...as Alison-Madueke descends on journalist

COUNTDOWN TO

ONDO GUBER POLL

DAYS TO GO11

October 20, 2012

Vol. 1 N0. 115 Tuesday, June 7, 2011 N150 Vol. 2 N0. 465 Tuesday, October 9, 2012 N150

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P.5

Abductors of Delta commissioner demand N100m ransom

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ROTIMI FADEYI AND INUSA NDAHI

It was tragic yesterday in Maiduguri, the Borno State capital, as bomb blasts ripped through the metropolis, killing an Army Lieutenant and 40 ci-vilians in the process.

Several other people also sustained serious injuries in the first incident target-ed at the Hilux patrol vehi-cle of the Joint Task Force, JTF, by some suspected ter-rorists on Lagos Street in

100 houses, shops razed, 70-year-old burnt aliveJonathan charges new service chiefs on terrorism

Soldier, 40 others die in bomb blasts

UNIPORT 4: Varsity declares seven-day mourning

CHINEDUM EMEANA AND JAMES ABRAHAM The University of Port Harcourt yes-terday declared

seven days of mourning

for three of its students brutally murdered by a mob at Aluu community

VC identifi es slain students

P.52

P.7

Our staff have been compromised, INEC admits

Bakassi: Im waiting for Presidents fi nal directive...as Jonathan addresses nation today

Voters cards: LP chieftain remanded

Saudi Arabia to re-admit deported pilgrims

P.44

L-R: Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Alex Badeh; Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen Azubuike Ihejirika; Chief of Defence Staff, Admiral Ola Ibrahim; Vice-President Namadi Sambo; President Goodluck Jonathan; Minister of State for Defence, Erelu Olusola Obada and the Chief of Naval Staff, Vice-Admiral Dele Ezeoba, at the decoration of newly-appointed service chiefs in Abuja, yesterday.

Tambuwal

Repairs of 3 refi neries to gulp $1.6bn Minister

Ugonna

Lloyd

Adoke

Chidiaka

Tekena

Flood at Patani community

A displaced person calling for help at Abari.

Deeper Life Bible Church in Patani submerged.

Iwelle community of Ndokwa submerged.

...Hunger ravages victims

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net2 Tuesday, October 9, 2012 News

Flood rage: Relocate from disaster -SOLA ADEBAYO AND EMMA GBEMUDU

The Federal Government has pleaded with flood victims in the affected states of the federation to relo-cate from such disaster-prone areas.

To this end, the government admonished them to move to re-habilitation camps established by the authorities in their states for temporary succour.

It expressed concerns that reports made available from the various states indicated that the victims were not prepared to move out of their ancestral homes despite the challenges posed by the flood to their exis-tence and survival.

The Coordinating Minister of the Economy and Minister of Finance, Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, gave the advice at the resettlement camp for the flood victims in Delta State in Asaba, the state capital.

It will be recalled that no fewer than 22 states have been ravaged by flood, which had also led to the loss of lives and the destruction of property in the affected states. President Goodluck Jonathan had inau-gurated teams to visit such af-fected states.

Okonjo-Iweala, who led the presidential team to Delta State, said the government was wor-ried that some floods victims declined governments sincere gesture to resettle them to a se-cured location in their states.

She said that the disposition of the victims was frustrating the gesture of the authorities at the federal and state levels.

Her words: We will do every-thing possible to make people comfortable but the problem is that people do not want to leave their ancestral homes to go elsewhere. We were in Og-bolu where we tried to persuade those whose houses had been flooded to come to Asaba, which is just a few kilometres away and they refused that they do not want to leave.

What they have done is that in their own community they have created their own camp at a higher ground and the state is ready to provide two or three buses to evacuate the people there, they must be up to 300 but they said no. Even a pregnant woman was among and she re-fused to move.

She said President Jonathan was bothered about their well-being, adding that the concern of the President informed the establishment of the presiden-tial committee on the menace.

She added: The President has been holding meetings with governors and deputy gover-nors of the affected states. The National Emergency Manage-ment Authority (NEMA), has been going around and if you look at this camp, NEMA has supplied them with bags of rice, goods.

The Commission for Refu-gees from Abuja has just ar-rived with relief materials. The FG is working but the President feels that we need to do and I think within the next few days, you will hear him directly an-nouncing further measures to support those who had been flooded and to support the af-fected states.

We are very grateful to the states and for Delta State, I am quite impressed by what we have been able to see today. They have really put their ef-forts into it and we are grateful. We know that the challenge is much not just here in Delta but also in Edo, Anambra, Imo, Bay-elsa, Kogi etc. So many states are experiencing the flooding so the FG is on top of it.

NEMA has been going round and the President has appointed an inter-ministerial group to go round to assess the situation and it is based on the assessment that the President will announce further mea-sures that will support what we are already doing.

No fewer than 1, 500 displaced flood victims currently squat-ting at the in-door hall of the Bayelsa State Sports Complex at Ovom, Yenagoa, yesterday complained of starvation and poor welfare at the relief camp.

Investigation revealed that the refugees were, however, treated medically to guide against any in-cidence of epidemic in the camp.

Governor Seriake Dick-son, had on Saturday inaugurated a 20-man committee of emergency flood response headed by the state Deputy Governor, Rear Admiral John Jonah.

It was learnt that some of the primary and post-primary schools and churches in the state capital including the Niger Delta University (NDU) Amas-soma, have been temporarily shut down due to the flood.

Some of the displaced per-sons are squatting in uncom-pleted buildings located in the heart of Yenagoa.

They pleaded with the state government and the National Emergency Management Agen-

cy, NEMA, to provide foodstuffs to the people being accommo-dated at the camp.

The displaced persons from six local government areas of the state claimed that they have been served with only bread since they arrived the complex last weekend.

The flood is still ravaging communities in the state capital as some have started relocating with their families out of Yena-goa.

Costs of food items have in-creased due to the flood and a small rubber container of garri now attracts N1, 500, while a bag costs N13,000.

When National Mirror visit-ed the relief camp at the Sports

Complex yesterday, some of the victims were seen loitering in around, as more displaced per-sons were being expected at the camp.

As at the time of filing this report, tents were yet to be erected in the camp, including other facilities to alleviate the sufferings of victims.

A flood victim and mother of four, Mrs. Evelyn Oyatu, alleged that she and her children were dying of hunger.

We have been directed to write our names on a list but nothing has been done. We are dying of hunger; we have not been given food since we ar-rived here. Im weak. The state government should come to our

aid at the camp. The cold weath-er is affecting my children. We relocated from our submerged home at Ebedebiri in Sagbama local government, she said.

Another victim, Mrs. Gloria Ozuo amid tears said that since she arrived the camp with her two children on Sunday, only a small bread was served them.

The government officials are playing with us, we dont have money to buy food. A ba-sin of garri is now N15,000, she noted.

When contacted, State Com-missioner for Information and Orientation, Markson Fefegha, said he was in a meeting with the State Commissioner of Po-lice.

The parlour of a displaced person at Abari community of Patani Council.

Asaba-Ase taken over by flood.

Uzere road in Isoko South flooded.

Abari Community

Abari community flooded.

National Mirrorwww.nationalmirroronline.net 3NewsTuesday, October 9, 2012

- prone areas, FG tells fl ood victims

SOLA ADEBAYOWARRI

The East-West Road (Warri-Port Harcourt Road) has collapsed due to persistent flooding on the strategic high-way.

Already, the highway has cut-off Bulu-Angiama, an Ijaw community near Patani, the headquarters of Patani Local Government Area of Delta State.

The state of the road has be-come a nightmare for motorists.

Findings by National Mirror yesterday showed that many commuters were stranded at the on Saturday, when the road be-came impassable.

Some motorists heading for Port Harcourt, Warri and other destinations along the highway were forced to discontinue their journey while others waited pa-tiently for alternative measures from the contractor, RCC Con-struction Limited, working on the highway.

Long queues of vehicles were reported at Warri and PortHar-court end of the highway.

It was gathered that RCC was providing remedial measures at the spot as at press time yester-day.

National Mirror learnt that the deplorable state of the road was worsened by persisent rains in the past one week.

It will be recalled that the state of the road had generated heated public debate recently with stakeholders asking the Federal Government to expedite action on the construction of the high-way.

The Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Elder Godsday Orubebe, whose ministry supervises the construction of the road, has blamed the slow pace of work on paucity of funds.

Orubebe, however, assured that the road would be ready by 2015.

Meanwhile, more communi-ties have been submerged by flood in Bayelsa within the past 48 hours.

Findings by our correspon-dent yesterday revealed that many residents of various com-munities in the two states have been rendered homeless as flood caused havoc in the areas.

Worst hit were communities in the two states along the East/West Road.

Specifically, some Urhobo, Ijaw and Isoko communities as well as those in Oshimili North Local Government Area of Del-ta State and those in Ekeremor and Yenagoa Local Government Areas of Bayelsa State, were af-fected by the ravaging flood.

The residents have deserted the communities.

The flood has also submerged Asaba/Ugbolu Road and 10 com-munities, especially Ebu com-munities in Oshimili North LGA of Delta State, where a middle-aged farmer committed suicide.

It was gathered that the farmer, simply identified as Friday, killed himself shortly after his farmland was swept away by flood. He was report-ed to have obtained a bank loan to commence a farming business. He hung himself on a mango tree.

...Communities cut off as road collapses

Robbers kill three police offi cers, injure others in Lagos the armed robbers, who opened fire on them and riddled the patrol van with bullets.

It was said that the po-lice team was reacting to a distress call that a gang of armed robbers were in the neighborhood when the incident happened.

The armed robbers

came in a convoy of three vehicles two Toyota Si-ena buses and a Sport Util-ity vehicle.

The policemen had reportedly parked their vehicle to closely watch the occupants of the ve-hicles when the robbers approached them and opened fire on them.

The leader of the po-lice team, an Assistant Superintendent of Po-lice, was the first to be hit by the bullet. He died on the spot.

Haruna died a few min-utes after he was shot.

The driver of the van and two others escaped with injuries.

STANLEY IHEDIGBO

The Federal Govern-ment and the Unit-ed Kingdom yes-terday said that they had reached the final stages in their plan to double in-ternational trade between them by the year 2014.

Addressing a joint press, the Minister of Trade and Investment, Mr. Olusegun Aganga, and the Secretary, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, United King-dom, Dr. Vince Cable, said that the factors militating against effective trade be-tween the two countries had been identified and were now being addressed

to ensure the actualisa-tion of the 2014 deadline.

The current value of trade between the two na-tions stands at 4 billion (about N960 billion). Steps are being taken to raise the figure to 8 billion (N1.9 trillion) by 2014.

Identifying the areas being worked on by the two countries, Aganga ex-plained that issues of bar-riers to trade were being looked into, in addition to the strategies aimed at the Small and Medium Enter-prises sector as well as the Diaspora.

He said the meeting between the Ministry of Trade and Investment and its counterpart in the United Kingdom was

a follow up to an earlier discussion between the leaders of the two coun-tries, President Goodluck Jonathan and David Cam-eron, where they agreed to increase the volume of trade by 100 per cent.

Aganga said, We have had a useful business to business roundtable, which is a follow up to the meeting between President Goodluck Jon-athan and David Camer-on, where they both set a target to double trade in the two countries by the year 2014.

There is no shortage of interest in investment in Nigeria. We have all it takes to attract invest-ment. We are making

the environment friend-lier. We have fertile land, good whether condition, 34 solid minerals in com-mercial quantity, all of which make Nigeria an investment destination of choice.

Prior to the press brief-ing, the two ministers had an interactive ses-sion with leading compa-nies (in the construction, fashion and textile, edu-cation and creative sec-tors, among others), both from the United Kingdom and Nigeria on the right collaboration that will in-crease trade between both countries and empower Nigerians.

Responding to ques-tions from the media, the

L-R: Representative of Lagos State, Rev. Sam Ogedengbe; Pastor Wale Adefarasin; Vice-Chancellor, Bowen University, Prof. Timothy Olagbemiro; wife of Lagos State Governor, Dame Abimbola Fashola; Mr. Remi Olowude and Rev. Gabriel Adebayo, during the fund raising for the building of a multi-purpose edifice at Yaba Baptist Church in Lagos, at the weekend.

L-R: Akwa Ibom State Deputy Governor, Mr. Nsima Ekere; Governor Godswill Akpabio and the state Chief Judge, Justice Ntem Isua, during the 2012 Legal Year church service held in Uyo.

L-R: Executive Director of Citi Bank, Mr. Omar Hafeez; President, Africa Export Import Bank, Mr. Jean Loius Ekra; Chief Executive Officer of Skye Bank, Mr. Kehinde Durosinmi-Etti and Chief Executive Officer, Stanbic IBTC Bank, Mrs. Sola David-Borha, during the signing ceremony of a loan facility for Skye Bank in Lagos, at the weekend.

L-R: Director of Culture, Ministry of Tourism and Culture Mr. George Ofut; Minister of Tourism, Culture and National Orientation, Chief Edem Duke and Executive Director, National Council for Arts and Culture, Mr. Malgwi Maidugu, during the press briefing on 2012 National Festival of Arts and Culture in Abuja, yesterday. PHOTO: ROTIMI OSASONA

A resident of New Oko Oba community, who did not want his name men-tioned, said the incident caused panic among resi-dents, adding that they thought the robbers were on a mission to wipe out the community.

He said: We heard se-rious gun shots around

2am and we also heard some noises in the neigh-bourhood.

Efforts to get the reac-tion of the state police command were futile as the Police Public Relations Officer, Ngozi Braide, was said to be attending a sem-inar at the time of filling in this report.

minister noted that the trade between Nigeria and United Kingdom was not one sided, adding that sometimes it is on Nige-rian side and sometime on United Kingdom side. We intend to leverage on Ni-gerians in the Diaspora in the United Kingdom, most of who are SMEs involved in trade.

He reiterated that the Government was passion-ate about creating the enabling environment for trade and investment to thrive, noting that the positive results of the In-vestment Climate Reform Programme were already reflecting in the improve-ment in the nations com-petitiveness.

Nigeria, UK target N2 trillion trade

FRANCIS SUBERU

Some suspected armed robbers killed three policemen and injured three other offi-cers at Oko Oba area of Lagos yesterday morning.

Reminiscent of the September 9, commando robbery in Lagos, the in-cident, which occurred around 2am, threw the entire Oko Oba area in commotion, even as the robbers reportedly es-caped with the police-mens riffles.

Two of the slain police-men were attached to New Oko Oba Police Division and were on routine patrol at the time of the incident. The third officer, a corpo-ral, was attached to Oke Odo Division.

The two slain police officers were simply identified as Assistant Superintendent of Police Funminiyi and Inspector Haruna, while the injured officers were a sergeant and two corporals.

It was gathered that the slain and the injured policemen were on patrol when they rammed into

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.netTuesday, October 9, 20124 Photo News

National News

National Mirrorwww.nationalmirroronline.net 5Tuesday, October 9, 2012 News

Soldier, 40 others die in bomb blasts CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

Repairs of 3 refi neries to gulp $1.6bn Ministerprice of the product re-mained N45 per litre and that NNPC sells the prod-uct at N50, noting that in the open market, the prod-uct costs as much as N85 be-cause of bridging costs.

Meanwhile, major oil marketers and independent oil marketers as well as offi-cials of the Petroleum Pric-ing Marketing Company, PPMC, have given reasons why many filling stations across the country are now violating the official N97 per litre pump price of fuel set by the Federal Government.

In his presentation before

the committee yesterday, the Executive Secretary of the Major Oil Marketers Association of Nigeria, MO-MAN, Mr. Obafemi Olawore, said marketers were being compelled to sell above the official fuel price in order to defray the cost of hidden charges they incur in the process of obtaining the products from the PPMC.

He admitted that mar-keters were buying the products at the official price of N87.6K but that be-fore they took delivery of it from the depots, they would part with kickbacks from

security agents and other officials at the depots.

PPMC Managing Direc-tor, Mr. Haruna Momoh, lamented the degree of vandalisation of the com-panys pipelines, which he blamed for the current shortage of petrol across the country.

He disclosed that be-tween Aba and Enugu alone, NNPC pipeline has been punctured in 774 places.

Momoh appealed to state governments and security agents to cooperate with NNPC to ensure the safety of the pipelines.

He maintained that if the vandals refused to keep off the pipelines, there is no way the price of petrol will be uniform.

According to him, pipe-line remains the cheapest, safest, freest, convenient means of transporting pe-troleum products across the country.

Also yesterday the min-ister almost lost her cool in the middle of her presenta-tion before the committee when she threw away a re-porters recorder to osten-sibly stop her presentation from being recorded.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 6>>

GEORGE OJI AND EMMANUEL ONANI

Minister of Petro-leum Resources, Mrs. Diezani Al-ison-Madueke, has put the cost of Turn Around Main-tenance, TAM, of the three refineries in Port Harcourt, Warri and Kaduna at $1.6bn.

She was speaking at an interactive session organised by the Senate Committee on Petroleum (Downstream) to review the current situation in the downstream sector, es-pecially the status of the refineries.

The minister explained that her ministry had to reschedule the initial time-line for the TAM because of some unanticipated chal-lenges encountered as a re-sult of continuing damage of pipelines, the fuel sub-sidy crisis and other chal-lenges.

Alison-Madueke said so far about 75 per cent of the equipment required for the TAM had been imported from the original contrac-tors that constructed the re-fineries and expressed opti-mism that before the end of the year the contract would be awarded.

She said that all things being equal, the TAM would commence fully by the first quarter of 2013 beginning with the Port Harcourt re-finery.

Responding to the issue of persistent fuel shortages in Abuja and other parts of the country, the minister explained that in the case of Abuja, the initial problem was caused by the strike called by oil workers over the fuel subsidy issue, which made the union members to bar the products from enter-ing the FCT.

She stated that the recent fuel shortages, which had affected other parts of the country, including Lagos and its environs, was as a result of the pipeline van-dalism at the Arepo, Ogun State, where three officials of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, who were involved in the repair of the pipe-lines were killed.

The minister stated that as a stop gap measure, her ministry had embarked on bridging of the prod-ucts from Lagos to the hin-terland, while supplies to Abuja originate from Niger State.

On kerosene, the minis-ter insisted that the depot

L-R: Nigerian High Commissioner to Canada, Ambassador Ojo Maduekwe; Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Olugbenga Ashiru; his Canadian counterpart, Ambassador John Baird and Canadian High Commissioner to Nigeria, Ambassador Chris Cooter, during the Nigeria-Canada Bi-National Commission meeting in Abuja, yesterday.

the metropolis.An unconfirmed report

said that five minutes after the first blast, another ex-plosion went off in a house a few metres away from the scene, which killed some of the occupants. The build-ing is suspected to belong to one of the Boko Haram Islamic sect members.

Also razed down in the blast were over 50 vehicles parked on the street.

It will be recalled that on Sunday, a similar incident happened along Gwange Lagos Street when some suspected terrorists deto-nated an IED targetted at a patrol vehicle of the JTF, killing two soldiers and a lieutenant-colonel who lat-er died in a hospital.

Yesterdays blast, which happened about 7:15a.m., was later followed by heavy gunshots from the JTF, leading to the killing of some people on the busiest road linking the Univer-sity of Maiduguri and the

Teaching Hospital.Our correspondent gath-

ered that some suspected terrorists were killed while others were arrested in con-nection with the blast.

An eyewitness, who did not want his name mentioned, told our corre-spondents that more than 50 people, including some suspected terrorists were killed, while hundreds of houses and shops belonging to residents of Gwange were razed down in the incident.

A victim, Mrs. Ya Haj-ja Usman, said that his 70-year-old father who had an eye problem and always remained indoors for the past one year was trapped in the house which was completely burnt down.

It is so sad that my fa-ther of about 70 years old died in this unfortunate incident. What have I done to Allah and what has my aged father done that he met his untimely death mysteriously in fire, she said.

A visit to the scene with the Deputy Governor, Al-haji Zannah Umar Musta-pha, amidst tight security revealed that more than 40 people were killed, while over 100 houses and shops, including that of the Nige-rian Union of Journalists, NUJ, were all razed by fire with some people trapped inside their houses and were burnt beyond recogni-tion.

The deputy governor ap-pealed to the terrorists to embrace peace

Confirming the incident, JTF spokesman, Lt.- Col. Sagir Musa, said that some Boko Haram Islamic sect members detonated an IED targeting at Hilux Patrol vehicle of the JTF which injured two soldiers.

Sagir, however, denied killing of any army person-nel in the blast, insisting that only two of his men were seriously injured and were taken to University of Maiduguri for treatment.

Meanwhile, President

Goodluck Jonathan yes-terday charged the newly-appointed service chiefs to tackle the increasing rate of insecurity in the country.

He also tasked them on the spate of oil theft within the nations territorial wa-ters.

President Jonathan gave the charge when he deco-rated the newly-appointed service chiefs with their new ranks in Abuja.

The new Chief of De-fence Staff, Vice-Admiral Ola Saad Ibrahim from Kwara State was decorated with the rank of Admiral; the new Chief of Naval Staff, Rear Admiral Dele Joseph Ezeoba from Delta State was decorated with the rank of Vice-Admiral, while the Chief of Air Staff, Alex Sabundu Badeh from Adamawa State was deco-rated with the new rank of Air Marshal.

The President told the service chiefs, particularly the Chief of Naval Staff, Ezeoba to move into action

and urgently bring the is-sue of crude oil theft to an end, considering its adverse effect on the economy.

I will like to use this fo-rum to specifically charge you to tackle the security challenges confronting our country today. Most espe-cially, the Chief of Naval Staff and officers and men have the onerous responsi-bility of upscaling security in our territorial waters.

The unacceptable ris-ing incident of crude oil theft must be tackled fron-tally. Given the direct ad-verse implications of the activities of crude oil theft on our national economy, I expect the Chief of Na-val Staff and other service chiefs to immediately go to work to urgently bring the issue of crude oil theft to an end, President Jonathan said.

The President also charged the service chiefs to join forces with other se-curity agencies and bring fresh impetus into the new

security architecture to combat the menace of ter-rorism in the country.

He said: May I further reiterate that the security of life and properties in all parts of this country is a sacred obligation which our administration will do everything in its power to live up to.

We cannot allow threat to national security to com-promise our national trans-formation efforts. While we remain repositioning Ni-geria for sustained growth and development, we shall proactively prosecute the fight against terrorism with total commitment and effectively check the ac-tivities of all criminal ele-ments in our dear land.

In this regard, we will step initiatives aimed at strengthening and reposi-tioning our security agen-cies for greater efficiency to discharge their constitu-tional responsibilities.

He expressed confidence

Soldier, 40 others die in bomb blasts

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net6 Tuesday, October 9, 2012News

UNIPORT 4: Varsity declares seven-day mourning

Sambo inaugurates committee on demographic data

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 5

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One of the houses affected by the bomb blast in Maiduguri, Borno State, yesterday.

last Friday morning.This is coming just as

the Vice-Chancellor of the university, Prof. Joseph Ajienka, condemned the killing, describing it as an atrocious crime.

The mourning period will end on Sunday.

The VC, who was flanked by principal of-ficers of the university while addressing journal-ists, called on security operatives to smoke out those behind the brutal killing.

A one-minute silence was later observed for the deceased students.

Ajienka stressed that the university would not tolerate any act of jungle justice and commiserated with the bereaved fami-lies.

The students union

week of the university, which was supposed to have started yesterday, has been suspended in honour of the deceased students.

The vice-chancellor explained that three of the deceased had been confirmed to be students of the university while the identity of the fourth person was yet to be ascer-tained.

Those identified as UNIPORT students are Bi-ringa Chidiaka Lordson, a 200 level theatre arts stu-dent with matriculation number U2010/1805036; Ugonna Kelechi Obuzor, year two geology student with matriculation num-ber U2010/5565149 and Mike Lloyd Toku, a year- two civil engineering stu-dent with matriculation number U2010/3010094.

The VC said that ef-forts were still being made to confirm if the fourth victim, Tekena Tamuno Erikena, was a student of the university. Despite the declared seven days of mourning, Ajienka stressed that the school was still in session.

He dismissed sugges-tions that students of the university were mobilis-ing to take vengeance on the Omokere-Aluu com-munity.

The Rivers State chap-ter of the Action Con-gress of Nigeria, ACN, said that it was dismayed by the zero level to which the sanctity of human life had been reduced in the country.

The party expressed this in a statement signed by its Publicity Secretary, Jerry Needam, while re-

acting to brutal killing of the students.

The ACN spokesman said that it was unfor-tunate that the killing happened in Rivers State whose people were in the forefront of the condemna-tion of similar massacre of hapless innocent people in northern Nigeria by the Boko Haram insurgents.

Meanwhile, the Na-tional Association of Ni-gerian Students, NANS, yesterday expressed dis-appointment over what it called the inability of the security agents to fish out killers of 40 students of the Federal Polytechnic, Mubi in Adamawa State, two weeks after the deadly act occurred.

In a statement issued in Jos yesterday and signed by NANS President, Com-rade Dauda Mohammed,

the students body said: We want to express our disappointment at the se-curity agencies over their seeming non-commitment into bringing the perpe-trators to justice.

The statement also called on security agents to redouble their efforts towards finding the perpe-trators.

It also reiterated NANS directive to students of tertiary institutions in Adamawa State to boycott academic activities until their demands for safety were met.

Before we allow the reopening of the Federal Polytechnic, Mubi, and re-view our call for a boycott of academic activities on other institutions in the state, it is imperative for security agents to launch full investigations into

what led to the killing of the innocent students.

NANS also condemned the extra-judicial killing of four UNIPORT students alleged to have stolen some properties, describ-ing the act as barbaric.

It is barbaric to imag-ine this happening in a sane clime where the rule of law is being advocat-ed, it said

The students body, therefore, urged Rivers State government to en-sure that those behind the act were properly pun-ished.

We hereby call on the Rivers State Government to immediately bring the perpetrators to justice and enjoin the security agencies to ensure that all those involved are ar-rested and made to face the law.

in the ability of the new ser-vice chiefs to live up to ex-pectation, saying that they were appointed in recogni-tion of their patriotism, ex-cellence, loyalty, dedication, courage and unwavering faith in the country.

The President assured of his administrations com-mitment to provide neces-sary support in ensuring the optimal operational readi-ness of the armed forces.

While placing the high-est premium possible on the welfare and well-being of our men and women in uniform, they have demon-strated unalloyed respect for the institution and structures of democratic governance, in remaining steadfast and dedicated to their constitutional obliga-tions, Jonathan said.

The President also paid glowing tribute to officers and men of the armed forces and security services who paid the supreme sac-rifice in the service of the nation.

While praying for the repose of the fallen heroes, President Jonathan noted

that the country would miti-gate the pain of their losses.

The new CDS in his re-sponse on behalf of other service chiefs pledged their unalloyed loyalty to the President and commitment to the service of the nation.

He also pledged that they would work hard to tackle the security situation in the country.

I reassure Mr. President of our resolve to live up to his expectation and the con-fidence reposed in us.

I categorically pledge the continued and unal-loyed loyalty of the armed forces to the President and Commander in Chief.

The armed forces under the collective leadership of the services chiefs and me, will sustain the extant high standards of discipline, pa-triotism and professional-ism, Ibrahim said.

Jonathan had last Thurs-day appointed the former Chief of Naval Staff, Ibra-him, as the CDS to replace Air Marshal Oluseyi Petin-rin who had retired.

The Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Azubike Ihejirika retained his position.

ROTIMI FADEYIABUJA

Vice-President Na-madi Sambo yester-day inaugurated the Presidential Committee set up by President Goodluck Jonathan to midwife the streamlining of a central-ised demographic database for the country.

Inaugurating the com-mittee yesterday at the State House in Abuja, Sambo stated its terms of reference to include determining the Agency that has the constitu-

tional responsibility to host the centralised database; streamlining the efforts al-ready being made by various agencies in this regard in or-der to synergize these efforts in the proposed centralised sys-tem; examine and make rec-ommendations on the impera-tives of the centralised system on security, funding, manage-ment, authenticity and sus-tainability of data collection and applications, and examine and make recommendations on all issues incidental to the efficient application of data in the management of our na-

tional affairs. The Committee has the

Vice President as chairman, while other members are At-torney-General of the Feder-ation, Ministers of Finance, National Planning, Commu-nication Technology, Health, Education, Agriculture and Rural Development, Science and Technology, Inspector General of Police, Comptrol-ler General of Immigration Service, Director General of National Population Com-mission and Director Gen-eral of National Bureau of Statistics.

Also listed as members are Director General, Na-tional Identity Management Commission, Executive Secretary, National Health Insurance Scheme, Corps Marshall, Federal Road Safety Corps, Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Managing Director, Galaxy Backbone, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Millennium Develop-ment Goal, MDG, Executive Director, United Nations Population Fund and three representatives of the pri-vate sector, which include

the Bankers Committee, Mr. Jim Ovia, Alhaji Aliko Dan-gote, while the Permanent Secretary (GSO) Office of the OSGF is to serve as Secretary.

The Vice President fur-ther set up three sub-com-

mittees and charged them to work on the term of refer-ence provided to realise Mr. Presidents objective which was to provide a centralised database for the country within four weeks.

National Mirrorwww.nationalmirroronline.net 7Tuesday, October 9, 2012 News

ISE-OLUWA IGEABUJA

The Office of the At-torney-General of the Federation, AGF, yesterday said that no clear di-rective had come from Presi-dent Goodluck Jonathan on whether or not to appeal the International Court of Jus-tice, ICJ, which ceded Bakassi Peninsula to the Republic of Cameroun.

This came as the 10-year window gap available to Nige-ria to appeal the controversial judgment expires today.

A senior media aide to the

minister of justice said yes-terday in Abuja that the deci-sion to pursue an appeal in the matter was not that of the AGF but the Presidents.

The Presidential Advi-sory Committee set up by President Goodluck Jonathan is yet to submit its report as I am talking. Although the re-port may be submitted today to President Jonathan, it is the President who has the final say.

The appeal cannot be filed by the Office of the Attorney-General until a go ahead comes from Mr. President.

The Attorney-General of

the Federation himself will address the press shortly over this matter as soon as the position of the President is made known, the aide said.

Should the go-ahead to file the appeal be received, the At-torney General, Mr. Moham-med Bello Adoke (SAN), is to lead Nigerias team of legal experts in international ju-risprudence to the ICJ at the Hague to set aside the 2002 ver-dict on Bakassi.

President Jonathan had last week raised an advisory team to scrutinise the ICJ judgement, with a view to ex-

ploring possible areas of ap-peal.

The decision was sequel to a resolution made by the Sen-ate through a motion spon-sored by the Deputy Majority Leader, Abdul Ningi

Meanwhile, President Jon-athan is billed to address the nation at 7am today.

Although details of the ad-dress are not known, all televi-sion and radio stations have been directed to hook up to the network services of the Nigerian Television Author-ity, NTA, and the Federal Ra-dio Corporation of Nigeria, FRCN, for the broadcast.

Im not a victim of Mubi massacre Ishaku Joshua FEMI OYEWESOABEOKUTA

Mr. Ishaku Joshua, who was alleg-edly shot dead in the massacre of some stu-dents of the Federal Poly-technic, Mubi, Adamawa State, yesterday denied being one of the victims as erroneously reported.

Joshua, whose name was number two on the list of the supposed victims of the massacre, said he had not been to Adamawa State in the last six months.

Speaking with our corre-spondent in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital, Joshua said he had been on the em-ploy of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, since 2005 when he got enlisted.

Joshua, who described the report which published his name and picture as very embarrassing, ex-plained that he had been receiving calls from across the country from friends, old school mates as well as his colleagues at the NDLEA with whom he had served in various capacities over the report of his death.

He also said that the calls were from other well-wishers who had been part of the planning for his wed-ding scheduled for Decem-ber 29.

The 33-year-old narcotic officer explained that he is a native of Madagali Local Government Area of Ad-

amawa State, adding that he studied at the Federal Polytechnic, Mubi where he obtained his Ordinary National Diploma in Busi-ness Administration and Management between 2000 and 2002.

Joshua said he returned to the same institution for his Higher National Diplo-ma in 2005 but had to drop the course because of the job offer he received from the NDLEA.

When asked of the pos-sibility of another person bearing his name, Joshua said maybe somebody is bearing my name; but the issue of bearing my name shouldnt have come with my picture.

Confirming his story, the NDLEA Assistant Com-mander in charge of Opera-tions, Isaac Oludare Aloye, under whose direct super-vision Joshua has been for a couple of months, also ex-plained that the Adamawa-born officer had been the Acting Chief Security Offi-cer, CSO, of the Ogun State Command in the last six weeks.

EMMANUEL ONANIABUJA

Justice Abubakar Sadiq Umar of a Federal Capital Ter-ritory, FCT, High Court yesterday adjourned pro-ceedings in the trial of the suspended Chairman of the House of Repre-sentatives Committee on Capital Market, Hon. Herman Hembe and his deputy, Hon. Azubuogu Ifeanyi, till November 26 to adopt their written addresses in support of their no case submis-sion.

The no case submis-sion is in response to the allegation by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC that Hembe and If-eanyi abused their privi-leges as chairman and deputy chairman respec-tively, when they alleg-edly converted into per-

sonal use about N600,000 being money allegedly released by the Security and Exchange Commis-sion, SEC, for them to travel to the Dominican Republic for a refresher conference in October 2011.

When the matter came up for continuation of trial yesterday, counsel to the accused, Mr. Ji-brin Okutepa (SAN) and Linda Ikpeazu, told the court that they had ap-plications for extension of time.

They argued that the extension would enable them file and exchange written addresses in sup-port of their no case submission.

The oral applications for extension of time were not opposed by counsel to the EFCC, On-jefu Obe.

In his no case submis-sion, Okutepa contended

that there was only one issue for determination.

The issue, according to him, is whether from the totality of the evi-dence before this honour-able court, the complain-ant has made out a prima facie case against the ac-cused persons to answer.

He submitted that to ask the 1st accused person to enter into his defence will require him to prove his innocence adding that this is contrary to the presumption of innocence enshrined in Section 36 (5) of the 1999 Constitution as amended.

Accordingly, Okutepa urged the court to rule in favour of the 1st accused person by upholding the no case submission as the prosecution has failed to establish a case against the 1st accused.

Hembe and Ifeanyi are facing a two-count charge of dishonestly convert-

ing public funds into pri-vate use, an offence con-trary to Section 308 of the Penal Code Act, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.

The separate counts filed against the accused read thus: That you Hon. Iorwase Herman Hembe sometime in October 2011 in Abuja within the Judicial Division of the High Court of the Fed-eral Capital Territory dishonestly converted to your own use the sum of $4095 being money given to you by the Securities and Exchange Commission as your travelling allow-ance to PUNCTA CANA, Dominican Republic to at-tend a conference which you did not attend and thereby committed an of-fence contrary to Section 308 of the Penal Code Act, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria (Abuja) 2004 and punishable under Section 309 of the same code.

IJEOMA EZEIKEABUJA

The Federal Govern-ment has awarded foreign scholarships to 101 first class students of government recognised and approved universities in Sciences, Basic Medical Sciences, Special Aspects of Biology, Economics, Engi-neering and Technology, as well as Medicine.

The Minister of Edu-cation, Prof. Ruqayyatu Ahmed Rufai, who an-nounced this yesterday, said the Presidential Special Scholarship Scheme for In-novation and Development, PRESSID, plans to develop a critical mass of profession-als who would serve as cata-lysts of change and agents of scientific and technologi-cal advancement, as well as

sustainable economic devel-opment.

The awardees, expected to study in the 25 best universi-ties of the world up to Mas-ters and PhD levels, are be-tween 21 and 30 years of age, 20 female and 81 male among them is one physically-chal-lenged candidate.

It is important to note that all the 449 short-listed candidates performed very well but it is unfortunate that in this maiden edition of the presidential scholar-ship scheme, there are limit-ed spaces, the minister said.

She also disclosed that 1,300 applicants registered on the electronic portal for the scholarship scheme but 449 were invited for a computer-based test and the results released instantly to prevent any form of manip-ulation.

Bakassi: Im waiting for Presidents fi nal directive Adoke

Alleged N44m fraud: Hembe, Ifeanyi to address court Nov 26101 fi rst class students get FGs foreign scholarship

L-R: Chairman, House Committee on Human Rights, Hon. Beni Lar; Executive Secretary, National Human Rights Commission, Prof. Bem Angwe and Chairman, Senate Committee on Judiciary, Legal Matters and Human Rights, Sen. Umar Tambuwal, at the launch of 2012 Prison Audit in Kuje, yesterday. PHOTO: NAN

Joshua

Jonathan addresses the nation today

Osun CJ succession row deepens

ABIODUN NEJOADO-EKITI

The Peoples Demo-cratic Party, PDP, has called on Presi-dent Goodluck Jonathan to suspend further federal allocations to local gov-ernments in Ekiti State following the indefinite industrial action em-barked upon by the coun-cil workers.

The state Director-Gen-eral of Information and Strategy of the PDP, Chief Gboyega Aribisogan, made the call yesterday in Ado-Ekiti while address-ing journalists.

The workers, under the aegis of the Nigeria Union of Local Government Em-ployees, NULGE, three

weeks ago embarked on strike over the inability of the state government to meet their demands con-cerning the payment of new minimum wage and special allowances, CON-HESS and CONMESS, to health workers in the local governments.

The PDP said that re-leasing further funds to the councils would only give Governor Kayode Fayemi the opportunity to do whatever he liked with the money.

Aribisogan accused Fayemi of crippling local governments in the state, pointing to the allegation raised by NULGE that the governor was deducting N1bn monthly from the allocations of the 16 coun-

cils.Asked whether sus-

pending allocations would not further compound the hardship being experi-enced by council workers, Aribisogan explained that since there were cases in court, it would naturally be expected that those cases were disposed off before any headway could be made.

However, the state Commissioner for Infor-mation, Mr. Funminiyi Afuye, described the PDP call as laughable.

Afuye wondered when it became the practice for the President to dabble into labour matter and because of that stop statu-tory allocations of states or councils.

Alleged theft: Film producer asks court to dismiss suit

NULGE strike: Suspend Ekiti LGs allocations, PDP tells Jonathan

KAYODE KETEFE

A L a g o s - b a s e d movie producer, Ifeanyi Onyeabor, yesterday prayed a Lagos High Court presided over by Justice Habeeb Abiru to strike out the charge of stealing preferred against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Com-mission, EFCC.

Onyeabor, who is the Managing Director of Igo Motion Pictures Interna-tional, was charged by the anti-fraud agency after its investigation allegedly linked him with fraudu-lent activities.

He was alleged to have swindled one Mr. Steven Okomah of N8.8m under the guise of helping him

to produce two movies.At the proceedings yes-

terday, Onyeabors lawyer, Mr. F. H. Awalah, told the court that his client and the complainant, Okomah, had resolved the issue amicably.

He said: The complain-ant (Okomah) says he is no longer interested in the case and that the EFCC should discontinue the prosecution.

There was a mistake based on misinformation and the parties have re-sumed their cordial busi-ness relationship.

The production of the two movies which led to the dispute has almost been completed in Ghana.

Awalahs position was supported by Okomahs counsel, Mr. Louis Mgbolu, who also urged the court to dismiss the matter.

WALE FOLARINOSOGBO

The crisis over the appointment of a new Chief Judge of Osun State to succeed Jus-tice Olaniyi Ojo, who is re-tiring next month, has po-larised the state judiciary.

The crisis has con-tinued to fester though Governor Rauf Aregbe-sola has sent the names of three qualified justices to the National Judicial Council, NJC, for consid-eration as the next Chief Judge of the state.

However, the state Attor-ney-General, AG, Mr. Wale Afolabi, has justified the

steps taken by Aregbesola in recommending the names of three justices to the NJC.

Afolabi, who said this in an interview with our cor-respondent, said the gov-ernor acted in compliance with the powers conferred on him by Section 271(1) of the 1999 Constitution.

The AG spoke against the backdrop of the CJ succession row which has enveloped the judicial arm of the state government.

The development, par-ticularly the issue of Ojos successor, has continued to send tongues wagging.

What ordinarily should have been a simple pro-cess is now causing rip-

ples, even as active par-ticipants appeared to have introduced politics and sentiments into it.

It was gathered that if some lawyers in Osun State have their way, they would do everything pos-sible to ensure the amend-ment of Section 271 (1) of the 1999 Constitution.

The section reads: The appointment of a per-son to the office of Chief Judge of a state shall be made by the governor of the state on the recom-mendation of the Nation-al Judicial Council subject to confirmation of the ap-pointment by the House of Assembly of the state.

L-R: Ogun State Governor Ibikunle Amosun; the state Chief Judge, Justice Olatokunbo Olopade; Deputy Governor, Mr. Segun Adesegun; the state House of Assembly Speaker, Hon. Suraj Adekunbi and Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Wemimo Ogunde, at the thanksgiving service to commemorate the new Legal Year in Abeokuta, yesterday.

same day and are serving in courts of coordinate ju-risdiction, but Ojo is said to be the senior at the Bar, which gives her an edge.

While Ojo is an indi-gene of the state, Olagoke is from Delta State but married to an indigene of the state.

This has been one strong weapon that those kicking against Olagokes appointment have been using in favour of Ojo.

Although Oyewole is said to be an indigene of the state, those who are opposed to his nomination have ar-gued that he is a total strang-er to Osun State judiciary because he had been on the Bench outside the state.

Despite the opposition against Oyewoles choice, Aregbesola has forward-ed his name to the NJC along with those of Ojo and Olagoke.

Confirming the devel-opment, Afolabi said the governor acted in line with the constitution.

He said: It is a simple and straightforward pro-cedure. The governor has forwarded Justice Oye-woles name along with other names to the Judi-cial Service Commission, JSC, and the National Ju-dicial Council, NJC, after which their recommenda-tion will come to the gov-ernor who will forward it to the state House of As-sembly. It is a judicial af-fair now and we will know the outcome at the conclu-sion of the process.

KEMI OLAITANIBADAN

The Senate Commit-tee on Education yesterday gave the management of the Uni-versity of Ibadan, UI, a two-week ultimatum to explain the financial ac-tivities and budgetary implementation of the institution in the last one year.

The committee led by Senator Uche Chuk-wumerije gave the order during an oversight func-tion visit to the university.

Chukwumerije said there were grey areas in the presentation of finan-cial activities of the insti-tution, adding that clari-fication was necessary to help the committee in the discharge of its duty.

The senator, who led other members that in-clude Professor Olusola Adeyeye, Atiku Abuba-kar Bagudu, Oluremi Ti-nubu and Pius Ewhemdo, cited inconsistencies in the recurrent expen-diture submitted to the committee by the univer-sity authorities.

He said: A review of the recurrent expen-diture shows that tele-phone charges have no provision in 2011 budget. We require detailed ex-planation in writing to the committee within the stipulated period of two weeks.

The committee also raised questions on so-cial responsibility proj-ects that the institution had embarked upon with Senators Tinubu and Ba-gudu insisting that the university should shed light on its Internally Generated Revenue, IGR.

But in defending the institution, the Acting Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Arinola Sanya, said: The details of the telephone bills, stationery etc, shall be transmitted to you as requested. The zoo is supposed to be a huge source of revenue but we dont have many animals. Many people are donat-ing animals to us after the flood disaster in the state. During the August 26 last year flood in the state, some animals were washed away.

Senate gives UI 14-day ultimatum to submit budgetary implementation

Sparked off by the ru-moured subterranean moves by Aregbesola to appoint Justice Olubunmi Oyewole of the Lagos State judiciary as the next CJ, the succession row has polar-ised the state judiciary.

While some judicial of-ficers and officials of the state government are said to have supported Oye-wole, others have queued behind the two most se-nior judges in the state - Justices Gloria Erhiey-ovwe Olagoke and Oyebo-la Adepele Ojo.

Both Olagoke and Ojo seem to have a common en-emy in the succession saga.

Olagoke and Ojo were said to have been ap-pointed to the state Bench

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.netTuesday, October 9, 20128 South West

As Aregbesola sends three names to NJC

MURITALA AYINLA

The face-off between the Lagos State Government and the commercial motorcy-clists over the restriction of the latters operations in the state metropolis yesterday assumed an-other dimension as they protested, challenging the government for prohibit-ing them from operating on 475 roads and bridges.

For hours, motorists groaned in traffic gridlock caused by protesting motor-cyclists otherwise known as Okada riders.

They barricaded the ma-jor highways, particularly, Awolowo Road and other ad-journing roads connecting the state secretariat and the Governors Office.

They defied the early morning downpour and matched through the roads, chanting solidarity songs.

Armed with banners of

varying sizes, the motor-cyclists, who trooped out in their hundreds, insisted that the government should not ban their activities.

The Okada riders claimed that prohibiting their operations on 475 ma-jor highways and bridges is tantamount to complete ban on their activities.

Some of the inscription on their placards read: The wicked shall not go unpun-ished, Now, Opeifa don become anti-human rights activist, United Okada Riders Stakeholders of La-gos State, in conjunction with Civil Society and Hu-man Rights Group say no to banning of Okada in 475 roads in Lagos.

But the government in-sisted that no going back on the section of the traffic law that restricts their op-erations in all the 475 roads and bridges in the 57 Local Government Areas and Lo-cal Council Development Areas.

KEMI OLAITAN IBADAN

The Oyo State Gov-ernment has ex-plained why it is planning to seek N50 bil-lion from the capital mar-ket, saying it was meant to execute some development projects.

In a statement made available to journalists yesterday in Ibadan, the state capital, Commis-sioner for Finance, Mr. Zachaeus Adelabu, listed the capital projects to be executed with the bond to include the Urban Mass Transit scheme, develop-ment of agricultural silos

of 10,000MT in each of the three senatorial districts and construction of ultra-modern markets.

Others, he said, includ-ed the building of agricul-tural processing plants in each senatorial district, construction of Ibadan Circular Road, construc-tion of a five-star hotel, canning/agro-processing factory, housing estate, as well as construction of lo-gistics centres/industrial parks across the state.

Adelabu explained that the $56.24 million African Development Bank (ADB) loan was meant to fund the Urban Water Supply and Sanitation Improvement

Project in Ibadan, with the state paying its own coun-terpart funding.

The commissioner noted that all previous interven-tions in the water sector in Ibadan had always been limited to the rehabilitation or expansion of water treat-ment facilities without cor-responding attention to the reticulation system.

He said the bond had been approved by the Secu-rities Exchange Commis-sion (SEC) after verifying the specific projects, all of which would be self-financ-ing, adding that it had also been guaranteed by the Federal Government.

Adelabu said in the long

run, the bond option would be cheaper for the state government than commer-cial loans granted by finan-cial institutions.

He said: The regulatory requirements for bond fi-nancing will force the state to utilize the proceeds for developmental/commer-cial projects specifically identified during the bond issue planning phase and strengthen our resolve for improved transparency and accountability.

The commissioner add-ed that the bond would be in two tranches, with the first tranche of N30 billion to be finalised this year and the second in 2013.

L-R: Permanent Secretary, Lagos State Motor Vehicle Administration Agency, Mr. Akin Hanson; Commissioner for Transportation, Mr. Kayode Opeifa and his Information and Strategy counterpart, Mr. Aderemi Ibirogba, during the Ministry of Transportations Vehicle In-spection Safety Campaign Week and the launch of a docu-drama video on motorcyclists in Lagos, yesterday.

Again, Okada riders protest, says Lagos cant ban them

Why we opted for N50bn bond, ADB loan Oyo

ABIODUN NEJO ADO EKITI

Low turnout was re-corded yesterday at the venues of the Teachers Develop-ment Needs Assessment (TDNA) otherwise known as Competency Test or-ganised by the Ekiti State Government.

While some secondary school teachers billed to write the test yesterday showed up at the centres, others stayed away in dis-agreement with the lead-

ership of the Academic Staff Union of Secon-adary Schools (ASUSS) that directed them to par-ticipate.

The teachers along-side their primary school counterparts had some months back shunned the examination, saying they did not trust its conduct as necessary things were not put in place first.

But last weekend, while primary school teachers still stuck to their guns

not to participate in their test scheduled for yester-day, ASUSS leadership di-rected its members to par-ticipate in the exercise.

However, at Olaolu-wa Muslims Grammar School, Ado-Ekiti, where over 3,000 secondary school teachers were to converge for the exami-nation, only 35 were pres-ent, while only 28 teachers wrote the TDNA at Afri-can Church Comprehen-sive High School, Ikere-

Ekiti where about 3, 000 were billed to write.

This was as the Com-missioner for Education, Dr Eniola Ajayi, said defi-ant teachers would regret their action, saying the fact that some participat-ed was enough to break new grounds.

Ajayi told journalists in Ikere-Ekiti that it was quite unfortunate that teachers still abstained from the TDNA despite efforts and series of in-

formation from the gov-ernment that it was not targeted at sacking any of them.

The commissioner, who reiterated the gov-ernments plan to develop the teachers with the as-sessment, lamented: You could see the level of failure recorded in West African Examination Council and National Ex-amination Council this year. This is to tell you the level of rot in the sys-tem and how far we have gone in clamping down on examination malprac-

tices.But the state Peoples

Democratic Party (PDP) Media and Information Director, Chief Gboyega Aribisogan, said yester-day that the standoff be-tween the government and the teachers was ad-versely affecting educa-tion development and the future of the state.

The Senior Special As-sistant to the Governor on Labour Matter, Mr Ojo Arogundade, said the po-lice presence at the cen-tres was to prevent break-down of law and order.

FEMI OYEWESO ABEOKUTA

Hundreds of Ogun State workers were yesterday locked out by the Head of Service for resuming to work late.

This is the second the administration of Gover-nor Ibikunle Amosun will lock out workers since its inception.

National Mirror learnt that the two gates leading to the secretariat at Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta, the state capital, were locked as at exactly 7: 45am on the order of the Head of Ser-vice (HOS), Mrs. Modupe Adekunle.

It was learnt that the Head of Service, who re-sumed for work as early as 7:00am, was uncomfort-able when found that a larger percentage of the workforce were yet to re-

sume. Governor Amosun was

said to have also ordered the locking of the main entry gate leading to his office.

As at the time National Mirror visited the state secretariat complex, scores of the stranded workers were seen loitering.

A statement issued by the Press Officer in the Office of the Head of Service, Damola Falaju, quoted the HOS ad as de-scribing the attitude of the civil servants as most distressing.

Mrs. Adekunle, who said the workers had ad-justed to the 7: 30 resump-tion time after Governor Amosuns clampdown on them in June, explained that penalty for the affect-ed civil servants would be decided later owing to their larger number.

Assuring that the gov-

Low turnout mars Ekiti competency test

Ogun HOS lock out workers for late-coming

Govt vows to punish adamant teachers

ernment would block the jungle serving as the es-cape route for the habitual latecomers, the HOS said that the state would pro-

vide more transit buses to ease the transporta-tion problems often expe-rienced by the civil ser-vants.

National Mirrorwww.nationalmirroronline.net 9Tuesday, October 9, 2012 South-West

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

judiciary, he would con-tinue to challenge Umezu-likes actions on the matter.

He said: What you wit-nessed in court this morn-ing (yesterday) is travesty of justice... You will recall that on 25th of July, he made an ex-parte order against me and against APGA that was not a party in the suit. On July 31st against clear provisions of Enugu State High Court rules, he ex-tended the order without any application by parties and adjourned the matter

to September 17.You will also recall

that on the same July 31, we took two arguments on our notice of prelimi-nary objection to the suit and the Chief Judge stated that if objection succeeds, the matter will end. He adjourned the matter to September 17 to rule on the preliminary objection.

On September 17, he made a volt face and re-fused to deliver ruling on challenge of jurisdiction, which was fully argued on

July 31.Instead, he made a volt

face and overruled himself and now declared that he will hear the substantive suit and deliver judgment on both the preliminary ob-jection and the substantive suit. Procedurally, he was bound to deliver his ruling on preliminary objection on September 17. On that same date he refused to vacate the ex-parte order made on July 25th, saying it is a matter left for Court of Appeal to decide.

Tuesday, October 9, 2012 10 South East

DENNIS AGBOENUGU

The National Chair-man of All Pro-gressives Grand Alliance, APGA, Chief Victor Umeh, has asked the Chief Justice of Ni-geria, CJN, Justice Aloma Muktar, to call the Chief Judge of Enugu State, Justice Innocent Umezu-like, to order.

His call came on the heels of Umezulikes in-terlocutory injunction yes-terday, restraining Umeh from parading himself as the national chairman of APGA.

Umeh reminded the CJN of his recent petition to her where he expressed worry over his case before Umezulike in Enugu, add-ing that with yesterdays ruling, the CJ confirmed his allegation of bias.

He said: Whatever he has done will remain temporary as they cannot stand the test of unbiased judicial adjudication. I hereby call on the Chief Justice of Nigeria, CJN, to quickly intervene in this matter to prevent Justice Umezulike from further ridiculing Nigerian judi-ciary.

Justice is not for the highest bidder. I hereby call on the CJN, Hon. Justice Aloma Muktar, to quickly intervene in this matter, as a petition has been lodged in her office against Jus-tice Umezulike.

Umeh said that as a be-liever in the rule of law and

APGA: Umeh rejects Enugu CJs ruling, seeks CJNs intervention

L-R: Enugu State Acting Governor, Mr. Sunday Onyebuchi, Governors Martin Elechi of Ebonyi State, Peter Obi (Anambra) and Theodore Orji (Abia) at the South-East Political Elders Forum in Enugu, at the weekend.

The Federal Govern-ment has begun emergency repair works on some failed sec-tions of the Port Harcourt -Enugu Highway, two weeks after the Abia State

House of Assembly con-demned the deplorable state of the road.

A visit to the work sites on Sunday showed that of-ficials of the Federal Emer-gency Roads Maintenance

FERMA begins repair of Port Harcourt -Enugu road

GEORGE OPARAABIA

Teachers in Abia State-owned sec-ondary schools have decried the inability of the state government to pay the arrears of their minimum wage.

Similarly, primary school teachers are com-plaining over the non-implementation of their 2009/2010 promotion un-like their counterparts in the state ministries.

The state Chairman of the Nigeria Union of

Teachers angry with Abia over unfair treatment

Teachers, NUT, Chief E. O. Omeoga, disclosed this yesterday while fielding questions from journal-ists in Umuahia, the state capital.

Apart from the unpaid entitlements and delay in payment of promotion benefits, teachers in the state have not been paid the 27.5 per cent enhance-ment allowance.

Also, the state leader-ship of NUT expressed worries over the handover of schools to former own-ers, saying that the propri-etors were going about the handover contrary to the laid down conditions.

Although Omeoga did not disclose the breached conditions in the hando-ver of 19 schools to the missions, he advised that in the interest of peace, all teachers in those schools should be transferred to public schools in line with the agreed conditions.

However, the Commis-sioner for Education, Mrs. Monica Phillips, said the government would do all within its capacity to see that the perceived imbal-ances were properly ad-dressed.

GEORGE OPARAABIA

The Allied Congress Party of Nigeria, ACPN, has prom-ised to restore the lost confidence of the resi-dents of Abia State in governance if it was able to wrest power from the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in 2015.

The party also promised to strengthen the spirit of brotherhood and produce meaningful development in all the senatorial zones of the state.

The state Chairman of ACPN, Pastor Linus O. Nwachukwu, said this in his address at the inau-guration of the party in Umuahia, the state capital.

He said the state had ex-perienced numerous ups and downs politically and that the birth of ACPN would bring stability to the state.

ACPNll restore confidence in governance ChairAgency, FERMA, and a private construction firm

were busy effecting repairs on the road.

Heaps of crushed stones were dumped along the road side at Okigwe, even as work had commenced at the Alaoji and Osisioma sections of the highway.

The Federal Controller of Works in Abia, Mr. Na-siru Bello, told the News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, yesterday in Umuahia that the Federal Govern-ment was determined to repair all the failed por-tions of the highway be-fore the commencement of Christmas and New Year festivities.

Bello said that all the damaged portions of the road would be repaired, adding that other federal roads in the state would also receive attention.

He said: Rehabilitation of Umuahia - Ohafia Road was recently completed. Works are ongoing on Olo-koro - Ikwuano, Calabar

- Aba, Umuahia - Ubakala and Nkporo - Ohafia roads, among others.

Bello said there was no dull moment on the current repair of federal roads in Abia State, add-ing that the slow pace of work noticed was due to the persistent rainfall in the area.

He denied that the former contractor, who handled the project, aban-doned the site following the spate of kidnappings in the state, adding that there were no issues to be resolved with the contrac-tor.

I am about one year old in Abia State, and I can firmly account for things that happened while I pi-loted the affairs of the of-fice.

My assurance to Abia State people is that all roads that are currently being executed would be done to the highest stan-dard of Federal Ministry of Works.

FELIX NWANERI

In line with efforts to save the Igbo language from extinction, the Igbo in the Diaspora have concluded plans to estab-lish an Igbo Learning Cen-tre in Accra, Ghana.

The leader of the Igbo community in Ghana, Eze Chukwudi Ihenetu, who disclosed this while speak-ing with journalists in La-gos at the weekend, said the centre was part of plans by Ndigbo in the Diaspora to resuscitate the Igbo lan-guage through teaching of the tongue to children born outside the South-East.

The United Nations Edu-cational, Scientific and Cul-tural Organisation, UNESCO, recently predicted that the Igbo language might become extinct in the next 50 years if concerted efforts were not made to resuscitate it.

But the Eze Igbo of Ghana, who allayed such fear, said: We are working towards setting up an Igbo Learning Centre in Ghana and we have already ac-quired land in Accra for the project. It will be a second home for Ndigbo in Ghana when it takes off and will provide a platform for the teaching of Igbo language and culture to our children born in the Diaspora.

On the recent face-off between the Ghanaian government and Nigerian traders in that country over the $300,000 Trade Fee, Ihenetu disclosed that steps were being taken by both sides to resolve the issue, especially now that the over five million Igbo, mostly traders, living across the 10 regions of Ghana had come together under a central leadership.

Ihenetu, however, ad-vised his kinsmen to al-ways think home by invest-ing in Nigeria, as that was the only way they could contribute to the develop-ment of their respective communities.

Ndigbo plan learning centre in Ghana

National Mirrorwww.nationalmirroronline.net 11Tuesday, October 9, 2012 South-South

TONY ANICHEBEUYO

Akwa Ibom State Governor, God-swill Akpabio, has berated law officers for perpetrating unethical standard in the law profes-sion even as he said that government has provided essential motivation and encouragement to them.

Consequently, the gov-ernor said that the legal profession in the country was facing serious danger as editorial comments of newspapers and opinion moulders seem to have pass a vote of no confi-dence on the judiciary.

He stated this yesterday in his address at the open-ing of 2012/2013 legal year that was held at the Cathe-dral of All Saints (Angli-can Communion) in Uyo, the state capital.

The governor regretted that despite the encourage-ment by government, a few negligible law officers are lacking in the ethical com-mitment to the discharge of their duties, and noted that no matter how intan-gible the activities of such law officers may be, it is susceptible to adversely affect the dispensation of justice.

He said his government

has released vehicles to justices of the Court of Appeal, federal high court, newly appointed judges and magistrates from the state including 103 vehicles to law officers in the em-ploy of the state.

Decrying the poor ethi-cal standard in the profes-sion, Akpabio said such action was inimical to the judiciary and the dispensa-tion of justice.

According to him, the judiciary being the last hope of the down trodden should be held in integ-rity, stressing that, such confidence could only be strengthened, when justice is speedily dispensed and undiluted.

The governor further warned legal officers to note that, once this con-fidence is eroded, the resultant effect would be anarchy and mob jus-tice, hoping that, as the new legal year began, the Bench and Bar would have no reason to betray the confidence reposed in them.

Government, he as-sured, would not reneged in its earlier promise of constructing an ultra mod-ern high court complex, adding that, details for the award of contract was be-ing worked out.

L-R: Edo State Governor, Adams Oshiomhole; Chief Niyi Akintola (SAN) and Mr. Femi Falana (SAN), at the resumed hearing of the state election petitions at the tribunal in Benin City, yesterday.

Akpabio decries unethical standard in legal profession

SOLA ADEBAYOWARRI

The fate of the ab-ducted Delta State Commissioner for Higher Education, Prof. Hope Eghagha, remains uncertain yesterday even as the state government commenced negotiation with his abductors.

Eghagha was abducted at Abavo, along the Effu-run-Agbor highway on Sunday, September 30, on his way to Asaba, the state capital.

The commissioner, whose police orderly was killed in the deadly en-counter, was yet to regain his freedom, one week after the incident hap-pened.

Findings, however, revealed that the kid-nappers had established contacts with the top hierarchy of the state government. National Mirror learnt that the hoodlums are demanding N100 million ransom to free the embattled com-missioner.

It was learnt that the government was keep-

ing the deal under wraps as members of the fam-ily and associates of the commissioner were not involved in the negotia-tion.

It was not clear as at press time yesterday how much the government was prepared to offer to ensure freedom for the commissioner.

A younger brother

SEBASTINE EBHUOMHANBENIN

Edo State Governor, Adams Oshiomhole, yesterday urged the state Governorship Elec-tion Petition Tribunal sit-ting in Benin City to throw out an application filed by the defeated candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Major-Gen-eral Charles Airhiavbere (retired).

The tribunal has set aside yesterday and today to rule on the petitioners application that has been countered by the respon-dents counter application seeking to add to the list of witnesses to testify for the petitioner.

At the resumed hearing, Airhiavberes counsel, Mr. P.O. Ituah urged the tribu-nal to allow him to bring in additional witnesses, argu-

ing that it would help him to prove his case beyond reasonable doubts. How-ever, the 1st respondents opposition was supported by the 2nd and 3rd respon-dents, who are all seeking the leave of the court to strike out the petitioners application.

But counsel to Gover-nor Oshiomhole, the 1st respondent, Chief Adeniyi Akintola (SAN), urged the tribunal to dismiss the ap-plication as it would serve no useful purpose in view of the ruling of the tribu-nal on September 27, which dismissed the application of the petitioner in respect of the academic qualifica-tion of the governor.

Chief Akintola submit-ted that the argument of the petitioner was merely academic as the applica-tion was not a live motion before the tribunal. But-

tressing his argument with relevant facts and authori-ties, the 1st respondents counsel urged the tribunal to dismiss the application as it does not serve any use-ful purpose.

Counsel to the Action Congress of Nigeria (2nd respondent) and the Inde-pendent Electoral Commis-sion, INEC, (3rd respon-dent) allied themselves with Akintolas argument while describing the ap-plication as an exercise in futility.

In his remark, Chairman of the tribunal, Justice Su-leiman Ambrusa, reserved ruling on the application and counter-application for today, October 9.

It will be recalled that the tribunal had on Sep-tember 27 struck out the Edo PDP candidates peti-tion contesting the aca-demic qualifications of

Governor Oshiomhole on the basis that it was a pre-election matter that should have been addressed at the Federal High Court before the election with the tri-bunal chairman describ-ing the petitioner as em-barking on a wild goose chase.

Meanwhile, the 3rd re-spondent, Independent National Electoral Com-mission on Monday pro-duced at the tribunal, some of the electoral documents requested by the petitioner.

INEC said it had to bring the documents to the prem-ises of the tribunal after attempts to contact the pe-titioner failed.

Oshiomhole and many top officials of the Edo State government wit-nessed the sitting even as Airhiavbere continued to absent himself from the tribunal.

Uncertainty as Eghaghas abductors commence negotiation with govt

Strike out Airhiavberes application, Oshiomhole urges tribunal

Demand N100 million ransomto the commissioner, Mr. Ejiro Eghagha, who spoke on telephone with our correspondent, con-firmed that the hoodlums had established contacts with the government, but said he could not provide details about the negotia-tion. He also claimed ig-norance of the N100 mil-lion ransom.

The younger Eghagha said the experience of the family, especially the commissioners wife, was traumatising, adding that she was in deep sorrow.

He said the commis-sioner had not spoken to any member of the fam-ily since he was abducted last week.

The kidnappers have contacted the state gov-ernment. I dont have any information about the negotiation, the state government should know

better. I cannot confirm if the kidnappers have demanded ransom. All members of his (commis-sioner) family are very sad, especially the wife, who is in deep sorrow.

For eight days, there has been no communi-cation with him but we trust that with time God will touch their (kidnap-pers) hearts to release our brother, he added in an emotion laden voice.

Also, the Police Public Relation Officer (PPRO), State Command, Mr. Charles Muka, assured that the police was on the trail of the kidnap-pers.

We are on the matter and we are working on some information that would lead to the arrest of the hoodlums and freedom for the victim, Muka added.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net12 Tuesday, October 9, 2012 North

HENRY IYORKASE MAKURDI

Majority Leader of the Benue State House of As-sembly, Hon. Paul Biam, is praising God for saving his life from the gunmen that opened fire at him re-cently.

Biam told journalists

yesterday in Markudi, the state capital, that he nar-rowly escaped death by a whisker at Ankya in Ukum Local government Area of the state.

He said the attack took place after he and others, including the local gov-ernment chairman, Hon. Terfa Bossua; the Chief of Staff to the Governor, Saint

Gbilekaa and the state Com-missioner for Works and Transport, Hon. Benjamin Ashaver, had finished a stakeholders meeting.

The Majority Leader said: During the meet-ing, I noticed some strange persons wielding weapons who banged into the chair-mans house and I fled for my dear life. It was on my

way back to Makurdi that a well known deadly organi-sation Mgnav Youths shot at my car three times, but I escaped.

Attributing the attack to political struggle ahead of the 2015 general elec-tions, Biam recalled that his younger brother, Felix, who just graduated from the Benue State University

was attacked in July by un-known persons and is still been treated for several gun-shot injuries he sustained.

He stressed that the inci-dent occurred shortly after the governor dissolved the then transition local govern-ment chairmen, adding that he vehemently opposed to retention of Hon. David Sev Av as well as the nomination

of the present council chair-man Hon. Terfa Bossua.

Frankly speaking, there had been no noticeable dis-agreement in Ukum politics, but since the emergence of this deadly group, there are have been violence in the area. Even as this inci-dent happened, the council chairman has not said any-thing, Biam said

Benue Assembly Majority Leader escapes death

OBIORA IFOHABUJA

Many members of the Adamawa State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) yesterday threatened defection if the national leaders of the party did not intervene in the crisis rocking it.

It will be recalled that the state chapter of the party has been faction-alised over leadership cri-sis.

While one of the fac-tions is led by Mejejiwa Kagama, the other is led by Chief Medan Teneke.

The faction headed by Chief Teneke and led by Senator Paul Wampana has, however, visited the National Working Commit-tee (NWC) members at the PDP national secretariat to complain of the alleged injustice being perpetrated by the administration of

Governor Murtala Nyako.Wampana said PDP in

Adawama State would not support illegality, but urged NWC members to stop the injustice.

He praised the national leadership of the PDP for the bold decision it took in canceling the primaries held in the 226 wards of the state.

Wapana said: We did not come here to argue cas-es, but we are here because of the decision of the lead-ership of the party. We are in support of the decision. You (Alhaji BamangaTu-kur) are our own, we will be loyal to the party on one condition - on the condition that illegality is removed from the party, we will not be party to illegality.

We brought ourselves here, you did not invite us, we have come to support you, we hope the NWC will not let us down and we will not let you down.

L-R: Minister of Sports and Chairman of National Sports Commissions, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi; Minister of Labour and Productivity, Chief Emeka Nwogu; Minister of Information and Communications, Mr. Labaran Maku and Kwara State Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed during a visit of the National Good Governance Committee to the governor in Ilorin, yesterday.

Crisis: Adamawa PDP members threaten to dump party in droves

The Kogi State Gov-ernment said yes-terday that about 600, 000, with women and children in the majority, were displaced by floods in the state.

The state Commissioner for the Environment, Mr. Abdulrahaman Wuya, said in Lokoja that the number of resettlement camps for the victims had also risen from the initial nine to 87.

Wuya said the camps were mostly public prima-ry and secondary schools and some health centres, adding that the flood affect-ed 457 communities across nine local government ar-eas.

He said the state govern-ment had set up medical

stands in the camps, while the referral centre in Idah had been directed to com-plement the medical stands in the town because of the high number of displaced people from Ibaji Local Government Area.

Wuya said a committee, under the chairmanship of the state Deputy Gover-nor, Mr Yomi Awoniyi, had been set up to evolve mea-sures of addressing all sec-tors affected by the floods.

According to him, edu-cation, agriculture, health and roads are some of the sectors already identified to have been badly affected.

He said that government had, in the interim, decided to merge 87 public primary and secondary schools cur-

rently being used as reset-tlement camps with nearby government schools.

The commissioner said that children could not con-tinue to stay at home until the first week of December when experts said the wa-ter would finally recede.

He said the merged schools would run two shifts in the morning and afternoon.

Wuya expressed regrets that communities ravaged by the flood were the food basket of the state, saying that the situation constitut-ed a threat to food security and health of the people.

He said government was thinking of how it could as-sist farmers in the remain-ing 12 Local Government

areas not affected by the flood to expand their farm-lands, using mechanised farming techniques.

Apart from this, he said that government also planned to provide the farm-ers with improved seeds and high yielding seedlings to boost production.

The commissioner said government had also sensed that the protein in-take of the people was like-ly to be badly affected as many fish ponds and live-stock farms were washed away in the flood.

He said government would give fish farmers free nets, hooks and other tools to enhance fishing ac-tivities in the riverine com-munities.

600,000 displaced in Kogi flood

PRISCILLA DENNIS MINNA

Lawmakers are not happy with the slow pace of this years budget implementation.

They have, therefore, stressed the need to sanc-tion all ministries, depart-ments and agencies that failed to adequately imple-ment the 2012 appropria-tion bill.

The lawmakers ex-

pressed the concern yester-day when the House of Rep-resentatives Committee on Power visited the Shiroro Hydro Power Station in Ni-ger State.

The committee, led by its chairman, Hon. Ibrahim Abdul Ebbo, said: With the year almost drawing to a close, implementation of budget is between 30 and 40 per cent in most institu-tions.

He said the affected in-

stitutions may be asked to explain why they failed to implement the funds appro-priated to them.

According to him, inves-tigation revealed that the 2012 appropriation bill have not been implemented up to 50 per cent.

The committee chairman said: My appraisal on the implementation of the 2012 is a very sad. While hun-dreds of billions of naira is being approved, the imple-

mentation is still stands at 34 to 40 per cent. To us, that is not acceptable at all. In fact, if I have my way, I will say there is no implementa-tion of the 2012 budget.

Ebbo said out of the N734.7 million allocated to the Hydro- Power Station, only N366 million was re-leased to the station, adding that similar visits to other power stations and agen-cies showed poor release of funds.

Reps decry poor implementation of 2012 budget

No fewer than 11 students of Akwa Ibom origin study-ing at the Federal Polytech-nic, Mubi, Adamawa State, were arrested yesterday at the Government House in Uyo.

The News Agency of Ni-geria (NAN) reports that the students, numbering more 50 had gathered at the entrance of Government House with placards.

They wanted to draw the attention of the state gover-nor to the plight of their col-leagues in Adamawa State, following last weeks vio-lence at Mubi Polytechnic.

Some of the placards read: Our Dear Governor

Godswill Akpabio, come to our aid. Akwa Ibom Gov-ernment, provide us with admission, Please, send rescue team to bring our students, We cant go back to Mubi.

In attempt to disperse the students, security opera-tives attached to the Akwa Ibom State Government House, used tear gas on them, bruised some with whips and arrested 11 of them while the rest ran away.

Police arrest 11 Mubi Poly students in Uyo

Except for Senator Uche Chuk-wumerije, who held a contrary view, all the senators who contributed to the motion were all united on the fact that even though the country is not yet on the so-cio, political and economic pedestal where it ought to be, there are nonetheless, silver linings on the nations path to development.

The lawmakers expressed these views while contributing separately on the mo-tion entitled, Congratulations to Nigeria and Nigerians on the 52nd independence anniversary, which was sponsored by Sen-ator Ita Enang.

Chukwumerije, who was the last person to contribute to the motion started straight by disagreeing with the previous contribu-tors to the motion that at 52, Nigeria and Nigerians have so much to celebrate. He de-scribed such assertion as being too gener-ous with the country. Indeed, he was of the view that his colleague-senators in their assessment of the country were celebrat-ing failure. To drive home his position, the lawmaker started by citing instances from other countries of the world who through sheer collective determination