TUESDAY 25TH OCTOBER 2022

Census 2023: Buhari’s Best Legacy for National Planning, Devt Dike Onwuamaeze President Muhammadu Buhari is about to bequeath to Nigerians one of the best legacies as the National Population Commission (NPC) has concluded plans to hold next census in April 2023.

That would make it 17 years

after the last census held in 2006.

Nigerians and indeed, the world may not have given Buhari the rightful acclaim that he deserves but since he gave approval to the NPC proposal to conduct the census, the news has been cheered across the nation and within the global business and development

communities.

The outcome would provide the incoming government, no matter the political party, the relevant database to work with, according to a Development and Planning expert, Mr. Ken Ugbechie said.

Ugbechie noted that it was heartwarming that besides the

president other notable voices had given full backing to the exercise, including the National Council of States (NCS), former President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA).

“This is what previous governments could not muster the will to do. This will, surely, stand Buhari

out in the pantheon of Nigerian leaders as the one who places the most premium on population data as critical element for national planning and development.

“For the avoidance of doubt, census is not a jamboree or a statistical exercise in futility. It is meant to help in national planning,

delineate the demographics of a nation as well as map out population densities of the various federating components of such nation to aid in moments of national emergencies, distribution of resources and public utilities including schools, hospitals, Continued on page 12

NUPRC Grants 247 Permits for Export of 480m Barrels of Crude Oil, Others... Page 5 Tuesday 25 October, 2022 Vol 27. No 10059. Price: N250

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Buhari Hails Rishi Sunak, Incoming British Prime Minister... Page 12

Obaseki: Nigeria’ll Break If APC Wins 2023 Presidential Poll Says our heads should be examined if party is re-elected Insists only PDP can rescue nation, inaugurates Edo campaign council Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, yesterday, said the country risked breaking up if the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC)

won the 2023 presidential election.

Obaseki, who inaugurated the Edo State Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Campaign Management

Council for the 2023 general election, headed by Chief Osaro Idah as Director General, however, said only the PDP could rescue

Nigeria.

Speaking at the inauguration in Benin City, Obaseki said the future of the country was dependent on

the outcome of the 2023 polls as only the PDP could save the nation from its current socio-economic woes and place it on the path of

sustainable growth and development.

Continued on page 12

IG, FCT Minister Ramp UP Security in Abuja Over Terror Threat Launches counterterrorism operations, simulation exercise Instructs FCT CP to rejig strategy, puts 36 states on standby Kingsley Nwezeh and Olawale Ajimotokan in Abuja The Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Usman Baba, has ordered the increase of security activities in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), as part of new efforts to secure the nation’s capital and contain threats of any nature.

In line with the new measures, the IGP, yesterday, announced the commencement of a counterterrorism operation and simulation exercise codenamed, "Operation Darkin Gaggawa".

Baba further instructed the police command in Abuja to rearrange its security strategy in anticipation of the worst, even as he put Commissioners of Police (CPs) across the states of the federation on standby.

The extra-security measures followed recent alerts by some foreign missions in Nigeria about possible terror attacks.

Minister of Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Malam Muhammad Continued on page 12

INSPECTION TOUR OF ENERGY PARK...

L-R: Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki; Chairman/Chief Executive Officer, Duport Midstream Energy Park, Dr. Akintoye Akindele, and General Manager, Duport, Ramanath Srugavarapu, during the governor's inspection of the Energy Park, in Orhionmwon LGA...yesterday

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Group News Editor: Goddy Egene Email: Goddy.egene@thisdaylive.com, 0803 350 6821, 0809 7777 322, 0807 401 0580

OIL TRADING AND LOGISTICS AFRICA DOWNSTREAM EXHIBITION...

L-R: Group Executive Director, Rainoil Limited, Mrs. Godrey Ogbechie, Chief Executive Officer National Petroleum Authority Ghana, Dr. Mustapha Abdul-Hamid; Group Managing Director, Rainoil Limited, Dr. Gabriel Ogbechie, and Managing Director, Petroleum Products Marketing Company, Mr. Isiyaku Abdulahi, during the Oil Trading and Logistics Africa Downstream Exhibition in Lagos...yesterday

NUPRC Grants 247 Permits for Export of 480m Barrels of Crude Oil, Others 47 marginal field awardees get Petroleum Prospecting Licences Nigeria’s crude oil to last 60 years, gas 88 years

Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja Between the last quarter of 2021 and the third quarter of 2022, 274 export permits were granted to various firms for a total of 480,863,863 barrels of crude oil and condensates, the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) said yesterday.

Speaking during a briefing to mark the commission’s one-year anniversary, the Chief Executive of the NUPRC, Mr Gbenga Komolafe, stated that during the period, 47 Petroleum Prospecting Licences (PPLs) were granted winners of the last marginal field awards. At the time , 57 oil fields were put up for bidding.

The commission’s chief executive explained that the team has been focused on laying a solid foundation for its regulatory functions and in pursuing that, has drafted Environmental Remediation Fund Regulation and the Upstream Environmental Regulation and Upstream

Petroleum Safety Regulation, both of which have been subjected to stakeholders' review.

In addition, Komolafe noted that the commission also successfully launched the Host Communities Regulations to guide the implementation and operationalisation of the Host Communities Development Trust (HCDT), as enshrined in the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA).

With the declaration of the nation’s oil reserves which stands at 37.046 billion barrels, indicating an increase of 0.37 per cent compared to 2020 figures, the chief executive explained that the life index now stands at 60 years.

Furthermore, Komolafe said that Nigeria’s gas reserves had been pegged at 208.62 TCF, indicating an increase of 1.01 per cent compared to 2020 figures, with a life index of 88 years. That would be without new discoveries.

He explained that the NUPRC had also almost completed the automation of upstream work

processes which would improve the efficiency and become operational before the end of year 2022.

Other achievements in the last one year, Komolafe said, included the Ikike first oil which was officially celebrated in September 2022 and expected to deliver peak production of 50,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day by the end of the year.

He stressed that the deployment and commissioning of Aiteo 120kbd barge mounted crude oil processing facility to minimise crude oil theft and vandalism as well as the deployment and commissioning of Tenoil 10kbd Early Production Facility (EPF) were some of the milestones during the period.

In addition, Komolafe listed the regularisation and commissioning of Halkin 5kbd EPF at Atala OML-46 as well as the inauguration of an integrated industry-wide study to ascertain shut-in wells as part of the achievements in the last one year.

According to him, the primary aim of the study is to boost pro-

duction and guide investment planning and recommend low hanging potential to boost national production, with the report now at the writing stage.

The development of the Advanced Cargo Declaration Regime, Crude Oil and LNG Tracking (COLT) and the establishment of ELI-AKASO crude oil export terminal as well as publishing of up-to-date data on national crude oil production on the commission’s website , he noted , were also key triumphs for the NUPRC. “In line with the provisions of Section 108 of the PIA 2021, we have commenced engagement and sensitisation of all operators to submit gas flare elimination and monetisation plan.

“Ten high impact technologies, innovation, and solutions have been successfully qualified and adapted into the Nigerian oil and gas industry. The high impact technologies aim to increase oil discovery and production, reduce

cost of pipeline maintenance and integrity threshold etc.

“In the area of exploration and acreage management , the commission has so far achieved the following: Award of 47 PPLs to winners of marginal fields during the 2020 marginal field bid round.

“Also is the development of model licence and model lease in conjunction with Legal and Compliance and Enforcement (C&E) SBU and renewal of OMLs 128, 130, 132, 133 and 138,” he pointed out.

Noting that the Host Communities Development Trust Fund (HCDTF) is now law, he explained that an automated reporting, monitoring, and data management portal has also been launched.

“Settlors have already commenced submission of applications on the portal; we have had successful engagements for the assignment of littoral communities to deep water operators with reference to regulation 6(1) (d) of the

ASUU: FG Gives Three Months Timeline to Incorporate UTAS into IPPIS Udora Orizu and Juliet Akoje in Abuja The Acting Accountant General of the Federation, Silvia Okoliaboh yesterday gave a timeline of three months within which the government would sit down with a committee set up by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) and resolve all issues in the expected merger of the Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System (IPPIS) and the University Transparency Accountability System (UTAS).

Okoliaboh, who spoke at a meeting with the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, which was a follow up on the agreements reached on the previous meetings held before the suspension of the strike, disclosed that a formal letter to that effect would be sent out today.

The Accountant General allayed the fears of ASUU in the case of making updates on IPPIS, saying it was a credible payment platform that has worked for years.

He said, "There is really nothing complicated about it. I believe ASUU has ICT experts and they know that you can virtually do anything. It's a matter of can you do what you want?

“And I have made this commitment and I repeat it that we

in the Accountant General office are going to accommodate all the legitimate peculiarities of ASUU and the university community. That's just the way to go. The challenge is if you allow ASUU to have their own, you are going have the Colleges of Education, universities of educational, polytechnic, unity schools, everybody is going to come with their own and Mr. Speaker, I think we just have to agree that it is a way to go,” he said.

“We will sit down together, look at all the issues we have, we list them, as we are address them, we are ticking them. We are not going to ask you to accept until you are sure we have addressed them.

“On this note, I am going to call on colleagues in ASUU to allow this matter to be rested so that our universities will know peace.

“Whatever level of complications it may be, I believe that in three months, we should be able to clear this. We will continue to pay ASUU because they need their money.”

On his part, President of ASUU, Prof. Emmanuel Osodeke said the union called off the eight-month old strike action on trust and the acceptance of the IPPIS as opposed to their demand of UTAS. Osodeke said "We didn't reach full understanding before we called off the strike because we did that on trust. We have really signed

documents that address all the issues but since we are talking about this now, I think, it will a small thing.

"What we agreed on the issue of UTAS and IPPIS is a temporary measure because for a country like Nigerian, if we are really patriotic and we love this country; if there is a problem in payment, you challenge your university to develop a program for you.

“We have agreed on that (IPPIS) as an interim measure, hopefully, subsequently, we will look for how to solve this problem once and for all. IPPIS has not solved problem.

It has created more problems if you want to challenge us, check the wage bill before IPPIS was introduced and check the wage bill now. We are willing and have set up our team."

Reacting, the Speaker Gbajabiamila faulted the claims of ASUU president, saying an agreement reached was not on temporary basis.

He dismissed claims in some quarters that the series of meetings held did not achieve any useful results.

"If you recollect, on that issue, we did agree that we will marry both whilst, IPPIS will remain the platform, that government will bring in the aspect and the areas under UTAS that are specific to the Universities and assimilate

those areas into IPPIS. “I believe that was what was agreed by both sides when we had last two meetings. So, we want to make sure that that box is ticked and is not just an agreement on paper or said for the purposes of moving towards the cancellation

of the strike.

"The accountant general who is going to midwife that merger is here. So, I think the best way to move forward is for the accountant general to tell us and ASUU will also respond on how to go about the merger.”

Host Communities Development Regulations (2022).

“Modalities for the assignment of littoral host communities to deep offshore operators have been worked out. Also, the Commission is working in synergy with the National Boundary Commission (NBC) to map the littoral host communities to deep water operations,” he informed.

Under his stewardship, Komolafe stated that a new model to estimate the value of assets and determine the signature bonus, renewal bonus and good and valuable consideration was developed with the renewal bonus valuation completed for OML 125, 128, 132, 133, 138 and 130.

Looking ahead, he stated that the commission projects in the next one year to embark on the development of a regulatory framework to reduce facilities development projects delivery costs through effective participation and regulation of concept, design and equipment selection.

He stated that when the new host communities development law which is already in operation, is implemented under the new PIA, many of the communities who are currently agitated will be taken care of, promising that the host communities will be carried along and will see that government reckons with them as critical stakeholders.

Continues online

MAN Elects Francis Meshioye as President Dike Onwuamaeze The Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) has elected Mr. Francis Meshioye as its new national president.

He was elected during the association’s just ended 50th Annual General Meeting (AGM), which was held in Lagos. The newly elected president would serve as the 11th president of MAN. The election of Meshioye followed the completion of highly successful four-year tenure of Mr. Mansur Ahmed, OFR. A press statement issued yesterday by the Public Relations Officer of MAN, Mrs. Omatayo Okewunmi, explained that the new president of MAN, “is an executive director of the JMG Limited and some other business corporations, amongst which are,

JMG Power Generators Limited, Jamara Operations Limited, Octopus Microfinance Bank and ET&F Investment Limited.”

He is also on the board of government parastatal and member of several government committees.

The newly elected president would bring his wealth of experiences in the management of corporate organisations to bear on the leadership of over 2,500 membership organisation.

Prior to becoming the president of MAN, he has served as the chairman of MAN, Ikeja Branch of Lagos State; chairman, Finance and Establishment Committee and vice president, Lagos Zone of the MAN. Meshioye is currently a council member, Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators of Nigeria (ICSAN). He has served as

the institute’s treasurer, chairman, Remuneration Committee and chairman, Lagos State.

He is also a member of the Society of Company and Commercial Accountants (UK); Association of National Accountants of Nigeria (ANAN); Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators (UK); Association of Investment Advisers and Portfolio Managers as well as Chartered Institute of Taxation of Nigeria.

Meshioye is an alumnus of the prestigious Federal University of Technology, Akure, where he obtained Master of Business Administration degree in Business administration (MBA) in Technology, Marketing and Business Strategy.

He also holds a Master’s degree in International Management and a Law degree, both from the University of Liverpool, England.

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LAUNCH OF SPECIAL AGRO INDUSTRIAL PROCESSING ZONES PROGRAMME...

L-R: President of the Islamic Development Bank, Dr. Muhammed Al Jasser; Governor of Cross Rivers State, Ben Ayade; Vice President Yemi Osinbajo; Minister of Agriculture, Muhammed Abubakar; Minister of Budget, Finance and Planning, Zainab Ahmed; Minister of State FCT, Dr. Ramatu Tijjani Aliyu and others, during launch of Special Agro Industrial Processing Zones Program in Nigeria at the Ministry of foreign Affairs in Abuja... yesterday

Emefiele, Gbajabiamila, Sirika Seek Solution to Trapped Foreign Airlines’ Funds CBN governor says $265m earmarked for disbursement Urges foreign countries to grant landing permits to Nigerian airlines to fly their routes Speaker urges apex bank to raise FX for airlines Udora Orizu and Juliet Akoje in Abuja The Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria, Mr. Godwin Emefiele; the Speaker of the House of Representatives Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila and Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika yesterday held an interactive session, during which they deliberated and sought for solution to the $700 million of foreign airlines’ funds trapped in the country.

Gbajabiamila had called for the meeting following threat by the foreign airlines to stop flying Nigerians routes from October 28, 2022, if nothing was done by the government to resolve the backlog.

However, Emefiele, while addressing foreign affairs and aviation stakeholders at the meeting told the gathering that contrary to IATA's representative's position that nothing had been done to reduce the backlog, $265 million had been earmarked for disbursement to the foreign airlines through their various banks.

He noted that the central bank was working outside the box to mop up foreign exchange and strengthen the naira and by extension the economy through the RT200 FX policy which aims to raise $200 billion from foreign exchange (FX) earnings from non-oil

proceeds over the next three to five years, According to him, the RT200 FX is the policy focusing on the repatriation of FX of non-oil exports proceeds into the Nigerian economy which recorded almost $1 billion in the third quarter of 2022.

Emefiele however lamented that one-third of the world economy is currently in recession due to the damaging effects of the Covid-19 pandemic and the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine.

He said, "The global community is facing rising incidents of unemployment. Indeed, most of the countries of the world are facing rising inflation. As a result of this year alone, the USA happens to have raised rates almost by 3.75 per cent in 2022.

“That has created some serious inflation pressures and depreciation on the currencies of other countries.

From the CBN, since February this year, we introduced the RT 200 programme which is that programme introduced in order to encourage repatriation of forex proceeds from exporters of non-oil export products.

“We are gratified that the programme is doing well. When we started it, the first six weeks in February and March, we saw repatriation and we paid rebates on

repatriation of about $62 million.

“The second quarter, we saw an astronomical improvement to $622 million in exports proceeds of non- oil. For the third quarter, we have seen almost close to a billion dollars.

"Aside from the prioritisation of FX, we have always accorded airlines priority. On August 31, you spoke to me because I have to give you credit for that. That day I made a decision to use our discretion to allocate $265 million to the foreign airlines.

“We did $110 million in spot and the rest 60 days forward. On that day we allocated to IATA $32 million through UBA, Qatar Airways got $22.8 million through Standard Chartered, Emirates got $19.6 million through Access Bank, BA got $5.5 million through GTB and Virgin Atlantic got $4.8 million through Zenith and so on. How then can they go about and begin to say they have not received their money?”

Emefiele added: "This is extra allocation which we used our own discretion to give you and which I have told you personally that we would continue to do so as to make you guys happy so you don't continue to blackmail this country.

“Out of that, $120 million would

be due on October 31. The monies would be paid. So what else do you want me to do. I must confess there would be delay. Gentlemen, I can print naira, even though I have been accused of printing naira, but I cannot print dollars.

“We have to earn it or borrow it. All these things we are talking about boils down to reciprocity and IATA cannot shy away from that," he said.

Emefiele called on other foreign countries to grant landing permits

In a bid to avert the importation and consumption of poor quality petroleum products in Nigeria as witnessed early this year, the federal government has begun engagement with The Netherlands and Belgium petroleum authorities.

The Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), Mr. Farouk Ahmed, disclosed this yesterday in Lagos, during his keynote address at the ongoing Oil Trading and Logistics (OTL) Africa Downstream Week 2022, with the theme: "Regulating Downstream Energy Transition in Dynamic Times."

The Netherlands and Belgium are two of the major European petroleum refining countries, where Nigeria imports white products from despite being a major oil producer.

Around February this year, Nigeria was thrown into a severe petrol scarcity that lasted for weeks, with excruciating pains felt by the citizens owing to the importation of off-spec petrol by some importers.

During the period, many Nigerians had wondered why the NMDPRA, the agency in-charge of regulating the activities of the downstream sector could not intercept the product before it made its way into the market.

However, speaking at the event, Ahmed said the Authority was addressing the issue of fuel quality through strategic collaboration with key stakeholders in the petroleum products value chain such as Netherland Human Environment and Transport Inspectorate (ILT) and Belgium petroleum agency.

He said the agency was also engaging with the NNPCL, Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) and the Nigeria Customs

Service (NCS).

"The Authority is addressing the issue of fuel quality through strategic collaboration with key stakeholders in the petroleum products value chain such as Netherland Human Environment and Transport Inspectorate (ILT), the NNPC Limited, Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) and the NCS. "Of particular importance is our strategic engagements with our Netherlands and Belgian counterparts, considering that bulk of Nigeria’s petroleum products importation originates from the ARA region.

"Our collaboration with the NCS led to the suspension of import licenses for land border importation of petroleum products in order to eliminate sharp practices and enhance quality control," Ahmed said.

Thanking the Comptroller General of Customs, for the cooperation

you are not interested in the concept of reciprocity when you know that would benefit your country and our country," he added On his part, Gbajabiamila said the issue of blocked or trapped funds of foreign airlines was giving the House a great course for concern, hence the need for the forum to find lasting solutions bearing in mind the prevailing economic imperatives.

Continues online

Islamic Development Bank Approves $1.8bn Financing for Nigeria Country becomes fourth largest shareholder Ndubuisi Francis in Abuja The Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) has approved a total financing of $1.8 billion for Nigeria, as the country becomes the fourth largest shareholder of the multilateral financial institution.

The approval came as both parties commenced consultations to strengthen collaboration between them.

FG Rallies Netherlands, Belgium to Address Quality of Imported Petroleum Products into Nigeria Peter Uzoho

to Nigerian Airlines to fly their routes so as to reduce the burden of accumulated funds going forward.

"IATA has the responsibility to get Nigerian airlines to fly on the basis of reciprocity. Everyone is calling on the CBN, blocked funds, and I am doing everything I can to provide dollar for you to repatriate your money.

“How can you come here and begin to tell us that you were not a party to BASA and for that reason

his agency had received, the Authority chief executive informed that further collaborations with NNPCL, SON, NCS, African Refiners and Distributors Association (ARDA), the Nigerian Society of Chemical Engineers (NSChE) and other key stakeholders on improving the standards of fuel utilised in Nigeria would continue.

According to him, “we shall also continue sustaining deep collaboration with regional governments, regulatory entities, National Oil Companies and professional associations to improve fuel quality standards and implement the AFRI Clean Fuels roadmap.

“I want to specially recognise efforts of Dr. Mustapha Abdulhamid, MD, National Petroleum Authority of Ghana (NPA) for organising highly successful regional regulators’ workshop in September.”

Continues online

IsDB President, Dr. Mohamed Jasser, who is currently in Nigeria disclosed in Abuja yesterday, that the approved $1.8 billion facility for Nigeria was made up of $971 million for project financing by the bank, and about $288 million provided by the Islamic Corporation for Development (ICD)--IsDB's private sector affiliate.

Speaking during a meeting with the Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Mrs. Zainab Ahmed, the IsDB President also disclosed that the sum of $477 million was in form of trade operations by its trade arm, the International Islamic Trade Finance Corporation (ITFC) and $90 million from other funds and operations.

Jasser added: "In addition, the Islamic Corporation for the Insurance of Investment and Export Credit (ICIEC) our investment guarantee arm has provided $1.1 billion as business insured and $1 billion as a new insurance commitment to help attract businesses and insure them.

"The IsDB active portfolio in Nigeria is standing now at $1.2 billion and we have completed about 55 per cent of all of those projects, we look forward to strengthening our bilateral relations.

"Out of the 36 states in Nigeria, IsDB has investments in 16 states.

I applaud the Federal Government of Nigeria for emphasising the diversification of the economy."

He stated that the IsDB was aware of Nigeria’s opportunities and potential for private-sector development, adding that the bank would try to boost the activities of the private arm of the IsDB to assist the development of the

private sector and the economic diversification programme of the government.

He assured that, "the IsDB is keen to continue to engage Nigeria on its strategic priorities areas such as economic and social infrastructure and advisory support for strengthening Islamic financial services."

Jasser explained that the IsDB was committed to supporting Nigeria to deal with the recovery phase of COVID-19 including providing the necessary support to the private sector to create and revive economic growth.

Jasser stated that Nigeria was the largest office outside of the bank’s head office in Jedda, explaining that the organisation would need a piece of land to build a permanent office in Abuja.

He said, "We are engaged in other areas like education and health and we are looking forward to entering the food sector as there is a $10 billion facility Nigeria can benefit from."

In her remarks, Ahmed stated that the IsDB as a multilateral financial institution was established to foster the economic development and social progress of its 56 member-countries.

She noted that Nigeria is currently the fourth largest shareholder with 8.75 per cent shares which entitled it to have a permanent seat on the board of directors.

Ahmed said the IsDB President was in Nigeria to strengthen collaboration between the bank and the country.

Continues online

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COURTESY VISIT TO THE NCC...

L-R: Executive Commissioner, Stakeholder Management, Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Mr. Adeleke Adewolu; Secretary General, Digital Cooperation Organisation (DCO), Ms. Deemah Al Yahya; Executive Vice Chairman/CEO, NCC, Prof. Umar Garba Danbatta, and Senior Advisor, DCO, Dr. Ammar Hammadien, during a courtesy visit to the NCC in Abuja....yesterday

Nigeria's Failure to Utilise AfDB's $244m Emergency Funds for Food Production Worries Adesina Seeks faster action to avert food crisis Osinbajo: Nigeria can be free of food insecurity in 10 years Says agric sector turn around in sight Launches special agro-industrial zone scheme Seven states, FCT to benefit in first phase

Deji Elumoye and Ndubuisi Francis in Abuja The President of the African Development Bank (AfDB), Dr. Akinwumi Adesina has called for faster action to avert food crisis in Nigeria, expressing worry that the country was yet to sign and utilise a $244 million funds for emergency food production approved by the AfDB since July 2022, The AfDB President, who spoke virtually, during the launch of the Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zones (SAPZs) in Nigeria, yesterday, said it was worrying that despite the approval of $244 million for emergency food production by the

AfDB since July 2022, Nigeria was yet to sign for implementation.

This was just as the Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo yesterday, at same event, declared that food insecurity could be banished from Nigeria within a decade if certain decisive steps were taken by government According to Adesina, to help Africa prevent a food crisis from the Russian war in Ukraine, the AfDB launched a $1.5 billion African Emergency Food Production Facility, to support 20 million farmers to access climate resilient agricultural technologies and produce 38 million metric tons of food valued at $12 billion.

"The African Emergency Food Production Facility provided $134 million to Nigeria, one of the highest levels of support across African countries.

"I would like to thank the Japanese International Development Agency (JICA) for co-financing this with an additional $110 million.

"That means we collectively made available $244 million for emergency food production in Nigeria.

"Your Excellencies, we must act faster, to avert a food crisis in Nigeria.

"It is worrying that these emergency funds approved since July 2022, for emergency food

production, have yet to be signed for implementation by Nigeria.

"Yet the seasons wait for no one, while the hungry await timely help.

"There is need for greater action, responsiveness, and delivery."

He lamented that with 65 per cent of the uncultivated arable land left to feed over nine billion people in the world by 2050 being in Africa, what Africa does with agriculture would determine the future of food in the world.

The story, he stressed, was no different in Nigeria, despite positive efforts that had been made to improve the agricultural sector, adding that food is now beyond the reach of many.

Access Bank Set to Reward Customers’ Loyalty with N1bn in New Campaign Access Bank is rewarding its loyal customers with cash rewards and other items up to N1 billion for funding, transacting, maintaining, and increasing their deposits from October 2022 to November 2023 through its Access Winfest campaign.

The essence of the campaign is to promote a savings culture and efficient banking among Nigerians using alternative channels.

According to the Deputy Managing Director, Retail, North, Access Bank, Victor Etuokwu, "Over the past two decades, Access Bank has continued to grow in every dimension, particularly its customer base, due to customers like you whose patronage, advocacy, and loyalty have remained unparalleled.

“At Access Bank, we care most about how happy our customers are, and we hope to find more chances like this one to make their lives and the lives of many other Nigerians better.

“We have a total reward of N1billion naira for you, our customers, whether you are a student, a business owner, a salary earner or an entrepreneur. Many lucky customers will receive cash rewards from the bank ranging from N5,000 to N5,000,000; airtime rewards; grocery baskets; Salary4Life; rent for a year; business grants; educational support; and many other types of rewards.”

According to him, “to get on board the winning train, simply increase the balance on your

account , carry out transactions using our USSD code *901# and the accessMore app to pay bills, send money to loved ones, buy airtime, and make international money transfers, among other things.”

Senior Retail Advisor at Access Bank, Rob Giles, recently told the media at the campaign's launch in Lagos that the idea behind it was to keep the bank's promise to reward customers for their loyalty and continued business.

He also emphasised that it was simple to participate in the ‘Fund and Win’ campaign and be eligible to win between N5,000 and N5,000,000.

“Simply save up to a minimum of N25,000 or more every month in your savings or business account to earn a chance that qualifies you for a chance to win N5,000,000.00.

You can also be one of the 1,000 lucky winners of N5,000 monthly.

“For every N25,000 you save, you get a ticket for the Mega draw and increase your chances of winning the grand prize in the ‘Fund and Win’ campaign."

Rob's words were echoed by Group Head of Consumer Banking at Access Bank, Adaeze Umeh.

She said the rewards campaign was just one of the many ways the bank adds value and meets the needs of its most loyal customers.

She also mentioned that the Diamond Business Advantage (DBA) customers with outstand-

ing monthly fees are not left out, saying they could fund with the equivalent of their accrued fees to enjoy a 100 per cent waiver and stand a chance to be among the lucky 1,000 customers to win N5,000 in the monthly draw and qualify to win N5,000,000.00.

“Apart from funding and maintaining accounts to qualify for the draw, customers who

perform at least five fee-earning transactions weekly will also qualify to win N5,000 monthly.

“Customers with an account balance below N1,000 can fund their accounts with a minimum of N2,000 to get their debit cards and transact at least five (5) times a week to qualify to win N5,000 monthly or the grand prize of N5,000,000,” she added.

Citing the 2022 Global Hunger Index (GHI), released just a week ago, he said Nigeria ranks 103rd among 121 countries facing hunger crisis in the world, noting that hunger in Nigeria cannot be justified.

"Nigeria has the land, with 34 million hectares of arable land with rich and diverse agroecology.

"It has the water. It has the labour.

It has great sunshine. Nigeria must achieve zero hunger. There is no reason for anyone to go hungry in Nigeria.

"As the United Nations Secretary General, Antonio Guterres said recently “if we do not feed people, we feed conflict.”

Adesina recalled that to help turn this situation around for African countries, he prioritised agriculture when he was first elected AfDB President in 2015, adding that since then, the bank has committed $25 billion to investments in agriculture.

"In the past six years, the African Development Bank’s financing for agriculture has provided over 76 million farmers with improved agricultural technologies for food security.

"Through its Technologies for African Agricultural Transformation (TAAT), the African Development Bank has also provided 12 million farmers with improved climate smart agricultural technologies

UBA’s Q3 Gross Earnings Hit N608bn, Records 12.3% Growth in Profit Kayode Tokede

The United Bank for Africa (UBA) Plc has announced remarkable performance in its unaudited financial results for the third quarter (Q3) ended September 30, 2022, recording impressive growth across all its major indices and replicating the performance it achieved in the first two quarters of the current fiscal year.

Specifically, the bank’s gross earnings rose to N608 billion, up from N493 billion recorded in September 2021, while operating income also grew by 27.3per cent to close at N414.1 billion as at September 2022, up from N334.8 billion achieved a year earlier.

In its financial report filed on the Nigerian Exchange Limited (NGX) yesterday, UBA reported a 12.3 per

cent rise in profit before tax to close at N138.5 billion compared with the N123.4 billion recorded at the end of the Q3 2021, while profit after tax also rose significantly by 10.9 per cent to N116 billion up from N104.6 billion recorded a year earlier, thus sustaining its annualised return on average equity for Q3 2022 at 19.2 per cent.

As always, UBA continued to maintain a very strong balance sheet, with total assets rising to N9.3 trillion, representing a 9.1 per cent increase over the N8.5 trillion recorded at the end of December 2021, just as the bank benefitted largely from its technology-led initiatives targeted at improving customer experience over the past few years, with Customer Deposits rising to N7.03 trillion, representing a 10.4 per cent rise,

up from N6.4 trillion at the end of the last financial year.

UBA shareholders’ funds remained very strong at N809 billion up from N805 billion recorded in December 2021, again reflecting a strong capacity for internal capital generation and growth.

Commenting on the result, UBA’s Group Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Oliver Alawuba, remarked that the Group continued to show notable operating resilience amid significant headwinds in its presence markets amidst heightened global risk environment, adding that its strong diversification model and unwavering focus on customer satisfaction continues to give the bank an edge over its peers in the industry.

within three years.

"In Ethiopia, TAAT provided heat tolerant wheat varieties to farmers.

The cultivated area under the heat tolerant wheat varieties expanded from 5,000 in 2018 to 645,000 hectares in 2022.

"This year, Ethiopia became self-sufficient in wheat in just three years. Next year, Ethiopia will become a net exporter of wheat to Kenya and Djibouti.

"The Bank’s support to Sudan has also helped it to reduce its wheat imports by 50 per cent within two years.

"The African Development Bank is also supporting Nigeria, through TAAT, to produce more wheat, rice and maize.

"This support will allow Nigeria to cultivate by next year 900,000 hectares of rice, 250,000 hectares of wheat and 107,000 hectares of maize," he said.

He explained that if Ethiopia and Sudan can do it, Nigeria could also do same.

However, to achieve these results, he said Nigeria must decisively tackle insecurity challenges that prevent farmers from going to their farms.

According to him, the private sector cannot invest when there is insecurity, adding that food security needs national security.

He stressed that the AfDB was strongly supporting Nigeria, and has always done so.

"When Nigeria faced a massive recession in 2016 and needed support and no financial institution in the world was there to provide support, the African Development Bank came to Nigeria’s rescue, with an approval of up to $1 billion in budget support. We are doing a lot for Nigeria.

"The African Development Bank’s portfolio in Nigeria, at $4.6 billion, shows the high priority that we accord to Nigeria, across several sectors.

"To boost food production in Nigeria, the African Development Bank is already investing $522 million, with additional co-financing of $420 million from partners," he noted.

Adesina, a former Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development in Nigeria said to fully unlock the potential of Nigeria’s agriculture, more needed to be done to promote and support the agribusiness sector.

Continues online

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Buhari Hails Rishi Sunak, Incoming British Prime Minister Says Nigeria, UK united in fight against global terrorism, world food crisis Seeks improved trade relationship Deji Elumoye in Abuja President Muhammadu Buhari yesterday congratulated the new British Prime Minister, Hon Rishi Sunak on his appointment.

The president in a congratulatory message to the incoming British Prime Minister said he looked forward to the sustenance of the age-long relationship between Nigeria and Britain with Sunak coming into office.

Buhari, according to a statement issued by his spokesman, Mallam Garba Shehu, also expressed optimism that the two countries would vigorously pursue the global war against terrorism and food crisis.

The Nigerian President's letter read: "On behalf of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the largest of 21 countries of Africa that are members of the Commonwealth, I welcome incoming British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak to office.

“As the first Prime Minister

of British-Asian descent and the youngest in about 200 years, these milestones will be especially inspiring for young people across our 2.4 billion-population, 56-nation Commonwealth.

“On this important day, we should also remember the enduring partnership and unbreakable friendship between our countries, United Kingdom and Nigeria.

“We stand together in this troubled world against terrorism.

We are determined to address the world food crisis that is driving up the cost of living for people and families across the globe. We are steadfast in our commitment to make our countries and our allies more energy secure.

“We are pledged to address climate change that forces millions to leave their homes through desertification and attempt to cross the seas into Europe. And we seek to increase trade and investment within and between Commonwealth

countries to boost the health and wealth of all our peoples.

“We seek to deepen our partnership with Britain to achieve these objectives, and more. The government and people of Nigeria look forward to working with Prime Minister Sunak and the leaders of other Commonwealth nations to deliver them.”

Sunak is set to become the United Kingdom’s new Prime Minister after winning the ruling Conservative Party’s leadership contest, which was triggered by the resignation of Liz Truss last week.

Sunak’s win yesterday came days after Truss’s resignation after her disastrous tax cuts plans and policy U-turns plunged the markets into chaos.

The unprecedented economic crisis drew a rare intervention from the Bank of England.

Britain faces serious economic challenges and needs stability and unity, Aljazeera quoted Sunak to

have said yesterday, in his first public speech since winning the contest.

“There is no doubt we face a profound economic challenge,” Sunak said.

“We now need stability and unity, and I will make it my utmost priority to bring our party and our country together.”

Sunak, a former finance minister, has been left with the task of steering a deeply divided country through an economic downturn set to make millions of people poorer.

Sunak’s only challenger, Penny Mordaunt, leader of the House of Commons and former defence minister, was reportedly backed by 30 MPs compared with nearly 150 supporting Sunak.

“This decision is an historic one and shows, once again, the diversity and talent of our party,” Mordaunt said in a statement as she withdrew from the race just minutes before the winner was due to be announced.

“Rishi has my full support.”

Sunak and Mordaunt had lost to Truss last month in the race to appoint a successor to then-Prime Minister Boris Johnson. He was forced to announce his resignation in July after a wave of scandals linked to parties held during the COVID-19 lockdown.

Sunak would be the UK’s first leader of colour and the first Hindu to take the top job.

At 42, he would also be the youngest prime minister in more than 200 years.

The multimillionaire former hedge fund boss would be expected to impose deep spending cuts to try to rebuild the UK’s fiscal reputation, just as the country slides into a recession, dragged down by the surging costs of energy and food.

He would also inherit a political party that has fractured along ideological lines, a challenge that damaged the fortunes of several former Conservative leaders.

While there were rumours

IG, FCT MINISTER RAMP UP SECURITY IN ABUJA OVER TERROR THREAT Bello, also held an emergency security meeting yesterday over the warning by the US embassy and others to their citizens about likely terrorist attacks in Abuja.

A statement issued in Abuja by the Force Headquarters, signed by the Force Public Relations Officer, Chief Superintendent of Police (CSP) Olumuyiwa Adejobi, stated that the operation was in furtherance of the determination of the police authorities to contain the activities of non-state actors and other criminal elements in the FCT and other parts of the country. It said the new security measures were, especially, following a security alert issued by the embassies of the United States and the United Kingdom about a potential terror attack in the nation's capital.

The police said the move was designed to analyse and de-escalate threats gathered from various intelligence sources, including the US advisory.

The police statement said, "The IGP has announced the immediate commencement of a Counterterrorism Incident Simulation Exercise, codenamed ‘Operation Darkin Gaggawa’, which will hold within the Force Headquarters and the Police Officers’ Wives Association School,

opposite the Force Headquarters, Abuja, between Tuesday, 25th and Wednesday, 26th October, 2022.

"The exercise will involve diversion of traffic, use of blank ammunition, and other operational manpower and assets and is designed to improve interoperability and synergy between different units and formations of the force in response to terrorist incidents and other violent crimes.

“The NPF, thereby, urges the general public not to panic at the sounds of explosives and gunshots during the exercise.

"The Nigeria Police Force, hereby, reassures Nigerians and all other residents and visitors in the country that it will effectively review the United States of America Embassy in Abuja's security advisory, which was issued, widely circulated, and published by the media on October 23rd, 2022, indicating an elevated risk of terror attacks in the country, particularly, in the capital city of Abuja."

The statement further said, "A review of the advisory is necessary due to the fact that police, as the lead agency in internal security, will not take any threat intelligence, either actionable or not, for granted, thus, there is no cause for alarm as

OBASEKI: NIGERIA’LL BREAK IF APC WINS 2023 PRESIDENTIAL POLL “This 2023 election will be won by what we do now, not what we do on election day. I believe this will be an easy election for us as a party if we campaign.

Our heads should be examined if the All Progressives Congress (APC) wins.

“God forbid, but should APC win and come to power in 2023, this country will break. APC has done much damage to this country. Our debt is growing to N60 trillion every month and yet we continue printing money. They have destroyed this country. APC has threatened the survival and existence of this country,” he said.

Expressing confidence that the party would emerge victorious, Obaseki noted, "Our candidate will win. We will rescue, rebuild, and reset Nigeria and put it back on the path of growth and development.

Edo is ready to rescue Nigeria and after that, Edo will not be left behind.

“Our politics today is all about our survival, not what to eat.

Whatever sacrifice we will make is to ensure the nation survives.

We will put in our best to ensure our party, the PDP, wins the 2023 general election. This election will be a different election. When we

ran in 2020, we set a new template of election in Nigeria and today, other states are following it.”

While charging everyone to work for the party’s success in the forthcoming polls, the governor said, “Our candidates should be in the forefront of the campaign. We can't do your work for you. We will follow you behind. We will give you all the support and influence.

We would lay out strategies and endure until we win this election.

“This election is important to us in Edo State as we can't be in opposition. We know how to manage elections. Forget about those, who call themselves Obidients; they can't even organise a campaign council.

We have set up our own and are helping others to do the same.

“No division in our party but little disagreement that is being resolved as all are working together for the success of the PDP in the election. This election is a technical one and we have the infrastructure to deliver the election. We did it in Edo and Osun States and know what to do as we will not take chances in this election.”

Chairman of Edo PDP, Anthony Aziegbemi, said, the council was made up of one director general and 10 deputy directors.

all hands are on deck to collectively nip threats in the bud."

The statement reiterated that the IGP had ordered the Commissioner of Police in charge of the Federal Capital Territory, heads of tactical squads domiciled in the FCT, and other State Command CPs to restrategise security management within their jurisdictions, as the force headquarters would continually avail them with required support, logistics, and deployments necessary for providing safety to all and sundry in Nigeria.

The statement noted that the police would work with other security agencies to ensure safety of the citizenry, especially, in FCT. "The Inspector-General of Police, therefore, reiterates the commitment of his administration to ensuring safety of lives and property within

the country through the effective deployment of tactical and operational assets for effective intelligence gathering and proactive policing.

He further reassures Nigerians of a safe and secured country for all," the police stated.

Meanwhile, the FCT minister, in a statement by the Director, Information and Communication, Mohammed Hazat Sule, said yesterday’s security meeting exhaustively discussed the proactive measures taken to sustain the current state of security in the capital city and prevent any breach.

Sule said at the meeting, the minister charged security agencies to do all within their powers to protect FCT residents from being harmed by criminals and other unscrupulous elements, and urged FCT residents to remain calm as

the security agencies were working assiduously to sustain the state of law in Abuja.

While assuring FCT residents that all necessary arrangements had been made to safeguard lives and property, the statement said residents and visitors to Abuja should go about their legitimate businesses, as all the security agencies had been fully mobilised to check any form of intrusion into the FCT. The FCT administration said it had not ordered the closure of any school, and directed the schools that had closed to reopen forthwith. It appealed to residents to cooperate at all times with the security agencies by volunteering useful and timely information that would assist in nipping any form of criminality in the bud.

about a Johnson comeback over the weekend, he pulled out of the contest on Sunday.

He had said that he had secured the backing of 102 legislators and could have been, “back in Downing Street” but he had failed to persuade either Sunak or Mordaunt to come together and back him “in the national interest”.

“I believe I have much to offer, but I am afraid that this is simply not the right time,” Johnson had said.

The Tories retain a majority in parliament, meaning that as their leader, Sunak would be named prime minister by King Charles III. Economists have questioned whether Sunak would be able to tackle the country’s finances while holding the party’s multiple warring factions together.

Finance minister Jeremy Hunt – the fourth person in that role in four months – is due to present a budget on October 31, to plug a black hole in the public finances, which is expected to have ballooned to up to 40 billion pounds ($45.2 billion).

Conservative political commentator Alex Deane noted that the last three Conservative prime ministers have been brought down by members of their own party.

“So it’s very nice to hear people say good things about our new leader,” Deane told Al Jazeera.

“Sunak didn’t have a direct electoral mandate,” Deane said. “… One of the things he is going to have to do … is preside over a period of relative calm, reassuring the markets and not doing anything too bold or too rapid.”

“One of the things he is likely to do is to keep Jeremy Hunt as chancellor,” he added. “He really reassured the markets when he arrived. What he can’t do is to compel Tory MPs to demonstrate loyalty to him.”

CENSUS 2023: BUHARI’S BEST LEGACY FOR NATIONAL PLANNING, DEVELOPMENT etcetera.

“Without accurate census, how can fast-moving consumer foods (FMCG) companies plan the distribution of their goods; how can donor agencies and development partners channel their resources most effectively to the right places where they are needed the most?

“A nation cannot develop without reliable population data because lack of it stymies effective planning; and where there is no planning, development is a mirage.

One of the complaints of foreign investors about Nigeria is the lack of current and reliable data on Nigeria’s demographics,” he added.

At international conferences and business meetings, many investors have always bemoaned the absence of contemporary data on Nigeria that would help them make intelligence-based decisions on where, what and when to invest in Nigeria.

“It therefore stands to reason that delaying the census amounts to keeping development in abeyance.

Holding a national census more than 10 years apart is not ideal for national planning, going by the recommendation of the United Nations (UN).

“This makes the case of the 2023 census both imperative and compelling. Postponing next year’s census under any guise accentuates the lack of seriousness of the nation and projects Nigeria in bad light in the comity of nations. It is simply ridiculous.

“Calls from certain quarters that the census be postponed because of next year’s general elections make the matter even more ridiculous.

It portrays Nigeria as pathetically

primitive given that many nations across the globe have successfully conducted their censuses within deliberately calibrated frequencies of five to 10 years as the case may be,” he said further.

He pointed out that in countries where there had been a break from the routine five to 10 years interval, such situation only arose on account of war, noting that Nigeria was not at war.

“Election is not war. Besides, Nigeria’s elections are holding in the months of February and March, 2023. It means that the result of the census is not intended to be used to determine outcome of the elections as some have alleged.

“Such argument is unfounded and clearly flies in the face of logic and commonsense.

To argue that the census is coming too close after the election is to live with the mindset that the 2023 elections would trigger a major crisis in the country. Far be it.

“On the contrary, Nigerians should live with the consciousness that election is a democratic festival to celebrate the liberty of the people to freely choose their leaders. Nigerians should abhor such notion that every election is a herald of mayhem.

“It should be stated that whereas national census captures the entire population from birth, electoral data only captures persons 18 years and above. They are not the same.

“Examples from other African and Asian nations, including the advanced Western nations, showed that censuses, for the benefit of effective national planning, holds five to 10 years apart.

“Ghana has achieved national

census frequency of every 10 years, same as Singapore; South Africa was holding census every five years but lack of capacity at the census agency has pushed it to every 10 years.

“South Korea, Canada, and Japan hold census every five years. India, with her bulky population, has maintained a 10-year frequency since 1872 when the first census was conducted. Why then should Nigeria not conduct her census at such frequency?

“Nigeria’s 2023 census, albeit coming late after the 2006 exercise, is, therefore, inevitable. It is a national goal that must be achieved.

Besides, it will, according to the NPC, create about 3 million ad hoc jobs. This will help mitigate the growing employment in the country particularly among the youths,” Ugbechie stated.

The president had expressed his unwavering commitment to bequeathing a credible census as one of his legacies. At a recent national stakeholders’ summit on the 2023 Population and Housing Census held at the State House, the president had said a, “reliable, credible, acceptable and successful census,” would help the government in planning for development, especially in enhancing the delivery of the social security programme that targets more vulnerable Nigerians.

The 2023 census promises to be like none else in Nigerian history: transformative and in tandem with contemporary global census standards, especially with the deployment of digital technology.

Buhari had echoed this when he said: “Our administration is convinced that the National

Population Commission has the commitment and capacity to deliver to the nation a reliable, credible, acceptable and successful census.

“We are also satisfied with the deployment of technology by the Commission to ensure the conduct of the first fully digital census in Nigeria as the census methodology will enhance the data quality, inspire the confidence of the Nigerian people and acceptability of the census results.’’

Nigeria has a projected population of 216,783,381, which places her as the sixth most populous country in the world and the most populous country on the African continent. And going by the rapidity of growth of the population and a budging youth population, Nigeria was projected to be the third most populous country in the World by the year 2050 after India and China.

But these are mere projections. To give it accuracy and legitimacy, an actual census should be conducted and 2023 presents the nation a fitting opportunity to do so.

Buhari and his cabinet should not retreat on this path to delivering a credible census in 2023. This would be one of his most enduring legacies. Nigeria needs a credible census now.

“Running a country for 16 years without accurate, verifiable headcount data complete with the requisites demographics, is evidential of a nation without plan for her citizens, present and future.

“Nigeria must avoid this ignoble tag of a people without a plan.

Let the 2023 census go ahead as scheduled. History will judge Buhari fairly if he delivers this,” Ugbechie added.

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Acting Group Politics Editor DEJI ELUMOYE Email: deji.elumoye@thisdaylive.com (08033025611 SMS ONLY)

Senate Squares Up with States’ Assembly Over Amendment to 1999 Constitution There are strong indications that the energy and funds committed to the process of amending the 1999 Constitution are gradually becoming elusive no thanks to the unending cold war between the Ninth Senate and state houses of assembly. Sunday Aborisade reports

Omo-Agege

W

hen the Deputy President of the Senate, who also doubles as the Chairman, Joint National Assembly Committee on Constitution Review, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege, invited parliamentary reporters for a news briefing last week, the expectation was that he would give an update on the number of constitutional amendment bills so far approved by the state houses of assembly.

His committee had in its report submitted and considered by the two chambers of the National Assembly, recommended 66 bills but the upper and lower chambers, endorsed 44.

The 44 approved bills were thereafter transmitted to the state houses of assembly through the Clerk to the National Assembly, Mr. Amos Olatunde Ojo, on March 29, 2022 for approval in line with Section 9 (2) stipulations of the nation’s constitution.

It was therefore a great surprise when rather than reeling out progress reports so far achieved from the legislative arms of the various state governments, Omo-Agege, alleged that the governors were holding the entire process to ransom with a view to truncating it, invariably.

He specifically alleged that the state governors were using their states’ lawmakers to stall the process of the Constitution alterations being carried out by the nation’s legislative institution.

He noted with concern that the Conference of Nigeria Speakers had vowed not to pass the 44 Constitution Review Bills transmitted to them by the National Assembly until four bills, which they had earlier proposed to the National Assembly were considered and passed.

Although, Omo-Agege said the press conference was with the understanding and consent of the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon Idris Wase, who was on a national assignment abroad, no member of the committee from the green chamber, attended the briefing.

The development further fueled speculations that the current stalemate in the Constitution Amendments process was the continuation of the cold war between the senators and their state governors.

The crisis started shortly before the political party primaries, when most of the governors were allegedly making moves to retire the serving senators, either to personally take over their seats or to ensure that their cronies get the party tickets.

The Senators in order to weaken the powers of the governors during the amendments to the current Electoral Act, ensured that only statutory delegates would take part in the party primaries at all levels.

The federal lawmakers, nevertheless, shot themselves in the foot, in the process as the amended law also disqualified them from voting during primaries.

Sulaiman

It was therefore, not surprising when Omo-Agege disclosed that only 11 states had so far considered and performed their Constitutional role of passing amendments to the constitution.

He lamented that the Speakers of State Houses of Assembly through a letter to the National Assembly joint committee on Constitution review had given four conditions upon which the remaining 25 states would pass the amendments.

He described the letter as the “hands of Esau and voice of Jacob,” saying “state governors are behind the action of the speakers to stall the process. “ According to him: “Six months after the transmission of the bills to state assemblies, it is most disheartening to inform you that only 11 state houses of assembly have demonstrated their independence and loyalty to the . Constitution regarding the 44 bills.

“Twenty five state houses of assembly have yet to consider and vote on these bills. So far, only Abia, Akwa-Ibom, Anambra, Delta, Edo, Kaduna, Katsina, Kogi, Lagos, Ogun and Osun States have successfully considered, voted on, and forwarded their resolutions on the 44 bills to the National Assembly.

“More worrisome is that while we are still expecting the receipt of the resolutions of the remaining houses of assembly, we received a letter from the Conference of Speakers of State Assemblies informing the National Assembly that the remaining states will not act on the 44 bills unless the National

Assembly passes four new bills they have proposed in the letter.

“The bills they proposed, seek to amend the Constitution to Establish State Police; Establish State Judicial Council; Streamline the procedure for removing Presiding Officers of State Houses of Assembly; and, Institutionalise Legislative Bureaucracy in the Constitution.”

Rising in stout defence of the parliament, however, Omo-Agege, said the National Assembly was in no way averse to acting on any proposed bill or memoranda appropriately tabled before it, “at any time in its life.”

He said: “However, it is legally inappropriate for the Conference of Speakers to use the four bills as a quid pro quo to act on the 44 bills which the National Assembly transmitted.

“It is clear, and we cannot overstate, that this letter is not in keeping with the obligation the Constitution has placed on them regarding the Constitutional amendment.”

Omo-Agege said the National Assembly would not go to the governors over the matter because it was constitutionally meant to relate only with the state parliaments.

He said, “The competition is clear as to whose responsibility it is to alter the process.

It is a process and it begins with the people and thereafter members of the national assembly.

“Once we play that part it goes to the state houses of assembly. And the constitution says of the 36 states, we need the concurrence of 24 of them. It does not end there.

“If there are bills there that you are not comfortable with, vote it down, but to hold it hostage, you are holding the entire exercise hostage, holding the entire country hostage and that is what we are against.

“We thought it is right that the Nigerian people through the media understand who is holding this hostage at this particular time.

Mr president is waiting in the event we receive favourable transmission from them to either sign or not sign.”

The alteration exercise of the Constitution is too important for a few to assume exclusive powers.

While reiterating our resolve to ratify the resolutions of the National Assembly on the ongoing review of the Constitution, it is important to educate that State Houses of Assembly are individually empowered by the Constitution to play their roles according to the needs of the people and that we shall do without playing to the gallery

Omo-Agege insisted that the process of the amendment has not died despite the governors’ unfriendly attitude towards it.

His words: The process is not dead. We just felt having played our role, it is important we let you know where we are at the moment.

“We still have a few months left to have them do the right thing. It is not just about the 44 bills.

“Of the 44 the most fundamental to a lot of us is the local government autonomy. Even if they shoot down every other bill as not being important to them.

“At least this is so fundamental. Fundamental to the extent that even the president took it upon himself upon as an executive to seek to enforce the content of these bills and of course rightly the Supreme Court shut it down, saying no, Mr President your intentions may be good, but this can only be achieved through a constitutional amendment exercise.”

Omo-Agege’s countenance changed when journalists asked him why his committee did not lobby the governors instead of taking the matter to the media.

In his response, he said the reverse should rather be the case.

According to him: “Let me say this, as a student of the constitution, we all know who the stakeholders are with respect to constitutional amendment exercise.

“I am not so sure there is any where responsibility is given to governors. It is the state houses of assembly, the national assembly and the president.

“Be that as it may, this exercise began at the 12 centres, and there we reached out to the governors to intimate them about the commencement of this exercise and to have them participate.

“In most instances, not only did they declared open, the sessions in their respective centres, and in centres where they did not come they sent in their representatives and their input.

“I read a couple of days ago an interview by the immediate past governor of Ekiti state, Dr Kayode Fayemi, stating the position of the governors and how Governor Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna State has presented the party position to the party and also to the National Assembly.

“There is a process and former governor Fayemi is a scholar. I respect him so much, he knows the process. He knows how it works. We know where he stands on most of these issues and in due respect those positions.

“Unfortunately here we do not have monarchs. Everyone here has a vote, either here on the floor or the committee level. No one imposes his will on the other”, Omo-Agege added.

NOTE: Interested readers should continue in the online edition on www.thisdaylive.com

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BUSINESSWORLD R A T E S MONEY MARKET

A S

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REPO

Group Business Editor Eromosele Abiodun Email oriarehu.eromosele@thisdaylive.com

08056356325

O C T O B E R

S & P INDEX

2 4 , 2 0 2 2

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OPR

11.25%

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10.25%

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Diesel Prices Rise by 210%, Kerosene 118%, Gas 86% as Energy Costs Take Toll on Nigerians

Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja There appears to be no respite for Nigerians as the price paid for their energy needs have continued to skyrocket year-on-year, according to the latest data from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS).

A review of the information released by the NBS showed that the average retail price of diesel paid by consumers in September 2022 was N789.90 per litre, an increase of 210.20 per cent from N254.64 per litre recorded in the corresponding month of the previous year.

Nigeria has been faced with rising

energy costs on the back of the war between Ukraine and Russia, the country’s inability to refine products locally as well as the impact of a tumbling naira exchange rate to the American dollar.

While the government has retained subsidy payment on petrol, it has deregulated the prices of diesel, gas and kerosene, essentially leaving the rates to market forces.

On a month-on-month basis, diesel price increased by 0.38 per cent from N786.88 per litre reported in August 2022 while on a state profile analysis, the highest average price of the product in

September 2022 was recorded in Ondo with N859.23, followed by Ebonyi with N849.00 and Niger with N841.67.

According to the figures from the NBS, on the other hand, the lowest price was recorded in Katsina with N710.00, followed

by Yobe with N725.00 and Bayelsa with N726.67.

Furthermore, analysis by zone showed that the North-central had the highest price with N811.24, while the South-south recorded the lowest price with N762.74.

For kerosene, the average retail price per litre paid by consumers

in September 2022 was N947.30, indicating an increase on a yearon-year basis, by 118.08 per cent from N434.39 in September 2021.

On a monthly basis, it rose 17.02 per cent compared to N809.52 recorded in August 2022. On a state profile analysis, the highest average price per litre in September 2022 was recorded in Enugu with N1,272.50, followed by Ebonyi with N1,263.89 and Cross River with N1,187.50.

But the lowest price was recorded in Rivers with N686.27, followed by Bayelsa with N715.15 and Nasarawa with N735.29.

In addition, a zone-by-zone analysis showed that the Southeast recorded the highest average retail price per litre of kerosene with N1,128.28, followed by the South-west with N1,068.18, while the North-west recorded the lowest with N868.89.

The average retail price per gallon of kerosene paid by consumers in September 2022 was N3,236.27, showing an increase of 9.79 per cent from N2,947.65 in August 2022. On a year-on-year basis, this increased by 110.04 per cent from N1,540.82 in September 2021.

However, on state profile analysis, Abuja recorded the highest average retail price per gallon of kerosene with N4,200.00, followed

by Abia with N4,078.57 and Enugu with N4,052.38.

But Borno recorded the lowest price with N2,500.00, followed by Zamfara and Delta with N2,555.56 and N2,576.92 respectively.

Although regarded as the most consumed product by persons in the lowest wrung of the society, the price of kerosene skyrocketed after the government basically stopped Continued on page 20

NACCIMA Laments over Nigeria’s Underdeveloped Agric Sector, Seeks Increased Women Participation Gilbert Ekugbe The Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (NACCIMA), has lamented the nation’s underdeveloped agricultural sector despite its growing population.

The National President of NACCIMA, Mr. John Udeagbala, stated this while speaking at the Nigerian International Women Entrepreneur Exhibition (NIWEX) 2022, tagged, “Encouraging Women

in Agriculture and Made-in-Nigeria Products for Economic Growth.”

Also, he stressed on the need to increase the participation of women in the agricultural space, pointing out that Nigerian women play important roles in food and agriculture.

Represented by the Vice President of NACCIMA, Mr. Kola Akosile, he said: “Women are the backbone of the society and important resource in agriculture.

They make essential contributions to

the agricultural development. About 63 per cent of all economically active men are engaged in agriculture as compared to 78 per cent of women. Traditionally, women have always played an important role in agriculture as farmers, co-farmers, wage labors and managers of farms.

“As agriculture is an important engine for growth and poverty reduction, the sector seems to be underperforming because women in urban and rural economy face

FOOD

COMMODITIES

NAME OF COMMODITY

SIZE

STATE

PRICE

NAME OF COMMODITY

RICE

100KG

ABUJA

N23,000–N25,000

SORGHUM

50KG

OYO

N22,000-N25,000

50KG

PLATEAU (JOS)

N23,500-N25,000

50KG

KWARA N24,000–N27,000

50KG

LAGOS

50KG

RIVERS N23,000–N26,500

50KG 50KG

constraint that reduces economic productivity. Although, it is true that women are filling important positions in the sector, there is still massive visibility in the agricultural Index gap that spreads across the State and the country at large.

“In view of these challenges women face in the area of agriculture, production and processing, let me use this medium to encourage our women to intensify their efforts in promoting agricultural production through

SIZE

PRICE

STATE

100KG JIGAWA

NAME OF COMMODITY

N9,000

C O C OA

BENUE

N8,500

100KG

KADUNA

N8,500

50KG

ENUGU

N23,000

50KG

LAGOS

N17,000

SOKOTO N11,500–N13,000

100KG

DELTA

N23,000

N17,000–N20,000

100KG

ABIA

N23,000

EDO

NACCIMA Business Women Group (NAWORG), for the exceptional role being played in coordinating the efforts of women in the chamber, Lagos State, and the country at large.

She said that the theme of the exhibition is apt considering the fact that women contribute to bulk of the population and their roles in feeding families.

“There is no better time for this Continued on page 20

T O D AY

PRICE

100KG

N23,000–N26,500

made in Nigeria product as inscribed in this year’s theme.

Also speaking, the Commissioner for Commerce, Industry and Cooperative, Lagos State, Mrs. Lola Akande, who was represented by the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Cooperatives, Mrs. Adetutu Ososanya, said that women have the potentials to transform the economy if given the right opportunities and encouragement.

Akande commended the

SIZE

STATE

PRICE

1 TON

ONDO

N740,000 – N760,000

1 TON

OSUN

N730,000 – N750,000

1 TON

EDO

N720,000 – N740,000

1 TON

CROSS RIVER

N700,000 – N720,000

1 TON

AKURE SOUTH, ONDO

N730,000 — N755,000

20

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 25, 2022 ˾ T H I S D AY

BUSINESSWORLD

NEWS FOOD

NAME OF COMMODITY

PALM OIL

SIZE

STATE

PRICE

25CL LAGOS N20,000-N25000 25CL

PH

NAME OF COMMODITY

TOMATOES

N19,500 – 25,000

COMMODITIES SIZE

STATE

40KG BENUE

PRICE

N15,000

40KG

KADUNA

N5,000

40KG

ABIA

N18,000

25CL IBADAN N18,000-N22,000 25CL

IMO

N21,000–N24,500

25CL

EDO

N19,000–N21,000

25CL ABUJA

N19500- N25000

25KG LAGOS 40KG DELTA

N9,500 N17000

PRICE

T O D AY

NAME OF COMMODITY

SIZE

STATE

PRICE

ONIONS

100KG

IBADAN

N25,000

100KG

KANO

N10,000

100KG

BENUE

N27,000

100KG GOMBE

N12,000

100KG DELTA

N21,000

100KG LAGOS

N25,000

100KG ENUGU

N15,000

100KG

ABIA

NAME OF COMMODITY

SIZE

MAIZE

N29,000

LOCATION

PRICE

100KG JIGAWA

N9000

100KG ENUGU

N24000

100KG DELTA

N15000

100KG ABIA

N14000

50KG LAGOS

N13500

LPG Marketers Caution Consumers against Panic Buying as NLNG Continues Supply Peter Uzoho The Nigerian Association of Liquefied Petroleum Gas Marketers (NALPGAM) has cautioned consumers over panic buying of cooking gas as a result of the force majeure declared by Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas Limited (NLNG) Limited.

The President of the association, Mr. Oladapo Olatunbosun, made

the appeal in a statement against the backdrop of NLNG’s last week declaration of force majeure on its 22 million tons per annum (MTPA) facility due to flood.

Olatunbosun said that cooking gas consumers need not panic about a possible scarcity of the product as a result of the forge majeure Force majeure is a common clause in contracts, which essentially frees both

parties from liability or obligation when an extraordinary event or circumstance beyond the control of the parties, The circumstances include war, strike, riot, crime, epidemic or sudden legal changes, which prevent one or both parties from fulfilling their obligations under the contact.

The president reiterated that: “Based on information reaching the association, NLNG has not

shut down its production facility in Bonny as rumoured.”

He confirmed that the company had on October 20, 2022 shipped a cargo of LPG for the domestic market, adding that the dedicated vessel for shipment of LPG from the NLNG plant in Bonny, ‘Alfred Temile’, arrived Lagos on the aforementioned date to discharge product.

“The public should know that

the supply of LPG from NLNG has not stopped. We should not give opportunity for further price hike due to speculated shortage of the product.

“We are already in hard times with the Russian/Ukraine war causing upset in the markets and the scarcity,” he advised.

The president said that NLNG had assured the association that it would keep producing LPG based

on the feed-gas it receives from its gas suppliers, adding that production was expected to pick up after the flood recedes.

NLNG had in a statement through its General Manager, External Relations and Sustainable Development, Mr. Andy Odeh urged Nigerians to avoid rushing to fill their gas cylinders as there was enough quantity of LPG to satisfy the market.

AfDB to Reward Africa’s Top Agriprenuers with $140,000 Seed Funding Gilbert Ekugbe As part of its efforts to encourage African young entrepreneurs in the agricultural sector, the African Development Bank (AfDB), is set to reward top agri-prenuers with seed funding prizes of $140,000 in its AgriPitch 2022 competition that kicked off last week.

In a statement obtained from its website, the multilateral institution said the competition is designed to instill a culture of innovation and nurturing for technology-led agribusiness innovations to create jobs and improve youth livelihoods.

Apart from the seed funding prizes, the agriprenuers would also get a slot in the competition’s business development boot camp, as well as receive mentoring and training.

According to the statement, the AgriPitch 2022 tagged, “The Role of African Youth Within African Food Systems,” is a competition established to support African agripreneurs by improving their business bankability and ensuring that they are “pitch ready” for potential investors.

AfDB added that the 2022 edition of AgriPitch would help competitors identify innovative solutions and develop ideas that contribute to strengthening Africa’s food systems, mitigate the effects of gender marginalisation, and enhance sustainable nutrition across the continent.

Held annually, the AgriPitch competition is a key activity of

the bank’s Enable Youth Program that also provided technical capacitybuilding skills while facilitating youth access to financing.

The report, however, added that in response to the youth challenges

facing the continent, the bank developed its Jobs for Youth in Africa Strategy with the objective of creating 25 million jobs for young Africans and equipping 50 million youth with relevant skills by 2025.

According to the AfDB’s Director for Agriculture and Agro Industry, Mr. Martin Fregene, “the strategy aim is to increase inclusive employment and entrepreneurship, strengthen human capital, and create durable

labor market linkages – we’re proud to host the AgriPitch competition that contributes to the Strategy’s goals.”

The Bank’s Chief Financial Economist and Enable Youth Coordinator, Mr. Edson Mpyisi,

added that, “with the increased effects of climate change and the resultant impact on food systems within the continent, this competition serves to showcase timely and scalable youth-led opportunities.”

FG Restoring Human Dignity with Housing Schemes in 35 States , Says Fashola Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja The Minister of Works and Housing, Mr Babatunde Fashola (SAN) has said that President Muhammadu Buhari’s housing schemes in 35 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) had succeeded in restoring human dignity to benefiting house owners.

Speaking at the 2022 World Habitat Day themed: “Mind the Gap. Leave No One and Place Behind,” in Abuja, the minister said that 1,462 houses had been delivered nationwide by the Federal Housing Authority (FHA) this year.

“The programme is now delivering on its objective. Apart

from stimulating the economies of the 35 states and the FCT in the communities where work is being undertaken for the construction of houses, by providing work for artisans, builders, engineers, and other skilled persons in the built industry, the construction sites have been and remain centres of supply for building materials and

other commodities,” he stated.

According to him, many of the houses have been completed and are now being handed over to the beneficiaries who follow the allocation procedure set out in the National Housing Programme (NHP) web portal.

“The Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria (FMBN) policies such as

the reduction of equity contribution from 5 per cent to 0 per cent for those seeking mortgage loans of up to N5 million, and reduction from 15 per cent to 10 per cent for those seeking loans over N5 million are helping to ease access to housing just as its operational performance”, he explained.

Nigeria to Experience Food Shortages in Q1 2023 AFAN Predicts Gilbert Ekugbe The All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN) has predicted that Nigeria would experience difficulties in its food supply between the end of 2022 and March 2023.

The AFAN also called on the federal government to provide incentives that would enable farmers to cultivate their farms all-round the year to avert future food crisis.

The National President of AFAN, Mr. Kabir Ibrahim, in a telephone chat with THISDAY, said that “the federal and state governments should work together. There must be better synergy than what obtains now. All stakeholders must be speaking with one voice and the implementation of the new policy should be a joint thing between all stakeholders and all interventions in the agriculture space should be synchronized.

“That is to say that you cannot have the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) doing one thing and the Federal Ministry of Agriculture doing another and because of the flood and insecurity in the food system, the Nigerian farmers should be incentivised to farm right round the year as you can see the flood has washed everything.”

He advised the federal government to invest in climate smart agriculture while also a deploying

crop intensification system.

He said: “The food system is ailing around the globe. The world needs to deploy a farming system all year round rather than depending on a rented agriculture.

“The government must invest heavily in agriculture, because agriculture is the best way and only way to take people out of poverty.

Reduced poverty and zero hunger are parts of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and we must try to

attain those ones to achieve peace because some of these issues with have with insecurity is causes by poverty because anybody busy with other things will not go into kidnapping and banditry.”

Ibrahim pointed out that the defunct Agricultural Promotion Policy (APP), was not fully implemented due to interference in 2019, adding that part of the reasons the former minister was sacked was his inability to fully implement the APP.

NACCIMA LAMENTS OVER NIGERIA’S UNDERDEVELOPED AGRIC SECTOR, SEEKS INCREASED WOMEN PARTICIPATION programme to come up rather than now. This is because women must be assisted and encouraged to contribute their quota to economic diversification,” she said.

The Commissioner, Lagos State Ministry of Agriculture, Ms. Abisola Olusanya, said that the Lagos State Government is committed to alleviating the challenges faced

by women in the agricultural sector by giving priority to women in all its projects and initiatives.

Olusanya stressed that the ministry ensured that at least

40 per cent of beneficiaries in any project are women and also programs be targeted at training women in off season activities for revenue generation.

“We will continue to encourage active participation of women in the agricultural sector.

“Let me congratulate NACCIMA Business Women

group for their unrelenting effort in promoting agriculture in Nigeria and usual collaboration with Lagos State Ministry of Agriculture,” she added.

DIESEL PRICES RISE BY 210%, KEROSENE 118%, GAS 86% AS ENERGY COSTS TAKE TOLL ON NIGERIANS importing it.

For Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) or cooking gas, the NBS price watch figures for September indicated that the average retail price for refilling a 5kg cylinder of cooking gas increased on a year-on-year basis by 86.62 per cent from N2,397.60 in September 2021, compared to the same period in 2022.

But it was up by 0.40 per cent on a month-on-month basis from

N4,456.56 recorded in August 2022 to N4,474.48 in September 2022.

On state profile analysis, Kwara recorded the highest average price for refilling a 5kg cylinder of cooking gas with N4,950.00, followed by Niger with N4,941.67, and Adamawa with N4,928.29. Abia recorded the lowest price with N4,044.44, followed by Anambra and Kano with N4,100.00 and N4,109.67 respectively.

The North-central recorded the highest average retail price

for refilling a 5kg cylinder of gas with N4,715.74, followed by the North-east with N4,539.41, while the South-south recorded the lowest with N4,317.92.

Also, the average retail price for refilling a 12.5kg gas cylinder increased by 0.07 per cent on a month-on-month basis from N9,899.34 in August 2022 to N9,906.44 in September 2022. On a year-on-year basis, this rose by 60.69 per cent from N6,164.97 in

September 2021.

Cross River recorded the highest average retail price for the refilling of a 12.5kg LPG with N10,937.50, followed by Kogi with N10,760.00 and Oyo with N10,723.75.

Conversely, the lowest average price was recorded in Yobe with N8,350.00, followed by Katsina and Taraba with N8,545.56 and N9,025.78 respectively.

The average retail price paid by consumers for petrol, the only regulated product in the market,

for September 2022, it said, was N191.65, indicating a 16.26 per cent increase when compared to the value recorded in September 2021 , which was N164.85.

Likewise, comparing the average price value with the previous month (.i.e. August 2022), the average retail price increased by 1.15 per cent from N189.46. But on state profile analysis, Kano State had the highest average retail price for petrol with N207.50, followed by

Jigawa with N205.62 and Bayelsa with N204.27.

On the other hand, Delta had the lowest average retail price for Premium Motor Spirit (Petrol) with N179.74, followed by Edo with N183.17 and Borno with N184.50.

In addition, analysis by zone showed that the North-west recorded the highest average retail price in September 2022 with N197.51, while the North-east had the lowest with N186.52.

T H I S D AY ˾ TUESDAY, OCTOBER 25, 2022

21

BUSINESSWORLD

OIL & GAS

NNPC: A Post-commercialisation Assessment Emmanuel Addeh examines the activities of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC) after it was commercialised about four months ago.

O

n July 19 this year, the NNPC became a commercial entity. With the move which came about 45 years after the establishment of the national oil company, it sought to break off from government funding and pursue profitable ventures like its peers worldwide.

While many Nigerians wait for what this would mean for the NNPC in practical terms despite the fact that it is coming late in the day, the company, it would appear, has in recent months ramped up moves to make its operations truly global and profitable.

Aside halting all forms of funding for projects and sundry purposes in contrast to what had obtained in the over four decades of its existence of the then corporation, the company says it would be completely set for an Initial Public Offer (IPO) by June 2023 to boost its capital base.

With a N200 billion initial capital outlay as well as $5 billion initial debt funding, the new NNPC’s management maintains that the company would be one of the most efficiently run entities globally in the coming years.

Now operating under a new law, the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) and an enabling environment to support it, plus a huge asset base, the way business was transacted in the NNPC is also changing markedly.

Although in its early stages, the NNPC has been pursuing some profitable interests in the last few months.

THE OVH DEAL In one of its first moves since postcommercialisation, the NNPC on October 1, officially acquired OVH Energy, the company behind the OANDO retail brand in Nigeria.

The deal which saw the national oil firm take over all OVH assets, was meant to boost NNPC’s downstream business portfolio, enhance profitability and guarantee national energy security under an Accelerated Network Expansion (ANEX) initiative.

In the short term, the purchase would see the NNPC receive a jetty (ASPM) with 240,000 metric tonnes monthly capacity, eight LPG plants, three lubes blending plants, three aviation depots and 12 warehouses.

The acquisition also added over 380 additional filling stations under NNPC retail brand in Nigeria and Togo, on its journey to attaining 1,500 stations, making it the largest petroleum product retail network in Africa.

The Group Chief Executive Officer, NNPC, Mele Kyari, had during the commercialisation of the firm, stated that the NNPCL planned to expand its retail outlets from 547 units to 1,500 outlets within the next six months from July.

Speaking at the event to herald the new deal in Abuja, Kyari stated that the NNPC was bringing to bear its 45 years of experience and strong capability to bear on the management of the facilities.

He maintained that securing the country against energy poverty would mean access to petroleum products in addition to managing the energy transition, which he said has become a reality.

“We have struggled with this for many years, and we saw the opportunity to latch on the competencies of the OVH Group. We have worked with them. They were our partners and our customers. So we know their ability,” the GCEO explained.

OVH’s expertise spans across the provision of jetty services and the marketing and distribution of refined petroleum products for retail, commercial and industrial purposes.

Its subsidiaries include OVH Energy Marketing (OVHEM) Limited, licensee of the OANDO retail brand and ASPM Limited, custodians of the Lagos Midstream Jetty, also known as West Africa’s first privately owned midstream jetty.

ACCELERATING NIGERIAMOROCCO GAS LINE Penultimate week, the NNPCL and the National Office of Hydrocarbons and Mines of Morocco (ONHYM), penned a deal that kicked off the world’s longest offshore gas pipeline.

The contract is expected to drive the execution of the 7,000-kilometre Nigeria-Morocco gas pipeline project to ramp up supply to Europe.

Seen as game-changer for the industry when

Kyari it comes on stream, Kyari, speaking on the occasion in Morocco, said that the pipeline project will create wealth and improve the standard of living of countries within the African continent.

Kyari said the gas pipeline project would also help in the mitigation against desertification, describing the event as a very important milestone in the project as it reaffirms the commitment of stakeholders to deliver.

“Some of the benefits include creation of wealth and improvement in standard of living, integration of the economies within the region, mitigation against desertification and other benefits that will accrue as a result of reduction in carbon emission,” he stated.

The NMGP is aimed at the monetisation of Nigeria’s abundant natural gas resources, thereby generating additional revenue for the country, diversification of Nigeria’s gas export routes and elimination of gas flaring.

It will also assist in supplying gas to Morocco, 13 ECOWAS countries and Europe as well as help the integration of the economies of the sub-region and improve the standard of living of people within the sub-region.

It is also expected to make available reliable gas supply as well as providing avenue for other countries along the pipeline route to develop and export their gas.

The pipeline is a 48-inch X 5,300 km (offshore from Brass Island-Nigeria to Dakhla-Morocco) and 56 X 1,700 km (onshore from Dakhla-Morocco to Maghreb European (MEP) pipeline , with a total length of over 7,000 Km and about 13 compressor stations.

The pipeline will originate from Brass Island (Nigeria) and terminate north of Morocco, where it will be connected to the existing MEP that originates from Algeria, via Morocco to Spain.

The Final Investment Decision (FID) on the $25 billion Nigeria-Morocco gas pipeline will be taken in 2023, the national oil company said.

STRUCTURAL CHANGES IN NNPC To consolidate on its new direction, the NNPC during the week, named five executive vice presidents in its post-commercialisation drive.

Accordingly, the Group Executive Director, Upstream, Adokiye Tombomieye is now the Executive Vice President (Upstream) while the Group Executive Director, Downstream, Mr. Adeyemi Adetunji will take the role of Executive Vice President (Downstream).

In addition, the Executive Director, Gas and Power, Abdulkabir Ahmed will become the Executive Vice President, Gas, Power and New Energies, while Inuwa Danladi has been named the Executive Vice President, Business Services.

Furthermore, Mrs Oritsemeyiwa Eyesan will take the role of Executive Vice President, Corporate Strategy and Sustainability; while Chidi Momah becomes the General Counsel for the National Oil Company (NOC).

Aside helping the NNPC establish continuity of leadership in critical business areas, it was gathered that the move will further give the NOC the leeway to recruit experts from any part of the world and enable the company benefit from international best practices in the oil and gas industry.

NEW LIGHT ON FUEL CONSUMPTION Following criticisms, the NNPC has clarified the volume of petrol consumed

by Nigerians. While it was largely vague before now, prompting debates, the NNPC said between January and August 2022, the total volume of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) imported into the country was 16.46 billion litres, which translates to an average supply of 68 million litres per day.

The NNPC added that the average daily evacuation (depot truck out) from January to August 2022 was 67 million litres per day.

It added that the daily evacuation (depot load-outs) records of the NMDPRA carry daily oscillation ranges from as low as four million litres to as high as 100 million litres per day.

Before the state oil company released the data, the Nigerian Customs Service (NCS) had questioned the claim that the country consumes 60 million litres of petrol daily.

While there are arguments about the exact daily consumption figure for petrol, the NNPC Limited laid the matter to rest, insisting that the figure remained at 68 million litres supply per day. It also said it would submit itself for a forensic audit of fuel supply and subsidy management.

“As a responsible business entity, NNPC will continue to engage and work with relevant agencies of the government to curtail smuggling of PMS and contain any other criminal activities,” it stated.

RAMPING UP FIGHT AGAINST OIL THEFT To put it mildly, Nigeria has been unable to benefit from the rising international oil prices due to oil theft.

To underscore the severity of the

situation, in a shocking revelation, recently, Kyari narrated how an illegal oil pipeline connecting directly to the high sea was recently discovered.

Kyari said the major oil export terminal that had its products diverted into the sea had been operating undetected for nine years.

The 4-kilometre or 2.5-mile connection from the Forcados export terminal, which typically exports around 250,000 barrels per day (bpd) of oil, into the sea was found during a clamp-down on theft in the past six weeks, Kyari said during a meeting with the Nigerian senate.

“Oil theft in the country has been going on for over 22 years but the dimension and rate it assumed in recent times is unprecedented,” Kyari told the lawmakers.

“But in rising up to the highly disturbing challenge, NNPC, has in recent time in collaboration with relevant security agencies clamped down on the economic saboteurs.

“In the course of the clampdown within the last six weeks, 395 illegal refineries have been deactivated, 274 reservoirs destroyed, 1,561 metal tanks destroyed, 49 trucks seized,” Kyari said. “ The most striking of all, is the fourkilometre illegal oil connection line from Forcados Terminal into the sea which had been in operation undetected for nine solid years,” he added.

While thieves often tap land-based pipelines to siphon oil undetected, but an illegal line in the ocean is highly unusual and suggests a more sophisticated theft operation.

To halt the humongous disruption of Nigeria’s oil production, the NNPC has introduced several measures in the last few weeks.

These include a real-time monitoring central system which can detect breaches, the collaboration with host oil communities to deal with theft, the introduction of a whistle blower arrangement, deployment of more security personnel, among others.

DECLARATION OF N674BN PROFIT For the second time in its 45-year history, the NNPC, formerly a corporation, has declared a Profit After Tax (PAT) financial position, announcing that it raked in N674 billion for the 2021 financial year. The company has insisted that it is part of its transparency agenda to make available its Audited Financial Statements (AFS).

The amount announced by the NNPC was 134.8 per cent or N387 billion higher than the N287 billion announced by the company in 2020.

Kyari stated that the profit was driven by the company’s activities in the upstream operations as well as in gas and power.

He also announced that the shareholders’ fund position grew to N2.81 trillion, an increase of 144 per cent, in a speech he titled: “Sustaining Positive Momentum, Progressing to New Levels.”

As the company seeks to become a ‘dynamic global energy company’ of choice to its customers, partners, and its over 200 million shareholders comprising all Nigerians, the GCEO noted that there will be no going back on the new path that the NNPC has set for itself.

“In 2019, we rolled out deliberate policies and initiatives aimed at reducing costs and eliminating losses while adopting technology to entrench Transparency, Accountability, and Performance Excellence (TAPE) across the various functions that support our business operations.

“Since then, we began to see the transformational impact of these policies and initiatives on NNPC’s performance. We have recorded significant improvement in our financial performance over the past three years, turning up the curve, from losses to profits,” Kyari stated.

He recalled that in September 2021, President Muhammadu Buhari approved the publication of the 2020 NNPC Group Audited Financial Statement (AFS) in which NNPC declared a profit after tax of 287 billion for the first time in its 44 years.

Despite the challenging operating environment, Kyari stated that the NNPC believes that the company has the potential to sustainably deliver better value to its shareholders.

22

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 25, 2022 ˾ T H I S D AY

BUSINESSWORLD

NEWS

MERITORIOUS AWARD…

L-R: Managing Director, Estream Networks, Mr. Muyiwa Ogunboye; Chairman VDT Communications, Tunji Gafaar; COO Enterprise Sales, VDT, Mrs. Bimbo Ikumariegbe; Group Managing Director, VDT Communications, Abiodun Omoniyi, displaying his fellowship award; Group Chief Finance Strategy Officer, VDT, Mr. Steve Elusope and CTO, VDT, Victor Omoyeni, during the award ceremony organised by the Institute of Directors of Nigeria in Lagos… recently

FG, FAO Renews Commitment Sahara’s Subsidiary, to Drive Nigeria’s Agric Devt FIPL Targets Energy Mix Gilbert Ekugbe The Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) have renewed their commitment toward strengthening their collaborations in the nation’s agricultural sector.

The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Mr. Mohammad Abubakar, said the move is aimed at enhancing food and nutrition security while contributing to the eradication of poverty, hunger and malnutrition in Nigeria.

Abubakar, stated this during a ministerial press briefing in Abuja with its development partners joined the rest of the world to commemorate 2022 World Food Day (WFD), tagged: “Leave No One

Behind, Better Production, Better Nutrition, a Better Environment and Better Life” to promote worldwide awareness, action against poverty, hunger and highlight the need to ensure healthy diets for all.

He revealed that the main goal of the WFD was to celebrate the promotion of food security around the world, especially during difficult times.

He noted that the FAO has continued to play an important role in achieving this goal by promoting a more resilient food system.

The minister pointed out that the WFD is celebrated every year around the world on October 16 to mark the anniversary of the founding of FAO of the United Nations in 1945, adding that it was a collective action across FAO

member countries to promote worldwide awareness and action against poverty and hunger.

In his words: “This day serves as a catalyst for people to get involved, reduce food waste and help feed millions so that hunger related problems around the world are significantly reduced.

“The day is like a reminder to eat mindfully and consider that millions of people are unable to afford one meal for themselves, it is important that we rededicate ourselves to this very important event and its purpose by drawing attention through global awareness, bold action and innovation to enhance effective channels that would make our food systems stronger and more equitable.”

He, however, commended the

FAO for its immense contributions towards national development and urged all stakeholders to align with the organisation’s strategic objectives aimed at achieving a world free from hunger, malnutrition and poverty in a sustainable manner.

Responding, the FAO Representative in Nigeria and ECOWAS, Mr. Fred Kafeero, said analysis carried out at the beginning of the year indicted that approximately 19.4 million people faced food insecurity in 21 States and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

Kafeero said: “As food insecurity worsens, so does the risk of malnutrition. It is estimated that about two million children suffer from severe acute malnutrition.”

M a rwa, A desin a , Nuhu, Others Nominated for Health, Safety Awards Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja The Chairman of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Brig.-Gen. Buba Marwa (rtd); Group Managing Director, Sahara Group, Mr. Kola Adesina and Chair, Leadership Empowerment and Resource Network (LEARN), Mrs Abimbola Fashola have been nominated for the 4th Africa Safety Award for Excellence (AfriSAFE).

Also selected to be honoured include the Group Managing Director, Arco Group, Dr. Alfred Okoigun,

Director General of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Capt. Musa Nuhu and the Executive Chairman, Rift Oil Petroleum Limited and board member, NLNG Dr. Rabiu Ibrahim Suleiman.

Chairman of AfriSAFE, Dr Afe Mayowa said this in a press statement in Abuja that the award, largely sponsored by the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH), was to seek out and encourage organisations and individuals who take safety of the society and the workplace seriously.

“AfriSAFE is an annual continental award set up to honour excellence in the health and safety industry by recognising and celebrating the exemplary individuals and organisations promoting a safe and healthy workplace, ensuring public safety, well-being and enabling environmental sustainability.

“Awardees are first nominated by stakeholders in the health and safety industry and members of the general public through the award website before being shortlisted by an eminent panel of judges which

determines their suitability for the award,” Mayowa said.

Also nominated in the individual category of AfriSAFE 2022 are Director General, Nigerian Insurers Association (NIA), Mrs Yetunde Ilori and Abiodun Oyedepo, Pioneer Chairman, Nigerian Institution of Safety Engineers (NISAFETYE).

“AfriSAFE 2022 will also honour Mr Ejiro Otarigho, the heroic truck driver who gained national attention for driving a burning truck away from a densely-populated area in Delta State to avert danger to public safety,” he added.

S o l a r Fir m Lig h t s Up Two Rural Plateau Communities with Renewables

Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja

Two rural communities in Plateau State, Mavo and Toff are the next in line to benefit from Virtuitis Solaris’ rollout of renewable energy solutions across Africa, tapping the abundance of sunlight.

Virtuitis Solaris’ Representative, Mayowa Oyelakin, said: “This project is critical for us. It is our starting point and we will spread the good news of renewable energy in Plateau state, Nigeria, and across Africa.”

He described the intervention

in Africa as strategic, because 645 million people have no access to electricity, and most of the people live in rural areas.

The number of Nigerians without access to grid electricity rose by 5.8 per cent to 90 million at the end of 2021, according to a new report by the intergovernmental group, the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA).

“Many organisations have come with the promise of solar energy but we have not seen the light.

To see Virtuitis Solaris staff here is

testimony to their commitment,” youth leader at Toff community, Akang Michael said.

“I learned there will be training for our youth and this will create jobs for the youth and increase productivity,” he added.

The Renewable Energy Association of Nigeria (REAN) had previously indicated that the number of Nigerians without access to grid electricity was 85 million, which accounted for 43 per cent of the country’s rural population.

A renewable energy subsidiary of

the MOJEC International Group, the firm said it is leveraging renewable sources to reduce energy poverty and to deliver smart solutions to homes, offices, factories, and cars on the continent of Africa.

“This is why Virtuitis Solaris has organised an outreach to Mavo and Toff communities to create awareness about its renewable energy project in these rural communities,” it stated.

While Mavo is a community in Wase, a town and local government area in Plateau State, Toff community is in Bokkos local government.

Expansion, Appoints N wa n g w u C E O Peter Uzoho The Board of First Independent Power Limited (FIPL), a Sahara Power Group company, has announced the appointment of Dr. Kenechukwu Nwangwu as its new Managing Director/ Chief Executive Officer as the company moves to ramp up generation through alternative energy sources.

The Managing Director, Sahara Power Group, Mr. Kola Adesina, said in a statement that the appointment would drive FIPL’s ongoing transformation towards sustainable and efficient power generation, especially in the Niger Delta and South-south geopolitical zones.

“We are excited to welcome Kenechukwu to the team at a time when Sahara Group is moving swiftly towards more responsible power generation in line with our commitment

to promoting environmental sustainability. We also believe our young engineers will have a lot to learn from the vast experience Kenechukwu is bringing to FIPL,” he said.

Adesina said since acquisition in 2013, FIPL had achieved a remarkable capacity increase from 143 megawatts (MW) to 429 MW through continuous investment in overhauls, technology, and human capital.

He also commended the Rivers state government for its unwavering support and contribution to FIPL’s continuing success.

“We will continue to strengthen our collaboration with the government and good people of Rivers State towards enhancing industrialisation and galvanising socio-economic growth through FIPL’s efficient power generation and corporate citizenship,” he said.

C&I Leasing Assures Shareholders of Enhanced Return, Expansion Kayode Tokede C &I Leasing Plc has reiterated plans to embark on a business expansion drive in the near future to increase market share and ensure enhanced returns to shareholders.

The C&I Leasing Group Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Mr Lenin Ugoji, stated this at the company’s 31st Annual General Meeting (AGM) for the year ended Dec. 31, 2021 at the weekend in Lagos.

Ugoji said that the business expansion would come in the form of fleet management business due to the inherent opportunities in the fleet management space and in the marine business.

He said that the company would likely acquire vessels for dry product movement in the near future.

“We are looking primarily at operational efficiency because even before you grow a business, you

must be operationally fit.

“Part of what the new management wants to do is to bring about a lot more efficiency to the current operations, while we look at business expansion in a near future.

“Business expansion will come in the form of fleet management business because we feel that there are many opportunities in that space and in the marine business too but more in the non-oil sector so that we can diversify the risk of oil and gas.

Therefore we may look at acquiring vessels in this area for dry product movement,” he said.

Ugoji remarked that the company would continue to support the nation’s infrastructure development.

“Nigeria is moving more and more towards infrastructure development and for a company like C & I Leasing, we believe that we can play a role in that sphere by facilitating such operations.”

T H I S D AY ˾ TUESDAY, OCTOBER 25, 2022

23

BUSINESSWORLD

NEWS

Wabote Seeks Partnership on Capacity Devt Among African Oil-producing Countries Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja The Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB), Mr. Simbi Wabote has called for close collaboration among African oil-producing countries, particularly in human capacity development, joint development of energy projects as well as research and development.

He spoke at the 2022 Africa Energy Week (AEW), where he charged African

oil producers to break down barriers that often prevent African countries from deepening African Content practice and economic collaboration.

A statement from the NCDMB quoted him as listing such issues to include language, currencies, immigration, and bias towards the dictates of colonial masters.

He advised African leaders and businesses to recognise that poverty does not discriminate against race, religion, or gender, hence they must join hands within the continent and across

the globe to tackle common challenges.

The executive secretary expressed delight with the emerging collaborations amongst countries and institutions in Africa, especially in infrastructure projects and provision of funding.

Other ongoing cooperative initiatives include the formation of the African Petroleum Producers Organization (APPO), the African Local Content Roundtable, and the recent effort by APPO to establish

Africa Prudential Announces 19% Increase in PBT Kayode Tokede Africa Prudential Plc has announced its unaudited third quarter (Q3) financial statements for the period ended September 30th, 2022, with profit before tax gaining 19 per cent to N1.61billion compared to N1.35billion reported in Q3 2021.

The leading registrar, investor services and business support solutions provider company on the Nigerian Exchange Limited (NGX) announced

12 per cent increase in profit to N1.29billion from N1.15billion in Q3 2021.

The growth in profits was driven by revenue from contracts with customers that grew by 37 per cent to N1.15billion in Q3 2022 from N0.84billion in Q3 2021, while gross earnings stood at N2.97 billion in Q3 2022, representing 21 per cent increase from N2.45billion reported in Q3 2021.

The Managing Director/ CEO of Africa Prudential, Mr. Obong Idiong, in a statement

said, “Our results remain a testament to the impact of our deliberate efforts at diversifying and strengthening our revenue lines to multiple income lines, innovating new ways to deliver value, and adopting cost efficiency in every facet of our operations.

“The 115% growth in digital technology income highlights the success of our switch to a technology-oriented business and we remain positive about the potential growth from this revenue stream in the medium to long term.”

Air Traffic Engineers Assure on Safe, Efficient Airspace Chinedu Eze The National Association of Air Traffic Engineers (NAAE) said that despite numerous challenges facing its members in the line of carrying out their duties, they have shown commitment at all times to achieve safe and efficient air navigation in Nigeria.

The National President of NAAE, Ishaya Dung, in a statement on the preparation for NAAE’s national conference

in Abuja, explained that the dearth of dedicated operational vehicles, unreliable medical care due to inefficient take off of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) scheme, nonconveyance and implementation of the reviewed conditions of service have remained their greatest challenges According to Dung, personnel licensing of members on Air Traffic Safety Electronics Personnel (ATSEP) was ongoing

at an encouraging pace stressing that very soon the backlog of engineers waiting to be trained and licensed as ATSEPs would be cleared.

While calling for a review of ATSEP’s professional allowance, he said: “We are also faced with challenges in terms of running cost and logistics because of the high cost of travel (particularly air travel) which limits our level of in-person participation in industry-based activities”

Ibikunle Foundation Unveils Six Beneficiaries of SEEDINVEST Acceleration Program Oluchi Chibuzor Biodun and Ibikunle Foundation has unveiled six entrepreneurs as beneficiaries of its 2022 SEEDINVEST Acceleration Program.

The beneficiaries are Uchenna Kesiena-Arueya, Kume Food Solutions Ltd; Peter Eneh, Peter Blaze Atelier; Oluwakemi Titilayo Kayode, Chemicay Signatures; Abdulmalik Maryam Omotayo, Black Jewel Ltd; Daud Mariam Abolade, Arinolaclothiers and Chioma Ukpabi, Kahdsole Designs.

Speaking about the 2022

SEEDINVEST Acceleration Program, recently, the Board Chairman, Biodun and Ibikunle Foundation, Mr Biodun Adegoke, said, “It has been our pleasure to help small and medium businesses in Nigeria grow by providing them with asset grants for the past three years. We look forward to doing more because we know that the government cannot do it alone.”

Similarly, the Director of SEEDINVEST, Biodun and Ibikunle Foundation, Mr Segun Abiona, said, “It’s a great privilege to guide the young entrepreneurs on

structuring their businesses and understanding how they can remain sustainable over time regardless of the overwhelming challenges their industry or economy poses.

For close to four years, Biodun and Ibikunle Foundation has been supporting micro, small and medium businesses across Nigeria through its flagship SEEDINVEST Acceleration Program. Over ninety (90) businesses have benefited from the program which assists entrepreneurs with important assets needed to grow their businesses.”

N-BA Celebrates Nigeria’s Independence Anniversary in London The Nigeria-Britain Association (N-BA) has commemorated Nigeria’s 62nd Independence in London, United Kingdom.

The event, which took place at The Rembrandt Hotel on October 8, 2022, was held in partnership with FBN Bank UK; Nigerian LNG; SCIB Nigeria and Co.; NEM Insurance plc; Eleganza Group of Companies; and Digital Marketing Skill Institute UK. Themed, “Striving for Excellence: Celebrating the Icons,” the event aimed at celebrating Nigerians in the Diaspora while reigniting the bond of friendship between Nigeria and Britain.

The occasion was held in an atmosphere of camaraderie and its attendees, mostly Nigerians in the diaspora, diplomats and high net worth individuals, were serenaded with contemporary Nigerian music.

In a keynote address, the president of N-BA, Abimbola Okoya, said that the event was aimed at further strengthening and upholding the brand Nigeria at home and abroad.

“With this event, themed ‘Striving for Excellence while Celebrating the Icons,’ we are paying homage to some distinguished and outstanding

individuals who uphold friendship, cultural inclusivity and excellence through their actions, which have contributed to the development and positive representation of Nigeria,” Okoya said.

The Nigeria High Commissioner in the United Kingdom, Mr Sarafa Tunji Isola, while appreciating the role played by the N-BA in strengthening the bond between Nigeria and Britain, expressed hope that the present administration’s objectives of achieving synergy between both nations would be achieved through the activities of the N-BA.

an Africa Energy Fund.

Speaking further on the topic ‘’A Return to African Hands: Pragmatic Local Content, Africa Content and Asset Transfer”, Wabote explained that six essential parameters are needed to achieve sustainable local content programme. The parameters include an enabling regulatory framework backed with the appropriate legislation, baseline and periodic gap analysis to determine gaps that require closure in the areas of skills, facilities and

infrastructure.

According to him, structured capacity-building intervention is also needed to spur the development of in-country capacities and capabilities.

This, he said, will include local manufacturing, infrastructural development and human capacity development. Other parameters needed for local content growth include funding and incentives, research and development, which drives the development of home-grown technology and lastly, access to market.

The Executive Secretary listed some of the achievements recorded in the implementation of local content in Nigeria, including the increase in the value of in-country retention from five per cent, which subsisted before the enactment of the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry Content Development (NOGICD) Act to 47 per cent.

He also mentioned the development of two world-class pipe mills, and five impressive pipe coating yards as some of the achievements.

Abuja Lions Club Seeks N27 million for Youth Empowerment James Emejo in Abuja The newly installed President of the Abuja Mega Lions Club, Mr. Samuel Egbuchiri, has said the club will work to rid the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) of drug abuse and arrest mental disorders in youths.

He said about 30,000 children are currently having health-related issues in the FCT, adding that the new leadership would work to identify and restore them to normalcy.

Speaking during his Investiture ceremony in Abuja, he said the club seeks to scale up the intervention support to about 1000

patients by October 2023 adding that this and other commitments would cost the humanitarian non-profit about N27 million.

Egbuchiri, said the menace had constituted a real threat to the city adding that the new leadership will join hands to address the issue.

He said, “We need to save our youths from destruction and return them to their God-ordained destiny. We are doing this not in expectation of reward but to derive joy in the sense that smiles are being put back to the faces of the less privileged victims.”

He said the club’s back door would be tightly closed “for as

long as freedom of entry and exit is not violated”, adding that peculiar cases of disadvantaged members on payment of dues will be pursued for support.

Egbuchiri, said in the last three months, the new leadership had undertaken numerous monthly services including the provision of basic food items to an orphanage at Kuje, diabetics awareness where the club served about 300 people as well as outreach to the Wuse General Hospital where support was provided to the poor and vulnerable patients with cash for payment of their medical bills.

24 T H I S D AY TUESDAY OCTOBER 25 2022 TR

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& RE A S O

Tuesday October 25, 2022 Vol 27. No 10059

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opinion@thisdaylive.com

www.thisdaylive.com

THE PRICE OF STAYING IN THE GAME OKON BASSEY writes the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, deserves the recent award

See page 25

THE ARISE AGENDA UMO ENO is set to take Akwa Ibom to greater heights, writes Peter Adobamen

See page 25 EDITORIAL

GOVERNOR MATAWALLE’S BIG BLUNDER

See page 26

1

PAUL NWABUIKWU deplores the increasingly poor communication skills in official quarters

A ‘POWERFUL REJOINDER’ AND A DISAPPOINTING TWEET How did the nation’s former top judge lose his job? As you will learn presently, there was much more to the story than what the headlines said. A “powerful rejoinder” LQ WKH IRUP RI D ÀUH VSLWWLQJ XQZLVH SUHVV release played a starring role in the tale.

Perhaps if that poorly considered public communication had not been issued, Justice Tanko Mohammad, Chief Justice of the Supreme Court who eventually left with a N2.5b pension and was honoured with a GCON at the recent National Awards despite the ongoing Senate probe of his tenure, would still be in his seat. But let’s start with what we know.

7KH R΀FLDO UHDVRQV IRU KLV DEUXSW resignation (credible sources say that he was forced to hand in his letter, with the blessings of the Villa) are well documented.

Mohammad had fallen out with his colleagues over issues that the headlines captured as “judicial corruption”. In a move unprecedented in the history of the nation’s highest court, his colleagues had, in a stinging, leaked letter accused him of serial corruption, maladministration and incompetence.

They pulled no punches in making their feelings known on a range of urgent issues: ODFN RI R΀FLDO DFFRPPRGDWLRQ IRU PDQ\ justices, lack of training opportunities, poor healthcare arrangements, inadequate administrative support, etc. According to the justices, the situation got so bad that the justices were forced to abandon their R΀FHV DW SP GDLO\ EHFDXVH WKHUH ZDV QR diesel to power the generators. In this sea of institutional inadequacy and sloppiness, they charged, Mohammad was living it up with his aides, gallivanting across the world while largely ignoring their demands for action.

You could almost literally smell the rage of the Supreme Court justices in the letter.

For people who by the nature of profession are usually more sedate and gracious in their language and style, the tone of the missive ZDV VLJQLÀFDQW ,W ZDV FOHDU WKDW 7KHLU Lordships were unhappy and at the end of their tether. Their demands and feelings were perhaps best summarized by this VHQWHQFH ´:H ÀQG LW VWUDQJH WKDW GHVSLWH WKH upward review of our budgetary allocation, the court cannot cater for our legitimate entitlements. This is unacceptable!”

The fallout between the Chief Justice and his colleagues was obviously a serious issue, especially after it became public. Nigerians are used to mutinies in the executive and legislative branches, not the judiciary. But JLYHQ WKH ´SDGG\ SDGG\µ PDQQHU LQ ZKLFK such issues are usually handled in this part of the world, Mohammad had a decent chance of surviving. A few calls to the right SHRSOH FRXSOHG ZLWK SOHDV IRU GH HVFDODWLRQ E\ WKH R΀FLDO DQG XQR΀FLDO ERVVHV FRXOG

have done the trick. %XW WKH ´IDPLO\ DͿDLUµ DSSURDFK EHFDPH impossible after the press release was issued by the spokesperson of Chief Justice, a JHQWOHPDQ LGHQWLÀHG DV $KXUDND ,VDK ,W ZDV a rambling and not very credible defense.

Basically, the message was: your complaints have no substance because we are doing our best in the midst of scarce resources.

It also ignored a key plank of the Justice’s complaint: their lot was getting worse despite the improvement of their budget.

But the weak defense was, again, not a major problem. The part that ended up being fatal to Mohammad’s interests was the description of the Justices protest as “dancing naked at the market square”.

According to sources close to the Court, the public insult, more than any other factor, was the last straw. There was no way back.

The Justices could not be persuaded to let bygones be bygones. Shortly after, both Messers Mohammad and Isah were out of their jobs. /DVW ZHHN 0UV $ELNH 'DELUL (UHZD &(2 of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission was entangled in a similar unseemly VSHFWDFOH RQ 7ZLWWHU VDGO\ QRW KHU ÀUVW Fortunately for her, there is no indication that the labour market could be calling.

Still, the optics were decidedly awful.

Admittedly, her interlocuter, a Twitter user with the name Aggressively Obedient – Avoid me. (@sensegiver1) was quite rude in his approach. Contributing to a thread on the awful treatment of Nigerians by India and other countries, he tweeted: “She 'DELUL (UHZD VKRXOG JR WR ,QGRQHVLD and see how Nigerians are treated. Mumu woman supporting a failed government.

6KH·V HTXDOO\ SDUW RI WKH IDLOXUH (\H VHUYLFH µ ,Q UHVSRQVH 'DELUL (UHZD WRRN WKH

The head of a government agency with a mandate to engage and support Nigeria’s vital diaspora simply had no business losing her head like that.

And it was doubly sad that she also managed to reinforce some of the worst stereotypes about Nigerians in South East Asia in the process

low road. “Ode! (Yoruba for “idiot”), she retorted. “You go to Indonesia, carry drugs, do cultism and come begging to be rescued from death sentence. Thank God for @ ndlea_nigeria now saving people like you from death row”. It wasn’t clear if the agency head is privy to some personal information including the criminal history of the fellow she was responding to or if she was sharing what she knows about the demographic VKH WKLQNV KH EHORQJV WR (LWKHU ZD\ LW ZDV a disappointing performance. Not even the robust defense of some hastily assembled “friends” who joined the battle to defend their hardworking “queen” could change that.

The head of a government agency with a mandate to engage and support Nigeria’s vital diaspora simply had no business losing her head like that. And it was doubly sad that she also managed to reinforce some of the worst stereotypes about Nigerians in 6RXWK (DVW $VLD LQ WKH SURFHVV 6KH PLJKW as well have been justifying the serial maltreatment of Nigerians across the world.

But that’s what can happen when you forget your institutional mandate and your brief – as well as your sterling career as one of the most empathetic voices on Nigerian television – and take on a random person on social media.

In a recent article, I described the popular VW\OH RI PDQ\ R΀FLDO VSRNHVSHUVRQV especially in government and political circles as muscular nastiness. Less elegantly, LW PD\ DOVR EH GHVFULEHG WKH IDFH PH , IDFH \RX QL]DWLRQ RI SXEOLF FRPPXQLFDWLRQ LQ Nigeria. In style, content, and focus, it is a parody of what happens in Nollywood skits and the local market. But describing it as a market woman’s response is an insult to market women who, within the context of their environment and focus, are a lot more thoughtful than many government representatives and mouthpieces.

6DGO\ WKLV KDV EHFRPH WKH JR WR ´VWUDWHJ\µ of many persons in government responsible for engaging and communicating with WKH SXEOLF ,W LV FKDUDFWHUL]HG E\ NQHH jerk responses, a failure to concentrate on strategic and sustainable priorities, the resort to crude insults at the expense of reason and, worst of all, a focus on a single DXGLHQFH ² WKH ´HQHP\µ UDWKHU WKDQ the larger, more important audience of stakeholders and the informed public. It is a deeply unprofessional approach which can achieve a temporary personal high, please the bosses, but is ultimately damaging to both personal reputations and the institutions involved. As the former Chief Justice found out, it can also make a serious situation an impossible one.

Nwabuikwu is a member of THISDAY Editorial Board

T H I S D AY

3 25

TUESDAY OCTOBER 25 2022

OKON BASSEY writes the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, deserves the recent award

UMO ENO is set to take Akwa Ibom to greater heights, writes Peter Adobamen

THE PRICE OF STAYING IN THE GAME

THE ARISE AGENDA

last year with the former speaker and ZH PDGH YHU\ VLJQLÀFDQW LQURDGV DQG headway.

“I visited Ghana, I met with some of your ministers, including Mr. President and very far-reaching decisions were made and we are expecting outcomes of a report from your Minister of Trade.

We were supposed to set up a friendship group between the two parliaments. That group has been set up by the Nigerian Parliament and if the list is not with you yet, I’m sure in the next few days, you will get it.

“Your President was absolutely gracious, he was absolutely wonderful.

He met with us, he has a rich pedigree with Nigeria as you all know, so it worked out well. We just need to cement it, and I’m sure that between you and I, we will be able to take this a notch further.

“I want to use this opportunity to invite you to Nigeria as well, we will be able to discuss a lot of things and of course there is the issue of CoSAP, which I’m sure in your handover notes you are aware we set up with some African countries. The issue at hand last year was debt relief for African countries, which has strangulated many countries’ economies based on the debt portfolio they had”.

The unprecedented rare patriotic gesture of Mr Speaker earned him accolades from Nigerians and practice in the United States of America stakeholders in international relations before relocating back to Nigeria to serve and diplomacy.

The Nigeria-Ghana Business the people.

Since he got elected into the green Council and the Nigeria Union of chamber in 2003 to represent the Surulere Traders Association Ghana (NUTAG) 1 Federal Constituency, Gbajabiamila commended the speaker for his singular has been expanding the frontiers of role in ending the feud between the qualitative legislative governance and two West African countries. In a letter constantly looks out for the interests of addressed to the speaker, the NGBC stated, “It is on record that your trip the people at all times.

As a responsible leader who holds the brought about the highest involvement of peoples’ mandate in trust, Gbajabiamila both governments in this dispute that has believes that the barest minimum that been ongoing since 2007. Your proposals leaders should provide for the people and presentations have given rise to two is good governance and responsive very vital solutions to the problem.

“The review of the GIPC Act demands leadership in trying times. That he has been doing consistently as a lawmaker a $1,000,000 deposit for foreign investors HYHQ EHIRUH KH DVVXPHG WKH H[DOWHG R΀FH in Ghana as it concerns Nigerians.

The promotion of the Nigeria-Ghana of the Speaker.

Many are not surprised that he was Business Council backed by legislation to bestowed with the third ranked national superintend on trade and business issues honour in light of the sustained good between the two countries.

“Our objectives and activities align works of Rt Hon. Gbajabiamila. When Nigerians and other foreign nationals with the proposal which is being ZHUH DͿHFWHG E\ WKH *KDQD 7UDGH 3ROLF\ introduced to superintend trade issues it was Gbajabiamila that rose to the of the two countries. It is, therefore, our wish to express support for the formation occasion. /HYHUDJLQJ KLV JURZLQJ LQÁXHQFH LQ of this council and request that we work the West African sub-region and deft in with your team to see to a successful parliamentary diplomacy, Gbajabiamila emergence of a government-backed parlayed his Ghanaian counterpart, Business Council.

“Your Excellency, please, allow me to Mr Albert Bagbin on possible political solutions to the diplomatic row on the seize this opportunity to thank you from account of the Ghana trade policy that the bottom of my heart on behalf of the Nigerian Union of Traders Association DGYHUVHO\ DͿHFWHG IRUHLJQ QDWLRQDOV Gbajabiamila intimated the Ghana of Ghana (NUTAG), for your kind, Parliament Speaker of what transpired. responsible and timely intervention The letter he wrote read in part: “I’m to quell the much travails we have sure you are aware of a couple of them, been experiencing at the hands of including the relationship between Ghanaian authorities and our Ghanaian Ghana and Nigeria in terms of our traders counterpart, Ghana Union of Traders and residents over there and yours over Association (GUTA). here too. I think the onus rests upon both Bassey of us to try and resolve whatever issues writes from Uyo, Akwa Ibom State there are. We started on this trajectory When the National Honour Awards was instituted, it was to celebrate exceptional Nigerians and other nationals who contributed to the development of the country. These are men and women who have accomplished great feats in WKHLU UHVSHFWLYH ÀHOGV RI HQGHDYRXU ,W LV DQ KRQRXU IRU LQGXVWU\ DQG VHOÁHVV service to the nation. $Q LOOXVWULRXV ÀJXUH DPRQJ WKRVH conferred with the honours was Speaker, House of Representatives, Rt Hon Olufemi Hakeem Gbajabiamila.

The speaker has shown himself worthy in every area of life to earn the coveted honour. He is an accomplished professional who made his marks in legal

In his best-selling book titled “The 21 ,UUHIXWDEOH /DZV RI /HDGHUVKLSµ -RKQ & Maxwell writes on 21 laws practiced by great leaders which make them successful and outstanding; empowering them to also SRVLWLYHO\ LPSDFW WKH OLYHV RI RWKHUV 7KH ÀUVW ODZ KH ZULWHV DERXW LV WKH /DZ RI WKH /LG which states that leadership ability determines D SHUVRQ·V OHYHO RI HͿHFWLYHQHVV ,Q DQRWKHU FKDSWHU KH ZULWHV RQ WKH /DZ RI WKH ,QQHU Circle which states that a leader’s potential is determined by those closest to him. Going

IXUWKHU KH ZULWHV RQ WKH /DZ RI 6DFULÀFH which states that a leader must give up in order to go up.

Of all the 21 laws, one of the most important, which if not practiced, will make a mockery RI WKH RWKHU ODZV LV WKH /DZ RI /HJDF\ This law states that a leader’s lasting value is measured by succession.

The author admonishes leaders to become highly intentional about their legacy if they want to make an impact on future generations.

Outlining steps on how to create a good legacy, the author advises leaders to choose who will carry on their legacy.

He goes further to state the natural progression to how leaders develop in the area RI OHJDF\ ZKLFK VWDUWV ÀUVW ZLWK WKH GHVLUH WR achieve. He further states that achievement comes when leaders do big things by themselves; success comes when they go ahead to empower their followers to do big things for WKHP 6LJQLÀFDQFH FRPHV ZKHQ WKH\ GHYHORS leaders to do great things with them; legacy comes when they put leaders in position to do great things without them.

Quintessential Governor of Akwa Ibom, Gabriel Emmanuel Udom, understands deeply these laws of leadership; hence, he has picked as his preferred successor, an astute leader in the person of Pastor Umo Bassey Eno, to carry on his legacy of excellent and result-driven governance in the state.

Back in February 2022, while describing him, Governor Udom said, “Pastor Umo Eno is a highly respected person. He has enormous capacity; he’s an epitome of humility and is blessed with the common touch, a compelling story and is God-fearing. He is a successful entrepreneur, who has employed our people, and lifted thousands from poverty WR SURVSHULW\ +H ZLOO EH FRPLQJ WR WKH R΀FH of the governor with an economic blueprint that will further guarantee employment,

development, and economic prosperity for our people. He is a man of peace and will ensure that the peace and security of life we have enjoyed in the last six-plus years will be maintained. His life story resonates with the story of most ordinary Akwa Ibom people.”

Beyond being the preferred successor of Governor Udom, Eno had to go through the rigours of the primary elections. He secured 993 votes from a total of 1,018 delegates who participated in the election, IROORZHG E\ 2QRÀRN /XNH ZKR SROOHG WZR votes and Bassey Albert who polled one vote. Flowing from this, he emerged as the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party for the 2023 general elections.

Eno’s blueprint for Akwa Ibom is encapsulated in the theme, “The Arise Agenda”. He plans to continue in the path of developing the state through Agricultural Revolution, Tourism, Development and Environmental Management, Rural Development, Women and Youth Empowerment, Infrastructural and ICT Development, Security Management, Sound Educational and Healthcare Sector Management, as well as Advancement and Wealth Creation.

In his words, “I am assuring all that we remain committed to running an inclusive campaign based on issues that are germane to our development, not on acrimonious posturing. We will run a campaign where the cords of unity and brotherhood will remain the enduring articles of faith.

We will not besmirch character or the reputation of our opponents. We will not indulge in insanities’ rhetoric, we will focus on the issues that will elevate and hold the ideals of our development, of our unity, of our common purpose and our common essence.”

On 17th October, 2022, at the Campaign 6HFUHWDULDW DW /DJRV 6WUHHW (ZHW +RXVLQJ Estate, Uyo, the governorship campaign RI (QR ZDV LQDXJXUDWHG E\ /HDGHU RI the PDP in the State, Governor Udom Emmanuel. The governor said, “Today, all the stakeholders who have been working towards the success of successive elections LQ WKLV 6WDWH DUH KHUH IRU WKLV KLVWRULF WDNHRͿ and with them in this ship, we are headed to the massive election victory in 2023.”

It should be noted the campaign council is headed by Nigerian former ambassador to Russia and one-time attorney general and commissioner for justice in the state, Chief Assam Assam, SAN, as Director General, who during the inauguration promised to run an issue-based campaign in marketing all her candidates. He also promised that violence, thuggery and other political vices will be very distant from the PDP family.

Eno during the program expressed his appreciation to everyone who has helped thus far, and restated his commitment to take the state to greater heights. In his words: “I’ll like to thank everyone for accepting to be part of the campaign council; for accepting to work with us to achieve the succession plan. I want to thank Adobamen writes from Uyo

26 4

T H I S D AY

TUESDAY OCTOBER 25, 2022

EDITORIAL

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

GOVERNOR MATAWALLE’S BIG BLUNDER Bello Matawalle acted beyond his executive powers

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LAWYER TUESDAY, OCTOBER 25, 2022

ATTORNEY-GENERAL OF THE FEDERATION ABUBAKAR MALAMI, SAN

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WEEKLY PULLOUT

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NNAMDI KANU

Illegality of Nnamdi Kanu’s Rendition from Kenya

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TUESDAY, OCTOBER 25, 2022 ˾ T H I S D AY

IN THIS EDITION

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OBE R 25, 202

LLOUT WEEKLY PU

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Whether Arrest Warrant Justifies Circumventing Extradition Proceedings or Criminal Justice Processes

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NNAMDI KANU

’s u n a K i d m a n N f o Illegality a y n e K m o r f n o i t i Rend

RATION ERAL OF THE FEDE ATTORNEY-GEN AMI, SAN ABUBAKAR MAL

Law Firm Advocates Philanthropy to Aid Development

JI ADELEKE

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QUOTABLE ‘Our macroeconomic policies have been a disaster….How can a country that expects to grow, spend N6 trillion, as much as it is spending on capital expenditure, in subsidising one product? How can a country that expects to grow, be subsidising its currency to the extent we are doing today?

The bulk of our domestic savings that we should have been using in investing, we are burning.’ - Godwin Obaseki, Governor, Edo State

Akwa Ibom CJ Urges Court, Law Enforcement Agencies to Comply with ACJL Page V

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

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

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

LAWYER

ONIKEPO BRAITHWAITE: EDITOR, JUDE IGBANOI: DEPUTY EDITOR, PETER TAIWO, STEVE AYA: REPORTERS

III THE ADVOCATE

T H I S D AY ˾ TUESDAY, OCTOBER 25, 2022

Kanu: Untangling the Court Orders

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any of us do not understand the difference between the various outcomes of substantive court actions or applications that litigants make during the course of proceedings, criminal cases, or appeals. Some common terms we hear are: convicted; struck out; dismissed; set aside; discharged; discharged and acquitted; appeal allowed; appeal allowed in part and appeal dismissed, and do not fully know what they mean.

Presently, there’s the controversy about the recent outcome of Nnamdi Kanu’s Court of Appeal case: Charge No. FHC/ABJ/CR/383/2015 & Appeal No. CA/ABJ/CR/625/2022 Nnamdi Kanu v FRN in which the Court of Appeal ordered that: “(1) This appeal succeeds and it is allowed. (2) The decision of Nyako J of the Federal High Court, Abuja Division, delivered on the 8th day of April, 2022 retaining Counts 1,2,3,4,5,8 and 15 of the Amended Charge is set aside. (3) The said charges are accordingly terminated and struck out. (4) The Appellant is, in consequence, discharged”. Kanu’s counsel, Chief Mike Ozekhome, SAN maintains that he has been discharged with no criminal charges pending against him, and should be released forthwith. On the other hand, the Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, SAN maintains that Kanu was discharged and not acquitted, and he has filed an appeal against the Court of Appeal decision to the Supreme Court.

Conviction The term ‘Conviction’ is simply a court of competent jurisdiction finding a person guilty of a punishable offence, having gone through trial. See the case of Mohammed v Olawunmi & Ors 1993 4 N.W.L.R. Part 287 Page 254 at 287 per Ogundare JSC. A sentence or resulting order, though distinct from a conviction, emanates from it.

Struck Out & Dismissed When an interlocutory application or action is struck out, it means that it was refused because it wasn’t properly constituted; it was not heard on its merits (not a full trial), that is, that the court did not consider the substantive issues or determine the rights of the parties in the application or suit. Based on a defect in issues of practice, procedure or form, the court refuses the application or matter, and strikes it out because of such defect, and not because it isn’t meritorious. The litigant can therefore, correct the defect and go back to the same court for the same application or matter. For instance, it could be that the proper parties to the action are not before the court. See Oloriode v Oyebi 1984 1 S.C.N.L.R. 390 at Page 400 per Irikefe JSC (later CJN).

In Adesokan & Ors v Adetunji & Ors (1994) LPELR-52 (SC) per Ogundare JSC, the Apex Court held that when a court holds that a Plaintiff has no locus standi in respect of a claim, the proper order to make is to strike out such claim, not dismiss it; since the court does not have the jurisdiction to hear such a matter, it follows that it cannot dismiss it on it merits, having not heard it. A matter that is struck out “decides nothing as regards the matter in dispute, but merely gets rid of the pending action or application, leaving the Plaintiff or Applicant at liberty to begin de novo either in the same or subsequent suit…..” - Okeke v Modu 1996 9 N.W.L.R. Part 470 Page 131 at 137 per Coomassie JCA. On the other hand, dismissal means that a court entertained a properly constituted application or matter, heard and determined it on its merits, determined the rights of the parties and dismissed it, that is, refused it or discarded it. See Ogar v James 2001 10 N.W.L.R. Part 722 Page 621 at 635-636; Odunlami v Nigerian Navy 2013 12 N.W.L.R. Part 1367 Page 20 at 56 per Rhodes-Vivour JSC. In the case of a dismissal, a dissatisfied litigant goes on appeal to a higher court.

Sometimes, the terms ’struck out’ and ’dismissal’ are wrongly used interchangeably by the court, when they clearly mean two different things. In Oloriode v Oyebi (Supra), this observation was made by the Supreme Court when the learned trial Judge in that case who ought to have struck the matter out based on his finding that the proper parties were not before him in the suit, erroneously dismissed it instead.

Set Aside To ‘set aside’ simply means to cancel, undo, or nullify, from the service of a court process which is served contrary to the Rules, to a judgement. A court can set aside its own default judgement, if the Defendant subsequently applies to the court by way of motion, to have it set aside. A default judgement is one given without hearing evidence - for instance, if the Defendant fails to enter appearance and/or defence to a case, and judgement is given in favour of the Claimant; consequent upon the satisfaction of some conditions, the court may set aside its own judgement in order to give the Defendant an opportunity to be heard. See Idam Ugwu & Ors v Nwaji Aba & Ors 1961 A.N.L.R.438.

updates charges, in the event that Kanu is properly extradited to Nigeria

ONIKEPO BRAITHWAITE onikepo.braithwaite@thisdaylive. com onikepob@yahoo.com

The

Advocate “It appears that Kanu’s extraordinary rendition to Nigeria, being an unlawful act, renders all proceedings against Kanu after he was forcibly brought back to Nigeria….null and void for lack of jurisdiction….”

It is trite law that any court of record can also set aside its own judgement, in a case where there was a fundamental defect, for example, if the court had no jurisdiction to hear the matter, or the judgement was obtained by fraud. In Mark & Anor v Eke (2004) LPELR-1841 (SC) the Apex Court held that a judgement which is a nullity owing to the failure to comply with an essential provision like service of process, can be set aside by the court who made the order.

Appeal Dismissed & Appeal Allowed An appeal is the complaint against the decision of a lower court, and a proceeding in which such decision or part of it complained of, is reviewed by a higher court. It is a continuation of the case at the lower court, and not a fresh one. See Ugwu v State 2013 14 N.W.L.R. Part 1374 Page 257 at 271 per Ariwoola JSC (now CJN). When an appeal is dismissed, it means that the appellate court agrees with the decision of the lower court, and not the Appellant. When the appeal is allowed, it means the appellate court disagrees with the decision of the lower court. See Emeka v Okadigbo 2012 18 N.W.L.R. Part 1331 Page 55 at 90 per Rhodes-Vivour JSC. It sets the decision of the lower court aside, which means that the judgement of the lower court becomes legally invalid. This amounts to a dismissal. See Fagunwa & Anor v Adibi & Ors (2004) LPELR-1229 (SC). An appeal can also be allowed in part, in that only some of the prayers in the appeal are answered, while the decision of the lower court for some of the other prayers will be upheld by the appellate court.

Kanu’s Court of Appeal Judgement Firstly, the appeal succeeded and was allowed.

This means that the Court of Appeal disagreed with the decision of the lower court, and upheld the position of the Appellant, Nnamdi Kanu.

Secondly, the Court of Appeal then went on

Nnamdi Kanu

to set aside the decision of the lower court, which retained the aforementioned counts in the Amended Charge. This means that the aforesaid counts against Kanu, were nullified by the Court of Appeal. However, the charges were struck out, not dismissed, meaning that these particular charges were not heard and determined on their merits, and were struck out based on some procedural defect; and the defect can be corrected and fresh charges filed.

To be clear, Kanu was not acquitted by the Court of Appeal. He was discharged. In Chief of Air Staff & Ors v Iyen (2005) LPELR-3167 (SC) per Niki Tobi JSC, the Apex Court held inter alia that: “A discharge, in the context means to cancel the original provisional force of a court order by way of a charge or to free from confinement. On the other hand, acquittal means a setting free or deliverance from the charge of an offence by verdict of a court”. A discharge is not necessarily based upon the verdict of the court (it could be akin to striking out).

In simple terms, an acquittal is judgement/ finding of not guilty by a court, having gone through trial. In Air Force v Kamaldeen (2007) LPELR-2010 (SC) per Musdapher JSC (later CJN) the Apex Court held that “….an acquittal of an accused person in a verdict, can only be returned on the consideration of the case on the merits”.

A discharge and acquittal however, is a cancelling of the charge coupled with a finding of not guilty, after evidence has been taken and a full trial held. See Sections 309 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act 2015 (ACJA). This has not yet happened in Kanu’s case. While a discharge cancels the charge, Kanu has not been found not guilty (acquittal), as in his case, no charge has been heard on its merits. For example, it could be that the charges were not properly formulated; and all the Prosecution need do, is to make the necessary corrections and refile the

Kanu’s Extraordinary Rendition However, the issue of Kanu, a British citizen’s ‘extraordinary rendition’, that is, his forcible abduction from Kenya to Nigeria without going through the proper process of extradition, is extremely relevant to the proceedings at the Federal High Court and the Court of Appeal. This point was argued by Chief Mike Ozekhome, SAN by way of Preliminary Objection. Section 2(1) of the Extradition Act 1967, makes the process of extradition binding on all countries within the Commonwealth including UK, Nigeria and Kenya. In the case of Lanre Shittu who was forcibly taken to USA by the American Government in connivance with the Nigerian Government to face money laundering charges in December 2000, the District Court in New York freed him on the ground that it lacked jurisdiction to entertain the matter because Nigeria and USA had violated their Extradition Treaty. Is this position also applicable in Nigeria? It would appear so. I would imagine that the logical consequence of an unlawful act, is illegality - you cannot build something on nothing.

Extraordinary Rendition is illegal - it goes against several Protocols and Conventions including the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, and the United Nations Convention Against Torture and Other Forms of Cruel, Inhuman, or Degrading Treatment, a Convention which Nigeria ratified in 2001 (also see Section 34 of the Constitution).

It appears that Kanu’s extraordinary rendition to Nigeria, being an unlawful act, renders all proceedings against Kanu after he was forcibly brought back to Nigeria, including the subsequent proceedings at the Federal High Court and Nyako J’s judgement, null and void for lack of jurisdiction. See Maduloku v Nkemdilim 1962 2 S.C.N.L.R. 341 on lack of jurisdiction. It seems that the Court Appeal shared this opinion, and this was reflected by its setting aside of the charges which Nyako J retained against Kanu from the Amended Charge brought after his rendition to Nigeria, and also by discharging him.

Pertinent Questions The Court of Appeal having discharged Kanu, could it have also ruled that Kanu be returned to Kenya from where he was abducted, in order to avail him the opportunity to fight any extradition proceedings which the Nigerian Government should have instituted against him in the first place? Can Kanu’s discharge from the Amended charges, nullify the charges he was facing before his escape, if the court even lacked the jurisdiction to amend them or take any other steps after he was brought back by force? Should Kanu’s case return to the ‘status quo ante bellum’, that is, how it was before the war, the war in this context, being his escape from Nigeria in September 2017? In 2017 before his escape, 4 charges were sustained against Kanu and his co-accused persons. They entered a plea of not guilty, Kanu was granted bail on April 25, 2017, and the trial was set down for hearing. The fact that the matter is now on appeal to the Supreme Court, precludes my answering these questions, as they could be considered by the Apex Court.

Conclusion Presently, however, by virtue of the recent Court of Appeal decision, Kanu has been discharged with no other charges pending against him; and this is why they are asking for his release forthwith - see Section 35(1) of the Constitution. Some of the Igbo elder statesmen are however, calling for Alternative Dispute Resolution, as opposed to continuing with the legal options stricto sensu.

It has been argued that there are mitigating circumstances in why Kanu had to flee - that he didn’t jump bail because he felt like it, he ran for dear life, self-preservation being the first law of nature. When law enforcement descended on his country home in 2017, it was not for a tea party; people were killed there that day. This kind of escape and using false travel documentation to run for dear life, are given consideration in International law.

As usual, the issue of ethnicity and tribalism have not been left out of this matter. It has been argued that if those engaged in terrorist activities in the North can be forgiven, with ‘asò èbi’ uniform in our national colours given to them as gifts (used to pose for group photographs), in the interest of lasting peace, why can’t Kanu be released, albeit conditionally, especially as a gesture of goodwill to the Igbos who feel marginalised (see Section 42 of the Constitution). Kanu could be made to give some undertakings as a condition for his release, like: 1) stop the no-work order on Mondays in the South East; 2) stop the violence in the South East; 3) guarantee peaceful elections in South East in 2023; 4) that he won’t pursue any case against Government for damages here or in Kenya for his abduction; while Government will also drop the charges against him and let him be. In short, parties will start on a new slate.

IV LAW REPORT

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 25, 2022 ˾ T H I S D AY

Whether Arrest Warrant Justifies Circumventing Extradition Proceedings or Criminal Justice Processes Facts The Appellant was standing trial before the Federal High Court on a four-count Amended Charge for conspiracy to commit treasonable felony, treasonable felony, publication of defamatory matter (contrary to Sections 516, 41(c) and 375 of the Criminal Code Act, Cap C77, LFN 2004), and improper importation of goods contrary to Section 47(2) of the Customs and Excise Management Act, Cap C45, LFN, 2004.

Following the Appellant’s rendition from Kenya to Nigeria on 27th June, 2021, a 7-count Amended Charge was filed against him, which was subsequently amended on 17th January 2022, to 15-count Charge. By the latest Amended Charge, the original counts were changed from the offences alleged, to making broadcasts with intent to intimidate, incite, and acts of terrorism punishable under Sections 1(2)(b), 16, 1(2)(h), 1(2)f of the Terrorism Prevention Amendment Act, 2013; as well as importation into Nigeria of a Radio Transmitter known as Tram 50L contrary to Section 47(2)(a) of the Criminal Code Act. The Appellant’s plea was taken further to the 15-count Amended Charge, and the Appellant timeously filed a Preliminary Objection on 19th January, 2022, challenging the jurisdiction of the trial court to try him on the 15-count Amended Charge. The Appellant raised before the court, among other issues, his extraordinary and unlawful rendition. He urged the court for an Order striking out/quashing and dismissing the counts in the Amended Charge for being incompetent. He also prayed the court for an Order discharging and acquitting him of all the counts, upon striking out the said counts.

The court heard the Preliminary Objection and, in its ruling, struck out eight of the fifteen counts. Dissatisfied with the decision of the lower court which retained seven of the fifteen counts in the Amended Charge, the Appellant appealed the decision to the Court of Appeal.

Issues for Determination The following issues were determined by the court: 1. Whether the trial court properly evaluated and ascribed probative value to the Appellant’s evidence when it failed to consider, make findings of facts and accordingly pronounced on issue one raised for the trial court’s determination relating to the extra-ordinary rendition of the Appellant.

2. Whether the trial court has the jurisdiction to try the Appellant for the alleged offences committed in vacuo, or which the situs was not stated.

3. Whether the Appellant can be prosecuted for an offence which its validity is the subject- matter of an appeal.

4. Whether the lower court has the jurisdiction to try the Appellant for alleged offences committed outside its territorial jurisdiction.

5. Whether the Appellant can be tried for offences which the proof of evidence in support thereof does not disclose a prima facie case against the Appellant.

Arguments On Issue one, it was submitted that the Appellant was abducted from Kenya and extraordinarily rendered to Nigeria without being first subjected to extradition proceedings in Kenya, contrary to the extant international Conventions and Treaties. Counsel submitted that the Appellant cannot be arraigned and tried on the 15-count Amended Charge, having not been properly brought before the court. He argued that the unlawful and extraordinary rendition, without hearing or due process, contravenes various International law to which the Federal Government of Nigeria is a State Party, inclusive of Articles 9 and 14 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights; Article 12(4) of the African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights (Ratification and Enforcement) Act, Cap A9, LFN 2004; Article/Part 5(A) of the African Charter’s Principles and Guidelines on Human and Peoples’ Rights while Countering Terrorism in Africa; and Article 13 of the UDHR, 1984. Further, Section 15 of the Extradition Act Cap E25 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004 prohibits the Appellant from either being detained, tried or otherwise dealt with in Nigeria for or in respect of an offence allegedly committed by him before his surrender to Nigeria. Counsel posited further that the failure of the trial court to pronounce on the issue of extraordinary rendition of the Appellant, which was properly raised before it in the Preliminary Objection, is a gross violation of the Appellant’s right to fair hearing. Reacting to this submission, the Respondent argued that the issue of whether the Appellant was properly brought before the trial court, is a matter to be established during trial and not at the preliminary stage. Counsel reiterated that the Appellant was brought in by due process of law, citing Sections 3, 4 & 5 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act. Arguing Issues two and five (which are related and considered together by the court) counsel for the Appellant submitted that where an Information does not disclose a prima facie case against the Accused Person, the court is duty bound to quash the Charge and dismiss same. In this instance, there is nothing in the Proof of Evidence which links the Appellant to the commission of the alleged offences with which he was charged. Further, the counts 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 8 of

Honourable Oludotun Adebola Adefope-Okojie, JCA

In the Court of Appeal of Nigeria Abuja Judicial Division Holden at Abuja On Thursday, the 13th Day of October, 2022 Before Their Lordships Jummai Hannatu Sankey Oludotun Adefope-Okojie Ebiowei Tobi Justices, Court of Appeal APPEAL NO: CA/ABJ/CR/625/2022 CHARGE NO: FHC/ABJ/CR/383/2015 Between NNAMDI KANU

And

FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA

APPELLANT RESPONDENT

(Lead Judgement delivered by Honourable Oludotun Adebola Adefope-Okojie, JCA) the 15-count Amended Charge, failed to disclose the situs where the Appellant made the alleged broadcasts from, and this lacuna rendered the affected counts incompetent, and deprived the court of jurisdiction to try the Appellant on the alleged offences where the place of commission is not stated to be within the territorial jurisdiction of the court. Counsel for the Respondent countered the submission by stating the principle of law that where the trial court has judicially discharged its duty of evaluating evidence, an appellate court cannot assume this duty except where the decision is perverse. Citing Section 19 of the Federal High Court Act and Section 32(1) of the Terrorism Prevention Amendment Act of 2022, he argued that the trial court has the requisite jurisdiction to determine the case.

On Issue three, the Appellant submitted that count 3 of the Amended Charge relates to membership of a proscribed organisation, which is the subject of Appeal No. CA/A/214/2018 – INDIGENIOUS PEOPLE OF BIAFRA v ATTORNEY-GENERAL OF THE FEDERATION, and therefore, sub-judice. He argued that it will be prejudicial for the Appellant to be indicted, on the said count which the Court of Appeal is yet to decide. Responding, counsel for the Respondent argued that the Order proscribing IPOB is valid and subsisting, even though the appeal is pending.

Arguing Issue four, the Appellant stated that count 15 of the Amended Charge relates to an offence allegedly committed in Anambra State, outside the jurisdiction of the trial court. The Respondent on the other hand, argued that the offence relates to terrorism which is within the jurisdiction of the Federal High Court, and this court exercises a single jurisdiction nationwide with various divisions for administrative convenience.

Court’s Judgement and Rationale

“….. the Warrant of Arrest was no justification for circumventing extradition proceedings, or the criminal justice processes”

Before going into determination of the first issue, the Court of Appeal deemed it necessary to consider first, the contention of the Respondent that the issue of bringing the Appellant properly before the court cannot be determined at an interlocutory/preliminary stage. Relying on the decision in JAMES v INEC (2015) 12 NWLR (Pt. 1474) 538, the court stated the settled position of law that in determining interlocutory application or the issue of jurisdiction, the court should refrain from delving into the issues in controversy in the substantive suit. The court, however, distinguished the present case from the referenced JAMES v INEC, stating that the rendition of the Appellant from Kenya to Nigeria is not an issue to be determined in the substantive case before the trial court. The substantive issue/case before the court, is the determination of the culpability of the Appellant for the retained counts of the Amended Charge upon which he was arraigned.

It follows that determination of the propriety of the Appellant’s rendition, and which illegality divested the court of jurisdiction in the matter, does not amount to determining the substantive case at an interlocutory stage.

Deciding the first issue, the court held that save for the bare denial by the Respondent in its Counter-Affidavit, there is no specific denial that the Appellant was in Kenya, abducted therefrom without an extradition proceeding, and brought into Nigeria. The position of law on failure of the Respondent to contest the Appellant’s Affidavit and submissions on this issue, is that same is deemed conceded by the Respondent. The court then proceeded to decide the follow-up question, of lawfulness of the “abduction” and rendition of the Appellant to Nigeria without extradition proceedings. The court quoted extensively the provisions of Articles 7, 8 and 11 of the OAU Convention on the Prevention and Combating of Terrorism (ratified on 28th April 2002); and Section 1A(2) of the Terrorism (Prevention) Amendment Act 2013 (which imposes a duty on Nigeria to ensure conformity of its policies with international standards and United Nations Conventions on Terrorism); and Principles and Guidelines on Human and Peoples’ Right while Countering Terrorism in Africa, which specifically state that extraordinary rendition or any other transfer, without due process is prohibited. The court held that by these Conventions, Treaties

and Guidelines, the act of the Respondent in removing the Appellant from another country without complying with due process of law for his removal, was in flagrant violation of the relevant laws and the fundamental human rights of the Appellant. It was incumbent on the Respondent, who was the arresting authority, to prove the legality of the Appellant’s arrest, abduction in this case – GOVERNOR OF KADUNA STATE v MAKORI (2020) LPELR-50391(CA).

On the issue of Warrant of Arrest issued in Nigeria against the Appellant to answer to Charges in Nigeria, the court held, guided by the provisions in Part 5 of the Principles and Guidelines on Human and Peoples’ Rights while Countering Terrorism in Africa, that the Warrant of Arrest was no justification for circumventing extradition proceedings, or the criminal justice processes. More so, Section 47(1) of the ACJA, with regard to execution of Warrant of Arrest issued in Nigeria, only allows the execution of the warrant within the borders of Nigeria. Our courts apply strictly, Conventions and Treaties entered into by this country – ABACHA v FAWEHINMI (2000) 6 NWLR (Pt. 660) 228.

By the extraordinary rendition of the Appellant to Nigeria, there was clear and egregious violation by the Respondent of International Conventions, Protocols and Guidelines to which Nigeria is bound.

On failure of the trial court to evaluate evidence of the Appellant on his extraordinary rendition before making its findings, the appellate court held that by the ruling in question, it is obvious that the trial court failed to consider this issue. Referencing various decisions of the Apex Court on the need for lower courts to pronounce on all issues properly raised before it, the Court of Appeal held that the trial court failed to properly evaluate the Appellant’s case, which resulted in breach of his right to fair hearing.

The learned Justice noted that having resolved the first issue in favour of the Appellant, this should ordinarily render the resolution of other issues academic; nonetheless, given the admonition of the Apex Court for lower courts to pronounce on other issues before it even after resolving the issue of jurisdiction, the Court of Appeal went on to determine the other issues posed for its determination.

Considering issues two and five together, the court held that the purpose of a Charge is to give the accused person notice of the case against him; thus, omission in a Charge will ordinarily not be fatal to its competence. The court held that the counts in the Amended Charge, sufficiently put the Appellant on notice of the case against him.

On the second limb of the issue relating to failure to state the place of commission of the alleged crime as within the territorial jurisdiction of the court, the court relied on the decision in SULAIMAN v FRN (2020) 18 NWLR (Pt. 1755) 180, where it was held that in a criminal case, the best way to resolve the territorial jurisdiction of the Federal High Court is to identify the alleged offences charged and the elements, to see if any of the acts constituting the offences occurred in the particular place where the accused is being charged. The offences alleged here, were committed via broadcasts received and heard in Nigeria. By Section 45(d)(i) of the Federal High Court Act, where it is uncertain in which of several areas or places an offence was committed, the place of trial of such offence may be tried by a court exercising jurisdiction in any such areas or places. The offence here was a broadcast received in Nigeria, and the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja is part of Nigeria.

The court accordingly, resolved issues two and five against the Appellant.

Regarding issue three, the court held that the decision of a court is binding until set aside – SADIQ v BEMBE (2021) LPELR-56240(CA). So long as the appeal has not been determined, the order of proscription is valid and subsisting.

On issue four, their Lordships relied on the decision of the Supreme Court in SULAIMAN v FRN (SUPRA), where it was held that although Section 19 of the Federal High Court Act provides that the court shall have and exercise jurisdiction throughout Nigeria, Section 45 of the Act specifically says that offences are to be tried in the area or place where any of the offences were committed. Given that the offence in count 15 was allegedly committed in Anambra State, the Federal High Court in that judicial division is the proper venue and division to determine same.

The decision of the trial court was thereby set aside.

Appeal Allowed; Charges Struck Out; Appellant Discharged.

Representation Chief Mike Ozekhome, SAN with Benson Igbanoi; Sir Ifeanyi Ejiofor; Mrs. Amauche Onyedum and Osilama Mike-Ozekhome for the Appellant.

D.E. Kaswe (Asst. Chief State Counsel, AttorneyGeneral’s Chambers, FMOJ) with A. Adewunmi-Aluko (Asst. Chief State Counsel) and G.C. Nweze (Senior State Counsel) for the Respondent.

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

V

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 25, 2022 ˾ T H I S D AY

NEWS

L-R: Senior Partner, Aluko and Oyeode≠ Law Firm, Gbenga Oyeode ; Chairman, Zinox Technology Limited, Sir Leo Stan Ekeh; Managing Partner, Alliance Law Firm, Uche Obi, SAN and Chairman, MTN, Dr Ernest Ndukwe

L-R: Former Akwa Ibom State Attorney-General, Uwemedimo Nwoko, SAN; Mr Akingbola George; Hon. Justice Archibong; Mr Wilfred Nderitu of the Supreme Court of Kenya and Mrs Ebelechukwu Enedah

CJN to Swear-in New Senior Advocates November 28 Stories by Steve Aya

The 62 Lawyers who are to be elevated to the rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria, (SAN), will be formally sworn in on Friday, November 28, 2022, according to the Supreme Court.

In a statement made available to newsmen by supreme court’s spokesperson, Festus Akande, the court said although the swearing-in was initially scheduled for November 21 it was

rescheduled to accommodate other activities which include the formal commencement of the court’s 2022/2023 new legal year.

“The Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Hon. Justice Olukayode Ariwoola GCON, will swear in 62 new Senior Advocates of Nigeria, November 28, 2022, at the main courtroom of the Supreme Court.

“The swearing-in ceremony is one of the several programmes planned, to formally

NBA President: Nigerian Judiciary is Not Corrupt The President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Mr Yakubu Chonoko Maikyau OON, SAN, declared that the Nigerian Judiciary is not corrupt, and that the legal profession in Nigeria cannot be compromised.

Mr Maikyau made this statement on Thursday, October 20, 2022, at the Valedictory Court session held in honour of Hon. Justice Mojeed Adekunle Owoade, retired Justice of the Court of Appeal.

At the event which took place at the Court of Appeal, Ibadan, the NBA President also decried the narratives that Nigerian Judges are corrupt and can be compromised.

In his words, "The fact that there may be some bad eggs amongst us, and this I say for both the Bench and the Bar, does not justify the characterisation of the entire Judiciary and the legal profession, as generally corrupt. The Judiciary and indeed, the legal profession in Nigeria, consist of distinguished men and women that have worked and are still working honestly, sincerely, and with integrity to contribute their quota to the development of this nation".

He also stated that: "the fact

that the toe in a body has turned gangrenous, does not make the entire body rotten.

And, if the toe is so infected, the way to save the body is to amputate the toe. That is what we must do as members of the legal profession; either on the Bench or at the Bar, and we must speak loudly to the nation about who we truly are, to correct that negative perception. If we do not do so, it will be an abdication of duty on our part; and if we completely lose the confidence of the public, resort to self-help and the attendant chaos, will be inevitable. We must break the silence!"

While acknowledging that the challenges faced in the system of administration of justice in Nigeria, include the issue of manpower at the Bench, the NBA President also urged for better conditions of service for judicial officers.

The Learned Senior Advocate further described Hon. Justice Owoade (rtd) as one of the numerous examples of integrity, honesty, and excellence in the legal profession, and congratulated the jurist on the excellent service record and glorious exit from the Bench.

usher in the 2022/2023 legal year of the Supreme Court of Nigeria.

“Going by our age-long tradition, during such programmes, the Honourable Chief Justice of Nigeria, will deliver a State-of-the-Judiciary address, which is ostensibly

to highlight the performance of the Supreme Court, and by extension, the Nigerian Judiciary in the outgoing 2021/2022 legal year.

“The Supreme Court commenced its annual vacation after a highly eventful and remarkably successful

2021/2022 legal year on Monday, July 23, 2022. Though the Court has started sitting since September 12, 2022, the new legal year ceremony is now being formally held in line with our tradition”, Mr Akande added.

The Legal Practitioners’

Privileges Committee (LPPC) had, in September, approved the elevation of 62 legal practitioners out of 174 Applicants to the rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria.

Out of this number, 53 are Advocates, while nine are Academics.

Law Firm Advocates Philanthropy to Aid Development The Management and Staff of Alliance Law Firm on Saturday hosted a large gathering of friends, clients, senior Lawyers and family members in a triple celebration The law firm was celebrating its 20th year anniversary, the Founder’s silver jubilee, and the fourth edition of its annual lecture series.

In his welcome address, the Managing Partner of the firm, Mr Uche Obi, SAN, expressed his delight seeing everyone who turned up to celebrate these milestones with them.

He said that it was while planning for the annual lecture that it

was agreed that, since the date for celebrating the other two were close, it would be wiser to join them together and have one mega celebration.

Mr Obi SAN, went down memory lane and recalled the first lecture which took place in 2017, and lamented the no lecture of 2020 and 2021 due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

He also said that the choice of this year's lecture titled "Developing Nigeria through Philanthropy" could not have come at a better time, considering the current situation where the country's citizens are gradually falling by the way, due to the state of our economy. He called

on wealthy Nigerians to help as many people as possible, because it leads to further development.

Chairman of the occasion, and Chairman of construction giant, Julius Berger, Mr Mutiu Sunmonu, in his own speech commended the Staff and Management of the firm for their courage to pursue excellence over the twenty years of their existence, while also congratulating and praying for Mr Obi SAN and his wife.

The Guest Lecturer, Dr Ernest Azudialu-Obiejesi, recalled his childhood days as the son of a truck pusher, who by sheer hard work, is now in a

position to help people.

Speaking on the theme, the Engineer/Business man said he is always moved by the sight of school-age children who are out of school, hence, his reason for building the school in Okija.

Dr Azudialu-Obiejesi said that his love for being a philanthropist comes from the heart, and he called on the wealthy to help people, because they will be blessed too.

Highlights of the celebration include the presentation of awards to the longest serving staff and top clients who have been with Alliance all these years.

Akwa Ibom CJ Urges Court, Law Enforcement Agencies to Comply with ACJL Okon Bassey in Uyo The Chief Judge of Akwa Ibom State, Justice Ekaette Obot, has tasked the court, law enforcement agencies, and other authorities or persons involved in criminal justice administration in the State, to ensure compliance with the provisions of the law.

She explained that the purpose of the Administration of Criminal Justice Law of Akwa Ibom State 2022 (ACJL) passed and signed into law, was to ensure that the system of administration of criminal justice in the State, is in harmony with what is

attainable in other parts of Nigeria.

The Chief Judge spoke while declaring open a 2-day workshop to usher in the 2022/2023 Legal Year organised by Attorney General Alliance (AGA) - Africa in collaboration with the State Government, with the theme "Effective Administration of Criminal Justice".

Justice Obot who was represented by Justice Archibong Archibong, pointed out that the essence of the law is dispensation of justice, protect the society from crime, protect the interest of the suspect, the defendant, victim or

complainant.

"By Section 86 of the ACJL, Akwa Ibom State 2022, the law is made applicable to all criminal trials and proceedings in the State, unless express provision is made in respect of any particular court, form of trial or proceeding", he said.

In his remarks, Mr Marcus Green of AGA-Africa, noted that the workshop marks the beginning of a long and fruitful partnership between Akwa Ibom State Judiciary and the AGA-Africa programme. He noted that the inability to effectively carry out the administration

of justice effectively was impeded by a high level of case backlog; slow resolution of cases; lack of adequate resources or expertise, among others. He said the workshop was geared towards resolving some of these issues, with the intention of injecting faith back into the criminal justice system.

"Members of the public should not only be told that they are protected, but must feel that they are protected. The innocent must feel that justice will prevail, with respect to the rule of law and human rights", he added.

#upjudicialsalaries “It is an open secret that Judges, both at the Federal and State level are underpaid, which makes them susceptible to accept or take bribes/kickbacks when offered by desperate politicians. The salaries and allowances of Nigerian Judges at the Federal and State levels, have remained static for nearly 15 years to date.” - Abiodun Olatunji, SAN

VI

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 25, 2022 ˾ T H I S D AY

“All the rights secured to the citizens under the Constitution are worth nothing, and a mere bubble, except guaranteed to them by an independent and virtuous Judiciary.”- Andrew Jackson Introduction he above evergreen postulation of Andrew Jackson, the 7th President of the United States of America (1829 to 1837) is very apt to today’s discussion qua lecture, due to the unwarranted and unjustifiable onslaught by successive civilian and military governments over the years, to erode the independence of the Nigerian Judiciary. There is no gainsaying the fact that the Judiciary has run into troubled waters, and unless drastic measures are put in place to stem the ugly tide, it is about to hit an iceberg.

The Nigerian Judiciary is at crossroads and has been unable to cross the ‘Red Sea’ of corruption, financial strangulation by the governments at both the State and Federal level, widespread maladministration within the Judiciary itself etc., which have hindered it from successfully carrying its constitutional mandate as enshrined in the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (As Amended). This now leads us to the germane question that, if the Judiciary itself has been hamstrung in recent times by the Executive constantly seeking to make it kow-tow to its whims and caprices by depriving the Judiciary of the requisite funds needed to independently and effectively run its affairs, how can the rights of the citizens be adequately secured?

The independence of any nation’s Judiciary is hinged on the theory of separation of powers, a doctrine that is often believed to rest at the foundation of the Constitution of the United States of America. It holds that liberty is best preserved if the three functions of government - legislation, law enforcement, and adjudication - are in different hands.

The modern idea of separation of powers is to be found in one of the most important 18th century works on political science, the Baron de Montesquieu's The Spirit of the Laws (1748), which states that: “Political liberty is to be found only when there is no abuse of power… But, constant experience shows us that everyman invested with power is apt to abuse it, and to carry his authority as far as it will go … To prevent this abuse, it is necessary from the nature of things that power should be a check to power …

When the legislative and executive powers are united in the same person or body … there can be no liberty; … Again there is no liberty if the judicial power is not separated from the Legislative and the executive… There would be an end of everything, were the same man or the same body, whether of the nobles or of the people to exercise all three powers.”

T

The Industry Qua Bravery of the Nigerian Judiciary in the Days of Yore A Select Few Notable Cases Considered Permit me to highlight just a few notable cases, wherein the Supreme Court displayed bravery, valour and industry: In the case of Esugbayi Eleko v Government of Nigeria the Privy Council declared null and void and of no effect whatsoever, the deportation of the Oba of Lagos from his domain to an entirely different part of Nigeria on the basis that the Governor has no such power, in spite of the fact that the Governor then was vested with both executive and legislative powers. The court held thus: “No member of the executive can interfere with the liberty or property of a subject, except on the condition that he can support the legality of his action before a court of justice.”

Some other cases the Supreme Court has acted bravely include but are not limited to: Doherty v Balewa; E.O. Lakanmi v A.G. Western State & Ors, Paul Unogo v Aper Aku & 2 Ors; Governor of Lagos State v Ojukwu; Obeya Memorial Hospital v AttorneyGeneral of the Federation & Ors; Fawehinmi v Akilu; A-G. Bendel State v A-G. Federation & Ors. The Bane Affecting the Independence of the Judiciary in Recent Years: Matters Arising Dispensation of Justice in a Unitarised Judiciary As at 1979, and up to November 1993, the State High Courts in Nigeria exercised unlimited jurisdiction on all matters, whether between citizens, inter se, in the respective States, or between citizens and governments of the various States or between governments of the States and Federal agencies therein. A case in point is when the Shagari-led Federal Government attempted to deport Shugaba Abdulrahman Darman in 1982; it was a Borno State High Court, sitting in Maiduguri that initially granted an injunction restraining the deportation exercise, before finally going into the merits of the case to prohibit the Federal Government from deporting the citizen. The unlimited jurisdiction of the State High Court was also depicted in - Barclays Bank v Central Bank of Nigeria; Bronik Motors v Wema Bank; and Jammal Steel Structures Ltd v Africa Continental

Abiodun Olatunji, SAN

Securing Judicial Independence: The Way Forward This article by Abiodun Olatunji, SAN discusses the reasons for lack of independence of the Nigerian Judiciary, and proffers solutions on how to correct this anomaly Bank Ltd. The Plague of Forum Shopping The plague of Forum Shopping is a reprehensible phenomenon, where courts of concurrent jurisdiction give conflicting judgements qua rulings, with more or less the same parties on the same subject-matter.

The Court of Appeal in Ibori v FRN condemned the practice of forum shopping when it held thus: “There is no provision in the EFCC Act, to the effect that it can pick and choose at will or randomly, which court to arraign and prosecute an accused person. Forum shopping is not a practice recognised or approved, under our laws. Indeed, it is frowned upon, regarded and rightly too, as an aberration and an undisguised wilful attempt to punish an accused person before a verdict of guilt is returned in his criminal trial. By no means and with whatever leverage should prosecution be converted to persecution, victimisation, discrimination, deprivation, open denial of fair hearing and an assault on well-defined principles of natural justice and the 1999 Constitution.You cannot take an accused person from Lagos to Gashua for trial just like that, without the law as your forte”.

Corruption Corruption is a cankerworm that has eaten deep into the fabric of our nation, bearing its poisonous, deadly and life-threatening fangs on every facet of our national life, including the legal profession. It is incontrovertible that corruption is a hydra-headed monster that is capable of bringing any society to its precipice, including the Judiciary, the third arm of government. Perhaps, apart from genocide (crime against humanity), there is nothing as lethal, pernicious and virulent as corruption in any society.

Recently, a damning Report titled: “Nigeria Corruption Index: Report of a Pilot Survey” covering the period 2018 - 2019, which placed the Judiciary on top of the Nigeria Corruption Index was released by the ICPC through its Chairman, Prof Bolaji Owasanoye, SAN. The said Report stated in part thus: “Six female Judges reported that they were offered N3,307,444,000 billion and five male judges reported N392,220,000 million...Overall, the justice sector had the highest level of corruption with a score of 63. The level of corruption in the justice sector was heightened by stupendously high amounts of money, offered as bribes to Judges by Lawyers handling

“The attack of the residences of some Judges/Justices in gestapo style by men of the DSS in October 2016…. caused a huge embarrassment to the legal profession.

It was/is apparently clear that the Executive sees the Judiciary, not as a separate and distinct arm of government, but as a mere department under it”

high electoral and other political cases…The total amount of money reported by the Justice sector respondents as corruptly demanded, offered and paid between 2018 and 2020 was N9,457, 650,000”.

The devastating effect of a corrupt Judge on the society, could not have been more appropriately captured than that stated by Hon. Justice S.O. Uwaifo, JSC in his Valedictory Speech on 24th January, 2005 in condemning any Judge who is corrupt stated thus: "A corrupt judge is more harmful to the society, than a man who runs amok with a dagger in a crowded street. The latter can be restrained physically. But, a corrupt Judge deliberately destroys the moral foundation of society, and causes incalculable distress to individuals through abusing his office while still being referred to as honourable".

As stated in clause 40 of the famous MAGNA CARTA, 1215, Judges should be able to say with all good conscience and without any hesitation whatsoever, that “Nulli vademus, nulli negabimus, aut differemus rectum, aut justiciam” meaning “to no one will we sell (justice), to no one will we refuse or delay right or justice”.

The Way Forward Out of the Doldrums for the Judiciary Establishment of State Judicial Councils The essence of establishing State Judicial Councils is to ensure that issues relating to recommendation, appointment, payment of salaries and punishment of Judges etc., are handled at the State level rather than over- burden the NJC with the herculean task of dealing with the said issues from all the courts in all the States of the Federation. The establishment of State Judicial Councils will require an amendment to the Constitution.

Meting out Stiffer Penalties on Corrupt Judges by the NJC There is a need for the NJC to met out stiffer penalties including ozutright dismissal of errant Judges who engage in corrupt practices. There is no gainsaying the fact that keeping bad eggs in the system, will send a wrong signal to other Judges and the public. Late last year, three Judges of courts of coordinate jurisdiction were penalised by the NJC for granting ex-parte orders to the same parties on the same subject-matter. Two of the Judges were warned and estopped from being promoted for two years, while the third Judge was slammed with a five-year moratorium from being promoted. To my mind, the NJC should have wielded the big stick.

Merit Based Appointments Appointment of persons to the Bench must be merit based, and not politically influenced. Sections 231, 238, 250, 256 and 271 of the Constitution relating to the appointment/qualification of legal practitioners to various courts only states the number of years for any legal practitioner to be qualified to be appointed to the Bench of any of the courts. No reference is made, as to the required “character traits and depth of knowledge” expected of such a legal practitioner.

I want to propose an amendment of the relevant provisions of the Constitution mentioned above,

expanding the definition of qualification beyond the number of years the said legal practitioner is qualified. This is to prevent politicians from nominating/ appointing their cronies, who are not qualified to the Bench. Persons to be appointed must be of unassailable integrity, character and sound learning.

Security of Tenure for Judges/Justices There must be security of tenure for Judges/Justices, to enable them carry out their duties dispassionately as Judges/Justices without any fear or inhibition. The removal of Chief Judges of some of our High Courts for flimsy or no reason at all, must be nipped in the bud.

Remuneration/Welfare of Judges/Justices It is an open secret that Judges, both at the Federal and State level are underpaid, which makes them susceptible to accept or take bribes/kickbacks when offered by desperate politicians. The salaries and allowances of Nigerian Judges at the Federal and State levels, have remained static for nearly 15 years to date. The last time salaries of Judges were reviewed in the country, was by the “Certain Political, Public and Judicial Office Holders (Salaries and Allowances, etc.) (Amendment) Act, 2008’’, which came into force on February 1, 2007. In June 2022, a letter duly signed by 14 Justices of the Supreme Court of Nigeria was all over the social media space captioned: “The State of Affairs in the Supreme Court of Nigeria and demand by Justices of the Court” and addressed to the immediate past Chief Justice of Nigeria, Hon. Justice Tanko Muhammad. In the said letter the eminent Justices were complaining about their poor welfare packages, and other sundry issues negatively affecting them in the discharge of their judicial duties.

This is very embarrassing to say the least.

An upward review of the remuneration/welfare packages is required urgently. I tried to no avail, to get the remuneration earned by Judges/Justices at the State and Federal level of the Nigerian Judiciary. However, in a few seconds, I was able to lay my hands on the earnings of Federal Judges of the United State Courts in the past 54 years (1968-2022), by doing a quick google search. Unsurprisingly, the data available on the website of the Federal Courts of the United States of America, showed an upward trajectory review of the earnings of the Judges of the US Federal Courts.

The Raid/Arrest of Judges/Justice in October 2016 and the Removal/Conviction of the CJN in 2019: Intimidation of the entire Judiciary must come to an end The attack of the residences of some Judges/Justices in gestapo style by men of the DSS in October 2016, ransacking their homes at midnight in the process, in the search of hard currencies purportedly given to them as bribes, shocked the entire nation to the bone marrow. It caused a huge embarrassment to the legal profession. It was/is apparently clear that the Executive sees the Judiciary, not as a separate and distinct arm of government, but as a mere department under it. Also, the conviction of the then CJN, Hon. Justice Walter Onnoghen by the Code of Conduct Tribunal on the ground that he failed to properly declare his assets, was the final nail in the coffin. The legal profession was at its lowest ebb and is yet to recover from the assault suffered by it. These despicable attacks on the Bench must stop forthwith; our Justices/Judges must not be gagged.

Abiodun Olatunji, SAN Lagos

VII

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 25, 2022 ˾ T H I S D AY

TALKING CONSTITUTIONAL DEMOCRACY DR. MIKE OZEKHOME, SAN

0809 889 8888 SMS ONLY

A Country Undermines the Judiciary at its Peril (Part 3) should be amended, to remove the requirement of prior consent of the Attorneys-General before enforcement of judgements.

Introduction he justice system in any society and its effectiveness reflect the actual confidence the public has, and outlays the extent to which the State and authorities are able to achieve regulative capability among the citizens. Nigeria as a State is trapped in a system where both the common man and the State authorities do not have confidence in the Judiciary. A nation without an independent Judiciary, is not likely to enjoy either the rule of law or true Federalism. The greatest proponent of the Rule of Law, Professor A. V. Dicey, whose views on the doctrine remain the most globally accepted authoritative restatement stated thus: “…in the first place, the absolute supremacy or predominance of regular law, as opposed to the influence of arbitrary power, and excludes the existence of arbitrariness, of prerogative, or even wide discretionary authority on the part of the government.

Englishmen are ruled by the law, and by the law alone, a man may with us be punished for nothing else. It means again, equality before the law, or the equal subjection of all classes to the ordinary law of the land administered by the ordinary law courts.

The rule of law, in this sense, excludes the idea of any exemption of officials or others from the duty of obedience to the law of the land which governs other citizens, or from the jurisdiction of the ordinary tribunals.”

Today, we shall conclude this vexed series, starting with the grave consequences of undermining the Judiciary in Nigeria.

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The Grave Consequences of Undermining the Judiciary in Nigeria Some of the consequences of disobedience to court orders are a descent to anarchy and recourse to self-help; lack of confidence in the Judiciary, low level of foreign direct investment, and the absence of rule of law.

The obvious fall-out of the above litany of serial interference - particularly by the Executive - in the affairs of the Judiciary, is that the latter has been made to fail in its constitutional mandate and role of being the last hope of both the common and the not-so-common man and woman. It also stifles its role of acting as a check on government’s arbitrariness, and the peculiarly Nigerian culture of impunity. That is not all.

The implications of subverting the Judiciary, especially in a democracy, are all too ponderous.

It is however important, to draw a distinction between the situation under a democracy, and that which operates under an autocracy. Under the latter (especially military rule), everyone resigns himself to the reality of the 'khaki boys' calling the shots - both literally and figuratively. Simply put, you oppose them at your own peril. This affected the liberty and fundamental rights of many human rights activists in Nigeria, such as the late Chief Gani Fawehimnmi, Chief Mike Ozekhome, SAN, Olisa Agbakoba, SAN, Femi Falana, SAN, Beko Ransome-Kuti, Femi Aborishade, Tunji Abayomi, Abdu Oroh, Richard, amongst others. Their travails have, however, not deterred legal scholars from proffering opinions on the malaise. Some, like Ekweremadu postulate that “many of Nigeria’s democratic failings in the past, have been the result of the inability to have an impartial and honest Judiciary that commands the respect and confidence of most of the members of its deeply divided population”. He posits that “a good Judiciary will not only check the abuse of power by government, it will also be capable of managing the inter-elite disputes and/or conflicts, which are bound to result from the competition for power and economic resources involved in a multi-ethnic society Those views echo those of Leonard, who opined that competent and independent judiciaries are,

Role of Legal Practitioners Legal practitioners who frustrate enforcement of court judgements and orders, should be sanctioned.

Criminal Sanctions Disobedience or disregard of court orders should attract criminal sanctions, including contempt of court proceedings against the defaulters.

Enforcement of Foreign Judgements To promote the rule of law and foreign direct investment, arbitral awards should be enforced automatically and without recourse to the courts.

The Federal Government should comply with all pending judgements of municipal and sub-regional courts, among others.

Funding for Judgement Debts The Federal and State Governments should make budgetary provisions, for payment of judgement debts.

Chief Justice of Nigeria, Hon. Justice Olukayode Ariwoola GCON

in many ways, central to democracy. In turn, their opinions mirror those of others, such as Mbanefo (1975) and Walraven & Thiriot (2002), who separately posited that a basic requirement for the survival and prosperity of a liberal democratic State, is the presence of strong and independent oversight institutions, one of which is the judiciary.

In the same vein, Diadem asserts that, whenever the Executive attempts to substitute the constitutionally-prescribed internal and semiautonomous mechanisms of judicial control and discipline with its own instruments of coercion: “The tendency is that fear is instilled (in) the Judiciary to do the biddings (sic) of the executive, whose officials are severally fingered in many corruption cases. When considered against the backdrop that the judiciary lacks financial autonomy and the appointer of judicial officers is the executive, judicial independence hangs on slippery ice. The pertinent questions arising from (the) external trial of Judges, are whether Judges wouldn’t dither when high-profile officials (of the executive) are charged or commit offences, or when they are dealing with cases in which the executive arm of government is interested . . . these grave acts (clearly) portend some peril for judicial activism”.

Finally, as the NBA observed in its reaction to the raid on Justice Odili's home, "events like that do nothing but erode the independence of sacred democratic institutions like the Judiciary, undermining the rule of law in Nigeria, and set the country back in the quest to instil confidence in the citizens of Nigeria, Nigerian businesses and foreign investors, that Nigeria operates a democracy with an independent Judiciary".

Conclusion The importance of the Judiciary in any civilised society, cannot be overemphasised. This is all the more so in an emerging, post-colonial, plural, multi-ethnic and multi-religious, but

“….the Judiciary is our bulwark against arbitrariness, impunity and injustice. We can only allow it to fail, at our collective peril”

mono-product economy such as Nigeria.

This is because the Judiciary is the only guarantee of a fair outcome in any dispute, both local and multi-national, regardless of its content: economic, commercial, political, social, religious and otherwise. In the oft-cited cliché, perception is reality. If disputants (and - in the case of non-Nigerians - potential investors) perceive our judiciary as weak and subject to manipulation by external forces (whatever the motivation of such forces), confidence is eroded.

In the memorable words of Lord Denning: “Justice must be rooted in confidence”.

Paraphrasing the rest of his famous dictum “Confidence is destroyed if reasonable people are turned away or turned off completely because of the thought that Judges as a class (not just specific or individual Judges) are unreliable and unpredictable, because they are systemically weakened or compromised and are at the mercy of another arm of Government which is, invariably, the Executive.

Enforcement Regime There is a need to overhaul the framework for enforcement of court orders, in order to make the process less cumbersome and less cost intensive. The Judiciary should establish its own Enforcement Unit, to speedily enforce its judgements and orders. An equivalent of the United States “Marshall Service” should be enacted into law by the National Assembly, to facilitate enforcement of court judgements.

There is need for oversight of the activities of court officials who enforce judgements, to eschew fraud and corruption.

Welfare of Judicial Officers There is a need to review the remuneration of Judges, in order to ensure that judicial officers are sufficiently motivated, diligent and deliver judgements that meet the ends of justice. An overhaul of the process for appointment of Judges is also imperative, to ensure that the judgements that emanate from the Judiciary are unimpeachable and non-conflicting.

Role of Attorneys-General The role of Attorneys-General in the enforcement of judgements must be reviewed, to ensure that they do not act as stumbling blocks in the enforcement process. Section 84 of the Sheriffs and Civil Process Act

Appellate Process There is need to quicken the appellate process, to ensure that appeals do not act as a clog in the wheel of enforcement of judgements.

The consequences of such perception are far-reaching, as they impinge on the doctrine of separation of powers under the Constitution. By virtue of this doctrine, no arm of the Government is permitted to control or dictate to another. While this notion is not expected to be water-tight (it cannot be), the appearance of that separation, is however, more important than any utopian belief in its reality. Once again, perception is key here.

However, perceptions, in turn, are shaped by reality. Reality, in terms of the socio-political and economic circumstances of any given situation. In this regard, public expectations in a dictatorship differ markedly from those in a democracy such as Nigeria operates. Under the former, the public expects and tolerates the erosion of their liberties.

By contrast, such intrusions are an aberration in a democracy. It is even more so, to expect people to condone them. This is where the Judiciary is supposed to – indeed, expected to - make a difference. In the immortal words of Lord Atkins in LIVERSIDGE v ANDERSON. “In (this country), amidst the clash of arms, the laws are not silent. They may be changed, but they speak the same language in war as in peace. It has always been one of the pillars of freedom, one of the principles of liberty for which on recent authority we are now fighting, that the Judges are no respecter of persons, and stand between the subject and any attempted encroachments on his liberty by the Executive, alert to see that any coercive action is justified in law”.

This great endeavour of saving the Judiciary from the excesses of the Executive (some might say, unkindly, in some instances, from itself), is the task of all men and women of good will - not just human rights activists or legal practitioners only. This applies, in particular, to members of the 4th Estate of the Realm, that is, the Media.

Section 22 of the 1999 Constitution clearly enjoins the Media to hold the government accountable and responsible to the people. It is not for nothing, that the pen is said to be mightier than the sword - it is not a cliché. Media practitioners must therefore, be in the vanguard of a coalition that is alert and vigilant to thwart any attempt to erode the independence and effectiveness of the Judiciary. In this task, we must be motivated by only one mantra: the Judiciary is our bulwark against arbitrariness, impunity and injustice. We can only allow it to fail, at our collective peril.

(The End) Serious and Trivial “Sometimes the things we cannot change, end up changing us.” – Anonymous THOUGHT FOR THE WEEK “All the rights secured to the citizens under the Constitution are worth nothing, and a mere bubble, except guaranteed to them by an independent and virtuous Judiciary”. (Andrew Jackson)

VIII COVER

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 25, 2022 ˾ T H I S D AY

President Muhammadu Buhari

Proscribed IPOB Leader, Nnamdi Kanu

Illegality of Nnamdi Kanu’s Rendition from Kenya Since June 2021, the Leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, a British citizen, having been forcibly brought back to Nigeria from Kenya by the Nigerian Government, has been in the custody of the SSS since then. But, a glimmer of hope for Kanu’s release came about a fortnight ago, when the Court of Appeal in its judgement in his case dropped the rest of the amended charges which the lower court retained against him, ruled that his extraordinary rendition to Nigeria was unlawful, and discharged him. But, the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, SAN maintains that ‘Kanu was only discharged, and not acquitted.’ Two of Nigeria’s foremost human rights Lawyers, Femi Falana, SAN and Kanu’s lead Counsel, Chief Mike Ozekhome CON, SAN dissect the issues in this matter, and explain why Kanu’s continued detention amounts to impunity and a total disregard for the rule of law Femi Falana, SAN Background n the case of Nnamdi Kanu v Federal Government of Nigeria, the Defendant was charged with treason and allied offences before the Federal High Court.

During the pendency of the case, the Defendant jumped bail and fled to the United Kingdom. While on a trip to Kenya last year, the Defendant was abducted and brought to Abuja by Nigerian security operatives. Without considering the legal implication of the rendition, the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr Abubakar Malami SAN announced that the trial of Mr. Kanu would soon commence. Thereafter, the charge was amended while the Defendant’s application for bail was dismissed.

I

Court Proceedings However, the preliminary objection filed by the defence against the 15-count charge partly succeeded, as 8 counts were dismissed by the trial Judge, Binta Nyako J. Dissatisfied with the ruling of the Federal High Court, the Defendant approached the Court of Appeal for redress. In an epochal judgement delivered a fortnight ago, the three-Judge Panel of the Court of Appeal led by Justice Jummai Hanatu

Sankey, said it was satisfied that the Federal Government flagrantly violated the law, when it forcefully rendered Kanu from Kenya to the country for the continuation of his trial. It held that such extraordinary rendition, without adherence to due process of the law, was a gross violation of all international conventions, protocols and guidelines that Nigeria is signatory to, as well as a breach of the Appellant’s fundamental human rights.

The court noted that Nigeria is a signatory to OAU Convention which it ratified on April 28, 2022, as well as the Charter of Human and Peoples Rights, which it said prescribed how a wanted person could be transferred from one country to the other. It held that any extradition request must be in writing, with a statement indicating offences for which a person is wanted. The appellate court held that the Federal Government's action tainted the entire proceedings it initiated against Kanu, and amounted to “an abuse of criminal prosecution in general”. Having found that the Federal Government had engaged in serious abuse of power, their Lordships said that the courts "will never shy away from calling the Executive to

“The Federal Government should take advantage of the intervention of the Court, to adopt a political solution in the resolution of the case. Since the Federal Government is currently engaged in negotiations with terrorist groups, it should not hesitate to enter into negotiations with Nnamdi Kanu and his group, without any further delay”

order when it tilts towards Executive recklessness”.

Consequently, the Court of Appeal struck out the remaining 7 counts pending at the Federal High Court, discharged the Appellant, and ordered Mr Kanu's immediate release from the custody of the State.

The Federal Government has filed an appeal against the decision of the Court of Appeal, and a motion for stay of execution pending the determination of the appeal. While the grounds of appeal have not attempted to justify the refusal of the Federal Government to comply with the provisions of the African Union Convention on Extradition and the African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights, the application for stay constitutes a gross abuse of court process. In the case of Nigerian Army v Mowarin (1992) 4 N.W.L.R. (Pt. 235) Page 345, the Court of Appeal dismissed the motion for stay of execution of the judgement of the Lagos High Court for the release of the Appellant. In justifying the ruling of the Court of Appeal, Kalgo J.C.A. (as he then was) held that “the refusal of the application will not cause any injury to the Applicant, but if the application is granted, the Respondent will continue to suffer personally in detention after the court has declared her detention unlawful ab initio”. Based on the dismissal of the application for stay of execution, the then military junta released the Respondent from further custody.

Effect of the Order of Discharge No doubt, a Defendant may be discharged by a criminal court on the grounds that the charge against him or her has not been substantiated, or due to an incurable defect in the charge. The case is struck out, while the Defendant is discharged and ordered to

be released. The State may rearrest and re-arraign the Defendant, if there is fresh evidence or the defect has been cured. But, in certain cases, the defect cannot be cured. For instance, Henry Okar was arraigned on a 62-count charge.

We challenged the competence of 59 of the counts, due to the fact that the offences were allegedly committed in Bayelsa State while he was charged in Jos, Plateau State. As the State had no answer to the objection, the counts were withdrawn and struck out by the trial court.

We also challenged the jurisdiction of the Court to try the remaining 3 counts on treason and treasonable felony, as they were not filed within the mandatory period of 3 years permitted by law. At that juncture, the Yar’Adua administration opted for a political resolution of the case. The State filed a nolle prosequi application, which led to the termination of the case. Similar cases pending against other militants were discontinued, while the State adopted the Amnesty programme. That was how the Federal Government restored law and order, in the Niger Delta region.

Conclusion In the instant case, the claim of the Federal Government that there are are some pending charges against Mr Kanu in the Federal High Court, is a contemptuous mockery of the Court of Appeal which has struck the remaining 7-count charge. Any new charge anchored on Kanu's illegal abduction from Kenya, is bound to fail. To that extent, the order of discharge is akin to an acquittal. The Federal Government should take advantage of the intervention of the Court, to adopt a political solution in the resolution of the case. Since the Federal Government is currently engaged in negotiations with terrorist groups, it should not hesitate to enter into negotiations with Nnamdi Kanu and his group without any further delay.

Femi Falana, SAN

IX COVER

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 25, 2022 ˾ T H I S D AY

Illegality of Nnamdi Kanu’s Rendition from Kenya When the Federal Government Becomes A Bully Chief Mike Ozekhome CON, SAN Introduction It is no longer news that the Federal Government has refused to release Nnamdi Kanu, in spite of the Court of Appeal judgßement delivered on the 13th of October, 2022, to that effect. The intermediate court had quashed all the 15 counts charge against him and discharged him.

The drudgery journey to this discharge must be fully captured to situate our discourse in correct historical and legal perspectives, and to demonstrate how the Federal Government of Nigeria (FG) has unfortunately become a bully against its own citizens and the entire judicial system.

Background Facts Nnamdi Nwannekaenyi Okwu Kanu ('Kanu'), an indigene of Afaraukwu Ibeku, Umuahia North L.G.A of Abia State, was forcibly abducted from Kenya on 19th June, 2021, tortured, blind-folded, thrown into a private detention centre for 8 days, and consequently extraordinarily renditioned to Nigeria. Upon being brought before the trial court on the 29th June, 2021, he was remanded in the State Security Services (SSS) custody. On 13th October, 2022, the Court of Appeal, Abuja Division, discharged him and held that he cannot be detained, tried or otherwise dealt with in Nigeria for, or in respect of any offence allegedly committed by him before his extraordinary rendition from Kenya to Nigeria. This is called the Doctrine of Specialty. Notwithstanding the said order of the Court of Appeal quashing all the counts against Kanu and discharging him, the FG has bluntly refused to release him. It has continued to hold him in the SSS unlawful custody to date, without any further fresh order of any court of law. Instead, it has filed an appeal against the judgement, with a motion for stay of execution.

Thus, the detention of Kanu at the behest of the FG has been most unconscionable, arbitrary, whimsical and capricious.

Kanu’s Initial Arrest Kanu was first arrested on 15th October, 2015, and arraigned on 23rd December, 2015, before the Federal High Court, Abuja, in charge No: FHC/ABJ/CR/383/2015. He was remanded in Kuje Correctional Centre, Abuja, on the orders of Honourable Binta Nyako; who however, later granted him bail on 14th April, 2017, about one and half years later. The charge was then adjourned for hearing to 17th October, 2017.

The Unprovoked Attack on Kanu While Kanu was enjoying his bail in his ancestral home at Afaraukwu Ibeku, and preparing for his trial scheduled for 17th of October, 2017, a joint team of the FG ’s security agents led by soldiers (code-named "Operation Python"), invaded Kanu's said ancestral home on 14th September, 2017.

During the unprovoked bloody invasion, over 28 innocent and unarmed civilians were murdered in cold blood. However, Kanu who appeared to have been the principal target of the attack, managed to escape death by the whiskers, by sheer act of providence.

Kanu’s Illegal Arrest, Detention and Torture in Kenya In the course of his forced exile abroad, Kanu entered Kenya on 5th May, 2021, and took up temporary residence therein. He had been legally admitted into Kenya as a British citizen; not a Nigerian citizen.

Whilst in Kenya, Kanu was on 19th June, 2021, violently accosted at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, Nairobi, Kenya, by about 20 agents of the FG, who abducted him, handcuffed, blindfolded, bundled him into a waiting vehicle, and whisked him away to a nondescript private house (not a Police station or other official holding facility) somewhere in Nairobi, Kenya. He was chained to the floor, and subjected to all manners of indignity, torture and inhuman and degrading treatment. He was denied medication for his hypertension and heart condition, in spite of several entreaties to that effect.

Kanu’s Extraordinary Rendition On the eight day, Kanu's abductors brought him out of the house, put him in a car, drove him

Femi Falana, SAN

straight to the tarmac of Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, evading the Kenyan immigration. He was forcibly bundled him into a waiting private jet, and smuggled into Nigeria.

No Extradition Hearing Before Extraordinary Rendition During this horrific experience in Kenya, Kanu was never subjected to any extradition hearing or proceedings before he was extraordinarily renditioned to Nigeria.

Kanu’s Second Arraignment and Remand On 29th June, 2021, Kanu was brought before the trial court, without any notice to his counsel or any legal representation whatsoever. The court remanded him in the SSS custody.

The Prosecutor who was obviously never prepared for any real trial, made successive amendments on 7 occasions to the earlier five count charge; finally settling down to a 15-count charge as amended on 17th January, 2022.

Notice of Preliminary Objection and Striking Out of Eight Counts This led to Kanu's Counsel filling a Notice of Preliminary Objection challenging the jurisdiction of the court to try Kanu on the alleged 15 count charge. The objection was fiercely contested by the FG and Kanu's Lawyers, leading to the trial court striking out 8 of the 15 counts on 8th April, 2022.

In the said ruling, the trial court failed to make any findings or pronouncements on the first issue for its determination, which bordered on whether the trial court was vested with jurisdiction to try Kanu, having regard to his extraordinary rendition from Kenya to Nigeria.

Dissatisfied with this decision of the trial court to retain 7 counts, Kanu's Lawyers appealed to the Court of Appeal.

Court of Appeal Judgement Against the Retention of Seven Counts While delivering its judgement on 13th October, 2022, the Court of Appeal held that Kanu's extraordinary rendition which was never denied by the FG, amounted to a gross violation of his of fundamental rights; and constituted a flagrant and egregious violation of all known domestic and international laws and treaties on extradition to which the FG is a party; and thus, bound by them.

The court held that by the nature of the extraordinary rendition, the trial court had no jurisdiction to try the Applicant on the retained 7 counts of the amended 15 count charge. Held the court, “the consequence of

“It is legally untenable and infra dig, for the FG which is in clear defiance of the Court of Appeal's order to release Kanu, to approach the same court to ask for an order staying execution of a citizen's liberty”

this section, I hold, is that the Respondent (sic) is prohibited from being detained, tried or otherwise dealt with in Nigeria for or in respect of any offence allegedly committed by him before his extraordinary rendition to Nigeria…in addition, by the forcible abduction and extraordinary rendition of the Appellant from Kenya to this country on the 27th day of June, 2021, in violation of international and State laws, the lower court or indeed, any court in this country is divested of jurisdiction to entertain the charges against the Appellant, and I so hold”.

The court therefore, terminated and struck out charge No: FHC/ABJ/CR/383/2015, which had been pending against Kanu before the FHC since 2015; with Kanu being discharged. The FG has since kept Kanu in SSS captivity, notwithstanding this judgement; and later added salt to injury by filing an appeal and asking for a stay of execution!

Kanu’s Critical Health Condition Meanwhile, Kanu suffers from a serious medical condition, that defies the medical facilities available at the SSS. Indeed, his preexisting heart and poor health conditions were the very grounds upon which the trial court had earlier granted him bail in 2017. These health challenges became aggravated after his abduction in Kenya, during which time he was subjected to various forms of torture and inhuman and degrading treatment; all of which worsened his health condition. He even suffered a mild cardiac arrest, before he was smuggled back into Nigeria.

He has since been denied access to his specialist Cardiologist, who had, before his abduction in Kenya, visited him every other week for medical examination and treatment.

Kanu is being held at the SSS in a solitary confinement, and subjected to daily mental and psychological torture. He is denied his freedom to worship or even mix with, or greet other inmates. Kanu's potassium is fast depleting and the FG doctors are perplexed, as they have no solution. Yet, they still keep him, increasing his dosage; doing trial and error, and using him as a guinea pig. Even the July 10, 2022 ruling of the United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention ordering the FG to release Kanu forthwith and pay him damages, has since been ignored by the FG. The Law Kanu’s Continued Detention is Illegal and Unconstitutional It is legally untenable and infra dig, for the FG which is in clear defiance of the Court of Appeal's order to release Kanu, to approach the same court to ask for an order staying execution of a citizen's liberty.

A similar scenario played out in NIGERIAN ARMY v GLORIA MOWARIN (1992) 5 NWLR (Pt. 235) Page 345( CA). The brief facts are that General Ibrahim Babangida (IBB) had used his powers under the State Security (Detention of Persons) Decree No. 2 of 1985 to detain relatives and acquaintances of persons alleged to have participated in the April, 1990 Major Gideon

Orkah coup, which sought to overthrow IBB's military junta by a coup de'tat. Gloria Mowarin, a girlfriend of a suspected coup financier, who was detained along with others, approached the Lagos State High through her counsel, Dr Olisa Agbakoba (now SAN), asking the court to order her release. Heavily pregnant at the time of her arrest and detention, Mowarin had a miscarriage in her 7th month, due to the physical, mental and psychological ordeal she had gone through. A Lagos High Court that heard her case discharged her, and ordered her immediate release from detention, along with others; at least, on humanitarian grounds. Rather than obey the court order, the FG filed an appeal to the Court of Appeal and also filed a motion for stay of execution. The intermediate court, in very strong words, deprecated the stance of the FG whom it viewed as contemnors; and held that a fragrant flouting of a court order by the executive (FG) in Kanu's case, is an invitation to anarchy. Justice Atu Kalgo (JCA, as he then was), held as follows: “Now, the position in this matter is that the Applicants are flagrantly flouting an order of court, by refusing to release the Respondent.

In other words, they are in contempt of an order of the court. The same contemnors have come with very unclean hands supplicating before this court for a grant of a favour that would, as it were, legalise their contempt. I would liken the Applicants to a sinner who prays to God to assist him in the commission of his sins. Just as God will not listen to such a supplication this court will not grant such a prayer.”

On his part, Justice Owolabi Kolawole, JCA, stated thus: “But the question which I must ask is whether when a person has been discharged in a criminal proceedings, the prosecutor having appealed can bring an application for the execution of the judgement4 to be stayed? I am of the firm view that an application in such proceedings for a stay of execution will be incompetent. In the present case, where the trial Judge has ordered the release of the Respondent who has been held in prison custody, the present application for a Stay of Execution is absolutely incompetent.

The prayer of the Applicants for a Stay of Execution pending the determination of the appeal, is an invitation not only to reverse the decision of the learned trial Judge, but it is also to maintain that the order of detention is lawful.”

In Military Governor of Lagos State v Ojukwu (1986) All N.L.R. 233, the Apex Court held that it is inconceivable that a party in contempt of a valid court order will have the effrontery to approach a higher court with soiled hands to taunt the court, by asking it to grant the equitable remedy of staying execution of the judgement just appealed, without first obeying it. The court will not accede to such a request.

It is trite law that the essence of the fundamental rights provisions enshrined in the 1999 Constitution, is to protect the citizen’s rights from abuse and violation by authorities and persons. See JIM-JAJA v C.O.P. RIVERS STATE (2013) 6 NWLR (PT 1350) 225 Pg. 230 Para 2. cont'd on page X

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TUESDAY, OCTOBER 25, 2022 ˾ T H I S D AY

COVER Illegality of Nnamdi Kanu’s Rendition from Kenya cont'd from page IX

In ANOZIE v IGP (2016) 11 NWLR (PT. 1524) PAGE 387 at 389-390, the Court of Appeal held: “The Courts have always leaned in favour of the preservative of the Fundamental Right of the Citizen, whether as regards life or property and therefore, will not lightly drive away from the judgement seat any citizen with a complaint that his right has been infringed”.

The Supreme Court, in EMEKA v OKAFOR (2017) 11 NWLR (PT. 1577) PAGE 410 at 423 Para 1, held that: “By virtue of Section 46(1) of the 1999 constitution (as amended) and Order 1 Rule 2(1) of the Fundamental Rights (Enforcement Procedure) Rules, any person who alleges that any of the provisions of Chapter 4 of the Constitution to which he is entitled to has been, is being or likely to be contravened in any State in relation to him, may apply to the High Court in the State for redress.

These are Provisions which entitle a person to enforce his Fundamental Rights where he feels his right is contravened or being or likely to be contravened”.

Indeed, the Apex Court, coram Muhammed JSC, in ADETONA & ORS v IGELE GENERAL ENTERPRISES LTD (2011) 7 NWLR (PT. 1248) PAGE 535, dilated on the law as follows: “Section 46 of the Constitution provides (1) any person who alleges that any of the provisions of this Chapter has been, is being or likely to be contravened in any State in relation to him may apply to a High Court in that State for redress....Therefore, it is my (sic) understanding that where a person’s fundamental right is breached, being breached or about to be breached, that person may apply under Section 46(1) to the Judicial Division of the Federal High Court in the State or High Court of the State or that of the Federal Capital Territory in which the breach occurred or is occurring or about to occur…”.

In JIM-JAM v COP (2011) 2 NWLR (PT. 1231) PAGE 375 at 382 PARA A, the court held thus: “A Nigerian citizen is absolutely entitled to his freedom, and cannot be deprived of it until and unless due process of law is meticulously observed”.

In the said JIM-JAM v COP (2011) (Supra) PG 382 PARA. 10, the intermediate court held thus: “By virtue of Section 35(1) (c) of the 1999 Constitution, the right to personal liberty is a basic fundamental right which cannot be denied or deprived save in any of the three circumstances enumerated in paragraph(c) of sub-section 1. Even at that, due process of the law must be followed.”

Furthermore, Articles 5 and 6 of the African Charter On Human and Peoples Rights respectively accord the individual the fundamental rights to dignity; against degrading punishment; and against deprivation of liberty and freedom of movement.

Section 35(1) of the 1999 Constitution also guarantees the liberty of the citizen, and provides that no person “shall be deprived of such liberty, save in accordance with a procedure permitted by law”.

In similar vein, Section 34(1) of the 1999 Constitution guarantees a citizen's fundamental right to dignity of the human person, and against being subjected to "torture or to inhuman or degrading treatment".

The Court of Appeal after hearing Kanu's appeal as argued by his team of Lawyers led by Dr Mike Ozekhome CON, SAN, did on 13th October, 2022, discharge Kanu of the remaining 7 counts, even as it affirmed the quashing of the earlier 8 counts; and thus, the entire 15 count charge pending against him before the Federal High Court, Abuja. The Court of Appeal further held that “the Applicant is prohibited from being detained, tried or otherwise dealt with in Nigeria, for, or in respect of any offence allegedly committed by him before his extraordinary rendition to Nigeria”. This judgement ought to have been complied with immediately by the FG, through a release of Kanu. However, the FG has chosen to continue its illegal, unlawful and unconstitutional detention of Kanu since 13th October, 2022, when his release was ordered, in clear violation of Kanu's rights to liberty, freedom of movement and dignity of the human person. There is no reason whatsoever

Chief Mike Ozekhome, CON, SAN

for the FG's continued detention of Kanu in the custody of the SSS to date, other than sheer exhibition of State impunity. It is even more egregious and unconscionable having regard to the fact that the Court of Appeal unanimously barred the FG from detaining or trying Kanu on any of the quashed the 15-count charge. Thus, Kanu’s continued unlawful detention does not fall within the exceptions permitted under Section 35(1) of the Constitution, for the deprivation of a citizen’s right to personal liberty.

In the celebrated cases of the FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA v IFEGWU (2003) 15 NWLR (PT. 848) PAGE 133 and GANI FAWEHINMI v ABACHA (1996) 5 NWLR (PT. 446) PAGE 198, the Apex Court enjoined all courts to ensure that the fundamental rights of citizens provided under Chapter IV of the Constitution are firmly secured and enforced. This position of the law has not changed.

In EKPU v ATTORNEY-GENERAL OF THE FEDERATION (1998) 1 HRLRA (PAGE 421, PARA A), the court held, on the meaning and connotation of dehumanisation, thus: “The very moment a person’s freedom is denied, that person is automatically dehumanised, thus, it is not only when a person is said to be tortured. The moment the cherished freedom of a person is said to be taken away from him, that amounts to torture. In this case, it was immaterial that the Applicant was not physically beaten or assaulted, or that their detention lasted for few days. The mere fact of a breach of their constitutional rights is actionable”.

It is the duty of the court to protect the rights of a citizen, even before they are infringed upon; and more especially as in the present Kanu circumstances, where his rights have already been wantonly breached and are still being continually and brazenly violated by the FG, in flagrant disregard of the Court of Appeal’s judicial pronouncement. See ONDO STATE BROADCAST CORPORATION v ONDO STATE HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY (1985) 61 NCLR PAGE 333 at 337.

Ubi Jus Ibi Remedium A person, such as Kanu whose detention has been shown to be illegal and unconstitutional, is entitled to the award of compensatory damages for the infringement of his fundamental rights as guaranteed by the Nigerian Constitution and the African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights. It is simply a case of 'ubi jus ibi remedium' (where there is a right, there is a remedy). This principle of

“The FG should stop being a bully against its own citizens, in gross defiance of valid and extant court orders. Such acts will undoubtedly lead to a breakdown of law and order; and to a situation of chaos and anarchy,….”

law was emphasised by the Supreme Court in BELLO v ATTORNEY- GENERAL OF OYO STATE (1986) 12 SC 1.

The case of MINISTER OF INTERNAL AFFAIRS v SHUGABA (1982) 3 NCL 915 at 953, is also on song here.

It is trite that any trespass to the person however slight, gives a right of action to recover, at any rate, nominal damages. Even where there has been no physical injury, substantial damages may be awarded for the injury to a man’s dignity, and for discomfort or inconvenience occasioned thereby. See YAHAYA v NPF, PLATEAU STATE COMMAND (2018) LPELR-46045 (CA).

In ARULOGUN v C.O.P LAGOS & ORS (2016) LPELR-40190( CA), the Court of Appeal held as follows: "The award of damages in case of a breach of fundamental right, must be such as would constitute a fair balanced estimate of the injuries suffered by the Applicant as due to the Respondent's unlawful conduct."

Section 35 (6) of the 1999 Constitution provides for the payment of compensatory damages, to a citizen who is unlawfully arrested and illegally detained.

Our Humble View Our humble view is that where a person, such as Kanu, establishes that his rights have been violated by the actions or inactions of the government, as found by the Court of Appeal in the instant case, he entitled to compensatory damages from the FG as penalty for the wrong. See also BELLO v A-G OYO STATE (Supra); JIMOH v A-G FEDERATION (1998) IHRLE Pg 513 at 523 para A-B; and, CHIEF CHINEDU EZE & ANOR v IGP & 4 ORS (2007) CHR at 43.

In JULIUS BERGER (NIG) PLC v IGP & ORS (2018) LPELR-46127( CA), the Court of Appeal with great erudition, held as follows: “The issue of infringement of the Fundamental Rights of a person, is in itself, fundamental.This is because; man is made in the image and likeness of God. By simple interpretation, this connotes that we are mini gods. Our beings become sacrosanct and insulated. Not to be treated with levity and anyhow. The human being deserves respect to his person, soul and spirit.

Therefore, when a person is subjected to being treated like trash, his dignity and self-esteem is done away with. In a situation where this obtains, whoever is responsible for that infraction of the Fundamental Rights of that being, must be ready to face the music by way of compensation in exemplary damages. The life of man is priceless.

It is no gain saying that, the economic downturn is endemic and keeps going down.

The time has come in this country to cry aloud against these nefarious activities.The average man on the streets of Sango, or Ikorodu, or Egbu Street in Owerri should be able to walk the streets without fear of being molested by powers that be.

The issue of award of damages is discretionary, and I am tempted not to interfere with the amount of damages awarded the 5th Respondent/Cross-Appellant. But, with

respect, the sum of N25 Million is far away from the amount claimed by the Respondent/ Cross-Appellant. I would award the sum of N30 million because of the dire economic situation right now. It was bad enough in the year 2013, when judgement was delivered in this matter.

It is even worse today economically.

In the circumstances, I hereby award the sum of N30 million to the Respondent/CrossAppellant instead of the N25 million awarded by the Court below”.

Following the State-sponsored persecution, blatant prejudice, untold hardship, and serious embarrassment Kanu has serially suffered in the hands of the FG throughout the period of his unlawful detention, he is eminently entitled to be released forthwith and unconditionally as already directed by the Court of Appeal. He is also entitled to, as a necessary corollary, to payment of full compensatory damages which ought to be in the form of punitive, exemplary and aggravated damages. See the cases of ODIBA v AZEGE (1998) LPELR-2215 (SC); G. K. F. INVESTMENT (NIG) LTD v NITEL PLC (2009) LPELR-1294 (SC); WAEC v HENRY (2015) LPELR-40995 (CA); THINKVENTURES LTD & ORS v SPICE AND REGLER LTD & ANOR (2020) LPELR-50296 (CA); ROOKES v BARNARD (No 1) [1964] UKHL 1 (21 January 1964). Kanu is also entitled to a public apology from the government, to mitigate the shame, derision, odium and obloquy he has thereby suffered. See IGWE OKOLO v AKPOYIBO & ORS (2017) LPELR-41882 (CA), the Court of Appeal held: “In the light of the fact that the Appellant is entitled to damages for the proven violation of his fundamental right to personal liberty occasioned by his unlawful detention beyond the period stipulated in the Constitution, I will in exercise of the powers of the Court under Section 15 of the Court of Appeal Act. award the Appellant monetary compensation, in addition to the written apology ordered by the Court for the said infraction of his fundamental right.

In assessing the compensation payable to the Appellant; cognisance should be taken of the pain and suffering occasioned to the Appellant by the deprivation of his personal liberty in consequence of his detention, as well as the indignity and emotional stress arising from the said detention. The amount to be awarded as compensation must reflect the abhorrence of society and the law for ODOGWU v AG FEDERATION (1996) LPELR (2228) 1 at 15-16”.

Conclusion The FG has mismanaged two great opportunities to have a safe landing by releasing Nnamdi Kanu.

First, when the UN Working Group against Arbitrary Detention ordered it to do so in its ruling on 20th July, 2022. Second, when the Court of Appeal quashed all the 15 count charge against him, and prohibited any court in Nigeria from trying him on the offences he was arraigned for before his extraordinary rendition from Kenya to Nigeria in June, 2022. The FG should stop being a bully against its own citizens, in gross defiance of valid and extant court orders. Such acts will undoubtedly lead to a breakdown of law and order; and to a situation of chaos and anarchy, wherein frustrated citizens are invariably invited to resort to self-help, vi et armis. That will be dangerous for the Government and the people.

Chief Mike Ozekhome CON, SAN

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T H I S D AY ˾ DAY Ͱͳ˜ ͰͮͰͰ

FEATURES

Group Features Editor: Chiemelie Ezeobi Email chiemelie.ezeobi@thisdaylive.com, 07010510430

Flooding and Need for More Dams in Nigeria Udora Orizu writes that as Kogi, Anambra, Gombe, Bayelsa and many other states have been submerged by flood, it calls for the construction of more dams at strategic locations to check flooding

Koton Karfe Community lokoja-Abuja

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n recent weeks, many states in Nigeria have been submerged by floods with some residents in Kogi, Anambra, Bauchi, Gombe, Bayelsa among others in the affected areas currently facing a tough time. The incidents have recorded human and material losses with several sacked from their homes.

Flooding in Nigeria is usually caused by climate change, river overflowing, dam opening, current poor urban planning practices, poor drainage systems that can’t cope and so on. In the northern parts of the country, heavy rains are likely to cause rivers to overflow their banks and cause flooding in the neighbouring states.

Recurring Decimal Flooding regularly wreaks havoc in Nigeria annually. In 2017, floods affected 250,000 people in the eastern-central region; in 2016, 92,000 were displaced and 38 died; in 2015, more than 100,000 were displaced, with 53 deaths; in 2012, devastating flooding forced two million Nigerians from their homes and 363 died.

These were seen recurring every year, in various states of the federation. Just this year, Nigeria has recorded over 600 deaths to flood.

While the rainy season is a time all humans look forward to, as it helps to replenish vegetation, forming streams and rivers, cooling the temperature, and sustaining the lives of both humans and animals, however, as crucial as the rainy season is to human existence, it is usually a devastating period.

Consequences The disaster has large social consequences for communities and individuals. The immediate impact includes loss of human life, damage to property, destruction of crops, loss of livestock, and deterioration of health conditions owing to waterborne diseases.

Attributes of Nigeria's Flood Problems According to authorities, a number of factors attribute to Nigeria flood problems. One of them is poor town planning, Nigeria's population is expanding rapidly, currently estimated at over 200 million, the lack of proper town planning can make flooding worse in urban areas.

Another factor is government’s poor response to the flood disaster in the country. Every year, the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMET) and the Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency (NIHSA) stress the fact that floods are considerably heavier than usual preparing all and sundry on the need for more coordinated action in various public fora.

In August this year, NiMET predicted that the prevailing weather pattern in Nigeria would cause above-normal rainfall in about 19 states between August and October.

However despite their warnings, nothing concrete is being done by government at all levels to cushion the effect of the devastating flood, which has ravaged homes, displaced hundreds and washed away farm lands.

The Dam Effect Another factor in Nigeria's flood problem is Dams. Dams provide multiple benefits. They can generate relatively clean electricity; they store water and release it in the dry season, which helps farmers and other users, and they can hold back floods. Dams also have downsides, such as displacing people when they are built and preventing fish migration and causing other ecological harm.

In addition to storing water, dams reduce flood risks by modifying the river downstream. Because dams trap sediment, they release relatively clear water that cuts deeper into the river’s bed. This incision creates a roomier channel that can carry more water and prevent floodwaters from spilling

Residents vacating their flooded houses in Bayelsa State over riverbanks.

World over, dams are constructed mainly for the purposes of irrigation, power generation, and flood control.

While the first two roles are acknowledged, the role of dams in flood control has always been underestimated. It is unfortunate that in both irrigation and hydel projects, flood control is completely ignored.

With about 13 dams spread across the six geo-political zones of the country, more dams are still needed in the country. On the Benue River, the main concern is the Lagdo Dam, in neighbouring Cameroon, which has previously caused the river to swell by releasing water. In 2012, water flowing in from the Lagdo dam was blamed for 30 deaths in Nigeria.

Recently, the release of water from the Lagdo dam has resulted in devastating flood, causing pain and anguish to thousands of people now rendered homeless in Kogi and other states across the federation.

with the passengers for continuation of their journey to various destinations.

A businesswoman and a displaced person at the Saint Luke Primary School, Adankolo, Lokoja, Oyize Muhammed, said that she was in pain as everything had been lost to the floods.

She said, “At the moment, I have lost over a million naira in goods and property that I honestly cannot account for. I just bought gravel for the construction of another building and by now, I believe everything has gone for good.

"It is sad that right before one’s eyes, everything one has ever owned is being damaged. If I were to be dead, it would be a different case but living while all that I have worked for goes down the drain is saddening. Imagine, one of my neighbours lost her son to the flood. I have neither seen nor heard from her since.’’

Meanwhile, the State Governor, Yahaya Bello, had called on President Muhammadu Buhari to declare Kogi a state of national disaster, following the ravaging effect of flood in the state and environs.

He said that the natural disaster had affected the nine local government areas of the state which were along River Niger and River Benue.

Devastation in Kogi In Kogi, flooding pounded the state so hard that several houses had been submerged, belongings destroyed and lives lost. About six persons, including a toddler, were killed by the flood that sacked communities in the Ibaji Local Government Area of the state. Over 600 hectares of rice farmland among several buildings were flooded due to the flood caused by the opening of the Lagdo dam and torrential rainfall.

The floods submerged residential houses, churches, mosques, shops and completely washed away household items, farm produce and domestic animals, among others, especially in Lokoja, the state capital, and communities in five other local government areas of the state, namely, Ajaokuta, Kotonkarfe, Idah, Ofu and ibaji , which was the worst hit.

The surging flood became so intense last week that virtually all the people living around the River Niger in the state capital and its environs woke up to see water in their bedrooms, kitchens and other parts of their residences.

By Monday morning, the flood had blocked the Ganaja axis of Lokoja-Ganaja Road, which leads to the eastern senatorial district of the state and, indeed, the southeastern part of the country thus impeding free movement of vehicles and humans, causing gridlock and pains to travellers.

This harrowing development was an advantage for canoe operators in the state capital, who cashed in on the situation to make brisk business as they rolled out their canoes to ferry passengers who could not cross the ravaging flood and take them to safer ground, while drivers had to meander through slippery bush paths to connect

Intense Hardship in Kwara In Ilorin, Kwara State, rain fell all through last week, causing intense hardship to the people.

After the rain subsided, about six lives were lost while several property which included private buildings, bridges and culverts and fish farms were affected.

Among those who died in the ensuing flood were Sheikh Abdulganiy Al-Adabby Aboto, a popular Islamic cleric who was returning to Ilorin from Minna, Niger State, alongside his two aides in a car which plunged into the Olusola Saraki Abattoir Bridge along Sobi Army Barracks road, Ilorin. Also, a woman identified as Iya Ibadan died after a wall fell at Arijo compound, Pakata area in Ilorin.

Some of the areas affected included Asa Dam, Òdòta, Surulere, Baboko, Isale-Koko, Airport area, Warrah Oja, Sawmill, Kuntu, Oloje, Sango, Isale Aluko, Offa Garage/Olulande and other areas were seriously affected by the downpour.

The Kwara State Fire Service said that it recovered two corpses and a Toyota Yaris car marked APP544E from a river opposite Olusola Saraki Abattoir along Sobi Army Barracks road, Ilorin.

Critical Danger in Anambra In Anambra state, over 60 per cent of lands are currently underwater, according to the State Emergency Management Authority. The development forced the state government to order closure of schools in the areas where over 700,000 people were displaced and 300 communities sacked.

Apart from submerging houses and farmlands, critical infrastructure such as schools, healthcare centres, police stations, banks, offices were also affected; a situation that made the state government to shut schools in the riverine areas.

The National Emergency Management Agency confirmed one person dead and many injured.

Though the agency’s state acting coordinator, Mr Thickman Tanimu, confirmed the death of one Ginikanwa Izuoba in the Enugu-Otu, Aguleri flood, he disclosed that Izuoba died when his

There's urgent need for government to avert flood disaster in future by constructing dams at strategic locations to check flooding. There is also need for the government to immediately declare a state of emergency on flooding to free up resources for managing the disaster

house collapsed due to the impact of the flood.

Another death was also recorded of a 70-yearold man, identified as Mr Sunday Mesiobi, in Ogbe-Akpoma, Atani community of Ogbaru Local Government Area. His corpse was found in his room submerged by water.

The Governor, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo, during his visit to one of the IDP camps in Onitsha North Local Government Area, sought the support of government at all levels, agencies and individuals to tackle menace. He noted that the flood water surged from Cameroon, urging the Federal Government to hold dialogue with the government of Cameroon in order to proffer solutions to the issue.

He said, “Anambra State Government is doing everything possible to alleviate the sufferings of the people. They need support now and afterwards because their houses, property and farmlands are submerged. I am worried that they will have to start life afresh. We are receiving people from Delta State to join the IDP camp in Onitsha North.”

Gombe's Loss A month ago, dwellers of Pamadu, Majidadi, Kwara, Tambau, Gwalameche communities in Gombe State went to bed with the hope of sleeping soundly.

They were however roused from sleep by floods which ravaged houses and displaced hundreds. that the flood emanated from Bangunji, border between Kaltungo and Bambam, spreading to Digga; border between Lalapido and Pero-Chonge.

Though no life was lost, property worth millions ended in ruins. A resident of Majidadi Gwandum, Soli Adamu, said he was able to rescue his aged father by carrying him on his back, adding that he had to do that since his father had been crippled for some time.

FG's Position However, as the flood continue to wreak havoc nationwide, the federal government in its reaction said the Lagbo Dam in Cameroon was not responsible for the natural disaster currently ravaging many parts of the country, contrary to the widely held insinuation.

The Minister of Water Resources, Mr. Suleiman Adamu stated this while defending the 2023 budget of his ministry before the Senate Committee on Water Resources.

According to Adamu, most of the water that caused flooding was not from the Lagbo Dam. He explained that the contribution from the dam to Nigeria was only one per cent.

The minister also said the federal government was not informed by the Cameroonian Government on the annual release of water from Lagbo Dam. He said, “The dam releases water; sometimes it releases water without notice and when they do that, it impacts on communities downstream.

It is not the main reason you have flood in this country. The tributaries of River Benue are the main cause. And this year, the rains have been unprecedented. The transboundary waters that even come into this country from Rivers Niger and Benue constitute only 20 per cent of the fresh water that flows into the country.

Way Forward Despite FG's assertion, there's urgent need for government to avert flood disaster in future by constructing dams at strategic locations to check flooding.

There is also need for the government to immediately declare a state of emergency on flooding to free up resources for managing the disaster.

With the number of lives and properties lost this year, it's time for government at all levels to heed to floor warnings and make necessary plans to avert reoccurrence.

XVI

T H I S D AY ˾ TUESDAY OCTOBER 25, 2022

PROPERTY & ENVIRONMENT Sanwo-Olu: We Need to Make Mass Housing Affordable Bennett Oghifo

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agos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu has said the only way to make mass housing affordable is to address the cost of the components that increase the cost of the project.

Governor Sanwo-Olu, who stated this in his speech as special guest of honour at the

Nigerian Institution of Building (NIOB) 31st builders’ conference in Lagos, recently, said the cost of land and infrastructure must be addressed for mass housing to be affordable.

He said, “All hands must be on deck to proffer solutions to the various challenges militating against provision of Mass Housing in the Country. Even when as a government or as private Investors, we are desirous of

providing of mass housing, we are limited by challenges, such as affordability in terms of pricing of the homes and that of purchasing the property by the citizens as well as the sustenance/maintenance of the provided housing units or sometimes the cost and difficulty in the process of Title Documentation are issues I think this conference can begin to address.

“Land which ultimately increases the cost of the project and which in turn is reflected in the sale price should be addressed. “More so, when the cost of infrastructure is considered as a major component in the overall project cost, then we need to find a way to ensure that mass housing becomes affordable, said Sanwo-Olu, who was a Chief Executive Officer of

Lagos State Development and Property Corporation (LSDPC), a real estate firm of the Lagos State Government.

The governor said, “Also, as professionals, we all know that the type of technology adopted for construction significantly impacts on the project cost just as statutory fees and charges in the area of Stamp Duty, Registration of Title, Physical Planning Fees, Tax and other

Statutory Fees also aggregate into increased Cost of Purchase.

Ladies and Gentlemen all these ultimately affects affordability in terms of purchasing the property by the citizens “You may also want to deliberate upon how Citizens can have access to Mortgage Facilities through a thriving Primary Mortgage Market that is sustained by a Secondary Mortgage Market.

NIQS Holds Job Fair for Quantity Surveying Graduates Bennett Oghifo The Nigerian Institute of Quantity Surveyors (NIQS) has held a job fair for unemployed graduates in the profession.

The Fair which was held in Abuja brought together job seekers, Quantity Surveying firms, multi-disciplinary consulting firms, employees seeking to change job positions, building and engineering construction companies, human resource consulting companies, mortgage banks, real estate developers, construction materials manufacturers and dealers/merchants.

Speaking at the Fair with the theme, “Evolving Roles for the Quantity Surveyor in a Dynamic World: Issues, Prospects, Competencies and Capacities,” the President of the Institute, QS Olayemi Shonubi said the Job Fair was designed to match-make employers and

job seekers, thereby providing the opportunity for instant recruitment.

Shonubi explained that the Institute was committed to providing the atmosphere for young Quantity Surveyors to become gainfully employed, as well as employees seeking to change job positions; as part of efforts to contribute the Institute’s quota to the development of the economy.

According to him, the nation currently faced a huge challenge of providing enough good jobs for the entrants into the profession, and given the country’s rapidly growing population, the Institute felt challenged to drive the process of job creation and building career opportunities.

In his remarks at the event, the Special Guest of Honour and former Governor of Bauchi State, Mr. Mohammed Abubakar, SAN commended the NIQS

for providing job seekers the opportunity of instant recruitment which reduces the time and effort spent by employers and employees to complete recruitment processes.

Abubakar who traced the evolution of Quantity Surveying to construction of the pyramids and temples of ancient Egypt at a time that the quantity surveyor was called the “measurer of royal works,” said as a profession that is responsible for the management of all costs associated with building and civil engineering projects, Quantity Surveying plays an important role in the economy of every nation, even as he encouraged practitioners to embrace the use of technology so as to survive in the ever changing world.

“Today, the quantity surveyor is known by many other names such as ‘construction cost consultant’, ‘building economist’,

‘construction accountant’ and ‘contractual and procurement specialist’. But however you choose to be addressed, the fact

remains that as a profession that is responsible for the management of all costs associated with building and civil engineering

projects, Quantity Surveying plays an important role in the economy of every nation,” Abubakar said.

L-R: NIQS Secretary, Marketing and Corporate Affairs, QS Aderonke Oyelami, FNIQS; NIQS President, QS Olayemi M. Shonubi, FNIQS and former Governor of Bauchi State, M. A Abubakar exchanging pleasantries at the QS/PM Job fair held in Abuja… recently

Houston EB5 Partners with 3INVEST in ‘We’re Collaborating with FG to Restore Nigeria’s Forest Cover’ New Investment Project Fadekemi Ajakaiye Houston EB5 in partnership with 3INVEST announces its most recent investment opportunity in the heart of the Texas Hill and Wine Country.

The Frederick will include a 200-room full-service luxury hotel and event center, condominiums, multi-family rental units, and nearly 30,000-square metre retail space. Located in Fredericksburg, Texas, between Austin and San Antonio, the top two fastest-growing cities in the state, the area hosts over 1.2 million tourists a year and is consistently named a top travel destination.

The multi-use development has received EB5 Priority Processing designation ensuring the fastest possible processing times

Fadekemi Ajakaiye

in the EB5 program. Additionally, the project is designated as a rural project allowing for a minimum investment of $800,000 and 20 percent visa set aside for rural Targeted Employment Area (TEA) projects vs 10 percent for urban TEA projects.

“We are very excited to offer “The Frederick” to our EB5 Investors as it combines the best of both worlds: the fastest possible way to gain permanent residency through the EB5 Program and a worldclass real estate project in the fastest growing region in the United States, which is Central Texas”, says Roberto Contreras Jr., Managing Director, Houston EB5.

This new real estate project and its priority processing designation brings another

ray of hope to potential EB5 investors says Ruth Obih, Managing Director, 3INVEST When the opportunity to develop a mixed-use project and to work with the city of Fredericksburg came about, we instantly knew we had something special not just for the city but for our EB5 investors says Acho Azuike, COO, DC Partners.

The EB-5 Immigrant Investor Program has gone through significant changes in 2022 with the enactment of the EB-5 Reform and Integrity Act (RIA) in March of 2022. The new law contains significant protections and transparency measures to the benefit of EB5 investors and features priority processing for investors that invest in projects outside of large cities.

The Nigerian Conservation Foundation (NCF) has advised Nigerians to consciously plant trees to enable the restoration of Nigeria’s forest cover to 25 per cent by 2047.

The Chairman of the National Executive Council of NCF, Chief Ede Dafinone said, “The walk seeks to spread awareness of the environment to be conserved and protected.

In previous years we had one walk just on the Marina,” stating that the walk was being done simultaneously in Surulere and Ikeja.

NCF’s Director Business and Communication, Uchenna Achunanine said there was the need to plant more trees for a healthy environment.

These statements came out during the 2022 Walk for Nature, organised by the NCF recently. The theme of this year’s event was ‘Only One Earth’.

Achunanine said a good tree cover in the nation would guarantee healthy living and urged people of all ages to plant trees. “The greener our environment, the healthier we will live. So, this is a call on all of us to make our world

green.”

The Permanent Secretary, Office of Environmental Service, Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources, Lagos State, Gaji Omobolaji Tajudeen said it was important for the present generation to keep the environment healthy for the future generation.

According to Admiral Andrew Okoja, an Executive Member of NCF, the walk was a form of advocacy, considering the mix of older and younger generations in the walk. Lagos State, he said, leads in the conservation of the environment.

African Startups Need an Enabling Ecosystem to Succeed Gerald Maithya Startups Lead, Africa Transformation Office. The vibrant African startup market is well placed to become a cornerstone of the continent’s digital economy, supporting local innovation through relevant solutions to societal challenges. According to research firm Africa: The Big Deal, funding for startups in Africa more than doubled to $3.14 billion in the first six months of 2022.

Nigeria, Egypt, South Africa and Kenya are the premier investment destinations on the continent, though funding is also on the rise elsewhere, while Fintech remains the dominant sector.

Investments into Africa’s startup ecosystem are growing at an exciting pace. The OECD notes that there are more than 640 tech hubs active across Africa, accelerating innovation and creating employment, particularly among the youth.

However, while the potential is massive for Africa to become a leader on world stage, currently the African startup market represents less than one percent of global venture funding. So, what is holding African startups back from succeeding at a global scale? There are many factors at play, but systematic impediments in the startups innovation ecosystem impact the likelihood of their success.

The ecosystem must be inclusive and broad At Microsoft, we firmly believe that one company on its own cannot create the impact needed – it takes a network of companies and organisations collaborating to build consumer and customer solutions appropriate for the market. A report by Accenture, Tech startups will support Africa’s growth, notes the power of ecosystems: “An ecosystem is defined by the depth and breadth of potential collaboration among a set of players: each can deliver a piece of the consumer solution, or contribute a necessary capability”.

TUESDAY OCTOBER 25, 2022 • T H I S D AY

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T H I S D AY ˾ TUESDAY, OCTOBER 25, 2022

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BUSINESS/MONEYGUIDE

Africa Prudential Grows Profit by 19% to N1.61bn in Q3 Kayode Tokede

Africa Prudential has announced a profit before tax of N1.6 billion, for the period ended September 30, 2022 indicating 19 per cent increase year-on-year compared to 1.3 billion in Q3 2021.

The company’s unaudited financial statements for the period under review provided further evidence of gains from its diversification into digital technology solutions provider while reinventing its traditional registrar business.

Commenting on the results, Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of the company,

Obong Idiong said: “Our results remain a testament to the impact of our deliberate efforts at diversifying and strengthening our revenue lines to multiple income lines, innovating new ways to deliver value, and adopting cost efficiency in every facet of our operation.

The 115% growth in digital technology income highlights the success of our switch to a technology-oriented business and we remain positive about the potential growth from this revenue stream in the medium to long term.

“We would enter the fourth quarter of 2022 stronger and with a better strategy geared

at conserving and increasing shareholder’s wealth, as evidenced by the 3% year on year growth in total equity achieved during Q3, 2022.

In Q4 2022, we will continue to commit ourselves and our resources to seeking innovation in business solutions, product development, and process optimization initiatives. Over the next few years, we want to be the greatest in our sector in Nigeria and all of Africa.

This is motivated by our goal to provide our clients with an amazing customer experience and by embracing technology for increased productivity and efficiency.”

Winfest Campaign: Access Bank to Splash over N1bn on Customers Kayode Tokede Access Bank Plc, yesterday said it is rewarding its loyal customers with cash rewards and other items up to N1 billion for funding, transacting, maintaining, and increasing their deposits from October 2022 to November 2023 through the Access Winfest campaign.

The essence of this campaign, it stated, is to promote a savings culture and efficient banking among Nigerians using alternative channels.

The Deputy Managing Director, Retail, North, Access Bank,

Victor Etuokwu in a statement said, “Over the past two decades, Access Bank has continued to grow in every dimension, particularly its customer base, due to customers like you whose patronage, advocacy, and loyalty have remained unparalleled. At Access Bank, we care most about how happy our customers are, and we hope to find more chances like this one to make their lives and the lives of many other Nigerians better.” To get on board the winning train, simply increase the balance on your account , carry out transactions using

our USSD code *901# and the accessMore app to pay bills, send money to loved ones, buy airtime, and make international money transfers, among other things. A Senior Retail Advisor at Access Bank, Rob Giles , recently told the media at the campaign’s launch in Lagos that the idea behind it is to keep the bank’s promise to reward customers for their loyalty and continued business.

He also emphasized that it is simple to participate in the ‘Fund and Win’ campaign and be eligible to win between N5,000 and N5,000,000.

NoorTakaful Insurance Records N3.66bn Contribution, Declares N422.7m Profit Kayode Tokede The Board of Directors, Noor Takaful Limited-pioneer composite Takaful Insurance firm in Nigeria, has announced a total sum of N3.66billion as a contribution for the 2021 financial year at its 5th Annual General Meeting held in Lagos.

The Company also recorded a profit of N422.72mmillion for the period.

Based on the audited report provided by the Company,

which the regulator recently approved – The National Insurance Commission (NAICOM), the Company experienced huge growth in contribution (premium), amounting to 183per cent compared to N1.29 Billion in the corresponding period in 2020, its Profit After Tax rose to an all-time high from N147 million in 2020 to N422.72million in 2021.

According to a statement signed by the Company’s Chairman, Mr Muhtar Bakare, the Company’s strategies and operations for the

year yielded encouraging results despite the challenging operating environment occasioned by the COVID-19 pandemic, worsening insecurity, and sustained inflation, among others.

Bakare stated that the increase in the gross contribution by the Company was primarily due to the Family Takaful business, the General business’ positive returns on investment, and growth in other income, which helped significantly improve profitability.

L-R: Head, Distribution, Partnership and Microinsurance, Leadway Holdings, Mrs. Umashime OguzorDoghro; Group Chief Marketing Officer, Leadway Holdings, Mr. Olusakin Labeodan; Vice Chancellor, University of Ibadan, Prof. Kayode Adebowale; and Deputy Vice Chancellor, University of Ibadan, Prof.

E. O. Ayoola, at the commissioning of the Leadway Reading pavilion built by Leadway Holdings at the Awo Hall of Residence in University of Ibadan, Oyo State...recently

MARKET INDICATORS MONEY AND CREDIT STATISTICS Money Supply (M3)

48,865,823.53

-- CBN Bills Held by Money Holding Sectors

167,956.2

Money Supply (M2)

48,797,867.32

-- Quasi Money

28,405,330.1

-- Narrow Money (M1)

20,392,537.22

---- Currency Outside Banks

2,722,785.91

---- Demand Deposits

17,669,751.32

Net Foreign Assets (NFA)

6,242,394.29

Net Domestic Assets(NDA)

42,623,429.24

-- Net Domestic Credit (NDC)

57,267,178.05

---- Credit to Government (Net)

17,996,690.06

---- Memo: Credit to Govt. (Net) less FMA

0.00

---- Memo: Fed. and Mirror Accounts (FMA)

0.00

---- Credit to Private Sector (CPS)

39,270,488

--Other Assets Net

5,566,430

Reserve Money (Base Money

11,320,304

--Currency in Circulation

3,259,269.15

--Banks Reserves --Special Intervention Reserves

11,320,303.72 384,377.56

Blessing Ibunge in Port Harcourt Aveon Offshore Limited, an oil services company has made history, following its recipient of MANCAP certification by the Standard Organization of Nigeria (SON) to manufacture pressure vessels in Nigeria.

By this feat, Aveon has become the first MANCAP certified pressure vessels manufacturers in the Oil and Gas sector in Nigeria.

In his speech at the formal

presentation of the certificate at the office of Aveon in over the weekend in Port Harcourt, Mallam Farouk Salim, Director General, SON, stressed that “This milestone achievement in the pursuit of service excellence is highly commendable and worthy of emulation by all oil and gas, energy, infrastructure and manufacturing companies in Nigeria”.

Salim who noted that the

petroleum industry is the cornerstone based on which the Nigeria’s economy revolves, stressed that the sustained efforts will help the the country to achieve real economic growth and create new jobs.

He said: “The process approach deployed by your company in producing your product aligns with ISO 17020, ISO 17065 and the ASME standards requirements applicable for the design and construction of pressure vessels.”

NSE President Seeks Engineers Support toTackle Energy Challenge in Nigeria FunmiOgundare President, Nigeria Society of Engineers (NSE), Tasiu Sa’ad Gidari-Wudil, has stressed the need for Nigeria to continue to examine available energy resources and elaborately find solutions on how the country

can harness the available nonconvectional (or renewable) energy to effectively tackle the energy challenge it is being faced with.

Gidari-Wudil who made this known, recently, at its 2022 Nigerian content workshop, themed,’ Combating Energy

Challenges: The Opportunities for Nigerian Engineers’, in Lagos, expressed concern that the country is blessed with rich energy resources, both conventional and non-convectional, but we have not taken advantage of these resources to make adequate, affordable, and reliable supply of energy.

˾ ÙßÜÍÏ ̋

Money Market Indicators (in Percentage) Month

June 2022

Inter-Bank Call Rate

Aveon Offshore Receives MANCAP Certification, Produce PressureVessels Locally

(MILLION NAIRA)

JUNE 2022

11.10

Minimum Rediscount Rate (MRR) Monetary Policy Rate (MPR)

13.00

Treasury Bill Rate

2.45

Savings Deposit Rate

1.38

1 Month Deposit Rate

3.48

3 Months Deposit Rate

4.55

6 Months Deposit Rate

4.97

12 Months Deposit Rate

5.30

Prime Lending rate

12.29

Maximum Lending Rate

27.61

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OPEC DAILY BASKET PRICE AS AT 27 SEPTEMBER 2022

The price of OPEC basket of thirteen crudes stood at $89.50 a barrel on Monday, compared with $92.67 the previous Friday, according to OPEC Secretariat calculations.

The OPEC Reference Basket of Crudes (ORB) is made up of the following: Saharan Blend (Algeria), Girassol (Angola), Djeno (Congo), Zafiro (Equatorial Guinea), Rabi Light (Gabon), Iran Heavy (Islamic Republic of Iran), Basrah Medium (Iraq), Kuwait Export (Kuwait), Es Sider (Libya), Bonny Light (Nigeria), Arab Light (Saudi Arabia), Murban (UAE) and Merey (Venezuela).

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MARKET NEWS

Q3 2022: UBA’s Gross Earnings Hit N608bn, Reports 12.3% Growth in Profit KayodeTokede United Bank for Africa (UBA) Plc, has announced remarkable performance in its unaudited financial results for the third quarter (Q3) ended September 30, 2022, recording impressive growth across all its major indices, replicating the commendable performance it achieved in the first two quarters of the current fiscal year.

Specifically, the bank’s Gross Earnings rose to N608 billion, up from N493 billion recorded in September 2021, while Operating income also grew by 27.3per cent to close at N414.1 billion as at September 2022, up from N334.8 billion achieved a year earlier.

In its financial report filed with the Nigerian Exchange Limited (NGX), UBA reported a 12.3 per cent rise in Profit Before Tax to close at N138.5 billion compared

P R I C E S MAIN BOARD

F O R DEALS

to N123.4 billion recorded at the end of the Q3 2021, while profit after tax also rose significantly by 10.9 per cent to N116 billion up from N104.6 billion recorded a year earlier, thus sustaining its annualised return on average equity for Q3 2022 at 19.2 per cent.

As always, UBA continues to maintain a very strong balance sheet, with Total Assets rising to N9.3 trillion, representing a 9.1 per cent increase over the N8.5 trillion

S E C U R I T I E S MARKET PRICE

QUANTITY TRADED

VALUE TRADED ( N )

recorded at the end of December 2021, just as the bank benefitted largely from its technology-led initiatives targeted at improving customer experience over the past few years, with Customer Deposits rising to N7.03 trillion, representing a 10.4 per cent rise, up from N6.4 trillion at the end of the last financial year.

UBA shareholders’ funds remained very strong at N809 billion up from N805 billion

T R A D E D MAIN BOARD

A S

recorded in December 2021 again reflecting a strong capacity for internal capital generation and growth.

Commenting on the result, UBA’s Group Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Oliver Alawuba, remarked that the Group continues to show notable operating resilience amid significant headwinds in its presence markets amidst heightened global risk environment, adding that its

O F

strong diversification model and unwavering focus on customer satisfaction continues to give the bank an edge over its peers in the industry.

He said, “We continue to reap the benefits of our diversification strategy and Customer -1st philosophy and build resilience in our operations across Africa and the Rest of the World to support the mission of providing superior value to our stakeholders.

2 4 / 1 0 / 2 0 2 2 DEALS

MARKET PRICE

QUANTITY TRADED

VALUE TRADED ( N)

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MARKET NEWS A Mutual fund (Unit Trust) is an investment vehicle managed by a SEC (Securities and Exchange Commission) registered Fund Manager.

Investors with similar objectives buy units of the Fund so that the Fund Manager can buy securities that willl generate their desired return.

An ETF (Exchange Traded Fund) is a type of fund which owns the assets (shares of stock, bonds, oil futures, gold bars, foreign currency, etc.) and divides ownership of those assets into shares. Investors can buy these ‘shares’ on the

floor of the Nigerian Stock Exchange.

A REIT (Real Estate Investment Trust) is an investment vehicle that allows both small and large investors to part-own real estate ventures (eg.

Offices, Houses, Hospitals) in proportion to their investments. The assets are divided into shares that are traded on the Nigerian Stock Exchange.

GUIDE TO DATA: Date: All fund prices are quoted in Naira as at 21Oct-2022, unless otherwise stated.

Offer price: The price at which units of a trust or ETF are bought by investors.

Bid Price: The price at which Investors redeem (sell) units of a trust or ETF. Yield/Total Return: Denotes the total return an investor would have earned on his investment. Money Market Funds report Yield while others report Year- to-date Total Return.

NAV: Is value per share of the real estate assets held by a REIT on a specific date.

DAILY PRICE LIST FOR MUTUAL FUNDS, REITS and ETFS MUTUAL FUNDS / UNIT TRUSTS AFRINVEST ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD aaml@afrinvest.com Web: www.afrinvest.com; Tel: +234 818 885 6757 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Afrinvest Equity Fund N/A N/A N/A Afrinvest Plutus Fund N/A N/A N/A Nigeria International Debt Fund N/A N/A N/A Afrinvest Dollar Fund N/A N/A N/A AIICO CAPITAL LTD ammf@aiicocapital.com Web: www.aiicocapital.com, Tel: +234-1-2792974 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn AIICO Money Market Fund N/A N/A N/A AIICO Balanced Fund N/A N/A N/A ANCHORIA ASSET MANAGEMENT LIMITED info@anchoriaam.com Web:www.anchoriaam.com, Tel: 08166830267; 08036814510; 08028419180 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Anchoria Money Market 100.00 100.00 5.91% Anchoria Equity Fund 135.75 137.24 -2.52% Anchoria Fixed Income Fund 1.16 1.16 1.27% info@anchoriaam.com ARM INVESTMENT MANAGERS LTD enquiries@arminvestmentcenter.com Web: www.arm.com.ng; Tel: 0700 CALLARM (0700 225 5276) Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn ARM Aggressive Growth Fund 20.45 21.07 0.84% ARM Discovery Balanced Fund 479.87 494.33 6.36% ARM Ethical Fund 40.86 42.09 4.88% ARM Eurobond Fund ($) 1.09 1.09 0.79% ARM Fixed Income Fund N/A N/A N/A ARM Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 10.59% AVA GLOBAL ASSET MANAGERS LIMITED info@avacapitalgroup.com Web: www.avacapitalgroup.com; Tel 08069294653 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn AVA GAM Fixed Income Dollar Fund 85.05 85.05 -8.17% AVA GAM Fixed Income Dollar Naira 1,082.28 1,082.28 8.33% AXA MANSARD INVESTMENTS LIMITED investmentcare@axamansard.com Web: www.axamansard.com; Tel: +2341-4488482 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn AXA Mansard Equity Income Fund N/A N/A N/A AXA Mansard Money Market Fund N/A N/A N/A CAPITAL EXPRESS ASSET AND TRUST LIMITED info@capitalexpressassetandtrust.com Web: www.capitalexpressassetandtrust.com; Tel: +234 803 307 5048 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn CEAT Fixed Income Fund 2.09 2.09 2.59% Capital Express Balanced Fund(Formerly: Union Trustees Mixed Fund) 2.23 2.27 2.99% CAPITALTRUST INVESTMENTS AND ASSET MANAGEMENT LIMITED halalfif@capitaltrustnigeria.com Web: www.capitaltrustnigeria.com; Tel: 08061458806 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Capitaltrust Halal Fixed Income Fund N/A N/A N/A CARDINALSTONE ASSET MANAGEMENT LIMITED mutualfunds@cardinalstone.com Web: www.cardinalstoneassetmanagement.com; Tel: +234 (1) 710 0433 4 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn CardinalStone Fixed Income Alpha Fund 1.03 1.03 6.81% CHAPELHILL DENHAM MANAGEMENT LTD investmentmanagement@chapelhilldenham.com Web: www.chapelhilldenham.com, Tel: +234 461 0691 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Chapelhill Denham Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 11.98% Paramount Equity Fund 17.44 17.75 4.46% Women's Investment Fund 142.92 144.60 0.67% CORDROS ASSET MANAGEMENT LIMITED assetmgtteam@cordros.com Web: www.cordros.com, Tel: 019036947 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Cordros Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 10.05% Cordros Milestone Fund 130.05 130.92 4.56% Cordros Dollar Fund ($) 111.78 111.78 5.04% CORONATION ASSETS MANAGEMENT investment@coronationam.com Web:www.coronationam.com, Tel: 012366215 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Coronation Money Market Fund N/A N/A N/A Coronation Balanced Fund N/A N/A N/A Coronation Fixed Income Fund N/A N/A N/A EDC FUNDS MANAGEMENT LIMITED mutualfundng@ecobank.com Web: www.ecobank.com Tel: 012265281 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn EDC Nigeria Money Market Fund Class A 100.00 100.00 9.89% EDC Nigeria Money Market Fund Class B 1,000,000.00 1,000,000.00 10.72% EDC Nigeria Fixed Income Fund 1,135.55 1,144.04 1.61% EMERGING AFRICA ASSET MANAGEMENT LIMITED assetmanagement@emergingafricafroup.com Web:www.emergingafricagroup.com/emerging-africa-asset-management-limited/, Tel: 08039492594 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Emerging Africa Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 9.41% Emerging Africa Bond Fund 1.05 1.05 8.65% Emerging Africa Balanced Diversity Fund 1.01 1.01 0.48% Emerging Africa Eurobond Fund 103.83 103.83 2.43% FBNQUEST ASSETS MANAGEMENT LIMITED invest@fbnquest.com Web: www.fbnquest.com/asset-management; Tel: +234-81 0082 0082 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn FBN Bond Fund 1520.19 1520.19 11.37% FBN Balanced Fund 190.82 192.07 8.88% FBN Halal Fund 124.89 124.89 11.41% FBN Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 11.02% FBN Dollar Fund 126.90 126.90 6.29% FBN Smart Beta Equity Fund 154.90 156.97 3.19% FCMB ASSET MANAGEMENT LIMITED fcmbamhelpdesk@fcmb.com Web: www.fcmbassetmanagement.com; Tel: +234 1 462 2596 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Legacy Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 9.60% Legacy Debt Fund 3.58 3.58 -10.58% Legacy Equity Fund 1.81 1.84 3.91% Legacy USD Bond Fund 1.25 1.25 3.61% FSDH ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD coralfunds@fsdhgroup.com Web: www.fsdhaml.com; Tel: 01-270 4884-5; 01-280 9740-1 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn

Coral Balanced Fund Coral Income Fund Coral Money Market Fund

N/A N/A N/A

N/A N/A N/A

N/A N/A N/A

FSDH Dollar Fund N/A N/A N/A GUARANTY TRUST FUND MANAGERS LIMITED enquiries@investment-one.com Web: www.investment-one.com; Tel: +234 812 992 1045,+234 1 448 8888 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Abacus Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 13.01% Vantage Balanced Fund 2.90 2.95 4.35% Vantage Guaranteed Income Fund 1.00 1.00 6.00% Kedari Investment Fund (KIF) 143.67 143.67 6.43% Vantage Equity Income Fund (VEIF) - June Year End 1.17 1.20 -2.05% Vantage Dollar Fund (VDF) - June Year End 1.07 1.07 4.22% LOTUS CAPITAL LTD fincon@lotuscapitallimited.com Web: www.lotuscapitallimited.com; Tel: +234 1-291 4626 / +234 1-291 4624 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Lotus Halal Investment Fund 1.62 1.65 14.42% Lotus Halal Fixed Income Fund 1,159.44 1,159.44 7.53% MERISTEM WEALTH MANAGEMENT LTD info@meristemwealth.com Web: www.meristemwealth.com/funds/; Tel: +2348028496012 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Meristem Equity Market Fund 11.70 11.81 7.80% Meristem Money Market Fund 10.00 10.00 10.70% NORRENBERGER INVESTMENT AND CAPITAL MANAGEMENT LIMITED enquiries@norrenberger.com Web: www.norrenberger.com, Tel: +234 (0) 908 781 2026 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Norrenberger Islamic Fund (NIF) 100.75 100.75 8.74% Norrenberger Money Market Fund (NMMF) 100.00 100.00 10.83% PAC ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD info@pacassetmanagement.com Web: www.pacassetmanagement.com/mutualfunds; Tel: +234 1 271 8632 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn PACAM Balanced Fund 1.60 1.64 1.99% PACAM Fixed Income Fund 11.45 11.51 2.61% PACAM Money Market Fund 10.00 10.00 8.57% PACAM Equity Fund 1.32 1.34 -6.78% PACAM EuroBond Fund 116.62 119.64 2.48% SCM CAPITAL LIMITED info@scmcapitalng.com Web: www.scmcapitalng.com; Tel: +234 1-280 2226,+234 1- 280 2227 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn SCM Capital Frontier Fund 121.53 123.97 0.05% SFS CAPITAL NIGERIA LTD investments@sfsnigeria.com Web: www.sfsnigeria.com, Tel: +234 (01) 2801400 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn SFS Fixed Income Fund 1.07 1.07 10.04% STANBIC IBTC ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD assetmanagement@stanbicibtc.com Web: www.stanbicibtcassetmanagement.com; Tel: +234 1 280 1266; 0700 MUTUALFUNDS Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Stanbic IBTC Balanced Fund 3,471.00 3,504.39 2.47% Stanbic IBTC Bond Fund 243.13 243.13 3.21% Stanbic IBTC Ethical Fund 1.35 1.37 7.94% Stanbic IBTC Guaranteed Investment Fund 327.98 327.99 4.74% Stanbic IBTC Iman Fund 250.32 253.82 7.28% Stanbic IBTC Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 10.85% Stanbic IBTC Nigerian Equity Fund 11,495.77 11,650.72 5.36% Stanbic IBTC Dollar Fund (USD) 1.35 1.35 4.33% Stanbic IBTC Shariah Fixed Income Fund 120.14 120.14 2.76% Stanbic IBTC Enhanced Short-Term Fixed Income Fund 113.39 113.39 6.59% UNITED CAPITAL ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD unitedcapitalplcgroup.com Web: www.unitedcapitalplcgroup.com; Tel: +234 01-6317876 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn United Capital Equity Fund 0.90 0.92 1.48% United Capital Balanced Fund 1.32 1.33 1.01% United Capital Wealth for Women Fund 1.14 1.15 10.01% United Capital Sukuk Fund 1.09 1.09 7.23% United Capital Fixed Income Fund 1.93 1.93 6.32% United Capital Eurobond Fund 124.07 124.07 5.85% United Capital Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 12.41% QUANTUM ZENITH ASSET MANAGEMENT & INVESTMENTS LTD service@quantumzenithasset.com.ng Web: www.quantumzenith.com.ng; Tel: +234 1-2784219 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Zenith Balanced Strategy Fund 13.41 13.52 1.63% Zenith ESG Impact Fund 15.30 15.38 4.44% Zenith Income Fund 23.24 23.24 5.87% Zenith Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 10.60% VETIVA FUND MANAGERS LTD funds@vetiva.com Web: www.vetiva.com; Tel: +234 1 453 0697 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Vetiva Banking Exchange Traded Fund 3.73 3.83 -6.96% Vetiva Consumer Goods Exchange Traded Fund 5.67 5.77 -2.93% Vetiva Griffin 30 Exchange Traded Fund 16.25 16.45 -8.05% Vetiva Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 10.28% Vetiva Industrial Goods Exchange Traded Fund 18.72 18.92 -6.28% Vetiva S&P Nigeria Sovereign Bond Exchange Traded Fund 135.11 137.11 -14.27%

REITS NAV Per Share

Yield / T-Rtn

119.29 52.14

5.27% 2.50%

Bid Price

Offer Price

Yield / T-Rtn

14.13 121.86 90.92 17.10 16.40

14.23 124.93 92.90 17.20 16.50

1.03% -4.14% -8.86% 10.02% -2.45%

NAV Per Share

Yield / T-Rtn

107.59

0.00%

Fund Name SFS REIT Union Homes REIT

EXCHANGE TRADED FUNDS Fund Name Lotus Halal Equity Exchange Traded Fund SIAML Pension ETF 40 Stanbic IBTC ETF 30 Fund MERGROWTH ETF MERVALUE ETF

INFRASTRUCTURE FUND Fund Name Chapel Hill Denham Nigeria Infrastructure Debt Fund

The value of investments and the income from them may fall as well as rise. Past performance is a guide and not an indication of future returns. Fund prices published in this edition are also available on each fund manager’s website and FMAN’s website at www.fman.com.ng. Fund prices are supplied by the operator of the relevant fund and are published for information purposes only.

35

TUESDAY, OCTO ͺͽ˜ ͺ͸ͺͺ ˾ T H I S D AY

ʬ

ʬ

ʬ

7 R S 7 U D G H V E \ 9 R OX P H

7 R S * D LQ H U V T ic k er

P ric e C hg %

T ic k er

Vo lum e

P ric e C hg %

A C A D EM Y

1.46

9.8%

F ID ELIT YB K

26.6

0.8%

ST ER LN B A N K

1.58

3.9%

Z EN IT H B A N K

10.8

-0.7%

CHA M S

0.27

3.8%

GT C O

8.2

0.3%

M B EN EF IT

0.29

3.6%

A C C ESSC OR P

8.2

-1.2%

T R A N SC OR P

1.09

2.8%

N GXGR OUP

5.8

0.0%

D A N GSUGA R

16.30

2.5%

T R A N SC OR P

3.1

2.8%

0.51

2.0%

UP D C R EIT

2.8

0.0%

B UA C EM EN T

62.00

1.6%

UN IT YB N K

2.4

-2.1%

WA P C O

21.95

1.4%

M B EN EF IT

1.8

3.6%

UP D C

0.97

1.0%

FB NH

1.5

0.0%

C OR N ER ST

7 R S 7 U D G H V E \ 9 D OX H

7 R S / R V H U V T ic k er

T ic k er

Value

A IR T ELA F R I

978.8

0.0%

-9.8%

Z EN IT H B A N K

215.4

-0.7%

-9.6%

GT C O

152.6

0.3%

122.5

0.0%

P ric e

P ric e C hg %

N EM

4.42

-10.0%

R OYA LEX

0.83

M OR ISON

1.98

P ric e C hg %

SOVR EN IN S

0.26

-7.1%

N GXGR OUP

WA P IC

0.34

-5.6%

F ID ELIT YB K

100.7

0.8%

65.9

-1.2%

A IIC O

0.55

-5.2%

A C C ESSC OR P

UA C N

8.60

-4.4%

B UA C EM EN T

28.7

1.6%

22.6

0.0%

H ON YF LOUR

2.40

-4.0%

M TNN

A F R IP R UD

5.20

-3.7%

WA P C O

19.6

1.4%

-3.6%

NB

16.8

0.2%

F T N C OC OA

Afrinvest West Africa Limited

P ric e

0.27

Investment Research

Brokerage

Asset Management

Adedoyin Allen | aallen@afrinvest.com

Robert Omotunde | romotunde@afrinvest.com Abiodun Keripe | AKeripe@afrinvest.com

Taiwo Ogundipe | togundipe@afrinvest.com

Christopher Omoh | comoh@afrinvest.com

Damilare Asimiyu | dasimiyu@afrinvest.com

36

TUESDAY OCTOBER 25, 2022 • T H I S D AY

37

TUESDAY, O ͺͽ˜ ͺ͸ͺͺ ˾ T H I S D AY

THE ALTERNATIVE

with RenoOmokri

Illuminating Insights into Yoruba Influence on Judaism and Bible

I

t is often said that if you want to hide anything from our people, all you need to do is put it in writing. The people who said it are not racists, although I used to think so. They are factual people, who understand the behaviour of the Sub-Saharan African. You see, our people hate to read. You write about their history and they will say ‘na who go read all this long thing’? You dey craze?’ And in their minds, you are foolish for writing, while they are wise for not being fooled into reading ‘the nonsense’ that you wrote. Anything longer than a few sentences is nonsense to them).

Am I lying?

If we do not change that behaviour, we will never make meaningful progress, even if we elect the best leaders. Why? Because a leader can only lead a willing people to the stream, but cannot force them to drink from the stream.

One of the most fallacious arguments I have encountered is the premise that Africans should reject Christianity, because it is a European religion.

This is really a function of ignorance. But let us not take my word for it. Let us look into Scripture.

Judaism, Christianity and Islam are often called Abrahamic religions. But in truth, Abraham is the father of the Israelites. However, Judaism originated with Moses.

Moses left Mizraim (the word Egypt does not exist in Scripture. The place now called Egypt is referred to as Mizraim) and went to leave with Black Africans in a place called Midian.

While there, he was accommodated by the Black African priest of Midian named Reuel, who gave Moses his daughter, Zipporah, as his wife-Exodus 2:21.

This man became Moses’s mentor and taught him much of what he knew about God. In fact, Scripture says: “Moses listened to his father-in-law and did everything he said.”-Exodus 18:24.

If you look at the laws that Moses taught the children of Israel, you will notice that they are similar to your own Black African tribal laws that existed long before our contact with Europeans.

Deuteronomy 25:5 is an example: “If brothers are living together and one of them dies without a son, his widow must not marry outside the family. Her husband’s brother shall take her and marry her and fulfil the duty of a brother-in-law to her.”

This custom is an ancient African custom that has been practiced amongst the Edekiri (the real name of the language wrongly called Yoruba by Bishop Samuel Ajayi Crowther). If you ask an Olukunmi (alternate name for the people wrongly called Yoruba) elder, he will tell you that this practice has been customary for Omoluabi, as well as other Edekiri people from the Igala to the Itsekiri.

As a matter of fact, pre-colonially, the most widely used name for the people now in the Southwest of Nigeria, was not Yoruba. Their language is Edekiri, but the people referred to themselves as Omoluabi, which is a word that evolved from omo-ti-olu-iwa-bi, meaning the child that the lord of character begat.

Many people, including a good number of modern-day ‘Yoruba’ intellectuals, believe that Oluwa means Lord. No it does not. Oluwa connotes Lord, but it does not mean lord. It is actually a compound world, Olu Iwa, which means Lord of Iwa, meaning character, or good morals.

Olu-Iwa is believed in Yoruba mythology to be the scriptural Noah.

Another example is Leviticus chapter 4, which prescribes animal sacrifices for sin.

“If the anointed priest sins, bringing guilt on the people, he must bring to the Lord, a young bull without defect as a sin offering”-Leviticus 4:3.

“The assembly must bring a young bull as a sin offering and present it before the tent of meeting.”-Leviticus 4:14.

This is a common pre-colonial practice amongst many African ethnicities, but more especially with the people now known as Yoruba, who still practice it till today.

Almost every sin, if not every sin, was purged by the Omoluabi with animal sacrifices. This is too widely known for me to even try to convince anyone. Watch Nollywood movies!

Another common customary practice of the Omoluabi that we see in Scripture is the practice of prostrating to elders and persons in authority, which the people now called Yoruba refer to as dobale, which literally means bow down low or to the ground.

The practice of dobale is almost as unique to the people referred to as Yoruba as is say, the Talking Drum.

And you see it in Scripture. Let us examine some Scripture: “Abraham looked up and saw three men standing nearby. When he saw them, he hurried from the entrance of his tent to meet them and BOWED LOW to the GROUND.”-Genesis 18:2.

The Holy Bible “Then she fell on her face, BOWING TO THE GROUND and said to him, “Why have I found favor in your sight that you should take notice of me, since I am a foreigner.”-Ruth 2:10.

“When Abigail saw David, she quickly got off her donkey and BOWED DOWN before David with her face to the ground.”-1 Samuel 25:23.

“Then Bathsheba BOWED DOWN with her face to the ground, prostrating herself before the king, and said, “May my lord King David live forever!”-1 Kings 1:31.

Two men were central to introducing cultural and religious practices to the ancient Hebrews.

They were Abraham and Moses. And they have something in common. They both lived in Africa.

Abraham sojourned in Africa with his wife. We see this in Genesis 12:10: “Now there was a famine in the land, and Abram went down to Egypt to live there for a while because the famine was severe.”

Moses was born and brought up in Africa. We see this in Exodus 2:3 and Exodus 2:10: “Then she placed the child in it and put it among the reeds along the bank of the Nile.”

“When the child grew older, she took him to Pharaoh’s daughter and he became her son.”

Now, please ignore the word Egypt. It is a word that does NOT exist in the original Scripture.

European translators inserted it there for reasons best known to them.

The question you should be asking is who are the people that lived in Mizraim, the land that is now referred to as Egypt.

Psalm 78:51 gives us a clue. That verse reads: “He struck down all the firstborn of Egypt, the firstfruits of manhood in the tents of Ham.” Notice that the ‘Egyptians’ were people of the ‘tents of Ham.’ Now, who is this Ham? We see his origins in Genesis 5:32: “After Noah was 500 years old, he became the father of Shem, HAM and Japheth.”

Ham was Noah’s son.

Now, pause for a minute and ask yourself what name do the Yoruba call themselves.

They refer to themselves, internally, as Omoluabi, which is a short form of Omo-ti-olu-iwa-bi, meaning the child that the lord of character begat.

Now, who do the Yoruba say that this Olu-Iwa is? Noah!

Now, who does Scripture say gave birth to Ham? Noah!

And for those who may doubt these dots I am connecting, ask yourself what the name of Ham’s first son was?

Genesis 10:6 says “The sons of Ham were Cush, Mizraim, Put, and Canaan.”

Ham’s first son was Cush. What does Cush mean in Hebrew? Cush simply means Black! Do not take my word for it. Google the meaning. Research it.

The meaning of the name of his second son (Mizraim) is Egypt. In fact, if you read that verse (Genesis 10:6) in the New International Version, and the English Standard Version, the name Mizraim is rendered as Egypt. Go ahead, read it.

And what was the name of Cush’s first son?

You see it in Genesis 10:8: “Cush was the father of Nimrod.”

Now, that name Nimrod is a bastardisation. His real name is Namrud in Aramaic and Arabic. From where the European translators of Scripture into English got the name Nimrod, I would not know.

But the name found in the Pentateuch is Namrud.

Do not take my word for it. Google it. Or go to a reference library.

Long before they had contact with Arabs or Europeans, the people now referred to as Yoruba had an oral history of their origins, which they traced to Odùduwà (also known as Oòdua) who they cite as the son of Lamurudu, a priest/King from the Middle East.

The Hebrews and Arabs call him Namrud and the Yoruba have Lamurudu. Could this be a coincidence? Not at all. In Yoruba, the words N and L are interchangeable.

For example, some Yoruba people pronounce Limota as Nimota. And others say ki ni owi (what did you say?), while others say ki’lo wi, meaning the same thing. So, Lamurudu could as well be pronounced Namurudu. Now, what is the difference between Namurudu and Namrud?

So, it is not a coincidence that many of the practices you see in the Old Testament seem similar to Yoruba customs. Because the men, through whom God introduced these customs, i.e. Abraham and Moses lived with the ‘tents of Ham’ in modern-day Egypt.

When I see people bearing Moses, I feel sorry for them. The name Moses does not appear in Scripture. It is a made-up name, just like the name Jesus. The actual name in Scripture is Moshe. And the actual name for our Lord and Saviour is Yeshua.

The name Moshe is of Mizraim (Egyptian origin).

I am going to quote Exodus 2:10 from the Hebrew Bible translated directly into English: “And the boy grew, and she brought him to the daughter of Pharaoh and he was a son to her, and she called his name Moshe (aka Moses), because she said, “I took him from the waters.”

If you go to Israel, they don’t bear Moses. They bear Moshe. For instance, the famous Israeli Minister of Defence was named Moshe Dayan.

That name Moshe, as you just read in Exodus 2:10 means “I took him from the waters.” Now, ask yourself what is the Yoruba (Edekiri) word for picking up something. It is Mo shá. That name Moshe is virtually indistinguishable from Mo shá, or Mosha.

The people in present-day Egypt are not the original inhabitants of Egypt. They are Arabs, who came to Egypt after the Muslim conquest of Egypt

(between 641 AD and 654 AD). Again, please don’t take my word for it. Research it.

The original inhabitants of Mizraim (ancient Egypt), were conquered by Nebuchadnezzar and scattered from their land deeper into Africa. We see this in Jeremiah 46:2: “Concerning Egypt: This is the message against the army of Pharaoh Necho king of Egypt, which was defeated at Carchemish on the Euphrates River

by Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon in the fourth year of Jehoiakim son of Josiah king of Judah.”

And also in Jeremiah 46:13: “This is the message the LORD spoke to Jeremiah the prophet about the coming of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon to attack Egypt:” And how do we know that they went deeper into Africa? Well, it is common sense really. Nebuchadnezzar came from Babylon to the East of modern-day Egypt. Therefore, they could not have escaped to the East, as that would have put them right in front of Nebuchadnezzar’s army, and or the kingdoms of Judah and Israel, and the Edomites.

They could not escape to the North, because of the natural obstacle of the Mediterranean Sea. Which means that the only option they would have had was to escape westward, towards modern-day Sudan and West Africa, or southwards, towards modern-day Ethiopia.

And since the people of modern-day Ethiopia have probably been in that geographical location for over 3000 years, by a process of elimination, it means the best likelihood is that they escaped westward into West Africa.

It seems incredulous to you? Are you even aware that the original name for the place now called Jerusalem is actually Jebus?

It is right there in Joshua 18:28: “Zelah, Eleph, Jebus (which is Jerusalem), Gibeath, and Kirjath: fourteen cities with their villages. This was the inheritance of the children of Benjamin according to their families.”

Who are those Jebus?

The name Jebus that you read about in The Bible, refers to a tribe now known as Ijebu in Southwest Nigeria.

I have just blown your mind. I know. It sounds like blasphemy. Heresy. But please let me land!

The Ijebu do not call themselves I-J-E-B-U, the way you, an outsider, would pronounce all syllables. They call themselves J-E-B-U, with the I before jebu silent.

In the King James Version, the town is known as Jebus. You see that in 1 Chronicles 11:5: “And the inhabitants of Jebus said to David, Thou shalt not come hither. Nevertheless David took the castle of Zion, which is the city of David.”

While the people of Jebus are referred to a Jebusites. We see this in Genesis 10:16: “the Jebusite, the Amorite, and the Girgashite.”

Basically, what the European translators did is just to confuse you by adding ite to the name of a kingdom, in order to describe the people of the kingdom. So, for example, if Kano, or Benin, or Monaco, were to have been mentioned in the KJV, the people would have been Kanites, Benites, and Monacites.

In fact, the method by which the ancient Israelites consulted God, called divination, is almost identical to the Yoruba method of divination, known as Odu Ifá.

When people hear of Odu Ifá, used by the Ijebu, and borrowed by their Yoruba neighbours (Ijebu and Yoruba are different ethnicities), they immediately think it is witchcraft or sorcery. Nothing like that. Odu Ifá is simply divination by casting lots. A practice that was used in both the Old and New Testaments of Scripture-John 19:24, Acts 1:26, Leviticus 16:8.

Now, I am not asking you to start practicing the divination aspect of Odu Ifá. Deuteronomy 18:9-10 preached against the practice of divination to any god except the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. And I do not know to whom the Odu Ifá diviners consult, and I do not want to mislead people. However, I accept the scientific aspects of our culture.

The simplest way to summarise what Odu Ifá is, is to say that it is just pattern recognition of a series of binary codes. Many people of Yoruba origin, both literate and illiterate, find themselves particularly gifted in mathematics. It is an evolutionary trait inbuilt in them from millennia of Ifá divination by their ancestors.

I could go on and on, but my editor does not like it when I write beyond 2000 words (he believes modern man has a short attention span). But let me just say that there is science in African culture, like the Ifa Yoruba divination. We should not reject our own culture as barbaric, devilish and fetish, while adopting wholesale Western cultures, such as Christmas, Easter, Trinity, purgatory, etc, that are based on paganism. Africans, let’s not be culture vultures!

38

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 25, 2022 ˾ T H I S D AY

FOREIGN DESK

COMPILED BY BAYO AKINLOYE

42-Year-Old Sunak Wins Race to Be Next British PM Rishi Sunak ran for Britain’s top job and lost.

Then he got another shot — and the chance to say, “I told you so.”

The former UK Treasury chief was runnerup to Liz Truss in the contest to replace the scandal-plagued Boris Johnson as Conservative Party leader and prime minister.

But Truss quit after a turbulent 45-day term, and Johnson has abandoned a comeback attempt.

That left Sunak out front, and he won the race Monday to be the leader of the Conservative Party and will assume the office he missed out on less than two months ago.

Victory in the Conservative leadership contest is vindication for Sunak, who warned in the last campaign that Truss’ tax-cutting economic plans were reckless and would cause havoc.

And so, they did.

Truss resigned last week after her package of tax cuts spooked financial markets, hammered the pound’s value and obliterated her authority.

Sunak will be Britain’s first leader of colour and the first Hindu to take the top job. At 42, he’ll also be the youngest prime minister in more than 200 years, a political prodigy whose youthful looks, sharp suits, and smooth, confident manner saw him dubbed “Dishy Rishi” by the British media.

To win, Sunak had to overcome allegations by opponents that he was a turncoat for quitting Johnson’s government as it foundered amid ethics scandals.

Korean Air Plane Overshoots Runway, Shuts Philippine Airport A damaged Korean Air plane remained stuck in the grass at a central Philippine airport Monday after it overshot a runway in rainy weather the night before. No injuries were reported among the 162 passengers and 11 crew members who escaped from the aircraft using emergency slides.

Dozens of flights have been cancelled and Mactan-Cebu International Airport, one of the country’s busiest, remained closed due to the stalled aircraft at the end of its lone usable runway.

The terrifying close call prompted a public apology from Korean Air’s president and a vow from one of Asia’s most prominent airlines to take steps to prevent a recurrence.

“We always prioritize safety in all of our operations, and we truly regret the stress and inconvenience brought to our passengers,” Korean Air President Woo Keehong said in a statement.

The front underbelly of the plane was sheared off, and its nose was heavily damaged. The plane lay tipped forward on a grassy area with its front landing wheel not visible and emergency slides deployed at the doors. A ripped-open hole was also visible at the top of the plane near a front door.

West Rejects Russia’s ‘Dirty Bomb’ Rhetoric Western countries accused Russia Monday of plotting to use a threat of a bomb laced with nuclear material as a pretext for escalation in Ukraine.

Meanwhile, Moscow reiterated its claims Monday that it is Ukraine planning to detonate “a dirty bomb” — something Kyiv has strongly denied.

In a media briefing, the head of Russia’s nuclear, biological, and chemical protection troops, Lieutenant General Igor Kirillov, said Russian forces are “preparing to work under radioactive contamination.”

As Ukraine advances into Kherson, pressure is mounting for Russia, who told 60,000 people there “to save your lives” and flee a Ukrainian counter-offensive.

In calls with his French, British and Turkish counterparts Sunday, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu discussed the “rapidly deteriorating situation” and levelled accusations that Ukraine is planning on using a “dirty bomb.”

In a joint statement, the foreign ministers of France, Britain and the United States said they had all rejected the allegations and reaffirmed

their support for Ukraine against Russia.

“Our countries made clear that we all reject Russia’s transparently false allegations that Ukraine (is) preparing to use a dirty bomb on its own territory,” they said. “The world would see through any attempt to use this allegation as a pretext for escalation.”

Xi Jinping Begins Third Term as China’s Leader, Picks Loyalists After 10 years of China’s Xi Jinping leadership, the prospect of five more years under his rule, with a new team of top leaders believed to be handpicked by him, is frowned upon by some people, but welcomed by others.

“A lot of people I know don’t really like him,” said a Beijing resident who wants to be identified only as Lea. “Wages have gone up in the past 10 years, but so has inflation; everything has gotten a lot more expensive. We don’t see a lot of benefits from him.”

Lea was disappointed that Xi plans to continue China’s three-year-long zero-COVID policy, which has seen cities undergo sudden lockdowns and is blamed for hurting China’s economy and raising youth unemployment.

“The epidemic is not that serious anymore.

Other countries have opened up, but not China,” she said.

Some citizens, however, have confidence that Xi and his new team will fix the problems that have arisen from China’s past decades of rapid and largely-unregulated development — including the huge housing bubble and the lack of capital gains and property taxes that have widened the wealth gap.

UN Accuses Australia of Breaching International Torture Obligations The United Nations is accusing Australia of breaching its human rights obligations after it suspended a tour of detention facilities. UN inspectors say authorities in the Australian states of New South Wales and Queensland have denied them access to various detention facilities.

Australia ratified the United Nation’s Optional Protocol to the Convention Against Torture in 2017.

Inspectors from the UN subcommittee on the prevention of torture arrived in Australia last week to carry out unannounced visits to state, territory and federal prison facilities over 12 days.

In a June 2022 statement, the UN said the committee would visit Australia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Ecuador and Turkey in the second half of 2022.

The committee’s task is to “protect people deprived of liberty in…not only prisons

but police stations, psychiatric institutions, closed refugee camps and immigration detention centres.”

However, authorities in the Australian states of New South Wales and Queensland have New South Wales corrections minister Geoff Lee told reporters Monday that people can’t just “wander through at their leisure” the state’s prisons and that the UN “should be off to Iran looking for human rights violations there.”

The UN has now said that Australia has breached its obligations under the torture protocol.

Ethiopia, Tigray Convene for Peace Talks in South Africa Peace talks between Ethiopian government officials and representatives from the leadership of the Tigray People’s Liberation Front are due to begin Monday in South Africa. Just ahead of the talks, Ethiopian federal forces took two more towns in Tigray, previously under Tigrayan forces’ control.

Humanitarian sources told VOA that federal Ethiopian troops and allied Eritrean forces had taken control of the towns of Axum and Adwa, the latest in a series of setbacks for forces led by the rebel Tigray People’s Liberation Front.

Tigrayan forces retreated from Adwa after suffering heavy losses, one of the sources said.

Last Tuesday, pro-federal government forces captured Shire in northwest Tigray, a major urban hub that hosts hundreds of thousands of people displaced by two years of fighting. The government has vowed to take control of the Tigray region’s airports and federal institutions.

The news comes as negotiators for the federal government and the Tigray forces arrive in South Africa for peace talks convened by the African Union.

Diplomats have urged the parties to agree to a cease-fire, with US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken sounding the alarm Friday over “reports of significant loss of life, destruction, indiscriminate bombardment, and human rights abuses” in northern Ethiopia.

More than half a million people have been displaced in northwest Tigray alone since the fighting resumed on August 24, with tens of thousands more uprooted in the neighbouring Amhara region.

Albania, Israel Discuss Cybersecurity After Iran Attack One month after Albania cut diplomatic relations with Iran following a cyberattack, Albania’s prime minister arrived Sunday in Israel for a three-day visit that included

meeting with Israeli cyber defence officials.

The office of Israeli Prime Minister Yair Lapid said he and Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama discussed common challenges facing the two countries “with an emphasis on the Iranian threat.”

Lapid said Israel will do its best to help in efforts against Iran, something it see “as a national interest and an historical obligation.”

Lapid tweeted a photo of the Israeli delegation’s meeting with the Albanian side headed by Rama and said they agreed the two countries “will work together to combat cyber threats posed by Iran.”

Rama was also scheduled to meet with Israeli President Isaac Herzog and the head of Israel’s National Cyber Directorate.

Albania severed diplomatic ties after blaming Iran for the July cyberattack that hit Albania’s government websites and services. Albania also blamed Iran for a second cyberattack in September against the country’s police computer systems.

Rama was also scheduled to meet with Israeli President Isaac Herzog and the head of Israel’s National Cyber Directorate.

Albania severed diplomatic ties after blaming Iran for the July cyberattack that hit Albania’s government websites and services. Albania also blamed Iran for a second cyberattack in September against the country’s police computer systems.

Ex-Cops Tried for Murder, Abuse, Conspiracy The trial of four former Kenyan police officers charged with murdering two Indian nationals and their Kenyan driver began Monday in Nairobi.

The Indian men, Zulfiqar Ahmad Khan and Mohamed Zaid Sami Kidwai, were in Kenya to work on the electoral campaign of President William Ruto, who was elected in August.

Kenyan media report the officers were taken into custody by police in late July.

The remains of the victims were found in a forest last week.

The four officers were members of a Special Services Unit that Ruto disbanded this month for allegedly carrying out extrajudicial killings and disappearances. Kenya’s Independent Policing Oversight Authority says the unit is suspected in the disappearance of more than 100 people this year alone.

Addressing a news conference Monday, authority chairperson Anne Makori said the unit is suspected of torturing victims and dumping their bodies in Kenya’s Yala River.

Three Dead in High School Shooting in Missouri At least three people, including a suspected gunman, have been killed at a shooting inside a high school in the midwestern US city of St. Louis, Missouri.

St. Louis Police Commissioner Michael Sack said six others were injured in the Monday morning shooting at Central Visual and Performing Arts High School.

He said the dead included an adult woman, a teenage girl and the suspected shooter.

Students at the school told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch that many of them barricaded themselves in their classrooms to stay safe.

David Williams, a math teacher at the school, told the paper that the school principal came over the loudspeaker around 9 a.m. and said the code word that indicated a school shooter was in the building.

St. Louis Public Schools said on Twitter that the shooter was “quickly stopped by police inside CPVA.” The Associated Press cited local television reports, which said police entered the area with guns drawn shortly after 9 a.m.

The suspected shooter has not been identified but was described by police as a man about 20 years old.

T H I S D AY ˾ TUESDAY, OCTOBER 25, 2022

39

INSPIREDLIFE

THE TRIALS AND TRIUMPHS OF BUSINESS WUNDERKINDS

with LANRE ALFRED

Ernest Azudialu-Obiejesi’s Strides in Oil And Gas Value Chain Dr. Ernest Azudialu Obiejesi’s life is a lesson in human preparedness for opportunities and a case study of the aggressive pursuit of success. The Group Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of Obijackson Group knew that growth could not wait for some other time or some other person; when the need to fill a yearning gap emerged from the blues, he never allowed such opportunity to pass him by without giving it his best. From his humble beginning as a rookie trader with entrepreneurial teeth sharpened by his father, Obiejesi’s meteoric rise to the pinnacle of business success has written all over it uncommon foresight and doggedness only seen in a man who knows where he is going. There is no gainsaying that the universe aligned with his dreams and aspirations, but that is not to say that his path was paved with shiny diamonds only laid to pick on a platter.

A DESERVED NATIONAL HONOUR

E

nthusiastic encomiums have continued to trail the recent conferment of national honour - Order of the Federal Republic, OFR – on Dr Ernest Azudialu Obiejesi, Group Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer at Nestoil Group. He was honoured alongside 443 other Nigerians who have distinguished themselves in different fields of endeavour and for their contributions to the growth and development of Nigeria. The awards ceremony took place Tuesday, October 11, at the International Conference Centre, Abuja.

Dr Azudialu was among 77 Nigerians conferred with the OFR, the fifth highest national honour, for his business successes and boundless and borderless philanthropy, for which he continues to enjoy a deluge of recognition at home and abroad. Those conversant with his trajectory have unanimously chorused that he deserves this national honour and more for how far he has come in life and for his impact on humanity.

Prior, the serial award winner had been honoured with several awards like the THISDAY Newspapers Young Global Champion Award for Good Governance and Excellence in Entrepreneurship – 2011; CNBC Africa/ABN West African Entrepreneur Award – 2012; Nigerians in Diaspora Organization Business Person of the Year Award – 2012; Oil and Gas Man of the Year at the Nigeria Advancement Awards -2013; Zik Prize for Outstanding Business Leadership -2014; Sun Newspapers Businessman of the Year award -2014; and Petroleum Technology Association of Nigeria (PETAN) Industry Achievement of the Year Award – 2014, among numerous others.

Under his leadership, Nestoil companies were nominated in 2017 and 2018 by the London Stock Exchange Group as ones to Inspire Africa, being companies that generated vital employment opportunities, contributed to sustainable economic growth, and are the bastions of best practices and good corporate governance practices.

Azudialu set up the Obijackson Foundation to tackle the issues of extreme poverty, illiteracy, hunger, and poor healthcare and make a real and measurable change in Eastern Nigeria and beyond.

“The organisation is dedicated to improving the socio-economic well-being of the nation’s people through improved access to good quality education and healthcare in addition to cultural enrichment. Our intervention areas range from community development initiatives to food programmes to health schemes, the gemstone of which is the Obijackson Children’s Hospital in Okija, Anambra State,” he said.

The Obijackson Women and Children’s Hospital in Okija was built and developed into the foremost women’s and paediatric healthcare institution – the first of its kind in eastern Nigeria. The hospital has delivered hundreds of women with state-of-the-art diagnostic, surgical, and other equipment. The Obijackson Foundation caters to patients with no funds to pay for treatment. Nobody has turned away from this hospital because of their inability to pay their bills. Dr Azudialu says the sheer profile of the hospital and the impact in saving the lives of women and children across eastern Nigeria makes this project extremely humbling and fulfilling for him. The hospital directly

Azudialu-Obiejesi

Azudialu-Obiejesi (left) receiving National Honour of the Order of the Federal Republic (OFR) from President Muhammadu Buhari… recently employs about 100 locals. Hundreds more are indirect employees in the form of contractors and other service providers.

AN ENTREPRENEURIAL PATH SET EARLY

Growing up under the mentorial tutelage of a trader-father was the launch pad the young Ernest needed to have his entrepreneurial path carved for him. His trading skills were well honed in Onitsha by a father who had weathered the storms and made a success of the art of buying and selling. As such, unlike a rolling stone that gathers no moss, he knew early where he wanted to go. His smartness and entertaining skills as a kid notwithstanding, he stuck to his guns and went to found his business in 1983 after a stint at ‘D.A. Ifeanyi & Brothers Trading Company’ owned by his father.

“I came from a family rooted in business. My father was a businessman trading in commodities.

He encouraged us early to pay attention to what he was doing in his shop. So I got exposed to business early in life and started the trading business in the 1980s, precisely in 1983 when I registered ‘Obijackson West Africa Limited’” Why ‘Obijackson’? One of the extracurricular activities for which the young Ernest was known in school was his Michael Jackson-like dancing skills. “Obijackson came from the name I answered when I was in school. I was nicknamed so by my schoolmates because of the dancing skills I exhibited in school. In fact, that actually overshadowed my real name. My surname is Obiejesi. The first three letters, ‘Obi,’ were combined with Jackson. So I carried the name to my business and registered it,” he explained.

Today, Obijackson has fully grown to a conglomerate stature. The conglomerate can be said to be the history of my life and business. It is a journey that started with trading now to the oil and gas business and the huge investments we have now. So many companies and investments have come out of it. When he talks about Obijackson, he talks about a group of companies birthed to fill up gaps and opportunities over the years.

The birth of Obijackson West Africa Limited did not only speak to Azudialu-Obiejesi’s business mind; the broadness of his vision was also captured by the fact that he had his eyes on the entire West African region. Buoyed with the little success he recorded after moving to Lagos in 1986 from Onitsha, from his two-bedroom office at Idumagbo Avenue, he soon spread his tentacles across the region, as he became the rallying point for commodity traders from other neighbouring countries who patronized him.

The interesting thing about his business

registration was he had his mind and eyes yond the shores of Nigeria. As young as he was then, he wanted to do something that would cover the sub-region of West Africa, which was why he went for West Africa Limited instead of ‘Nigeria Limited’.

Indeed, he started with two rooms on the last floor of the building at Idumagbo Avenue, from where he went on to take over the whole floor as the business expanded. His area of business was the importation of commodities from China. It was very big business as other businesses were coming from neighbouring countries to patronise him. It was a boom then, and he was doing very well.

From there, he moved to the cosmetics business.

He had his own cosmetics line. He started doing wine. He had his own wine line. He produced the wines from France, brought them to Nigeria and sold them.

It is a given that huge success follows a diligent mind like Azudialu-Obiejesi, who does not dilly-dally about what he wants out of life. And exactly that was what happened.

THE MAKING OF A CONGLOMERATE

Not one to sit back with the mindset of the biblical ‘Rich Fool’ who felt he had gathered enough riches and felt it was time to sit back and enjoy. Azudialu-Obiejesi is ambitious, and his passion for growing from commodity trading to something bigger took the better part of him.

Yes, he got to a point when he felt Obijackson West Africa Ltd could run independently or without his hands-on supervision. He could see that the company could make money even without him being involved totally. So he asked himself what else he could do aside from sending messages to China for the goods they ship to Lagos. He sells them and makes money. Then he repeated the same thing. So it became a cycle. So he asked himself, “What could I do with all the time on my hands after completing each cycle of commodity trading?”

Today, 13 companies in the conglomerate do different things in the oil and gas ecosystem.

Some of them are very successful; some are still trying to find their feet, while some have made investments that put them on the socio-economic map of the country as businesses of reference for particular services.

In 1991, Nestoil was incorporated as a fully indigenous engineering, procurement, construction and commissioning services company, thus heralding Obijackson Group’s foray into the petroleum industry. Today, Nestoil has become a reference point in the industry for its exceptional services in pipeline construction, repairs and maintenance,

fabrication and pressure vessel manufacturing, detailed engineering design and consultancy, civil construction works as well as dredging and shoreline protection.

Operating from its expansive 59-hectare Abuloma industrial layout, the company not only covers the entire value chain of the oil and gas industry; it has been nurtured into a conglomerate with a staff strength that has grown from ten to over 5,000 direct jobs in 30 years.

In another development, if Nigeria’s Local Content Policy in the three streams of the petroleum sector has experienced much success, and definitely it has, Azudialu-Obiejesi has carved his name in the sound of time in that regard. Over the years, through its constant clamour, belief in and inclusion of local content, Nestoil has grown from that rookie company to Nigeria’s largest indigenous service-providing company, a development which analysts believe has helped in building capacity for Nigeria and enabled it to curb capital flight.

Before the Nigerian Content Act, most operations in the nation’s oil and gas space were executed by International Oil Companies (IOCs). It would not have gone the other way, though; the lack of indigenous skilled personnel for the services taken up by the IOCs was so evident. Reports say that the era of skills importation into Nigeria cost capital flight of about $380billion. The equation and narrative have since changed with companies like Nestoil, which has been churning out bespoke, world-class oil servicing support in the industry. Over 95 per cent of its employees are Nigerians – an uncommon feat compared to other players in the sector. The company is a foremost employer of local labour across the value chain of the oil and gas sector.

The company’s repair and maintenance facilities are built with the highest health, safety and environmental standards, ensuring safe working conditions. The company’s operational strategy delivers competitive prices, short lead times, high-quality workmanship and overall reliability in the service to the clients.

The industrial trust reposed, Nestoil did not come on a platter. There were days of presentations when Azudialu-Obiejesi and his team were laughed at and turned down by the panels he was meant to convince. Dogged and experienced, he pushed on until he became an entity that could not be ignored.

When they started understanding the business, it took five years of presentation to convince the IOCs that a Nigerian company could do this business, we gathered.

Today, the “King of Swamp,” as Nestoil is proudly known in the industry for its daring moves and attendant successes in terrains even international companies dare not, has accomplished milestones by taking up challenges and difficult projects in the Niger Delta, even in turbulent seasons.

The story continues online edition on www.thisdaylive.com

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NEWS

BUSINESS NETWORKING SESSION...

L-R: CEO, The Etiquette Place, Yvonne Ebbi; Chairman Chemical and Allied Products (CAP) Plc, Awuneba Ajumogobia; Chairman Programmes Committee Nigerian-British Chamber of Commerce (NBCC), Tajudeen Ahmed; President/Chairman of Council, Bisi Adeyemi; Vice Chairman Programmes Committee, Adenike Ibirogba; Chairman Advocacy Committee, Anne Rinu, and Past President, Dapo Adelegan, at the NBCC Speed Business Networking session, held in Lagos… recently

Buhari to Water Resources Minister: Come Up with Flood Prevention Plan Within 90 Days Bayelsa elders’ council donates relief materials, urges president to visit Bayelsa Diri lauds Azikel Group’s for donating N350m worth of food to victims Extends stay-at-home order for workers by one week Confirms flight resumption at Bayelsa airport Flood has Sacked my ancestral home, Muma Gee laments Deji Elumoye in Abuja, Olusegun Samuel in Yenagoa and Blessing Ibunge in Port Harcourt President Muhammadu Buhari yesterday directed the Minister of Water Resources to lead and coordinate with the Ministries of Environment and Transportation as well as State Governments to develop a Comprehensive Plan of Action for Preventing Flood Disaster in Nigeria.

According to a statement released by presidential spokesman, Mallam Garba Shehu, the president’s directive, which was conveyed to the minister in a letter signed by his Chief of Staff, Prof Ibrahim Gambari, said the plan should be presented to him in 90 days.

Buhari is regularly receiving updates on the flooding situation in the country and restated his commitment towards addressing the challenges caused by the disaster in the country, he said.

Meanwhile, Bayelsa State Elders’ Council has called on the president to urgently visit Bayelsa State to personally assess the damage the flood has done to life and livelihood in the state.

The chairman of the Elder’s Council and former Deputy Governor of Bayelsa State Rear Admiral Gboribiogha Jonah (Retired) made the call while speaking on behalf of the group when it donated food items including bags of rice and garri to the state government at the Internally Displaced Person (IDP) Camp at Ox-Bow Lake Yenagoa.

Jonah insisted that in line with the National Disaster Management System, it was the responsibility of the federal agencies to take the lead role rather than leaving the state to contend with the flood disaster, warning that the already appalling situation might relapse into humanitarian crisis if the federal government failed to act swiftly.

He said Bayelsa Elders’ Council was not comfortable with the attitude of a number of federal agencies who they accused of bulk passing, adding that advising Bayelsans to move to higher grounds was an advice out of

misunderstanding because there are no high grounds to go to in Bayelsa.

They advised that the federal government should rather build flood shelters as it had done elsewhere to provide comfortable accommodation each time flood occurs.

The elders however were full of praises for the Bayelsa State Governor, Senator Douye Diri for the courage and determination he has demonstrated in the face of the flood disaster, saying that the Governors commitment to the welfare of flood victims has greatly given comfort and hope to residents of the state.

Jonah said in line with the national disaster management system, it was the responsibility of the federal government to lead the efforts by managing the crisis caused by the unprecedented flood that has taken over the whole state.

He said Bayelsa State Elders would continue to support the governor in his efforts at mitigating the effects of the flood on residents.

Receiving the relief materials, the Chairman of the Flood Mitigation Task Force and Commissioner for Environment, Hon. Iselema Gbaranbiri thanked the elders’ council for their humanitarian gesture and solidarity with government and people of Bayelsa State.

However, the numbers of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in Ox-Bow camp has risen to over 5, 000 persons, just as donation from organisation and individuals keep coming it.

A visit to camp located in Yenagoa, the state capital showed that the facility at the pavilion had been over stretched beyond its limit, leading to calls for additional facilities to accommodate the swelling number of IDPs. In a related development, Diri has urged corporate bodies and well-meaning individuals to take a cue from the management of Azikel Group of Companies that pledged a donation of N350 million worth of food items to flood victims in the state.

Diri made the call yesterday, when president of the firm, Dr. Azibapu Eruani, paid him a

courtesy visit in Government House, Yenagoa.

The governor, in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Daniel Alabrah, commended Eruani, who is a son of the state, for identifying with the flood-ravaged people of the state, noting that it was a demonstration of his love for his people in their time of distress.

"You are the first person from our state to visit us at your level and capacity and that shows that you hold your people in your heart,” he said.

Diri, who also spoke on the state’s airport road being threatened by the flood, said the government took some urgent steps to rehabilitate portions of the road linking the facility and that the United Nigeria Airlines resumed commercial flights yesterday.

“Let me let Nigerians know that the airport is not cut off. Our airport is functional. That is why Azikel Group today flew into Yenagoa

through the Bayelsa airport.

“We took some proactive steps on the road leading to the airport.

That road is now motorable and the airline operating here has also resumed today,” he said.

Diri restated his call on the federal government to intervene in undertaking repair works on the portion of the East-West road ravaged by the flood at both axis of the bordering states of Rivers and Delta.

In his remarks, Eruani said his visit was to offer hope to the people since the state government alone cannot shoulder the challenges occasioned by the flood.

He said the massive devastation caused by this year's floods informed his management’s decision to donate the food items to the victims.

In a related development, the governor announced the extension of the break for civil servants in the state by another one week.

He had last Tuesday during a state broadcast announced an initial break of one week to cushion the effect of the floods on workers in the state.

He made the fresh pronouncement at Zarama community where he made a stop in continuation of his tour of flood-impacted communities of Zarama and Okordia in Yenagoa local government area and Kalama in Kolokuma/Opokuma local government area.

Diri stressed that the compassion of a true leader was felt not only during electioneering period, but also in times of distress.

He underscored the need for all to be their brother's keeper, particularly in this trying times, noting that natural disasters were no respecter of political parties or ethnicity.

In separate remarks, the Commissioner for Education, Dr. Gentle Emelah, and the member representing Yenagoa Constituency

3 in the State Assembly, Ted Elemeforo, urged the people to see themselves as one and care for one another.

Also, as floods continue to ravage the Orashi area in Rivers State, a popular Afrocentric musician, Muma Gee has cried out to the federal government and international community for assistant, saying her ancestral home in Ekpeye kingdom, Ahoada East has been swept off by flood.

The musician who spoke with THISDAY yesterday in Port Harcourt, lamented that properties worth millions of dollars have been submerged in water, with families displaced.

The philanthropist said since the incident affected their neighbouring communities, she and her team have tried to cushion the effect of the disaster by providing relief materials to the victims without the knowledge that her community will later be badly affected.

Buhari: Misinformation Aggravating Insecurity, Distrust Between Govt, Public Deji Elumoye and Olawale Ajimotokan in Abuja President Muhammadu Buhari, yesterday, identified misinformation as exacerbating conflicts and insecurity in the country and were being used to fuel apprehension among the citizens and create distrust between the governments and their peoples.

In his address at the opening session of the 11th Session of Global Media and Information Literary Week (MIL) at the State House, Abuja, the president said, therefore said stakeholders in the country were already facing danger as a result.

In the speech delivered by his Chief of Staff, Prof Ibrahim Gambari, the president stressed the need for stakeholders to come together to defend freedom of speech and continue to work for a common

standard that balances rights with responsibilities.

Buhari said the hosting of this event has amplified the commitment of the federal government to the continued implementation of the United Nations General Assembly's resolution on media and information literacy, which called on countries around the world to develop and implement policies, actions and strategies related to the promotion of media and information literacy.

“The theme of this year's Global MIL Week: ‘Nurturing Trust, a Media and Information Literacy Imperative’ focuses on the use of MIL to address a fundamental element of human and national development, which seems to be waning in most societies of the World. Trust is a key ingredient of democracy and good governance.

Without trust, our avowed pledge to deliver on our promises as leaders

will be impeded by the lack of commitment from the governed.

“As it is evident in our societies, getting reliable information is a constant battle. Media practitioners and stakeholders within the sector face the clear and present danger of misinformation. Misinformation has been used to aggravate conflicts and crisis, exacerbate insecurity, distort government efforts, fuel apprehension among the citizens and create distrust between the governments and their peoples,” Buhari said.

He also recognised the potency of the social media to mould, shape and form opinion, noting that 59 per cent of the world population uses social media, which represents three out of every five people on earth, while about 100 million of Nigeria’s 220 million people were internet users.

He stressed that technology and

social media offered the country nearly limitless opportunities, which must be harnessed especially, by the youth to strengthen the foundations of the society and its common values.

“However, in confronting challenges of rising misinformation and hate speech, we must also come together to defend freedom of speech, whilst upholding other values that we cherish. We must continue to work for a common standard that balances rights with responsibilities to keep the most vulnerable from harm and help strengthen and enrich our communities and most importantly, strengthen trust and social cohesion by improving critical thinking competencies to adequately assess the quality of information received and shared which I believe is a key component of the MIL programme this week,” he added.

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NEWS

DEPARTING FOR KOREA...

L-R: Niger State Governor, Abubakar Sani Bello; Katsina State Governor, Aminu Bello Masari; Minister of FCT, Muhammad Bello and President Muhammadu Buhari, shortly before departing Abuja for South Korea to participate in the first World Bio Summit on Saturday

Momodu: Tinubu Plagiarised Abiola’s Hope’93 Document Says it’s copy and paste, document filled with half-thoughts Nigerians have dismissed PDP as unserious, broken, says APC Chuks Okocha and Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja The Director of Strategic Communications of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Presidential Campaign Council, Bashorun Dele Momodu, has thrashed the manifesto of the the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential candidate, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, saying it was “copied notes” from the late Chief MKO Abiola’s Hope’93 manifesto.

Momodu, who is the Publisher of Ovation Magazine International, however, posited that, “The document is filled with half-thoughts, poor reasoning, and copied notes from Abiola’s ‘Hope ’93’ manifesto”.

But the ruling APC, in some sort of response, has said the PDP was unaware that Nigerians had since dismissed it as an unserious and broken opposition party.

Abiola was presumed to have won the 1993 presidential election on

the platform of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), an election adjudged as the freest and fairest in the annals of Nigeria’s political process but was annulled by the military junta of Gen. Ibrahim Babangida.

But the Buhari administration had recognised Abiola’s victory, making June 12 Nigeria’s Democracy Day and honoured the family and his Vice-Presidential candidate, Babagana Kingibe, who is currently serving as Buhari’s Special Envoy with cabinet

rank status to Chad and the Lake Chad Basin Region.

APC and its presidential candidate, Tinubu, had released the 80-page manifesto tagged: “Renewed Hope 2023” on October 21.

Thus, Momodu, in an article titled: “APC: Renewed hope or forlorn hope?” released on Sunday, criticised Tinubu’s manifesto as “an appropriation of MKO Abiola’s legacy” and pointed out the difference between Abiola and Tinubu,

Kogi CJ: Gov Bello Will Soon Make Magistrates Smile, Warns against Corrupt Practices Ibrahim Oyewale in Lokoja The Acting Chief Judge of Kogi State, Justice Josiah Majebi has disclosed that magistrates in the state would begin to enjoy a new lease of life, saying the governor of the state, Yahaya Bello was on the verge of changing their fortunes for the better.

Justice Majebi made this known during an interactive session he held with the magistrates in Lokoja yesterday.

He said feelers from the executive arm indicated that relevant documents submitted to the governor detailing the needs of the Magistrates were already receiving desired attention and that the results would soon manifest in the improved working conditions of the magistrates.

He, however used the forum to announce the formation of a Public Complaint Unit of the High Court which is imbued with whistleblowing mechanisms.

He urged the magistrates and judges of lower courts in the state as well as other staff to shun corruption.

He said the establishment of the unit was informed by the need to accommodate public view of the Judiciary and deal with complaints arising from the performance of lower courts in the state.

He explained that the enormity

of the financial requirements of the High Court of Justice ecosystem was high and had been presented to the governor for which a commitment has been made.

He noted that unlike other courts, the High Court has 274 courts spread across the state which requires that a more deliverable attention be paid to it.

He however said he was glad that the government of the day was already giving that needed attention that would favour magistrates, staff and all other segments of the court.

He however condemned corrupt practices, noting that the Council of Judges had critically evaluated the negative effect of the menace on the integrity of institutions in the country and arrived at the conclusion that urgent measures must be taken not to allow it to fester in the state's judiciary.

He pointed that the Council would not hesitate in sanctioning any judicial officer or supporting staff of the court when found wanting in that regard, saying the public would be encouraged to maximise the opportunity provided by the whistleblowing window to expose errant ones.

"We have decided to set up Public Complaints Unit and give out phone numbers and let the public be aware that any of our Magistrates and Area Court Judges involved in corruption can

be reported through that process.

“So we are encouraging whistleblowing and you don't need to turn or work against it if you do what is right at the right time. You therefore need to be vigilant to know what is happening in your courts.

"We must always take cognisance of the fact that the judiciary is a

public-oriented institution whose activities are always in public purview. It is therefore expected that we are always mindful of public perception as a measure of our performance and integrity,” he added.

The Acting CJ said the state already has 72 magistrates and wouldn't be appointing new ones.

saying the latter’s presidential bid was a “forlorn hope”.

Momodu, who contested the party’s presidential primary with Atiku Abubakar, said the manifesto was “an insult to the sensibility and needs of Nigerians” and accused the authors of “copy and paste”.

According to him, “Like a crafty student trying to avoid being caught in the act of plagiarism, the authors of the document have tried to rewrite some unoriginal ideas. The authors of the document do not only offend Nigerians with their collection of cliches and pedestrian ideas but they offend, expose and indict the APC candidate, Chief Bola Tinubu.

“I urge you in the spirit of fairness to interrogate what the APC calls a manifesto. You will see that they are promising exactly what they have not been able to achieve in eight years.

“Chief Bola Tinubu is not new to Nigerian politics. It is sad that he allowed some people to copy and repackage, without tact or grace, the Abiola Hope ’93 manifesto and mixed it with the 2015 APC/Buhari manifesto for him.

“They even have the impudence to tag it ‘Renewed Hope’. Nigerians do not need a copy and paste manifesto. They want details and original ideas. The way this country is right now, offering the people empty promises would not take us forward.

“The question for every presidential candidate is how will you solve the problem? We all know what the problem is. Tell us how?

For eight years, Bola Tinubu has projected himself as the power behind the throne.

“His party has failed to lead Nigeria forward. They must stop blaming the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). They must stop blaming the world and COVID 19. The duty of government is to provide leadership and solve problems.

Leadership is about managing people and resources.

“Nigeria urgently requires a leader with exemplary capacity and ability to lead a nation in confusion with distinction and never with untested experimentation. We’ve already gone Continued on page 43

Polio: Over 250 New Cases of Paralysis Recorded in Africa, Says WHO Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja World Health Organisation (WHO) has said despite efforts to halt outbreaks of the circulating polio variant, more than 250 cases of paralysis from polio have been recorded this year in Africa.

It said in order to halt outbreaks of the circulating polio variant, 500 million vaccine doses have been administered globally, 95 percent of these in Africa.

In a message by WHO Regional Director for Africa, Dr. Matshidiso Moeti, to mark the World Polio Day yesterday, the organisation however said significant progress has been made since the beginning of action against Polio in 1988, adding that as many as 20 million children have been spared disability and are walking.

She said: "At the end of the first quarter of 2022, WHO announced the successful closure of 32 outbreaks in 10 countries. Yet, there are ongoing outbreaks that demand we stay vigilant and finish the job. This is critical for Africa to stamp out new cases of wild polio, as well as to safeguard our wild polio-free certification status.

"According to the most updated statistics for the continent, more than 250 cases of paralysis from polio have been recorded this year.

That is 250 too many.”

She further said that, "To halt outbreaks of the circulating polio variant, 500 million vaccine doses have been administered globally, 95 per cent of these in Africa.

"Following two immunisation rounds, no further transmission has been seen. The polio response has

also prompted innovative digital technologies to identify, track and best deliver vaccines, especially to those in hard-to-reach areas."

World Polio Day is marked annually on October 24, providing an opportunity to highlight global efforts toward a polio-free world, and to honour the unwavering commitment of those on the frontlines of the fight to eradicate polio.

The theme for this year, “World Polio Day 2022 and Beyond: A healthier future for mothers and children,” kicked off with discussions in Geneva between WHO, Rotary International and polio experts, to consider future efforts to continue the decades-long collaboration against polio.

Moeti explained that two of the three strains of wild poliovirus (Type 2 and Type 3) have been

certified as eradicated, and in 2020 the African Region was certified as free of indigenous wild polio.

"This progress is admirable, and has safeguarded millions of children and their families from this crippling virus. However, detections of new outbreaks, including in areas where polio was believed to have been eradicated, is a stark reminder that if we do not deliver on our promise to eradicate all forms of polio, everywhere, no child is safe anywhere.

"The Global Polio Eradication Initiative’s (GPEI) 2022-2026 Strategy to end polio lays out the pathway to finish this last mile. The significant global commitment to fund the strategy, at the 2022 World Health Summit polio pledging event earlier this month, was extremely encouraging.

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NEWS

APC PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE VISITS EMIR OF KANO...

L-R: Jigawa State Governor, Abubakar Badaru; Plateau State Governor and Director-General APC Presidential Campaign Council, Dr. Simon Lalong; APC Presidential Candidate, Bola Ahmed Tinubu; Emir of Kano, Dr. Aminu Ado Bayero; APC Vice Presidential Candidate, Senator Kashim Shettima and former Interim Chairman of the party, Chief Bisi Akande, when Tinubu and his entourage paid a courtesy call on the Emir of Kano after a campaign visit to the state... yesterday

Wike: Atiku Doesn't Want Us to Participate in His Campaign Your claim lacks truthfulness, PDP group replies Sunday Aborisade in Abuja and Blessing Ibunge in Port Harcourt Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, has said the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, did not want him and the state chapter of the party to partake in his campaign, saying those who disrespect the state and its electoral importance did not deserve the state to vote for them or their candidates in the 2023 general election.

But the Lagos State branch of the PDP Young Stakeholders, has faulted Wike over his comments that Atiku did not consult him before appointing members from Rivers into his campaign council, saying his claim lacked the merit of truthfulness.

However, Wike, who spoke during the inauguration of the Rivers State PDP campaign council in Port Harcourt, pointed to how Atiku allegedly picked people from the state as members of the presidential campaign council without any input from him, which he said meant they did not want the state to be part of what they were doing.

"The presidential candidate entered Rivers State and picked those he wants to pick without the contribution of the governor.

So, they said they don’t need me to campaign for them, they don’t

need Rivers people to campaign for them. Will you force yourself on them?

“I have never seen how people will disrespect a state like Rivers State and go and choose those who are enemies of the state, without the contribution from us. So, let's campaign for those, who have told us to campaign for them here in the state, the governorship candidate, the senatorial candidates and others."

Wike decried how Rivers State had been treated in the past despite the bulk votes delivered to the PDP since 1999, adding that, people could not continue to demand for Rivers votes and yet be unwilling to accommodate its interest.

"Politics is a game of interest. If nobody accommodates the interest of Rivers State, then, we have nothing to do with such people.

If you say you that you have no interest in Rivers State, Rivers State will not have your own interest.

It is only those who like us that we will like.

"I have told people who care, Rivers State, has voted PDP since 1999. Of this support we have given since 1999 till now, can you mention one thing that we have gotten in this state? Can you mention one road that we have gotten? All they care is to use Rivers State to bring votes, after brining votes, you push

us aside. That will not happen again,” he said.

Wike advised the Rivers PDP campaign council to have a different mindset, saying the strategies to be adopted for the 2023 election would not be like what they had known.

He stated that PDP in Rivers had done well for the people, with such feat attested to by President Muhammadu Buhari, which makes it more difficult for any party to have a chance of winning the election in the State.

Wike, who boosted that Rivers was the envy of other states because of his remarkable achievements in office, which would be beneficial

to all PDP candidates in the state, said he has directed the release of N50 billion to contractors handling projects in the state to enable them speed up work.

But the Lagos State branch of PDP Young Stakeholders, which disclaimed Wike’s claims, said in the statement by Dr Tai Oyekan, that Wike could be likened to a prodigal son, who took his inheritance in annoyance.

"To put the records straight, and which can be corroborated by every stakeholder in the party, that the PDP and its presidential candidate consulted all governors and leaders in each state before nominating members into the

The Commandant General of Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Ahmed Abubakar Audi has announced the approval by the Civil Defence, Corrections, Fire and Immigration Board (CDCFIB) that different forms of disciplinary measures should be taken against 31 officers and men of Corps involved in various degrees of offences.

Among the number, 15 were dismissed from service, nine are to face compulsory retirement, seven were given suspension while the remaining two are to face interdiction and demotion respectively.

Audi, confirmed this during a management meeting at the NSCDC national headquarters yesterday,

where he vowed and reiterated his determination not to allow errant officers portray the corps in bad light under his leadership.

A statement released by the Corps spokesman, DCC Olusola Odumosu in Abuja, said the actions of the erring personnel made it imperative to invoke internal disciplinary mechanism by setting up disciplinary committees which carried out investigation and orderly room trial for various offences and spelt out recommendation of different sanctions to the Board for approval.

“Consequently, 31 officers and men involved in different acts deemed unbecoming of personnel of the Corps are to face different sanctions.

“Among them, 15 are dismissed from service, nine are to face

"Governor Wike can be likened to a prodigal son who took his inheritance in annoyance. But we are hopeful that the party, as father to all, will have rectitude to accept Governor Wike back as a prodigal son whenever he returns in penitence.

"Before then, we wish to admonish Governor Wike that for the purpose of posterity, he should desist from telling lies against the PDP and leaders of the party. Nigeria operates a democratic politics and that means that Governor Wike has the rights of participation or otherwise. Be that as it may, however, he alone does not approximate River State.”

Oyebanji: My SSG, AG Appointed on Experience, Not Imposition Victor Ogunje in Ado Ekiti Ekiti State Governor, Mr Biodun Oyebanji, yesterday, presided over the swearing-in of the Secretary to the State Government, Dr Habibat Adubiaro and the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Dayo Apata (SAN), saying they

were appointed based on their experiences, track records, and not by imposition from any quarters.

He charged the appointees to develop new socio-political skills and emotional intelligence to cope with the pressure associated with their respective offices.

The governor, who said the two

NSCDC Dismisses 15, Retires 7, Demotes 2 Over Extortion, Forgery, Others Kuni Tyessi in Abuja

presidential campaign council.

"Whereas all state governors made nominations into the council, it was only in Rivers State that the governor refused to forward his nominations into the council. It was, therefore, upon the refusal of the governor that the PDP and its presidential candidate went ahead by their own discretion to make nominations into the council.

"It is public knowledge that Governor Wike, has gone amok with the party since his failure to emerge as presidential candidate of the party and has stated, publicly also, that he will not cooperate with the party in our presidential campaign.

compulsory retirement, seven were given suspension while the remaining two are to face interdiction and demotion respectively,” he added.

The breakdown of the officers indicates that among the numbers dismissed includes one ASC1, two CCA, three AIC, three CA111, two CA11, one CA1, one IC and one AIC are to face dismissal and prosecution.

On the other hand, the suspended officers were two Deputy Commandants of Corps, three Assistant Commandant of Corps, one Assistant Superintendent of Corps ASCII and one CAII. The board also approved the interdiction of an Inspector of Corps (IC) and demotion of one other Inspector of Corps (IC).

The 31 affected personnel were sanctioned for offences ranging

from job racketeering, conspiracy, extortion, forgery, absence without leave (AWOL), dishonesty, economic sabotage among others among others.

“Following the disgraceful conduct of the concerned officers, the Commandant General has called on all personnel to uphold the Corps’ Standard Operating Procedure (SOP), Code of Ethics, discipline and adherence to Public Service Rules,” he added.

The CG warned that the sanctions meted out to erring personnel should serve as deterrent to others as unethical conducts will not be condoned in the Corps.

He, however promised to reward officers and men who excel in their various assignments as a motivation for good conducts and dedication to service.

officials were appointed based on their rich credentials and experiences, restated his promise to get very competent Ekiti indigenes wherever they are to man strategic positions in his administration.

He also debunked insinuations in some quarters that he was under pressure by the immediate past Governor, Dr Kayode Fayemi, his wife, Erelu Bisi Fayemi and former deputy governor to appoint their cronies into his cabinet.

Oyebanji said he had promised the people of the state that members of his cabinet would be the best set of individuals that would assist him in managing the affairs of Ekiti in a manner that would bring about the fulfilment of his electoral promises to the people of the state.

According to him, “While I recognise the right of people to freedom of expression, I also have the right to respond to the fake news being circulated on social media. Having listened to the CVs of the two appointees, you will discover that they got this job clearly on merit. My promise to Ekiti people is that I am going to look for the best anywhere to help me run Ekiti and that is what we are going to do.

“We are not going to be distracted

as long as we are doing what is right in the interest of our people.

But, I need to put it on record that neither the former governor nor his wife, nor the former deputy governor, has put any pressure on me to appoint anybody. But if I have to go back to his former cabinet and appoint relevant people that can assist me, I will go and pick them.”

Expressing confidence in the professionalism and competence of Adubiaro to serve SSG, Oyebanji stated that her appointment was in consonance with his administration's commitment to gender balance, affirmative action and equity.

He therefore, charged the duo to develop a robust policy engagement platform, where policy stakeholders could learn, interact, engage, review and evaluate government plans and programme from time to time to achieve the overall objectives of his administration.

“As you assume office, you need to learn fast on the job and familiarise yourself with the function of your respective offices, you must also acquaint yourself with the manifestoes that earn us the mandate of the good people of Ekiti State and to understand the direction of policies and programmes of this administration,” he said.

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NEWS

HONOURED FOR SERVICE...

CEO, Sure Health Laboratory and Diagnostics, Mrs. Hafsat Lawal Garba (centre) and others, during the presentation of Certificate of Satisfaction and Award of Excellence to her by the National Association of Northern Nigerian Students (NANNS) in her office in Abuja... recently

Hafsat Lawal Garba: Honoured for Contributing to National Development with Integrity The CEO of Sure Health Laboratory and Diagnostics Mrs. Hafsat Lawal Garba was on the 15th of October 2022, awarded with Certificate of Satisfaction and Award of Excellence by the National Association of Northern Nigerian Students (NANNS) in recognition of her immense contribution towards national development, educational upliftment, youth engagement and service to humanity. Mrs. Garba was also awarded in recognition of her sagacity, uprightness, diligence, disposition of duties with

absolute fairness, and accountability alongside humanitarian services.

Mrs. Garba was handed this award and recognition in the recent event held at her office Sure Health Lab., S05, Third Floor, Hmedix Building, Yakubu Gowon Crescent, Asokoro, and was attended by members of the Association. Also in attendance were officials of the association: Amb. Nafiu Yushau Zugachi of Bayero University Kano (BUK), Amb. Hauwau Ibrahim of Ahmadu Bello University Zaria (ABU), Amb. Aliyu Yakubu of

Federal University Dutse (FUD) and Amb. Aliyu Sulaiman of Usman Danfodio University Sokoto (UDUSK).

Mrs. Garba is known for her vision, humility, courage, commitment to people’s wellbeing, growth and development, prudence, competence and charismatic in all her dealings. She is mostly addressed as a mentor, a role model, and a pillar of support to the society of her influence.

Her Laboratory, Sure Health Laboratory and Diagnostics Ltd.

is a world class modern diagnostic centre with state-of-the-art facility and advanced equipment. It’s 21st century modern tools and equipment makes it stand out, offering it an edge over other Laboratories within the country. The Lab’s core value showcases accuracy and precision within a short turn-around time. It is recorded to be one of the fastest growing Laboratories in the country, serving over 3000 clients and releasing over 8000 test results within its first year of operations.

Sure Health Laboratory provides

all kinds of medical investigations, professional medical consultation services, home services, corporate and domestic health packages for individuals and businesses respectively, and micro-clinical services that are within its scope.

Founded in 2021, the Laboratory’s_ current and only location is at S05, Third Floor, Hmedix Building, Yakubu Gowon Crescent, Asokoro, Abuja. Meanwhile, management of the Laboratory are already considering expansion through corporate-strategic partner-

ship, public-private partnership, and a branch office, to enable it to serve its clients efficiently and effectively. In the CEO’s appreciation speech, Mrs. Garba reveals her plans of collaborating with independent bodies such as the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) in the fight against drug abuse amongst teenagers and young adults. She also mentioned the need for organizations to recognize and encourage them as key players in the private health sector.

ECOWAS Charges Nigeria to Ensure Success of 2023 Polls Says any mistake will have negative effect on subregion, Africa Chuks Okocha in Abuja The Economic Community of West Africa States (ECOWAS), yesterday, charged Nigerians to ensure the success of the 2023 general election as the country could not afford to make a mistake.

ECOWAS said it was concerned about the success of the 2023 general election in the country due to its effects in the region and the Africa continent as a whole.

The sub-regional raised the concern yesterday in Abuja, when a delegation of ECOWAS pre-election fact-finding mission to Nigeria led

by Dr Kwadwo Afari-Gyan, former

Chairman, Electoral Commission of Ghana, paid a courtesy visit to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) headquarters.

According to the leader of the delegation, who is also the Director, Political Affairs, ECOWAS Commission, Dr. Remi Ajibewa, said they were in Nigeria for fact-finding ahead of the country 2023 general election in line with ECOWAS supplementary protocol 2021 to observe elections in Nigeria.

Ajibewa said Article 11, 12 and 13 of the protocol mandated the commission to deploy electoral factfinding mission to every member states of ECOWAS that were about

to conduct the election, especially, presidential election.

He stressed that the delegation’s visit to Nigeria was not the first time as that was done during other previous elections in the country, including the 2019 general election.

Ajibewa said ECOWAS looked forward to successful and credible elections in West Africa countries especially, Nigeria in 2023, given the leadership role the country played in the sub-region.

“We all know the importance Nigeria holds, given the fact that, as they used to say, if Nigeria sneezes, the whole West Africa catches cold and we don’t pray that will be the

result. So, we are here to listen to you, to see the area of challenges that we might also report,” he said.

In his response, the INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, assured the ECOWAS delegation that Nigeria’s 2023 elections would be technology-driven to enhance the success of the election.

“Let me restate the commitment of INEC to Nigeria’s free, fair and credible elections, driven by technology. The 2023 general election in Nigeria will be driven by technology not only as a matter of legal requirement, but also as a matter of course, for us in the commission.

Diezani Finally Loses Abuja Homes, Cars to FG Alex Enumah in Abuja A former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Diezani AlisonMadueke yesterday forfeited two of her Abuja houses as well as two luxury cars to the federal government.

The forfeiture was sequel to an order of the Federal High Court, Abuja in respect of an application in that regard by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission ( EFCC).

The commission had last year in two separate suits with No. 1122/2021 and Suit No 1123/2021, prayed Justice Mobolaji Olajuwon

of the Federal High Court, Abuja, for an order of final forfeiture of the said properties over their alleged linkage to proceeds of corruption.

A statement by EFCC's Head of Media and Publicity, Mr. Wilson Uwujaren identified the seized houses as Plot 1854 Mohammed Mahashir Street, and No. 6, Aso Drive, in the highbrow Asokoro and Maitama Districts of Abuja.

The two houses were evaluated at $2,674,418USD and N380, 000,000 respectively, while the luxury cars; a black BMW saloon with Chassis No B8CV54V66629 and registered number, RBC155

DH and a black Jaguar saloon car with Chassis No SAJAA.20 GRDMv43376, valued at N36,000,000 EFCC had on November 29, 2021 secured the interim forfeiture on the assets in a ruling on separate motion ex-parte filed on September 27, 2021 which prayed the court to order the interim forfeiture of the assets on the grounds of reasonable suspicion that they were proceeds of unlawful activities.

In granting the interim forfeiture Order, Justice Olajuwon had ordered the EFCC to publish a notice in a national

newspaper, inviting anyone with interest in the assets to show cause why they should not be finally forfeited to the federal government of Nigeria. The court consequently adjourned till January 22, 2022 for report.

In compliance with the Order of Court, the Forfeiture Order was published in THISDAY Newspaper of Wednesday April 6, 2022.

In the absence of any contestation of the Interim Order, the Court, on Monday October 24, ordered final forfeiture of the properties to the federal government.

“So, I want to assure the ECOWAS team that we are committed to delivering a credible election in the next four months and a few days, which will be Nigeria's seventh successive elections, since the restoration of democracy in 1999,” Yakubu said.

The INEC chairman further said that in demonstration of INEC’s openness and the ritual of receiving international observers, the commission had invited international organisations across the world to come and observe Nigeria 2023 general election.

MOMODU: TINUBU PLAGIARISED ABIOLA’S HOPE’93 DOCUMENT through calamitous experiments in the last eight years. The APC government is the only government that blames others and the past for its lack of innovation and creativity.

“I insist that the authors of the APC manifesto exposed and indicted both APC and Chief Bola Tinubu. The authors of the document, whoever they are, seem so disrespectful of Nigerians that they do not seem to care or know that Nigerians will ask where was Chief Bola Tinubu and his running mate when the current administration was getting things wrong with a similar game plan and manifesto?”

But the Director of Public Affairs and Chief Spokesperson of Tinubu/ Shettima Presidential Campaign Council, Festus Keyamo, in a statement yesterday said, it expected that its Action Plan would inspire other political parties, especially, the PDP to engage it constructively on the initiatives and programmes the ruling party intends to implement.

He said, "It appears the Peoples Democratic Party is unaware that

Nigerians have since dismissed it as an unserious and broken opposition party. If nothing at all, its latest press release signed by Chief Dele Momodu attests to its crass unseriousness.

"Our expectation is that our Action Plan would inspire other political parties, especially, the intellectually bankrupt PDP, to engage us constructively on the initiatives and programmes we intend to implement."

Keyamo said true to type, PDP has again reacted, without even reading the content on the document, adding that all they were interested in was the title of the message, not the quality of the ideas.

The APC noted that it was extremely amused, but not entirely shocked, saying, “This only demonstrated once again PDP's incurable incapacity to act as a credible opposition to the ruling party,” noting that on the contrary, the five-point agenda of Atiku was nothing to write home about.

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IMAGES

T H I S D AY ˾ DAY Ͱͳ˜ ͰͮͰͰ

Photo Editor Abiodun Ajala Email abiodun.ajala@thisdaylive.com

L-R: Edo State First Lady, Mrs. Betty Obaseki; wife of Lagos State Deputy Governor and Vice Chairman, Committee of Wives of Lagos State Officials (COWLSO), Mrs. Oluremi Hamzat; Deputy Governor, Lagos State, Dr. Obafemi Hamzat; representative of Borno State Governor, Mrs. Hauwa Abubakar; and Lagos State First Lady/Chairman, COWLSO, Dr. Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu, during the closing of the 2022 National Women Conference organised by COWLSO in Lagos...recently

L-R: General Secretary, Maryland Club, Lagos, Charles Thomas; Club President, Bayo Ogunbiyi; Vice President of the club, Peter Egwuatu; and former Vice President of the club, Cornel Olawuyi, at the inauguration of new executives of Maryland Club at the Celebration Garden, GRA in Ikeja, Lagos…recently

L-R: Media and Communication Officer, Connected Development, Oluwaseun Durojaiye; Founder/Chief Executive Officer, BudgIt Foundation, Seun Onigbinde; Chief Executive Officer, CODE, Hamzat Lawal; and Communications Officer, BudgIt Foundation, Nancy Odimegwu, during the official launch of the Nigerian Health Sector Accountability in Abuja...recently PHOTO: KINGSLEY ADEBOYE

L-R: Father of the groom, Mr. David Obamoyegun; groom, Mr. Feranmi Obamoyegun; and his bride, Mrs. Opeyemi Aderonke Obamoyegun, during their marriage ceremony at the Ikeja Local Government Area Registry in Lagos...recently

L-R: Director, News and Current Affairs, Lagos Traffic Radio, Samson Akinyemi; Corporate Relation Director, Guinness Nigeria, Rotimi Odusola; General Manager, Lagos State Transport Management Authority (LASTMA), Bolaji Oreagba; General Manager, Lagos State Drivers’ Institute (LASDRI), Afusat Tiamiyu; and Director of Transport Operations, Lagos State Ministry of Transportation, Olasunkanmi Ojoowuro, during the Guinness Nigeria Plc and LASDRI Train-The-Trainer session of Wrong Side of the Road (WSOTR) for driving instructors and operators in Lagos...recently

The Executive Chairman, Obijackson Group, Dr. Ernest Azudialu-Obiejesi (left), receiving the national award of Officer of the Order of the Federal Republic (OFR) from President Muhammadu Buhari in Abuja…recently

L-R: Guests, Mr. Deji Agboola, Mr. Olubunmi Aregbesola, Dr. Adejobi Adeloye; President, Asa Day Worldwide Inc. Canada, Prince Joel Olaniyi Oyatoye; Nigerian High Commissioner to Canada, Adeyinka Asekun; President, Nigerian Association in Manitoba, Rev. Wilson Akinwale; and Minister of Trade and Investment, Obioma Nzewuji, during the 2022 Mahatma Gandhi Centre of Canada (MGCC) award ceremony held in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada…recently

TUESDAY OCTOBER 25, 2022 ˾ T H I S D AY

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NEWS

PHILANTHROPY IN ACTION…

L-R: Retired Principal, Jakande Estate Comprehensive Senior College, Mrs. Adesanya Olufisayo; Philanthropy Manager, Cuppy Foundation, Mrs. Ruth Okonye; Senior Special Assistant to the Lagos State Governor on Sustainable Development Goals, Mr. Lekan Fatodu, and Principal, Jakande Estate Comprehensive Senior College, Mr. Oluleye Emmanuel, at the inauguration of Virtual Science Laboratory donated

by Cuppy Foundation at Jakande Estate Comprehensive Senior College, Abesan, Lagos…recently ETOP UKUTT

Rescue Abducted Medical Personnel or Face Strike Action, NMA Tells Niger

Laleye Dipo inMinna

The Niger State Chapter of the Nigeria Medical Association (NMA), has told the Niger State Government to rescue the medical

personnel abducted by bandits from the Abdulsalami Abubakar General Hospital in Gulu in the Lapai Local Government Area of the state two weeks ago or face industrial action.

Oyo Faults Fashola’s Claims on Lagos-Ibadan Expressway The Oyo State Government has reacted to a claim by the Federal Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Raji Fashola (SAN), that it is responsible for the noncompletion of the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway project, saying he is economical with the truth.

In a statement yesterday , the Oyo State Government said it was imperative to set records straight as a government committed to ensuring that the good people of Oyo State enjoy the dividends of good governance.

The statement reads:” Firstly, we need to clarify that two major projects, the dualisation of the 8.2km Agodi – Gate - Old

Ife – Adegbayi Junction Road and a few projects under the World Bank assisted Ibadan Urban Flood Management Project (IUFMP) interface with the 127.6 km Lagos-Ibadan Expressway project at CH 115-117, CH 117 and CH 125.

In real terms, this stretch is less than three kilometers.”

“Secondly, we would have expected that the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing would have reached out to us to find out how long we would need to complete the aforementioned projects being that Oyo State has been in communication with the Ministry.”

Aveon Offshore to Produce Pressure Vessels in Nigeria weekend in Port Harcourt, the

Blessing Ibunge in Port Harcourt

Aveon Offshore Limited (AOL), an oil services company, has made history following its being awarded the MANCAP certification by the Standard Organisation of Nigeria (SON) to manufacture pressure vessels in Nigeria.

By this feat, Aveon has become the first MANCAP certified pressure vessels manufacturers in the oil and gas sector in Nigeria.

Speaking during the formal presentation of the certificate last

Director General of SON, Mr. Farouk Salim, stressed that “this milestone achievement in the pursuit of service excellence is highly commendable and worthy of emulation by all oil and gas, energy, infrastructure and manufacturing companies in Nigeria.”

Salim said: “The process approach deployed by your company in producing your product aligns with ISO 17020, ISO 17065 and the ASME standards requirements applicable for the design and construction of pressure vessels.

Tinubu’s Wife Supports Benue Flood Victims with N10m George Okoh in Makurdi Wife of the Presidential Candidate of the All Progressive Congress (APC) Senator Oluremi Tinubu, yesterday gave out cash donation of N10 million to victims of the recent flood that ravished Benue State She also donated relief materials worth several millions of niara to the displaced victims. Sen.Tinubu was received by chieftains of the APC and was later received by the Benue State Governor

Samuel Ortom at Government House in Makurdi.

Speaking at the event Sen. Tinubu said out of the N10 million donated, N50, 000 will be given to each of the two hundred profiled flood victims in Benue state.

She said she felt it won’t be proper to provide only food items, which will not last for the victims but to give them financial assistant that will enable them start up a small business to fend for themselves.

Amedical doctor and pharmacist as well as other medical staff were kidnapped from the hospital where two villagers were also killed with one of them slaughtered by the gunmen.

The NMA gave the government seven days within which to secure the release of the abductees.

A statement made available to newsmen in Minna yesterday and signed by the State Chairman of

the NMA, Dr. Yussuf Mohammed, said that the organisation has to issue the threat because of the non-committal position of the government on the issue of the rescue of those abducted.

Muhammad said that government should deploy the entire arsenal in its amoury to swiftly rescue the abducted medical personnel who are spending their second week in captivity.

He said: “We want the State Government to immediately coordinate its activities by ensuring that our Member and other medical staff abducted are freed unconditionally and save their families the trauma.”

According to him, the spate of insecurity in the state is hampering his members from carrying out their duties in remote locations across the State and therefore asked the

government to urgently provide security cover for all medical facilities and personnel to safeguard them and the patients patronising such facilities.

“Lets sound it loud and clear that if security cover is not provided to health care facilities and we have a repeat of what happened at Gulu General Hospital, we will immediately down tools,” Mohammed said.

Lagos PDP Guber Candidate Says He’s Undeterred by Recent Attacks Segun James Despite attack on his campaign train last Sunday, the Lagos State Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate, Dr. Abdul-Azeez Adediran (Jandor) has said he would not be deterred in his resolve to win the state for the people.

According to Adediran, whose campaign train was attacked

at Mowo area of Badagry, the development has only spurred him more in his quest.

The attack which occurred at about 6:30p.m while the team was returning from a visitation to members of the party at Ikoga area, left some journalists and PDP supporters wounded and many vehicles damaged.

Refused to be intimidated by the attack allegedly sponsored

by the loyalists of the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC), Adediran, whose bullet proof vehicle was also damaged, met with leagues of pastors in Ojo LGA while Funke Akindele continued to visit markets in the area.

Adediran, in an interactive session with the league of pastors in Igbede/Iyana axis of Ojo Local Government,

said that the state needed a breath of fresh air that would make Lagos works for all and sundry.

According to him, the Badagry Division where Ojo LGA is also located has suffer long neglect, hence the need to support him as an indigene of Ojo LGA, to change the story of the division for better.

Ekweremadu: Enugu Community Seeks Divine, FG’s Intervention GideonArinzeinEnugu

The people of Mpu in Aninri Local Government Area (LGA) of Enugu State, community of former Deputy President of the Nigerian Senate, Senator Ike Ekweremadu recently shut down their market in solidarity over the continued detention of their son and wife.

Ekweremadu has been standing trial in the United Kingdom (UK) sinceAugust over alleged conspiracy

to harvest organ.

Worried by the continued detention,leadershipofthecommunity organised a one-day prayer summit to seek divine intervention on the matter. They also used the opportunity to further appeal to the Nigerian government to intervene in the continued detention of their son, a situation which they described as injustice both to him and Nigeria.

In his address, president-general of the community, Francis Oshimiri-Ude

said that Ekweremadu had saved many lives by his acts of philanthropy, adding that the former deputy senate president was only trying to do the same for his own daughter and had to get into trouble.

“Senator Ekweremadu is our illustrious son. Without him, our world seems shattered. We know he didn’t commit any crime. This is a man with a heart of gold, who has transformed our communities and many communities in Enugu

West and beyond,” he said.

He called on those holding him to investigate his lifestyle from birth to know that he has good records and do well to release unconditionally to rejoin his people and continue his good works.

Leading the prayer, the Head Pastor, Ancient Path Restoration Revival Assembly, Pastor Nathaniel Nwankwo,admonishedthepeopleto put their faith in God as the ultimate decider of every case.

Bauchi High Court Stops EFCC from Disrupting State’s Operations Segun Awofadeji in Bauchi The Bauchi High Court has restrained the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) from tempering with the property of Bº–auchi State Government or doing anything capable of disrupting the smooth running of its offices and companies pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice.

The court that was presided

over by the Chief Judge of Bauchi State, Justice Rabi Talatu Umar, further directed the EFCC to remove the defacement it painted on the wall of the premises of the Bauchi State Environmental Protection Agency (BASEPA). The court, in its ruling on a motion filed in Suit No: BA/326”/2022 between the Bauchi State Government, the BASEPA and the EFCC as defendant, ordered “that an order granted restraining the

respondent from tempering with property No. 10, Sokoto Road, Old GRA, Bauchi belonging to the plaintiff or doing any other thing capable of disrupting the smooth running of affairs of BASEPA as well as Zaranda Hotel Bauchi and Wikki Hotels, Bauchi, Bauchi State pending the hearing and determination of motion on notice.”

It further ruled “that an order of this honourable court is granted directing

the defendant/respondent to remove forthwith the mark inscription put on the plaintiffs/Applicants premises No. 10, Sokoto road, Old GRA Bauchi, Zaranda Hotel along Jos Road, Bauchi and Wikki Hotels, Yakubun Bauchi Road, Bauchi, Bauchi State pending the hearing and determination of motion on notice; “That the return date for the hearing of Motion on Notice is 9th day of November, 2022.”

Tambuwal Inaugurates PDP State Campaign Council

Onuminya InnocentinSokoto

GovernorAminu Waziri Tambuwal of Sokoto State, yesterday, inaugurated the campaign council of the Sokoto State Chapter of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP).

Announcing the names of the council’s members for Ubandoma/ Bafarawa and Atiku/ Okowa

campaigns, the Sokoto State Chairman of PDP, Mr. Aliyu Goronyo, charged them to deliver the state for the PDP. Goronyo noted that the names were carefully selected based on their track records in their respective local governments, zone, wards and polling units.

Speaking at the inauguration of

the council, Governor Tambuwal, who is also the chairman of the committees, said that he ceded his position as the chairman to the former Governor of Sokoto State, Mr. Dalhatu Attahiru Bafarawa, stressing that they could not combine director general of Atiku/ Okowa campaign organisation with the chairman of the council in the

state.

The committees has the former governorship aspirant of All Progressive Congress (APC) and former Minister of Transportation during ex-President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration, Mr. Yusuf Suleiman, as the director general with some PDP network and support groups as members.

TUESDAY OCTOBER 25, 2022 ˾ T H I S D AY

46

NEWSXTRA

HEALTH SECTOR ACCOUNTABILITY REPORT LAUNCHED…

L-R, Manager BudgIt Office Abuja, Tolu Agunloye; Media and Communication Officer, Connected Development, Oluwaseun Durojaiye; Founder/CEO, BudgIt Foundation, Seun Onigbinde; Chief Executive Officer, CODE, Hamzat Lawal, and Communications Officer BudgIt Foundation, Nancy Odimegwu, during the official launch of the Nigerian Health Sector Accountability Report in Abuja… recently

N’Assembly Too Weak to Curb Corruption, Wasteful Expenditure, Lawan, Bankole Lament SundayAborisadeinAbuja

Senate President, Ahmad Lawan and a former Speaker of the

House of Representatives, Mr. Dimeji Bankole, openly confessed yesterday that the legislature lacked the powers to curb corruption and

Head of Service of Federation Urges Civil Servants to Eschew Corruption

Olawale Ajimotokan in Abuja

The Head of Service of the Federation (HSF), Dr. Folasade Yemi-Esan, has charged civil servants to make deliberate efforts to address the menace of corruption that has continued to portray the country in bad light.

She made the appeal yesterday at a one-day inhouse Anti-Corruption and Transparency Unit (ACTU) sensitisation programme for Directorate Cadre Officers GL. 15-17 in the Office of the

Head of Civil Service of the Federation (OHCSF).

The Permanent Secretary, Special Duties Office (SDO), OHCSF, Farouk Yusuf Yabo, declared the programme open on behalf of Yemi-Esan. She said as part of efforts to continue to raise awareness and identify existing gaps in the anti-corruption initiatives that had been put in place by the present administration, there was the need to sensitise officers on transparency, discipline and accountability in the service.

The Chairperson, Senate Committee on Women Affairs, Mrs. Betty Apiafi, has revealed that she received death threats from unknown persons and fellow politicians, who called her on the phone to intimidate her ahead of the forthcoming elections in 2023.

Apiafi, who spoke with journalists on yesterday on the sidelines of the ‘Womanifesto National Women’s Dialogue 2022’ in Abuja, said insecurity and the country’s poor economy would pose the greatest hurdles to the

next year.

The theme of the dialogue is ‘Electoral Integrity and Accountability: Towards Corruption-Free Elections’.

She said: “The issues of insecurity and the state of the economy are going to really be a big challenge to contend with during the next election.

“We’re all aware of the state of the economy. Of course, when the economy is the way it is, it becomes difficult for you to run an election without spending a lot of money.

wasteful expenditure in government.

Lawan and Bankole spoke at the 2022 Convocation ceremony of the Post-graduate and Higher National Diploma programmes of the National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies, an affiliate of the University of Benin.

The Senate President at the event, held in Abuja, regretted

that Nigerians were beaming their searchlight on the National Assembly which was collecting less that one per cent of the national budget instead of asking the executive which is controlling 99 per cent of the funds questions He said, “The revelations about funds for the National Assembly and the budget of the other side

of government are things that Nigerians know but ironically Nigerians don’t care of about whatever happens to the 99 per cent of the budget.

“All they care about is the one per cent being collected by the National Assembly. How does the one per cent influence our lives? We hardly know beyond

people voting. I think the reality is the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 as amended as it is today has left the legislature prostrate.

“Prostrate because in section 88 (of the 1999 Constitution), it talks of the legislature exposing corruption, waste and embezzlement and so on.

Flooding: Lagos Issues Fresh Update for Lekki, Ikoyi, Epe, Others Lagos State Government yesterday issued a fresh update to all residents in highbrow areas in Ikoyi, Lekki and Victoria Island and other coastal areas in Epe and Badagry to be cautious of backflow flooding due to the high tide in the Lagos lagoon.

The state gave the warning in a statement issued by the

State Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Tunji Bello.

He said the latest advisory became necessary due to the high tide of the Lagos Lagoon.

Bello said the high tide of the lagoon has made it difficult for storm run-off from the various channels to discharge effectively into the lagoon.

This, he said may cause a stagnation into the streets and major roads until the level of the lagoon subsides to allow for a discharge of the channels Bello said the trending video of the water level under the Third Mainland Bridge almost being filled to the brim was fake news.

According to him, the video only captures the

Oworonshoki end of the bridge, which he described as normal because the area is a deck on pile.

The statement advised all the residents coastal areas to monitor the incidental rains regularly, ensure situational awareness at all times, refrain from dumping refuse in the drains and clean their tertiary drains regularly

Smugglers Kill Customs Officer, Injure Three in Kwara 2023: Female Senator Alleges Death Suspected are now receiving medical intercepted smuggled goods. swung into action and Hammed Shittu in Ilorin in a hospital.

The statement read: “Joint evacuated the seized items Threats from Fellow Politicians Suspected smugglers have attention A statement issued in Ilorin Border Patrol Team (JBPT) Sector into their operational vehicles women running for elective offices Kuni Tyessi inAbuja

Secondary Schools Students Warned against Cultism in A’Ibom Okon Bassey in Uyo Akwa Ibom State Government has admonished secondary school students in the state to shun cultism and other social vices that would be detrimental to their education and future career.

The state Deputy Governor, Mr. Moses Ekpo, gave the admonition while addressing staff and students of Government Model Girls Secondary School in Ikot Ekang and Holy Family

College, Oku Abak in Abak Local Government Area of the state.

At the Holy Family College, the deputy governor, who is also an Old Boy of the college, said the school groomed and shaped him into who he has become today, and praised the principal and staff for keeping the flag of his Alma-mata flying.

According to him, the college had produced more than 28 Professors, Judges at the state and federal levels, and highly placed personalities in the society.

reportedly killed a senior officer attached to the Joint Border Patrol Team (JBPT) Sector 3 of the Nigerian Customs Service (NCS) on the Sinau-Kenu Road in Baruten Local Government Area of Kwara State.

Also, three other officers sustained serious injuries and

yesterday and signed by the Public Relations Officer of the Customs Command in the state, Chado Zakari, on behalf of the JBPT, said the incident happened when the operatives of the JBPT and the hoodlums engaged in serious attack after the latter had

3 operatives on information patrol on Sinau-Kenu road in Baruten LGA of Kwara State intercepted 40 bags of foreign parboiled rice 50kg each and 30 jerry cans of petrol 25 litres each abandoned in7 the bush paths on Sinau-Kenu Road.

“The operatives immediately

for onward delivery to the government warehouse for safe keeping in line with rules of engagement, but while on transit, a group of hoodlums laid ambush and pelted our personnel with guns, stones, bottles, cutlasses, sticks, charms and other dangerous items.

PDP Manifesto: NGO Commends Atiku, Doubts Implementations of Economic Policies Dike Onwuamaeze Civichive, an innovation hub of BudgIT, has commended the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Atiku Abubakar for his plan to accelerate the development and funding of the micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) and the

business ecosystem in Nigeria if he is elected president in 2023 presidential election.

The NGO’s commendation was contained in a statement signed by its Project Lead, RoadMap to 2023 Election Project, Ms. Temidayo Musa, on the policy review of Atiku Abubakar’s 2023 Presidential Manifesto.

The review also noted that Atiku’s policies were built on huge assumptions that might not align with current structural limitations.

The review highlighted some of the key contents of Atiku’s manifesto, which included raising GDP per capita to $5,000 by 2030, creating three million new jobs, lifting 10

million poor Nigerians out of poverty yearly; increasing police workforce strength to one million personnel; reducing food import share from the current estimation of 20 per cent to between 5.0 and 10 per cent, increasing the inflow of Foreign Direct Investments (FDIs) to a minimum of 2.5 per cent of GDP by 2030; amongst others.

JTF Arrests Three for Vandalising Oil Installations in Rivers Blessing Ibunge in PortHarcourt Security operatives have apprehended three suspected oil thieves who specialise in vandalising oil installations including wellheads, flowlines and pipelines with a view to stealing crude oil in Rivers state.

THISDAY learned that the three men were caught breaking and

removing wellhead installations of Belemaoil facilities within the Idama Oil Field in Akuku-Toru Local Government Area of the state.

Sources told THISDAY that the vandals were arrested within the general area of OML-55 Field by men of 103 Battalion of the Nigerian Army acting on a tip-off base on credible intelligence.

“The suspects completely vandalised all accessories of the wellhead and were about carting away the stolen items before they were apprehended by the military on general field patrol.

“On sighting the military, the vandals fled into the mangrove but luck ran out of the three who were arrested,” the source said.

The source who pleaded anonymity also revealed that the suspects had also vandalised two other oil wells within the Idama Oil Field before they were apprehended.

It was gathered that several items including oilwell accessories were recovered from the suspects at the time of their arrest by the military.

47

TUESDAY, O ͺͽ˜ ͺ͸ͺͺ ˾ T H I S D AY

TUESDAYSPORTS

Group Sports Editor: Duro Ikhazuagbe Email: duro.ikhazuagbe@thisdaylive.com

0811 181 3083 SMS ONLY

Osimhen Can Be World Best, Says Spalletti CHAMPIONS LEAGUE (Today)

Salzburg v Chelsea

D’Zagreb v AC Milan

Femi Solaja with agency report

Even with prospect of playing for any of the big clubs next season in Europe, Napoli FC boss, Luciano Spalletti, has said that Super Eagles in-form striker, Victor Osimhen, can be the deadliest striker of his generation with little more details in his attitude.

The Nigeria international delivered the match winner in the lone goal away victory against Mourinho’s AS Roma at the Stadio Olimpico late Sunday night.

It was Napoli’s 10th straight win in the league and sit atop every other teams in the quest for their first Serie A title since 1989.

The late Diego Maradona led the Naples side to win ahead of their two Milan rivals and Juventus.

Beyond offers from big teams like Real Madrid, PSG, Manchester United, Arsenal and lately, Chelsea, Spalletti sees the Nigerian forward with a bigger future that will make him the best in the world of his generation if he could remain focused all

through games.

In an interview with TuttoNapoli.netafter the hard-earned win against home-side AS Roma Sunday night, the coach noted that; “Osimhen is a player who still has to take a few steps towards maturity, sometimes he detaches himself from the team body, he is not supported by the team.

“It’s a big minus but then he has these tears and these situations. When you think he's finished, with his hands on his

knees, you bludgeon a ball from the flag and he starts again.

“He has the attitude of the animal that sees its prey. We had to keep him on the pitch for inactive balls, Politano gave him a great ball and scored a difficult goal,” he pointed out about the Nigerian striker.

With four points ahead of the defending champion, AC Milan, Spalletti said the race for the title is still very far and the players just have to remain focused as they are presently.

“The fights for the championships take place in June, there is still a long way to go.”

Napoli have a UEFA Champions League fixture against Glasgow Rangers tomorrow.

They will also host Sassuolo this weekend to continue their quest for the Italian League title.

Celtic v Shakhtar Leipzig v R’Madrid Sevilla v Copenhagen Dortmund v Man City Benfica v Juventus PSG v M’Haifa

Victor Osimhen...world-class striker in the making

Patoranking Selected to Perform at Qatar 2022

Super Falcons tipped to progress from group stage of the 2023 Women’s World Cup to be jointly hosted by Australia and New Zealand

Oshoala Tips Falcons to Make Impact at 2023 World Cup Five-time African player of the year Asisat Oshoala has welcomed Nigeria's 2023 Women's World Cup draw, which pits them against co-hosts Australia and Olympic champions Canada.

The ever-present Super Falcons will also face the Republic of Ireland, who will be making their tournament debut in Group B. "I think we have a really good group. It's the World Cup and it's not meant to be easy or a walk in the park," Barcelona forward Oshoala told BBC Sport Africa.

"With the group we have, I feel we have a chance."

The tournament will begin on 20 July next year, with Falcons opening their campaign against Canada in Melbourne on 21 July before facing Australia and the Republic of Ireland in Brisbane.

All three countries sit above Nigeria in the world rankings, with Canada seventh, Australia 13th and the Republic of Ireland in 24th - some 21 places above the West Africans.

The nine-time African champions played two friendlies against Canada in April, losing 2-0 before

a 2-2 draw,but the World Cup fixture will be the third meeting between the two nations at the tournament.

Their first encounter was a 3-3 draw at the 1995 World Cup in Sweden, followed by a 1-0 win for Nigeria in a dead-rubber at the 2011 global showpiece, while the West Africans lost 2-0 to Australiain the 2015 event.

"We get to play Canada, a

team we know very well, and of course Australia," Oshoala added.

"It won't be easy against the Republic of Ireland, but we had Australia in our 2015 group. We lost to them 2-0. It's a good opportunity for us to come back and also prove that we've improved from the team they played seven years ago.

"We have a very good group

and are really excited for the tournament."

Continental giants Nigeria are the only African team to have played in all eight Women's World Cups since 1991, but the Super Falcons have failed to translate their continental dominance on to the world stage.

Their best outing was reaching the quarter final stage at the 1999 edition in USA.

....Republic of Ireland Coach Unfazed by Falcons Credentials Head Coach of Republic of Ireland’s senior women’s football team, Vera Pauw, is unfazed by the draw that pit her team against nine-time Africa champions, Nigeria, Olympic champions, Canada and co-hosts Australia.

Speaking on the draw yesterday, Pauw insisted she is not bothered by the calibre of teams in the Group B but only believes the matches are going

to be tough.

“That opening game (versus Australia), wow – it’s fantastic.

There’s a huge Irish community in Australia and I think a lot of people over there will face a bit of a dilemma over who they support in that one,”Pauw told her country’s FA official website yesterday.

On Super Falcons, she insisted the Irish team who are debutants

in the tournament are not going to be intimidated into submission.

“It’s a bit of a shame that we’re drawn in the toughest teams in Pot 4 in Nigeria, but we won’t fear anyone. It’s a tough group but a very exciting one,”she said as a matter of fact.

The clash in Brisbane, Australia on July 31, will be the first between Nigeria and Republic of Ireland at the international level.

Nigeria’s reggae-dancehall singer, Patoranking (real name Patrick Nnaemeka Okorie), has been selected along with DJ Aseel and Hassan Shakosh to perform at the 2022 FIFA World Cup scheduled to kick off on November 20 in Qatar.

The multiple award winning Nigerian reggae-dancehall singer and songwriter is the latest artist from the country to be selected to entertain the global viewing audience at the FIFA Fan Festival of the World Cup on November 28.

Aseel is on queue to play on December 2 while Shakosh is listed for December 12.

These three acts are joining the likes of Gims, Julian Marley and The Uprising and the Miami Band. Patoranking’s best loved

song ‘Abule’ must have wooed him to the organisers of the mundial.

Despite the non-qualification of the Super Eagles for the first Mundial in the Middle East, Nigerian star act, Davido (David Adeleke) was selected amongst the artists from around the world that played the theme song of this edition. Davido featured prominently along with other top stars from around the world.

Last month, that video boomed through the electronic scoreboard at the opening of the Lusail Stadium scheduled to host the final game of this edition on December 18.

D’banj was one of the musical acts that thrilled at the opening ceremony of the first World Cup on African soil in 2010.

Delisted Para Sports Return to National Sports Festival After the violent protests embarked upon by physically challenged athletes in Lagos last week to denounce their exclusions from the 21st National Sports Festival to be hosted by Delta State in Asaba, Organisers of the ‘Nigerian Olympic’ have reversed their earlier stand.

Federal Ministry of Youth and Sports Development (FMY&SD), in consultation with ‘Stakeholders in Sports’ have re-listed the following Para sports to the National Sports Festival in Delta State. They include: Para Athletics, Para Table Tennis, Para Powerlifting and Deaf Sports of (Athletics and Table Tennis).

In a statement issued yesterday by the Director, Press & Public Relations of the FMY&SD, Mohammed Manga, “ the

decision (to reinstate the Para sports) was taken in the overall interest of sports development in Nigeria, as the National Sports Festival has become the Flagship Games for the discovery, grooming and empowerment of our youth athletes.”

He however stressed that the Ministry “condemns the behaviour of some misguided athletes who engaged in unwarranted acts of protests and blackmail without recourse to due process.”

Manga described the protests as a breach of Nigeria’s sports ethical code.

“The Ministry wishes to state further that it will apply the rules in dealing with such acts in due course. Athletes must learn to follow the due process laid down for resolving issues,” the statement warned.

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Danjuma to Terrorists, FG

“We must find out the source of the arms of terrorists; Nigerians should equally find a means of arming themselves to face the terrorists. Today in the country, there is evidence everywhere; the foreign bandits are killing and taking over lands in all the places…these foreign invaders are destroying everything and our government allowed them to come into the country” --- Former Defence Minister, Gen. Theophilus Danjuma, calling on Nigerians to arise and defend themselves against foreign invaders.

TUESDAY WITH REUBENABATI 2023: Peace Accord and The Violent Campaigners O abati1990@gmail.com

n September 29, the National Peace committee led by General Abdusalami Abukakar and the Bishop of Sokoto Diocese, Bishop Matthew Hassan Kukah organized an event in Abuja where Presidential candidates of the political parties for the 2023 general elections signed an accord to give peace a chance, avoid violence and respect the rule of law and order. It was meant to be the first in a series of peace-building efforts by the National Peace Committee which this year expanded its fold, by involving the participation of key figures in corporate Nigeria including Alhaji Aliko Dangote and Mr. Femi Otedola, and other leaders such as the Sultan of Sokoto, John Cardinal Onaiyekan, Mr. Sam Amuka Pemu and Justice Roseline Ukeje. Founded in 2014, the National Peace Committee has had a strong track record of reminding political gladiators that Nigerian elections or leadership contests are not a do or die phenomena, and should not be so. This is a useful message and mission statement.

It is important, without doubt, that elections are peaceful and that politicians behave decently.

In retirement, General Abdusalami Abubakar has dedicated himself to preaching about peace and stability. He offers good service in that regard. He has a good associate in Bishop Matthew Hassan Kukah, who in every sense, is also a patriot. The inclusion of others over the years is a welcome development, to remind everyone that elections must not result in chaos. The stakes in 2023 appear to be quite high, much higher than in previous elections, and these may well prove to be for Nigerians like no other elections since the return to civilian rule in 1999.

It is unfortunate however and most disturbing that the politicians who signed a Peace Accord in September 2022, and their surrogates as well, are disowning the same accord by conduct, and by their utterances. Since September when the Independent National Electoral Commission blew the whistle that campaigns could begin, in fact before then, and thereafter, there have been reports of violence, intolerance, hate speech, foul language, vitriol, abuse, harassment and general bad faith. The candidate of the Labour party, Mr Peter Obi has had to raise questions about attacks on his supporters in Enugu, Nasarawa, Ebonyi and Lagos states. In the first week of September, gunmen threatened Peter Obi’s supporters in Enugu. The supporters were holding a meeting in Awga community. Four unknown gunmen suddenly showed up around 5.00 pm and opened fire on Obi’s supporters. They shot in the air, and disrupted an on-going meeting.

A day earlier some members of the same party were also attacked in Nenwe, in Aniniri LGA in the same Enugu State.

About a week later, Obi’s supporters were again attacked in Ebonyi state. This time, the Nigeria Police was identified as the assailants. In a statement, the Labour Party’s National Publicity Secretary accused the ruling party, the All Progressives Congress, APC, of using the police to promote the politics of violence. To add to the evidence, in Abakaliki, Obi’s supporters were said to have been tear-gassed by the police. In October, Obi’s supporters, known as “flag boys” were also brutalized in Lagos. The flag boys were accused of carrying Peter Obi’s flags around Oshodi in Lagos, and they got beaten by thugs working for another political party. They were in fact lucky. There was an attempt to burn them alive! In Nasarawa state, Joshua Alamu who took part in a solidarity sensitization campaign for Peter obi was also attacked. He eneded up in the hospital. The Labour Party again issued a statement asking for protection.

But the Labour party is not alone. When the People’s Democratic Party (PDP)) held its rally recently in Kaduna, the main issue was that the party’s supporters were attacked, and injured.

Thugs reportedly invaded the venue of the rally

General Abdusalami Abukakar and started beating people up. Both the PDP Presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar and former Senate President, Senator Bukola Saraki condemned the incident. The attackers wielded swords and machetes! Before that, Senator Ifeanyi Ubah representing Anambra South in the National Assembly was also ambushed and attacked at Enugwu-Ukwu in Njikoka LGA of Anambra State.

He is seeking a Second term in office. We have also heard in this reason, reports of verbal violence, and threats by politicians. In many states of the Federation, opposition parties are not allowed to put up posters or billboards and when they

S

do, the posters are destroyed. In Lagos State, the candidate of the PDP has had to protest that he is being targeted by the ruling APC and its henchmen. Last Saturday, the convoy of the PDP Gubernatorial candidate, Olajide Adediran and his Deputy, Funke Akindele was attacked at the Ikoga Junction area of Badagry Local Government area of Lagos State. Some journalists and other members of the entourage sustained injuries. IN many states, the state-owned broadcast media behave m0re or less like campaign units of the ruling party in utter violation of the National Broadcasting Code.

The growing spate of violence is a bad comment on the letter and spirit of the peace accord signed on September 19 by leaders of the political parties.

It shows that our political leaders have not learnt any lessons and would stop at nothing, no matter how heinous to achieve their objectives. We have gone through this route before. Between 1999 and 2007, many politicians were killed in the lead up to election seasons. The assassinations remain unresolved, including the brutal assassination of Chief Bola Ige, a sitting Attorney General of the Federation in December 2001. Others include Marshall Harry, chairman of the Rivers State ANPP, in 2003, Engr Funsho Williams in July 2006, Dr. Ayo Daramola, PDP Governorship aspirant in Ekiti in August 2006, Dele Arojo in Lagos, 2002, Ogbonnaya Uche, killed in his home in Owerri in 2003, Chief Aminasaoari Dikibo in October 2004, Abigail and Barnabas Igwe, in September 2002, Dipo Dina in January 2010, Odunayo Olagbaju, in December Ile Ife in 2001 and Chukwudi Okafor in Umuawukwu, Awka South, Anambra in 2009. to name a few. Nobody deserves to die for seeking to serve his or her country or to participate in the democratic process.

Politics must not mean death or violence. It is in fact terrible that political assassinations are never resolved in this country. It is one of the reasons people refer to Nigerian politics as dirty, and why some of the best persons in society who could make a difference stay away from the political arena. The laws of the land, including the Electoral Act criminalize violence before, during and after

elections, in clear affirmation that politicians and their agents must not take the law into their hands, but the reality is that Nigerian politicians think that politics is a do-or-die affair. Hence, they talk violently. They behave violently. They surround themselves with violent assistants, otherwise known as able-bodied men or thugs. Some of the thugs even bear fanciful official titles and wield such enormous influence that would be considered obscene in civilized societies. They kill. They maim. They and their masters have turned Nigerian politics into a criminal enterprise. Politicians need to know that the recruitment of these armed assistants is a double-edged sword. They could turn against you and become your source of problems. Don’t give them drugs or dangerous weapons. It turns their heads.

The big threat as we prepare for the 2023 elections, is beyond ethnicity and religion, this criminality, that is the desperation of the political profiteers and their agents, the thinking that politics is a zero-sum game. The evidence is again writ large in the language of the politicians and the conduct of their supporters. At the signing of the Peace Accord, the Inspector General of Police said openly that the police are ready to keep the peace and protect law and order. It is about six months to the elections and the police and other security agencies are failing the people, and the state. It is not too early to call politicians who are promoting violence directly or vicariously to order. The security agencies know the thugs, their masters and sponsors. To look the other way for selfish gain as is customary during election seasons would amount to using the state and its apparatuses to aid and abet crime. Security agents must stay away from partisan politics. They must maintain complete neutrality otherwise 2023 could turn out as yet another blow-out moment in Nigerian history. It should be a turning point for good and that I assume, is the expectation of all who have the interest of this country at heart.

The security agencies must become pro-active and take preventive measures. They must not behave like lawyers, thugs, and associates of politicians who see election season as “chop-time”.

Still On The Floods

ince I wrote the piece titled “The Floods This Time’ on this same page (ThisDay, Tuesday, October 11, 2022), the situation with the floods have worsened. The reports indicate that over 600 persons have died, about 2 million persons have been displaced. The most shocking report for me was the declaration by some newspapers that former President Goodluck Jonathan’s house in Bayelsa is also heavily flooded and that communities including Otuoke where he hails from have been submerged. One cheeky editor had the temerity to cast the headline that President Goodluck Jonathan is now an Internally Displaced Person (IDP). Editors and their funny attempts to attract the reader’s attention. But I get the point being made, that floods are no respecters of persons: from Kogi to Plateau, to Anambra and elsewhere, houses have been taken over by floods and both the rich and the poor alike are affected.

In the face of natural disaster, or state failure, both the rich and the poor pay the price. We have been told that food inflation would be higher by December, farms having been destroyed by the floods and the harvest season completely turned adrift. The poor and the rich go to the same market.

We share a common humanity. So bad is the flood crisis this year that it has attracted international attention including a message from King Charles III of England who has written to express concern and solidarity with the people and government of Nigeria over the loss of lives due to “devastating

floods”. Thank you, your Majesty.

But it is painful that we have not seen as much concern from Nigerian leaders. It took the candidate of the Labour Party, Mr Peter Obi suspending his campaigns for the 2023 elections for other political parties to realize that this was indeed a serious issue.

In Agege, the other day, a man was swept away by the flood. It is the same story of woe and tragedy in Bayelsa, Anambra, Plateau, Kogi and elsewhere.

In Azikoro Government Cemetery in Bayelsa state, corpses were washed out of their resting places. The terrible disaster that is looming is imaginable: health challenges, loss of assets, destruction of properties, a public health crisis. The Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency and the Nigeria Meteorological Agency (NiMET) claim that we have not yet seen the worst. In Lagos state, people living in low-lying areas have been advised to move upland. Will the people listen? We never seem to listen because being Nigerians, we don’t trust persons who work in government. We tend to believe the worst about officialdom.

The truth nonetheless, is that in the face of all of this, not much effort has been put in by the National Emergency Management Agency, the government or philanthropists. In addition to the attention that Mr. Peter Obi, the media and others have drawn to the problem, we have seen some Governors travelling in canoes, donating relief materials and taking pictures. The Presidential candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) is also scheduled

to tour some of the flood-ravaged states. The APC and LP Presidential candidates have donated money. Friends of Senator Seriake Dickson have done so too. The point must be made though that this is beyond politics. Nobody should exploit the people’s plight for political advantages. In 2012, the Jonathan administration set up a Flood Relief Committee led by Alhaji Aliko Dangote and Olisa Agbakoba, SAN. At the time, government provided about N17.6 billion as relief funds to assist states and communities across the country. The Federal Government today needs to intervene even more robustly. And by the way, I omitted an important detail. Just yesterday, we got to hear that “President Muhammadu Buhari has directed the Minister of Water Resources to lead and coordinate with the ministries of environment and transportation as well as state governments to develop a comprehensive plan of action for preventing flood disaster in Nigeria.”

The President expects a report in 90 days!

Those who want to lead Nigeria may be enjoying the photo-ops that the flood tragedy offers, but as part of the on-going campaigns, we would need concrete ideas about what each candidate intends to do about climate change, the rainfall that causes floods, the dams that flood the low-lying plains, including the Lagdo Dam in Cameroon. Otherwise, by this time, next year, we would be back to square one complaining about the same problems in typical Nigeria fashion. In 90 days from now, we would probably begin to have an idea.

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