
and Minister of Justice, Mr. Abubakar Malami,
SAN, on Thursday, insisted that the Senate
President, Dr. Bukola Saraki and his deputy, Ike
Ekweremadu, have a case to answer over alleged
forgery of the Senate Standing Orders, 2015.
The AGF, in a statement he issued through his
media aide, Mr. Salihu Othman Isah, said it was
"quite unfortunate" that the Senate construed
move by the Federal Government to dock Saraki
and Ekweremadu as "a coup against the
legislature with a view to cause a leadership
change in the National Assembly".
Malami said his attention was drawn to a press
statement by the Senate, signed by Senator Aliyu
Sabi Abdullahi, Chairman, Senate Committee on
Media and Affairs, on June 19.
He said the statement entitled, ‘Forgery Case, An
Unconstitutional Violation of Principles of
Separation of Powers, Checks and Balances’,
was published in some national dailies and social
media platforms.
Malami who maintained that his office was
empowered under Section 174 (1) of the 1999
Constitution and vested with the power to
undertake and initiate criminal proceedings in any
court of law in Nigeria, accused the Senate of
deliberately raising allegations "to whip up
sentiments of Nigerians".
and Minister of Justice, Mr. Abubakar Malami,
SAN, on Thursday, insisted that the Senate
President, Dr. Bukola Saraki and his deputy, Ike
Ekweremadu, have a case to answer over alleged
forgery of the Senate Standing Orders, 2015.
The AGF, in a statement he issued through his
media aide, Mr. Salihu Othman Isah, said it was
"quite unfortunate" that the Senate construed
move by the Federal Government to dock Saraki
and Ekweremadu as "a coup against the
legislature with a view to cause a leadership
change in the National Assembly".
Malami said his attention was drawn to a press
statement by the Senate, signed by Senator Aliyu
Sabi Abdullahi, Chairman, Senate Committee on
Media and Affairs, on June 19.
He said the statement entitled, ‘Forgery Case, An
Unconstitutional Violation of Principles of
Separation of Powers, Checks and Balances’,
was published in some national dailies and social
media platforms.
Malami who maintained that his office was
empowered under Section 174 (1) of the 1999
Constitution and vested with the power to
undertake and initiate criminal proceedings in any
court of law in Nigeria, accused the Senate of
deliberately raising allegations "to whip up
sentiments of Nigerians".
I know nothing about alleged forgery
ABUJA— SENATE President, Bukola Saraki, said
yesterday that he knew nothing about the alleged
forgery of the 2015 Standing Rules, saying he
was simply a senator-elect, prior to the
inauguration of the 8th Senate.
He also vowed to explore all legal options
necessary to ward off what he described as a
fresh case of persecution and distraction.
Saraki said the current attempt to shut down the
Senate by dragging its presiding officers before a
court for a phantom allegation of forgery would
not add to attempts to solve the problems
confronting the nation by the All Progressives
Congress, APC.
Needless distractions
He added that these needless distractions would
do nobody any good as it would not help in
delivering on the promise of bringing positive
change to the lives of Nigerians who voted for
the APC in the last elections.
According to him, the ongoing efforts to drag him
into a case of forgery before the Federal Capital
Territory, FCT, High Court is another phase in the
orchestrated persecution he has been facing
since he emerged as Senate President a year
ago.
Saraki in a statement by his Special Adviser,
Media and Publicity, Yusuph Olaniyonu, noted
that he was not a part of the leadership of the
7th Senate that made the rules in question.
He said prior to his unanimous election as
Senate President on June 9, 2015, he was merely
a senator-elect like all his colleagues, and was,
therefore, not in a position to influence the rules
used in the conduct of the election.
The statement read: “The Police in their
investigation were conscious that the incumbent
Senate President was not in office prior to June
9, 2015 and that was why in their letters inviting
some individuals for their investigation, they only
mentioned officers of the 7th Senate. The last of
the letters was written to the Clerk of the
National Assembly on June 7, 2016 and he was
not among those invited.
“Those who decided to smuggle the name of the
Senate President into the charge sheet after the
fact knew perfectly well that only the leadership
of the 7th Senate were invited for investigation.
‘’But they needed to implicate him in keeping
with their declared vow to ensure that even if
their current efforts to nail him through the Code
of Conduct Tribunal, CCT, fails, they would find
other ways to carry out their vendetta.
“This so-called forgery case is another wanton
abuse of the judicial process and making a
mockery of the institution of justice. As the
Senate earlier stated, the sponsors of this plot
are not only gunning for Dr. Saraki, what they
have just launched with this latest antics is a
grand onslaught on the foremost institution of
our democracy.
Dictatorship and democracy
‘’The only institutional difference between
dictatorship and democracy is the presence of
the legislature. Therefore, by seeking to cripple
the National Assembly, they have declared a war
on our hard-won democracy and aimed for the
very jugular of our freedom.
“Let us restate the fact that the Senators who
initiated the Police investigation in the first place
had raised the same matter on the floor and
were overwhelmingly overruled.
‘’They also filed a civil suit and were told by the
court that neither the judiciary nor the executive
can interfere in the internal affairs of the
legislative arm.
“The Senate President recognises the sundry
problems bedeviling our nation today - food
insecurity, devaluation of the Naira, inflation,
unemployment, failing national infrastructure,
insurgency in the North-eastern part of the
country, restiveness in the oil producing areas,
and general insecurity, among others - and
believes that finding solutions to them should be
the priority, at this period, for every individual in
government, not the pursuit of narrow political
objectives."
Malami to appear before Senate
Meanwhile, in line with the summon by the
Senate, the Attorney General of the Federation
and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, would
today, appear before the Senator David Umaru-
led Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and
Legal Matters to explain his reason for initiating
legal action against the Senate President, Bukola
Saraki, and his deputy, Ike Ekweremadu, over
alleged forgery of Senate Standing Rules.
It would be recalled that the Senate had at its
plenary on Tuesday, unanimously resolved that
its 2015 Standing Rules were not forged.
yesterday that he knew nothing about the alleged
forgery of the 2015 Standing Rules, saying he
was simply a senator-elect, prior to the
inauguration of the 8th Senate.
He also vowed to explore all legal options
necessary to ward off what he described as a
fresh case of persecution and distraction.
Saraki said the current attempt to shut down the
Senate by dragging its presiding officers before a
court for a phantom allegation of forgery would
not add to attempts to solve the problems
confronting the nation by the All Progressives
Congress, APC.
Needless distractions
He added that these needless distractions would
do nobody any good as it would not help in
delivering on the promise of bringing positive
change to the lives of Nigerians who voted for
the APC in the last elections.
According to him, the ongoing efforts to drag him
into a case of forgery before the Federal Capital
Territory, FCT, High Court is another phase in the
orchestrated persecution he has been facing
since he emerged as Senate President a year
ago.
Saraki in a statement by his Special Adviser,
Media and Publicity, Yusuph Olaniyonu, noted
that he was not a part of the leadership of the
7th Senate that made the rules in question.
He said prior to his unanimous election as
Senate President on June 9, 2015, he was merely
a senator-elect like all his colleagues, and was,
therefore, not in a position to influence the rules
used in the conduct of the election.
The statement read: “The Police in their
investigation were conscious that the incumbent
Senate President was not in office prior to June
9, 2015 and that was why in their letters inviting
some individuals for their investigation, they only
mentioned officers of the 7th Senate. The last of
the letters was written to the Clerk of the
National Assembly on June 7, 2016 and he was
not among those invited.
“Those who decided to smuggle the name of the
Senate President into the charge sheet after the
fact knew perfectly well that only the leadership
of the 7th Senate were invited for investigation.
‘’But they needed to implicate him in keeping
with their declared vow to ensure that even if
their current efforts to nail him through the Code
of Conduct Tribunal, CCT, fails, they would find
other ways to carry out their vendetta.
“This so-called forgery case is another wanton
abuse of the judicial process and making a
mockery of the institution of justice. As the
Senate earlier stated, the sponsors of this plot
are not only gunning for Dr. Saraki, what they
have just launched with this latest antics is a
grand onslaught on the foremost institution of
our democracy.
Dictatorship and democracy
‘’The only institutional difference between
dictatorship and democracy is the presence of
the legislature. Therefore, by seeking to cripple
the National Assembly, they have declared a war
on our hard-won democracy and aimed for the
very jugular of our freedom.
“Let us restate the fact that the Senators who
initiated the Police investigation in the first place
had raised the same matter on the floor and
were overwhelmingly overruled.
‘’They also filed a civil suit and were told by the
court that neither the judiciary nor the executive
can interfere in the internal affairs of the
legislative arm.
“The Senate President recognises the sundry
problems bedeviling our nation today - food
insecurity, devaluation of the Naira, inflation,
unemployment, failing national infrastructure,
insurgency in the North-eastern part of the
country, restiveness in the oil producing areas,
and general insecurity, among others - and
believes that finding solutions to them should be
the priority, at this period, for every individual in
government, not the pursuit of narrow political
objectives."
Malami to appear before Senate
Meanwhile, in line with the summon by the
Senate, the Attorney General of the Federation
and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, would
today, appear before the Senator David Umaru-
led Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and
Legal Matters to explain his reason for initiating
legal action against the Senate President, Bukola
Saraki, and his deputy, Ike Ekweremadu, over
alleged forgery of Senate Standing Rules.
It would be recalled that the Senate had at its
plenary on Tuesday, unanimously resolved that
its 2015 Standing Rules were not forged.
No country could move forward without concensus
ABUJA - Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has again
harped on the significant role elites play in the
development Nigeria, urging them to build
consensus on national matters.
Osinbajo spoke at
the 10th Annual
Conference of
Nigerian Bar
Association, NBA's
Section on
Business Law
Dinner held at the
Transcorp Hilton,
Abuja,
The Vice President
who had in the
past spoken about
the need for elite
consensus in the
country and called for a "new tribe of Nigerians,"
to rid the country of corruption, stated that
“whether we accept it or not, the weight of what
happens in our society really rests on our
shoulders (as elites). Therefore the society
would depend a lot on the elites in the coming
years and that is a huge responsibility.”
According to him, no country could move forward
if the elites had not come to consensus on
certain values.
He said: "The challenges facing Nigeria is huge
yet the elites are yet to come consensus. There
is no consensus (as yet) on ethics, integrity and
even corruption. To what extent do we accept
corruption; that is, to what extent do we think it
is most unacceptable, that it would destroy our
country. We need consensus on what is right to
do, for self preservation and for that (the
preservation) of the country, it is essential.”
The Vice President stated that “there is no
society that has been successful, where the
elites don't have consensus on questions of
integrity and morals,” adding that “forging such
consensus regarding vital issues is the only way
to go, if our society is to grow.”
Stressing the fact that, “we do not have to
belong to the same religion or tribe, state or geo-
political zones, he reiterated the need to speak
about ethics and how to enforce it if we want
our country to move forward and be united.”
On the ease of doing business in Nigeria,
Osinbajo said the present administration has
recently set up a Presidential Ease of Doing
Business Council which he chairs, adding that
the Council will work to “create an enabling
environment for business which, might
necessitate removal or relaxation of some of the
rules and making more use of electronic
applications to shorten the time and be able to
say specifically how long getting necessary
documents or certificates will take.”
He also noted that “the area of adjudication
requires some radical thinking and changes,
commercial litigation is the area that feels the
pinch the most,” noting that the system is so
slow that, it has attracted a lot of negative
comments outside the country.
Meanwhile, the Vice President has urged
Christians to deal with challenges and conflicts
in the body of Christ with due diligence as
expected of believers and based on Scripture.
He stated this a meeting with a delegation of the
Christian Arbitration Centre led by retired
Supreme Court Justice James Ogebe, at the
Presidential Villa.
While expressing his delight at the formation of
the centre to resolve conflicts among Christians,
Osinbajo told the delegation to seek the buy-ins
from trustworthy Christian leaders to support the
Centre ahead of its summit in September.
Earlier, the leader of the delegation, Justice
Ogebe, said the reason for setting up Christian
Arbitration Centre was for Christians to have a
place where Christians can come for justice
without going to the regular courts for matters
that are strictly Christian.
He said it was sad that church matters such as
allegations and conflicts were treated at the
secular courts.
harped on the significant role elites play in the
development Nigeria, urging them to build
consensus on national matters.
Osinbajo spoke at
the 10th Annual
Conference of
Nigerian Bar
Association, NBA's
Section on
Business Law
Dinner held at the
Transcorp Hilton,
Abuja,
The Vice President
who had in the
past spoken about
the need for elite
consensus in the
country and called for a "new tribe of Nigerians,"
to rid the country of corruption, stated that
“whether we accept it or not, the weight of what
happens in our society really rests on our
shoulders (as elites). Therefore the society
would depend a lot on the elites in the coming
years and that is a huge responsibility.”
According to him, no country could move forward
if the elites had not come to consensus on
certain values.
He said: "The challenges facing Nigeria is huge
yet the elites are yet to come consensus. There
is no consensus (as yet) on ethics, integrity and
even corruption. To what extent do we accept
corruption; that is, to what extent do we think it
is most unacceptable, that it would destroy our
country. We need consensus on what is right to
do, for self preservation and for that (the
preservation) of the country, it is essential.”
The Vice President stated that “there is no
society that has been successful, where the
elites don't have consensus on questions of
integrity and morals,” adding that “forging such
consensus regarding vital issues is the only way
to go, if our society is to grow.”
Stressing the fact that, “we do not have to
belong to the same religion or tribe, state or geo-
political zones, he reiterated the need to speak
about ethics and how to enforce it if we want
our country to move forward and be united.”
On the ease of doing business in Nigeria,
Osinbajo said the present administration has
recently set up a Presidential Ease of Doing
Business Council which he chairs, adding that
the Council will work to “create an enabling
environment for business which, might
necessitate removal or relaxation of some of the
rules and making more use of electronic
applications to shorten the time and be able to
say specifically how long getting necessary
documents or certificates will take.”
He also noted that “the area of adjudication
requires some radical thinking and changes,
commercial litigation is the area that feels the
pinch the most,” noting that the system is so
slow that, it has attracted a lot of negative
comments outside the country.
Meanwhile, the Vice President has urged
Christians to deal with challenges and conflicts
in the body of Christ with due diligence as
expected of believers and based on Scripture.
He stated this a meeting with a delegation of the
Christian Arbitration Centre led by retired
Supreme Court Justice James Ogebe, at the
Presidential Villa.
While expressing his delight at the formation of
the centre to resolve conflicts among Christians,
Osinbajo told the delegation to seek the buy-ins
from trustworthy Christian leaders to support the
Centre ahead of its summit in September.
Earlier, the leader of the delegation, Justice
Ogebe, said the reason for setting up Christian
Arbitration Centre was for Christians to have a
place where Christians can come for justice
without going to the regular courts for matters
that are strictly Christian.
He said it was sad that church matters such as
allegations and conflicts were treated at the
secular courts.
Militants attack at Ikorodu
Gunmen suspected to be militants were said to
have invaded Igbolomu and Ishawo areas in
Ikorodu Local Government Area of Lagos State.
According to eyewitnesses who escaped from
one of the invaded areas, said the gunmen from
the Niger Delta came through water channel
since yesterday and started shooting
sporadically.
Details Later.
have invaded Igbolomu and Ishawo areas in
Ikorodu Local Government Area of Lagos State.
According to eyewitnesses who escaped from
one of the invaded areas, said the gunmen from
the Niger Delta came through water channel
since yesterday and started shooting
sporadically.
Details Later.
allergic to corruption
| |||
ABUJA -President Muhammadu Buhari,
Wednesday , said it was a national disgrace that
most states of the federation couldn't pay
Wednesday , said it was a national disgrace that
most states of the federation couldn't pay
salaries of their workers.
The President said this while addressing State
House staff, who gathered at the forecourt of
the Presidential Villa, Abuja, to formally welcome
him back from his vacation in London.
Vanguard learned that
this would be the first
time ever a President
would be addressing
State House staff.
Giving highlights of the
journey so far, the
President told the
workers that the
economy was down
and that agriculture
which used to be the
mainstay of the
country was the only
alternative now.
Blaming the failure of
past administrations to
save during the boom times of high prices of
crude oil, the President decried the inability of
many states to pay workers’ salaries, describing
it as a national disgrace.
His words: “27 out of the 36 states couldn’t pay
salaries. This is a disgrace to Nigeria. It is a
disgrace. Up till now, most of the states cannot
pay salaries. What happened to all we have got
over the years? We look up and down, left, right
and centre, what have we saved? There was
nothing because we developed a consumption
culture that we were not supposed to develop.
“Most of your colleagues that have left service, I
doubt if they are getting benefits. That is the
situation we find ourselves in.
“You know we have gone through a lot of change
over the past year. We met 42 ministries and we
found out the economy cannot take it because
of the ineptitude in place. We have turned
ourselves to a mono-economy, depending only on
oil.
“Most people threw away their farms and solid
minerals equipment and rushed to the city to
collect oil money and enjoy. What used to be an
average of $100 from 1999 to 2014 went down
to $30. What should concern us and the rest of
the Nigerian elite is how we can continue to
sustain ourselves in terms of materials and
security.”
Agriculture, our only alternative
“What I am asking Nigerians really is: What is
our alternative? Our immediate alternative is
agriculture and solid minerals.
“That was why we voted a lot of money for
agriculture so that we can at least feed
ourselves. Once we can feed ourselves, we can
say okay, let the struggle continue. At least we
can eat two to three meals per day.
“We have to quickly go back to the farm. It is
too late for this year. But next year, we will
make a better arrangement to make sure next
year, we can feed ourselves.”
I’m allergic to corruption
The President also reiterated his resolve to fight
corruption to a standstill, vowing that all
fraudulent acts in Nigeria must stop.
Stern and unequivocal in his speech, President
Buhari warned the staff and, indeed, Nigerians
across all disciplines to cultivate the right
attitude and eschew all manner of fraudulent
acts, stressing that jail awaits anyone found
culpable.
Recalling his days back in secondary school,
President Buhari said he had always been
allergic to corruption and will deal decisively with
anyone who indulged in any illicit deals.
The President, who also emphasized personal
integrity, urged the workers to be conscious of
stigmatization which may bring shame to their
families.
He said that ridding Nigeria of corruption was
necessary to secure a better country for
posterity.
He said: “I thank you for welcoming me back
from my health break. You are the judges,
perhaps I look healthier than I left or I came
worse.
“All fraud must stop. If they don’t believe us,
they should go, try and see those we caught red
handed with public funds. This exercise will
continue as long as this leadership is here.
Whoever takes anything that does not belong to
him or that he is not entitled to, it will be
documented and the person will be taken to
court. This is the only way I think we can bail
ourselves out. I am asking you to dedicate
yourselves more to your country because I said
more than 30 years ago, there is no other
country but Nigeria.
We must rehabilitate our country
“We are determined to rehabilitate our country
for the sake of our children and our
grandchildren. I have never in my life from class
monitor to this place, twice in different forms,
believed in corruption. In what we are doing, if
we had made mistakes along the line, the
country would have been further backward than
this. But we don’t touch anybody who did not
touch public funds.
“You should behave yourself. If you don’t have
houses in Abuja and the whole of Europe, you
will sleep soundly. You and your family will earn
respect. But if you shortchange the treasury, you
will be caught and I pity your family because
people will be abusing them. People will be
calling you big thieves, that how did you raise
money to build all the houses in Abuja and
Europe with your meagre salary.
“I think personal integrity is something to be
encouraged. I assure you that I am absolutely
dedicated to serve Nigeria. Those who behave
themselves will never regret, but those who don’t
behave themselves, na their problem.”
Change must come to Nigeria
Speaking on anti-terrorism war in Nigeria,
President Buhari said remarkable achievements
had been recorded so far.
He stated that the change his party, the All
Progressives Congress, APC, promised to
Nigerians must eventually come, despite the
present challenges.
“On the insecurity in the North-East, the army
has made a lot of remarkable improvements, no
matter what anybody wants to say.
Unfortunately, there is the other unstable part of
the country, the Niger Delta, with their myriads
of organizations that are competing over which
one can do more damage to the country and the
oil companies and oil wells. For how long are we
going to do this?
“It is not easy to preach change when people
are used to something from 1999 till now. The
change must take place because, as I said, we
were used to getting $100 per barrel...this
reflects on the economic predicament the
country finds itself.
“This has affected the morale and integrity of a
lot of people who bother to ask what is
happening to their country. The fact that you
work here, no matter what level, people expect
you to know and they expect you to discuss with
them intelligently and show your concern for your
country and what we are going to leave for our
children and grandchildren. Let’s not lose the
opportunity for the future so that we can build
infrastructure.”
Past leaders failed in power sector
The President who also decried the epileptic
power situation in the country, regretted that
past administrations failed Nigeria in the power
sector.
“Look at power. How much did we spend on
power? From barbers to factories, shops, we all
depend on power. There is virtually no
improvement from 1999 till now no matter how
many billions they have spent,” he said.
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