SUNDAY 19TH FEBRUARY 2023

Naira Redesign: CIBN Sues for Calm, Says It’s Working With Bank CEOs to Address Challenges Hinges continued banking operations to staff safety IG warns against unguarded utterances over naira redesign Kingsley Nwezeh and James Emejo in Abuja

Bankers of Nigeria (CIBN) yesterday said it was working with the Body of Banks’ Chief Executives to address the

The Chartered Institute of

current challenges in the naira redesign policy and appealed to the general public to remain calm and eschew any act of

violence.

This is coming as the Inspector-General of Police, Usman Baba has warned

groups and individuals against divisive comments and utterances over the new naira policy.

In a statement signed by its President/Chairman of Continued on page 5

New Notes: Nine APC States and Sokoto Ask Supreme Court to Void Buhari’s Directive… Page 8 Sunday 19 February, 2023 Vol 28. No 10175

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Atiku Pledges to Restore Peace, Security, Return Power to States Five political parties collapse structures for former VP Chuks Okocha in Abuja The presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, yesterday promised to restore

peace and security to all the states of the North-east zone and Nigeria in general.

This is coming as five political parties have collapsed their structures into the PDP

and thrown their weights behind Atiku.

The former vice president has also pledged to ensure the devolution of powers to all the 36 states of the federation

as a way of reducing overdependence on the centre.

Addressing a mammoth crowd at the campaign that took place in Yola, Adamawa State, Atiku said: "Today is

the final day of our rally all over the country. I want to use this opportunity not only to address the people of Adamawa State but the entire country. I want to

thank Nigerians in the 36 states of the federation who have come out in the last six months, to show solidarity, to Continued on page 5

We are Ready for Elections, Declare INEC and the Military

Yoruba monarchs urge commission, security agencies to ensure free, fair polls Military will deal with trouble makers, Irabor vows Abdulsalami-led peace committee meets Wednesday for signing of another peace accord See story on page 5

SPIRITUAL ENDORSEMENT… L-R: Presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Mr. Peter Obi, Founder, Living Faith Church Worldwide, Bishop David Oyedepo; and the Senior Pastor of Dunamis International Gospel Centre, Dr. Paul Enenche, during a parley hosted by The Big-Tent Independent Presidential Council for Peter Obi/Yusuf Datti Baba-Ahmed and the Support Group Council in Abuja…yesterday

See eCopy of THISDAY Style on www.thisdaylive.com

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FEBRUARY 19, 2023 • T H I S DAY, T H E S U N DAY N E W S PA P E R

PAGE FIVE WE ARE READY FOR ELECTIONS, DECLARE INEC AND THE MILITARY Chuks Okocha, Kingsley Nwezeh in Abuja, Segun James in Lagos and Kemi Olaitan in Ibadan Exactly six days before the February 25 presidential and National Assembly elections, the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Mahmood Yakubu, has expressed the commission’s readiness for the conduct of the polls.

Yakubu stated this in Abuja yesterday after a tour of the training centre for INEC’s ad-hoc staff or presiding officers at the Government Secondary School Garki, and the inspection of facilities for the collation of votes at the International Conference Centre (ICC).

Yakubu, who disclosed that the corps members would swear to an oath of neutrality, also revealed that the National Peace Committee (NPC) led by a former military Head of State, General Abdulsalami Abubakar (rtd), would meet on Wednesday for the signing of another peace accord.

This is coming as traditional rulers in Yoruba-speaking states of Ekiti, Lagos, Kogi, Kwara, Ogun, Ondo, Osun and Oyo have appealed to INEC, security agencies and other institutions involved in the general election to support and uphold the right of every Nigerian to freely cast their vote without let or hindrance to guarantee the sanctity of the electoral process.

Also the Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Lucky Irabor yesterday vowed that the military will deal decisively with forces seeking to interfere with the election.

Speaking during the inspection of the facilities, Yakubu said: "We will perform basically three activities in this ICC. “First, there is a hall that will serve as a media centre for national, and international observers. We will have our briefing with international and local observers on Tuesday.

The media centre will be for press briefings where mini studios and Outside Broadcast

Vans would be allowed to monitor results by the various media houses that would be given accreditation.

“The other hall will serve as the Collation Centre for the presidential election and then beside the hall is our Situation Room where we deploy our platforms, the INEC Citizens Contact Centre,” Yakubu explained.

He said the Situation Room would have ad-hoc staff to monitor and respond to complaints from people in the field, adding that it would be open to everyone.

Yakubu also informed the press that the Abdulsalami-led peace committee would be meeting on Wednesday to sign the peace pact for the elections, noting that the winners would receive their certificate of returns at the National Collation Centre, Abuja.

The INEC boss, who visited the training venue for the Presiding Officers and Assistant Presiding Officers I, II, and III in Abuja, said only the members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) are the authorised election officers that will handle the Bimodal Voter Authentication System (BVAS) during the elections.

The INEC chairman said the commission cannot rely on its workforce for the conduct of a credible and peaceful election, hence the need for mobilisation of the NYSC members.

He tasked the corps members to be loyal to Nigeria and Nigerians and not political parties.

The INEC boss stated that on no account should they leave the BVAS in the custody of anyone, adding that the corps members are going to be tracked.

He said: “Nigeria is fortunate to have young citizens like you. There is no way INEC can conduct elections without the NYSC. You are simply indispensable in the conduct of elections in Nigeria. We cannot conduct elections with our workforce alone.

“So we have to rely on you and other categories of staff.

But you are going to operate at the most important level of the electoral system; at the polling unit levels because that is where citizens go and vote. All of you will swear an oath of neutrality. Your loyalty is to Nigeria and Nigerians and not to any political party or any candidate. You will be the INEC Chairman at your polling unit. You are the King at the polling units.

“You are the only ones that will handle the BVAS at polling units on election day. Take this job seriously.

We are tracking you as well so that we can know who is holding which BVAS. Do not give this BVAS to someone else.”

Yakubu also assured of adequate security in and around the venue for the national collation centre.

“In essence, the 2023 general election is here.

By this time next week, Nigerians will be voting in over 176,000 polling units for the presidential election. The choice made by Nigerians for the next president of the country will also be announced at this venue,” he added.

The INEC chairman also allayed concerns about the unavailability of cash, stating that “We visited the CBN last week on the issue of cash for payment of some of the services, not all, some of the services that we are going to engage on election day.

“The bulk of payment for goods and services is made through electronic transfer.

But certain critical services will be remunerated by cash, and that’s why we went to the CBN and it’s a small percentage of the budget.

“The Central Bank has assured us that we will not suffer any encumbrances in that regard. So there are no issues with respect to that.”

Yoruba Monarchs Urge INEC, Security Agencies to Ensure Free, Fair Polls Meanwhile, Yoruba traditional rulers from Ekiti, Lagos, Kogi, Kwara, Ogun,

ATIKU PLEDGES TO RESTORE PEACE, SECURITY, RETURN POWER TO STATES show support for our party and myself.

"Let me promise Nigerians that we shall never disappoint you. If you give us your mandate, we promise to live by our promises that we have a united country, that we have a peaceful country, that we have a buoyant economy for our country, and we have the best education for our children and also we devolve powers to states and local governments with corresponding resources," he explained.

Speaking on his agenda as contained in his manifesto, he said: "These are the five key points the PDP has promised to deliver. Therefore, I want to reiterate my commitment to those key points. Adamawa State you know this is an abundant opportunity for you if you elect PDP to the presidency if you elect PDP to continue to govern the state.

I don't have to tell you what I can do for Adamawa; you know this and Nigeria in general. You know me, I live by my words and commitment.

I want to appeal to you to vote for the PDP from top to bottom and don't be misled by any propaganda by anybody.

"This is where the future of our state and country resides

in the hands of PDP. I want to appeal to you to vote for the PDP because I know you have never failed us. My citizens of Adamawa State, I can't thank you enough but don't forget that Nigerians have been very kind to you, they elected me in 2019 to lead this party and again they have not been disappointed.

They will elect me again this time, I appeal to you not to disappoint Nigerians for the favour they have done to you.

In his speech, the PDP vice presidential candidate, Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta State said: "We know that Nigerians are in pain, troubled in their hearts, and hungry. Students are worried about their education and we know that even small businessmen are worried that their businesses will collapse.

Also speaking, a former Director in the All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Campaign Council (PCC), Naja’atu Mohammed has vowed that the presidential candidate of the APC, Bola Tinubu will not score up to 25 per cent votes from the northern states.

The former director of the APC PCC said the PDP would do everything to stop Tinubu

in the forthcoming elections.

She said: “Nigeria belongs to all of us; APC has said that they have a president and 23 governors. They need 25 per cent of the total votes.

“You must stop that from happening. You must stop the APC from getting 25 per cent of your votes from the North. He doesn’t need us, and we don’t need him,” she added.

Meanwhile, five political parties have collapsed their structures into the PDP and thrown weight behind Atiku.

The five political parties are the Allied Peoples Movement (APM), Action Alliance (AA), Action Peoples Party (APP), National Rescue Movement (NRM), and the African Democratic Congress (ADC).

The parties disclosed their decision yesterday at the PDP rally in Yola, Adamawa State.

Speaking on behalf of the other national chairmen of the political parties, the National Chairman of the APM, Yusuf Dantele, said the parties arrived at the decision to adopt the PDP presidential torchbearer because he is the right man for the job.

He, however, said the parties would participate in the other elections.

Ondo, Osun and Oyo States have appealed to INEC, security agencies and other institutions involved in the general election to support and uphold the right of every Nigerian to freely cast their vote without let or hindrance to guarantee the sanctity of the electoral process.

In a communiqué issued at the weekend after their meeting at the International Conference Centre, University of Ibadan, Oyo State, on Thursday, the monarchs affirmed their faith and support for Nigeria’s unity, peace, prosperity and progress and pledged to support the democratic process based on free choices according to universal adult suffrage freely exercised by the people.

In the communique, signed by the Director General, Conscience of Yoruba Nation, Abagun Kole Omololu, the monarchs expressed their concern about the recent hardship suffered by the people due to perennial fuel scarcity and the Naira redesign policy The monarchs urged more humane handling of these challenges to free the people from high-handedness, poverty and want “In the run-up to the 2023 general election, they pledged their support for the success of the elections. They urged the people to exercise their civic duties peacefully to engender a desired change in the country,” the communique said.

The meeting, which was presided by His Imperial Majesty, Oba Adeyeye Eniitan Ogunwusi, Ojaja II, the Ooni of Ife and Arole Oodua, granted the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Ahmed Tinubu, an audience.

The royal fathers expressed satisfaction with the briefings Tinubu gave concerning his

aspiration.

They said they acknowledged Tinubu’s solid democratic credentials and unwavering commitment to the entrenchment of democracy in Nigeria.

The monarchs affirmed what they described as Tinubu’s preeminent qualification for the highest office in Nigeria.

They renewed their faith in the steady democratic growth of the country and reiterated their belief that equity and justice are prerequisites for unity, peace, progress and prosperity in Nigeria.

Military will Deal with Trouble Makers, Irabor Vows In a related development, the Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Irabor has vowed that the military will deal decisively with forces seeking to interfere with the election.

He said in view of the fact that Nigerians and the international community were relying on the Armed Forces of Nigeria to ensure a smooth conduct of the election, the security forces are determined to protect the polls.

The warning came as the Chief of the Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Awwal Gambo, said, in a separate function, said that security forces were ready to ensure that citizens of Nigeria go out to vote on election day without any molestation Speaking at the 2023 International Military Sports Council Day Run in Abuja, Irabor said the hope of Nigerians and the international community are on security agents in the country for the successful conduct of the polls.

He charged the security agents to ensure a peaceful and safe environment for the elections.

Irabor who was represented

by the Chief of Defence Policy and Plans (CPP), Air Vice Marshal Jackson Yusuf, also said the current onslaught against criminal elements in the country must be sustained.

"Today our brave men and women of the armed forces and other security agencies can tell the world with pride of their daily successes in countering insurgency and other security challenges that have in recent times bedeviled the nation's security landscape. I, however, urge you all to sustain the current momentum.

"Also, you all know the elections are coming. The nation and countries of the world are looking up to us as members of the armed forces and security agencies to play our role to ensure the elections are held in a peaceful environment. I urge us to live up to our constitutional responsibilities," he said Meanwhile, speaking at the First Quarter Route March 2023 organised by the Nigerian Navy in Abuja, the Chief of the Naval Staff, Gambo, said security forces were ready to ensure that citizens of Nigeria go out to vote on election day without any molestation.

The naval chief, who was represented by the Chief of Policy and Plans, Rear Admiral Sa'id Garba, said "the Armed Forces of Nigeria and the Nigerian Navy are ready to protect this election.

"The Armed Forces of Nigeria and the Nigerian Navy have read the riot act.

We have the conditionalities, they have been briefed. As for the conduct for the election, we shall maintain an exterior periphery in the general election process and we will support the police, which is the lead security agency in internal security. They will be close to electoral officers. We shall give necessary protection where required.”

NAIRA REDESIGN: CIBN SUES FOR CALM, SAYS IT’S WORKING WITH BANK CEOS TO ADDRESS CHALLENGES Council, Mr. Ken Opara, CIBN stated that the banking industry remained resolute and committed to addressing all the challenges, promising that the banks would continue to remain open to serve the public "as long as it is safe to do so".

According to him, the safety and security of the staff of banks are of paramount importance, “Hence, where there is a security challenge, the management of banks have been empowered to take proactive measures to close operations in such locations and inform the Central Bank of Nigeria," Opara said.

He said the safety concerns being expressed in various quarters were already being addressed.

"Banks will continue to ensure that adequate security is in place to protect staff and customers whilst safeguarding the assets of the banks in contending with the current challenge," he added.

Opara appealed to the public to remain calm and eschew any act of violence, pointing out that the banking industry would remain resolute and committed to finding ways to address all the related issues.

"We indeed appreciate you for your continued patience and understanding as we work together towards restoring normalcy," he added.

CIBN’s reassurance came as the Association of Senior Staff of Banks, Insurance and Financial Institutions (ASSBIFI)

had earlier ordered banks’ staff to stay off duties, following a series of attacks on banking staff and bank facilities.

In a notice sent to all unionised banks, ASSBIFI President, Mr. Olusoji Oluwole, cited the continued attacks on workers and banks’ facilities across the country as reason for the directive.

The ASSBIFI had also warned against transferred aggression and attacks on bank workers.

Olusoji had said: “We value the lives of our members and colleagues and will not put them at any further risk.

"We have put them on alert and shall instruct them without further warning to immediately stay away from their branches if these attacks on our members and facilities continue until such a time that they can be guaranteed of their personal safety and the security of their workplaces by the relevant authorities."

He said: “We call on the public to desist from threatening or attacking our members, or destroying our property as they will be only proverbially cutting their noses to spite their faces.

We can only give what we have been provided with and nothing more.”

Meanwhile, the IG, Baba who warned against unguarded utterances amidst the prevailing outcries and reactions on the new naira policy in the country, cautioned groups and

individuals against divisive comments and utterances capable of heating up the polity and triggering a crisis in the nation.

A statement issued by the Force Public Relations Officer and Chief Superintendent of Police (CSP), Olumuyiwa Adejobi, said the warning became imperative as "the police perceive the reactions and utterances of certain groups and individuals as an attempt to heat up the polity and spontaneously instigate the populace against the government and its policies for their peculiar interests and gains.

"The NPF, therefore, charges the citizenry to remain calm and embrace peace as the federal government has assured that it is taking the bull by the horn, assiduously to address the scarcity of naira and fuel and restore normalcy in all sectors.

Similarly, the Nigerian populace is hereby urged to desist from any act of violence, hooliganism, and vandalism that may jeopardise the ongoing electoral process, which is significant and critical in the transitional advancement of democracy in Nigeria.

"The NPF would like to assure the general public that it is working in concert with defence, security, and intelligence agencies to provide a peaceful environment for all citizens to conduct their socio-economic activities", the statement said.

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APC SHUTS DOWN MAIDUGURI… L-R: Borno State Governor, Professor Babagana Zulum; National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, Senator Abdullahi Adamu; Kano State Governor, Dr. Abdullahi Ganduje; APC presidential candidate, Senator Bola Tinubu; and vice presidential candidate of the party, Senator Kashim Shettima, at the party’s presidential campaign rally in Maiduguri, Borno State…yesterday

Elections: South-east Traditional Rulers Ask Residents to Ignore Sit-at-home Order Come out en masse to vote, says Ohanaeze Ndigbo Amby Uneze in Owerri The South-east Council of Traditional Rulers has urged its subjects and all residents of the South-east to ignore any sit-at-home order and massively go out to vote for their preferred candidates.

Also disturbed by the infamous order of sit-at-home by a faceless one-man insurgent, the apex Igbo socio-political body, Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, has ordered the people of the South-east to ignore any further order or move to stop them from coming out to cast their votes in the next week presidential election.

The outlawed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), which initiated sit-at-home order in the

region, has since asked residents of the area to ignore the order except on the days its leader, Nnamdi Kanu has court cases.

However, gunmen have continued to enforce the order.

A separatist group led by Finland-based Simon Ekpa had also declared sit-at-home during the forthcoming elections.

But in a communiqué issued at the end of the first 2023 Executive Committee Meeting of the SouthEast Council of Traditional Rulers (SECTR) at the Old Eastern Nigeria House of Chiefs, Enugu, the monarchs deliberated on the role of traditional institution in ensuring peace and security, particularly in the run up to the general election and took a number of decisions.

Police Station Bombed, Three Officers Killed in Fresh Anambra Attack David-Chyddy Eleke in Awka Barely one week after gunmen killed three police officers attached to the Governor of Delta State and vice presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa in Anambra State, some hoodlums have attacked a police station in Ogidi, Idemili North Local Government Area of the state, killing three police operatives.

The gunmen attacked an advance security team of Okowa in the Ihiala Local Government Area of Anambra State, on their way to Abia State.

The Anambra State Police Command's spokesperson, DSP Tochukwu Ikenga who confirmed the latest attack on a police station, said the incident happened yesterday morning.

He said in a statement that the gunmen shot repeatedly before gaining access to the police facility and using Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) to destroy the buildings.

He said: "The hoodlums started shooting sporadically on approaching the area command and threw IEDs and petrol bombs into the premises, before gaining entrance.

"Unfortunately, the buildings in the police facility were affected.

"The command observed with grave concern the loss of life and valuables as a result of this attack. We call for calm as the police are resolute in depriving these criminal elements of the space they desire to perpetrate their evil acts and enhance the safety of life and property in the state.

"Anambra State Police Command has reinforced security in the Idemili North Area of the state, following the attack.

"The incident happened at the Ogidi area command in the early hours of today 18/2/2023, where three police operatives paid the supreme price.

"Meanwhile, the incident is being assessed and police operations are still ongoing,” the statement explained.

There have been numerous attacks in Anambra State recently.

Last Thursday gunmen attacked officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) who were on training in Ukpor, Nnewi South Local Government Area.

There was also the abduction of 15 corps members in Ihiala, who were later rescued.

Numerous police and INEC facilities have been attacked in the state, while in many instances, many have paid the supreme price

“First, the royal fathers called on the people of the South-east to go out en masse to vote for their preferred candidates during the elections and to ignore any order for sit-at-home.

“Second, the council appealed to the security agencies to create a conducive and safe environment for the general election; while calling on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to act professionally and patriotically.

“Third, the killings and destruction of property in South-eastern region and across the country are condemned in strong terms by the council.

“Fourth, the council called on all traditional rulers to take control of their various domains during the upcoming elections for peaceful, free and credible elections to take place,” it said.

The communiqué was signed

by Igwe Lawrence Agubuzu, Chairman, South-East Council of Traditional Rulers and Chairman of Enugu State Council of Traditional Rulers as well as Igwe Alfred Achebe, the Obi of Onitsha and Chairman of Anambra State Council of Traditional Rulers.

It was also signed by Eze Joseph

Nwabeke, the Ezeamara of Eziama Ntigha, and Chairman, Abia State Council of Traditional Rulers.

The meeting was attended by the revered Royal Fathers and other members of the Executive Committee of the Council.

Meanwhile, Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide has ordered the people of the South-east to ignore any further order or move to stop them from coming out to cast their votes in the next week presidential election.

This was contained in a resolution reached after an emergency meeting of the National Executive Committee (NEC), Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, presided over by the Secretary General of the group, Ambassador Okey Emuchay, in Enugu.

The NEC elaborated on a few issues of national interest and reached some major resolutions among which is the most worrisome among the issues raised is the sit-at-home and total lock down order to the Igbo by one Simon Ekpa, who is based in Finland.

In a statement signed by the National Publicity Secretary of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Dr. Chiedozie Alex Ogbonnia, expressed shock,

doubting that a true Igbo will unconscionably embark on a disingenuous duplicitous adventure that is aimed at denigrating, disenfranchising and decimating his people.

According to him, the most disturbing is that the unscrupulous sit-at-home and total lock down order by Ekpa falls within the Nigerian general election.

"Ohanaeze stands firmly on natural justice and equity to proclaim that it is the turn of the South East of Nigeria to produce a President for Nigeria and by the irrevocable forces of providence, the right thinking Nigerians and the global community have embraced the virtues in Peter Obi as the most suitable, competent, visionary, inspiring and energetic presidential candidate for the forthcoming general election.

"It is therefore strange that at the very rare consensus and convergence of history, equity, public consciousness and expertise in Obi, an impetuous youth will engage in an unreflective drumbeat that draws his people to a macabre dance.

"It is also curious that while the Media and Publicity Secretary of IPOB, Emma Powerful has

dissociated IPOB from “any sit-athome in the South-East during the election period, urging residents to disregard the rumoured order making the rounds by the Simon Ekpa” and that “IPOB is only interested in the unconditional release of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu”; the Autopilot ignores the necessary landing permit by his people.

"Ohanaeze therefore urges the residents in Igbo land to ignore the sit at home in its entirety.

"Ohanaeze Ndigbo commends the interventions with the Finish Ambassador to Nigeria, Leena Pylvanainen by Chief Geoffrey Onyeama, the Minister of Foreign Affairs; the Inspector-General of Police (IG), Usman Baba, the Chief of Defence Staff, General Lucky Irabor, Igbo Union in Finland, the public especially the youths and the reassurances of President Muhammadu Buhari with respect to security and a free and fair election in 2023," he said.

The NEC used the opportunity to pass a vote-of-confidence on the Secretary General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, Ambassador Okey Emuchay, and the National Publicity Secretary, Chiedozie Alex Ogbonnia, for their selfless services for the Igbo nation.

Tinubu Promises to Reactivate Oil Exploration in Lake Chad Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja The presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator Bola Tinubu, has promised to re-activate oil exploration in the Lake Chad Basin and also recharge the drying lake to generate jobs and boost agricultural production in the area.

The former Governor of Lagos State pledged yesterday in Maiduguri at the mega rally of the party.

Tinubu, in a statement issued yesterday by his Media Office and signed by Abdulaziz Abdulaziz, sympathised with those who are facing difficulties at the moment, saying ease would soon come their way.

He said: "Security is top on our agenda and Nigeria will see peace and stability. The Borno people and their neighbours will witness prosperity and happiness," he said.

The APC presidential candidate

paid tribute to his running mate, Senator Kashim Shettima, whom he acknowledged that he knows very well, saying the two of them share attributes that would be used to make Nigeria greater.

He said just like he did in Lagos, Shettima has also done the same in Borno by laying a good foundation and ensuring good leadership succession.

According to him, "Zulum is a symbol of continuity. Shettima is a representation of achievement," he said.

In his address at the palace of the Shehu of Borno, Alhaji Abubakar Umar Garbai Ibn ElKanemi, the state governor, Prof Babagana Zulum, thanked Tinubu for picking a son of the state as his running mate.

He said: "You have done all for us and now it is for us to deliver APC in Borno State," he said.

Zulum noted that Tinubu was more than a political ally for the

state as he had shown concerns for the difficult times the state went through during the peak of the Boko Haram insurgency more than anyone else.

"During our trying time he has always been with us. He has visited us between seven and eight times in the last eleven years. There is nobody else that has done anything like that for us," he added.

Speaking at the rally, Zulum charged the people of Borno State to troop out on Saturday, as they did for the rally, to show appreciation to Tinubu by casting their votes for him.

Taking turns to address the rally, former Borno State governors, Maina Ma'aji Lawal, Ali Modu Sheriff and Kashim Shettima, said Borno's faith in APC has been strengthened with Shettima's nomination as the vice presidential candidate of the party.

They assured Tinubu that the state would fulfil its part by giving

overwhelming votes to him.

Governors Badaru Abubakar of Jigawa and Mai Mala Buni of Yobe state, challenged residents of Borno State not to allow any state to overtake them in giving the APC more votes given the party's magnanimity to them.

The rally was attended by the National Chairman of the APC, Senator Abdullahi Adamu, and other members of the National Working Committee of the party (NWC); Governors Abdullahi Sule (Nasarawa), Inuwa Yahaya (Gombe), Abdullahi Ganduje (Kano), Mai Mala Buni (Yobe), Abubakar Badaru (Jigawa) and Abubakar Bello (Niger).

Others were: Minister of State for Agriculture, Mustapha Shehuri; members of the National Assembly; former Chiefs of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Abdulrahman Dambazau (rtd) and Lt. General Tukur Buratai (rtd), among other members of the party.

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EMINENT FRIENDS...

L-R: Chairman, Lee Engineering and Construction Company, Chief Lemon Ikpea; Son of the deceased, CEO, UTM Offshore Limited, Mr. Julius Rone; Executive Secretary, Nigeria Content Development and Monitoring Board, Mr. Simbi Wabote; and Chief Executive Officer of E. A. Temile and Sons Development Company, Mr. Alfred Temile, during the funeral service reception for Chief Sunday Stephen Rone in Warriå, Delta State...yesterday KUNLE OGUNFUYI

New Notes: Nine APC States and Sokoto Ask Supreme Court to Void Buhari’s Directive Akeredolu charges president to rescind naira redesign policy Alex Enumah in Abuja and Fidelis David in Akure Ten state governments in Nigeria have asked the Supreme Court to set aside the pronouncement of President Muhammadu Buhari

banning the old N500 and N1,000 currency notes.

This is as the Ondo State Governor, Mr. Oluwarotimi Akeredolu (SAN) yesterday asked President Buhari to rescind his decision banning the old

Appeal Court Dismisses Ex- minister’s Suit Seeking to Disqualify Tinubu, Atiku Alex Enumah in Abuja The Court of Appeal in Abuja has dismissed an appeal filed by a former Minister of State for Education, Chukwuemeka Nwajiuba, seeking to disqualify the All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Tinubu and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar as presidential candidates of their political parties.

Nwajiuba and the Rights for All International, a non-governmental organisation, had asked the Federal High Court in Abuja to cancel the processes that produced Tinubu and Abubakar as candidates of their political parties.

The suit marked FHC/ABJ/ CS/942/2022 and opposed by Babatunde Ogala on behalf of the APC and Bola Tinubu, had as defendants the APC, and Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

Other parties sued were the Attorney General of the Federation and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

Among others, the plaintiffs prayed for “a declaration that having regard to the clear, unambiguous and express provisions, spirit and tenor of Section 33(1) And (5) (C) of the Constitution of the Peoples Democratic Party 2017 as Amended, the Special National convention of the second defendant held on May 28 and 29, 2022 was not properly constituted as regards the composition of delegates who should attend and vote at the said convention and did not confer the convention the powers to elect the 4th Defendant as the presidential candidate of the 2nd defendant for the 2023 presidential election.

“A declaration that all the votes cast in favour of the third and fourth defendants at the special convention of the first and second defendant held on June 6 and 7, 2022 and on May 28 and 29, 2022

respectively are illegal, null and void and of no effect whatsoever on the grounds of corruption, buying and selling of delegates votes and voter inducement.

“An order returning the second plaintiff as the duly elected and nominated presidential candidate of the first defendant being that by operation of Section 90(3), the second plaintiff, Chukwuemeka Nwajuba is the only candidate out of the 10 contestants who polled votes at the first defendants’ convention and whose source of the N100 million is verified and complied with the electoral Act as contained in the print out of the names in the bank statement of over 1000 individual contributions in person.

Justice Inyang Ekwo of the Federal High Court dismissed it on the grounds that the plaintiffs lack the legal rights to file the suit.

However, Nwajiuba appealed the verdict of the Federal high court.

Counsel to the APC, Ogala raised a preliminary objection, “that the suit at the lower court was not a pre-election matter as the appellant cannot be said to be a person covered by Section 285(14) a, b, c of the 1999 Constitution being an NGO,” Ogala argued in the preliminary objection.

Delivering judgment, the appellate court again dismissed the suit and awarded N100,000 against the appellants in favour of Tinubu and Atiku.

Upholding the verdict of the lower court, the appeal court ruled that, “the appeal is lacking in merit and the appellant only sought to revive the dissolved NGO through the back door, the counsel to the appellant who is also a trustee of the NGO should live with the same in sober reflections.”

“The appellant is not clothed with locus as can be gleaned from Section 285(14) a, b, and c of the 1999 Constitution.

banknotes from being accepted as legal tender in Nigeria.

The president had in a national broadcast last Thursday, directed the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to release old N200 notes into circulation to co-exist with new N200, N500 and N1,000 banknotes for 60 days.

According to the president, the directive was in response to the hardship millions of Nigerians are encountering in accessing their funds from commercial banks across the country since the demonetisation policy commenced.

Buhari in the broadcast also maintained that in line with the policy that gave a February 10 deadline for the cessation of the affected denominations, the old N500 and N1,000 banknotes are no longer legal tender in Nigeria.

Miffed by the announcement of the president, the aggrieved states on Friday, took a fresh application marked: SC/CV/162/2023, to challenge the directive.

Plaintiffs in the motion filed by their counsel, Mr. A.J. Owonikoko, SAN, described the action of the president as "an unconstitutional overreach and usurpation of the judicial power" and as such should be set aside.

The plaintiffs in the suit are the Attorneys General and commissioners for Justice of Kaduna, Kogi, Zamfara, Ondo, Ekiti, Katsina, Ogun, Cross River, Sokoto, and Lagos states while the respondent are the Attorney

General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami (SAN), as well as the Attorneys General and Commissioners for Justice of Bayelsa and Edo states.

The plaintiffs, in a 12-ground of application, argued that Buhari’s directive extending the validity of old N200 notes for 60 days and his ban on old N500 and N1,000 notes are an “unconstitutional overreach and usurpation of the judicial power” of the Supreme Court being that the case is already before the court.

The counsel for the applicants cited Section 232(1), Section 6(6) (b) and Section 287(1) of the 1999 Constitution as amended, which includes the protection of the Supreme Court’s dignity and which ensure compliance with its orders by all persons and authorities.

The applicants claimed that the action of the president has put the citizens in a dilemma as to which directives is to be obeyed because the interim order of the Supreme Court halting the federal government's ban from taking effect from February 10, is still substituting haven not been vacated by the apex court.

They argued that the Supreme Court can only restore the faith of Nigerians in the judiciary by granting this application for setting aside the directive of President Buhari made on Thursday via a national broadcast.

Governors Nasir El-Rufai

(Kaduna), Abubakar Badaru (Jigawa), Rotimi Akeredolu (Ondo) and many top stalwarts of the ruling APC have faulted the president’s directive.

Meanwhile, Ondo State Governor, Akeredolu, yesterday asked President Buhari to rescind his decision banning the old N500 and N1,000 banknotes from being accepted as legal tender in Nigeria.

Akeredolu in a statement he personally signed, which was titled: "Mr. President Should Halt This Seamless Drift", lamented that the events of the past days, resulting in the intervention of the apex court and the increasing gale of violence sweeping through the country, portend serious danger to the current democratic governance.

The statement read: "The crisis engendered by the policy of the Central Bank of Nigeria to redesign some currency notes, threaten to disrupt, not only the forthcoming general elections.

The events of the past days, culminating in the intervention of the apex court in the land, and the increasing gale of violence sweeping through the country, portend serious danger to the current democratic governance.

Consequently, this period invites all patriots to speak out with a view to proffering practicable solutions and not project cheap partisan interests.

"I seize this opportunity to appeal to the President and Commander-in-Chief of

the Armed Forces, President Muhammadu Buhari, to play the role of a statesman at this crucial moment. It is apparent that the crises, which the current policy on currency swap has created, continue to spiral menacingly."

Akeredolu, who is Chairman of Southern Governors' Forum, appealed to the president to allow both the new and old notes to co-exist for the interest of the masses.

"There is incontrovertible evidence bordering on miscalculation, error of judgment and/or disinformation on the part of the policy makers, especially the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Mr. Godwin Emefiele, on the failed implementation of the policy, the effect of which compels the whole country to groan, immeasurably, at present.

"There is hardly anyone who contends with either the statutory functions of the Central Bank of Nigeria or the occupier of the office of its Governor, one of which is the monetary policy.

It is also not debatable that the President and the Commanderin-Chief of the Armed Forces of Nigeria is empowered, under our law, to exercise certain executive power. It can, however, not be the original intention of the drafters of the relevant statutes that the implementation of any policy should cause widespread hardship and pervasive agony in the land,” he added.

Apex Muslim Body, NSCIA, Releases 5-point Demand for Next Nigerian President Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja The Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA), the apex body overseeing the affairs of Muslims in Nigeria, at the weekend released a five-point demand for the next president of Nigeria.

The 50-year organisation led by its President-General, the Sultan of Sokoto, HRM Alhaji Sa'ad Abubakar, argued that after alternating military and civilian administrations for several decades, Nigeria is still far from the expectations of its citizens and the global black community.

In the charter of demand signed by the body’s Deputy

Secretary General, Prof Salisu Shehu and the Council’s Director of Administration, Zubairu UsmanUgwu, NSCIA noted that it had become imperative to convey to presidential candidates and the electorate in the coming general election, its concerns and expectations to avoid past mistakes.

On the insecurity ravaging the land, the NSCIA stated that for almost one and a half decades, Nigeria has been traumatised by an unprecedented level of carnage with losses of thousands of human lives and millions of displaced people as well as a thriving kidnapping industry.

It stated that the growing and

seemingly unending insecurity had crippled agriculture, commerce and education, with all the consequences in its trail, explaining that assurances of successive governments have been largely fruitless.

“The incoming president is expected to make this his top priority and to deploy the highest political will and resources to bring this menace to a quick end. Some of the key lessons to note here include the dismantling of the war economy from which a few officials are feeding fat and the integrity of commanders,” NSCIA said.

In addition, it maintained that there has been an absence

of synergy between the different security services and the building of local trust for effective intelligence.

Besides, the incoming government, it said, must curb the proliferation of small arms and light weapons.

Stressing that all is not well with the economy, NSCIA urged the incoming government to address the grinding poverty, joblessness and severe inequities across the populace.

“The statistics are frightening, as they suggest that nearly 2/3 of the Nigerian population live below the poverty line. Given Continued on page 9

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THE GRAND FINALE… L-R: Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki; Delta State Governor and vice presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Senator, Ifeanyi Okowa; Adamawa State Governor, Mr. Ahmadu Fintiri; and Sokoto State Governor and Director General of the PDP Presidential Campaign Council, Hon. Aminu Tambuwal, at the grand finale of the party’s presidential campaign rally in Yola, Adamawa State…yesterday

Obi Reiterates Plan to Retool Nigeria from Consumer to Productive Nation Explains why he campaigns in the markets

Emameh Gabriel in Abuja The presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Mr. Peter Obi, has again promised to lead the charge to reset and retool Nigeria turning it from a consumer nation to a productive one.

Obi gave the reassurance in a series of tweets yesterday, hours after a mass rally held in Abuja by the movement, as part of his message to conscientise Nigeria’s voting public ahead of the allimportant presidential election.

This is as Obi explained yesterday why he visits markets for campaigns, saying that he is attracted to markets because they are centres of production, manufacturing and distribution, as well as the hub of small and medium scale enterprises upon

which the Nigerian economy rests.

Obi assured Nigerians that if voted in, he and his running mate, Yusuf Datti Baba-Ahmad, will bring the all-encompassing change that will take Nigeria to where it is supposed to be.

The Labour Party standard bearer tweeted: “Fellow Nigerians, we are down to crunch time – 7 Days to the Main Day. Our strength is in our diversity.”

In the tweet, Obi declared: “Fellow Nigerians, we are down to crunch time – 7 Days to the Main Day. Our strength is in our diversity.”

“We need to reset and reboot Nigeria in all ramifications –leadership and governance, security of life and properties, economic and political freedom.

We must celebrate our shared

values and responsibilities.”

Obi further said, if elected, the change he and Datti will seek will be all-encompassing.

“We will bring back patriotism and national pride. Loyalty should be to God and country.

The constitution and rule of law will have primacy.”

The former Anambra State governor in a specific message to youths in particular, stated that he came into the race for them.

He further said; “In this march to freedom, I have not come out for myself! I have come out for the millions of youths that are losing hope in our beloved country.

“Datti and I, wish to deliver a new Nigeria that is possible! I have come out for the millions of women who are afraid of tomorrow and what it holds for

them and their children. “ I have come out for the poor who are asking whether it’s a sin to be a Nigerian! For them, I have come! For them, Datti has come.

“Our message has been consistent. Nigeria is not bereft of the required human capital necessary for good leadership.

Nigeria is also not bereft of good governance ideas and plans.”

Meanwhile, Obi yesterday explained why he visits markets for campaigns, saying that he is attracted to markets because they are centres of production, manufacturing and distribution, as well as the hub of small and medium scale enterprises upon which the Nigerian economy rests.

Obi had yesterday embarked on an open tour of markets within the Trade Fair Complex in Lagos,

Former Ghanaian President, Mahama, Leads WAEF Election Mediation Team to Nigeria Chuks Okocha in Abuja The West African Elders Forum (WAEF) made up of former leaders in the sub-region, has concluded arrangements to deploy a mediation team to Nigeria ahead of the 2023 general polls.

A statement by Wealth Dickson Ominabo, Communications Officer, of the Goodluck Jonathan Foundation, said the team led by former Ghanaian President John Mahama, is billed to arrive in Abuja on February 22, 2023.

Ominabo added the team is expected to be on the ground for the February 25 presidential and National Assembly elections, as well as the March 11, 2023, state elections.

Other members of the team include former Beninese President Boni Yayi, Fatoumata Tambajang, former Vice President of the Gambia, former Burkinabe Prime Minister and President of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), Kadre Ouedraogo and Dr. Erastus Mwencha, former Deputy Chair of the African Union (AU).

Speaking ahead of their arrival, the Executive Director of the Goodluck Jonathan Foundation

and Coordinator of the WAEF Secretariat, Ann Iyonu, said the focus and activities of the forum, which is made up of former Presidents and Heads of Government in West Africa, is to interface with key stakeholders and provide the necessary support that would ensure peaceful elections. She explained that the leaders would be working with key stakeholders in the elections as well as the observer missions, to ensure a crisis-free process before, during, and after the elections.

She said further: “Unlike other observation missions, the forum has a special focus on election-related conflicts, and the elders will be on the ground for a longer time, interacting with the candidates, political parties and members, the citizens, the election umpire, observers, and other key stakeholders; all the time looking out for crisis triggers, with the mind of nipping them in the bud by offering mediatory roles and giving relevant advice to ensure peaceful polling, based on their personal experiences as former leaders of the sub-region, while calling for individual accountability by those who by their actions or inactions undermine the democratic process and endanger lives.”

During the Gambian elections last December, WAEF carried out a similar engagement where they deployed a team led by former Nigerian President, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan.

The presence of the WAEF team in the Gambia and their mediatory activities, especially after the elections, helped to resolve post-election tensions that threatened the integrity and outcome of the polling.

The statement said the WAEF team will be in Abuja next week to witness the second signing of the National Peace Accord by the presidential candidates and chairpersons of political parties, which is aimed not only at ensuring peaceful electioneering but also at committing the candidates to accept the outcome of the elections.

It would be recalled that ahead of the 2023 general election, WAEF deployed a three-man delegation to Nigeria to undertake a pre-election mediation mission.

The delegation made up Ernest Bai Koroma, former President of Sierra Leone; Fatoumata Tambajang, former Vice President of the Gambia, and Dr. Mohammed Ibn Chambers; former President

of the ECOWAS Commission and former Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General and Head of the UNOWAS had strategic engagements with key stakeholders from 4th to 6th December 2022.

The West African Elders Forum, an initiative of the Foundation, was established to serve as a home-grown and non-partisan platform for past heads of state and government in West Africa.

As a platform, the forum draws on the experience and standing of its members to provide advisory, mediation, and conflict resolution support services to the political leaders by bringing useful and non-partisan insights and skills for defusing tension and reconciling positions for the sake of the sustenance and advancement of democracy not only in West Africa but the entire continent.

It also works on various democracy promotion, peace and security, and governance initiatives in the sub-region. Its overarching motivation is to work with other stakeholders to limit instability and violence and to advance the integrity of the democratic process.

and major plank of Obi’s campaign rests on production.

He has repeatedly said that he would move Nigeria’s economy from consumption to production if elected president.

The LP candidate said the

quickest way to realize this plan of action is to make our markets the epicenter of economic activities.

Obi who likes to describe himself as a trader said he connects well with the business community because he is one of them.

APEX MUSLIM BODY, NSCIA, RELEASES 5-POINT DEMAND FOR NEXT NIGERIAN PRESIDENT the structure of our economy, the greatest sector and one with the capacity to expand and absorb the most in agriculture.

“We, therefore, expect the incoming government to give it a priority. Here it is important to emphasise the need to make a paradigm shift from production to processing because that is how value chains are fixed, jobs provided and prosperity created,” it pointed out.

On its demand for more infrastructure, it stated that over the last quarter of a century, Nigeria’s infrastructure has continued to decay and has affected the economy.

“One particularly critical sector is the power sector. From 1999 to date, we have compromised our power sector reform, not because of the dearth of ideas but because of the absence of political will and the inordinate greed of government officials.

“We expect the incoming president and his government to end this anomaly. There are experts with knowledge of the sector, who have what it takes to bring back sufficient electricity to power our industries.

“We expect the incoming government to identify them and work diligently to restore power to this country which has groped in the dark for too long. We also need to have a sustainable energy plan that will unleash our natural resources while protecting the environment.

“Other critical areas of infrastructure include improving roads and rail, recharging the Lake Chad waters to boost agriculture, arresting desertification and boosting digital literacy,” it stated.

The NSCIA further harped on the need to grow Nigeria’s human capital, stressing that this is critical to economic recovery and the future of the country.

In global competitiveness, the group said that this area remains Nigeria’s comparative advantage as 65 per cent of the population is under 35 years of age.

“At the moment, the records show that we have the largest out-of-school children in the world.

Our girl-child enrolment presents another worrying statistic, with implications for our development.

“If we can educate this population and give them basic health care, they alone can be a powerful momentum in our economy. We expect the incoming government to come up with a plan to educate and skill these nearly 20 million out-of-school children.

“We also expect the incoming government to come up with a plan to fund education and to re-invent our public universities so that they can rise to international standards and meet the manpower needs of our industries at home,” the NSIA explained.

While it noted that governments exist to protect lives and property and provide for the welfare of citizens, the Muslim organisation said that the first parameter of evaluation of governments is service delivery.

However, it argued the service delivery capacity of the governments of Nigeria at all levels has been dismal.

“We need an incoming government that will pay immediate and serious attention to this all-important issue. In modern governance, this is usually done by developing what is called ‘Key Performance Indicators’ (KPI) for every ministry and government establishment.

“This is evaluated periodically against pre-determined and established deliverables. One of the greatest challenges to delivering KPIs and government performance is of course corruption.

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News Editor: Gboyega Akinsanmi E-mail: gboyega.akinsanmi@thisdaylive.com,08152359253

MENTORING FUTURE LEADERS… L-R: Lagos State Commissioner for Establishment, Training and Pensions, Mrs. Ajibola Ponnle; Medical Director, Governor’s Office Clinic, Dr. Olarenwaju Jakande-Abioye; one of the 30 graduates of the Lateef Jakande Leadership Academy, Ogechukwu Obah; Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu; and State Deputy Governor, Dr. Obafemi Hamzat, at the official launch of the Lateef Jankande Leadership Academy in Lagos …recently

Kachikwu: INEC Frustrating Me from Partaking in Presidential Poll Sunday Aborisade in Abuja The embattled presidential candidate of African Democratic Congress, Mr. Dumebi Kachikwu has accused the Independent National Electoral Commission of deliberately frustrating his chances to contest the forthcoming elections.

Kachikwu, already expelled from the party for alleged antiparty activities, also claimed that he would no longer adopt the presidential candidate of Labour

Party, Mr. Peter Obi He made the allegation at a session with journalists in his office in Abuja while vowing not to quit the presidential contest.

He also said the action of the electoral umpire would not force him to adopt any frontline presidential candidate due to frustration.

He noted with concern that INEC despite a court verdict, which terminated the tenure of Chief Ralph Nwosu as the Chairman

Oshiomhole: Obaseki Leading Government with Legitimacy Adibe Emenyonu in Benin City Former National Chairman of All Progressives Congress (APC), Mr. Adams Oshiomhole yesterday said Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki was leading a government with huge crises of confidence and legitimacy.

Oshiomhole, also former governor of Edo State, berated Obaseki for calling for his arrest over alleged instigation of protest in the state last week over the scarcity of new Naira notes.

He made the remarks at a session with journalists in Benin-City yesterday, faulting the governor for calling for his arrest.

At the session, Oshiomhole declared that his successor did not have the power to order the

arrest of a citizen and that his position was part of the reasons people had reservations about state police, which could easily be abused by some state governors.

He said: “The law is very clear on it. If a crime has been committed, it is up to the security agencies to investigate. If they find someone who they think may have had the need to invite, the person is invited for questioning.

“The police have not and I will be surprised if they have now degenerated to taking orders from a politician who is faced with the crisis of confidence. The people have been voting against him.

“There are huge issues of the legitimacy of his government. He thinks he can order police to arrest whoever he considers to be his political opponent.

MCSN Congratulates Tems, Seeks Better Funding of NCC The Musical Copyright Society Nigeria Ltd/Gte (MCSN) has congratulated Grammy Award winner, Temilade Openiyi aka Tems for her achievement.

The MCSN chief also called for better funding of the Nigerian Copyright Commission as a way of protecting the interest of artistes so that they can begin to take acting very seriously.

Commenting on the award in a network Radio Nigeria (Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria), interview at the weekend, the Chief Executive Officer of the MCSN, Mr. Mayo Ayilaran showered encomiums on her

for the achievement and spoke about other issues in entertainment.

“The Nigerian artistes have been making their mark on the world entertainment stage. And this is evidence that Nigeria is a great country. And we are making our mark in the field of science, agriculture and all other human endeavour, that Nigerian musicians are being recognized and winning awards, particularly at the Grammy level shows clearly that we have talent, we have created and Nigeria is a great country” He reacted to a question on the assessment of Nigeria musicians’ contribution to the world stage.

of the party, has continued to relate with him and his team.

He specifically said the decision of the electoral umpire to release the agents code to Nwosu was a big threat to his presidential ambition and the aspirations of other ADC candidates across the country.

He said: “As you are all aware, Justice Binta Nyako of the Federal High Court gave a ruling on December 20, last year affirming the end of the tenure of the Ralph Nwosu led NWC and nullifying

all actions taken by the illegal body from the end of August 2022 till the date of the ruling.

“This ordinarily should have put an end to the crisis in the African Democratic Congress, but an obviously biased INEC failed to obey this ruling and continued their unholy alliance with Ralph Nwosu.

“I and other candidates of my party were unable to present any agents to represent us in the forthcoming elections as INEC

released the agent codes to the Nwosu faction of the party.

“After achieving their nefarious objectives, in the last week, the same INEC has now written to Senator Mrs. Patricia Akwashiki, the Board Of Trustees Chairman of our party affirming and accepting that there exists a leadership vacuum within the party since the tenure of Ralph Nwosu had since lapsed and asking for arbitration between the factions in the party.

“This is very disingenuous of INEC because they only chose to do this after the deadline for agent submission had elapsed.

“ADC candidates across the country have informed me that the same agent codes have been sold by the Nwosu faction to the highest bidder from other parties.

“INEC has not only damaged and frustrated my candidacy and that of most candidates in my party, but they have undermined the integrity of the elections.

Police Arrest Female Gunrunner, Seven Others in Zamfara Innocent Onuminya in Sokoto The Zamfara State Police Command had arrested a female gunrunner who specialises in supplying arms and ammunition to bandits operating in the state The spokesperson of the State Police Command, Mohammed Shehu made this known while addressing newsmen at the police headquarters in Gusau

town the state capital on Friday.

Shehu said the woman, Fatima Sani, 35 years old, was arrested following an intelligence report that she was bringing arms and ammunition to bandits in Zamfara State from Lafiya town in Nasarawa State.

He stated that on 13th February 2023, police detectives arrested the suspected female gunrunner in possession of 325 rounds of live ammunition,

following the intelligence information obtained about her movement with the said exhibit from Lafia in Nassarawa State to a notorious bandit’s kingpin operating in Zamfara forest.

“In the course of interrogation, the suspect confessed to have been into the business and that she had earlier supplied three (3) AK-47 rifles and one thousand (1000) rounds of AK47 live ammunition to bandits

operating within Zamfara.

A discreet investigation is in progress and the suspect will be charged to court for prosecution.”

Similarly, the Zamfara police arrested members of a six-man gang including a thirty-year-old kidnapper who masterminded the abduction of his own mother and was given N1m after the payment of N30 million as a ransom for her release.

IG Orders Probe of Three Officers for Extra-judicial Killings The Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Usman Alkali, has ordered investigation of three high-ranking police officers serving in Anambra State accused of involvement in illegal arrests and extra-judicial killings, among others.

The force spokesperson, Olumuyiwa Adejobi, disclosed this in a statement on Friday.

Adejobi, a chief superintendent of police, gave the names of the affected officers as Patrick Agbazue,

Nkeiruka Nwode and Harrison Akama.

Agbazue, a chief superintendent of police, serves as officer-in-charge of Rapid Response Squad (RRS) Unit of the police in Anambra State, while Ms Nwode, a superintendent of police, is the spokesperson in Zone 13 Headquarters of the police.

Akama, an inspector, is attached to the RRS unit of the police in Anambra.

Earlier, a Nigerian news blog

had published a report accusing the officers of engaging in illegal arrest, torture, extortion and extra-judicial killings of their victims.

The blog claimed that the officers “illegally” arrested their victims, labeled them as “unknown gunmen” and then tortured them to accept the labeling before killing them and taking possession of their vehicles and other valuables.

Gunmen have been carrying out deadly attacks mainly on

government facilities and security agencies in Anambra State and other parts of south-east Nigeria.

On Friday, after the publication by the news blog, many Nigerians on various social media platforms, began calling for the arrest and prosecution of the officers.

Mr Adejobi said the order by the IGP to investigate the affected officers was in response to the “weighty allegations” against them.

Appeal Court Dismisses ITF’s Suit against Pan Atlantic University Wale Igbintade The Lagos Division of the Court of Appeal has dismissed an appeal filed by the Industrial Training Fund (ITF) challenging the judgment of Justice Saliu Saidu of the Federal High Court, in Lagos over remittances to fund.

Justice Saidu had in his judgment held that the ITF Act does not apply to educational, and not-for-profit organisations.

The suit, which was filed by the ITF Governing Council against Pan Atlantic University, claimed that the university was in default of Section 6(1) of the ITF Act and thus owed ITF a liquidated debt of N450,000,000 as the total outstanding statutory contributions.

But, the lower court in its ruling, held that ITF’s use of the provisions of Section 6(1) of the ITF (Amendment) Act 2011

to levy universities and NGOs is unlawful.

Dissatisfied, the ITF in its notice of appeal marked CA/L/996/2018 appealed against the judgment and prayed the court to allowed the appeal, and set aside the judgment of the lower court.

The appellant argued, amongst other things, that the non-payment of dividends or bonuses by the university did not render it a non-profit

making organisation and that the university’s objects revolved around the provision of goods and services.

But counsel to the university, Prof Fabian Ajogwu, SAN of Kenna Partners, in opposition, argued that an employer, as defined underSection16oftheIndustrialTraining (Amendment)Act, is a person engaged in industry or commerce and that the university only provided learning facilities.

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Editor: Festus Akanbi 08038588469 Email:festus.akanbi@thisdaylive.com

Expectations from New NLC President Veteran journalist and trade union activist, Joe Ajaero, recently emerged as the new President of the Nigeria Labour Congress through a rancour-free process. Onyebuchi Ezigbo examines the huge tasks ahead of the new labour leader, especially in a transition year

D

elegates of the Nigeria Labour Congress 1/& D΀OLDWH XQLRQV recently gathered in Abuja to elect a veteran trade unionist, Joe Ajaero, as the new President of the congress. Ajaero replaced Ayuba Wabba, who served in that capacity for eight years.

Before he was elected NLC president, Ajaero had served as the General Secretary of the National Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE), where he played a remarkable role in the labour movement and was a key member of the NLC collective bargaining and negotiation team. He also led the electricity workers to a series of engagements with the federal government over the welfare of the union members. $ GRJJHG ÀJKWHU $MDHUR OHG D VWURQJ opposition against the federal government after the privatisation of the electricity sector. In many instances, Ajaero had led the workers to defy government threats and embarked on nationwide strikes, shutting down the entire electricity infrastructure to compel the authorities to address workers’ welfare issues.

His election as the new President of the NLC has sparked speculation about what to expect during his tenure.

Aggressive Negotiations Some analysts believe that the emergence of Ajaero as the new NLC President signals another era of combative trade unionism in the country, akin to the Adams Oshiomhole days as the NLC president. With the coming of Ajaero, better known for his aggressive negotiation style and hardline stance on policy issues, the government shouldn’t expect robust engagements with the organised labour this time, but rather, it should be ready for tough times LQ FRQÁLFW UHVROXWLRQ Already from the tone of his acceptance speech after being sworn in, Ajaero sounded like someone who would not only keep the pace but also raise the tempo of the struggle for the right of workers. His pledge WR ÀJKW IRU EHWWHU OLYLQJ FRQGLWLRQV IRU WKH Nigerian masses immediately gave him out as someone prepared to go the extra mile beyond the mandate of demanding workers’ welfare.

Buoyed by the enormous support he JRW IURP GHOHJDWHV IURP YDULRXV D΀OLDWH unions who converged at the International Conference Centre in Abuja to elect him unopposed, Ajaero rolled out the agenda of the incoming leadership at the NLC. He said: “We shall seek to reconnect more strongly to build greater solidarities with the people of Nigeria rising once again to be WKH FDUULHUV RI WKHLU GHVLUHV DQG DPSOLÀHUV of their voices. We shall speak for the 133m Nigerians who are multi-dimensionally poor and seek platforms to lift the shackles of poverty from the shoulders of our people.

“We shall again be the true champions of the Nigerian people, crying their cries and jointly waging our wars against all forces of impoverishment and misrule.”

In addition, he pledged to campaign for the review of the nation’s Labour Laws through the National Labour Advisory Council (NLAC), which seems to have been stalled. He said this would ensure that all legal loopholes exploited by unscrupulous ZRUNSODFH SDUWQHUV WR UHVWULFW WKH HͿRUW at making our workplaces more decent

ing that Nigerians are protected from all anti-people policies and that corruption in administration is reduced to the barest minimum. At the same time, the government would be assisted to work for the majority.

Therefore, we shall robustly engage the government to stop the impunity and pervasive wickedness in the country in the name of petroleum product pricing”.

In the energy sector, Ajaero said he would stick to the position of organised labour on subsidy for imported petroleum products.

He warned against any attempt by the inFRPLQJ JRYHUQPHQW DIWHU 0D\ WR ÀUVW remove the subsidy on petroleum products before embarking on full rehabilitation of RXU SHWUROHXP UHÀQHULHV He made it very clear that the NLC, under his leadership, would declare a full battle against anyone who tries to remove the subsidy because Nigerian workers would not be allowed to go through any more economic hardship.

Ajaero work compliant are blocked.

A further indication of what to expect from the new NLC leadership was given when Ajaero said he would seek more profound engagement with governments at all levels more creatively in keeping with “our philosophical foundations and traditions.”

He stated that the approach would deepen existing engagements in various areas of our national lives while also opening new vistas to expand opportunities for Nigerian workers and people to freely express their capabilities and untie developmental factors in our nation over the next four years.

Collaboration According to Ajaero, NLC will seek with our social partners, including key national stakeholders, to build a nation that would EH PRUH LQFOXVLYH LQ DOO LWV UDPLÀFDWLRQV DQG fair to all Nigerians, especially Nigerian workers. Ensuring, therefore, the reduction LQ GHFHQW ZRUN GHÀFLWV DQG WKH PDLQVWUHDPing of the goals and outcomes of the SDGs will be a priority, including a drive for a more HͿHFWLYH 6RFLDO LQFOXVLRQ IUDPHZRUN ZLWK strong legal and institutional foundations.

When he urged all employers who owe their workers, especially state governments that have yet to implement the last national minimum wage, to resolve them to avoid our intervention immediately, Ajaero sounded like one who will not have patience with employers of labour owing workers’ entitlement.

2Q (OHFWULFLW\ 7DUL; Ajaero further said that the current elecWULFLW\ WDULͿ DQG SURYLVLRQLQJ UHPDLQHG stacked against Nigerian workers and masses, adding that the NLC will work with the government to bring sanity to bear on that sector.

“We urge the federal government again to review the privatisation of the electricity sector; a process both the government and all of us have agreed was mired in corruption “Nigeria is critically challenged and faces existential threats both from within and without. The trade union movement is likewise confronted, but the contradiction is that we are expected to be one of the key platforms in causing a national reawakening. It is now incumbent upon us to delve deeply into our historical resolve to purge ourselves, rebuild our strength, and reactivate our organic solidarities, including our broad solidarities, to strategically position ourselves to respond to He said the NLC, under his the yearnings and aspirations of Nigerian leadership, would pursue with workers and people.”

Under the new dispensation, Ajaero utmost urgency a new national minimum wage law that would recognises the importance of solidarity take into consideration the objec- DQG SDUWQHUVKLS ZLWK YDULRXV D΀OLDWHV DQG tive realities of our socio-economy, partners to strengthen to drive workers’ expand its reach to capture more agitation; hence he said that the strength workers, and create variables and of NLC as a labour centre would be built thresholds for automatic adjust- RQ WKH VWUHQJWK DQG FDSDFLWLHV RI D΀OLDWH PHQW RI WKH QDWLRQ·V ZDJH ÁRRU WR unions. avoid unnecessary politicking and NLC-ASUU impunity by our employers and Another thing to watch out for is the UHGXFH WKH VXͿHULQJ RI 1LJHULDQ growing solidarity between the NLC and workers.

Ajaero said the NLC’s engage- WKH OHDGHUVKLS RI WKH $FDGHPLF 6WDͿ 8QLRQ ment with the government would of Universities (ASUU).

With a combination of Ajaero as NLC assist governments in cutting down on the cost of governance; “cut out president and Prof. Emmanuel Osodeke fats and reduce the opportunities calling the shots at ASUU, the incoming for fat cats to raid the economy.” JRYHUQPHQW ZLOO ÀQG WKH GXR D WRXJK QXW “We shall seek our inclusion in to crack in times of labour dispute.

While criticising the outgoing administravarious policy cycles and join hands with government to establish the tion for causing the current economic chaos, supremacy of due process in public as evidenced by the currency swap crisis life, thus dismantling all structures and scarcity of petroleum products, ASUU and vestiges of rent-seeking, wastes, stated that it would work with patriotic and misappropriation in public Nigerians in labour and civil society to resist anti-people policies and alleviate governance.”

SHRSOH·V VXͿHULQJ Osodeke had said in a statement on the Hardline Position of Fuel SubFXUUHQW VWDWH RI DͿDLUV LQ WKH FRXQWU\ WKDW sidy Removal Promising to protect Nigerian ASUU would work closely with the new workers against any oppressive leadership of the NLC and other patriotic policies, Ajaero said, “NLC shall Nigerians to protect and further the interests continue in its tradition of ensur- and well-being of all Nigerians at all times.

16

THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER FEBRUARY 19 , 2023

ENERGY not categorically come out and said they have changed the price. What is happening is just an adjustment to market reality. And it’s based on business decisions and for the marketers to have some margin.

“For us in NMDPRA, it’s just to ensure that the whole place is wet and that we enforce compliance to the agreed principles at the meeting. I cannot tell you right here WKDW WKLV LV WKH R΀FLDO SULFH EXW WKH SXPS price has been adjusted based on market reality, and that’s what we’re following.

“So, that price which varies from one state to the other, is what we are going to monitor and ensure that every marketer sells according to what was agreed upon.

If the government wants to come out and VD\ WKLV LV WKH R΀FLDO SULFH WKDW ZLOO EH done by the right quarters.”

A long queue of vehicles waiting for fuel

Dissecting Intractable Petrol Scarcity In this piece, Peter Uzoho posits that regulatory authorities and managers of Nigeria’s downstream oil sector have not lived up to their responsibilities in preventing or addressing the recurring petrol scarcity that always plunges Nigerians into untold hardship whenever it occurs

F

or the past few months, Nigerians have been subjected to excruciating pains imposed on them by the scarcity of petrol ravaging the country.

The problem is compounded by the seeming lack of lasting solution from the authorities and industry managers, especially the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, the sole petrol importer and the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA).

At the moment, despite the subsidy regime being operated in the country where the government spends a humongous amount of money on imported petrol annually, the pump price of the product has hit the roof.

Depending on the location one lives, petrol has been selling for between N250 and N650 per litre for the past few months, even when WKH JRYHUQPHQW FODLPHG WKDW WKH R΀FLDO regulated pump price was N165 before it secretly adjusted it to N185 last January.

Today, Nigerians are coming to terms ZLWK GLͿHUHQW IXHO SULFHV UDQJLQJ EHWZHHQ N250 to N650 per litre as obtained in many ÀOOLQJ VWDWLRQV HVSHFLDOO\ WKRVH RZQHG E\ members of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN).

However, a litre of petrol is sold at a UHJXODWHG SULFH RI 1 DW 113&·V ÀOOLQJ stations and that of the Major Oil Marketers Association of Nigeria (MOMAN).

Despite this price disparity, Nigerians are still scrambling for the product.

The ready response from the authorities -NNPC and NMDPRA alike has always been that there is enough petrol in stock and that the people are only engaging in panic

EX\LQJ DPRQJVW RWKHU ÁLPV\ UHVSRQVHV NMDPRA Serving Marketers’ Interest Nigerians have described the NMDPRA as a toothless bulldog as it cannot sanction or reprimand erring marketers engaging LQ VKDUS SUDFWLFHV DQG FDXVLQJ DUWLÀFLDO fuel scarcity.

Worse still, the regulator has refused to tell Nigerians what the actual pump price of petrol is currently but has continued to watch marketers hike prices as they like.

Shockingly, the Zonal Coordinator, Southwest, NMDPRA, Mr. Ayo Cardoso, appeared on ARISE NEWS Channel last Sunday night and bluntly refused to disclose the current pump price of petrol when asked to do so by the interviewers.

In January, the government secretly increased the ex-depot price and pump price of petrol from N148 to N170 or thereabout and N165 to N185, respectively.

The same government also denied making any changes in prices when they faced backlash from both the media and the masses.

But Cardoso, who admitted that there were adjustments to the components of the pricing template as detected by the marketing companies, said on national television that he would not disclose the current price of petrol to Nigerians.

He said: “I will start by saying that the initial template that we use to determine the R΀FLDO SULFH KDV QRW FKDQJHG EXW WKH IDFWRUV surrounding it, the reality right now shows that that particular template is no (longer) workable. So, the federal government has now adjusted the template.

“But what is happening right now is that, for reality’s sake, the marketers and the oil

companies now came together and say, this is not working, what do we do to make sure that the populace does QRW VXͿHU" $QG WKH\ DOO GHFLGHG WKDW to have some margins, there must EH DGMXVWPHQWV WR WKH R΀FLDO SULFH ´6R LI \RX DVN PH ZKDW WKH R΀FLDO price is, I will tell you that this is an adjustment based on market reality and the stakeholders. A meeting was held two weeks ago. So at that meeting, everybody came together to decide the going price, look at the margin appropriate for the public to buy fuel, and for the marketers to make some gain.”

He attributed the adjustment to the pump prices to the rise in the cost of transporting fuel from the high sea to the depots using smaller vessels known as daughter’s vessels. According to him, the cost of chattering those vessels around January was about $19,000 daily.

Still, the cost has gone up to about $60,000 in Lagos-Lagos, while at Warri, Port Harcourt, and Calabar, the price jumped from $30,000 in January to about $80,000.

He said the additional cost translated to the biggest problem that warranted the stakeholders to agree on a margin that would be workable for everybody.

Cardoso maintained, “So, I will not ZDQW WR VD\ WKLV LV WKH R΀FLDO SULFH But an adjustment was made to the R΀FLDO SULFH ZKLFK YDULHV IURP VWDWH to state after the meeting.

“Just like I’ve said before, I want to let you know that government has

Marketers Blame Subsidy, High Operational Cost However, while Nigerians condemn the PDUNHWLQJ FRPSDQLHV IRU FDXVLQJ DUWLÀFLDO VFDUFLW\ DQG SURÀWHHULQJ WKH PDUNHWHUV claim that the supply and distribution hiccup is not their fault. They blame the subsidy regime that has led to arbitrage in the petrol marketing business as the main cause of the problem.

Although the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) now in place made provision for the deregulation of the downstream sector and the removal of subsidy, the federal government in January last year jettisoned that section of the law. Instead, it postponed it by 18 months -June this year.

The oil marketers have argued that because of the subsidy regime and low margin on petrol, the downstream sector KDV VXͿHUHG \HDUV RI XQGHULQYHVWPHQW which they believe is partly responsible for the recurring supply gap.

According to the immediate past Chairman of the Major Oil Marketers Association of Nigeria (MOMAN) and Managing Director of 11Plc (formerly Mobil Nigeria Plc), Mr. Adetunji Oyebanji, the many years RI XQGHULQYHVWPHQW LQ UHÀQHULHV GHSRWV YHVVHOV SLSHOLQHV WUXFNV DQG ÀOOLQJ VWDWLRQV are now coming back to hurt the country.

For instance, he said that the daughter vessels they use to lighter products from the NNPC’s mother vessels on the high sea DUH IHZ DQG H[SHQVLYH PDNLQJ LW GL΀FXOW for them to go and pick products from the high sea.

He added that the cost of renting those daughter’s vessels has skyrocketed to as high as over $65,000 per day and that there is no way they will recover their cost with the product selling below the appropriate market price due to subsidy.

Oyebanji added that even the trucks that convey petrol across the country have declined in number due to breakdowns and a lack of new ones to replace the broken ones, leading to a decline in the volume RI VXSSO\ WR ÀOOLQJ VWDWLRQV He said that the subsidy has led to arbitrage in the system, whereby some transporters now divert petrol meant for a particular to another place where the product will be bought at a price higher than the normal SULFH DQG PDNH PRUH SURÀW LQ WKH HQG Chairman of the Ijegun-Egba Tank Farm Owners Association and Chief Executive 2΀FHU RI (PDGHE (QHUJ\ /LPLWHG 0U Debo Olujimi, also stated that apart from the high cost of renting daughters, another factor that makes their operation so costly is the multiple charges levied by the federal government agencies.

According to Olujimi, the agency fees charged marketers by the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), and the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) are all charged in dollars instead of naira.

7KH PDUNHWLQJ FRPSDQLHV DOVR ÀQJHU WKH scarcity of foreign exchange as another major problem impacting their ability to be fully involved in the distribution chain of the petroleum marketing business.

They complain that only NNPC gets GROODUV DW WKH R΀FLDO &HQWUDO %DQN UDWH arguing that they cannot cope with buying dollars at the parallel market because it is too expensive and doesn’t make good commercial sense.

17

T H I S DAY,, T H E S U N DAY N E W S PA P E R • FEBRUARY 19, 2023

SOFT FINANCE with AYO AROWOLO The only column you may need to read on everything personal finance, money, investing -and other life matters

EMAIL: AYO.AROWOLO@THISDAYLIVE.COM PHONE: 08086447494( SMS ONLY)

Naira Swap: Another Moment For Personal Reinvention?

When Covid-19 struck, it came like a sudden storm that caught everyone unawares and left in its trail palpable disruptions. But it also created a series of opportunities for those who were able to reinvent themselves.

With the brewing crisis arising from the twin issues of naira swap and the lingering fuel scarcity, not a few experts are already suggesting it would be wise for discerning persons to start planning for personal reinvention if they want to coast through the turbulence with little or no disruption. I am persuaded that you would find these eight tips and lessons on attitude shared with me a while ago by Dr. Sam Adeyemi, a global leadership coach and expert on personal development and self mastery, to be very relevant and useful. Enjoy Reinvent yourself.

This key to success is very, very critical.

Reinventing yourself. Once you have a dream, you begin to set goals, you make plans, and you take action. It is inevitable; things will begin to work for you. Things may not work perfectly. We do not live in a perfect world. But with persistence, when you learn from your mistakes, you try again.

However, how do you move from one level of success to the other?

I remember an experience I had with reinventing myself with respect to marriage.

I went on a weekend retreat and I took along with me, Men Are from Mars, Women are From Venus by John Gray. By the time I came back, I was a different man. I was on a new level as a married man. Why? John Gray explained that the way men communicate is different from the way women communicate. Men use words to express facts while women use words to express emotions. Most times when men listen to women, they take what a woman is saying as fact when all that a woman is trying to communicate is her emotion.

When she is feeling extremely unhappy, she exaggerates, and uses hyperbolic words like “never take me out”. A man takes that as facts and begins to argue with her and produces proof of how he has taken her out before. The more he punctures her argument the more frustrated she is because he is not hearing her, she wants him to take her out.

That is the solution. As I was reading the book, I saw myself in the book. I had made so many mistakes. I was smiling to myself.

When I came back I was a different man.

Your Mind is the Most Important Asset Candidly, the most difficult problem I have encountered is changing my thinking.

I teach people that they need to change their thinking. If their thinking can change, their lives would change. But I always add that the reason many people’s lives don’t change is that it is hard to change one’s thinking. In fact, it is warfare. Thoughts have a way of strengthening themselves in the mind over time to the extent that the Bible describes a mindset as a stronghold. You see when thoughts come into our minds, they are in a fluid state. If they stay there long enough, they solidify. I found out that with persistence, mindsets do change and with that success beyond imagination follows.

Worry Won’t Solve Any Problem Many things did not work out as I had planned when I graduated. I was not getting satisfaction in the engineering company I was working with. My dad’s construction business I was banking on had crashed before I graduated. I was a director in the company with plans that I could take over.

With the future appearing bleak, I would always retire to a lonely place brooding over my lot. This was almost a daily affair until one day I heard the still small voice in my heart and I knew it was God’s voice. He said, “Write down all the things that are working positively in your life right now.” I took my pen and I wrote, I am 23 years old. I am a site engineer on a multi-million-naira project.

work like that. It takes time. Today, travelling is no longer an issue for me.

More Money Won’t Make You Rich Without Discipline

Dr. Adeyemi

I am an associate pastor in the fastest-growing church in the city. My parents are alive, and my siblings are alive. I am healthy. As I went on and on, it dawned on me that God was trying to get a message across to me. My mind was focused on what was not working in my life and God wanted me to realise there were many things that were working positively in my life.

Then I heard that voice in my heart; “There is no amount of worrying you will do today that will make me do today, what I have decided to do tomorrow.” Oh my God, that was a blast. When you worry, you are paying interest on an overdraft you never took! Does it make any sense?

Success Is Not A Day’s Job I remember during those 20 months when I was trying to get a job after graduation. I had begun to learn lessons on faith as a spiritual force for creating whatever you want and I decided to try it out. I had wanted to use my faith to get a ticket to travel out of the country out of frustration. None worked out. That got me frustrated a little bit more. I said, “Hold on, are you sure these principles really work?”

What am I saying? Give yourself time. There is no amount of heat that can make a block of ice melt instantly. I know sometimes when we have experienced failure, when we have experienced deprivation, we want things to happen all of a sudden, but it just doesn’t

Several years ago, when I was a student in school, something happened. A friend asked to use my bank account to keep his money. The Federal Government at that time had decided to change the currency for the whole country.

Everybody was required to take their cash and dump it in their bank accounts. Then the bank would give us new notes.

My friend didn’t have a bank account so he gave me his money to keep in my account and that became one of the greatest temptations that I had experienced until that time. The money was in my account and I began to give out my friend’s money as loans without asking him.

It was with the intention that I would return the money somewhere along the line. But I was borrowing money that I had no capacity to pay back. Eventually, it became a big issue, a big source of embarrassment to me.

Anyway, I have learnt my lesson. You don’t spend money that is not yours. You don’t spend money that you don’t have. You may feel good temporarily when you are spending the money.

However, it will catch up with you and the embarrassment will be enormous.

There are many excuses that we give ourselves, especially when it comes to the issue of money.

We have those excuses that seem to be genuine for breaking the rules. The truth is, if you don’t have character, you don’t have anything.

Success Always Comes With A Balance Some people who have been deprived like I was when I was young want to get money by all means. The important thing to them is breaking through financially. However, I have discovered it is one of the tricks life plays on us. When we are deprived of something, we tend to overvalue the importance of that thing in our lives to the point where we can throw our lives out of balance.

If you make all the money in the world and in the process, you break your health, how will you enjoy the money when your health is broken? Success must therefore come with a balance. When I was still young in the ministry, invitations were pouring in and I was all over keeping all those appointments without paying any attention to my family.

I made a hard choice to turn down most of those invitations so I could spend time with my family. I decided to prioritise my family. I decided to put my life in balance. I discovered that whenever I set my goals at the beginning of the year, the only written goals that I set were for my job. I did not have any written goals for the family; I did not even have them for my health.

So I began to set my goals in all areas. I would set goals first for my spiritual life; my prayer life, how I would read the bible and

Candidly, the most difficult problem I have encountered is changing my thinking. I teach people that they need to change their thinking. If their thinking can change, their lives would change. But I always add that the reason many people’s lives don’t change is that it is hard to change one’s thinking

my worship of God. Then I set goals for the family--the birthdays we will celebrate, the wedding anniversary with my wife. I decided to take a week off with my wife every year. We would go someplace where nobody knows us and spend time together, giving her full attention. I decided we were going to have family vacations once every year, three or four weeks, a time for family bonding.

I discovered, if you don’t have values, you won’t have value. True success comes with a balance. So I set goals for my spiritual life, my family, my career, my finances and my health.

You Need Your Body to Achieve Your Goals There is a need to take a break once in a while. That is why I take vacations a few times during the year. Do you know what I discovered? I discovered that during vacation when I am not exerting myself, I get some of the most innovative and creative ideas that I put into my work.

So this is one of the greatest lessons that life has taught me. You need your body to achieve your goals. However lofty your dreams may be, if you break down your health, you’ll have nothing else to do. Health will become your vision. Health will become your preoccupation; you won’t be able to achieve anything. Just a slight change of attitude, trying to eat a balanced diet and checking your health regularly, can go a long way in keeping you alive and long enough to see the fulfilment of all your dreams.

Location Won’t Change Who You Are Archbishop Benson Idahosa once said that a lizard in Nigeria will not become a crocodile in America. He was trying to address a mindset that many of us in the third world have. We say that if only we could go to the western nations, if only we could go to the countries that look so beautiful in the movies and in the magazines, then our lives would change. There are many who assume that if they could just land at the airport, they would just change instantly.

Their fortunes would change if they arrived in a developed country.

Now the lesson; if you really, really want to change your life, change your thinking.

You can change your thinking right where you are. There is nowhere on earth where there is no opportunity as long as there are people around us who have needs in their lives. When we develop the capacity to meet their needs, then we realise that we have the capacity to create wealth and succeed.

Right where you are, you are sitting on acres of diamonds. There are phenomenal opportunities around you. I wanted to run away from my country but when my mindset changed and I began to look for opportunities to add value to people’s lives and to identify their needs, I became an asset, no longer a liability to the community. I did not realise that people needed what I had so much. And the more I have committed myself to adding value to people’s lives, all the dreams that I had, cars that I wanted to drive, and the places I wanted to go, they have come to pass.

THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER FEBRUARY 19 , 2023

18

PERSPECTIVE

As Benue Governor Finishes with Ortom-Atic Flourish Tunde Olusunle

Y

ou have to give it to Samuel Ioraer Ortom, Governor of Benue State. Benue is the geo-polity which savours the bragging rights of being the “food basket” of the nation. For emphasis, you are embraced into Makurdi, capital of the state, by a humongous artistic simulation of the agrarian essence of the state, at the triangular intersection, as you approach the city, from Yelwata and Agan. It is complete with select, albeit artistically simulated farm produce and local implements, for graphic emphasis. The preceding road leads variously from the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), and other routes from the North-west and North-central, through Nasarawa State.

That iconic “food basket” convergence, leads to Gboko and Otukpo respectively, the other two angles of the tripod of roads. Gboko and Otukpo are major towns in the state, and also ethno-cultural headquarters of the two major peoples of Benue, the Tiv and the Idoma. Both towns lead further, to two major geopolitical zones of Nigeria, the South-south and the South-east, respectively. This backdrop is apposite to help us situate the depths and distances to which produce emerging from the fecund soils of Benue State, travel for national, even international culinary arbitration.

To be sure, there are also active cross-border migrations of produce from Benue, into neighbouring Cameroun from the Zaki Biam area of the state, in Ukum Local Government Area.

It may be just a little over three months to the completion of Ortom’s second term in the driver’s seat of Benue State, but there is no slowing down for him. The stamina, the drive, the energy Ortom continues to invest in governance and development, is best compared with the exertions, the commitment a newcomer to the office he has occupied in the past eight years.

True, “freshmen” to Ortom’s kind of position are driven by that desire to impress and make a mark, within their “first 100 days” in office. The First Hundred Days concept was popularised by erstwhile American President, Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s regime and has become a global political concept.

Roosevelt, the 32nd President of the United States of America, (USA), was in office between 1933 until his demise in 1945. Ortom’s valedictory weeks and months have not been characterised by a slowing down in his work rate.

Rather, it has been one of accentuated intensity. He continues to feature on campaign podiums, project commissioning, meetings and interfaces with his constituents at various levels. He conscientiously manages his official schedule receiving official delegations and August guests who desire to see him.

But he has his distinctly Ortom style, outside of the “Benue unity colours” initiated by him, and since manifestly popularised by his people.

Benue people flaunt a multiplicity of apparels and regalia, the “amalgamated,” Ortom-created colours have spun. Between his personal accommodation; his formal workspace in Government House, Makurdi; his rest zone within the same premises, even his vehicle, Ortom himself is a veritable “mobile office.” To be sure, Ortom even while travelling to keep up with engagements does invite an aide from time to time, to discuss government matters, even while in motion. The last time I witnessed anything like this was during Olusegun Obasanjo’s regime. Baba, as

Ortom

we famously call him, can participate in an interview by a media organisation, riding between Aso Villa and the Nnamdi and International Airport (NAIA), Abuja.

Ortom’s schedule on Wednesday, February 15, 2023, typifies the breakneck programme he has prosecuted in recent times. He began his day at an “Interactive Session Between the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), and Critical Stakeholders in Benue State.”

Both as governor and candidate aspiring to the Senate of the Federal Republic to represent his people, it was imperative Ortom attended the event which he did. The broader canvas of the Benue electorate would subsequently be fed by him with his takeaways from the programme as the countdown to elections gains traction.

He would also commission the “Ultra Modern Institute for Almajiri Learning,” located at the “AGB Learning Centre,” North Bank, Makurdi, and inaugurate the Ortom Vanguard, Ayihe-Ugondo, also in Makurdi. The body is a support group launched in furtherance of Ortom’s senatorial bid. The governor will then lead his people to a campaign rally held at St. Mary’s Primary School, in Wurukum District, Makurdi. Same day, he engaged with political stakeholders from Buruku LGA. In between these various events, Ortom made out time to hold two private meetings.

These instances typify Ortom’s itinerary in just one day, starting from 9am and stretching to 8pm.

It was at that time that he led his officials to dinner in his home.

Very instructively, Ortom is actively participating in the very draining beginning-of-year fasting and prayers usually called by the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), his denomination.

Ortom not only worships in the church, he is also an elder in the leadership hierarchies. Ortom began his week Monday, February 13, with a visit to Gboko, the traditional and political headquarters of the Tiv nation.

There, the Tiv Area Traditional Council, (TATC), at its ijirtamen, the “Supreme Council Meeting” under the leadership of the Tiv paramount ruler, the Tor Tiv, His Royal Majesty, Prof James Ayatse, conferred on him the chieftaincy title of Inyamkyume i Tiv. His wife, Dr. Eunice Erdoo Ortom, received the title of Shima i Inyamkyume i Tiv. Inyamkyume is a dreaded creature which scares and terrifies beings which encountered it. The title relates to Ortom’s chest-front fearlessness in defending his people from the fangs of freestyle invaders, notably itinerant herdsmen.

They have relentlessly terrorised and traumatised the Benue valley in recent years and Ortom has forever stood his grounds against such ruinous adventurism which has upset the socioeconomic equilibrium of his people.

In what could be described as syndicated investitures of traditional titles on Ortom this season of his swansong, Ortom a week before the Tiv honour, had similarly been celebrated in Idoma land. Thursday February 9, 2023, the Och’Idoma, His Royal Majesty John Elaigwu Odogbo, installed Ortom the Ochikpaki L’Ogwabo K’Idoma, meaning “Defender of the Defenceless.”

His wife received the title Ogbonene K’Idoma, which translates as the “Kindhearted Daughter of Idoma land.” This was just as a modern palace, the seat of administration of the Och’Idoma was unveiled the same day. Ortom’s political twin, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike of Rivers State, was also conferred the title of Okokonjo K’Idoma, which translates as the “Unbreakable.”

Thursday February 16, 2023 after the enervating engagements of the previous day, the tireless Ortom chaired a meeting of the Benue State Executive Council, (BSEC). The converge usually holds on Wednesdays, but was taken up by the racy events of the previous day. He equally received a delegation of the Nigerian Union of Teachers (NUT), led by Levi Akuma, who came to demonstrate solidarity with him. His proposed out-of-state trip in furtherance of his engagements for the day, was kept in abeyance because of inclement weather conditions for his prescheduled flight.

Ortom would not let the window of opportunity provided by his botched trip slip idly by. He held private meetings with party leaders and stakeholders from Benue North West, also known as Zone B, bolstering his campaigns for his senatorial quest.

Ask him why he has revved up the pace of his engagements even in the twilight of his regime. A smiling Ortom reminds you he swore to serve his people with as much verve and conscientiousness all the way to the very end. There is nothing like a “pre-retirement leave” for him ahead of his disengagement from office on Monday, May 29, 2023, when he would formally handover to his successor.

The incumbent Speaker of the state House of Assembly, Titus Tyoapine Uba is the candidate of Ortom’s party, the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP), whose main challenger is Hyacinth Alia, a Catholic priest, of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Uba is favoured because he is candidate of the incumbent administration and the ruling party in the state.

Except for Ortom’s 2015 “default” ascent to office on the platform of the APC, Benue has been a bastion of the PDP since the beginning of the Fourth Republic. Ortom’s predecessors, George Akume (1999 to 2007), who is a serving minister, and Gabriel Torwua Suswam, (2007 to 2015), the incumbent Senator representing Benue North East (Zone A), were PDP governors. Ortom it would be recalled jettisoned the APC in the run-up to his 2019 reelection. Other PDP heavyweights in the state include David Alechenu Bonaventure Mark, Nigeria’s longest serving Senator to date (1999 to 2019), who was also Senate President for two terms (2007 to 2015).

There is also Abba Moro, Senator representing Zone C who was also minister during the regime of former President Goodluck Jonathan.

Olusunle, PhD, poet, journalist, scholar and author is a Member of the Nigerian Guild of Editors.

SUNDAY FEBRUARY 19, 2023 • T H I S D AY

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22

SUNDAY FEBRUARY 19, 2023 • T H I S D AY

23

T H I S D AY, T H E S U N D AY N E W S PA P E R ˾FEBRUARY 19, 2023

GLIT FOCUS

When Medical Negligence Becomes Criminal The recent conviction of the Medical Director of Excel Medical Centre, Dr. Ejike Orji, by a Lagos High Court is a timely warning to healthcare professionals to maintain ethical standards and avoid medical errors, writes Wale Igbintade

T

he importance of the medical profession to humanity cannot be over-emphasiSed. However, in the course of practice, legal issues often arise on ethical breaches, which if not arrested can undermine the integrity of the profession and erode people’s confidence in the

practitioners.

In recent times, there have been complaints of serious ethical violations by medical doctors, such as unnecessary surgeries, and negligence, which directly harms patients.

A few weeks ago, Justice Adedayo Akintoye of the Lagos High Court sitting at Tafawa Balewa Square, (TBS) sentenced the Medical Director of Excel Medical Centre, Dr. Ejike Orji, to oneyear imprisonment for causing grievous harm, negligence and endangering the life of a 16-yearold patient.

The court held that Dr. Orji acted below what is reasonably expected of a medical doctor, and was found guilty on four out of the six counts of charges brought against him by the Lagos State Government.

On Thursday, July 26, 2018, the victim, Master Somtochukwu Ezi-Ashi, sustained an injury on the basketball court at the University of Lagos (UNILAG) Sports Centre while playing basketball with his mates. He was taken to Excel Children Medical Centre, located at 45B Corporation Drive, Dolphin Estate, Ikoyi Lagos, at about 11:30 am by one Mr. Emmanuel, a security detail attached to the Ezi-Ashis and one Mr. David Joy Makinde, a student of UNILAG on the instruction of his mum, Mrs. Ngozi EziAshi. Somtochukwu’s mum arrived shortly after he was taken to Excel and saw Orji attending to him. At that point, there was no open wound or blood on his left foot where he sustained the injury. He only had a slightly swollen left knee.

On seeing her son’s injury, Mrs. Ezi-Ashi inquired from Orji what he intended to do to the swollen knee. He said he needed to get an X-ray done but would have to stabilize Somi’s knee before that. He asked Mrs. Ezi-Ashi to sit in the “waiting room”, while Somi was carried into an inner room in the hospital.

A few minutes later, Mrs. Ezi-Ashi was informed by Dr. Orji that Somi had been sedated and that she could go in and see him. The said Mrs. Ezi-Ashi found Somi deeply asleep with a synthetic and thermal plaster cast covering his entire left leg from his toes to his upper thigh. Dr. Orji did not obtain Mrs. Ezi-Ashi’s consent, since her son is still a minor, to sedate Somi. Neither

did he tell her that “stabilizing” the leg meant a plaster cast.

Shocked, Mrs. Ezi-Ashi asked Dr. Orji if it was wise to put the cast before doing the X-ray and he said yes, insisting that it does not make any difference. A couple of hours later, Somi woke up and complained immediately that the cast was very tight. This was before he was taken to one Broad Places Radiology, located at 15 Babatunde Street, Off Ogunlana Drive, Surulere, Lagos (referred by Dr. Orji) to get an X-ray. Upon return to the hospital with the X-ray results, Somi kept on complaining that the cast was tight but Dr. Orji was not available at the hospital then. A doctor at the hospital gave Somi some antibiotics, pain relievers and castor oil capsules.

Despite the absence of Dr. Orji at the hospital when Somi was brought back from the radiology, Mrs. Ezi-Ashi called him to inform him that Somi was going through severe discomfort as a result of the tightness of the cast on his leg. But, Dr. Orji purportedly dismissed her concerns and informed her over the phone that he has seen the x-ray result and that Somi has sustained a fracture and a plaster cast was the exact treatment needed. Dr. Orji further informed Mrs. Ezi-Ashi that the tightness of the cast will reduce in two days.

Dissatisfied with Dr. Orji’s casual attitude to the extreme discomfort that her son was going through, Mrs. Ezi-Ashi called her brother-in-law who is a medical practitioner in the United States for a second opinion and she was informed by her said brother-in-law after consultation with his colleagues in orthopedic practice that plaster cast was not needed in the circumstance.

After the telephone conversation with Dr. Orji and her brother-in-law, Mrs. Ezi-Ashi called Dr. (Mrs.) Orji, who is actually Somi’s doctor and expressed her concerns about the plaster cast. Dr. (Mrs.) Orji asked Somi to do some toe movements which he was unable to do and agreed with Mrs. Ezi-Ashi that the plaster cast was actually very tight, but allegedly threw her hands in the air and said she was not the surgeon.

Subsequently, Excel discharged Somi, but he was unable to sleep that night as a result of the extreme discomfort he was going through occasioned by the tight plaster cast. His uncle, the medical practitioner in the US whom Mrs. EziAshi had called earlier in the day, got back to her for a second time and insisted that his colleagues who are orthopedic surgeons at the hospital where he works in the US said there was no need for plaster cast and that it should be removed

immediately.

On the morning of Friday, July 27, Somi was taken back to see Dr. Orji who stubbornly refused to remove the cast but cut a square off the plaster cast at the back of Somi’s thigh to release some pressure according to him. On getting home, at about 5 p.m. Somi brought his mum’s attention to liquid oozing out from where Dr. Orji had cut off the plaster cast. Mrs. Ezi-Ashi called Dr. Orji immediately and told him about the fluid; he requested that Somi be brought back to the hospital.

It was while Mrs. Ezi-Ashi was waiting with Somi for the evening appointment with Dr. Orji that her husband, Mr. Isioma Ezi-Ashi, returned from Abuja. Upon getting to the hospital, Isioma asked Dr. Orji to remove the cast because it was too tight. It was a very reluctant Dr. Orji that agreed to remove the cast. Dr. Orji then suggested that Somi spend the night at his hospital, in order to keep his leg elevated. Somi and his mum slept at the hospital that Friday night and left on Saturday morning.

On Sunday morning, the family noticed there was liquid accumulating on Somi’s left hip. At this stage, the family decided to get a second opinion and got in touch with Dr. Kamoru Omotosho, an Orthopedic Surgeon, as the liquid above the bandage on Somi’s hip was getting bigger.

Upon getting to Dr. Omotosho’s Kamorass Specialist Clinic, it was discovered that Dr. Orji did not remove the entire plaster cast as the back of Somi’s leg was still covered with it. The implication was that Somi’s foot was wrapped for almost four days in a very tight plaster cast.

When the bandage was eventually removed

by Dr. Omotosho, Somi’s leg was covered with big blisters and cuts from the surgical blade used

by Dr. Orji in a futile and unprofessional attempt to remove the plaster cast. Dr. Omotosho carried out his own assessment of the leg and told Mr. and Mrs. Ezi-Ashi that Somi had lost feeling in his leg and could not move his ankle and toes.

On the morning of Monday, August 30, Isioma reached out to his childhood friend who is an Orthopaedic Surgeon based in the UK, Dr. Ike Nwachukwu, who happened to be in Nigeria at the time. Dr. Nwachukwu referred the family to one Dr. Jide Lawson, at the Reddington Hospital, located at Victoria Island, Lagos. Dr. Lawson examined Somi’s leg and admitted him immediately.

Between Thursday, August 2, and Friday, August 10, 2018, Somi had six surgeries on his left leg as preliminary stages of compartmentalization had already set in. He

was later discharged by Reddington to enable his parents to take him to the United States for further treatment.

Miffed by what happened to their son, Mr. and Mrs. Ezi-Ashi wrote a petition to the Office of the Inspector General of Police against Dr. Orji.

The matter was sent to the Police Special Fraud Unit (“SFU”), Milverton Road, Ikoyi, Lagos to investigate.

The SFU upon conclusion of their investigation arraigned Dr. Orji before an Igbosere Magistrate’s Court on a single charge, which the family felt does not reflect the seriousness of the offence. Dissatisfied, the family approached the Lagos State Directorate of Public Prosecutions, on November 26, 2018, to take over the matter. The DPP preferred information against the Orjis at the Lagos State High Court.

In the course of the trial, the DPP brought a motion for discontinuation of the case against Dr. (Mrs.) Orji. The application was granted and the State continued with the prosecution of Dr. Orji alone. The State called 10 witnesses in proving its case, while the Defendant (Dr. Orji) called two witnesses including himself. His other witness was an expert witness, a Professor of Orthopedics who was a one-time Minister of Health in Nigeria.

Among the witnesses of the State, four of them including its expert witness, a Professor at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH) are Consultant Orthopedic Surgeons.

The defendant’s expert witness is also a Consultant Orthopedic Surgeon. All five Doctors (including the defendant’s expert witness) agreed in the course of the trial that a very tight plaster cast if not removed within four to eight hours can result in Compartment Syndrome (CS). They also agreed that the CS can become irreversible if the tight plaster cast is in place for 24 hours. Somi was under the care of Dr. Orji who refused to remove the cast despite repeated requests from his parents to do so for about 72 hours.

Furthermore, all five surgeons who testified in the case gave evidence that the consequences of a tight plaster cast on any part of the body are taught in the fourth year in practically every medical college. Students are taught at that early level of medical training that once a patient complains of tightness of a plaster cast, the only remedy is to remove the entire cast immediately to save the patient’s limb and life in some cases.

Evidence adduced by witnesses in court revealed that Somi had thirteen major surgeries including a nerve transplant. Six of those surgeries were carried out in Reddington Hospital, Victoria Island, Lagos, Nigeria while the remaining seven including plastic surgery and nerve transplant were done at John Hopkins Hospital, Baltimore, Maryland, United States.

Presently, Somi has 135 stitches on his left leg.

The said left leg is about half of the right leg and is suffering from a permanent foot drop. He can never run or participate in any physical contact sports again for the rest of his life. He continues to undergo physiological and psychological therapies practically every fortnight in the United States where he now resides.

He is constantly reminded every day that he is now permanently disabled whenever he is passing through security checks at airports, malls, banks, etc. as some of the devices used in the corrective surgery trigger off security alarms to the embarrassment of everyone. The poor boy is not even spared even in churches as whenever he unconsciously kneels to receive Holy Communion, he will be “locked down” there until someone pulls him up. This is the life Somi now lives because of the carelessness and gross professional misconduct and negligence of Dr. Orji.

OPI NION

1

T H I S D AY MONDAYSunday MARCH 14, 2022 2023 19 February, Vol 27. No 10168

opinion@thisdaylive.com

www.thisdaylive.com

2023 ELECTIONS AND STOMACH INFRASTRUCTURE ANDREW A. ERAKHRUMEN warns that politicians who pay for votes will not deliver the public good

Nigeria’s democracy is a puzzle to the civilised world, contends J.K. RANDLE

I See Page 25

WHAT ARE THE PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES BRINGING TO THE TABLE?

Peacebuilding is a complex undertaking.

What are the candidates’ vision on resolving conflict and promoting inclusion? asks OLALEKAN A. BABATUNDE

See Page 25

EDITORIAL

THE MILITARY COUP ALARMS

See Page 26

THE LAST MILE SYNDROME

was somewhat jolted when at the “Africa Week” colloquium at Oxford University, speaker after speaker delivered amazing knowledge and penetrating insights regarding Africa – especially Nigeria. What was most remarkable was that they were drawn from various nationalities. It was the same story of years of scholarship devoted to studying the entrails of Africa when Cambridge University followed suit with its own “Africa Week” shortly afterwards. How come they know so much about us while we know so little about ourselves? Or could it be that we are too eager to press the delete button while we proceed with destroying our various countries and ultimately our beloved continent, Africa?

It was in 1959 while I was a student at King’s College, Lagos that I played a tiny role in Nigeria’s elections. The principal, Mr. Phillp H. Davies had asked for volunteers and lo and behold we were despatched to various polling stations in Lagos to “observe” the conduct of the elections. The duties assigned to us were largely peripheral. In any case, the elections were peaceful. Hence, our lives and safety were not in danger. The experience was more or less an extension of our civics lesson.

A few days after the, it was the GovernorGeneral, Sir James Robertson who sent us a Letter of Appreciation personally signed by him.

Now it is all a different story. With every election members of the NYSC [National Youth Service Corps] are engaged in official duties at elections all over the country. What is worrying is the danger to which they are exposed – at great cost to their lives and wellbeing.

Truly, elections in Nigeria have become a do or die affair without any boundaries.

With virtually every election – Local Government Area; State / Gubernatorial / Federal / National Assembly and Presidential the lives lost are monumental. The casualties are not only INEC officials but also military, police, security operatives, NYSC and in some cases the candidates and voters. Yet, elections are meant to be a peaceful exercise of civil rights and discharge of patriotic obligation. However the thugs, gangsters and hired killers do not subscribe to those lofty ideals of democracy.

They have no inhibitions about intimidating voters, snatching ballot boxes or resorting to gunfire. It they cannot have war, they are ready to settle for anarchy and chaos on their own terms. The sage has warned us that anarchy and chaos are worse than war. With war you at least know who you are fighting but with anarchy and chaos, everybody is fighting everybody else. There is no assurance you would know who is friend or foe.

I was somewhat taken aback when Professor Okon Uya who was the Chairman of National Electoral Commission of Nigeria (NECON) (the predecessor of INEC) from 1993 to 1994 publicly declared that Nigeria had never had a free and fair election.

In similar vein, the cerebral Professor Adele Jinadu (ex King’s College, Lagos and Oxford University, a former Commissioner of INEC spilled the beans on NTA (Nigerian Television Authority) – “Free and fair elections are not achievable in Nigeria.”

He appears to have changed his mind subsequently. On 2nd December 2022 he was in top form when he reassessed the challenge: “What needs emphasis is the intellectual capital

invested in the reform, in form of knowledge production and its applied policy utilisation.”

In retrospect, we can attest to the fact that the 1993 presidential won by Bashorun M.K.O. Abiola was free and fair. Even though it met the requirements of international benchmarks (as confirmed by the “Observers” from numerous international organisations) it was nevertheless annulled by the Military. Abiola clearly trounced Alhaji Bashir Tofa (an indigene of Kano State) even in his home state.

However, the 1999 contest between Chief Olu Falae and General Olusegun Obasanjo which resulted in Obasanjo being declared the winner was a very close call. Apparently, Chief Falae was prevailed upon by late Chief Harry Akande, the business tycoon and other eminent Yoruba leaders not to challenge the result in Court even though there were pretty strong grounds than would justify a reversal in favour of Chief Falae.

Fortunately, Chief Falae who is now a monarch in Ondo State is alive and is better able to corroborate or refute that version of events.

On the three occasions 2003; 2007 and 2011 when Major-General Muhammadu Buhari contested presidential elections (before finally succeeding at his fourth attempt in 2015) he was firmly of the view that he was rigged out.

Indeed, he lost the appeal against the result of the 2011 election by a very narrow margin.

Justice Aloma Muhktar; Justice George Olusola Oguntade and Justice Sylvanus Adiewere Nsofor delivered a minority judgement in his favour.

It is instructive that when General Buhari became President, retired Justice Oguntade was appointed as our High Commissioner to the United Kingdom (The Court of St. James) while retired Justice Nsofor (aged 82) was appointed as our Ambasssador to the United States of America. Justice Nsofor served from November 2017 to December 2020. He died at the age of 85.

It is to the eternal credit of Alhaji Umaru Musa Yar’Adua that after winning the Presidential election in 2007, against Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, he initiated the reform of the electoral processes in order to ensure that INEC became truly independent.

On a lighter note, I recall how a “Gregorian” (ex-student of St. Gregory’s College, Obalende) vehemently protested on television in 1999: “There is no way Chief Olu Falae could have lost to General Obasanjo. I voted for Chief Falae 19 times at different polling stations. The election was rigged by the military to favour General Obasanjo.”

Now the writing is on the wall and it is there for all to see. Our brand of democracy is a puzzle to the civilized world. What we are practising is at best crypto-democracy.

U.S. President Donald Trump is alleged to have slagged us of as a “Shithole country.” There has been no official denial.

As for the former Prime Minister of Britain, David Cameron, his verdict on Nigeria is that we are a fantastically corrupt country.

What makes it all so painful is that when we obtained our Independence from Britain on 1st October 1960, our reputation in terms of integrity and patriotism was at par with what prevailed in Britain, the United States of America, France, etc.

Indeed, when the United Nations had a problem in 1964 over the refusal of the Soviet Union to pay its share of the special contribution for the United Nation’s intervention in the Congo following the assassination of its Prime Minister, Patrice Lulumba, it was the legendary Chief Simeon Adebo (an old boy of King’s College, Lagos) who was our Permanent Representative at the United Nations that was selected by the United Nations Secretary-General, Mr. U. Thant to join the representatives of Japan and India to resolve the matter. They did an excellent job.

They persuaded the United Nation Security Council not to insist on the payment of the levy by the Soviet Union.

What Oxford has in abundance are pubs. I am no fan of the tacky techno pubs. My preference is for the really old ones. Some of them boast of having been around since ancient/medieval times going by the plagues which they proudly display. (i) Have a Drink with the Best British Writers of The Past Oxfordisallaboutlegendsandromanticism.

We imagine students and professors walking down the cobblestone streets, loudly discussing philosophical concepts, others suddenly discovering the solution to a maths theorem and writing it down on the wall with a piece of chalk.

Well, it is not exactly like this. Outside the University walls, pubs and bars are arguably the most important part of everyday life in Oxford, where the hot debates have been happening over a pint of ale for ages. Take the chance to see (and drink) where J.R.R. Tolkien, C.S. Lewis, William Shakespeare, and other great minds spent their time using our literature-inspired pub crawl guide. (ii) Turf Tavern - The ‘Hardest Pub to Find in Oxford’ Next stop - Oxford’s hidden treasure: Turf Tavern. Initially founded as rooms for students, this place was transformed into a pub in the 12th century, so watch out for the ceilings as these are very low by modern standards! If it gets a bit too cramped for you, the pub also has a really nice beer garden outside, so you can enjoy a pint there without feeling like a Hobbit.

It is said that Turf Tavern was a key place for Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton’s hidden dates when he played in the Oxford Playhouse, and it was also regularly visited by Emma Watson and the rest of the Harry Potter film crew when they were working on the first movie in nearby Christ Church College or the Bodleian Library.

BASHORUN RANDLE is a former President of the Institute of the Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN) and former Chairman of KPMG Nigeria and Africa Region. He is currently the Chairman, J.K. Randle Professional Services

25 T H I S D AY SUNDAY FEBRUARY 19, 2023

2023 ELECTIONS AND STOMACH INFRASTRUCTURE ANDREW A. ERAKHRUMEN warns that politicians who pay for votes will not deliver the public good

The 2023 elections are here! This February 25, (barring any necessary/unnecessary rescheduling), Nigerian electorate will, again, be at the polls to elect ‘new’ president/vice president and national assembly members. Scheduled next to these electoral activities, a fortnight after, will be those for the gubernatorial and state houses of assembly. Understandably, we are unhappy with the snail’s pace vis-à-vis Nigeria’s positive political developments; however, the fact that more Nigerians, especially the youths, appear interested in participating, in political processes, is a thing to be happy about; even with the several encumbrances still being encountered. Here and now, we are consoled by an age-long popular saying, claimed to have emanated from a Chinese proverb, that “...a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step….” Not just any step but a well-focused positive one! We, all, must acknowledge this and firmly sustain better steps onward!

Nigerians must unwearyingly counter the seemingly concealed devious antics of those intending to move and keep them in the mediaeval era. These ‘feudal lords’ are in government, at all levels, today; but their days are numbered if Nigerians take proper action(s) on information dished out through awareness sensitisation efforts concerning the strategies of these crooks.

We will be stating the obvious that the major strategy in the hands of the aforementionedswindlersisthedeliberatelyreinforced economic impoverishment of the people. This strategy has been a time-tested reliable one for them. We need not elaborate on this; since, even, primary school pupils have been able to come to this realisation!

However, Nigerians must keep on talking about it so that they can ensure massive departure from actions that can, again, mislead them to getting ensnared further in the poverty trap they are – already. This trap is constantly ‘repackaged’ for those demanding foodstuff and devalued Naira notes for their votes! These are parts of the whole, collectively described and hyped as “stomach infrastructure”. As we have said earlier “…people should know, or made to know, that any politician that pays them for votes is their enemy! Simple! Such a politician will never deliver the public good that is being yearned for….” There is no doubt that pervasive economic hardship exists in Nigeria but token handouts from those politicians are not meant to solve the problem of poverty! Rather, they are ‘good and reliable’ precursors for more impoverishment! These politicians deliver these tokens with their left hand, and with the right, retrieve them, in multiples, from the common patrimony! Alas, what an effective trap!

Many youths appear to be stuck in this trap! Youths should be reminded that the only kind of governance structure that can result from this kind of politics is the one that will perpetually impoverish them!

That is the default setting! Youths, with their

population, resourcefulness and energy, can make the difference. After all, many of those keeping us in the dungeon we currently find ourselves were in their youthful days in 1966 and shortly after. They have been handing power over to themselves (and their proxies), one way or the other, and are still in power, today, delivering nothing but misery!

Do not get us wrong. This is not to suggest that there are no old persons, alive, today, with unrealised positive vision for Nigeria.

There are. They may not have earlier been allowed to be part of ‘nation-building’ but we want them to speak up while they are still alive in order to assist in flushing out the vermins currently behind the maladies being experienced in our socio-political milieu! All societies, to the best of our knowledge, were built by the young and old; inexperienced and experienced; well-focused brain and brawn. Yes, we mean everybody!

Definitely, positive development can, and does, result from well-intentioned collaborations among all societal strata. This has worked, and is still working, in other parts of the world; Nigeria should not be an exception. We agree that it takes two to tango concerning the massive negative inputs of followers to the rot being currently experienced in the country. Of course, many Nigerians, really, do not want to be this disorderly and degenerative; but what does one sincerely expect with the kind of irresponsible leadership foisted on them?

This is a leadership cadre that thinks and acts like colonialists whose main interest is solely to extract from the colony to their home country. Do not make the mistake of believing that the pretender Nigerian ‘leaders’ including many contesting for the various political positions in the oncoming elections are actually ‘Nigerians’ in their mentality. They are not! Please, try to do a background check and you may not find any of them without a foreign international passport! Having these passports is not the evil but the intention(s) behind having them!

Ask them where their children reside, now, then you will understand, better, what we are talking about here. They are not patriots!

They are fraud! They are scam!

The quality of leadership is an important determining factor in nation-building and developmental quests – anywhere. This is why we, all, must contribute to efforts at strengthening participatory civil governance process in the form of democracy.

This democratic process, particularly the Nigeria’s presidential system of government, can be very expensive. Worse still, the country’s version has been hijacked by moneybags with questionable source of wealth and former coupists who have committed heinous crime against the Nigerian state by forcibly seizing power from democratically constituted authorities in the past.

ERAKHRUMEN teaches at the Department of Forest Resources and Wildlife Management, University of Benin, Benin City

WHAT ARE THE PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES BRINGING TO THE TABLE? Peacebuilding is a complex undertaking. What are the candidates’ vision on resolving conflict and promoting inclusion? asks OLALEKAN A. BABATUNDE Less than a week to the election, the presidential candidates are still criss-crossing the country demanding for Nigerians’ votes through open and media campaigns, and even engaging in local debates and international dialogues including signing peace accord with the National Peace Committee. Closely following on these engagements from a vantage point, the candidates have yet to put on an act to impress on how they will address the security challenges they are about to inherit and promote sustainable peace.

As the 2023 election is unique, though election promises are not legally enforceable, but serve as a moral bond for re-election, mentioning peace, security, development, empowerment of women and youth in the passing does not equate with wooing the hearts and minds of potential electorate who have been directly or indirectly affected by the rising level of violent conflict, terrorism, injustice, exclusion, hate and human rights violations. As election is a central pillar of peacebuilding, telling voters you understand the structural causes, actors, trends and dynamics of conflict in Nigeria and systemic approach to address them will go a long way in attracting their votes.

Essentially, what we have heard so far were the political aspects of campaign in which were articulated in the parties’ manifestoes devoid of peacebuilding and conflict prevention policies.

That is, given the experience the populace had gone through in the last few decades, they want to hear the peacebuilding tones, read conflict transformation templates and see political readiness of their soon-to-be president to tackle the myriads of violence, instead of the political mudslinging or inflammatory remarks and attacks that have dominated the campaigns.

While expressing concerns over the attitude and mindset of politicians at a twoday roundtable on elections organized by the Nigerian Political Science Association on 9-10 February 2023, Prof. Attahiru Jega, the former Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, expressed fears over the politicians’ manipulation of religion, ethnicity, judicial and insecurity, among other issues for personal gains. These are the very issues the electorate are expecting the candidates through expressive electioneering that they will tackle.

Statements or promises like “we will make terrorism a thing of the past”, “I will flush out Boko Haram”, and “I will fight banditry” should be followed by how. Nigerians did not wake up to see cultism, kidnapping, banditry, violent extremism, farmer-herder conflict and secessionist agitations. Like its predecessors, the manifestoes detailed the economy, employment, security and corruption features of our national lives, but fell short of specific elements that would have energized quite a sizeable number of voters who have lost family members and property to religious and communal violence.

To convince electorate who were displaced from their homes and livelihoods would require the candidates to concretely show they are ready to reverse the escalated level of criminal violence.

It behoves on the presidential candidates to display and impress about their knowledge, willingness and rare vision to address the underlying drivers of violent conflict and terrorism and build the unity of this country. Keen observer of Nigerian conflict dynamics would notice their pervasiveness and intractability in terms of the causes and dynamics. For instance, as the Chief Olusegun Obasanjo’s administration was transitioning to power in 1999, he attempted to address the injustice, human rights violations and marginalization fomented during the long decades of military dictatorship through restorative justice. The Human Rights Violations Investigations Commission (otherwise known as the Oputa Panel) the administration set up at resolving and managing the past atrocities and compensates the victims through truth and reconciliation did not materialize as the panel’s reports were not released to the public, let alone implemented.

The resultant cases were the escalated

ethnic militias, ethno-religious and criminal violence across Nigeria. Out of ethnic mistrust, revenge, political intolerance and grievances, Jos, Kaduna, Sagamu, and Niger Delta engulfed in crises. Much emanation of the cycles of violence that have destroyed thousands of lives and billion naira-worth of property can be referenced to this period.

Seeking for the highest position in the land demands some genuine and practical explanation during the campaigns on how to address the challenges as the military intervention is no longer adequate to prevent and manage conflict, and build peace.

Though administrations after administrations have to certain extent deployed a number of conflict mitigation and prevention strategies but the drivers and triggers are still potent and widespread.

The complex phenomena like the conflict and violence are in dire need of more political support to compliment initiatives of government and civil society including international organizations at promoting stronger democratic institutions, rule of law, accountability, transparency and human rights. Some communities often relapsed into more violence as soon as they gained some respite. Prospective presidents should understand why such phenomenon and complexity persist.

What this means is that no peacebuilding plan and execution, no matter how noble, could succeed if there is no correspondent willingness of political power to make the initiative achieves its anticipated objectives and goal. I have heard prominent Nigerian peacebuilding practitioners lamenting the low result of their interventions because of little political buy-in. That is why the presidential candidates need to demonstrate, at this stage, their preparedness and seriousness that if they get the presidency, they will make it happen by supporting genuine initiatives to prevent and manage conflict. Showcasing such blueprint could persuade swing voters and attract Nigerians who might have developed vote apathy.

As a people living in a place where violence erupts routinely, the voters deserve to understand their soon-to-be president’s knowledge on the underlying causes and drivers of conflict in the country in which the candidates have shown profound interest to govern and develop. Likewise are the strategies each is going to deploy to mitigate the entrenched socio-economic and political problems fueling violence and conflict in the land.

As vital as this phase of the election process is concerned, prospective voters would wish to know how the next president wishes to embark on the journey to change Nigerians’ behaviour and mindset in order to reverse the structural socio-cultural and political injustices that have marginalized women and youth in the society.

BABATUNDE, PhD, is a fellow and practitioner at the Institute for Peace and Conflict Resolution, Abuja: austinebabatunde@yahoo.com

26

T H I S D AY SUNDAY FEBRUARY 19, 2023

EDITORIAL

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

THE MILITARY COUP ALARMS Elections are our major tool of promoting democracy. All anti-democratic forces must be stemmed

P

olitical desperation on the eve of an important Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and the perennial fuel scarcity fall general election can breed wild speculations. within the limits of systemic challenges.

One such dangerous speculation came to Therefore, in our estimation and the enlightened the surface last week as part of the last leg consensus of most Nigerians, there is no threat to the of the gruelling political campaigns. A major general election to warrant unreasonable flirtations spokesperson of the ruling All Progressives with undemocratic ideas as being suggested in certain Congress (APC) presidential campaign and former quarters. While desperation among politicians is an Aviation Minister, Femi Fani-Kayode, alleged that the understandable feature of a keenly contested political presidential candidate of the main opposition Peoples race, politicians should desist from selling undemocratic Democratic Party (PDP), former Vice President Atiku ideas to score cheap campaign advantage. Since we see Abubakar held a secret meeting with some senior no valid reason to fly dangerous kites of illegitimate military officers. Fani-Kayode’s narrative imputed that meddling in the ongoing process, politicians who Atiku may have discussed the possibility of a military engage in such dangerous speculations need to have coup to upend the general election. their democratic credentials more closely scrutinised.

It is proper that the We are satisfied that Department of State arrangements put in place Nigeria is the most important pillar of democracy in West Africa Services (DSS) has invited by the Independent National Fani-Kayode to discuss Electoral Commission (INEC) and indeed the entire continent. To that extent, the stability of our his frightening allegation and all relevant agencies are for useful insights. But the adequate to ensure hitch-free country is a continental imperative and global necessity. Nigerians former minister has since and credible elections. It is also recanted and apologised a welcome development that desire it. West Africa requires it for misleading the public. the Defence Headquarters His unsubstantiated and the Service Chiefs have claim turns out to be a denied Fani-Kayode’s toxic manifestation of the lack of tact and caution among allegation. With some governors joining the fray, the our politicians. Sadly, we have heard many of such presidency last Friday reaffirmed its commitment allegations lately, especially from serving governors in to holding the general election while dousing public the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC). However, anxiety over the alarms. But the federal government the timing and context of this wild alarm makes it must also address the suffering of Nigerians over consequential. We are just a few days away from a the implementation of the Naira swap policy that is crucial presidential election. becoming a national security challenge. Everything For the leading political parties, the campaigns have must be done to deny anti-democratic forces any excuse sometimes overreached themselves by descending to derail our democracy. It is also important for public to very low levels of exchange, sometimes bordering office holders to weigh the consequences of what they on slander and personal insult. Occasionally also, say, especially at such a critical period as this. national sensitivities have been stoked in a desperate The background of our history of long military bid to score political advantages. But there is yet no involvement in politics makes coup speculations a serious adverse political development to indicate that matter of grave concern. Recent political developments the democratic process has drifted anywhere towards in the West African subregion with a rash of military a credible threat to national security. If anything, interventions in Mali, Sudan, Guinea, Burkina Faso, also majority of Nigerians are anxiously waiting for the call for an abundance of caution. Strategically, Nigeria is general election as an avenue of peaceful democratic the most important pillar of democracy in West Africa change to a better reality. The admissible shortcomings and indeed the entire continent. To that extent, the of governance currently being experienced in the stability of our country is a continental imperative and FRXQWU\ DUH DOO ZLWKLQ WKH FRQÀQHV RI GD\ WR GD\ global necessity. Nigerians desire it. West Africa requires issues. They are in fact added reasons why democratic it. The world expects and demands it as a minimum change had become more urgently needed. Both the irreducible contribution of Nigeria to the global triumph hiccups with the Naira redesign policy of the Central of democracy and freedom.

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LETTERS

HOW ATIKU CAN SAVE THE COUNTRY In most superhero movies we watch today, there comes a time where the world seems like it would end; denuded, and at such, people in that system suffer as they find it hard to get resources, suffer weakened market structures, solicitude, and adversity due to high rate of crime perpetrated by villains in the society; it is also at those critical moments that the citizens seek a hero that would help fight bad guys and restore hope to the despaired. Meanwhile, the All Progressives Congress (APC) has so far been the villains in this chapter and the hero we have so far been waiting for has arrived in Atiku Abubakar.

Having left an indelible legacy from his eightyear spell as Vice President from 1999 to 2007, he is now contesting to become the nation’s hero/ president under the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). His then achievements are mere testaments of the kind of man he is. He is a charismatic, industrious, indefatigable and proven to be fully adept with workings of the economy.

Consequently, Atiku would win the 2023 elections, according to an interim assessment from a nine-month research led by Dr. Oludare Ogunlana of June Group Research and Council for African Security Affairs (CASA) alongside other intelligence professionals in the United States and Europe. They claim that when it comes to key factors like politics, geography, religion, resources, and class, he performs better than other candidates from APC, LP and NNPP political parties.

This same study that kick-started in May 2022, rightly predicted the outcome of PDP and APC’s presidential primaries, as well as the emergency of Bola Tinubu and Atiku Abubakar, as standard bearers of the main opposing and ruling party.

Atiku who has a history of public service and business experience, is backed with good economic knowledge and background. He aptly displayed his prowess on how to rehabilitate a damaged economy during his tenure as vice president after guiding the economic sector

into achieving unprecedented growth. Apart from being the only presidential candidate that promised to reduce the environmental impact of Nigeria’s economy, he also is the only candidate that has promised to build a $10 billion infrastructure fund and in the process, sell government assets.

He has assured Nigerians that as soon as he is made president, that he would create 300,000 jobs in his first 100 days in office; he also plans on increasing the budget for education, social welfare and increase budget for the Nigerian Army by 50%.

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, whose campaign theme is ’unifier,’ remarked on the campaign trail this month; “We have never been this divided along a lot of fault lines, whether north, south, or Muslim and Christian. I am going to make everyone feel like they belong in this country”.

Neo-liberal measures are likely to be implemented on quest towards recovering the economy under Atiku. He has promised to

sell the NNPC, the country’s national oil and gas agency, eliminate petroleum subsidies, implement public sector reforms, and operate an economy that is primarily driven by the private sector.

Atiku’s policies are unambiguous, transparent, and more importantly, understood to even the most benighted Nigerians. He is no stranger to Nigeria’s political structure and has the experience to use scarce resources to achieve set goals that will in the long run prove beneficial to the citizens.

Many Nigerians might still be unaware that, in a sense, their fate has once again been placed in their own hands. With one voice, one energy, and one resolve, they must now stand up on their shuddering, pulsating feet and give Atiku Abubakar of the PDP their overwhelming support because, for the time being, he seems to be our shining sky amid ominous storm.

Gboyega Adenrele, Ilorin

T H I S D AY, T H E S U N D AY N E W S PA P E R ˾FEBRUARY 19, 2023

27

GLITZ ENTERTAINMENT

BBTitans Update: Veneer of Loyalty is Broken Stories by Vanessa Obioha

Thabang puts up Juiovla for possible eviction

The veneer of loyalty that most of the BBTitans housemates have maintained since the beginning of the game is gradually disappearing. This became apparent in the past week’s nomination. As the new Heads of House, Nana and Thabang had to show where their loyalty lies with their veto power. For Nana, it was about saving Juvone and replacing them with the Royals. But Thabang is more concerned about saving the Royals. Their back and forth

eventually led to Thabang having his way and replacing Juvone with Juiovla who happens to be friends with Olivia. This led to friction between the two after nominations as Olivia could not stand Nana’s betrayal. Khosi, who is also friends with Thabang, was surprised that he could not save her.

But the Heads of House were not the only ones caught in the loyalty game. Following Ebuka’s interrogation of where Yemi Cregx’s heart really is, following the situationship he has

with Khosi and Blue Aiva, the young man decided to stick with Khosi, thereby nominating Blua Aiva’s pair for possible eviction. If Miracle Op thought that Ebuka’s revelation would bring him closer to Khosi, the reverse however played out as both have difficulty getting along with each other.

Also throwing their relationship under the bus for the game is Tsatsii who nominated her love interest Kanaga Jr and his partner Blue Aiva for possible eviction. Perhaps it was payback time for Marvin and Yaya as they nominated Kaniva too. It was the same for Blue Aiva and Olivia’s friendship as the former nominated the latter for eviction tonight. One wonders if the wig-sharing between the female housemates was not strong enough.

While the housemates won the week’s wager task, things, however, escalated between Yelisa, Blue Aiva and Olivia. The trio engaged in a heated argument that nearly turned physical, an infringement of the rules of Big Brother. This led to Big Brother issuing a ‘silence’ punishment. The housemates were separated and not allowed to communicate with the opposite sex. This meant that only males can talk to males and females to females. No gestures, codes, or any form of communication was allowed except for a limited time which is allotted by Big Brother.

As of the time of filing this report, Big Brother is yet to mete out punishment to Blue Aiva, Olivia and Yelisa.

Given the tension in the house, tonight’s eviction will be drama filled. At least one of the nominated pairs Juiovla, Yelisa, Khosicle Blaqleng, Kaniva and Maya will be leaving the show.

Street Project Foundation Founder Joins ISPA Board Boomerang Africa The founder of Street Project Foundation, Rita Ezenwa-Okoro, has achieved a new milestone in her glowing career. She was recently appointed to the board of the International Society for the Performing Arts (ISPA). This makes her the first-ever Nigerian board member of the body and the 4th African to sit on the board of ISPA in its almost 75 years of existence.

Through her foundation, Ezenwa-Okoro facilitates opportunities for youth employment, social mobilisation, and cross-cultural dialogue using creative arts as a tool. She was unanimously voted to join the ISPA board to influence policy, thought leadership, and membership.

The three-time Global Fellow of the International Society for the Performing Arts (ISPA) from 2019-2021 following her unorthodox use of the creative arts in the economic, social,

and mental development of youths in Nigeria, pledged to play her role in helping the board achieve its aims and objectives.

“I am honoured by the opportunity to serve on this distinguished board of leaders in the performing arts industry worldwide. Making history by being the first Nigerian to serve on the board of this renowned organization is more than I could ever have planned for in my career.”

ISPA strengthens the performing arts globally by advancing leadership, exchanging ideas, and fostering a diverse and engaged membership.

Other newly appointed board members are three notable global business leaders. Mark Ball, Artistic Director, Southbank Centre, UK; Martin Inthamoussu, Creative Economy Consultant at Inter American Development Bank USA; and Paul Tam, Executive Director, Performing Arts, West Kowloon Cultural District Authority, Hong Kong, China.

How US Naval Band Uses Music to Strengthen Ties with Other Nations

US Navy band members Luke Reed and Kevin Nitz

Recently, the US Naval Forces Europe and Africa Band visited Nigeria as part of the Obangame express, the largest multinational maritime exercise in Western and Central Africa, conducted by US Naval Forces Africa and sponsored

by US Africa Command. It is the band’s third visit to Nigeria in four years. But for Luke Reed and Kevin Nitz, it is their first time in the West African nation. While Reed who joined the band in 2015 has travelled to other parts of Africa, for Nitz, it is his first trip to any African country since he became a member of the band in 2017.

Reed is a native of Charleston, South Carolina, USA, and was born into a musical family, he started playing the violin at age 5 and the trombone at age 10.

“My father was actually in the Navy band back in the 80s.

So I knew this was a good opportunity for musicians. It’s an incredible tool that the Navy has to, again strengthen these ties with other nations. We’re like musical ambassadors for the United States. And it’s just an incredible opportunity for

us to use the craft that we love for a bigger purpose” said Reed of his interest in playing for the Navy.

For Nitz, a native of Big Lake, Minnesota, who serves as the bassoonist and Woodwind Quintet Unit leader, playing for the Navy was about honing his craft and using it in a place where it can be most deployed. As members of the United States Naval Forces band, Reed described their role as thus: “Our primary job is to play our instruments. We are US Navy sailors first but our primary job is to play our instruments. This is our mission: to bring music and create these partnerships with people all around the world. It’s amazing that the Navy prioritises us and sees us as an asset so much that we are able to really specialise and focus on creating quality music and using that to make connections with people all around the world.”

Rehearsals vary for the band, depending on the ensemble. For Reed, it can be a two hours daily schedule for four days. For the Woodwind Quintet, Nitz said it can take about seven rehearsals, two hours each.

The band may seem classical in their musical deliveries but Reed clarified that they are not restricted to a particular genre.

“I wouldn’t say that we’re limited. Depending on the type of ensemble that we’re in, at the time, we usually tend towards a certain type of music, but like I’m the unit leader of the brass band, and we pride ourselves in being able to play a wide range of types of music and different eras of music and just about anything you can dance and sing along to. “We woodwind quintets are primarily classical,” added Nitz. “But we do have quite a bit more modern things that we’ve infused with the classical tradition, to try to branch out.”

Reed who is more familiar with Nigerian sounds revealed that he was exposed to the music of the Afrobeat legend Fela AnikulapoKuti from a young age.

“He’s world famous. How can you not know who Fela Kuti is?

The way he’s able to speak through music. I think it’s universal. It can speak to everybody on some level. We’ve tried to start to incorporate that into our brass band playing too, you know, like the way that Fela did. He brought so much passion to the music that he played and he connected with the people that he was playing for. And that’s what we strive to do as well. Like, just bring, you know, put everything out on the line when we play and hope we can make that connection with the audience.”

This played out during a reception at Terra Kulture where the band played one of Ayra Starr’s single hits to the delight of the audience.

Gets a Facelift From March 25, 2023, the kid entertainment channel, Boomerang Africa will be rebranded to Cartoonito. This name change according to Ana Gonzalez, the Editorial Lead Southern Europe and Africa Kids brands Warner Bros. Discovery, is part of meeting up with their international strategy.

“We are aligning with our international strategy. Cartoonito is now a global brand for the company and all our Boomerang channels in Europe and Africa will become Cartoonito. Of course, this depends on the country-by-country basis because the pipeline for brands that we have is not the same in every country.”

The change will be reflected in all Englishspeaking African countries that have access to Boomerang Africa. According to data shared by Gonzalez, Cartoon Network, the leading brand of the company, reaches about 15.7 million viewers every month in South Africa while Boomerang reaches 10 million viewers every month.

With the rebranding of the channel come new shows. This includes ‘Secret Origins of the Batwheels’, ‘Bugs Bunny Builders’, and ‘Interstellar Ella.’ This joins other exciting shows that are home to Boomerang Africa such as ‘Zig and Sharko’, ‘Mr Bean’, ‘Masha and the Bear’, ‘Tom and Jerry’, ‘Scooby-Doo’ and ‘Looney Tunes.’

Gonzalez concluded that the company will continue offering values that fit with the African audience such as community, friendship, trust, inclusivity, and a very unique proposition with very strong characters, adventure and creativity.

“We will continue making sure that we do what is relevant and attractive for our local audiences in Africa.”

Ana Gonzalez, Editorial Lead Southern Europe and Africa, Kids Brands, Warner Bros. Discovery

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WEEKLY PULL-OUT

19.2.2023

EKITI FIRST LADY DR. OLAYEMI OYEBANJI FROM CLASSROOM TO GOVERNOR’S LODGE The First Lady of Ekiti State, Dr. Olayemi Abiodun-Oyebanji is an accomplished scholar. Long before the media attention following the inauguration of her husband, Mr. Abiodun Oyebanji, as helmsman of Ekiti State, she was a senior lecturer at the Department of Education Management at the University of Ibadan. Determined to make a difference in the life of Ekiti people, especially the women and children, the Ado-Ekiti princess has since embraced her duties as a supportive wife, mother and lover of humanity. In a recent interview with Funke Olaode, Dr. Oyebanji delved into her aspects of life trajectory from lecture room to the government lodge

ASSISTANT EDITOR OLUFUNKE OLAODE/victoria.olaode@thisdaylive.com.

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I Never Wanted My Husband to Join Politics

er simple disposition, unassuming personality, down-to-earth nature, coupled with her intellectual prowess distinguish her from contemporaries.

With a robust resume, the governor’s wife caught a picture different from her humble and gentle mien. Of all her achievements in life, Oyebanji’s teaching career as university lecturer and her status as born-again Christian, are two things that influence her life more than anything.

Dr. Oyebanji’s career trajectory has always revolved around the classroom as a teacher. Reflecting on this new status, she couldn’t have imagined at the beginning of her marital journey to Governor Oyebanji that he would one day seek elective post.

The past political unrest in Ondo in the 1983 elections that claimed lives and property still sends shivers down her spine. As a result of this, the then young Olayemi resolved not to ever be emotional about political activities.

“It didn’t even cross my mind at the beginning that my husband, Governor Abiodun Oyebanji, would one day contemplate seeking an elective position.

Growing up, I had an indifferent view about politics, perhaps because I was already aware of what happened around me during the 1983 crisis in the old Ondo State. Don’t forget that Ekiti was at the beginning part of Ondo State. The fallout from that singular crisis created fear in many children of our generation in this part of the world and I tried as much as possible not to be attracted to politics. It will also interest you that unconsciously, one of the first questions I asked my husband when we were dating was whether he would one day go into politics. His answer was diplomatic but I followed it up by boxing him into a corner to promise me he would not go into politics. Apart from the experience of 1983, the fact that my husband had his first and second degree in Political Science also spurred my curiosity,” As a lover boy who was determined to sweep a beautiful angel off her feet, Abiodun Oyebanji, then a Postgraduate student at the University of Ibadan promised Olayemi but God’s will prevailed.

“That question of him getting involved became necessary then because of my level of understanding of life and how God works in our lives.

Also, he made the promise because he was ready to do everything I wanted to win my heart. The rest is history,” she added.

Between the time young Abiodun assured Olayemi about his disinterest in politics and the time he was drafted fully; many things have changed in the lives of the couple. Among other things; they have advanced in age, built a network of friends and have worked with decent political leaders.

“When I asked him not to contemplate going into politics and the time he eventually chose to aspire; my scope had widened and my e x pe r i e n c e a b o ut life h ad ch a n g e d. Ab o ve a ll, I’ m a borna g a i n C h r i st i a n a nd God h ad g i v e n me m a n y si gns th at m y h u s ba n d w a s b e i ng p rep ared to f u l f i l l a de st i n y i n th e p u blic s e r v i c e . D o n ’t f o rget again th at wh e n G o d se n ds his own on a mi s s i o n , h e e n do w s h im . M y husband was a university lecturer and later had a stint in the banking industry before the present Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Otunba Adeniyi Adebayo, who was also the first executive governor of Ekiti State, invited him to come and serve in his government between 1999 and 2003. He served in three capacities: Personal Assistant, Special Adviser and later as Chief of Staff. In 2014, former Governor Kayode Fayemi again invited him to become a commissioner and he also served in three capacities. In 2014, Dr. Fayemi

Governor Oyebanji and his wife, Olayemi

again invited him to come and serve as the Secretary to State Government.

Unknown to me or perhaps to him but clear to God, he was being prepared. As a result of all these, when God showed me the sign that he would be governor, I was helpless. I had no option but to support him both spiritually, emotionally and morally. We thank God it ends in praise.”

Looking back at the last 100 days since her husband came on the saddle and the fact that the country’s economy is currently troubled, Dr. Oyebanji said she hasn’t for a day allow anything to bother her because she knew that since it’s the will of God for her husband to emerge governor, he would be endowed.

She pointed out that despite the lean resources and other challenges facing the state, Governor Oyebanji has, within the first 100 days, embarked on rehabilitation of roads, fixing of electricity, paying monthly deductions to workers, among others.

Dr. Oyebanji represents humanity not by secular education but now in public service.

Speaking on her responsibility and preparation for the office of the First Lady, the University of Ibadan scholar admitted that God had prepared her for the office and guided her ways to actualise whatever she planned to do as First Lady.

“My primary area of focus is to champion the course of women and children; especially widows and orphans. However, I will not close my eyes against issues that concern every Ekiti citizen and resident. To raise the bar, I think my upbringing as a girl who attended public schools all through and my educational pursuits, would come handy in tackling some of the challenges that could come with the office in the area of my focus.

“I am not just a university teacher, my forte is in the field of Institutional Administration, Higher Education, Quality Assurance in Education and Human Resource Development and Leadership in Education. Besides, I have undertaken research works, either single handedly or with other scholars, in many relevant fields that will help me address issues concerning education in Ekiti, especially the education of the girlchild. For instance, I have in my library; literary works bordering on Work-Life Balance and Teachers’ Job Satisfaction in Lagos State Secondary Schools, Sex

Education and Moral Decadence among Public Senior Secondary Students in Ibadan Metropolis and Funding of Nigerian Higher Education: Looking beyond the Monthly Government Subvention. All the research findings of these studies will of course help my area of focus as First Lady. Now, I am ready to work with relevant authorities in the education sector.”

As part of the steps being taken to actualise her dream, the First Lady spoke glowingly about her planned collaboration with relevant stakeholders and organisations.

She also dropped the hint about the launch of her pet project -Widows and Orphans Hope Project (WAOH).

“We are currently at the consultation level and I have started meeting the stakeholders. I have held meetings with teachers, I have met the management of the Ekiti State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), led by Prof. Femi Akinwumi, a distinguished Professor of Educational Management. I have expressed my willingness to collaborate with all the educational institutions in Ekiti with the sole aim to impact our students. Of course, we will not also shy away from issues around Gender Based Violence, which is already at the front burner in Ekiti. Just recently, my office organised a one day training on data collation procedures of the WAOH Project which is an acronym for Widows and Orphans Hope Project.

The project has been designed to reach out to those in the aforementioned categories,” In retrospect, Dr. Oyebanji paused and suddenly exclaimed; “May God continue to bless my predecessor in office, Erelu Bisi Fayemi.” Of course, that statement aroused the curiosity of this reporter but before she could probe further, the Governor’s wife opened up on how the background laid by Erelu would help her protect the interest of women and the girl-child.

“Erelu Bisi Fayemi did a lot to raise the bar for our state and we were far ahead other states when it comes to fight against rape, women abuse and other such vices in the society. The former First Lady had designed a good template for us to leverage on.

In identifying with this and working in the same direction, I have met relevant stakeholders and sought their

cooperation.

Dr. Oyebanji who disclosed that her ambition at the beginning was to become a lawyer, revealed how fate landed her in the Department of Education Management, University of Ibadan but she thought she would change to Law in 200 Level only to fall in love with her education courses.

Out of the passion she had for Education Management, she moved up the ladder over a period of years and acquired a Doctor of Philosophy in Educational Management and returned to U.I. as a lecturer.

Reliving on how she met her husband, she said it wasn’t love at first sight. They met as friends through an older friend of Mr. Biodun Oyebanji and the relationship blossomed into marriage. She later discovered he’s also from Ekiti like him.

“I didn’t meet him in Ekiti and so didn’t know at the first meeting that he was an Ekiti man. I was an undergraduate at the University of Ibadan and he was a Postgraduate student in the same institution. Funny enough, I was just in 100 level, so it’s like an undergraduate versus a postgraduate student. I met him through my elder sister. My husband had a senior friend in his Master’s class who was a friend to my sister. In those days, people that went for Master’s degree programmes were most times elderly people. You would see big shots in various fields of endeavour cladding their books and running to catch up with lectures.

“We met and I found out later that he was also from Ekiti. But even at that, it was not a ready-made answer. I was a good Christian, therefore his Ekiti origin notwithstanding, there was still need for prayer and that was what I did.

Let me add though that he had the first qualification because my mother had always wanted me to marry a Yoruba man. She would not say it expressly but in parables but we got the message. That was the norm during our generation and not like that now. Today as a Christian, what matters is for God to choose for our children. It doesn’t matter if he or she is Yoruba, Igbo, Hausa or Ibibio. Just be sure it’s the will of God. I got in contact with my husband, we became friends for a very long time before we finally got married,” she stated.

Ekiti First Lady is less than three months in office but has already immersed herself into her duties as a supportive wife, mother and humanist whose milk of kindness continues to flow ceaselessly.

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HighLife

with KAYODE ALFRED 08116759807, E-mail: kayflex2@yahoo.com

...Amazing lifestyles of Nigeria’s rich and famous

Gbajabiamila Who Will Save Mariam Omatsone is Furious and Mo Abudu’s Friendship?

Gbajabiamila

The 2023 presidential election is almost upon us. As a result, there is a lot of tension around the country, a tension that has been further stirred by the seeming absence of Naira notes. Everybody has a different opinion on the whys of the goings-on in the country and a different reaction. For the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, the reaction is clearly fury.

Allegedly driven to his wit’s end, Gbajabiamila is on the verge of blasting out against the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

According to recent reports, the Speaker is among a number of prestigious Nigerian officials that are convinced that the CBN Naira redesign policy is a deliberate attempt by ‘political elements’ to undermine the influence and chances of the All Progressives Congress (APC) at the 2023 presidential election.

Somewhat distancing himself from other radical analysts who claim that President Muhammadu Buhari intends to destroy the odds of the APC winning the election, Gbajabiamila stated that Buhari’s good intention in approving the Naira redesign policy is being bastardized by others intending to cause harm to the president’s legacy of good work.

Gbajabiamila did not mince words when he declared that he was well aware of the intention of some people to prevent the APC presidential candidate, Bola Tinubu, from winning the presidential election. This is coming after it was determined by media houses that the frontline presidential candidates are divided on what effect the Naira redesign policy would have on the outcomes of the election.

As things stand presently, Gbajabiamila is only one of the many voices accusing the CBN of running on the wrong path. This is especially after the Supreme Court attempted to prevent the apex bank from making good on its promise to ensure that the February 10 deadline for the swapping of old Naira notes is not extended.

So, between Gbajabiamila and the people he’s pointing to as responsible for the current situation, a battle line has been drawn.

Unlike the petty fools of strife that shriek and sweat in pygmy wars, town woman, Mariam Omatsone, seemed to court neither hatred nor discord with anyone. The ravishing socialite seemed to live for the sweet affection and warmth of comradeship with her friends until she fell out of love with every one of them, Mo Abudu.

There is currently no love lost between Mariam and Mo. Since they got mired in the jungle of angst and vicious recrimination, She has not been on talking terms with the media woman. The bitter feud raging between them has evoked a series of questionable rhetoric.

Could their quarrel be attributed to petty rivalry or high-priced ego? No tangible answers have been found to these salient questions even by the closest friends and confidants of the former bosom friends. No one knows what axe Mo has to grind with Mariam.

Interestingly, in the past, the former best friends who suffocated their social media followers with the ‘uniqueness’ of their friendship, both shared a lot of things in common. Their first children are married, making both prosperous grandmothers – Mo Abudu as an entertainment entrepreneur via her Ebony Life Place and movie productions and Mariam as a successful dealer in office furniture via her Madisonjay Furniture and fashion business.

They have also been quite supportive of each other, celebrating each other’s milestones. But today, all that has gone with the wind. So deep is their quarrel that many speculate that it could be as a result of an alleged business deal gone wrong or about something close to the heart. All efforts by their famous friends to get them to reconcile with each other have proved abortive.

Omatsone

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Adeboye

When a person has made a habit of distinguishing themself through the sheer quality of their accomplishments, every other sensible person celebrates them.

This is the kind of honour that Senator Adeleke Mamora, the Minister of Science and Technology, has come into. Even as he celebrates his 70th birthday, his many works distinguish him as someone worthy of 70 hearty cheers.

Mamora is among the first persons of calibre among the Nigerian up-and-up citizens to celebrate his birthday after the February 14 Valentine’s Day celebrations.

Born on February 16, 1953, Mamora’s strong showing of intelligence, vision, and compassion throughout his career has placed him in the box of people whose birthday celebrations are simply an extension of the love-doused Valentine’s Day celebration.

At 70, there is much for Mamora to be

Great things are always up ahead for individuals willing to go all out in their trust in God. Pastor E. A. Adeboye, a classic example of someone whose life has been given to God, has recorded a big victory in the establishment of what can be considered a five-star church in Lagos. With the massive and well-designed structure, Adeboye’s Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) has gained another foothold for sharing the gospel in the Center of Excellence.

RCCG remains on an upward trend as the Christian denomination continues to exercise the grace of God upon it. This time, it is a case of an extensive architectural edifice that has come to be known as the RCCG City of David’s Trinity Towers. Located on Victoria Island, Lagos, the structure boasts a 4,500-capacity auditorium, medical centres, and even restaurants. Others include car parks and helipads, rooftop terraces, charging stations for electric cars, and ATM galleries. At least one of each of these features

is available on the three towers of the 14-story structure.

Pastor Adeboye was present in the service to dedicate the Towers on February 12, 2023.

Being an individual who has grown used to the dispensation of the grace of God, Daddy GO as he is fondly referred to, did not appear altogether surprised that God had used His people to erect the Trinity Towers. Nevertheless, Adeboye inspired and empowered the assembly, raising their awareness of the power of fellowship and dedication to good works.

The RCCG mandate of having at least one church for every neighborhood in the world is not news. Committed to this mandate, Pastor Adeboye and his people continue to amaze the rest of the world. Even as things take on a harsher condition around the globe, having such accomplishments inspires people to continue to fix their hope on the righteous and upright, the city set on the hill that Adeboye is making a literal reality in Lagos.

for. Also, there is plenty that those that +HDUW\ %LUWKGD\ &KHHUV grateful Mamora has served over the years have to grateful to God for because of the Science Technology Minister. This has been the IRU 6HQDWRU 0DPRUD beand case since Mamora took up the mandate

Mamora

to represent the people of Lagos East in the Senate House back in 2007; that was after he had been the Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly from 1999 to 2003.

But Lagosians are not the only ones that have benefitted from Mamora’s dedication to his state and country. In 2019, President Muhammadu Buhari appointed Mamora to the position of Minister of State of Health of Nigeria, a position that he maintained until 2022. Not long after, Mamora proved that he had earned the trust of the president, a showing that was demonstrated by his being appointed Minister of Science and Technology.

/RZ NH\ %LUWKGD\ IRU .D\RGH )D\HPL DV :LIH 7KURZV 6PDOO %LUWKGD\ 'LQQHU IRU +LP LQ $EXMD To the individual who has achieved much, much will always be said about them. And to the individual with little to their credit, little will be celebrated. Former Ekiti State Governor, Kayode Fayemi, recently clocked 58 years. However, instead of the usual high-octane party, his wife, Lady Bisi Adeleye, threw a small birthday dinner for him in Abuja. From this, it can be seen that Fayemi is keeping a low profile a few days before the 2023 presidential election in Nigeria.

There is no doubt that Fayemi is one of the most influential individuals in the South-west, especially in his native state of Ekiti. As the immediate past governor,

Fayemi’s place in the limelight is yet to be completely eclipsed by the current governor, Biodun Oyebanji. Even so, the man has no problem embracing a quiet lifestyle after his second run at the governorship of Ekiti.

Of course, there are murmurs here and there that there is a reason Fayemi is sticking to his sitting room instead of partying outside.

The reason they refer to does not portray Fayemi in a good light at all, especially considering the allegations of bribery that accompanied the gubernatorial election that ushered him out of office recently.

But such is life. Fayemi is alive, kicking, and living a quiet life.

Fayemi

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T H I S D AY, T H E S U N D AY N E W S PA P E R ˾FEBRUARY 19, 2023

HIGHLIFE

Sola Adesakin Making Name for Herself in Finance World

Florence Ajimobi Takes over Oyo State APC… Why Many Politicians Worship Her During times of great decisions, such as the 2023 presidential election, the onus of change and transformation falls on the shoulders of people who can and are willing to bear it. In Oyo State and among the members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state, the onus of leading the campaigns for the APC presidential candidate, Bola Tinubu, has fallen on the shoulders of Lady Florence, the wife of the late Oyo State governor, Senator Abiola Ajimobi. Thus, along with the responsibility of leadership, Lady Florence has also obtained some glory.

There is no doubt that the 2023 presidential election is going to be full of ups and downs. Therefore, the fact that the

former Oyo First Lady has taken up the role of leading campaign manager for APC’s presidential candidateTinubu speaks volumes of her courage and determination. Despite the fractionalization that APC has witnessed and is still handling in Oyo, the appointment of Lady Florence is seeing some success now.

Truth be told, Lady Florence is under some pressure to perform. Since the party made her the Oyo State Coordinator of the TinubuShettima Presidential Campaign Committee, she has not been caught idle. She has also put her understanding of the grassroots to the test in Oyo, which has greatly assisted her in carrying out her duties and winning the hearts of her people.

Ajimobi

Bimbo Ashiru’s Loud Impact

Ashiru

In the years to come, historians would likely say that the Odu’a Investment Company Limited (OICL) was one of the best business ideas to come out of Western Nigeria. This is why far-seeing analysts of business and legacy are saying that the company under Bimbo Ashiru is likely to reach the same level as it did when Chief Obafemi Awolowo and Chief Samuel Ladoke Akintola were still around.

One has to admit that Ashiru has always had the limelight on him, especially considering his breezy intellect and robust sense of camaraderie. Since he began his career in the private sector and then acknowledged the call to serve Nigeria in all the capacity she deems suitable, he has shown himself to be a blazing star child, one that is peerless and incomparable among the people of his age. However, Ashiru can be said to have truly come into his own when he took up the chairmanship of OICL. The most recent news about Ashiru’s

accomplishments as OICL Chairman is the success of the partnership between OICL and another investment group based in the UK. The partnership had culminated in the Westlink Iconic Villa in Alakia, Ibadan, Oyo State, and this villa was commissioned by a handful of prestigious individuals, including Vice President Yemi Osinbajo.

Research shows that Ashiru and his team had searched out the UK-based company from a list of prospects. The investment companies that were eventually considered for the partnership were all tested business ventures with enough financial might to deliver quality real estate projects in Nigeria.

Clearly, Ashiru’s OICL chairmanship is not the result of his vast influence in the South-west but because of his far-sightedness and the flexible intellect with which he made himself stand out in times past. Even now, the man’s strength of mind and character continue to help him achieve great things.

Good Times are Here as Pamela Shodipo Steps up The good thing about human progress is that it never stops. As long as a person is determined and has enough providence on their side, they would eventually find themself at the zenith of life and smiling down at their peers. Such is the case for Pamela Shodipo as she was recently appointed as the Executive Director of the South Directorate of Fidelity Bank. With her new position, Shodipo is at a greater height of influence at Fidelity Bank than before.

The powers that be in Fidelity Bank continue to demonstrate their prescience and mastery of the times in the selection of capable hands. Delegating the duties of the bank to only the most capable individuals, these powers have found Shodipo to be the best person to contribute to the Fidelity Bank Board of Directors. Considering her robust experience in the banking and finance industry, Fidelity has without a doubt won itself another general.

Shodipo is not a new face. With her Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology from the University of Lagos and a Master’s degree in Business Administration from the University of Wales College of Cardiff, United Kingdom, Shodipo has always stood out among her peers. Even more, she has managed to work with the major powers of banking in Nigeria, including Zenith Bank (1997 to 2007), and United Bank for Africa (UBA) (2007 to 2022). Now, the baton of Shodipo’s presence and performance has been passed to Fidelity.

Considering the amazing things that Nneka Onyeali-Ikpe is doing at Fidelity as its MD/CEO, Shodipo is most likely under a lot of pressure to perform. Then again, with her 25+ years of experience, this will not be difficult. Even so, the number of eyes on her will only increase. But that matters little: she has moved up and will accomplish more at Fidelity than she has done anywhere else.

Shodipo

Akinwunmi Adesina’s Mother Goes Home in Style

Late Adesina

Life is one long river that we have all stepped into, hoping to remain in it long enough to create ripples for future

generations to see. And when the ripples we create are not strong enough, we pass the responsibility over to our children. The mother of Akinwumi Adesina, the president of the African Development Bank (AfDB), has passed the mantle of successful living over to her son. Leaving him to carry on the legacy of the Adesinas, the late Eunice O. Adesina was escorted by well-wishers, many of whom were the most prestigious and compassionate Nigerians.

It was a lively day in Ijebu Igbo, Ogun state, as well-wishers gathered around the AfDB president to see his mother off to the other world. With such political and business royalties as Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, Ogun State Governor Dapo Abiodun, Dangote Group boss Aliko Dangote, and Geregu Power Femi Otedola, among others, Mama Eunice

was carried out in glory.

Contrary to what is usually seen in such gatherings, the mood was not altogether somber. In fact, there was a bit of jollity and celebration. One of the reasons for this was that Mama Eunice passed on at the age of 92. This is no mean age and so she can be described as having lived to the peak of human life as we have it now. Secondly, Mama Eunice did not live an ordinary life, not when she had someone as accomplished as Adesina as her son.

According to the AfDB president, his mother was a true darling and a true mother, someone who did not hold back anything to nurture and groom him to the best of her ability. As a result, one can see the deliberateness with which Adesina ensured that his late mother is escorted away from mortal life and into glory.

Standing out among one’s peers requires two different paths: one may decide to do ordinary things in an extraordinary way or do extraordinary things in an ordinary way. For Sola Adesakin, the young lady that is currently causing eyebrows to shoot up in amazement, both paths are being put to work and actualizing results. As a consequence, she is stirring more positive impressions of success across Africa than one would expect of someone with a concentrated focus on finances.

Adesakin is a woman that is currently bearing the spotlight of so many media houses. The reason is that she has accomplished much more than someone else in her field of endeavor, that is, finance management would be able to do given the handful of tools she has been given to work with. But, maybe this is her area of strength as she has managed to bulldoze every challenge and barrier in her path. If you have heard about Financial Literacy Organization, the institution that is committed to offering courses, consulting services, and coaching to people on financial literacy across more than 30 countries, then you should be familiar with Adesakin. This is because the organization is her life’s work.

Committed to helping people understand the way money works and the best methods of managing it, Adesakin has continued to amaze people with her doings. With only an HND from the Federal Polytechnic Ilaro and a Bachelor of Science degree from Oxford Brookes University, UK, Adesakin already put her dreams to the test. Of course, she has long acquired higher and more prestigious education, but all of these are icing on an already delicious cake. Even so, she has founded many organisations for educating people on financial management.

Adesakin has been awarded so many times it is difficult to number them. Among these are the Women X Scholarship; the Guardian List of Nigeria’s 100 Most Inspiring Women for the year 2020; the Power Woman Network’s 100 Power Women of 2021; and the Phenomity 40 List of 2021; among many others.

Adesakin

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LOUD WHISPERS

with JOSEPH EDGAR (09095325791)

The Oba Must Dance Naked

There is this Oba whose kingdom was once a Portuguese colony. The Oba can trace his bloodlines to the ‘Binis’ who were a tribe of great warriors. This Oba was tough and spoke his mind. He once told all the traders from the East to jump into the Lagoon where his people dumped excreta. This was exactly how he felt about them. He didn’t like them o, simply because they impregnated the beautiful young damsels in his kingdom and they also encouraged the young girls to bleach their skins.

So, this particular morning, our kind Oba was in bed. He had just finished with the latest Olori who still had some things to learn on how to delight the majesty in bed.

He had made a mental note to send her to the 7th Olori who used to be a stripper for more lessons – when ‘Gorimapa’ ran in.

Short of breath, the ugly messenger dropped his message of doom, “‘awon yibo’ has written letter o Kabiyesi.”

Kabiyesi jumped, tying his wrapper and

placing the tortoise very well on his chest.

The tortoise was both bullet-proof and a disappearing talisman; it brcame very useful during the last palace invasion.

What is even wrong with these ‘yamirin’ people? Kilo tie ma nshe awan koboko bayi’. They are so stubborn. Collecting all the shops in the kingdom and driving our boys to turn under the bridges into boxing gyms and all. Kabiyesi didn’t like them, but there was nothing he could do to eradicate them because his youths relied heavily on them for the taxes they collected from the traders.

Their leader wants to visit and the letter was written and signed by one ‘omo ale’ from Ife or is it Ijesha. Kabiyesi screamed “ahhhhhhhhhh. Awon yibo fe pa mi o.

Visit ke. Visit ke, to where, which palace, do they even know the implications? Do they want me to lose the C of O to the palace? What kind of wahala be this na?”

“Please tell them, I am not at home. Please quickly send a message to them, that they

should not pay shop rents for the next two years and they can go ahead and impregnate as many of our ladies as they want, they should not just come here for any visit o.”

“Aghhh, what will I tell my Oga? How will I explain this one? That ‘yamirin’, who is obedient and is fighting Jaga….the one whose turn wants to come and eat Amala and Gbegiri in the same palace that they are just allowing me to squat.

Please go and tell him that ‘Olodumare’ will bless him, that he will not jam ‘alakoba’ in his life that he should not come o.”

Post script – this is a fictitious rendition of crazy thoughts in my head this morning as I wake up in hunger. As you can see all characters and events bear no resemblance to real persons or events.

Anybody wey tie this to anybody na him sabi o. I cannot jump into Lagoon o; it is not at this my age that fish will come and be chopping me o. Thank you.

Obi

Ganduje

Udofia

NAIRA REDESIGN: MUCH ADO ABOUT SOMETHING There is confusion in the land. The Supreme Court is saying its own, state governors like Ogun and Kano are saying their own, CBN and the federal government are also saying their own and Nigerians are doing their thing.

Waking up at 2am to go and queue at the ATM and waiting the whole day only to withdraw N2,000 cannot be a fine prospect for a country in this 21st century. The implication of all these on a cash-based economy can only be imagined.

What I am seeing here is now a clash of wills.

Ego has entered the matter and common sense has taken flight. Both sides have dug in.

It is now looking like a personality type thing with over 200 million of us bearing the brunt.

Let me state here very categorically, this policy, although of very strategic importance to the long term health of the economy, especially the very positive implication it will have on insecurity, corruption and money laundering, still cannot shake off the toga of it being politically-inspired.

Those affected are shouting, we that are suffering are shouting and the question now is, should all of us die because of one man?

Let’s be very truthful, this policy is pinching only one man in this campaign the most.

His campaign has leveraged on his capacity to play in a way he is very used to, having seized the treasury of one of the biggest economies in Africa. So, with this policy, you

have hampered his capacity.

Me, I do not mince words. Let us ask ourselves very seriously, who in Akwa Ibom or Bayelsa will vote for this person without some form of inducement? People do not vote on conviction. They cannot, the hunger is too much in the land. So when you move everything to the air or digitally and say you cannot withdraw more than N20,000 at any point, you have basically killed a movement and straight to the Supreme court to fight they must.

Me, I support the policy if only adequate infrastructure was put in place, the rural poor were taken into consideration and the timing was more auspicious.

FFK OF CAMBRIDGE: THE MAN WHO CRIED WOLF Me, I am not on twitter so I did not see the post. But I saw the press statement by my egbon who is a very good friend, saying to the DSS, “you are very nice and beautiful people, please as I am coming towards you don’t beat me o. Handle me gently because all these detention don dey tire me.”

I chatted egbon up. Wetin happen again and he replied, “I am not afraid of detention…”

I said to my Lord, “Can I escort you?” and he replied, “that place is not a good place so just stay where you are. The officers are professionals and do their jobs. If you try to destabilize the country, they will smash you.

They are good with what they do.”

I said, ‘ok uncle, please when you reach there,

Fani-kayode

Sanwo-Olu

help me greet them o.”

When he came back, I chatted again at night, “ how did it go? Hope they did not beat you o.”

He laughed and replied “at all. They were nice and very professional. They grilled me for five hours and everything will be ok.”

I was curious, “So did they ask if you knew me? Please if they ask, just deny o. Don’t tell them you know me o. You know me I don’t have their power o. In fact I have put our chat on disappearing mode so that as you are reading, it is disappearing.”

“Duke, don’t worry, me, I am used to them,” he countered. “In fact, we talked a lot about happenings, you know they all didn’t go to Cambridge. My father and grandfather went to Cambridge so my English gave them problems and that is why they have asked that I should come back every Wednesday. By that time, they would have bought a dictionary and recruited an interpreter, the last one has japa.”

“But egbon, which one is this one about the police again? Why are they calling you again, shebi you have told the DSS sorry and that you will not tweet like that again?”

By this time FFK of Cambridge was tired. It was a long day; he needed his beauty sleep.

“Duke, abeg no vex, make I go sleep I don tire, I cannot answer.”

Well, you remain in my prayers the great FFK of Cambridge, no weapons fashioned by your political enemies will hit you in the name of whatever you worship.

You are my friend, the great FFK of

Cambridge. Kai. BABAJIDE SANWO-OLU AS THE ARTFUL DODGER When I saw the poster, I was excited. It was a full lineup. A debate was being organised by the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industries for all the major contestants for the Lagos top seat.

I was happy that finally, we will have a constructive and very robust debate. We have not had the privilege of witnessing any major debate this electoral period. All the major candidates have become adept at dodging or rushing to either Dubai or London anytime there is debate. So, this time I was very happy.

When I looked at the lineup, na only Funsho Doherty that I think will have the intellectual capacity to withstand the very brilliant Sanwo-olu. The Rhodes guy would have tried but inexperience will kill him and Jandor will just be standing there speaking Yoruba and not understanding the issues.

Funsho Doherty is a very brilliant man.

He has worked meritoriously in finance and other developmental institutions and knows his onions. Sanwo-Olu, who is my candidate, can hold his own any time.

Me liking ‘gbas gbos’ was really looking forward to the encounter.

Then Sanwo-Olu dodged? But why?

The fact that his principal is the king of dodging debate does not mean that he too will be dodging na, thereby depriving us

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of the wonderful opportunity of a session of pure brilliance.

Lord, what are you afraid of o? Why dodge na? Kai! JANDOR STOP WASTING OUR TIME The PDP gubernatorial candidate has been reported to say that the process of pulling together all the candidates to form one collision to fight Mr. Sanwo-Olu is in the works.

I no get too much time this morning to be writing, my new Igbo girlfriend has not taken my calls since Valentine so I am very touchy right now. I have sent messages to the Obi camp that if they cannot explain to me exactly what is going on, that is it for me in the ‘Obidient’ movement. What rubbish.

So, Mr. Jandor, I will take my frustration on you. Look if you can read, read it here. Stop wasting your time and that of your people on this campaign. Read the tea leaves or in your case, read your babalawo’s brown teeth very well – this election is not yours. Simple and pure.

Me I like being realistic and really have no time for fecundity – I no know the meaning of the word o, I just like the sound so I put am there.

Sanwo-Olu has built a beautiful campaign machinery. Very different from his feisty bole ka ja principal. Mr Onanuga on that side is using NADECO tactics and that is why his principal continues to be the butt of jokes all over the country. But Sanwo-Olu’s campaign is sexy, engaging and all encompassing.

He is using his power of incumbency perfectly well. See the intervention with the PoS wahala for example. He is keying into public touch points. He has borrowed the colours of MTN which is soothing and engaging and leans on the mass recognition of that brand. A brilliant and coy leveraging on MTN’s brand strength to push into the political space.

He has brilliantly cornered the whole state with billboards. Anywhere you go, you will see him and his running mate staring at you like Siamese twins wanting you to decide which breast each twin should take in getting milk.

He has performed creditably well, his projects on transport, health, infrastructure and entertainment have resonated. His policy on education is still funny though – Lagos has 20% of children out of school. But what he has done with infrastructure and sports is commendable. None of you in that your ‘jaga jaga’ coalition have the weight to counter all of this. None. You have gone to carry a tired Nollywood actress who does not even know the meaning of GDP to gum body and you think, this is election of Actors Guild?

Your only hope is for you to step down in that coalition and allow Funsho Doherty to front run and you can be his running mate.

At least that one understands the issues and can engage even though na paper weight.

But you will not agree, you will want to run and let the rest struggle for running mate and Funke will go on social media and release your nude.

My brother leave this thing. Something big pass play and this is one of it. Shebi Fashola don call you photographer. Kai! Thank you.

No vex.

MY PRAYERS REMAIN WITH AKAN UDOFIA This is my person. I am biased and compromised. Me I have confessed my own.

I am not the kind that will not go to school and now come and be disturbing Nigerians with all sorts of stories and be carrying a whole SAN to be embarrassing himself in public and be saying – great men did not go to school that year.

Me I am open. Akan Udofia is my person for the governorship of Akwa Ibom State.

My constitutional right and I hold am. I have chopped Afang in his house and the Afang was sweet. It even had what Ibibio people used to call – mbukpabu uyo- kai. Since that day, I swore my allegiance to the tall and handsome man.

He is talking about prosperity. He’s talking about devolution of powers, decentralization of wealth and its control. He comes with private sector experience and is very passionate about the issues that dog our little state. We no longer want our governors to be called ‘little boys’, wewant to regain the respect and pride that the Akwa Ibomites got during the reign of the uncommon man and Akan is best suited to deliver.

The only candidate with no EFCC petition, no court case and the only candidate that has already built a structure that will start moving from day one.

Oh Lord, oh Lord you see your son, Akpan nfo, edima eyin nfo. Da me eyen fo. Let him emerge so that Akwa Ibom will become the beacon of hope for Nigeria. ke nsi nsi nsi.

Amen.

I apologise to all non Akwa Ibom speaking readers today. Mbok, grant me the waiver as I don use my language scatter this one. If you no understand, leave this one and read other stories. They say I am crazy o, one person even say I am autistic, na the reason be this.

Thank you.

Jandor

Obioha

OBI OF ONITSHA: MY FATHER, MY LORD

Igwe Achebe

As I walked into the hallowed halls that hosted the 90th birthday of the highly revered Statesman- Chief Emeka Anyaoku a few months ago, I saw the iconic Obi of Onitsha Igwe Nnaemeka Achebe seated to the right.

I was afraid o. I went straight to greet the celebrant and Chief Obasanjo who was seated on the high table. Then I greeted Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu and went back to my seat, looking at Igwe as I walked past him.

I want to celebrate him. His positioning, his regal outlook and the great way he has maintained the dignity of the great stool of Onitsha. But fear did not let me go near him.

So, I just sat far away and looked at him with awe. He is a very handsome man, tall with light skin and who carried himself with the carriage of royalty.

So, I called Chief Anyaoku the next day and said, ‘Lord happy 90th, I will be the MC at your 100th and will marry a new wife to celebrate that joyous milestone, but you will first help me tell the great Obi that I want to host him at the Command Performance of my new Play on Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe coming up this Easter.” Chief Anyaoku said, “Duke, you know I cannot say NO to you.” Consider it done.

The next day, I got a text from Chief Anyaoku, “I have mentioned it and he is favoUrably

disposed.” Wow, but I know just gree like that o. I called my brother Olisa Adibua and legendary PR man Emeka Maduegbuna and said, this is what Chief Anyaoku said…

A few days later, I received a letter from the Obi of Onitsha to me oooo. Nigerians, Obi don write me ooooo. He write me ooooooo. I printed 100 copies of the letter and sent it to all my political opponents and the three people that sacked me in three banks.

I did a cover letter: “Dear Mr. Nicholas, recall you sacked me in your office claiming that I was culturally challenged… well the Obi of Onitsha who is a cultural champion has written me a letter……”

Nigerians, the Obi of Onitsha and his stool is one of the most revered and highly respected globally. I have had a major fascination with the people of Onitsha and their traditions and do really consider myself quite lucky and humbled to have been so honoured by the great Obi himself. I remain thankful and in tears because this is simply magic.

Please, if you want to see the letter, chat with me on WhatsApp and I go show you. I am showing everybody ooo. Abi, how many people Obi don write to ooo? This is not Obi of Cubana, this is Obi of Onitsha – authentic.

Thank you so much sir.

PROF AHMED YERIMA, AREMU’S ‘BOY’, GETS A LIFT Yes o, you will wonder why I am calling him Aremu’s boy. It is simple. Under President Obasanjo I think he managed the National Theatre or was it national troupe. I no sure abeg. You can google, it is not my job to be giving you information.

Well, he went ahead to write and direct one of the most influential theatre plays ever in the history of Nigeria. ‘Aremu’ was a masterpiece and has been adjudged by international media as one of the best works out of Africa in recent times. Chief Obasanjo watched both the Abeokuta and Lagos shows and cried at both. Me sef, cry when I see the number of complimentary tickets inside the hall. I cry ooo.

Well, the gist about Professor Yerima is that he has been elevated to the high position of Deputy Vice Chancellor of the great Redeemer’s University. Oh my God! What a well-deserved promotion. Prof is a living legend. You people that have not encountered him I just laugh. He is not only cerebral but very, very engaging.

We have worked on projects together including ‘Sardauna’ which made all 60 members of the late Sir Ahmadu Bello’s family cry. The man has a knack for making people cry. You must sha cry when you see his plays. Me no dey cry, na when them tell me about the gate fee that I cry.

Congratulations my father. Without you there is no me. Well done. God grants you more wisdom in Jesus’ mighty name. Afang for you whenever you are ready.

NDIDI OBIOHA: A GAZELLE AT 50 Oh my God, this woman is beautiful. As I walked towards her at the very glamourous 50th birthday celebration somewhere in Oniru during the week, I marvelled at her beauty. I told myself I must hug her; I must hug her. I walked very confidently towards her as she opened her arms to receive the Duke. I hugged her and her perfume reminded me of heaven. I gave her two pecks on her cheeks and wished I had the authority to do more.

It was her 50th. She has lived a welldeserved life and is one of the most serious Nigerian businesswomen who has done so much in carving a niche for herself. It is no wonder that very prominent Nigerians like myself, the great restaurateur and owner of Yellow Chilli, my egbon Victor, legendary photographer Kelechi Amadi Obi and the most recent past Managing Director of UBA, Kennedy and a host of others braved the Lagos traffic to say happy birthday to a truly deserving Queen. Happy birthday the Queen of our hearts.

MY HEART GOES OUT TO SONIA EKWEREMANDU She is down with a debilitating illness- Her kidneys need replacements, her loving parents to solve the issue have run into severe turbulence. They are facing trial in a distant country with her father’s assets seized, thereby limiting his capacity to fight for his freedom and much more importantly fight for her life.

There is nobody with a child that will not cry on this matter. Every time I read about this matter, I cry. Even as I am writing, I am crying. Now when people say God will not allow something bigger than you to come at you, what then do you call this one?

Sonia, I can only pray for you. You will conquer and live to sing hallelujah. Don’t worry, it will all be ok. Please keep close to the Lord... keep praying and always remember that millions are here praying for you.

UK government na wa ooo.

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Adebayo Adeoye bayoolunla@gmail.com; 08054680651

SOCIETY WATCH

George

About Rita George’s Luxury Birthday Soiree It was another eventful moment for popular realtor and lawyer, Rita George, as she added another year recently. The beautiful entrepreneur and one of the wellconnected executive-level babes in Lagos shut down Goza Lagos, the newly opened sleek restaurant to mark her special day. It was truly an unforgettable night of fun.

Apart from the birthday girl’s clique of friends, the venue of the soiree, Goza Lagos added glamour to the evening with its plush fittings and eye-catching interior decor.

Everything luxury, from expensive souvenirs to exotic drinks flowed freely. And the highflying guests who turned up to honour her were all treated to unforgettable experiences that will last them for months to come.

George couldn’t be happier as she was surrounded by plenty of love and good people. The Goza Lagos effect was the icing on the cake. And no doubt, those who attended the birthday soiree won’t forget the thrilling experience in a hurry.

The beautiful businesswoman is happily married. Her husband is one of the biggest players in the Nigerian oil and gas sector.

Has Abu Jibia Become Yesterday’s Man? In his halcyon days as a top player in the nation’s oil and gas sector, Abu Jibia commanded a huge load of respect from friends and foes. While he was envied by many in the industry, others who saw him as God-sent in their lives, loved and indeed worshipped him beyond description. And it won’t be out of place to say that he had whatever he wanted at his beck and call in his days of glory.

But for some inexplicable reasons, he literally chose to poke the law of the land in the eyes sometime in 2013. According to the story, in connivance with his cohorts, Jibia allegedly stored and distributed two barges and two petrol tankers filled with adulterated diesel.

As a result of this shameful act, his vessel, MT Swordfish, said to be worth several millions of dollars, was also seized by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

The former billionaire was subsequently arraigned by the anti-graft agency before Justice Mojisola Olatoregun of the Federal High Court sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos on a five-count charge bordering on conspiracy, unlawful dealing in Automated Gas Oil (AGO) and unlawful distribution of adulterated petroleum products among others.

At the outset of the trial, he had wrongfully, or maybe naively thought that he could escape justice owing to his influence in society. But four years after, the Delta Stateborn businessman is now ruing the day he ventured into the illicit business.

Today, he is said to be seriously broke, no thanks to the government of President Muhammadu Buhari who has zero tolerance for corruption.

“When beggars die, there are no comets seen; the heavens themselves blaze forth the death of princes.”

This timeless quote by Shakespeare aptly captures the final burial ceremony of the wife and grand matriarch of the Adebutus, the late Chief Caroline Adebutu. Of course, nothing less was expected of Chief Kessington Adebutu.

In the past, Adebutu, undoubtedly one of the biggest billionaires this country has produced, has hosted countless jaw-dropping and high-end parties that were talked about in town for months.

But this party was different. The family’s matriarch, who has held the fiber of the family together for several decades was going home to rest and nothing must be spared to make her last journey as grandiose as possible.

Though D-day was Friday, February 10, 2023, activities for the day began long before then. The sleepy town of Iperu-Remo in Ogun State woke up to hyper activities as they literally quaked for the multitude of dignitaries for the event.

Signs that something extraordinary was happening were noticed from the heavy vehicular movement. The mass of traffic was not limited to vehicles alone as humans also

struggled for space, resulting in long queues of cars and humans that stretched for several metres away from Kessington Adebutu Resort, the venue of the party reception.

Traffic management officials had a tough experience controlling and directing motorists through the beautifully paved streets to the venue. On hand to manage the traffic were operatives of the Ogun State Traffic Compliance and Enforcement Corps (TRACE), The Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA), as well as police wardens.

The colourful event was another concrete proof that Adebutu’s preeminence in the business world is not a fluke, given the array of guests who honoured his invitation.

Gaining entry into the premises entailed thorough screening. The eagle-eyed security men at the entrance were exceptional and very professional in both attitudes and actions.

They include members of the Nigeria Police Force, bouncers, and plainclothes security guards. And they left no stone unturned in ensuring very excellent monitoring of activities from the car parks to the entrance of the marquee.

While some of the dignitaries like the

Late Adebutu

Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo, Ogun State governor and a few others attended only the church service at Wesley Methodist Cathedral Church, the reception was graced by several highly placed personalities from all walks of life.

Princess Fifi Ejindu’s Forbes Recognition

Ejindu

The belief that it is a ‘men’s world’ and that it’s very hard to find women who will stand shoulder to shoulder and thrive excellently well in a male-dominated world and industry has been proved wrong.

Though not many, some women have shown that they are fearless, and audacious and can indeed thrive and compete favourably in the so-called men’s world.

In this part of the world, women like Princess Fifi Ejindu, who ranks high as an embodiment of a woman of valour are one of the few such women around.

Poise and glamour radiate around her.

These beautiful attributes, laced with her highly cerebral prowess have combined to help sustain her place as one of the most influential women in the nation’s business

climate.

The Cross Rivers State-born princess has shown beyond doubt that she is definitely not a pushover. She also ranks as one of the best female architects in Africa.

To state the facts, her appearance in the latest Forbes magazine as one of the richest women didn’t come as a surprise to many.

Those that know her well can attest to the fact that the hard-working and assiduous woman deserves a special place in the history of Nigeria’s architecture. She has given her life to her first love: architecture.

The strikingly well-educated beauty was listed as the number four richest woman in the country.

A devout Christian, she spends her spare time in total worship of her creator.

Again, Femi Otedola Shines Brilliantly For billionaire businessman and Executive Chairman of Geregu Power Plant, Femi Otedola, winning awards has never been a big deal. The lively oil and gas giant has won several laurels both at home and abroad.

The string of industry awards litters his ornate office and home. This sure is evident in his success story in the sector.

Though he never looks out for them, they have kept coming in torrents. Why wouldn’t they? They are indisputable evidence of his success in the nation’s business climate.

So far, it can be said that he has made success in every sector of the economy.

Barely a few weeks into the new year, Otedola has again picked the gauntlet from where he dropped it in 2022 by starting on a winning note.

Last night, the world-class magnate once again shone brilliantly like a well-cut diamond when he

stood before the world at an award organised

by Daily Independent Newspapers. The man, often described by many as a citizen of the world, was honoured as Business Mogul of the Year, 2022.

Great man by all standards, this is not surprising though, he has worked for it, especially when you consider his intimidating resume, international connection and riches.

Blessed with a deep pocket, a large heart and even deeper passion for humanity, the soft-spoken philanthropist has over the years proved to be a pacesetter in terms of humanitarian gestures. He has awarded multi-million naira scholarships to indigent students in Lagos State. Also, many of them have been enjoying his milk of kindness for a long time. This is in addition to his record-breaking N5 billion donation that has

Otedola

continued to enjoy mentions in Nigeria as well as outside the shores of the African continent.

Tech Billionaire, Stan Ekeh’s New Mega Deal

Ekeh

Dr. Leo Stan Ekeh is not rated as Nigeria’s number one serial digital tycoon for nothing.

The tech billionaire is unarguably a visionary who was quick to see that the digital economy would define the world in no distant time.

His record of incisive investment and vision

to digitalise Nigeria remains unequal. For more than two decades, the Chairman, Zinox Group has been reshaping information and communication technology in Nigeria. Ekeh understands that the success of any nation lies in having accurate and credible data. His patriotic zeal has made him emphasised the significance of the partnership with the government and when some years ago it became imperative to digitalise Nigeria’s electoral system, it was Ekeh’s Zinox Group that was beckoned to help revolutionise the election process through the implementation of the Direct Data Capture machines and the card reader technology. These innovations significantly improved the accuracy of the nation’s voter registry and strengthened the credibility of the electoral process in recent years.

Again, the billionaire mogul, who will clock 67 on Wednesday, February 22, is already on the verge of helping his country to provide the best possible solution for the upcoming national census project later in the year. Recently, Ekeh successfully secured a landmark agreement worth N85

billion ($184.7 million) with the federal government through the National Population Commission following its ratification by the Federal Executive Council. The highly lucrative contract awarded to Zinox Group entails the provision of advanced technology components and essential accessories for the upcoming 2023 National Census Project.

Society Watch learnt that after an intense and competitive bidding process that pitted Zinox Group against other local and international contenders, Ekeh’s Company was selected as the preferred technical partner for the upcoming census project.

He has already handed over a sample of the Personal Digital Assistant (PDA) device to the Chairman, National Population Commission (NPC), Hon. Nasir Kwarra at a brief ceremony in Lagos last week. Ekeh established Zinox Group in 2001 as a pioneer in West Africa’s computer manufacturing and information and communications technology solutions.

THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER ˾ JUNE 24 2012

ARTS & REVIEW A

PUBLICATION

19. 2. 2023

A Harvest of Talents at Terra Academy The first graduates of the Terra Academy for the Arts were fêted at a recent lavish ceremony at Lagos-based Terra Kulture's Terra Arena, which was attended by the Information and Culture Minister as well as industry heavyweights. Okechukwu Uwaezuoke reports

P

erhaps no better words could have been used to describe the arrival of Terra Academy for the Arts, oftentimes known by its acronym TAFTA, on the scene than "a story of possibilities," as its founder and CEO, Bolanle Austen-Peters, put it. This was while she was addressing the audience at the Terra Arena of the Terra Kulture in Victoria Island, Lagos, at the academy's first cohort's graduation ceremony on Friday, February 10.

The TAFTA story all began, she narrated, during the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic “when industries were shutting down and few were harder hit than the creative industry.”

Then, came the eureka! moment, which opened her eyes to possibilities. “We realised how important it is for us to use our creativity to create wealth. As Terra Kulture, we trained hundreds of talents each year who have become superstars in their respective fields, an opportunity we wanted to extend to the greater public.”

So, Terra Kulture established the creative academy not long afterwards.

This was in 2021, to be exact. The idea was to upskill 65,000 underserved Nigerian youths through innovative creative education and practical training meticulously created by handpicked creative industry specialists. Is it therefore surprising that TAFTA positions itself as "a provider of world-class creative education, career support, and entrepreneurial opportunities"?

Speaking of opportunities, the creative academy’s goal of building and empowering a community of young Nigerians to impact the economy and society by transforming the creative industry, stands its graduates in good stead not only for self-employment but also for international careers. There are, for instance, specialised courses in sound design, stage lighting, animation, and scriptwriting, all of which were incorporated with entrepreneurship modules. Its programme, which initially lasts for six weeks, is complemented by an additional two-week practical workshop designed to ensure the practical application of the course material.

“TAFTA was established as a gateway to impacting the lives of young Nigerians,” Austen-Peters further disclosed.

“The training we provide allows our graduates to build their entrepreneurial skillsets, ensuring that they are capable of providing for themselves and their families. I am very delighted that what was thought impossible has been made possible. My sincere congratulations to our graduates today who have taken the next steps to transform their lives.”

The attendance of Information and Culture Minister Lai Mohammed bolstered the national significance of the ceremony, which conferred degrees on nearly 2000 students who successfully completed its rigorous programme

A group photograph of the TAFTA graduates with some of the dignitaries

L-R: Information and Culture Minister, Lai Mohammed, and Bolanle Austen-Peters at the event

on relevant skills in theatre arts and entrepreneurship. Then, there was his acknowledgement of the potentials of the Nigerian creative industry, which he recognised in his keynote address as “new crude oil”—a hint at the government’s growing inclination to diversify the economy and, of course, open more doors for employment opportunities.

“Today, Nigeria has taken the world by storm and found itself in the global space, be it through music, movies, fashion, literature, or theatre,” the minister declared. “As Nigeria’s population comprises a 70% youth demographic, many of whom are unemployed or underemployed, TAFTA could not come at a more auspicious time. I can say with conviction that TAFTA is contributing its quota to the efforts to solve the unemployment crisis in Nigeria.”

While congratulating TAFTA graduates, Mohammed called on them to make the most of this rare opportunity.

“TAFTA continues to be a partner of

Award-winning filmmaker Femi Odugbemi addressing the TAFTA graduates

progress and its efforts are impressive and highly commendable,” he added. “The Ministry looks forward to exploring greater means of partnerships with TAFTA to extend their invaluable training across the length and breadth of Nigeria.”

With the announcement of the creation of six physical learning centres for the benefit of students without access to the internet, electricity, or compatible gadgets, TAFTA has already increased its offerings by last year. This was in addition to the academy signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Screenwriters Guild of Nigeria (SWGN) to strengthen student support by easing admission into the professional guild.

Meanwhile, the academy, whose notable alumni include Moshood Fattah, best known for his role as ‘Michael’ in Netflix’s hit series Far From Home; Queen

Celestine, theatre performer and Miss Nigeria Universe 2014, and Bunmi Olunloyo, actor, dancer, and fitness instructor, is set to admit its second cohort of students. This is with the recent announcement of its reopened admissions portal and its call on interested parties located in Lagos, Ogun, and Kano states to submit their application for the free programme on their website.

“Requiring only a senior secondary school qualification, the primarily e-learning-based courses will impart relevant skills needed to succeed as professionals in the creative industry,” a statement by TAFTA clarifies.

Back to the glitzy graduation ceremony, which was emceed by the famed Nollywood actor Akah Nnani. Besides the President, Nigerian Academy of Letters Professor Duro Oni, and the Christian Association of Nigeria president, Reverend Olasupo Ayokunle, the event was also graced by such industry heavyweights as the awardwinning filmmaker Femi Odugbemi, the actress Omotola Jalade-Ekeinde, actors Deyemi Okanlawon and Mike Afolarin, as well as up-and-coming stars who were also beneficiaries of the Terra Kulture platform.

Terra Kulture Arts and Studios Limited, formerly Terra Kulture Limited – the Nigerian Cultural Centre, was founded in 2003 as an educational and recreational organization dedicated to promoting the richness and diversity of Nigerian languages, arts, and culture. Since then, the cultural hub has planned thousands of language sessions, over 200 art exhibitions, over 150 plays, and book readings. The Bolanle AustenPeters Production House, its sister group that has performed Nigerian plays on three separate continents, also based operates from its premises.

The production house also produces and directs acclaimed films that can be viewed on Netflix and Amazon.

EDITOR OKECHUKWU UWAEZUOKE/ okechukwu.uwaezuoke@thisdaylive.com

36

THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER FEBRUARY 19 , 2023

ARTS & REVIEW\\POT POURRI

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performance called The Offering started midafternoon on Saturday, -DQXDU\ DW the evergreen nexus of creative activity, Mambaah Café in the Maitama neighbourhood. The ÌMÍ intensive lab accommodates multi-disciplinary creatives at a time when art programming is thin in Abuja.

This was the second edition of ÌMÍ and this edition's theme is "My voice is..." It featured 30 creatives, many of whom contributed to the Saturday performance with dancemovements,singing,chants, thoughts, and poetry.

The creatives were accommoGDWHG IRU ÀYH GD\V IURP -DQXDU\ WR VHQVLQJ DQG UHVSRQGLQJ to themselves. The aim? To focus, UHFDOLEUDWH DQG LQVSLUH 7KH 2ͿHUing is a performance extrapolated from the theme of "My voice is..." explored in the lab.

Some participants collaborated by contributing videos, photography, and installations. There could have EHHQ QR EHWWHU SODFH IRU 7KH 2ͿHUing than Mambaah Café. From the procession from the street into the compound, the performers pulVDWHG ÁXLGO\ WKURXJK H[SUHVVLYH movements, following the steady handofOluwabukunmiOlukitibi, the convener of ÌMÍ.

She guided them through dances, performance poetry, and movements. The emotions were palpableastheytouchedontopical themes of their joys and pains in Nigeria’s geopolitical climate.

A scene from the performance

RESIDENCY Movements of note involved a cacophonous "air" group telephone call. The performers made repeated utterances in various mother tongues as their bodies intertwined into a singular mass.

Later, another performer stood on a large, condemned tractor tyre to announce her deepest thoughts to the audience.

The audience witnessed another performer gets his head shaved, then go on to chant in Yoruba, "Let us do our own 'thing,' and you can do your own 'thing.'" Aphrase so loaded with meaning that it could be interpreted in various contexts.

Then there was a symbolic staged death. Then Oluwabukunmi chanted ominously, "Take down Seyi’s installation," a signal to end that phase of the performance.

Following her chants, the audience was swept from the open-air

1RPDG 7HFK $UW *DUGHQ WR WKH main courtyard at the heart of the dining area of Mambaah café. A place that has hosted numerous creative activities in the last few years that it has a magical creative energy enveloping it.

Pictures and videos were projected on a screen from parts of the ÀYH GD\ Ï0Ì ODE 7KH VXQ VHWV RQ the performers as they continued more set pieces, which cast a warm aura of the event into the dark of the night.

The whole performance was poignant, beautiful, magical, abrupt, jarring, and deeply emotional. It serves as a reminder of living in Nigeria. Life here is hard, entertaining, frustrating, and intense, but it is also exhilarating.

3HUKDSV Ï0Ì UHÁHFWV 1LJHULD DQG RQ D EURDGHU VFDOH :HVW Africa because the participants DUH :HVW $IULFDQV EXUGHQHG ZLWK the reality of our condition. They FDQQRW KHOS EXW UHÁHFW WKH IHDWXUHV

of their reality in their work.

On another day, Oluwabukunmi adds more context to what the DXGLHQFH ZLWQHVVHG DW 7KH 2ͿHUing. She prefers to exist between SRODULWLHV DQG ÁRZ OLNH OLJKWQLQJ through earthing rods. She is both concrete and ephemeral in many ways.

The ÌMÍ lab and its public output, 7KH 2ͿHULQJ DUH KHU HSKHPHUDO gifts to not only the creatives but also the Abuja public who ZLWQHVVHG WKH HYHQW +HDUWV +HDUWLVW &UHDWLYH &HQWUH KHU organisation's other programmes VXFK DV WKH GDQFH ÀWQHVV DQG \RJD classes as well as the community engagement and empowerment exercises, are more of a "concrete" gift to society.

In general terms, a residency may QRW EH QHZ RU XQLTXH EXW Ï0Ì LV an outlet for multi-disciplinary creatives that gather to explore their process and participate in boisterous movement. Especially inJanuary,whenartprogramming in Abuja is nonexistent.

One can only wish that the creatives that participated in ÌMÍ have either found their voice or DUH RQ D UHZDUGLQJ SDWK WR ÀQGLQJ it. Sharing something so intense has to be life-changing, forming new cross-country and crossborder bonds. $OO RI WKH +HDUWV +HDUWLVW &UHDWLYH Center's expressions are held toJHWKHU E\ D FOHDUO\ GHÀQHG SURFHVV 7KH SURFHVV RI EUHDWKLQJ DQG ÀQGing one’s voice as a creative is at the centre of her mission.

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$ %RRN :KRVH (VVHQFH 5HYHUEHUDWHV %H\RQG 3HWUROHXP ,QGXVWU\ Peter Obaseki I got an autographed copy of this book from the author himself in November during the annual Edo 6WDWH $ODJKRGDUR 6XPPLW IRU I found it highly engaging and a journey through the Nigerian Oil DQG *DV VHFWRU IURP LQFHSWLRQ This review will focus on the oil and gas sector as the life-wire of the economy in terms of foreign exchange earnings, major source of government revenue and the basis of our trade with the rest of the world, the balance of trade.

The book is an autobiography but personal details were not covered, DOWKRXJK WKH\ UHÁHFW WKH RSSRUWXnities available to the youths of that HUD DQG KRZ 'U *RGVZLOO ,KHWX seized it through diligent focus to build such a strong academic and professional track-record. The civil service of that era, especially in the 70s, was very powerful with super permanent secretaries at its apex. The ministry of petroleum, PLQLQJ DQG /DJRV $ͿDLU ZDV DW the centre of the evolution of the oil and gas industry. The International Oil Companies (IOCs) were DOUHDG\ ÀUPO\ LQ SODFH DKHDG RI WKH Nigerian National Oil Company (NNOC),theprecursoroftheNigerianNationalPetroleumCompany (NNPC). Pioneers in the industry came from both the ministry and WKH ,2&V ZLWK FOHDU GLͿHUHQFHV in cultures and competencies.

The book has copious, if comic account of these interactions and their deadly drag on the industry at the early stages.

'U *RGVZLOO ,KHWX LV D %ULWLVK trained mechanical engineer and D 3K ' KROGHU LQ WKH VDPH ÀHOG +H IRXQG YHU\ FRJQDWH YHQW IRU

Book Cover

BOOK REVIEW the application of his skills in the pipeline and depot construction projects of NNPC, across the country to form the bedrock of the downstream petroleum sector. You could feel it in the book that he got completely immersed in these assignments, delivering 3,000 kilometres of pipeline with strategic depots as hubs across the country.

The book gave a vivid account of the domestic aspect of gas monetisation through the 400-kilometre Escravos to Lagos pipeline under WKH 1LJHULDQ *DV &RPSDQ\ $V D project, this was a piece of cake compared to the international ERXQG 1/1* SURMHFW EXW 'U *RGVZLOO ,KHWX IRFXVHG KLV DWWHQtion as the Managing Director of 1LJHULDQ *DV &RPSDQ\ RQ KRZ WR YDVWO\ LPSURYH WKH UHYHQXH SURÀOH RI WKH FRPSDQ\ +H WULHG WR SXUVXH debtors, including government institutions like NEPA and met a brick wall as NEPAin turn claimed

that they were being owed by other government institutions. +H LQWURGXFHG LQGH[HG SULFLQJ in domestic gas sales contract, drawing from his experience ZLWK 1/1* LQWHUQDWLRQDO VDOHV contracts indexed on the price of crude oil. , FRQVLGHU WKH OLTXLÀHG QDWXUDO JDV SURMHFW DV WKH ÀQHVW SDUW RI this book and the pinnacle of Dr *RGVZLOO ,KHWX·V GLVWLQJXLVKHG FDUHHU +H ZDV WKH WHFKQLFDO LQsider that delivered the Nigerian /LTXLÀHG 1DWXUDO *DV SURMHFW VXUURXQGHG DQG EXͿHWHG E\ GLYHUVH LQÁXHQFHV WKDW GHUDLOHG WKH SURMHFW on so many occasions. You will expect that host community crisis will be a key challenge but the relatively peaceful relocation of the Finima Community to the New Finima Town, covering 400 hectares was a tribute to the diplomatic dexterity of Dr Ihetu DQG RWKHUV 7KH 1/1* SURMHFW ZDV initially estimated to cost $4 billion, covering gas feed pipelines, OLTXHIDFWLRQ SURFHVV DQG VKLSSLQJ The two issues that bogged down theprojectwerewhoshouldbethe contractor for the core project or Engineering design, Procurement and Construction (EPC) between TSKJ and BCTS; the other was ZKLFK OLTXHIDFWLRQ SURFHVV technology should be adopted, TEALARC or APCI. The book presented detailed behind the scenes lobbies and epic clashes between technical judgment and political power play, throwing up corporate governance worst practices, including ministerial over-ride of board decisions and long periods without a board by the core investor, NNPC. 7KH ÀQDQFLDO FRPSRQHQWV RI

WKH 1/1* SURMHFW ZHUH SXUHO\ private sector, led by international ÀQDQFLDO LQVWLWXWLRQV LQFOXGLQJ IFC, in a consortium of lenders.

Since project political risk was high and governance weak, lenders insisted that shareholding structure LQLWLDOO\ 113& FRUH LQYHVWRU andparticipatingIOCscollectively VKRXOG EH UHFRQÀJXUHG ZLWK 113&·V HTXLW\ LQWHUHVW UHGXFHG WR 7KH ERRN DOOXGHG WR ÀQDQFLDO pressures on the part of government that might have helped to DFKLHYH WKLV VODVK LQ HTXLW\ WKH movements in the project escrow DFFRXQW KLQWV DW WKLV 7KH HTXLW\ UHVWUXFWXUH IXOÀOOHG RQH RI OHQGHUV conditions but also, strengthened thehandsoftheparticipatingIOCs and improved governance, with the core investor losing the slot of Managing Director while taking the bitter demotion to the newly created Deputy Managing Director position.

As you read the book, one cannot but wonder about the state of WKH JDV VXSSO\ FRQWUDFWV RYHU years tenure mainly to European countries. You also grasp why %RQQ\ /1* IDLOHG DQG WKH OHVVRQV WKDW 1/1* JOHDQHG IURP that; you begin to imagine why %UDVV /1* DQG 2ORNROD KDYH not yet happened, despite a tight global gas market. The eventual VXFFHVV RI 1/1* LV D WULEXWH WR the technical depth, passion and resilience, even rugged character RI 'U *RGVZLOO ,KHWX DQG RWKHU professionals as well as political leaders of that era. ˾ ÌËÝÏÕÓ˜ ˜ ÓÝ Ë ÜÏÞÓÜÏÎ ÌËØÕ ÏâÏÍßÞÓàϘ ÑÙàÏÜØËØÍÏ ÍÙØÝßÖÞËØÞ ̶ ËØÎ ÒËÓÜ×ËØ ÙÐ ËØ ÓÖ ʶ ËÝ ÓÏÖÎ ÏÜàÓÍÏÝ Ù×ÚËØã ̙ ̚

BOOKS ,Q &HOHEUDWLRQ RI 1HZ 1LJHULDQ &LQHPD 6WHYH $\RULQGH /DXQFKHV 1HZ %RRN A new book has been released to commemorate the landmark DFKLHYHPHQWV DQG RXWVWDQGLQJ SUDFWLWLRQHUV LQ WKH 1LJHULDQ ÀOP industry. The book, which is titled '30: Three Decades Of The New Nigerian Cinema - A Bystander's Verdict', is authored by FHOHEUDWHG MRXUQDOLVW ÀOP FULWLF DQG IRUPHU &RPPLVVLRQHU IRU Tourism Arts & Culture in Lagos State, Steve Ayorinde.

The book, which is being sold globally by Amazon in print (hardcopy and paperback) and on kindle, is also, according to a recently released statement in Lagos by Patrons Media, the co-publishers, available on Smashwords and Lulu for global audiences and on Okadabooks in Nigeria.

Its formal unveiling, the statement further disclosed, has been scheduled to hold after the general elections in Nigeria, at the end of March.

The six-chapter book meanwhile curates 30 each of those that the author considers outstanding among directors, actors, actresses DQG IHDWXUH ÀOPV UHOHDVHG LQ 1LJHULD VLQFH :LWK TXRWHV from the book's Preface, the statement highlights the author's intention in writing about an industry that he has encountered closely as a cub reporter, editor and columnist, editor-in-chief, member of jury and as commissioner.

"This book simply seeks to celebrate and document some of the RXWVWDQGLQJ ÀOPV GLUHFWRUV DFWRUV DQG ODQGPDUN HYHQWV ZKLFK KDYH LQ WKH SDVW \HDUV RU WKHUHDERXW GHÀQHG WKH LQGXVWU\ ZH now celebrate today; without forgetting other legendary names that played their parts but who are no more on planet earth."

The statement said "30 each of such outstanding professionals and movies have been selected for special highlights in this book as exemplary representatives from a large pool of talented SUDFWLWLRQHUV DQG RXWVWDQGLQJ ÀOPV WKDW EHVW FHOHEUDWH WKLV phenomenal industry in the past three decades.

"This industry was built out of their sweat and labour of love.

The choices contained in this publication are simply my preferences as someone who has encountered the industry and most of its key players closely for more than 30 years," the statement TXRWHG $\RULQGH LQ WKH ERRN V 3UHIDFH From classic oldies like Asewo To Re Mecca and Living In %RQGDJH ERWK LQ WR 7L 2OXZD 1LOH *ODPRXU *LUOV 0RUWDO ,QKHULWDQFH DQG ,JRGR XS WR ,MH 2WREHU 6DGDXNL +DOI RI D Yellow Sun and the more recent King Of Boys, The Milkmaid DQG $PLQD WKH ERRN FXUDWHV D ULFK VSUHDG RI VRPH RI WKH ÀOPV WKDW UHGHÀQHG WKH QHZ 1LJHULDQ FLQHPD Read full article online - www.thisdaylive.com

EXHIBITION ([SORULQJ 0LJUDWLRQ 0HPRU\ LQ <60$·V 1HZ *URXS 6KRZ Yinka Olatunbosun $ VXUJH RI LPDJHV ÁDVKHV WKURXJK WKH PLQG DV WKH H\HV WUDYHO IURP one canvas to the other. The mind’s eye sees moments of departure of a friend or family member from Nigeria. The themes of migration, cultural dislocation and memory cut through the works by various DUWLVWV DW DQ RQ JRLQJ H[KLELWLRQ WLWOHG :DWHU 8QGHU WKH %ULGJH Mounted at theYemisi Shyllon Museum ofArt (YSMA), Pan-Atlantic 8QLYHUVLW\ WKLV ERG\ RI ZRUN ² FXUDWHG E\ 2OXÀVD\R %DNDUH ² LV DQ ingenious collection of cross-generational artists, including artists in memory. Featuring works of Aina Onabolu, Alex Nwokolo, Bruce Onobrakpeya, Dele Jegede, Kelani Abass, Rom Isichei, Olu Ajayi, 7ROD :HZH 8FKH 2NHNH 1LNH 'DYLHV 2NXQGD\H :XUD 1DWDVKD Ogunji, Joy Labinjo and others, the show dredges up the complexes of transatlantic slave trade and juxtaposes it with present-day realities.

In her curatorial statement, Bakare revealed how the story of Nigerian exodus permeates through the works. “The exhibition explores the complexities of migration and memory, probing works by 50 Nigerian artists whose ideologies encompass a syncretic collective, leaving clues to challenges emanating from issues of identity, authenticity and positionality,” she said. ´:DWHU 8QGHU WKH %ULGJH RSHQV ZLWK VWURQJ YLVXDO LQIHUHQFHV between forced migration during the Transatlantic slave trade and the present-day rerouting of Nigerian immigrants who are forced to leave home due to structural, economic and political degeneration.”

8VLQJ LQVWDOODWLRQV VFXOSWXUHV SDLQWLQJV DQG PL[HG PHGLD H[SUHVsions, the voices of the artists are in unison on the subject matters raised at the show.

During a recent guided tour of the exhibition, the curator spoke about how the theme for the show resonated with her water-inspired fabric design. Typically, Bakare adapts her grooming to the thematic preoccupation of her shows. At her GHEXW VKRZ ,QYLQFLEOH +DQGV VKH ZRUH DGLUH ²WKHPHG IDEULF LQ memoryofherlategrandmother, a renowned dyer.

From her perspective, the messages embedded in the works are deep, meditative and multidimensional in its interpretation.

Some of them transcend their years in terms of national and global relevance.

Read full article online - www.thisdaylive.com

37

THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER FEBRUARY 19 , 2023

CICERO

Editor: Ejiofor Alike SMS: 08066066268 email:ejiofor.alike@thisdaylive.com

IN THE ARENA

How Ready is INEC for Elections?

With just six days to the February 25 presidential election, and the multi-layered economic, security and political challenges, Louis Achi interrogates the readiness of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to conduct Africa’s most consequential democratic elections

I

t’s a week to the presidential and national legislative elections scheduled for February 25. The governorship and state parliamentary polls will thereafter be held on March 11. The question agitating the minds of Nigerians is: Are the key constitutional arrowheads responsible to ensure free, fair and secure polls ready?

Like an unending mantra, President Muhammadu Buhari has repeatedly restated his resolve to bestow a legacy of credible elections on Nigeria before the expiry of his two-term presidency on May 29. Significantly, Buhari has proclaimed this resolve both to Nigerians and the international community.

“Having witnessed at close quarters, the pains, anguish and disappointment of being a victim of an unfair electoral process, the pursuit of an electoral system and processes that guarantee the election of leaders by citizens remain the guiding light as I prepare to wind down our administration. It is for this reason that I have resolved to bequeath a sustainable democratic culture which will remain lasting,” Buhari reportedly said on October 1, 2022.

While the president was inaugurating critical operational assets acquired to upscale the capabilities of the police, particularly in crowd control and anti-riot operations, on February 13, he stressed the imperative of professionalism on the part of police officers, while policing the polls.

On his part, the man in the eye of the storm, INEC’s Chairman, Prof.

Mahmood Yakubu, has become something of a songbird of optimism in the face of niggling public uncertainty.

As many times as doubts were expressed as to the readiness of the electoral commission to conduct the 2023 elections on one hand and free and credible elections on the other, Prof. Yakubu had often remained resolute by assuring Nigerians that there was no going back on achieving the mandate.

INEC’s publicist and voter education commissioner, Mr. Festus Okoye, has also repeatedly reassured Nigerians that the general election would hold as scheduled.

These assurances and reassurances became necessary following the concern raised in some quarters that the conduct of the elections may be imperiled by the current socioeconomic and political environment in the country mirrored by the insecurity, fuel scarcity, and the new Naira redesign policy of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

The defunct Soviet tyrant Joseph Stalin once reportedly quipped, “Those who cast the votes decide nothing but those who count the votes decide everything.”

Clearly, without their elaborate and critical vote counting and results collation assets, the Yakubu-led national electoral body cannot deliver credible results in the general election kicking off in a few days. This scenario would have profound constitutional implications for the troubled nation.

Yakubu had come out clearly to express his legitimate worries over the unfolding developments. He told the House of Representatives’ Ad-hoc Committee Investigating the Attacks on Offices and Facilities of INEC last year that while the commission was determined to moderate credible general elections, the continued attacks on its fa-

Yakubu cilities constituted a serious threat.

“The attacks have far-reaching implications on preparations for the general election. First, the facilities that are destroyed, especially offices, will take time to rebuild. They are not like items of procurement that you can procure off the shelf. So, an alternative arrangement has to be made,” he reportedly said.

According to Yakubu, when INEC offices are built, destroyed and rebuilt, it puts considerable stress on the electoral body’s resources.

The INEC chairman has found a soulmate in the Inspector-General of Police, Usman Baba, who outrightly accused politicians, secessionists and other prominent personalities of being behind the recent attacks on the offices of the INEC in different parts of the country.

The police boss, represented by the Deputy Inspector-General, Department of Operations, Dandaura Mustapha, stated this when he appeared before the House of Representatives ad hoc committee investigating attacks on INEC assets across the country.

But the encouraging dimension to the INEC boss and Police IG’s bellyaching is that much of these disruptive shenanigans occurred last year. Today, a lot of water has seemingly flowed under both the bridge of election preparations and the preparedness of the relevant security agencies.

Last week, INEC announced elections would not be held in 240 Polling Units across 28 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), for not having registered voters. At a meeting with the national leaders of political parties in Abuja, Yakubu said the February 25 and March 11 elections would now take place in 176,606 PUs instead of 176,846 PUs nationwide.

President Buhari’s quaint concern about bequeathing a credible electoral legacy is perhaps captured by the fact that the majority of poll results since Nigeria returned to civil rule 24 years ago cannot be said to have reflected the wishes of the majority.This certainly makes getting the impending general election right very imperative.

It is worth noting that unfettered political participation is one of the most important indicators of the democratic quality of elections and a prime criterion for defining democratic citizenship. This reality cannot be overstressed. Unimpeded voter turnout in a transparent, free and fair election is the most important form of political involvement and it is an important indicator of the state of health of any democracy.

Given its fundamental importance, both to the integrity of Nigeria’s constitutional democracy and the sustenance of political stability, persistent discourse on the nation’s electoral transparency can never become hackneyed.

The Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) and INEC Election Result Viewing Portal (IReV) represent two crucial technological advances for enhancing the transparency of election results and upscaling public belief in electoral outcomes.

According to INEC, these technologies are addressing the 10 most prevalent flaws in the nation’s election result management process.

These include alteration of votes at polling units, distortion of a number of accredited voters, collation of false results, mutilation of results and computational errors, swapping of results sheets, forging of results sheets, snatching and destruction of results sheets, obtaining declaration and return involuntarily, making declaration and return while result collation is still in progress and poor recordkeeping.

The dual innovations perform mutually reinforcing and critical functions in elections. The BVAS is a technological device used to identify and accredit voters’ fingerprints and facial recognition before voting and is also used for capturing images of the polling unit result sheet (Form EC8A) and uploading the image of the result sheet online.

On the other hand, IReV is an online portal where polling unit level results are uploaded directly from the polling unit, transmitted, and published for the public. Diverse stakeholders have also described BVAS as an upgrade of the smartcard reader, which was used in the 2019 elections, and a game changer in the country’s electoral progression.

Cut to the bone, the accurate implementation, or otherwise, of these cutting-edge electoral innovations will undoubtedly play an important role in evaluating the integrity of next week’s general election.

The Chief of Defence Staff, General Lucky Irabor, had on many occasions, emphasised and reassured that the military would provide a peaceful atmosphere for the elections to hold across the country.

The forthcoming elections will represent the seventh successive general election in the nation’s 24 years of uninterrupted democratic trajectory.

All Nigerians want to see from the commission is a free, fair, transparent, verifiable and inclusive election on the dates they are scheduled.

P O L I T I CA L N OT E S

Politically-motivated Nolle Prosequi in Katsina

Uzodimma Masari

In what many analysts have regarded as an attempt to woo former Governor of Katsina State, Ibrahim Shema, to the All Progressives Congress (APC), the state government led

by Governor Aminu Masari, has withdrawn the N11 billion criminal charges it filed against him and a former Chairman of the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON), Ibrahim Lawal Dankaba before the state High Court The state Director of Public Prosecution, Abdulrahman Umar, while briefing journalists at the Government House, said the withdrawal of the suit against the two defendants followed a nolle prosequi filed by the state government before the court Shema, who governed the state from 2007 to 2015, was arraigned before the late Justice Ibrahim Maikaita-Bako at the State

High Court 3 in 2016 for alleged criminal breach of trust, forgery, abuse of office and conversion of public funds to the tune of over N11 billion while he was governor.

The ex-governor was further dragged before the court with former Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Alhaji Sani Hamisu Makana; former Permanent Secretary of the ministry, Alhaji Lawai Rufai and Dankaba, the former ALGON chairman.

Shema, who was elected on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), pleaded not guilty to all the charges levelled against them by the Governor Masari-led government.

Umar said the court during last Monday’s proceedings accepted the nolle prosequi and discharged the erstwhile governor and Dankaba from all corruption charges insti-

tuted against them by the state government.

Lately, Governor Masari has become desperate. He wants to keep the state for the APC at all cost. One way to achieve this is to woo all the influential persons in the state. He does not want to allow the PDP win the state in March 11 governorship election in order not to avoid the treatment he gave to Shema.

But question are: Why did he have to subject Shema to all the troubles if he knew that he would one day withdraw the charges? Were the charges politically-motivated? What if the governor refuses to defect from the PDP to APC? Will the charges be refiled?

This has added to why many things do not work in the country. It is because most decisions are taken for political reasons and not public interest.

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THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER FEBRUARY 19 , 2023

BRIEFINGNOTES Lagos REC in the Eye of the Storm For taking steps considered at variance with the acts of neutrality required of an electoral umpire, the Resident Electoral Commissioner in Lagos State, Mr. Olusegun Agbaje, has come under fire, with opposition parties calling for his redeployment but the Independent National Electoral Commission thinks otherwise, Ejiofor Alike reports

S

ince he conducted the September 2018 governorship election in Osun State, which was concluded with a controversial rerun, not much was heard of Olusegun Agbaje until he resumed duties in Lagos State as the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), and made alleged controversial statements and decisions.

Before he was posted to Lagos State, he had also served in Ogun State.

Agbaje recently stirred the hornet’s nest when he reportedly described the South-easterners resident in Lagos State as “those that migrated and settled in Lagos to escape insecurity in the South-east.”

His statement on a live television programme was in response to an allegation that millions of South-east voters were denied Permanent Voter’s Cards (PVCs) in the just conducted PVC distribution in the state.

There was an earlier allegation that batches of carefully sorted out PVCs with ethno-religious marks bearing the names of easterners were allegedly carted away from INEC custody and dumped in large numbers inside gutters and streets along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway.

Many people from the South-east were also allegedly denied the right to register in Lagos during the voters’ registration exercise.

But speaking to a national daily in July 2022, Agbaje debunked the allegation, saying: “I have asked them to show me the centre or local government for me to personally do my findings but nobody came with proof. There is nowhere Igbo people in Lagos would be denied registration under my watch.”

Agbaje, who should have also used last Wednesday’s TV programme to clear all these allegations, however messed up the opportunity with what was perceived as his anti-Igbo statements, which he has not debunked till date.

Many have also faulted his decision to use the Lagos State Park and Garage Management Committee, headed by transport kingpin, Musiliu Akinsanya, aka MC Oluomo, a member of the Presidential Campaign Council of All Progressives Congress (APC), for the distribution of election materials.

Agbaje argued that the National Association of Road Transport Owners (NARTO) could not provide the vehicles needed for the elections and that it would be illegal to work with the proscribed NURTW. But the Lagos State branch of NARTO in a statement issued by its Chairman, Mr. Kayode Odunowo, said contrary to the position of the REC, the association had enough vehicles.

NURTW has also punctured Agbaje’s claim and appointed coordinators to arrange transportation of polling materials and personnel for the

Agbaje forthcoming general election in Lagos, Ondo, Osun and Oyo states where its activities were banned.

In a letter to INEC Chairman, Professor Mahmood Yakubu, by the General Secretary of NURTW, Kabiru Ado Yau, the union said it had appointed as coordinators Rafiu Olohunwa, Oluwatoyin Olaoye, Rauf Fakorede and Abideen Olajide for Lagos, Ondo, Osun and Oyo states, respectively, to organise drivers for the exercise.

Reacting to Agbaje’s alleged partisanship, the Labour Party (LP) senatorial candidate in Lagos West, Hon. Moshood Salvador, has called for his removal.

On its part, Intersociety, a rights activist, has demanded his sack in a letter written to the INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood.

The letter was signed by Intersociety’s Board Chairman, Emeka Umeagbalasi; Head of Democracy and Good Governance Programme, Chinwe Umeche; Head of Civil Liberties and Rule of Law, Obianuju Igboeli, and Head of Campaign and Publicity Department, Chidinma Udegbunam Intersociety said it sought his immediate removal based on “live and verifiable video

clips which saturated the social media spaces showing systematic and orchestrated plots by the REC to deprive the Nigerian citizens of South-east resident in Lagos their PVCs and rights to participate and vote in the February 25, 2023 presidential poll.”

Also reacting, a Christian group in Lagos, Leaders After God’s Own Spirit Initiating A New State (LAGOSIANS), in a statement signed by the group’s leader, Bolaji Akinyemi, accused Agbaje of complicity in a plan to disenfranchise Igbos in Lagos, and urged the INEC chairman to remove him.

“In a reckless political communication known only with thugs, he made it clear that the reason they cannot have their PVC is that many of them are from the South-east part of the country, inferring that they are immigrants,” Akinyemi said.

He said there is fear of an inconclusive election as happened in the Osun State governorship vote in 2018.

In his reaction, the presidential candidate of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, has also called on INEC to immediately remove

him for alleged partisanship.

In a statement by his Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, the former vice president said it was curious that Agbaje was insisting on using the Lagos State Park and Garage Management Committee, headed by transport kingpin, Oluomo, a member of the presidential campaign council of the APC. Atiku described as watery Agbaje’s excuse that INEC would not be able to use the NURTW because it was banned in the state.

The statement said, “The law is clear that only a court has the power to proscribe an organisation.

That was why the federal government had to go to court to proscribe the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and the Islamic Movement of Nigeria (IMN).”

“What Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu did in Lagos State was to arbitrarily announce a ban on the activities of the NURTW because the organisation suspended MC Oluomo, the APC’s henchman. INEC must not promote illegality by working with a partisan organisation, which is filled with APC members that are working for Bola Tinubu.”

Atiku noted that over 17,000 Nigerians had signed a petition on Change.Org titled, “Remove Olusegun Agbaje as the Lagos INEC Commissioner for Incompetence and Bigotry”.

However, while Agbaje has described the call for his resignation as a waste of time, INEC has said that it would not redeploy him, describing the allegations against him as unfounded.

Chief Press Secretary to the INEC Chairman, Rotimi Oyekanmi told journalists on Wednesday in Abuja that those demanding Agbaje’s redeployment should perish the thought.

Oyekanmi implored the two political parties calling for Agbaje’s redeployment to respect the boundaries of the relationship between the commission and all political parties.

He described the allegations against Agbaje as deliberate misinformation and distortion of facts.

“Let me make one thing clear upfront. Mr. Agbaje will not be removed as the REC for Lagos over unfounded allegations.

“He will not only conduct the Presidential/National Assembly election scheduled for February 25, he will also supervise the Governorship/State House of Assembly election holding on 11th March.

“He is a conscientious, honest, dependable and hardworking REC. His integrity speaks for him in all the places where he had served,” Oyekanmi explained.

With two out of the top three political parties calling for Agbaje’s redeployment, INEC may have courted controversy with its position on the matter. Electoral umpires should not only claim to be neutral but should be transparently seen to be neutral by all the relevant parties in the electoral process.

NOTES FOR FILE

When South-east Govs Threw Obiozor under the Bus

Obiozor

For many Igbo sons and daughters, it was shocking to observethatthegovernorsfromtheSouth-eastboycotted thefuneralofthelatePresident-Generaloftheirapexsocioculturalorganisation,OhanaezeNdigbo,ProfessorGeorge Obiozor in Imo State, thereby leaving the host governor, Senator Hope Uzodimma to shoulder the burden.

Obiozor, who passed on to glory on December 26, 2022, was the President-General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, the equivalent of the Afenifere, Ijaw Nation, Arewa Consultative Forum, and the Middle Belt Forum.

The Presidents of these organisations are revered by their governors.

Assoonastheelderstatesmandied,South-eastGovernors’Forum,ledbyGovernorDavidUmahiofEbonyiState, onbehalfofcolleagues,conveyedacondolencemessage whenhesympathisedwiththepeopleandGovernmentof

Imo State as well as Ndigbo over his demise.

But when it was time for his remains to be buried in his Awo-Omama Community in Imo State on February 10,2023,thegovernorswerenowheretopaytheirlast respects to this great man who made the Igbo race and Nigeria proud locally and internationally.

EvenwhentheImoStateGovernment,Obiozor’sfamily andtheleadershipofOhanaezeNdigbomadethetripto thefuneraleasyfortheVIPsandthegovernorsbylimiting theactivitiesconcerningthefuneraltoOwerri,thesafest place in the state, the governors still stayed away.

What was most baffling was that Umahi, who should have led the guard of honour, given his position as the Chairman of the South-east Governors Forum was conspicuously absent.

Governor Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia State and his

counterpart in Enugu State, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, who used to fly about locally and internationally with other G-5governors,refusedtohonourObiozor.Incidentally, EnuguStatehoststheheadquartersofOhanaeze.Even GovernorCharlesSoludoofAnambraStatedidn’tthink itwasnecessarytohonourthelateelderstatesmanwho, like him, was an academic and international scholar.

If it were Obiozor’s counterpart in any zone in the country that died, the same South-east governors would be falling over themselves to be noticed at the burialceremony.Manybelievethatthebehaviorofthese governorswaspoliticalandagainstthespiritof“nobody shouldabandonhisbrother”forwhichtheIgbosarenoted for. The absence of these governors during Obiozor’s burial has validated the claim that Igbos are disunited whenever it comes to the issue of politics.

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THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER FEBRUARY 19 , 2023

CICERO/ISSUES

Yakubu

Ahaiwe

Ikonne

Legal Implications of Ikonne’s Replacement as PDP Governorship Candidate in Abia A new Peoples Democratic Party governorship candidate may have been elected in Abia State following the death of Professor Uche Ikonne. Cornelius Gabriel examines the legal implications of the action and what it means for the upcoming elections in the state, the potential consequences and how it will impact the political landscape

I

t is no longer news that the gubernatorial candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Abia State Professor Ikonne is dead. The late Professor Ikonne emerged as the winner of the PDP gubernatorial primary in Abia State and nominated his running mate, Hon Okey Igwe.

It is worthy of note that both were validly nominated in line with Sections 177 and 187 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) which therefore means that the issue of validity or disqualification of their candidacy does not arise.

There were various positions as to what would become of the deputy governorship candidate. Some said there was the need for a fresh primary to choose a new governorship and deputy governorship candidates because the deputy governorship candidate is also dead in law as the late governorship candidate while some maintained that the deputy governorship is to step into the shoes of the governorship candidate and nominate a running mate since they have a joint candidacy.

In compliance with the provisions of the Electoral Act, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had gone ahead to direct the PDP to organise a new primary within 14 days and submit the names of the new governorship and deputy governorship candidates.

Based on this, the Abia State chapter of the PDP on February 4, 2023 held another primary election at the Umuahia Township Stadium where it elected Chief Ambrose Okechukwu Ahaiwe as its new candidate to replace the late Prof. Ikonne.

Ahaiwe was until the primary, the Chief of Staff to Governor Okezie Ikpeazu. He scored 469 votes, representing 91 per cent of the 516 votes cast by the delegates. The Deputy Governor of the state, Sir Ude Oko Chukwu, came a distant second with 12

votes alongside Lucky Igbokwe, who got the same number of votes, while Sampson Orji got 11.

Before balloting, three of the eight contestants, Bob Ogu, Eric Opah, and Ezinwanyi Jonah, stepped down for Ahaiwe, citing the zoning arrangement to Isiala Ngwa North Local Government Area.

Section 33 of the Electoral Act 2022 which provides: “A political party shall not be allowed to change or substitute its candidate whose name has been submitted under section 29 of this Act, except in the case of death or withdrawal by the candidate: Provided that in the case of such withdrawal or death of a candidate, the political party affected shall, within 14 days of the occurrence of the event, hold a fresh primary election to produce and submit a fresh candidate to the commission for the election concerned.”

Further to the above, Section 34 provides inter alia: (1) If after the time for the delivery of the nomination paper and before the commencement of the poll, a nominated candidate dies, the Chief National Electoral Commissioner shall being satisfied with the fact of the death, countermand the poll in which the deceased candidate was to participate and the commission shall appoint some other convenient date for the election within 14 days. (2) The list of voters to be used at a postponed election shall be the official voters’ register which was to be used if the election had not been postponed. (3) If after the commencement of polls and before the announcement of the final result and declaration of a winner, a candidate dies- (a) the commission shall, being satisfied of the fact of the death, suspend the election for a period not more than 21days and (b) in the case of election into legislative house, the election shall start afresh and the political party whose candidate died may, if it intends to continue

to participate in the election, conduct a fresh primary within 14 days of the death of its candidate and submit the name of a new candidate to the Commission to replace the dead candidate.

Provided that in case of presidential or gubernatorial or federal capital territory area council election, the running mate shall continue with the election and nominate a new running mate.

In interpreting and applying the above sections to the instant case, some hold the view that since the election has not commenced the PDP must conduct a fresh primary within 14 days and submit the name of the new candidates. This is actually the popular view.

On the other hand, another view is that the deputy governorship candidate takes over and nominates a new deputy governorship candidate. This position is based on the fact that it is a joint candidacy and that also the proviso to Section 34 applies to Subsections 1-3 since the draftsman did not clearly state that it applies only to Subsection 3.

The Supreme Court in Peoples Democratic Party & Ors v. Biobarakuma Degi-Eremienyo & Ors (2021) 9NWLR (Pt.1781) at Pg.274 SC explained the nature of the candidacy of governorship and deputy governorship as a joint ticket, Ejembi Eko JSC in delivering the judgment, particularly at Pg 293 paragraph B-C stated thus: “The sum total is that the joint ticket of the 1st and 2nd respondents sponsored by the 1st respondent was vitiated by the disqualification of the 1st respondent. Both candidates disqualified are deemed not to be candidates at the governorship election conducted in Bayelsa State”.

This means that the death of one

does not vitiate the candidacy of the other so far both were validly nominated as joint candidates as it is only a disqualification of one that affects the other being a joint ticket.

The idea is that upon the death of either the governorship or deputy governorship candidate, the political party is still in the ballot.

The new Act in an attempt to put the controversy usually generated by the death of a candidate before or after the election to rest has also left a few issues unresolved. The death of a candidate in elections had generated a lot of conflicts among political parties and political actors in the past because the old Act did not take care of such issues hence the resort to the doctrine of necessity leading to lawsuits. Though the case of the Kogi State gubernatorial election which comes to mind has been taken care of by the new Act, it appears there is more to envisage and legislate for in that regard.

From the foregoing, it is clear that the Electoral Act 2022 has taken good care of the lacuna created in the Constitution and the old Electoral Act particularly in the case of the Kogi State governorship election. The present case of Abia State is not comprehensively and clearly taken care of without creating doubt requiring judicial interpretations. This is to the effect that the proviso to Section 34 of the Act specifically empowers the deputy governor to continue with the election and also nominate a running mate but some disagree that the proviso only applies to Subsection 3 of the Electoral Act 2022.

Therefore, there is a need for the court to make pronouncements on the position of the law in order to unravel the true intent of the draftsman.

Gabriel is of the Olisa Agbakoba Legal

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THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER FEBRUARY 19 , 2023

CICERO/ISSUE

As Supreme Court Attempts to Gag the Public Last week’s warning by the Supreme Court to those criticising its judgments was obviously an attempt to gag the public from subjecting its judgments that are related to political processes and good governance to public scrutiny, Alex Enumah writes

T

he Supreme Court last week came down hard on some Nigerians who had been criticising its recent judgments, particularly those which affirmed a former Governor of the Akwa Ibom State, Senator Godswill Akpabio, and the Senate President, Dr. Ahmad Lawan, as senatorial candidates of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the February 25 elections.

It also warned purveyors of such attacks on the judiciary and Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Olukayode Ariwoola, to desist and channel such energies to political parties which “fail to organise themselves well.”

The Director of Press and Information at the Supreme Court, Dr. Festus Akande, who issued the warning in a statement titled, ‘Be mindful of unwarranted attacks on judicial officers’, said over 600 cases have so far gone to court from just party primaries, which were conducted by political parties without any encumbrance or interference from any external bodies.

It noted that if political parties conduct themselves well and orderly, the courts will handle fewer cases, and the political atmosphere would be much healthier than it is currently.

The apex court singled out a United States-based Professor, Farooq Kperogi and a group, which identified itself as the Progressive Minds Forum as the purveyors of such attacks.

“In an ineptly scripted toxic article, one Farooq Adamu Kperogi, who described himself as a Nigerian-American Professor, decided to plunge into an abysmal pit of irredeemable ignorance by venting convoluted anger on Supreme Court Justices with a view to pleasing his paymasters.

“Certainly, every Nigerian citizen has an inalienable right to express his or her opinion without any encumbrance; but even in the course of expressing such fundamental right, we should be circumspect enough to observe the caution gate of self-control in order not to infringe on another person’s right.

“Even in a state of emotional disequilibrium, we should be reasonable enough to make a good choice of decent words, as every word employed by the pen-happy Kperogi only succeeded in portraying the kind of vacuum that sign-posts all that he has as academic accomplishment,” the statement explained.

But in a swift response, Kperogi said he had never heard of the Supreme Court of any country responding to the criticism of its judgment by singling out a private individual who called them out.

“Well, the fact that they had a need to isolate my criticism and pour such venom on me shows that I hit them at the right spot, that I exposed an uncomfortable truth about them that they’d thought had been hidden from public knowledge, which is basically that most of them are rapacious, unprincipled, conscienceless, and cash-and-carry judges who sell ‘justice” to the highest bidder.’”

Many other Nigerians have also faulted the court for attempting to gag the media and the public from subjecting its judgments to public scrutiny, adding that judgments, especially those that impact on public policy, political processes and good governance are supposed to be analysed on how they affect the people, organisations and society.

Those who spoke toTHISDAY anonymously blamed the apex court for being responsible for the angry reactions from Nigerians, describing its verdicts as incongruous and inconsistent with set precedents.They also expressed reservations over the court’s decision to publicly respond to criticisms of its judgments.

The apex court had come under attacks over its recent judgments. The one that led the pack was the Bashir Machina and Senator Lawan’s case.

Trouble started when on May 28, 2022, APC conducted a primary election to determine the senatorial candidate for Yobe North Senatorial District and Machina participated. Lawan did not because he contested for the party’s presidential ticket and lost to Senator Bola Tinubu.

After the primary, Machina was declared the winner.

Justice Ariwoola But surprisingly, APC later cancelled the primary on the alleged grounds that the person that conducted/ monitored the primary election was not nominated by the National Working Committee (NWC).

On June 9, 2022, APC’s NWC conducted another primary election. This time around, Machina did not participate. But Lawan participated and was declared the winner.

Thereafter, Machina dragged both his party and INEC to court, asking the court to declare him as the authentic senatorial candidate. In September 2022, a Federal High Court in Damaturu, the Yobe State capital, declared him as the winner and ordered both the APC and INEC to recognise him as the candidate.

When Lawan appealed the judgment, the Court of Appeal in Abuja affirmed Machina as the authentic candidate.

Machina had gone to court by way of originating summons because a Practice Direction by the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court in July 2022 required that. But the Supreme Court ruled that he ought not to have used originating summons since he was alleging fraud against his party.

Many had faulted the Supreme Court judgment for ignoring the merits of the case and using technicality to arrive at its decision. Even if he participated in another primary and won, was the said primary ordered by a court as required by the law? How can Lawan be allowed to flagrantly abuse the Electoral Act, which he enacted?” a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), queried.

They also faulted the apex court when in its reaction to the criticism that trailed the judgment put the blame at the door steps of political parties which it said “failed to organise themselves well by managing their internal wrangling maturely and now choose to bring themselves to the court.”

They noted that since politicians and political parties can never organise themselves or manage their internal wrangling maturely, Nigerians expect the courts whip them into line by teaching them a lesson.

The senior lawyer referred to the unprecedented audacious judgment of the Supreme Court in the Rotimi Amaechi vs INEC case, which was aimed at teaching politicians and political parties a lesson.

In the case, the Supreme Court on October 25, 2007, sacked Celestine Omehia from office, affirming

Amaechi as the winner in which he did not campaign.

In the reasons issued on January 18, 2008 by Justice George Oguntade, who delivered the lead judgment with which all six other justices on the panel concurred, said: “the sum total of the recent decisions of this court is that the court must move away from the era when adjudicatory power of the court was hindered by a constraining adherence to technicalities. This often results in the loser in a civil case taking home all the laurels while the supposed winner goes home in a worse situation than when he approached the court.”

Another Justice on the panel, Olayiwola Aderemi, added: “The judgments of this court must not be final only in name, but must be seen to be really final in the sense that they have legal bite that makes the judgments truly conclusive. All issues that will make its judgments reasonable and conclusive must be clearly addressed by the Supreme Court. This court has a standing and rigid invitation to do substantial justice to all matters brought before it. Justice to be dispensed by this court must not be allowed to be inhibited by any paraphernalia of technicalities.”

Another senior lawyer, who commented, wondered why the apex court relied on technicalities in the Lawan’s case. He insisted that the public would only stop to criticise Supreme Court’s judgments when such judgments are generally perceived as faultless.

Whichever way it is viewed, last week’s warning by the Supreme Court to those criticising its judgments is an attempt to gag and intimidate the media and public from subjecting its judgements related to public policy, political processes and good governance to public scrutiny, .... writes For many Nigerians, there is no better way to reflect on last week’s reaction by the Supreme Court to the criticisms that have trailed its recent judgments than to remember the famous words of the late Major General Mamman Vatsa who was sentenced to death for allegedly planning a coup against his bosom friend, General Ibrahim Babangida in 1986.

After the judgment that condemned the accused coupists to death by the chairman of the military tribunal, Major General Charles B. Ndiomu, Vatsa made a brief statement. “…if you throw stones at yourself, people will join you.” His reaction was a coded message to his friend, Babangida: “We came

from the same town, we grew up together, went to school together; we are more like brothers, watching each other’s back; by harming me, you will ultimately harm yourself because when the sharks come visiting, I wouldn’t be there for you.”

Whatever his reaction meant, throwing stones at oneself could imply lack of confidence, disdain for self, absence of self worth, despondency, inferiority complex and all words that define someone who sees himself as scum and the wretched of the earth. People will accept you for what you present yourself to be.

When applied to the reaction of the Supreme Court last week, many can say that the apex court and some of its justices keep throwing an avalanche of stones at discerning Nigerians, thinking that they are fools.

The Supreme Court last week came hard on some Nigerians who had been criticising its recent judgments, particularly those which affirmed a former Governor of the Akwa Ibom State, Godswill Akpabio, and Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, senatorial candidates of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the February 25. elections.

It also warned purveyors of such attacks on the judiciary and Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Olukayode Ariwoola, to desist and channel such energies to political parties which “fail to organise themselves well.”

The Director of Press and Information at the Supreme Court, Dr. Festus Akande, who issued the warning in a statement titled, ‘Be mindful of unwarranted attacks on judicial officers’, said over 600 cases have so far gone to court from just party primaries which were conducted by political parties without any encumbrance or interference from any external bodies.

The apex court added that if political parties fail to organise themselves well by managing their internal wrangling maturely and now choose to bring themselves to the court, it is duty-bound to adjudicate in accordance with the provisions of the law and not the dictates of any individual or deity.

It noted that if political parties conduct themselves well and orderly, the courts will handle fewer cases, and the political atmosphere would be much healthier than it is currently.

But many Nigerians are not convinced with the explanation of the court. They faulted the court for attempting to gag the media and public from subjecting its judgments to public scrutiny, adding that judgements especially those that impart on public policy, political processes and good governance are supposed to be analysed on how they affect the people, organisations and society.

Those who spoke to THISDAY on account of anonymity, blamed the court for being responsible for the angry reactions it is getting from Nigerians, describing its verdicts as incongruous and inconsistent with reality. They also expressed reservations over the court’s decision to publicly respond to criticisms of its judgement. They noted that sometimes, the judgments help to fuel impunity instead of eradicating it.

The apex court had come under attacks over its judgments lately. The one that led to the pack is the Bashir Machina and Ahmad Lawan case.

Recall that during the APC primary election held on May 28, 2022, Machina emerged winner while Lawan contested and lost the party’s presidential ticket to Senator Bola Tinubu.

Weeks after, Machina was reportedly asked to step down for Lawan but he insisted that he was the rightful candidate. He later cried out that the Senate president and some forces were trying to clinch the ticket from him.

Amid the outburst, the APC submitted Lawan’s name to the INEC as its candidate, leaving the confused electoral body with no choice but to leave the senatorial district candidacy empty when it released the full list of candidates across the country Thereafter, Machina dragged both his party and INEC to court, asking the court to declare him as the authentic senatorial candidate. In September 2022, a Federal High Court in Damaturu, the Yobe State capital, declared him as the winner and ordered both the APC and INEC to recognise him as the candidate.

41

THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER FEBRUARY 19 , 2023

CICERO INTERVIEW ADETOKUNBO ABIRU:

I’ll Pursue Devolution of Power, Fiscal Discipline When Re-elected Chairman, Senate Committee on Industries, Senator Adetokunbo Abiru, has seamlessly transversed the private and public sectors. Formerly Group Managing Director of Skye Bank Plc and Polaris Bank, Abiru served in different capacities in the banking sector before he joined partisan politics in August 2020 and was elected the Senator on December 6, 2020, In this interview with Gboyega Akinsanmi, he speaks broadly on his diverse interventions for the people of Lagos East, credibility of the forthcoming elections and his plan if re-elected on February 25, among others

Y

ou left banking for politics about three years ago. Can you share your experience in the two sectors?

Banking and politics are two different sectors, but the same level of competence and exposure is required. My prior experience is more of what shaped me as a person. I spent about 22 years in the corporate world. It was immediately after I graduated from the university. First, that exposed me very widely; modelled my person and widened my horizon. I am saying this because I passed through all the stages of development. I graduated as an economist. Then, I worked for Deloitte, then known as Akintola Williams & Co. After this, I joined Guarantee Trust Bank (GTB) at its infancy. When I joined in 1991, GTB only had one branch located at Ademola Alakija.That is where about 42 of us were operating as the staff of GTB. I grew up with the bank. After spending 10 years there, I joined First Bank and spent 15 years, bringing my banking experience to 25 years. Again, I spent four additional years as the Group Managing of Skye Bank Plc and at the same time Managing Director of Polaris Bank.

I midwifed the process of revamping the bank from imminent challenges and ensured its stability in terms of potential ratios. Altogether, I had about 29 years in banking. With three years before banking, that is about 32 years. During that cycle, with all sense of modesty, one grew up within a structured environment and rose to the pinnacle of the environment. As you know, I got to the pinnacle of my career in First Bank Plc and left as Executive Director. During my 15-year stint in First Bank, I had a sabbatical leave of two years when I served as the Commissioner of Finance in Lagos State under the Babatunde Fashola administration.

All these experiences shaped the mind of a young graduate from 1990 to date in terms of exposure to life, influence and widening of horizon. That speaks to the fact that one did not cut any corner. One grew up with the system. By the time I was retiring and came into politics, I brought competence, experience and goodwill to my responsibility as the senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

When you joined the senatorial contest, you campaigned on broad promises. Have you fulfilled all the promises you made to the people of Lagos East?

With all sense of responsibility, I have lived to the expectation of my constituents in terms of effective and quality representation. In terms of legislative role, I have been able to sponsor 13 bills and three motions in the last 25 months. Of significance among the bills are the Copyright Bill, 2021; Franchise Regulation Bill, 2022 and the Federal High Court Act (Amendments) Bill, 2022. If you look at the Copyright Bill and Franchise Regulation Bill, they tend to harness and strengthen the entrepreneurial ability of our micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs). Also, the bills will help our resourceful youths because there is a need to protect and help them take full advantage of their creativity. This is what the Copyright Bill, 2021 tends to achieve. The world we live in today is a world of creativity and innovation.That last time we improved on our copyright regime was during the military era.There are several developments that have since taken place in terms of creativity and innovation. There is a need to protect our upcoming and existing entrepreneurs so that they can get the full reward of their creativity.

The same speaks to the Franchise Regulation Bill, 2022, which tends to protect both franchisee and

Oluwo Market. We have done complete rehabilitation of the market for the better use of our constituents.

When we inaugurated it, we gave grants to over 250 market women to support their trade. Third, we have initiated a development programme for our MSMEs. Under this scheme, we have put together a capacity building programme for about 1,000 constituents. We brought in financial and regulatory experts that can guide them as to how their businesses can get better, particularly in this time of digital transformation. We went ahead to institute Constituency Revolving Loan to support the activities of our MSMEs. We have set up a N300 million fully cash-backed revolving facility at a single digit interest rate of six percent. You cannot find that in any part of the country. This is to strengthen the capacity of our existing and upcoming entrepreneurs. We are appealing to the beneficiaries for the judicious use of that facility.

We have not even left our vulnerable constituents, especially those who were affected at the height of COVID-19. That is the idea behind our COVID-19 Financial Relief Scheme I came in late 2020. By 2021, COVID-19 was still a major challenge for Nigerians. We then classified the vulnerable into five categories - aged people, women, widow, youths and people with physical difficulty. We collected data of about 2,500 constituents in these categories. We have been giving them N5,000 each monthly since that time to date. We have done that religiously via direct credit transfer. We have expended over N150 million on this scheme.

Abiru franchisor. We use the word franchise loosely in the country. It will surprise a lot of people that there is no law that protects the parties that are involved. On its part, the Federal High Court Act (Amendments) Bill, 2022 seeks to protect creditors from debtors so that they get adequate compensation. It takes a while before you get proper redress when you go to court. As a result, there is a need to compensate adequately on what we call pre-judgment interest when it comes to litigation between creditors and debtors.

Apart from the bills you sponsored, can you shield light on the motions you moved since you have been representing Lagos East in the Senate?

I have equally been able to move motions of high impact to the broad spectrum of my constituents.

The first is the motion to accelerate and fast track the rehabilitation of the Ikorodu-Sagamu road. If you go there today, there is a significant improvement along that corridor. The second is the motion for the rehabilitation of the Ikorodu-Itoikin-Epe road. Unlike the Ikorodu-Sagamu road where there is significant improvement already, rehabilitation is at the initial stage on the Ikorodu-Itoikin-Epe road. The last time there was seemingly proper rehabilitation on the road was 1975 under General Yakubu Gowon. These are corridors that drive economic activities of my senatorial district. If you look at the corridor, you will see the linkage between Epe and Ikorodu. You will also see the linkage between Lagos East and other parts of Nigeria, especially the South-east and South-south.

These are the link roads for those corridors. These

are the high impact ideas that will improve the lives of my constituents.

Beyond your legislative roles, what other interventions have you facilitated for the people of Lagos East since you have been in the saddle?

I anchored my representation to three major pillars - legislation, empowerment and endowment. I have already spoken extensively on my legislative role, which is my primary responsibility. The second pillar directly relates to empowerment. This, I admit, lies more on facilitation. But I have looked at empowerment from three broad areas - education, healthcare services and socio-economic aspects of our lives. In the area of education, with my intervention, we have been able to bring development of classrooms to 15 different schools across Lagos East. From Ikorodu to Epe, Ibeju-Lekki, Kosofe and Somolu, there are various projects in terms of school development that I have facilitated. In terms of healthcare services, I have facilitated the building and construction of three primary health centres in Agboyi-Ketu, Kosofe Local Government Area; Ikorodu North and Lagos State University of Science and Technology. Before the end of this administration, I will ensure that these facilities are equipped so that they can be opened for public use. In the area of socio-economic activities, I have taken different steps to improve the lives of my constituents. First, in relation to our youths, we have been able to facilitate the building of a 960-capacity stadium in Epe with a football pitch, volleyball court, long tennis court and other amenities. Second, we also redeveloped an ancient fish market in Epe called

Now that you are seeking re-election, what will be your focus if eventually re-elected?

Let me start by saying life itself is static. I have been appealing, canvassing and campaigning just like every other candidate. That means I will not take my people’s mandate for granted if re-elected. To the extent that life is not static, I also know I will continue to dream and think on how to make an impact on people’s lives. Speaking broadly, my key focus will remain on how we can continue to improve the lives of MSMEs if I eventually win the next senatorial election. They are very dear to me because of the role they play in any economy. They are the highest employers of labour. In Nigeria, they account for over 80 percent of the total employment. In terms of GDP, they contribute between 60 and 65 percent.They are a very important segment of the economy. To that extent, my focus will continue to sponsor bills and motions that improve the sector. We live in a world of innovation and technology. We have to find a way that will bring this into the consciousness of MSMEs. Also, I will focus on championing fiscal discipline. We must appreciate the Ninth Senate for coming up with a predictive timeline for the budget process. Every year, at least, we make sure that budget is passed before the end of the financial year. But that is not what fiscal discipline is all about.There are other issues that we need to factor into the budget. One of such issues relates to the mix of the budget itself. It is an arm of fiscal discipline that I will champion in the 10th Senate. When we talk about the budget mix, it is still largely skewed towards recurrent expenditure, which takes the larger chunk of the budget. We have to look for a way to reverse the existing budget mix.

What brings about sustainable development is when the capital expenditure is more pronounced in the budget mix than the recurrent expenditure.

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THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER FEBRUARY 19 , 2023

INTERNATIONAL De-Taxed Diplomatic Centres in International Relations: Avoiding Recklessness in the Nigerian Case

D

iplomaticcentreorvillagesaregenerallyestablished byvariouspoliticalcapitalsoftheworldinfulfilment of bilateral and multilateral diplomatic conventions. The main rationale is the requirement of InternationalLawthattheworkofeveryaccredited diplomaticmissioninareceivingStatebefacilitated.

Facilitation includes assistance in the acquisition of with office building or land for building, absolute protection of diplomatic agents, non-violation of their persons, vehicles, residences, etc. And perhaps more significantly, based on the rule of equality of sovereignty, no sovereign State has the right to tax another sovereign State.

Telephone : 0807-688-2846 AsprovidedinArticle23ofthe1961ViennaConventiononDiplomatic e-mail: bolyttag@yahoo.com Relations, an accrediting state shall be exempt from payment of dues, taxes in the host country. Paragraph 1 of the Article stipulates that‘the sending State and the Head of the Mission shall be exempt from all national,regionalormunicipalduesandtaxesinrespectofthepremises of the mission, whether owned or leased, other than such as represent payment for specific services rendered.’Additionally, Paragraph 2 says ‘the exemption from taxation referred to in this Article shall not apply to such dues and taxes payable under the law of the receiving State by persons contracting with the sending State or the Head of the Mission.’The import of this Article 23 is the differentiation between what the Head of a Diplomatic Mission purchases that are not subject to taxation and the income or gains accruing to the business contractors with whom the business had been transacted and whose gains may be subject to municipal taxation.

In the same vein, Article 34 provides that a diplomatic agent shall be exempted from all dues and taxes, personal or real, national, regional or municipal, but excepting indirect taxes, dues and taxes on private immovable property located in the host State, estate succession or inheritance duties, dues and taxes on private income having its sources in the host country, charges levied for specific services rendered, and also excepting‘registration, court or record fees, mortgage dues and stamp duty with respect to immovable property, subject to the provisions of Article 23.’ It is useful to also note that Article 32 of the 1963 Vienna Convention on Consular Relations similarly exempts career Consuls-General, Vice Consuls-General, Consuls, Consular Premises and residences from taxation. It is against this diplomatico-consular background that inauguration of a Diplomatic Village should be appreciated. But before dealing with the question, what does the Onyeama international practice look like?

Carrousel du Louvre, Westfield Forum des Halles, Village Suisse Paris, Or Du Monde, Aéroports de Paris shops, Vallée Village, Val d’Europe, International Diplomatic Villages In making life comfortable for diplomatic missions accredited to a Galeries Lafayette, the Printemps Haussman, Samaritaine Paris Pontpolitical capital of a receiving State, Diplomatic Academies, Centres, Neuf, etc. In all these shops, the Paris Official website of the Convention Villages, Houses are established and given different names and given and Visitors Bureau says that‘the purchase of a touristic nature, must different functional facilities. For instance, there are the Diplomatic be made over a maximum of three days, at a retailer that offers tax free Academy ofVienna, the Diplomatic Academy ofVietnam, Diplomatic shopping and in the same brand (or group of brands) for an amount Academy of London, Diplomatic Academy of South Africa, Diplomatic exceeding €100 (since 1st January 2021), inclusive of tax.The retailer AcademyoftheMinistryofForeignAffairsofRussiawhichisinternation- then tells the buyer what they must do in order to claim back theVAT ally adjudged as the oldest diplomatic academy in the world. Most of and gives them the sales slip for export. The buyer must show their these academies provide a platform for seminars, academic exchanges, passport to the retailer in the shop to prove their non-resident status.’

Another point about all the shops is that they are very specialised, relaxation facilities which are open to registered members. Many of they deal with different goods. Shops dealing with clothing surely them train people on diplomatic practice.

Many of them are also economic in design and orientation. They have wares from various countries of the European Union as well as are special shopping centres specifically reserved for diplomatic and from outside of Europe. L’Habit Français, which is located in the 6th consular agents. In France, for example, diplomatic agents can buy District of Paris, specialises in French dresses. It is a Made-in-France whatever is buyable without payment of tax in such diplomatic centres concept store.There are some that deal with different commodities: by simply identifying themselves. Unlike the diplomats, tourists and electronics, gift items, automobile, ICT, etc.

And perhaps most importantly, as further noted by the Paris Official foreigners who do not intend to stay in Metropolitan France can still buy de-taxable goods in any shop. The only condition is that de-taxation website, all potential claimers of tax refund should‘allow the necessary only takes place at the time and point of exit of the country for shops time for refund formalities to avoid stress on the day of departureThe that do not offer tax refund on the spot. Big shops like the FNAC des visitor must take the sales slip for export to complete these formalities Champs-Elysée, des Halles andTernes; Eurostar departure lounges in at customs before checking in baggage and before the end of the GareduNordandOrduMonde,etc.dohavede-taxationservicesonthe third month following the date of purchase.’Additionally, passengers spot. However, some conditions must be met to qualify for tax refund. who do not leave the European Union via France, and who travel via The tourists must be residing outside of the European Union.They international rail can also claim theVAT back. All the details can be found must not be less than sixteen years of age and must also be visiting on the dedicated page of the Ministry of France and Public Accounts.’

In Italy, a standard sales tax or VAT is called IVA (Imposta sul valore France for a period of less than six months.

In shopping malls where provisions are specifically provided for Aggiunto) and it is 22% of any taxable sales with current contemplation diplomats and foreign travellers, it is really life made easy for them as to increase it to 23% any moment from now. Unlike in France where a there are many Parisian shops offering tax reclaim: Airvat Tax refund, minimum purchase of €100 is required in order to qualify for refund,

VIE INTERNATIONALE

Bola A. Akinterinwa

“

The Diplomatic Village in Abuja is a private investment initiated by Mr. Uche Odozor, but ‘Government got involved because all the countries that adopted the Vienna Convention operate the tax-free shop.

This is what diplomats from Nigeria enjoy and we need to comply and reciprocate.’ This way of explaining the rationale for Government’s involvement is most unfortunate. If Nigeria had not had a diplomatic village before now, it is simply because Nigeria is not faithful to her foreign policy objective of respecting International Law and Treaty Obligations as contained in Article 19(d) of the 1999 Constitution as amended.

Countries that have diplomatic shops promptly did so in compliance with the Vienna Convention and not necessarily to please Nigeria. Consequently, the argument of reciprocal treatment is not the issue.

Besides, some state governments invested in the Diplomatic Village project in 2011. What is the future of this partnership in light of how public institutions are poorly managed in Nigeria? More important, the environmental diplomatic conditioning in Nigeria is such that diplomacy is now increasingly being bastardised with the CBN Governor being invited to address the Diplomatic Corps. As much as there is goodness in educating the diplomatic community on the Naira Crisis, the CBN Governor, Godwin Emefiele and the HMFA do not need to explain the crisis but to communicate Government’s policy by a Note-Verbale.

Godwin Emefiele’s direct briefing has the potential to belittle the foreign Ministry and strengthen diplomatic bypassing of the Foreign Ministry in the foreseeable future.

the minimum value of purchase to qualify for refund in Italy is €175 from any given shop. For refund, all buyers are to save the receipt of the goods purchased, prepare to show their return travel tickets back home, carrythe items purchased without giving them toany third party, present themselves to Italy’s VAT refund stations, most of which are at the international airports and in the tourist points or travel hub. An official application form can then be filled for refund with the receipts of purchase.There are also the PlanetTax Free Refund Point, Leonardo da Vinci International Airport, Centro Servizi Caminiti, Global BlueTax Refund Point,Tax Refund Fiumicino Airport, La Rinascente, etc. where tax refunds are possible.

It should be noted here that, apart from the standard sales tax of 22%, there is also the reduced 10% VAT rate applicable to real estate maintenance services and listed drug supplements, as well as the further reduced 4% VAT rate exclusively reserved for certain foods, drinks and agricultural products.

Generally speaking, there is no standard procedure for tax refund in the European Union countries. What is normally required is the proof of residency, possession of the relevant papers of purchase, contacting the appropriate customs authorities and then requesting for refund.

More importantly, it may be difficult for diplomatic agents to avoid payment of taxes because, be they standard, reduced or super-reduced VAT simply because‘what you see on the price tag is what you pay.The value-added tax is systematically included in the price.There are a few companies that try to scam travellers making online purchases and only include the VAT at the payment stage.’This is said to be common when buying a cheap flight ticket. Additionally, it is generally considered in the EU countries that exports are exempt from VAT. Consequently, when goods are purchased in Europe and taken out of the region, they are regarded as exports, meaning that all purchasers of goods are eligible to ask for tax refund when they want to travel out of the EU. Generally noteworthy as well, there is no tax refund for consumer services provided in hotels or restaurants.

In the United States, the Federal Government does not refund sales tax to foreign visitors as sales tax charged in the US are paid to individual States. Consequently, it is the taxation authority in the very state where purchases are made that should be contacted for tax refund. In this case, the conditions of refund vary from one State to another.While for instance, the JFK airport and the NewYork State do not provide sales tax refunds, the State ofTexas and some areas within Louisiana do provide tax refunds to international shoppers. Interestingly, Government’sTourist Refund Scheme has been‘designed primarily for travellers taking items back to their overseas homes or for locals taking purchases on a one-way trip, such as gifts for overseas family and friends.

In NewYork, there is the Diplomatic Duty Free Shops, which is considered as a reflection of Manhattan’s distinctive spirit as the greatest city on earth.The shop is also the only travel retail boutique located at the forefront of retail in Midtown Manhattan. In fact, a Diplomatic Duty Free Shops of NewYork Catalogue for 2022-2023 has been published.

The catalogue serves as a guide to all diplomatic agents, especially those accredited to the United Nations. All the shops with facilities for non-taxable goods for the diplomatic community also serve the purposes of the non-diplomatic and consular staff. The basic difference is that the diplomats are not made to pay any tax while all other customers have to pay.

Nigerian Case and its Environment From the foregoing, it can be noticed that there is no special village built like the Nigerian model.What generally obtains elsewhere is that several business outfits are authorised to sell goods and refund taxes to those eligible for refund, including diplomatic agents. As also noted earlier, the shops deal with specialised items and they are generally located within an agglomeration of other businesses. In this case, Nigeria’s quest to implement the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations by building a village for the diplomatic community in Nigeria cannotbutbequiteinteresting,especiallybecauseoftheenvironmental conditionings.

The diplomatic village is built on a 2,700 square metre land along the Olusegun ObasanjoWay, in the Central Business District of Abuja.

It has a top-notch shopping centre, recreational services, spa with 12 treatment rooms, clinics for eye and dental care, restaurants, gym, liquid hub, visual art gallery, etc. It is designed to be a one-stop shopping village. In terms of aesthetic look from a distance, the village is good and presentable. We cannot comment meanwhile on the interior until we have the opportunity to pay a visit to the village. Thus, many issues cannot but be raised in the evaluation of the extent to which Nigeria’s foreign policy can be well or better protected as a result of the existence of the diplomatic village.

First is the name of the diplomatic centre. It is called a Diplomatic Village because there is a service provision for the diplomatic community. Accommodating the diplomats in the village cannot be good enough a reason for the name. Considering that Africa is both the cornerstone and centrepiece of Nigeria’s foreign policy, it would have been more decent to qualify the village with‘Africa’so as to read African Diplomatic Centre. The way the whole world is described as Global Village, Abuja ought to play host to Africa as an Africa Village.

The world is considered as a global village because of globalisation, technological connectivity, efforts at integration of global economies, etc. In the same vein, the DiplomaticVillage ought to be the villa cognita of whatever Africa represents in food and dress diplomacy, commercial goods, manufactured goods, clinical services, recreational facilities, liquid or wine hub, etc.

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THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER FEBRUARY 19 , 2023

ENGAGEMENTS

with ChidiAmuta e-mail:chidi.amuta@gmail.com

Just Before Midnight

O

n the eve of the presidential election in 2015, I had cause to write a piece as my column in this newspaper entitled “A Call Before Midnight”. That piece was a desperate cry for sanity as the nation tottered at the brink of a political catastrophe. The kernel of that intervention was to remind the feverish contestants and presidential candidates that their political bad manners were endangering national security.

At that point, we stood a clear risk of losing the nation we all love. The political gladiators had activated all the divisive forces and national security threat factors. However, the politicians were more interested in the spoils of office than the national interest or even the basic survival of the nation.

The two major contenders for power preeminence then were incumbent President Goodluck Jonathan of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and his opposition All Progressives Congress (APC) challenger, Muhammadu Buhari, the present incumbent. The nation then waited in extreme nervous anxiety as both political camps waged the political equivalent of a bloody war.

Unbelievably, eight years have passed since Mr. Jonathan conceded to Buhari and thus defused the imminent national catastrophe.

Buhari ascended the presidential throne and promised to retrieve the nation from the brinks of an abyss. The rest is present day Nigerian history.

Fortuitously, in barely another one week, the nation will embark on yet another presidential election. But we are clearly in the throes of yet another more consequential and complicated uncertainly. Another week of even far greater anxiety looms. What distinguishes the uncertainty of this moment is its uniqueness. It is curious how an incumbent administration at the exit door can deliberately organize destabilizing confusion against a populace that is preparing for a transition election. The current nightmare of money and fuel scarcity coupled with simulated political and judicial anarchy amount to a strange regime death wish. It is a phenomenon that is quite uncommon in political history.

Today’s threat to national security is by far more urgent and desperate than what obtained on the eve of the 2015 election. Time is short but the sources of anxiety are too many and deep- rooted. It is curious how an incumbent administration on its way to the exit door would unleash a major economic policy that touches the very livelihood of the greatest majority. The Naira re-design or ‘re-painting’ exercise has unsettled the very livelihood of the majority especially the poor, the rural majority, the economically down trodden and the most economically vulnerable.

As we write, nationwide protests and violent eruptions are spreading across the nation. People are hungry, frustrated, angry and pushed to the margins of patience. Their existence is threatened as they cannot access their hard earned cash. An atmosphere of general instability looms in major population centres.

None of the mechanisms of incumbent power stabilization seems to be capable of assuaging the raging anger.

In the interim, the major institutions of state seem to be unraveling. The president has acted in a manner that defies the basic democratic doctrine of the supremacy of the rule of law by tacitly disobeying the Supreme Court on the matter of legal tender of the old Naira high denomination notes. Similarly, any number of state administrations have issued orders on legal tender of old naira that run counter to the position of the President and the Central Bank. Clearly, we are in the midst of contending and clashing sovereignties and serial power clashes between the federal center and the states. The populace are confused as to who can best protect their livelihood in this anarchic setting.

The clear constitutional reality that the authority of the president and the federal government supersedes those of all state governors is not in doubt. But the political daring of governors who have chosen to openly defy the president on this matter is significant and far-reaching. Hungry and angry people are wont to obey their dissenting state governors on the

Buhari continued use of their old naira notes. But the federal government and the Central Bank still have the last word on which generation of Naira notes can buy the next handful of peanuts or bowl of garri.

At the level of practical political reality, the question is that of what supersedes the other: is it economic survival or democratic ritual? In less than a week down the road, Nigerians are being tasked to make a rather difficult and fundamental choice between the two realms.

Will anger over hunger and money scarcity take precedence over queuing up to elect another set of confused politicians?

More curiously, an incumbent administration that has performed dismally is ending its effective tenure by inflicting a very unforgettable punishment on the populace. The litany of economic theories to justify the Naira redesign policy are neither here nor there. As far as the popular masses are concerned, the policy is an act of wickedness against innocent people. Yet, the president and his ruling APC still feel entitled to victory at the imminent polls. Here is another test for the assumptions of democratic choice.

Can a party that has unleashed such horrendous suffering and atrocious governance on the people be returned to power by their victim populace?

However, the stated political motive of the Naira swap, that of checking vote buying is somewhat problematic in the present configuration of presidential contestants. Mr. Bola Tinubu’s campaign has allowed itself to be boxed into the corner of owning that the Naira redesign policy is aimed at their obviously wealthy principal.

That sounds incongruous given the fact that Mr. Tinubu is the flag bearer of the president’s party.

It is illogical at the level of enlightened political self -interest for the president to deliberately want to use economic policy to scheme out his party from victory.

In the midst of the confusion that has ensued in recent weeks, a conspiracy school has emerged with the conclusion that the Naira re-design gambit and the yet unresolved nationwide fuel scarcity are aimed and timed to scuttle the general elections by creating a social and security situation that makes elections impossible. As the logic goes, this would lead to the imposition of a so-called interim government of national unity. This would be the clearest illustration that the Buhari presidency has failed the basic democratic test of transitioning power from one democratic dispensation to an elected succes-

sor. Yet both INEC and the federal government have insisted and reassured that next week’s election is on course.

Perhaps the major threat to the election remains the antics of politicians and political players. The raging face off between the president and the state governors of his own party poses a far greater danger to the elections.

Confusion about the outcome of elections held in an atmosphere of political acrimony can be more unsettling than pre-existing economic and logistical headaches. Similarly, in a three –horse race of candidates that reflect an ancient ethnic tripod the possibility of ethnic and sectarian discord in the aftermath of the election is an ever present danger. These can only aggravate the atmosphere of protest over money scarcity and other economic deprivations that are already raging across the nation.

In the light of these complications and the very present dangers to democratic transition, I can only replay the cautions and counsels that I sounded on the eve of the 2015 presidential election. The fears and cautions raised then remain relevant and valid in today’s atmosphere of political confusion and rascality heightened by unnecessary economic hardship.

As a way of avoiding or mitigating the catastrophe that could follow the truncation or disruption of next week’s election, I want to take readers back to the high points of my more general and still relevant observations at this same point in 2015…

We need the survival of the nation first in order to realize our disparate ambitions and aspirations whatever they may be. To this end, our elder statesmen ought to be busy by now trying to pre-emptively manage the foreseeable outcome of the imminent elections. There is a wisdom shared by most Nigerian societies that the homestead cannot go up in flames when wise elders are at home…

Given the centrality of the political industry in our national life, it is imperative that the outcomes of our democratic transition processes be carefully managed. Intense negotiation is now called for both by those who win and those who stand to lose the next elections especially the presidential elections. These negotiations ought to be moderated and mediated by those citizens whose standing in our society transcends partisanship…

Let us make no mistake about it. The forthcoming election is not necessarily a moral

contest. Both sides represent the ugliness of contemporary Nigeria. We can argue endlessly about which side has the greater number of overgrown miscreants at its core. The hour for that apportionment is past. We know what we know. The clear and present danger is that an election is imminent and there is going to be winning and losing parties. Winners cannot take all and losers cannot lose it all…

Victory or defeat by any of the parties is almost equally loaded with dynamites that could unsettle the faulty tower of our national existence. Those of us who feel compelled to view reality beyond the present prism of venal and frantic partisanship should feel a responsibility to counsel caution and magnanimity. The winner in this election must be the Nigerian nation and its people, the multitude of ordinary folk who desire no more than a roof over their heads, one and half meals if possible, affordable schools for their wards and a safe land they can call home.

Above all, our people just want to be. That is really not asking for too much…

For now, a palpable climate of fear and mutual suspicion defines the attitudes of the leading political parties to each other… So, what we have is a national atmosphere pervaded by the fear of fear. But we cannot build a nation or advance the cause of democracy with the instrument of fear…

Of course, there is cause for fear, but from a different direction. It is not the fear engendered by the mutual antagonism and reciprocal reprisals of the major political gladiators. On the contrary, what should frighten us all are the images of our injured multitudes on the streets. The crowds that we see at the rallies are beautiful because in spite of their varied costumes, they have one unifying colour: green- white- green, the colours of hope. They hope that these rallies will end with an outcome that can at least begin to address their pains. If we mismanage this outcome, I am afraid of the wrath this time around…

Through the hopes that have been repeatedly dashed and the promises that have never been kept, politicians have united the hopes and fears of Nigerian youth in a dangerous way. We have produced a generation that is no longer afraid of guns, tear gas or tanks. Not even death has meaning anymore to those who have to pass through youth devoid of hope…

Indeed there is anger in the land. So much time has past and there is hardly any sweetness here. Too much waste has occurred. Too many opportunities for national greatness have been squandered. Disastrous governance and, sometimes, authorized criminality has given politics a bad name. On the basic obligations of government to the governed, our governments, especially the current one, have failed abysmally.

The Nigerian state has failed itself and failed the international community. Above all, on most scores, the Nigerian state has serially failed its people…

But Nigeria is not beyond redemption. The one thing that makes Nigeria indestructible has not totally disappeared. Nigeria has survived repeated trials and tribulations because of our capacity to forego, to forget and collectively selfrepair. We just move on regardless and somehow manage to remain in tact. At the core of this priceless exceptionalism is an incredible ability to forgive each other and forgive our leaders...

In the run up to the elections, therefore, I suggest that whichever way the election goes, our democratic continuity as a nation should be ‘a negotiated continuity’. I call on President Jonathan to immediately set in motion a mechanism either to negotiate his imminent exit or his possible continuation into a second term. If the former is the case, let him dialogue directly with General Buhari on a broad range of issues including policy modifications, immunity for self and significant adherents on punishable transgressions and, most importantly, areas of bipartisan co-operation...

Most importantly, there needs to be a new commitment by both sides not to invoke sectarian and sectional loyalties to advance their political causes before, during and after the elections.

This should be a follow up to the non-violence agreement earlier signed in Abuja among the parties. In the latter eventuality, Jonathan must commit himself to a more responsible, more accountable, more enlightened, inclusive and open administration in the event that he wins...

T H I S DAY, T H E S U N DAY N E W S PA P E R • FEBRUARY 19, 2023

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B AC K PAG E C O N T I N UAT I O N SOMETHING IS ABOUT TO HAPPEN! Benin. None should be understated.

Tinubu, as the candidate of the ruling party, should ordinarily be the favourite to win. After all, his party controls 21 of the 36 states. As a politician who has been building bridges across the country since at least 1991, he has allies everywhere. He is well connected in the north, where fidelity to political relationships is not uncommon — judging by how Bashorun MKO Abiola and Chief Olusegun Obasanjo won presidential elections in 1993 and 1999 respectively. Tinubu’s supporters argue that among the top four candidates, he has the most critical credentials to lead Nigeria in terms of his team selection skills, vision, and a deep understanding of politics, economics and development.

His candidature is, however, challenged in some ways. Millions of Nigerians are not impressed with the performance of the APC in the last eight years, worsened by the recent crisis caused by naira redesign and petrol scarcity. In a way, Tinubu has distanced himself by saying it was orchestrated to stop him from winning the election. It is not much of a secret that he does not enjoy the wholehearted backing of Buhari, no matter how many times he raises Tinubu’s hand. Oddly, this could well work in Tinubu’s favour — that he is not “on the same page” with an APC president that is under fire.

There are other questions being raised about Tinubu’s gaffes, gait, health and history.

The fact that APC is fielding a Muslim/Muslim ticket has riled many Christians, especially those who believe there is a conspiracy to Islamise Nigeria. This

could work either way. Many in the Muslim north are saying “two Muslims are better than one” and massing behind Tinubu. While Atiku is unable to use religion to campaign up north because he cannot be seen to be antagonising a fellow Muslim, Obi is tapping Christian sentiments in the middle belt and south. It is hard to predict how the religion game will go, but Tinubu will be banking on a repeat of 1993 when a Muslim/Muslim ticket defied religious tensions and riots across Nigeria and carried the day, albeit it was annulled.

Historically, the Yoruba have always voted massively for Yoruba presidential candidates, so Tinubu will hope that the “home support” tradition continues.

He also has the advantage of APC controlling 14 of the 19 states in the north. With the presidential election coming first, if APC loses to the PDP, the APC governors or their anointed candidates are in danger — they could be swept away in the gubernatorial polls two weeks later. It happened in 2015: as soon as APC won the presidential poll, PDP fell like a pack of cards in the governorship poll in the north. This may be a motivation or a wake-up call for APC governors to “deliver” in the presidential poll in enlightened self-interest.

Atiku, his supporters posit, is the most likely candidate to win — mainly because he is obviously the strongest northerner in the race. The calculation is that being Fulani, he would enjoy the support of the core north as the “homeboy”. I think this calculation was behind the PDP elders’ decision to back him in the primary. They probably thought

the only way the PDP could get power back was to field a northerner against a southerner. Atiku, on his own, is a seasoned politician. This is the 30th year of his first attempt at presidency. Also, since 2003, Atiku has run or attempted to run for president every election year, no matter where the position is zoned, leading to accusations of desperation.

In 1993, at the age of 46, Atiku came third in the first round of the SDP primary election and backed Abiola in the run-off against Babagana Kingibe.

Abiola got the ticket. Like Tinubu, Atiku has built political alliances across Nigeria in over 30 years.

He is also credited with the ability to spot talent.

His team selection capacity and grasp of economic issues are similar to Tinubu’s, just as he boasts of a liberal attitude in economic policy and has consistently spoken about tackling the hindrances to free enterprise in Nigeria. But many analysts also class Atiku and Tinubu together on issues of corruption, and this has played to the advantage of Obi in the camp of the unattached voters.

Like Obi and Tinubu, Atiku has several issues to battle with. The PDP of 2019 is fragmented. Obi and Kwankwaso have depleted the base. The G5 governors have not helped him either. The south-east that has voted PDP in every presidential election since 1999 is now likely to go to Obi’s LP. Kwankwaso’s strength in Kano and Jigawa will also be a chink in Atiku’s armour. Although Atiku has been whipping up regional sentiments up north with the “naka sai naka” messaging — “your own is your won” — APC’s strategists recall that a similar campaign

did not work for Alhaji Bashir Tofa against Abiola in 1993. In fact, Abiola defeated Tofa in Kano, his own state. Will history repeat itself?

I am of the opinion that if the PDP of 2019 were still intact, APC would not stand a chance at all.

But Atiku, in my analysis, is still strong enough to win a couple of states in the south-south and get respectable numbers in the south-west where PDP has never been a push-over. The major drawback would be that “tiwantiwa” is more likely to work in the south-west compared to “naka sai naka” in the north. In the electoral history of Nigeria, northern states have never voted in one direction, even when one of theirs in on the ballot. They divide their votes.

This is different from the south-west, south-south and south-east where block-voting is quite common.

Atiku will need to break the jinx.

Whatever happens next week, a jinx will be broken.

One, if Obi wins, we will have the first elected president of Igbo origin. It will be like a Barack Obama moment. It will also be a major turning point for the third force. No zoning, “no shishi”, no problem. If Tinubu wins, Nigerians will have voted for a Muslim/Muslim ticket again. If they are inaugurated, it will be a first and it may also water down the impression that presidential ticket balancing has to be only along religious lines. If Atiku wins, that is potentially another eight years of a president from the north. That would mean 16 unbroken years. It may end the bitter debate over power rotation. Fellow Nigerians, something is about to happen!

And Four Other Things…

DEMOCRACY DAYS We will hold our 10th presidential election next week. While our first presidential experience was terminated shortly after the second election in 1983, and another experience was annulled in 1993, we are now going to the poll for the seventh time since 1999. That we have enjoyed democratic rule for 23 unbroken years is in itself remarkable.

Bear in mind that the military ruled us for a combined period of nearly 30 years: from 1966-1979 and 1983-1999. When we add the five years of parliamentary democracy from 1960-1966, we have now experienced 32 years of civil rule. Democracy is winning 32-30. We may not be fully democratic yet, but this is not bad. Progress.

GENERAL PREFECTS President Buhari is the second president to be constitutionally barred from running again after spending two terms in office.

The first was President Obasanjo who was in charge from 1999-2007. Incidentally, both are retired generals and former military rulers. This is also the first time since 1999 that no former military head of state will be a candidate. However, two retired generals and former heads of state have tried and failed.

In 1991, Gen Yakubu Gowon lost at stage one (ward level) of the Option A4 primary of the National Republic Convention (NRC) while in 2011, Gen Ibrahim Babangida lost out to Alhaji Atiku Abubakar in the PDP “northern consensus candidate” arrangement. Retired.

FOURTH 3RD FORCE This is the fourth election since 1999 that we would have more than two “serious” contenders — candidates likely to win at least one state or get a million votes. In 2003, Dim Chukwuemeka Ojukwu (APGA) got about 1.3 million votes. I believe Ojukwu got far more than INEC declared. In 2007, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar (AC) polled 2.6 million. Mallam Nuhu Ribadu (ACN) got 2.07 million votes in 2011. Mr Peter Obi of the Labour Party is the unlikely “third force” this time around. He started his career in APGA and defected to the PDP thereafter before moving to LP. The critical factor has always been the need for a political structure across the federation to upstage the two biggest parties. Challenge.

CLASS ACTS Of the top candidates, three belong to the Class of ‘91, having participated in the third republic politics. Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, 70, was a senator; Dr Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, 66, was a member of the house of reps (he was deputy speaker); and Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, 76, was a presidential aspirant who had earlier won the Adamawa governorship primary only for the military government to cancel it. Tinubu, Kwankwaso and Atiku were political associates of the late Maj-Gen Shehu Musa Yar’Adua and were members of the SDP. Obi, 61, is the only major candidate with a debut political career in the fourth republic. He governed Anambra from 2006-2014. Survivors.

However, the mathematical ambiguity has been removed by the fact that the 2/3 of the present 36 states is 24. But there is a wrinkle: The constitution says the winner must poll at least 25% in 24 states and the FCT. Based on the regional and other dimensions of the 2023 race, some pundits and observers posit that the candidate with the highest vote may not meet the spread requirement and the candidates who may meet the spread requirement may not secure the highest votes. This was how the runoff idea sneaked into the frame and dominated the picture. However, there are those who feel strongly too, based on different permutations, that the election will be won at the first ballot and that the idea of runoff is floated largely by those who see it as their sole path to victory. Both sides cannot be right.

We can only know the winner of this conceptual contest after the results are fully in.

However, something seems not to be in contention: this presidential election is poised to be the closest since 1999. For the first time in the Fourth Republic, the presidential election looks certain to go beyond the usual two-way race. It has been projected that the presidential election might be as competitive as the one in 1979 when the proportion of the votes scored by the top three candidates were: 33.77%, 29.18% and 16.75%. Since 1999, the lowest a winning candidate polled was 53.96% of the valid votes.

It is unlikely this will happen this time around.

Still on the issue of runoff, it is important to highlight two points contained in Section 134 of the 1999 constitution: one, the runoff will not necessarily be between the candidates with the two highest vote tallies but between the candidate with the highest number of votes and the candidate with the majority (more than 50%) of the votes in most of the states; and the winner of the runoff must, in addition to getting 50% of the votes, still meet the spread requirement, otherwise the election goes into a third ballot where only a simple majority applies.

As INEC talks up its preparedness for a runoff, it also needs to factor in the likelihood of a third ballot and needs to increase public awareness on who gets on the runoff ballot and the conditions that must be met for a winner to emerge.

The third issue that will be tested in this electoral cycle is the contest between two conceptions of the electoral path to victory in a presidential election in Nigeria. To simplify things, let’s call this a contest between the traditional conception and the revolutionary conception. The traditional notion leans on history. It looks at the oversized roles that governors and other elected officials play in elections and at the extent of the presence of

the political parties not just at the different tiers of government but also across villages and even hamlets in the country. It submits that the race remains between the two dominant parties.

But the revolutionary conception disagrees.

According to this now popular school of thought, structure doesn’t matter. Or it now matters less than other things, especially with the effectiveness of recent electoral reforms. To simplify again, the revolutionary view submits that a candidate who resonates with and inspires significant segments of the electorate is the surest path to getting elected president and upstaging the entrenched status quo.

Despite running on the platform of a ‘structureless’ Labour Party, Mr. Obi is widely popular among the youths and in some zones. This has given fillip to the idea that the individual may be more important than the platform.

There is a ready counter to this. It is in the example of the now term-barred President Muhammadu Buhari who despite enjoying an almost cultic following in two zones of the country fell short in three electoral cycles, including in 2011 when he ran on the platform of a new political party formed around him. Buhari’s dedicated 12 million votes did not make much difference until he forged a cross-regional alliance and ran on the platform of a coalition of parties already in control of certain states. Of course, there are different ways of causing electoral upsets.

At the core, the contest between these two conceptions is about which group can assemble the winning coalition, given the dynamics and requirements of Nigeria’s presidential elections.

The past may be a good predictor of the present.

But it may not, as a new history may be in the making. If the success indicator is victory and not performance, it is unlikely that both conceptions will be right at the same time. We will not know who is right until the results are in.

There are a few other issues at dispute in this electoral cycle as well: the contest between the old and the new, the potency and homogeneity of the youth vote, and the importance of power rotation, ethnicity, and religion to Nigerian voters. With these too, we can only do proper assessments when the results are fully in.

This analysis is anchored on two assumptions: that the elections will be free and fair and that the contestants and their supporters will operate according to the established rules of the game during and after the polls. So much will depend on INEC, the security forces and the politicians. But so much more will depend on the rest of us too.

THE MANY CONTESTS OF FEBRUARY 25 Lots of energy have been invested in celebrating or berating these polls. Most times, those celebrating or dismissing the polls do so based on their obvious preference or bias. Sometimes, however, the different positions are based on competing knowledge of historical patterns and a sense of the current state of play. In a way, a contest between history and science.

It has to be acknowledged that in this case neither the history nor the science is unimpeachable, as we are dealing with the most dynamic of creatures: humans.

For now, suffice to say that the two sides cannot be right on the possible outcome of the presidential election (except those who have applied necessary caveats). It is either that the pollsters and those supporting them are right or they are not. It is either that those interrogating the results of the pre-election polls are wrong or they are not.

Those relying on their knowledge of historical voting patterns or qualitative (as opposed to quantitative) on-field assessments may be too wedded to the past or may not be empirical enough to notice the shifts going on right under their eyes. Likewise, the pollsters may also be missing a sizeable slice of the current picture because of their sampling/ methodology limitations or because they were misled by respondents who felt a need to hide their hands. In a 25th December 2022 article (‘Pollsters and the 2023 Presidential Poll,’), I identified some of the issues with pre-election polling even in a country like the United States of America, which happens to be the gold standard in public opinion polling. The pre-election polling in Nigeria may or may not be affected by these challenges. We will never know until the results of the actual poll are fully in.

The second issue that has generated some unusual buzz is the likelihood of a runoff in this year’s presidential election. This is hinged on the assumption that none of the 18 presidential candidates will meet the two conditions needed for a winner to emerge on the first ballot as set out in Section 134(2) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. These two conditions are: score the highest number of votes cast and secure at least 25% of the votes cast in each of 24 states and the Federal Character Territory (FCT).

The worry is not that no candidate will score the highest number of votes—one of the candidates will, even if the margin will be just one vote.

Rather, the concern is that the candidate with the highest votes may not meet the spread requirement.

Commendably, the Independent National Electoral

Yakubu Commission (INEC) says it has made contingency plan for a runoff.

Based on INEC’s expressed preparedness, the projections of some analysts and the acknowledged tightness of the race, the runoff thesis has taken a life of its own. In some quarters, it is now even seen as inevitable. If the election goes into a second or possibly third ballot, this would be a first, as no presidential election has ever gone into a runoff in Nigeria. The closest to a presidential runoff happening in Nigeria was in 1979 when we had our first presidential election.

In 1979, the Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN), which came second at the poll, challenged the victory of the National Party of Nigeria (NPN) at the Supreme Court. UPN claimed that contrary to the requirements of Section 126 (2) (b) of the 1979 Constitution, NPN did not secure a quarter of the votes cast in two-thirds of the then 19 states. NPN had scored a minimum of 25% in 12 states but only got 19.94% in the 13th state (Kano). It was agreed that, mathematically, the 2/3 of 19 was 12 2/3. What was in dispute was whether the 25% requirement needed to be met in 13 states (since states are indissoluble) or in 12 states and in 2/3 of the 13th state. UPN argued the former position while NPN argued the latter. The Supreme Court found in favour of NPN. This was the famous or infamous 12 2/3 saga.

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NEWSXTRA PDP: It’s Treason for El-Rufai to Incite Nigerians against Buhari’s Order on Old Naira Notes Says Kaduna gov attempted to undermine the sovereignty of the federation Resign if you disagree with the president’s naira policy, Atiku’s aide tells Keyamo Chuks Okocha in Abuja The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Presidential Campaign Council has accused the Governor of Kaduna State, Nasir el-Rufai, is “inciting” Nigerians against President Muhammadu Buhari’s directive on old naira notes.

This is coming as the Special Assistant on Public Communications to Atiku Abubakar, Mr. Phrank Shaibu has called on the Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Festus Keyamo, to resign from the cabinet of President Muhammadu Buhari if he is unhappy about the cashless policy.

In a televised address on Thursday, Buhari said he has directed the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to extend the validity of old N200 notes till April 10.

The president also said all existing old N1,000 and N500

notes would remain redeemable at the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and designated points for 60 days.

But reacting to Buhari’s directive, el-Rufai said the old and new notes remain legal tender in Kaduna pending the Supreme Court’s decision.

The Supreme Court had on February 8, ruled that the old notes remain legal tender, pending the determination of a case filed by some state governors.

On Wednesday, the apex court said its order on the old notes subsists and adjourned the case till February 22.

Speaking when he was featured on a live television programme at the weekend, a spokesperson of the PDP Campaign Council, Daniel Bwala, said el-Rufai committed treason by countering Buhari’s order on the old naira notes.

Bwala said el-Rufai should

have reported to the Supreme Court if Buhari’s directive conflicted with that of the court instead of “inciting” people against him.

“If you are in doubt about a decision of the court that you felt a member of your cabinet and the leader of your party has violated — the law that we know (says) that when the matter comes up at the supreme court you either get contempt proceedings against the president or you will draw the attention of the supreme court that the man has acted (up) badly,” Bwala said.

“But this is their reaction: What they claim is a violation of the court order that Governor el-Rufai sat and address the people of Kaduna State and by extension, the members of APC throughout the federation of Nigeria that they should disobey the orders of the president Buhari who stands as the symbol of

the sovereignty of the country.

“Let me tell you what treason means. Treason is defined as the crime of betraying one’s country, especially by attempting to kill or overthrow the sovereignty of a government of a federation.

That is exactly what Governor el-Rufai did. He attempted to undermine the sovereignty of the government of the federation.

“The el-Rufai that is inciting Nigerians to rise against the government because the government violated orders, let me tell you, as the FCT minister, el-Rufai disobeyed all court orders and demolished houses. He disobeyed all court orders given that they should restore the staff that went on strike. He disobeyed the order of the court about the compensation of people whose land he demolished.

“As a governor, he disobeyed the court order in the conduct of the local government election

at the time it was given. He disobeyed a court order that restrained him from sacking teachers and civil servants in Kaduna.”

Resign If You Disagree with Buhari’s Naira Policy, Atiku’s Aide Tells Keyamo Meanwhile, Atiku’s Special Assistant on Public Communications, Shaibu, has called on the Minister of State for Labour and Employment Keyamo, to resign from President Buhari’s cabinet if he is unhappy with the cashless policy.

Shaibu was reacting to comments credited to Keyamo that President Buhari may have acted on “wrong advice” regarding his recent directive on the old naira notes.

Last Thursday, Buhari said he had directed the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to extend the validity of old N200

notes till April 10 – despite a subsisting order of the Supreme Court which held that all the old notes are still legal tender.

Shaibu said this in a statement yesterday while reacting to Keyamo’s insistence that President Buhari erred by disobeying an order of the Supreme Court when he declared that only the old N200 note remains legal tender.

Keyamo, who is a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, had blamed Buhari’s action on the wrong advice he received from his advisers.

Reacting, however, Shaibu said if Keyamo truly believed that the President erred, he ought to resign as minister itodissociate himself from the President’s action.

Shaibu said Keyamo had in the past defended Buhari’s decision to ignore court orders obased onnational security.

Lateef Femi Okunnu: Icon, Legend and Statesman at 90 Talk about King’s College, Lagos, and you have struck an endless conversation with him. In King’s College’s parlance, an “all-rounder” is the rare student who excels in the classroom, in extracurricular activities and on the field of play. With full colours in athletics and hockey, robust participation in societies, publications, college librarianship and sterling academic performance, he more than earned the “all-rounder” cognomen. He represented Nigeria in 1952 against the Gold Coast, as Ghana was known back in the day. He still has fond memories of cricket, a very popular and old game in King’s College. He still talks about sports rivalry with CMS Grammar School, St. Gregory College, and Government College, Ibadan, among others. King’s College practically shaped his life and prepared him for the man he is today.

Alhaji Okunnu is a pan Nigerian and patriot of inestimable value.

He has served Nigeria wholeheartedly and worked for her peace, unity, and development in his entire life. As an undergraduate in London, he was a member and joint Assistant Secretary of the Nigerian Union of Great Britain and Ireland together with the late Chief Bola Ige. He later served as the Secretary-General and President of the Union in 1958 and 1959, respectively. He was also a member of the Committee of African Organisations.

In collaboration with the late Chief Tayo Akpata, his bosom friend, he transformed the Nigerian Union from a conservative organisation to a radical and dynamic one, organising student protests in the UK during the London Constitutional Conferences and on contemporaneous youth-related matters in Nigeria. Their view as young Nigerians in London was that it was wasteful to ferry 100 delegates to London to fashion a constitution for the imminent independence of Nigeria at taxpayers’ expense. And when it emerged later that the Nigerian delegation also signed the Anglo-Nigerian Defence Pact that would see Britain establish a military base in Kano post-Independence, he was among those that successfully championed the London protests against it.

Returning to Nigeria in September 1960, he joined the law firm of Fani-Kayode and Sowemimo, from where he continued his activism, writing a weekly column in The Sunday Express newspaper and triggering a national controversy when he gave a newstalk against the contemplated Preventive Detention Bill of 1963. It caused a stir. He equally organised protests against the pact in Lagos on behalf of the Nigerian Youth Congress until it was revoked. He wrote a book on the struggle, “No Pact No Base”, a critique of the Anglo-Nigerian Defence Pact” (1960). In 1965, he co-founded the African Statesman magazine, which was dedicated to the realisation of African independence and unity.

Meanwhile, the years 1966 to 1974 were undoubtedly Alhaji Okunnu’s “finest hour”. Following the second military coup of 1966, Colonel Yakubu Gowon (as he then was) initiated a National Constitutional Conference “to recommend in broad outlines, the form of political association, which the country should adopt in the future.”

Predictably, he was elected to the conference, where he took a very strong position on a Federalist type of political association, in contradistinction to the “Confederalist” stance of most delegates.

Regrettably, the spectre of secession reared its head at the Adhoc Conference and discussions reached an impasse, hence the conference was adjourned sine die.

In the heady years of the Civil War, he was appointed a Federal Commissioner for Works by Gowon, a position in which he served till December 1974. Among his epic footprints are the conversion from left to right hand drive, the construction of the Eko Bridge, Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, Sagamu-Benin Expressway,

Okunnu

Oworonsoki-Oshodi-Apapa Expressway, Warri-Sapele-Benin-Auchi Road, Okene-kaduna Road, Jaredi-Yelwa-Kontagora Road ShendamLafia-Nasarawa-Abaji-Baro-Pategi Road, along with several others.

In that position as a Federal Commissioner, Alhaji Okunnu also served as Nigeria’s Special Envoy and Leader of many delegations to numerous peace talks in Africa and beyond, which sought to prevent or end the Civil War. He led Nigerian delegations to Addis Ababa, Monrovia, Cairo, Algiers, Tunis, Khatoum, Tripoli, Kinshasa, Abidjan, Bangui etc. On 31st December 1974, after seven years and seven months as a Federal Commissioner, he left public service for private life at a youthful age of 41. Yet, duty kept calling on him. In 1980, he was on the Nigerian Delegation to the UN General Assembly. He was named the Pro-Chancellor of the Federal University of Agriculture, Makurdi, in 1982.

Alhaji Okunnu and my late father, Alhaji Ibrahim Imam, were in the committee of the 49 Nigerians that drafted the 1979 Constitution. Till date, he still feels bad that many of their recommendations that could have helped to stabilise Nigeria, such as the revenue sharing formula, were ignored by the military, which also inserted provisions that were never recommended by the Constituent Assembly. He helped set up the 2005 National Political Reforms Conference (NPRC) convoked by the Olusegun Obasanjo administration and later led the Lagos State delegation. He equally led the Lagos delegation to the 2014 National Conference by proxy as he reluctantly accepted the appointment on the condition that the Attorney-General of Lagos would do the active job in Abuja while he coordinated things from Lagos. Obviously, he was not happy that reports of previous conferences were never implemented.

He is a man at home with every Nigerian culture and is pained by the palpable divisiveness in Nigeria. Once asked what he believed was the problem with Nigeria, Alhaji answered: “How can such a country build a nation where everybody regards himself as either a Yoruba, Igbo, Hausa, Fulani, Tiv, Ijaw, or any ethnic identity but nobody is proud to call himself a Nigerian?

Nobody is thinking of Nigeria as a nation, let alone putting it into action.” Nevertheless, Alhaji Okunnu is dyed in the wool

optimistic about Nigeria and believes the country will bounce back from the grave challenges of the present.

God loves Alhaji Okunnu, and he has in turn lavished that love on country, family, profession, his faith, Lagos, and his alma mater. He is a loving and successful family man, whether it is about his immediate or extended family. He remains closely connected to his roots, tracing his huge family tree back more than 200 years and proudly celebrating their Nupe roots. He is a regular worshiper at the Syrian Mosque and a staunch supporter of Islamic causes. He is a great grandson of Prince Musa Okunnu, the Chief Asamo of Lagos, Olori Eyo Laba, Olori Eleyo and leader of Eyo Alakete Pupa, who converted to Islam in his later years, thus beginning a family line of devout Muslims. His grandfather was a Muslim scholar, teacher and preacher.

His father, Muritala Abibu Okunnu, was one of the early members and later a Vice President of the Young Ansar-ud-Deen Society of Nigeria. His mother was Hassanat Abebi Okunnu, scion of the Mogaji family, devout Muslims from Ita Igarawu, Lagos. Unsurprisingly, therefore, Alhaji Okunnu followed in their footsteps and later served as the President of the Ansar-Ud-Deen Society. He played a central role in the coming on stream of the Summit University, Offa, Kwara State. He served as the Chairman of the Ansar-ud-deen Education Trust. He has written books on Islam, including “The Sharia: Adultery as a Case Study” (2003) and “The World of Islam in Turmoil” (2016).

He has gone this far in life with the help of a wonderful and happy marriage. The union of Lateef and Lateefat has lasted six decades, and their devotion to each other is evident in the successes they have recorded together. His wife, Her Excellency Alhaja Lateefat Okunnu, has also lived a peaceful and successful life.

With the total support of her husband, Alhaja Okunnu made her mark in public service, rising to the position of deputy governor of Lagos State from 1990 to 1992. She was the first female deputy governor in Nigeria (along with Pamela Sadauki of Kaduna State).

This has established what has someway become a tradition of female deputy governors, first in Lagos and now across the South West. She was also Chairperson of the Interim Committee of the now defunct National Republican Convention (NRC) in 1993.

Alhaji Lateef and Alhaja Lateefat have a daughter, Justice L. A. Okunnu, who is an incorruptible judge of the Lagos State High Court. While she chose the bench, her father was in the bar through his active years. Alhaji Okunnu had studied Law at the University College, London University, from 1956 to 1959, and was called to the English Bar in his birth month in 1960 and to the Nigerian Bar in the September of the same year.

He is Barrister-at-Law of the Honourable Society of Gray’s Inn. He was a member of The General Council of the Bar, from 1966 to 1967 and was admitted to the Nigerian Inner Bar in 1992.

It is befitting that Alhaji Okunnu has received many awards and recognitions, including the Commander of the Order of the Republic of Niger (CON); Commander de I, Ordre National Du Dahomey; and Commander National Order of Togo. He is a man among men. Ninety hearty cheers to a Living Legend, Statesman, Iconic Kingsman, Legal Luminary, Diplomat and Special Envoy, Historian, Sportsman, Youth Activist, Public Servant, and Patriot, Alhaji Lateef Olufemi Okunnu SAN, CON.

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T H I S D AY, T H E S U N D AY N E W S PA P E R ˾FEBRUARY 19, 2023

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NEWSXTRA

Buhari: How Mamora Contributed to My Political Success

Obasanjo, Osinbajo eulogise his commitment to democracy Gboyega Akinsanmi President Muhammadu Buhari has explained how the Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation, Senator Olorunnimbe Mamora significantly contributed to his election and re-election as the President of Nigeria in 2015 and 2019 respectively.

Likewise, former President

Olusegun Obasanjo, Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo; Lagos State Deputy Governor, Dr. Obafemi Hamzat and former Ogun State Governor, Otunba Gbenga Daniel, among others, acknowledged Mamora’s commitment to development and democracy in Nigeria.

Buhari testified to Mamora’s contribution to his political success

Death Toll Hits 44,000 in Turkey, Syria Earthquake Michael Olugbode in Abuja The death toll yesterday rose to more than 44,000 from the devastating earthquake in Turkey and Syria with the body of former Ghana international footballer Christian Atsu also found beneath a collapsed building in Antakya.

The number of people found alive under the rubble have dropped to only a handful in recent days and the head of Turkey’s disaster agency, Yunus Sezer, said rescue operations would be “largely completed”

by Sunday night.

Anadolu, state news agency. initially reported yesterday three victims were found alive nearly two weeks after the 7.8-magnitude earthquake hit on February 6. But the agency later reported

that one of them, a 12-year-old, had died.

Anadolu images showed rescuers placing a man and a woman on stretchers after the married couple and a child spent 296 hours under the rubble in the southeastern Turkish city of Antakya.

The agency later reported three of their children had died including the 12-year-old.

Turkish Health Minister Fahrettin Koca shared a video of the 40-year-old mother in a field hospital receiving treatment. “She is conscious,” he tweeted.

AFP correspondents said rescuers from Kyrgyzstan continued working in Antakya with the hope of finding more people pulled out alive after thermal tests showed signs of life.

Transcorp Appoints New Director Transcorp Hotels Plc has announced the appointment of Mr. Udechukwu Obi Osakwe as a non-executive director of the leading hospitality brand, effective February 17, 2023, subject to the approval of shareholders.

The appointment was announced in a statement by Transcorp Office of Corporate Communications at the weekend.

The statement explained that Osakwe’s appointment came following the retirement of Mr. Alexander Adeyemi from the Board after serving for close to four years.

“Osakwe brings to the Board his extensive experience in finance and management consulting, having held critical roles across the public and development sectors.

“He is an experienced Chartered Accountant, Finance Director, and strong finance professional with a demonstrated history in the management consulting Industry.

“He has worked with Donor Organisations such as the World Bank (IDA), AfDB, Global Fund and the GAVI. “With more than 30 years of private and public sector professional experience covering management consultancy and oversight of financial management operations, with the Federal Ministry of Finance, the Federal Ministry of Health Nigeria, and the Office of the AccountantGeneral of the Federation (Treasury House) Abuja, Osakwe is a great addition to the Board of Transcorp Hotels Plc.,” the statement said,

Akande Joins Avanti Chief Marketing Officer Jumoke Akande has joined Avanti Communications as chief marketing officer.

A statement which revealed this noted Akande, who will be working closely with Avanti’s teams across the globe, would be responsible for developing an integrated channel strategy across key sectors including mobility, enterprise, defence and education.

According to the statement, her new role would be pivotal in accelerating Avanti’s roll out across Africa.

Chief Operating Officer, Customer at Avanti Communications, Libby Barr, said: “I am delighted to welcome Jumoke to our growing team of senior executives in Nigeria. Jumoke is a proven leader with over 20

years’ experience in marketing and joins us at an exciting time.

“What stood out about Jumoke was her extensive experience managing teams across markets and launching large-scale campaigns in Africa. We can’t wait to see her strategic insight in action in this newly created role. Her experience will be vital in helping Avanti reach its growth ambition over the next few years.”

Prior to joiningAvanti,Akande was an Associate Director at GICL/ IHS Towers where she oversaw their fibre and rural telephony marketing strategy. She has also held senior roles at MainOne, Dell Technologies and consulted for leading MNOs in Africa including MTN Nigeria.

in a pre-recorded video played at the public presentation of his official biography at the Haven Event Centre, Ikeja on Thursday.

In his pre-recorded video that lasted five minutes 30 seconds, Buhari eulogised Mamora for his contribution to the development of democracy in the country and he acknowledged him to be part of political success.

The president commended him for setting up a leadership foundation that would enable him

to impact the upcoming generation positively.

Specifically, Buhari acknowledged Mamora’s contributions to the elections that brought him to office in 2015 and 2019, saying Mamora could not therefore be separated from his political success.

He said: “I consider Mamora a co-traveller in my political journey, having served as Deputy Director General of the APC Presidential Election Campaign Committee in 2015, and 2019, respectively.

“These were elections that brought me to office as President, and renewal of mandate for the second term. Mamora cannot therefore be separated from my political success, as he worked with his heart, mind and strength for electoral success.

Thank you very much.

“The medical doctor-turned politician has made a name as Speaker, Lagos State House of Assembly, a Senator of the Federal Republic,

Managing Director, National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA), Minister of State for Health, and now Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation. Thank you for service to our party, the APC, and to Nigeria, our own dear native land.”

In a pre-recorded video, also, Osinbajo said Mamora contributed to some of the transformation in the legislative arm of government both at state and national level.

OIL & GAS CONFERENCE… L-R: Managing Director/CEO, Starzs Investments Company Limited, Iroghama Ogbeifun; CEO, Tsavo Oilfield Services, Elizabeth Rogo; General Manager, Legal and Corporate Services, Dorman Long Engineering Limited, Mrs. Nkeiru Mgbeoji; Chairman, Petroleum Technology Association of Nigeria, Mr. Nicolas Odinuwe; and General Manager, Operations, Gas Aggregation Company Nigeria Limited, Mrs. Yetunde Odejobi, at the Sub-Saharan African International Petroleum Exhibition and Conference in Lagos…recently

Lagos, FCT, 30 States Risk Looming Flood Disasters Folalumi Alaran in Abuja The federal government has warned that not less than 178 Local Government Areas (LGAs) in 32 states including Lagos and Federal Capital Territory (FCT), are at a high risk of flooding this year.

The Minister of Water Resources, Mr. Suleiman Adamu made the disclosure at the official presentation of the 2023 annual flood

outlook released by the Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency (NIHSA) in Abuja Friday.

The outlook, themed “ Flood prediction and its impact on socio- economic livelihood”, is targeted at flood early warning, and forecasting in order to minimise the adverse effects of flood on lives.

According to the data, 178 LGAs in 32 states and the FCT

are located in high-risk flood zones, 224 LGAs in 35 states and the FCT are in moderate-risk zones, and the remaining 372 LGAs are in low-risk zones.

The high flood risk areas states according to the AFO includes, Adamawa, Abia, Akwa-Ibom, Anambra, Bauchi, Bayelsa, Benue, Cross-River, Delta, Ebonyi, Ekiti, Edo, Gombe, Imo, Jigawa, Kaduna, Kano, Kebbi, Kogi, Kwara, Lagos,

Nasarawa, Niger, Ogun, Ondo, OSUN, Oyo, Rivers, SOKOTO, Taraba, Yobe, Zamfara, and the Federal Capital Territory.

The minister said that the purpose of the outlook was to present probable flood scenarios for this year and to disseminate information to all, especially in flood-prone areas and further reduce resultant effects.

Nnaji: Nigerians Still Perceive Free Electricity as ‘National Cake’ Dike Onwuamaeze The Chairman of Geometric Power Group, Professor Bart Nnaji, has declared that Nigerians still perceive free electricity supply as their own share of the country’s proverbial national cake, despite the takeover of the running cost of power supply by private firms.

Nnaji made this observation at the weekend on his personal reflections on “One Year of Aba Power Operations,” where he

stated that “the management and staff of Aba Power have done their best in the last one year to ensure that we provide the people of Abia State constant, reliable, quality and affordable power.”

He added that “many members of the public have not reconciled themselves to the fact that a private firm now provides electricity to Aba and environs, and they should, therefore, pay for it; for several of our people, free electricity

supply is their own share of the proverbial national cake. Some staff members have, on occasion, been beaten up mercilessly, and their tools and vehicles seized for merely asking that people pay their bills.”

Nnaji, who is a former Minister of Power, said that inasmuch “as I am the first person to acknowledge that the journey ahead is still far, we are proud of what we have achieved so far.

“Our four brand new power substations are of the highest

global standard, costing us three times the amount we could have used to fix the regular type that dots the Nigerian electric power landscape. Three substations inherited from the PHCN have been refurbished.”

He added that over 150,000 kilometres of overhead wires have been put in place and electricity has been restored, with massive cooperation from the Nigerian Navy, from Aba City to Owerrenta after two years of darkness.

I Support APC Governors’ Resolve for Power Shift, Says Wike Blessing Ibunge in Port Harcourt With seven days to the muchanticipated 2023 presidential election, Rivers State Governor, Mr. Nyesom Wike again tacitly endorsed the presidential candidate of All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator Ahmed Bola Tinubu for the next presidential election yesterday.

Wike consequently noted that he was in support of APC governors’ insistence that power

should shift at the centre, saying the people of Rivers need not be told who to vote as president under the circumstance.

He made the remarks while addressing members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state at the grand finale of campaign flag-off by the PDP Campaign Council held in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area.

He said: “We are going to vote for unity of Nigeria. We are going to vote for fairness,

equity and justice. That is why I salute all APC governors who came to say, for this country to move forward and be united, there is need for power to shift.

“They know Nigeria is such a country that requires unity.

Those who are greedy about power do not realise that you can get power and may not have peace. Is it not better to have peace so when you have power you can govern the people well?”

Apparently hitting at the

PDP presidential candidate for under-estimating the electoral value of Rivers to his presidential bid, Wike said: “Anybody that has no interest in our state, we will not vote for. So you don’t need anybody to tell you who to vote.”

On the state’s governorship race, Wike said: “Siminaliayi Fubara is a very humble person, very committed person and will not disappoint the people of Rivers.

THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER FEBRUARY 19 , 2023

47

SUNDAYSPORTS

Edited by: Duro Ikhazuagbe email:Duro.Ikhazuagbe@thisdaylive.com

Williams, Solomon Emerge Winners of 1st National Cross Country Race in Jos

Christian Atsu...confirmed dead at last

TURKEY EARTHQUAKE

Christian Atsu Found Dead after Two Weeks in Collapsed Building Femi Solaja with agency report

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hana international, Christian Atsu, who has been missing since the February 6 quake that caused the collapse of his apartment in Antakya, Hatay has been found dead.

Atsu’s body was found in the rubbles of his collapsed apartment yesterday after almost two weeks of intense search.

Atsu had spells with Premier League sides Everton, Chelsea and Newcastle.

“There are no words to describe our sadness,” tweeted KLV 7XUNLVK WRS ÁLJKW FOXE Hatayspor.

“We will not forget you, Atsu. Peace be upon you, beautiful person.”

In the aftermath of the quake, Hatayspor initially reported Atsu had been rescued “with injuries”, but a day later that position changed.

His agent Nana Sechere, who has been in Hatay, conÀUPHG WKH QHZV RQ 6DWXUGD\ on Twitter, writing: “It is with the heaviest of hearts that I have to announce to all well wishers that sadly Christian Atsu’s body was recovered

this morning.

“My deepest condolences go to his family and loved ones. I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone for their prayers and support.”

The Ghana Football Association said Atsu’s body was recovered on Saturday morning after “almost two weeks of emotional torture”.

The Ghanaian foreign ministry added that Atsu’s elder brother and twin sister were at the site when his body was recovered. $WVX·V ERG\ ZDV ÁRZQ back to Ghana on Saturday for burial.

The ministry said it sent

“deepest condolences to the widow and family”.

The earthquake and aftershocks in southern Turkey and northern Syria are known to have killed more than 40,000 people.

Meanwhile, the Confederation of African Football (CAF) has expressed sadness over WKH QRZ FRQÀUPHG GHDWK RI Christian Atsu The condolence of CAF was dispatched yesterday to his family through the Ghana FA. The message reads: “CAF President Dr Patrice Motsepe and African Football Family conveys heartfelt condolences to his family and Ghanaian Football Family.”

Arsenal Revive Premier League Title Push with Last Gasp Win at Aston Villa

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rsenal rein- Manchester City who go to midweek loss at home to Man- We just need to believe until the v i g o r a t e d Nottingham Forest later on chester City who had pared very end that we can achieve their push Saturday for their 24th match back an eight-point gap from everything,” said Oleksandr IRU D ÀUVW ,W ZDV $UVHQDO·V ÀUVW ZLQ LQ a month ago. =LQFKHQNR ZKR KDG PDGH LW P r e m i e r four Premier League games “From this game, we took an ZLWK KLV ÀUVW HYHU 3UHPLHU League title and followed a dispiriting unbelievable lesson for all of us. League goal earlier in the game. in two decades and retook top spot on Saturday with a thrilling 4-2 win at Aston Villa thanks to two late goals.

With a high-quality attacking game going into added time DW $UVHQDO PLGÀHOGHU Jorginho saw a looping shot FRPH RͿ WKH EDU DQG ERXQFH RͿ WKH KHDG RI 9LOOD·V $UJHQWLQD World Cup-winning goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez for a cruel own goal.

0LQXWHV ODWHU ZLWK WKH ÀQDO whistle about to go and Villa piling forward – Martinez included –Arsenal broke forward again for Gabriel Martinelli to stroke into an empty net for the Londoners’ fourth in front of their delirious fans.

The result put the Gunners back on top with 54 points after William Saliba, Fabio Vieira and Gabriel Martinelli celebrating Arsenal’s fourth goal in the 4-2 defeat of Aston 23 games, three points above Villa...yesterday

Plateau State duo of Kefar Williams and Blessing SoloPRQ PDGH KLVWRU\ DV WKH ZLQQHUV RI WKH ÀUVW 1DWLRQDO Cross Country race held at the Rhino Gold Course in Jos on Saturday.

Kefar ran 31:38.30 to win the race ahead of 2022 National 3000m steeplechase champion, Stephen Joshua (31:51.69) and Emmanuel Gyang (32:01.77) who came second and third respectively.

Williams’ time is a personal best for him and a course record.

The Police Sergeant expressed his delight after the race and wants the Federal Ministry of Youth and Sports Development and the Athletics Federation of Nigeria to give distance runners more competitions.

“I believe we can rival the east Africans if we get the same level of attention and support they get here,” he said.

For the women’s race run separately from the men in accordance with international standards, Solomon, the 2022 National Sports Festival 3000m steeplechase champion ran 38:36.12 to win ahead of 11 time national 5000/1000m champion, Deborah Pam (38:47:37) and Grace Danlami.

Pam, the best Nigerian runner at the Gold label Access Bank Lagos City Marathon early this month was GHOLJKWHG WR UXQ KHU ÀUVW &URVV &RXQWU\ UDFH LQ 1LJHULD “I am delighted to be a part of this historic race. I had to leave Lagos last (Friday) night to be able to run today 6DWXUGD\ DQG KDSS\ WR ÀQLVK DPRQJ WKH ÀUVW WKUHH µ said the 32-year-old whose husband, Emmanuel Gyang ÀQLVKHG WKLUG LQ WKH PHQ·V UDFH )RU WKHLU HͿRUWV WKH WRS WKUHH ÀQLVKHUV LQ WKH PHQ and women’s race went home with N300,000; N200,000 and N100,000 respectively. $WKOHWHV ZKR ÀQLVKHG IURP IRXUWK WR WK DOVR JRW SDLG IRU WKHLU HͿRUWV 7KH UDFH ZDV ÁDJJHG RͿ E\ WKH =RQDO &RRUGLQDWRU RI the Federal Ministry of Youth and Sports Development, Mrs Deborah Pitman, who represented the Minister of Sports, Chief Sunday Dare.

Egypt 2023: Moroccan Official, Jayed, to Take Charge of Nigeria, Senegal Clash The Confederation of African Football (CAF) h\as appointed Moroccan Jalal Jayed as referee for Sunday’s Africa U20 Cup of Nations Group A battle between seven-time champions Nigeria and Senegal at the Cairo International Stadium.

Jayed will be assisted by Tunisian Mohamed Bakir (assistant referee 1), Algerian Hamza Bouzit (assistant referee 2) and Ivorian Clement Franklin Kpan, in the PDWFK WKDW ZLOO NLFN RͿ DW SP (J\SW WLPH SP 1LJHULD time), three hours after the tournament opening game between hosts Egypt and Mozambique at the same venue.

While Hussein Jenayah from Tunisia will be the match commissioner, Burundian Jean Claude Birumushahu will serve as referee assessor and Imade El Fahouss from Morocco will be general coordinator.

7KH )O\LQJ (DJOHV KDG WKHLU ÀUVW R΀FLDO WUDLQLQJ VHVVLRQ LQ &DLUR RQ )ULGD\ DW -HZHO +RWHO WUDLQLQJ ÀHOG DV WKH team gets set for the clash with Senegal.

Nigeria, two-time FIFA World Cup silver-medallists and one-time bronze medallists, will be gunning for an HLJKWK FRQWLQHQWDO WLWOH DW WKH ÀQDOV LQ (J\SW 7KH\ SOD\ host nation Egypt and Mozambique in other games in Group A. Only the top four-placed teams at the 12-nation tournament will qualify to represent Africa at this year’s FIFA 8 :RUOG &XS ÀQDOV LQ ,QGRQHVLD WK 0D\ ² WK -XQH Meanwhile, the Flying Eagles trained under the supervision of Coach Ladan Bosso and his technical team for 90 minutes on Friday. The session focused on players’ recovery after the trip from Casablanca to Cairo on Friday.

Another session is expected to be held on Saturday evening at 8:30pm local time (7:30pm Nigerian time).

Belgium -based Ahmed Abdullahi has joined the Flying Eagles’ squad in Cairo.

The KAA Gent of Belgium forward arrived in Cairo in the early hours of Friday morning. Abdullahi was part of the team that emerged WAFU B U20 Champions in Niger Republic in May last year.

The nifty forward scored one goal at the regional tournament despite injury ruling him out of the tournament DIWHU KH VXͿHUHG KHDG LQMXU\ GXULQJ D PDWFK ZLWK %XUNLQD )DVR DQG LV H[SHFWHG WR RͿHU PRUH DWWDFNLQJ RSWLRQV upfront to Coach Ladan Bosso.

75

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Sunday 19 February, 2023

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“To be clear, Festus Keyamo has been the Minister of State for Labour and Employment since 2019. Under the watch of this retired activist and erstwhile rights crusader, ASUU has spent a combined 18 months on strike in 43 months.

Keyamo never spoke up”– Special Assistant on Public Communications to to Atiku Abubakar, Mr. Phrank Shaibu, calling on Festus Keyamo, to resign from President Buhari’s cabinet if he is unhappy with the cashless policy.

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SIMONKOLAWOLE Something is about to Happen!

SIMONKOLAWOLELIVE!

simon.kolawole@thisdaylive.com, sms: 0805 500 1961

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he hour is at hand. Nigerians are about to pick a new president. I am ignoring the orchestrated crises and keeping my eye on the ball. We have done elections successfully since 1999 and I am confident that this too will come and go, no matter the odds, no matter the sinister gameplan. Next Saturday, we will choose one from Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu (All Progressives Congress, APC), Alhaji Atiku Abukabar (Peoples Democratic Party, PDP), Mr Peter Obi (Labour Party, LP), and Dr Musa Rabiu Kwankwaso (New Nigeria Peoples Party, NNPP), among others. I am suspending my five-part series, ‘Common Errors about Nigeria’, to display my two kobo on the 2023 presidential election.

The star revelation of this election is, unquestionably, Obi. Until now, we usually dismissed the idea of a “third force” or “new wave” candidate. We scoffed at the idea that a candidate who does not belong to any of the parties with a significant number of elected officials could make an impact in the presidential election. In May 2022, Obi, who was Atiku’s running mate in 2019, defected from the

INEC chairman, Mahmoud Yakubu PDP, moved to the LP and his aspiration instantly caught fire on Twitter. Before you could say jack, he

started gaining organic followership on the streets.

I would guess that millions of voters who do not have any allegiance to APC or PDP — that is, the “unattached” — are now in Obi’s corner.

There is a striking semblance between Candidate Buhari in 2015 and Candidate Obi in 2023. Both have been sold to voters as “honest” and “frugal”.

They are branded as anti-graft champions, and this resonates with many Nigerians who think that our major problem is corruption. The ordinary Nigerian believes that if we can elect an honest and prudent president, Nigeria will be a much better country because our resources will be well managed. There are widespread expectations that a candidate who has such a remarkable testimonial in the bag should be able to make a difference. However, some critics will say Buhari and Obi are high on integrity but low on economic policy.

Obi’s candidature has propelled the realignment of forces to certain degrees. Igbos are usually accused of not backing one of their own, but I do not think this is the case again — except for a limited number of their political leaders. On the positive side, many

non-Igbos are casting aside ethnic sentiments to join the Obi train. The Christian community is also mobilising intensely for him across the country, especially because of the APC Muslim/Muslim ticket, although he is also the only Christian in the top four. Sections of the civil society, particularly the youth-dominated End SARS movement, are backing Obi. Altogether, he has the backing of several segments of the electorate.

Can Obi win? Several polls have put him ahead.

There are serious questions about the reliability of those polls — such as the methodology (one used smartphone app) and the sampling demographics — but it must count as a plus for him that he is not rated as a non-starter. His overall performance will depend largely on his ability to penetrate the north as much as he has done in the south. Some analysts are counting the youth votes in his favour, but it will be clumsy to discount the fact that every candidate has his own youths, and they are well spread across the country. The sentiments of youths in Bida are different from the emotions of youths in Continued on page 44

WAZIRIADIO POSTSCRIPT

The Many Contests of February 25

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he day that once looked so far away when it was announced about a year ago is now so close we can almost touch it. 25th February 2023, the date assigned for eligible Nigerians to choose a new president alongside 469 federal legislators, is now just a matter of days away. Judgement Day 2023 is nigh. In deciding, the voters will do more than choose among the candidates. They will also be putting to test some issues and ideas that have been at the centre of disputations in this

unusually long and quite raucous electioneering period. Today, I will highlight a few of the issues that I think make the 2023 presidential poll a series of contests within a contest.

The first issue is the accuracy of pre-election polling in predicting the preference of Nigerian voters in this electoral cycle. The 2023 presidential election will easily pass as the most polled in our century-long electoral history. The explosion of polling in this cycle is understandable: the stakes are very high, there is a lot of interests within and

outside the country, there is some excitement about a likely upset, and there is also the luxury of time, given the space between the party primaries and the actual elections. At the last count, there have been more than a dozen publicised pre-election polls. Some of the pollsters have even conducted a series of polls, sometimes up to three in a series.

Most of the polls put Mr. Peter Obi, the presidential flagbearer of the Labour Party, in the lead. While a few of these put him in clear, unassailable lead (sometimes north of 60%), some others are more

qualified. Those in the latter category either project a runoff (an issue we will return to shortly) or hedge that the results are inconclusive because of the sizeable percentage of respondents that could tilt the result in any direction: those who claimed to be undecided and those who would not disclose their preference. In some of these polls, the respondents with ‘unknown’ preference numbered between a third to half of the sample size.

Continued on page 44

KASHIMIBRAHIM-IMAM GUEST COLUMNIST

Lateef Femi Okunnu: Icon, Legend and Statesman at 90

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hey don’t come better than Alhaji Lateef Femi Okunnu. He is defined by many things: love for family and country, commitment to education, affection for Lagos, passion for the legal profession, and devotion to Islam.

He is a Nigerian nationalist of the progressive bent, one who is a shaper of several landmarks in the history of the country, whether political or infrastructural. Everything he has done, and still does, is always with a touch of finesse, with passion, and with dedication. He is sui generis, simply in a class of his own. As he marks his 90th birthday today, the foremost lawyer remains

an inspiration to generations past and present, with his testimony of integrity, excellence and diligence.

I was but a little boy when he was appointed Federal Commissioner for Works by General Yakubu Gowon in 1967 at age 34, a position he held till 1974. I always knew him from afar as a legend.

It was when I became the President of King’s College Old Boys’ Association (KCOBA) that I got really close to him. My prior admiration of the great man went notches higher. He is an old boy of KC himself, where he acquired his secondary education from 1948 to 1953. His passion for the school has not waned a bit seven decades after. He

always creates time for me, discusses the school with enthusiasm and has kept motivating me on helping our alma mater attain greater heights. He was President of the KCOBA from1995 to 1999 and is still a member of the KCOBA Board of Trustees. He authored the book, “King’s College, Lagos the Early Years, 1909-1959”, in 1984.

As a “Lagos boy”, his love for the city is as vast as the ocean. He speaks about Lagos with relish and emotion. He still remembers with fondness the Balogun Lane, off Balogun Street, where his father lived and where he played in the streets. He still recalls Idun-Isagbe (Iduluwo) where his father later moved to while he was

a small boy. Despite the present challenges of physical development, he is proud of the progress Lagos has made. He still recalls that the Lagos he grew up in was just about the Island. Life terminated at Yaba. There was no Surulere, no Lekki, and no Oniru Estate. Victoria Island was mostly water, while Ikorodu Road to Ikeja was all bush. He authored the book, “Contemporary State Land Matters in Nigeria: A Case of Lagos State”, in 2003. He assumed the Presidency of the ultra-elite Metropolitan Club, Lagos in 2020, in unending commitment to his beloved city.

Continued on page 45

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