Chukwudi Akasike, Port Harcourt

The Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra has described the National Grazing Reserve Bill as a plot to colonise the eastern part of Nigeria.

MASSOB also said that the bill was targeted at propagating violence in the South-East and labelling the Igbo as criminals.

The National Director of Information for the pro-Biafran group, Mr. Sunday Okereafor, said MASSOB would never support such a bill and cautioned governors and National Assembly members from the geo-political zone not to have anything to do with the bill.

Okereafor, who spoke in a telephone interview with The PUNCH on Wednesday, pointed out that MASSOB remained a non-violent group and called on those traditional rulers and governors who were secretly supporting the grazing bill, to desist from such act.

He said, “We are using this medium to tell the world that we are saying no to the grazing bill. We are saying no to a law that will bring herdsmen here to attack us. MASSOB says no to grazing bill.

“When we need cows, they will bring them to the South-East, and we will buy them; and not that the South-East and the South-South will give them land for their cattle to feed. The grazing bill is another plot to colonise the South-East.

“We know that some traditional rulers and some governors in the South-East are supporting the grazing bill, but we say no to such a thing. We don’t want violence in eastern Nigeria because we are a non-violent group.

“We will continue to fight for Biafra without violence and bloodshed. They want to bring herdsmen here to propagate violence so that they will label us (MASSOB members) criminals and start killing our people. That plan will fail.

“When we did not give herdsmen land, they (herdsmen) attacked and killed our people; what will happen if we give them land where they will stay? MASSOB says no to that. Any governor, senator or House of Representatives’ member, who is a signatory to the grazing bill, will bear the consequences. Let them do the grazing in the North because they have a lot of land there.”

On the recent ruling by the ECOWAS Court that the Federal Government should pay N88bn to victims of Nigeria’s civil war, Okereafor said though he had doubts over the ability of the government to pay such compensation, it would not stop the clamour for Biafra.

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Olusola Fabiyi and John Ameh, Abuja

Candidates jostling for the position of the national chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party met in Abuja on Monday night.

However, the candidates failed to reach agreement on consensus candidate.

The National Executive Committee of the party at its meeting recently fixed December 9 for the party’s national convention where its national officers are to be elected.

At the meeting, which was held at the residence of one of the aspirants,  Dr. Raymond Dokpesi, the aspirants failed to agree on the fielding of one of them for the position.

Tuesday’s night meeting was the second the aspirants would hold to discuss the possibility of having a consensus candidate.

 Apart from Dokpesi, other aspirants who attended the meeting included a former Governor of Ogun State, Otunba Gbenga Daniel;  a former Minister of Sports and Youth Development, Prof. Taoheed Adedoja; and a former governorship aspirant of the PDP in Lagos State, Mr.  Jimi Agbaje.

Other aspirants in the race, but who were not at the meeting were a former Minister of Education, Prof.  Tunde Adeniran; a former Deputy National Chairman of the party, Chief Bode George; and a former Acting National Chairman of the party,  Prince Uche Secondus.

Daniel, who spoke to journalists at the end of the meeting, however, expressed the hope that the aspirants could still choose a consensus candidate among them.

“Nothing is impossible especially when you have people of like minds. Even in the podium on the December 9, some people may, for a reason, say that they want to step down. It has happened before,” he said.

Daniel blamed the media for the “hype” as he described the contest as a family affair.

Dokpesi also noted that there was no enmity among the aspirants, adding, ”All of us are working together,  we are brothers and we have been together for a long time for something close to 30, 35 years. All we want to do is to serve the party and do our very best.”

Dokpesi, who was present at the inauguration of Bode George’s campaign office last week, promised to attend that of Daniel as well.

A source at the Adeniran campaign office also said that  Dokpesi was in the office on Monday, which Dokpesi himself confirmed.

Meanwhile, the PDP caucus in the House of Representatives is looking into the possibility of zeroing on a consensus candidate for the party’s national chairman..

The Secretary of the caucus, Mr. Tajudeen Yusuf, hinted in Abuja on Wednesday that many members had mulled the idea, saying that it was “not bad at all” but had yet to take a final stance.

Yusuf did not say which of the many aspirants seeking the seat was considered fit for the consensus choice.

The caucus has lately held rounds of meetings, taking the aspirants in batches to address them on their plans for the main opposition party.

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Leke Baiyewu, Abuja

Members of the Senate on Wednesday demanded development commissions for their respective geopolitical zones.

The demands were made during the debate on a motion moved by Senator Danjuma Goje and co-sponsored by members of the North-East caucus, titled, ‘The Assent to the North-East Development Commission.’

Several senators who spoke congratulated their North-East colleagues and thanked President Muhammadu Buhari for giving the NEDC Establishment Bill a speedy assent.

They, however, blocked the move to include Kano and Plateau states among the states to be covered by the NEDC.

They also called for a similar support whenever other geopolitical zones present their demand for a similar development commission.

The Senate, however, unanimously granted prayers of the motion to “commend the President for his assent to the North-East Development Commission Bill and commitment to the plight of the North-East geopolitical zone; and to commend the Senate President and the leadership of the 8th Senate and distinguished senators for their support which would see to the restoration of normal life in the North-East.”

The lawmakers also urged the Federal Government “to make adequate financial provisions in the 2018 budget for the commission’s appropriate take-off” while urging the donor agencies to continue to support the North-East through the newly established commission.”

They however rejected an additional prayer which urged the chamber to include Kano and Plateau states, which were removed at the committee stage, in the subsequent amendment to the NEDC Establishment Act.

Seconding the motion, Senator James Manager (Delta-South), recalled that the bill received massive support in the National Assembly and was speedily assented to by the President.

He stated that there was the need to accelerate the establishment of the South-East Development Commission.

Manager said, “The federal roads in the South-East are in a terrible state. I am not from the South-East, but that geopolitical zone needs urgent attention. If for some reasons, the (road construction) contracts have been awarded and they are not done, this should be looked into.

“The SEDC bill has passed second reading but I don’t know where that bill is now. If that bill is ready, bring it to the floor and let us also pass it. From the mood in which I saw the President few days ago, he will sign it.”

In his submission, Senator Samuel Anyanwu (Imo-East), who also congratulated the North-East on the NEDC establishment, called for support from North-East senators when other geopolitical zones come up with similar bills.

Senator Kabiru Marafa (Zamfara-Central), however, pointed out that he was opposed to the NEDC bill from the onset as it was unfair to other zones. According to him, the North-West is suffering from a security challenge similar to Boko Haram.

He said, “I rise to congratulate the people of the North-East and Mr. President for assenting to this important bill. I opposed this bill during its second reading because I believed that it was not the way to go about it. I do believe that the North-East suffered a very terrible and devastating war called Book Haram. But I believed that time that the North-East required an adequate arrangement that would solve the problems caused by the war on Boko Haram and not a permanent structure.

“The second reason was that there was no justice in the bill because Kano and Plateau states, and even the FCT, suffered the consequences of Boko Haram. We included Kano and Plateau in the commission. But as it came out from the conference committee, Kano and Plateau were excluded.”

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Niran Adedokun

Let me start by restating the trite point that there is no society entirely free of corruption.  Tendencies for compromises and self-gratification are part of the human nature and they are emotions that all mortals, irrespective of colour, race or religion are susceptible to in the absence of sufficient restraints. There, however, seems to be a consensus that this malaise bares a destructive pervasiveness in Nigeria.

This agreement is a main inspiration for the election of President Muhammadu  Buhari in 2015. As a candidate, Buhari had what a majority of Nigerians saw as a sparkling personality. He was vocal about his hatred from the vain essence of the world and made the fight against corruption a major plank of his electoral campaign.

Two years on however, discussions around the impact of the anti-corruption war initiated by the President centres round tokenistic victories of recoveries from past national plundering and the removal of  current appointees who have been caught in the same act that their principal vowed to curb.

And while at this assessment, Nigerians, usually too loving and awe-struck of their leaders, would also make excuses for the President. The most common these days is to hear,“Oh, President Buhari is a decent man, it is just the people around him who are bad. They just want to destroy his good works and the man knows nothing about it.”

Maybe, the President indeed has a lot of moonlighters around him but then, who do you blame for that? If I have no input in the selection of the people around you, why should I or anyone, even if they were “political godfathers”, take the blame for the misconduct of any appointee?

 An inalienable prerequisite for leadership should, after all, be the ability to analyse other humans. So, I would rather blame the President for the failure to select his closest allies from among people who share his character and vision for the country.

There is another reason, though, why I think the attempt to situate the serial scandals that we have recently witnessed in high places, on those around the President is faulty. And I will explain.

Leadership experts insist that a major requirement for effective leadership is constant communication without which a team would feel lost or left behind. Dale Roach, an American leadership expert while recommending the visionary virtue to leaders notes that, “The challenge for every visionary leader is not to get so far ahead of the team in what they see that they leave them behind.”

A leader who creates a vision must therefore be able to articulate that vision, drive the same with passion and relentlessly until the end. It does not seem to me that President Buhari communicated his vision of a decent Nigeria to his lieutenants in such a way that they would have clarity.

Now, there is perhaps no other way in which lucid communication is important more than a reform aimed at the minds and behaviour of people.

When a leader sets out to deal with an indulgence from which a huge number of members of the society had benefitted for years, consensus building is an essential ingredient and that must start with those people who drive the vision with him. He must explain, persuade and convince his closest helpers about the need to stay above board and put a reprimand structure, obvious to them all, in place from the outset; something like the “sign your resignation” letter in advance that the President Olusegun Obasanjo’s leadership introduced to Nigeria.

This also brings to mind the exploits that the late Lee Kuan Yew made as Prime Minister of Singapore. When he became head of the country, Yew was said to have felt “sickened” by the decadence and corruption in his country. He promised to rid Singapore of graft. Members of his government were his first crop of pictures. They wore white shirts and trousers when they were sworn into office just to signal the purity of their intentions.

Yew delivered on his promise. Amongst a number of other initiatives, he communicated his vision and the repercussion of sabotage to his colleagues.

Anyone caught thereafter faced the consequences. One of those was Teh Cheang Wan, an architect, Minister of National Development and his long term associate. In 1986, Wan was investigated for accepting kickbacks from two real-estate developers. He committed suicide one morning leaving a note in which he apologised to Lee Kuan Yew and explained: “It is only right that I should pay the highest penalty for my mistake.” He was clear about the vision of the leader and knew the consequence of being caught at marring the same.

What we have seen in the last couple of months hints at a disconnect between the President and his aides. From the dismissed Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Babachir Lawal, to the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, and his counterpart in the Ministry of Interior, Lt. Gen. Abdulrahman Dambazau, on the Abdulrasheed Maina matter, one can easily conclude that there was either no communication of the vision at all or the corollary of falling out of line was not stated. This has led to a confusion of the lines between right and wrong and an underestimation of the punishment inherent in contravention.

This point can be further illustrated by the ongoing drama between the Inspector General of Police, Mr. Ibrahim Idris, and Senator Isah Misau representing Bauchi Central Senatorial District. While Misau was recently arraigned by the Office of the Attorney General before the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, for alleged injurious falsehood against the Nigeria Police Force and the number one cop, there is no evidence of even an investigation of the allegations against the IGP.

Yet, these are weighty allegations that a government who is bent on changing perceptions about the country should quickly investigate and lay to rest. Misau, Chairman, Senate Committee on Navy, had alleged that the IGP made N10bn monthly from oil companies and other private individuals who enjoyed special protection from the security agency. He also alleged that  police officers paid as much as N2.5m to get special promotion and posting through the Police Service Commission and that the IGP  diverted money meant for the purchase of Armoured Personnel Carriers, Sport Utility Vehicles or other exotic cars. Misau also alleged, penultimate week, that the IGP was involved in amorous relationships with members of the force and had indeed got married to one officer who was promoted ahead of her peers not too long ago. Finally, he alleged that the IGP donated two Sports Utility Vehicles to the First Lady, Aisha Buhari. Although the Force Public Relations Officer, Mr. Jimoh Moshood, a Chief Superintendent of Police, recently explained that a Toyota Sienna Bus and a Toyota Hiace Bus were vehicles approved for police personnel in the convoy of the President’s wife following a request from her Aide de Camp, one is forced to wonder if the protocol is for the police to provide operational vehicles for the convoys of executives and their wives across the country.

What I am saying is that, it does not appear that President Buhari has successfully communicated his vision of a corruption-free society to those who work with him. It does not also seem that he has given them a sense of what punishment awaits anyone who dips his hands into public coffers or circumvents the laws of the land in anyway.

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Afeez Hanafi

A security guard at a hotel on Awolowo Way, Itamaga, Ikorodu, Lagos State, Joshua Jonathan, has been arrested for murder.

Jonathan allegedly stabbed one Ayo Ibrahim, another guard at the facility –Bisto Hotel and Suites – during an altercation.

PUNCH Metro learnt that the 45-year-old victim was taken to the Ikorodu General Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

The suspect was said to have been arrested by the Igbogbo Police Division.

When our correspondent visited the area, an artisan who spoke on condition of anonymity said people became aware of the incident when Ibrahim was rushed out of the hotel.

He said, “I was attending to a customer at about 12pmn on Friday, October 24, when the security man (Ibrahim) was rushed out of the hotel. He was bleeding from the chest. He was put in a car and taken to the general hospital.

“I learnt that there was an issue between him and the other security guard, but I don’t know what actually led to the disagreement. The man later died in the hospital.”

A resident, who identified himself only as Festus, explained that the hotel management had tried to keep the details of the incident away from people, adding that workers at the hotel were silent as well.

He said, “I was in the office when the incident happened. I knew about it when I came back home that day in the evening. The suspect has been arrested. It is only the management that can tell you what transpired between the two security guards.”

When our correspondent approached a security guard at the hotel, he was told that the managing director, who could speak on the matter, was not on the ground.

The guard, who gave his name simply as Nduka, said, “The managing director is not around and I am not aware of the incident.”

A man, who said he was a cleaner in the hotel, said, “The manager is not around and I don’t have his phone number. If you want to get information, you have to get in touch with our lawyer.”

The man did not provide the lawyer’s contact when requested.

Our correspondent gave his phone number and name to Nduka, but had yet to receive a call from the management as of the time of going to press on Wednesday.

Calls made to Nduka’s line also indicated that it was switched off.

The Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, Olarinde Famous-Cole, confirmed the murder and arrest of the suspect.

Famous-Cole, an Assistant Superintendent of Police, stated that the corpse of the deceased had been deposited at the general hospital mortuary for autopsy.

He said, “The suspect allegedly stabbed the deceased during an altercation. He was rushed to the hospital for treatment, but eventually died there. The suspect has been arrested and investigation is ongoing.”

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Stanley Opara with agency report

Telecoms company, the MTN Group Limited, is focused on laying the groundwork for an initial public offering of its Nigerian business and should complete the process in the next six months, its Chief Executive Officer, Rob Shuter, said on Wednesday.

“We have a lot of advisers running around and getting everything ready,” he said in an interview with Bloomberg TV.

“It’s a complicated process and there’s a lot of regulation that needs to be arranged. We are moving forward well with the project and anticipate concluding that in the next six months or so,” Shuter explained.

MTN agreed to the IPO as part of the settlement of a $1bn fine imposed by the Nigerian Communications Commission on it in 2015.

The firm, which is Africa’s biggest wireless operator by sales, incurred the penalty after missing a deadline to disconnect unregistered subscribers amid a security crackdown in the country. Since then, the CEO said he had been “pleased” with MTN’s operation in Nigeria, the biggest of the Johannesburg-based company’s 22 markets across Africa and the Middle East.

In January this year, the NSE said it was working “very closely” with MTN on the listing of its shares in the country’s bourse.

“The pressure on MTN has never been higher to list,” the NSE Chief Executive Officer, Oscar Onyema, told a business conference then, adding, “There’s a project team working with them.”

Onyema said he expected MTN’s listing to drive the IPO market, which has virtually slowed down in the past year.

MTN had appointed Stanbic IBTC Capital, Standard Bank of South Africa and Standard Advisory London, and Citigroup Global Markets, as joint transaction advisors and global coordinators, with Stanbic acting as the lead issuer.

Shuter joined MTN in March after holding executive roles at Vodafone Group Plc in Europe. He is the permanent replacement for Sifiso Dabengwa, who resigned after the Nigerian fine was imposed. The Chairman, Phuthuma Nhleko, had run the company in the interim period.

MTN’s two other main countries are Iran and South Africa. In the former, Shuter said the company was not “holding back” on expansion plans even as the United States President, Donald Trump, objected to the terms of a nuclear deal that led to the lifting of economic sanctions last year.

MTN has about 49.5 million customers in Iran, just under Nigeria’s 50.3 million, and has repatriated almost $1bn from the country in the last 12 months.

“We are putting a lot of investment into the ground in Irancell. There is a huge demand for mobile data there, and it’s one of our fastest growing data markets. It is business as usual,” Shuter added.

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Oladimeji Ramon

A Lagos State Magistrates’ Court sitting in Tinubu, Lagos Island on Wednesday granted Aminu Atiku, a son of former Vice-President Abubakar Atiku, the interim custody of the two children he had with his estranged wife, Ms. Fatima Bolori.

The presiding chief magistrate, Kikelomo Ayeye, granted Aminu custody of the children, in order to enable the children – Amirah, eight, and, Amir, six –  to complete the ongoing academic session in the school where they were enrolled in Lagos.

The magistrate made the order during Wednesday’s proceedings in a child custody suit involving Aminu and Bolori.

The proceedings, which took place in the magistrate’s chambers, were not open to journalists but our correspondent learnt that Aminu was given the temporary custody of the children.

A source privy to the proceedings told our correspondent that Aminu informed the magistrate that he had paid both children’s school fees for the entire year.

He persuaded the court to allow the kids live in his Lagos home, until the next hearing of the suit.

The court ruled that both children should be in Aminu’s custody from November 1, 2017 till January 10, 2018.

The chief magistrate, Ayeye, however, ordered Aminu to write a letter to the kids’ school, introducing Bolori as their mother and permitting her unfettered access to Amirah and Amir in their school, at any time of the day.

The court directed Aminu to allow Amirah and Amir to spend weekends, public holidays, including Christmas holidays, with Bolori, whenever she was in Lagos.

The magistrate also ordered Aminu to deposit both children’s passports in their mother’s custody.

The case was adjourned till January 10, 2018.

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Samson Folarin

The disappearance of two girls – Peace and Jennifer John, aged 12 and 14 respectively – has aroused considerable anxiety in their parents.

 The parents are worried about the safety and whereabouts of the siblings, who went missing at their home on Assemblies of God Road, Agudama, Yenagoa, Bayelsa State.

The father of the victims, Lucky John, a plumber, told PUNCH Metro that the girls had been missing since October 1, 2017.

He said he had visited different places of interest of the girls, adding that he had yet to get any positive response.

He said, “On October 1 around 6pm, I was away to work, while their mother was at home. The two of them went out and they never returned. Till now, I have not seen or heard anything about them. We have gone to different places to look for them without any result. Nobody has called to demand ransom. The two girls have the phone number of their mother, but they have not called. We are afraid.”

Our correspondent learnt that the victims were both Junior Secondary School Three pupils of Community Girls Secondary School, Agudama-Epie, Yenagoa.

 They were said to be the second and third born of seven children of the Johns.

Their father said he did not know if they had boyfriends whom they might have eloped with.

He added that his daughters were well-behaved and never showed any sign of discontentment before their disappearance.

The Bayelsa State Police Public Relations Officer, Asinim Butswat, said the case had not been reported to the police.

He said, “I cannot comment on the matter because he has not reported it to the police. When I asked him why, he said he thought the children would come back and people advised him to hold on. They have been missing for a month. I have asked him to go to a station.”

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Leke Baiyewu, Abuja

The Inspector General of Police, Mr. Ibrahim Idris, on Wednesday failed to appear before the Senate committee probing into allegations made against him by the lawmaker representing Bauchi Central Senatorial District, Isa Misau.

Idris wrote a letter through his lawyer, Alex Iziyon (SAN), to inform the Senate panel that it would be sub judice to speak on the matter as there were pending cases in court.

Misau had last week appeared before the panel, where he made more allegations on the crisis between him and the police boss, including how Idris allegedly gave two Sports Utility Vehicles to the wife of the President, Aisha Buhari.

He had also alleged that Idris diverted funds appropriated for the acquisition of Armoured Personnel Carriers in the 2016 budget to purchase personal vehicles.

The Chairman, Senate’s Ad Hoc Committee to Investigate the Various Allegations Levelled against the Police, Inspector General of Police and the Police Service Commission, Senator Francis Alimikhena, while addressing journalists on Wednesday, however, insisted that the police boss must appear before the panel.

He said, “The Inspector General of Police says he will not appear before this committee because he has gone to court and that there are three cases he went to court for; that if he should appear before the committee, it will be sub judice and because of it, he will not appear. Most of the allegations levelled against him and virement in the 2016 budget were not part of why they went to court.

“This committee was constituted before the IG went to court; the court case will not deter our committee because, following the principles of separation of power, no court can stop our committee.

“By Section 89(c) and (d) of the 1999 Constitution, we are still going to invite the IG to appear before us to answer specific questions like virement of 2016 Appropriation Act based on our oversight functions, which Senator Misau alleged too. He is to appear before us on Tuesday next week. We are going to write him specifically.”

He added, “So, I just want to let you know that the Inspector General of Police will not be appearing this afternoon but we are going to write him again to appear before us on Tuesday next week.

“Otherwise, we will be forced to invoke Section 89(c) of the 1999 Constitution,” and issue a warrant for his arrest.

A copy of the letter, which was sighted by our correspondent on Wednesday, made reference to the pending cases in court.

It read in part, “We have been briefed by the Inspector General of Police, Mr. Ibrahim Idris, hereinafter referred to as our client. We have his firm and unequivocal instructions to reply and/or respond to your letter dated 26th October, 2017.

“We have perused the contents of the said letter, and terms of reference, and it is our instruction to reply in the terms hereunder.

“While we hold the distinguished chairman and members of the said ad hoc committee in the highest regard in the discharge of its constitutional duties under the constitution, we venture to bring to your kind notice facts, which will make it imperative for your ad hoc committee to stand down the said investigation for now or put it in complete abeyance.”

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Former world heavyweight champion Tyson Fury wants US President Donald Trump in his corner as he mulls “the biggest fight ever” against reigning IBF and WBA champion Anthony Joshua, AFP reports.

 Joshua, 28, successfully defended his titles against Carlos Takam in Cardiff  on Saturday and either WBO champion Joseph Parker or WBC champion Deontay Wilder appear the most likely next opponents.

But Joshua’s promoter Eddie Hearn is also eyeing an all-British showdown with Fury next year.

Fury, 29, this week contacted Trump on Twitter to ask him to join his ringwalk, asking the US president who he thinks would win a bout with Joshua.

“@realDonaldTrump who do you think wins the fury vs AJ fight? You can walk me out if you want, be a part of the biggest fight ever,” he tweeted.

A number of personal issues have kept Fury on the sidelines since November 2015, when he defeated Wladimir Klitschko for the WBA, IBF and WBO heavyweight titles, and he remains without a boxing licence.

But he believes a bout with Joshua would resemble Muhammad Ali’s legendary “Rumble in the Jungle” with George Foreman in Kinshasa in 1974.

Fury posted an image of the two all-time great combatants on Instagram, along with the caption: “This is what’s to come!

“The old champ coming back to fight a man who every1 thinks will ko me, same as Ali vs Forman the stylish Ali vs the mummy Forman! We all know what happens in this fight!

“I know you all got me whooped, but I will not lay down or be afraid of some muscles & I have the mentality of a winner a man who has never lost a fight.”

Fury, who is still waiting for a final ruling from UK Anti-Doping on a suspended drugs ban after the hearing was adjourned in July, also laid down the gauntlet to Wilder.

“AJ & Wilder I’m coming back for you pair my mission is seek & destroy the only thing on my mind is destruction who ever gets in my way will be dealt with accordingly.

“There’s only 1 winner & that’s the fans! Let’s make the heavyweights great again, fight the best in the division.”

Festus Abu

CAF on Wednesday published its list of nominees  for the for the 2017 African Player of the Year award with three Nigerians named.

Super Eagles duo Victor Moses and William Troost-Ekong made the 30-man elite list (dominated by players plying their trade outside Africa) while Junior Ajayi, who plies his trade in Egypt with  Al Ahly,  was included  in the  second-tier category of the African Player of the Year-based in Africa.

According to CAF, the winner of the top award will be decided by votes from the head coaches/technical directors of the national associations affiliated to  the federation, members of the  Technical and Development Committee and a panel of media experts.

The award ceremony   will be  held in Accra, Ghana, on January 4, 2018.

Other  notable players on the elite list are Gabon  and Borussia Dortmund’s  Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Senegal and Liverpool’s Sadio Mane  and  Egypt and Liverpool  defender   Mohamed Salah, who made it to the last four in last year’s award won by Algeria’s  Riyad Mahrez.

However, Mahrez, who was a top performer in the Leicester City  team that pulled off one of the biggest underdog victories in football history by winning the 2015/16 English Premier League title, was ignored by CAF.

 China-based attacker  Christian Bassogog, who helped Cameroon win the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations  in Gabon,  is also on the list alongside Manchester United defender Eric Bailly,   in-demand RB Leipzig  midfielder Naby Keita,  Nice midfielder Jean Michel Seri and Egypt goalkeeper Essam El Hadary.

Moses is one of the favourites for the continent’s biggest award  after helping  Chelsea  win  the Premier League  title last season.

The 26-year-old Chelsea wing-back, who is currently  sidelined by injury, scored three goals to help Nigeria qualify for  the Russia 2018 World Cup.

Turkey-based defender Troost-Ekong  expressed his delight at his nomination for the award along with  Moses.

“Honoured to be nominated for African Player of the Year. Representing Nigeria together with Victor Moses,” the  Bursaspor  player  wrote on his  Twitter  account  on Wednesday.

The late Rashidi Yekini  was the first Nigerian to win the award in 1993. Emmanuel Amuneke won the 1994 title while Nwankwo Kanu won it in 1996. Victor ikpeba won the crown in 1997 while Kanu landed the title in 1999, which was the last time a Nigerian grabbed the gong.

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For the country to progress, the incoming  political leaders will need to tackle the following areas. Water supply should be a major priority concern for the government. During the 70s and 80’s, water was running freely in the cities unlike today. The “pure water” companies have been taken by a few citizens and government agencies have boreholes serving them. Electricity is poor.

It was estimated we needed 10,000 megawatts in the 70s to solve our energy needs. Today, we have 7,000 megawatts when the population has tripled! In the area of transport, railway was abandoned in the last 40 years in favour of roads which are not maintained. Luckily, the present government is emphasising the railways.

For progress to be achieved, the fight against corruption must be vigorously pursued so that looting of the treasury of millions is prevented and those stolen money is recovered.

Adisa Adebayo,

42 Anifowose Sterr Ilorin,

Kwara State

Etim Ekpimah, Uyo

The Akwa Ibom State Police Command has arrested 20 cult members said to be involved in armed robbery, rape and kidnapping.

The suspects, who were said to have been picked up through police intelligence in the Onna Local Government Area, had reportedly owned up to the crimes.

The state Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Elkana Bala, said in Uyo on Wednesday that the leaders of the two cults, Victor Udofia, 50 (Isakaba cult); and Victor Andrew, 52 (Ikpat cult), had also been arrested.

The PPRO associated the cult activities in the state with chieftaincy tussle and politics.

According to him, policemen attached to the Anti-Robbery and Anti-Kidnapping Squad identified some flash points at Ukanafun and Etim Ekpo LGAs, adding that the command had enough intelligence about the areas.

Bala stated that all the suspects would be charged to court before the end of next week.

He noted that the 15 suspects that were arrested in Etim Ekpo and Ukanafun LGAs for similar crimes had all been remanded in custody.

“In a well-coordinated operation and with the support of other sister security agencies, we arrested 20 suspected cult members from two different cults – Sakaba and Ikpat cults.

“The members of these cults have also been linked with crimes in the areas. They are not only into cult activities, they are involved in kidnapping, armed robbery, and rape.

“The Isakaba group has a man, Victor Udofia, claiming to be a pastor in one of the new generation churches. He is 50 years and leading  youths into crime.

“The leader of the second group, Victor Andrew, is 52 years old. He has been linked to a chieftaincy tussle in a village in Onna.

“The village, Ekwere community, does not have a village head presently. So, these two factions mobilised  members and use them for attacks and other criminal activities in Onna.

“All the 20 suspects will soon be charged to court,” he said.

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Akinpelu Dada

The Voluntary Assets and Income Declaration Scheme has collected data of over five million corporate organisations and individuals in the country.

This was disclosed in a statement issued by the VAIDS Office in the Federal Ministry of Finance on Wednesday.

According to the statement, data collected will be subjected to further analysis to ensure that all unpaid taxes are tracked and collected.

The office also stated that the second phase of its data mining initiative was aimed at obtaining data from all government revenue-generating agencies such as the Federal Inland Revenue Service, Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, Central Bank of Nigeria, Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, Federal Housing Authority, Petroleum Technology Development Fund and the Nigerian Communications Commission.

Data harvested from these agencies, the VAIDS office explained, would be used to determine the companies that had not remitted taxes based on income earned, those that had under-declared, and government agencies and corporate organisations that had collected taxes on behalf of the government but had failed to remit such.

Last month, the data collection efforts of the VAIDS office received a boost when the governments of Lagos, Osun and Kaduna states as well as the Federal Capital Territory Administration volunteered to provide all transaction data required to identify tax defaulters at the expiry of the first phase of the tax amnesty programme on March 31, 2018.

States that provide the required information were expected to experience steep jump in their Internally Generated Revenue, as analyses of data by the VAIDS office would lead to considerable recovery of lost revenues and provide a rich data capture of eligible taxpayers, the statement said.

Earlier, the VAIDS office had obtained data on all contracts and transactions above N50m from the Nigeria Customs Service, Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria and the Nigeria Export-Import Bank, among other sources.

Data collected are being matched with those that will be provided by the FIRS, Corporate Affairs Commission and the Government Integrated Financial and Management Information System to identify tax-defaulting companies.

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Tony Okafor, Awka

Two Nigerian-born South African prisoners have been fingered in the killing of worshippers at St. Philip’s Catholic Church, Ozubulu, Ekwusigo Local Government Area of Anambra State, on August 6.

The Anambra State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Garba Umar, disclosed this at a press conference on Wednesday in his office at Amawbia, in the Awka Local Government Area of the state.

He gave the names of the suspects as Prince Charles Obi, a.k.a. Gozila, and Dickson Nwodi, a.k.a. Afam.

Umar said Interpol had been involved to extradite the suspects.

He said other suspects in the killing who had been in police custody would be arraigned this week.

The CP’s statement read in part, “Two indigenes of Anambra State from Nnobi and Oba LGAs respectively, currently serving prison terms in South Africa for murder, have taken responsibility for the attack.

“They vowed that there will be more attacks if their financial demands, which were not disclosed, made of certain persons are not met.

“They mandated one Quintus Anayo (alias Obasanjo) based in South Africa to come to Ozubulu and inform the elders of the town of this threat.

“The two prisoners in South Africa are Prince Charles Obi (a.k.a. Gozila) and Dickson Nwodi (a.k.a. Afam).

“The command wishes to state categorically that we will ensure that all identified perpetrators are brought to book. On that strength, three of the suspects in custody are to be arraigned within this week on charges of conspiracy and murder with other suspects at large.

“The Interpol is already involved in the investigation and possible extradition of the suspects based in South Africa who claimed responsibility for the attack on the church.”

He assured the public that no one, directly or indirectly, involved in the killing would be left off the hook.

On the involvement of Aloysius Ikegwuonu, aka Bishop, in the saga, the CP said, “Bishop is just a victim. If they had seen him that day, they would have killed him.”

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Ade Adesomoju, Abuja

The Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Walter Onnoghen, on Wednesday expressed regret over the sudden resignation of a former President of the Court of Appeal, Justice Ayo Salami, as the Chairman, Corruption and other Financial Crime Cases Trials Monitoring Committee set up by the National Judicial Council.

The CJN  spoke at the inauguration of the committee, which is now headed by a retired Justice of the Supreme Court, Justice Suleiman Galadima.

The NJC had on Tuesday announced Justice Galadima as Justice Salami’s replacement following the ex-PCA’s resignation reported in the media last week.

At the inauguration of the Galadima-led 16-man committee on Wednesday, Justice Onnoghen noted that Justice Salami earlier gave his consent to serve on the committee.

He however expressed gratitude that Justice Galadima accepted to serve on the committee.

He said, “The committee was initially billed to be headed by His Lordship, Hon. Justice Ayo lsa Salami, OFR, former President of the Court of Appeal.

“Having earlier given his consent, we regret that His Lordship is unable to assume the leadership of the committee for personal reasons. We do hope however that His Lordship, Hon. Justice Ayo Salami, OFR, will in the near future, be available to offer the judiciary in particular and the nation in general the benefits of his wealth of experience.

“However, I am pleased to announce that Hon. Justice Suleiman Galadima, JSC (retd.), CFR, has graciously accepted to serve as the chairman of the committee.”

Members of the committee are the current President of the Nigeria Bar Association, Mr. Abubakar Mahmoud, and some of his predecessors.

Ex-NBA Presidents named as members of the committee are Chief Wole Olanipekun (SAN), Mr. Olisa Agbakoba (SAN), Mr. Joseph Daudu (SAN). and Mr. Augustine Alegeh (SAN).

Other members of the committee are the Chief Judge of Borno State, Justice Kashim Zannah; Chief Judge of Imo State,  Justice P.O. Nnadi; Chief Judge of Delta State,  Justice Marsahal Umukoro; and Chief Judge of Oyo State, Justice M. L. Abimbola.

Others include two members of the NJC, Dr. Garba Tetengi (SAN), and Mrs. R.I. Inga; representative, Non-Governmental Organisations, representative, Federal Ministry of Justice, and the representative, Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria.

The Secretary of NJC, Gambo Saleh, will serve as the secretary of the committee.

The CJN said the constitution of the committee was part of “far-reaching measures aimed at providing renewed impetus to eradicate delays in the trials of corruption and other economic crime cases in our courts” which he announced in September.

The CJN, who is also the Chairman of the NJC, said the Council at its 83rd meeting held on September 27 and 28, 2017, approved the setting up of the committee.

He said as part of such measures, he also announced that that heads of courts were directed to compile and submit a compendium of all corruption cases being handled by their various jurisdictions and also directed them to designate a court or more in their jurisdictions to handle solely such cases.

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Ade Adesomoju, Abuja

The Federal High Court in Abuja on Wednesday struck out an application by former President Goodluck Jonathan seeking an order setting aside the subpoena issued on him to appear in defence of a former National Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party, Mr. Olisa Metuh.

The court, presided over by Justice Okon Abang, also dismissed an application by a former National Security Adviser, Sambo Dasuki, seeking an adjournment pending the determination of his motion pending before the Court of Appeal to challenge the subpoena issued on him to appear in the case.

Justice Abang held that granting Dasuki’s application would amount to flouting the earlier judgment of the Court of Appeal delivered on September 29, directing him to sign and ensure the execution of the subpoena on Dasuki.

Jonathan had in his own application, sought an order setting aside the subpoena issued on him or in the alternative directing Metuh to deposit N1bn to cover his travelling expenses to travel to Abuja to testify.

But the judge after hearing Jonathan’s lawyer, Chief Mike Ozekhome (SAN), and Metuh’s defence team, who opposed the application, held that he had no jurisdiction to entertain the application.

The court held that since the ex-President had yet to be served with the court’s subpoena directing him to appear in court, it was not enough for him to rely on news reported in the media to file the application.

He ruled, “It is my humble view that I lack jurisdiction to entertain the application filed by the applicant, that is, His Excellency, Goodluck Jonathan. From the records of the court, it is not in dispute that Dr. Jonathan has yet to be served with the subpoena issued by this court on October 23, 2017 on the application of the 1st defendant (Metuh).

“Unless his Excellency, Dr. Jonathan is served with the subpoena and the proof of service is duly filed and placed before the court, I have no jurisdiction in making an enforceable order, which is executory in nature, even if the order is declaratory, either in his favour or against him.

“Service of the court process on him goes to the root of adjudication, the absence of which nullifies the proceedings, no matter how well conducted. I do not want to work in vein. It is even not proper to work in vein.

“Dr. Jonathan, with the greatest respect to him, cannot rely on a newspaper publication or news item from the electronic media to come to the conclusion that the subpoena is vague. It is a hearsay evidence, which has no relevance in court of law.

“The issue of alleged invasion of his right to personal liberty or privacy can only be considered where he is in court and in the witness box and he is asked questions. If there is an objection then, the court will determine if such question infringes on his right to personal liberty, not when he has not been served and he is not in court.

“The application is likened to a defendant arraigned in a criminal matter, except his plea is taken, the court will not have jurisdiction to take decisions for or against the defendant. See the case of Mohammed Abacha vs Federal Republic of Nigeria, reported in Part 1042 NWLR. Except Dr. Jonathan is served with the subpoena, I have no jurisdiction to entertain his application.

“I am inclined to dismiss this application because it has been argued on the merit, but reluctantly. I am going to strike it out. The application is struck out for want of jurisdiction.”

With respect to Dasuki’s application, the judge held that he refused to grant it because it would amount to granting an order of stay of proceedings prohibited by the Administration of Criminal Justice Act.

He cited the decision of the Supreme Court in the case of Metuh against the Federal Government in which judgment was delivered on June 9, 2017 validating the provision of section 306 of the ACJA which prohibits stay of proceedings.

He said, “This is an application filed in criminal proceedings, therefore, it is governed by the provision of section 306 of ACJA” adding, “I am bound by the decision of the Supreme Court in this regard.”

According to the judge, it would also amount to staying the judgment of the Court of Appeal which ordered him to sign the subpoena issued on Dasuki.

He added, “If I adjourn this case, it would have stayed the judgment of the Court of Appeal delivered on September 29, 2017.”

He said if Dasuki was dissatisfied with the Court of Appeal’s order, “the applicant knows what to do.”

He also told Dasuki not to urge the court not to move the court “to be on collision course with the Court of Appeal.”

The judge ruled, “I will take the evidence of Col. Dasuki that is in court today,” adding that “the justice of this case demands that it should be dismissed.”

Dasuki entered the witness box as Metuh’s eighth defence witness after Justice Abang dismissed his application on Wednesday.

Fielding questions from Metuh’s lawyer, Mr. Emeka Etiaba (SAN),  Dasuki told the court that he could no long remember the details of the N400m which he gave  to Metuh in 2014.

It was the first time Dasuki would be physically asked questions relating to his alleged diversion  of funds meant for arms procurement into presidential campaigns of the then ruling PDP in 2015.

Dasuki, who had been in the custody of the Department of State Services since December 2015, was produced in court by the agency’s operatives on Wednesday following an application by Metuh that the ex-NSA be summoned.

Led in evidence by Etiaba, Dasuki said he could not remember the details of the payment of N400m, which is part of the subjects of the charges instituted against Metuh.

He said his incarceration for about two years had deprived him of access to documents that could help him to give any meaningful evidence.

When asked if he, as the then NSA, remembered that he had dealing with Metuh and his (Metuh’s) firm, Destra Investments Limited, in 2014, Dasuki said, “I cannot confirm if I had any dealing with him from memory.”

He added, “If I have any dealing at all as it relates to this case, it’s not possible that without reference to my record, I cannot respond in a manner that will please you (referring to Metuh’s lawyer).

He said as the NSA he was “essentially a principal staff officer in the Office of the President”.

Asked why he was in court, he said, he said, “I am here to answer to a court ruling, a subpoena.”

When asked to give the details about the payment, Dasuki said, “That will be very difficult for me to give any details of the money paid to Chief Olisa Metuh and the second defendant (Destra Investment Limited) without reference to my records. “Three years is a long time.”

Asked when he could have access to his records, Dasuki said, “I have stated earlier that I have been in custody for two years. As soon as authorities decide to obey the subsisting court orders.

“I have four bail court orders and an ECOWAS Court ruling. When they release me, I can go through the records. “That is when I will be able to give a timeline. As long as I am in detention, the answer is I don’t know.”

He confirmed that he had filed processes before the Supreme Court in respect of his bail which had been slated for hearin on January 25, 2018

At this point, Etiaba sought an adjournment on the basis of the need for Dasuki to have an access to his records.

Justice Abang fixed November 3 for ruling.

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Ihuoma Chiedozie, Enugu

Indications emerged on Wednesday that the Enugu State Government has made arrangements to fly a former Vice-President, Dr. Alex Ekwueme, out of the country for medical treatment.

The second republic Vice-President is currently at the Intensive Care Unit of Memfys Hospital for Neurosurgery, in Trans-Ekulu, Enugu, after collapsing at his residence in the Independence Layout area of Enugu on Saturday.

A source in the Enugu State Government House informed our correspondent on Wednesday that the state government had made arrangements to fly Ekwueme out of the country, for medical attention in an undisclosed country.

Although the source did not disclose the particular country and hospital where the elder statesman would be flown to, he explained that relevant officials of the state government had contacted Ekwueme’s personal physicians in order to arrange the planned medical trip.

“The Enugu State Government is making arrangements to fly him (Ekwueme) out of the country to enable him to receive adequate medical attention.

“We have got in touch with his personal physicians to arrange the trip. He has doctors who have been attending to him before now, so we are arranging everything.

“The governor (Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi) has already visited him in the hospital and he is doing everything within his powers to ensure that Ekwueme recovers,” the source said.

However, our correspondent learnt that plans to fly the former Vice-President out of the country might be put on hold until his condition stabilises.

It was gathered that Ekwueme is still in coma.

A source in the hospital informed our correspondent on Wednesday that the doctors were battling to stabilise the octogenarian, who marked his 85th birthday on October 21.

The source explained that the elder statesman might not be flown abroad until he comes out of coma.

He said Ekwueme was receiving adequate attention in the hospital.

“The doctors are working round the clock to stabilise him. We understand that there are plans to fly him abroad, but that would be when his condition stabilises.

“He is still in coma; he has to be stabilised before embarking on any foreign medical trip.

“The doctors are working round the clock to ensure that he pulls through,” the source said.

Relevant officials of the Enugu State Government were not willing to speak on the record concerning plans by the state government to fly Ekwueme abroad for medical treatment.

When contacted by our correspondent, the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Media and Publicity, Mr. Louis Amoke, said he was at the State Executive Council meeting, and as a result, could not comment on the matter.

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Simon Utebor, Yenagoa

A 37-year-old Cameroonian national has died in his lover’s home in Ogboinbiri community of the Southern Ijaw Local Government Area of Bayelsa State.

The death of the Cameroonian, identified simply as Dr Charles, a patent medicine dealer, had reportedly aroused controversy.

Two different accounts of the incident were given by residents of the community.

Some indigenes of Ogboinbiri community claimed that the Cameroonian died after an alleged sex romp with his 35-year-old lover, an indigene of the community.

But another account claimed that Charles, who was allegedly ill from an unidentified ailment, slumped as soon as he entered the house.

He reportedly died before he could be rushed to Zia-Ngo Health Centre, the only public health facility in the community.

A community source said Charles’ corpse had been deposited in the morgue of the Federal Medical Centre, Yenagoa, the state capital.

“The death of Charles is a mystery. Everyone heard that he was ill, but nobody could confirm if they had sex, which triggered the death,” the source said.

Indigenes of the community were said to have reported the matter at the Oporoma Police Division.

It was learnt that the Divisional Police Officer, along with five policemen, had visited the house where the incident took place.

When contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer, Bayelsa State Command, Mr. Asinim Butswat, confirmed the incident.

Butswat, a Deputy Superintendent of Police, said the preliminary report available to the command revealed that the deceased Cameroonian died of a natural cause.

“The report indicated that he was ill and slumped. He was said to have died before getting to the community health centre,” the police spokesman said.

Meanwhile, the Bayelsa State Police Command said its operatives arrested no fewer than 16 suspected armed robbers, five kidnappers, 66 teenagers and cult members in different parts of the state.

The suspects were paraded at the headquarters of the state police command in Yenagoa on Tuesday.

The police said the arms and ammunition recovered from the suspects were four locally-made pistols, two pump-action guns, one 7.62mm live ammunition, 20 .9mm live ammunition and 30 rounds of AAA cartridges.

The Commissioner of Police in the state, Mr. Amba Asuquo, said the 66 teenagers, whose ages ranged from 14 to 17, were arrested in possession of weeds suspected to be cannabis.

He said the underage persons, comprising 36 males and 30 females, were arrested when a team of the state Anti-Robbery Squad raided a community in the Ekeki area of Yenagoa.

Asuquo said profiling and screening were ongoing, adding that the teenagers would be counselled allowed to go.

“Also, the police intercepted a tricyle with three occupants armed with a locally-made revolver pistol on Melford Okilo Road.On sighting the team, the hoodlums fled. One of them was arrested. Other gang members were traced to Custom Road, Biogbolo, Yenago,” Asuquo said.

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