TUESDAY 7TH FEBRUARY 2023

NUPRC Commences Third Round of Regulations, Moves to Ensure Transparency in Oil Measurement Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja The Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) yesterday began the stakeholders' consultation on its third round of

regulations under the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA), with five new introductions essentially meant to ensure more transparency in the sector.

The new regulations included:

The Upstream Petroleum Measurement Regulations, Advance Cargo Declaration Regulations as well as Significant Discovery Regulations.

Other newly-introduced regulations were: Gas Flaring, Venting and

Methane Emissions (Prevention of waste and Pollutions) Regulations as well as the Domestic Crude Oil Supply Obligation Regulation.

Those present at the event included the Oil Producers Trade

Section of the Lagos Chambers of Commerce, the Independent Petroleum Producers Association, chief executive officers of International Oil Companies (IOCs) and chief executive officers of indigenous

operators.

Speaking at the event in Abuja, the NUPRC Chief Executive, Mr. Gbenga Komolafe, stated that the Continued on page 12

UK Prosecutors Accuse Ekweremadu of Attempting to Buy Kidney for £7,000... Page 6 Tuesday 7 February, 2023 Vol 28. No 10163. Price: N250

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PDP: APC,Tinubu in N22.5bn Naira Swap forVote Buying Provide Evidence to Your Claims, Ruling Party Fires Back Opposition party tells AbdulRazaq blackmailing traditional institution won’t save him Hammed Shittu in Ilorin and Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja The leadership of the Peoples

Democratic Party (PDP) has alleged plans by the leaders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and its presidential candidate,

Bola Tinubu to swap N22.5 billion stashed old naira notes to new ones in Kano State.

But the Presidential Campaign

Council (PCC) of the APC has challenged the PDP to provide evidence that the ruling party planned to swap such amount of old notes

to the new ones.

At the same time, thee PDP Campaign Council in Kwara State, has said the ongoing moves by the

APC and Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq to blackmail traditional Continued on page 9

Court Stops Buhari, CBN, Others from Suspending Naira Redesign, Extending Cash Swap Deadline Summons bank chiefs over alleged economic sabotage Kaduna, Kogi, Zamfara drag FG, apex bank to supreme court, want old notes to remain in circulation 14 political parties’ candidates, chairmen threaten to boycott polls if CBN suspends policy Allege plans by top politicians to organise violent protests against apex bank EFCC arrests bank manager over refusal to upload N29m new notes Obaseki backs CBN Abiodun engages central bank’s officials over naira scarcity Alex Enumah, Kingsley Nwezeh, Sunday Aborisade in Abuja and Adibe Emenyonu in Benin City A High Court of the Federal Capital Territory yesterday issued a restrain-

ing order on President Muhammadu Buhari, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor, Godwin Emefiele and 27 commercial banks from Continued on page 9

THEIR ROYAL MAJESTIES...

Oba of Benin, His Royal Majesty, Oba Ewuare II (left) with Emir of Kano Aminu, His Royal Majesty, Ado Bayero, during the courtesy visit of the Oba of Benin to the Emir's Palace in Kano .. yesterday .

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Group News Editor: Goddy Egene Email: Goddy.egene@thisdaylive.com, 0803 350 6821, 0809 7777 322, 0807 401 0580

NEWS

STRENGTHENING TAX COLLECTIONS...

L-R: Board Secretary, Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), Mrs. Nneka Ifekwuna; Lagos State Commissioner for Finance, Dr. Rabiu Olowo; Chairman, Lagos Inland Revenue Service (LIRS), Mr. Ayodele Subair; Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu; Chairman, FIRS, Mr. Muhammad Nami; Minister of State for Budget and National Planning, Clement Agba, and Attorney General/Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Moyo Onigbanjo, during the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between FIRS and LIRS, at the Lagos House, Marina… yesterday

NIPC Moves to Slash Nigeria's Appetite for Loans Initiates masterplan to boost FDIs As Nigeria's debt profile continues to rise, the Nigerian Investment Promotion Council (NIPC) has initiated steps to curtail future borrowings by boosting the country’s foreign exchange earnings.

Part of the initiatives to achieve the set goals would be through a masterplan expected to open up more investment space for new investors, both foreign and local, as well as retain those already in the system.

Speaking on the direction with the media in Lagos, yesterday, the Executive Secretary/Chief Executive Officer of the Council, Hajiya Saratu Umar, said the mandate of NIPC was critical in this regard being the agency of the federal government that has the statutory mandate to encourage, promote and coordinate investment into the economy.

According to her, “this is critical to promoting economic growth, creating jobs and generating wealth for Nigerians as well as facilitating development. This assignment is made very compelling if we are to set the nation on the path of sustainable progression towards becoming a prosperous nation.”

She pointed out that there was need to promote the country’s investment potential by putting up a marketing/branding strategy, stressing that there would be vigor-

ous campaign as the country cannot continue to go for loans.

She said: "Nigeria is a resource rich country with a potential that is unrivalled by any other country in the world. Investment promotion comes into attracting Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) and mobilise/ remobilise Local Direct Investment to unleash the potential of the economy to the optimum.

"The market for FDI has become very competitive and versatile where the investment promotion thrust of successful jurisdictions that are attracting the largest global market share of FDI inflows are driven by effective, efficient and performance driven investment promotion agencies.

"With over 178 IPAs worldwide competing to channel FDI to their different countries, a compelling imperative is established that NIPC ensures Nigeria gets a fair share of this global market.

“This is especially important with the onset of Africa Continental Free Trade Area, which is now in force where an investor can establish operation in any signatory country and access the Nigerian market.

"If we are to assert our position as a dominant regional player, we must enhance our investment drive."

She also observed that the African economies had accentuated their

investment climate reforms and business friendly policies, facilitated by very competitive investment promotion drive.

"The central and strategic role of the NIPC in the coordination of investment promotion should be activated to ensure Nigeria’s investment promotion drive is given traction to onboard investments into the different sectors of the economy in a bid to facilitate economic growth and national development including job creation, import substitution, foreign exchange generation and

reduction of our reliance on debt amongst others.

"Consequently, it has become critically important for all stakeholders in the investment promotion ecosystem to work in synergy and complement our competences to collectively drive a national investment promotion campaign.

"Thus, the National Investment Coordination Framework being evolved by the NIPC will provide a clear strategy for a seamless collaboration and coordination of the investment ecosystem as well

Sanwo-Olu: Collaboration to check double taxation, widen tax base Segun James Lagos State government has sealed a bilateral agreement with the federal government to harmonise tax administration, raise system efficiency and proffer solution to challenges of multiple taxation.

Governor Babajide SanwoOlu, yesterday, presided over a ceremony where the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) and Lagos State Inland Revenue Service

(LIRS) signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to establish a joint tax audit system that would address duplication of efforts and facilitate exchange of data that are relevant to enforcement of extant tax laws.

According to a statement, the Minister of State for Finance, Mr. Clem Agba, witnessed the agreement signing event held the State House in Marina, which also had Commissioner for Finance, Dr.

Puts 2022 capital budget performance at N1.88trn The federal government, has so far raised a total of N742.56 billion through Sovereign Sukuk to finance road projects across the six geo-political zones in the country between 2017 and 2022.

Sukuk is a fixed-income capital market instrument issued by the Debt Management Office (DMO) on behalf of the federal government to raise funds to finance road projects in the country.

Speaking in Abuja, yesterday, at the cheque presentation ceremony of the N130 billion raised from the 2022 Sukuk issuance, the DMO Director General, Ms. Patience Oniha, recalled the trajectory of the Islamic-styled bond since 2017.

She said: "The DMO started the journey towards issuing a Sovereign Sukuk some years back, diligently working with experts to get the

process and documentation right.

"These efforts paid off with the issuance of the first Sovereign Sukuk of N100 billion in September, 2017. The DMO has issued Sukuk four more times bringing the total amount raised as at December 2022 to N742.56 billion.

"From the Sukuk issued between 2017 and 2021, a total of N612.56 billion was raised and deployed to the construction and rehabilitation of sections of seventy-one (71) roads and four bridges covering a total of 2,820.06km."

She commended the implementing ministries and their various contractors for supporting the DMO in the initiative.

She stated that it was not surprising that the Ministry of Works and Housing as well as the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) were also beneficiaries of the N130 billion 2022 Sovereign

tive partnership towards national development.

"Ultimately, the desired goal is to ensure collective action that will firmly place the country on the path of sustainable prosperity for current and future generations," she added.

Speaking further on the Masterplan, the Executive secretary said the focus on investment would be largely pronounced in non-oil export by exploring the various industries in the agric value chain as well as tapping into the country’s solid minerals potential.

Lagos, FIRS Sign Joint Tax Audit Agreement

FG Raised N742.56bn Sukuk Funds to Finance Road Projects in Six Years Ndubuisi Francis in Abuja

as usher in a robust and effective stakeholder communication and engagement.

"We believe this will result in effective partnership with all critical stakeholders including the media community to galvanise Nigeria’s investment performance and ensure investment plays a central role in national development.

"Indeed, the media is amongst the most important stakeholders in the investment ecosystem. The immediate focus of this stakeholder engagement to seek a more effec-

Sukuk, whose proceeds will be similarly deployed to road projects.

According to her, through the Sovereign Sukuk initiative, the DMO had demonstrated its strong alignment with the policy of President Muhammadu Buhari, on infrastructural development.

Oniha stressed that the DMO has positioned itself not only as an agency for managing the public debt including borrowing on behalf of the federal government, but as an active stakeholder in the domestic capital market through innovation, investor engagement and collaboration with other stakeholders.

These, she stressed, have deepened the market, created benchmarks for other borrowers and promoted financial inclusion by providing a retail product, FGN Savings Bond, as well as, Sukuk and Green Bonds for ethical investors.

According to her, the DMO remains committed to its mandate and market development activities.

In her remarks, the Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Mrs. Zainab Ahmed noted that, "the issuance of Sovereign Sukuk, a project-tied debt instrument, is one of the many innovative and very successful initiatives of this administration towards financing the development of critical infrastructure in the country."

Ahmed pointed out that the Buhari’s administration had invested the sum of N612.557 billion raised through Sovereign Sukuk between 2017 and 2021, into the construction and rehabilitation of key economic road projects in the six geo-political zones and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

Continues online

Rabiu Olowo; Lagos Attorney General, Mr. Moyosore Onigbanjo; Commissioner for Economic Planning and Budget, Sam Egube, and Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr. Gbenga Omotoso, in attendance.

Aside from offering joint jurisdiction in tax audit and bringing about an integrated system of tax compliance, the scope of the MoU also empowered both tax authorities to exchange information sourced under International Tax Treaties in line with global protocols, while creating a common tax collection platform to eliminate double taxation.

Sanwo-Olu described the collaboration as “epoch-making”, noting that the conversation for the harmonisation of the two agencies’ mandates started about a year ago, based on the need to forge a common front in widening the tax net to raise the country’s tax to GDP ratio.

The governor observed that Nigeria had maintained an unimpressive tax to GDP ratio of between 6 to 8 per cent, despite the yearly record-breaking turnovers by both FIRS and LIRS. This, he said, has mounted pressure on the nation’s resources and created an imbalance in Government’s expenditure.

Sanwo-Olu said Nigeria must operate at the same level with other nations within sub-Saharan Africa doing between 14 and 15 per cent in tax to GDP ratio in order to support the Government’s development programmes and improve accountability.

He said: “We have just witnessed an epoch-making ceremony between the Federal Inland Revenue Service and Lagos Inland Revenue Service. This collaboration did

not just happen by chance; it is a conversation we started about a year ago with the chairman of FIRS when both parties reviewed their successes and limitations.

“It was clear there was a need for a relationship to be consummated. Both FIRS and LIRS have been breaking records of their tax collection and administration yearly, but this is not enough. We have an unimpressive tax to GDP ratio, which ranges between six and eight per cent; this is totally unacceptable.

“Studies have shown that there would be better service delivery to the citizens and improvement in efficiency of tax collection when the two agencies work together.

The cost of tax collection would be reduced, we would see better customer satisfaction and more resources would be generated for the government to deliver more dividends of democracy.

“For us as a state, we are humble by this collaborative effort and we believe our citizens will be the ultimate beneficiaries of this initiative. The MoU is in the best interest of the public, as it affirms the reason why we need to come together and strengthen the cordial working relationship between the two agencies.”

Sanwo-Olu said the bilateral agreement was initiated not to overburden tax-paying citizens, stressing that the objective was to widen the tax base and bring more people to equitability. With a sustainable tax administration system, the Governor said more resources would accrue to the Government to reduce social burden and take care of the vulnerable.

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NEWS

LONG TIME NO SEE MAMA...

All Progressives Congress Presidential Candidate, Asíwájú Bola Tinubu, during his surprise visit to Hajiya Dada Yar'Adua, mother of the late General Shehu Musa Yar'Adua and the late President Umoru Musa Yar'Adu, in Katsina... yesterday

UK Prosecutors Accuse Ekweremadu of Attempting to Buy Kidney for £7,000 Say he asked victim to lie he was cousin to his daughter Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja A Nigerian senator and his wife plotted to bring a poor street trader to the UK to harvest his kidney for their daughter in exchange for up to £7,000 and the promise of a better life, a court has heard.

Ike and Beatrice Ekweremadu, their 25-year-old daughter Sonia and medical “middleman” Dr. Obinna Obeta allegedly conspired to exploit the 21-year-old man for his body part, the court heard.

It is claimed Sonia Ekweremadu was to have been the recipient of his kidney in a transplant operation at the Royal Free Hospital in Hampstead, north London.

As part of the alleged plot, “elaborate” steps were taken to create the false impression that Sonia and her proposed donor were cousins, it

is claimed. His status and influence had produced a significant degree of wealth since they had international connections, the court was told.

Opening their Old Bailey trial on Monday, Hugh Davies KC said Ekweremadu, 60, a senior senator in the Nigerian Parliament, and his 56-year-old wife were “significant figures” in Nigerian society.

“His status and influence had produced a significant degree of wealth. They had international connections,” the prosecutor said.

“There are, however, certain things that money and status cannot guarantee in any family and they include good health,” the prosecutor added.

Sonia had a “significant and deteriorating” kidney condition which could be managed through dialysis but cured with a transplant,

the court heard.

Davies told jurors: “Most parents, whether powerful or not in society, will do whatever is necessary to alleviate suffering in their child.

“The Ekweremadus were no different: the evidence – from downloads from their mobile phones, and wider actions – demonstrates a close, open and loving family each with an understandable and direct interest in Sonia’s medical treatment.”

Davies told jurors the case was not about their motivation but what the defendants were prepared to do to cure Sonia’s kidney condition.

While it was lawful for someone to donate a kidney, it is criminal to reward someone for doing so, jurors heard. To him - a street trader from Lagos - these sums and rewards were significant, The Independent and Reuters reported.

The donor, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, was allegedly recruited in Lagos, Nigeria. At the time he was making a few pounds a day selling telephone parts from a cart in public markets, the court heard.

Davies said other potential donors in Nigeria had been reviewed for suitability before he was identified.

And when the organ transplant did not go ahead in London, steps were taken to arrange a transplant operation in Turkey with a different donor, it was claimed.

When the street trader was found to be a suitable match, he was transported to London in February 2022, under the “direction and financial control” of the alleged plotters, Davies said.

As part of the deception, the young man was purported to be

Report: Pop Culture is Biggest Influencer of African Youth Pop culture is the biggest influencer of African youth, according to the ‘Who is Influencing Who? Unpacking Youth and Influence in Africa,’ report.

The latest report by ‘Africa No Filter’ investigated Africa’s influence on the world, its influences on African youth, and how dominant narratives about Africa shape the youth’s perception of the continent.

The research interviewed 4500 people aged between 18 and 35 in Nigeria, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Morocco, Egypt, Uganda, Kenya, Zimbabwe and South Africa.

It showed that 57 per cent of respondents said pop culture had the biggest influence, followed by the US and Europe (45%), and politicians (31%). Regionally, pop culture had the strongest sway in Kenya (87%) and Zimbabwe, while West African respondents (65%) perceived the US and Europe as more influential.

“Interestingly, even though politicians are considered influential, only 11 per cent of interviewees said they were influenced by politicians. Given that stereotypical narratives about Africa are abundant, the report asked young Africans what they believe to be the dominant negative stories about the continent in movies. 54 per cent said that common negative narratives were about crime and corruption, followed by narratives set in underdeveloped cities (41%) and depicting uneducated, unexposed Africans (33%).

“Regarding the impact on the world’s perceptions, 75 per cent of respondents said the stories created a

negative perception of the continent.

However, it has not stopped them from loving their country and the continent (60%) or believing that African countries - especially South Africa, Nigeria, and Egypt - have a global influence (73%),” it stated.

Executive Director at Africa No Filter, Moky Makura, was quoted to have said: “This is a must-read for any organisation working with and in Africa because it unpacks what influences the largest demographic in the continent.

“Sadly, African youth haven’t escaped the impact of negative stereotypes but the good news is that it hasn’t defined their perceptions - and that has a lot to do with social media, and the agency it gives them.”

Other findings of the report showed that social media was powerful, adding that: “71 per cent of respondents believed they could challenge negative stereotypes about the continent on social media. While the report does not dig into the origins of this belief, previous research has turned up several examples of how young Africans have – and continue to – shift negative stereotypes at a global level.

“Love for country and continent: Even though 45 per cent of respondents believed their perceptions had been shaped by negative narratives about the continent, 60 per cent still loved their country and the African continent. Only 18 per cent of respondents indicated that they would rather live in the United States or Europe and only

20 per cent believed that there are fewer opportunities on the African continent than elsewhere.

“The power of pop culture: The main influences on respondents were pop culture (57%), social media (27%), family and friends (44%), religion (74%) and their communities’ cultural practices (54%). While 45% of respondents believed that other African youths were strongly influenced by the United States and Europe, they stated that, for them,

family and friends had the biggest influence.”

It noted that politicians remain influential, “but they don’t influence the youth: Although 58 per cent of respondents said politicians were the most influential people in their country, only 11 per cent said they were influenced by politicians.

“The only time respondents said they were influenced by politicians was when making voting decisions (51%).”

Sonia’s cousin, with the family connection used to get a temporary visa to travel to the UK, the court was told.

He was coached to give false answers to doctors at the Royal Free Hospital and Sonia was “singing from the same hymn sheet” to create a fake family history, Davies added.

The man appeared to have been offered a reward of up to 3.5 million naira (7,000 pounds or $8,439) along with a promise of work and the chance to be in Britain, the court heard.

Davies told jurors: “Relative to the wider medical costs of the process – measured in tens of thousands of pounds – which would have been done privately, his reward was to be a small fraction of the whole.

“To him – a street trader from Lagos – these sums and rewards were significant,” the prosecutor said.

Jurors were told the alleged donor did not understand until his first appointment with a consultant at the Royal Free Hospital that he was there for a kidney transplant.

He was said by the consultant to have “limited understanding” of what he was there for and was “visibly relieved” on being told the transplant would not go ahead, the court heard.

Davies noted: “More widely, the prosecution contends that (the donor) was subject to a high degree of control throughout and was dependent on what he was told for his understanding.”

The jury was told Sonia Ekweremadu has not had a kidney transplant and remains on dialysis.

The three Ekweremadus, from Willesden Green, north-west London, and Obeta, 50, from Southwark, denied conspiring to arrange or facilitate the travel of the young man with a view to exploitation between August 1, 2021 and May 5 2022.

"None of this would have been necessary if this was a straightforward, genuine, lawful, altruistic kidney donation," Davies said. "It was not. The alleged conspirators knew it was not, what they agreed to was not. It was criminal," he added.

Davies said according to the would-be donor's account which the defence would, "doubtless dispute", he did not grasp that he had been taken to London a year ago for a kidney transplant until his first screening appointment at the Royal Free Hospital.

The consultant who carried out the tests said the man had a limited understanding of why he was there and was visibly relieved when told the transplant would not proceed, according to Davies.

Davies said there was an "obvious risk that those providing organs for transplantation for reward are likely to come from the poorest and most vulnerable sections of society."

The defendants have been charged under modern slavery legislation which makes it an offence to "arrange or facilitate the travel" of a person to the UK for exploitation.

UN: Elimination of Female Genital Mutilation in 2030 at Risk

Michael Olugbode in Abuja

The United Nations (UN) has raised the alarm that 4.3 million girls were at risk of female genital mutilation in 2023 worldwide, with Nigeria ranking third on the globe.

A statement jointly issued yesterday, by the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) stated that the figure was based on latest estimates, with a projection that it would reach 4.6 million by 2030, as conflict, climate change, rising poverty and inequality continue to hinder efforts to transform gender and social norms that underpin this harmful practice and disrupt programmes that help protect girls.

According to the statement, Female genital mutilation (FGM) remained widespread in Nigeria. It noted that with an estimated 19.9 million survi-

vors, Nigeria accounted for the third highest number of women and girls who had undergone FGM worldwide, with the risk of cutting highest in the first 5 years (86% of girls circumcised before age 5 - National Demographic and Health Survey 2018).

It added: “FGM prevalence in Nigeria is decreasing among women aged 15-49 according to data from the 2021 Multiple Indicator Survey (MICS) (18% to 15% 2016-17/2021).

Similarly, the prevalence among girls aged 0-14 decreased from 25 per cent to eight per cent during the same time period (MICS 2021).

“This significant decrease in prevalence among girls aged 0-14 is a welcome development, given that an estimated 86% of females aged 15-49 were subjected to FGM before the age of 5 (NDHS 2018).

“At the same time, 12 states had a prevalence higher than the national

prevalence, ranging from nine per cent in Edo to 35 per cent in Kwara and Kano.”

It further added that: “FGM violates the rights of women and girls and limits their opportunities for the future in health, education and income.

“Rooted in gender inequality and power imbalances, it is an act of gender-based violence that harms girls' bodies, dims their futures, and endangers their lives.

“Changing gender and social norms that encourage FGM is critical.

Men and boys are powerful allies in the effort. Increasingly they are challenging power dynamics within their families and communities and supporting women and girls as agents of change.”

The statement revealed that the UNFPA-UNICEF global Joint Programme on the Elimination of FGM

had supported over 3,000 initiatives within the last five years where men and boys actively advocated to bring an end to the practice.

UNFPA Resident Representative, Ulla Mueller, was quoted to have said: “Men and boys remain key partners in addressing gender inequalities and harmful practices as we all collaboratively join hands to deliver the global promise of eliminating FGM by 2030.”

On his part, UNICEF Nigeria Country Representative, Cristian Munduate added that: “As a result of our collective efforts, we are witnessing significant opposition from men and boys to FGM. Today, men and boys are more receptive to change than before, and in some communities, they are more likely to disapprove of female genital mutilation and domestic violence than women and girls.”

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APFSPN ANNUAL CONFERENCE AND AWARD...

LR: Training Coordinator, Association of Professional Food Service Provider of Nigeria (APFSPN), Mrs. Tolu Yussuff; Vice chairperson, Mrs. Bolade Adebayo; Chairperson, Mrs. Monioluwa Osho; Event Manager, Mrs. Abimbola Adebanjo and Public Relation Officer, Ms. Afolake Oba-Kasumu at the Association of Professional Food Service Provider of Nigeria 2023 Annual Conference/Induction, held PHOTO: SUNDAY ADIGUN in Lagos…. yesterday

‘Holy Ghost Fire’ Has Visited Those Preparing Bullion Vans for Elections, Says Diri NECA to FG: Prosecute those sabotaging sufficient supply of new naira notes John Shiklam in Kaduna, Dike

Onwuamaeze and Wale Igbintade

Bayelsa State Governor, Douye Diri has alleged that the “holy ghost fire” has visited those preparing bullion vans to buy votes in the forthcoming elections, following the decision of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to phase out the old N200, N500 and N1000 ahead of the general election.

He stated this yesterday, in Zonkwa, headquarters of Zangon Kataf Local Government Area of Kaduna state, at the flag off of the campaign by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate for Kaduna south Senatorial district, Hon. Sunday Katung.

He said although, he was not in support of the suffering ordinary Nigerians have been subjected to as a result of the monetary policy, he maintained that it would change the attitude of Nigerian leaders.

He pleaded with the CBN to ensure that the people do not suffer, by making the new naira notes available.

“We have to reset this country.

The way the country is going is not about religion and ethnicity.

It is about few people who have taken the wealth of this country to themselves,” the governor said.

He said, “While we are not in support of the common man suffering as a result of the sudden CBN policy, but that policy will change, not only our currency but our attitude towards everything as leaders.

“While we plead with the CBN to ensure that our people do not

suffer, the other side, those of them who have bullion vans, who are prepared to make bullion vans and buy over the presidency, we say the Holy Ghost fire will go onto them.

“The CBN policy is Holy Ghost fire on them. That is why they are shouting. Why are they shouting as if it affects them more than us?

“All the CBN is saying is that anybody who does not earn money should not have money in bullion vans to go and buy over our voters.

That’s all the CBN has said and we support that policy. However, make the money available to those who have earned this money through their farms, trading and their professional business. That’s all we are saying.

That’s our concern.”

Speaking further Diri said, “For us in PDP, we believe that Nigeria is going down and it must be rescued and recovered.”

According to him, the only way the country could be rescued and recovered was to vote Atiku Abubakar, whom he described as “a detribalised man who has seen it as a former vice president of this country.”

He described Katung, a former member of the House of Representatives as humble and experienced politician who would serve the people if elected senator.

Diri also asked the people to vote for Isa Ashiru, the PDP governorship candidate in the state.

Guest speaker at the occasion, Yakubu Dogara, a former speaker of the House of Representatives, called on the southern Kaduna people not to waste their votes by voting for the Labour Party, “because Labour

cannot win this election.”

He said Nigeria would be liberated if Atiku was voted as president.

NECA to FG: Prosecute Those Sabotaging Sufficient Supply of New Naira Notes

Meanwhile, the Nigeria Employers’ Consultative Association (NECA) has called on the federal government to prosecute those found culpable of sabotaging efficient and smooth implementation the Naira redesign policy.

The call was contained in a statement was issued yesterday, by the Director General of NECA, Mr. Adewale-Smatt Oyerinde, in which he called on government to save Nigeria’s fragile economy from further bashing, even as Nigerians grapple with multi-facet problems.

Oyerinde said: “The government should, as a matter of urgency, ensure the availability of the new Naira notes and if necessary to prosecute saboteurs to ease the frustration of Nigerians and avert the impending breakdown of law and order.

He also tasked the government

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) said it has commenced training for the 1,265,227 personnel engaged to conduct the forthcoming elections.

INEC National Commissioner, Information and Voter Education Committee, Festus Okoye disclosed this yesterday, in Lagos, at the commission's Voter Education and Publicity Training on Strategic Communication.

He said there was no doubt that the training was germane given the assurances by the Chairman of the Commission, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, that the Commission

was poised to organise free, fair, transparent, verifiable and inclusive election.

Okoye said it was also important against the backdrop of the coming into force of a new Electoral Legal Framework for the conduct of elections and the Commission’s commitment to infuse technology in the electoral process.

He noted that being Heads of Departments and Public Affairs Officers, it was their responsibility to advise the Resident Electoral Commissioners (REC) and Electoral Officers on the best way to communicate policies of the Commission, its technological innovations and issues in the conduct of elections.

authorities has remained a challenge.

While the Naira redesign is commendable, the implementation so far is short of commendable.

“A policy that was purportedly designed to curb inflation, encourage the cashless culture and foster financial inclusion among others is inadvertently pushing many Nigerians into frustration in view of the current epileptic bank transfer/e-payment systems and general inadequacy of online banking infrastructure.

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Use Elections to Pass Vote of No Confidence in APC, Government, Saraki Urges Nigerians Hammed Shittu in Ilorin A former Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki, yesterday, described the upcoming election as an opportunity for voters to pass vote of no confidence in the All Progressives Congress(APC)-led government.

This, he said was due to the level of insecurity, excruciating poverty and ineptitude in every part of the people's socio-economic life.

Speaking in Ilorin, Kwara State, against the backdrop of sufferings being faced by Nigerians as a result of the naira scarcity, Saraki said, "with elections only 19 days away, your PVC is your most potent protest now.

"Every other form of protest at this time will be counterproductive.

Nigerians have been in pains since the beginning of the new naira swap in the country as they have thronged to ATMs centres without getting the new naira notes.

“The development however has led to protest in some parts of the country while many have been reportedly death while waiting at ATM points so as to get their monies.”

Saraki however said, "elections are the most potent tool for protest offered on a platter of gold or for endorsement. This is why democracy is the best form of government.

"This 2023 election is a vote of no confidence in the APC-led government on the level of insecurity, excruciating poverty and ineptitude in every part of our socio-economic

Elections: INEC Commences Training for 1,265,227 Personnel Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja

on efficient implementation of its policies.

“One worrisome and distinctive feature of recent economic policies remains the poor implementation of such. While it is commendable to develop policies and programmes, the implementation of same is as important to the success of the said policies and programmes,” adding that currently the “trail of poor implementation of decisions is palpable and worrisome.

“It is obvious that the country is not short of good policies, but their implementation by relevant

Okoye stressed that their role, therefore, was important in getting Nigerians to understand the policies, programs and procedures of INEC during the general election and thereafter.

He added that on February 25th and March 11th, 2023, Nigerians would elect a president, 109 members of the Senate and 360 members of the House of Representatives, 28 Governors and 993 members of the State Assembly.

Okoye said 93,469,008 registered voters are expected to participate in the election.

His words: "The 2023 general election will be technology-driven.

To this end, the Commission will

deploy the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) to the 176,846 Polling Units across the Federation.

“The Commission will also deploy redundancies to the 8,809 Registration Areas and the 774 Local Government Areas of Nigeria. The Commission has tested the full complement of the BVAS that will be used for the election and they are presently being configured in readiness for the election."

Okoye explained that the use of the BVAS for voter verification and authentication was a mandatory provision of Section 47(2) of the Electoral Act and every registered voter must undergo the process of accreditation.

life.

"With elections only 19 days away, your PVC is your most potent protest now. Every other

form of protest at this time will be counterproductive. You have endured it for the last 8 years, just a few more days to go."

Rand Merchant Bank Expands Operations to US Rand Merchant Bank (RMB) yesterday announced that it now has a New York representative office to facilitate greater United States business flows into the African continent.

In a statement yesterday, RMB’s parent, FirstRand Bank, disclosed that it has received all necessary approvals from the United States Federal Reserve Board and New York State Department of Financial Services.

RMB CEO, Emrie Brown, said foreign investors were increasingly turning to Africa, with its vast natural resources, extensive markets, young population, and excellent technological prospects.

“The African Continental Free Trade Area agreement will also ease access into Africa, stimulate intra-regional trade and boost growth,” he said.

Brown added: “The new office will link investors in the United States with Africa’s extensive business opportunities. As an established, onthe-ground corporate and investment bank with offices across the African continent, we understand the challenges and regulatory environments for business success in Africa.

“We are particularity well-placed

to drive investment into the continent thanks to the advisory expertise we have developed since RMB’s establishment in 1984.”

Brown added that the bank would work with US-headquartered multinational corporations with African subsidiaries, non-governmental corporations, as well as US corporates with no African presence that intend to engage in business or establish themselves in Africa.

Albert Maartens, who heads up the US operations, said the new office would enable RMB to spend more time with key corporate and institutional decision-makers and facilitate assistance to and communication with US corporates looking to expand into Africa.

Maartens explained: “RMB will be able to act as trusted adviser for our existing and future US clients so that they can take advantage of our innovative product offerings within the environment in which they wish to operate. As a division of FirstRand Bank, we can offer investors longer tenors due to our large capital base, access to deep expertise on the continent, an impeccable compliance record and due diligence skills and processes that are firmly in place.”

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At Last, Lawan Clinches APC's Ticket for Yobe North Senatorial Senate president hails supreme court, says judgment will strengthen democracy

Alex Enumah and Sunday Aborisade in Abuja In a split judgment of three to two justices, the Supreme Court on yesterday declared Senate President, Ahmad Lawan as candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the February 25 Senatorial election for Yobe North Senatorial District.

The majority decision delivered

by Justice Centus Nweze, made the declaration after setting aside both the decisions of the Court of Appeal and trial court which earlier affirmed Bashir Machina as candidate.

According to Nweze, the lower courts lacked the necessary jurisdiction to hear the suits because it was commenced by originating summons, adding that the dispute in the case was won that cannot be resolved

without oral evidence, especially in proving allegations of fraud.

But in their dissenting decision Justices Emmanuel Agim and Adamu Jauro, upheld the concurrent judgment of the lower courts which dismissed the case of the APC. They held that the lower courts were rights in declaring Machina as rightful candidate for the Yobe North election since Lawan never

participated in the APC primary held on May 28, 2022, when he withdrew voluntarily to participate in the presidential primary held on June 8, 2022.

“I affirm the brilliant judgment of the appellate court as to the appropriateness of the use of originating summons,” Agim said.

The minority decision held that the conduct of another primary on

P D P : A P C , T I N U B U I N N 2 2 . 5 B N N A I R A SWA P F O R VOT E B U Y I N G institutions in the state would not save him and his party from total defeat in the coming elections.

National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Debo Ologunagba, in a statement yesterday said the intended swapping of N22.5 billion stashed old naira notes to new ones in Kano State, was part of a desperate move to actualise APC vote buying plans in the elections.

He said information available to the party revealed that this act by the APC, which was responsible for the biting cash scarcity was allegedly being coordinated in the North West region of the country by two APC State governors, who ironically have been vocal in the lamentation over the prevailing cash crunch.

The main opposition party further alleged that there was intelligence that the arrangement had been concluded by APC leaders to move a substantial part of the old naira notes from Kano to Lagos State between today and tomorrow for the purposes of swapping them with new ones.

"The PDP has been made aware that the N22.5 billion in old N1000 notes was allegedly kept in a Kano State Government facility before being moved to a particular old generation and a certain new generation bank, where the regional heads were contacted by the APC Presidential Campaign to swap the old notes with new ones.

"Further information revealed that the cash is being warehoused by the Tinubu Campaign for vote buying in Kano, Kaduna, Bauchi, Jigawa and Sokoto States. A particular APC State governor is reported to have taken delivery of N500 million new Naira notes to actualise the vote buying plot," Ologunagba said.

The PDP, therefore, alerted the security agencies and the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) of this nefarious activity by APC leaders, which it said was bringing untold hardship to Nigerians.

Ologunagba added: "Our party demands an immediate action to stop APC in this criminal act as well as to recover the money and make the new Naira notes available to the public."

The PDP had earlier alerted Nigerians that some corrupt APC leaders were compromising the system to mop up the new bank notes for their selfish vote-buying plans ahead of the February 25, presidential election.

But replying the PDP, the Director Media and Publicity, APC PCC, Bayo Onanuga, said it was not enough to dish out cock and bull stories in the name of press releases and therefore challenged the party to provide evidence, stressing also that making senseless allegations every passing day has become the hallmark of the PDP campaign.

Onanuga noted: "Let them provide the evidence if they uncovered such. It is not enough to dish out cock and bull stories in the name of press releases. Making senseless allegations every passing day, which has become the hallmark of PDP campaign is not how to win election.

"Nigerians cannot be deceived by a party of looters. Nigerians can't forget a party of people that looted over $2 billion dollars meant for arms procurement, when Boko Haram was killing our citizens and almost took over three states in the north east.

"We challenge PDP to bring out any evidence of their latest allegation otherwise the party of looters should hide its ugly face in perpetual shame."

Meanwhile, from Ilorin in Kwara State, there were reports, which circulated weekend, that a former Senate President, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki was trying to disrespect the Emir of Ilorin, Alhaji Ibrahim Sulu-Gambari.

But the press officer to Saraki on local matters, Abdulganiyu Abdulqadir, has immediately denied the reports, which he described as false, unfounded and irresponsible.

This was as some socio-political groups under the aegis of Coalition of Ilorin Emirate Youths Development Association (CIEYDA) and The Peoples Vanguard (TPV), have warned against any comment that could bring down the traditional institution especially, the Emir of Ilorin.

A joint statement issued in Ilorin yesterday and signed by the National Chairman of the

(CIEYDA), Dr AbdulMumin Ajia and spokesperson of the (TPV), Mr. Ibrahim Musa said, the development has shown alleged hatred they harbored for the traditional stool particularly, the Emir of Ilorin and Abdulrazaq's family over the years.

However, a statement by the PDP Campaign Council signed

by Director of Media, Mr. Lawal Akanbi Sharafadeen, expressed concern over the plot by the APC and the present administration to cause disaffection among the various ethnic groups in the state.

"We do not lock horns with anyone unless where there are issues raised and there are none so far from all the releases of various unknown groups linked to the government. Similar to what it did towards the 2019 general election, the APC has started its usual provocative propaganda of

dragging our revered traditional institution into disrepute by trying to instigate crises among the royal fathers.

"For the avoidance of doubt, the recent successful campaign tour of PDP to Kwara North is strictly to solicit the support of the zone for the PDP candidates in all elections and had nothing to do with the leadership of our traditional institutions as that has already been settled long ago.

"It is quite understandable that the Kwara North success of the PDP campaign is unsettling for the unpopular Governor and knowing full well that a resounding success awaits the PDP campaign at the central, hence the governor has resulted into playing dirty through countless unknown associations but the PDP will not come down so low but rather concentrate on issues".

June 9, 2022 where Lawan emerged was in breach of Section 84 (5) of the Electoral Act as the APC never cancelled the May 28 primary before organizing another.

According to the minority judgment, while the APC did not give INEC 21 days' mandatory notice before going ahead to conduct another primary election on June 9, no official of the electoral umpire monitored the latter primary.

Justices Jauro and Agim therefore deemed the conduct of the second primary held on June 9 as illegal.

While stressing that "the appellant has not contradicted that findings of fact are perverse or unreasonable,” Agim held that "the failure to challenge the findings of facts defeats the entire appeal.”

He went ahead to make a declarative order of N3 million cost against the APC for bringing a suit that is incompetent.

Machina had approached the Federal High Court to declare him as the authentic senatorial candidate for Yobe North following the refusal of his party to send his name as rightful candidate for the party.

While he had emerged winner of the May 28 primary, Lawan had emerged from the June 9 primary.

Amid the controversy, the APC submitted the senate president’s name to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as the

candidate for Yobe north.

The electoral commission subsequently refused to list any candidate for the district.

In September, a Federal High Court in Damaturu, the Yobe State capital, ordered the APC and INEC to recognise Machina as the candidate.

Similarly, on November 28, 2022, an Abuja court of appeal affirmed Machina’s election as the candidate of the APC for the Yobe north senatorial district.

However, not satisfied, the APC appealed the appellate court’s judgment.

In his reaction, the president of the Senate yesterday, commended the Supreme Court judgement which declared him as the validly nominated candidate of the APC for the Yobe North Senatorial District.

Speaking with journalists in Abuja, Lawan commended the leadership of the APC for taking it upon itself to approach the Supreme Court after the judgement of the Appeal Court which recognised Machina as the APC candidate.

He said, "Let me start by thanking God for his blessing and of what had happened today in the Supreme Court. The judgement on Yobe North particularly, is a victory for APC in Yobe and generally APC across the country.

Continues online

COURT STOPS BUHARI, CBN, OTHERS FROM SUSPENDING NAIRA REDESIGN, EXTENDING CASH SWAP DEADLINE suspending the demonetisation policy of the federal government.

Justice Eneojo Eneche, made the order while ruling in an ex parte application brought by four political parties against the government and 27 commercial banks in the country.

This emerged just as three states from the northern part of Nigeria – Kaduna, Kogi and Zamfara - have approached the apex court to stop the federal government from going ahead with its plan to phase out the old N200, N500 and N1,000 banknotes from February 10, 2023, due to what they termed as the unbearable hardship the policy was said to be bringing upon people in the affected states.

Also, the Conference of Nigerian Political Parties (CNPP) chairmen and candidates for the elections slated for February 25, have rejected alleged plans by some people to force the central bank to suspend the naira redesign policy.

However, in spite of criticisms and naira scarcity, Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki, yesterday, insisted that the CBN’s drive towards a cashless economy was the right for the nation.

Also yesterday, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) yesterday arrested an operations manager of a leading commercial bank in the Central Area of Abuja.

The four political parties in the suit marked: FCT/HC/ CV/2234/2023 were the Action Alliance, Action People's Party, Allied People's Movement and National Rescue Movement, while the defendants included Buhari, CBN, Emefiele and 27 commercial banks.

The CBN had announced a currency redesign and a cash withdrawal limit of N100,000 weekly for individuals; with an implementation date of January 31, 2023.

However due to pressure from both public and private sector, the government and CBN increased the withdrawal limit to N500,000 weekly and extended the deadline date by another 10 days terminating at February 10, 2023.

However, delivering ruling in a motion ex parte dated and filed February 6, 2023, Justice Eneojo Eneche restrained the respondents from, "stopping, extending or interfering with the currency redesign terminal date of February 10 or issue any directive contrary to the February 10 date."

Besides ordering the defendants to comply with the naira redesign policy, the court also summoned the Chief Executive Officers and

Managing Directors of commercial banks in the country and their alter egos to show cause why they should not be arrested and prosecuted for the economic and financial sabotage of the country by their illegal hoarding, withholding, not paying or disbursing the new N200 N500 and N1000 bank notes despite supply of such notes by the Central Bank, thereby leading to the present scarcity of currency in circulation.

While holding that the order of the court was for the period of seven days, the court adjourned to February 14, for hearing.

Kaduna, Kogi, Zamfara Drag FG, CBN to Supreme Court

In a related development, three states from the northern part of Nigeria have approached the apex court to stop the federal government from going ahead with effecting the deadline.

The three states of Kaduna, Kogi and Zamfara specifically applied for an order of Interim Injunction restraining, "the federal government through the CBN or the commercial banks from suspending or determining or ending on February 10, 2023, the time frame with which the now older version of the 200, 500 and 1,000 denomination of the naira may no longer be legal tender pending the hearing and determination of their motion on notice for interlocutory injunction."

While the Attorneys-General and Commissioners of Justice of the three states were the plaintiffs, the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami was the only respondent in the suit filed by AbdulHakeem Mustapha.

In the suit marked: SC/ CV/162/2023 and filed on February 3, plaintiffs sought a declaration that the demonetisation policy of the federation being currently carried out by the CBN under the directive of the president was not in compliance with the extant provisions of the Constitution and CBN Act, 2007 and actual laws on the subject.

Besides, plaintiffs wanted a declaration that the three-month notice given by the federal government through the CBN under the directive of the president, the expiration of which would render the old banknotes inadmissible as legal tender, is in gross violation of the provisions of Section 20(3) of the CBN Act 2007, which specifies that Reasonable Notice must be given before such a policy.

Similarly, the plaintiffs urged

the court to declare that given the express provisions of Section 20(3) of the CBN Act 2007, the federal government through the CBN had no powers to issue a timeline for the acceptance and redeeming of banknotes issued by the bank, except as limited by Section 22(1) of the CBN Act 2007.

The plaintiffs claimed that since the announcement of the policy, there had been an acute shortage in the supply of the new naira notes in Kaduna, Kogi and Zamfara states, adding that citizens who had dutifully deposited their old naira notes have increasingly found it difficult and sometimes next to impossible to access new naira notes to go about their daily activities.

Plaintiffs in addition cited the inadequacy of the notice coupled with the haphazard manner in which the exercise was being carried out and the attendant hardship same was wrecking on Nigerians, which has been well acknowledged even by the government itself.

The plaintiffs further maintained that the 10-day extension by the federal government was not sufficient to address the challenges bedeviling the policy.

They therefore sought an order of court directing the federal government to immediately suspend the policy until it complies with the relevant provisions of the law.

In an affidavit in support of its own originating summons, the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Kaduna State, Aisha Dikko, who observed that the need to encourage cashless policy was behind the introduction of the naira redesign, stated that not all transactions are however convenient through electronic means.

According to her, several transactions still required cash in exchange for goods and services and as such the government have to allow sufficient money in circulation for the smooth running of the economy.

Besides, the deponent claimed that the federal government has embarked on the policy within a narrow and unworkable time frame, adding that this had adversely affected Nigerian citizens within Kaduna, Kogi and Zamfara States as well as their Governments, especially as the newly redesigned naira notes are not available for use by the people as well as the State Governments.

“That the majority of the indigenes of the plaintiffs’ states who reside in the rural areas have been unable to exchange or deposit their old naira notes as there are no banks in the rural areas where the majority of the population of

the states reside.

“Most people in rural areas of the Plaintiffs’ states do not have bank accounts and have so far been unable to deposit their life savings which are still in the old naira notes.

“There is restiveness amongst the people in the various states because of the hardship being suffered by the people, and the situation will sooner than later degenerate into the breakdown of law and order.

“The plaintiff State Governments cannot stand by as they are dutybound to protect citizens in their states and prevent the breakdown of law and order", she averred.

While stating that all the current hardship and loss being experienced by the Plaintiffs’ state governments as well as people in the various states would have been avoided if there is sufficient time frame for implementation of the policy, Dikko submitted "that the 10-day extension by the federal government is still insufficient to address the challenges bedeviling the policy."

EFCC Arrests Bank Manager over Refusal to Upload N29m New Naira Notes

The EFCC yesterday arrested an operations manager of a leading commercial bank in the Central Area of Abuja.

A statement issued by the commission and signed by its spokesman, Wilson Uwujaren, said the banker was arrested by its operatives for refusing to load the ATMs of the bank despite having N29 million of the redesigned naira notes in the branch’s vaults.

"Before he was whisked away for further questioning, the operatives ordered the loading of all the ATMs and the payment of the stipulated amount across the counter to the delight of the distraught customers who had spent hours on queues without getting the new notes," it said.

"This discovery, which indicates a sabotage of the government’s monetary policy by some banks, was made by the EFCC in continuation of the ongoing surveillance and visit to banks across the country to access their vaults and verify whether they were deliberately refusing to dispense the redesigned naira notes," it said.

The anti-graft agency said more than five bank branches were covered by the operatives in Abuja yesterday, while noting that similar exercises were ongoing in zonal commands across the country.

It said the operations would

continue until normalcy was restored to the banking system.

"Nigerians finding it difficult to access their funds at any bank and suspects foul play should contact the commission, for immediate intervention", it said.

14 Political Parties’ Candidates, Chairmen Threaten to Boycott Polls If CBN Suspends Policy

In a related development, the CNPP’s chairmen and candidates for the election have rejected alleged plans by some people to force the CBN to suspend the ongoing naira redesign policy.

The political parties' chairmen and their candidates stated this in Abuja, yesterday, at a joint news conference addressed by their spokesperson, Kenneth Udeze, who is also the Chairman of Action Alliance.

They threatened to pull out of the election if the apex bank was forced to succumb to pressure and blackmail and suspend the policy.

They claimed to be in possession of credible security reports which indicated that there was a plot to instigate violent disturbances to provoke civil unrest aimed at forcing the CBN to postpone the policy Udeze said, 'We hereby announce our resolution that at least 14 of the 18 political parties in Nigeria will not be interested in the 2023 general election and indeed we shall withdraw all our participation from the electoral process if these currency policies are suspended or cancelled or if the deadline is further shifted.

"Having stated our views clearly, we now bring to the notice of the nation and particularly the security agencies that we have intercepted very credible intelligence of a wellfinanced plot to instigate violent disturbances, incite and provoke civil unrest aimed at undermining the president and causing a shift in the election date or causing his administration to come to an abrupt end.

"We were approached to lend our support; generous promises were made but we believe that Nigeria comes first before any other mundane consideration.

"Painfully, we must state that this voice of dissent is coming from within the political party of the president.

"Elements of the party that should have been the first to embrace these policies is the party championing the opposition against it."

They alleged that the charge was being led by the Governors Continued on page 27

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UNVEILING NIGERIA’S TALLEST FLAG...

L-R: Chief Executive Officer, Planet Project Limited, Mr. Biodun Otunola; Chairman, Malam Alu Agro-Allied Company Limited, Hon. Farouk Adamu Aliyu and President Muhammadu Buhari, at the unveiling of Nigeria’s tallest flags at Faru Village, Birnin Kudu, Jigawa State... recently

Ayu: Only People with Mental Problem Will Vote for APC

Says issues with Ikpeazu resolved, PDPready to receive G-5 govs I'll reopen railway lines in Benue, Atiku Promises Nextier polls baseless, unempirical, declares PDP Campaign George Okoh in Makurdi and Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Dr. Iyorchia Ayu, has said only people with mental problems would vote for the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in the forthcoming elections considering the hardship the party has inflicted on Nigerians in the past eight years.

Ayu, who stated this yesterday in Benue during the presidential rally of the party, where he urged the people to vote for all the candidates of his party, said the PDP had resolved issues with the Abia State Governor, Okezie Ikpeazu and would be willing to receive the aggrieved

G-5 governors.

This is as the presidential candidate of the party, Atiku Abubakar assured that if elected president, he would ensure peace returns to the state and also reopen the railway lines in the state.

Relatedly, the Atiku/Okowa Campaign Organisation, has described the presidential election Poll results released by Nextier as unsupported, baseless and unempirical.

However, Ayu said though there were grievances within the main opposition party, he insisted that the party wasn't divided, stressing that the party was already in talks with all aggrieved members of the party to ensure they come back to the party.

"All of you know that you have suffered in this country in the last eight years of APC, only somebody who has a mental problem will vote for APC. Do not waste your vote.

"Vote for every PDP candidate, the party is not divided. There are a few members, who have grievances.

We are talking to them. We want to make sure they come back and work with us fully. One week is enough to change everything. This thing has been going on and I want to assure you that we'll receive everybody back," he said.

He appealed to the Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom, to comeback and fight to rescue Nigeria from APC. Ortom, a member of the PDP G-5,

a group of aggrieved five governors of the party led by Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State, had been demanding the resignation of Ayu as a condition for reconciliation following the decision of PDP to jettison the zoning arrangement.

Other members of the G5 are Ifeanyi Ugwanyi (Enugu), Okezie Ikpeazu (Abia) and Seyi Makinde (Oyo).

Ayu stated: "I am appealing to my younger brother, Governor Ortom to come back and join us so that we will fight to rescue Nigeria.

Governor Ortom has nowhere to go, his only house is the PDP and anytime that he comes, we shall be more than happy to receive him and all the PDP governors.

N120bn Loan: Youths Protest, Warn Banks to Stop Granting Okowa Facility Sylvester Idowu in Warri Hundreds of protesting youths, yesterday, blocked the ever-busy Effurun/Agbarho section of the East-West Road in Delta State over the approval of the State House of Assembly to Governor Ifeanyi Okowa to take more loans barely four months to the end of his administration as governor.

The protesters specifically warned commercial banks in the country to desist from granting additional fresh loans to the Governor Okowa-led government at the peak of political activities in the state, alleging that such loans were being diverted to fund political activities at the detriment of the people of the state.

They condemned the continued

“borrowing spree” by the PDP-led government, saying there was nothing to show for the huge loans and federal allocation that the state has received in the over seven and a half years of Okowa’s administration.

The youths under the aegis of concerned stakeholders from several civil society organisations (CSOs) warned that any bank still granting loans to Okowa-led government “is doing so at their own peril”.

The protest is coming on the heels of the recent N120 billion loan request by the state government which had a record time approval by the state House of Assembly.

Armed with placards with various inscriptions which included: “Don’t mortgage Delta,” “We say

no to N120B loan”, they accused the Okowa-led government of mortgaging the future Deltans yet-unborn over the high debt profile of the state.

Addressing journalists at the venue of the protest, National Youth President, Urhobo Progress Union (UPU), Comrade Kelly Umukoro, said Delta State youths rejected and condemned the recent loan by the state government.

“We have seen that the present state government wants to sell us for the future of their children and themselves. You have few months to leave government, and you are borrowing another N120 billion. Is it that we are sponsoring Okowa’s ambition to be vice president of Niger with Delta State money?

“Did we have any meeting as Deltans to say we want to use our treasury to sponsor Governor Okowa, who has not been able to improve the lives of Deltans? No infrastructure, for eight years you have been able to do one flyover and you are celebrating it. What does he need this money for? The answer is simple: he needs it to oil his vice presidential ambition.

“As critical stakeholders, we are saying no, never. We are saying our children cannot pay debt that was not used by their fathers. Okowa should have pity on us. Delta owns a State University in Abraka, school fee was increased. Delta State university is like a private university where students pay N250,000.”

"Two days ago, Governor Ikpeazu was in my house because he lost his gubernatorial candidate. We have resolved the problem with Governor Ikpeazu and the whole of Abia is coming back. We want all our candidates, all our governors to be with us because if you allow APC to win this election, you will regret it."

Speaking, Atiku, who promised to ensure peace returns to the state, condoled and sympathised with the families that have lost their lives in the past seven to eight years to farmers/Herders crisis in the state.

Atiku said: "The umbrella of Tiv people all over the world, I promise you, if you elect me as your president, just like I did in 2001, when I came to Benue and made the Fulanis to sign a peace Accord with their brother Tivs, I will come and make sure peace returns to Benue State.

"Benue State is the food basket of this country, today our farmers in Benue do not go to farm again because of insecurity. I will make sure security returns to Benue State," he said, urging the people not to make the mistake of voting the APC again.

According to him, “Make sure that you don't go and make a mistake of voting for APC and return them to power again. You know what we have done between 1999 and 2015? We brought prosperity, we brought jobs, peace to this country, we have the experience to repeat those feats again. So, I want to appeal to you to vote for PDP in the coming elections.”

Atiku, who assured the people of Benue that the infrastructural deficit they were facing in terms of connectivity with other neighboring states would be a thing of the past, said his administration would make sure that there was adequate

funding for development of roads and railways to make sure that the transportation system was once again working.

His words: "Benue State has been a gateway state between the far north and the south, that is why we have the railway line passing through Benue SState. Today, that line is not working.I promise you that when you elect a PDP government, we shall reopen the railway lines."

Meanwhile, the Atiku/Okowa Campaign Organisation , which described the presidential election poll results released by Nextier as unsupported, baseless and unempirical, reacted to a projected clean sweep of the South East region at over 90 per cent of registered votes, putting Obi ahead of the APC presidential candidate, Bola Tinubu in the six South West states including Lagos.

But the Spokesperson of the Campaign, Kola Ologbondiyan, in a statement issued Monday, said while the party completely rejected the polls, it acknowledged the Presidential Campaign Council (PCC) of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in its response to Nextier that Adamawa (and by extension the North East) was a stronghold of the PDP Presidential Candidate, Atiku Abubakar and described any speculation to the contrary as “ridiculous" According to him, "The Atiku/ Okowa Campaign invites Nigerians to note the admission by the Tinubu Campaign, while responding to the recent Nextier Polls, that Atiku Abubakar is well-grounded, more popular than Senator Tinubu and poised for victory in the most states of the South East, South South, South West, North East and other Parts of the country.

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TUESDAY FEBRUARY 7, 2023 • T H I S D AY

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SEEKING END TO NAIRA SCARCITY...

L-R: Controller, Ogun State branch of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Mr. Wahab Oseni; Ogun State Governor, Dapo Abiodun; his Deputy, Engr. Noimot Salako-Oyedele and Speaker, Ogun State House of Assembly, Olakunle Oluomo during a meeting on the cash swap crisis with the bank management at the CBN office in Abeokuta…yesterday

Buhari Presents Tinubu to Katsina Emirate Council, Urges Them to Mobilise for His Victory President, APC candidate condole Masari, Emir over recent killings Party cancels roadshow over Bakori tragedy Deji Elumoye in Abuja President Muhammadu Buhari, yesterday, continued his nationwide campaign for the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, with a visit to the Katsina Emirate Council, where he asked the Emir and the Council to mobilise their people for the election of Tinubu during the February 25, 2023 presidential poll.

The President, according to a release by his spokesperson, Mallam Garba Shehu, pledged full support for Tinubu while calling on the Emir of Katsina, Abdulmumini Kabir Usman and Emirate Council to mobilise for the political leader.

Speaking during a courtesy call on the Emir, Buhari said, "We are here to present our candidate, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu. Asiwaju has been chosen by our party, and we are fully in support of his candidature, and we will work for his victory at the polls," he said.

The president used the opportunity of the visit to personally condole the leaders and citizens of the state following the recent terrorist attack on vigilantes in Bakori Local Government area of the state, in which many lives were lost.

He said his administration would continue to listen to wise counsels from experts, traditional rulers and political leaders on the economy, and would adopt best practices in safeguarding the interest of the people.

"I hope citizens of the country,

and indigenes will remember what the Governor of Katsina State, and the Emir of Katsina said about the polity, and situation in the country. I will not want to add more," he said.

Earlier, Governor Aminu Bello Masari commended the President for introducing a social security structure that directly impacted the lives of citizens, with direct transfer of funds to people, and a school feeding programme that encouraged more children to enroll.

He said, "The president has approved more than N38 billion that went straight to improve the lives of citizens here, and we saw the difference. He didn't put money in the hands of the rich and privileged so that they could undermine the poor and vulnerable. He reached out directly.

"The president has worked for the interest of the country and citizens. We cannot compare the opportunities he got with the previous administrations. And yet, we can see the difference in terms of results in infrastructure, and growth of the economy. It is unfair and uncharitable to compare someone who was given a N1000 with another person that got a N100.

Yet, you can see the result."

The Governor expressed sympathy to families of vigilantes who were ambushed and slain by terrorists.

"The terrorists have behaved like animals. And animals are even better than them in many ways. Animals will only kill their kin when hungry, but terrorists have slain without purpose," Masari noted.

According to him, the ambush and killing of vigilantes in the state will be investigated, and those involved will face the law.

The Governor urged citizens to avoid politicians that have been flagging the ethnic and religious cards.

Masari, however, presented Tinubu to the Emirate, noting that his record of service in Lagos State, and the nation remains commendable.

"Lagos State had a poor security record, with cases of attacks, robberies and dead bodies on streets, until Asiwaju took over leadership in 1999. The state has been transformed, with infrastructure and earned a reputation as one of the fastest growing cities in the world. The state is now a centre of excellence, because of the vision of the APC presidential candidate, " Masari added.

Also speaking, the APC presidential candidate condoled with President Buhari, Governor Masari and the Emirate Council over the terrorist attacks, promising that loved ones will be catered for, and efforts will be made to apprehend the masterminds of heinous crimes in the country.

"We will not forget them. We will not forget their children and the parents left behind. No leader will be happy to see citizens slaughtered or hear of it. It is sad, painful and tortuous," he said.

According to Tinubu, the peace and stability of the nation remained a collective responsibility.

"Thank you for the prayers

and support. You promised to be behind the President like a rock of Gibraltar and you have done so. The President brought me here, and he has brought me home. I can say welcome home, because I am at home here," he stated.

The Emir of Katsina thanked Buhari for presenting Tinubu to the Emirate Council and citizens of Katsina, assuring them that they would pray and mobilise for victory at the polls.

He appealed to the President to look into the challenges posed by currency swap, adding that the "pain of the people, should be the pain of leadership."

Meanwhile, the APC presidential

roadshow and programmes of celebration were yesterdaycanceled in Katsina in the wake of the Bakori tragedy.

The mega rally in which Buhari and Tinubu, were star attractions was tamed as speaker after speaker took to the microphone to express sorrow over the tragic killings.

Buhari, according to a statement

by Shehu, led leaders, members and Tinubu in vilifying the evil of terrorism that has deprived many of loved ones, while prodding citizens to continue working collectively for the good of the state, and nation.

Governor Masari, who called for special prayers for repose of the souls of slain indigenes, more

Wike Pre-empts PDP over Alleged Suspension/Expulsion, Sues Party Court asks parties to maintain status quo Alex Enumah in Abuja Following the suit filed by the Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, against his party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), a Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered parties in the suit to maintain status quo.

Justice J. K. Omotosho gave the order shortly hearing the ex parte application filed by the governor.

Wike, in the Motion on Notice dated February 2, 2023, is challenging alleged plans by the PDP to either suspend or expel him from the party.

The Rivers State Governor had brought an ex parte application marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/139/2023, praying the court for an order "maintaining status quo and staying all actions in the matter relating to the threat to suspend

NUPRC COMMENCES THIRD ROUND OF REGULATIONS, MOVES TO ENSURE TRANSPARENCY IN OIL MEASUREMENT stakeholders’ meeting was part of the commission’s commitment to creating an enabling environment for growth and investments in the upstream oil and gas industry in Nigeria.

Represented by the Executive Commissioner, Development and Production, Dr. Habib Nuhu, Komolafe said five of the new regulations have now been officially gazetted while six at an advanced stage.

He noted that 13 draft regulations were presented for discussion during the phase one and two of the consultations with stakeholders last year.

Komolafe listed the regulations as the Nigeria Upstream Petroleum Host Communities Development Regulations, Royalty Regulations and the Domestic Gas Delivery

Obligation Regulations. Other regulations churned out by the commission, he said, were the Nigeria Conversion & Renewal (Licence and Lease) Regulations, Petroleum Licensing Round Regulations, Upstream Petroleum Fees and Rents Regulations as well as Upstream Decommissioning and Abandonment Regulations.

Furthermore, he listed the Unitisation Regulations, Acreage Management (Drilling & Production) Regulations, Frontier Exploration Fund Administration Regulations, Upstream Environmental Remediation Fund Regulations, Upstream Petroleum Safety Regulations and Upstream Petroleum Environmental Regulations as other regulations where stakeholders’ feedback had already been obtained.

“The inputs of the stakehold-

ers from the engagement were incorporated, where necessary, in the draft regulations. Thereafter, the regulations were forwarded to the Honourable Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice for vetting, legislative standardisation, and approval.

“I am happy to inform you that five of these regulations, the Nigeria Upstream Petroleum Host Community Development Trust regulations, Royalty Regulations, Domestic Gas Delivery Obligation Regulations, Nigeria Conversion & Renewal Regulations and Petroleum Licensing Round Regulations have been gazetted while the remaining six have been finalised and ready for gazetting,” he stressed.

He reiterated that the process of formulating the regulations had been a rigorous and strenuous

recently some vigilantes, thanked Tinubu for donating N100 million to the families of all those who were affected by the attacks.

“Leadership is not a joke. We should pray and support our leaders. The choice before us in the forthcoming elections is between light and darkness. We have a choice to move our state, and nation, or take it backwards.

“Separate yourselves from liars and jokers. We have seen these people and we know them; they gather people and deceive them.

We would not be dealing with Boko Haram and bandits today if they had provided the right leadership in the past,” he said.

exercise and were products of critical thinking and evaluation by the commission's regulation development team and the Presidential Implementation Committee on PIA. “Despite this however, the process is not complete until the stakeholders’ critical inputs are obtained. discussed, and incorporated, where necessary, in the regulations,” he said.

According to him, the current phase of the regulations development is by no means a final or exhaustive one in the commission’s drive to support the upstream industry operators.

“The Commission will continue to embark on programmes and policies that will create enabling environment for growth and more investments in the Nigerian

upstream oil and gas sector,” he added.

Komolafe added that the commission has no intention to bring incremental fiscal burden on operators which will erode its commitment to business growth, maintaining that the regulations will support the sector to have visibility on production systems.

In his remarks at the event, Executive Commissioner, Economic Regulation & Strategic Planning, NUPRC, Kelechi Ofoegbu, noted that the new regulations would ensure transparent measurement of Nigeria’s hydrocarbons.

According to him, it would also lay the necessary framework in standardisation of the processes involved in upgrading hydrocarbons measurements in alignment with international best practices.

or expel the applicant by the 1st to 5th respondents pending the hearing and determination of the Motion on Notice".

A Certified True Copy (CTC) of the court's order sighted by THISDAY, listed the PDP, National Working Committee (NWC), National Executive Committee (NEC), National Chairman, Dr. Iyorchia Ayu, National Secretary, Senator Samuel Anyanwu and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as 1st to 6th respondents respectively.

Ruling in the ex parte application on February 2, Justice Omotosho held that, "Upon reading the affidavit in support of the motion exparte deposed to by Precious Ikpe and after hearing Dr J. Y. Musa, SAN for the applicant, it is hereby ordered that all parties maintain peace and shall not take any action or step or act that may make the outcome of the Motion on Notice dated February 2 nugatory and worthless."

Justice Omotosho further ordered that any of such action so taken shall be a nullity.

Meanwhile, the judge also granted the application seeking leave to serve the court documents on the 1st to 5th respondents, adding that hearing notice be issued and served on the respondents.

The judge adjourned the case to February 14 for hearing.

TUESDAY FEBRUARY 7, 2023 • T H I S D AY

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14 T H I S D AY TUESDAY FEBRUARY 7, 2023 TR

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Tuesday February 7, 2023 Vol 27. No 10161

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opinion@thisdaylive.com

www.thisdaylive.com

PETER OBI AND ONITSHA-MARKET POLLS FREDRICK NWABUFO argues that the recent Nextier poll is flawed

See page 19

EMMANUEL AND THE ‘COMPLETION AGENDA’ Udo Emmanuel is a bridge builder, reckons FIDELIS EKWERE

See page 19

EDITORIAL

PUTTING AN END TO JUNGLE JUSTICE

20

1

Saraki was not the problem, argues BOLAJI ABDULLAHI

APC’s FAILED PROMISE ON RESTRUCTURING I watched with utter surprise and some disappointment, Governor Nasiru ElRufai’s comment on Arise News last week that the APC has not kept its 2015 promise of restructuring because of the activities of VRPH ÀIWK FROXPQLVWV ZLWKLQ WKH SDUW\ +H VSHFLÀFDOO\ PHQWLRQHG 'U %XNROD 6DUDNL ZKR ZDV 3UHVLGHQW RI WKH 6HQDWH DW WKH WLPH 7KLV VWDWHPHQW LV QRW RQO\ XQWUXH EXW LW LV DOVR XQIDLU I was a member of the El-Rufai committee RQ 7UXH )HGHUDOLVP DV ZHOO DV D QDWLRQDO R΀FHU RI WKH SDUW\ DW WKH WLPH , DP WKHUHIRUH LQ D SRVLWLRQ WR NQRZ ZK\ ZH VHW XS WKH FRPPLWWHH DQG ZK\ WKH UHSRUW RI WKDW FRPPLWWHH ZDV QRW implemented, and this has nothing to do with 'U 6DUDNL RU WKH 6HQDWH WKDW KH OHG , ZULWH WKLV VWDWHPHQW QRW WR GHIHQG 'U 6DUDNL 7KH SHUVRQ ZKR KDV WKH MRE WR GR VR KDV LVVXHG D VWDWHPHQW LQ WKLV UHJDUG +RZHYHU IRU WKH VDNH RI SRVWHULW\ DQG WKRVH ZKR DUH JHQXLQHO\ LQWHUHVWHG LQ WKH WUXWK LW LV important that those of us who were part of WKDW VWRU\ VKRXOG VSHDN RXW $V WKH 1DWLRQDO 3XEOLFLW\ 6HFUHWDU\ RI WKH 3DUW\ DW WKH WLPH , ZDV WKH RQH ZKR UHSRUWHG to the National Chairman, Chief John 2\HJXQ WKDW WKH SDUW\ ZDV EHLQJ VHYHUHO\ FULWLFL]HG DFURVV WKH FRXQWU\ IRU QRW NHHSLQJ its promise on restructuring and therefore, we needed to be seen to start taking actions on WKLV SDUWLFXODU FDUGLQDO SULQFLSOH RI RXU SDUW\ since it appeared no one in government was ZLOOLQJ WR GR VR :H GLVFXVVHG WKLV H[WHQVLYHO\ DQG DJUHHG WR VHW XS D FRPPLWWHH /LNH PRVW RI XV WKH 1DWLRQDO &KDLUPDQ LQVWLQFWLYHO\ WUXVWHG RQ WKH WHFKQLFDO FDSDFLW\ RI *RYHUQRU (O 5XIDL WR OHDG WKH FRPPLWWHH DQG WKLV ZDV XQDQLPRXVO\ DJUHHG 7KH FRPPLWWHH·V SULPDU\ DVVLJQPHQW ZDV WR UHVROYH WKH DSSDUHQW FULVLV RI GHÀQLWLRQ WKDW KDG EHGHYLOHG WKH WHUP ´UHVWUXFWXULQJ µ We felt it was important for us to understand what the general public expected from restructuring and attempt to reconcile this ZLWK ZKDW WKH SDUW\ SURPLVHG EHIRUH ZH PRYHG WR WKH LPSOHPHQWDWLRQ SKDVH Even before we set out on the nationwide consultation, we knew it was going to be the HDVLHVW SDUW RI RXU DVVLJQPHQW :H NQHZ WKDW WKH SDUW\ GLG QRW KDYH WKH PDQGDWH WR LQLWLDWH WKH NLQG RI UHYROXWLRQDU\ FRQVWLWXWLRQDO DPHQGPHQW WKDW RXU PDQLIHVWR SURPLVHG $W EHVW ZH FRXOG RQO\ KRSH WR UHO\ RQ WKH willingness of other actors, outside our FRQWURO WR XQGHUWDNH WKH PRUH GL΀FXOW WDVN RI implementing whatever report the committee ZRXOG EH VXEPLWWLQJ $V WKH 1DWLRQDO 3XEOLFLW\ 6HFUHWDU\ , PXVW admit that the issue of implementation was D VHFRQGDU\ FRQFHUQ IRU PH $W WKDW SRLQW DQ\WKLQJ WKDW ZRXOG PDNH WKH SDUW\ ORRN JRRG LQ WKH H\H RI WKH SXEOLF ZKR KDG EHJXQ to question our commitment to the issue of UHVWUXFWXULQJ ZRXOG EH VX΀FLHQW 7KH PHUH ‘optics’ of setting up the committee and SXEOLFL]LQJ WKH UHSRUW ZRXOG FHUWDLQO\ KHOS WR HDVH XS WKH SUHVVXUH At the end of the nationwide consultation,

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15

T H I S D AY ˾TUESDAY FEBRUARY 7, 2023

POLITICS

Acting Group Politics Editor DEJI ELUMOYE Email: deji.elumoye@thisdaylive.com (08033025611 SMS ONLY)

House Moves to Unravel Alleged 48m Barrels of Crude Oil Theft Udora Orizu writes that members of the House of Representatives are putting relevant stakeholders on their toes, as they commence investigation into whistle-blower’s allegation of illegal sale of 48 million barrels of Nigeria’s Bonny Light crude in China in 2015

Gbajabiamila

M

embers of the House of Representatives are currently investigating a whistle-blower’s allegation of illegal sale of 48 million barrels of Nigeria’s Bonny Light crude in China in 2015 and the insurance status of the cargo.

The lawmakers are also investigating all crude oil exports and sales by Nigeria from 2014 to date, with regards to quantity, insurance, revenue generated, remittances into the Federation Account or other accounts as well as utilisation of the revenue for the period under review.

Over the years, the increasingly audacious and humongous theft of crude oil poses a multiplicity of threats to oil companies and all tiers of governments, the livelihoods of citizens and communities, and, mostly importantly, to national security. This theft often comes with threats to the lives of officials trying to curb the menace or the whistleblowers.

Last year, the Group Chief Executive Officer (GCEO) of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), Mr. Mele Kyari, said he had received several death threats from people who are not happy with efforts being made by the federal government to ensure increased transparency, accountability as well as an end to crude oil theft which has seen the country recording severe revenue losses.

In July 2020, an oil trading firm, Samano Sa De CV, wrote a letter to the Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, Mele Kyari, demanding five percent reward for exposing the diversion and theft of 48 million barrels of crude oil.

In a letter signed by a lawyer, Gboyega Oyewole, on behalf of the whistleblower titled, ‘Formal Request for the Payment of five per cent Whistleblower Compensation For Information Furnished In Respect of Crude Oil Stolen from the Federal Republic of Nigeria’, it was stated that in October 2015, the stolen crude was moved to China without the knowledge of President Muhammadu Buhari and sold illegally by some government officials with the proceeds not remitted to the government’s coffers.

Reacting to the allegation, Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) in a statement issued by its solicitor, Afe Babalola and Co, stated that the entire story was a hoax designed to blackmail, defraud and embarrass the system operators and the nation at large.

The statement reads: “The management of the corporation states emphatically that these publications are replete with falsehoods, offensive, gold-digging and a calculated attempt by the said SAMANO SADE CV (SAMANO) working in concert with its local and international agents to intimidate, blackmail and extort money from the Federal Government of Nigeria and NNPC. Given the attention which these publications have generated, NNPC deems it necessary to make the following clarifications.

“For context, as of 2015, the daily production of crude oil in Nigeria was below 1.6 million barrels. Therefore, 48 million barrels of crude oil would have been the total production capacity of the country for a whole month. It was and remains simply impossible for one-month

Gbillah

crude oil production for the entire country to disappear without any record or trace from the shores of the country. Consequently, the Federal Government terminated all communications with SAMANO as it became apparent that its claim was a hoax.

“When SAMANO realised that the Federal Government was no longer interested in the non-existent stolen crude, it resorted to blackmail and intimidation of key officials of the government. SAMANO threatened that it would publicise the fact that the non-existent crude had been recovered, sold and proceeds looted by senior government officials and other personalities when it knew this was absolute falsehood.

“SAMANO made several demands including that it be paid the sum of $125,000,000 by the government officials to prevent it from disclosing this false information to the public. This demand soon metamorphosed into harassment as SAMANO embarked on a mischievous exercise to embarrass the Federal Government of Nigeria on international media platforms and before several international institutions like the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), all in a calculated bid to blackmail the Federal Government of Nigeria and NNPC into paying it a significant amount of money as compensation.

“As a result of the constant harassment, NNPC was constrained to make a formal report to the Department of State Security (DSS) and Nigeria Police while other victims wrote petitions in respect of the same subject to the Attorney-General of the Federation. After a thorough investigation by the police and DSS and confessions by agents of SAMANO, it was discovered that the allegations of conspiracy, forgery, obtaining money by false pretence, blackmail and extortion were well-founded and that some of the fraudulent activities of one Mr Ramirez and Mr Jose Salazar Tinajero (both agents of SAMANO) constituted a threat to the national

Isiaka

security of Nigeria.”

Lawmakers Probe Alleged Theft Two years later, the House of Representatives resolved to constitute an adhoc committee to investigate the allegation.

The resolution followed the unanimous adoption of a motion moved by Hon. Ibrahim Isiaka, titled ‘Alleged Loss of over $2.4 Billion in Revenue from Illegal Sale of 48 Million Barrels of Crude Oil Export in 2015, Including Crude Oil Exports from 2014 till Date.’

The panel will also investigate all proceeds recovered through the Whistle-Blowers Policy and the level of compliance by the policy.

At the commencement of the probe, the Chairman of the Ad-hoc Committee, Hon. Mark Gbillah, vowed that the parliament will unearth the facts behind the allegations.

He said it will engage local and foreign stakeholders to unravel the facts behind the alleged loss from 2014 till date. The lawmaker, who assured all the whistleblowers of utmost confidentiality about their identities, said the investigation was in line with President Buhari’s anti-corruption drive.

He said progress is being made in the investigations as the committee had obtained recordings and photographs of the meetings, documentation to show e-mail trail and discussions and even bank account statements of very highly placed people where the transactions took place.

At it’s sitting last week, the lawmakers grilled the Head, National Central Bureau, NCB, Interpol, AIG Garba Baba Umar for allegedly inviting whistleblowers for questioning shortly after it commenced investigation into the matter.

The lawmakers specifically queried why the individuals who were witnesses and ready to give them evidence would suddenly be tagged “fugitive” and declared wanted by the police.

Gbillah while warning against harassing and intimidating the witnesses, said the committee was not on a witch-hunt mission but fulfilling its constitutional mandate in the interest of the Nigerian people.

The committee also summoned the Director, Public Prosecution (DPP) and others, hinting of their decision to embark on a trip to Mexico to meet with the country’s officials on the issue for more information.

He said: “There is an allegation that sometime in 2015, a presidential committee was set up which included the late chief of staff to the president, Abba Kyari, the late GMD of the NNPC, Maikanti Baru, the former DG DSS, Daura. It was chaired by retired General Mohammed

Over the years, the increasingly audacious and humongous theft of crude oil poses a multiplicity of threats to oil companies and all tiers of governments, the livelihoods of citizens and communities, and, mostly importantly, to national security.

This theft often comes with threats to the lives of officials trying to curb the menace or the whistleblowers

Umar and the current CEO of NNPCL, Mele Kyari, was then the group general manager, crude oil marketing department, the attorney general at some point also became a member of the committee.

“That committee is said to have travelled to China at the insistence of a whistleblower of Mexican citizenship about the existence in China of millions of barrels of Nigeria’’s crude and this individual expressed an interest to purchase this crude which the government at the time allegedly needed to investigate first so this committee went to China, confirmed the existence of this crude, but this individual concerned alleges that when the process of selling this crude commenced they were no longer contacted and they have evidence of the fact that the crude was sold without the money being remitted to the coffers of the Nigerian government.

“Now when these issues started to occur they said they were being intimidated and threatened and had spurious allegations made against them that involved them being charged to court over this matter and eventually the matter was discontinued and in their own point of view they said allegedly because when they were the revelations of the details of the documents, text exchanges between them started to come to the fore, the parties involved did not want it to become public knowledge.

“Now fast forward to now, because that case was stalled. It may interest you to know that at the time when these allegations seemingly occurred the department that was sent in by the police to investigate this was the Force CID, then under the DIG Michael Ogbizi now retired.

The report is supposed to have been made and forwarded for action by the Attorney General.

But it will also be something we would want to understand why now if it is related to that issue why is the Interpol writing to some of these individuals.

“We would also want to get the documents and facts at his disposal. They said they have recordings, photographs, some of which they have shown the Committee, e-mail correspondence, text messages and a lot of that related to this issue and other documents. But the Nigerians who are involved are still within the country.

Two of them were the ones who approached us willing to give detail of what transpired in this whole situation but considering the fact that you were not involved in that initial investigation, I want to first start by asking how come you write letters to these individuals after the committee’s investigation had commenced and after they had indicated desire to give evidence to this committee”.

Reacting, the Head of NCB, Umar said they were not investigating anyone. He stressed that their role was to grant the request from the ministry of justice as mandated by law. He directed further inquiries to the office of the Attorney General of the Federation.

As Nigerians await the outcome of the probe, the committee has hinted on their decision to embark on a trip to Mexico to meet with the country’s officials on the issue for more information.

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Udo Emmanuel is a bridge builder, reckons FIDELIS EKWERE FREDRICK NWABUFO argues that the recent Nextier poll is flawed

PETER OBI AND ONITSHA-MARKET POLLS Propaganda, lies, and chicanery have always been instruments of war.

In World War Two, Germany actuated and deployed the most pervasive, yet incisive propaganda ever witnessed in history. For the Germans, the idea was to psychologically overwhelm their adversaries, and consequently, VHFXUH YLFWRU\ RQ WHUUD ÀUPD 7KH PRVW pernicious warfare is that of the mind.

Politics, ordinarily, should not be warfare. But in a system of constant

collision of interests like ours; it is sadly so. The weapons of political warfare are both corporeal and subliminal.

The battle is fought in the minds of the electorate long before Election Day. The recent Nextier poll which arrogates dubious electoral advantage to Peter Obi, presidential candidate of the Labour Party, is an asymptote of political sorcery. The poll is essentially a VXEWHUIXJH D UXVH D JDPELW DQ DUWLÀFH it is a serpentine machination through and through.

The Nextier 2023 presidential election survey like the ANAP Poll before it, is a deliberate fabrication in the pursuit of political gain. The poll seeks to achieve predetermined objectives – one, to endorse Peter Obi as the people’s candidate; two, to exaggerate Peter Obi’s electoral value; three, to create a siege of choice and chaos should the outcome of presidential election UHÁHFW D GLͿHUHQW FDQGLGDWH DQG four, to prejudice the election with an impossible fait accompli.

1H[WLHU VDLG LW XVHG ´ HQXPHUDWRUV to poll 3,000 respondents in all states in Nigeria’’ to determine its projections.

This is clearly defective and not H[WHQVLYH DV LW OHDYHV PRUH URRP IRU error than stated by the pollster.

According to Nextier’s projections, survey respondents in all the southeast states; in four out of six states in the VRXWKZHVW LQ VL[ VWDWHV LQ WKH VRXWK VRXWK DQG LQ WZR VWDWHV LQ WKH QRUWK central preferred Peter Obi as president of Nigeria. The poll also projected impressive performance for Peter Obi in the northwest and the northeast.

This is ludicrous. The survey obviously discounted voting behaviour across the states, demographics, as well as VRFLRORJLFDO DQG HWKQRORJLFDO LQÁXHQFHV among the electorate across the zones.

The Nextier Poll is not worth a breath of concern, really. It is VX΀FLHQWO\ ÁDZHG LQ FRQFHSWLRQ DQG

design. The preconceived agenda is obvious. Political propaganda through questionable polls. The poll is not GLͿHUHQW IURP WKH TXRWLGLDQ WDOO\LQJ RI JRRGV E\ 2QLWVKD PDUNHW WUDGHUV There have been open threats of violence by supporters of Peter Obi if he loses the election. These polls which mock reality, objectivity and common sense could be ammunition for what is to come if the election does not go in the way of the ‘’Obidients’’.

There should be a ceiling for propaganda.

When electoral LPSRVVLELOLWLHV DUH VROG DV GHÀQLWH outcomes by established pollsters, the risk is ominous. There is nothing dissuading the thought that ‘’Obidients’’, known to be choleric and unthinking, in their delusion of certain victory will not unleash themselves on the nation.

There are concerns that the country may experience another insurrection in the gravity of the #EndSARS violence over the outcome of the presidential election. It is dangerous giving hope where there is obviously no chance; it is foolhardy creating a dream that is unrealisable. It is unwise holding unto an illusion, believing it and living it.

The only way out of this phantasm is the asylum.

As I wrote in a previous column, Peter Obi did not plan to run for president.

If he did plan to run for president, he would not be freewheeling through HQGOHVV WXQQHOV RI JDͿHV DQG LQFKRDWH ideas. But really, he did not plan to run for president. An accident happened.

Peter Obi’s presidential bid is a freak of politics; an idea contrived for performance and political quota. His bid is perhaps only relevant for regional D΀UPDWLRQ DQG IRU LQWLPDWLRQ RI DQJHU by a section of the youth.

Obi’s bid was not out of compulsion WR À[ 1LJHULD RU WR PDNH DQ\ FKDQJH WR the country; it was a just response to the scheming in the PDP. He was schemed out of the loop by a party notable for treachery. Peter Obi never planned, designed, or imagined running for president. His presidential bid is a hoax and a ploy to get back at those in the PDP who declared him a political liability.

Running for president takes intention; it takes years of planning; building a network of people and structures. It is not a happenstance or what you decide on in protest against the scheming in your party.

Peter Obi is not running for president to win, ‘’Obidients’’ must understand this; he only wants to make a trenchant statement, and perhaps build a IROORZLQJ WR VHFXUH SROLWLFDO YDOXH ship. If he was really running to win, he would have started forging alliances DQG EXLOGLQJ WKH QHFHVVDU\ FURVV ]RQDO network years ago. ‘’Obidients’’ must give up chasing D ZLOO R WKH ZLVS WKH\ PXVW EHFRPH realistic and measure their expectations.

Nwabufo is a media executive

EMMANUEL AND THE ‘COMPLETION AGENDA’ Recently, Akwa Ibom made history by building the longest bridge in the state. The NP $À 8NR 1WLJKH %ULGJH ZKLFK LV DOVR VDLG WR EH WKH ORQJHVW LQ WKH VRXWK VRXWK UHJLRQ was constructed to link Mbo and Esit Eket local government areas in the state. It was commissioned by former President Goodluck Jonathan in January 2023. $FFRUGLQJ WR KLVWRU\ WKH (WHEL (QZDQJ EULGJH SURMHFW ZDV DZDUGHG LQ WR D British construction company headed by Engr Fidelis Cobbs. It was reported that in 2008, the administration of former governor, Godswill $NSDELR PDGH WKH EULGJH DQG WKH 8VH ,NRW

Amama Road in Ibiono Ibom LGA part of his focus. Sadly, both projects were uncompleted.

“This bridge as you all know was initiated by the former Governor Godswill Akpabio in 2008. Since then, it has been a sad story of neglect and poor contractual disposition to agreements,” said the Special Assistant to Governor Emmanuel on Research and Documentation, Essien Ndueso.

“The bridge was only 35 percent executed ZKHQ *RYHUQRU 8GRP (PPDQXHO WRRN RYHU R΀FH LQ 7KH JRYHUQRU LQ KDG WR get a contractor that specializes in Bridge construction – AMITEC.” Ndueso also VDLG WKH EULGJH ZDV DPRQJ RYHU EULGJHV constructed by Emmanuel across the 31 local government areas in the state as part of the Completion Agenda of his administration.

It’s amazing to know that this bridge had EHHQ LQ WKH ZRUNV VLQFH %HIRUH 1LJHULD even became independent. Successive administrations had known about the importance but the job never came to fruition.

8QWLO WKH DGPLQLVWUDWLRQ RI *RYHUQRU 8GRP Emmanuel stepped in. This brings to mind the famed story of the ‘Bridge to Nowhere’ LQ &DOLIRUQLD 86 $FFRUGLQJ WR WKH VWRU\ LQ WKH V WKH 86 6WDWH RI &DOLIRUQLD ZDQWHG to build a road that would connect the San Gabriel Valley in the south to Wrightwood in the north. Construction started in 1929 and by 1936, highway construction reached a very deep gorge called the narrows and a bridge was constructed over it. By 1938 however, a WRUUHQWLDO VWRUP DQG ÁRRG REOLWHUDWHG WKH URDG to the bridge. Construction never resumed GXH WR ÀQDQFLDO FRQVWUDLQWV OHDYLQJ WKH ‘bridge to nowhere’ hanging about 120 feet above the river bed.

Today, the bridge to nowhere, is essentially ZKDW LW VD\V ,W·V D WUXVV DUFK EULGJH ÀYH PLOHV away from the nearest motorable asphalt, OHDGLQJ WR QRZKHUH DQG XVHG PDLQO\ IRU bungee jumping and a tourist attraction.

Other attempts to tame the San Gabriel Mountain with a road have failed, including 5RXWH 7R LPDJLQH WKH DOPLJKW\ 86 FDYLQJ in and abandoning such a project is somewhat LURQLF $OVR LQ WKH 86 VWDWH RI $ODVND WKHUH LV

the Gravina Island Bridge, commonly referred to as the “Bridge to Nowhere”.

In this case, the proposed bridge projected to cost $398 million was to replace the ferry that currently connects the town of Ketchikan with Gravina Island, an island that has the Ketchikan International Airport as well as 50 residents. There are similar failed bridges across the world. %XW FRQVLGHU WKH NP $À 8NR Ntighe Bridge in Akwa Ibom which ZDV ÀUVW DZDUGHG DV D SURMHFW \HDUV DJR 8QWLO LW ZDV UHFHQWO\ FRPSOHWHG

by Governor Emmanuel, it had all the trappings of a ‘bridge to nowhere.’

Thankfully, it didn’t end that way as the man who coined the term ‘completion agenda’ to guide his administration’s approach to projects, completed it. Hear him at the commissioning of the bridge.

“This area is where the future of Nigeria lies,” Emmanuel said. “When we took the mantle of leadership in 2015, I said that our goal is to serve and I have tried not to be distracted.

“I said during the campaign for my second term that we would open up the UHYHQXH DUHDV DQG VSUHDG OLIH WRXFKLQJ projects across the 31 local government areas of the state simultaneously.

“Mbo is where the Ibom Solution Hub LQ RLO DQG JDV LV WKH EULGJH LV VLJQLÀFDQW because with it many industrial developments projects in the area would be possible. With the government of the Peoples Democratic Party, the people of WKLV DUHD ZLOO KDYH D VHQVH RI IXOÀOPHQW and Akwa Ibom shall be better every day.”

Mbo hosts the Liberty Free Trade zone, the Ibom Solution Hub said to be one of the largest oil and gas logistics centre in Africa. The zeal with which the Emmanuel administration executes projects in the state LV JODULQJ DQG WKH FRPSOHWLRQ RI WKH $À 8NR 1WLJKH %ULGJH FDQ EH GHVFULEHG DV D metaphor. The lingering and uncompleted project which many Akwa Ibomites might KDYH JLYHQ XS RQ LV QRZ ÀQLVKHG 7KLV is also the case with others. As far back as 2021, the governor had promised to complete all critical projects in the state.

The State Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Comrade Ini Ememobong, had said on a radio programme that, “the Governor has promised that there is no infrastructure or project that is critical to the Completion Agenda that would not be completed. Therefore the citizens have nothing to worry about.”

But what exactly is Governor Emmanuel’s completion agenda? The governor himself disclosed it in a May 29, 2022 broadcast.

“The First Term of the initial contract we VLJQHG ZLWK \RX ZDV SUHGLFDWHG RQ ÀYH critical points, of: Job Creation, Poverty Alleviation, Infrastructural Consolidation and Expansion, Wealth Creation and Economic and Political Inclusion,” he said.

“We later expanded the above set RI LGHDOV LQWR WKH 3RLQW &RPSOHWLRQ Agenda comprising: industrialization, infrastructure, aviation development, agriculture, human capacity development, security, small and medium scale enterprises and rural and riverine development.”

Ekwere writes from Uyo

20 4

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EDITORIAL

Editor, Editorial Page PETER ISHAKA Email peter.ishaka@thisdaylive.com

PUTTING AN END TO JUNGLE JUSTICE Crime suspects should be given speedy trials and the guilty must be punished

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long ago, no fewer than four suspected kidnappers he frequency of mob killings in Nigeria who were alleged to have feigned insanity were demonstrates that we are teetering killed in mob attacks in Ilorin, Kwara State. The towards a lawless society, with all the hapless victims were beaten to a coma before being frightening implications for peace and burnt alive. security. Just recently, two men were set The spike in cases of jungle justice raises some ablaze and burnt beyond recognition. pertinent questions. Why are more people resorting The allegation was that they robbed a Point of to mob justice? Why is the public becoming Sale (PoS) attendant in the Igando area of Lagos. increasingly impatient in following the dictates ´3ROLFH DUULYHG DW WKH VFHQH EXW WKH PRE KDG ÁHG RI WKH ODZ" $UH PDQ\ ORVLQJ FRQÀGHQFH LQ ODZ The investigation has commenced,” the state police enforcement agencies or are these signs of a more command’s spokesperson, Benjamin Hundeyin dangerous national ailment? Is human life no said, although nothing has been heard about the longer sacrosanct in Nigeria? case since then. What is most worrying is that a The answer of course is lot of times, innocent simple.

It is a combination citizens are often the of all.

There is some form victims of this brand of of jungle justice in many It is important that Nigerians rein in all impulses to violence, selfmob justice. societies, but what is Meanwhile, the rule help, or any other form of extra-judicial killings in the settlement of troubling here is that the of law, as opposed propensity for dispensing to that of the jungle, disputes this brand of justice is presupposes that becoming increasingly whatever may be the high.

We therefore believe situation, everybody is T H I S D AY that the government should crack down on the entitled to a fair trial before punishment can be EDITOR SHAKA MOMODU perpetrators of such heinous acts to ensure that only meted if found guilty. But as more and more DEPUTY EDITORS WALE OLALEYE, OBINNA CHIMA the courts can give a guilty verdict and stipulate Nigerians shun the instrumentality of the law in the MANAGING DIRECTOR ENIOLA BELLO the commensurate punishment. But we are also DEPUTY MANAGING DIRECTOR ISRAEL IWEGBU settlement of disputes, many innocent citizens are CHAIRMAN EDITORIAL BOARD OLUSEGUN ADENIYI aware that the judiciary is also part of the problem. getting maimed and killed. It is therefore important EDITOR NATION’S CAPITAL IYOBOSA UWUGIAREN 6RPH FULPLQDO WULDOV JR RQ DOPRVW LQGHÀQLWHO\ VXFK that Nigerians rein in all impulses to violence, selfMANAGING EDITOR BOLAJI ADEBIYI that victims are left with the notion that they can help, or any other form of extra-judicial killings in THE OMBUDSMAN KAYODE KOMOLAFE never secure justice. Even in cases that end in court, the settlement of disputes. Under the rule of law, it there are hardly diligent prosecutions such that is the sacred duty of the judiciary to safeguard the many criminals go away unpunished. And for that rights and liberty of citizens. And the right to life is T H I S D AY N E W S PA P E R S L I M I T E D reason, many Nigerians do not see anything wrong the ultimate measure of all rights.

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF/CHAIRMAN NDUKA OBAIGBENA in taking the law into their own hands.

Authorities should be concerned that across the GROUP EXECUTIVE DIRECTORS ENIOLA BELLO, KAYODE KOMOLAFE, To redress the situation, there is an urgent need ISRAEL IWEGBU, IJEOMA NWOGWUGWU, EMMANUEL EFENI country, many Nigerians are increasingly taking DIVISIONAL DIRECTORS SHAKA MOMODU, PETER IWEGBU, for critical stakeholders in the justice sector to the law into their hands and delivering ‘instant’ ANTHONY OGEDENGBE investigate all the problem areas. The police and and brutal justice without recourse to the law. Mere DEPUTY DIVISIONAL DIRECTOR OJOGUN VICTOR DANBOYI the courts must collaborate to ensure that crime VXVSLFLRQ RI RͿHQVHV UDQJLQJ IURP UREEHU\ UDSH SNR. ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR ERIC OJEH suspects are given speedy trials at the end of which to witchcraft can lead to ‘death sentence’ without ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR PATRICK EIMIUHI those found guilty must be punished according to CONTROLLERS ABIMBOLA TAIWO, UCHENNA DIBIAGWU, NDUKA MOSERI victims given any chance to defend themselves.

DIRECTOR, PRINTING PRODUCTION CHUKS ONWUDINJO law. That is the only way to end the barbaric regime Even more odious, many of these brutal killings are TO SEND EMAIL: first name.surname@thisdaylive.com of jungle justice.

RIWHQ ÀOPHG DQG FLUFXODWHG RQ VRFLDO PHGLD 1RW

Letters to the Editor Letters in response to specific publications in THISDAY should be brief (150-300 words) and straight to the point. Interested readers may send such letters along with their contact details to opinion@thisdaylive.com. We also welcome comments and opinions on topical local, national and international issues provided they are well-written and should also not be longer than (750- 1000 words). They should be sent to opinion@thisdaylive. com along with photograph, email address and phone numbers of the writer.

LETTERS OMOKRI IGNORANT OF TRUE CHRISTIANITY There are those who the general public mis-identify as “Christians.” These ones hide behind and surf the wake of organised Christianity. Amazingly, it is this posse that provides “doctrinal” and “intellectual” materials to Muslims the world over to continue to menace Christianity, especially the Roman Catholic Church. Presently, Muslim governments and functionaries target Christmas for elimination. Muslim terrorists target Roman Catholic priests. In Nigeria, the federal police force target &KULVWPDV IHVWLYLWLHV DQG LPSRVH EDQ RQ ÀUHZRUNV and all forms of cheer and jollity. Boko Haram plus Fulani terror hordes kill reverend fathers, Christmas carolers, holiday-folks of all shades whilst burning church buildings down. Reno Omokri is anti-Christian. The Jehovah Witnesses do not identify as Christians. The God’s Kingdom Society

(GKC) operating from Warri, Nigeria, is anti-ChrisWLDQ 7KH *.& SUREDEO\ LQÁXHQFHG WKH 2PRNUL clan. Presently, when Muslim “scholars” vituperate Christianity over Christmas and the Doctrine of the Trinity it is very obvious that these “scholars” have peeked into the anti-Catholic materials prepared by the Jehovah’s Witnesses and the GKC. Reno Omokri follows this “intellectual” trend. But the Saracens are taking huge risks to their faith drawing on these anti-Church materials to blast organised Christianity. I daresay that Roman Catholicism is the veritable organised Christianity. If this were not so, Satanists will not parody the Catholic Mass. I hope Reno Omokri hears me loud and clear. If Roman Catholicism were not organised Christianity, Satanists will not parody the Catholic Mass. It is the mystery of this Mass that the glo-

betrotting Reno Omokri fails to grasp. Roman CaWKROLFLVP KDV NHSW WKH VWDQGDUG RI &KULVWLDQLW\ Á\ing for over two thousand years and, now, in these modern times, religious barracudas are feasting on misunderstood concepts. Roman Catholicism has had to build bulwarks against great waves of anti-Christian forces like the Saracens, Satanists, Freemasons, etc. These anti-Christian forces are continually morphing into formats unrecognisable from their original Doppelganger moulds but nonetheless anti-Christian: terrorists, weaponised migrants, multiculturalists, etc. True Christianity is Roman Catholicism. This means Reno Omokri is not Christian.

Sunday Adole Jonah, Department of Physics, Federal University of Technology, Minna, Niger State

LAWYER TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2023

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QUOTABLES

Page IV

‘With the situation in Nigeria, we have not even begun to lay a foundation for how a democratic society might emerge.

What we are practising, is just glorified Feudalism with a little sprinkling of the tenets of democracy.’ – Bishop Matthew Hassan Kukah, Bishop of the Catholic Archdiocese of Sokoto

‘At no time in the recent history of the Commission, has so much planning and implementation been accomplished…. before the general election.’ – Professor Mahmood Yakubu, Chairman, INEC

COLUMNIST DR. MIKE OZEKHOME, CON, SAN, FCIARE, PH.D. LLD Constitutional Democracy, means a system of government, in which political and governmental power, is defined, limited and shared by a grundnorm called the Constitution, which provides inbuilt checks and balances.

This column seeks to fiercely discuss constitutional, legal and political issues, with a view to strengthening, deepening and widening the plenitude and amplitude of democracy and good governance, without fear or favour.

The writer of this column, Dr. Mike Ozekhome, SAN, is a Constitutional Lawyer, Human Rights Activist, Pro-Democracy Campaigner, Notary Public and Motivational Speaker. He co-founded the Civil Liberties Organisation (CLO), Nigeria’s pioneer human rights league, on October 15, 1987, the Universal defenders of Democracy (UDD), in 1992, and with Chief Gani Fawehinmi and others in 1998, the Joint Action Committee of Nigeria (JACON), to push out the military. In his early days, he lectured at the University of Ife. Dr. Ozekhome is an author of many books. He is also a Special Counsel at the International Criminal Court (ICC), at The Hague.

LAWYER

ONIKEPO BRAITHWAITE: EDITOR, JUDE IGBANOI: DEPUTY EDITOR, PETER TAIWO, STEVE AYA: REPORTERS

III THE ADVOCATE

T H I S D AY ˾ TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2023

With Buhari, One Step Forward, 10 Backwards Had the Human Rights Activists had a Crystal Ball…. wonder whether the Human Rights Activists of the military era, who fought for our return to democracy in the 1980s and 1990s would have bothered, had they had a crystal ball to see the future, and how bitter life in Nigeria would become under democracy. I do agree that our rights, especially those contained in Sections 39 & 40 of today’s 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended in 2018)(the Constitution), that is, freedom of expression and the right to peaceful assembly and association, which are fundamental rights that are very much cherished globally were under threat in the military era, and at the time, more or less dependent on the benevolence of the military dictator whose regime we were under. See the cases of Ashiru & Ors v Isah (2022) LPELR-58311(CA); El-Rufai v Senate of the National Assembly & Ors (2014) LPELR-23115(CA) on the definition of fundamental rights. I suppose the harsh clamp down on those freedoms by the Sani Abacha regime, akin to that of General Muhammadu Buhari that promulgated Decrees No. 2 & 4 of 1984, authorising the indefinite and incommunicado detention of Nigerians, and prohibiting free speech even if it was the truth, as long as it hurt the government or brought it into disrepute, made the longing for democracy even more. See the 1984 matter of the Buhari Military Regime Against Guardian Newspaper Journalists, Nduka Irabor & Tunde Thompson who were jailed for several months, for allegedly publishing a list of ambassadorial appointments made by the Buhari regime, before the official release of the list.

While those Pro-Democracy Activists believed that life would be better under a democracy where they could enjoy the fundamental rights guaranteed under Chapter IV of the Constitution, at least, those of Sections 39 & 40, I’m quite sure they didn’t envisage the type of democracy which we have had since 1999, more so today - an oligarchic type of democracy (where a clique of like-minded cronies rule, as opposed to majority rule) leading many to now believe that our quality of life may have been better under some of the past military leaders (not all), as Nigerians have not enjoyed too many dividends of democracy, and those same fundamental rights which they love so much are stifled under false pretences like hate speech, while agencies like the DSS, SSS and EFCC are also used as instruments of oppression and suppression in this so-called democratic dispensation; having the #EndSARS military response to a protest by unarmed youths who ironically, were demonstrating against Police brutality amongst other things, just as if we were still under an autocratic military government (I remember going to a peaceful demonstration with Professor Jadesola Akande (of blessed memory) and others in the early 2000s during the time of one of the PDP governments, after one of the airplane crashes that took so many lives - we were dispersed by law enforcement’s tear-gas, and a pregnant lady who collapsed as a result of the tear-gas during the outing, had to be rushed to the hospital); and like an autocratic leader who is not accountable to the people, the drafters of the so-called Constitution, included the mechanism of Section 6(6)(c) which ousts the jurisdiction of courts with regard to accountability for governance (Chapter II of the Constitution), akin to being in the military days! See however, the contrasting dictum of Niki Tobi JSC on the possibility of the justiciability of Chapter II of the Constitution in Olafisoye v FRN (2004) LPELR-2553(SC).

I

Between 1984 ‘Essenco’ and Today’s Cash Crunch Strangely, supporters of this democratic dispensation may argue that there is freedom of expression, as for example, last week, we saw videos of people in the Banks who have been unable to withdraw their own money since the introduction of the CBN’s Naira redesign, totally frustrated, a lady, even to the point of undressing, and a man, stripping completely naked in the banking hall

ONIKEPO BRAITHWAITE onikepo.braithwaite@thisdaylive. com onikepob@yahoo.com

The

Advocate “It seems like some kind of ‘DejaVu’, where almost 40 years later, people are queuing up for PVCs, fuel, and cash! Just like today, the black market operators thrived in the days of Essenco.

Fuel is also readily available at higher black market prices, while POS Operators are taking advantage of the shortage of cash, and selling N1,000 for between N1,100 & N1,200” to vent their anger and exasperation. The tragicomic argument is that, such a show of displeasure denouncing a government policy, may not have been possible during a military regime, unlike how women had to queue up obediently without displaying any iota of anger, dissatisfaction or irritation, sometimes beaten and brutalised by soldiers, to purchase “Essenco” (Essential Commodities) like salt, sugar, soap, toothpaste and milk during the Buhari military regime. It seems like some kind of ‘Deja Vu’, where almost 40 years later, people are queuing up for PVCs, fuel, and cash! Just like today, the black market operators thrived in the days of Essenco. Fuel is also readily available at higher black market prices, while POS Operators are taking advantage of the shortage of cash, and selling N1,000 for between N1,100 & N1,200.

also part of taking actions which make for bad government and enthroning candidates who didn’t/don’t win through democratic means, respectively. Take for example, the House of Representatives’ recent approval of another N1 trillion in ways and means advances to fund the 2023 supplementary budget; NASS enacted the Central Bank of Nigeria Act 2007 (CBN Act), which sets out the conditions for ways and means advances in its Section 38. Not only has the CBN breached its own enabling statute, the House of Representatives has breached a law it passed, by granting the said approval contrary to the provisions of Section 38 of the CBN Act - an example of unlawful, despotic behaviour exhibited by the Executive, in conspiracy with the CBN and the Legislature, each group only interested in furthering its own purpose!

Military Coups/Regime v Civilian Coups/Oligarchic Democracy: Are they One and the Same?

To what must be the disappointment of pro-democracy fighters, today, it seems that we are in a make-believe democracy, where certain institutions under the control of the Executive are used as tools to perpetuate dictatorial rule, and are present-day substitutes of instruments of dictatorship. It is sad that, at times, the National Assembly (NASS) (whose role is inter alia, to make laws for peace, order and good government of the Federation) and some of the Tribunals and Courts who adjudicate on election matters (and are supposed to do so with equity and justice), are

“Democracy is government of the people, by the people, for the people…..” (President Abraham Lincoln, the Gettysburg Address, November 19, 1863). Has this truly obtained in Nigeria since our return to democracy in 1999? With our politicians’ penchant for vote buying, election rigging and other electoral malpractices, how many people in elective offices are there because they actually won their elections fair and square?

What we have had are civilian coups, where candidates are inflicted upon the people through crooked means, starting from within their political parties which lack internal democracy themselves. How does this then differ from a military junta coming into power by means of a coup

President Muhammadu Buhari

d’etat? The civilian and military methods of assuming office may vary, but the result is more or less the same. Unwanted politicians are thrust upon us, just as the military leaders used force to impose themselves on us.

Those INEC officials who assist in rigging elections, and the tribunals and courts that then declare the wrong candidates as the winners of elections, either based on one technicality or the other, or just by handing down perverse decisions, by their actions, are simply replacing the soldiers who are used to overthrow one government for another by force - civilian coup.

It looks to me as if, we are more or less in the same boat as we were 25 years ago, only that our living conditions are worse. The Economist (Weekly Magazine) Middle East & Africa of 2/2/2023 stated thus: “Nigerians who will vote on February 25th, are poorer today than eight years ago. Much of the blame falls on the outgoing President, Muhammadu Buhari, who has governed badly during his eight years in office. Fully 89% of Nigerians think the country is heading in the wrong direction, according to Afrobarometer, a pollster.

On his watch, the economy has stagnated and violence has spread…..A country that once exported security through peacekeeping missions now exports trouble, destabilising neighbours.” This is a summary of the fact that, Government has failed to achieve majority of its Chapter II constitutional aims and objectives of governance.

Just as we had power concentrated in the hands of the despotic military ruler and a few others in the military days, that is, in the hands of the top Generals and their cronies, so also does it obtain today. Contrary to Sections 1(2) (which strictly prohibits government being controlled by persons or a group of persons), 14(2)(c) & (3) of the Constitution, aside from power residing in the hands of every leader’s ‘kitchen cabinet’ (also comprising of his cronies) since the inception of the Fourth Republic in 1999, most of the critical areas of governance have a semblance of being controlled by a few other groups, formed on the basis of tribe, religion, and other illogical bases aside from capability and capacity. I’m sure that, if we examine the governance structure of most States of the Federation, we will find this oligarchic type rule also replicated there.

I see not too much of a marked difference, between the military era and what obtains now. The hero worship of President Buhari by some today, as in the days of General Abacha, and the inability to call them out to take responsibility for some of their mistakes/ misgovernance (when no one is infallible, except God), either in order to get ahead politically and otherwise by boot licking and staying in good graces in the case of the former, and out of pure fear of punishment, including maiming and killing in the case of the latter, buttresses the fact that there is a similarity between the military era and so-called democratic dispensation that currently obtains in Nigeria.

Conclusion The general elections are upon us, less than three weeks away; and with all that Nigerians have seen transpire in the last few months, from the party primaries to the elections, it is simply evidence of the civilian coups which I described above, already in the making, including the internal coup attempts by the APC government against its own party’s outing in the coming election, with its disastrous policies which have hurt the people really badly, namely fuel and currency redesign. Even if this situation normalises now or after the elections, much damage seems to have already been done. The confusion being generated by terms like front end, back end, server, BVAS Report, uploading etc, being orchestrated in the Election Petition Tribunal, should not be used to attempt to render the BVAS unreliable or cast aspersions on its precision, a sample of which we are already seeing, starting with the Oyetola v Adeleke case. BVAS was recently introduced by INEC as part of its electoral reform (also the Electoral Reform Act 2022), to oust controversy from elections/election petitions, why then, all this uncertainty? Nigeria, whither are we bound?

As we take one step forward, we seem to take another 10 steps backwards!

IV LAW REPORT

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2023 ˾ T H I S D AY

CBN: Propriety of Taking Directives from the Federal Government Facts The Appellants were members of staff of the 1st Respondent. Within the period of 1996 and 2003, the Federal Government gave various written directives to the 1st Respondent to terminate the appointments of some of the 1st Respondent’s staff. The 1st Respondent, following the said directives, terminated the appointment of some of its members of staff (the “rationalisation”). The Appellants’ contention was that the rationalisation exercise carried out by the 1st Respondent did not comply with the Central Bank of Nigeria Staff Manual (the “Staff Manual”). According to the Appellants, the employment of staff of the 1st Respondent was pursuant to a certain Section 49 of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Act 1990, Section 9(g) of the CBN Bye Laws and Chapters 3, 4 and 6 of the CBN Staff Manual.

The Appellants, therefore, commenced the suit grounding this appeal via Originating Summons, filed at the Federal High Court, Lagos Judicial Division on 19th May, 2003, where the Appellants for themselves and on behalf of the over one thousand rationalised staff of the Central Bank of Nigeria, sought declaratory reliefs and court orders against the Respondents. They sought, inter alia, a declaration that the 1st Respondent, being an autonomous legal body, is not subject to the Federal Government control in its affairs with its staff, and that the directive of the Federal Government to the 1st Respondent to embark on rationalisation of its staff is wholly in violation of the 1st Respondent’s contractual relationship with its staff. They also sought an order nullifying the purported rationalisation exercise conducted by the 1st Respondent, as well as an order reinstating them immediately to their respective posts without loss of seniority or benefits.

cannot be found in the statute establishing the employment, the fact that such an organisation is a statutory body does not equate the conditions of service of its employees as one protected by statute – OKAMY OIL PALM LTD v ISERHIENHREN (2001) 3 SC at 163. Counsel argued that the relationship which was created between the Appellants and the 1st Respondent was a master-servant relationship, in lieu of employment with a statutory flavour as alleged by the Appellants.

He submitted that the Staff Manual which contains the terms and conditions of staffers cannot be equated to a subsidiary legislation, because unless a condition of service is implicitly borne from the section(s) delegating or donating the authority, it cannot be held to be a subsidiary legislation.

Honourable Tijjani Abubakar, JSC

In the Supreme Court of Nigeria Holden at Abuja On Friday, the 2nd day of December, 2022

The suit was heard and determined by the trial court, where the action filed by the Appellants was dismissed. The Appellants, being aggrieved, filed an appeal at the Court of Appeal, but on hearing the appeal, the Court of Appeal affirmed the decision of the trial court.

Further, the Appellants lodged an appeal at the Supreme Court of Nigeria, seeking to upturn the decisions of the lower courts. The Appellants obtained the leave of court and further appealed to the Apex Court via an amended Notice of Appeal filed on 4th August, 2014.

Issue for Determination The Appellants submitted four issues for determination of the appeal, while the 1st Respondent raised two issues for determination by the court. The 2nd Respondent, on his part, did not file a Brief of Argument. The Supreme Court, however, considered a lone issue as germane for determination of the appeal, thus: Whether having regard to the circumstances of this case, the termination of the Appellant’s employment vide the rationalisation exercise embarked upon by the 1st Respondent sometime in years 1996 and 1998, was valid and effectual.

Arguments Arguing the appeal, counsel for the Appellants contended that the rationalisation exercise carried out by the 1st Respondent on the Appellants in execution of the specific directives of the 2nd Respondent, was in violation of the relationship between the Appellants and the 1st Respondent.

Counsel argued that pursuant to the CBN Act, the power to create, appoint and employ persons and set terms and conditions for employment in the 1st Respondent, resides in the Board of the 1st Respondent, thus, the Federal Government was not competent to issue directives to the 1st Respondent that would lead to the termination of the staff of the 1st Respondent. He posited further that the 1st Respondent had admitted by its letter (Exhibit OA2), that the reason for the so-called rationalisation of the Appellants’ employment was in compliance with the directives of the Federal Government; thus, relying on the provisions of Sections 9, 20 and 23 of the Evidence Act 2011 and the authority of SEISMOGRAPH

Before Their Lordships Olukayode Ariwoola, CJN John Inyang Okoro Amina Adamu Augie Tijjani Abubakar Emmanuel Akomaye Agim Justices, Supreme Court SC/520/2012 Between 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

10.

11.

Mr. Olasupo Adedeji Mr. Chimezie C. Ahaneku Mr. G.A. Nnamdi Osaji Mr. B.S.C. Igwebuike Mr. P.O. Olubowale Mr. N.A. Ogunbuyide …

Mrs. Pat Ikem Dr. (Miss) Joyce Ukaigwe Mr. Wilson Onyefunazua Mr. R.O. Balogun Mr. S.E.A. Ahirima (For themselves and on behalf of the over one thousand staff of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN)

Appellants

And 1.

Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) 2.

Attorney-General of the Federation (Lead Judgement delivered by Honourable Tijjani Abubakar, JSC)

SERVICE (NIG) LTD v CHIEF KEKE O. EYUAFE (1976) NSCC 434, he submitted that facts admitted by a party to a proceeding are admissible, and need not be proved.

It was also his contention that there was no compliance with the provisions of the Central Bank Act 1990 and the Staff Manual, because the 1st Respondent was in a hurry to carry out the directives of the Federal Government, in contravention of the settled law that where legislation lays down a procedure or regulates the procedure for doing a thing, anything done in pursuance

“….. Section 40 of the Central Bank Act 1990 provides that the CBN can act generally as agent for the Federal Government, State Governments, or Local Governments; thus, the CBN can take directives from the Federal Government….”

Respondents

thereto must be in accordance with, and subject to the legislation, and not by any other method. He argued that the Staff Manual served as a subsidiary legislation, which meant that the Appellants enjoyed employment with a statutory flavour. The Appellants, thus, claimed a re-instatement in the circumstance.

The 1st Respondent’s sided with the lower courts and submitted that Section 6 of the Central Bank Act, 1990 provides that, only the Federal Government of Nigeria shall hold all the shares of the 1st Respondent. He argued that the status of the 1st Respondent under its enabling Act is dual – not only as an autonomous body, but also as an Agency of the Federal Government (Section 39 of the Act). He contended that the Federal Government did not interfere with the workings of the 1st Respondent, but merely gave it a policy directive as the sole shareholder, which was executed by the 1st Respondent; and that the policy is neither invalid nor void by the provisions of Section 39 of the Act. He posited further that where the terms and conditions of the employment of an employee

Court’s Judgement and Rationale In determining the appeal, the Apex Court reasoned that the 1st Respondent sought to downsize, and it had to take a decision to so do. There are three categories of contracts of employment namely: (a) purely master and servant relationship; (b) servant who holds their office at the pleasure of the employer; and (c) employment with statutory flavour. – MOBIL PRODUCING (NIG) UNLIMITED v OKON JOHNSON & ORS. (2018) 14 NWLR (Pt. 1639) 329. The common denominator in every contract of employment, is that they all have terms and condition which regulate the employment relationship, such as terms on determination, notices, wages and more.

In this case, the Appellants rely heavily on the provisions of the Central Bank of Nigeria Staff Manual, which was drawn up by the Board of Directors of CBN. That document is clearly not an enactment by the parliament or any law making body as a schedule to the CBN Act, or as a subsidiary legislation.

Their employment cannot, therefore, be said to be governed by the statute. More so, upon their rationalisation, the Appellants were paid salaries in lieu of termination as stated in the Staff Manual, thus, making their relationship that of master and servant.

Further, the 1st Respondent, by its enabling law, is autonomous, and the Act precludes the 2nd Respondent or the Federal Government from taking part in its control and management. By the provisions of Section 7 of the CBN Decree, the Board of Directors of CBN is vested with powers to make Staff Manual setting out the conditions of service of staff of the Bank. The findings of the trial court was to the effect that, the Board of Directors of the Bank sat and took the decision to rationalise without the involvement or participation of any person from outside the Board. Nonetheless, Section 40 of the Central Bank Act 1990 provides that the CBN can act generally as agent for the Federal Government, State Governments, or Local Governments; thus, the CBN can take directives from the Federal Government and implement same in accordance with its enabling statute and regulations, on such terms and conditions as may be agreed, so long as the terms and conditions are consistent with the provisions of the Act, its duties and functions as a Bank.

Given the provision above, it is therefore apparent, that the 1st Respondent acted in the lawful exercise of its powers under the Act. The Supreme Court noted that, the said provision had nothing to do with the autonomy of the 1st Respondent. Their Lordships, therefore, unanimously endorsed the decisions of the lower courts, that the rationalisation exercise by the 1st Respondent was appropriate.

Appeal Dismissed.

Representation: Dr Adekunle Ojo, SAN with Sunday O. Ake Esq, Adesina Adegbite Esq and Caleb Echoga for the Appellants Oladipo Tolani with Celestine A. Acheme for the 1st Respondent.

T.A. Gazali, SAN with O.A. Oloruntogbe (P.S.C. Fed. Min. of Justice); Farouq Gobir (S.C. Fed. Min. of Justice); C.R. Onyema (S.C. Fed. Min. of Justice) and O.D. Okoronkwo (S.C. Fed. Min. of Justice) for the 2nd Respondent.

Reported by Optimum Publishers Limited, Publishers of the Nigerian Monthly Law Reports (NMLR)An Affiliate of Babalakin & Co.

V

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2023 ˾ T H I S D AY

NEWS

L-R: NBA General Secretary, Adegbite Adesina; NBA President, Yakubu Maikyau OON, SAN; Dr Babatunde Ajibade, SAN; Huwaila Ibrahim Muhammad; Moderators, Eugenia Abu & former Attorney-General of Ekiti State, Olawale Fapohunda, SAN

UN Deputy Secretary General, Ms Amina J. Mohammed GCON, who delivered the Keynote Address virtually

Presidential Candidates, Omoyele Sowore of African Action Congress (left) and Yabagi Yusuf Sani of Action Democratic Party at the NBA State of the Nation Dialogue PHOTOS: ENOCK REUBEN

2023: Be Impartial in Your Trial of Election Cases, UNDSG Tells Judiciary As NBA Reinvents Leadership Role at State of the Nation Dialogue

Alex Enumah in Abuja The United Nations Deputy Secretary General, Ms Amina J. Mohammed GCON, has called on the Judiciary, especially Judges that will be handling election petitions arising from the conduct of the 2023 general elections, to remain impartial and neutral. She gave the charge recently during the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) “State of the Nation Dialogue” which held last Monday in Abuja, focusing on security, economy and administration of justice.

Ms Mohammed noted that, Nigeria's peace and security challenges were due to "injustice, exclusion and social inequalities, coupled with impunity, human rights violations and lack of economic opportunities".

The UNDSG in her keynote address delivered virtually, expressed confidence that the Judges will remain impartial arbiters in the discharge of their duties, and ensure fairness in the adjudication of all electoral matters brought before them. She specifically charged judicial officers, to “avoid any

SAN Blames Failure of Leadership for Nigeria’s Woes Stories by Steve Aya Chief Arthur Obi Okafor, SAN, has blamed the current poor state of affairs in the country on the failure of leadership.

Saying that Patriotism will necessarily be enthroned and development of the country assured if the leaders live up to their responsibilities, particularly by pursuing the observance and realisation of the ideals and provisions of the Fundamental Objectives and Directive Principles of State Policy, as provided under Chapter II of the Constitution.

Chief Obi Okafor stated this last Thursday, while delivering the convocation lecture of Madonna University Nigeria, Elele Campus in Rivers State.

“Speaking on the topic: “Patriotism: An Indispensable Panacea for Nation Building and Development-Youths in Perspective” , Obi Okafor defined Nation building as the process through which the boundaries of the modern States and those of the national community become congruent, the desired outcome is to achieve national integration.

He said: “Nation building involves conscious efforts by the disparate ethnic groups in a country with diverse sociocultural, ethnic and religious

backgrounds, to come together to create a Nation State.

Failure of Leadership As far back as 1983, Chinua Achebe identified in his little book titled “The Trouble With Nigeria” that, the trouble with Nigeria is that of leadership.

In the introductory paragraph of the book, Chinua Achebe has this to say: “The trouble with Nigeria, is simply and squarely a failure of leadership. There is nothing basically wrong, with the Nigerian character. There is nothing wrong with the Nigerian land or climate or water or air, or anything else. The Nigerian problem is the unwillingness or inability of its leaders to rise to the responsibility, to the challenge of personal example which are the hallmarks of true leadership.”

Nigerian leaders do not believe in responsibility of leadership, or in leadership by example. The level of impunity exhibited by the Nigerian political class, is mind-blowing.

In Nigeria, there are two sets of laws: one for the political class, and the other for the populace. Only in Nigeria, would you see lawmakers breaking the very law that they made. Only in Nigeria, would you see Government officials drive brazenly against traffic.

actions that could undermine the independence or ability of the judiciary to fulfil its role as defined by the Constitution”, and emphasised the need “to ensure the protection of electoral and other institutions related to the administration of justice, and to ensure justice is being served”.

Ms Mohammed noted that Lawyers have a key role to play, in advancing Nigeria's aspirations in its democratic journey.

Meanwhile, the NBA warned Judges and Lawyers against professional misconduct, during litigation that may arise from the conduct of the forthcoming general elections.

President of the NBA, Mr Yakubu Maikyau OON, SAN, sounded the warning in the "State of the Nation" address he delivered at the event. He observed that besides the need to guarantee the security of the lives and property of Nigerians as they troop out to vote in the 2023 general elections, the ultimate outcome of the election will largely depend on the interface between the Bench, the Bar and the political gladiators.

The NBA President was of the opinion that members of the legal profession, serving either on the Bench or at the Bar, owe Nigerians

sincere and honest participation in the process.

"We must do all that is legitimately within our abilities, motivated by the desire to serve the course of justice, to ensure that the relevant laws and rules, properly interpreted and applied, remain the guiding principles for our involvement in the process.

"While we shall stand with the Courts and do everything legal to protect the integrity of the Bench against any form of intimidation by the political class, any person or group of persons, we will not hesitate to call out and pursue disciplinary action(s) against erring judicial officials.

"Similarly, members of the Bar who misconduct themselves while participating in the resolution of electoral disputes, will face disciplinary action at the Legal Practitioners’ Disciplinary Committee (LPDC) and the Legal Practitioners’ Privileges Committee (LPPC), where Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SAN) are involved", he said.

Meanwhile, the NBA President commended the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for all that it is doing to deliver a free, fair, and credible election to Nigerians. He urged the electoral umpire to maintain

its independence, while declaring the Bar’s unequivocal support in helping to ward off any attempt to undermine the integrity of the electoral process and neutrality of INEC. Maikyau, however, has faulted the Akwa Ibom State Chapter of the NBA for endorsing a candidate in the forthcoming election, stressing that NBAas a body remains neutral in the election.

"I want to say in no unclear terms, that we condemn the action of the few members who embarked on such despicable and disgraceful conduct, using the platform of the NBA. "That declaration was not made for, or with the authority of the NBA. It is disgusting, and I have already instructed the First Vice President of the NBA who is leading the NBA Election Monitoring Group, to immediately exclude all the Branches of the NBA in Akwa Ibom State from participating in the monitoring of the forthcoming election.

"This exclusion will be communicated to INEC forthwith, and members involved in this conduct will also face disciplinary action, as may be determined by the NBA.

"NBA is not partisan; we are not a political party, we are representatives of the people, we remain neutral and must be seen to maintain our neutrality at all times - we belong to everyone and to nobody", he added.

Meanwhile various panelists who spoke on issues relating to security, economy and justice, urged the Presidential candidates present to shun religious and ethnic considerations in governance.

They also made a case for the engagement of competent and capable hands, that will quickly bring about the much needed dividends of democracy.

However, leading Presidential candidates for the polls shunned the dialogue. While the Presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Bola Tinubu was represented by Hassan Liman, SAN, the standard bearer of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar and Labour Party’s Peter Obi, were not represented at the event.

Those present at the event included, Omoyele Sowore (AAC), Sani Yabagi (ADP), Peter Umeadi (APGA), Hamza Al-Mustapha (AA), Dumebi Kachikwu (ADC), Adewole Adebayo (SDP) and Dan Nwanyanwu (ZLP).

A2J Condemns Killing of Imo Customary Court Judge A justice sector reform NGO, Access to Justice (A2J) has urged the Imo State Governor, to end politically-motivated violence in Imo State.

A statement signed by A2J Executive Director, Joseph Otteh said ‘The killing of Customary Court Judge, Nnaemeka Ugboma in Imo State, by unknown persons in open court on the 2nd of February, 2023 is a horrendous and vicious attack on the administration and delivery of justice in Imo State, and escalates a systematic pattern of attacks on institutions and infrastructure of justice in that State for a long while now.

While physical buildings of

Courts in Imo State have been routinely attacked and burnt over a considerable period now, the vile, brutal killing of Judge Nnaemeka Ugboma takes the intimidation of the Judiciary to whole new levels, unprecedented in Nigeria’s history. There are reports that, prior to this time, some courts in Imo State had virtually stopped sitting in the State because of safety concerns, and the targeting and killing of a judicial officer in the course of carrying out judicial functions will amplify and aggravate fears of insecurity which judicial officers, and indeed, residents of Imo State entertain.

‘It is unfortunate that

Nigeria’s security forces were unable to prevent the killing of Judge Nnaemeka Ugboma, in spite of clear evidence that institutions of justice have been very specifically targeted, and were susceptible to these attacks by unknown persons.

It is also, on balance, possible to infer that the killing of Judge Nnaemeka Ugboma is not unconnected with, or facilitated by the government’s politicisation of safety, security and well-being in Imo State, and the war of attrition that characterises the conflict between Government forces and those of persons of unknown affiliations, or, as characteristically called,

“unknown gunmen”.

‘The Chief Justice of Nigeria and Imo State Chief Judge Must Act Now, to Prevent Further Attacks.

‘The Imo State Judiciary must now demand better protection of its Judges and Courthouses, and the Chief Judge of Imo State, working in lockstep with the Chief Justice of Nigeria, should take up issues of safety and security of Judges and Courthouses in the State with the Federal Government and its security forces. The Federal Government must address the security situation in Imo State, with urgency and forthrightness.’

#upjudicialsalaries “The working conditions of the Judiciary, are having a detrimental effect on recruiting exceptional Judges. The Committee notes that poor working conditions of judicial officers, is one of a number of factors that are currently affecting recruitment to the Bench, and is deeply concerned about the impact on the administration of justice…..We propose a 200% salary increase across board, for all judicial officers.” - NBA Working Committee on Judicial Remuneration and Conditions of Service

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TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2023 ˾ T H I S D AY

Aare Afe Babalola, CON, SAN

‘1999 Military Constitution: The Root Cause of Nigeria’s Problems’ The legal profession in Nigeria has had its fair share of brilliant practitioners, who have left their footprints in the sands of time.

But, it is not often that a true legal titan, emerges from a constellation of legal luminaries. Aare Afe Babalola, CON, SAN, has in the past six decades, distinguished himself as primus inter pares (first amongst equals), in many respects. He has trained over 100 Lawyers, and mentored 23 Senior Advocates of Nigeria and counting. In addition to these unrivalled achievements, he painstakingly built a world-class tertiary institution, the Afe Babalola University, Ado-Ekiti (ABUAD) founded in 2010, which has been ranked as the Number 1 University in Nigeria out of 220, and number 321 in the world. Onikepo Braithwaite and Jude Igbanoi recently paid the revered legal colossus a courtesy visit at the sprawling and expansive campus of the University, which in the past few years has diversified into farming and food processing, and were indeed, astounded by the expansive facilities on the campus, including a 150 room hotel where Parents of students and Guests can lodge. He told the THIS DAY LAWYER team, that these achievements do not come without enormous challenges, as he recounted the modest story of the establishment of the University and its Teaching Hospital, complete with state of the art equipment and cutting edge medical technology, and a Law Faculty with 21st century facilities. Aare also shared his views on other issues, including the retirement age of Supreme Court Justices, the jettisoning of the 1999 Constitution and the need for true Federalism in Nigeria, and the state of the nation

L

ast year, you suggested that we adopt a kind of Interim Government for six months to implement the changes, constitutional and otherwise, that Nigeria requires to be able to make true progress. Could you expatiate on this? What was the reason for your line of thought?

Thank you for this question. Your question already contains my answers, because you also appreciate the fact that “Nigeria needs an Interim Government to implement the changes, constitutional and otherwise, which Nigeria requires to be able to make true progress. I

am as concerned as you are, and indeed, most Nigerians are also concerned about the state of the country today.

The root cause of all these problems confronting Nigeria today including insecurity, unemployment, banditry, kidnapping, herdsmen attacks and so on, can be traced to the Constitution handed over by the Military in 1999. Therefore, many lovers and believers of a prosperous Nigeria, have been pleading with the National Assembly, Buhari’s Government and the National Assembly to enact a new Constitution which will dissuade Nigerians from believing that the only lucrative business in this country is Politics.

“I knew what poverty was. I grew up in it. I overcame poverty. I had no funds to go to any Secondary School or University”

In spite of the plea for a new Constitution, the Government insists on a new election in February 2023. I believe like most, that any new election under the 1999 Constitution would no doubt lead to a recycling of those who are benefiting from the damage caused by 1999 Constitution.

That was why I suggested that at the expiration of the present term, the Government should put in place an Interim Government for six months to enact a new Constitution. The members shall be publicly acknowledged patriotic and selfless leaders. Many countries that were besieged with similar problems had set up Interim Governments to enable new Constitutions.

They include: Spain: 1775 to 1776, Fiji, 1987, Romania: 1989 to 1990, Lebanon: 1989 to 1992, Bangladesh: 1997 to 1999, Albania, 1991, Cambodia: 1991 to 1993, El-Salvador: 1921 to 1924, Burundi: 1992 to 1993, South Africa: 1993 to 1994, Indonesia: 2005 to 2006, and recently, Kenya.

I seize this opportunity to thank many

Nigerians, who have supported my suggestions. Time, the healer of all diseases, will prove me right.

Let me briefly refer to Section 9(1) of the 1999 Constitution which states as follow: 9(1). The National Assembly may, subject to the provisions of this section, alter any of the provisions of this Constitution (2). An Act of the National Assembly for the alteration of this Constitution, not being an Act to which Section 8 of this Constitution, applies, shall not be passed in either House of the National Assembly unless the proposal is supported by the votes of not less than two-thirds majority of all the members of that House and approved by resolution of the Houses of Assembly of not less than two-thirds of all the States.

The Supreme Court has interpreted the meaning of the word “alter”, to include change or “substitution”. The National Assembly has the Power to alter, that is,

VII COVER

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2023 ˾ T H I S D AY

‘1999 Military Constitution: The Root Cause of Nigeria’s Problems’ substitute any of the provisions of the Constitution whenever it deems necessary.

For example, it can change or substitute the 1960 or 1963 Constitutions for the 1999 Constitution, once there is compliance with the mandatory provisions of Section 9(2) of the 1999 Constitution.

Finally, I reiterate my position that if the election goes ahead under the new Constitution, we are going to have a recycling of the beneficiaries of the decay caused by the 1999 Constitution.

Nigerians therefore, must belt up for further backward development in the economy, including more debt and further decline in the value of the Naira.

The Afe Babalola University, Ado Ekiti (ABUAD) has one of the best Law Faculties in Nigeria, and this is not surprising. It also boasts of one of the best Teaching Hospitals in Nigeria. What made you decide to establish the University at a somewhat advanced age, when you could have easily retired, having reached the peak of your legal career to become one of the foremost Nigerian Lawyers? Running such a huge institution comes with its peculiar challenges. What are those challenges, and how have you been able to surmount them?

You stated that ABUAD has one of the best Law Faculties in Nigeria, and that it boasts of one of the best Teaching Hospitals in Nigeria.

I think you are economical in your words, in describing ABUAD. In fact, the Times Higher Education Impact Ranking 2022 recently ranked ABUAD as “Number 1 best University out of over 220 Universities in Nigeria, and Number 321 in the world”. The hospital has also been ranked as the “most well-equipped hospital in the Sub-Saharan Africa”.

It is true that I decided to establish a University some 14 years ago, when I was over 80 years old. Please, recollect that Moses, the liberator of Israel, was called

by God at the age of 80 to embark on that mission. In any case, the decision to establish ABUAD at that age was founded on faith. Faith never fails.

It was my experience at the University of Lagos, which prompted me to establish my University. The objective was to reform education in Nigeria. ABUAD is an agent of reformation. It was not enough to reform University of Lagos, as I did. After all, it is a public University, and there was no guarantee that the reformation that I carried out in the University of Lagos would be continued after my exit. That was why I decided to establish a non-profit private University, which would be a pace setter.

I agree with you that, running such a huge institution comes with its peculiar challenges. The challenges facing education in Nigeria are multifarious. They include, but not limited to: 1) Funding The number 1 challenge is funding. When I wanted to start my University, I set up a Committee of seasoned Professors and tested University Administrators, to advise me on how to go about the project. Surprisingly, the first thing they said was that, running a university was (and still is) an expensive venture. They urged me not to venture into it. But, I told them that I set up the Committee to advise me on what it will take to establish a university, and not on whether it is an expensive venture or not.

After all, I had made up my mind to plough all I had made in my Legal Practice into the University. I had also made up my mind to sell my properties in England, Lagos, Abuja and Port-Harcourt, empty my Bank Accounts and sell my shares in choice companies to actualise the university

Aare Afe Babalola, CON, SAN

project.

Nigeria should comply with UNESCO’s advice, that every nation should devote at least 26% of its annual budget to education. You know as much as I do, that the Nigerian Government allocates a paltry 6% of its annual budget to education. This cannot take the country anywhere.

Today, public universities in Nigeria are poorly funded, to the extent that the Annual Budget of Stanford University in the United States of America is far in excess of the pitiable and unpalatable N392,263,784,684 which Nigeria budgeted for 220 Universities, Polytechnics and Colleges of Education within the same time frame. That was why, ASUU could afford to be on strike for eight months last year.

2) Work Ethics There is this Civil Service way of doing things, among our workers. There is this practice of everybody being upand-doing, when you are around. But, as soon as you turn your back, they are off. There is a lot of eye service.

People find it difficult, to key into my way of doing things. Our staff and students are encouraged to buy into my philosophy of: “He prays most, who works hardest”. They should also buy into my philosophy of hard work, punctuality and integrity.

3) Spurious Claims by Owners of land Acquired by the University At the commencement of the university, the State Government gave us only 100 hectares of land, which was grossly inadequate for what we had in mind.

We therefore, had to buy land from nearby farmers after paying for their crops. The most surprising part of all this, is that there were many cases of people coming back to be paid again, after they had earlier been paid.

“I believe like most that any new election under the 1999 Constitution, would no doubt lead to a recycling of those who are benefiting from the damage caused by 1999 Constitution”

4) Outdated Curriculum The world is dynamic, and moving fast.

When I started the University, my mission was to reform education, by developing new curriculum which will pave way for qualitative and functional education.

It remains incontrovertible that since NUC came into being in 1962, subject to correction, I don’t know any university that has added to the curriculum, except ABUAD which has added five new Programmes, that is, Mechatronics, Social Justice, Intelligence & Security Studies, Human Biology, Nutrition & Dietetics.

In addition to the above, it is on record that our University was the first to introduce Mathematics as a compulsory subject for those who want to study Law. When we started, NUC, the Regulatory Authority for University Education in Nigeria, frowned at it. But, when we impressed it on the Commission that a Lawyer must have an analytical mind and be well versed in Logic, it was convinced and it embraced it. Today, the NUC has now made Mathematics a compulsory subject for any candidate who wants to study Law. 5) Poor Transportation System Ekiti State is land-locked, motorwaylocked, airport-locked, railway locked, industry-locked and power-locked, a development which adversely affects economic development in the State. All the roads leading to Ekiti have not only become impassable, they are veritable death traps. I sympathise with my students and their parents from all the 36 States of the Federation and the FCT, for having to go through all these troubles. When former President Goodluck Jonathan approved an Airport for Ekiti State, we thought we would soon be out the woods – transportation-wise. However, the Airport was politically strangulated, because the then government of the day declared publicly that an Airport was not its priority.

The condition of the roads in Ekiti was bad, to the extent that the then Acting Corps Marshall of the Federal Roads Safety Corps, Dauda Ali Biu, in October last year ordered the motoring public to avoid going to Ekiti State. In a write-up titled “Avoid Ekiti Route when travelling from Abuja to Lagos, FRSC Advises Motorists” published in “The Whistler Newspaper”, Biu painted a rather pathetic and gruesome nature

of both intra-State and inter-State roads in Ekiti State, and decreed that motoring public should avoid going to Ekiti State.

6) Imposition of Custom Duties on Equipment Donated to the University As part of its support for our 400-bed ABUAD MultiSystem Hospital, the renowned philanthropist, Project C.U.R.E of Colorado, USA, donated some equipment to the Hospital. Most surprisingly, when the equipment arrived Nigeria, the Nigeria Customs made us to pay several millions of Naira as custom duties on medical equipment that were freely donated to the University.

We wrote several letters to the Government for a refund, bearing in mind that under First Schedule, Part 1, Item 1 of the Value Added Tax Act No. 12 2007, Medical and Pharmaceutical products are exempted from payment of tax. As I speak with you, we have not received any response in this regard.

7) Depreciation of the Naira The Nigerian Naira has been badly battered, in the international arena. It has depreciated badly too. There was a time the Naira was as strong as the Dollar. One Pound Sterling, was equivalent to N1. It is now about N750 to a Dollar and N1,000 to a Pound Sterling, and the end is not in sight!

I wonder what would have happened, if I did not build this University and the Hospital when I did. The current shape and value of the Naira, would simply have made it impossible today.

8) Environmental Problems On October 7, 2019, there was a heavy rain in Ado-Ekiti. The accompanying heavy flood ravaged ABUAD Nursery for food and cash crops, Green Houses for tomatoes, pepper and vegetables, Fish Ponds, the privately-constructed Bridge leading to ABUAD Enterprise Farms and a perimeter fence all valued at N50,800,600. The matter was reported to the Police, after which we wrote to the State Government and the Federal Government for compensation. It will surprise you that nobody listened to us, and nobody came to our aid.

9) Attitude of Nigerians to Giving Over the ages, educational institutions, libraries and healthcare facilities have been funded through gifts from kind-hearted people. It is a historical fact that universities did not start off with the government of yesteryears. In fact, universities were started by people who wanted to learn, as

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a result of which they pooled themselves together. Right from the outset, students paid their teachers what was then referred to as “collectio” meaning “a gift”, rather than salary. Later, such collectio that is, gift, transformed into salary.

Historically, universities including the University at Constantinople which was founded in 2BC were all cooperation of students, and were founded by philanthropists and kind-hearted people. This ancient practice was followed by universities like Oxford, Cambridge, Harvard, Stanford and indeed, the Ivy League Universities, which were founded by kind-hearted individuals like Stanford and Harvard.

Coming back home, we owe the earliest Secondary Schools to the Missionaries; the Church Missionary Society (CMS), the Baptist, Methodist, Roman Catholic Church, Presbyterian, Sudan Interior Mission.

Many Nigerians are beneficiaries of the philanthropy of these missionaries. One would have expected that the younger generations would learn from the acts of these philanthropists, and demonstrate the benefits of philanthropy by giving handsomely to universities. Regrettably, the average Nigerian does not believe in giving.

I am therefore, using this medium to appeal to Nigerians to change their attitude about giving, and do what other countries are doing. They must learn to endow Universities with Professorial Chairs, Scholarships and Buildings among others.

How affordable is ABUAD for Nigerians? Is there any provision for indigent students? What can be done to make tertiary education affordable for the masses?

I think I have answered the first part of the question. I repeat again that the fees in our University are much lower than the fees charged by good Secondary Schools in Lagos, Abuja and other places. You are at liberty to goggle the fees charged by these Secondary Schools.

Now, to the second leg of your question: there is provision for indigent students. And, that is why we have put in place a structure whereby any student who has a CGPA of 5.0 goes home with N500,000 every year, N250,000 for a CGPA of 4.5 and N150,000 for a CGPA of 4.5. I would like to say here that, there have been some students who won the cash Awards throughout their sojourn in the University.

In addition to various scholarship schemes instituted by public-spirited individuals and institutions, there is free tuition for Nigerian candidates with Distinction (A1) in all Ordinary Level subjects for one Academic session, and scholarship for “international candidates” with outstanding result in Ordinary Level equivalent subjects for one Academic session to the tune of $5,000.

As to what can be done to make tertiary education affordable for the masses, my answer is that the Nigerian Government should follow UNESCO’s advice. UNESCO has prescribed for all governments, that each government should allocate 26% of its budget for education.

Unfortunately, however, despite perennial rhetorics by successive Nigerian governments on their plans to build world-class universities in Nigeria, they have consistently failed to meet the UNESCO funding benchmark. For example, in the 2017 budget, N448.01 billion was allocated to education, representing only about 6% of the N7.30 trillion budget. The percentage of budgetary allocation to education was further reduced in the 2021 budget.

Aare Afe Babalola, CON, SAN

In the 2021 budget, only 5.6% of the N13.08 trillion budget was allocated for education, which represents the lowest percentage allocation since 2011. The perennial failure to prioritise and devote significant resources to education, has resulted in the underfunding of higher education institutions in Nigeria. Our universities simply do not have the financial wherewithal, to compete with other universities around the world.

With many of our universities struggling to meet their overhead costs, let alone having a significant net annual income, is so far away.

Further, I urge Nigerians that, no matter their income, to imbibe the spirit of giving. The great universities in America such Stanford, Yale, Harvard rely heavily on donation, gifts, endowments and grants by philanthropists, and also the Alumni of each institution. Regrettably, this is not so in this country.

It is on record that you have trained over 100 Lawyers, out of which 23 have become Senior Advocates of Nigeria. This is quite phenomenal. How did you achieve this feat, especially in our clime where Lawyers often do not stay for long periods of time in law firms?

My success in training so many Lawyers, including large number of Senior Advocates, is in large measure due to my belief that when a man breaks even, he should always help others to develop. I knew what poverty was. I grew up in it. I overcame poverty. I had no funds to go to any Secondary School or University. When I was able to break even, I looked back to the problems of yesteryears. The only way

“….the Times Higher Education Impact Ranking 2022 recently ranked ABUAD as “Number 1 best University out of over 220 Universities in Nigeria, and Number 321 in the world”. The hospital has also been ranked as the “most well-equipped hospital in the SubSaharan Africa”

to appreciate the merciful God, was to help others to overcome poverty. I encourage all those who work with me, to believe that they too can make it. I assured all the Lawyers who come to work in my office, that with a better background, they can make it better than I have done. We work as a team. We believe in hard work.

We work for 364 days out of 365 days in the year. Every Friday, we hold meetings, review the cases of the past week, and work on the cases for the coming week.

We give Lawyers different topics in law to study, and write papers on them which are reviewed on Fridays. All monies coming to the Chambers, go to the Central Account.

Lawyers are remunerated, in accordance to their inputs. Special allowances are given to Lawyers, according to individual inputs. Opportunities are also given to the junior Lawyers, to follow the senior Lawyers to court.

When the Senior Lawyers become Senior Advocates, the Junior Lawyers also move up. I cannot remember any Lawyer, who left the office in frustration. Rather, we see the Chambers as one belonging to every member of the Firm.

A while ago, you advocated for the upward review of the retirement age of Supreme Court Justices, from 70 to 80. What informed your position?

Yes, I can recollect that in my remarks as the Chairman of the Books launched in honour of the retiring Hon. Justice Bode Rhodes-Vivour, JSC (Rtd), CFR, on April 8, 2021, I advocated for an urgent review of the country’s judicial system, to ensure that the retirement age of Justices of the Supreme Court go beyond the present 70 years on the Bench.

I still maintain the same position, that instead of the present 70 years retirement age of Judicial Officers, particularly those on the Supreme Court Bench. Nigeria should take a cue from other judicatures, where the appointment of Supreme Court Justices is a lifetime appointment, with no age limit for them to retire.

A brief look at other countries shows that, appointment to the Supreme Court is a lifetime appointment. There is no age limit, for a Justice of the Supreme Court to retire. Supreme Court Justices in such judicatures stay on the Bench, for as long as they probably can. In fact, many die while in office. But, for those who opt for retirement, the average age is 78.7years.

The average retirement age, has grown to a whooping 103 years.

The present situation where strong and mentally alert Judicial Officers are eased out of the Bench on account of a constitutional retirement age of 70, when their services and experience are still most needed does not do the country any good.

I want to seize this opportunity to plead for a review of our Justice system, particularly the age of retirement of Supreme Court Judges. Experience has shown that a person becomes wiser and more experienced, as he advances in age. Under our judicial system today, Judicial Officers retire at the young age of 70, when they have not shown any sign of physical weakness and when Nigeria would have benefitted more from their wealth of wisdom, insight and experience.

The lifetime tenure of Supreme Court Justices, will enable Nigeria to benefit from the wealth of wisdom, insight, experience, fairness and compassion of many of the frontline Jurists the country has been blessed with.

At the NBA Ilorin Bar Dinner last week, the Chairman of the Branch proposed that retired Chief Judges of the States should be engaged as Justices of the Supreme Court, in order to decongest the court. Would you subscribe to this suggestion? It is also worrisome that the Apex Court has such a huge backlog of cases, to the extent that it now gives dates in 2024 and 2025. What would you suggest as a panacea to address this worrisome situation, especially when most of the cases are mostly election matters?

I do not subscribe to the proposition that retired Chief Judges of the States, should be engaged as Justices of the Supreme Court.

I agree that there is need to decongest the Supreme Court. This takes me back to the Military Constitution of 1999. The 1960 and 1963 Constitutions, make provision for each State to have a Court of Appeal. Almost all cases ended in the Court of Appeal, leaving only a few cases that could go to the Supreme Court.

In addition, the Supreme Court used to go round each Region, when all the cases in the State would be argued and completed.

The backlog we have now is due to the fact that appeals go up to the Supreme Court on all manner of cases, which in those days would have ended up in the State Court of Appeal. cont'd on page IX

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‘1999 Military Constitution: The Root Cause of Nigeria’s Problems’ cont'd from page VIII

Lastly, it is my suggestion that the new Constitution would provide for appointment of experienced Senior Advocates to the Supreme Court. This is because experience in other countries shows that, the best Judges are the tested litigation Lawyers who are knowledgeable in preparing and arguing cases over the years from High Court to Supreme Court.

The Annual Aware Are Babalola Public Lecture has made so much impact, that many now look forward to it every year. How did it all begin?

How does it make you feel being so honoured by the NBA, while you are still alive? Many have said that your love for the profession, led you to build multi-million Naira Bar Centres for Ibadan and Ado-Ekiti Branches of the NBA. How true is this assertion?

I am eternally grateful to God and to my Learned colleagues, that my modest contributions to Legal Practice and Jurisprudence are appreciated when I am still very much alive and well on planet earth. To say the least, the appreciation gladdens my heart. It all started when Mr Owoseni Ajayi, who later became the Attorney-General of Ekiti State, was the Chairman of Ado-Ekiti Branch of the NBA. The young man came to me together with members of his Executives, that the Branch has decided to institute an Annual Lecture in my honour in appreciation of what they described as my monumental contributions to Law in Nigeria in general, and Ekiti State in particular. Since then, it has become an annual event where Justices of the Supreme Court, Presidents of the NBA and leading lights in our profession have been delivering lectures annually.

It is not in doubt that, I love the Law Profession. It is also right to donate befitting Bar Centres for the different Branches, which I have done. I do not intend to mention different donations I have made to the Bar, to Hospitals, Churches, Unions and Communities.

Happily, the beneficiaries, to my satisfaction, have acknowledged my contributions in different ways including award of Fellowships, numerous chieftaincy titles, honorary Doctor of Laws and Doctor of Letters from 10 different universities, including University of London and the Nigeria Defence Academy.

How would rate the performance of the outgoing Buhari administration, particularly with regard to its three main campaign promises - fighting insecurity and corruption, and revamping the economy, and a fourth promise to restructure Nigeria?

I do not think it is right to describe the outgoing government, as Buhari’s government. The present government includes the National Assembly that is, the Senate and the House of Representatives.

In some of my publications, I stated that even if an angel comes to rule Nigeria today, he cannot succeed in making Nigeria better. Again, I reiterate that, unless the 1999 Constitution is overhauled and replaced with true Federalism in terms of Regional Government and Parliamentary Government, with less emphasis on acquisition of wealth through politics, the backward development will continue.

There is this maxim in law, to wit: “res ipsa loquitor”, meaning “the fact speaks for itself”. The performance of the outgoing administration on fighting insecurity, corruption and revamping the economy, speaks for itself. I grew up during the colonial days, and our parents and teachers in Emmanuel Primary School, Ado-Ekiti, the only school I ever attended, taught us about the sanctity of life. To drive their point home, they taught us such poems as “Yi ese re si apa kan, ma se pa kokoro ni. Kokoro ti o ko naani ni,

Aare Afe Babalola, CON, SAN

Olorun lo le da”, meaning “Don’t kill that insect which only God and no man can create”. If we were forbidden from killing a mere insect then, how come then, that wanton killing on the farm, on the streets, in the classrooms and in Hotel rooms, has become the order of the day?

In the past, life was sacred. That was why, after my Primary School education, I was able to read all alone at night with a hurricane lamp in a lonely classroom that had no windows or doors. If life was like this, growing up, I simply would have been kidnapped and that would have been the end of the story. But, today, the media is awash with news of murder, bank robberies, rape, kidnapping of school children and destruction of farms.

When Nigeria’s founding fathers took into consideration our multi-cultural, multi-ethnic and multi-linguistic nature, they opted for a Federal Constitution which worked very well for the overall development of the country.

Then, the Rule of law was the order of the day. There was safety of life and property. Indeed, there was no poverty in the land, and that was why Lord Macaulay had this to say about hunger in Africa: “I have travelled across the length and breadth of Africa and I have not seen one person who is a beggar, who is a thief, such wealth I have seen in this country, such high moral values, people of such calibre, that I do not think we would ever conquer this country, unless we break the very backbone of this nation, which is her spiritual and cultural heritage, and therefore, I propose that we replace her old and ancient education system, her culture, for if the Africans think that all that is foreign and English is good and greater than their own, they will lose their self-esteem, their

“Corruption was unknown in Nigeria, immediately after independence in 1960. It was abominable and detested. It was introduced to Nigeria by European, Lebanese and Indian Contractors, Businessmen”

native culture and they will become what we want them, a truly dominated nation.” Lord Macaulay (2nd February, 1835 address to British Parliament).

But, what do have in the country today?

The situation in Nigeria today is gruesome.

There was a time the Naira was as strong as the Dollar. One pound sterling was equivalent to N1. It is now about N750 to a Dollar and N1,000 to a Pound Sterling.

In 2020, Nigeria was ranked as the poorest country in the world, with over 50% of Nigerians living in extreme poverty while over 7 million Nigerians are in urgent need of life-saving assistance (European Union Parliament Resolution, January 2020).

Besides, “Nigeria was ranked the poverty capital of the world” (World Poverty Clock, June 25, 2018).

Before and immediately after independence, everybody had enough to eat as per Lord Macaulay and my personal experience; but, as far back as 2020, hunger has been prevalent, particularly among the lower class. According to the 2020 Global Report on Food Crises, Nigeria ranks in the list of the world’s 10 hungriest countries. With a score of 27.9, Nigeria suffers from a level of acute hunger and under-nutrition that is categorised as “serious”. Nigeria only ranks better than several conflict and war-torn countries.

See European Union, https://ec.europa. eu/jrc/en/news/food-insecurity-andknock-effects-covid-19-hungriest-countries (Yemen, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Afghanistan, Venezuela, Ethiopia, South Sudan, Syrian Arab Republic, the Sudan, Nigeria and Haiti are the world’s 10 hungriest countries in the world).

In 1960, there was no unemployment – per Lord Macaulay above and also from personal experience. However, in 2020, more than 27% of Nigerians are unemployed, according to the Q2 2020 unemployment report published by Nigeria’s Bureau of Statistics, more than 27% of Nigerians are unemployed. Besides, one in every two Nigerians is either unemployed or underemployed. See: “Nigeria’s unemployment rate has more than tripled in the last five years—and it will only get worse” (August 14, 2020) https://qz.com/ africa/1892237/nigerias-unemploymentrate-tripled-in-five-years/ .

Corruption was unknown in Nigeria, immediately after independence in 1960.

It was abominable and detested. It was introduced to Nigeria by European, Lebanese and Indian Contractors, Businessmen.

It was forbidden by native laws and customs, and traditional religion. It was

visited with instant judgement by Sango, God of Iron and Thunder. But, the story has been different since 2020, when corruption has been prevalent. According to Transparency International’s Corruption Perceptions Index 2019, Nigeria is the 2nd most corrupt country in West Africa, and 34th most corrupt country in the world.

“Corruption Worse in Nigeria, new Transparency International Report says” (Premium Times, January 23, 2020) https://www.premiumtimesng.com/ news/top-news/374090-corruption-worsein-nigeria-new-transparency-internationalreport-says.html .

Terrorism only existed in the dictionary, in 1960. In 2020, however, it is found everywhere: in the street, in the house, in the farm, offices, schools, day and night.

According to the 2019 Global Terrorism Index, Nigeria is the 3rd most unsafe and terrorism-prone country in the world, ranking behind only two war- torn countries, Iraq and Afghanistan.

Also: r "DDPSEJOH UP UIF 6OJUFE /BUJPOT “Nigeria is a pressure cooker of internal conflicts and generalised violence, that must be addressed urgently”. See “Nigeria needs urgent action to end “pressure cooker” of violence claiming thousands of lives, says UN rights expert” (UN, 3 September 2019) r *O +BOVBSZ UIF &VSPQFBO 6OJPO Parliament moved a motion for urgent resolution of Nigeria’s high level of terrorism and insecurity, stating that “the security situation in Nigeria has significantly deteriorated over the last years, posing a serious threat to regional and international security; whereas human rights violations, violence, criminality, and mass killings are widespread and constantly reported, notably in the North-Eastern Region of the country”.

See: “European Parliament resolution on Nigeria, notably the recent terrorist attacks”. Res. 2020/2503(RSP)), January, 2020.

Available at: https://www.europarl.europa. eu/doceo/document/B-9-2020-0064_EN.html r 5IF 6, T SFDFOU 'PSFJHO 5SBWFM "EWJTPSZ on Nigeria warns that “Terrorists are very likely to try to carry out attacks in Nigeria” https://www.gov.uk/foreign-traveladvice/nigeria/terrorism.

From the above picture, you can deduce whether the campaign promises of the outgoing government to fight insecurity and corruption and revamp the economy has been fulfilled, or not fulfilled.

Thank you very much Sir.

X

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2023 ˾ T H I S D AY

TALKING CONSTITUTIONAL DEMOCRACY DR. MIKE OZEKHOME, SAN

0809 889 8888 SMS ONLY

Nigerian Law Firms and Foreign Names: Matters Arising revenue; 4,809 Lawyers.

6. Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom with $2,632,615,000 in revenue; 1,694 Lawyers.

7. Sidley Austin with $2,337,803,000 in revenue; 1,922 Lawyers.

8. Morgan, Lewis & Bockius with $2,265,000,000 in revenue; 2,063 Lawyers.

9. Hogan Lovells with $2,246,050,000 in revenue; 2,642 Lawyers.

10. White & Case with $2,184,850,000 in revenue; 2,200 Lawyers.

11. Jones Day with $2,077,000,000 in revenue; 2,514 Lawyers.

12. Norton Rose Fulbright with $1,904,019,000 in revenue; 3,266 Lawyers.

13. Ropes & Gray with $1,903,616,000 in revenue; 1,247 Lawyers.

14. Greenberg Traurig with $1,641,790,000 in revenue; 2,070 Lawyers.

15. Simpson Thacher & Bartlett with $1,618,633,000 in revenue; 996 Lawyers.

Introduction uliet, soliloquising in one of the most romantic scenes (“The Balcony Scene”) in Shakespeare’s epic, “Romeo and Juliet” (Act 2 Scene 2), said, “What’s in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet”. Juliet was telling Romeo that a name is just a name; with no meaning behind it. What matters is what something is; not what it is called. To Juliet, Romeo would still remain the handsome young man, even if he had a different name.

J

Why Woodpecker & Bird Solicitors?

Certain questions criss-cross my mind, as I attempt to critically analyse the above quote in the light of some Nigerian law firms and legal practitioners adopting Western/foreign/white-sounding names in preference over their Nigerian names. Why ‘Mungo Park & Clapperton’, instead of ‘Aluko & Oyebode’; ‘Banwo & Ighodalo’; or ‘Ozekhome & Femi?’ Why ‘McCullough & Clyde’; and not ‘Sobowale & Okonkwo’, when the firm is neither owned by, nor affiliated with the former? Why ‘Westborough Partners’; and not ‘Mustapha & Oche’, when none of the partners bear ‘Westborough’?

Why ‘Greenfields, Everest & Associates’; ‘Westbrook, Blackberg & Co’; ‘Bracebridge Attorneys’; ‘Bladerstone & Cottingham’; ‘Stone & Cozens LLP’; ‘Woodpecker & Bird Solicitors’; when none of the Partners bear such foreign names? Why not simply ‘The Prestige Chambers’; or ‘God is Marvellous LLP’? Why must it be names given to natural persons of Western origin, usually English?

The Oxford Dictionary defines a name as “a word or set of words by which a person or thing is known, addressed, or referred to”. Wikipedia defines a name as “a term used for identification by an external observer. They can identify a class or category of things, or a single thing, either uniquely, or within a given context. The entity identified by a name is called its referent. A personal name identifies, not necessarily uniquely, a specific individual human.”

Just google some names of Nigerian law firms bearing foreign names, and you will appreciate my great concerns. Does this mindset suggest a bias against Nigerian names? Cultural cringe? An internalised, but undisclosed inferiority complex, leading to the dismissal of one’s culture as inferior?

Is it a belief that Western/foreign names are more polished, and easily roll off the tongue? Is it an identity management/destigmatisation strategy for foreign businesses with foreign content? Is it believed that the use of such names, gives one a particular status? Or is it just a matter of fashion, vogue, fad, fancy, or trend? I do not know. Or, do you?

It is conceded - that name choice is purely within the discretion of founders/partners of a law firm, and as permitted by Nigerian laws. But, should native identities, for the sake of profit or fashion, be lost to foreign influence? Names are markers of identity, and denote one’s community membership.

My concern arises from the fact that, rather than indigenous names, none of these adopted Western/ foreign names is associated with the names of any persons within such firms.

I must not be misunderstood to argue that law firms in Nigeria cannot bear names that are by patent, invented; or abstract, or religious names.

Nor do I mean that Nigerians who bear European/ foreign names as their indigenous names, cannot establish law firms using such foreign names. I also must not be understood to posit that a firm cannot coin a name from the names of its Head or Partners; e.g., MOC, coined from Mike Ozekhome’s Chambers. My concern rather, is when individuals who neither bear such names, nor are in partnership with foreign bearers of such names; nor affiliated to or constitute subsidiaries of the foreign law firms bearing such foreign names, decide, for whatever

reason, to take on western or white-sounding names belonging to natural persons, in establishing their law firms.

A Degrading Path The reason for this may oftentimes be attributed to fashionability; ease of recognition, spelling, and pronunciation; for international business transactions conducted by these law firms; and perhaps, to emphasise the founder’s or partners’ foreign qualifications. I respectfully submit that, it is most demeaning to elevate foreign names over native identities. It is equally insulting, to posit that ‘Saoirse Whitsborough & Partners’, or ‘Livingstone & Churchill Solicitors’, are better easily pronounced than ‘Gani Fawehinmi’s Chambers’; or ‘Chief Rotimi Williams Chambers’; or ‘Wole Olanipekun & Co’; or ‘Mike Ozekhome’s Chambers’; or ‘Olisa Agbakoba LLP’. To me, it amounts to a sheer cultural cringe, to hold that Nigerian names are less fashionable than Western/foreign names.

Conversely, ‘Juggernaut Chambers’; ‘Divine Mercy Law Firm’; ‘Salam LLP’; and ‘Shalom Chambers’, are examples of appealing abstracts; coined or invented names; and religious names, couched in English and other foreign languages.

Founders or Partners may settle for such where they prefer not to use their indigenous given, middle, or surnames. Names such as ‘Rosenblerg LLP’, ‘Witheresburg & Co’, or ‘Bottomleg & Neck Partners’, have unfortunately become the vogue. I experienced this aberration firsthand.

A foreigner wanted to do business in Nigeria.

I easily recommended a friend of mine, who is an expert in that field of law that I am not. I told him so clearly. His google search revealed my friend’s name, quite alright, but not his law firm.

He raised concerns, as he wanted to deal directly with a law firm and not an individual. It was then I got across to my Nigerian bosom friend,

“Does this mindset suggest a bias against Nigerian names? Cultural cringe? An internalised, but undisclosed inferiority complex, leading to the dismissal of one’s culture as inferior? Is it a belief that Western/foreign names are more polished and easily roll off the tongue?“

who disclosed to me, to my utter amazement, his law firm’s foreign name. I asked him why.

He simply said, “oh boy, leave matter”. Really?

My concern is that this practice is not, by the same token, embraced by Western/foreign legal practitioners and law firms, whether practising law in Nigeria, or other African countries. Never has it been heard of that Western/foreign Legal practitioners or law firms, for example, ‘Rodriguez Salamasor’ and ‘John Hawthorne’, that for the purpose of doing business, ease of recognition and easier pronunciation of names, or for any other reason howsoever, established a law firm with a wholly indigenous Nigerian or African name, say, ‘Agbedor, Adekunle & Obiora LLP’; a law firm which neither has an affiliation with an Agbedor, Adekunle or an Obiora; nor has a partner with such names. They do not, and will never ever adopt Nigerian or African names in establishing their law firms. Why then must we continue on this degrading path? I do not know. Or, do you?

Ability to Generate Income: Name, Capacity and Size I dare say that, the use of foreign names does not constitute any stronger factor in revenue generation than the solid reputation of the driving minds and brains behind such law firms.

Many of the biggest law firms in Nigeria, bear wholly indigenous names. Firms that earn the highest revenues and income across the world, do not borrow African or Nigerian names; yet they thrive. According to the ‘2021 Am Law 100 Report’, the largest law firms in the world are found in the US. They collectively earned $111 billion in total revenue in 2020. Also, in Wikipedia’s compilation of the world’s largest law firms by revenue, referencing ‘The American Lawyer’ in its article titled, “The 2020 Global 200: Ranked by Revenue”, the following US law firms were listed as top generators of annual revenue in the global legal market: 1. Kirkland & Ellis with $4,154,600,000 in revenue; 2,589 Lawyers (at the exchange rate of N735 per dollar, that amounts to N3.053 trillion p.a.).

2. Latham & Watkins with $3,767,623,000 in revenue; 2,720 Lawyers.

3. DLA Piper with $3,112,130,000 in revenue; 3,894 Lawyers.

4. Dentons with $2,920,000,000 in revenue; 10,977 Lawyers.

5. Baker McKenzie with $2,899,600,000 in

In the UK, some top law firms are: 1. Clifford Chance with $2,500,000,000 in revenue; 2,489 Lawyers.

2. Allen & Overy with $2,160,729,000 in revenue; 2,447 Lawyers.

3. Linklaters with $2,093,569,000 in revenue; 2,393 Lawyers.

4. Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer with $1,942,013,000 in revenue; 1,812 Lawyers.

In Canada an article by Statista Research Department shows that the Canadian law firm of Toronto-based ‘Borden Ladner Gervais’, though not a global mammoth, is one of the top generators of revenue in the global legal market, competing with United States law firms. Not a single African or Nigerian name ever features in these lists. Indeed, no Nigerian law firm can boast of 250 Lawyers, a minuscule number for small-time law firms in the USA, UK, and other Western countries.

None of the above-listed law firms has taken on African or Nigerian names (whether for the ease of conducting foreign transactions; indicating a wide geographical spread of its offices; or for any of the reasons usually given by Nigerian Firms for the preference of western/foreign names). Yet, they thrive. Do they not?

Although revenue, as shown earlier, is undoubtedly the key to the sustainability and success of any business and constitutes an important tool for law firm owners/partners to track growth and improve profitability, the name chosen by a law firm does not necessarily affect the ability of a law firm to generate income.

Colonialism of the Mind A person is his own name. I humbly submit that the choice of using Western/foreign names, or white/ foreign-sounding names in setting up law firms, oftentimes indicates the pitiable perception of one’s name through the blurred lenses of prejudice, inferiority complex, cultural cringe, colonial and neo-colonial mentality.

It is said that “the worst form of colonialism is the colonialism of the mind”. This choice of foreign names is absolutely unnecessary. A colonialism of the mind, reflects in another man’s name being preferred to one’s name. We should never again, opt for western or foreign names of natural persons. We should instead, be proud of using the original names of Partners. It could also be indigenous, abstract, invented, coined, or religious names; but, certainly not foreign or English names.

Conclusion What is in a name? “Though that which we call a rose by any other name would still smell as sweet”, I respectfully submit that naming one’s law firm by the given foreign name of a natural person of western/ foreign descent with whom one shares no tie or affinity whatsoever, would not smell any sweeter than one’s indigenous name; an abstract; or patented name. What is of utmost importance, is the value brought to bear on one’s law practice. It is about the content, and not the form; the substance and not the shadow.

DISCLAIMER: ALL NAMES (EXCEPT THOSE KNOWN TO ME OR FROM STATED SOURCES) MENTIONED IN THIS PIECE ARE FICTITIOUS. NO IDENTIFICATION WITH ACTUAL PERSONS (LIVING OR DEAD) IS INTENDED OR SHOULD BE INFERRED.

7.2.2023

XI

XII

7.2.2023

7.2.2023

XIII

PUBLIC NOTICE SAMON PETROLEUM LIMITED (TRADING AS SAMON PETROLEUM FZE) Our attention has been drawn to a publication made in Thisday Newspapers of Wednesday, 18th January, 2023 by one Tobenna Nnamani, who purports to have been appointed as a Receiver/Manager of Samon Petroleum Limited (Trading as Samon Petroleum FZE), by one BB Energy Holding Mauritius Limited (BB Energy).

The gross misstatement of the facts by the said Tobenna Nnamani has made it necessary for us to make this public notice, informing the general public of the true position of our transaction with BB Energy, as well as the pending litigation between the parties.

BB Energy and Samon Petroleum are currently undergoing litigation in respect of a dispute arising out of a transaction between the two companies. That litigation is pending before the Calabar Juducial Division of the Federal High Court in Suit No: FHC/CA/ CS/167/2022 – BB Energy Holdings Mauritius Limited & Anor v. Samuel Chuba Okeke & 2 Ors, wherein BB Energy obtained interim orders against Samon Petroleum and its Directors, all in gross and violent disregard of the terms of the agreement between the parties.

Even though the Company and its directors are yet to be properly served with the RULJLQDWLQJ SURFHVVHV LQ WKH VDLG VXLW ZH KDYH ¿OHG EHIRUH WKH &RXUW WZR DSSOLFDWLRQV seeking: a. An Order setting aside the appointment of the said Tobenna Nnamani as the Receiver/Manager of Samon Petroleum Ltd; b. An Order dismissing the suit in its entirety; c. An Order setting aside the interim orders made against Samon Petroleum Ltd and its erstwhile directors; and d. An Order mandating BB Energy and Tobenna Nnamani to pay damages in the sums of $1,000,500.00 (One Million Five Hundred Dollars) and N480,000,000.00 (Four Hundred and Eighty Million Naira), being damages for injury suffered as a result of the adverse steps taken by BB Energy in complete and utter disregard of the clear terms of the agreement.

It is in view of the above that we urge the general public to completely and utterly disregard the public notice published in the ThisDay Newspapers of Wednesday, 18th January, 2023. We also want to seize the opportunity to issue a disclaimer to the general public regarding any dealings with the said Tobenna Nnamani. As his appointment has been challenged before the Court, any dealings with him, is at the risk of any party that chooses to do so and same will not bind Samon Petroleum in any way.

Signed:

Management Samon Petroleum Limited (Trading as Samon Petroleum FZE).

XIV

7.2.2023

XV

T H I S D AY ˾ DAY ͵˜ 2023

FEATURES

Group Features Editor: Chiemelie Ezeobi Email: chiemelie.ezeobi@thisdaylive.com, 07010510430

Curbing Capital Flight through NAF's In-country PDM Ahead of the general elections, the Nigerian Air Force recently rolled out its C130H Aircraft, NAF 918, a logistics plane used for airlifting of troops and equipment, after carrying out an In-country Periodic Depot Maintenance on it. Chiemelie Ezeobi reports that by localising the overhaul and refitting, NAF curbed capital flight

Group picture after the roll out of the C-130 H that underwent in-country Periodic Depot Maintenance in Nigeria

The C-130H after its In-country PDM

T

"This is particularly so, as the Nigerian Air Force is now better positioned to support INEC to airlift electoral staff and logistics in the forthcoming General Elections. It is on this note that we welcome NAF 918 back to operational readiness to achieve its logistic assignments".

o curb capital flight, the Nigerian Air Force recently carried out in-country Periodic Depot Maintenance on its C-130H aircraft. The aircraft is to be deployed afterwards to convey logistics for the forthcoming 2023 General Elections.

The NAF 918, which underwent a 40-month in-country Periodic Depot Maintenance (PDM), was unveiled at the 631 Aircraft Maintenance Group, Ikeja, Lagos.

In-country Periodic Depot Maintenance Periodic Depot Maintenance (PDM) is a series of in-depth maintenance activities carried out on an aircraft to extend its life and enhance operational safety and effectiveness.

For the Nigerian Air Force C-130H fleet, the PDM is carried out at four-year intervals. Most importantly for the NAF, the PDM has been localised as It's carried out in Nigeria in conjunction with NAF personnel to ensure knowledge transfer and exchange.

According to reports, NAF carried out series of in-depth maintenance activities on the aircraft including extensive disassembly, inspections, change of some components, overhaul and reassembly all aimed at extending the life and enhancing operational safety, effectiveness of the plane.

Done in conjunction of NAF engineers and technicians, their involvement in the reactivation was to further expose them to every stage of the in-depth maintenance process, with a view to reinforcing the NAF's inherent maintenance capabilities.

Roll Out Rolling out the aircraft after it was certified safe for flying, the Defence Minister, Brigadier General Bashir Magashi (rtd), represented by the Permanent Secretary (PS), Ministry of Defence, Ibrahim Kana, expressed optimism that the NAF has capacity to provide necessary air support to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

He commended the NAF for the timely completion of the PDM, noting that it demonstrated the service's quest for capacity development and self-reliance in equipment maintenance.

He said: "It is also a credible example to show that the Armed Forces of Nigeria has enormous potentials for technical capacity development in-country if we look more inwards resourcefully.

"I specially recognise your preparations towards the forthcoming General Elections as exemplified by the timely completion of this Periodic Depot Maintenance. This will boost your airlift capability to support the Independent National Electoral Commission."

Stating that the government was not oblivious of the immense contributions

The PS, Ministry of Defence, Ibrahim Kana and CAS, Air Marshal Oladayo Amao

towards addressing terrorism, insurgency and other security threats across the country, he applauded the NAF for other non-kinetic approaches adopted in various theatres of operations to win the hearts and minds of the civil populace.

Issuing assurance of government's commitment to the welfare and capacity development of personnel of the Armed Forces, he added that "we have also ensured the review of salaries and allowances for officers and have equally extended this gesture to the retired personnel".

Disclosing that government had ordered for additional aircraft to boost Intelligence Surveillance and Reconnaissance, ground attack, advanced jet training and combat multi-role helicopters, he urged officers and men to reciprocate these gestures by remaining loyal, committed and ensuring safe operations and maintenance of the platforms, including the C-130H aircraft.

Actualising Vision to Sustain NAF Critical Airpower

Earlier, Chief of Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Oladayo Amao, said the completion of the PDM was one of the laudable projects accomplished.

He said the roll-out ceremony of the C-130H aircraft "resonates with my vision to enhance and sustain Nigerian Air Force critical airpower capabilities required for joint force employment in pursuit of national security imperatives.

"The importance of reactivating another C-130H aircraft into the fleet to boost the Nigerian Air Force airlift capability cannot be overemphasised. The C-130H aircraft is deployed for medium and long-range airlift of troops and logistics.

"The Nigerian Air Force C-130 fleet has fulfilled troops and logistics airlift role in several combat and humanitarian operations in-country and in many places like Liberia, Sierra Leone, Mali, Mozambique, Congo, Senegal, Guinea, The Gambia, Darfur and a host of other peace support operations in support of Lake Chad Basin Commission Multinational Joint Task Force, Economic Community of West African States, African Union and United Nations peace initiatives.

"Given the Nigerian Air Force pivotal roles in internal security operations and logistics movement in support of government agencies, this platform could not have been reactivated at a better time.

It is also a credible example to show that the Armed Forces of Nigeria has enormous potentials for technical capacity development in-country if we look more inwards resourcefully

Curbing Capital Flight On the gains of the In-country PDM, CAS said beyond being an innovative maintenance approach that provides many capacity development opportunities, it improves Nigerian Air Force aircraft serviceability, as well as significantly reduces maintenance cost of carrying out such maintenance overseas, thereby conserving foreign exchange for the country.

"It also progressively enhances our aircraft hangar facilities as well as exposes more of our aircraft maintenance technicians and engineers to requisite expertise and highquality maintenance practices at affordable cost," he added.

Amao said that the aircraft was test-flown

by Nigerian Air Force pilots to confirm that all engines, instruments and avionics parameters are within standard safety limits.

"We are therefore elated to record yet another great achievement in the annals of the Nigerian Air Force in the area of platforms sustenance and equipment serviceability through innovative maintenance methods and logistics support systems.

Workable Partnership Earlier, the Air Officer Commanding (AOC) Logistics Command, Air Vice Marshal Emmanuel Bande said the PDM was jointly conducted and completed by NAF aircraft engineers and technicians in partnership with Shaheen Foundation, a reputable Maintenance Repair Organisation certified by the original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) of the C-130 aircraft Lockheed Martin.

He said: "During the period of the PDM, 33 of own technicians were attached to the Shaheen Foundation Team while the 631 ACMD provided hangar space and necessary ground support equipment.

"The PDM has enhanced the maintenance capacity of personnel serving in the depot.

This is in line with two key drivers of the Chief of the Air Staff's Vision for the Nigerian Air Force.

"These are firstly 'Purposeful Training and Human Capacity Development" and secondly "Sustenance of platforms and equipment serviceability through innovative maintenance methods and logistics support system.

"I must say that the accomplishment of this feat could not have been achieved without the visionary leadership of the Chief of the Air Staff and the unwavering support of the present political leadership."

XVI

T H I S D AY ˾ TUESDAY FEBRUARY 7, 2023

PROPERTY & ENVIRONMENT Sanwo-Olu Inaugurates Reconstructed Eti-Osa/Lekki/Epe Expressway Phase I Bennett Oghifo

T

he reconstructed Eti-Osa/Lekki/Epe Expressway Phase I that is from Eleko junction to Epe Tjunction has been inaugurated and the construction of Phase II of the project from Eleko Junction to Abraham Adesanya Roundabout has begun.

Lagos State Governor, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu, who did the inauguration in Ibeju Lekki, appreciated the support of residents during the reconstruction of the 18.75 kilometres road which had been expanded from two

to six lanes.

He said, “It is one of the best constructed roads with rigid pavements in the country.”

He recalled the hardship on the two lane road constructed over 40 years ago, hence the decision to reconstruct it from a two lanes rural road to a modern six lanes concrete road befitting of a metropolitan area.

“About two and half years ago, in November 2020, we received several distress calls from people that used this road from Eleko Junction to Epe through a lot of agony and pain.

“And we came out and we

told our citizens that we are going to bring a permanent solution to this road that was constructed as a rural road over 40 years ago.

“It used to be a two-lane road but because of development, because of the growth that we have seen on the Ibeju-Lekki, Eti-Osa to Epe corridor it became obvious that the road could not serve our people again. It became deplorable and it became unusable.

“So, in November 2020, we said we are going to reconstruct this 18.75 kilometres road and today we are thankful to God because we have transformed

from a two lane rural road to six lane rigid concrete road with full complement of all of the road infrastructure,” he said.

Sanwo-Olu enumerated both the Federal and State governments’ projects on the axis responsible for speedy development of the Ibeju-Lekki/ Epe axis.

“This axis is considered the fastest developing area globally,” he said.

Special Adviser on Works and Infrastructure, Mrs Aramide Adeyoye said the Phase1 Eleko Junction-Epe T-Junction project inauguration was another great effort of the Governor Sanwo-

Olu’s administration to eliminate gridlock, impact socio-economic development positively among other benefits.

“In January 2021, work started on the worst segment of the Eti-Osa/Lekki/Epe Expressway i.e from Eleko junction to Epe T-Junction, a distance of 18.75km.

“Today, the narrative of the harrowing experience of commuters and motorists on this stretch has changed .

“Not only have we fixed the stretch from Eleko to Epe T junction we have also upgraded the road with outfalls and pavement in rigid concrete with an

introduction of an additional lane on either side dedicated to trucks.

“This is in anticipation of the upsurge in average daily traffic (ADT) volumes as activities ramp up at the Lekki deep sea port, Refinery and other businesses around the Lekki Free Trade Zone corridor,” she said.

Adeyoye urged residents to take ownership of the project which spans from Victoria Island to Epe T-junction and be wary of vandals by guarding it as the governor flagged off the phase two reconstruction of the project.

62 New Fellows Join NIESV, Charged to Uphold Integrity Fadekemi Ajakaiye Sixty two new Fellows of the Nigerian Institution of Estate Surveyors and Valuers (NIESV) have been inducted, and they were charged to be of good conduct and to maintain their integrity, as senior professionals of the institution.

The induction took place at the 29th Annual John Wood Ekpenyoung Memorial Lecture and 2023 Fellows’ Induction ceremony in Lagos, recently.

President of NIESV, Mr.

Johnbull Amayaevbo informed the new fellows that “the hallmarks of true professionals included special knowledge, competence, ethics, and integrity, among others,” adding that the absence of these attributes has been the cause of many disasters in the country.

Amayaevbo urged them to “remain committed to continuous acquisition of knowledge and to exhibit, at all times, the qualities of good conduct, integrity, nobility, honesty and devotion.”

According to him, the nation needs honest estate surveyors and valuers that render sincere consultancy and other professional real estate services, stating that the code of professional ethics and practice remains the ingredient of professionalism.

“There is a need for integrity in the practice of estate surveying. Without integrity, you cannot be a professional.

The institution frowns on any of its members who chose not to have integrity.

“Yesterday, (last Tuesday), the council took a major decision on issues concerning indiscipline, integrity, unprofessionalism, and five of our members were expelled. Very soon, you will see the names of all the expelled members on our website,” he said.

Chairman of the occasion, Olorogun James Omeru, advised the new fellows to provide quality service, and to continue in the good work done by the existing fellows.

Omeru said, “Stop cutting

corners in anything you do; you must render quality service, ensure good conduct, be distinct and be a good example to the upcoming ones.”

The Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice of Lagos State, Mr Moyosore Onigbanjo (SAN), also advised the new Fellows to uphold the integrity in the practice of the profession.

Onigbanjo told the Institution to take another look at the Estate Surveyor and Valuer Registration Act for possible

amendment.

He charged NIEVS to engage its members to amend the law, pointing out that the penalties have become outdated.

He explained that most of the provisions of the law were already obsolete and could not align with present day realities.

For instance, he said the session of the Act on sanction for erring members prescribed N100 as fine, and N20 daily for offenders where the offence continues.

World Privacy Day: Praesidium Consultancy Empowers Young People Fadekemi Ajakaiye The Nigeria Data Protection Bureau (NDPB) in collaboration with Praesidium Consultancy Limited, has organised a data privacy awareness training for secondary school pupils of Florida Comprehensive College, Ijeshatedo Lagos, on Tuesday, the 31st January to celebrate the 2023 World Privacy Day. As part of its advocacy role, Praesidium Consultancy Limited, a licensed Data Protection Compliance Organisation, was nominated

by The Nigeria Data Protec-

tion Bureau to adopt Florida Comprehensive College and administer the data privacy awareness training tagged: Catch them Young.

As a side event, the Catch them Young Privacy Class is a youth empowerment programme introduced by the NDPB in this year’s celebration to train secondary school pupils and university students on Data Protection and Privacy.

Addressing newsmen the Chief Executive Officer of Praesidium Consultancy Limited, Mrs Roni Akins praised the Catch them Young initiative, saying it is a good

innovation by the Bureau to give young people a heads up concerning data protection and privacy issues in Nigeria.

“I am happy to identify with this kind of initiative because it helps to breed a class of well-informed young people about data protection and privacy. For this gesture, I highly commend the Nigeria Data Protection Bureau and urge them to continue the good work.”

In a document released by the Bureau about the weeklong celebration, it intimated to the reader that the 28th of January of every year was chosen and

L-R: Lead Consultant, Data, Privacy and Compliance, Mr Umoru Emmanuel; Administrator of Florida Comprehensive College, Mrs Oluwayemisi Oyelola; Headmistress of Florida Comprehensive College, Mrs Helen Elisha; Executive Director Praesidium Consultancy Ltd, Mrs Roni Akins; Administrator Florida Comprehensive College, Mrs Abosede Eke, at the empowerment programme… recently

celebrated as World Privacy Day to spread awareness and encourage data privacy practices within organisations, communities, schools, and nations.

“The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) hosted

the 1st and 2nd editions of the National Privacy week, which saw the participation of over 500 stakeholders from various sectors. Building on the traction achieved under NITDA, the Nigeria Data Protection Bureau (NDPB) was established in February

2022 to take over the full responsibility of implementing the NDPR and advancing data protection and privacy in the country. This has compelled the Bureau to carry on the torch and lead the celebration of National Privacy Week 2023,” the document stated.

Lagos Water Front Residential Scheme Allottees Appeal to Sanwo-Olu for Allocation Bennett Oghifo Prospective homeowners that subscribed to the Orisan Water Front Residential Scheme in Lagos have appealed to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu to allocate land to those of them that have paid in full.

The chairman allottee group, Mr. Rasak Ayinde Sanni, who made the appeal in a statement, said 11 years after payment, subscribers were yet to get certificate of occupancy to physically identify their lands, appealing to the state government, the general manager of New Towns Development Authority, (NTDA) and various institutions in the state to act accordingly to allocate the lands to allottees.

According to the chairman of the group, the allottees had followed up on the matter on several occasions by “sending reminders to the permanent secretary of Land bureau with copies to the General Manager NTDA and the surveyor general of Lagos State and executive secretary lands and bureau but to no avail.”

The allottees, some of whom are civil servants, sought the attention of the governor to address the issue urgently by ensuring the fulfilment of obligation of the State Government to hand over the allocated 720 square meters of land at Orisan Waterfront Residential Scheme to all fully paid allottees.

The scheme was implemented by the Land Use Allocation Committee (LUAC) in partnership with New Towns Development Authority (NTDA) and supervised by the lands Bureau of Lagos State since 2010.

According to the allottees, the move by the government in delaying the appropriation of lands to the fully paid subscribers is hindering infrastructure development in the state.

The allottees stated that political and business interests within the economic corridors of the Lekki-Epe free trade zones have raised interest over the land due to its proximity to the fourth mainland bridge, the new international airport and the emerging economy

of the area.

In a petition signed by the allottees, the subscribers explained that past administrations under which the land was procured, failed to allocate to them, alleging bureaucracy and breach of agreement by the state government.

The allottees said at a meeting recently with the permanent secretary and executive secretary of Land bureau they were told that the agreement had been reviewed to 520 square metres from the initial agreement of 720 square meters of land, because it was no longer sustainable.

The allottee members hereby appeal to the State Government, particularly, Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu to intercede on their behalf by impressing it on the aforementioned state authorities to do the needful by handing over the 720 square meters of land and certificate of occupancy at Orisan Water Front Residential Scheme to all fully paid allottees to enable them build and improve infrastructure in the state.

T H I S D AY ˾ TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2023

21

BUSINESSWORLD R A T E S MONEY MARKET

A S

A T

REPO

Group Business Editor Eromosele Abiodun Email oriarehu.eromosele@thisdaylive.com

08056356325

F E B R U A R Y

S & P INDEX

6 , 2 0 2 3

S & P INDEX

EXCHANGE RATE

OPR

11.25%

CALL

10.25%

INDEX LEVEL

613.31%

1/4 TO DATE

-0.85%

N416.86/ 1 US DOLLAR*

OVERNIGHT

11.50%

1-MONTH

9.56%

1-DAY

0.16%

YEAR TO DATE

7.64%

*AS AT LAST FRIDAY

3-MONTH

10.52%

MONTH-TO-DATE

0.44%

10 Billion SCF of Gas Flared in December Despite Nigeria’s NetZero Commitments

Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja Nigeria flared as much as 10.027 billion Standard Cubit Feet (SCF) of gas in December 2022; as against the 9.3 billion it burnt in the previous month, new data from the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC) has shown.

A breakdown of that figure indicated that at least 323 million SCF of gas was flared everyday during the month under consideration, as against 313 million SCF practically sent into the environment during

the month.

According to the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA), which monitors the burning of gas in the country, the molecules are burnt off, or ‘flared’, as part of the oil production process.

It stated that gas has been flared in Nigeria since the 1950s, releasing carbon dioxide and other gases into the atmosphere and remains a continuing source of environmental and health concerns in the Niger Delta, despite efforts to reduce it.

“When crude oil is extracted from

onshore and offshore oil wells, it brings raw natural gas with it to the surface. If it is not possible to use it at source or transport it elsewhere, it is flared as a waste product. This also helps prevent accidents, ”it explained on its website.

In 2022, NOSDRA said that 12 million tonnes of CO2 were emitted into the atmosphere contributing to global warming while useful natural gas valued at $0.79 billion was burned by the Nigerian oil and gas industry equivalent to fines to the value of $450 million, many of

which it said are not collected.

In addition, it explained that 22,500 Gigawatts hours of potential power generation went to waste, equivalent to the annual electricity use of 511 million Nigerian citizens.

But Mobil was the biggest culprit in terms of amount of gas flared during the period, expending 2.52 billion SCF as flared gas in December 2022, followed by Addax, with 1.13 billion SCF and Shell which burnt 1.1 billion SCF. However, in terms of percentage flared in relation to total production,

the figures showed that 9.37 per cent of gas produced by Mobil was flared during the period, while 62 per cent of Addax’s production was burnt.

For the period under review, Shell’s share of flared gas in terms of percentage was smaller compared to the rest, with just 4.27 per cent of total production.

Of the about 30 oil firms reviewed in the provisional gas production and utilisation data by the national oil company, operators like Belema, Seplat and NPDC/CNL flared 100

per cent of the gas they produced for the period.

They were followed by AENR, which flared 95 per cent, First E&P with 93 per cent and Newcross with 43 per cent flaring of total gas produced in December.

But Nigeria’s total gas production for the month, both associated and natural gas was 147.8 billion SCF as against the 154 billion SCF the previous month. This output was from both the country’s Joint Venture Continued on page 22

GE to Supply 500MW Power to National Grid by Q2 This Year Peter Uzoho GE Gas Power has said it is looking forward to pushing close to 500 megawatts (MW) of additional power into the national electricity grid by the second quarter of this year, when its ongoing projects would have been completed.

The multinational company, which focuses on providing equipment, solutions and services across the energy value chain, from generation to consumption, said it has three

new projects that would deliver close to 500mw.

The firm listed them as the 240MW Afam III power plant in Port Harcourt, 50MW Maiduguri project with the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC) and another 50MW project for Dangote Group to support its cement and refinery plants, among others.

The President and Chief Executive Officer, GE Nigeria, Mr. Mohammed Mijindadi, disclosed this in Lagos during a roundtable

session with journalists, with the topic, “Powering the Future of Energy in Nigeria with GE,” noting that 2023 is an exciting year for the company.

On the power generation side, he stated that GE’s services arm does optimisation of existing power plants and that this year alone, they would have at least three or four projects that would add additional megawatts into the national power grid.

“With regards to new projects,

FOOD

we actually do have three new projects that would add close to 500mw. We’re working to complete the Afam III power plant in Port Harcourt. That project is 240mw.

“We’re hoping that by the end of this first quarter or early second quarter, that project should be done. That is an important project because when it goes into talking about what GE is doing, I think we have crafted that project as a way to reduce the pressure on government from a balance sheet

COMMODITIES

NAME OF COMMODITY

SIZE

STATE

PRICE

NAME OF COMMODITY

RICE

100KG

ABUJA

N35,000 – N45,000

SORGHUM

50KG

OYO

N35,000 – N45,000

50KG

PLATEAU (JOS)

N32,500 – N42,000

50KG

KWARA

N24,000–N27,000

50KG

LAGOS

N35,000 – N45,000

50KG

RIVERS

N36,500 – N46,500

50KG

SOKOTO

50KG

EDO

SIZE

PRICE

STATE

100KG JIGAWA

standpoint.

“So, we designed that project with a different structure.

Unfortunately, we’ve been working on that project since 2016. With change in government, there had been adjustments and all of that, but we’re hoping that by end of this quarter or early second quarter, that should be done.”

“There is a 50mw project that NNPC is working on, it’s an emergency project in Maiduguri.

That should also be done hopefully

by the end of first quarter or early second quarter. And then, there is a project in Dangote Industries –a project they are building that is supposed to support their cement and refinery projects, also about 50mw. So, we have three projects in active construction that should be done by second quarter of this year,” Mijindadi said.

He, however, observed that Nigeria’s power sector was Continued on page 22

T O D AY

PRICE

NAME OF COMMODITY

SIZE

STATE

PRICE

N30,000

BEANS

50KG BAG

MAIDU GURI

N22,000 – N30,000

100KG LAGOS

N36,000

100KG

KANO

N35,000

100KG

DELTA

N36,000

100KG

ABIA

N35,700

100KG

BENUE

N32,000

100KG

KADUNA

N32,000

50KG

ENUGU

N24,000

50KG

LAGOS

N26,000

N60,000 – N70,000

100KG

DELTA

N35,000

N17,000–N20,000

100KG

ABIA

N36,000

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TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2023 ˾ T H I S D AY

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NEWS FOOD

NAME OF COMMODITY

PALM OIL

COMMODITIES

PRICE

STATE

PRICE

NAME OF COMMODITY

100KG KANO

N20,500

ONIONS

N24,000 – N35,000

100KG BENUE

N27,000

25CL IBADAN N22,000 — N35,000

100KG LAGOS

N32,000

SIZE

STATE

PRICE

25CL LAGOS N20,000-N35000 25CL

PH

NAME OF COMMODITY

GROUNDNUT

SIZE

T O D AY PRICE

MAIZE

100KG

OYO

N10,000

100KG

IBADAN

N60,000

100KG KANO

N30,000

100KG ENUGU

N16,500

BENUE

N65,000

100KG DELTA

N14,000

100KG PLATEAU

N45,000

100KG

ABIA

N11,000

50KG

LAGOS

N9,000

100KG KANO

N9,400

100KG

N24,000 – N36,500

100KG DELTA

N34,000

100KG DELTA

N50,000

25CL

EDO

N20,000 – N35,000

100KG

N27,000

100KG LAGOS

N60,000

N23 000

100KG ENUGU

N45,000

100KG ENUGU

LOCATION

PRICE

IMO

25CL ABUJA N25,500 – N35,000

SIZE

STATE

25CL

ABIA

NAME OF COMMODITY

SIZE

50KG

BENUE

N6,000

Expected Nigeria’s Oil Production Rebound Falters as OPEC Output Falls in January Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja Nigeria’s oil production which began rebounding in November and December last year after a prolonged lull, stayed stagnant in January this year, a Reuters survey of activities in the month under review has shown.

It affected output by the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) of which Nigeria is a key member combined with Iraqi exports which declined while Nigerian output did not recover

further.

However, Gulf members maintained strong compliance with an OPEC+ deal on production cuts to support the market.

Nigeria has been unable to meet its OPEC oil production allocation for more than a year, but it began gradual recovery in the last two months, from its record low of about 900,000 barrels per day to roughly 1.23 million bpd in December. That figure, according to the survey did not increase in January.

The Nigerian Upstream Petroleum

Regulatory Commissions (NUPRC), which releases the country’s official monthly production data had yet to do so at the weekend, according to THISDAY checks.

But during the month, OPEC pumped 28.87 million bpd, the survey found, down 50,000 bpd from December. In September, OPEC output hit its highest since 2020.

Output was significantly undershot targeted amounts because many producers - notably Nigeria and Angola - lack the capacity to pump at the agreed levels.

Output from OPEC and allies including Russia, known collectively as OPEC+, increased for most of 2022 as demand recovered.

For November, with oil prices weakening, the group made its largest cut to production targets since the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.

Its decision from November called for a 2 million bpd cut to the OPEC+ output target, of which about 1.27 million bpd was meant to come from the 10 participating OPEC countries. The same target

currently applies.

With the decline in output this month, compliance with the agreement rose to 172 per cent of pledged cuts, according to the survey, against 161 per cent in December.

The 10 OPEC members required to cut production pumped 920,000 bpd below the group’s January target, the survey found. The shortfall in December was 780,000 bpd.

guide against activities of surveying and geoinformatics that may infringe on areas of national security and abuse of critical infrastructure across the country.

It added that the law requires persons, groups or corporate organisations, apart from the military to refer to the SGoF before embarking on surveying and mapping activities.

Adebomehin, who inaugurated the committee during a session of the collaboration meeting of the Office of the Surveyor General of the Federation (OSGoF) with the

Nigerian Armed Forces, the Police and other Security Agencies in Abuja, directed the committee to commence its task, which he described as a very important national assignment, with immediate effect.

He observed that some persons and corporate groups had been using Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) and other geospatial technologies in gathering data across the country without recourse to national security, stressing that activities that constitute violations of the provisions of the Act would no longer be condoned.

He added that the law would henceforth take its full course on any of the violators hence the inauguration of the committee in demonstration of the seriousness of the federal government‘s commitment to issues of national security.

The committee which will be presided by the Head of the Survey Coordination Department of OSGoF, Semiu Ayinde on behalf of the SGoF comprises staff of the Monitoring and Compliance Division of the Office.

Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja

OPEC’s second-largest producer, Iraq, has exported fewer barrels last month from its southern fields, according to Eikon data and two companies that track the flows.

Nigerian output, which rebounded in December, held at similar levels in January, the survey found, leaving more to do if the country is to meet a target to lift output to 1.6 million bpd this quarter.

Report: Outlook for SGoF Inaugurates Committee for Monitoring, Nigeria’s Upstream Oil, Gas Enforcement of Survey Coordination Act Sector Positive for 2023

Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja To address the challenges of Nigeria’s national security, the Surveyor General of the Federation (SGoF), Abuduganiyu Adebomehin, has inaugurated an implementation committee for monitoring and enforcement to ensure compliance with the provisions of the Survey Coordination Act (SCA).

A statement by the Head of Press and Public Relations in the office, Abu Michael, stated that the provisions of the SCA are meant to

Shell, ExxonMobil Profits Double to Record Highs on Rising Oil, Gas Prices Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja Shell made a record profit of almost $40 billion in 2022, more than double what it raked in the previous year after oil and gas prices soared following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Europe’s largest oil company by revenue reported adjusted full-year earnings of $39.9 billion— more than double the $19.3 billion it posted in 2021 — driven by a strong performance in its gas trading business.

Just over 40 per cent of Shell’s full-year earnings came from its integrated gas business, which includes liquefied natural gas trading operations. The unit was responsible for almost two thirds of Shell’s $9.8 billion profit in the final three months of the year, CNN reported.

Shell Chief Executive Officer, Wael Sawan, said the results “demonstrate the strength of Shell’s differentiated portfolio, as well as our capacity to deliver vital energy to our customers in

a volatile world.”

Also, Exxon Mobil posted a quarterly profit of nearly $20 billion, the highest quarterly profit in company history amid a surge in oil prices during the quarter.

The earnings are the latest in a series of record-setting results by the world’s biggest energy companies, which have enjoyed bumper profits off the back of soaring oil and gas prices.

ExxonMobil posted record fullyear earnings of $59.1 billion. Last month, Chevron reported a record

full-year profit of $36.5 billion.

That has led to renewed calls for higher taxation. Governments in the European Union and the United Kingdom have already imposed windfall taxes on oil company profits, with the proceeds used to help households struggling with rising energy bills.

Shell said it expected to take an additional $2.3 billion tax charge in 2022 related to the EU windfall tax and the UK energy profits levy.

The company paid $13.1 billion in tax globally in 2022.

Nigeria’s oil and gas industry experienced historic crises throughout 2022 as the sector struggled with severe crude thefts and pipeline vandalism constraining output, but will do relatively well this year, a new report has said.

Resumption of operations at onshore export terminals at the end of 2022 coupled with fresh offshore drilling activity have turned the outlook positive for 2023, according to a new report by investment research firm Hawilti.

The research agency released its Nigeria Upstream Oil & Gas Report for 2023 , forecasting a recovery of onshore volumes and incremental growth coming from shallow water projects.

The company estimated that Nigeria’s onshore production stood at only some 400,000 bpd last year, against more than 725,000 bpd in 2020. Its initial analysis forecast a strong but not full recovery of onshore production in 2023, although it noted an uptick in drilling activity from a wide range of onshore operators.

It also noted the potential of field owners who have recently secured Petroleum Prospecting Licences (PPLs) under the country’s last Marginal Fields Bidding Round

to raise output.

These new entrants, it said, will seek to make the best of their new three-year licenses to start producing as soon as possible, providing they can secure the funding and technical expertise to redevelop their assets.

The report pointed to increased investment from onshore operators into midstream and downstream infrastructure to minimise their exposure to third-party export pipelines.

“The market is witnessing a strong appetite for additional storage capacity and refining infrastructure from both large and marginal fields operators,” Hawilti said.

The report noted real growth potential from Nigeria’s shallow water segment, where it highlighted several brownfield and greenfield projects by operators such as General Hydrocarbons, Sunlink Energies, Oriental Energy Resources, West Africa E&P, Yinka Folawiyo Petroleum, and AMNI International that could drive output in the short and medium-term.

“Nigeria’s shallow water segment remains attractive because of its existing and reliable export infrastructure and its widely derisked geology,” said the Director and Head of Research at Hawilti, Mickael Vogel.

“So, I think the government has some steps in place. I think when push comes to shove, what would lead the decision making would be the ability for government to be able to provide for the citizens and continue to be able to industrialise, and then, they would transit gradually as they go along.

“The interesting thing that happened when you think about this energy transition between COP26 and COP27 was the realisation by everyone that energy security trumps any transition and I think, we all learn the hard way through what is going on in Ukraine,” Mijindadi observed.

GE TO SUPPLY 500MW POWER TO NATIONAL GRID BY Q2 THIS YEAR challenged by multiple factors, saying with the nation’s total installed generation capacity of about 13000mw, only between 3,500 to 5000MW were typically available for onward transmission to the final consumer.

According to him, this comes with extensive losses attributable

to weak infrastructure and a high occurrence of significant technical and non-technical challenges.

“Main challenges facing the power sector include, insufficient transmission and distribution infrastructure, inadequate power industry investments and capacity expansion, absence of cost reflective

tariffs, gas supply constraints, high incidences of load rejection and implementation of power sector reforms,” he added.

Mijindadi also stated that GE’s technologies have continued to serve Nigeria’s energy needs as the company’s built technologies deliver up to 65 per cent of the

on-grid gas generation through gas turbines and grid equipment.

Commenting on the possibility of Nigeria actualising its net-zero target by 2060, he explained that energy sustenance and country’s survival should be uppermost before any transition since, according to him, one must exist before transiting.

10 BILLION SCF OF GAS FLARED IN DECEMBER DESPITE NIGERIA’S NETZERO COMMITMENTS (JV) arrangements and Production Sharing Contracts (PSC).

In addition, average daily production from both PSCs and JVs was 4.77 billion SCF/d, lower than the 5.13 billion SCF/day produced in November of the same year.

Last year, a NOSDRA report said that Nigeria flared 216.5

billion standard cubic feet of gas in about eleven months despite its commitment in November 2021 to reach net zero by 2060.

The organisation uses the Nigeria Gas Flare Tracker (GFT), a satellite-based technology, with the flared gas emitting about 11.5 million tonnes of carbon dioxide

into the atmosphere, worth about $757.9 million.

Nigeria has over 178 flare sites, which emit poisonous chemicals that cause all kinds of environmental damage and make people that around the areas fall sick.

The Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC)

recently announced 139 business entities as having qualified for the next round of the Nigerian Gas Flare Commercialisation Programme (NGFCP) 2022.

The Chief Executive of the Commission, Mr Gbenga Komolafe, said that 300 bidders entered for the scheme initially.

In 2021, Nigeria, Africa’s biggest crude producer, joined some of the world’s largest energy exporters, Saudi Arabia and Russia in pledging to eliminate planet-warming emissions by 2060.

The West African nation vowed to unconditionally cut emissions by 20 per cent below the “business as

usual” levels by 2030.

The reductions, it said, can be increased to 47 per cent if the country gets “financial assistance, technology transfer and capacity building from the more advanced and more willing international partners,” President Muhammadu Buhari said at the COP26 climate summit in Glasgow.

23

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2023 ˾ T H I S D AY

BUSINESSWORLD

INDUSTRY

Manufacturers and Unintended Consequences o f a L a u d a b l e M o n e t a r y Po l i c y A well-intentioned monetary policy designed to pull in money into the banking systems is faced with unforeseen setbacks and sabotage that could jeopadise the fortunes of Nigeria’s manufacturing sector, writes Dike Onwuamaeze

W

hen the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Mr. Godwin Emefiele, announced on October 26, 2022, that the apex bank would issue newly redesigned banknotes for N1000, N500 and N200 and fixed January 31, 2023, as the deadline for phasing out old notes of these redesigned denominations of the Naira, he did so with the best of intentions for the Nigerian economy.

However, when the deadline arrived it was discovered that a lot of unforeseen circumstances, including deposit money banks’ unwillingness to make the new Naira notes available to their depositors, have combined to hinder its effective take-off on February 1, 2023. Therefore, the CBN was constrained to extend the deadline to February 10.

Since the extension of the deadline, an acute shortage of the Naira notes has been unleashed on Nigerian businesses, individuals and households.

The severity of the cash crunch was so much that many households could not find cash to meet their daily needs, thereby bringing their purchasing powers next to zero.

The effects of the cash crunch were so severe that some individuals, including adult men and women, who were driven by desperation, striped themselves naked, even stark naked, in the banking hall just to return home with some cash to put food on the table for their families.

As the cash crunch continued to linger, the manufacturing sector of the Nigerian economy is also writhing in pains arising from poor sales due to the shortage of cash for individuals to make purchases and meet their needs. This is understandable since production is not yet complete until goods manufactured get to the hands of final consumers.

On Friday, February 3, the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN), told THISDAY that the fortunes of its members could be jeopadised

if urgent measures were not taken to halt the current scarcity of Naira notes in the economy.

Reacting to the current cash crunch in the economy, the Director General of MAN, Mr. Segun Ajayi-Kadri, said: “To be clear and I want to put this first, there is no doubt that the currency redesign is desirable. There are socioeconomic and political imperatives for the change. It is a critical element of the CBN cashless economy policy that should have far reaching positive results for our economic.

“However, the continued scarcity of redesigned new Naira notes is quite worrisome. With our growth prospects heading further south, we can ill afford a downturn in our GDP. The negative impact it portends for local producers, the agricultural and distributive segments of our economy is huge and may worsen the bashing our

economy has received from both external and internal shocks in recent times.”

Ajayi-Kadri further stated: “I would put a rough estimate of 25 per cent drop on monthly sales of domestic goods if the situation should persist for the next three weeks.

“As the purchases from the retail end that is mostly transacted in cash dries up, you will immediately notice a sharp drop in wholesale purchases and instant buildup of unsold inventory in your industries.

“This situation is not good for anyone, the industry, the government and the ordinary citizen. You will have a compounded crippling lack of patronage for the domestic manufacturer; the denial of government revenue that would have accrued from consumption taxes and the disruption of the daily life and need of the average Nigerian.

BUSINESSWORLD

“I had expected that the CBN and the banks should be engaging at the highest level at this time. There is need for strategic communication and joint operations to ensure widespread and sustained availability and circulation of the redesigned Naira notes.

“It is baffling to approach a bank only to be told that there is neither the old nor the new Naira notes! “We hope that the resumption of payment across the counter in the banks and the intensification of the CBN special cash swap arrangement in remote areas may yield positive results.”

He hoped that what the country is experiencing would be a temporary pain and that government would do well to bring the hardship to an end immediately, adding that “it is evident that the desperation is heading for a boiling point. Visible and far-reaching steps should be taken to redress the situation. We must make haste to ensure that the price to be paid for this otherwise laudable policy does not outpace the gains.”

Similar concern was also expressed by the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) last week when it asked the CBN to “enlighten the public on grey areas about the scarcity of the new Naira notes.” It also urged the apex bank to strengthen its policy implementation capacity.

The Director General of LCCI, Dr. Chinyere Almona, in a public statement that was titled “LCCI Statement on the Phasing Out of Old Naira Notes,” lamented that, “businesses are suffering the consequences of the CBN’s currency management policy lapses.”

Almona also stated clearly that the chamber did not see any value in the CBN’s extension of the deadline for phasing out old notes as long as the “scarcity of the new Naira notes persist.”

The story continues online on www.thisdaylive.com

AGRICULTURE

Boosting Agric Exports for Increased Revenue Generation There is no better time than now for economic managers to have a renewed focus on prioritising investment and policy decisions into the nation’s agricultural sector especially at a time when the country’s capacity to earn foreign exchange is dwindling. Gilbert Ekugbe writes

T

here is no gain saying that Nigeria’s dependency on hydrocarbon resources has brought the country to its knees and evidently so, the nation’s debt profile has continued on an upward swing putting its citizens and unborn generation in a tight fix.

Despite the limitless opportunities of Nigeria’s abundant natural endowments, the agricultural sector is still far from changing the economic narratives of Nigeria. Only recently, the African Development Bank (AfDB) stated that with the removal of barriers to agricultural development aided by new investments, Africa’s agricultural output could increase from $280 billion per year to $1 trillion by 2030 this goes to show that the sector’s potential to transform the nation’s economic fortunes is still far from its best.

According to the President, AfDB, Akinwumi Adesina, this is the time to invest in Africa’s future, pointing out that the continent has more than 60 per cent of the world’s remaining arable land, and millions of Africans are productive in the agriculture sector.

Regrettably, the continent is home to a third of the world’s 850 million people living with hunger a market begging for an agrarian economy to latch on. Many developed economies of the world have rapidly upgraded their economic status prioritising agriculture as the mainstay of their respective economies, a path Nigeria must thread to diversify its economic revenue base as well as ensuring food security for its increasing population and the unborn generation.

STATE OF AGRIC EXPORT According to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), Nigeria exported agricultural goods worth

over N84.21 billion in the third quarter of 2022 representing a 40.6 per cent decline as against N141.77 billion generated in Q2 2022, but marks a 6 per cent increase compared to N79.41 billion recorded in the corresponding period of 2021.

Meanwhile, top of the list of Nigeria’s agriculture export to the globe in 2022 include cocoa beans, sesame seeds, and cashew nuts generating an aggregate sum of N262.99 billion. Mid year in 2022, Nigeria exported cocoa worth N114.1 billion representing a 0.8 per cent of the total exports recorded

by Nigeria.

For Sesame seeds export, Nigeria earned N81.5 billion during the first half of 2022 representing a 0.6 per cent of Nigeria’s export in the first half of the year.

Nigeria realized over N67.39 billion from cashew export in the first half of 2022 representing a 0.5 per cent of the total export recorded by the largest market on the continent.

Also in 2022, Nigeria imported agricultural goods worth N512.91 billion in the third quarter of 2022, marking a 10.4 per cent increase compared to N464.4 billion recorded in the previous quarter and a 6.4 per cent

increase compared to N482.2 billion in the corresponding period of 2021.

Agric export challenges Nigeria’s agro produce are still facing high level of rejection at the global scene particularly cocoa beans. According to the European Union (EU) cocoa producers do not meet the maximum residue limits set by the EU for agriculture products especially cocoa. Reasons for the rejection is not far fetched due to substandard measures deployed in preserving these agro commodities. Due to poor handling of agricultural products (post and pre-harvest seasons) diseases and pests attack as well as excessive use of pesticides for preservation purposes are also some of the major issues hindering agric export.

The urgent need for the federal government to sensitise Nigerian farmers on the need to adhere to Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) is not out of place as this would help in facilitating a seamless agric export market while also generate foreign exchange for the nation.

Beside rejection, Nigeria’s capacity to export agro produce is also being hindered by the inability to produce enough to meet its food needs before considering export. Experts in the non-oil sector have blamed the problems encountered by operators in the sector ranging from inadequate and decaying infrastructures, financing constraints, inefficient implementation of export incentives and support programmes, over regulation of the non-oil export sector, underdeveloped regional and sub-regional markets, policy instability, capital flight marketing and pricing problems.

The story continues online on www.thisdaylive.com

T H I S D AY ˾TUESDAY, FEBRUARY7, 2023

24

BUSINESS/MONEYGUIDE

NLNG Partners LCCI to Drive Agricultural Innovations for Food Security Gilbert Ekugbe The Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas Limited (NLNG), in partnership with the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI), is pushing for agricultural innovations that would positively impact food security in the country.

Speaking at the public presentation of the winners of the Nigerian Prize for Science (2022), the NLNG’s General Manager of External Relations and Sustainable Development, Mr. Andy Odeh, said that the prize is focused on food security in 2022 in alignment with Goal Two of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which sought for sustainable solutions to end

hunger by 2030 and to achieve food security.

Odeh said that the NLNG was interested in the impact the innovations would have on food security and socio-economic well-being of Nigerians.

He further stated that the company was aware that it is not enough to have innovations without them impacting society.

“Being a company committed to building a better Nigeria, the NLNG is seeking ways to ensure that these improvements bring about positive developmental change in its home country,” he stated.

Also speaking, the President of the LCCI, Mr. Michael Olawale-Cole, said that there is no better time to gather over a topic on food security as the

threat of destructive flooding and droughts are faceing the country due to climate change.

He added that this is also coming at a time when Nigeria is grappling with a surging food inflation at 23.75 per cent, which has been the main driver of Nigeria’s high headline inflation at 21.34 per cent.

“It is worthy of note that Nigerians on the average spend more than 50 per cent of their incomes on food alone while they also face high cost of energy, “he said.

On his part, the Chairman of the Prize’s Advisory Board, Professor Barth Nnaji, who was represented by a Board Member, Dr. Nike Akande, stated that the innovations had the potential for high impact.

Group Head, Corporate Services, Hope PSBank, Cletus Igah; Group Head, Inclusion & Distribution - South, Hope PSBank,Ms.HelenNwelle;ManagingDirector/ChiefExecutiveOfficer,HopePSBank,Mrs.OgechiAltraide;Group Head, Operations, Hope PSBank, Mr. Sunday Abah and Group Head, Corporate Services, Unified Payment, Mr. FelixEdionwe, atthePressConferencefortheNationwideWalletAccountOpeningCampaigninLagos...recently.

Honeywell Group, LSETF Train 77 Youths on Enterprise, Career Development Dike Onwuamaeze The Honeywell Group, as part of its commitment to foster youth employment has trained 77 youths on entrepreneurial development and success in corporate careers under the Lagos Innovates Talent Development Initiative (LITDI) Cohort A. The talent development initiative was executed in collaboration with the Lagos State Employment Trust Fund (LSETF).

The training, which began in September 2022 with 77 beneficiaries that were selected from a pool of 1,000 applicants, was facilitated by one of LITDI’s training partners, the Dataleum.

Its beneficiaries were taken through a rigorous four-month training exercise where they were exposed to data analytics training, soft skills training, stimulated interview sessions, and

other job preparation activities.

They were graduated last Friday in a ceremony that doubled as a career fair as recruiters were present to interview the beneficiaries and offer them employment.

One of the beneficiaries, Ms. Favour Adebayo, said that the programme was what she needed to change her life. She said: “The talent development programme was transformational. The programme gave me direction and more opportunities. From acquiring soft skills that I didn’t know I lacked to intense handson practice, I am convinced that the only way from here is up!”

Commenting on the training, the Honeywell Group’s Head of Corporate Services, Tomi Otudeko, said: “We are proud of these beneficiaries who have worked tirelessly throughout the rigorous programme, and it has been a delight to see their faces

light up. More importantly, we are encouraged by the impact this training has had on their lives and how it will cascade down to 77 communities across the state.

“As a company, we are deliberate about investing in people and initiatives that will allow us to make positive impact on communities and improve the lives of our stakeholders.’

Speaking in the same vein, LITDI’s Head, Startups, Mr. Hakeem Onasanya, said: “One of the major highlights of this initiative, aside from the number of young people we are able to support, is hearing about its impact from the beneficiaries. I applaud the graduates for their commitment to the programme, and we are optimistic that the graduates will go on to do astounding work in their new career path and in service to Lagos State.”

NIMASA Seeks Private Sector Participation in Blue Economy Director General of Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Dr. Bashir Jamoh has called for deeper private sector participation in the blue economy initiative to harness greater benefits from the maritime industry.

Delivering a paper in Lagos as guest speaker at a lunch hour lecture series organised

by Academy for Maximum Achievement, Jamoh gave an expository discourse on the many untapped opportunities in the maritime industry.

While giving reassurances

that the deep blue project for which the federal government procured air, land and water assets for maritime security has made the industry safer and removed Nigeria from the list of countries with high incidence of attacks.

Speaking earlier, Barr Margaret Orakwusi, Leader of the Think Tank Group said it is a knowledge-sharing platform According to her, “The Corporate Think-Tank was created by the Academy for Maximum Achievement as an interdisciplinary platform to bring

together experts and leaders from various walks of life to stimulate discourse on critical and pressing national socio-economic issues.

And galvanize research and expert contributions towards public policy support and implementation.”

Also speaking at the event, Princess Vicky Haastrup, Chief Executive Officer of ENL Consortium commended Jamoh’s feats as NIMASA DG. She described environmental sustainability within ports areas as critically deserving of government attention.

WIP Africa Delivers GreenPoint Community to over 50 Subscribers in Lagos Kayode Tokede Wealth Island Properties (WIP), over the weekend, allocated GreenPoint Community properties to over 50 subscribers in what the Chief Executive of the company, Tade Cash has described as a brave move by allotees.

According to him, “It is easy to invest at convenient

times, but those who, despite uncertainty, still have time to invest in the future are very brave. And those are the people we have here taking advantage of the investment offer of one of our properties, the GreenPoint Community in Epe.” More than 50 subscribers were allotted their space at the 20 acres project .that comes

with a registered Deed of Assignment and Survey from the government of Lagos State.

He encouraged the them to align with the government in following requisite processes that have been stipulated, to have their building project sorted from start to finish including; abiding by accredited professionals at every stage of the development.

MARKET INDICATORS MONEY AND CREDIT STATISTICS

(MILLION NAIRA)

AUGUST 2022 Money Supply (M3)

49,356,443.6

-- CBN Bills Held by Money Holding Sectors

50,601.36

Money Supply (M2)

49,305,842.3

-- Quasi Money

27,869,678.3

-- Narrow Money (M1)

21,436,164

---- Currency Outside Banks

2,680,236.81

---- Demand Deposits

18,755,927.2

Net Foreign Assets (NFA)

5,074,909.92

Net Domestic Assets(NDA)

27,869,678.3

-- Net Domestic Credit (NDC)

61,195,142.4

---- Credit to Government (Net)

21,001,401.5

---- Memo: Credit to Govt. (Net) less FMA

0.00

---- Memo: Fed. and Mirror Accounts (FMA)

0.00

---- Credit to Private Sector (CPS)

40,193,740.9

--Other Assets Net

6,785,979.22

Reserve Money (Base Money

14,040,351.9

--Currency in Circulation

3,210,664.98

--Banks Reserves --Special Intervention Reserves

10,829,686.9 390,557.8

˾ ÙßÜÍÏ ̋

Money Market Indicators (in Percentage) Month

July 2022

Inter-Bank Call Rate

13.00

Minimum Rediscount Rate (MRR) Monetary Policy Rate (MPR)

14.00

Treasury Bill Rate

2.76

Savings Deposit Rate

1.42

1 Month Deposit Rate

3.64

3 Months Deposit Rate

4.96

6 Months Deposit Rate

5.87

12 Months Deposit Rate

5.76

Prime Lending rate

12.10

Maximum Lending Rate

27.61

˾ ÙØÏÞËÜã ÙÖÓÍã ËÞÏ ̋ ͯͱϱ

OPEC DAILY BASKET PRICE AS AT 24 OCTOBER, 2022

The price of OPEC basket of thirteen crudes stood at $92.17 a barrel on Monday, compared with $92.09 the previous Friday, according to OPEC Secretariat calculations.

The OPEC Reference Basket of Crudes (ORB) is made up of the following: Saharan Blend (Algeria), Girassol (Angola), Djeno (Congo), Zafiro (Equatorial Guinea), Rabi Light (Gabon), Iran Heavy (Islamic Republic of Iran), Basrah Medium (Iraq), Kuwait Export (Kuwait), Es Sider (Libya), Bonny Light (Nigeria), Arab Light (Saudi Arabia), Murban (UAE) and Merey (Venezuela).

25

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2023 ˾ T H I S D AY

MARKET NEWS

Stock Market Closes Positive as Investors Gain N80.7bn Kayode Tokede Investors on the stock market of the Nigerian Exchange Limited (NGX) yesterday gained N80.7billion on buying interests in MTN Nigeria Communications (MTNN) Plc and 15 others.

The NGX All Share Index (ASI) rose by 154.65 basis points or 0.29 per cent to close at 53,157.83 points from 53,998.12 basis points.

Accordingly, investors gained

N80.7 billion in value as market capitalisation went up to N29.609 trillion from N29.528trillion it opened for trading.

Sectoral performance was mixed as the NGX industrial index added 0.04per cent and Consumer NGX Goods rose by 0.01per cent, while NGX Banking depreciated by 0.32per cent and NGX Oil and Gas was down by 0.02per cent.

As measured by market

P R I C E S MAIN BOARD

DEALS

F O R MARKET PRICE

breadth, market sentiment was mixed, as an equal number of stocks (16) gained and lost.

Sovereign Trust Insurance recorded the highest price gain of 10 per cent to close at 33 kobo, per share.

Linkage Assurance followed with a gain 8.89 per cent to close at 49kobo, while International Energy Insurance rose by 8.08 per cent to close at N1.07, per share. Industrial & Medical Gases

S E C U R I T I E S QUANTITY TRADED

VALUE TRADED ( N )

Nigeria went up by 4.55 per cent to close at N8.05, while Courteville Business Solutions appreciated by 4.08 per cent to close at 51 kobo, per share.

On the other hand, McNichols Plc led the losers’ chart by 8.96 per cent to close at 61 kobo, while Prestige Assurance followed with a decline of 8.70 per cent to close at 42 kobo, per share.

FTN Cocoa processors lost 6.06 per cent to close at 31 kobo, while

T R A D E D MAIN BOARD

SUNU Assurance and Japaul Gold & Ventures shed 5.88 per cent each to close at 32 kobo each respectively, per share.

The total volume traded declined by 28.5 per cent to 191.636 million units, valued at N4.799 billion, and exchanged in 4,359 deals.

Transactions in the shares of Guaranty Trust Holding Company (GTCO) topped the activity chart with 50.585 million

AS O F

shares valued at N1.271 billion.

Zenith Bank followed with 18.017 million shares worth N452.440 million, while Chams Holding Company traded 16.628 million shares valued at N4.451 million.

United Bank for Africa (UBA) traded 14.935 million shares valued at N125.390 million, while Transnational Corporation of Nigeria (Transcorp) transacted 14.171 million shares worth N18.790 million.

0 6 / 0 2 / 2 3 DEALS

MARKET PRICE

QUANTITY TRADED

VALUE TRADED ( N)

26

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2023 • T H I S D AY

MARKET NEWS A Mutual fund (Unit Trust) is an investment vehicle managed by a SEC (Securities and Exchange Commission) registered Fund Manager.

Investors with similar objectives buy units of the Fund so that the Fund Manager can buy securities that willl generate their desired return.

An ETF (Exchange Traded Fund) is a type of fund which owns the assets (shares of stock, bonds, oil futures, gold bars, foreign currency, etc.) and divides ownership of those assets into shares. Investors can buy these ‘shares’ on the

floor of the Nigerian Stock Exchange.

A REIT (Real Estate Investment Trust) is an investment vehicle that allows both small and large investors to part-own real estate ventures (eg.

Offices, Houses, Hospitals) in proportion to their investments. The assets are divided into shares that are traded on the Nigerian Stock Exchange.

GUIDE TO DATA: Date: All fund prices are quoted in Naira as at 03Feb-2023, unless otherwise stated.

Offer price: The price at which units of a trust or ETF are bought by investors.

Bid Price: The price at which Investors redeem (sell) units of a trust or ETF. Yield/Total Return: Denotes the total return an investor would have earned on his investment. Money Market Funds report Yield while others report Year- to-date Total Return.

NAV: Is value per share of the real estate assets held by a REIT on a specific date.

DAILY PRICE LIST FOR MUTUAL FUNDS, REITS and ETFS MUTUAL FUNDS / UNIT TRUSTS AFRINVEST ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD aaml@afrinvest.com Web: www.afrinvest.com; Tel: +234 818 885 6757 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Afrinvest Equity Fund 199.86 201.01 5.68% Afrinvest Plutus Fund 100.00 100.00 11.26% Nigeria International Debt Fund 312.77 312.77 1.39% Afrinvest Dollar Fund 106.22 107.32 0.76% AIICO CAPITAL LTD ammf@aiicocapital.com Web: www.aiicocapital.com, Tel: +234-1-2792974 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn AIICO Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 13.11% AIICO Balanced Fund 3.87 3.93 14.17% ANCHORIA ASSET MANAGEMENT LIMITED info@anchoriaam.com Web:www.anchoriaam.com, Tel: 08166830267; 08036814510; 08028419180 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Anchoria Money Market N/A N/A N/A Anchoria Equity Fund N/A N/A N/A Anchoria Fixed Income Fund N/A N/A N/A ARM INVESTMENT MANAGERS LTD enquiries@arminvestmentcenter.com info@anchoriaam.com Web: www.arm.com.ng; Tel: 0700 CALLARM (0700 225 5276) Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn ARM Aggressive Growth Fund 23.35 24.05 6.40% ARM Discovery Balanced Fund 547.41 563.92 5.02% ARM Ethical Fund 46.32 47.72 2.68% ARM Eurobond Fund ($) 1.13 1.13 0.56% ARM Fixed Income Fund N/A N/A N/A ARM Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 10.63% ARM Short Term Bond Fund 1.04 1.04 0.66% AVA GLOBAL ASSET MANAGERS LIMITED info@avacapitalgroup.com Web: www.avacapitalgroup.com; Tel 08069294653 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn AVA GAM Fixed Income Dollar Fund 97.31 97.31 2.32% AVA GAM Fixed Income Naira Fund 1,107.05 1,107.05 -1.72% AXA MANSARD INVESTMENTS LIMITED investmentcare@axamansard.com Web: www.axamansard.com; Tel: +2341-4488482 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn AXA Mansard Equity Income Fund N/A N/A N/A AXA Mansard Money Market Fund N/A N/A N/A CAPITAL EXPRESS ASSET AND TRUST LIMITED info@capitalexpressassetandtrust.com Web: www.capitalexpressassetandtrust.com; Tel: +234 803 307 5048 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn CEAT Fixed Income Fund 2.13 2.13 3.25% Capital Express Balanced Fund(Formerly: Union Trustees Mixed Fund) 2.37 2.42 7.94% CAPITALTRUST INVESTMENTS AND ASSET MANAGEMENT LIMITED halalfif@capitaltrustnigeria.com Web: www.capitaltrustnigeria.com; Tel: 08061458806 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Capitaltrust Halal Fixed Income Fund N/A N/A N/A CARDINALSTONE ASSET MANAGEMENT LIMITED mutualfunds@cardinalstone.com Web: www.cardinalstoneassetmanagement.com; Tel: +234 (1) 710 0433 4 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn CardinalStone Fixed Income Alpha Fund N/A N/A N/A CHAPELHILL DENHAM MANAGEMENT LTD investmentmanagement@chapelhilldenham.com Web: www.chapelhilldenham.com, Tel: +234 461 0691 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Chapelhill Denham Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 12.30% Paramount Equity Fund 18.53 18.87 6.95% Women's Investment Fund 152.42 154.30 5.38% CHD Nigeria Bond Fund 108.06 108.06 11.20% CHD Nigeria Dollar Income Fund 1.06 1.06 9.15% CORDROS ASSET MANAGEMENT LIMITED assetmgtteam@cordros.com Web: www.cordros.com, Tel: 019036947 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Cordros Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 10.62% Cordros Milestone Fund 142.37 143.27 3.40% Cordros Fixed Income Fund 106.45 106.45 10.00% Cordros Halal Fixed Income Fund 103.87 103.87 6.03% Cordros Dollar Fund ($) 115.08 115.08 5.50% CORONATION ASSETS MANAGEMENT investment@coronationam.com Web:www.coronationam.com, Tel: 012366215 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn 1.00 1.00 12.02% Coronation Money Market Fund 1.22 1.24 2.31% Coronation Balanced Fund 1.36 1.36 -3.62% Coronation Fixed Income Fund EDC FUNDS MANAGEMENT LIMITED mutualfundng@ecobank.com Web: www.ecobank.com Tel: 012265281 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn 100.00 100.00 10.59% EDC Nigeria Money Market Fund Class A 1,000,000.00 1,000,000.00 7.62% EDC Nigeria Money Market Fund Class B 1,110.93 1,113.53 0.29% EDC Nigeria Fixed Income Fund EMERGING AFRICA ASSET MANAGEMENT LIMITED assetmanagement@emergingafricafroup.com Web:www.emergingafricagroup.com/emerging-africa-asset-management-limited/, Tel: 08039492594 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Emerging Africa Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 12.60% Emerging Africa Bond Fund 1.08 1.08 10.36% Emerging Africa Balanced Diversity Fund 1.13 1.13 49.34% Emerging Africa Eurobond Fund 105.30 105.30 3.22% FBNQUEST ASSETS MANAGEMENT LIMITED invest@fbnquest.com Web: www.fbnquest.com/asset-management; Tel: +234-81 0082 0082 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn FBN Bond Fund 1488.33 1488.33 12.55% FBN Balanced Fund 210.90 212.41 5.61% FBN Halal Fund 124.45 124.45 13.19% FBN Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 13.48% FBN Dollar Fund 120.98 120.98 6.87% FBN Smart Beta Equity Fund 178.55 181.19 7.82% FBN Specialized Dollar Fund 104.93 104.93 9.75% FCMB ASSET MANAGEMENT LIMITED fcmbamhelpdesk@fcmb.com Web: www.fcmbassetmanagement.com; Tel: +234 1 462 2596 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Legacy Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 9.25% Legacy Debt Fund 3.54 3.54 -11.58% Legacy Equity Fund 2.07 2.12 19.28% Legacy USD Bond Fund 1.27 1.27 5.27% FSDH ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD coralfunds@fsdhgroup.com Web: www.fsdhaml.com; Tel: 01-270 4884-5; 01-280 9740-1

Fund Name Coral Balanced Fund Coral Income Fund Coral Money Market Fund

Bid Price 4,339.43 3,740.27 100.00

Offer Price 4,371.07 3,740.27 100.00

Yield / T-Rtn 33.55% 8.15% 13.86%

FSDH Dollar Fund 1.14 1.14 5.78% GUARANTY TRUST FUND MANAGERS LIMITED enquiries@investment-one.com Web: www.gtcoplc.bank; Tel: +234 812 992 1045,+234 1 448 8888 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Abacus Money Market Fund N/A N/A N/A Vantage Balanced Fund N/A N/A N/A Vantage Guaranteed Income Fund N/A N/A N/A Kedari Investment Fund (KIF) N/A N/A N/A Vantage Equity Income Fund (VEIF) - June Year End N/A N/A N/A Vantage Dollar Fund (VDF) - June Year End N/A N/A N/A LOTUS CAPITAL LTD fincon@lotuscapitallimited.com Web: www.lotuscapitallimited.com; Tel: +234 1-291 4626 / +234 1-291 4624 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Lotus Halal Investment Fund 1.79 1.82 2.57% Lotus Halal Fixed Income Fund 1,166.44 1,166.44 0.54% MERISTEM WEALTH MANAGEMENT LTD info@meristemwealth.com Web: www.meristemwealth.com/funds/; Tel: +2348028496012 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Meristem Equity Market Fund 13.03 13.07 5.72% Meristem Money Market Fund 10.00 10.00 12.18% NORRENBERGER INVESTMENT AND CAPITAL MANAGEMENT LIMITED enquiries@norrenberger.com Web: www.norrenberger.com, Tel: +234 (0) 908 781 2026 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Norrenberger Islamic Fund (NIF) 101.48 101.48 8.83% Norrenberger Money Market Fund (NMMF) 100.00 100.00 11.06% PAC ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD info@pacassetmanagement.com Web: www.pacassetmanagement.com/mutualfunds; Tel: +234 1 271 8632 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn PACAM Balanced Fund 1.62 1.67 3.40% PACAM Fixed Income Fund 11.45 11.65 3.23% PACAM Money Market Fund 10.00 10.00 10.71% PACAM Equity Fund 1.50 1.53 6.06% PACAM EuroBond Fund 123.72 126.78 8.66% SCM CAPITAL LIMITED info@scmcapitalng.com Web: www.scmcapitalng.com; Tel: +234 1-280 2226,+234 1- 280 2227 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn SCM Capital Frontier Fund 131.80 134.14 0.05% SFS CAPITAL NIGERIA LTD investments@sfsnigeria.com Web: www.sfsnigeria.com, Tel: +234 (01) 2801400 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn SFS Fixed Income Fund 1.00 1.00 11.03% STANBIC IBTC ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD assetmanagement@stanbicibtc.com Web: www.stanbicibtcassetmanagement.com; Tel: +234 1 280 1266; 0700 MUTUALFUNDS Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Stanbic IBTC Balanced Fund 3,779.90 3,823.71 11.70% Stanbic IBTC Bond Fund 246.04 246.04 4.44% Stanbic IBTC Ethical Fund 1.51 1.53 20.63% Stanbic IBTC Guaranteed Investment Fund 334.53 334.53 6.83% Stanbic IBTC Iman Fund 274.06 277.17 17.30% Stanbic IBTC Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 12.91% Stanbic IBTC Nigerian Equity Fund 13,008.74 13,160.31 19.12% Stanbic IBTC Dollar Fund (USD) 1.37 1.37 6.33% Stanbic IBTC Shariah Fixed Income Fund 121.74 121.74 4.13% Stanbic IBTC Enhanced Short-Term Fixed Income Fund 115.94 115.94 8.99% Stanbic IBTC Absolute Fund 4,601.70 4,601.70 8.17% Stanbic IBTC Aggressive Fund 3,489.24 3,533.73 25.52% Stanbic IBTC Conservative Fund 4,359.94 4,377.11 14.53% UNITED CAPITAL ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD unitedcapitalplcgroup.com Web: www.unitedcapitalplcgroup.com; Tel: +234 01-6317876 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn United Capital Equity Fund 1.02 1.04 6.91% United Capital Balanced Fund 1.53 1.56 11.74% United Capital Wealth for Women Fund 1.20 1.22 3.59% United Capital Sukuk Fund 1.11 1.11 9.97% United Capital Fixed Income Fund 1.97 1.97 7.45% United Capital Eurobond Fund 126.00 126.00 5.60% United Capital Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 12.87% QUANTUM ZENITH ASSET MANAGEMENT & INVESTMENTS LTD service@quantumzenithasset.com.ng Web: www.quantumzenith.com.ng; Tel: +234 1-2784219 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Zenith Balanced Strategy Fund 14.33 14.47 3.35% Zenith ESG Impact Fund 16.35 16.51 3.44% Zenith Income Fund 23.73 23.73 0.71% Zenith Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 10.33% VETIVA FUND MANAGERS LTD funds@vetiva.com Web: www.vetiva.com; Tel: +234 1 453 0697 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Vetiva Banking Exchange Traded Fund 4.52 4.62 12.58% Vetiva Consumer Goods Exchange Traded Fund 6.14 6.24 5.05% Vetiva Griffin 30 Exchange Traded Fund 19.70 19.90 11.34% Vetiva Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 9.73% Vetiva Industrial Goods Exchange Traded Fund 24.45 24.65 22.25% Vetiva S&P Nigeria Sovereign Bond Exchange Traded Fund 139.90 141.90 -11.25% REITS NAV Per Share

Yield / T-Rtn

114.09 53.06 101.31 9.91

7.63% 3.98% -13.22%

Bid Price

Offer Price

Yield / T-Rtn

16.61 142.27 109.97 17.40 16.40

16.71 144.75 111.87 17.50 16.50

7.30% 11.49% 9.99% -1.31% 2.88%

NAV Per Share

Yield / T-Rtn

106.75

0.00%

Fund Name

SFS REIT Union Homes REIT Nigeria Real Estate Investment Trust UPDC REIT

EXCHANGE TRADED FUNDS Fund Name Lotus Halal Equity Exchange Traded Fund SIAML Pension ETF 40 Stanbic IBTC ETF 30 Fund MERGROWTH ETF MERVALUE ETF

INFRASTRUCTURE FUND Fund Name Chapel Hill Denham Nigeria Infrastructure Debt Fund

The value of investments and the income from them may fall as well as rise. Past performance is a guide and not an indication of future returns. Fund prices published in this edition are also available on each fund manager’s website and FMAN’s website at www.fman.com.ng. Fund prices are supplied by the operator of the relevant fund and are published for information purposes only.

27

TUESDAY, Ϳ˜ ͺ͸ͺͻ ˾ T H I S D AY

NEWS

DISCUSSING PARTNERSHIP...

L-R: Chairman Optiva Capital Partners, Mr. Franklin Nechi; CEO Group Anchor Capital, Peter Armitage; CEO Optiva Capital Partners, Mrs. Jane Kimemia-Nechi, and Founder, Assethouse Private Wealth, Richard Robinson; during a partnership discussion at Optiva headquarters in Lagos…yesterday

Death Toll in Katsina Killing Hits 100 as Masari Condoles Victims' Families

Francis Sardauna in Katsina

Death toll in the recent clash between terrorists and vigilantes in Gidan Gamji village, Danmaidaki ward of Kankara Local Government Area of Katsina State has risen to 100 following the discovery of 56 more corpses.

A credible security source from Kankara told THISDAY in a telephone interview yesterdaymorning that the additional corpses were recovered between Friday and Saturday last week by combined security personnel deployed to restore normalcy in the community.

THISDAY had earlier reported

that terrorists ambushed and killed 44 vigilantes in Gidan Gamji village, Danmaidaki ward of Kankara Local Government Area of the state.

But the spokesman of the state Police Command, SP Gambo Isah, while confirming the incident, said those killed were members of the outlawed Yansakai (volunteers) group from 11 villages in Bakori Local Government Area, who were tracing the footpaths of hoodlums to Yargoje forest.

Isah, in a statement Friday evening, further said the terrorists planned and launched a coordinated ambush on the Yansakai, while “the hoodlums shot and killed forty-one

(41) Yansakai and wounded two.”

However, the source said, "We recovered additional 56 dead bodies of the vigilantes and some residents. The corpses were recovered by search parties in Gidan Gamji village and some adjoining villages in Kankara Local Government, bringing the total number of people killed to 100 as of this (Monday) morning."

A resident of Guga, one of the affected communities, Abubakar Hashimu, said: "Even on Friday, 63 people were buried, and on Saturday, a canter vehicle was also brought loaded with over 30 corpses, we are still anticipating more bodies.

More Than 100 died so far. The

incident happened on Thursday after several cows were rustled on Wednesday by the terrorists.

"We felt bad when the incident happened. Many people have deserted the community now due to the incident. The bandits mobilised other bandits from Zamfara to Yargoje, Gidan Gamji, a terrorists' camp in order to assist them in the operation but they were killed."

Meanwhile, Governor Aminu Bello Masari of the state, has sent a delegation led by the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Alhaji Muntari Lawal, to condole with families of the victims in their respective communities.

Lawal, on his part, described the situation as highly tragic for not only the victims and their families, but also for all residents of the state, and therefore called on the people to learn how to depend on themselves as such situations could not be singlehandedly treated by the government or security agencies alone.

"The actual number of those killed cannot be ascertained because they are still counting the dead. Nobody can tell you the accurate figure because some of the bodies are scattered in the bush, they have to go and retrieve them.

"As we are counting the number,

so also are the bandits. So, people should learn to be courageous enough to confront the devil before they finish them. Don't wait for the government, before the government intervenes the damage has been done, so organise yourselves to confront them," he said.

Special Adviser to Masari on Security Matters, Ibrahim AhmedKatsina; Commissioner for Water Resources, Musa Adamu-Funtua; Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Ya'u Umar Gwajo-gwajo and the Special Adviser on Agriculture, Dr. Abba Yakubu, were part of the governments' delegation.

COURT STOPS BUHARI, CBN, OTHERS FROM SUSPENDING NAIRA REDESIGN, EXTENDING CASH SWAP DEADLINE of Kaduna and Kano States, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai and Dr. Abdullahi Ganduje.

They also claimed that Governor Hope Uzodimma of Imo State, Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos, Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers state and Rotimi Akeredolu of Ondo State were part of the alleged plot.

The political parties said they were backing the policy because it would improve the credibility of the elections.

According to Udeze, "It is only election riggers, vote buyers, bandits, corruption merchants and their accomplices that are against these policies."

He said, "The Nigerian people are in support and are currently waging war against these identified groups of unpatriotic Nigerians who are deliberately sabotaging the policies so that the federal government and the central bank will succumb to their plot and cancel or reverse the policies.

"We hereby call on the Department of State Services to put these governors on the watch list as they are seriously mobilising miscreants to begin as quickly as possible protests which will no commence from naira scarcity protests and graduate quickly to ‘Buhari Must Go’ protests which is the ultimate aim where the president refuses to bulge.

"In all these, we asked ourselves, what is the offence of President Muhammadu Buhari? Even though President Buhari is not our friend and ally, we have observed that his only offence is his insistence to leave a legacy and conduct free, fair and credible election.

"This insistence has made these few governors of his party to begin to speak ill of the president. It is shocking that it is the same President that Mallam Nasir El-Rufai eulogizes and worships that he now dispar-

ages and ridicules.

"These planned violent protests are billed to commence on Thursday.

They plan to deploy the people who they have already recruited to heighten drama at the banks including going naked, fighting, making statements that will sway emotions in their favour and all such other acts.

"They believe that if such acts are sustained for three days, they would have gotten enough sympathy and evoked enough emotions to launch the violent protests on Thursday.

"They plan to torch some banks and other public infrastructure attack individual bank staff and bring mayhem upon the country of unimaginable proportion as they termed it. Again, we call on all security agencies to be on the lookout from today when they start.

"While these actions are going on, their media warriors will also be massively deployed to various Television and radio stations to send the message in one direction that the action of the governors is based on their love for the suffering poor people of Nigeria.

"They agree that the foundation already laid by Governor El-Rufai and Chief Femi Fani Kayode is solid enough for others to build on.

"On this we ask, when did Nigerian governors begin to so love the suffering masses of Nigerians that they could have mobilised to want to pressure and mislead the President on the true state of affairs about these policies of the CBN.” Speaking further, he said: "Most of these governors had not reckoned with President Buhari insisting on fulfilling his promise of free and fair election and had relied on buying votes and all of a sudden President Buhari has taken a decision that has scattered their plans, hence these plots and claiming it is for the people.

"We say it is not for the people

that they are fighting. The governors are one of the last group of people who have not taken their monies to the bank because they believe they will stop these policies.

"We remind them again, to take all the money stashed in the basements and attics of the various government houses back to the bank or the money will turn to paper in their hands.

"Mr. President, please listen to us.

We know that there are hitches in the process, Nigerians are asking that you direct the CBN to concentrate of ameliorating the sufferings quickly and rule out cancellation or suspension of the policy.

"Mr. President, if you fall to their gimmicks and tamper with this policy, it will only mean you cannot leave your legacy and you cannot fulfill your promise.

"They are mobilising and paying miscreants to protest who will claim to be civil society organisations, they are who they are, hired touts.

"We call on the CBN, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, the NFIU, ICPC, DSS, and the Police to all put out their dragnet and ensure that all illicit funds are mopped up and to be ready to arrest those who may also dare to use electronic means to buy votes.”

Also present on the occasion were the National Chairman of the National Rescue Movement (NRM) Chief Isaac Udeh; National Chairman of Accord, Mohammed Lawal Nalado; National Chairman of Action Alliance (AA); National Chairman of Allied Peoples Movement (APM) Alhaji Yusuf Mamman Dantalle and the National Chairman of Action Peoples Party (APP) Chief Uchenna Nnadi.

Some presidential candidates, governorship, Senatorial, House of Representatives and House of Assembly candidates were also present.

Obaseki Backs CBN Monetary Policies

Also, Edo State Governor Godwin Obaseki has insisted that the CBN drive towards a cashless economy was the best for the economy.

However, he called for more enlightenment and patience on the path of Nigerians while urging the apex bank to ensure the availability of naira notes for citizenry whom he said were going through pains in getting money to spend.

Obaseki who spoke shortly after he summoned a meeting with senior officials of the CBN and senior management staff of banks in Government House, Benin City on the difficulties the people were experiencing in accessing cash, also appealed to the people to take advantage of ATMs, PoS and bank wallets for transactions.

He said, “I had to invite the central bank and senior management of all the banks in Edo state to come and meet with me in the Government House because government I am very much concerned about the plight and suffering of our people who are worried over the inability to get cash from the banking system in Edo state.

“Having discussed extensively with the CBN and the bankers that the policy of moving the Nigeria economy to one of a cashless system should be encouraged. It is the best thing for our banking system so the Edo State Government has no problem with the policy of the federal government to move our economy to a cashless one.

“However, we want to ensure we do this as painlessly as possible; we have to improve on the communication with our people to reduce their fear. When people go to banks to collect cash because they want to spend it on something, we want to help to inform them

that they don’t need to collect cash to spend cash.

“We actually have other means to spend cash without going to the bank to collect cash. From phones, payment can be made to whoever. For those who don’t have sophisticated phones, with USSD codes you can pay for things as small as N500 without spending cash. So, when you go to PoS terminals, don’t ask for cash, let them do for you what you want to use the cash for via transfer.”

On his part, the Director, Risk Management, CBN, Blaise Ijebor, said: “We are also here to encourage people to use alternative means to make their payment. If you are able to use your card, app or USSD to pay, you can even go to an ATM that doesn’t have cash to do your transfer from them.

“We are aware a number of ATMs are not paying. We are going to make sure that there is supply in a day or two, we have supply available through your bank branches to give some cash to use.”

Dapo Abiodun Engages CBN Officials

Ogun State Governor, Dapo Abiodun, yesterday paid an unscheduled visit to the Abeokuta branch of the CBN to seek relief on the amounts citizens could withdraw in exchange for deposits made in commercial banks.

The governor also offered to lend members of his cabinet to monitor cash distribution to banks to ensure that no commercial bank or their agents hoard the new naira notes in the state.

The governor stated these when he visited the management of the apex bank led by the Branch Controller, Wahab Oseni, in Abeokuta.

Abiodun, who later met with Bankers’ Forum, made up of managers of commercial banks

in the state, also extracted a commitment from both the CBN and commercial banks to make cash available to bank customers from Tuesday.

According to the governor, it was disappointing to see long queues of residents at Automated Teller Machines (ATMs), waiting to cash money from the system with so much stress and some not getting enough to meet their immediate needs.

He added that it was humiliating that those who were attended to were paid not more than N2,000 per transaction.

Abiodun, however, urged the CBN to ensure the availability of new notes at commercial banks for people to withdraw their money.

The governor explained that he was compelled to visit the state branch of the CBN as the, "landlord to find out how we can collaborate to ensure that success of the CBN policy on the new notes and currency swap."

"I've met with the President and CBN governor. It is within the right of the CBN by law and as enshrined in the Constitution.

"Our people went out in their numbers but our people who deposited money and felt they would have as much money as they had deposited or need for their daily needs and welfare and wellbeing.

"We've had to suspend our campaigns. I met with people over the weekend who said to me that they have not eaten for days, especially, those from the informal sector.

"As a governor, whose primary function is the welfare and security of our people, I need to find out how we can interact with you to see how we can improve on the current level of distribution of the currency in order to diffuse tension", Abiodun submitted.

28

TUESDAY, Ϳ˜ ͺ͸ͺͻ ˾ T H I S D AY

NEWS

OBASEKI MEETS MARKET WOMEN OVER CASH CRUNCH...

L-R: Chief of Staff to Edo State Governor, Hon. Osaigbovo Iyoha; Edo State Deputy Governor, Philip Shaibu; Governor Godwin Obaseki, and his wife, Mrs. Betsy, during a meeting with market women, at the Government House in Benin City... yesterday

Obi Exposes Alleged Tinubu’s Multi-million Naira Fake News Plot The Obi-Datti Presidential Campaign Council, yesterday, said it had uncovered the planned launch of a multi-million naira media campaign, dubbed “Killer Punch” by campaign team of the All Progressives Congress

(APC) presidential candidate, Bola Tinubu, aimed at spreading lies about the Labour Party’s presidential candidate, Peter Obi. The Head of Media of the Obi-Datti Presidential Campaign

Council, Diran Onifade, said in a statement that the plan is being orchestrated by the spokesmen of the APC Presidential Campaign Council, Festus Keyamo, Femi Fani-Kayode, and Adamu Garba.

The statement read: “Having failed in all their plans to win the February 25 election, and seeing their campaign derailing on all fronts, Tinubu’s media handlers led by the trio of Femi Fani-Kayode, Festus

Nnamani: My Suspension Lacks Moral Standing, Ill-conceived Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja A former Governor of Enugu State, Senator Chimaroke Nnamani, has insisted that

Briefly Mrs Adefarasin Passes at 98 The passing of Mrs. Hilda Victoria Joanne Adefarasin, mother of Wale and Paul, has been announced. She was 98 years.

Born 9th January 1925, she was married to the Late Justice Adetunji Adefarasin and had served as the Chairman of National Council of Women's Society. She was also member of the Political Bureau Chairman of Professional Association of Trained Nurses of Nigeria.

A woman activist, she was survived by children, grandchildren and great grandchildren.

Late Mrs. Adefarasin

his suspension by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) National Working Committee (NWC) was ill-conceived and unwarranted.

Nnamani, representing Enugu East Senatorial district in a statement yesterday told the leadership of the main opposition party to put its house in order, while maintaining his suspension by the NWC lacked both moral and constitutional backings.

He reiterated that his right to fair hearing was violated, because he was neither informed of any complaints against him nor was he invited on the matter.

He said: “The PDP 'Penkelemesi' suspension without hearing is incurably messy and will collapse. My decision to pitch tent with Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu was necessitated

by the PDP refusal to comply with its own constitution to wit; that key political offices should at all times be rotated between the South and North to guarantee harmony, peace, fairness, equity and justice.

“As it is now, there is no

fairness, justice and equity in the PDP, because both the Presidential Candidate and the National Chairman are from the same region. I am only exercising my right for freedom of choice and association. On this score, I stand with Tinubu.”

Keyamo SAN and Adamu Garba are set to release a video they term ‘Killer Punch’.

“Already, they have been releasing snippets of the documentary on social media, without getting any attention, as people already know about their desperation to drag down Obi, who they rightly know, is far ahead.

“This documentary of lies and falsehood, which they have fabricated, attempt to portray Obi as a drug peddler, killer and sexual pervert among other innuendos in their fertile imagination.

“Already, the Obi-Datti Media Office is aware, that they are a product of a strategy session between Tinubu and selected members of his media team, where Tinubu reportedly accused his media handlers of not ‘punching to knock out’ and not doing enough, to halt Obi’s unprecedented progress.

Akeredolu: Our Struggle for Southern Presidency Mustn’t Go inVain Fidelis David in Akure Ondo State Governor, Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, SAN, yesterday, called on the people not to allow the struggle for southern presidency to be in vain, saying, it was the turn of the south to produce the next president of Nigeria after the eight years of a northerner in the saddle.

The governor spoke at the All Progressives Congress (APC) Ondo

North Senatorial Campaign rally held at Methodist Primary School, Owo. Akeredolu, who assured the people that the country would flourish under Tinubu, if elected president said, “Asiwaju Ahmed Bola Tinubu is tested and trusted.

He has been governor of Lagos State and we know how he transformed the state. I can assure you, Nigeria will move forward under Tinubu as President."

He called on the people of Owo, Ose and Akoko to vote massively for the Senatorial candidate of the party, Pastor Jide Ipinsagba, adding that his experience in the private sector woould help him deliver on his mandate, if elected.

Akeredolu, who urged the people to drum support for the House of Representatives candidates of the party, said Hon. Bunmi Tunji-Ojo, Hon. Timehin Adelegbe, and Asiwaju Adegboyega Adefarati

Taraba House Caucus Distances Self from APC Chair's Removal Udora Orizu in Abuja

Taraba caucus of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the House of Representatives, has distanced itself from the controversial removal of the state party's chairman, Hon. Ibrahim El-Sudi, saying the decision by a faction of the State Working Committee (SEC) would not stand.

Briefing journalists in Abuja, spokesman of the caucus, Hon. Usman Shidi, accused the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as the mastermind of the crisis.

He noted that due process was not followed in the removal of ElSudi, saying the action of a few members of the SEC was against section 12 of the APC constitution.

“He, therefore, demanded more wild propaganda from them, against his opponents, especially Obi, with the objective of throwing anything at the opponents to win, regardless of ethics or morality.

“We will continue to be amused over the desperation, to search for faults on the Presidential front runner, and their apparent frustration, of not finding any.

“The LP standard bearer has remained the most fact-checked, among the four top Presidential candidates, for the obvious reasons, that he is the only one running an issues-driven campaign, and therefore provoking intellectual conversations, and gaining more supporters, daily, nationwide.

“But as Election Day draws nearer, and the reality of their impending defeat heightens, their anger and frustration, are also on the rise.”

He said: "On behalf of the leadership of the All Progressives Congress, Taraba State APC federal lawmakers and other SEC members, we by this press conference dissociate ourselves from calls for the resignation and the purported removal of Hon. El-Sudi as APC State Chairman through a press conference held on the 3rd day of February, 2023 by a skewed and self-serving section of the State Executive Committee not properly constituted and without a quorum and consulting the state caucus created by Article 12.9 of the APC Constitution.

"We jointly and severally wish to affirm our faithfulness to the APC constitution which clearly stipulates

procedure for leadership election and removal. We want the national leadership of our party and world to know that the perpetrators of this unholy idea are in deep romance and in fact, sponsored by the Peoples Democratic Party state government in Taraba to destabilise the APC." Also speaking, a member of the caucus, representing Jalingo/ Yorro/Zing federal constituency of the State, Hon. Hassan Bello Maigari, refuted the allegations against the sacked APC state chairman, adding that he wasn't a delegate or returning officer in the primary election that produced the party's governor candidate, Senator Emmanuel Bwacha and so, could not have been the reason for his sack

by the Supreme Court last week.

"We are concerned but we are not surprised because we know people are working against the interest of the party. They are the ones pushing all those things. It's well organised and executed by the PDP government and their sponsors.

“They all know that every Taraban is aware of these events.

They are all sponsored by the PDP. On what transpired 3 or 4 days ago, we are concerned but not surprised actually. Removing El-Sudi will not bring solutions.

Let's assume without conceding to what they have said, if you love a party, you cannot create problem at this material time.”

would bring quality representation to the people of their Federal Constituencies.

"For the House of Assembly in the Senatorial district, vote for Oluwole Emmanuel Ogunmolasuyi, Owo Constituency 1; Morenike Atinuke Witherspoon, Owo Constituency 2; Olatunji Oshati Maxima, Ose Constituency; Gbogi Emmanuel, Akoko South West Constituency 1; Akeju Bukunmi, Akoko South West Constituency 2; Alaye Adesina, Akoko South East Constituency, Oluwatoyin Victor Japhet Akoko North East Constituency; Hon Bolaji Fatai Atere, Akoko North West Constituency 1 and Taofik Oladele Mohammed, Akoko North West Constituency 2," he added.

The Minister of State for Transportation, Prince Ademola Adegoroye, charged the people to vote for the APC, and stressed the need for party members to prioritise party loyalty for progress and development.

Chairman of the party in the State, Engr. Ade Adetimehin said Owo indigenes were known for their roles in standing for justice and equality in the country’s democracy.

He later received over 500 PDP members in Akoko led by Bada Sunday and Sola Dauda into the APC.

TUESDAY FEBRUARY 7, 2023 • T H I S D AY

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NEWS

OGUN SDP CAMPAIGN FLAG-OFF...

L-R: Deputy Governorship Candidate, Social Democratic Party(SDP), Mr. Gbenga Oluyemi; Governorship Candidate, Mr. Tony Ojeshina, and Candidate for Federal House of Representatives (Ijebu Central), Ogun State, Mrs Adeola Azeez(nee Ayo Adebanjo) during the campaign flag-off in Ijebu Ode...recently Abiodun Ajala

NAF Plane Crash-lands in Lagos, Amao Sets up Board of Inquiry Kingsley Nwezeh in Abuja and Rebecca Ejifoma in Lagos The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) yesterday confirmed that one of its aircraft crash landed at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport in Lagos.

It said its maritime patrol aircraft, a Cessna Citation CJ3, on a routine flight, lost its tyres on touch and go flight in Ilorin and had to carry out a controlled belly

land at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos.

A statement issued by the NAF Spokesman, Air Commodore Wap Maigida explained that, “no fatalities or injuries to any crew member and persons on the ground,” were recorded.

Following the development, the Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Oladayo Amao, directed the immediate constitution of a Board of Inquiry to determine

Court Halts FG’s Proposed Concession of MMA, Cargo Terminals WaleIgbintade A Federal High Court in Lagos has ordered that further action on the federal government’s planned concession of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport and the cargo terminals be stayed, pending the hearing and determination of a suit filed by a firm, Sifax Group of Companies Ltd to challenge the bidding process.

The suit filed by Sifax had the Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami; the federal government; Minister of Aviation,

Hadi Sirika; NAHCO Aviance Plc; Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission; TAV Airports Holding Company and GMR Airport Ltd as 1st to 7th defendants.

Justice Ambrose Lewis-Allagoa made the ordered parties to maintain the ‘status quo’, at the hearing of the case yesterday, following an application by Sifax lawyer, Kunle Ogunba.

At yesterday’s hearing, the judge also overruled the objection raised by the 4th and 6th defendants’ lawyer, Adeseye Opasanya to the suit.

Emenike Unveils Manifesto, Points New Route to Abia Devt Emmanuel Ugwu-Nwogo in Umuahia

The governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief Ikechi Emenike, yesterday unveiled his manifesto to further assure the people of Abia that he has realistic plans to engender a holistic development of the state.

Emenike presented the 28-page document to journalists, party leaders and chieftains, including his deputy, Mrs. Gloria Akara and Abia APC chairman, Dr

Kingsley Ononogbu.

The governorship hopeful outlined his plan of action to actualise his mission “to rescue and develop Abia (RADA)”, saying Abia had remained stagnated because the right route to development had not been followed by successive leaders.

“Abia can change and Abia will change,” he said, adding that a state that has found itself in Abia’s parlous condition “(needs to be rescued” first before it could be reset for sustainable, holistic development.

the cause(s) of the accident.

The statement stated that NAF would continue to solicit the understanding and support of the general public as it daily strived to ensure the security of Nigeria and Nigerians.

The statement read: “A

Nigerian Air Force (NAF) maritime patrol aircraft, a Cessna Citation CJ3 on a routine flight today, 6 February 2023, lost its tyres on touch and go flight in Ilorin and had to carry out a controlled belly land at the Murtala Muhammed International

Airport, Lagos.

“Fortunately, there were no fatalities or injuries to any crew member and persons on the ground.

“The Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Oladayo Amao, has directed the immediate

constitution of a Board of Inquiry to determine the cause(s) of the accident.

“The NAF continues to solicit the understanding and support of the general public as it daily strives to ensure the security of Nigeria and Nigerians.”

Enugu PDP Guber Candidate Forged NYSC Certificate, Group Alleges Allegation, last kick of dying horse, party replies

Sunday Aborisade in Abuja and Gideon Arinze in Enugu Barely 18 days to the Presidential and National Assembly elections, the Governorship Candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) in Enugu State, Dr. Peter Ndubuisi Mbah, risked being disqualified from the race.

He has been accused presenting a forged National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) Certificate to Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

This was disclosed at a joint press conference by Total Support for Rule of Law and Justice Initiative and Enugu Progressive Forum, in Abuja yesterday.

However, the Enugu State of PDP Campaign Council has denied the allegation describing it as the conjecture of an indolent opposition and the last kick of a dying horse.

The groups alleged that the NYSC in a letter dated 1st February, 2023, confirmed that it did not issue the said

Certificate of National Service presented to INEC by Mbah.

The Coordinator of the Total Support for Rule of Law and Justice Initiative and Enugu Progressive Forum, , Cynthia Mabeokwu, in the copy of the letter released to journalists at the press conference, the Corps, in paragraph 2 of the letter said: “We are pleased to inform you that the Certificate of National Service belonging to Mba Peter Ndubuisi with Certificate Number: A808297 forwarded

for verification was not issued by the NYSC.” The groups said that it had applied to authorities for information, clarification, verification, confirmation and explanation.

“As part of this quest for information, we wrote to the INEC and obtained Certified True Copies of all the documents and qualifications submitted by the various candidates to the commission,” the groups explained.

Court Remands Atiku Support Organisation Members in Rivers Blessing Ibunge in PortHarcourt A Chief Magistrate court in Port Harcourt, Rivers state capital has remanded 21 supporters of the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Alhaji Atiku Abubakar in the Nigeria Correctional facility in the state.

They were arrested in connection to a meeting organised by suspected members of Atiku

Support Organisation in Rivers State. The suspects including those who claimed to have been arrested along the street of the venue of the Atiku Support Organisation meeting in Port Harcourt, were arraigned on counts bothering on alleged conspiracy, cultism, and unlawful gathering.

When the matter was mentioned in court, the suspects did not take plea, but the presiding Chief Magistrate, Collins Ali

directed that the case file be transmitted to the office of Director of Public Prosecution for advice and information.

The magistrate’s decision followed the fact that the charge was said to be moved on exparte application. He thereafter directed that the suspects be remanded in Nigeria Correctional facility and adjourned till March 22, 2023 for bail consideration.

Speaking to journalists after the

court proceedings, a Port Harcourt based legal practitioner, Victor Orokor, who was present at the court condemned the police for the charges against the defendants, stressing that people should be given liberty to vote the candidate of their choice.

Orokor said :”On the part of the government not judiciary because a magistrate will always look at what is before him and act in accordance with the law.”

Group Accuses El-Rufai of Pursuing Selfish Agenda The group said: “We have been how trivial, but coercing every A group, known as Arewa Unity presidential candidate of the and Development Movement (AUDM) has accused Kaduna State Governor, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai of pursuing selfish agenda against the overall interest of the North.

The AUDM alleged that ElRufai is insulting the Northern elders and making abusive statements just because the

All Progressives Congress (APC) Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, promised him the position of National Security Adviser (NSA).

In a statement issued by the Convener, Isa Hassan Jafaru, yesterday, the AUDM cautioned the governor not to take personal interests above that of the region and country.

reliably informed of the promise made to Governor Nasir El-Rufai

by Asiwaju Bola Tinubu which is to the effect that he would be appointed the next NSA should Tinubu wins this month’s election.

“It is within the rights of El-Rufai as guaranteed by the constitution of the country to accept any promise, no matter

individual, group or region into his selfish agenda stands logic upside-down”.

“Our position, however, is that the governor should know that any ambition being pursued by any individual must be moderated by the thinking of the society to which such individual belongs.

About 2,300 people have been killed and thousands more injured after a powerful magnitude 7.8 earthquake struck Turkey and Syria early yesterday.

Officials updated the death toll as rescue efforts continued, according to CNN. The quake, one of the strongest to hit the region in more than 100 years, struck 23 kilometers (14.2

miles) east of Nurdagi, in Turkey’s Gaziantep province, at a depth of 24.1 kilometers (14.9 miles), the US Geological Survey said.

Multiple strong aftershocks have been felt across the region for hours after the first quake, including a severe quake measuring magnitude 7.5. Turkey’s disaster agency appealed for help from the international community as

it conducts search and rescue operations.

The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) said it was, “launching immediate cash assistance” from its Disaster Response Emergency Fund to help relief efforts in both countries.

Many other organisations were also on the ground responding.

CNN’s Impact Your World has gathered ways to help victims of the massive earthquake.

Russian President Vladimir Putin held separate calls with his Turkish and Syrian counterparts, Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Bashar al-Assad, yesterday and pledged Moscow’s assistance in the aftermath of devastating earthquakes, according to a Kremlin readout.

Premium Trust Bank Wins Most Innovative Bank Award Turkey-Syria Earthquake Claims 2,300 Lives, Rescue Efforts Ongoing earned the recognition following Rebecca Ejifoma One of the fastest-growing financial institutions in Nigeria, Premium Trust Bank, has clinched the Leadership Most Innovative Bank of the Year 2022 award at the 14th edition of the Leadership annual conferences and awards.

At the event held in Abuja with the theme: ‘Credible Election in an Economy in Transition’, the bank

its innovative strategies in its operations which stands it out.

According to the Managing Director and CEO of the Premium Trust Bank, Mr. Emmanuel Emefienim, in a statement issued yesterday, “As a bank, we leverage on technology with our brick and mortar to ensure that we deliver digital solutions to our customers.”

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TUESDAYSPORTS

Group Sports Editor: Duro Ikhazuagbe Email: duro.ikhazuagbe@thisdaylive.com

0811 181 3083 SMS ONLY

NFF: No Nigerian Player Among Casualties of Earthquake in Turkey Femi Solaja with agency report With hundreds of residents and some footballers confirmed dead in the 7.8 magnitude earthquake in Turkey, President of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Alhaji Ibrahim Gusau, has confirmed that no Nigerian player is affected by the unfortunate incident.

The NFF boss announced on the verified Instagram page of the football federation yesterday that it feels “sad about the unfortunate earthquake in Kahramanmaras city of Turkey.”

The Instagram message hinted that Gusau had reached out to Nigerian players based in Turkey and they have all confirmed their wellbeing.

“We pray for the souls of the

departed to rest in peace even as we commiserate with the people of Turkey at this time,” the message noted.

As at last night, former Chelsea and Newcastle winger Christian Atsu was reportedly amongst those trapped under rubble of a destroyed nine-story building following the natural disaster in Turkey.

More than 1,600 people have been killed and thousands more injured after the catastrophic earthquake that rocked Turkey and Syria overnight, flattening neighbourhoods while families were asleep.

As reported by multiple outlets in Turkey, a search and rescue operation is ongoing to save the Ghanaian international Atsu, who joined Turkish Super Lig club Hatayspor last summer.

The 31-year-old joined Chelsea in 2013 but never played a competitive minute for the club as he was sent out on loan for a number of seasons including to Everton and Newcastle.

Though he made just five appearances at Everton, he impressed enough on loan at Newcastle to make a permanent move to the Magpies.

In total he made 107 appearances for the club, scoring eight goals, before joining Saudi side Al-Raed in 2021.

Newcastle have posted on social media with a photo of Atsu when he was at the club, saying they were 'praying for some good news'.

Atsu was in action on Sunday for Hatayspor, scoring a goal in the seventh minute of stoppage time in a 1-0 victory over Kasimpasa.

Gary Lineker’s Plaudits for Red-hot Osimhen

Ghana international, Christian Atsu, is amongst missing persons in the earthquake in Turkey

England’s Three Lions legend, Gary Lineker, has heaped praises on Nigeria and Napoli striker, Victor Osimhen.

The Super Eagles striker is the top marksman in the Italian topflight this season. Osimhen is the leading scorer in the Serie A with 16 goals from 20 matches.

In just five minutes on Sunday, Osimhen score two goals as Napoli defeated Spezia 3-0 to go 16 points clear at the top of the Serie A. The 2015 FIFA Under-17 World Cup winner with the Golden Eaglets in Chile showed another side of him shortly before that game with Spezia.

While warming up before the kick off of the match, his shot hit a young fan of the Naples based club.

Manchester City in Trouble, Risk Expulsion from Premier League Manchester City have been referred to an independent commission over more than 100 alleged breaches of Premier League finance rules, England’s top-flight soccer league announced on Monday.

The breaches stretch from the 2009-10 season to the 2017-18 campaign, the league added.

City were acquired by their Abu Dhabi-based owners, City Football Group, in 2008.

If the charges are proved City, could face a range of sanctions, including a points deduction or expulsion from the Premier League.

The club are alleged to have breached rules relating to the provision of accurate financial information, “in particular with respect to its revenue (including sponsorship revenue), its related parties and its operating costs,” the league said.

The charges stem from a Premier League investigation into City’s financial dealings launched four

years ago, months after the release of a tranche of “Football Leaks” documents obtained by the German publication Der Spiegeland reviewed

Pep Guardiola...Man City Manager

by Reuters.

City were subsequently banned from the Champions League by European governing body UEFA for two years, but successfully appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), which overturned the ban in 2020.

The club were fined 30 million euros ($32.28 million) by UEFA, which CAS reduced to 10 million euros.

City are alleged by the Premier League to have not fully disclosed managerial remuneration in each of the seasons from 2009-10 to 2012-13, when Roberto Mancini was manager.

The club are also charged with failing to comply with Premier League’s rules requiring clubs to follow UEFA’s financial fair play (FFP) regulations from the 2013-14 to 2017-18 seasons and failing to follow the Premier League’s rules on profit and sustainability from the 2015-16 to 2017-18 seasons.

The FFP regulations are designed to stop clubs running up big losses through spending on players. They also ensure sponsorship deals are based on their real market value and are genuine commercial agreements — and not ways for owners to pump cash into a club to get around the rules.

City are also alleged to have failed to cooperate with and assist the Premier League in its investigations from December 2018 to date.

“The members of the Commission will be appointed by the independent Chair of the Premier League Judicial Panel,” the Premier League said in a statement.

“The proceedings before the Commission will… be confidential and heard in private.

“The Premier League will be making no further comment in respect of this matter until further notice.”

City did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

In sympathy, Osimhen scaled the perimeter fence at the stadium to go apologies and bear hug the girl in question. That gesture was an opportunity for several Napoli fans to swarm Osimhen, asking for selfies and autographs.

With the video of that gesture going viral on the social media, one of England’s legends, Gary Lineker, thumped up Osimhen in a tweet yesterday.

“He’s talented on the pitch as he is kind off it. Grande,” Lineker tweeted on social media yesterday in appreciation of Osimhen’s gesture.

Several reports in England are

Diri Dedicates Governor of the Year Award to Bayelsa Youths S P O RT SV I L L E AWA R D S Governor of Bayelsa State, Senator Douye Diri, was on Saturday night bestowed the Sportsville Governor of the Year Award in recognition of the state’s performance in sports in the last three years of his administration.

The Bayelsa helmsman was represented at the ceremony held at the Lagos Country Club in Ikeja, Lagos by Bayelsa Commissioner for Youth and Sports Development, Dr. Daniel Igali.

Senator Diri was a week ago also honoured as the Governor of the Year by The Sun Newspapers.

Speaking at the event, Governor Diri dedicated the award to Bayelsa youths, particularly the sportsmen and women, for their hard work and commitment to bringing glory to the state.

Leighton Kings, Art Hotel Win Big in First Week of Thrilling Polo Fest The opening week of the 2023 NPA/GTCO Lagos International Polo Tournament came to a befitting climax with Lagos-based teams sweeping all the three prizes at stake, sending a strong signal to the visiting teams as the prestigious polo festival enters its second week today.

Lagos Leighton Kings defeated arch rivals, Trojan/Ark 8-2 in a fierce final to retain the Open Cup they won last year.

Debutants Art Hotel team wrote their names in gold, overwhelming

2023 LAGOS POLO their Dangote/ Sublime opponents 9-7 in a closely fought final to win their first ever Oba of Lagos Cup. Earlier, the Bowale Jolaosopowered Leighton Kings parading Muyiwa Oni, Facundo Ratamar and Nico Recaife had set the pace for a repeat of their four titles haul with an emphatic 12-41/2 victory against visiting Wiltten Aviation team to clinch the Adedapo Ojora Cup played in memory of a former

Captain of the foremost Lagos Polo Club.

On Sunday, the same squad was back in action, outpacing Trojan/ Ark boasting Kayode Awogboro, Kunle Tinubu, Santi Marambio and Lorenzo Larumba in a tense final to successfully defend their Open Cup title they have won a record four times.

The Open Cup final witnessed by a capacity crowd that included royalties, top business tycoons, diplomats and thousands of polo buffs, saw Leighton jumped to

front leading 4-0 in the first chukka with Jolaoso, Oni, Ratamar and Recaife all contributing goals to another Open Cup warfare victory.

Tinubu and Awogboro powered Trojan/ Ark had gone to the final game hoping to shock the defending champions, but their poor marksmanship and lack of horse power were their biggest undoing as they could not match the firepower of the Kings who are still in the hunt for the event’s biggest prize, the Majekodunmi Cup.

suggesting that Chelsea are ready to break bank to lure Osimhen to Stamford Bridge.

The deal is likely going to exceed Chelsea’s £106 Million record transfer to sign him in the summer.

The London club will therefore fancy their chances of beating top competition from PSG, Real Madrid and Manchester United to the prized signature of the Super Eagles star striker.

Osimhen was a big fan of Chelsea and Didier Drogba as a boy. Just recently, former Chelsea boss, Jose Mourinho compared the Nigerian striker as the new Didier Drogba.

Dr Daniel Igali with the Sportsville award he collected on behalf of Governor Douye Diri on Saturday night in Lagos

He expressed joy that his administration’s modest investment in sports was yielding good dividends, noting that the award was an encouragement to do more.

Diri said the philosophy of his administration is to ensure that Bayelsa always win by fair means.

His words: “Last weekend, also in Lagos, when I received The Sun Newspapers 2022 Governor of the Year Award, I dedicated it to people of the state for their resilience in the face of last year’s monster flooding in our state.

“Today, let me specifically acknowledge the hard work, dedication and commitment of the Bayelsa sports men and women.

“I recognise their efforts in ensuring that they bring glory to the state at every competition they participate in despite the challenges.

“I therefore dedicate this honour and recognition to all our sportsmen and women as well as youths of our state striving to give Bayelsa a good image. Our government will continue to encourage them by rewarding hard work and dedication.

“In furtherance of this, we plan to build standard facilities, including a world-class stadium, to ensure more of our youths engage in sports.”

The Chief Executive Officer of Sportsville, Mr. Frank Ilaboya, in his remarks, said the award was initiated to give a pat on the back to personalities that have done well for Nigerian sports.

“Sportsville award is different and special from others. The award was initiated to say thank you to those who have been in the forefront of sports development over the years,” Ilaboya said.

Tuesday, February 7, 2023

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MISSILE

Gov Akeredolu to Buhari, APC

The struggles and actual fights recorded in banking halls, ATMs and POS points, and markets across the country are disquieting. The fact that the ruling party hopes to present candidates for election in the coming weeks accentuates the level of suspicion as regards the possibility of having certain elements whose interests stand at variance with the general aspirations of the party and its committed members” --- Ondo State Governor, Rotimi Akeredolu, decries the suspicious Naira and petrol scarcity at this inauspicious time of the upcoming general elections.

TUESDAY WITH REUBENABATI abati1990@gmail.com

Interim Government: A Call for Anarchy Y

esterday morning, while on the flagship show of Arise News – The Morning Show- I took special notice during the newspaper review with Emmanuel Efeni and the segment titled “What’s Trending” with Ojy Okpe, of the editorial by the ThisDay newspaper of the day titled: “Interim Government: Perish The Thought”. I pointed out that having been Chairman of the Editorial Board of a major Nigerian newspaper for 11 years, before moving on to other engagements in the public sphere, I am aware that when a newspaper publishes its editorial on the front page, as ThisDay did yesterday, it amounts to screaming, an outcry, a shout out, a call for urgent attention and a signal that the subject being talked about is most important. Ordinarily, a newspaper’s opinion is planned for the editorial pages, but when it jumps to the front page, it means the newspaper’s board considers it a high priority issue. I argued that the newspaper acted rightly by putting this particular editorial in its window space. I also concurred with all the submissions by the newspaper. The purpose of this piece is to expand the subject further, and develop some of the points that may not have been fully fleshed out in a restricted editorial writing space.

ThisDay pegged its editorial on the declaration

by Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), last week, in Ekiti, that there is a hidden plan to subvert the 2023 general elections so that an interim government can be imposed on Nigeria. The paper writes wisely: “Although Tinubu did not mention names or elaborate on how this scheme would work, coming from the candidate of the ruling party at the centre, such a weighty allegation is enough for us to warn against any attempt to scuttle the presidential election slated for February 25. Whatever may be behind an idea of interim government, we must remind them that in the Nigeria of today, nobody can get power through the back door or by trying to foist their will on the collective.” The newspaper argued further that (1) any attempt to short-circuit the electoral process is unacceptable; (2) that three weeks to the elections, the idea of forming an interim government is diversionary and dangerous; (3) that the idea is unknown to the 1999 Constitution and the military cannot be co-opted to support such illegality; (4) that there is no mortal threat to the 2023 general elections, where there are challenges, those challenges must be addressed by the state because it is its duty to do so by addressing the current twin challenges of cash and fuel scarcity and finally (5) the Federal Government must support the electoral umpire, INEC with logistics including security arrangements while the President is expected to stand firm and protect our democracy. The newspaper concludes: “Let all those interested in power use the platform of electoral politics and let’s all have faith in the in-built self-correcting capacity of the democratic order.” I cannot agree more. The editorial is timely and pungent enough. It is worthy of attention and further elaboration.

The idea of an Interim National Government was a contraption introduced into Nigeria’s grammar of politics and governance by the military administration led by General Ibrahim Babangida when in August 1993, having messed up the general elections of June 1993, Babangida decided to “step aside” (in retrospect, whatever that meant) and chose to hand over power to an interim government headed by Chief Ernest Adegunle Shonekan. The interim government lasted from 27 August 1993 when it was formed till 17 November 1993, less than 90 days when it was dissolved by General Sani Abacha who had been left behind by Babangida as Secretary of Defence, and who thought that becoming a Head of State of Nigeria was his turn, not Shonekan’s.

This “Emilokan” thing did not start yesterday in Nigerian politics. Shonekan was a lawyer and a

President Muhammadu Buhari prominent technocrat who rose to the headship of the United African Company (UAC) in Nigeria. He was the product of a deal hatched with the British and other stakeholders. It all ended in tears. For the 88 days that the ING was in power, the country drifted. Strikes by union workers. High inflation.

The media refused to co-operate. The South West media called the government – “fidihe” – in Yoruba language, this means sitting on a chair with one lap of the buttocks, in other words, not sitting properly.

Pro-democracy groups protested about the rot that Babangida left behind and called for a recognition of the mandate of the Nigerian people that had been won by Basorun MKO Abiola in the annulled June 12 Presidential election. A Lagos High Court in fact nullified Shonekan’s position and declared the ING illegal. On November 17, 1993, General Sani Abacha, Secretary of Defense, as he then was, forced Shonekan to resign. It was the shortest-lived government in Nigerian history. The Head of the ING could not put up any resistance. He had no control over the troops. He was a seasoned technocrat, a board room guru, who found himself in the uncharted waters of Nigeria’s power game, far more complex than what suit-wearing, overpaid executives do in air-conditioned board rooms. He didn’t need too much persuasion for him to drop a resignation letter and embark on a rapid dialogue with his legs. The ING collapsed. Abacha took over. What followed was absolute chaos and anarchy. Nigeria is yet to recover from the agony of Babangida’s folly and Abacha’s tyranny!

The idea of an Interim Government then was unconstitutional then as ruled by the court of Justice Dolapo Akinsanya of the High Court of Lagos who declared that the Decree No 61, that brought the ING into power was unconstitutional and therefore null and void. It was not only the Constitution that faulted the legitimacy of the ING, Shonekan’s appointment stood on nothing. He was an appointee. He did not gain power through a coup or an election. He is the only Nigerian leader at the centre, in history, who was not allowed to exercise the powers of a Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces. His exit from power was a major turning point in Nigeria’s century-old relation with the United African Company (UAC), formerly, the Royal Niger Company, a grand symbol of colonialism and imperialism.

The sub-text of the editorial by this newspaper is that history should not be allowed to repeat itself.

With the return to democracy since 1999, the kind of impunity with which the military junta treated

the laws of the land should not be allowed. The soldiers may have left the scene, but their civilian successors and the soldiers now wearing flowing, bulbous civilian gowns, have the same mind-set: to do as they wish and subvert the people’s will. In 1993, it was said that General Olusegun Obasanjo, as he then was, was the person who recommended Shonekan, his kinsman for the position of the Head of the ING. It is also being said currently that the idea of an ING is being led by the same Obasanjo.

He has a duty to clarify his position on the matter.

I share the view that Nigeria does not need an ING. I also think nobody, male or female, should allow himself or herself to be used to subvert the current electoral process. The military thought they could get away with it in 1993, but they could not.

They did not. This country does not belong to a cabal, or whatever name they go by – it belongs to all of us, and indeed ordinary Nigerians have a say in the matter. The sub-text of the editorial

by ThisDay newspaper under reference is that any attempt to scuttle this year’s general elections in Nigeria would be an act of sabotage or treason.

And nobody born of a woman, or not of a woman, who claims to be Nigerian should agree to be used as a dummy to mess up this 2023 election process.

To state the matter as it is, Nigerians have invested a lot in this process. They have queued up to get registered. They have spent weeks trying to get their Permanent Voter’s Cards, (PVCs) which is the only object recognized by the Bi-modal Voters Registration System (BVAS). The deadline for the issuance of PVCs by INEC ended over the weekend, but the desperation exercised in the face of the incompetence of INEC officials, and the protests by the people indicate that this would be an election like no other since 1999. This much was confirmed by a poll result by Nextier, a polling agency which apart from predicting a likely run-off, says there will be a high voter turn-out this year, contrary to suppositions to the contrary. Billions of Naira have been spent on logistics at national and sub-national levels. Political parties have crisscrossed the country wooing the electorate for votes, chalking up huge costs in the process. Some of the Presidential candidates even took their campaign to Chatham House in London to seek the endorsement of our former colonial masters. Some of the Presidential candidates and their acolytes even danced and almost broke a hip at campaign rallies across the country. Since the flag off of campaigns by INEC in October 2022, the country has witnessed a campaign different from whatever we witnessed before this seventh cycle of elections since 1999. It would be a tragic anti-climax for the government to wake up tomorrow and declare that there would be no election or that an Interim National Government had been formed.

We must all be reminded that 1993 is not 2023.

The military may have escaped with their folly, but this time around, the civilians in power must learn not to provoke the people.

Those who are pointing to fuel scarcity and the re-design of new naira notes as an excuse for the imposition of an interim government or potential mayhem, are engaged in deliberate mischief. They do not mean well for this country.

President Muhammadu Buhari must see these calls as an attempt to ensure that his administration ends on a very bad note. General Babangida tried the same gambit in 1993. He has not recovered from the damage. President Buhari has promised Nigerians consistently, and that has been echoed by the INEC that the elections will hold as scheduled, and that chosen dates are sacrosanct. Anything to the contrary would amount to gross insincerity and dishonesty and a dark blotch on the Buhari tenure as Nigeria’s President. It is his choice to make but we also have a duty to point out that Nigeria must not be turned into a game of ping-pong. Those who do not want the 2023 general elections to take place are enemies of the people. The Buhari government has no option. This election must hold.

Not even the lee-way offered in the Constitution is available in the circumstance.

Nigeria’s Constitution is very clear about the tenure of elected Presidents and Governors of Nigeria: its four years in the first instance and a second and final term of an additional four year-term. Any form of extension beyond this limit is a violation of the Constitutional order which elected persons swear to defend. In other words, the tenure of an administration cannot be extended by fiat, not even for a day. In that regard, the tenure of Buhari’s administration effectively ends on May 29, 2023. He cannot stay a day longer. He cannot leave an Interim Government behind. It is in his interest not to leave office as a civilian President who broke the law and left chaos behind. There is a possible outlet in Section 135 (3) of the 1999 Constitution which states that “If the Federation is at war in which the territory of Nigeria is physically involved and the President considers that it is not practicable to hold elections, the National Assembly may by resolution extend the period of four years mentioned in subsection (2) of this section from time to time, but no such extension shall exceed a period of six months at any one time.”

Section 135(3) or its relation, Section 180 (3) of the 1999 Constitution cannot be invoked under the present circumstances. Nigeria is not physically at war with any country either internally or externally. In fact, one of the selling points of this administration is that President Buhari has been able to checkmate the Boko Haram elements who tried to turn the North Eastern part of Nigeria into a battle-field. Any attempt to use that as an excuse would be an admission of failure. Can Buhari afford to dismantle his own legacy as he defines it in that regard? The only war that others point to is a war between the haves and the have nots: the classical war of the classes between those who cannot have access to new notes and fuel supply, and the vast minority who in the midst of all of this, are living like ants in the midst of honey. The aggrieved are beginning to take to the streets in parts of Nigeria, driving up fears in the country that there may well be a clandestine plan to blow up the country and stop the elections.

But that does not amount to any justification to invoke Section 135 (3). If the people are angry over fuel supply, give them fuel – very simple. If there are no new notes – push more money into circulation, that is what the people want.

The cash scarcity matter has now even become so ridiculous that three Northern state governments are going to court – Kaduna, Kogi and Zamfara to seek an order to compel the Federal Government and the CBN to extend the deadline for the validity of the old N200, N500, and N1, 000 notes. The three states are all ruled by members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in a further demonstration of how 18 days to Nigeria’s general elections, the ruling party is locked in intra-party wrangling. In the meantime, an Abuja High Court has barred the President and the CBN from suspending, stopping, or extending the new currency and cash limit policy. The motion ex parte which was filed by the Action Alliance (AA), Action Peoples Party (APP), Allied People’s Movement (APM), and the National Rescue Movement (NRM), against the President of Nigeria, the CBN, the Governor of the CBN and 23 others as respondents was determined in favour of the plaintiffs, and the matter adjourned to 14th February 2023. Thirteen political parties are also threatening to pull out of the election! Nigeria is being turned into a “Fuji House of Commotion.” In case anyone is tone-deaf, President Muhammadu Buhari’s tenure ends on May 29, 2023. He must not spend a day longer in the Presidential Villa. He must not leave any surrogates behind, in the name of an interim government or any such contraption. The National Assembly of Nigeria must not lend itself to any form of mischief, cooked up by the enemies of Nigeria. The minimum that President Buhari is obliged to do is to leave this country as he met it - a civilian democracy, even if badly wounded.

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