SUNDAY 26TH MARCH 2023

Beatrice Aboyade, Africa’s First Female Doctor of English Literature, Dies at 87 Funeral activities begin March 30

Yinka Olatunbosun

Funeral activities of Africa’s first female to obtain a doctorate

in English Literature, Prof.

Beatrice Olabimpe Aboyade, will commence on Thursday, March 30.

Aboyade, who died on March 3, was born on August 24, 1935 to the family of Omoba T.A Johnson Odubanjo, the grandson of Jagun

Alausa of lmupa, Ijebu-Ode, who became the first Olowu of Owu ljebu.

The funeral programme of

the late consummate academic was contained in a statement Continued on page 5

Aboyade

Cash Crunch: Banks Comply with CBN's Directive, Open in Lagos, Abuja, Others… Page 10 Sunday 26 March, 2023 Vol 28. No 10210

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Obasanjo Condemns Discrimination against Igbo… Page 6

DSS: We Won’t Tolerate Political Actors Who Champion Anarchy Gboyega Akinsanmi Amid incendiary altercations that ensued after the conclusion of the 2023 elections, the Department

of State Services (DSS) yesterday warned that it would not tolerate a situation where persons and groups would take laws into their hands and champion anarchy.

Rather than resorting to inciting violence, the secret police urged the political gladiators to utterly comply with the rules of the game and approach courts of competent

jurisdiction for redress in areas where they suspected that extant electoral law was violated.

The secret police gave the warning in a statement by its

Public Relations Officer, Mr. Peter Afunanya issued in Abuja yesterday, alerting the public of plans by some persons or groups “to violently disrupt peace in

the country.”

The statement came barely 48 hours after the spokesman of Continued on page 5

APC, PDP inVerbal War over Alleged Plot to Truncate Tinubu’s Inauguration Opposition parties can’t stop May 29 handover, says ruling party PDP vows not to be intimidated, says APC can’t gag Nigerians Atiku denies withdrawing petition, insists outcome of presidential election illegitimate

Chuks Okocha and Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja The All Progressives Congress (APC) and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) yesterday engaged in verbal war over an allegation by the ruling party that the opposition parties were plotting to truncate the inauguration of the President-elect, Bola Tinubu, and his vice, Kashim Shettima on May 29.

While the APC told the opposition parties to bury the thought of truncating the inauguration, the PDP stated that it would not be intimidated by the ruling party’s allegation.

The main opposition party also told the ruling party that it “can’t snatch the presidency and run away like that.”

Meanwhile, the presidential candidate of the PDP in the February 25 presidential election, Atiku Abubakar, yesterday insisted that he would continue to challenge the outcome of the election, which he described as illegitimate, stressing also that the election process was flawed.

In a statement issued yesterday, the Spokesperson of the APC Presidential Campaign Council (PCC), Mr. Festus Keyamo, said the party had watched with great concern the condemnable activities of some persons and groups who were desirous of truncating the country's democracy.

He alleged that these persons have remained embittered that Tinubu was declared winner of the 2023 presidential election. eyamo added that these "misguided individuals" have called for either the cancellation of the results or that the Presidentelect should not be inaugurated on May 29, 2023.

“We wish to reiterate and emphasise that these positions are not in tandem with our constitutional provisions or our electoral laws. We would have taken these as mere wishful thinking; however, because of their implications for national security and public order, we have therefore considered it necessary, if not expedient, to Continued on page 5

PRESENTING ONE YEAR SCORECARD… Former President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo (left), and Anambra State Governor, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo, during an event to mark the governor's first year in office at the International Convention Centre, Awka…yesterday

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MARCH 26, 2023 • T H I S DAY, T H E S U N DAY N E W S PA P E R

NEWS

INEC to Issue Certificates of Return to Govs-elect, State Assembly Members-elect Wednesday Yakubu denies ownership of property attacked in viral video Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has announced that Certificates of Return would be issued to the governors-elect, their deputies and state assembly members-elect on Wednesday and Thursday next week.

This is coming as the INEC chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu has denied ownership of

the property attacked by some youths in a video clip circulating on social media.

The commission’s National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee, Mr. Festus Okoye, in a statement issued yesterday said specific dates for the issuance of the certificates would be communicated to those elected by the Resident Electoral Commissioners (RECs)

and Administrative Secretaries of the various states.

He said: "By the provisions of Section 72(1) of the Electoral Act 2022, the commission is mandated to issue a certificate of return within 14 days to every candidate who has been returned elected under the law.

"Pursuant to the above provision, the commission has fixed Wednesday, 29th, Thursday, 30th and Friday, 31st March 2023

for the issuance of certificates of return to governors and deputy governors-elect as well as state assembly members-elect. The presentation will take place in INEC offices in each state of the federation."

Meanwhile, INEC chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu has denied ownership of the property attacked by some youths in a video clip circulating on social media.

Angry youths who spoke largely in Hausa language, were seen in the video trooping into the building clutching sticks.

However, Yakubu, in a statement issued by his Chief Press Secretary, Rotimi Oyekanmi, yesterday said he does not own the property in question in either Bauchi or anywhere else around the world.

He said: "The property being purportedly attacked by some

youths in a video clip circulating on the social media does not belong to the INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu.

"The INEC chairman does not own the property in question in either Bauchi or anywhere else around the world.

"This narrative is indeed the latest in the series of desperate smear campaign efforts by mischief makers. The public should disregard it."

were not held or cancelled is 33,750, the margin of lead between the two candidates as announced

by INEC Returning Officer is 13,915 thereby invalidating the declaration and return made by INEC. "In such circumstances, Section 24 (3) (4) of the Electoral Act, 2022 expressly mandates INEC to appoint a new date for the conduct of the polls in the Polling Units where the election was not held or cancelled before any Return can be made.

PDP also congratulated the Osun State governor, Ademola Adeleke for his victory at the Court of Appeal.

PDP described the judgment as a victory for the people of Osun State and Nigerians in general.

The party also commended the judiciary as the last hope of the common man

negotiate with ASUU instead.

After the strike, he remained the Spokesman for Tinubu’s campaign and abandoned his duties completely.

“Today, the Nigeria Labour Congress is threatening to embark on a nationwide strike over the naira scarcity. By virtue of his job as labour minister, his primary duty is to avert industrial action. But rather than try to intervene in a strike that could bring the country to its knees, this scatterbrained and indolent minister is busy with politics and issuing frivolous statements over an imaginary plot.”

Shaibu argued that Keyamo is currently lobbying for another top position, hence his bootlicking.

Atiku’s aide, however, said Keyamo and others like him would be disappointed after their fraudulent electoral victory is overturned.

He added: “Keyamo’s job as campaign spokesman is officially over since the campaign has ended. But he is currently lobbying intensely for another appointment. With Senator Ovie Omo-Agege’s failed governorship bid in Delta State, many from the APC in Delta have in their delusion shifted focus to the central government that will soon be delegitimised by the judiciary.

“Keyamo, who is a paperweight politician, is afraid of being sidelined and is now sucking up to Tinubu. His latest vituperation is not borne out of patriotism but is part of his desperation to get an appointment from a government holding a stolen mandate that will soon be retrieved.

Shaibu said it was unfortunate that Keyamo, who rose to fame as a human rights activist, had completely destroyed everything he worked for on the altar of politics.

Atiku’s aide said Keyamo’s time in public service was evidence that some people are only good at talking but when they are in the ring, they turn out to be failures.

APC, PDP IN VERBAL WAR OVER ALLEGED PLOT TO TRUNCATE TINUBU’S INAUGURATION call them to order,” Keyamo explained.

The spokesperson noted that the APC campaign was aware of the intentions of those engaged in these treasonable and subversive acts.

He added: "They are fixated on an Interim Government. They have done it in this country before and it threw the country into an avoidable crisis for many years and they want to do it again.

"They are bent on delegitimising the new government. Some have made treasonable insinuations and openly called for a military takeover. It is for these reasons that they are desperate to incite the people against the incoming government," Keyamo added.

Keyamo argued that those contesting the results of the presidential election wanted to be in the courts and on the streets at the same time.

He said: "However if they intend to truncate the inauguration of the Presidentelect and vice president-elect, they should immediately bury the thought.

"It is gratifying to note that the President has set in motion steps for the actualisation of the swearing-in ceremony. In this regard, the Presidential Transition Council has remained focused and committed to its Terms of Reference in respect of organising a hitch-free handover."

Keyamo noted that on many occasions, Tinubu has pledged fairness as the basis for his present and future engagements.

According to the spokesman of the PCC of the APC, Tinubu has unequivocally stated that he would not accord favour to those that supported him, nor would he mistreat those who did not vote for him.

The spokesperson said when he was the Governor of Lagos for eight years, he never undermined any person or tribe and also championed people-oriented policies.

The APC spokesperson warned that those who are stoking the embers of hate, division, and falsehoods as well as peddling misleading narratives through some compromised media outlets should detract from such.

PDP Vows Not to Be Intimidated, Says APC Can’t Gag Nigerians

In a swift response, the PDP said yesterday that it cannot be intimidated by the APC over its claims that the opposition political parties were plotting against Tinubu’s inauguration as the next president.

Addressing a press conference in Abuja, the National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Debo Ologunagba told the ruling APC that, "you cannot snatch the presidency and run away like that."

"This is a democratic nation and Nigeria is a democracy. You cannot gag people. You cannot intimidate the people when you snatch their presidency.

"You cannot stop the people from expressing themselves.

The constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria guarantees freedom of speech. So, you cannot intimidate the people.

"The threat from the APC is dead on arrival. It has no right to cow and intimidates people from expressing themselves.

Government should be accountable at all times. You cannot snatch it and run away.

No, we cannot be intimidated.

Nigerians cannot be cowed. We, as a people, have the right to

express ourselves," Ologunagba explained.

Atiku Denies Withdrawing Petition, Insists Outcome of Presidential Election Illegitimate In a related development, Atiku has denied reports that he had withdrawn from the ongoing presidential petition.

Atiku yesterday insisted that he would continue to challenge the outcome of the election, which he described as illegitimate, stressing also that the election process was flawed.

Reacting to a fake report that he has withdrawn from the presidential petition, the former vice president in a statement he signed said: "I have been notified of a fake press release attributed to me and purportedly giving legitimacy to the widely rigged presidential election of February 25.

"The so-called press release did not emanate from me or my office, and it should be treated with repudiation, untrue, and deliberately contrived by those who illegally appropriated the mandate of the Nigerian people", he stated.

Atiku added that "for the avoidance of any doubt, I wish to state categorically that my lawyers still have my unflinching mandate to challenge the outcome of the February 25 presidential election.

"I join other lovers of democracy in Nigeria and friends of our great country in the outright rejection of the pre-determined outcome of the February 25 election," Atiku added.

"The decision to challenge the sham election of February 25, the worst election in our democratic history, is not predicated on my personal interest but for the interest of Nigeria and its people. It is aimed at deepening

BEATRICE ABOYADE, AFRICA’S FIRST FEMALE DOCTOR OF ENGLISH LITERATURE, DIES AT 87 her family formally released at the weekend, reeling out programmes that would mark her journey to eternal rest.

The statement said the late matriarch “is survived by her children, Mrs. Olufunmilayo Odia, Ms Olufunke Aboyade (SAN), Mr. Ojekunle Aboyade, Dr. Ojetunde Aboyade, several grandchildren and great grandchildren."

It further revealed that the programme would commence with a Christian Wake keep at the Chapel of the Resurrection Hall, University of Ibadan.

The statement also said funeral service would hold at the Chapel of the Resurrection, University of Ibadan on Friday, March 31 at 10.a.m.

According to the statement, this would be preceded by a lying-instate at Trenchard Hall, University of Ibadan from 8.30am to 9.30am.

Aboyade, a professor of Library and Information Studies, made history as one of the first five female professors in Nigeria, alongside Professors Adetowun Ogunsheye (the first female

professor), Bolanle Awe, Dayisi Oduntan and Oyin Olurin.

An academic of many firsts, the statement said the late matriarch set a record when she became the first Nigerian or African Woman (South of the Sahara) to obtain a Ph.D in English Literature in 1970.

Odubanjo, her father, was the grandson of Jagun Alausa of lmupa Ijebu-Ode, who became the first Olowu of Owu ljebu.

Jagun Alausa was a descendant of Oba Osimore of ljasi Ijebu-Ode, one of the first three founding Obas of Ijebu-Ode - along with two other Obas of lwade and Porogun areas of Ijebu-Ode. A product of Queen’s College, Lagos, and Queen’s School, Ede, she was admitted in 1955 to the University College lbadan, then a College of the University of London, where, by virtue of her brilliant academic performance, she became a College Scholar, graduating with a BA Honours English degree in 1960.

Aboyade was only the second Nigerian Head of the Department of Library, Archival

and Information Studies at the University of Ibadan. She succeeded Prof. Adetowun Ogunsheye as Head of the Department from 1977-1979, reappointed 1980-1983 and 1985-1988 a three-time record in the university.

During her tenure, the Department was expanded from being just the Department of Library Studies to the Department of Library, Archival and Information Studies (LARIS), thus incorporating the training of professional Archivists and Information Scientists as well as Librarians for the first time in Nigeria.

Aboyade was until her passing, Chairman of the Development Policy Centre in Ibadan, an international think–tank and research centre for capacity-building in formulating development policies and training in development projects.

The centre was founded by her late husband and renowned economist, Prof. Ojetunji Aboyade, with the support of the World Bank.

democracy and ensuring that we do not confer legitimacy to an outcome of illegitimacy,” he said.

Review Ogun, Nasarawa, Kaduna Guber Results, PDP Tells INEC

Meanwhile, PDP has also urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to use the dictates of Section 65 of the Electoral Act to review the declarations of the governorship election results in Ogun, Nasarawa, and Kaduna states.

Ologunagba, who made the call at the press conference, argued that the margin of lead does not align with the dictates of the Electoral Act. "In Ogun State, we observed with concern that the result as declared by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is completely at variance with the provisions of the Electoral Act, 2022 and Guidelines issued by INEC for the conduct of the election.

“Specifically, from the summary of collated results at the governorship election, it is evident that our candidate was in the clear lead before compromised officials of INEC connived with the defeated APC to cancel PDP’s thousands of winning votes and brazenly declare the candidate of the APC, Mr. Adedapo Abiodun as the winner, in violation of the provisions of the Electoral Act, 2022.

'It is instructive for INEC to note that with the cancelled votes, the margin of lead between Mr. Dapo Abiodun of the APC and the PDP governorship candidate, Hon. Oladipupo Adebutu is not more than the total number of Permanent Voters Cards (PVCs) collected in Polling Units where elections were not held or cancelled by INEC, citing disruption of polls.

"Whereas the number of Permanent Voters Cards (PVCs) collected in places where elections

Keyamo is a Jobless Minister, Says Atiku’s Aide

In another development, Atiku’s Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, has described Keyamo, as an indolent, scatterbrained, and jobless minister.

Shaibu said this in a statement while reacting to Keyamo’s statement wherein he accused the opposition of planning to truncate democracy.

Atiku’s aide said Keyamo should be sanctioned for dereliction of duty having abandoned his primary job as a minister to be the spokesman for Tinubu’s campaign organisation even after the polls had ended.

He said: “Festus Keyamo’s primary duty is to serve as Minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. But this is a man that has put his personal interest ahead of the country. He took up a job as Spokesman for Tinubu’s campaign while lecturers were on strike for eight months.

“Rather than negotiate with lecturers and get innocent students back to class, he asked the parents of students to go

DSS: WE WON’T TOLERATE POLITICAL ACTORS WHO CHAMPION ANARCHY the All Progressives Congress Presidential Campaign Council (APC-PCC), Festus Keyamo had petitioned the DSS over alleged inciting comments capable of disrupting law and order in the country.

Keyamo had, in specific terms, filed the petition against the presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Mr. Peter Obi, and his running mate, Dr. Yusuf Datti Baba-Ahmed for allegedly making public utterances capable of inciting instability and violence.

In its statement yesterday, however, the Service warned those desperate to cause a breakdown of law and order to desist from any plan or plot that could undermine the country’s peaceful co-existence.

The secret police advised political players to abide by the rules of engagement as well as approach the courts for redress,

if and where there are suspicions of infractions on extant electoral laws.

According to the service, it was evident that some aggrieved politicians are already taking advantage of this legal process.

This, without a doubt, is the beauty of democracy.

It observed that it was strongly believed that the approach would enhance peace and security, which according to him, all and sundry should cherish it.

However, the service sternly warned against heating the political environment, noting that the service “will not tolerate a situation where persons and groups take laws into their hands and champion anarchy.”

It added that those peddling fake news, hate speech, and all forms of false narratives “as a basis to ignite violence or pit the people against the present or

incoming administrations, at the federal, state, and parliamentary levels, should stop forthwith.

“Those inciting violence have nothing to gain as doing so will not only consume them but also the innocent. It is otherwise disturbing to see respected personalities use their platforms to mislead or incite citizens. This, to say the least, does not augur well for peaceful coexistence and general order.

The service, therefore, noted that it would continue to take necessary measures to checkmate these elements that did not wish the country well.

It added that the measures “are necessary to ensure that the conducive environment is provided for citizens and residents to pursue their legitimate businesses. A stitch in time, they say, saves nine. Let all be guided.”

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UNITED FOR EKITI… L-R: Chairman, Southern Senators’ Forum, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele; Ekiti State Governor, Mr. Biodun Oyebanji; and former member of House of Representatives, Hon. Bimbo Daramola, after a meeting on the progress of Ekiti State in Abuja … weekend

Obasanjo Condemns Discrimination against Igbo There is no war between South-east and South-west, says Iwuanyanwu David-Chuddy Eleke in Awka Former President Olusegun Obasanjo, yesterday condemned what he called the “persistent” discrimination against people of the Igbo ethnic group, which he described as Igbophobia.

Also, the Chairman of the Council of Elders, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu, has said there is no fight between the Igbo and Yoruba people in the country.

Speaking in an event held at the International Convention Centre, Awka, Anambra State capital to commemorate the one-year in the office of Governor Soludo, Obasanjo recalled his relationship with the governor and the Director General of the World Trade Organisation (WTO), Dr Ngozi

Okonjo-Iweala, as his appointees.

At the event attracted several dignitaries from across the country, including the Chairman of THISDAY/ARISE Media Group, Mr. Nduka Obaigbena, and the presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Mr. Peter Obi, the former president stated that Soludo, who worked closely with him as an economic adviser, “never misadvised me,” adding that the Anambra State governor’s performance impressed him so much that he asked him to lead the CBN. According to Obasanjo, Soludo was the second Nigerian CBN governor who was not a commercial banker.

He noted that soon after appointing the academic, he found himself in an encounter

Senate Presidency: Probe Alleged $10,000 Bribery Scandal in N’Assembly, CD Tells EFCC, ICPC Sunday Aborisade in Abuja Foremost civil rights group in Nigeria, the Campaign for Democracy (CD) has urged the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) to probe the alleged $10,000 bribery involving some members of the National Assembly, particularly some senators.

The CD in a statement issued in Abuja yesterday by its Secretary General, Pastor Ifeanyi Odili, specifically asked the anti-graft agencies to thoroughly probe the alleged bribery scandal involving a ranking senator and some newly elected senators for the 10th Senate.

The media last week reported a meeting between a senator and elected senators where the sum of $10,000 was allegedly given to each of the senators.

The CD said: "We heard it through our impeccable source that some ranking senators have started using their ill-gotten wealth to woo the returning Senators and new members who have just received their certificates of return from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) last week with dollars and other hard currencies in other to win their votes when electing principal officers of the National Assembly.

"If we allow these politicians to use the money to induce the newly elected members of the 10th National Assembly, the nation will not really get it right again.

"We are afraid that such practice could plunge the nation into another round of quagmire and the leadership of the National Assembly will not be able to join hands with the executive to fight corruption headlong since they are products of corruption.

It takes a corrupt senator to lobby positions with money.

"We have reliably gathered that aspirants for the position of the Senate Presidency have started reaching out to both returning and newly elected Senators with huge amounts of hard currencies to get their vote on the assumption of office come June 2023.

"The EFCC and the ICPC should, as a matter of urgency, swing into action and probe the disturbing phenomenon to save our nascent democracy.

"The anti-graft agencies must also ensure that no Senator that is facing corruption charges or has pending cases in court is allowed to take a sensitive position in the 10th Senate.

"They must all be thoroughly checked and cleared before they are allowed to contest any of the sensitive positions, most importantly, that of the Senate President.

with a dissenting voice.

“Somebody came to me and said, ‘Wow! You have ruined the economy of Nigeria.’ I said, ‘How?’ He said, ‘An Igbo woman, Minister of Finance; an Igbo man, Governor of the Central Bank?

Then you have clearly completed the task of ruining the economy of Nigeria.’

“I don’t know why he said that, except for what I can call Igbophobia, and I don’t take that lightly. It remains; it persists. But when you have that type of thing that was said to me and the type of thing that you know is going on, as I have just called it, what do we do with it?

“I believe we have to go back to the scripture, which says we must conquer evil with good.

And whoever you are, wherever people are afraid of you, you must make yourself friendly to those who are afraid of you and earn their friendship by being good to them, and that is what we have to do,” Obasanjo said.

He added that the appointments of Okonjo-Iweala and Soludo were “probably the best of the appointments that I made when I was president”.

“When Soludo came to me when he wanted to be governor previously, I didn't support him.

Of course, I didn't disguise my anger toward him. I told him he should be thinking of something

national or international.

"The experience I had of Anambra governorship then was that of Ngige and Chris Uba. I once told Soludo that this is what will continue to happen if people like him are running away from governance. So, when I told him I was disappointed in him going for governor, he also reminded me that I had earlier accused him of running away from governance.

So, when he came back and told me he wanted to run, I told him he could go. I also told him don't forget that I reserve you for national assignment; so, you can use governor as an appetizer.

"From what I have heard and what I have seen, you have not disappointed me and I believe you have not disappointed the people of Anambra State. When you are done with this, you can think of something international, or national, that is where you belong," Obasanjo said.

Equally speaking at the event, the Chairman of the Council of Elders, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Chief Iwuanyanwu, has said there is no fight between the Igbo and Yoruba people in the country.

Iwuanyanwu, who equally spoke at the event said those destroying Igbo properties in Lagos were “political rascals”.

“I want to let our people in Lagos know, on Wednesday, I called a meeting of the Ohanaeze

Council of Elders Worldwide and we x-rayed the events in Lagos,” he said.

“I want to tell you that people who attended are from the branches in America, Canada, Europe, London, and Nigeria.

We have resolved and I want those from Lagos to go home and tell those in Lagos that we have resolved that never again can we allow anybody to take the life of any innocent Igbo person.

All of us are going to fight the person. Never again!

“We are in Nigeria and we have invested in Nigeria. Our investments are so much, we are not going to take the question of people telling us to go, we are not going anywhere.

“And I want to tell those in Lagos to realise that there is no war between us and Yorubas.

Yorubas are with us. There are just political rascals, and we’re going to handle them.

“The elders have directed the secretary general of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, [Okey] Emuchay, to set up a commission of inquiry to find out things destroyed; people are going to pay.”

Speaking earlier, Soludo had taken time to reel out his achievements in the past year of being the governor of Anambra State.

"Here, our mantra is 'doing more with less'. We want to

build a state that everyone will be proud of and my children and great grand-children will be happy to live in.

"We want to transform Anambra into a prosperous homeland so that wherever we are, we will desire to be here. The Igbo man no matter where he lives always desires to be brought back and buried here when they die. But we want to build a place we will not only be happy to be brought back for burial but that we will also like to live in.

"For me, I will be proud to live here, even when I am done with this job. The goodwill is here, the environment is getting better and we shall continue to strive to make it work. We only ask that wealthy Anambra people should help us by bringing back part of their investment. If we can get Anambra people in other states, who can pay their taxes here, then just sit back and see your money work for you," Soludo said.

He said that in one year as governor, he has employed 5,000 teachers at once, 3,000 health workers, and constructed several roads in the state.

"Nigeria is a place where governors only employ massively when they are leaving office, but in one year, we have made many jobs in the education and health sector, and we are planning more," Soludo explained.

Appeal Court Dismisses PDP’s Case against Tinubu-Shettima Ticket Alex Enumah in Abuja The Court of Appeal in Abuja has dismissed the appeal filed by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) seeking the disqualification of Senator Bola Tinubu and Kashim Shettima as the presidential and vice-presidential candidates of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the February 25 election.

The PDP had by their appeal marked: CA/ABJ/CV/108/2023 urged the appellate court to reverse the January 13 judgment by Justice Inyang Ekwo of the Federal High Court, Abuja which dismissed its suit on the grounds that the PDP lacked locus standi to have instituted the suit.

In the unanimous judgment on Friday evening, a three-member panel of the Court of Appeal, held,

in the lead judgment that the PDP failed to establish its locus standi.

Justice James Abundaga, who agreed with the submissions of lawyers to the respondents, including Thomas Ojo of Lateef Fagbemi and Co, described the PDP as a busy body, who dabbled into issues that are internal affairs of the APC. Respondents in the appeal are the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the APC, Tinubu and Shettima.

Justice Abundaga held that the trial court was right to have held that the PDP failed to establish its locus standi.

“The appellant, having failed to disclose its locus standi, this appeal fails and it is hereby dismissed,” he said and proceeded to affirm the judgment of the Federal High

Court.

Justice Abundaga awarded N5million cost against the appellant’s lawyer, J. O. Olotu.

The PDP had, in the suit filed on July 28, 2022, challenged the validity of the Tinubu/Shettima ticket for the 2023 presidential election, arguing that Shettima’s nomination as the running mate was in breach of the provisions of Sections 29(1), 33, 35 and 84{1)} (2)} of the Electoral Act, 2022 (as amended).

Claiming that Shettima had double nominations, the PDP argued that Shettima’s nomination as a vice-presidential candidate as well as the candidate for the Borno Central Senatorial seat contravened the law.

The PDP, which sought an order disqualifying the APC, Tinubu

and Shettima from contesting the presidential election scheduled for February 25 equally po rayed the court for an order nullifying their candidacy.

It further prayed the court for an order compelling INEC to remove their names from its list of nominated or sponsored candidates eligible to contest the election.

The defendants, in their preliminary objection urged the court to dismiss the suit for want of jurisdiction.

They contended that the plaintiff lacked the locus standi to institute the case, which invariably challenged APC’s decision and its nomination of candidates for the election, which were within the confines of the party’s internal affairs and thus, non-justiciable.

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GIVING BUSINESS TIPS… Vice Chancellor, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Professor Charles Arinzechukwu Igwe (left), and Chairman, Cubana Group, Chief Obinna Iyiegbu, alias Obi Cubana, after he delivered the Commencement Speech at the 50th Convocation of the university in Nsukka, Enugu State…weekend

NPO Constitutes Nine-man Board of National Ombudsman

Udora Orizu in Abuja

The Nigerian Press Organisation (NPO) has constituted a nine-man board of the National Media Complaints Commission (NMCC), known as the National Ombudsman.

The commission, according to a statement by the President of the Newspapers Proprietors’ Association of Nigeria (NPAN) and NPO, Mallam Kabiru Yusuf, was a major step by the industry to strengthen public confidence

in the media through the prompt resolution of issues bordering on ethical breaches in media content.

The commission members, drawn from the media, bar, academia, and civil society include Mr. Emeka Izeze, former Managing Director of Guardian Newspapers (Chairman); Mr. AB Mahmoud (SAN), former President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) and member of the Body of Benchers; and Prof.

Chinyere Stella Okunna, Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academics), Paul

APC Begins Screening of Kogi, Bayelsa, Imo Governorship Aspirants Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja Ahead of its April 10, 2023 governorship primary election, the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has commenced the screening of governorship aspirants for the Imo, Bayelsa, and Kogi states governorship elections.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had fixed November 11, 2023, for the conduct of the three governorship elections.

Addressing journalists yesterday after his screening exercise in Abuja, a former Executive Director of the Rural Electrification Agency (REA), Dr. Sanusi Ohiare said it was time for someone with his kind of skills to consolidate what Kogi State governor, Mr. Yahaya Bello has done.

“Check our profiles. I am not trying to downplay anybody's efforts but if you look at our profiles, the kind of leadership we need now is to move the state forward you will know that none of them come close to me,” he said.

Ohiare said if he emerges as the next governor of the state, he would transform Kogi and turn it into a logistics hub.

Also, the Senator representing Kogi West in the Senate, Senator Smart Adeyemi has called on Governor Bello not to become a tribal leader.

He said the call became imperative following speculations

in some quarters that Bello was working towards ensuring that an Ebira man succeeded him.

Adeyemi, while speaking after he was screened to contest the primary said Bello had shown that he was a statesman with the way he made his appointments in the state.

His words: "Democracy is all about the people. And I want to appeal to Governor Yahaya Bello, who tried to be a statesman in the way he has done his appointment. But what will define Yahaya Adoza Bello's administration is the courage with which he eventually decides who gives his support. You should not allow people to turn into a tribal leaders.

"Okun West in the last 30 years; we have not produced a governor. And we are not conquered, we are not slaves.

So, we are eminently qualified to govern our state."

Adeyemi said it was important for any political party including the APC to zone the governorship ticket to Kogi West.

The lawmaker said there was no doubt that he was eminently qualified to govern the state considering his wealth of experience.

He said he would be coming up with a radical approach to galvanise the socio-economic development of the state by creating, job opportunities and going into joint ventures to set up industries and factories that provide jobs for people.

University, Anambra State.

Other members include Dr. Hussaini Abdu, a Development and Humanitarian Specialist and Country Director, Care International (Nigeria); Mr. Lanre Idowu, Editor-in-Chief, of Diamond Publications Limited and Founder of Diamond Awards For Media Excellence (DAME); Mr. Edetaen Ojo, Executive Director, Media Rights Agenda (MRA); Mrs. Dupe Ajayi-Gbadebo, a journalist, lawyer, and arbitrator; Mrs. Eugenia Abu, broadcaster, author and columnist and Managing Partner/CEO, Eugenia Abu Media, and the Chair, House of Representatives Committee on Information.

The statement added that the commission will serve as an independent forum for resolving complaints about the press quickly, fairly, and free of charge; maintain high standards of Nigerian Journalism and journalistic ethics, and defend the freedom of the press and the rights of the people to know.

The NPO, comprising the Newspaper Proprietors’ Association of Nigeria (NPAN), the Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE), and the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), facilitated the constitution of the new commission with other strategic media players and the civil

society organisations, including the MacArthur Foundation.

Before the announcement, each media house had been directed to institute at the newspaper level, the local ombudsman.

The National Ombudsman will serve as an appellate body for the local Ombudsman as well as a court of first instance.

In November 2022, the Nigerian media industry adopted a new co-regulation and code of ethics to address ethical and professional concerns in the industry.

The decision was reached at the end of a media roundtable organised on November 14, 2022, by the NPAN in conjunction with NGE, NUJ, Broadcasting Organisations of Nigeria (BON), and the Guild of Corporate Online Publishers (GOCOP).

Media chiefs and operators at the roundtable had noted that the success of the co-regulation would be achieved via a workable enforcement mechanism.

The NPO would work together to make the co-regulation system effective, particularly through the establishment of the ombudsman at local and central levels.

This was contained in a communique issued at the end of the media roundtable convened within

the context of the imperative of a strategic response to the challenge of institutionalising self-regulatory mechanisms by the media for the media.

The communique was jointly signed by the president, NPAN/ NPO, Mal. Kabiru A. Yusuf; President, NGE, Mustapha Isah; President, NUJ, Chief Chris Isiguzo; President, GOCOP, Maureen Chigbo, and the executive secretary, BON, Dr. Yemisi Bamgbose.

The communique noted that efforts must be made to avoid the creation of bureaucratic structures that may have high-cost implications and therefore constitute obstacles to the efficient operation of the ombudsman.

The communique reads in part: “That sanctions for the violation of ethical codes and professional standards shall be determined by the Ombudsman, guided by the regulation.

“That media professional bodies and associations shall partner with media organisations to give wide publicity to the decisions of the Ombudsman,” the communique said.

On the issue of the revised Code of Ethics of Journalists in Nigeria, the communique noted that a bill of rights would be incorporated into

the revised code to address concerns over some industry practices that tend to undermine the welfare and safety of journalists.

The communique also said: “The revised code shall protect investigative journalism by making the public interest exception to instances where undercover methods may be used to obtain information.

“That the revised code shall distinguish between paid content and editorial content to preserve editorial integrity, and a new clause would be inserted to obligate journalists to promote the right of the people to know, freedom of the press and responsibility.”

The roundtable had two technical sessions in which presentations were made on “Pathway to Coregulation through an Ombudsman Framework”.

Speaking at the event, the Editorin-Chief/Senior Vice Chairman of Leadership Group Limited, Mr Azu Ishiekwene, based his presentation on the report of the committee of the NPO comprising NPAN, NGE, and NUJ instituted in May 2021.

The committee was mandated to develop a framework for a generally acceptable, workable, and trusted self-regulatory platform for the industry, both at the local and central levels.

Omo-Agege, Delta APC Query Collation of Guber Election Results, Petition INEC

Omon-Julius Onabu in Asaba

The Delta State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and its governorship candidate, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege, have queried the process of collation of election results of the March 18, 2023 governorship election in the state.

The APC and its flag-bearer raised questions about the results collation exercise in a petition to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), which was signed by Mr Godwin Anaughe, the party's Director of Election and Strategy.

The APC alleged in the petition that the collation of election results from all polling units and centres across the state was done in breach

of the Electoral Act 2022.

In a statement made available to journalists in Asaba yesterday, APC argued that “following the conduct and announcement of results, the Electoral Act makes provision for the collation of the announced results to determine the winner of the election.”

It added that "Section 64(4) of the Electoral Act provides that, "a collation officer or returning officer at an election shall collate and announce the result of an election, subject to his or her verification and confirmation that the: (a) number of accredited voters stated on the collated result are correct and consistent with the number of accredited voters recorded and transmitted directly from polling units under section 47(2) of this

Act; and (b) the votes stated on the collated result are correct and consistent with the votes or results recorded and transmitted directly from polling units under section 60(4) of this Act”.

It noted that “the All Progressives Congress in the course of this state collation exercise, has raised questions as to the correctness of the votes stated in the collated results being produced from many of the local government areas before the returning officer as it is contemplated under section 64(6) of the Electoral Act, 2022, which provides: “Where during the collation of results, there is a dispute regarding a collated result or the result of an election from any polling unit, the collation officer or returning

officer shall use the following to determine the correctness of the disputed result - (a) the original of the disputed collated results for each of the polling units where the election is disputed; (b) the smart card reader (in this case-the BVAS) used for accreditation of the voters in each of polling units where the election is disputed; (c) data of accreditation recorded and transmitted directly from each polling unit where the election is disputed as prescribed under section 47(2) of this Act; and (d) the votes and results of the election recorded and transmitted directly from each polling unit where the election is disputed under section 60(4) of this Act,” the statement explained.

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RAMADAN LECTURE… L-R: Welfare Secretary, Sisters in the Deen Foundation Orphanage, Hajia Bashirat Oladosu; Chairperson, Dr. Nurat Akinlabi-Babalola; Chairman, BoT, Hajia Rafat Sanusi; Guest of Honour, Hon. Justice Sherifat ETOP UKUTT Solebo; Hajia Binta Adisa; and Managing Director, Equity Capital Solutions, Alhaji Kamarudeen Oladosu, at the annual Ramadan lecture organised by the foundation in Lagos ...yesterday

FG: Military Still Deployed to Strategic Locations after Elections Warns naval officers against compromising national interest Kingsley Nwezeh in Abuja The federal government has said though the 2023 general election was over, the deployment of military personnel to strategic locations across the country was still ongoing.

The Minister of Defence, Major General Bashir Magashi (rtd) stated this yesterday at the passing out parade and commissioning ceremony for special duty pre-commissioning training 2022 cadets at the Nigeria Naval College, Onne in Rivers

Supreme Court Didn't Sack Me as APGA Chairman, Oye Claims Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja The National Chairman of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Victor Oye, has said that the Supreme Court did not sack him from his position.

He described the claim by one Chief Edozie Njoku that the Supreme Court delivered a judgment on Friday removing the leadership of APGA as nothing but a baseless and unfounded falsehood that the public should disregard.

Njoku had claimed that the Supreme Court met on Friday and corrected its earlier judgment and recognised him as APGA national chairman in place of Oye. However, Oye who reacted to the fresh claim by Njoku dismissed it as a total falsehood.

He said what the apex court did was merely "to correct a clerical error."

According to him, "the claim that the Supreme Court delivered any judgment (on) 24/3/2023 affecting the leadership of APGA is nothing short of a baseless and unfounded falsehood which must be roundly condemned and retracted by various media platforms that have shared the unfortunate news."

Oye explained that the application which the apex court heard on February 20, 2023, and brought by Edozie Njoku was merely to correct a typographical error contained in the lead judgment delivered by Justice Mary Odili (rtd) on October 14, 2021.

Oye stated that he approached the Court of Appeal, Kano Division, to challenge the judgment which affirmed the factional national convention of APGA allegedly held in Owerri, Imo State, to it set aside.

"Consequent upon the grant of application for joinder, the Court of Appeal, Kano division in a unanimous judgment delivered on 10th of August, 2021 allowed the appeal of Victor Oye and set

aside the judgment of Jigawa High Court," he said.

Oye stated that the decision of the Court of Appeal, Kano Division was predicated on an earlier judgment of a high court of Anambra State which had earlier upheld the national convention of APGA held in Awka, Anambra State on May 31, 2019.

"It is interesting to note that the Supreme Court while upholding the finding of the Court of Appeal, Kano division that the Jigawa High Court lacked jurisdiction to entertain the original suit filed by one Alhaji Garba Aliyu, went on to affirm all the findings made by the Court of Appeal, Kano division.

"It's, therefore, most bemusing and smacks of deliberate mischief for anyone to remotely contemplate that the Supreme Court delivered another judgment on March 24, 2023.

"Indeed, the allusion to Edozie Njoku in the body of the corrected judgment stems from the facts of the case as filed by Alhaji Garba Aliyu in the High Court of Jigawa wherein it was alleged that Chief Edozie Njoku was suspended by the NEC of APGA. "Effectively, the correction made by the Supreme Court in its said ruling was to the effect that the issue of whether Edozie Njoku was purportedly suspended or not (a fact alleged in the originating summons filed at Jigawa High Court) is within the internal affairs of a political party and therefore non-justiciable.

Oye said it was on the above basis that the Supreme Court decided that the Jigawa High Court lacked the jurisdiction to entertain the suit and deliver the judgment it delivered," he contended.

Oye said the Nigerian public should therefore disregard Edozie Njoku's claim, insisting that the Supreme Court has never affirmed him (Njoku) as the National Chairman of APGA.

State.

Magashi, who was represented by the Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Awwal Gambo, said the sustained deployment of troops was germane for the armed forces not to rest on their laurels in the face of emerging security threats.

Addressing the new naval officers, he stated, “the 2023 general election has just been concluded but deployment at strategic locations is still in place all over the nation.

“Some of you will be involved in this deployment to lead troops as part of military aid to civil authority. You must be professional and avoid acts that will put the armed forces in disrepute.

“It is worthy of note that the federal government programmes and plans for the armed forces are aimed at providing hope and

confidence for a better future.

This is in the area of support through the availability of funds, equipment, and welfare packages,” he explained Magashi congratulated the 156 cadets, including women who completed the ‘strenuous training,’ which commenced six months ago, saying, they were joining the officers’ cadre at a time the nation needed the services of the armed forces to tackle the various security problems plaguing her.

The Defence Minister said, “Our nation is being challenged by asymmetric security threats, which necessitated occasional engagement of the armed forces across different strata of operation.

“However, the good news is that there have been many successes recorded in a few years.

There have been many successes

recorded in the last few years.

“In this regard, I’m glad to observe that in addition to the substantial support to the sister services in some of this theatre of war the Nigerian Navy has continued to sustain security across the Nigerian maritime domain.

“Expectedly notable results are achieved in a reduction in piracy which culminated in delisting Nigeria from the international maritime list of piracy from countries involved in crude oil theft and loss with the exponential rise in crude oil production to about 1.7 million barrels.

“Certainly, the economic benefits of this feat by the Nigerian Navy are commendable.”

He said the feat would not have been achieved without the “dedication and patriotic commitment from personnel who

displayed uncommon attitude, knowledge, and skills acquired through pragmatic training from naval training institutions which you have all successfully gone through.”

Magashi reminded them that the “President and Commanderin-Chief of the Armed Forces demands from you the passing cadet officers cadet loyalty, patriotism and unflinching support to constituted authority.”

Magashi urged them to desist from any act that will compel the Nigerian Navy to use the arm of the law to correct their wrongdoing.

“Your personal interest must never override national interest.

It is your utmost responsibility to always apply caution in your official and personal life and live within the ambit of the law,” he stated

Cash Crunch: Banks Comply with CBN's Directive, Open in Lagos, Abuja, Others Nume Ekeghe in Lagos and Laleye Dipo in Minna with agency reports Following the directive of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), the deposit money banks (DMBs) yesterday opened their doors to customers in Abuja, Lagos, and other states for cash deposits and withdrawals in a bid to ease the cash crunch and provide succor to customers.

THISDAY checks revealed that compliance with the directive was high in Lagos and some other states.

THISDAY gathered across the country that some banks that did not open their banking halls, ensured their automated teller machines (ATMs) were loaded with cash to serve customers.

In Lagos, Guaranty Trust Bank, First Bank, and Union Bank were some of the banks that complied with the directive.

At the Gbagada axis of Lagos, GTBank, Stanbic Polaris Bank, Zenith Bank, First Bank, Fidelity Bank, and Providus Bank were both dispensing via ATMs as well as serving customers inside their banking halls.

Also, THISDAY witnessed full

compliance by the banks around Oba Akran and Ikeja. In some parts of Abule Egba, some of the banks were also seen attending to customers within and outside their banking halls.

Some bank officials, who pleaded anonymity, confirmed that the apex bank released a sizeable amount of funds to bank branches nationwide.

At the Access Bank branch on Gado Nasko Road in the Kubwa area of Abuja, customers were allowed to withdraw a maximum of N20,000 through the counter and N10,000 from the ATMs. It was however gathered that non-customers of the bank were allowed to withdraw N2,000 from the ATM. At the Fidelity Bank branch on the same axis, the ATMs were yet to start dispensing cash, but customers were allowed to withdraw a maximum of N10,000 inside the banking halls.

The Stanbic IBTC branch allowed for a maximum withdrawal of N30,000 through the counter, while the ATMs were not dispensing.

Some other banks like First Bank, Guaranty Trust Bank (GTB), United Bank for Africa

(UBA), Union Bank, and Unity Bank also had a large turnout of customers.

A resident of Kubwa, Abbas Ibrahim, expressed relief that the CBN had finally allowed the use of the old Naira notes till December.

“At least, between now and December all the stakeholders should have been fully prepared for the Naira redesign,” he said.

Another resident, Sule Aliu, also commended the apex bank for directing banks to work during the weekend.

“At this rate, within the next one week the situation will become normalised, ” he said.

In Niger State, customers also besieged the premises of commercial banks in Minna, the state capital to make cash withdrawals.

As early as 7 am, the premises of the banks were thronged by eager customers, though most of the banks did not open until about 11 am.

When THISDAY visited some of the banks, it was observed that they were dispensing varying amounts through their ATMs. For instance, two of the oldgeneration banks were dispensing

N5,000 to each customer inside the banking hall, while another firstgeneration bank was dispensing N20,000.

Customers could also withdraw a maximum of N10,000 through the ATMs. However, most of the banks closed at 2 pm. The situation was the same in most parts of the country.

The CBN had on Friday confirmed the evacuation of banknotes from its vaults to commercial banks and assured Nigerians in a statement that its latest directive to the banks would reduce the cash crunch The CBN, which said this through its acting Director of Corporate Communications Department, Dr. Isa AbdulMumin, in a statement, had also directed all commercial banks to open for operation on Saturdays and Sundays.

The apex bank’s spokesman said a substantial amount of money, in various denominations, had been received by the commercial banks for onward circulation to their respective customers.

AbdulMumin added that the CBN had also directed all banks to load their ATMs.

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

SEAL OF VICTORY …

L-R: Chairman, All Progressives Congress, Lagos State, Hon. Cornelius Ojelabi; Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu; Senator Tokunbo Afikuyomi; and a chieftain of Lagos APC, Mr. Fouad Oki after a session with Sanwo-Olu on the outcome of the March 18 governorship election in Lagos… recently

Present Evidence of 10,000 Abortion Claims, COAS Charges Reuters Michael Olugbode in Abuja

The Chief of Army Staff, Lt-Gen. Farouk Yahaya (COAS), has challenged Reuters to bring up evidence to substantiate its claim of abortion of 10,000 pregnancies, massacre of children and other sexual and gender based violations levelled against the Armed Forces, Yahaya issued the challenge while testifying before the Special Independent Investigative Panel on Human Rights Violations in Counter Insurgency Operations in the North-east, insisting that it appeared that Reuters “is acting a script to rubbish our success in the North East.”

Making reference to Reuters report, he said some people

“are gifted in writing just like in novels, describing what they never witnessed forgetting that in the military if you waste any ammunition you will be court martialed. We are not a mercenary Army, we are a professional Army.”

He said: “We are succeeding and not many are happy that we are succeeding. They cannot reverse our successes therefore they rubbish it. Sometimes, they are playing other peoples script. We are not Boko Haram terrorists, we are trained to be professionals and the training is continuous.”

He further said: “May be they don’t know we are operating under the government. The National Human Rights Commission follows what is being done in the military

Sanwo-Olu Agrees to Compensate Driver Assaulted at #EndSARS Memorial Gboyega Akinsanmi Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu yesterday resolved that his administration would comply with the judgment of a Federal High Court involving a cab driver, Mr. Clement Adedotun manhandled during the #EndSARS Memorial protest in October 2021.

Sanwo-Olu, also, acknowledged that the state government had appealed the decision of the court, though he would uphold the rule of law and protect citizens’ rights across the state with empathy and authority.

He made the disclosure in his personal Twitter handle, @jidesanwoolu yesterday, indicating the willingness of his administration to honour the judgment of the federal high court that awarded N5 million damage against Lagos State.

The state government had filed an appeal against the judgement ordering the state and the Nigeria Police Force to pay N5 million as compensation to Adedotun.

Officers of the Lagos State Neighbourhood Safety Agency (LNSA) and Nigeria Police had manhandled Adedotun during the EndSARS memorial, the first anniversary rally of the EndSARS at the Lekki tollgate in October 2021.

The cab driver dragged the Lagos State Government before a federal high court in Lagos for alleged abuse, harassment and violation of human rights.

On March 14, the federal high court ordered the state government and the police to pay N5 million as compensation to Mr Adedotun.

The state government had ordered that the driver manhandled in October 2021 by security operatives during an EndSARS Memorial rally be paid compensation as ordered by a court.

The state government had, however, filed an appeal against the judgement ordering the state and the police to pay N5 million as compensation to Mr Adedotun.

In his tweet yesterday, SanwoOlu said: “I am committed to upholding the rule of law and protecting citizens’ rights with empathy and authority.

“I recently became aware of the case involving Mr. Clement Adedotun and the judgement by the Federal High Court, and I understand the impact this legal battle has had on him.

“After reviewing Clement’s case, I have directed the Honorable Attorney General to set up a meeting and pay him the compensation awarded by the Federal High Court.”

and what we are doing is internal operation. We are operating in our country. The Army is Nigerian Army and we are not like Boko Haram that does not operate under code of conduct.”

According to the army chief, Nigerian Army is majorly concerned about fighting the insurgency and restoring peace in the North-east and therefore

could have abandoned this noble cause to engage in abortion of 10,000 pregnancies.

“In addition, caution is planted in our head that the people you are fighting are Nigerians and there is no policy like that, rather the policy we have is respect for human beings, we are not more Nigerian than the people, that is why is Nigerian Army, the allegation is

just grammar our business is to defeat the insurgents.”

Testifying further before the seven-member panel chaired by Justice Abdu Aboki (rtd), the witness said while the military is buying arms to fight the insurgents one would have expected Reuters to support the efforts instead of adopting this “textbook solution” that

does not reflect the reality of the situation in the North-east.

Asked by the panel’s secretary, Mr. Hilary Ogbonna to explain Reuters’ claim that soldiers massacred many children perceived to have been fathered by Boko Haram, he said, “This is laughable because even if there is stigma attached to such children, is it the Army that will stop the stigma”?

Abia Assembly Denies Move to Impeach Ikpeazu Emmanuel Ugwu in Umuahia The Abia State House of Assembly yesterday denied the rumours making rounds that it had concluded plans to impeach Governor Okezie Ikpeazu.

Addressing journalists at the governor’s lodge in Aba, the Abia legislators led by the Deputy Speaker, Ifeanyi Uchendu, Majority Leader of the assembly, Hon. Solomon Akpulonu and Minority Leader, Chijioke Chukwu, urged the public to disregard the rumours.

According to the Deputy Speaker, “I just want to inform

you that what has been gaining grounds that the House of Assembly is planning to impeach the governor is just a rumour.

“There’s no plan like that. In fact, as we speak, the House has not even reconvened. We just went on holiday because of the election. We’re still considering the date to reconvene. I stand here to tell the whole world that there are no such plans to impeach the governor.

“He has done well for us and the entire people of Abia State.

We’re happy with him. Even if he’s leaving office in the next two months he’ll leave peacefully

because he’s a peaceful man.

Adding his voice, the leader of the House, Hon. Solomon Akpulonu said: “There’s no time the House planned to impeach the governor. We didn’t plan any of such. It’s the figment of the imagination of purveyors of fake news.

“The governor has not done anything to warrant such plans.

So, it’s not true. As you can see, we came to interact with him today. We will continue supporting him until the end of his tenure. So, disregard such rumours for there’s nothing like that. It’s a piece of fake news.”

Hon. Chijioke Chukwu, the Minority Leader who is of the All Progressives Congress (APC) said that there is no way the House will make moves for impeachment without his knowledge and therefore stressed that rumours are lies.

“I’m here with the Deputy Minority Leader to debunk this rumour. The minority caucus of the House is concerned that such a malicious rumour is gaining ground out there and dished out without our knowledge and we are here to tell the press that it’s not true.

NDLEA to Enforce Narcotics Law on High Sea as UK Trains Officers Michael Olugbode in Abuja

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has commenced the training of its operatives to develop the capacity to plan maritime deployments and pursue, stop, and board vessels on the high seas.

NDLEA said no fewer than 35 officers of its Marine Command and Seaports

Operations were undergoing the training by the United Kingdom Home Office International Operations (HOIO).

The agency’s Director of Media and Advocacy, Mr. Femi Babafemi, disclosed this in a statement issued yesterday.

According to Babafemi, five of the 35 officers are undergoing two-week Maritime Patrol and Tactical

Coxswain training by the United Kingdom’s Central Maritime Training Unit based in Southampton.

The HOIO is also providing the officers with specialised training, mentoring, and advanced drug detection equipment to enhance border control and the capabilities of the NDLEA. The training, which

includes NDLEA’s first female coxswain, will enable the officers to plan maritime deployments and pursue, stop, and board vessels on the high seas.

Babafemi said key areas being covered in the training include boat handling, weapons handling, riverine operations, boarding, and vessel search, among many others.

Video of Nasarawa Women Protesting Half-naked is Heartbreaking, Says Obi Gabriel Emameh in Abuja The presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Peter Obi, has described the incident of topless protest by women in Nasarawa State over the outcome of the 2023 governorship election in the state as heartbreaking.

Obi reacted to the development in a tweet via his verified Twitter handle at the weekend.

The incumbent Governor Abdullahi Sule of the All Progressives Congress (APC) was declared the winner of the March 18 governorship election in Nasarawa State by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

Collation and Returning Officer in the State, Prof Ishaya Tanko, said that the APC candidate polled a total of 347, 209 votes to defeat his closest opponent and candidate

of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), David Ombugadu, who scored 283, 016 votes.

Following the declaration of Sule as the winner, women in the state embarked on a protest half-naked, which was captured in a video that has since gone viral.

The women who were from Akwanga Local Government Area of the state on Thursday

stripped themselves half-naked to protest the outcome of the governorship election in the state.

The women claimed that their mandate was stolen and insisted that their votes must count.

In his reaction, Obi stated: “I just came across a sad, heartbreaking video where Nasarawa women staged a topless protest as a means of registering their displeasure with the election results.”

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THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER MARCH 26 , 2023

BUSINESS /RQJ :DON WR 3ULFH 6WDELOLW\ Editor: Festus Akanbi

08038588469 Email:festus.akanbi@thisdaylive.com

-DPHV (PHMR writes that the decision of the Central Bank of Nigeria to further hike the benchmark interest rate against analysts’ expectations, remains the most viable option at the moment amid murky local and global headwinds

A

fter its meeting last week, the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) decided to maintain its contractionary policy stance by raising e Monetary Policy Rate (MPR) otherwise known as interest rate by 50 basis points to 18 per cent from 17.5 per cent.

The raise came at a time the economy is bleeding – struggling with growth amidst KLJK XQHPSOR\PHQW ULVLQJ LQÁDWLRQ DQG WKH already high cost of credit in the economy.

The MPC decision was also taken at a period when geopolitical headwinds particularly occasioned by the war between Russia and Ukraine, the banking failures in the US and Switzerland as well as COVID-19 issues in China continue to be major global concerns.

However, analysts had predicted that the apex bank would at least maintain the previous rate and not raise the policy stance further.

President Association of Capital Market Academics of Nigeria, Prof. Uche Uwaleke, said he expected MPC to maintain a hold SRVLWLRQ ´FRQVLGHULQJ WKH VLJQLÀFDQW GURS in currency in circulation occasioned by the recent currency redesign policy and the fact LQÁDWLRQ UDWH GHFHOHUDWHG PRQWK RQ PRQWK between January and February 2023.”

According to him, “The adverse impact of the recent cash scarcity on productive activities, as well as the conclusion of elecWLRQ VHDVRQ VKRXOG KDYH MXVWLÀHG D KROG position.” ,QÁDWLRQ DV 0DMRU 7KUHDW WR (FRQRP\ However, according to the CBN Governor, 0U *RGZLQ (PHÀHOH ZKR UHDG WKH RXWFRPH of the MPC meeting, the naira redesign and cash withdrawal limit policies have resulted in a sizeable reduction in currency-outsidebanks, indicating an expected improvement in the potency of monetary policy tools, this was not enough reason to lower interest rate in the face of existing and potential LQÁDWLRQDU\ SUHVVXUHV ZKLFK FRQWLQXHG WR threaten monetary policy.

The CBN governor insisted that the conWLQXHG ULVH LQ KHDGOLQH LQÁDWLRQ UHPDLQHG D VLJQLÀFDQW SUREOHP FRQIURQWLQJ WKH HFRQRP\ although other macroeconomic variables are moving in the right direction, despite observed headwinds.

He said: “The committee’s debate at this meeting, therefore, was whether to continue its rate hike to further dampen WKH ULVLQJ LQÁDWLRQ WUDMHFWRU\ RU KROG WR observe emerging development and allow IRU WKH LPSDFW RI WKH ODVW ÀYH UDWH KLNHV WR permeate the economy. Loosening, in the view of members, would gravely undermine the gains achieved so far.

“The MPC observed the continued upward risk to price development around expectations on the removal of the petrol subsidy; rising prices of other energy sources; continuing exchange rate pressure; and uncertain climatic conditions. These in the view of members, provide a compelling argument for an upward adjustment of the policy rate, albeit, less aggressively.”

1R (QG LQ 6LJKW IRU /RRVHQLQJ $IWHU DERXW ÀYH FRQVHFXWLYH KLNLQJ RI 035 E\ WKH FHQWUDO EDQN WR UHLQ LQ LQÁDWLRQ there are still no guarantees that a loosened stance will ensue soon.

ing regime should have immediately caused KHDGOLQH LQÁDWLRQ WR GHFOLQH %XW WR WKH FRQWUDU\ ´:KDW \RX ZLOO ÀQG particularly in our environment is that as you’re tightening or before you start WLJKWHQLQJ DQG \RX VHH LQÁDWLRQ PRYLQJ very aggressively and you begin a policy RI WLJKWHQLQJ ZKDW \RX ZDQW WR GR ÀUVW is to stem that rate of increase before you begin to see a reduction,” he said.

Continuing, the CBN governor said, “Once you achieve the kind of moderation in the UDWH RI LQFUHDVH RI LQÁDWLRQ WKH QH[W WKLQJ we’ll begin to see is that it should begin to go down as you continue your tightening policy and that is what we are doing.

“Whereas, you will see that the transmission mechanism in some economies is almost direct; as you are tightening, you are seeing LQÁDWLRQ WUHQGLQJ GRZQZDUGV LPPHGLDWHO\ KRZHYHU WKH UDWH RI UHVSRQVH GLͿHUV IURP one economy to another economy.” &RQWUDFWLRQDU\ 3ROLF\ :RUNLQJ If anything, the monetary authority said LW ZDV VDWLVÀHG WKH WLJKWHQLQJ UHJLPH KDG started to reduce the rate of increase in prices, hoping that this would eventually lead to a GHFOLQH LQ LQÁDWLRQ PRYLQJ IRUZDUG %XW WKH SURVSHFWV IRU PXFK ORZHU LQÁDWLRQ may not be immediate after all given that the current administration plans to end the fuel subsidy regime. $FFRUGLQJ WR (PHÀHOH VXEVLG\ UHPRYDO KDV LWV LPSOLFDWLRQ RQ SULFHV ZKLFK LV LQÁDtion. So, because monetary policy is not optimistic that prices will continue come down because of these measures, MPC feels that we need to continue to tighten and that’s what we did at this meeting.

Emefiele (PHÀHOH H[SODLQHG WKDW WKH DSH[ EDQN would continue the existing tightening UHJLPH DV KHDGOLQH LQÁDWLRQ FRQWLQXHV WR ULVH DQG SRVH VLJQLÀFDQW ULVNV WR WKH HFRQRP\ He also observed that the continued upward risk to price development around the expectation for the removal of fuel subsidy as well as rising prices of other energy sources, the continued exchange rate pressure, and uncertain climatic conditions had further MXVWLÀHG WKH QHHG WR SXUVXH D PRGHUDWH contractionary monetary policy.

The MPC had expressed concern over WKH PDUJLQDO LQFUHDVH LQ KHDGOLQH LQÁDWLRQ (year-on-year) in February 2023 21.91 per cent from 21.82 per cent in January, representing a 0.09 percentage point increase.

This increase was attributed largely to a minimal rise in the food component to 24.35 per cent in February from 24.32 per cent in the preceding month, while the core component moderated to 18.84 per cent in February from 19.16 per cent in January.

The shocks to the food component were driven by the high cost of transportation of food items, lingering security challenges in major food-producing areas, and legacy infrastructural problems, which continue to hamper food supply logistics.

a glimmer of hope that monetary contraction may not persist for a longer period – and also showed that the monetary policy interventions in recent times had been potent.

(PHÀHOH VDLG ´, WKLQN ZH PXVW appreciate the fact that between April 2022 and August 2022, we were seeing a very steep slope in WKH UDWH RI LQFUHDVH LQ LQÁDWLRQ UDWH LQ Nigeria and the rate of acceleration was quite steep. But from the May PHHWLQJ ZKHQ WKH JOREDO LQÁDWLRQ pressures began to show real signs globally, we also started to raise MPR. All being in an attempt to WDPH WKH DJJUHVVLYH ULVH LQ LQÁDWLRQ “What we saw is that because of the actions that we have taken, the rate of increase in price which is LQÁDWLRQ KDV EHJXQ WR GHFHOHUDWH )RU instance, between April and August, WKH UDWH RI LQFUHDVH LQ LQÁDWLRQ ZDV DERXW ÀYH SHU FHQW %XW EHWZHHQ august and even now, the rate of LQFUHDVH LQ LQÁDWLRQ LV RQO\ DERXW per cent- because of the tightening measures that have been adopted by the CBN over this period.”

,QÁDWLRQ 'HFHOHUDWLRQ 2;HUV +RSH However, despite the current threats to ÀQDQFLDO VWDELOLW\ WKH IDFW WKDW WKH LQÁDWLRQ UDWH KDG VORZHG GRZQ FRQVLGHUDEO\ RͿHUV

+LJK 035 +DVQ·W :HLJKHG RQ ,QÁDWLRQ 6LJQLÀFDQWO\ $FFRUGLQJ WR (PHÀHOH LW VKRXOG have been expected that the tighten-

4XHVW IRU 5HDO 0RQHWDU\ 5DWH One of the main concerns of the central EDQN DQG ZKLFK DOVR LQÁXHQFHV WKH UHVROYH to tighten MPR is the fact that currently, LQÁDWLRQ LV IDU DERYH WKH 035 ZKLFK KDV VHULRXV LPSOLFDWLRQV IRU LQYHVWPHQW LQÁRZV The CBN appreciates the fact that the margin between the monetary policy rate DQG LQÁDWLRQ KDG UHPDLQHG ZLGH ZKLFK LV a negative real rate – a huge disincentive to investment.

“And so, everything has to be put in place by monetary policy authorities to see that we will reduce that margin or that gap in QHJDWLYH UHDO UDWH E\ HQVXULQJ WKDW LQÁDWLRQ comes down and whatever needs to be done WR UHLQ LQ LQÁDWLRQ ZH KDYH WR FRQWLQXH WR do so,” Emefiele said.

He said, “So, that will continue to be the strategy but we’ll do it more moderately going forward because we’re conscious of the fact that when you over tighten just like we have seen in the US and in Switzerland that it could begin to have a contagion effect and negative impact on the banking system and financial system soundness indicators of financial system stability in an economy.

“Those are the kind of balance that we’re looking at MPC to see that whereas we want WR FRQWLQXH WR WLJKWHQ WR UHLQ LQ LQÁDWLRQ we must do it in such a moderate manner that we try to achieve moderation in the LQÁDWLRQ UDWH EXW DW WKH VDPH WLPH ZLWKRXW FUHDWLQJ ÀQDQFLDO V\VWHP LQVWDELOLW\ LQ RXU economy.”

“Unfortunately, that is where we are because of the uncharted territory that we have found ourselves arising from various geopolitical tensions that we have seen all over the world.”

THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER MARCH 26 , 2023

16

BUSINESS LAW

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17

T H I S DAY,, T H E S U N DAY N E W S PA P E R • MARCH 26, 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)

Wisdom Nuggets From the Masters (3) A number of the readers of this column have sent me notes requesting that I share with them tips I picked from the successful people I have interviewed. They want tips they can apply to their careers, businesses and life, generally. In the first part, I decided to pull out one key nugget shared by each of the persons I have had the privilege of interviewing in diverse areas. This is the third and final part. Please enjoy: OLUSEGUN OSUNKEYE Retired corporate board room guru BE PROFESSIONAL, DEVELOP COMPETENCE ON THE JOB If you truly want to get to the top of your career, you must develop competence on the job. Without being seen to be competent by those below and above you, you may face some ridicule at some point and you may not get to the top of the corporate ladder.

When I returned to Nigeria in 1967 after my professional accountancy qualification in England, I started with UAC and was posted to Lipton based in Apapa. The people I met on the ground were just clerks and were far older than I was.

On my second day, (I had an office to myself) and I was barely settling down when this elderly senior Accounts Clerk walked into my office. He said, “Excuse me, sir, it is time to calculate the Variances, and it is done by the accountant.” I knew what books to ask for and he went to get them. He brought the books and stood there in front of me with his hands behind him, which I had thought was a mark of courtesy and respect. After 10 to 15 minutes, I gave the results to him and he brought his hands forward with a sheet of paper bearing the answers there. He compared my figures with his and said, “Yes, you are correct. We just wanted to test you”. That is competence and knowledge. Imagine if I didn’t know.

YEMISI SHYLLON An investor and philanthropist YOU CAN BUILD WEALTH IN YOUR SPARE TIME One of my junior associates, who worked closely with me in 1984 while I was on a board in an executive capacity, was fascinated by how good I was at multitasking - pursued my academic and professional goals while in active work. He had been silently observing and wondering about how I was such a success in multitasking. One morning, he walked up to me, requesting I assist in mentoring him.

He stated very clearly what he wanted to achieve in life. I gladly accepted to mentor him because I saw in him some strong determination, commitment and focus to succeed in academics.

He started by obtaining a university diploma from Lagos State University on a part-time basis. He thereafter proceeded to study on the same part-time basis at the same university and graduated with an honours degree in Law. He resigned, using his accumulated savings to study for one year at the law school, only in Lagos at that time. Thereafter, he went ahead to obtain his master’s degree in Law while sustaining himself and his newly acquired nuclear family with some short-time legal practice. Currently, he has built a house in Lagos and his village, sponsored his three kids to graduation from the university and is busy pursuing his PhD and legal practice.

He was thus successfully mentored to pursue and fulfil his dreams.

The second example that I would cite has to do with my upgrading the quality of personnel which I inherited as chairman of a board, overseeing two major organisations. At resumption as chairman, I had to introduce the policy that any worker seeking to attain a management position must, of necessity, have a university first degree. The policy was greeted with massive protests by workers of the two organisations. After consultation with all stakeholders, I got my board to introduce the policy of study leave with pay for all personnel who seek to obtain university degrees. Many have, over the years since, benefited from this revolutionary policy. It benefited the personnel of the two organisations, their states and Nigeria in general. One in particular, who originally strongly led the protest by the workers, later took up the challenge. He thereafter proceeded to obtain his first degree, two master’s degrees

Osunkeye

and a PhD while utilising that policy. As of today, he is the executive director-general of a national parastatal after retiring as a permanent secretary in his state government service.

As a third example, I gainfully used my evening/night times to obtain a post-graduate degree and pass professional examinations in the pursuit of my knowledge-seeking and wealth-building commitment and goals. Most times, in the evenings and at weekends, even as an executive director, member and chairman of some boards, I had to be reading lying on the floor of my offices, to read with some of my colleagues who shared common goals with me. Today, many of them have also successfully achieved their different goals. The question then is: Did God create additional time for them?

The answer is capital NO. Indeed, while their colleagues were watching football, drinking and partying away their time and lives, these individuals were investing their time effectively to acquire the knowledge and literacy for building wealth.

Humans can achieve a lot if they can effectively and judiciously prioritise spending their scarce time acquiring knowledge and building wealth for themselves, their family and their nation.

The key to this is multitasking. When and if we establish clear and compelling goals, we can successfully achieve numerous goals simultaneously while also excelling in them.

That was my experience. While I was studying for a second degree in one of our nation’s top universities, I had to combine being the chairman of the board of two giant entities with over 300 personnel and being an executive director of another company, travelling extensively as my job required and was also supervising my property investment projects. Interestingly, I still ended up with the best result at the end of that degree program.

Looking back now, I remember how I would go for lectures immediately after office work and while using every available hour, on weekdays, weekends and nights, to study. One thing that also helped me was that I encouraged others with the same degree and professional examination goals to read and study with me.

Shyllon

Of importance is that I did not allow any of these personal developmental goals to affect my responsibilities to my employers. The point I am making here is that a lot depends on how effectively you multitask, focus, and manage your time. I recommend reading “the tyranny of the urgent” - a short essay on prioritising and maximising time.

SUSAN OYEMADE Wellness Consultant YOUR BODY IS YOUR BEST PHYSICIAN I did not get to know that until I ran into a very serious health crisis. It was in the process of finding a solution to that crisis that I stumbled on this lesson I am sharing. I have since discovered that when it comes to health, God has created us with everything in us. Given half a chance, the body will heal itself. But a lot of people are ignorant of this fact. We know about everything, our computer, our phone, our television, but this body, that we need to continue to exist on earth, we don’t know anything about it. Ignorance and disobedience are the major problems we have with our health, most of the time. The body talks, if you listen to your body, your body will tell you what it needs and what it doesn’t need.

If I put sugar in my mouth within a few hours, my mouth will be bleeding, my gum will be paining me and I will be feeling terrible in my mouth. So, what is my body telling me? Sugar is not good for me. If you listen carefully, your body will tell you what is not good for it and what you should put in it.

If we know about our body, we won’t treat it anyhow. Whatever you don’t know, you misuse. If you can just look at the car we drive, you can see that the car is patterned after the body. I always tell people that when you put adulterated oil in your car, what happens? You knock the engine. So the food that your body is not supposed to eat, if you put it there, your body will be breaking down. Look at the radiator, if you don’t put water into it, what happens? The car begins to overheat and the car will spoil. If you don’t drink enough water, the same thing will happen to your body. The car cannot move

If you truly want to get to the top of your career, you must develop competence on the job. Without being seen to be competent by those below and above you, you may face some ridicule at some point and you may not get to the top of the corporate ladder

Oyemade

without petrol, the same thing if your body is deficient in nutrients, it will become weak.

If the oil pump in the car is blocked, the car will not start and the same thing if the arteries in your body are blocked, the blood in your body will not flow and you are dead. Our blood carries oxygen and nutrients to all our vital organs and if this is not happening, the organs will die and we die too.

So the first thing we need to know is the body; the systems in the body. We need to know about the body and know that the body needs proper nutrition. If our body is deficient in nutrients we are going to have health problems. It is like planting on soil that is not good, what happens to the plant? So if you look at that, if your body is not having all the nutrients it is supposed to have, the body will not function properly. The human body is a chemical composition of 16 principal elements, oxygen, carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen, calcium, phosphorus, potassium, sulfur, sodium, chlorine, magnesium, iodine, iron, fluorine, manganese, and silicon. It is replenishing these elements in sufficient quantity in the body through live foods that will keep the body functioning properly, maintain the body, and rejuvenate the body. if these are not there in sufficient quantity, what happens? You are ageing and you will have a lot of health problems. Proper elimination of wastes from the body also is very important for good health. A healthy digestive system is crucial as it is well known that ‘Death begins in the Colon’.

Here is my point: your good health is in your hands. Don’t give authority to anybody to control your health. Doctors are knowledgeable and wonderful, and they are very essential, but they didn’t learn nutrition in medical schools, they learnt what is wrong with you and then this is the prescription. All over the world, people are running away from medication because of the side effect of drugs. So Integrative Nutrition Health Coaches are now helping people to make good food choices, modify their diet, and live a healthy lifestyle. A lot of people eat junk foods and drink a lot of alcohol, coffee, and soft drinks. These are damaging to our health at the end of the day. A lot of people, the old and young feed on sugar. Sugar is the food for cancer cells and is the reason for the increase in the cases of obesity, diabetes and hypertension. According to the title of Don Colbert, MD, book, “Let Food Be Your Medicine”.

Then, you need to sleep adequately for your body to be charged. We must be sleeping from 10 pm till 4 am. The body is charged between 10 pm and 2 am, it has been proved.

OPI NION

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T18 H I S D AY MONDAYSunday MARCH 20222023 26 14, March, Vol 27. No 10203

opinion@thisdaylive.com

www.thisdaylive.com

INEC-BASHING AS A FALSE START

OKELLO OCULI blames bad political representations instead of the electoral umpire for low voter participation in the elections

There is no better time for the judiciary to exercise its professionalism, and alignment with popular will of the people, writes TUNDE OLUSUNLE

TOWARDS A DEMOCRACY-SENSITIVE, PEOPLE-ORIENTED JUDICIARY

T See Page 19

THE NEW LEADERSHIP MUST GO BEYOND BENEVOLENCE We must free our people from the straight jacket of command and control, argues CHARLES IYORE

See Page 19

EDITORIAL

THE COURAGE TO ACCEPT DEFEAT

See Page 46

hat Nigeria’s very highly regarded *The Guardian* newspaper published a two-part editorial in the immediate past week on the nation’s judiciary, attests to the seriousness with which this arm of government is taken. *The Guardian* has deservedly earned its place in the nation’s media space, having survived four full decades, consistently making regular, daily showings on the newsstands.

This is despite the country’s unabated inclement socioeconomic situation which has summarily interred several other similar initiatives over the years. On Thursday March 16 and Friday March 17, 2023, an editorial titled “The judiciary and public criticism” featured on prominent pages of the authoritative publication. The editorial alluded to public denunciation of certain judgments delivered and actions taken, by the nation’s apex court and its leadership. Principally cited in the commentary, are pronouncements gifting Ahmed Lawan, president of the Senate, and Godswill Akpabio, former governor of Akwa Ibom State, tickets to contest the recent senatorial elections. Such appropriation was done by the Supreme Court, even when both political leaders did not participate in the primaries which would have presaged their emergence.

Little known Bashir Machina had won the senatorial ticket for Yobe North, while Lawan was contesting the presidential ticket of the All Progressives Congress, (APC).

Udom Ekpoudom a former deputy inspector general of police, (DIG), had also contested to represent Akwa Ibom North West zone in the senate, while Akpabio from the same zone, sought without success, the ticket of the nation’s top job. To the consternation of most followers of Nigerian politics, however, the Supreme Court ruled in favour of Lawan and Akpabio! Lyrics from *Unknown Soldier,* one of the classic hits of the maverick Afrobeat precursor, Fela Anikulapo-Kuti, appropriately capture such bewildering turn of events. Fela alludes to “government magic” which turns “red into blue and electric into candle!” The January 2020 “installation” in confounding circumstances, of Hope Uzodinma, by the Supreme Court, as governor of Imo State, and the displacement of Emeka Ihedioha, remains fresh in popular consciousness.

Unsettled by accentuated public angst and vituperations against the Lawan/Machina and Akpabio/Ekpoudom twin-rulings, the Supreme Court through its director of information and press affairs, Festus Akande, issued a rejoinder. Titled: “Be mindful of unwarranted attacks on the judiciary,” the statement countered insinuations to the effect that sections of the judiciary had been

compromised. Akande had stated that the concoctions to the effect that its justices were bought over “by some unknown and unseen persons, was nothing short of a bizarre expression of ignorance.” The release was very obviously a response to public bewilderment to the apex court’s arbitration in the substantial political litigations of Lawan vs Machina, and Akpabio vs the Independent National Electoral Commission, (INEC) and other interested parties. The Supreme Court, Dr Akande noted, was overburdened with nearly 600 cases deriving from the primaries of the various parties. The topmost arbiter in the land, Akande advanced, “was duty-bound to adjudicate on the matters brought before it to the best of its ability and in accordance with the law.”

Our recent very highly controversial and largely opaque general elections, have spawned additional responsibility for the Supreme Court. From parliamentary, to gubernatorial and thenceforth to the presidential elections, fall-outs, without doubt, will engage election tribunals and be escalated to the Supreme Court, in the weeks and months to come. Of the multilevel petitions emanating from the polls, that of the presidential election engenders the most interest and attention of Nigerians and indeed the global community. This is understandable given the pivotal place and preeminence of the president to the superintendence over, and guardianship of the people and the state. A winner, Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress, (APC), was in the early hours of Wednesday February 28, 2023 returned by INEC. There are, however, crystal clear, convincing and compelling reasons to interrogate the authenticity and veracity of the electoral exercise which produced him, in its totality. INEC which supposedly, had

been preparing for the recent elections for four full years since the last general polls, pooling resources close to the one billion US dollar mark, delivered a complete sham, a shameful string of elections. INEC’s pretences and deceit of Nigerians about technological innovations to enhance and ensure seamless, fraud-proof, open, transparent and believable elections, was a colossal scam. The process was a perfidious bouquet of gross impunity, unashamed indiscretions, unparalleled and unpardonable lawlessness, unacceptable violence, brazen electoral thievery and mass disenfranchisement among others. The Centre for Democracy and Development, (CDD), reports that Nigeria’s recent electioneering, claimed 109 lives, which means more than one death per day within the period.

Mahmood Yakubu, a professor of History and INEC’s chairman for a second term of four years, delivered the most preposterous general elections this fourth republic. If the performance of Maurice Iwu, also a professor and Yakubu’s last but one predecessor was presumed controversial, Yakubu has unwittingly beatified Iwu. Yakubu’s outing fell way below the basement of global best practices. The characterisation of the elections by the local and global media, has been most unsparing. *The Economist* described the presidential election as “a chaotically organised vote and messy count.” An editorial by *The Financial Times* said the poll was “deeply flawed” and the winner “a wealthy political fixer.” *Aljazeera* wrote about “How violence robs Nigeria of their votes.” A Canadian newspaper also writes that “depression, anxiety, uncertainty beclouds Nigeria’s political space as a drugkingpin wins the election.”

DR OKONTAwas until recently Leverhulme Early Career Fellow in the Department of Politics, University of Oxford. He now lives in Abuja.

19

T H I S D AY SUNDAY MARCH 26, 2023

THE NEW LEADERSHIP MUST GO BEYOND BENEVOLENCE

OKELLO OCULI blames bad political representations instead of the electoral umpire for low voter participation in the elections

INEC-BASHING AS A FALSE START

The low voter participation in elections for Governors and State Legislatures was widely attributed to failures by some staff of the Independent National Election Commission (INEC) in conducting election, of 25 February, 2023, for the Presidency and National Assembly members.

The hypothesis by commentators is that these deficiencies were proof of a plan by officials of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to deflate the volume of votes scored by both Abubakar Atiku and Peter Obi. As the candidate of the Labour Party, Obi had built an image with young entrepreneurs as a champion of anticorruption, accountability, and commitment to public welfare. His slogan of ‘’Productivity not Consumptionism’’ was felt as ‘’fresh air’’ in the country’s culture of governance.

The optimism around Obi’s candidature overlooked the political roots of both Atiku of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), and Ahmed Tinubu of the APC. Their being older than Obi made it foolhardy to overlook the richer political legacies they brought to their campaign.

Atiku was once an ally of Shehu Musa Yar’Adua, a military prime minister to Olusegun Obasanjo (1976-1979). The regime was marked by vast revenues from oil exports and opportunities for awarding contracts to potential future political friends.

Tinubu was once a Senator and veteran of a bitter Yoruba-led struggle for M.K.O. Abiola’s annulled election victory. Both men came with deep organizational experience.

High hope in Obi’s punching power also ignored stubborn warts associated with his Igbo ethnic base. These include conflicts associated with the 1967 -1970 civil war, as well as the struggle against ‘’strong man’’ General Sani Abacha’s harsh rule.

The profile of votes for Atiku and Tinubu within the Sokoto Caliphate and Ododuwa loyalties, respectively, are a testimony to this factor.

In the face of these factors, Obi’s appeal was most remarkable, as well as a positive sign of trans-historical and trans-ethnic emotions and attitudes.

To explain the low turnout in the election for governors and members of state assemblies, we must confront the proposition that this was a measure of THEIR LACK OF LEGITIMACY with voters.

It is noteworthy that where incumbent governors had a record of high service delivery to their people, there was high votes cast. The example of Oyo State affirms this view.

In the cases of Kano State, the over ONE MILLION votes cast for the candidate of New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) is evidence of ideological passion by

party members who wished to replace an incumbent. Likewise, in Adamawa and Nasarawa States, the high motivation by competing groups of voters is evident.

Interviews I conducted with villagers in OSUN, ABIA and BAYELSA States, there was a shared view that the only contact they have with Local Government Councilors and State Assembly members is when they are campaigning for election. In Osun State there were reports of elected officials putting notices of ‘’BEWARE OF DOGS’’ to repel them after a candidate was elected. In Akasa (in Bayelsa State), a Secondary School in which all classrooms lacked roofs had been built by Governor Melford Okilo. One of his successors had wept over it but never returned to ensure roofs. A health clinic with 10 metal beds had no mattresses. A woman that delivered a baby washed herself with rain water under a mangrove shrub.

In Kwara State, a Canadian volunteer reported receiving Science Laboratory equipment for her school by lobbying Canada’s Embassy to donate them. There was no access to elected representatives to seek support.

In Lagos State, a councilor reported pressuring the chairman of his council to buy cars for each member. He used his own to drive past those who voted for him without making eye-contact by focusing on traffic. The principles of representation and legitimacy remained desecrated.

In Osun State a local textile artist noted that the Local Government Chairman made regular trips abroad to import goods for his shop. Communities in the State had no knowledge of how monthly funds received for services were expended.

Since the 1999 start of the road to building democratic politics, there have been high rate of failures of legislators at all levels of government to win re-election. This cannot be blamed on the fickleness of voters. It is more likely that voters know that legislators steal public resources.

The signing into law bills which would ensure that funds budgeted for State Assemblies and Judiciaries are not swallowed by state governors, are directed at enhancing the legitimacy to voting communities of these institutions.

Blaming INEC for low voter participation LQ WKLV HOHFWLRQ GHÁHFWV VFUXWLQ\ DZD\ from maladies in representative politics at all levels. Research that I conducted in 2000 at the Assembly of Wisconsin State DQG D 6HQDWRU·V RIÀFH LQ :DVKLQJWRQ D.C.), showed vital lessons for African parliamentary politics.

Prof Oculi writes from Abuja

We must free our people from the straight jacket of command and control, argues CHARLES IYORE National leadership is not about “namu namu”, “tiwa ‘n tiwa” or “eyimba eyin,” etc.

It is not about subtle benevolence to win blind loyalty or gain tribal following.

It’s about freeing the people from their captivity, imposed on them by an external occupation, which decimated them and rubbished their way of life.

Until you do that, you cannot restore their self-confidence and unleash their innate creative potentials. If the systems work well and the people are equipped with the right skills and education, the creativity that could be unleashed, will pale into insignificance the colours of tongue tribe and creed.

The degrees of freedom and creativity now globally active through mobile telephony and ICT has already made individual Nigerians world beaters. There are however, more profound adjustments to our markets, that will make our demonstrated ability in ICT look only like a dress rehearsal. When you add the gains in Nollywood and Afro beat music, then you’ll begin to realize that the world is actually waiting for us at the dinner table. But who will take us there?

The journey from third to first world which is feasible and within reach, cannot be achieved without freedom. We must free our people from the straight jacket of command and control, and from a leadership mindset that saw the introduction of GSM as possibly a destabilizing factor. Our fixation with control is such that our leaders have not grown out of that “namu namu”, “tiwa ‘n tiwa” “eyimba eyin,” etc. disposition that they chose, believing it to be a competitive advantage, since our fist elections in 1923.

100 years later we are still wallowing in that delusion of grandeur.

The energy our leaders spend in shadowing and anticipating those doubts and fears, leaves them drained and with very little left for constructional thought.

Going beyond the regional benevolent dictatorships of the sixties and the disorderly mix of events thereafter, will require a re-focusing on all 200 million citizens, as critical national assets.

In a continental system analysis carried out by the African Operating Systems (AOS - a UK based think-tank), there are about 136 critical adjustments, needed in the various administrative flow-diagrams on the continent, to optimize their outputs.

At the heart of the distortions they create, is that by far too many on the continent, wake up every morning to no purposeful engagement, even when in paid employment. This must be quite frustrating as they are consigned to a life of import consumption and very little else.

The pursuit of happiness against that background is difficult and many have easily become pawns in the many mindless wars and conflicts on the continent. –African Operating Systems 2021.

What kind of freedom will be required to achieve the appropriate and productive engagements on the continent?

For Nigeria, that freedom can only come from creating transformational frames for unhindered market entrance and exit. Just like that made possible by technology, but the more profound ones will be in equilibrating market arrangements. Entry and exit through these frames must not be dependent on special relationships and should drive activities, blind to tongue tribe and creed.

For how do you grow the economy when income inequalities are wide and disposable incomes keep falling? How do you create productive linkages between the urban and the rural areas, when poorly imagined interventions further distort the eco-systems and upset the production matrix? How do you run a circular sustainable governance system, when there is very little public understanding of taxation and its critical role in sustainable development? How do you explain the fact that service companies (banks in particular) represent the so called profit centres of the economy? How do you rationalize the fact that 75% of the working population do not earn

living wages? Why is it so difficult to spin-off public sector enterprises into self-sustaining companies through the capital markets and reducing the number of quangos drawing on the treasury? How do you diversify and build professional competences if money is the only systemic store of value and all other derivatives of it are bubbled? These failures and a myriad other market distortions are the reasons for the many idle assets in the economy. The discovery of so much idle cash, with the currency swap programme of the CBN, is indicative of the growing number of misalignments in the economy.

The freedom needed is one that allows for healthy competition thus ensuring efficient resource allocation, one that allows for the careful choice of big ticket transactions in order to eliminate white elephant projects, and is one open to transparent output measurement needed to reduce and eliminate heavy freeloading. A freedom that understands the power of markets and generates regulation driving them towards perfection rather than bucking them.

In the hanging fog (noise) of war, the purveyors of freedom need to realize this, “Most people do not want freedom, because freedom involves responsibility, and most people are frightened of that responsibility –Sigmund Freud”.

So when you hear “Rankadede”, “Baba”, “Igwe”, GO, Alfa, etc., what they are saying is, take over our responsibilities for here and after. In effect the weight of responsibility at the centre is the summation of the various acquiescence of responsibility in the church, mosques, shrines and various social groupings of the society, which is why the centre has to be a broad-church. Only the lionhearted can face such a challenge and still be standing.

What the tenets of faiths have not delivered now has to be achieved in the centre with a motely group. That team must now be of managers able to drive an induction process for growth.

The theoretical basis for creating a broadchurch is what the constitution tries to capture as a document of governance.

The centre needs to challenge citizens with that responsibility that they dread, by making them be the change that they desire.

Pressing the reset button will mean going back to the parishes or wards to ensure that the level of civic engagement is strong and that local responsibility with the faith groups, charities, and activists is tied neatly to the local needs. This engagement will throw up local leaders and establish usages (traditions). It is those traditions that will evolve into edicts and rules and become established as laws in our statute books.

So when we talk about the rule of law, it must be in compliance to those laws that have come out of our life styles and not from reviews done by cutting and pasting from jurisdictions around the world. Any other route for establishing laws will make them alien to the people and can only just be exercises in isomorphic mimicry.

This must now be followed by challenging those who hold the mandates of the people through elections to set objectives.

Iyore, Partner, DNA Capital.

Darenth Kent, England

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SUNDAY MARCH 26, 2023 • T H I S D AY

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46 T H I S D AY SUNDAY MARCH 26, 2023

EDITORIAL

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

THE COURAGE TO ACCEPT DEFEAT Every election has a winner and losers. Losers should be bold enough to show their sportsmanlike mettle

E

lections in a democracy are part of the WKHLU VXSSRUWHUV KDYH QRW DFFHSWHG periodic process of leadership selection.

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Chris Gyang, Chairman, Journalists Coalition for Citizens’ Rights Initiative (JCCRI)

T H I S D AY, T H E S U N D AY N E W S PA P E R ˾MARCH 26, 2023

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GLITZ ENTERTAINMENT

Focalistic on the Preservation of Amapiano Stories by Vanessa Obioha South African Amapiano superstar, Lethabo Sebetso, better known as Focalistic, has made a case for preservation of Amapiano. According to the ‘Ke Star’ artist, who made the point during Spotify Amapiano’s tour in South Africa, the conversations about gatekeeping the genre must take centre stage.

“We understand that as much as the sound is going international, it needs to be protected so we keep the pioneers as the pioneers, just like any genre. For hip-hop, you know about Run DMC and their iconic moments. So for us, it’s about how we gate keep, especially the culture and history, so that as much as it goes around the world, people never forget who created Amapiano.”

Focalistic also noted that it is time for an African Hall of Fame.

“I think it’s a shame South Africa doesn’t have a hall of fame that documents culture in general, because, as much as it can go, we must never forget the pioneers. So how do we protect the pioneers going forward, because we can see it’s inevitable that Amapiano will grow.” The Spotify Amapiano tour was a three-day exploration of the history of Amapiano which started from Mamelodi in Pretoria and has now become a global sound uniting Africans and non-Africans. Focalistic who hails from Pretoria reminisced on how they used to come to a JackBudha, a pub in Mamelodi and listen to tracks for hours.

“For us, it was an escape from the noise of hip hop at the time and a way to feel closer to our roots. We come from the House. I think that’s what Amapiano is all about. Just being from Africa.

We are obsessed with saying things in our own voice. We want to dress in our clothes and say things in our voices and sound like ourselves. That’s what Amapiano is all about,” he concluded.

Stars and Legends to Spotlight Local Creatives for Global Success

L-R: CEO Baroque Works Studios, Victor Eimunjeze; President Silverbird Group, Guy Murray-Bruce; CEO Lukrush Records, Samuel Peterson; Founder and CEO Society of the Performing Arts in Nigeria (SPAN), Sarah Boulos; and President, Performing Musicians Employers’ Association of Nigeria (PMAN), Pretty Okafor, at the Stars and Legends Strategic Alliance Press Conference at Silverbird Galleria, Lagos.

Iyke Bede An upcoming entertainment television show, ‘Stars and Legends’, is set to showcase local talents in a bi-weekly broadcast format with the goal of not only boosting the local creative economy but also projecting exports to the global stage.

An initiative of Lakrush Records, Rebellion

Obsession Fashion, and Baroque Works Studios, the show is fashioned to help young creatives in music, dance, and modeling understand and execute basic business models and strategies to establish their brands.

“Most of the time when artists get a deal, they don’t understand what they have signed. They don’t understand how they are as a business,” CEO, Lukrush Records, Samuel Peterson explained why contemporary creatives fail to grow.

Sebetso

He continued: “So in essence, we’re going to bring in business experts, individuals who are in those fields, and they’re going to be teaching through competition, as the contestants navigate through business and finance, and build themselves as brands.”

To expand its impact and fast-track processes, ‘Stars and Legends’ entered strategic partnerships with wellestablished platforms such as the Performing Musicians Employers’ Association of Nigeria (PMAN), the Society for the Performing Arts in Nigeria (SPAN), and the Silverbird Group.

According to research carried out by PMAN in 2015, Nigeria has the potential of generating over N15 trillion to the GDP yearly. However, President, PMAN, Pretty Okafor, noted the lack of a clear path to achieving this revenue generation plagues the industry.

With ‘Stars and Legends’, the initiative will provide the rudimentary knowledge practitioners need to thrive in the industry.

“The strategic alliance will help individuals see how the governing body produces and supports artists that are launched through Nigeria to the international market.

Being an internationally based show, this symbiotic alliance will foster and strengthen relationships with the United States,” Okafor said.

Founder of the Society of the Performing Arts in Nigeria (SPAN), Sarah Boulos lauded the initiative that will educate, and empower creatives through “innovative marketing strategies, artistes promotion, and community outreach programs.”

In a similar vein, President, Silverbird Group, Guy Murray-Bruce said “Silverbird has supported the growth of the sector for many years through our network of television, radio, cinemas, film distribution and pageants.

This partnership is a continuation of our core objectives and the ethos we hold dearly”.

The ‘Stars and Legends’ TV reality show will kick off later this year following a pre-launch concert on April 21, 2023.

9th AMVCA Set to Deliver another Unforgettable Night

Models on runway during 2022 AMVCA edition.

In a highly anticipated announcement, MultiChoice Group, organisers of the continental film and television award show, Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards (AMVCA), revealed that the 9th edition of the acclaimed show will be held on Saturday, May 20, 2023.

According to Executive Head, Content and West Africa Channels, Multichoice Nigeria, Busola Tejumola, the main event will be preceded by a nominee announcement party that will be broadcast on Sunday, April 9, across all of its Africa Magic platforms, after which the voting portals will be open to the public to vote in select categories.

In its newly established fashion of highlighting the various components of the filmmaking ecosystem, the awarding body will host a series of activities to engage stakeholders to discuss existing issues militating against the progress of the industry and proffer

The Voice Africa Premieres Today The Voice Africa, a continental version of the singing competition, The Voice is coming to the screens today, March 26.

Sponsored by Airtel Africa and in partnership with FAME Studios Africa, the show was announced last year and received about 78,804 registrations from Nigeria, Kenya, Seychelles, Tchad, Uganda, Congo, Zambia, Tanzania, Rwanda, Gabon, Madagascar, Malawi, and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

12,308 talents were then selected for auditions and a total of 100, seven per country in addition to two wild cards, were chosen to proceed to the live shows in Lagos, Nigeria.

The Voice Africa will follow the format of the global show, starting with

blind auditions, battle rounds, knockouts, playoffs and conclude with the live shows. The show will run for 25 weeks, airing one show per week.

“We are thrilled to finally bring Africa’s exceptional musical talents to the world through the continent’s version of the global awardwinning show, The Voice. The Voice Africa will display African musical talent, delivering excitement and entertainment to millions across the world, whilst showcasing amazing voices, performances, and intrigues,” said Group Chief Commercial Officer, Airtel Africa, Anthony Shiner.

The show will broadcast on free-to-air TV stations and Airtel TV.

solutions.

But unlike last year when it expended an entire week for such activities, Tejumola said the activities have been streamlined to three days, without necessarily relegating or withdrawing any of the activities.

The three-day of activities kicks off on May 18 with the Cultural Night. This will be followed by Social Content Creator Day, and Young Filmmaker Day on May 19. The evening of the second day will also mark the return of the highly successful runway show that featured Nigerian singer Yemi Alade. The final day will be set aside to amplify activities on the main day, which range from red-carpet events to the award show proper.

“Artistically and socially, in celebration of the rich cultural heritage of Africa, the 9th AMVCA is a continuation of the celebration of remarkable talents from across the continent,” Tejumola reiterated the unwavering focus of the award show to properly position African creatives in the film industry through recognition.

She continued: “The AMVCA remains committed to celebrating the incredible talent in the African film and TV industry and the amazing people who do the work in front and behind the camera. This is to encourage them to keep telling the African stories.”

Additionally, prolific filmmaker Femi Odugbemi was announced as the head judge, with Tejumola further disclosing that the awarding body received a record entry submission from filmmakers across the continent and the diaspora, with non-Nigerian films earning the bulk of the entries.

A

WEEKLY PULL-OUT

26.3.2023

TONY ELUMELU A TOAST TO WORLD-CLASS BUSINESSMAN, PHILANTHROPIST

Bayo Adeoye eulogises Nigeria’s leading businessman and philanthropist, Tony Elumelu, who recently marked his 60th birthday on the heels of his numerous achievements and impact on humanity.

I

n the pantheon of transformational business leaders, Chairman, Heirs Holdings, Tony Elumelu occupies a lofty place for his outstanding business acumen and philanthropy. He is a revered financier whose labours have yielded abundant fruits beyond the banking hall.

An established banker, visionary, entrepreneur and philanthropist par excellence, Elumelu is inarguably one of the most enterprising and illustrious philanthropic Nigerians. Today, this financial guru is seen as a popular brand whose template is variously copied by many who want to be successful in their endeavours.

Born on March 22, 1963, in the city of Jos, Plateau State, He studied Economics at Bendel

State University (now Ambrose Alli University) obtaining a Bachelor of Science in Economics. Afterward, he studies and received a Master of Science degree in Economics at the University of Lagos.

Elumelu started his career as a salesman after working in Union Bank during the compulsory National Youth Service Corps (NYSC). He subsequently joined Allstates Trust Bank.

“I started my career as a salesman, a copier salesman to be specific, young, hungry, and hardworking, but the reality was that I was just one of the thousands of young Nigerian graduates, all eager to

succeed,” he was declared.

Determined and ambitious, Elumelu in 1997, led a small group of investors to take over a struggling Crystal Bank (later renamed Standard Trust Bank). A few years later, the bank became one of the top five financial services in Nigeria.

Elumelu did not relent as he also took the captain seat in 2005 when Standard Trust Bank merged with Africa’s foremost financial institution, United Bank for Africa (UBA).

The merger was considered the largest in the sub-Saharan banking sector. According to Forbes, UBA now has subsidiaries in 20 African countries and the United States and the United Kingdom. He however stepped down as the

Group Managing Director of the bank in 2010.

That same year, he established Heirs Holdings, his family-owned investment holding company. Through Heirs Holdings, Elumelu holds a controlling interest in Transnational Corporation, a diversified conglomerate with business interests in power, hospitality and energy.

On April 14, 2021, Elumelu was officially handed the Certificate of Discharge of the iconic hospitality facility. The National Council on Privatization (NCP), which is chaired by the Vice President of Nigeria Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, handed over full ownership of Transcorp Hotels to the Chairman after fulfilling all privatisation conditions attached to the sale of

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

T H I S D AY, T H E S U N D AY N E W S PA P E R ˾MARCH 26, 2023

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COVER

I Started My Career as a Salesman, a Copier Salesman to Be Specific

Elumelu: Surrounded by his immediate family

the property in 2005.

Today, TOE as he is fondly called is recognised as an established banker, entrepreneur and philanthropist. It is no wonder that he is admired and envied by many who consider him a peerless businessman.

Taking his ambition beyond the banking hall, Elumelu set his eyes on the African continent which he has proclaimed an unquantifiable love for on different occasions. Little wonder he has invested heavily in the continent, both in the economy and human resources. He has the utmost belief that the continent should be able to stand on its feet. This led him to coin the term Africapitalism, which hinged on the critical role the private sector has to play in the development of the continent.

According to him, principles of Africapitalism include entrepreneurship, long-term investments, strategic sectors, development dividend, regional connectivity, value-added growth, multigenerational development and shared purpose.

“Africapitalism is about the intersection of economic prosperity and social wealth, the intersection of making profit and doing good, and not waiting to finish one before you do the other. It is not exclusive to African businesses but we must set an example for others to follow,” he once said.

For Elumelu who hails from Delta State, entrepreneurship is one of the ways to create opportunities for youths.

“Only entrepreneurship can create opportunity where none seemingly exists.

Young entrepreneurs and those they inspire are the lifeblood of Africa’s rise.

Africapitalism, therefore means we cannot leave the business of development up to our governments, donor countries, and philanthropic organisations alone.”

This ideology is the bedrock of the Tony Elumelu Foundation (TEF) which he established in 2010. Four years into his philanthropy adventure, Elumelu used his earnings to make a bold pledge to commit $100 million to 10,000 African entrepreneurs in 13 years, thus starting TEF Entrepreneurship Programme,

a Pan-African entrepreneur mentorship and training programme. The Foundation has become a blessing to many young African budding entrepreneurs, with abundant financial assistance at its behest.

It reaches the nooks and crannies of Africa to stimulate Africa’s economic development by enhancing the competitiveness of the African private sector. Where many lack funding and access to education that enhances entrepreneurial pursuits, TEF provides both and indeed much more for an increasing number of Africans. With such gestures, Elumelu won the hearts of many young entrepreneurs across the world such that when he talks, his voice resonates with millions.

Little wonder Forbes ranked him among the top 20 most influential Africans in 2012.

While TEF has fulfilled the dreams of over 10, 000 youths across the African continent, it has created 400,000 direct and indirect jobs across the continent since its establishment in 2010. With this, Elumelu has succeeded in stamping his feet on the continent of Africa.

When approached on his reason for the establishment of the foundation, he simply responded that it is to prove that the African private sector can itself be the primary generator of economic development.

“The Foundation is charged with the mission of driving Africa’s economic development by enhancing the competitiveness of the African private sector. As a premier pan-African-focused not-for-profit institution, the Tony Elumelu Foundation is dedicated to the promotion and celebration of entrepreneurship and excellence in business leadership across the continent.”

He continued: “My vision for the foundation is to unlock the obstacles that African entrepreneurs face, so that they, rather than aid agencies or governments, will spur the continent’s transformation. As an entrepreneur myself, I understand what it feels like to yearn for a lifeline, to hope for a ‘big break’, to look forward to enjoying some luck.”

Many would recall that in 2020, he wielded his considerable influence to condemn and address the cases of xenophobia in South Africa by black South Africans targeting foreign nationals. In a heartfelt homily, he started by reiterating his belief that Africa is a beautiful and blessed continent, and that Africans are our greatest resource. He also noted that the greatest threat to Africans is not

our fellow African brothers and sisters, but poverty!

Paraphrasing a Martin Luther King Jr quote, Elumelu said: “Poverty anywhere is a threat to all of us everywhere.”

In his own words, “Let’s not lose sight of our shared destiny. We need to stop attacking each other and rather embrace one another and work together to uplift our continent and be our brother and sister’s protectors wherever we may find ourselves. This is the only way to our economic liberation and prosperity.

“I am disheartened by the videos and stories floating around social media around these xenophobic attacks! They are despicable and pure madness! We must say no to barbarism and savagery. Violently mutilating and killing our brothers and raping our sisters; looting and destroying their livelihoods is evil and un-African and it dehumanizes us all. Instead, we must always seek to elevate, protect and help one another.”

Elumelu’s thoughts resonate with that of the late president of South Africa, Nelson Mandela, who wrote in his book, ‘A Long Walk to Freedom’, that “No one is born hating another person because of the colour of his skin, or his background, or his religion.

People must learn to hate, and if they can learn to hate, they can be taught to love, for love comes more naturally to the human heart than its opposite.”

Last Wednesday, Elumelu turned 60 and expectedly, the world stood still to celebrate him. The litany of messages that poured in further cemented his influence and power in the nation’s economy and financial climate.

As he marked his 60th birthday last Wednesday, and being a global figure, some world leaders, Presidents of African countries, business moguls in Nigeria, beneficiaries of the Tony Elumelu Foundation Entrepreneurship Programme (TEEP) and his family members extolled Elumelu’s leadership and entrepreneurial spirit, pouring encomiums on him for his exemplary life.

They include: President of France, Emmanuel Macron, former US President, Bill Clinton, former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Tony Blair, President of Ghana, Nana Akuffo-Addo, President of

Rwanda, Paul Kagame, Football legend and President of Liberia, George Weah, former President Olusegun Obasanjo, President-elect, Bola Tinubu, President of Namibia, President of Democratic Republic of Congo, Prime Minister of Jamaica and Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo.

They were also goodwill messages from notable Nigerians who praised Elumelu for his contributions towards youth empowerment.

They are: Founder and Chairman of BUA Group, Abdul Samad Rabiu, Speaker of the House of Representatives Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, Delta State Governor, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa, Director General of the World Trade Organisation (WTO), Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, President, African Development Bank (AfDB), Dr. Akinwumi Adesina, Okey Oramah, Femi Otedola, Aliko Dangote, Group Chief Executive, Oando, Wale Tinubu and King Ebitimi Banigo.

Speaking during a symposium organised to honour him in Lagos, the TEEP beneficiaries from several countries in Africa, took turn to testify to how their businesses were transformed after going through the programme and were provided with seed capital.

In their remarks, his wife, Dr. Awele Elumelu and children prayed that God would continue to strengthen and empower him.

Elumelu has received recognitions and praises for his contributions to business and entrepreneurship. In 2003, the Federal Government of Nigeria conferred on him a national honour - Member of the Order of the Federal Republic (MFR). In 2012, national honour was upgraded to Commander of the Order of the Niger (CON) for his service in promoting private enterprise. He was awarded the Daily Times Nigerian Man of the Year in 2016. In 2018 and 2019 he was awarded the All-Africa Business Leaders Awards (AABLA) Philanthropist of the Year Award. Bayero University Kano (BUK) in 2019 gave him Honorary Doctor of Business degree. He was honoured with the National Productivity Order of Merit Award in 2019.

In 2020, he was TIME Magazine’s 100 Most Influential People. The highest national honour he has so far received, came on October 11, 2022, when President Muhammadu Buhari conferred on him the Commander of the Order of the Federal Republic (CFR).

T H I S D AY, T H E S U N D AY N E W S PA P E R ˾MARCH 26, 2023

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HighLife Huriyya Dauda-Lawal: Meet the Power Pillar Behind Zamfara State Governor-elect

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

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

How Rasheed Kashamu Rose to Become the Leader of His Late Father’s Political Family Like jewels in the ears of a beautiful woman are the legacies and traditions of fathers. Rasheed, the son of the late politician, Senator Buruji Kashamu, has stepped onto the path that his father walked in his lifetime. With the Ijebu North Constituency 1 House of Assembly seat in his pocket, Rasheed has proved himself to be no less a man than his father, except that he is likely to go much further than the late Senator for Ogun East.

Rasheed has demonstrated the validity of his political lineage. The streets of Ijebu North are still colourfully jubilant after Rasheed won the election for the Ijebu North Constituency 1 as a member of his father’s party, the Peoples Democratic

Party (PDP). He beat the incumbent Ogun House of Assembly member, Sylvester Abiodun by getting a total of 10,004.

Moreover, at the time of this victory, Rasheed is only 26 years old, meaning that he is the youngest member of the Ogun State House of Assembly in this era.

With his educational and professional accreditations, Rasheed is not a novice in administration. Even with his degree in International Business and Management from Brunel University, London, and his Master of Science degree in International Finance and Investment from the University of Surrey, it is most likely that it is the political lessons he learnt from his father that stood him out.

Kashamu

Stamp of Honour … As Benedict Peters Sets to Receive African Philanthropist Award

Dauda-Lawal

Things are never really black and white in politics. There is almost always a bit of gray mixed into it or the presence of somebody other than the one people can see. In the case of the Zamfara State Governor-elect, Dauda Lawal, the gray power behind him is his beloved wife, Hurriya Dauda-Lawal.

It is partly because of her that the incoming Zamfara State Governor was able to make it so far.

Hurriya has done marvelously well in helping her husband become the number one citizen of the state. One can even say that she has done no less than the queens of the past who would bear to hide in the background while giving their all to their husbands.

Huriyya has shown herself to be exactly this type of wife. Despite the recent victory of her husband, she has not taken up any new titles nor reached out to her fashion consultants to fabricate something especially glorious for her. Instead, she is making preparations to help her husband’s forthcoming inauguration be something special for the people of Zamfara.

It is no secret that Lawal’s victory at the gubernatorial polls was not cheap. Being a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), he had to do everything in his power to overthrow the incumbent governor Bello Matawalle of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Indeed, better things are yet to come for the Zamfara State Governor-elect as long as his wife remains by his side.

Peters

Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is a concept that was invented to get thriving businesses to participate in the development of the common man and the natural environment. Due to the absence of

innately philanthropic people like Benedict Peters at the beginning, CSR became a mandatory exercise for big businesses. This is why the continued philanthropic efforts of Peters and co are important and deserved to be rewarded.

Renowned African news platform, Heritage Times (HT), recognises the importance of setting standards. This is why they are preparing to award Peters the African Philanthropist Award for his contributions to African society. With this, the founder of Aiteo Group will know that his humanitarian projects are impacting the lives of not only Nigerians but other Africans as well.

According to reports, HT is in charge of organising the award event at the African Heritage Concert and Awards slated to hold in Kigali, Rwanda. Furthermore, Peters is

Politics,NotOilandGas:TonyeColeGetsHard PoliticalLessonstheSecondTime

Cole

No living human being on earth has a monopoly on wisdom and insight. As the simplest among us would say, ‘Na try all of us dey try.’

Even so, there is a kind of wisdom that is acquired through experience. Neglecting this wisdom has all manners of implications, such as continued defeat and failure. This is a lesson that individuals like Tonye Cole, the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress in Rivers State, have and are becoming more acquainted with.

The results of the Rivers State gubernatorial election was well anticipated. The main reason for this anticipation was the conflict between the incumbent governor, Nyesom Wike and his predecessor, Rotimi Amaechi. The second is the seeming conflict of interest between Wike and his party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Cole, the APC gubernatorial candidate, was caught in the middle of these conflicts and lost the governorship election to Wike’s party and

According to American poet Countee Cullen, some people are teethed on a silver spoon with the stars hung up for a rattle. This is the kind of understanding that comes to the average mind upon seeing the beauty and charm of Olori Ladun, one of the wives of the late Ooni of Ife, Oba Okunade Sijuwade.

Because time does not stop for anybody, her years continue to count. However, her beauty and charm remain.

The queen recently clocked 67 and brought cheers to the people of Ife as a result. Even though she is no longer sitting in front, she remains one of the best highlights of the past Ooni administration. One might even say that she is still a selling point of the Ooni dynasty.

Otherwise, what excuse would people have to stare at her all day long?

Ladun has never been like other queens.

Her beauty is not her best feature and she did not lose her edge upon becoming the treasure of a people. Instead, she was regarded as the most educated of all Oba Sijuwade’s wives and also the one with the most tenacious grasp of life and business. Even so, she was also always gentle and remained humble and relatable despite her experiences.

A graduate of Law, Economics and Politics from Buckingham University, Ladun represented her royal husband in Nigeria and abroad when he was alive. She came to be one of his closest confidantes on account of her strong character and far-seeing mind. Even at 67, Ladun retains these characteristics. This is why she is still very relevant in Osun, not minding that she only recently returned to the limelight.

specially recognised for making significant contributions to sports and human capital development. As a result, this is not one of those gold-plated plaque events. Instead, it seeks to honour a real person doing real philanthropic work.

The weight of the award can also be estimated based on the caliber of the other personalities that would be honoured at the event with Peters. These include the Vice President of Liberia, Her Excellency, Chief Dr. Jewel Howard-Taylor; the former President of Tanzania, the late John Magufuli; the former Nigerian President, Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan; the former President of Botswana, Lt. Gen. Seretse Khama Ian Khama (retd); and many others.

Indeed, it is a stamp of honour for Peters. It demonstrates that his efforts at community development are not for show. candidate, Siminalayi Fubara.

Without question, Cole was heartbroken when he got only 95,274 votes while the PDP candidate got 302,614 votes. Although Cole has referred to the electoral process as fraught with too many inconsistencies and rape of democracy, it is clear that his loss is too overwhelming and not something that can be solved by adding even a hundred thousand votes.

Political analysts have slammed Cole for expecting to win while never conducting an intensive campaign. It seems to these people that the co-founder and former Group Executive Director of prominent energy conglomerate, Sahara Group, does not yet understand the mechanics of politics, at least, not as much as he understands oil and gas.

This is the second time that Cole is vying for the Rivers governorship seat. It is also the second loss. Is he building up to become a professional gubernatorial runner-up or does he not yet have what it takes to win? Or maybe, as has been said by his detractors, he needs to take a permanent break and return to oil and gas.

Sijuwade

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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 ˾MARCH 26, 2023

HIGHLIFE

Will President-elect, Bola Tinubu, Anoint Orji Kalu?

One of the best and worst things about politics in Nigeria is the consensus nature that typically underlies it. Even with the democratic system of government, there is often an agreement that one group should represent a people while the other group waits for its turn. Some people think that this is what helped President-elect Bola Tinubu win the presidential elections.

Is Orji Uzor Kalu, the Senator for Abia North senatorial district, able to duplicate Tinubu’s success as an aspirant for the Senate President position?

One of the reasons many people flocked to and out of the canopy of Tinubu was his audacity in claiming that it was his turn to be president. That boldness offended some people and gave others an idea of the man’s confidence. Now that it looks like Kalu is attempting to accomplish his ambition for the Senate Presidency, will he also raise the kind of waves that Tinubu raised? And if yes, will Tinubu approve of him?

Kalu piqued many interests when he declared that he believes that it is his turn to be Senate President. According to reports, Kalu based his supposition on him being a ranking lawmaker and from the South-east.

The current Chief Whip also stated that he has experienced every bit of Nigeria and

Tinubu

Kalu

is worthy of being Senate President on that account, indicating that he would be fair to all if given the chance.

But Kalu is not the only person interested in the position. Even among those in his All Progressives Congress (APC), Kalu is just one of many. Others include Godswill Akpabio from Akwa Ibom, Sani Musa from Niger, Barau Jibrin

from Kano, and Dave Umahi from Ebonyi. Given this diversity, Tinubu may have to choose the Senate President from among them. But the President-elect has declared that he has no preferred candidate.

Knowing the influence of his fellow aspirants and the seeming indifference of the President-elect, does Kalu stand a chance at being Senate President? Only time will tell.

From Banking to Real Estate … How Bisi Onasanya is Cleaning out Big with Luxury Homes in Lagos

Onasanya

To the individual with a multi-layered perspective of the world, living towards greatness is not ultimately an impossible

task. This has been proved time and again by experts like Bisi Onasanya who have been able to straddle more than one industry and come out super successful. When such experts eventually focus all their talent and resources on one industry, they are inevitably bound for new heights of greatness.

Onasanya is doing amazing things in the real estate industry. Granted, this industry is one of the few that are without a robust foundation and structure, and so are still flowing with opportunities. Nevertheless, Onasanya has managed to build structure into his success, using his real estate brainchild, The Address Homes, to prove that having a diligent mind and a heart to change things is enough to claim tall harvests from the treasure lands of opportunities.

As many would remember, Onasanya does not have a real estate or construction background. Instead, the man is a banker to the core. In fact, the majority of his corporate life was spent in the halls of First Bank. While at this renowned banking organisation, Onasanya climbed from the position of a Senior Manager until he became the bank’s Group Managing Director/CEO in 2015.

It was after Onasanya’s time at First Bank that he decided to start The Address Homes, a real estate company focused on helping to design a framework for the industry in Nigeria. Since he started, he has gained a great deal from engaging in the sales of expensive homes. Even so, his goal of lending structure to the industry is close to being realised.

How Udom Emmanuel Cut Former Godfather, Akpabio, to Size The game of politics is too delicate for one individual to bear the hopes and aspirations of another. This is particularly so for influential political overlords like former Minister of Niger Delta Affairs and senator-elect for Akwa Ibom North-west, Godswill Akpabio who would rather retain their influence over a domain. But times are changing and new overlords are taking over the political scene. So, now that Akpabio’s alleged candidate lost the Akwa Ibom gubernatorial election, it is clear that the incumbent governor, Udom Emmanuel, has taken over the mantle of power.

In Akwa Ibom, it is no secret that Governor Emmanuel of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is not best friends with his predecessor, Akpabio of the All Progressives Congress (APC). Their differences in opinion recently came to a head regarding the best person to take over

from Emmanuel after his term this year (2023).

And while Emmanuel naturally favoured PDP candidate Umo Eno, Akpabio reportedly favoured the Young Progressives Party (YPP) candidate, Bassey Albert.

From the reports from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), PDP’s Eno came first in the elections with a total of 354,348 votes and 29 of the 31 local government areas in Akwa Ibom. On the other hand, Akpabio’s alleged candidate came second with 136,262 votes. Following this result, Eno has become the Governor-elect of Akwa Ibom.

By the victory of the PDP over the other parties, Governor Emmanuel has proved that he is superior to Akpabio and the others in terms of influence. With his anointed candidate now in line to inherit the mantle of gubernatorial power, Emmanuel can flaunt his power in the face of his predecessor and the latter cannot do a thing.

Emmanuel

Why Aisha Babangida Doesn’t Joke with Her ‘First Love’

Babangida

Love is not always a romantic feeling compressed and expressed through words.

Many times, the demonstration of love is devotion and dedication. This is something that Aisha, the daughter of former military President Ibrahim Babangida and his late wife Maryam, understood very well. In demonstrating her love for her late mother, Aisha remains tenacious, showing herself worthy of emulation.

Aisha’s contributions evolved from her dedication to continuing where her mother had stopped. Her mother’s foundation, Better Life Programme for the African Rural Woman (BLPARW), is how Aisha first reached out from her comfort zone and touched the world.

Since then, she has had many other projects but remained with BLPARW because it is her first love.

To Aisha, BLPARW is not a project to remember her mother by. Based on her commitment to the demands of the

philanthropic community that emerged as a result of the project, it is clear that Aisha understands the same thing that motivated her mother to develop the project in the first place. So, in addition to honouring the late former First Lady, BLPARW has stood as a banner for women empowerment across Africa, bringing the best that the world can offer to women who have offered themselves to their families and households.

With Aisha’s progressive work at BLPARW, the world is undoubtedly a better place with women handling their matters and participating in national development.

Without it, there would be far more women sitting around the marketplace of irrelevance, achieving nothing.

Aisha continues her vigil at BLPARW for her mother’s sake and the sake of helping to stir greatness and accomplishment in the hearts of African women. This remains her

Why Ibadan People Didn’t Take Idris Ajimobi Seriously Elephants do not have snails for children.

Simply because an animal came from the lineage of an elephant, it must also inherit the elephantine frame. This is also a political truth but one that is not always tested. In the case of Idris, the son of senator, and former governor of Oyo State, Abiola Ajimobi, the frame of politics has not been completely inherited. Maybe this frame will be inherited in the days to come, just not yet.

The results for the Ibadan South West State Constituency II election are out. The winner was announced to be a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Honourable Oluwafemi Fowokanmi. With 16,328, Fowokanmi came first and left 7,755 votes to Idris and 2,768 votes to the member of the Accord Party, Wahab Babamide.

Without a doubt, the election was a big loss to the members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Oyo State. After all, the inclusion of Idris in the election was supposed to prove that the Ajimobi family was still in charge or at least very influential in the political matters of Oyo. How did they lose a mere constituency so woefully?

According to the matriarch of the Ajimobi house, Florence Ajimobi, there was a low turnout during the election. Of course, her observation came before the results were announced but it intimates something about her confidence.

But many think that Idris lost the election because of his past lifestyle and the fact that people could not relate to him. Furthermore, it is widely alleged that the campaign funds came from his late father’s trust fund and that his mother’s purse is always jiggling because of his intrusive hands. Thus, the gist is that people see him as a sapling, not a strong tree that they can rest in its shade. Clearly, it is what it is.

Wale Tinubu … The New Go-to-Guy in Town Having a lion for a father is one of the strongest protection that a cub can have. This is the level that President-elect Bola Tinubu’s relative, the business executive and lawyer Wale Tinubu, has reached. Having a presidentelect for an uncle is the strongest motivation that folks now have when they attempt to befriend him, making him the go-to guy in town.

Wale’s status as a Nigerian is growing progressively due to the heightened relevance of his uncle in the political, social, and economic matters of Nigeria. What bigger status can one have than being a relative of the biggest fist in a place? And so many people have forgotten or deliberately set aside the fact that Wale is an accomplished business genius in his own right. But that itself is not bad.

Whether it is his being the group CEO of Oando PLC or his many other areas of accomplishment, Wale will have to put all that down in the days to come. After all, his uncle will soon be Nigeria’s president, so he has to take up the role of the go-to guy whether he likes it or not.

Tinubu

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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 ˾MARCH 26, 2023

LOUD WHISPERS

with JOSEPH EDGAR (09095325791)

Orji Uzor Kalu: Not His Turn For this one, the whole thing is a joke.

I saw him the other day with his big baldhead declaring that it is now his turn as he pushed towards the Senate Presidency. Parodying Mr. Tinubu’s war cry in a hapless pursuit of personal ambition is just the situation we find ourselves in the country today.

Lackeys and professional politicians who really do not have the brain power to deliver the goods have long continued to waddle within the corridors of power for far too long.

See this character now for example, please can someone tell me what value he would be bringing to the Senate President’s office with his heavy accent?. What exactly has Orji Uzor Kalu done for Nigeria apart from meddling in everything in a rabid bid to remain relevant?

He remains on an extended ego trip at our expense. He has just been coasting along, playing politics of ‘na me’ and reinventing himself. Now he has positioned to be the Senate President just for his ego and that of his family.

Empty o. Nothing there o. Totally empty o. No relevant bill against his name, no meaningful contribution to discourses, whether it is economy, infrastructure or power, nothing o and he is there shouting ‘it’s my turn’ and before you know it, you will see him handling the gavel and asking cameramen to snap his picture so he can send them to his village people for another round of drinks.

One day, we shall be free. It is only a matter of time, we will soon flush out people like this and begin to build a new crop of serious leadership, not this kind of imbecilic apparitions that reemerge at every dispensation. Na wa.

MC Oluomo

Badejo-Okusanya

Edgar

Irabor

MC OLUOMO AND HIS DIFFERENTKIND OF POWERS We that grew up in Shomolu will understand the aura that surrounds this personage. I have been wanting to stroke him for some time now but keep getting warnings from people not to go there. “MC Oluomo no dey take yabis,” they would scream. “Edgar, abeg leave MC Oluomo, yab Sanwo-Olu instead because that one, worse case he go write rejoinder. This one na koboko for ya yansh,” people would say.

But can you really ignore MC Oluomo if you want to talk about Lagos in the last 24 years? His influence has pervaded the whole state, touching politics, entertainment among others. Nollywood starlets fall over themselves to have him and he indulges as we hear and see on various blogs and the powers that be pamper and need him on their side.

MC Oluomo is a personality that needs to be studied and understood. Forget about neutralising him for such forces cannot be contained by law or any of those structured authorities for very obvious reasons. Nature always takes its course or a mutiny will take care of that.

But the need to understand him, his powers and what fuels his influence and his total and absolute control of the transportation structure of the huge state needs to be studied by ardent scholars. It needs to be documented and chronicled.

In the matrix of power, he falls within the third category. Influence, which is driven by

charisma. He has now used the influence to acquire traditional power with varying chieftaincy titles and a controversial Obaship and then finally constitutional power with his recent appointment into a Lagos parastatal.

His power is not tenured and cannot be clipped as earlier mentioned. MC Oluomo by the look of things will continue to play a very powerful role in the affairs of Lagos for a long time to come and this is why we must seek to understand him.

I would like to meet with him, share a plate of Afang with him and listen to him talk about his outlook, his controversies and why he denied that he was talking to mama ‘shinedu’.

Who can get me an appointment?

claiming ownership of a state that means so much to Nigetians as a whole.

Mr Okusanya’s apology has come like a soothing balm that will heal wounds and pamper the oppressed as they ask themselves exactly what they did wrong.

Their President-elect has sued for peace.

He has asked for healing and yet refused to admonish his close aides who continue to sing different songs of babel.

Everyday, I wake up with the hope that a genuine reconciliation would be triggered either at the level of the state government or at the level of the party hierarchy but end up going to bed crestfallen.

I stare at Mr. Governor’s phone number on my phone almost on a daily basis, wondering if I should just call and say, “Oga, when are you going to Alaba? Oga, when are you going to announce an initiative that would begin the process of genuine healing?”

But I tarry because I really do not understand the silence. I cannot explain the loud silence, so I tarry and hold my peace.

But let me state this equivocally that there can be no meaningful development in Lagos or in this country if there is no genuine reconciliation and a rebuilding of trust among our peoples.

It’s not about the number of blue lines or red lines or the fourth mainland bridge or how many hospitals, it’s about the soul of the people. It’s about humanity and the need to rein in the goons that have unleashed such mayhem that seems to have tainted our hard won victory.

Mr Okunsaya, thanks for the apology, but let it be known that those beaten up during the

elections and disenfranchised will surely have their day in the sun.

Sodom will rise again, but for now, let us cry.

YOMI BADEJO-OKUSANYA: A GOOD MAN IN SODOM I have just read a statement purportedly issued by my egbon and fellow bow tie loving PR maestro, Mr Yomi Badejo-Okusanya with pride.

People who were brought up well shine during times like this. His statement apologising to the Igbos on behalf of well-meaning Yorubas who are in their millions have resonated beyond borders.

Since Saturday, a lot has been said, and not enough has been done to soothe the pains and humiliation of a proud tribe who only wanted the best for us and our future. The miscreants and by this I do not mean the drug-fuelled yobos who roamed the streets and carried out the dastardly acts but the landlords who in their gilded suits gave the marching orders have refused to show remorse but instead continue to instigate and throw out worthless theories

Kalu

PETER OBI AND THE PETITION OF FIRE AND BRIMSTONE During the week, Peter Obi’s petition on the just concluded presidential election hit the airwaves. The man is too colourful as he continues to deem Atiku’s fire.

The way he is going about it, one would think that he carried a very near second to the purported winner. Na third o, a very distant third but e be like say as him people for twitter are shouting, he is believing that he won the elections fair and square.

Anyways, that is his business. My own is the first paragraph of the petition that I saw. Fear this man. A man with no known side chic, doesn’t drink like Wike and dey wear only one black cloth and shoe all the time, na wicked man o.

See as he just tear our Asiwaju into pieces.

This is how these Igbo people used to do.

Please, which one concern drug case in election matter? Kai, this Peter if by any chance gets Tinubu sex tape, that is how he would release it and show us daddy’s bula balu dangling.

This reminds me of one ‘Igbo’ man that me and him were fighting over money.

He gave me money to manage for him.

I gave his wife the money to handle and she promptly stole the money. See me see wahala o. The man said he gave me

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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 ˾MARCH 26, 2023 and not his wife and the wife said it’s my husband’s money. Last, last the man took me to court and his petition looked exactly like this Peter Obi own against Tinubu. If not that Emeka’s lawyer is too poor, I would think that maybe he is the one that wrote this Obi petition.

“Edgar, is a well-known fraudster who has slept with so many women in Lagos.

Edgar has used his plays to defraud several Nigerians, collecting monies from them without as much as executing one single play.

The court should approve an investigation of his activities with a view to saving Nigerians from his many dubious activities.”

My people, when I appeared in court and they read the thing, the judge nearly jailed me. The laugh that I laughed, even my co-defender no understand. Me, fraud, me no do one single play? Me, sexual predator?

I just said, “Magistrate no vex. Mbok, pass judgment, make I chop afang abeg.”

This is looking like what Mr. Obi is trying to do but then again, it will take more than the 49 SAN that Mr. Tinubu have assembled to argue this drug matter o. The documents that we have seen and that Mr. Hundeyin has continued to throw out are not looking good for Mr. Tinubu o.

People are saying that Mr. Obi may go and subpoena the American agent that was involved in the case. Kai! If that happens, that na game over.

I think Mr. Tinubu should deploy all of his powers to make sure that US airlines ban all flights to Nigeria for at least one year while we begin to look for how we can enmesh Mr. Obi in one sex scandal or the other to distract him o, because the way I am seeing this trader, e be like say the man is not joking with Mr. Tinubu’s testicles. God help us, me don buy popcorn, I dey wait.

DUKE OF SHOMOLU IS AN IGBO MAN It was not funny that day o. I woke up early and went for my morning jog. Today, I will go and vote, I told myself. The whole world has been amazed at my support for my candidate seeing my major revolting stance against his daddy. But I can roll like that. I called Duchess: “Oya, na Shomolu we dey go ooo.”

We strolled the distance passing through the Myong Barracks where I was born. The place had changed, although I live just across the Yaba tech compound, it has taken me over 30 years to make this missionary journey back.

I could only do this for Sanwo-Olu. I did not vote during the Presidency as I abstained but this one o, I will go and vote and stay to protect my vote o.

That was how I appeared in Shomolu. The duke has landed and before you realised, all the area boys came out. My childhood friends, neighbours and everybody. You will think it was Sanwo-Olu that came o. I felt happy and proud and mixed with the brethren. I hugged and laughed, called out old friends and generally started preparing myself for my senatorial gambit.

Then it happened. They came in three buses carrying those canes they call ‘Atori’. They jumped out, eyes red with battle weary scars on their whittled down and leprose bodies.

They looked like walking Egyptian mummies as they jumped out of the buses. Corpses o, real life corpses running over the place and flogging and beating up ‘awon omo yigbo’. I stood there with my mouth open.

Then one came towards me, with cane raised, as he got close, I gave him the ‘Fadeyi Oloro’ look and shouted, “agberoooo.”

He screamed at me “sa re,” meaning run away. I stared him down without any sign of fear and asked him politely with my ajebutter Yoruba: “Shey emi lon ba soro?”

“Iwo ni, abi were fe da mu e ni,” he yelled with a mouth smelling like the latrines of my beloved Command Secondary School.

He raised the cane again and threatened to flog me. At that point, the Shomolu boys jumped in. Apparently, they had come from Onipanu and didn’t know the power that stood in front of them. This was the Duke of Shomolu, the Lord of Bajulaiye, the Prince of Apata and the Sabe of Igbobi Sabe. Me that have disvirgined over 50 Shomolu girls in my days; me that have stopped rain from falling on Adebiyi Street and me that has asked the sun to stand still at the Awoseyin Good Evening street so that the prostitutes will be able to work and meet their daily targets; it is that same me after 54 years, that these first cousins of diseased prostitutes who have given 600 men from all tribes HIV that is now calling ‘omo Igbo’ with his ‘atori’ ready to descend on my lovely smooth California skin.

By this time, the Shomolu boys had gotten

their wits back together, and a major argument ensued. “Ahhhhhhh eh mo Duke ni?”

Don’t you know Duke in simple translation. E fe ku ni, they screamed. Don’t you know the Duke, aghhhhhhhh. Edgar…reeeeee!!! Omo baba white ni — that was my father-in-law, they screamed back at the miscreants from Onipanu.

By this time, the Igbos and their look-alikes were being flogged, beaten and chased away.

Both groups of miscreants- the Shomolu and Onipanu boys were united in getting the ‘Igbos’ out but confused as to how to handle this particular ‘omo Igbo’ who was their Duke and who had stayed with them for 54 years and was standing here, wanting to vote for their candidate, Sanwo-Olu with his Yoruba

wife beside him.

I presented a confusion too complex for their drug addled brains. This was not part of the memo at the garage and they were already in action and couldn’t retreat to ask their ogas how to handle this one that looked Igbo, married Yoruba, spoke Yoruba, was very popular among Yorubas, lived with us and wanted to vote our candidate. It was a puzzle too complex for the idiots.

They left me and jumped into their buses after making sure the ‘omo Igbos’ had all left and drove off.

This is what we have turned ourselves into, a sick society with nothing but clay feet leaders who stand in abeyance as the

people are being sodomised by zombies weaned on a doctrine of hate and bigotry all for a pyrrhic victory. Shame. I am sorry but I feel ashamed, I swear.

UMO ENO: THE BEER PARLOUR MAN The happy hour candidate has emerged.

Akwa Ibom has finally produced the worst ever candidate for an election of this magnitude and have even gone ahead to give him a jaundiced victory in an election marred with violence and all sort of hira kira.

This man has so many striking resemblances with their President-elect. From a colourful educational background to tremendous gaffes like the happy hour quip and a very deeply divisive personage, all eventually culminating in an acrimonious victory.

The happy beer parlour man has emerged and Akwa Ibom has to grapple with the vacuous leadership he will foster on us. I don’t know why we seem as a people to love the chaff. A contest that had urbane and well exposed gentleman Akan Udofia will throw up this? These things used to make someone just give up and want to run away.

Akwa Ibom is in darkness as the ghouls have extended their reign with the imposition of the least intellectually gifted. Na suffer we dey for here. Na real mumu regime we don enter be that o yeparipa- Fela abeg no vex.

FOR ABDULRAHMAN ABDULRAZAQ, IT’S A QUIETVICTORY Me, I just sha like this bobo. No noise o, quietly effective I tell you. Not for him is all the jaga jaga that has to do with politics as he calmly goes about his business with cool effectiveness.

As we pushed towards the elections, I used to reach out and say, ‘Your Excellency, how are you, how are preparations, do you need afang or anything I can do? He would smile and say don’t worry, everything is ok.

I wasn’t really perturbed because I know for a fact that he is a good man and that he has done his utmost best for Kwara under the circumstances. This same Kwara that shouted ‘oto ge’ would vote for competence and not for the thuggery that seems to have pervaded the nation.

He went about his campaigns quietly and strategically. He said little but remained very pragmatic in what he needed to do to secure the peoples mandate and he did it and delivered.

Congratulations, My Excellency. At this stage, I may adopt Kwara and come and stay there for a bit o. Well done sir.

Sanwo-Olu

SANWO-OLU, IT’S NO LONGER BUSINESS AS USUAL I have watched with continued detachment as Mr. Governor has barely touched the very vexed issue of the ethnic profiling that characterised his recent electoral victory. As I watched him dance at the announcement of his electoral victory, pity came over me because he is a good man. But a good man enmeshed within a structure that has rendered him almost immobile.

Edgar, this is the legacy you have left for your children. Edgar, this is the rubbish you have supported. Edgar, you are a shame. Edgar, I no longer respect you, you have eroded whatever goodwill you have garnered over the years, I hope the lucre they gave you will take care of you in your old age.

These were a few of the abuses and curses that rained on me after the elections. I collect am o, no be today I dey receive abuse. So, I collect am. The ones I can abuse back, I abused back. The ones I cannot abuse back, I ignored. But be sure that I gave as good as I could get.

My choice of the governor is sacrosanct and no matter the amount of beating or electoral malfeasance would make me regret that action. I still believe very strongly that of the three major contenders, he alone has the capacity and

understanding of what is required to lead a state like Lagos at this time. I would be a fool to go support a candidate who came to the table with only his pedigree and rhetoric and his mama wrapper or to support a candidate that was as quiet as a church mouse in an election that needed several decibels of noise.

But that said, Mr. Sanwo-Olu, this was not it at all. An election where people were flogged to be in line? Where people were humiliated and treated like slaves just because they looked one kind? An election that was marred with violence and all sorts of wanton destruction and the Commissioner of Police sitting there and looking towards Wike for a thirst of his 40year old whiskey while Lagos burns? This was not an election.

This is why I say Mr. Governor, you would need to do much more than the one paragraph in your acceptance speech to heal the wounds both physical and otherwise that was meted out on Lagosians that Saturday.

I believe in your humanity and I see you as that one person in Sodom and Gomorrah that would do the right thing. So, Sir, pull your children together and don’t just say sorry, do something to show that we all are in one boat in this Lagos. Thank you.

MY LORD, SONI IRABOR, CLOCKS 98 It is with a huge sense of relief that I want to announce that this legendary broadcaster, TV presenter and everybody’s uncle is 98 years old this week. Uncle Soni has been everything to everybody for almost a century.

I first encountered him as a teacher on an NTA sitcom and from there got glued to his melodious voice on the radio. He is nothing but a national institution and a great man of valour. Still married to the wonderfully gifted Aunty Betty whose allure and glamour continues to confound us.

Uncle Soni whose contemporaries include the late Herbert Macaulay- they used to play in the swamps of Bini together and Oba Ovarenwen….. what most people do not know is that Uncle Soni was the one who advised the great Oba not to resist. Uncle Soni asked him to go quietly and even helped him to select which of his wives to go with, promptly forgetting the Akwa Ibom one.

This is why Uncle Soni will never get any title from my state.

Let me wish him a happy 98th and pray that God should continue to bless him with longer years. He must be around to see Nigeria finally win the World Cup and a Nigerian emerge President of the United States of America the way an Indian has taken Britain.

Happy birthday uncle.

DAME GLORY ETIM-EZEKIEL: A HAPPY BIRTHDAYTOO Let me quickly say a happy birthday to my only sister. She had warned me, “Joe, no mention my age for broadcast o” so I will not mention her name here.

Anybody who wants to know her name can bribe me with a delicious plate of Afang, not the one they used to cook with Maggi that you will be seeing in the Igbo and Yoruba restaurants – you see why they don’t like each other. Anyways, let me say a warm happy birthday to my extremely beautiful sister on this page. Thank you and God bless.

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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 ˾MARCH 26, 2023

Adebayo Adeoye bayoolunla@gmail.com; 08054680651

SOCIETY WATCH

Florence Ita-Giwa’s Unmatched Nobility

Amosun

Again, Amosun Ridiculed Perhaps if the former governor of Ogun State was aware of David Baldacci’s quote that says, “Arrogant people habitually overestimated their own abilities and underestimated everyone else’s’’, he would have tread softly and today wouldn’t have become a laughing stock in the political circle in the state.

But the senator representing Ogun Central Senatorial District allowed his arrogance and hatred for the incumbent governor, Dapo Abiodun to cloud his sense of reasoning.

When Amosun announced to the world last year that he would do anything humanly possible to prevent Abiodun from returning to office for a second term, many stakeholders in the All Progressives Congress (APC) reportedly intervened and pleaded with him not to carry out his threat, but like a dog willing to get lost will play deaf to hunter’s whistle, he failed to yield to the advice and called their bluff. Instead, he came out, roaring like a lion, threatening fire and brimstone. Then, Amosun reportedly said he could not work with Abiodun, who he said lacked the wherewithal to win a senatorial district, let alone the governor of Ogun State.

However, as gathered by Society Watch, his threat never gave Abiodun any sleepless nights as it was likened to a ‘rant of an ant’.

To achieve his aim, he teamed up with the governorship candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Biyi Otegbeye. He campaigned and deployed his political mechanism as well as a heavy financial war chest.

But it all proved abortive, his overbloated ego was deflated, while it has reflected that he is rather a paper tiger whose political influence has waned out.

Abiodun won the election with 276,298 votes, while Ladi Adebutu of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) closely followed in second place with 262,383 votes and Otegbeye came a distant third with only 94,754 votes.

With this, the two-term governor has literally become a source of ridicule in the state while quietly licking his wounds.

In 2019 when Abiodun first contested for the number one job in the state, Amosun displayed the same arrogance shortly when his second term screeched to a halt. He reportedly said he could not work with Abiodun.

With this, he suddenly became the anvil of criticisms, mostly because of his support for Abdulkabir Akinlade as his anointed candidate for the APC governorship election that year, whose past a source hinted was shrouded in questionable circumstances. This was despite the fact that Ogun State, at the time paraded a line-up of sterling technocrats and politicians with timetested, brilliant records of public service.

“Nothing is more noble, nothing more venerable than loyalty.”

For some obvious reasons, you would have thought that the Roman statesman and philosopher, Cicero had Florence Ita-Giwa in mind when he penned the above deathless quote.

Although a lot of things have been written about her, one thing that has been underreported about the influential woman is her loyalty to her friends.

Over the years, this warm and beautiful woman has shown that she is both a venerable and noble woman that gives her all for friendship.

Some of her friends have easily attested to this uncommon attribute. Among them is Sisi Abbah Folawiyo. It has been said of her that once she promises you her loyalty you can go to sleep with your two eyes closed. She understands the true definition of true friendship.

The former aide to President Olusegun Obasanjo recently proved that nobility truly runs in her veins. Society Watch gathered that during the governorship campaign of Bassey Otu, the new governor-elect of Cross River State, ItaGiwa stood by the politician as promised. She

made herself available, deployed necessary expertise, and devoted her time until the result was achieved.

A source disclosed that Ita-Giwa took the job full-time, relocated to Calabar and never left the town for one year until Otu was announced the winner of the March 18, 2023 governorship election.

The woman of substance, who is also endowed with grace and charm, is said to have promised Otu that the battle is hers and her Lord and motivated him when he despaired.

This was made easy as the woman, popularly known as Mama Bakassi, has worked her way into the hearts of her people through her genuine humane gestures over the years. Since she left the corridors of power, she has proved to the world that no joy is equal to the joy of serving others.

Her service to her immediate environment is almost unequalled; she expends millions of Naira every year for the education of the less-privileged children she brought out of Bakassi, many of whom, it was gathered, school abroad.

Ita-Giwa’

Flutterwave Boss, Gbenga Agboola, Spoils Himself Silly

Agboola.

Co-founder of Flutterwave, Olugbenga Agboola, has made a fortune and is living large.

It is evidently clear the young billionaire enjoys a

lavish lifestyle. He owns expensive state-of-theart automobiles. Of course, as a billionaire, he can afford a lifestyle filled with luxury watches, expensive cars, and luxury real estate. And what else does one do with a bunch of extra cash? To spoil oneself silly!

As gathered by Society Watch, his shares in Flutterwave alone are worth over $200 million. To underscore the continued success of Flutterwave and the lavish lifestyles enjoyed by many successful entrepreneurs in the tech industry, the 38-year-old recently joined the ranks of homeowners in one of Florida’s most upscale neighbourhoods, with his recent acquisition of a luxurious high-end residential property in Miami Beach for N5.4 billion.

As disclosed, he bought the architectural masterpiece sprawling 5,200-square-foot sixbedroom, seven-bathroom high-end property located in Miami Beach from the Boschetti Group, a renowned Florida-based real estate development company that specialises in

luxurious high-end properties. Despite being a non-waterfront property, the house is said to command a premium price, reflecting the recent trend of skyrocketing demand and prices for South Florida real estate.

Since he co-founded the company with his partner, Iyinoluwa Aboyeji in 2016, Agboola has become a dominant force in the African tech ecosystem, earning a reputation as one of the continent’s most influential and wealthy tech entrepreneurs. His visionary leadership as CEO has transformed the tech unicorn with a staggering $3 billion valuation into a powerhouse in the African fintech space.

He has also led the firm to provide customers and businesses in Africa and other developing markets with unlimited possibilities leveraging technology’s rapid adoption. The fintech firm’s remarkable growth trajectory has not gone unnoticed as it is now considering an initial public offering on the NASDAQ Exchange.

Agbaoye of Ibadanland, Orikolade Karim Honoured In one of his oft-quoted statements, the popular Bishop of Caesarea, also called Saint Basil the Great, said: “A good deed is never lost. He who sows courtesy reaps friendship; he who plants kindness, gathers love; pleasure bestowed on a grateful mind was never sterile, but generally, gratitude begets reward.”

Billionaire businessman and Chairman, Shoreline Energy Group, Orikolade Karim does not court cheap publicity. But his exceptional performance in the nation’s business sector and uncommon service to humanity have made him a newsmaker, not only in Nigeria but also outside the shores of the continent.

The Agbaoye of Ibadanland last Thursday shone like the star that he is when he was honoured among the 100 top worthy dignitaries at The Peak Performer (TPP).

The event, which took place Thursday, March 23, 2023, at the Muson Centre in Lagos, had eminent personalities in the country in attendance. These include the governor of Lagos State, Babajide Sanwo-olu; Chairman, THISDAY/ARISE Media Group, Prince Nduka

Obaigbena; Group CEO of The Guardian, Lady Maiden Ibru; Ex-Chairman, KPMG Africa, Mr. Kunle Elebute; Founder, StanbicIBTC Group, Mr. Atedo Peterside, and Mrs. Ifueko Omoigui Okauru. Other Honourees are the Country Managing Director, Access Bank (Rwanda), Mr. Faustin Byishimo; Managing Director, CLM Africa, Mr. Mbulelo Clive Khoza, (South Africa); Ghanaian Celebrity Blogger, Mr. Ameyaw Debrah, (Ghana); MD/CEO, United Bank of Africa (Sierra Leone), Mr. Mohammed Alhaji Samoura; CEO, MOREM Consulting & Advisory Services Limited, Mr. Mohammed Gillen (The Gambia) and CEO, Enterprise Group, Keli Gadzekpo (Ghana).

The honourees are considered exceptional leaders on the African continent who are celebrated for their performance as industry leaders, culture shapers, and game changers in transformational leadership in their respective spheres as peak performers.

The awards, covering 14 categories, range from TPP Elite, TPP Hall of Fame, and

Karim

TPP Legacy to Excellence, across multiple professions and sectors in the African continent.

According to the Editor-in-Chief of TPP, Dr. Abiola Salami, “A panel was set up to select the nominees who are captains of industry.”

Tongues Wag over Ladoja Daughter’s Single Status

Ladoja

Bimpe, the daughter of Senator Rasheed Ladoja, a former governor of Oyo State, is a chartered accountant.

Beautiful and affable, Bimpe, who is in her 40s, has all it takes to be attracted to any man.

However, her parents, just like her numerous friends, are said to be daily worried about her single status. For them, it is even more worrisome that the United Kingdom-trained accountant has never been romantically linked to any man.

A source disclosed to Society Watch that “the fact that she is still single is a source of concern to her parents.”

However, another source revealed that the main reason she seems to have shut her heart against love is because of a

health challenge she is battling with.

“It is due to her frequent illness, which has drained the pockets of her parents. Bimpe was born prematurely.

She is always in and out of hospital, so does not seem to be so much interested in going into any relationship,” said the source.

Her father made his fortune in business. He is an engineer and a farmer, whose food crops are sold, not only to the people of Oyo State but also beyond.

He also owns a shipping company.

Despite his status, the high chief of Ibadanland, however, lives an incredibly simple lifestyle, such that an unsuspecting person would place him among peasant farmers.

THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER ˾ JUNE 24 2012

ARTS & REVIEW A

PUBLICATION

26. 3. 2023

Gallery Space for Pantheon of Nigeria’s Creative Spirits A soon-to-becommissioned extension of the Nike Art Gallery in Abuja adds a whole new dimension to the federal capital city’s cultural profile. Okechukwu Uwaezuoke reports

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EDITOR OKECHUKWU UWAEZUOKE/ okechukwu.uwaezuoke@thisdaylive.com

56

THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER MARCH 26 , 2023

ARTS & REVIEW\\POT POURRI

Time to Rethink Our Ideas about Museums Jess Castellote

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57

THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER MARCH 26 , 2023

CICERO

Editor: Ejiofor Alike SMS: 08066066268 email:ejiofor.alike@thisdaylive.com

IN THE ARENA

2023 Elections and Many Blunders of Police The 2023 general election may have come and gone, but the role played by officials of the Nigeria Police Force in aiding brazen electoral heist, falsification of election results, violence, ballot box-snatching, voter intimidation and voter suppression will linger for a long time to come, Louis Achi writes

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resident Muhammadu Buhari had at first appointed Usman Alkali Baba as the 21st Nigerian Inspector General of Police (IG) in an acting capacity, to replace IG Mohammed Adamu who retired from Nigeria Police Force in February 2021.

Shortly after decorating the new acting police boss Baba, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo had cut to the heart of the matter and minced no words as he told him bluntly that he was assuming leadership of the force at a critical time.

“The police force is our institution of first resort, the first line of defence against crime and anarchy and the first sign of the strength of the state,” Osinbajo reportedly told Alkali Baba.

According to Osinbajo: “You are assuming office at a very turbulent time in the life of our people. “There are multiple threats to law, order and public safety. The role of law enforcement agencies, particularly that of the police force as primary agency charged with maintaining law and order, has never been more important.”

The vice president had also told the IG that the challenges would certainly test him. He also noted that what appeared as the greatest test, apart from the sundry criminal turmoil traversing terrorism, banditry and kidnapping, was the 2023 general election.

Did Alkali Baba alongside his officers and men pass the test or blunder? The Nigeria Police is constitutionally the principal law enforcement and the lead security agency in the country. The force is typically responsible for maintaining public order and safety, enforcing the law, and preventing, detecting, and investigating criminal activities.

It is against the background of the Force’s core operational mandate that it could be objectively assessed in its performance during the 2023 general election. And this was not flattering.

“Failure of the police to respond to voter intimidation in the buildup to the state elections emboldened political thuggery and election violence that permeated the governorship election in Nigeria. The police have the authority to stamp out these individuals no matter who they are connected to.

“The police must move to arrest those individuals and bring them to justice to serve as deterrent in future elections… Security agencies must play it roles optimally to ensure electoral violence do not remain a tool for election manipulation in the hands of politicians,” the Transition Monitoring Group (TMG) explained.

Briefing journalists in Abuja on Thursday, the Chairman of TMG, Mr. Auwal Ibrahim Musa Rafsanjani also called for prosecution of all arrested electoral offenders in the just concluded general election.

In its post mortem of the elections, TMG said while investigators should arrest those not in police net yet, the sponsors of those thugs who unleashed mayhem on innocent Nigerians who only sort to express their constitutional guaranteed rights must be fished out and prosecuted in public knowledge also.

TMG also insisted that the security agencies must play their roles optimally to ensure electoral violence do not remain a tool

Baba for election manipulation in the hands of politicians.

It could be recalled that 48 hours before the February 25 presidential and National Assembly elections, the police assured Nigerians that it had deployed “state-of-the -art” equipment to suppress any unrest anywhere, and counselled those who were trying to threaten Nigerians or the electorate to desist from such threat.

The Force Public Relations Officer, Muyiwa Adejobi, gave the assurance while speaking on a live television programme. “Those non-state actors that issue threats, you cannot see them on that day because they will go into hiding.

“Nigeria is very safe to conduct this election. We are going to conduct this election everywhere, every corner, every angle in this country. We have no cause for any alarm; people should come out to cast their votes and we are good to good. Those non-state actors that issue threats, you cannot see them on that day because they will go into hiding,” Adejobi had declared. However, the reality was different.

Significant evidence suggested that generally the police were untowardly used by politicians during the five electoral exercises which held on February 25 and March 18. They were alleged to have worked for sitting governors in most states. There were also allegations that only very few state commissioners of police did

not bow to the pressure of the presiding governors.

It is important that the states where police aided electoral fraud should be identified and due consequences visited on the culprits. Rightly or wrongly, many have alleged, especially opposition parties, that the police aided electoral fraud directly in Rivers State. The state was reportedly the worst with regards to alleged direct involvement of the police. But this scenario was also significantly replicated in all the geopolitical zones of the country with varying intensity. In Lagos State, for instance, the police were accused of leaving those who threatened and attacked voters to arrest their victims.

Even former transportation minister, Rotimi Amaechi alleged that APC contested with INEC and police, and not the PDP. Also, in Lagos, the police did not only aid electoral fraud directly but were said to have looked the other way when voters were being suppressed, threatened and battered on election day.

Majority of the policemen that manned polling units nationwide during elections were unarmed and equipped, and consequently helpless when thugs struck and carted away materials. They even lacked functional walkie-talkies to call for back-up in the event of the outbreak of violence.

The fact that even the national police can be manipulated and compromised has raised fresh concerns over the calls for state police.

Even before the international observers, in many instances, the police were accused of supervising ballot snatching and sundry electoral malfeasance.

Brazen electoral heist, falsification of election results, violence, ballot box-snatching, voter intimidation and voter suppression are getting worse with each election cycle and have become so bad that they threaten the nation’s foundational anchors.

The emerging consensus is that these scenarios consistently play out because there are no consequences to punish impunity.

Strangely, the security agencies ignore or even connive with the perpetrators. For example an influential tout who was seen in a viral video threatening voters of South-east origin in Lagos not to dare go near the polling units if they were not going to vote for APC, allegedly made the threat in company of a man in police uniform.

More than three weeks after the flagrant contravention of the Electoral Act, the police claimed in one case that they were still ‘investigating’. With the failure of the security agencies, the acts of impunity by politicians get worse by the day.

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. Unimpeded voter turnout in a transparent, free and unsuppressed election is the most important form of political involvement and crucially also is an important indicator of the state of health of any democracy.

In ensuring this outcome the police are a flagship agency that must not blunder.

P O L I T I CA L N OT E S

As Emilokan Bug Bites Orji Kalu

Uzodimma Orji Kalu

That Emilokan bug has really bitten into the Nigerian political fabric is no longer in doubt going by the latest declaration of interest by the former Governor of Abia State, Senator Orji Uzor Kalu, to be the President of the Senate, saying that it is his turn.

Recall that the President-elect, Senator Bola Tinubu, popularised the Yoruba word ‘emilokan’ (meaning: it is my turn) in the build-up to the All Progressives Congress (APC) primary in 2022 when he declared in Abeokuta, Ogun State capital, that it was his turn to be President of Nigeria after helping President Muhammadu Buhari secure the seat.

Kalu, who stated this while fielding questions from journalists, said he was willing to continue engaging Nigerians directly even as a presiding officer of the upper legislative chamber, adding that citizens should pray for him to get the

position because “it is my turn”.

The 10th National Assembly will be inaugurated in June after the president issues a proclamation. The APC has recorded a majority in the February 25 senatorial election.

Kalu, who is the current Chief Whip of the Senate and winner of the Abia North Senatorial district election, while signifying his interest in becoming senate president should the position be zoned to the South-east, said: “Remember I am the only governor, who has never changed my phone number since I became governor 24 years ago.

The same MTN I have is what I’m having and I will be willing to still maintain that phone number to answer my calls. I’m not going to switch off my phones, because I’m Senate President but I’m hoping that the Nigerian people will pray for me to be Senate President because it’s my turn.”

In an apparent move to knock out formidable competitors from the North-west, Kalu, who had supported the Muslim-Muslim ticket of the APC, however said he does not envisage that a Muslim should emerge as the Senate President, given the country’s secular nature.

Having come from the South-east, which is highly favoured for the position and also being a Christian, Kalu stands a good chance.

But while many see his “it is my turn” claim from the realm of how the country has degenerated, Kalu did not tell Nigerians the leadership qualities that give him an edge and his capacity to run an independent senate as against the rubber-stamp people are currently witnessing. Perhaps he may have thought that many Nigerians have forgotten his abysmal performance as governor of Abia State for eight years.

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THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER MARCH 26 , 2023

BRIEFINGNOTES G-5 Governors: Makinde as the Last Man Standing

With his victory in the March 18 governorship election, Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State has become the only member of the G-5 governors of the Peoples Democratic Party who did not suffer the political consequences arising from the group’s political shenanigans to weaken and destroy the party before the 2023 general election, Ejiofor Alike reports

O

n Saturday, March 18, Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State was reelected for another four-year term in the governorship and state House of Assembly elections held in the country.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) last Sunday declared Makinde, who was the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), as the winner of the governorship election in the state.

According to the Returning Officer, Professor Olusola Keyinde, the Oyo State governor polled 563,756 votes to beat his close rival, Senator Teslim Folarin of the All Progressives Congress (APC), who scored 256,685 votes, while Adebayo Adelabu of Accord Party scored 38,357 votes.

Makinde won 31 out of the 33 local government areas in the state, while Folarin came second by winning two local governments - Irepo and Ore-lope.

The governor contested against Folarin, a former Senate Leader and three-term Senator, and Adebayo Adelabu, who is a former Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

With his victory, Makinde has broken the record as the only member of the G-5 governors of the PDP who did not suffer any political consequences arising from Governor Nyesom Wike’s failed bids to clinch the party’s presidential or vicepresidential ticket.

Governors Makinde, Samuel Ortom of Benue State, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State and Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia State aligned with Wike to work against the PDP on whose platform they were planning to seek reelection, sponsor successors and pursue senatorial ambitions, depending on the individual cases.

Many political analysts had argued that by aligning with Wike, who was not in any way on the ballot in the 2023 elections, the four governors were unwittingly putting their political ambitions in jeopardy.

While Makinde was seeking a second term in office, Ugwuanyi, Ortom and Ikpeazu were pursuing senatorial ambitions, and at the same time, plotting to install their successors.

On his part, Wike who recruited the other four governors into his personal project as revenge for losing the party’s presidential and vice-presidential tickets, was seeking to install a successor.

But having lost both the presidential and vice-presidential tickets of the PDP, and also failed to secure a senatorial ticket, Wike was already a sore loser, who could even sacrifice his anointed successor for his political survival.

Surprisingly, the four governors who were on the ballot, joined forces with their Rivers State counterpart to malign their presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, and the National Chairman of the party, Senator Iyorchia Ayu. They criss-crossed Europe and their states,

Makinde holding meetings and parties, taunting Atiku, and also engaging in other anti-party activities to make the PDP unpopular.

At the end, having weakened their party, Ugwuanyi, Ortom and Ikpeazu who contested the February 25 elections were the first casualties of their anti-party activities as they all lost their senatorial ambitions.

Ugwuanyi, who had spent 12 years in the House of Representatives for Udenu/Igbo Eze North Federal Constituency, lost his bid to go to the Senate to the candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Mr. Okey Ezea.

The LP senatorial candidate polled 104,492 votes to defeat the Enugu State governor, who scored 46,948 votes.

Ikpeazu also lost the Abia South senatorial district election to the candidate of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe.

Abaribe polled a total of 49,693 votes to

defeat his closest rivals and the candidate of the Labour Party, Mr. Chinedu Onyeizu, who got 43,903 votes while Ikpeazu polled 28,422 votes to take a distant third position.

On his part, Ortom also lost his senatorial bid to represent Benue South senatorial district to the candidate of the APC, Mr. Titus Zam. Zam was Ortom’s Special Adviser on Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs while they were together in APC before the governor defected to the PDP in 2018.

The former Gwer-west LGA chairman polled 143,151 votes to defeat Ortom who scored 106,882 while LP’s candidate, Mark Gbillah scored 51,950.

In Oyo State, the APC also defeated Makinde’s PDP in the presidential election.

Though Tinubu’s victory in the PDP state had created anxiety in Makinde’s camp, the governor’s close allies had revealed an alleged alliance between Tinubu’s camp and Makinde’s camp.

But the APC Presidential Campaign Committee (PCC) in the state had dismissed any standing agreement between the president-elect, Tinubu, and Governor Makinde.

Chairman of the Central Media Presidential Gubernatorial Council of the party, Mr. Kehinde Olaosebikan, had said in a statement that Makinde was only deceiving his allies.

A member of the PCC, Nike Ajagbe, had also stated that Tinubu’s visit to Makinde on February 16, 2023, during the presidential rally in Ibadan, had nothing to do with endorsement of the governor.

The PDP in the state had also through a statement by its Publicity Secretary, Akeem Olatunji, described as false the claim that it had formed alliance with the APC in the state.

However, under the alleged deal, Makinde was expected to work for Tinubu’s victory in the state, while Tinubu’s loyalists in the APC were also expected to work for the governor’s reelection.

The March 18 election was said to be a payback time as the loyalists of the APC presidential candidate reportedly ditched their party’s governorship candidate, Folarin, to work for Makinde’s victory.

It was also alleged that the Tinubu-Makinde deal also stipulated that the governor would defect to the APC after emerging victorious.

However, the governor had since debunked this claim, stressing that he would not leave the PDP. Therefore, only the events of the next few months would reveal whether or not Makinde actually reached a deal to join the APC. But his reelection in the face of the growing influence of the APC in the South-west, was evidence of his excellent performance in the last four years, unlike his South-east colleagues in the G-5 who used the crisis in the PDP to cover their poor performances for eight years and paid dearly for it on February 25.

To make matters worse, while Ikpeazu and Ortom’s anointed successors lost their elections, Ugwuanyi’s preferred choice, Mr. Peter Mbah, was victorious.

But those who know Mbah in close quarters said that he won’t be the type of governor who will be a puppet to his predecessor. Ugwuanyi, it was further gathered did not even play any significant role to ensure his victory.

Though Wike installed his successor, Mr. Similanayi Fubara, and ensured that Tinubu won his state, the governor’s opponents said it would be difficult for the President-elect or his associates to trust him in view of the controversial role he played ahead of the elections, which earned him more political enemies than friends.

While Wike is said to be a political liability, Ortom, Ugwuanyi, and Ikpeazu are licking their political wounds.

NOTES FOR FILE

Matawalle as Victim of His Own Curse

Matawalle

Zamfara State Governor, Mr. Bello Matawalle, actually lost the 2019 election to the All Progressives Congress (APC) but came to power by virtue of the Supreme Court judgment which nullified the Zamfara APC governorship primaries a week to the May 29, 2019 inauguration of a new government.

Basking in the euphoria of his victory, which was divine, the governor vowed not to leave the PDP, calling on God to punish him if he decided to leave the party.

In a video that had gone viral, Matawalle was heard saying in Hausa, “If I ever betray PDP, may I not live in peace for the rest of my life, I swear by Allah. If I can leave PDP or cheat any of our members, may Allah punish me.”

However, in June 2021, foolowing pressures from

APC governors, Matawalle forgot the oath and officially defected from the PDP to the APC. He announced his defection to the APC in Gusau at a special grand rally to receive him to the party, whichwasorganisedbythethenNationalCaretaker Committee of the APC led by Governor Mai Mala Buni of Yobe State.

“As from today, I, Bello Matawalle Maradun, governor of Zamfara, am happy to announce my defection from the PDP to the APC. As from today, I am a full APC member and leader of APC in Zamfara,” he said.

Unfortunately, Matawalle lost his reelection bid on the platform of the APC in the March 18 governorship election.

With a total of 377,726 votes, Dauda Lawal

Dare of the PDP defeated incumbent Governor Matawalle, who polled 311,976 votes.

Of the 11 governors who sought to be reelected, Matawalleistheonlyonewhodidnotscalethrough.

The other person whose fate is yet to be sealed is Governor Ahmadu Fintiri of Adamawa whose election did not end on the first ballot. Unlike Matawalle, all hope is not yet lost for Fintiri.

Matawalle’s loss has been attributed to many factors, among which is his defection to the ruling APC. The governor’s traducers believe he is being haunted by the curse he placed on himself. According to his critics, his case should serve as a lesson to other politicians who also use God’s name in vain.

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THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER MARCH 26 , 2023

CICERO/ISSUE

Tinubu

Atiku

Obi

The Die is Cast as Tribunal Begins Sitting With the formal filing of their petitions at the Presidential Election Petition Court in Abuja to challenge the victory of Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress in the February 25 election, the presidential candidates of the Labour Party, Peter Obi; Peoples Democratic Party, Atiku Abubakar; Action Alliance, Solomon Okangbuan; and Allied People’s Movement, Chichi Ojei, have set the stage for the tribunal to sit and address their grievances, Alex Enumah writes

I

In order to beat the 21-day deadline starting from March 1, 2023 when the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declared the winner of the February 25 presidential election, the presidential candidates of the Labour Party (LP), Mr. Peter Obi; Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar; Action Alliance (AA), Solomon Okangbuan; and Allied People’s Movement (APM), Chichi Ojei, last week formally filed their petitions at the Presidential Election Petition Court to challenge the victory of Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

The petitioners are praying for the tribunal to declare that Tinubu was not duly elected by a majority of the lawful votes cast at the election. They want an order mandating the INEC to retrieve the certificate of return issued to the APC candidate and issue a fresh one to them.

INEC Chairman, Mahmood Yakubu, had on March 1 declared Tinubu President-elect on the grounds that his party scored a majority of votes cast at the poll.

In the results announced Tinubu polled 8,794,726 votes to emerge victorious. Atiku who came second scored 6,984,520 votes, while Obi scored 6,101,533 votes. Rabiu Kwankwaso of the NNPP came fourth with 1,496,687 votes.

Atiku argued that the non-compliance with the Electoral Act, 2022 INEC has rendered as invalid the election of Tinubu. He maintained that for any of the candidates in the February 25 poll to be declared winner, he or she must score 25% of votes cast in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), adding that the failure of Tinubu to meet the said constitutional requirement invalidated his election.

He recalled that Prof. Yakubu had repeatedly assured the public that the February 2023 general election would be the best election ever, with the guaranteed use of the Bi-Modal Voters’ Accreditation System (BVAS) and real-time and direct uploading of the polling unit results to the commission’s electronic collation system and Results Viewing Portal (IReV) which were technological innovations in the electoral system that would ensure the transparency of the elections against all forms of manipulation.

It is the case of the petitioners that the bypass and non-use of the BVAS machines in the transmission of the accreditation data and polling unit results of the election fundamentally and substantially affected the integrity of the results announced by the 1st respondent for the 2nd and 3rd respondents and thoroughly discredited the process of the election.

Atiku is invoking the margin of lead principle to assert that INEC’s hasty announcement of Tinubu as the winner of the presidential poll is unconstitutional and without due process. Per the principle, when the margin of lead between the winner and the runner-up is less than the total number of voters affected by cancellations in their

different polling units, the election is declared inconclusive and a re-run is organised.

On his part, Obi in his petition, alleged that there were many irregularities, insisting also that Tinubu and his running mate, Kashim Shettima, were not qualified to contest the election.

He also alleged that the former Lagos State governor failed to win the majority of the lawful votes cast in the election, and just as he could not secure one-quarter of the lawful votes cast in the Federal CapitalTerritory (FCT), Abuja. He also alleged that the election was conducted in substantial non-compliance with the provision of the law.

The LP candidate, therefore, urged the court to either declare him as the president-elect, in the belief that he scored the majority of the lawful votes during the election, or alternatively, nullify the entire election and order a fresh election.

As part of the grounds for the petition, Obi and his party argued thatTinubu, “at the time of the (presidential) election, was not qualified to contest the election.”

They anchored this claim on the grounds that Tinubu “was fined $460,000 for an offence involving dishonesty, namely narcotics trafficking imposed by the United States District Court, Northern District of Illinois, Eastern Division, in case No:93C 4483 between the United States of America and Tinubu.

Concerning the alleged non-qualification of Shettima, the petitioner cited his nomination for two separate constituencies – as Borno Central senatorial candidate and vice-presidential candidate for the whole of Nigeria in the same election cycle.

The petitioner also contended that Tinubu “was not duly elected by majority of the lawful votes cast at the time of the election.” He argued thatTinubu did not win the majority of lawful votes cast in each of at least two-third of the states of the federation and the FCT, Abuja. He added that the former Lagos State governor was not entitled to be declared the winner of the election having failed to score one-quarter of the lawful votes cast in the FCT in the election.

Amongst reliefs they are therefore seeking from the court includes; a determination, “that the 2nd respondent was not duly elected by a majority of lawful votes cast in the election and therefore the declaration and return of the 2nd respondent by the 1st respondent as the winner of the presidential election conducted on the 25th day of February, 2023 is unlawful, wrongful, unconstitutional, undue, null and void and of no effect whatsoever.

A determination “that the return of the 2nd respondent by the 1st respondent was wrongful, unlawful, undue, null and void having not satisfied the requirements of the Electoral Act 2022 and the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended) which mandatorily requires the 2nd Respondent to score not less than one quarter (25%) of the lawful votes cast at the Election

in each of at least two-thirds of all the States in the Federation AND the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.

Besides, they urged the court to hold that Tinubu as at the time of the election was not qualified to contest the said election.

They, however, prayed that in the alternative: “It may be determined that the 1st petitioner having scored the majority of lawful votes cast at the presidential election of Saturday, February 25, 2023, be returned as the winner of the said election and be sworn in as the duly elected President of Nigeria.

“An order directing the 1st respondent to conduct a second election (run-off) between the 1st petitioner and the 2nd respondent.”

“And in further alternative: That the election to the office of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria held on February 25, 2023 be nullified and a fresh election (re-run) ordered.”

Also, Obi put forward five prayers in court. Three of them are alternative prayers to the two main ones. In his two main prayers, he urged the court to declare Tinubu and Shettima unqualified to contest the February 25 presidential election.

Still under the first prayer, he urged the court to declare that Tinubu did not score the majority of the lawful votes cast in the election. He asked the court to declare that he satisfied the constitutional requirements to be declared the winner of the February 25 presidential election after the deduction of alleged illegal votes from Tinubu’s scores.

In the second main prayer, Obi urged the court to invalidate Tinubu’s victory due to his failure to win one-quarter of the lawful votes cast in the FCT. When THISDAY raised issues with the consequential declarations, a source in the Obi’s legal team said his pleadings would be amended later within the period allocated for the litigation. He said the amendment would drop the request for outright cancellation of the election and replace it with his declaration as the winner of the elections. The source added that the strategy is to outsmart the INEC, which wanted to frustrate the case.

Another analyst who spoke with THISDAY said what Obi’s lawyers did with the declarations was to put both the tribunal and INEC in particular in the eye of the storm by coming to defend the integrity of the election it conducted in breach of your own enabling law and guidelines.

“I have had the opportunity to read the entirety of the Petition filed by Mr. Peter Obi and the Labour Party and I must not fail to commend the team of lawyers for the hard work they put into the exercise, within the shortest possible time despite the obstacles they faced in accessing relevant documents.

“My immediate take on the petition from a legal perspective is that the team decided to play safe by opting for more legally inclined grounds to anchor the

petition, as against a more robust reliance on facts that would require more work to establish at the tribunal and may become subject to the court’s interpretation of whether those factual situations substantially affected the outcome of the election, which is usually an uphill task for a petitioner.

“In my humble view, it was a bold and audacious move and tactics, as it puts pressure on the tribunal and makes it difficult for its members to circumvent, as any decision to the contrary would and could deal a serious blow to the moral fibre of the tribunal.

“If I may explain, the major grounds are: The non qualification of Tinubu and Shettima to contest the election, on grounds of breach of election guidelines as to conviction for dishonesty with respect to the forfeiture proceedings against Tinubu in the US and Shettima nomination as vice presidential candidate whilst still already a candidate for senate, meaning he had dual nominations.

“The response of their lawyers to these two grounds for questioning the nomination of the two persons by the party viz-a-viz the position of the law, would determine clearly whether this ground of non-qualification would succeed, particularly with respect to Tinubu, as he is now constrained to bring more facts about the forfeiture proceedings into the public space in defence of his right to contest the election, or risk the tribunal reaching a conclusion that he was ab initio not qualified to contest.

Interesting days are ahead.

“For me the strongest ground in the petition, is the second ground which challenges INEC directly and their conduct of the election which alleges a breach of the constitution, the electoral act and the manual/ guideline issued by INEC for the conduct of the election.

“This is purely a legal ground and I suspect greatly that the consistent reference to the Amazon Web Service which is the host of INEC’s cloud service, is the clincher, as any contradiction between what the proposed witness from Amazon that the lawyers intend the court to issue a subpoena, would damage INEC greatly.

“This second ground is what I believe Obi referred to as challenging the process. On the whole, I foresee great and brilliant arguments by lawyers on both sides in the days to come. I look forward to reading INEC, Tinubu, Shettima and APC’s responses. I also expect nothing less than brilliant rebuttal responses from their equally endowed team of lawyers.”

It is now up to the tribunal to do justice especially with the reactions that trailed the elections. Even the judges themselves are based in the country. Where they did not witness all that transpired, they read and watch them on videos and television stations.

While interesting days lie ahead, many Nigerians are looking forward to the judiciary to carefully look at the petitions and do justice to them.

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THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER MARCH 26 , 2023

CICERO/ISSUE

Fresh Agitations after New Constitution Amendment The signing of 16 constitutional amendments by President Muhammadu Buhari has not just signalled a victory for the advocates of restructuring, but has also fuelled fresh agitations for a comprehensive review of the 1999 Constitution in line with the foundational federal principles, Gboyega Akinsanmi writes

O

n March 17, 2023, President Muhammadu Buhari signed 19 bills into laws. Significant among the newly enacted legislations are the Fifth Alteration Acts 2023, which made 16 new amendments to the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999. The latest alteration was obviously the fifth amendment to the grundnorm since it came into force on May 29,1999 to herald the Fourth Republic.

The amendments touched different sections of the 1999 Constitution. The first part made minor changes to the nomenclatures of seven local government areas (LGAs) in five states of the federation. The LGAs are Afikpo North and Afikpo South in Ebonyi State, Egbado North and Egbado South in Ogun State, Kunchi in Kano State, Atigbo in Oyo State and Obia/Akpor in Rivers State.

With the presidential assent, Egbado North and Egbado South Local Government Areas are now to be known and addressed as Yewa North and Yewa South, respectively, just as Afikpo North and Afikpo South local government areas in Ebonyi State have been renamed Afikpo and Edda local government areas, respectively.

Others are Kunchi local government area of Kano State that now known as Ghari local government area, while Obia/Akpor local government area Rivers State was changed to Obio/Akpor local government area and Atigbo local government area of Oyo State is now referred to Atisbo local government area.

Besides alteration to the nomenclature of the seven LGAs, the amendments also touched the nerve of the federal powers under Second Schedule, Part I of the 1999 Constitution. This part defines the Exclusive Legislative List, which outlines 68 powers and responsibilities that the federal government can exercise or discharge without recourse to other federating units.

Fundamental among the 16 amendments is the removal of prisons and railway from the Exclusive Legislative List to the Concurrent Legislative List as shown in Fifth Alteration Nos. 15 and 16. Each of these functions has been the exclusive preserve of the federal government, which according to former Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola (SAN), had undermined the plans of the state governments to ensure effective prison management and build rail infrastructure of their own without undue federal interference.

Also critical is the Fifth Alteration No. 17. The alteration ended the regime that inhibited the states from generating, transmitting and distributing electricity in areas covered by the national grid. With this provision, each state of the federation can now attract investors to develop its own power sector without any encumbrance from the apex government.

With Fifth Alteration No. 17, states can now exercise powers “to generate, transmit and distribute electricity in areas already covered by the national grid.”

Beyond the Second Schedule, the new amendments also touched other parts of the 1999 Constitution. Specifically, for instance, Fifth Alteration No. 6 provides for the financial independence of the State Houses of Assembly and Judiciary, which before now, had been a subject of intense national debate among the critical stakeholders, especially socio-cultural organisations.

Also, Fifth Alteration No. 9 finally put an end to reference to the provisions of the Criminal Code, Penal Code, Criminal

Buhari

Procedure Act, Criminal Procedure Code or Evidence Act, which the former Lagos State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Adeniji Kazeem argued, would no doubt deepen, expedite and revolutionise the enforcement of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, 2015.

Equally salient among the amendments is Fifth Alteration No.23. It first mandated the President to submit to the Senate the names of nominees for the Federal Executive Council for confirmation within 60 days. It equally directed the governors to nominate members of the State Executive Council to the state Houses of Assembly for approval also within 60 days after taking the oath of office.

This provision will definitely checkmate the executives, who always exercise discretion to appoint their cabinet members. In his case, President Buhari did not constitute his cabinet six months after taking the oath of office in 2015; almost nine months in the case of Ondo State Governor, Mr. Oluwarotimi Akeredolu in 2021; and 24 months after former Osun State Governor, Mr. Rauf Aregbesola took the oath of office in 2014.

But as significant as the amendments are, they have not comprehensively addressed the core demands of the advocates of restructuring. Consequently, the limit of the Fifth Amendment has stoked fresh questions among senior constitutional lawyers, leaders of socio-cultural organisations and proponents of constitutional democracy campaigning for the entrenchment of the foundational federal principles.

The first question typically centres on whether the local governments can still be granted the financial and legislative autonomy in line with the eternal quest of the

Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE) and Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON). To them, the local governments have been at the mercy of the state governments, hence the need for their independence.

But is the local government a federating unit? In principle, as such federalists as Emeritus Prof.

John Ayoade, Prof. Rotimi Suberu and Prof. Dele Olowu once observed, federations worldwide are founded on two levels of government - national and sub-national or federal and state as they are called in Nigeria.

While the national government seeks to achieve common objectives, they further argued that the sub-national governments maintain their peculiarities with the power to exercise limited sovereignty within their jurisdictions.

However, as federalists have argued, the extent to which the sub-national governments can exercise such powers are always defined in the Constitution, the country’s grundnorm for multinational governance. By implication, they observed, the underpinnings of federal democracy shaped the resolve of the majority of the State Houses of Assembly to reject the proposal seeking financial and legislative autonomy for the local governments during the proceedings of the Fifth Alteration Bills 2023.

The second question revolves around the unitarist inclination of the 1999 Constitution, which according

to the National Chairman, Afenifere Renewal Group, Hon. Olawale Oshun, the Fifth Alteration Act 2023 failed to decisively address, especially with respect to the quest for state police, which its proponents nationwide have argued, would largely guarantee internal order and stability.

Even in recent years, nearly all governors of the northern states have collectively subscribed to the state police proposal amid intractable armed violence that claimed no fewer than 5,763 lives in 2016; 8,340 in 2019 and 9,079 in 2022 as captured in the records of the Nigeria Security Tracker, a project of the Council of Foreign Relations.

Like other leaders of socio-cultural organisations, Oshun acknowledged the imperative of the Fifth Alteration Act 2023, adding however that it failed to address the core demands to devolve more powers to the subnational governments beyond state policing.

This failure threw up diverse questions that seek antidotes to the unitarist tendencies of the 1999 Constitution.

Among others, Oshun rhetorically asked: “Why should the federal government still collect value added tax (VAT) contrary to the provisions of the constitution? What, for instance, is the intent behind the National Water Resources Bill? Does the federal government have the power to regulate water transportation within the internal waters of a federating unit? Can the federal government regulate lottery and games outside its area of control?”

The last question relates to whether the current 36-state federal structure is cost-effective enough to guarantee desired outcomes that underpin the existence of Nigeria as a federation. First, as most governors have observed, the current structure largely reflects the federal peculiarities of Nigeria and should be retained. Its retention, they argued, required that most of the items under Second Schedule, Part I of the 1999 Constitution be reviewed in favour of the sub-national governments.

Second, former President, Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Chief Joseph B. Daudu (SAN), disagreed with the governors. He argued that the current structure “is detrimental to the healthy competition among the federating units as witnessed under the First Republic.”

He further argued that the structure contains 36 federating units that are fiscally weak to meet basic obligations of their citizenry, not to talk about developing strategic infrastructure and providing enabling environments for divergent national and foreign actors.

On these grounds, like the leaders of socio-cultural groups, Daudu proposed a six-structure federation in line with the report of the 1995 Constitution Review Conference that recommended North-central, North-east, North-west, South-east, South-south and South-west as the federating units. Daudu justified this proposal on the premise that it would minimise the cost of governance and practically reduce the overbearing powers of the Presidency in favour of the states.

Irrespective of the new questions different stakeholders have now raised, Ayoade observed that the Fifth Alteration Act 2023 “is not just a victory for the advocates of restructuring, but also a sign of what to come under the next administration.” This will no doubt require the federalists to come up with new strategies to engage the President-elect with a view to evolving a more efficient and cost-effective federation that can respond decisively to the perennial public demands.

THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER MARCH 26, 2023

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INTERNATIONAL Nigeria’s Foreign Policy and the World at the Exit of PMB: Policy Myopia versus a New Nigeria

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ost politologists and serious scholars of international relations in Nigeria not only admit that foreign policy is an extension of domestic policy, but also posit that there is very little any government can do to earn much respect internationally and protect its national interest if the domestic base is not strong enough to sustain the international presence of the government and its people in the international arena. True, this observation is quite tenable. However, the unaddressed aspect of the issue is the impact of the situational reality of the international arena on the domestic setting. In other words, to what extent can the international arena be used to ensure effective application of domestic policy? To what extent can the international scene be an impediment to achieving objectives of domestic policy?

Coincidentally and most unfortunately, as shown in the on-going controversy surrounding the 2023 presidential election, foreign policy was never made an issue during the campaigns, and yet, all the main presidential candidates were interested in travelling to London to seek international support for their candidature. They all talk about their preparedness to build a new Nigeria, revamp the economy, put an end to religious and ethnic bigotry, and more importantly, to meaningfully re-unite the peoples of Nigeria. All these considerations hardly reckon with the reality of global insecurity in terms of a new cold war, New World Order in the making, new patterns of alliance and the rising profile of China vis-à-vis her bilateral ties with the United States.

Foreign Policy under President Muhammadu Buhari (PMB) has lacked strategic focus. Nigeria’s national interest has been wrongly redefined. In the eyes of the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr Geoffrey Onyeama, an international functionary per excellence, securing appointmentsforNigeriansinsomeinternationalorganisationsisamajor foreign policy achievement. It is really not a big deal, especially that regional and rotational rules also do apply. How does the appointment translate into an improved status for Nigeria in international relations or strengthen national unity or appreciated at the domestic level?

Without whiff of gainsaying, there is no foreign policy under PMB aimed at projecting national conscientiousness, solidarity and happiness. Governance has been largely predicated on disregard for the Federal Character Principle. Foreign policy has been consciously pro-west without due regard to Nigeria’s policy of non-alignment.

This foreign policy myopia is the foundational challenge for the next administration to address.

Nigeria’s Foreign Policy Myopia Islamisation and Fulanisation agenda has been a critical issue in the governance of Nigeria and little or no attention is paid to its foreign policy implications. At the domestic level, national unity and integrity is constantly threatened. First, Muammar Gaddafi once told Nigerians that there would never be any enduring peace in Nigeria until Nigeria is divided into Muslim North and Christian South. In other words, Nigeria should be partitioned into two along religious lines. And true enough, the Government of Nigeria summoned the Libyan ambassador to Nigeria for clarity of the statement, but nothing came out of the summoning thereafter.

Second, the African Union is sponsoring continental integration in Africa, through regional integration efforts. International borders are to be thrown into the garbage of history. Africa of one passport for Africa, free movement of peoples, rights of establishment in any Member State of the African Union, and the whole of Africa becoming one United States of Africa, etc., are the ultimate objectives of the African Union. From this perspective, bringing various Fulani ethnic stock from both Central, and West African, regions should not be seen as a problem to Africa. It is illogical to be seeking to integrate, and with the same stretch of hand, be adopting policies that militate against the logic of regional or continental integration. While the policy of Fulanisation may not be wrong in design and in itself, the mania of implementation of the policy is what constitutes the worry of many people in Nigeria, especially in light of the perceived don’t care attitude of PMB. PMB never considers it necessary to make any pronouncement on it. He gave the public impression that there was never anything like

VIE INTERNATIONALE with

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Onyeama Fulanisation agenda, and probably considering that the policy of silence is the best answer to a fool, he made silence his policy stand.

It was when the Governor of Bauchi, Mr Bala Mohammed came to the ChannelsTelevision for a 30-minute interview and revealed that the Federal Government had been bringing to Nigeria the Fulani from West and Central Africa to occupy the ungoverned spaces in Nigeria that vehement opposition to the policy began. Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, GCFR, told Nigerians publicly that PMB has a Fulanisation agenda.

And true before then, PMB had taken various measures to impose the Foreign Fulani on Nigerians but to no avail.The measures included theintroductionofcolonial-eragrazingroutewhichonlyhadterritorial application in the northern part of Nigeria. There was also the Rural Grazing Area (RUGA) policy adopted in July 2019 to address the dispute between local farmers and the invading Fulani herdsmen. It was very controversial and could not be enforced. In light of this, PMB introduced the establishment of Livestock Intervention Programme (LIP), involving establishing eight large herders’settlement in each of the six-pilot states: Adamawa, Kwara, Niger, Bauchi, Kaduna and Gombe. It was again to no avail.Why the recidivist failure?The invading Fulani herdsmen held and still hold the wrong belief that Nigeria is still a terra nullius, a land without title, a land under the control of the Federal Government and not under the Governor of each constituent part of Nigeria.

Consequently, they carry sophisticated weapons, including AK-47 and reportedly in some cases, AK-49 to enforce themselves with apparent impunity. Allowing their cattle to destroy farmlands, while maiming and violating the farmers’women indecently without PMB coming out vehemently against it is a major dynamic of public belief in the alleged complicity of PMB. People interpreted this as direct

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Another Foreign Minister, Ambassador Oluyemi Adeniji, CON, reconceptualised Professor Gambari’s concentricism and called it beneficial and constructive foreign policy concentricism.

While Foreign Minister Gambari underscored prioritisation of foreign policy areas, Ambassador Adeniji emphasized the objectives to be pursued within each concentric circle. Ambassador Adeniji wants the operational approach to be constructive in design and the outcome of every foreign policy initiative to be beneficial to all Nigerians. For the new Government of Nigeria, this is a major challenge. Indeed, every Embassy of Nigeria has a Mission Charter which should not be confused with how Nigeria should always respond to the foreign policy calculations of its host country. In fact, the determination of the attitudinal disposition of foreign countries towards Nigeria should be a priori be the first responsibility of the New Government. Grosso modo, there is not much to write home about eight years of Nigeria’s foreign policy under PMB. No foreign policy legacy. PMB’s foreign policy has been largely reactive and hardly programmatic. It lacks strategic focus. Although there may be no qualms in recognising the new government because of the existing international recognition of Nigeria’s sovereignty, the making of a new Nigeria cannot be informed by the current archaic and myopic approach to foreign policy which should be thrown into the diplomatic dustbin of history

support for the herdsmen. In terms of foreign policy implication, Nigeria is sending out signals of national insecurity, discordant tunes of incompetence to govern which cannot be helpful to the attraction of new foreign direct investments. Nigeria’s foreign policy cannot but be very myopic in condoning the projection of herdsmen-farmer conflict in whatever form.

Another critical issue is Nigeria’s attitude to the Russo-Ukrainian conflict.The attitude reflected complete disregard for Nigeria’s policy of non-alignment and an unfortunate total disregard to the protection of the national interest: the need to ensure the completion of the Ajaokuta Steel Mill. The international politics of the Ajaokuta Steel Mill, founded in 1979 under the Olusegun Obasanjo military regime, is quite interesting in itself.TheWest never wanted Nigeria to embark on it, advising that the technology of the former Soviet Union was heavy and preferring Nigeria to accept Western technology. Good as this policy might have been, the West made life very difficult and unacceptable that the Obasanjo regime had to decide sovereignly to accept the Soviet offer.

In 2019, PMB and the Russian leader, Putin, struck an understanding to quickly ensure the completion of the project. Russia pledged prompt additional funding. Following that, Russia decided to embark on a special military intervention in Ukraine, which the NATO and EU countries described as an invasion. Nigeria, in a public declaration by her Foreign Minister, told the Russian government to withdraw its troops from Ukraine.This was a very serious diplomatic gaffe. Indeed, Nigeria also voted at the UN to condemn the alleged Russian invasion, this is still pardonable. The ideal thing to do was to have abstained or not even going to participate in the voting session. Now what will happen to the Ajaokuta steel mill remains a matter of speculation.

Nigeria’s response to mistreatment of Nigerians abroad is most shameful. More so is it in the context of xenophobic attacks particularly in South Africa. As noted above, we cannot be talking about African cooperation, African solidarity, African Renaissance, African integration, African unity or United States of Africa, and at the same time be engaging in acts of discrimination and xenophobia. The most recent case is that of Tunisia, a case that quickly prompted Malians, Guineans, Ivoirians, etc in that country to seek the intervention of their embassy to evacuate them back home. Many of them are students on scholarship. Many of them are legally resident in the country. But they prefer to be checked out quickly because the Tunisian government believes that migrant from Black Africa are corrupting their Arab culture and therefore do not want any black migration into Tunisia.

This development has prompted me to suggest in this column the redefinition of Africa to make black Africa quite distinct. In the face of all these, PMB’s foreign policy is nothing to write home about.The best that the Foreign Minister has always done is to say the matter is being appropriately addressed at the diplomatic level. What the content of the‘appropriate address’is all about is unknown. One can imaginethepoliticssurroundingtherejectionoftheQatarigovernment rejecting to play host to PMB but immediately accepting to play host to the Egyptian president? Nigeria’s foreign policy miscalculation partly explains this.

How do we also explain the hullaballoo between the Government of Nigeria and foreign airlines on the issue of the blockage of their 743m US dollars as at January 2023 in Nigeria? In a letter written by the International Air Transport Association (IATA) to the Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika, the Minister was reminded that ‘for over a year, Nigeria has been the country with the highest amount of airline-blocked funds in the world… Moreover, as of January 2023, airlines blocked funds in Nigeria have increased to $743,721,092 from $662m in January 2023 and $549m in December 2022. Since the amount increased from $450m in May 2022, to $464m in July the same year, the trapped funds have been linked to some of the challenges in Nigeria’s aviation sector with far-reaching effects.’This is the current foundation of Nigeria’s foreign policy on the preparative eve of PMB’s departure on May 29, 2023.

And perhaps more importantly, there is the problem of institutional corruption and illegitimacy of the 2023 presidential election. The returning of Senator Ahmed Tinubu as President- elect of Nigeria is at best illegitimate because the generality of the election processes was fraught with reported controversies and fraudulent practices: no voting or no presence of INEC officials in many polling units, and yet, there were election results; election results were reportedly dated February 20, 2023 while the election proper took place on February 25, 2023 in Ekiti State; voting box snatching and destruction of ballot boxes and voting cards, violent thuggery, INEC’s disregard for its own guidelines, as well as for constitutional provisions on election matters; misplacement of election result of one polling unit for another; violent campaign saga, etc.

The foreign policy implication of this is that there were international election monitors who witnessed the electoral thuggery and ballot snatching. They admitted that the election processes were below acceptable international standard, an acknowledgement of which the main opposition leaders has been prompted to reject the election results and to request for outright cancellation of the entire election results. In this regard, how does the president-elect deal with the aftermath of a controversial election result if sworn in?To what extent will the President-elect be respected internationally? And to what extent can he enjoy international legitimacy and recognition? It is against the background of these questions that current international developments for the incoming government should be explained and understood.

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THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER MARCH 26,2023

ENGAGEMENTS

with ChidiAmuta e-mail:chidi.amuta@gmail.com

Casualties of Democracy as Warfare

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he ballot elections are over now. The next stage of Nigeria’s democracy warfare will soon shift to courtrooms at various levels of the judiciary. The morning after, we are in a nation that looks and feels more like the scene of a recent battle. After the bitter fights, now the head count of casualties.

The season of campaigns and elections which ought to have climaxed in a ritual of political self -renewal was converted into a series of pitched battles between political hounds. What just took place was a bewitched national frenzy of fraud and disruptive violence. It left no section of the country out. In every sense, we all are now, as the poet said, ‘all casualties of a war’ of democracy that was unintended and uncalled for. It was a war of everybody against everybody in which a blighted system democratized pain and disappointment instead of the promise of goodness.

Politicians as literal war commanders deployed their foot soldiers and all their lethal arsenal to unleash near anarchy and blood. A war in which every combatant wants to win is bound to produce a landscape of carnage, ruin and lingering bitterness. That is why the mood of the nation after this election is one of sourness and bitterness.

In some places, neighbours and friends have suddenly become unspoken adversaries. People ordinarily bound together by decades of peaceful coexistence have suddenly discovered that they are divided by differences of primordial nativity. Suddenly, tribe and tongue now differs after many decades and vast resources spent in efforts to unify the nation and manage a diversity that should have been our major strength.

In the process, numerous casualties are now on open display. First, individual citizens have died. Many have been wounded or maimed for life and are now languishing in hospitals. Some persons are missing, unaccounted for by both family or police. All these trauma and tragedy for no other reason other than that they went out to vote their conscience or participate in an electoral process as a civic obligation.

The electoral process as the ultimate test of the integrity of a democracy has been trivialized and shredded.

Ballot boxes were snatched by force and carted to unknown destinations.

Election materials were snatched and vandalized and in some cases set ablaze in full view of those who came out to vote. In some places, hoodlums invaded the polling units with prepared result sheets to replace the authentic ones.

As we speak, no one is certain as to what version of the election results INEC uploaded onto its tainted IREV platform.

There is no certainty as to what version of the controversial results INEC used to declare key outcomes especially at the presidential level. An estimated close to 10% of the results of the presidential election that took place since 25th of February have not yet been uploaded onto the INEC platform! Attention has since shifted to an equally contentious gubernatorial election. As an indication of public disdain and disappointment, the voter turnout in the governorship election was abysmally low.

It is curious and even tragic that politicians deployed hate and ethnic bigotry to undermine the sense of unity and community in the nation. Politicians and political interests deliberately deployed divisive hate speech and the resurrection of primitive tribalism of the most shameful variety to advanced their goals. In Lagos, a primitive type of ethnic stereotyping and profiling pitched the Igbos against the Yorubas in a city that has been the melting pot of Nigerian cultures and ethnic groups for

Buhari

decades. All manner of decadent myths of ethnic origins have been popularized by otherwise educated and supposedly enlightened citizens just to win one governorship election kin a state that has been producing elected state governors since 1979.

An atmosphere of lingering bitterness and increasing bigotry in all directions has been created and is festering in the social media and private conversations.

Lagos was literally at the brink of a xenophobic meltdown because of the March 18th governorship election. But the politicians who planted and weaponized the virus have since withdrawn to celebrate their victory or protest their defeat, leaving a bitterly divided citizenry to wallow in lingering hate.

In the desperation to manipulate the elections, INEC’s recourse to technology as a source of solutions that defy our human frailties has also fallen casualty of this recent war. A political class has allegedly collaborated with some deviant election officials to sabotage the BVAS system. A new system that worked flawlessly in recent governorship elections in Edo, Anambra, Osun and Ekiti was deliberately allowed to fail in the presidential election of 25th February. In the absence of a functioning BVAS regime, the system in some places reverted to the discredited manual compilation of results or the uploading of badly altered result sheets to the INEC platform. The result was a collapse of the credibility of both the electoral process and INEC itself.

In the clear and present danger of a breakdown of law and order following the widespread endangerment of the safety of innocent citizens, the apparatus of law enforcement and public security

failed the citizens once again. The police and security apparatus of state was either overwhelmed or became a shamefully partisan and compromised. In Rivers state and a few other places, police vehicles were used to truck away snatched ballot boxes in full view of international observers and a televised public audience. In some cases, persons in doubtful military and police uniforms were deployed to facilitate a widespread election rigging enterprise.

Among the casualties of this undeclared war, the biggest and most consequential is perhaps democracy itself. Nigerian politicians and their facilitators defamed and abused democracy both as a leadership selection mechanism and as a system of values and cultural index. All the basic elements of democracy were either destroyed or called to question. Freedom of choice was rubbished by goons and ethnic war lords who insisted that some voters should vote for particular candidates rather than others.

The plurality of democratic choice in a plural society was reduced to an either or ethnic equation as processing centres sprang up in voting vicinities to filter voters on grounds of ethnicity and partisanship criteria. Now the abiding question is whether Nigeria is indeed ready to be counted among democratic countries.

The flagrant abuse of process and system was so widespread that many international observers who had come to observe the

presidential elections left in disappointment and anger. Those who have insisted on reducing the incidents of bad behavior in the elections to a statistical minority do not get the point about the essence of democracy. A system is either a democracy or it is a primitive autocracy with demagogues as contestants. The question as to whether Nigeria would eventually graduate into the league of democratic countries is now open to speculative debate.

The most fundamental requirement and end of democracy is freedom. An atmosphere in which citizens are afraid to go out and discharge a basic obligation such as voting for candidates of their choice is at variance with a democratic order.

The search for explanations for this warlike version of democracy is deeply ingrained in what has emerged as the defining character of the Nigerian state and its political architecture. It must take into consideration Nigeria’s emerging national character and long standing reputation as a crime scene state merely pretending to use the veneer of democracy to earn respectability among nations. Joining the club of democratic nations is different from cultivating a culture of credible democracy.

As this reporter recently opined in this column a few weeks back, “Nigeria’s institutions of nationhood are essentially administered more like criminal cartels than as tools of collective sovereignty in any enlightened sense. At best, Nigeria under Mr. Buhari has degenerated into a sovereign crime scene. A crime scene with flag, anthem and the insignia and paraphernalia of sovereign nationhood is itself a dangerous proposition. It is made even more dangerous when it is a nation state presided over by a revolving conclave of gangster collectives. It exports crude oil but insists on importing refined petroleum products to line the pockets of a handful of oligarchs. It runs on multiple exchange rates so that patronage can feed unfettered on the commonwealth. It arms a security force to supervise the routine stealing of half of its crude oil production. It buys arms and ammunition to fight an insurgency funded and created by known political figures so that a “security industry” of corrupt officers can thrive. Who needs a more elaborate crime scene than this?

In such a crime scene state, it is foolish to judge the actions of any state institution by rational moral parameters.

Politics is ordinarily said to be amoral.

Worse still, the politics of a sovereign crime scene cannot but reflect the essential morality of a jungle ruled by the ethics of gangsters. In such a place, the quest for political preeminence can only be a battle among captains of a pirate ship, a stampede among treasure raiders.

The rules of engagement in that battle can at best only be a code of dishonour drawn up by thieves in a jungle retreat.”

Yet the possibility of collective retrieval is not beyond us. We have survived worse times. At those moments when the world fears that the Nigerian house is about to fall, our Tower of Pisa has endured. Our exceptionalism as a nation resides in the fact that we have become the come back nation. It is precisely that quality of resilience and resurgent renaissance that we now need to remake our democracy and heal our nation. The burden of that resurgence lies most heavily on the shoulders of the youth who trooped out at this election to answer a different call, It is a long route and a treacherous path. But we must begin again now to build a new national order founded on unity and the abiding principles of credible democracy. Here then is the well-defined agenda of the next set of ‘elected’ leaders of our land.

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Atiku to Tinubu

“I shall continue to challenge the legality of that election, alongside my party, the PDP. The decision to challenge the sham election of February 25, the worst election in our democratic history, is not predicated on my personal interest but for the interest of Nigeria and its people” – Presidential candidate of PDP, Atiku Abubakar, describing the outcome of the February 25 election that produced Bola Tinubu as the president-elect as a sham.

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And Four Yoruba vs Igbo: The Battle for Lagos Other Things…

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uring lunch with a Fulani friend some weeks ago, he sounded so relieved that power was shifting to the south with the election of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu as the next president. “It is now the turn of Yoruba people to be profiled and stigmatised. The captions would soon change to ‘Yoruba terrorists’ and ‘Yoruba jihadists’, at least on Twitter,” he said, with a wry smile. He said that in the last eight years, Fulanis have seen hell with the ethnic profiling of northerners “because of President Muhammadu Buhari” and that criminals of northern origin are routinely described as “Fulani herders” even if they are neither Fulani nor herders. “The bigots even called us cows,” he lamented.

It is somewhat depressing that instead of discussing the GDP, we are always having to quench ethnic and religious fire in Nigeria. A war of words has already broken out between Yorubas and Igbos in Lagos over the 2023 elections. To be sure, the tension is always there, just that it is, in the main, latent. At regular intervals, things erupt — predominantly because of politics — but eventually simmer, waiting for the next season. While I am the least surprised at the frequent outbreaks of yelling between the two largest ethnic groups in southern Nigeria, I must now confess I am no longer enjoying the drama. I am genuinely worried about the consequences of these hate-filled exchanges.

The presidential battle in Lagos state is one of those things we should love about democracy. Tinubu, the godfather of Lagos politics and candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), lost at home to Mr Peter Obi, candidate of the Labour Party. It was unheard of. To the neutral, though, an Igbo trouncing a Yoruba in Lagos is music to the ears, with the hope that such against-the-odds results would become commonplace across Nigeria in the spirit of national integration. Of course, it was not just Igbos that voted for Obi — a vast number of Yorubas, young and old, and other non-Igbos also backed him. But the ethnic subtext was not lost in the celebration and remonstration that followed.

Many of my Igbo friends have been complaining since 2019 that there is an active campaign of voter suppression in parts of Lagos state dominated by Igbos. This is very sad and sickening. If we want to practise democracy, we must be democrats. That means allowing people to make their choice without let or hinderance. That is why we say an election is “free” and “fair”. There is “freedom” of choice and there is “fairness” in the process. These two characteristics make an election “transparent” and “credible”.

Voter suppression is not just reprehensible and unacceptable, it is criminal. Perpetrators should be fished out, prosecuted and punished — lest it becomes a norm.

On the other side, Yorubas often accuse Igbos of stoking ethnic fire only to turn around and play the victim. They accuse Igbos of “hubris” and “lack of respect” for their hosts. The accusation that Igbos claim Lagos is “no man’s land” is always in the fray. A Yorubaman, who said his sons voted for Obi, commented thus on Facebook: “As soon as the result was announced, the gloating and the boasting began. You need to see the virulence of it on Twitter. It was no longer about the intended shift or making a point against establishment. It suddenly became an ethnic thing, a victory for the power and influence of Ndigbo in Lagos.” This obviously riled Yorubas, judging by the readers’ comments.

While I am inclined to believe that this resentment subsequently impacted the governorship poll, the truth is that election times have historically soured Yoruba-Igbo relations. There is always the larger rivalry between Igbo and Yoruba at the national level since 1960: every time one group gets a major slot, the other has to settle for less. And politics could be a zero-sum game: my gain is your loss. I can understand this, and I can live with it. But the Lagos leg of the rivalry is becoming too poisonous. Hurtful and hateful words are being said. There is no way bitterness and resentment will not creep in. We are sowing, or have sown, a dangerous seed and the harvest time does not promise to be pretty.

Still, anyone who is familiar with the history of Lagos knows that there is really nothing new about what is happening today. The battle over Lagos is as old as Lagos itself. At various times, the struggle was between the indigenous

Tinubu people and slave returnees, or between Lagos indigenes and Yorubas from other cities. It was in the 1920s and 1930s when Igbos started settling in Lagos and growing in numbers that the battle graduated from intra-ethnic to inter-ethnic contestations. In fact, in the late 1940s, a sustained media exchange between Yoruba and Igbo intellectuals almost ended in a bloodbath, with the protagonists and antagonists stockpiling machetes to take things further.

Basically, Yorubas and Yorubanised Creoles dominated the politics of Lagos until Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe emerged on the scene in 1937 with a massive intellectual reputation, having received a PhD in the US and served as the pioneer editor of a vibrant nationalist newspaper in Ghana. He immediately set up the West African Pilot, which was considered a counterweight to Daily Service, a pro-Yoruba newspaper affiliated to the troubled Nigerian Youth Movement (NYM). While Service was accused of relegating Igbo achievers to the background in its reportage, Pilot was accused of promoting Igbos and downplaying the feats of Yorubas. As you can see, the media is always at the centre of things.

A turning point was the legislative by-election of 1941.

In the primary election, Zik backed Chief Samuel Akisanya, an Ijebu Yoruba and founding member of the Lagos Youth Movement (renamed NYM in 1938). Chief Obafemi Awolowo, though himself Ijebu, supported Ernest Ikoli, an Ijaw and the first Nigerian editor of Daily Times. NYM leaders picked Ikoli. Akisanya later ran as an independent but lost to Ikoli. He left NYM along with Zik, who had earlier accused the party of discriminating against Ijebus and Igbos. Zik co-founded the National Council of Nigeria and the Cameroons (NCNC) with Mr Herbert Macaulay in 1944. When Macaulay died at 81 in 1946, Zik became the NCNC leader.

Awo had left for the UK in 1944 to study law. By the time he returned, the NCNC had become the dominant party in Lagos as well as in the Yoruba-dominated Western Region, even though Zik was biologically from the Eastern Region. Zik also led the Ibo Federal Union (forerunners of Ohanaeze Ndi’gbo), founded in 1944 by the Lagos Ibo Union. And as apparent counterforce, Awo, though schooling in the UK, co-founded the Egbe Omo Oduduwa with other Yoruba leaders in 1945. He returned after his studies. There was no let-up in the Yoruba-Igbo rivalry, but it was healthy and always about who had more education and accomplishments — “my Mercedes is bigger than yours”.

Awo and Zik never really saw face to face. Their paths crossed again in the 1951 Western House of Assembly election. Zik aspired to be premier but some of NCNC’s Yoruba allies dramatically cross-carpeted and teamed up with Awo’s Action Group (AG), an offshoot of Egbe Omo Oduduwa. With NCNC short on numbers, Awo became

the premier. Many refer to this event as the beginning of ethnic politics in Nigeria, although there is evidence that politics was played mostly along ethnic and regional lines before then. Left hanging after the cross-carpeting, Zik relocated to the Igbo-dominated Eastern assembly and, in time, became premier by unseating Prof Eyo Ita, an Ibibio.

Clearly, Yorubas moved against Zik for ethnic reasons.

They said they were too accommodating, asking why an easterner should lead them when a northerner was leading the north and an easterner was premier of the east. Some said Igbos had an agenda of domination. They referred to Zik’s article in the West African Pilot of July 8, 1949 where he wrote that it “would appear that the God of Africa has created the Igbo nation to lead the children of Africa from the bondage of ages…” Chief Charles Onyeama, an Igbo lawyer, had also reportedly said in 1945 that “Igbo domination of Nigeria is only a matter of time”. Even if they meant no harm, Yorubas did not take it lightly.

The Civil War of 1967 to 1970 only worsened YorubaIgbo relations. Igbos accused Awo, who was then federal commissioner of finance, of promoting hunger as a weapon of warfare that led to the death of millions of Biafrans, including children. They also said the post-war indigenisation programme was designed to marginalise Igbos as they were still recovering from the war and could not participate in the economically significant policy. This sense of historical injustice — attributed to Awo and, by extension, Yorubas — surfaces from time to time. Essentially, therefore, the rivalry of today is a continuation of what started in the colonial era and has survived for nearly 100 years.

My first experience of the Yoruba-Igbo “love” story in the modern era was in 1987 when Awo died. While Dim Chukwuemeka Ojukwu, who led the Biafra secession, eulogised him as “the best president Nigeria never had”, Prof Chinua Achebe, literary legend and an ambassador of Biafra during the war, said Awo was just a “tribalist” and never a “nationalist”. Media hostilities broke out immediately.

In 2012, Achebe also released his last book, ‘There Was a Country’, and the wounds from previous Yoruba-Igbo battles were reopened. There is also the argument over who deserved the Nobel prize for Literature more between him and Prof Wole Soyinka, who got it in 1986.

The Lagos leg of the Yoruba-Igbo political hostilities appeared to have been re-awakened in 2003 when the late Mr Funso Williams, who had an Igbo daughter-in-law, ran for governorship on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). He got overwhelming support from the Igbo-dominated areas, and PDP went on winning these areas from then till 2019. The areas only shifted to LP in 2023. After Tinubu lost to Obi last month, Mr Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour, the LP governorship candidate, whose mother and wife are both Igbos, continued to play up his Igbo name, Chinedu, and the proxy war resumed aggressively. He previously used the name while running for senate in 2019.

This is quite an irony. I would say over the decades, Yoruba-Igbo relations have improved tremendously on many fronts. Be it in inter-ethnic marriages, or the creative industry as represented by Afrobeats and Nollywood, they appeared to have worked out how to get along without tears. Even on the economic front, Yorubas and Igbos own companies together. Igbos control large markets and businesses in Lagos and Yorubas patronise them. Igbos are big-time property owners. These are the things I love to showcase and celebrate about my country. Sadly, politics must divide us, as if we do not have enough trouble in our hands already. We are now playing with fire on another level.

The saving grace is that so far, there are no dead bodies. Praise the Lord. But we must not take anything for granted. A little spark can eradicate a forest, especially in this social media age where hate is amplified by the lunatic fringe. If we don’t end the madness, the madness may end us. This is not the time to point fingers — this is the time to de-escalate the tension. Blame-sharing will not solve any problem. This is the time for statesmen, leaders and intellectuals to help bring the antagonists back to their senses. The combatants must take a deep breath and let reason and peace prevail. If we go on like this and things degenerate to bloodshed, there will be no winners in the end.

FURTHER READING In my main article on the battle for Lagos, I delved into some historical accounts of the Yoruba-Igbo rivalry. Space constraint meant I had to be very brief and that may not do justice to the ramifications of the various developments. For a deeper and richer historical excursion, however, I would recommend a 2004 scholarly article, ‘The City, Hegemony and Ethno-Spatial Politics: The Press and the Struggle for Lagos in Colonial Nigeria, Nationalism and Ethnic Politics’, written

by Prof Wale Adebanwi, currently Presidential Penn Compact Professor of Africana Studies at the University of Pennsylvania. I would also recommend ‘Nigerian Political Parties’ written

by Richard L. Sklar. Essential.

WAY FORWARD Mr Peter Obi and Alhaji Atiku Abubakar have both filed petitions before the presidential election tribunal to challenge the outcome of the February 25 poll. They both previously rejected the results. Both are claiming to have won the election and both are asking that they be declared president-elect. This is the beauty of democracy: due process. I am happy that they employed legitimate means to stake their claims. Post-election litigation is part of the process. Post-election violence is not. No matter how painful the outcome of an election is, there is always room for redress. Many elections have been upturned by the courts.

We should continue to trust the process.

Democracy.

DATTI TRICK Dr Datti Baba-Ahmed, the vice-presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), has gone on TV to plead with the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN) not to swear in Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu on May 29 “because he did not meet the constitutional requirements”. I waited in vain to hear him name who should be sworn in instead.

Or is he suggesting President Muhammadu Buhari should carry on? For whatever it’s worth, his party is at the presidential election tribunal and the normal thing is to wait for the court to do its job. Otherwise, why go to the tribunal? I am worried because the LP support base may not understand the process and this strange plea can further mislead them. Mischief.

IN TUNE Mr Tony Onyemaechi Elumelu, chairman of Heirs Holdings Ltd, Transcorp Plc and founder of the Tony Elumelu Foundation (TEF), marked his 60th birthday on Wednesday with a symposium featuring 60 entrepreneurs who have benefited from his philanthropy.

According to an in-house report, about 1.5 million Africans have been trained or funded

by TEF since 2015 and their businesses have reported combined turnovers of about $2.3 billion during the same period. One thing I have come to admire about Elumelu is his passion for building leaders. You can live for 1000 years if you like, but it is the value that you have added that we will remember in the end. He has added real value. Blessings!

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