...towards a better life for the people

N150VOL. 25: NO. 62046

ONLINE | www.vanguardngr.com

MONDAY, DECEMBER 30, 2013**

Mr & Mrs

COLUMNISTS:

•P.17

Continues on Page 5

Jonathan's achievementin 2013 unprecedented

LES LEBA—P.40

•Presidency feeding the nation with lies—APC•Says indices of failure abound nationwide

ANENIH @ 80—From left: Vice President Namadi Sambo, Chairman, Board of Trustees of the Peoples DemocraticParty (PDP), Chief Tony Anenih and his wives, Dame Patricia E. Anenih and Hon. Justice Maryann E. Anenih at the ThanksgivingMass for the 80th Birthday of Chief Anenih at St. Anthony’s Catholic Cathedral, Uromi, Edo State, at the weekend.

PDP, APC in war ofwords over Fashola'sperformance

Tukur fights to hang on, rules out court

9

BY SONI DANIEL,REGIONAL EDITOR,NORTH & CHARLES

KUMOLU

A B U J A — T H EPresidency, yes-

terday, reviewed its per-formance in the outgoingyear and gave itself apass mark, saying that itrecorded unprecedentedfeat despite distractionsfrom the opposition.

However, the opposi-tion All Peoples Con-gress (APC) pooh-poohed the Presiden-cy’s claims, saying the

10

47

— Presidency

100 passengersescape death as planeloses tyre on landing

2—Vanguard, MONDAY, DECEMBER 30, 2013

CMYK

Vanguard, MONDAY, DECEMBER 30, 2013—————33333

CMYK

4—Vanguard, MONDAY, DECEMBER 30, 2013

CMYK

POCKET CARTOONVanguard, MONDAY, DECEMBER 30, 2013—5

TAKE HEARTBY ELLA RANDLE

LIFEWORDSBY PASTOR ITUAH

Jonathan's achievement in 2013unprecedented — Presidency

Continues from page 1

WE are what we pretend to be, so we must becareful about what we pretend to be —Kurt

Vonnegut

As you go through your daily activities, here aresome nuggets of truth that might help you throughthe day. Open your eyes. Look for learningopportunities in everything that crosses your path.If you’re open to learning, you’ll find teachersliterally everywhere you look. Even in the mostunlikely places.

Never miss an opportunity to express appreciationor gratitude. When life gets busy, we tend to dealwith problems and obstacles first. We often don’ttake the time to acknowledge what is going right.It’s all too easy to think that you’ll say “thank you”or“I appreciate you”tomorrow, when there’s moretime. You don’t have an infinite amount oftomorrows coming to you, so do it now. your gratitudeon your sleeve.

When you reach a goal you’ve set for yourself,take a moment to enjoy your victory – but whateveryou do, don’t stop and get comfortable. Set a newgoal that will keep you motivated and movingforward. Keep growing and evolving.

Fortitude, fortitude, fortitude. The ability to stayon the path when things get rough is one of thebest qualities you can develop in yourself. So manypeople quit way too soon. The sad thing is that theyoften wind up quitting just when they were about tohave a breakthrough.

When you encounter massive resistance, considerthat it might very well mean that you’re very closeto achieving something great. Press on.

One author writes: ‘When I treat people as ob-stacles, or a means to getting things done, I be-come a smaller man. With each brusquecomment...dismissive glance...curt reply I lose a lit-tle more of myself...my relationship with God suf-fers.’

citizenry are worse off onaccount of the rulingPeoples Democratic Par-ty's alleged bad rule.

Dismissing the Presi-dency’s claim, LagosState Publicity Secretaryof the APC, Mr. JoeIgbokwe, said all the in-dices of a failed state are

present in Nigeria.The presidency

boasted that during theyear, major policies weremade and key projectsexecuted for the good ofNigerians.

The Senior Special As-sistant to the Presidenton Public Affairs, Dr.Doyin Okupe, gave thepresidential score cardin a statement madeavailable to Vanguardlast night in Abuja.

Okupe noted that con-trary to impressions be-ing created by vocalleaders of the opposi-tion, Nigeria, underPresident GoodluckJonathan has moved sig-nificantly forward inmany sectors than it wasin 2011.

He said that the trans-formation which hadtaken place in theeconomy, transportation,agriculture, power andother critical sectorswere the routes which alldeveloped nations hadtaken before now butwhich unfortunately hadnot been taken by Ni-geria before now.

According to DrOkupe: “It is an incon-trovertible fact that Ni-geria under Jonathanhas reduced its food im-ports by about 40 percent and increased itslocal production of rice,cassava, sorghum, cot-ton and cocoa in per-centages ranging from25 to 56 in the last twoyears.

“For the first time since

independence, the Ni-gerian agricultural sec-tor is attracting unprec-edented Foreign DirectInvestment. Over thepast two years, the sec-tor has attracted $ 4 bil-lion in private sector ex-ecuted letters of commit-ment to invest in agri-cultural value chains,from food crops, to ex-port crops, fisheries andlivestock.

“The number of privatesector seed companiesgrew from 10 to 70within one year. Over $7 billion of investmentsfrom Nigerian busi-nesses have been madeto develop new fertilizermanufacturing plants,which will make Nigeriathe largest producer andexporter of fertilizer inAfrica. It is also notewor-thy that agriculturallending as a share of to-tal bank lending hasrisen from two per centto six per cent in twoyears.

“On the power sectorreforms initiated byPresident GoodluckJonathan in 2010,Okupe explained thatthe major component ofthe reform which is theprivatization of the gen-eration and distributionpower infrastructure wassuccessfully accom-plished in 2013 thusputting Nigeria on asure path of steadypower supply in a nodistant future."

Okupe explained thatwith the completion ofthis process and the 10NIPP projects, Nigeriawould for the first time

in history move awayfrom vertically inte-grated state-owned andvery poorly managedelectricity industry to amodern private sector-led fully regulated mar-ket with the right incen-tives capable of attract-ing accelerated new in-vestments to kick startthe re-industrializationof Nigeria.

He also said that theJonathan administrationbrought about the recov-ery of the Nigerian stockexchange, which he saidwas made possible by acombination of sound fis-cal and monetary poli-cies as well as a trans-parent conduct of stateaffairs in a mannerwhich has rekindled in-vestors’ confidence inthe Nigerian market.

Okupe said those whoalways seek to use thesecurity challenges insome parts of NorthernNigeria as the only ba-rometer to measurePresident Jonathan’sperformance were notbeing fair to the Presi-dent, considering thefact that the war on in-surgency and terrorismhad never been a quickfix anywhere in theworld.

While reminding thepublic that bombingsand killings by insur-gents happened inKano, Kogi, Niger,Yobe,Borno,Sokoto, Adamawaand the Federal CapitalTerritory in 2011 and2012, the Presidentialaide noted that the ac-tivities of the terroristshad been largely con-tained and restricted toone or two states in2013.

“Yes, we are not wherewe hope to be but it willbe sheer mischief to in-sist that we are wherewe were or as somewickedly say, we areworse than we were.Definitely, their positionis not based on facts andso should be ignored byNigerians” he stated.

Okupe reiterated thedetermination of Presi-dent Jonathan to remainsteadfast in his pursuitof accelerated economicgrowth and stability,peace and development

of all parts of Nigeria.He also promised that

the Federal Governmentwould consolidate onthe growth recorded inthe outgoing year bycompleting all ongoingprojects as well as initi-ating new programmesand projects especiallyin sectors capable of cre-ating jobs for Nigerians.

Okupe feedingthe nation withlies—APC

*Jonathan not incharge

Igbokwe said: "Whatdo you expect Okupe tosay? You should not haveexpected them to scorethemselves low or tohave agreed that theyhave failed. There is no-body in the presidencywho will have the cour-age to say that the Peo-ples Democratic Party-led Federal Governmentis not doing well. I amnot surprised. There isno need wasting time onOkupe’s claims. He isjust earning a living,that is why he feeds thenation with lies.

"The fact is that thePresident is not incharge. All the indices ofa failed state are presentin the country at themoment. Our economyis not doing well, thehospitals are still mereconsulting clinics, secu-rity is a luxury, while oiltheft is on the rise. I wasreading an article onSahara Reporters andthe author of the articlelisted all the contractsthat have been awardedby the present adminis-tration and there isnothing to show for it.He specifically men-tioned the Benin/OreHighway which is stilldilapidated and theyaward the contractyearly. Maybe they areclaiming the glory ofLagos because the stateis doing well. Same ap-plies to all APC states.Maybe they are claimingthe glories of the APCstates."

AWARD—Governor of Osun State, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola (right), presenting the Most LoyalDeputy Governor in Nigeria and Good Ambassador of Osogbo Award to his deputy, Mrs Titi Laoye-Tomori (left), at the Osogbo Oroki Honours and Awards 2013 in Osogbo, weekend.

6—Vanguard, MONDAY, DECEMBER 30, 2013

New Regent of Akure installedSays she’s ready for the big task aheadAs Olori Bolanle's family wants deposed Oba's reinstatement

BY DAYO JOHNSON

AKURE — A NEW regent,Princes Adetutu AdesidaOjei was yesterday in-stalled to fill the stool of theDeji of Akure which becamevacant on December 1, thisyear.

Princes Ojei, after the in-stallation, assured all sonsand daughters of Akurethat she was ready for thebig task ahead with God onher side.

Meanwhile, the family ofthe battered wife of the de-posed Oba, PrinceOluwadare Adesina, OloriBolanle, who is now late,has appealed to the stategovernment and the coun-cil of chiefs in Akure to con-sider his reinstatement ap-peal.

The battering of lateBolanle by the deposedmonarch on May 30, 2010,lead to his removal andbanishment on June 10,2010 by the state govern-ment.

However, the occupier ofthe stool that was vacant onDecember 1, the late ObaAdebiyi Adesida, joined hisancestors after reigning forthree years and threemonths.

Princes Ojei, a pharma-cist based in the UnitedKingdom, is the first female

child of the late Oba Adesida.Speaking with newsmen af-

ter her installation, the regentsaid it was a privilege to stepinto her father’s shoes.

She, however, promised tocontinue where her fatherstopped in his effort to bringdevelopment to the town.

The regent said it was anopen secret that the develop-ment witnessed during herfather short reign is unprec-edented in the history of thetown.

Development toAkureland

She said: “I promise thatduring my short reign I willbring further development toAkureland. We are all wit-nesses to what happened dur-ing my father's reign.

"Akureland witnessed un-precedented developmentand I will, by the specialgrace of God, do more.

She pleaded with the king-makers to seek the face of Godin their selection of a new obafor the town.

Princes Ojei added thatthey should hasten the selec-tion process to enable hercontinue with her life after theselection and installation ofanother oba.

Bolanle's family wantsdeposed

Oba's reinstatementMeantime, the deposed

Oba, Prince Adesina lastweek wrote a letter to thestate government and AkureCouncil of Chiefs pleadingfor reinstatement.

But the family of High ChiefOjumu Fadeyi of Owo, fromwhere the late Olori Bolanlecame from, in a statement saidboth families have since rec-onciled and viewed the inci-dent of 2010 as blown out ofproportion.

According to the statement,signed by the Head of the fam-ily, Chief Akinola Fadeyi andits Secretary, Mr. OlanrewajuFadeyi, the family said it wasaware of the letter written tothe state government byAdesina and agreed with the

content of the letter pleadingfor his reinstatement as theDeji of Akure.

It said: “We have read thesaid letter from the print me-dia and we have also heard thecomments on the letter fromthe public domain, particularlymedia discourse on same.

“We are particularly touchedby the frank, honest and hum-ble content of the said letter.

“We are more touched by thegestures of forgiveness, god-liness and love extended toour daughter even in herdeath and the dignity withwhich her memory has beentreated by her husband.

“Our family has consideredall the issues that ensued be-fore, during and after thedeposition and banishment ofour in-law, Oba OluwadareAdepoju Adesina, and we, bythis forum (as we had done onmany occasions before), ap-peal to Governor OlusegunMimiko and the good peopleof Akure to please consider theappeal of our in-law."

“We have since reconciled ourdifferences and it is our belief thatrescinding the orders of deposi-tion and banishments would bemore in tandem with the wishesof our late daughter – OloriBolanle Adesina nee Fadeyi –who practically went about plead-ing with all that mattered for herhusband’s reinstatement beforeher death."

The new regent, PrincesAdetutu Adesida Ojei

One dead, 18 injured in Ebonyi auto crashBY PETER OKUTU

ABAKALIKI — A unidentified woman was,

weekend, feared dead whileat least 18 other passengerssustained injuries following anauto crash involving a com-muter bus near Akpoha bridge

along Abakaliki-Afikpo express-way.

When Vanguard visited thescene of the accident, it was gath-ered that the vehicle which wason high speed somersaultedthree times before it crashed intoa nearby bush. This led to the

death of the woman. Accordingto reports, her corpse and the 18injured passengers were rushedto a nearby hospital.

The accident attracted sympa-thizers who made efforts to bringout the accident victims from thebus wreckage as well as providealternative transportation forthem.

It was also learnt that the vehi-cle which took off at the popularHosanna park along Afikpo road,Abakaliki was bound forArochukwu in Abia State before

the crash.One of the victims, Miss

Okoronkwo Nnenaya Rita whospoke to Vanguard expressedshock at the incident, sayingapart from the over speeding bythe driver, the accident occurredwhen one of the tyres of the ve-hicle blew out.

She said: “We were going toArochukwu in Abia State fromAbakaliki when the accident oc-curred; the driver was on highspeed when the tyre blew out; thevehicle then somersaulted."

Scene of the crash

TraderspetitionLagosA-G overplanneddemolition ofAlayabiagbamarket

BY INNOCENTANABA

LAGOS— NO fewer than10,000 traders of old

Alaba Market (newAlayabiagba market) havepetitioned the AttorneyGeneral of Lagos State,Mr. Ade Ipaye, over al-leged threat by the Chair-man of Ifelodun LocalCouncil DevelopmentArea, LCDA, to demolishthe market.

The traders urged thestate government to cautionthe council boss not to re-sort to act of self help sincethe matter was already incourt.

Counsel to the traders,Mr. Lekan Alabi, in the pe-tition, alleged that thechairman of the LCDA, hadalready transferred themarket to a private devel-oper, adding that as law-abiding citizens and toavert unlawful demolitionof their market, they ap-proached the Lagos HighCourt for an interim injunc-tion restraining the coun-cil and the private devel-oper from carrying out theirthreat.

The traders added that de-spite being in procession ofcourt processes, the chairmanof the LCDA allegedlyboasted that he would demol-ish the market.

“Our prayer is to imploreyou to caution the chairmanof Ifelodun council to join is-sues with our client in courtsrather than engage in act thatwill result in head on collu-sion with the court,” they said.

Edo police kill 2, arrest 6 kidnappersBY SIMON EBEGBULEM

BENIN CITY—MEN of theEdo State Police command

said in Benin City, yesterday,that two kidnap gang memberswere killed during exchange ofgun fire.

Six of the suspects were alsoarrested while a cache of armsincluding three pump actionguns were recovered fromthem.

The incident was said to haveoccurred around Ugbowo areaafter a 70-year-old man whowas jogging was abducted bythe suspects.

The victim was forced into thetrunk of the abductors’ car and

driven to their hideout beforethe police went after them.

The Edo State Police Com-missioner, Foluso Adebanjo,who confirmed the incidentto Vanguard, said it occurredat about 6 a.m. and that hismen went to rescue the manfollowing a tip-off.

According to the CP, “Earlytoday (yesterday) at about6a.m, hoodlums came withAudi vehicle and abductedthis 70-year-old man aroundUgbowo. They put him inthe trunk of the car and droveoff.

"Information got to me, so Iquickly directed our anti kid-napping team to carry out a

raid in that area. Our vehiclewas parked far away from thehide out and our men trekkedto the scene.

“One of them must have ob-served that it could be police-men and shouted. So theystarted firing at us and we re-sponded. Two of them wereshot dead while six were ar-rested. None of our men sus-tained any injury and we thankGod for that.

“We observed that the oldman was tortured when theywere forcing him to informthem where to get ransomfrom. Like I said earlier, wewill continue to go after them.”

Vanguard, MONDAY, DECEMBER 30, 2013—7

‘Ebonyi insupportof nat'lconfab'

SERVICE: President Goodluck Jonathan (middle), Minister of Police Affairs, Captain Caleb Olubolade (2nd right) andleaders of Apostolic Faith Church, during the last Sunday of the year service at Apostolic Faith Church, Regional Headquarters,Jabi, Abuja, yesterday.

NEMA, NIPPS to spend N547mon travels, meals, electricity

BY SONI DANIEL,Regional Editor, North

A B A K A L I K I —EBONYI State

government, weekend,debunked reports andinsinuations that it was notin support of the FederalGovernment’s proposednational dialogue schedu-led to commence in 2014.

At a briefing inAbakaliki, tagged The FactAbout Elechi’s Commentson the National Confe-rence, the Chief PressSecretary to the Governor,Dr. Onyekachi Eni, said:“We are aware that theopposition is determinedto fight dirty and thatblackmail and misinfor-mation are key to its strate-gy in the current battle forthe soul of the nation.

“But we wish to assurethem that the governmentand people of Ebonyi Statewill never give in toblackmail nor ever waiverin their support of theFederal Government.

“The governor stressedthat at a time when thereis subsisting and electedNational Assembly, it isabsurd for anybody tocanvass the idea that theproceedings of theconference will automati-cally metamorphose into anew national constitution.”

BY PETER OKUTU

Uduaghanblastsdefaultingcontractors

G O V E R N O RE m m a n u e l

Uduaghan of Delta State,yesterday in Warri,warned that hisadministration would nolonger tolerate a situationwhere contractorsabandoned projects.

Uduaghan gave thewarning at the annualthanksgiving service of theIwere Kingdom at theFoursquare GospelChurch in the palace of theOlu of Warri.

He describedcontractors, who failed toexecute governmentprojects within thespecified time, as “wrongmessengers ofgovernment who do notwant the people to benefitfrom the dividends ofdemocracy.”

AWKA— NATIONALChairman of All

Progressives Grand Alliance,APGA, Chief Victor Umeh, hassaid the Igbo nation neededquality representation at alllevel to be able to achieve thepeople’s objectives.

Speaking after receivinganother chieftaincy title ofEnyimba (the people’sElephant) conferred on him bythe traditional ruler of Ozubuluin Ekwusigo Local Govern-ment Area of Anambra State,Umeh said without adequaterepresentation, the people

would continue to lose out inthe scheme of things.

He said: “I want Igbo to bereckoned with in Nigeria andthe only way this can beachieved is through adequateand quality representation atany forum.

“As an integral part ofNigeria, it is important thatthe Igbo nation alwayspresents her best wheneverthe need arises because thatis best way to get their rightsamong the tribes that makeup the country.”

Umeh expressed hispreparedness to continue towork for the Igbo race,

adding that he would alwaysserve in any capacity the peoplefound him worthy.

According to him, thenumerous titles bestowed onhim by many traditional rulerswere sources ofencouragement for him towork harder for the people.

He said: “When these titlescome, one is encouraged andchallenged to work harder. Itmeans that our peopleappreciate our contributions.

“This season alone, I havefour more titles coming frommany traditional rulers, whichare indications that they like thethings we do.”

Igbo needs quality representation— UMEH

BY VINCENT UJUMADU

Sokoto earmarks N7.6bn for water schemes

SOKOTO— SOKOTO Stategovernment has

earmarked about N7.6 billionfor the expansion andrehabilitation of some waterschemes in the Sokotometropolis and its environs inthe 2014 budget.

The Commissioner for WaterResources, Alhaji Shehu

Dalhatu, said in Sokotoyesterday that the projectsincluded the expansion ofthe existing 20-milliongallons of water per dayAsare Water Project.

Dalhatu said the expansionwas aimed at doubling itscapacity to 40 million gallonsof water per day.

He said: “The project entailsthe sinking of eight groundboreholes, with all theaccessories, includingoverhead tanks andreticulation.”

Dalhatu added that thecontracts for the projects wouldsoon be awarded by the stategovernment.

ABUJA— TWO federalparastatals, the National

Emergency ManagementAgency, NEMA, and theNational Institute for Policy

and Strategic Studies,NIPPS, in Kuru, Jos, are tospend N547 million ontravels, meals and electricitycharges next year.

The breakdown of theexpenditure, which hasalready been captured in

the 2014 budget now beforethe National Assembly, showsthat NIPPS will spend thelarger chunk of N342 millionon travels and transport, N72million on food supplies andN39 million on electricitycharges within the year.

Similarly, NEMA, whichhandles emergencychallenges, plans to dole outN60.6 million for trips, N14.8for meals and refreshments,and N12 million forelectricity charges.

The budget office, whichprepares the fiscaldocuments for thePresidency, has put asideN39.7 million forhonorarium and sittingallowances for thosehandling some assignmentsfor the office within the year.

An examination of thebudget document showsfurther that most of the itemslisted for implementation ofthe 2014 budget do not haveany direct bearing or benefitfor the citizenry.

Members of the NationalAssembly are expected toswing into action on thebudget as soon as theyresume from their Christmasand New Year vacation onJanuary 14, next year.

There were fears last nightthat the recent defection of 37Peoples' Democratic Party,PDP, lawmakers to AllProgressives Congress,APC, would alter the tempoof debate on the budget andmake it more difficult for anearly agreement to bereached on the fiscaldocument.

The lawmakers are likely toask the executive to give adetailed account of theoutgoing year beforeagreeing to pass the nextbudget into law.

Budget Office sets aside N39.7m for honorarium, sitting allowance

8—Vanguard, MONDAY, DECEMBER 30, 2013

CHARITY: Gombe State Commissioner for Culture and Tourism, Mr. Samuel Bulus(right), presenting a firewood cooking stove to Mrs Bintu Kombo during the 8th Pissi TangleCultural Festival at Billiri Local Government Area of the state, Saturday.

Kuku cautions amnesty beneficiariesagainst ‘desperate politicians’SPECIAL Adviser to the

President on Niger Deltaand Chairman, PresidentialAmnesty Programme, Mr.Kingsley Kuku, has advisedbeneficiaries of the amnestyprogramme to continue toensure sustainable peace inthe Niger Delta.

Kuku, who gave theadmonition in his end-of-year message to thebeneficiaries, said bykeeping faith with theamnesty deal, the formeragitators in the region hadcontributed immensely to thegrowth of the Nigerianeconomy.

He said the FederalGovernment, on its part, hadremained committed to theeducational, vocational andcapacity development of thebeneficiaries as a guaranteefor a better future forthem and the region.

Kuku said: “The PresidentGoodluck Jonathanadministration has notwavered in its commitmentto ensuring the success of theamnesty programme.

“So far, no fewer than19,000 Niger Delta youthshave been trained or are intraining in Nigeria and inalmost 20 countries invarious fields.

“In 2014, we plan tosurpass our target in formaleducation and vocationaltraining of thebeneficiaries.”

The Presidential Adviser,however, cautioned youthsof the region to shunovertures from desperateand disgruntled politiciansbent on reversing the gainsof the amnesty programme.

He said such politicians

were enemies of the NigerDelta and on a mission todiscredit President Jonathan.

He said: “We are alreadyaware of a plot by a governorof an opposition party in theregion to engage non-beneficiaries and someaggrieved beneficiaries of theamnesty programme tofoment trouble and discredit

President Jonathan.“Some of the former

leaders of the agitators havebeen contacted in a bid toheighten tension in the regionas we move toward the 2015elections.

“I urge youths in theregion not to fall to the ployof such desperate politicians.

“They must not allow the

Niger Delta regress intoviolence again or allowthemselves to be used bypoliticians, who will laterdump them to their fate.

“The present administrationhas succeeded in giving hopeto a lot of the youths throughthe amnesty programme afterthey were used and dumpedby politicians in the past.”

ANAMBRA:PDP backsNwoye

2015: PDP 'll spring surprises in S-West, says Adeyanju

THE subtle politicalromance between

Peoples Democratic Party,PDP and All ProgressivesGrand Alliance, APGA,appears to have collapsedas PDP, yesterday, gavesupport to its candidate inthe November 16Anambra governorshippoll, Tony Nwoye, tochallenge the outcome ofthe election won by APGAcandidate, Chief WillyObiano.

The party, in a statementby its National PublicitySecretary, Chief OlisaMetuh, said it was in totalsupport of Nwoye’s suit,challenging the result ofthe election.

The party described thesuit filed by Nwoye as a“step in the right direction”and an acceptance of thedirective of the NationalWorking Committee,NWC, earlier communica-ted to him to pursue themandate in accordancewith established democra-tic procedures and rules.

BY SONI DANIEL,Regional Editor, North

Ekweremaduassuresconstituentson projects

ENUGU— THEDeputy Senate

President, IkeEkweremadu, hasassured the people ofUgbo and the entireEnugu West senatorialdistrict that he wouldcontinue to sustain thegood relationship thatexisted between them.

He also promised towork harder to attractmore developmentalprojects to his senatorialdistrict in 2014.

He made the statementat his country home atMpu, Aninri LocalGovernment Area ofEnugu State, when thepeople of Ugbo paid hima Christmas visit.

Ekweremadu alsoassured the people thatnobody could distracthim from his well-focused agenda ofimproving the lives of hisconstituents andNigerians at large,adding that his aim inpolitics was to take hispeople to a higher level.

BY TONY EDIKE

NATIONAL auditor ofPeoples Democratic

Party, PDP, Alhaji AdewoleAdeyanju, has said the partywill spring surprises in theSouth-West, despite the factthat the area was perceivedto be the stronghold of theopposition All ProgressivesCongress, APC.

Adeyanju, who made theassertion while addressingjournalists in Abuja,dismissed claims by a formermember of the party, ChiefAlani Akinde, that PDP wasalready dead in the zone andthat the alternative to it wasthe Labour Party.

Adeyanju said that theclaim was not only false but

also misleading and capable ofsending the wrong message tothe teeming supporters of theparty across the zone andNigeria.

Adeyanju said: “I think he(Akinde) made the statement

out of ignorance. That wasexactly what they did in 2011when they rushed out of thePDP to float Peoples PartyNigeria, PPN, along with theirmaster and they failedwoefully and later returned to

BY SONI DANIEL,Regional Editor, North

PDP.“This time around, they are

embarking on the sameventure; they have gone to theLabour Party with their masterbut soon we shall see themcoming back to beg us in PDP.”

APC wins Yobe 17 LGAs, as PDP boycotts pollsBY SONI DANIEL& BALA AJIYA

DAMATRU— YOBE StateGovernment, Saturday,

went ahead with the conduct ofelection into the 17 localgovernment areas of the statedespite an objection byIndependent National ElectoralCommission, INEC.

The result of the election,which was released by the

Chairman of the Yobe StateIndependent ElectoralCommission, AlhajiMohammed Jauro, showedthat the ruling All ProgressivesCongress, APC, in the statecleared all the seats.

The main opposition party,Peoples Democratic Party, PDP,had boycotted the election ongrounds that it would not befree and fair, apparentlyaligning itself with INEC,

which cited security concerns asthe reasons for asking for thesuspension of the local polls.

However, APC got supportfrom five other parties, whichparticipated in the election anddescribed it as free, fair andcredible.

Vanguard learnt that of thestate’s registered voterpopulation of 1.2 million, APCswept the polls with 999,750votes.

Vanguard, MONDAY, DECEMBER 30, 2013—9

Aero Contractors' passenger planeloses tyre on landing

BY LAWANI MIKAIRU

LAGOS — A Boeing 737plane with over 100 passen-

gers belonging to Aero Contrac-tors had a tyre blow-out, yester-day, at the Murtala MuhammedAirport, MMA, Lagos.

The aircraft, which departed theNnamdi Azikiwe Airport, NAA,Abuja around 9a.m. had theblow-out on landing at the La-gos Airport.

One of the over 100 passengerson board the plane was the formerMinister, Federal Capital Terri-tory, FCT, Abuja, Mallam Nasirel-Rufai who tweeted that, “Uponlanding in Lagos, our Aero air-craft lost a tyre. The pilot did agreat job of breaking to a halt. Myphones flew under seats.”

Reacting to the incident, Mr.Yakubu Dati, coordinatingspokesman, Aviation Parastatalssaid: “An aircraft - Boeing 737-500 with Registration No. 5N-BLC, operated by Aero Contrac-tors landed safely at the MurtalaMuhammed Airport, Lagos, fol-lowing loss of pressure in one ofthe tyres, today ( yesterday) De-cember 29, 2013.”

“The aircraft which landed at10.50a.m. had a total of 104 pas-

sengers and crew members onboard.

The aircraft has since beentowed to the apron, and AccidentInvestigation Prevention Bureau,AIPB has commenced investiga-tion into the incident.

“We wish to assure all air trav-ellers of their safety and cautionagainst magnifying a manageableincident out of proportion.”

One of the directors of the air-

line who does not want his namementioned, was quoted to haveconfirmed the incident. But headded that the burst tyre hadbeen replaced immediately by theengineers of the airline.

He explained that the airlinewas currently waiting for the ap-proval of the Nigerian Civil Avia-tion Authority, NCAA, for the air-craft to return to operations, butinsisted that it was a minor inci-

dent, which is normal in aircraftoperations.

It will be recalled that there hasbeen speculation that the Federalgovernment is considering mak-ing Aero Contractors a nationalcarrier. The Federal Government,through AMCON, owns 60 percent shares of the airline. Thename of the airline is to bechanged to Nigerian Eagle.

Tenancy law: Fashola identifiescultural beliefs as challenge

BY MONSURU OLOWOOPE-JO

LAGOS — GOVERNORBabatunde Fashola of La-

gos state has identified culturalbeliefs as a challenge to the ef-fectiveness of the 2012 tenancylaw in the state.

He also attributed the hiccupencountered by some Lagosiansin the ongoing residents' regis-tration exercises to uneven uti-lisation of registration centres

“Of the over 200 registrationcentres provided for data cap-

turing, some of the centres un-der-utilised while others areoverstretched,” he said.

The governor, who was rep-resented by the Attorney-gen-eral and Commissioner for Jus-tice, Mr. Ade Ipaye, made thisknown recently at astakeholders' forum organisedto mark 2, 400 days of thepresent administration, said thatthe state government "is work-ing hard to ensure that the ten-ancy law becomes effective inthe state."

According to him: “Despite

the effort put in place by thegovernment, the challenge stillfacing the law is the culturalbeliefs. At present, we are try-ing to inculcate the right eth-ics, culture and conduct on theestate managers/agents acrossthe state.

“This is causing a difficult situ-ation for the government. Forinstance, when the tenant andhis landlord are signing theircontract, this is done in private.Since this is done in private, thegovernment will not be invitedto monitor it.”

Envoy says 4,000 Nigerians are studying in CanadaLAGOS — THE Canadian

High Commissioner toNigeria, Mr. Perry Calderwood,yesterday, described thenumber of Nigerians studyingin Canada as ‘impressive.’

Calderwood told the NewsAgency of Nigeria in Lagos thatat least 4,000 young Nigerianswere studying in different pub-lic and private Canadian uni-versities and colleges.

He said his home govern-ment planned to provide more

opportunities for Nigerians tostudy in Canadian higher in-stitutions in 2014.

“Educational development isone very important area of ourcollaboration with Nigeria.

“We are delighted that manyyoung Nigerians are today in-terested in studying in Canada.

“We currently have about 4,000young Nigerians studying tech-nical and professional coursesin our higher institutions.

“In 2014, many more Nigeri-

ans will be given opportuni-ties to study in Canada onscholarships and self-sponsor-ship,” the High Commissionersaid.

The envoy also said therewas a “growing number of con-tacts” between Canadian andNigerian institutions of higherlearning.

He expressed optimism thatthe relationship would pro-mote transfer of knowledgebetween both countries.

Calderwood said that therewere colleges for technicaltraining in Canada waiting tobe explored by young Nigeri-ans.

The High Commissioner dis-closed that the Canadian gov-ernment planned to hold anEducation Fair in Lagos andAbuja in January 2014.

He said no fewer than 50Canadian universities and col-leges would participate in thefair.

TESCOMhonours Mrs.Amosun,others

APC chieftaindeniesdisruptingPDP, LPmeetings

T H I R T Y - T W OTEACHERS and

non-teaching staff of theOgun State Teaching Serv-ice Commission,TESCOM, have been hon-oured in recognition of theirdedication and commit-ment to duty.

The award categories atthe second edition of theTESCOM Award Night, inAbeokuta, include BestPrincipal, Best Teacher(Senior and JuniorSchools), Over-all BestSchool, Best Student inMathematics, BestTESCOM Staff, Educa-tional Support Individual,Worthy Ambassadors forsome of the teachers whotook up political appoint-ments and Most Educa-tional Supporting Corpo-rate Organisation.

Mrs. Olufunso Amosun,wife of the Ogun State Gov-ernor, Senator IbikunleAmosun was also honouredwith the DistinguishedAward of Excellence in ap-preciation of her contribu-tion to the uplift of educa-tion in the public second-ary schools through her‘’Uplift” programme.

Among the otherawardees are Chief SesanFagbayi, Mr. OchonogorFriday, Mrs. LokuloSodipe, Mrs. AfolabiFunke, Mrs. OdewaleKehinde and Mrs.Anwojue Mufuliat.

A CHIEFTAIN of AllProgressives Congress,APC, in Oshodi/Isolo Lo-cal Government Area,Chief Musiliu Akinsanyahas denied accusationleveled against him bythe PDP and LP in thearea.

The PDP and LP hadaccused MusiliuAkinsanya of disruptingtheir meetings.

In a reaction, Akinsanyasaid PDP and LP have nobases in Oshodi, that theyonly want to cause confu-sion and disturb the peaceof Oshodi residents.

He said, there is no iotaof truth in the statement,adding the residentswould not fold their handsand watch some disgrun-tled elements try to derailthe peace and security theresidents have been en-joying.

PERFORMANCE: Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, SAN (3rd left); writer and Executive Producer, Mr. UcheNwokedi, SAN (2nd right), during the performance of award winning hit musical, Kakadu, with the theme, 'Lagos in a timeof infinite possibilities…!,' in Lagos.

10—Vanguard, MONDAY, DECEMBER 30, 2013

Amosun deserves second term— Obasanjo’s aide

BY DAUD OLATUNJI

ABEOKUTA — THE newmedia aide of former

President Chief OlusegunObasanjo, who is also a chief-tain of the All Progressives Con-gress, APC, in Ogun State,Tunde Oladunjoye, has saidthat, the party would not denyOgun State governor, Senator

Don’tdemoniseYoruba deities— Gani Adams

BY DAPO AKINREFON

THE NATIONAL coordinator of the Oodua

Peoples Congress, OPC,Otunba Gani Adams hasadvised Yoruba sons anddaughters to desist fromlabeling deities of the raceas evil.

The OPC chief, whospoke during the 2013 edi-tion of Ogun Ajobo/Elegbera Festival, whichtook place in Ikorodu, said“Ogun plays a very impor-tant role in the lives of hu-man beings. Almost all ouractivities revolve aroundthis important deity. The carwe drive, the air planes, wetravel in, the spoon we eatwith, the cutlass we useand other things are sym-bol of Ogun."

Mimikopresents2014 budgettomorrow

BY DAYO JOHNSON

AKURE — GOVER-NOR Olusegun

Mimiko of Ondo State willtomorrow present the 2014budget to the State Houseof Assembly.

A statement by the Com-missioner for Information,Mr. Kayode Akinmade, inAkure, yesterday, urgedmembers of the State Ex-ecutive Council, Heads ofMinistries, Departmentsand Agencies of govern-ment and other invitedmembers of the public toattend punctually.

WEDDING: From left, Femi Thomas,Toyin Tejuoso,Ogun State governor,Senator IbikunleAmosun; Osile Oke-Ona Egba,Oba Adedapo Tejuoso; Ogun State Commissioner for Youths& Sports,Dr. Lanre Tejuoso, at the traditional wedding ceremony of Femi Thomas and ToyinTejuoso, in Abeokuta,weekend. Photo: Wumi Akinola

PDP, APC in war of words over Fashola’sperformance

BY EMMANUEL AZIKEN,Political Editor & BY DAPO

AKINREFON

Banks owe Osun govt over N1bn taxesBY GBENGA OLARINOYE

OSOGBO — COMMER-CIAL banks operating in

Osun State are said to be owingthe state government overN1bilion, being taxes deductedfrom their staff, withholding taxesand other forms of taxes and ratesdue to the state government.

The acting chairman, OsunState Internal Revenue ServiceIRS, Mr. Dayo Oyebanji disclosedthis while fielding questions fromnewsmen in Osogbo, weekend.

He declared that the state gov-ernment had therefore directedthe affected banks that all out-standing taxes, withholding taxesand others must be paid into thecoffers of the state government on

LAGOS — SENATORMusiliu Obanikoro has de-

flated public adulations of the per-formance of Governor BabatundeFashola of Lagos State, sayingthat mounting debts and classdiscriminations make the govern-ment a failure.

The Interim Publicity Secretaryof the All Progressives Congress,

APC, in Lagos State in a sharprebuttal dismissed the insinua-tions, saying that Obanikorolacked the moral and intellectualcapacity to speak.

Citing the past stints of theformer senator as local govern-ment chairman and then commis-sioner, he said Obanikoro’s an-tecedents disqualified him fromspeaking.

Speaking in a media interactionin Lagos, weekend, SenatorObanikoro who was the Peoples

Democratic Party, PDP, guberna-torial candidate in the 2007 elec-tion flayed the Lagos administra-tion for failing in the basic tenetsof transparency in financial mat-ters.

Senator Obanikoro, who is nowthe Chairman of the IndustrialTrust Fund, ITF, flayed the admin-istration in the state for failing inthe three critical sectors of edu-cation, health and environment,as he claimed that everyone that"can afford it seeks private school

education for their children. “I'll not sit down here and tell

you that we don’t have few thingsto celebrate in the state, but byand large, there are still manyholes to fill up,” Obanikoro saideven as he added that, “the over-all decision I will take in terms ofperformance of Lagos govern-ment in the last 15 years is slightlybelow average,” Obanikoro said.

“People may be saying theyhave done some new roads, theyhave done this, they have donethat; one, we must look at the costsof these roads and then, note thatthe state's debt profile is about N1trillion as we speak today.

“I schooled in the USA, the big-gest investment that country madethat is still working for them is ineducation. We have not donesuch in Lagos State despite all thenoise they have been making.

"As we speak today, people ofLagos are not interested and theywill not voluntarily send their chil-dren to public schools in the state.

"So, how one governor can juststand up and beat his chest thathe has performed still marvelsme.”

“Today, our hospitals in the stateare mere consulting centres. Eventhe consultation is minimal in thetrue sense of it. Everybody that issomebody now goes overseas forordinary medical check –up.”

”Their leader and ex-governorof the state had a medical chal-lenge recently and he was flownabroad to take care of ordinaryknee injury.

”In the area of health, Lagosgovernment has equally failed,”he said.

"They are still struggling in thearea of refuse management.

“Looking at the Olusosundumpsite at Ojota and the levelof pollution that is injected to theatmosphere on daily basis says alot about the state government thathas been in power since 1999.Where have you seen such bigdumpsite operating in a metropo-lis anywhere in the world?”

Commenting on the allegationsmade by Senator Obanikoro, Mr.Joe Igbokwe, former publicity sec-retary, defunct Lagos State ActionCongress of Nigeria, ACN, nowAPC chieftain, said: “You are tak-ing that Obanikoro seriously?What does he know about simpleeconomics or leadership? Whatdoes he know about leadership?He does not understand the in-tricacies of leadership and ac-counting system. He was oncewith us and we know what hedid.”

Continuing, Igbokwe alleged:“Was it not the same Obanikorothat was the chairman of LagosIsland Local Government? Whatdoes he know about accountabil-ity? Please, stop wasting yourtime with this kind of people.”

”What he is saying is not worthwasting energy and ink to writeon. His history is very well knownand he does not have the capac-ity to speak. He does not havethe intellectual capacity to speakabout economics and leadership,”the APC spokesman said.

Ibikunle Amosun the secondterm ticket.

Oladunjoye, who was theDeputy Governorship candi-date of the Peoples DemocraticParty, PDP, in the 2011 gover-norship election in the state,described Amosun as anachiever, who, according tohim, would boost the chance ofthe party in the state.

Oladunjoye, in an interview

with newsmen in Abeokuta,yesterday, affirmed that the ster-ling performance of the gover-nor so far, has placed him inthe best position for re-electionon the platform of APC.

He said: “Some elected pub-lic officers may not be able toshowcase what they have donefor the people. That is not thecase with Governor Amosun.

or before December 31,2013, fail-ure to which they would be sanc-tioned and de-listed as agents forcollection of taxes in the state.

The state government also di-rected all banks collecting moneyand taxes on its behalf to withinthe same period, December 31,2013, integrate into the new e-payment system and ensure thatall monies and taxes are promptlypaid into the state government ac-counts for automatic revenue re-ceipts to payers.

It frowned at delay in thesweeping or remittance of moneycollected on behalf of the govern-ment by banks, saying that thedelay in posting revenue col-lected on behalf of the govern-ment through e-payment systeminto the general revenue accountimpedes flow of income.

Oyebanji, who did not mentionnames of the affected banks, de-clared that the government had re-solved that non-compliant banksover integration on e-payment ap-plication shall be de-listed from rev-enue collection agents of the stategovernment.

The state Internal Revenue Serv-ice, IRS, in a warning letter writtento banks entitled: “Demand Noticeson Liabilities from Backduty Inves-tigation on PAYE, Withholding andDevelopment Levy for the PAYE(Amended Liability 2012),” by DayoOyebanji dated December 13, 2013reads in part: “Please, be informedthat our board would be left withno other option than to disdain yourbank provided you failed to settleyour backduty liabilities mainly onPAYE and withholding taxes for theyear 2012.

We've fixedSouth-Westroads— FERMA

LAGOS — MR.Oladipo Fagbamila,

South-West Zonal Coordi-nator II, Federal RoadsMaintenance Agency,FERMA, said yesterday,that all roads in the zonehad been rehabilitated toensure safe motoring dur-ing the festive season.

Fagbamila told the NewsAgency of Nigeria in Lagosthat all potholes and vari-ous road failures in theSouth-West Zone II had alsobeen taken care of, to stemroad mishaps.

He, however, appealed toroad users to avoid recklessdriving and speeding, dueto the smoothness of theroads, so as to stay alive.

Vanguard, MONDAY, DECEMBER 30, 2013—11

2015: Onuesoke berates Northern eldersover Jonathan

Rights groupsseekObasanjo'sprosecutionover Odimassacre

BY SAMUELOYADONGHA

BY FESTUS AHON

We'll ensure normalcy returns to Kokori, saysDelta A-G

Why I dumped PDP —AMAECHIBY JIMITOTA ONOYUME

PORT HARCOURT—GOVERNOR Rotimi

Amaechi of Rivers State haslinked what he termed thewarm attitude of Nigerians to-wards corruption, to one of theplagues militating against theprogress of the country.

Amaechi, weekend, in PortHarcourt, on why he dumpedPeoples Democratic Party, PDP,for All Progressives Congress,APC, said that Nigerians cel-ebrate corruption.

“We celebrate corruption.That is part of the problems ofthis country.”

He explained that his fightwas about promoting account-ability, transparency in gov-ernment and good govern-ance, adding that the qualityof leadership was part of thereasons he left PDP.

He said he also left PDPwhen it became clear to himthat the President had no de-velopment programme for Riv-ers State.

He said: “The South-Southpresident is the man whofeeds me. I had to fight for thework on the East-West Road.The South-South presidentshould have voted money forthe road in 2011. Instead ofNiger Delta benefiting fromhis government, we are losing.What has the President donefor Rivers State? Our sin forthe delay of the international

airport is that we are vocal. Theydon’t like us.

“They took Soku oil wells and41 oil wells from Etche to AbiaState. Should I remain in thatkind of party? Virtually every-thing that was coming to RiversState had been taken to BayelsaState. World Bank confirmed tome that they have confirmed theloan for water. You deny Riverspeople opportunity to have wa-ter in their homes just becausethey are quarreling with Amae-chi,” he said.

He said it was shocking that the

Federal Government couldground helicopters it gaveapproval for the state to ac-quire to intensify the anti-oiltheft crusade.

“That I am still alive func-tioning as governor of Riv-ers State is by the grace ofAlmighty God. They cankeep their federal might. Ihear they say by the timethey finish with Amaechi, hewill know there is federalmighty,” he added.

He said the Federal Gov-ernment was yet to refund

money expended on federalprojects in the state, adding“We did Ikwerre Road flyover, Interchange at Obik-were, Port Harcourt OwerriRoad, Ada George Road. Allthese are federal projects wehave done for which the mon-ey had not been refunded.”

On the financial status ofthe state, he said Rivers Statewas not broke but facingsome financial difficultiestraced to diversion.

“We are under pressure butnot broke,” he said.

DELTA State Attorney-General and Commis-

sioner for Justice, Mr CharlesAjuyah, SAN, weekend, saidthat the state government wascommitted to ensuring thatnormalcy returned to Kokoritown in Ethiope East LocalGovernment Area of the statein no distant time.

Ajuyah, who was reacting toa recent media publication,said that the government wason top of the situation in Koko-ri Town.

Ajuyah, who spoke to news-men in Warri, said that the stategovernment was closely mon-itoring the activities of securi-ty agents drafted to Kokori bythe Federal Government. Hecondemned the call by somemembers of Kokori ProgressUnion, Lagos, for the with-drawal of security agents fromKokori, noting that such callwas not only misinformed butpremature.

He also condemned the ac-tions of some indigenes of thecommunity, who staged a pro-test at an Abuja High Court,calling for the release of an al-leged kidnap kingpin, whenhe was being legitimately

tried before a court of law.The presence of the military

personnel, he said, was yieldinggood results as arms and ammu-nition were being recovered,while some suspects had been ar-rested.

He said: “It must be stressedthat the presence of security per-sonnel is still essential and onlythose who have things to hide

that should be worried. I wishto add that the security agen-cies will not rest on their oars,adopting acceptable rules ofengagements until the last ofthe remnants of the troublemakers are arrested.

“I appeal to members ofKokori community to giveuseful information to the se-curity agencies and not to shy

away from condemning thedeviant behaviour of per-sons, who go about support-ing crimes and criminality. ‘Innocent indigenes and per-sons living or working inKokori are advised to goabout their normal activitieswithout fear as the govern-ment is concerned abouttheir well-being.”

UGHELLI—FORMER Del-ta State governorship aspir-

ant, Mr Sunny Onuesoke, yester-day, described as mischievous,comments credited to Arewa Con-sultative Forum, ACF, and North-ern Elders Forum, NEF, askingPresident Goodluck Jonathan tostand down for a northern presi-dent in 2015.

Speaking to newsmen in hisAgbarha-Otor country home,while playing host to over 2,000youths of Peoples Democratic Par-ty, PDP, Onuesoke warned North-ern leaders against comments thatcould worsen the seeming friction

between the South and North.Noting that southerners had

always supported NorthernPresidency in the political his-tory of the country, he stressedthe need for northerners to sup-port President Jonathan in2015, adding that “Jonathanmeans well for Nigerians. Heis a detribalised leader who isdetermined to move the coun-try forward.

“Since 1960 when Nigeriagained independence, this isthe first time that a Niger Del-tan is governing us. OurNorthern leaders should watchtheir comments. Nigeria as acountry does not belong to one

region, it belongs to all of usand President Jonathan hasthe right to contest the 2015elections.

“No section of the countryhas the monopoly to governNigeria. It is painful that aregion that is blessed with oilis not being allowed to pre-side over the affairs of a coun-try whose resources are beingused to develop it.

“We the people of NigerDelta are resolute on Jonath-an's reelection in 2015 and thelikes of former PresidentOlusegun Obasanjo and hisNorthern cohorts cannot makegood Nigerians, who are inmajority change their supportbase for Jonathan.”

Onokpite buriedamidst tears

YENAGOA— CIVILLiberties Organisa-

tion, CLO, and civil socie-ties from the six geo-polit-ical zones of the country,have concluded plans toform a new coalition andintensify campaign for theprosecution of former Pres-ident Olusegun Obasanjoover the 1999 military in-vasion and destruction ofOdi community in BayelsaState.

The proposed coalition,according to the CLO, isexpected to put machineryin motion to effect the pros-ecution of former PresidentObasanjo and his collabo-rators at the InternationalCourt of Justice, ICJ.

In a paper presented atthe 13th anniversary of Odimilitary invasion, the CLOChairman, Bayelsa Statechapter, Chief NengiJames, said that though thepeople of Odi communityhad done the needful andinstituted a lawsuit againstthe Federal Governmentbefore the Federal HighCourt in Port Harcourt, Riv-ers State and secured fairjudgment, the proposedcoalition will not rest untilthe former President wasprosecuted and indicted.

CITIZENS Peoples Par-ty, CPP, candidate in

the 2011 governorship elec-tion in Delta State, ChiefOgbe Onokpite, was week-end, buried amidst tears athis home town, Ugolo-Okpe, in Okpe Local Gov-ernment Area of DeltaState.

The officiating minister,Apostle Henry Ofuoye, inhis message, advised sym-pathizers present to alwaysspeak the truth, as it wasthe only thing that wouldsave them on the last day.

According to him, “it wasthe truth and outright refus-al of oppression that led toOnokpite's death. It is bet-ter to die as a hero of truththan to die as a deceiverand corrupt person.”

It will be recalled thatOnokpite was killed No-vember 26, 2011 at Orhu-whorun, in Udu Local Gov-ernment Area of DeltaState by some policemenover alleged gun running.

IWERE KINGDOM ANNUAL THANKSGIVING: From left: Governor Emmanuel Udua-ghan; Prince Tsola Emiko Atuwatse; His Majesty, Atuwatse II, Olu of Warri and Her MajestyOlori Atuwatse, Queen of Warri Kingdom, during the Iwere Kingdom annual Thanksgiving,yesterday at the Olu Palace. Photo: Akpokona Omafuaire.

12—Vanguard, MONDAY, DECEMBER 30, 2013

Rights groups flay detention of journalistsin Bayelsa

BY ABDULWAHABABDULAH

Omoigui-Okauru advocates credible tax collectioninstitutions

Groupdemandsappointment ofProvost forDelta College

BY FESTUS AHON

UduaghaneulogisesIwerebor

BY AUSTIN OGWUDA

ASABA—DELTA Stategovernor, Dr. Em-

manuel Uduaghan, has ex-pressed grief over the deathof elder statesman and Peo-ples Democratic Party, PDP,chieftain, Chief HumphreyIwerebor, who passed awayon Boxing Day, noting thatthe late political icon playeda stabilising role during andafter former Governor JamesIbori's era.

Uduaghan, in a statementby his Chief Press Secretary,Mr. Sunny Ogefere, de-scribed the death of Iwere-bor as a big loss, not only tohis immediate family and theIka nation, but to the PDPand the entire people of thestate.

“The death of Chief Iwer-ebor is coming at a time thatwe would have needed hiswise counsel and directionsin the affairs of our state andparty in the build-up to 2015elections."

TWO rights groups, yes-terday, lamented the con-

tinued detention of two jour-nalists in Bayelsa State, de-spite their deteriorating healthconditions.

The groups, Journalists ForDemocratic Rights, JODERand Nigerian Human RightsCommunity, NHRC, at a jointpress briefing on alleged in-crease in human rights viola-tions in the state, said that asthe new year celebration ap-proaches, some Nigerians, in-cluding the journalists, willspend their holiday behindbars on the order of the stategovernment.

The groups, in a statementread by Samuel Olorunwa, al-leged that the journalists,Tonye Okio, a social mediapractitioner and Melford Es-inte, were arrested at differenttimes. He said that Okio wasarrested in his Abuja homeand had to spend the Christ-mas in detention on the direc-tive of the state government.

He said that Okio was ab-ducted from his residence andwas detained under harsh anddehumanising conditions,adding that the experience hewent through made him to fall

sick.According to the group, armed

men invaded Okio's Abuja homeon October 26, 2013 and whiskedhim away on the accusation thathe published a rumour on the so-cial media platform, insinuatingthat a serving South-South gov-ernor was arrested in the UnitedStates in connection with finan-cial crime involving $5 million.

He alleged that “Mr. Okio wasabducted from his Abuja resi-dence by agents of Bayelsa State

governor. He is in prisonwhere he is being subjectedto deliberately harsh and de-humanising conditions. Cur-rently, due to the kind of foodOkio has been fed with, heis weak, malnourished andmay die unless urgent actionwas taken to save this Nige-rian citizen. We insist that heshould be released now. To-morrow may be too late.

“The victim, Okio, spentChristmas in detention with

hardened criminals, deniedaccess to his family. He willspend the new year in pris-on where he has been de-tained. As we stand beforeyou today (yesterday), infreedom, a fellow Nigerian issuffering unimaginable po-litical persecution.”

The second journalist, Mr.Esinte, according to themwas arrested on two occa-sions for his facebook post-ings.

U G H E L L I —CONCERNED Staff

of College of Physical Edu-cation, Mosogar, COPEM,has called on Delta StateGovernment to appoint asubstantive provost for theinstitution.

The body, in a statementby Mr. Godfrey Barn, saidthe call became necessarydue to the urgent need toreposition the institution forgreater academic perform-ance.

Noting that Acting Provost,Mr. Omayui Moses, haddone his best, the group saidthat the appointment of asubstantive provost wouldpave way for speedy devel-opment of the only sports in-stitution in the state.

The statement read: “Webelieve Governor Em-manuel Uduaghan meantwell for the college by con-stituting its GoverningCouncil.

“The Governing Councilhas interviewed and short-listed three persons for theposition of a substantiveprovost since May 21, 2013,but till date, none of thesepersons shortlisted hadbeen approved by the gov-ernor.

“The college staff, hereby,call on the governor to ap-point a substantive provostfor the college. "

BY SIMON EBEGBULEM

B E N I N — F O R M E RChairman of Federal

Inland Revenue Service, FIRS,Mrs. Ifueko Omoigui-Okaru,weekend, said that govern-ment must build credible in-stitutions that are saddledwith the responsibility of col-lecting taxes from citizens.

According to her, building oforganised institutions that areefficient and reliable, wouldmotivate individuals to paytheir taxes without coercion.

She spoke at a stakeholderssensitisation workshop and 2-day management retreat, or-ganised by Edo State Board ofinternal Revenue.

Stressing the need for Nige-rians to pay their taxes to gov-ernment, she noted that gov-ernment must provide basicamenities for the people so asto convince them that their tax-es were not going into privatepockets.

She said: “The revenue serv-ice needs to change and be amore organised entity that willgive the public the confidenceto voluntarily paying taxesand do it in a manner that isefficient and convenient to the

tax payer. Our revenue servicesneed to change in several direc-tions, need to be more automat-ed, have more quality staff, bet-ter structure and need to commu-nicate better to tax payers in atransparent manner. So they are

not just told what tax to pay,but they know how the taxesare computed.

“It is the responsibility ofgovernment to demonstrateto tax payers the benefit ofthe taxes they are paying, not

in a general sense such asin roads or schools, but in amore immediate sense suchas in the area where the taxpayer is based, so that the tax-payer can feel the benefit ofthe tax he is paying in his/her own community.”

IWERE KINGDOM ANNUAL THANKSGIVING: Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor, CAN President(right) and Dr. Mark Erumi, Chaplain of Warri Kingdom, during the Iwere Kingdom annualthanksgiving, yesterday at the Olu Palace. Photo: Akpokona Omafuaire.

Uduaghan blames govt failure on croniesBY SAM EYOBOKA

WARRI—EMINENT sonsand daughters of Itsekiri

nation, yesterday, held their an-nual thanksgiving service at theOlu of Warri Palace, which afford-ed Delta State governor, Dr. Em-manuel Uduaghan, an opportu-nity to defend his stewardshipsince he assumed office in 2007.

Responding to a charge by theNational Presbyter of Church ofGod Mission, Rev. Eruebi Friday,who preached the only sermon ofthe day, Uduaghan, accompaniedby his wife, Roli, his deputy, Prof.Amos Utuama and wife, the threesenators representing the stateand many other politicians fromthe state, said that politicians of-ten send good messages, but mes-sengers often deliver bad prod-ucts.

According to him, when he

came on board in 2007, “oneof the things I tried to do wasto reopen schools that wereaffected by the crisis, thedeputy governor was thechairman. And there was aparticular community schoolthat was given to an Itsekiricontractor, what did he do?He sold the contract to aman, made his profit, but themoney left for the man wasnot enough to execute thecontract.

“And this is our own com-munity. What messengercan be worse than that? So,when the preacher was talk-ing about message and mes-sengers and all that, wecome across many messen-gers who do not carry theright messages.

“Just three days ago, welaunched some buses, 30 big

ones, 100 small ones, the to-tal buses now is about 800.Two days ago, I was watch-ing television and saw someof these buses that the stategovernment is paying half ofthe bus fare. The bus fare issubsidised by 50 per cent bythe state government.

“That is if you are supposedto pay N100 for Delta Statebuses, the passenger shouldpay N50 and the state gov-ernment pays N50. And weare giving these subsidy tothe people we gave the bus-es to, but what are they do-ing? I saw on television thatsome of the operators areforcing bus drivers to bringa minimum amount, whichmeans that the passengershave to pay more than the 50per cent they are supposedto pay."

13 Vanguard, MONDAY, DECEMBER 30, 2013

Confab very critical, says Gov ObiBY VINCENT UJUMADU

Minister laudsJonathan overhealth sectordevt

Ex-Imo CJ worries over poor state of LGs

Nigerians urged to support FGon national dialogue

Cleric tasksChristianson Christ’steachings

BY CHIDI NKWOPARA

OWERRI—THE immediatepast Chief Judge of Imo

State, Justice Paul Onumajulu,has decried the comatose state oflocal government councils in thestate.

According to him, localgovernment administrationought to be the hub ofdevelopment in the state.

Justice Onumajulu, who spokein Owerri at a seminar organisedby the Public ComplaintsCommission, PCC, said: “If thosethat determine the affairs of thiscountry, the states and localgovernments and officers thatserve under such governmentsare not constantly reminded of thewrongs they commit in the course

OWERRI—NIGERIANS havebeen urged to cooperate with

the federal government inensuring that the proposednational conference was heldsuccessfully.

The South East ZonalCoordinator, University of JosAlumni Association, UJAA, SirNed Ulelu, made the appeal whilewelcoming participants to thequarterly meeting of theAssociation.

“There is no doubt that there isurgent need for Nigerians to cometogether in a conference by

UMUAHIA—WITH over oneyear and five months left to

end his tenure, Abia Stategovernor, Chief Theodore Orji,said he had started preparingto leave office.

He said that explained the

ENUGU—MINISTER ofHealth, Prof

Onyebuchi Chukwu, hasdeclared that the nation’shealth sector has witnessedtremendous improvementunder President GoodluckJonathan’s administration,saying some Nigerians whostill travel abroad formedical attention mightwell be doing that for thefun of it.

He specifically noted thefeat achieved by theUniversity of NigeriaTeaching Hospital, UNTH,Enugu and UniversityCollege Hospital, UCH,Ibadan in Open HeartSurgery.

He noted that thePresident’s tranformationagenda in the health sectorhad begun to yield therequired dividends.

The UNTH has sinceMarch, when it resumedOpen Heart(Cardiothoracic) Surgerysuccessfully, handled over40 cases, while the UCHalso commenced similarsurgery for the first time lastmonth.

AWKA—GOVERNOR PeterObi of Anambra State has

said that the proposed nationaldialogue was very critical at thepresent stage of Nigeria’sdevelopment.

Obi was reacting to a statementcredited to the Governor of EbonyiState, Chief Martin Elechi, thatthe national dialogue wouldamount to a futile exercise.

But speaking after a churchservice at St Anthony’s CatholicChurch, Umudioka, to mark thecentenary celebration of theadvent of Catholic Church in thearea, Obi said President Jonathanshould even be commended forhis courage and statesmanship intrying to organize the nationaldialogue.

Obi said: “Chief Martin Elechiis a father to us governors in theSouth-East. I have not spokenwith him on the commentscredited to him. I believe veryhonestly that the comments weresensationalised.

“He is a man of wisdom whochooses his words before utteringthem. I cannot comment on whathe said or did not say until I speakwith him to know the context inwhich he spoke.

BY TONY EDIKE

A K U R E —CHRISTIANS

have been charged toinculcate the life andteachings of Jesus Christ intheir daily interactions anddealings .

Making this plea wasReverend Ademola Adeyi,Chaplain of the Chapel ofFaith, Federal University ofTechnology, Akure, FUTA,during the institution’sCarol Service which tookplace at the NewAuditorium of FUTA.

Reverend Adeyi, whogave a short homily at theservice, urged Christians tofollow the footsteps of thethree wise men thatdiligently sought and foundbaby Jesus and became partof the historic birth.

He said it was importantfor individuals to be lightbearers to show thegoodness and mercy ofJesus to the people aroundthem.

In his remarks, ViceChancellor of theinstitution, ProfessorAdebiyi Daramola, said theoccasion was put togetherfor the FUTA communityto key into the season ofgoodwill heralded by the

“To me, communication gap isone of the factors that trigger crisisin the country and it is about timewe told ourselves the truth.

“There are many things in thecountry that need clarification,definition and agreement. It is

better we resolve these thingsthrough the meeting of minds,rather than arbitrariness of strifeand dissension.”

He stressed the need forNigerians to give total supportto the initiative, insisting that the

best way to move forward is forNigerians to sit down anddeliberate on the future of thecountry in order to chart a newcourse for enduring peace,stability and progress.

BY CHIDI NKWOPARA of their administration, thiscountry would be heading for theprecipice.”

He noted that occasionally,organs of government such asPCC should organize seminars atwhich their responsibilities, dutiesand functions should be brought

to the knowledge of the commonman.

“The law that established thisinstitution spread its dragnet sowide that it covers all tiers ofgovernment. It extends tocompanies incorporated underthe Companies and Allied

Matters Act.“What you think, say or do

may be wrong in their variousapplications and if they arewrong, it behoves members ofthe public to run to theCommission to lay theircomplaint,” Onumajulu said.

I’m preparing to leave office —ORJIreason he was setting upsome solid projects in thestate to serve as the legacieshe will be remembered for.

The governor said the firstday he became governor, heknew his tenure would endone day, and startedplanning his exit from thefirst day, with a promise tohimself to leave behind solidlegacies for the people.

Governor Orji, who spokeduring an end of yearinteractive session withjournalists in the state,expressed joy that hisadministration had donewell.

According to Orji, his majoraim in governance was totouch the life of the peoplepositively, which he hasaccomplished considerably.

“Our days are drawing near.The first day I came here Istarted preparing knowing thatthe tenure will one day end.

“But I promised myself that Iwill be very much fulfilled toleave positive legacies behindin the state to show my

presence. That has been myprimary concern.

“We had our initial constraintswhich every person can havebut when we overcame it thingsturned around for good. We arefighting for the good of everyperson.

“We are working to touch thelife of the people that is whatdemocracy is all about, to touchthe people positively.

“It is not easy. Nobody cantouch the life of everybody butthe life of majority,” GovernorOrji said.

On the performance of hisadministration, Orji gavehimself a pass mark, andassured that he would notrelent till his tenure finallyended.

“Nobody can say that thisgovernment is not performing.Any person who writes againstthe true situation of things onground you, will defend mebecause you are here and theprojects are real and there forpeople to see. I have performedso you can defend me,” he said

BY ANAYO OKOLI

whatever name, sovereign or not,to address the contentious issuesand challenges that have beenthreatening the unity of our dearnation, Nigeria,” Ulelu said.

While commending PresidentGoodluck Jonathan for his bolddecision to hold the conferenceand for promptly appointing thePresidential Advisory Committeeto chart the course, Ulelu alsocalled for full implementation ofdecisions reached.

“It is our wish and desire thatdecisions reached at the NationalConference should be sincerelyand faithfully implemented,” hesaid.

INSTALLATION: Governor Theodore Orji of Abia State (right), receiving a pleque afterhis cheiftaincy installation as "Okpohuru Mba 1 of Asaland" from the chairman of UkwaWest council of traditional rulers, HRM, Eze Goddy Ukanna, during a civic receptionorganised in honour of the governor by Asaland in Ukwa West Local Government Area ofthe state.

14—Vanguard, MONDAY, DECEMBER 30, 2013

2015: Campaigners declare President‘wanted’

Jonathan commissions road, classroomconstructed by Enugu philantropist

We’ll passPIB in 2014,says Rep

BY SONI DANIEL, REGIONALEDITOR, NORTH

A B U J A —CHAIRMAN,

House Committee onPetroleum Resources,downstream sector,Dakuku Peterside, hassaid the NationalAssembly would passthe Petroleum IndustryBill, PIB, next year.

Peterside, who madethis disclosure at theweekend said ”bothlegislative chambers areat the top of the PIB andI’m sure we will pass itin 2014. “

He explained that“the PIB is at a stage wecall the technicalsession where thecommittees involvedlook at the billholistically beforeformal presentation foradoption.”

On the frostyrelationship betweenthe House ofRepresentatives and theexecutive arm ofgovernment, the Riverslegislator simply said:“As far as the House isconcerned, there is norancour between us.On our part we legislateand if the executive failto execute we compelthem to do so. “

A B U JA — A LT H O U G HPresident Jonathan is yet

to formally declare his interestfor a second term in 2015,groups and individualsworking for him, yesterday,took their campaign for his re-election to a new level withposters declaring the President‘wanted’ in relation to the 2015contest.

The campaign materials withJonathan’s pictures, wereposted at many locations in theFederal Capital Territory by agroup, Men and Women ofAction Campaign Team.

The A3-sized coloured postershowing President Jonathan inhis traditional Ijaw attire withcap to match, listed severalreasons the President shouldreturn to Aso Rock in 2015 andcontinue to rule Nigeria.

The poster had the followingmessage embossed on it:“Wanted! Wanted!! Wanted!!!”

President Goodluck EbeleJonathan, GCON, GCFR, if yousee this man, kindly return himto Aso Villa in 2015 because heneeds to complete thefollowing: The power(electricity) sector, the roadprojects, railway projects,airport projects etc.

He has also brought goodfortune to Nigeria-Cup ofNations, Under 17 World Cupand Brazil 2014 qualification,peace in the Niger Delta andin the North.

“Remember how he solved thefuel (energy) problems yearsago. Goodluck Nigeria,” thegroup said.

When our correspondent

THE SOYINKAfamily has

announced the passingaway of IyetadeSoyinka.

Iyetade Soyinka wasborn on June 6, 1965, inIbadan. She attendedStaff School andQueens School, Ibadan,before readingMedicine at theUniversity of Ibadan.

Affable, intelligent andsometimes capricious,Iyetade struggled withher health in recentyears. In spite of this,she greeted every daywith a smile and dotedon her two children.

She took ill quitesuddenly and passedaway, while beingtreated at UCH, Ibadan.

Iyetade leaves behindtwo children, bothparents, numeroussiblings and otherrelations.

BY EMMANOVUAKPORIE

ENUGU—IT wascelebration at the

weekend, as PresidentGoodluck Jonathancommisioned an 8.5 kilometreroad, ultra-modern classroomblock and church auditoriumbuilt by Enugu Statephilanthropist, EmperorChris Baywood-Ibe,President/CEO of BaywoodContinental Limited.

The celebration began witha church service at the

IyetadeSoyinkapasses on

COMMISSIONING: From right-Former Minister, Petroleum, Mr. Odein Ajumogobia, Emperor Chris Baywood-Ibe, chairman,Federal Roads Maintenance Agency, FERMA, Mr. Ezekiel Adeniyi, representing President Goodluck Jonathan, Empress PatBaywood-Ibe and others, at the commissioning of the 8.5km Agbogugu-Isu-Awaa, Agbodu Road in Enugu State, yesterday.

called the phone numberlisted as that of the group’sNational Coordinator, a malevoice, who identified himselfas Solomon Akaya, answeredand admitted placing theposters in the FCT.

Akaya said the group

decided on its own to mountthe re-election campaign forJonathan even withoutcontacting him, because ofwhat they claimed was thepresident’s superbperformance in office so far.

Akaya said, “We have seen

that Jonathan has done so wellin office and that is whatinformed our decision to startcampaigning for him. We didnot consult anyone; not eventhe president before we startedthe campaign.”

Cathedral Church of StMark Anglican Communion,presided over by the mostRevd. Amos Madu,Archbishop Province ofEnugu and Bishop of Oji-River Diocese. Rt Revd.Emmanuel A. Ugwu Bishopof the Awgu/Aninri diocesedelivered the sermon.

In his sermon, Rt Revd.Ugwu advised thecongregation to emulate theexample of Baywood-Ibe, as

it was more blessed to givethan to receive. He thanked thedonor for single-handedlybuilding the 8.5km road, whichhad long been abandoned bysuccessive administrations inthe state, and prayed that Godcontinued to provide for himand his family.

The Awgu/Aninri diocese of theAnglican Communion used theoccasion to honour the multi-millionaire philanthropist and hiswife with the titles of Father ofeminence and Mother ofeminence respectively.

The Awgu traditional rulerscouncil also used the occasion tothank the donor and present himwith an award to show theappreciation of the community.

Immediately after the churchservice, the projects werecommissioned one after another,as the people celebrated.

First to be commissioned was anultra-modern primary schoolblock, followed by the ChurchAuditorium and the 8.5kmAgbogugu, Isu-Awaa, Agbudu byPresident Goodluck Jonathan,represented by the Chairman ofFederal Road MaintenanceAgency, FERMA, Engr EzekielAdeniji. While commissioning theroad, Mr Adeniji stated that as aprofessional, he had first taken thepains to inspect the road to assessits quality.

FG has succeeded in stampingout terrorism —MAKU

A B U J A —INFORMATION

Minister, Mr. Labaran Maku,has said that the FederalGovernment has succeeded incontaining terrorism in the NorthEastern part of of the country inthe last one year.

Maku stated this while reelingout the scorecard of the FederalGovernment in 2013 in a phone-in programme on RadioNigeria.

He said the massivedeployment of men andmaterials through theestablishment of the 7th Divisionof the Nigerian Army inMaiduguri was key to the

dislodgement of insurgents inthe area.

Mr. Maku who is also theSupervising Minister ofDefence, said due to the hugeinvestments required to set upan Army Division, governmenthad prioritised the provision offunds to construct militarybarracks and other formationsand infrastructure as well as thetraining of personnel and theprovision of the necessaryequipment to wipe out theactivities of insurgentsoperating in the North East.

He gave an indication thatthe Nigerian is working tosecure the support of Camerounto halt the infiltration of thecountry by insurgents.

BY EMMANUEL ELEBEKE

Vanguard, MONDAY, DECEMBER 30, 2013—15

Plateau tospend N2.6bnon securityvehicles,equipment in2014

Kwara LGuncovers 339ghost workers

Benue APCchieftain,supportersdefect to PDP

2015: Youthsvow to resistviolentpoliticians

Criminals behind Tiv farmers, Fulaniherdsmen clash — Gov Suswam

BY PETER DURU

MAKURDI—GOVERNORGabriel Suswam of Benue

State, yesterday, said some yet tobe identified criminals, under theguise of Fulani herdsmen havebeen attacking and killing Tivindigenes in the state.

Recall that there were killings inGuma, Gwer West and Makurdilocal government areas by mensuspected to be Fulani herdsmen.

He also constituted a highpowered committee to collaboratewith security agencies to fish outthe masterminds of the crisis thathas in recent time claimed over 650lives.

This was part of the decisionreached at a security meetingcalled by Governor Suswam on theheels of the recent outbreak of freshfighting between Tiv farmers andFulani herdsmen in the state.

The meeting had in attendance,the Minister of State, Trade andInvestments, Dr. Samuel Ortom,the Tor Tiv, Orchivere AkaweTorkula, other paramount rulers,the clergy and political leadersdrawn from Guma, Gwer, Makurdiand Gwer West local governmentareas of the state, considered thehotbed of the Tiv/Fulani crisis.

Suswam told newsmen that hewas compelled to call the meeting“in view of the dimension the crisiswas taking and the urgent need toarrest the masterminds of theskirmishes."

Suswam said: "We believestrongly that those responsible forthis crisis are certainly not Tivfarmers but criminals who aredetermined to frustrate genuineefforts of government to stem thefighting.

"That is why we have decided toset up this high powered committeewhich will be headed by a retired

Permanent Secretary, and itsmembership will comprise highranking Benue indegenes whowill work closely with securityagencies to arrest the criminalsbehind the unendingbloodbath."

The governor, who assuredthat the committee would alsocollaborate with Fulaniherdsmen to find lastingsolution to the crisis, sued forcalm and peaceful coexistence

among all the ethnic groups inthe state.

Vanguard recalled that fewdays to Christmas, fightingbetween native Tiv farmers andFulani herdsman erupted atNzorov and Gbajimba and laterspilled into Agasha, Guma localgovernment area, on BoxingDay leaving over 15 personsdead while property andfarmland worth millions of Nairawere also destroyed.

...inaugurates c'ttee to fish out masterminds of crisis

Obanikoro laments uncontrolledinflux of expatriate workers

BY PETER DURU

BY EMMANUELAZIKEN

CHAIRMAN ofIndustrial Training Fund,

ITF, Senator MusiliuObanikoro, has expressedcaution over the continuedimportation into the country ofskilled labour currentlyavailable in the country.

Obanikoro in a briefing inLagos, weekend, alsoexpressed regrets at what hedescribed as the shortage offunds by the fund as a result ofthe failure of governmentagencies.

While noting the strides of thefund since the advent of thenew governing board, SenatorObanikoro said: “May I bequick to add at this momentthat it is a sad commentary onour nation that up till thismoment in our life as a nation,skilled workforce is stillimported into our country fromother parts of the world,

particularly from neighbouringcountries.” He promised thedetermination of the ITF Councilto stop the development.

Noting the poor response ofcontributors to the fund, SenatorObanikoro called onstakeholders to make promptpayment to enable the bodycarry out its statutoryresponsibilities.

“It is also in the same breadththat I urge all employers of labourthat are liable under the ITFAmended Act to meet theirstatutory obligation by promptlyremitting their contribution.

"Although, responses to the Acthave considerably improved, agreater percentage of potentialcontributors are still notremitting. The provision ofnecessary infrastructure for skillsacquisition is capital intensiveand a very expensive venture,which will be made easier, ifeverybody fulfills theirobligation.”

M A K U R D I — T H EChairman, Benue State

House of Assembly StandingCommittee on Electoral Mattersand All Progressives Congress,APC, chieftain representingGboko East State Constituency,Mr. Dehiin Dzuai, weekend,defected to the ruling PDP withwell over eight thousand of hisfollowers.

Receiving the former oppositionleader and his supporters into thePDP at the J.S.Tarka SquareGboko, Governor Gabriel Suswamlauded the lawmaker for dumpingthe opposition for mainstreampolitics.

Suswam maintained that“opposition parties have little ornothing to offer this country andBenue State in particular, henceyour decision is a step in the rightdirect.”

While assuring the decampeesthat the party would notdiscriminate against them, thegovernor also promised toconstruct a road linking Gboko toGwer Local Government Area ascompensation for their decision.

"We will treat you equally andthe party will never abandon you,we’re all equal joiners andmembers irrespective of whereyou are coming from, that is whythe PDP is unique; I assure youthat Nigeria and Benue State willcontinue to be under the umbrellain 2015,” he said.

BY TAYE OBATERU

JOS—THE Plateau Stategovernment plans to

spend N2.6 billion on thepurchase of securityequipment, vehicles andassets in 2014, as part of effortsto tackle the securitychallenges facing the state.

The figure is almost N1billion more that the N1.7billion spent for the samepurpose in the outgoing yearduring which series ofattacks, mostly in localcommunities, were recorded.

The figures were containedin the state’s 2014Appropriation Bill presentedto the state House ofAssembly by Governor JonahJang, totaling N228.7 billionfor capital and recurrentexpenditure.

He disclosed that N275million was spent onrehabilitation of internallydisplaced persons and thepurchase of relief materials inthe outgoing year.

He said efforts would bemade to improve on theperformance of the 2013budget which, according tohim, achieved about 53 percent of the approved capitalexpenditure for the year.

O M U — A R A N ,K W A R A —

CHAIRMAN of IrepodunLocal Government Council inKwara State, Alhaji LuqmanOwolewa, said the councildiscovered 339 ghost workerson its monthly pay roll. Owolewa said at Omu-Aran,headquarters of the council,that an audit committee wouldsoon be set up to scrutinise thecouncil’s pay system.

He said the audit committeebecame necessary to fish outmore “ghost workers” andcorrect other anomalies in thecouncil’s pay process.

The chairman said that theresult of his assessment of theworkers few weeks afterassumption of duty showedthat out of the 839 workers onthe council’s pay roll, only 500were genuine staff members.

He added that “when Iassumed duty in November, Iwas surprised at the fewnumber of workers reportingfor duty and this prompted myundertaking a personalassessment to know what waswrong."

BY IKENNA ASOMBA

NIGERIAN youths havevowed to resist self-serving

politicians who usually use themto perpetrate electoral fraud andviolence during elections.

This was the consensus byyouth organisations at an eventorganised by the PatrioticVanguard in Lagos.

In a communique signed by theNational Coordinator, ComradeAdeshina Animasaun, the youthsagreed “that Nigerian youthsmust be involved in the Nigerianproject via participation incommunal and nationaldevelopment throughprogrammes and actions initiatedby governments; that there mustbe a nationwide awarenesscampaign on non-violenceapproach to issues of inter-ethnicdifference by the youth acrossNigeria; that Nigerian youthacross ethnic lines must renew ourcommitment to the continuedexistence of Nigeria as a nation,because we believe in oneindivisible Nigeria.”

Members of the Catholic Men Organisation, CMO, of Christ The King Catholic Church,Akowonjo, Lagos, singing during the Nine Lessons and Carols of the Parish.

CMYK

OPINION

16 Vanguard, MONDAY, DECEMBER 30, 2013

BY KUNLE OYATOMI

*Mr. Oyatomi, is Director publicity,Research and Strategy, APC, Osun State.

Osun: New perspectives on grassroot developmentOsun: New perspectives on grassroot developmentOsun: New perspectives on grassroot developmentOsun: New perspectives on grassroot developmentOsun: New perspectives on grassroot developmentTHE announcement last week by

Governor Rauf Aregbesola of the Stateof Osun that plans are afoot to create 27more local councils in the state adds somemore momentum to the revolutionarystrides we are already witnessing underthis administration. The state will thenhave 57 local governments across its3,572 square miles with its 4,137, 627(2005 estimates) citizens enjoying what21st political economists call real-time(or first-hand) development andgovernance.

I’m not here suggesting that the existing30 councils and Area Office have not beensavouring the magic of OgbeniAregbesola since he secured the people’smandate in 2010. No, God forbid! WhatI’m saying is that 27 more councils willbring the dividends of democracy closerto our people at the grassroots scene. It issimply deepening the essence of theuniversally acceptable concept of moderndemocracy as aptly captured by AbrahamLincoln: government of the people, by thepeople and for the people.

Aregbesola was unequivocal about thisstrong consideration of the interest of thepeople in influencing the decision thegovernment has taken. He declared: “Thebasis for the exercise (creation of newLGs) was the genuine desire and consentof the people of Osun.” The Governorinvoked the constitutionality of hisadministration’s action and asserted thesupremacy of the will of those who puthim in power when he declared: “We aresimply not ready to confront anybody or

the Federal Government but we areworking on a constitution to grant thewishes of our people. Osun will be the firstto constitutionally create localgovernments …. The difference betweenwhat we are seeking to do from others isthat we have not in any way influencedthis. It is the genuine desire of the peoplefor self-government or expression ofhaving control of their own affairs.”

And taking a cue from the SupremeCourt ruling on the matter of councilcreation in Lagos State years back, Osunis setting up development areas and notlocal government councils. This is aradical stroke in line with the apex court’sverdict that such development areas “havecome into legal existence once a bill tosuch effect is passed by the State’s Houseof Assembly and assented to by theGovernor.” With the fulfillment of two keyconditions for the new councils to comeinto being, the stage is set for a more rapidtransformation of the state of Osun.Indeed getting government and itsgoodies closer to the people is the mainobjective of the devolution of theparaphernalia of administration.

If all the world hailed the APCadministration of Aregbesola for hismassive achievements in 30 localcouncils, it is certain that the decibel ofapplause will reach more thunderouslevels where such achievements touchcitizens of 57 local governments.

I’m referring to such sterling

performance as the unprecedented O’YESscheme. Through it, Aregbesola employed20,000 youths at a go during his first 100days in office, thus enabling the Osuneconomy to receive hundreds of millionsof naira every month through the stipendshe gives to the young boys and girls. Thisbold initiative takes the youths from thestreets and reduces crime while alsotaming hunger and creating wealth andwork. The number is now 40,000 youthswith the second batch on.

How about the Ogbeni’s Midas’s touchin education? In the preceding regime ofPDP, school enrolment was depressinglylow, portending a bleak future of illiteratecitizens of Osun. Aregbesola has reversedthe situation so significantly that todaythe National Bureau of Statistics (aFederal agency) rates Osun as the leaderin Primary School enrolment for pupils.How did it happen? A condusiveatmosphere for learning is in phase,modern structures, grants, free dailynutritious meals, and revolutionarylearning methods such as the freeprovision of Opon Imo (tablet ofknowledge), culturalisation of schooluniforms (adire) etc. etc. The schoolsystem killed by PDP in Osun is back fromthe grave, thanks to Aregbesola’s APC.

How about infrastructure? Dualisedhighways and roads have been

expanded and modernised in each of the30 council areas of Osun to improve the

transportation of goods and services forthe emerging development envisaged bythe government with an unprecedentedrail project at Dagbolu. Similarly,hospitals, agricultural markets, waterworks and cottage industries are dottingthe landscape of Osun to givethe state thereputable tag of one “huge constructionsite”, as one keen observer puts it. Inpushing for 27 more local governmentstherefore Ogbeni Aregbesola ischampioning the pristine cause ofdemocracy, namely taking governmentand all its good deliveries hisadministration is offering good health,sound education, empowerment,employment, welfare, security, in a word,the good life, to the doorstep of thegrassroots.

In addition, 0sun's LG system will run aparliamentary mechanism,never beforeoperated in Nigeria. It will reduce the costof governance by 25 percent. These arethe issues that should influence thecitizens, the electorate and observers asthe 2014 gubernatorial ballot drawsclose. The discerning public should notbe hoodwinked by deceit and propagandaof the enemies of Osun that the creationof more local councils is to make way forjobs-for-the-boys syndrome as it was withthe previous regime.

WHEN 13-year-old Daniel Oikhenasqueezed himself into the tyre compartmentof an aircraft, with the belief that he wouldend up in America, his action sent a strongmessage of desperation migration, driven byfrustration.Government officials, who should be

shame-faced, for making life in Nigeria hell,celebrated the young boy’s heroics. He couldhave died like other desperate persons whotried to migrate through irregularcircumstances. Migration is an essential aspect of human

existence. Human beings and animals movefrom hostile to more life sustainingenvironments. Migration plays pivotal rolesin the advancement of civilizations. In recenttimes, migration has sparked off debatesespecially in destination countries whosepolitical establishments are sensitive to itssocio-economic pressures and demographicconsequences. Emigration in Africa, especially in sub-

Saharan Africa, has been tumultuous. Whilemigration is a constant feature in thecontinent, the pattern has changed fromforced migrations, as exemplified in slavetrade, to voluntary migrations in search ofthe golden fleece.

Dangerous Migration,Dangerous Migration,Dangerous Migration,Dangerous Migration,Dangerous Migration,Poor GovernancePoor GovernancePoor GovernancePoor GovernancePoor Governance

Political instability, lack of economicopportunities, bad governance naturaldisasters, escape from persecution or questfor knowledge and leisure, have over timeremained as key precipitating factors for netmovement of people from Africa. A new waveof migration is inspired by the desire to bepart of the globalisation and promises of abetter life. Desperation drives this type ofimmigration.Recently, about 87 persons perished in the

Sahara Desert from lack of drinking water.More die crossing the Mediterranean inrickety boats. Dangerous as the routes havebeen for centuries, human traffickingsyndicates exhort money from desperateyoung people with promises to assist them to

Europe.Many of them have been killed and their

organs become commodities in the globalhuman organs trade. Those who movedsouthwards notably to Central and SouthernAfrica either succeeded or met with fatal fate.It is disheartening that millions of those

trapped in this desperation are young people,full of life and energy, people whose sweatand blood should build national wealth. Theyprefer to die in dangerous migration becauselife in their countries has becomemeaningless.The fault lies at the doorsteps of

governments. Poor leaders and the qualityof governance cause desperate migration.Even when life in their destinations may

not be rosy, promises that they could findopportunities to explore, provides the impetusfor the would-be immigrants. They believethe risk is worth taking.The lessons of the Arab spring are strong

and evident enough for governments torealise that their mandate is to promote thecommon good, through policies that make lifemeaningful. Where governments fail,people search for survival outside theircountries; not minding the search could costthem their lives.

CMYK

Vanguard, MONDAY, DECEMBER 30, 2013—————4141414141

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Delta: The Third FDelta: The Third FDelta: The Third FDelta: The Third FDelta: The Third Forororororce tce tce tce tce to the rescueo the rescueo the rescueo the rescueo the rescueBY EFEROVO IGHO

BY SUNNY IKHIOYA

*Mr. Ikhioya, a commentator onnational issues, wrote fromLagos.

*Mr. Igho, a pubic affairs commentator,wrote from Warri, Delta State.

WHEN in 1999 an apparentlydiabolical team swarmed into

government in Delta State, little did weexpected that their vicious and dreadfulsiege on our treasury would last for 16 years.Two to three years into their messing up thehard-earned democracy, creating andconfronting us with instant Augean stableand completely rubbishing our sensibilities,some of us counted it obligatory then to standout and fight. We knew we were out toconfront a monstrous system, but that wasnot to matter to us.

About a year and half after our enlistment,Great Ogboru returned from exile and‘came calling’! The opposition was quicklyinclined to collapse all its structures and putthem behind him, and I was ready to turnover to him and his dream my mediamachine which I had hitherto put behindthe opposition and behind Fred Brumeduring the infamous Ibori-Amori resourcecontrol tomfoolery which was only meantto get more monies into the personal globalaccounts of the spoilers of our treasuries. Atthe time Ogboru joined us in the struggle,there was no doubt in our minds thatOgboru will be a change agent of some sortif he could but make it to the State House,which explains why I did scores of articlesfor him including few elaborate interviewsI granted the press.

But for about 12 years now since westitched together in the struggle and wereadily ensconced him on the driving seat,he kept navigating wrongly anytime he getsthe mandate; always getting the mandateto no end because, as it turned out, he knowsnothing about the end-battle or the battlebetween getting ashore, which the people’smandates have been, and walking with themandates to the State House, the ultimateterminus. Always failing to evolve a tackbut believing the same method will always

bring different result! He has no strategy tomake things difficult for buyers of INEC staff(permanent or ad hoc) and Police officers’consciences; no strategy to stymied that; and,of course, we come to sense that hisantecedents has not enthralled INEC andPolice personnel enough to the point of theirresisting and refusing to be bought by thespoilers of society, nothing in the past thattells them (these government personnel andad hoc staff of INEC) that Ogboru is a friend,one of them and that in him they have asparkling future which they must protectand fight for by not selling out theirconsciences (to the Ibori clan) because of apot of porridge which translates to ruiningtheir guaranteed future fortune. Their lenseshave not seen an Oshiomhole in him. Thatis to say too that they, probably, see himtherefore as not really being drasticallydifferent from those spoilers of society, andso are readily willing to be induced andsuborned by our treasury profligates andtheir carrots that blinds; that blinds thesereceivers’ eyes to the sticks, pains andhopelessness of the past and of the future.

Consequently, these spoilers of Delta Stateare still there today only changing from thebrute daredevil lions of yesterday to thelurking devious serpents of today, the formerdoing the stealing foolishly and recklesslyand the latter cunningly and deviously. Theresult is that even with the few windowdressing dotting few places today becauseof the challenge of Oshiomhole’s Edo, therot is still as behemoth as ever.

So, the agent of change, and we speak ofOgboru, who could only change the votingpattern or who could only get the people’smandate (courtesy of his hitherto popularitymade more so by the media) but knowsnothing about the Oshiomhole’s type of planof action that both get the mandate andsecure or consummate it against all odds isnot what we need now. We need one whohas such a plan of action and more than

that one who can roll such plan into actionhere in Delta. In Otive Igbuzor our hopesbrightens up. With Otive, who recently madeknown his intention to govern the state, thepeople know that even a better thanOshiomhole is come. And as it is usuallywith Labour and the Civil Service in thecountry, Delta labor force and Civil Servicewill frustrate all attempts to buy theirconsciences before, during and immediatelyafter the elections. They will guard theirconsciences now for they know their futureand fortunes depend on it. The elections nowwill be won, without any recourse to the lawcourts; and if the Delta Mafiosi throw upany voodoo results, a legendary notorietythey have earned overtime, we will walk ourways from the shores (the people’s mandatethat is) through the courts with very handy,clean, authentic and massive records andevidences to the State House, Asaba. That isthe network, very permeating, being put inplace.

We want to get it all right now, get itright beyond mere mandate, and get

it right in the end. In Ogboru we have beenspited enough, the spoilers have mucked andridiculed us enough just because Ogboru hasfailed to always get it right in the end. It wasold Freidank, a German poet of the 13thcentury, who said in one of his verses:

“Hold no man’s actions up to spite If in the end he gets it right.”Ogboru has won the guber elections many

a times, indeed, won it all the times he evercontested but he has not at anytime gotten itright in the end, and the spoilers of the statehave spited us continually with his courtcases because Ogboru has not been able allthese many times to present evidencesenough in the face of overwhelmingevidences. He doesn’t know how to get itright in the end. He does not know the natureof his battle, and so has no network in placeto help him get it right in the end. His battleis beyond getting the electorate to give himtheir mandate, which he has been gettinganyway. We cannot continue like this. No!Enough of the spite! And all that is comingto an end now in Otive Igbuzor.

Ogboru has long fell apart at the seams,and as the bells rang dead on himsometimes way back and you asked ‘whonext’, you heard the whistling and humming.Though not easy to decipher at that pointyou can tell by their sweet faces thatsomething newsy is around; then came thelow-pitched sounds and eavesdrops, but youreasoned it was nothing to run away withyet being still shadowy; then it hits youdirect, loud, clear and unmistaken before itquickly became streets chat. But will he orwill he not! And how verifiable is it? So, givenyour background you thought you shouldstill keep your hands akimbo. And then, theman came! An epitome of values-imbued,values emitting creature, he strode in withtowering credentials, profile of recordperformances and clean past to present; andit was no surprise at all, therefore, that hisunique, incomparable and achievable visionfor Delta had a ready place in the hearts ofall. Thus, he let the cat out of the bag. It wason Independence Day, the very day yourssincerely came back to the countrycompletely unaware of the goings-on:Coincidence? No, Providence! And as thistop social crusader, human right activist parexcellence, leading scholar and friend of andfighter for the downtrodden strode away thatday, all knew a new era, wonderful epoch isthe contract this man and Deltans are in for.

EVERY country that strives toattain true independence must

be able to feed herself. There mustbe industries in place to produceboth agricultural-end productsand spare parts that will keep theengines and tools working.

It is therefore heartwarming,that our Ministers - trade andindustry, finance and agriculture -have taken a critical view of ourpresent situation of totaldependence on imported items andhave chosen to adopt importsubstitution measures. What thisimplies is that, the governmentwill either ban out-rightly, orimpose heavy duties on items thatcan be locally produced here inNigeria. This will encouragegrowth for our local industries andalso create opportunities for thearmy of youths out there, lookingfor employment.

Right from the days of YakubuGowon, as head of state ofNigeria, our policies have neverlacked planning; we remember,the rolling plans of yore in theseventies and most recently vision20:20 and the NEEDS of theSoludo era. Nigerians are in factgreat planners and thinkers. Whenyou go through these plans onpaper, you cannot but, give creditto the minds that have conceivedit. The question now is; why havewe failed to translate all thesegreat concepts into reality? Ifsomething has been conceived asworkable - having gone throughthe highest ruling body in the

Many lies of importsubstitution policies

country - it is assumed that theprocesses to make it work, havebeen included in the planning. Ifall of these ones have been takeninto consideration, why do ourplans fail to work?

After the second world war, theUnited States of Americaintroduced a Marshall plan tobring Germany and other warravaged areas back to mainstream living - through infrastructural developments and othermeans. The execution workedaccording to the plans and todayGermany has the strongesteconomy in Europe. Why do planssucceed elsewhere and fail inNigeria?

Can we say that it is a sabotageon the part of a negligible fewpeople,feeding fat on the system?Is it a lack of political will on thepart of people in government or alack of proper focus and vision? Isit a testimony of our vagrant civilservice, lacking in patriotism andintegrity? Is it in our multi-ethnicconfiguration, that will not makeus see anything good, apart fromour ethnic leanings? Is it aconspiracy of the Super Powers tokeep us dependent on theirtechnology - comatose Ajaokutasteel and others - knowing that agiant Nigeria is a threat to theirinterest? Finally, is it the ineptitudeof our combined uniform services- Army, Police, Navy, AirForce,Customs, Civil Defence,Immigration et al - to keep awaythe unwanted from our shores?

Let us attempt to find someanswers, with case studies of two

of our recent policies aimed atboosting local production. I amtalking about our policies as itaffects rice and the " tokunboh"(fairly used imported) vehicles.Our government increased thetariff for imported rice in January,with a view to encourage localfarmers to plant and cultivate theproduct. In doing this, thegovernment placed a ban onimportation through the landborders. If everyone had thoughtthat this policy will work, they werejolted by the activities of ricesmugglers. All through the year,almost zero rice was importedthrough our official channels, yetforeign smuggled rice flood themarket. Our farmers now, cannotsell their products to the rice millersat a profit, as they cannot competewith smuggled rice prices. So, localproduction is stalled.

As I write, smuggled rice is stillcoming in droves, even at

day times. Our local importers arelosing revenue, our ports arelosing revenue and revenue that isto accrue to the governmentthrough the Customs is lost. The

smugglers are happy, Customsmen aiding the smugglers aresmiling to the bank. The policy hasbackfired, for one year, ourimporters who are key players inthe business, failed to bring in rice.What is responsible for this? Thegovernment is not being truthfulabout situations on ground- toomany lies. They failed to carry keyplayers along. If they had donethat,they would have discoveredthat our local production is not yetup there and so, would havecarried out the policy in phases.Make the marketers, distributors,millers, importers and the farmerspartners and work towards arealistic time frame forimplementation. With the backingof the above listed, there will belittle room for external forces tosabotage the plan, as they wouldhave taken care of all the chainsin the business.

The haste to impose heavy dutiesand the embarrassment thatcomes with the policy failurewould have been avoided, theywould have been properly advisedthat, the only way to curtailsmuggling activities along ourborders, is to make our duties atpar with neighbouring countries,that way, government will earnrevenue from import duties,instead of a few unscrupulousindividuals, sabotaging theeconomy.

The failure of the rice policy canbe traced to the inept security atour borders, the exclusion of keyplayers in the industry- who areknowledgeable in the business,and can help make it functionproperly - and the over-zealousness of governmentofficials, who feed wronginformation and statistics to the'ogas at the top', as compared withtrue pictures on ground. We cannot

make progress if we do not recordaccurately, the true market picture.The way it is now, all ispropaganda.

Another disaster is about to takeplace in the motor industry, thegovernment says, it wants toencourage local production,where are our local assemblyplants? It is expected that, a countrythat wants to go into productionin the steel sector, should beginwith spare parts, how many vehicleparts are being produced in thecountry presently? If we have, howmany of them have passed theinternational quality standards?Do we have a true picture of thenumbers of "tokunboh" carscoming into the country? Can oursupposed local manufacturersmeet the demand? Do we know thatover 80percent of cars driven intothe country are "tokunboh", drivenby the so called "middle class"?How affordable will our locallyassembled cars be to the masses.

An advise to those in position ofauthority; let us first see realproduction going on, let us see ifwhat we produce can service themarket, let us see that, this policywill not serve as an avenue, to againincrease smuggling along ourborders, with all the attendant risks- so many Custom men have died,due to smugglers activities - letthose in position of authority, liaisewith the real players in the business- I mean the importers, both of"tokunboh" and new vehicles - thelocal manufacturers, the dealers etal. Let the policy be acceptable toall before implementation.

A good policy doesn't need anyprompting to work. Let us keeppolitics outside this business.

Ogboru has long fellapart at the seams, andas the bells rang deadon him sometimes wayback and you asked‘who next’, you heardthe whistling andhumming

A good policydoesn't needanyprompting towork. Let uskeep politicsoutside thisbusiness

CMYK

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The men and women who willshape 2014

BY EMMANUEL AZIKEN,POLITICAL EDITOR

The year 2014, being the last year before the next round of general elections is bound to be decisive as politi-cians from across different political hues take position. Some Nigerians who are bound to direct the pace ofpolitical activities in the state are mentioned underneath.

President GoodluckJonathan

President GoodluckJonathan will be thecentre of action in the

coming year. As president ofthe country eligible for asecond term, the pace andposture of his politics wouldlargely determine the patternof political activities in 2014.

President Jonathan who hadin the past pooh-poohedquestions on whether hewould seek re-election hadsaid that he would make hisplans known in 2014. With thatyear now at hand, thepresident can no longer waveaside a response to the issue.Will he or will he not?

Though his body languagehas all but indicated that thepresident would be contestingthe election, it is not impossiblefor him to pull back.

A decision to run would heatup the polity to a level beyondthe normal level of apresidential contest. Adecision not to run could alsopose serious threats to nationalsecurity given the passion ofthe president’s Ijaw kith andkin who are determined tohave their son return to officein 2015.

Another possible action ofthe president that would affectthe polity would be how hetreats the Council of Ministers.Presently the council is shortof about 12 ministers followingthe sack of a number ofministers since last October. Itis expected that the presidentcould reshuffle the council toplug in the vacancies. Thepublic, in the event of areshuffle, would be watchingto see how the president treatscontroversial members of thecouncil, notably the Ministerof Aviation, Princess StellaOduah who was indicted bythe House of Representativesover her role in the purchaseof two armoured vehicles.

How the president respondsto some of his bitter criticiswould also define the waypolitics will play out in thecountry. Besides the usual titfor tat with the opposition All

Progressives Congress, APC,the president would also beexpected to frontally confronthis one time benefactor turnedadversary, former PresidentOlusegun Obasanjo. Thepresident’s open reply toObasanjo’s missive last weekhas inevitably taken theirquarrel to the point of no return.

Obasanjo, as Jonathan notedhas heckled all former headsof state who succeeded him inoffice as military head of statein 1979. However, Jonathan isnot like any one of the others,given Obasanjo’s major role inthe ascension of Jonathan to thepresidency.

Given that this may be hislast political fight, Obasanjo isexpected to fight to the hilt inwhat is obviously now an egofight between him and his onetime surrogate.

The prospects of Obasanjoteaming up with the opposition

in 2014 appear unlikelydespite the recent visit to himby national leaders of the APC.

Speaker AminuTambuwal

Though the leader of thePDP in the House of

Representatives, only fools stillbelieve that the speaker’s heartis still in the party that is now a

minority in the House. SpeakerTambuwal has handled issuesmaturely in the House despitehis relative aloofness from thepresidency and the party.

Of the major figures likely to

affect the polity in 2014,Speaker Tambuwal is expectedto make the earliest movegiven the gravitation of asubstantial number of PDPmembers to the APC.

The question in manymouths is when and not ifSpeaker Tambuwal woulddefect to the APC. When hedoes, it is not likely to affecthis position, but could bounce

on his prospects.It would be recalled that

former military president, Gen.Ibrahim Babangida had earlierthis year called on the Speakerto aspire to higher office.

Many would be looking forgesticulations from the speakeron a possible presidentialcontest.

Even before the call by Gen.Babangida, Tambuwal has beenthe focus of several politicalstakeholders who believe that heis best positioned to challengePresident Jonathan for thepresidency within or outside thePDP. His friendly dispositiontowards the leadership of theAPC has also made him thecynosure of many eyes.

Speaker Tambuwal isdefinitely going to be one of themajor factors that would shapethe politics of the nation in2014.

Asiwaju Bola AhmedTinubu

As leader of the APC,Tinubu is expected to

,

,A decision to run would heat up thepolity to a level beyond the normal levelof a presidential contest; a decision notto run could also pose serious threats tonational security given the passion ofthe president’s Ijaw kith and kin

•Jonathan •Mark •Tambuwal

•Obasanjo •Tinubu •Buhari

Continues on page 43

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The men and womenwho will shape 2014

play a decisive role in thepoliticking that is going toproduce the next governmentsat the central and state levels.His role is going to beoverwhelming in theemergence of the next set ofgovernors in the South-West.

How he plays politics of 2015would, however, be anothermatter. Former PresidentOlusegun Obasanjo had in hisopen letter to PresidentJonathan accused him ofmortgaging the interests of thePDP in the South-West througha secret deal with Tinubu in2011.

The veracity of Obasanjo’sassertion remains an issue,but whether or not Tinubu cuta deal with Jonathan last timewill bring the issue of Tinububeing a decisive factor intoconsideration.

However, except somethinggoes awry, no deal would beexpected in the year as theelection is not expected to holduntil early next year. However,Tinubu is going to be adecisive influence on theelection.

Gen. MuhammaduBuhari

The three time presidentialcandidate continues to be

idolized by the grassroots inthe North on account of hisdiscipline and the perceptionsof his aversion to avarice.

However, his influenceoutside the North and amongthe elitist class in the Northhas progressively ebbed.However, despite hisnegatives, Buhari has notruled himself out of the 2015contest and as such posingsome sort of anxiety in thehearts of opposition partisanswho believe Buhari is notelectable.

Should Gen. Buhari decideto rule himself out fromcontesting for the APC ticketand decide to mobilize for a

younger and more electableperson within the party suchas Tambuwal, then it would bea more serious battle for thePDP and President Jonathan.

Senator David Mark

Senator Mark may beregarded as a systems

man. However, set betweenPresident Jonathan and formerPresident Obasanjo, his bodywould obviously move withJonathan but his heart woulddefinitely be with formerPresident Obasanjo. It is nosecret among leading politicalstakeholders that the oncevery cordial relationshipbetween Mark and GovernorGabriel Suswam in BenueState has ruptured. In anapparent bid to strengthen hishold on the local chapter of thePDP apparently for the benefitof enhancing his speculatedmove to the Senate andplanting his successor,Governor Suswam is known tohave become a strongapologist of the president and

in the process won key federalappointments that hadhitherto gone the way of theSenate President.

Senator Mark on the otherhand is bound by the dignityof his office as SenatePresident not to be seen asovertly a lackey of thepresidency, a situation that hasseen him lose some patronageto Governor Suswam.However, in the battle ofstrategies that is bound toensue in 2014, Senator Markis expected to move with hisheart with a patriotic zealabove party sentimentsputting more distancebetween him and thepresidency.

Jonathan’s women

The women around thepresident would in

significant ways affect him andthe way he operates in 2014.

First Lady Dame PatienceJonathan has largely been outof gaze in recent times on

account of reports of negativepolitical fallout of her allegedincursions in the polityespecially in her native RiversState.

Mrs. Jonathan continues tomobilize support for herhusband’s presidency throughevery opportunity available toher.

The Minister of Finance, Dr.Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala wouldbe a serious factor in theconsideration of many givenher hold over the nation’spurse. Her tact and thundersin the face of demands frompoliticians in government toloose the financial stringswould be a critical issue in theyear.

Mrs. Diezani Allison-Madueke, the Minister ofPetroleum has become thelongest serving Minister ofPetroleum since the advent ofthe Fourth Republic. She hasalmost stamped herpersonality on the politics ofthe sector and according to

some sources, also become adefining personality in theinner caucus of the Jonathanpresidency.

She would be a majorinfluence in 2014.

Ms Stella Oduah, theminister of aviation wonaccolades in her first year inoffice following therenovations of the country’sairports. However, theaccolades died down as eyesfocused on the processes thatled to the renovations and itbecame an issue for her whenshe was indicted by the Houseof Representatives over herrole in the purchase of twoarmoured cars for her use bythe Nigerian Civil AviationAuthority, NCAA.

Despite her indictment andthe report of an internalinvestigation ordered by thepresident, Oduah hasremained in her position. Herstaying power is largely dueto be said to be her role inmobilizing support for thepresident’s 2011 election. Sheis said to be one of thestrongest women withinfluence in the inner caucusof the presidency and shewould be a figure to watch outfor in the politics of 2014.

Governors

Governors RaufAregbesola of Osun

State and Kayode Fayemi ofEkiti State would besignificant political factorsespecially in their states in2014 as they prepare forsecond term elections.

Also of interest in the yearwould be the emerging leaderof the opposition in Ekiti State,Rep. Michael OpeyemiBamidele who would stir theEkiti polity as he battles theincumbent.

Governor Rochas Okorocha ofImo State would also be of greatinterest in the polity given hisrecent appointment aschairman of the ProgressivesGovernors Forum.

•Jonathan •Mukhtar •Okonjo-Iweala

•Alison-Madueke •Oduah

Continues from page 42

CMYK

,

,

THE APC appears to have taken its membership

mobilisation to the state levels.What is the update?

Nationally, the registration ofmembers is being perfectedand I am optimistic that by earlyJanuary of 2014 the registrationproper will start. What theyare trying to do is probably toget some people fromneighbouring states to overseethe registration of members ina particular place. Although,some people who are ignorant,self-centred and not ready toplay the game according to therules are already trying asmuch as possible to underminethe directive of the nationalbody.

How are they doing that anddoes it have to do with allegedcracks in the leadership of theparty in Ogun state?

I learnt that some people inOgun State are going aboutsaying that they are getting fivepeople inaugurated to beregistration officers in each ofthe wards. I believe that isingenious and an attitude thatis capable of even presentingthe party negatively. I don’tknow what the five people theyare handpicking will do withinthe multitude of the people. Ibelieve that everybody shouldbe a registration officer in thismembership registrationexercise. Everybody shouldbe a monitoring officer.

This is a party of the masses.It is a masses’ movement andso, all hands must be on deckto ensure that the registrationis perfectly done. The attemptto hoard the registrationmaterials or to exclude somepeople from being adequatelyregistered will have untoldconsequences on whomeverattempts to undermine theregistration process.

Do you think that anybody inOgun State will attempt toundermine the party?

By the grace of God, OgunState as a chapter, will notundermine the party's unity. Like I have been saying allalong, what is going on is adialectical principle the latesage, Papa Obafemi Awolowo,since 1983, had said. Whilethe good ones are coming fromthe PDP into the APC, I am alsoenvisaging that bad elementswithin the APC, within theother political parties that arecoming on board will either berejected or they will find theirway out of the party as they arecoming in. You know whenblacksmiths put an iron insidefire and the iron is red-hot, theykeep hitting the red iron on thehead trying to carve a shapeout of that portion they arehitting. And they put it in thefire so that the unwanted rustwill go off.

As we are moving, we know

2015: APC must learn from PDP’smistakes — Sen Kaka

SENATOR Sefiu Adegbenga Kaka, a former deputy governor of Ogun State,who represents Ogun East Senatorial district, in this interview,advised lead-ers of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to learn from mistakes made bythe Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.He also warns of dire consequences should the PDP declare vacant the seatsof its five governors and 37 legislators who defected to the APC. Excerpts:

BY BASHIR ADEFAKA

the wave of defection. Whatis the true state of the Senateregarding this?

Those who are saying that theSenate is intact should wait. That was how they used to talkthat the PDP was a family affair,that there was nothing wrongin the party and that thosegovernors who wanted to goshould go. Now that five of thePDP governors have declaredfor APC, Bamanga Tukur,himself, has declared that infact, the PDP is in problem.

President Goodluck Jonathan,which the Presidency swiftlyreacted to, describing the callas treason. What is your takeon that?

The PDP is always veryjittery. There is no need forthem to react to the statementby the APC that impeachmentbe commenced against Mr.President. If they must react,if they needed to, they shouldwait for that time to come.

They should wait for theallegations and go and prepare

for serious questions that willbe put forward and they shouldgo and prepare answers tothose questions on all theallegations against Mr.President according to the laiddown rules and procedure forimpeachment of the President.

That is what they should goand get themselves occupiedwith. Not with whether a partycalls for impeachment or not! The APC has done nothingwrong. They only re-echoedwhat is in the constitution,which states that whoevercommits any impeachableoffence should be sanctioned. We know that they thrive inimpunity but we are sayingthere will no longer be any formof impunity in the system. And that is why we are puttingall hands on deck to bringpeople together and them out.

Those who are decamping arecoming voluntarily. So, if Mr.President commits anyimpeachable offence, he shouldbe prepared to face the music,not to begin to destroy people’snames or threaten people withtreasonable felony. So, I hopethey know what treasonablefelony actually means.

Definitely, calling forimpeachment or even filing foran impeachment is not atreasonable offence! Becausewhen you say you want tobegin a process ofimpeachment, it may succeedand it may not. If the accusedofficer is given the right todefend himself and he is notfound culpable, theimpeachment process will fail.And if they have not committedimpeachable offences, thenwhy are they afraid of calls forimpeachment?

This call for impeachmentcame on the heels of an 18-page letter by formerPresident Olusegun Obasanjoto President Jonathan. Somepeople said the letter wasbased on falsehood.

Apart from the fact that asquad is being trained asalleged in Obasanjo’s letterand that some 1000 names arealready compiled forelimination or otherwise, thereis nothing new in the letterwritten by the formerPresident. What he wrotethere, most of them are in thepublic domain and that hasbeen there for long. In fact,most of the things that we havecomplained about are theperpetration of impunity. Except that it is coming, now,from a man that is within, whosaw everything and who was

even the architect of the entiremen that are doing all these,there is nothing new in theletter.

If PDP succeeds in its currenteffort at impeaching any of thedefected officers, what do youthink will happen?

If they remove one governor,because they cannot do itthrough legal means, let’s takefor example, if they just attemptto use five lawmakers in RiversState to remove GovernorRotimi Amaechi, you can be restassured that we will push upat Mr. President himself.

The battle-line is beingdrawn. Already you haveseen that two incrediblealternatives to the mien thePDP has foisted on the countryare beginning to take over inearnest. The people are goingto have a very clear choicebetween two alternatives. Iftoday the PDP is messing upand the people realize thatthere is hope in the APC, theywill go to the APC and installit at the end of the day come2015.

If the APC too fails to learnthe lesson of what happenedto PDP, they (PDP) may havethe opportunity of comingback. And if we have withinourselves people of principleand integrity, with our leadersthat are well known for theiroutstanding character, I canassure you that it is not only2015 that is a foregoneconclusion, we are also goingto rule for as many years as thepeople want.

What is your advice to theleadership of your party?

My advice is that theleadership must realize thatwhen they look back and theydon’t see anybody behindthem, they are leadingthemselves. Whatever they door refuse to do must at all timebe in the interest of, not onlythe followers but also, of thegenerality of Nigerians. Forthe followers, yes, we shouldbe good followers that will notbe described as sheep withoutshepherd. Because themoment they don’t respecttheir elders and they don’tfollow the laid down path oftheir leaders, then they will belike sheep without shepherd. So, we don’t want that.

Beyond that, for theleadership, it is essential thatthey must learn to bringeverybody together. Not thatthey will say, “Yes, these are myown,” within a group and thenyou start discriminating amongmembers of the same party. That will definitely lead us towhere the PDP is today. Thosewho have those tendencies todiscriminate, to segregate, toactually promote divisionwithin the APC as a party,should be warned. Theyshould learn that divided wefall, united we stand.

•Sen Kaka

The attempt to hoard the registrationmaterials or to exclude some peoplefrom being adequately registered willhave untold consequences on whomeverattempts to undermine the registrationprocess

that we have pseudoprogressive people. It is thosepseudo progressives that willmove out and they will bereplaced with otherprogressives who will make theAPC to be robust in all the statesof the federation to the extentthat capturing and taking overpower in 2015 will be a foregoneconclusion.

A PDP senator, SmartAdeyemi said the Senate wasintact and that the PDPsenators were not affected by

They are not just in problembut in serious problem. Thisis the first time that PDP is inthis disarray and they are nolonger ready to work onreconciliation in the open. They are now going into thetrenches and we are going todrive them further down intothe trenches so that, they wouldnot be seen on the surface bythe time we will be taking overin 2015.

Your party called on theNational Assembly to impeach

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Dear Sir,

,

,

Oshiomhole should act faston IGR

IT is a known fact that Governor Oshiomhole has done well

in almost all spheres in the de-velopments ofEdo State since his ascension asthe Governor.

In as much as we congratulatehim on this feats bearing in mindthe indifferent dispositions of hispredecessors, suffice it to say cer-tain aspects of his shortcomingsmust bepointed out.

Besides the monthly allocationsfrom the Federation Accounts, theInternally Generated Revenue,

IGR of the state augments thisdwindling allocation. This inter-nally Generated Revenue (IGR)is the make up of monies paid bycitizens for various services forwhich they should get value. Myfocus here is the activities of theMinistry of Lands and Surveys.

The Services rendered by thisMinistry to thecitizens require prompt attention.For every application made forCertificate of Occupancy (C of O)consents letters etc. has a purpose

behind it. But the Governor’s re-fusal to sign these documents ontime after payments have beenmade, is worrisome. Evidencesabound of the process of obtain-ing these documents spanningover a year without the Gover-nor appending his signatureeven though requisite paymentshave been made.

Applicants now feel discour-aged to make application and theState is the worst for it. There isno reason under the sun why thisprocess should take more thantwo weeks to be perfected eventhough the Comrade Governorhad at different fora promised

this.This piece should serve as a

wake up call to the State Gover-nor to sign those documents inhis office before the end of theyear and make a definite effort tofast track this process and boostpeople’s confidence rather thandiscouraging people about thisand thereby further dwindling therevenue drive of this “lucrative”Ministry. Joseph Okhuoya Lagos

No to privatisation of refineries

THE effect of the recent saleof the power sector is salu-

tary. Barely seven weeks, thehandover exercise was con-cluded, people have appar-ently started getting bored withsteady light. This is unheard ofin the history of this country,especially, since the inceptionof the second republic. Thismove taken by the governmenthas no doubt underscored thebelief that privatising our in-dustries and other governmentestablishments, even the min-istries would produce tremen-dous results.

Much as Nigerians are cel-ebrating this phenomenon ascompanies and industries havestarted operating at near fullcapacity, artisans who took toOkada riding business are nowgoing back to their abandonedworkshops and many house-holds have begun to enjoy theirair-conditioning gadgets, sell-ing our refineries with the be-lief that a similar result thatwould be beneficial to themasses will be realised, is verymuch in doubt.

Oil, is the heartbeat of the na-tion hence selling the refinery

that refines the crude oil is tan-tamount to mortgaging the fu-ture of this country. If the gov-ernment can privatise the oilsector, it means that the seat ofgovernment at Aso Rock canalso be privatised. Govern-ment should rather resuscitatethe old refineries at PortHarcourt, Warri and Kaduna aswell as build more new ones.

I suspect double dealing inthis refinery privatisation saga.I have an eerie feeling thatsome political bigwigs are be-hind this proposed venture andthey are very much interestedin the business. Any attempt tosell these refineries to them islikely to produce a negativeresult which may be very diffi-cult fathom.

The resultant effect of this pro-posed venture is unpredictable.Presently, the price of petrol isN97 per litre. The masses ap-parently accepted this rate al-most under duress, but if thedeal is done, the price wouldjump. This scenario is equiva-lent to other fuel products likediesel and kerosene. If the gov-ernment insists on this move,it therefore means an indirect

way of removing the oil sub-sidy completely.

President Goodluck Jonathanshould not take this advicehook, line and sinker as suc-cumbing to the advice wouldnot augur well for the country.Rather it would likely put thecountry in danger. He shouldforge ahead with his reforma-tion of other sectors of theeconomy in the interest of themasses.

Nkemakolam GabrielPort Harcourt08072257360gabchiz56@gmail.com

OBJ and letterwriting

I WANT to ask ex-PresidentObasanjo a question; Why

did he not write open lettersto ex-Generals Babangida andSani Abacha when the ship ofthe Nigerian nation was adriftand about to capsize, on ac-count of the annulment of theJune 12, 1993, won byBashorun MKO Abiola?

Okay, or is it now that he hasreally mastered the art of let-ter writing?

An Igbo proverb says; if anelder decides to make himself/herself, edible like rice, chil-dren will scramble for him/her(literal translation).

A word is enough for thewise!

CHUKWUMA J. DIOKA.07054911808.

I want to ask ex-PresidentObasanjo a question: Why did he notwrite open letters to ex-GeneralsBabangida and Sani Abacha when theship of the Nigerian nation was adriftand about to capsize, on account of theannulment of the June 12, 1993, wonby Bashorun MKO Abiola?

Tukur fights to hang on, says I’ll not go to courtBY EMMANUEL AZIKEN,

POLITICAL EDITOR

LAGOS — THE NationalChairman of Peoples Demo-

cratic Party, PDP, Alhaji Baman-ga Tukur, was last night in dis-tress as he dissociated himselffrom reports linking him with aplan to stop his removal by theparty’s National Executive Com-mittee, NEC.

Tukur’s position, nonetheless,party strategists were proceedingwith plans for his removal.

The gang up against Tukurwhich had increased to includemost of the governors, it waslearnt, was upon persuasions that

the party could collapse withinmonths if Tukur remains in office.

His action came on the heels ofindications that President Good-luck Jonathan, who has been amajor bulwark for Tukur, mayhave succumbed to persuasionsby the PDP Governors Forumand the party’s Board of Trustees.

A national newspaper, yester-day, published the story of thealleged plans by Tukur to frus-trate the move against him us-ing the courts.

In his denial, Tukur said he re-mained a faithful party man.

The planned removal, it waslearnt, could happen as early asJanuary in a NEC meeting that

is yet to be summoned.A member of the NEC, speak-

ing on the development, toldVanguard yesterday: “You shouldknow our position and there is amassive loss of confidence andeverybody is tired.”

Reminded of how past actionsagainst the national chairmanhad allegedly been stopped byPresident Jonathan, the sourcesaid: “Yes, that is why they aremoving against him now becausevery soon there may be no moreparty for anyone again.”

Denying plans for a court ac-tion against the party, Tukur in astatement by his media aide,Prince Oliver Okpala said: “The

attention of the national chairmanof the PDP, Alhaji Tukur, has beendrawn to a wrong insinuationpublished in one of the nationaldailies today (yesterday) that hewas filing a legal action to pre-vent the NEC of the party fromremoving him as chairman of theparty.

“Alhaji Tukur clearly condemnsand disassociates himself fromsuch a story as it was a completefalsehood of an idea that is un-

thinkable and unimaginable.“He wondered how he could

initiate such an action against abody he is part of and an organof the party that has the highestsay as the policy making body inthe party.

“How can somebody destroy hisown house, the intended legalaction only exists in the minds ofthe writers of the false story.

“I am a member of the PDPNEC and I respect the body andall the members of NEC.”

Bachama traditional dancers in Adamawa State performing during the 8th Pissi Tanglecultural festival in Billiri Local Government Area of Gombe State, weekend. PHOTO: NAN.

Four die, scores injured inOgun multiple auto crashes

BY DAUD OLATUNJI

ABEOKUTA — FOUR persons lost their lives while

several others were critically in-jured in two separate accidentsin Abeokuta, the Ogun Statecapital and Ilaro in Yewa SouthLocal Government Area of thestate.

The first accident, yesterdayafternoon, involved members ofthe Ahmadiyya Muslim Jammat,who were returning to Abeokutaafter their three-day annual con-gress in Ilaro.

Vanguard gathered that one ofthe rear tyres of the bus convey-ing members of the religious sectburst while on high speed, whichcaused the driver to lose control

of the bus. The bus, it was gath-ered, somersaulted three times,killing the driver on the spot.

When our correspondent vis-ited the state hospital in Ijaye,where the injured were beingtreated, one of the injured saidthe incident occurred shortly af-ter the vehicle had left Ibese.

At press time, the exact causal-ity figure remained uncertain, asthe dead and the injured werestill being conveyed to the hos-pital.

Vanguard observed that offi-cials of the hospitals hid the iden-tity of the victims from their rela-tives who besieged the hospitalto ascertain the state of health oftheir loved ones.

48—V48—V48—V48—V48—Vanguardanguardanguardanguardanguard, MONDAY, DECEMBER 30, 2013, MONDAY, DECEMBER 30, 2013, MONDAY, DECEMBER 30, 2013, MONDAY, DECEMBER 30, 2013, MONDAY, DECEMBER 30, 2013

BRIEFS

Government troops are currently in control of Bor, the capital of Jongleistate they took from the rebels

S/Sudan army threatens to attackmilitiaSOUTH Sudan’s army

has clashed with the“White Army” ethnic mi-litia, a spokesman hassaid, accusing rebelsof mobilising the forcedespite the offer of a truceto end the conflict inthe country.

The White Army - madeup largely of Nuer youthswho dust their bodieswith ash to protect them-selves against insects -clashed with governmenttroops near the town ofBor five days after rebelswere driven out,army spokesman PhilipAguer said yesterday.

The army used helicop-ter gunships against themilitia advance near Bor,Aguer said.

“They then dispersedand returned back,” headded.

The fighting which start-ed earlier this month ispitting mainly Nuerrebels against militaryforces loyal to PresidentSalva Kiir of the Dinkatribe.

South Sudan’s ministerof information told the As-sociated Press earlier onSunday that most of themilitia had disbandedand returned home.

Israel to release 26Palestinians today

ISRAEL prepared yesterday to free 26 Pales-

tinian prisoners as part ofpeace talks brokered byUS Secretary of State JohnKerry, who is due back inthe region to boost the fal-tering negotiations.

Israeli Prime MinisterBenjamin Netanyahu hadagreed to the phased re-lease of 104 Palestinianprisoners in line withcommitments to the US-backed talks, which re-sumed in July, and previ-ous batches have been

Iran hopes to implement nuclear dealwithin months

A top Iranian nuclearnegotiator expressed

hope yesterday that a dealwith world powers couldbe implemented within amonth, but said technicaltalks on the matter are pro-ceeding slowly, Mehrnews agency reported.

The deal, signed in No-vember, saw Iran sus-pend parts of its contest-

ed nuclear programmefor six months in returnfor limited sanctions re-lief while a longer termagreement is hammeredout.

“If expert-level talks arefruitful, a date will be de-cided which I guess willbe at the end of January”for the deal to be imple-mented by, said Abbas

Araqchi, a deputy foreignminister, in comments runby Mehr.

His remarks came on theeve of the third round oftechnical talks betweenIranian representativesand the so-called P5+1group of world powers —the United States, Britain,France, China and Russiaplus Germany.

The talks are aimed atsetting a framework toimplement the nucleardeal clinched in Genevaon November 24, whichseeks to buy time tothrash out a diplomaticsolution to a decade-longstandoff over Iran’s nucle-ar ambitions.

Saudis court France to spite USINCREASINGLY vocal

in its frustration overU.S. policies in the Mid-east, Saudi Arabia isstrengthening ties else-where, seeking out analignment that will bol-ster its position after itwas pushed to the side-lines this year.

It may find a solutionin France, whose presi-dent is ending the yearwith 24 hours of high-level meetings with theSaudi leadership in avisit intended to show-case commercial anddiplomatic strength.

With an entourage ofFrench executives fromthe lucrative defense andenergy sectors, Presi-dent Francois Hollandearrived Sunday in Riy-

adh for a flurry of ac-cords and contracts thathave been in the worksfor months. The twocountries also find them-selves unexpectedly

aligned in resistance, ifnot outright opposition,to U.S. policy on Syria’scivil war and Iran’s nu-clear programme.

freed in August and Octo-ber.

The release of the thirdtranche of 26 Palestinianprisoners “should come onMonday night after the 48-hour delay given for ap-peals from victims’ familiesto the supreme court,” anofficial in Netanyahu’s of-fice told AFP.

In the past, Israel’s su-preme court has turneddown all appeals againstthe release of Palestinianprisoners.

TURKEY’s prime minister has rejected calls

for him to step down, asprotests continuea c r o s s t h ecountry against a grow-ing corruption scandalthat has embroiled RecepTayyip Erdogan’s govern-ment.

Speaking to a large ral-ly of supporters in thewestern city of Manisa onSaturday, Erdoganbrushed aside the fraudallegations, saying theywere part of an interna-tional campaign to dis-credit the government.

“If there is corruption,how come [Turkey’s]$230bn GDP moved up to$800bn in 10 years sincewe got to power?” hesaid.

Turkish PM rejects calls toresign

The prime minister saidthe government would nottolerate any corrupt offi-cials, and urged his sup-porters to vote for his Jus-tice and Development(AKP) party in electionsscheduled for March.

In the capital Ankara onSaturday, about 4,000 peo-ple called for Erdogan toresign and chanted “Maythe thieves’ hands be bro-ken”. No violence was im-mediately reported.

Egypt’s bomb attack injuresfour

AT least four peoplehave been injured in

an explosion near the mil-itary intelligence buildingin Sharqiya, in Egypt’sNile Delta, the thirdbombing on the mainlandin less than a week.

Three men left a car lad-en with 20kg of explo-sives by the entrance tothe building on Sundaymorning, and detonated it

from a distance with a re-mote control, according toan Egyptian army spokes-person. The military isconducting a search of thethe area for the assailants.

Colonel Ahmed Ali, aspokesman for the army,said the intelligence build-ing was partly damagedby the blast. There was noimmediate claim of re-sponsibility.

Russia’s suicide bomber kills 16in train station

A suicide bomberstruck a busy rail-

way station in southernRussia yesterday, killingherself and at least 15others and woundingscores more, officialssaid, in a stark remind-er of the threat Russia isfacing as it prepares tohost February’s Olym-pics in Sochi.

No one immediatelyclaimed responsibilityfor the bombing in Vol-

gograd, but it came sev-eral months after Chech-en rebel leader DokuUmarov called for newattacks against civiliantargets in Russia, includ-ing the Sochi Games.

Suicide bombingshave rocked Russia foryears, but many havebeen contained to theCaucasus, the center ofan insurgency seekingan Islamist state in theregion.

Michael Makuei Luethsaid Nuercommunity leaders in Jon-glei state persuaded the

White Army fighters to gohome. Lueth said only a“very few” refused to dis-

band. He said an exactnumber was not known.

Lebanon buries slain ex-minister

LEBANON has heldthe funeral of Moha-

mad Chatah, thef o r m e r f i n a n c eminister, amid risingtensions over who mighthave killed him.

Security was tightenedyesterday around amosque in the centre ofBeirut where prominentfigures attended theburial of Chatah, a closeaide of ex-primeminister Saad Hariri.

Chatah, a Sunni Mus-lim who was a vocal crit-ic of Syria and Hezbol-lah, was killed along withat least seven others in ablast on Friday that shookthe capital Beirut.Mourners gathered out-side the mosque chant-ed against the powerfulHezbollah movement, anally of the Syrian regime,which has been accusedof killing Chatah andother critics in recentyears.

Chatah was buried atthe mausoleum ofof Saad’s father, latePrime Minister Rafik

Hariri, whowas assassinated in 2005.Chatah’s assassination ispart of an ongoing waveof violence destabilisingthe country for years. A

civil war waging inneighbouring Syria since2011 has spilled over intomulti-faith Lebanon asdifferent political factionsside with opponent par-ties battling next-door.

•Tayyip Erdogan

French President, Francois Hollande (left) andSaudi King Abdallah in Riyad

Vanguard,Vanguard,Vanguard,Vanguard,Vanguard, MOND MOND MOND MOND MONDAAAAAY, Y, Y, Y, Y, DECEMBER 30,DECEMBER 30,DECEMBER 30,DECEMBER 30,DECEMBER 30, 2013—49 2013—49 2013—49 2013—49 2013—49

CANCER risk is rising around the worldbut the real news is that Western

medicine is gradually failing globally inprevention and treatment of cancers.

According to Natural News, “every year,millions of people are diagnosed withsome form of cancer and over 1,500 peopledie - every day. In the early 1900's, one in20 people got cancer, and today that figurehas grown to one in every three.”

While cancer rates are admittedly risingall across the globe, some of the mostafflicted countries include places like Indiaand China where American andEuropean-based biotechnology companieshave played a major role in transitioningnative cultures to genetically modifiedorganisms, GMOs, which are stronglylinked to causing cancer.

Already, the World Health Organization,WHO, has issued worrisome newpredictions about the spread of cancer

Scientistsdiscover potentialdrug to blockAIDS

• Tomatoes: Secret cancer prevention weapon?

SCIENTISTS at the GladstoneInstitutes have identified the precise

chain of molecular events in the humanbody that drives the death of most of theimmune system's CD4 T cells as an HIVinfection leads to AIDS.Further, they have identified an existinganti-inflammatory drug that inlaboratory tests blocks the death of thesecells -- and now are planning a Phase 2clinical trial to determine if this drug ora similar drug can prevent HIV-infectedpeople from developing AIDS.

Two separate journal articles,published simultaneously in Nature andScience, detail the research from thelaboratory of Dr. Warner C. Greene, whodirects virology and immunologyresearch at Gladstone, an independentbiomedical-research nonprofit.

His lab's Science paper reveals how,during an HIV infection, a proteinknown as IFI16 senses fragments of HIVDNA in abortively infected immune cells.This triggers the activation of the humanenzyme caspase-1 and leads topyroptosis, a fiery and highlyinflammatory form of cell death.

As revealed in Nature, this repetitivecycle of abortive infection, cell death,inflammation and recruitment ofadditional CD4 T cells to the infection"hot zone" ultimately destroys theimmune system and causes AIDS.

"Gladstone has showed how the body'sown immune response to HIV causesCD4 T cell death via a pathwaytriggering inflammation, and secondlyby identifying the host DNA sensor thatdetects the viral DNA and triggers thisdeath response," said Dr. Robert F.Siliciano, a professor of medicine atJohns Hopkins University, and a HowardHughes Medical Institute investigator."This one-two punch of discoveriesunderscores the critical value of basicscience -- by uncovering the major causeof CD4 T cell depletion in AIDS, Dr.Greene's lab has been able to identify apotential new therapy for blocking thedisease's progression and improving oncurrent antiretroviral medications."

Boxing Day bombshell:Western medicine failing in cancer treatment globally

WIDELY regarded as the world’s mosthealthy food, the tomato has an

enviable pedigree. One of the mostimportant secrets in tomato is lycopene - acarotenoid pigment that has long beenassociated with the deep red colour of manytomatoes.

Tomatoes are widely known for theiroutstanding antioxidant content, including,of course, their oftentimes-richconcentration of lycopene. Researchershave recently found an importantconnection between lycopene, itsantioxidant properties, bone health andothers.

People who have diets rich in tomatoes,which contain lycopene, appear to have alower risk of various cancers notably of theprostate and breast. Lycopene helpsprevent prostate, breast, lung, and stomachcancers by reducing LDL ("bad") cholesteroland lowering blood pressure.

According to the Food For Life CancerProject entitled “How Lycopene HelpsProtect Against Cancer:, Lycopene is one

of the free radical-fighting antioxidants.Free radicals are damaging molecules thatfloat around in the body disrupting cellsand promoting disease. Antioxidants, suchas lycopene, destroy free radicals so theycan't attach to cells and wreak havoc onthe immune system.

It has long been known thatpostmenopausal women are at a higherrisk of developing breast cancer. But newresearch suggests that adopting a diet richin tomatoes may reduce this risk. TheJournal of Clinical Endocrinology andMetabolism shows how analysis of 70postmenopausal women for 20 weeksdemonstarted the potential of lycopene toreduce breast cancer risk.

In the stydy, for the first 10 weeks, thewomen were required to follow a tomato-rich diet. This involved consuming aminimum of 25 mg of lycopene each day.Lycopene is an antioxidant found intomatoes and other fruits and vegetables.

For the remaining 10 weeks, the womenfollowed a soy-rich diet. This required themto consume at least 40 g of soy proteindaily. All women were asked to refrain from

eating any soy or tomato products 2 weeksprior to each diet.

Postmenopausal women showed a 9percent increase in levels of adiponectin -a fat and blood sugar regulating hormone- after following a tomato-rich diet for 10weeks, lowering their risk of breast cancer.

Results revealed that when the womenfollowed the tomato-rich diet, they showeda 9 percent increase in their levels ofadiponectin - a hormone that plays a partin the regulation of fat and blood sugarlevels. However, when the womenfollowed the soy-rich diet, this led to areduction in adiponectin levels. Lowadiponectin levels are linked to increasedrisk of obesity and insulin resistance.Eating fruits and vegetables, which are richin essential nutrients, vitamins, mineralsand phytochemicals such as lycopene,conveys significant benefits.

Based on this data, it is believed regularconsumption of at least the dailyrecommended servings of tomatoeswouldpromote breast cancer prevention in an at-risk population.

How tomato-rich diet reduces prostate,breast cancer risk

By SOLA OGUNDIPE

throughout the world to the extent thatwithin the next 10 years, cancer rates areexpected to increase by at least 25 percentin developing countries heavily infiltratedby Western influences.

By 2025, WHO claims, the annualnumber of new cancer diagnoses isexpected to increase by roughly 37 percent,rising from a current annual total of about14.1 million people to a shocking 19.3million people.

The number of cancer patients that willend up dying from cancer or itscomplications is also expected to rise byabout 39 percent, jumping from a currenttotal of about 8.2 million people annuallyto 11.4 million people.

Global cancer deaths is expected toincrease by 45 percent from 2007 to 2030(from 7.9 million to 11.5 million deaths),influenced in part by an increasing andaging global population. The estimated rise

takes into account expected slight declinesin death rates for some cancers in highresource countries. New cases of cancerare estimated to jump from 11.3 million in2007 to 15.5 million in 2030.

In most developed countries, cancer isthe second largest cause of death aftercardiovascular disease, andepidemiological evidence points to thistrend emerging in the less developedworld. Countries developing according toWestern standards most prone to cancer.

No specific figures for Nigeria, but about20,000 cancer deaths are recorded annuallywhile 500,000 new cases are recorded.Less than 20 percent of African countrieshave sufficiently funded cancer controlprogrammes, while less than half of allcountries in the world have functionalplans to prevent the disease and providetreatment and care to patients.

In most developed countries, cancer is

the second largest cause of death aftercardiovascular disease, andepidemiological evidence points to thistrend emerging in the less developedworld.

Lung cancer kills more people than anyother cancer - a trend that is expected tocontinue until 2030, unless efforts for globaltobacco control are greatly intensified.Some cancers are more common indeveloped countries: prostate, breast andcolon.

Liver, stomach and cervical cancer aremore common in developing countries.

Common risk factors linked todevelopment of cancer: include anunhealthy lifestyle, inadequate diet,physical inactivity, and exposure tooccupational or environmentalcarcinogens, radiation (e.g. ultraviolet andionizing radiation), and some infections(such as hepatitis B or HPV infection).

50—Vanguard, MONDAY, DECEMBER 30, 2013

What South Africans may beforgetting...

•Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa

consularadvisory@vanguardngr.com

By VERA SAMUELANYAGAFU & PRISCA

SAM-DURU

NIGERIA, alongwith other African

countries, is identified asone of South Africa’score regional sourcemarkets, as it has beenextensively involved inSouth Africa’s increasingrevenue.

Considering theaforementioned, onewonders why 80 per centout of the 400,000Nigerians resident inSouth Africa, havesuffered the mosthumiliating ill-treatmentand discrimination fromSouth Africans.Nigerians who are eitherresident or visiting SouthAfrica usually expectSouth Africans to befriendlier while in highexpectation of better bi-national transactions inseveral sectors of bothcountries economies.

Nigerian tourists

Reports show thatNigerian tourists visitSouth Africa mostly forpurposes of doingbusiness, holiday,education and medicalcare, but the Challengesperceived by thesetravellers are indeeddisheartening andprovocative.

While interrogating theabove issues, it would benecessary for SouthAfricans to understandthat Nigerians played amajor role during theapartheid era, as theyfought amongst otherindependent Africancountries in ensuring thattheir South African blackbrothers and sisters enjoyequal rights.

Subsequently, to ensurethat black South Africanswaved goodbye toapartheid era, Nigeriapumped in about $60billion U.S Dollars intothe liberation movements.

It is also on record thatNigerian students werethen levied to contributemoney towards theeducation of their blackbrothers and sisters inSouth Africa, and inaddition to that, the thenNigerian HighCommission in Botswana,reputably issued Nigerianpassports to black SouthAfricans during theapartheid era to enablethem travel around the

world, since the apartheidgovernment refused togrant a majority of themthat privilege.

It is highly regretable,unbecoming, mischievousand provocative toimagine Nigerianssuffering in the landwhere they foughtrelentlessly to put an endto apartheid, or on whatwould the maltreatment ofNigerians by SouthAfricans traced to?

The above scenario callsfor a change in thehostility of South Africanstoward Nigerians who areeither residing in orvisiting the country.

AbikeDabiri-Erewa’svisit to SouthAfrica

Chairman of theCommittee on Diaspora,Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa’s visit to SouthAfrica was quiterevealing, as it exposedthe extent to whichNigerians living in SouthAfrica are ridiculouslyembarrassed.

The lawmaker whovisited two prisons inSouth Africa, in thecompany of two membersof the committee, UmaruShidanfi and AjibolaFamurewa, consularofficers of the NigerianEmbassy in South Africa,as well as executives ofthe Nigerian Union inSouth Africa, wasembittered with thealarming number ofNigerians presentlyserving jail terms in S/A.

She described theundeserving ill-treatmentthose jailed are made togo through as most

unbecoming noting aftermany of the prisoninmates were said to havecomplained bitterly to thelawmaker, who on her partfelt totally devastated thatmore than 400 Nigerianshave been incarcerated inSA prisons.

Many of the prisoninmates complained ofextreme stigmatizationand unjustified denial offreedom, despitecompleting their jail termand wished the House ofRepresentatives wouldcome to their rescue toensure that they weregranted bail.

For the purpose ofshared economic growthwithin the African region,it should be noted that thenegative treatmentsaccorded Nigerians whoare either resident orvisiting South Africashould be come to an end.

Some concernedcitizens of Nigeria haswarned that such act ofanimosity maydisintegrate the two greatAfrican countries andtheir people, and advisedthat Nigerians shouldmap out a better way ofputting a stop to all thepolice brutality andvictimisation in SA tofurther strenghten therelationship between bothnations.

Although someNigerians argued that athird force could be atwork to ensure that thetwo countries that are thepillars of Africa remain atdagger heads, manyretorted that Nigeriansshould leave the countryand return home, as SouthAfricans may not haveappreciated the show ofoneness and cordialbilateral relationships.

VanguardVanguardVanguardVanguardVanguardCLASSIFIED

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M E D I A L I M I T E D ( L A G O S O F F I C E ) K I O S K4 8 E A S T PAV I L I O N T B S , L A G O S .

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L E I S U R ETHOUGHT FOR TODAY

V V V V Vanguardanguardanguardanguardanguard,,,,, MOND MOND MOND MOND MONDAAAAAYYYYY, , , , , DECEMBER 30,DECEMBER 30,DECEMBER 30,DECEMBER 30,DECEMBER 30, 2013 2013 2013 2013 2013 — 51— 51— 51— 51— 51

VIRGINIA

KAPTAIN AFRIKA in “Pretty Lunatic’ By Andy Akman

dadadekola@yahoo.com

TERROR MUDA in “Never say goodbye” By Lanre Kehinde

YOUR LUCK TODAYYOUR LUCK TODAYYOUR LUCK TODAYYOUR LUCK TODAYYOUR LUCK TODAY

ASTROLOGICAL COUNSELLINGASTROLOGICAL COUNSELLINGASTROLOGICAL COUNSELLINGASTROLOGICAL COUNSELLINGASTROLOGICAL COUNSELLINGSend ySend ySend ySend ySend your datour datour datour datour date and place of bire and place of bire and place of bire and place of bire and place of bir th tth tth tth tth to the Aso the Aso the Aso the Aso the Astrtrtrtrtrologicalologicalologicalologicalological

Counselling, PCounselling, PCounselling, PCounselling, PCounselling, P.M.B 1.M.B 1.M.B 1.M.B 1.M.B 100000000007, Apapa, Lagos7, Apapa, Lagos7, Apapa, Lagos7, Apapa, Lagos7, Apapa, Lagos

HOME & ABROAD byLawrence Akapa

By Richard Eromosele

By Joshua Adeyemo Phone 08056180139

TAURUS: Although matters-of-the-heart may give youcause to smile broadly, if care is not taken, you wouldcause friction that can’t help you r case at work. This isthe wrong time for unnecessary scheming within yourworking arena.

GEMINI: Those of your who are red-blooded forromance may have an exciting and satisfying day.Happenings within your social circles must be taken moreseriously.

CANCER: Confrontation may come your way in thecircle but the heavens are working favourably for you.Some doses of romance is not too much for you on a daylike this.

LEO: Provided you don’t allow your innate ability to beas diplomatic as necessary desert you, things workfavourably for you to the betterment of your finances.

VIRGO: Many of you will be in sentimental mood andexhibit strong romantic desire openly. But then, if care isnot taken, you may be carried away to the detriment ofyour finances. Serious minded lovers are in for happyday.

LIBRA: Whatever anybody says or does, you will haveboth your say and way. Venus and Jupiter may temptsome of you to embrace illicit (or secret) romance withinyour base of operation.

SCORPIO: Venus and Jupiter at positive angles maytempt you to join some of your friends who are alreadyonboard of merry making train. Watch your health.

SAGITTARIUS: Good luck will smile at many andinduce love of luxury merry making and romantic liason.Genuine lovers will need to be on guard against deceitfrom new admirers.

CAPRICORN: Both financial success and emotionalsatisfaction are closed to you than before. Those of youtravelling because of maters-of-the-heart are in for anexciting romantic day Those ambitious career-wise willsucceed after few struggles.

AQUARIUS: Many members of your opposite sex willgo out of their ways to attract your romantic interest.This is the wrong time to engage on unnecessaryargument.

PISCES: If you priority is love, much of it would comeyour way as desired. But here is a better day for moreambitious in the business world. Don’t allow anybody todeceive you over money.

ARIES: Those of you with secret admirers within yourworking area will have the needed opportunities to makethe needed moves. Resist the temptation to deceive others.

What’s my HoroscopeDear Joshua,I am a middle aged lady born on September 13, 1962.

Although I am fairly successful, I want you to give me mycomprehensive horoscope, especially what my specialgift is.

Which day of the week was I born? Where were my natalplanets and their meanings? Who am I?

Funmilayo, Abuja.

Dear Funmilayo,There is no space for comprehensive horoscope but what

you’ll have here -under is answer to your questions/ Youwere born on a Thursday and your special gift isLEADERSHIP quality.

YOUR HOROSCOPE DATADate of Birth: Thursday, September 13, 1962Sun Sign: Virgo: Sun in 20th Degree of VirgoMoon Sign: PISCES: Moon on 10th Degree of PiscesMercury in 16th Degree of LibraVenues in 5th Degree of ScorpioMars in 13th Degree of CancerJupiter in 6th Degree of PiscesSaturn in 5th Degree of AquariusUranus in 2nd Degree of VirgoNeptune in 11th Degree of ScorpioPluto in 10th Degree of VirgoNorth Node in 6th Degree of LeoSouth Node in 6th Degree of AquariusQuality and ElementCardinal and air star signs hosted two planets each

fixed and earth three each, no planet in fire while mutableand water star signs hosted five planets each.

Push-full influence = 20%Non- push-full element = 80%Final dispositor = Lucky JupiterGeneral AnalysisJust 20 per cent of push-full influence in your chart can

deceptively present you to others as a soft (or even timid)person but practical Virgo that hosted nothing less thanthree heavenly bodies when you were born andAstrological aspects between Mercury (mental focus) andaggressive Mars in you r chart are pointers to the contrary.

So, you have no enemy?

I laugh whensome persons

tell me they haveno enemy.Immediately I hearsuch saying froman individual, Ibegin to imaginethe kind of person

he/she is; I begin toimagine the kind oflife he/she is living.Then, I ask myself– is he not doingany work? Is he notdoing anybusiness? Is he not

a brilliant person?Has he no house?Has he no wife?Has he no children?Has he no friends?Has he car? Whichpart of the town ishe living in?

My friend, do notdeceive yourself, itis the joy of the devilfor you to think youhave no enemy.Every human beinghas an enemy,including you.Think about it!

52—Vanguard, MONDAY, DECEMBER 30, 2013

CMYK

Review of Sports in2013..... What Sports?

IF you are a member of the sports fraternity,occupying one post or the other, you must have

been approached by the media, whose interest isstereotype, has been predictably stereotype at a timelike this.

The question you must have been asked is. “….Please can you review sports in Nigeria in 2013?” Idon’t know what your answer was, mine has alwaysbeen constant. “What sports?”

Forgive my ignorance, “ Yes what sports ?” Sincesports is my culture medium readers would haveexpected me to inform and educate them on whatprogress our sports made especially in the year goneby.

Again, I repeat having to get to Nairobi, Kenya toread that our Basketball players were involved in acontinental competition. Patrick Omoriodion,thespokesperson for basketball, provided an answer. Thathe was blank as far as these competitions wereconcerned. That rather than include a media personon the trip, someone else would be taken and thateven for them to send you results to disseminate is aproblem.

The administrators of these sports on the other handaccuse the media of focusing on football to thedetriment of other sports. Read a journalist. “ …Whatdo they want us to report? Have they won a regionalor continental competition and we failed to reportsame…? They should go and work…..”

Yes, I have not lost sight of the fact that most of theseassociations and federations have just come out ofelections and some chairmen and Presidents said theyhave spent their early days in office “…….developinginfrastructure and awareness for their sports andbuilding development plans….” The picture that ispainted is that of a vacuum, of non existing structuresbefore now. What about chairmen who had been reelected? Too bad.

The Presidents, Chairmen and Board members arethe people the journalists should go to, get them totell us what they have done and achieved so far.Perhaps the National Sports Commission should as amatter of policy get all the associations to meet withthe media quarterly, to be able to interact and share

thoughts.What about the media men in the Federations? We

should know them, have their numbers and mailaddresses, get them to tell us the programmes of theirdifferent boards. If there are three journalists who haveconsistently given the media enough to feed on, theymust be Morankiyo Abodunrin of the U17, Ben Alaiyaof the Super Eagles and Demola Olajire thespokesperson of the Nigeria Football Federation.

They have so convinced us that we now swear bythem. Journalists in the country no longer read andedit their scripts. They just slam them on, verbatim,so much that if you read one report in a paper, youhave read them all. If, this was the industry level ofall the media personnel attached to the sportsFederations, you can imagine how well informed weall would have been.

What was sports progress in 2013? Permit us to hideunder the unprecedented success of football in theyear just gone by, after all to many Nigerians footballis synonymous with sports. The Nations Cup,qualification for the World Cup, the Global U-17triumph , first time qualification for CHAN in three

attempts, Women U-17 qualification to FIFA WorldCup, Women Under 20 on the verge of another WorldCup qualification……….

I remember the National Youth Games in Abuja, alaudable first that must be sustained. It is not enoughto discover stars, they must be tracked and trained.Their skills must be honed and their techniques finetuned.

This brings me to the laudable Mobil programmethat I have been privileged to handle for schools andcolleges in Akwa Ibom State. This year we decided tointroduce spikes shoes to the students , took themto the tartan tracks of the U.J.Esuene Stadium inCalabar, got starting blocks and commensurateequipment in other track and field disciplines andinvited top coaches in the country to put them throughthe drills.

Talk of a laudable Corporate Social Responsibility,one that other concerns and states must imbibe.

The result stunned even me. Did not think that inunder three weeks we will be able to produce nationalbeaters. Talk of a laudable Corporate SocialResponsibility, one that other concerns and states mustimbibe.

The year 2013 was the year that ONLY three stategovernors got regular mention as “Sports lovinggovernors of the year” ( Messrs Uduaghan, Imokeand Fashola) What ever happened to the rest?

the year 2014 from January will again start with brightprospects for football, that of winning CHAN at firstqualification and going on to do better than previousWorld Cup attempts……..other sports must key in andperform…..states must stand up and be represented,so that this time next year, by the grace of GodAlmighty we will have something to talk and writeabout.

To all my readers, I wish you a fun and favour- filled2014, one that will see the fulfillment of aspirationsuntold, even the corporate sports glory of our greatcountry.

Please don’t drink and drive. IF you must drinkand drive, drink water!

See you next week.

,,2013 was the year that ONLYthree state governors got reg-ular mention as “Sports lov-ing governors of the year”

Vanguard, MONDAY DECEMBER 30, 2013 — 53

BY SOLOMONNWOKE

PRESIDENT of theNigeria Olympic

Committee (NOC), Engr.Sani Ndanusa hasdescribed year 2013 as ayear of reshaping and re-engineering for the entireNigerian sports sector.

Smarting from the nottoo good outing of thecountry at the 2012London Olympics, Engr.Ndanusa said the Londonexperience and othersporting events havehelped to reshape and re-engineer sports in Nigeriaand predicted that 2014would be a better year forthe nation’s sports.

The NOC boss in arecent interview withSports Vanguard inYenagoa, Bayelsa statesaid, “I must say that 2013has been a year ofreshaping and what I willcall re-engineering of theentire sports sector inNigeria and definitelyyou cannot say thatwithout giving kudos tothe Sports Minister, Hon

2013, a year of re-engineering sports in Nigeria — Ndanusa *Predicts a brighter year ahead

Bolaji Abdullahi and theentire team of the NationalSports Commission (NSC) because we cameout from a very difficult2012 where our Olympicouting was not good.

I am glad that we areusing that as anexperience because youlearn from winning andyou also learn from failure.So this is the first time thatwe are having this kind ofexperience. It isgingering us to now comeup with another way ofdoing things. Really, it hasnot been business asusual.

“ The most importantone is of course, therealisation that OlympicGames is a world classchampionship. Globally, itis the highest and for youto pick any medal there,it means that you are thebest in the world and weare talking aboutcompeting among 209countries in the world thathave structures onground, that have a lot of

funding..And if you look at it what

happened with the Westand the Central Africa?This is because no WestAfrican country that cameback with any medal justlike us. So therefore, wehave re-energised andreinvigorated ourpreparation.

Kudos again go to thefact that we are going tohave our HighPerformance Centrewhere at least, we canhave close to the worldclass Olympic standardfacilities and equipmentfor training and also getattracted to world classcoaches.

These coaches of courseknow their way and theyexpose the athletes to bigcompetitions and also theranking issues becauseranking matters.

Once you are on top ofthe rankings within theworld class in any of thesports disciplines, youknow it’s going to favouryou. It is a different case

when you are not withinthe top rankings becauseyou will face the toughestcompetitors beforewinning a medal in theOlympics.

Remember what we hadwith the female boxer, shewas a nobody and her firstbout was against numberthree in the world and thesecond one was againstthe world’s number one,so you see that there wasno chance of goingbeyond that round.

All these have beenidentified and I want tosay that we are workingassiduously towardensuring we don’t findourselves in similarsituation again. Mostimportantly, we at theNOC are working hard tomeet up with our time lineand all the requirements.Preparation towards thef o r t h c o m i n gCommonwealth Gameshas started already.

So we are meeting up

with all the time line interms of the technical,logistic andaccommodation issues.The preparation hasstarted already I canassure you , no mistake. Imust also thank the NSCfor making most of thearrangements easier andearly enough, especiallyin the areas ofaccommodations whichhave been paid and thetickets also acquired.

The athletes Village forNigerian athletes hasbeen located. I must saythat we are on ground”.Ndanusa who alsodoubles as the presidentof the Nigeria TennisFederation (NTF),however declined to scoretheir performance in theoutgoing year when askedto do so.

“If I have to score ourperformance you aremaking it a difficult one forme because it’s like I’mscoring myself. Definitely,there’s a lot of hope morethan ever before forNigeria in the comingyear, 2014", he said.

JAW BREAKER . . . Edith Ogoke (Red) of Nigeriacompetes against Nadezda Torlopova (Blue) of Russiaduring the Women’s Middle (75kg) BoxingQuarterfinals on Day 10 of the London 2012 OlympicGames at Excel in London.

CMYK

54 — Vanguard, MONDAY DECEMBER 30, 2013

ROGER Federerand Serena

Williams had contrasting2013 seasons but bothkick off their newcampaigns at theBrisbane Internationalthis week showing nosigns just yet of callingtime on their illustriouscareers.

Born just a monthapart and each with 17grand slam singles titlesto their name, Federerand Williams couldjustifiably claim to be thebest tennis players oftheir generation, if notof all time.

While admitting theseason had beendifficult at times,Federer said on hisarrival in Brisbane thathe was feeling fitterthan he had for morethan 18 months and wasnot about to be pushedinto retirement.

“People are alwaysgoing to jump in and say‘this is it’, and that’swhat happened thisyear,” the 32-year-oldtold a news conference.

Williams had nosooner capped herstellar 2013 season bywinning the WTAChampionships thanstarted plotting whatshe views as a longoverdue sixth triumph atMelbourne Park.

“I hope to be the onestanding up in the end,and it’s for sure my nextgoal,” Williams saidafter her tourchampionships triumphin Istanbul.

“Seeing that I didn’tdo as well as I want tothere, actually the pastfew years, so my goal isjust to go a year inAustralia withouttwisting an ankle. That’s

Federer, Serena serve off season in Brisbane

J A M A I C A Nsprinters Usain

Bolt and Shelly AnnFraser-Pryce wereelected Best Athletes ofAmerica in 2013 by AIPSAmerica, the Americancontinental arm of AIPSthrough the vote of theirnational associations.

Bolt wins the award forthe second consecutiveyear, while Fraser-Pryceedged out NorthAmerican tennis playerSerena Williams in asecond round of votingfollowing a first roundtie.

Bolt, Fraser-Pryce winawards

*Federer

*Serena *Bolt

M A R I ASharapova

admits she is glad to beback fit and healthyfollowing her injury-plagued 2013 season.

The Russian hasn’tplayed a competitivematch since damagingher shoulder at the USOpen, the latest in along line of problemswhich included a hipinjury that saw her missa number of tournaments

Sharapova glad to be backduring the summer.

“Certainly whenyou’re doing it for somany years of your lifethere are momentswhere you felt like youneed a pick-me-up,” shesaid.

“I didn’t play for a fewmonths, and that wasthe reason for me to getback out there. I knowwhen I’m healthy how Ican play and what I’mcapable of doing.”

*Sharapova

R E C O R D -B R E A K E R S

Rafael Nadal and AndyMurray could begin thenew year by forginganother link in the chainof coincidences whichhave marked their careers.

“I can’t expect to feelgreat for long periods ofmatches straight away Ä itwas a good workout,”Murray said then. “Youwant to play your best butyou need to be realistic andpatient.

“Moving is the mostimportant thing. I just needto be able to do it for alonger period. I just feltlike I hadn’t played amatch for a while.”

Murray hoping for Nadal-like recovery

*Murray

OLYMPIC bronzemedal winner

Anthony Ogogo (4-0,2KOs) is looking for abreakout year in 2014.The talentedmiddleweight prospecthopes to fight on theFloyd Mayweather vs.Amir Khan undercardin Las Vegas - if andwhen the fight isfinalized. And by theend of the year he wantsto fight for either theBritish or

Ogogo eyes Mayweather-Khan cardC o m m o n w e a l t hchampionship. First, hewill return on February15th as part of theJhonny Gonzalez-Abner Maresundercard at StaplesCenter in Los Angeles.

“I have never been soconfident in my body. Ifeel I can do anything,like I am superman, Iam training to the pointI can not do any more.I have mapped out thefirst six months or so of

the year in my head,obviously starting withFebruary 15,” Ogogotold Daily Express.

“Then I hope to fightback here in Londonbefore going out againon the FloydMayweather againstAmir Khan [card] whenthat is confirmed. Bythe end of the year Iwould like to bestepping up to 10 and12-round fights with adomestic title aroundmy waist.” *Ogogo

117-95 drubbing of theMilwaukee Bucks onSaturday night.Kevin Martin had 20points on 4-of-7shooting from beyondthe arc and NikolaPekovic added adouble-double with 19points and 11 boardsfor Minnesota, whichsnapped a three-game road losingskid.

Khris Middletonpaced Milwaukeewith 23 points, whileO.J. Mayo andBrandon Knightscored 19 and 18points, respectively, indefeat.

Love helps Timberwolvestake down Bucks

KEVIN Lovescored 33 points

to go along with 15rebounds in helpingthe MinnesotaTimberwolves to a

Vanguard, MONDAY DECEMBER 30, 2013 — 55

hi) has discovered newhome based players whoare ready to challengefor shirts in all the posi-tions ahead of the WorldCup.

The Dynamo Kiev ofUkraine forward showedno fear as he said he wasprepared to fight for ajersey in the World Cupbound squad.

“Sir, they are all wel-come, the more the mer-

with a 65th-minuteheader to seal a tightencounter which neverreally took off, althoughhe was grateful that aglaring miss fourminutes later did notprove too costly whengoalkeeper WojciechSzczesny blasted aclearance straight at LoicRemy and saw the ballrun just wide of the postwith time running down.

Arsene Wenger’s menenjoyed long periods ofpossession at St James’Park, but were rarelyable to make it count,

KeshiContinued from BP

rier,” he said with asmile.

Despite his poor runsfor the Eagles Keshi hascontinued to invite him.He rarely justifies hisinclusion and he is ar-guably the most vilifiedstriker in Eagles. ButKeshi has been indiffer-ent to his poor output.

Nigeria will be mak-ing its debut appearanceat the CHAN tourna-ment that kicks off onJanuary 11 and runs tillFebruary 1.

and it took a set-piecefrom Theo Walcott, whowas otherwise largelyanonymous, to presentGiroud with his bigchance.

Newcastle might havegone in at the breakahead had Szczesny nottipped over MoussaSissoko’s blisteringstrike or had MathieuDebuchy’s header notcome back off thecrossbar.

However, they wereunable to sustain thepressure as they slippedto just a second defeat in10 league outings infront of a crowd of52,161.

ArsenalContinued from BPBrendan Rodgers’ men

ahead at StamfordBridge inside fiveminutes, but strikes fromEden Hazard andSamuel Eto’o secured afourth consecutive homesuccess for Chelsea togive their championshiphopes a boost.

Liverpool - who hadonly lost once in theirprevious six outings atStamford Bridge -stormed out of the blocksand took the lead viaSkrtel’s close-rangefinish.

But Chelsea wereahead before half-time,with a wonderful curling

effort from Hazard andEto’o’s side-footedstrike from six yardsturning things around.

Both sides hadopportunities in a livelysecond period, withLiverpool havinglegitimate claims for apenalty turned awaywhen Eto’o appeared tohaul down Luis Suarezin the area.

However, it wasChelsea who emergedvictorious with JoseMourinho’s men - whonow sit third in the table- closing the gap onleaders Arsenal to twopoints, while Liverpoollie fifth after back-to-back top-flight defeats.

Eto'oSporting Lisbon.According to leaks

gathered byallnigeriasoccer.com,Porto who were original-ly Iheanacho’s preferredchoice, may miss out onthe signature of KelechiIheanacho after rivalsSporting Lisbon slappedin a bid of around300,000 euros for the Ni-geria youth - interna-tional.

This is not paper talkas there has been con-tact between represent-atives of Sporting Lisbonand Taye Academy,agents of Kelechi Ihea-nacho.

The offer from SportingLisbon is more temptingas it is in excess of the

Continued from BP

250,000 euros being of-fered by Porto.

It is understood thatSporting Lisbon havereceived assurancesfrom Taye Academy andthe capital club nowwant to thrash out per-sonal terms with JamesIheancho, Kelechi’s dadas well as HenryGaleano, the midfield-er’s personal agent.

If an agreement isreached by all the par-ties, Kelechi Iheanachowill append his signa-ture on a four - year con-tract and his dad will berewarded with the sumof 300,000 euros.

Manchester City, Ar-senal, Chelsea, PAOK,Monaco and Udinesehad all previously ex-pressed interest in sign-ing him.

Continued from BP

Iheancho

BY TONY UBANI

SENATOR MagnusNgei Abe has

hailed the foresight ofGokana Local Govern-ment in becoming thefirst to build a stadiumin the country. The ami-able Lawmaker, duringthe commissioning ofthe 8,000 capacity sta-dium, poured plauditson the Government ofHon. Rotimi Amaechifor his uncommon lead-ership in youth devel-opment.

“This is massive andI thank Gov Amaechi forhis exemplary leader-ship. Today Gokana LGhas scored a first by theopening of this stadium.Our youths, no doubt,will maximise the use ofthis place for a soundmind in a sound bodyand for more glories insports for the nation”

The Gokana Stadiumwhich was opened withfanfare has 8,000 seat-ing capacity, Adminis-trative blocks, a footballpitch with tracks for ath-letics, two Lawn Tenniscourts, two Basketballcourts, an Olympic-sizeSwimming Pool and amassive GymnasticsHall.

The Executive Chair-man of Gokana LGA,Hon. Demua Ledee De-mua paid tribute to theimmediate past Chair-man Chief Hon. Victor

Gokana Stadium: Abe, Odegbami,SWAN hail Demua

*Gov Amaechi *Senator Abe

Tombari who initiatedthe project

Ex-Internat iona lsChief Segun Odeg-bami, Victor Ikpeba, Au-gustine Eguavoen whowatched the home-based Super Eaglesplay a 1-1 draw withGokana FC, a division1 side in the amateurranks praised the effortsof Hon Demua for themagnificent edifice.Chief Odegbami whorepresented NFF Presi-dent, Alhaji AminuMaigari, however,urged them to take careof the undulating turf totruly beat their chestand to also think ofhosting internationalfriendlies. Gov Amaechiwho also praised the ef-forts of the LG however

declined their requestfor a grant of N300 mil-lion. Hon Demua LedeeDemua said the grantwould help them com-plete a 50-room Stadi-um Hotel.

Speaking at the end ofthe match, Chief coachof the Super EaglesStephen Keshi praisedthe efforts of the LGA forthe stadium. Also, Pres-ident of Sports WritersAssociation of Nigeria,SWAN, Alhaji SaiduAbubakar urged clubsand other LGAs to bor-row a leaf from GokanaLocal Government.

“Imagine where allLocal Governments inthe country have thistype of infrastructure,Nigeria will be the cita-del of sports in Africaand a force to be reck-oned with in the world”,the SWAN boss said.

Gokana United hold Eagles

OVER 10,000 fanson Saturday

crammed into the newlybuild Gokana Central onthe outskirts of Port Har-court, the River Statecapital to watch a thrill-ing friendly game be-tween the Super Eaglescurrently preparing forCHAN 2014 tournamentin South Africa and Am-ateur Division OneLeague side, GokanaUnited. The game end-ed 1-1.

The match which wasthe first to be played inthe stadium, was used toinaugurate the new sta-dium and it lived up toits billing, despite therather bumpy turf, whichthe Local GovernmentChairman, Hon Demua

Ledee Demua promisedto improve upon.

Among dignitaries thatwatched the game at thestadium described by itsowners as the first ultra-modern stadium to bebuilt by a local govern-ment in Nigeria, wereRivers State Governor, RtHon Rotimi ChibuikeAmaechi, former GreenEagles skipper, ChiefOlusegun Odegbami,who represented NFFPresident, Alhaji AminuMaigari, former SuperEagles skipper, AustinEguavoen, former AfricanFootballer of the Year, VictorIkpeba, SWAN NationalPresident, Seidu Abubakar,Senator Magnus Abe andseveral top government of-ficials from Rivers State.

NIGERIAN defender, Azubuike

Egwuekwe has talkeddown fears of an imminentcollapse when the SuperEagles embark on theirdebut campaign at the2014 African NationsChampionship (CHAN)in South Africa.

The Super Eagles lookconsiderably weakenedon paper following thedeparture of several starsthat helped the team qual-ify for the championship.

Centre half GodfreyOboabona has completeda move to Turkish side,Rizespor while left-back,Juwon Oshaniwa is nowon the books of Israeliclub, Ashdod.

Nigeria suffered anoth-er blow when news brokethat star midfielder, Sun-day Mba was on his wayto France to complete amove to Bastia.

Nigeria 'll win CHAN — EgwuekweAnother important

member of Stephen Kes-hi’s squad, attacker, GomoOnduku is now on thebooks of Romanian club,Concordia Chiajna andhas also been ruled out ofthe competition whichonly players based on theAfrican continent can par-ticipate.

*Egwuekwe

Printed and Published by VANGUARD MEDIA LIMITED, Vanguard Avenue, Kirikiri Canal, P.M.B.1007, Apapa. Phone: Newsroom: 018773962. Deputy Editor: 01-8944295. Advert Dept: 01-7924470;Hotline: 01-8737028; Abuja: 09-2341102, 09-2342704. E-mail: editor@vanguardngr.com, news@vanguardngr.com, letters@vanguardngr.com. Advert:advertproduction@yahoo.com

Website: www.vanguardngr.com (ISSN 0794-652X) Editor: MIDENO BAYAGBON. Phone: 01-7742861, All correspondence to P.M.B. 1007, Apapa Lagos.

How to Play Sudoku

Place a number (1-9) in each blank cell. (No line canhave two of the same number).

Each row (nine lines from left to right), column, (alsonine lines from top to bottom) and 3 X 3 block within abold block (nine blocks) contains number from 1through 9. This means that no number can appear twicein any block, column or row.

No mathematics is involved – no adding, subtraction, divisionor multiplication, just plain logic and your imagination.

YESTERYESTERYESTERYESTERYESTERDAY'S ANSWERSDAY'S ANSWERSDAY'S ANSWERSDAY'S ANSWERSDAY'S ANSWERSTODAY'S PUZZLETODAY'S PUZZLETODAY'S PUZZLETODAY'S PUZZLETODAY'S PUZZLE

Sudoku

YESTERDAY'S SOLUTIONS

VVVVVanguardanguardanguardanguardanguard,,,,, MONDAY, DECEMBER 30, 2013 MONDAY, DECEMBER 30, 2013 MONDAY, DECEMBER 30, 2013 MONDAY, DECEMBER 30, 2013 MONDAY, DECEMBER 30, 2013

Across3 Centre (5)9 Rebel (6)10 Consuming (6)11 Irrigate (5)12 Mood (4)15 Formerly (4)17 Aroused (7)20 Mineral (3)21 Discourage (5)23 Lake (4)25 Tunny (4)26 Keen (5)28 Mouthful (3)30 Determined (7)33 Group (4)35 Cipher (4)36 Leaf (5)38 Needed (6)39 Noisier (6)40 Renovate (5)

Down1 Serious (5)2 Pick-me-up (5)3 Cut (3)4 Deleted (6)5 Smell (4)6 Sailor (3)7 Instrument (5)8 Tally (5)13 Elucidate (7)14 Relative (5)16 Made (7)18 Stupefied (5)19 Insect (3)22 Jacket (5)24 Owned (3)27 Entertain (6)28 Dirty (5)29 Fragment (5)31 Shabby (5)32 Disparage (5)34 Yield (4)36 Through (3)37 Moo (3)

QUICK CROSSWORDQUICK CROSSWORDQUICK CROSSWORDQUICK CROSSWORDQUICK CROSSWORD

Across: 1, Greasy 5, Simmer 9, Oiled 10,Ravine 11, Elated 12, Glade 14, Ewer 17,Dry 18, Rode 20, Tidal 22, Elder 23,Beloved 24, Debit 26, Lever 29, Arid 30,Orb 32, Rare 33, Flyer 35, Talked 36,Ribald 37, Tenet 38, Dither 39, Teeter.

Down: 1 Garret 2, Envied 3, Song 4, Yield5, Seedy 6, Idle 7, Method 8, Rudder 13,Armoury 15, Wider 16, Rabid 18, Rider19, Defer 21, Let 22, Eel 24, Darted 25,Billet 27, Vacant 28, Render 30, Older 31,Beret 33, Fete 34, Rite

SUPER Eaglescoach, Stephen

Keshi has warned strik-er Brown Ideye that thecompetition for shirts inthe team is really hottingup, and every playermust fight for them.

The home based SuperEagles have been camp-ing for the 2014 Cham-pionship for African Na-tions, with severalfriendly games played sofar.

Ideye visited the teamcamp in Port Harcourt,where he encouragedhis teammates and alsoassured the coaches ofhis state of fitness aheadof the 2014 FIFA WorldCup in Brazil.

When Ideye met Kes-hi, the Eagles boss toldhim that he has a battleon his hands as he (Kes

2014 W/Cup: Keshiwarns Ideye

*Keshi *Ideye

EPL TABLE

Team GP W D L GF GA GD PTSArsenal 19 13 3 3 37 18 19 42Man City 19 13 2 4 54 21 33 41Chelsea 19 12 4 3 35 19 16 40Everton 19 10 7 2 31 18 13 37Liverpool 19 11 3 5 44 23 21 36

RESULTSEverton 2 Southampton 1Newcastle 0 Arsenal 1Chelsea 2 Liverpool 1Tottenham 3 Stoke City 0

ECSTACY: Eto'o ... Jumps for joy after scoringagainst Liverpool yesterday. Photo: AFP.THE last may not

have been heardon the supposed move-ment to Europe of Gold-en Eaglet star, Kelechi

Sporting Lisbon ready to snatch Iheancho*Father to be paid 300,000 euros

•Iheanacho

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Continues on Page 55

Iheanacho as latest re-ports have linked thehugely talented playerwith Portuguese giants,

CHELSEA camefrom behind to

earn a vital three pointsin the Premier Leaguetitle race with a 2-1

Eto’o secures priceless winfor Chelsea

triumph over rivals Liverpool on Sunday.

Martin Skrtel had put

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OLIVIER Giroud’s11th goal of the

season fired Arsenalback to the top of theBarclays Premier Leagueafter a scrappy win atNewcastle.

The Frenchman struck

Giroud sendsArsenal top

Continues on Page 55

CMYK