friday, april 19, 2013

2015: Well push out PDP Buhari, Tinubu

SINA FADARE AND TEMITOPE OGUNBANKE

Prominent opposition party leaders yester-day vowed to wrest power from the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in the 2015 elections, describ-ing the reign of the ruling party as years of the lo-cust.

Former Head of State, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (rtd); Asiwaju Bola Tinubu; National Chairman, Ac-tion Congress of Nigeria, ACN, Chief Bisi Akande; the Congress for Progres-

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EFCC arrests top Imo offi cials over N1bn contract scam

Vol. 3 N0. 603 Friday, April 19, 2013 N150

NUT threatens strike in 18 states P.8

Boko Haram: Amnesty plan suffers another setback

L-R: Former presidential candidate, Congress for Progressive Change, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (rtd); National Chairman, Action Congress of Nigeria, Chief Bisi Akande; National Leader, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu and former ACN presidential candidate, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, at ACN national convention in Lagos, yesterday. More photos on page 10. PHOTO: YINKA ADEPARUSI

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Presidency descends on Amaechi as NSA quizzes commissionerSAM OLUWALANA, OLUFEMI ADEOSUN AND GODWIN OKONKWO

Indications emerged yes-terday that the Presiden-cy might have descended on Rivers State Governor Rotimi Amaechi over his op-position to President Good-

luck Jonathan.This was not unconnected

with the summons issued by the National Security Adviser, NSA, Col Sambo

Nigerians vote forLGs autonomy, state assemblies

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Kidnapped LG boss: We dont need your assistance, police warn OPC

P.10

P.4,9

Baba Suwe: Appeal Court reserves judgement

Explosions rock Texas, 15 die, over 160 injured

16 PAGES OF ARTS, REVIEWS, LIFESTYLE AND BUZZ TO START YOUR WEEKEND, BEGIN ON PAGE 19

FRIDAYFlavourYour P.22,23

AMAA 2013:Film world goes to Bayelsa

...say ruling partyll lose 32 statesACN holds last convention, approves merger into APC

Obama

Jonathan Bamigbetan

ACF begs sect...Datti Ahmed joins Shehu Sani to pull out

Weve no faith in the committee, CAN insists

ur

Rita DominicRita Dominic Yvonne OkoroYvonne Okoro

FBI indentifies suspects of Boston blasts

15 die, 160 injured in Texas fertilizer plant blastThe remains of the plant continue to smoulder. Emergency services officials said ammonia may have caused the explosion.

Governor declares blast city a disaster area

FBI identifi es two suspects in Boston Marathon bombing

Boston explosions: Obama vows bombers will face justice

L-R: U.S. President Barack Obama and his wife Michelle at the interfaith memorial service for the victims of the bombing at the Boston Marathon in Boston, Massachusetts, yesterday. PHOTO: REUTERS

The suspects

PAUL ARHEWEWITH AGENCY REPORTS

Rescue teams searched the charred rubble of homes in a small Texas City yesterday for survivors of a fiery ex-plosion at a nearby fertiliz-er plant that killed as many as 15 people, injured more than 160 and destroyed doz-ens of buildings.

Three to four volunteer firefighters were among the missing following the blast on Wednesday night, said Sgt. William Patrick Swan-ton of the Waco, Texas, po-

lice department.Firefighters had been

fighting a fire at the West Fertilizer Co for about 20 minutes before the 8 p.m. blast rocked West, a town of 2,700 people about 20 miles north of Waco.

The plant had tanks of volatile anhydrous ammo-nia, including what initial reports said was a tanker-sized container like those hauled on freight trains, Swanton said at a news con-ference on Thursday. How-ever, the immediate threat from fumes appeared to have abated, he said.

Texas Governor Rick Perry yesterday an-nounced he had requested an emergency declaration for McLennan County, where the fertilizer plant is located. He was in area where the blast took place monitoring develop-ments and gathering infor-mation as details continue to emerge about the tragic incident.

Last night was truly a nightmare, Perry said. This tragedy has most likely hit every family and touched practically every-one in that town.

He has mobilized state

resources to help local au-thorities. They will remain in West as long as they are needed, according to Perry, who said Texas Task Force 1 and 2 and the Texas Na-tional Guard are still con-ducting search and rescue in the area. Pipelines are also being monitored close-ly.

Perry praised emergen-cy responders, the out pour-ing of community support and courage of citizens who quickly reacted to help victims. He also thanked President Obama who called from Air Force One on his way to Boston.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation, FBI last night released photos of two suspects in the Boston Marathon bombings and is asking for the publics help in identify-ing them.

Someone out there knows these individuals, FBI Special Agent Richard DesLauriers said at a news conference.

DesLauriers said one of the suspects is believed to

have planted the devices near the finish line of the race.

The two men were pho-tographed walking togeth-er near the finish line of the marathon before the explosions that killed three people and wounded about 180.

One of the two men was seen setting down a back-pack at the site of the sec-ond explosion, said Special Agent Rick DesLauriers, the head of the FBIs Bos-

ton office.According to him, both

suspects are considered armed and extremely dan-gerous.

Within moments of the FBI releasing the images on its website, the agencys website crashed.

The explosions Monday killed three people and in-jured more than 180.

The images were re-leased hours after President Barack Obama and First

Lady Michelle Obama at-tended an interfaith service at a Roman Catholic cathe-dral in Boston to remember the victims, including an 8-year-old boy.

Whoever planted the bombs picked the wrong city to attack, he said. Ev-ery one of us stands with you. Boston may be your hometown but we claim it, too. ... For millions of us, what happened on Monday is personal.

President Barack Obama told a memo-rial service for the Boston bombing victims that we will find who-ever carried out the attack that killed three people as investigators search for two men seen on a video of the scene shortly before the blasts.

Obama said Americans would not be intimidated by the twin blasts, which also injured 176 people in a crowd of thousands at the finish line of the world-famous marathon on Mon-day.

If they sought to intimi-date us, to terrorize us, to shake us from those values ... that define us as Ameri-cans, it should be pretty

The blast destroyed 60 to 80 houses, officials said. It reduced a 50-unit apart-ment complex to what one local official called a skeleton standing up and left a horrific landscape of burned-out buildings and blackened rubble.

It looks like a war zone with all the debris, McLen-nan County Sheriff Parnell McNamara said.

Amid such devastation, the death toll remained a rough estimate of five to 15 people, Swanton said. He said more than 160 people were injured and that num-

ber was likely to rise.Emergency crews were

moving from house to house in a search and res-cue operation, Stanton said.

Thats good news to me, meaning that theyre proba-bly still getting injured peo-ple, he said. They have not gotten to the point of no return where they dont think that theres anybody still alive.

The firefighters had been battling the fire and evacuating nearby houses and a nursing home out of concern about possible dan-gerous fumes before the ex-

clear by now that they picked the wrong city to do it to. Not here in Boston, Obama said at the memo-rial on Thursday.

While investigators have

made no arrests yet, Obama said of the perpetrator or perpetrators of the attack, We will find you and you will face justice.

Homeland Security

Secretary Janet Napoli-tano earlier on Thursday in Washington confirmed that the FBI was searching for people seen on a video taken near the finish line.

plosion occurred, Swanton said.

Texas Public Safety De-partment spokesman D.L. Wilson said half the town, eight to 10 blocks, had been evacuated. Officials said

133 people were removed from the nursing home.

There are still firefight-ers missing, Swanton said. They were actively fight-ing the fire at the time the explosion occurred.

Firefighters searching for survivors and victims in the wreckage of an apartment building destroyed by the explosion yesterday

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net2 Friday, April 19, 2013News

Friday, April 19, 2013National Mirrorwww.nationalmirroronline.net 3

Photo News National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.netFriday, April 19, 20134

TORDUE SALEMABUJA

After a long wait, the House of Represen-tatives yesterday submitted its report on public sessions held simul-taneously in the 360 Federal Constituencies on the 1999 Constitution.

The report was present-ed before a crowd of stake-holders from the Nigeria Bar Association, NBA; the Nigeria Union of Journal-ists, NUJ; the National Union of Local Govern-ment Employees, NULGE; the Nigeria Labour Con-gress, NLC, and several oth-ers.

The report was pre-sented to the public by the lead consultant to the Hon. Emeka Ihedioha-led Ad-hoc Committee on Constitu-tion Review, Mr. Clement Nwankwo, at 11.21am.

The public sessions that were held in the 360 constit-uencies, had constituents field 43 questions.

The constituents from the collated results voted

for the removal of immuni-ty for sitting Presidents and Governors in civil cases, 225 votes to 132, but voted overwhelmingly against state control of the police by 307 votes against 53.

Nigerians also voted for the creation of more states by 245 to 105 votes, and vot-ed for over 19 states to be created by 205 votes against 133.

They, however, voted 27, 324 for financial autono-my for local governments against 26 votes while vot-ing 295 for financial au-tonomy for state Houses of Assembly against 62. Also, the people voted 279 for the justifiability of Chapter 2 of the constitution on fun-damental human rights against 78 votes.

Nigerians also voted 342 votes to six on the need for the President and Gover-nors to present budget pro-posals to state Houses of Assemblies and the federal

legislature three months to the end of every fiscal year, and voted for the abolition of State Joint Local Gov-ernment Account by 295 to 62.

Nigerians also voted on November 10, 2012, against the request for state govern-ments to create local gov-ernments and fund them, by 276 to 78. They, however, voted for the proper recog-nition of local government as a third-tier of govern-ment by 291 to 66 votes.

They rejected the alloca-tion of funds to care-taker executives of local govern-ments by 277 votes to 70, defined tenure for local gov-ernments, chairmen/coun-cillors in the constitution by 331 to 26, but rejected the request to transfer some items on the exclusive list to the concurrent list by 180 to 181 votes.

Nigerians across con-stituencies voted against State Independent Electoral

Commissions, by 261 votes to 95, but voted for the Na-tional Youth Service Corps, Land Use Act, Public Com-plaints Commission Act and the National Security Agencies Act, to remain in the constitution by 216 votes to 139.

In his response to the presentation of the re-port, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Aminu Tambuwal, apolo-gised for the delay in pre-senting the report.

I would like to start by, once again, on behalf of the House of Representatives, extend our apology to all Nigerians for the obvious inconveniences caused by the sudden postponement of the earlier scheduled date for the submission of this report.

As the Deputy Speaker rightly noted in his wel-come address, the postpone-ment became inevitable in order to allow honourable

members, who were yet to verify their reports in the compiled documents to do so. I am pleased to confirm that that has now been done and what we have today is the true representation of what transpired at the pub-lic session in the various constituencies.

He said he was glad to receive the report of that endeavour from the Ad-hoc Committee. Let me there-fore express my sincere appreciation to all the hon-ourable members of the House of Representatives for the successful conduct of the exercise and to the Ad-hoc Committee for dili-gently perusing, collating and producing the report before us. As a participant observer, I am not in any doubt that the exercise was challenging but ultimately fulfilling.

The Deputy Speaker, Hon. Ihedioha, was elated that the views of all Nige-rians on various issues out-lined in the ongoing review of the constitution have been fully reflected in the

report of the peoples pub-lic sessions presented to the House yesterday.

In his address Hon. Ihe-dioha said; That the re-ports from the peoples pub-lic sessions which held on November 10, 2012 through-out the country, have been painstakingly collated, ver-ified and its integrity can be fully assured.

He noted that delibera-tions at the country-wide sessions last year were free, robust, and participatory, stressing that Nigerians living in the various con-stituencies in the remot-est nooks and crannies of Nigeria spoke their minds without let or hindrance and that the ensuing report is devoid of any tinkering or manipulation.

He added that: This process may not be perfect, but I dare say, that it is the first time in the history of this country that Nigerians at the grassroots have been made part of the Constitu-tion Review Process in a practical and transparent manner.

Constitution Review: Nigerians vote autonomy for LGs, state assemblies

L-R: Executive Secretary, Joint Tax Board, Mr. Abubakar Lawal; Acting Chairman, Federal Inland Revenue Service, Alhaji Kabiru Mashi and Legal Adviser, Joint Tax Board, Mr. Taiwo Ogunleye, during the 127th meeting of the board in Abuja, yesterday. PHOTO: ROTIMI OSASONA

L-R: Director, Centre for Space Science Education, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile Ife, Dr. Joseph Akinyede; Director-General, National Space Research and Development Agency, Dr. Seidu Mohammed and Programme Officer, Space Affairs, United Nations, Mr. Sergei Chernikov, at the consultative meeting of the Governing Board of the African Regional Centre for Space Science and Technology Education in English, in Abuja, yesterday. PHOTO: NAN

L-R: Guest speaker, Dr. Joe Okei-Odumakin; legal practitioner, Chief Folake Solanke, SAN, and District 18 Governor, Zonta International, Mrs.Gloriastene Agboola, at a seminar on Vio-lence Against Women: A Call for Action, organised by Zonta International District 18 at the International Conference Centre, University of Ibadan, Oyo State, yesterday.

L-R: First Lady, Dame Patience Jonathan; wife of the Vice-President, Hajiya Namadi Sambo; Minister of Aviation, Princess Stella Oduah; Minister of Petroleum, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke and Minister of Water Resources, Mrs. Sarah Ochekpe, at the Centenary celebration for women in Lagos, yesterday. PHOTO: NAN

National News

Support indigeneship for settlers Reject zoning, immunity for President, Govs

AZA MSUEKADUNA

The Amnesty pan-el constituted on Wednesday by the Federal Government yes-terday suffered another major setback as President of the Supreme Council for Sharia in Nigeria, SCSN, Dr. Ibrahim Datti Ahmed, turned down his appoint-ment.

His rejection brings to two the number of persons that had pulled out of the committee.

The President of the Civ-il Rights Congress of Nige-ria, CRCN, Mallam Shehu Sani, had on Wednesday re-jected his nomination to the committee. Instead, he put forward the names of three persons through which the government could reach out to the sect leaders for dialogue.

Ahmed said he rejected the offer as a result of the bitter experience he had with the government when he voluntarily tried to me-diate between the authori-ties and members of the Islamic sect.

He said in an interview with the British Broad-casting Corporation, BBC, Hausa Service, monitored in Kaduna yesterday that the alleged insincerity of the government led to the breakdown of peace talks with the insurgents about one and a half years ago when he initiated dialogue with the aggrieved sect

members.Ahmed also faulted the

composition of the amnes-ty committee, saying that its Chairman, who is the Minister of Special Duties, Kabiru Taminu Turaki, and the secretary, also a government official, would not feed the government with the correct informa-tion but report only what it wanted to hear.

He said: Previously, I made such moves twice and it wasnt the government that asked me to do that and we had reached a stage where, had the government agreed with what we got, what we resolved with the sect members called Boko Haram, by now we would have forgotten everything; Nigeria would have wit-nessed peace by now.

When we told the gov-ernment everything we dis-cussed with them and the agreement we had which were not difficult to do, that first of all, if the dialogue was truly genuine, their wives and children that were unjustly detained should be released because they had not committed any crime.

We advised the govern-ment on that, we said even if you continue to detain them there was no gain in doing so. The government said they will release them but did not.

They will feed the gov-ernment with what the gov-ernment wants to know and we would be in trouble with the ordinary Nigerians.

The minister and secretary will take lies to the govern-ment and we would be left quarrelling with young Ni-gerians, young enough to be our children.

He reiterated that from his previous experience with the government, they were just telling lies be-cause during the previous attempt, it was so successful but the government caused everything to crumble like a pack of cards.

Ahmed added: It was just like we were going to have a peaceful resolution the next day and what the government should have

done was not something difficult, just to release their wives and reduce the tension in Yobe and Borno states and stop persecuting the people there .

The government said it was going to do that but it did not. It is the same gov-ernment, it was the same Jonathan and his repre-sentative and we are the same people, nothing has changed.

Meanwhile, the Arewa Consultative Forum, ACF, yesterday appealed to the Islamic sect to accept the Federal Governments amnesty committee as the

initiative faces imminent collapse.

However, the Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, in 19 northern states and Abuja called on Presi-dent Goodluck Jonathan not to use the taxpayers money for amnesty, saying it had no faith in the com-mittee.

In a telephone interview with National Mirror, the Northern CANs Public Relations Officer, Mr. Sun-day Oibe, said the amnesty game being played by the government and the Boko Haram would be exposed soon.

CAN said: Shehu Sani, who is a member of the committee, we read in a newspaper that he rejected the offer.

We, Northern Chris-tians have no faith in that committee. We cant sup-port Boko Haram who killed us, we know amnesty will not work.

We are telling President Jonathan not to use Nigeria collective money for am-nesty. We dont believe in amnesty. Our stand against it still stands.

But ACF spokesman, Mr. Anthony Sani, expressed

sive Change, CPC; and the All Nigerian Peoples Party, ANPP, also threatened to resist any attempt to rig the 2015 elections.

In a veiled reference to President Goodluck Jona-thans mandate given to the PDP leadership to win at least 32 states instead of its present 23, the opposition leaders said the reverse would be the case in 2015, stressing that the All Pro-gressive Congress, APC, would win 32 states in 2015.

They spoke at the ACN national convention in La-gos yesterday where 4,761 party delegates approved the merger of the party with other opposition par-ties ahead of the 2015 gen-eral elections.

In his solidarity mes-

sage, Buhari said that the merger would stop politi-cal corruption in Nigeria, noting that the APC would rescue the country from the PDP and provide good alter-native leadership.

He said that the merger was a unique opportunity for Nigerians to vote for people with a mission and vision that can translate to good governance that is dif-ferent from election riggers of the past.

His words: I am here to let all Nigerians know that there would be a transfer of power to APC by 2015 gen-eral election. Also, I must say here that an average cit-izen of this great country is tired of insecurity, unem-ployment among the young graduate, epileptic power supply and unaccountable

of pension fund. I want to repeat that there will be a change in the political his-tory of this our great nation come year 2015.

Akande described the PDPs almost 14-year rule at the federal level as years of locust, which had drawn Nigeria backwards.

He said: In the over 13 years that the PDP has been in power, not only has it failed to deliver on its promises, it has infected all institutions of state with its moral infirmity, aversion to the rule of law and en-trenched monumental cor-ruption never seen in the history of this country.

CPC National Chair-man, Prince Tony Momoh, said that the merger was being formed to take over power from the PDP and to

bring about change and ac-countability to Nigerians.

He also boasted that come 2015, PDP would lose 32 states to APC.

His words: This merger talks have come to stay. I am amused by the PDPs recent statement that they are go-ing to win 32 states during 2015 general elections. I be-lieve that they are speaking the opposite because I am very confident that PDP will lose 32 states in 2015.

The former governor of Lagos State said that it was very unfortunate that peo-ple who did not have vision and solution to the prob-lems of the country were at the helm of affairs.

This is not the way a great nation is being gov-erned when heartless peo-ple put the interest of few

individuals to replace the collective interest of the majority, he said.

Tinubu noted that the merger is a political storm ready to sweep away the reign of terror, poverty, penury, hopelessness, un-employment visionless and political stagnation created by the ruling party.

His words: This conven-tion portends the coming of great political change. A storm is brewing. Dont be frightened. It is a positive storm with a positive wind.

Those things that have no roots and offer no so-lution to the plight of the people shall be swept away. This storm will change the political terrain forever. I am not afraid of this storm. I welcome it because the storm is our new vision;

our new party.We must join hands

with like minds and create a larger wall that will give room for robust politicking, internal democracy and selfless leadership that will rescue the country from the grips of political jobbers who find themselves at the corridors of power.

Our people have had enough of having nothing. The current governments trademark is to throw emp-ty words and hollow action at our problems as if do-ing nothing will cause our troubles to leave from sheer boredom. Instead, trouble mounts. If this is the gov-ernments idea of transfor-mation, I will have none of it. It seems their notion of change is to go from slow

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Boko Haram: Amnesty plan suffers setback



National Mirrorwww.nationalmirroronline.net News 5Friday, April 19, 2013

L-R: Ogun State Governor Ibikunle Amosun; Group Managing Director, Wempco Group, Mr. Lewis Tung; President Goodluck Jonathan; Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Mr. Olusegun Aganga and Minister of Mines and Steel Development, Alhaji Musa Saada, at the inauguration of Wempco Steel Mill at Ibafo, Ogun State, yesterday. PHOTO:STATE HOUSE

Boko Haram: Amnesty plan suffers setback

Presidency descends on Amaechi as NSA quizzes commissioner


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L-R: Niger State Deputy Governor, Alhaji Musa Ibeto; Imo State Deputy Governor, Prince Eze Madumere; Kwara State Governor, Alhaji Abdulfatai Ahmed and Vice-President Namadi Sambo at the interim implementation committee meeting on police reform in Abuja yesterday. PHOTO: NAN

motion to no motion at all. If they want to stand

still, that is their right. However, they have no right to force the whole nation to stagnate with them. We have things to accomplish and progress to make for the good of the people.

To rescue Nigerians from the plight of the mis-governed, we must join hands with like-minded progressives in other par-ties and organisations. We must sacrifice our current partisan identity to create a larger one capable of as-suming leadership at the national level. This and only this offers the best chance for Nigeria at this stage.

On the exit of the ACN from Nigerias political space, Tinubu said: For us, this is not a sad ending; it is the beginning of a great

beginning. Let us do what is right so that when history writes its account of this day, it shall write that we lived up to our moral duties by doing what the moment required.

Lagos State Governor Babatunde Fashola called on the Independent Na-tional Electoral Commis-sion, INEC, to play the role of an unbiased umpire to ensure that the merger is delivered.

He said playing the role of a true and unbiased umpire in the merger plan would not only be in the in-terest of the Commission to clear itself of any preju-dice but also in the national interest as a result of the benefits that would accrue from a successful merger of the parties.

On the plans of the rul-ing party for the next elec-tions, Fashola said: We are

beginning to hear from the ruling party the number of states that they are going to win even before the dates for the next elections have been fixed.

I say that the most suc-cessful football club in the world does not know how many goals it will score against it weakest opponent unless it has reached an agreement with the referee.

As if that was not bad enough, we are already hearing also from them that they will go back to do what they always know how to do best. But this time, it will not happen.

Ogun State Governor Ibikunle Amosun said the four participating parties in the merger were deter-mined to ensure the success of the exercise, adding that despite the pessimism ex-pressed by some Nigerians at the possibility of the suc-

cess of the merger plans, the successful holding of the convention had demon-strated that it was possible and that Nigerians were also committed to change.

Osun State Governor Rauf Aregbesola said the successful holding of the convention represented the death of unemployment, violence and power failure in Nigeria, adding that the struggle to salvage Nige-ria must not commence in 2015 with the general elec-tions but in 2013 with the Anambra State governor-ship elections during which the APC must take over the governorship of that state.

Imo State Governor Ro-chas Okorocha said hope had returned to Nigeria with the successful merger plans as the countrys polit-ical landscape would never be the same again, adding

support for the govern-ments action.

He said: The setting up of the committee on amnesty by the Federal Government is a welcome development because it demonstrates the commit-ment of the government to pursue the amnesty option to its logical conclusion.

We commend the gov-ernment for such conscious-ly directed efforts. We appeal to insurgents and all Nigeri-ans to cooperate with the government so that Nigeria can make violence history.

Sani in rejecting his ap-pointment to the amnesty committee had named a freelance journalist, Ahmed Salkida; one Hamza Idris and Barrister Mus-tapha Zanna as those who could reach out to Boko Ha-ram leaders on amnesty.

Sani said Boko Haram might also reject the com-

position of the committee.He had said: There is

every likelyhood that the insurgents will reject and condemn this committee irrespective of whether I am part of it or not because they were not consulted and they dont have any of their input in the committee.

But former governor of old Kaduna State, Alhaji Balarabe Musa, called on Ni-gerians to support the gov-ernments amnesty commit-tee for peace and stability.

Musa said: The Boko Haram committee set up by the Federal Government is in order and commendable. We cant have a perfect com-mittee under this condition but one thing is for peace to reign and lets give it the benefit of doubt.

Nigerians should sup-port the committee. We should also encourage gov-ernment, Boko Haram and the committee.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net6 News Friday, April 19, 2013


Dasuki (rtd), to Rivers State Commissioner for Information and Communication, Mrs. Ibim Semenitari, to appear before him.

When contacted to con-firm the development, Se-menitari said she was about to board the aircraft convey-ing her to Abuja to honour the invitation.

She, however, denied knowledge of the reason be-hind her invitation.

National Mirror, however, gathered that the invitation might not be unconnected with a press conference she addressed on Monday where she released details of information relating to the recently purchased se-curity helicopters by the state government and a pub-lic statement she made later on an Abuja courts ruling, which sacked the Godpow-er Ake-led Rivers Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, ex-ecutives.

National Mirror gathered that the invitation was be-ing viewed in the state as a crackdown on Amaechi by the Presidency.

In the press conference on Monday, the commission-er had told journalists in Port Harcourt that the state indeed bought two security helicopters for monitoring the activities of criminals involved in illegal oil bun-kering, kidnapping, armed

robbery and other nefarious activities in the state.

She had denied a news-paper report that Amaechi had purchased the aircraft for his 2015 election cam-paigns, describing it as false, targeted at smearing the personality of her boss.

She had explained that the state purchased the two Bell 412 EPI armoured heli-copters without the knowl-edge of the Federal Gov-ernment, which supported the venture with $15m part payment and import duty waiver.

Semenitari also made the purchase agreement available, which showed the exact financial cost of the helicopters.

Later in the day, speaking on behalf of the state gov-ernment, she had rejected the court ruling that sacked the states exco of the PDP, describing it as shameful and embarrassing.

How can the court give the leadership of the party to someone who did not even purchase a form for the position? she had asked.

Semenitari had insisted that the PDP congress that brought Ake to office was well attended by over 2,000 delegates, stressing that members of the party in the state would not sit down and fold their arms and al-low the injustice.

I do not believe that Mr. President will lend himself

to such grave injustice. I do not believe that Mr. Presi-dent will be part of this kind of undemocratic thing. I do not believe that Mr. Presi-dent, who himself is a prod-uct of democracy and who received about two million votes from Rivers State, will be part of this travesty of justice. I do not believe Mr. President will like to kill PDP in Rivers State. So, I dont think President Jona-than is involved, the com-missioner had said.

Meanwhile, the Econom-ic and Financial Crimes and Commission, EFCC, has arrested the Imo State Commissioner of Finance, Okafor John, and the state Accountant-General, Eche George, for an alleged com-

plicity in over N1bn con-tract scam.

An EFCC source told our correspondent that the top government officials were picked up in Owerri, the Imo State capital, on Wednesday night and whisked to the Abuja office of the commis-sion where they are still be-ing interrogated by the oper-atives of the anti-graft body.

The source said while the contractor had been grilled in connection with the alleged scam, more per-sonalities alleged to have a role in the contract scam would be invited for ques-tioning as investigation progresses.

He said preliminary in-vestigation carried out by the commissions opera-

tives had shown that due process was not followed in a contract awarded to JPROS International Lim-ited.

Besides, it was also discov-ered that full payment for the project was made to the con-tractor before the commence-ment of work in flagrant dis-regard to extant rules.

The Head, Media and Publicity of the EFCC, Mr. Wilson Uwujaren, confirmed the arrest and said that the suspects were being interrogated.

Asked about the possi-bility of admitting them to administrative bail, Uwujaren said he could not comment on it.

He, however, said the commission was still hold-

ing them.The state Deputy Gover-

nor, Mr. Jude Agbaso, was im-peached by the state House of Assembly over his involve-ment in the contract scam.

It was alleged that Ag-baso got a gratification of N458m from JPROS Inter-national Limited, the con-tractor handling the project.

He was removed from office by a majority vote of the House after an at-tempt to stop his impeach-ment through the court had failed.

On the possibility of in-viting Agbaso to the com-mission in connection with the alleged contract scam, Uwujaren declined com-ments, saying he had no de-tails about that.

National Mirrorwww.nationalmirroronline.net 7NewsFriday, April 19, 2013

Jonathan hinges industrial revolution on growth of steel sectorMARCUS FATUNMOLEABUJA

The Federal Govern-ment yesterday said it remained committed to unveiling Nigerias Indus-trial Revolution Plan, IRP, to help develop the ecosystem and boost exploration of the steel sectors huge potentials.

President Goodluck Jona-than said this at the commis-sioning of the multi-million naira, state-of-the-art, five-stand tandem cold rolled steel plant by WEMPCO Steel Mill Company Limited, located on Kilometre 8, Magboro on Lagos - Ibadan Expressway.

Jonathan also restated his administrations com-mitment to making the steel sector the bedrock of infra-structural development in the country.

The President said his government had achieved tremendously in the steel sector, adding that his admin-istration raised the number of steel rolling mills in the country from near-zero to its current 15, nationwide.

He said the three million tonnes of liquid steel being produced would be increased to 12 million in 2020.

Jonathan urged WEMP-CO to use its current oppor-tunity to invest in Nigeria by providing full backward inte-gration for the citizens.

He said: Government will continue to encourage foreign investors for the good of the country while expect-ing that they will reciprocate by being accountable.

The President expressed faith in self-sufficiency in

steel production in Nigeria, which he declared would open downstream sector opportunities for many ar-tisans and those currently unemployed but had the required skills to put the re-sources to use.

Praising the companys management for locating the cold steel plant on 700,000 hectares of land in Ogun State, Jonathan said the proj-ect would contribute signifi-cantly to the growth of the countrys Gross Domestic Product, GDP, job creation and acquisition of skills, among others.

The President also praised the infrastructural develop-ment strides Governor Ibi-kunle Amosuns administra-tion in Ogun State.

He said Amosuns govern-ment had done well by mak-ing the environment condu-cive for investments.

According to him, there are obvious results which include employment gen-eration, increased Inter-nally Generated Revenue, IGR, which are impacting positively on the people of the state.

Responding, Amosun said the state IGR in-creased from N700,000 mil-lion to about N4 billion this year.

He said his administra-tion had repositioned the state as a veritable indus-trial hub of the country.

In an address, the Group Managing Director of WEMPCO Group, Mr. Lewis Tung, said the steel sector was critical to the countrys infrastructural development.

Presidential system of govt wasteful, aids corruption Belgore, Musdapher

GEORGE OJI AND EMMANUEL ONANI

The Steve Orosanye Committee, which looked at the ra-tionalisation of Federal Government agencies and parastatals recommended the scrapping of the Joint Admission and Matricu-lation Board, JAMB, and the National Examination Council, NECO.

The Minister of State for Education, Chief Nye-som Wike, who disclosed this yesterday, however, said the Federal Govern-ment was still studying the proposal and had not taken any decision on the recommendation.

Wike, who made the clarification when he ap-peared before the Senate Committee on Education to clear the air on the

rumour concerning the policy, promised that Fed-eral Governments even-tual decision on the matter would be in the interest of Nigerians.

The Orosanye commit-tee had recommended the scrapping of the two education institutions be-cause they are providing overlapping functions.

The Chairman of the Senate Committee on Education, Uche Chuk-wumerije, in his opening remarks at the parley, ex-pressed concern over the news making the round that government had already given its nod to the scrap-ping of the examination bodies.

Chukwumerije said the rumour was creating un-necessary tension in the polity and therefore needed proper clarification.

In his response, Wike,

who appeared with the min-istrys Permanent Secretary, Registrar of JAMB, Prof. Dibu Ojerinde, and head of NECO, Prof. Promise Opa-la, said there was no time the Federal Government scrapped the bodies.

The minister said the sto-ry was being promoted by mischief-makers, whose sole interest was to heat up the polity and pitch the pub-lic against government.

He said: There was no time that this government scrapped NECO or JAMB; it is unfortunate... I do not know where anybody got that information.

What I want to assure is that whatever will be done will be done in the in-terest of Nigerians.

The Ministry of Edu-cation supports the exis-tence of NECO and JAMB, but what people should know is that the Oron-

saye committee said why should we have NECO when we have WAEC?

According to Wike, no statutory body can be so scrapped, without re-course to the National As-sembly.

He said: For govern-ment to scrap; there will be an amendment sent to the Senate. Where all these rumours are coming from we dont know.

These are political pe-riods and some peoples in-terest is to heat up the pol-ity and pitch government against the public. These are mischief-makers.

When taken to task on why government tags ev-erybody that criticises it as mischief-maker, the minister explained that critics that will not criticise government con-structively are mischief-makers.

JAMB, NECOs scrapping part of Orosanyes recommendations Wike

ISE-OLUWA IGEABUJA

Two former Chief Justices of Nigeria, CJNs, Justices Da-hiru Musdapher and Alfa Modibo Belgore yesterday advocated a quick return to parliamentary system of government in Nigeria.

The presidential system presently being practised, according to them, is not only expensive and waste-ful but also aids corrup-tion.

The two jurists, who spoke at a symposium on the need for judicial re-form and book launch, also underscored the need to reform the countrys laws, which they said were anti-quated, to enable the ongo-

ing reform of the judiciary effective, efficient and meaningful.

The occasion itself was in honour of former CJN, Justice Dahiru Musdapher, who recently retired from the Supreme Court bench upon clocking the manda-tory retirement age of 70 years.

Belgore, who was the chairman of the occasion, set the tone of discussion when he said there was need to reform the coun-trys statute first before embarking on full reforma-tion of the judiciary.

He argued that the crim-inal laws and procedures upon which justice admin-istration in Nigeria was premised were inherited from the colonial masters

L-R: Permanent Secretary, FCT, Engr. Obinna Chukwu; Chief of Jiwa, Chief Emmanuel Kyauta; FCT Minister, Sen Bala Mohammed and Vice Chairman, House Committee on FCT, Hon Raphael Igbokwe, during the ground breaking ceremony for the development of Carraway Dallas District in Abuja, yesterday. PHOTO: ROTIMI OSASONA

and were therefore anti-quated.

Belgore explained that the Great Britain, from whom the laws were inher-ited, had long done away with the statutes.

The former CJN also attributed, though partly, the slow development and massive corruption in the country to the presidential system of government en-dorsed by the 1999 Consti-tution.

He said: The constitu-tion we used before now allows ministers to be members of parliament and thus reduces cost of governance. The system of government is cheaper and more efficient.

Musdapher agreed with Belgore, saying the impor-

tance of legal and judicial reform in Nigeria could not be over emphasised and that the first thing that must be done was to review both the countrys laws and the justice delivery system.

He said: The gap be-tween what we have today and what is required to fos-ter a democratic and pros-perous nation is clear for all to see.

Musdapher added that the issue must be continu-ously discussed until ac-tion was fully taken on it.

President Goodluck Jon-athan, who agreed with the two jurists on the need for the judiciary reform, said the reform was a sine qua non to achieving his ad-ministrations transforma-tion agenda.

Jonathan, who spoke through the Minister of Labour and Productiv-ity, Emeka Wogu, however, noted that the judiciary must take the lead in the reformation agenda.

Former President of the Nigerian Bar Association, NBA, Mr. Joseph Daudu (SAN), who also spoke at the event, said it was not in doubt that judiciary reform was necessary but that justice delivery would be best achieved if the proper cadre of persons was ap-pointed to the bench.

He said: This will pre-vent incompetence, indo-lence and un-committed people from entering the bench.

Daudu, who spoke through another member

of the inner bar, Chief D. C. Demwigwe (SAN), also said that appointment pro-cedure should not only be made more transparent but that the National Judicial Council, NJC, should also treat complaints against judicial affairs urgently to activate public confidence in the judiciary.

The Solicitor General of the Federation and Perma-nent Secretary, Ministry of Justice, Alhaji Abdullahi Yola, toed the path of rea-soning of other speakers on judiciary reform.

He added that the case of 26 judges who were said to be under investigation should be well handled to kick-start the said reform in the third arm of govern-ment.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net8 News Friday, April 19, 2013

L-R: Senior Research, Fellow ,International Food Research Institute, Prof Gyimah Brempong; Senior Advisor, Donor Coordination, Partnership and Investment, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Ms Barbara Noseworthy; Food and Agriculture Project Advisor, Action Aid, Ms Constance Okeke and Director, Policy Research and Statistic, Ministry of Agriculture, Dr. Umar Hussaini, during the Civil Society Consultative Forum on New Alliance for Food Security and Nutrition held in Abuja, yesterday. PHOTO: ROTIMI OSASONA

NUT threatens strike in 18 states on June 1

Obasanjo tasks Nigerians on cultural identity

Lagos lifts 352 Okobaba fi re victims with N17.5m

Mark, Editors pay tributes to Oluwole Awolowo

Subsidy: Court okays Falana, Aturus requests to join suit

FEMI OYEWESO ABEOKUTA

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo advised Nigeri-ans irrespective of their status to maintain their cultural identity in order that they may not go into extinction.

Obasanjo spoke yes-terday in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital, dur-ing the launch of a book entitled: A Life of Excel-lent Service: Biography of Oba Salami Adewunmi Ajibola.

The book is a biogra-phy of the former Olowu of Owu, Abeokuta.

Speaking at the book launch held at the Oluse-gun Obasanjo Presidential Library (OOPL) the former President said the easiest way to destroy a man is to snatch his cultural identity from him.

He said: I always em-phasize this because the best way to oppress any group of people is to make them loose their identity. How can you take a man who is Adewunmi and call him Mr. Stone? Once you re-

move the identity and cul-ture of a person, you have destroyed and enslaved him. Oba Salami made sure that our identity was in-tact. I always say that those who came after him should maintain our identity.

The book was co-au-thored by former World Court Judge, Prince Bola Ajibola and Mr. Oladipo Yemitan.

Obasanjo, who spoke against the backdrop of pride often exhibited by some wealthy and highly influential citizens across the country, stressed that Africans and Nigerians in particular must jealously guard their cultural heri-tage in view of the current developments and cul-tural invasion around the world.

He, however, described Prince Ajibola as one who never forgot his roots.

Obasanjo said: I want to begin by appreciat-ing Bola Ajibola because when some people get to the top, they forget where they started from, but Bola Ajibola got to the top and still remembered where he started from.

The Lagos State Government yes-terday presented a N17.5 million cheque to 352 victims of the January 8, 2013 Oko-baba fire disaster in Yaba Local Government Area.

The government also handed over food items to the victims.

It will be recalled that the government opened a camp for the victims two days after the fire occurred.

General Manager of

the Lagos State Emer-gency Management Agency (LASEMA), Dr. Femi Oke-Osanyintolu, handed over the cheque to the victims during a disengagement ceremo-ny held at the Agbowa relief camp in Ikosi-Eji-

rin Local Council Devel-opment Area (LCDA).

Osanyintolu added that 98 children were also accommodated by the state government during their three months stay at the re-lief camp.

KEMI OLAITAN IBADAN

Senate President Da-vid Mark yesterday visited Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, to pay his last respect to the late publisher of Tribune ti-tles, Chief Oluwole Awolo-wo, whom he described as a courageous man who never succumbed to death until the very moment.

Speaking during a brief commendation service and media event held at the Imale-falafia head-quarters of Tribune news-papers, Mark, who was ac-companied by some senior

government officials, said the late Oluwole left a leg-acy of goodness to fellow human beings as mani-fested in his life and times.

Mark, who said he had made a stop-over at Ikenne to commiserate with the matriarch, Chief Mrs. H.I.D Awolowo before coming to Ibadan, said the deceased had gone at the right time.

He said: He was a friend to me. He stood for the truth always. At every moment, he stood for the truth and not truth from the myopic point of view.

In its tribute, the Nigeri-an Guild of Editors (NGE)

described the deceased as a humble man, who though was born great, chose to remain humble.

NGE President, Mr. Femi Adesina, in his trib-ute entitled: Not even death can break the un-breakable, said: Olu-wole could have chosen to be among the aristocrats, looking haughtily down on lesser mortals from his lofty station in life. But rather, he chose to be down to earth, living the life of a simple man.

In my private dis-cussion with one of the editors, he told me when Chief Oluwole Awolowo

wanted something pub-lished in the paper, he would ask: can you please use this for me? And after you had done it, he would say thank you. How com-mendable, and a lesson to all of us.

The Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) will on June 1 em-bark on strike in 18 states yet to implement the 27.5 per cent Teachers En-hance Allowance (TEA).

The decision is con-tained in a communiqu jointly signed by the NUT National President, Mr. Michael Olukoya, the Sec-retary General, Mr. Obong Obong and the National Publicity Secretary, Sulei-man Gambari.

The states are: Benue, Cross River, Abia, Ebonyi, Enugu, Ekiti, Osun, Ogun, Oyo, Edo, Nassarawa,

Zamfara, Plateau, Taraba, Borno, Kogi, Niger and Sokoto.

NUT said the decision to embark on the strike was taken after its Nation-al Executive Council (NEC) meeting held in Asaba.

NEC expressed con-cerned on the reluctance by some state govern-ments to pay the 27.5 per cent allowance and the non-implementation of the N18, 000 minimum wage.

It called on the Federal Government not to imple-ment the recommendation of the Orosanye-led panel

to scrap the Joint Admis-sion Matriculation Board (JAMB) and National Examination Council (NECO).

It said that NECO rep-resents Nigeria and the patriotic interest of the teachers, pupils and par-ents under the exclusive control and determination of Federal Government and people.

The union said that NECO should remain as an alternative and competing examination body in Nige-ria.

It reminded the Federal Government of its agree-

ment to pay the shortfall in the payment of the 2011 Millennium Development Goals/Nigeria Teachers Institute training allow-ance to teachers. The NEC said that it was committed toward the provisions of the National Policy on Ed-ucation, which prescribes National Certificate in Ed-ucation as the minimum teaching qualification in Nigeria.

It stated that the ac-tion was discriminating against teachers, and called on state wings of the union to embark on a stay-at-home strike.

Awolowo

ISE-OLUWA IGE

A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja yesterday okayed two separate re-quests by two radical Lagos lawyers, Messrs Femi Falana (SAN) and Bamidele Aturu, to be joined as defendants in a suit filed by one Stanley Okeke seeking an order of court compelling Presi-dent Jonathan Goodluck to remove the subsidy be-ing paid on fuel.

The trial judge, Justice Adetokunbo Ademola, granted the order after all parties in the case said they had no objection to their re-quests.

Both Falana and Aturu, who were joined yesterday, are contending that Okekes case must fail, a similar one handled by the Abuja Fed-eral High Court, having been dismissed on the account that PreSident Jonathan lacked the institutional pow-ers to remove the subsidy.

They argued that the litigant had deliberately re-fused to disclose that a simi-

lar case had been litigated upon before the high court to guide the trial judge in arriv-ing at a just decision in the matter.

They told the judge yester-day that should he go ahead to grant Okekes order, the litigant would have suc-ceeded to create confusion in the judiciary by making only one court to enter two different decision on just one issue.

Justice Ademola, howev-er, fixed May 22 for hearing in the case.

It will be recalled that Stanley Okeke had, late last year, dragged President Jon-athan before a Federal High Court asking it to compel the President to remove the sub-sidy being paid on fuel.

The suit also sought an order compelling Jonathan to refund back to the Fed-eration Account such sum earlier appropriated and or approved under the sub-head of fuel subsidy funds or money because same cannot be justified in the face of the pervasive corruption, peren-nial fuel shortage and long queues being witnessed in the country.

National Mirrorwww.nationalmirroronline.net 9South WestFriday, April 19, 2013

ABIODUN NEJOADO EKITI

The Ekiti State Gov-ernment has jerked up the cost of con-structing the 19.3km Ado-Iworoko-Ifaki Ekiti dual carriageway to N11 billion.

Commissioner for In-formation, Mr Tayo Ekun-dayo, who assured that the road construction would be completed before the end of the year, said the up-ward review was in view of the current economic realities.

The road contract was awarded by the adminis-tration of ousted Governor Olusegun Oni at the cost N6.379 billion to Messrs Hajaig Nigeria Limited in 2007 before it was reviewed to N7.472 billion.

Ekundayo, while brief-ing journalists on the out-come of the weekly State Executive Council meet-ing, said the present ad-ministration, which had earlier reviewed the con-tract sum, had to jerk it up to N11 billion to facilitate early completion and qual-

ity job. He said the state govern-

ment had given marching order to the contractors to complete and deliver the job within six months or at most before the end of the year.

The commissioner said: The cost of doing things in 2007, when it was award-ed has changed. The cost of a truckload of granite, the prices of asphalt, diesel, petrol, as well as cost of labour have changed com-pared to what was obtain-able that time.

WALE IGBINTADE

The Lagos Division of the Court of Appeal yesterday reserved judgement in the appeal filed by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) challenging the ruling by Justice Yetunde Idowu of a Lagos High Court which ordered the agency to pay N25 million to a popular comedian, Baba-tunde Omidina, alias Baba Suwe, as compensation for detaining him for several days over allegation of drug trafficking.

The appellate court pre-sided over by Justice C C Nweze reserved the judge-ment after counsel to the appellant, Mr. Femi Olorun-toba, and that of the respon-dent adopted their briefs of argument.

Adopting NDLEAs brief of argument dated February 3, 2012, Oloruntoba urged the

court to allow the appeal and set aside the judgement of the lower court.

He said that the lower court judge erred in law as her judgement was not a product of evidence present-ed before the court.

Oloruntoba said the award of N25 million damages against the appellant was out-rageous and failed to follow laid down principles of law.

He added that the lower court erred as the entire judgement was faulty and that the court lacked juris-diction to entertain the fun-damental human rights suit filed by the respondent.

While Oloruntoba ad-mitted that exhibits 1 and 2 (results of various scan con-ducted on Baba Suwe) were public documents, he con-tended that exhibit 3 (photo-graph of drug defecated by a drug trafficker) was not a public document.

But the respondents law-yer, Bamidele Aturu urged the court to dismiss the ap-peal and affirm the judge-ment of the lower court.

Describing the appeal as unmeritorious, Aturu argued that all the exhibits tendered by NDLEA before the lower court ought to have been certified true copies.

Describing the exhibits presented by NDLEA as worthless, Aturu added that up till yesterday, the agency had not filed any charge against Baba Suwe.

NDLEA had, in its eight-page notice of appeal, stat-ed that the trial judge erred in law when she held that NDLEA was not justified in detaining Baba Suwe from the day of his arrest (Octo-ber 12, 2011) till October 21, 2011 when the Federal High Court order to detain him was obtained.

The appellant further said


Oyo moves to address irregularities in teachers salaries

Ekiti jerks up cost of Ado-Ifaki road construction to N11bn

Baba Suwe: Appeal Court reserves judgement

that the PDP should start to prepare to be in the opposition from 2015 as the government to be formed by the APC would be people-cen-tred.

Former governor of Kano State, Mallam Ibra-him Shekarau, said that the merger of political parties was the best that had ever happened to Ni-geria, adding that there was no going back until an alternative good gov-ernment was provided to the people of Nigeria.

In his goodwill mes-

sage, former Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Com-mission, EFCC, and ACN presidential can-didate in 2011 elections, Nuhu Ribadu noted that the birth of a new political system, chris-tened APC will give a new hope to Nigerians and the era of corrup-tion which has been the hallmark of the ruling party will be a thing of the past.

Some of the other dignitaries at the event were; Governor Adams Oshiomole (Edo), Chair-

man of the merger committee, Chief Tom Ikimi; ACN National Secretary, Senator Law-al Shuaibu, the partys national publicity sec-retary, Alhaji Lai Mo-hammed; former gov-ernors Olusegun Osoba (Ogun), Niyi Adebayo (Ekiti), Chris Ngige (Anambra), John Oye-gun (Edo) and Achike Udenwa (Imo), Senate Minority leader, George Akume, ACN members of National and States House of Assembly and former PDP chairman, Chief Audu Ogbe.

The Oyo State Gov-ernment has begun moves to address the perennial irregularities in teachers salaries and other issues affecting the educa-tion sector.

This was part of the agreements reached at a meeting between the state government and the lead-ership of the state chapter of the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT).

The meeting, presided over by the Commissioner for Education, Mrs. Ad-etokunbo Fayokun, had in attendance the Commis-sioner for Finance, Mr. Zacheaus Adelabu, offi-cials of the State Teaching Service Commission (TES-COM), State Universal Edu-

cation Board (SUBEB) and Management Information Centre (MIC).

Part of the issues ad-dressed at the meeting, according to a statement issued in Ibadan by the Spe-cial Adviser to the Gover-nor on Education, Dr. Festus Adedayo, was the non-pay-ment, under-payment, over-payment and wrong credit-ing of teachers accounts.

Others issues, accord-ing to the statement, included the need for li-brary/resource centres in schools, the need for pro-motion of graduate teach-ers in primary schools to Grade Level 15, fencing of schools, recruitment of se-curity personnel for public schools, enhanced teach-

ers vehicle and housing loan facilities and gazetting of teachers appointment for ease of retirement.

The meeting directed TESCOM and MIC to be-gin immediate review and reconciliation of all op-erations regarding the pay-ment of teachers salaries in order to correct the ir-regularities.

The government also agreed to effect the out-standing 2009 promotion of primary school teach-ers with immediate effect, while the implementation of 2010 promotion would follow thereafter.

The balance of 2012 leave grants to teachers on Grade Levels 13 and 14 would also be paid.

UPN: Whats Fasehun up to?

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We the members of the UPN at that time are trying to understand what Fasehuns UPN is all about. So, apparently, we are watching the situation.-Director of Organisation of the defunct UPN and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chieftain, Chief Ebenezer Babatope

He (Fasehun) is welcome to the arena. Lets see how many votes he is going to garner. How can you start thinking that ACN will be afraid of a party that is just coming in, when the Peoples Democratic Party that is sponsoring it has not been able to make headway in the South-West? We are not afraid of any political party coming into the South-West. -Alhaji Lai Mohammed, Publicity Secretary, ACN.

There is nothing bad for Dr. Frederick Fasehun to resuscitate UPN. Based on the antecedents of that party, it is a good party but the way we see things for now, we realise that we still have a lot of challenges. -National Coordinator of OPC, Otunba Gani Adams

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the trial judge erred in law and misdirected herself on facts when she held that the act of the NDLEA in detain-ing Baba Suwe for nine days were a flagrant abuse and infringement of his funda-mental human rights.

Besides, the appellant argued that the lower court erred in law when it ordered it (NDLEA) to pay the appli-cant N25 million as compen-sation and that the appellant should publish a public apol-

ogy in two widely read na-tional newspapers.

Justice Idowu had or-dered the agency to pay Ba-batunde Omidina the sum of 25 million naira as compen-sation for detaining him for several days over allegation of drug trafficking.

Dissatisfied, the agency in December 2011filed a motion for stay of execution of the verdict which was refused by the court.

In a ruling on March 2, the

lower court refused the ap-plication on the ground that the applicant was granted a conditional stay of execu-tion pending the determina-tion of the appeal.

It added that the judge-ment sum of N25 million should be paid to the Chief Registrar of the La-gos State High Court who will in turn pay it into an account with any repu-table bank agreed by both parties.

CONTINUED FROM 6

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net10 Friday, April 19, 2013South West

Though journalists were prevented from en-tering the house, a team of prayer warriors was sighted living the building after praying for about an hour for Bamigbetans re-lease.

Also at the premise yesterday were the wife of the Speaker of Lagos State House of Assembly, Adeyimi Ikuforiji and the

immediate past chairman of Ejigbo LCDA.

Sources in the family said they were becoming more jittery and appre-hensive.

One of them said: The more the delay, the more apprehensive the wife and children become. People have been coming; prayers have been offered but what is important is

that he is found. I cannot say whether the kidnap-pers are still contacting the family but even if, it will be dangerous disclos-ing that in the public.

Nobody will tell you that the extent of which the negotiation with the kidnappers or what the security people are doing so as not to jeopardise his safety and release.

Bamigbetan: We dont need your assistance, police warn OPC

Im ready to contest Ekiti guber Omoyeni, ex-WEMA MD

TUNBOSUN OGUNDARE

No fewer than 140,000 primary six students in both public and private primary schools across Lagos State will be sitting for this years placement test otherwise known as common entrance exami-nation tomorrow.

The exam centres are spread across the 20 local governments and the 37 local development council areas.

The Commissioner for Education, Mrs. Olayinka Oladunjoye, told National Mirror that the State Uni-versal Basic Education,

SUBE, the government agency in charge of pri-mary education, had pre-pared very well to conduct a hitch-free examination, the result of which would form the basis of admit-ting students into the sec-ondary schools in the state in the next academic ses-sion.

Speaking through the ministrys spokesman, Mr. Lanre Bajulaiye, the com-missioner said the candi-dates would be tested on such subjects as English Language, Arithmetic, So-cial Studies and so forth.

She urged them to get to their centres before the commencement of the ex-aminations.


Women in Ekiti State have said they would not allow the death of the for-mer Deputy Governor, Mrs. Funmilayo Olayinka, to rob them of the position.

The women, under the aegis of National Council of Women Societies, NCWS, and International Federa-tion of Women Lawyers, FIDA, advised men eyeing the position, which became vacant following Olayinkas death on April 6, to forget the ambition and rather pitch their tent with women.

Although they said they were still mourning their departed Amazon, the

women said they would, at the appropriate time, root for a woman of substance to emerge as replacement for the late deputy governor.

The President of NCWS in Ekiti State, Evangelist Adenike Obatayo, who said the office had always been a source of pride to women in the state since inception of Governor Kayode Fay-emis administration, said the council, an umbrella body of women associations in the state, would do all things possible to ensure a woman gets the position.

Obatayo, who said there were abundant virtuous and quality women in the state who could occupy the position, advised the men

who had been indicating interest in the position to steer clear of the office.

She said: This govern-ment and the Action Con-gress of Nigeria, ACN, are gender-sensitive. The posi-tion is for woman and that is what we will root for. Women in Ekiti State have always advocated equality in terms of distribution of offices. So, men should stay away from what belongs to us.

Likely replacement for the late deputy governor, ac-cording to sources in ACN and the government, include the Chairman of the State Universal Basic Education Board, SUBEB, Mrs. Modupe Adelabu (who is a professor);

former Commissioner for Tourism and now Special Ad-viser to the governor, Alhaji Ayodele Jinadu; former Ado Council Chairman and Fay-emis aide, Chief Bisi Egbey-emi. All of them are natives of Ado-Ekiti, the home town of the late deputy governor.

Although Senator Baba-femi Ojudu last weekend denied eyeing the deputy gov-ernorship position, sources have continued to mention his name as one of the likely successors, just as some in-terests said consideration of a woman like the Provost of College of Education, Ikere-Ekiti, Prof. Francisca Aladejana, would be a wise decision in view of her per-formance.

ADEOLU ADEYEMOOSOGBO

Governor Rauf Areg-besola yesterday said his administra-tion had spent over N1 bil-lion to boost agriculture in Osun State.

Aregbesola, who dis-closed this while meeting with the 332 ward chairmen of the Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN, in the state, said agriculture was the backbone of any nation, promising that his admin-istration would do its best to make it more effective in the state.

He said there was hardly any state in the federation with low level of value as Osun State that could boast of the kind of achievements the state had recorded un-der his leadership.

Aregbesola, however,

encouraged the ward chair-men to stand firm and be prepared for

harder work to make the state a model in the country.

The governor assured them that more spectacular progress would be evident in the coming months.

Meanwhile, the forum of the chairmen has unani-mously endorsed Aregbe-sola for a second term in office on the partys ticket.

The ward chairmen in a communiqu issued after a special meeting of the fo-rum in Osogbo

to access the progress of the Aregbesola administra-tion in the last 30 months, said that the government had banished poverty and hunger, reduced unemploy-ment, promoted healthy liv-ing, communal peace and progress and reformed the educational system.

140,000 pupils for Lagos common entrance tomorrow Deputy govs position, our slot Ekiti women

Osun spends N1bn on agric Aregbesola


Former Deputy Gover-nor of Ekiti State, Mr. Bisi Omoyeni, said his quest to contribute his quota to the development of the state informed his deci-sion to join the race for the governorship election com-ing next year.

Omoyeni, a former Man-aging Director/Chief Exec-utive Officer of Wema Bank, promised that if elected, he would ensure the develop-ment of the state.

The governorship hope-ful, who said yesterday that he would submit his letter of intent to contest for the Peoples Democratic Party,

PDP, ticket in the election next month, promised to provide the needed poten-tial-actualising leadership for Ekiti State.

Also, the Director-Gen-eral of the Bisi Omoyeni for Ekiti Revival, BOFER, Mr. Obafemi Adewale, de-scribed the former deputy governor and bank chief as the answer to problems of Ekiti State.

Adewale said Omoyenis decision to contest the gu-bernatorial election was borne out of his love for his people and desire to contrib-ute to the development of man and society in general, having performed a similar feat in all the places he had served.

L-R: Lagos State Governor Babatunde Fashola; National Chairman, Congress for Progressive Change, Chief Tony Momoh; Ogun State Governor Ibikunle Amosun; National Chairman, All Nigeria Peoples Party, Chief Ogbonnaya Onu and Osun State Governor Rauf Aregbesola, at the National Convention of ACN to usher in the new party, All Progressives Congress, in Lagos, yesterday.

National leader, Action Congress of Nigeria, Chief Tom Ikimi (left) and former Kano State Governor, Alhaji Ibrahim Shekarau, at the convention. PHOTOS: YINKA ADEPARUSI

FRANCIS SUBERU

Police said in Lagos that they would not need the assistance of the Oodua Peoples Con-gress, OPC, to secure the release of the Chairman of Ejigbo Local Council Development Area, LCDA, Kehinde Bamigbetan.

The state Deputy Police Public Relations Officer, Ozoani Damasus, said this while addressing journal-ists yesterday.

Reacting to the state-ment credited to OPC members that they would work with the police to en-sure Bamigbetans release, Ozoani said OPC was an outlawed group and could not work with a constitut-ed authority.

He said: OPC is a banned organisation and it remained banned. So, we are not aware of them working with us to secure Bamigbetans release. We are yet to make any arrest for now but we are on top of the situation. We have our strategy and we can-not disclose it in public.

Let me assure you that police are on top of the situation and efforts are on to ensure his immedi-ate release. There will be proper briefing after his release.

However, prayer ses-sion continued to hold at the No 21, Ono Iwa Mimo Street, Ori-Oke, Egbe, resident of the abducted chairman.

ACN CONVENTION

National Mirrorwww.nationalmirroronline.net 11South EastFriday, April 19, 2013

L-R: Representative of the Minster of Education, Mrs. Christiana Ahmed; Deputy Rector, Federal Polytechnic, Oko, Anambra State, Dr. Don Mmuo and Rector, Prof. Godwin Onu, at the Workshop on Enhancing Effective Leadership in a Polytechnic held in Oko, on Wednesday. PHOTO: NAN

CHRIS NJOKUOWERRI

The All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, yesterday challenged President Good-luck Jonathan and the National Vice-Chairman (South East) of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Col. Augustine Akobundu (rtd), to deny their involvement in the plot to impeach Imo State Governor Rochas Okorocha.

The party said this while

reacting to the allegation by the Speaker of the state House of Assembly, Rt. Hon Benjamin Uwajumogu, that he was offered N3 billion by Chief Martin Agbaso, elder brother to the impeached deputy governor, Sir Jude Agbaso and Akobundu fol-lowing alleged presidential directive to impeach Okoro-cha.

In a statement, the Imo State Chairman of APGA, Prince Okafor Anyanwu, challenged Jonathan to

prove his innocence by disas-sociating himself and office from the said plot.

Anyanwu also debunked earlier claims of 2015 agree-ment between Okorocha and Martin Agbaso.

The chairman said the agreement purportedly signed by Okorocha to hand over power to Agbaso after his first tenure was an insult to the people of the state.

He said: We view this claim by Chief Martin Ag-baso of entering into agree-

ment with His Excellency, Owelle Rochas Okorocha, to hand over governorship of the state to his family as a slap on Imo people.

How could two men ap-propriate the governorship of a state with a teeming population of over five mil-lion people?

While questioning Ag-basos capacity to negotiate the 2015 governorship of Imo State on behalf of Ow-erri zone, Anyanwu said he was being economical with

Okorochas impeachment plot: Let Jonathan deny his involvement APGA

DENNIS AGBOENUGU

There was tension in Enugu yesterday fol-lowing the brutal murder of a cleric, Rev. Vic-tor Nnaduagwu.

The incident occurred in the early hours of the day.

Until his demise, the pas-tor resided at No 1 Ilukwe Street, Asata in Ogui Layout.

It was gathered that some residents of the street dis-covered the lifeless body of

the pastor when they went to fetch water from the stream.

A source, who was pres-ent while sympathisers were pulling the victim out from the stream, told our correspondent that the de-ceased had bruises all over his body.

She said: Those who went inside the stream while he was being pulled out said he had bruises in parts of his body. They said it looked as if his killers used stone or nail to hit his face.

The source expressed dis-may over the murder of the pastor, saying until his de-mise, he was securing the en-trance of Ilukwe Street with his dogs.

According to her, relatives of the deceased travelled when the incident took place.

Our correspondent, who visited Ilukwe Street yes-terday, discovered that the residents had fled the area to avoid mass arrest by the police.

Meanwhile, the state Pub-

lic Relations Officer, Ebere Amaraizu, has confirmed the incident.

Amaraizu said in a state-ment that the Enugu State Command of the Nigeria Police has commenced in-vestigations into the circum-stances surrounding the alleged killing of Rev. Victor Nnaduagwu of no 1 Ilukwe Street, Asata Ogui in Enugu State on 18/4/13.

He disclosed that the re-mains of the victim had been deposited in a mortuary.

Governor Sulivan Chimes admin-istration has ap-proved the recruitment of 355 health workers for sec-ondary health facilities in Enugu State.

Briefing newsmen at the end of the State Executive Council meeting in Enugu on Wednesday, the Com-missioner for Information, Mr. Chuks Ugwoke, said the health workers would be de-ployed in the seven district hospitals, three sub-district hospitals and the 41 cottage

hospitals in the state.He explained that the

recruitment would involve medical officers, nurses, pharmacists, radiogra-phers, laboratory scientists, security guards and clerical officers.

According to him, the re-cruitment is in line with the commitment of the govern-ment to ensuring improved access to quality healthcare delivery.

Ugwoke said the council also approved the renova-tion of the State Indepen-

dent Electoral Commission office.

The commissioner dis-closed that the project would cost N29 million, noting that it was to create a conducive working envi-ronment.

He said: The Executive Council today approved a draft bill for a law to estab-lish the Enugu State Tour-ism Board to improve and control tourism activities like hotels, fast foods and recreational parks.

The bill will be sent to

the House of Assembly for consideration and possible passage.

Ugwoke said a contract of N69 million had been awarded to an Italian com-pany for the renovation and repair of the state liaison office in Abuja.

He explained that the work, which would include re-roofing of the building and landscaping of the premises, among others, would help restore the con-fidence of occupiers of the building.

Tension over pastors murder in Enugu

Chime plans to recruit 355 health workers

Anambra State Gov-ernor Peter Obi has expressed concern over current poor funding of the police.

Obi, who spoke in yester-day in Abuja while fielding questions from State House Correspondents after a meet-ing of the Interim Imple-mentation Committee on Police Reform, regretted the inability of government to meet the 10 per cent capital requirements of the police.

The meeting was pre-sided over by Vice-President Namadi Sambo.

The governor said the meeting discussed ways of raising additional funds for the force to enable it perform its duties diligently.

He said: The issue is that the Nigeria Police Force is underfunded, grossly, and this committee is trying to

help it to raise money.There can never be a sit-

uation where a country can-not even foot up to 10 per cent of the capital requirements of the police.

Security is the most im-portant issue, for us today. You cant talk about any-thing without security, and if that is the most important issue, you should fund it, at least, reasonably.

Obi pledged that the state governments would con-tinue to partner with the Federal Government to en-hance the performance of the police.

The Minister of Police Af-fairs, Navy Captain Caleb Ol-ubolade (rtd), who also spoke to the correspondents, said N20 billion had been ear-marked in this years budget for the police transformation programme.

GEORGE OPARAABIA

For Nigeria to effec-tively tackle emerging security challenges, various security agencies in the country must work in synergy.

The Abia State Commis-sioner of Police, Alhaji Us-man Abubakar, said this when he received members of the state Vigilante Group in his office yesterday in Umuahia, the state capital.

Abubakar said collabo-ration among security or-ganisations was essential for successful crime fighting in addition to other factors.

The commissioner, who expressed happiness over the visit by members of the group, said it was a mark of readiness on the part of the outfit to join forces with the police in tackling security challenges in the state.

Abubakar added that he

was willing to partner with the group and any other body to ensure the security of lives and property.

He said: Though your work is voluntary, you have demonstrated that you are willing partners in the secu-rity of lives and property of Abia people.

I expect that members of Abia State Vigilante Group will join the police in night patrols so as to ensure that criminals are checkmated.

Abubakar urged the lead-ership of Abia State Vigi-lante Group to recruit people with good character, noting, that some bad eggs always want to take advantage of uniform organisation to commit crimes.

The commissioner also told the leadership of the group to regularly monitor the activities of its men to en-sure that the good intention of government in establishing the outfit was not defeated.

Poor funding of police worrisome Obi

Crime fi ghting requires security agencies cooperation CP

the truth.He said: Beyond de-

manding for a cash compen-sation of N450 million from Governor Okorocha, Chief Agbaso hijacked prominent appointments meant for Ow-erri zone, therefore, the un-founded claim of ceding the 2015 Imo State governorship to Chief Agbaso via the so-called agreement should be disregarded.

Efforts to get Akobundu to react to the Speakers allega-tion did not yield fruit as he

refused to pick his calls.But the state PDP Public-

ity Secretary, Chief Byden Amajirionwu, denied any collaboration between the Presidency and APGA on the alleged impeachment plot.

He said: Akobundu, who has been accused of leading the delegation, was not even present during the visit and how can we visit a President over the impeachment of a governor, is Mr. President the state House of Assembly?

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.netFriday, April 19, 2013News12

Some residents of Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital, have decried the high rent rates in the city.

The residents told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) yesterday that they were facing a lot of hardship because of the high rates.

They said governments intervention was necessary to tackle the challenges of housing in the state.

NAN reports that a one-room self-contained apart-ment costs between N150, 000 and N200, 000 per an-num, while one-bedroom apartment costs between N250, 000 and N350, 000 per annum, depending on the location.

A two-bedroom apart-ment is being given out at between N400, 000 and N500, 000 per annum.

Mr. Kelvin Onwuka, a civil servant, said the high rent charges would drop if government could adequate-ly address some issues on housing.

He said housing was a necessity to mankind and called on the Federal Gov-

ernment to enact laws that would guide house rents across the country.

Government should make laws to control and guide house rents and ad-vance payments on accom-modation in this country.

Cost of accommodation in Port Harcourt is worri-some, especially for civil servants and it increases year by year.

There should be mutual understanding between government and landlords to address issues on hous-ing in the state, Onwuka urged.

Mrs. Chinelo Friday, an-other resident, who is a trad-er also frowned at the high cost of housing in the state and advised the state govern-ment to urgently address the issue.

Friday said the rising cost was caused by activities of fake property agents and greedy landlords.

Advanced payment for apartments in Lagos goes between six months and one year, but here in Port Har-court, you pay either one, two or three years, depending on

the landlord, she said.She urged state and Fed-

eral Governments to enact laws to control house rents and specify the number of years allowed for advanced payments.

An estate agent, Mr. Ber-nard Chinda, supported the call for the provision of a law to control rents.

The reason here is that the popular face me, I face you is no longer in demand; most of the houses have been transformed to modern structures.

People usually say that agents are fully responsible for the increase in house rents, but that is not true, because we cannot rent an apartment beyond what the landlord is demanding, Amadi said.

NAN reports that rent charges have been on the increase in the city as some landlords embarked on the conversion of their old hous-es to modern ones.

Many landlords in the city have converted their old houses to one-room self-contained, one-bedroom and two-bedroom flats.

Coordinator of Edo in Safe Hands, a non-governmental organisation, Mr. Morris Ovia, has called on the peo-ple of Edo State to vote for credible candidates in the April 20, local council poll.

Ovia told the News Agen-cy of Nigeria (NAN) in Be-nin yesterday that council election is grass-roots affairs and residents know the ter-rain and should be able to choose the leader they trust.

Not just a leader, but the

one who will complement the efforts of Governor Ad-ams Oshiomholes govern-ment in the area of infra-structure development.

Ovia, however, said that members of his organisation had carried out enlightenment campaigns across the three senatorial districts in the state.

We campaigned on the qualities of a leader, what to look at when making a choice and how to vote in or-der for the vote to be valid.

He warned against those,

who would sell their votes for money, adding that the choice of their leaders would determine the development in their communities.

Do not vote for imported candidates, who will operate from the cities, but some-body, who knows and feels the pains of what you are in need of, or lacking.

Cast your vote according to your conscience, not for sentiment and by so doing, development will extend to your door steps, he advised.

MARCUS FATUNMOLEABUJA

Vice-President Nama-di Sambo, yesterday gave reasons why the feud between the Nige-rian Police and the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC, lingers.

Sambo blamed the crisis between the two agencies on the failure of the nations constitution to state explic-itly the roles of the NSCDC.

The vice-president made the remark at a meeting of the Interim Implementation Committee on the Reform of the Nigeria Police, which held in Abuja.

Responding to a question from the Inspector-General of Police, IGP, Mr. Moham-med Abubakar, on the over-lap of functions between the Nigerian Police and other related agencies such

as the NSCDC, Vice-Presi-dent Sambo pointed said; The NSCDC was legally established by an Act of the National Assembly with de-fined legal statutes but their functions are yet to be prop-erly established.

Sambo therefore directed that the committee assist in resolving the feud by looking into areas of conflict in roles between the agencies and the police with a view to de-fining them accordingly.

It will be recalled that the two security outfits recently tackled each other over al-leged battle to rescue oil bun-kerers in Lagos, last month, where the NSCDC lost two of its personnel and blamed the killing on the police.

Vice-President Sambo at the meeting directed the po-lice to work out modalities that will facilitate the con-clusion of additional works

to enable the utilisation of the proposed Public Security Communication Network on the 450 MHz frequency.

He emphasised the need to utilise the frequency to foster progress in the fight against insecurity in the country. He noted that the police should go ahead and use the fre-quency while the Inspector-General of Police continues to discuss with the company and the ICC to see how pend-ing issues will be resolved.

Earlier, Minister of Police Affairs, Caleb Olubolade, informed the vice-president that the Strategic Plan for the Reform Programme run for private sector partici-pation had been prepared. Based on a rundown given by Messrs Accenture, the plan is about to be opened up now to a larger body of stake-holders slated for the second quarter of 2013, he said.

TERH AGBEDEH

Stakeholders in the Arts and Culture in-dustry have called for the resignation of the Min-ister of Tourism, Culture and National Orientation, Chief Edem Duke and the General Manager of the Na-tional Theatre, Kabiru Yu-suf, asking them to tender their resignations without further delay.

The group, under the auspices of the Artists Col-lective, comprising the As-sociation of Nigerian Au-thors, ANA, Lagos chapter; the Guild of Nigerian Danc-ers, GONG; Actors Guild of Nigeria, AGN; Radio, Television and Theatre Arts Workers Union, RATTAWU; Directors Guild of Nigeria, DGN; Society of Nigerian

Artists, SNA; the Univer-sal Studio of Artists, USA, among others, made the call yesterday, following the Fed-eral Governments plan to concession the premises of the National Theatre to pri-vate profiteers.

They said the National Council for Arts and Cul-ture, NCACs Artists Vil-lage, which is under threat as a result of the develop-ment, is perhaps the most exciting development in the cultural sector in Nigeria in the last

friday, april 19, 2013

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