SUNDAY 29TH MAY 2022

CBN Rallies Banks to Support Nigerian Firms to Expand Forex Earnings AfDB plans youth entrepreneurship banks in Nigeria, 12 others Gets the nod to develop Index Bond to address insecurity in Africa Festus Akanbi The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has urged Nigerian banks to support indigenous companies to increase foreign exchange inflows and boost economic growth.

This is coming as the African Development Bank (AfDB) has embarked on the designing of youth entrepreneurship investment banks in 13 African countries, including Nigeria, even as it disclosed that it had obtained

approval from its Board of Governors to develop a Security Index Investment Bond to address insecurity in Africa.

A CBN team on inspection of projects funded through Deposit Money Banks in Lagos advised

the banks late on Friday.

It noted that the apex bank was counting on these companies to expand export earnings and achieve the goal of $200 billion in foreign exchange repatriation in three to four years.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reported that the CBN team visited the Pinnacle Oil and Gas FZE, Candel Company Ltd., Lagos Free Zone and Sana Building Systems, all in IbejuLekki, Lagos State.

31 Persons Confirmed Dead in Rivers Church Stampede…

The Head, Legal Services Department of CBN, Mr Kofo Salam-Alada, during a visit to Candel Company Limited., called on banks to support Nigerian Continued on page 6 Page 8

Sunday 29 May, 2022 Vol 27. No 9910

www.thisdaylive.com TR

UT H

& RE A S O

N400

N

Fresh Crisis Looms in APC as National Vice Chairman Blasts Adamu Buhari may unveil consensus presidential candidate this week Jonathan option unsettles other aspirants

Deji Elumoye, Adedayo Akinwale, Udora Orizu in Abuja and Amby Uneze in Owerri Barely two months after the Senator

Abdullahi Adamu-led National Working Committee (NWC) of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) was elected into office, a fresh crisis may tear the committee apart

over Adamu’s leadership style, THISDAY has learnt.

This is coming as President Muhammadu Buhari may unveil the consensus presidential candidate

of the party this week, just as indications that former President Goodluck Jonathan may emerge as the president’s preferred candidate have unsettled the other presidential

aspirants of the ruling party.

As the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) concludes its presidential primary today in Abuja, the Southern and Middle Belt Leaders’ Forum

(SMBLF) has restated its opposition to zoning the presidency to the North. Indications of the looming Continued on page 16

Atiku Defeats Wike, Becomes PDP Presidential Candidate Former VP pledges to unite Nigeria EFCC operatives storm venue of primary, search delegates’ bags Tinubu congratulates Atiku, says former VP will be his opponent See story on page 5

Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and former Vice President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, after he was declared the winner of the party’s primary at the National Convention in Abuja...yesterday

2

SUNDAY MAY 29, 2022 • T H I S D AY

SUNDAY MAY 29, 2022 • T H I S D AY

3

4

SUNDAY MAY 29, 2022 • T H I S D AY

5

MAY 29, 2022 • T H I S DAY, T H E S U N DAY N E W S PA P E R

PAGE FIVE

REWARD FOR SERVICE… L-R: Vice President, Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN), Mallam Tijani Musa Isa; ICAN long service awardee; Mrs. James Kikelomo Samot; 57th ICAN President, Mrs. Comfort Olu Eyitayo; ICAN long service awardees, Mr. Hakeem Ade Kofoworola; Mrs. Olayanju Adeola; and the ICAN Registrar, Prof. Ahmed Kumshe, during the ICAN long service award SUNDAY ADIGUN in Lagos… yesterday

Elon Musk’s Firm, Starlink, Gets ISP Licence to Operate in Nigeria Emma Okonji The world’s richest man, Elon Musk has revealed that the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has issued its firm, Starlink Internet Limited, with two licences to operate in Nigeria.

Starlink Internet Limited, which is operated by SpaceX, will be trading as Starlink Internet Services Nigeria Limited.

The company received the two licences, which include the International Gateway licence and Internet Service Provider (ISP) licence, after months of negotiations with the NCC. However, the Director of Public Affairs at NCC, Dr Ikechukwu Adinde, could not be reached by telephone to confirm it, and he did not respond to WhatsApp chat, which THISDAY sent to him for confirmation.

However, a reliable source at NCC, who confirmed it, told THISDAY that Starlink applied for three licences last year, while the NCC considered two of the licences as of last week after Starlink met certain requirements.

The source, however, said NCC would issue an official statement when it concludes the approval process for the two licences.

But Musk, via his Twitter handle, said NCC had confirmed and approved the two licences, before issuing Starlink the operational licences.

The licensing followed a visit to Nigeria by the company’s team in May last year.

Starlink offers satellite internet access coverage to 32 countries where its use has been licensed.

It also provides high-speed, lowlatency broadband internet across the globe.

Within each coverage area, orders are fulfilled on a first-come, first-served basis.

THISDAY gathered that the International Gateway licence has a 10-year tenure while the ISP licence is to last for five years.

Both licences take effect from May 2022 and may be renewed after the expiration.

With high speeds and latency as low as 20 minutes in most locations, Starlink enables video

calls, online gaming, streaming, and other high data rate activities that historically have not been possible with satellite internet.

Users also have the option to take Starlink with them via the Portability feature or Starlink.

In May last year, Starlink’s Market Access Director for Africa, Ryan Goodnight along with SpaceX consultant, Levin Born, had paid a visit to the NCC

where they expressed interest to obtain a licence to operate the satellite internet in the country.

Prior to the visit, the NCC and the space company had been discussing the issue virtually before approval for a physical meeting was granted by the NCC. After SpaceX representatives provided an overview of its plans, expectations, licensing

requests, and deployment phases, the Executive Vice-Chairman, NCC, Prof. Umar Danbatta, represented by the Executive Commissioner, Technical Services, NCC, Ubale Maska, had promised that the NCC would work on necessary modalities to ensure that it balanced the need for healthy competition vis-a-vis the entry of new technologies, to protect all industry stakeholders.

He had said, “as the regulator of a highly dynamic sector in Nigeria, the commission is conscious of the need to ensure that our regulatory actions are anchored on national interest.

“We have listened to your presentation and we will review it vis-à-vis our regulatory direction of ensuring an effective and sustainable telecoms ecosystem where a licensee’s

operational model does not dampen healthy competition among other licensees.”

Maska further stated that the commission was interested in making necessary regulatory efforts to drive the coverage of rural, unserved, and underserved areas of the country through the accomplishments of the targets contained in the Nigerian National Broadband Plan, 2020-2025

ATIKU DEFEATS WIKE, BECOMES PDP PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE Ejiofor Alike in Lagos and Chuks Okocha in Abuja After weeks of dilly-dallying and horse-trading, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) yesterday ignored the clamour for the rotation of the 2023 presidency and elected former Vice President Atiku Abubakar as its presidential candidate for next year’s general election.

In his acceptance speech, Atiku pledged to unite Nigeria, describing his election as one of the freest in the history of the country.

Before the commencement of voting, one of the aspirants and Governor of Sokoto State, Hon. Aminu Tambuwal had stepped down from the race and asked his supporters to vote for Atiku.

Tambuwal also congratulated the former vice president after he emerged victorious.

The National Leader of All Progressives Congress (APC) and frontline presidential aspirant, Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has congratulated Atiku on his victory and welcomed him to the presidential contest in the 2023 general election.

In the result of the primary election announced by the Chief Returning Officer and former President of the Senate, Senator David Mark, Atiku polled 371 votes to defeat his main challenger and Governor of Rivers State, Mr Nyesom Wike, who scored 237 votes. Former President of the Senate, Dr Bukola Saraki came a distant third with 70 votes, while Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Mr Udom Emmanuel and his counterpart in Bauchi State, Senator Bala Mohammed scored 38 votes and 20 votes, respectively.

The delegates cast 763 votes; 12 votes were voided while the number of valid votes was 751.

A former Senate President, Senator Anyim Pius Anyim got 14 votes while Mr Sam Ohuabunwa and the only female aspirant, Terila Diana Oliver, got one vote each.

A former Governor of Ekiti State, Mr Ayo Fayose got zero, while the Publisher of Ovation, Mr Dele Momodu, also got zero votes.

Following the alleged inducement of delegates in the ongoing primaries being conducted by political parties, the operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) yesterday stormed the venue of the PDP national convention in Abuja.

The officers who were in red jackets with the “EFCC” crested at the back, were seen in their numbers walking around and inside the venue.

Some of them were caught on

camera searching the bags of some delegates.

Before the commencement of the voting, Tambuwal withdrew from the race and urged his supporters and delegates to vote for Atiku.

He said having consulted widely across the country, he decided to withdraw from the race for posterity.

Dr Nwachukwu Anakwenze and Mr Mohammed HayatuDeen also withdrew from the race.

While Hayatu-Deen withdrew on Friday, Anakwenze announced his withdrawal during his remarks at the venue of the convention yesterday.

Anakwenze, however, urged the delegates to vote for aspirants that can develop the country.

In his acceptance speech, Atiku

PDP PRESIDENTIAL PRIMARY RESULTS S/N

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11

ASPIRANTS

Atiku Abubakar Nyesom Wike Sen. Bukola Saraki Sen. Bala Mohammed Udom Emmanuel Anyim Pius Anyim Sam Ohuabunwa Olivia Tariela Dele Momodu Ayo Fayose Dr Nwachukwu Anakwenze TOTAL VOIDED GRAND TOTAL

VOTES

371 237 70 20 38 14 1 1 0 0 0 751 12 763

pledged to unite the country, which he said, has been divided by the APC-led administration.

"Today, we are making another history which we believe will bring fundamental changes in the country, both by providing adequate security and fixing the economy," he said.

He described the election as one of the freest and a milestone to bring about democratic changes in Nigeria.

Atiku sought the cooperation of his fellow contestants, promising to give them a sense of belonging in his administration.

He promised to deal decisively with insecurity and revive the economy.

Atiku also appealed to all aggrieved members of the party to return to the party, adding that the internal conflict resolutions would be reactivated to address and resolve all disputes.

The former vice president had in 1993, contested the Social Democratic Party presidential primary, losing to Moshood Abiola and Baba Gana Kingibe.

He was a presidential candidate of the Action Congress in the 2007 presidential election, coming third to Umaru Musa Yar’Adua of the PDP and Muhammadu Buhari of the ANPP. He contested the presidential primary of the PDP during the 2011 presidential election losing out to incumbent President Goodluck Jonathan.

In 2014, he joined the APC ahead of the 2015 presidential election and contested the presidential primary but lost to Muhammadu Buhari.

In 2017, he returned to the PDP and was the party’s presidential candidate during the 2019 presidential election, but lost again

to incumbent President Buhari.

PDP Focused to Win 2023 General Elections, Says Ayu In his remarks, the National Chairman of the party, Dr Iyorchia Ayu, said the focus of the party is to win the 2023 general election.

Ayu said the victory of PDP in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) area council elections and other by-elections was a signal that Nigerians wanted PDP back to power in 2023.

“Our focus is on 2023, but we seek to retake both Osun and Ekiti states in July elections as our low-hanging fruits.

“The electoral triumphs from there will sustain our momentum, boost the morale of party members and amplify our notice to the overwhelmed All Progressives Congress (APC) that PDP is coming.

“With PDP, Nigeria shall rise again,” Ayu said.

He added that his leadership had worked to unite, rebrand and reposition the party, while also reviving the intellectual arm of the party, the Peoples Democratic Institute (PDI).

PDP Convention, Call to Salvage Nigeria, Says Mark Speaking during the convention, a former President of the Senate and Chairman, of the 2022 PDP National Convention Organising Committee, Senator David Mark, described the convention as a call to Continued on page 8

MAY 29, 2022 • T H I S DAY, T H E S U N DAY N E W S PA P E R

6

NEWS

TIME TO RENDER ACCOUNTS… L-R: Executive Director, Corporate Affairs, FrieslandCampina WAMCO, Mrs. Ore Famurewa; President, Food and Beverage, Royal FrieslandCampina, Mr. Roel van Neerbos; Chairman, Board of Directors, FrieslandCampina WAMCO, Mr. Moyo Ajekigbe; Managing Director, Sub-Saharan Africa Cluster, FrieslandCampina, Mr. Ben Langat; and Member, Board of Directors, FrieslandCampina WAMCO, Mrs. Oyinkan Ade-Ajayi, at the 49th Annual General Meeting of the company in Lagos…yesterday SUNDAY ADIGUN

At AU Summit, Buhari Backs Establishment of African Standby Force on Terrorism Charges leaders to use political will to drive security Deji Elumoye in Abuja President Muhammadu Buhari has backed the recommendation of the African Union Commission for the setting up of a Standby Force on Terrorism in the continent.

This is just as he charged African leaders to muster the political will that will fuel synergy, enhance intelligence gathering and bring more urgency in tackling violent crimes.

Also, President Buhari charged African political leaders to respect the right of citizens to make their choices in elections, saying the right to vote and determine who leads them should not be treated lightly.

Speaking yesterday in Malabo, Equatorial Guinea during the 16th African Union Extra-ordinary Session of the Assembly of African Union on Terrorism and Violent Extremism in Africa, the president said resources meant for development of countries had been channelled into fighting violent crimes, leaving many governments with less options on investing in people to meet the targets of Sustainable Development Goals.

With the presentation of a report on Terrorism and Violent Extremism in Africa at the meeting, President Buhari highlighted four items on the recommendation for immediate action.

He said: “In the West African region, we are working very hard through the instrumentality of ECOWAS to combat terrorism. The Multi National Joint Task Force in the Lake Chad region and the G5 in the Sahel have continued to degrade the insurgents by substantially reducing their capacity to inflict harm on our citizens.

“Mr. Chairman, these efforts however, need to be strengthened and complemented by the African Union, through the African Union Peace and Security Architecture.

“It is for this reason, Mr. Chairperson, that we endorse the key recommendations contained in your report. Some of the recommendations which we believe should be implemented immediately include; “Increasing troop levels in situations of combating terrorism, and enhancing intelligence capabilities of deployed troops,

including improving the operational cooperation of contingents in the operation areas; “Ensuring the readiness of the African Standby Force for immediate response when a member state is under terrorist threat; “Strengthening the fight against cybercrime, money laundering, drugs and arms trafficking, smuggling of persons and counterfeit goods, which facilitate terrorist financing; and

“Ensuring that specialised institutions like the African Centre for the Study and Research on Terrorism and AFRIPOL, are adequately resourced in order for them to effectively discharge their mandate".

While validating the report on terrorism, the president underscored the need for political will to forge a “Coordinated Continental Approach to tackling insecurity.’’

“It is for this reason, that we commend the Chairperson of the

Commission for his comprehensive report on Terrorism and Violent Extremism in Africa. The report is very enriching, resonating and it behoves on us as the Assembly of the African Union to show the political will and forge a Coordinated Continental Approach to tackling insecurity, as we must entrench peace and stability on our continent,’’ he added.

According to him, the recommendations, if implemented, will go a long way in increasing

the capacity of affected states to respond to the threats posed by terrorists and violent extremists in their respective countries.

He said: “Your Excellencies, this summit affords us yet another opportunity as leaders of the continent to rub minds and take far reaching decisions to address the challenges of terrorism and violent extremism on our continent.

“The activities of these sinister groups have not only led to the loss of valuable lives and property.

“They have equally taken a drastic toll on our national economies.

The capacity of Governments to address infrastructural needs and other developmental challenges, in line with our Sustainable Development Goals is grossly diminished.

“The resources meant for developmental programmes are being channeled to fight terrorists and violent extremists, who are Continued on page 16

CBN RALLIES BANKS TO SUPPORT NIGERIAN FIRMS TO EXPAND FOREX EARNINGS companies to grow production in the country.

“With what the company is doing I believe that bankers should start coming for them; it’s not just the Central Bank’s Intervention Funds, Nigerian banks should seek them to see how they can partner with them to drive it forward.

“The key thing that Nigerians must also know is that we need to support our own, not just in terms of employment generation; for the CBN that is interested in increasing foreign exchange in this country, it is something that needs to be supported,” he said.

Director, Banking Supervision Department, Haruna Mustapha, said what the company was doing was quite complementary to the apex bank’s RT200, designed to boost the non-oil sector.

“Candel stands at two critical junctures; it is a manufacturing outfit. CBN recently introduced the RT200 designed to boost the non-oil sector and what Candel is doing here is quite complementary to that policy.

“Again, it is providing the needed support to the agricultural sector, which will feed into the policy of the government to diversify the productive base of the Nigerian economy.

“Ultimately we expect to see a solid impact, especially when you consider the various value chain this business touches.

“So, we need more support for companies like Candel and if we can have them in sufficient critical mass, the future looks great for Nigeria,” Mustapha said.

Director of Development

Finance, CBN, Yila Yusuf, noted that the bank, under its Commercial Agro Credit Scheme, disbursed N2 billion to Candel, adding that they were impressed with what the funds were used for.

“Candel is a company that we are aware of, we have given them N2 billion under our Commercial Agro Credit Scheme, fully paid through First Bank.

“We came here to see, essentially the manufacturing line; they have new products and we are impressed with what we have seen.

“The Central Bank will continue to support and work with them, quite a number of jobs, both direct and indirect that we have seen on the floor line,” he said.

Charles Anudu, Chairman, Candel Company Ltd., who noted that manufacturing companies suffered a lot of difficulties doing business in Nigeria, urged banks to be development-oriented as CBN. “We suffer a lot of disadvantages manufacturing in Nigeria; our cost profile is very prohibitive. You know in Nigeria you have to generate your own power and do everything, everything is expensive.

“Yet, we are still competing against countries, exporting to Nigeria, whereas my competitors elsewhere are getting an export rebate.

“When somebody exports from China, for instance, he already makes a profit because he gets the 15 per cent paid to him or her by his government, I get no such support.

“Meanwhile, here all sorts of regulators are on our neck; the exchange rate is a bottleneck because we still have to import a lot of the materials we use, and the interest rate is prohibitive,” he said.

The team stressed the need for private sector involvement to grow and develop the economy.

AfDB Plans Youth Entrepreneurship Banks in Nigeria, 12 Others Meanwhile, the AfDB has embarked on the designing of youth entrepreneurship investment banks in 13 African countries to create wealth in the continent.

President of the AfDB Group, Dr Akinwumi Adesina, said this at a news conference to conclude the Bank’s 2022 Annual Meetings in Accra, Ghana.

Adesina said the move, to be finalised by June, would help youths get capital and create wealth for the younger generation for the development of the continent.

“We are designing renewed financial institutions that will invest into the business of the youths and Ghana is one of the benefitting countries. ”We have 13 countries and we expect to finish that design by the end of June. ”It will create youth-based wealth for the continent,” he said.

On post-harvest losses, Adesina said the Bank had invested one billion dollars in special agroindustrial processing zones to

curb food losses.

He listed some countries to benefit including Zambia, Nigeria, Ghana, Cote d’Ivoire, Mauritius, and Mozambique, among others.

“These are the new investments the bank is making to be close to the areas that the farmers are producing enabled with water, infrastructure, and logistics so that the food and agriculture processing companies can be located close to the zones.

“The processing companies in most countries are not located in the rural areas because there is no infrastructure in the rural areas “What we are trying to do with the processing zones is to reduce the cost of doing business for the food and agriculture companies, so that they can offtake from the farmers and process them there.

“We lose too much of our food and the consequence is that we start complaining about carbon emissions, producing and not having any impact and that affects the prices of food that eventually gets to the market.

“Post-harvest losses are what I can describe as pouring water into a bucket that has holes, you have to stop the leakage but in developed countries, post-harvest losses are as a result of too much food, you can’t eat it, you throw it away but in Africa, it is not like that,” he said.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reported that Egypt will host the next Annual Meetings of the Bank.

Mr Tarel Amer, the Governor, of the Central Bank of the Arab Republic of Egypt, was appointed

the new Chairperson of the AfDB Board of Governors.

The bank also disclosed it has obtained approval from its Board of Governors to develop a Security Index Investment Bond to address insecurity in Africa.

Adesina disclosed this at a news conference to wrap up the 2022 Annual Meetings of the Bank in Accra.

Adesina said security was an issue in the continent, noting that development thrived in a secured continent.

He said that the meetings discussed the support for the private sector which he said the Bank was actively involved in with the private sector equity investments.

“Development can only happen when we have security.

“Security is now part of our thinking in the AfDB because we will support the countries to address security.

“There must be a link between security, investment, growth, and development,” he said.

He said the Bank’s meetings also focused on the debt management for Africa.

“We must have sustainable, transparent debt in Africa by ensuring that the private and commercial debt of Africa is fair.

“AfDB should do more on agriculture.

“In the meetings, we talked of the African Development Fund (ADF).

“As you know, the ADF is 50, nine out of 10 most vulnerable countries of climate change are in Africa, 100 per cent of them are ADF countries,” he added.

SUNDAY MAY 29, 2022 • T H I S D AY

7

8

MAY 29, 2022 • T H I S DAY, T H E S U N DAY N E W S PA P E R

NEWS

31 Persons Confirmed Dead in Rivers Church Stampede Deji Elumoye in Abuja and Blessing Ibunge in Port Harcourt President Muhammadu Buhari has expressed deep sadness over the incident over the dead of 31 persons in a stampede that occurred in the early hours of yesterday, during the distribution of free food items by a church in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State

capital.

THISDAY gathered that a new generation church, Kings Assembly, had invited the public for its fourth edition of gifts and food items distribution, fixed for May 28, 2022.

The church organised the outreach to give out palliatives to the underprivileged in society before the unexpected occurred.

It was gathered that some of

Nigeria to Have 29million Child Brides by 2050, Says UNICEF Olawale Ajimotokan in Abuja A report by the United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund (UNICEF) has projected that Nigeria will have 29 million child brides by 2050.

The report, which also raised concern that millions of children in Nigeria are victims of violence, was contained in the document ‘Situation Analysis of Children in Nigeria: Ensuring equitable and sustainable realisation of child rights in Nigeria’ launched by the federal government in conjunction with UNICEF over the weekend in Abuja.

The report put the country’s current number of child brides at 22 million, representing 40 per cent of such cases in West and Central Africa, warning that seven million more child brides will be added by 2050.

While referencing the Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS) 2013, the report said 58.2 per cent of Nigerian girls were married before they attain 18 years of age.

It noted that although a comparison of data for the period 2013 - 2017 indicated a decline in child marriage in Nigeria is declining, the rate of decline is, however, slow as Nigeria ranks among the countries with the slowest declining rate of child marriage in West and Central Africa.

It stated that the North-west

geo-political zone had the highest proportion of women who married before 15 years or 32.5 per cent, while the South-east recorded the lowest proportion of women who married before this age or 4.1 per cent.

The report further said that by 2018, the percentage of women marrying before 18 years had declined from 48 per cent to 43 per cent while the percentage of women aged 15-19 marrying before age 15 declined from 12 per cent to eight per cent.

“The rate of decline is also not enough to significantly reduce child marriage in Nigeria under current conditions. Even if efforts are redoubled, Nigeria will add about seven million child brides by 2050. This is because the statistically observed decline will be upended by population growth and the prevalence of child marriage in some regions and cultures, erasing whatever little progress is made in reducing child marriage in Nigeria.

“To effectively reduce child marriage in Nigeria, some challenges would need to be overcome. These include the lack of domestication of the CRA by many states in the federation (particularly in northern Nigeria) and the failure of the federal government to legislate and enforce 18 years as the minimum age for individuals seeking or contracting any marriage recognised by the constitution of the federation,” the report averred.

the invitees had arrived at the Polo Club, in Port Harcourt, the venue for the distribution of the free items on Friday, while others arrived as early as 6a.m yesterday.

Though the programme was scheduled for 9a.m, THISDAY gathered that the invitees were already at the gate three hours earlier.

The church is located in the GRA area of Port Harcourt, but the event was held at the Port Harcourt Polo Club, which is a bigger facility, to accommodate the anticipated crowd.

It was gathered that the crowd of people were already at the gate at 6.30 am, trying to force themselves into the Polo Club premises.

It was further learnt that as soon as some bouncers opened a small gate, the crowd started scrambling to get into the premises, which resulted in the stampede, leading to the number of deaths.

The state Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Grace Iringe-Koko, who confirmed the incident to THISDAY, said 31 persons lost their lives in the stampede.

The police spokesperson also revealed that some of the victims who survived the incident but were seriously injured had been rushed to the hospital for medical attention.

“It is 31 persons that died.

It was a stampede because a church was trying to give out palliatives.

“They were about to start the event by 9 a.m. or so. But some people went there and broke into the place and went inside.

“So people started rushing in and there was a stampede.

“From the information we have, the church was trying to gift items and food to assist the underprivileged.

“Meanwhile, an investigation has commenced ascertaining the remote and immediate causes of the incident,” Iringe-Koko

explained.

“Everywhere is calm now and those that were injured are in the hospital right now responding to treatment”.

As at the time of filing this report, the church was yet to react to the incident.

But the state Commissioner of Police, Mr. Eboka Friday, has ordered an investigation to unravel the immediate cause of she stampede.

Mr. Friday, while condemning the incident, directed the Deputy Commissioner of Police in-Charge of the State Criminal Investigations Department to investigate the incident.

He further called on religious and charity organisations to ensure they work with the police on security and crowd control management in organising their programmes in the future.

The CP commiserated with the bereaved families and prayed God to comfort and grant them the fortitude to bear the loss.

However, President Muhammadu Buhari has expressed deep sadness over the incident.

In his reaction, the president, in a statement by his spokesman, Mallam Garba Shehu, admonished organisers of religious, political and other big events to plan well and carry them out in a disciplined manner to avert similar calamitous deaths and injuries.

He directed that all efforts should be made to provide relief to those injured in the unfortunate incident, while disaster and relief agencies of the federal government should maintain constant contact with the Rivers State government to ensure that good care is taken of the relief efforts.

President Buhari expressed his condolences and that of the nation to the bereaved families and to the government and people of Rivers State and prayed to the Almighty to repose the souls of the deceased.

ATIKU DEFEATS WIKE, BECOMES PDP PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE salvage Nigeria and offer solutions to its present challenges.

Mark said the country is currently faced with challenges: including over three months strike by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), insecurity, unemployment and poverty.

He said that history beckoned on PDP to rescue the nation.

“Today’s convention is beyond the ordinary, it is a call to salvage Nigeria from the brinks. Nigeria has had chequered socio-economic and political problems but never has it descended so low.

“The 2023 election is not a contest between the PDP and other political parties, it will be a moment of historic decision of all Nigerians to right the wrongs at the moment and faith in the PDP as the vehicle to redeem the situation and give them a chance to live again.

“No wonder, our logo the umbrella, is a veritable shade and shield for Nigerians and Nigeria as an entity.

“It is therefore a call to patriotic national service, for all of us; delegates to make the wise decision which will ultimately save Nigeria,” he said.

Tinubu Congratulates Atiku, Says former VP will Be His Opponent Meanwhile, the National Leader of APC and frontline presidential aspirant, Tinubu, has also congratulated Atiku for emerging as the flag bearer of the PDP. Tinubu commended Atiku for

his patriotism and commitment to Nigeria's progress.

In a signed by the Director of Media and Communication of his campaign organisation, Mr. Bayo Onanuga, the former Governor of Lagos State also congratulated the other contestants for the orderly and peaceful way they conducted themselves and for pledging to rally round the winner, in the true spirit of democratic sportsmanship.

Tinubu said he expected Atiku to be his worthy opponent, by the Grace of God and the support of APC delegates, in the coming 2023 presidential election.

"I welcome the victory of Alhaji Atiku Abubakar as the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party in the just concluded primary. I look forward to squaring up with him as a worthy opponent in the coming election. I have known the former Vice President as a formidable politician and a patriot who believes in the unity and progress of our dear country,” Tinubu said.

Tinubu, however, added that the PDP and its candidate would be burdened to explain why Nigerians should give them another opportunity, after squandering 16 years at the central government, without much to show.

“Nigerians are yet to forget the national ruin and mismanagement of our country for 16 years by successive PDP administrations and this bad memory will dog the campaign of the PDP Candidate,” Tinubu added.

MINISTERIAL TOUR… L-R: Managing Director/CEO, BUA Cement, Mr. Yusuf Haliru Binji; Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, and Chief Finance Officer, BUA Cement, Mr. Jack Piekarski, during a media tour of BUA Cement's Sokoto Plant by the minister…recently

Oshiomhole, Lalong, Niger Gov, Abaribe, Daniel, Bamidele, Shettima, Abiru Clinch Senatorial Tickets Our Reporters A former National Chairman of All Progressives Congress (APC), Comrade Adams Oshiomhole; Plateau State Governor, Hon. Simon Lalong; Niger State Governor, Alhaji Sani Bello; former Ogun State Governor, Mr Gbenga Daniel and former Borno State Governor, Senator Kashim Shettima yesterday secured tickets to contest the 2023 senatorial elections on the platform of the APC. Former Senate Minority Leader, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, also secured the ticket of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), in Abia State.

In the same way, Chairman, Southern Senators Forum, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele; Chairman, Senate Committee on Industries, Senator Adetokunbo Abiru and Chairman, Senate Committee on Finance, Senator Olamilekan Adeola won return tickets in their respective senatorial districts. Immediate past Minister of State for Niger Delta

Affairs, Senator Tayo Alasoadura also clinched the ticket to run in Ondo Central.

Oshiomhole clinched the senatorial ticket in Edo North unopposed after Senator Francis Alimikhena resigned his membership of the party and stepped down as an aspirant on Friday.

Like Oshiomhole, former Borno State Governor, Senator Kashim Shettima won the return ticket of the APC to represent Borno with 479 votes. Shettima, who ruled the state as governor between 2011 and 2019, won the primary held at the State Secretariat in Maiduguri.

In Niger State, Sani Bello clinched the senatorial ticket of the APC for Niger North. Bello defeated his only challenger, Senator Aliyu Sabi who was seeking a third term as senator by 335 votes to 7.

In Edo South, Asuen defeated former deputy governor, Mr Lucky Imasuen as he scored 216 to 158 votes while four votes were voided.

In Lagos East, Abiru won the ticket to contest the 2023 senatorial election unopposed, clearing all the 344 votes cast by delegates from wards in the local government areas under the district.

In his acceptance speech, Abiru said that “I will not relent in his #DoingGood agenda for the people.

I will continue to be passionate about ensuring the ‘greater good for the greater and larger number.”

In Ekiti Central, Bamidele secured the return ticket on the platform of the APC, saying the extension of the primaries' deadline by the INEC was not to favour APC. In Kaduna Central, Muhammad Abdullahi, Chief of Staff to Governor Nasir El-Rufai, yesterday emerged as the senatorial candidate of the APC. He returned unopposed in the primary election held at Umaru Musa Yar’Adua Hall, Kaduna after his two opponents, Usman Sani and Hajia Rabi Salisu withdrew from the contest shortly before the poll.

In Kogi West, a former member of the House of Representatives, Hon. Sunday Karimi defeated the incumbent senator, Smart Adeyemi during the primary held in Kabba Jivco Hotel in Kabba yesterday.

Karimi, who represented Yagba Federal Constituency between 2011 and 2016, defeated the incumbent senator and three others at the party's poll with a margin of to emerge the senatorial candidate.

In Niger East, Senator Sani Musa also emerged victorious in the contest. In the election held at the Idris Legbo Kutigi International Conference Centre, Musa garnered 494 votes to defeat his only challenger, Ibrahim Dada who polled two votes. In Ogun East, Mr Gbenga Daniel clinched the senatorial ticket of the APC. In Ogun West, Adeola won the senatorial ticket of the APC to defeat the incumbent senator, Tolu Odebiyi. Adeola, who is a second-term senator, polled 194 votes while his opponent did not secure any vote.

SUNDAY MAY 29, 2022 • T H I S D AY

9

10

SUNDAY MAY 29, 2022 • T H I S D AY

SUNDAY MAY 29, 2022 • T H I S D AY

11

12

SUNDAY MAY 29, 2022 • T H I S D AY

SUNDAY MAY 29, 2022 • T H I S D AY

13

14

SUNDAY MAY 29, 2022 • T H I S D AY

SUNDAY MAY 29, 2022 • T H I S D AY

15

MAY 29, 2022 • T H I S DAY, T H E S U N DAY N E W S PA P E R

16

NEWS

CSR IN ACTION… L-R: Corporate Affairs and Sustainability Director, Nigerian Bottling Company Limited, Mr. Ekuma Eze; NBC Branch Chairman, Food, Beverage and Tobacco Senior Staff Association, Mr. Kayode Ariyibi; Managing Director, NBC, Mr. Matthieu Seguin; Director, People and Culture, NBC, Ms Julia Esezobor; and Chairman, National Union of Food, Beverages and Tobacco Employees, NBC Branch, ETOP UKUTT Mr. James Olukanni, at the official presentation of relief fund in support of colleagues affected by the Ukraine crisis in Lagos …recently

FRESH CRISIS LOOMS IN APC AS NATIONAL VICE CHAIRMAN BLASTS ADAMU crack in APC’s NWC emerged following a letter by the party’s National Vice Chairman, North-west, Salihu Mohammed Lukman to the National Chairman, Adamu, which THISDAY sighted in Abuja yesterday.

In the letter dated May 27, 2022, titled: ‘Rebuilding APC: Need for new Initiatives,’ the former DirectorGeneral of the Progressive Governors’ Forum (PGF) stressed the need to take every measure to avoid past pitfalls.

In the letter, Lukman alleged that the new NWC under Adamu is gradually toeing the old path of the leadership style of Comrade Adams Oshiomhole and Hon. Mai Mala Buni where decisions were left unimplemented and NWC members not carried along.

“Under your leadership, the current NWC is gradually snowballing into similar circumstances whereby decisions taken are allowed to lay bare and, in some instances, changed without necessarily taking needed steps to carry members along,” he wrote.

Lukman also frowned at what he described as the old approach of dropping President Muhammadu Buhari’s name as the sole determinant of crucial activities in the party.

He argued that the approach was not only unfair to the president but an attempt to use his name to give excuses for failure.

“Presidential aspirants are yet to be screened. The official explanation

is that you are awaiting final consultation with President Buhari.

At the risk of sounding agitated, this is unfair to President Buhari because to the best of my understanding it is an attempt to use the president’s name to give excuses for failure, if it happens, which should not be the case.”

The three-page letter read: “It is now two months since we came into office and you have so far raised a lot of expectations given that some of the problems, which undermined the support base of previous leadership, would appear to have been minimised.

“For instance, meetings of the NWC are now held almost every week. Members participate actively and where necessary engage and contest issues. It is to your credit that you accept the positions of members even when you disagree. This is a remarkable departure from what was obtained in the past where the National Chairman conduct meetings of party organs as Chief Executive and to that extent, therefore, exercises prerogatives and overrules members.

“The big challenge is ensuring that decisions taken are faithfully and implemented,” Lukman said.

According to him, the inability of the party under Oshiomhole and Buni to implement decisions taken was partly responsible for the leadership crisis that confronted the party.

He advised Adamu to avoid

taking unilateral decisions, describing the setting up of the transition committee to take stock of what the NWC inherited as a singular initiative.

“The report of the committee was, to say the least very shocking. Apart from the fact that there were more than 200 employees in the party’s National Secretariat, most of whom without valid letters of employment, there were no standardised conditions of service. Statutory requirements for taxations, pensions and insurance benefits as provided by relevant labour laws are not being respected.

There were claims by legal firms about liability owed for legal cases handled without valid contracts.

“All these were partly responsible for why many of the party’s bank accounts were blocked by subsisting court judgments, most of which copies are not available at the National Secretariat, which with your guidance the Party’s Legal Department can resolve,” Lukman explained.

“At the rate, we are going, we are walking back to the old spot of over-centralised implementation of party decisions around the national chairman.

“Your Excellency, I wanted to meet you to discuss these matters.

Unfortunately, it has proved difficult, and I feel very strongly about these matters,” Lukman added.

Buhari May Unveil

Consensus Presidential Candidate This Week Meanwhile, indications have emerged that Buhari will meet with all APC presidential aspirants this week to inform them of the consensus arrangement ahead of the party's primary election.

A presidency source who did not want to be named told THISDAY that the aspirants would be informed individually that the ruling party would adopt a consensus arrangement that would produce a consensus candidate for the party in the 2023 election.

"APC will not do what PDP is doing today. There won't be all of those delegate elections and all that.

But the delegates will come. Just that it is going to be a consensus and all that.

"They (aspirants) have been informed. Once the president is back in the country, he will have a meeting with all the presidential aspirants," the source explained.

Jonathan Option Unsettles Other APC Presidential Aspirants Meanwhile, the alleged plan to adopt former President Jonathan as APC’s consensus presidential candidate at the June 6 -8 presidential primary has continued to unsettle other presidential aspirants.

AT AU SUMMIT, BUHARI BACKS ESTABLISHMENT OF AFRICAN STANDBY FORCE ON TERRORISM currently rampaging our continent".

Earlier, the Chairperson of the African Union Commission, H.E. Moussa Faki Mahamat, had presented the Commission's Reports on the Prevention and Combating of Terrorism and Violent Extremism and on Unconstitutional Changes of Government in Africa.

The report looked at persistent threats, evaluated current response mechanisms, and decided on the specific actions and measures necessary to strengthen the collective security of Member States facing terrorism and violent extremism.

The report also recommended actionable measures needed to stem the upsurge on the continent.

Buhari Urges African Presidents to Respect Citizens’ Right to Choose Their Leaders In related development, speaking at a bilateral meeting with the President of Malawi, Lazarus Chakwera, President Buhari has charged African political leaders to respect the right of citizens to make their choices in elections, saying the right to vote and determine who leads

them should not be treated lightly.

He said in a move to strengthen the continent's democratic fabric and ensure smooth conduct of elections, “we must convince the people that we respect them, and this is by allowing them to choose whoever they want.”

The president acknowledged that the path to democracy in African countries had not been a smooth one, recalling that he had been to the Supreme Court three times before he became President.

“I had to openly disabuse the minds of our colleagues. We are a developing country, that we should not be demoralised.

“We have to go through these processes. We must trust these institutions to do what is right.

Present the evidence. Don’t give up. Keep on pushing,” Buhari explained.

He explained that the merit of one’s case, not religion, or ethnicity or section would determine success in political endeavors. He stated that his meritorious cases in court were thrown out by judges who more or less shared the same sentimental backgrounds with him.

“So, I say go for merit. Don’t stand on ethnicity or such other divisive factors,” the president said.

Commenting on the relationship between Nigeria and Malawi, and that of the Southern African Sub-region in general, President Buhari said his predecessors in office, especially the late General Murtala Muhammed laid out the continental rule of engagement placing Southern African countries on Nigeria’s priority list.

He said: “We are acutely aware of the problems of Southern African countries, more than most others.

“Murtala virtually left the country to General Olusegun Obasanjo, then, and faced up to Europe and America on the problems of apartheid. He was very energetic and patriotic. We will continue on that path,” Buhari added.

President Buhari said he greatly valued his meeting with President Chakwera, giving assurances that he would pay attention to the issues brought to the meeting.

The Foreign Affairs Ministers of the two countries were directed to take the matters forward.

In his remarks, President Chekwara described President Buhari as a statesman and role model. He added that his country was willing to learn from Nigeria’s experience in agriculture, infrastructure development and

in managing security and violent extremism, which, he said, were creeping into the South African sub-region.

According to him, while both countries were together in the framework of the African Continental Free Trade Agreement, his country’s wish was for a speedy trade relationship with Nigeria.

President Chekwara asked for the convening of a meeting of technical experts to discuss trading pacts, Memoranda of Understanding (MoU) and agreements.

He said: “There is no way we won’t relate to the biggest economy in Africa. Our older brother should hold our hands and we walk together".

President of São Tomé, Carlos Vila Novo and his spouse also met President Buhari and the First Lady, Mrs. Aisha Buhari.

The Sao Tomean President got assurances that Nigeria will continue to play a brotherly role in the affairs of sister African countries.

President Buhari also received in audience the President of Equatorial Guinea, Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo who came to thank him for honouring the invitation for the Extraordinary African Union Summit in his country.

THISDAY gathered that the postponement of the primary election from May 29-30 to the new dates has heightened anxiety among the aspirants over the alleged plan to adopt Jonathan as the candidate of the party.

Though the former president has neither confirmed nor denied his intention to contest for president on the platform of APC in 2023, a strong indication had emerged that he submitted his form to the National Chairman of the party, Senator Adamu.

Jonathan’s chances to be on the ballot in 2023 brightened after a Federal High Court in Bayelsa State on Friday ruled that he is eligible to contest the 2023 presidential election.

Reacting to the alleged plan to adopt Jonathan, a presidential aspirant and Governor of Ekiti State, Dr Kayode Fayemi, had while featuring on The Good Morning Show on ARISE News Channel, said he was not aware that the former president is a member of the ruling party.

On its part, Tinubu Support Group (TSG) said a national leader of the party and a frontline presidential aspirant, Senator Bola Tinubu was ready to contest with any aspirant at the party's primary.

The Head of Media of the group, Mr Tosin Adeyanju told THISDAY that all they are demanding is a free, fair and transparent primary election.

He stated: "We wait and see.

As of now, he is not a member of our party and we will deal with such issues when it arises. Alhaji Ahmed Bola Tinubu is a democrat and ready to face any aspirant at the primaries. All we want is a transparent process and let the popular person win which is the hallmark of democracy,” he said.

"Our eyes are on the ball and we keep counting our numbers.

The extension will further help us to reach out to more delegates in southern parts of Nigeria during the week. We are confident of victory ".

Also, reacting, the Osinbajo Support Group told THISDAY that foisting Jonathan on others as a consensus candidate would be a huge risk and it might be the end of APC. The Spokesperson of the group, Badmus Olawale insisted that the former president would not make the screening process.

He noted: "I am not worried in any way. Jonathan will not make the screening process of the APC. We cannot afford to take the path of technical risk that can jeopardise the victory of the APC 2023 presidential elections.

"The law is clear that a person cannot take the oath of office of the President of Nigeria more than twice."

Olawale noted that despite the court ruling in favour of Jonathan,

the ruling party would be at risk until the Supreme Court decides.

The Director of Media, Governor Yahaya Bello Campaign Organisation, Ms Yemi Kolapo, however, told THISDAY that the alleged plan was mere speculation.

“I don't know anything about this. People are just speculating wildly. Those driving the affairs of APC are men of integrity and their sound experience is not in doubt. At any point in time, they would not do anything against the interest of the party,” she explained.

Zoning Presidency to North Unacceptable, Clark, Adebanjo, Other Leaders Insist In a related development, the SMBLF yesterday restated its opposition to the zoning of the presidency to the North by any political party and urged the delegates to cast their votes for only credible aspirants from the South.

The leaders warned that the unity and peace of Nigeria could be jeopardised if the consent of the delegates to the unwarrantable determinations were being paraded.

The leaders in a statement signed by Chief Edwin Kiagbodo Clark; Afenifere Leader, Chief Ayo Adebanjo; President-General of Middle Belt Forum, Dr Pogu Bitrus and President-General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, Ambassador George Obiozor, further warned that it would be unacceptable for the major political parties in the country to choose candidates from the North as flag bearers for the 2023 presidency.

This, they said, is given the fact that the northern part of the country would have fully enjoyed the Presidency of the country for the full statutory period of eight years by 2023, under President Buhari.

They argued that the next President of Nigeria should come from the South, particularly the South-east.

The SMBLF cautioned all persons from Southern Nigeria not to accept, on any justification, the position of Vice President, adding that this will be a dishonourable legacy for them and generations after them.

SMBLF added that it would also be tantamount to slavishly mortgaging the political future of the people of Southern Nigeria.

“It bears reminding the political class that the basis of any viable democracy, especially in a diverse and complex country such as Nigeria, is fair and even sharing of power, accordingly, we restate our call on all lovers of peace and equity in Nigeria, particularly our people of Southern Nigeria and Middle Belt region, to reject any political party that fails to zone its presidential ticket to the South,” SMBLF explained.

17

THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER MAY 29, 2022

BUSINESS

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

Financial Analysts Weigh Pros and Cons of Adjustment in MPR For two and a half years, the Monetary Policy Committee of the Central Bank of Nigeria held onto the 0RQHWDU\ 3ROLF\ 5DWH RI XQWLO ODVW ZHHN ZKHQ LW ILQDOO\ MRLQHG WKH JOREDO EDQGZDJRQ RI LQWHUHVW rate hikes. Festus Akanbi presents the views of financial analysts on the new monetary policy rate

L

ast week, the Central Bank of Nigeria’s Monetary 3ROLF\ &RPPLWWHH ÀQDOO\ succumbed to the rising LQÁDWLRQDU\ WUHQGV E\ UDLVing the benchmark interest rate by 150 basis points from 11.5 per cent to 13 per cent.

And as the Financial Derivatives Company RI 1LJHULD SXWV LW WKH &%1 ÀQDOO\ MRLQHG WKH global and regional bandwagon of interest rate hikes, after maintaining the status quo ritual in 16 out of the last 18 meetings. ,W QRWHG WKDW R΀FLDO LQÁDWLRQ FOLPELQJ WR 16.82 per cent in April (7.82 per cent) above the CBN’s target ceiling of nine per cent became the last straw that broke the camel’s EDFN 7KLV VKDUS ULVH LQ FRVW SXVK LQÁDWLRQ compounded by a weak naira (N610/$), bleeding reserves and falling investor conÀGHQFH HYHQWXDOO\ IRUFHG WKH DSH[ EDQN to raise the monetary policy rate (MPR) by 150 basis points to 13 per cent p.a. - the highest level in 70 months. Interestingly, all 11 members of the committee voted for a rate increase.

“The MPC increasing interest rates at a time of positive GDP growth (Q1’2022: 3.1 per cent) bodes well for the Nigerian economy. Since the MPR is an anchor rate DQG DOO RWKHU UDWHV DUH H[SHFWHG WR PRYH LQ WDQGHP LQWHUHVW UDWHV RQ À[HG LQFRPH securities will rise. This could keep the country’s government-backed securities relatively competitive with other emerging market economies. Investors, even though cautious would be encouraged to maintain their Naira holdings and reverse capital RXWÁRZV WKDW KDYH ULVHQ E\ SHU FHQW LQ WKH last two years,” the FDC stated in a report last released shortly after the MPC meeting.

Analysts, however, predicted that the time lag between policy and transmission impact on the economy will be much shorter this time, because of the charged political environment.

The MPC left other monetary policy SDUDPHWHUV LQFOXGLQJ WKH DSH[ EDQN·V Cash Reserve Requirement (CRR) and the Liquidity Ratio (LR), unchanged at 27.5 per cent and 30 per cent, respectively.

7KH 035 LV WKH UDWH DW ZKLFK WKH DSH[ bank lends to commercial banks and often determines the cost of funds in the economy.

Emefiele

on the other. He said the MPC was in a dilemma in deciding to raise the lending UDWH $V D UHVXOW WKH DSH[ EDQN JRYHUQRU H[SODLQHG D GUDVWLF PHDVXUH VXFK DV UDLVLQJ the benchmark lending rate was required to UHGXFH PRQHWDU\ H[SDQVLRQ WR WDPH LQÁDWLRQ +H DVVXUHG WKDW WKRXJK LQÁDWLRQ ZDV H[SHFWHG WR PDLQWDLQ DQ DJJUHVVLYH DFFHOeration in the coming months, the central bank would not hesitate to return to its accommodative stance whenever it saw a UHGXFWLRQ LQ WKH KHDGOLQH LQGH[

He said, “It is not certain if the rate hike ZLOO KDYH DQ\ UHDVRQDEOH LPSDFW RQ LQÁDtion in Nigeria.” He recalled that several researchers have concluded that Nigerian LQÁDWLRQ LV D VWUXFWXUDO SUREOHP DQG QRW monetary (or liquidity) and that it is mostly cost-push than demand-pull.

Lack of Adequate Infrastructure a Big Threat Insisting the CBN moves might be coming WRR ODWH WR WDPH LQÁDWLRQ $GHPROD VDLG DV long as we don’t have adequate infrastructure or we are destroying the little we have; Signs of What to Come?

Reactions to the MPC decision are var- LQÁDWLRQ PD\ FRQWLQXH WR EH KLJK ied. While some analysts see the decision +H DUJXHG WKDW WKH H[FKDQJH UDWH YRODWLOLW\ of the CBN to break away from the rigid LV QRW GXH WR H[FHVV OLTXLGLW\ EXW GXH WR KLJK position it held for two years as a sign of import content in our domestic consumption.

New Threshold to Increase Cost of more fundamental steps to be taken, some It is also related to the inadequate domestic Borrowing commentators said much may not change infrastructure to boost production. $GGUHVVLQJ MRXUQDOLVWV DW WKH HQG RI D until the Nigerian government stimulates He pointed out that the supposed liquidtwo-day meeting of the MPC, CBN Gov- production, build more infrastructure as ity surfeit appears to be mostly within the HUQRU 0U *RGZLQ (PHÀHOH ZKR UHDG WKH well as protecting the little infrastructure EDQNLQJ VHFWRU RQO\ H[SODLQLQJ WKDW WKH committee’s communiqué, admitted that in the country. real and productive sector of the economy the hike in MPR would increase the cost In her response to THISDAY inquiries, VXͿHUV LQDGHTXDWH OLTXLGLW\ WR H[SDQG DQG of borrowing, especially in non-priority Chief Economist & Head of Research, Middle produce more.” sectors of the economy. $FFRUGLQJ WR WKH &RUGURV &DSLWDO H[HFXEast & Africa, Standard Chartered Bank, (PHÀHOH KRZHYHU DGGHG WKDW OHQGLQJ Razia Khan said, “Given the speed of ac- tive, although the CBN has promised to to key priority sectors, which had been FHOHUDWLRQ LQ 1LJHULDQ &3, LQÁDWLRQ ZH KDG ensure that the key priority sectors of the LGHQWLÀHG WR ERRVW JURZWK DQG JHQHUDWH forecast a ‘token’ 50 bps hike. The CBN has economy get funding at single-digit rates, employment, would remain at a single-digit delivered much more than this with its 150 increasing the cost of borrowing for other interest rate of nine per cent. bps hike – which has the appearance of sectors will likely increase the production The central bank governor pointed out PXFK PRUH WKDQ MXVW D WRNHQ PRYH cost and eventually lead to higher prices that the decision to raise interest rate was the “The obvious question here is whether this RI WKH ÀQLVKHG SURGXFWV ODVW UHVRUW DQG D GL΀FXOW RQH IRU WKH 03& might be the precursor to an FX policy that On the immediate impact of the CBN which had been crafting policies to stimulate might make today’s tightening much more policy on MPR, Ademola said there may HFRQRPLF JURZWK DV ZHOO DV DFKLHYH ÀQDQFLDO HͿHFWLYH 7KLV FRXOG EH WKH PRVW LPSRUWDQW QRW EH DQ\ LPPHGLDWH HͿHFW RQ RUGLQDU\ stability. He said the CBN had adopted a signal of eventual FX policy intentions yet Nigerians, noting however that “if the CBN contractionary monetary policy stance given – provided market rates can reprice.” can keep to its promise of funding the key WKH DJJUHVVLYH ULVH LQ LQÁDWLRQ LQ UHFHQW WLPHV ,Q KLV LQWHUYHQWLRQ WKH *URXS ([HFXWLYH priority sectors, especially food production, which had led to high food and commodity Director in charge of the Investment Banking IRRG LQÁDWLRQ ZKLFK KDV WKH ODUJHVW ZHLJKW prices in the country. business at Cordros Capital Limited, Mr. in the CPI computation may be moderated (PHÀHOH QRWHG WKDW &%1·V DFWLRQ ZDV Femi Ademola, said he cannot say if the WR WKH EHQHÀW RI RUGLQDU\ 1LJHULDQV µ DLPHG DW FXUELQJ LQÁDWLRQ RQ WKH RQH KDQG rate hike will have any reasonable impact, 2Q KLV SDUW )RXQGHU DQG &KLHI ([HFXand supporting the growth of the economy, despite the change of position by the MPC. tive, Centre for the Promotion of Private

Enterprise, Dr. Muda Yusuf said that given numerous headwinds that had posed sigQLÀFDQW ULVNV WR WKH QDWLRQ·V HFRQRP\ WKH hike in MPR by 150 basis points to 13% by the MPC did not come as a surprise.

He listed such challenges to include the surge in commodity prices and impact on energy costs, a spike in domestic liquidity from electioneering-related spending, and global supply chain disruptions.

However, he maintained that whether the &%1 GHFLVLRQ ODVW ZHHN ZRXOG VLJQLÀFDQWO\ LPSDFW LQÁDWLRQ LV D GLͿHUHQW PDWWHU +H noted that already, “bank lending has been constrained by the high CRR [many operaWRUV LQ WKH VHFWRU FODLP WKDW HͿHFWLYH &55 is as high as 50% or more for many banks], WKH GLVFUHWLRQDU\ GHEWV E\ WKH DSH[ EDQN the 65% Loan to Deposit Ratio [LDR] and liquidity ratio of 30%. The lending situation in the economy is already very tight.” +H H[SODLQHG WKDW WKH WUDQVPLVVLRQ HͿHFWV of monetary policy on the economy are still YHU\ ZHDN VD\LQJ LQ WKH 1LJHULDQ FRQWH[W price levels are not interest-sensitive.

Supply-side issues are much more profound drivers of inflation.

7DONLQJ DERXW WKH H[SHFWDWLRQV IURP the latest MPC’s decision, Yusuf said, “What the recent rate hike means for the economy is that the cost of credit to the few beneficiaries of the bank credits will increase which will impact their operating costs, prices of their products, and profit PDUJLQV ,QYHVWRUV LQ WKH IL[HG LQFRPH instruments may also benefit from the hike. There would be some adverse effects on the equities market.”

As Nigerians await the transmission of the new Monetary Policy Rate into the HFRQRP\ DOO H\HV ZLOO EH RQ WKH DSH[ EDQN to see if it can seize the current momentum WR UHMLJ WKH IRUHLJQ H[FKDQJH SROLFLHV LQ D way to halt the current distortions and the attendant pressure on the naira.

THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER MAY 29, 2022

18

FINANCE

On Access Holdings’ Move to

Acquire First Guarantee Pension $V $FFHVV +ROGLQJV 3OF PRYHV WR ÀQDOLVH LWV DFTXLVLWLRQ RI )LUVW *XDUDQWHH 3HQVLRQ /LPLWHG Festus Akanbi argues that rather than acting as a stumbling block to the acquisition, stakeholders in FGPL should embrace the business deal which promises to stabilise the ÀUP LQ WKH QHZ FDSLWDO GLVSHQVDWLRQ IRU SHQVLRQ ÀUPV

O

e of the most topical issues in the circles of business DQG HFRQRPLF DͿDLUV FRPmentators last week was the needless controversy trailing the planned acquisition of FBN Holdings’ pension subsidiary, First Guarantee Pension Limited (FGPL), by Access Holding Plc. THISDAY gathered that the controversy is being fuelled by the action of some shareholders of FGPL who are opposed to the deal over the suspicion that the acquisition of the pension ÀUP ZDV QRW IROORZLQJ GXH SURFHVV Recently, Access Holdings Plc, the parent company of Access Bank Plc announced plans to acquire a majority equity stake in FGPL. This transaction, according toAccess Holding, is pivotal in the Group’s plan to evolve from a QDUURZ EDQNLQJ EXVLQHVV WR D ÀQDQFLDO VHUYLFH holding company positioned to gain relevant scale across Africa, global monetary centres, and “beyond-banking verticals”.

7R NLFN RͿ WKLV SURFHVV $FFHVV +ROGLQJV agreed to acquire First Guarantee Pension Limited after selling its pension business, Access Pension Fund Custodian Limited, to First Bank of Nigeria Holdings.

It is on record that First Guarantee Pension Limited had been a troubled company with a management crisis, that saw the National Pension Commission (PenCom) sack the management in 2011, and maintain authority for RYHU ÀYH \HDUV According to reports, Pencom had taken control of the company, and installed interim management during the crisis, citing “incessant shareholders squabbles and several issues of adverse corporate governance in the PFA.” This is why some investment analysts were taken aback by the current combative posture of some of the company’s shareholders who are crying foul over the planned acquisition RI WKH ÀUP To this school of thought, the decision of Access Holdings to buy FGPL is supposed to have enjoyed the support of shareholders whose squabbles had threatened the survival of the company in 2011.

The Planned Acquisition In the current dispensation, Access Holdings sold Access Pension Fund to First Bank Holdings, only for its parent company, Access Holdings, to acquire First Guarantee Pension, whose pension funds for RSAaccounts are held

by First Pension Custodian, a wholly-owned subsidiary of First Bank Holdings.

The holding company, in a notice to its stakeholders, said PenCom and the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) had given their “no objection” to the transaction, the completion of which is subject to the receipt of all required regulatory approval. *URXS &KLHI ([HFXWLYH 2΀FHU $FFHVV +ROGings, Mr Herbert Wigwe, described the planned takeover of FGPL as part of the organisation’s VWUDWHJ\ WR WUDQVIRUP WKH $IULFDQ ÀQDQFLDO services landscape.

“This transaction is a natural evolution for us. Over the last 20 years, we set our sights on and delivered ambitious plans to transform the $IULFDQ ÀQDQFLDO VHUYLFHV ODQGVFDSH IRFXVLQJ RQ banking and have created the African leading bank and the largest bank by customer base.

“This large customer base both on the wholesale and retail segments makes the pension EXVLQHVV D QDWXUDO ÀW IRU WKH FRUSRUDWLRQ JLYHQ its objective of ecosystem optimisation.”

“We will leverage our well-established culture

WWKH SHQVLRQ ÀUP WR FRPSO\ ZLWK WKH ODZ WKDW sstipulates that a statutory 28 days notice for an Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM) must E be observed. b They alleged that the management of the ccompany did not respect this regulation, an issue which is said to be fuelling their allegation of w aan underhand deal.

The matter is said to be a subject of litigation as ssome of the shareholders have reportedly gone tto court to enforce their Pre-emptive Rights as eenshrined in the Company and Allied Matters Act (CAMA) 2020.

A On the side of these aggrieved shareholders is a Lagos-based business lawyer, Chuks Nwachuku, L who alleged that moves by Access Holdings Ltd w tto acquire controlling shares of First Guarantee Pensions Limited remain illegal.

P However, PenCom which supervises the RSHUDWLRQV RI SHQVLRQ ÀUPV LQ WKH FRXQWU\ GLG R not see any foul play in the planned acquisition. n Head of Corporate Communications, PenCom, Mr Abdulkadir Dahir, was recently quoted by M aan online news platform as saying that for the ccommission to approve the acquisition of FGPL, iit means the company met all requirements.

According to him, “All the conditions must have been met before the commission gives a h go-ahead. If you are conversant with how the g ccommission works, PenCom does not look aat anybody’s face, we follow the rules and guidelines. g “For us to have approved, it presupposes that aall the requirements that are laid down by the llaw have been met,” Dahir was quoted as saying.

Access Bank MD, Wigwe

of strong corporate governance, risk management, cutting-edge technology, and digital capabilities to deliver high standards of professionalism in the management of pension assets to the EHQHÀW RI RXU VWDNHKROGHUV µ KH DGGHG He stated further that PenCom and the CBN have given their ‘no objection’ to the transaction, the completion of which is subject to the receipt of all required regulatory approvals.

The corporation, he pointed out, will update the market as appropriate and follow its disclosure obligations.

The agreement is regarding a proposed purchase by First Pensions of the entire share capital of Access Pension Fund Custodian Limited held by Access Bank Plc. Market analysts however said the takeover bid became imperative for both parties in line with the recapitalisation HͿRUWV E\ 3HQVLRQ )XQG $GPLQLVWUDWRUV (PFAs) to meet the minimum capital benchmark set by the regulator, PenCom. They explained that given the new threshold in the capital base of pension ÀUPV LQ WKH FRXQWU\ WKHUH ZDV QR ZD\ FGPLcould compete favourably without additional capital which they maintained is guaranteed by the Access Holdings takeover.

Season of Mergers and Acquisitions In line with the new capital requirement, PenCom has approved mergers and acquisitions that C will likely bring down the number of operating w pension fund administrations (PFAs). Already, p iit has approved the acquisition of AXAMansard Pensions Limited by Eustacia Limited, and the P cchange of name from AXA Mansard Pensions Limited to Tangerine Pensions Limited.

L In addition, the commission granted “No Objection” for the merger between Tangerine O Pensions Limited and Apt Pension Funds Managers Limited.

FCMB Pensions Limited, one of the subsidiaries New Capitalisation PenCom in April last year announced an of the First City Monument Bank Group Plc increase in the minimum share capital of pension acquired a 60 per cent stake in AIICO Pension fund administrators from the present level of Managers Limited.

The Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS or “the N1 billion to N5 billion. It gave the operators 12 months to meet the new capital regime (from 27 Scheme”) regime in Nigeria was established by April 2021 to 27April 2022). The exercise became the Pension ReformAct (PRA) 2004 and amended expedient as the value of pension fund assets in 2014. The CPS puts the management of the under management and custody had grown pension fund in the hands of private organisations exponentially by 244 per cent, from N3 trillion called PFAs. The PRA2014 introduced a tripartite in 2012 (when the previous recapitalisation was system in a bid to minimise the possibility of done) to N12.29 trillion (as of December 31, 2020). misappropriation of pension funds by setting 2΀FLDO VWDWLVWLFV IURP WKH FRPPLVVLRQ VKRZ up three autonomous players; the Regulator, that before the pronouncement, about four the Administrator, and the Custodian.

The Nigerian pension industry has grown ÀUPV KDG DOUHDG\ VXUSDVVHG WKH QHZ FDSLWDO margin while currently, no less than seven out VLJQLÀFDQWO\ ZLWK SHQVLRQ FRQWULEXWRUV QRZ RYHU RI WKH H[LVWLQJ ÀUPV KDYH VXUSDVVHG WKH QHZ 9.5 million with a 14 per cent pension penetration rate as of December 2021. The industry’s assets minimum share capital huddle.

Last month, PenCom announced the conclu- XQGHU PDQDJHPHQW JDLQHG VLJQLÀFDQWO\ DV LW sion of the recapitalisation exercise with 20 PFAs stood at N13.42 trillion as of December 2021 compared to N12.30 trillion and N13 trillion having complied with the requirement.

The commission said it was pleased to inform recorded in December 2020 and September 2021 all stakeholders and the general public that as of respectively. This growth was mainly due to 27 April 2022, all Pension Fund Administrators pension contributions received and the market (PFAS) have complied with the Commission’s valuation of the Federal Government of Nigeria directive for the increase of the Minimum Regu- (FGN) bonds and equities.

It is hoped that the shareholders and other latory Capital (Shareholders’ Fund) from N1 stakeholders in the First Guarantee Pension billion to N5 billion.

Limited will allow the ongoing acquisition of the company by Access Holding Company to Shareholders’ Fear However, the grouse of shareholders of FGPL scale through to remain relevant in the scheme was the alleged failure of the management of of things in the Nigerian pension industry.

THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER MAY 29, 2022

19

TELECOMS

As 2% Call Tax Ruffles Feathers in Telecoms Industry The plan by the federal government to tax all telephone calls by two per cent, in addition to the existing taxes and levies on telecoms operations, has continued to elicit reactions from telecoms subscribers and operators, who have threatened to challenge the federal government in court if the tax is imposed, writes Emma Okonji

R

eactions have continued to trail the recent plan by the federal government to impose a two per cent tax on all telephone calls.Telecomserviceproviders and their subscribers stressed the need for the government to consider the implications of imposing another WD[ RQ WHOHFRP VXEVFULEHUV GLͿHUHQW IURP WKH ÀYH SHU FHQW H[FLVH WD[ RQ WHOHFRP FRQVXPHU goods and the arbitrary telecom levies and taxes emanating from federal government agencies and state governments.

To show the seriousness of their positions, they threatened to challenge the federal government in court, should government refuse to rescind its decision on the two per cent tax on telephone calls.

The two per cent tax, which is the equivalent of a minimum of one kobo per second for phone calls, is part of the sources of funds required to ÀQDQFH IUHH KHDOWKFDUH IRU WKH YXOQHUDEOH JURXS LQ Nigeria, according to the National Health Insurance Authority Bill 2021 signed by President Muhammadu Buhari penultimate week.

Telecom operators currently charge N4 for SMS and N6.40k per minute for all voice calls that terminate on other networks.

According to the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), the telecoms industry regulator, Nigerians made 150.83 billion minutes of calls in 2020, which translates to 9.05 trillion seconds of calls. This means that the planned two per cent tax will generate 9.05 trillion kobo in a year, which is the equivalent of N90.05 billion yearly.

Subscribers’ Agitation President, National Association of Telecoms Subscribers (NATCOMS), Chief Deolu Ogunbanjo, who reacted to the planned two per cent tax on telephone calls, told THISDAY that telecoms subscribers would resist the new tax, because of its grievous implications on subscribers and the telecom sector.

According to him, the National Health Insurance Authority Bill 2021 was supposed to pass WKURXJK WKH ÀUVW DQG VHFRQG UHDGLQJ RQ WKH ÁRRU of the National Assembly, before it could be sent to President Muhammadu Buhari for signing, but we were surprised to know that President Buhari signed the bill without a public hearing and public input.

“It is absurd to know that a bill, which is dependent on telecommunication levies and taxes, was passed without the input and consent of telecom subscribers, who will be taxed to raise money for the purpose for which the bill was passed and signed into law. We were told that the money that would be realised would be used to fund the national health insurance scheme for vulnerable people.

“One thing that the government has failed to understand is that over 90 per cent of Nigerians are vulnerable, except the politicians and their aids that made up the remaining 10 per cent.

So if 90 per cent is vulnerable, why will government task the same people to raise money to take care of them? What informed the government’s decision to depend on taxes from telecom to fund the insurance scheme for the vulnerable?”

Ogunbanjo asked.

He said already, that telecom operators were VWUXJJOLQJ ZLWK RYHU GLͿHUHQW WD[HV DQG OHYLHV from the federal, state, and local governments, and he questioned the rationale behind the federal government’s motive to impose an additional tax on the telecom sector and still want the sector to survive.

Ogunbanjo further said: “Telecoms services are the only services that the masses are enjoying at the moment and the government wants to XVH WD[HV DQG OHYLHV WR VWLÁH LW 6XEVFULEHUV DUH struggling to buy fuel to power their generators that will serve their business and they also

Business partners making calls

buy fuel for their cars, and the cost of fuel has skyrocketed, yet the government wants to increase the burden by an additional two per cent tax on all telephone calls. That will be killing subscribers if you ask me and we are going to resist it at all costs.

When asked how he intends to mobilise Nigerians to resist the two per cent tax on all telephone calls, Ogunbanjo said NATCOMS had already opened conversations with relevant non-governmental and civil society organisations, including the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP), and would further involve the judiciary by going to court to challenge the federal government on the imposition of the additional two per cent tax on all telephone calls for the funding of the National Health Scheme for the vulnerable people.

He further said: “As long as we are concerned, we were not carried along before the bill was signed into law by President Buhari, which goes to show that the bill was secretly passed LQWR ODZ )RU DQ\WKLQJ WKDW ZLOO DͿHFW WKH HQWLUH Nigerians, we deserve to be carried along.

Telcos’ Agitation The Chairman, Association of Licensed TelecomOperatorsofNigeria(ALTON),Gbenga Adebayo, who also spoke to THISDAY in a telephone conversation, said telecoms operators were yet to get any directives from the government to implement such levy, even though the news has spread far and wide that government is about to introduce another tax on telecom operations.

According toAdebayo, “We are yet to receive WKH R΀FLDO GLUHFWLYH EXW LI LW LV WUXH WKDW WKH federal government wants to tax all telephone calls by two per cent, we will be surprised that such tax will be coming at this time. The reason is that when we recently suggested to our regulator to review the current economic LQGLFDWRUV WKDW DUH DͿHFWLQJ WHOHFRPV EXVLQHVV to increase the cost of telecoms service delivery

Google.com

E\ SHU FHQW WR FXVKLRQ WKH HFRQRPLF HͿHFW on telecoms operators, the government said it was not an appropriate time to review cost of WHOHFRP VHUYLFHV GHOLYHU\ JLYHQ WKH GL΀FXOW times that Nigerians are passing through. So we will be surprised if the same government now comes around to say it is introducing a two per cent tax on telephone calls.”

6R LI WKLV LV WUXH ZKDW LV WKH PRUDO MXVWLÀFDWLRQ to introduce a two per cent tax on telephone calls and expect us to collect such money and remit it to the government, when the government has refused to support our request for the review of the cost of telecom services delivery across networks? Adebayo asked.

He, however, said should the directive be given to collect the two per cent tax on telephone calls, it would amount to telecom subscribers getting less value for what they pay for telephone calls. He further said it would also limit the budgeting power of telecom subscribers to a certain percentage.

“As telecom operators, we think the timing is wrong and we will like the government to look at the current economic indicators, before introducing any tax on telecom operations. The truth is that once the directive is given, we will have no choice but to obey the government directive and implement it to the letter and remit the money to the government, but it will DͿHFW WHOHFRP VXEVFULEHUV LQ D YHU\ KDUG ZD\ µ Adebayo said.

5% Excise Tax Not too long, the federal government introGXFHG D ÀYH SHU FHQW H[FLVH WD[ RQ WHOHFRPV operations, a development that is also causing agitations from telecoms subscribers and telecoms service providers. $GHED\R ZKLOH UHDFWLQJ WR WKH ÀYH SHU FHQW excise tax, told THISDAY that the tax would impact negatively on telecom subscribers, and called on the federal government to tread carefully in introducing another tax on telecom operations.

“Government cannot tax to death, the sector that is the major driver of the economy. Government cannot tax extinction, the services that are critical to the people. So government must be FDUHIXO ZLWK DOO WKHVH GLͿHUHQW IRUPV RI WD[HV RQ telecoms operations,” Adebayo said.

Telecom Levies Aside from taxes, telecom operators are also faced with all manners of levies from federal government agencies, state governments, and local governments across the country.

Afew months ago, telecom operators gave the federal government seven days ultimatum to address issues of incessant telecom site closure in Kogi State and the refusal of the Federal Capital DevelopmentAuthority (FCDA) to allow telecoms operators to build telecoms infrastructure in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

The telcos warned that they would be forced to commence nationwide disconnection of telecoms services if the issues in Kogi State and other states, including that of the FCT, were not addressed after seven days.

Telecoms Infrastructure Telecoms infrastructure has come under a deplorable condition in some states, due to the willful destruction of telecoms sites by miscreDQWV D GHYHORSPHQW WKDW LV FXUUHQWO\ DͿHFWLQJ the quality of telecoms services delivery in the DͿHFWHG VWDWHV· HQYLURQPHQWV Speaking on the state of telecoms infrastructure across networks, Adebayo said: Though we are trying in the area of telecoms infrastructure, the RSHUDWLQJ HQYLURQPHQW LV YHU\ GL΀FXOW 7KHUH is a high cost of doing telecoms business. The cost of diesel has gone so high and it is a major source of energy for telecom operators. InfraCos are struggling to provide telecom infrastructure across states of the federation, and they are faced with strong opposition from miscreants, who continue to destroy telecoms facilities in some states.”

THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER MAY 29, 2022

20

ENERGY

Duport Midstream Company, Edo State

Filling the Gap in Oil Industry Value Chain 7KH QHDU FRPSOHWLRQ RI 1LJHULD·V ÀUVW HQHUJ\ SDUN FRPSULVLQJ D PRGXODU UHÀQHU\ JDV SURFHVVLQJ SODQW &1* SODQW VWRUDJH WHUPLQDO DQG SRZHU SODQW ZRXOG ÀOO WKH PDUNHW JDSV LQ 1LJHULD·V RLO DQG JDV industry, Adedayo Adejobi writes

N

igeria’s oil and gas sector appears to have underperformed given its potential to create a VWURQJ DQG GLYHUVLÀHG economic base. Since the discovery of oil in Oloibiri back in 1957 and despite presently being the eleventh-largest producer of crude oil in the world, Nigeria remains a major LPSRUWHU RI UHÀQHG SURGXFWV For many years, the major international exploration and production companies operating in Nigeria have demonstrated a huge preference to merely extract Nigeria’s hydrocarbons for export, with very little or no investment in local developmental FDSDFLW\ IRU UHÀQLQJ DQG PRQHWLVDWLRQ RI Nigeria’s crude and gas.

The pathway to building an enduring oil and gas sector involves deliberate government policies driving the development of UREXVW ORFDO LQIUDVWUXFWXUHV OLNH UHÀQHULHV natural gas processing, and pipeline construction and the encouragement of local participation in the oil and gas industry.

Even though the Nigerian government may have taken note and successive administrations have responded with policies and strategic private sector-led partnerships known as Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs), to channel the urgently needed investment into infrastructure and technology; the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) and the state-run oil corporation and regulators, the NNPC and DPR respectively, have actively supported and encouraged new players to make investments in the oil and gas sector.

To this end, technology has also resulted

LQ WKH HPHUJHQFH RI PRGXODU UHÀQHULHV DQG SRZHU SODQWV ZKLFK DUH QRZ ÀOOLQJ a crucial gap within the industry value chain. These interventions, actively supported by government policy, have succeeded in creating a new generation of bold and empowered entrepreneurs deploying cutting-edge technologies and international best practices to build the local industry and successfully unlock the multiple gains of integration within the oil and gas industry.

The industry has moved from a centralised architecture, based around ODUJH VFDOH K\GUR SODQWV RU UHÀQHULHV WR D GLVWULEXWHG V\VWHP ZKHUH H΀FLHQW PRGXODU UHÀQHULHV DQG SRZHU SODQWV are driving increased local participation in the sector.

With sheer laser focus and vision, in 2017, the CEO of Duport Midstream Company, Akintoye Akindele, concepWXDOLVHG SODQV IRU WKH ÀUVW RI LWV NLQG PRGXODU UHÀQHU\ 'XSRUW 0LGVWUHDP Company Limited (DMCL), and an energy park. He is starting with a 2,500 EDUUHO SHU GD\ UHÀQHU\ PLOOLRQ VFI JDV SURFHVVLQJ ÀYH PHJDZDWWV SRZHU a data centre and a storage facility.

Duport is fusing the old industry of energy and new technology to create a carbon-accretive, modern-day business that will not only impart the environment positively but also creDWH MREV DQG ERRVW WKH FRQÀGHQFH RI local engineers. 100 students across engineering disciplines from each of the top six Nigerian universities will be employed. )LYH \HDUV GRZQ WKH OLQH WKH UHÀQHU\

compressed gas station, power plant and data centre will go live before the end of -XQH $QG $WODQWLF 5HÀQHU\ DQRWKHU PLQG blowing initiative, isn’t far behind. :LWK 1LJHULD·V UHÀQLQJ ODQGVFDSH FKDQJing, Duport Midstream is proposing, the advent of emerging modular technology driven by the desire to provide an investorfriendly enabling environment in attracting capital and resources to the sector.

Although the Department of Petroleum Resources, is doing a phenomenal job with policies and procedures aimed at deepening investment and interest in hydrocarbon extraction and processing, ‘Duport Midstream and its parent company, Iman Africa (QHUJ\ *URXS KDYH EHHQ HPEROGHQHG E\ the business-friendly policies created by DPR and with their support and guidance, will continue to invest heavily in last-mile UHÀQLQJ FDSDFLW\ ZLWK PRGXODU UHÀQHU\ projects in Edo State and Bayelsa State, both set for commissioning within the next month.

This is considered a major milestone given the speed and professionalism demonstrated by the team at Duport, in active partnership with the regulator, to GHOLYHU RQ WKHVH UHÀQHULHV ‘‘Duport intends to continue to scale our operations upwards using modular technology that enables us to compete HͿHFWLYHO\ DQG PHHW WKH QHHGV RI D YDVWO\ underserved market. We have built a competitive edge as a low-cost producer as our integrated approach enables the use of shared infrastructure and derived economies of scale. Our overall strategy OLHV LQ WKH H΀FLHQW GHSOR\PHQW RI ORZ FRVW integrated energy parks engaged in the

SURGXFWLRQ DQG VDOH RI UHÀQHG SURGXFWV DQG S natural gas, as well as power generation n aand distribution.’’

'XSRUW 0LGVWUHDP WKH ÀUVW WUXO\ LQttegrated energy park in Africa, nearing ccompletion, is located in Egbokor, Edo S State. The park will operate in phases, a ESG PRGXODU UHÀQHU\ DQG FUXGH G GLVWLOODWLRQ XQLW DQG ESG QDSKWKD sstabiliser, a gas processing facility with a ccapacity of up to 60 mcf [1.7 mcm] per day DDQG D FRPSUHVVHG QDWXUDO JDV &1* SODQW w with a capacity of 10 mcf [283,200 cubic m metres] per day.

The park also includes an embedded p power plant – presently 50 MW but scalable.

T The plant presently provides power to the ssite and plans to provide its excess power to tthe local communities bordering the Energy 3 3DUN ,W KDV DOVR LQVWDOOHG D 7LHU 'DWD &HQWUH WWKH ÀUVW RI LWV NLQG LQ $IULFD HQDEOLQJ LW WR p provide data storage and communications ffacilities securely.

The Duport Energy Park obtains its feedsstock crude and gas from Summit Oil OML DFUHDJH IURP ZKHUH LW FRQVWUXFWHG DQ eextensive grid of feed pipelines to convey tthe crude and gas to its facilities from the À ÀHOG 'XSRUW DOVR FRQVWUXFWHG D NLORPHWUH R RͿWDNH SLSHOLQH ÁRZLQJ LWV SURFHVVHG JDV LLQWR WKH 1*& SLSHOLQH QHWZRUN DW WKH WLH LQ p point close to the park.

The Duport Energy Park also provides DD WRQQH UHÀQHG SURGXFW VWRUDJH tterminal with tanks for crude, naphtha, N NHURVHQH $*2 DXWRPRWLYH JDV RLO DQG H HFO (heavy fuel oil). Duport also has a d dedicated truck terminal from where its UUHÀQHG SURGXFWV DUH OLIWHG DQG GHOLYHUHG WR R RͿ WDNHUV DQ\ZKHUH LQ WKH FRXQWU\ In its short-term strategy for constructing energy parks in Nigeria, the parent FRPSDQ\ ,PDQ $IULFD (QHUJ\ *URXS ZLOO EXLOG D PLQLPXP RI ÀYH HQHUJ\ SDUNV LQ WKH FRXQWU\ RYHU WKH QH[W ÀYH \HDUV VWUDWHJLFDOO\ located in underserved economic hubs. The ÀUVW WZR DUH H[SHFWHG WR EH FRPPLVVLRQHG next month and will deliver a minimum of an energy park annually from 2022. ´7R HQVXUH XQLQWHUUXSWHG ÁRZ RI FUXGH oil and natural gas to act as feedstock to our Energy Park, Duport Midstream, last year bid for, and was in May 2021, awarded joint RZQHUVKLS RI D PDUJLQDO ÀHOG (NSDW ZKLFK would ensure the company has enough prodXFWV WR IHHG LWV UHÀQHULHV DQG JDV SDUNV :H have built a strong and robust partnership with our original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) in Dubai, South Korea and the US. These are well respected international players in the oil and gas industry and have ensured we have received and built reliable DQG KLJK TXDOLW\ SODQWV DQG UHÀQHULHV ·· Akindele’s Duport is also deliberately encouraging the use of local content where possible, whilst ensuring that technology transfer for artisanal and professional roles is assured.

In partnership with the NCDMB, Duport has pushed for an increase in local participation in its processes and operations pre-and post-construction.

“We are also partnering with our OEMs to build a manufacturing yard in Nigeria to support existing operations and position Nigeria to be a manufacturing and support EDVH IRU WKHVH UHÀQHULHV DQG RWKHU RLO DQG gas engineering equipment and parts.”

With such a novel idea, the next big quesWLRQ RQ WKH OLS RI WKH UHDGHU VX΀FHV DUH WKHUH plans to replicate the energy park business model in other African markets? ,Q WKH D΀UPDWLYH 'XSRUW 0LGVWUHDP DQG ,PDQ $IULFD (QHUJ\ *URXS KDYH EHHQ engaged in talks with the governments of *KDQD DQG 8JDQGD ZKHUH WKHLU SURFHVVLQJ of land and licences to operate energy and gas parks is already advanced. Akintoye’s ÀUP DOVR KDV D VPDOO VWDNH LQ D ESG UHÀQHU\ IRU /LEHULD DQG 6LHUUD /HRQH markets and has begun talks on building D ESG UHÀQHU\ LQ *XLQHD The demographics and business rationale lend credence to the need to provide these parks and products to what are huge and captive underserved markets where Duport’s industry know-how, funding capabilities and business network can be very useful in developing these international markets.

In summary, Akindele intends to replicate the integrated and modular energy park model across key markets in Africa, providLQJ D VWHDG\ VXSSO\ RI UHÀQHG SHWUROHXP products and natural gas, with plans to build a minimum of 10 more energy parks across $IULFD ZLWKLQ WKH QH[W ÀYH \HDUV

21

MAY 29, 2022 • T H I S DAY, T H E S U N DAY N E W S PA P E R

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

AYO AROWOLO

GOLD

INVESTING

WEALTH CAPSULE 17

Lasting Wealth Should be Built Only on Globally Accepted Human Virtues and Values It’s very important for people to know themselves and understand what their value system is, because if you don’t know what your value system is, then you don’t know what risks are worth taking and which ones are worth avoiding –Ben Carson

T

building goal around their passions. When wealth builders choose to make their wealth around their passions, it greatly energises them into achieving their goals optimally. Wealth builders must have some “can-do”, inbuilt spirit to achieve their predetermined goals’.

Such goals should only, however, be pursued using globally-accepted virtues for self and humanity’s common benefits. Wealth builders must, of course, be power-driven. Power-driven in the sense of achieving some enviable self-esteem and dominance over life’s challenges”.

“They must imbibe the values of building properly secured wealth, for creating lasting legacies. Such security values are very important.

Conformity with rules, regulations and laws of society are very important values that wealth builders must possess. Customs and traditions of trade must be obeyed. Wealth builders as of rule must conform to established customs and traditions of their wealth-building environment.

And in the process of doing this, they must ensure that their ambitions are guided by self-respect and intelligence”.

“At this stage, I must mention that it is important that we take into consideration that every culture of the world, has all these aforementioned human values and virtues, inbuilt in them, which have been passed down for many generations and with many of them now forming our globally accepted human values and virtues. This calls for a discussion on how African indigenous cultures promote values and virtues in agreement with global-accepted values and virtues. Indeed, indigenous African cultures recognise these same values, as have long been held by other races of the world”.

“There was a time I had a lot of business going on in the western parts of Nigeria, and this got me into intense observation and research into the values of the Yoruba people. Yoruba indigenous cultures have long recognised these same globally-accepted values, which is what has helped the Yoruba to develop into one of the most cultured societies in the world. Yoruba indigenous cultural values, lay strong emphasis on courage, strength and determination. The Yoruba indigenous culture places wealth as the least of societal values and virtues. In other words, there are some values and virtues that wealth builders must possess as necessary and all-important precedence over wealth.

Wealth owners would only be appreciated and celebrated within the Yoruba culture, after the possession of certain cultural values and virtues. These are, namely; courage, wisdom & knowledge, integrity, honesty & reputation, hard work, contentment, self-esteem, love and valour. All these are necessary precedent values and virtues to wealth, that wealth owners must possess before being accepted, celebrated and respected in Yoruba society.

Any wealth built without these precedents Yoruba indigenous cultural values would be ignored and the wealth owner would be treated with ignominy”.

Let us take each of these precedent values, one by one. With regards to the issue of courage and strength, Yoruba indigenous culture places more respect on members of its society that demonstrate courage and strength over wealth builders. As can be seen from the Yoruba early history, the warrior Eso, Basorun, Are Onakakanfo, etc., were given precedence over wealth owners in the Yoruba society of Oyo-Ile. In those days these various classes of warriors were rated highly important than

his week’s edition started with a gentle tone. My billionaire friend was wearing a bright smile. He was feeling energetic and it was contagious. He said he was going to share with me something he believed was a core foundation in building wealth. The lessons in this edition are timeless, and for as long as man shall live, they would remain relevant.

The conversation went thus: “The observance of globally-accepted human virtues and values are the lubricants that protect the world and its contents from self-destructive conflicts and wars. If humans did not identify, confirm, accept and respect some necessary globally-accepted human virtues and values, Artist Impression of my Billionaire Friend the world would have since been destroyed by man through the use of power with impunity by nations, and national leaders in avoidable Our current society conflicts”.

“These accepted values and virtues have notwithstanding its prevented the use of nuclear weapons held unfortunate monetised by some nations, which can easily destroy the world in some exothermic nuclear reactions. values still has some legends Values and virtues are the necessary ingredients for ensuring that, human activities are carried that command respect, those out with generally-acceptable decorum, norms individuals who have built and ethical standards”.

“Human values, on the other hand, help us their lives with globallyto pursue our human-driven goals for survival, power, and wealth. Indeed, without globallyaccepted reputation, values accepted human values and virtues, the motions and virtues, for emulation. and activities surrounding human existence and the pursuit of different conflicting and We have already covered a colliding goals would only have long led to the self-destruction of human existence. This would number of them in this series. have been the case with humans pursuing a massive number of different conflicting selfcentred goals in intra and inter-destructive ways and mostly in absolute impunity and others, openness, affection, empathy and love towards others. These identified virtues disregard for the interest of others”.

“It is therefore important that wealth builders are advised for all man’s endeavours and should only pursue their wealth goals in full interactions, to facilitate good socialisation realisation that, to avoid the destruction of self harmony and human development”.

“Wealth builders must incorporate these and others, they must pursue every one of their goals with globally-accepted values and virtues, virtues for building their wealth, for their good as a guide. Wealth builders would only end up reputation, integrity and esteem. They must listen destroying their very existence and defeat the to the views of others and learn to be open, purpose of their wealth-building goals, where transparent and honest, showing affection and they do otherwise. Indeed, a clear confirmation of empathy to others while building their wealth. the importance of this, is in the United Nations Their values must be stimulated by the can-do 1948 declaration of human rights, for the peace attitude and thinking, in achieving their goals, and harmony of humans on earth, by spelling as extensively discussed in our conversation last out the values of integrity, fairness and respect week, with citings from the scholarly contributions as very important towards ensuring that peace of Brian Tracy and Vincent Peale. Wealth builders and tranquillity are maintained in all human must be excited by globally-accepted values activities, to prevent the world from going into and virtues in their pursuits while overcoming their various goal challenges’. unnecessary conflicts”.

“Wealth builders’ motivations should be “Values inspire, motivate and engage people into discharging their obligations, responsibilities centralised around the achievement of their and duties, while human virtues ensure that wealth building goals while being guided by man’s acceptable ethics are well guarded in globally-accepted virtues”.

“In creating wealth, wealth-builders must the interest of mutually beneficial co-existence, choose to create the necessary environment peace and harmony of humanity”.

“Globally-accepted virtues and values are for achieving their predetermined goals. therefore necessary for the success of human Hedonism is again one of the values which endeavours and interactions at family, society wealth builders must possess. Hedonism is and national levels. Generally, human values necessary for deriving pleasure in the pursuit are expected to be guided by ethical actions of of wealth while enjoying the process”.

“The need for hedonism is why wealthfairness, respect and honesty for the peaceful attainment of human goals. Generally-accepted builders are advised to choose their wealthvirtues must therefore be incorporated into the pursuit of every human value’.

These accepted human values and virtues have prevented “The scholar, Doris Schroeder, cited four major values, which have been universally the use of nuclear weapons held by some nations, which can accepted as important value frameworks for easily destroy the world in some exothermic nuclear reactions. humanity. He names them, fairness, respect, care and honesty. Others, who have joined Human values and virtues are the necessary ingredients for Doris Schroeder, are Peale Chatfield and Peter Herisson-Kelly. These have also listed out ensuring that, human activities are carried out with generallysome virtues, namely: respect, consideration acceptable decorums, norms and ethical standards for others, appreciation of others, listening to

wealth owners. The second classification is those with wisdom and knowledge. The Yorubas gave them far more respect in society than wealthy owners. Every king in Yorubaland depended and still depends on those wise and knowledgeable people than moneybags. This class of citizens were more revered than wealthy owners. More importantly, the Yoruba revered and respected the virtue of “Omoluabi” which in English translation, means those in society with integrity, good and acceptable reputation, well mannered, and were known to be open and transparent. Indeed, the Omoluabis in Yoruba society were much more highly revered by the Yoruba than wealthy owners. Yoruba people also value hard work. Any wealth owner without a traceable and proven history of hard work would not be respected by the Yoruba indigenous culturally-driven society. Only the wealthy with proven and traceable wealth, built from hard work wisdom, honesty, courage, integrity and reputation, were revered and accepted by the Yoruba as against those without a proven history of these. The Yoruba also valued wealth-builders with contentment. Those who pursue wealth without apparent contentment are regarded in Yoruba indigenous culture as bad eggs and are not appreciated, nor respected within Yoruba society. The Yoruba highly value self-esteem and reputation”.

“To buttress this point, a Yoruba adage has it, that: when you already have self-esteem and reputation, why again seek wealth; after all, you already have what is greater than wealth. Love is also highly promoted in Yoruba indigenous culture. The love of one’s family, the love of one’s neighbour, such that if your neighbour happens to be hungry and you enter your neighbour’s farm to feed, Yoruba indigenous culture sees nothing wrong in such feeding to full contentment from the harvest of the farm.

Yoruba culture only forbids such consumers from thereafter taking home some part of the farm’s harvest after such feeding. Such stealing to take home is what is condemned in Yoruba indigenous culture. And then the value of valour in the defence of Yoruba society and willingness to sacrifice one’s life in defence of Yoruba society is most valued by Yoruba indigenous culture.”

How can wealth builders integrate these values into their wealth building endeavours?

“The answer to this question is that every wealth builder must proceed in his wealthbuilding activities by ensuring that they imbibe these aforementioned values and virtues in making their wealth-building life meaningful by integrating them and growing their young ones for the benefit of future society. Society, including wealth builders, must utilise and promote these values and virtues, in schools, universities, polytechnics, social groups etc. We must promote these virtues and values to make our future generations realise that wealth is only useful when used for meaningful living.

The pursuit of wealth without these virtues and values would make living very meaningless”.

Any Experiences?

“Our current society, notwithstanding its unfortunate monetised values, still has some legends that command respect, those individuals who have built their lives with globally-accepted reputations, values and virtues, for emulation.

We have already covered a number of them in this series”.

“This week’s conversation is important for guiding society away from its current unfortunate over monetisation of values. Wealth builders must not lay emphasis only on wealth without ensuring that globally-accepted societal values and virtues are incorporated into the ingredients for brewing their wealth. Wealth builders must respect these values and virtues to secure their respect by society and enhance their societal acceptance”.

So far. Can’t wait to catch up with you next week

22

SUNDAY MAY 29, 2022 • T H I S D AY

SUNDAY MAY 29, 2022 • T H I S D AY

23

24

SUNDAY MAY 29, 2022 • T H I S D AY

SUNDAY MAY 29, 2022 • T H I S D AY

25

26

SUNDAY MAY 29, 2022 • T H I S D AY

SUNDAY MAY 29, 2022 • T H I S D AY

27

28

SUNDAY MAY 29, 2022 • T H I S D AY

T H I S D AY MONDAYSunday MARCH 2022 29 14, May, 2022 Vol 27. No 9910

OPI NION

129 TR

APC’S GAMBLE WITH JONATHAN

F

See Page 30

PETER OBI’S EXIT FROM PDP Chiedu Uche Okoye contends that Obi’s resignation demonstrates his aversion for vote buying

See Page 59

IS UK-AFRICA TRADE STRATEGY FOR CHARITY OR BUSINESS DEALS? JOEL POPOOLA responds to the newly published International Trade Strategy See Page 59

EDITORIAL CRITICAL ISSUES IN THE PARTY PRIMARIES

See Page 60

N

A Goodluck Jonathan presidential candidacy on All Progressives Congress’ platform is an uphill task, writes EBIOWEI JOHN

IFEANYI UGWUANYI: SEVEN YEARS ON The Enugu State governor has done well in spite of scarce resources, reckons SAMSON EZEA

GBAJABIAMILA AND HIS CONSTITUENCY ENI OLUKOTUN writes that Femi Gbajabiamila’s record gives a new burst of optimism for another legislative term

& RE A S O

opinion@thisdaylive.com

www.thisdaylive.com

See Page 30

UT H

or some time now, there have been speculations about moves by powerful northern political forces to get Goodluck Jonathan, the immediate past president of Nigeria, to run the 2023 presidential race on the platform of the ruling All Progressives Congress. The permutation, it is said, is that it offers the opportunity for the North to return to power in another four years since Jonathan, having served a term between 2011 and 2015, would be constitutionally barred from serving more than one term of four years.

There were initial scepticisms about the plot as many political analysts dismissed it as idle thinking. How can the APC that did so much to demonise Jonathan to push him out of power in 2015 contemplate such a thing?

Ikechukwu Eze, the former president’s media aide, and Reno Omokri, his former Social Media handler, issued several denials and soon got tired of setting the records straight.

However, the doubts began to clear a couple of weeks ago when the APC began to sell its N100million nomination forms. An innocuous group that said it represented the Almajiri and cattle breeders in the North bought the forms for the former president. As tongues began to wag, his media aide issued a strongly-worded statement denying that the purchase was with his knowledge and stated that the former president considered it a personal insult. The fog began to become clearer when a few hours later, the statement was withdrawn and a less truculent one replaced it. When in the morning after the statement a picture of Abdullahi Adamu, the national chairman of the APC, seeing off Jonathan after a visit to the former’s residence surfaced in the media, it became clearer that the former president had not been very straight on the matter.

It came to light that Jonathan was indeed in talks with the APC leaders but was insisting that he would only take up their offer if he would be the party’s consensus candidate. The negotiations have dragged, forcing a ZDYH RI SRVWSRQHPHQWV ÀUVW RI WKH closure date for the submission of the nomination forms, and later the elastic postponement of the date of screening of the presidential aspirants. In between these, another picture of Jonathan being seen off, after a meeting, by Mamman Daura, President Muhammadu %XKDUL·V LQÁXHQWLDO QHSKHZ ÀOOHG WKH media space.

Anyone who still has a doubt about Jonathan’s clandestine move to run on the platform of the APC ought to have had that cleared by the news on Thursday that a Federal High Court, sitting in Yenagoa had ruled that the former president was entitled to run

published in the media. If he suddenly surfaces on the list of contestants that would arouse legitimate suspicion of foul play, which is not likely to go unchallenged by those who would naturally feel unfairly treated in the nomination process.

There is another baggage. Jonathan is not known to have either resigned his membership of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party or joined the APC. Although this may be said to be a minor thing since he could cross those huddles in a matter of minutes, this, however, would only increase KLV FUHGLELOLW\ GHÀFLW WKDW KDV JURZQ phenomenally since this saga began.

The more important issue is how the party leadership intends to manage the process of the nomination for him.

Jonathan is said to have insisted that he would only run if he is guaranteed WKH WLFNHW ZLWKRXW D ÀJKW %XKDUL LV said to be receptive to this but the challenge has been how to carry it through with the weight of the people IRU DQRWKHU WHUP RI RIÀFH DGGLQJ WKDW already in the race. Also in the race KH FRXOG Á\ WKH UXOLQJ SDUW\·V ÁDJ LI KH is Bola Tinubu, the party’s national was granted a waiver by its executive leader who has invested heavily in its formation and sustenance to date, and committee.

With the court ruling, the cat has has shown an uncommon commitment literarily been let out of the bag, and to the realisation of his ambition. the issue is no longer whether Jonathan There are also ministers, including will run but whether the move makes Rotimi Amaechi, Godswill Akpabio, sound strategic political sense. There are Ogbonnaya Onu and Emeka Nwajiuba several issues though that would have who have forgone their ministerial to be resolved. The former president is careers because of their presidential QRW NQRZQ WR KDYH SXUFKDVHG ÀOOHG ambitions. Will the leadership merely and submitted the nomination forms. ask them to step down and return to What is in the public domain is his their positions? Will they take that media aide’s denial that the forms lightly?

If the ministers could be persuaded were purchased on his behalf by a shadowy group with his knowledge. to halt their ambition and return to There has been no retraction of that work, it is doubtful if Tinubu can be denial. Meanwhile, his name is not on similarly persuaded because he has the long list of the 28 contestants since made it clear that he is committed to pursuing his lifelong ambition. And to be fair to him, age is no longer on his side. So, will the party leadership force him out of the race? Can that be done without the risk of an implosion in the party? If not, are the leaders willing to risk a contest with Tinubu?

Finally, even if the party leadership is able to manoeuvre the process in favour of Jonathan, how will it conduct the general electioneering campaign having regard to the massive damage they did to his reputation in 2015, which was sustained with vigour in the last seven years? What will the APC tell Nigerians? That they have brought back Jonathan to repair the damage they said he did to Nigeria?

All things considered, the idea of a Jonathan presidential run on the platform of the APC looks untidy and would take a miracle to succeed at the 2023 poll. It does not look good for either Jonathan or the APC.

All things considered, the idea of a Jonathan presidential run on the platform of the APC looks untidy and would take a miracle to succeed at the 2023 poll

John, a political activist, writes from Yenagoa

2 30

T H I S D AY SUNDAY MAY 29, 2022

IFEANYI UGWUANYI: SEVEN YEARS ON The Enugu State governor has done well in spite of scarce resources, reckons SAMSON EZEA It is indeed another year of stock taking of Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi’s seven years of governance and people-oriented programmes in Enugu State. These seven years which include four years of his first term and three years of his four years second term have been eventful, challenging, developmental, peaceful and inclusive.

Within this period, Enugu people have witnessed massive infrastructural development, peace, security, social justice, social services, good governance and employment generation which were among Ugwuanyi administration’s four-point agenda unveiled to Ndi Enugu during his

first term swearing-in at Okpara Square, Independence Layout Enugu in 2015.

No doubt, Ugwuanyi’s administration has recorded remarkable achievements, despite the fact that on assumption of office, he was confronted with myriad of daunting challenges that included recessed economy, paucity of funds, backlog of unpaid workers’ salaries, arrears of pensioners, infrastructural deficits especially in rural areas, unemployment and others.

Apart from these challenges, Ugwuanyi’s party, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) that has been in power at the centre and state with enormous goodwill and ample opportunities, for the first time since 1999 lost power to the All Progressives Congress (APC) at the centre in 2015.

Not deterred by these obvious discouraging and enormous challenges, Ugwuanyi in his inaugural speech, committed the affairs of the state to God Almighty with the slogan “Enugu State is in The Hands of God.” Without hesitation, Ugwuanyi’s administration hit the ground running, by bringing to bear the governor’s financial prowess and prudence in reforming, rejigging and repositioning the state’s Internal Revenue Service (IRS) system for better performance and improved revenue generation.

This singular action improved significantly the states’ Internally Generated Revenue from N14billion in 2016 to N18.4billion in the first 10 months of 2017 and now 31billion, WKHUHE\ SODFLQJ WKH VWDWH LQ D JRRG ÀQDQFLDO stead, even without the monthly federation allocation as revealed by The Economic &RQÀGHQWLDO LQ LWV $QQXDO 6WDWHV Viability Index (ASVI).

Also introduced in the day-to-day running of the government by Ugwuanyi were JRRG JRYHUQDQFH HTXLW\ ÀVFDO GLVFLSOLQH accountability and transparency. Since then, governance in the state took a new direction geared towards peaceful co-existence, integration, and even development across the state. Ugwuanyi’s leadership style has decidedly remained inclusive, progressive, eclectic and unprecedented in the state’s leadership history. :LWKLQ KLV ÀUVW WHUP LQ RIÀFH 8JZXDQ\L administration’s presence and footprints prefaced virtually all the 450 autonomous communities, 17 local councils and three

senatorial zones in the state.

All the sectors of the state economy witnessed his government’s interventions with rural development, education, health, infrastructure, security, workers’ welfare, youth empowerment, taking the lead.

Across the state, roads like Opi-Nsukka dual carriage way, Obechara Road JunctionUmuakashi Mechanic village-Ikenga Hotels Junction-Enugu Road Nsukka Junction and Umuezebi-Nru Junction have been completed. Others include extension of Agbani-AforAmurri Road, the extension of Ituku Road, the construction of OgonogoejiNdi Akpugo Road (Atavu Bailey BridgeAforOnovo) the construction of the 42-metre span Bailey Bridge and road works across River Nyama to Amichi, linking Umuogo and Umuagba Amaechi Uno/ Obinagu community, all in Nkanu West LGA. Of note is that the Agbani-Amurri Road was constructed for a community that has never witnessed any form of development or government presence on its land in the past 100 years plus. In the same vein, the Ogonogoeji-Ndiagu-Akpugo Road from Atavu Bailey Bridge to Afor Onovo is the first state government road in the entire Akpugo land since the creation of the Enugu State.

Not left out is the popular and historic Milliken Hill Road, Ngwo, constructed in 1909, but was abandoned for several decades before Ugwuanyi’s administration reconstructed it with streetlight. The three-kilometre road is part of the 12-kilometre 9th Mile-EkochinNgwo- Miliken Hill-New Market federal road which state government rehabilitated to serve as alternative route for commuters and motorists plying Enugu-Onitsha Expressway.

Also within the state capital, Ugwuanyi’s administration has executed numerous road projects at Holy Trinity Street and Bishop Michael Eneje Street, Nawfia Street, Ibuza Street, Isi-Uzo Street all in Independence Layout Enugu. Also asphalted are Mount Crescent, GRA Enugu, Dental School-Tipper Garage Road, Trans Ekulu, Enugu; Loma Linda-Timber Shed Road and many others. In his first four years Ugwuanyi’s administration spent not less than N45b in road construction and reconstruction across the state. These are not inclusive of the numerous road projects awarded by Ugwuanyi’s administration close to his reelection that have been completed and are in use now.

In the education sector, through the Enugu State Universal Basic Education Board (ENSUBEB), Enugu is among the states that have consistently paid their counterpart fund making it possible for them to access the federal government Universal Basic Education fund.

Withthis,ENSUBEBhasbuiltandrenovated more than 480 primary school classrooms, provided learning and teaching facilities and recruited more than 3500 teachers. Also recruited through the Post Primary Schools Management Board (PPSMB) were more than 1200 secondary teachers in addition to the 857 volunteer teachers (engaged during the past administration) but were not regularised as permanent staff.

Of great emphasis is the fact that Ugwuanyi’s administration has equitably distributed developmental projects and appointments across the state in spirit of unity, equity and fairness to the admiration and happiness of all in the state. This is a clear departure from the winner takes all practice of the past that created bad blood among political stakeholders in three senatorial zones of the state. Ugwuanyi has not only continued to maintain the infrastructure he met on ground, he has built new ones, completed and still completing the abandoned ones across the state.

Ezea writes from Independence Layout Enugu

ENI OLUKOTUN writes that Femi Gbajabiamila’s record gives a new burst of optimism for another legislative term

GBAJABIAMILA AND HIS CONSTITUENCY He was a renowned lawyer in the United States where he built a sparkling legal career before he returned home to contest for the House of Representatives election in 2003. Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila settled with the progressives, the defunct Alliance for Democracy (AD). His family has a rich political pedigree rooted in progressivism. He flew the flag of the party to represent Surulere Federal Constituency One in the House of representatives. Gbajabiamila won on a landslide scale.

Back-to-back, the constituents saw his sterling performance on the floor of the green chamber and numerous projects he attracted to the area, they resolved to re-elect him in 2007,2011,2015 and 2019. He built trust with the people and maintains consistency in his political journey.

He never contemplated jumping the progressives ship even when the hope of clinching power at the centre appeared unrealistic. He stood with his party men and joined in defeating the behemoth Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) that once bragged to rule for 60 years. The projected 60 years was truncated and cut short to 16.

As the minority leader, he was vocal and dogged. Gbajabiamila blessed with the gift

of garb protected the interest of the minority caucus and that of Nigeria. He is a pan-Nigeria who is versed in the dynamics of multi-cultural Nigeria.

So, when he eventually emerged the Speaker of the House in 2019, Nigerians who have been keeping track of his activities in the green chamber over the years knew that the robust legislative experience Gbajabiamila had garnered over the years will reflect in the quality of bills, motions, interventions and other legislative business.

Gbajabiamila has not dropped the ball as the Speaker of the House in the Ninth National Assembly. He was very clear of his vision from day one. He declared that his legislative agenda will be revolutionary, a departure from the seeming lustre legislative leadership of the past.

He forged a strong alliance with the Executive arm of government without being subjected to it. It is all in the public interest. He reasoned that needless acrimony and power tussle will further heat up the polity and impact negatively on the people.

On more than one occasion, he intervened in national crises and brought succour to the people. Gbajabiamila was in Ghana when Nigerian traders and other foreign nationals were threatened with draconian trade policy.

When the xenophobic attacks on Nigerians in South Africa occurred, the Speaker didn’t pass the buck to the Executive. He rose to the occasion and joined in the concerted efforts at rescuing trapped Nigerians in the foreign country.

His achievements as Speaker are numerous.

Within two years of his leadership, 41 bills were passed out of the 853 bills considered within the period, 105 passed second reading and 66 bills

are awaiting actions by the Committee.

Over 730 pro-people motions have been raised by members under the same period.

Over 163 petitions received by the House which were transferred to the committee on Public Petitions for consideration.

The Petroleum Industry and Governance Bill (PIB) that has been lingering for years got accelerated attention. This passage of the bill led to the unbundling of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC).

It addresses the concerns of all stakeholders including the oil producing communities.

The grundnorm, the most important national document – Constitution also got amended. Public hearings were held across the six geo-political zones and memoranda were submitted by interest groups and other concerned bodies. The preponderance of thoughts was reviewed and refined into the new amendments.

The electoral Act that has been a recurring subject of discourse also got the required attention of the Gbajabiamila house. The document was strengthened to improve the nation’s electoral system. The national interest was the guiding compass for the National Assembly as self-serving interests were sacrificed for the national good.

The restoration of the January to December budget circle is another major achievement that the Gbajabiamila-led administration will be remembered for. The order in the budgetary system enlisted Nigeria among a comity of nations that are progressing.

That is not all. In the heat of the COVID-19 pandemic, the speaker was the leading voice that was advocating comfort for the vulnerable who were badly hit by the pandemic. He made a case for health workers who are the frontline fighters combating the scourge. The argument of the Minister of Health on hazard allowances could not fly with the speaker.

Life is more than anything. Then those who are putting their own lives in danger for others to live deserve their rewards. The health workers returned back to work at various health facilities on the intervention of Gbajabiamila.

Other industrial tussles didn’t go without the interventions of the proactive speaker.

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) that have been at loggerheads with the federal government got the attention of the speaker many times. It appears they believe him more than any other person in this present government.

At his Surulere Constituency, the speaker connected and bonded with the people by always seeking ways of providing for their welfare. He has attracted not a few projects to his constituency from the federal government. Roads, schools, hospitals, street lights and other infrastructure to the people of Surulere Federal Constituency 1. From Bishop Street to Olufemi Street among others, the excellent footprint of Gbajabiamila dotted the entire Surulere.

Education sector is paramount to him. Scores of secondary schools in his constituency had got ICT Innovation centres. Tertiary institutions in Lagos also got landmark projects.

Therefore, as the 2023 general elections draw closer, the coast is clear for the performing speaker to return to the green chamber. Who can rival Gbaja in Surulere?

He has become an Iroko, a formidable force that could not be moved. In Surulere Federal Constituency One, it is Gbaja’s turf. He is contesting against himself.

Olukotun writes from Lagos

SUNDAY MAY 29, 2022 • T H I S D AY

31

32

SUNDAY MAY 29, 2022 • T H I S D AY

SUNDAY MAY 29, 2022 • T H I S D AY

57

58

SUNDAY MAY 29, 2022 • T H I S D AY

359

T H I S D AY SUNDAY MAY29, 2022

PETER OBI’S EXIT FROM PDP CHIEDU UCHE OKOYE contends that Obi’s resignation demonstrates his aversion for vote buying Among the three major ethnic groups in Nigeria, only the southeast geopolitical zone has not produced the president of Nigeria in this fourth republic. Our use of the principle of rotational presidency ensured that some geopolitical zones produced the president of Nigeria at different periods in this fourth republic. The overriding need to preserve the unity of Nigeria and maintain her indissolubility necessitated the adoption of the principle of rotational presidency by PDP and other political parties in 1999.

Now, nobody can gainsay the fact that our adoption of rotational presidency to

choose our national leaders has guaranteed us political stability. Before 1999, Nigeria was wracked by political crises sparked off by the cancellation of the June 12, 1993 presidential election, presumably, won by a Yoruba man, Chief MKO Abiola.

But the ceding of the presidential seat to the southwest, the homeland of the Yoruba people, in 1999, which marked the beginning of our practice of rotational presidency in the fourth republic, doused political tension in Nigeria. And Dr. Goodluck Jonathan’s acceptance of defeat in the 2015 presidential election, even when there were irrefutable proofs that the election was rigged, prevented the country from descending into a political crisis.

Then, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan acted in a statesmanlike manner by relinquishing power, which made it possible for a northerner to become the president of Nigeria. The swing of presidential power from the north to the south is the antidote to the fears of marginalization, which people from the minority ethnic groups in Nigeria harbour.

But sadly, now, the political mileage and the achievements we have recorded so far owing to the existence of the principle of rotational presidency in Nigeria will be eroded if our political parties discard the principle of rotational presidency in the conduct of their 2023 presidential primary elections. But are the politicians bothered about the consequences of their abandoning the unwritten principle of rotational presidency in choosing their political parties’ presidential candidates?

However, today, many northern politicians, who belong to either PDP or APC, are implacably opposed to the continued application of the principle of rotational presidency because they feel that they have the demographic and numerical strength to produce the president of Nigeria. And those northern ethnic chauvinists have the wrong notion that they are born to rule over other peoples in Nigeria.

Now, the northern elements in PDP and APC are pushing for open contest for the presidential tickets at the expense of rotational presidency, which used to be the norm. And they have had their way. But their stance on the matter is repugnant to natural justice, equity, and fairness. And it

does not bode well for the political stability and continued existence of Nigeria as one indivisible political entity given the separatist rumbling in the southeast of Nigeria.

So having seen the auguries of the entombment of rotational presidency in our country, and knowing that he will be outmaneuvered in the PDP presidential primary election by stupendously rich and knavish politicians, Mr. Peter Obi left PDP. Obi’s leaving the party is a demonstration of his aversion for vote buying. His action, which has found resonance among millions of Nigerians, will, no doubt, cause the evolution of our democratic culture. And his resignation from the PDP, which is a judicious and courageous deed, has cast him in good light.

Before he left PDP, Peter Obi had millions of followers and supporters online. Millions of Nigerians, who hail from diverse religious and ethnic backgrounds, have bought into his presidential bid and candidature. Daily, the number of his supporters has kept increasing, exponentially.

But what are Mr. Peter Obi’s personal qualities, which have endeared him to millions of Nigerians? He performed spectacularly as the Anambra State governor. It was he who ended the evil run and reign of political godfathers in Anambra State when he ousted Dr. Chris Ngige from office through electoral litigation. Before then, Anambra was choking under the stranglehold of political godfathers.

It’s Mr. Peter Obi who revamped both the educational and health sectors in Anambra.

He returned some post-primary schools to Anglican and Catholic churches, which are the rightful owners of those schools. Not only did he donate computers, buses, and science equipment to post-primary schools in the state, then, he also built classroom blocks for them.

And hospitals owned by the Anglican and Catholic churches received financial boost.

While a former governor of the state owed teachers a backlog of salaries, and called retired government workers deadwoods, Obi paid retirees their gratuities and pension. I remember my dear mother, Mrs Ednah Ngozi Okoye (deceased) beaming with beatific satisfaction when she received the gratuity of her daughter, Miss Chinwe Bessie Okoye, who died in harness as a headmistress in 2006. “Mr Peter Obi is a good man. He is godsend. And God will continue to bless him, “ she said. “ He is a simple man, who shook our hands, and smiled at us, “ my mother narrated to me laughing, and with a note of pride in her voice.

So, at this critical juncture in our political odyssey, we need Mr. Peter Obi and his ilk to help remake Nigeria, and put her on the path of peaceful coexistence and rapid economic and technological development. He is a tested and astute political juggernaut, who has the uncanny ability to manage finances well.

More so, Mr. Peter Obi’s possession of leadership qualities, probity, forbearance, humility, and fealty will enable him to navigate Nigeria across the tempestuous waters of national disunity and economic and technological backwardness if he becomes the president of Nigeria.

A great majority of people, who belong to diverse ethnic groups and profess different religious faiths are rallying support for his presidential bid. Such is Obi’s appeal.

Thankfully, now, he has pitched his tent with the Labour Party for the realization of his political goal. His presidential bid will, certainly, fly considering the massive support and following he enjoys on line and during his physical meetings with the people.

Abdullahi writes from Abuja

IS UK-AFRICA TRADE STRATEGY FOR CHARITY OR BUSINESS DEALS? JOEL POPOOLA responds to the newly published International Trade Strategy The UK government’s new International Trade Strategy directly links Britain’s aid budget to trade deals – and as a result has been criticised for offering “aid for trade” and accused of putting “politics before poverty” and being “a double whammy against the world’s poor”.

One opposition politician called the policy “short-sighted and wrong”; another claimed, “the UK’s proud reputation as a development superpower has been comprehensively trashed.”

As British, I think things are a little more nuanced. As Africans we must ask ourselves – what do we want from overseas aid? Do we want to be a charity case or a business partner?

As a business leader, I know what I prefer the sound of.

One path sees nations in Africa, with something of a perpetual colonial status, eternally dependent on handouts from former rulers. The other sees us raised up – and raising ourselves up - to the status of equals.

At the heart of the strategy is a decision that the British government’s contributions to multilateral organisations will decrease in favour of bilateral partnerships.

This means favouring individual aid packages aimed at, in the words of the strategy, “supporting partner countries to grow their economies sustainably” through investment “in particular for cleaner and more reliable infrastructure.”

Does anyone deny that we need that sort of infrastructural investment if we are to realise our potential on the international stage? Much of Africa is crying out for investment in power grids, transport networks and broadband – just look at the epidemic of power cuts which has recently plagued much of Nigeria’s economic centres.

Buying British continues to be something of a status symbol in parts of Africa. We should not fear it being a condition for securing that investment.

The strategy is clear that aid is not intended to be entirely altruistic. This approach is designed to “deliver for people here in the UK – investments abroad will generate export opportunities in the UK, creating jobs right across the country”.

But that does not mean that the approach is entirely without merit for continents like Africa. Of course there is a huge amount of self-interest in the strategy. But this self-interest is mutual. Job creation, transport networks, power grids, renewable energy projects and digital infrastructure are the foundations of future growth across Africa. And this is a path to that growth.

Trade helps countries in continents like ours to grow our economies, raise incomes, create jobs and lift ourselves – and our citizens - out of poverty.

This is a more sustainable and desirable outcome than relying on handouts.

In the short term, I cannot deny that I have anxieties about the strategy’s implementation – shared threats such as Covid-19, climate change and civil disorder, in the case of my own Nigeria from Islamist Militants, demean a coordinated international response.

In its implementation, the strategy must balance infrastructural development with social projects to promote gender equality, education, democracy and other core values.

But in the longer term the approach is consistent with the British government’s support for the African Continent Free Trade Area – which as the world’s largest free trade area, has the potential to boost our entire continent’s economic growth by driving industrialisation, generating

jobs and delivering prosperity across the continent.

The UK government has already negotiated a number of free trade agreements with African countries and trading blocs since it left the European Union, creating tariff and duty free trade between Britain and 30 African nations WKLV PHDQV VLJQLÀFDQW RSSRUWXQLWLHV for African consumers and companies, not least in our 24 English speaking countries.

As the head of the Institute of Director’s Special Interest Group for Africa, I want $IULFDQ DQG WKH 8. DOLNH WR EHQHÀW IURP

In its implementation, the strategy must balance infrastructural development with social projects to promote gender equality, education, democracy and other core values stronger trading relationships.

One UK parliamentary report recently QRWHG WKDW 8. $IULFD WUDGH KDV ¶ÁDW lined’ –accounting for just 2.5% of all UK trade. But before Covid-19 the world’s ÀYH IDVWHVW JURZLQJ HFRQRPLHV ZHUH DOO African, and regional leaders like South Africa and Nigeria are likely to become superpowers of the global economy as we move towards the second half of this century. More needs to be done on both sides to take advantage of the opportunities on offer. This strategy is a valuable starting point.

Critics of the strategy also demonstrate a certain naiveté when it comes to which nations are the most self-interested when it comes to international aid.

The UK government has stated that the strategy is designed to challenge “malign actors” who use “patronage, investment and debt as a form of economic coercion and political power”.

These “malign actors” provided Africa’s nations with development funding – but saddled them with debt which comes with political strings attached.

Britain’s world-leading expertise in ÀQDQFH FOHDQ HQHUJ\ DQG LQIUDVWUXFWXUH – and its historic and enduring links with Africa – make it the obvious choice as a partner for mutual prosperity. ,WV PRWLYDWLRQV PD\ EH LQÁXHQFHG E\ self-interest – but they are a good deal more altruistic than other nations.

Popoola, a British citizen of Nigerian descent, is the Chair of the Institute of Directors Special Interest Group for Africa which aims to stimulate business opportunities, increase networking and grow awareness of British businesses in Africa – and African businesses in Britain

4 60

T H I S D AY SUNDAY MAY 29, 2022

EDITORIAL

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

CRITICAL ISSUES IN THE PARTY PRIMARIES Serial abuses of the political process through ruinously expensive primaries and corrupt practices are worrying

T

oday marks the 23rd anniversary of the current dispensation and the seventh year of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) at the helm. It is safe to conclude that the party is now managing its presidential primaries with the same incompetence in its leadership in the last seven years. While Atiku Abubakar won the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential primaries last night in Abuja, what has transpired in recent days, especially in the two main parties, has exposed the transactional nature of our politics, the weakness of critical institutions and the fragility of our democracy.

In all civilised societies, the nomination of candidates for various RIÀFHV E\ SROLWLFDO SDUWLHV is usually deemed as a recruitment process for leadership hence the strict adherence to due process. Sadly, one general feature of the primaries of both the APC and the PDP at practically all levels has been the extensive use of money to buy delegates and their votes. But a political party nomination process cannot be a bazaar or some hollow rituals.

While minor shortcomings may be excusable, serial abuses of the process through corrupt practices are cause for deep concern. Even more worrisome is the general lack of preparedness on the part of the parties which has compelled the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to even consider an extension of time.

However, between the two major parties, the opposition PDP would seem to have fared a little better than the ruling APC. While the former has held its presidential primaries, the APC is mired in intrigues, conspiracies, uncertainty, and obvious tardiness. From its most recent schedule, its presidential primaries are now expected to hold 6th - 8th June, coinciding with the expiration of the INEC time extension. This leaves the public with the obvious conclusion that the grace granted the parties by the commission may have been done to accommodate the laxity of the APC. For a ruling party, this is an unpalatable signal. But the extension of time

( $7

(*

(/

'

17

,5$

3 $6

is not in any way a guarantee that the rescheduled APC primaries will be rancour free. The good point to make though is that the electioneering talking points of the contestants in all the parties have thus far largely been civil with minimal violence. The expectation is that this would be carried through the entire process.

From indications so far, the conclusion of the primaries may be the beginning of a slew of litigations, acrimony, and confusion, including in the fringe parties that sit on the sidelines, waiting to hawk their tickets to disgruntled politicians from the big parties. But the greater concern is how the process has been corrupted.

Increasing reports of the use of money WR GLVÀJXUH WKH RXWFRPH of the primaries do not bring solace to a populace that expects politicians to use the processes leading to the 2023 elections to improve the prospects of democratic order in the country.

Former President Goodluck Jonathan spoke the minds of many Nigerians last Thursday when he decried the monetisation of the nomination of candidates by the political parties, blaming the ÀDVFR RQ WKH 1DWLRQDO $VVHPEO\ ´/DZV PXVW QRW be made to target individuals or an individual.

When you go into that system of making laws, you make this terrible mistake that has really messed up the whole primary going on,” he said, referencing Section 84(8) of the Act which provides that only HOHFWHG GHOHJDWHV FDQ YRWH LQ D SULPDU\ HOHFWLRQ ´,I you have not been involved in the primaries you will be happy or not happy. For those of us who have been involved, it is terrible.”

Overall, INEC may have found time and space in its timetable to accommodate the extension of the timeframe for the primaries. It can ill afford such OX[XU\ LQ WKH IXWXUH ,W PXVW ÀQG WKH FRXUDJH DQG discipline to communicate its resolve to the parties in clear and unambiguous terms. As for the APC, we hope the leadership can put its act together and conclude its presidential primaries in a credible manner.

Increasing reports of the use of money to disfigure the outcome of the primaries do not bring solace to a populace that expects politicians to use the processes leading to the 2023 elections to improve the prospects of democratic order

Letters to the Editor

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

LETTERS

THE HIGH COST OF INSECURITY IN KADUNA STATE One of democracy`s greatest gifts is stability which could mean the reality that people can live their lives free of man-made upheavals. The gift of stability that every real democracy should be able to give is also to be glimpsed from the responsibility, capacity and ability of the government at any point in time to guarantee some stability for the people with whom they have a social contract.

To abandon this responsibility is to irreparably breach such a social contract.

When this happens, there can only come one conclusion: that between the government on one side of the social contract, and the people on the other side, bridges have been burnt and bonds broken.

Since terrorism began to evolve in Nigeria, showing off its fangs, Kaduna State in Northwest Nigeria has sat heavy, helpless and hapless on a keg of gunpowder. It would appear that from one of Nigeria`s most iconic state, terror has set up an elaborate theatre from which it mocks the Giant of Africa.

Whenever it appears that the horror attacks against communities in Kaduna State are about to take a backseat in the national memory, something happens to forcefully ignite riotous recollection. While 2021 was headlined by the dozens of students abducted and held for ransom for many days from different institutions within the state, since March 28, 2022, the fate of Nigerians who had the misfortune of travelling from Abuja to Kaduna by train has been the electric eel violently writhing in elegy to a lost Eden.

Recently, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, the Kaduna State Governor, received KLV VWDWHCV VHFXULW\ UHSRUW IRU WKH ÀUVW quarter of 2022 which says 360 persons were killed and 1,389 others kidnapped in the state between January and March 2022.

Elaborating on the security situation of the state, Mallam El-Rufai said there was intelligence that Boko Haram, ISWAP and Ansaru terrorists were recruiting

Kaduna youths even as the signs were that terror was moving base from the Northeast to the Northwest.

Recent events in Kaduna State would VHHP WR FRQÀUP WKH JRYHUQRUCV IHDUV WKDW terror is indeed on the move to Kaduna State. The governor also disclosed that it seemed that some communities situated on the Kaduna-Abuja highway were making life easier for the terrorists by providing them with information.

Since Kaduna State became Nigeria`s capital of terror, snatching the ignominious status from the hands of Borno and Zamfara States, experts have continued to warn that there are within the state many of those who help terrorism thrive.

There is no doubt that if terrorism is to be stamped out from the state and elsewhere LQ 1LJHULD WKRVH ZKR IHHG LWV ÁDPHV QHHG to be exposed and prosecuted no matter how highly placed they are in Nigeria.

Nigerian never thought they will live to see the day when terror will become one

of the most pressing concerns in Nigeria. But without a doubt, that is what is happening now and to witness it is especially distressing.

Mallam El-Rufai also proposed the relocation of Katari, Rijana and Akilibu communities along the Kaduna-Abuja highway as the communities were suspected to harbour criminals and informants.

The battle against terrorism in its many ugly forms in Nigeria remains a collective effort. If the criminals who terrorize communities are to be halted in their tracks, all hands must and should be on deck.

For all its strategic importance to the country and as host to premier defence institutions, Kaduna State remains a hotbed of terrorist activities. The extremely disturbing situation poses a grave threat not just to the state alone but the country as a whole. It must be tackled immediately.

Kene Obiezu, keneobiezu@gmail.com

A

29.05.2022

WEEKLY PULL-OUT

OLANIYI YUSUF NIGERIAN TECHNOLOGIST WHO’S AHEAD OF HIS TIME Olaniyi Yusuf, a former managing director of Accenture, Nigeria, is a vivid example of positivism, visionary, persistence and inspiration for everyone who dreams big. He graduated at age 20, after studying computer science at University of Ife, now Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Osun State.Yusuf’s exposure with an IT firm in Ibadan sealed his fate and secured his future in technology. The knowledge garnered coupled with a solid academic background at Ife became a stepping stone. And what became indecipherable became clear, and by the time the wave of information technology hit Nigeria like storm in the late 90s, Yusuf became unstoppable in his field. After 24 years at Accenture, he left in 2019 to start Verrakki Partners where he is currently the managing partner. Yusuf, a multi-skilled business strategist, tells Funke Olaode his experience as a professional in information communication technology.

O

laniyi Mumini Yusuf, a former Managing Director of Accenture and presently Managing Partners at Verraki Partners is a man who saw tomorrow. Yusuf as a young man became an integral party of innovation, rooted in his study of computer science at a time when it wasn’t so popular. By the time Nigeria and Africa caught up with the global frenzy of information technology, Yusuf was already there making waves. Initially, he had gambled with the idea of studying Computer Science having set out to be an Agriculturist, because of his father. But destiny played a fast one on him aided by his mentor whom he met as a teenager. That singular encounter redirected his career destiny.

Welcoming this reporter into his expansive office located

on Bishop Aboyade Cole, Victoria Island, Lagos, the former Accenture boss looked dapper in his blue Polo shirt. Yusuf is a man who is always at peace with himself.

“Well, I think it is a mix of several things; a function of upbringing, one’s level of spirituality and understanding that there is a Supreme Being. And as a Muslim, there is a concept of destiny. Your destiny has been written and you need to strive but ultimately whatever is yours will not pass you. And whatever is not meant for you it does not matter how much you struggle, you don’t get it. I think I am fortunate that I have that level of contentment. I struggle but it is never do or die for me. And internally, I am at peace with myself, maybe that is what you see or that translates to calmness. But people will tell you that I can be as tough and demanding as required. But I know that there is a design, I may say that I am a person of destiny.”

Born on April 1, 1970 to parents from Oyo State, his late father hailed from Oyo while his mum is from Ibadan. He still had memories of his childhood in Ibadan and Oyo town. His mother was a nurse and would later retire as a matron.

“It was that bit about growing up with the mum who was in this clean, starched white uniform, and who commanded respect in the neighborhood. And then I had a father who was a supervisor at the Institute of Agric Research and Training, Moore Plantation, Ibadan. And he always came back home with food items and stuff like that. It was a middle-class upbringing. I went to a private primary school. I lost my dad at the age of five and since then, it has been me and my mother with three younger siblings.”

Yusuf admitted that being raised by a single mother made him grow up fast and largely contributes to his calmness

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

62

T H I S D AY, T H E S U N D AY N E W S PA P E R ˾MAY 29, 2022

COVER I set out to be an Agriculturist but Destiny pushed me into Information Technology ‘because you just mature overnight.’ He also grew up understanding the values of hard work, patience, determination and place of faith in God and a lot of prayers.

After his primary education at Alafia Institute in Mokola, Ibadan, he had his secondary education at Oba Akinbiyi High School, Mokola, Ibadan after which he proceeded to Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife in Osun State where he studied Computer Science combined with Economics, graduating at age 20 in 1990. He holds a Graduate Diploma in Business Administration from University of Wales, Cardiff, United Kingdom in 2015. He has equally attended many management and technical training programmes with many published articles in the areas of IT effectiveness. He is a fellow of Project Management Institute, Fellow, Nigeria Computer Society and Nigeria Institute of Management just to mention a few.

Yusuf is a multi-skilled business strategist, management consultant, technology advisor, project management professional with over 20 years experience across multiple industries including financial services, telecoms, manufacturing, mining, oil and gas, public sector, health, education, NGO in Nigeria and West African countries.

Yusuf possesses strong leadership, people development and business management skills with a proven record of accomplishment in high quality service delivery within multi-disciplinary and multi-cultural team environments.

His main assets to any assignment are his high level of commitment, and the ability to work to the highest standards and rise to difficult challenges with client personnel to identify, design and implement real improvement to the way an organisation works.

A multi-faceted individual, he also has a keen interest in education, employability and youth development. He is a volunteer to various organisations including Nigerian Economic Summit Group, Junior Achievement of Nigeria, Fate Foundation, NASFAT Society, Obafemi Awolowo University Muslim Alumni (UNIFEMGA), Corona Schools, and Fountain University Osogbo.

In 2019, Yusuf and Partners floated Verraki Partners where he actively participated in the establishment of the practice and now responsible for managing the practice, developing and championing ambitious growth plan and market positioning while ensuring compliance with legal and regulatory requirements.

Yusuf’s case was an audacity of hope having lost his father at age five. There was a vacuum but he was fortunate to have a father figure in his maternal uncle, Bolaji Oladipo whom he moved in with in 1983 while in form three. There, Yusuf imbibed the habit of reading and that essentially changed his outlook on life.

Yusuf has been lucky all the way through his mentors whom he met while growing up and one can simply say he took his own destiny in his own hands since he cannot see the future.

Recounting his sojourn in the ICT which has brought him fame and fortune, he said with modesty, “I am a lucky guy. I am a person of destiny. I went to a private primary school which of course gave me a solid foundation.

I then went to a public secondary school. We were the first set of free education by Bola Ige in 1980. And in my class, I was the youngest.

At age 10, I was in form one. Coming from a private school was an added advantage because the things we were being taught in form one were things I had been taught in primary four and primary five. From form one to form five, I was among the best students in the school. I finished secondary school at 15.

And University of Ife was the only university that accepted people below the age of 16 back then. So, Ife was the only school I could apply to.”

Again, while applying for a course of study, destiny also played a key role. For a novice, embracing a course not so popular can create a chaos that inevitably comes with challenges of the unknown. Of course, he did but being rooted in science courses helped and this became a propelling force. Then for a smart mind, he tried to play safe by doing a combined honours mixing Computer Science with Economics.

“Computer Science wasn’t popular back then as a course of study. I would just say that it was not anything I planned for. Like I said, from Form Three I moved in with my uncle and one of his very close friends, Bola Ayodele, worked with Join Komputer Kompany, a technology company. Then they had an office in Bodija.

And ‘Brother Bola’ was someone that I just

YUSUF

loved and admired. The day I went to visit him, he asked me, “What are you filling for JAMB?” I said Agriculture. The man looked at me and said, “Computer is the future.” Even though I didn’t understand what he was saying, because he is someone that I liked, admired and trusted, I listened to him. Fortunately, I had not submitted my JAMB form, so I went back and changed it to computer science combined with Economics.”

Forward-looking Yusuf acted smartly by combining Computer Science with Economics because of fear of the unknown. He figured that if Computer Science would not work, he would fall back on Economics and even aspired to be a Chartered Accountant.

“My solid background in sciences helped me to cope with Computer Science in year one. And by the time we were introduced to computers in year two, it was interesting because we never even saw the computer, but we just go and fill punch cards and you go and submit that. I then began to realise that, this is the new thing and this will really change the world. By the time I got to year four, we were working with personal computers, and that was just transformative. That was when the graphical user interface was introduced in Windows 3.1. That just changed things, so it changed from character systems, to Window’s based plus graphical.

“Again, I was lucky because I had brother Bola as a mentor and he introduced me to his friends at JKK. And so all my five years in Ife, I was always doing internships. When Ife was shut down in 1986 I spent four months on strike with JKK. Every year there was a shut down, I always had a place to go. I had exposure to computers and so it aided a great deal. Since I had that practical exposure, I was able to combine it with the theoretical knowledge that was given at Ife. I think everything is just God’s

design.”

By the time he left the university in 1990, Yusuf’s future in the ICT field had already been mapped out. Again, he was working with a knowledgeable IT guru who was regularly teaching him about different techniques and encouraging him with the intrigues behind the system. The knowledge garnered at JKK coupled with a solid academic background gained at Ife helped. And what became indecipherable became clear. Yusuf became unstoppable in his field.

After his mandatory one year youth service at Ife, he worked with Join Komputer Kompany (JKK) Nigeria Limited as Senior Software Engineer from 1991-1995. “It was a big deal for me working with one of the best IT companies then. At JKK we were processing payroll for Nigerian Police, billing systems for NEPA and NITEL. These are all clients of JKK back then. My first project when I formally joined as a staff after NYSC was the automation of the banking application at the Central Bank of Nigeria. It was a three year project. I had great fun as a young graduate, teaching senior managers and senior directors how to type.

What we all took for granted today back then was strange, because the banking application then was based on the Oracle platform. But I quickly understood that technology will drive automation, automation will drive efficiency and efficiency will drive productivity and this will affect different sectors of the industry.”

With a high flying career running smoothly, Yusuf was focused but yet ambitious because of the surrounding circumstances. Contented but ambitious, he was going to make some hard choices. It wasn’t about career fulfillment but about breaking boundaries. He wanted to explore. The choice was hard but Yusuf couldn’t find a clause stating that when circumstances got difficult, and hard choices and sacrifices

were required, someone could stop adhering to his instinct. He made the choice and quit JKK. He was 25. It was a decision that many may consider a misstep but it became a stepping stone to a greater height. A huge sacrifice that led to a career explosion. He joined one of the global brands, Arthur Anderson.

“Like I said, we deal with automated currency movement when all these bullion vans come from the various branches of commercial banks and they come to CBN to either drop or to take money, we had automated producing a report on the system.

So as the bullion vans come in you just make posting of which boxes of which currency notes were presented. But the head of currency office, an elderly man who was used to the manual way of using ledgers resisted this new innovation. I said ‘ Sir, I don’t need this ledger.’

And he said ‘Niyi, stick with your computer and let me stick with my ledgers.’ That just got me thinking that change requires more than technology. Change requires changing the process, training people, sometimes changing the people and also a change of strategy and then technology. But technology is never enough, it is technology plus people, plus process, plus strategy. And most Nigerian technology companies were only providing technology, which is just one of the four things.

Arthur Anderson then was the leading global management consulting firm and I joined them.”

Yusuf joined in 1995 and became the Managing Director in 2010. “When I joined Arthur Anderson, I didn’t have anything beyond a five-year horizon, you know spend five years and go back to pure tech. But then you are working in an environment where you are making a huge difference, you are working with brilliant folks. I actually did not know that I had spent 24 years.”

What has been his driving force? “Just like brother Bolaji was instrumental to my growing up, Dr. Suleiman who was the country manager for Arthur Anderson in 1995, has also been instrumental to my professional career.

From Dotun, I learnt the whole idea of nation building and community service. And Dotun’s view which I share wholeheartedly is that for whom God has been kind, we all have a duty and obligation to help others and help our nation. And that if the nation does not improve, there is a limit to how much we as individuals can be successful. In terms of community service, Dotun introduced me to the Nigeria Economic Summit Group. Today, I am the Vice Chairman of that board. Dotun introduced me to the Corona Schools Trust Council; today I chair the board of the secondary school and technology committee.”

After 24 years in Accenture, Yusuf became his own boss. He teamed up with people of like minds and established Verraki Partners in 2019.

The RAKI according to him is a Greek word used to describe the action of doing something with soul, creativity, pouring oneself into a task.

With a mission statement to help enterprises and governments ignite opportunities, unleash their potential and embrace change to achieve the seemingly impossible while the vision is to be the transformation partner of choice for enterprises and governments seeking to create a better future.

He is currently the President of NASFAT Society. How does he strike the right balance?

“I think it boils down to your values. Part of my own value system is about service. Service to the nations, service to the community, which religion allows you to do. NASFAT today has an educational platform from primary to tertiary levels where talents are groomed. This is an opportunity to reach and impact millions of people. And so, I am comfortable in my skin and I see the alignment between what I do as a person.”

Yusuf as a corporate man, is also a family man. He got married in 1998 to his equally religious and down-to-earth wife, whom he met during his undergraduate days at UNIFE. Her simplicity, character and the nature of religiousness were the attractions. The marriage is blessed with three brilliant kids who are already focused like their remarkable father.

If there is any life lesson learnt that has directed his path, Yusuf will quickly point at the value of hard work, dedication, commitment and good support system from friends, and above all, service to humanity.

“Believe me, those that you have served will come back to serve you, they will come back to help you. So, nothing goes for nothing and I think the successes I have recorded are principally because I have served and in return, people feel the need to help this guy or support this guy. I think those are the lessons learnt,” he concluded.

T H I S D AY, T H E S U N D AY N E W S PA P E R ˾MAY 29, 2022

63

GLITZ PERSONALITY

Pa Akinlolu Fafowora: Scripts of A Cosmopolitan Life Famed for composing the very popular signature tune, ‘Wa-zo-bia’, 83-year-old ex-diplomat Pa Akinlolu Fafowora has helped to create several other classics recorded by the late highlife legend, Roy Chicago. He recently launched a story-telling style music album in Lagos, which repositions him as one of the last men standing of his generation.

He speaks with Adedayo Adejobi on life as an ex-diplomat, the struggles and the joy of helping others.

D

ateline was a sunny Monday afternoon at his Amuwo Odofin estate residence, where we had a chance meeting. Even at 83, he looked clean-shaven, suave and decked in crisp sparkling patterned white long-sleeved shirt and trousers with a matching cap. His eyes hid behind a signature frame. For a retired octogenarian, Pa Akinlolu Fafowora still makes a statement with his taste in fashion, having had to stay in good shape and health in order to entertain Nigerians.

At first, one would notice that he exudes a calm spirit, humility and a great sense of warmth showing courtesy to visitors and domestic staff.

Born in April 1939 in Ilesa, Osun State as the 16th of 25 children by five women, he is the only boy amongst his five siblings from his mother. Childhood was interesting until he lost his father, the breadwinner at a tender age. He was just in primary school.

His uncle, the late Chief Sylvester Fafowora sponsored his education between 1955 and 1956. From 1957 to 1958, his two elder sibling sisters took over, after which he took a loan from an in-law to go to boarding school. He paid the same from 1962 to 1965.

After school fees increased between 1966 and 1968, the self-driven composer resorted to studying privately for the Advanced Level of the G.C.E and passed with flying colours.

Another stumbling block reared its ugly head in 1969 and 1970 when Fafowora gained admissions to different universities but couldn’t go for lack of funds. Undeterred by lack of funds, and like a Phoenix, he went back to civil service in May 1973 at the Ministry of Defence to work to raise the funds needed in furthering his education.

Again, in 1975, he went back to another tertiary college – Polytechnic College, Ibadan to pursue Ordinary and Higher National Diplomas in Accounting combined programme for three years 1975 to 1978 and went for his Youth Service in 1979.

After a brief stint at the Ministry of Defence in 1979, in a dramatic twist, he joined the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in September 1979, upon hearing of the federal government’s recruitment of Account Officers instead of relying on temporary transfers from the Ministry of Finance.

His love for music was evinced from childhood. Although music wasn’t offered as a subject in school, it was innate for Fafowora who found ways to express himself at church services where he sang, played the drums, and got to listen to evergreen musicians at his Uncle’s popular record shops’ in Ilesha.

With a particular penchant for highlife music from Ghana, he listened to many records almost daily after returning from school. The immersion in evergreen music from music greats inspired his foray into highlife music.

Even though his parents knew he was born for music, he was discouraged. Yet unfettered, he narrated, ‘‘Those days, when I showed signs of a love for music, my mother used to tell me these things. But she never wanted me to exhibit those talents. My father also went against it. But I just continued until my father died on October 19, 1953, and my mother in 1961, two years after I had left school.’’

43 years ago, Fafowora met his wife.

Recalling their first encounter was effortless as he displayed good retention of memories.

“One day,” he began. “Chief Mrs. Abosede Fafowora informed me that Dapo, my in-law, was worried about my not getting married, as I could be posted out to serve in the Embassy of Nigeria sooner than expected. She shared this view with her husband that I should get married as soon as possible because of posting.

Luckily, I had broken up my former relationship with a lady. Wonderfully, she paved the way and I married the lady she recommended to me. That was 43 years ago and we are today, happy parents of a chartered accountant, a lawyer and a medical officer working in the U.K,” he enthused.

Reminiscing on many of God’s wonders

Fafowora in the studio recording

and people’s contributions to his life, he said: ‘‘My house was planned for me by a very close friend Chief Kunle Oluwasanmu, a lawyer and former customs officer and also a former Federal Minister of Mines and Power. I should also contribute to people’s lives and assist in all ways to solve others’ problems. I assisted many people at all times, while still at work and particularly while abroad. I did my best even at great sacrifices and pains to me and my family.

Really, I assisted mainly Nigerians like me,” he disclosed with nostalgia.

Giving an account of his stewardship, 1983 whilst he was the Accountant in the Embassy of Nigeria, Ndjamena, Chad, “Our Defense Adviser came and because of the war, he couldn’t be booked into any hotel. I readily accommodated him and five members of his staff in my official quarters for the Estacode period, before we got his official quarters for them.’’

With a great level of openness not seen nor exhibited by civil servants, Fafowora nudges the reporter to cross-reference his statements from elder statesmen and revered gentlemen like Dr. Adolphus Wabara, former Senate President of Nigeria, who was the Head of Chancery in the Nigeria Embassy, Ndjamena, Chad.

Even though he is retired, he isn’t showing signs of tiredness. His recent release of a fourtrack album titled ‘Reminisce’ gives credence to his quest to leave his mark on the sands of time through music — his first love and passion.

The new album release was graced by great artists like Yinka Davies, Taiwo Ajai-Lycett, Dede

Jazz Diva Yinka Davies and Fafowora

Fatai Rolling Dollar and Fafowora

Mabiaku, Wale Thompson and Lake Friday among many others; while the album featured scintillating popular tracks like ‘Wazobia,’ ‘Fiwajomi,’ ‘Iba fun Obi’ and ‘Jesu’, improvised by veteran music producer, Sola Ogunsola and performed by a 22-piece live band.

When Fafowora isn’t reading history books and daily newspapers, he is poring over religious books and discussing with his close friends, conservative views on why Nigeria needs proper evolution- one to be agreed upon by the masses.

In the hour spent with him before and almost immediately after the interview started, three people waltzed in to pay their appreciation to the Ilesha born songwriter for favours rendered, while his phone rang intermittently with calls to cement his varying acts of philanthropy.

When asked why the sobriquet ‘Baba Rere’ meaning good man, is copiously used on him; and how many times he receives calls in a day, Fafowora replied with a smile.

“I had no reason to count the calls I receive in a day. On the appellation, perhaps it is a reflection of how people see my roles or activities at work, at home, in the area of residence or social places. Long ago, I adopted the policy of making myself available in finding solutions around, no matter who is in trouble. I believe that whatever you give to nature or life, you get the reward back from God in multitudes, good or bad. It is true.”

Even one of his three daughters thinks he has a compelling superior complex in him which always makes him assume that he should or must be involved in finding solutions to other people’s problems.

A defining philosophy for the musician is captured in his words, “In my entire life God has used many people in solving my problems. Such people came from all over the place, from the families on both sides, men and women at great sacrifices.”

64

T H I S D AY, T H E S U N D AY N E W S PA P E R ˾MAY 29, 2022

ENTERTAINMENT

Road to AFRIMA 2022 Begins with Call for Entries Stories by Vanessa Obioha

Wizkid won the 2021 AFRIMA’s Song of the Year

Recently, the African Union Commission, in partnership with the International Committee of All Africa Music Awards (AFRIMA) unveiled the calendar of events for the 2022 edition of the awards at the AU Headquarters in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

The road to the eighth edition will begin tomorrow, May 30 with the call for entries which will close on Friday, August 5. The year-inreview for the entries is from August 20, 2021, to Friday, August 5, 2022.

The submissions will be vetted in the pre-screening process between August 5 and 8 by a

special committee and categorised in accordance with AFRIMA entry submission guidelines. The main screening process, tagged as the Adjudication process, is carried out by a 13-man panel of experienced African music experts and practitioners drawn from the five regions of Africa and in the diaspora and will follow immediately from August 9 to 16.

The nominees will be unveiled on August 17, and voting will begin on August 24. Voting closes 24 hours before the awards ceremony and would be monitored and audited by PricewaterhouseCoopers.

The three-day awards ceremony will be held from Thursday, November 3 to Saturday, November 6, 2022. It will feature a welcome soiree, followed by the AFRIMA Music Village, the host city tour, African Music Business Summit, and the exclusive nominees’ party and concluded with the live awards ceremony broadcast to over 84 countries around the world.

Speaking on behalf of the African Union, Director for Social Development, Culture and Sports Health, Humanitarian Affairs and Social Development, Mrs. Cisse Mariama Mohamed said, “Africa remains resilient and progressive in everything, and this is why our entertainment sector continues to make such huge leaps globally. And at the forefront of this lies our resolve to unite the continent through entertainment. AFRIMA is committed to this mission, upholding this tradition of celebrating the scintillating musical culture of Africa by featuring exhilarating Pan-Africa events throughout the year.”

‘The Wildflower’ Goes to Cinemas At a time when traditional and online media is awash with horrid stories of domestic violence, Director Biodun Stephens alongside Executive Producer Vincent Okonkwo stepped in with ‘The Wildflower’, a film that uncovers in detail the brutal realities of domestic abuse against women.

Set in Lagos, ‘The Wildflower’ is a panoramic view into the lives of three women living in the same building but suffering different forms of domestic abuse.

With its principal photography in October last year, the film explored various locations such as Ajah, Lekki, and Ogba, to depict the contrasting socio-economic backgrounds of the subjects.

At the recently held premiere that hosted the likes of Nollywood actress Iyabo Ojo, Okonkwo elaborated on some of the core of the film. “’Wildflower’ touches on societal ills that women face daily. People get domestically violated and then they don’t speak up, eventually losing their lives.”

‘Wildflower’ has been in the works for the past two years. Although categorised

under the drama genre, it infuses light humour in its delivery. The film features a stellar cast that includes Jide Kosoko, Etinosa Idemudia, Kiki Omeili and others. ‘The Wildflower’ is now showing in cinemas.

A new association, the Rental Professionals Society of Nigeria (RPSN) has established its presence in Lagos to improve professionalism within the events’ rental business in Nigeria.

Conceived in 2019 by Kemi Adeleke who saw a need for regulation in the industry and currently serves as the inaugural president, RPSN is positioned to be a platform that facilitates the advancement, empowerment, and support of rental professionals in Nigeria through collaborations. It plans to expand to other states in the country.

“We are rental companies, and without us, events cannot even take place. Individually, you can’t even have everything. So you need to collaborate and network with other members to be able to achieve your clients’ requests,” Adeleke noted.

With logistics being an essential part of the day to day activity of most rental companies, the association has leveraged the influence of government bodies like the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA), Vehicle Inspection Service (VIS), and Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) to create avenues for educating and training members where necessary, to avoid any form of obstruction.

Yemi Alade, Bonang Matheba Feature in MTV Base and BET Africa Malaria Awareness Campaign Some of Africa’s great talents and international football stars were featured in the Draw The Line Against Malaria campaign. The campaign is a partnership between Paramount Africa youth channel brands, MTV Base and BET Africa and Zero Malaria Starts With Me movement. The partnership strives to boost malaria awareness, promote education, and engage youth in the fight to end Malaria.

The stellar cast of the multi-award-winning Draw the Line Against Malaria campaign includes Malaria No More UK Leadership Council founding member David Beckham, FC Barcelona striker Pierre Emerick Aubameyang, marathon world record-holder Eliud Kipchoge, double gold Olympian Faith Kipchoge, Pan African TV presenter Bonang Matheba, and Afropop singer Yemi Alade.

The fast-paced new Draw The Line film, created by Black Dog Films and directed by Meji Alabi, builds on the ground-breaking momentum of the first phase of the campaign, delivering an urgent message highlighting the malaria crisis while encouraging leaders that with the right arsenal of tools, strong funding commitments, and renewed political will, this is a fight we can win. It was aired on the channels and also part of the MTV Base Africa Day concert held yesterday, May 28. “As the official broadcast partner, Paramount Africa is proud to amplify, drive social change and inspire young people and world leaders across Africa, and globally, to prioritise efforts towards the fight against malaria,” said Senior Vice President and General Manager of Paramount Africa, Monde Twala. A special broadcast of the Africa Day celebrations will air on MTV Base, on Saturday, June 11.

Yemi-Alade Vincent Okonkwo, Damilare Kuku, Deyemi Okanlawon, Biodun Stephens

Gospel Music Act, Esther Igbekele to Embark on International Tour In a strategic partnership with international showbiz and cultural promoting company, Sammek Moments Arts and Cultural Entertainment’ owned by renowned USbased Samuel Ekundayo, gospel music act Esther lgbekele will be touring different cities of the United States of America in July.

Igbekele, who hails from Ifon in Ondo State but was born in Lagos, will feature prominently at the Summer 2022 African Pop-Up Festival, an annual festival to celebrate Igbekele

RPSN Aims to Boost Professionalism of Event Rental Businesses

African music, food and culture across the United States.

The 44-year-old self-titled ‘Duchess of Music’ who started music professionally in 1996 with her first international tour to the US in 2009 will also be seen performing at key events in New York, as well as in Indianapolis, Minneapolis, Chicago, Dallas, Miami, Philadelphia, and also in Houston to commemorate the Memorial Day Weekend.

With 14 studio recording albums, Igbekele has travelled far across cities of the world such as the UK, Canada, United Arab Emirates and other European countries, promoting her music and the unique sound of her acclaimed Alujo/Tungba gospel music.

Femi, Made Kuti Return for ‘Father & Son: The Experience’ Made, grandson of Afrobeat Legend Fela Anikulapo-Kuti will be returning to his father, Femi Kuti’s New Afrika Shrine for a ‘Father & Son Experience.’ Shortly after the father and son’s Legacy+ album made it to Grammy, Made had embarked on a tour outside the shores of Nigeria with his father and the Positive Force band.

“It has become a usual feature in recent times to see a feature of Made on a Femi Kuti set while the latter is on tour, and Femi has also featured in all Made’s concerts in and outside the New Afrika Shrine. This concert will be their first co-headlined show since their joint Grammy nominations. A show that seeks to bring to the home of Afrobeat the old and the newly converted followers of Afrobeat,” said Funke Kuti the CEO of FK Management whose company is organising the concert.

The concert, which will be heralding the opening activities of the 2022

Femi Kuti (left) and son, Made

SUNDAY MAY 29, 2022 • T H I S D AY

65

66

T H I S D AY, T H E S U N D AY N E W S PA P E R ˾MAY 29, 2022

HighLife Abike Dabiri-Erewa: 60 Loading for Political Amazon Are great leaders born from the human womb or are they deliberately created to act in perilous times? This is a debate that has gone on for too long, but not without reason. With celebrated individuals like Abike Dabiri-Erewa in the same leadership ring as some of her lesser-known peers, one can only wonder how it came to be that some people’s talents and merits are incomparable while others are as common as possible. As Dabiri-Erewa prepares to celebrate her 60th birthday, her peculiar characteristics and career profile are being printed everywhere for all to see and emulate.

There aren’t a lot of Nigerian public figures that have managed to dazzle our countrymen within and outside the borders of the nation. DabiriErewa is one of the political characters that have managed to succeed in this endeavour. Since she came into the limelight during her NTA (Nigerian Television Authority) years until now, Dabiri-Erewa’s grace has remained particularly special.

They say that lionesses are just fiercer lions. This is true for DabiriErewa. This side of her is wellknown to every foreign dignitary who has had to interact with her as the Chairman/CEO of the Nigerian Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM).

Yet, despite her fierceness and refusal to back down in the face of injustice, Dabiri-Erewa is a sweet soul. Only a handful of sweet souls like her are occupying political positions in the country presently.

At 60, Dabiri-Erewa will remain one of the most supportive characters for Nigerians in the diaspora. Furthermore, her everpresent promotion of the welfare of Nigerians does not only extend to those abroad. How many famed Nigerians in Nigeria have had their banners raised by the Amazon?

Endless list, if one may say so.

Truly, Dabiri-Erewa is an inspiration to many people, young and old, male or female. Her life of 60 long and impactful years indicates that great leaders are both born and trained to rise to the occasion of injustice and national stagnation.

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

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

Tayo Amusan Opens Puma Flagship Store in Abuja

Tayo and Ayo Amusan

Great things happen for forward-thinking people. While some people throw their hearts into get-rich-quick schemes like politics, others are busy building important legacies. In recent years, Tayo and Ayo Amusan have shown themselves as belonging to the latter category.

Thus, it is not all too surprising that they have found a new angle yet again to cement this fact.

A few days ago, Tayo and Ayo led several Nigerian big shots to Jabi Lake Mall in Abuja.

High-ranking public personalities like former Senate President Bukola Saraki and the global music sensation, Davido were eyewitnesses to the opening of the Amusans’ new flagship store.

The store, Puma, is only the latest commercial project on the list of jaw-wrenching undertakings that Tayo and Ayo have brought into being. Perhaps the most brilliant of such undertakings was the acquisition of the almighty Shoprite in June 2021.

Tayo took charge of the mega company’s operations in Nigeria using his Ketron Investment Limited, an affiliate of his better-known property firm, Persianas Investment Limited. All of this should not be overwhelming considering that Tayo and Ayo were able to establish something as prominent as The Palms, one of the top malls in Lagos. Indeed, Tayo and Ayo have come a long way since setting up and consolidating Persianas in the early 1990s. The married pair are well-matched, having the fortitude and confidence to continue, taking charge of the overarching momentum. It is said that Tayo is in direct command of Persianas, while Ayo is the active captain of the retailers. Together, they make a team that is unparalleled in Nigeria and indeed all of the developing worlds.

2NRURFKD 7KH 'HP\VWLÀFDWLRQ RI D 3UHVLGHQWLDO $VSLUDQW Controversy is one of the main bites of being a notable member of a civilised society.

You cannot take a piece of hardwood and lumber all your antagonists until they are numb with pain. If this was allowed, it is possible that former Imo State Governor, Senator Rochas Okorocha, would have long since rendered his adversaries comatose with hits to the head.

Alas, these adversaries appear to be prevailing against him.

Apart from one incumbent state governor from Southern Nigeria and another former governor who is now a minister, there are no other presidential aspirants that have as much aggressiveness in their political history and profile as Okorocha. To be sure, Okorocha’s presidential intention was well-received in many quarters, with many people declaring that Okorocha’s heavy style is what is needed

to get Nigeria out of the trenches.

However, Okorocha appears to be unable to remove himself from another manifestation of these trenches. Given the latest report on his activities, one might even say that Okorocha’s days as a confident presidential aspirant for the 2023 elections are gradually coming to an end.

Okorocha was allegedly confronted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in his Abuja home a few days ago. The anti-graft agency stormed the former governor’s residence in an alleged attempt to get him to respond to the summons of the court over his ongoing trial. However, it was gathered that Okorocha remained his confident self, refusing to accede to the requests of the EFCC until they got a warrant to take him away.

Of course, this is not the first or second time that Okorocha is having to dance with the

Okorocha

EFCC. Nevertheless, this might be the first time that Okorocha is the one in charge of the tango.

Whether or not this will end well for him is not sure. One thing is clear:

Double Celebrations for Prince Dapo Abiodun: The People’s Governor at 62 and Third Year in Office

Abiodun

Political power is a very delicate thing.

If not treated cautiously, this power can render everything else to ashes and disperse them to the wind. Thus, it takes strong and determined individuals to handle political

power appropriately. This is one of the praises being submitted at the feet of Ogun State Governor Dapo Abiodun as he clocks 62 years and three years in office.

Many individuals have taken charge of Ogun as governor, but only a few have managed to do so with finesse. Governor Abiodun has shown himself to be a gracious and considerate leader of the people. There is no other explanation for the deluge of birthday wishes and encomiums that the people have sent his way. Moreover, as it is a double celebration for the progress-minded governor, the entire state is celebrating his achievements.

Governor Abiodun was born on May 29, 1960. He was also sworn in as Governor of Ogun on May 29, 2019. Although there is a 59year gap between both dates, some say that

Abiodun has managed to fill this gap with many good things in his three years as the state’s governor.

Abiodun was able to bag Vanguard’s Governor of the Year Award in 2021 for a reason. The man had taken seriously - and continues to take seriously - his ambition to develop five areas in Ogun. These areas are infrastructural development, social welfare and wellbeing, education and human capital development, youth empowerment, and agriculture and food security. He labelled this ISEYA. In the past three years, Abiodun has indeed developed these areas significantly.

Thus, the state-wide excitement over the double celebration of Abiodun’s 62nd birthday and third year in office is not without reason.

Great men are indeed worth celebrating.

Tale of a Godfather and His Son: As PDP Gubernatorial Candidate Kneels to Governor Emmanuel

Dabiri-Erewa

Politics can make tigers out of house cats in Nigeria, and house cats of tigers. This is one of the sentiments that followed a viral picture that revealed one gubernatorial candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) kneeling before the executive Governor of Akwa Ibom, Udom Emmanuel. And while folks began to murmur about the seeming oddness of the photographed scene, Emmanuel went on to anoint said candidate as his preferred choice for a successor.

There is no doubt that Governor Emmanuel of Akwa Ibom is very popular among his people. However, despite how well-liked he is, there are times he still gets knocked for the decisions he makes. This is one of such times.

One of the promising candidates set to succeed Udom, Pastor Umo Bassey Eno,

was recently captured kneeling to Udom and his wife. According to the report that followed the viral picture, Eno (who was the state Commissioner for Lands and Water Resources) had gone to officially see Emmanuel and seek his blessings on his (Eno’s) aspirations to succeed him.

In expressing this reason for his visitation, Eno did not hesitate to go on his knees while Emmanuel had his right hand on his shoulders.

The photographed scene makes it look as if Emmanuel was praying for Eno, except that the eyes of Emmanuel’s wife were wide open.

It also looked as if Emmanuel was telling Eno to calm down and get up. But it was only a picture (which would have been best in this case by a thousand words), so there isn’t much that can be concluded from it except that Pastor Eno was kneeling before Governor Emmanuel who

Emmanuel

happens to be a deacon.

The way this kind of hierarchy goes, it is Emmanuel that ought to be kneeling to Eno. However, political ambition has a way of reversing roles. Eno got to be anointed as Emmanuel’s successor anyway, so all protocols were duly observed.

67

T H I S D AY, T H E S U N D AY N E W S PA P E R ˾MAY 29, 2022

HIGHLIFE

Adeyemi Ikuforiji: Returning to Lagos Social Space After a Long Hiatus There is a way to politics in Nigeria that is not obvious anywhere else. It is the way of isolation and incubation in preparation for big things. Adeyemi Ikuforoji, former Lagos Speaker and old pal of former Lagos Governor Akinwunmi Ambode, has gone through his period of isolation and incubation and is back to the social space he once dominated. Whether or not he will take up the banner of some political newbie is something that is still in the Speculation Folder.

In the eyes of some people, May 2022 has not brought any big thing to the Nigerian social, political, or economic space. However, these people certainly have no idea that Ikuforiji decided to show himself this month in Lagos. Those that are aware are doubtlessly checking the insides of guinea fowls and black pigeons to determine the will of the gods of politics regarding the man’s reappearance.

A birthday party was held in Ikoyi, Lagos, in the early days of May this year.

Ikuforiji

And one of the attendees was Ikuforiji in the flesh. Of course, he was not as ostentatiously dressed as he used to be.

Nevertheless, there were more than a handful of prestigious individuals that shuffled to his side to say ‘hello’ and ‘long time no see.’

For those who know Ikuforiji, it was indeed a pleasure to see him at the party.

The last that was heard of him was the dispersing of the dreams and cabinet of the former governor, Ambode. Ikuforiji was best friends with the governor and played a big role in the hesitation that some power brokers had about sending Ambode packing from the Lagos number one seat. However, Ikuforiji was not successful and soon decided to leave the limelight at the same time that Ambode was forced to.

So, with the reappearance of the former Lagos Speaker, speculations are always in motion that something is cooking. Maybe this is true, and maybe not—time will tell.

When is Kingsley Kuku Coming Back to Nigeria?

Kuku

It is not often that Nigerians pick an interest in the life and current whereabouts of someone who was never a President, Senate President, Governor, or holder of any other notable political position.

In fact, unless that person is a cleric shrouded in controversy, music icon, or Nollywood legend, Nigerians never seem to care. Thus, the mere fact that people are asking about Kingsley Kuku, the political and environmental rights activist, says something about the Ondo man.

It has been a while since Kuku’s name came up in conversation. Nevertheless, there are still a lot of people who remember him. After all, to climb up to the top from the lower rungs of the social, political, and/or economic ladder is something that so few Nigerians have dared to do. Those handful of individuals, like Kuku, who have succeeded on this front are consequently in a category of their own and cannot be easily forgotten.

Kuku, for those who don’t know, was the Special Adviser to former President Goodluck

Jonathan on Niger Delta Affairs. He was also the chairman of the Presidential Amnesty Programme. So bright was his career that he managed to go from an ordinary student activist to a member of the Ondo State House of Assembly (later to become the Chairman of the House Committee).

Of course, despite his enviable rise in power and status, Kuku’s activist and political career have not been without a few knocks.

Even though Kuku is most notable for his passion for the Ijaw people and the Niger Delta at large, there are unverified reports that tangled in things not similarly noble during his peak years. One of the more recent of these reports is the claim that he was allegedly arrested in Amsterdam, The Netherlands, over child pornography complaints.

But all that may be in the past. Now, while people ask about his whereabouts, some have hinted that he is abroad, globe-trotting.

The Return of Agboola Ajayi There is always a reason to celebrate something in Nigeria, especially in the area of politics. For Agboola Ajayi, the immediate past Deputy Governor of Ondo State, the reason for celebration is something very valid: his emergence as the senatorial flagbearer of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for Ondo South. Bearing in mind all that has happened in the last two years in Ondo, one can only conclude that Ajayi is indeed back to the centre of the political game board In the contest for the PDP ticket for the forthcoming 2023 Ondo South senatorial election, Ajayi has shown himself to be superior. He defeated Nicholas Tofowomo, who is the incumbent senator representing the senatorial district with 78 to Tofowomo’s 74 votes. By doing so, Ajayi clinched a marginal victory.

There are however a lot of mixed reactions trailing this victory. But these reactions are not

Indigenous companies in Nigeria continue to bear their fangs in the wake of globalisation agendas in the corporate sector. Although no sector is left alone, these companies are trying their best to excel and exceed their peers from across the sea as they represent national interests.

One of these indigenous companies, Matrix Energy Limited, is doing an amazing job in the energy sector, thanks to the continued innovative efforts of its Group CEO, Abdulkabir Adisa Aliu.

If there is one sector in Nigeria that requires a lot of innovativeness, it is the energy sector. With the various competitions between shareholders of the oil and gas industry, individuals like Aliu ordinarily do not stand a chance in sponsoring the objectives of their companies. But Aliu is no slouch. His determined personality, along with his corporate character, has gradually catapulted Matrix Energy Limited into the top shelves of integrated oil marketing and trading in Nigeria.

Aliu’s Matrix Energy Limited began full operations in 2004. It might have been

necessarily negative in the first place. People are only wondering whether Ajayi has it in him to be focused and concerned with the objectives of the office in view rather than the machinations that saw him booted from the current Ondo State administration.

Of course, Ajayi has always been a man of political intrigue. He may not be the first Deputy Governor to have lost his seat while the person above him is still in power.

However, there is no doubt that Ajayi is one of the few who consciously and singlehandedly ensured that there was no way back for him.

Overall, despite the bad rep that Ajayi got for dumping the All Progressives Congress (APC) for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) while he was still serving as Ondo Deputy, that decision appears to have paid off. Now, he stands the chance of becoming the senator representing Ondo South Senatorial District come 2023.

Ajayi

Matrix Energy Leading By Kilometers as Abdulkabir Adisa Aliu Putting.the Right Legs Forward

Aliu

thought of as a small corporate entity trying to compete with NEPA back then.

But no! Matrix Energy had no such basic ambition. In fact, in its almost 18 years of operations, Matrix Energy has assumed a multinational identity. Today, the small company involved with supply and distribution is now a fully integrated petroleum products marketing and trading company with clients and suppliers worldwide.

Of course, Matrix Energy’s meteoric rise in recent years is closely related to the might and methods of its CEO, Aliu.

The man’s ingenuity and attention to detail allowed him to select the most qualified and progressive management teams. Together with these teams, Aliu determined to stretch Matrix Energy Limited until it began operations outside Nigeria. And he succeeded.

Remi Babalola .HHSV $ /RZ 3URÀOH

Babalola

There is a time for everything: a time to shine bright like a diamond and a time to douse one’s brilliance. Remi Babalola, the former Minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, has joined the list of top Nigerian business characters going under the radar.

Babalola’s situation is somewhat unique, of course, considering that his decision to go low profile follows after his semi-recent resignation from the First Bank of Nigeria (FBN) Holdings Plc where he served as Chairman.

At the start of the year 2022, First Bank, the celebrated premier bank in West Africa, appeared to be going through a lot of changes at this time. Not too long ago, Oba Otudeko, a prominent banker and businessman, also retired from FBN Holdings where he also served as the Chairman.

In other words, in a matter of months, the banking institution changed one Chairman for another, and then another.

There were a lot of speculations about why FBN Holdings underwent these rapid changes in recent times. One of such speculations revolved around the emergence of Femi Otedola, the super businessman and billionaire, as the latest and biggest shareholder in the institution. The ones that emphasise this speculation think that Otedola was not satisfied with both Babalola and his predecessor and had them removed.

Better-informed individuals submitted their points, which is that Babalola simply realised that it was the end of an era and decided to leave ahead of time. These people insisted that Babalola’s resignation has very little to do with any pressure that Otedola may be putting on the board and more to do with Babalola’s choice. Of course, regardless of what anyone might think, Babalola left the bank back in December and has not turned back ever since.

So, now that the man has remained out of reach since the First Bank fiasco, one can only conclude that he has gone the way of Hobbits: hiding away until there is a serious need for him to show his face.

68

T H I S D AY, T H E S U N D AY N E W S PA P E R ˾MAY 29, 2022

LOUD WHISPERS

with JOSEPH EDGAR (09095325791)

We are really doomed if these set of Nigerians that we are calling delegates are the ones we are relying on to throw up responsible leadership in the next dispensation. What we have just done is put together a grouping of financial bandits and pushed our future for them to mold and hold.

The stories coming out from all over the country would make the gamblers in Vegas look like children.

These ones are in one huge Stock Exchange where cash is being exchanged on a daily basis without any cognisance to the very real issue of leadership.

The issue for these sets of people is cash. Cash is king; cash is the currency. It is to the highest bidders.

Nothing else matters. All over the country across every party line.

Delegates are now the new moguls.

They answer only to money. That this is very sad is stating more than the obvious.

What kind of leadership will all these throw up if not casino-driven leadership? The whole exercise is further killing the Naira as the currency they now understand is dollars and nothing more.

We need to reform the system, restructure it all and realign our common sense. All these ‘Kalo kalo’ delegates must all be swept away. I think we can attempt a reset in time for 2027.

2023 is over. It will throw up the same monsters. Just look at all the ‘bandits’ staking a claim to leadership and you will see that Nigerians are in for a long dark ride.

My advice is that we should just slide. Allow this process to come to an end and then just hunker down for another four years of gloom as we work assiduously towards building new structures. Let’s look at Nigeria like a car with a worn out engine. So, we will buy a new engine and replace the old one so that the jaga-jaga car can have a new lease of life.

We are all in a plane that is about to crash land or is crash landing sef. We don’t need to panic, we should all just put our heads between our legs and hunker down. Once the plane hits pay dirt, some people will die – these delegates and their poisonous ogas - and the rest of us will now have enough leverage to rebuild a new country. This is what we should do. mple.

PETER OBI: ON THE ROCK WE SLIP? Just as I was about to refocus my energies towards his candidacy, the man messes up. You see, I don’t know why people are just so terrible students of history.

How for the life of me will you now deliberately put another layer between you and the presidency.

If you could not defeat the powers that be within the PDP, is it APC’s incumbency you will now use one ‘yeye’ structure to defeat?

This Peter Obi must really have started believing all his village postulations that are making him feel that he can take the Presidency from any platform. Let me tell him very straight. There is nothing colourful about your candidacy, you have no charisma and you have no energy to push forcefully at the crown. So, if you start believing your own (expletive), you will have yourself to blame.

The truth is that your message resonates with the ‘idle elitist minority’ who will not vote, do not control any structure and will not have a voice. So, it’s not by going to one pastor’s platform or Classic radio to pontificate about data every SS3 student of economics knows or shouting ”I am a trader, I cannot thief,” that will deliver.

For instance, Wike has used all the Rivers

State Government money to tie down the delegates, then go sit down with him and wrestle him to the ground. Let him see the folly of his act that he will be thoroughly disgraced in a general election and as such his lot will be better with you.

Offer him a deal or something and where he will not see reasons like I know he will not see; you wait him out within the structure.

He will do his ‘gra gra’, carry on in the general election and run back with his tail between his legs and come back for your help. This is how they build momentum, not to jump into one unknown entity with the hope that the 5,000 people hailing you will deliver the presidency from one unknown party.

The structure is on the ground and is controlled by demagogues in both APC and PDP. If after all these years in politics you do not know that, then you cannot have my time. There is no morality in this thing, it’s raw power. Stay and fight for it and if you cannot win, you go home and impregnate your wife and if you cannot do it, let’s know.

Joseph Edgar?” I told them yes. They said “you are under arrest.”

I replied: “I will follow you if you sign undertaking that nobody will beat me, nobody will sexually molest me. Once that is guaranteed, let’s go” The officers were very professional.

They gave me their word and until I left, nobody touched me. So, this our Owelle, I no understand this kind fear. You sha missed the opportunity.

If I were you, I would stand at my door very erect and proclaim to the whole world like Schwarzenegger,” I’ll be back.”

But this Owelle na to roll for ground, dey piss for body, after now he go want be Commander-in-Chief of Armed Forces.

Which one? Abeg dey go. Fear kill you there. Kai.

Did you see the video of Owelle on the floor praying to his god to come and save him from the marauding EFCC. I think his god did not answer him because he

disrespected that one. How can you be making that kind of supplication and still be recording it and broadcasting live on Instagram. What if the god wanted to come down and have a discussion with you, that is how he will reveal his nakedness to us. His god just said: “This one is never serious. He dey pray, dey film am, they do commentary on top. You will eat that beans.”

Another reason his god did not come down was because he showed fear. Didn’t he read the story of Peter. Not the bigheaded trader who just left PDP, but the real Peter who said, ‘Lord, if you are the true one, let me walk on top of the water’ and he started walking on top of water and when he started showing fear, he began to sink.

See our God does not like fear. You cannot be praying to him and at the same time be crying in Igbo: “Ewo, they are coming o, they are entering the roof.”

Didn’t you see Daniel in the lion’s den?

He stood there and proclaimed the Lord as Almighty and the lions changed their minds about having him for dinner and went to look for some APC delegates to munch.

But seriously, which kind of man is this sef. Groveling on the floor in front of his wife and daughters. Kai, me I will not o.

How will the women in his household be looking at ‘daddy’ like this. See me, when EFCC came for me, they said, “are you

Obi

Sambo

Bawa

Kanu

Yakubu

ROCHAS OKOROCHA’S PRAYERS ARE UNANSWERED

EFCC’S LACKLUSTER PERFORMANCE You know I have friends there. George Ekpungu your Board Secretary is a friend and brother. Make I first mention him name in case this yab no siddon well with some people there make them no come try ‘Okorocha’ me.

You see a professional body like yours with such a fine Oga like that una Bawa should not be doing like an agbero rag tag army. Which one is breaking

69

T H I S D AY, T H E S U N D AY N E W S PA P E R ˾MAY 29, 2022

LOUD WHISPERS

IPOB: A STRONG APPEAL FOR CALM When pregnant women and children are beginning to be slaughtered then it can no longer be a legitimate agitation. It is now pure criminality. One baba said that when you start something, you never know the dimensions it will take in reference to Nnamdi Kanu.

While he is wearing Fendi up and down in court and doing photo ops with his governor and his lawyers, mayhem is being unleashed on the very people he is trying to free.

Please IPOB, this is a direct appeal to you guys. It’s enough, na beg we dey beg.

We are not arguing again, please spare the lives of your own people o. These are not ‘Fulani’ killing Igbos again na. This is pure bloodletting among brothers.

The video of the beheaded law man is still fresh in our minds. Biko, IPOB or whoever it is that is behind all these mayhems, kindly take heart. Your children are begging. Please stop making them orphans.

This is the largest killings of Igbos by Igbos at any time in our recent history.

Please na beg. Let’s come to the table and discuss. You know we have a seriousminded Governor – Soludo- I don’t know about the rest, at least we can start the talking from there.

There is too much blood flowing on the streets of the South East. Too much. We are united in grief.

ADAM NAMADI SAMBO: NOTHING ELSE TO SAY You see this matter of delegates that we have talked about, I have just read a report where this young man who is the son of the former Vice President is

JULIUS RONE: A MAN OF CONSCIENCE The man can pose sha. That was how they released a video of the man in very rich Itshekiri garb working down the stairs of a mansion that looked like Buckingham Palace and straight to a waiting vintage Rolls Royce.

As he walked regally, me I was wondering if he wear anything under the wrapper, before breeze would now go and blow the thing and we would see high chief.

Anyways, that didn’t happen and the next day, we saw Lord on the front pages in a huge picture with our President and his King, the highly respected Olu of Warri. I now understand the video of the previous day.

Julius Rone who is also known as the Gas King because of the great strides he has made in that area is a man of conscience. Last week he did something that was amazing.

On a project, he pulled in some of his friends and they all made pledges. One of them made a pledge he couldn’t keep or refused to

keep. I called him and he said, “Bros na pledge no be debt.”

I wanted to cry, because I thought I was dealing with a man of integrity and had gone ahead to create debt on this foolish pledge.

After weeks, I called Julius and said, “Lord, I don die.

See my problem, help me beg your town man.”

He said “no worry, I go pay,” and he paid.

Now it is not about the money but the integrity.

It wasn’t his pledge. He had more than fulfilled his own but he still felt the responsibility to redeem since he was the one that brought in ‘Giringory’ to the transaction. I was touched.

Please if you are sitting beside him at this moment, help greet and hug am.

He is a man of conscience.

Definitely not a delegate.

Kai, delegates don kill people o. Did you see the doctor who fainted in Delta State? My brother Sam sef na only two votes o. Kai, delegates ooo.

Rone

into someone’s house from the roof?

The optics are so bad and paints the institution as one without finesse.

So Owelle lock him door, he no gree come out na to go hire agbero and carpenter to break in? Please you guys should learn from other climes. Noreiga ran into the Vatican Embassy in his bid to escape the US Forces. They didn’t climb on the roof and be doing like unhinged wrestler.

They started playing hard rock music day and night, which irritated the priests to the point they drove Noreiga out.

You see, EFCC we are in a digital age and as such our tactics must reflect the age and exposure. To fish out Owelle is very easy na. You go wait for him. You surround his house and stay there for as long as it takes him to wave white flag.

Hungry will catch him, he will want to see his side chick, his wife go don nag am tire to the point, he will be the one that will be begging you to take him away.

Or you begin playing Hope Uzodimma inaugural speech in the loudest form repeatedly all over the place, Owelle will forget his God o.

So, I beg you people, leave all these Abacha style. Let’s reform the institution, let’s be more professional.

Leave carpenter work for carpenter or demolition work for El-Rufai and present to the world that EFCC is such a fine institution.

Meanwhile, please don’t vex o. Na Folarin say I should ask this question.

Owelle has been going all over Abuja for the past few months campaigning for an election he can never win right under your nose and under bail conditions that he had flouted and you people did not catch him o. Why come to catch him on the day of APC screening? Like I said, it is Folarin that says I should ask. He is from Epe and went to Command Secondary School, Ipaja. He drives a brown Toyota Corolla and he dey wear glasses. He has a portrait of Awo on his bedroom wall. You can send the answer to him or you catch him and tell him the answer.

Please, me I don’t have energy for una matter. I am dealing with my own here, one woman call me slut o. Me, Duke Slut.

Kai.

asking for his money back since he didn’t win the nomination after spending a whopping N75 million.

Senator Shehu Usman has been tweeting on how some people have used bandits to recover N100m from these new set of thieves that we call delegates.

How can a system so fraught with corruption and corrosive processes throw up credible leadership. It is safe to say that everybody involved in the candidates that it will throw up is a thief. Our next president will also be a thief. Simple. Come and beat me.

If this boy can spend N75m on these rogues, you can imagine how much our next President will spend to arrive at his destination. No respect for him.

Simple.

Our democracy is of thieves, for thieves and by thieves. This is our gift to the world. Oh Jehovah, where are you?

Come down with the fire of Damocles and destroy us all. Amen. I am in tears.

AHMED MOHAMMED AHMED – A PASSIONATE LEADER This is the Artistic Director/CEO of the Nigerian National Troupe. Please don’t

mind the headline, he is not a delegate or a politician but a long-suffering and passionate technocrat.

I was looking for him for something and put in a call. He was on his way to Bauchi by bus. I said, “Lord, you no dey fear?* And he answered, “What can we do, we have to do the work.”

When I eventually met him at his National Theatre office, I brought up the issue. He said, “Edgar, I was the keynote speaker at a workshop. I had to be there. I entered the bus, said my prayers and we moved.”

He has been appointed to revamp the national troupe which I must say is a brilliant institution that if properly engaged would go a long way in not only redeeming our image as a country globally but also serve as a major vehicle for growth in the economy.

Ahmed is perfect for the role. He has the right aptitude, right energy and is technically competent. I like him. You see what a bottle of Maltina will do for you. As I was leaving, he insisted that I take a drink and see as the drink dey make me hail am for national newspaper? Kai, I worse pass the APC and PDP delegates.

ISRAEL AND FUNMILAYO KUTI: A BEAUTIFUL STORY You know Nigerians don’t have a sense of history. Very few of us understand how history plays a role in our lives and our present circumstances.

For us, doing Owambe and the rest plus surfing the internet and ogling at Toke Makinwa’s latest butt enlargement is our idea of history.

Anyways, on a recent trip to Abeokuta, I decided to visit the Kuti family’s house. Now the house has been turned into a historical monument and refurbished by Senator Amosun’s administration.

The house itself is very, very beautiful.

It had been left in its original state and you could see the upper middle-class life the Kutis’ lived.

The father’s bedroom as a revered reverend who had a unique musical talent and the activist mothers’ room were all kept in pristine condition. I saw the desk she worked on and wrote all those powerfully acerbic letters that rankled the authorities. Remember she was the one who chased away Alake because of an archaic tax regime.

What I discovered on that trip was that the great Fela took his grandfather’s music talent and added his mother’s brilliant activism to come out with a globally-recognised career.

Please next time you are in Abeokuta, try to visit the house. It’s just N1,000 before you start saying you don’t have money o. On your way there, branch the Amala joint near NNPC, you will thank me.

CLEMS EFFANGA: REVEALS HIS PRIVATE PARTS Clems is an astonishing fashion designer. A neo-modern artist who works perfectly in linen and cotton.

His studios located at the prestigious Terra Kulture and the sleepy suburbs of Herbert Macaulay, Yaba are a study in artistic fashion.

The other day, I wore his ‘pussy’ Shirt to a function and I was the cynosure of all eyes. He is expansive in his threading and his attention to detail remains quite enigmatic.

In June, he will be showcasing his latest line tagged ‘-JE-the Private Parts’ to an exclusive crowd at his Terra Kulture studio.

The pieces according to him will push the boundary, engage the surreal and play with people’s minds.

With very strong muses like the legendary RMD who revel in his clothing, it is no wonder that people are eager to go see his private parts.

Wonderful Akwa Ibom boy o.

70

T H I S D AY, T H E S U N D AY N E W S PA P E R ˾MAY 29, 2022

Adebayo Adeoye bayoolunla@gmail.com; 08054680651

SOCIETY WATCH

Tongues Wag over Umar Nasko Withdrawal

Nasko

Umar Mohammed Nasko has, over the years, proven that he is indeed fearless.

Even when some of his age mates complain that they are not given a chance to make their voices heard in the nation’s political space, he still dazzles.

However, his recent action has proven otherwise as many have begun to rethink his political relevance.

Many would recall that when Nasko resigned as Chief of Staff to the Governor of Niger State and eventually emerged as the candidate of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP), by defeating the then incumbent deputy governor of the state, Alhaji Ahmed Musa Ibeto, and others in the primaries, many political analysts concluded that he was surely going to be the next governor of the state. That was based on his popularity and the fact that he was the anointed candidate of the then incumbent governor of the state, Aliyu Babangida.

Due to his closeness to the former governor, many, including his friends and admirers, had seen him as the successor to Babangida.

In other words, many had thought that Nasko, who was the PDP governorship candidate in the state, would coast home to victory. But this was not to be, as he lost to the opposition APC candidate, Abubakar Sani Bello.

Shortly after the election, the former Commissioner of Tourism and Culture’s fame began to wane and his political structure almost crumbled.

Again, he threw his cap into the ring for the 2019 governorship elections in the state. In no time, he regained his lost popularity and defeated other heavyweights in the PDP, including Ibeto who was a former Nigerian Ambassador to South Africa.

With this, he had hoped that his dream would come true. But alas! It turned out to be another wild goose chase, and he was left in the cold again! However, a source disclosed that the handsome politician remains unperturbed, despite the loss.

As preparations for the 2023 elections kick off in earnest, Nasko has made wide consultation and even expressed his ambition to represent the Niger North Senatorial District. But just as many of his fans are happy and ready to vote for him, Nasko chickened out of the race.

A source revealed to Society Watch that he did that for ‘personal reasons’.

“Nasko ‘chickened’ out of the race 24 hours after the governor of the state, Abubakar Sani Bello, indicated interest to contest for the same Niger North Senatorial District on the platform of All Progressives Congress.”

Those in the know confirmed that Nasko hurriedly pulled out of the race to avoid defeat, having suffered the same fate from Bello twice during the race for the number one job in the state.

As a result, tongues are now wagging over his action, just as his fans have reportedly been let down.

Bola Shagaya’s Global Recognition In the words of Harry Golden, “The only thing that overcomes hard luck is hard work.”

No doubt, one of those who believe so much in this witty and philosophical saying is billionaire businesswoman, Bola Shagaya.

Indeed, if you have a chance encounter with this notable oil magnate and philanthropist and you tell her she is lucky based on her current position, she will most probably shake her head vigorously and declare that it is all due to hard work. For all her years of hard work, providence has been merciful enough to her.

Perhaps, this explains her rising profile and astounding success in all her endeavours.

Her achievements have earned her a place among other top 10 notable and richest women across Africa such as Isabel Dos Santos, Folorunso Alakija, Ngina Kenyatta, Wendy Appelbaum, Wendy Ackerman, Irene Charnley and Bridget Radebe.

Though she was born into an averageincome family, she has tried to rewrite her story. She has sown in sweats, so it is not surprising that she is now reaping bountiful harvests. And today, she has

Shagaya

nurtured her Bolmus Group to become a leading conglomerate now competing favourably with others across the globe.

On many occasions, she has been given a kingly treat by some of the most powerful men and women in and outside the country. Not a few have described her as a citizen of the world. The Kwara State-born businesswoman is usually driven by an abiding quest to change the lives of her compatriots for the better.

Shagaya, a member of Nigeria focused business group called National Economic Partnership for African Development (NEPAD), has been ruling the fashion and style scene for decades, and there seems to be no sign of her being eclipsed by the younger ones.

Call her an ageless beauty, and you will be telling the truth. This sexagenarian still commands respect in the social scene with her dress sense and you cannot but turn your head in admiration anytime she makes a public appearance.

Society Watch gathered that her trendy lifestyle and fashionable aura, among other sterling qualities, have placed her in the group of the most stylish women in Nigeria.

Leo Stan Ekeh’s Name Shaking the Nation’s Business Foundation Wondering if anyone still doubts or underrates the power and influence the e-commerce wizard and Chairman of Zinox Group, Leo Stan Ekeh, possesses in the Nigerian business climate? It is an understatement to refer to him as a giant; in fact, he is the leading light in the business firmament.

A few weeks ago, Nigeria’s business environment was shaken to its very foundation, while the stock market was also agog when his name was mentioned in a series of trending media reports in local and international media about his plan to acquire Jumia.

It was rumoured that the Forbes Best of Africa leading tech icon has been indirectly ramping up stakes in Jumia, preparatory to a takeover bid. The speculations reportedly made investors increase their buying interests in Jumia, which effectively shored up its value and shares in the stock market.

Such is the power of his name!

Though the magnate is said to have denied the acquisition story, no one would blame those who started the rumour. After all, the business maestro was involved in one of the greatest acquisitions in 2017 when he took over Konga from its original owner.

The acquisition will be referenced for a long time in business schools across the continent of Africa.

This, among several other business moves, undoubtedly, bears testimony to the brilliance and resilience of the mogul who rubs shoulders with other high-flying business magnates around the world.

The Imo State-born businessman’s ultimate mission is to rule the world of entrepreneurship.

And he is determined to elevate his fortunes to the heights never seen before.

Ekeh

Chris and Martha Najomo Plans Classy Wedding for Daughter

Camillie Najomo and her husband-to-be, Christian Ikeliani.

Captain Chris Onakorame Najomo and his wife, Martha, will be hosting the wedding ceremony of their daughter in June. The wedding ceremony is between Camille Omoigho Najomo and Christian Chukwudizie Ikeliani. The groom

is the son of Sir (Arc.) Chris Ikeliani (Chinyelugo Oraifite) and Lady Ngozi Ikeliani.

The traditional and engagement leg of the ceremony is billed to hold on Saturday, June 4, at the Oriental Hotel, Lekki-Epe Expressway, Victoria Island, Lagos. The colour dictated for the day is powder blue. The solemnization of the holy matrimony will be held on Saturday, June 11, at the Cathedral Church of Advent, Life Camp, Abuja. The reception will follow at Abuja International Conference Centre, Garki District.

Earlier in January, the couple had performed their introduction ceremony in Abuja.

Camille is a lawyer, based in the US while her husband-to-be, Christian, an engineer, works with Facebook in the US. The couple met through mutual friends some years ago. The

very classy wedding is expected to attract the creme-de-la-crème of Nigerian society.

Known for not doing things in half measures, many are confident that the wedding party will be grand. The wedding party they held for their daughter, Christabel, and her Kenya-born lover, Zacheus, three years ago is still fresh in the memories of their guests as it set another standard in the social scene.

The father of the bride, Najomo, an aviation guru, is a director at the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA). Her mother, Martha is a large-scale jewellery dealer. She is the CEO of Seraphina Gems, an upscale outfit that stocks some of the most exotic jewellery in the world.

Dumo Lulu-Briggs Celebrates Dad Posthumous Birthday When billionaire oil magnate, Benson LuluBriggs, passed on four years ago, his family was distraught, yet they accepted the grim reality of the passing of the late businessman and philanthropist. They accepted their fate in good faith, with the consolation that their patriarch had lived a good and fulfilling life. Since his demise, they have continued to remember his memories lovingly and so faithfully.

Last week, billionaire oil mogul Dumo Lulu-Briggs, heir of the late River State-born businessman and elder statesman, proved that his love for his father is everlasting when he remembered and celebrated his 92nd posthumous birthday.

Society Watch gathered that the gangling businessman penned some beautiful and touching lines for this purpose, which were published in some national newspapers.

Showcasing his poetic side, he wrote: “You gave us so much of yourself to us. Not a single day goes by without us thinking about you! We focus on the priceless times we had together and the incredible memories!

“On every birthday of yours, we will continue to celebrate the legendary life you lived and the remarkable memories you left in our hearts.”

He also quoted several renowned writers to celebrate the memories of his deceased father.

In life, the late Lulu-Briggs was also named one of the 10 richest Nigerians in 2014, with an estimated net worth of $500 million. He was the Vice Chairman of the now-defunct National Party of Nigeria (NPN), the dominant political party in Nigeria from 1979 to 1983.

His oil exploration and production company was awarded its first oil block in 1992, when

Lulu-Briggs

the then Nigerian President, Gen. Ibrahim Babangida (rtd.), was encouraging indigenous participation in the upstream sector of the oil and gas industry.

THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER ˾ JUNE 24 2012

ARTS & REVIEW A

PUBLICATION

29.5.2022

LOOKING BACK, AT 60, TO THOSE FUN-FILLED YEARS OF CREATIVITY… Chijioke Onuora’s laid-back disposition, diligence and versatility sum up his creative odyssey so far as a key actor in the Nsukka Art School, says Okechukwu Uwaezuoke

A

OO D ÀUVW WLPH YLVLWRU WR 7XͿ 6WXGLR EDFN LQ WKH ODWH V DQG HDUO\ V QHHGHG ZDV MXVW RQH VZHHSLQJ JODQFH DFURVV LWV LQWHULRU WR D΀UP WKDW LW DSWO\ GHVFULEHG ERWK WKH DUWLVW DQG KLV ZRUNV 7KH VWXGLR XVHG WR RFFXS\ D URRP LQ D VTXDOLG WHQHPHQW EXLOGLQJ VRPHZKHUH DORQJ WKH &DWHULQJ 5HVW +RXVH 5RDG MXVW RXWVLGH WKH 8QLYHUVLW\ RI 1LJHULD 1VXNND FDPSXV ZDOOV $V IRU WKH UHVW RI WKH GHWDLOV DERXW WKLV HQYLURQ PHQW VR PXFK KDV EOXUUHG LQWR WKH GHQVH PLVWV RI WLPH %XW LW FRXOG VWLOO EH UHFDOOHG WKDW RQO\ WZR EXLOGLQJV DZD\ IURP LW D PRGHVW EXLOGLQJ LQ ZKLFK WKH QRZ 86 EDVHG DUWLVW 2OX 2JXLEH XVHG WR UHQW D URRP KH QDPHG ´+RXVH RI +XQJHUµ SUREDEO\ DIWHU WKH WLWOH RI D QRYHOOD E\ WKH ODWH =LPEDEZHDQ ZULWHU 'DPEXG]R 0DUHFKHUD XVHG WR EH D JDWKHULQJ SODFH IRU VXFK FDPSXV YHUVLRQV RI GHV KRPPHV HQJDJpV DV ,NH 2NRQWD DQG *UHJ 2GR DPRQJ RWKHUV 7KLV VDPH URRP DV LW WXUQHG RXW ZRXOG ODWHU DOVR EH RFFXSLHG E\ WKH QRZ 3ULQFHWRQ 8QLYHUVLW\ 86 EDVHG DUW KLVWRULDQ &KLND 2NHNH $JXOX %DFN WR 7XͿ 6WXGLR ,W ZDV ´GHÀQLWHO\ QRW D VWDWH RI WKH DUW VWXGLR µ &KLMLRNH 2QXRUD ZKR IRXQGHG WKH VWXGLR LQ DV KH ZDV EHJLQQLQJ KLV 0DVWHU RI )LQH $UWV GHJUHH SURJUDPPH DW WKH XQLYHUVLW\ FRUURERUDWHG GXULQJ DQ LQWHUYLHZ ZLWK KLV IRUPHU VWXGHQW DQG QRZ FROOHDJXH 2]LRPD 2QX]XOLNH VKRUWO\ EHIRUH DQ H[KLELWLRQ LQ ´:H XVHG D EXFNHW WR KDUYHVW ZDWHU IURP RXU OHDNLQJ URRI GXULQJ WKH UDLQ\ VHDVRQV :H DOVR KDG WR VXSSRUW WKH FHLOLQJ ZLWK D ZRRGHQ SROH VR WKDW LW GLG QRW FDYH LQ µ ,Q WKRVH KHDG\ \HDUV DV D IXQ ORYLQJ DUWLVW 2QXRUD ZKR WXUQV RQ 0RQGD\ 0D\ XVHG WR EH DQ DUGHQW %RE 0DUOH\ IDQ 6R ZKLOH ´IRROLQJ DURXQGµ ZLWK WKH QDPH RI WKH ODWH UHJJDH OHJHQG·V UHFRUGLQJ VWXGLR 7XͿ *RQJ KH HQGHG XS DSSURSULDWLQJ WKH ZRUG ´7XͿµ DV D QDPH IRU KLV VWXGLR DV ZHOO 7KH QDPH ZKLFK ZDV DOVR D FRUUXSWLRQ RI WKH ZRUG ´WRXJK µ UHVRQDWHG ZLWK KLV PDQ\ \RXQJ DFRO\WHV DQG LQWHUQV ZKR VWDUWHG FDOOLQJ WKHPVHOYHV WKH ´7XͿ *DQJ µ $V RQH RI WKHVH GHYRWHHV RI WKH VWXGLR 2QX ]XOLNH ² ZKR FXUUHQWO\ KHDGV WKH 8QLYHUVLW\ RI 1LJHULD 1VXNND·V 6FKRRO RI $IULFDQ 6WXGLHV ² UHFDOOHG KRZ GXULQJ KLV LQWHUQVKLS DW WKLV VSDFH 2QXRUD DPRQJ RWKHU WKLQJV XVHG WR SDLQW VFXOSW PDNH GUDZLQJV DQG SOD\ PXVLF ´<RX SURGXFHG EDWLN WRR µ 2QX]XOLNH DOVR UHPLQGHG KLP ´<RXU YHUVDWLOLW\ UHPDLQV ERWK LQWULJXLQJ DQG ¶LQIHFWLRXV· DQG PDQ\ RI XV EHQHÀWHG IURP LW µ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´$V D PDUULHG PDQ WKHUH ZDV >WKH@ QHHG WR DGDSW WR P\ QHZ VWDWXV VLQFH , ZDV QR ORQJHU WKLQNLQJ DERXW P\VHOI DORQH µ KH WROG 2QX]XOLNH ´, QHHGHG WR IDFWRU P\ ZLIH P\ LQ ODZV DQG P\ FKLOGUHQ WKDW EHJDQ WR DUULYH LQWR P\ SURJUDPPH 6R

Upward Thrust. 2010, one of Onuora's commissioned work at the Federal Secretariat, Abuja

Onuora ÀUVW RI DOO , OHIW WKH 7XͿ 6WXGLR DQG« , WKLQN LW ZDV GL΀FXOW FRQWLQXLQJ ZLWK WKH NLQG RI OLIH , ZDV OLYLQJ EHIRUH , JRW PDUULHG 3ULRU WR P\ PDUULDJH , FRXOG VWD\ LQ 7XͿ 6WXGLR IRU KRXUV DQG EHFDXVH , ZDV QRW DFFRXQWDEOH WR DQ\ERG\ , ¶OLYHG LQ WKH VWXGLR· µ $Q LQWHUUHJQXP IROORZHG FORVHO\ RQ WKH KHHOV RI WKH FORVXUH RI WKH ROG FKDSWHU $QG GXULQJ WKLV LQWHUUHJQXP 2QXRUD VHHPHG WR KDYH WDNHQ D EUHDN IURP KLV VWXGLR DQG VROR H[KLELWLRQV DIWHU WKH RQH KH KHOG LQ ZKLFK KH WLWOHG 8OXNXEXED ´0\ DUW EHJDQ WR VXͿHU *UDGXDOO\ , JRW XVHG WR LW DV OD]LQHVV VHW LQ $OVR P\ DUW VKLIWHG IURP SURGXFLQJ DUW IRU WKH MR\ RI LW WR SURGXFLQJ LQ RUGHU WR VXVWDLQ P\ QHZ IDPLO\ 7KHUHIRUH , EHJDQ WR GR PRUH FRPPLVVLRQV , ZDV WUDYHOOLQJ PRUH RIWHQ UDWKHU WKDQ ZRUNLQJ LQ P\ VWXGLR DQG SUHSDULQJ IRU WKH QH[W H[KLELWLRQ µ 7KLV ZDV DOVR D SHULRG ZKHQ KH HQUROOHG LQ D 3K' GHJUHH SURJUDPPH LQ DUW KLVWRU\ GXULQJ

Princess Esilokun poster

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ÀUVW LQLWLDWHG LQWR IRUPDO GUDZLQJ OHVVRQV ZLWK VRIW SHQFLOV ZKLOH DW $QJOLFDQ *UDPPDU 6FKRRO LQ WKH $QDPEUD 6WDWH WRZQ RI 2UDXNZX %XW LW ZDV \HDUV ODWHU ZKHQ KH ZDV D VWXGHQW DW WKH &RO OHJH RI (GXFDWLRQ LQ $ZND WKDW KH VDZ FKDUFRDO

GUDZLQJV DQG 2ELRUD 8GHFKXNZX·V SHQ DQG LQN GUDZLQJV IRU WKH ÀUVW WLPH +H ZRXOG ODWHU OHDUQ KRZ WR GUDZ ZLWK FKDUFRDO IURP D *KDQDLDQ ERUQ DUW OHFWXUHU ZKHQ KH EHFDPH DQ XQGHUJUDGXDWH VWXGHQW DW WKH 8QLYHUVLW\ RI 1LJHULD 1VXNND·V )LQH DQG $SSOLHG $UWV 'HSDUWPHQW 3LFNLQJ XS WKH WKUHDGV RI KLV GHFDGHV ORQJ ZRUN ZDV QRW KDUG IRU 2QXRUD XSRQ WKH UHVXPSWLRQ RI KLV QHJOHFWHG VWXGLR SUDFWLFH +LV WKHPHV IRU LQVWDQFH UHWDLQHG WKHLU VRFLDO UHOHYDQFH ZLWK WKHLU VHULRXVQHVV DOEHLW UHQGHUHG ZLWK KLV WUDGHPDUN VHQVH RI KXPRXU ´7KLV LV DOVR WKH ZD\ , UHODWH WR SHRSOH KH H[SODLQHG GXULQJ KLV LQWHUYLHZ ZLWK 2QX]XOLNH , OLNH WR PDNH VHULRXV LVVXHV PDQDJHDEOH E\ EULQJLQJ LQ VRPH KXPRXU LQWR WKHLU GHOLYHU\ µ $V IRU KLV WHFKQLTXHV WKH\ KDUN EDFN WR KLV %$ DQG 0)$ UHVHDUFK RI WUDGLWLRQDO ,JER VFXOSWXUHV ZKLFK ZHUH IRXQG LQ WKH VKULQHV RI KLV KRPHWRZQ 7KHVH VW\OLVHG IRUPDO H[SUHVVLRQV DVVXPH QHZ OLIH LQ KLV LOOXVWUDWLRQ RI WKH FXUUHQW HYHQWV ERUGHULQJ PRVWO\ RQ SROLWLFV 6RPHWLPHV WKH\ ZRXOG EH KDQG\ IRU KLV ULGGOHV MRNHV SURYHUEV RU HYHQ LQ KLV TXHVW WR LQYHVWLJDWH EHDXW\ ´0\ UHVSRQVHV DUH QRW PHDQW WR EH WRR VHULRXV KH IXUWKHU WROG 2QX]XOLNH ´,QVWHDG WKH\ DUH ODGHQ ZLWK KXPRXU ZKLOH EHLQJ FULWLFDO 6R P\ LPDJHV PRVWO\ IDFHV DUH PDVN OLNH EHFDXVH RI WKH WHFKQLTXHV , DP XVLQJ WR GLVWLO RXW D ORW RI GHWDLOV ,Q RWKHU ZRUGV WKH IRUPV DQG DFWLRQV DUH VXPPDULHV µ ,W ZRXOG RI FRXUVH EH LPSRVVLEOH WR GLVVRFLDWH 2QXRUD IURP WKH 1VXNND $UW 6FKRRO WUDGL WLRQ +H KDG DIWHU DOO VLQFH WKH V QRW RQO\ EHHQ H[SRVHG WR LWV WUHQGV DQG LGLRV\QFUDVLHV EXW DOVR KHOSHG SDVV RQ LWV SUHFHSWV WR WKH \RXQJHU JHQHUDWLRQ +LV LPSDFW RQ VXFK DUWLVWV DV 2]LRPD 2QX]XOLNH 2NHFKXNZX 1ZDIRU DQG ,KHDQ\L 2QZXHJEXFKD DPRQJ RWKHUV UHPDLQV D PRQXPHQW WR KLV KRQRXU DV KH FHOHEUDWHV KLV WK ELUWKGD\

EDITOR OKECHUKWU UWAEZUOKE/ okechukwu.uwaezuoke@thisdaylive.com

72

THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER MAY 29, 2022

ARTS & REVIEW\\POTPOURRI

How to Celebrate an Industry in 2022

Oris Aigbokhaevbolo

O

ne of the unlikely highlights of this year’s eight-day Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards extravaganza came before the main event. The venue was usual suspect Eko Hotel—but at one of its smaller halls. And the event was the Hollywood Brunch. The event’s host, Kemi Akindoju, had just introduced Dr. Busola Tejumola to attendees when it happened: a sustained round RI DSSODXVH³RI WKH NLQG \RX PLJKW ÀQG DIWHU D SDUWLFXODUO\ VSOHQGLG ÀOP SUHPLHUH 2QO\ WKLV time, it was mostly the stars themselves doing the clapping.

Naturally, it was tempting to attribute the lengthy applause to Dr. Tejumola belonging to Africa Magic’s parent company but it became clear later, as people joshed during lunch, that MultiChoice’s executive head of content and WestAfrica channels just happens to be quite liked by people in the ÀOP LQGXVWU\ PD\EH IRU KHU EHDXW\ PD\EH IRU her brains, maybe for her ultra-sunny disposition.

But, of course, Akindoju had to take the bait: she joked about money exchanging hands. The hall erupted in laughter.

What followed proceeded in a similar spirit of joviality. The main event, the contest, after all, was a couple days away and here was an opSRUWXQLW\ IRU 1LJHULDQ ÀOPPDNHUV WR UXE PLQGV with those much closer to the undisputed centre RI WKH JOREDO ÀOP LQGXVWU\ ,W RFFXUUHG WR PH that away from the pull of Hollywood, there were two interconnected platforms really at play that afternoon: Nollywood and Showmax. The IRUPHU KDG PDQDJHG WR ÀQG LWV ZD\ DFURVV WKH world with little help from technology and the latter had deployed high-tech right from the start to meet people the world over. Both had now met and were seeking ways of optimising each other’s business.

Onstage, one of the Hollywooders—a group comprised of Tasha Smith, Sidra Smith, Bayo Akinfemi, Grant Housley, and Brandon Michael Hall—brought the house down after warning the audience that she was about to brag, which she proceeded to do, ending her list of achievements with a simple declaration: she was, she said, “still dreaming,” which clearly meant she was still itching to get to the actual centre of Hollywood. ,W ZDV SUHWW\ PXFK WKH VDPH ZLWK .DWH +HQVKDZ one of the session’s Nollywooders. Prompted by

D'banj at the AMVCA

AWARD the host, she said her dream of getting featured in a major Hollywood production was not over.

Perhaps that dream will begin with a collaboration with one of the Smiths who shared the stage with Henshaw? Perhaps. We’ll have to wait and see.

Watching the conversation onstage was a reminder of the heavy pull of Hollywood on the human imagination globally. Filmmakers in the US have the major Hollywood dream. Ditto those in Nigeria. That is the nature of a place that is paradoxically super-visible and super-exclusive.

But, while everyone waits for that phone call or email, one of the things that Africa Magic deserves its own spectacular applause for is its doubling down on African content way before most platforms saw the light. Naturally, this has opened it to criticism: if you're dreaming about Hollywood and the Big 3 festivals, Africa Magic is not the traditional route. But that is a feature not a bug insofar as it has boosted the FRQWLQHQW·V ÀOP HFRQRP\ DQG OHG WR RSSRUWXQLties for homegrown actors, actresses, directors, FLQHPDWRJUDSKHUV DQG RWKHU ÀOP ZRUNHUV ,W HYHQ PDGH VWDUV³DQG ZKDW LV PRUH VWDU D΀UPLQJ than an award ceremony?

And so it was that on Saturday, 14, all Lagos roads (well, maybe some of them) led to the crown jewel of the Africa Magic entity, the AMVCA ceremony. Two years ago, back when it wasn’t HLJKW GD\V RI FHOHEUDWLQJ $IULFDQ ÀOP DQG 79 the event had spurred a crisis for attendees—as

CEO John Ugbe reminded his guests during the Hollywood brunch. That crisis was connected to the pandemic, which you could say had its R΀FLDO RXWLQJ LQ 1LJHULD DOPRVW LPPHGLDWHO\ after the industry’s big night in 2020.

That was the past, though. After skipping last year, here again was a chance for the industry WR FRQJUDWXODWH LWVHOI DFURVV JHQUHV ,W GLG VR E\ bringing in the continent’s creative industries into Lagos in a way it had never quite done before: South Africa’s Bonang Matheba anchored the PDLQ HYHQW ZLWK ,. 2VDNLRGXZD \RX FRXOG ÀQG *KDQD·V 6LND 2VHL RQ WKH UHG FDUSHW DQG LI you threw one stone anywhere within the Eko Hotel compound, you would hit two journos/ EORJJHUV LQÁXHQFHUV IURP 7DQ]DQLD 1DPLELD Kenya or Uganda. Fashion designers, social media FUHDWRUV LQÁXHQFHUV PXVLFLDQV³HYHU\ VXEVHW of the African creative industry seemed present.

And the organisers were quite astute in setting the event in May (aka Africa Month) and about a fortnight before Africa Day. ,W ZDV RI FRXUVH WKH ÀQDO GD\ IRU WKH DQQXDO hustle for AMVCA tickets. And the lucky ones who were able to acquire tickets could be found in vehicles snaking from within the Eko Hotel expanse to down Ahmadu Bello road in Victoria ,VODQG <RX KDG RQO\ \RXUVHOI DQG PD\EH /DJRV WUD΀F WR EODPH LI \RX OHIW KRPH ODWH $V WKH HYHQW NLFNHG RͿ D P\ULDG RI FRORXUV RI SHUIXPHV RI VW\OHV DQG RI DFFHQWV ÀOOHG WKH atmosphere. Winners were called on by an assortment of creative industry professionals and corporate folks passive-aggressively selling their markets. On TV, viewers likely saw an industry

comport itself as Bonang and Osakioduwa H[SHUWO\ FRPPDQGHHUHG WKH VWDJH DQG RͿHUHG jokes, a Deyemi-Okanlawon-as-Will-Smith-atthe-Oscars jab being obligatory at this point.

We have come to expect tears, cheers, and, even with warnings, long-lasting speeches at award ceremonies and the night’s winners duly delivered. But to my mind, if there was an award for the night's most unintentionally hilarious moment, it should have gone to the man popularly known as Oga Sabinus. He showed XS IURP RͿ ÀHOG OLWHUDOO\ <RX KDG WR EH DW WKH ceremony in person to see him semi-stagger from outside of the hall where he was doing God-knows-what when he was announced winner of on the mouthful Best Online Social Content Creator award. The hall had cheered enthusiastically at the mention of his name and many people cheered still as he kept looking at one of the hall’s big screens, perhaps at his LPDJH RU KLV RYHUVL]HG QDPH :KHQ KH ÀQDOO\ got on the stage, it was inevitable that his speech ZRXOG EH FXW RͿ $QG VR LW ZDV +LV ORQJ ZDON to stage was probably behind Osakioduwa’s RͿ DLU UHPLQGHU WR HYHU\RQH WR EH TXLFNHU $W the other end of Oga Sabinus’ raucous reception were muted ones given to non-Nigerian winners, Nigeria’s national insularity coming to play live on television, South Africa’s Dantagos Jimmy-Melani and Ghana’s Pascal Aka among its victims. $ZD\ IURP ÀOP RQH RI WKH QLJKW·V KLJKOLJKWV came with the appearance of Rema and Lagbaja.

The show’s curators did well in combining young and old, giving more time to the latter and he GXWLIXOO\ SURGXFHG D VXSHUE SHUIRUPDQFH ,I the inclusion of content creators in the award categories was designed to bring in the young, Lagbaja’s time onstage courted the grown. For business-minded viewers, this was the event’s way of saying that, in the end, it’s the adult at home paying subscription fees monthly. But, of course, if you watched from home, you didn’t see a few interesting things. Like the social media personality James Brown insisting that a closed exit be opened to him (and it was). You didn’t see that the OAP Do2tun read reality star Erica Nlewedim's lines on the teleprompter and she then had him also read his own part as well by standing regal, quiet (and maybe displeased); you didn’t see Jemima Osunde and Adesua Etomi-Wellington hollering and cheering like teenagers when occasional actor Denola Grey won the night’s Best Dressed Male award.

$LJERNKDHYEROR ZULWHV IURP /DJRV Read ful article online - www.thisdaylive.com

CKay and Tech’s Bias in Nigeria’s Music Scene Yinka Olatunbosun

A

s an aspiring singer-songwriter whose parentsarebothmedicaldoctors,CKay's biggest risk was not to leave his family andfriendsinKadunatochasehismusic GUHDPV LQ /DJRV ,W ZDV PDNLQJ D VRQJ whose chorus has no words but only an "ah ha han ha ha" chant and expecting it to be a hit. The song "Love Nwantiti" was meant to be a freestyle, one he recorded late at night. Tired, he thought he’d write a proper chorus in the morning. All this happened in his living room—not a recording studio. The next day, he decided the song was just right the way it was, but almost everyone disagreed with him. The year was 2019.

A quick rewind to 2014: he contemplated moving to Lagos from Kaduna to focus on his music career, RQH WKDW ZDV GLVDSSURYHG E\ KLV SDUHQWV ,Q he was signed by Chocolate City after his song "3rd Mainland Bridge" caught the music executive and UDSSHU 0, V DWWHQWLRQ At that time, CKay was earning a living as a music producer, so it was initially hard to convince people that he could sing. ,Q DQ LQWHUYLHZ LQ /DJRV &.D\ VDLG /DJRV LV WKH place to be; all the media, brands, and record labels are in Lagos." He is a true Nigerian, having traversed the three major ethnicities. He is from the east, grew XS LQ WKH QRUWK DQG PDGH KLV PXVLFDO PRQH\ ÀUVW in the west. %\ KH ÀQDOLVHG KLV SODQV WR UHOHDVH DQ (3 WKDW includedthesong.Thelabelthatsignedhim,Chocolate &LW\ GLGQ·W WDNH WKH VRQJ VHULRXVO\ DV D VLQJOH ,W ZDVQ·W a club record and was far too slow to make the playlists in clubs or on radio. Anyway, the song was released just in time for Valentine’s Day celebrations.

7KHQ FDPH WKH WHFK DGYDQWDJH DQG WKH LQÁXHQFHU

MUSIC factor: the Canadian fashion model, Winnie Harlow, stumbled on the song with a friend and decided to use it in her dance video on social media, joined by record producer and businessman Diddy’s sons and a daughter, and the song went viral. "Love Nwantiti" seems to have shattered what was left of the glass ceilings against Afrobeats penetration in the world.

Fast forward to 2022, and the song had over one billion streams on Spotify. This is an icing on the cake for the song that made it to the number one spot on Shazam’s global charts, blowing up charts in the US, UK, Europe, andAsia and being considered the most streamed Afrobeats song of the moment.

The critical audience in the US raised a concern when CKay was interviewed on a famous hip-hop station: the American music critics would be awake to this new artist. They’d test his artistry, interrogate his talent and persona. Apart from making a hit song, CKay is one of the most articulate artists from the present-dayAfrobeats’ generation.An unusual blend RI FDOP DQG FRQÀGHQFH &.D\ KDV D FOHDU YLVLRQ RI his music right from the onset. Though he started making money as a music producer, his hands-on production experience is an asset.

But is "Love Nwantiti" really that special to have topped the global music charts? Maybe not. Nigeria has produced many more goose pimples-arousing songs like Tuface’s "African Queen", 9ice’s "Gongo $VR :HLUG 0&·V ,MR\D %U\PR·V $UD QEH DQG Wizkid’s"Ojuelegba,"justtomentionafew.Butnoneof these great artists had the current streaming platforms to sell their music. They were at the mercy of pirates ZKR IHG RͿ WKHLU ZRUN WhataboutthelikesofWizkid,BurnaBoy,andDavido?

These are award-winning singers with personal tales

CKay of struggles, hard work, and massive collaborative projects with international artists, but they didn't shatter global sales quite like CKay. %XW RQ WKH ÁLS VLGH RI WKH DUJXPHQW SHRSOH MXVW ORYH "Love Nwantiti" and that made it a major cross-over piece for this music generation. Yes, it was a social media challenge-enabled song. True, its popularity was driven by younger people, but there is no data available to understand the key factors behind its historic digital sales. That same phenomenon was observed in December 2021 when Fireboy DML’s Peru remix with Ed Sheeran knocked Mariah Carey's $OO , :DQW IRU &KULVWPDV RͿ WKH QXPEHU RQH VSRW in the December 2021 UK Apple Music chart.

Weighing in on why current songs always have the technology advantage, the Founder and CEO, Mighty Media Plus Network Limited and cultural DFWLYLVW 2OXPLGH ,\DQGD RͿHUHG KLV SHUVSHFWLYH

arguing that it was not a "discrimination" that started with the internet technology.

"The concept of younger artists getting more 6KD]DPHG DV LW LV QRZ LV QRW QHZ KH DUJXHG ,W LV just another episode in the cycle of life. You will notice that over time, people who trend are at the forefront RI ZKDW LV SRSXODU ,Q WKH SDVW LW ZDV FDUWULGJH FDVVHWWH YLQ\O &' RU ZKDWHYHU LW PLJKW EH ,I \RX DUH younger, chances are that you will take advantage of technology because technology will take you higher.

Right now, the ones that are younger are the ones taking advantage of technology as it is.

"You may say it is an age thing. But that is what WHFKQRORJ\ GRHV ,W SXVKHV SHRSOH ZKR DUH WUHQGLQJ and enhances their sales. Those who were ‘reigning' then won’t be as big as new artists now, which is why they won’t have their music shazamed because they are the ones people are listening to right now. Older artists too have songs on shazamed but they are not being streamed like the younger artists."

Commercial sales have never been used in adjudging the depth of artistry, but they are reliable score sheets for brands that love to invest in an artist. Should one be worried about brilliant artists who don't get a phenomenal number of streams?

A few artists and bands from the old school era have thrived on the streaming platforms. The likes of Michael Jackson, Queen, Whitney Houston, Cyndi Lauper, The Beatles, and John Lennon have got billions of streams. But in Nigeria, tech has been discriminatory; more youths have digital skills than theoldergenerationandtendtoconsumetheircontent online. Young people are the force behind emerging social media platforms.

For Nigeria to democratise digital music sales, the older generation of musicians needs curators and managers of their portfolio to avoid being ushered into complete oblivion.

73

THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER MAY 29, 2022

CICERO

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

IN THE ARENA

Managing Post-primaries’ Crises By APC, PDP Given the warning foretaste of the disruptive crises birthed by party primaries so far, political party leaders must brace up and evolve workable strategies to resolve any rebellion after the make-or-mar presidential primaries, writes Louis Achi

A

s the quaint English metaphor goes, “Oft, a little morning rain foretells a pleasant day.” But then what has transpired in the prickly political party primaries held so far hardly portends a pleasant post-party primary camaraderie - especially within the ranks of the governing and main opposition parties- the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). There is reason to worry.

The stakes are extremely high. Nigerians are mindful of the fact that a failure to achieve democratic stability, through transparent electoral processes, both through the delegates and general electorate may imperil the country’s future as a coherent state.

Delegates are party officials who are granted the right to elect candidates during an indirect primary election. It is these candidates thus elected that fly their various political parties’ tickets in the general elections. In effect, these delegates play key roles in the electoral process of the nation’s democracy.

Even ahead of the make-or-mar presidential party primaries, the seismic intrigues within the ruling and main opposition parties, two key behemoths that would largely determine the quality of the imperilled national journey going forward, are hardly heart-warming.

Undeniably, the temptations have always been there for the parties to contrive mischief to muddy the processes. Significantly, financial inducements of delegates and even voters at the general election are often part of the Nigerian politics because of the level of poverty in the land. But the longer term view of the nation’s good must always be factored in instead of being hemmed in the background.

The PDP had fixed its primary election for May 28 and 29, while that of the APC has been scheduled for May 29 and 30. A total of 11,500 delegates selected from across the country would participate in the elections of the two parties. While the APC has 7,800, the leading opposition party has 3,700 delegates.

About 37 aspirants are in the race for the presidential tickets of the two leading parties. While the APC has 23, the PDP has cleared 14 aspirants to compete for its presidential ticket. A major political

figure and presidential aspirant of PDP, Peter Obi quit the party last week.

Obi, in his resignation letter addressed to PDP National Chairman, left no one in doubt of his intention to still contest 2023 elections on the terms and conditions he had championed during his political consultations. Hear him: “our national challenges are deep-seated and require that we each make profound sacrifices towards rescuing our country.

My commitment to rescuing Nigeria remains firm, even if the route differs.”

Further tension spiked in PDP as party stalwarts in the South-east region withdrew from the party primaries en masse. Those that withdrew or tendered their resignation include the Senate Minority Leader, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe and former Deputy Senate President, Senator Ike Ekweremadu. Ekweremadu announced his withdrawal from participating in the PDP governorship primary election which held last Wednesday, May 25, 2022.

Ekweremadu’s position was contained in a statement signed by the Director General of his campaign, Charlse Ogbo Asogwa, who urged supporters of the former Deputy Senate President to remain peaceful.

Obviously, Senator Ekweremadu chose to withdraw before the upcoming party primaries because in line with the amended electoral law, participation in a primary election - win or lose - invalidates

participation in another primary election in another party. This logic is seen to be applicable to Senator Abaribe who withdrew from the governorship primaries of PDP in Abia State and Peter Obi’s stance.

In Rivers State, Senator Magnus Abe not only withdrew from the APC gubernatorial contest but also declared that he has effectively quit being a member of the party. Insisting that he will not accept the outcome of the party’s governorship primary, Senator Abe said the process that produced the delegates for the primary was not credible.

The former lawmaker, who addressed a media briefing at his Freedom House campaign office in the new GRA of Port Harcourt, said notwithstanding the happenings in APC, he will be on the ballot for next year’s election.

Related developments from Sokoto State also followed the same pattern as a founding member of the PDP, Mukhtari Shehu Shagari, formally announced his exit from the PDP, accusing Governor Aminu Tambuwal of barefaced ‘deceit’.

Shagari announced his withdrawal shortly after a stakeholders’ meeting chaired by the governor in which the former Secretary to the State Government was endorsed as the PDP’s flagbearer in the forthcoming election.

In a press statement Shagari who was a former Minister for Water Resources and ex-Deputy Governor of the State, said it was unfortunate that

the governor has no regard for “integrity, honour, and excellence.”

The fallouts so far from these party primaries suggest that major disruptive internal pre-and postprimary party conflicts have reared their heads and will certainly need to be resolved.

The grouse of the party chieftains triggering their mass exit were inspired by hurdles erected by state governors to enable them field their anointed candidates and on the other hand, by top national party leaders, who insisted that the presidential tickets be thrown open.

The Senator Iyorchia Ayu-led executive committee of the PDP had spurned the zoning culture of the party and rather, threw the contest open to all persons regardless of region when it got to the turn of the South-east to produce the presidential candidate. The APC had also done the same.

Meanwhile, in a separate development, a former Group Managing Director of Diamond Bank Plc, Dr. Alex Otti, also withdrew from the APC governorship primary election to enable him contest in another party in line with the amended electoral law.

In another quirky development, the National Chairman of APC, Senator Abdullahi Adamu, probably took political obfuscation to another level when he solemnly proclaimed last week that his party would take a decision on zoning after screening its 2023 presidential aspirants.

For good measure, the aging veteran politician also stated there was no evidence that aspirants were giving money to delegates. Adamu said these in an interview with selected Hausa service media organisations late Wednesday night.

From the unfolding developments, it can be extrapolated that what has transpired so far in the party primaries may pale in comparison with what could happen in the presidential primary. The emerging consensus is that political parties need to brace themselves and evolve workable crisis management templates to handle what crises the primaries may birth.

In this light, folks vested with the responsibility of managing critical pre-election processes, specifically party primaries, ought to approach their briefs according to an understanding - according to a set of principles - that reflect a sense of the permanent destiny of the nation. This remains the serially unmet challenge before Nigeria’s political party hegemons.

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

Monetisation of Delegate Election, Shameful!

Bawa

The last few days of the nomination process by aspirants of all the political parties in the country, has witnessed an unprecedented abuse of the existential lacuna in the nation’s electoral system – the monetisation of delegate nomination process.

For the life of the nation, the sort of money heard and seen to have exchanged hands between politicians seeking elective offices and delegates in whose hands their fate lies, is incredible.

Unfortunately, the crass indiscretion exhibited by the obviously inane members of the National Assembly in the amendment of Section 84 (12) of the Electoral Act, has played a big role in the mess the nomination

process has become.

To think that not one member of the National Assembly – both the Senate and the House of Representatives – saw this electoral trap, which encumbered them, says a lot about the quality of persons in the federal legislature, and how they’re often driven by personal motivation as against collective interest.

Thus, for the mess that this year’s primary elections have become in all the political parties, especially, the two big ones, typifies a shame of the nation.

While it is arguable that vote-buying is not alien to the nation’s electoral culture,

much as there have always been campaigns against it, the show put up this year is beyond comprehension, let alone redemption.

Nonetheless, the nation’s electoral umpire, INEC, has a lot to do regulating some of these stages in the electoral process.

Although the INEC chairman, Mahmood Yakubu, said recently that they had intimated both the EFCC and the ICPC, they need to take step further in terms of enforcement, because at the end of the day, these corrupt choices impact poorly on the entire process and by extension, the reliability of the electoral commission.

THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER MAY 29, 2022

74

BRIEFINGNOTES APC’s Unending Plots against Tinubu’s Ambition Despite the determination of the National Leader of the All Progressives Congress, Senator Bola Tinubu, to test his popularity among members of the party in a presidential primary in line with democratic norms, the leadership of the ruling party has continued subtle plots to scheme him out of the presidential race, Ejiofor Alike reports

T

he Independent National Electoral Commission(INEC)onFridaybowed to pressure from political parties seeking the extension of the June 3 deadline for the conduct of the outstanding primary elections by approving an additional six days extension. Before the electoral umpire extended the deadline, it had rejected the initial request by thepartiesfortheextension.Differentpoliticalparties had requested for the extension for different reasons. For, the All Progressives Congress (APC), therequestfortheextensionwasbelievedtobepart of the unending plots to truncate the presidential ambitionoftheNationalLeaderoftheparty,Senator BolaTinubu,bydraftingformerPresidentGoodluck Jonathan into the race. The former president was believedtohavesubmittedhispresidentialnomination and Expression of Interest (EoI) forms direct to the National Chairman of the party, Senator Adamu Abdullahi.

The ruling APC showed early signs of cracks among its leaders when a former Governor of Kwara State, Dr. Bukola Saraki fought the faction ofthepartyloyaltoTinubutoemergeastheSenate President in 2015.

BeforetheemergenceoftheformerKwaraState governor, Tinubu’s loyalists and a section of Chief Odigie Oyegun-led leadership of the party had anointed the current President of the Senate, Dr. Ahmad Lawan as the party’s preferred choice.

Butindeftmovesthatshockedthesestakeholders, Saraki used his popularity among the Senators of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), his former party, to defeat Lawan.The obvious show of lack of interest in whoever would emerge as the Senate PresidentbyPresidentMuhammaduBuhariandthe apparent lack of personal commitment of Oyegun in the Lawan project had apparently contributed largely to Saraki’s victory.

NosoonerdidSarakiemergethantheAPCleaders started a supremacy war that landed Saraki in the dock on corruption charges. At this point, forces loyal to Tinubu aligned with the Presidency and a sectionoftheparty’sleadershiptofightSaraki.The entireleadershipofthepartylaterjoinedintheplots againstSarakiwhenaformerGovernorofEdoState, ComradeAdamsOshiomhole,astrongallyofTinubu, replaced Oyegun as the National Chairman of APC. It took the political sagacity of the former Kwara State governor to survive the plots against him.

Saraki, not only successfully completed his four-year tenure but also escaped conviction by both the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) and the courts. He, however, lost his re-election bid in 2019 general election.

With Saraki out of the way, the party, under Oshiomhole, successfully installed Lawan as the Senate President after the 2019 general election.

The bond between the Oshiomhole-led leadership of the party andTinubu also became very strong to

Tinubu the discomfort of many governors, Presidency officials,ministersandotherleadersoftheparty whohadaneyeonthePresidencyaheadof2023.

These leaders, some of whom wereTinubu’s formerallies,knewthattheformerLagosState governor also had an eye on 2023 presidency.

HisclosenesstoOshiomholefuelledafreshplot against the Oshiomhole-led National Working Committee(NWC)oftheAPC,largelydominated

by Tinubu’s loyalists.

Oshiomhole’s alleged high-handedness in handling the party’s affairs also contributed to the plot.The anti-Oshiomhole and anti-Tinubu forceshadtheirwayinJune2020whentheparty, in a controversial virtual meeting of its National ExecutiveCommittee(NEC),sackedtheNWCand appointed a caretaker committee for the party.

The caretaker committee was led by the Yobe State Governor, Mai-Mala Buni, with a former

senator, John Akpanudoedehe, as secretary.

Onassumptionofoffice,theBuni-ledcaretaker committee,whosetenurewassupposedtolast for six months, extended its tenure repeatedly in an apparent move to design fresh strategies to clipTinubu’s wings ahead of 2023. In a bid to ensure thatTinubu’s men did not dominate the incoming NWC of the party, Buni and his team shifted the National Convention of the party several times.

Many political analysts believed that if APC had done National Convention when they were supposed to do it,Tinubu’s loyalists would have clinched all the important positions. Many also believedthatifAPChadsinceconductedanopen and competitive primary, without any interference by other forces, Tinubu would have since emerged as the presidential candidate of the party.ButBuniandhiscommitteewerebelieved

to have delayed National Convention longer than necessary just to stop Tinubu. There were strong speculations that his committee was appointed to takeoverthepartyinthefirstplacejusttotruncate the ambition of the Jagaban of Borgu Kingdom.

At a point, Buni and his committee had to visit former President Jonathan to woo him during his birthday in 2020. Many analysts saw the visit as part of the game to stop Tinubu and also ensure that power returns to the North after the next four years. When the National Convention was finally heldonMarch26,theseforcesalsomadesurethat Tinubu’s allies were denied sensitive positions.

Tinubu,asapoliticalstrategist,whoalwaysthinks aheadofhisopponents,wassuspectedtohavesupportedalltheleadingchairmanshipaspirantsofthe party.Somestakeholdersinthepartybelievedthat the former Governor of Nasarawa State, Senator UmaruTankoAl-Makurawouldhaveemergedasthe chairman of the party in the March 26 convention becausehewasveryclosetoBuhariandwastheonly governorinBuhari’sdefunctCongressforProgressiveChange(CPC).ButwhenBuhari’shandlerssaw Tinubu’sallegedhandsinAl-Makura’sambition,they settled for another former Governor of Nasarawa State, Senator Adamu, who left PDP only in 2014.

Interestingly, both were serving senators.

Adamu was not originally in the APC national chairmanship race. He was doing his work as chairman of APC reconciliation committee when other aspirantswereembarkingonnationwideconsultations.However,Adamu,whowasbelievednottobean associateofTinubu,wasdraftedintotheraceatthe last-minute and anointed as consensus candidate, aspartoftheplotstowhittledownTinubu’stowering influence and popularity in the party.

Tinubu’s loyalists believed that some of the nine guidelines imposed on the APC aspirants in the form of code of conduct, including the signing of voluntary withdrawal form were also among the fresh strategies by the Adamu-led leadership to facilitatetheemergenceofanimposedconsensus candidate.

The failed attempt to draft the President of the African Development Bank (AfDB), Dr. Akinwumi Adesina, into the race and the ongoing secret move to lure Jonathan into the race were also believed to be part of the anti-Tinubu plots. Other plots against the former Lagos State governor include the repeated extension of sale of APC presidential forms, shifting of the screening of presidential candidates and INEC’s extension of deadline for the remaining primaries, which many believe will pave way for Jonathan’s entry into the race.

Many stakeholders in APC believe that Tinubu will emerge victorious in any open, free, and fair presidential primary but the leadership of the ruling party is determined to stop him. However, it is doubtful if the ruling party can successfully stop him without suffering collateral damage.

NOTES FOR FILE

2023: A Mark-up in Nigeria’s Progressive Politics

Yakubu

A lot of people would naturally contend that the path to the 2023 elections have not been particularly encouraging. And as disturbing as some of the developments in the journey to 2023 have turned out, there are still a few positive changes, that might have marked some significant progress in the nation’s democratic trajectory.

One of such is the style of campaigns to delegates, which saw presidential hopefuls visiting nearly all the states of the federation, one by one to campaign for votes and support, the same way it is done in the United States of America.

The US presidential nomination convention system is unique both in concept and structure that, once they start from Iowa, for instance, they go from state to

state and on a particular day tagged “Super Tuesday”, when the greatest number of US states hold primary elections and caucuses, approximately one-third of all delegates to the presidential nominating convention could be won on that day, more than any other day.

Therefore, it’s been interesting to see the Nigerian politicians travel similar route since the race to 2023 began. Although a former governor of Lagos State, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, could be said to have blazed the trail in this all-new approach to the presidential nomination process, he ultimately set the standard for other politicians to follow.

Unliketheoldpractice,whichsawdelegatesmovedto Abuja in state-by-state clusters and marooned in hotels, where they would conveniently deal and trade in their

own terms with aspirants, cashing out in moderations, the new approach, championed by Tinubu, forced all the key aspirants to visit nearly all the states of the federation,zoneafterzone–metwiththegovernors,who also created the atmosphere conducive for meetings with the delegates by the aspirants.

Overall, this is a welcome development, which must be encouraged and sustained, because by implications, it confers more honour and respect on the delegate as critical to the election of candidates and not some expendables hauled to Abuja, paid for an assignment and discarded once the show is over. What must be addressed, going forward, is the monetisation of the process,whichissuretodestroythenation’sdemocratic gains and credibility, if not cultured.

75

THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER MAY 29, 2022

CICERO/ISSUES

More Intrigues as APC Shifts Convention The All Progressives Congress has rescheduled its national convention due to proceed today by one week underlining the intrigues that have shadowed the schemes to produce a successor to President Muhammadu Buhari, Adedayo Akinwales writes

F

ollowing the decision of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to give political parties a week’s grace to conduct their primaries and to submit the lists of political candidates, the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has postponed its presidential primary initially scheduled to hold on Sunday, May 29 and Monday, May 30, 2022.

The electoral body had given the extension to give political parties time to compile the list and personal particulars of their nominated candidates before uploading the same to the INEC Candidates Nomination Portal from June 10 to 17, 2022.

INEC’s National Commissioner and Chairman of Information and Voter Education Committee, Festus Okoye, who announced the extension on Friday in Abuja, said it was in response to the pressure of political parties.

Okoye said: “Once again, the political parties requested the commission to review the timelines for political party primaries provided in the Timetable and Schedule of Activities for the conduct of the 2023 General Election released on Saturday 26th February 2022.

“Earlier, the political parties had requested for 37 – 60 days extension of the timeline for primaries and the nomination of candidates.

The commission was emphatic that this request could not be granted because it would disrupt other scheduled activities on the Timetable. This position of the commission has not changed.

“However, based on the Timetable and Schedule of Activities for the 2023 General Election, the parties have now pleaded with the commission to use the six-day period between 4th and 9th June 2022 to conclude outstanding primaries and prepare to upload the list of candidates and their affidavits on the INEC Candidates Nomination Portal. The commission did not schedule any specific activity during this period. The idea is to simply give parties time to compile the list and personal particulars of their nominated candidates before uploading same to the INEC Candidates Nomination Portal from 10th – 17th June 2022.

“The commission has decided to allow the request of the political parties since the sixday period does not conflict with the next scheduled activity which is the submission of the list of nominated candidates or any of the subsequent timelines which remain sacrosanct.

However, this request is granted in respect of outstanding primaries only without prejudice to those already concluded by political parties. The commission will not monitor already concluded primaries,” Okoye said.

Explaining further he said, “After the conduct of primaries, the next critical activity for political parties is the online submission of the list of the candidates the party proposes to sponsor which shall be accompanied by an affidavit sworn to by the candidates indicating that they fulfilled all the constitutional requirements for election into the various offices via the INEC Candidates Nomination Portal.

“In addition, the commission, based on past experience, has decided to train the political party officials to make efficient and effective use of the portal. The commission will train four officials from each of the 18 political parties, making a total of 72 in all.

“Unfortunately, some of the political parties are still yet to submit their nominees for the training. The commission hereby reminds such parties to do so immediately. The commission wishes to reiterate that only electronically submitted nominations will be processed.

“Political parties are therefore advised to ensure that their primaries are free of rancour in order to meet the timelines for the remaining activities embodied in the Timetable and Schedule of Activities for the 2023 general election,” he said.

But, the National Publicity Secretary of the party, Mr. Felix Morka disclosed this in a statement issued on Saturday, saying the primary will now hold between Monday, June 6 and Wednesday, June 8.

He said: “Following the Independent National Electoral Commission’s extension of deadline for the submission of list of candidates by political parties, the All Progressives Congress (APC) hereby postpones its Special Convention for Presidential Primary from Sunday, 29th - Monday, 30th of May, 2022 to Monday, 6th - Wednesday, 8th of June, 2022.”

APC’s postponement of the its presidential primaries has further opened to the party to intrigues, leaving the aspirants in the cold.

The postponement came amid rumours that President Muhammadu Buhari had mandated the national chairman of the

party, Senator Abdullahi Adamu, to work with the party’s governors to trim the number of aspirants to 10 to enable the president make a choice on a possible successor.

There are presently 25 aspirants in the race for the APC presidential ticket. They are: Vice President Yemi Osinbajo; Senate President, Dr. Ahmad Lawan; Senator Bola Tinubu; former Minister of Transportation, Mr. Rotimi Amaechi; former Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Senator Godswill Akpabio; former Minister of Science, Technology and Innovations, Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu; former Imo State governor, Senator Rochas Okorocha and former Ogun State governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosu.

Others are: Pastor Tunde Bakare; Cross River State governor, Prof. Ben Ayade; his Ebonyi State counterpart, Mr. Dave Umahi; Ekiti State governor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi; former Minister of State, Education, Hon. Emeka Nwajiuba; former Senate President, Dr. Ken Nnamani; Kogi State governor, Yahaya Bello; Jigawa State governor, Mohammed Badaru Abubakar and former Zamfara State governor, Senator Ahmed Yerima.

Also on the list are: Senator Ajayi Borroffice, the only female aspirant, Mrs. Uju Kennedy; Pastor Nicholas Nwagbo; former Speaker of Representatives, Hon. Dimeji Bankole; former Minister of Information, Chief Ikeobasi Mokelu and Mr. Tein Jack Rich.

THISDAY gathered that the postponement of the primaries has heightened anxiety among the aspirants over alleged plans to impose former President Goodluck Jonathan as the candidate of the party.

A Federal High Court in Bayelsa State had on Friday ruled that Jonathan was eligible to contest the 2023 presidential election.

Delivering in a suit suit marked FHC/YNG/ CS/86/2022, and filed by Andy Solomon and Idibiye Abraham, and listed Jonathan, the APC and INEC as first, second, and third defendants, respectively, Justice Isa Dashen held that Jonathan’s right to vie for the office of president again could not be stopped by any retroactive law.

Justice Dashen dismissed the reliefs sought by the plaintiffs and held that the swearing in of Jonathan as acting President on May 6, 2010, after the death of President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua, was a constitutional provision.

According to the judge, the 2007 general election produced Yar’Adua as president and not Jonathan, stressing that Section 137 of the Constitution could not have a retroactive effect to stop him from contesting the forthcoming presidential poll.

Justice Dashen ruled that there was no presidential election conducted in the country in 2010 and Jonathan could not be deemed to have been sworn into the office of the President that year.

The judgment, it was learnt, had begun to unsettle the other 25 aspirants of the APC. The belief in some quarters is that the ruling party may have settled for an ‘imposed consensus’ arrangement to produce its presidential candidate ahead of the 2023 elections; this, perhaps, is why it has not screened any aspirants as initially indicated.

The party had scheduled screening of its presidential aspirants a fortnight ago but kept postponing the date with the last shift said to be indefinite, due basically to a subtle move to impose a candidate from among the plethora of aspirants.

It was gathered that the party was overwhelmed by the number of aspirants especially with many party bigwigs joining the race. In order to accommodate all aspirants and ensure no nerves are frayed, it has been decided that a meeting with Buhari on the eve of the election will ensure that the president uses his good offices to decide who emerges.

The belief is that once the president decides at the meeting that will involve all aspirants, none of the aspirants will kick against his decision.

The president had stated in January that he had a candidate but will not reveal the person for fear that he could be “eliminated” but will make that known in due course.

Even though Jonathan had on many occasions distanced himself from attempts to draft him into the APC presidential race, his backers have been demanding that he should be adopted as the consensus candidate without going through indirect or direct primaries.

They are also insisting that he should be saved from the rigour of facing founding APC members including the national leader, Tinubu, the Vice President Osinbajo and others during the party’s presidential primaries.

For now, the presidential aspirants and other members of the party are carefully watching the intrigues playing out and where it would lead to.

76

THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER MAY 29, 2022

CICERO/REPORT

As Court Breathes New Life into LG Administration A Federal High Court last Monday dismissed a suit by the 36 governors challenging the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit’s guidelines on the spending of the local governments’ funds. Alex Enumah writes that the next few months would decide if this judgment stop state governors from tampering with their statutory allocations of local governments from the Federation Account

A

Federal High Court (FHC) in Abuja last Monday breathed life into local government administration in the country when it threw out a suit by the 36 governors challenging the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU) guidelines on the spending of the local governments’ funds. The governors had in the suit marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/563/2019 asked the court to stop NFIU from implementing the guidelines.

In May 2019, NFIU issued some guidelines to guard against the overbearing influence of state governments in the administration of local governments’ monthly allocations. The agency also threatened to deal with individuals and companies abetting the diversion of local government funds with local and international sanctions. The guidelines also reduced cash withdrawal from local government accounts to N500,000 daily.

Dissatisfied with the development, the 36 state governors, through their Attorneys-General and Commissioner for Justice, argued among others that the NFIU guidelines, particularly provisions 1 to 6 and the penalties prescribed are ultra vires (outside or beyond) the power of the NFIU, under sections 3 (1) and 23(2) (a) of the Nigerian Financial Intelligent Unit Act, 2018 and therefore unconstitutional.

The Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE) and the Attorney-General of the Federation are named as defendants in the case filed by state Attorney-Generals.

During the legal fireworks on March 2, the lawyer to the state governments, Omonsoya Popoola, said the state governments are not subject to the control of the NFIU. He told the court that going by the operation of the State Joint Local Government Account, the states are regulated by legislation passed by the State Houses of Assembly, not the NFIU. He urged the court to declare that the NFIU lacks the statutory powers to make guidelines for the regulation, monitoring and operation of the State Joint Local Government Accounts.

But the AGF represented by the acting Director, Civil Appeals at the Federal Ministry of Justice, Tijjani Gazali (SAN), said the NFIU has not encroached on the powers of the states or local governments.

He contended that “it is clear from the provisions of the NFIU Act, especially Section 23 (2) (a) and Section 28 (2) and Section 31 of the NFIU Act, that the unit has the power to make the guidelines.”

“There is nothing wrong or unconstitutional about the NFIU guidelines as they do not usurp the powers of the plaintiffs,” Gazali told the court.

Similarly, counsel to the NFIU, Arthur Okafor (SAN), said the agency acted within its statutory powers to prevent abuse of office and other forms of financial crimes that might arise at the local government level.

After listening to the final addresses by parties to the matter, trial judge, Justice Inyang Ekwo, dismissed the case for lacking in merit. Before then, he had struck out the name of the Nigerian Governors’ Forum, the umbrella body of the 36 governors, as a co-plaintiff in the suit on the grounds that it lacked the locus standi to file the suit.

Justice Ekwo then went further to declare that he could not see where the guidelines contradict Sections 7(1), (6) (a) and (b) of the 1999 Constitution. He added that the guidelines also did not conflict with the provision of Section 162(6) of the Constitution, which

Some state governors creates the State Joint Local Government Account, into which allocations to the local government councils from the Federation Account and state governments are paid.

According to him, the guidelines also did not contradict Section 162(8) of the Constitution, which prescribes that the amount standing to the credit of a council shall be distributed in such manner as may be prescribed by a House of Assembly..

The judge also said that the guidelines also did not contradict the provisions of the 4th Schedule of the Constitution, which prescribes the functions of a local government. He pointed out that the “duty of the court is limited to expounding the law and not expanding it.”

He added: “On the whole, I see the provisions of the guidelines of the 2nd defendant as seeking to direct the monitoring of accounts, transfers and any other means of payment or transfer of funds of local government councils as provided for in Section 3 (1) (r) of the Act of the NFIU. “It only limits cash withdrawal made from any Local Government Account anywhere in the country to an amount not exceeding N500,000 per day. Any amount higher than that can be done using other methods of banking transaction save cash.

“Unless it can be shown that there is any provision of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) which these provisions of the 2nd defendant’s guidelines have contradicted or conflicted directly and practically, then the issue of unconstitutionality cannot be said to arise.

“I also find that the case of the plaintiffs has not been established and I so hold.

I find, in the end, that the case of the plaintiffs lacks merit and ought to be dismissed and it is hereby dismissed.”

Local government is the third tier of government in Nigeria. It is the closest arm of government to the people. Its mandate is to take development to the local people.

But since the enthronement of democracy in the country in1999, local government administration has been hijacked by state governments. Governors do not only choose their cronies to administer

the local governments, they also dictate how their finances, especially allocations from the Federation Account should be spent. The practice cuts across political parties with a predominant number of state governments regarding the third tier of government as mere administrative appendages placed under commissioners for local government and chieftaincy matters.

This has made the third tier of government not only to lose its financial independence but operational autonomy, and rendering them redundant and incapable of rendering even the simplest of social services to the grassroots. The situation is said to be a major reason for underdevelopment at the local government levels.

Many observers had wondered if the state governors would allow the policy to work considering their firm control of the councils and the huge money they get from them as slush funds. They had also wondered if they would not device another strategy to circumvent or thwart the policy.

Since 1999, all the efforts and attempts to grant autonomy to the local government through constitutional amendment have always been thwarted by governors. Even several courts, including the Supreme Court have tried to intervene on a number of occasions on the overbearing attitude of the governors on the local government to no avail. Not only are elections not conducted or chairmen and councillors frequently removed at will, sole administrators and caretaker committees are frequently set up to run their affairs all because of their revenue.

THISDAY gathered that it was against this background that the federal government alarmed by the continuous misuse of cash allocated to local councils across the country by state governments through the State Joint Local Government Accounts (SJLGA), outlawed the meddling of states in council allocations via the NFIU, which was excised from the EFCC. However lofty the NFIU guidelines were, many had believed it had to surmount a legal hurdle as Section 162 (8) of the

1999 Constitution empowers the states to distribute allocation to councils “among the local government councils of that state on such terms and in such manner as may be prescribed by the House of Assembly of the state.”

But in March 2022, to address the challenge, the National Assembly passed a bill abolishing the state joint local government account and providing for a special account where all allocations due to the local government councils, from the federation account and state government, shall be paid.

In the bill, each local government council is to create and maintain its own special account to be called the Local Government Allocation Account into which all the allocations will be paid.

The legislation also mandates each state to pay to local government councils in its area of jurisdiction such proportion of its internally generated revenue on such terms and in such manner as may be prescribed by the House of Assembly.

However, since the bill seeks to amend a constitutional provision, it has to receive the approval of at least 24 state Houses of Assembly.

While this is still pending, the NFIU is determined to go ahead with the implementation of its guidelines.

In commending the court judgment, the agency vowed to provide details of transactions involving local government funds to the anti-corruption agencies: EFCC and ICPC. The Director/CEO of the NFIU, Modibbo Tukur, described the judge’s decision as “excellent.” In a statement released by the NFIU’s chief media analyst, Ahmed Dikko, Tukur declared that all transactions on local government monies would be disclosed to the anti-corruption agencies: ICPC and EFCC. He said the federal government is always prepared to protect states and local governments by providing cash for their governance responsibilities. He added that local governments can now decide on funding that can be used to improve local security.

“All transactions on local government monies would be revealed to the ICPC and the EFCC 100 per cent and will be reported continually,” the NFIU chief stated.

77

THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER MAY 29, 2022

CICERO/REPORT

Buhari’s Administration at 7

Deji Elumoye examines the achievements and expectations of the Muhammadu Buhari-led administration as it clocks seven today

T

Infrastructure Development Fund (PIDF), investing over $1 billion in three flagship projects namely Lagos-Ibadan Expressway (for completion in 2022), Second Niger Bridge (for completion in 2022), and the Abuja-Kaduna-Zaria-Kano Expressway (first phase for completion in 2023). The Executive Order 7 of 2019 Issued by Buhari on January 25, 2019, on the Road Infrastructure Development and Refurbishment Investment Tax Credit Scheme, allows companies that are willing and able to spend their own funds on constructing critical roads, to recover their construction costs by paying reduced taxes, over a period of time, and in a transparent manner.

So far, more than N1 trillion has been mobilised through Executive Order 7, for road projects across all six geopolitical zones of the country, like Bodo-Bonny road in Rivers and Apapa- Oshodi-Oworonshoki-Ojota road in Lagos.

oday,May29,2022,markstheseventh anniversary of President Muhammadu Buhari as President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Buhari was elected into office in 2015 on the platform of All Progressives Congress (APC) after defeating then the incumbent President Goodluck Jonathan of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

In his inaugural address, he had promised Nigerians that his administration would focus on the economy, corruption and security.

Security and Justice Reform The security challenges facing the nation have been a major concern to the Buhari administration since it assumed office seven years ago.The growing security skirmishes in different parts of the country became an embarrassment to government at a particular time that it had had to rejig the security architecture leading to the sack of the service chiefs and the Inspector-General of Police in 2021.

According to the Global Terrorism Index 2022, deaths caused by Boko Haram dropped by 92 per cent from 2,131 in 2015 to 178 in 2021. The report acknowledged Nigeria’s “successful counter- insurgency operations targeting Boko Haram” as a leading cause of the reduction in terrorism deaths in Sub-Saharan Africa. Before Buhari came to power, lack of adequate weapons was the major challenge facing the Armed Forces. To address this challenge, the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has acquired 38 brand new aircraft since President Buhari assumed office in 2015.

These include (10 x Super Mushshak; 5 x Mi-35M Helicopters; 2 x Bell 412 Helicopters; 4 x Agusta 109 Helicopters; 2 x Mi-171E Helicopters; 12 x A-29 Super Tucano; and 3 x JF-17 Thunder). NAF is expecting another 36 new ones (12 new AH-1Z Attack Helicopters and 24 M-346 Fighter Attack aircraft), which have already been ordered.

The Nigerian Navy has also acquired more than 400 new platforms since 2015, including 172 Riverine Patrol Boats (RPBs), 114 Rigid- Hull Inflatable Boats (RHIBs), 2 Seaward Defence Boats (SDBs), 12 Manta Class/Inshore Patrol Craft (IPC), three Whaler Boats, four Barges/Tugboats, 22 Fast Attack Boats, 14 Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), four Helicopters, 14 RiverTown Class, 14 House Boats and four Capital Ships. Nigerian Navy has also established a Naval Base Lake Chad in Baga, Borno State, as well as received Presidential approval for new Naval Bases in Lekki, Lagos, and Oguta, Imo State, and Kano, Kano State.

Ongoing major security operations nationwide include: Operation Hadin Kai (North-east), Operation Lake Sanity (North-east), Operation Desert Sanity (North East), Operation Hadarin Daji (North-west), Operation Sharan Daji (North-west), Operation Safe Haven (North-central), Operation Whirl Stroke (North-central), Operation Delta Safe (South-south) and Operation Dakatar Da Barawo (South-south).

As part of Criminal Justice Reforms, President Buhari in 2020 granted amnesty to 2,600 prisoners nationwide, representing about 3.5 per cent of all inmates, in a bid to decongest Nigeria’s prison population.

Legislative Reforms Under President Buhari, several landmark bills have been passed or amended in the last seven years, including the following: Electoral Act (Amendment) Bill 2022, Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Bill, 2022, which repeals the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011 as amended, and provides a comprehensive legal and institutional framework for the prevention and prohibition of money laundering in Nigeria. It also confers on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the legal status of the Special Control Unit Against Money Laundering. Also passed is the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Bill, 2022, which repeals the Terrorism (Prevention) Act, 2011 as amended in 2013, and provides for the effective implementation of international instruments on the prevention and combating of terrorism and suppression of the financing of terrorism. Proceeds of Crime (Recovery and Management) Bill, 2022, which makes comprehensive provisions for the seizure, confiscation, forfeiture, and management of properties derived from unlawful activity. Deep Offshore and Inland Basin Production Sharing

Buhari Contracts Act, 1993 (Amendment) Act, 2019, which will deliver increased revenues to the federation, was also passed. Also passed is the Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON) Amendment Acts of 2019 and 2021.

An Act establishing the Police Trust Fund, which will significantly improve funding for the Nigeria Police Force (2019), was also passed. The Nigeria Police Act, 2020 is the first comprehensive reform of police legislation since the Police Act of 1943.

The country has also witnessed the repeal and Re-Enactment of the Companies & Allied Matters Act (CAMA), 2020 – the first comprehensive reform since 1990. Also enacted is the Not Too Young to Run Bill (2018)–a Constitution Amendment Bill, to reduce the age of eligibility for running for elective office in Nigeria. Bill to grant financial autonomy to states’ Houses of Assembly and states’ Judiciary (2018); Finance Act 2019 and 2020; the Discrimination Against Persons with Disabilities (Prohibition) Act, 2018, among many others, were also passed.

Infrastructure President Buhari’s administration has also embarked on ambitious federal infrastructure programme. The Infrastructure Corporation of Nigeria (InfraCorp) was established by in February 2021, with initial seed Capital of N1trillion, provided by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), the Nigerian Sovereign Investment Authority (NSIA) and the Africa Finance Corporation (AFC). InfraCorp’s goal is to “to catalyse and accelerate investment into Nigeria’s infrastructure sector by originating, structuring, executing and managing end-to-end bankable projects in that space. In addition to the N1 trillion equity seed capital, InfraCorp is expected to mobilise up to an additional N14 trillion of debt capital.

Rail Services It is unfortunate that much as the present administration tried as much as to provide rail transportation to thousands of commuters across the country, the coaches are not safe which informed the attack in April, 2022, on a Kaduna-bound train by terrorists, resulting in the death of some passengers, while several others are still being held captive by the terrorists. The Buhari’s administration should as a matter of urgency secure the release of the passengers in the terrorists den as well as ensure that necessary security are provided for the railway coaches plying all the routes across the country.

Be that as it may, the Buhari administration has focused more attention on the completion of rail line projects it inherited from the Jonathan government.

It included the156-kilometre Lagos-Ibadan Standard Gauge Rail completed and commissioned, within a record-time of four years (2017 to 2021); 8.72km extension to Lagos-Ibadan Rail Line, to Lagos Port Complex, completed in 2021.

The 186km Abuja-Kaduna Standard Gauge Rail Line, completed and commissioned in 2016 while the 327km Itakpe-Warri Standard Gauge Rail was also completed and commissioned in 2020, 33 years after construction began. As part of this project, there was the full rehabilitation of the Railway Village, Agbor, as well as construction of a Railway Ancillary Facilities Yard, also in Agbor.

In 2021 the Line commenced commercial freight haulage, transporting pipelines for the AKK Gas Pipeline project.

Construction has commenced on KadunaKano Standard Gauge Rail Line, following the ground-breaking by President Buhari in July 2021.

Ground-breaking has also been performed for the construction of 284km Kano-Maradi Standard Gauge Rail (with branch line to Dutse), while preliminary works started 2021. Ground-breaking has also been done for complete revamp of Port Harcourt–Maiduguri Narrow Gauge Rail. Work has kicked off in 2022. 377 Wagons, 64 Coaches, and 21 Locomotives (including DMUs) purchased for the Standard Gauge network, between 2016 and 2021.

On jobs, training and capacity building, more than 11,000 new jobs created from the on-going rail modernisation projects in the country. More than 100 qualified young Nigerians were awarded full international scholarships for undergraduate/ graduate courses in rail engineering and transport in China, from 2018.

In addition, dozens of Nigerian Engineers have been trained as part of the railway modernisation projects. This administration has also embarked on the establishment of a new Transportation University in Daura, Katsina State, and a new Rail Wagon Assembly Plant in Kajola, Ogun State – both nearing completion of construction.

Already, 3,000 tonnes of cement are transported monthly through train freight service from Lagos to Kano.

Roads The massive road construction projects of the present government resulted in the Presidential

Education In the area of education, the recurring strike by both academic and non-academic staff of public universities in the country appear worrisome. Members of both the Academic Staff Union of Nigerian Universities (ASUU) and Non Academic Staff of Nigerian Universities (NASU) are on work-to-rule action over unresolved issues with the federal government. For several months, the public universities have been under lock and key with the students staying idle at home.

The federal government needs to ensure that all outstanding issues on the past negotiations with the university workers are resolved and quickly too so that the university system can become functional again.

It is, however, noteworthy that the administration has committed more than N2 trillion of capital intervention tto Nigeria’s tertiary institutions, through various means, including TETFund – with the universities taking the lion share of the total amount.

The federal government has also disbursed more than N240 billion in UBE Matching Grants to States and the FCT since 2015, and N24 billion from the Teachers Professional Development Fund to States and the FCT. It is on record that government launched the Alternate School Programme (ASP), designed to ensure that every out-of-school child in Nigeria gains access to quality basic education, irrespective of social, cultural or economic circumstance, in line with the aspirations of Sustainable Development Goal 4 (SDG-4).

There was also presidential approval for a new (extended) retirement age of 65 and length of service of 40 years for teachers in Public Basic and Secondary Schools in Nigeria (both effective January 1, 2021), a new Special Teachers Salary Scale (effective January 1, 2022), a new Special Teachers Pension Scheme and the Establishment of the National Senior Secondary Education Commission (NSSEC) to regulate secondary education in the country.

Reduction in number of out-of-school children, by 3,247,590 as of December 31, 2020, achieved through a World Bank-financed programme known as ‘Better Education Service Delivery for All’ (BESDA).

About 1.79 million of that number was achieved through formal schools while 1.4 million are through non-formal interventions such as Almajiri, Girl-Child, Nomadic/Migrant and IDPs Education).

Support to States The present administration also assisted the 36 state governments and the FCT. It has extended more than N2 trillion in bailout packages to state governments, to enable them to meet their salary and pension obligations, especially in the face of dwindling oil revenues in the first three years of the administration.

The support was in the form of the following: Budget Support Facility (total of N614 billion extended to the states. Paris Club Refunds ($5.4 billion) Infrastructure Loans and Refunds. More than N700 billion for Federal Road projects embarked upon by state governments was refunded to the states. On loan restructuring for facilities with commercial banks, the DMO had in 2015, restructured commercial bank loans with a total value of N575.516 billion for 23 states to reduce the debt service burden on the states. In exchange for their loans to state governments, the banks were issued 20-year FGN Bonds at a yield of 14.83 per cent yearly.

SUNDAY MAY 29, 2022 • T H I S D AY

79

THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER MAY 29, 2022

78

CICERO/ISSUES

Renewed Quest for Public Order on Lagos Roads The recent brutal murder and setting ablaze of a 37-year-old sound engineer, David Umoh, by some commercial motorcycle operators, has compelled the Lagos State Government to ban their operations in six local councils as part of the efforts to end the reign of impunity and rascality on Lagos roads, Gboyega Akinsanmi reports

Sanwo-Olu

T

he morning after some religious extremistswentwildinSokotoState, Lagos had its own share of mob violence.UnlikeDeborahYakubuthatwas stonedtodeathinthenortherncityfor alleged blasphemy against Prophet Muhammad,commercialmotorcycle operators,believedtobelargelyofnorthernextraction, summarily terminated of a 37-year-old sound engineer, David Umoh over a trump-up allegation thathewasaritualist.Aseyewitnessaccountslater revealed,theallegationwaspurelyatissueoflies.The uglyincidentwassaidtohavestartedasanargument betweenUmohandacommercialmotorcycleoperator that brought him to Lekki for a public engegement.

Argumentensuedbecausenoneofthemwaswilling to part with a balance of N100.

Ratherthanfindingawaytosettlehispassenger, according to reports, the rider mobilised other operators to fight his cause. This led to a situation in which the riders intentionally framed Umoh as a ritualist, and snuffed life out of him within the space of few minutes.

Already, the police have arrested 11 suspects involved directly or indirectly in the murder of the sound engineer.

There was a sudden twist last week, which triggered public concerns in nearly all parts of the state on likelihood of the case being compromised by the police, following the claim by one Adio Oluwole Bashir, who described himself as an operative of the Department of State Services (DSS). Bashir claimed that he had resigned from the service amid controversiesthattrailedUmoh’sdeath.Inatwo-page statement that triggered public apprehension last week, he documented how he claimed to have led intelligence officers that investigated the killing of Umoh.Healsonarratedhowtheprimesuspectswere successfully tracked and eventually arrested, and how some important personalities from the North called him to compromise the facts of the case and release the suspects unconditionally.

Bashir also alleged that he was eventually redeployedtoBornoStateduetohisrefusaltocompromise thecase. Hefurtherallegedthattherewereplotsto replace the prime suspects with the new ones, who he claimed, were not connected to the case.

But the spokesman of the DSS, Dr. Peter Afunanyadisputedtheseclaimsonthreegrounds.

Inthefirstinstance,heclaimed,Bashirisneither a serving nor retired staff on its payroll. Also, he claimed, Bashir’s writing style shows that he is an impostor. Finally, he claimed that findings revealed that Bashir was likely to be a member ofseparatistgroupsthatwantedtoigniteethnoreligious conflicts.

Despite the clarifications of the DSS, public concernshaveremainedunabated.Grace,thewife of the victim, is now crying for justice alongside her children. Like her in-laws and relatives, she wantedthekillersofherhusbandtofacethewrath of the law. Civil society organisations (CSOs), in their good numbers, are mounting pressure on the state governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, demanding daily briefings on the investigation and prosecution of Umoh’s killers as a way to prevent the case from being compromised.

Thereasonsforthismountingpublictension are not far-fetched. Umoh was not the first victim of commercial motorcyclists’ jungle justice in Lagos, though his case might be the mostdespicableofallcases.InMarch2016,for instance,anokadariderhitapregnantwomanin Mile12.Healsodeclinedtherequesttotakethe woman to the hospital in the neighboorhoods.

Eventually, the victim gave up the ghost after some days. The report of her death triggered a tribal conflict that claimed no fewer than 12 lives and houses burnt.

In December 2016, also, a senior officer of Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA), Olatunji Bakare was another victim of violence perpetrated by these motorcycle operators. His assailants clubbed Bakare to death in Apapa without regard for his uniform.

In September 2021, Kazeem Abunde, a Chief Superintendent of Police, was murdered like a criminal in Ajao Estate for no other offence than trying to enforce public order. In 2021, a destitutewaskilledandsetablazearoundAlakija/ Abule Ado axis of Lagos-Badagry Expressway bythesecommercialmotorcyclists,whoclaimed thattheysawsuspectedarmedrobbershanding overAK-47riflestoher.Whenthestructurethat

served as her shelter was searched, no weapon or any incriminating material was found.

Inmosttheseincidents,suspectswerearrested.

Insomeofthecases,chargeswerefiled.However, according to some prosecutors, the facts of the cases often suffered distortion, which made the prosecutionofthesuspectsdifficult,ifnotimpossible.Inafewcases,asaformerchieflawofficerof thestatehadrevealedonconditionofanonymity,the primesuspectswerereplacedwithsomeconvicts already serving jail terms.

In other cases, a former lawmaker claimed that northernleadershiredveryseniorlawyerstodefend thesuspectsandfrustratetheirtrial.Theseprevious incidents,obviously,justifiedthepublicapprehension that the killers of Umoh might escape justice followingtheclaimsandcounter-claimsofDSSand Bashir. As the members of the public clamour for justice,thereseemstobeaconsensusamongLagos residents on the need for absolute enforcement of the Lagos StateTransport Sector Reform Law, 2018 statewide rather than enforcement in six local councils. Under Part III, the law essentially prohibitedcommercialmotorcycleoperationfrom 475highwaysoutof9,100roadsacrossthestate.

Whileitrestrictstheirmovementto10:00p.m., thelawprohibitsthemfromoperatingonallbridges, Lagos Island and Victoria Island. Consistent with the law, the demand for outright enforcement has beenjustifiedduetothreereasons,soastorestore public order and safety in the metropolis.

First, the loss of lives resulting from okada accidentsisunacceptable.Statisticalevidence,which theCommissionerforInformationandStrategy,Mr. Gbenga Omotoso recently released, lends more credencetothisconcern.BetweenJanuaryandApril, okada accidents alone accounted for about 44.8 percentofaccidentsrecordedinLagosmetropolis.

Asthesestatisticsfurtherrevealed,thevictimsof okadacrashesarelargelyyouths,whoarebetween the ages of 30 and 39. If the trend continues, according to Omotoso, the state will continue to lose a good number of its productive population tookadacrashes.Onthisground,moststakeholders are challenging the state government to enforce traffic law in all its local councils.

Second, evidence from nearly all the police

divisions statewide revealed strong correlation between armed robbery and okada operation in Lagosmetropolis.Anumberofresidentshavefallen preytothiscriminalnetworkindifferentpartsofthe state.Assecurityreportsshowed,somewererobbed of their personal effects while those who resisted them were killed as a consequence. As intelligence reportsshowed,okadaoperatorslargelycontribute tothestate’svolatilesecurityenvironment.Atleast, 80percentofthemcompriseanarmyofteenagers, who are aggressive, lawless and unlettered. Aside, accordingtoreports,mostoftheoperatorsareunder the school age.

AsshownintherecentreportoftheInternational CrisisGroup,somelefttheirhomestatestoescapethe adverseeffectsofclimatechangeontheonehand.The reportalsoexplainedhowarmedviolencehadforced manyofthemtofleefromtheirconflict-riddenstates andcountries-BurkinaFaso,Chad,Mali,Mauritania, NigerandSenegaltoseekgreenerpasturesinNigeria.

As shown in the state’s crime statistics, they are frequently linked with criminality, robbery and mob violence. This has been a major source of concern given the way criminal elements in their ranks have been undermining the state from discharging its responsibilities as stipulated under Section 4(7) of the 1999 Constitution.

Third, as indicated in a 2020 study by Danne Institute for Research and Financial Derivatives, okadaoperationisobviouslyacatalystforintractable trafficcongestioninLagosmetropolis.Consequently, it has a huge economic costs for the state and its realsectors.Atleast,asthestudyshowed,thestate governmentannuallylosesawhoppingsumofN3.83 trillion,which.essentiallystemsfromtheimplication of the state’s gnawing gridlock.

Withthesegraveconsequences,canSanwo-Olu’s response forestall a recurrence of mob violence?

There is a consensus that his first response is in order. But most stakeholders have suggested the need to reinvigorate the instruments of the state in response to the menace of the operators not just in sixlocalgovernmentareas,butalsoacrossthestate.

As required under the 1999 Constitution, they are challengingthegovernorandhisteamtoinitiatefresh strategieswiththesolepurposeofstrengtheningthe state’smechanismforthesafetyoflivesandassets.

80

THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER ˾ MAY 29, 2022

PERSPECTIVE

Okowa: A Masterclass in Leadership Jackson Ekwugum

C

onventional wisdom teaches us that it is better to under promise and over deliver, rather than over promise and under deliver, especiallyintheworldofbusiness and politics. With the former, you earn the reputation of a promise keeper,whichleadstohighercredibilityratings.On thecontrary,tooverpromiseandunderdeliveristo court disrespect, distrust, and disrepute.

Mountingthesaddleasthefourthciviliangovernor ofDeltaStateonMay29,2015,inaneconomicenvironmentofanxietyanduncertaintyoccasionedby theslumpintheglobalpriceofoilandamassivedebt overhangofoverN600billionfromhispredecessor in office, it seemed for a moment that Senator Dr IfeanyiOkowamayhavefallenintothelattercategory with his prosperity for all Deltans mantra. There werewhispersthatheneededtoquicklywalkback onsomeofhiselectoralpromisesandcleverlylower theexpectationsofthepeople.Itwasthepolitically expedientthingtodo,andtheaveragepoliticiansees such double speak as part of the game of politics.

ButDrOkowaisnotyouraveragepolitician.And politics for him is not a game, as treacherous and tempestuous as it may be. For him, politics is the serious business of winning the mandate of the people through an electoral contest with the sole purposeofmeetingtheirneedsandexpectations.

His political philosophy is driven by conviction, not convenience, commitment, not compromise.

Unfazedandunbowedbythedoomsdaypredictions, OkowapressedaheadwithhisS.M.A.R.Tagendawith thepatience,dedication,andcompassionofafamily physician.Noteventheeconomicrecessionwould stop him from keeping faith with the electorate.

That is the essential Okowa. Unassuming, yet unafraid,unpretentious,yetunflinching,andhumble, yettough.Hisnextmoveswereswiftanddecisive.

To eliminate the deficit and restore the health of our public finances, he embarked on cost cutting measurestocutwasteandplugleakagesandinsisted thatexpendituremustbewithinrevenuelimits.Inhis inauguralbudgetspeech,hepainstakinglyoutlined thefiscalpolicydirectionofhisadministration.“The (2016) budget,” he told the House of Assembly, “is admittedly tight but it is consistent with our vision formaintainingstrictfiscaldiscipline.Thehealthof our public finances is crucial to good governance, inspiringhopeandconfidence,attractinginvestors and ensuring the sustainable development of our economyasawhole.Therefore,wewillcontinueto observethebasicprinciplesofprudentmanagement ofpublicfinances,strictadherencetodueprocess andkeepexpenditurewithinrevenuelimits,because every expenditure will be paid for.”

It was no longer business as usual. And it would have been foolhardy not to expect resentment of this new policy direction, especially from those who were feeding fat from the old order. There were grumblings here and there but, being a man ofsteelyresolve,Okowastayedthecourse.HisDelta StateMediumTermDevelopmentPlan(2016-2019) outlinedtheblueprintforrevitalisingtheeconomy, ensuringstrictfiscaldiscipline,creatingwealthand employment, fostering self-reliance, and building a knowledge-based economy. More significantly, the Plan prioritized programmes, and the funding of on-going projects/programmes based strictly on their socio-economic value.

In seven years, the state has reaped quantum benefitsfromGovernorOkowa’sprudentialguidelines.Throughthevariousstreamsofskillstraining andentrepreneurshipdevelopmentprogrammes, a radical departure from the previous practice of one-offcashempowerment,theadministrationis unlocking – and unleashing – youth entrepreneurship. So far, his administration has trained and resourced almost 150, 000 persons to start their ownbusinesses.Theimpactoftheseprogrammesis alreadybeingfeltwithhundredsofMicro,Smalland MediumEnterprises(MSMEs)dottingthebusiness landscape in the State, leading to wealth creation and improved living standards for our people.

Veryimportantly,youthsinthestatearenolonger fixated on civil service or oil industry jobs. Instead, theyarenowlookingbeyondtheiracademiccertificatesforemploymentandlivelihoods,asownersand managersofskills-basedenterprises.Asevidence oftheeconomicimpactsofOkowa’sentrepreneurshipdevelopmentprogrammes,statisticsfromthe economicdataoftheNationalBureauofStatistics (NBS) show that there was accelerated growth of the services sector in Delta State. It jumped from the average annual rate of 8.9% (2013-2015) to

Okowa Ok annual average rate of 13.2% (2015-2017).

In the same vein, the agricultural sector interventions such as the Production and Processing Support Programme (PPSP) resulted in agricultural growth from annual averageof8.6%(2013-2015)toannualaverage of 13.3% (2015-2017). Judging by the trend, Delta is on its way to becoming the hub for MSMEs in the country.

Also,DeltawasrankedtheBestStateinHumanCapitalDevelopmentinthe2017states peerreviewbytheNationalCompetitiveness CouncilofNigeria.In2020,Deltawasadjudged to be the Second Least Poor State, coming only after Lagos, Nigeria’s business capital, accordingtotheNigerianBureauofStatistics (NBS).Thisachievementisbetterappreciated whenjuxtaposedwiththefactthatDeltaState was the 12th poorest state in Nigeria as at 2010 in the NBS ranking.

In the infrastructure space, Governor Okowahassurpassedexpectationsearning him the nickname, Roadmaster. With over 1800kmofroadsand977.84kmofdrains,our

urbancentresandruralcommunitiesareexperiencing growth and renewal. The many road projects in the riverine areas underscores his commitment to road infrastructure of the most vital interest and consequence. What makes these projects unique is the difficult terrain in which they are located.

For instance, the 20.28km Obotobo 1- Obotobo 11 – Sokebolou – Yokri Road is located right beside the Atlantic Ocean. Depending on the number and sizesofhydraulicstructures,theterrain,thenature of underlying materials, as well as the peculiar challenge of accessibility to men and materials, it could cost seven times more to construct a kilometre of road in riverine areas than it is in the upland areas.

Governor Okowa is blazing the trail in the health sector.Deltaisthefirststatetocommenceuniversal healthcoveragewiththeestablishmentoftheDelta StateContributoryHealthCommissioninFebruary 2016.Therearecurrentlyoveronemillionenrollees under the scheme, the highest in the country, while 510 healthcare facilities are accredited to provide service. The administration is advancing technical and vocational education in line with the new policy emphasisonskillsacquisition.Infurtheranceofthis

There is no gainsaying the fact that Governor Okowa remains a sign and a wonder to many.

They wonder how he has been able to achieve so much during the most challenging seven years in our recent history. That Okowa continues to cross new frontiers in governance and service delivery despite the massive disruptions caused by two economic recessions and the COVID-19 pandemic is a testament to his visionary leadership, administrative acumen, and seamless execution. Leadership experts tell us that five elements must be present for an organisation or government to succeed

goal, the existing six technical colleges in the State wererehabilitatedandequippedwithstate-of-theart equipment while nine new ones are currently at different stages of completion. The goal is to equip the youth with the knowledge and skills to function asjobandwealthcreators,inadditiontopossessing employability skills.

In the tertiary education sector, three existing institutionswereupgradedtouniversitiesin2021,to broadenaccesstouniversityeducationforourbright students, who, due to limited space, are unable to gain admission into the existing federal and state public universities, especially in the fields of medicine, engineering, law, ICT, and architecture.

The new universities are the University of Delta (former College of Education), Agbor, Delta State UniversityofScienceandTechnology(formerDelta State Polytechnic), Ozoro, and Dennis Osadebey University (former Anwai Campus of Delta State University), Anwai, Asaba. The new universities have since commenced academic sessions.

AmongtheflagshipprojectsofGovernorOkowa are the Prof. Chike Edozien Secretariat, Stephen Keshi Stadium, Asaba Film Village and Leisure Park, Asaba Storm Water Drainage, and Warri Storm Water Drainage. Meanwhile, Asaba has shed off its rustic look and is now looking every inch a capital city; in fact, it is currently one of the fastest growing cities in the country, thanks to the Delta StateCapitalTerritoryDevelopmentAgency, which Governor Okowa set up within one week of assuming office in 2015.

There is no gainsaying the fact that Governor Okowa remains a sign and a wonder to many. They wonder how he has been able to achieve so much during the most challenging seven years in our recent history. That Okowa continues to cross new frontiers in governance and service delivery despite the massive disruptions caused by two economic recessions and the COVID-19 pandemic isatestamenttohisvisionaryleadership,administrative acumen, and seamless execution. Leadership experts tell us that five elements must be present foranorganisationorgovernmenttosucceed.They arestrategy,structure,systems,skills,andculture.

If they need empirical evidence of this theory, they need not look any further; Governor Okowa is the perfect case study, the symbol of a Masterclass in leadership and governance. ˾ ÕáßÑß× ÓÝ Ù××ßØÓÍËÞÓÙØ ËØËÑÏÜ ÞÙ ÙàÏÜØÙÜ ÕÙá˲

T H I S D AY, T H E S U N D AY N E W S PA P E R MAY 29, 2022

81

INTERNATIONAL Nigeria’s Unity by Manu Militari: The Dynamics of Recidivist Insecurity and Imminent Disintegration

N

igeria acceded to national sovereignty in 1960.

Political independence and territorial integrity were affirmed. Nigeria told the world that she should be seen as a man and not as a woman.

When France described Nigeria as La Nigéria, Nigeria kicked against it and thus compelling France to limit the use of‘la’only to‘La Fédération du Nigéria. France accepted the masculine definite article to refer to Nigeria, Le Nigéria, since 1961.

In 1962, the idea of an Ibo secession was first moved. 1962 also witnessed the beginning of Operation We tie in the Western Region of Nigeria and the declaration of a state of emergency following a motion approved by 209 votes against 36 in the House of Representatives and by 32 votes against 7 and 2 abstentions in the Senate.

Professor Larry Diamond reminded us that ‘throughout 1965, the Nigerian political system was ravaged by the tensions and strains that had been developing through the years of political conflict and decay. In March, a bitter struggle over the Vice-Chancellorship of the University of Lagos re-ignited the issue of tribalism, paralysing the University for months…’ In 1966, Nigeria played host to two coups d’état in January and July both of which also culminated to the 1967-1970 civil war.

The foregoing is the foundation of Nigeria’s national unity which has been sustained by use of force. General Yakubu Gowon made it crystal cleat in his war slogan that‘to keep Nigeria one is a task that must be done.’In keeping Nigeria united, he set aside the regional system and introduced statism, carving out 12 States from the existing four regions. Thereafter, the twelve states were further repartitioned into the present 36 states. The problem, however, has remained national unity by force, including the promulgation of the 1999 Constitution.

Without any whiff of doubt, political governance in Nigeria is very criminally oriented in policy orientation and implementation. Imagine how a Federal Government could advertise the building of houses in April 1994 for allocation to interested Nigerians who pay deposits in December 1994 and in 2022, no construction of such houses has taken place. There is no allocation of any house, and, perhaps most annoyingly, no one is even talking about refund of deposits made.

This is a crime against the housing depositors of whom I am one.

The EFCC is pursuing those who stole public money, but no one is running after the Government that collected money from the public and embezzled it. Houses purchased and fully paid for under the Monetisation Programme under the Chief Olusegun Obasanjo administration are not given the necessary Certificate of Occupancy.

When a buyer pays, must he or she begin to beg to have the certificate?

In Lagos State, we also paid for a land under the Isheri-North housing project under the military regime of Brigadier General Buba Marwa.

Up till today, the Government wants depositors to come and lobby or‘settle.’The essence of the foregoing is to underscore that political governance in Nigeria is holistically predicated on dishonesty of purpose, forceful unity, politico-economic chicanery, and hidden agenda, hence the recidivist insecurity in the country and imminent disintegration of Nigeria.

Nigeria’s Unity by Manu Militari The 1999 Constitution provides in its Article 2(1) that ‘Nigeria is one indivisible and indissoluble, Sovereign State to be known by the name of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,’Additionally, Article 2(2) stipulates that‘Nigeria shall be a Federation consisting of States and a Federal Capital Territory.’And more interestingly, Article 3 says that ‘there shall be thirty-six States in Nigeria…’ The problem with these provisions is the rigidity or unquestionable character, of its validity and of its enforceability. Nigerians have said the preambular statement of‘We the People’in the Constitution is at best very fraudulent. It is argued that the 1999 Constitution is a military constitution imposed by fiat. It is not a Constitution of the people and by the people. It is more problematic when a Constitution meant to ensure good governance, public accountability and transparency is in itself fraudulent and acquiesced to but not without open complaints and calls for a complete re-writing of the Constitution.

People have been calling for complete restructuring of the polity, but President Muhammadu Buhari (PMB) has rejected any call for restructuring, insisting that Nigeria’s unity is not negotiable, and that Nigeria is indissoluble. Agreed that, by virtue of the 1999 Constitution as amended, national unity is non-negotiable and the country is not dissoluble, what should we mean by non-negotiability and non-dissolubility bearing in mind international experiences?Who are those Nigerians who said Nigeria cannot be dissolved?Which are the

“

VIE INTERNATIONALE with

Bola A. Akinterinwa Telephone : 0807-688-2846

e-mail: bolyttag@yahoo.com

Buhari international legal instruments justifying such indissolubility?

What is indisputable is the fact that international law, and particularly international human rights, enable the right of selfdetermination, not only for purposes of decolonization but also for reasons of political marginalization, injustice, and unfairness.

In fact, in cases of crimes against humanity and genocide, there is the principle of International Responsibility to Protect (IR2P), originated by Canada and approved by the UN General Assembly with the ultimate objective never to allow the mass atrocity crimes of genocide, war crimes, ethnic cleansing and crimes against humanity, crimes that many Nigerian ethnic groups are accusing the PMB Government of engaging in, to occur again.

Several countries that have once been united, not forcefully but voluntarily, have been violently disintegrated when peaceful approaches were made difficult. Two most recent cases in Africa are those of Eritrea, which seceded from Ethiopia and South Sudan which was carved out of Sudan here in Africa.

More questionably here, why would any group in Nigeria decide the future of all other Nigerians in a dictatorial fashion on a permanent basis? Why will any government at all be opposed to re-writing a fresh Constitution for Nigeria?

In 2014, a National Conference was convened by the Goodluck Jonathan government to address the many complaints about the country’s politico-economic and structural problems.There were many memoranda submitted to the Conference. One of the relevant memoranda is on‘True Federalism’and was submitted

by Professor A.B.C. Nwosu, one of the delegates representing Anambra State. He raised the controversial issues of federating units and devolution of power; fiscal federalism and revenue sharing; resources, ownership, and control; policing and internal security; and nation-building institutions and SovereignWealth Fund.

Three points of observation are noteworthy in the memoran-

For sure, agitation for Self-determination has become more critical than ever before. The agitation of the Movement for the Actualisation for the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB) and the agitation of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) are cases in point.

Even with the peaceful approach adopted by the Yoruba in seeking their Oduduwa Republic, their membership of the UNPO has the potential to dovetail in the request for a United Nations referendum, thus internationalizing the problem. The moment their right to self-determination is affirmed, the domino effect on others yet to determine their direction under the alleged hegemonic federalism operated in Nigeria should be expected. The likely scenario of national disintegration is not far-fetched: The Yoruba are currently not forceful. However, the eventual intervention of the international community through the organization of a plebiscite cannot but affirm the allegations by the proponents of an Oduduwa Republic. The attitude may turn violent if the Government of Nigeria refuses to comply with the results of the plebiscite if they are positive. Consequently, PMB cannot and should not seek national unity by force or by manu militari. Marriage, like membership of any union, cannot be by coercion. Even when a union takes place by consent, it is sufficient to discover during the relationship that one has been induced into error of belonging to the union to put a stop to the relationship. The principle of dol in French Civil Law so applies. A stitch in time saves nine

dum. First, Professor Nwosu had it that before independence in 1960, various ethnic groups affirmed a federal structure for Nigeria voluntarily in the belief that a federation was the best system of government for a multiethnic country like Nigeria. On this basis, Nigeria became a Federation of Three Regions by common agreement at the time of independence. In his words, ‘each region was neither subordinate to, nor accountable to the Center. All Regions were constitutionally equal in status at independence…Thus, the template adopted at independence by our founding fathers for national cohesion and national development was true federalism. And there was a negotiated and agreed specific power sharing formula (Legislative Lists) between the Federal and Regional Governments.’

The second point is the issue of federal structure at the time of independencewhichwasweakandwhichthePoliticalBureauidentified in 1986 as imbalance between the North and the South.The Northern Region was bigger than the Eastern Region and Western Region put R together.

Besides, the Minority Ethnic groups in the regions had t the t fear of domination by other groups. As Professor Nwosu put it, ‘the ‘ two issues outlined above continually undermined the stability of o the Federal Republic manifesting in several controversies over the t 1959 General Elections, the 1962-63 Census, the 1964 General Elections, and (the) intense agitations for the creation of States.’These E were w well known foundational problems of the newly independent Nigeria but which the leaders of Nigeria as from the end of the First N Republic prefer not to address.

R And thirdly, Professor Nwosu noted that‘following 1966 and civil war w (1967-1970), the process of concentrating political power at the center in consonance with the unified command structure of succesc sive s military regimes has turned the Nigerian‘Federal’System into a pseudo-Federal p or Quasi-Unitary System of governance.’Based on these considerations, the Anambra delegation considered that there t was w need to return to the path of true federation which is considered t most critical challenge for the 2014 National Conference. the However, PMB saw the whole 20-volume report of the conference a nothing more than a chiffon de papier (a rough sheet of paper) as t can be kept in the drawer to gather dust. And true enough, what that P publicly told all Nigerians following assumption of power in 2015 PMB w that he never had time to look at the report of the conference was a that he simply kept it in his drawers. Why should the report of a and n national conference on which multi-million naira was spent and that t many months to prepare be ignored? Several recommendations took o how to move Nigeria forward, how to ensure sustainable unity, on a well as restructure Nigeria and restore a true federal system were as given in the report, but by manu militari, the PMB administration set the report aside, while now complaining about a recidivist national insecurity.

The National Conference was not a gathering of buffoons or that of area boys and reckless politicians. It was a gathering of seasoned professionals, special delegates from various ethnic communities and of notable public officials.The report of the National Conference was therefore a reservoir or encyclopedia of ideas, a fountain of knowledge from which every subsequent government can draw from. But very myopically, the PMB government threw it to the garbage of history and became clueless in addressing societal problems: kidnapping galore, deepening boko haramists in the government, increasing agitationforautonomyandself-determination,deepeninginstitutional corruption, and sharpened political chicanery. And yet, politicians seeking presidential election have nothing to show on containment of threats to national unity.They all freely talk about their competence to govern presidentially, but no evidential manifesto to back their claimed competence, especially regarding their development agenda and national unity. Thus, the disintegration of Nigeria is no longer a dream. It is imminent unless the dynamics are quickly addressed.

Insecurity and Disintegration: The Dynamics The disintegration of Nigeria is a matter of when shall it happen?

The threats are increasing without control and the government has been helpless. At the epicentre of the factors of disintegration of Nigeria is a quadrilateral on which a manifest Fulanisation Agenda, Islamic Extremism, Buharisation, and Self-determination Agitations are placed.

On Fulanisation Agenda, Nigerians have been publicly talking about it but without any proof. It was initially taken as a speculation.

Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue State has identified Fulanisation agenda as the major dynamic of ethnic conflicts in Nigeria. At the 2021 LawWeek of the Nigerian Bar Association, Makurdi Branch, Governor Ortom noted that‘in Nigeria, open grazing has been the practice of livestock production. However, in recent times, the livestock production system has led to conflicts between farmers and herders. This is due largely to population growth, infrastructural development and increased economic activities and above all, the Fulanisation agenda of Fulani nationalities worldwide to make Nigeria their own country.’

More important, Governor Ortom affirmed that ‘across Nigeria, open grazing has led to the invasion of farming communities by Fulani herdsmen leading to massive killings and maiming of people, raping of women, destruction of property, loss of livelihoods, and displacement of persons.’Perhaps more disturbingly, for complaining about this Fulanisation agenda, he was a victim of assassination attempt

by Fulani militia on March 20, 2021, when he was returning from his farm (vide Peter Duru’s report “Fulanisation agenda fueling ethnic crisis, secessionist agitations in Nigeria,”Vanguard, June 18, 2021).

Read full article online - www.thisdaylive.com

“

THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER MAY 29, 2022

82

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

ENGAGEMENTS

Long Week of Power Bazaars

I

nalittleoveranotherweek,agreatdealofthe politicalcacophonyalloverthecountrywillhave abated.Theperiodwillendwithgatheringsof Nigeria’s political tribes in Abuja.Their major achievement will be to lower the deafening decibelsofourcurrentpoliticalnoisepollution.

Fromthenon,therewillbenomoreconsultation visitations.Nomoretongue-in-cheekpromisesbyroyals tryingsohardtohidetheirliesinpoliticalcorrectness.

No more cosmetic courtesies by host governors who believe and speak differently. No more undigested promises by mostly ill prepared aspirants.

Delegatesdrawnfromacrossthenationalspectrum representinglowerlevelsofthetwodominantparties willbytomorrowhavedecidedonthetwopersonswho willsubsequentlybeauthorizedtomakenoiseontheir behalf. In the alternative, some form of inconvenient consensus will hopefully have been hammered out among ambitious aspirants as to who among them should parade the title of ‘presidential candidate’ out ofthemultitude.Thatinitselfwillmarksomeprogress for Nigeria’s rabble democracy.

Fromatumultuousmultitudeofpresidentialaspirants wewillbytheupperweekhopefullybedowntoabinary choice of either or. Of course the minor parties will exercisetheirconstitutionalrightoffieldingpresidential candidates even if only to justify their registration certificates.Theremaylikelybeamicrowavecoalition ofsmalltomediumscalepartiespopulatedbyallthose disappointed in the big parties to form a party of ‘no’, a sort of conclave of the angry and rejected. INEC will take note of all these minor skirmishes as it takes a closer look at the continued existence of our motley of parties.

Whateverhappens,nextweekpromisestoberefreshinglymorequietonthepoliticalfront.Therewillstillbe lawsuitsandthreatsthereofarisingfromtheseuntidy primariesatnearlyeverylevel.Noisylawyerswillinvariablygoadtheambitiousaspirantstowardsthecourts withthehopeofgettingapieceofthelegalactioninthis season of political disputations. There will of course be widespread disillusionment among the losers and their disappointed spouses some of whom may have rehearsednewdancestepsinanticipationofvictoryin therolestheirpartnersdreamtabout.Agoodnumber will count their losses in gold and cowries. A minority willmoveoninthehopethatbetterdayslieahead.Ina nationdrenchedinreligiousfanfareandsuperstitious determinism,quiteafewpastorsandimamswillurge the disappointed to look up to heaven for better luck nexttime.Alltheyneeddoiscomeforwardwithsome token offerings of gratitude to God for the gift of life in this dangerous time and place.

Ordinarily,theideaofpartyprimariesshouldimpose someorderonthewildnessofthedemocraticinstinct amongourmyriadpoliticalanimals.Ateverylevelfrom wardtolocalgovernment,stateandnational,theparty primariesthathavedominatedmostofthisweekhave had the beneficial effect of sifting aspirants from candidates. Imperfect as the system may seem, we needtocelebratethismilestoneofdemocracy.Anyone whoexpectedperfectprimariesintoday’sNigeriamay not be one of us.

Specifically, the presidential primaries of the two majorpartiesshouldholdthegreatestsignificancefor the nation. From the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC), an estimated over 2000 delegates have converged in Abuja while another 800 plus party faithful from the opposition Peoples Democratic Party are gathered for the same purpose. This ritual gathering should ordinarily be a political carnival at which politicalleadersrepresentingourrichdiversitywouldmeet and mix in Abuja to compare experiences and in the process further cement the bonds of unity. At such a time of serious national emergencies, the delegates oughttotakeseriouslythetaskofleadershiprenewal through the instrument of the political party which is the essence of the primaries.

Atnoothertimehasleadershiprenewalandchange been such a dire and urgent imperative as in today’s Nigeria.Thenationisbesiegedinalldirectionswithclear andpresentthreatsofastrategicnature.Combattroops and sundry policemen and security personnel are on active patrol in all states of the federation. Nearly a hundred fellow citizens that have been held hostage foroveramonthafterbeingabductedfromtheAbujaKadunatrainterroristattackarenowattheriskofbeing murderedenmassebyabandofbloodthirstyterrorists.

Theyhaveissuedasevendayultimatumtogovernment to pay up or come for the corpses of their victims.

Invariousurbancentresofthenation,lynchmobsare on the prowl bludgeoning and setting fellow citizens ablaze for the flimsiest reasons. In yet other places, deranged gunmen of unspecified motives are killing fellowcitizens,includingmothersandtheirchildren,in an orgy of blood and madness.The general populace

EFCC Chairman, Bawa wouldbeperfectlyreasonabletofeelentitledtothe emergenceoftherightqualityofleadershipfrom thesepartyprimariesifonlytobesavedfromthis string of tragedies. In a democratic setting, only the process of peaceful change can replace the bumbling squad in Abuja with a more purposeful leadership from 2023.

But judging by the media highlights since the immediate run up to the presidential primaries, publicattentionishardlyonthepolicies,ideasand qualitiesofthenumerouspresidentialaspirants.

Instead,theattentionhasbeenmoreontheethnicity,religion,regionorfinancialweightofthemajor aspirants in both major parties. Among a sample ofthedelegatesthemselves,thethrustofthediscussionhassinceshiftedtoamoreembarrassing area. Most delegates on their way to the Abuja presidentialprimarieshavebeenmoreinterested in how much money they were going to harvest from the competing aspirants in exchange for their votes.

In the fortnight to the week of the primaries, Bloombergreportedasharpfurtherdeclineinthe value of Nigeria’s beleaguered national currency, the Naira. Its value plummeted to over N600 to $1 US dollar from a previous already miserable N475 to $1 in street side currency markets.The current predictable pressure on the Naira is the result of unusually heavy demand for dollars by leadingpoliticians.Thelightermoreeasilytransportable US dollar is the currency of choice in Nigeria for pay offs, bribes, inducements, kickbacks and other nefarious under the table payments. In a political culture where vote buying and rampant monetizationofpoliticaltransactionsistakenfor granted, the demand for cash dollars is at an all time high in this election season.

In these hotly contested party primaries to choose who becomes Nigeria’s next president, wads and bundles of American dollars are a convenient medium for buying off impoverished party delegates from the hinterland, some of whom have been waiting for the opportunity of these carnivalesque primaries to jet into Abuja for an all expenses paid weekend break of lavish freemealsandsplurgesofcash.Tosomeofthem, thisisapoliticalwealthredistributionseasonthat happenseveryfouryears.Theonlydifferencenowis thatthefinancialexpectationshavebeenadjusted forinflation,exchangeratefluctuationsandother contingencies.

Thenearly40presidentialaspirantsfromboth

majorpartiesandtheirproxieshavealreadyeachpaid theequivalentof$100,000to$200,000justtoprocuretheapplicationformsforthepartypresidential gatepasses.Theyseemevenmorepreparedtoshell out a few more hundreds of thousands of dollars to clinch the prize presidential ticket of each party.

The major aspirants for the presidential ticket of each major party are speculated to have budgeted anything from $15,000 to a princely $50,000 per delegate.Thesearetobedeliveredinsealedparcels todelegatesinthedeadofthenightprecedingthedelegateelections.Theprecisepricetagofeachdelegate voteisnotyetfixed.Itcouldgoupasaspirantsweigh andbalancetheirchancesandcomputetherequired number of delegates to defeat their rivals. It is all an open-endedequivalentofanArabstreetbazaar.The highestbidderisboundtowin.Ineffect,whatcouldturn outtobeoneofthemostlavishvotebuyingspreesin thehistoryofpartydemocracyanywhereintheworld is in progress in Nigeria’s capital city as we speak.

Tomostrationalobservers,theextentofmonetizationofpoliticsinNigeriadefiesallunderstandingand logic.Hereisoneofthemostindebtedcountriesinthe world, spending over 98% of its mostly oil revenue in debt servicing. Here is a nation with the largest population of poor people (over 100 million) in the world. Here is a nation whose most prosperous cityLagos- was this week voted the most difficult place to live in in the world.

Thesheerquantumofcashthatwillchangehands to produce the outcome of who gets to rule Nigeria from 2023 is best left to the imagination.The open bargaininginthisArabstreetbazaarpoliticsisoften justified by the general simplification that politics everywhere costs money. Yes indeed, money and politics are bound by an ancient umbilical cord that is now nearly universal. Ithoweverremains a matter ofhowandtowhatendsmoneyisdeployedinagiven politicalsysteminthecompetitivequestforpower. In normalpoliticaltransactions,powerisnevertreated likeacommodityontheshelftobepurchasedbythe highestbidderinthekindofopenmarketbazaarthat hasbecomethestapleofNigeria’spoliticalindustry.

Yes indeed, in liberal democratic societies and their free market systems, the political enterprise hasbecomeasubsetofthemodernmarketeconomy.

In such market societies, it is quite legitimate to buy media space, pay for advertising slots in the press, radio, television and the internet. It costs money to printinnumerableposters,banners,mountbillboards staticandelectronic,erectbannersandothercampaign material. These are the props that convert political

candidates and aspirants into commodities that are eithermoreattractivethantheircompetitionorfallby the way side for scant marketing effect.

It is equally legitimate to hire lobbyists, researchers,statisticians,strategists,consultants,influencers and facilitators of all shades at great costs to achieve political ends. In all of this, there remains an abiding requirementthatpoliticalspending,likeotheraspects of the free market economic system, is subject to a regulatoryframework.Campaignspendinghasceilings andregulationsandoughttobesubjectedtominimum accountabilityrequirementsandstandards.Preandpost electionauditsoughttodeterminewhetherpractitioners have complied with spending limits and caps.

Theaccountabilityrequirementsofpoliticalmoney spendingincludethetrackingoffundstoensurethatbad moneyfromterrorists,narcoticstraffickers,gangster collectives and other bad sources are not deployed to political ends. It also ought to include limitations on contributionsfromlocalandforeigncompaniesanda moratoriumoncampaignfunddonationsfromforeign governmentswithorwithoutbusinessinterestsinthe recipientcountry.Nigeria’srulebookscontainmostof these regulatory guard rails.

In spite of extant laws on political spending and campaign financing, money continues to play a less than edifying role in Nigerian politics.This is of course a reflection of the porous regulations that guide a great deal of Nigeria’s public sector spending with its lax accountability standards. The Nigerian system elevates the political leadership above most rules of public accountability. The concept of the king being the law himself is an underlying carry over from most Nigerian ancient traditions onto the modern state.

There is a culture of inbuilt absolutism in Nigerian traditionsthathavebeensmuggledintotheoperation ofthemodernnationstate.Inthisregard,theNigerian president is easily one of the most powerful public officers in the world. There may be limitations to his power on paper but hardly any Nigerian president since 1999 has been held to strict account for the actions taken or not taken while in office. Nigeria’s presdientialism is said to have been adapted from the Washington model. The American president pay for his food and that of his guests except on state occasions. But the Nigerian president lives in a lavish and expansive string of mansions free of charge. He and his family and countless dependents and guests arefed,entertainedtransportedandfeastedatstate expense.Inadditiontothepoweroflifeanddeathwhich isreservedformostsovereigns,theNigerianpresident literally has an exclusive prerogative of impunity.

The budget for feeding, entertainment, travel and maintenance in the Nigerian presidency is practically abovelegislativescrutiny.Itofcoursefeaturesintheannualbudgetonlyasamatterofcourtesytothelegislature.

There is a saying that the Nigerian president is free to helphimselftolimitlesscashfromtheCentralBankonly subject to his own moral restraint.Those who author these stories have often pointed to the late General SaniAbachawhoissaidtoperiodicallysendatruckwith instructionstotheCentralBanktoloadcashinspecified foreign currencies. Twenty four years after Abacha’s sudden death, the funds he looted from the Nigerian treasuryarestillbeingdiscoveredandrepatriatedfrom different countries and jurisdictions!

Therefore,aspirantstotheNigerianpresidentialjob will spare no expense to secure a ticket to the party ticket.Itisthisalmostlimitlesslackofaccountabilitythat drivestheliteralstampedeofamultitudeofaspirants to the presidential palace in Abuja every four years.

In the advanced democracies of the West, former presidentsreturntotherealworldofordinarymortals at the end of their tenure and are expected to live by the limitations of mortals in a republican setting.

Check Angela Merkel’s modest apartment block abodeinEastBerlin.CheckBarrackObama’sordinary residenceinaWashingtonprecinct.Incontrast,former Nigerian presidents literally enroll into a pantheon of men transformed into virtual deities.

It is not the power and privilege of office that is at issuehere.Itisthedestructiveroleofthe‘cashandcarry’ culture on the development of Nigeria’s democracy thatoughttobethelingeringconcernfromthisweek’s partyprimaries.Thesuccessofmostoftheprimaries shouldbecommendedinspiteoftheobservedlapses in places.

Themonetizationofourdemocracyanditsprocesses isdangerous.PoliticalpartiesthatchargeafeeofN100 millionforapresidentialnominationformcanonlybethe primepromoterofaregimeofcorruption.Apresidential ticket procured on a transactional basis can at best produceamercantilepresident.Aleaderwholiterally boughthiswayintoofficecannotbetrustedtohonour the social contract which is a non transactional bond between a leader and his fellow citizens.

SUNDAY MAY 29, 2022 • T H I S D AY

83

T H I S D AY, T H E S U N D AY N E W S PA P E R ˾MAY 29, 2022

84

NEWS

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

No Need for Panic, Mass Vaccination against MonkeyPox, Says WHO Ndubuisi Francis in Abuja Despite about 200 cases of monkeypox in more than 20 countries, the World Health Organisation (WHO) has stated that there was no need for mass vaccination against the disease but called for ramped-up efforts to contain its spread in non-endemic countries.

The federal government had revealed that it had beefed up surveillance at Nigeria’s entry points.

WHO said nearly 200 cases of monkeypox have been reported

in more than 20 countries not usually known to have outbreaks of the unusual disease.

It described the epidemic as “containable,” and proposed the creation of a stockpile to equitably share the limited vaccines and drugs available worldwide.

WHO’s Director for Global Infectious Hazard Preparedness, Sylvie Bri-and, said early detection and isolation of cases, as well as contact trac-ing, were key to curtailing the virus.

She told a technical briefing of member-states at the United

Nations (UN) health agency’s annual assembly in Geneva, Switzerland, that there were still many unanswered questions about what triggered the unprecedented outbreak of monkeypox outside of Africa. She added that there is no evidence that any genetic changes in the virus are responsible.

Briand said: “The first sequencing of the virus shows that the strain is not different from the strains we can find

in endemic countries and (this outbreak) is probably due more to a change in human behaviour.

“We think if we put the right measures in place now we can contain it easily,” she said.

She urged members to also share information about first-generation stockpiles of smallpox vaccines which can be effective against monkey-pox.

“We don’t know exactly the number of doses available in

the world and so that’s why we encourage countries to come to WHO and tell us what are their stockpiles,” she added.

A slide on her presentation described global supplies as “very con-strained”.

Monkeypox, which is typically a mild viral infection, is endemic in several African countries, including Cameroon, Ivory Coast, the Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of the

Congo (DRC), South Sudan and Nigeria.

However, there has been a recent outbreak of dozens of cases in an ar-ray of non-endemic countries, including in Europe, the Middle East and North America.

Since the beginning of May, there have been about 300 confirmed or suspected cases in about 20 countries where the virus was not previously circulating.

IMF Secures $40bn for New Sustainability Trust on Climate Ndubuisi Francis in Abuja The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has received $40 billion in pledges for its new Resilience and Sustainability Trust to address challenges such as climate change.

The Managing Director of the fund, Kristalina Georgieva made the dis-closure in a pre-recorded address broadcast to the Ibrahim Governance Forum at the weekend.

Unveiling the new financing facility for low and middle-income countries in April, to raise at least $45 billion, Georgieva said building resilience to the effects of climate change would cost trillions of dollars over the next decade.

She said: “The devastating effects of climate change are robbing Africa of lives and livelihoods.”

Climate investment globally needs to increase by up to six times from the roughly $640 billion spent in 2020, to keep global temperatures from rising more than 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels, the latest intergovernmental panel on Climate Change report said in April.

Its finance director had said it would need to receive “a substantial frac-tion” of the total before starting operations of the new trust by the time of the meetings of the IMF and World Bank in October.

Thugs Chase Akeredolu’s Wife from Imo APC Primary Venue Thugs yesterday invaded the venue of the primary conducted by the All Progressives Congress (APC) to elect a candidate for Imo east senatorial district.

Betty, wife of Rotimi Akeredolu, governor of Ondo, who is one of the as-pirants for the senatorial seat, was chased from the venue by the thugs.

Speaking with journalists at the Imo APC secretariat after security operatives brought the situation under control, Betty urged the national working committee (NWC) of the APC to reject any plan by the party in the state to present a consensus candidate for Imo east district.

According to her, no election has been conducted for the APC senatorial ticket for the area.

“I am pleading with the NWC of our party to know that any

result coming from this kangaroo election from Imo state for Imo east senatorial district should be rejected. There was no election,” she said.

“I am not part of the consensus plan. Consensus on my foot! Let’s go to the field. If I lose, I will accept it and congratulate the winner.”

Betty, who hails from Emeabiam in Owerri west LGA of the state is con-testing against four other aspirants — Alex Mbata, Kemdi Opara, Jerry Chukwueke and Ugochukwu Nwachukwu.

Meanwhile, according to Cajetan Duke, Imo APC publicity secretary, the primary for the senatorial district is ongoing.

Duke also denied the claim that the state chapter of the party wants to field a consensus candidate.

Eyiboh Emerges APC Candidate for Eket Federal Constituency The former spokesperson of the House of Representatives, Hon. Eseme Eyiboh, has emerged the winner of the just concluded All Progressives Congress (APC) House of Representatives primaries for Eket/Onna/Esit Eket/Ibeno federal constituency.

Eyiboh, polled 180 votes out of 215 total votes, made up of 55 votes from Eket, 50 votes from Ibeno, Onna 60 votes and Esit Eket 50 votes from the accredited adhoc delegates from the four local government areas.

Eyiboh, the Dean of a protransparency and good governance advocacy group known as The

Initiatives, polled 180 votes to beat two other aspirants, Hon. Kingsley Edoho and Rt.Hon. Aniekan Akpan who scored 15 votes and 20 votes respectively.

Eket/Onna/Esit Eket/Ibeno federal constituency is an oil-rich federal constituency in Akwa Ibom State.

Speaking with our correspondent after his declaration, Eyiboh expressed gratitude to all the delegates for their show of patriotism and sense of community development, saying since he has been living with his constituents, and that his feeling for service and community advancement cannot be different.

REWARD FOR GOOD WORK . . .

L-R: Chairperson, Ikosi Isheri Local Council Development Area, Abolanle Bada; Chairman, Senate Committee on Industries, Senator Adetokunbo Abiru, and Chairperson, Epe Local Government Area, Surah Animashaun during the primary of All Progressives Congress in Lagos East held in CDB, Magodo… yesterday

ACF Asks FG to Take Action against IPOB’s Activities in South-east John Shiklam in Kaduna The Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) has urged the federal government to take drastic action against activities of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) in the South-east geopolitical zone. r 5IJT JT BT 4PVUIFSO ,BEVOB Christian Leaders Association has said the area is under siege by terrorists with no clear-cut leadership direction for the people.

A chieftain of the forum, Alhaji Musa Saidu, said this in a statement in Abuja yesterday.

Saidu also the leader of the Arewa community South-south and South-east, said the government must find lasting solutions to the nefarious activities of the group.

“The federal government must take necessary action against IPOB, the situation is getting out of hand, many innocent people are being attacked daily by the group in South East “We have documentary evidence on killings by IPOB across the South-east from 1992 to date and most of the victims are

our people, the security agencies are aware of this.

“The federal government must take action against the group,’’ he said. Saidu, also a human rights activist, referred to the killing of a lady Mrs Fatima Jubril by gunmen suspected to be members of the group. “We condemn in total, the cold blood murder of Fatima Jubril and her four children and we urge security agencies to go after the killers. “The lady was killed without any provocation.

“We call on the Anambra government to pay compensation

to her family and ensure that the killers are brought to book.

“The federal government must also take necessary action against IPOB, the situation is getting out of hand, as such immediate action must be taken to prevent reprisal,’’ he said.

Saidu lauded President Muhammadu Buhari for condemning the killing.

“We commend Buhari for the verbal condemnation, but this is not enough, he must take necessary actions to stop reoccurring attacks on northerners by IPOB,” he said.

ASUP Suspends Strike, Asks Members to Resume Monday Funmi Ogundare The Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP) has suspended its two-week warning strike and asked members of the union to resume duties next month.

This was contained in a statement issued yesterday by the National Publicity Secretary of the union Abdullahi Yalwa.

“The two weeks definite strike of the Union will be rounding off on the 29th of May, 2022 as agreed by the emergency meet-

ing of NEC. “Consequently, the Union is requesting members to resume duties effective 30th of May, 2022 while hoping that the government will take advantage of the window to address the 5 outstanding items,” he said in the statement.

“Further directives/ updates shall be released after the 103rd meeting of NEC which is scheduled to hold in the month of June 2022 during which the situation shall be reviewed.”

The union said the move followed “the significant inroads were made in four (4) of the items in our list of demands” which include payment of areas of the new minimum wage among others.

However, ASUP said there are four more outstanding issues yet to be addressed by the government. This includes the release of the approved N15Bn revitalization fund for the sector.

“This issue is still stuck in the Federal Ministry of Finance with

a promise of follow-up action by the Education Ministry,” the statement added.

Others, the union’s statement noted, are the release of arrears of CONTISS 15 migration for the lower cadre; the release of the Scheme of Service and Conditions of Service; continued delay in the appointment of substantive Rectors for Federal Polytechnics in Mubi, Offa, and Kaduna, and the resolution of issues with members in Colleges of Agriculture.

Judge Berates Counsel for Lack of Diligent Prosecution of Case Wale Igbintade Justice Oluremi Omowunmi Oguntoyinbo of the Federal High Court in Abeokuta has fixed the trial of a firm, Bazad Trust Resources Limited and two others, Iwuagwu Onyinyechi Ann and Oyefolu Olusola for June 7, 2022.

The judge however, berated the prosecuting counsel, Mr. Adeyemi Olukoya, for lack of diligent prosecution.

She told Olukoya to make

his mind whether he wants to be a lawyer or he wants to be a policeman.

The trio were arraigned by the Nigerian Police on offences bordering on conspiracy and advance fee fraud.

According to the charge sheet, the trio were alleged to have conspired among themselves to defraud Magnetic Investment Association (MIA) represented by one Jonathan Umurhohwo of over N100 million under false pretense.

The offences are contrary to Section 8 (a) of the Advance Fee fraud and other related matter offences Act Laws of the federation of Nigeria, 2006, Section 1 (1) (c) and punishable under section1 (3) of the Advance Fee fraud and other related matter offences Act Laws of the federation of Nigeria, 2006 and Sections 467 and 516 of the Criminal Code Act Cap C38, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.

When the came came up on

May 23, 2022, Justice Oguntoyinbo who was not happy with where the case is since it was filed, warned the prosecuting counsel to be serious with matter.

She said being a prosecutor and a police officer cannot work or go together.

Olukoya, it would be recalled, had filed a charge to prosecute the trio on February 28, 2022, but came to court on March 1, 2022 only to fail to mention the amended charge.

85

T H I S D AY, T H E S U N D AY N E W S PA P E R ˾MAY 29, 2022

NEWSXTRA Soyinka Condemns Killing of Harira, Deborah in Anambra, Sokoto Gboyega Akinsanmi Nobel Laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka yesterday lamented the killing of a 200-level student of the Shehu Shagari College of Education in Sokoto, Deborah Yakubu and a pregnant woman, Mrs. Harira Jubril and her children in Anambra State.

Consequently, Soyinka cancelled a school engagement in Anambra State to empathise with the brutal murder Harira Jibril and her children.

He condemned the killing in a statement he personally signed yesterday, wondering why such

an ugly, abominable act would remain locked down within the dark pit of primitivism hidden in the Nigerian psyche.

A mob of religious extremists had stoned Deborah to death in Sokoto three weeks and her remain was set ablaze for allegedly blaspheming Prophet Muhammad on a WhatsApp group.

Gunmen had also killed Harira and her four children at Isulo, Orumba North Local Government Area, Anambra State, a killing that has ethnic undertones. The children were identified as Fatima, 9; Khadijah, 7; Had-iza, 5 and Zaituna, 2.

In a statement titled: “Drawing the Red Line on Infanticide” yesterday, Soyinka described the killers of Deborah and Harira as the retarded minds, which he said, “are ever present among us, and only await the most trivial excuse to actualize their innermost craving.”

Referring to Deborah’s killing, Soyinka said: “From the

pronouncements of even those who claim to be men of God, we are left in no doubt that such craving receives endorsement from across the human spectrum.

“Where they cannot act, they incite others to fulfil their credo of morbidity. The horror that was recently afflicted on the people of Anambra and the rest of us was redoubled for me personally

because the news reached me outside the country while I was participating in an event of youth empowerment–acollegegraduation ceremony.

“The anticipated question surfaced again and again: What kind of mind is capable of such bestiality?And yet it happens, again and again. We know who these killers are, they live among us. Sometimes I undergo the feeling

that I actually know them, that I have encountered them, have heard them and perhaps even read them.

“We know that unless they are pre-emptively denounced and exposed, they will strike and strike again. Their actions reduce us all, tarnish us, and question our humanity,” the Nobel laureate lamented the implication of the killings as a country.

PIA Act Key to Iwereland Master Plan Implementation, Says Olu of Warri Sylvester Idowu inWarri Olu of Warri, Ogiame Atuwatse 111 has noted that the palace will lever-age on the 2021 Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) to implement the Iwere-land Global Master Plan, which will soon be put in place.

The monarch observed that all arms of government and intervention agencies would become fully committed to being a part of the plan.

He gave the assurance in a keynote address he delivered during the Ogiame Atuwatse 111 Economic Summit: Iwereland and the 2021 Petro-leum Industry Act held at Olu of Warri Palace recently.

He noted that the palace “is more ready than before to make Iwereland conducive for businesses to thrive and change the narratives people had in the past about the area.

“We assure government, companies, non-governmental

organisations and regulatory authorities that we are well aware that our job is to make Iwereland more hospitable for business, whether energy or otherwise, no matter the obstacles thrown in our ways.”

The monarch explained the various benefits that will accrue from the PIA Act, thereby urging community leaders and leaders of thought to cooperate with the Crown to ensure successful implementation of the legislation for the overall development of Iwereland.

He said the overriding and recurring theme of the PIA “is trust. This virtue is the beginning, and end, of what this gathering today is about.

“Enlightened self-interests is the antidote to selfishness and is the checkmate to mutually assured destruction, that was our definite destination until the passing of the PIA,” he added.

APGA Ex-chairman,Victor Umeh, Loses Senate Primary Former national chairman of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (AP-GA), Senator Victor Umeh yesterday lost his bid to return to the Senate.

Umeh lost the APGA Senatorial ticket for Anambra Central to Dozie Nwankwo, member representing Anaocha/Dunukofia/Njikoka Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives.

The primary was conducted in Awka. Announcing the result of the election, Elizabeth Nwokeocha, the return-ing officer, said Nwankwo won the election with a total of

162 votes ahead of Umeh who had 151 votes.

Another contestant, Uzuegbunam Okagbue, an aide to former governor Willie Obiano scored 10 votes in the primary.

Dozie will contest the seat against the incumbent senator, Uche Ekwunife of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Umeh contested the Anambra Senate seat in 2015 soon after handing over as national Chairman of APGA, but lost to Mrs Ekwunife whom he displaced in 2017 through the court and served out the tenure.

Afolabi Fetes Children, Doles out 1,000 Books Queen of Apomu Kingdom, Olori Janet Afolabi at the weekend hosted more than 900 Apomu children and distributed 1000 books.

Afolabi, in a statement Friday, said it was part of her contribution to enhance education in the community.

She hosted the children at Alapomu Palace on May 27 to mark the 2022 Children Day. It began with a march past.

Thereafter, there were quizz and dance competitions. Winners were presented with prizes.

At the programme, Chairman, Isokan Local Government Area, Osun state, Hon. Maroof

Akinremi presented the first prize Trophy to Prophet Muhammed school which won in marching.

Sunday Odewale from St Barnaba’s Anglican Primary school won the first prize in the dance competition.

The children had fun as they danced,ate and drank.

They also went home with noodles cake and books.

Among those who attended the event were Iyaloja of Apomu,who is the Woman Leader of Apomu market Christian Akinlabu, the Otun Iyalode of Apomu, Youth corp members among others.

CELEBRATING CHILDREN …

Queen of Apomu Kingdom, Olori Janet Afolabi and Chairman, Isokan Local Government Area, Osun State, Hon. Moroof Akinremi with the winners of dance and quizz competitions held at the Palace of Apomu, Apomu Kingdom, Osun State...Friday

Oluwajana: APC Risks Losing in 2023 If Jonathan Emerges Consensus Candidate Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja The immediate past National Vice Chairman (South-west) of All Progressives Congress (APC), Mr. Bankole Oluwajana yesterday took on some cabals promoting the adoption of former President Goodluck Jonathan as the consensus candidate of the ruling party for the 2023 presidential election.

Oluwajana, a former Company Secretary of NAL Merchant Bank, warned President Muhammadu Buhari, APC National Chairman, Senator Abdullahi Adamu and other members of the National

Working Committee (NWC) that the ruling party would lose the 2023 poll if it allowed Jonathan contest on its platform in 2023.

He gave the warning in a telephone interview with yesterday, dismissing the plan to adopt Jonathan as the APC consensus candidate as a mere hearsay.

A Federal High Court sitting in Yenagoa had ruled that Jonathan’s right to vie for the presidency a second time could not be stopped by any retroactive law.

The presiding judge, Justice Isa Hamma Dashen,

delivered the judgement in a suit marked FHC/YNG/ CS/86/2022 on Friday.

Faulting those projecting Jonatan as the APC consensus candidate, Oluwajana warned that the ruling party risked losing the 2023 presidential election if it allowed the former president as the consensus candidate.

After telling Nigerians that Jonathan led one of the most corrupt governments in the history of Nigeria, the party chieftain observed that it would be hypocritical of a progressive party to adopt the same

president it defeated seven years ago due to established cases of misgovernance.

From the political perspective, Oluwajana disclosed that nobody “has formally informed us that Jonathan has joined APC or has intention to contest the 2023 presidential election on the platform of the APC.” As of today, he said Jonathan was not officially a registered member of the ruling party, noting that Bayelsa APC had no record of his membership based on what the state chapter said three weeks ago.

Oyo North: Aspirants Allege Imposition, Call for Direct Primaries Kemi Olaitan in Ibadan Senatorial aspirants of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Oyo North yesterday, raised the alarm over attempts to manipulate the sena-torial primaries, calling on the leadership of the party to quickly intervene and prevent the party from imminent collapse.

The aspirants accused a serving senator in the district of using illegal ways to impose a candidate

without following the democratic lay-down rules They made the allegation at the Iseyin District Grammar School (IDGS), Iseyin, condemning what they described as ways and manners some perceived bad elements of the party are handling the poll.

According to them, the primaries of the party that was scheduled to hold at the Iseyin District Grammar School, was shifted to an hotel within the senatorial

district with just one aspirant out of five present.

Speaking on behalf of the aspirants, a member of the House of Repre-sentatives, representing Iseyin/Iwajowa/Kajola/ Itesiwaju Federal Con-stituency, Hon. Shina Peller decried the development where a serving Senator openly seeks to manipulate the process.

Peller said: “Iseyin District Grammar School which is to be the venue that we all agreed for

the primary election for APC House of Represent-atives and Senate was shifted to another venue without the prior consent of other aspirants.

“All the delegates have been here with their cards since 10:00 a.m.

All the aspirants of both House of Representatives and Senate are all here with the exception of a serving Senator. But to our surprise, we were briefed that there is another kangaroo primaries going on in one hotel along Oyo-Iseyin road.

Intel, AfriLab Sign Pact to Empower Nigeria, African Nations Sunday Aborisade and Michael Olugbode in Abuja Two technology giants, Intel Corporation and a pan-African network organisation, AfriLab have signed a memorandum of understanding to empower African leaders on emerging technologies.

Director, Government Affairs in Africa, Intel Corporation, Dr. Bienvenu Soglo, and an Executive Director in AfriLab, Anna

Ekeledo, signed the document on behalf of their organisations in Abuja recently.

According to Soglo, the partnership would prepare African leaders for technologies such as AI, Cloud, 5G connectivity, and Intelligent edge such as IOT and cyber security to drive informed policy making.

Soglo said the partnership would develop a framework that would create awareness and understanding of lat-

est technologies among all categories of African citizens.

He said the partnership had perfected a programme of activities that would boost manpower development among students in various schools to acquire technological techniques and skills.

He said the AI for the future workforce “will empower the future workforce from technical/vocational schools with necessary AI skills for

employability in the digital economy.

“The AI for the current workforce is to upskill and re-skill members of the current workforce such as the small and medium scale enterprises for immediate work impact.”

In her comments, Ekeledo enumerated roles that AfriLab had played in supporting innovation and entrepreneurship in Africa.

MAY 29, 2022 • T H I S DAY, T H E S U N DAY N E W S PA P E R

86

B AC K PAG E C O N T I N UAT I O N THE APC LOGJAM AND OTHER STORIES and furnish offices, buy and fuel vehicles, and engage in serious publicity. This will cost billions. It is a party for workers so it is not awash with cash like PDP and APC. With Obi’s stand on financial prudency, delegates to the LP presidential convention will hopefully foot their own transport, accommodation and feeding bills. This will be a novel political experiment where it is the voters, not candidates, that will do the spending. This is the sort of experiment that gets me excited about the prospects of “new politics” in Nigeria. If the 20 million voters promised by Obi’s supporters on Twitter indeed come through, that would be a turning point for our democracy. With 20 million votes, Obi would almost certainly be elected president. President Muhammadu Buhari was elected with just 15.4 million in 2015 and re-elected with 15.1 million in 2019.

Obi is not alone in this Charisma vs Cash argument. Senator Shehu Sani contested for the governorship ticket of PDP in Kaduna state. He got only two votes while the winner, Hon Isah Ashiru, got 414. Uba complained that it was money that did the trick, that he did not spend one kobo but still got two votes. It even got more comical: according to him, over 300 delegates later called him claiming they were the ones that cast the two precious votes. Maybe they wanted compensation. That is wicked. How can you be making financial demands from somebody who just lost, someone who has

not been in the senate since 2019 and must have exhausted his savings? This is cruel.

If we go by Sani’s experience, that means money is still very critical to winning votes in Nigeria, either in the primaries or general election. If people did not vote for you because you did not give them money, that means cash matters. We still have to spare a thought for Mr Abbas Masanawa, the MD of the Nigeria Security Printing and Minting Company (NSPMC) which prints the naira. After resigning as MD to pursue the APC governorship ticket in Katsina state — apparently with the endorsement of Rt Hon Aminu Masari, the state governor — Masanawa was defeated. That means he has now lost both the job and the ticket.

This is double whammy. Didn’t he share enough mint?

We also need to observe one-minute silence for the political career of Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, a retired assistant inspector general of police and former chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). After initially contesting to be president in 2011 without anything to write home about, he has been trying to be governor of Adamawa state since then, moving from party to party.

He was imposed as PDP candidate in 2015 but lost. He joined APC but failed to get the ticket in 2019. And now, he has lost again.

Maybe he can try again in 2027 — but he will hopefully get a political appointment along the way since he does not seem to

have a winning touch.

I am nevertheless sending my heart-felt congratulations to Senator Aishatu Binani who beat Ribadu and Senator Bindow Jibrilla, former governor, to the ticket. Catch the drift?

A woman is the APC governorship candidate in Adamawa state. I should think that is the first time a major party will be fielding a woman in the state and the second time in the north. The late Mrs Aisha Alhassan was the APC candidate in Taraba state in 2015 but she lost to PDP’s Chief Darius Ishaku.

Mind you, Binani did not get the ticket by affirmation or concession: she squared off with and defeated her male opponents. With the state of play, she may be the only one in the entire 36 states! Shame!

One complaint you will not miss across the federation is that delegate votes were bought by the highest bidders. These things are so commonplace during elections in Nigeria that it is no longer considered newsworthy. It has to be something really special for people to pay attention to it. Maybe if you distribute dollars. Has anybody noticed that dollar has become very scarce? You cannot even withdraw from your dorm account. The banks will tell you point-blank that they don’t have.

Go and report them to police and the CBN if you like. I have it on good authority that the dollar scarcity is not unrelated to the primaries. Why carry naira in bags when you can package dollars in envelops?

The major development in Kogi west

senatorial district is not about naira or dollar but the end of the Dino Melaye/ Smart Adeyemi rivalry — at least for now.

Adeyemi (then PDP) was the senator from 2007-2015 when the world-famous Melaye (then APC) took over from him. Both swapped parties in 2019 and Adeyemi defeated Melaye.

Neither of them will be in the senate for the first time in 16 years. Hon Tajudeen Yusuf beat Melaye to the PDP ticket and we are hearing Hon Sunday Karimi is the one getting the APC ticket. With Melaye and Adeyemi not exchanging blows again, the drama will come to an end. Neither Yusuf nor Karimi appears capable of providing premium drama. So sad.

But if you are having a bad Sunday, please take a deep breath and remember Chief James Ibori, the godfather of Delta politics, in your prayers. Dr Ifeanyi Okowa, the man he reportedly made governor while serving in a UK prison, has now effectively caged him. Okowa’s candidate, Hon Sheriff Oborevwori, decimated Ibori’s choice, Mr David Edevbie, by a less-than-honourable margin which I will not mention here for the sake of national peace. To think that Okowa’s predecessor, Dr Emmanuel Uduaghan, wanted the late Chief Tony Obuh as his own successor in 2015 and Obuh was stopped by Ibori in favour of Okowa.

Such is life. Empires rise and empires fall.

I am for the drama.

Ladies and gentlemen, what a week it was!

And Four Other Things…

BLOOD THIRSTY The murder of Mrs Harira Jibril, a pregnant woman, and her four daughters at Isulo, Anambra state, last weekend has introduced another dimension to the gory killings going on in the south-east. We were still trying to recover from the shocking news of the beheading of Hon Okechukwu Okoye, a state lawmaker, when the family from Adamawa state was wiped out. Killing a defenceless woman and her children, the oldest being nine, must rank as one of the meanest and worst crimes against women and children anywhere in the world. The Frankenstein monsters, called “unknown gunmen”, will continue to ruin the south-east if they are not urgently reined in by their enablers. Cowardly.

SHAME AND PRIDE Senator Rochas Okorocha, former Imo governor, was involved in an embarrassing and absolutely unnecessary confrontation with the EFCC on Wednesday. EFCC officials broke through the roof to gain access to his house, according to reports backed with video evidence. He had reportedly jumped bail and refused to make himself available for court proceedings in his trial over charges of corruption. EFCC was rather draconian and dramatic — they could simply have blockaded the house and asked him to surrender. They could have broken the door. I am equally worried by Okorocha’s behaviour.

For someone who says he wants to be president, that was too low. Irresponsible.

POUND FOOLISH While our eyes are on the politics of 2023, the little matter of our economic woes will not leave us alone. Mrs Zainab Ahmed, minister of finance, revealed on Thursday at the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, Switzerland, that our current oil revenue is too low to cover the cost of importing petrol. Are you with me? What we are making from oil exports is not enough to pay for petrol imports. In other news, the NNPC has remitted zero kobo to the federation account for the third month in a row as we spent a handsome, or ugly, N271.13bn on petrol subsidy in April 2022. That is a total of N947.53bn so far this year, and we are only in May. This will surely continue. Damned.

CHECK POINT Mike Okiro, former inspector-general police, has recounted how politicians lured him into parting with his savings when they tried to draft him into running for the senate. “I was on my own when they called me to come and contest… they would come to me and say we want to go here, bring money, we want to do this, bring money, we want to do that, bring money. I gave all my savings and nothing again to give,” he said. I found it very funny when I read the story but that is truly how political wheels are oiled in Nigeria and if your war chest is thin, you won’t last the distance. Someone said the politicians erected a check point to extort the nation’s former No. 1 cop. Ironic.

BEYOND DELEGATES AND MONETISED and refreshment refunds or in any other innocuous way. So, anyone saying they are dropping out because of undue monetisation is either saying they have been priced out of the market that they also participated in or is indirectly saying that despite giving the little they have their prospect remains grim.

Not that he or his camp never parted with money with actual or potential delegates or key stakeholders.

In our politics, you spend money not just when you call people for a meeting (and in which case it can be said that you have imposed a cost on them to meet with you) but also when you visit them. There is a cultural grey zone around gifting, and it is difficult to draw the line when it is just a harmless cultural practice or inducement.

Any attempt at reform that doesn’t examine this sociological dimension is not likely to make much difference.

Another set of actors that are obscured from the current sole demonisation of the delegates is party chieftains who conduct the primaries, those who appoint them, and those who decide which election to uphold in case of parallel primaries. This set of actors decides which delegate list is used and who gets to see the list ahead. Let’s just say they INEC Chairman, Mahmood Yakubu don’t do it solely for God. Any talk of reform of monetisation of politics that excludes this delegates and wins, he or she would most likely have won without it, except where set of actors is a non-starter.

Then to the contrarian view: I think money the race is tight and inducement serves as as a means of inducing delegates and voters the swing factor.

Even when they are allowed to receive is over-rated. While aspirants and their camps employ orthodox and unorthodox means ‘logistics’ from all aspirants, delegates are to keep delegates committed to them away largely beholden to their godfathers. Yes, from temptation (including camping them godfathers can also be swayed by ‘logistics’ and catering to all their needs, taking away but prior history and relationship with the their phones and even making them swear aspirants as well as their own interests most to oaths), our electoral history also shows often become the major determinants of whom that delegates do not always hop into bed they ask their delegates to vote for. Sometimes, with the patron offering the highest amount. other factors like rotational arrangements There are instances of this even in the ongoing come into the mix. But most delegates primaries. So, there are many other factors (especially those who become delegates that can trump money. If an aspirant induces through someone’s goodwill) vote as directed

by the godfathers or patrons. This is the structure of our politics that some people don’t like being talked about because they think it is possible to just wake up a few months to an election, say the right things, and wangle the required numbers.

Politics is played in context, and the reality here is that some individuals across the country have invested over time to be in control of the electoral structures in localities spread across the nooks and crannies of this complex country. So, someone with allies and associates in control of key electoral machines stands a higher chance of being elected than someone with just the most money to spend or someone who just appeals to only the educated, urban middle class.

Prising the system out of the hands of godfathers and patrons is an important and necessary task. But disrupting this status quo will require a long-term mindset and patient investment, not an episodic media and offline campaign close to an election.

It is a long-distance race.

Explaining that the increasing monetisation of our politics is not new or that the issue is multi-dimensional or that money is not the sole determinant of delegates’ voting pattern does not mean that money-for-vote is not a problem or that it is a positive development or that it should be ignored. No. Neither does it mean that the practice should continue unchecked or that there is nothing that can be done about it. The point is the need to understand the history, the sociology and the ramifications of the challenge.

As mentioned earlier, the problem is deep-seated and multi-dimensional. The approach to change must be deep-rooted and multi-fanged too. We need to reform not just the mode of selecting candidates or the way our political parties are organised and funded but also our politics in general and political-economy of state-society interactions.

To start with, aspirants are desperate to spend so much because they are sure they

can easily recoup their investments when elected. So, we need to make public office much less attractive and erect more robust accountability mechanisms. We need to make it more difficult for those in public office to tamper with public resources and for them to pay dearly for it when they dip their hands in the till.

When politics and public office are really about service and sacrifice and not just easy avenues for self-enrichment, the competition to get into public office will become less stiff and the desperation to spend so much to get elected will reduce. The delegates and the godfathers are only responding to the desperation of the aspirants and the aspirants are so desperate because they know that privatising the commonwealth is easy and carries little consequences.

We need to take campaign finance more seriously and devise robust means of monitoring donations, and the movement and the disbursement of money, especially around election periods. INEC is saddled with this responsibility at the moment but it is clear that the electoral body is better off just focusing on conducting elections. This is an area that needs specialised intelligence assets and the resolve and the dexterity to frustrate and punish bad behaviour.

Technology can also help not just in tracking campaign contributions and expenses but also in reducing unnecessary costs on voters that might warrant or justify inducement disguised as a refund.

But over and above everything else, we need a thorough-going reform of the patronage, predatory and prebendal culture that shapes social and political behaviours. This is not going to be addressed by scapegoating delegates or voters, or through moralising.

We need to acknowledge the systemic and endemic nature of graft in our society and we need to devise specific, practical and sustained strategies for changing its various manifestations.

THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER MAY 29, 2022

87

SUNDAYSPORTS

Edited by: Duro Ikhazuagbe email:Duro.Ikhazuagbe@thisdaylive.com

Transfer Guru Romano, Sets Record Straight on Osimhen’s Arsenal Move

Real Madrid celebrating their 14th Champions League trophy

Real Madrid Win 14th Champions League Title, Beat Liverpool 1-0

R

eal Madrid win an unprecedented 14th UEFA Champions League trophy yesterday in Paris as they beat Liverpool 1-0.

Liverpool’s bid to claim the trophy for the seventh time ended in bitter disappointment as Vinicius Jr’s second-half winner gave Real Madrid victory in Paris.

Jurgen Klopp’s side ran into a one-man wall of defiance as Real goalkeeper, Thibaut Courtois produced one of the great individual performances to thwart Liverpool time and again.

Mohamed Salah, seeking revenge for his early departure through injury in the 2018 final against Real, was denied three times by Courtois who was simply unbeatable.

The victory also sees Carlo Ancelotti make history by becoming the first coach to win a fourth Champions League title.

Real were always a threat and the decisive moment came after 59 minutes when Vinicius

stole in unmarked at the far post to score.

This was also a final marred by chaotic scenes outside Stade de France with thousands of Liverpool fans, some targeted with pepper spray by French police, unable to get into the stadium, forcing the kick-off to be delayed by more than 30 minutes.

Liverpool’s magnificent season brought them the Carabao Cup and the FA Cup both won on penalties against Chelsea - but ended in a double disappointment in the final week of a stellar campaign.

The Champions League might have eased the agony of just missing out on the Premier League to Manchester City by one point, only for Liverpool to find themselves on the wrong end of a goalkeeping masterclass from Courtois.

The Belgian was simply perfect as he was a constant thorn in Salah’s side, turned Sadio Mane’s shot on to the post brilliantly and commanded his penalty area with faultless handling.

Salah held his head in disbelief on many occasions as Courtois manned the barricade for Real, leaving the Egyptian to nurse the pain of another Champions League final defeat by the Spanish giants.

Liverpool were not quite at their best and eventually paid the price for not taking chances as Real pounced in trademark fashion to win this tournament for a record-extending 14th time.

Klopp’s side could not have given any more as they pushed to the final whistle but looked jaded towards the end - no surprise given the demands made of them this season.

Liverpool will still take huge credit by maintaining a push for an historic quadruple until the final week of the season but the conclusion will sting.

The occasion left even more of a sour taste given the events outside Stade de France. Liverpool are demanding a full investigation into how thousands of their fans could not get into the stadium, with dangerous numbers packed into small areas as kick-off approached.

Peseiro Vows to Resolve Super Eagles Goalkeeping Problem

S

uper Eagles coach, Jose Peseiro has stated his position on the goalkeeping situation in the national team.

Maduka Okoye and Francis Uzoho made successive costly errors against Tunisia and Ghana respectively Peseiro in an interview said it’s the coach’s responsibility to accept fault for any player’s error and protect the players.

He talked about the loss of confidence seen in players after major errors and said the coach needs to be there for the players.

“It’s wrong if one coach follow the people, follow the fans.

When they attack some players because you could make some mistake. In my opinion, I think they didn’t commit big mistakes. If any player makes a mistake, and there’s no protection from the coach and staff, he

loses confidence,” Peseiro told Omasports.

He said it’s important that players get enough confidence from the coaches and staff as it will help their performance.

“Players must feel from me and the staff the confidence.

Who’s guilty, the coach or the players? Everytime it’s the coach. If I choose my players, and tell them and I put in my mind that this guy can perform, with our team, if he plays bad or commits a mistake, the coach must accept the mistake, not the players. It can happen to Maduka or Uzoho. I don’t do it (condemn players).

That’s in the past now and my focus is on the present.

“For me all the players can play. For me everybody can play in the national team. If a player is bad multiple times, what can a coach do? Call him or charge him.”

Peseiro

Italian transfer market guru Fabrizio Romano has set the record straight on rumours linking Nigeria international Victor Osimhen with a summer transfer to Premier League club, Arsenal.

Romanohasinsistedthatnonegotiationshave taken place between the parties amid speculation in the media that the striker’s intermediary recently flew to London for contract talks with the Gunners.

Osimhen is being linked with a move to the Premier League after an outstanding season at Napoli that saw him score 18 goals from 32 all-competition appearances.

RomanoadmittedthatArsenalareinthemarket forastrikerandManchesterCity’sBrazilstarGabriel Jesus remains their number one target.

“As of today, I am not aware of an advanced negotiationforVictorOsimhentoArsenal,”Romano told caughtoffside.

“So far there is no proposal on the table, sources close to the club guarantee.

“Arsenal are waiting for answers from Gabriel Jesus, who is the priority target, but who also interests other clubs.”

Osimhen’s contract expires on June 30, 2025 but Napoli would reportedly entertain offers in excess of 100 million euros.

Meanwhile, Osimhen could remain at Napoli this summer amidst interests from Manchester United, Arsenal, and Newcastle because none of hissuitorsareunwillingtomeetthePartenopeans’ €110million valuation of the 23-year-old.

Osimhen had a terrific campaign last season, finding the net 18 times and bagging five assists in 32 appearances. His displays have attracted interest from top English sides United, Arsenal, and Newcastle.

Ethiopians Win 8th Okpekpe International 10km Road Race Adibe Emenyonu in Okpekpe

For the third time in eight editions, Ethiopians have emerged winners of the men and women’s titles after Jasin Hadi (29.05) and Anchinaiu Dessie outran their Kenyan challengers Saturday in Okpekpe.

Hadi’s 29.95s clocking is the third fastest winning time in the history of the race. He won ahead of Kenyan duo of Elvis Cheboi (29.20s) and Bereket Nego (29.30s).

For his effort, Hadi went home with the $13,000 top prize money.

In the women’s race, Dessie’s 33.09s effort fetched her $13,000.

For the Nigerians in the race, Ismael Sadjo (31.12s) and Rose Akusho (36.40s) came home first respectively.

Mike Itemuagbor, organiser of the race expressed joy at the successful conduct of the race.

‘After a covid 19 induced two-year absence, the race has successfully come back bigger,’said a delighted Itemuagbor.

Philips Shaibu, Deputy Governor of Edo state who ran in the VIP race also expressed delight with the turnout of athletes, officials and the locals. ‘ The race is a World Athletics elite label event and I am happy it is back again,’said Shaibu who reiterated that the state government and organisers of the race are determined to raise the standard of the event. ‘ This is the first race in Africa to be granted a label status by World Athletics which makes it one of the world class races across the globe. The target now is to get upgraded to a World Athletics elite platinum label. Edo is a pacesetter race and the heartbeat of Nigeria and we are determined to always lead in sports.’

Sunday May 29, 2022

TR

UT H

& RE A S O

N

Price: N400

MISSILE

Tinubu to Atiku

“Nigerians are yet to forget the national ruin and mismanagement of our country for 16 years by successive PDP administration and this bad memory will dog the campaign of the PDP candidate” – National Leader of APC, Senator Bola Tinubu, in his congratulatory message to former Vice President Atiku Abubakar.

SIMONKOLAWOLE SIMONKOLAWOLELIVE!

simon.kolawole@thisdaylive.com, sms: 0805 500 1961

The APC Logjam and Other Stories

T

hree months ago, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) released the timetable for the 2023 general election.

(By the way, why do we call it general “elections”? A general election is one in which the generality of the electorate votes — as opposed to a bye-election which is for specific constituencies). The electoral umpire outlined and tabulated every detail concerning collection of nomination forms, primaries, submission of particulars of candidates and all that, to climax in the governorship, legislative and presidential elections slated for various dates in February and March. Everything was written in black and white and communicated to all the parties.

It must be a fitting summary of the way the All Progressives Congress (APC) has ruled Nigeria since 2015 that it still needed help from INEC to be able to meet the deadline for the presidential primary. If you cannot perform a task as simple as holding a two-day presidential convention — which we have been having in this country since 1979 — why should we expect you to handle the more demanding tasks of tackling insecurity and growing the GDP? The APC logjam tells us a lot about how the party works. But for

Adamu INEC’s extension of the June 3 deadline by six days, APC would have been in soup. As at Friday, there was no convention planning committee for an event billed for Sunday.

After setting a world-record fee of N100 million for its presidential forms, thereby

netting billions of naira all in a day’s job, the party has left its 20-something applicants high and dry. It seems N100 million cannot buy you much these days. Not even a screening.

The ruling party had been amending its calendar every day until it ran out of dates and had to hold legislative and governorship primaries. But the presidential primary was definitely not going to hold on May 29 and 30 as scheduled. The screening of presidential candidates earlier slated for May 23 was postponed without a new date. The party promised to announce a new date “shortly”.

It’s now a week of “shortly” and counting.

But for the APC logjam — obviously caused by the fact that the top contenders are not the preferred ones — and the subsequent amendment of the timetable by INEC, the resignation of Mr Peter Obi from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) would have been the news of the week. Obi, who has enjoyed incredible support on Twitter and had been marketed as the man with 20 million votes in his breast pocket, has now moved to the Labour Party. According to Obi’s staunch supporters, he had to move because the PDP presidential ticket had been monetised and the former governor of Anambra state is too frugal, too honest and too principled to spend money on winning elections.

As someone who is keenly interested in studying democratisation and political evolution in Nigeria, I will be watching Obi’s progress keenly. It may provide a good case study for the perennial argument over the question: is it the platform or the candidate that matters? I have plenty cases to support the notion that the platform makes the candidate. There are also cases of where the candidate makes the platform. I believe factors like charisma and cash can also be vital to the overall result. If Obi is able to poll 20 million votes without spending money, he will address two things: one, that he has the charisma and doesn’t need the cash; two, that the candidate can make the platform.

Obi’s new destination is the Labour Party (LP). Although the party is relatively weak, it has boasted of big names in the past. Dr Olusegun Mimiko used the platform to contest for Ondo state governorship in 2007 and secured judicial victory after a disputed election in which Dr Olusegun Agagu was initially declared winner. Mr Femi Pedro unsuccessfully ran for Lagos governorship on the party’s platform also in 2007. For LP to establish a nationwide presence ahead of the general election, it would need to rent Continued on page 86

WAZIRIADIO Beyond Delegates and Monetised POSTSCRIPT

T

he primaries of the two dominant parties, as expected, have served us generous portions of tragicomic entertainment. And we are in for more concentrated political theatre, courtesy of the last-minute, six-day extension by the electoral management body. So, brace up for more suspense and, possibly, more shocks. As we move into the last segment and get ready for an unusually long campaign period, it is important to start teasing out the patterns and the lessons from the 2022 primaries.

Today, I will examine the narrative about delegates choosing candidates based on monetary inducement. This is an issue that calls for both reform and interrogation. It speaks to the undue and increasing monetisation of our politics and it limits the capacity of the prevailing order to deliver accountability and development to a country sorely in need of both.

This much should be clear: those who buy their way into elective offices will have incentive to do little else than recoup their investments with generous interests, then amass enough war-chest for the next elections.

This trend thus disadvantages those of limited means and perpetuates the vicious cycle of corruption, patronage and underdevelopment.

It inexorably impoverishes all of us. It needs to change. The question is how.

But before we get to the how, it is also important to interrogate the narratives around the trend. This will help us gain a full understanding of what we want to change, and assist in the design of appropriate strategies. The first thing is to acknowledge that inducing delegates (just like inducing voters) is not as new as it is being projected or as it now seems. It has been part of our electoral politics for some time, even if as a marginal practice.

However, it gained more prominence and traction about three decades ago during General Ibrahim Babangida’s endless transition programme. A major aspirant then popularised the Naira Burger, with the newly introduced N50 notes neatly embedded in loaves of bread.

From there, the marginal practice moved mainstream: money burgers gave way to fat envelopes and Ghana-Must-Go bags, then to more portable, crisp dollar notes. It is one of the best kept open-secrets in political circles—for ages, election periods are seen

as special harvest seasons for the magical transformation of the fortunes of delegates and sundry others involved in the process.

A number of things have disproportionately raised the profile of delegates’ inducements in this electoral cycle. These include the reduction of the number of delegates due to Section 84 (8) of Electoral Act 2022 (which dramatically increases the amount available per delegate), and the presence of some deep-pockets and desperate aspirants who are ready to press both private and public resources in the service of their ambitions. Other factors include the attention drawn to the issue by some aspirants and the instantaneity of media coverage, especially on social media.

On account of the last factor, the space has been saturated with sometime hilarious stories of aspirants asking for refunds after being reportedly short-changed by delegates or actually getting their refunds through unorthodox means. Without the ubiquity of phone cameras and the ease with which images and videos can be shared, there wouldn’t have been credible evidence and most of the stories would have remained in the realm of rumours. The point is, money exchanging hands especially during indirect primaries,

has always been there. It is possible that it is more prevalent or just more visible now than previously or the quantum of cash has spiralled. This doesn’t minimise the problem.

My point here is to underscore its long root and different dimensions so that attempts at reform will stand a good chance.

Most of the discussions on this issue have revolved around how greedy and untrustworthy the delegates are. There are many entertaining memes either warning us to fear delegates or showing delegates eating like gluttons. The delegates are by no means blameless but I think this slant takes attention away from and absolves the major actors in this saga: the aspirants themselves. The delegates only receive because the aspirants give. And the delegates receive much more because the aspirants are desperate to give much more. It is important to understand what is fuelling the desperation of the aspirants.

Despite what they say to the rest of us, all aspirants who junket around the country consulting delegates drop something, no matter how little and no matter whether they frame it as transport, accommodation Continued on page 86

Printed and Published in Lagos by THISDAY Newspapers Limited. Lagos: 35 Creek Road, Apapa, Lagos. Abuja: Plot 1, Sector Centre B, Jabi Business District, Solomon Lar Way, Jabi North East, Abuja .

All Correspondence to POBox 54749, Ikoyi, Lagos. EMAIL: editor@thisdaylive.com, info@thisdaylive.com. TELEPHONE Lagos: 0802 2924721-2, 08022924485. Abuja: Tel: 08155555292, 08155555929 24/7 ADVERTISING HOT LINES: 0811 181 3085, 0811 181 3086, 0811 181 3087, 0811 181 3088, 0811 181 3089, 0811 181 3090. ENQUIRIES & BOOKING: adsbooking@thisdaylive.com