SUNDAY 17TH APRIL 2022

Nigeria to Benefit as IMF Approves $45bn for Low, Middle-income Countries World Bank increases mineral survey aircraft in South-west Festus Akanbi The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has approved a $45billion trust fund to help low and vulnerable middle-income

countries, including Nigeria to build resilience and sustainability.

This is coming as the Mineral Sector Support for Economic Diversification (MinDiver) of the World Bank has increased

the number of aircraft conducting Airborne Geophysical Survey in the South-west from two to four to boost mining activities.

The survey would be conducted in 19 states, including

FCT across 121 local government areas.

Nigeria is among lowermiddle-income countries with a gross national income (GNI) per capita of $2,157 in 2019, according

to the World Bank collection of development indicators.

According to the IMF, the fund will come into effect from May 1, 2022.

The fund is part of IMF’s $650

billion special drawing rights (SDRs) issued in August 2021 to vulnerable countries to boost liquidity through Resilience and Continued on page 73

At Easter, Govs, PDP Urge Nigerians to Pray against Insecurity… Page 72 Sunday 17 April, 2022 Vol 27. No 9867

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PDP NEC Takes Final Decision on Zoning of Presidential Ticket Thursday NWC meets Tuesday, extends sale of nomination forms Purchase, submission of forms now to end April 19, 20 Chuks Okocha in Abuja Barring any unforeseen circumstances, the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the Peoples Democratic Party

(PDP) will meet on Thursday to take a final decision on the zoning of the presidential ticket of the main opposition party, THISDAY has learnt.

THISDAY gathered that the

National Working Committee (NWC) would also meet on Tuesday.

PDP has also adjusted its Timetable and Schedule of Activities to extend the closing

dates for the purchase and submission of Expression of Interest and Nomination Forms for the 2023 general election.

The 37-man committee

headed by the Governor of Benue State, Dr Samuel Ortom, had last week submitted its report to the Senator Iyorchia Ayu-led NWC of the party.

The Deputy Chairman of

the committee, Hon. Ndudi Elumelu submitted the committee’s report on behalf of Ortom.

Continued on page 72

Tinubu: A Banditry-free, United Nigeria is Possible Says Nigerians tired of excuses, lamentations We're not overwhelmed

by Plateau killings, Lalong reassures

Blames crises on porous interstate borders Terrorists have formed parallel govt, MBF laments

Segun James in Lagos and Seriki Adinoyi in Jos As the country battles multiple security challenges, a frontline presidential aspirant on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and National Leader of the party, Senator Bola Tinubu, has promised that he will deliver a united and banditry-free Nigeria if elected president.

This is as the Plateau State

Governor, Hon. Simon Lalong has stated that his government was not overwhelmed by the recent mass killings in Kanam Local Government Area of the state in which over 100 lives were lost to attacks by the terrorists.

But the President of the Middle Belt Forum (MBF), Dr Bitrus Pogu, has stated that terrorists have formed a Continued on page 5

Despite Buhari's Directive, APC Yet to Refund 75 HEARTY CHEERS… L-R: Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo (SAN); Celebrant, Dr. Yemi Ogunbiyi; and former Secretary General of Commonwealth, Chief Emeka Anyaoku, during the public presentation of the book, ‘The Road Never Forgets’ and 75th birthday of Ogunbiyi in Lagos…recently.

National Chairmanship Aspirants...

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APRIL 17, 2022 • T H I S DAY, T H E S U N DAY N E W S PA P E R

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GRAND ENDORSEMENT… L-R: Governor of Lagos State, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu; Youth Leader, All Progressives Congress, Lagos State, Mr. Seriki Muritala; National Leader, APC, Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu; Lagos State Deputy Governor, Dr. Obafemi Hamzat; and Chairman, Bariga LCDA, Hon. Kolade Alabi, during a rally by the Progressive Youth of South-west for Tinubu at the Mobolaji Johnson Arena, Onikan, Lagos…yesterday

Osinbajo Declined Obasanjo’s Offer to Become AGF in 2005, Says Ogunsakin Ugo Aliogo A veteran journalist, Mr. Mustapha Ogunsakin, has revealed how Vice President Yemi Osinbajo turned down President Olusegun Obasanjo’s offer to become the AttorneyGeneral of the Federation and Minister of Justice in 2005.

Ogunsakin’s revelation, made available to newsmen at the weekend in Abuja, came as mixed reactions continued to trail Osinbajo’s declaration to run for the post of president in 2023.

There have been personal attacks on the vice president by some political opponents trying to brand him a betrayer because of his presidential ambition.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) quoted Ogunsakin as saying in the statement that: “In 2005, President Obasanjo invited Osinbajo to take appointment as the AttorneyGeneral of the Federation after Chief Akin Olujimi left office.

“Obasanjo saw the sterling qualities and performance that Osinbajo had as Attorney General of Lagos.

“The president without informing Bola Tinubu, the then Lagos State Governor, offered the post to Osinbajo who was then Lagos State Attorney-General.

“The first thing Osinbajo did was to inform his principal, Tinubu, who gave him a free hand to take his decision,” Ogunsakin said.

He said that Osinbajo made a request to Obasanjo to release Lagos State Council funds.

“Obasanjo replied that Osinbajo should first take the appointment and then advise him as Attorney-General of the Federation on the matter.

“Osinbajo went underground and for weeks Obasanjo could no longer reach him.

“It was obvious to the then president that Osinbajo deliberately avoided him; he went on to appoint Chief Bayo Ojo as his Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice.

“Osinbajo rejected the position of Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister

of Justice and stayed with Tinubu; nobody complained then,” he said.

Ogunsakin said Osinbajo not only stood with Tinubu, but stayed loyal to Lagos State, adding that” he did not betray Tinubu then.’’

He cautioned those calling Osinbajo a betrayer.

“But now when it is convenient for them, some political and religious bigots are shouting betrayal!

“Everyone knows that if you want to hear the story of how your father met your mother, join politics,” he said.

He urged anyone criticising Osinbajo over his presidential

ambition to do so based on valid facts and ” not lazy, religious and political lies that reveal your foolishness and hatred for a man who is doing his best to make his country and people better.”

Osinbajo will contest the All Progressives Congress (APC)'s presidential ticket

with seven other contestants including Tinubu, Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi; and Governor Yahaya Bello.

Other aspirants are former governors of Abia and Imo states, Senator Orji Uzor Kalu and Rochas Okorocha, and Sani Yerima.

Olu of Warri Didn’t Endorse Tinubu's Ambition, Palace Clarifies Sylvester Idowu in Warri The Olu of Warri, Ogiame Atuwatse III, has clarified that he never endorsed the ambition of the presidential aspirant of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator Bola Tinubu ahead of the 2023 elections.

The clarification was in response to reports claiming that the Warri monarch endorsed Tinubu when a delegation of the South

West Agenda for Asiwaju (SWAGA) and Delta State for Bola Ahmed Tinubu visited him at his palace last Thursday.

According to a statement signed by the Director of Palace Administration, Chief Clement Maleghemi, the Olu of Warri stated that he has no political affiliation or preferred candidate for any office in the forthcoming 2023 elections.

The statement titled:

‘Rebuttal,’ noted that the attention of the palace of His Majesty, Ogiame Atuwatse III, the Olu of Warri had been drawn to the false publication and “the palace wishes to firmly rebut the statement claiming Ogiame's endorsement of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu and restates that Ogiame has no political affiliation or preferred candidate for any office in the forthcoming 2023 elections be it regional,

sub-regional or national level".

The statement noted that the royal majesty is father to all aspirants and has no personal favourite or special interest in any candidate or political party vying for office in the next elections.

"His Majesty is a father to all and has no personal favourite or special interest in any candidate or political party vying for any office in the forthcoming elections

one way or the other or discredit any candidate to the detriment or advantage of others.

“Therefore, the palace is using this medium to make this important clarification for the avoidance of doubt and further requests that in the future any queries or clarifications on communications should be directed to the Palace media office," the statement added.

that youths would continue to be identified as critical stakeholders, just as he enjoined all delegates to the APC primary to exercise their franchise wisely.

The South-west youth leaders at the event took their turns to speak on why they are promoting Tinubu to become the next president of Nigeria, come 2023.

Speaking, Dr Muritala Seriki, Dayo Israel, Muhammed Sulaiman, among others applauded the achievements of Tinubu in infrastructure, education, and raising the Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) of Lagos, while he was governor of the state, saying some of them were his products having brought them to the level they had attained presently.

This was just as they described the APC national leader as a

detribalised Nigeria.

TINUBU: A BANDITRY-FREE, UNITED NIGERIA IS POSSIBLE parallel government in Nigeria, describing the country’s security situation as that of a failed state.

Speaking yesterday at a grand rally by the youths under the aegis of Progressive Youth of South-West who declared their support for his presidential aspiration at the Mobolaji Johnson Arena, Onikan in Lagos, the former Lagos State governor stated that Nigerians are tired of excuses and lamentations of the past.

The youths from different states in the South-west, converged on Lagos in large numbers to drum up support for the aspiration of the national leader of the party.

Tinubu urged them to team up with him in his bid to change the story of Nigeria for the youths of today and tomorrow, which they represent.

He said: “All you need is courage, determination and perseverance, if the YouTube alone has 2.9 billion people following it, including you all standing here, then Nigeria can excel, we can do it, you must develop the can-do-attitude, you must believe that this country is yours and you want to change the story. You must change the story of potential, the story of banditry, you must change the story of tribalism.

“We as a nation can conveniently feed ourselves by being creative, visionary and committed, anybody who says we cannot, they can get out because it is voluntary. We cannot continue the lamentation of the past. We cannot continue with excuses of power failure, no nation made rapid development without electricity. Give us light

and if we cannot be successful then you can abuse us, you cannot give us erratic light that is undependable and then blame us again that we are lazy.

“Nigeria, it is about time we have enough gas to fire up electricity and supply the rest of Europe and make money, long term from it. You know it.

We don’t want to bore you with it, when I started we used to pick dead bodies on the streets, but today Lagos is one of the cleanest, most progressive states in the country.’’

He urged the youths to revalidate their Permanent Voter's Cards and be ready to vote in the forthcoming 2023 general election.

In his keynote address, Lagos State Governor, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu, who appreciated the grand support for Tinubu, noted

We are Not Overwhelmed by Plateau Killings, Lalong Reassures Meanwhile, Plateau State Governor, Lalong has stated that his government was not overwhelmed by the recent mass killings in the Kanam Local Government Area of the state in which over 100 lives were lost to attacks by the terrorists.

Lalong lamented that a planned military raid of the locations of the terrorists at the state borders may have been leaked to the terrorists who attacked the state a day earlier than the planned military Continued on page 6

APRIL 17, 2022 • T H I S DAY, T H E S U N DAY N E W S PA P E R

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NEWS

COURTESY VISIT… L-R: President/Chairman of Council, Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (CIBN), Dr. Bayo Olugbemi; Emir of Kano, Alhaji Aminu Ado Bayero; Second Vice President, CIBN, Prof. Deji Olanrewaju; and Registrar/Chief Executive, CIBN, Dr. Seye Awojobi, during CIBN courtesy visit to Emir of Kano at his palace in Kano… yesterday

FG, ASUU’s Renegotiation Talks Hit Brick Wall Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja As the strike embarked upon by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) entered its 61st day yesterday, the federal government's move to renegotiate a deal reached with the university lecturers has witnessed a setback.

This followed the insistence

by ASUU that the government should first pay the accrued N200 billion revitalisation fund for revamping the dilapidated infrastructure in the various institutions before it calls off the strike or engage in further negotiations.

The federal government had disclosed that it had set up a renegotiation committee to dialogue further with the lecturers to amend the earliest proposals in line with current economic realities.

Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige, who stated the government's position at a recent function in Abuja, said the renegotiation of conditions of service of the university lecturers, must be guided by the International Labour Organisation (ILO) principle of ability to pay.

Ngige said the former renegotiation committee headed by Prof. Jubril Munzali proposed a 200 per cent rise in the emoluments of university workers, which the federal government cannot pay.

Speaking to THISDAY on the telephone yesterday, the President of ASUU, Prof.

Emmanuel Osodeke, argued that the May 2021 agreement is still sacrosanct and should be implemented for sanity to return to the tertiary institutions.

When asked whether anything has been done to address their demands, Osodeke said: "No progress yet. It is still the same thing."

Reacting to the statement by the federal government that it had set up a renegotiating team led by Prof. Nimi Briggs to meet with ASUU on its demands,

Osodeke said: "We have finished negotiations and we are expecting them to either sign it and implement or reject it but they have not done anything.”

When THISDAY drew his attention to the statement made by Ngige that the federal government could not sign the proposal because it has no money to implement, Osodeke said: “If they don't have the money, they will find. We will not renegotiate it. Why will they say that they don't have the money when they can have N4 trillion to fund fuel subsidies and you don't have N200 billion for your universities. Does it make any sense?

"If they can raise N4 trillion to give to some people in the name of so-called fuel subsidy and then you cannot raise N200 billion to stop the strike and get our children back to school, does it make sense to anybody? So it is just setting the priorities right.

Why not take N200 billion out of the N4 trillion fuel subsidy money and end this strike?” he queried.

Osodeke however said that the most critical issue is the payment of the revitalisation fund and the salary of the lecturers.

"As we speak now, a professor in the country goes home monthly with only $600 while a senator goes home monthly with almost N18 million. How do you justify that? How will the $600 feed the professor and still be able to take care of his research work?” he asked.

Speaking on the negotiations for improved salary for university staff, the ASUU president said that the government was yet to come up with any proposal on that.

According to him, ASUU met last week with the federal government's renegotiation team but the government failed to come up with any proposal.

"So, we are still waiting for them to bring their proposal of the conditions of salaries of lecturers," he added.

When also asked if ASUU's position on salary increase, Osodeke insisted that the union concluded negotiations and a figure already agreed on with the government in May 2021.

“So, we are not looking for any other one, we already have that one but they did not agree,

they should come up with the one they have. Will it take one year to do that?"

While tracing the origin of the dispute on revitalisation fund, Osodeke said it was a panel set up by the government that recommended that it should invest N1.3 trillion in

Nigerian universities to revamp it to the expected standards.

He said that based on the recommendations, the Jonathanled administration had released N200 billion.

"Since that time, this government has only released N70 billion, when they were to

release N200 billion every year.

This is why our universities are lagging behind today and we don't have any foreign students or lecturers as before because the standard of our laboratories and equipment are not enough to attract anybody from other parts of the world," he said.

TINUBU: A BANDITRY-FREE, UNITED NIGERIA IS POSSIBLE operations.

The Plateau State governor, who was featured on ARISE NEWS Channel on Friday night, blamed the persistent attacks in the state on porous interstate borders, pointing out that the state government was not overwhelmed by the state of insecurity in the state.

“I will not say I am overwhelmed because I have been working with the security agents. But for this reason (Kanam attacks), we may say we are overwhelmed, but not overwhelmed.”

He said one of the challenges facing the state was the long stretch of borders it has with Kaduna, Taraba, and Bauchi, saying “you may work out measures to protect your border, but some people will enter from other states, especially if the states are not doing same.”

He said that was the reason the Northern Governors Forum (NGF) was working out a synergy “so that as one state protects its borders, others do same, if not, just when you think you have done well, you will see an influx of bandits from other states.”

He added that with the heavy military bombardments in the North-west, the terrorists are now looking for hideouts, and migrating towards states in the North-central, and vowed that Plateau will not harbour them.

He said he was not only worried about Plateau State, adding that as Chairman of NGF, but he was also worried about a region devastated by the terrorists.

He added that there must be some informants that leaked

the planned military operations to terrorists.

“We had started having meetings on synergy to prepare to secure our borders against the terrorists, but it was like someone leaked the information.

This is because the military was planning a raid on the border areas, but before we carried out the raid, they were very fast and had attacked a day earlier.

“But some of these terrorists move like thieves - thieves won’t inform you before they come. They come when they know you’re not awake,” Lalong lamented, adding that “when our attention was on other places, they sneaked into where we had relative peace, caused havoc and ran away.”

The governor also insinuated that the terrorists may have used mining activities in the area as a cover for their sinister motives.

“There are massive mineral deposits in the area; they may have pretended that they are there for mining activities and wreak havoc on the people.

“Incidentally, that’s where we also planned our pilot scheme on ranching; all these may have been the attraction.”

He said that at a recent meeting, he reminded the Council of State that the governors had enumerated certain challenges in addressing some of the security issues in some states that were identified as frontline states in the North.

“Mr President had directed sometimes ago that we have a meeting with the security chiefs, which we did. But shortly after that, the then Chief of Army Staff died in an accident. After

his death, it took a while to come back to the issues. So, at the Council of State, I had to ask what had happened to the measures that were being put in place,” Lalong explained.

He said that as a followed-up to the issues he raised at the Council of State, President Muhammadu Buhari had called for a Security Council meeting. “This is particularly because it’s now farming season, and farmers need to feel secure to go back to their farms,” he added.

The governor who was in Kanam five days after the attacks, said: “I drove there immediately” to commiserate with the people, and to show them that the state cared much for them.

Priding himself as one that has brought a measure of peace to the state in the last two decades, Lalong said he has done much in this regard. He said that on the assumption of office, he had set up an inter-religion council, established Plateau Peace Agency, mediated between Fulani and Berom, and now mediating between the Fulani and Irigwe, all of which he said had paid off by the measure of peace that was witnessed in the state before the recent attacks.

He added that it’s no longer the issue of farmers and herders crisis, but terrorist attacks.

He said that the white papers from the various commissions set up to address crises in the state revealed that injustice and unfairness were a major cause of the crisis, which he said has largely been addressed, and has nothing to do with the current attacks by terrorists.

In another development, the President of MBF, Dr Bitrus Pogu stated that terrorists have formed parallel government in the country and described Nigeria’s security situation as that of a failed state.

“We have a parallel government out there that seems to do what it feels like, while the constituted government seems to be incapacitated. So terrorists continue to do what they want to do and get away with it.”

Speaking with THISDAY yesterday, Pogu said: “Confidently I can tell you that these people are not more powerful than our military, but political forces are stopping our military from doing what are supposed to do.

“This has gone beyond the acceptable level. The unfortunate thing is that this government, because of its attitude, has pushed people into hating Fulani, because everybody now thinks Fulani are a nuisance; a people that will come and kill others in their sleep for whatever reason. But we can say that it is for displacement and taking over of ancestral lands and to change democracy.

“So, this thing has to stop, because if, and when it gets to a level, the innocent Fulani who may not be part of these whole attacks will pay for it. How many Fulani are there across this country; if their attack is triggered from somewhere, it will spread like wildfire and they will be wiped out. So, this government has to change its attitude and deal with these criminals, otherwise, we are heading in that direction.”

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THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER APRIL 17, 2022

BUSINESS

First Bank Headquarters, Marina Lagos

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

A branch of GTBank, Lagos

As Spike in Diesel Price Pushes Banks to the Wall 4XLWH D QXPEHU RI 1LJHULDQ EDQNV D IHZ \HDUV DJR JUHZ WKHLU SURÀWDELOLW\ IURP LPSURYHG DFWLYLWLHV LQ WKH GRZQVWUHDP VHFWRU RI WKH 1LJHULDQ RLO LQGXVWU\ ZKLFK EHQHÀWWHG WUHPHQGRXVO\ IURP D UHJLPH RI FRQVLVWHQW ULVH in crude oil prices. Ironically, the banks are groaning as a result of the spike in the current price of diesel and the attendant soaring cost of operations, forcing them to stagger their operations, reports Festus Akanbi

I

n the heat of the soaring oil price in 2018, there were some media reports which drew attention to the nexus between the oil and banking industries in Nigeria.

It was a period when crude oil price moved from an average of $53.25per barrel in the preceding year to a new threshold of $71.34 per barrel.

Therefore, for a nation that depends largely on revenue from oil, it is understandable why most Nigerian banks see the oil industry as a formidable cash cow, which to a great extent, GHWHUPLQHG WKH OHYHO RI SURÀWDELOLW\ RI PRVW 1LJHULDQ ÀQDQFLDO LQVWLWXWLRQV The aforementioned scenario, therefore, prepared the ground for a 2018 report by the Financial Times that claimed that most of Nigeria’s commercial banks have their fortunes tied WR ÁXFWXDWLRQV LQ JOREDO RLO SULFHV FRQVLGHULQJ that about a third of all credits they extend to the economy is directed to operations in the country’s oil and gas industry.

The report, titled ‘Investing in Nigeria,’ chronicled developments in Nigeria’s economy and politics ahead of the then 2019 general elections.

According to the report, about half of the loans of commercial banks in Nigeria were given for upstream, midstream, and downstream oil and gas operations and the supply chain, adding that rising levels of Non-Performing Loans (NPLs) of the banks were traced to the oil sector.

Describing the nexus between Nigerian banks and the vicissitude of oil prices, the report said that the rally in the price of oil over the past year, “is IDU IURP D XQLYHUVDO EHQHÀW WR 1LJHULD·V HFRQRP\ which is dependent on crude oil revenue but cannot meet domestic fuel demands from its supply,” it has been good for the banks.

Staggering Banking Operations 7RGD\ LW LV WKH VDPH SULFH ÁXFWXDWLRQ LQ WKH RLO LQGXVWU\ HVSHFLDOO\ GLHVHO WKDW LV DͿHFWLQJ the fortune and operation of Nigerian banks as two of the front runners in the sector have announced their decision to cut down their working hours to save cost.

Last week, First Bank of Nigeria announced the reduction of its operating hours at most of

its branches nationwide. ,Q D VWDWHPHQW PDGH DYDLODEOH RQ LWV R΀FLDO website on Sunday, the bank announced that WKH QHZ GHYHORSPHQW ZLOO WDNH HͿHFW IURP Monday, April 11.

“We have revised our banking hours across all our locations. The revised opening and closing KRXUV ZLOO EH HͿHFWLYH IURP 0RQGD\ $SULO 2022,” the bank said.

The bank further disclosed that while some of its branches will maintain the status quo, other branches will function between the hours of 8:00 am to 3:00 p.m., 8:00 am to 2:00 p.m., 8:00 am to 1:00 p.m. and 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m accordingly.

It was gathered that the bank decided to cushLRQ WKH HͿHFW RI WKH LQFUHDVLQJ FRVW RI GLHVHO ZLWK which it powers many of its branches.

The development also comes in the wake of the incessant national grid collapse that has overtime left the country in darkness forcing organisations to heavily rely on diesel for their operations.

Last week, the pump price of diesel hit a record high of N750 per litre, with the new price showing D VLJQLÀFDQW LQFUHDVH IURP WKH 1 SHU OLWUH sold in January 2021.

Earlier, another front runner in the Nigerian banking industry, Guaranty Trust Bank informed its customers of its decision to reduce its operation closing hour from 5:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. over incessant increase in diesel pump prices.

“We’ll like to inform you that our branches will now be opened from 8:00 am to 4:00 p.m., 0RQGD\ WR )ULGD\ HͿHFWLYH 0RQGD\ 0DUFK µ WKH EDQN VWDWHG LQ WKH Á\HU DQQRXQFHPHQW The bank advised customers to consider its digital banking options for any transactions beyond its new operating hours. The bank had in 2013 extended its banking hours to 5:00 pm, from the regular 4:00 p.m. closing hour observed by most banks.

Industry watchers said other banks may join the trend as the cost of diesel continues to soar. $FFRUGLQJ WR D VRXUFH VWDͿ ZRUNLQJ LQ D EUDQFK of an unnamed Tier 1 bank had noted that they KDG EHHQ WROG WR VZLWFK RͿ WKH JHQHUDWRUV E\ 4 pm prompt and that they were not allowed to remain in the banking hall past 4 pm unless

there is power supply by the electricity company.

The Surge in Diesel Price The surge in the price of diesel, which has been deregulated, followed the rally in global oil SULFHV EXR\HG E\ WKH 5XVVLD 8NUDLQH FRQÁLFW For instance, Brent, the global oil benchmark, jumped to a 13-year high of $139 per barrel on Monday.

“The marketers are selling at a price that covers their cost price, import cost and exchange rate price,” said the national operations controller of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria, Mr Mike Osatuyi.

Like Banks, Like Manufacturing Firms In Nigeria today, most small businesses, manufacturers or retailers are now facing intense pressure from rising energy costs as they have to spend more on diesel to power their generators.

Experts have expressed fear that the spike in diesel price might force more businesses to sack employees amid rising energy costs.

The immediate past director-general of the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the CEO of the Centre for the Promotion of Private Enterprise, Muda Yusuf, said the high and increasing cost of diesel was FRPSRXQGLQJ DQ DOUHDG\ GL΀FXOW VLWXDWLRQ for many investors. ´7KH WUXWK LV WKDW LW LV JRLQJ WR EH YHU\ GL΀FXOW for industries to cope because they have very limited choices. A lot of people are falling back on diesel because of unreliable public power supply. Now that they are talking of the collapse of the grid, the Gencos are complaining of accumulated debts, and the gas suppliers are failing, so the option of relying on the public power supply is not there and the available option is to go back to diesel or gas.

“Now diesel is expensive and the price of gas has gone up and lacks the necessary infrastructure. This is because we have not managed our energy sector properly; otherwise, the shock on our system will not be this much.

Director-General, Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN), Segun Ajayi-Kadir, said the rising price ofAGO had become very worrisome

following its negative impact on businesses, especially the manufacturing sector of the economy.

He noted that the hike was due to the increase in the price of crude oil on the international market, which had gone above $110 per barrel following the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine.

Running the Factory with Tears “Unfortunately, manufacturers who largely rely on diesel to run their factories due to the unreliable nature of the grid power supply are contending with a huge cost to sustain their production line.

“The direct implication of this trend, as many Nigerians are already feeling the heat, is the UHÁHFWLYH KLJK FRVW RI JRRGV LQ WKH PDUNHW RZLQJ to the high cost of production,” he said.

He added: “Knowing that diesel has been GHUHJXODWHG UHPRYHV WKH TXHVWLRQ IRU D EXͿHU to the cost. The law of demand and supply is at play here and since we have historically ODFNHG ORFDO UHÀQLQJ FDSDELOLW\ ZH DUH OHIW DW the mercy of the vagaries of international price and its geopolitics of it.

“As long as the price of crude oil continues to go up, the price of AGO will equally skyrocket.

It is now said to be selling at N750 per litre, up from about N300 per litre two months ago.”

High Cost of Manufactured Goods Arguing that its members largely rely on diesel to run their factories due to the unreliable nature of the grid power supply, the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) said explained that this contends with huge costs to sustain their production line.

“The direct implication of this trend is that 1LJHULDQV ZLOO IHHO WKH KHDW DV LW LV UHÁHFWLYH through the high cost of goods in the market owing to the high cost of production.”

MAN revealed its members spend N100 billion annually on alternative energy sources, which make up to 40 per cent of operating costs.

Given the fact that the federal government lacks total control over the current diesel price, one expects the authorities to ensure the immediate restoration of public power supply to ensure that banks and other productive sectors of the economy are not shut down.

THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER APRIL 17, 2022

18

INFOTECH

Globacom: Incentivising Dealers, Breaking New Grounds The commitment of the management of Globacom Limited, a Nigerian multinational telecommunications company, to sustain the cordiality between the company and its dealers is bound to increase the market share of the telecommunications giant, reports Festus Akanbi

O

lenges, Globacom became a game-changer when it launched on per-second billing which WKH ROGHU QHWZRUNV VDLG ZDV QRW SRVVLEOH ,Q GRLQJ WKDW *OREDFRP EHFDPH WKH ÀUVW network in Africa to launch on a per-second ELOOLQJ SODWIRUP 7UXVW WKH 1LJHULDQ PDUNHW LPPHGLDWHO\ WKH FRPSDQ\ EURNH WKH MLQ[ in terms of per-second billing, it became a household name and within nine months, it PDGH KLVWRU\ DV WKH ÀUVW QHWZRUN WR DPDVV D PLOOLRQ VXEVFULEHUV LQ WKDW VSDFH RI WLPH 6WLOO EHQW RQ PDNLQJ LWV VHUYLFHV DͿRUGDEOH and readily available to the Nigerian market, Globacom also made history by crashing the FRVW RI 6,0V IURP 1 DQG 1 D PLQXWH UHVSHFWIXOO\ WR DV ORZ DV 1 DQG ÀYH NRERV SHU VHFRQG 7KH FRPSDQ\ KDV WKXV HQVXUHG PDVVLYH WHOHSKRQH SHQHWUDWLRQ LQ 1LJHULD By making telephony accessible to the common man, Glo is said to have accelerated QDWLRQDO GHYHORSPHQW ,QGXVWU\ ZDWFKHUV EHOLHYHG WKDW WKH IDFW WKDW RYHU PLOOLRQ Nigerians in both urban and rural areas today have access to the telephone is attributable to WKH QHWZRUN·V LQWHUYHQWLRQ 7KH ,QWHUQDWLRQDO 7HOHFRPPXQLFDWLRQ 8QLRQ DQ DJHQF\ RI WKH 8QLWHG 1DWLRQV KDG LQ FRPPHQGHG Globacom for playing a critical role in the revolution in the Nigerian telecommunicaWLRQ LQGXVWU\ *OREDFRP LV UHSXWHG DV WKH innovation leader in the industry in Nigeria DQG *KDQD ,W SLRQHHUHG 0XOWLPHGLD 0HVVDJLQJ 6HUYLFH 006 PRELOH EDQNLQJ mobile internet, vehicle tracking, prepaid URDPLQJ LQ IOLJKW URDPLQJ HWF

ver the years, Globacom, a leading telecommunications company in Nigeria, has registered its name as an indigenous brand determined to offer a seamless telecom VHUYLFH WR WKH SHRSOH DW DͿRUGDEOH FRVWV Those familiar with its operations said the bond between the company and its Nigerian VXEVFULEHUV LV PDGH ÀUP E\ WKH SHUFHSWLRQ RI the company as the only indigenous telecoms ÀUP DPRQJ WKH H[LVWLQJ WHOHFRPV RSHUDWRUV LQ 1LJHULD ([SHULHQFH KDV VKRZQ WKDW LQ DQ HFRQRP\ gasping for breath like ours, the popularity of any product and service cannot be guaranteed without the support of marketers, distributors/dealers, and vendors whose duties, among others, are to win more customers IRU WKH EUDQG This category of people has always been the DFWXDO JRGV RI WKH EXVLQHVV 7KLV LV EHFDXVH when a dealer ties up with an organisation, KH VKH GLUHFWO\ LQFUHDVHV WKH SURÀW RI WKH RUJDQLVDWLRQ Therefore, analysts think that showing JUDWLWXGH DQG DͿHFWLRQ WR WKH GHDOHU KDV always been an important aspect of business SURPRWLRQ Globacom Doles out N750million to Dealers 7KLV SHUKDSV H[SODLQHG WKH UHFHQW GHFLsion of the management of foremost digital services company Globacom to celebrate LWV GHDOHUV DW WKH H[TXLVLWH 'HDOHUV $SSUHFLDWLRQ *DOD 'LQQHU ZKHUH WKH FRPSDQ\ DQQRXQFHG RYHU 1 PLOOLRQ ZRUWK of rewards for them in appreciation of their past support, while looking forward to a PRUH PXWXDOO\ EHQHÀFLDO SDUWQHUVKLS LQ WKH IXWXUH The event, which was held at the Eko Hotels and Suites in Lagos, was attended by the company business associates from all over the country as well as management DQG VWDͿ RI *OREDFRP And to show his commitment to maintaining the loyalty of the company’s business partners, the chairman of the telecommunicaWLRQV VHUYLFHV SURYLGHU 'U 0LNH $GHQXJD -U said the company will continue to appreciate its dealers who have worked assiduously to make the network the darling of subscribers DFURVV WKH FRXQWU\ Adenuga, who was represented by the 5HWDLO DQG &RQVXPHU 6DOHV &KLHI 0U .HQ Ogujiofor, announced a special incentives SDFNDJH ZRUWK RYHU 1 P WR EXR\ WKH FRPSDQ\·V GLVWULEXWLRQ FKDQQHO He encouraged its partners to work harder to satisfy the business goals of the mobile QHWZRUN RSHUDWRU :KLOH H[SUHVVLQJ DSSUHFLDWLRQ WR WKH GHDOers for their past collaborations, the chairman disclosed that the event is in continuation of Glo’s tradition of rewarding and upholding H[FHOOHQFH DPRQJ LWV WUHDVXUHG SDUWQHUV 7KH GHDOHUV ZHUH H[FLWHG DW WKH PRXWK ZDWHULQJ SUL]HV ZKLFK FDPH LQ GLͿHUHQW categories ranging from cash prizes in form of credit notes running into millions of naira, WR RWKHU H[SHQVLYH LQFHQWLYHV 0U 9LMX 8QQLWKDQ RI 0DUNHWLQJ 'HSDUWment, Globacom emphasised the company’s commitment to enhancing customer satisfaction adding that the company’s products and services were designed to add value WR *OR VXEVFULEHUV 0U 5HPL 0DNLQGH RI *OREDFRP·V 1HWwork Implementation Group reiterated the company’s Network Quality Enhancement plan and how it has boosted the network

Globacom Chairman, Chief Mike Adenuga

VLJQLÀFDQWO\ The lucky business associates who were delighted at the good gesture showered encomiums on Globacom’s %RDUG PDQDJHPHQW DQG VWDͿ 0DQDJLQJ 'LUHFWRU RI =HSK $VVRFLDWHV 0U 7RFKXNZX 1ZRVX ZKRVH company won three top prizes among the category one dealers said: “Globacom has delighted its trade partners tonight and on behalf of my fellow dealers, we say thank you to *OREDFRPµ 0DQDJLQJ 'LUHFWRU RI <DUDE ,QWHJUDWHG /LPLWHG $OKDML 0RERODML $EGXOUDVDT VDLG ´:H ZLOO FRQWLQXH to work towards the progress of the FRPSDQ\ .XGRV WR *OR µ 7KH &(2 RI $OHQVVDU ,QÀQLW\ &RPmunication Chief Edward Emeano ZDV DOVR QRW OHIW RXW DV KH H[SUHVVHG satisfaction with Globacom’s style of DSSUHFLDWLQJ LWV EXVLQHVV SDUWQHUV 6DLG he, “Globacom has shown its true apSUHFLDWLRQ RI RXU HͿRUWV LQ PDUNHWLQJ the company’s products and services DQG ZH DUH WUXO\ JUDWHIXO µ Landmark Agreement to Ramp up Strategic Expansion Since its commenced operations in Nigeria, Globacom Limited has EHHQ LQWHQVLI\LQJ HͿRUWV WR JLYH LWV VXEVFULEHUV DQG GHDOHUV WKH YHU\ EHVW Last year, the Nigerian telecommunications industry was jolted by media reports announcing the landmark agreement between the company DQG DQ ,VUDHOL QHWZRUN HTXLSPHQW supplier, Ceragon Networks Limited WR H[SDQG LWV QDWLRQZLGH EURDGEDQG FRYHUDJH DFURVV 1LJHULD 'HWDLOV RI WKH DJUHHPHQW VKRZ WKDW Ceragon will be providing Globacom with a customised solution that covers long-haul rural areas, high-capacity

metro as well as the access network – enDEOLQJ LW WR QRW RQO\ HQKDQFH LWV H[LVWLQJ VXEVFULEHUV· TXDOLW\ RI H[SHULHQFH EXW DOVR WR H[SDQG LWV UHDFK WR JURZ LWV PDUNHW VKDUH IXUWKHU 7KH SURMHFW LQLWLDWHG LQ 4 LV due to complete deployment through the ÀUVW KDOI RI The Nigerian Communications ComPLVVLRQ 1&& UDWHV *OREDFRP DV WKH second-largest telecom services operator LQ 1LJHULD ZLWK D PDUNHW VKDUH Ready for 5G Networks However, the main gist of the multimilOLRQ GHDO ZDV JLYHQ E\ WKH &KLHI ([HFXWLYH 2΀FHU RI &HUDJRQ 1HWZRUNV 'RURQ $UD]L who disclosed that Globacom’s network will be ready for 5G, as Ceragon Networks’ solutions will provide Globacom with a JLJDE\WH SHU VHFRQG *ESV QHWZRUN capacity over the air, with the ability to XSJUDGH WR *ESV LI QHFHVVDU\ According to him, “This capacity will strengthen the network of rural areas over long distances, high-capacity metropolitan QHWZRUNV DV ZHOO DV WKH DFFHVV QHWZRUN µ Globacom, the Game Changer Those familiar with the pioneering records of Globacom were not surprised by this far-reaching development which promises WR EH D JDPH FKDQJHU LQ *60 RSHUDWLRQV LQ 1LJHULD 7KH SHUFHSWLRQ LQ WKH LQGXVWU\ LV that although it did not participate in the UHFHQW JLJDKHUW] *+] VSHFWUXP DXFtion for the deployment of Fifth Generation * WHFKQRORJ\ WR VXSSRUW WKH GHOLYHU\ RI universal broadband services in Nigeria, ZKHUH 071 1LJHULD 3OF DQG 0DIDE &RPmunications Ltd emerged the two successful winners, Globacom was nevertheless putting its house in order because it planned to FRPH RXW ELJ VWURQJHU DQG EHWWHU Ending Per-Second Billing Debacle As a company that does not fear chal-

Championing Technological Revolution An analysis of the nation’s telecoms industry showed that Glo was the only operator in Africa to have launched its RSHUDWLRQV RQ WKH VXSHULRU * QHWZRUN which enabled the convergence of voice, GDWD DQG PXOWLPHGLD WHFKQRORJLHV 7KH QH[W VWDJH ZDV WKH LQWURGXFWLRQ RI the 3G Plus technology, which marked the second time that Globacom has been at the forefront of pioneering the latest transmission network in Nigeria, has inWURGXFHG WKH * WHFKQRORJ\ DW ODXQFK LQ ZKHQ RWKHU RSHUDWRUV ZHUH UXQQLQJ RQ WKH * SODWIRUP 7KH * 3OXV WHFKQRORJ\ enables much faster transmission of data, voice, broadband internet, and multimeGLD VHUYLFHV RYHU D UDQJH RI IUHTXHQFLHV It allows customers to do a video call, video streaming, and high-speed mobile internet access, amongst others, from their * PRELOH KDQGVHW Thereafter, the company became the first network to launch a nationwide coverage RI WKH * /7( QHWZRUN LQ 1LJHULD WKXV availing its subscribers enhanced data transfer rates, unmatched mobile broadEDQG H[SHULHQFH DQG KLJK GDWD VSHHGV DQG UHOLDELOLW\ Investing in Fibre Optic Backbone It is also on record that Globacom has the PRVW H[WHQVLYH ILEUH RSWLF EDFNERQH DFURVV 1LJHULD 7KH IDFLOLW\ ZDV EXLOW WR IXUWKHU enhance voice and data transmission for PRELOH DQG IL[HG WHOHSKRQH RSHUDWLRQV LQ WKH FRXQWU\ It was gathered that likewise, French JURXS 9RFDOFRP ZKLFK DOUHDG\ PDQDJHV the software for Glo telecom’s call centres in Nigeria, is hoping to open a new deal in WKH PRELOH PRQH\ VSKHUH ZLWK *OREDFRP Therefore, analysts believed the latest business deal between Globacom and Ceragon Networks Limited will set a new WKUHVKROG IRU *60 RSHUDWLRQ LQ 1LJHULD especially when the assignment is completed E\ WKH ÀUVW KDOI RI WKLV \HDU

19

THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER APRIL 17, 2022

DEVELOPMENT

Ending Recruitment Racket, Ghostworking in Public Service *RYHUQPHQW·V WUHDVXU\ KDV VXͿHUHG FRORVVDO GUDLQ DQG KLW E\ WKH FULVLV LQ WKH SXEOLF service recruitment process in the country. This is because ghost workers and ghost recruitment have eaten deeply into the resources of the government. Kunle Aderinokun UHSRUWV WKDW UHFHQW HͿRUWV RI JRYHUQPHQW DUH JHDUHG WRZDUGV HUDGLFDWLQJ WKH VFRXUJH

N

ot peculiar to the federal level, the twin problem of recruitment racket and ghostworking, is indeed ubiquitous that no certain level or unit of government is exempted.

Disturbingly, the anomaly has lingered that anyone could insinuate that it’s a norm.

Just six years ago, precisely on Thursday, May 5, 2016, during the meeting between federal ministries and Newspaper Proprietors’ Association of Nigeria (NPAN) in Lagos State as organised by the Minister of Information and Culture,Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the then Finance Minister, Mrs. Kemi Adeosun, unequivocally disclosed that the then N165billion monthly salaries cum allowances of federal civil servants was over-bloated, thus could no longer be sustained by the federal government.

Adeosun, who was speaking on the economic reform agenda of the President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration, had stated that the said fund represented about 40 per cent of the total spending made by the federal government. Yemi-Esan Apart from Adeosun, the Governor of Borno State, Babagana Zulum, had raised concern that these days, the recruitment into the security KHDUWHQLQJ WR SRLQW RXW WKDW WKH R΀FH UHFHQWO\ agencies (Nigerian Army, Police and others) received a report from the Federal Civil Service have been politicised.

Commission forwarding the names of over According to him, the governors, ministers 500 persons in various MDAs in possession and other top government functionaries have of fake letters of appointment and which are slots for job seekers who are not interviewed to be delisted from the IPPIS Platform.

ZKHWKHU WKH\ DUH TXDOLÀHG RU QRW “Following the outcome of the Service-wide Prior to the governor’s assertion, the House 9HULÀFDWLRQ ([HUFLVH IRU R΀FHUV UHFUXLWHG IURP of Representatives had in January last year pro- 2013 – 2020, the Federal Civil Service Commisposed a bill to criminalize secret recruitment sion has also requested the suspension of the in the Ministries, Departments and Agencies VDODULHV RI RYHU R΀FHUV DFURVV WKH 0'$V (MDAs) of the federal government. who failed to appear for the exercise pending The lawmakers had alleged that some MDAs further clearance.”

UHFUXLW WKHLU VWDͿ ZLWKRXW PDNLQJ WKHLU HPSOR\<HPL (VDQ VDLG KHU R΀FH KDG WDNHQ GHFLVLYH ment public. steps to nip in the bud the alarming sharp pracAnother worrying dimension of the growing tices and acts of impunity being perpetrated patronage system in the Nigerian public service on the IPPIS, as well as to purge the system is the widespread allegation that job selling and RI DOO LQÀOWUDWLRQV buying phenomenon, has become a thriving According to her, the federal government culture over the years.

GHVLUHV WR EORFN ÀQDQFLDO OHDNDJHV IURP KLJK Some people have even confessed paying personnel costs caused by ghost workers in huge sums of money to get employed into the the system. She further revealed that by the widely perceived most lucrative agencies of HQG RI 0DUFK R΀FHUV ZHUH HQUROOHG the public service. on the IPPIS payroll. ,Q WKH 8QLWHG 1DWLRQV 2΀FH RQ 'UXJV She said, “As at March 2022, over 390,000 and Crime, released a report that said 32 per R΀FHUV DUH RQ WKH ,33,6 SD\UROO EHLQJ cent of Nigerians gave bribes to enable them and 320,000 for core and non-core MDAs secure employment into the public service.

UHVSHFWLYHO\ 7KLV ÀJXUH LV ZLWKRXW SUHMXGLFH In a bid to address these challenges, stakehold- to the military, paramilitary and universities. ers converged at a National Policy Dialogue ´$FFRUGLQJO\ WKH R΀FH FRPPHQFHG DFWLYLWLHV organised under the auspices of the Independent towards the implementation of the Human &RUUXSW 3UDFWLFHV DQG 2WKHU 5HODWHG 2ͿHQFHV Resource (HR) Module of IPPIS with a view Commission (ICPC) through itsAnti-Corruption WR EULGJLQJ VRPH RI WKH LGHQWLÀHG JDSV Academy of Nigeria (ACAN).

“Following the successful completion of The workshop with the theme “Entrenching WKH YHULÀFDWLRQ H[HUFLVH LQ WKH FRUH 0'$V Transparency in Public Service Recruitment R΀FHUV ZKR IDLOHG WR JHW YHULÀHG KDYH KDG in Nigeria,” was attended by the Head of the their salaries suspended.

Civil Service of the Federation, Dr Folashade ´+RZHYHU WKH R΀FH LV FDUU\LQJ RXW D PRS XS Yemi-Esan, the ICPC Chairman, Prof Bolaji Owa- exercise in the core-MDAs for those who were sanoye, the Minister of Interior Rauf Aregbesola, QRW YHULÀHG $V SDUW RI RXU FRQWURO PHFKDQLVPV Senate President Ahmed Lawan, and Prof. Isaac we are presently conducting IPPIS Human Obasi who is a Visiting Professor at the ICPC’s 5HVRXUFH +5 9HULÀFDWLRQ ([HUFLVH IRU WKH (PAnti-Corruption Academy of Nigeria (ACAN), ployees of Non-Core Ministries, Departments among others. and Agencies (MDAS) in batches, starting with Speaking at the event, Yemi-Esan said the Abuja after extending our earlier deadline for federal government has suspended the salaries WKH FORVXUH RI WKH ,33,6 +5 9HULÀFDWLRQ 3RUWDO µ of over 3,000 Civil Servants employed between According to her, the entire exercise will DQG IRU IDLOXUH WR DSSHDU IRU YHULÀFDWLRQ cover MDAs in all the geo-political zones of She further revealed that in the last one year, the country. She noted that it is expected to end 1,000 civil servants with fake letters of appoint- ZLWK D 0RS XS 9HULÀFDWLRQ ([HUFLVH DFURVV WKH ment were detected in one ministry alone. non-core MDAs in September 2022.

She said, “It would be recalled that in March ´7KXV WKLV ZRXOG HQDEOH WKH R΀FH WR GHULYH ODVW \HDU WKH 2΀FH ZDV LQIRUPHG RI WKH GHWHFWLRQ D YHULÀHG OLVW RI R΀FHUV RQ ,33,6 µ VKH DGGHG of fake letters of employment presented in some In his speech at the event, the Chairman of Ministries. For instance, in the past year, in one ICPC, Prof Bolaji Owasanoye, lamented the ministry alone, over 1,000 individuals bearing impact of indiscriminate recruitment on the fake letters of appointment were detected. federal government’s budget. He said indis“In the light of the aforementioned, it is dis- criminate recruitment had impacted the budget

Owasanoye

negatively such that government personnel wage bill has continued to rise geometrically almost doubling between 2015 and 2022 from N1.832trn in 2015 to N3.494trn in 2022.

The ICPC Boss said the commission was investigating almost 100 petitions on recruitment scam from victim institutions and complicit individuals.He said that the timing of the policy dialogue could not have come at a better time than now because there was near consensus across the country and across all political divides that there is a lack of transparency in public service recruitment process across all tiers of government in our country.

Owasanoye said, “Indiscriminate recruitment has impacted personnel budget such that government personnel wage bill has continued to rise geometrically almost doubling between 2015 and 2022 from N1.832trn in 2015 to N3.494trn in 2022.

“To underscore the corruption prevalent in the process, ICPC has received and is investigating almost 100 petitions on recruitment scam from victim institutions and complicit individuals. The situation festers due to lack of transparency. There is also the associated SUREOHP RI IDNH FHUWLÀFDWHV WKDW GRJ WKH SURFHVV thus compounding a bad situation now made worse.”

He said the lack of transparency in the recruitment process had been a subject of discussions not only in the various mass media, but also very vociferously in the legislative arms of government across levels.

The ICPC boss added, “Some members of the executive arm of government have equally voiced their concerns on the matter. ,Q DFWXDO IDFW PDQ\ 1LJHULDQV LQ ERWK R΀FLDO DQG QRQ R΀FLDO TXDUWHUV KDYH H[SUHVVHG VHULRXV concerns over the growing patronage system in the public sector.

“The expectation here is that this Policy Dialogue session made up of experienced, knowledgeable and diverse stakeholder groups DFURVV R΀FLDO DQG QRQ R΀FLDO GLYLGH ZRXOG RͿHU D PRUH GLVSDVVLRQDWH ORRN DW WKLV SUREOHP which is almost becoming endemic.

“This endemic feature is not surprising because it’s driving forces include desperation for stable employment that the public service RͿHUV WKH DEMHFW ODFN RI VFUXWLQ\ DQG OD[LW\ of the public service employment process, endemic perception of commercialization of VHUYLFH GHOLYHU\ E\ JUDIW DQG JUDWLÀFDWLRQ DQG systemic corruption.”

Speaking on the impact of patronage in the recruitment process, Obasi who is a Visiting Professor at the ICPC’s Anti-Corruption Acad-

emy of Nigeria said in his paper presented at the workshop, that the exclusion of large number RI TXDOLÀHG \RXQJ SURVSHFWLYH HPSOR\HHV ZLWK GHJUHHV DQG KLJKHU GLSORPD FHUWLÀFDWHV IXHOV youth restiveness which is very dangerous to nation-building and national unity.

He explained further that this could lead to youth restiveness that would be manifested in extreme cases to separatist and secessionist agitations and moderately into militancy.

The university don argued further that in any country where the best and brightest are not in charge of the bureaucracy of governance, the costly price of incompetence paid manifests in ZLGHVSUHDG LQH΀FLHQF\ DQG LQHͿHFWLYHQHVV LQ the implementation of public policies.

According to him, there are many cases of catastrophes that are demonstrative of the costly price of incompetence particularly when intermixed with fraudulent intentions and practices. ´$ PDMRU GHOHWHULRXV HͿHFW RI SDWURQDJH system of recruitment (nepotism, cronyism, and prebendalism) is the violation of the constitutional provision of the federal character principle through a lopsided recruitment process. This contributes immensely to the heating up of the polity,” he added.

He submitted that if the issue of lopsided recruitment process is left unchecked, Nigeria would fast be losing completely the meritocratic culture of recruitment.

Obasi said that the task before the ACAN policy dialogue on Entrenching Transparency in Public Service Recruitment Process, is to provide more experiential insight helpful for SUHSDULQJ D 3ROLF\ %ULHI WKDW ZRXOG HͿHFWLYHO\ address this lingering problem.

In his remarks at the event, the Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola, commended the ICPC for carving a niche for itself as one of the agencies of government that have carried the transparency and integrity crusade of the government on their shoulders and has continued to shine like a bright star in that mission.

He said the dialogue is typical of an agency WKDW LV QRW MXVW ÀJKWLQJ FRUUXSWLRQ EXW KDV taken engagement of the civil society to be equally important.

The minister revealed how his ministry VWRSSHG VRPH KLJK SURÀOHG JRYHUQPHQW RIÀFLDOV IURP LQÁXHQFLQJ WKH 1LJHULD 6HFXULW\ and Civil Defence Corps recruitment.

Aregbesola said in the course of managing 1.5 million applicants for 5,000 NSCDC Jobs, the ministry was faced with pressures from people who were promised jobs by top JRYHUQPHQW R΀FLDOV “The recruitment process into the NSCDC was long and tortuous, though it is also a novelty. So, we expect a lot of pressure.

Some of the pressures are understandable,” Aregbesola said.

The minister said of the 1.5 million applications received for the 5,000 NSCDC job, 750,000 met the requirements on age and height and ZHUH DVNHG WR XSORDG WKHLU FHUWLÀFDWHV He narrated that about 217,000 applicants XSORDGHG WKHLU FHUWLÀFDWHV RI ZKLFK were shortlisted to write the CBT. He stated further that only 53,116 sat for the test where 5,000 candidates emerged successful.

Aregbesola revealed that during the process, “Awoman came with her son after getting very KLJK XS SHRSOH WR LQÁXHQFH KLV DSSRLQWPHQW But we discovered that the son was far, far below the required height of 1.7 metres.

“Some applicants on wheelchairs also came, GHPDQGLQJ IRU WKH VWDWXWRU\ ÀYH SHU FHQW DOlocation for special people.

“We politely explained to them that the job is paramilitary, requiring strenuous physical exercise for which they are not eligible, given their physical condition.”

20

THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER APRIL 17, 2022

INTERVIEW Komolafe: We’ve Nearly Concluded Process for Marginal Field Awards Winners 0U *EHQJD .RPRODIH LV WKH &KLHI ([HFXWLYH 2΀FHU RI WKH 1LJHULDQ 8SVWUHDP 3HWUROHXP 5HJXODWRU\ &RPPLVVLRQ 1835& +H ZDV D JXHVW RQ $5,6( 1(:6 &KDQQHO ZKHUH KH VSRNH RQ D ZLGH UDQJH RI LVVXHV DͿHFWLQJ WKH RLO DQG JDV LQGXVWU\ 3DUWLFXODUO\ KH WRRN RQ WKRVH WDNLQJ 1LJHULD·V RLO LOOHJDOO\ GHVFULELQJ WKHP DV PHUH FULPLQDOV %HVLGHV ZKLOH DVVXULQJ WKH FRQFHUQV RI WKH PDUJLQDO ÀHOG DZDUG ZLQQHUV .RPRODIH FUDYHG WKHLU XQGHUVWDQGLQJ DQG SDWLHQFH FRQÀUPLQJ WKDW WKH SURFHVV ZDV QHDULQJ FRPSOHWLRQ Emmanuel Addeh, ZKR PRQLWRUHG WKH LQWHUYLHZ EULQJV WKH H[FHUSWV

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hen do you think oil production output will increase or recover forNigeriatogain from high prices?

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Another reason for the depressed oil output is lack of investment by international oil companies, which are exiting Nigeria and turning to countries like Mozambique and Namibia. What is your agency doing to reverse this trend and make the investment climate in Nigeria more attractive to the IOCs? ,W LV ZRUULVRPH WKDW WKH 1LJHULDQ XSVWUHDP HQYLURQPHQW KDV EHFRPH YHU\ KRVWLOH GXH WR DFWLYLWLHV RI WKHVH FULPLQDOV DQG LVVXHV RI WKH RLO FRPPXQLWLHV HVSHFLDOO\ FUXGH RLO WKHIW WKDW KDV PDGH WKH XSVWUHDP VHFWRU YHU\ XQDWWUDFWLYH IRU LQYHVWPHQW DW WKH PRPHQW $QG WKHQ WKH LVVXH RI HQHUJ\ WUDQVLWLRQ LV DOVR WKHUH %XW ZH DUH FRRSHUDWLQJ ZLWK WKH VHFXULW\ DJHQFLHV WR HQVXUH WKDW WKLV DFW RI FULPLQDOLW\ LV EURXJKW WR WKH EDUHVW PLQLPXP LI QRW FRPSOHWHO\ VWRSSHG Even with the Petroleum Industry Act, there appears to be little or no progress being made.

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The Exxon Mobil asset sale is supposed to get regulatory approval before it’s consummated.

Could you brief us on that? And is NNPC going ahead to exercise its pre-emptive rights to acquire those assets as provided in the joint operating agreement? :LWK UHVSHFW WR WKH LVVXH RI DVVLJQPHQW RU WUDQVIHU RI WKH SDUWLHV LQWHUHVWV RI ([[RQ 0RELO UHODWHG WR MRLQW RSHUDWLQJ DJUHHPHQW EHWZHHQ WKH ([[RQ 0RELO DQG WKH 113& , FDQ VD\ WKDW DV D UHJXODWRU ZH DUH PRQLWRULQJ WKH SRVLWLRQ YHU\ FORVHO\ DQG RI FRXUVH ZH KDYH D UROH WR SOD\ LQ WKH DVVLJQPHQW as a regulator. %XW DW WKH PRPHQW ZKDW KDV KDSSHQHG LV WKDW ([[RQ0RELO KDV DFWXDOO\ SXW RQ WKH WDEOH D FRUSRUDWH VDOH ZKHUH WKH VKDUHKROGHUV RI ([[RQ0RELO LQWHQG WR VHOO WKHLU VKDUHV DQG 6HSODW LQWHQGV WR DFTXLUH WKH VKDUH RI ([[RQ 0RELO WKURXJK LWV RͿ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21

APRIL 17, 2022 • T H I S DAY, T H E S U N DAY N E W S PA P E R

CONVERSATION WITH MY BILLIONAIRE FRIEND ayo.arowolo@thisdaylive.com 08086447494 (SMS only) PERSONAL FINANCE SAVINGS BUDGETING COMMODITIES

AYO AROWOLO

GOLD

INVESTING

WEALTH CAPSULE 11

Successful Wealth Building Requires Precedent Acquisition Of Basic Financial Knowledge (2) need to constantly bear in mind that as their wealth grows, they must manage it better and ensure that their intention and the actualisation of their set sub-goals are properly monitored and guided for effective wealth building.”

“As an example, I have always made it a rule to consider my wealth-building goals at the beginning of every year and use those goals as the path to guide me as I progress in my set goal every year and in taking decisions towards building my wealth. This annual financial planning, budgeting and goal-setting behaviour of mine come highly recommended to wealth-builders and sustainers”.

I am concerned that too many people are focused too much on money and not on their greatest wealth, which is their education. If people are prepared to be flexible, keep an open mind and learn, they will grow richer and richer through the changes. If they think money will solve the problems, I am afraid those people will have a rough ride. Intelligence solves problems and produces money. Money without financial intelligence is money soon gone –Robert Kiyosaki Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore, get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding –Prov 4:7

M

y Billionaire Friend requested I see him earlier than our usual arrangements. And this was because he intended to travel and could not guarantee he would be back within the week.

I was at his place at the appointed time. He had already instructed his executive gardener to bring me to his sitting room. Met my Billionaire Friend seated already, enjoying some music oozing forth from some amplified speakers placed in different corners of parlour.

We chatted a bit, but without wasting time, he hit the Artist Impression of my Billionaire Friend ground running with our next conversation, still on the need for an aspiring wealth builder to take time to acquire some basic financial knowledge if he hopes to build enduring wealth.

“My boss, welcome!”.

I returned the compliments, and the conversation started in earnest.

“Let me share this story of a protégé of mine to explain why the acquisition of financial intelligence is critical to successful wealth building endeavours. Several years ago, a business executive approached me to be his mentor on wealth building. I agreed. The two times he had visited me, I had assumed that he must have acquired some level of financial literacy, but I became curious after we started to discuss some financial stuff. I was surprised by his responses to some of the basic questions I posed to him. Just to be sure, I asked that he arrange for me to pay a visit to his house one evening and what I found out confirmed my suspicion”.

“My friend was gracious enough to conduct me around I expect people to ask any time you buy an item is:” his place. In the sitting room alone, I could see three Will this bring money to my pocket? If you cannot giant television sets. In the adjoining rooms, I could see answer in the affirmative, you should walk away from some sophisticated toys which I rightly suspected were the transaction unless it is essential. Borrowing money for the children”. to acquire liabilities can only lead you to multiple “I asked a few questions as we went round, and what financial crises and frustrations. Financial knowledge I saw all the way; in the rooms, in the compound, in the brings stability to your wealth acquisition endeavours”. sitting room are signs of acute financial illiteracy that That is serious, I said, as my Billionaire Friend need to be tackled frontally. Just like many people I see continued his conversation on the need to acquire around, my friend had spent a lot of money to buy financial intelligence. home theatres. Yet, I could not trace at least a book on “Here, we are going further to discuss why an money or personal finance anywhere in his room. And aspiring wealth builder must, as a priority, acquire guess what? He bought most of it on credit!” some basic financial knowledge. As we discussed in I could trace every problem I had noticed around him the first part, acquiring financial knowledge opens up to my friend’s failure to sharpen his financial intelligence. a wealth builder to more options that would otherwise Here are the questions: How much money are the home not have been obvious. theatres bringing to his pocket every month? How much “At this stage of our discussion, I am reminded of was he generating from the toys he had stored in the the contribution of USA Senator Elizabeth Warren’s room and from the cars he had packed in his garages. popular 50/30/20 financial planning rule. This rule is Of course, it was obvious that those things he considered cited in her book, titled: “All your worth; the ultimate assets were the ones drawing money out of his pocket”. lifetime money plan”, which is useful to successfully “If he had read even the most elementary books build and sustain wealth, particularly with employees on personal finance, he would have learnt that his and self-employed wealth builders. Elizabeth Warren’s salvation lies in understanding the difference between rule is about dividing one’s income after tax deductions an accountant’s definition of assets and liabilities and and allocating it to spend 50% on one’s needs, 30% rich people’s definition of the same terms”. on one’s wants, and 20% on savings. This rule is “My friend had thought, as many others I have very important in financial planning and budgeting, encountered erroneously do, that his cars, toys, home to successfully build wealth”. theatres were assets. But that is misleading. An informed wealth builder would classify the same items as liabilities. WHY YOU NEED A BUDGET You can only consider an item an asset if it brings to the “Some may ask; why budgeting? The need for pocket money that you can spend or save. Once the item budgeting, fowas discussed in our previous series when is drawing money out of your pocket, as Robert Kiyosaki we emphasised that you do not go into building wealth has explained in his book, Rich Dad, Poor Dad, either without making adequate plans of your intentions and for maintenance or servicing, it makes sense to classify working towards their actualisation. Wealth builders such items as a liabilities. But don’t get me wrong, the home theatres are assets to the company that sold them to you on credit. Every time you make your monthly payment to the company, the company is smiling to the bank, but you cannot do that.”

“If he had also read a good book on personal finance, he would have discovered the folly of borrowing money to buy consumer items like the home theatres. It is a sign of financial intelligence to borrow to purchase assets that can generate cash. It is from the proceed of the items you bought that you should be repaying the interest, with still enough left to take care of other things. When a bank advertises that it wants to assist you to buy television, chairs, refrigerators and you jump at the offer, it is a sign that you don’t have financial intelligence. The question

My friend had thought, as many others I have encountered erroneously do, that his cars, toys, home theatres were assets. But that is misleading.

An informed wealth builder would classify the same items as liabilities.You can only consider an item an asset if it brings to the pocket money that you can spend or save

CREDIT MANAGEMENT “Another area that demonstrates the need for the acquisition of basic financial knowledge for wealth builders is credit management. Credit management here refers to the use of credit for enhancing turnover and increasing profitability towards growing the wealth for wealth builders. Credit management is what is generally given by multinational companies and is also successfully used by wealth builders for getting their agent wholesalers to constantly offload their factories of excess production inventories and avoid high overheads, marketing and administrative costs that would have cost them in direct retail sales from their factories. This is a basic principle of financial management that is recommended to wealth builders in their investments, production and distribution of finished products. I have successfully used this principle in my working life as a technocrat and as one of the founders/owners of a billion naira food processing company in Nigeria.

The principle is a very important and basic skill of financial management, for successfully building and sustaining wealth”.

SHOULD YOU TAKE CREDIT OR NOT? “Wealth builders who may want to improve their turnover in the process of building their wealth/business may obtain credits from banks and other financial institutions. But this advice goes with the provision that such wealth builders must as precedence, acquire the basic skills of financial prudence and business profitability decision making. It is necessary for wealth builders to be knowledgeable about basic credit management skills, so as to better manage the various associated risks with managing wealth that arise while building and sustaining wealth.”

“Wealth builders have to keenly and constantly monitor the ever-present and all-pervading need to minimise the exposure of their wealth to avoidable and manageable risks and dangers of possible loss of their wealth. Hence, wealth-builders must acquire basic financial knowledge to protect their wealth against the risk of fire via fire insurance, risk of theft, burglary and fidelity insurance, and the very many associated risks.

Wealth builders, therefore, require some good basic understanding and knowledge of the use of insurance packages for such purposes. As of habit, I take up fire insurance to protect my residences and investment buildings against possible fire and special perils. I have also had to take up medical insurance for years. Indeed, as wealth builders grow in their wealth, they must take up medical insurance, which should include evacuation insurance, with the full awareness of Nigeria’s poor medical facilities. This is more so given that there could be an unanticipated unfortunate occurrence of a health complication, which cannot be handled adequately in Nigeria. Basic knowledge about the use of insurance to mitigate possible losses is, therefore, a very important area of financial knowledge that wealth builders should acquaint themselves with so as to adequately protect their wealth against measurable risks”.

WEALTH BUILDERS MUST DEVELOP THE ABILITY TO PREDICT HOW FUTURE EVENTS COULD AFFECT THEIR WEALTH CREATION ABILITY.

I asked a few questions as we went round, and what I saw all the way; in the rooms, in the compound, in the sitting room are signs of acute financial illiteracy that need to be tackled frontally. Just like many people I see around, my friend had spent a lot of money to buy home theatres. Yet, I could not trace at least a book on money or personal finance anywhere in his room. And guess what? He bought most of it on credit!

“Another element of basic financial knowledge necessary for wealth builders is forecasting. Wealth builders must have basic knowledge of business forecasting to succeed.

Business forecasting refers to the ability to successfully prognosticate and take advantage of the various different opportunities that could arise while overcoming possible adverse events that may possibly hinder the attainment of wealth builders’ future goals. Forecasting as a skill of financial knowledge is therefore very important for wealth builders in order to optimise their wealth building”.

BELOW ARE FUNDAMENTAL FINANCIAL KNOWLEDGE AND PRINCIPLES THAT WEALTH BUILDERS SHOULD MASTER. “It is very important at this stage to list for discussion some basic principles of financial knowledge under the following subheadings, for wealth building and sustenance.

TIME- VALUE OF MONEY. “Wealth builders must always be conscious of the time-value of money for successfully building wealth.

The time value of money here not only refers to using time adequately but also to avoiding time wastage and recognising the value of time for taking advantage of available opportunities and managing the risks and returns in wealth building and sustenance. It also covers the attainment of a long-term forecast of returns that are expected from investments in the financial market, with a view to optimising expected returns that may be accruable to wealth builders. Time value of money refers to always weighing one’s cost vis-à-vis possible investment outcomes. This basic knowledge is necessary for successful wealth building. The basic understanding of net present value, compounding of returns, and cost/ interest rate effects on wealth are covered here.

However, successful wealth-builders only need some basic understanding of these skills. They do not need to go deep into their acquisition of financial knowledge in this area. They only need to be aware and understand their uses when utilised by their finance technocrats.

Wealth builders’ basic knowledge in this area would assist them to make sound management decisions about the importance of time value of money for their successful wealth-building goals.”

RETURNS VERSUS RISKS Another principle of finance that is important for successful wealth building is the element of higher returns expected from higher risks. A basic principle in financial management has it that the higher the risk, the higher the expected return. It explains why in the financial world, countries with higher risks have to pay higher interest rates on loans obtained from international financial agencies, institutions, and the world bank. This principle of finance is also important for wealth builders for running their wealth-building businesses. Businesses that require higher risks must be compensated with higher returns, in order to ensure that such risks are adequately covered to give good net returns”.

INVESTMENT DIVERSIFICATION “The third basic principle of finance for use by wealth builders is the need for diversification of investments towards reducing their risk exposures.

The basic knowledge about this is for wealth builders to investigate and satisfy themselves with the different risks associated with each wealth-building opportunity that would arise from time to time. Such risks include systemic risk, operations risks, economic risk, liquidity risk, interest rate risk, marketing risk and exchange rate risk. Successful wealth builders must have basic knowledge about these risk elements to which their wealth is exposed, closely and consistently manage them in building their investment and business portfolios, with the risks compensating each other towards optimising wealth builders’ returns. In the process of building my wealth, I took advantage of this basic financial knowledge by ensuring that my investments in equity, with its high combination of interest rate and economic risks, were balanced by some investments in money market principal guaranteed investments while at the same time being aware that investment in property and land have very high liquidity and market risks. I always ensured that my economic risks were covered by investments in dollar-based instruments, especially with Nigeria’s very volatile exchange rate risk. This is a critical area of financial knowledge that wealth builders need to be adequately informed about, in order to better manage and sustain their wealth building”.

Read the full article at https://www.thisdaylive.com

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T H I S D AY MONDAYSunday MARCH 14, 2022 17 April, 2022 Vol 27. No 9869.

OPI NION

127 TR

See Page 28

AN UNPARDONABLE PARDON KENE OBIEZU reckons that the pardon granted Dariye and Nyame has further reduced the anticorruption fight to a joke See Page 28

OPENING YORUBAS’ FLANKS FOR INTRUDERS KOLA AMZAT argues that despite Osinbajo’s entry into the presidential race, Tinubu is better placed to win

See Page 53

BATTLE FOR ENUGU LION BUILDING Barth Nnaji will make a difference as Governor of Enugu State, writes CHUKWUDI ENEKWECHI See Page 53

EDITORIAL AS WE WELCOME 2022 EASTER...

See Page 54

& RE A S O

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opinion@thisdaylive.com

www.thisdaylive.com

PDP AND CONSEQUENCES OF SAILING AGAINST THE WIND The party will lose the 2023 election if it fields a presidential candidate from the north, argues MAJEED DAHIRU

UT H

Nigerians should go for a candidate who is able to intelligently articulate his policy proposals, writes Ike Okonta

HOW TO AVOID REPEATING THE BUHARI DEBACLE

T

he three leading aspirants for the All Progressives Congress’ (APC) presidential ticket, Bola Tinubu, Dave Umahi and Yemi Osinbajo, lavishly praised President Muhammadu Buhari during their declaration speeches and in fact promised to continue from where he had stopped. They said Buhari was an uncommon patriot and achiever and that they considered it a privilege to be stepping into his giant shoes.

Some might say this is the usual politics and that these presidential contenders did not really mean what they said; that they were merely positioning themselves to harvest the northern posts that President Buhari is likely to bequeath to his successor.

Even so, words matter, and praising Buhari when in fact what he richly deserves right now is sharp criticism, is an indication that leading politicians on the APC platform do not in fact see anything wrong in the former’s performance these past seven years.

It needs to be reiterated: President Buhari has been an unmitigated disaster as President. He anchored his presidency on three key performance indicators: to revive the economy; tackle insecurity; and slay the monster of corruption. As I write, the national economy has virtually collapsed. The dollar is exchanging for nearly 600 Naira, a 100 percent hike from when %XKDUL WRRN RIÀFH LQ 0D\ )RRG LQÁDWLRQ KDV KLW WKH URRI DQG JRLQJ to the market for simple purchases has become an exercise in agony for the ordinary Nigerian. The much talked-about industrialization and GLYHUVLÀFDWLRQ RI WKH HFRQRP\ KDYH QRW occurred.

Two weeks ago, bandits waylaid an Abuja-Kaduna train, slaughtered nine passengers and carted many more into the nearby forest as hostages. Before that, these same bandits had laid siege on Kaduna airport and killed and maimed fellow Nigerians. But Kaduna is merely the poster-boy for a wider malaise. The entire nation is gripped by insecurity, and kidnappers, bandits, armed robbers and secessionists are having a ÀHOG GD\ NLOOLQJ ZLWKRXW OHW 3UHVLGHQW Buhari does not have a security policy.

The federal government had not analyzed this ailment and explained to anxious Nigerians the root causes and what it intends to do to curb it. What it has been doing these past seven years is merely to throw the Nigerian Army at the problem – as if militarizing it is the answer to a problem which clearly has more complex and deeply-rooted economic and social dimensions.

President Buhari’s anti-corruption strategy – that is if the government has a strategy – is similar to its response to insecurity. It has been throwing WKH (FRQRPLF DQG )LQDQFLDO &ULPHV Commission at the problem, hoping that it would eventually go away.

%XW WKH ()&& LV XQGHU UHVRXUFHG LQ D FRXQWU\ RI PLOOLRQ ZKHUH ORRWLQJ the treasury at the local government, state and federal levels is seen as a matter of course; a ‘reward’ for holding SXEOLF RIÀFH , KDYH QRW VHHQ D SROLF\ paper from the government that has intelligently articulated the corruption problem, its root causes, and how it can be creatively and robustly tackled. Like every other major problem confronting the Buhari government, corruption has been confronted in a reactive manner, and brawn and rhetoric have taken the place of clear thinking, creativity and an ability to see it as a malaise with deep historical roots.

All these lead me to conclude that President Buhari has been tested and been found grossly wanting. To put it in stark terms, the Buhari presidency these past seven years has been a debacle and the challenge as we inch towards LV WR PDNH VXUH WKDW WKLV GHEDFOH is not repeated by electing another walking disaster like Muhammadu Buhari. The question must be asked: How did Buhari happen to us? Simple

As Nigerians prepare to troop out to the polling stations in 2023, they should at least insist on one thing- that there be a series of debates aired live on national television between the various presidential candidates

² %ROD 7LQXEX LQ VDZ KLP DV WKH SRVVHVVRU RI PLOOLRQ QRUWKHUQ votes and he reasoned that if he could convince the Yoruba to join the Buhari ticket, the All Progressives Congress would displace Goodluck Jonathan and romp home to victory.

Notice that Muhammadu’s capabilities and antecedents did not enter the equation. Had this been VR WKH IDFW WKDW %XKDUL·V ÀUVW RXWLQJ as military Head of State between 'HFHPEHU DQG $XJXVW ZDV a disaster would have been put on the WDEOH DQG HIIRUW PDGH WR ÀQG D PRUH suitable northern candidate who would not only have delivered the northern votes but also performed creditably as President. But Tinubu was in a great hurry to displace President Goodluck Jonathan. Painstakingly examining the credentials of the candidate he was backing to do the supplanting did not FRPH LQ DQG LQ 0D\ 1LJHULDQV were gifted a walking disaster.

The Nigerian Left is not presenting a candidate for the forthcoming presidential election, which means that the incompetent and corrupt class that has been running our affairs since 2FWREHU ZLOO KDYH WKH ÀHOG ZLGH open to it – be it the PDP or the APC. This class, whether in Army uniform or civilian garb has been tested again and again and all it has been able to deliver has been corruption, massive unemployment and widespread poverty. Even so, as Nigerians prepare to troop out to the polling stations in WKH\ VKRXOG DW OHDVW LQVLVW RQ RQH thing- that there be a series of debates aired live on national television between the various presidential candidates. I do not think the candidates presently on offer will be able to come up with visionary and pro-people policies, but at least Nigerians will choose who among them is able to intelligently articulate his policy proposals.

The tragedy of Nigeria’s democratic journey since May 1999 has been that the ordinary people have played the role of unconcerned bystanders, watching helplessly as the politicians make a mess of things. The time has come for NGOs, community-based organisations, the trade unions and civil society at large to begin to take an interest in politics, forcefully articulate policies and programmes they want implemented, and insist that whoever wants their votes should adopt these policies. This is politics from the ground up, politics that insist that policies matter.

President Buhari has been a disaster.

Nigeria cannot survive another president like him.

Dr. Okonta was until recently a Leverhulme Early Career Fellow in the Department of Politics, University Of Oxford. He presently lives in Abuja

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PDP AND CONSEQUENCES OF SAILING AGAINST THE WIND The party will lose the 2023 election if it fields a presidential candidate from the north, argues MAJEED DAHIRU At a time when elements of the conservative northern political establishment in the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) appear to have resolved to shift presidential power to the South of Nigeria in 2023, the liberal northern politicians in the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) seem determined to retain power in the northern region beyond 2023. Led by President Muhammadu Buhari, the conservative northern establishment, which has been LQ ÀUP FRQWURO RI WKH SROLWLFV RI 1LJHULD·V largest democratic demography since 2015, when the APC came to power, may have come to the realisation that it cannot hold on to power after eight years without severe consequences for the unity and continuous existence of Nigeria. From all indications, as seen in the near absence of northern presidential aspirants on its platform, the President Buhari-led APC has clearly settled for a Nigerian president of southern origin, beginning from 2023 when Nigerians will go to the polls to vote for a new president.

On the other hand, the PDP, with its strongest political support base in the South and minority areas of the North (the

Middle Belt), and which is expected to be the most willing to pick its presidential candidate from the region, is looking towards the North for its presidential redemption. Clearly unprepared for a Southern presidency, the PDP is hoping to opportunistically inherit the massive votes RI 1RUWKHUQ 1LJHULD E\ ÀHOGLQJ D FDQGLGDWH from the region at a time the APC is looking South. In the thinking of many a PDP stalwart from the South, the interest of the party should be to win the next presidential election by any means possible and not be concerned by the morality of zoning for the purpose of equity, justice and unity. Having been defeated twice in the 2015 and 2019 presidential elections by the APC, which was heavily enamoured on both occasions E\ WKH PDVVLYH YRWHV RI 1LJHULD·V ODUJHVW voting bloc in the Muslim North, some PDP stalwarts from the South, like members of D GHIHDWHG DUP\ ZKRVH RIÀFHUV DQG PHQ are suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder, have surrendered to the political supremacy of Northern Nigeria.

In their consideration, an average Muslim Northerner is incapable of making rational political decisions ZLWKRXW EHLQJ LQÁXHQFHG E\ HWKQR geographic and religious sentiments, which makes it impossible for a Southerner to defeat a Northerner in DQ\ SUHVLGHQWLDO FRQWHVW LQ %XKDUL·V Nigeria. And for the PDP to win back the presidency of Nigeria in 2023, the candidate has to be Northern and Muslim. Even when there are clear indications that the political establishment in the region has reached a decision to cede power to the South in 2023, some PDP pundits have expressed doubt about the sincerity of this purpose, given the fact that Northern Nigeria holds the knife (power) and the

yam (patronage) and can decide to keep both.

Whilst it is true that the North has the NQLIH DQG \DP LQ %XKDUL·V 1LJHULD \HW much as it may want to keep both, it is in the long-term interest of the region to relinquish power to the South as a last ditch HIIRUW WR VDOYDJH ZKDWHYHU LV OHIW RI 1LJHULD·V national unity and cooperate coexistence.

Whereas the North wants power, still its needs the unity of the Nigerian state for its regional self-enlightened interest.

Relying on this impression of the political invincibility of the Muslim North, a legion of presidential aspirants from the region have been straddling the lengths and breadths of Nigeria and making a case for “winnability” over the morality of zoning, as the PDP prepares for the 2023 presidential election. However, the widespread clamour for power shift to the South by leaders of the region across ethnic, religious and partisan divides, as contained in the Asaba Declaration of the 17 Southern governors in May 2021; a position that has been adopted by the leadership of ethnic nationalities in the region and the seeming ZLOOLQJQHVV RI WKH $3& WR ÀHOG D 6RXWKHUQ candidate in the 2023 presidential election, KDV PDGH WKH 3'3 ÀQG LWVHOI LQ D VWDWH RI ÁX[ DPLGVW D UDJLQJ FRQWURYHUV\ RYHU zoning.

Whilst it is true that the North has the NQLIH DQG \DP LQ %XKDUL·V 1LJHULD \HW much as it may want to keep both, it is in the long-term interest of the region to relinquish power to the South as a last ditch HIIRUW WR VDOYDJH ZKDWHYHU LV OHIW RI 1LJHULD·V national unity and cooperate coexistence.

Whereas the North wants power, still its needs the unity of the Nigerian state for its regional self-enlightened interest. Having failed to improve the socio-economic condition of the region and leaving it, by the end of his eight-year rule, a terrorised, war-thorn, poverty-stricken dungeon of insecurity, President Buhari, despite his crass sectionalism, failed to wean Northern Nigeria of revenue dependency from oil minerals and tax revenues from the South.

It is the monthly allocation from crude oil revenues to the 19 states and 419 local governments of the North that is used WR IXQG WKH HODERUDWH DQG ÁDPER\DQW Emirate system in the region. Just as the monthly allocation is also used to sustain the rich lifestyles of the political elite and their Ulama collaborators, whose duty is to put a stamp of religious authority on their divine right to rule over the people. Most importantly, for a region that is ravaged on all sides by terrorist groups, Northern Nigeria may fall to the combined armies of Boko Haram and killer herdsmen in the event of a prolonged disruption of oil production by militant agitators in the oil producing states of the South, resulting in the inability of government to fund security operations. Aware of this stark reality, in addition to a deeply polarised polity along the North/South and Muslim/Christian divides, the North may have taken a painful decision to cede power to a trusted ally and friend from the South, who has the capacity to heal a fractured Nigeria by not elevating the interest of his region over those of the others. It may have been provoked, abused and maligned but the North is not ready for a divorce from the Southern lady of means. And this is why no Northern presidential candidate of any party is likely to make much impact in the North, as most of the votes in the region will be mobilised for a preferred Southern candidate in the 2023 presidential election.

Dahiru writes from Abuja and can be reached through dahirumajeed@gmail.com

KENE OBIEZU reckons that the pardon granted Dariye and Nyame has further reduced the anticorruption fight to a joke

AN UNPARDONABLE PARDON Nigeria is a country with many of those who steal public funds and many who would steal such funds were the stars to align for them. In a country of very little honour among WKLHYHV LW LV WKH SXEOLF RIÀFH WKDW KDV VXIIHUHG the most vicious depredations, leaving the Nigerian public devasted in the process.

Among one of vilest things many 1LJHULDQV VD\ LV WKDW JRYHUQPHQW RIÀFLDOV FDQ help themselves from the public purse as long as they commensurately work for the people.

They call it “workchop”. That which many Nigerians have come to believe by power of repetition has hurled some unexpected consequences at the country over the years.

In Nigeria`s republic of “workchop” where ZHDVHOV SUHVLGH PDQ\ JRYHUQPHQW RIÀFLDOV only know how to help themselves from the public purse and nothing else.

In 2018, after eleven grueling years during which the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission spent millions of naira and countless hours of manpower, the chickens ÀQDOO\ FDPH KRPH WR URRVW IRU 0U -RVKXD Dariye and Mr. Jolly Nyame who between 1999 and 2007 were governors of Plateau and Taraba States respectively.

In separate judgments that swept cold draughts down the corridors of power, a

Of course, there are powers and prerogatives but for whom and in whose interests are these always exercised in a country where public officers place personal convenience above public interest as a matter of course?

High Court of the Federal Capital Territory found that both men had thoroughly abused their office as governors. Mr. Dariye was found to have stolen the sum of N1.16bn while Mr. Nyame was found to have stolen the sum of N1.6bn. Mr. Dariye was sentenced to 14 years in prison which was later reduced to 10 years on appeal. While Mr. Nyame was initially sentenced to 14 years which was later released to 12 years on appeal. Both convictions were upheld by the Supreme Court, Nigeria`s highest court.

On April 14, 2022, at a meeting of the National Council of States which was presided over by Mr. Muhammadu Buhari at the presidential villa in Abuja, Mr. Dariye and Mr. Nyame were pardoned of their crimes after supposedly successfully scaling the strictures placed by law. Mr. Dariye and Mr. Nyame were among 159 convicts pardon was extended to.

Expectedly, the decision of the Council of States has hotly divided opinions among Nigerians. And between the wild celebrations of the supporters of Messrs. Dariye and Nyame, and the stunned horror of Nigerians who work daily to bequeath a country free of corruption to unborn generations, questions burn with incandescent fury.

At what stage do those who in any way

fattened the calf of Nigeria`s corruption begin to pay for their crimes? And at what stage should such punishment be deemed VXIÀFLHQW LI HYHU" 2I FRXUVH WKHUH DUH powers and prerogatives but for whom and in whose interests are these always exercised in a country where public RIÀFHUV SODFH SHUVRQDO FRQYHQLHQFH DERYH public interest as a matter of course?

There can be no doubt. There can be no doubt that in spite of the watery explanation, this decision to pardon two men who reduced their states to hollow husks by sheer plunder while in power mocks everything the current administration has ever said about ÀJKWLQJ FRUUXSWLRQ LQ 1LJHULD DQG Nigerians must be roundly alarmed.

Indeed, it distills a jangling irony that in these days when the rug is being pulled off the feet of the Giant of Africa by terrorists and their sponsors, those who should have their noses to the grinding stone working day and night to remedy the situation are instead preoccupied with dangling pardons like carrots before two former governors who helped corruption find its feet in Nigeria upon the country`s return to democracy in 1999 while stealing their states blind during the eight years they spent in power.

In a country where politics suckle at the breast of corruption, there is no doubt that the general elections of 2023 loomed large in the minds of those who pardoned and those they pardoned.

Now, with the floodgates of pardon having been thrown open by the rusty keys of rotten politics, then, by all means, let what has been set before the goose as sauce also be set before the gander so that the circus started by the National Council of States can be complete. Let pardon also be extended to all those who languish in Nigeria`s squalid prisons having been convicted for all manner of offences so that Nigeria`s cast of celebrity criminals may come full circle.

In Taraba and Plateau States, some everyday Nigerians have rapturously celebrated the release of the two former governors while exultantly welcoming them home and lambasting the courts and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission. Those who have shown this kind of egregious excitement personify one of the gravest ironies confronting Nigeria today: that the plundered now pacify their plunderers. Of course, only wanton folly can precipitate such misguided excitement. Such conducts and thementalitywhichencouragessuchconducts can only come from a place of reprehensible folly. As for the parrots perched high in and around Nigeria`s corridors of powers who have now come out to commend a donothing administration on pardons redolent of bad faith, may they live in Nigeria to eat the fruits of their own lips.

With the passing of each day and the making of each inexplicable gaffe, the certainty grows that Nigerians made a mistake in 2015, a mistake they repeated in 2019.Time has now come for Nigerians to count their teeth with their tongues for in the Igbo country, when an old woman falls a second time, it becomes imperative to take an inventory of the contents of her basket.

What a joke Nigeria! What a joke! keneobiezu @gmail.com

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T H I S D AY SUNDAY APRIL 1 2022

OPENING YORUBAS’ FLANKS FOR INTRUDERS KOLA AMZAT argues that despite Osinbajo’s entry into the presidential race, Tinubu is better placed to win

Until when the news hit the airwaves like a thunderstorm, nobody believed it would ever happen. To the unsuspecting Nigerians, they erroneously see in Vice 3UHVLGHQW 2VLQEDMR D VXIILFLHQWO\ FRQWHQWHG man, very much in hurry to return to his private life and pastoral assignment after an incredible eight years in office.

1LJHULDQV VXGGHQO\ UHDOL]HG WKDW WKH\ were practically wrong to judge a human by his innocent looks. The point we’re QRZ LV WKDW 93 <HPL 2VLQEDMR KDV DJDLQVW all expectations, declared for the office of the President of Federal Republic of Nigeria without regard for the interest HDUOLHU H[SUHVVHG E\ KLV SROLWLFDO JRG IDWKHU for the same office. As much as we’re not challenging him for his declaration on account of respect for his fundamental human rights to contest for any office in the land as enshrined in the constitution, the expectation of the generality of discerning minds is that, it shouldn’t be the VP that would be cutting Asiwaju Tinubu’s back with a knife.

Where do we start from? Tinubu didn’t only appoint him as Attorney General DQG &RPPLVVLRQHU IRU -XVWLFH LQ KLV administration loaded with stars, he gave KLP XQXVXDO YLVLELOLW\ +H PDGH KLP superstar in the midst of stars. Tinubu, characteristic of the way he operates with his faithful, didn’t finish with him as Attorney *HQHUDO DQG &RPPLVVLRQHU IRU -XVWLFH KH offered him life time platform to assume WKH RIILFH RI VHFRQG LQ FRPPDQG LQ RXU prodigiously blessed country, substituting KLV QDPH ZLWK 2VLQEDMR ZKHQ LW EHFDPH apparent that he, as a muslim, couldn’t UXQ RQ WKH VDPH WLFNHW ZLWK 0DMRU *HQHUDO %XKDUL UWG LQ SUHVLGHQWLDO HOHFWLRQ ,QWHUHVWLQJO\ <HPL 2VLQEDMR ZDV REOLYLRXV of all this political move, until when the news hit him that he’s been considered as YLFH SUHVLGHQWLDO FDQGLGDWH The world should ask a very pertinent question; who should be running helter and skelter for Asiwaju Tinubu to be handed $3& SUHVLGHQWLDO WLFNHW LI QRW <HPL 2VLQEDMR" Who should be passionately drumming it into President Buhari’s hearing on the need WR PDNH 7LQXEX WKH $3& VWDQGDUG EHDUHU LI QRW <HPL 2VLQEDMR" :KR VKRXOG EH LQ WKH IRUHIURQW RI PRELOL]LQJ DQG FDQYDVVLQJ support of Nigerians for Tinubu SUHVLGHQF\ LI QRW <HPL 2VLQEDMR" :KR VKRXOG FKDPSLRQ WKH EXLOGLQJ RI ZDU chest for the Tinubu presidency if not <HPL 2VLQEDMR" The VP has suddenly been enveloped and overwhelmed with the splendor of Aso Villa. That’s why he has suddenly forgotten who provided him political ladder to hug visibility, fame, wealth and honor, but providence and nature GRQ·W IRUJHW +LV SROLWLFDO WUDMHFWRU\ is well documented in the annals of providence and he would be called to question at the fullest of time.

0HDQZKLOH WKH JUHDWHVW WUDJHG\ IRU WKH Yorubas at this moment is that we seem not to have learnt any lesson whatsoever as a race. This was the pit of hell the Yorubas IRXQG WKHPVHOYHV ZKHQ &KLHI /DGRNH

Akintola was alleged to be making nocturnal moves to supplant the leadership of LOOXVWULRXV ODWH VDJH &KLHI 2EDIHPL $ZRORZR LQ H[DFWO\ \HDUV DJR E\ FROOXGLQJ DQG collaborating with enemies of the Western 5HJLRQ 7KH :HVWHUQ +RXVH RI $VVHPEO\ consequently passed a vote of no confidence on Akintola leadership in a bid to remove him as the Premier and crisis erupted on the IORRU RI WKH +RXVH 7KH UHVW LV KLVWRU\ Similar to the aforementioned was the coup DJDLQVW &KLHI 2EDIHPL $ZRORZR·V ELG IRU 1LJHULDQ SUHVLGHQF\ E\ 2OXVHJXQ 2EDVDQMR PLOLWDU\ UHJLPH LQ &RQVHTXHQW XSRQ the inconclusive presidential election in WKDW \HDU DV &KLHI $ZRORZR DQG $OKDML Shagari fate ought to be resolved by the (OHFWRUDO &ROOHJH 2EDVDQMR VXGGHQO\ UDLVHG &KLHI 5LFKDUG $NLQMLGH WR DGYRFDWH DW WKH 6XSUHPH &RXUW IRU 131 FDQGLGDWH WKDW KLV KH JDUQHUHG GXULQJ WKH HOHFWLRQ ZDV PDWKHPDWLFDOO\ VWDWHV 2EDVDQMR deployed Nigerian resources to fight against KLV NLQVPDQ &KLHI $ZRORZR DQG GHQLHG him of an imminent victory at the Electoral &ROOHJH ,W ZDV WKH VDPH 2EDVDQMR ZKR HYHQWXDOO\ QDLOHG WKH FRIILQ RI &KLHI 0.2 SUHVLGHQWLDO mandate genuinely given to him by Nigerians LQ E\ KLV WUDJLF SURQRXQFHPHQW WKDW ¶0.2 ZDVQ·W WKH PHVVLDK 1LJHULD QHHGHG· 7KDW PHVVDJH UHVRQDWHG ZLWK WKH ,%% PLOLWDU\ led government and got them emboldened.

7KH\ FDSLWDOL]HG RQ WKH SURQRXQFHPHQW DQG finally resolved that the mandate was dead.

Such is the diverse tragedy that has befallen Yoruba nation over years in our quest for leadership of this country. But, QR RQH H[SHFWHG WKDW 93 2VLQEDMR ZRXOG continue the macabre dance by opening the flanks of the race for the enemies of the region WR SHQHWUDWH DQG LQWUXGH 2QH H[SHFWV WKH 93 D 3URIHVVRU RI /DZ D &KULVWLDQ RI 5&&* stock, operating at the highest level of the globally acclaimed church, and sufficiently urbane and a supposedly gentleman to have deeply researched into how Yorubas have been shortchanged over years in her quest for leadership of the country and therefore personally resolve to make amendments.

Now that he’s fallen prey of the foes and adversaries of the region, where do we go from here?

But, the beauty of our situation is that despite his supposed collaboration with our political foes, Tinubu looks good to clinch the $3& SUHVLGHQWLDO WLFNHW +H KDV UHOHQWOHVVO\ and assiduously worked for it over decades. +LV OHYHO RI DFFHSWDELOLW\ DFURVV WKH FRXQWU\ LV LQFUHGLEOH DQG XQIDWKRPDEOH +H KDV DPD]LQJ VWUXFWXUH DOO RYHU WKH FRXQWU\ FDSDEOH RI ZLQQLQJ WKH SUHVLGHQWLDO HOHFWLRQ WLPHV +LV foot soldiers across the land are like locusts, so much that if that election is scheduled for today, it would be a fait accompli for him.

Besides, Tinubu has all the traits of a SUHVLGHQW WKLV FRXQWU\ QHHGV WRGD\ 2I FRXUVH we must acknowledge that our country is in dire need of renewal, rebranding, UH HQJLQHHULQJ UHSRVLWLRQLQJ DQG QHZ paradigm.

Amzat (FCA,FCIB,ACS,CTP,MBA) is a Lagos-based financial consultant

BATTLE FOR ENUGU LION BUILDING Barth Nnaji will make a difference as Governor of Enugu State, writes CHUKWUDI ENEKWECHI It was towards the end of the year 2000 that I visited Professor Barth Nnaji at the University of Pittsburgh, USA, where he was a senior lecturer in Robotics Engineering. As , OHIW P\ ÀUVW DERGH LQ &ROXPELD 0LVVRXUL and heading to New York city in search of the American dream, I decided to pay a courtesy visit to Professor Nnaji whom I had known back home in Nigeria.

As a young news reporter in the mid 90’s I had written about Professor Nnaji as a distinguished Nigerian scholar making waves in the United States of America and globally. So as I boarded Greyhound, my favourite bus company and one of the PRVW SRSXODU WUDQVSRUW RXWÀWV LQ WKH 8QLWHG States of America, I put a call across to Professor Nnaji that I will like to pay him a courtesy visit if he will be available and he gladly accepted.

Behold as our bus pulled up at the Greyhound bus station in the University town of Pittsburgh and I alighted, a young white lady walked up to me and said she was sent by her boss, Professor Bart Nnaji to welcome me and drive me WR KLV RIÀFH DW WKH 8QLYHUVLW\ 0\ LQLWLDO consternation was that even a white lady could be working under a black man as secretary and the literal meaning was that such a black man must be a star and one in a million, especially in a country like America where blacks play a reverse role in what was unfolding before me. $Q\ZD\ VKH GURYH PH WR WKHLU RIÀFH in the University and I met Professor Nnaji seated behind his executive table DWWHQGLQJ WR VHYHUDO ÀOHV EHIRUH KLP 2I course I could see him very busy on his laptop, and after exchanging pleasantries , ZDV XVKHUHG WR WKH VHFUHWDU\·V RIÀFH where I had to wait till close of work when Professor Nnaji drove me along ZLWK KLV VRQ &KLNH 0D\ KLV VRXO UHVW LQ peace) to a restaurant for dinner. After the sumptuous dinner they dropped me at the Greyhound bus station to continue my journey to New York.

Lest I forget as the eminent Professor got up from his professorial chair to drive us to dinner he conducted me round the ÁRRU ZKHUH KLV IDFXOW\ ZDV ORFDWHG DQG RQH FRXOG HDVLO\ ÀQG KLV QDPH OLVWHG DV one of the most prominent professors of the university and with a ‘’Professorial &KDLU·· GHGLFDWHG LQ KLV KRQRXU Indeed he is such a great and accomplished Igbo man that he proudly hung his traditional title hand fan‘’Akupe 2]R·· RQ WKH ZDOO RI KLV RIÀFH , UHFDOO WKDW on the same day I visited he had informed PH WKDW &KLHI 1QLD 1ZRGR IRUPHU 2+$1(=( 3UHVLGHQW ZDV DOVR RQ D YLVLW WR KLP DQG KDG MXVW OHIW KLV RIÀFH This is the brief encounter I had with the eminent Professor Nnaji that I began to wonder why Enugu State and indeed the South East will have such personage recognised globally for his brilliance in 5RERWLFV HQJLQHHULQJ DQG RWKHU VFLHQWLÀF areas and fail to invite him to contribute to our renaissance as a people. As a technocrat and scientist he is sought for across the globe to help solve some of the most LQWUDFWDEOH VFLHQWLÀF SX]]OHV \HW LQ Enugu State and the South East as a whole we choose to relegate our best to the background but elevate deadwoods

as leaders.

This is a man who has excelled in the academia, business and sports and one wonders why we are still in search of the next governor of Enugu State.

'HÀQLWHO\ LI KH LV JLYHQ DQ RSSRUWXQLW\ to govern Enugu State he will bring his global experience and contacts to bear LQ WKH GHYHORSPHQW RI WKH VWDWH +H ZLOO tap into his extensive knowledge of the world and how economies work to attract major companies to Enugu State which was once and still remains the capital of the old Eastern region and once famously described as the fastest growing economy in the world. +H LV RQH RI WKH LQYHQWRUV RI ( Design concept contents. A scientist and inventor and the creator of WKH PRGHUQ )HGHUDO 0LQLVWU\ RI 6FLHQFH DQG 7HFKQRORJ\ +H ZDV D GLVWLQJXLVKHG 3URIHVVRU RI 0HFKDQLFDO and Industrial Engineering at the 8QLYHUVLW\ RI 0DVVDFKXVHWWV $PKHUVW Alcoa Foundation Professor of Engineering at University of Pittsburgh, William Keptler Whiteford Professor of Engineering and Director of the 8 6 1DWLRQDO 6FLHQFH )RXQGDWLRQ +H was a member of organisations like Department of Defense, Boeing, Kodak, *( ,%0 )RUG 0RWRU &RPSDQ\ $OFRD

I believe that a state like Enugu that is still grappling with developmental challenges requires a leadership that can proffer workable solutions to the problems Pratt and Whitney, Raytheon, BAE and /RFNKHHG 0DUWLQ I believe that a state like Enugu that is still grappling with developmental challenges requires a leadership that can proffer workable solutions to the problems. This is not the time for leaders who will learn on the job or depend on hired hands to deliver the good.

As oil revenues continue to dwindle Enugu State must ensure that the next set of leaders will be innovators, inventors and achievers like Professor Barth Nnaji who has practically proved their competence across the world, and whose ingenuity are being sought after E\ PDQ\ KL WHFK DQG JOREDO RUJDQLVDWLRQV as mentioned above.

If this is done, then the state would be well positioned to compete favourably with other moderns states and reclaim its former leading position as the capital of the former Eastern region of Nigeria.

Kwechis19@yahoo.com

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T H I S D AY SUNDAY APRIL 17, 2022

EDITORIAL

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

AS WE WELCOME 2022 EASTER...

The season offers yet another opportunity to build enduring values of justice, service and peace

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s we rejoice and celebrate with Christians all over the world today, there is a lot in the Easter story that resonates regardless of the faith ZH SURIHVV 7KH VDFULÀFH ORYH mercy, and unity that the death and UHVXUUHFWLRQ RI -HVXV &KULVW H[HPSOLÀHG DUH VRPH RI the enduring values of Easter that transcend doctrine DQG WKH\ DUH ZRUWK\ WR EH UHÁHFWHG XSRQ E\ DOO Nigerians, especially at a time like this. Indeed, there can be no doubt that the application of the virtues of Jesus Christ would help in addressing some of the challenges that have for decades held back Nigeria from peace and prosperity. A day such as this therefore calls IRU VREHU UHÁHFWLRQV DV we rededicate ourselves to the promotion of the common good.

That Easter comes this year at a period Muslims are observing WKH PRQWKO\ 5DPDGDQ IDVW LV VLJQLÀFDQW ,W PHDQV that we can use religion not only to strengthen our nationhood but as a vehicle for deepening harmony. Besides, Easter’s enduring message is about love that can be transmitted by sharing with the less privileged of our society not only material possessions but also through simple gestures like kind words and sincere smiles. That also happens to be the real essence of Ramadan. Unfortunately, adherents of both religions fail most miserably to imbibe these virtues. And the tragedy of that failure can be seen in the poverty and deprivation of majority of our people.

With bad leadership at practically all levels, leading to violence and all manner of social strains, our streets and alleyways are now overrun by kidnappers, bandits, insurgents, armed robbers, and sundry other assortments of troublemakers. What Easter then demands of Christians, and indeed all of us, is the need to rise beyond ourselves. It is only ZKHQ ZH DGRSW WKLV VHOÁHVV DWWLWXGH WKDW ZH ZRXOG be able to focus attention on other people, their safety and welfare as well as the optimal allocation

of scarce resources for effective implementation of policies, especially by those in authorities.

In alluding to the uniqueness of this year’s Easter coming ‘about half-way into the holy month of Ramadan’, President Muhammadu Buhari said the season should evoke in Nigerians “the resilience of the human spirit not to give up in the face of seemingly daunting challenges of life. This period emboldens us to believe that the current spate of uncertainty and insecurity will soon unfold a season of triumph of good over evil; hope over despair, and light over darkness.”

As gloomy as the national landscape may appear, we share in the presidential optimism with a caveat.

Commemorating the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ and the redemption wrought for Christians on the cross of Calvary is very VLJQLÀFDQW %XW WKH essence of the occasion should not be limited to rhetoric. It is a time for all 1LJHULDQV WR UHÁHFW RQ ZKDW LV ZURQJ ZLWK XV DQG what we can do to change the narrative. Easter provides a unique opportunity to interrogate the killings, the maiming, the banditry, and other forms of bloodletting while working for solutions to the challenges they present.

More than at any period in our recent history, this Easter season offers a unique opportunity to identify the enduring values on which to build a new order of justice, service, peace, respect for human dignity and mutual understanding. More importantly, the new wave of insecurity and spilling of blood in our country is a further invitation to all compatriots to join hands in building a new civilisation of love that eschews hatred, violence, rancour, and acrimony across the divides. So, on this Easter Sunday, we invite all Nigerians to renew hope and faith in our country while relating with others with love. May Easter awaken in each of us true joy shown in dedicated service and love for our fellow country men and women.

We wish all our readers a Happy Easter!

On this Easter Sunday, we invite all Nigerians to renew hope and faith in our country while relating with others with love

Letters to the Editor

Letters in response to specific publications in THISDAY should be brief(150-200 words) and straight to the point. Interested readers may send such letters along with their contact details to opinion@thisdaylive.com. We also welcome comments and opinions on topical local, national and international issues provided they are well-written and should also not be longer than (950- 1000 words). They should be sent to opinion@thisdaylive.com along with the email address and phone numbers of the writer

LETTERS

AUTOMATIC RETURN TICKET FOR ELECTED OFFICIALS In the countdown to the 2023 general elections, there have been subterranean moves by certain groups of elected officials to lobby, blackmail and pressurise the leadership of their parties to secure automatic tickets for another term in office.

It is pertinent to draw the attention of the leadership of our political. parties, electoral bodies, public institutions and the Nigerian citizenry in general that those who contemplate this odious scam have no other objective but to destroy our nascent democracy and its core values.

The foundation of modern democracy is the concept of popular sovereignty, that is, citizens are deemed to have agreed to the existence of the state on the basis that those elected to run the state, will, periodically be delegated the sovereign powers of each citizen. The beneficiary is therefore expected to surrender the mandate on the expiration of the tenure and seek a renewal that may or may not be given depending on how the sovereigns assess his or her performance.

This sacred contract will be jeopardised by the sabotage that any automatic ticket implies

because it robs the people of their right to exercise control over their delegates and the performance of a necessary ritual for the preservation of the raison d’etre of the modern democratic state.

The Nigerian Constitution, in recognising these fundamental principles, sets out in the preamble by asserting as follows: “ We the people of the Federal Republic of Nigeria Having firmly and solemnly resolved, to live in unity and harmony as one indivisible and indissoluble sovereign nation under God, dedicated to the promotion of inter-African solidarity, world peace, international cooperation and understanding And to provide for a Constitution for the purpose of promoting the good government and welfare of all persons in our country, on the principles of freedom, equality and justice, and for the purpose of consolidating the unity of our people.”

In Section 14, the Constitution asserts the principle of popular sovereignty when it declares, inter alia:

The Federal Republic of Nigeria shall be a State based on the principles of democracy and social justice.

(2) It is hereby, accordingly, declared that: (a) sovereignty belongs to the people of Nigeria from whom government through this Constitution derives all its powers and authority; To the extent that it is impracticable for the citizens of Nigeria to meet regularly to take decisions on how to run the state, in relation to its population and size, the Constitution introduced representative government by applying an elaborate elective principle.

This may be segmented into three: the voter, the candidate/political party and the regulator.

Section 117(2) established that Nigerians who have attained 18 years of age shall be the voters; Section 221 established the political parties as platforms for filling elective offices and the Third Schedule (F) established the Independent National Electoral Commission.

The Constitution requires the political parties to present candidates who have been democratically elected by their fellow party

members at the party primaries.

Indeed, for the avoidance of doubt, Section 229 states: “political party” includes any association whose activities include canvassing for votes in support of a candidate for election to the office of President, Vice-President, Governor, Deputy Governor or membership of a legislative house or of a local government council.”

Why would an elected official, given a mandate of four years, be unwilling to subject himself or herself to the decision of the party members who made him their standard bearer? The reason can only be that he has seen the handwriting on the wall that he no longer enjoys the support of his rank and file party members.

While the leadership of the parties are hereby forewarned from biting the bullet, the INEC should, as a matter of regulation and leadership declare the unconstitutionality of automatic tickets and the primacy of the choice-driven electoral primaries to determine the candidates of parties.

Stephen Lokosu, Lagos

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WEEKLY PULL-OUT

17.4.2022

PETER MBAH THE STORY FROM OBSCURITY TO DOMINANCE For the self-effacing goal-getter behind Pinnacle Oil and Gas Limited, Mr. Peter Mbah, who turned 50 years recently, it takes a combination of vision, grit, tenacity, diligence, self-discipline and managerial acumen to emerge from relative obscurity to become a dominant player in the downstream sector of the petroleum industry. Vanessa Obioha reports.

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

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COVER I am a Man You Can Sum up His Life Story as One Who Has an Eye for the Unusual

Mbah

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t a talk delivered to students of Godfrey Okoye University in Enugu, Enugu State, Peter Ndubuisi Mbah, founder and Chief Executive Officer of Pinnacle Oil and Gas Limited, an indigenous oil and gas company, in the bid to mentor the students and assure them that, no matter their current existential limitations, they could have a handshake with the sky. That summed up his trajectory in life and his rise to becoming one of the most dominant players in the oil industry in Nigeria. Mbah just clocked 50 years in March 2022.

In his unassuming, penetrating sotto voce remarks, Mbah began by taking a shuttle into the thorn field of life he had walked through, barefooted.

“What you have asked me to do this evening is essentially to tell my story, especially the narrative of the most recent phase of my life which I call the midlife struggle. I will be relying, for my short talk with you this evening, on Joe Girard’s imperishable quip which says that the elevator to success is out of order; you will have to use the stairs … one step at a time.”

According to Mbah, his life trajectory exemplifies the short, calculated steps of the ladder. “The steps were taken smoothly, the next taken with great pains

and discomfort and two other next steps lifted as if taking smooth steps… that was part of my life from the outset.”

Today, Mbah’s Pinnacle is one of the industry’s leading players which has succeeded in eliminating multiple handling of operations in the oil industry space. Mbah’s Pinnacle owns one of the largest oil facilities in Nigeria today, with a world-class monstrous storage facility that has enabled the industry to cut down immensely on costs and turn-around time in operation. The company also offers one of the largest offshore liquid bulk terminals in Africa and is creating values through excellent services.

Young Peter commenced schooling at the Army Children’s School, Bori Camp, Port Harcourt, Rivers State, at a tender age of five and attracted school-wide attention for his brilliance. Promoted to skip Elementary Three due to his brilliance, Peter began to read biographies while in Elementary school, chief of which was This Life, a bulky biography of legendary Hollywood actor, Sidney Poitier, the first Black man to win an Oscar for Best Actor in 1964 for his role in Lilies of the Field. This Life is the narrative of how a poor young man from the Bahamas, who couldn’t speak good English, came to the US, cleaning the streets, going to shops to beg and who eventually got a job as a cleaner. Poitier eventually improved himself

and got to win an Oscar. This story, at the tender age he read the book, inspired Peter to aim for the top, no matter the huge existential limitations confronting him at the time.

This same man, at 12 years old, was the small boy who, with a distinction in the First School Leaving Examination, when his parents were at a financial crossroads because his admittance to college would mean the stoppage of his siblings’ schooling, confidently told his mom he would rather drop out of school to start trading than have their schooling halted. He was thereafter seconded to a family friend in Lagos, from their Port Harcourt base, to live and work as an apprentice electronics boy at Alaba Market.

Rising to the pinnacle of his career has not been a tea party for Mbah. Armed with an LLB from the University of East London, a Master’s degree in Business Administration from the IESE University of Navarra, Spain and a string of other degrees he has had, Peter acquired his business knack from the beginning.

In his words, “I have packaged into this short life of mine a lot of grits, frustration, disappointments, rough tackles but each with very strong determination.” Explaining the business mogul and boardroom czar that he later became, Peter said of himself, “I am a man you can sum up his life story as one who has an eye for the unusual and who runs the race of life with an amazing vigour.”

Those who are amazed seeing that young Peter at the top today will further be stupefied that he started the quest for the top from a very humble beginning as a trader of all sorts.

“After doing this for a while, I found out I had saved enough money to stand on my own. My path then crossed with a company in Germany which started sending me Mercedes Benz parts. I sold them here in Nigeria and repatriated their money to Germany, as I did earlier on,” he said.

Then, another opportunity presented itself. The young Peter began to represent another company from Turkey and rose to become its sole representative. The company was shipping its goods to him and after sale, he would again repatriate their money to them “The company obliged me with an open credit at a time when the average Nigerian had become a suspect in international business partnership. The lesson I learnt from this interface with the company is that trust is a cash which can be dispensed with the moment you exhaust its balance,” he said to the young school undergraduates gathered to listen to him speak.

“Sometime in 1993, a brother of mine who was a vice president of an international company met me and wanted me to be representing his company in Nigeria.

His company was lifting crude oil from Nigeria. He wanted me to be an agent of the company in Nigeria and we agreed on my collecting 25 cents from every barrel of oil lifted in the country. I did it for a while before this venture ran into stormy waters due to the fraudulent disposition of some Nigerians involved. I lost so much foreign currency but got my determination level lifted.”

This loss however made the young Peter look inwards to the possibility of his being a major player in the oil industry. The transaction was a failure and even though what he lost was a lot, what he gained from the unfortunate encounter was an opportunity to understudy the oil industry and most importantly, a resolve to be at the top. He told the young undergraduates that the morale that lay in what he did was that integrity and hard-work are conjoined Siamese twins, intertwined and which go, one after the other.

The desire to inculcate these noble values in the upcoming generations inspired him to establish Focus International Schools, a primary and secondary school rolled into one, which he patterned to be world-class.

“I began to think of setting up my own oil company. Thereafter, I did a lot of shipping and oil and gas businesses, pursued an academic career and even sought to enter into the public service by vying for an elective office in Enugu State in 2003,” he said.

This was the turning point in Mbah’s life. He ran a campaign that was so unusually sophisticated that, even when he lost the election, the governor of Enugu State at the time, Dr. Chimaroke Nnamani, asked that he

be brought to him, asking that he be made his Chief of Staff. He was later to become the state’s Commissioner of Finance and Economic Development. As a testament to the uncommon development he made in the state’s fiscal operations, through the strategy document he evolved which became the operating document for Enugu State government’s development programmes, the NewsWatch magazine’s special publication of July 3, 2006, described Mbah as “a man ahead of his time.”

After that career in the public service, Mbah came back to Lagos and rented a one-room office on the mainland at Ahmed Onibudo Street, with himself, secretary and office assistant as staff. This oil marketing company began to engage in buying and selling of oil products.

In his oil marketing business, Mbah told the students, “I recognised what customers wanted and gave a customer-centric approach to marketing, deployed a cost control measure, focusing on operational issues and how to cut costs. One thing led to the other and then we ventured into oil and gas. It was a combination of determination and a dogged spirit that took us to where we are today,” he said.

Mbah veered into the challenges he faced in the industry, stating that it was not all a bed of roses. The industry, he said, was a close-circuit one, with a lot of high regulations but that, the challenges of the industry notwithstanding, it allowed us some measure of expansionism through which his own company had grown phenomenally since inception.

“Here, you have to take license for every strand of your corporate aspiration; it literally frowns at innovation,” he said.

Mbah then veered into history. “The major harbinger of this high regulatory mechanism in the oil industry today is the 1975 Oputa panel of inquiry that resulted in the Petroleum Control Decree of 1975. This policy led to refineries construction and central control of product supply, price regulation etc. Since then, Nigeria has never been the same,” he said.

He then came back to the nature of operations at Pinnacle, stating that the company had today taken the oil and gas business to a notable height where it can only expand and not stand by watching others be the big players.

How did Peter shuttle to the top? He looked into void, to no one in particular, and said, matter-of-factly, that the journey had been through two paths. To become the CEO, the man who calls the shot at the zenith of a corporation, was a journey that can be undertaken in two ways: “One way is what I call the home track trajectory and the other, outside the loop trajectory,” he began.

“In the first, the CEO becomes the head by being a professional who rose through the ranks within the system to become the head of the corporation; in the second, the CEO gets to the top by being headhunted from the outside. Both have their advantages and the challenges that await them. I became the CEO of Pinnacle Oil and Gas by taking the first route. I am what you can call one who walked through the thorns-laden path into rising to the pinnacle of his career,” he said.

In all these, both Pinnacle and Mbah are still projecting for the future. “At Pinnacle, we have come to realize that getting to the top is not the end itself. We must struggle to keep up with the strategies that have kept us afloat. Any corporation that refuses to grow would be swallowed up by those just growing or it may dissolve into nothingness.

Our strategy for the future is to mull the idea of JVAs, mergers, take-overs and the sort in the same sector with companies with the same values where we can add to each other’s values and grow bigger therefrom.

Ultimately, we put God at the cusp of our endeavours.”

Mbah’s parting words to the students was, “Distinguished ladies and gentlemen, these are the curves of the life trajectory of this young man standing before you.”

As the ancient saying goes that man proposes and God disposes, the great people of Enugu State, oblivious of the mergers, take-over and JVAs that Mbah projects for Pinnacle, are asking him to abandon all those lofty dreams, leave a company whose yearly turnover is greater than their state’s earnings in eight years, replicate the turn-around he made at Pinnacle in his home state and pilot their affairs the way he did at Pinnacle. Will Peter heed the call?

SUNDAY APRIL 17, 2022 • T H I S D AY

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GLITZ ENTERTAINMENT

Nigerians Want Justice for Gospel Singer Osinachi Stories by Vanessa Obioha The ire over the death of gospel singer Osinachi Nwachukwu who passed on April 8, at the National Hospital in Abuja, is yet to simmer.

Initially reported to have died of an ailment, it was later alleged that the cause of her death may be due to the domestic violence she suffered at the hands of her husband, Peter, who is currently in police custody. Gospel singer Frank Edwards made the allegations in an Instagram live video.

Different reports surfaced detailing how the deceased was abused by her husband to the extent that it was alleged that the latter taught the children that beating a woman was ideal and an accepted norm.

Since her passing, Nigerians have taken to different social media platforms to air their anger and demand justice for the singer who blessed souls with her vocals in the popular gospel song ‘Ekwueme’.

More importantly, stories about domestic violence against women have multiplied recently. More women are sharing their ordeal in the hands of men who have little or no respect for their well being. Again, the incident has brought to the fore the issue of divorce. From most opinions aired, the church and society were blamed for the unnecessary pressure they put on women

to stay in abusive marriages all in the name of looking respectable in the eyes of the public.

While there is no concrete evidence yet to nail the death on the deceased’s husband, the Senate however has waded into the matter. Coming under Order 42 of the Senate Standing Orders on Personal Explanation, Senator Ifeanyi Ubah representing Anambra South, drew the attention of the chamber to the controversial death of the singer.

Senate President Ahmed Lawan, therefore, called for an investigation to unravel the actual cause of death.

“The authorities should investigate the death of this citizen, and the lives of every citizen must matter. This is one death too many.”

The founder of Dunamis International Gospel Centre, Paul Enenche in a 10-minute video expressed surprise at the allegations of domestic violence. He claimed that he was unaware the late singer was going through such. Osinachi was the lead singer in his church and never for once confided in him of her abusive marriage.

With outrage over the singer’s death, will justice finally be served if her husband is found culpable? The coming days will tell.

Osinachi

On First Anniversary in Nigeria, Spotify Says It’s Helping to Restructure the Music Market Recently, musical creators, industry stakeholders, and journalists converged at the Vanilla Moon Restaurant in Victoria Island, Lagos, for the Spotify Media Dinner to discuss milestones achieved by the streaming platform in Nigeria as well as address specific challenges of creators in monetising the platform since its foray into the country With physical offices rolled out in Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, Tanzania and Uganda last year on February 23, 2021, Spotify’s direct engagement of local artists was dialled up, facilitating the rise of up-and-coming acts with an increased prospect of all acts to fully monetize their bodies of work despite the raging piracy conditioned by the unregulated nature of traditional music distribution channels in Nigeria.

According to Head of Music Sub-Saharan Africa, Phiona Okumu, “Last year, Spotify paid out the most royalties of all digital service providers (DSPs) that exist, and it was a figure over $7 billion.”

She continued: “At Spotify, What we are obliged to do and make sure that we do, is lean into whatever we think that artists or creators are marginalised. Wherever we think we are missing an opportunity, we make sure that we tap into it.”

Ahead of the launch of Nigerian singer Fave’s ‘Riddim 5’ debut EP, she enjoyed huge publicity from the platform, especially with the display of her album on the billboards in Times Square, expanding her reach beyond the shores of Nigeria.

In a bid to continually export African music, Spotify has banked on special features like Radar and Equal to curb the marginalisation of artists based on experience and gender respectively. Other features of the platform that boost artist visibility include Spotify for Artists, African Heat Playlist, and Fresh Finds Africa.

Okumu noted further that in the remuneration process, although transparent from their end, artists yet end up earning less than what they deserve for their work. She mentioned the lopsided nature of deals signed by artists as one of the biggest factors affecting their income.

Boasting a global audience of 180 million active users, 20,935 songs were added to the Spotify platform by Nigerian creators since market entry. Although impressive, Okumu feels the industry has not been fully harnessed because of the

low internet penetration rate in Nigeria and the high cost of data packages that limit the experience of consumers on all streaming sites.

Data released by the company also revealed that artists like Ckay, WizKid, Burna Boy, Tems and Mr Eazi are in the top 5 artists to emerge from Africa. Okumu also pointed out the influence of the afrobeats genre that has roots in Nigeria. According to data, nine out of the top 10 songs exported from Nigeria were a result of collaboration with African and international artists. This Okumu said has helped to reflect the full African narrative with a touch of global appeal.

Bong Joon-ho at Cannes Film Festival in 2019

Cannes is Back to Spring Schedule

Okumu

For the first time since 2019, the Cannes Film Festival is returning to its spring schedule. This year’s edition will kick off on May 17 and features intriguing offerings for the 10-day event.

Cannes is notable for debuting breakout movies such as the South Korean film ‘Parasite’ which premiered at the festival in 2019 and won the Palme d’Or. The film by Bong Joon-ho went on to make history the following year at the Academy Awards, taking the Oscars for Best Picture, Best International Feature, Best Director, and Best Original Screenplay.

Therefore, eyes are on the slate of films that will be showing at the Cannes this year. Some notable films in competition include ‘Tori and Lokita’ by the Belgian brothers Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne, as well as James Gray coming of age autobiographical movie ‘Armageddon Time’, while Baz Luhrmann’s ‘Elvis’, Joseph Kosinski’s ‘Top Gun: Maverick’, and George Miller’s ‘Three Thousand Years of Longing’ will screen out of competition, Hollywood big stars like Idris Elba, Anthony Hopkins, Anna Hathaway, and Kristen Stewart will also be at the festival as films featuring them will be screened.

Special screenings at the festival include ‘All That Breathes’ by Shaunak Sen; ‘Jerry Lee Lewis: Trouble in Mind’ by Ethan Coen; and ‘The Natural History of Destruction’ by Sergei Loznitsa.

SUNDAY APRIL 17, 2022 • T H I S D AY

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HighLife

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

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

Adenuga Makes Rare Appearance at High-Octane Wedding of Osasu Igbinedion

Igbinedion

To everything in the world, there is an exception. And so it is with the legendary reticence of super businessman and one of the leading Africa’s wealthiest men, Mike Adenuga. A few days ago, the Globacom Chairman and philanthropist attended an event in Edo State at the behest of his longtime friend, Chief Gabriel Igbinedion. This only served to remind people that whenever the Esama of the Benin Kingdom needed his presence, Adenuga would shake off his reservation and comply with the aristocrat’s request.

Adenuga and Igbinedion have quite a lot in common. Both of them are businessmen who have managed to outgrow their immediate environment, with their reputations thrown far and wide. Also, both of them have an unusual thing with public appearances, choosing the occasional manifestation over regular snapshots and wide smiles at the camera, although Adenuga is undoubtedly the more reserved.

Unsurprisingly, both Adenuga and Igbinedion are good pals with the latter often leading the former by the hand - almost literally.

For example, some days ago, Adenuga was seen at a high-octane event that had been thrown in honour of the wedding of Igbinedion’s granddaughter, Osasu.

The event saw Adenuga sitting quietly, as usual, while other high-profile individuals were throwing smiles at the paparazzi. Of course, a few photographers still managed to take a snapshot of the billionaire despite his best efforts to avoid it. Even so, as those at the event later stated, it was clear that Adenuga did not mind as much since it was an event hosted in the Igbinedion clan.

Indeed, Adenuga’s place in the corporate corridor in Nigeria is the exact opposite of his usual demeanour. He has long become a household name with the telecoms industry essentially surnamed after him. Those who attended the event were very happy to see Adenuga otherwise known as the guru who

changed the face of telecoms in Africa. Stories are told of his greatness and echoes of his humanity are fed fodder to the masses. In a land dogged by human and infrastructural lapses, the humanity of “The Bull’, as many affectionately call him, nourishes the glands of kith and kin even as his genius oils the wheels of industry. This is why he is perpetually on song, among his league of extraordinary men.

with his forebears, to make a name that reflects honour and dignity, and does not let down the expectations of his immediate and distant relatives and friends.

The eldest son of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, Adamu, who added another year to his age a few days ago, is one such person.

Ever since he stepped into the limelight, it has been one big impact after another in Adamawa State. As long as he continues this way, it is only a matter of time before the same regard given to his father is given to him also.

Adamu might only be the eldest son, but he is the one that bears the burden of the family after his father. It is easy for anyone to carry the blood of their ancestors in their veins, but carrying on their legacy is the difficult part. Yet, despite the weight of trans-generational expectations, Adamu seems to be doing just fine.

Development in his native Adamawa. Even so, he does not cut the figure of a politician as his father does. Instead, Adamu holds himself as a torch-bearer, a person of impact more than a person of influence. You can tell that he focuses on the people rather than on the position.

A true statesman, Adamu has won himself the sincere regard of the Adamawa people. After all, only a few individuals would go the long way to ensure that their charge is carried out. And because Adamu is very committed to the charge of the office of Works and Energy in Adamawa, the people naturally love him. Yet, one can see Adamu’s marks beyond this Commission and reaching out to everyone in Adamawa and yonder.

Adamu is a true son of his father, a perfect chip off the old block.

Adenuga

Lady Cherry Igbinedion: A Matriarch with Poise A Chip Off the Old Block: Adamu Atiku Making Huge Impact in Adamawa A true child of his father is that man who Today, he is the suave and energetic and Finesse at 70 would do everything in his power to keep up Commissioner for Works and Energy In recent days, the word finesse has joined the stash of street lingo thrown around. It is gradually losing its characteristic softness, class, and unique implications. Despite this, there are still individuals who embody this word in its truest form, and they do it so well that it is best to include another melodious word—poise. So when this article labels Lady Cherry, the wife of the Esama of Benin Kingdom, Gabriel Igbinedion, a matriarch with poise and finesse, it is saying something big.

Some are born for greatness whereas others were fashioned to magnify that greatness with their charm and grace. Lady Cherry of Benin Kingdom is one of the latter while her husband, Chief Gabriel, is undoubtedly in the first category. Both of them are as suited to each other as colours are to flowers and age is to time. So it makes sense that even at 70, Lady Cherry continues to compound the excellence of the Igbinedion family, gradually becoming one of the main pillars of the majestic clan.

Due to how well she has integrated into the Igbinedion family, people generally assume that Lady Cherry is a Nigerian. But she isn’t. She is of Jamaican origin, but that has not hindered her many contributions to the increased popularity of the Igbinedions, not to mention the seeds of her womb, Omosede, Ivie, Amenze and Orobosa Igbinedion.

Chief Gabriel has never failed to give due honour to Lady Cherry.

Judging from his words over the years, many wives there may be in the Igbinedion household but Cherry is a radiant flower among them. Her grace and imperial demeanour are not things that ordinary queens can compare to, so her presence at his side over the years has done nothing but lend more light and weight to Esama’s majesty.

So, at 70, Lady Cherry is still wellloved, well appreciated, and well valued at home and abroad. And what greater evidence of one’s poise and grace is there compared to this?

Atiku

What’s Up with Abdullah Bashir Haske on the New Chinese Deal?

The heat of business management is not something that every Tom, Dick, and Harry can bear. Some are born with an innate capacity to handle all such matters with expertise that is no less than that of time-tested professionals. Does the son-in-law of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, Abdullah Bashir Haske, fall into the same category? That remains to be seen.

To understand the narrative that has tied Haske to other oil and gas overlords, Salvic’s Ambrosie Bryant Chukwueloka ‘ABC’ Orjiako and Kaztec’s Emeka Offor, one must first recognise the genius that is Haske. Before the Chinese deal that threw him into the limelight as a true talent, Haske was known as the founder of several progressive business establishments, including AA&R Investments and Mars E&P. Then he tangoed with Orjiako and Offor and things changed.

It was a battle for supremacy, specifically the ownership of Addax Petroleum, a business that appeared to be up for grabs. Although Orjiako

and Offor had prior contact with the company and the Chinese parent company that had seemingly discarded the company, Haske came out of nowhere and got 51% of the ownership block. Since then, it has been one battle after the other, with Haske losing one time and gaining another time.

The last gist from the battlegrounds has it that Haske has been significantly beaten back

by Orjiako and Offor. Although this should not have come as a surprise, it seemed as if Haske was on the verge of a breakthrough, something that would doubtless have shocked the corporate corridor in Nigeria. Alas, that seems like a straw dream now.

Nevertheless, whether Haske’s youthful exuberance and arrogance are indeed the factors responsible for his loss to the other overlords, time will eventually tell. Right now, things are still under wraps for the most part. But that cannot be the state of things for longer.

Haske

Appllausee as Toku unbo Waahaab Brring gs the Managem ment an nd Head ds of Lagos Sttate Terttiarry Insstitu utionss to Lond don

Wahab

With individuals like Tokunbo Wahab around, it is only a myth that all human beings are created equal. Yes, it is the same level of existence, but some have gone

ahead of the rest of us, making waves with every gesture and deciding the fates of their fellows with their every achievement. How is that equal for anybody?

The Special Adviser to Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu on Education has continued to draw gasps at the grassroots and sighs at the upper echelons of power. Since becoming one of the pillars of Sanwo-Olu’s cabinet, it has been one big accomplishment after another.

Under their focused supervision, Lagos has gradually evolved into an epicentre of sustainable development with the education sector at the core.

Recently, Wahab spearheaded the committee of the management and heads of Lagos State tertiary institutions and

brought them to the University of London for training on capacity development. This is in line with Sanwo-Olu and Wahab’s mutual understanding that education is the best avenue for self, corporate, and regional development. Thus, the visit to London is only the first step in the new walk towards greatness for Lagos citizens.

According to Lagosians who paid close attention to the visit, Wahab had intended to create a foundation for further growth, and integration with the University of London’s special collection of academic programs was the best way to start achieving this.

Of course, this is no surprise considering that this is what Wahab has always been doing—raising the standard for education in Lagos, Nigeria, and the rest of Africa.

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HIGHLIFE Since the first man came to himself and realised that the elements are unforgiving, the concept of houses was born. Similarly, the concept of homes came about with the inception of families. Although identical, both concepts have grown far apart in meaning and dynamics. This is also true of ordinary homes and luxury homes.

Due to the high explosion of Nigerians all over the place, especially around cities, the provision of quality residential houses has become a priority. For establishments like Bisi Onasanya’s The Address Homes, this resolution of this priority is the primary reason for their existence. And The Address Homes is gaining more traction every time it designs and offers a luxurious residential structure to a willing family.

To the observant, The Address Homes started as a dream. It was after Onasanya had retired from his sky-high executive position at First Bank. In his bid to continue to give back to society, Onasanya decided to venture into the real estate industry, probably not expecting that his foray would cause ripples across the entire housing sector in the shortest time possible.

Yet, in the shortest time possible,

What’s Legacy at the Ministry of Interior?

Bisi Onasanya’s The Address Homes is Changing the Face of Luxury Homes in Nigeria Onasanya’s The Address Homes has indeed exceeded all expectations. A simple assessment of the 54 units of detached and semi-detached properties at Ilasan, Lekki in Lagos, would tempt even Ascetics. After all, these styles of residential buildings by The Address Homes have just enough exquisiteness to be labelled luxurious and more of a rounded (rather than edgy) configuration to be appreciated by even the lowest of the low in terms of pocket depth.

And yet, such structures cannot hold a candle to the newer structures that Onasanya’s company is churning out. The Luxuria by The Address Homes and Dan & Dan Apartments in Ikoyi and Banana Island are good examples of these. These are the true luxurious homes in the country, enough to get Nigeria into the upper tiers of the African real estate sector.

Onasanya

And so, bit by bit, Onasanya’s The Address Homes is gradually changing the face of the real estate industry in the country.

In a way, the man is proving that true genius shines everywhere.

Lagos Central Senatorial District: Why Obanikoro May Replace Senator Oluremi Tinubu

Obanikoro

Politics is a game best left to experienced players. When greenhorns begin to raise their shoulders, it is always very clear. After all, the real masters of the game, in Nigeria especially, are those that make quiet speeches and storms erupt from their every move. Think about the rumour on the streets that Oluremi, the wife of presidential aspirant Bola Ahmed Tinubu, is considering leaving her senatorial position to Senator Musiliu Obanikoro. That is a move that only the bigshots can make.

When the dust of the forthcoming presidential contest settles, she will either be in the power circle of Nigeria as First Lady or the power circle of Nigeria as a pastor.

Why should Senator Remi hand over to Obanikoro rather than someone else? It is a matter of succession, of course. If her husband, the Grand Venerable Tinubu, ends up as the Grand Commander of the Order of the Federal Republic, Remi would be Nigeria’s number one female character, and that is more than

enough political power and influence. By then, she will no longer need to hold the Lagos Central Senatorial District in her palm - the entire country would occupy that position. But loyal guardians of territories are required, and Obanikoro satisfies this criterion with his political profile and momentum.

Then again, Remi may only be interested in consolidating her position in the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) as a pastor. There’s a snippet of the rumour that addresses this also and claims that Remi only wants to serve the people as the president’s wife or as a pastoral figure.

Whichever the case, it must be admitted that Remi has indeed come a long way.

Whichever way the pendulum swings in 2023, she has already secured a safe spot for herself.

And that is how to play the game of politics, deliberately or otherwise.

Some people are brilliant enough to smash historical narratives to smithereens. Others are just cool and calm in the public’s eye and then one hears that the entire domain in which they have sequestered themselves revolves around their wishes. Princess Funlayo Bakare Okeowo is one of the latter. Even though it is due to her expertise that most corporate organizations in Nigeria can conduct their daily business, only those at a certain height of the society know her.

For those that are informed about the silent movers and shakers in Nigeria’s corporate corridor, Okeowo is virtually a tribal chief of paper. This is one way to describe her as the MD and CEO of FAE Limited, the company recognised to be the largest envelope manufacturer in Nigeria.

In her 30-plus years in the company, FAE Limited has gone from the typical family business to a massive establishment that is fantastically turning paper into gold.

When FAE started, it was at the hands of Okeowo’s mother, Princess Florence Iyabode Adu-Bakare. By this, one should already realize that Okeowo has genius and innovation

How Princess Funlayo Okeowo is Turning Paper into Gold

History is a mystifying subject. It almost always looks as if there are two sides to the narrative: a side that objectifies the merits of an individual (or group of individuals) and another side that exaggerates these merits. The first is the side that some media groups in Nigeria have taken against the CEO of Revolution Plus, Bamidele Onalaja, while Forbes Africa is already half a step into manifesting the second side.

Forbes Africa has included Onalaja in the list of Nigeria’s best-performing business leaders and policymakers. Along with 47 others, Onalaja has been hailed as one of the hopes for Nigeria’s social, economic, and political turnaround in the present and the years to come. The Forbes mention came like a blizzard that fried the minds of spectators, especially those with a thing or two against the man.

There is no doubt that Onalaja’s name will continue to echo in the highest and lowest levels of Nigeria’s social scene. A few months ago, Onalaja was the main character in a narrative about a grand scam perpetrated in his real estate firm, RevolutionPlus Property, where some of

Am mid Conttro oveerssy over Land d Alloccation ns, Revo olution nPluss’ CE EO, Bamiidele Onaalaajaa, Listed in n Forrbes Affrica’’s To op Bu usiinesss Peeoplee

written into her life core. And that is how it is that FAE was originally only a company that was making and selling all kinds of paper products, including envelopes, cut papers, and newsprints. Yet, in the hands of Okeowo, FAE has transformed into a company with solutions to the problem of electoral fraud.

Okeowo’s story is truly admirable. Her mother was initially content with buying and reselling paper products. It was Okeowo that suggested that they join the manufacturing train, going so far as to cut out 30% of the business so that she could validate her suggestion. And it worked out.

Now, Okeowo’s expertise has extended to ATM cards and is renowned to be capable of tracking and preventing suspicious activities.

Imagine the global recognition she will likely receive in a little while! Imagine all the wealth and influence that would accompany that recognition!

Onalaja

Okeowo

his customers accused him of withholding their deserved benefits.

It did not end there. Some of these rumoured RevolutionPlus customers (and their supporters on Twitter, especially) also called out several of the company’s brand ambassadors. These ambassadors had to apologise for something they knew nothing about. Not long after, RevolutionPlus debunked the allegations, emphasising that the real estate establishment was built on trust and integrity and would never do something so crass.

This matter has not been resolved entirely since some Nigerians still believe that there is merit to the rumours of Onalaja’s dodgy attitude.

Now that Forbes Africa has thrown its high expectations for Onalaja into the mix, well, how would the man’s detractors go on? Then again, this Forbes listing might not be enough to stop the vilification. After all, Onalaja is still the President of the Rotary Club of Maryland, a body with the most prominent individuals in the country, but people are still throwing shades at him.

Aregbesola

Politics is likely the only career that is treated with equal fervour and disgust. Despite how often people die in hospitals, one would think that doctors would be hated. But no! Politicians, that innocent group of well-meaning individuals, are the ones that are held responsible for every bad thing in society. Just imagine what is going on with the Minister of Interior, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola. Since falling off his scooter, as one roadside analyst described it, the former Osun State governor has been lambasted right and left. But he must soldier for this is the mandate of the elite Nigerian politician.

Aregbesola has been coming under verbal attacks since he first dipped his right toe in the stream of politics. Since then, the man has grown quite used to it. You can tell this by how easy it is for him to shrug off insults and disrespect, sometimes going so far as to benignly initiate a reconfiguration of governmental cabinets within and beyond Osun State.

Regardless, in the past few months, Aregbesola has been shown little mercy in the media.

The leading question people are asking is exactly what he is doing at the Ministry of Interior.

According to these people, it doesn’t seem as if Aregbesola is suited to the role, and others have even claimed that the Ilesa man does not know Jack about what occupying the Interior Minister’s seat means, only thinking that he is supposed to craft power schemes in the interiors of his Abuja office.

Of course, other people are opposed to these claims of Aregbesola’s inadequacy. This second category insists that Aregbesola is not just announcing holidays, but has made a name for himself in the Interior Ministry by simplifying the procurement of international passports. Moreover, he also introduced new uniforms for the Civil Defence.

Overall, people are divided over what legacy Aregbesola is building over at the Ministry of Interior.

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LOUD WHISPERS

with JOSEPH EDGAR (09095325791)

Nigeria’s Presidency Now ‘Kobo kobo’ The way the whole thing is going, even my Maiguard, Abraham will soon declare. Every Tom, Dick and Harry are declaring and joining the perennial ‘declarants’ and making the presidency reduce in so much value that even the Presidency of my Town Union – Anyiam Nsit in Akwa Ibom is now holding so much prestige.

The other day, there is a report of Fayemi wanting to declare.

With full respect to him and his pedigree, the whole thing is beginning to look like one terrible

circus show. From Amaechi running round a stadium and dressing like the neighbourhood tea seller to Udom who cannot even drive himself from Uyo to Abakaliki and the Kogi storm that seems to be an unending delusion.

By the time you now add gravelvoiced Wike into the equation, we will now be watching a badly scripted Telenovela.

How has the Nigerian presidency fallen on such bad times where gerontocracy and other such ‘derelicts’ aspire to use it as a last

gravy train to the great beyond.

Please don’t even mention the eaglets - the Chukwuka, the Hadezas and the Sowores, you will just shake your head in shame and go and poo.

Two hundred million people?

And these are the ones we can throw up? Shame begets us. Total shame begets us as the whole crowd remains a collective of misfiring juggernauts who really have nothing but an ego-driven and self-centred vision to fulfil a lifetime ambition. Sad.

YEMI OSINBAJO: A FAILED SCUD MISSILE I am totally amazed at how this declaration some months ago was positioned as the only thing that could redirect the aimless ship of state and when it finally came it landed like a fake banger on a Shomolu street during Christmas.

The declaration failed in lighting up the space, it was so dull that after the first 12 hours it quickly left the front lines for more important things.

Professor Osinbajo has made a very sweet career of ‘no be me’.

He was Attorney General in Lagos during the Tinubu years and all the flak Baba has gotten and is still getting for those years which some have said were the years of the locust and others have said were the best years in Lagos depending on which side of the divide you find yourself did not affect his image. He dodged.

He has now carried the same sense to the presidential race. For seven years, he has been the Vice President to President Buhari and he has been doing ‘ no be me.’

How he wants to run this campaign is what we here in Shomolu are waiting to see o. Is it on employment, security, health or what? What will he be leaning on because even the

railway, Amaechi will collect that one.

So, it is looking like the strategy of ‘no be me’ has finally come to its end.

He tried. He has had a good run in public office soaring and riding on other people’s structure to deliver a less than sterling public service.

He will need much more than sweet Igbobi College anecdotes and a beautiful gift of the garb to meander this one o. Baba has already said that, “he doesn’t have any grown-up son…” Well, we all know what that means.

But make we dey look. Shebi nobody gave Jonathan the Goodluck he came with. A man who could not talk and came with the charisma of a duck emerged as president talk less of slick Yemi who can charm the pants off a lesbian.

Make we dey look abi. Shebi we no kuku get work again. We have time.

We are watching

in Flutterwave. Mbok, I really pray that these things are not true and that they will soon blow away for we really do not have too many symbols of hope in this country. Kai.

FLUTTERWAVE: A FLUTTERING DREAM These boys have been raising billions in hard currency simply by building a payment system. No value-added o, just to help you move money that banks were doing simply and now charging so much for it. They became poster boys for the tech revolution Nigeria is facing now and they have called them unicorn something whatever that means.

Me, I have been very proud of them as they have defied the seeming despondency in the system while

building an institution that has attracted global attention and interest.

Then this Hundeyin man now comes with this his article. Me, at first, I refused to read it, especially when he first started by giving justification for the article in its first paragraphs. I was wondering, what is even wrong with this one sef. Why all these explanations. Mbok the explanation was too long and when he now started talking about sexually inappropriate behaviour, I just drop the thing go eat my afang wey don dey cold.

You see in Nigeria when they want to ‘kill’ you they will say sexual harassment. But this morning, I went back to Nairametrics and read an abridged version of the article and had my mouth opened.

The allegations are serious o. Insider trading, fraud, shortcuts in the system and of course sexual harassment and bullying. I do not know if Mr Hundeyin can substantiate some of these things like the ones he said about the BBC woman which I have found to be outright false.

This Flutterwave own is now looking beyond just normal bad belle o. So Hundeyin is saying that as a staff of Access Bank, this young man was doing things – betraying the trust of his employers, causing them financial loss, amongst others.

If all of these allegations are true, then I will fall sick. At so many fora, I have been using them to boast, abusing people running away, that see what these young boys are doing

Osinbajo

Pinnick

Ogunsanya

Shodimu

Monye

DAPO OJO: BUCKS THE TREND Dapo is brave. In this era of social media deprivation and a youth culture that has led to the ‘zombification’ of our youths, this man has decided to look the other way and push for sanity.

He has just launched Crux Learning.

A Math reality TV contest with a $10,000 winning price on the offer.

Contestants are being pulled from all over the continent. Over 10,000 year two students from 24 African countries started the race through online qualifying exams from which 18 were shortlisted.

According to Dapo, the competition was designed to demystify Mathematics, identify and reward outstanding students across the continent.

With very strong support from the African Institute of Mathematics in Rwanda, Dapo and his team aim to redirect the focus away from what we are seeing now to a much more deliberate push towards deepening serious scholarship within the continent.

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LOUD WHISPERS The only drawback for this thing now is that those of us who came out with F9 in this subject cannot attend this show before they come and go and ask me questions for the audience and I will be looking like Aregbesola when he sees the result of the last Osun State APC Primary.

AMAJU PINNICK: A DIFFERENT KIND OF SOLDIER You know it’s not good to be seeing people from far and be saying that guy is one kind. That is how I used to look at this bobo from afar and be saying what exactly is doing this one.

Then when our national team do their usual, anytime I see his picture I will just turn the page and read more interesting things like xv…

So, when I wanted to execute my new Itsekiri play, his name started getting mentioned. While at BGL, I had met him once. Very fleetingly, not enough to form an opinion. But this time around, I had the unique opportunity to engage him at close quarters.

I have seen a deeply passionate Nigerian. His passion begins and almost ends with football. He loves the game to a fault and obviously loves the national team with a vengeance. Engaging him while the team is playing is a bloody waste of time.

At a gathering recently, he was with a viewer as the team was playing and he will be watching and shouting as the team played.

A fine shot Amaju will shout and a miskick from our boys and Amaju will shout and almost roll on the floor.

The sad one at the Abuja stadium recently must have hit him poorly and despite the calls for his resignation, he is still standing firm. I wish him well.

MULTICHOICE: PLEASE STOP THE BULLYING I am beginning to think that there is more to this bullying than meets the eye. Recently, I saw a report allegedly put firmly at the doorstep of the Senate President where he said “do not try our country.”

Which kind of mumu talk is this one? I am not hearing anybody say this to the bandits who are our overlords o. Nobody is telling them not to try our country, it is Cable TV operator we are giving this kind of warning.

See, everybody is shouting that they should not increase their tariff. I do not understand it.

Is it compulsory to watch their channel? If it’s too expensive go and join NTA’s 30 million viewers na. Abi, which kind of problem is this one?

They are operating in this same environment o. Diesel cost, forex scarcity, devaluation and all the ‘gbegiri’ that is afflicting businesses in Nigeria.

After all of that wahala, someone will come and be wearing oversized agbada and be saying “don’t try my country.” Is this a country? Mbok, I just tire.

DAPO ADELEGAN: THE MAN WHO SAW TOMORROW As a youth corper in sleepy Ilaro, I was busy trying to impregnate at least one Yoruba girl. I woke up, strategising and moving. I did everything within my power until one day I saw something which made me change my ambition. One boy was sent to buy Amala for a staff

of our office who happened to be the wife of the head of Oro in the town.

The boy was said to have put a love charm in the soup in his bid to ‘shag’ the woman. He was caught and was given the beating of his life. Me, I resigned immediately and ran back to Shomolu.

So, you can now imagine Dapo, a youth corper like me, seeing a different vision and developing the globally recognised Lekki Sunsplash which not only galvanised the music industry but also opened up the Lekki area, making it what it is today.

Dapo was 60 recently and I have been asked to write a tribute to him.

I do not even know where to start.

Last Sunday, I hosted him at a zoom session on his experiences in politics, media and advertising. Over 100 people attended and it was a deeply emotional and eye-opening session.

Mr. Adelegan intimidates me. His clarity, his eloquence and his frontrow seat in most business circles are things I really do envy. I love him as an egbon and do wish him a happy 60th.

ALHAJA SIKIRAT JAKANDE: A DIFFERENT BREED She is the wife of the late Alhaji Lateef Jakande, the subject of my new play ‘Baba Kekere’, meaning that she was one time First Lady of Lagos State.

Last Sunday, I was in her house in a meeting with her children as we pushed towards the epochal production. Then I became restless.

I always get restless in meetings so I decided to take a walk while my director Makinde Adeniran continued with the meeting.

As I got to the corridor, I saw her.

Still very beautiful, light-skinned and very calm. She greeted me in Yoruba and as Duke of Shomolu. I responded by going flat on my bele. As I came up, I saw mango. Kai, they were ripe and juicy. As I no get shame, I said “mummy, ejo ema binu, efunmi ni Mango ebi npa mi.”

She smiled and said, “ahh, efu omo mi mango.”

I rushed before she changed her mind and collected three mangoes.

They were so sweet and engaging.

I didn’t go back into the meeting

FIRST BANK OF NIGERIA: A BRAND INDEED I will never stop singing their praises. Let me even confess, that I have closed my eyes to anything negative about them. A brand that has decided to adopt a particular sector, engender tremendous growth, create job opportunities, and infrastructural development among others must always be supported and encouraged.

Last night, one widow called me.

“Duke, God bless you. I have been in two of your productions. The money you paid me in Uyo in December paid my children’s school fees and now I am in Warri for your new play and I have just been paid. The director has also told me that I may be going to Abuja for Emir Sanusi.

Duke, see me o. A widow travelling, staying in hotels and doing what I have always wanted to do.”

I said: “My sister, it’s not me.

Without our sponsors, we will not be able to do this.”

First Bank has amazingly held

Ani-Mumuney

the theatre industry. It has given the industry a major boost and continues to support it in every way including capacity development.

Just this week, they informed us that they will be supporting all of our 10 productions this year thereby creating jobs for over 1,000 actors and you say I should not look for female staff of First Bank to marry?

When I heard the news from hard working Abim, I ran into the Sabo branch of the Bank and hugged all the female staff in the banking hall and told them the good news.

I want to expressly thank my aunty, Mrs. Folake Ani-Mumuney and the new young boy – Wasiu who on Sunday was working on the proposal, calling and asking questions and all that.

Please I beg all of you reading this, just walk to any First Bank staff you know and say – you work in an incredible organization. Thank you ooo!!!

o; I sat with her in the kitchen and watched her command her troops.

They washed the tomatoes, grinded pepper and I ate mangoes. She laughed and laughed and after it all, I went in to wash my hands and she said “kilo okunrin wa ni kitchen, elo funmi legba.”

I laughed and ran away.

First Ladies like this no dey. The closest na Mrs Obaseki and maybe Mrs. Sanwo-Olu, the rest na peacock.

I just tire.

Mummy was 75 this Monday and what better way to celebrate it than to be part of a major celebration of her iconic hubby on stage. Happy birthday, Mummy, please keep the agbalumo for me o. Those ones would be sweeter than the mangoes. Allah guide and protect you Mummy.

JOSEPH MAKOJU: A PAINFUL CURTAIN CALL The news hit with a thud. I didn’t have an intensive relationship with him and only just met him once but somehow, he created an impact on my life. He was one of those few people that I follow in the media. His career, his engagements and his outlook. I sha used to look out for items on him and read them very hungrily.

The day I met him at the Dangote headquarters, he didn’t disappoint me. We had gone to interest him in an investment opportunity in his field. He listened very carefully to us, read our material and spent 30 minutes educating us on the sector. After it all, I told my partner that I am not showing anybody that document again o.

He deepened my love for him and since then I will just send a text to say “hello sir, I just say I should say hi.”

Let me pray for his family for God to give them the strength to bear this huge loss. Sleep well, my Lord.

YEMI SHODIMU: LEAVE ME ALONE O Please anybody that knows this short Yoruba man should help me beg him to leave me alone o. I don’t know why he is bent on disgracing me. For the past few days, he has been after me to be part of a panel to discuss accelerating nationwide development.

Ok, I know some of these things and I have my own views. Anywhere I talk, they will drive me. So Yemi now feels that I can talk this talk and he invites me. So, I no sure if they have given him something because when an Ijebu man is pushing me like this, it’s not ordinary eye o.

So, I agreed and he thanked me.

That was how I woke up in the morning and my heart sank. Other participants on the platform are giants o, kai. Yemi has killed me o.

What am I going to talk beside Prof Pat Utomi or Gboyega Isiaka, powerful investment banker and former gubernatorial candidate in Ogun State and my brother, Tope Fasua?

Me, wey I go purge that day. They will not see me. I should come and talk when these ones are talking.

Someone should come and warn this Yemi o. Kai. CASPER: MY GUARDIAN ANGEL Let me conclude this week’s column with this one o. It is Easter and I just want to say thank you to the beautiful damsel that continues to be a pillar in my life. The things she says, the things she does and the support I get continue to be an emerging force in my life.

Here is saying thank you so much and may God continue to bless you.

Thanks so much.

64

T H I S D AY, T H E S U N D AY N E W S PA P E R ˾ APRIL 17, 2022

Adebayo Adeoye bayoolunla@gmail.com; 08054680651

SOCIETY WATCH

Happy Moment for Former Beauty Queen, Agbani Darego

Darego

The winner of the Miss World 2001, Ibiagbanidokibubo Asenite Darego, otherwise known as Agbani Darego, bade farewell to spinsterhood five years ago. Before then, she had set tongues wagging over her inability to find a man to walk her down the aisle, despite her beauty.

However, her prayers were answered, and she shamed her detractors in April 2017 when she got married to handsome Ishaya Danjuma, son of a former Defence Minister, Theophilus Danjuma, in Morocco.

For some reason, some people did not give her marriage any chance of survival, perhaps due to tribal differences. But last week, the dark-skinned damsel celebrated five years of being married to the love of her life.

A joyful Agbani wrote on her Instagram page that “agbanidarego+5”.

Since she put up the post, her friends and fans have been congratulating her on the journey so far.

In 2001, she shot to instant fame when she was crowned Miss World, the first black woman to be so honoured.

The feat had launched Nigeria on the world map, particularly because not too many people believed anything good could come out of the country. Eleven years later, the record is still unmatched.

Since then, she has become one of the best things that have happened to Nigeria, as she has also become a role model to many aspiring young girls.

Darego, who avoids scandals like a plague, has been on top of the world with her career, as she is one of the most sought-after models in the world.

Bola Shagaya’s Acts of Humaneness For so many reasons, the story of billionaire businesswoman, Bola Shagaya, will make a compelling read for anyone who desires to know the ABCs of running a successful business.

She started as a staff of the Central Bank of Nigeria but later left to establish her own business.

As Shagaya continued to make giant strides in her varied businesses, she became known for her acts of humaneness.

Her actions speak volumes of kindness. She is quick to render a helping hand to anyone in pain or in a disadvantaged position. She never trivialises the need to impact humanity positively, especially as enjoined by her faith, Islam.

Perhaps, this explains the reason she is constantly in a quest to lift the needy individuals around her while contributing to the development of her society.

The Kwara State-born millionaire believes it is far better and more gratifying to make a difference in the lives of the poor. And she has been giving without looking back or blinking an eyelid. She does not wish to be respected for her wealth, but for the grace to impact the lives of the people around her.

In her characteristic magnanimity, the stylish

Shagaya

woman, it was gathered, has been giving food and cash donations to Muslim faithfuls since the

commencement of this year’s Ramadan.

A source revealed that the philanthropist, for many years now, has expended millions of Naira towards this worthy cause.

“It is like a vow she has made to God. She does it annually during Ramadan and Ed- ilKabir festival. This is just one of her several philanthropic deeds, as well as interventions, to help the course of humanity,” the source said.

The source added, “Unlike some others, she never talks about it, believing that her faith frowns on showy displays of kindness.”

Usually driven by an abiding quest to change the lives of her compatriots for the better, Shagaya is not deterred and no one would tar her with the brush of a wheelerdealer in her day-to-day business activities.

While she was growing up, she never allowed her pristine dream to be entombed; she pursued it with infectious gusto. She is a very strong woman who has never been hamstrung by any circumstance around her.

In fact, to her credit, the history of business in Nigeria cannot be written without her name appearing many times.

Ex-Finance Minister, Kemi Adeosun, Gets Back Her Groove When Kemi Adeosun, a former Minister of Finance, was returning home from London, where she had made an impressive record as an economist and chartered accountant to boot with renowned PriceWaterCooper, London, she set to contribute her quota to the development of her fatherland.

She first joined Denham Management as a financial controller and later rose to become the managing director.

As they say, when you are good at whatever you do, you will dine and wine with kings. Her brilliance, in no time, put her in the spotlight.

She was later appointed Commissioner of Finance by a former governor of Ogun State, Ibikunle Amosun in 2011.

The talented woman turned around the fortunes of the state and shone like a star. Later, her brilliance earned her a bigger job, as she was appointed Minister of Finance by President Muhammadu Buhari.

But like the popular quote by the Hollywood actor, Denzel Washington, “In your highest moment, be careful; that is when the devil comes for you,” she slipped on banana peels. She suffered the worst moment in her career when she was reported to have presented an altered national Youth Service Corps (NYSC) exemption certificate in 2018.

It was a big blot on her integrity. Her detractors scorned her and when she couldn’t bear the shame, she resigned from her appointment.

However, four years after the scandal, it seems the dark-skinned ex-minister has got over the crisis and has since gotten back into her groove.

A few weeks ago, she was sighted at a function in Lagos, where she had so much fun. It was obvious she enjoyed herself as she looked so excited with her beautiful eyes shining so bright.

Adeosun

Another First from Ex-Lawmaker, Ned Nwoko

Nwoko

Those who know Ned Nwoko, a billionaire businessman, very well say he has worked himself into the hearts of his people on account

of his selfless service to humanity, humility, tact, sophistication and abiding desire to develop his community.

For all his good deeds, Nwoko, who has scored many firsts in life, can’t be happier now, as he has just got approval for his muchtalked-about Sports University named STAR, in Idumuje-Ugboko, Delta State.

The STAR University, which is the acronym for Sports Technology and Arts University, will offer professional first degree certificates in sports-related fields. The university is among other universities that were approved penultimate weeks by the federal government of Nigeria. The vision is driven by a strong belief that sports education is one of the critical areas of a nation’s economic development.

Meanwhile, Nwoko has finalised plans to ensure that the university takes off in September 2022.

It was also gathered that the exlawmaker released the aerial pictures of the proposed university to disabuse the minds of those who have been fed with lies that no development of such is going on. The pictures comprise administrative blocks, lecture halls, canteen and junior staff quarters that are near completion.

The National Universities Commission (NUC) delegates were at the university in March 2020 to assess the level of work done to facilitate the approval of Stars University.

The multi-million dollar project, upon completion, will boast a three-floor academic building, top-scale art library, medical centres, Olympic-size swimming pool, standard pitches for football, hockey and baseball, and a five-star hotel.

He is also constructing a golf course known as Ned Nwoko Golf Classic in his hometown.

Lagos Speaker, Mudashiru Obasa’s Thirst for More Power No doubt, Hon. Mudashiru Ajayi Obasa, the Speaker of Lagos State House of Assembly, is indeed a man born under the proverbial lucky star. The lawmaker has made history as the longest-serving lawmaker since the advent of democracy in Lagos. He has contested for the same seat in the Lagos State House of Assembly five times and won every time. He is not only powerful but also calls the shots in the state. He also has everything at his beck and call given his status in the state.

However, as said by an English dramatist, Thomas Otway, “Ambition is a lust that is never quenched, but grows more inflamed and madder by enjoyment.”

Obasa wanted more power, he dreamt of shooting his political career to the top. Our source disclosed that perhaps for his over-bloated ego or he is being deceived by his hangers-on or ravenous appetite for power.

Obasa, it was gathered, was until recently nursing the ambition to contest for a senatorial seat to represent Lagos West senatorial district, having been assured that the current Senator representing the district, Adeola Olamilekan Solomon, will be contesting from Ogun State come 2023.

However, a source disclosed that the dream did not go well with the stakeholders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) who told him to jettison the idea and save his sweat and money for his comfort.

He felt defeated, bitter and distraught. But it was likened to a rant of ants.

But he has to obey the party rules, as he is aware that those who have disobeyed the party in the past ended up in the cold. He dare not go against those that made him politically.

Another source hinted that he was, however, pacified with the promise to secure back his

Obasa

position as the Speaker at the Lagos State House of Assembly come 2023.

THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER ˾ JUNE 24 2012

ARTS & REVIEW A

PUBLICATION

17.4.2022

',6(<( 7$178$ $1' 7+( 35(&(376 2) 85%$1 /,)( In his recent solo exhibition, the multi-talented Nigeria’s leading pop artist, Diseye Tantua, directs his audience's gaze to hitherto-ignored nuggets of life at street level, without resorting to incendiary rants. Okechukwu Uwaezuoke reports

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f course, there is so much that is engaging about the solo exhibition.

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by Tantua’s recollections of the transit buses of his childhood years in Ghana and Nigeria, inveigled their way into the exhibition. While extolling what she called the “brilliance of Diseye Tantua’s works,” ZKLFK VKH FUHGLWV WR ´WKHLU SUHVHQWDWLRQ RI FRPSOH[ VRFLHWDO LVVXHV LQ D VW\OH WKDW allows their audience to engage within WKHLU FDSDFLW\ µ WKH FXUDWRU 8JRQQD ,EH mentions the introduction of ancillary The paintings, Stay Your Lane and No VIP LPDJHV VXFK DV DHURSODQHV ZRPHQ L-R: Business, No Wife children, and “V.I.P.s”.

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66

THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER APRIL 17, 2022

ARTS & REVIEW\\LITERARY CAFÉ

MAN OF GOD: OF PARENTING, PERSONAL CHOICES AND PARABLE OF THE PRODIGAL SON

BOOK REVIEW

Tundun Abiola

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s a legacy project to promote and preserve the cultural heritage of Ukwa-Ngwa Nation in the present day Abia State, Nigeria, four young prolific writers have published two books which incisively analyzed the traditionalnormsandvaluesofpeoplefromthearea.

The books will be officially launched on Monday, April18atGIAEventCentre,No.5Aba-OwerriRoad, beside Salad Market, Aba by 10 am.

The authors are Mark Onyekachi, Bernard Igwe, Ugochukwu Akwada and Ugochukwu Okoye.

Oneofthebooksistitled,“ATaleofTwoNeighbours:A Socio-PoliticalHistoryoftheUkwaandNgwaNations”.

Thisaccordingtotheauthors,isasoftodaythemost comprehensive history of Ukwa-Ngwa Nation.The secondonetitled“100Ukwa-NgwaIcons”,selectively and deservedly chronicles 100 eminent sons and daughtersofthelandwhohaveinnosmallmeasure maderemarkableimpactsthroughvariousendeavours in the society, thereby making their people proud.

“This effort is to celebrate their inspiring accomplishments in their respective fields of endeavour, whileimmortalizingthemasreferencepointsforour present and future generations,” the authors wrote in the synopsis about the books.

Thefirstbookwritteninanarrativestyletosustain theattentionofreaders,containsverifiablein-depth information about the history and socio-cultural nomenclature of the Ukwa and Ngwa people.

The400-pagebookhasfoursections:1-TheNgwa People;2-TheNdokiPeople;3-TheAsaPeople;and 4-The agitation for Aba State Creation.

The second book profiles the achievements of the 100 illustrious persons from Ukwa and Ngwa Nation, to serve as role models and reference point fortheyoungergenerationthat“hardworkpays,”all in 250 pages.

Distinguishedguestsexpectedtoattendthebook launch include Abia State Governor Okezie Victor Ikpeazu, former Senate President, Sen. Adolphus Wabara,Chairman,AbiaStateCouncilofTraditional RulersHisRoyalMajesty,EzeJosephNwabekeand a host of others.

Theevent,whichwillbechairedbyMr.SamOnukwue, CEOMegaEquitiesLimited&ChairmanASHON,will also feature special poetry performance by Dike Chukwumerije.

WITH NEW BOOK, BINA IDONIJE BEAMS LIGHTS ON RELATIONSHIPS, MARRIAGE Yinka Olatunbosun

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THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER APRIL 17, 2022

CICERO

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

IN THE ARENA

FG Dithers as Terrorists Revel in Blood Against the background of the latest terrorists’ bloodletting in Plateau State and many other parts of the country, the weighty warnings by the nation’s critical stakeholders should not be glossed over as usual by the highest level of political leadership, writes Louis Achi

A

bout 106 persons were killed by terrorists, who attacked about 10 communities in Kanam and Wase local government areas of Plateau State, last Sunday. According to the Chairman of Kanam Local Government Area, Dr. Dayabu Garga, 106 victims had were given mass burial the following day. Garga said the attack created a huge humanitarian crisis in the communities as the people rendered homeless, were in desperate need of assistance.

From THISDAY checks, the bandits, who rode into the communities in over 70 motorcycles, each carrying three persons fully armed with sophisticated weapons, opened fire indiscriminately on men only, and left women unhurt. While some of the victims were shot while they were fleeing into the bush, others were killed in their homes.

Deputy Speaker of Plateau State House of Assembly, Hon. Saleh Yipmong alleged that the military and other security agents arrived in the communities an hour after the killers had left. Yipmong said that even the villagers were surprised about the attack because the communities were the safest in the state.

Sources revealed that though 106 persons killed in the attack have been given mass burial, many dead bodies are still being recovered in the bushes because the bandits pursued some people into the bushes According to the grieving Kanam LGA chairman, “Displaced people are unaccounted for; more than 5,000 people are IDPs on their own soil. The issue is so much devastating.” Besides Kanam LGA, there were also killings in the Wase Local Government Area, where the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Idris Wase, hails from.

Almost simultaneously, the terrorists also invaded some communities in Benue and Taraba states, killing about 30 people.

In all of these, the only response Nigerians got from the federal government, was a familiar homily from President Muhammadu Buhari, warning security agencies not to spare or forgive the perpetrators. According to a statement by the president’s Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Mallam Garba Shehu, Buhari has directed law enforcement agencies to work strenuously with the government of the state to bring the situation under control and take steps to bring the culprits to justice quickly.

But brushing aside Buhari’s statement, the Northern Elders Forum (NEF) last week demanded

Defence Minister, Major General Magashi the immediate resignation of the president, over killings across the country, especially in the North. The Director, Publicity and Advocacy of NEF, Dr. Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, made the call in a statement.

According to the group: “The administration of President Buhari does not appear to have answers to the challenges of security to which we are exposed. We cannot continue to live and die under the dictates of killers, kidnappers, rapists and sundry criminal groups that have deprived us of our rights to live in peace and security.

“Our Constitution has provisions for leaders to voluntarily step down if they are challenged by personal reasons or they prove incapable of leading. It is now time for President Buhari to seriously consider that option, since his leadership has proved spectacularly incapable of providing security for Nigerians.”

But in a familiar pushback, the presidency dismissed NEF’s call for Buhari’s resignation, saying it would never be a solution to the nation’s security problems. It claimed that reforms in internal security would start soon. It also blamed “failed politicians” for seeking the president’s resignation. The president’s Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Shehu duly delivered the boorish homily.

Meanwhile, the Special Adviser to President Muhammadu Buhari on Media and Publicity,

Mr. Femi Adesina conceded that “security is everything, nobody can dispute that,” in his latest weekly column, “Hiding Under the Umbrella of Insecurity”. He however attacked those calling for the resignation of his principal.

Hear him: “Between 2009 and 2022, there were at least 271 mass shootings in United States of America, resulting in 1,518 people killed, and 980 wounded. Just this week, there has been the Brooklyn Subway Shooting, in which at least 23 people were critically injured.

“In all these, did you hear calls for the resignation of any American President? It is on record that last year was the deadliest in a decade, in terms of mass shootings. Have you heard of calls for the resignation of President Joe Biden by a caterwauling band? No.” However, in weighty reactions to the insecurity nightmare worsening by the day, eminent Nigerians including the President of Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Rev. Samson Ayokunle, and the Sultan of Sokoto, Sa’ad Abubakar, have warned that what is unfolding across the country is the greatest threat to the forthcoming 2023 general election.

Other individuals and groups who spoke in similar vein include the Secretary-General, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Mr. Okey Emuchay; the National Secretary of the Ijaw National Congress, (INC), Ebipamowei Wodu; representative of NEF,

Prof. Yusuf Usman; Aare Ona-Kakanfo of Yorubaland, Chief Gani Adams; the convener of Niger-Delta Self-Determination Movement, Ankio Briggs; a member of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Diaspora Government, Udeh Christian Iwuagwu, amongst others.

These stakeholders who made their positions known last week during the Inclusive Security Dialogue Retreat jointly organised by the Global Peace Foundation and Vision Africa in Abuja, warned that there might be no election in 2023, if the current spate of insecurity in the country is not checked.

The CAN President, in his submission, said: “Care must be taken to ensure that the 2023 election does not become a sham. Insecurity, if it is not taken care of, by the government, there will be no 2023 general election. Going by the present state of affairs in the country, are we sure the bandits and terrorists will not overrun the country before 2023? These criminals are moving from one level of sophistication and recklessness to another.

“Why has the government not deemed it fit to expose those financing terrorism and insecurity in Nigeria? For whose benefit are you hiding their identity? Nigerians want to know those who have put us in this mess as well as those who are siding and abetting them.”

Also, the Sultan of Sokoto, represented by the Co-chairman of the Interfaith Dialogue Forum for Peace, Kunle Sanni, among others, said: “A lot of people have been arrested over banditry and terrorism, but how many of them have been jailed or executed? These people have killed thousands of people. Some people should pay for all these atrocities. The NSA and the service chiefs should all resign by now, because they have failed. Let us get new people with fresh ideas to confront the situation.”

The House of Representatives has also condemned the rising insecurity in the country, especially the recent killings in Plateau, Benue and Taraba states.

The legislators, who expressed this position at the plenary last Wednesday, demanded the removal of the National Security Adviser (NSA), Major General Babagana Monguno (rtd.) and the Minister of Defence, Major General Bashir Magashi (rtd.).

They alleged that security agents were aiding bandits and other criminals and that huge security funds were not being justified. They also alleged that the security chiefs were benefitting from insecurity in the country because of the huge funds being allocated to the defence sector.

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

Let Osinbajo Be!

Osinbajo

ThebarrageoforganisedmediaattacksagainsttheVicePresident, ProfessorYemi Osinbajo, since he declared his interest in the nation’s number one job, has shamelessly exposed,notjustthehypocrisyoftheSenatorBolaTinubu camp, but also the fact that the big masquerade of Lagos politics, has never been prepared for competitive politics, eventhoughtheyarequicktoarrogateprogressivismtohim.

Unfortunately, their panic response to the Osinbajo declaration,furthergavethemawayaslackingthestrategy andcharactertoengageequallystrongoppositionorhave what it takes to trump their opponents in the event that the space is truly thrown open.WhileTinubu started early to consult and announce his intention, the coming into the race by Osinbajo seemed to have unsettled him and his legion of supporters.

One of the most disappointing developments since

Osinbajo threw his hat into the ring, was Tinubu’s recent outburst that, “I don’t have a son grown enough to declare”, meaning,despiteclaimingtoboastingsomuchdemocratic record, he lacks the courage to compete and would rather a shoo-in to the presidency.That statement was beneath him by all standards.

Sadly, this ugly show of resentment by Tinubu and co, led the way for more intolerance by his supporters, who seizedtheoccasionoftheEastercelebrationtodescendon Osinbajo,callinghimmanyunprintablenames,particularly, likening him to Judas Iscariot, who betrayed Jesus Christ and gave him up for crucifixion. Who’s Tinubu for crying out loud?

HowisOsinbajoJudas?What’stherelationshipbetween thecharacterandhisaspiration?Thatasittingvice-president seekstosucceedhisbossisbeinglikenedtobetrayal,belies

logicineveryformorshape.It’sanormaldevelopment.And then,theTinubusupporters,likeamobwithouthonourand brain, have not ceased to claim he made him. How is that?

That he made him a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) or sponsored his education to becoming a professor of law?

Simple reasoning presupposes that he needed Osinbajo more at the time. His past needed a clean-up and Osinbajo did some smart work.

The Tinubu people should quit their rather pathetic defeatist politics and face the task before them, if truly they are interested in the presidency.The idea of labelling nearly everyone a betrayal is a testimony to the fact that, they are evidently not approaching their game well and it woulddefinitelynotgetthemtheseatorplacethemhighly in the equation. They should let Osinbajo be and instead, showhimhe’sa“babypolitician”,whenitgetsreallyintriguing.

THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER APRIL 17, 2022

68

BRIEFINGNOTES Osinbajo’s Audacious Entry into 2023 Presidential Race After leaving his opponents and supporters in suspense for several months over his rumoured presidential ambition, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has shrugged off the perceived moral burden of challenging his close associate and National Leader of All Progressives Congress, Senator Bola Tinubu and declared his presidential bid, Ejiofor Alike reports

F

ollowing months of consultations acrossthecountryandafterinforming President Muhammadu Buhari, the Vice President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo, last Monday declared his interest in the 2023 presidential race. Before he threw his hat into the ring, the vice president had left his supporters and opponents in suspense for several months over his rumoured ambition. But after meeting with governors elected on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC), which was attended by not less than 12 governors on Sunday night, OsinbajoannouncedhisintentiontosucceedBuhari through a short video uploaded on various social media platforms.

Hisdeclarationcameasashocktothesupporters of the National Leader of the APC, Senator Bola Tinubu, who had believed that Osinbajo would not challenge the former Lagos State governor.

Tinubu had earlier declared interest in the race.

The two leaders of the ruling party have come a long way since the vice president served as the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice under Tinubu’s administration in Lagos State.

Supporters of the former Lagos State governor, who perceive Osinbajo asTinubu’s political son and one his political mentees had thought that the vice president would not challenge him in a presidential bid. They believed that the vice president would ignore the enormous pressure mounted on him to run, the various endorsements he had received across the country and the strategic advantage his current position has placed him over other contestants.

It was not surprising that in his reaction to Osinbajo’s declaration, Tinubu had disowned him, insisting that he has no son grown enough to declare for president.

Tinubu, who was apparently surprised by Osinbajo’s deft pioneering meeting with the governors andhisdeclaration,hadhurriedlyarrangedameeting withabout12governorsoftherulingpartyatKebbi State Governor’s Lodge in Asokoro, Abuja, a few hours after the governors’ meeting with Osinbajo at his official residence inside Aso Rock.

Reacting to a question from a journalist on the declaration by one of “his political sons,” after the meeting with the APC governors, Tinubu had declared,“Idon’thaveasongrownenoughtodeclare” for the office of president.”

The APC leader said, “My mission here is to seek collaboration, support and encouragement of my party, the APC, for my ambition to become the president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, as replacement for President Muhammadu Buhari after his tenure.”

Osinbajo’s announcement also came as a rude shock to the Tinubu Support Group (TSG), who described his presidential declaration as a betrayal of trust. TSG’s Head of Media, Mr. Tosin Adeyanju, while reacting to Osinbajo’s declaration,

Osinbajo said,“Hisdeclarationisawelcomedevelopment but a betrayal of trust to the political family he belongs to. However, he does not portend any threat to our camp.”

AnunperturbedOsinbajohadinhisdeclaration video posted on his verifiedTwitter handle and othermediaplatforms,includingtelevision,radio and social media platforms, promised to use his seven years insight and experience as the vice president to complete all that the Buhari-led APC government started since May 2015.

Thevicepresidentclaimedtohavepractically been to all the local governments in the country andhadtakentimetolistentothediverseexperiences and yearnings of the people. He vowed to transformthesecurityarchitecture,agriculture

and all other sectors for the betterment of the country.

Osinbajo also promised that he would build a Nigeria, where everywhere would be home for everyone. “In this period of seven years, I have served the government in several capacities, and I have, at the direction of Mr. President, represented our country in sensitive high-level internationalengagements.IfbythegraceofGod andthewillofthepeople,Iamgiventheopportunity, then, I believe that, first, we must complete what we have started: Radically transforming our security and intelligence architecture; completing the reform of our justice system, focusingonadequateremunerationandwelfare of judicial personnel; ensuring justice for all and

the observance of rule of law; rapidly advancing our infrastructure development, especially power, roads, railways and broadband connectivity.”

Osinbajo added, “We will, working together, establish by the grace of God, the Nigeria of our dreams in a few short years. We will build on the foundation laid by our predecessors. We will need to move, with much speed, intentionality, and perseverance, towards the vision of a prosperous, stable, and secure nation. I am convinced beyond doubt, that, we have the creativity, the courage, the talent, and the resources to be the foremost black nation on earth.

“Let us now birth the expectations of greatness conceived generations before us. Let us build a Nigeria, where the man from Nnewi sees the man in Gusau as his brother; where the woman in Warri sees the woman in Jalingo as her sister; where the love of our nation burns alike in the hearts of boys and girls from Gboko to Yenogoa,” he declared. Tinubu’s supporters view Osinbajo’s audacious declaration as an affront to his political godfather.”

Osinbajo, as Lagos State Attorney General, was behindthesuccessofTinubu’sadministrationduring thestategovernment’slegalbattleswiththefederal governmentovercreationofnewlocalgovernment areas. He was also behind the success recorded by the administration in justice reforms, which serves as a reference point nationwide.The closeness of the two men and the claim in some quarters that TinubunominatedOsinbajoasBuhari’srunningmate had givenTinubu’s supporters the impression that the vice president would not yield to the pressure to contest against his benefactor.

Butmanypoliticalanalystsbelievethatanyother Nigerian in vice president’s position would have embraced such bright prospects of becoming the next president and yielded to such pressure. Many also have argued that Osinbajo, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) and Professor of Law from the University of Lagos, is Tinubu’s political ally and not political son.

However,Tinubu’s denial of his erstwhile political associate was a clear indication that the political battle between the two men may be messier in the coming weeks. However, Chairman of PGF and governor of Kebbi State, Bagudu had hinted that APC might settle for the consensus method in the choice of its presidential candidate.

The ruling party had adopted the same method to elect its National Chairman, Senator Abdullahi Adamu.Butthereareconcernsthatthismethodwill be resisted by some of the presidential aspirants who believe that they have the huge political war chesttowinanyfreeandfairprimaryelection.These aspirantsmayresisttheconsensusoptionandinsist on testing their popularity in the field. This, many fear, may lead to the implosion of the ruling party.

With Osinbajo slugging it out with the godfather of Lagos politics, Tinubu in the APC presidential primary, the events of the coming weeks will be interesting in the life of the ruling party.

NOTES FOR FILE

El-Rufai and Security Agencies

El-Rufai

About three weeks after Kaduna State Governor, MallamNasirEl-Rufai’srevelationthatthemilitaryknows the location of the bandits wreaking havoc in the state, buthasrefusedtobombtheirhideouts,nothinghasbeen heard from the military high command as a counter.

Thegovernor,whosaidhewasfrustratedandhelpless, disclosed that the location of the terrorists was public knowledge,stressingthateventheDepartmentofState Services (DSS) usually monitors their telephone lines.

He stated: “We have enough intelligence for us to take action. The Air Force undertakes enough ISR (Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance), and the DSS has informants all over the place. We know what they (terrorists) are planning.We get the reports.

The problem is for the agencies to take action. Don’t

wait until they attack before you respond. The Army should go after their enclaves to wipe them out. Let the Air Force bomb them.

“Before, they were categorised as bandits and if you bombedthem,youwouldhaveissueswithhumanrights organisations and international criminal courts and so on. But, now that they have been declared terrorists by the court, they can be legally killed without any consequences from international human rights organisations.”

El-Rufaiinsistedthatthecampsandphonenumbers of the terrorists were known by the military agencies, stressing that Kaduna State was currently in a state of war.

“We know where their camps are; we know where

they are; the DSS have theirphonenumbers;theylisten to them, and they give me the report. We know what they are planning. We shouldn’t be waiting for them to attack; why can’t we go after them?” he asked.

Thegovernorsaidthebanditareasshouldbedeclared a war zone, adding that he was ready to allow a few innocent people to lose their lives in the process.

“Weareinastateofwar;thisplaceshouldbedeclared awarzone.TheArmy,AirForce,andthepoliceshouldgo inthereandkillthem.Willtherebeinnocentcasualties?

Yes!Ineverywarsituation,therearecasualties,”headded.

Since the governor openly indicted the military, not only have they refused to respond, Nigerians have also notseenthemswiftlymovingintothestatetodecimate the terrorists in order to at least redeem their image.

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THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER APRIL 17, 2022

CICERO/ISSSUES

Tinubu

Amaechi

Bello

Declarations of APC Gladiators to Succeed Buhari Ahead of the June 3 deadline set by the Independent National Electoral Commission for the submission of the names of candidates seeking elective offices, political gladiators have been declaring interests to pursue their presidential aspiration on the All Progressives Congress. Gboyega Akinsanmi writes on their agenda for the people and prospects of clinching party’s nomination

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ith the recent inauguration of the new officers of the All Progressives Congress (APC) under the leadership of Senator Abdullahi Adamu, the new leaders of the ruling party are now faced with the task of midwifing the process of nominating candidates for the general election scheduled for February 28, 2023 and March 11, 2023. Now that the process has taken off in earnest, presidential aspirants, largely from the South, have been making formal declaration to pursue their interests on the platform of the APC and ensure that the party retains power in 2023. On April 2, for instance, Kogi State Governor, Alhaji Yahaya made a formal presidential declaration with a compelling argument that younger generation should be allowed to lead Nigeria. On April 9, also, the Minister of Transportation, Mr. Rotimi Amaechi and Senior Pastor, Citadel Global Community Church, Pastor Tunde Bakare formally threw their hats into the presidential ring with their separate declarations in Port-Harcourt and Lagos, respectively. After months of suspense, the Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo joined the list of aspirants, who are seeking the party’s nomination to succeed President Muhammadu Buhari in 2023. Before the flurry of formal declarations, the APC National Leader, Senator Bola Tinubu had also declared publicly after a private briefing of Buhari about his presidential aspiration, which he described as life-long ambition. Also, Ebonyi State Governor, Mr. Dave Umahi; former Abia State Governor, Senator Orji Uzor Kalu and his Imo State counterpart, Senator Rochas Okorocha have also declared their presidential bids. Apart from those who have formally declared interests to take up the mantle of leadership from May 29, 2023, Nigerians are still awaiting the likes of Ekiti State Governor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi; a former Ogun State Governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun; the Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr. Chris Ngige and the Minister of State for Education, Prof. Emeka Nwajiuba to clear the air on their rumoured ambition.

The hope for a new Nigeria has obviously become uncertain under an administration that promised better security, healthier public institutions and stronger economy before its inauguration on May 29, 2015. The ineptitude of the ruling party has been a source of public concern, which the presidential aspirants did not sufficiently address

during their declarations. Between 2015 and 2022, a review of key development indicators delineates the failure of the APC, which the Nobel Laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka claimed, had turned Nigeria to a total disaster in an interview with CNN October 2021. And in their declarations, the aspirants did not boldly spell out their programmes of action, which they would implement to pull Nigeria out of socio-economic doldrums and with timeline set for their implementations. In their wellcelebrated article, “Nigeria Is a Failed State” published in Foreign Policy on May, 27, 2021, Founding Director, Programme on Intrastate Conflict, Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University, Prof. Robert Rotberg and a former United States Ambassador to Nigeria, Dr. John Campbell also chronicled how Nigeria slid into the darkest realm of failure under APC, citing its inability to secure its citizenry and its mind-troubling records of governance.

Corruption Perception Index (CPI), annual report of Transparency International, lends more credence to the deduction of Campbell, Rotberg and Soyinka. Of the 180 countries annually measured worldwide, as the CPI revealed, Nigeria was rated 136th in 2015, 136th in 2016; 148th in 2017, 144th in 2018; 146th in 2019; 149th in 2020 and 154th in 2021. Its rating obviously attests to the failure of the APC to make significant progress in its anti-graft war. Like the CPI, Global Terrorism Index (GTI) classified Nigeria among the first three unsafest countries globally. Since 2014, according to the GTI, Nigeria has retained this ugly rating that places it next to Afghanistan and Iraq on the rank of the world’s unsafest nations. Also, Nigeria’s rating on the Ibrahim Index for African Governance (IIAG) has never been remarkable under APC, hovering around 38th and 40th positions in the last decade.

From 2015 to date, key indicators indicate that the APC does not have well-defined policy responses to a myriad of economic challenges the country has been battling in all ramifications. In its recent report, for instance, the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) revealed unprecedented explosion of inflation, which rose from 9.01 per cent in 2015 to 15.7 per cent in March 2022. Under APC, also, unemployment rate has exponentially

risen. At the end of 2021, as shown in the NBS reports, unemployment rate stood at 33.33 per cent compared to 10.44 per cent that the ruling party inherited in 2015. From $65.43 billion in 2015, according to the NBS, public debt has increased by 46.39 per cent at the end of 2021. Currently, it stands at $95.78 billion.

Even though Buhari had promised to lift 100 million from extreme poverty just after his re-election in 2019, the country’s national poverty line had risen to 42.8 per cent as the World Bank recently revealed. By implication, the Bank claimed that inflation had pushed up to 95.1 million citizens into the cycle of abject poverty under APC, indicating grimmer future for Africa’s most populous state.

Amid all these grievous challenges to which Nigerians are demanding urgent pragmatic measures, the APC aspirants have not presented practicable reasons that project the ruling party as the party of choice in 2023. Like the case of PDP between 1999 and 2015, most of them depend on federal might for electoral victory rather than offering antidotes to issues of public concern. This gap is evident in their declarations. Bello, for example, offered to serve on two grounds. He first argued for younger leaders who would steer Nigeria out of the woods from 2023. Already, according to him, at least 16 million youths with PVCs are waiting to support his aspiration nationwide. He also promised to replicate what he did in Kogi. But he never pointed at some remarkable works he did in Kogi that would earn him APC’s nomination. Aside, Bello’s aspiration is a breach of APC’s zoning agreement. In his own case, Bakare defined his track records as a man of the people, as a cleric of radical orientation and as an unwavering patriot who has kept faith with the APC since its establishment in February 2013. Armed with a well-thought manifesto, Bakare promised to restore order, peace and stability to Nigeria. Obviously, however, the cleric lacks political structure that will secure him the party’s nomination except Buhari decides to throw his weight behind him. Like Bakare, Osinbajo reeled out his credentials that set him apart from other presidential aspirants. He reflected on the wealth of experience he had garnered since 2015 when he became the vice president. On these grounds, he believes he is better prepared for the Office of the President. Without presidential approval, as analysts have argued, it is doubtful if Osinbajo can weather through the political maze of presidential

primaries. While acknowledging deep-seated challenges confronting Nigeria from all fronts, Amaechi came up with a message of courage, compassion and hope. Unlike others, Amaechi is said to be among few aspirants that the Buhari’s political dynasty has pencilled down for the nomination. But his declaration did not present much hope amid deepening crises of confidence that plagued the ruling party in the last seven years. In their drives for APC’s nomination, Okorocha and Umahi have founded their presidential quest on the justice for the South-east being the only geo-political zone that has not produced president since 1999. As genuine as this claim is, according to analysts, it is not sufficient to earn them the presidential nomination. First, it is believed, APC does not enjoy popular support in the geo-political zone as shown in their voting records in the last decade. Obviously, as analysts have argued, this is insufficient to deny aspirants from the South-east their constitutionally guaranteed rights to govern the federation under the platform of APC. Aspirants from the South-east seem not to have national networks and political structures they can strategically deploy to clinch the party’s nomination. Given his political credentials, Tinubu’s preparation for the contest is getting stronger by the day. He is aggressively leveraging on his vast national networks to build political alliance and collaboration nationwide. He is indeed popular among the political class. The challenge before him is the fear that Nigerians may not accept a Muslim-Muslim ticket and the Muslim North many not likely accept a Christian from the region to be his running mate. Is the former Lagos State governor considering Muslim-Muslim ticket? This and other questions are still begging for answers.

The agenda of the aspirants are virtually empty and the majority of Nigerians are now demanding answers to entirely different questions. Amid socio-economic uncertainties that plague the nation, across all the strata, people are asking: How can we transform Nigeria to a stable nation?

How can we create limitless opportunities with our little resources? How can we meaningfully engage millions of youths that practically have no means of living? How do we build a nation where every citizen can aspire to be whom he wants to be? But these are the big questions begging for empirical answers. Given its ineptitude in the last seven years, it is doubtful if Nigerians can still trust the APC or any of its presidential aspirants.

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THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER APRIL 17, 2022

CICERO/REPORT

How Consensus May Change the Game in PDP As the opposition Peoples Democratic Party inches closer to the decision moment, consensus candidate appears the game changer, writes Shola Oyeyipo

Saraki

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little less than two months to the June 3, 2022 deadline by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), to all the political parties to submit the names of their candidates for the 2023 general election, the frenzy is fast becoming interesting with extrapolations still as fluid as it has always been.

For starters, the choice of presidential candidates would definitely be a great test and strain on the ability of the various parties to manage crises and handle the resultant conflicts of interest.

This is because the presidential ticket is, perhaps, the most prized laurel any aspiring member of a political party can win. That, also, is why in most cases, only the most valuable, most influential, and experienced members throw their hats into the ring.

Thus, in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), leaders of the main opposition party, have been at crossroads on how to elect a presidential standard bearer, who would earn the support of his co-contestants, and be in pole position to win next February’s presidential election against the candidate of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

This, nonetheless, is why many party members believe that credit should be given to the trio of former Senate President, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki, Governors of Sokoto and Bauchi States, Aminu Tambuwal and Senator Bala Mohammed, for ingeniously initiating the idea of working to produce a consensus candidate among those of them, who had indicated an interest in vying for the office of president.

Gradually and with conscious determination, the team first met in Bauchi on March 20, 2022, and announced that its members were all working together to put forward one of them to contest for the president of Nigeria, instead of having all of them, jostling for the same post. Soon afterwards, they also admitted another aspirant into their midst, a former Managing Director of African International Bank, Mohammed Hayatoudeen.

Curiously, the initiative has started gaining frequent coverage in the media, even as party members had been commending the quartet for deciding of their own volition to prune down the number of aspirants, a situation that makes their ambitions become the first sacrificial lambs.

Hashim Kareem, a party member from Kano, described the efforts of the aspirants pushing for

Tambuwal consensus as a big sacrifice and demonstration that the men were first patriots, statesmen, and peacemakers, before politicians seeking public office.

“The aspirants know that by initiating this consensus move, three of them will lose out as only one person will be nominated to contest in the primary proper. Yet, they went on to make public pronouncements on their efforts, thereby, foreclosing the option for any of them to back out. These men have done well and they should be treated as heroes of the PDP and today’s democracy in Nigeria,” Kareem said.

Another member of the PDP from Abia State, Okey Elenwo, noted that the subscribers to the consensus arrangement, had demonstrated their transparency and commitment by going public with their plans from the beginning and leaving no room for escape, maneuver, suspicion or insinuation.

His words: “Initially, I did not believe the four men were serious about their plan. To think that they mean business gives me the impression that they are making a big sacrifice, particularly, since the initiative is a voluntary move and nobody is being compelled to join. Also, the idea was not imposed by the party or being directed by any incumbent president or other external or internal force. The initiators deserve kudos.”

A Lagos stakeholder, Adekunle Oluwole, who talked about the benefit of the arrangement, added that what Saraki, Tambuwal, Mohammed, and Hayatoudeen had started might become the trend that would determine the shape of the 2023 elections, adding that the idea, which was seen as limited to the PDP might also be adopted by the APC, because of its numerous benefits.

According to Peremebao Ohiwe from Bayelsa State, “This consensus arrangement will reduce tension in the PDP. It will make the presidential primaries better managed. The fallout will also be easy to handle. If the aspirants are already holding discussions with each other, then they are already creating grounds for mutual understanding and support for each other. So, whoever emerges will find it easy to rally the others and everybody will be a winner.”

Besides, it is believed that such a process that would reduce the number of aspirants, create a good relationship among them and prepare the grounds for working together as a united team is what the opposition party needs to effectively challenge and defeat the ruling party.

Mohammed Many also believed that without the consensus arrangement, a situation where there are 15 aspirants within PDP, could lead to division and make it easy for the ruling party to make mincemeat of it at the polls.

In 2015, when the APC was the leading opposition party, it managed to reduce the number of its presidential aspirants to just five. The five were Muhammadu Buhari, the eventual winner, Abubakar Atiku, Rabiu Musa Kwakwanso, Rochas Okorocha, and Sam Nda Isaiah, now late.

Many other aspirants, who many expected to join the race simply put their ambition under wraps and chose to support Buhari to help their party defeat the then ruling PDP. Therefore,the current move by the consensus architects in the PDP is considered a smart move to ensure a cohesive, united, and strong party that could easily defeat the APC, which has suffered image setbacks based on its performance in the area of security, economy and the fight against corruption.

This also explains why the PDP consensus quartet, has continued to take its message of unity and sacrifice to all key stakeholders in the party and had visited all the other 11 governors, who are also members of the PDP to explain their mission to them.

To ensure that their initiative was not seen as a gang-up against any other aspirant, they had equally visited Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, who is not part of the current move, but a presidential aspirant. They had visited aspirants from the other zones like Nyesom Wike and Emmanuel Udom, who are also governors and presidential hopefuls.

One of party sources disclosed that the consensus team might next week hold a joint meeting with all other aspirants from other parts of the country, who are not opposed to the consensus idea so that they could all agree on modalities for further reducing the number of aspirants in the interest of the party.

Saraki, who is the spokesman of the consensus advocates, has repeatedly mentioned that all the four of them in the group, were qualified to provide effective leadership and good governance for the nation.

He said they believed that, “The national interest and cohesion within the party are more important than individual ambition,” stressing that, what he and his colleagues had started was worthy of emulation as consensus-building was needed at the material time, when the

nation was troubled.

“The efforts of this group of politicians are novel, noble, and worthy of emulation,” noted a political science teacher, Hassan Lado, who added that, “they should be encouraged to pull it through.

The consensus plan should not be abandoned mid-way.

“The PDP leadership should openly come out to identify with the idea, praise it and encourage all members and stakeholders to back support it. We should encourage the subscribers to the idea to ensure it has a successful outcome. If it is just because of their selflessness and broadmindedness, Saraki, Tambuwal, Mohammed, and Hayatoudeen deserve the votes of delegates and other Nigerians, that is, whoever emerges among them as the candidate of the PDP.” An Enugu-based lawyer, Barrister Okey Nwaeke, noted that consensus was an idea supported by law and added that the new Electoral Act, also recognised it as one of the ways by which parties could select candidates.

He added that credit should be given to the politicians, who were exploring this legal and lawful option as it demonstrated their predilection for peace, unity, and cooperation.

He further advised that the advocates of consensus should continue to use persuasion to sell the idea, because “for as long as it is voluntary, not being forced on anybody and the initiators continue to be firm on the fundamental reasons for starting it, they will continue to be heroes of this political period and history as well as posterity will remember them for good cause.”

The PDP governors, it would be recalled, had adopted the consensus approach in the election of the members of the National Working Committee (NWC) last year during its national convention, when Dr. Iyorchia Ayu, emerged the national chairman. The APC also repeated this approach two weeks ago, when it elected the Abdullahi Adamu-led NWC. To this end, as Saraki, Tambuwal, Mohammed, and Hayatoudeen work to evolve a consensus candidate in the PDP through persuasion and negotiation, the close associates of Buhari in APC, were already sending signals out that the president would eventually lead the way in endorsing one of the presidential aspirants, who would then become the consensus candidate of the ruling party.

But until this happens, political watchers remain on the lookout for how the consensus game would play out in both the PDP and the APC as the deadline for candidates stare them in the face.

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THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER APRIL 17, 2022

with ChidiAmuta e-mail:chidi.amuta@gmail.com

ENGAGEMENTS

PDP: Politics of Survival and Bad Manners

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igeria’s troubled main opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has scored a pre-election own goal. It has forced its presidential aspirants to retreat into factional enclaves.These are roughly: the Northern, Gubernatorial and Igbo formations.

How to engineer a consensus out of these conflicting interests has become the defining burden of a party that has neither federal incumbency nor the quantum of cash required to wage the imminent presidential battle. Yet the struggle for a consensus has become desperate and urgent. It has also become existential because the party has only this election season to survive or dissipate into irrelevance and inevitable death. But it is approaching its battle for survival through ancient bad manners.

Easily the most consequential outcome of the PDP’s untidy house keeping is its handling of the bid for a president of Igbo extraction on its ticket.The tacit rebuff of this identity political pressure is telling on its cohesion.The Igbo presidential aspirants in its fold have gone into an unusual protest trade union mode. As a result, when the PDP special committee on zoning rejected the extant principle of rotating the presidency between north and south, the Igbo aspirants in the party felt betrayed.They have staged a curious trade union -like protest in Abuja. At a joint press briefing, the gathering of red cap politicians decided to pose for a group photo opportunity with all of them holding hands in political solidarity. My good friends Anyim Pius Anyim, Peter Obi, Sam Ohuabunwa and the others came clad in befitting red caps and national tunics. We were witnessing a symbolic descent from national partisan politics to glorified ethnic trade unionism.That was a first in recent Nigerian politics. If care is not taken, that photo may go down in record as the beginning of the end of the PDP which used to be Africa’s largest political party.

The PDP was once a great vibrant party. It still retains the institutional memory and residual grassroots support of an ageing population of political followers. It’s current followership is mostly a fellowship of discontent. But time used to be when the PDP under President Olusegun Obasanjo proudly waved its kindergarten colourful umbrella as next to the ANC of South Africa as Africa’s most consequential party.

Obasanjo had dreams as big as his ego for the party. He envisaged a political behemoth that would dominate the leadership of Nigeria for far in excess of 24 years. In his retirement, he schemed a far reaching amendment to the party’s constitution in which he would be the life chairman of the party’s Board ofTrustees and an honorary life ‘father of the party’ and invariably of the nation.This was an autocratic prescription for an otherwise Democratic Party.

But Obasanjo was hardly out of the exit door of Aso Rock Villa when his adolescent potentially authoritarian scheme was toppled and thrashed. His telephone calls to the Villa were soon limited. His all too frequent unsolicited counsels to the new president became less in demand.

By the time the leadership of the PDP went into the hands of Goodluck Jonathan as president and BamangaTukur as party Chairman, Obasanjo could hardly recognise his political edifice as it came crumbling, one step at a time. He shredded his party card in televised public view.

The incremental meltdown continued unchecked. By the eve of the 2015 elections, the PDP had degenerated into a political contraption, a machinery of corruption and vast enabler of disastrous governance. Before then, it had midwifed its own systematic and irreversible disintegration.The classic visual was unmistakable.The demise of the great party was televised.

In full view of a sitting president in the televised splendor of Eagle Square and a well attended party event, a powerful faction of five governors and many influential party faithful walked out on a sitting president and mainstream party faithful.The rebels trooped out to the Shehu Yar’Adua Centre to found what became the New PDP (nPDP), a powerful breakaway faction of the ruling party. Mr. Atiku Abubakar was present and in the forefront of

Ayu this rebellious birthing which led him into the then fledgling opposition APC. He is now a leading contender for the 2023 presidential ticket in his original PDP! From then on, the end of PDP’s hegemony was a foretold crash landing.

It went from friction to factions, from division to decline and, more disastrously, from unbridled corruption to wholesale organized and licensed evacuation of the commonwealth. Under Mr. Jonathan’s effete watch, government degenerated into a badly organised crime syndicate. A surviving memento to this infamous era is perhaps Diezani Madueke’s trove of underpants, braziers and Imelda Marcos sized jewelry box now on display auction by the EFCC. By a combination of crass incompetence and political naïveté, the PDP ended up scoring an African record at the 2015 election. It became one of the few major African parties to lose power from an incumbent position. A couple of years prior, Kenya’s KANU (Kenya African National Union) had been chased away by an opposition coalition led by Kibaki.

Thus routed from power, the PDP has spent the last seven years plus in an arid political zone, learning how to be an opposition party and also learning how to survive and be relevant without federal incumbency and the patronage and power that goes with it.

As an opposition platform since 2015, the PDP has divided its time between remaining electorally relevant and protecting its leading lights from Buhari’s skewed and selective anti corruption sniper operation. Somehow, the PDP has been more alive in times of general elections than in times of normal governance.

In the 2019 elections, for instance, the PDP acquitted itself well as a credible threat to the emergent APC oligarchy of Buhari’s vicious sectional hegemony. It won a total of 15 governorships as against the APC’s 20.

But as a credible and sustainable opposition party in normal governance time, the PDP has been a woeful nuisance.

It has not been able to challenge the APC on policy issues, basic competence and

simple political ethics. Of course it has been a rather predictable and noisy ensemble of discordant voices of disjointed criticism . Its critique of the failings of the incumbent APC government has been routine, run of the mill and hardly superior to street corner jive. It has never displayed any superiority of strategy let alone tactics compared to its equally bumbling opponent.The PDP has never confronted the incumbent party with superior data on public matters nor advanced alternative approaches to the many headaches tormenting the nation.

Some have observed that in the absence of any ideological identity for almost all Nigerian parties, it would be asking for too much to expect the PDP to be different from its APC rival.They are ultimately one and the same party with different acronyms and battle colours. A free movement of members including governors, across party divides, has become a normal feature of a free for all jamboree of inter party migrations largely condoned by a pliant and mercantile judiciary.

Yet, by their respective acronyms, Nigeria’s two dominant parties ought to represent the main strands in the nation’s tendencies.The APC should ordinarily be the progressive left of center party while the PDP should represent a nationalist right of center strand.This distinction is only academic. Neither the leaders nor the faithful of both parties understand or attach meaning to either acronyms or ideology.

This is the effective backdrop to the PDP’s current logjam. In the run up to the 2023 presidential scramble, the party is caught between playing politics and playing pranks. It had a ready made answer to the contest if only it could manage to obey the rules it made on its own. Its extant zoning formula could have placed it in a competitive position. It could have retained that principle and used it to match the APC. But the party has allowed itself to be blackmailed by a combination of gubernatorial authoritarians and geo ethnic myth makers.

While a handful of wealthy state governors are intent on imposing themselves on the party as presidential candidates, a masked squad of northern dark knights and political marksmen are marketing the ancient script that there exists a northern majority of voters that will dutifully vote PDP once the party shows up with a northern Muslim presidential candidate.

Moreover, since the incumbent APC has

zoned its 2023 presidency to the broad south, the lazy logic in the PDP is that a north-south presidential contest between both major parties will inevitably produce a northern Muslim president. No thoughts on the mood of the nation after eight years of Buhari’s divisive sectarian hegemony. No thought about the sectarian undertones of the industrial killings in some parts of the north. No consideration of the geo politics of the nuisance of killer herdsmen and Miyetti Allah. No consideration of the drift of current significant northern political opinion that agrees that northern rule under Mr. Buhari has been a disaster that requires a pause and an intervening rescue period under southern leadership.

Under its prevailing illusion, the PDP’s zoning committee has foolishly jettisoned its zoning formula.The naive recourse seems to be to a Middle Belt or North Central consensus candidate with a make belief Igbo Vice President.The consequences of either an outright northern presidential candidate or hybrid northern Muslim one are the same. A humiliating defeat in 2023.

Waiting in ambush is the direct tragic consequence of ignoring the Igbo question.The PDP will self-destruct if it buys into the current fallacy among some of its strategists that the Igbos will be content with yet another number two slot.The consequences are predictable.

Apathy or outright voter revolt against the PDP in the South-west, South-south and South-east zones are in the horizon.

The presumptive northern demographic majority is a myth of the past. It is simply no longer there. It is the perpetuation of a tradition of lazy politics and fraudulent strategising.

Courtesy of Mr. Buhari’s divisive politics and legacy of political nativism, the north today is splintered along all kinds of lines: Fulanis, Hausas, Kanuris, Christians, Shiites, Wahhabis, Sunnis have all come into political reckoning.

Among the so-called Muslim north, pro Buhari cultists remain the strongest faction going by the results of both the 2015 and 2019 presidential elections.That followership is not automatically transferable to just any ‘northern’ presidential salesman that shows up.

Unfortunately, the PDP has merely activated and animated existing divides both in the north and in the nation at large. Both areas are vastly consequential for the party in 2023. If the party insists on a northern presidential candidate, it will alienate the major southern zones to the advantage of the APC who have zoned wisely and is likely to sweep the south and possibly inherit the Buhari northern cultic followership.

Therefore, a new political consequence is staring the PDP in the face.The party has for long remained the political reserve bank of the South-east.The matter of Igbo presidency has now come to the fore in the 2023 presidential race.The Igbo expect a draw down from its PDP political bank. In addition, the Igbos want to harvest the national moral burden of an Igbo alternative in our national political leadership.

Incidentally, the proposition of Igbo presidency will not quietly go away any time soon.

How it is resolved will have huge political implications and consequences especially for the PDP. Justifiably, the Igbo political elite in the PDP has developed a higher sense of political entitlement than in the APC. To that extent, the success or failure of the Igbo presidency bid will help determine the future of the PDP. If that project founders on the altar of the PDP’s internal dysfunctions, that may be the end of the party.

The Igbo presidential project has become an albatross around the neck of the PDP. It is one which the APC will easily mine by nominating a hybrid Igbo presidential candidate.That will still be a superior strategy than the PDP’s impending outright rebuff of the Igbo question.The Igbos will prefer a hybrid Igbo president and commander-in-chief than a pure breed vice president.

For the opposition PDP, then, this imminent election season may be one of endless insomnia and a struggle to fend off imminent suicide. If the PDP out of its own narrow vision loses the 2023 presidential election, that might be the party’s last presidential election. If on the other hand it miraculously manages to oust the APC, the day after will be the political equivalent of resurrection morning.

APRIL 17, 2022 • T H I S DAY, T H E S U N DAY N E W S PA P E R

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Despite Buhari's Directive, APC Yet to Refund National Chairmanship Aspirants Chuks Okocha and Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja Three weeks after President Muhammadu Buhari promised that he would ensure that the Expression of Interest and Nomination fees paid by other chairmanship aspirants who stepped down for the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator Abdullahi Adamu, the party has not refunded the aspirants, THISDAY has learnt.

Adamu emerged as the party's national chairman at the March 26 national convention after other chairmanship aspirants stepped down.

Following the decision of other aspirants to step down, Buhari advised that the leadership of the party should refund the sum of N20 million paid by each aspirant for the form.

But one of the aspirants who did not want to be named, told THISDAY yesterday that the money was yet to be refunded by the party.

Also, a Director, Contact and Mobilisation to one of the chairmanship aspirants who pleaded anonymity informed THISDAY that the money has not been refunded.

He, however, expressed optimism that the money would be refunded by the leadership of the party because the directive came from the president.

He stated: "They have not paid yet. You know I'm not the spokesperson of the party, I can only tell you what I know. There was a Transition Committee set up for the handing over. I think they have submitted their report, I think that was why the chairman took over from the Chairman of the Caretaker Committee.

"But they've not refunded any money to anybody yet.

But I know they will do that because it is the president that gave that instruction and the president is the leader of the party. They were supposed to do it immediately, but you know how to party affairs are being run in Nigeria, maybe, they've used the money for some other things. So, maybe if they start selling these presidential, governorship forms, they will have more money they can use to pay back."

The Minister of Special Duties and Intergovernmental Affairs, Senator George Akume, who

was one of the chairmanship aspirants that stepped down for Adamu said that he had willingly donated his money to the party and urged other aspirants to do the same.

Akume said: "Those of us

who tried to have a shot at the chairmanship slot; we are still members of this party and nothing had distracted us from joining others in finding solutions to the small problems that we have in the APC.

"The issue of directives did not occur whatsoever in our dinner with Mr. president.

We ate dinner with him and he appealed to us to build consensus as much as we could.

"And that was basically

what we did; it was not a directive and you know who the president is; democratic to the core. The issue of money does not arise. I had willingly donated my own to the party and I believe others would do

the same thing."

Efforts to get the National Publicity Secretary of the party, Mr Felix Morka to respond to the issue proved abortive as he did respond to the text message and calls put across to him.

TURNING OGUN TO INVESTMENT HAVEN… L-R: Surveyor, Craneburg Limited, Mr. Michael Dannawi; Ogun State Governor, Dapo Abiodun; his Works and Infrastructure Commissioner, Ade Akinsanya; and Manager, Arise Integrated (UAE), Ranya Onathu, during an assessment tour of the ongoing construction work at the Gateway Agro Cargo Airport, Ilishan-Remo in Ikenne Local Government Area of the state…weekend

At Easter, Govs, PDP Urge Nigerians to Pray against Insecurity Our reporters As Christians in Nigeria join their counterparts all over the world to celebrate Easter, governors across the country and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) yesterday have urged them to pray against insecurity in the country.

In his Easter message, the Ekiti State Governor, Dr Kayode Fayemi called on Nigerians to always embrace unity and love as well as be hopeful for a better Nigeria after the current parlous state.

Fayemi, in the message signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr Yinka Oyebode, urged Christians to emulate the sacrificial lifestyle of Jesus Christ who gave His life to save mankind.

On his part, Niger State Governor, Alhaji Abubakar Sani Bello, charged Christians to use the occasion of the celebration of Easter to pray for an end to insurgency in the state.

Bello said fervent prayers, coupled with the efforts being made by the government would

lead to the restoration of peace in areas bedevilled by insurgency.

In the message signed on his behalf by the Chief Press Secretary, Mrs Mary Noel Berje, Governor Bello said the state was witnessing trying moments, adding that "we need to strengthen our resolve to collectively confront the challenges."

Edo State Governor, Mr Godwin Obaseki, has also urged the Christian faithful to emulate Jesus Christ by making sacrifices that would engender development and ensure lasting peace and unity in the country.

Obaseki, in his Easter message, urged Christians to reflect on the purpose of the Easter celebration with a renewed hope for a better Nigeria, and be a part of the process of rebuilding the country.

Oyo State Governor, Mr Seyi Makinde, urged Christians to imbibe the lessons of love, sacrificial living and peaceful co-existence.

The governor, in an Easter message signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr Taiwo Adisa,

stated that prayers of God’s people remained an important ingredient to sustaining the peace and prosperity being witnessed in the state.

Kwara State Governor, Alhaji Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq also urged the Christian community in the state to use the Easter festivities as a period of reunion, self-discipline, sacrifice, forgiveness, and commitment to God. In a statement issued in Ilorin by the governor's Chief Press Secretary, Mr Rafiu Ajakaye, the governor also called on Nigerians to take advantage of the period to seek God’s favour for the country and to reunite against all forces of evil who seek to tear the country apart and terrorise its people with violence and economic sabotage.

Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta has also called on Christians to pray for socio-economic and political rejuvenation of Nigeria to stem insecurity, and political and economic challenges plaguing the country.

Okowa made the call in his

Easter message contained in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr Olisa Ifeajika.

He asserted that the turbulence in the polity could only be surmounted through dedicated prayers by Nigerians, adding that with prayer at Easter, challenges bedevilling the country would be overcome.

On his part, Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State has called on the people of the state and indeed all Nigerians to take advantage of the historic event to advance peace, intensify prayers and commit themselves to God. In his Easter message, Ugwuanyi applauded Christians for the successful conclusion of the forty-day long Lenten season.

Governor Hope Uzodimma of Imo State has also stated that the Easter celebration offers Nigerians the opportunity to rethink the essence of their humanity in true reflection of love, forgiveness, peace, reconciliation, brotherliness and sacrifice, all of which Jesus Christ symbolises.

On its part, PDP has urged

Nigerians to use the occasion of Easter to rekindle their hope for a brighter future and a national rebirth under a coming democratic and people-oriented government. Easter, the PDP said is the celebration of the victory of life over death, that offers the opportunity to further strengthen the resolve to rescue the nation from the forces of death, suffering and misrule that have held her hostage in the last seven years.

According to a statement by the National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, "Such forces have in the last seven years divided and suppressed Nigerians, arrogantly instituted lies, propaganda, deceit, disregard for the rule of law, intimidation and violation of human rights as official policies of State; brought untold economic hardship and acute poverty as a weapon of suppression and mass destruction, pillaged our national treasury with impunity, opened our nation to terrorists and look the other way as outlaws take over territories and daily massacre our citizens."

PDP NEC TAKES FINAL DECISION ON ZONING OF PRESIDENTIAL TICKET THURSDAY In their separate comments, Ayu and Elumelu had stated that only the NEC of the party would have the final say on the vexed issue of zoning after debating the outcome of the committee’s report.

Ayu promised that the committee’s recommendations would be transmitted to the NEC, which would take a final decision.

According to him, the decision would be made known to “party members across the country and all Nigerians who are eagerly awaiting the final decision of your committee.”

THISDAY had reported that the zoning committee had recommended that the presidential ticket should be thrown open to all those interested in the ticket from any part of the country.

Sources close to the committee had stated that the party’s leadership was more interested in how to win the presidential election than zoning of the presidency which might hamper their effort to regain power in 2023.

However, the governors of the party from the South rose from their meeting last week, insisting that the presidential

ticket of the party must be zoned to the South.

Speaking to THISDAY yesterday, the National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Mr Debo Ologunagba, said the party was making arrangements to hold the NWC meeting immediately after the Easter break on Tuesday and the NEC meeting on Thursday.

“After our NWC meeting immediately after the Easter break, we meet to fix the date for the NEC meeting for the primary duty of receiving the report of the zoning committee and take a final decision on

the zoning of the presidential ticket".

He said: "We intend to meet on Thursday for this purpose, all things being equal. Time is no longer on our side. This matter is expected to be fixed once and for all.”

Meanwhile, PDP has further adjusted its Timetable and Schedule of Activities to extend the closing dates for the purchase and submission of Expression of Interest and Nomination Forms for the 2023 general election.

According to a statement by the party's spokesman, "this is to enable the party to make

up for the two days of public holidays as announced by the federal government".

Under the new timetable, the last day for the purchase of all forms has been extended to Tuesday, April 19, 2022, while the last day for the submission of already completed forms has also been extended to Wednesday, April 20, 2022.

“New dates have been fixed for the screening of aspirants for various positions; state Houses of Assembly will hold on Friday, April 22, 2022; National Assembly will hold on Monday, April 25, 2022; governorship is Tuesday, April

26, 2022; while presidential is Wednesday, April 27, 2022.

"Screening Appeals are scheduled as follows: State House of Assembly will hold on Monday, April 25, 2022; National Assembly is Wednesday, April 27, 2022; governorship is Friday, April 29, 2022; while the presidential is Saturday, April 30, 2022.

All other dates as earlier published remain unchanged,” the statement explained. The statement added that all duly completed forms for state Houses of Assembly are to be submitted to the various state secretariat of the party.

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PARTY AFFAIR… L-R: Member, Peoples Redemption Party (PDP), Mr. Kola Abiola; Chairman, PRP, Alhaji Falalu Bello; Secretary, PRP, Mr. Babatunde Alli; and National Organising Secretary, Mr. Sule KINGSLEY ADEBOYE Mohammed, during the unveiling of the party’s activities ahead of 2023 general election in Abuja...yesterday

Pardon All Thieves in Prison, SANs Tell Buhari, Knock President over Dariye, Nyame Alex Enumah in Abuja Three Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SANs), Chief Mike Ozekhome, Mr. Femi Falana and Mr. Jibrin Okutepa, have faulted the state pardon granted to former Governors Joshua Dariye of Plateau State and Jolly Nyame of Taraba State, and called on President Muhammadu Buhari to pardon other thieves in prison.

The former governors, who were jailed for corruption, were pardoned alongside 157 others at the Council of State meeting presided over by President Buhari on Thursday.

The action by the government, has however come under strong criticisms by many Nigerians, including Ozekhome.

Ozekhome, in faulting the action of the president queried the basis for granting the pardon when the charge of corruption upon which they were convicted is not only a bane in the country but "struts around imperiously like a peacock".

In a statement titled: ‘Legal and Moral Implications of Granting

Pardon to Ex-convicts and Serving Prisoners,’ the senior lawyer was of the opinion that the decision to free the two governors who are still serving their jail terms was not in the interest of the people and capable of dampening the confidence of the citizenry in the national moral fabric, and in the fight against corruption.

He said: "By granting pardon to these treasury looters, Buhari is reviving, nurturing and watering corruption with state powers".

"So, when the Council of State recently authorised the pardon of 159 convicts, including Senator Joshua Dariye of Plateau State and ex-Governor Jolly Nyame of Taraba State, who were both imprisoned for stealing N1.16 billion and N1.6 billion, respectively, many Nigerians justifiably showed anger, because these two political leaders had been duly tried and convicted for stealing money belonging to their respective states", he said.

The senior lawyer maintained that the purpose of criminal prosecution is to secure justice, not only for the accused, but also

for the victims of crimes and the state; and to some extent get reparation and restitution for the victims, while deterring others from going the same route.

"Where lies the justice for the impoverished people of Plateau and Taraba States who will now watch their tormentors stroll out with red carpet treatment?

"The government budgets huge sums of money for the prosecution of such accused persons from the tax players' sweat; and if after the rigorous period of trial and subsequent conviction, the guilty are simply let off the hook in such a brazen manner, the little remaining lean hope the citizens have in the system is further diminished", he added.

While stating that both the president and the Council of State goofed and abused their undoubted constitutional powers and privileges, Ozekhome explained that a constitutional issue as volatile as this could have been better managed if the minders of the president had told him the embarrassment this

could cause the government in the estimation of the comity of nations.

Similarly, Falana, speaking during the one year remembrance programme for the late Publicity Secretary of the Pan-Yoruba socio-political organisation, Yinka Odumakin, described the release of the former governors as discriminatory.

He stressed that it was wrong to grant state pardon to the two of them who were convicted for stealing state funds.

Falana said under the 1999 constitution, there is equality for all citizens, adding that the state pardon has to be extended to all thieves and criminals serving jail terms in various prisons.

He said, “My reaction is that all criminals, all thieves and criminals in our prisons should be released.

“Because Section 17 of the Constitution says there shall be equality, equal rights for all citizens and section 42 said there shall be no discrimination on the basis of class, gender, whatever, so you can’t take out two people and leave the rest there. It’s illegal.”

He said he might be forced to ask lawyers whose clients are still in prison to go to court and challenge the discriminatory treatment.

Falana suggested that the 1999 constitution should be referred to as decree 24 on 1999 as “it was not duly signed.”

He said: “What the National Assembly has continued to do is to amend illegality. The so-called 1999 constitution is really decree 24 of 1999. When you see the so-called constitution, you will not the signature of the man who signed the law, that’s the fraud.

“When you see a law, the name of the person who signed it should be there with the date.

“Decree 24 of 1999 was promulgated by General Abdulsalami Abubakar on the 5th of May 1999 but today you will not see his name on it. It’s a fraudulent document.

“The decree was imposed on us the last set of military dictators in Nigeria headed by Gen. Abubakar and because that document is okay for members of the ruling class regardless

NIGERIA TO BENEFIT AS IMF APPROVES $45BN FOR LOW, MIDDLE-INCOME COUNTRIES Sustainability Trust (RST).

The Managing Director of IMF, Kristalina Georgieva, disclosed this in a statement issued in Washington, DC. Georgieva said the fund would help build resilience against longterm risks to balance payments' stability.

“I am very pleased to announce that the IMF’s Executive Board today approved the creation of a new Resilience and Sustainability Trust (RST) to come into effect on May 1, 2022,” the statement reads.

“The Trust aims to help low-income and vulnerable middle-income countries address longer-term structural challenges that pose macroeconomic risks, including climate change and pandemics.

“As the world is confronting consecutive global shocks, we must not lose sight of the critical actions needed today to ensure longer-term resilience and sustainability — and we can only succeed by working together.

“The RST will amplify the

impact of the $650 billion SDR allocation implemented last year by channelling resources from economically stronger members to countries where the needs are greatest. The aspiration is to build a Trust of at least $45 billion in resources.

“The RST will serve as a third pillar of the IMF’s lending toolkit, in addition to the General Resources Account and the Poverty Reduction and Growth Trust. The RST will provide policy support and affordable longer maturity financing – with a 20-year maturity and a 10½ -year grace period – to help build resilience against long-term risks to balance of payments stability.”

She added that about threequarters of IMF’s country members will be eligible for RST financing.

“About three-quarters of the IMF’s country members will be eligible for RST financing, including low-income members as well as most middle-income countries and all small developing states. We have worked extensively with our

members and other stakeholders to design the RST, to balance the needs of potential contributors and borrowers,” the statement added.

“We have worked extensively with our members and other stakeholders to design the RST, to balance the needs of potential contributors and borrowers. The reforms supported by the Trust are also intended to catalyse increased financing from the private sector, donors, and other international financial institutions (IFIs).

“Close collaboration with the World Bank and other IFIs will be critical for the success of the RST.”

World Bank Increases Mineral Survey Aircraft in South-west Meanwhile, the Mineral Sector Support for Economic Diversification (MinDiver) of the World Bank has increased the number of aircraft conducting Airborne Geophysical Survey

in the South-west from two to four to boost mining activities.

Deputy Coordinator of MinDiver, Dr Abba Usman made this known in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) yesterday in Abuja.

MinDiver is a World Bank project under the Ministry of Mines and Steel Development to enhance the mining sector’s contribution to the economy by strengthening key government institutions.

He said the number of aircraft was increased from the initial two inaugurated by the Minister of Mines and Steel Development, Mr Olamilekan Adegbite, to four to fast track the survey before rains set in properly.

He said that the four aircraft had commenced the search for mineral deposits in Ekiti, Ondo, Oyo, Ogun and Osun, adding that the contractors will move to other states after completion of the four states.

“More aircraft were added because we needed to get accurate minerals available in those states, if rains commence

properly, it will disturb the survey, it is meant to be done on dry land,” he said.

He said that the ongoing survey came as a follow up to a similar survey conducted across the country from 2006 to 2011.

“After the interpretation of the survey, some mineral potentiality, especially metallic minerals were discovered and there was a recommendation for another detailed survey to be conducted in 19 states.”

The survey would determine accurate mineral locations using modern-day contemporary aeromagnetic mechanisms.

The aircraft would be flying at a low altitude, 50 meters above ground level, about the height of a 15-storey building.

The survey would be conducted in 19 states including FCT across 121 local government areas.

The states are Kwara, Ekiti, Ondo, Osun, Oyo, Ogun, Ebonyi, Enugu, Cross River, Akwa Ibom, Kaduna, Niger, Kogi, Taraba, Benue, Plateau, Nasarawa, Bauchi and FCT.

of their political parties, ethic regional or religious inclination, they are all comfortable with the document so they can’t do anything about it including all those we are campaigning today to be President.

“It is to retain the status quo and perhaps adjust it here and there, that is the only thing they are saying, so those who are contesting particularly on the platform of the ruling party are saying we are going to continue the programme of the Buhari administration that has put our country in problem.

“Nigeria has become a huge joke in the committee of nations and so for any set of people to say they want to package his rickety vehicle and begin to panel beat it, it’s not going to move.”

On his part, Okutepa faulted the presidential pardon granted to Dariye and Nyame.

He wondered why president Buhari granted the pardon despite his lamentations that corruption is affecting Nigeria’s growth.

While speaking during an interview, he said: “We are all aware of the reasons they were arraigned and found guilty by the Supreme Court. They are politically exposed people in our society.

“One of the greatest things that has retarded the growth of Nigeria today is corruption. It is the best enterprise in Nigeria today. So, when I heard that Buhari agreed to pardon the ex-governors, I weep for this country. The reason is that the mantra for which this person came to power is that of corruption.

“The duty of the Nigerian government is to fight and eradicate corruption. Corruption has become so cancerous and all hands must be on deck to fight it. I am so upset by the decision because the ex-governor of Plateau State has his appeal dismissed in March 2021 by the Supreme Court.

“In this country, the executive had on a series of occasions said that one of the things affecting the fight against corruption is the judiciary, so if the judiciary, therefore, enforces the provisions of the law and sends the exgovernors to prison, why does the executive sabotage its own law.”

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INTERNATIONAL Re-electing Macron: The Challenge of French Diffidence Versus African Confidence

V

ie Internationale strongly believes that President Emmanuel Macron will be re-elected on April 24, 2022, because of the mounting diffidence, induced by high costs of living in France and Francophone Africa’s rising self-confidence to resist perceived French neo-colonisation.This is an unfinished task for him. Ms Marine Le Pen, like her father, Jean Louis Marie Le Pen, a far-right politician who led the National Front party from 1972 through 2011, holds foreigners largely responsible for France’s socio-economic problems. She initially wanted France to be out of the European Union. She wants to stop uncontrolled immigration and Islamic ideologies. This policy partly explains why she and her father have lost elections in the past.

True, Jean-Marie Le Pen contested in the presidential elections of 1974, 1988, 1995, 2002 and 2007 but failed. He could not contest in the 1981 election because he did not have the 500 signatures of elected officials required to qualify.When Marine Le Pen entered the shoes of her father, she reorganised the National Front and changed its name in 2018 to Rassemblement Nationale (RN: National Rally). Some old policies were reviewed. In fact, she contested in the 2012 presidential elections and came third in the first round. She contested in round two with Emmanuel Macron in 2017 and scored 33.90% (10,638.475) of the votes, while Emmanuel Macron, who campaigned on the platform of his La République En Marche (LREM:The Republic in Action), which was created in 2016, accounted for 66.10% (20, 743,123) of the votes. Surely, next Sunday’s election cannot but be a replay of the 2017 experience.

One certain factor for the re-election of Macron is that Mélenchon is more critical of immigrants than Marine Le Pen and he has 22% of the votes which he has directed to be given to Macron. Recall here that in last week’s election, Macron (LREM) scored 9,783,058 votes, 27.8% of total votes cast. Marine le Pen (RN) got 8,133,828 votes, that is, 23.1% while Jean-Luc Mélenchon (La France Insoumise, LFI) scored 7,712,520 or 22% of the votes.

In the spirit of the rule of désistement, Mélenchon has indirectly asked all his followers to support Macron by saying that‘we must not give a single vote to Ms Le Pen.’Thus, if all his followers joined their votes with those of Macron, Macron will not only have initially 49.8% before sharing with Marine Le Pen the votes of other political contenders who are not all anti-immigrant hardliners. Éric Zemmour (7.1%) supports Le Pen. Virtually, all others - Valérie Pécresse (4.8%),Yannick Jadot (4.6%), Jean Lassale (3.1%), Fabien Roussel (2.3%), Nicholas Dupont-A (2.1%), Anne Hidalgo (1.7%), Phillipe Poutou (0.8%), and Nathalie Arthaud (0.6%), support Macron to sail to victory. But what happens following his re-election? True, a returning Macron must face the challenge of France’s diffidence versus Africa’s self-confidence.

Electing Emmanuel Macron Without doubt, French presidential electoral system is quite interesting because it is semi-presidential, not fully presidential, and not fully parliamentarian. It is a combination of both. It is particularly interesting because it allows for the election of the truly most popular candidate by providing for two rounds of election when an absolute majority of at least 50 plus one vote % cannot be achieved in the first round of election. It is the candidate with the highest number of votes based on simple majority that is elected in the second round.

Presidential election is particularly important in France, because an elected president is the‘guarantor of national independence, territorial integrity and respect for treaties,’as provided for in Article 5 of the French Constitution. Besides, the French electoral law under the Fourth Republic provided for proportional representation at the end of World War II but the French Fifth Republic Constitution put in place on October 4, 1958, put an end to it.

More interestingly, the 2022 presidential election is of much concern to the French as much as it is for the entire world. The French are particularly interested in who will be able relate with Russia’s Putin in the post-Russo-Ukrainian war. France is not interested in any extension of the war near her borders. Additionally, in the last twenty years, France has not played host to the re-election of any president. However, many factors are pointing to the re-election of Macron, initially considered as a political neophyte, who established his party, LREM, in 2016, contested in 2017 and won.

As noted by many French observers, the French electorate generally votewiththeirheartinthefirstroundofelectionsandthenvotewiththeir head in round two of the elections. Explained differently, they choose their ideal or preferential candidate in the first round, and then opt for the lesser of two evils in the second round. Thus, an ideal candidate is an expression of love and admiration while voting with one’s head is

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VIE INTERNATIONALE with

Bola A. Akinterinwa Telephone : 0807-688-2846

e-mail: bolyttag@yahoo.com

Macron anotherwayofsayingthinktwicebeforevoting,ensurethatyouvote for who is most likely to protect your interests beyond campaign promises. Article 7 of the Fifth Republic’s Constitution enables the protection of such interests through very strict regulation of presidential elections.

For instance, a second ballot must be held within fourteen days if an absolute majority constitutionally provided for is not obtained; only the two candidates polling the greatest number of votes in the first ballot may stand in the second ballot; election must be held not earlier than 20 days and not more than 35 days before the expiry of the term of the incumbent President; if before the first round of voting, any of the candidates dies or becomes incapacitated, the Constitutional Council is required to declare the election to be postponed, but election must hold within 35 days after the decision to postpone; etc.

Thus, the mentality of sit tight syndrome in the mania of African politics is not condoned. In fact, the conditions further attached to the holding of the second ballot are more interesting: there must be a public presidential debate which was introduced in 1974 to enable the electorate to see for themselves how good, how prepared and determine their future leader would be. Since the introduction of this public debate in 1974, it was only in 2002 that there was not one: the then outgoing President, Jacques Chirac refused to engage in any public debate with the far-right politician, Jean-Marie Le Pen because of what he stood for: excessive nationalism.

Expectedly, and more importantly, Macron and Le Pen are required to hold their own debate in the evening of April 20, 2022, at 9pm.The debate is to be covered electronically by Radio France 2 and TF1 and simultaneously relayed by BFM, CNews, LCI, and Franceinfo. More notably, presidential candidates are disallowed from campaigning the day before the vote, April 24, and cannot campaign on the very day of election. And true enough too, the

Fourthly, and perhaps worse still, is the perception of France in Nigeria. France is currently being seen as an agent of disintegration of Nigeria in the mania of Michel Debré during the 1967-1970 Nigerian civil war. Nigerians are accusing France of aiding and abetting terrorist insurrection in Nigeria, particularly the Boko Haram. Based on this belief, some Nigerians under the aegis of the Movement Against Slavery and Terrorism (MAST) went to demonstrate against France, in front of her embassy in Abuja, Nigeria in December 2019.

The leader of the MAST, Princess Ajibola, said that the protest is ‘for the rescue of the soul of our dear country, Nigeria, from the forces of evil that have attempted to cause disharmony and disintegration by covertly sponsoring the activities in Nigeria.’ Will this perception of France augur well in maintaining the cordiality in Franco-Nigerian relations? How will President Macron manage the growing

media are subject to reporting restrictions from the eve of election until polls close at 8pm on Sunday in France. Giving money to voters at the polling stations at the time of voting the way Nigerians cannot but look very barbaric to French observers. It is promotion of corruption in the market space. But most importantly, how will Africa be impacted upon by the election or how will the winner of the April 24 election relate with Africa after the election? In responding to these questions, it is useful to first investigate the new African environment before examining the challenges of diffidence and confidence before President Macron.

Franco-AfricanrelationsinanemergingnewColdWarandNewWorld Ordercannotbutrequireanattitudinalpolicydispositionthatgoesbeyond diffidence and self-confidence.The relationship between France and Africa is increasingly fraught with unprecedented irritants. In this regard, the notion and spirit of a French Community in which France’s former colonies were given preferential treatment over non-Francophones, does not exist anymore. Franco-African relationships, especially with d tthe Francophone African countries, is currently witnessing a wave of misunderstandings. m Consequently,withthere-electionofPresidentMacron,therelationship ccannot but become toughened as France is increasingly being seen as a country non grata in Africa. Put differently, the situational reality on tthe ground is very disorderly because of the conflict between France’s o order and the counter order of some of Francophone countries. The ccoups d’état in Mali, Guinea Conakry, Chad, and Burkina Faso are cases in point.The disagreement between Mali and France particularly reflects p tthe crescendo of the misunderstanding. It is against the new hostile environment that the challenges before Macron should be addressed. e Challenges Beyond Diffidence and Confidence First, President Macron will face two different challenges: bilateral misunderstanding m withtheFrancophones,ontheonehand,andhowto deal d withFrancophoneandnon-FrancophonedivideinAfrica,especially at a theleveloftheregionalorganisationsliketheEconomicCommunityof West W AfricanStates(ECOWAS),ontheother.FrancophoneAfricaisalways s as an obstacle to African solidarity because of France’s influence. seen For instance, Francophone-Lusophone-Anglophone divide dates to t pre-ECOWAS years. In 1974, Prime Minister John Vorster visited the Côte C d’Ivoire. The visit prompted general opposition of other African leaders l butIvoirianleader,PresidentFélixHouphouet-Boignyresponded that t ‘as the father of dialogue, I could not refuse to meet Mr. Vorster.’

I fact, Mr. Doria-Falego, the Ivoirian Minister of Information, visited In South S Africa for ten days and noted in his press conference there that ‘the ‘ Côte d’Ivoire had chosen the path of dialogue and negotiation instead of war and violence.’

Thus, in the eyes of the Côte d’Ivoire, any war on apartheid in South Africa was not acceptable. There was no need for violent reactions against racial discrimination in Southern Africa. For many Anglophones, the Côte d’Ivoire was only acting under the influence of France which was accused at the United Nations of nuclear collaboration with South Africa. Though France responded to the allegation that she was only implementing, based on pacta sunt servanda, an agreement done before the adoption of the UN resolution prohibiting such collaboration, Africans did not feel comfortable with the answer. And true, the Ivoirian policy contradicted Nigeria’s policy of ‘no compromise with apartheid.’This difference in policy attitude is still much a dynamic of the relationships between the Anglophones and the Francophones in Africa as at today.

Secondly, there is the issue of the ECOWAS monetary integration process and Ecu Currency. On March 14, 1975, the ECOWAS reached an agreement to establish a West African Clearing House which was established. For the purpose of monetary integration, in its decision A/SDec.4/7/92, the ECOWAS Authority not only transformed the Clearing House into an autonomous specialised agency of the ECOWAS within the rationalisation framework of the ECOWAS, but also changed the name to West African Monetary Agency (WAMA).

The expectation was that the transformation and change of name of the Clearing House would strengthen WAMA and enable it to play a more effective role in the regional monetary integration process.’

Additionally for this same purpose, Article 3(a) of the Protocol A/P.1/7/93 Relating to the West African Monetary Agency, done on 24th July 1993 in Cotonou, requires the Agency‘to promote the use of national currencies of Member States for regional trade and other transactions,’ while Article 3(i) obligates the WAMA to ‘ensure the establishment of a single Monetary Zone.’It is on this basis that the quest for a single regional currency began and that an‘eco currency’ was not only suggested, but also that the year 2027 was fixed on 19 June 2021 for its launching after four postponements. The Eco is expected to remove trade and monetary barriers, as well as boost better living standards.

However, the eight Francophone Members of the West African EconomicandMonetaryUnion(UEMOA)haveadoptedthesamename, Eco, as their new currency to replace the old CFA franc, which has been in use since 1945. The Eco, which is to be pegged to the Euro (655.957 to the euro), necessarily replaces France with the European Union as depository for foreign reserves of the UEMOA countries. For about 75 years, the French order was that UEMOA countries must deposit their foreign exchange reserves with the Banque de France, also referred to as the FrenchTreasury. On July 1, 2021, the UEMOA countries decided to put an end to the 75 years of French rule on the matter.The development requires the withdrawal of France from the governing bodies of the UEMOA, but France will still stand as guarantor of the pegging of the Eco to the Euro.

Read full article online - www.thisdaylive.com

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SUNDAY APRIL 17, 2022 • T H I S D AY

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NEWS

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

UNICEF: In 15 Months, 1,436 School Children Abducted in Nigeria Segun Awofadeji in Bauchi and Francis Sardauna in Katsina No fewer than 1,436 school children have been abducted in Nigeria, mainly North-central and North-west, in the last two years, the United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF) has revealed.

UNICEF, also, revealed that at least 16 school children lost their lives to different non-state armed attacks in the federation while 17 teachers were kidnapped from schools.

UNICEF Representative in

Nigeria, Peter Hawkins reeled out the figures in a statement issued yesterday, calling governments across the federation to make schools safer and more secure.

Since December 2020, according to Hawkins, 1,436 school children and 17 teachers have been abducted from schools, and 16 school children lost their lives.

He said: “Unsafe schools, occasioned by attacks on schools and abduction of students, are reprehensible, a brutal violation of the rights of the victims to

education, and totally unacceptable. Their occurrences cut short the futures and dreams of the affected students.

“Attacks on learning institutions render the learning environment insecure and discourage parents and caregivers from sending their wards to schools, while the learners

themselves become fearful of the legitimate pursuit of learning,” Hawkins said.

He noted that the invisible harm school attacks “inflict on the victims’ mental health is incalculable and irredeemable.

Girls have particularly been targeted, exacerbating the figures of out-of-school children

in Nigeria, 60 percent of whom are girls.

“It is a trajectory which must be halted, and every hand in Nigeria must be on deck to ensure that learning in Nigeria is not a dangerous enterprise for any child, particularly for girls.”

In Nigeria, Hawkins explained that a total of 11, 536 schools “were closed since December 2020 due to abductions and security issues. These school closures have impacted the education of approximately 1.3 million children in the 2020/21 academic years.

Emefiele Most Competent to Succeed Buhari, Concerned Nigerians Insist Oghenevwede Ohwovoriole in Abuja The Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Dr. Godwin Emefiele is the most competent and qualified public officer holder to succeed President Muhammadu Buhari in 2023, concerned Nigerians have claimed.

Also, the concerned citizens under the aegis of Emefiele Mobilisation Team (EMT) dispelled speculation that Emefiele abandoned his mandate as the helmsman of the apex bank for his aspiration to succeed the president in 2023.

EMT’s spokesman, Bashir Mohammed made the clarification in a statement he issued yesterday,

debunking reports that Emefiele had completely abandoned his duties at the apex bank and has now fully gone into politics.

Disputing the reports in his statement, Mohammed clarified that Emefiele did not abandon his mandate to pursue presidential aspiration.

He, however, noted that Emefiele “is qualified and competent to be the next President of Nigeria.

At the moment he is yet to show interest in running for the nation’s top job.

“If indeed he were interested in contesting for the post of President, he would do so in accordance with constitutional provisions and would without a doubt, be the capable, competent, seasoned, intelligent leader Nigeria requires in such challenging times.”

Anyim Intensifies Consultations, Set for Borno, Kogi, Kano, Kaduna Chuks Okocha in Abuja A frontline presidential aspirant of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and former President of the Senate, Senator Anyim Pius Anyim, has continued his nationwide consultations with PDP stakeholders ahead of the party’s presidential primary election scheduled for May 28 with meetings with delegates and party leaders in Kaduna, Kano, Borno and Kogi states.

Anyim has been vigorously selling his vision and pathway to reunite, rebuild and reposition Nigeria if elected president in 2023.

Anyim, a former Secretary to the Government of the Federation has identified in his vision document three broad areas of focus towards rebuilding Nigeria to include: politi-

cal foundation for greater Nigeria; economic foundation for greater Nigeria and national integration and social harmony.

Under his political agenda, Anyim identifies building national consensus on: the structure of the nation; governance system and national ideals or aspirations as fundamental to returning Nigeria on the path of unity, peace and stability, without which no meaning development can take place.

For economic revival, Anyim identifies, industrialisation, agricultural, talent and innovation and science and technology as development pistons to be aided by such enablers of growth as prosperity, security, infrastructure, healthcare, education, governance, justice system, etc.

Family Unveils Onwughalu’s Funeral Programme The Onwughalu family of Umuomam village, Osumenyi, Nnewi North Local Government Area, Anambra state has released the programme of events for the celebration of the life and time of their patriarch, Chief Chris Nkayi Onwughalu (KSM) aka Onyefeeze.

The family released details of Onwughalu’s burial programme in a statement yesterday.

Aged 83, according to the statement, Onwughalu slept in the Lord on December 2, 2021.

During his lifetime, he was a devout Catholic, a businessman and a community leader who was highly respected in

READYTO RUN …

L-R: National Co-ordinator, Moghalu State of Mind, Dr. Hassan Ankumo; Bishop Edword Chanomi; Presidential Aspirant, African Democratic Congress (ADC), Prof. Kingsley Moghalu; Bishop Adams Abel; during a courtesy visit to Moghalu in Abuja...yesterday

FG Breaches Allowance Obligation to Nigerian Scholars in Russia Gboyega Akinsanmi The federal government has failed to honour scholarship allowance obligations to its outstanding citizens currently undergoing undergraduate and graduate studies in Russia for seven months, concerned parents have revealed.

Consequently, according to the parents, hundreds of the scholarship recipients under the Nigeria-Russia Bilateral Education Agreement (BEA) are now mounting pressure on their parents in Nigeria for their survival and upkeep.

They expressed concern about the failure of the federal government at separate meetings with the Minister of State for Education, Mr. Chukwuemeka Nwajiuba and Nigerian Ambassador to Russia, Prof. Abdullahi Shehu in Abuja recently.

One of the parents, who spoke privately with THISDAY after the meetings, said the parents of the scholarship beneficiaries “are under undue pressure to support their wards in Russia, a federation at war with Ukraine.”

The parent revealed that the federal government had not remitted monthly allowance to

the scholarship recipients for the past seven months while Russia kept its part of the agreement.

According to him, scholarship recipients are facing hardship in Russia because the federal government has not paid them their allowance for seven months.

They have to resort to their parents to survive.

Another parent, also, told THISDAY confidently that the parents had agreed to send another delegation to prevail on the federal government to come to the aid of the students who are grappling with a spike in prices of foods and services in Russia.

He lamented that the condition of the students in Russia had been compounded by the biting effects of global sanctions against Russia over the war against Ukraine.

He acknowledgedthatadelegation of the parents’ body had met with the educationministerlastmonththatassured the parents that the ministry had sent the money to the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) for disbursement.

However, the spokesperson for the apex bank, Mr Nwanisobi Osita denied the minister’s claims, saying the CBN would haveeffectedpayment to the students had the education ministry submitted the necessary mandate.

Brain Drain Overstretching Health Workers, NMA Laments Sunday Ehigiator Brain drain in the health sector is overstretching the few medical personnel left behind in government-owned hospitals, the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) has lamented.

Likewise, Ogun State Commissioner for Health, Dr Tomi Coker has lamented the dearth of medical personnel in Nigeria saying Nigeria urgently needs 300,000 doctors to render effective

medical services to Nigerians.

The Secretary of NMA, Lagos Zone, Dr Ime Okon made the remarks at a session with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) yesterday.

Okon advised aggrieved patients and their relatives to send their complaints through appropriate channels, rather than transfer their anger or inflict injuries on the few medical practitioners in the country.

Okon said: “We don’t want

to use the brain drain and other reasons as excuses not to give excellent services; that’s why we have complaint channels to keep health workers in check.

“We want to improve ourselves and be of the best standards for everybody because the system is there for everyone.

“Doctors too fall ill; nurses fall ill, and you don’t want to be a victim of a failed system. So, we are trying to make it work for everybody.

“It could be my relative that is sick and I am not on duty; if we have a system that works, it would work well for that person.

It doesn’t have to be a ‘man-knowman’ thing; once it’s systemic, it will work for everybody.’’

She also told NAN that the use of appropriate channels to register misgivings about the discharge of duty by medical practitioners would contribute a lot to improving healthcare delivery.

Adewole: Corruption, Incompetence Responsible for Nigeria’s Crisis Bennett Oghifo

Late Onwughalu

Osumenyi.

It said late Onwughalu “is survived by many sons and daughters, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, sons-in-law and daughters-in-law, including Chief Emma Eziokwu (Akuilili na Utuh) Chief Sunny Okonkwo (Ikukuoma Chukwu).

Social Democratic Party’s (SDP) presidential aspirant, Prince Adebayo Adewole, at the weekend identified corruption and incompetence as bane of the country’s precarious situation.

Adewole, who was a guest speaker at the Pastor Ituah Ighodalo-led Africa leadership group lecture series titled, “Nigeria: Hope in positive action”, added that mismanagement and greed on the part of Nigerian leadership made the country a debtor nation.

He said: “We have been unlucky in the driver’s we have. Mercedes is Mercedes. Toyota is a Toyota. It’s not the car that is the issue. We just need to change the driver. We have an opportunity to change the driver’s in the coming election. We have never had people-oriented president emerging from the people. The constitution didn’t envisaged some people would sit in their conclave and begin to recycle themselves around. The constitution isn’t the problem.”

Adewole said he was not disturbed being described as

greenhorn, saying, “When God wants to change the history of people, He brings in fresh leaders. What matters is the courage to mean well. It’s not by might, but the truth. God cannot be ascribed with callousness that He would assemble over 200 million of his own being and He would lead them to perpetual slavery and backwardness. Even the captivity of the Zion ended at a time.

This must be the time. We must have the spirit of Joshua to fall the Jericho.”

Criminality, Adewole argued, is in the State House in Abuja: “If there is no criminality in the State House, there won’t be criminality outside. Once it can be stopped, everybody will follow suit. You cannot put a call to the State House today to say you want to see someone, nobody will answer you. But give someone $10,000, they will book an appointment for you. If the people in charge of the law are now perpetrating crime, then we are not qualified to call them to come and solve criminality outside.

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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 ˾ APRIL 17, 2022

NEWSXTRA MNJTF’s Air Strikes Vanquish 75 ISWAP Commanders, Fighters in Lake Chad Region Kingsley Nwezeh in Abuja Air strikes conducted by the Air Components of Operation Hadin Kai and Nigerien Air Force under the Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF) yesterday killed 75 commanders and fighters of the Islamic State for West African Province (ISWAP) in Lake Chad area.

THISDAY gathered that recent military intelligence showed that the joint air strikes undertaken on April 14, 2022, at Tumbun Rego and a training camp about 2km North-west of Tumbun Rego led

to the elimination of five key ISWAP leaders including Ibn Usman, Hani Abdullahi, Abakar Shuwa, Abu Jibrillah and Abu Ali. Military sources affirmed that in the same air strike, over 70 other ISWAP terrorists were also killed and many others injured.

It was further gathered that Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) missions over the suspected locations around the Tumbuns area had identified significant terrorists’ movements in Tumbun Rego and another training Camp about 2km away from Tumbun Rego.

The location also served as an abode for some top ISWAP commanders.

“The ISR earlier conducted on April 13, 2022, specifically sighted large number of terrorists, a likely logistics camp, about 29 motorcycles and four vehicles concealed under trees.

“The need to attack the location, thus became inevitable so as neutralise the terrorists and soften the ground for troops of Op Lake Sanity to exploit”, a military source said.

“Using a mix of NAF and Nigerien Air Force fighter jets,

the aircraft attacked and bombed the location in the early hours of April 14, 2022.

“The reliable outcome of the strike has now revealed that over 70 ISWAP terrorists were either eliminated or severely injured.

“Locals have also confirmed that the strikes and mop up

operations by the Nigerian Army under Op Lake Sanity was successful. Clearly, there seem to be no hiding place for ISWAP and Boko Haram terrorists in the Northeast especially with the capture of most of their enclaves in Sambisa Forest and the current

onslaught in the Tumbuns”, the source said.

“The increased coordinated and joint air strikes by NAF and Nigerien Air Force jets added an impressive aspect to the new type of operation being witnessed in the North-east, which should be commended”, he said.

Akpanudoedehe Declares for Akwa Ibom Governorship Race Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja The former Secretary of the Caretaker Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee (CECPC) of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator John Akpanudoedehe has declared his interest to contest for the governorship seat of Akwa Ibom state ahead of the 2023 elections.

Akpanudoedehe declared his governorship aspiration yesterday at the political rally organised in Uyo, Akwa Ibom capital, promising to lift the people out of extreme poverty.

Among others, the Minister of Transportation, Mr. Rotimi Amaechi; APC National Vice

Chairman, South-south, Chief Victor Giadom and Executive Officer, Oil and Gas Free Zone Authority, Mr. Umanah Umanah witnessed the declaration.

He said he had accepted the clarion call of his people to contest the governorship seat. I want to accept your call to run.

I want to thank the President who allowed me to serve as National Secretary of the party and stakeholders who didn’t reject my nomination.

“I want to thank most especially Amaechi who sponsored us to the national secretariat of the party. We don’t have the character of being ungrateful,”

Onanuga: I’m Fully in Support of Tinubu’s Ambition A former Managing Director, News Agency of Nigeria yesterday reaffirmed his loyalty to the presidential ambition of the All Progressives Congress aspirant, Bola Tinubu.

Onanuga made this clarification in a response to claims on social media that he had switched camps ahead of the 2023 election.

Reports had alleged that Onanuga, alongside others who had worked with the former governor of Lagos State in the past, might have pitched their tent with the Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo, who declared his intention to run for president under the APC. According to the veteran journalist, he had known Tinubu for a long period of time, was part of his governorship campaign in 1998 and was close to his administration for eight years.

He stated that the article was based on the APC presidential primary, which is on the basis of an incomplete premise.

Onanuga wrote: “I am fully in support of Bola Tinubu. I am not in PYO’s camp and will not be in his camp if Tinubu is running.

“People who know me will attest to the fact that I am ever loyal to my friends, loyal to a political cause. I have been on the political left since 1978 when I joined Awolowo’s UPN as a UNILAG student.

“I am not a renegade.

I can vouch for Senator Tokunbo Afikuyomi and Mr. Dele Alake as well.

“The author of the rumour was merely writing conjectures on an issue that is unpredictable, a party’s primary election, where an outsider will only labour in vain in making permutations.

As far as I am concerned, and let me say it loud and clear, I am in support of Bola Tinubu’s ambition. I am not against him.

He is my first choice, the second choice and the third choice for the exalted seat.

Osun COS Receives Kwame Nkrumah Pan-African Prize Yinka Kolawole in Osogbo The Chief of Staff to the Governor of Osun State, Dr. Charles Akinola, has received the Kwame Nkrumah PanAfrican Prize for Leadership Excellence.

In a statement by Dominic Eveh, the representatives of the African Students Union Parliament headquartered in Accra, Ghana presented the award to Akintola in Osogbo, Osun State capital recently.

The statement said the parliament, an umbrella of

students’ associations from 51 countries across the African continent, nominated Akinola for the award at the bi-annual convention of the organisation held in Accra.

It said: ‘‘The Prize is presented to individuals whose lives exemplify the idea of living for others and dedicate themselves to practices which promote the African moral value, strong family life, international cooperation and harmony, and the renewal of the Pan Africanism ideology.

the governorship hopeful said.

On why he has decided to throw his hat into the ring, Akpanudoedehe noted that he would inspire prosperity in the state.

He added: “My focus will be how to deliver my people from poverty. God has given me a special gift and the special gift is how to deliver you from poverty.”

“For instance, we will give N1 million grants each to 1000 people per local government. It is time to empower the people not to depend on stipends. We will make Akwa Ibom the hub for technology.”

WORTHY HONOUR . . .

L-R: Manager, Idoma Legends Award, Mr. Emmanuel Abah; the Akanaba K’Idoma, Chief Mike Okibe; and the Chief Executive Officer, Idoma Legends Award, Ms Grace Okpe when Okibe received an award from Idoma Legends Award crew in recognition of his humanitarian service in Idoma Land, Benue State… recently

Fayemi: I Never Diverted N100m Monthly Allocation of Local Councils Victor Ogunje in Ado Ekiti Ekiti State Governor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi yesterday disputed allegations that his administration was diverting over N100 million being allocated monthly to 18 local government areas from the Federation Allocation for other purposes.

Fayemi, currently consulting nationwide on his presidential aspiration, described the allegation

coming from a former Chairman of Ado Ekiti Local Government Area, Mrs. Omotunde Fajuyi, as a desperate attempt to defame his character and portray his government corrupt.

He made the clarification in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Yinka Oyebode, faulting Fajuyi’s claims that his administration was not releasing appropriate funds due the councils from the Federation

Accounts.

Fajuyi had accused Fayemi’s administration of releasing a paltry sum of N4.5 million to her council out of over N100 million being released from the Federation Account, thereby hampering the developmentofthelocalgovernment.

In the statement, however, Fayemi faulted Fajuyi’s allegation that she signed for N100 million allocations monthly, while she held sway as council boss, only to be given

a paltry N7 million to run the council.

He said: “While it serves no purpose joining issues with Fajuyi, it is important to state that either Fajuyi or the news media that reproduced her radio interview misrepresented the facts of the matter, hence, the need to put the record straight for the sake of the reading public and to correct the wrong impression created.

Navy Destroys Illegal Refinery, Recovers N613m Stolen Crude Oil in S’South Blessing Ibunge in PortHarcourt The Nigerian Navy yesterday said Operation Dakata Da Barawo (OPDDB), has intercepted N613 million worth of stolen crude and illegally refined Automotive Gas Oil (AGO) also known as diesel from oil thieves and other criminals in the Niger-Delta.

This was revealed in a statement the National Public Relations Officer, Nigerian Navy, Commodore Kayode Ayo-Vaughan revealed yesterday.

He said the operation was an indication of the Nigerian

Navy’s resolve to ensure zero tolerance for Crude Oil Theft (COT), illegal bunkering and other related economic crimes in the nation’s maritime area and the South-south geopolitical zone in particular.

Ayo-Vaughan warned economic saboteurs and sponsors to desist from unpatriotic and criminal acts in the region, revealing that N200million and $700,000 (N413m) worth of products were intercepted in two weeks.

“These arrests and seizures from the ongoing OPDDB have denied oil thieves and criminals of about N200 million

and $700,000 worth of products within a period of two weeks.

“It is indicative of the Nigerian Navy’s resolve to ensure zero tolerance for COT, illegal bunkering and related economic crimes in the nation’s maritime area and the South-south geopolitical zone in particular.”

Giving a breakdown of the seizures made in the weeks under review, Ayo-Vaughan, said: “On April 5, Nigerian Navy Ship (CNNS), PATHFINDER at Port-Harcourt intercepted nine huge (‘Cotonou’) wooden boats laden with unspecified quantity of legally refined AGO at Andoki, Bille and

other areas within her area of responsibility.

“Additionally, Illegal Refining Sites (IRS) with cooking pots, tanks and reservoirs were discovered at in Ketoru Creek. The Base also arrested 2 STARZ marme BOATS DOROH 1 and DOROH 2 for providing illegal escort services within the Bonny maritime area without proper approvals.

“Also, on April 7, NNS ABA intercepted and arrested MV ROYAL DIADEM which was laden with suspected illegally refined AGO of unspecified quantity at Bonny area.

Call Your Supporters to Order, APC Chieftain Tells Tinubu A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Professor Hafiz Abubakar, has urged the party leadership to call to order the supporters of former Governor of Lagos State, Senator Bola Tinubu.

Abubakar, a former Deputy Governor of Kano State, in a statement yesterday, condemned the attacks on Vice President Yemi Osinbajo by Tinubu’s supporters.

“Asiwaju’s campaigners are playing a risky game that the party and administration should call them to order on,” the APC

chieftain said in the statement.

“Attacking the VP’s official capacity and his achievements in the same APC government is tantamount to ‘biting one’s nose to spite one’s face.’

Osinbajo formally declared his intention to run for the Office of the President on April 11.

Shortly after his declaration, Tinubu’s supporters flooded social media with claims of how the vice president is a ‘Judas’ and how he ‘betrayed’ his former principal.

The spokesperson of the APC in Lagos State, Seye Oladejo, in a terse statement criticising Osinbajo’s declaration, questioned the vice president’s handling of Nigeria’s economy.

Osinbajo served as the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice in Lagos State between 1999 and 2007 while Tinubu was governor.

“Asiwaju’s lieutenants are denigrating their own party and their own government,” Abubakar said.

“The same way Asiwaju has a right to aspire so does anyone else in the country, especially a sitting Vice President with Prof.

Yemi Osinbajo’s credentials and record.”

Abubakar said the attacks on the vice president’s character, person, economic responsibility, and religious affiliation are quite deplorable.

“Let us have a contest of ideas for the ticket of the party, not a contest of backbiting, libel, and name-calling,” he said.

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B AC K PAG E C O N T I N UAT I O N BUHARI: TO RESIGN OR NOT TO RESIGN? not over.

The PDP is now borrowing from APC’s manual. At every turn of killings and kidnappings, they rush out a press statement describing Nigeria as “unsafe”, tagging the APC government as “incompetent” and asking Buhari to resign. Their latest: “This government would be coming every day to apologise to Nigerians to say ‘we’re sorry for what we’ve done.’ But this is a government that is arrogant in failure. They’ve failed and they are still arrogant about it. They should bury their head in shame. So, because insecurity predates the APC government, does it mean because they are incompetent and rudderless and completely clueless about the issues, we should accept it?” Classic tit-for-tat.

And here is the tragedy of it all: many Nigerians easily get fooled by the political gimmicks of APC and PDP. Politicians must, of course, politick. That is what they do for a living. Anytime I re-read the press statements issued by Lai Mohammed as APC spokesman, I smile and shake my head. If press statements can solve problems, APC would have turned Nigeria to Japan and Singapore combined by now. We would have uninterrupted power supply, unemployment would be next to zero, and our education system would be churning out millions of geniuses daily. Ladies and gentlemen, it is all politics. That is why when I see ordinary Nigerians trading insults because of APC and PDP, I chuckle.

However, when the NEF issued the statement asking Buhari to consider resigning, I ignored the politics of it. For sure, I know that some

NEF members have sympathies for a number of PDP stalwarts and have never hidden their opposition to Buhari’s government, but I was more worried about the state of the nation than their partisan sentiments. There is no doubting the fact that Buhari has done quite a lot in trying to get the security agencies to tackle the insecurity — but the plain truth, and nothing but the truth, is that the terrorists and other criminal elements are not relenting.

Nigerians are panicking. They just want to be safe and feel safe. The rest is details.

But will Buhari’s resignation solve the problem? That is what we should be discussing.

APC told us if Jonathan resigned or if we voted out PDP, Nigerians would be secure. Is that the case today? Now PDP is telling us if Buhari resigns or if we vote out APC, Nigerians would be safe. Why should we believe either of them that resignation is the antidote? I think we who are not sold to partisan sentiments should re-focus the debate and expend our energies more into diagnosing what the real issues are and proffering workable solutions.

Politicians have to politick for electoral gain, but everything cannot be politics and politics cannot be everything. What, then, is the real problem?

The major point I took away from presidency’s response to NEF is that we are suffering from “decades of neglect”. When Jonathan made the same point in 2010 and said we needed to build a “security architecture” to be able to address the challenges, it did not sell. The fact, at least from my view, is that Nigeria has been in the grip of worsening insecurity

since the return to democracy in 1999. Things have only been changing shape but they have kept worsening over time. Under President Olusegun Obasanjo, ethnic, communal and religious riots led to tens of thousands of deaths. I also remember Bakassi Boys were burning people alive in broad daylight in the south-east.

I recall Prof Wole Soyinka saying in 2001 that the sudden burst of violence could be traced to suppressed agitations under military rule which had now found expression in a democracy. Riots and killings did not stop when Obasanjo left and President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua came in. Jos North went on fire again, with over 700 killed as Berom and Fulani communities clashed in November 2008.

In July 2009, a crackdown on Boko Haram members and the resultant resistance led to the death of thousands of people in Bauchi, Maiduguri, Potiskum and Wudil. That was the first recorded mass bloodbath in the war against Boko Haram, which had not been classified a terrorist group then.

The call for Buhari to resign does not excite me because I would rather take a holistic view of the entire gamut. In any case, asking him to resign is just soundbite: he will not. I doubt any Nigerian president would resign, whether from APC or PDP. Moreover, if changing presidents was the solution, how come we are still where we are? Since 1999, presidents have come and gone. Political parties have come and gone. We have spent billions upon billions of dollars on security. We have acquired arms. We have announced to the

world several times that we are winning. Yet, we have seen the security situation deteriorate progressively and regressively. Are we missing something?

What exactly is the problem? Are we being blindsided by politics? Is there a fundamental defect in the security architecture? Is it a problem of strategy? Is it a problem of equipment? Is it a problem of personnel? Is it corruption? I hear people argue that having state police is the way out. Maybe they have a point. But has there been any time the federal police were asked to tackle criminals and they said they wouldn’t do it because they were not state police? More so, there is an assumption that states run things better, but I wouldn’t say state universities, state hospitals and council elections are better managed. Yes, we need state police — but can they tackle Boko Haram and ISWAP? From experience, Buhari’s resignation would not put an end to ISWAP/Boko Haram attacks, kidnappings, ethno-religious killings and massacres. But he is the president: the buck stops at his desk. He was not elected to make excuses. If we did not take excuses from Jonathan, then we cannot take from Buhari.

The president has to buckle up and double his efforts. However, there’s a deeper issue of state capacity that we are yet to get a grip of.

Something is just not working. We would keep changing parties and presidents and nothing would change until we get to the root of it.

I wish I had the answers. God forbid that in 2024, we will start saying “things were not this bad under Buhari”.

And Four Other Things…

FOR ABBA KYARI Exactly two years today, Mallam Abba Kyari, former chief of staff to President Muhammadu Buhari, died from COVID-19 complications. He was fiercely loyal to his boss till the very last minute of his life. There was wild jubilation in the camp of those who said he was Nigeria’s biggest problem. Only God knows how many things would have been pinned on his head if he were still alive. Some of the monsters that were assembled to destroy him in the media have now turned on their paymasters and enablers. My greatest pain is that Kyari — who never owned a house in Abuja and gave up his only property in Maiduguri for IDPs — will never be able to tell the story of stewardship.

Shame.

FOR OSINACHI NWACHUKWU When Osinachi Nwachukwu, the gospel singer, died a week ago, we were initially told it was from complications of throat cancer.

However, horrible stories of domestic abuse started coming out. It is imperative for the police to establish the facts and do justice.

Government must also step up action against domestic abuse. Our clerics need to play a more active role. We spiritualise everything.

Our culture tells women to take whatever they see in their matrimonial homes as “normal”. No, violence is not normal. Osinachi, a much-loved singer, featured in the soulful song, ‘Ekwueme’, in 2017, which has garnered over 71 million views on YouTube. May God comfort her loved ones. Condolences.

FOR DARIYE, NYAME President Buhari came to power in 2015 vowing to fight corruption. This was what Nigerians wanted to hear after what they thought was the worst episode of looting in our history. Before Buhari, the EFCC hardly secured convictions against ex-governors.

However, Chief Joshua Dariye and Rev Jolly Nyame, former governors of Plateau and Taraba respectively, were jailed and the Buhari government showcased that as its success story. Buhari has now granted the duo presidential pardon after making a request to the advisory Council of State. It would be a fitting climax to the story of Buhari’s anti-graft war if he goes on to give Dariye and Nyame national honours. Unravelling.

RWANDA BY AIR The UK has come under criticism for deciding to ship asylum seekers to Rwanda while processing their applications. Initially, only aspiring male immigrants will be sent to Rwanda. I understand what the UK government is trying to do: people smugglers who collect thousands of pounds to help them sail by boat to Europe in search of asylum can now be contained. Would-be immigrants will now know that sailing illegally to the UK does not mean automatic entry. The UN refugee agency says the policy is against international law. Activists say it is inhuman. Given that 3,000 people drowned last year trying to cross over by sea, we need a permanent solution and something must give. Dilemma.

be asking them is what they plan to do about increasing revenue, about reducing public debts, and about eliminating petrol subsidy.

It should not be enough for them to simply and glibly say I will do all of these, but to also show us their detailed plans that include the how, the trade-offs, the mitigation plans, and the when.

How to tackle the widespread menace of insecurity is another major issue. The recent attack on the Abuja-Kaduna train (with dozens still held hostage) and the gruesome killing of scores of people in Plateau State within the week are grim reminders of how pervasive insecurity has become. We are now dealing with generalised insecurity, with Boko Haram not totally eliminated in the North East, newly designated terrorists running riot in the North West, oil thieves having a free rein in the South-South, separatists killing and maiming with reckless abandon in the South East, the

herder-farmer conflict still roiling the North Central and ritual killers and kidnappers terrorising the South West. What specific things do the aspirants plan to do improve security of live and property, how and when?

There are so many other issues that need urgent attention because of the unflattering indicators that negatively impact growth and development. One is electricity which has also been in the spotlight of late on account of the frequent collapse of the national grid. According to the World Bank, Nigeria has the highest energy access deficit in the world: 43% of its population is not connected to the grid and estimated $26.2 billion is lost yearly to inadequate electricity supply. Another is jobs: according to the National Bureau of Statistics, 33% of the working population can’t find jobs, 22.8% of them are underemployed, and youth unemployment is 42.5%. Then there is poverty: 40% of the population lives below the poverty level and another 25% is vulnerable.

It will be important to know the specific policy interventions that the aspirants plan to deploy to address the challenges of electricity, unemployment and poverty as well their planned interventions on how to tackle inflation (especially food inflation), their views and plans on trade, oil savings, exchange rate, health, education (including funding and running of public higher education), optimisation of oil and gas sector vis-à-vis energy transition, and on even the increasing less fashionable area of anti-corruption etc.

Next year represents a major landmark in our democratic journey: seventh electoral cycle in a row, second time an incumbent will be term-barred, and 24 years of unbroken civil rule, by far the longest and more than four times the previous record. But a major marker of the maturity of our democracy will be when we begin to put a high value on, devote considerable time to and decide on who to entrust with public office on account of reasoned policy alternatives. Hopefully, we can switch to that deliberate path in this electoral cycle, an election season which also coincides with a period of pressing national challenges.

WHERE ARE THE BIG POLICY IDEAS FOR 2023?

N4.3 trillion was used to service debt from January to November 2021.

Nigeria, clearly, has a dual revenue and debt problem. The FG is using almost all its revenue to service debt, and clearly taking on new debts to meet other obligations like personnel and capital. And it is not just an FG problem. Most times, the picture is worse at the subnational level, especially because the other tiers of government do not have the wriggle room that the FG has.

The extrapolated total revenue by all tiers of government in 2021 amounted to about 8% of the nominal GDP of N176 trillion. We not only have one of the lowest revenue-to-GDP ratios in the world but we also underperform the rest of Africa where the average revenue-to-GDP ratio is 18%. We are definitely not generating enough revenue for our need as a country and not adequately leveraging the size of our economy for tax purposes.

While it can be argued that our debt-to-GDP ratio is still within reasonable limits, it should be a cause for concern. According to the Debt Management Office, our total public debt now stands at N39.5 trillion, which is 22% of GDP and compares favourably with the 59% for Ghana, the 107% for the USA and the 237% for Japan. The issue though is that debts are serviced and paid from government revenue, not from or with GDP, and at the moment we are using almost all government revenue just to service debts.

Then there is the issue of the unceasing haemorrhage that is petrol subsidy. In 2021, we expended N1.43 trillion on petrol subsidy alone. The total amount earned by the FG from the oil sector from January to November that year was N1.47 trillion (made up of N970.33 billion from crude oil, N117.31 billion from FG’s share of NLNG dividends, and N381.27 billion from signature bonus and early renewals). From this we can extrapolate that for the whole year, FG earned about N1.6 trillion from the sector.

This will mean petrol subsidy accounted for 89% of FG’s total revenue from the sector (even though petrol subsidy is paid for by the three tiers of government).

The National Assembly has just passed a

Zainab Ahmed N4 trillion budget for petrol subsidy for 2022.

That is two and a half times more than FG’s total N1.47 trillion earnings from the oil sector in 2021. According to an insightful infographic

by The Cable Index, the 2022 subsidy budget is higher than the N3.97 trillion collected by FIRS as both Value Added Tax (VAT) and Company Income Tax (CIT) in 2021. It is equally numbing that the N4 trillion petrol subsidy tag represents 73% of FG’s aggregate revenue and 93% of its retained revenue for 2021. It is also worth noting that the 2022 subsidy budget alone is almost of a quarter of the revised N17.3 trillion budget for the FG in 2022 and amounts to 2.3% of Nigeria’s GDP. Most of the aspirants will definitely regale us with these data and more. But the really important conversation to have will be their specific plans for addressing Nigeria’s now obvious challenges in these three areas. What they should be telling us and what we should

THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER APRIL 17, 2022

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SUNDAYSPORTS

Edited by: Duro Ikhazuagbe email:Duro.Ikhazuagbe@thisdaylive.com

Hodgson Hails Emmanuel Dennis of Watford

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atford coach, Roy Hodgson, has hailed Super Eagles forward, Emmanuel Dennis’ performance in the Hornets’ home defeat to Brentford in the Premier League on Saturday.

The Hornets lost 2-1 to Brenltford at the Vicarage Road and they sank deeper into relegation trough.

Watford coach, Roy Hodgson, has hailed Super Eagles forward, Emmanuel Dennis’ performance in the Hornets’ home defeat to Brentford in the Premier The Hornets lost 2-1 to Brentford at the Vicarage Road and they sank deeper into relegation trough.

Watford) ets lost 2-1 to Brentford at the Vicarage Road and they sank deeper into relegation trough.

2024 NUGA: Korean Embassy Donates Taekwondo Sporting Complex to UNIJOS

Liverpool players celebrating their victory over Manchester City...last night

Liverpool Survive Late Surge to Beat City to Final Ticket Duro Ikhazuagbe

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last minute goal was all Liverpool needed last night to remain on course for an historic quadruple as they reached the FA Cup final with victory over Manchester City at Wembley.

If last Sunday’s Premier League meeting between the clubs was a classic, this semifinal was effectively decided in a one-sided first 45 minutes, in which a mixture of ruthless finishing and Manchester City mistakes saw Liverpool take a 3-0 lead.

A reshuffled City side were unable to recover as Liverpool, having won the Carabao

FA CUP Cup, are now in the FA Cup final too - as well as the last four of the Champions League, while sitting second in the Premier League.

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola, who was unable to start Kevin de Bruyne and had Kyle Walker out injured, preferred Zack Steffen to Ederson in goal, a move that back-fired spectacularly.

Ibrahima Konate had already headed Liverpool in front after nine minutes when Steffen, trying to repeat the feats of Ederson in the league game between these two clubs, miscontrolled in his

six-yard area, allowing Sadio Mane to pounce.

Mane beat Steffen with a crisp volley at the end of a superb Liverpool build-up to put Jurgen Klopp’s side in complete command at the break but Jack Grealish pulled one back early in the second half and keeper Alisson twice saved crucially from Gabriel Jesus as this semi-final sprang to life.

Bernardo Silva pulled another back for City at the start of a tense period of stoppage time but Liverpool survived to face either Chelsea or Crystal Palace, who meet at Wembley on Sunday, in the final on 14 May.

NPFL:Teams Chasing Top Teams on a Day of Draw

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t was a day of statements in the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) on Saturday as five of the seven concluded games on offer ended in draws.

Quite pertinent is the gap between the league’s top two sides and the chasing pack which remained almost in tact after teams in 3rd, 4th and 5th managed just earning just one point apiece in their respective games.

Rangers stayed in 3rd after they were forced to a 0-0 draw by visiting Sunshine Stars at the Awka City Stadium while Remo Stars also stayed one point adrift of the Flying Antelopes in 4th after a 1-1 draw against Nasarawa United in Jos. Remo went in front in the 49th minute when club’s top scorer, Andy Okpe finished a fine pass

by Qudus Akanni but Nasarawa United replied five minutes later when former junior international King Osanga’s free kick took a deflection before nestling inside the net.

In Kaduna, Kwara United earned their own away point after holding hosts Wikki Tourists to a 1-1 draw. Former CHAN Eagles star Abubakar Aliyu gave Wikki the lead in the 13th minute through a well executed volley. Kwara United however drew level ten minutes from time

Awka City Stadium

through Abdulsalam Abdulsalam as Abdullahi Biffo’s men stayed in 5th.

Reigning champions Akwa United continued their unbeaten start to new coach Deji Ayeni’s reign after a creditable 1-1 draw at Gombe United.

Adam Yakubu gave Akwa United the lead in the 16th minute but Abdulazeez Yusuf restored parity for the hosts in the 36th minute when he converted from the penalty spot. Neither side could find a winner in the second half.

In a result that mattered for relegation ramification, Abia Warriors played out a 1-1 draw against ten-man Niger Tornadoes in Okigwe. Warriors took the lead through winger Paul Samson whose 20-yard effort beat Tornadoes goalkeeper Lucky Abdullahi but young defender Augustine Njoku inadvertently put Idris Munir’s ball into his own goal.Tornadoes played the last six minute with ten men after left back Gabriel Wassa was dismissed for two bookable offences.

Only Dakkada FC and Shooting Stars secured wins on Saturday, the latter giving themselves a huge lift in the relegation battle after a 2-1 win over basement side Heartland in Uyo. Israel Emmanuel gave Dakkada the lead in the 28th minute when he connected Emmanuel Ayaosi’s brilliant cross before captain Aniekan Ekpe doubled their lead with his fourth penalty goal of the season in the 53rd minute. Heartland pulled one back in the 64th minute through MondayYakubu but could not find a leveller.

Seriki Adinoyi in Jos

As the University of Jos gears up towards hosting the Nigerian Universities Games Association (NUGA) in 2024, the Korean Ambassador to Nigeria, Kim Young-Chae, has inaugurated the Indoor Taekwando Gymnasium Complex built and donated by the Korean government to the university.

The gymnasium also comprises table tennis, boxingtrainingarena,basketballcourt,badminton withagallerythathasthecapacitytoaccommodate about 200 spectators.

Speaking on his visit to UNIJOS, the Ambassador said it was to inaugurate the Taekwando Gymnasium Sporting Complex because the university and Korean Embassy have a long standing relationship.

Young-Chaesaid,“Koreangovernmentisagood partner of Nigeria for decades in terms of politics, economy, education because training of young people who have now become professionals in theirvariousfieldsofendeavourremainsourtarget.”

The Vice Chancellor of the university, Prof.

Tanko Ishaya said that the institution has been privileged to be in a cordial relationship with the Korean Embassy, noting that the whole process thatsawtheactualizationoftheIndoorTaekwondo Gymnasium sports complex, started right from the administration of formerVice Chancellor, Prof.

Sabastine Maimako.

Ishaya said that,“It is our prayer that the friendship will continue to mature as we desire to have sports institute.”

He confirmed that the institution was lucky to have a good contingent that performed credibly well in the recently concluded NUGA 2022.

According to him,“University of Jos has a very good contingent that competed and won prizes such as gold medals, silver medals and bronze medals during the NUGA 2022.We hope to host the best NUGA in 2024.”

Insidethecomplex,thestudentsoftheuniversity Taekwondo gymnasts displayed Martial Arts to the admiration of the Korean Ambassador, his wife, and the audience.

Saturday’s Results Gombe Utd 1-1 Akwa Utd 3SC 3-0 Lobi Stars K’Pillars 0-0 Katsina Utd (TBC) Rangers 0-0 Sunshine Abia Warriors 1-1 Tornadoes Wikki 1-1 Kwara Utd Dakkada 2-1 Heartland Nasarawa 1-1 Remo Stars Today Plateau Utd vs MFM FC Monday Rivers Utd vs Enyimba

Sunday April 17, 2022

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MISSILE

Falana to FG “My reaction is that all criminals, all thieves and criminals in our prisons should be released…Nigeria has become a huge joke in the committee of nations and so for any set of people to say they want to package his rickety vehicle and begin to panel beat it, it’s not going to move” – Human rights lawyer, Mr. Femi Falana (SAN), faulting the state pardon granted to former Governors Dariye and Nyame by the federal government.

SIMONKOLAWOLE Buhari: To Resign or Not to Resign?

SIMONKOLAWOLELIVE!

simon.kolawole@thisdaylive.com, sms: 0805 500 1961

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ere we go again. On Tuesday, the Northern Elders Forum (NEF) issued a statement asking President Muhammadu Buhari to “seriously consider” resigning over the pervasive insecurity in the land. Several parts of the north have been experiencing devastating terror attacks, communal killings and kidnappings.

The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has resumed its campaign of terror “to liberate Nd’Igbo from the Nigerian zoo” while the middle belt is still in the grip of massacres.

“We cannot continue to live and die under the dictates of killers, kidnappers, rapists and sundry criminal groups that have deprived us of our rights to live in peace and security,” NEF said in its press release.

The response? “The Presidency does not wish to be drawn into the high-decibel show in the media, taking the nation by the storm from the Northern Elders Forum. Publicity is the oxygen for politicians who have failed to connect with voters in a democracy,” a presidential spokesman said in a press statement. “It is enough to say from our part, that resignation call on the President is not a solution to the security problems facing the country, something that has built up to a worrisome level following decades of neglect… People don’t have to destroy what is there in a desperate quest to

Buhari get power.” High-decibel show in the media?

Security problems from decades of neglect?

Wonderful.

Flashback. In November, 2014, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, then spokesman for the All Progressives Congress (APC), asked President Goodluck Jonathan to resign. “Under Jonathan’s watch,” he said, “Nigerian territories are being annexed progressively by insurgents, and all that he has demonstrated so far is sheer cluelessness and incompetence. It is time for him to take responsibility and quit in the national interest, to pave the way for a leader who can lead the country to victory.” As information minister, the same Lai Mohammed viciously described calls on Buhari to resign over the Zabarmari massacre of 2020 as “playing dirty politics”, “cheap” and “irresponsible”.

Caveat. To be sure, it was not as if APC’s campaign to vote the PDP out of power in 2015 was because the Jonathan-led administration had turned Nigeria into a fortress. It was not as if Nigerians were safe and secure. Under Jonathan — lest we forget — Boko Haram bombed Abuja six times. In July 2013, they killed 42 students and teachers at a secondary school in Mamudo, Yobe state. They killed 58 schoolboys in Buni Yadi, also in Yobe, in February 2014. They kidnapped hundreds of Chibok schoolgirls. Bombings in Kano and Kaduna killed at least 400. In Zamfara, bandits killed 43 in Kizara village in June 2013 and 79 in Galadima village in April 2014. Just trying to refresh our memory.

But you know why some of us cannot stand

the type of politics we play in Nigeria? It’s the hypocrisy for me. When APC weaponised the insecurity to oust Jonathan from power, they did not talk about “decades of neglect”.

All we were told was that Jonathan was incompetent and that an APC government would keep Nigerians safe. Insecurity was one of the things APC deft used to sell its stock. If the 2015 presidential poll had not been moved by six weeks apparently to allow Jonathan regain lost ground, he would have lost to Buhari by a gap of 10 million votes rather than the eventual 2.5 million. And I am quoting estimates from Jonathan’s camp in January 2015.

Pause. Nearly seven years of APC in power and what do we have? While Boko Haram is not the force it used to be in the north-east, the north-west has become the new epicentre of insecurity. Thousands have been killed or kidnapped in Kaduna, Zamfara, Kebbi, Sokoto and Katsina states. Niger has been fully sucked in. Plateau killings have not stopped. Benue remains a killing centre. Taraba is coming back into the gory picture. IPOB and Eastern Security Network (ESN) have made parts of the south-east a living hell. The south-west dodged a bullet when Sunday Igboho, the Yoruba militia leader, fled the country, but clashes between herders and farmers are still Continued on page 78

WAZIRIADIO Where are the Big Policy Ideas for 2023?

POSTSCRIPT

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s expected, the political space has crackled to life. Campaign posters and political messages, from the inspired to the threadbare, are everywhere.

Consultations and other barely disguised political events are undertaken both to seek support and to telegraph strength. Almost daily, someone new enters the fray for the highest office in the land or is rumoured to be getting ready. It is a crowded field already, and the field is likely to get more crowded, and hopefully become livelier, as we get closer to the primaries. It is the season.

However, one thing has been sorely missing from this ongoing festival of declarations and hyper-politics: the audacious but specific and implementable ideas for addressing Nigeria’s current challenges. Yes, there have been some general and woolly statements, some decent repartees even. Yes, campaigns thrive on sticky slogans, and political crowds get fired up by memorable soundbites. But we are at an unusual and desperate patch as a country.

Nigeria faces urgent and pressing issues that need more than strident denunciations and clever turns of phrases. What we need this campaign season is a different approach, one that should be grounded in policy specifics.

This is yet to happen. The campaign so far has been largely dominated by talks of zoning, and about the health, age, wealth, antecedents and reach of aspirants. These are very important considerations, especially given the peculiar reality of our polity and our very recent experience. But they should not be the only things to discuss in such a significant election.

Elections and transition periods offer an opportunity to do more than just pick someone among the motley crowd of those presenting themselves for office. They also provide a great chance for extracting firm commitments from the aspirants and the candidates, for putting the feet of those who want to be in charge of the commonwealth to the fire, for harvesting workable solutions to society’s most pressing problems. We didn’t maximise these opportunities in the past. It will be unfortunate if we do same this season.

And we shouldn’t just be content with glib talks or surrender in awe to those who can make fine speeches. It should not be enough for aspirants to say they are going to do XYZ if elected—they need to show their workings.

We need to demand and critically interrogate the specifics of their proposals. These are some of the questions we should be asking: are the plans viable, realistic; how much will the plans

cost and where will the money come from; do the numbers add up; are there trade-offs and are those reasonable; what is the timeline for implementation etc?

I am aware that campaigns are always waged in poetry. But the assumption that the poetry of campaigns provides an intimation of the laborious and messy prose of governance has been vain at best. Experience has shown that this approach has not served us well. We need to push the aspirants and the eventual candidates harder this time around. While you can’t stop them from minting and spewing slogans, you can dig into the nitty-gritty of what they plan to do in office, ask them tough questions and use your impression of their plans as one of the grounds for coming to an informed decision.

And we need to hear directly from the aspirants and the eventual candidates, not from their advisers and not from commissioned and colourful manifestoes and policy papers that can easily be denied. While it is conceded that the person eventually elected will have experts to work with, the president is the captain of the ship. We need to hear directly from him or her about his or her plans on how to take Nigeria out of stormy waters and critically assess his or her readiness for the top job at this critical moment in our voyage.

There is no sugar-coating this: whoever takes over next year will inherit a country with serious economic, physical and human insecurities and will need to take some tough and quick decisions. If we continue with the usual way of politicking and campaigning and hope for a different outcome, then the joke is on all of us.

To start with, our public finance is currently hobbled by the enervating trifecta of low revenues, mounting debts and growing petrol subsidy. There is hardly a miracle that can reverse this overnight or a soundbite that can poetically make them vanish from 29th May 2023.

According to the Federal Ministry of Finance, Budget and National Planning, the aggregate revenue of the Federal Government (FG) from January to November 2021 was N5.5 trillion while FG’s retained revenue was N4.3 trillion.

For the period, budget deficit was N7.05 trillion, out of which N6.68 trillion (or 95% of the deficit) was new borrowings.

But it gets drearier: N4.2 trillion was used to service debts. This means that 76% (or N76 out of every N100) of FG’s aggregate revenue of N5.5 trillion and 97% (N97 out of every N100) of FG’s retained revenue of Continued on page 78

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