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NEWS
MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 26, 2016 NEW TELEGRAPH
Tinubu bombs Oyegun, labels APC chair a fraud Felix Nwaneri
T
he suppressed war in the governing All Progressives Congress (APC) came into the open yesterday as National Leader of the party, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, accused the party’s National Chairman, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, of being a fraud. Tinubu, a former Governor of Lagos State and one of the arrowheads of the party, described OdigieOyegun as a regressive element, who cares nothing for the progressive ideas upon which the party was founded and is hell-bent on guiding it into the ditch. The APC leader, in a statement by his media office, entitled: “Oyegun’s Ondo fraud: The violation of democracy in the APC,” also accused the national chairman of breaching democratic promises and vows made between APC members and the public
in a most overt and brazen display. “Oyegun has dealt a heavy blow to the very party he professes to lead. It is an awful parent who suffocates his own child for the sake of a few naira. The party was supposed to buttress APC members elected to government at all levels. Because of Oyegun’s conduct of our affairs, the party is rapidly becoming an albatross to those it was meant to help,” Tinubu said. He described the outcome of the party’s governorship primaries in Ondo State as a textbook definition of political treachery and malfeasance of the basest order, adding that the national chairman decided to safeguard the fraud done by perpetrating a greater fraud. His words: “The NWC (National Working Committee) voted six against five to cancel the fraudulent results and hold an
honest primary. For a moment, it seemed the party would restore its integrity by giving democracy a chance. However, those who sought to scam an entire state would not let the vote of 11 people spoil their enterprise. “After the NWC vote, a noticeably agitated Chairman Oyegun proposed that the NWC engage in prayer before concluding the meeting. Adhering to this chairman’s request, NWC members began to pray. Seeing that the others had taken his bait, Oyegun used the prayerful interlude to secretly excuse himself from the meeting. “Contravening the NWC decision and in violation of all rules of fundamental decency, Oyegun decided to safeguard the fraud done in Ondo by perpetrating a greater fraud. Oyegun arrogated to himself the right to submit the name of Rotimi Akeredolu to INEC (Independent Na-
tional Electoral Commission) as the candidate of the party.” He accused the party chairman of engaging in the strange math where five is greater than six. “This smacks of how the PDP conducted its affairs and orchestrated its own downfall,” he noted. Insisting that OdigieOyegun and those who conspired with him to sabotage justice and democracy in Ondo are working to wreck APC, Tinubu said: “Our party was to stand for change. Oyegun and his fellows seem to be on a different wavelength. They are the cohorts of ‘Unchange’. “The APC wants to guide Nigeria into a better tomorrow. Oyegun and the cohort of ‘Unchange’ want to pull Nigeria back into the past where rigging and vote stealing were the old and new testaments of politics. They want the people to think that there is no alternative to their reac-
L-R: Zamfara State Governor, Abubakar Yari; Lagos State Governor, Akinwunmi Ambode; Federal Capital Territory Minister, Muhammad Bello; Chief of Staff to the President, Abba Kyari and President Muhammadu Buhari, on Buhari’s arrival in Abuja after his participation at the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA71) in New York…at the weekend.
tionary system of skewed politics and imperious government. “Thus, they seek to turn the APC into a factory of the very political malpractices the people soundly rejected in the past election. To choke the APC in this manner is to kill the chance for progressive reform for the foreseeable future. Much more than the Ondo primary is at stake. Oyegun has revealed his team’s game plan: It is the destruction of progressive politics and governance on behalf of the people. “As party chairman, Oyegun was supposed to protect our internal processes and be an impartial arbiter, a person in whom all had confidence. Instead, he donned the garment of a confident man, duping the NWC, the party, and INEC in one fell blow. He has robbed APC members in Ondo State of the chance to pick in a fair manner who they believe is the best candidate. As such, he has broken faith with the party and probably has broken a few laws. The consequences of what he has done are more expansive than a man of his scope can fathom.” According to him, “Oyegun was forced to undertake his desperate fraud in broad daylight in order to salvage the wrong initiated under the lamp of darkness. Those who so actively attributed imaginary wrong to Tinubu now stand dumb and mute in the face of confirmed impropriety. They remain silent for reasons they cannot divulge. Oyegun and his ilk turn out to be
Dangote pledges to invest $20bn in Nigeria’s economy
lNamed 2016 African Business Leader Sunday Ojeme
D
espite the ongoing economic recession, Africa's richest man and President, Dangote Group, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, has restated his promise to invest about $20 billion in the economy in the next five years. Dangote, who stated this after receiving the 2016 African Business Leader award from a United Statesbased non-governmental organisation, AfricaAmerica Institute (AAI), said the money would go into projects ranging from a petroleum refinery, petrochemicals, fertiliser, gas pipeline and backward integration in sugar and rice production. "Over the next few years, we will be investing nearly $20 billion in projects ranging from a petroleum refinery, petrochemicals,
fertiliser, gas pipeline, and backward integration in sugar and rice production. These projects will create over 250,000 jobs and provide foreign exchange earnings and savings of $16 billion for the country and help diversify our economy. "Central to this developmental trajectory is the need for capacity building and ramping up of the quality of skills of a fast growing African workforce. “Despite the current economic challenges, we will continue to scale up the value of our investments not only in Nigeria, but also across the entire continent, because we believe in Nigeria and Africa’s potential. "We believe that it is only by sustained massive investments in infrastructure across the continent, supported with access to education, that Africa can reach its full potential," he
noted. In recognition of his immense contribution to human capital development in Africa through the establishment of businesses across the African continent, the business guru was named and presented the award at a colourful ceremony held on the sideline of the United Nations Congress held in New York. Reacting to the recognition, Dangote said he was humbled considering the pedigree of the award, which celebrates African achievement at the global stage. At the award Gala themed: “Education: The Key to Africa’s Economic Growth,” Dangote expressed delight that the Institute brought education in Africa to the front burner, noting that he had always been passionate about education because it is a weapon of liberation.
Drawing a reference from a Nelson Mandela quote that: “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world,” the Chairman of Dangote Cement said he identified himself with laudable initiatives that seek to promote educational growth and development, particularly in Africa. He said: “As a matter of fact, I am a founding member of the Gordon Brownled Global Business Coalition for Education. "Education is also one of the cardinal areas that the Aliko Dangote Foundation focuses on. I believe quality and affordable education will address the immense social and economic inequalities that often breed discontent in many parts of Africa. "I also believe education will strengthen the human capital that will drive Africa’s development in the 21st
Century. “I am happy to note that AAI has been contributing to Africa’s development, through training and education, since it was founded 63 years ago. This award is coming at a time the Dangote Group is rapidly expanding its footprints across Africa, and into new sectors. “Last year alone, we commenced cement operations in Ethiopia, Zambia, Cameroon, South Africa, Senegal and Tanzania. By 2019, we will have operations in 18 countries with a total capacity of nearly 80MMTPA, thus making us the largest cement producer in Africa and the 6th largest in the world." Commending the organisers for the recognition, he said the award would further encourage the group to redouble its efforts as it works towards promoting Africa's economic renaissance.
gangsters adorned in the tunic of party authority.” While acknowledging that the APC national chairman is free to return to the politics of the past if he chooses to do so, Tinubu, however, insisted that Odigie-Oyegun has no right to drag the party or any of its members with him. He also said that he would rather drop the title of National Leader and remain a member of the party than hold such in a party of injustice. “I would rather not have any title, yet reside in a party that honours democracy than hold a title in a party that says it honours me, but treats justice with indecency. I find greater honour and comfort where democracy and fairness are found and respected. “Oyegun has done the irredeemable. His coup is an insult to party and to patriot, to reason and to the reform agenda of this government. To remain silent would be to admit the defeat of the reform and progressive change many have laboured to bring forth. “Oyegun’s transgressions are a warning. He is but the mercenary of forces that seek to return the nation to the old ways. If they get away with this infraction, no one would tell what or whom they will undermine tomorrow. Much is at stake. On the chopping block, lies the future of the political party in which the majority of voters had placed their confidence. To rescue the party, Oyegun must go. He has shown that he and democratic fair play cannot exist in the same party at the same time. “If Tinubu is to choose between John Oyegun and progress toward a better Nigeria, the choice has already been made. For those who care about the party, who care about Nigeria and its chance for a better tomorrow, now is the time to stand against this brewing evil before it grows to encompass all we have built and all we hold dear,” Tinubu said. Several efforts made to get Oyegun’s response last night proved abortive. He neither picked calls to his telephone lines nor responded to text message sent to him.
2.07m
The total oil production (bpd) of Nigeria in Q2 2015. Source: National Bureau of Statistics
$14.5m
The total amount of salary/winnings of Neymar (Soccer) for 2016. Source: Forbes.com