Tuesday, 17 May 2016
Chelsea, Spurs fined combined £600,000 over clashes
Chelsea and Tottenham have been fined £375,000 ($540,000, 476,000 euros) and £225,000 ($324,000, 286 euros) respectively for failing to control their players during a feisty 2-2 draw at Stamford Bridge earlier this month.
The tempestuous London derby boiled over as Chelsea came from two goals down to secure the point that ended Tottenham’s hopes of winning the Premier League.
Tottenham midfielder Mousa Dembele was handed a six-match ban after gouging Chelsea striker Diego Costa’s eye during one of several ugly mass brawls.
Referee Mark Clattenburg did not punish Dembele for his actions, but television replays caught the Belgium international attacking Costa.
There were 12 yellow cards in total and Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino at one stage rushed onto the pitch to separate Tottenham’s Danny Rose and Chelsea’s Willian.
The feuding continued after the final whistle when Rose was involved in another incident that prompted a brawl involving players and staff from both clubs and featured Chelsea interim manager Guus Hiddink being pushed to the floor.
“Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur have been fined £375,000 and £225,000 respectively after both clubs admitted three breaches of FA Rule E20 for failing to control their players and/or officials,” an FA statement read.
“It follows incidents which occurred in the 45th and 87th minutes and also at the end of their fixture at Stamford Bridge on Monday 2 May 2016.”
The unusually large size of the fines was triggered by Chelsea and Tottenham’s previous charges for similar offences over the last 18 months.
“Prior to this fixture, Chelsea had breached FA Rule E20 on four separate occasions and Tottenham Hotspur twice since November 2014,” the statement added.
“Following the Independent Regulatory Commission hearing, both clubs were also warned as to their future conduct.”
Putting the fines in context, Chelsea and Arsenal were hit with £40,000 and £30,000 punishments respectively following an ill-tempered clash earlier this season which saw Gunners duo Gabriel and Santi Cazorla sent off and Costa banned retrospectively.
Arsenal received a then record fine of £175,000 for failing to control their players in a controversial draw at Manchester United in September 2003.
Lauren, Martin Keown, Ashley Cole, Ray Parlour and Patrick Vieira were all also fined after pleading guilty to improper conduct, taking the overall total to £275,000.
Vieira was sent off, while Lauren and Martin Keown infamously confronted United striker Ruud van Nistelrooy after he missed a late penalty.
Leeds and Tottenham were each given £150,000 fines for a mass brawl during a game in February 2000.
Cattle rearing, night grazing banned in Enugu
Grazing and rearing of cattle at night was yesterday banned in Enugu State after a meeting between Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi and leaders of Fulani/Shuwa Arab herdsmen in the state.
Also banned are the carrying of firearms or any form of ammunition by the herdsmen and movement of cattle from one location to another at night in the state.
This decision was arrived at during a peace committee meeting made up of representatives of the various interest groups from the Fulani/ Shuwa Arab Community and representatives and security agencies, among other stakeholders in the state.
During the meeting convened by Ugwuanyi, and also attended by leaders of some communities affected by the herdsmen menace in the state, it was also decided that compensation would be paid by herdsmen whose cattle destroyed farm crops while the communities would pay for any cattle killed by their members.
Ugwanyi had convened the meeting in furtherance of ongoing efforts by the state government to find lasting solutions to the lingering clashes between Fulani herdsmen and their host communities,
especially in the wake of the recent Nimbo killings.
According to the decision, violators of these resolutions would be made to face the full wrath of the law.
Present at the meeting were the secretary of the Fulani Community in the state, Bala Ardo, the leader of the Fulani community, Alhaji AdoSaidu Basu, and the leader of the Shuwa Arab community in the state, Alhaji Ahmed Yahaya, while the traditional ruler of Ibute Nze led leaders of three communities of Akpakwume, Ezi Nze and Ibute Nze communities in Udi council area of the state who also attended the meeting.
Robbers attack Olumba Obu Virgins in Calabar
CALABAR – THREE Female priests of the Brotherhood of the Cross and Star popularly called “Olumba Virgins” were Sunday morning attacked and dispossessed of money, phones, and other valuables on their way to morning worship in Calabar.
The virgins aged between 17 and 22 who are members of the’144,000 Virgins Body’ of Brotherhood of the Cross and Star were inflicted with machete cuts and their dresses torn to shreds by the hoodlums.
“We were robbed and beaten up in the neighbourhood of Mbukpa/Ambo axis as we left the ‘Virgins Home’ at 5am for devotion at our church headquarters at 34 Ambo Street which is a stone stone-throw from where we live”. One of the Virgins told Vanguard.
The hoodlums also attacked pregnant member of the church and inflicted a deep machete cut on her neck for screaming for help. “They cut me on the neck when I shouted for help and one of them said they should cut me on the stomach but others refused”. The lady who gave her name as Mrs Jane Michael Effiong said.
A resident of the area, Emem Okokon said hoodlums have increased their attacks in the area and appealed for security agents to save them from the incessant attacks from the marauders.
“Yesterday, (Saturday) at about 7pm some young men posed as customers and entered Sparks supermarket on Mbukpa Road and collected the sales proceeds of the day from the sales cashier at gunpoint” Emem said
Police PRO John Eluu said they have directed the DPO of Mbukpa Police Division to increase surveillance of the area.
Fuel hike price: Sorry, I won’t be at Ojota, By Yinka Odumakin
WHILE I join other well-meaning Nigerians to condemn in the strongest terms, the recent insensitive,wicked and punitive increase in the price of petrol to officially N145 per litre,I have to tell all those who have called on me to be part of providing leadership for resistance to the measure to perish the thought.
My heart is with the conned people of Nigeria as they fight this unpopular act of government but my body will not be in their midst. Having spent 30 years of my life in the struggle against the manipulation of the people on this issue of “fuel subsidy”. I am fully persuaded that I have to deploy my energy to a nobler cause.
I have to take public stand in view of the various calls, messages, and verbal requests that have come to me since the Federal Government decided to sentence Nigerians to more hardship by increasing the pump price (don’t soak the “deregulation” lie). My provoking encounter with a gentleman 2I never knew at an intersection in Abuja on Friday whom I asked for direction is the last straw. The man entered his car and offered to lead me to the road I asked for and then said “Mr Odumakin,please we are waiting for your leadership against this fuel price regime. Help me tell Madam too…”
The 1986 Ife protestin
I recall vividly December 21,1986.Then University of Ife was to have its convocation and the Military Head of State, General Ibrahim Babangida was expected as the visitor. He was not there physically but sent the Chief of Naval Staff,Patrick Koshoni to represent him.
The convocation arena at Oduduwa Hall was filled to capacity before we marched at the gate to start protest songs against Babangida’s regime and demanding especially the release of then Nigerian Labour Congress, NLC, President , Mr. Paschal Bafyau and some of his officials who were detained over Labour’s opposition to the plan by the military junta to increase pump price of petrol from 42kobo a litre to 70k. It was called “subsidy removal”, a prescription from the the International Monetary Fund,IMF.
Such was the protest that by the time the convocation was over, Koshoni had to escape in the car of then Military Administrator of Oyo State, Col. Tunji Olurin abandoning the helicopter that brought him at the sports complex. Security details in their convoy shot teargas into the air with protesters ‘replying’ with pebbles.
The Students Union was under ban at the time.The following day, the University Management under Prof. Wande Abimbola took the names of the ten editorial members of PETALS, the fiery campus magazine I edited with two other students for suspension accusing us of being the brains behind the protest.We were suspended indefinitely.The legal firm of Mr. Alao Aka-Bashorun assigned Mr. Femi Falana to tell the court that the University rule book empowers the Vice-Chancellor to discipline any student who has been “found guilty” of an offense but that we were not tried not to talk of been found guilty.The judge agreed and asked us to return to school armed with a “perpetual injunction”.
After leaving school,I have participated in so many protests against “subsidy removal”. I recall the days of Obasanjo when Adams Oshiomole as NLC President would ostensibly have agreed with the government on pump price and they would fix something higher. The demagogue would then led the country to protest.Whenever it was time to decide on strike,he would allow us radicals to speak without inhibitions but after two or three days of protest he would go for “negotiation”.By the time he summons the meeting to call off the strike to accept the offer from government,he would ensure that only his henchmen are allowed to speak in favor of strike “suspension.”The most memorable of the anti-fuel hike protests for me was “Occupy Nigeria” in 2012 when the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan increased pump price to N140 per liter on New Year day.
Pastor Tunde Bakare who joined us on the street for the first time in 2010 when he convened the Save Nigeria Group,SNG, to rattle the cabal that would not allow power transfer to Jonathan in spite of the incapacitation of President Umaru Yar’Adua had asked me to call a meeting of the fighters. We met at the SNG secretariat with Femi and Seun Kuti, King Wasiu Ayinde Marshal, Ras Kimono and DedeMabiakwu in attendance. We agreed to have a rally at Ojota on January 9,2012.
January 12, 2012 protest: We expected good turn out based on the mobilisation we carried out but the turn out surpassed our expectations.The second day doubled the first day.The third day spilled out of control. The fourth day communicated to us that a stampede was in the offing if we did not do something .We had to ask the crowd to go home for the weekend on the fifth and return on Monday. Our suspension allowed Labour to cut a deal and Ojota was taken over before we could come back on Monday by troops.
A lot has been written about Ojota and how Fashola and Tinubu “funded” the big movement.The truth is farther from that lie.Pastor Bakare and I met Fashola once during the protests where he appealed that we should not allow a breakdown of law and order so that the Federal Government would not declare an emergency in Lagos.We didn’t take a dime from him.We had no interaction with Tinubu in anyway. A Nigerian billionaire who lived abroad who offered to support the movement was told by Pastor Bakare that we could afford to sponsor what we were doing. All we spent for the five days that shook the world was N7.5million and not one kobo of it came from any external source.
Dysfunctional system
It was a moment that proved clearly that social mobility is not frozen in Nigeria, if the right leadership is provided .
It was clear to me after that movement that we were not going to get out of this bind of a dysfunctional system where we have to engagie in these useless battles on fuel price in a country that is the sixth largest producer of crude in the world. It was crystal clear in my mind that we have to restructure Nigeria to be able to solve any of the problems confronting us as a people.
At the 2014 National Conference, I warned this country about the crises we would get into if the price of crude were to crash in the international market. It was with deep conviction I took the position in 2015 that no “change” would come to Nigeria either from Jonathan or Buhari if we fail to change this structure. I would not have voted for either if it was all about “change” and “transformation”. I backed Jonathan who made commitment to implement the 2015 confab report. It was the same position that made me support Buhari in 2011 when the Buhari-Bakare manifesto had restructuring of Nigeria as the first item,although it was only Bakare who raised and spoke to that manifesto.
All hell was let loose . A lot of intimate “friends” became instant foes! But when you are listening to a distant drummer your dance steps would be different from the folks around. A man of deep conviction would not flow with the mad crowd. It is now one year after and All Promises Cancelled is the name of the game and there is now gnashing of teeth.
However like Lisabi of Egbaland, I will stay on my lane. Lisabi worked in a thrifty arrangement that involved working with members in any chore of their fancy. When it became his turn he asked all to sharpen their cutlasses as he takes them to where they would work for him. It turned out that all he wanted them to do was to severe the heads of the tax enforcers terrorising the Egba.That was the only battle he fought that made him their hero till tomorrow. A man should learn to choose his battles and that I’ll do henceforth.
I insist the battle we must fight to solve all these problems is to restructure. If we devolve powers to the federating units, there won’t be any Kachikwu or PPPRA forcing these pills down our throats from Abuja. Some sections would get their refineries right while those who can’t may buy from such zones at reduced costs.Until we get to that point,the strikes this week may force the regime to back down a bit but it is a present continuous. A terminal crisis!
…Adegboruwa and corruption of anti-corruption war
WHEN a friend sent me the “breaking news” from Sahara Reporters that Lagos lawyer, Ebun Olu-Adegboruwa had been arrested by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, over some fraud allegation, I had trepidations on what would make Big Sam whom I had known for over three decades become a financial criminal overnight.
I frantically called his line but didn’t get any response confirming that he was already cooling his heels in detention .
It took about 36 hours after before I received a mail from his chambers detailing what happened. A client of his owed a man from his village some money and the cheque he issued bounced.The creditor reported the matter and a criminal charge was filed. When Adegboruwa’s law firm got involved,they mediated between the two parties and agreed that the debtor’s house be leased or sold to offset the debt.
A property belonging to the debtor was therefore leased and the creditor and the owner of the house paid. Adegboruwa got only N2.5 m as professional fees.
The creditor was asked to withdraw his criminal charge upon payment which he did and Justice D.O Oluwayemi was reported to have dismissed the criminal case. But the EFCC is claiming it has an interim order on the property upon which it has been collecting double rent from the client who leased the property.
The legal firm insists this legal transaction of 2013 has now been turned into a criminal act in 2016 because the anti-graft agency is uncomfortable with Adegboruwa criticism of the present administration and his standing as counsel for Tompolo and Aziabola Robert.
Familiar lines in Abacha days
I spoke with Adegboruwa on phone on Saturday and what he told me is a clear indication of the present danger in the land. “I WAS TOLD TO CONTINUE WHAT AM DOING IF I LIKED BUT SHOULD KNOW WE ARE BACK IN THE ERA WHEN PEOPLE CAN DISAPPEAR WITHOUT TRACE AND ANYBODY CAN BE FRAMED FOR ANYTHING”
Those were familiar lines in Abacha days! Some were taken down but most survived him. Abacha is a sad history today.
While we wait for the court to determine whether the interim order EFCC claims over the property is superior to an order of the court quashing the criminal charges, we are worried how a section of the media is cooperating with this scheme of damaging citizens reputation in the name of anti-corruption.
This is corruption in itself. At this point, I have to call out my friend Omoyele Sowore, the publisher of Sahara Reporters to exercise some restraints in allowing those bent on tarnishing people’s reputation on the flimsiest ground to use his platform. He should be careful with people who have only one public life like Adegboruwa when smear artists are unleashed. Those of us who cherish his rich contributions (at a time people were disappearing without trace) reluctantly have to make this call. He is the only one I think deserves being called out on this.
The SR has history behind it and whatever is going on now will become history. It should not put itself in a position to give unnecessary explanations when all this is over. I hope people being maligned here and there would deposit their law suits in court.
My heart is with the conned people of Nigeria as they fight this unpopular act of government but my body will not be in their midst. Having spent 30 years of my life in the struggle against the manipulation of the people on this issue of “fuel subsidy”. I am fully persuaded that I have to deploy my energy to a nobler cause.
I have to take public stand in view of the various calls, messages, and verbal requests that have come to me since the Federal Government decided to sentence Nigerians to more hardship by increasing the pump price (don’t soak the “deregulation” lie). My provoking encounter with a gentleman 2I never knew at an intersection in Abuja on Friday whom I asked for direction is the last straw. The man entered his car and offered to lead me to the road I asked for and then said “Mr Odumakin,please we are waiting for your leadership against this fuel price regime. Help me tell Madam too…”
The 1986 Ife protestin
I recall vividly December 21,1986.Then University of Ife was to have its convocation and the Military Head of State, General Ibrahim Babangida was expected as the visitor. He was not there physically but sent the Chief of Naval Staff,Patrick Koshoni to represent him.
The convocation arena at Oduduwa Hall was filled to capacity before we marched at the gate to start protest songs against Babangida’s regime and demanding especially the release of then Nigerian Labour Congress, NLC, President , Mr. Paschal Bafyau and some of his officials who were detained over Labour’s opposition to the plan by the military junta to increase pump price of petrol from 42kobo a litre to 70k. It was called “subsidy removal”, a prescription from the the International Monetary Fund,IMF.
Such was the protest that by the time the convocation was over, Koshoni had to escape in the car of then Military Administrator of Oyo State, Col. Tunji Olurin abandoning the helicopter that brought him at the sports complex. Security details in their convoy shot teargas into the air with protesters ‘replying’ with pebbles.
The Students Union was under ban at the time.The following day, the University Management under Prof. Wande Abimbola took the names of the ten editorial members of PETALS, the fiery campus magazine I edited with two other students for suspension accusing us of being the brains behind the protest.We were suspended indefinitely.The legal firm of Mr. Alao Aka-Bashorun assigned Mr. Femi Falana to tell the court that the University rule book empowers the Vice-Chancellor to discipline any student who has been “found guilty” of an offense but that we were not tried not to talk of been found guilty.The judge agreed and asked us to return to school armed with a “perpetual injunction”.
After leaving school,I have participated in so many protests against “subsidy removal”. I recall the days of Obasanjo when Adams Oshiomole as NLC President would ostensibly have agreed with the government on pump price and they would fix something higher. The demagogue would then led the country to protest.Whenever it was time to decide on strike,he would allow us radicals to speak without inhibitions but after two or three days of protest he would go for “negotiation”.By the time he summons the meeting to call off the strike to accept the offer from government,he would ensure that only his henchmen are allowed to speak in favor of strike “suspension.”The most memorable of the anti-fuel hike protests for me was “Occupy Nigeria” in 2012 when the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan increased pump price to N140 per liter on New Year day.
Pastor Tunde Bakare who joined us on the street for the first time in 2010 when he convened the Save Nigeria Group,SNG, to rattle the cabal that would not allow power transfer to Jonathan in spite of the incapacitation of President Umaru Yar’Adua had asked me to call a meeting of the fighters. We met at the SNG secretariat with Femi and Seun Kuti, King Wasiu Ayinde Marshal, Ras Kimono and DedeMabiakwu in attendance. We agreed to have a rally at Ojota on January 9,2012.
January 12, 2012 protest: We expected good turn out based on the mobilisation we carried out but the turn out surpassed our expectations.The second day doubled the first day.The third day spilled out of control. The fourth day communicated to us that a stampede was in the offing if we did not do something .We had to ask the crowd to go home for the weekend on the fifth and return on Monday. Our suspension allowed Labour to cut a deal and Ojota was taken over before we could come back on Monday by troops.
A lot has been written about Ojota and how Fashola and Tinubu “funded” the big movement.The truth is farther from that lie.Pastor Bakare and I met Fashola once during the protests where he appealed that we should not allow a breakdown of law and order so that the Federal Government would not declare an emergency in Lagos.We didn’t take a dime from him.We had no interaction with Tinubu in anyway. A Nigerian billionaire who lived abroad who offered to support the movement was told by Pastor Bakare that we could afford to sponsor what we were doing. All we spent for the five days that shook the world was N7.5million and not one kobo of it came from any external source.
Dysfunctional system
It was a moment that proved clearly that social mobility is not frozen in Nigeria, if the right leadership is provided .
It was clear to me after that movement that we were not going to get out of this bind of a dysfunctional system where we have to engagie in these useless battles on fuel price in a country that is the sixth largest producer of crude in the world. It was crystal clear in my mind that we have to restructure Nigeria to be able to solve any of the problems confronting us as a people.
At the 2014 National Conference, I warned this country about the crises we would get into if the price of crude were to crash in the international market. It was with deep conviction I took the position in 2015 that no “change” would come to Nigeria either from Jonathan or Buhari if we fail to change this structure. I would not have voted for either if it was all about “change” and “transformation”. I backed Jonathan who made commitment to implement the 2015 confab report. It was the same position that made me support Buhari in 2011 when the Buhari-Bakare manifesto had restructuring of Nigeria as the first item,although it was only Bakare who raised and spoke to that manifesto.
All hell was let loose . A lot of intimate “friends” became instant foes! But when you are listening to a distant drummer your dance steps would be different from the folks around. A man of deep conviction would not flow with the mad crowd. It is now one year after and All Promises Cancelled is the name of the game and there is now gnashing of teeth.
However like Lisabi of Egbaland, I will stay on my lane. Lisabi worked in a thrifty arrangement that involved working with members in any chore of their fancy. When it became his turn he asked all to sharpen their cutlasses as he takes them to where they would work for him. It turned out that all he wanted them to do was to severe the heads of the tax enforcers terrorising the Egba.That was the only battle he fought that made him their hero till tomorrow. A man should learn to choose his battles and that I’ll do henceforth.
I insist the battle we must fight to solve all these problems is to restructure. If we devolve powers to the federating units, there won’t be any Kachikwu or PPPRA forcing these pills down our throats from Abuja. Some sections would get their refineries right while those who can’t may buy from such zones at reduced costs.Until we get to that point,the strikes this week may force the regime to back down a bit but it is a present continuous. A terminal crisis!
…Adegboruwa and corruption of anti-corruption war
WHEN a friend sent me the “breaking news” from Sahara Reporters that Lagos lawyer, Ebun Olu-Adegboruwa had been arrested by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, over some fraud allegation, I had trepidations on what would make Big Sam whom I had known for over three decades become a financial criminal overnight.
I frantically called his line but didn’t get any response confirming that he was already cooling his heels in detention .
It took about 36 hours after before I received a mail from his chambers detailing what happened. A client of his owed a man from his village some money and the cheque he issued bounced.The creditor reported the matter and a criminal charge was filed. When Adegboruwa’s law firm got involved,they mediated between the two parties and agreed that the debtor’s house be leased or sold to offset the debt.
A property belonging to the debtor was therefore leased and the creditor and the owner of the house paid. Adegboruwa got only N2.5 m as professional fees.
The creditor was asked to withdraw his criminal charge upon payment which he did and Justice D.O Oluwayemi was reported to have dismissed the criminal case. But the EFCC is claiming it has an interim order on the property upon which it has been collecting double rent from the client who leased the property.
The legal firm insists this legal transaction of 2013 has now been turned into a criminal act in 2016 because the anti-graft agency is uncomfortable with Adegboruwa criticism of the present administration and his standing as counsel for Tompolo and Aziabola Robert.
Familiar lines in Abacha days
I spoke with Adegboruwa on phone on Saturday and what he told me is a clear indication of the present danger in the land. “I WAS TOLD TO CONTINUE WHAT AM DOING IF I LIKED BUT SHOULD KNOW WE ARE BACK IN THE ERA WHEN PEOPLE CAN DISAPPEAR WITHOUT TRACE AND ANYBODY CAN BE FRAMED FOR ANYTHING”
Those were familiar lines in Abacha days! Some were taken down but most survived him. Abacha is a sad history today.
While we wait for the court to determine whether the interim order EFCC claims over the property is superior to an order of the court quashing the criminal charges, we are worried how a section of the media is cooperating with this scheme of damaging citizens reputation in the name of anti-corruption.
This is corruption in itself. At this point, I have to call out my friend Omoyele Sowore, the publisher of Sahara Reporters to exercise some restraints in allowing those bent on tarnishing people’s reputation on the flimsiest ground to use his platform. He should be careful with people who have only one public life like Adegboruwa when smear artists are unleashed. Those of us who cherish his rich contributions (at a time people were disappearing without trace) reluctantly have to make this call. He is the only one I think deserves being called out on this.
The SR has history behind it and whatever is going on now will become history. It should not put itself in a position to give unnecessary explanations when all this is over. I hope people being maligned here and there would deposit their law suits in court.
N5.6bn fraud: FG files amended charge against Kalu
ABUJA—The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, yesterday, filed an amended 34-count criminal charge against the former governor of Abia State, Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu.
The charge, marked FHC/ABJ/CR/56/07, was entered before the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja on a day trial Justice Anwuli Chikere was to commence hearing on an initially amended 112-count charge the anti-graft agency preferred against Kalu and two others on February 11, 2008.
The development, yesterday, made it the third time EFCC is amending the charge against the defendants.
Kalu was hitherto answering to a 107-count corruption charge alongside his alleged accomplice, Udeh Jones Udeogu and his firm, Slok Nigeria Limited.
The charge against them borders on conspiracy, money laundering and illegal diversion of public funds to the tune of N5.6 billion.
The fraud was allegedly perpetuated while Kalu was governor of Abia State between 1999 and 2007.
EFCC had, at the last adjourned date, April 11, secured leave of the court to arraign the defendants on the previously amended 112-count charge.
Justice Chikere adjourned to take fresh plea of the defendants after she was furnished with judgment of the Supreme Court, which on March 18, held that the defendants have a criminal case to answer.
Pending appeal
Meanwhile, at the resumed sitting yesterday, EFCC’s lawyer, Mr. Oluwaleke Atolagbe, told the court that he had just filed “a further amended charge” against the defendants.
However, counsel to the second and third defendants, Chief Solomon Akuma (SAN), notified the court that his client, Slok Nigeria Limited, still has an appeal pending before the Supreme Court.
Akuma explained that what was previously determined by the apex court were two separate appeals marked SC/215/2012 and SC/264/2012, which were lodged by Kalu and Udeogu.
He said: “The third appeal, SC/264a/2012, is still subsisting. As at today briefs have been filed and exchanged by all the parties.
“We have gone further to apply to the Chief Justice of Nigeria and the Director of Litigation at the Supreme Court to give us a date.
“It is our submission that the commencement of hearing on this trial will prejudice the pending appeal. In the circumstance we humbly ask for an adjournment.”
His adjournment request was supported by Kalu’s lawyer, Chief Awa Kalu (SAN).
Although EFCC’s lawyer confirmed the pendency of the appeal, he, however, stressed that issues raised by the third defendant were similar to what was earlier determined by the Supreme Court.
Efforts by the prosecution, who placed reliance on Section 306 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, 2015, to persuade the court to proceed with the trial, failed as the court subsequently adjourned the matter till June 30 for mention.
Fuel scarcity fallout: Inflation hits 6-year high
The skyrocketing prices of goods and services across the country have reflected in Nigeria’s inflation rate climbing to a near six-year high of 13.7 percent in April, 0.9 percentage point higher than the previous month’s level of 12.8 percent.
The cost-push inflation is driven primarily by the severe scarcity of petroleum products, which had forced increases in transportation cost and consequently, arbitrary increases in cost of all other commodities and services consistently for several months now.
National Bureau of Statistics, NBS, in a report yesterday, said the April inflation reading, the highest level since August 2010, reflected increases across all sectors, unlike the previous months which had one or two sectoral exceptions.
“Lingering structural constraints continue to manifest spill-overs in April as electricity rates, kerosene prices, the impact of higher PMS (petrol) prices and vehicle spare parts were the largest contributors to the core sub index during the month,” NBS stated.
These items, as well as other imported items, according to NBS, continued to have ripple effects across many divisions that contribute to the core consumer price index.
Fish, vegetables
Food index reflected tighter supplies across most groups that contribute to the sub-index. The sub-index increased by 13.2 percent in April, up by 0.4 percentage point from March as all major food groups increased at a faster pace driven by higher prices in fish, bread/cereals and vegetables groups.
Year-on-year, the urban and rural indices recorded marked increases for the third consecutive month. The urban index rose by 15.1 percent, 1.6 percentage points from 13.5 percent in March, while upward pressure on prices were relatively less severe in the rural areas as the index increased 12.8 percent year-on-year, 0.7 percentage point from 12.0 percent in March.
Increases in imported and domestically produced foods resulted in a higher increase in the food sub-index in April, adding that all groups which contribute to the index increased, with the exception of the fruit and potatoes, yams and other tuber groups.
Implication
The latest inflation report indicates worsening economic conditions in the country, where gross domestic product, GDP, growth was just 2.8 percent as at last quarter of 2015, its lowest rate since 1999, and speculation of a further decline in the first quarter and first half 2016 is popular among economy analysts.
With the current inflation rate the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, appears to have been pushed to the wall once again on its benchmark interest rate, as the existing Monetary Policy Rate of 12 percent is now grossly negative.
The apex bank had shifted the benchmark rate to 12 percent from 11 percent previous month when the inflation rate surpassed it, a situation which renders interest rates not only negative but a disincentive to savings.
Also, the present inflation rate has surpassed the apex bank’s inflation target maximum of 9.6 percent by a huge gap of 4.1 percentage points, thereby complicating the inflation targeting strategy of its monetary policy measures.
With this development many financial analysts would be expecting next week’s Monetary Policy Committee, MPC, meeting of the apex bank to fundamentally overhaul its policy framework.
Two herdsmen bag 20yrs jail in Delta
ASABA—A Delta State High Court, sitting in Asaba, yesterday, sentenced two Fulani herdsmen, Hassan Abidu and Yakubu Salem, suspected to be members of a group of armed nomads terrorizing indigenes of Ibusa and its environs, especially farmers, to 20 years in jail with hard labour.
The court pronounced the guilty verdict on the two Fulani nomads, who were prosecuted on a two-count charge of unlawful possession of firearms preffered against them by the Attorney-General of the state, punishable under Section 3(1) of the Robbery and Firearms (Special Provision) Act Cap R.II, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2010, and were sentenced to 10 years imprisonment each with hard labour and without an option of fine on the two counts.
According to prosecution, on or about February 23, 2015 at 6a.m., the Ibusa Police Division received a distress call that a group of suspected Fulani boys numbering about six were sited around Power Line, Ibusa armed with dangerous weapons including firearms.
PDP BOT urges Sheriff to quit in 2018
After series of horse trading and compromises, the Board of Trustees, BoT, of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, yesterday agreed to the extension of the tenure of chairman of the Party, Senator Ali Modu, by two years.
He is to now quit office in 2018 to allow for the emergence of a chairman from the southern part of the country, while the north produces the party’s presidential candidate for 2019 election.
On their part, the chairman of the party and its governors dropped the proposal to amend the party’s constitution at the forthcoming convention in Portharcourt, while also promising to revisit the conduct of state congresses that were contentious in some states.
The Board also confirmed the position of its chairman, Senator Jibril Wali, who had been in acting capacity, while also appointing Ambassador Ojo Maduekwe as secretary of the board.
While Jibril was appointed unanimously, Ojo Maduekwe’s appointment followed the stepping down of his sole challenger, Senator Stella Omu.
Addressing journalists after a marathon meeting of the board that lasted for more than six hours, the Secretary of the board, Ambassador Ojo Maduekwe, said the decisions arrived at the meeting were borne out of the over all interest of the unity of the party.
According to him, the decisions arrived at by the Board were done after ‘intensive and heated arguments’ which he said had helped in moving the party “away from the brink.
He said “inspite of the well articulated reservations by some members of the board calling for postponement of the forthcoming convention in Portharcourt, we have decided to support the National Executive Committee of the party that the convention should hold.”
He added that the Board arrived at the decisions based on consensus, since a divided BoT would portend a “divided conscience of the party”.
It would be recalled that members of the BOT had been stridently opposed to the continuation of Senator Sheriff in office, while faulting the process of his emergence which they said did not agree with the principles of equity and justice that the party professed.
Addressing the meeting earlier, the National Chairman, Ali Modu Sheriff, who spoke shortly before the party’s BOT went into a closed door meeting, said the proposed constitution amendment which he said he inherited from the former leadership of the party had been suspended while states and zones where the outcome of congresses had been controversial would be reviewed by the party.
The decisions by the national chairman of party were seen as a way of pacifying some members of the party who had mobilized against his leadership, leading to the setting up of a parallel leadership structure to take over from the chairman when his tenure expires on May 21, 2016.
He said the party’s position that the presidency was zoned to the North remained unchanged and would be ratified at the party’s national convention in Port Harcourt later this month.
Sheriff apologized to Professor Jerry Gana for some uncomplimentary remarks made against him by one of his aides, Inuwa Bwala, who threatened to drag Gana to EFCC for collecting loan in the name of PDP.
Earlier in his welcome address, the acting chairman of the Board of Trustees, Senator Jibril Wali, said there was the need for members of the party to bury the hatchet and act in the interest of the party.
He commended the national chairman of the party for the moves he had so far made for the unity of the party and urged him to sustain the momentum.
Some members of the board in attendance at the meeting include Ibrahim Mantu, Tom Ikimi, Adolphus Wabara, Chris Uba, Josephine Anenih, Ojo Maduekwe, Shettima Mustapha, Professor Tunde Adeniran, Esther Audu, Stella Omu, Ina Ciroma, Vincent Ogbulafor, Jerry Gana, Tanimu Turaki, Mike Oghiadome, Ahmadu Ali, Bode George, Dan Suleiman, Margret Icheen, among others
He is to now quit office in 2018 to allow for the emergence of a chairman from the southern part of the country, while the north produces the party’s presidential candidate for 2019 election.
On their part, the chairman of the party and its governors dropped the proposal to amend the party’s constitution at the forthcoming convention in Portharcourt, while also promising to revisit the conduct of state congresses that were contentious in some states.
The Board also confirmed the position of its chairman, Senator Jibril Wali, who had been in acting capacity, while also appointing Ambassador Ojo Maduekwe as secretary of the board.
While Jibril was appointed unanimously, Ojo Maduekwe’s appointment followed the stepping down of his sole challenger, Senator Stella Omu.
Addressing journalists after a marathon meeting of the board that lasted for more than six hours, the Secretary of the board, Ambassador Ojo Maduekwe, said the decisions arrived at the meeting were borne out of the over all interest of the unity of the party.
According to him, the decisions arrived at by the Board were done after ‘intensive and heated arguments’ which he said had helped in moving the party “away from the brink.
He said “inspite of the well articulated reservations by some members of the board calling for postponement of the forthcoming convention in Portharcourt, we have decided to support the National Executive Committee of the party that the convention should hold.”
He added that the Board arrived at the decisions based on consensus, since a divided BoT would portend a “divided conscience of the party”.
It would be recalled that members of the BOT had been stridently opposed to the continuation of Senator Sheriff in office, while faulting the process of his emergence which they said did not agree with the principles of equity and justice that the party professed.
Addressing the meeting earlier, the National Chairman, Ali Modu Sheriff, who spoke shortly before the party’s BOT went into a closed door meeting, said the proposed constitution amendment which he said he inherited from the former leadership of the party had been suspended while states and zones where the outcome of congresses had been controversial would be reviewed by the party.
The decisions by the national chairman of party were seen as a way of pacifying some members of the party who had mobilized against his leadership, leading to the setting up of a parallel leadership structure to take over from the chairman when his tenure expires on May 21, 2016.
He said the party’s position that the presidency was zoned to the North remained unchanged and would be ratified at the party’s national convention in Port Harcourt later this month.
Sheriff apologized to Professor Jerry Gana for some uncomplimentary remarks made against him by one of his aides, Inuwa Bwala, who threatened to drag Gana to EFCC for collecting loan in the name of PDP.
Earlier in his welcome address, the acting chairman of the Board of Trustees, Senator Jibril Wali, said there was the need for members of the party to bury the hatchet and act in the interest of the party.
He commended the national chairman of the party for the moves he had so far made for the unity of the party and urged him to sustain the momentum.
Some members of the board in attendance at the meeting include Ibrahim Mantu, Tom Ikimi, Adolphus Wabara, Chris Uba, Josephine Anenih, Ojo Maduekwe, Shettima Mustapha, Professor Tunde Adeniran, Esther Audu, Stella Omu, Ina Ciroma, Vincent Ogbulafor, Jerry Gana, Tanimu Turaki, Mike Oghiadome, Ahmadu Ali, Bode George, Dan Suleiman, Margret Icheen, among others
Fuel price hike: Labour insists on reversal as Kachikwu says we’ll export fuel in 2019
THE Nigeria Labour Congress,NLC, and its affiliate body, Trade Union Congress,TUC, yesterday, vowed to press ahead with its industrial action scheduled to commence tomorrow if the Federal Government failed to revert to old pump price of petrol.
This came as the House of Representatives started its special plenary on fuel price hike on a rowdy note.
Also, labour leaders and others met with the leadership of Department of State Service, DSS, and Nigeria Police Force, NPF, over the security implications of the planned industrial action billed to start tomorrow.
NLC and TUC also asked the government to not only put all the nation’s refineries to optimal use, but also increase minimum wage, besides putting all necessary palliatives measures before deregulation of oil.
Leaders of NLC and TUC spoke formal commencement of the meeting it held with the government over May 11 increment of fuel price.
But the government pleaded with the labour organisations to see reasons with its action and shelve its planned strike, saying it was open to dialogue with the bodies.
This was even as the governor of Edo State, Adams Oshiomhole, who was at the meeting to mediate between labour, said opposed agitation for wage increment, saying it was not sustainable at the moment.
Factional NLC president, Ayuba Wabba and President of TUC, Bobboi Kaigama, said there was the need for government to reverse to old pump price of fuel, given that the development was having a toll on the masses.
At the time of this report, both government and labour had not shifted.
Dr Chris Ngige, who presented government’s position, said the government was opened to dialogue, urging the labour leaders to consider the proposed industrial action as the least possible option.
Among those that were at the meeting included factional President of NLC, ,Ayuba Wabba and ,Joe Ajaero, General Secretary of NLC, Dr. ,Peter Ozo-Eson, NUPENG P resident, Igwe Achese, PENGASSAN President, Francis Olabode Johnson, President of TUC, Bobboi Kaigma, Governor dams Oshiomhole of Edo State, Minister of Labour & Employment ,Dr Chris Ngige, Senior Special Assistant to the President on National Assembly Matters (Senate),Senator Ita Enang, Secretary Government of the Federation, SGF, Engr. Babachir Lawal.
Others were Ministers of State, Petroleum, Ibe Kachukwu, of f Budget and National Planning, Udo Udoma, Information and Culture,,Lai Mohammed and Solid Minerals, Kayode Fayemi.
At the meeting were the Secretary to Government of the Federation, SGF, Babachir Lawal, Minister of State, Petroleum, Ibe Kachukwu, Ministers of Labour and Employment, Dr Chris Ngige, Budget and National Planning, Udo Udoma, Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed and Solid Minerals, Kayode Fayemi.
Before the meeting dissolved into a technical session, newsmen were asked to leave.
Uproar in House of Reps over petrol price
The rowdy session which lasted about 35minutes, eventually led to a one and half hours closed door session by the lawmakers where their differences were ironed out and the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Dr Ibe Kachikwu, ushered in.
The House also resolved immediately after the minister’s presentation that Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, should shelve its proposed industrial action tomorrow. Consequently, a 17-man committee, led by the Majority Whip, Alhassan Ado Doguwa, was set up to mediate with the apex labour body in the country.
However, at about 12.15pm, trouble started when the Speaker, Yakubu Dogara, immediately after prayers, read the proceedings of the previous week and moved for the admittance of the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Kachikwu, into the chamber but shouts of No! No! No! greeted the speaker’s declaration.
But after the speaker ended his comments, allowing the leader to move the motion, there was a resounding ‘nay’ from opposition lawmakers, mostly PDP, in rejection of the motion.
Dogara, however, ignored the strength of the ‘nay’ prayers by ruling in favour of the ‘ayes’. This was immediately after the majority leader moved for the admittance of Dr Kachikwu.
Some members, waving the national flag, started shouting “All we are saying, save Nigeria,” while others started chanting “Change.” Another set of lawmakers, predominantly PDP Reps, started shouting “Shame!”, “Shame!”
At this stage, the Minority Leader, Leo Ogor, at about 12.19pm, approached the speaker and after a brief chat with him, joined his fellow lawmakers.
Also the Majority Leader, Femi Gbajabiamila, and some of the lawmakers approached the speaker but the noise continued as all attempts by the Majority Whip, Ado Doguwa, to calm the lawmakers failed.
Suddenly, frayed tempers cooled and the speaker gave the minority leader the floor and he immediately moved for a closed door meeting.
After a two-hour closed door session, the lawmakers admitted the minister, who immediately read his presentation and a question and answer session ensued.
We’ll export fuel in 2019—Kachikwu
In his presentation, the minister explained that the sale of petrol at the price range would help to get all the nation’s refineries working by 2018, adding that Nigeria would begin exportation of refined petroleum products by 2019.
Kachikwu boasted that the new price regime had gone into effect, adding that “the market has stabilised in matter of days, in terms of product availability.”
He also noted that the queues had virtually disappeared and that smuggling and diversion would diminish substantially.
Subsidy removal to earn Nigeria $1bn quarterly
He said: “We first looked at the number of litres on which subsidy was being paid, the new policy is to address those subsidy issues as well as product availability and distribution which is saving Nigeria about $1 billion quarterly,”
Kachikwu, also condemned the incessant attacks on oil installations in the country, noting that Nigeria had lost over 800,000 barrels of crude oil in recent attacks.
According to him, because of the incessant pipeline ruptures that have happened in incessant attacks in states in those areas, Nigeria has lost over 800,000 barrels of oil.
“We declined from 2.2 million barrels, which was the focus of the 2016 budget, to 1.4 million barrels as of today,” he said.
Kachikwu, however, expressed the ministry’s commitment to ensuring that affected facilities were repaired and effectively protected.
“We are going to work hard to see how we will get these issues resolved and get our production back,” the minister said.
Infrastructure development
Kachikwu further restated the need to develop infrastructure which he described as key to promoting increased and efficient crude oil production.
He said: “There is still a whole lot of things we need to pay attention to; infrastructure is key but we have not as a country over the last 20 years invested in infrastructure in the oil sector.
“Our pipelines are 35 years old and none has been replaced. We have not been able to put gas infrastructure in place, our refineries are next to comatose and old and we are working hard on them.
“Our critical facilities are at a breakdown stage, so no serious development of infrastructure has taken place. No country in the world would expect that the price system in the country will benefit its citizens if it doesn’t invest in infrastructure.
“So rather the energy we put on PMS, we need to begin to focus on building massive infrastructure all over the country. I know how much efforts it has taken to pump products from the South to the North, to the East and to the West.
“It has been one battle after another, but the time has come to invest in proper pipelines, proper tracking, proper buried levels and begin to move with the world,” Kachikwu said.
DSS boss, IGP, meet labour leaders, others over strike
Meanwhile, labour leaders and their civil society counterparts met for over four hours, yesterday, with the Inspector-General of Police and Director of Department of State Service, DSS, over the security implication of the strike scheduled to start tomorrow.
The meeting, which started at 11 a.m. and terminated at about 4 pm, was a prelude to the meeting between the Federal Government and labour leaders over the proposed strike. The meeting started at about 7p.m.
Vanguard was informed that the meeting, which lasted about four hours at the office of the Director-General of DSS, Mr. Musa Lawan Daura, was also attended by the Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Solomon Arase.
A source said those who turned up for the meeting included the President of Trade Union Congress of Nigeria, TUC, Mr. Bobboi Kaigama, factional President of Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, Mr. Ayuba Wabba; leaders of the Petroleum Tanker Drivers, PTD, branch of Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers, NUPENG; petroleum marketers, among others.
It was gathered that the security chiefs discussed with the labour leaders and others on how to ensure that the planned strike did not degenerate to violence or breach the security of the nation.
Further fuel price hike looms
However, the rebound in the price of crude oil in the international market continued, yesterday, fuelling fears of a further hike in the price of Premium Motor Spirit, PMS, also known as petrol, in Nigeria.
Specifically, the price of Brent, the benchmark crude oil, rose to $48.89 per barrel, yesterday, from $45.52 per barrel recorded last Wednesday, when the Federal Government announced the hike in the price of fuel, representing an increase of 7.2 per cent.
To this end, the Department for Petroleum Resources, DPR, has warned petrol station owners to be vigilant, as unscrupulous individuals were on the prowl, cashing in on the fuel crisis and new pump price to defraud station owners.
The rebound was attributed to the shutdowns and disruption in crude oil export in Nigeria, with Goldman Sachs saying the market had ended almost two years of over-supply and was now in deficit.
DPR warns
The warning of DPR came on the heels of the arrest by the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC, of one Sadiq Umar, for allegedly posing as a staff of DPR.
Umar was arrested while trying to extort money from the Manager of A.Y.M. Sharfa Filling Station, along Mararaba Road in Karu Local Government Area of Nasarawa State.
In an interview in Abuja, Head, DPR Zonal Office, Abuja, Mr. Saidu Mohammed, said the suspect would be prosecuted to serve as a deterrent to others.
Speaking on the arrest, Mr. Robert Ibuh, Divisional Officer, NSCDC, confirmed that the suspect had committed a criminal offence and would be prosecuted.
Also speaking, Mr. Shehu Idris, the manager of the affected station, regretted that extortions from different illegal oil regulators negated the growth of their businesses.
‘No alternative to deregulation’
The Federal Government, yesterday, insisted that there was no alternative to the new petrol price regime and appealed to the leadership of labour unions and Nigerians for understanding, arguing that the current hardship would not last for long.
Addressing journalists in Abuja, Minister of Information, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, said the paucity of foreign exchange had made it impossible for Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, to continue to solely import petrol.
According to Mohammed, “many have been asking why this would happen at this time and what triggered the decision concerning the new framework for petrol products supply, distribution and pricing.
“We have no choice than to liberalise the price of petrol, if we are to end the crippling fuel scarcity that has enveloped the country, ensure the availability of the products and end the suffering of our people over the lingering scarcity.
“With the drastic fall in the price of crude oil, which is the nation’s main foreign exchange earner, there has also been a drastic reduction in the amount of foreign exchange available.
“The unavailability of forex and the inability to open letters of credit have forced marketers to stop product importation and imposed over 90 percent supply on NNPC since October 2015, in contrast to the past where NNPC supplied 48 percent of national requirement.
“The truth is that NNPC does not have the resources for, nor is it designed to meet this increase in supply. The result is the crippling fuel situation across the country. Pushed to supply 90 percent of the products required for domestic consumption, NNPC has continued to utilise crude oil volumes outside the 445,000 barrels/day allocated to it, thereby creating major funding and remittance gaps into the federation account.
“In the absence of available forex lines or crude volumes to continue massive importation of PMS, it is clear that unless immediate action is taken to liberalise the petroleum supply and distribution, the queues will persist, diversion will worsen and the current prices will spiral out of control.”
No return to subsidy
Mohammed explained further that even if the nation’s forex exchange earnings improved in the future, government would not return to the subsidy regime.
He said: “As of today, NNPC is forced to dip its hands into the federation crude. The main reason for this price regime is that the country does not have enough foreign exchange to open Letters of Credit for all those who want to import products.
“It does not mean that if tomorrow our foreign exchange improves that we will reverse the policy because we can use our foreign exchange for better things— roads, railways and power.
“We must never be tempted to go back to the regime where we will have to pay subsidy because what we will see is that the cost of, if we are lucky today and crude goes to $100 pbl, products will be higher because the cost of crude accounts for 80 percent of total cost of refined products.”
He noted that there was no basis for comparing the current liberalisation with the botched attempt of the administration of former President, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, to remove fuel subsidy in 2012.
He argued that at that time, the nation had a good foreign exchange base, with high crude oil price which had become the opposite.
He said that the new policy was in national interests, adding that “at some point in life, you have to take hard decisions and those decisions you are taking are in the long-term interest of everybody.”
The minister said the policy was not a removal of subsidy, as there was no provision for subsidy in the 2016 budget, in the first instance.
He said: “As I said earlier, there is no provision for subsidy in the 2016 Appropriation. The erstwhile PMS price of N86.50 gives an estimated subsidy claim of N13.7 per litre, which translates to N16.4 billion monthly. There is neither funding nor appropriation to cover this.”
On Niger Delta militants
On Niger Delta militants, the minister said the current administration was ready to listen to whatever grievances the people of the Niger Delta had, but that it must be properly channeled and that vandalism of infrastructure should not be an option as it can only further create development challenges.
His words: “The attacks on critical infrastructure in the region has led to the loss of over 500,000 barrels per day; it has led to the loss of over 1000 mwts of electricity.
“Our appeal to our brothers in the Niger Delta is that you do not piss into your own house. If you blow the critical infrastructure, it will slow down the development you are asking for. It will hurt the same people whose interests you want to protect.
“So there will be dialogue but no government would like to be held to ransom. This government is a listening government. It is ready to listen to everybody. But they must be conducted within the parameters of law and decency.”
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