TUESDAY 9TH MAY 2023

Komolafe Hails Buhari's Quick Response in Resolving NUPRC, NMDPRA's Overlap in Crude Export Terminal Supervision

Says Commission has restored investor confidence in oil industry

Peter Uzoho in Abuja

The Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum

Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), Mr. Gbenga Komolafe has given kudos to President Muhammadu Buhari over his swift response in

resolving the regulatory overlap between the Commission and the Nigeria Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority

(NMDPRA).

The NUPRC chief executive stated these yesterday, during an interview on Arise News Channel,

so far and the achievements of the commission since establishment

where he fielded questions around the regulatory overlap between the two agencies, the implementation of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) Continued on page 32

CBN Bars Representative Offices of Foreign Banks from Financial Transactions, Others... Page 36

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May 29: Fashola Gives Account of Stewardship, Says 383,431 Jobs Created in Six Years... Page 8

Presidential Election: Court Dismisses

AA's Suit against Tinubu Orders APP, LP to harmonise processes with INEC, APC Hears APM, PDP today Atiku, PDP make case for live broadcast of proceedings

seeking cancellation of the recent

on page 32

APC's NWC Names Akpabio for Senate President, Abass for Speaker

Party zones offices, settles for consensus Protesters storm party secretariat, demand zoning of speaker to North-central

At induction, senators-elect reject imposition of candidates Kalu writes party, senators-elect, says he’s in race

Adedayo Akinwale, Sunday Aborisade and Udora Orizu in Abuja

The National Working Committee (NWC) of All Progressives Congress (APC), yesterday, nominated former governor of Akwa Ibom State, Godswill Akpabio, for Senate President, and Hon. Tajudeen Abass from Kaduna State for Speaker of the House of Representatives.

The nominations, which followed a consensus deal, confirmed weeks of speculation that the ruling party had zoned the 10th National Assembly’s senate presidency to South-south and Speaker of the House of Representatives to North-west. The agreement also covered other principal positions in the bicameral federal legislature.

But a group of protesters, under the umbrella of APC North-central stakeholders, stormed the national secretariat of the party yesterday, alleging marginalising of the Northcentral in the zoning of National

Continued on page 32

PHOTO:

Abass Tajudeen: Why I'm the Best for 10th Speakership

Udora Orizu in Abuja

A frontline aspirant for the speakership of the 10th House of Representatives, Hon. Abass Tajudeen, has said his pedigree and valuable contributions to lawmaking in the past 12 years were some of the factors that make him eminently qualified to occupy the number 4 position in the country.

Tajudeen, who represents Zaria Federal Constituency of Kaduna State, has been in the National Assembly since 2011 and has the

highest number of bills in both the 8th and the current 9th Assembly.

He has sponsored 74 bills in the 9th House, the highest by any individual lawmaker, out of which 21 were signed into law by the president.

The lawmaker, who was reported to have been endorsed by the president-elect, Bola Tinubu, said during a Channels TV programme, Sunday Politics, monitored in Abuja, that he was the lawmaker that the House needed as Speaker.

He noted that the Northwest,

where he came from, deserved the seat for some reasons, among which were the fact that the zone gave APC the highest number of votes during the presidential election and that with 92 lawmakers, the zone has the highest number of members in the House.

Asked if it was true that he was endorsed by the president-elect, Abass said he met with Tinubu like other aspirants and told the president-elect about his aspiration.

"Each and every contestant for the speakership has at one time or

the other visited the president-elect and also visited members of the NWC for their blessings. I, just like most of them, had cause to visit the president-elect last week, to present myself, to introduce myself, and to also inform him of my aspiration to be the Speaker of the 10th Assembly.

"We had a very engaging discussion with him. At the end of the day, I can tell you he was very happy with my candidature. He prayed for me and also told me that he would do everything possible to ensure that if it is North

West that this particular position is zoned to, he would ensure that justice and fairness are done to all the contestants.

“That's all I can tell you, since no official announcement has not been made as to who is the candidate of the party. I'm sure that question will be squarely and better answered by the party chairman and the NWC, which hopefully by next week, we were told, will sit and come up with the final position," he said.

On why Tinubu seemed to be impressed with his candidature,

We won't allow parliament to be hijacked, says deputy speaker Wase, Doguwa, Others Forge Alliance as Betara Declares for Speakership

Udora Orizu and Juliet Akoje in Abuja

Some prominent aspirants for the office of the speaker of the 10th House of Representatives have forged a formidable alliance with Hon. Muktar Aliyu Betara. The aspirants, who included the outgoing deputy speaker of the House, Hon. Idris Wase; the leader of the House, Hon. Ado Doguwa; Chairman, House Committee on Navy, Hon. Yusuf Gagdi and Hon. Sada Soli, were present to show solidarity with Betara, who formally declared his intention to run for speakership in Abuja, yesterday. Also present at the event were Hon. Umaro Bago, an outgoing member, who is the governor-elect of Niger State and Hon. Mohammed Monguno from Borno State, who is now senator-elect.

There was also a handful of other lawmakers from across the political parties, who graced the occasion.

Coincidentally, the declaration happened on a day the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) named Senator Godswill Akpabio from South-south and Hon. Tajudeen Abass from the North West as its preferred candidates for both the Senate President and the House speaker for the 10th assembly.

Speaking at declaration, Wase said Abass was not known to the members of the House, and faulted his choice by the APC as its consensus candidate.

While calling on lawmakers not to allow the parliament to be hijacked, he noted that while consensus required discussion by critical stakeholders and wide consultations, none of that was done.

"Again, I want to add that we are

here to ensure the independence of the parliament. To ensure that we work together. Every Parliamentarian must rise to the occasion. We will work as a team. We will not allow this parliament to be hijacked. We will not allow this parliament to be made a lame duck. I believe we are loyal to our country first. Loyal to our party and loyal to our people.

"When say you you have a consensus candidate, the language for consensus is that there have been mass consultations, people go to table for discussion. There is agreement. In this case, we just saw and we are hearing rumours, speculations that some people have been made consensus candidates. I don't know whether that is the meaning of consensus. This place is very sacred. We must be honourable in our action in defence of the

Federal Republic of Nigeria."

Doguwa, on his part, said the parliament must always be allowed to choose its leaders, noting that it was not for outsiders to decide, who leads the House.

According to him, "One message I want to send across is that the parliament is one institution that must always be allowed to choose own leaders. The business of our leadership should be solely our business and no other person's business.

“In a situation where you have some people in whatsoever guise trying to decide our leadership, to form our leadership from outside without consulting us I think that should be seen as a mere failure. I remain available for consultations until that is done, everyone will answer his father's name."

In his speech, Betara, who could

not read his prepared speech for want of time, said he was working in tandem with other aspirants for the project.

"My name is Muktar Aliyu Betara. I am from Borno State. Much has been said about Betara. I invited all of you here to declare for the speakership of the 10th Assembly. I am supposed to read this my speech but I think it will take time. All has been said about me. The most important thing today is for me to declare that I am contesting for the speakership.

“Today is our day for memberselect and for former members of the parliament. You are seeing all the aspirants here. They came to support me because we are one family. We are moving as a group. We have been in the system for years. I was a member in the 6th, 7th, 8th and 9th Assemblies," he said.

Abass said, "I want to believe, first and foremost, that he is impressed with my legislative contributions. I have told him I've been in the National Assembly since 2011, and I've been there now for almost 12 years back-to-back, and I've contributed in sponsoring a lot of bills.

“In the 8th Assembly, I sponsored 43 bills, which gave me the number 1 ranking in terms of those, who sponsored bills. And in the 9th Assembly, I had the singular honour of sponsoring 74 bills, out of which 21 have been assented to by Mr. President, and they're now laws in the country.

"Beside that, I went to tell him where I come from, my academic background, that I was a teacher in primary school. I was the head of an accounting department of a polytechnic from 1989 to 1993. I was also a head of banking and finance of a polytechnic again between 2003 and 2005. I was the founding head of accounting of the Kaduna State University.

“He is impressed with my credentials, the places that I have worked, particularly in the public and private sectors, and also my modest contributions in the National Assembly. I'm sure whatever makes him to say he is happy with me is probably because of those experiences, the qualifications that I have."

He said he believed that the president-elect also prayed for the other aspirants that visited him, noting that Tinubu and the party would come up with an acceptable zoning that will be in the mutual interest of each and every Nigerian.

He said at the end of the party's zoning arrangement, every zone would have something to take home.

TRANSITION NEWS

CD Wants Tinubu to Restructure Nigeria's Security Architecture

The Campaign for Democracy (CD), North Central Zone, has suggested that the President-elect, Bola Tinubu,

should Restructure the country's security architecture for better performance

Rising from its Executive Committee meeting held in Minna, Niger

State, last weekend, the organisation said the restructuring of the nations security architecture will further curb crimes and criminalities. In a communique released at the

end of the meeting, the organisation commended the Nigerian Armed Forces “for taking the battle against insurgency kidnapping banditry to the door steps of the criminals.”

Kalu: I'll Respect APC's Zoning Arrangements

Udora Orizu in Abuja

One of the aspirants for the 10th House speakership, Hon. Benjamin Okezie Kalu, has said he was going to abide by the zoning arrangements of the ruling All Progressives Congress(APC).

The National Working Committee (NWC) of the party had zoned the positions of the Senate President of the 10th National Assembly to the South-south, Deputy Senate President North West, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, North-West and Deputy Speaker South East.

The ruling party also agreed on a consensus as the former Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Senator Godswill Akpabio has been anointed as the next Senate President of the 10th Assembly, while Hon. Tajudeen Abass from Kaduna State and Benjamin Kalu were anointed the Speaker and Deputy Speaker of the House respectively.

Reacting to the news, Kalu, who has gotten the nod of the party to become deputy Speaker to Abass said he would respect the zoning arrangements, and that cohesion would lead to consolidation of the House and by extension the National Assembly in order for the party and incoming administration to succeed.

"My ambition was to be the Speaker of the House of Representatives. It is the party that gave me the platform to come to the House of Representatives. Consider the reasons I advanced for wanting to be in that position, which is the absence of a south easterner in that position for 40 years and the fact that we have men of capacity and competence that will be able

to handle the responsibility of that mandate effectively.

“But at the end of the day, the decision will be reached by the party that gave us platform to be winners and be here. I heard that a decision has been taken by the party and we are waiting for that pronouncement. We are also ready to go along with what the party wants in the spirit of being a true party man. That is the only way we can have cohesion in our party, the only way our party will be respected."

Kalu also emphasised the importance of lobbying and canvassing for votes from colleagues beyond the party's endorsement, saying, "In a democratic system, people lobby for votes. It does not end with the party saying this is the direction we are going.

“You have to reach out to the minority parties and groups made up of people of different orientations. It is up to them to align with the philosophy that best captures their interest. So, we have work to do.

To say the minority groups should be ignored will be living in fools paradise."

said the battle against insecurity "is winnable by our gallant military men and officers in the theatre of the war.

"We are looking forward to the swearing-in of the new administration," he said, and therefore called on all stakeholders to support Tinubu "towards physically and economically restructuring the Nigerian state for the common interest of all."

The CD asked the federal government and its security agencies to closely watch the President of the Nigeria Labour Congress, Comrade Joe Ajero, because of his recent comments and activities, which were capable of derailing the installation of a new government in the country on May 29.

The communique described the recent speeches of Comrade Ajaero as "provocative", adding that, the NLC president was suspected to be colluding with some elements to cause disaffection in the country.

The CD congratulated the governor and deputy governor-elect in Niger State for their victory at the polls and charge them to "partner all relevant stakeholders, civil society organisations religious leaders religious and traditional rulers for the peace and development of the state.

"We appeal to the incoming government to take the welfare of civil servants seriously by providing motivational incentives to improve the working conditions of workers and ensure commensurate take home wages and salaries are paid as and when due," it stated.

...We Accept APC's Zoning Arrangement, Say Lawmakers

Udora Orizu in Abuja

The Joint Task - 10th Assembly group has welcomed the zoning arrangement for the Presiding Officers of the 10th National Assembly released by the National Working Committee of the All Progressives Congress (APC) yesterday.

The group which comprises

of returning lawmakers and new members-elect from the ruling APC and minority parties in a statement commended the President-elect, Bola Tinubu, for showing leadership in arriving at the party's choice for those that will lead the 10th National Assembly.

In the statement signed by Hon. Usman Bello Kumo (APC, Gombe), Chairman; Hon. Kingsley Chinda

(PDP, Rivers), Co-Chairman, and Aliyu Sani Madaki (NNPP, Kano), Secretary, the lawmakers said they were ready to work with the incoming Tinubu administration, and would work hard to realise the zoning arrangement as announced by APC.

"As a forum, we at the Joint Task - 10th Assembly welcome the zoning arrangement of the

APC. We believe in upholding best democratic practice all over the world, that is why we want to join hands as political parties that won seats in the parliament to have a harmonious working relationship with the other arms of government, especially the Executive, without compromising our independence.

“Now that the APC NWC has taken the bold decision, we will go

in line with the party's choice and work assiduously to realise same. We want to assure the incoming administration of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu that as a parliament, we would work harmoniously and assiduously with him to realise his plans for Nigeria. We would work jointly with all stakeholders within and outside the House to have a stable house."

Tinubu

Kalu

Laleye Dipo in Minna

Jointly signed by the Chairman North Central Zone of the organisation Dr Abdullahi A Mohammed and the Secretary General Comrade Abdulwahid Adeniran, the group

PRESENTATION OF DISCHARGE CERTIFICATE TO TRANSCORP POWER PLC...

May 29: Fashola Gives Account of Stewardship, Says 383,431 Jobs Created in Six Years

Insists Buhari govt led most radical infrastructure expansion ever

The Minister of Works and Housing, Mr Babatunde Fashola (SAN) yesterday gave an account of his headship of the ministry, maintaining that the Muhammadu Buhari administration has led arguably the most radical and audacious infrastructural expansion ever experienced in Nigeria.

Fashola stated that 383,431 jobs were created from 2016 to 2022 through the infrastructural renewal of the government, with the generation of employment made through 2.2 million linear metres of road markings, construction of 9,290.34 kilometres of roads and installation of 254,690 road signs.

According to Fashola, between 2019 and 2023, the Federal Executive Council (FEC) approved a total of 155 projects in the works ministry and 13 in housing, noting that between 2015 to 2019 when he was power minister, 826 projects were approved for the ministry.

Between 2016 and 2022, Fashola who spoke in Abuja, stated that 3.1 million tonnes of cement were used for various road projects, 1.29 billion litres of diesel were expended while 71.6 million litres of petrol were used in the process.

Besides, Fashola pegged the quantity of bitumen deployed between 2016 and 2022 at 4.45 million tonnes, stressing that 27.4 million tonnes of fine aggregate was used while infrastructure gulped 55.5 million tonnes of coarse aggregate.

In addition, he stated that 645,024 of reinforcement was used during the period.

In the works sector, the minister further disclosed that between Q1-Q3 in 2021 and 2022 alone, 277.3 million tonnes of diesel was used, with the deployment of 571,203 truck trips and 131,529 tonnes of reinforcement amounting to 2,226 truck trips.

Furthermore, bitumen used in works was 255,197 tonnes, according to the minister, with laterite being 14.3 million tonnes while 2.3 million tonnes of sand was used, all costing N248 billion while 1,481 major suppliers and subcontractors provided the materials.

For bridges alone, he said that 30,075 length of guard rails were supplied between 2021 and March 2023; plus 896 tendons; 1,222 bearings ; 2,559 meters of expansion joints and 34 million litres of diesel; 3,705 tonnes of bitumen 551,332 CBM of laterite, among others. He added that the supply of the materials by 278 subcontractors for the purpose cost the government N161 billion.

For maintenance and facility maintenance, the minister stated that 1,374 quantity of aluminium was purchased, with 4,652 drums of paints, 210 tonnes of reinforcement, 26,273 sqm of tiles , 1,668 metal doors were deployed, while 3,656 of granite chips as well as 62,720 were used for the purpose.

Aluminium roofing sheet amounting to 15,443 sqm was bought while 4,250 tonnes of cement was utilised. In the same vein, major suppliers

were paid N767 million for the purpose.According to the minister, for its National Housing Programme, work is ongoing in 46 sites, with 6,068 housing units the states and 2,870 units in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

Direct jobs created in the process were 29,560, while 67,978 indirect jobs were established with the involvement of 1,262 building contractors in the housing programme.

In all, the minister disclosed that 6,685 Certificates of Occupancy were signed between 2015 and March 2023 while 3,043 number of consents were granted. Fashola also said that N13 billion was generated as revenue between 2015 and March 2023 by theFasholaministry.stated that in the course of his stewardship, 91 visits were made to the National Assembly.

Fashola said that upon his reap-

pointment in 2019 to the Ministry of Works and Housing, he has had the mandate of executing the most radical, audacious end arguably the biggest infrastructural expansion ever experienced in Nigeria.

This, he said , included the revival of long-neglected capital projects, inherited from previous administrations and several new mega projects that were initiated and are at various stages of completion.

He listed the Second Niger Bridge, linking two very economically important states, Anambra and Delta, and connecting the East and Western zones of Nigeria which hitherto had seemed like a mirage, as one of his biggest achievements.

In addition, he stated that the Lagos-lbadan expressway, though originally completed in 1978, a population boom and a lack of commensurate expansion meant that the road was no longer able

to accommodate its growing users.

The rehabilitation, reconstruction and expansion of the critical project, he stressed, has now been given the priority it demands after years of unhelpful stalemate.

Besides , the minister said the Bodo-Bonny Bridge, a major flagship project in Rivers State, had been conceived since 1970s but several attempts to initiate construction, tottered until 2015 and further progressed from 2019 with over 7,000 direct and indirect jobs already gone into ensuring a handover of the bridge and ancillary roads by 2023.

The Abuja-Kaduna-Zaria-Kano Road, he stressed, made up of three sections namely Abuja-Kaduna (completed in 1996), Kaduna-Zaria (completed in 1991} and Zaria - Kano (completed in 1991) was also taken up by the Buhari administration.

Over the years, he stated that only minor repairs were carried out until

reconstruction work commenced in 2018 with funding sustained through one of the initiatives of the Buhari administration - the Presidential Infrastructure Development Fund (PIDF).

To this end, he noted that the progressive legacies of the Buhari-led administration were becoming real in infrastructure development and human capital development.

“Consequently, with the approach of the final leg of the administration a number of projects are being completed, nearing completion or are being commissioned in different parts of the country.

According to him, the Time and Resource Report was aimed at dimensioning the economic and human capital development dividends to the Nigerian nation from Ministry of Works and Housing and in part accounting for his public service career.

Report: UBA, Lafarge, Guinness Ranked Highest in Gender Diversity in Board Positions

Nigerian firms scored 25% average diversity

Nume Ekeghe

The Gender Diversity in Corporate Leadership report released by Agusto Consulting yesterday, has ranked the United Bank for

Sudan: PressPayNg Offers Scholarships to Evacuated Nigerian Students

James Emejo in Abuja

Nigeria’s education finance app, PressPayNg has expressed its readiness to provide tuition scholarship support to students who are willing to continue their tertiary education in the country after returning from the war-torn Sudan.

Speaking during an engagement with the leadership of National Association of Nigeria Students (NANS) in Abuja, a member of management team of PressPayNg, Mr. Jerry Akintomide, noted that a

lot of the students have been put through an extremely traumatic experience as a result of the crisis in Sudan, adding that their education is currently on hold upon re-entry into the country.

He expressed optimism that the corporate gesture from the company would facilitate a swift academic re-integration of the students.

Akintomide, assured the country’s apex student body that the student-evacuees deserved every support they can get, stressing that the foremost student app in the

country – offering education finance will stand to be counted in situations like this.

On his part, Vice President of NANS, Babatunde Afeez Akinteye expressed the gratitude of the association to PressPayNg for offering such support intervention.

He said, “We want to thank PressPayNg for towing the path of other socially responsible corporates and lending its support to Nigerian Students evacuated from Sudan.”

The PressPayNg App provide education financing solutions to students and parents in Nigeria.

Africa (UBA) the highest in terms of gender diversity, with 50 per cent of women holding board positions in the financial institution.

The bank was closely followed by Larfage Africa Plc and Guinness Nigeria, with both having 45 per cent of women holding management positions respectively.

It revealed that the top 25 companies listed on the Nigerian Exchange Group by market capitalisation, as at the end of 2022, had industry average of women holding board positions at 25 per cent. It also revealed that 17 of the companies had a male-dominated board composition greater than 70 per cent.

Furthermore, it revealed that the highest recorded male-dominated board composition level was at BUA Foods, which is currently 100 per cent.

The report stated: “UBA has the highest female board composition level, with its value standing at 50 per cent. Thus, UBA has an equal number of men and women on its board of directors.

“Asides from UBA, four other companies are close to the 50 per cent mark. Lafarge Africa, Guinness, Stanbic Bank and Nigerian Breweries all have female board composition levels exceeding 40 per cent but less than 50 per cent.

“We also analysed companies with low female representation on their board as seen in the figure of First Bank of Nigeria, BUA Cement, Geregu Power Plc, Union Bank and Okomu Oil, all have low female board composition levels of 15 per cent and below.

“A further review of the board composition reveals that 10 companies added more women on their board between 2020 and 2022, thus signifying greater representation.

“Okomu Oil made an impressive move on its board from having no female representation in 2020, to 15 per cent representation by the end of 2022.

“Flour mills and Zenith Bank also recorded significant improvement between 2020 and 2022, moving from seven per cent and eighr per cent respectively in 2020, to 20 per

cent apiece by the end of 2022.”

It showed that the female board composition of BUA Foods declined by 100 per cent to nil which implied the company has no female board member, while Union Bank’s composition declined by 44 per cent to 14 per cent.

It added: “Our research reveals that by the end of 2022, Nigeria still has lower representation of women on the board at an average of 25 per cent compared to South Africa at 35 per cent, UK at 41 per cent and United States at 35 per cent. Despite the relative progress in Nigeria, the cross-country review especially with South Africa reflects that there is still material room for improvement in Nigeria.

“This is further buttressed by the fact that Nigeria’s 25 per cent threshold was largely achieved on the back of the push from companies that can be defined as being progressive on the diversity agenda.

“We note that the strong female

Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja

L-R: Minister of Power, Engr. Abubakar Aliyu; President/GCEO, Transnational Corporation (Transcorp Plc), Dr. Owen Omogiafo; Group Chairman, Mr. Tony Elumelu; Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo; Director General, Bureau of Public Enterprises(BPE), Alexander Okoh, and Managing Director, Transcorp Power, Christopher Ezeafulukwe, during the presentation of Discharge Certificate to Transcorp Power, having met and surpassed the post-privatisation target set by the federal government, in a ceremony held at the State House, Abuja... yesterday

CONFERENCE OF NON-SERVING SENATORS...

Sultan of Sokoto: At 50, NYSC Has Fulfilled Its Objective of Uniting Nigeria

Onuminya Innocent in Sokoto

The Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar III, yesterday, said the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) has fulfilled its objective through nation building and uniting the nation.

Owing to this, he urged stakeholders of the scheme to sustain it.

Sultan Abubakar stated this during an interactive session with the 2023 Batch A stream 2 corps members posted to Sokoto state and urged stakeholders to uphold the scheme because of its immense contributions to national integration. He enjoined corps members to continue to engage on nation-

building initiatives and to always promote cultural and religious harmony among Nigerians.

The monarch also urged government and wealthy individuals to assist graduates with capital to set up businesses after their service year, saying white collar jobs, because of the high level of unemployment in the country.

According to him, such assistance would reduce poverty by providing employment opportunities as well as discourage youths from getting involved in criminal activities.

Abubakar emphasised the need for Nigerians to utilise the advantages of the NYSC scheme to promote cultural and religious

understanding, as well as harmonious relationship at all levels.

“The scheme is a catalyst for promoting national unity, mutual respect, religious tolerance as well as harmonious co-existence among Nigerians,” he stated.

He implored corps members to interact with their host communities freely and work towards activities that would be meaningful to national development.

He said the palace was pleased to welcome all corps member deployed to the state and offer them words of advice for better service delivery.

“I am assuring you that your safety will be guaranteed through-

out your service period; we have already implored district heads to take care of you,” Abubakar said.

He also urged the corps members to perform their duties with diligence and be guided by the provisions of the NYSC law as well as the laws of the areas they are posted to serve.

He noted that there was no discrimination between indigenes and non-indigenes in Sokoto state, stressing that all residents are indigenes as government pays school fees to every child irrespective of settler or indigene.

''We refer those that reside in the state as resident communities,'' Sultan added.

House Queries NCC over 1014 Projects worth over N2 Billion

Summons Pantami, AGF, AG, CEOs of telecommunication companies

Juliet Akoje in Abuja

The House of Representatives has queried the Nigerian Communication Commission (NCC) over 1014 projects under the Universal Service Provision Fund (USPF), including an e-Library project that was carried out to the tune of over N2 billion.

The House frowned at a request by the Commission for N700 billion to ensure that 27 million Nigerian who do not currently have access to telecommunication get coverage.

This was as the Executive Vice Chairman of the NCC, Prof. Umar Garba Danbatta, along with other officials appeared before the House Ad-hoc Committee investigating the failure and inability of the Commission to promote widespread availability mobile telecommunication network service throughout Nigeria as well as accruals and utilisation of funds in the USFP.

The Committee chaired by Hon Bamidele Salam, pointed out that there was no specific description of what was done in the contracts and they were captured in a manner that they would be hard to track, alleging that 80 per cent of the projects had no specific location.

The Committee requested that the NCC should provide the specific addresses and project description and specifications for each of the contracts that were awarded and listed in the 91-page document it submitted, by 2pm today.

It noted that most of the contractors also had no addresses specified on the document.

The lawmakers also queried the Commission for unilaterally deciding how much money goes to the USPF, saying that, “There is a list of contracts awarded by the USPF since inception provided for us here, which is about 1014 various contracts on which a few observations have been made.

“There is also the submission of the annual audited report of the USPF which has been from 2007 till date, but a few years missing from the audited reports.

“A few observations have been raised out of that and I want members to let us address those issues so they can take the answers holistically."

The Committee has also summoned the Minister of Telecommunications and Digital Economy, Isa Pantami, the Accountant General of the Federation, the Auditor General as well Chief Executive Officers of telecommunication companies over the issue.

They were summoned to appear before the Committee alongside the NCC on Wednesday, May 10, 2023. Danbatta while responding said the USPF regulations stipulates that the Commission would determine the contributions from time to time.

But the lawmakers argued that a regulation made by the NCC cannot supersede its enabling Act.

Hon. Mark Gbillah said “The challenge is that the NCC has given itself the power to annually decide what it is going to annually allocate to USPF.

“Looking at the documents presented, administrative expenses rose from N19 million to N127 million. The expenditure on staff rose exponentially. Let me say that it is important for the NCC to let us know the premise on which you annually determine allocate the USPF or otherwise and what annual allocation they have proposed and implemented from inception till date.

“We need to know what the funds have been used for. For instance, the e-library alone you spent over N2 billion. How functional is the library based on the amount that have been allocated to them when a lot more should have been allocated in my opinion to the deployment of Base Transceiver Stations to have more coverage across the country?"

Another lawmaker queried why in 2015, despite the staff strength reducing from 48 to 45, there was an almost 100 percent increase from N434 million to N824 million.

Earlier in his response, said, "In 2013, there was a consultancy driven by the NCC to identify clusters of access gaps in the country. 207 clusters of access gaps according to that study and in these clusters of access gaps there were about 37 million Nigerians.

“Since then, through the Com-

mission's efforts, the number of people without access had been reduced to 27 million. What we have done to bring telecom services to people living in rural, unserved and underserved areas of this country, totalling 37 million people courtesy of the consultancy that was conducted in 2013.

“By 2019, we succeeded in reducing the clusters of access gaps to a 114 through the deployment of the necessary infrastructure needed to bring services to people living in rural, unserved and underserved areas of the country.

He urged corps members to always pray for nation peace and stability at all times and shun every activities that is inimical to peaceful coexistence saying they should also engaged on viable activities that promotes understanding, mutual coexistence and unity of the nation.

Earlier, the NYSC Coordinator in the state, Alhaji Usman Yakubu-Yaro, said corps members comprising male and female, were posted to Sokoto state from 36 states

of the federation and FCT. Yakubu, commended the Sultan for his support to corps members, ensuring routine recognition of distinguished ones, and presentation of awards to deserving personalities in each service period. He explained that NYSC was celebrating 50 years of existence and line up activities to showcase achievements by the scheme and forward invitation to Sultan to grace some of the activities.

Buhari Appoints Humanitarian Affairs Director into NEDC Board

Olawale Ajimotokan in Abuja

President Muhammadu Buhari has announced the appointment of the Director, Humanitarian Affairs Department of the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development Alhaji Grema Ali, into the North East Development Commission (NEDC) governing board.

The president, in a letter addressed to the Senate President Ahmed Lawan, on May 3, 2023, asked the Senate to confirm the appointment of the 12 nominees as members of the governing board of the NEDC.

‘‘In accordance with the provision of Part 1, section 2(5)(b) of the North East Development Commission Establishment Act, 2017, I am pleased to present for confirmation by the Senate, the appointment of twelve (12) nominees as tabulated below, in the Governing Board of the North East Development Commission.

‘‘The Senate is invited to note

that the tenure of the current Governing Board of the North-East Development Commission will end on 7th May, 2023,’’ the President stated in the letter.

The nominees included: Bashir Bukar Baale, Chairman, (Northeast, Yobe); Suwaiba Idris Baba, Executive Director, Humanitarian Affairs, (North-east, Taraba) ; Musa Umar Yashi, Executive Director, Administration and Finance, (North-east, Bauchi); Dr Ismaila Nuhu Maksha, Executive Director, Operations (North-east, Adamawa) and Umar Abubakar Hashidu, MD/ CEO, (North-east, Gombe). Others are Grema Ali, member, (North-east, Borno); Onyeka GospelTony, member, (South-east); Hon. Mrs Hailmary Ogolo Aipoh, member, (South-south) ; Air Commodore Babatunde Akanbi (rtd), member, (South-west); Mustapha Ahmed Ibrahim, member, (North-west); Hadiza Maina, member, (Northcentral) and a representative from the Federal Ministry of Finance, Budget and National Planning.

Obaseki Hails Victor Osimhen for Breaking Serie A, Napoli Records

Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, has hailed the exploits of Super Eagles and Napoli striker of Edo origin, Victor Osimhen, for breaking several records in the Italian Serie A and winning the Italian League.

In a statement, the governor described Osimhen as an exceptional player, who has continued to make Edo and Nigeria proud with his exploits in the Italian League.

According to him, “I celebrate our star of the moment, Victor Osimhen, for his exceptional performance in the Italian Serie

A, which culminated in Napoli winning the league this season.

“Osimhen was not only outstanding but showed class and exceptional brilliance throughout the season, breaking the record for the most goals scored by an African player in the Serie A.

“It is also a delight to see Osimhen lead Napoli to a Serie A win after 33 years, a trophy that had proved elusive over the years. I commend Osimhen for his excellent display and exemplary talent. He has shown uncommon determination, courage, and perseverance in

the course of the league, displaying the indefatigable Edo spirit to global acclaim.”

Obaseki added, “He remains a notable ambassador of Edo State and we celebrate his exploits. At a time when we are repositioning sports development in the state, we are excited that Osimhen will serve as a role model to our young boys and girls.

“We congratulate him on the Serie A win and the new record as African highest goal scorer in the Serie A and wish him more resounding success in the future.”

L-R: Sen. Magnus Abe; Sen. Barnabas Gemade; Chairman, Non-Serving Senators, Sen. Basheer Lado; Sen. Ita Enang; Sen. Ayogu Eze and Sen. Rilwan Adeojo, during a press conference by the NonServing Senators from the second to the fourth republic, canvassing for Senator Godswill Akpabio's for Senate President seat in Abuja ... yesterday PHOTO: ENOCK REUBEN

INDUCTION PROGRAMME FOR SENATORS-ELECT AND MEMBERS OF HOUSE-ELECT...

Finally, FG Issues Elumelu's Transcorp Power Discharge Certificate for 972mw Power Plant in Delta

The federal government has formally presented the post-privatisation Discharge Certificate to Transcorp Power Limited, the owner of the 972 megawatts (MW) thermal power generation plant located in Ughelli, Delta State.

This was just as the Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, yesterday, reviewed the current power situation in the country and concluded that serious private sector participation was the only viable approach to solving Nigeria’s serious power crisis.

Transcorp Power was delisted from the routine evaluation and monitoring of the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE), marking a major achievement for the company.

This followed the fulfilment of all privatisation conditions set by the National Council on Privatisation by Transcorp Power, owned by Africa's billionaire businessman, renowned philanthropist and promoter of Africapitalism, Mr. Tony Elumelu, after the purchase of the power plant in 2013.

Speaking at the certificate presentation meeting called by the National Council on Privatisation (NCP) held yesterday at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, attended by Osinbajo, who is the Chairman of NCP and the Director General of the BPE, Dr Alex Okoh amongst other, Elumelu promised to invest massively in the power sector to

help Nigeria's industrialisation.

Transnational Corporation acquired Ughelli Power Plc, now Transcorp Power Limited, from the federal government on November 1, 2013, during the privatisation of the power sector.

At the time of acquisition, the plant had an available capacity of 160MW. Transcorp invested and increased the available capacity to 680.83MW, representing a 227 per cent increase within four years of takeover, surpassing the five-year target of 670MW set by the BPE.

Transcorp Power Limited is a member of West African Power Pool and a participant in the ECOWAS Regional Electricity Market. Today, Transcorp Power supplies electricity to the ECOWAS Regional Market.

With the issuance of the Discharge Certificate to Transcorp Power, it would no longer be subjected to post-privatisation monitoring and is now the first privatised power generation company to achieve this milestone since the power sector privatisation commenced in 2013.

One of the key targets set for Transcorp was a minimum available capacity of 670MW, which is achieved cumulating to the presentation of the Discharge Certificate to it by the NCP.

Speaking at the event, Osinbajo commended Elumelu and his Transcorp Group for ensuring compliance and surpassing expectations with all post privatisation deliverables.

Osinbajo said, “Post privatisation

monitoring is an important aspect of the federal government’s privatisation programme. Transcorp Power has been able to ensure compliance and surpassed expectations with all post privatisation deliverables. I commend Tony Elumelu and his Transcorp team for this feat. I urge Transcorp Group to continue in that path and even do better.

"This being the first, should not be the last post privatisation discharge event.”

In his remark, Okoh congratulated the board and management of Transcorp for the milestones achieved in turning around the enterprise.

He noted that Transcorp has met and exceeded the performance targets and all other covenanted obligations agreed during the signing of the privatisation agreement in 2013.

“Transcorp Power increased the generation capacity of the plant by 227 per cent from the operational status as at handover in 2013", he said.

According to Okoh, "a capital expenditure totaling N58.612 billion was covenanted for phase 1, phase 2 as ‘additional investment’ but the actual investment made by Transcorp was the sum of N83.85 billion, leading up to a score of 143 per cent.”

Also speaking, Elumelu, who is the Group Chairman of Transcorp, thanked the federal government for their trust and confident in Transcorp.

He promised to invest massively

in the power sector to help Nigeria's industrialisation. He said in addition to fulfilling the post-privatisation performance criteria, Transcorp has driven a strong indigenous agenda, saying their plants were being managed and fully operated by Nigerians, hence creating jobs and reducing unemployment in the country.

"For us as Heirs Holdings Group, for us as Transcorp Group, we believe in improved access to electricity because we know that improved access to electricity means

powering our schools, helping hospitals to function very well, helping businesses to grow and create employment and most importantly, helping to industrialise Nigeria.

"So because of this, we invest in the power sector and we will continue to even invest more in that sector because in line with our philosophy of Africapitalism, we cannot develop Nigeria, Africa without improvement in our access to electricity. And so, we think that the single most important investment

that we as private sector can make is to invest in power and uplift our people out poverty, create jobs and get our women involved in economic activities," Elumelu stated. Beyond meeting all the set criteria of increasing electricity generation beyond the capacity covenanted with the federal government which was 680mw, he noted that the Group had a "strong indigenisation agenda." He expressed the group's pride having Nigerians managing and operating their plants, which is helping in job creation for Nigerians.

FAAN Partners Firm to Give Akure Airport Facelift

14,000 skilled workers to be engaged

Fidelis

The Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) yesterday said it has concluded arrangements with a private company, Ala Resort Ltd, to develop, transform and boost the Akure Airport to an aerotropolis city. The General Manager, Business Development, FAAN Headquarters, Mr. Hycinth Ngwu, who stated this while addressing journalists in Akure, the state capital, said the decision was anchored on private-public partnership geared

Group Decries Alarming Rate of Poverty, Abandoned Projects in N'Delta

Blessing Ibunge in Port Harcourt

A non-governmental organisation under the aegis of the ConnectedDevelopment (CODE) implementing Oxfam project, has decried the high rate of poverty and abandoned government projects in the Niger Delta region.

The group which noted that over 112 million Nigerians were living in abject poverty, as recorded by National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), regretted that the worst affected re the host communities of oil and gas in the region.

Coordinator of CODE in Cross River, Ubong Ekpe, stated this during his presentation at a capacity strengthening workshop for policy actors on the provisions

of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) and Host Community Development Trust (HCDT), it organised in Port Harcourt.

Ekpe explained that during a survey, it visited several communities in the Niger Delta, to ascertain level of government developmental impact and observed that there were a lot of abandoned projects in the area, especially education and health facilities.

He said: "We had to do a survey, a preliminary visit to host communities across six states of the country which we made some findings, and we discovered some abandoned government projects in some of the oil bearing communities visited.

"Currently in Nigeria, 112 million persons are living below $1 and it

is pure statistics which we carried out ourselves and aside that other groups have carried similar statistics.

“We have in our various visits to communities discovered that people are suffering notwithstanding that they are in rich economic area of the nation.”

Also in his remarks, the host, Charles Uffort, State Support officer for CODE, Rivers State, explained that the organisation held the programme to sort solution to the challenges of host communities.

"We are having a town hall meeting to mitigate the findings, the data mining we found in the communities amidst the project sites: health sector, water project and schools owned by government but are abandoned, ongoing construction

but not completed. "We are engaging with the Ministries, CSOs, community leaders and the media, so that we can have a roundtable talk and know how to solve the problems. These are one of the things that have a setback in the communities that drags the progress of the community.

"We are engaging oil producing communities in Rivers State: the ones that have critical condition in their communities which needed serious attention are represented to see the way forward on how the abandoned projects can be completed.

"The essence is that in our data lining, there are so many abandoned projects in the communities. In each of the communities visited we did not see a completed projects."

towards developing an aerotropolis in the airport.

He emphasised that the airport landmass was three times bigger in size than the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja, disclosed that the project was a revolution in the way the authority generates revenue.

Ngwu, assured that the project, which the groundbreaking would hold on Tuesday, would be executed as planned, adding that Akure Airport would become the cynosure of all eyes.

He added: It's of the interest of all stakeholders to support the project. It will increase revenue base of the state and local government. Certainly majority of the employees will come from the locality. They should support it because it will transform to their successes.

"We intend to replicate this in other airports. We started in Akure because it initially had the largest land mass before being overtaken recently by Abuja Airport."

The Chief Executive Officer of the resort, Mr. Moyosola NiranOladunni, explained that the company's ideas would impact value on the state, stressing that the Aerotropolis City, which would be first of its kind in sub-sahara Africa, would drive lives around aviation industry.

According to Niran-Oladunni, the resort begun the move since 2017, when experts were invited to assess the airport for its suitability

for the project.

He revealed that FAAN had approved the project, which he said would be constructed in phases including institutional, industrial, commercial and agricultural. According to him, the Aerotropolis City would have institutional zone including sports academy that could host any club, which would be built by Emirate Foundation, medical centre, to be built by a US company.

The industrial zone would also enable all materials to be used for the construction to be assembled and manufactured in the sector within.

Niran-Oladunni added that the Aerotropolis has the potential to catalyse cargo business in the airport, saying the airport authority would activate the cargo shed in the airport. He disclosed that no fewer than 14,000 skilled workers would be engaged by the Aerotropolis City which the infrastructure facilities would gulp N56billion.

Mrs. Lynda Ezike, Airport manager, Akure, assured that the management and staff of the airport were expectant and ready to support the proposed unprecedented developmental mega project in the airport.

"We are ready to support Ala Resort Ltd in ensuring the success of this mega project which is for the betterment of all stakeholders," she said.

Deji Elumoye and Peter Uzoho in Abuja

David in Akure

L-R: Senator-elect Osita Ngwu; Senator-elect Ned Nwoko and Senator Ede Dafinone at the Induction Programme for Senatos-elect and members of House-elect held yesterday in Abuja

Company’s chairman vows to support Nigeria’s industrialisation through massive investment in sector Osinbajo: Private sector intervention necessary for nation to achieve power sufficiency

POLITICS

Will Tinubu’s Presidency Fight Corruption?

President-elect, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, last week in Port-Harcourt promised his government will make corruption unattractive, but it remains to be seen if the war against corruption will be pronounced when he finally takes over on May 29, 2023, Adedayo Akinwale reports.

Prior to the 2023 general election, the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), now the president-elect, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, decided to err on the side of caution by not making the fight against corruption his major campaign theme. Even in his 80-page campaign document containing multi-sectoral policy options, tagged “Renewed Hope 2023 – Action Plan for a Better Nigeria, Tinubu promised to prioritise National Security, Economy, Agriculture, Power, Oil and Gas, Transportation and Education if elected as president.

He also promised to outline policy options for Healthcare, Digital Economy, Women Empowerment, Judicial Reform, Federalism/Decentralisation of Power and Foreign Policy.

In what appears to be a tactical approach, the fight against corruption was never mentioned as one of the priorities of his administration. Tinubu kept a deafening silence on his plan to tackle corruption in the country, which has more or less become a way of life.

THISDAY recalls that during the 2015 general election, General Muhammadu Buhari, as he was then known, promised to fight corruption, defeat terrorism and fix the economy.

With less than three weeks to the end of his tenure, Buhari has failed in the tripod on which his campaign promises rest.

On the economy, the country is worse off pre- 2015. The economy is wobbling, under his administration, the nation experienced two economic recessions. His administration will also be giving a parting gift to Nigeria by leaving N77 trillion debt behind.

For instance, prior to 2015, Boko Haram insurgents held the North East part of the country hostage. So, it was the belief of many Nigerians that if a ‘no-nonsense’ Buhari assumed the leadership of the country, insecurity would be a thing of the past.

But at the moment, not only did Boko Haram terrorists continue to wreak havoc in North East, North Central, bandits kidnap for ransom while herdsmen have ensured that farmers do not access their farms, and unknown gunmen have become lords in the South-East.

Moreso, Buhari’s promise to fight corruption to a stand still has become a mirage. Although some efforts were made to reduce the menace of corruption in the country, almost eight years down the line, corruption remains intractable.

Buhari’s anti-corruption fight rests on a tripod: implementation of Treasury Single Account, Biometric Verification Number (BVN) and ‘Whistle Blowing’ policy, which have received commendations.

Sadly, the politicisation of the anticorruption fight and the refusal to investigate accusations have cast doubt on the fight. Also the alleged double standards in Buhari’s treatment of those loyal to him are some examples; as well as party politics of shielding the prosecution of people loyal to those in power.

While Adams Oshiomole was APC National Chairman, he told defectors from opposition parties to join the governing party and have their ‘sins’ forgiven.

It was no surprise that in 2017, a former lawmaker, Senator Shehu Sani, accused Buhari of using double standards in fighting corruption.

Sani had made the accusation in

response to a letter by the President dismissing a report by the committee indicting the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Babachir Lawal, for corruption.

“When it comes to fighting corruption in the National Assembly and the Judiciary and in the larger Nigerian sectors, the President uses insecticide, but when it comes to fighting corruption within the Presidency, they use deodorants,” Sani had said.

Little wonder, the Transparency International (TI) in its 2022 Corruption Perception Index (CPI) reports published

in January, 2023 revealed that Nigeria still sits comfortably in the red zone with a score 24 as it did in 2021.

Though, the corruption perception index (CPI) of Nigeria has marginally improved by four points, according to the latest report by Transparency Index.

In the 2022 index, the country scored 24 out of 100 points — same as 2021 but with a different ranking.

Nigeria ranked 154 out of 180 countries to become the worst TI corruption rating under President Buhari. In the 2022 index, Nigeria was ranked 150 out of 180 countries.

In 2015, Nigeria was ranked 136th; 136th in 2016; 148th in 2017; 144th in 2018; 146th in 2019, and 149th in 2020.

Having observed that the anti-corruption war under the Buhari-led APC administration has been a monumental failure, Tinubu was careful not to raise any hope that his administration will wage war against corruption. Nevertheless, last Thursday in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital, Tinubu promised that his administration will put incentives and policies in place that will make corruption unattractive for judges and other Nigerians.

To the President-elect, with the right incentives that guarantee conducive working atmosphere and policies that make it easy for workers to acquire credit facilities for essential needs, the temptation for corruption would reduce

Succinctly put, instead of Buhari defeating insecurity, corruption and fixing the economy, the reverse is the case, as his administration has been decimated by the trio.

Having observed that the anti-corruption war under the Buhari-led APC administration has been a monumental failure, Tinubu was careful not to raise any hope that his administration will wage war against corruption.

Nevertheless, last Thursday in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital, Tinubu promised that his administration will put incentives and policies in place that will make corruption unattractive for judges and other Nigerians.

To the President-elect, with the right incentives that guarantee conducive working atmosphere and policies that make it easy for workers to acquire credit facilities for essential needs, the temptation for corruption would reduce.

According to him: “You don’t expect your judges to live in squalor, to operate in squalor and dispense justice in squalor. This is part of the changes that are necessary. We must fight corruption but we must definitely look at the other side of the coin. If you don’t want your judges to be corrupt you got to pay attention to their welfare. You don’t want them to operate in hazardous conditions”.

The president-elect said lack of consumer credit which could make it easy for workers to acquire property such as houses and cars make them susceptible to corruption.

His words: “If you have consumer credit that will reduce the propensity for corruption. We don’t want our judges to play foul, to compromise justice. I promise we are going to review all of these in a policy think tank.”

But the main opposition party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has said Tinubu cannot fight corruption because he is allegedly a product of a corrupt electoral process.

According to PDP National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, the opposition, as well as all sensible Nigerians are “scandalised and embarrassed”, by the President-elect’s comment.

He said: “It is public knowledge that there has been numerous allegations and evidence of corruption and complicity by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in the declaration of Senator Tinubu as winner of the February 25, 2023 Presidential election. Today Nigerians and indeed the world believe that that declaration was a product of corruption of the process, institutions and the law by the APC and its presidential candidate.

“It is therefore ludicrous that an individual who has been widely alleged to be an enabler and beneficiary of corruption can attempt to put himself forward to Nigerians as a champion of anti-corruption. Of course, corruption cannot fight corruption!”

The main opposition party’s spokesman further stated that if Tinubu is desirous of fighting corruption, the starting point should be for him to “publicly and personally” address Nigerians on the numerous allegations of corruption against him.

Be that as it may, whether Tinubu will fight or romance corruption is too early to tell. Nigerians have to wait till he assumes office. And when he finally does, it remains to be seen if such fight will be extended to other sectors in the country.

Tinubu

As Masari Bows Out of Katsina Govt House...

In less than three weeks, Katsina State Governor, Hon Aminu Masari will round off his eight year tenure. Masari is not new to politics, from the political history of the state, no governor elected, appointed or any political office holder of his calibre matched the kindness or sincere openness associated with him.

Born 29 May 1950, Masari started his working career as a technical assistant in the Department of Hydrological Services, Ministry of Water Resources, North Central State in 1969. He worked in Malumfashi, Dutsinma and Funtua as Chief Procurement Officer at the headquarters in Kaduna. When Katsina State was created in 1987, he was made the district manager in charge of Katsina Metropolis. He later became the Assistant General Manager, and General Manager, Operations.

His entrance into politics came when he was invited by former Governor Alhaji Saidu Barda, and appointed as commissioner for Works, Housing and Transport in 1992.

He soon became a partisan politician, and a member of the National Republican Convention (NRC). He contested for Malumfashi, Kafur and Danja as representative in the constituent assembly in the General Sani Abacha’s organized Constitutional Conference.

Masari was chairman of the Katsina Peoples Front (KPF) with Major General Shehu Musa Yar’Adua (rtd) as leader. He was also at the Constitutional Conference of 1994.

Life as a Speaker, Governor Masari was Speaker of the House of Representatives from 2003 to 2007. He’s known for his political trajectory of speaking truth to power even at the risk of losing his political ambition. As a Speaker, House of Representatives, he was courageous enough to tell former President Olusegun Obasanjo that he had presented his last budget in 2007. When it was rumoured that Obasanjo had a third term agenda, Masari told him that such a move was unconstitutional.

In 2015, he emerged as governor of Katsina State, taking over the burden of running a state facing security challenges. Having several communities in a territory surrounded by a bandit-infested forest, moving on rampage from one village to another, over-running communities, looting property and killing, maiming and abducting locals is enough reason to drive any state governor into despair.

As some of the state governments are applauding the security agencies that are engaging the bandits, Governor Masari has somewhat in defiance of the constitutional road blocks, taken several self-help initiatives to fight-off the terrorists on rampage.

Despite the huge financial burden coupled with the need to handle other areas of needs, Katsina state government is investing heavily on providing security for citizens of the state.

It injected monetary commitments into most of the security operations launched by the police and the military from 2016 to date which include ‘Operation Hadarin Daji’, ‘Operation Sharan Daji’ and the police force’s ‘Operation Puff Ader’.

While these efforts were being made on one hand, the state government was engaging the bandits in non-kinetic approaches on the other hand by mopping up weapons in their possession and systematically

disarming and reintegrating them back to society through the amnesty programme that was implemented.

Another move by the governor to help curb insecurity in the state was engaging a private hardware manufacturer who produced 10 Nigerian-made APCs at a fair cost, each to be deployed to one of the frontline local government areas which are Batsari, Jibia, Safana, Danmusa, Dustsinma, Kurfi, Kankara, Sabuwa, Faskari and Dandume. Curbing insecurity in Katsina was so important to him that last year, the State government earmarked N1.5 billion to fight insecurity in the state.

APC’s Formation and Loyalty to Tinubu

As lobbying and negotiations are ongoing on who gets what position in Bola Tinubu’s administration, the President-elect, while making decisions on who his appointees will be should consider competence and what each person contributed to his victory.

Masari’s role in the negotiations that birthed the All Progressives Congress (APC) negotiations which started in October 2010, and culminated in the formation of the party on February 6, 2013, is the stuff of a matured mind and one set to ensure that a matter reached its logical conclusion. That role earned him the position of founding Deputy National Chairman (North) of APC.

Masari is known to be one of the strongest backers of Asiwaju. He started supporting him even when those around the president were rumored to be working against him. He was one of the earliest Northern Governors who did not wait before throwing his weight behind Tinubu. His activism for Tinubu’s emergence was believed to have drawn consequential flak from a section of Aso Rock. The move by Masari to stick out his neck for Tinubu was considered by some as loyalty per excellence

In the build up to the election, Tinubu appointed Aminu Masari as an adviser for the party’s campaign council.

Tinubu in a letter said appointing Masari into the campaign council is as a result of his “impressive” political achievements and exemplary leadership.

“By way of this letter, we are pleased to formally convey your appointment as the Special Adviser on Administration and Government of the Tinubu/Shettima Presidential Campaign Council,” the letter to Masari read in part.

Masari is known to be one of the strongest backers of Asiwaju. He started supporting him even when those around the president were rumored to be working against him.

He was one of the earliest Northern Governors who did not wait before throwing his weight behind Tinubu. His activism for Tinubu’s emergence was believed to have drawn consequential flak from a section of Aso Rock. The move by Masari to stick out his neck for Tinubu was considered by some as loyalty per excellence.

Even when it was not fashionable to canvass power shift to the South, he never left anyone in doubt, especially those in the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) who were against power shift to the south in 2023. He always spoke his mind on why power should be rotated and who is to take over from President Muhammadu Buhari in May this year.

Masari had a meeting in Kaduna with his APC colleagues in the North and sold the idea of supporting Tinubu to achieve his dream to become the next Nigerian President after Buhari.

Campaigning for Tinubu, the Katsina State Governor boasted that the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) would win the 2023 general election, despite the current unpleasant socio-political and worsening security situation in the country.

He said among all the presidential candidates for the 2023 elections, the All Progressives Congress standard bearer, Bola Tinubu, is the preferred choice.

“Leadership is about justice to the people, even to animals. Lagos is a mini Nigeria. Both Christians and Muslims, and pagans are in Lagos. At a point in time, you cannot drive in Lagos with your car windows widely open because of thieves. Hardly a day passed without seeing a dead body in dump sites. But when Tinubu became governor for eight years, he brought sanity to Lagos.

“It is baseless to express the fear that Tinubu will islamise Nigeria. It is not true. Did Buhari islamise Nigeria after seven years in office? Did Obasanjo Christianise Nigeria after eight years in office? Did Jonathan make Nigeria a Christian country after six years in office?

I can tell you that if you assemble all the presidential candidates before a blind man, he will choose Tinubu,” Masari had said.

Masari was able to help the president elect, Tinubu garner a total of 482,283 votes in Katsina in the just concluded presidential poll.

As he rounds off his eight year rule on May 29, Nigerians are eager to see what next for Masari and if he will be one of Tinubu’s appointees.

Being a regular discussant with Tinubu, Masari, according to those close to the president-elect, endeared himself to him because of his calm disposition, different from the rambunctious dramatisation of loyalty which pervades Nigeria’s political sphere.

Udora Orizu x-rays the political leadership style of Katsina state Governor, Hon Aminu Masari and his closeness to President-elect, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

Masari

www.thisdaylive.com opinion@thisdaylive.com

BUHARI’S WORDINESS AND ATIKU’S STOICISM TUNDE OLUSUNLE

reckons the out-going administration is unnecessarily jubilant

ELECTORAL AUTOCRACY, SUPREME COURT AND THE REST OF US

“What distinguishes electoral autocracy regimes from electoral democracies are not the formal properties of political elections, but their authoritarian qualities. It’s not on the surface of formal electoral institutions that electoral democracies, but in the surrounding conditions of political freedom and legal security.”

- Andreas Schedler

See page 21

AS JUDGES DISPLACE THE ELECTORATE

The courts are increasingly playing the role of the electorate, argues JOSEF OMOROTIONMWAN

Electoral Authoritarianism: The Dynamics of Unfree Competition

See page 21

EDITORIAL TRAFFICKERS AS ‘LABOUR’ RECRUITERS

After gun-toting episodes, ballot snatching, manipulation, conspiracy by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and its unaccountable henchmen; mutilation and decimation of votes by both the ruling party All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in some locations on February 25 presidential polls, it is now regrettably an unresolved puzzle to all on whether Nigeria is an electoral democracy or a hybrid competitive electoral autocracy. In many parts of the country, polling units that were supposed to be democratic franchise centres shockingly turned to garrisons. In states like Lagos, Rivers, Plateau, Benue, Cross River, Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Imo, Gombe, Ekiti and others, the presidential votes announced by INEC were a far cry from reality. After voting in the presidential polls, INEC -deliberately or not - shutdown BVAS and iREV, creating an atmosphere for worries. How will BVAS and iREV fail to function in the electronic transmission of presidential elections but transmit smoothly and electronically that of Senate and Houses of Representatives that held simultaneously? Is it electoral democracy? Or a grab-snatch-run with it type of democracy? Do the heist acts orchestrated on Saturday 25th February, 2023 meet the requisite minimalist

the 2023 elections, Nigeria’s democratic sour notes are bound to worsen as the Varieties of Democracy (V-Dem) 2023 report already indicates. V-Dem, a global think-tank based at the University of Gothenburg, Sweden that measures and ranks countries’ regime type(s) and democracy index around the world, ranked Nigeria 96th position as an Electoral Autocracy (EA) out of 179 countries. An EA country conducts regular competitive elections but lacks all the tenets of democracy - freedom, fair and neutral democratic institutions, transparency and accountability. Sadly, even Niger Republic, our northern neighbour scored higher on democracy with an additional 10 points index to be at number 86 in ranking. According to the V-Dem (2023) report A plurality - 44% of the world’s population or 3.5 billion reside in electoral autocracies, which include populous countries such as India, Nigeria, Pakistan, The Philippines and Turkey... In sub-Saharan Africa, a vast majority of the people - 68% reside in electoral autocracies and a total of 79%

live in electoral autocracies such as Nigeria, Democratic Republic of Congo and Tanzania. Only 21% live in electoral democracies such as South Africa, Ghana, while The Seychelles is the only Liberal democracy” in Africa. Again, in February, The Atlas of Impunity made up of the Eurasia Group, the Chicago Society Foundations ranked Nigeria 24th on Global Impunity Index out of 180 countries around the world. These data and revelations are not just odious on Nigeria’s global image, but carry huge implications in the balance of power within the international community. For Nigerians, and the youths in particular, the 2023 presidential election would have provided a glimpse of hope that beyond the vagaries of misgovernance, neo-feudalism and neo-patrimony, voters can reshape Africa’s sleeping giant through their votes. That feasibility could only be attained democratically through electoral franchise - of one man, one vote; one woman, one vote. And in addition, meet Robert A. Dahl’s procedural minimal conditionalities of democratic elections. That’s the electoral body is fair, open and neutral. There are no state’s apparatus and forces deployed to disrupt or abrogate the plural choices of voters. And ultimately, the process is transparent and votes count is not criminally manipulated for the ruling party or those with the monopoly of coercion. And when there are complete failures of the above conditions, the judiciary can intervene as an indisputable and fearless arbiter with utmost fairness and clarity. To deny citizens all of those rights will amount to an invitation to self-help.

Consequently, citizens have constitutional rights to determine what system governs them. Whether it should be electoral autocracy that feasts on the brazen and criminal manipulation of the electoral system and voters’ choices or what Schedler (2006) posited as reliable expressions of the will of the people. Or if they (citizens) so desire, an electoral democracy of plural preferences and political equality without inhibition. The

state and its undemocratic accomplices like INEC cannot arbitrarily force on the throat of citizens a notorious system that nudges closer to criminality than transparency. In this 2023 elections circle, INEC added another mischievous and ominous crown: a quintessentially dubious umpire. Democratic institutions matter, but when they fail, they create a gulf between them and citizens Constitution.

The letters and the spirit of the 1999 Constitution as amended do not in any way connote or support the ideals of electoral autocracy. The annals binding the 1999 Constitutional provisions all point to a plural system of liberal-electoral democracy – that edges towards the democratic pinnacle of the free world. More fundamentally, citizens and their votes constitute what Schedler termed carriers of political roles and collective actors at the polls not elsewhere. In that light, the judiciary and the Supreme Court under Chief Justice of Nigeria, (CJN), Justice Olukayode Ariwoola now have to ensure that democratic role accorded the citizens and voters alike in the 1999 Constitution and the Electoral Act 2022 is solely restricted to the polls and elections arena. Or tilt such democratic rights to centres of brute force and innocuous powers unknown to the 1999 Constitution. democracy is bestowed on the judiciary - the the face of the 2023 bizarre elections ritual, many of the outcomes - the presidential topmost, carry both constitutional and moral burden of legitimacy. Legitimacy rest with the people – voters. Hence, the onus before the Presidential Election Tribunal and Supreme Court will be to determine whether the Nigerian democratic foundation and its gravitas are rooted in electoral autocracy or electoral democracy. Should Nigerian democracy be consigned outside the ballot box? Will the judiciary and the Supreme Court guarantee the legal security required to safeguard electoral democracy as enshrined in the 1999 Constitution? Democracy, as Schedler observed in the quote above, must provide the platform for political freedom for electing leaders freely. When that fails, through democratic jurisprudence - the courts must also deliver the legal security that guarantees and secure that political freedom. In the post-2023 national conversation and ahead of the presidential election tribunal litigation and the Supreme Court adjudication, Nigeria must have to choose between authoritarian elections and democratic ones. The tools to do that now rest with the Presidential Election Tribunal and the Supreme Court. The stakes are high.

Obi is a media scholar and journalist interested in media, elections, politics and democracy

PAUL OBI tasks the judiciary to remain steadfast as elections petitions tribunals commence

TUNDE OLUSUNLE reckons the out-going administration is unnecessarily jubilant

BUHARI’S WORDINESS AND ATIKU’S STOICISM

For my master’s degree thesis 36 years ago, I was assigned to Prayag Tripathi, a bespectacled, painstaking and thorough Indian professor of English as my supervisor. before I submitted the last and concluding chapter of the work. Tripathi personally discussed with and reassigned me to Olu Obafemi, Emeritus professor and 2018 recipient of the Nigerian National Order of Merit, (NNOM), Tripathi’s respected colleague. Obafemi was to takeover therefrom, all the way to my defence of the dissertation. I was deploying radical, Marxist discourse and theories in the

Tripathi, by the way. It is a measure of the intellectuals, that Tripathi would go to the university library without any prompting, identify books relevant to my work and loan subsequently track me to the postgraduate

into my privacy and admonish I return the books to the university book hub when I’m done. Yemi Akinwumi, eminent professor, Vice Chancellor of the Federal University Lokoja, (FUL), my classmate, co-resident in the postgraduate hall and brother, is a phone call away. There was a system, there was a country.

Nigeria’s outgoing president, to the manner of triumphalism which is

as putting down the nation’s political opposition, while celebrating the “victory” of his party, the All Progressives Congress, (APC), during the last polls. A statement by good friend and colleague, put the loss of complacency and bad tactical moves,” on is concerned, the APC was better organised, more strategic and more desiring of victory.

interrogation of my thesis and the younger Obafemi was an acclaimed leftist scholar, as evidenced by the voluptuous oeuvre of his creative and intellectual endeavours.

years ago, is widely regarded as the Nigerian equivalent of the Nobel Prize. It is awarded for outstanding creativity and excellence, in research and scholarship. I am myself a having been his student and mentee for over four decades. Scholarship was a lot more serious business those days, beyond the *chua, chua, chua,* we have today. This is the way Seriake Dickson, former reverse intellection we have in place today. Academics was not “outsourced,” “cut and paste” or *rub a dub* as is prevalent today.

Asides defending the work plan of my proposed research before the departmental board of stern-looking, grey-haired, moustachioed professors and scholars, my supervisor had to vet and approve the drafts of each and every chapter of my long essay. We wrote in long hand in that milieu, so you were compelled to write as legibly as possible. Tripathi reverted the introductory chapter of my dissertation days after I handed it in, and made suggestions to enable me improve on a second draft. There was this comment he made which particularly struck me and stuck in my mind, or head, page, he drew a box around a part of the script and scribbled: “This is logorrhoea.”

The advent of the internet and handheld for humanity in many ways, was still light years ahead. To the school library therefore I proceeded to check for the meaning of the word. Logorrhoea according to the dictionary, is a tendency to extreme loquacity, loquaciousness or garrulousness.

I should quickly add a sentence or two about my erstwhile literature teacher,

“snatched, grabbed and run away with,” as publicly simulated on the sidelines of the appearance of his party’s candidate in

It would appear that so long as the disinterested in postmortems to interrogate the electoral process and put necessary measures in place to drive improvements in future polls. Umaru Musa Yar’Adua even in the 2007 presidential election, admitted that the process which produced him as that the gamut of the electoral process be reviewed, for enhanced credibility as a way of deepening democracy. Yar’Adua unfortunately took ill in the third year of his once he won the presidential election in 2015, and was returned in presumably cooked up and crooked circumstances in 2019, in a process which impugned the believability of the contest, it was all well and good. of the 2023 general elections took Nigeria back practically to the “stone age.” In a society committed to conformation with reprimanded for misconduct during the last paper against extant regulations. Videos and photographs of this display, instantaneously

preference of their president. One of the allegations against Moshood Abiola during the 1993 presidential election, advanced to justify annulment of that process, was that he wore a dress bearing the logo of his party to his polling unit!

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

The courts are increasingly playing the role of the electorate, argues JOSEF

OMOROTIONMWAN

AS JUDGES DISPLACE THE ELECTORATE

our Constitution, Nigeria stands on a tripod - the legislature makes policies; the policies are executed by the executive branch; and any matter of interpretation is referred to the judiciary.

These divisions are, however, not made into watertight compartments - one branch occasionally performs roles that are otherwise reserved for another branch. For instance, to become law, any bill validly passed by the National Assembly must be assented to by the President. When executive agencies make subsidiary regulations to facilitate the implementation of any Law, they engage in a legislative function.

When the courts strike down a law validly passed by the legislature and introduce amendments instead thereof, they carry out what is clearly a legislative function.

And when the legislature ousts the role of the judiciary in carrying out the impeachment of its members, the legislature certainly takes

Party primaries at all levels, both for party and government positions, have determination can be made only by the courts!

At the election proper, 80 million Nigerians would stand in the sun and under the rain to vote for their preferred candidates, only for them to be vetoed judges would install their preferred choice. This is an aberration!

At times, the Courts have had to award victory to somebody who did not contest the election in question. This is JUDICIOCRACY at best. We have not seen its type anywhere. The rate at which we are going, we shall soon arrive at the point where the judiciary will work directly with INEC and leave the electorate alone. The sooner, the better!

As things stand today, of the hundreds of thousands of pre-election cases in our courts, many of the actual candidates will not be known far beyond May 29, 2023 –even granting that all the courts in the land will be devoted to only those cases! It is a rumble in the jungle. The courts are simply overwhelmed with election cases at the detriment of the other criminal and civil cases for which they were originally setup.

on the role of the judiciary.

Lately, we have come to hear of the nebulous constituency projects, under which legislators get money to provide projects in their respective constituencies. This is clearly an executive function.

It is instructive to note that rather than produce a situation of total independence, the Doctrine of Separation of Powers enshrined in our Constitution introduces a situation of a healthy interdependence. The idea here is that no particular branch of government should be too strong to become tyrannical.

Representative government implies that there must be periodic elections in which the citizenry determines the people to represent them in government. This elective role is

Party discipline died years ago and money took over. That was when we descended to the realm of what the Americans call MAKING YOU AN OFFER YOU CAN’T REGRET. When money talks, nobody walks!

Sardauna of Sokoto and Sir Abubakar Tafawa

Awolowo of Western Nigeria; and Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe of Eastern Nigeria, as recently as the First and Second Republics. Those men were the leaders of their political parties. They instilled discipline and commanded loyalty. The men have since played their part and left the stage. The political parties died and party discipline died as well.

The natural consequences that followed the death of the political parties and the twin brother, discipline, are what we are experiencing today.

From the formation of the so-called political parties of today, to the nomination of party for election at all levels, to the determination of winners and losers at the elections, everything is now determined by the courts!

The way it was: In the era of party discipline, only a few exceptional Intraparty cases of nomination went to the courts. Intra-party cases of the nomination of candidates were settled in-house and not taken to any court. As the saying goes “who born you to say you are taking your fellow UPN member to court when Chief Obafemi Awolowo had initialed the nomination list?”

Look at all the imbroglio playing out today in all the parties from Yobe to Akwa Ibom; and from Calabar to Maiduguri, of cases involving the nomination of dog catchers and councillors as well as presidential candidates and others! Everything must now be decided at the Supreme Court! And yet, when the entire process becomes one of cash and carry, we wonder why.

Let’s look at a few instances of how discipline worked in those good old days: One fateful morning in 1982 or thereabout, the late Olaiya Fagbamigbe (UPN/Akure)

looking dejected and frustrated. What Obafemi Awolowo at his Park Avenue residence, Apapa. After listening to him, minutes and pronounced his verdict: “I’ll Goodbye.” Fagbamigbe knew he had been

Second Case: We were working on the 1982. Opeyemi Ola, a profound Professor some amendments that he wanted me to put on the ORDER PAPER.

I looked at the amendments and advised against including them on the ORDER PAPER because similar amendments had

they would collapse, Mutatis Mutandis.

Omorotionmwan writes from Canada

Editor, Editorial Page PETER ISHAKA

Email peter.ishaka@thisdaylive.com

EDITORIAL

TRAFFICKERS AS ‘LABOUR’ RECRUITERS

Government should address the socio-economic issues that give rise to undesirable migration

The revelation that several rogue labour women to Iraq for domestic servitude should be of serious concern to authorities in the country. “We’re inundated with pleas for rescue and especially to the cities of Baghdad and Basra where they’re distributed to homes by their recruiters

being harmed either by their direct employers or the they complained of

is not restricted to Iraq or the Middle East. The increasing number

a heavy burden on the authorities to provide leadership in communication and political action. In move their victims from country to country until they reach their destination. In the process many die even as the survivors are subjected to all forms

But the trade is thriving because most of the people circumvent the law.

It is shameful that our country is regarded not only as a transit route for this illegal trade but also a source as well as a destination with children and

T H I S D AY EDITOR SHAKA MOMODU DEPUTY EDITORS WALE OLALEYE, OBINNA CHIMA MANAGING DIRECTOR ENIOLA BELLO DEPUTY MANAGING DIRECTOR ISRAEL IWEGBU CHAIRMAN EDITORIAL BOARD OLUSEGUN ADENIYI EDITOR NATION’S CAPITAL IYOBOSA UWUGIAREN MANAGING EDITOR BOLAJI ADEBIYI THE OMBUDSMAN KAYODE KOMOLAFE

T H I S D AY N E W S PA P E R S L I M I T E D EDITOR-IN-CHIEF/CHAIRMAN NDUKA OBAIGBENA GROUP EXECUTIVE DIRECTORS ENIOLA BELLO, KAYODE KOMOLAFE, ISRAEL IWEGBU, IJEOMA NWOGWUGWU, EMMANUEL EFENI DIVISIONAL DIRECTORS SHAKA MOMODU, PETER IWEGBU, ANTHONY OGEDENGBE DEPUTY DIVISIONAL DIRECTOR OJOGUN VICTOR DANBOYI SNR. ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR ERIC OJEH ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR PATRICK EIMIUHI CONTROLLERS ABIMBOLA TAIWO, UCHENNA DIBIAGWU, NDUKA MOSERI DIRECTOR, PRINTING PRODUCTION CHUKS ONWUDINJO TO SEND EMAIL: first name.surname@thisdaylive.com

Letters to the Editor

in his country of posting were thriving on it. He recruiting from their villages and towns young girls promise of securing for them good jobs only to turn them to prostitutes. One of the challenges is are many young men and women who believe they and will do anything to travel outside the shores of the country. But that is not correct. Irregular migrants are merely compounding their miseries because what await them on the other shores are no longer opportunities conditions. That has been the testimonies of many the minds of our teeming population of young always greener at the other side.

We must cast away the complacency that has emboldened the perpetrators of this criminal society for illicit gains.

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

LETTERS

AHMAD: LAUDING A TRAILBLAZER AT REA

clamored for a generational shift in the country’s governance.

der the radar most times as the important thing for him is getting ment

and

planning.

ground running with policies and programs that relate to achiev ing the strategic mandate of the agency. This much was corrobo and unalloyed commitment towards the agency’s objectives. was through the entrenchment of transparency and accountabili the circumstances that led to the ouster of the previous adminis tration of the agency. duct that emphasized commitment and dedication in an atmo grid communities.

development.

Philip Agbese, Abuja

We must cast away the complacency that has emboldened the perpetrators of this criminal enterprise who exploit the most vulnerable of our society for illicit gains

FOREIGN DESK

House Committee Threatens to Hold Blinken in Contempt

The US State Department said Monday it would not fulfil US lawmakers’ request for the full Biden administration report on the US withdrawal from Afghanistan.

“It’s unfortunate that despite having received a classified briefing on the dissent channel cable as well as a written summary that the House Foreign Affairs Committee continues to pursue this unnecessary and unproductive action,” State Department Principal Deputy Spokesperson Vedant Patel told reporters.

“Nevertheless, we will continue to respond to appropriate oversight inquiries and provide Congress the information it needs to do its job while protecting the ability of State Department employees to do theirs.”

House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Michael McCaul called on US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken last month to release the administration’s after-action report on the chaotic August 2021 US withdrawal from Afghanistan.

“There is a strong public interest in the Department sharing the results of its After-Action Review to the fullest extent possible,” McCaul wrote, noting large portions of the report are marked as sensitive but unclassified or unclassified.

According to McCaul, the 87-page March 2022 After-Action Review contains numerous unexplained redactions and directly contradicts the Biden administration’s public statements, which largely blamed the failures of the withdrawal on the previous administration of President Donald Trump.

Sudan Warring Factions Hold Third Day of Talks on Humanitarian Relief

Envoys from both of Sudan’s warring factions met Monday for a third day of talks in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, to arrange for the opening of humanitarian corridors in Sudan, but there was no sign the negotiations have made progress.

The parties have insisted they are only sitting across from each other to relieve the humanitarian situation in the North African country and not to negotiate a truce.

The talks, which began Saturday, are aimed at allowing aid agencies to access those who are wounded, hungry or displaced. The Saudi kingdom has already pledged to provide Sudan with $100 million’s worth of humanitarian aid.

Fighting erupted in Sudan in mid-April. After just a few weeks of fighting between the country’s military and a paramilitary force, hundreds of thousands of Sudanese have been forced to flee their homes, with many displaced seeking refuge in bordering countries.

The two sides — Sudan’s military, led by General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces, led by General Mohammed Hamdan Dagalo — have not met since the fighting erupted on April 15.

Taliban: Afghan Women Education Ban Not ‘Permanent’

The chief diplomat of Afghanistan’s ruling Taliban insisted Monday that his government had not banned girls’ education “permanently,” while women continue to work in different sectors across the country.

Taliban Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi addressed a seminar in Pakistan’s capital, Islamabad, to wrap up a four-day official visit to the neighbouring country, where he also attended a trilateral dialogue with his Chinese and Pakistani counterparts.

“We have 10 million students currently attending primary-level and university-level education [in Afghanistan]. Nine million can access all forms of education. They include girls up to grade six. Around 300,000 teachers, including 92,000 females, teach in these institutions,” he said.

The hardline Islamist group reclaimed control of the country in August 2021 when the United States and NATO withdrew their troops after almost two decades of involvement in the Afghan war. The Taliban have since imposed their strict version of Islamic law or Sharia to run the impoverished, war-torn South Asian nation.

Many Afghan women, including those working for the United Nations and non-

governmental groups, have been blocked from accessing work and public places.

27 People Killed in Gold Mine Explosion in Peru

A fire followed by an explosion in a remote gold mine in southern Peru killed at least 27 workers during an overnight shift Saturday.

Local Peruvian authorities said that a short circuit may have sparked the fire at the La Esperanza 1 mine about 100 meters below the surface in the Arequipa region.

The Yanaquihua Company that operates the mine said that 175 workers were safely evacuated after the fire.

The Public Ministry of Arequipa’s Fiscal District said in a statement that investigators were working to clarify the circumstances of the accident.

“During the investigation, the Prosecutor’s Office will determine the cause of the tragic event and the responsibilities of those involved,” the statement said.

News of the fire came out Sunday after police gathered information and determined the victims’ identities.

According to data from Peru’s Ministry of Energy and Mines, Saturday’s gold mine accident was the country’s deadliest in over two decades.

Peru is South America’s top gold producer, and mining is a key industry for the country.

In 2022, 38 people were killed in mining accidents nationwide, highlighting safety concerns in Latin American mining.

Peru had its deadliest year in 2002 when 73 people died in mining accidents.

Iran Executes Two Men for Blasphemy

Iran’s judiciary announced the executions Monday of two men sentenced to death for blasphemy.

The judiciary’s Mizan news site identified them as Yousef Mehrad and Sadrollah Fazeli Zare.

The report said their crimes included insulting Islam and the Prophet Muhammad and that they used online platforms to spread hatred of Islam and promote atheism.

Mahmoud Amiry-Moghaddam, who leads the Norway-based group, Iran Human Rights, said in a statement, “the authorities have once again demonstrated their medieval nature by killing two people for expressing their opinion.” He called on the international community to respond decisively and immediately.

Last year, a group of UN experts highlighted concerns about Iran’s criminalisation of blasphemy and called on the Iranian government to “take meaningful steps to ensure the right to freedom of religion or belief and freedom of opinion and expression without discrimination.”

Human rights groups reported that

accounts by local sources familiar with the matter.

Ramthan, a major drug dealer in southern Syria, has recruited hundreds of Bedouin transporters who join the ranks of Iran-linked militias that hold sway in southern Syria, Jordanian and regional intelligence sources say. He had been sentenced to death on several occasions in recent years in absentia by Jordanian courts for drugs trafficking, judicial sources say.

20 Bodies Found in Congo Mass Grave; ADF Rebels Suspected

The remains of at least 20 people were found buried in a mass grave in an area used to cultivate cacao in Ndoma village in Congo’s North Kivu province over the weekend, according to local authorities and a military spokesperson.

A team of forensic and security officers exhumed the bodies after residents of villages in Beni territory found bones and clothing and alerted officials.

Mehrad and Zare were transferred earlier this year to solitary confinement.

The two were part of a group of seven people who had been arrested in 2020 for maintaining a telegram channel called “Criticism of Superstition and Religion,” according to HRANA, the Human Rights Activists news agency.

Mexican, US Presidents to Confer on Immigration

Mexico’s president said Monday that he would talk with US President Joe Biden by telephone Tuesday about immigration and the fentanyl crisis.

President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador said the leaders would also discuss development programs aimed at helping to stem the flow of migrants to the US border. The conversation will come two days before the end of pandemic-era immigration restrictions that allowed US authorities to expel migrants who had crossed the border illegally quickly.

Lopez Obrador appealed to migrants not to use smugglers to travel to the US border.

“Don’t allow yourselves to be fooled,” he said during his morning news briefing. “Don’t allow yourselves to be blackmailed by coyotes, smugglers, who put you at risk.”

Mexico agreed last week to continue to accept migrants from Venezuela, Haiti, Cuba and Nicaragua who are turned away at the border and some other migrants from Central America.

The Mexican president has previously asked the US government to contribute more development aid to Central America so people won’t have to migrate.

Lopez Obrador has also slammed proposals by US Republican legislators to make it more difficult to apply for asylum and easier for authorities to block migrants at the border.

Report: Jordan Strikes Iran-Linked Drugs Factory in Southern Syria

On Monday, Jordan carried out rare airstrikes on southern Syria, hitting an Iran-linked drugs factory and killing a smuggler allegedly behind big hauls across the two countries’ border, local and intelligence sources said.

The sources said one strike hit an abandoned drug facility in Syria’s southern Daraa province linked to the Iran-backed Lebanese group Hezbollah, which is allied to Syria’s government.

Another strike on the village of Shaab, in the adjacent province of Sweida near the Jordanian border, killed Syrian drug kingpin Marie al-Ramthan and his family while they were at home.

“Both Ramthan’s home and the facility were left in ruins,” said Ryan Marouf, a Syrian researcher tracking the drug trade.

The drugs factory in the Daraa town of Kharab al Shahem was believed to have been a meeting point for Hezbollah-paid smugglers, Marouf said, corroborating

Until earlier this year, the area had been under the control of the Allied Democratic Forces, or ADF, a rebel militia with links to the Islamic State group. The Congolese army now controls the area.

Muyisa Kambale Sindani, a representative of the nearby Kilya village, said Saturday that the remains were reburied “with dignity and security.” He confirmed that the bones of at least 20 people were found but that it wasn’t possible to search further because of a lack of security in the region.

It wasn’t immediately clear how long the bodies had been there. Eastern Congo has been plagued by violence for decades as more than 120 armed groups fight for power, influence, resources, and some to protect their communities.

Thousands Evacuated in Canada’s Out-of-control Wildfires

Fire crews battled wildfires threatening communities in western Canada on Sunday as cooler temperatures and a bit of rain brought some relief, but officials warned the reprieve came only in some areas.

Officials in Alberta said there were 108 active fires in the province, and the number of evacuees grew to about 29,000, up from approximately 24,000 Saturday when a provincewide state of emergency was declared.

Two out-of-control wildfires in neighbouring British Columbia also caused some people to leave their homes, and officials warned that they expected high winds to cause the blazes to grow bigger in the next few days.

Provincial officials in Alberta said the weather forecast was favourable for the next few days, with small amounts of rain and overcast conditions. But they cautioned that hot and dry conditions were predicted to return within a few days.

Colin Blair, executive director of the Alberta Emergency Management Agency, said accurate damage reports were unavailable because conditions made it difficult to assess the situation. There were buildings destroyed in the town of Fox Lake, including 20 homes, a police station and a store.

In northeastern British Columbia, officials urged residents to evacuate the areas around two out-of-control wildfires near the Alberta border.

Congo Flood Death Toll Rises to 400

The death toll from the floods last week in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo has risen to nearly 400.

Officials say many people remain missing.

The heavy rains were especially harsh for the villages of Bushushu and Nyamukubi.

The numbers of the dead are forcing villages to bury the victims in mass graves. Congo’s government has declared Monday a national day of mourning.

The heavy rains have also fallen recently in Uganda and Kenya.

Judicial Officers New Retirement Age Bill: Matters Arising

QUOTABLE

‘We are asking for some constitutional amendments, either to remove certain matters from the jurisdiction of the Supreme Court, so that they stop at the Court of Appeal….You reduce the matters going to the Supreme Court, and allow them as the policy making court that they are to continue to drive the policy of this country….This way will reduce their workload.’ Yakubu

Maikyau, OON, SAN, President, Nigerian Bar Association

Effect of Defective Signing of Originating Processes on Court’s Jurisdiction

Page IV

2023 Elections: ‘Accept Outcome of Petition Tribunal‘, Gowon Tells Atiku, Obi, Others

Page V

FEC Okays

Amendment of Labour Laws

Page V

COLUMNIST

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

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

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

Legal Practitioner Client Relationship

Page V

Ekweremadus: The Other Face of Exploitation

Ekweremadus’ UK Conviction

Senator Ike Ekweremadu and his wife, Dr Beatrice Ekweremadu, were each convicted by a British court last Friday, for conspiracy to commit an offence of human trafficking, by bringing a young man to London to exploit him. The exploitation was that the young man who was referred to as “C” by the court, was brought to UK for the proposed donation of his kidney to their daughter, Sonia Ekweremadu, for a reward; the reward was to be the payment of money and the chance for C to work in the UK. This case is said to be the first reported case, prosecuted under the UK Modern Slavery Act 2015 Chapter 30 (MSA). The Judge described the Ekweremadus’ actions, as people trafficking across international borders for the harvesting of human organs, a form of slavery which “treats human beings and their body parts as commodities to be bought and sold; a trade that preys on poverty, and misery and desperation”. Husband and wife were sentenced to nine years eight months and four years and six months imprisonment, respectively, while Dr Obinna Obeta, their co-Defendant who himself had undergone a kidney transplant at the Royal Free Hospital in London in 2021, got a ten year jail term.

Study Foreign Countrys’ Laws Thoroughly I have learnt a lesson from the bitter experience of the Ekweremadus, and I think we should all be mindful - that if one is going to do anything out of the ordinary in any foreign country, be it Ghana, Tanzania or Cameroon here in Africa, or Germany or USA in the Western world, anywhere really, it is imperative that one should study the laws of that country thoroughly, with respect to that thing that one seeks to do, before embarking on any such outing. As the saying goes, better to be safe than sorry!

We must not make the mistake that because we live in a socie\ty where almost anything goes, and that we may be able to beg or muscle our way out of sticky situations, that this is what obtains in other countries; or that, because we do not have clearcut laws on certain issues in our country, other countries also do not; or that what isn’t an offence in Nigeria, also isn’t an offence where we are going, or even if it is, it attracts very little punishment there, like it attracts only little punishment in Nigeria. This can prove to be a costly mistake, as it did for the Ekweremadus. The moral of the story is that, it would be foolish to assume that we can get away with sharp practices or cutting corners in other countries, as we do in Nigeria. Nevertheless, may God never put us through such a hard test like the Ekweremadus are going through, one of having a child with an ailment that could be fatal. I can imagine that, as Parents, they were desperate to do almost anything to preserve the life of their child. And, even if here in Nigeria, selling of body parts to those who require organs may be nothing more than a misdemeanour offence, we have seen that it is a serious felony offence in the UK. In fairness to the Ekwerenadus, they were not involved in human organ commercial trade generally, but required a kidney donor specifically for their daughter, Sonia; however, over there, they have a laid down procedure for organ donation, which must be followed. Such organ donations, must not be done for reward. The most suitable/ preferred donor is usually an immediate family member like a parent or sibling, then relative, spouse or friend, or someone who has heard about the patient’s condition and feels moved to donate, or a person who is a living donor. I guess that one rationale behind not permitting the sale of donor organs, is that it would fast become the preserve of only organ recipients who can afford to pay, meaning that the poor would not stand a chance, because even some relatives would rather sell their organs for the benefit of collecting attractive amounts of money, than to donate them to their relatives for free.

A Misdemeanour in Nigeria

In Nigeria, Section 53(1)(a) of the National Health Act 2014 (NHA) makes it an offence for a donor of blood or any other tissue to receive a financial or other reward for the donation, except for the ‘reimbursement’ of the costs that may have been incurred to provide such donation. Part VII of the NHA Interpretation Clause 4, includes organs in the definition of tissues. Section 53(1)(b) of the NHA however, actually permits a person to sell blood and tissue “for reasonable payments made in appropriate health establishments for the procurement of tissues, blood or blood products”. As usual, our laws

ONIKEPO BRAITHWAITE

The Advocate

a person of means will make such donations, unless it is to a beloved immediate family member (and it is doubtful that it would be for a reward), or they want to be deceased donors.

And, for a non-UK national, once part of the arrangement takes place in the UK and travel consists of entry into, departure from or travel within the UK, it satisfies the provisions of Section 2(5)(a)-(c) of the MSA.

The definition of exploitation in the case of C falls under Section 3(4) of the MSA, by which he was expected to donate his kidney contrary to Section 32 of the Human Tissue Act 2004 (HTA). See Section 32(1)(b), (d), (4) & (8) of the HTA. In short, the trial Judge held that the Ekweremadus committed an offence under Section 2 of the MSA. A person found guilty under Section 2 of the MSA, by virtue of Section 5 thereof, on conviction, can face up to life imprisonment (see Section 5(1)(a) of the MSA.

Who Exploited Who?

are vague, subjective and permissive in this regard, as people can use ‘reimbursement’ in Section 53(1)(a) or ‘reasonable payments’ in 53(1)(b) how ever they like. The so-called appropriate health establishments can also connive with donors, or go it alone by being excessive profit-making middlemen, to charge desperate organ-requiring patients whatever fee they like, in exchange for the needed organs. In any event, Section 53(2) of the NHA prescribes upon conviction, only a punishment of a fine of N100,000 or imprisonment not exceeding a one year period or both, for the contravention of Section 53(1) of the NHA.

Somebody even asked me what business it is of a third party, if someone willingly sells their kidney to someone else who requires it to stay alive, for an agreed price! That it is a simple contract, between two people. That once there’s an offer, acceptance and consideration, why shouldn’t it constitute a valid contract between the parties, that should be performed? Alas! It turns out that though such a contract is only slightly unlawful in Nigeria, even where it is not borne out of compulsion, it is not only extremely unlawful, but constitutes a grave crime in the UK.

A Felony in India & UK India

In India, which is a popular spot that Nigerians go regularly for medical treatment and organ transplantation, Section 19 of the Transplantation of Human Organs and Tissues Act 1994 (THOA) lists all the different offences prohibiting the commercial trade of human organs, including making false affidavits averring that the organ

donor is a close relative or making the donation out of affection for the patient (as the Ekweremadus did with respect to C), and prescribes a punishment of 5-10 years imprisonment and a fine of not less than 2 million Rupees (over N11 million) to 10 million Rupees (over N56 million), upon conviction. It seems that in the three countries mentioned here, Nigeria, India and UK, it is only Nigeria that treats organ donation for reward rather lightly.

The Ekweremadus’ UK Travails

It seemed quite kosher, as the Ekweremadus/ Dr Obeta had first sought and obtained a medical visa from the British Embassy for C to travel to the UK to do the needful. However, a perusal of Sections 2-5 of the MSA, particularly Section 2, which provides for Human Trafficking, fits like a glove with the actions taken that constituted the crime that the Ekweremadus were convicted of. They facilitated C’s travel to the UK to exploit him, by proposing that he donate a kidney to their daughter for a reward. The MSA provides that, it is irrelevant whether the donor consents to travel or whether the donor is an adult or child. Those who facilitated C’s travel to London, knew that he was likely to be used as a kidney donor for Sonia Ekweremadu.

From the body language and pronouncements of the trial Judge, it was obvious that he is of the unimpeachable opinion that consent by an individual to donate his/her organ cannot truly be said to be consent, since poverty and desperation are usually the motivating factors behind people agreeing to make such donations, in our neck of the woods. It is unlikely that

But, the question remains, who really exploited who? Truth be told, it seems that C had hatched his own little plot within the plan, unknown to the Ekweremadus! It was mentioned in the judgement, that C was donating his kidney for a monetary reward and a chance to work in the UK. I read a news report, where it was stated that C was to be paid £7,000 for his kidney. Though I find it hard to believe that C didn’t know what he was going to do in the UK, some believe that he may not have understood the full implications of it. Someone gave me the example of an individual who donated his kidney to his ailing wife who eventually died, emphasising that the donor himself suffered all sorts of complications thereafter, and was sick for close to three years. This demonstrates the importance, of letting the donor know what he or she is getting into. All organ donors must be properly counselled and made aware of what they are getting into, and the possibility of negative side effects. Was this done in the case of C? It appears that the hospital, upon realising that C was not quite mentally prepared, refused to proceed with the operation. This was the beginning of the Ekweremadus’ problems. If they insisted on doing it the way they did it, then the operation should probably have taken place here in Nigeria, where our laws allow for such laxity.

Nevertheless, the fact that C lied to the British authorities that he was a 15 year old minor, and subsequently, opposed the Ekweremadus’ application to the National Identity Management Commission and the Nigeria Immigration Service for his bio-data to be released to the Attorney-General of the Federation for onward transmission to the British authorities, obviously because he knew that it would show that he was a 21 year old adult and not the 15 year old minor that he claimed to be, didn’t require Einstein to explain to anyone that while the Ekweremadus thought they had secured a kidney donor for their child, C had only used them as his means to travel to the UK and stay there. Unknown to C, Section 2(2) of the MSA doesn’t differentiate if the person being trafficked is an adult or a child; but, I can imagine that C thought he would buttress his case and get the Ekweremadus into more trouble, if he was able to successfully pass himself off as a minor.

The argument of the fear of reprisals if C is returned to Nigeria, especially because his actions are the reason why the Ekweremadus have bagged long prison sentences, will now provide a fertile ground for C to be allowed to stay in the UK. His refusal to collect any compensation from the Ekweremadus which was noted by the court, should also impact positively on his application to remain in the UK. C’s behaviour at Royal Free Hospital, causing them to refuse to perform the transplant operation using him as a donor, could also have been orchestrated by C; and even if C had been a perfect match for Sonia Ekweremadu and the hospital agreed to perform the operation, he would have probably furthered his plan not only by showing that he wasn’t well counselled, but by feigning total ignorance about the reason why he was brought to the UK hospital, or maybe even lied that he was forced to travel to the UK.

The sum and substance of the Ekweremadus' case, is that though they broke the law, it appears that they were outsmarted by C. As a Parent myself, I can only pray that Sonia Ekweremadu is able to get a compatible kidney donor soon.

“But, the question remains, who really exploited who? Truth be told, it seems that C had hatched his own little plot within the plan, unknown to the Ekweremadus! It was mentioned in the judgement, that C was donating his kidney for a monetary reward and a chance to work in the UK….Though I find it hard to believe that C didn’t know what he was going to do in the UK, some believe that he may not have understood the full implications of it“

Senator Ike Ekweremadu and his wife Beatrice

Effect of Defective Signing of Originating Processes on Court’s Jurisdiction

Facts

The Appellant and Respondent entered into a Cooperation Agreement on 15th November 2005, to provide visa application processing and documentation services to applicants applying for visas from the High Commission of the Government of the United Kingdom (“British High Commission”) in Nigeria. The Appellant had been awarded the said contract by the British High Commission (“Head Contract”) and the Appellant in turn entered into the Cooperation Agreement with the Respondent, in order to provide the services. It was mutually understood by the Appellant and the Respondent, that the continued existence of the Cooperation Agreement would be dependent on the existence of the Head Contract between the Appellant and the British High Commission. The parties also agreed that any dispute between them, would be submitted to arbitration.

Subsequently, the British High Commission terminated the Head Contract. Further to this, the Appellant wrote to the Respondent to inform it of the termination of the Cooperation Agreement between them. A dispute arose between them, and the Respondent filed a suit against the Appellant and its affiliate company at the Federal High Court, Lagos (“the FHC”). The Respondent obtained interim orders against the Appellant and its affiliate company, in the said suit. The FHC however, subsequently declined jurisdiction to entertain the suit, set aside the orders and dismissed the suit.

After the dismissal of the suit, the Respondent served a notice of arbitration on the Appellant for the purpose of referring the dispute to arbitration, in line with the arbitration clause in the Cooperation Agreement. The Appellant however, rejected the said notice and proceeded to file an originating summons at the High Court of Lagos State in Suit No. M/480/2008 - VF Worldwide Holdings Limited v Dana Services Limited, seeking judicial interpretation of the position of the parties. The trial court answered the questions submitted for determination by the Appellant in favour of the Respondent, affirmed the Respondent’s right to revert to arbitration and dismissed the suit. Dissatisfied, the Appellant appealed to the Court of Appeal. The Respondent filed a notice of preliminary objection challenging the competence of the appeal, on the basis that the originating summons and the accompanying written address by which the Appellant commenced the suit at the trial court were signed by an unknown person who is not a legal practitioner “for and on behalf of Professor Yemi Osinbajo, SAN”. The Court of Appeal upheld the preliminary objection, struck out the originating summons and the accompanying processes filed at the trial court and also set aside the judgement of the trial court.

Further aggrieved, the Appellant lodged an appeal at the Supreme Court.

Issues for Determination

After considering the issues submitted by respective counsel for the Appellant and the Respondent, the Apex Court reformulated the issues for determination as follows:

1. Whether the decision of the lower court to strike out the Appellant’s Appeal, on the basis that the originating summons filed at the trial court was incompetent for failure to conform to Sections 2(1) and 24 of the Legal Practitioners Act amounts to denial of access to justice?

2. Whether the lower court was right to strike out the Appellant’s Appeal for lack of jurisdiction on the basis of the Respondent’s preliminary objection without going into the substance of the appeal and whether this amounts to breach of the Appellant’s right to fair hearing?

In the Supreme Court of Nigeria Holden at Abuja

On Friday, the 6th day of January, 2023

Before His Lordship John Inyang Okoro Amina Adamu Augie Adamu Jauro

Tijjani Abubakar

Emmanuel Akomaye Agim Justices, Supreme Court SC.412/2015

Between NICHOLVF WORLDWIDE HOLDINGS LIMITED APPELLANT And DANA SERVICES LIMITED

RESPONDENT (Lead Judgement delivered by Hon. John Inyang Okoro, JSC)

Arguments

Counsel for the Appellant posited on the first issue, that the Respondent’s preliminary objection was an infraction of Section 6(6)(b) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended) (the “Constitution”), which entitled the Appellant access to justice. He submitted that Sections 2(1) and 24 of the Legal Practitioners Act (“LPA”) which was the basis of the striking out of the originating summons filed at the trial court, cannot be interpreted or applied to oust the operation of Section 6(6)(b) of the Constitution. He argued further that the originating summons and the written address were signed by one Miss Osasu Eghobamien who is a legal practitioner in the law firm of Simmons Cooper Partners, for and on behalf of Prof Yemi

Osinbajo, and since Sections 2(1) and 24 of the LPA are silent on situations where a legal practitioner signs a legal process for and on behalf of another legal practitioner, it cannot be said to be applicable in the circumstance of the case as to render the originating processes filed at the trial court incompetent.

Counsel for the Respondent on the other hand, submitted that there was no breach of Section 6(6)(b) of the Constitution by the lower court, since the jurisdiction of the trial court was not validly activated by the Appellant. He cited the case of DONGTOE v C.S.C PLATEAU STATE (2001) 9 NWLR (PT. 717) 132 AT 150

He contended that Sections 2(1) and 24 of the LPA only provide the procedure to be followed when exercising the right of access to court, one of which is that only a legal practitioner should prepare, sign and file court processes. He argued that where an enactment prescribes steps to be fulfilled before the jurisdiction of the court can be properly invoked; it does not amount to denial of access to court as argued by the Appellant. He submitted that the Appellant’s suit before the trial court was not initiated by due process of law, as the originating summons was not signed by any verifiable legal practitioner, hence, it was fundamentally defective and this operated to rob the court of jurisdiction to hear the suit. Counsel for the Respondent argued further that the Appellant’s attempt in its Brief of Argument to show that the originating processes were signed by a

legal practitioner is an afterthought, and is not verifiable by evidence.

Regarding the second issue, counsel for the Appellant argued that the lower court, not being a trial court, ought to have exhaustively considered and determined the other issues raised in the appeal, despite finding that it lacked jurisdiction to entertain the matter. He cited KATTO v CBN (1991) 9 NWLR (PT. 214) 126 in support of his argument.

Court’s Judgement and Rationale

On the first issue, the Apex Court held that for a litigant to properly approach the courts for redress over an injury or wrong, such litigant must follow due process of law in order to confer jurisdiction on the court; and before any court can entertain a matter before it, such court must have jurisdiction to do so. The Court held further that for every right, there is a corresponding responsibility, and while Section 6(6)(b) of the Constitution creates the right of access to court, there are procedures and requirements geared towards ensuring that the jurisdiction of court is properly invoked for the right to be exercised, and failure to comply with them will deprive the court of jurisdiction. The Court held that Sections 2(1) and 24 of the LPA specify who a legal practitioner is and by extension, who is entitled to sign an originating process or other court process before any court in Nigeria, in order to properly activate the jurisdiction of the court. The Apex Court held that the Appellant’s originating summons and written address were signed “for and on behalf of Professor Yemi Osinbajo, SAN”, by an unknown person who could not be verified as a legal practitioner entitled to practice and sign court processes as a Barrister and Solicitor in Nigeria, and this rendered the said processes incurably bad and incompetent. The Appellant’s suit at the trial court could not therefore, be said to have been initiated by due process of law, and the decision of the Court of Appeal striking out the incompetent originating processes did not in any way amount to a denial of the Appellant’s constitutional right of access to court, because the Appellant had itself failed to properly activate the jurisdiction of the trial court. The Court relied on its decisions in MADUKOLU V NKEMDILIM (1961) SCNLR 61 and OKAFOR v NWEKE (2007) 10 NWLR (PT. 1043) 521.

Regarding the second issue, the Court noted that it has on many occasions admonished lower courts to determine substantive issues in an appeal, despite upholding a challenge to jurisdiction to entertain the appeal, so as to give the Apex Court something to determine if it finds otherwise on the issue of jurisdiction, and essentially to avoid remitting the appeal back to the lower court for determination on the merit.

The foregoing notwithstanding, the Apex Court found that the trial court had already determined the questions submitted for determination in the originating summons, against the Appellant. The Court held that the alleged failure by the lower court to consider the issues did not occasion any miscarriage of justice on the Appellant, because the originating summons at the trial court was incompetent, and even at that, the court considered the questions, found them to be unproved and accordingly, dismissed the suit. There was therefore, no need for the Court of Appeal to determine any other issue in the appeal.

Appeal Dismissed.

Representation

Ikem Isiekwena with Adegoke Adedoyin and Chinelo Obekwe for the Appellant. A.G. Anafi with A.N. Salis for the Respondent.

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

“…..the Appellant’s originating summons and written address were signed “for and on behalf of Professor Yemi Osinbajo, SAN”, by an unknown person who could not be verified as a legal practitioner entitled to practice and sign court processes as a Barrier and Solicitor in Nigeria, and this rendered the said processes incurably bad and incompetent”

Hon. John Inyang Okoro, JSC

2023 Elections: ‘Accept Outcome of Petition Tribunal‘, Gowon Tells Atiku, Obi, Others

As Jurists, Others, honour late Supreme Court Justice Idigbe

Alex

Enumah in Abuja

A former Head of State of Nigeria, Gen. Yakubu Gowon (Rtd) GCFR, on Thursday appealed to Nigerians, including litigants, to accept the final decisions of the courts in respect of the various petitions against the outcome of the just concluded general elections.

Gowon made the appeal while speaking as Guest at the 15th Edition of the PUNUKA Annual Lecture 2023 and Symposium, in honour of the late Justice of the Supreme Court, Justice Chike Idigbe.

Out of the 18 candidates that contested the February 25 Presidential election, five, including Alhaji Atiku Abubakar of the People's Democratic Party (PDP) and Mr Peter Obi of the Labour Party (LP) have already concluded their processes at the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal which was billed to commence sitting yesterday. Speaking on the role the Judiciary plays in nation building, the former Head of State called for understanding, adding that aggrieved parties should allow the Judiciary perform its constitutional role in the post-election period.

According to him, for Nigeria's democracy to grow, the Judiciary must be strong, independent, and impartial.

"As we move forward as a nation, let us not forget the

role that the Judiciary plays in nation-building, especially the Apex Court, in carrying out its duty of questioning the veracity of the decisions of the lower court.

"As such, we need to allow the Apex Court their deliberations and come up with their decisions, and as the public, to be humble to accept their decision as final, in order to maintain the sanctity of the Judiciary as individuals and as an institution.

"This is very important at this stage, in view of the post-election litigations that are now going on. Let us give the Judiciary the opportunity to do their work, and let us accept their decision as it is", Gen. Gowon said.

The Octogenarian stressed, “As a former Military Leader (Head of State), I have seen and known firsthand the importance of the Judiciary in maintaining stability and order in our society”.

Meanwhile, the retired General who showered encomiums on late Justice Idigbe, attested to his unwavering dedication to service and bravery in the dispensation of justice, adding that his life and works exemplify his integrity, courage, and judicial brilliance.

"From what I have learnt of Justice Idigbe, his contributions to the Judiciary and nation-building cannot be overemphasised. That his unwavering commitment to upholding justice and the

rule of law, is a testament to his unflinching character and his belief in our nation, evinced through his life and office."

Similarly, Chairman of the occasion and Vice Chairman of the Body of Benchers (BoB), Chief Adegboyega Awomolo, SAN, in his praise of the late jurist, described late Idigbe as an accomplished jurist whose name demonstrates values in Nigeria's Judiciary. Awomolo added that the late jurist was a man of integrity and a deep knowledge of the law, worthy of emulation.

The BoB Vice Chairman subsequently advised jurists to

be very conscious and careful of the words they write, as it forms part of their history and could be referred to by others.

In a goodwill message, Minister of State for Budget and National Planning, Mr Clem Agba charged Lawyers to embrace global practices and develop their technological and other relevant skills, for the enhancement of the nation's development. He said that the Government of President Muhammadu Buhari is certain about the nexus between law and development, and believes that law can be used as an instrument to promote economic

and social development because economic development involves much more than a country's adopting the appropriate growth-enhancing policies, but the right application of the rule of law, since the rule of law is a prerequisite to draw foreign investments and boost economic growth.

Mr Agba said: “The memorialisation of Justice Chike Idigbe, JSC, is a worthy addition to remind us of the evergreen legacies of this great patriot and nationalist, whose knowledge and application of the law have helped to promote and entrench progressive legal

culture in Nigeria”.

Meanwhile, son of the late jurist, Chief Anthony Idigbe, SAN, eulogising the former Supreme Court Justice, said his father had a focus on substantive justice and had established in many cases, that form should never override substance.

While on the one hand Chief Idigbe urged that those principles should guide the action of Judges today, he on the other, called for holistic judicial reforms, adding that the same attention given to election petitions should be extended to commercial cases, as they are all critical to the nation's survival.

FEC Okays Amendment of Labour Laws

An amendment of Nigerian labour laws to bring them to the standards of international laws and statutes, was recently approved by the Federal Executive Council (FEC).

The approval followed two memoranda presented to the Council by the Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr Chris Ngige, who noted that the labour laws of the country, as presently being operated, are obsolete laws.

Briefing correspondents after the Council meeting presided over by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, SAN, at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, Ngige explained that the International

Labour Organization (ILO) had pointed out that, Nigeria needed to bring its laws to be concurrent with international labour standards and conventions and principles at work.

He gave a history of the effort to achieve it saying: “So, we had to do this. It is the long journey we started in 2001, by a previous administration, and at a point, the Bills were sent to the National Assembly for enactment into law in 2007/2008; only one came out after the five Bills.

“Among the five Bills then, was the Labour Standards Bill which will make for Labour Standards, and replace the the

‘This is Not My Signature’, Ex-GTB Director Tells Court

A former Executive Director of Guaranty Trust Bank, Mrs Olutola Omotola, on Friday told an Ikeja Special Offences Court that her signature was forged.

Mrs Olutola Omotola was testifying against one Bernard Nzenwa and his company, Omega Maritime and Energy Ltd, who are charged with conspiracy and issuance of a false document at an Ikeja Special Offences Court, Nzenwa, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge.

Mrs Omotola, who described

#upjudicialsalaries

herself as a Lawyer and retired Banker, was given a document in contention to identify. The document entitled “Bond for Re-Exportation of Imported Goods Delivered Without Payment of Import Duties”, was previously admitted by the court as Exhibit C1.

Omotola was led in evidence by counsel to Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mr Gabriel Akaogu. The witness denied being the owner of the signature, on the document.

“This is absolutely not my

“The present remuneration

signature. It does not look even remotely like mine”, she told the court.

The witness was given a plain sheet of paper on which, as ordered by the court, she signed her signature 10 times.

The prosecution counsel thereafter, cited Section 101 of the Evidence Act and applied to the court to allow him to tender the signature specimens in evidence. The specimens were admitted in evidence, as there was no objection from defence counsel, Mr Clinton

Eaezie.

Under cross-examination by defence counsel, the witness told the court that she left the Bank five years ago.

The EFCC alleges that Nzenwa, his company and one Dr Oluchi Nzenwa (now at large), on March 9, 2011, conspired and issued a false document entitled, “Bond for ReExportation of Imported Goods Delivered Without Payment of Import Duties”, which he purported to have emanated from Guaranty Trust Bank.

Trade Union Act 2004.

“The second was what we call, the Collective Labour Relations Bill, which will encompass a portion of the Trade Union Act, Trade Disputes Act 2004, Trade Dispute Essential Services Act and of course, the Trade Unions International Affiliations Act. So, the four were to be now melted into one law.

“We also had another Bill for Occupational Safety and Health, which was supposed to replace the old Factories Act with which Nigeria operates, Operational Safety and Health System.

“We also have the fourth Bill, which is called Labour Institutional Bill. All the institutions under labor relations and activities, like Industrial and Arbitration Panel, which you know, is there now, but is not really there as a recognised agency and entity. It answers the name panel.

“So this new Bill wants to make it a Commission.”

“Again, we have the National Labour Advisory Council, which is a body that we set up on recommendation of ILO principles at work. We want it to be a Council. So, these are what the Bills we’re sending (to the National Assembly) now

want to do”, he added.

Dr Ngige said having resolved the grey areas in the proposed amendments, the final product was approved by the Council and would now be transmitted through the Ministry of Justice.

The Minister said the second memo his Ministry presented to FEC, was the Electronic Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (e-NSITF).

He also explained: “Nigeria now operates the old workmen Compensation Act, which is now Employee Compensation Act 2010.

“Therefore, what we are trying to do, is to align the contributions of NSITF to make it fraud-free. People should be able to make the contributions of workers with ease, even from the comfort of their office and generate certificates.

“You know that the ECA makes it mandatory for all employers to insure, through a token contribution of percent of emolument of their workers to the fund called social trust fund of the NSITF.

“And that is the fund with which if you have an accident or disease condition or debt or disability in the course of work, you can make claim, like an insurance claim.”

of Judges in Nigeria, cannot attract the best of hands from the Bar. In the old Western Region, in 1964, the Government paid Judges higher salaries than the Central Bank Governor. This was done, to entice the best of brains into the system. This impacted positively on the judicial system of the Region, at the time.” - Dr Bolanle Olawale Babalakin, SAN

Federal Executive Council Meeting, Abuja

L-R: Senior Partner, Punuka Attorneys & Solicitors, Chief Anthony Idigbe, SAN, former Head of State, General Yakubu Gowon, GCFR, former Chief Justice of Nigeria, Mohammed Belgore, GCON and Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, SAN at the 15th Punuka Annual Lecture and Symposium in honour of the firm's founder, the late Justice Chukwunweike Idigbe in Abuja last Thursday

CSOs and the Media in Promoting Democracy and Good Governance in Nigeria (Part 6)

Introduction

Continuing our discussion of the above topic, in the last episode, we explored the Role of CSOs and the Ways/ Means and Modalities of Creating an Umbrella body for them. The themes of today's analysis are: the Role of the Media (conclusion); the Source of Press Freedom, and the Character of the Nigerian Media. Please, read on.

The Media (Continues)

We are not crusading for an unregulated freedom of speech and the press, which will erect the press unto a monstrous pedestal of ungovernability, uncheck ability and unaccountability.

For as revered Justice Holmes of the United States Supreme Court once put it in Schneck v U.S.

“the most stringent protection of free speech, would not protect a man in falsely shouting fire in a theatre and causing panic”.

What we do insist on, is that if the press has been specifically obligated under the Constitution to make the Government accountable to the governed, then it becomes crystal clear that the latitude of freedom of speech accorded the press under the same Constitution, is grossly inadequate when compared with this onerous responsibility and duties constitutionally imposed on it.

In any paper or discussion on the effective performance of Media in the discharge of statutory functions, not much can be achieved without laying emphasis on press freedom and how it came about.

The Source of Press Freedom

Section 39 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999, provides as follows;

(1)“Every person shall be entitled to freedom of expression, including freedom to hold opinions and to receive and impart ideas and information without interference.

(2)“Without prejudice to the generality of subsection (1) of this section, every person shall be entitled to own, establish and operate any medium for the dissemination of information, ideas and opinions: Provided that no person, other than the Government of the Federation or of a State or any other person or body authorised by the President on the fulfilment of conditions laid down by an Act of National Assembly, shall own, establish or operate a television or wireless broadcasting station for any purpose whatsoever”.

(3)“Nothing in this section shall invalidate any law that is reasonably justifiable in a democratic society -

a) For the purpose of preventing the disclosure of information received in confidence, maintaining the authority and independence of courts or regulating telephony, wireless broadcasting, television or the exhibition of cinematograph films; or

b) Imposing restrictions upon persons holding office under the Government of the Federation or of a State, members of the armed forces of the Federation or members of the Nigeria Police Force or other Government Security services or agencies established by law”.

There are certain issues to be noted in this quotation, before we continue our discussion.

First there is no special or privileged freedom granted to the press or Journalists, over and above

that accorded “every person” in the society.

Secondly, the plentitude of the freedom is categorically enlarged to include “freedom to hold opinions, and to receive and impart ideas and information”.

Thirdly, this freedom is to be enjoyed “without interference”.

Fourth, “every person”, including Journalists, Lawyers, Doctors, Students, Labourers, Market Women, Fish and Plantain sellers etc., can “establish and operate any medium for the dissemination of information, ideas and opinions”.

Fifthly, a law in Nigeria will not be invalidated, if it is justifiable in a “democratic society”. And, it will be so justifiable if its only aim and objective is merely to prevent “the disclosure of information received in confidence” amongst others. It is this section which also protects civil servants and members of the Armed Forces and Police from disclosing official secrets to members of the public.

Whilst Section 36 of the Constitution merely gives equal right to Journalists and other Nigerians alike, the same Constitution curiously imposes on Journalists, specific duties not otherwise requested of other Nigerians. Specifically, Section 22 of the 1999 constitution provides as follows:

“ The press, radio, television and other agencies of the mass media shall at all times be free to uphold the fundamental objectives contained in this chapter and uphold the responsibility and accountability of the Government to the people”

If the Constitution carves the press into a sentinel to watch over the Government, and compel its accountability to the people, it is baffling and inexplicable why duties should be given without the corollary power or authority

of enforcing those duties. This tacit sign of approbation and reprobation, marks the beginning of the problems of the press, which of late, has ingeniously and innovatively embarked upon a different genre of guerilla Journalism to wrench from the Government, powers that ought ordinarily to have been specifically guaranteed under the Constitution. And, in this, the press has shown beyond doubt that independence, whatever type, including that of Journalist, is not given on a platter of gold, but, is fought for and won through sweat, pains, pangs and blood.

For the utmost benefit of nurturing of our nascent democracy and credible conduct of general elections in Nigeria, the media has tried so much in spite of arm twisting constitutional provisions. The brilliant performance of the media since the heydays of sit-tight Military and Civilian dictators in our polity between 1979 and 2007, shows that the Nigerian media is living up to society’s expectations.

In 1993, the media played a key role in reporting the series of incidents that eventually forced the Gen. Ibrahim Babangida Government out of power. Similarly, the press performed the brinkmanship task of checkmating the tyrannical rule of Gen. Sani Abacha’s regime between 1993 and 1998. During the tail-end of President Olusegun Obasanjo’s second presidential-tenure in 2007, a number of his well-wishers attempted to make him amend the Nigerian Constitution, so as to get a third re-election into office as President; but, the vibrant and visible reporting of events by the media, to a large extent, helped in truncating that anti-democratic desire.

Since 1993 to date, the media deserves a lot of commendation in the reporting of political events, military’s incursion in power, nurturing of democratic governments and visible presence during the conduct of general elections, bi-elections, re-run elections and brave reporting of happenings in at various election tribunals and courts. The victorious emergence of Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, of Action Congress, as Governor of Edo State and Olusegun Mimiko, of the Labour Party as Governor of Ondo State, both declared Governors by electoral tribunals, became a sign of better things to come in the Nigerian Polity. The media has actually come a long way in the unbiased reporting of democracy, political events and general elections in Nigeria.

During the Gubernatorial elections held in Anambra State on Saturday, 6th of February, 2010, (in which this writer participated as an

observer), the press partook in recording accurately the election conduct history made in that election. The media openly welcomed all the 25 gubernatorial aspirants without any bias, as photographs and campaign manifestos flooded many newspaper publications prior to the election. Television and radio jingles by these aspirants, were heard and seen in local and national radio and television stations. Media houses deserve commendation in the prompt reporting of political and election events in Anambra’s guber-race. Within 24 hours after the voting exercise, the Anambra indigenes were told who won the gubernatorial elections.

On the field, the Media armed with their cameras, recording equipment and Patrol Vans were seen all over the place in Anambra State, trying to get accurate details of thuggery, ballot box snatching, any form of rigging or electoral malpractice. The high security personnel provided by government, the transparent manner INEC staff conducted themselves, the brilliant performance of INEC monitoring team and observers and the unbiased reporting by Media, have turned out to be the major factors which made Anambra State (February 6th , 2010), gubernatorial elections a huge success.

Character of the Nigerian Media

During the first Republic in Nigeria, between 1960 and 1966, there were ten newspapers. Daily Times (Lagos), West African Pilot (Lagos), Nigeria Citizen (Kaduna), The Outlook (Enugu), The Eastern Guardian (Port-Harcourt), Sketch (Ibadan), The Tribune (Ibadan), The Express (Lagos), Morning Post (Lagos), The Spokesman (Onisha) and the Observer (Benin). There were also the weeklies like the Drum, the spear and the spectator, all published in Lagos. The Federal Government (then in Lagos), and each of the regional Governments (in Benin, Enugu, Ibadan and Kaduna) had radio and television stations.

Of the print media, Daily Times, The West African Pilot, Eastern Guardian, The Spokesman and Tribune were privately owned. Nigerian Citizen, The Outlook, The Sketch, The Daily Express, Morning Post and the Observer were Government owned newspapers. Apart from the Daily Times, the owners of the other privately owned newspapers were deeply involved in partisan politics. Most of these partisan newspapers owners used their media houses to get to Government House, and upon getting there, they usurped other media houses belonging to government for their own personal aggrandisement.

Also, the most successful politicians belonged to the major ethnic groups in the country-HausaFulani, Igbo and Yoruba. The Nigerian regional leaders, during this time, used all the electronic and print media organs within reach, to fan embers of ethnicity and personal political aspirations. The posture of both the government and private media, demonstrated that the interest of the major ethnic group was synonymous with the interest of the region. What this development resulted into, was that, the minor ethnic groups which constitute the plural society, because they neither owned or had access to media organs, had no voice and opportunity for self-expression.

The media, during the democratic experiment of the Second Republic in Nigeria, 1979 to 1983, was made up of electronic medium, which within this period, was either State or Federal owned. However, this situation has since altered, with the emergence of Raymond Dokpesi’s Daar Communication PLC, (the first Nigerian private broadcast group that operates AIT and Ray Power FM); John Momoh’s Channels TV; Nduka Obaigbena’s Thisday and Arise TV; Sam Amuka Pemu’s Vanguard; Ibru’s Guardian; Aboderin’s Punch; Asiwaju’s TVC and Nation; Sam Ndah Isaiah’s Leadership; Eric Osagie’s ThisNigeria; Kabiru Yusuf’s Trust; Ben Bruce’s Silverbird TV; Orji Uzor Kalu’s Sun and Telegraph; etc. Indeed, a new generation of online publications have since emerged to challenge the orthodox print and electronic media. Such are Sahara Reporters, Premium Times, Gazette, Blue Print, News-on-the-Go of Ise-Oluwa Ige; Dele Momah’s Boss, etc. (To be continued).

THOUGHT FOR THE WEEK

“Society cannot exist without law. Law is the bond of society: that which makes it, that which preserves it and keeps it together. It is, in fact, the essence of civil society”. (Joseph P. Bradley)

“During the tail-end of… Olusegun Obasanjo’s second…tenure….his well-wishers attempted to make him amend the Constitution, so as to get a third re-election into office as President; but, the vibrant and visible reporting of events by the media, to a large extent, helped in truncating that anti-democratic desire”

Legal Practitioner Client Relationship

Book Review

Title: Legal Practitioner Client Relationship (2nd Edition)

Author: Geoffrey Uwadiegwu Oputa

Publisher: Justice Watch

Hardcover: ISBN: 978-978-792-776-2

Number of Pages: 643

First Published: 2012

2nd Edition: 2022

Name of Reviewer: Abubakar Sani Esq

Introduction

A recent welcome addition to Nigeria’s legal literature is the “Legal Practitioner Client Relationship” helmed by Geoffrey Uwadiegwu Oputa, himself a counsel (of course!). Made up of three parts, in twenty-one chapters and 643 pages, it takes the reader through the landscape of the unique relationship between legal practitioners and their clients in every area of legal practice - both contentious (litigation) and otherwise.

The value of Geoffrey Oputa’s intervention cannot be overstated, as, in the vast majority of cases, almost every Lawyer has had cause to render his or her services to another person (even another Lawyer), whether that person is a fee-paying client or not. This interface is regulated by law, of course, otherwise, it will be a case of anything goes. Regrettably, not all Lawyers have walked the straight and narrow. Accordingly, the profession’s self-regulating institutions have wielded the big stick so often, that news of counsel being sanctioned for professional misconduct seldom raises eyebrows these days.

It is for this reason, that any text which shines a light on the do’s and don’ts of Lawyers in their interaction with clients, must be embraced. This includes Geoffrey Oputa’s seminal work. As a Lawyer of 35 years post-call, he writes from a deep pool of knowledge and an uncommon wealth of experience. Let's dive straight into his offering then, to see if it lives up to its billing. I promise that, you won’t be disappointed.

Chapter One

This chapter is essentially introductory, as it lays the foundation for the rest of the book. It provides an overview of the Nigerian legal profession and its history, including the progenitors of the modern counsel, such as articled clerks and the local attorney.

Chapter Two

The 2nd Chapter is tilted “the Nigerian Legal Profession” and it starts by asking the question: who is a legal practitioner?. It moves on to the prerequisites for entitlement to practice as a legal practitioner in Nigeria, which include the following: by virtue of office, by warrant of the Chief Justice and by enrolment - including of non-citizens. It then considers the requirements for such enrolment, including the Call to Bar, the qualifications therefor, and the attendant screening (especially of the character) of candidates.

Chapter Three

This chapter discusses “Legal Education in Nigeria”,

its evolution; establishment of law faculties; part-time evening programs; the Law School - it's curriculum and exemption therefrom, restrictions on admission thereto, Continuing Legal Education; the Nigerian Institute of Advanced Legal Studies; and the National Judicial Institute. It concludes with a discussion of emerging ideas, in our legal education.

Chapter Four discusses the Structure of the Legal Profession. It starts with members of the Inner Bar - otherwise known as Senior Advocates of Nigeria, the criteria for their appointment, their privileges, etc. The chapter then discusses Lawyers in industry, their role, limitations and ethical standards applicable to in-house counsel.

It next focuses on Lawyers in government, political appointees, Law Officers (State Counsel), their roles, limitations, restrictions (especially in terms of unionisation) and ethical issues peculiar to them. This is followed by a discussion of Lawyers in private practice, including their classification (of stratification), etc.

Chapter Five discusses regulatory bodies within the legal profession. Their importance cannot be over-emphasised, as they are the Praetorian Guards of the profession, it’s gatekeepers. Their effectiveness or otherwise, resonates with public perception of Lawyers in Nigeria, as their brief is to sanitise the profession. These bodies include: the Council of Legal Education, the General Council of the Bar, the Body of Benchers, the Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee, the Legal Practitioners Privileges Committee, the Legal Practitioners Remuneration Committee, and the Nigeria Bar Association.

Chapter Six examines the “Services Provided by Lawyers” including litigation (advocacy) and non-litigious legal services, and - in the former case - to restrictions on their right of audience in court. It continues with a discussion of Lawyers in salaried employment; as non-executive directors in limited liability companies; as law officers (again); as lecturers; constitutionality of limitation to practice in criminal cases; engagement in business, etc.

Chapter Seven Aptly tilted “Lawyers for the Poor” focuses on the legal equivalent of corporate social responsibility, as it examines the structures and institutions through which counsel offer pro bono (or free services). These include the Legal Aid Council, the Directorate of Citizens’ Rights, the Mediation Centre, the Office of the Public Defender and the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), etc.

Whilst the relatively short Chapter Eight discusses

“The Role of the Legal Practitioner in the Society”, Chapter Nine explores “The Relationship Between the Lawyer and the Court”. It tells us that as an officer of the court, a Lawyer is expected to adhere to certain etiquette in his relationship with the court: he must show respect to the court and observe decorum at all times while in court, etc.

Whilst Chapter Ten deals with the relationship between Lawyers inter se, Chapter Eleven (everso-brief) discusses “The Lawyer and Himself.” The former is rightly more elaborate. It emphasises the espirit de corps which ought to exist between Lawyers; they should not encroach on each other’s business, and their duties when holding each other’s briefs in a matter, etc.

Part Two of the book deals with “The Lawyer and his Client” and it spans Chapters Twelve to Nineteen. The former is tilted “The Creation of Legal Practitioner-Client Relationship”, and it touches everything on the subject: from initial contact (dress code, office setting, comportment and interview technique) to attention to problems.

Chapter Thirteen deals with “Employment and Duties of Legal Practitioners”, and it examines them under the following rubric: his authority upon retainership, prior to and during litigation; his duty not to pursue hopeless claims and his duty as a counsel to the accused in criminal cases (especially when the latter confesses his or her guilt).

Chapter Fourteen discusses the position of Nigerian law on “Advertisement and Solicitation” in the profession, with a comparison between the American, British and Canadian systems.

Chapter Fifteen titled “Conflict of Interest” discusses the various situations in which a counsel might be conflicted in the performance of his professional duties - either with other clients or his own personal interest.

Chapter Sixteen dwells on the rule against divulging “Privileged Communication”. It discusses the scope of the privilege, as well as of confidential communications - and the exceptions thereto. It then explores communications relating to commission of crimes, and which impinge on conflict with clients and while representing several clients.

Chapter Seventeen focuses on the all-important counsel’s fees. This shows that - unless he/she is

working pro bono - a counsel is, first and foremost, a businessman. He/she must, therefore, be businesslike. He (or she) is, however bound by written (and, sometimes, unwritten) rules which specify the kinds of fees that can be charged.

Chapter Eighteen deals with “Financial Regulation and Counsel’s Accounts” and how to operate clients’ accounts. It examines the enforcement of relevant rules, as well as judicial pronouncements on the subject.

Chapter Nineteen is titled “Termination of Employment.” It poses the question: what constitutes justifiable cause for withdrawal by a legal practitioner, and examines the ethical issues involved and the circumstances of discharge of counsel’s services.

Part Three which deals with “Hazards and Discipline at the Bar,” covers only two chapters - Twenty and Twenty one - tilted “Professional Hazard/ Negligence” and “Discipline at the Bar”, respectively. The former explores the legal standard of care applicable to counsel, their liability for negligence, it’s scope and who may sue therefor. The chapter also discusses the different types and variants of contempt of court (in facie curia, ex facie curia, civil and criminal contempt)

The focus of Chapter Twenty-One is “Discipline at the Bar”. It explores counsel’s professional ethics, and the specific breaches of which attract specified sanctions. The Chapter x-rays the mechanisms and institutions for dealing with such infractions (the Legal Practitioners’ Disciplinary Committee, the Chief Justice, the Supreme Court), and concludes with an appraisal of the disciplinary regime.

The last and final part of the book is an appendix, which consists of relevant statutes on the subject.

Conclusion

Geoffrey Oputa has delivered on a topic, which - for obvious reasons - is often overlooked by both scholars and non-scholars alike: it whips Lawyers into line, and attracts few briefs! Little wonder authoritative texts on the subject are few and far between, much less those with depth and breadth. This is where his book shines brilliantly. It will please purists and sticklers for the rules - such as the late, great B.A. Ibironke, SAN, the Director of the then only one Law School - in its heydays. Hopefully, he will rest better now having - presumably - been turning in his grave at the state of his dear profession and its sullied banner, which he handed over without stain. Mr. Oputa has rescued it with his book, and for that, he deserves plaudits.

“It is for this reason, that any text which shines a light on the do’s and don’ts of Lawyers in their interaction with clients, must be embraced. This includes Geoffrey Oputa’s seminal work”

Judicial Officers New Retirement Age Bill: Matters Arising

A fortnight ago, the Senate directed the Clerk of the National Assembly, to transmit the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (Fifth Alteration) Bill No. 20 of 2022, to President Muhammadu Buhari for his assent, in line with the provisions of the Authentication Act. The Bill seeks to ensure uniformity, in the retirement age and pension rights of judicial officers of all superior courts of record. It seeks to extend the retirement age of Judges, from 65 to 70 years. If this Bill receives the President’s assent, judicial officers of the various superior courts of record listed in Section 6(5)(c)-(i) of the Constitution will have a synchronised retirement age of 70 which only the Supreme Court and Court of Appeal Justices enjoy, instead of the 65 years that currently obtains. What purpose would this serve, in the justice delivery system of the country? Will it improve the efficiency and output of judicial officers, in the hierarchy? What are the pros and cons of this synchronisation?

Stephen Kola-Balogun, Dr Akpor

Mudiaga-Odje and Bayo Akinlade do an in-depth scrutiny of the matters arising from this issue

Is there a Need to Increase High Court Judges’ Retirement Age?

Stephen Kola-Balogun

Introduction

Last week, the National Assembly directed its Clerk to transmit the Constitution Alteration Bill No. 20, which purports to approve a

uniform retirement age for judicial officers in Nigeria to President Muhamadu Buhari for his signature and assent. This followed the adoption of a motion titled: “Passage of Constitution (Fifth) Alteration Bill No. 20 (Uniform Retirement Age for Judicial Officers) 2023”. The Bill seeks to extend the retirement age of High Court Judges from 65 to 70 years. Currently, the mandatory

“But, on the flip side, increasing the retirement age of High Court Judges may stifle the steady flow of new appointments to the Bench. This could also affect the overall development of the Judiciary, especially if you have a crop of intellectually lazy or corrupt Judges who need to be weeded out”

retirement age of the Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court Justices as provided for under Section 291 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) is 70 years.

Section 291(1) and (2) of the Constitution provides as follows:

(1) A judicial officer appointed to the Supreme Court or the Court of Appeal may retire when he attains the age of sixty-five years, and he shall cease to hold office when he attains the age of seventy years.

( 2) A judicial officer appointed to any other court other than those specified in subsection (1) of this section may retire when he attains the age of sixty-years, and shall cease to hold office when he attains the age of sixty- five years.

However, the Uniform Retirement Age Bill only seeks to bring the

retirement age of High Court Judges to be at par with that of the Justices of the two appellate courts. The motion which was sponsored by the Chairman of the Senate Ad hoc Committee on Constitution Review, Ovie Omo-Agege, is said to be in line with the provisions of the Authentication Act, and that it also meets the requirements of the constitutional amendment provisions outlined under Section 9(2) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).

1) The Position of Magistrates

To begin with, the title of the Bill namely Uniform Retirement Age for Judicial Officers and Pension Rights, is somewhat misleading. This is because the Bill merely seeks to extend the retirement age of High Court Judges from 65 to 70 years, but Judicial Officers are typically categorised as Judges, Magistrates and even other puisne judicial office holders or officers of courts of limited jurisdiction.

In the Senate

Judicial Officers New Retirement Age Bill: Matters Arising

The Black’s Law Dictionary 6th Edition, at page 848-849 defines a 'judicial officer' as: A Judge or a Magistrate. The term in popular parlance applies generally to any officer of a court, but in the strictly legal sense, applies only to an officer who determines causes or renders decisions in a judicial capacity. This undoubtedly, would include Magistrates. This is further buttressed by Section 6(1) and 6(5)((j) & (k) of the 1999 Constitution as amended. Section 6(1) states that the judicial powers of the Federation shall be vested in the courts to which this section relates being courts established for the Federation.

Section 6(5)(j) further provides as follows :

“such other courts as may be authorised by law to exercise jurisdiction on matters with respect to which the National Assembly may make laws”;

while Section 6(5)(k) provides as follows :

“such other courts as may be authorised by law to exercise jurisdiction at first instance or on appeal on matters with respect to which a House of Assembly may make laws”.

From the foregoing, Magistrate Courts are certainly recognised by the Constitution and Magistrates clearly fall within the scope of the definition of judicial officers under Section 291(2) of the Constitution, yet, the National Assembly appears to want to exclude Magistrates from the increased retirement age. Could this be because Section 6(3) of the Constitution only lists certain courts as superior courts of record, and the said list does not include Magistrate Courts? That being the case, Section 6(3) & (5) of the Constitution ought to be amended to include Magistrate Courts explicitly.

Another argument could be that, since the remuneration of Magistrates is the responsibility of State Governments and not that of the Federal Government as in the case of State and Federal High Court Judges, the National Assembly have excluded them from their amendment Bill; but, they are judicial officers and they do come within the ambit of Section 6(5) of the 1999 Constitution. The above suggests that the Uniform Alteration Amendment Bill No. 20 for Judicial Officers, is flawed.

During the Workers Day celebrations held on the 1st of May, 2023, the President of the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC), Joe Ajaero, demanded that the age of retirement and length of service in the entire Public Service, including the Civil Service should be reviewed upwards to 65 years of age or 40 years of service, whichever is earlier. There is currently no Bill to this effect before the National Assembly as far as I am aware. If however, Magistrates and other cadres of judicial officers are not included in the Bill now awaiting Presidential assent, this would create an ever-widening disparity between Magistrates and Judges. Magistrates may even be better off being classed under the public or civil service categories,

if the NLC eventually get their way. This would greatly affect the morale of Magistrates and the overall balance amongst judicial office holders, to the detriment of the Judiciary in general.

2) Consultation

It is due to obvious flaws such as the one highlighted above, that makes it prudent to always engage in a wide range consultation process or exercise amongst judicial officers and other relevant stakeholders. Typically this should ordinarily involve associations and regulatory bodies such as the National Judicial Council (NJC), Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), the Body of Senior Advocates (BOSAN) and other public or statutory bodies, who will take time to respond to the consultation process, give appropriate advice, and then outline their considered recommendations and relative benefits or otherwise of increasing the judicial mandatory retirement age of High Court Judges, and it’s likely effects on other cadres of judicial office holders.

Pros and Cons

There may, of course, be justifiable arguments for increasing the mandatory retirement age for judicial officer holders generally, in that this may be seen as essential to preserving public confidence in the judicial system, while at the same time protect judicial independence by alleviating the need for constant individual assessments and removing the possibility of judicial office holders

being removed at the whim of an errant executive. It may also be seen to support judicial resource planning.

But, on the flip side, increasing the retirement age of High Court Judges may stifle the steady flow of new appointments to the Bench. This could also affect the overall development of the Judiciary, especially if you have a crop of intellectually lazy or corrupt Judges who need to be weeded out. Increasing the retirement age will make it more difficult to get rid of these intellectually lazy and/ or corrupt Judges in favour of new, forthright, honest and hardworking talent.

Another point worth considering, is the need to be able to determine the average life expectancy of citizens here in Nigeria, so as to ensure that the Bench not only reflects whatever our life expectancy is, but also provides judicial office holders (and potential office holders) greater flexibility in either choosing the right moment when to retire, or when to apply to become a Judge or Magistrate. It is equally vital, that we have sufficient judicial resources to meet the changing demands in our courts and tribunals. For instance, I see no conceivable reason why retired Judges can’t be used in our election petition tribunals and election petition appeal tribunals, instead of the need to fill these tribunals up entirely with serving Judges, thereby causing severe disruptions to our appellate, civil, criminal and commercial law systems which invariably takes years to address. These are the sort of fundamental issues that a consultation paper would look into, and properly address.

The only way we can strike the right balance between increasing the retirement age for judicial office holders, along with whatever benefits there may be to the justice system in retaining their judicial expertise for a much longer period instead of the need to bring in fresh and younger talent (which would invariably become a lot harder and difficult if the retirement age is increased), is by having a proper consultation process involving all stakeholders.

Others may also argue that having a higher judicial retirement age will encourage applications from a more diverse range of candidates, including those who might suddenly

consider a judicial career later in life or perhaps, those who have had to endure extended career breaks as a consequence of persistent struggles in trying to balance professional and family responsibilities. Such people could consider joining the Bench much later in life, once they become a lot less burdened. Increasing the retirement age could equally provide opportunities for Judges who have chosen to join the Bench much later in their careers, to now have sufficient time to impress and develop the necessary skills and expertise to eventually progress up the judicial ladder and become appellate Judges, instead of having to retire from the Bench when they have just about garnered that essential knowledge and experience.

There are indeed many pros and cons, but it’s not for the executive or the legislature to decide upon these salient issues in their respective Assemblies or Ministries, without first embarking upon a proper consultation process and exercise. It is highly essential that the Judiciary and other relevant stakeholders are carried along and fully consulted as an independent arm of government, so that all these important issues of concern are fully assessed and deliberated upon.

Unfortunately, the National Assembly have fallen well short, even if there was some sort of meaningful attempt to do this. Neither does it help, when the likes of the Senate President Ahmad Lawan, openly asserts that: “This is a very important amendment to the Constitution, and we are happy that it is going to be part of our legacy as the 9th National Assembly”. It is not just about securing a constitutional amendment and a legacy for legislators, but more about ensuring that the relevant stakeholders have been consulted in line with the doctrine of separation of powers, and that the majority of those consulted approve of the constitutional amendment for the right reasons.

Conclusion

As the judicial needs in the operation of our courts and tribunals across the country continue to widen, we need to focus more on the resourcing needs of the Judiciary. The frequency and volume of judicial recruitment, have increased in recent years. It is expected that high levels of recruitment will continue to be required in the foreseeable future, cont'd on page X

“….the retirement age for Trial Judges, should be retained, whilst Appeal Courts can be increased to 75 or even 80 years, once the mental and cerebral status of the Justice is still intact, notwithstanding physical constraints….”

Stephen Kola-Balogun

Judicial Officers New Retirement Age Bill: Matters Arising

in order to meet the demands of the various judiciaries across the various States of the Federation. There are not really any real constraints on the vast pool from which Judges are drawn, so why the need to hurriedly increase the retirement age for High Court Judges, without due and proper consultation amongst relevant stakeholders?

The Magistracy remains an important judicial office position, at least for the common man here in Nigeria. The National Assembly should not therefore, widen the divide between them and their more illustrious judicial office holders who happen to be Judges. by openly declaring that Magistrate Courts they are not a superior court of record, thereby creating and magnifying the gap between them. For all the above reasons, President Muhammadu Buhari should desist from signing into law the Uniform Retirement Age for Judicial Officers Bill No. 20 of 2023, and instead, call for further consultations between Lawyers, judicial office holders and other relevant stakeholders.

Stephen Kola-Balogun

Retirement Age for Judges, Ought to be Lower than Appellate Court Justices

Dr Akpo Mudiaga Odje

We retrospect in Biblical times, when Jethro, the father-in-law of Moses, saw Moses settling all disputes himself between the Israelites. Jethro then advised Moses that the settling of disputes himself will wear him down, and as such, he ought to appoint special Judges with the fear of God Almighty to help him with the settling of disputes, which also accounted for the book of Judges

Judges whether in the Trial Court or Appellate Court, are seised with the responsibility of discovering the rectitude in cases brought before them. They are seen as persons who represent the God of justice, in the discharge of their duties on earth.

The gravamen of today’s discourse is whether, we should standardise the retirement ages for Judges at all levels in our Courts.

It’s our modest view that this will be difficult, though it’s not impossible to implement.

Trial Court Judges are Involved More in the Proceedings Before Them

Indeed, the Trial Courts, for instance a Federal High Court, High Court, Magistrate Court and allied inferior courts, are usually saddled with the hearing and determination of cases filed before them. They are the ones charged with investigating and discovering the rectitude of truth of a case brought before them, in our legal system.

They write manually, listen to evidence of the parties, including cross-examination, and usually deliver series of Rulings on objections arising from interlocutory issues as the case may be, before they deliver judgement. Thus, there is a much greater physical, mental and cerebral challenge required as a Trial

Court Judge, than an Appellate Court Judge.

I would therefore, suggest the age for retirement of a Judge ought to be lower than that of an Appellate Court Judge, because of the intensity of work required to be done at trial court, before judgement is eventually delivered.

Even though the Rules of Court have tried to reduce the hectic task of writing down evidence at the trial court by the introduction front-loading system, the trial Judge is still nevertheless, encumbered with the herculean task of writing, questioning and consistently intervening in the proceedings before them.

To that extent therefore, the Trial Court needs a Judge that will be, first of all, physically fit and mentally sound to preside over proceedings relating thereto.

However, at the Appellate level, the Justice is merely saddled with reading through the records of appeal as compiled, which usually includes all relevant documents, pleadings and judgement delivered by the Trial Judge.

Appellate Court Judges Have Lesser Work to do on Appeals, Unlike Trial Court Judges

In addition, in the Appellate Courts, we have three Judges who assist each other and the Supreme Court has a minimum of five Judges at all times to hear ordinary appeals, and seven Justices on constitutional matters. And, as such, an Appellate Court Justice has a lesser need for sound physical disposition to work in his court, as he does not really write, investigate or deliver series of Rulings like a Trial Court Judge.

In other words, whilst a frail looking Appellate Court Judge

can still preside over hearing and determination of an appeal, same cannot handle a Trial Court matter because of physical rigours required to ascertain the truth before that court.

In other climes like the United States, at a point, Appellate Judges were allowed to even hear appeals at 90 years! However, same was not applicable to Trial Court Judges for reasons highlighted and cited above.

In an Appellate Court, more of mental compos mentis and cerebral alertness is required to hear and determine appeals, whereas at the Trial Courts both mental compos mentis and physical soundness must be possessed contemporaneously by the Judge.

Under our Constitution, a High Court and Federal High Court Judge are required to retire at the age of 65, whilst Appellate Courts must retire at 70 years.

Conclusion It is our view, that based on the foregoing adumbrations, the retirement age for Trial Judges, should be retained, whilst Appeal Courts can be increased to 75 or even 80 years, once the mental and cerebral status of the Justice is still intact, notwithstanding physical constraints, as at the Appellate level, a Justice is more or less acting as a Judicial Lecturer, examining the judgement delivered by a Trial Judge from the rigorous process required by Law and Rules of Court at that level.

Consequently, and to my mind, it will be very difficult and highly unfair to harmonise or make as same, the retirement age for a Trial Judge and that of an Appellate Court Justice in Nigeria.

Dr Akpo Mudiaga Odje, LLD, LLM, (Merit), (London); Member, British Council, Honorary Member NIM, RDN; Fellow of Human Rights Network International (HURNETI); Fellow, Institute of Human and Natural Resources (FHNR)

Retirement Age of Judges and Justices is Irrelevant

Bayo Akinlade

Extending the retirement age of all Judges of the superior courts, is not as encouraging as we had hoped. I would have expected the National Assembly to pay more attention to

the infrastructure and funding of the Judiciary, with a view to appointing more Judges and Magistrates.

The unfortunate issue I grapple with, is the state of our Magistrate Courts and Customary Courts, where more than 60% of all disputes and litigation exist.

Challenges

We also have a challenge within the Judiciary, with the use of technology. Many of our current Chief Judges, Justices of the Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court are not internet savvy, and are used to the old ways of justice delivery. By extending the retirement age we have inadvertently set ourselves back, because most Chief Judges will now have five more years or even more, to maintain the status quo. With the financial restrictions or challenges being faced by the Judiciary, we also now have the problem of stagnation. We will be unable to employ new minds into the Bench, as a result of this new law.

With the current workload and docket of an average Judge, it is practical suicide to extend the age to 70 years old, when Judges currently in their 50s have numerous health issues they are dealing with, as a result of low income and the general economic pressures of the nation.

Corruption is bound to increase, with this new law coming into play.

The Government ought to have considered the economic situation and the work pressure of Judges, before extending the age limit. The Government should also focus on lower courts, provide more support and funding for the lower courts, ensure that there are enough Judges and Magistrates who handle less than 20 cases a week. It makes more sense to extend the age limit when Judges only handle five cases a day; but, our Judges are handling 15 to 30 cases per day, which means that in one year they may hear one case fives times only in one judicial year.

The Government now needs to provide an enabling environment for Judges to operate in full capacity after the age of 65, or we may have a breakdown of the judicial structure.

“Corruption is bound to increase, with this new law coming into play. The Government ought to have considered the economic situation and the work pressure of Judges, before extending the age limit”

Bayo Akinlade, Immediate Past Chairman, NBA Ikorodu Branch; National Publicity Secretary, the Nigerian Law Society

Dr Akpor Mudiaga-Odje

Bayo Akinlade

Team G Boxing Academy, Adeniji Timothy; Founder, Uncle Sele Tree and Pillars Foundation, Mr. Selekumo Opuofoni; Founder, Gloves for Africa, Mr. Chucks Uwaechia; and Coach, Tipo Boxing Academy, Taiwo Adegbite, during the Gloves for Africa Street to Champ Expo 2023 press conference in Lagos...recently

Executive Director, Project, Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Charles Ogunmola; special guest, Prince Yemi Etiko; Chairman, A & E Group of Companies, Ayiiri Emami; and Chairman, Madiba Group of Companies, Collins Chikeluba, during the 2023 NDDC-PPP Summit held in Lagos…recently

L-R: Wife of the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), Pastor Mrs. Folu Adeboye; General Overseer of RCCG, Pastor Enoch Adeboye; and Osun State Governor, Senator Ademola Adeleke, at the inauguration ceremony of Jennifer Etuh Medical Centre in Ifewara, Osun State…recently

Chief Executive Officer, TAF Africa, Jake Epelle (left), and General Manager, National Theatre Nigeria/ Chairman, JAMB Equal Opportunity Group (JEOG), Professor Sunday Ododo (right), during the 2023 UTME for blind candidates in Abuja...recently

ENOCK REUBEN

L-R: Yobe State Commissioner for Higher Education, Science and Technology, Professor Moh’d Munkaila; National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) Director-General, Brigadier General Yusha’u Dogara Ahmed; and Yobe

State NYSC Coordinator, Mrs. Hafsat Yerima, during the inauguration of the ultra-modern Skill Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development (SAED) centre in the state NYSC orientation camp in Dazigau Nangere… recently

L-R: Secretary of Osun State Government (SSG), Hon. Teslim Igbalaye; Speaker, state House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Timothy Owoeye; state Deputy Governor, Prince Kola Adewusi; and state Governor, Senator Ademola Adeleke, at the 2023 Worker’s Day celebration held in Osogbo, the state capital…recently

L-R: Coach,

PHOTO: ABAYOMI AKINYELE

L-R:

PHOTO: SUNDAY ADIGIUN

PHOTO:

A cross-section of Persons With Disabilities (PWD) during the 2023 UTME examination for blind candidates organised by JAMB Equal Opportunity Group (JEOG) at the Open University in Abuja…recently PHOTO: ENOCK REUBEN

APC Bad, But Nigeria Is Good

Sadly, some Nigerians do not know how to compartmentalise issues. They feel that a disagreement or disenchantment with the government in power is the same thing as a disagreement or disenchantment with Nigeria.

Not true at all.

Nigeria does not belong to the All Progressives Congress, or the Peoples Democratic Party. Nigeria is a country. If the APC, PDP, or any other political party should suddenly be defunct, Nigeria would continue to exist.

The Northern Peoples Congress was once the ruling party. It ceased to exist in 1966. 57 years later, Nigeria continues to exist.

The National Party of Nigeria was once the party in power. Today, the NPN is as dead as a dodo, but Nigeria is still brimming with life.

This week, there was a great fuss by many Nigerians over a $2 billion airport being built in Rwanda. They saw this as an opportunity to talk down Nigeria and tag her as a big-for-nothing country, while extolling Rwanda and its peoples to high heavens.

The fact is that many of these people have not even been to Rwanda. Yet they believe it is better than Nigeria. Because of a $2 billion airport.

But the fact that Rwanda is building a $2 billion airport is no reason to talk down Nigeria. I celebrate Rwanda. However, Nigeria is also making waves. The Lekki Free Trade Zone alone is worth $25 billion. Please don't take my word for it. Research it yourself. How many times have these same people praised it as Nigerians? Given a $2 billion airport and a $25 billion free trade zone, I am certain the Rwandese would prefer the latter.

But this group of our citizens is now talking down Nigeria because of a $2 billion investment. That investment is just about the same amount that the Lagos State Government spent on their Blue Line Rail.

I have never seen a people that the foreign media can so easily gaslight to turn on themselves. We must learn to promote our own, and others will promote us. Let us use our mouths to build Nigeria. It is the only umbrella covering us.

Some people are saying that since I am speaking well of Nigeria, it means I am about to join the APC. Such myopic thinking! So they think demeaning Nigeria affects only the APC? No. The APC is a party and as Prince sang in his 1985 monster hit, 1999, "Life is just a party.

And parties weren't meant to last."

The APC does not have a passport. Only Nigeria does. Demeaning Nigeria does not only demean members of the APC. It affects you and me. You and I are the ones who will get that demeaning look when we present our passports at Rwanda's airport. Not the APC.

For 8 years, I fought Buhari. I did not fight Nigeria. Big difference. And if the courts don't do the right thing, then I will torment Tinubu for the foreseeable future, if he misbehaves.

Learn to play responsible politics. Oppose bad governance. Don't fight your country. You can do the two things simultaneously. They are not mutually exclusive. Please do not mistake my opposition politics for support of any people's secession agenda. I love my country and I want it peaceful, prosperous, and yes, united. Yes, united. If you don't like that last part, you can keep spreading your lies against me. I am a Nigerian!

When I tried to put things in perspective between Nigeria and Rwanda, a young man named Jideofor Okechukwu, with the Instagram handle jideofor_Oke-

chukwu accused me of rooting for a 'dead' country.

Yet, when there was trouble in Sudan, our citizens were shooting videos complaining that the Federal Government refused to evacuate some of them to your so-called 'dead country'. I watched those videos. Never in my life have I seen anybody so eager to get to a dead country!

Dead country where you have the least expensive petrol in sub-Saharan Africa. Where you have free education up to secondary school, without the precondition of paying tax. Where you have access to a personal travel allowance at the official rate.

Rwanda those fellows are boasting of, as though it were paradise, only generates 276 MW of electricity, which is less than 5% of what Nigeria generates. We have developmental challenges, but we are very much alive. Nigeria will outlive her current challenges. Thank God the rest of the world is beginning to see the good in Nigeria. Our music is now the hottest sound on planet Earth, and Lagos' economy alone is rivalling the entire economy of Kenya and is Africa's ninth biggest economy.

Nigeria is not a dead country and shall never be a dead country. Those who wish her dead will never succeed in Yeshua's Name.

There are challenges in every country. Take America for example. In ten years, property prices in America have doubled. In that same time, the minimum wage

did not double. It remained more or less the same.

Canada experienced the same thing and had to take the extraordinary step of enacting legislation preventing foreigners from buying homes in Canada, so they do not drive house prices beyond the reach of Canadians. Things are difficult everywhere.

These guys say Nigeria is bad. Yet, in France, the French are rioting in the streets because their retirement age was increased from 62 to 64. Meanwhile, in Nigeria, workers are begging the Federal Government to raise the retirement age from 60 to 65.

In 2005, Nigerians fled parts of America due to Hurricane Katrina. In 2020, Nigerians rushed to escape from the UK to Nigeria because they did not want to catch #COVID19. In 2022, our nationals fled Ukraine after the Russian invasion. And now, our citizens are being evacuated from Sudan. Don't wait until you are forced to return to Nigeria for your safety before appreciating your country. You call it a zoo, yet, if war catches you, you will zoom into the zoo even if you must use a canoe. Appreciate Nigeria. Don't depreciate her with your public comments. Nigeria has its developmental challenges. However, we have a pretty decent country. Some things we enjoy and take for granted are what others dream of and take to the streets for!

A lizard in Nigeria won't automatically be a crocodile in America. Stop putting down Nigeria!

The first time a lot of Nigerians ever experience depression is after relocating to their 'dream country'. They then realise that all that glitters is not gold. They left a warm communal way of life, for a cold, individualistic way of life, where neighbours go to work, and avoid contact with each other.

The warmth that they take for granted in Nigeria is all too often missing. Even though it is almost 70 years old, I still recommend that Nigerians wishing to japa should read Trinidadian author, Sam Selvon's book, The Lonely Londoner.

Not much has changed. And the same can actually be said about our people.

A hundred years ago, Lord Frederick Lugard described our people as "excitable person(s), lacking in self-control, discipline and foresight."

And that is what came to mind when I read the words of those Nigerians excitedly belittling Nigeria and praising Rwanda just because of a $2 billion airport.

Our people are too easily carried away. We have very little control of our mouths. We do not understand the power of the tongue and will gladly unleash a stream of negative things about our country.

The problem is not always, and only the Nigerian government. It is more appropriately with the Nigerian people. Amidst crisis, Nigeria evacuated Nigerians from a war zone in Sudan. Rather than praise this feat and the financial and logistical assistance given to the evacuees when they arrived in Nigeria, many are criticising it.

If it is that easy, how come Africans from at least 27 countries, including Rwanda, have not fully evacuated all their nationals wishing to leave Sudan, as Nigeria has done?

There are still British and American citizens trapped in Sudan. Meanwhile, you are badmouthing and undermining Nigeria's efforts.

Unlike some other Africans, Nigerian evacuees from Sudan were evacuated for free. When they landed in Nigeria and before being handed over to their state governments, they were each given N100k, N25k recharge cards and 1.5 GB data. Are those the actions of a bad country?

In my opinion, the Sudan evacuation efforts are commendable. The ministry and minister of foreign affairs should be commended. They represented Nigeria well in this singular endeavour. This is not a blanket endorsement. This is specific.

The financial and logistical support to those affected is a most humane act. The Nigerian Airforce is not to be forgotten. They have shown great courage by rushing in to help when others were running out.

I also commend Nigerian Airlines like Air Peace, Azman, and others, which, at significant personal, business and infrastructural risks, have availed their assets for this patriotic evacuation effort. Together, they have reawakened patriotism in the hearts of many grateful and right-thinking Nigerians.

Reno’s Nuggets

Last year, there was a racist chant by the stadium crowd against Victor Osimhen. Yesterday, there was a praise chant by the stadium crowd for him. Learn from that. Don't react to your enemies. Just win and they will be the ones reacting to you! Stop arguing with your haters and enemies. Go and succeed. Nobody can argue with that. Success is always the best revenge.

Happy 70th Birthday Mike Adenuga

If there is one man whose wealth has reflected on his family, community, friends, and nation, that person is Michael Adeniyi Agbolade Ishola Adenuga Jr.

A lot of people say that Nigerians do not celebrate their icons. And to an extent, that is true. But Nigerians celebrated Mr Adenuga on his birthday. And even before that day. Why? He is a notoriously media-shy person. He hardly gives interviews. He is averse to attending social occasions.

But despite that aspect of his personality, his generosity has been able to permeate all strata of Nigerian society. Silently and consistently. He is a man that understands that media is not a charity and that a media workman is worthy of his wages.

And when you talk about pan Nigerianism. there is no better example than Mr Adenuga. Not only does his generosity transcend region and religion, but his

business interests are almost a national interest. Because everywhere you look in Nigeria, he has business interests there.

My brother met his wife at Adenuga's bank. I used Adenuga's mobile telephony. And my late friend benefited from his foray into oil and gas. And yet, despite having been a Presidential spokesman, I have never met the man. He has practised the art of having an absence that is more powerful than the presence of many people.

And he is not just pan Nigerian, or pan African. He is global. How do I know?

My English friend, Michael Moszinsky, flew to Nigeria over 50 times because of Mr Adenuga. And when we both met with Boris Johnson, guess whose name was on the mouth of that influential British establishment figure? The Bull.

Happy birthday sir. You are one in a million, and a grateful nation celebrates with a great-full hero.

APC National Chairman, Abdullahi Adamu

Adenuga

Ijeshatedo: Lagos Bus Stop Where Helpless Pedestrians

Perish Daily after One Year of Bridge Damage

One year after the pedestrian bridge at Ijesha Bus stop along Oshodi Apapa Expressway was damaged by a truck, the bridge is still in a sorry state as road users groan and number of victims increases day by day, writes

Mary Nnah

“Those black patches you are seeing at the foot of the bridge are the blood of an elderly man who was just crushed by a commercial bus a few hours ago while he was crossing the expressway. This kind of gory sight is a daily occurrence since the collapse of the pedestrian bridge."

That was how the current pathetic prevailing situation at the Ijesha Bus stop along Oshodi Apapa Expressway was narrated by Iya Fatai, a fruit seller at the bus stop when this correspondent visited the area. Her lamentation was the same with sellers of different articles and pedestrians at the bus stop.

Recently, there has been an upsurge in the proportion and absolute number of traffic fatalities at the bus stop as a result of the damaged pedestrian bridge. At the last count, the bus stop has witnessed an average of three accidents daily, of which most of them were fatal.

It could be recalled that in the early hours of Wednesday, 16th March 2022, a truck was coming from Apapa axis at top speed, probably with a faulty bucket and on getting to the bridge with its bucket raised; it hit the bridge and got stuck. In an attempt to pull the truck off the bridge, that resulted in a section of the bridge broke away, thus rendering the bridge impassable.

The bridge, which was damaged by a heavy-duty moving truck over one year ago, was serving all pedestrians from the densely populated Amuwo/FESTAC axis and Ijesha/Surulere areas of Lagos. Besides, other big churches like TREM, Bride Assembly, Mountain of Fire Ministries, Deeper Life Bible Church, etc, with large worshipers, have their branches within the areas.

It also has as its tenant a branch of Fidelity Bank, the expansive Akolade shopping complex and the headquarters and revival ground of The Lord’s Chosen Charismatic Revival Ministries, which is one of the most mega ministries in Nigeria with tens of thousands of worshipers cross the road for church activities on daily basis.

Given the importance of the bridge to the people, it was expected the damage would have been repaired or reconstructed before now. Thus the people are groaning over the inability of the authorities to fix it to date.

Accidents don’t just happen, they are caused. It, therefore, goes to say that every accident about transport is not a mere occurrence but has been instituted as a result of one factor or another. Often, members of one family are wiped out. That is more

reason it is expected that shortly after the incident, the authority concerned should have swerved into action to fix the bridge due to the purpose it is serving.

THISDAY gathered that four days after the incident, the Director, Federal Highways, South West Region, Mr Adedamola Kuti announced that the bridge has been shut down for safety reasons. In that briefing, Kuti expressed surprise over the accident as according to him the 30-year-old bridge was higher than the normal heights for bridges of its types and that was more reason it could enable all trucks, vis-à-vis containerized vehicles and fuel tanks etc.

The director also stated that the truck driver who was responsible had been apprehended, and would soon be prosecuted for deliberate damage to public infrastructure.

Kuti regretted that it was not fair after the Federal Government had spent huge resources to construct and repair roads and other infrastructures, such facilities would get damaged or abused by the users. He however promised that the ministry would invite their contractor to assess the level of damage to advise on what to do.

Moreover, he ordered that some of the beams and slabs still hanging dangerously on the facility should be removed immediately to prevent them from falling on moving vehicles thereby causing more harm.

He therefore appealed to pedestrians and other road users to bear with the government, while assuring speedy rehabilitation of the bridge.

Kuti assured of the presence of the police at the spot to ensure safety around the damaged facility. Meanwhile, according to him calls had been placed through to the Federal Roads Safety Corps (FRSC) and the Lagos State Traffic

Management Authority (LASTMA) to assist pedestrians who now have no other option than to walk across the highway.

But despite the promises made by Kuti, the bridge is still in a sorry situation and has not been fixed to date. Also, those he said would be at the spot to assist pedestrians crossing the road are nowhere to be found.

As a result, many road users have died, while others sustained injuries. Some pedestrians had expressed fear and worries over the danger of dashing across the expressway due to the incessant accidents and the number of casualties involved.

Given the prevailing anxious situation at the Ijesha bus stop, one would be wondering if the huge amount invested by the federal, and state governments and CSOs in the campaign to draw the attention of Nigerians to the need to use the pedestrians’ bridges when crossing highways is in vain.

When there is no alternative crossing-aid provided in such a case as the Ijesha bus stop, what shall the righteous do? Sometimes some overzealous security agents instead of helping, extort pedestrians crossing the highway. Furthermore, what is the the rationale for asking the security agencies to arrest and sanction persons who cross the highway at the location where the pedestrian bridge is damaged as is done at the Ijesha bus stop.

We were told that one of the civic responsibilities of the government is to save life and properties. But in the case of this strategic bus stop, a lot of doubt is being cast upon the government because of its inability to demonstrate empathy when it is most required.

It was the same story of dismay by those interviewed by this writer at the bus stop.

Mrs Tina Akume, a teacher explained that the fear of death by accident has hindered a lot of businesses within the area, as many children and others in the neighborhood had stopped going to school because of the inability to cross the expressway.

According to her, some adults are now compelled to trek a kilometer to access another bridge.

Also, one of the pedestrians, Mrs Ogechi

We were told that one of the civic responsibilities of the government is to save life and properties. But in the case of this strategic bus stop, a lot of doubt is being cast upon the government because of its inability to demonstrate empathy when it is most required

Onyenze lamented that due to her health condition, she couldn’t cross the expressway unless assisted by sympathisers.

The same applies to many other people living or doing business around the vicinity.

Mr Olatunde Adegbemi on his own narrated his ordeal on the damaged bridge, pointing out that life has not been easy for road users like him. "Crossing the expressway without using the bridge is like one trying to commit suicide. There had been several accidents at this spot.

" Most times many spend up to thirty minutes for traffic to ease before embarking on crossing the busy expressway. When I remember how vehicles kill people here regularly, I become afraid of crossing, but due to no alternative means, I decided to take the risk." He said.

Adegbemi called on both Lagos State and Federal Governments to treat the damaged bridge as an emergency that needs urgent attention. "This Bridge needs urgent attention because many accidents have occurred here. Many have died here, while others sustained serious injuries. So, those concerned should not wait until more people die, before fixing the bridge."

Another pedestrian, Mr. Ernest Asuquo averred that crossing the expressway has caused a lot of deaths, as some pedestrians do so, without looking properly. He, therefore, appealed to the Federal Government to speedily fix the bridge to save lives”

Reacting to the collapsed bridge, the spokesperson of The Lord’s Chosen Charismatic Revival Ministries, Pastor Louis Chidi was almost in tears, as he recounted the number of ghastly accidents that had occurred at the bus stop as a result of the damaged bridge. “The rate at which accidents happen at that bus stop is alarming and may have exceeded about 40% of the total accidents in Lagos state. The essence of a pedestrian bridge is to make crossing safer for pedestrians and other users. And now there is no bridge; it implies that death has been declared to those who would have used it to save their lives.

"Many have died in the course of trying to cross the Apapa/Oshodi expressway either on their way going or returning. We are not happy seeing casualties as a result of controllable accidents that are posing serious concerns to us. Could you believe that many families have lost their loved ones at that place? The lives lost at that place cannot be quantified with what it will cost to fix the bridge."

He expressed regrets that people are allowed to die in such a manner when there are supposed to be preventive measures to be taken.

Ijesha bridge

Diya Fatimilehin Urges Govt to Subsidise Mortgage for Robust

Real Estate Sector

Bennett Oghifo

The federal government has been urged to subsidise the mortgage regime to make housing delivery sustainable.

The Founding Partner of Diya Fatimilehin & Co, Gboyega Fatimilehin gave this advice in an interview with journalists after a Prayer Breakfast the firm held in Lagos to mark its 40 years’ anniversary recently.

Fatimilehin said in the next decade he

expects a brighter future for the nation’s real estate sector and that his firm would contribute much more to the property market and “see how best we can assist the country to achieve that height, scaling up real estate and scaling up the GDP of the country.

“In most developed countries, real estate accounts for 60 percent to 70 percent of their GDP, but in Nigeria

it is still .8 percent,” stating that it would be interesting to scale it up to 40 percent in the next 10 years.

He said the loan ceiling of N15 million being given by the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria (FMBN) is an attempt to subsidise housing production but that it would be more productive for the government to subsidise mortgage.

According to him, the government puts a loan limit “because they want to subsidise production

(housing), but does that limit bring satisfaction to the borrower. Why don’t we subsidise the mortgage so that I can buy what I want?

“There are a number of houses without occupants because they are not what people want.”

Head of Practice, Diya, Fatimilehin & Co, Idowu Bakare, said the government should institute a workable mortgage system that is sustainable, stating that mortgage ought to last 30 years or more.

Professionalism Bane of Real Estate Industry, Says Oshogwe

Bennett Oghifo

Uzo Oshogwe, the Managing Director of leading Real Estate firm, Afriland Properties Plc, has cited the lack of professionalism and ethics as key factors militating against the growth of the real estate industry in Nigeria.

Speaking at the company’s recent AGM held in Abuja, Afriland’s Chief Executive Officer spoke on the need for developers to abide by international building standards and the rules set by local regulators to boost investor confidence. She said, “It is unfortunate that some developers cut corners and produce substandard products that can endanger lives. With each building collapse, investor apathy increases, which has far-reaching effects on the industry. It is already difficult for developers to deal with economic instability hurdles; add investor apathy induced by the unethical practices of some developers and the task becomes even more challenging.

In her statement, Mrs. Oshogwe reaffirmed Afriland Properties Plc’s commitment to providing value to its stakeholders. She stated “Our values are anchored on 3 Es, Excellence, Execution and Enterprise. Across all of our real estate offerings, from Project development to Facility management

and Property management, we ensure that we leave no stone unturned to deliver quality services and projects to our clients. She also added “We have several upcoming developments. There are luxury apartments in Club Road, Ikoyi, and Aromire in Ikeja, as well as commercial developments in Abule Egba, Lagos and Trans-Amadi, Port Harcourt, and our flagship estate, Afriland Estate, which will be built in Karmo, Abuja. As with all our developments, they feature quality craftsmanship and excellent delivery,”

The Afriland CEO reiterated the company’s commitment to stakeholder satisfaction. She said, “Our foundations are solid, and we ensure that we follow building regulations and standards as well as international best construction practices. This spans titling, obtaining building approvals and stage certifications from Building Control agencies, and hiring qualified manpower for the execution of our development projects. Our deliverables are quality real estate assets that stand the test of time and give our clients value for their money.

Black Pelican Marks 19th Anniversary, Thanks Customers

Bennett Oghifo

Nigeria’s foremost total Interior solutions provider: Black Pelican Limited, with a track r ecord of providing high quality interior fittings for residential and commercial construction projects; recently marked its 19th anniversary. In commemoration of its anniversary, the company will be rewarding its customers for their patronage over the years.

Speaking on this milestone, Mr. Michael Owolabi, MD/CEO Black Pelican Limited commended the effort of his team for the success of the organization and appreciated customers for their patronage and support. ‘’Our team and our customers are the two most important reasons that we are a thriving business today. We have become a reference point for interior design in Nigeria solely through their contributions. Our gratitude to these 2 key stakeholders is immeasurable. We do not take them for granted’’.

With its Headquarters situated in Lekki, Lagos, the company has then expanded over the years with design centers in Abuja and Lagos centers in Lekki, Victoria Island & Ajah.

The company, which commenced operations in May 2004, was birthed to fill a gap in the sanitary ware market for quality bathroom solutions for high end residences in Nigeria. Black Pelican Limited is now involved in the entire interior design value chain by offering other support services through its fully established subsidiaries- IL Bagno, Bathrooms Dir ect, BPL Logistix, Bagno Technik and BPL Wellness.

Black Pelican Limited is a globally recognised awardwinning company known for the highest standards in both service and product offerings.

L-R: General Manager Metro & Castle, Sylvester Anenih , Panelist, Peter Twinnet of Twinnept Global, Managing Director,

I can assure all stakeholders and off-takers that our new developments will offer substantial returns on their investment.

Afriland Properties Plc is a property manage-

ment, investment, and development company, offering end-to-end services across the real estate value chain, from management to joint-venture investments.

Qshelter Launches New Platform for Seamless Real Estate Transactions

Bennett Oghifo

QuickShelter, also known as Qshelter, has announced the launch of its website, providing a professional digital property platform to support seamless real estate transactions in Nigeria and for global users who are interested in buying properties in Nigeria. This platform aims to revolutionise the real estate Industry in Nigeria and globally, according to a statement by the company.

The Qshelter platform brings together real estate and mortgage services, connecting developers, homeowners, mortgage lending institutions, Pension Funds Administrations, land surveyors and legal experts to clients across diverse industries offline and online. The platform is designed to simplify the real estate process for users, making it more accessible, efficient, and secure.

With the new website, users can now search for properties, apply for mortgage financing, receive support to access their 25% RSA balance, title preparation and perfection, schedule inspections, get home ownership education and make offers all from the comfort of their own homes. The platform also offers features such as online payment options, and access to real estate professionals.

“We understand that buying or selling a property can be a stressful experience, and our platform aims to simplify the process by providing a user-friendly interface and access to experienced professionals,” said Alamu Adegbenga, Chief Operation Officer of Qshelter. QShelter’s platform is available to users globally, with a focus on the Nigerian market. The platform provides access to a wide range of properties across Nigeria.

“We believe that our platform will revolutionize the real estate industry in Nigeria and globally,” said Adegbenga. “We are committed to providing our users with a seamless and secure experience and look forward to seeing the positive impact our platform will have on the real estate industry.”

Lagos Partners Nigeria Police to Regenerate 25 Barracks in Lagos

Bennett Oghifo

The Lagos State Government has initiated a partnership with the Nigeria Police Force to remodel, regenerate, and rehabilitate 25 barracks belonging to the Nigeria Police Force across Lagos State.

The Special Adviser to the Lagos State Governor on Housing, Mrs. Toke BensonAwoyinka disclosed this on Wednesday during a press conference held at Nigeria Police Command, Ikeja, Lagos.

Mrs. Benson- Awoyinka averred that the officials of the Nigeria Police Force across the

nation and their families deserve better habitation and befitting model infrastructure amenities at the barracks in order to enhance their service delivery.

She informed that the State Government will facilitate all planning works and building approvals needed for the realization of the projects and will also make sure that buildings are constructed to acceptable standards.

The initiation of the regeneration plans, according to Benson-

Awoyinka, shows that both the federal and the State Government takes the welfare of the security operatives seriously. “The governments are passionate about the welfare of the members of the force, hence necessitated the regenerations of these barracks within Lagos State.

She appreciated the Lagos State Governor, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu and Federal Government through the Inspector General of Police, IGP Usman Aikali Baba for putting heads together for this initiative of giving a facelift to Nigeria Police barracks in Lagos State.

Also speaking, the Special Adviser E-GIS

and Planning Matters to Governor Sanwo-Olu, Dr.Olajide Babatunde, informed that the move to regenerate the barracks will help prevent avoided building collapse, revealing that the Lagos State Building Control Agency, LASBCA had severally certified some Police Barracks in the State as unfit for habitation.

While recalling that LASBCA recently published the list of some distressed properties in the newspapers for the awareness of affected property owners before demolition, Dr. Babatunde called on habitants of distressed buildings in any part of the state to willingly vacate such buildings for public safety.

Metro & Castle, Adekunle Abdul, Panelist Oduwole Azzizzat of Sheltery Realty and Prince Bobby Udosen CEO Ace Citygate Properties who Moderated the Panel Session at the “Realtors Hangout’ organised by Metro & Castle in Lagos... recently

THISDAY TUESDAY, MAY 9, 2023

MONEY MARKETREPOS & P INDEX S & P INDEXEXCHANGE RATE OPR 11.25% CALL 19.12% INDEX LEVEL 611.31% 1/4 TO DATE -0.07%N462.50/ 1 US DOLLAR* OVERNIGHT 11.50% 1-MONTH 16.25% 1-DAY 0.03% YEAR TO DATE 0.48%*AS AT LAST FRIDAY 3-MONTH 15.75% MONTH-TO-DATE -0.7%

Lion’s Share as Fuel Subsidy Hits N21.7trn

Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja

Nigeria’s spending on its controversial fuel subsidy regime has gobbled up about N21.7 trillion in the last 18 and a half years, a THISDAY computation of data from the Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI) and an independent review of figures between 2005 and the first half of 2023 has shown.

While between 2005 and 2021, N13.7 trillion was spent on subsidising petrol for Nigerians, a THISDAY analysis of the expenditure on the product in 2022 and the first half of 2023 indicated that N8 trillion would have been paid out for the

Peter Uzoho

Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), Mr. Gbenga Komolafe, has reassured that the advent of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) 2021 has completely nullified

in

purpose by June this year.

However, quoting the result of a study provided by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), NEITI said that expenditure on petroleum products by the five income groups in Nigeria showed that the richest 20 per cent consumes 75 per cent of petrol in Nigeria while the poorest 20 per cent consumes just 1 per cent of the product.

Extending the analysis to cover more income groups, the initiative said that the NBS data also confirmed that the richest 40 per cent consumes 90 per cent of the fuel while the poorest 40 per cent consume 4 per cent of fuel subsidy spending.

According to NEITI, the lopsided figures are attributable to the vehicle ownership data in the country whereas the rich have multiple cars with the use of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) accounting for 96 per cent of total products consumed in the country.

“This implies that 90 per cent of PMS subsidy benefits go to the rich, and just 4 per cent to the poor,” the report stated.

A breakdown of the figures showed that in 2005, the base year for the survey, N351 billion was spent on petrol subsidy, while in 2006, 2007 and 2008 respectively, N257 billion, N272 billion and 631

billion were spent respectively for the purpose.

In 2009, subsidy gulped N469 billion, it was N667 billion in 2010 while in 2011, Nigeria expended an unprecedented amount (at the time) of N2.1 trillion on moderating the price of the fuel.

Furthermore in 2012, Nigeria spent N1.36 trillion; N1.32 trillion in 2013; N1.2 trillion in 2014, N654 billion in 2015 and N240 billion in 2016 as well as N154 billion in 2017.

Besides in 2018, 2019, 2020 and 2021 respectively, fuel subsidy gulped N1.1 trillion; N508 billion; N864 billion and N1.43 trillion separately for each year. However, a THISDAY

analysis of the figure in 2022 showed that N4.4 trillion was spent for the purpose while between January to June this year, subsidy will consume N3.6 trillion, rounding off the amount at N21.7 trillion for the years under consideration.

The low subsidy expenditure in some of the years under review was due largely to the price modulation system put in place by the government during the period, even though the size of subsidy payments generally reflects the level of crude oil prices at any point in time.

While an earlier study in 2015 measured the impact of subsidies on all fuels, including kerosene, and

found that the rich enjoy twice as much benefit from fuel subsidies as the poor, the lower concentration of benefits in the second result showed that the benefit of subsidy kerosene is more evenly distributed across income groups.

However, kerosene is currently priced out of the hands of the poor as a litre currently sells for over N1,500 in the black market where it is mostly available.

Introduced over 50 years ago as a temporary intervention to reduce the impact of the sharp rise in global prices due to the middle east crisis,

Continued on page 26

discretionary award of oil blocks to companies and individuals in the Nigerian oil and gas industry. Komolafe made the reassurance during an interview with journalists on the sidelines of the justconcluded Offshore Technology Conference (OTC), in Houston, Texas, United States.

He explained that with the PIA now in force, the era of giving out oil and gas licenses to friends and cronies as well as the existence of portfolio contractors in the Nigerian petroleum sector have all gone.

Before now, the discretionary award of oil blocks to family members, friends and cronies

by presidents acting on the powers bestowed on them by the previous Petroleum Act, with little attention to technical and financial competence and capacity had been part of the problems that led to the collapse of the nation’s upstream sector.

Many Nigerian indigenous

companies have been awarded oil blocks and marginal fields but only few have been able to progress their assets to first oil, leaving the assets stranded years after award.

Nigerian oil and gas upstream sector, Komolafe said such existed in the past as PIA does not allow for portfolio contractors that arise when assets were given on discretion.

25 NAME OF COMMODITY SIZESTATEPRICE SORGHUM 100KG 100KG 50KG 100KG 50KG 100KG 100KG JIGAWA KADUNA LAGOS BENUE ENUGU DELTA ABIA N30,000 N32,000 N26,000 N32,000 N24,000 N35,000 N36,000 NAME OF COMMODITY SIZESTATEPRICE RICE 100KG 50KG 50KG 50KG 50KG 50KG 50KG ABUJA PLATEAU (JOS) LAGOS SOKOTO OYO KWARA RIVERS N35,000 – N45,000 N32,500 – N42,000 N35,000 – N45,000 N60,000 – N70,000 N35,000 – N45,000 N24,000–N27,000 N36,500 – N46,500 NAME OF COMMODITY SIZESTATEPRICE BEANS 50KG BAG 100KG 100KG 100KG 100KG MAIDU GURI KANO ABIA LAGOS DELTA N22,000 –N30,000 N35,000 N35,700 N36,000 N36,000 FOOD COMMODITIES PRICE TODAY

FOOD COMMODITIES PRICE TODAY

Power Supply: Lagos, PH Receive Transmission Equipment Spare Parts

Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja

The Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) has taken delivery of a new 300MVA 330/132/33kV power transformer at its Lekki transmission substation, the latest addition of new transformers delivered to the substation.

Earlier, the substation received two 60/75MVA power transformers in and three heavy-duty truckloads

of transformer components, a statement by the General Manager, Public Affairs, Ndidi Mbah said.

“TCN management through its Lagos region has continued to ensure prompt execution of transmission projects within the region.

“This entails the upgrade or total overhaul of its equipment where needed to achieve a more effective and efficient bulk transmission of electricity to the distribution load centres of

the Ikeja and Eko Discos and reduce to minimal, downtime that would have resulted from equipment failure,” Mbah said.

On installation, she said the power transformer will add 240MW to the Lekki substation capacity while arrangements are being made to put the transformer on the ‘plinth’ to enable its installation, while under the Lagos region, several substations and line projects had been completed in the last one year.

Meanwhile, TCN said it also recently received some transmission equipment spare parts at its Port Harcourt regional office in Rivers State, for the prompt replacement of faulty parts and for maintenance of its substations within the region.

“The parts comprise circuit breakers, isolators, batteries, battery chargers, relays, lightning arresters, among others. These provide ready maintenance equipment for

Africa to Be Biggest Loser If Global Tensions Mount, IMF Warns

Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja

Africa could suffer a permanent economic hit if tensions splinter the global economy into opposing trading blocs around the US and China, the International Monetary Fund

(IMF) has said. “If geopolitical tensions were to escalate, countries could be hit by higher import prices or even lose access to key export markets — about half of the region’s value of international trade could be impacted,” the

IMF wrote in an essay.

It estimated that sub-Saharan Africa could see a 4 per cent decline in gross domestic product after 10 years under a severe version of this bipolar world, according to a Bloomberg report. Matters could be made

worse if capital flows are also affected, which would do lasting harm to long-term economic development. The report estimated that foreign direct investment into the region could potentially fall by as much as $10 billion.

African Refiners: Displacing Charcoal to Cost $7.5bn in Downstream Infrastructure

Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja

African Refiners and Distributors Association (ARDA) has said that displacing charcoal with clean cooking would cost Africa about $7.5 billion for downstream infrastructure and stoves.

Stressing that the continent remains the lowest in per capita Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) consumption despite huge resources,

Group Business Editor

Eromosele Abiodun

Deputy Business Editor Chinedu Eze

Comms/e-Business Editor

Emma Okonji

Asst. Editor, Money Market

Nume Ekeghe

Senior Correspondent

Raheem Akingbolu (Advertising)

Correspondents

Emmanuel Addeh (Energy)

KayodeTokede(CapitalMarkets)

James Emejo (Finance)

Ebere Nwoji (Insurance)

Reporters

Nosa Alekhuogie (ICT)

Peter Uzoho (Energy)

Ugo Aliogo (Development)

ARDA which disclosed this at an LPG Virtual Workshop, stated that Africa must take advantage of its resources for growth.

Executive Secretary of ARDA, Anibor Kragha, who spoke on the occasion, said that while Sub-Saharan Africa has 14.4 per cent of world’s population , it has less than 1 per cent of global LPG consumption. “Many countries have little or no bulk handling facilities,” Kragha said.

But he noted that LPG consumption in Africa has more than doubled since 2010, noting that the consumption recorded 9.7 per cent annual growth rate over the past decade.

While stressing that Nigeria remains largest LPG consumer, Kragha said LPG is fastest-growing petroleum product in Sub- Saharan Africa.

In his remarks, Vice President, LPG, Europe, Middle East and

Africa at Argus, David Appleton said LPG remains critical to energy security in Africa, explaining that safety, pricing, culture and finance are critical to the growth of the sector in Africa.

Appleton stated that investors in the sector needed returns, adding that there must a way to de-risk investment as much as possible, while the continent must think about long term investment, as well as regulatory progress and consistency.

Senior Associate, Investments, African Finance Corporation, Moussa Dabo, who disclosed at the event that the firm has invested $10.5 billion across 36 countries in Africa said there was need to improve governance and institution for Africa to attract investment.

Dabo noted that lenders were more comfortable lending to organisations that are willing to

establish the best-in-class business practices, adding that stability and practicability of cash flow could significantly help reduce cost of financing while driving more investment into LPG.

“Securing favourable, diversified and long term supply contracts with established global traders is necessary,” he said, urging players in the sector to recalibrate their capital structure before seeking financing. He noted that equity injection in the business could help lower financing cost.

In a slide by Wagl Energy Limited, stakeholders at the company noted that the potential for LPG consumption in Africa could improve if the continent is committed to solving challenges in the areas of gas production that prioritize local market, shipping and storage as well as distribution to other end users.

NIMASA Urges Nigerians in Diaspora to

Eromosele Abiodun

The Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), has called on Nigerians in diaspora to consider investing in the country’s maritime sector, describing it as the next big thing packed with assets to fuel the growth of the economy.

Director General of NIMASA, Dr Bashir Jamoh made the call during the closing ceremony

Invest in Maritime Sector

of the Global African Diaspora Symposium, themed, “Building stronger connections between Africa and the Global Diaspora,” held in Abuja.

Represented by the Director, Special Duties, Mr Isichie Osamgbi, he said, “the maritime sector is an untapped gold in the country and we see it as the future oil. The assets in the maritime industry - we call it the ‘blue economy’ is far greater than you can imagine. So

we believe it is something worth investing in now. An investment in the maritime sector in Nigeria is considered well invested funds “

On her part, the Director General, Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM) - organizers of the Symposium, Abike Dabiri-Erewa, expressed appreciation to NIMASA for their support to the programme and urged participants interested in the maritime industry to reach out to the Agency for clarity.

downtime

Uzu: Investments in Technology Earned GPPSL Oil Industry Recognition

Peter Uzoho

The Managing Director, Global Process & Pipeline Services Limited (GPPSL), Mr. Obi Uzu, has said that the Pipeline Tool Award the company received at the just concluded Nigeria International Energy Summit 2023 was a recognition for the huge investments the firm made over the years in the country’s oil and gas industry.

Uzu stated this in a statement issued after receiving the award at the annual energy summit held recently in Abuja.

“We have forged enduring partnerships and made enormous investments in our bid to become

the reference point for indigenous capacity for process and pipeline services in the country and we are happy that the industry has taken note of our genuine efforts,” Uzu said.

He said one of the feats that stood GPPSL out in recent times was its partnership with IK-Group of Norway which delivered for the first time in Nigeria and Africa the removal and change out of a 36-inch cryogenic pipeline gate valve.

The prvalve executed in June 2022, was the first and largest Add-on Gate Valve (AOGV) ever deployed on the African continent to solve long-term stuck valve issue for a major LNG plant.

NIGERIA’S RICH GULPS LION’S SHARE AS FUEL SUBSIDY HITS N21.7TRN IN 18 YEARS

petrol subsidy disbursement in Nigeria has become controversial as it is opaque.

For over two years, the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC) has not remitted funds to federal accounts , a development it partly blames on fuel under-recovery payments.

A few weeks ago, the National Economic Council (NEC) said it had agreed that petrol subsidy should “not be removed” as earlier planned for June 2023.

The Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Mrs. Zainab Ahmed, disclosed to journalists that the council agreed on the need for continued discussions on the issue, stressing that the federal government together with states and representatives of the incoming administration, require more preparatory work.

“Council agreed that the timing of the removal of fuel subsidy should not be now. But that we should continue with all of the preparatory works that need to be done and that this preparatory has to be done in consultation with the states and other key stakeholders including representatives of the incoming administration,” she stated.

Although many Nigerians believe that the removal of petrol subsidy is long overdue, a number of its citizenry also argue that withdrawing subsidy will throw many Nigerians into untold hardship.

Renowned human rights lawyer, Femi Falana (SAN) recently argued against the federal government’s plan to remove subsidy in June 2023, describing it as illogical that the government wants to end fuel

subsidy payments because of smugglers. “The policy will create more poverty in the country,” he argued.

He added: “I can never (support total subsidy removal). You know why? I am saying Section 14 of the constitution – it’s not my own making – provides that the security and welfare of the people shall be the primary purpose of the government.

“So, the government has to take care of the welfare of the people and ensure that in providing subsidy for the needy, you do not enrich criminals as it is going on now.

“And that is why you have a government in place, to deal with those who are committing crimes – economic crimes and other types of crimes. And that is what is going on in our country,” he said.

In addition, a Petroleum Engineer, Martin Onovo, also recently explained that the Nigerian government had embarked on fuel subsidy removal at least 20 times in the last 40 years with no economic benefit to the country.

He said subsidy removal would further shoot up inflation, leading to naira devaluation, maintaining that Nigeria must stop the importation of fuel products by reinvigorating its local refinery capacity.

The Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) also said it is opposed to the removal of subsidy on petrol without the country refining the product locally, arguing that removing the subsidy would expose Nigerians to arbitrary pricing.

TCN engineers to respond rapidly to the need to change parts due to fault, in order to ensure minimal equipment

and enhance bulk power delivery in substations within the region,” the company stated.

All Eyes on Dangote Refinery

At last, a definite date for the inauguration of the much-anticipated 650,000 barrels per day Dangote Refinery has been fixed. It is now scheduled for May 22, 2022, to be precise, less than two weeks from today.

As reported by THISDAY, the world’s largest with the facility having been completed with pre-inauguration tests currently ongoing.

Due to the size of the multi-billion dollar refinery, being built by Africa’s richest man and business tycoon, Aliko Dangote, the Nigerian government, players in the downstream sector of the Nigerian oil and gas industry as well as many economic policy experts and analysts have touted the refinery to be a major game changer for the country once it begins operation.

This is because of its capacity to create a market for $21 billion per annum of Nigerian crude oil, huge annual savings in foreign exchange for the nation, availability of sufficient petroleum products for both domestic consumption and export, massive investment inflow into the downstream sector as well as job creation for teeming youths.

The Dangote Refinery complex, which is located in the Lekki Free Zone area of Lagos, covers a land area of approximately 2,635 hectares, which is larger than the size of Victoria Island in Lagos. It is the biggest refinery in Africa and also the biggest single-train refinery in the world.

A single-train refinery uses an integrated distillation unit or one Crude Distillation Unit (CDU) to refine crude oil into various petroleum products, as against the use of multiple distillation units by most big refineries.

Due to the large capacity of the refinery, its pipeline infrastructure is the largest anywhere in the world, with 1,100 kilometres to handle three billion Standard Cubic Feet per day (Scf/d) of gas.

According to a report by the company, the refinery has a 435MW-capacity power plant that is able to meet the total power requirement of Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company (IBEDC).

On completion, the refinery is expected to meet 100 per cent of the Nigerian requirement of all refined products and also have a surplus of each of these products for export. The refinery is designed to process Nigerian crude and can also process other crudes.

SHAPING SUBSIDY REMOVAL DEBATE

With the date now announced for the inauguration of the Dangote Refinery, it is hoped that the uncertainty and the scepticism around the anticipated total deregulation of the downstream petroleum sector and resultant abolition of the wasteful petrol subsidy regime may be doused in the coming days or weeks.

The Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) signed

into law on August 16, 2021 by President Buhari provides for total deregulation of the downstream sector, which implies the removal of subsidy and enthronement of a free market regime for the sector.

But in January 2022, the federal government kicked that section of the PIA aside and postponed subsidy removal to June 2023. The government cited the pains subsidy removal would bring on the poor and vulnerable masses as reason for its decision even though the rich, the elite and petrol smuggling petroleum marketers are the ones benefitting from the subsidy payments.

Before now, there had been postulations that the Dangote Refinery was the only reason the government was delaying the deregulation of the downstream sector. The fear of the government has been that deregulating when there is no guarantee of sufficient petrol for local consumption may shoot inflation to the roof and cause severe hardship on the poor and vulnerable members of the Nigerian state, as transport and food prices would definitely rise.

At the moment, none of the four refineries owned by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC) is working as they are currently undergoing rehabilitation and may be functional again till the end of the year. Also, none of the existing private modular refineries is producing petrol.

So, for many, Dangote Refinery holds the key to the decision in terms of the removal of subsidy. With the inauguration of the refinery now expected to take place before the exit the current administration, more pronouncements from the government are likely to happen that will point a definitely direction to the subsidy removal policy.

For now, the position of government on subsidy removal is still unclear despite the pronouncements made in recent times about the policy.

POLICY STILL IN LIMBO

Recently, announcements by the Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Zainab Ahmed, regarding the removal of petrol subsidy threw confusion into the policy debate.

Rising from the valedictory session of the National Economic Council (NEC) in Abuja on April 27, Ahmed had disclosed to state house correspondents that NEC had resolved to advise the government to shelve the planned subsidy removal until all preparatory plans with various segment of government, including states and the incoming administration were concluded.

The Buhari government had worked towards the removal of subsidy, culminating

in its recent sourcing of an $800 million grant from the World Bank to provide palliatives for vulnerable Nigerians.

The minister was quoted to have explained that despite the suspension, NEC agreed on the need to continue discussion on the matter and the necessary preparatory work in conjunction with states, stakeholders and representatives of the in-coming administration.

She stressed that council agreed that the subsidy regime must be removed eventually as it was not sustainable, affirming NEC’s position that it was better to remove the subsidy now rather than later.

Ahmed had said: “Today I was in the NEC meeting where we discussed the issue of post-subsidy removal. Council agreed that the timing for the removal of subsidy should not be now, but that we should continue with all of the preparation works that needs to be done and that this preparation work has to be done in consultation with the states and other key stakeholders, including representatives of the incoming administration.

“Council agreed that the first subsidy must be removed earlier rather than later because it is not sustainable. We cannot afford it anymore. We have to do it in such a way that the impact of the subsidy is as much as possible, mitigated on the lives of ordinary Nigerians.

“So, this will require looking at alternatives to the post-subsidy that needs to be planned for and subsequently put in place but also what needs to be done to support the people that would be most affected as a result of the removal.“So, we will be working together with representatives of the state, we will have a plan that we will start working on putting the building blocks towards the eventual removal of the fuel subsidy.

“If I may remind the forum, that the budget for 2023 has provision for subsidy only up to June 2023 and also the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) has a provision that requires that all petroleum products must be deregulated 18 months after the effective date of the subsidy removal and that period is also up to June 2023.”

Answering reporters’ questions on what happens after the June 2023 timeline for the subsidy removal when its funding would have ceased, the minister said the Appropriation Act may have to be revisited or a supplementary budget made.

According to her, the PIA guiding subsidy removal may be tinkered with if the committee set up so decides.

DETOUR

However, after reports made the rounds about the suspension of the subsidy removal following the NEC’s meeting, Ahmed in a

statement on April 28 declared that the federal government had not suspended the planned removal of petrol subsidy from June.

She insisted that the government would instead expand the subsidy removal committee to include teams from the incoming administration and the state governors.

In the statement issued by her Special Adviser on Media and Communications, Yunusa Abdullahi, Ahmed denied reported proclamation of suspension of subsidy.

“Against the backdrop of the story in some media that the federal government has suspended the removal of petrol subsidy, the government has not suspended the removal, but has rather expanded the subsidy removal committee to include teams from the incoming administration and the state governors.

“That NEC deliberated on the issue extensively and came to the conclusion that subsidy must be removed as it is not sustainable. But there is a need for further consultations, especially the need to involve members of the incoming administration and representatives of the state governments,” she stated.

Also, in March 2023 during her courtesy visit to the Voice of Nigeria (VON) in Abuja, Ahmed had boasted that the federal government would remove the controversial petrol subsidy before the end of President Buhari’s tenure on May 29, 2023.

Ahmed attributed the delay in removal of the subsidy, as provided for in the PIA 2021, to the 2023 general election and the forthcoming national population census.

The minister had stated that almost everyone had now agreed that subsidy was not serving the people it was supposed to serve and its high cost was adding to government’s deficit.

She added that at the time, the subsidy cost per litre of petrol ranged between N350 to N400, maintaining that Nigeria spends about N250 billion monthly on subsidy.

The minister said such amount could be invested in building more hospitals, schools, improving infrastructure and other critical sectors that would have visible positive impacts on Nigerians.

She stated: “You can build more hospitals, more schools, provide more social services, improve infrastructure that will enhance the quality of life of the people, instead of just using it on a consumption item. You put gas in your car and in a couple of days it is gone and then you have to put again.

“So we do hope that this time around, that the whole country will work with the government to get rid of this subsidy to save us from continuously expending limited resources on a consumption item.”

With the 650,000 barrels per day Dangote Refinery now set for inauguration on May 22, the seeming uncertainty and scepticism around the removal of the controversial petrol subsidy may likely disappear in the coming months, writes Peter Uzoho

Dangote Refinery

Leveraging Technology to Attain Food Security

Nigeria’s target to achieve zero hunger by 2030 might be elusive for two reasons. One, the country presently lacks the ability to produce enough food for its fast growing population. Two, the country’s ability to finance importation of food to argument its domestic food shortage is declining due to dwindling foreign reserve.

Yet, all hope is not lost if its government could muster the political will to transform the nation’s food sector by leveraging on science and technology to boost domestic food production.

According to Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), the world is on track to achieve zero hunger by 2030. The organisation believed that science, technology and innovation (STI) could accelerate the transformation of agrifood systems and make them more efficient, inclusive, resilient, and sustainable to deliver better production, better nutrition, better environment and a better life that leaves no one behind.

Meanwhile, the African Development Bank’s (AfDB) Technologies for African Agricultural Transformation (TAAT) programme that was launched in 2018 is an integral part of the bank’s Feed Africa Strategy 2016-2025 whose aim is to help the continent to fulfill its enormous potential in the agricultural sector by employing high-impact technologies to boost output by leveraging on Africa’s natural advantage of hosting over 60 per cent of the world’s arable land.

LIMITLESS OPPORTUNITIES OF AGRI-TECH

Undeniably, the potentials of agriculture technology are enormous especially for a country like Nigeria that still depends on manual labour. Experts in the industry have alss harped on the need to embrace agri-tch due to its ability to reduce human labour, tackle post-harvest losses and most importantly, increase the profitability of farmers by way of increasing crop value. They argued that with technology, farmers would put in less physical effort and still record bigger crop yields at the end of the year.

They pointed out that as farmers and land investors continue to embrace modern agro technologies, they could reap greater returns on their investments and see the value of their farms rise to an all-time high.

As agricultural technology evolves across the globe and more rural farmers adapt to technology, the farming industry and the lands that their farms occupy would become even more valuable.

Some of the benefits of agri-tech included increased crop productivity, reduced impact

on natural ecosystems, increased worker safety, decreased use of water, fertilizer and pesticides, which in turn keeps food prices down. Other benefits are less runoff of chemicals into rivers and groundwater. In addition, robotic technologies allow for more reliable control and management of natural resources, such as air and water quality. It also gives producers greater control over the production, processing, distribution and storage of plants and animals, leading to greater efficiencies and lower prices, safer growing conditions and reduced environmental and ecological impact.

AGRI-TECH OPPORTUNITIES FOR NIGERIA

There is no better time than now for Nigeria to prioritise massive investments in agri-tech to bridge its nation food supply gap. It can achieve this by investing half of what it is expending on food importation on smart agri-tech farming solutions that will enable the country to attain food security in the shortest possible time.

In addition, young agripreneurs have come up with smart farming solutions that could help to boost food production in the country. But like the saying goes: “Good things do not come easy,” these young set of agripreneurs are relying on heavy capital to achieve this feat.

This is why it is important that the federal government should create the environment for these agriculture gladiators to survive by providing them with working capital and equipment to bring their dream for agricultural revolution to life.

Again, there are so many agricultural research institutions lying fallow and operating sub optimally across the country that could be rejuvenated to perform even better if only they get the financial boost they required to get them firing from all cylinders. Moreover, these agric research institutions will do just fine if they venture into foreign partnerships that will grant them access to modern farm input upgrade.

For example, the Federal Institute of Industrial Research Oshodi (FIIRO) has a wide range of locally fabricated farm machinery and equipment, but lacked the financial muscle to produce them in large quantities to reach out to half of the farmers nationwide. These locally fabricated machines can be brought to the market with support from many international agricultural bodies seeking foreign partnerships to achieve the zero hunger target by 2030.

In the face of rising complex challenges to global agrifood system occasioned by climate change, conflicts, economic downturn, COVID-19 fallouts, Gilbert Ekugbe writes that embracing science, technology and innovation will accelerate the attainment of zero hunger by 2030

A Mutual fund (Unit Trust) is an investment vehicle managed by a SEC (Securities and Exchange Commission) registered Fund Manager. Investors with similar objectives buy units of the Fund so that the Fund Manager can buy securities that willl generate their desired return.

An ETF (Exchange Traded Fund) is a type of fund which owns the assets (shares of stock, bonds, oil futures, gold bars, foreign currency, etc.) and divides ownership of those assets into shares. Investors can buy these ‘shares’ on the

floor of the Nigerian Stock Exchange. A REIT (Real Estate Investment Trust) is an investment vehicle that allows both small and large investors to part-own real estate ventures (eg. Offices, Houses, Hospitals) in proportion to their investments. The assets are divided into shares that are traded on the Nigerian Stock Exchange.

GUIDE TO DATA:

Date: All fund prices are quoted in Naira as at 05May-2023, unless otherwise stated.

Offer price: The price at which units of a trust or ETF are bought by investors.

Bid Price: The price at which Investors redeem (sell) units of a trust or ETF.

Yield/Total Return: Denotes the total return an investor would have earned on his investment. Money Market Funds report Yield while others report Year- to-date Total Return.

NAV: Is value per share of the real estate assets held by a REIT on a specific date.

DAILY PRICE LIST FOR MUTUAL FUNDS, REITS and ETFS

WEF Features InfraCredit as Case Study for Clean Energy Investments

Nume Ekeghe

InfraCredit has been featured by the World Economic Forum (WEF) as a case study solution in its community paper on, “Mobilising Investments for Clean Energy in Nigeria.” The community paper is published by the WEF in partnership with the Renewable Energy & Energy Efficiency Associations Alliance (REEEA-A) and Marsh.

Inaugurated at the Nigeria Country Roundtable on 2nd May 2023, the WEF community paper summarises key insights and recommendations on Nigeria’s priority areas and possible solutions to address investment challenges.

The case study highlights InfraCredit’s unique role in mobilising long-term funding for clean energy projects with local currency to enable the growth of community-based developers in Nigeria.

The paper also spotlights InfraCredit’s Clean Energy Funding Programme, under which we supported the credit enhancement of Darway Coast’s green debt issue for solar mini-grid rural electrification and the North South Power Company’s green bond issue for a hydropower plant in Nigeria.

According to WEF in the community paper, InfraCredit, as part of its clean energy transition strategy, has developed a Clean Energy Funding Programme (CEFP) that seeks to aggregate, de-risk and unlock domestic institutional investments to support eligible clean energy projects in Nigeria to contribute to meeting Nigeria’s universal electrification goal by 2030 and the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 7 target of ensuring access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for

all, while putting Nigeria on a path to achieve net-zero emissions by 2060.

It further stated that, “Under the CEFP, InfraCredit has originated a project pipeline of over $180.7 million that requires the mobilization of at least N41.6 billion ($90 million) of private domestic institutional capital. One example is the support of the credit enhancement of Darway Coast Nigeria’s green debt issue.”

Commenting, Chief Executive Officer, InfraCredit, Chinua Azubike, said: “At InfraCredit, we recognise that our role in mobilising domestic institutional investment and promoting the use of long-term local currencydenominated finance to meet the country’s infrastructure development needs could become an effective investment tool to collaborate with development partners in promoting green growth and climate resilient development.”

CDK Promises to Drive Innovation in Tiles Manufacturing in Nigeria

CDK Integrated Industries, the renowned manufacturer of premium porcelain tiles, has reiterated the company’s commitment to continue to drive innovation and best practices in the tiles manufacturing sector in Nigeria.

CDK Integrated Industries stated that during its Distributors Interactive Forum held recently at the Marriott Hotel. The purpose of the event

was to build stronger ties with CDK’s network of distributors nationwide, with the theme “Together for growth and prosperity,” the forum aimed to engender feedback and networking among distributors as CDK intends to maintain its position as the category leader in Nigeria’s porcelain tiles manufacturing sector.

In attendance were CDK management staff led by the MD/CEO Mr Bernard Longe, key players in the real estate

From left: Company Secretary, Financial Institutions Training Centre (FITC), Alaba Ekundayo; Regional Communications Manager, Nexford University, Sally Okogho; Founder/CEO, Nexford University, Fadl Al-Tarzi; Managing Director/CEO, FITC, Chizor Malize and Head, Performance, FITC, Demola Adeleye, during Courtesy Visit and Partnership Discussions by Nexford University to FITC yesterday

industry, and numerous distributors from several states across Nigeria.

In his keynote address, the MD Mr Longe expressed gratitude to CDK distributors for their unwavering support and commitment to the brand. He also underscored the company’s commitment to excellence and customer satisfaction, reiterating that a strong partnership between CDK and its distributors is a crucial component of their joint prosperity.

Kenna Partners Hosts Executive Breakfast Session on Petroleum Industry Act

In a bid to promote stakeholder engagement in the oil & gas sector, Kenna Partners, a leading law firm in Nigeria, recently hosted stakeholders in the industry at an interactive executive breakfast session in Lagos.

Themed, “Emerging Issues

Under the Petroleum Industry Act 2021,” the session served as a veritable platform for operators and regulators to share perspectives on the Act and chart a sustainable path for the industry.

In his opening remark,

the firm’s Senior Partner, Prof. Fabian Ajogwu, SAN, commended the federal government for enacting the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) after decades of calls for an updated legislation for Nigerian oil & gas industry.

He spoke about the innovations of the recently enacted PIA and how important it was to have a session where stakeholders and regulators in the industry can discuss the practical issues arising from the implementation of the

novel Act.

According to Jo-Madugu: “the only way conclusive way forward is an amendment of the legislation or a judicial review. Pending either of these, directives by the President or a committee in the Senate, are arguably persuasive at best”.

On the part of the regulators, the Director at the National Oil and Gas Excellence Centre of the NUPRC, Abel Isa, elaborated on the duties and key focus areas of the commission.

PZ Cussons Nigeria Announces Dimitris Kostianis as New CEO

Kayode Tokede

The Board of Directors of PZ Cussons Nigeria Plc has approved the appointment of Mr. Dimitris Kostianis as a member of the Board and as the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Company with effect from June 1, 2023.

He has spent more than 25 years at PZ Cussons, 13 years of which were in senior leadership roles for PZ Cussons Africa and until his appointment, served as PZ Cussons MD for Asia.

The Acting company secretary, PZ Cussons Nigeria, Olubukola Olonade-Agaga in a signed statement on the Nigerian Exchange Limited (NGX) announced the retirement of Mr Panagiotis (Panos) Katsis as the Chief Executive Officer of the Company and from the Board with effect from May 31, 2023.

The Board is grateful for his outstanding performance and for

setting the Company on the path of profitability and wishes him the best in his future endeavours.

Commenting on the changes, PZ Cussons Nigeria Board Chair, Ifueko M Omoigui Okauru in a statement said, “On behalf of the Board I would like to thank Panos for his service to the Nigerian business, where he has played a number of important roles during his 25 years with the PZ Cussons group.

“He will leave a significant legacy, successfully implementing our simplification strategy and creating the foundations for a strong future. I would also like to welcome Dimitris back to Nigeria, to build on those foundations and to bring his deep experience in the business and the region.

“Finally, I am delighted to congratulate Oghale and Raj on their appointments to strategic roles that will further facilitate the implementation of our strategy

Money

and enable the Nigerian business to leverage more regional opportunities.”

PZ Cussons Group CEO, Mr. Jonathan Myers in a statement also said, “I want to add my thanks to Panos for his 25 years of service to the PZ Cussons group, and to welcome the incoming management team who take over at an exciting time in our evolution as a company.

I am pleased that for the first time we will have a Nigerian national leading our African consumer business.

“Panos has built the foundations for a return to profitability and growth in our Consumer business, while continuing to deliver strong performance in the electricals business. We are fully committed to building on those foundations, and excited about the potential for our business in Nigeria as we continue to execute our simplification strategy.”

OPEC DAILY BASKET PRICE AS AT 8 MARCH, 2023

The price of OPEC basket of thirteen crudes stood at $84.37 a barrel on Tuesday, compared with $84.59 the previous day, according to OPEC Secretariat calculations. The OPEC Reference Basket of Crudes (ORB) is made up of the following: Saharan Blend (Algeria), Girassol (Angola), Djeno (Congo), Zafiro (Equatorial Guinea), Rabi Light (Gabon), Iran Heavy (Islamic Republic of Iran), Basrah Medium (Iraq), Kuwait Export (Kuwait), Es Sider (Libya), Bonny Light (Nigeria), Arab Light (Saudi Arabia), Murban (UAE) and Merey (Venezuela).

Mary Nnah

Investors’ interest in NB, Tier-1 Banks Liff Stock Market by N62bn

Kayode Tokede

The stock market of the Nigerian Exchange Limited (NGX), yesterday appreciated by N62 billion over investors renewed interest in Nigerian Breweries Plc ( 3.9per cent), Guaranty Trust Holdings Limited (1.9 per cent) and Zenith Bank Plc (1.5 per cent). This lifted the All Share Index (ASI) by 114.21 points or 0.22 per cent to close at

52,579.52 basis points. Consequently, market capitalisation rose by N62 billion to close at N28.630 trillion.

As measured by market breadth, market sentiment was positive as 29 stocks gained relative to 27 losers. Multiverse Mining and Exploration recorded the highest price gain of 10 per cent to close at N3.41, per share.

Red Star Express followed with a gain of 9.96 per cent

to close at N2.65, while CWG rose by 9.85 per cent to close at N1.45, per share. NcNichols went up by 9.23 per cent to close at 71 kobo, while International Breweries appreciated by 6.82 per cent to close at N4.70, per share.

On the other hand, C & I Leasing led the losers’ chart by 9.80 per cent, to close at N3.59, per share. Transnational Corporation (Transcorp) followed with a decline of 7.73

per cent to close at N1.79, while FTN Cocoa Processors declined by 6.90 per cent to close at 27 kobo, per share.

Chams Holdings depreciated by 6.45 per cent to close at 29 kobo and Custodian Investment declined by 4.80 per cent to close at N5.95, per share.

The total volume traded advanced by 6.0 per cent to 511.38 million units, valued at N7.14 billion, and exchanged

in 5,883 deals. Transactions in the shares of Access Holdings topped the activity chart with 167.615 million shares valued at N1.916 billion. FBN Holdings (FBNH) followed with 91.294 million shares worth N1.092 billion, while United Bank for Africa (UBA) traded 78.061 million shares valued at N623.441 million.

Transnational corporations (Transcorp) traded 29.557 mil-

lion shares valued at N53.202 million, while AXA Mansard Insurance sold 18.151 million shares worth N45.687 million.

This week, United Capital Plc, said “bullish sentiments to persist in the market as investors continue to take advantage of the impressive Q1, 2023 earnings season. However, we note that there may be pockets of profit-taking activities among investors.”

PRICES FOR SECURITIES TRADED ASOF MAY/08/23

Court Grants MRA Permission to Sue NBC over Failure to Disclose FOI Request

Wale Igbintade

Justice Nkeonye Evelyn Maha of the Federal High Court in Abuja has granted Media Rights Agenda (MRA) leave to sue the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) over the Commission's failure to disclose under the Freedom of Information (FOI) Act, 2011, details of the 302 broadcasting stations reportedly sanctioned in four months after campaigns for the 2023 elections began in September 2022.

Justice Maha granted MRA leave to apply to the court to compel the NBC to make available to it the information it requested after hearing arguments from MRA's lawyer in two separate exparte motions but

the Commission failed to respond.

A statement issued yesterday by MRA and signed by its Communications Officer, Mr. Idowu Adewale, stated that the first suit filed on its behalf on March 20, 2023, by its lawyer, Mr. Tale Alabi, against the NBC and the Attorney-General of the Federation, sought an order granting it leave to apply for a review pursuant to the Freedom of Information Act, 2011 and for the court to direct the NBC to make available to the organisation the information it requested by its letter, dated February 17, 2023. Some of the information requested for are, "A list of the 302 stations sanctioned by the NBC between September 28, 2022 and January

31, 2023, detailing the names and locations of the stations; and for each of the 302 stations on the list, the name of the individual or entity which made the complaint against the station leading to the NBC sanction, the date of the complaint and details of the complaint or allegation made against each station;

"Copies of all correspondence by the NBC to the stations against which the complaints were made, informing them of the complaints or allegations made against them; and copies of all correspondence from all the stations against which complaints were made in response to the allegations against them;

"A list of all the broadcast stations against which the NBC received

complaints of any type, pursuant to the Nigeria Broadcasting Code, between September 28, 2022 and January 31, 2023, which the Commission investigated and absolved of any wrongdoing; and

"Details of the sanctions imposed by the NBC on each of the 302 stations sanctioned by the Commission between September 28, 2022 and January 31, 2023; and a list of all the stations upon which the NBC imposed fines, including the amount of the fine imposed on each of the stations.

"The second suit arose from a claim by NBC Director General, Malam Balarabe Shehu Ilelah, at a media briefing he held in Abuja on February 9, 2023, during which

he announced that the President had approved the independence of the Commission from any political interference in the exercise of its regulatory functions, particularly with respect to the issuance and withdrawal of broadcasting licences."

In the suit, filed on March 20, 2023, by Mr. Bula Zakayo Kelle against the NBC and the Attorney-General of the Federation, MRA sought leave of the court to apply for judicial review pursuant to the FOI Act, among other things, for an order compelling the NBC to make available to MRA the information it requested in its letter dated February 20, 2023 namely:

"Whether the power of the Minister of Information under Section 6 of the NBC Act to give the

Commission directives with regard to the exercise by the commission of its functions has been abolished and if so, whether there are plans to amend Section 6 of the Act accordingly;

"Whether the NBC now has the final authority for the issuance of broadcast licences as against the extant practice under Section 2(b) of the NBC Act which requires the Commission to merely recommend applications through the Minister of Information to the President for the grant of radio and television licences; if the NBC is now vested with final authority to issue radio and television licences; and whether there are plans to amend Section 2(b) of the NBC Act accordingly;

KOMOLAFE HAILS BUHARI'S QUICK RESPONSE IN RESOLVING NUPRC, NMDPRA'S OVERLAP IN CRUDE EXPORT TERMINAL SUPERVISION

among others.

Komolafe, especially thanked the president for his directive to the Commission to take over the supervision of all crude oil export terminals in Nigeria, while also mandating the NMDPRA to hands off activities relating to the regulatory work at crude oil export terminals in the country.

The NUPRC boss also highlighted some achievements recorded by the agency over the last 18 months of its commencement as the new upstream regulator, saying the commission had succeeded in restoring investor confidence in the Nigerian oil and gas industry.

In wading into the overlap and misalignment between the two agencies created by the PIA 2021, which industry operators had observed was causing additional risks to their business operation, the president had issued a matching order to both agencies to focus only on regulating and supervising activities under their respective jurisdictions.

Buhari in a letter to the NUPRC, NMDPRA, the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC) and international oil companies (IOCs), directed the Commission to take over the supervision of all crude oil export terminals in Nigeria.

He also mandated the NMDPRA to hands off any activities relating to the regulatory work at crude oil export terminals in the country.

Speaking during the interview, Komolafe explained that PIA clearly provides the statutory functions of the two regulators in the industry.

He said, "Chapter 1, Part 3 of the PIA provides for the functions of the Commission while Part 4, Chapter 1 of the PIA provides clearly statutory functions of the Authority.

"And in that respect, Section 7ee of the PIA also mandates the Commission to be fully be responsible for the regulatory activities of the terminal and issuance of Certificate of Quality and Quantity to exporters of crude oil and gas liquids within the Nigerian terminals. So in that respect, as far as the Commission is concerned, there is no ambiguity in the provisions of the PIA.

"And in the course of the implementation, there was observation of overlap by the industry, and I want to say, kudos to Mr. President.

I want to recognise that Mr. President quickly responded to the situation and gave express directive to both the Authority and the Commission, and that directive is being carried out."

He recalled that the NUPRC was

established pursuant to the passage of the PIA in August 2021, after the nation had waited for almost two decades before the passage of the laudable law that comprehensively reformed the upstream sector of the Nigerian oil and gas industry.

He said credit must specifically be given to Buhari for achieving the enactment of the PIA amidst high expectations from both investors and the public.

However, since his appointment as the pioneer chief executive of the commission, Komolafe said the agency had recorded some laudable achievements within the last 18 months of its commencement as

the new upstream regulator.

Komolafe, maintained that the commission had succeeded in restoring investor confidence in the Nigerian oil and gas industry. He said he and his team had a clear line of sight right from day one on the navigational part to drive the regulatory activities of the Nigerian upstream oil sector, adding, "and I'm proud to say that within then, we have recorded a basket of achievements."

He said the first key achievement recorded by the commission which could be fact-checked on the basis of the positive feedback that had been received was their success

in restoring investor confidence into the industry, considering the importance of confidence to attracting investments.

"In view of the fact that no investor will want to put his money in an environment of uncertainty and lack of clarity, we've been able to restore confidence in the mind of investors, and I'm able to say that we have been able to do this via the processes that we have adopted in terms of the regulatory tools that we have put in place.

"As a matter of fact, as part of our achievements, within a record time of 18 months, we have been able to develop 18 key regulations

and five of these regulations we are happy to say have been fully gazetted while the rest of the things are being reviewed by the Ministry of Justice and we are optimistic that those 18 will be gazetted within the shortest possible time so that implementation of those regulations can commence in earnest," Komolafe stated.

Also, he recounted that the NUPRC had been able to ensure the conversion of 40 Oil Prospecting Licences (OPLs) and Petroleum Mining Licenses (PMLs) to Petroleum Prospecting Licences (PPLs) and

Continued on page 36

PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION: COURT DISMISSES AA'S SUIT AGAINST TINUBU

presidential election.

Other petitioners were Action People’s Party (APP) with petition number: CA/PEPC/02/2023; Labour Party (LP) and its presidential candidate, Mr Peter Obi, with suit number: CA/PEPC/03/2023; Allied People's Movement (APM) and its presidential candidate, Princess ChiChi Ojei, with suit marked: CA/PEPC/04/2023; and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its presidential candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, with suit number: CA/

PEPC/05/203.

Except for AA, the other petitioners challenged the election, which produced Tinubu as presidentelect on grounds that included substantial non-compliance with the electoral laws, corrupt practices, as well as non-qualification of Tinubu and his party to contest the February 25 presidential poll.

In the AA's petition marked CA/PEPC/01/2023, the petitioners had prayed the court to cancel the presidential election on the

APC'S NWC NAMES AKPABIO FOR SENATE PRESIDENT, ABASS FOR SPEAKER

Assembly leadership positions. They demanded zoning of House Speaker to North-central.

Similarly, a cross-section of senators-elect from different political parties rejected external influence in the election of presiding officers for the 10th National Assembly.

The incoming senators’ position came as Senate Chief Whip and former governor of Abia State, Senator Orji Uzor Kalu, wrote personal letters to members of the APC NWC and the 108 senators-elect, informing them of his intention to vie for senate president.

Meanwhile, opposition memberselect of the House of Representatives put together an 11-man committee to shortlist, screen, and recommend aspirants for Speaker and Deputy Speakership of the lower chamber.

The APC leadership reached a resolution on the two key offices in the National Assembly following a meeting of the NWC, held yesterday at the national secretariat of the party in Abuja. The meeting started about 12:30pm and ended about 3:20pm.

Briefing journalists afterwards, National Publicity Secretary of the party, Felix Morka, said the NWC reached a compromise on the zoning arrangement for the 10th National Assembly.

Morka said, "The National Working Committee of the All Progressives Congress (APC) met today, Monday, May 8, 2023 to consider reports of consultations and meetings held with the president-elect, His Excellency, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, other party leaders and stakeholders on zoning arrangement for 10th National Assembly leadership positions.

"The NWC noted with respect the outcome of the meetings held between the president-elect and the leadership of the NWC. The NWC called for further and better consulta-

tion with necessary stakeholders in order to assure the support of the aspirants to the National Assembly leadership positions and members of the party nationwide.

"The zoning arrangement reported to the NWC is as follows: Senate President: South-south, Senator Godswill Akpabio (Akwa Ibom); Deputy Senate President: Northwest, Senator Barau Jubrin (Kano); Speaker, House of Representatives, North-west, Hon. Abass Tajudeen (Kaduna); Deputy Speaker, Southeast, Hon. Ben Kalu (Abia).

"We urge our party leaders, members, and all Nigerians to continue to work for peace and progress of our country during and beyond the current period of leadership transition."

Protesters Storm APC Secretariat, Demand Speaker for North-central

A group of protesters, under the aegis of APC North-central stakeholders, yesterday, stormed the national secretariat of the party, where they accused the ruling party of marginalising the zone in the allocation of National Assembly leadership positions.

Addressing journalists on behalf of the group, Salihu Ibrahim, said the North-central had contributed immensely to the success of APC. Ibrahim wondered why the zone was left out in the scheme of things.

The protesters carried placards bearing various inscriptions, such as, “North Central demands leadership positions”; “President-elect be fair and just to Nigerians”; and “We demand equity, fairness and justice”. Other inscriptions included, “APC NWC do the right thing”; “Asiwaju is against imposition”; “We say no to imposition of Speaker”; and “Nigerians are against imposition”.

According to Ibrahim, "The party has not taken the North-central into consideration and it is outrageous. We, the North-central, have contributed largely to the development of APC and up till date we are still on it.

"Why is it that the National Assembly Speaker is something that elected president Asiwaju, under the watch of Abdullahi Adamu, who is even from the North-central will not wholeheartedly say the North-central should take? The party should zone it to us."

Ibrahim stressed, "We are asking that the speaker of the 10th Assembly should be zone to North0central. That is what we want for now. The 10th Assembly speakership should be zone to North-central if they can't give us the Senate President."

At Induction, Senatorselect Reject Imposition of Candidates

A wide cross-section of senatorselect from various political parties, yesterday, rejected external influence in the election of their presiding officers.

They spoke in separate interviews with journalists at the induction programme organised for them by the National Assembly management, in collaboration with the National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies.

The senators-elect insisted that the only way to really achieve full independence of the parliament was to follow the constitutional provisions on the emergence of presiding officers.

In his submissions, Senator-elect Ned Nwoko, representing Delta North Senatorial District on the platform of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), said members of the 10th Senate would reject any attempt by

the executive to pocket the legislature.

Nwoko said, "The overwhelming majority of the senators-elect are of the opinion that we must be independent. That is the only way we can take the executive to account. The parliament is not meant to be pocketed by the executive. There are some of us that are already well-established before we came here. So, we are not pushovers. We are very independent minded.”

Senator-elect Abdulraham Kawu Samaila, a former minority leader of the House of Representatives, now representing Kano South on the platform of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), maintained that any attempt to impose presiding officers on the 10th National Assembly would fail.

Samaila stated, "On the issue of the senate presidency, we should follow the constitution. There is a clear and express provision in the constitution, which allows members of the National Assembly to choose their presiding officers among themselves, irrespective of party affiliation, religious or ethnic considerations.”

However, Akpabio said he was not bothered by the rejection of zoning arrangements by some senators- elect. The former Minister of Niger Delta Affairs said, "Justice has been done at the end of the day in terms of balancing the political equation of the country to ensure peaceful tenure for the incoming president."

On the issue of some aggrieved APC aspirants, allegedly, forming alliances with opposition political parties, Akpabio said he was not worried about that because disagreement was a normal legislative practice. He said, "I am not worried at

Continued on page 36

grounds that its candidate's name (Solomon Okagbuan) was excluded from INEC's list of presidential candidates.

While Okagbuan and AA were the petitioners, the defendants were the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), APC, Tinubu, and Hamza Al-Mustapha (a factional presidential candidate of the AA).

Until a few days to the presidential election, when the Supreme Court held otherwise, INEC had recognised Al-Mustapha as the candidate of AA, thereby necessitating the petition by Okagbuan.

While Okagbuan was sponsored by the faction led by Chief Adekunle Omoaje, Al Mustapha was sponsored by the faction led by Mr Kenneth Udeze.

The petition of the Omoaje faction was filed by their lawyer, Chief Oba Maduabuchi, SAN, in March, while a Notice of Withdrawal was filed on May 3.

When the matter was called up for hearing, Maduabuchi announced appearance for AA but before other parties could announce their presence, a lawyer, Mr Maliki Nwaekpe, stood up to announce appearance for the same AA.

Nwaekpe had announced himself as an applicant seeking the withdrawal of AA's petition to the surprise of Maduabuchi and others present in court.

Reacting, Maduabuchi told the court he was the one who filed the petition and described Nwaekpe as a stranger not known by the AA. He added that the faction Nwaekpe claimed to be representing had been declared unlawful members of the AA by the Court of Appeal in two separate judgements.

But Nwaekpe insisted that AA never instructed anyone or consented to the filing of the petition in the first place, hence the application for withdrawal.

While the court was trying to sort out the issue of who was the rightful representative of AA in the matter, Maduabuchi informed the court that he was the one who filed and had also applied to withdraw the petition.

Responding, Justice Haruna Tsammani, who led four other justices, held that since both lawyers were asking for the same thing, the appearance of Nwaekpe should be discountenanced and ordered Maduabuchi to move the Notice of Withdrawal dated May 3.

Maduabuchi, in praying the court for an order of withdrawal, also urged for the dismissal of same.

INEC, represented by Abubakar Mahmoud, SAN; Tinubu represented by Chief Wole Olanipekun, SAN; APC represented by Lateef Fagbemi, SAN; and Mohammed Sanni, who represented Al-Mustapha, all did not object to the withdrawal of the petition.

In a short ruling, Tsammani held, "In the absence of any objection to the withdrawal of the petition, the application is hereby granted. The petition with suit number CA/PEPC/01/2023 is hereby dismissed."

Earlier, at an inaugural sitting, the five-member panel led by Justice Haruna Tsammani, upon convening announced the modalities of the proceedings.

In a welcome address, Tsammani informed the court that there were five petitions before them, which included that of AA, APP, LP, APM, and PDP.

He, however, stated that for convenience, the court would take the first three petitions on Monday, and adjourned to Wednesday, while the fourth and fifth petitions, which involved APM and PD, would be taken Tuesday and then adjourned to Thursday.

While soliciting the understanding and cooperation of the bar, the presiding justice assured them that the bench would be fair to all. He added that the bench was not unmindful of the importance of the cases before it.

Tsammani urged the bar to avoid time wasting through unnecessary objections, adding that as lawyers they should avoid making inflammatory statements owing to the importance of the cases before the court.

Responding, lawyers representing parties assured the court of their willingness and preparedness to make the job of the panel less cumbersome.

Olanipekun, who spoke first, assured the court that the lawyers were ready to cooperate with it to ensure justice was delivered at the end of the day.

Chief Chris Uche, SAN, also said the bar would do everything to ensure speedy disposal of the cases owing to the enormous responsibility upon their shoulders.

In the same vein, Dr Levi

Continued on page 35

ICAN 2023 ANNUAL DINNER AND AWARD NIGHT...

Aisha Buhari Wants African First Ladies to Curb Escalation of Crisis in Sudan

Burundian

The Wife of the President, Aisha Muhammadu Buhari, has advised African First Ladies to join hands and work together in order to curb the escalation of the on-going crisis in Sudan.

First Lady emerges new President of AFLPM

Mrs. Buhari gave this advice yesterday, in her remarks at the 10th General Assembly of the African First Ladies Peace Mission (AFLPM) held at the State House Banquet Hall, Abuja. She said: "Another humanitarian window has been exposed with

the sudden eruption of violence in Sudan. All hands must be on deck to ensure that the problems are not allowed to escalate. This mission is open to engaging with all relevant bodies in this regard." Noting that kinetic approaches have not been successful in ending

conflicts, the Nigerian First Lady said other approaches must be pursued such as constructive engagement with wealthy individuals to create deliberate opportunities for poverty reduction and engaging the media as a key player to be tasked with its agenda-setting role.

The outgoing Chairperson of AFLPM further said educational institutions must introduce a curriculum of peace studies and promote the development of peace clubs in secondary schools. She announced that the newly completed AFLPM Secretariat in

Osun Guber: S'Court to Decide Adeleke, Oyetola's Fate

Alex Enumah in Abuja

A five-member panel of justices of the Supreme Court would today decide who between incumbent Governor of Osun State, Senator Ademola Adeleke and immediate past Governor, Isiaka Oyetola, ought to be in the helms of the government in Osun State.

This is following the decision of the apex court to deliver its judgment in the appeal by Oyetola against the judgment of the Court of Appeal, which affirmed Adeleke as winner of the July 16, 2022, governorship on May 9.

The five-member panel led by Justice John Okoro, fixed the date for judgment after listening to arguments of counsel for and against the appeal.

Besides the appeal by Oyetola, the apex court would also deliver its judgment in a cross appeal by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) against part of the decision of the Court of Appeal.

At yesterday's proceedings, Mr. Lateef Fagbemi, represented Oyetola and the All Progressives Congress (APC), while Paul Ananaba, represented INEC, Adeleke and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) were represented by Chief Onyechi Ikpeazu.

Specifically, Oyetola in his appeal is praying the apex court to set aside the decision of the Abuja Division of the Court of Appeal, which voided the judgment of the Osun State Election Petition Tribunal, which returned him as winner of the November July 16, 2022 governorship election.

INEC had last year declared Adeleke as winner of the election having scored majority of the votes cast in the election, however the tribunal in its split judgment of two-to-one delivered in January, held that Oyetola and not Adeleke won majority of the lawful votes in the election.

According to the chairman of the tribunal, Justice Tertsea Kume, there were incidents of over voting in favour of Adeleke, which when deducted revealed that Oyetola

polled 314,921 votes as against the incumbent's 290,266.

The tribunal accordingly ordered the withdrawal of Certificate of Return issued to Adeleke while a fresh one be issued Oyetola as the duly elected governor.

However, following Adeleke's appeal in February, the appellate court's three-man panel in its own judgment by Justice Mohammed Shuaibu voided and set aside the decision of the tribunal on the grounds that the tribunal erred in holding that a case of over voting was established, consequent upon which Adeleke's votes were deducted.

The judgment of the Court of Appeal setting aside the judgment of the tribunal and affirming Adeleke's election as governor, prompted the current appeal before the Supreme Court.

The appeal filed on their behalf by their lead counsel, Fagbemi, was marked: SC/ CV/510/2023 and SC/ CV/511/2023.

While the first appeal was in respect of the judgment in Adeleke's appeal, the second was in respect of their own cross appeal which was dismissed by the appellate court for lacking in merit.

Oyetola and APC in the first appeal dated and filed on April 5, and predicated on 15 grounds amongst others was praying the court to determine whether the appellate court was right, "in declaring as nullity the judgment of the tribunal delivered on January 27 notwithstanding the earlier resolution of the same court that Section 294(1) of the Constitution is inapplicable to a tribunal."

They also want the court to decide whether the lower court was right in concluding that they did not prove the allegation of over voting in favour of Adeleke.

In the second appeal, the appellants specifically want the apex court to declare that contrary to the judgment of the appellate court, Adeleke was not qualified to contest the governorship election due to alleged certificate forgery; Adeleke was not duly elected by

majority of the lawful votes cast at the election; and that Adeleke's election was invalid by reason of non-compliance with the provisions of the Electoral Act, 2022.

Fagbemi, accordingly urged the Supreme Court to allow the appeal and set aside the judgment of the appellate court which had recognised Adeleke as lawful winner of the July 16, 2022 governorship election in Osun State.

However, INEC in its own cross appeal dated April 19, but filed April 20, is challenging the decision of the appellate court for failing to declare the judgment of the tribunal a nullity on the grounds that the second member of the majority judgment of the tribunal, Chief Magistrate Rabi Bashir failed to "separately express her opinion in writing or deliver any opinion in open court in compliance with the provisions of Section 294 (2) and (3) of the Constitution".

While Justice B. A. Ogbuli had in the minority judgment dismissed

Today

Oyetola's petition for lacking in evidence on the grounds that the petitioners by documentary and oral evidences failed to prove their allegations against Adeleke's election, both Kume and Bashir allowed the petition with Bashir signing on the same page of the judgment; a ground which INEC claimed rendered the majority judgment a nullity.

According to INEC's lead counsel, Prof. Paul Ananaba, a court or tribunal which heard a matter has a constitutional duty to deliver or render a decision in writing after the close of trial and adoption of written addresses of parties.

"We submit that an ex-facie examination of the judgment of the lower tribunal being challenged will reveal that the judgment was not captioned: Judgment delivered by Tertsea Kume and Rabi Bashir but was captioned Judgment delivered by Justice Tertsea Kume and was then merely signed by Bashir, who did not express any opinion either

orally or in writing.

"We submit that the judgment of the lower tribunal as constituted, shows that the said judgment is the opinion of the chairman of the tribunal in writing and cannot be a joint judgment as erroneously held by the court below", INEC stated, adding that the law does not envisage a co-owner judgment because it cannot be known what opinion each member of the tribunal held.

It is therefore INEC's submission that "the judgment of the trial tribunal amounts to a nullity and where a judgment is a nullity, it cannot be salvaged or be labeled a majority opinion as nothing legal can come from illegality".

Another issue raised by the electoral umpire upon which it is asking the apex court to dismiss the case of Oyetola is that the Court of Appeal was wrong to have upheld the decision of the tribunal which failed to reject some exhibits tendered in evidence by Oyetola and APC.

Abuja would be commissioned on May 9, 2023.

According to her, "The realisation and completion of the Secretariat, which I'm very proud to 'launch' was funded by the support of the Nigerian government, member states and private donors.

“This is a true testament of AFLPM's mission and vision to serve as a supportive platform and mechanism for the women-led initiatives that will contribute to the advancement of peace, stability and security on our continent.

"Indeed, beyond serving as a secretariat for the AFLPM, the building will also be a home and hope for other Africa women-led organisations, and a center of excellence.”

Mrs. Buhari added that: "As you are aware, my husband tenure as president of Nigeria will end on the 29th of May 2023. Accordingly, a new president and vice president have been elected during our closed-door session and they are officially to Burundi as the president AFLPM and the vice president is the First Lady of Niger Republic.

"Her term begins on the day my term as First Lady ends, that is 29 May 2023. I wish her good luck during her tenure, and as I express confidence that her tenure will move AFLPM a notch higher and I promise to remain supportive to her in my role as the Chair of the honourary Advisory Council."

YEDI: Prioritising High-risk Groups Necessary to Combat Nigeria's Malaria Burden

Oluchi Chibuzor

With the World Malaria Report of 2022, that showed that Nigeria had the highest global malaria burden at 26.6 per cent and deaths at 31.3 per cent, the Youth Development and Empowerment Initiative (YEDI) has called for the need to prioritise high-risk groups across the country.

This according to them would require the implementation of preventive measures and more awareness creation on the need for citizens to continue using Long-lasting Insecticidal Net (LLIN).

Speaking at an outreach programme organised by YEDI in Ikorodu, Lagos, yesterday, the Executive Director, Adeoye Oluwatomisin, said the event provides an opportunity for collective action

towards addressing the challenge of malaria worldwide, particularly in hard-to-reach communities.

According to her, the outreach was part of efforts to raise awareness and promote the adoption of positive attitudes and behaviours towards the prevention and management of malaria among the general population in Lagos and environs through public sensitisation in targeted communities.

"Our message to the communities is that the information that they have learned today must be applied, and keep a clean environment and sleep under the net.

“This is because prevention is cheaper and people need to make an effort to prevent themselves from getting malaria, and if they have malaria, they should go to the

hospital and not use concoction."

She also noted that the activity allowed them to provide participants access to basic services and products for malaria management, including free malaria tests, medication, free bed nets, and referrals where needed.

Stressing the need for synergy, she acknowledged that it was why YEDI collaborated with the Lagos State Ministry of Health and Community Health workers for a medical outreach to communities in the Ikorodu Local government area.

“The event is part of YEDI's effort to educate communities on the causes of malaria, and provide them with accurate information to counter myths and other forms of misinformation about malaria. It also features services such as free

body-vitals checks and consultations, malaria tests, dispensing of medication by qualified personnel, distribution of LLIN, and referrals as needed," she added.

Speaking further, she explained that, “prevention of new malaria cases, particularly for those in highrisk groups such as children under five years, pregnant women, and persons living with AIDS, remains the most viable means of combating malaria in Nigeria.

“Over the years, YEDI has commemorated this global event by collaborating with partners to raise awareness, sensitise members of the public on malaria prevention and management, as well as expand access to testing and referral services for populations in underserved communities."

L-R: Vice President, Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN), Mr. Innocent Okwuosa; Akwa Ibom State Governor, Mr. Udom Emmanuel; Akwa Ibom Governor-elect, Pastor Umo Eno; and the President of ICAN, Mallam Tijjani Musa Isa; during ICAN 2023 annual dinner and award night, held in Lagos...Sunday

PHOTO: SUNDAY ADIGUN.

Deji Elumoye in Abuja

Minister

Lawan Calls on Political Leaders to Imbibe Tenets of Democracy, Pay Greater Attention to Issues of Security

ECOWAS says situation in sub-region worrisome

Michael Olugbode in Abuja

The Senate President, Dr. Ahmad Lawan has said elected representatives must be focused and imbibe the tenets of democracy, calling for more attention on issues of security in the sub-region in order for development.

Speaking at the Opening of the 2023 First Ordinary Session of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Parliament in Abuja, Lawan said the gathering was yet another “milestone in our strive for collaboration for economic integration, the deepening of democracy and the emancipation of our people from lack.”

He added that: “We have been consistent as leaders in driving these initiatives far beyond the statutory requirement for sessions like this, to include our individual national efforts at ensuring the realisation of our goals.

“These goals are no doubt noble, but also essential for us as legislators saddled with the responsibility of deliberations before implementations are embarked upon.

“The questions of trans-border

crime, human trafficking, threats to democracy, conflicts and insurgencies, unemployment and underemployment and the general well-being of the people are still significant matters that need our continuous attention.”

Lawan explained that: “The essence of making our conversations ongoing is not that we are not discussing them correctly, or that we are not formulating the right policies, but because new realities continue to emerge around the subjects.”

He said: “While we are probably making progress in some regards, we are additionally challenged by the need to sustain our reviews, so as to strengthen our action plans, in view of changing dynamics.

“Our role as parliamentarians is always to extract the details involved and provide a clearer picture and understanding, for an appropriate government response.

“Coming together as participants from different nations is more opportunity to harness the experiences of our different jurisdictions, towards reaching a suitably overarching conclusion.

“As representatives of the

people, it is trite to argue that we are more in touch with a wider scope of citizens, especially those at the grassroots. This puts us in the vantage position of reflecting realities as they affect the mass of our people.

“From that standpoint, our resolutions are often people-oriented and the reason we are central is not just for the search for solutions, but for ongoing consultations in the course of executing plans.”

He added: “We have no doubt being committed to them, but the task before us is to keep the focus and grow our collective ability to imbibe them.”

He noted that elected representatives must ensure freedom of expression, respect for human rights, inclusion and representation, in addition to fostering peace, growth and development.

He stressed that: “Not a few successes have been made in ensuring the realisation of these principles of democracy. Regardless, our task is to discourage reversals, by consolidating on our endurances, and growing democratic tenets.

“Included in these tenets are freedom of expression, human rights, security of life and property, in the general interest of happiness and progress.

“We have no doubt being committed to them, but the task before us is to keep the focus and grow our collective ability to imbibe them.”

Meanwhile, the President of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Commission, Omar Alieu Touray, said the situation in ECOWAS sub-region was worrisome.

Touray, made the statement against the backdrop of the political instability, insecurity and humanitarian crisis bedevilling the region.

Touray, while recalling that the meeting was taking place in a context characterised by upheavals in the international environment,

said: “The situation in our region remains worrisome. Nonetheless, we are deploying all resources to ensure stability, security, and resilience in our member states.”

In his welcome speech, the Speaker of the ECOWAS Parliament, Sidie Mohamed Tunis, said the parliament remained very concerned over the pace at which the transitional processes are unfolding in Mali, Guinea and Burkina Faso.

Tunis however said the parliament was equally worried about the proliferation of terrorist activities in the Sahel, which has resulted into the killings of innocent lives.

N754.8m Fraud: You Have

Wale Igbintade

An Ikeja High Court yesterday dismissed the no-case submission of former Director-General, Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA),

DG, Akpobolokemi, Agaba

Case to Answer, Court Tells Ex-NIMASA

Patrick Akpobolokemi and that of former Executive Director, Ezekiel Agaba over alleged N754.8 million fraud.

Justice Raliatu Adebiyi dismissed the no-case submission of the duo, following the adoption of

Group Carpets Reps Over Bill to Criminalise Protests, Seeks Travel Ban against Gbajabiamila

Chuks Okocha in Abuja

Civil rights advocacy group, the Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria, (HURIWA), yesterday, carpeted the House of Representatives for passing for second reading, a bill seeking to criminalise protests in Nigeria and jail each protester for five years.

HURIWA, in a statement by its National Coordinator, Emmanuel Onwubiko, said the bill was unconstitutional, illegal, and dictatorial and called for lovers of democracy to actively resist it.

The group also asked the international community like the United States, the United Kingdom and the European Union to slam travel ban on the Speaker of the

House of Representatives and his co-travellers pushing for the bill to become a law.

The bill which was sponsored by a member of the House, Emeka Chinedu Martins (PDP-Imo), seeks to amend the Criminal Code Act, Cap 38, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004 and punish individuals who participate in unlawful assembly.

In response to the proposed legislation, HURIWA’s Onwubiko said, “This controversial bill is unconstitutional, illegal, and dictatorial. We condemn it in all its entirety and call on all lovers of democracy both within and outside of Nigeria to actively resist it.

“Protests are internationally

legal actions to press home civil demands and this right should not be taken away by any draconian government through legislative radicality.

“Section 40 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria states that every person shall be entitled to freedom of assembly as a political party, trade union or any other association for the protection of their mutual interests.

“The right to freedom of peaceful assembly and association is protected by article 20 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The freedom of peaceful assembly is a fundamental human right articulated in Article 21 of the United Nations (UN) International Covenant on Civil and Political

Rights (ICCPR), which has been ratified by 173 countries. Also, Article 11 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights legalise protests as an integral part of democracy.

“We call on the United Kingdom, the United States, the European Union and other international bodies and entities to resist the suppressors and oppressors of Nigeria’s burgeoning democracy by imposing travel ban on the Speaker of Nigeria’s House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila and the sponsor of the satanic and draconian bill, Emeka Martins.

“This bill must be thrashed in the dustbin of history immediately,” the statement added.

the final written addresses of the prosecution and defence counsels.

The judge ruled that the prosecution had established a prima facie case against the two defendants on counts two, three, four, five and seven bordering on stealing, warranting them to enter the dock to tell their own sides of the story.

She further held that a prima facie case had been made against the second defendant on counts nine, 10, 11 and 12, bordering on forgery.

The judge, however, discharged and acquitted Akpobolokemi and Agaba of counts one, six and eight bordering on conspiracy.

Adebiyi adjourned the case until September 19, for the defendant to open his defence.

Akpobolokemi and Agaba are standing trial on a 12-count charge bordering on stealing, forgery and conspiracy proffered against them by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

Akpobolokemi and Agaba, who were alleged to have defrauded NIMASA, were initially charged alongside Governor Juan, Vincent Udoye, Ekene Nwakuche, Adegboyega Olopoenia and a company, Gama Marine Nigeria Ltd., before the charge was amended to involve only both of them.

The defence counsel, Mr. Collins

Ogbonna and Emmanuel Onyeke, had on March 24 separately adopted the final written addresses of their clients.

The counsel had urged the court to uphold the no-case submissions and to hold that the prosecution made no prima facie case against the defendants that would necessitate them taking to the dock to defend themselves.

The EFCC counsel, Mr. Rotimi Oyedepo, in his counter argument, urged the court to rely on the evidence placed before it by the prosecution and the testimony of the 12 witnesses called to dismiss the no-case submissions of the defendants as lacking in merit.

“The evidence before my lord establishes the essential ingredients of conspiracy, stealing and forgery as the second defendant admitted the essential ingredients of the offence both the conspiracy to steal, the conspiracy to forge documents.

“His statement contains a confession which contains no further documentary evidence for your lordship to make a finding of facts, substantively.

“We urge the court to dismiss the no-case submissions as lacking in merit and to order the defendants to open their defence as they have a lot of explanations to make,” Oyedepo said.

L-R:

of Communication and Digital Economy, Prof Isah Ali Pantami; son of Delta State governor-elect and representative of Hon. Ndidi Elumelu, Minority Leader in the House of Representatives, Mr Clinton Oborevwori; Personal Assistant to the Nigerian Ambassador to UK, Mrs Remi Onasanya; Publisher of Triangle Magazine International, Otunba Femi Salako, and Lagos State Commissioner for Information, Mr Gbenga Omotoso, who represented Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, at the Triangle Magazine awards held in London on Saturday,

Insists demonstrations are civil liberties, worldwide rights backed by UN, AU

LAUNCH/PUBLIC PRESENTATION OF "BOLA AHMED TINUBU’S SEASONS OF SUCCESS STORIES”...

Katsina Chief Judge Blames Lawyers, Litigants for Delayed Justice Delivery

Calls for digitisation of court rooms

Francis Sardauna in Katsina

The Katsina State Chief Judge, Justice Musa Danladi Abubakar, has blamed lawyers and litigants for the

slow pace of justice administration in the country.

The chief judge, who disclosed this, yesterday, in an interactive session with some journalists in

Katsina, blamed the lawyers for prolonging cases in court through adjournments. He explained that lawyers as ministers in the temple of justice,

cause delay in the administration of justice hence the need for them to revamp the trend for speedy dispensation of justice in the country.

"Lawyers may be ministers in the temple of justice, but they also cause delay in the administration of justice. But I think we are moving forward, and we hope

NMA: Improved Health Sector Funding, Competitive Pay Package Will Stem Brain Drain

Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja

The Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) has suggested that one way to check the current exodus of health professionals from the country was for governments at all levels to urgently prioritise healthcare financing, good pay package and better work environment.

It said the government would also need to rejig the security architecture to protect lives and property, provide access to social amenities and increased opportunities for doctors in Nigeria.

The NMA further called on government at all levels to urgently do the needful in addressing the various cases of violence against healthcare workers in Nigeria by declaring this ugly act as a national emergency requiring robust action.

In a resolution reached at the end of its 63rd Annual General Conference and Delegates’ meeting held at Jalingo, Taraba State, last weekend, the doctors said they identified better funding of healthcare, improved salary and security of work environment as critical factors to reverse the

REPORT: UBA, LAFARGE, GUINNESS RANKED HIGHEST IN GENDER DIVERSITY IN BOARD POSITIONS

representation on the boards of UBA, Lafarge and Guinness may have masked Nigeria’s underwhelming levels of female representation amongst the select companies.

“To boost female board representation, Nigeria will have to adopt a more bullish regulatory approach on the subject. For instance, in the UK, the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), the country’s financial watchdog, proposed that for listed companies, at least one senior position, such as company chair, chief executive or chief financial officer, be held by a woman. It also states that at least 40 per cent of the board should reflect diversity.”

It added: “While we acknowledge that the Nigerian Code of Corporate Governance (NCCG) makes no clear provision for the exact portion of female representation on the board, we note that the Code adopts a principle-based approach of voluntary compliance.

“The realities indicate that the intentions of the NCCG have

been undermined by the level of underrepresentation of women on the board. In some instances, albeit amongst the negative outliers, there have been companies in Nigeria with only one and in some instances, no women represented on their board. “Therefore, the NCCG, which is meant to serve as a moral guide to all Nigerian companies, is failing as not all companies have complied with these guidelines. “Thus, we believe that the NCCG and other regulatory bodies, as well as Nigerian companies need to make a stronger push to increase the representation of women on their boards.

“This will place Nigeria in stronger stead on global best practice benchmarks. Overall, we note that there may be a need to introduce female diversity benchmarks as moral suasion is proving to be insufficient to boost diversity on the boards of Corporate Nigeria.

“These rules have worked in the UK and we believe there are learning points for Nigeria.”

on-going brain drain and could turn same into brain gain.

In a communiqué signed by NMA President Dr. Uche Ojinmah and Secretary General, Dr. Hide Onyekwelu, the association urged the House of Representatives to reject the bill by Hon. Ganiyu Johnson, seeking to bar newly trained doctors from leaving the country for greener pastures until they have spent five years, warning that it would, "deploy all legitimate means at her disposal to resist any form of enslavement of the Nigerian Medical/Dental practitioner."

It said instead, the National Assembly should put pressure on government to address the

“Push” factors propelling brain drain which has led to the mass exodus of doctors and other health workers for greener pastures.

The NMA also expressed concern over alleged spate of violent attacks on health workers.

It urged the National Assembly and state Houses of Assembly to pass protective laws to stop the violence and safeguard the rights of healthcare workers.

It asked the management of health institutions to develop appropriate protocols in identifying and handling of potential cases of violence.

It suggested the development of effective communication strategy

and to promptly report cases of violence to the appropriate authorities for prosecution.

The NMA also called on the Federal Ministry of Health to jettison the idea of forced bonding of doctors via a policy directive, saying it was against natural justice, equity and good conscience, and shall be stoutly resisted by the NMA.

The doctors reiterated the need for more collaboration among strategic agencies such as Nigeria Custom Services, National Drug Law Enforcement Agency and NAFDAC in heightening regulatory alertness, diligence, and control of importation of drugs and food in the country.

that if Nigerians are willing, we will allow democracy to work," he said.

According to him, with the geometry increase in both civil and criminal cases in Nigeria, judges and lawyers should ensure timely administration of justice and adopt alternative dispute resolution mechanism.

While describing the situation in courts as one of the challenges experienced by judges, the chief judge called for a mechanism to track cases in various courts and the lawyers handling such cases.

He therefore, called on the state and federal governments to ensure the digitisation of court rooms in order to pave the way for speedy dispensation of justice in the country.

He said the digitisation would enable more Nigerians to have access to justice, and a website that would enable them to watch court proceedings virtually in their respective homes.

"We should ensure that people have access to justice and make the environment friendly for Nigerians to file their grievances. Courts must also give alternative to sentence to community service."

PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION: COURT DISMISSES AA'S SUIT AGAINST TINUBU

Ozoukwu, SAN, counsel to LP and Obi, stated that the bar was mindful of the public interest being generated by the case, which outcome he said would greatly impact Nigeria's jurisprudence as well as the constitution. “We will do whatever is possible to assist the court do justice in the matters," he said.

Similarly, INEC, represented by Abubakar Mahmoud, SAN, noted that the bar recognised the importance of the matter and "we pledge total support so that justice would be done at the end of the day”.

After all parties had identified their individual processes in both the APC and LP petitions, Tsammani ordered that counsel meet to resolve all grey areas in their processes before the next adjourned date.

The justice, in addition, enjoined parties to endeavour to agree on

applications that should be taken by the court as well as the issues for determination.

While the petition of the APP was adjourned to Wednesday 9am, that of LP was fixed for 2pm same day, for continuation of pre-hearing.

Meanwhile, the panel will today entertain the petitions of APM and PDP. Parties at the proceedings were expected to identify their various processes and subsequently harmonise for easy and speedy dispensation of justice.

Atiku and PDP were expected, at Tuesday's sitting, to draw the attention of the panel to a fresh application they filed, seeking the court's permission for television stations to carry live broadcast of the day to day proceedings of their petition.

Atiku and PDP, in the application dated May 5, and filed May 8, prayed the tribunal for, "An order

directing the court's registry and the parties on modalities for admission of media practitioners and their equipment into the courtroom."

The application filed on their behalf by a team of lawyers led by Uche, was predicated, among other grounds, the fact that, “The matter before the Honourable Court is a dispute over the outcome of the presidential election held on 25th February 2023, a matter of national concern and public interest, involving citizens and voters in the 36 states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, who voted and participated in the said election; and the international community as regards the workings of Nigeria’s electoral process."

They contended that being a unique electoral dispute with a peculiar constitutional dimension, it was a matter of public interest whereof millions of Nigerian

citizens and voters were stakeholders with a constitutional right to receive.

Atiku and PDP said, "An integral part of the constitutional duty of the court to hold proceedings in public is a discretion to allow public access to proceedings either physically or by electronic means.

"With the huge and tremendous technological advances and developments in Nigeria and beyond, including the current trend by this Honourable Court towards embracing electronic procedures, virtual hearing and electronic filing, a departure from the rules to allow a regulated televising of the proceedings in this matter is in consonance with the maxim that justice must not only be done, but must be seen to be done.

"Televising court proceedings is not alien to this Honourable Court, and will enhance public confidence.”

L-R: Special Adviser to Lagos State Governor on Chieftaincy Affairs, Bayo Osiyemi; Director General, Office of Education Quality Assurance, Lagos State, Mrs. Abiola Seriki-Ayeni; Representative of Iyaloja General, Mrs. Folashade Tinubu-Ojo; representing Governor Sanwo-Olu, his Chief of Staff, Mr Tayo Ayinde; Editor-in-Chief of the book “Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Seasons of Success Stories”, Mr Ayotunde Akinfolarin; former Deputy Governor, Femi Pedro and Commissioner for Home Affairs, Olanrewaju Elegushi, during the national launch and public presentation of the book in Lagos… yesterday

COMMENDATION SERVICE FOR LATE PA JOSEPH DIRI...

CBN Bars Representative Offices of Foreign Banks from Financial Transactions, Others

James Emejo in Abuja

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) yesterday stated that Representative Offices of foreign banks in the country are not allowed to engage in an array of financial-related services, including the provision of services designated in Nigeria as banking business.

The central bank disclosed this in a circular on the “Guidelines for the Regulation of the Representative Offices of Foreign Banks in Nigeria”, dated May 3, 2023, directed to all banks and Other Financial Institutions (OFIs).

The circular, which was obtained from the apex bank’s website was signed by the CBN Director, Financial Policy and Regulation Department, Mr. Muhammad Musa.

The central bank further detailed the financial requirements for the representative offices to include a non-refundable application fee of N5 million and a non-refundable licensing fee of N10 million.

The bank particularly noted that representative offices of foreign banks serve the important purpose of showcasing the brand and services of its parent company, and could also stimulate foreign direct investment to the host country by connecting capital to various investment opportunities.

The CBN pointed out that the regulation was meant to specify the requirements for the licencing and operations of approved representative offices of foreign banks in Nigeria.

Specifically, the framework disallows any commercial or trading activity that may lead to the issuance

of invoices for services rendered by the affected entities.

The guideline further forbade them from engaging directly in any financial transaction, except those related to marketing the products and services of its foreign parent or an affiliate of the foreign parent licensed and domiciled outside Nigeria – as well as any other activity that may be specified by the CBN from time to time.

However, the representative offices are permitted to among other things carry out research activities in Nigeria on behalf of the foreign parent; and serve as a liaison between the foreign parent and local banks, private institutions within Nigeria and other customers of the foreign parent based in the country.

The regulation also allows them to pursue business opportunities for the foreign parent or affiliated institutions regarding the availing and/or syndication of foreign currency-denominated loans as well as connect banks and other financial institutions to its foreign parent.

They are also allowed to assist exporters in Nigeria with information related to the laws and markets of target countries in which the foreign parent or any of the Group’s affiliates has a subsidiary; facilitate seminars, forums and other activities within Nigeria through which a foreign parent may meet with and hold further discussions with existing or potential customers in Nigeria, as well as collate and distribute economic and financial information or country reports to its foreign parent for use by customers

of the foreign parent; and assist customers of the foreign parents that desire to invest in Nigeria or do business with Nigerian companies subject to the extant data protection

regulations among others.

The framework covers the scope and applicability of the guidelines, permissible and non-permissible activities for representative offices

as well as its licensing, governance, reporting and operational requirements.

Representative offices currently operating in Nigeria (including those

with formal approvals from CBN) are required to comply with the requirements of the guidelines within 180 days from the date of its release.

APC'S NWC NAMES AKPABIO FOR SENATE PRESIDENT, ABASS FOR SPEAKER

all. It is a normal thing. I always described politics as a game of concentric circle of conspiracy. I am not worried about anything. I believe strongly that the will of God will be done.

"My colleagues would decide my fate on the floor during the inauguration. The senators-elect would take a decision. The lawmakers would elect the next Senate President. I believe that there should be cooperation between the parties and the lawmakers.

"Once the leadership is put in place, there should be collaboration between the leadership and the parliament to ensure a smooth administration. We are all mutually dependent on one another while at the same time, exercising our legislative duties and independence. On the whole, I believe that we can only get better as our democracy matures."

Kalu Writes Party, Senators-elect, Says He’s in Race

Senate Chief Whip and former governor of Abia State, Senator Orji Uzor Kalu, wrote personal letters to members of APC NWC and the 108 senators-elect, intimating them of his intention to contest the position of Senate President.

Kalu, however, refuted stories making the rounds that the South-

KOMOLAFE HAILS BUHARI'S QUICK RESPONSE IN RESOLVING NUPRC, NMDPRA'S OVERLAP IN CRUDE EXPORT TERMINAL SUPERVISION

Petroleum Mining Leases.

Additionally, he mentioned that the commission had been able to incorporate 74 Host Community Development Trusts (HCDT), which is a key part of the host community provisions in the PIA, noting that they had engendered a sense of ownership into the host communities.

Komolafe maintained, "By the time the Host Community Development Trust begins to implement developmental projects within those host communities, that itself, will engender peace in the host communities and we know that creating conducive environment for operators to thrive itself will help

in achieving our core objectives, that is, to increase the oil and gas production in Nigeria."

However, unlike pre-PIA regime, he said there was now clarity in the oil and gas industry and that issues of discretion had been abolished in the industry, saying "we now operate with clarity and our decisions are fully guided by the law."

Komolafe also disclosed that the Commission had equally been able to automate its processes in a manner that ensures operational efficiency, which they felt was key in effectively regulating the upstream sector.

He added, "We have outlined for ourselves to ensure that there

is transparency in hydrocarbon accounting as a key objective and the reason for that is to ensure that we are able to cut leakages.

“Aside that, we equally have a key objective to enhance the national oil and gas production which is a key objective drawn from the statutory mandate of the Commission.

"The other objective that we are equally pursuing is to ensure that we are able to reduce the unit cost of production of oil per barrel, believing that once we are able to achieve that, then we will be able to optimise revenue for the federation from the nation's hydrogen resources."

east senators-elect had endorsed him. He explained that they only met to make a demand from the president-elect and APC.

In an official statement released by his media office, Kalu said he was offering himself for the position of Senate President to the Nigerian people, the senators-elect, and the party with sincerity of heart, humility, and candour.

Kalu noted that his seeming inactive posture in the senate presidency race was because of the one month mourning of his late wife, Mrs Ifeoma Ada Kalu.

Attached to the letter of intent was a copy of Kalu’s legislative agenda, which had six priorities, listed as follows: Economic Growth and Reform; Constitutional and Electoral Reform; National Security; Improved Social Conditions and Welfare; Efficient and Effective National Assembly and Global Influence

Kalu promised to promote and defend the constitution and foster a congenial and cordial relationship between the executive and judiciary.

Nonetheless, some former senators, who were in the second to fourth National Assembly, met in Abuja yesterday and expressed support for the planned zoning of Senate President to South-south and Deputy Senate President to North-west.

Convener of the group, Senator Basheer Lado, who read the communiqué at the end of the meeting, said their resolution was based on the need for fairness, equity and justice. The ex-lawmakers noted that the National Assembly required experienced and level-headed leaders at the helm of its affairs to calm the current tension in the country. They stated, "We believe that, in the spirit of equity, fairness, political expedience and following extensive consultations with stakeholders, hereby express our total support for the zoning of the position of the President of the 10th Senate to the South-south geopolitical zone of Nigeria.

"We also affirm our unfettered support for the position of the President of the 10th Senate, who also doubles as Chairman of the

National Assembly, to be conferred on His Excellency, Distinguished Senator Godswill Obot Akpabio, CON.

"The position of Senate President represents the third position in hierarchy of our current democratic dispensation. This position carries considerable weight in discharging vital constitutional responsibilities and for charting the right course for our national development.

"It is also important that the holder of such a position enjoys the confidence and support of the party leadership and that of his peers, as Senator Godswill Akpabio undoubtedly does.

"With this same spirit of fairness, we also affirm our solid support that the position of Deputy President of the 10th Senate be conceded to Distinguished Senator Barau I. Jubril, CON, representing Kano North Senatorial Zone, Kano State.

"It is our conviction that a diverse and united legislative leadership is critical to good governance. At a trying period in our nation’s political history, the National Assembly requires experienced and level headed leaders at the helm of its affairs."

Other former senators present at the press briefing included Barnabas Gemade, Abba Aji, Magnus Abe, Ayogu Eze, Ridwan Soji Akanbi, Eta Enag, Ayo Arise, and Sunny Ugbuoji.

But the position of the former senators was rejected by a group loyal to another aspirant for senate presidency, Abdulaziz Yari.

The group, Good Governance Initiative (GGi), condemned the action of the former senators and described it as double-standard and undemocratic.

The group berated the former senators for calling on other aspirants to step down for Akpabio.

The pro-Yari group said the call by the former lawmakers amounted to double standard, as many members of the hitherto unknown group had championed the independence of the legislature in the past when it suited their interests.

The group said, "These were people who functioned as lawmakers at the highest level of this country previously. They ought to understand

fundamental rights of individuals as enshrined in the constitution. They ought to understand constitutional democracy like ours. Many of them on the list once championed the independence of the parliament. So, what has changed? The best answer to the question is double standard on their part, for their selfish gains.

"However, His Excellency Abdul'aziz Abubakar Yari will exercise his rights within the confines of the Senate Standing Rule and the 1999 Constitution, as amended. He cannot be intimidated by this kind of gang-up since the former senators have no voting rights on the floor of the senate, on one hand.”

Opposition Parties Set Up 11-man Committee to Screen Candidates

Members of the opposition parties in the incoming 10th House of Representatives put together an 11-man committee charged with the task of shortlisting, screening and eventual recommendation of aspirants for the speaker and deputy speaker positions.

Last week, the caucus known as the “Greater Majority” with a plan to upstage APC, had said it would contest for speakership and the deputy speakership of the House of Representatives.

The political parties that made up the caucus included PDP, Labour Party (LP), New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), Africa Democratic Congress (ADC), Young People's Party (YPP), All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), and Social Democratic Party (SDP).

The lawmakers at a briefing said the committee would be chaired by Hon. Nicholas Mutu, with Hon. Afam Victor Ogene as Secretary, and Hon. Abdulmumini Jibrin as Deputy Chairman.

Other members of the committee included Hon. Wole Oke (PDP), Hon. Gaza Jonathan Gbefwi (SDP), Hon. Beni Lar (PDP), Hon. Ali Isa JC (PDP), Hon. Kabiru Alhassan Rurum (NNPP ), Hon. Donatus Mathew Kuzalio (LP), Hon. Yusuf Salisu Majigiri (PDP), Hon. Nnabuife Chinwe Clara (YPP), Hon. Gwacham Chinwe (APGA), and Hon. Idris Salman.

The committee was given one week to turn in its report.

L-R: Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki (left), with former President Olusegun Obasanjo, during a commendation service in honour of late Pa Abraham Joseph Michael Diri, at the St. Peter’s Anglican Church, Sampou in Kolokumokokuma Local Government Area of Bayelsa State... on Saturday

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Terrorists Invade Church, Abduct 25 Worshipers in Kaduna

John Shiklam in Kaduna

Twenty five people were on Sunday abducted by gunmen during a Church service at Bege Baptist Church, Madala, Chikun Local Government Area of Kaduna state.

Chairman of the Kaduna state chapter of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Rev. Joseph Hayab, disclosed

this yesterday in Kaduna.

Hayab said the criminals invaded the Church during the Sunday worship at about 9:30am.

He said 40 people were initially abducted but 15 of them later escaped while 25 are being held in captivity.

“The worshippers were in the Church for Sunday worship, when around 9:30am, they heard

Canadian Star, Drake, Excited as DNA Shows He’s 30% Nigerian

Grammy-winning international singer, Aubrey Drake Graham, known as Drake, has stirred the emotions of Nigerians with a disclosure about his ancestry that he shared on-line.

Drake yesterday took to his Insta Story to share a screenshot of the results of his dad’s DNA ancestry test insinuating he’s partly Nigerian.

The result, which he said was sent to him by Dennis Graham, his dad, showed he is “30 per cent Nigerian.”

Exited, the singer asked if he could finally call himself a “Naija man.”

“This my dad’s results, does this mean I’m a Naija man finally?” Drake asked.

The screenshot also showed Nigeria has the highest percentage of ethnicity followed by Cameroon, Congo, and Western Bantu Peoples, which is 28 per cent, then Ivory Coast and Ghana,

11 per cent.

The results further showed Drake’s father has a multi-ethnic background, including roots in Mali, Benin, and Togo.

The post has triggered a floodgate of reactions from Nigerians on Twitter.

@Basito: “Drake went to do check DNA to know if he has Nigerian root so that when he drops an Afrobeats album, nobody would question him,”

“Drake being Nigerian means he’s likely an Akwa-Ibom, Yoruba or Warri man. Leaning heaviest on him being an Akwa-Ibom man because he has that accent in him despite all the Americanization & then I saw his dad’s image,” another user added.

Drake was born on October 24, 1986, in Toronto, Ontario. His father is an African-American Catholic drummer from Memphis who once performed with country musician Jerry Lee Lewis.

IOD Inducts First Nominees MD, Others

Oluchi Chibuzor

In recognition of its strong linkage between the board and management, the Institute of Directors (IoD) has inducted the Managing Director, First Nominees Nigeria Limited, a subsidiary of First Bank of Nigeria and other Executive Directors of the company.

Other newly inducted members from the firm include, Director, First Nominees Nigeria Limited, Megbeokwere Raymond;NonExecutive Director, Olawore Omolade; Executive Director, Olayiwola Ramon.

Speaking at the IoD’s New Members’ Inductees Programme, the Managing Director, First Nominees, Mr. Kunle Olorunfemi, attributed their success to the strong corporate governance culture of First Bank of Nigeria(FBN) and its various entities.

gun shots. The gunmen attacked the Church and went away with 40 worshippers.

“Along the way, 15 of the kidnapped persons escaped and while the remaining 25

are being held captive”, he said.

The CAN chairman said efforts were being made to get in touch with the kidnappers.

“We pray that the abductors would be merciful to release

the remaining 25 people back to their families”, he said.

When contacted, spokesperson of the Kaduna State Police Command, Mohammad Jalige, could not confirm the incident,

but promised to contact the Divisional Police Office (DPO) in charge of Chikun LGA and get back. He was yet to get back at the time of filing this report.

Falana: Incoming Govt. Should Probe Monumental Fraud in Fuel Importation

Wale

Igbintade

Human rights lawyer, Mr. Femi Falana SAN has charged the in-coming government to investigate what he called ‘monumental fraud’ surrounding the importation of fuel into the country.

Speaking yesterday on Channel television’s Politics Today, Falana said: ‘’I believe the incoming government will

have to set up an enquiry to find out why the government claim to spend trillions of Naira on importation of fuel, and that the bulk of fuel imported goes out of the country’’.

He said: “Before the Buhari regime goes, it is important to let Nigerians know that we have investment in Dangote Refinery. Nigeria invested $2.7billion in that refinery. In addition, 300,000 barrel of

crude oil that will be given to the refinery per day. Secondly, the Buhari administration very belatedly earmarked $1.5 billion to fix the Port Harcourt refinery. We understand the refinery will come on stream this year. For Warri and Kaduna refineries, the government has paid contractor $1.4 billion. When these refineries are turned round and with our investment in Dangote Refinery, I believe the incoming government

will have to set up an enquiry to find out why the government claim to spend trillions of Naira on importation of fuel, and that the bulk of fuel imported go out of the country’’.

Falana, who called on the federal government to as soon as possible to apply to join the BRICS countries, added that Nigeria had no business selling oil and gas in dollars, and should ask buyers to pay in naira.

LAUTECH Doctors Withdraw Services over Conditions of Service, Unpaid Salaries

Doctors at the Ladoke Akintola University of Technology Teaching Hospital, Ogbomoso, Oyo State began an industrial action yesterday over poor conditions of service. The industrial action was called by the hospital’s chapter of the Medical and Dental Association of Nigeria (MDCAN) and announced by its Chairman, Dr Ayobami Alabi and Secretary, Dr Taiwo Alatishe

in a statement.

They stated that the decision was based on a congress resolution arrived at, at the expiration of an ultimatum earlier issued.

The chapter’s MDCAN declared that it had critically observed the situation in the hospital and there was no definite assurance that issues in contention would soon be resolved either partly or wholly.

The association stated that it had made efforts in the past to safeguard the hospital from total collapse and to reposition it for better training, research, and services for which it was established.

It declared as unacceptable the continued non-payment of salaries of its members recently employed.

It also decried the “delay and

difficulty in payment of 2016 to 2017 salary arrears by the management.

It added that some of the other issues in contention were shortage of manpower across the different cadres of doctors, including consultants, specialists across different fields, resident doctors, specialists in training and house officers.

Disregard IPoB’s Prolonged Sit-at-home Order, Police Tell Ebonyi Residents

The Police Command in Ebonyi yesterday urged residents in the state to discountenance the sit-at-home order by the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPoB) scheduled from May 8 through May 11.

Onovwakpoyeya, Spokesperson of the command in Abakaliki..

He said at FBN they take participatory management very seriously, adding that between the board, the management and the staff there are a lot of relationships that are positive and are cordial.

He also said that First Nominees, which is a subsidiary of FBN has been in existence for over 130 years, adding that they are bringing that is culture, in terms of employee engagement and then engagement across all the levels in the organisation.

According to him, “So, today, three of our Non-Executive Directors were inducted and one participated online, am a director and at the same time part of the management; that already shows the kind of partnership and synergy that exist between the executive and non-executive as far as board and management relationship is concerned.

This is contained in a statement issued by SP Onome

The statement quoted the Commissioner of Police in Ebonyi, CP Faleye Olaleye describing the order as unconstitutional and unlawful. According to him, the order cannot stand.

“Police is aware of the statement in circulation by a group that called itself, Indigenous People of Biafra asking people to observe a Sit-at-home from May 8 to May11, 2023 for reason best known to them.

“The order is unconstitutional,

unlawful and cannot stand.

“We therefore, enjoin the good people of Ebonyi to discountence the order and go about their lawful business without fear of intimidation as Police is prepared, more than before to provide them with maximum protection for their safety,” he said.

Tinubu ‘ll Deliver Good Governance, Says APC Chieftain

Blessing Ibunge in Port Harcourt

A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers State, Tony Okocha, has expressed believe that the President - elect, Bola Tinubu in his first tenure will deliver good governance in the country.

This as the APC in the state has called for the setting up of an Elections Offences Tribunal in the country to investigate and recommend punishment for all election related offences.

Speaking with journalists in Port Harcourt, yesterday, Okocha stressed that as the 16th president,

Tinubu would fulfill all his campaign promises to Nigerians. Okocha revealed that one of the reasons for the president-elect visit to the state, was for him to have knowledge of the level of neglect Rivers people suffered in past years from the federal government.

He said: “I want to assure you that one of latent reasons why the outgoing governor invited the President-Elect to Rivers State, was to show him the hospitality of Rivers people and to bring his attention to the deprivations that Rivers State had suffered over time from the federal.

Abass Replaces AIG Ali as Delta Police Commissioner

Omon-Julius Onabu in Asaba

The 21st Commissioner of Police, Delta State Command, Mr. ‘Wale Abass, who succeeded the newly promoted Assistant Inspector-General of Police (AIG) Ari Muhammed Ali, has resumed duty in the police

command.

Abass resumption followed the deployment of Ali as the AIG in charge of ‘Zone 2’ in Lagos State.

The new commissioner, who hails from Ede North Local Government Area of Osun State, holds a bachelor degree in

Philosophy and Political Science from the University of Lagos.

He also holds a Master Degree in International Law and Diplomacy from the University of Lagos.

Abbas was enlisted into the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) on 3rd March, 1990 as a member

of Course 16 Cadet ASP and was trained in the elite police academy in Kaduna. He has served in various capacities in the NPF, including Unit Commander, 16 Squadron (PMF), where he rose to become the commander of the squadron.

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L-R: Past President of Rotary Club of Benin Government Reserve Area(GRA), Felicia Omoruyi; past Assistant Governor, Nosa Edo-Osagie, and President, Rotary Club of Benin GRA, Nkechi Ijeaku at a lecture on Rotary’s commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion in Benin City, Edo State…recently

Alleged N6.9bn Fraud: Absence of Obanikoro Stalls Fayose’s Trial

The trial former Governor of Ekiti State, Ayodele Fayose before a Federal High Court Lagos, was stalled yesterday following the absence of the 12th prosecution witness, Mr. Musiliu Obanikoro.

Obanikoro, a former Minister of State for Defence, who began his evidence on January 31, is still undergoing cross

examination by the defence.

Fayose is being prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), over alleged fraud and money laundering charges.

The former governor was first arraigned on October 22, 2018 before Justice Mojisola Olatoregun alongside his company, Spotless Investment

Don’t Arrest Imam Abdulaziz over Alleged Blasphemy, Islamic Group Warns

Segun Awofadeji in Bauchi

A religious group known as Jama’atu Shababil Islam, Bauchi Chapter has appealed to the Bauchi State Government, Bauchi Emirate, State Police Command, Department of State Services (DSS) and all religions stakeholders in the state to exercise due diligence and professionalism with regards to the attempt to arrest a popular Bauchi-based Islamic scholar, Imam Dr. Idris Abdulaziz, over allegation of blasphemous statement against Prophet Muhammad (SAW).

The group led by Mallam Ibrahim Muhammad and Dr. Salisu Isah Sa’idu Secretary and Chairman respectively made the call during a press conference in Bauchi yesterday, warning

authorities concerned to tread with caution in order not plunge Bauchi into religious crisis.

The call was coming on the heels of an alleged conspiracy against Sunnah and the incitement of violence in Bauch State, the country at large and across the Muslim World in the guise of arrest of Abdulaziz for what the conspirators called blasphemy.

“Stakeholders should understand that the situation is purely a sectarian strife, a sensitive religious issue that requires only intellectual approach. Someone, somewhere in transient political position cannot just swore to arrest an Islamic scholar for any political reason whatsoever. Therefore, the matter can only be resolved by engaging the appropriate religious authorities.”

NGX CEO, Popoola, Honoured with CIS Fellowship

Kayode Tokede

The Chartered Institute of Stockbrokers (CIS) yesterday inducted the Chief Executive Officer of Nigerian Exchange Limited (NGX)Mr Temi Popoola as a Fellow of the Institute.

Delivering his welcome address at the event, the President and Chairman of Council, CIS, Mr. Oluwole Adeosun, stated that the fellowship of the institute was the highest category of membership.

“For a member of the institute to become a Fellow, the individual must, in addition to professional excellence, pass the moral and integrity tests with flying colours. This gentleman has done just that.”

Ltd, on 11 counts bordering on fraud and money laundering offences.

He had pleaded not guilty to the charges and was granted bail on October 24, 2018 in the

sum of N50 million with two sureties in like sum.

The defendant was, however, subsequently re-arraigned before Justice Chukwujekwu Aneke, on July 2, 2019, after the case

was withdrawn from Justice Olatoregun, following EFCC’s petition.

He had also pleaded not guilty to the charges and was allowed to continue on

the earlier bail granted, while the case was adjourned for trial. The commission has since opened its case before Justice Aneke, and is still leading witnesses in evidence.

No Request on LGAs for N2.9b, Ignore APC’s Fake News, Says Adeleke

Yinka Kolawole in Osogbo

The Osun State Government yesterday posited that the alleged directive to local governments to contribute N2.9 billion was fake news from the Osun State’s chapter of the All Progressive Congress’ (APC) hall of infamy that was not done in good faith.

A signed statement made available to THISDAY yesterday

by the Spokesperson to the Osun State Governor, Mr. Olawale Rasheed, said: “This is a lie from the pit of hell and a progression of Osun APC to eventual melancholic state after days of hallucination from a mild form of depression.”

The statement noted that “first was the senseless allegation of a plot by the Adeleke’s administration to demote one million workers. Now, it is the

ridiculous tantrum about false extortion of N2.9 billion from local governments.”

“In their rabid state of despondency, the capacity to churn out any believable lie is severely degraded, leading to bush league releases from incompetent minds.”

The state government, however, called on members of the public to ignore this new

round of misinformation and disinformation.

It said: “This administration is governed strictly by due process and transparency within the context of public finance regulations. The State Governor, Senator Ademola Adeleke, has zero tolerance for corrupt practices as he focuses daily on delivery of good governance and people’s welfare.

Kogi Vigilance Groups Rescue 134 Victims from Kidnappers

Ibrahim Oyewale in Lokoja

Vigilance groups in Kogi State has rescued no fewer than 134 victims who were abducted by kidnappers from various parts of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

The victims were rescued during the recent operations

of the Kogi vigilance service in forests located in the state and some parts of Nasarawa State.

In a statement that signed by the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor of Kogi State, Mr. Onogwu Muhammed, which was made available to journalists in Lokoja yesterday.

The vigilance group was said

to have stormed the hideouts of kidnappers in the Odullo Forest in Kogi and Sardauna in Nasarawa State, and rescued victims who were abducted from Abaji, Kuje, and Kwali in FCT, as well as Toto Council Area of Nasarawa State.

The Chairman of the Kogi/ Koton Karfe Local Government Area, Mr. Dauda Aliyu, who

received the rescued victims, commended the vigilantes for their bravery.

Aliyu acknowledged the support of the state government for security operatives in the state. He also ensured that the victims were properly reunited with their families in their respective LGAs.

Navy Warns Oil Thieves, Vandals to Stay Away from Creeks

The Nigeria Navy yesterday reiterated its stance to rid the Niger Delta in particular and the country in general of activities of crude oil thieves and pipeline vandals.

The Flag Officer Commanding (FOC) Eastern Naval Command (ENC), Rear Admiral Olusola Oluwagbire, gave the assurance during his maiden inspection of

facilities at the Nigeria Navy Ship (NNS) Pathfinder in Port Harcourt.

He said the navy had redoubled its efforts in tackling illegal oil bunkering through several operations, including 24 hours daily patrol of creeks and waterways.

“This we are doing in line with the vision to be the most operational naval command

around the world.

“We in the ENC are doing all that we can to ensure that the mandate given to us by the Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Adm. Awwal Gambo, is ultimately fulfilled.

“So, criminal elements should steer clear of the ENC area of responsibility as we are battle ready to confront them, smoke them out and roost them,” he said.

Oluwagbire said his operational tour of NNS Pathfinder aimed to check the condition of facilities at the base as well as engage with officers and ratings of the command.

“So far, I am impressed with the investments and efforts that the commander of NNS Pathfinder, Commodore Suleiman Ibrahim, is putting into the base.

In his acceptance speech, Popoola thanked the institute’s board of fellows and the full council members for the great honour, and pledged to continue to uphold the institute’s core values.

“I am extremely delighted because I am emotionally connected to this market and I am grateful for the support received from CIS since I became the CEO of NGX.

“At NGX, we strive to always incorporate CIS in our strategy as the institute ranks high among our critical stakeholders,” he said.

Popoola added that he was looking forward to working with CIS to engage the incoming government to drive policies that would reposition the capital market for growth.

Egbewole: Unilorin ‘ll Follow Laid Down Rules Guiding Admission Process

Hammed Shittu in Ilorin

The Vice Chancellor of the University of Ilorin, Prof. Wahab Olasupo Egbewole, (SAN), has said that the management of the institution would always abide by the laid down rules and regulations guiding admission into universities in Nigeria as

instructed by the constituted authority.

Over 3,000 candidates across the country have taken University of Ilorin as their first choice in the ongoing UTME due to the academic stability of the institution in the recent years.

Egbewole stated this in

Ilorin yesterday while receiving members of the National Forum of Heads of Government Establishments in Nigeria during a courtesy call to congratulate him on his emergence as the 11th vice chancellor of the University of Ilorin.

He, however, reassured the stakeholders that the university’s

management would continue to be fair to all admission seekers in the university.

The vice chancellor, who appreciated the solidarity of the group, assured the team that the university under his watch would continue to nurture the relationship that exists between it and the forum.

Nasarawa Inaugurates Centre to Tackle GBV

The Nasarawa State Government yesterday inaugurated a Sexual Assault Referral Centre at the Dalhatu Araf Specialist Hospital (DASH), Lafia.

In a speech at the event, the Wife of the Governor, Mrs. Silifat Sule, vowed to ensure that anybody that abused a woman or girl got punished

severely to serve as deterrent to others with similar intentions.

Sule said that available records have shown that family members and neighbours were the perpetrators of most cases of sexual abuse in recent time.

She called on parents not to leave their children under the care of anybody no matter

how related they were to them without monitoring them.

Also, the Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development, Hajiya Aisha Rufai-Ibrahim, said the centre was established to handle cases of gender-based violence (GBV) in the state.

Rufai-Ibrahim said that the

inauguration of the centre was to demonstrate the State Government’s commitment toward the protection of the rights of women and children.

“The centre will give hope to victims of sexual violence, treat them and give them the needed support to get justice.

Vengeance in the Air as Man City Storm Bernabeu!

Guardiola’s men seeking revenge for last season’s exit to Madrid

Manchester City's stars are in Bernabeu tonight seeking revenge for their last season’s dramatic Champions Leagueexit at the hands of Real Madrid.

Rodri insisted that the Premier Leaguechampions have learned

CHAMPIONS LEAGUE

lessons from the capitulation in last year’s semi-final, when they blew a two-goal lead in stoppage time of the second leg.

The midfielder has never watched that game back but, with Real the obstacle to another final, he claimed City are in the Spanish capital to

settle scores tonight.

“Football gives you the option for revenge,” Rodri said. “We’re in a great moment, afraid of nothing. We trust 100 per cent that we’re going to be able to qualify.

“We have motivation with the

feeling that we are doing things very good this year and we arrive in our best moment.

“Last year, we did 180 brilliant minutes but sometimes it isn’t enough, you can lose in five minutes. We didn’t handle it in the right way and we have learned from that. The environment has changed a lot.

“Tuesday (tonight) we will try to give nothing to them and kill them when we can. Score goals in the moment you can punish.

“We need to fight like a small team, and then we have top quality players. We will fight hard again. We’ve been brilliant. The Treble? Not many teams can say this.”

Rodri’s manager, Pep Guardiola, however chose to warn his players against becoming side-tracked by the potential for revenge, worrying it could make the tie too emotional.

“It would be a huge mistake,” Guardiola said. “We’re not here for revenge, just an opportunity.

We can learn a little bit from what happened. You cannot become crazy. It's a football game.

“I reviewed the games over the last two days and we couldn’t have played better in the home leg. Last season was the end of the world and we’re back. “One day we will reach the final again and one day we will win it.”

Bernardo Silva has also referenced the potential for revenge in recent weeks, while Guardiola revealed that he feels pressure to deliver the only trophy missing from City’s cabinet.

“The demand to win the Champions League, I know it,” the Catalan added. “I had the feeling when I arrived. They (the club) never asked me but I had the feeling after the first Premier League (title) that the target would be to win a trophy that you don’t have,” concludes the former Barcelona and Bayern Munich gaffer.

Awoniyi on Fire, Scores Brace as Forest Step out of Drop Zone

Ndidi’s Leicester replace Iwobi’s Everton in troubled waters

Nigerian international, Taiwo Awoniyi, scored two goals as Nottingham Forest defeated Southampton 4-3 to take a big leap out of the relegation zone last night.

On a day 21 goals were scored across three-game to set a new Premier League record, the Super Eagles forward raced to two quick goals in a space of three minutes before the visitors pulled back one.

Taiwo Awoniyi (centre) scored two goals as Nottingham Forest defeated Southampton 4-3 to move out of the relegation zone of the Premier League...last night

CAF Forces Shift of Naija Super 8 Zonal Play-offs to Eket

The zonal play-offs of the forthcoming Naija Super 8 football competition have been moved from Godswill Akpabio International Stadium, Uyo, to Eket Township Stadium and will hold between June 1 and 3, 2023.

Flykite Productions, the organisers of the playoffs, said in a statement

signed by the company’s Managing Director, Jenkins Alumona, that the venue change was compelled by the decision of the Confederation of African Football (CAF) to use the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium as the venue for its Super League and its demand that the facility be refurbished ahead of the

competition.

“The managers of Godswill Akpabio International Stadium informed us that the facility has been chosen as the venue for the CAF Super League and it will need to be refurbished ahead of the competition.

“This has left us with no option

Onazi Launches Maiden Football Scouting Clinic

Kunle Adewale

The maiden edition of the Ogenyi Onazi Football Scouting Clinic (OOFSC) is set to take place at The Stable, Union Bank, in Surulere, Lagos, from June 6to June 9, 2023. The clinic will showcase some of the best football talents in the country.

According to the former Super Eagles midfielder, OOFSC is committed to providing opportunities for aspiring young football players to showcase their skills and achieve their dreams of becoming professional footballers.

The clinic will bring together players from all over the country, giving them chance to impress scouts from various professional teams around the world.

"The scouting tournament is an

excellent opportunity for players to demonstrate their skills and catch the attention of professional teams," said the event host, international footballer, Onazi. "We are excited to see the level of talent that will be on display, and we are confident that we can help some of these players to become successful professional footballers."

The tournament is open to players aged 16 to 20 years. All participants will be evaluated by a panel of experienced and highly qualified scouts. This first edition of the OOFSC will be ground breaking and will create a track record of discovering and nurturing talent. This clinic will be the birth of many more to come.

"We are looking for players who have the drive, discipline,

passion, and talent to succeed in the highly competitive world of professional football," said Onazi. "We encourage all eligible players to register for the tournament and take advantage of this incredible opportunity."

According to Onazi, registration for the clinic “is now open and interested players can sign up on our social media pages via the link in our bio. “Registration is free, and all participants will have a chance to compete against the best football talent in the country.

Onazi urged interested players to “visit social media pages, Instagram @onazifootballclinic, Twitter, @ onaziFBClinic or contact us at onazifootballclinic@gmail.comfor more information about the scouting clinic, including registration.”

than to move the playoffs to Eket which, thankfully, has a great facility and is close to Uyo.

“The Eket Township Stadium, which was completed less than a year ago, is in good shape.

“Eket is also a football location and we assure fans that they will have a great time watching the playoffs,” Alumona observed last night.

The 12-club zonal playoffs are the first of the two stages of Naija Super 8 and are designed to determine representatives of the six geo-political zones at the finals to be held in Lagos between June 16 and 25.

To qualify for the playoffs, clubs must be among the two with the highest vote tallies from their zones after the completion of the ongoing fan voting, which opened April 10 and closes May 12.

The top two teams from each zone will take on each other in a single-game elimination match, with winners proceeding to the finals where they will be joined by two wildcard teams to be decided by the organisers.

Alumona called on fans who have not voted to visit www. naijasuper8.ng to vote for their favourite clubs to be part of the competition.

In an exhilarating seven-goal thriller, Southampton responded through Carlos Alcaraz but Morgan Gibbs-White made it 3-1 to Forest from the penalty spot. Southampton's Lyanco and James Ward-Prowse then netted either side of Forest's Danilo, but

the hosts held on. Paul Onuachu battled in vain for the Saints. Having seen Everton jump out of the bottom three with a stunning 5-1 victory over Brightonearlier on Monday, Forest knew they needed to do the same and have now climbed up to 16th, above the Toffees. With Leicester’s 5-3 defeat at Fulham, the Foxes have now dropped into relegation zone in 18th spot in the league standing. Wilfred Ndidi’s form should now be a major source of concern to Nigeria’s Super Eagles Portuguese gaffer, Jose Peseiro. Kelechi Iheanacho remains in the sideline due to the groin he picked up weeks back.

Badminton Nigeria Storms Nnewi for ‘Shuttle Time’

The global efforts to raise budding badminton players, code-named ‘Shuttle Time’, has moved to Nnewi in Anambra State, South East Nigeria, as 11 secondary schools and 13 physical education teachers gather to nurture new set of players.

‘Shuttle Time’, according to the Badminton World Federation (BWF), is a project in which lessons are designed to provide children with positive image of badminton through many opportunities to have fun, engage with others and experience success.

The Nnewi event is the second to be held in Nigeria under the auspices of the Badminton Federation of Nigeria (BFN).

The two-day training event, the second in the series in Nigeria after that of last month, held in Ilishan in Ikenne LGA of Ogun State, was powered by BFN partner - Community Sport and Educational Development (CSED) Initiative. through the distribution of Basic badminton equipment which included badminton rackets, nets and shuttles, were distributed to schools in the local government area.

South East representative on the board of the BFN, Mrs Oby

Edoga Solaja, acknowledged the warm reception and logistic support accorded the team of ‘Shuttle Time’ trainers and BFN by the Badminton Section of the Nnewi Sports Club, anchored by Ambassador Odi Nwosu and the Acting Chairman, Paul Ileka. The training was conducted by the ‘Shuttle Time’ Nigeria Coordinator, Tajudeen Suleiman Ayodele.

At the event were 11 schools from Nnewi and it's environ; they include: Nnewi High School, Community Secondary School, Livingword Comprehensive Secondary School, Anglican Girls Secondary School. Premium Breed Secondary School, Maria Regina Model Secondary School, and Okongwu Memorial Grammar School.

Others are; Immanuel Model Secondary School, Akamili; Okija Grammar School; Austica Memorial College, Nanka, and St. Michael's Boys Secondary School, Ozubulu. With two series of Shuttle Time Nigeria done in Ilishan and Nnewi, the train, with the support of BFN partners - CSED, will next move to Edo, Delta, Kaduna, Bayelsa, and other states in the country.

CSO to Federal Government

“If the fuel subsidy removal process has been suspended after the NEC meeting, then the government should return the borrowed money (World Bank’s $800million facility) because what are we taking the loan for? In 2022, Nigeria paid about N7 trillion in fuel subsidy and in 2023, from January to June, when the country intends to stop paying, the subsidy is N3.6 trillion. So, if we are paying such whopping amount of money when subsidy is removed, we should have enough savings instead of taking additional loans “ --ExecutiveDirector,CISLAC, AuwalMusa-Rafsanjani,lamentingthecountry’scripplingdebtcrisis.

TUESDAY WITH REUBEN ABATI

abati1990@gmail.com

An Eight-Point Agenda for The President-Elect

Without prejudice to what transpires at the Presidential Election Tribunal on the February 25 election, and the request by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and others that the proceedings should be televised live – no problem about that, as long as the parties involved can bear the cost in defence of the ideal of transparency - it seems certain nonetheless that Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, President-elect and Presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), the ruling party, would be sworn in as President of Nigeria on May 29, 2023. The Federal Government has set up a Transition Committee, the President-elect has also set up an Inauguration Committee with some Nollywood stars named unto that committee already behaving like party boosters on social media. While the Election Petition Tribunal continues to keep, hopefully to its promise that it would consider every application on its own merit, Tinubu and APC are already preparing for their own Coronation ceremony on May 29, complete with jollof rice and aso ebi parties and a scale of pomp and pageantry that could rival the Coronation of King Charles III of Great Britain on May 6. Nigerians are very good at imitating the colonial masters. No one should be surprised if Tinubu arrives at the Eagle Square on Inauguration Day on a horse-drawn golden carriage. The morning after, he would swing into action, real time. The sword of power would have been handed over to him. He would have such authority and access to resources that his challengers in court cannot hope to match. He would in fact have been placed in a position to exercise authority over those who are challenging him, their businesses and their needs. Even the courts would have taken notice of the fact that Nigeria is under a new dispensation. Tinubu has been in politics for a long time. He knows what power means. He has been a Senator. He has been Governor twice. He has been a Godfather in Nigerian politics for more than two decades. He has been a kingmaker. He is a veteran of the game. The real threat to our democracy is that we may have been presented with a fait accompli, while the lawyers shuffle papers and quote dead authorities and precedents in order to earn their pay. Even if the matter goes all the way to the Supreme Court let it be noted that the apex court is a court of law and also a court of public policy. This is why there is merit to the emerging argument that our electoral system needs further reform, and the Constitution must be amended accordingly to ensure that post-election, all election petitions are determined before anybody is sworn in. That is what they do in Kenya. Why not in Nigeria? For now, Bola Tinubu and the APC will benefit from this omission in the Nigerian Constitution. But the people’s consciousness has been awoken. Legal frameworks emerge on the basis of lessons learnt. Those who doubt the integrity and the legitimacy of the process that made the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to declare Tinubu as President-elect are bound to stay on this question until it is resolved, ahead of future elections. Such persons have the right to raise questions.

For now, therefore, let us reflect on the reality of a Tinubu Presidency that stares us in the face. He has not yet been sworn in, he is already acting as President. He has since moved into the Defence House, the traditional residence for Nigeria’s President in waiting. The other day, the Rivers State Government invited him to commission two projects and a two-day holiday was declared to host him. His supporters are now taking out family attires, the famous aso ebi. Materials have been submitted to tailors and fashion designers. No one should be surprised if Tinubu invites the opposition party leaders to his inauguration and quite a number would show up on D-Day. Has Action Alliance (AA) not withdrawn its petition at the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal without giving any reason?

For Bola Tinubu, May 29 would be a significant moment – the day that the kingmaker of many years takes the throne for which he had long prepared himself. His campaign slogan was “Emilokan” – “it is my turn”- May 29 would be a culmination of a life-long ambition, carefully executed over the years, from the days of NADECO struggle to Senatorial position, Governorship, and a crafty, deliberate, even if cynical construction of power, name recognition and influence. It would be history made on May 29, because Tinubu would have become the third South Westerner and the fifth Southerner – after Aguiyi Ironsi, Ernest Shonekan, Olusegun Obasanjo and Goodluck Jonathan to lead Nigeria.

In 1966, July, in the heat of the counter-coup, Brigadier Babfemi Ogundipe who was next in line to Ironsi had to flee abroad when his Northern aides threatened to kill him. In the First and Second Republics, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, who was most prepared for office and leadership never achieved the dream of becoming Nigeria’s President. In 1993, Chief MKO Abiola who emerged winner of what has been adjudged the freest and fairest election in Nigerian history was denied victory because the military led by General Ibrahim Babangida annulled the election. When Tinubu wears the Presidential sash on May 29, he would have succeeded where other clearly accomplished Yoruba sons “failed”. Such is the irony of life, but it is also the reason why Tinubu as a Nigerian President from the South and from the South West would be assuming a heavy burden of history. Being President alone, even for a week is probably enough for him – his name would have entered the annals of history. But that cannot be enough. The President-elect must not look forward to the fulfilment of naked ambition. He cannot go to Aso Villa in Abuja to drink tea, eat free food, and pick his teeth afterwards with toothpick. I dare say that toothpicks should be banned from Aso Villa forthwith. When a man sits on the stone of destiny, he sits atop a huge responsibility.

Bola Ahmed Tinubu as Presidential candidate engaged Nigerians with an 80-page manifesto which he titled “Renewed Hope”. I would be surprised if he has read his own manifesto. It took some time for that manifesto to be announced. His campaign managers disowned several versions before they finally decided on the 88-page document. Now

here is the deal – in Nigeria, political manifestoes are written by a hired team who put out textbook ideas and tell the people what they want to hear which is why all the Presidential manifestoes in the 2023 Presidential election mouthed the same platitudes, an expression of the lack of clear ideological lines in contemporary Nigerian politics. This is the reason why under the Buhari administration, we had the interesting experience of a sitting President denying some of the contents of his own campaign manifesto. The ideas were not his, they were put there by the political jobbers aiming for the right sound bites. Nobody should be surprised if Tinubu also distances himself from some of the verbiage in his campaign document. But we expect him to reduce his priorities to clear, policy choices that can be monitored. No verbiage, just very clear actionable points. President Umaru Yar’Adua (2007 – 2010) had a seven point plus two special interest issues agenda for Nigeria. President Goodluck Jonathan (2010 – 2015) announced a Transformation Agenda with four special targets to seek profound changes in social, economic, political and the institutional structure of the country. President Muhammadu Buhari (2015 – 2023) eventually reduced his campaign manifesto to a specific three-point agenda. President-elect Bola Ahmed Tinubu is advised to follow the same pattern. I propose the following actionable, eight-point agenda, not necessarily in their order of importance.

One: The first big elephant in the room that the Tinubu administration has to deal with when it assumes office on May 29, right after the inauguration banquet is the removal of fuel subsidy. It is first and foremost a matter of law. Both the Appropriation Act 2023, and the Petroleum Industry Act 2021 prescribes a window of exit from the petroleum subsidy regime that does not extend beyond June 1, 2023. There is no provision for the funding of subsidy in the budget beyond that point. The Buhari administration had cleverly avoided taking responsibility for removing fuel subsidy and shifted the goal post claiming there could be “consequences” in a Bloomberg interview. The same administration has further saved itself from public backlash by saying it has secured an $800 million facility from the World Bank for the provision of palliatives, but it is now up to an expanded committee including the in-coming administration’s team to take a decision. It looks like a set up to me. Buhari would walk away as the man who was wary of “consequences”. Tinubu will be required to use his head to break the coconut. If the subsidy remains beyond the provisions of the law, and no attempt is made to amend the law, Tinubu would be starting off his Presidency by breaking the laws of Nigeria.

The government would have set out on a note of illegality. It would be akin to the Buhari administration violating the Procurement Act and the CBN Act with regard to CBN Ways and Means, and here on the eve of Buhari’s Departure, the National Assembly says it has approved the violation of the law. When the legislature breaks its own laws, and does so with immunity, then a country is in trouble. If it may be any consolation to those who are opposed to INEC’s declaration of Tinubu as President-elect, the truth is that the man is going to inherit a troubled nation. The country is broke. After May 29, it may not be able to meet its financial obligations. The question of fuel subsidy is a kind of poetic justice for Tinubu. In 2012, he and his allies organized designer protests at Ojota, Lagos and elsewhere to oppose fuel subsidy removal. If we had removed subsidy then, Nigeria would have since adjusted. Tinubu is saddled with the evil day that he postponed. He must either show courage or act cowardly. Economists for more than two decades have not changed their position from Lagos to Washington DC, that a fuel subsidy regime is unsustainable. It is important to state this because there are some ruling party hangers-on who have been saying that once Dangote Refinery comes on stream on May 22, then government can remove fuel subsidy. The two must be separated. It would be the ultimate

act of cowardice to use the Dangote Refinery and the expected 650, 000 barrels a day as the fall guy for years of government incompetence. It is either Tinubu has the courage to act, or he would take a cowardly option which would again postpone the evil day.

Two: Revenue is a problem. We have been told this again and again by Nigeria’s financial managers and that the main challenge is to widen Nigeria’s revenue base. The Bretton Woods institutions in their Economic Outlook Reports on Nigeria have said more or less the same thing. Nigeria’s next administration has to find ways of increasing revenue. The easiest recommendation is to say government has to collect more taxes or widen the tax base. Nigerians are already groaning under the weight of too many taxes and they can’t see what anybody does with the taxes, and so, whatever government proposes, the people are suspicious. Tinubu, given his reputation as the man behind Alpha Beta, the tax collection agency in Lagos would find it difficult to tell Nigerians to pay more taxes. They would think he just wants to hand over Nigeria to Alpha Beta and collect bigger shares of the cake. Tinubu cannot be a tax collector of Nigeria. He will be resisted by everybody! His advisers must therefore look at other options. He has to prune down the cost of governance, starting with his own example. He must start by implementing the Oronsaye Report on Governance. All forms of duplication must be eliminated. There must be legislation telling Governors and Local Government Chairmen that they cannot have more than two assistants, maximum five and that everybody must stop going about as if they have just inherited the world. The COVID-19 crisis has shown that if Nigerian leaders stay at home for medical care, they can survive. Everyone, including the President must be told clearly that whatever they cannot treat in Nigeria may as well kill them. We are in the age of technology. Jumping around at public expense to treat gout and arthritis is unacceptable. Whoever wants to do so must show proof that they are spending personal funds! Tinubu must address Nigeria’s health sector crisis.

Three: Tinubu has been a long-time apostle of federalism. He has written a book on it. Symposia have been held in his honour on the subject. As Governor of Lagos State, he took President Olusegun Obasanjo to court on the subject of the creation of Local councils and the true reading of Section 162 of the 1999 Constitution. He won. I am not very sure that President Obasanjo has forgiven him for that. He now steps into the same shoes that Obasanjo occupied. He cannot run an imperial Presidency! If that sounds like another curse of nemesis, Tinubu must be made to realize that given his own antecedents and causes that he championed, he has to show that he truly believes in Federalism. One of his first tasks must be to support the devolution of powers, give the states more responsibilities and make the Federal Government more compact and effective. Anything otherwise would be used against him. He could come across as a hypocrite on the question of federalism, and he would have allowed OBJ to have a very good, last laugh in this emerging game of thrones.

Four: Tinubu has been a champion of a special status for Lagos. He is now in a position to make that happen. But he must resist the temptation to be a Yoruba or Lagos President. It is not only Lagos that deserves a special status. He must add to that agenda, Kaduna and Enugu. He must be the President of all of Nigeria, a unifier, not a divisive village chief. The same Lagosians who did not vote for him on February 25 would expect that he should do more for Lagos. He must not repeat the error of ethnic irredentism in Nigerian politics. He must avoid a winner-takes-it-all approach.

Five: He must sanitize the budgeting and procurement processes. Six; he must take a quick look at the foreign exchange regime. Seven: empower the security agencies, particularly the police. Eight: respect media freedom and the demands of Nigerian youths. These are low-hanging fruits. We wait. We watch.

President-elect Bola Tinubu