L-R: Former Head of Interim National Government, Chief Ernest Shonekan; former Head of State, Gen. Yakubu Gowon; Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu; Senate President David Mark; President Goodluck Jonathan and his wife, Patience, during the 54th Independence Day interdenominational church service in Abuja, yesterday.

Vol. 4 N0. 949 Monday, September 29, 2014 N150

P.9

CONTINUED ON PAGE 5>>Alison-Madueke

FG should take action on offenders, says Jang

P.58

Hong Kong: Police disperse defi ant pro-democracy protesters

Bi-Courtney denies owing AMCON

P.6Babalakin

P.5

Jinping

FG begins design of $5bn Trans-Nigeria gas pipeline

PDP, APC verbal war continues

UDEME AKPAN The Federal Govern-ment has started the design of the nations $5bn Trans-Nige-

ria Gas Pipeline targeted at delivering gas to north-ern and eastern parts of

contract to be awarded soon

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Ekiti mayhem: Soldiers, police foil fresh attack

$50,000 bribery probe may be dumped Principal offi cer

ABIODUN NEJOADO EKITI

Nigerian Army and the police in Ado-Ekiti yesterday foiled a planned reprisal attack following protests that greeted the killing on Friday of the former Chair-man of National Union of

Remi Olowude, IGI vice-chairman dies at 62

$9.3m arms scandal:

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net2 Monday, September 29, 2014

National Mirrorwww.nationalmirroronline.net 3Monday, September 29, 2014

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net4 Monday September 29, 2014Photo News

FRANCIS EZEM

Barring any policy summersault, the Federal Govern-ment is projecting an annual foreign exchange earnings in excess of $12bn (N2.04tn) from the export of seafarers to other maritime nations, under the National Sea-farers Development Pro-gramme, NSDP.

The NSDP, which is a brainchild of the Nigeri-an Maritime Administra-tion and Safety Agency, NIMASA, is a strategic intervention designed to address the short and medium term manpower requirements of the Ni-geria maritime industry by creating a large pool of indigenous seafarers and also contribute to the global seafarers market.

The programme is made up of three win-

across the globe, most of which will graduate in less than two years.

This, apart from ad-dressing the local man-power needs, will also help to boost the global seafarers market.

He said: NIMASA remains the only mari-time administration the world over, which com-mits such huge amount of money in training in-digenous manpower and we are committed to in-vesting larger chunk of our revenue into build-ing more capacities both for export and the local industry.

We have chosen to do so because we have re-alised that a nation that trains its youths, such a nation has taken care of the future and when the youths of a nation is hungry, that nation is in trouble and so no amount of money invested on the

dows, comprising a 60/40 per cent funding ratio between NIMASA and some state governments, which attracted few par-ticipation, 60/40 between NIMASA and individu-als or corporate bodies, which attracted no par-ticipation and the 100 per cent NIMASA-funded ini-tiative under which over 2, 000 Nigerian cadets are currently being trained.

Director-General of NIMASA, Mr. Patrick Ak-pobolokemi, who spoke at the weekend during an official reception for 23 Nigerian cadets trained at the Arab Maritime University, Alexandria, Egypt, disclosed that Ni-geria will surpass the Philippines, which cur-rently exports about 30 per cent of the global sea-farers need, from which she earns about $6bn.

The agency had last year also received over 22

youths is too much.All the graduating ca-

dets have already been issued with their Cer-tificate of Competency, COC, having completed their 12-month manda-tory sea time training, which is incorporated in the NSDP programme as recommended by the International Maritime Organisation IMO, un-der the Standards of Training, Certificate and Watchkeeping STCW 1978.

What this means is that the new cadets can be employed on board any foreign vessel any-where in the world, having completed their classroom and practi-cal training on board an ocean going vessels for a period of one year, which remains a major chal-lenge for Nigerian cadets trained locally.

On fears expressed in

cadet-graduates from the White Sands Maritime University, Newcastle, United Kingdom, who were trained under the NSDP programme.

According to him, in addition to what it has already spent in the past, the agency will spend a large chunk of its annual budget in the training of Nigerian seafarers in line with its core man-date of building capacity.

Our vision is to cre-ate composite indigenous manpower that will han-dle the Coastal and In-land Shipping Cabotage regime such as the Phil-ippines, which currently earns about $6bn, he said.

He disclosed that apart from the cadets that graduated from the pro-gramme since last year, the nation has over 2,500 other cadets in various maritime universities

some quarters over the availability of job spac-es for the cadets, Akpo-bolokemi assured that though there are abun-dant opportunities under the Cabotage regime, the agency will ensure that they are fixed up on com-pletion of their National Youth Service scheme.

He expressed apprecia-tion to President Good-luck Jonathan for his support and encourage-ment and his personal intervention in critical times such as when there were issues with secur-ing visas for the cadets.

Director of the NSDP, Mrs. Irene Mcfoy, who spoke at the occasion, commended the NIMASA DG for his commitment towards the programme.

She noted that the pro-gramme has never en-countered delays in the payment of allowances for the cadets.

FG projects $12bn annual earnings from seafarers export

L-R: Executive General Manager, Totals Egina Project, Jean-Michel Guy; Chairman, Seadrill Nigeria Limited, Tony O. Elumelu; CEO, Tenoil Petroleum and Energy Services Limited, Tony Chukwueke; Senior Vice President, Africa Middle East, Seadrill Limited, Eduardo Antonello, and Executive Secretary, Nigeria Content Development Management Board, Ernest Nwapa, at the formal Sail Away ceremony of West Jupiter drill ship for use by Total Upstream Nigeria Limited, and operated by Seadrill Nigeria Limited, in Goje, South Korea, on Friday

L-R: Executive Director, Centre for Ethics and Value Orientation, Prince Salilu Yakubu; Director, Planning, Research and Strategy, National Orientation Agency, NOA, Mr. Bonat Tagwai; Director of Procurement, Mrs. Remi Afolabi, and Director, Admin and Human Resources, Mr. Ado Solomon, during the appointment of the Director General of NOA as Ambassador of Ethics and Good Governance, in Abuja, at the weekend.

L-R: Nigerias Ambassador to the US, Prof. Ade Adefuye; Chairman, Nigerian Young Professionals Forum, Mr. Moses Siliko Siasia; Kaduna State Governor Ramalan Yero, and Nigerias Permanent Representative to the UN and President, UN Security Council, Prof. Joy Ogwu, during the inaugural summit of the US chapter of NYPF, in New York, recently.

National News

Lagos State Governor. Babatunde Fashola, SAN (right) and his Ogun State counterpart, Senator Ibikunle Amosun during the 60th Birthday Service for the Founder and President, Living Faith Church World Wide, Bishop (Dr) David Oyedepo at Canaan Land, Ota, Ogun State, on Saturday.

National Mirrorwww.nationalmirroronline.net 5Monday, September 29, 2014 News

Ekiti mayhem: Soldiers, police foil fresh attack

FG begins design of $5bn Trans-Nigeria gas pipeline

$50,000 bribery probe may be dumped Principal officer

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President, Civil Rights Congress of Nigeria, Comrade Shehu Sani (left) addressing members of the Coalition of Closed Unpaid Textiles Workers Association, during their protest in Kaduna yesterday. PHOTO: NAN

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the country.Consequently, the con-

tract for the construction of the estimated 1,200 kilome-tres flagship project would be awarded in the next few months.

Investigations showed that the contractors would be expected to complete the project in 2018.

The Group Executive Di-rector, Gas and Power of the Nigerian National Petro-leum Corporation, Dr. Da-vid Ige, who confirmed the development in a telephone interview at the weekend, said that the design of the project would soon be com-pleted to pave the way for the contract award.

The contract has not yet been awarded. We are at present working on the proj-ect design, which should be completed soon before the award of contract, he said.

He stated that the state of security in the northern states and other parts of the nation had never consti-

tuted a serious threat to the project.

However, a source in a South African- based firm stated that contractors in-terested in the project were scared of security challeng-es in the nation.

The official, who did not want his name mentioned, stated that the contractors were bent on conducting a detailed security risk as-sessment to enable them understand the present security situation in the northern and eastern parts of the nation.

The interested contrac-tors have complained about the state of security in the North and a few other parts of the nation, he stated.

He stated that the con-tractors have already con-tracted a South African - based outfit to undertake a detailed security risk assessment of Nigeria, especially in areas which the pipeline would pass through.

TORDUE SALEM AND JAMES ABRAHAM

The report of the House of Represen-tatives Committee on Ethics and Privileges in-vestigating lawmakers, ac-cused of collecting $20,000 bribe each to frustrate the probe of the $9.3m seized in South Africa, may be bur-ied, a principal officer of the House said at the week-end.

A motion to investigate allegations of money laun-dering and corruption

levelled against the Presi-dency for the alleged arms deal worth N1.2bn in South Africa, split the House along political party lines on Tuesday.

The All Progressives Congress, APC, lawmaker, Ali Madaki (Kano) had al-leged that the majority PDP lawmakers got bribe to stop a motion to investigate what the opposition alleged was a case of money laun-dering against the Federal Government, leading to the ruling by the presiding offi-cer, Deputy Speaker Emeka Ihedioha that the allega-

tion be looked into by the Ethics Committee.

But the Chairman of the House Committee on Rules and Business, Hon. Albert Sam-Tsokwa, while ex-pressing his doubts on the possibility of a successful probe of the bribery allega-tion, wondered why several enquiries by the Ethics and Privileges Committee nev-er saw the light of day.

Well, I am at a loss as to why the report on alle-gations of bribery against the Capital Market Com-mittee (against Hon. Her-man Hembeh) and that of

Farouk Lawan (on allega-tions of collecting $600,000 bribe) are yet to be submit-ted, he said.

He however insisted that Orders 1 and 50 of the Standing Orders of the House, barred members from discussing the mo-tion, which he opined was on security.

He said the presiding of-ficer, Emeka Ihedioha, frus-trated a debate on a motion to inquire about the South African cash-haul situa-tion, in line with the rules of the House.

But National Mirror

found that neither Order 1 nor 50 of the Standing Orders of the House says anything against debates on 'security' or corruption motions.

Order 1 states: "The Pro-ceedings in the House of Representatives and in all Committees of the House shall be conducted in ac-cordance with these Stand-ing Orders".

Order 50 States: Unless the Rules otherwise direct, notice shall be given of any motion or amendment, which is proposed to be moved with the exception of the following: (i) a mo-tion or a amendment made or offered in Committee of the Whole House", all the rules under the Order from 1 to 7 are silent on the issue of debates on securi-ty or corruption motions.

In short, no part of the Rule Book is against de-bates on security and cor-ruption motions.

The sponsor of the mo-tion, Abdulrahman Kawu, has also argued that his motion was on corrup-tion, and not security as claimed by the PDP law-makers.

Meanwhile, Governor Jonah Jang of Plateau

State has advised the Fed-eral Government to take drastic actions against Nigerians apprehended in shady deals abroad to save the nations image.

In a statement in Jos at the weekend and signed by Director of Press of Press Government House, Mr. James Mannok, quoted the governor as speak-ing at the launching of the new 64 page electronic passport in the state.

The governor regret-ted how Nigerians are sometimes treated at some countrys boarders and urged all to behave respon-sibly abroad so as to give our passport a desired dignity and repair our na-tions image.

Governor Jang called on the citizens of the state who desired to acquire the essential travel document to seize the opportunity.

While presenting Gov-ernor Jang his new pass-port, the Plateau State Comptroller of Immigra-tion Services, Mr. Ray-mond Jaja, enumerated the enhanced security features of the new passport saying that citizens between the ages of 16 and below will pay less for the e-passport.

Road Transport Workers in Ekiti State, Mr. Omolafe Aderiye.

The attack was allegedly planned by members of the Road Transport Employ-ers Association of Nigeria, RTEAN, due to the destruc-tion of the property of one of their leaders, Mr. Rotimi Olabiwoninu, a rival of the deceased.

But the timely interven-tion of the army and the police prevented action just as normalcy was restored to the capital city.

While the armed regular and mobile policemen as well as the army patrolled the streets, men of the Department of Security Services were stationed at the NURTW park on Ikere Road.

The state Police Com-missioner, Mr. Taiwo Laka-nu, said in a statement in Ado-Ekiti yesterday that

the police received an in-telligence report that some hooligans within the state and their accomplices out-side the state were plan-ning to wreak more havoc, and he consequently placed more policemen on red alert to prevent more may-hem anywhere in the state.

Lakanu also ordered the deployment of adequate manpower to embark on extensive vehicle and foot patrols and carry out thor-ough searches of vehicles and pedestrians to forestall importation of dangerous weapons.

The statement by the state police spokesman, Mr. Victor Babayemi, said: In view of the current happen-ings in the state, the com-missioner of police wishes to warn that any person or group of persons that have no lawful business in the state to stay clear. He fur-ther warned that the full

weight of the law will be visited on any individual or group fomenting trouble by inciting, aiding or abetting the commission of crime in any part of the state."

This was as the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in the state raised the alarm that the All Progressives Congress, APC, was alleg-edly importing thugs into the state from Lagos to cause mayhem under the guise that they were PDP supporters.

PDP State Public-ity Secretary, Pastor Kola Oluwawole, in a state-ment in Ado- Ekiti yes-terday called on security agencies to be on the look-out for the troublemakers.

He stated: Only last Monday, we raised the alarm that the APC had commissioned some peo-ple to attack PDP lead-ers and were threatening PDP leaders. Some people

said we were only rais-ing false alarm, but three days later, Chief Omolafe Aderiye, a leader of the PDP in Ado-Ekiti was killed.

These thugs will ap-pear in PDP vests and fez caps to execute their dastardly act within one month. Certainly, they are likely to have arrived Ekiti by now. They will move about on motorcycles to ex-ecute their dastardly act.

But the APC described the PDP allegation as re-versed psychology, saying the PDP was only selling a dummy of what it intended to do.

APC State Publicity Di-rector, Mr. Segun Dipe, said the APC had no reason to import thugs, saying: We are in government, are we going to import thugs to disrupt it? We know those who are capable of import-ing thugs.

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 5

Bi-Courtney denies owing AMCON

FG begins design of $5bn Trans-Nig eria gas pipeline

CSO coalition seeks support for NYSC online registration

Independence Anniversary: Jonathan calls for unity

Peoples Democratic Party chieftains during a campaign rally for Adamawa State Acting Governor Ahmadu Fintiri in Mubi, yesterday.

ROTIMI FADEYIABUJA

President Goodluck Jonathan yesterday appealed to Nigerians to unite and work towards the progress and develop-ment of the country.

The president spoke at the interdenominational church service held at the National Christian Centre to mark the nation's 54th In-dependence anniversary of

the country.According to him, there

is nothing that can be achieved without unity and togetherness.

While stressing the im-portance of unity, the presi-dent referred to how the country was united to fight and defeat the Ebola virus disease, saying that the na-tion was able to fight the disease because the Federal, states, local governments and all Nigerians were unit-

ed.God knows that we have

challenges and even before these challenges came up, I believe God knew that we are going to get the challeng-es, we believe God knows the beginning and the end, Jonathan said.

He noted that with prayers, the country would surely overcome the chal-lenges.

The president commend-ed the efforts of the armed

forces in combating the security challenges in the country, stressing that Ni-gerians need to encourage them.

In his message at the church service, the Presi-dent of Christian Associa-tion of Nigeria, CAN, Pas-tor Ayo Oritsejafor, said the problems in Nigeria were self inflicted.

Oritsejafor stated that the problem of corrup-tion, terrorism, tribalism

and nepotism among other vices were self-inflicted

He said: Most of the problems of Nigeria are self-inflicted. Corruption did not fall from the moon. It is self-inflicted. Cor-ruption is fed by greed; the foundation of greed is poverty mentality. Pov-erty mentality is thinking that what you have is not enough and you continue to struggle to get more.

Corruption is what we

have done to ourselves. There is corruption in high and low places. There is corruption at home, schools, at job, every-where. It is self-inflicted.

He said that terrorism was not caused or fueled by poverty, but caused by extreme religious ideol-ogy.

Oritsejafor, however, said that Nigeria would overcome the problem and would not sink.

The official said: The contractors have awarded the security risk assessment contract to a South African-based firm whose officials have started work to ascer-tain the state of security in the nation.

He stated that the securi-ty risk assessment would en-able the contractors to have a deeper understanding of security issues in the nation and how that could impact on the Trans-Nigeria Gas Pipeline.

Although the contrac-tors are interested in the state of security in the en-

tire nation, they are more in-terested the areas the pipe-line would pass through, especially the QIT-Obigbo-OB/OB pipeline, including Cawthorne Channel-Obigbo Node section required for early gas gathering phase.

The contractors further look at Obigbo Node-Umua-hia-Ajaokuta pipeline, which constitutes a section of phase one that is also known as middle section or QUA project, he said.

It was learnt that the na-tion has also made progress in other gas projects, includ-ing the ongoing expansion of Escravos-Lagos gas pipe-

line system, which started in 2011.

A source stated that the pipeline is nearing comple-tion. The project is expected be completed before the end of the year in order to dou-ble its capacity to deliver gas to users.

It was learnt that the Obiafu-Obrikom-Oben pipe-line project, would be com-pleted in 2016 to connect the Obiafu/Obrikom field and gas recycling plant in Riv-ers State to the Oben field in Edo State.

A source in NNPC stated that inadequate facilities and poor state of existing

ones constituted a serious challenge to gas supply in the nation.

We are trying to improve the flexibility and reliability of supply by making sure that we can transport gas from multiple sources.

We are working and would soon get to a point where we will be able to im-prove gas supply to virtually all parts of the country.

The NNPC expect that about two billion cubic feet of gas would be supplied daily to the domestic market in 2014, with about 13 per cent going to industries, he stated.

He added that additional six per cent would be sup-plied to some nations in West Africa through the West African Gas pipeline, while the rest would be sup-plied to power plants for electricity generation.

The Minister of Petro-leum Resources, Mrs. Die-zani Alison-Madueke had said that an inter-agency initiative aimed at ensur-ing efficient gas supply for power generation has made available N213bn to boost gas supply for power generation in the nation.

Alison-Madueke said the fund would be used to

settle the legacy gas debts, which stand at N36bn; ex-ecution of agreed metering programmes and procure-ment of transformers by distribution companies and execution of mainte-nance programmes and procurement of equipment by generation companies.

The minister said that Distribution Companies, Generation Companies and the Transmission Company of Nigeria will give commitments to de-ploy the funds to address specific challenges as pre-conditions for accessing the fund.

TOLA AKINMUTIMIABUJA

Worried by the rag-ing controversies over the recent introduction of online reg-istration by the National Youth Service Corps, NYSC, the Coalition of Civil Society

Group has urged Nigerians to support the project in view of its invaluable benefits.

Making the position of the Civil Society Organisation, CSO, known during a media chat in Abuja, the President, Comrade Etuk Bassey Wil-liams, said that in a world in which Information and

Communications, Technol-ogy, ICT, had become the pre-ferred tool in management, the full computerisation of the NYSC mobilisation pro-cess should be supported for improved efficiency of the scheme.

Bassey, who cautioned against any form of politici-sation of the project, noted that the online registration for prospective corps mem-bers symbolised an innova-

tion from critical thinking outside the box by the man-agement of NYSC and was coming at a most auspi-cious time to solve the myr-iads of shortcomings being experienced by graduates in their enrolment for the compulsory national ser-vice.

The CSO chief, who said that the N4,000 was mod-erate for the services that will be rendered on the

platform, however urged that the cost should be re-viewed downwards.

Bassey said: Having painstakingly investigated and analyse the circum-stances surrounding the full computerisation of the NYSC mobilisation process and the cost associated with it, we resolved that prospec-tive corps members will benefit immensely more than they stand to lose from

harnessing and fully maxi-mising this on-line registra-tion platform.

The CSO leader pointed out that the groups inde-pendent findings showed that less than 5,000 prospec-tive members have sub-scribed while above 17,000 have indicated interest confirming that it is being widely embraced by the prospective corps members entirely at their discretion.

JOHNSON OKANLAWON

Bi-Courtney Lim-ited yesterday said it wasnot indebted to the Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria, AMCON.

This is coming on the heels of a statement is-sued by AMCONs lawyer Mr. Olisa Agbakoba SAN on Friday that he has been appointed as Receiver of Bi-Courtney Limited and sister companies, Char-tered Investment Limited, Resort International Lim-ited and Roygate Limited.

According to a state-ment from Bi-Courtney,

AMCON is indebted to the companies as the Federal High Court has awarded the sum of N132bn to Bi-Courtney Limited against the Federal Government and the corporation.

It said that the monies remain unpaid till date despite consistent re-quests from Bi-Courtney that the debt should be settled.

The statement ex-plained that the order purportedly obtained by Agbakoba was fraudu-lently and unlawfully ob-tained from the Federal High Court by concealing the existence of a court or-der since November 4, 2011.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net6 Monday, September 29, 2014News

National Mirrorwww.nationalmirroronline.net Monday, September 29, 2014 7

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net8 Monday, September 29, 2014 News

PRISCILLA DENNIS MINNA

The Chairman Northern States Governors Forum, NSGF, Dr. Muazu Baban-gida Aliyu has described the statement credited to Arewa Consultative Fo-rum, ACF, claiming that northern governors re-jected their recommenda-

tions on how to end the Boko Haram insurgency as unfortunate.

He said such unpro-voked allegation made by the ACF against the forum after all it has done to fight insurgency in the North was unfair and capable of exacerbating the problem on ground, if it was in-deed its views.

Aliyu, who is also the Niger State Governor in

a statement signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Israel A. Ebije insisted that rather than playing the blame game or unnec-essary arguments on who worked more in ending the security problem in the region, what should be paramount to all is end-ing it, insisting that the northern governors made wide consultations based on various experiences,

especially in flash point areas towards charting a security roadmap for the region on how best to end the insurgency and won-dered how the ACF could come with such allegation after all their efforts.

We consulted widely with socio-political groups towards ending Boko Ha-ram insurgency and other security matters in the North. We inaugurated a

Boko Haram: ACF comment on northern govs unfortunate -Aliyu

OBIORA IFOHABUJA

The All Progressives Congress, APC, has accused the Presi-dent Goodluck Jonathans administration of playing politics with the predica-ment of the Chibok girls.

APC said that what the Peoples Democratic Party PDP, has chosen to do was to create a maximum pub-lic relations boost for itself with the unfortunate in-cident, rather than out of a genuine concern for the girls who are now in their sixth month in captivity.

In a statement issued in London on Sunday by its Na-tional Publicity Secretary of the APC, Alhaji Lai Moham-med the party said the clear-est evidence of the govern-ments manipulation of the girls release came during President Jonathans recent visit to New York to attend

President playing politics with Chibok girls predicament -APC

the United Nations General Assembly.

Apparently assured, somehow, that the girls were about to be released, the ad-ministration had set up an elaborate publicity event in New York, rented the nec-essary crowd and booked back-to-back interviews with the international me-dia to enable the President to luxuriate in the girls re-lease. This event was billed for the five-star Pierre Hotel in Manhattan, close to the UN headquarters.

Nigerians will remem-ber that on September 23, the military announced, on Twitter, the imminent re-lease of the girls, only to re-tract the statement shortly thereafter. In the interven-ing period, thousands of supporters of the President had gathered at the Pierre Hotel to welcome the Presi-dent after the release of the girls, while media inter-

views had been booked for him.

Such an occasion re-quired prior organisation, and therefore prior knowl-edge by both the government and attendees of the timing of any release of the girls.

This whole episode was timed to also coincide with President Jonathanns speech to the UN General Assembly on the following day, September 24 and to secure maximum advan-tage for the government. Somehow, the whole pro-cess collapsed like a pack of cards, to the chagrin of those seeking to exploit the innocent girls for political advantage, it said.

APC condemned the shameless politicisation of the plight of the Chibok girls, saying since the in-competence of the Jona-than administration led to the abduction of the girls in the first instance, it must

not seek to make political capital out of their release.

What should be para-mount is securing the re-lease of the girls as soon as possible, not securing their release to fit with a sched-ule that benefits Goodluck Jonathan politically. For the girls, their parents and indeed all good people of Nigeria, this abduction saga has been a nightmare. It is time for it to end, the party said.

committee, extended the period of that committee to accommodate all the views. Ibrahim Coomass-ie, Chairman of ACF is aware of our effort.

We forwarded our recommendation to the Federal Government as part of our effort towards ending insurgency in the North. I was indeed shocked to read in one of the dailies that ACF alleged that we rejected their recommendations when in actual sense; we were the ones begging for contributions. What is expected of anybody or group is words of encour-agement, contribution, commendation and not ac-cusations.

Aliyu said that the se-curity committee was giv-en 90 days to submit its re-port to the NSGF, its terms of reference include; to liaise with stakeholders in the northern states,

Gov. Aliyu

particularly the affected states, and get to the root of the security challenges and proffer solutions.

The committee, accord-ing to him, was also man-dated to dialogue with any identified groups, with a view to negotiating the way out of the problem and also liaised with the Federal Government and deliberate on the best ap-proach in resolving the security challenges.

The Lagos State House of Assembly has said that the victory of the Speaker, Adeyemi Ikuforiji, has made the legislative insti-tution survive the plot to rubbish its hard-earned integrity.

In a statement yester-day by its spokesperson, Segun Olulade, the House expressed satisfaction with the no case ruling deliv-ered by the Federal High Court, Lagos, on the alleged money laundering case in-stituted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Con-stitution, EFCC, against Ikuforiji.

The House also reaf-firmed its believe in the Ikuforiji-led administra-tion of the House, which ac-cording to the lawmakers, has soared above common standard of excellence over the time.

While clarifying the true position of the case, Olu-lade said that the Speaker was never at any point charged for stealing, em-bezzlement, misappropria-tion or financial corruption as popularly misconstrued in media reports.

He stressed further that throughout the regular

court process, it was obvi-ous that the case was one of calculated attempt to witch-hunt the Speaker and rubbish the Assembly as an institution, which he described as an act of sabotage laced in ulterior motive.

He pointed out that the Judge in his ruling has clarified that account de-partment of the House is a financial institution and same is applicable to any institution in the class of the Assembly, and as such, the Speaker could not be liable for drawing funds approved by the House to meet the pur-pose for which the money was duly approved, espe-cially when it was con-firmed even by the EFCC in the exhibit presented before the court that the money was truly used for the purpose for which it was meant.

He added that it was sure that the fictitious pe-titioner has only helped the House of Assembly to move forward in spite of hurdles placed before Mr. Speaker which has made him to become a man to beat on the track of integ-rity and prudence.

Ikuforijis trial: Plot to rubbish our image Lagos Assembly

Mohammed

L-R: Acting Registrar, Institute of Education, University of Abuja, Mrs. Swanta Rifkatu; Acting Director of the institute, Dr. Patricia Ojiah and Vice Chancellor, University of Abuja, Prof. Michael Adikwu, during the matriculation of 2009-2014 students of the institute, in Abuja, on Saturday. PHOTO: NAN

WALE IGBINTADE

The Reserve Bank of Australia and two other firms, Se-curency Private Limited and Innovia Films Lim-ited, all based in Austra-lia, may pay damages up to 4bn Euros to a Nigerian firm for allegedly dump-ing part of a partnership deal to establish a poly-mer currency printing plant in Nigeria.

Already, an Abuja high court judge, Justice O. O. Goodluck, has ordered their Nigerian partners, Benoy Berry and Global Secure Currency (plain-tiffs), to serve the Austra-lian firms writ of sum-mons.

Besides, Justice Good-luck ordered the three Australian firms to ap-pear in court and defend allegations pertaining to breach of contract for the

transfer of technology and establish a polymer-based mint in Nigeria.

The Australian firms are to face a 126m euros specific damages for loss of revenue for failure to establish a local polymer plant up to date, and addi-tional 1.5bn euros damag-es for breach of contracts to carry out technology transfer to a Nigerian en-tity, or establish a polymer plant in Nigeria.

This is alleged to be the value of what would have been saved if the Austra-lian institution, through its subsidiary firms, had effectively transferred and domesticated the technology for the produc-tion of polymer currency notes in Nigeria.

At the resumed hear-ing of the case, Justice Goodluck dismissed the application brought by the Reserve Bank of Aus-tralia, asking the court

to set aside an ex-parte order made against it on the grounds that the order was made outside the ju-risdiction of the court.

The plaintiffs had through their counsel, Mrs. Gloria Zakka Onen, alleged that in the terms of the agreement, the Australian apex bank had agreed, through its sub-sidiary, Securency, Aus-tralia, to set up a Special Purpose Vehicle, SPV, to facilitate the transfer of polymer technology, in-cluding a 0-pacification facility (Substrate Plant) in Nigeria.

The plaintiff added that the marketing of the 1st defendants (Reserve Bank of Australia) im-ported polymer products incidental to the general investment in the local market would be under-taken ahead of the estab-lishment of local produc-tion.

SAIDAT ALAUSA

The Chancellor, Cove-nant University, Ota, Ogun State, Bishop David Oyedepo, has said that Nigeria needs indige-nous solutions to the prob-lems of the country.

He said this at a recep-tion for his 60th birthday held at the university on Saturday.

Oyedepo said Nigeria has all it takes to generate solutions to problems.

Every one of us in any endeavour, even people in the academia; we all have a role to play in giving a new name to our beloved coun-try, Nigeria, he said.

Urging youths in the country to engage in things that would be of benefit to the nation, he said, what Nigeria can do for you is one, but what you can do to make Nigeria greater is what you need to do, be-cause everybody has a role to play to make Nigeria great, he reiterated.

According to him, ev-eryone has an unlimited capacity, but unfortunately untapped.

Until potentials are tapped, the bishop added, and the same used to gen-erate solutions, it might be difficult to come out of the situation the country is facing now.

Thanking God for his life, Oyedepo said life is a gift and the only way to respond to the giver is to respond by adding value to others.

MESHACK IDEHEN

Insurance guru and Vice Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of Industrial and General Insurance, IGI Plc; Mr. Remi Olowude, yesterday passed away in the early hours at a hospital in the United States of America.

Olowude, it was gath-ered by National Mirror, had been ill for a while before his demise. He was aged 62

The IGI executive vice-chairman and CEO, ac-cording to some insurance stakeholders, had a very rich inter-disciplinary

background, having had his formal education in Economics, both at the Uni-versity of Lagos (between 1970-73) and the University of Santa Clara, California, United States, in 1976.

He was also an Associ-ate of the Chartered Insur-ance Institute of London, and described as a self-mo-tivated achiever.

He deployed his multi-disciplinary background, professionalism and vi-sion to build a conglom-erate with interests in various sectors of the Ni-gerian economy.

Sources that preferred to remain anonymous at IGI told National Mirror

the 62-year-old business-man died in a hospital in the United States after a protracted illness, adding there are also speculations that Olowude died of pros-tate cancer, though this is yet to be confirmed.

In a recent interview with journalists during his 60th birthday, Olowude spoke about his achieve-ments in life, saying in all honesty, that he had achieved more than he projected for himself.

He stated that all he wanted to do as the son of a librarian was to contrib-ute to knowledge by writ-ing books and getting his Ph.D.

Remi Olowude, IGI vice chairman, dies at 62

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National Mirrorwww.nationalmirroronline.net 9Monday September 29, 2014 NewsNational Mirrorwww.nationalmirroronline.net 9

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net10 Monday September 29, 2014

Gov. Amosun

FRANCIS SUBERU

Lagos State Govern-ment has revealed that its efforts at en-suring a de-flooded Lagos metropolis are being frus-

trated by indiscriminate dumping of refuse.

The state government warned that it will not hesi-tate to prosecute residents who indulge in indiscrimi-nate dumping of refuse, or erect structures on drain-

age channels in the me-tropolis.

State Commissioner for Environment, Mr. Tunji Bello, sounded the note of warning at the week-end during the monthly environmental sanitation

exercise monitored in Oto Awori local council devel-opment areas.

He noted that the prac-tice of erecting strictures on water channels and drainage as well as indis-criminate dumping of re-

FEMI OYEWESOABEOKUTA

Ogun State Governor Ibikunle Amosun yesterday called on Nigerians both at home and abroad to apply the spirit of unity and collec-tivity towards addressing issues affecting the nation, so that the country can be a better place for all to live.

The governor made the call while address-ing worshipers who had converged to pray at the special church service to mark the 54th National Day Celebration in the

state which was held at the Cathedral of St. Peters, Ake, Abeokuta, the state capital.

Amosun, who was rep-resented at the event by his wife, Olufunsho Amo-sun declared that Nigeria is capable of tackling all the security, ethnicities as well as the socio-econom-ic challenges militating against her attainment of nationhood, if the citi-zens could apply same spirit of love, unity and collective responsibilities as displayed during the period of fighting the Eb-ola Virus Disease, EVD.

Mrs. Amosun, who read the only lesson of the spe-cial church service from the book of 2nd Chroni-cles, chapter 7, however, likened the outbreak of the Ebola Virus Disease, EVD, to the plague suf-fered by the Egyptians when they refused to al-low the people of God moved out of their land to worship Him.

In the sermon delivered

at the event, the Bishop of Anglican Communion, Egba West, Rt. Rev. Sam-uel Ogundeji charged Ni-gerian leaders to repent from their sinful ways, humble themselves before God and love one another so that God could heal their land.

Ogundeji, who lament-ed that some leaders are aiding corruption which he said has eaten deep into every fabrics of the nation, however, warned that the fraud, selfish-ness, pride, hatred for each other, greed, and wickedness presently manifesting in all sphere of the nations life, could destroy the totality of the nations economy unless Nigerian leaders and the people have a change of heart towards their land.

The clergy also called on Nigerian leaders to unite for the good of the country, stressing that Gods mercy and grace have been the only secret sustaining the country.

Independence Day: Amosun preaches unity

Flooding: Lagos warns against indiscriminate dumping of refuse

L-R: Vice Chairman, Ogun State, Manufacturers Association of Nigeria, Mr. Wale Adegbite; State Commissioner for Commerce and Industry, Otunba Bimbo Ashiru and Chairman, Ado-Odo/Ota local government, Mr. Rotimi Rahman, during the 4th quarterly meeting between the association and Ogun State Government in Ota, at the weekend.

South West

fuse is frustrating govern-ments efforts at de-flooding the state.

He said one of the major challenges confronting the Oto-Awori LCDA remained lack of planning, saying the residents have distorted the built environment.

According to him, The residents built haphazardly. Residents build on the road setbacks and on drainages. So there is no space for the government to construct walkways and drainages. It is alarming that if Mushin can be cleaner, a council like Oto-Awori Local Council Development Area that is not as densely populated as Mushin should not be the way it is.

The canals are blocked by waste. We cannot clean and expand the entire ca-nals within one month. The area is not densely popu-lated. So size of the canal is still okay for the commu-nity, Bello said.

He also said that some of

the issues raised by the resi-dents on flooding were local issues, saying the council chairman has been asked to handle the matters.

Also speaking, the Man-aging Director of the Lagos Waste Management Au-thority, LAWMA, Mr. Ola Oresanya, said the agency will improve its services to the Oto- Awori Council, especially in the area of re-moving waste on the Lagos-Badagry Expressway.

He said, We have asked the council chairman to ini-tiate strategies that would help to reduce illegal dump-ing of waste.

The waste to wealth pro-gramme is going on smooth-ly. We have the waste to fer-tilizer plant at Ikorodu. We have the tire and plastic con-version programme; and we have four factories where plastics are converted in the state. We have major factory that will be commissioned soon. And this factory is at Igando, he said.

National Mirrorwww.nationalmirroronline.net Monday, September 29, 2014 11

National Mirror www.nationalmir-12 South East Monday, September 29, 2014

DENNIS AGBOENUGU

State governments in the country have been charged to key into the new Fit-For-Purpose land governance strategy known as System-atic Land Titling and Reg-istration (SLTR).

Stakeholders at a work-shop organised by the Pres-idential Technical Com-mittee on Land Reforms in collaboration with the Enugu State Government made the call at the week-end in a communiqu is-sued at the end of the con-ference in Enugu.

The stakeholders com-

prising representatives of state governors within the South-East geopolitical zone, government officials, traditional rulers, profes-sionals, regulatory bodies, non-governmental organ-isations and community based organisations; also called on states govern-ments to invest in critical infrastructure and provide cooperation among rele-vant stakeholders for effec-tive land administration.

The communiqu, which was presented by Professor Peter Adeniyi listed the benefits of the new system to include; SLTR will enable complete inventory of land holdings

and subsisting interest in a declared area, enhanced the nations ranking with respect to title registration status in the committee of nations, and also enhanced the economic development of the nation and empow-erment of land holders.

The stakeholders noted the fears expressed in some quarters regarding the possibility of conflict with existing policies, regulations and empha-sised that SLTR provides basic interface with exist-ing legal and regulatory processes affecting land governance.

The communiqu noted that even though, many

states had commenced processes of computerisa-tion, re-certification and the improvement of land administration processes in their states, it is neces-sary to emphasise that SLTR is a project targeted at complementing and im-proving land administra-tion system.

The stakeholders said that in order to ensure the sustainability of the programme, government should ensure the estab-lishment of a National Land Reform Commission, NLRC, to drive and imple-ment the programme in all the states of the federa-tion.

ALIUNA GODWIN ABAKALIKI

The Ebonyi State Com-missioner for Border, Peace and Conflict resolution, Chief Donatus Aja, has been taken to court over an alleged demand of N100,000 before releasing a public document under his custody.

Barriter Uchenna Omah, the Publicity Secretary of the Nigerian Bar Asso-ciation, NBA, Ebonyi State chapter, who made this known to National Mir-ror in Abakaliki, said he dragged the commissioner to court so that he could explain why he should de-mand for money before

releasing public document under his custody contrary to the Freedom of Informa-tion Act.

According to him There is a matter upon which Chief Donatus Aja arbitrat-ed on in his capacity as the Commissioner of Border Peace, Conflict and Resolu-tion. The matter is in re-spect of Alesack Forest Re-serve which is the exclusive property of Okposiaheku Autonomous Community but some few individuals from Ndioge and others are now disputing the owner-ship of the land which has been in existence for years.

The issue was reported to the commissioner by our traditional ruler, Eze John

Ogeh, but Aja refused to clear the air on who is the rightful owner of the for-est. As a true citizen of that community, I then applied for a true copy of the reso-lution on the matter, but he refused to issue copy of the resolution.

I served him with Pre-action Notice, that he is under duty to produce the document being a public document, but he referred me to his head of depart-ment who demanded the sum of N100, 000 from me before he will issue a copy of the document.

I then decided to drag him to court, as the court is in position to tell the com-missioner whether he is

Commissioner taken to court over alleged extortion

under duty or not, under the freedom of infor-mation Act to produce the document, being a public office holder

However, in a swift re-action, Aja said he did not release the document when Omah came for it because he, Omah was rude; adding that Omah threatened him and even embarrassed his person.

According to the com-missioner, the fact is that the lawyer is biased. He came to my office to insult me. He didnt come to col-lect the copy of our resolu-tion; rather he resorted to embarrassed me. So, rather than listening to his embar-rassment.

CHARLES OKEKEAWKA

Ahead of the 54th Independence An-niversary of the country scheduled for Oc-tober 1, 2014, President-General of the Igbo socio-cultural group, Ohanaeze Ndi Igbo, Chief Gary Nnachi Enwo Igariwey, yesterday lauded the Fed-eral Governments efforts at controlling the spread of the Ebola Virus and the Boko Haram insurgency in the country.

The Ohanezes com-mendation of Federal Government efforts in on Ebola came at the same time when Governor Wil-lie Obiano has expressed optimism about the future of the country.

Addressing journalists at the St Faiths Cathedral, Awka ,the state capital yesterday, after the special church service organised by the Anambra State Government as part of the activities marking the 54th Independence Anniversa-ry, the Ohaneze president said that it is wonderful and commendable that the Federal Government has been able to check the

Ohanaeze lauds FG for curtailing Ebola, Boko Haram

L-R: Representative of Executive Secretary, Tertiary Education Trustfund, TETFUND, Mr. Oladipo Salawu; Deputy Vice Chancellor, Enugu State University of Science and Technology, Prof. Aloysius Uzuagulu; representative of Tetfund Board of Trustees, BoT Chairman, Mr. Olusegun Jeboda and representative of the Acting Chairman, Federal Inland Revenue Service, FIRS, Mr. Joel Ogohi, at Tetfund/FIRS 2014 South-East Joint Interactive Forum in Enugu, yesterday.

States urged to embrace new land policy

spread of Ebola and insur-gency in the country.

Igariwey expressed sat-isfaction over the manner the Federal Government has been handling activi-ties of Boko Haram and other insurgents.

He added that the wish of the Ohanaeze Ndigbo is for the country to grow from strength to strength.

Earlier, Governor Wil-lie Obiano had in his speech at the church ser-vice, expressed optimism that the country, which he described as the greatest economy in Africa, will continue to experience positive developments in the coming years.

Obiano who was the Special Guest of hon-our at the ceremony, re-counted his numerous achievements since he be-came governor, to include crime prevention, roads construction and rehabil-itation, women and youth empowerment, agricul-tural development, among other sectors.

The governor ex-pressed joy that it is well with Anambra State for al-most eight years now and that his people are doing very well over the world.

Group lauds Orji, Elechis senatorial ambitionALIUNA GODWINABAKALIKI

A socio- political pressure group, the South East Arise for Jonathan, SEA4J, at the weekend lauded the senatorial am-bitions of two governors of the South East zone, Chief Theodore Orji and Chief Martin Elechi.

The group made this known in a statement signed by its national coor-dinator, Dr. Chijioke Nwan-dikom and made available to National Mirror, noted that the ambition of the two governors would help to ad-vance the cause of Ndigbo in the Eighth Senate in 2015.

Dr Nwandikom called on the people of the zone not to dismiss the ambition of the two governors on the account of their ages, say-ing that Orji and Elechi will bring greater development and changes to the lives of the youths of the zone.

The group said for Eb-

onyi State where prolonged era of marginalisation has robbed the state of experi-enced politicians, it would be proper to support Elechi adding that Ebonyi is now getting it right in the area of socio-political develop-ment since it was created in 1996.

The group said that it would soon begin an advo-cacy rally to ensure that politicians with corrupt backgrounds do not occupy any elective office stressing that the critical element of the transformation agenda of the Jonathan era is to use the power of the peo-ple to cleanse the political space.

Orji

The Sambo conundrumABDULLAHI GARBAArchitect Mohammed Namadi Sambo, generally acclaimed as a loyal Vice President and a strong pillar of the Goodluck Jonathan administration, is no doubt in his trying times.

His immense and monumental contributions to the success of the Transformation Agenda of the Jonathan administration and the candid acknowledgement in his tactical endorsement by the President at the South-West Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, sensitisation rally in La-gos, seem not to be sufficient guarantees to keep in his well-deserved VP slot for the next dispensation in 2015.

Far from being unopposed, at least two governors and the PDP National Chairman, Adamu Muazu, are already being reported to be interested in Sambos job. With such a treacherous scenario playing out, it certainly cannot be re-assuring for the Vice President who has even endured the backlash from the North for his seeming loyalty and support to the President.

First, Katsina State governor, Ibrahim Shema, has repeatedly denied being interested in the VPs job, even when his posters and body language betray him. He has silently been moving towards realising his ambition by taking concrete steps that will eventually build in his fa-vour. His recent marriage to the YarAdua family is set to bolster his chances, as pundits consider it an avenue to settle whatever issues he has with the family, so that a formidable front can be established to fight for and secure the VP slot.

This is the same governor, who was also reported to have allegedly detained an indigene of the state for criti-cising him on Facebook. This young chap merely repro-duced the contents of a written petition by his adversaries aimed at exposing the ills of his government. This allega-tion, if true is a clear demonstration of his intolerance and lack of respect for the fundamental human rights of a bonafide citizen of the state, that he is intent on hiding from the attention of his Abuja backers.

He has furthermore tried to silence any opposition in his state through the local government election and ac-cording to his massive publicity machinery, it is to shore up support and assert his total control of his state and the power broker in charge. The idea is to try to draw com-parison and show that while he has electoral value, the VP, who was reported to have lost in his local government lacked any.

This is in spite of the fact that events leading to such electoral catastrophe are well known to discerning minds and political pundits in Kaduna State as a deliberate at-tempt to undermine the political relevance and signifi-cance of the VP. It should be on record that the PDP has consistently won the Kaduna North Local Government Area until that fateful election. It is worthy of note that while the PDP won in 22 out of the 23 local governments in the state, it lost only in Kaduna North, the adopted lo-cal government of the VP to the defunct Congress for Pro-gressive Change, CPC, in eleven out of the twelve wards in the local government council. The councillorship seat of Kabala ward, which is the VPs ward, was however won by the PDPs Bashir Tukur. Suffice it to state that the VP was not even present during the elections as he was out of the country for official engagement.

Kaduna State has been a major contributor in terms of votes to the Presidential election as the PDP from incep-tion till date has consistently remained the second largest contributor of votes, second only to Rivers State. Notwith-standing the fact that the defunct CPC marginally won the state in 2011, the state still retained its second position

as far as national politics is concerned. It is widely known however that the emergence and political exploits of one of the leading presidential contestants is very much en-trenched religiously rather than in his political dexterity.

Others being touted for the second-in-command job are Jigawa State governor, Sule Lamido and Muazu. While Lamido has been battling the party to remain relevant, he also has against him the alleged looting and enrichment of certain companies being managed by his children, which has been extensively reported in the media as his greatest albatross.

But the PDP Chairmans exploits were the gains from the mismanagement of the party by Bamanga Tukur, who took on several fronts and fought the governors, who decided to gang-up against him leading to his even-tual ouster. The Adamu Muazu-ed PDP National Work-ing Committee, NWC, has reasons to complain of his high handedness and disregard for due process. He too was previously alleged to be working silently for his own presidential ticket, rallying round his former colleagues former governors and trying to place them in strategic positions to help him. When that was frustrated by the vigilance of the Presidency, he now changed gear and opted for the VP slot. The recent placing of his posters with the President along major streets in Abuja is a cul-

mination of the actualisation of a well-articulated desire to accomplish an ambition anchored on a deliberate plan of action. He was also alleged to have distributed bags of rice bearing his portrait across the length and breadth of the country, leaving pundits to guess that it was a deft political move aimed at soliciting for future support for himself as is now manifesting.

In his display of total loyalty, Vice-President Sambo concentrates only on assignments given to him by his principal and involves himself with those things he is permitted to delve into. He recognises that the President has the full constitutional powers and therefore acknowl-edges the in-appropriateness of confrontations, which will serve no one any good. This was very well acknowl-edged by the President when in Lagos at the South-West PDP sensitisation rally, he stated that he and the Vice-President have promised not to disappoint Nigerians. This therefore explains their excellent partnership which was anchored on mutual trust and understanding that has continued to produce positive results.

The statement by PDP National Publicity Secretary, Olisa Metuh, is a message full of wisdom. Since the Presi-dent, having been endorsed as PDP sole presidential can-didate for the 2015 presidential election, was only given a right of first refusal and he is yet to finally declare, they could not jump the gun. This was why the current inter-pretation of the outcome of the National Executive Com-mittee, NEC, meeting was conveyed and the part played by Chief Jim Nwobodo to the endorsement deal was re-layed.

As the clock ticks towards the presidential declaration, all the strong and justifiable indicators point to a secured return of the Goodluck/Sambo ticket. The ongoing un-dercurrents of conflicts of interest based on inordinate ambition are the normal political brouhaha, which keeps the polity heated and exciting. The President knows those who will assist him in the due discharge of his constitu-tional responsibilities and his dreams for Nigeria. Others are merely positioning themselves for 2019. The odds fa-vour Sambo to continue as Vice President.

PoliticsNational Mirror

www.nationalmirroronline.net 13Monday, September 29, 2014

Sambo

toroph

cpphewe

AS THE CLOCK TICKS TOWARDS THE PRESIDENTIAL

DECLARATION, ALL THE STRONG AND JUSTIFIABLE

INDICATORS POINT TO A SECURED RETURN OF THE

GOODLUCK/SAMBO TICKET

My ambitions no joke Yobe APC guber aspirant

Lagos APC promoting violence PDP

Ekiti APC holds congress, elects offi cers

people believed to be po-litical thugs and the kill-ing of former chairman of transport union and an associate of Fayose.

PDP in its statement signed by its director of media and strategy, Prince Diran Odeyemi, claimed that the govern-ment of Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola has perfected plans to commit arson through some people who will disguise as members of the PDP.

The statement said: Information at our dis-posal showed that series of meetings have been held at the Government House, Osogbo since Fri-day morning where de-tails of this evil agenda are been perfected. A top commissioner under Aregbesola is reported to be coordinating the plot. The scheme is to be imple-mented as a way of stall-ing the ongoing election petition and create atmo-sphere of insecurity in the state.

But APC in its state-ment signed by its direc-tor of publicity, research and strategy, Barr Kunle Oyatomi, warned the po-litical class of serious dangers ahead if the PDP

than. Therefore, we cannot afford to have a vacuum. But let me tell you, even if the APC allows Gaidam to contest, that would not kill my ambition, because I will still challenge him at the pri-maries.

He described claims by some people that zone C, where he hails from, has en-dorsed Gaidam as the sole candidate for the 2015 gover-norship election as lies and a false claims.

He said: All other zones in the state have produced governors except zone C. We cannot continue to wait. This is the right time for us to rule the state and I believe

OLAJIDE OMOJOLOMOJU

Lagos State Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has empathised with families of the three promising youths killed and others maimed, af-ter the recently held PDP South-West unity rally at the Tafawa Balewa Square, in Lagos Island.

PDP puts the blame for the violence that followed the rally on the All Progres-sives Congress, APC leader-ship in Lagos Island, who it said deliberately spon-sored armed thugs to attack known PDP members living in Lagos Island Local Gov-ernment.

A statement by PDP Pub-licity Secretary, Taofeek Gani, said APC was shocked at the over 80,000 PDP mem-bers at the rally, despite the downpour.

allegedly sponsoned by the Ekiti State governor-elect, Mr. Ayo Fayose, so as to preserve democracy in the country.

The parties in separate

INUSA NDAHIDAMATURU

A retired permanent secretary with the Yobe State government and guber-natorial aspirant under the All Progressives Con-gress, APC, in Yobe State, Yahaya Mohammed, has said that his ambition to vie for the governorship of the state is borne out of his concern for the back-ward statistics of the state in health and education.

Mohammed said his deci-sion to challenge incumbent Governor, Ibrahim Gaidam, come 2015 should not be

BOLADALE BAMIGBOLAOSOGBO

Osun State Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has accused the ruling All Progres-sives Congress, APC, of planning to cause may-

is allowed to trample on law and order as the Fed-eral Government appears to be allowing Fayose to operate with impunity in Ekiti State.

Reacting to reports that Fayose led thugs to beat up judges handling cases re-lated to his election, APC said the event is a forebod-ing of the anarchy which the PDP intends to create not only in the South-West but also across the country.

If Fayose could des-ecrate the judiciary when he is not yet in power, nothing can stop him from committing mass murder right from the moment he is sworn-in as governor.

Restating its commit-ment to peaceful rec-lamation of its stolen mandate, PDP stressed that it is devoted to pur-suing the legal processes within the rule of law to ensure that the injustice of August 9 is redressed.

It also warned the APC and Osun State govern-ment, not to replicate Ekiti evil agenda in Osun, saying any attempt to plunge Osun into crisis as currently witnessed in Ekiti should be resisted by all and sundry.

I am the right person to take over the mantle from Gover-nor Ibrahim.

Explaining why he joined the race, Mohammed said: The dismal state of our hospital and schools is very alarming. Everywhere you go, Yobe is ranked lowest in these key sectors of life; health and education. It is my desire that when elected, I would bring the needed change to these key aspects of the lives of our people. I will transform these sectors in the state and reverse the negative indices as they af-fect us not just on paper but with a direct impact on the people.

Berating APC and La-gos State government for ignoring to save the lives of the murdered Lagos youths or even empathise with their families, but rather quick to play poli-tics with the premeditated murders, Gani said: This further confirms APC as a party of wicked and inhu-mane leaders. We are thus surprised that they are ac-cusing some PDP leaders of causing the violence. It sounds illogical that a PDP member would cause vio-lence at a PDP function.

The APC chose to kill our members to put fears into our system. Though we have directed our members that there must not be any retaliation, we will however not be cowed.

PDP called on security agencies to arrest he cul-prits and their sponsors and bring them to book.

statements made available to newsmen in Osogbo yes-terday, disagreed on the causes of the crises that rocked Ekiti State follow-ing invasion of court by

seen as a joke, just as he maintain that he would pull a surprise on the incumbent in the forthcoming primary elections of the party.

He said: Those who feel that I am joking over my am-bition to be governor will be surprised by the time I pull a surprise at the primary elec-tions.

He hinted that there are indications that APC would not support Governor Gaid-ams ambition, adding: We are not sure but there are speculations that the APC will not support Gaidams candidature for governor the same way it is against President Goodluck Jona-

dana, Youth Leader; Mrs. Iyabo Babatunde, Auditor and Chief (Mrs.) Ronke Okusanya, Woman Leader.

The leader of APC na-tional delegation that supervised the election, Chief Sam Sam Jaja, con-gratulated the officers, describing them as the first of such officers to be elected by APC in the state.

He described Ekiti as a state of pride and APC members as committed people who no breeze, tempest, storm or tornado

congress, the first to be held by the progressives in eight years, had been put off for several rea-sons, among which was in anticipation of the gover-norship election held last June.

Other officials elected at the congress include Mrs Kemi Olaleye, Deputy Chairman; Barrister Paul Omotosho, Secretary; Mr, Gbenga Agbeyo, Assis-tant Secretar;, Mr. Sola Omolayo, Treasurer; Hon Taiwo Olatubosun, Public-ity Secretary; Femi Ogun-

ABIODUNNEJOADO EKITI

Interim chairman of the All Progressives Congress, APC, in Ekiti State, Chief Olajide Awe, was yesterday elect-ed as the partys substan-tive chairman.

Thirty other officers were elected at the state congress to steer the af-fairs of the party for the next four years.

A statement from state APC Publicity Director, Mr Segun Dipe, said the

hem and blamed it on PDP, just as the APC urged politicians in the country to prevail on President Goodluck Jonathan to stop the act of impunity,

Ogun State Governor Ibikunle Amosun addressing a crowd who defied a heavy downpour to receive him in Ewekoro, Ewekoro Local Government Area, when he visited the area in continuation of his official Assessment Tour of the 20 Local Government Areas at the weekend.

APC plans to cause mayhem in Osun, PDP alleges

can shake, adding: You are not cowards. I know that come 2015, you will come out to vote enmasse for APC.

Thanking party faith-ful for the trust reposed in him and other members of the new exco, Awe said notwithstanding the cur-rent challenges confront-ing the party, APC re-mained the party to beat in Ekiti, adding: This is our land, the land of the progressives. We wont al-low any stranger to take it from us.

Jonathan must call Fayose to order APC

Politics National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net14 Monday, September 29, 2014

National Mirrorwww.nationalmirroronline.net

Nigeria is counting down to another season of general elections. Elec-tion is about choice of candidates, parties, programmes and policies, all rep-resented by faces of actors. Behind any face are antecedents. So, in the emergence of any electoral candidate, the questions that will be normally asked are: What are his antecedents? What interest does he rep-resent? What is his experience? In totality, what can he offer? For us in Nigeria, we must ask, for what are the faces we proj-ect for public offices known? Ideally, ante-cedents, interest and experience should be enough to sell a candidate.

Irrespective of the political, the purpose of government remains the same: provid-ing services and ensuring that all socioeco-nomic deliverables are distributed justly and equitably. Also underlying this impera-tive is the notion of the social contract: the agreement between the ruler and the ruled. There is only one way of meeting this so-cial contract: ensuring distributive justice in service provisioning and access to privi-leges and opportunities.

How well this seemingly utopian objec-

tive is achieved will be dependent on the quality of elected leaders at the executive and legislative arms of the government strengthened by the professionalism and impartiality of appointed judicial arbiters. But this also depends on the leadership training, recruitment and selection process of the nation.

When we harp on leadership, we are not concerned with just the political leader-ship. We are rather interested in leadership recruitment in all its ramifications, be-cause in the final analysis, the various state institutions sum the totality of players who are all involved in the governance frame-work as critical stakeholders of which the government is just a driver. Therefore, the quality of choice, representation, partici-pation and contribution in public manage-ment in any country, the effectiveness and the efficiency of the service provided by its public managers, the reach and the im-pact as well as their relevance to public and societal, needs are underpinned by some fundamental values and require rigorous training.

Central to this notion is the idea of pro-viding service for the greatest good of the greatest number. By the greatest number, we do not mean just the majority, but in-clusiveness. Even those that would not be beneficiaries or justifiably excluded from the service will have some understanding and sympathy and are, therefore, carried along in the decision making and imple-mentation processes. To attain such height, we must begin to re-evaluate our values

and practices in public management. Here, we may ponder to ask: What is the depth of our understanding of service? How do we arrive at the resolve to provide one service and not the other? What yardstick should we use to exclude one group and include another? What factors were considered in the determination of the timing and deliv-ery of the public goods or services?

The advanced countries of Europe and North America are today at an enviable stage of development, with higher stan-dard of living and encouraging life expec-tancy, enjoying the best and most efficient infrastructures as they also utilize and manage their resources and endowments in a way that does not compromise their ex-istence now nor jeopardize the needs of the future generation. That is as they meet to-days existential needs, they are also aware of the danger of over exploitation of their natural habitat without re-investment in conservation or preservation of the envi-ronment. This is the kernel of sustainable development.

Therefore, if our service delivery must

assure sustainable development in the country, satisfying the needs of the citi-zenry and at the same time mitigating un-avoidable negative externalities, patriots and professionals have to rethink their ap-proaches to managing the nations resourc-es with a view to arriving at the most effec-tive, efficient and economical strategies of service provision. In essence, those experts and professionals to the government on de-velopment strategies have to be sincere and understand the depth of the requirements of the policies they initiate.

To reinvent public management in Nige-ria, therefore, public sector players and man-agers must imbibe the philosophy of service, anchoring policies, programmes planning and implementation on those fundamentals that reflect us as being scientific in problem identification and analysis, effective and ef-ficient in allocating resources, rational in implementation with consideration for the values of our society, while being innovative in the options we present to change, just as we must be citizen focus in the decision we make and services we provide.

Ultimately, in the overall interest of the nation, we must be ethical in all ramifica-tions while implementing reform policies, undertaking development programmes and executing transformation projects. Where are the new public managers who will work according to these values? These are the questions that should guide our consideration in the choice of new faces and known faces we project for public of-fices in 2015 and beyond.

SANDRA AKUOMA

My focus today is offering reasons for some of our annoying hab-its in social intercourse. Learning not to listen: We learn a lot

about not listening while growing up. For example, our parents would tell us by shouting Dont forget to wear your jacket to school! But we didnt want to wear a jacket, so we learn not to lis-ten. Later, at school, our teacher repeat-ed an assignment several times, hoping to make certain that all the students got the message. The teachers behaviour reinforces not listening, since there will be multiple opportunities for us to get the information. Another example is found in the focus given to repetition in radio and television advertising. This repetition further conditions us against listening carefully the first time.

Mismatch between thought speed and speaking speed: A mind of any hu-man being while he is listening can pro-cess 400 words per minute, whereas a human being can speak only about 125 words. During this free time gap avail-able to the listeners mind, it wanders away into other issues since it has idle capacity and gets distracted from the speakers topic. This is one of the rea-sons why the mind wanders fast from one subject to the other.

Calling the subject dull: Bad listeners

often find a subject too dry and dusty to command their attention, and they use this as an excuse to wander off on a mental tangent. Concentration is very low here and its a big detriment to effective listening hence we breed the daydreamers. Too much repetition can cause someone to tune out and show lack of interest in the current sub-ject. You go to a meeting/event, the MC announces the topic or you see it on a programme, and say to yourself, Gosh, this is going to be dull. Youd think they should focus on a subject that is more interesting. So youve convinced your-self the topic is uninteresting and you turn to the many other thoughts and concerns youve stored up in your mind for just such an occasion you start us-ing that unoccupied 75 per cent of your mental capacity.

Criticizing the speaker: Its the in-door sport of most bad listeners to find faults with the way a speaker looks, acts, and talks. Many of us do this on a regu-lar basis. We tend to mentally criticize the speaker for not speaking distinctly, for talking too softly, for reading, for not looking the audience in the eye. We of-ten do the same thing with the speakers

appearance. If speakers arent dressed as we think they should, we probably tend not to listen closely or we may im-mediately classify the speaker as a lib-eral or conservative, a hippie, area boy, or a nerd.

Jumping into conclusions: We so of-ten put words into a speakers mouth. It is one reason we communicate so poorly with the people we are closed to because we assume we know what they mean, we really dont listen to what they say. This is so common with our loved ones; we second guess every word they say and find it hard to listen. Our minds are re-ally closed in a funny way. Hearing what we expect rather than what the other person means can pose a big problem.

Help addiction: You feel the need to help people when they need someone to listen to and understand them. The tendency to look for or seek out solu-tions when others are hurt, frustrated, or angry is viewed as trying to be help-ful (even though the speaker did not ex-plicitly request your recommendations or intervention). Hence we breed the advice giver.

Fear: When you are afraid it paraly-ses you and impedes your listening. An example: You have a boss who you fear so much, so sometimes when he gives instructions you find it hard to look into his eyes and clarify some issues you dont understand. Fear is a great bar-rier to listening. People who are afraid during a conversation are not likely to

listen. Talking when we should be listen-

ing: Our entire culture seems to condi-tion us to talk, not to listen. The silent act of listening seems no match for the messages hurled at us almost incessant-ly. The way to control things seems to be by out-talking others. Some justify this behaviour by saying, the squeaky wheel gets the grease.

But the truth of the matter is that we miss a lot by talking when we should be lis-tening. A wise person once observed that since we were created with one mouth and two ears, we should spend twice as much time listening than talking.

Listening is the most powerful tool in communication as we spend 75 percent of our time listening. The sad thing is that there is not so much emphasis on listening and it affects all areas of our lives.

A teaser for next week: Most people do not listen with the intent to under-stand, they listen with the intent to re-ply.

Akuoma wrote via sanlifepoint-ers@hotmail.com

WE MISS A LOT BY TALKING WHEN WE

SHOULD BE LISTENING

TO REINVENT PUBLIC MANAGEMENT IN

NIGERIA, THEREFORE, PUBLIC SECTOR PLAYERS

AND MANAGERS MUST IMBIBE THE PHILOSOPHY

OF SERVICE

2015: Between known faces and new faces

Are you a hearer or listener? (11)

korewarith@yahoo.com, 08090585723 (SMS only)

ABDUL-WAREES SOLANKE

A

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FIFA SEEMS TO BE AIDING AND ABETTING THE

NATIONS FOOTBALL ADMINISTRATORS

IN THE DESPICABLE SHENANIGANS GOING

ON

16 Monday, September 29, 2014 EditorialEditorial

Time to call FIFAs bluffUnending drama at the Ni-geria Football Federation (NFF) opens with new per-plexing plots every day. Penulti-mate weekend, for instance, a Jos High Court stopped the bodys extra-ordinary congress held in Warri, Delta State and granted reinstated embattled Chris Giwa as its president. As a result of this development, all the top management of the NFF went into hiding since September 22 to avoid arrest by the court for con-tempt. As if this was not enough, Aminu Maigari, the head of NFF, was whisked away soon after arrival from Zurich the following Wednesday by the Directorate of Security Service (DSS) over issues related to forgery, corrup-tion and jumping bail.

This was also the scenario that played itself out four years ago when a High Court stopped elec-tion into the Maigari-led board, but the congress went ahead to elect the board. For the four years Maigari headed the board, peace eluded the Federation. The Maigari-led board has the ugly record of one with the highest litigations ever. Before the emer-gence of Mallam Bolaji Abdulla-hi as sports minister in July 2011, the NFF had 27 cases in court bordering on the legality of the board, for example. Maigari and his team managed to survive four years simply because Abdullahi and the then Director-General, National Sports Commission,

Dr. Patrick Ekeji, restrained the Inspector-General of Police from arresting them. Dr. Ekeji also re-fused to honour a memo from the Attorney-General of the Federa-tions (AGF) office to stop gov-ernments funding of the NFF, whose legal status it questioned.

Now, the Jos High Court ruling might have implications for the NFF congress fixed for Septem-ber 30. The constitution of the electoral committee by the Maig-ari-led board will most likely be contested by sundry parties in the weeks ahead, as the commit-tee is headed by a lawyer, Samson Ebomhe, who incidentally incor-porated the controversial League Management Company. Again, one of the presidential candi-dates, Shehu Dikko, is a director of the LMC. Ebomhe has been the point man between the LMC and the NFF. From the foregoing, it is obvious that Nigerias foot-ball will be mired in serious cri-ses for a long time to come even when the fortunes of the national teams are dwindling. For the first time in over half a century, the Republic of Congo embarrassed Nigeria at home with a 3-2 vic-tory in Calabar, thus leaving a big question mark on our qualifica-tion for next years African Cup of Nations in Morocco.

Unfortunately, too, the Maigari-led faction of the NFF is ada-mant and sees nothing wrong with its pursuit of personal gains. It runs to FIFA at every op-

portunity, while the global foot-ball governing body in turn holds Nigeria and her football by the jugular as if FIFAs membership is akin to trading off her sover-eignty. Nigeria freely joined FIFA and the Confederation of African Football (CAF) in 1960. But in the last four years, the world foot-ball governing body has become the countrys nemesis, always dangling the suspension axe each time the federal authorities attempts to call NFF to order for infringing on the countrys laws.

In the face of daylight misap-propriation of funds, brazen corruption and contempt of court, the story is the same. The almighty FIFA even challenged the right of the Federal Govern-ment to arrest Maigari and other NFF board members over the fire that razed the NFF secretariat in Abuja, recently. FIFA says it would amount to government interference. But the same FIFA shut its eyes to the role the FG

played in the build-up to Sani Lulu-Abdullahis impeachment in 2010.

President Goodluck Jona-than saw through the mess in the Glass House when he wrote to FIFA after Nigerias dismal outing at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, saying the country would like to take two years off international football competitions to put its football house in order. But he inexpli-cably changed his mind. Nige-rias football administration would probably have become more credible and transparent had Jonathan stuck to his guns in 2010. From all indications, FIFA seems to be aiding and abetting the nations football administrators in the despi-cable shenanigans going on. It wrote nine embarrassing letters in two months to the federal authorities, even when there is cause to question the authenticity of some of the let-ters. It is, therefore, about time President Jonathan revisited his 2010 stance. He should ask the global football governing body to allow Nigeria take time off from global football activi-ties. Two years of soccer exile will be most appropriate, at least.

Like many concerned Nige-rians, this newspaper does not trust the leadership of the elec-toral committee led by Shehu Dikkos personal lawyer.

Letters to the EditorLetters to the EditorLetters to the Editor

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Brazilian President, Fernando Collor de Mello, was impeached. Fernando Affonso Collor de Mello (born August 12, 1949) was the 32nd President of Brazil from 1990 to 1992, when he resigned in a failed attempt to stop his trial of impeachment by the Brazilian Senate. Collor, who took office at the age of 40 years, was the first and youngest president directly elected by the people after the end of the Brazilian military government.

September 29, 1992 September 29, 2013

Over 42 people were killed by members of the Boko Haram violent Islamist sect at the College of Agricul-ture, Gujba, Yobe State, Nigeria, when gunmen from the sect entered the male dormitory of the college. From 2009 to 2013, violence linked to the Boko Haram insurgency re-sulted in about 3,600 deaths, including 1,600 civilians. In mid-May 2013, the Nigerian government declared a state of emergency in three north east states.

September 29, 2009

An 8.0 magnitude earthquake near the Samoan Is-lands caused a tsunami. A tsunami, also known as a seismic sea wave, is a series of water waves caused by the displacement of a large volume of a body of water, generally an ocean or a large lake. The tsu-nami caused substantial damage and loss of lives in Samoa, American Samoa, and Tonga. The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center recorded a 3-inch (76 mm) rise in sea levels near the epicenter

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Live everyday for all, you have earned it.

All we need is a leader to lead us.Please accept our felicitations on

getting such a great honour by

If there is something amazing that has happened this year, its your recognition by the award of CFR, Commander of the Order of the

Federal Republic.

His Excellency, President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan -GCFR.

JOINTLY SIGNED:

Congratulations!

Honour to a leader!

Hon. Bitire Solomon - OkitipupaBarr. Lawrence Fagbolagun - IfedorePrince Alaba Arohunmolase - Akoko North WestPrince Adesoji Adesina - Akoko North EastBarr. Solomon Tunyan (JP) - Ese OdoHon. Alana Adeyanju (JP) - Akoko South/EastBarr. Otunba Wole Akindiose - Ondo EastHon. Lawal Kehinde - OwoChief Amos Isaac - Ose

Chief N. I. Babalola - Akure NorthHon. AfeIfedayo M. - Akure SouthHon. Tayo Omoboyowa - Ile Oluji/OkeigboHon. Steve Akinmuda - IreleHigh Chief Ma misebi Daisi - IlajeHon. Ogundayomi Davidson - OdigboHon. Olowolade Samuel - Akoko South WestEvang. Akinuli Olufosoye - IdanreComm. Bola Ojudele Bollyvicky - Ondo West

Barr. Jimoh Ibrahim CFR

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