WEDNESDAY 28TH DECEMBER 2022

In Boost to Power Sector, Afreximbank’s FEDA Acquires Stake in Geregu Power Plc

The African Export-Import Bank’s (Afreximbank) Fund for Export Development in Africa (FEDA) has announced that it has received internal approvals to acquire a strategic minority stake in Geregu

Power Plc. Afreximbank disclosed this in a statement obtained yesterday. FEDA is the development impact investment platform of Afreximbank with the mandate of providing

capital towards advancing intraAfrican trade, export development and industrialization in Africa.

As part of its intervention efforts in the Africa’s energy sector, FEDA has made a strategic decision to sup-

port leading energy platforms across Africa, including the renewables and transition fuels sectors. Geregu Power, one of Nigeria’s leading power generation companies with a capacity in excess of 430

TRUTH & REASON

Christmas

megawatts, is a highly strategic asset to realising Nigeria’s power sector roadmap. According to the statement, FEDA aims to support the business as a minority investor and Continued on page 12

saddened to learn of the

work with the current owners and management team to drive the expansion of the business over the next few years.

Wednesday 28 December, 2022 Vol 27. No 10122. Price: N250

possible action” against the culprits,

Atiku's victory sure at first ballot, says campaign council

Edo State Governor Godwin Obaseki has said the opposition Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP) presidential candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar remains the best among the men seeking to Nigeria’s presidency in next year’s election that have the capacity to transform the country.

Obaseki disclosed this in an exclusive interview with THISDAY.

This was just as the Speaker of the House of Representatives Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, has said the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Tinubu, stood out from other candidates, because of his track record.

Speaking during a meeting with leaders of Community Development Associations (CDAs) in Surulere, Lagos State, Gbajabiamila said Nigerians should vote for Tinubu, because of all

Nigeria an iDP Camp, says Peter Obi...

PHOTO: MUBO PETERS.

Deji Elumoye, Michael Olugbode in Abuja and segun James in Lagos

senseless” killing of a member of

Nigerian

(NBA), Omobolanle Raheem, who was shot in Lagos by policemen on

Day Buhari said on Monday night that he was deeply shocked and

brutal killing. He directed the police authorities to take “the strongest

Fitch Predicts slow Economic growth for Nigeria in 2023, to rise to 3.3% in 2024...

Chuks Okocha, sunday aborisade, udora Orizu in Abuja; adibe Emenyonu in Benin City and gbenga sodeinde in Ado Ekiti

60th BirthDAy thAnksgiving sErvicE...

Fitch Predicts Slow Economic Growth for Nigeria in 2023, to Rise to 3.3% in 2024

Addeh in Abuja

The Nigerian economy will continue to slump in 2023 due to activities leading to the general elections next year, but would likely pick in 2024, with growth rising to 3.3 per cent, a Fitch Solutions Country Risk & Industry Research report has predicted.

An affiliate of Fitch Ratings, the

Fitch Solutions report estimated that economic growth in Nigeria slipped to a six-quarter low of 2.3 per cent in quarter four of 2022, predicting that the country’s economic growth would ease further in 2023.

“We expect that the country’s economy will expand by just 2.5 per cent due to disruptions associated with the February 2023 election and the continued

decline of oil production. Growth will accelerate to 3.3 per cent in 2024 as oil output picks up,” it projected.

“Economic growth in Nigeria slipped to a six-quarter low in Q3, 2022, and we expect that it will continue to slow over the coming two quarters,” it added.

The Fitch report recalled the latest figures from the National

Bureau of Statistics (NBS) which it said showed that economic growth slowed from 3.4 per cent y-o-y in Q2, 2022 to 2.3 per cent y-o-y in Q3, 2022.

“The slowdown was mostly due to a poor performance in the oil sector, where the decline in output worsened from a fall of 11.1 per cent y-o-y in Q2, 2022 to a decrease of 22.3 per cent y-o-y

Obaseki: Edo Partnering NCDMB to Develop 50 Hectares, Attract Investors into Benin Enterprise Park

Explains why park was renamed State boosts skills of smallholder farmers on sustainable oil palm production

Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki has disclosed that the state has entered into a partnership with the Nigerian Local Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) to develop 50 hectares out of the 1000 hectares for the Benin Enterprise Park, in Ikpoba Okha Local Government Area of the state.

The governor noted that the park would catalyse the state’s industrialisation drive and attract big-ticket investors to tap from the state’s comparative advantage in power generation as well as being a hub for logistics.

A statement quoted Obaseki to have said: “Before the rainy season next year, we will start developing the first 50 hectares. We have partnered with the NCDMB who have decided to cooperate with us on the first 50 hectares that has also attracted some of the large investor groups who want to take large chunks.

“Our role is to provide the basic structure. There is a 95MW power plant stationed there. So, electricity already exists. The design of the main infrastructure network, sewage system, among others, are all complete. Any moment from now, it will be in the market,” he said.

On why the park was renamed, the governor said the decision was taken because the government wanted various businesses to have

access to the facility and not just manufacturers.

“It is a 1000-hectare property. We had to do the land acquisition and pay compensation to the inhabitants. There is a federal agency there that is taking us to court, so we are working through all of these, which caused quite a delay initially.”

Meanwhile, Edo State government has reiterated its commitment to ensuring smallholder farmers acquire appropriate skills and knowledge to drive sustainable oil palm development in line with global best practices and in accordance with Round Table for Sustainable Oil Palm (RSPO) Principles and Criteria.

The Team Lead, Edo State Oil Palm Programme (ESOPP), Mr. Churchill Oboh gave the assurance at the kickoff of the RSPO Community Outreach Programme held in Benin City, Edo State.

He said, “The community outreach programme is in line with the state government’s desire to make sure investors under the ESOPP programme operate in line with the RSPO set standards and also to make sure that the people of various host communities are equipped with the knowledge of oil palm developments and standards.

“Governor Godwin Obaseki has unequivocally demanded that all investors under the state’s oil palm programme must carry out their

production in accordance with the RSPO standards which hinges on three main principles which are Planet, People and Prosperity (PPP).”

He said RSPO partnered with FDS to engage, train and educate communities on the details of the RSPO standards, adding, “RSPO partnered with FDS because the Edo State Government needs the people to be empowered with the right knowledge and understanding.

Oboh added that the partnership would ensure the various communities were provided with all they needed to know about RSPO standards in oil palm development and production as well as best practices for small-holder farmers.

The Principal Consultant, Foremost Development Services (FDS), Mr. Ahmeed Abisoye Olanigan, reiterated that palm oil must be produced sustainably and in accordance with global best practices, noting, “Oil palm must be produced in such a way that the interest of the present and future generations must be protected, the cultural, moral, socio and economic livelihood of the people must be protected and it is our responsibility as partners with RSPO to make sure we train and educate the people of the communities about their rights and benefits as host communities.”

According to him, the community outreach and training programme would last for a minimum period

of 20 months with different stages and levels of engagement.

A representative of Sabongida Ora Community in Edo North Senatorial District, Chief Segun Emoni, commended the state government for the community outreach programme which will ensure inclusiveness in all the processes of oil palm investment in the state.

in Q3, 2022,” the report added.

According to Fitch, growth in the agricultural and retail sectors have picked up a touch, but explained that all told, “We expect growth of just 2.7 per cent in 2022 (a slight revision from our previous forecast of 3.0 per cent and 2.5 per cent in 2023.”

There are two key reasons for this continued slowdown, it stated, pointing out that first, it expects that the oil sector, which has been a key drag on growth in recent years will continue to struggle in 2023.

“At Fitch Solutions, our oil and gas team estimates that Nigerian crude oil production will fall by 15.2 per cent in 2022 and by another 14.9 per cent in 2023,” the forecast noted.

The contraction, it said, is being driven by unplanned outages at onshore production facilities, a deteriorating security situation, and the lagged effect of years of underinvestment. “In 2024, however, we expect that production will essentially stabilise,” Fitch said.

This turnaround, it explained, would be driven by increased offshore oil production, which will help to offset problems in the onshore sector.

While output would remain far

below the levels recorded before 2020, the end of this decline, the report posited, will remove a key headwind affecting headline Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth.

“Indeed, this is the key reason why we expect that growth will pick up from 2.5 per cent in 2023 to 3.3 per cent in 2024,” it stressed.

On a second note, Fitch said it expects that disruptions associated with the February 2023 general election will create another headwind. “Campaigning will prevent some economic activity, while government policymaking will essentially shut down,” it predicted.

Drawing from data from the past, the research organisation stated that in 2015 and 2019, year-on-year growth in the quarter containing a general election was, on average, 1.1 percentage points weaker than in the preceding quarter.

While trend growth will be slower heading into the 2023 vote, Fitch noted that it still expects that growth will slow from 2.0 per cent in Q4, 2022 to 1.5 per cent in Q1, 2023.

“The hit to economic activity would, of course, be much larger if the election sparks large-scale protests or violence,” it stressed.

Buhari Commiserates with Ghali Na’Abba over Mother's Demise

Elumoye in Abuja

In the condolence message, Buhari, described the death of a mother as a painful experience and prayed to Allah to console the former speaker and the larger Na’Abba family.

According to a statement issued yesterday, by presidential spokesperson, Mallam Garba Shehu, the deceased was a sibling of the former Presidential Candidate of the defunct National Republican Convention (NRC) in the Third Republic, late Bashir Usman Tofa, a political associate of the president.

In another condolence message, Buhari condoled with the Olu of Warri, all chiefs of the Kingdom, family and friends of the Rone family, over the passage of Chief S.S Rone, Ogienoyibo, the Obazuaye of Warri and longest serving Chief.

The president, according to a statement issued yesterday by his Media Adviser, Femi Adesina, appreciated the grace of God on the

departed, which saw him serving four monarchs as a high-ranking Chief, and helping to maintain peace, amity and development in Warri and environs.

Buhari commended the life of service lived by Rone to the younger generation, and urged his family and children to ensure that his good works are preserved, and his memories evergreen.

Rone, who died Monday, aged 86, the president said, left behind a worthy reputation, which will remain inspiring.

Buhari wished the departed eternal rest, and comfort for those mourning him.

Mourns longest serving Warri chief, S S Rone

Emmanuel

Deji

President Muhammadu Buhari has commiserated with former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon Ghali Umar Na’Abba over the demise of his mother, Hajiya Rabi Umar Na’Abba.

L-R: Retired Major General and Former Minister of Nigeria, Ike Nwachukwu; Mrs. Yinka Adeniji; Mrs. Gwendolyn Nwachukwu; Group Chief Executive Officer, Airtel Africa, Segun Ogunsanya; Celebrant and Group Managing Director, CMC Connect Limited (Perception Managers) & President, African Public Relations Association (APRA), Yomi Badejo-Okusanya (YBO), Celebrant's Wife, Barrister Oyinkan Badejo-Okusanya; The Osile of Oke-Ona Egba, Oba Adedapo Tejuoso; at the Thanksgiving Service of Yomi Badejo-Okusanya (YBO) 60th birthday, held at Grace Assembly. Yard 158. Kudirat Abiola Way, Oregun, Lagos.

PhOTO: DARE IBIRONKE

ASHIRUS WEDDING ANNIVERSARY AND BIMBO'S BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION...

Economist Intelligence Unit Predicts Official Naira Rate to N470/$ End of 2023

Says inflation to remain in double digits Dangote refinery to supply entire Nigeria’s fuel consumption needs

Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja

The Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU), has predicted that the value of the naira will continue to depreciate, gradually falling to an official rate of N470 to $1 by the end of 2023.

In a report it titled: “Things to Watch in Nigeria in 2023”, the organisation stressed that the pressure on the local currency may continue to increase, further negatively impacting the current N445 rate.

The EIU is the research and analysis division of the Economist Group, providing forecasting and advisory services through research and analysis, such as monthly country reports, economic forecasts, country risk service reports and industry reports.

The EIU also said it has now revised down its real Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth estimate for 2023 to 2.8 per cent from 3.1 per cent, owing to tighter credit conditions, recent floods and widening insecurity.

It added that early 2023 is set to be a testing period for stability of the currency regime, explaining that an announcement by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) in October immediately triggered a naira selloff, as holders of old banknotes rushed to convert them to hard currency.

With foreign exchange scarce on the parallel market and bureau de change operators preferring to hold rather than sell, the black-market exchange rate, it said, has been extremely volatile, depreciating to more than N800/$1 in early November, before recovering to N750/$1 in mid-month and sliding back to N780/$1 a week later.

“The currency redesign will

continue to be a source of pressure on the naira until January, when existing banknotes lose their status as legal tender, and the election in February could also unleash speculative forces.

“A devaluation cannot be ruled out, but as these events pass currency pressures should ease. We now expect the naira to end 2023 at about N470/$1, from N444/$1 currently, with the movement being one of gradual depreciation.

“ That of course implies a wide and enduring spread between the official and the parallel market rates that invites illicit arbitrage. Even if there is no devaluation, the exchange-rate regime will remain dysfunctional, with the official rate propped up by a range of import controls and the currency appreciating strongly in real effective exchange rate terms,” the report said.

Assuming no devaluations of the naira, EIU made a forecast that average consumer price inflation will slow to 15.1 per cent in 2023, from an estimated 19.3 per cent in 2022, stressing that it expects the central bank's policy rate to peak at 17 per cent either in early 2023.

Hard currency, it explained, remains in short supply even as the CBN is bent on curbing the parallel foreign exchange market.

“Inflation is expected to remain in double digits and monetary conditions will be tight, with the central bank's policy rate expected to peak at 17 per cent by end-2022 or early 2023, and to be maintained at this level throughout the year,” it stressed.

Opining that insecurity has worsened over 2022, mainly because of the multitude of separate crises facing Nigeria, which spreads the army too thin, the report stressed

that an era of reform following the election is expected to begin, but slowly at first, with petrol subsidies expected to be reduced, partly relieving fiscal strains.

“Interest rate rises should begin to tame inflation, but economic growth will slow. High global energy demand should make Nigerian oil assets more attractive, and a recent oil sector law will be tested with respect to governance of the industry,” it said.

According to the report, extreme poverty continues to drive criminality, with the state getting smaller, making it easy for

criminal groups to fill the void.

It predicted that Nigeria's federal revenue/GDP ratio is expected to remain at less than 5 per cent in 2023.

The report posited that an underpaid, often unmotivated and exhausted military continues to struggle against increasingly well-armed bandits and oil thieves.

The run-up to the 2023 election, it explained, has prevented the government from committing fully to reforms it had been endorsing during the middle of Muhammadu Buhari's second term.

One of these reforms, it noted , is

ending petrol subsidies, the bill for which has caused the fiscal deficit to balloon in 2022. “We estimate a shortfall of 5.1 per cent of GDP, the largest for a generation.

“Petrol price regulation is officially scheduled to end in June 2023, and our view is that a decision will be made to scale down the subsidy bill by raising pump prices from July,” it pointed out.

At roughly N195 ($0.45), the ninth cheapest in the world, the EIU said that in neighbouring Benin (to where Nigerian petrol is often smuggled) a litre is two and a half times that price.

Cutting the bill, it predicted, will invite a severe backlash from unions and the wider public, and be a serious security risk, but added that there is bipartisan political recognition that petrol subsidies are unsustainable and that, without action, Nigeria could be on a path towards debt distress.

“The state is unable to meet essential spending on debt service, defence and salaries or to commit funds towards infrastructure without resorting to more (and increasingly costly) borrowing.

Report: Return of Chinese, India's Appetite for Nigerian Crude Key to Oil Price Stability in 2023

Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja

The return of Chinese and Indian appetite for Nigeria’s and other West African countries' crude oil grades could to some extent play a critical role in determining the price of the commodity in 2023, an Argus report has shown.

Argus publishes business reports, market assessments and special studies and provides price assessments, business intelligence, and market data for the global energy industry.

The report stated that Nigeria's attempts to bolster its flagging crude output have been helped by the return of several production and export facilities in recent weeks, notably the resumption of operations at the Forcados terminal.

Latest figures from the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), it said, put

crude output at 1.19 million bpd last month, up from 1.01 million bpd in October and 940,000 bpd in September.

A major asset that has helped boost production in Nigeria, Argus said, is output from the Bonga crude grade which also increased, to just under 69,000 bpd in November from October's 61,000 bpd, although it fell short of September's 106,000 bpd.

“But the key question for West African crude prices in 2023 will be demand, especially the return of Chinese and Indian demand, in light of recent geopolitical events,” it added.

It noted that Europe boosted purchases of West African crude by around 300,000 bpd between June and August, as it aimed to overcome its reliance on Russian crude following the war in Ukraine. But it noted that such demand diminished in the second part of

I No Longer Enjoy Life, Says 91 Years Old Business Mogul, Dantata

Ibrahim Shuaibu in Kano

The All Progressives Congress (APC) vice presidential candidate, Kashim Shettima was on a consultation visit to Kano, yesterday, with the purpose of largely reaching out to elder statesmen on the ongoing project in the north ahead of the 2023 general elections.

While in Kano, Shettima alongside the State governor, Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje

visited Aminu Alhassan Dantata, an elder statesman and renowned business mogul who disclosed to the vice presidential candidate and his entourage that he no longer enjoys life and he was hoping to depart this world in good faith.

Ninety-one years old Dantata, explained that he has traveled to all the states in Nigeria and has made a lot of friends from his youthful age, but could hardly identify 10 that are still alive.

“In fact, I am the only one

left in my family living with grandchildren,” he added.

Dantata requested anyone he has offended consciously or subconsciously to find a space in their hearts to forgive him, saying he has forgiven all those who offended him.

The elder statesman expressed his profound gratitude to Shettima for the visit and prayed for sustainable peace and harmony in Nigeria.

“May God not leave us with

our efforts alone, we pray for his continued guidance and protection,” he added.

Other members of the entourage included Musa Gwadabe, General Lawal Jafaru Isah and Tanko Yakasai.

THISDAY gathered that the APC vice presidential candidate visited the ongoing project of the Kano Cancer Centre which currently is on the verge of completion before departing for the airport.

the year, as ample flows from the Americas created a supply glut in the European market, further compounded by stable Libyan production.

In Asia-Pacific, demand from China and India, historically the biggest single buyers of Angolan and Nigerian crude, respectively, has also been subdued in recent months, it pointed out.

“This was partly the result of strict zero Covid policies in China, which have led to an economic slowdown in the country, but also increased buying from both countries of heavily discounted Russian supplies.

“China's gradual reopening this month may well translate into renewed demand for West African grades, but the long-term outlook is uncertain. Mobility rose in China in the first half of December, and the country's construction sector is readying itself to ramp up operations in March,” the report stressed.

Oil firms, it pointed out, have stepped up crude purchasing, with at least 16.4 million barrels changing hands between 1-7 December, and Angolan grades having shown initials signs of a comeback.

Chinese refiners benefit the depressed value of unwanted sweet crude redirected from an amply supplied European market, in addition to favourable arbitrage economics and lower freight rates, it said.

“But it remains to be seen whether interest from China will be stable over the long term. Although

China has unwound its stringent Covid-19 restriction policies faster than anticipated in recent weeks, infection rates in the capital Beijing are on the rise again.

“New lockdowns cannot be ruled out. In November, exports of West African grades to China fell by almost 15 per cent from October to 709,000 bpd, as strict regulations and travel curbs were in place,” it noted.

As for the outlook for India's demand for West African grades, it explained that though also uncertain, imports of Angolan crude rose to 204,000 bpd in November, a three-year high.

Similarly to their Chinese counterparts, Indian buyers can benefit from the lower spot differentials of crude from West Africa, it noted, saying that India, which has emerged as a significant buyer of discounted Russian crude since Europe started moving away from it, is likely to continue in that trajectory.

“There are several indications that Moscow might come up with mechanisms to overcome a dependence on EU and UK-based chartering and insurance services, which, since 5 December can only be provided if a $60/barrels is adhered to.

“The all-important, lingering question is whether Russian crude production will ultimately take a hit as a result of western sanctions, which could usher in a period of renewed and stable interest in west African grades from Asia-Pacific,” the report said.

L-R: Wife of Former Governor of Ogun State, Mrs. Aderinsola Osoba; Her Husband, Chief Olusegun Osoba; Mrs. Kemi Ashiru; Ogun State Governor, Dapo Abiodun; Group Chairman, Odua Investment Limited, Bimbo Ashiru and Kwara State Governor, Alhaji AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, during the Ashiru’s wedding anniversary and Bimbo’s birthday celebrations in Lagos… on Monday

PHOTO: ABIODUN AJALA

RAFFLE DRAW TO UNVEIL THE LUSH HAIR “BRAID TO MILLIONS” PRIZE WINNER...

USSD: Telcos Threaten to Disconnect Banks’ Subscribers as Debts Rise to N80bn

The accumulated debt from the Unstructured Supplementary Service Data (USSD) banks are owing the telecommunication

companies (telcos) has risen to N80 billion as at November this year.

The Chairman, Association of Licenced Telecom Operators of Nigeria (ATCON), Mr. Gbenga

Adebayo, who revealed the figure in a telephone interview with THISDAY, said it would soon come to a point where the telcos would be forced to withdraw the USSD services, since the banks

have refused to pay.

“The debt is rising and has not been paid by the banks. As of November 2022, the accumulated debt rose to over N80 billion. When we started the argument

Flood Victims Urge FG to Conduct Forensic Audit on Affected Environment

Some of the victims of flood in Orashi area of Ahoada East, Ahoada West, Ogba/Egbema/ Ndoni (ONELGA) and Abu/ Odual Local Government Areas of Rivers State have pleaded with the federal government to conduct a forensic audit to ascertain the level of damage on their land.

A nonagenarian and native of Erema community in Egi land, ONELGA, Mr. Che Ibegwure cried that the federal government should order for the forensic audit in his community to ascertain the level of damage before embarking on remediation to restore the environment.

According to Ibegwure who recently turned 90, before the flood disaster, his Egi clan and neighbouring communities were suffering environmental degradation, effect from activities of oil multinationals in the area.

He spoke when Environment Rights Action/Friends of the Earth Nigeria (ERA/FoN) visited him other victims of flood in the area.

The nonagenarian disclosed that based on the already degraded environment, this year's flood affected them badly. He recalled that the community had similar experience in 2012 but could not compare with the 2022 incident.

Ibegwure lamented: "This flood issue, the one of this year is more complex than the last one

that occurred in 2012. It really devastated the area. The worst of it all, this oil exploitation and its negative impact has already disorganised the environment.

"Whether we like it or not, they have been exploiting oil here since 1958-62. The oil companies have been able to deforest the area, so there is no more protection as such, the environment has been destroyed, intimidated so much.

"This area is a free zone for environmental impact one way or the other: oil and gas explosions. So there is no protection again. This very 2022 flood devastated many buildings, even people died, illnesses everywhere. If you go round the community you will see alot of sick people, including myself.

"I was so happy the community even have to witness the relief materials brought in here by Health of Mother Earth Foundation (HOMEF) and Environment Rights Action/ Friends of the Earth Nigeria (ERA/FoEN) for the refugees in the two camps we have here."

He said the impact demand forensic examination explained that the aftermath of the incidents is affecting their health seriously. "I am a victim. My family is experiencing alot of illnesses we didn't expect. I am still calling for the forensic auditing of the environment for us to know the gravity of damage done on the environment.

"We know the flood maybe a natural disaster but let them first exploit the situation of establishing a forensic auditing of the people to know whether most of the things happening here are all natural disaster or caused by human activities".

Similarly, Dandi Mgbenwa, a community leader from Okwuzi, Egbema in Ogba/ Egbema/Ndoni LGA, disclosed to THISDAY that flood claimed about six lives in his community.

Mgbenwa explained that it took extra help to save his aged mother from dying in the flood. He said his community was hit badly by the natural disaster, claiming that homes, especially those of mud houses

have wiped away leaving only debris in the area.

Meanwhile, the ERA took out time to send some relief materials to recently affected communities in River state.

According to the leader of the team and programme manager heading the Port Harcourt office, Kentebe Ebiaridor, the gesture came as the organisation did a follow up to ascertain the impact the flood had on the communities and livelihoods.

He called for urgent action from the federal government and all other stakeholders to ensure that the people return back to their normal live and provide a lasting solution to environment damage in the area.

in 2019, it was N32 billion, and they continue to claim that they are not owing, but our investigation shows that they are still using the USSD platform to offer banking services to their customers, yet they are not remitting to telecom operators who own the USSD platform,” Adebayo said.

According to him, the issue has to be addressed because they cannot wish it away.

“Time will soon come when we will be constrained to withdraw the service and many bank customers that depend on the USSD service will suffer for it and it will affect the economy. It is hounorable to pay their debts and they have to pay,” Adebayo warned.

“We are warning that the banks’ action in refusing to pay their debt, will have negative consequence on the CBN’s Cashless Economy agenda for the country. It will be a threat to cashless economy. So CBN should advise Money Deposit Banks to up the accumulated debts,” Adebayo further said.

USSD is a critical channel for delivering financial services, particularly for the underserved and the financially excluded, offered by telecoms operators to banks.

Banks use different USSD codes to support transfer of money through the use of mobile devices, without internet data connectivity.

Deposit money banks and the telecom operators had been at loggerheads over the nonremittance to telcos for all USSD fees charged by banks since 2019, accumulating to N42 billion as at March 2021 and N80 billion as at November 2022.

The Minster of Communications and Digital Economy, Dr. Isa Ibrahim Pantami, had written to CBN Governor, Mr. Godwin Emefiele, highlighting the impending danger of the disagreement and stressing the need for banks to pay the accumulated debt or risk suspension of the USSD code.

The letter dated March 3, 2021, and addressed to the CBN Governor, Mr. Godwin Emefiele, reminded him of the USSD pricing issued by NCC on July 23, 2019, as well as the subsequent amendment on July 24, 2020.

The banks, telcos, CBN and the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) respectively have had several meetings in the past to resolve the issue but the banks remained adamant and have refused to settle the rising debt.

Mass Exodus of Workers Hit Niger State Health Sector

A mass exodus of personnel has been reported in the Niger State health sector.

As at the last count not less than 3,000 of the personnel, some of them medical doctors, pharmacists and midwives, have left the services of the state government to seek greener pastures elsewhere

Some of those that left the service of the state according to a report presented to the Niger State House of Assembly by the Commissioner for Health and Hospital Services, Dr. Makun Sidi migrated abroad.

The development Sidi argued during the defence of the 2023 budget of the ministry affected the efficacy and efficiency of the ministry especially its healthcare delivery.

Sidi did not say what was responsible for the exodus of the health personnel, but added that some health institutions in the state especially the General Hospital in Gulu Lapai local government area has been closed as a result of attack by bandits.

On October 19, this year, gunmen numbering over 200 stormed the General Hospital at Gulu and killed two health

personnel and had kidnapped nine others.

The gunmen had demanded for a ransom of N90 million for the release of those abducted, but it was not known the amount paid to facitate the return to freedom of the victims.

As a result of the migration of the personnel Sidi said provision has been made for the recruitment of 400 health workers, 200 midwives for primary health care centers and another 250 midwives under Government UNICEF and 200 midwives under the FGN/SYDANI programmes.

The Commissioner said

despite the situation the Ministry was able to achieve 44% performance in 2022 which he said, "Is very high as a result of the attention paid to the outbreak of COVID19."

Also defending the performance of the 2022 budget of her ministry the Commissioner for Education, Mrs. Hannatu Jibrin Salihu said the performance fell below 26 per cent as a result of poor release of funds.

Salihu said the ministry out of the total budget projection of N7.3 billion got only N2.2 billion which is just 39% of the projected income.

Emma Okonji

Laleye Dipo in Minna

Blessing Ibunge in Port Harcourt

L-R: Lush Hair Brand Ambassador, Ms. Amanda Dara; Braid to Millions Promo Grand Prize Winner, Ms. Angel Offornedu; Brand Manager, Ms. Ritambhara Kakkar; and Chief Executive Officer, Smooth Promotions, Mr. Ayo Animashaun, during the Raffle Draw to unveil the Lush Hair “Braid to Millions” Promo Grand Prize Winner held at the palms, Lekki Lagos…. Yesterday

PHOTO: SUNDAY ADIGUN

FCTA on Red Alert Over Outbreak of Ebola, Cholera

Olawale Ajimotokan in Abuja

The Epidemiological Division of the Public Health Department of FCT Health and Human Services Secretariat (HHSS), yesterday said its surveillance system was prepared for the outbreak of Ebola, Cholera, Monkey Pox, Measles and COVID 19.

The Director, FCT Public Health Department, Dr. Sadiq

Abdulrahaman, disclosed this in Abuja, while briefing the media on the state of preparedness and response of the FCTA health sector.

He said the FCT has taken proactive measures and was on a high alert mode even though it has not witnessed any serious outbreak of the diseases within the year ending, He said although Ebola viral

disease has not been recorded in Nigeria since 2014, the authorities were aware of the latest outbreak in Congo DR with consequences from quite a number of deaths and closure of schools

He added that periodically, there is weekly review, in conjunction with FCTA partners like WHO, NCDC and Disease Surveillance and Notification officers, who are key foot soldiers

OBASEKI: ATIKU, BEST POSITIONED FOR NIGERIA

the four front runner presidential candidates, he was the only one that had something to show for what he did in the recent past.

Continuing, Obaseki pointed out that the ability to marshal the country’s security forces for intimidatory purposes or influence the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) would not deliver victory to anyone in the 2023 general elections because the game would be different this time.

He explained why the opposition PDP was the country’s best bet in next year’s presidential election.

He stated, “I think, yes, it is nice to have a competition. But I see my presidential candidate winning this election with a landslide victory. The law (Electoral Act) has improved; it is not about your capacity to mobilise security or to supposedly have INEC rig for you.”

Speaking on the chances of PDP in the election, Obaseki, said, “We are winning, honestly. Don't forget that I have been in both parties. I mean, I have friends across both parties? Some people call me a rainbow governor. The truth is that, today, everybody knows that most Nigerians accept that the ruling party has failed Nigerians.

“They have not delivered to expectations of Nigerians and, therefore, Nigerians cannot rely on them going forward. We must have a change. Having said that, what are the options? Interestingly, the main option is PDP and PDP is the only real organic party in the country. I give you instances from Edo State.

“PDP governed Edo for about 10 years from 1999 to 2006. When they lost the elections, they were an opposition party for 12 years, but remained a viable opposition.

In two years of PDP coming back into power, APC has collapsed till this day.

“APC will not get 25 per cent of the votes in Edo State. I am serious about it and I’m ready to bet my money on it. So, it tells you that PDP is quite an organic party. If you look at it, except in one or two states, there's not one constituency in this country that has not produced either a PDP councilor, PDP chairman, or PDP House of Assembly member.

“It is an organic party and all it needs is to be awakened. For our presidential candidate, because he has the experience of having been in this party from the beginning since its origin; the party chairman was one of those who formed the party, they understand the DNA of the party and have just come back to reignite it.

“For us, as a party, we have the experience, because we have been here for a long time. We are the only party that's been here since 1999. Our ability to reawaken our party membership and also the citizens in the face of the very harsh and difficult environment facing them, gives us an opportunity.”

Obaseki spoke on the underlying qualifications of the PDP presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, saying, “I was reviewing some data, which showed that between 2000 and 2010, Nigeria witnessed the most outstanding economic growth. He was vice president in that era. He was the chairman of the Economic Council. So, all the great reforms, privatisation, debt relief, he was there.

“Today, we are facing the same challenges and here is somebody who has done it before, who has had experience and you are telling me that he is old. If anything

IN BOOST TO POWER SECTOR, AFREXIMBANK’S FEDA ACQUIRES STAKE IN GEREGU POWER PLC

Commenting on the deal, the Chairman, Board of Directors, Geregu Power Plc, Mr. Femi Otedola said, “as the pioneer Power Generation Company on the Nigerian Exchange Limited (NGX), the interest shown by FEDA, is an expression of its firm belief not only in the Company but also in the future of the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry (NESI).”

He added, “in a period of contracting economic activity globally, to attract this investment from FEDA is testament to our long-term strategic plans and will accelerate our expansion to the wider West African Market.”

On his part, the President and Chairman of Afreximbank and Chairman of FEDA platform entities, Prof. Benedict Oramah said: “We are very pleased with this proposed investment, which marks a critical step towards supporting Nigeria’s power sector, and more broadly, towards advancing Africa’s industrialization and energy security.

“Without adequate power, Africa cannot achieve global export competitiveness. Afreximbank and its subsidiaries, including FEDA, are focused on creating a level playing field so that African products can compete at near equal footing with those originating from other markets. We hope that this approved investment will take us closer towards that goal”

Also, the CEO of FEDA, Marlène Ngoyi said: “The proposed investment in Geregu Power demonstrates FEDA’s ability to intervene in opportunities and sectors that are critical towards

driving the structural transformation of trade on the continent. Geregu Power is a key player in Nigeria’s power sector. FEDA is pleased to partner with the Company in its next phase of growth.”

Geregu Power Plc is a 435 MW thermal power plant located in Ajaokuta, Kogi State, Nigeria and is listed on the Nigerian Stock Exchange. The plant is majority owned and operated by Amperion Power Distribution Company Limited. The power plant consists of three simple cycle natural gas fired SIEMENS V94.2 STG5-2000E gas turbine generator units with a 435MW Installed Capacity. The Turbine units are GT11, GT12, and GT13 and each is designed to produce 145 MW at 15.75KV, stepped up to 330kV via a 173.6MVA Power Transformer and now generates on average ten (10%) percent of Nigeria’s power.

On the other hand, headquartered in Kigali (Rwanda), FEDA is the impact investment subsidiary of Afreximbank. FEDA was set up to provide equity, quasi-equity, and long-term equity-like debt capital to finance the multi-billion-dollar funding gap (particularly in equity) needed to transform the trade sector in Africa. FEDA pursues a multi-sector investment strategy along the intra-African trade, value-added export development, and manufacturing value chains, which includes financial services, technology, consumer and retail goods, manufacturing, transport, power & logistics, agribusiness, as well as ancillary trade enabling infrastructure such as industrial parks.

at all, he is more mature; he is more experienced. That is the kind of person we need today, because the challenges of Nigeria are not new.

“We need somebody, who understands where we are coming from. For me, I believe that Atiku is the only person in Nigeria today, who has been so positioned to help us in the transformation of this country.”

On the disagreement with the dissenting G-5 governors of PDP, Obaseki said, “This is politics. Clearly, we all will not always have the same views on issues at the same time. But as long as we are heading in the same direction, at some point in time, hopefully, we will. Our positions will converge. The situation today is not as bad as it is being portrayed to the press. Don’t forget, we are brother governors. We are friends; we talk and we keep talking to our friends.

“At the last governors’ meeting we had a couple of weeks ago, we did agree that we were going to reach out and continue the conversation and we are doing so. The reason I said it is not as bad as it looks is because we are going to overcome it.

“Some of these brother governors are also contesting in this election and they will not want you to destroy the platform on which they are contesting. I believe that as we have these conversations, whatever issues they have, we will trash them out. The important thing is that the PDP will take over this government and rescue this country.”

The Edo State governor dismissed the threat posed by the so-called “Obidients” (supporters of Labour Party

at the Area Councils level.

He said there was an ongoing training and retraining of its health workers especially those involved in periodic reporting of these diseases.

"For cerebral spinal meningitis, from January to date, we witnessed zero case, for cholera, we witnessed only two suspected cases, and zero laboratory confirmed; and for

presidential candidate Peter Obi), saying even though they may have something to offer Nigeria, he does not believe they are properly organised or have enough experience to threaten PDP’s chances.

According to Obaseki, “These are a group of people, who have something to offer Nigeria. They are also riding on the anger and the failure of the current government.

“As for me, are they organised enough? Do they have enough experience? You know, the candidate is my friend, Peter Obi. Does he have as much experience as Alhaji Atiku? Not yet. They will need time to mature. They will need time to grow, but for this election, February 2023, which is less than 100 days away, we will see the end result.”

Gbajabiamila: Tinubu’s Records Stand Him Out Above Others

Meanwhile, Gbajabiamila, has said Tinubu, stood out from other candidates, because of his track record.

According to him, Tinubu had done what none of the other presidential candidates has ever done, when he served as the governor of Lagos State for eight years from 1999 to 2007.

Gbajabiamila said he had been able to fulfil thousands of requests from people in Surulere and beyond, urging the people to all come together, go and knock on the doors and campaign vigorously for Tinubu.

"Today, they say there are three or four front-runner presidential candidates. There was something that I used to say many years

viral hemorrhagic fever specially Lassa fever which is endemic, we had 11 suspected cases and only one laboratory confirmed with no death.

"For measles, we had about 245 suspected cases, and zero laboratory confirmed. And for Monkey pox, which had brought a wave in recent past, cumulatively, we had about 58 suspected cases, with 9 confirmed

ago. I used to say it is not by mouth, it is by what you do; the seeds that you’ve sown.

“So, today, I ask people of all the front runners, they all have records; Asiwaju has a record of 8 years as governor; Peter Obi has a record of 8 years as governor in Anambra; Atiku has a record as Vice President for 8 years.

"When you put their records side-by-side, there is no competition whatsoever, Asiwaju stands tall shoulders above everybody. In his (Tinubu’s) case, Lagos is not even like a state; Lagos is like a country in terms of population, in terms of density, in terms of different people in the state and look at what he has been able to do.

“This election is the one that we must campaign based on persuasion, for us to go out there and talk to those who are still sitting on the fence, who are persuaded based on religion, or ethnicity. Let them be persuaded by records, that is what I want from you."

Tambuwal: Vote Out APC all Over the country

In another development, Director General of the PDP Presidential Campaign Council and Sokoto State Governor Aminu Tambuwal called on Nigerians to vote out the All Progressives Congress (APC) all over the country in 2023.

Tambuwal said this yesterday in Ado-Ekiti during the inauguration of the Ekiti State PDP Campaign Council and State Campaign Manager Committee.

The PDP campaign directorgeneral condemned the leadership style of APC, which he said had plunged Nigeria into numerous problems without solutions.

Tambuwal, who was rep-

in the FCT from January to date," Abdulrahaman said.

He noted that despite the presidential directive on December 12, 2022, easing of safety measures and travel advisory in the country on COVID-19, there was still emphasis on issues around gathering, the use of masks and travel protocols especially for vulnerable groups, as the deadly disease still surges in the world.

resented by Dr. Eddy Olafeso, urged PDP members to work for peace to defeat the “monster” called APC and its beneficiaries in the country.

The event was attended by many members and supporters of the party in all the 16 local government councils of Ekiti State.

Tambuwal said Nigerians witnessed the worst Christmas ever in the country’s history under APC. He charged the voting public to use their Permanent Voters Cards (PVCs) to defeat the APC and vote for Atiku and Ifeanyi Okowa in the presidential and general elections.

In his address, Acting Chairman of Ekiti PDP presidential campaign council, Chief Ogundipe Makanjuola, said what was required was the unalloyed commitment to winning the presidential election in the next two months so that PDP could revamp the battered economy of Nigeria.

Makanjuola called on PDP supporters to go out to galvanise support for the party and Atiku Abubakar in the 2023 general election.

"We have been handed a very strategic task, a very challenging assignment, but by the special grace of God, it is not insurmountable, we shall succeed," said Makanjuola.

Other members inaugurated included Rt. Hon. Tunji Odeyemi (secretary of the state campaign council), former governors and deputy governors, serving and former lawmakers, chairmen, secretaries, Board of Trustees (BoT) members, state youth leader, and all local government party chairmen, among others.

Ekiti PDP Management Committee was also inaugurated, with

BUHARI CONDEMNS POLICE KILLING OF OMOBOLANLE RAHEEM IN LAGOS

who were already held in detention.

Buhari, according to a statement issued yesterday by his spokesperson, Mallam Garba Shehu, described the incident as a stark reminder of the recurring mishandling of weapons and a wakeup call to law enforcement agencies, including the police, to ensure the full implementation of reforms instituted by the administration on the subject of weapons handling as well as the protection of the rights of citizens.

“In this hour of grief, the nation stands in solidarity with the bereaved family and the NBA. I assure that justice will be done in this case,” the president said.

Similarly, Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, reinforced his stance on justice for the family of the deceased, as he sent a delegation yesterday to console the family at their home in Ajah.

“We have the permission of Mr. Governor to tell you that justice will be done in this matter,” Lagos State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Moyo Onigbanjo, told the family of the shot lawyer. Onigbanjo added, “The matter will be charged to court as soon as the police send us the case file. I will be leading the prosecution to show the seriousness the government attaches to this matter.”

According to a statement, Special Adviser Tubosun Alake said the governor urged the family to take heart. He prayed that the Almighty would console the family.

The husband of the late Bolanle, Mr. Gbenga Raheem,

thanked Sanwo-Olu for his empathy.

In the delegation also were Head of Service Muri Okunola, who signed the condolence register on behalf of the state government; Women and Poverty Alleviation Commissioner, Mrs. Bolaji Dada; and Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Gbenga Omotoso Executive Secretary, National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), Chief Tony Ojukwu, condemned Raheem’s killing, insisting that the Nigeria Police must ensure officers bearing arms are mentally balanced and respect the rules of engagement.

Ojukwu, who was reacting to the death of the lawyer, said the incident was regrettable. He said the killer cop had fallen short of standard operating procedure and professional ethics of the Nigeria Police.

He recalled that the commission went around the country to train police officers on human rights best practices and how to mainstream human rights in law enforcement operations, “yet we are still recording sad incidents of extra-judicial killings perpetrated by the police officers.”

Ojukwu, while commending the police high command for taking necessary action to arrest and put the errant officer in custody, said the commission would continue to monitor the process of investigation and prosecution of the officer to ensure that justice was adequately served.

He commiserated with the family of the deceased as well as the NBA. He regretted that

Raheem’s death came as a shock to the commission, adding that there must be a permanent solution to check this form of avoidable killings by the police.

The NHRC head regretted that the commission had recorded several incidents of extrajudicial killings by the police and vowed to do all within its powers to ensure that the cases were not swept under the carpet.

In a related development, the Lekki Estates Residents and Stakeholders Association (LERSA), the umbrella association of estates and residents in the Lekki- Epe corridor of Lagos State, called for immediate action to stop the killing of its members and other Nigerians by policemen

LERSA, in a statement by its president, James Emadoye, described Raheem’s killing as “distressing" and "one of too many incidents within a very short period".

Emadoye recalled that just a few weeks ago, there was a protest against the killing of a promising young man in Sangotedo area that almost went out of control.

According to the LERSA president, the association does not think that protests would produce required results and has therefore, started engaging with the relevant authorities to find a lasting solution to, “what has become a major threat to the communities in the corridor and the whole country.”

Emadoye stated, “I, in company of some of members of our exco, had a meeting the same morning of the incident with the

Area J Police Commander. I can assure you that the authorities themselves are disturbed over this.

“A harmless pregnant mother with four children in a vehicle killed for nothing. We must strategise and see how to do other things that will stop this sort of incidence.”

One of the measures LERSA was strongly proposing, Emadoye revealed, was the involvement of the community in checking the mental health of weapons-bearing security officers.

He said, “The association will establish immediate contact with the Lagos State Commissioner of Police on this challenge. Our thoughts go to the husband and children of the deceased this season. May God comfort them and grant them the fortitude to carry on.”

He added that LERSA would ensure that justice was done for the family of the deceased and see that her death brought an end to such waste of human lives in the country.

Emadoye stated, “We are happy that Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu and the Commissioner of Police are already involved and we are pleading that action does not only end with the prosecution of the murderers of Mrs. Raheem and possible compensation for her family, but also includes clear, measurable and sustainable actions and measures that will bring an end to sad occurrences like this. This is the only way the community can hope to eventually recover from this black Christmas.”

Acting Group Politics Editor DEJI ELUMOYE

Email: deji.elumoye@thisdaylive.com 08033025611 SMS ONLY

Akeredolu, Afenifere at Daggers Drawn over Yoruba Nation

Fidelis David writes that the recent vow by the Chairman of the Southwest Governors’ Forum and Governor of Ondo State, Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, that states in the Southwest will not allow any agitation for Oodua Nation and that no sit-at-home order will be tolerated in any state in the zone has again brought the agitation to a limelight.

Despite the fact that the agitations for breakaway states or region in Nigeria are nothing new for the South West, Yoruba Nation activist, Sunday Adeniyi Adeyemo, better known as Igboho, has been the lightning rod in recent times.

This has thrived with the support of a professor of History and senator in the Second Republic and the leader of a Yoruba self-determination agitation group, (Ilana Omo Oodua), Prof Banji Akintoye, who resigned from his position recently and handed over the position to his deputy, Wale Adeniran.

Igboho’s Recent Activities

In early January, 2021, Sunday Igboho, became more popular when he gave a seven-day ultimatum to herdsmen to vacate Ibarapa, Oyo State due to the alleged criminal activities of armed herders.

Igboho had then accused the herders of being responsible for the killings, rape and kidnappings of the residents of Oke-Ogun and Ibarapa and despite warning by his state governor, Seyi Makinde, against such action, he invaded Igangan and his visit led to a clash between some Yoruba youth and Fulani in the community while properties worth millions of Naira were reportedly destroyed. It took the intervention of Governor Dapo Abiodun of Ogun State and some northern governors to bring the situation under control.

Before then, in Yoruba land, most especially Ondo, Oyo and Osun states had been treated to stories of conflicts between herdsmen, identified as Fulani, and farmers, this made Governor Akeredolu of Ondo state for instance, to give a seven-day ultimatum to the herdsmen in the state forest reserves to vacate the place immediately.

There were lots of families who lost their loved ones, women were raped, families paid ransom and still had to pick up the corpse of their loved ones by the roadside.

The Formation of Amotekun

Don’t forget that in 2020, in a move to strengthen the security situation in the region the South West governors launched a security network - Western Nigeria Security Network Agency code-named Amotekun in Ibadan, the Oyo state capital with six governors including, Rotimi Akeredolu (Ondo), Seyi Makinde (Oyo), Babajide Sanwo-Olu (Lagos), Kayode Fayemi (Ekiti), and former governor Gboyega Oyetola (Osun) backing the decision.

The move was challenged by the Federal Government. Indeed the Presidency in a statement issued by presidential spokesperson, Mallam Garba Shehu, tried to teach the Governors some elementary constitutional law against regional security outfits.

The Arrest and Detention of Igboho

On July 1, 2021, Igboho was arrested in Benin Republic on his way to Germany alongside his wife who was released shortly after. He left Nigeria after operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) raided his Ibadan residence, destroyed his properties and arrested 12 of the activist’s allies, whisking them away to Abuja, where they were kept in detention.

After a brief legal tussle in August, 2021, the DSS released eight of the aides and then another two were released in September, 2021.

However, on March 7 2021, Igboho was released by the Benin Republic Government to the leader of the umbrella body of Yoruba Selfdetermination Groups, Ilana Omo Oodua Worldwide, Professor Banji Akintoye, and his deputy, a French Language Expert and Chieftain of Ilana Omo Oodua Worldwide, Professor Wale Adeniran.

No Going Back on Yoruba Nation Agitation

Despite spending several months in prison custody, Igboho didn’t relent in his quest for self-determination as he pronto called for dialogue in the quest for the Yoruba nation, maintaining that it can be achieved without bloodshed.

Perhaps, seeing what is happening in Ukraine and some parts of Igboland in Nigeria, he warned against bloodshed and implored all, especially his kinsmen at home and in the diaspora, to embrace dialogue in their quest for self-determination without heating up Nigeria’s polity.

Igboho also recently insisted that there is no going back on his demand for the actualisation of a separate nation for the Yoruba in Nigeria.

his administration, said no sit-at-home order will be tolerated in any state in the Southwest. His words: “Those clamouring for Oodua nation will not succeed. People have not laid down their lives for this country for unscrupulous individuals to scuttle it. This country is very important to some of us. We recognize the right of the people to protest or agitate. But if the police feel your actions are treasonable, they will arrest and prosecute you. It is not at this stage in the history of this country that we will repeat IPOB in Yoruba land. Opportunity beacons at us. We cannot afford to throw away that opportunity.

“We must work to ensure that there is power shift. The opportunity for presidency to come to the South, especially the Southwest, is around the corner. We will not sit down and support anyone clamouring for Oodua nation. We will not support it. We have fought for this with everything we had. Nigeria will be good. The security agencies will checkmate these unscrupulous enemies embarking on such frivolous activities. We have responsibilities now to soberly reflect on the plight of those who have laid down their lives and those who are still laying down their lives for the unity and peace of this country”, Akeredolu said.

Afenifere’s Position

In a swift reaction, the Pan Yoruba Sociocultural organisation, Afenifere, lampooned Akeredolu, saying his statement was most disastrously bereft of statesmanship and national conciliation and shows the the governor is faced with the lust for political power.

We are also in the same boat with him that “this country is very important to some of us” and the recognition that agitation and protests are rights protected in a democratic society.

The group also re-echoed that, for the interest of equity, unity and fairness, it is the turn of the South East to produce the next President of Nigeria.

“Our worry however is that Akeredolu, even as the Chairman of the Southern Governors Forum, would not, in deference to that high pedestal, wean himself from petty politicking which sacrifices equity needed for national peace and cohesion in preference of crass opportunism. In short, his vituperations on that occasion was most disastrously bereft of statesmanship and national conciliation”.

According to the group, “the real intention of Akeredolu’s phony sanctimony was unveiled when he declared that “it is not at this stage in the history of this country that we will repeat IPOB in Yorubaland. Opportunity beckons at us. We cannot afford to throw away that opportunity. We must work to ensure that there is power shift. The opportunity for the presidency to come to the south, especially the South-West, is around the corner. We will not sit and support anyone clamouring for Oodua nation. We will not support it. We have fought for this with everything we had. Nigeria will be good”.

Negation to Oodua Nation

Akeredolu’s

Again, the Yoruba nation agitation came to the fore last Friday after the Chairman of the Southwest Governors’ Forum and Ondo State Governor, Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, warned those agitating for Oodua Nation to perish the thought.

Akeredolu who spoke at the launch of Emblem Appeal to flag off the 2023 Armed Forces Remembrance Day Celebrations in Akure said many lives have been laid down for the unity of the country, vowing that states in the Southwest will not allow any agitation that will scuttle the sacrifices of the nation’s heros.

Akeredolu, who stressed that the country is too important to him and

The group, in a statement titled, “Akeredolu: Between Equity and Opportunism”, made available to Journalists in Akure by the Secretary General of Afenifere, Sola Ebiseni, said Akeredolu’s position was synonymous to playing to the gallery, as a glorified Chief Security Officer.

The Statement reads: “The statement credited to Governor Akeredolu of Ondo State at the launching of an emblem appeal to flag off the 2023 Armed Forces Remembrance Day unfortunately confirmed the scarcity of statesmanship in our clime particularly faced with the lust for political power.

“We have no problem with the Governor playing to the gallery, as a glorified Chief Security Officer, urging that security forces clamp down on any person or group whose activities he interpreted as capable of disintegrating the Nigerian State because we are no less patriotic and committed to its continuing corporate existence.

Despite spending several months in prison custody, Igboho didn’t relent in his quest for self-determination as he pronto called for dialogue in the quest for the Yoruba nation, maintaining that it can be achieved without bloodshed. Perhaps, seeing what is happening in Ukraine and some parts of Igboland in Nigeria, he warned against bloodshed and implored all, especially his kinsmen at home and in the diaspora, to embrace dialogue in their quest for self-determination without heating up Nigeria’s polity

“Akeredolu is within his right as the South West Coordinator of his party’s campaigns to imagine the opportunity coming his way and his party in the pipe dream of presidential power”. The Yoruba group noted that it was “unimaginable that the Chairman of the Southern Governors Forum would descend to the abys of equating his pontification for the equity of a Southern Presidency with the hegemony of his or other ethnic nationality.

According to Afenifere, to say that the clamour for Southern President was especially for South West was not only most insensitive but also to make a fool of Akeredolu’s colleagues outside of South West.

“No wonder then that the Governor of Delta state in whose office the Southern Governors’ Conference was held was the first to betray the cause by accepting the second fiddle position of the Vice President to the detriment of what has turned out to be their feeble declarations.

“The unkindest cut of Akeredolu’s new song was his reference to IPOB as if he had any control over the choice of a different modus operandi employed by different agitating groups in Nigeria. Truth be told, there is no region of Nigeria where the elite including the ruling class in Government has been able to determine the methods adopted by agitators or succeeded in checkmating the effects thereof.

“So, let Akeredolu not boast of any capacity to dictate the method adopted by the Yoruba agitators or seek to set the rest of Nigeria against his Ndigbo colleagues or the entire South East in his unhidden separatist agenda of securing undue advantage for his party and region in the quest for the Nigerian President of Southern extraction”.

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

Akeredolu

Akintoye

Igboho

With banks increasing interventions in the real sectors, credit to private sector increased to N41.58 trillion in November 2022 from N40.84 trillion in October, the latest Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) “Money and Credit” statistics has revealed.

The reported N41.58trillion credit to private sector in November is the highest in the banking industry.

Analysts have attributed the growth to the 65 Loan-to-Deposit (LDR) policy of the CBN that mandated banks to lend to real sectors of the nation’s economy.

Despite the policy, some Tier-1

banks as of nine months of 2022 have failed to meet the CBN requitement of 65 per cent LDR.

For example, Zenith Bank Plc in nine months of 2022 reported 50.4 per cent LDR, while FBN Holdings announced 56.6 per cent LDR as of September 30, 2022.

Notably, the likes of Sterling Bank Plc, Union Bank of Nigeria Plc, FCMB Group Plc, among other Tier-2 banks reported stronger LDR in the period under review.

However, findings by THISDAY revealed that credit to private sector in 11 months of 2022 added N6.4trillion with significant growth in credit to manufacturing, general

commerce, and oil & gas sectors.

According to the statistics, credit to private sector opened 2022 at N35.18 trillion in January and crossed the N40trillion mark in August 2022 amid hike in inflation rate and severe business environment.

Commenting, Vice president, Highcap securities limited, Mr. David Adnori, stated that the N6.4trillion growth in credit to private sector in 11 months demonstrated how double-digit inflation rate has affected nominal demand for Naira by private sector businesses, given continuing rise in input cost and the usual burden of imported inflation.

He explained further that, “Since

this nature of demand for money may not necessarily translate to improved productivity, it follows, therefore, that economy may not also benefit in terms of additional jobs or output growth. This is just evidence of the unstable state of the macroeconomic environment in Nigeria.”

Also speaking, the CEO, Wyoming Capital & Partners, Mr. Tajudeen Olayinka stated that the growth in credit to private sector is an indication of a moderate credit extension to the private sector of the economy, in consonance with low absorptive capacity of the economy itself, and as possibly programmed by CBN,

given mirage of problems bedevilling the Nigerian economy.

He added, “An economy with low productivity and total reliance on import must guide its credit expansion, in order not to put too much pressure on a faulty exchange rate management. Further credit expansion in the midst of poor monetary and fiscal coordination, could spell doom for the economy. This is one of the reasons our economy is not doing well.”

Commenting on the increase in credit to private sector, Deputy Governor, CBN, Aisha Ahmad, who also a member of the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) in her

personal statement at the meeting said the continued credit expansion particularly to output enhancing sectors is expected to further support economic activities.

She stated that the sustained regulatory vigilance is required to mitigate any potential crystallization of credit risk in the financial system in view of lingering macroeconomic risks.

The statistics also revealed that currency in circulation dropped by N134.53billion to N3.16 trillion in November from N3.298 trillion in October.

Nume Ekeghe

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has revealed that banks’ total assets in the third quarter of 2022 rose by 21.58 per cent to N69.67 trillion as against N57.30 trillion recorded in October 2021.

Deputy Governor, Financial System Stability, CBN, Aisha Ahmad, and the Deputy Governor, Economic Policy Directorate, Dr. Kingsley Obiora stated this in their personal statement at the CBN Monetary Policy Committee

(MPC) meeting held in November.

Also, the CBN said NonPerforming Loans (NPLs) ratio declined to 4.8 per cent in October 2022 from 4.9 per cent in the previous month, staying below the regulatory benchmark of 5.0 per cent.

According to Ahmad, “Notably, total assets rose to N69.67trillion in October 2022 from N57.30 trillion in October 2021, while total deposits rose to N43.05 trillion from N36.13 trillion over the same period.”

“Total credit also increased by

N5.32 trillion to N28.81trillion between end-October 2021 and end-October 2022 with significant growth in credit to manufacturing, general commerce, and oil and gas sectors. The continued credit expansion particularly to output enhancing sectors is expected to further support economic activities. However, sustained regulatory vigilance is required to mitigate any potential crystallization of credit risk in the financial system in view of lingering macroeconomic risks.” She reiterated that the financial

system remains strong and continues to provide significant support for needed domestic economic resilience.

“Data provided by Bank staff showed stability in broad financial soundness indicators and sustained improvement in asset quality, alongside growing credit to the private sector. Capital adequacy ratio as at October 2022 was robust at 13.40 per cent above the minimum 10 per cent requirement. Industry liquidity was also strong at 40.1 per cent over the same period while the non-performing loans (NPLs)

ratio declined further to 4.8 per cent in October 2022, compared to 5.3 per cent in October 2021. This reflects improvement in industry risk management practices and implementation of regulatory policies to manage NPLs such as the Global Standing Instruction (GSI) Policy. The results of stress tests conducted by staff, show that financial soundness indicators remained above minimum regulatory thresholds under mild to severe shocks, ”she added.

On his part, Obiora stated: “The banking system remained sound,

safe and resilient to headwinds. The industry Non-Performing Loan (NPLs) ratio was 4.8 per cent at the end of October 2022, compared with 5.3 per cent at the end of the corresponding period of 2021, which was below the prudential maximum of 5.0 per cent.

“The decline in NPLs was attributable to write-offs, restructuring of facilities, Global Standing Instruction (GSI) and sound credit risk management by

Kayode Tokede

Finance, Sales Cost Plods Totalenergies Profit

Kayode Tokede

Totalenergies Marketing Nigeria Plc reported about seven per cent drop in profit to N12.05 billion in nine months ended September 30, 2022 unaudited result and accounts from N13.4 billion reported in corresponding nine months of 2021 over hike in cost of sales and finance cost.

The petroleum marketing company also reported about five per cent decline in profit before tax to N18.78billion in nine months of 2022 as against N19.72billion reported in nine months of 2021.

Nonetheless, the board and management of Totalenergies Marketing Nigeria proposed an interim dividend of N4.00 per share.

With the drop in profits, the company report a Profit Before Tax margin to 5.6per cent in nine months of 2022 from 8.1 per cent in nine months of 2021 while profit After Margin closed nine months of 2022 at 3.7per cent from 5.5 per cent in nine months of 2021.

Totalenergies Marketing Nigeria’s 2021 exceptional profit growth of the company was driven by a strong growth in sales revenue combined with a considerable cost savings. This year so far, the strength in revenue has been retained but the costsaving advantage has been lost – which slashed margins and clogged the flow of revenue into the bottom line.

In the period under review, the company announced 45 per cent increase in cost of sales to N292.53billion from N201.64billion

reported in corresponding period as finance cost rose significantly by 161.9 per cent to N3.34billion in nine months of 2022 from N1.27billion reported in nine months of 2021.

The growth in finance cost was driven by N1.95billion interest paid on import loans in nine months of 2022 from N33.28billion reported in nine months of 2021, while Interest on other loans moved to N1.31billion in nine months of 2022 from N911.5million reported in 2021.

Rising finance expenses reflect an increasing debt pile up from N15 billion at the end of last year to N57.5 billion at half year and jumping further to almost N107 billion at the end of nine months of 2022.

The combination of cost of sales and total operating expenses (Selling & distribution and Administrative expenses), thus, positioned Totalenergies Marketing Nigeria’s overall expenses to N319.29billion in nine months of 2022, representing an increase of 42 per cent from N225.11billion reported in nine months of 2021.

This brings it OPEX margin to -7.9per cent in nine months of 2022 from -9.7per cent in nine months of 2021.

The company benefited from its products price increase in 2022 as revenue rose by 39per cent to N397.19 billion in nine months of 2022 from N242.22billion reported in nine months of 2021.

Revenue breakdown disclosed a

BANKS’ TOTAL ASSETS UP 21.58% TO N69.67TRN IN Q3 2022

banks. Total assets of the banking industry showed an increase of N12.37 trillion or 21.58 per cent from N57.30 trillion in October 2021 to N69.67 trillion in October 2022, driven largely by balances with CBN/banks, investments,

and credit expansion to the real sector. As a result, the total flow of credit to the economy increased fromN23.49 trillion in October 2021 to N28.81 trillion in October 2022, representing an increase of 22.66 per cent to the key sectors

of the economy, including oil and gas, manufacturing, general, governments and commerce.”

However, addressing the fiscal arm of the government, a member of the MPC committee Adenikinju Adeola Festus, stressed that

N245.57billion sales from Petroleum products in the period under review from N180.7billion in corresponding period as revenue from Lubricants and others hit N91.61billion in nine months of 2022 from N61.53billion reported in nine months of 2021.

Revenue growth followed the stellar performances across the business’ three segments – Network that rose by 29.6per cent, contributing 44.1 per cent to revenue; General Trade rose by 38.6 per cent and contribute 41.3per cent of revenue and Aviation rose significantly by 106.3per cent and contributed about 15 per cent of revenue.

Gross profit margin contracted to 13.24per cent in nine months of 2022 as against 16.6per cent in nine months of 2021, due to a faster growth in cost of sales (49.5per cent) relative to revenue.

As non-core business income dropped to N2.65billion in nine months of 2022 from N3.65billion in nine months of 2021, operating profit moved to N20.68billion in nine months of 2022, representing an increase of 0.15per cent from N20.65billion reported in nine months of 2021.

The company earned N36.83 per share at the end of the nine months of 2022, down from N39.43 per share in the same period in 2021.

MOUNTING LOANS/ BORROWINGS

Totalenergies Marketing Nigeria

reported N314.05billion total assets as of September 30, 2022, representing an increase of 50.5 per cent from N208.73billion in 2021 Financial Year (FY).

The company in the period saw its loans increasing to N106.9billion as of September 30, 2022 from N15.12billion in 2021FY.

The breakdown of the company’s loans/ borrowings revealed N47.4billion short term intercompany loan in 2022 from N7.69billion in 2021, while trade finance loan increased to N59.48billion in nine months of 2022 from N7.43billion in 2021 FY.

Total current liabilities rose by 62 per cent to N258.1billion in nine months of 2022 from N159.4billion in 2021 as total liabilities closed nine months of 2022 at N266.01billion, representing an increase of 59per cent from N167.11billion reported in 2021 FY.

CONCLUSION

According to analysts at Cordros Research, “Totalenergies Marketing Nigeria’s result highlights the significant headwinds in the downstream oil and gas space and the overall operating landscape which have remained inhibiting factors to petroleum marketers.

“We expect Total to see out the year with the resilient momentum the company has exhibited so far in 2022, with festive induced travelling in Q4 adding an extra layer of support to sales. However, we maintain our view that the volatility of crude oil prices will remain a strong headwind to the company’s operations.”

more responsible fiscal approach should be adopted by the Federal Government.

He said: “The worsening fiscal balances should also be addressed. Most indicators of fiscal balances are in the red. The reliance on

CREDIT TO PRIVATE SECTOR ADDS N6.4TRN IN 11 MONTHS, CROSSES N41TRN MARK

The decline, according to analysts is on the back drop of CBN excess mopping of ideal liquidity in the banking system.

CBN at its MPC meeting in September and November maintained Cash Reserve Ratio (CRR) of deposit money banks at 32.5 per cent from 27.5 per cent.

CRR is the proportion of

commercial banks’ deposits that is not allowed to be lent out or invested by banks. At the current rate, the CBN wants banks to keep N325 out of every N1,000 deposit mobilised from customers.

The statistics by CBN showed that credit to the government dropped to N22.639trillion in November from N22.645trillion

in October.

Analysts explained that banks shun lending to the government over 2023 political tension, maintaining that the decline commenced since September 2022.

Banks credit to government has appreciated by 51.9per cent in its Year-till-Date (YtD) performance.

Credit to the government had

steadily been on the rise since the opening of 2022 and crossed the N20trillion mark in July.

In addition, Money Supply (M2) increased to N51.78trillion in November from N50.63trillion reported by CBN in October.

Adnori explained that, “In general, an increase in the money supply drives inflation. In Nigeria’s

monetary accommodation to enhance fiscal operations is costly to the economy both in the medium and long term. The revenue challenges of the government should be confronted headlong. The Bank should moderate further

case, money supply growth far outstrips economic growth which is a typical condition for stoking inflation.

“In terms of inflation, the majority of the inflationary pressure we are experiencing is supply-side driven, as a result of issues like insecurity, poor infrastructure, insufficient logistics,

financing of the federal government and conclude on the securitisation of the FGN exposure to the CBN. In addition, the issue of oil theft and vandalization of pipelines and other government assets must be urgently addressed.”

and cost push factors from the external environment, such as the Russian-Ukraine conflict.

“As a result, I would ascribe a higher percentage (about 65-70per cent) of the money supply growth to inflation. I believe the balance is due to a higher credit growth to the economy, notably to the government.”

Youssef: Free Flow of Money Central to Poverty Alleviation

In this exclusive chat with James Emejo, the Co-founder/Chief Executive, Paxful, a peer-to-peer marketplace, Mr. Ray Youssef, said the free flow of money remain key to financial inclusion, youth empowerment, and poverty alleviation in the country. Among other things, he said the use of bitcoin could boost foreign exchange earnings thereby straightening the local currency as well as putting the idle workforce to productive work. Excerpts

What is the vision of Paxful?

Ihave a dream that the global south will rise and turn the tables.

Right now, the global south has 80 per cent of the growth population and less than 20 per cent of its wealth. The young people are the greatest resources of the global south especially Nigeria. All that needs to happen for this dream to be a reality is that we need to break the bounds of what I call economic apartheid and that is what keeps us poor and not because we are lazy or corrupt but because money is not allowed to flow. If we just let the money flow, these people – young people, entrepreneurs, Nigeria, Africa, and the entire global south would have great wealth and history has proven that – all businesses are the story of free trade. If you let free trade happen and wealth would be created and free trade can only happen when you have free payments; we’ve inhibited that and we are going to fix it and that’s why Paxful was started. Bitcoin is a tool to make this happen. But Bitcoin is only the last peer-to-peer technology that we have. First, we have the internet and now we have everybody having a mobile phone. So, I intend to build the plumbing around this and mobilise the youth to make the money flow and that’s all we need to do.

From your feasibility assessment, what makes Nigeria attractive to you given especially given its infrastructure challenges including low internet penetration?

Well, the only feasibility study that really counts is to put your foot on the ground, come here and meet the people. You can read all the studies and reports about Africa and Nigeria…often, they have no idea what the story here is on the ground. When I actually came here and met the people and I spoke to them and allowed them to educate me, I was like wow, these people are amazing. They have the strength, energy, and vibrancy, and brains to make this happen. No other people in the world have the drive of the Nigerian people. I have never seen a youth like this and I have seen a lot of very impressive youth all around the world including Egypt where I am from. But there’s something special with extra spice with Nigeria, and we need that to make this happen because this is the money business and so I am here because of the people and I understand the power of the people anytime I talk to them.

Given the widespread poverty in Nigeria and Africa in general, how can bitcoin technology be a tool for the empowerment of the vulnerable population?

Clearly, the centralised money system in banks and the whole financial system has failed us through incompetence and also what I believe to be a system of punishment for the people in the global south. They kept the money from flowing and that’s why they keep us poor. They keep your money trapped in this global economy, they are basically in a prison and their money is in the prison and that’s how they kept us poor. Bitcoin is the last peer-to-peer technology we need to truly make money flow. Bitcoin allows us to disrupt the financial system in a good way by bringing the power of that to the people and the people just want the money to flow because they know that’s going to make everyone rich and that’s all. Bitcoin is the last peer-to-peer piece of the puzzle – that little component that we need to put into the engine and then we just need

to introduce this to the youth and they will drive it all way home and that will destroy poverty.

For how long do you think monetary authorities around the world can continue to hold off on bitcoin adoption in view of the technology’s compelling benefits to society at large?

Well, the question is why are they resisting it? We get flimsy excuses like it’s money laundering and all that – these don’t hold water because bitcoin is transparent. So, why are they resisting it? To me there are a few reasons: number one, a lot of the people in power or who are very close to the central bank get a very favourable arbitrage; they can buy dollars at the official rate and sell them to the black market. So, they have a very lucrative trade out there.

The other reason is that there is a lot of uncertainty coming from the central bank but again, for this reason, I don’t blame the central bank and I don’t blame

Nigeria because there is tremendous pressure coming from the outside and it is not only in Nigeria; it is in Egypt and every global south nation that has its own currency.

If the president of this country says I am tired of seeing half my youth unemployed and says I am going to put all of our people to work; build schools, roads, factory and put everyone work and make this country rich…the moment they do that, if they have the guts to do that, they will get a call from the IMF saying you can’t print up your money, you’ve got to borrow ours at interest or else, we will destroy the value of your currency and your market because we control price discovery. And that is the pressure, that is the gun that is being held to the head of every global south leader.

And because of those few things, they can resist bitcoin for some time but it is still happening and it is going to continue to happen and grow. So, the question is when is the tipping point? When Pan- Africa is able to send money across the countries using bitcoin, and when they notice that it is actually increasing the volume of the Naira in the country and that it is actually putting the people to work in this country. It puts the workforce here in Nigeria to work, earning hard currency in Dollars and Euros without hurting the exchange rate of the Naira. And that’s amazing; if I am the president of this country and I see that my population is being put to work and earning hard currency, I will see it as a huge opportunity.

How much can bitcoin do to strengthen the local currency?

It will contribute to the stabilisation of the local currency while putting young

people to work. We also met the Central Bank of Egypt and told them the same thing –you don’t have to send all your young men out of the country. They can stay right here and maximise their potential using bitcoin. Nigerians don’t have to leave the country and now we have this opportunity, magical internet money that could cross the country.

And interestingly, there are some smart people in government who already see that but the question is when is that tipping point going to come? And what can we do with the youth to make it happen – and I wish I have the answers.

What is your oraganisation doing to boost the awareness of Nigerians about the bitcoin technology for their empowerment?

This is a great question. Education happens along multiple levels and I am very happy to say that at the very foundational level, we have built two schools in Kaduna State. We determined to build 1,300 schools worldwide and we’ve done 11 so far under the Built With Bitcoin (BWB) foundation initiative. That is one level and something that is very close to my heart.

And there is this Pax Nigeria, which is education for older people- those that can put things to practice right away; teaching them about what money actually is, where it comes from and how bitcoin is good honest money, and how they can use bitcoin to make money; how arbitrage opportunity exists and how crypto isn’t just speculation but a means of exchange, so, anyone can come here and even get the certification.

There is yet a growing skepticism over the genuineness of bitcoin, especially as a lawful trade that is free from fraud. How do you address this concern?

Absolutely, bitcoin is very real. I encourage Africans to be skeptical; because there are reasons to be skeptical and it keeps us healthy and safe. And the truth is that there had been a lot of scams like MMM, scams that have come from Russia, America, and Europe, and preyed upon Africans, especially Nigerians. And many have also put their money into crypto and lost. Now, there’s a lesson there – These scammers used cryptocurrency because the technology is superior and makes collecting money easy but you don’t have to use that application to scam or speculation. Technology is good, it makes sending and receiving money easy and we can use it as a means of exchange. And so, our money has no borders; it can travel around, move around and make us more money.

Now, if you look at the Naira or whatever fiat currency we use in any country, it’s kind of trapped as a result of capital controls or you have issues with your bank… So, the technology works just like your cell phone. But we don’t have to start and put our life savings into it, you can start with N10, flip it, do arbitrage and turn it into N50 and you can build up from there. You don’t have to hold all your money in bitcoin, you can hold it in eNaira if you want; but the point is that it is your access card, your global financial passport and that is what is important. That is very real and no one can take that away from a person who controls bitcoin. Nobody can come to you and say you don’t have permission to use bitcoin again but they can do that with your bank.

“But there’s something special with extra spice with Nigeria, and we need that to make this happen because this is the money business and so I am here because of the people and I understand the power of the people anytime I talk to them.”

Youssef

2022: The Year Insurers Embraced Technology

Insurance operators with lots of positive thinking welcomed the year 2022 as both global and local insurers tagged the year a period of accelerated economic recovery and a shifting period in insurance landscape.

This was despite concerns about new variants of COVID-19 pandemic tagged Delta and Omicron, which early in the year raised fears of fresh lock down among business managers.

But Nigerian insurers in particular seemed to be more optimistic during the year that their technological retooling as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic was capable of making the difference.

This being the case, they were more determined to consolidate on the changes the pandemic compelled them to make.

Many insurance operators in Nigeria migrated from physical marketing with much emphasis on insurance brokers and agents to digital marketing using technology.

Even the brokers and agents themselves shifted from one-on-one marketing to digital marketing using various online platforms.

The industry regulator, National Insurance Commission (NAICOM), in its summary of what the new technology based business model was set to achieve in the industry during the year said, “The insurance eco system is evolving rapidly and insurers can no longer lean on old familiar ways while the prevailing technological and strategic winds shift around them.”

The Commissioner for Insurance, Mr. Sunday Olorundare Thomas, addressing the media on the confidence of the sector operators and their determination to achieve success during the year, using their new business model anchored on technology said, “In today’s modern business environment, disruption plays an integral part of any business, hence innovation being implemented by the Commission is geared towards gaining control of a specific segment of the market that has been left untapped by encouraging the introduction of products tailored to the consumers in order to grow insurance businesses.”

THE GLOBAL INSURANCE MARKET

Globally, at the onset of the year, the insurers were very optimistic too that the year would witness accelerated economic recovery and additional digital technology investments which would generate significant growth for the industry during the period.

The reason for their high hopes was clear, the year 2022 was the first year business operators across the globe practically adjusted their seats to commence real operation after much breakdown in their system of operations by the pandemic and its associated lockdowns on businesses.

For insurers in particular, it was the first year they would deploy the new technologies they acquired as a result of disruptions in their former business models by the emergence of COVID-19.

It was indeed a year laggards in technology usage, especially among developing countries like Nigeria apparently saw the need for a swift shift from old way to new business way thrown up by the global new normal.

This being the case, the insurers, especially those who had commenced experiments on their new technologies projected that the market in terms of growth prospects would be fairly bullish, citing the fact that they had planned to increase investments in enabling technologies and evolving talent models to build on the digital and virtual platforms that would sustain their operations and maintain their engagements with customers.

The insurers, however predicted that from the beginning of the year that there would be challenges ranging from economic hurdles such as the potential for sustained inflation; to sustainability concerns including climate risk, diversity, and financial inclusion; to rapidly evolving consumer product and purchase preferences.

As the year 2022 draws its curtain to a close, the insurers and their sector observers have paused to x -ray how they have utilised their acquired technologies to achieve their expectations and concluded that the industry was riding on technology to positively shift to a new landscape.

REPORTS BY FINANCE EXPERTS

Deloitte, in its 2022 global insurance report, said the year was expected to be another bumper year for the insurance industry, but the invasion of Ukraine to some extent dashed those hopes. Premium income grew slower than

originally assumed, as the war took its toll on economic activity and confidence, even as inflation supports the top line. Overall, global premium income grew by +4.8 percent in 2022, with life and p&c developing almost in step (+4.9 percent and +4.6 percent respectively.

The above figure was considered against the backdrop of a global inflation rate of 6.2 this year.

In terms of claims, Allianz Ship Insurance Report Highlighted War, Fires, COVID, Climate Change, and Congestion as main source of claims for insurers during the passing year.

“Insurance claims from companies have become more severe over the past five years due to factors such as higher property and asset values, more complex supply chains and the growing concentration of exposures in one location, such as in natural catastrophe-prone areas,” said AGCS Chief Claims Officer and Board Member, Thomas Sepp.

NIGERIAN INSURANCE MARKET PERFORMANCE

In Nigeria, NAICOM said in spite of macro economic challenges, which have bedeviled businesses in Nigeria, insurance sector recorded a year-on-year growth rate of 6.2 per cent at the end of first quarter 2022.

The commission also said the market size of the sector also grew at 15 per cent in the same period, thus standing out as one of the fastest sectoral assets expansion in Nigeria during the period.

NAICOM’s Deputy commissioner for Insurance Technical, Sabiu Abubakar, who stated this while speaking at the second edition of the Chartered Insurance Institute of Nigeria’s (CIIN) 2022 Business Outlook held in Lagos, also said the insurance industry held a commendable market average retention of 73.3 per cent in the first quarter of 2022.

NAICOM said the sector in the second quarter of 2022 recorded a gross premium income of N369.2 billion, indicating a 20.1 per cent growth rate compared to the same period in 2021.

NAICOM also said there was an impressive 65.0 per cent quarter on quarter growth as continued steady growth from the first quarter of the year correlates with similar performance of the second quarter period.

Disclosing the content of its bulletin of the insurance market performance for the second quarter 2022, NAICOM said some quality improvements in the market indicators including growth, claims settlement and profitability shows that the market could be adjudged as sound and stable whilst, the stance of the market deepening remains optimistic.

It said in terms of market size, the sector recorded an increased rate of growth of about 11.9 percent quarter on quarter with a total asset of about N2.3 trillion.

The industry’s financial position revealed a total of N1.2 trillion in assets of non-life business, while the life business contributed N1.1trillion.

BREAKDOWN BY BUSINESS CLASSES

Further breakdown of the statistics reveals that out of the total gross premium income, non-life segment maintained its primacy at 59.3 percent.

Motor Insurance stood third at 14.8 per cent while Marine & Aviation, Gen. Accident and Miscellaneous reported a share of 12.3 percent, 10.9 percent and 8.9 per cent respectively.

Life business on the other hand recorded 40.6 percent of the insurance market production as its share contribution, gradually closes up.

The share of annuity in the life insurance business stood at about 24.7 per cent while individual life held a major driver position at 41.8 per cent of the premium generated during the period.

In terms of claims, the NAICOM report said the industry recorded 0.2 percent growth in gross claims during the second quarter compared to the corresponding period of 2021.

“The industry statistics for gross claims in quarter two of 2022 stood at N174.8 billion, representing 47.3 per cent per cent of all premiums generated during the period.

This occasion reflects the professional underwriting capacity of the industry as driven by the intensified regulatory activities of the Commission, NAICOM said.

It further said the net claims paid on the other hand stood at about N148.2billion, signifying an 84.8 percent of all gross claims reported during the period.

The life insurance business recorded a near perfect point of about 88.90 percent claims settlement, as against the reported claims while non-life segment stood at about 76.8 per cent.

The data further revealed that the insurance market indeed remained profitable during the year, recording an overall industry average of 56.9 per cent, maintaining a relative position of 57.7 per cent recorded in the corresponding period of preceding year.

The non-life segment loss ratio stood at 43.6 per cent while the life business stood at 68.8 per cent, depicting a less profitable scenario comparatively over the same period.

Consequently, the industry recorded an expansion to about N2.3 trillion Assets at the end of half year 2022, growing at a size of 12.0 per cent Year on Year (YoY).

NAICOM’s Director Supervision Directorate, Barineka Thompson, stated these while presenting a paper titled Performance of the Nigerian Insurance Industry: 2017 To 2022 – Facts Behind the Figures” at a seminar in Lagos.

In conclusion, Thomas noted that the

insurance industry during the year 2022 was shifting to a new and positive landscape.

OTHER DEVELOPMENTS IN THE INDUSTRY

Aside its financial performance, other developments which happened in the industry during the year were NAICOM, few days back announced the much contemplated increase in motor insurance premium by increasing the rate by 200 percent.

The Nigeria insurers Association (NIA) commissioned its corporate head office at Victoria Island and changed its leadership baton from Musa Ganiyu as the Chairman to Olusegun Omosehin.

Similarly the baton of leadership in the Chartered Insurance Institute of Nigeria (CIIN) changed from Sir Muftau Oyegunle to Edwin Igbiti as the President.

ACHIEVING INSURANCE PENETRATION

The sector operators consolidated on efforts to achieve insurance penetration across the country through education and awareness of the public.

NAICOM continued its efforts at achieving financial inclusion in insurance sector through micro insurance scheme and spreading of insurance awareness and education in various regions and states.

This year, the commission penetrated interior of Kastina state with insurance awareness.

CHALLENGES

Despite these achievements, stakeholders in the sector said there were still a good number of factors working against optimum realisation of operators’ dream of achieving mass patronage.

Some of these, the stake said are hostile economy, trust issues emanating from hidden clauses in insurance policy documents, inadequate access to information, technology issue, weak regulatory frame work as well as lack of skilled personnel as top among the militating factors.

They also highlighted lack of awareness on the value of insurance as a key factor.

The Head, corporate communications Polaris Bank, Mr Rasheed Bolarinwa who stated this while presenting a paper on, “Media as Catalyst for Insurance Inclusion,” at a two-day media retreat organised by the Insurance Industry Consultative forum (IICC) for insurance journalists in Ijebuode, Ogun State, said these factors had done so much harm to the insurance industry that the response that followed the mention of insurance or insurance companies to an average Nigerian was predictable.

“Negative reactions and lukewarm attitude are the kind of feelings that come with an invitation to insurance policies. This informed the low patronage and acceptance of insurance companies operating in Nigeria, “he observed.

But NAICOM said it was determined to overcome these challenges through insurance education and change in insurance claims payment narratives.

Insurance sector operators in the year 2022 commenced a major shift to a new landscape through migration in their mode of operation from manual to digital model, writes Ebere Nwoji

Insurance Index Emerge Worst Performing on NGX in 2022

Kayode Tokede

The insurance index closed last Friday at -15.09 per cent in Year-till-Date (YtD) performance to emerge as one of the worst indices on the trading floor of the Nigerian Exchange Limited (NGX) in 2022, followed by NGX Consumer Goods Index.

The market so far in 2022 has appreciated by 16.36 per cent, driven by retail and high-network investors’ participation in fundamental stocks on the bourse.

The NGX Consumer Goods Index down by -4.69 per cent YtD performance, following investors’ profit-taking in notable stocks such as Nestle Nigeria Plc, Dangote Sugar Plc, Nigerian Breweries Plc, Flour Mills

Nigeria Plc, and Unilever Nigeria Plc.

Nestle Nigeria opened 2022 at N1,556.50per share dropped to N980 per share as of last week, while Dangote Sugar depreciated by 17.4per cent to close December 23, 2022 at N15.5 from N17.4per share it opened for trading.

Unilever also depreciated by 18.6 per cent YtD to close at N11.80 per share from N14.50per share it closed in 2021.

Capital market analysts have expressed that the suspension of the insurance sector recapitalisation exercise by the National Insurance Commission (NAICOM) impacted on the Index performance, stating that the exit of foreign investors eroded the NGX Consumer Goods Index.

The mainboard of the NGX has 21 insurance companies with profittaking by investors in companies such as: AXA Mansard Insurance Plc, Consolidated Hallmark Insurance Plc Coronation Insurance Plc, Lasaco Assurance Plc, Mutual Benefits Assurance Plc, NEM Insurance Plc, Mutual Benefits Assurance Plc, Prestige Assurance Plc, Regency Assurance Plc, Sovereign Trust Insurance Plc, Sunu Assurances Nigeria Plc eroded the insurance index.

As of December 23, 2022, the insurance index major drivers, AXA Mansard Insurance stock price dropped to N1.96 per share from N2.32 per share it opened in 2022, while Consolidated Hallmark

Insurance has depreciated by -24.05 per cent YtD to N0.6 per share from N0.79 per share it closed for trading in 2021.

Investors in Regency Assurance suffered the highest lost as the company’s stock price dropped by 51 per cent YtD to N0.25 per share from N0.51 per share it closed in 2021. Other major losers include Sunu Assurances Nigeria that dropped by 36 per cent YtD to N0.29per share; LASACO Assurance down by 19 per cent YtD to N0.85 per share; Mutual Benefits Assurance depreciated by 18.2 per cent to N0.27; Coronation Insurance down by 27 per cent YtD to N0.41 from N0.56; Linkage Assurance dropped by 22 per cent YtD to N0.4 and AIICO Insurance depreciated by

AIICO Insurance tumbled by 21.4 per cent YtD to N0.55 per share.

Cornerstone Insurance Plc is the only stock that appreciated by 28.2 per cent to N0.59 per share, while other insurance stocks such as: International Energy Insurance Plc, Staco Insurance Plc, Standard Alliance Insurance Plc., Universal Insurance Plc, NEM Insurance Plc, Niger Insurance Plc, Goldlink Insurance Plc, Guinea Insurance Plc, and African Alliance Insurance Plc traded flat.

Analysts attributed the insurance sector’s performance to poor disclosure of audited result and accounts and lack of policy reforms needed to drive investors’ participation. Take for instance, International Energy Insurance, Niger Insurance,

African Alliance Insurance, Goldlink Insurance, Standard Alliance Insurance and STACO Insurance have not submitted 2020 and 2021 result and accounts to investing public.

Speaking on the investors ‘profittaking in insurance companies, the vice president Highcap securities limited, Mr. David Adnori stated that the listed insurance stocks are not attractive to investors.

According to him: “Some investors reacted to the unimpressive financial performances of some listed companies, while some engaged in profit-taking activities.

“Also, some investors reacted negatively to insurance companies that have not released their 2021 audited financial report.”

Report: 106 Leading Corporates Failed Diversity, Inclusion Assessment Test

Oluchi Chibuzor

A Hofstede Insights assessment of the state of diversity, equity, and inclusion amongst the leading 154 corporate organisations in the country has shown that 106 failed in its Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) report for Nigeria in 2022.

The Nigeria DEI Report 2022 also showed that 31 per cent of companies passed while 69 per cent failed as against 2021 when 35 per cent passed and 65 per cent failed.

According to the report, 33 companies out 154 do not have women on the board, 41 companies had no female in their executive management, while 17 companies do not have women on both boards and executives positions.

The report focuses on four key

Corporation of Nigeria, Africa Prudential, Stanbic IBTC Holdings, Dangote Cement, PZ Cussons, Skyway Aviation Handling Company, Portland Paints & Products Nigeria, Julius Berger.

However, the report highlighted that there is still a lot of work required to improve DEI in the country, noting that there was marginal improvement in gender diversity when compared from the previous year report.

On age, the report noted that organisations have more work to attract, develop, sponsor, and retain future generations of diverse leaders at all levels as one percent of board members and six percent executives are below 40 years as against 92 and 76 years respectively.

Making the presentation in Lagos recently, the Regional Vice-President, Africa, Hofstede Insights, Dr. Okey Okere, said the level of diversity in Nigeria is very low considering the various parameters used in the report when compared from the previous year result.

He noted that more worrisome is that men still dominate corporate leadership with women comprising 26 percent of executives and 21 percent of directors in all the 154 organisations surveyed.

He said for Nigerian corporate companies to bridge these gaps they must introduce some easy organisational culture that produces innovation and creativity.

parameters- gender, age, ethnic and educational background, to determine the level of diversity on

management teams and boards of directors for each company. According to the report, the

top 10 companies with higher scores includes TotalEnergies, Transcorp Hotels, Transnational

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THE 2023 PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS

He burst onto Nigeria’s entertainment scene three decades ago as some kind of mystery man. Yes, his music was, and remains arresting, captivating and peculiar. He is a versatile artiste who is at once a composer, singer and instrumentalist. He is

percussion. He sings *afrobeat* basically, a musical genre popularised by the legendary Fela Anikulapo-Kuti. But he introduced the *gangan,* *bata* and *omele,* among other instruments, whose genealogy are rooted in Yoruba culture, into his brand of afrobeat. This is deliberate *Africanisation* of his creative aesthetics, in a milieu where some upcoming artists, xeroxed the forms and makeups of Western music, desiring authentication by alien standards. His lyrics emblematise sociopolitical commitment, the type popularised by Fela, who spoke truth to power in its rawness and bluntness, without

He addresses commonplace, day-to-day human experiences and aspects of our global culture, preferring English as dominant mode of communication. There are regular switches to pidgin English and Yoruba, and where necessary, native speakers of other languages are engaged to achieve essential diversity and indigenous embellishment. Ali Baba, the famous stand-up comedian for instance, features in one of his songs titled *gengen* (rumours), with an interlude in Urhobo. His former backup vocalist, Ego Iheanacho, (now Mrs Ogbaro), equally interjected in Urhobo in the danceably successful *gra gra* music track from one of his earlier works. *Konko

the way Burna Boy’s *Killin’ dem,* Kizz Daniel’s *Buga* and Davido’s *Fall* have variously been hits.

Despite all of these, however, he has sustained the anonymity of the man behind the mask. The masked artist we see on television or whose performance we’ve watched in *Motherlan’* his outdoor hangout in Ikeja, Lagos, goes by the name *Lagbaja.* In Yoruba, this name lends itself to a multiplicity of spontaneous translations. Lagbaja could be “somebody,” “nobody,” “anybody” and “everybody.” Reminds you somewhat of Muhammadu Buhari’s inaugural speech as president in 2015, when he declared: “I belong to everyone, I belong to no one!” Lagbaja has sustained this mystique for three decades and counting, even though people believe the person behind the mask is Bisade Ologunde, a graduate of the Obafemi Awolowo University, (OAU), Ile-Ife. Lagbaja is quick to tell you though, that “Bisade Ologunde is Lagbaja’s manager!” So the longing for the unravelling of the masked one continues.

This prefatory exegesis leads on to the lingering quasi-amorphousness of one of the frontline contenders for the nation’s presidency, Bola Ahmed Adekunle Tinubu. He is known by several revered titles and

aliases, notably: *Asiwaju,* (the leader and forerunner in Yoruba language), and *Jagaban* (leader of warriors in *Baruba,* the language spoken in Borgu, Niger State, where he was invested with the title). He also adopted the title of “national leader” of the All Progressives Congress, (APC), for his role in facilitating the multiparty coalition which crystallised into the entity as it stands today. I understand the title is not referenced in the Constitution of APC though. I’ve also heard him serenaded with the grand nomenclature of *Olowo Eko,* (the money man of Lagos), among others.

Let me make the point here that I’ve been a diligent follower of the Tinubu political trajectory especially in the last 25 years. He engaged my very good friend, colleague and brother, Segun Ayobolu as his Chief in 1999, strictly on merit and competence. Yet, Ayobolu featured more prominently in the directorate of publicity of the Obasanjo Presidential Campaign Organisation between 1998 and 1999. The team, very ably led by the revered Onyema Ugochukwu, operated from *Oluwalogbon Motors,* Ikeja, Lagos, a few Alausa.

Ayobolu is ordinarily from the Okun country in Kogi State. Presently on the Editorial Board of *The Nation* newspapers, he remains one of Nigeria’s most brilliant, rigorous, articulate, profound and versatile political reporters, analysts and editors. He brought scholarship into political journalism and held himself very professionally during the days of the various political experimentations of the Ibrahim Babangida and Sani Abacha governments. From his desk as political editor of the *Daily of all hues, even as they also courted his friendship. I admire Tinubu’s pan-Yoruba nationalism which has featured prominently in his vocation as a veritable discoverer and developer of men.

Unfortunately there are too many controversies, discrepancies, question marks and sticky points surrounding Tinubu’s global constitution, bothering on integrity and credibility. As a pan-Nigerian myself, I have no issues about people’s birth places or origins. We should all be proud of our roots, no matter how rustic and rural. Enoch Adejare Adeboye, head of the Redeemed

Christian Church of God, (RCCG), celebrates *Ifewara,* Osun State where he hails from, at every opportunity. In the case of Tinubu the authenticity and veracity of his date and place of birth, even his original name, have been recurring issues of public contestations. Is he truly older than age 70 which is his most recent entry? Was he born in Iragbiji, Osun State, where he was reportedly christened “Amoda Ogunlere?” At what intersection did he transmogrify into becoming a member of the predominantly Lagos-based Tinubu family? Questions and more questions.

There are serious doubts and disparities about his education as well. Between Lagos and Ibadan where he supposedly had his about the names of the institutions and the years Tinubu was on enrolment. Worse still is the fact that the man in the eye of the storm has not been able as yet to name or identify schoolmates and classmates who grew up with him. Except of course if he was groomed all the way, in an exclusive royal creche. For the age he claims, it is unlikely that his contemporaries have all exited this side of creation. If he truly graduated from Chicago State University in 1979, he should have been 29 years old at the time and eligible for participation in the mandatory National Youth Service Corps, (NYSC). The scheme was established in 1973 by the military regime of Yakubu Gowon, as one of the post-Nigerian civil war national reintegration programmes, to help heal a heavily fractious polity. Can Nigerians please sight his NYSC discharge

Even then, he would have been issued a 2015, we voted in a president who couldn’t

take Nigeria from top to bottom and truly did.

was bolstered in 2019, when he procured bullion vans to deliver tonnes and tonnes of cash to his palatial Lagos residence, for the prosecution of the general elections. It has been alleged that all the aspirants who stepped down from contesting with him at the APC presidential primary, were refunded their “investment” in the purchase of the nomination forms, at a staggering premium

the sources of these stupendous resources? What are his business addresses? Moshood Kashimawo Olawale Abiola, (popularly known by the abbreviation MKO Abiola), who contested the 1993 presidential election annulled by Babangida’s government, had several known and thriving ventures and enterprises to his name.

Olusunle,

PhD, is Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to Atiku Abubakar, GCON

Nigeria needs a transparent, open and visible president, writes TUNDE OLUSUNLE

A MINISTER’S QUEST FOR BALKANISATION OF THE NCC

After reading and re-reading Joseph Conrad’s Heart of Darkness, searching for the fate that awaits telecommunications regulator, the Nigerian Communications decipher.

For reasons left to our imaginations but well-choreographed by Communication and Digital Minister, Dr. Isa Pantami, the battle to make the NCC a conquered blues, an interventionist organization,

manifested early as he dished out directives that remain surreal and in desperation to succeed in this conquest he acted like a modern czar. The NCC was his target and his self-appointed mandate was to balkanize the place and elevate Nigerian Information Technology Development

In order to make this a reality, NITDA released a code of practice for the ICT sector on social media, telecommunications and stakeholders, the minister began the move as a development agency with emphasis on technology incubation for government, schools, research institutions, among others.

And stakeholders and industry players were jolted last week with the announcement of a stakeholder meeting on the eve of Christmas to consider a bill to make NITDA a regulatory agency for Information and Communications Technology with a view to develop a digital economy.

It appears recent warning by the Inspector danger posed by political violence in the current electioneering is yet to impact on the conduct of some politicians.

Or how else do we explain last week’s attack by hooded gunmen and some security of the United Coalition of Political Parties

Reports had it that the convoy of the CUPP chieftain who is also the Peoples Democratic

with an armoured personnel carrier after a

INEC response then was that it was yet to clean up the voters’ register and that the actual number of voters will only emerge after the clean up exercise. But at its third quarterly meeting with the leadership of the political parties, its chairman Yakubu Mahmood disclosed that after a rigorous clean up of the data using the Automatic

more than 2.78 million names were as ineligible registrants.

Mahmood said 23 of its registration for involving in multiple and double registrations among other infractions.

attempts to upload a single ineligible alarm raised by the CUPP was after all, very real. It was a patriotic assignment to insulate the voters register from being compromised by desperate politicians.

organogram

where decisions on which projects and by which contractors to be approved became the prerogative of the minister and his

Neither the board nor the management raised any dust.

Pantami had tested the waters and saw himself on a voyage of conquest.

He never trusted the NCC management hence the removal of its board Chairman and replaced him with his friend, Professor Adeolu Akande, former chairman of NITDA when Pantami was its Director General.

He narrowly missed imposing his former Personal Assistant at NITDA, Inuwa Kashifu as NCC new boss. Kashifu

made DG against known conventions and wanted him to move to the NCC. Having failed to actualise that and sensing he could not remove the incumbent Chief Executive or Executive Vice Chairman

became captives as the board existed in name and an appendage of the minister.

Employment issues became issues so much that jobs were given out as political settlement and curiously slanted in favour of friends of the minister.

There was no rule of engagement as evenings and new intakes resumed on Monday morning.

The minister became a god who directed those who must get what and how to worship in his “shrine.”

voices and they struggled to be on the “good books” of the super minister who boasts everywhere that he could over rule the President.

The minister’s voyage of conquest

Although, the poorly attended meeting in the National Assembly didn’t stop anything, but something is clear: the NCC is living on borrowed times as it’s overriding regulatory oversight of the telecommunications sector is being taken over by the omnibus agency, NITDA, once the bill sails through.

As it appears, the minister began NCC’s mode. And the new NITDA bill is the road

The new bill simply states that stakeholders should sit and consider “AN ACT TO REPEAL THE NATIONAL INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENT AGENCY ACT, NO

INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENT AGENCY ACT TO

IMPLEMENTATION, REGULATION OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

And so from a development agency to a super regulator ,NITDA will carry out functions enshrined in the NCC Act of the painstaking document that has seen Nigeria grow its telecommunications sector second to none Africa and an envy to global community by ceding its mandate to an organization managed by rookies and neophytes.

Powers of the Agency to include: on information technology and digital economy;

information technology infrastructure and services before adoption in Nigeria; and directives on the use of information technology and digital services in every sector of the economy to attain the purpose of the Agency;

Aragba-Akpore is a member of THISDAY Editorial Board

well-attended and well publicized rally in Akokwa his home town.

As the convoy approached, the attackers who had been lying in wait for their victim apparently sensing that he would be returning to Owerri after the rally, alighted from their vehicles and ordered all occupants of the convoy including a pregnant woman to disembark. They thoroughly searched all vehicles looking for Ugochinyere. Unable belongings in the vehicles including campaign documents. They even considered seizing one of his vehicles but after consultations with a man in a sports utility vehicle with tinted glasses, they changed their mind.

addressing a well attended rally in his home town, took time during the rally to address the threats he has been receiving from the state government. Of particular note was a trending audio conversation between him the aide openly dared him to return to the state promising to send him to jail.

In a statement he issued after the attack, Ugochinyere accused the said aide of masterminding the attack on his convoy. He wondered why a civilian would be allowed access to an armoured personnel carrier and that high number of security agencies.

The travails of the CUPP spokesman started few months ago after he exposed the monumental fraud in the voters register in some states especially in the Oru local

Governor Hope Uzodinma hails from.

In a world press conference the CUPP spokesman exposed the monumental fraud in the voter register marked by double

register was padded with people whose names had no bearing with the dominant language spoken in the area even as photographs were shopped from calendars, almanacs and other public events.

The commission had after the disclosure commenced the display of the register in the wards of the local governments of the country for corrections and objections.

are compiled, the number of ineligible registrants would further swell.

The point being made here is simple. And it is that since the exposure of this fraud in the voters’ register especially with particular reference to the ‘Omuma Magic’

indication shown serious discomfort with the audacity of the CUPP chieftain.

The government had contrived charges to have the CUPP spokesman arraigned before the courts. In one of those cases, a high court of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja quashed police investigation report and charges against Ugochinyere and described them as a product of illegality and an attempt to infringe on his fundamental human rights. The court consequently set aside allegations of national security and terrorism describing them as trumped up charges.

Another court process moved by the state government to silence Ugochinyere through the use of criminal summons for his arrest before an Abuja magistrates’

High court issued a restraining order and stay of proceedings pending the hearing of Ugochinyere’s application for judicial review. That was the position before week.

Having fought through the judiciary to secure his rights, Ugochinyere believed the road for him to return to the state and continue his campaign was now clear. But things turned the other way as the Gestapo attack on his convoy would later reveal. As things stand, he is scared of his life.

condemned the attack. They blamed the incident on intolerance of opposing political views in the current electioneering even as they see a link between the manner in which the CUPP spokesman was attacked and the festering insecurity in the state. The party has therefore called on the IGP to arrest the situation.

Ubani writes from Owerri

SEEKING THE RIGHT WAY TO WIN

The attack on the convoy of CUPP chieftain is unnecessary, writes LEROY UBANI

The minister of communications is out to strip the NCC of its powers, reckons SONNY ARAGBA-AKPORE

Editor, Editorial Page PETER ISHAKA

Email peter.ishaka@thisdaylive.com

EDITORIAL

ILLICIT DRUGS AND THE SOCIETY

The NDLEA is doing a remarkable job. But there is much more to do

Reports that the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) seized consignments worth over N450 billion 22 months are indications of the challenge at hand. Over 100 million pills of illicit tramadol and other pharmaceutical opioids which could have had deleterious impact on the country’s youth population and national productivity were

statistics until you view them through the lens of human impact and the good or harm that could have come to

well as law and order if those dangerous drugs

designated Nigeria as a ranging from cannabis–often called Indian Hemp–to available on the street and abused by both the young

followed a report that millions of cocaine users are in being increasingly abused. numbers of drug mules still jetting out of the country and public health are so severe that something must Nigeria is increasingly becoming a destination for

T H I S D AY

EDITOR SHAKA MOMODU

DEPUTY EDITORS WALE OLALEYE,OBINNA CHIMA MANAGING DIRECTOR ENIOLA BELLO DEPUTY MANAGING DIRECTOR ISRAEL IWEGBU CHAIRMAN EDITORIAL BOARD OLUSEGUN ADENIYI EDITOR NATION’S CAPITAL IYOBOSA UWUGIAREN MANAGING EDITOR BOLAJI ADEBIYI THE OMBUDSMAN KAYODE KOMOLAFE

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

Letters to the Editor

been widespread and many of our young citizens are increasingly getting addicted. Drug use prevalence for

abuse of drugs and continued upsurge in criminal

even car crashes feed on the ready availability of many of

abuse causes insomnia and disrupts normal sleeping

our education system. students enrol themselves in secret cults.

Another dimension to the problem was raised by

advocacy sessions lamented that the problem of drug abuse amongst youths had continued to exacerbate

reported that an increasing number of mothers and

now become a serious health and social issue rendering its user unproductive and dangerous.

challenge that poses danger to the future of the country.

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

LETTERS

ford the complications and confusion clouding its space.

Nigerians could do with more clarity on their lives and in their gerians are always carried along at every decision point to avoid controversy and enshrine transparency. In a country where many times there appears an intentional

tions. obscene.

those policies may be.

dates were throwing their hats into the ring for the primaries of Even if he could argue that he was an innocent victim of a

those lines have not been forcefully blurred by the bludgeon of the law is another thing. tifying security threats in Nigeria long before they blossom and invade court rooms all in the name of doing its job. tactics.

Every virile democracy that glides along smoothly does so on to all without exception.

DSS must tread carefully. Keeping Nigeria rid of security threats

Kene Obiezu, @kenobiezu

Many cases of rape, kidnapping for ransom, armed robbery, banditry and even car crashes feed on the ready availability of many of the hard drugs in the street

FOREIGN DESK

South Korea Pardons Jailed Ex-President Lee

Jailed former South Korean president Lee Myung-bak received a presidential pardon Tuesday, cutting short his 17-year sentence on corruption charges, the justice minister said.

Lee was on a list of more than 1,300 people who received special pardons “from the perspective of broad national unity through reconciliation, tolerance and consideration”, Han Dong-hoon told reporters after a Cabinet meeting with President Yoon Suk-yeol.

The 81-year-old Lee, who in June was granted a temporary release from jail due to his age and deteriorating health, is serving 17 years for bribery and embezzlement.

It was effectively a life sentence as he was not due for release until 2036 when he would be 95.

The former Hyundai CEO-turned-president was charged with 16 criminal allegations in 2018 and sentenced in 2020.

He was found guilty of creating slush funds of tens of millions of dollars and accepting bribes from Samsung Electronics in return for a presidential pardon for its late chairman, Lee Kun-hee, who was jailed for tax evasion.

A self-made man who was appointed head of a major construction firm at age 35 before entering politics, Lee served as president from 2008 to 2013.

He steered the country through the global financial crisis and won its bid for the 2018 Winter Olympics but was criticised by opponents for undermining the nation’s democratic standards and freedom of speech.

Effective at midnight Wednesday, the pardons mark the second time Yoon has exercised his clemency power since taking office in May.

Lavrov: Ukraine Can Meet Peace Demands Or Face Russian Army’s Wrath

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov told state media it is up to the Ukrainian government to determine how long the fighting in Ukraine will go on.

Russia launched the conflict with an invasion of its neighbour 10 months ago, and the Tass news agency quoted Lavrov saying Ukraine “can stop senseless resistance at any moment.”

Lavrov said Ukraine knows Russia’s proposals for “the demilitarisation and denazification” of Ukrainian territory and eliminating threats to Russia from Ukraine, including four areas Russia has claimed to annex. The international community resoundingly rejected those annexation claims involving Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia.

Lavrov added that if Ukraine does not meet Russia’s demands, “the issue will be decided by the Russian army.”

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has said Russia could stop the war it began at any time by withdrawing its troops and restoring Ukraine’s sovereignty, freedom and territorial integrity.

“Neither total mobilisation, nor panicky search for ammo, nor secret contracts with Iran, nor Lavrov’s threats will help,” Zelensky aide Mykhailo Podolyak tweeted Tuesday. “Russia needs to face the reality. Ukraine will demilitarise the RF to the end, oust the invaders from all occupied territories.”

Indian PM Support for Peace Efforts in Talk with Ukraine’s Zelensky

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi voiced his support for peace efforts in Ukraine during a phone conversation with Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky in which the Ukrainian leader sought India’s help in implementing “a peace formula.”

“I had a phone call with @PMOIndia Narendra Modi and wished a successful #G20 presidency,” Zelensky wrote on Twitter Monday. It was on this platform that I announced the peace formula, and now I count on India’s participation in its implementation.”

India assumed the rotating presidency of the Group of 20 major economies for the year beginning December 1.

In a virtual address to the G-20 summit in Indonesia last month, Zelensky asked the grouping to adopt Ukraine’s 10-point peace formula calling for withdrawing Russian troops from Ukraine and restoring its territorial integrity.

A statement from the Indian government on the phone conversation with Zelensky late Monday said that Modi “strongly reiterated his call for an immediate cessation of hostilities” and added that both sides should revert to dialogue and diplomacy to find a lasting solution to their differences. The statement said the Indian prime minister conveyed India’s support for peace efforts and assured Zelensky of India’s commitment.

Ukraine FM Aims for February Peace Summit

Ukraine’s foreign minister said Monday that his government aims to have a peace summit by the end of February, preferably at the United Nations with Secretary-General Antonio Guterres as a possible mediator, around the anniversary of Russia’s war.

But Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba told The Associated Press that Russia could only be invited to such a summit if the country faced a war crimes tribunal first.

Kuleba also said he was “absolutely satisfied” with the results of President Volodymyr Zelensky’s visit to the US last week, and he revealed that the US government had made a special plan to get the Patriot missile battery ready to be operational in the country in less than six months. Usually, the training takes up to a year.

Kuleba said during the interview at the Foreign Ministry that Ukraine will do whatever it can to win the war in 2023, adding that diplomacy always plays an important role.

“Every war ends in a diplomatic way,” he said. “Every war ends as a result of the actions taken on the battlefield and at the negotiating table.”

Kuleba said the Ukrainian government would like to have a peace summit by the end of February.

US-China Rivalry Increases

Tension in Southeast Asia

As the United States and China compete for influence worldwide, tension is rising between the superpowers in Southeast Asia over economic policies, territorial disputes in the South China Sea and Taiwanese independence.

The Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) came into effect on January 1. RCEP is a China-led free-trade agreement among 15 Asia Pacific nations, including all 10 members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), Australia, Japan, South Korea and New Zealand. It is the largest free trade agreement in the world.

At the 25th China-ASEAN summit last month in Cambodia, China’s Premier Li Keqiang said in a speech that trade volume between China and ASEAN had reached a new high of $798.4 billion in the first 10

months of 2022.

“We have worked together for the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) to be signed and implemented, and hence built the world’s largest free trade area, taking our open and interconnected development to a new level,” he said in the speech.

However, it might be too early to determine whether RCEP has delivered significant economic benefits to ASEAN, according to Hunter Marston, a doctoral candidate at Australian National University (ANU) studying great power competition in Southeast Asia.

Taiwan to Extend Conscription to One Year Amid China Threat

Taiwan will extend compulsory military service to one year from four months from 2024 due to the rising threat the democratically governed island faces from its giant neighbour China, President Tsai Ing-wen said on Tuesday.

The move, which had been well-flagged, comes as China ramps up military, diplomatic and economic pressure on Taiwan to assert its sovereignty claims, including almost daily Chinese air force missions near the island over the past three years.

Tsai said Taiwan wanted peace but needed to be able to defend itself.

“As long as Taiwan is strong enough, it will be the home of democracy and freedom all over the world, and it will not become a battlefield,” Tsai told a news conference announcing the decision to extend the conscription period, which she described as “incredibly difficult.”

The current military system, including training reservists, is inefficient and insufficient to cope with China’s rising military threat, especially if it launched a rapid attack on the island, Tsai added.

“Taiwan wants to tell the world that between democracy and dictatorship, we firmly believe in democracy. Between war and peace, we insist on peace. Let us show the courage and determination to protect our homeland and defend democracy.”

Tsai said conscripts would undergo more intense training, including shooting exercises, combat instruction used by US forces, and operating more powerful weapons, including Stinger anti-aircraft missiles and anti-tank missiles.

US House Bans TikTok on Official Devices

The popular Chinese video app TikTok has been banned from all US House of Representatives-managed devices, according to the House’s administration arm, mimicking a law soon to go into effect banning the app from all US government

devices.

The app is considered “high risk due to a number of security issues,” the House’s Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) said in a message sent on Tuesday to all lawmakers and staff and must be deleted from all devices managed by the House.

The new rule follows a series of moves by US state governments to ban TikTok, owned by Beijing-based ByteDance Ltd, from government devices. As of last week, 19 states have at least partially blocked the app from state-managed devices over concerns that the Chinese government could use the app to track Americans and censor content.

The $1.66 trillion omnibus spending bill, passed last week to fund the US government through September 30, 2023, includes a provision to ban the app on federally managed devices and will take effect once President Joe Biden signs the legislation into law.

Ethiopian Airlines to Resume Daily Flights to Tigray

Ethiopia’s flagship carrier Ethiopian Airlines has announced it will resume daily flights to the Tigray region’s capital Mekelle as an African Union-brokered peace deal moves forward.

The national carrier said it would operate daily flights from Wednesday and increase the number of daily flights depending on demand.

The airline halted flights to the region weeks after the war broke out in November 2020 between Ethiopian federal forces and the Tigray People’s Liberation Front.

In a statement, the head of the airline Mesfin Tasew said the resumption of flights would help families connect and facilitate business and tourism.

A CNN investigation last year accused Ethiopian Airlines of transporting troops and weapons to fight the Tigrayan rebels.

The airline denied the allegations, saying the photo evidence was manipulated.

The announced resumption of flights comes just a day after Ethiopian officials arrived in Tigray’s capital Mekelle for the first time in nearly two years to implement a November peace deal.

The speaker of Ethiopia’s parliament Tagesse Chaffo Dullo led the delegation, which included a security advisor to Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, leaders of state companies, and members of Ethiopia’s National Dialogue Commission.

National Security Advisor Redwan Hussein tweeted Tuesday that Ethio Telecom, part of the delegation, was expected to announce further resumption of services to Tigray.

Hussein also tweeted the TPLF was expected to work until Thursday on handing over heavy weapons and control of Mekelle to Ethiopia’s military as agreed during meetings this month in Nairobi.

A Tigrayan spokesman welcomed the delegation’s visit to Tigray as a milestone in the peace agreement to end the war.

India Inspects Drug Factories as Gambia Controversy Lingers

India’s pharmaceuticals regulator has begun inspecting some drug factories across the country, the health ministry said on Tuesday, as it tries to ensure high standards after an Indian company’s cough and cold syrups were linked to deaths in Gambia.

India is known as the “pharmacy of the world”, and its pharmaceuticals exports have more than doubled over the past decade to $24.5 billion in the past fiscal year.

The deaths of at least 70 children in Gambia have dented the industry’s image, though India says the drugs made by New Delhi-based Maiden Pharmaceuticals Ltd were not at fault.

The ministry said it was inspecting “drug manufacturing units” that were at risk of making non-standard, adulterated, or spurious drugs but did not name any company.

Godwin Obaseki:

The Laws have Changed, Atiku is Winning 2023

Presidential Poll

In his six years in office, the Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki, has fought many battles, believed to have strengthened his current position, not just as governor, but as a party man from the South-south region of the country. With the 2023 elections in view, Obaseki is technically a factor to reckon with, given the subsisting political equation. In this interview with THISDAY, he is confident that the opposition Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) would take over power and that its candidate, Atiku Abubakar, would turn the tide as President of Nigeria. The Edo governor also spoke about his relationships with his Rivers State counterpart, Nyesom Wike, and his predecessor in Edo, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, which he was very blunt about. He spoke about his scorecard too, among other issues. Excerpts:

It’s been over six years since you assumed office as the Governor of Edo State, the heartbeat of Nigeria; tell us, what has the journey been like?

It has been very interesting, because the last six years have been one in which we have tried to transform the structure of the state from one tagged as a ‘civil service state’ to one that is a productive state, where the larger part of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) is represented by the private sector. We met a state categorised by the horror of human trafficking and irregular migration. We met a state, where the political actors relied on their political infantry – a group of non-state actors – to help them manipulate or fix elections and in return, a tangible amount of resources or pay was conceded to them.

From that position, we had to take some very drastic actions to resolve the situation. The first

thing we did was to focus on the people. All our actions and programmes are geared towards trying to get people to believe in themselves and not have to wait on revenues from Abuja before things will happen. We confronted those non-state actors to ensure that taxes and dues come into state revenues.

We had to dismantle most of the arrangements we met in place. This led to political tension and unhappiness in some areas.

The second issue was human trafficking.

At some point, in 2016, and 2017, we had more than 30,000 young Edo boys and girls who had got themselves to Libya to cross over to Europe. That was a human horror – a big tragedy for most of them, who will go anywhere else but home. It tells you how depressing and hopeless the situation was.

I thank God that we are working with the International Organisation for Migration (IOM). We had to set up the Edo State Taskforce

Against Human Trafficking (ETAHT) to fight the scourge. We had to admit that we had a problem with human trafficking. We started working with international agencies to help us deal with the situation.

We started gathering data and obtained information on why a lot of these young people were leaving, trying to understand the underlying issues driving human trafficking and irregular migration. One thing came out clearly: First, the current circumstances these people had to confront were such that they were not prepared for it; they had not been properly educated, because our education system at the time had crumbled and the attempt to fix education by our predecessors mostly focused on education infrastructure. That made us focus extensively on the root causes and foundations of educational decay, which included upskilling the teachers and equipping them with technology. For those

who had fallen out of the education system and had not been properly educated, the approach was to capture them and reskill them for work. Those were some of the challenges we had to confront when we came into power.

As for the issue of non-state actors collecting revenue, it took a while and we saw how that played out even in my reelection and what has happened is that we have been able to move Edo State from one that mostly relied on revenue from Abuja to one that is attractive for businesses. I am sure coming into Benin today, your flight was full; your hotel was full. Now, why are these people coming? What are they coming to do? So, what we have done is to restructure the system of state, to restructure government to now begin to be more focused on supporting businesses.

Would you say you have eliminated the

Only Atiku is Positioned to Transform Nigeria

challenges you confronted at the kick-off of your administration?

I think we should look at the evidence and look at what is on ground in terms of the economy. This year, 2022, we have moved our Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) to about N41bn for the year. Next year, we expect it to hit N60 billion. We have been able to, on a monthly basis, earn close to N3.5bn. Add that to what we receive from Abuja as well as efforts to eliminate all the wastage and reduce corruption in the system, we have made more resources available for the government to undertake more infrastructural work. We hope to do more roads, more schools and improve on the school structure. We pay our teachers and public servants on the 25th of every month. Their salaries are guaranteed and pension is paid at the same time. This has helped to boost morale. Beyond that, we have gone further to retrain the public servants on how to provide services. We hire on merit unlike what used to happen in the past.

In terms of the economy, you can see that the government is able to offer more services to the people, we are able to give people what they need. Yes, we have not been able to complete all the roads but at least, we have been able to do more roads and connect more communities, make routes to make business easier for people. We have been able to invest in other infrastructure particularly, fibre technology. Benin City is one of the most connected cities in Nigeria with over 400km of fibre lining around Benin City alone. Edo State has over 1200km of fibre connecting all the local governments with this infrastructure. We have been able to digitalise governance and improve the quality of services in government. The reform is ongoing. It is still work in progress but at the end of the day, we have been able to build a very smart state, where citizens from their phones can apply for land and services that government agencies deliver.

We are simplifying governance. We are bringing the government closer to the people. We are making it more open, more transparent and more accountable to the people.

How much difference has that made because you said you are now making N41 billion per annum? When they were collecting the revenue, how much was coming into the state coffers?

We were lucky to get 18 billion per year.

Do you mean to say all that difference ended up in the pockets of these non-state actors?

Yes. We had to put infrastructure and technology in place to make sure all that money comes into government coffers.

Let’s look at infrastructure. Going round town, there are evident improvements in roads, but there is something that’s worrying, there are no drainages on these roads. Why?

First of all, Benin is very flat and so for some of the roads, we insist on drainage but for others, you will find that people have built without planning, built into areas where you could have set up drainage and that has been a major challenge – evacuating the water from those areas. It is only now, with the Geographic Information System (GIS) and with new laws regulating building control that we are now ensuring that people don’t build in some areas.

You have been very particular about town planning and you have also been championing people re-registering their properties. How well is this going?

It is going well. For the first 30 years of the existence of Edo State, until we came into office, the state had issued less than 15,000 Certificates of Occupancy (C-of-O), but after we reformed land administration and introduced GIS in 2019, I have issued over 25,000 C-of-O. In Benin City alone, we have over 150,000 dwelling houses. We have them registered at GIS and we have all the data.

Talking about the crime rate, Edo State used to be very notorious, particularly, towards the end of year, with all sorts of crime taking place, but that has changed. What did you do to address the security challenge?

What we have done in security is to involve the citizens. My role as Governor is to work with everybody in the security space so we always insist that all security agencies must collaborate and work together and read from the same page. So, the collaboration is effective. The police get back-up from the DSS and the military and all the other agencies.

The other thing we have done is to have proper

governance of security. We developed security information, where every incident that occurs in Edo State is reported and recorded and investigated. On a monthly basis, we can track the number of kidnappings, where it occurred and how it was done. We can track the number of homicides, armed robberies, fire incidents, etc. We have security information, which gives us a clear picture of what’s going on with crime and incidents; where to focus resources on and we realised that the federal security agencies just don’t have the reach to man the state.

Don’t forget that in Edo State, in Benin Kingdom, we have always had a traditional security structure that works. We have fallen back on that structure, where in every quarter, there is an arrangement. The head of the quarter is the Enogie. We have our youths, who are mobilised to protect homes, support each other and make an effort to secure their communities. What we have done is to go on to reawaken that system and make it the vigilante network and integrate them into the security system of the state.

Today, we have vigilantes in the communities – whether it is in the markets that have decided to set up their own security arrangements or communities or neighbourhoods, we have them all registered and we are training them. We determine the kind of arms they are holding, get them registered and also give them radio communicators to report incidents. Nobody will know a community or area better than those who live there.

There was so much talk about the Benin Industrial Park, how far has that gone?

Well, we renamed it Benin Enterprise Park, because we want various businesses to have access to it, not only manufacturing. It is over 1000 hectares of property. We had to do the land acquisition and pay compensation to the inhabitants. There is a federal agency there that is taking us to court, so we are working through all of these. What we have done is to phase the development. Before the rainy season next year, we will start developing the first 50 hectares. We have partnered with the Nigerian Local Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB), who has decided to cooperate with us on the first 50 hectares. That has also attracted some of the large investor groups that want to take large chunks. Our role is to provide the basic structure. There is a 95MW power plant stationed there. So, electricity already exists. The design of the main infrastructure network, sewage system, among others, is all complete. Any moment from now, it will be in the market.

Is it going to work like the Lekki Free Trade Zone or is just going to be a cluster of businesses?

The goal is to first get people to come and produce. We are looking at the internal market. We believe the internal market is larger than the external market so it is first

to get people to come and use infrastructure. Most of this infrastructure is critical, because they don’t exist. It is so difficult to produce anything using N800 per litre of diesel to produce. The first thing is electricity, which we have put in place. It is easy. Imagine the licences and approvals we need to support those people, who want to export.

You were also championing the Benin River Port. What about it?

Well, that is going very well. We have engaged technical advisors so they have done all the studies to check the water flow, water levels, as well as environmental impact studies. That has given us the idea of what it will cost and the kind of cargo that is likely to be taking that route, and the viability of the port. What has come out of these studies is that it is going to be a very, very viable port. The next stage is to get the relevant licences. We have applied to the Federal Ministry of Transport and we are working with the relevant MDAs to get all the documents ready.

Where are you on the new airport project in Edo North and have you secured approval?

In Edo North, we have acquired the land. We have applied to the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority. It is work in progress. They have to come and check the sites and make sure the wind flow is good. You know it is a lot of work. They need to do these to ensure that the approach is right. That’s what is currently going on and the federal authorities have been very supportive.

Most of your critics scoffed at the idea of the Ossiomo Power Project, but it seems to have succeeded. Can you tell us how it was conceived and how much megawatts you produce from it now?

Don’t forget that even before I became governor, I was quite involved and interested in electricity. The first project we worked on was the Azura Power Plant. We provided all the support to the investor group to ensure that they were able to build their plants on time. There was an understanding of the idea and how it can be done. When another investor group approached us, and this time around, their gas source was just not going to be only from the ELPS, but also from some existing gas fields, it made a lot of sense to us.

Since we have had experience and knowledge on how power plants are built and we were able to work with our partners supporting them with all the approvals they needed, we were good. It wasn’t easy though. We had a lot of resistance and pushback from the BEDC then at that point in time, who were arguing that this was their territory and nobody else would come and produce or distribute power. We overcame those hurdles. As a government, we supported that venture because we knew that there is demand for electricity produced at the right cost.

After the power is produced, do you transfer it to the National Grid?

No, we learnt in the case of Azura that if you produced power and focused on the National Grid, it would not benefit you directly. That was why in the case of Ossiomo, we were happy to create the market for them. We signed the power purchase agreement with them to make the project bankable.

Let’s go to the vexed issue of 13 per cent derivation... (cuts)

I am quite happy to address it. This year alone we got about just N2 billion. We didn’t get much, we got a total of N28 billion and its promissory notes over a 5-year period.

Really?

Yes, that’s it, promissory notes lasting over five years

The Benin artefacts are being returned but there appears to be some sort of disagreement with the monarch here. Has that been resolved, especially, issues regarding where the artefacts will be domiciled?

We never had a disagreement from the government’s standpoint. For us, the important thing was that the artefacts are returned to Edo State where they were taken from. The issue was that when these works were taken out, there was no country called Nigeria. The monarch was the sovereign body then. Today, there is a new sovereign. With sovereignty, there is so

Obaseki

“We are simplifying governance. We are bringing the government closer to the people. We are making it more open, more transparent and more accountable to the people”

Oshiomhole No Longer My Friend

much involved, especially, regarding state systems and other institutions that run the system. The law is very clear on the artefacts. For us, as a state, we were only facilitating the process to make sure that the artefacts come back to us.

Some of the reasons some of the curators who didn’t want to return the artefacts adduced to their refusal was that they wanted to know how the works will be kept. We said that, as a government, we will invest in infrastructure to keep these artefacts in a state where they will continue to be preserved. That now gave a strong reason to make sure that they come back.

We want to take advantage of the return of the artefacts to now ignite that creativity in the state that had birthed these works in the first place. There are generations who have never seen the beauty of these things. We are willing to leverage that to create a new economy. We needed to create that platform. How do we create the infrastructure? How do we create the ambience to help the new generation express themselves culturally? This is why we are supporting the creative and arts industry in the state.

We are redesigning the city as a cultural hub so that when people come to Benin City, they get the full picture that this is the place where the artefacts were made and taken from. They would be able to see something unique and relatable such as the moat, museums and many others. They can see galleries and people who still continued producing the art 500 and 600 years later. That is our role as a government. So, there is no disagreement. I don’t see why there should be a disagreement.

Edo is known for her creativity and there is a creative hub. Why did you decide on such a project?

When you see any production – music, video production, festivals, you see one, two or three Edo names on the credits. If they all have to leave home to go somewhere that the facilities are available, why don’t we make the facilities available to them at home. With that, many more talents will be discovered.

You are in your second term in office, how will you rate your performance so far?

I believe that my reelection has indicated the level of satisfaction of the people of Edo State. Outside Edo, very few people gave me a chance because of how the incidents were being reported. But Edo people could tell the difference. The parents of the more than 300,000 children in our public school system under the Edo Basic Education Sector Transformation (EdoBEST) programme, who have seen their children learn and do well in their schools can see service delivery. They knew that this was a good thing that they wanted the governor to continue.

For people who suddenly saw their roads being tarred, the only way they could appreciate and encourage us to do more was to support my coming back. A particular politician said to me, ‘I’ve been in politics for 30 years and even as a politician, I could not get my government to tar my road. Now, I am in the opposition party and my roads are being tarred. Why would I not support him?’ That is the kind of feedback we were getting. For the market women and traders, they have been free from oppression from the thugs, who came into the market to extort them and impose all sorts of illegal fines on them.

Is it pensioners whose pension arrears had dragged on for more than 20 years and suddenly they get their pension on time? Is it the civil servants, today, who were moved over to the Contributory Pension Scheme so that their pensions for the future are now secured? I mean, you could just go on, and in every area. People can see improved governance and the effect of government in their lives has been very positive.

But you are not short of critics, you know?

Well, we have very violent critics and they don’t criticise on the issues. That’s the problem. They are angry that we’ve changed the status quo, the old order. People just cannot walk into Government House to tell lies to the governor or intimidate the governor to get money. So of course, they say the government is doing nothing because we have decided to work for the many, instead of the few.

They also accused you of being intolerant of opposition?

We are the most tolerant of opposition. You will go on social media and see the comments being made. The abuse being poured on the governor. You have never heard of the governor telling policemen to go and arrest or attack anybody. We are the most tolerant government. In the past, you couldn’t try this with the people in

government.

Your party at the state level is fractionalised. There have been so many court cases that one can keep track of. Where exactly are you on that and where do you stand?

I think, for us, we choose PDP. There are a few people who are not happy in the party. The party is still making inroads to try to reach out and talk with them. For us in Edo, we do things based on the constitution. The party has its own constitution, which needs to be followed. The way congresses should be conducted was followed. So, we went to court to just test the claims from the other side. The court came through to say that it is the party that conducts its elections. The party sends officials from headquarters to conduct delegate and primary elections. That is what we did here working with

the chairman of the party. For others who are not happy, they are trying to look at other means of getting their way. But the constitution of the party is very clear. The Electoral Act was very clear on what should happen and that is what we followed.

Was there a Supreme Court judgment that recognised your faction?

The judgment was not about recognition. It is more like when someone wins but some other person produces results purportedly authenticated by INEC. They went to court to file a case to get the court to recognise that list. That was the issue. All subsequent judgments ruled that, that was not the procedure. It is the party that conducts the primary election, INEC only supervises. INEC doesn’t conduct primary elections and therefore cannot issue results for primaries.

Are your nominees the ones recognised by INEC?

Actually, it is the candidates that emerged from the process conducted by the party. They are the candidates in the records today. They’re not my candidates.

What have you done to reach out to these members of your party that have one reason or the other not to be happy? How much have you done?

The majority of the members of the party recognise the authority and supremacy of the party. The challenge is that you have some members of the executive that were put in place, who are the ones that are not happy. And for us, we continue to talk to them and reach out to them. We are hoping that at the end of it all, we will see to it that our party wins and they will work for our party.

But you are not running for any position in the elections that are around the corner?

I am running on behalf of all the candidates who are contesting (laughter).

Looking at the politics at the moment, your party’s candidate is one of the major contenders for president. How do you look at the election and what do you think are the chances of your candidate?

Well, we are winning, honestly. Don’t forget that I have been in both parties. I mean, I have friends across both parties. Some people call me a rainbow governor.

The truth is that as at today most Nigerians accept that the ruling party has failed Nigerians. They have not delivered to the expectations of the country and therefore cannot rely on them going forward.

We must have a change. Having said that, what are the options? Interestingly, the main option is PDP and PDP is the only real organic party in this country. I give you instances from Edo State. PDP governed Edo for about 10 years from 1999 to 2006. When they lost the elections, they were an opposition party for 12 years, but remained a viable opposition. In two years of PDP coming back to power, APC has collapsed till this day.

Do you say that because you are now in PDP ?

No, because I am here. APC will not get 25 per cent of the votes in Edo State.

Are you serious about that or just kidding?

Yes, I am serious about it and am ready to bet my money on it. So, what does that tell you? It tells you that PDP is quite an organic party. If you look at it, except in one or two states, there’s not one constituency in this country that has not produced either a PDP councilor, PDP chairman, or PDP House of Assembly member. It is an organic party and all it needs is to be awakened. For our presidential candidate, because he has the experience of having been in this party from the beginning since its origin. The party chairman was one of those who formed the party. They understand the DNA of the party and have just come back to reignite it.

I think, yes, it is nice to have competition. But I see my presidential candidate winning this election with a landslide victory. I will tell you it’s about time. The law there (Electoral Act) has improved; it is not your capacity to mobilise security or to supposedly have INEC rig for you.

Tell us what you think is going for your party, especially, on this particular answer you just gave me?

For us, as a party, we have the experience, because we have been here for a long time. We are the only party that’s been here since 1999. Our ability to reawaken our party membership and also the citizens in the face of the very harsh and difficult environment facing them, gives us an opportunity.

A lot of people say your candidate is old and is just like the candidate of the APC. I mean, they belong to the past. They shouldn’t be in the race at all. What quality does he have that you think gives him an edge over the ruling party’s candidate?

I was reviewing some data, which showed that between 2000 and 2010, Nigeria witnessed the most outstanding economic growth. He was vice-president in that era. He was the chairman of The Economic Council. So, all the great reforms, privatisation, debt relief, he was there. Today,

Obaseki

“We are the most tolerant of opposition.You will go on social media and see the comments being made. The abuse being poured on the governor. You have never heard of the governor telling policemen to go and arrest or attack anybody. We are the most tolerant government. In the past, you couldn’t try this with the people in government”

Wike and I Haven’t Had the Opportunity to Talk

we are facing the same challenges and here is somebody who has done it before, who has had experience and you are telling me that he is old? If anything at all, he is more mature; he is more experienced. That is the kind of person we need today because the challenges of Nigeria are not new.

We need somebody who understands where we are coming from. For me, I believe that Atiku is the only person in Nigeria today who has been so positioned to help us in the transformation of this country.

In my own thinking, what is the big problem? Nigeria agreed to become a country at independence in 1960. From 1963 to 1966, you had all the crises and in 1966 Nigeria changed. There was a coup. It introduced military rule and that is what we are still trying to dispense with today. The only person since 1966 – now he is 70 – who has been able to be an actor in a determined political arrangement, is Alhaji Atiku. He is the only one outside the class of 1966 that has risen to a very senior position. He thinks differently from the mentality that came into our politics in 1966.

What I mean is that we have a centrist or centralised system of government. There are people, who just don’t understand that the current structure we are running – this current democratic and governance arrangement of Nigeria – is not in tandem with the DNA of Nigeria. It would always take someone, who understands these things; someone, who is not part of that arrangement that brought us this structure and has had the courage and boldness to fight, that is the person that can help us rearrange the structure we have today.

Here is something that you may not find too palatable, and it is the point you raised about privatisation. Atiku’s critics said he sold some of these assets to his friends. What is the guarantee that coming back, he will not sell more assets to his family?

It is not a factor of ownership. Are these assets in production for the benefit of the country? Somebody must eventually end up owning something, anyway. Did he sell them to foreigners? Or he sold them to his friends, who are Nigerians. So, who are his enemies that wanted to buy and he didn’t sell to them?

Your party is having serious issues with a group of governors that call themselves G-5 or Integrity Group. All efforts to manage these governors and bring them into the fold seem to have failed. Is it that your candidate and your party are not doing enough? You, as governor, are you doing enough? What is the problem really?

This is politics. Clearly, we all will not always have the same views on issues at the same time. But as long as we are heading in the same direction at some point in time, hopefully, we will. Our positions will converge. The situation today is not as bad as it is being portrayed to the press. Don’t forget, we are brother governors. We are friends; we talk and we keep talking to our friends. At the last governors’ meeting we had a couple of weeks ago, we did agree that we were going to reach out and continue the conversation and we are doing so. The reason I said it is not as bad as it looks is because we are going to overcome it. Some of these brother governors are also contesting in this election and they will not want you to destroy the platform on which they are contesting. I believe that as we have these conversations, whatever issues they have, we will trash them out. The important thing is that the PDP will take over this government and rescue this country.

How do you see the Obedient factor in all of these? You dismissed them recently and said they will fade out as the election draws closer?

These are a group of people, who have something to offer Nigeria. They are also riding on the anger and the failure of the current government. As for me, are they organised enough? Do they have enough experience? You know, the candidate is my friend, Peter Obi. Does he have as much experience as Alhaji Atiku? Not yet. They will need time to mature. They will need time to grow, but for this election, February 2023, which is less than 100 days away, we will see the end result.

In your conversation with Alhaji Atiku, what do you get out of it? He has made a lot of promises, viz. devolution of power, among others. Do you feel he is genuinely going to do this?

I believe him, because of where he is coming from. I believe him because he has been consistent. Except you say he is not consistent; it is not

possible because you can see the logic. When he came to Benin City, he and I had a very interesting conversation to see where he is coming from and his understanding of how the native authority works. He understood how that administration helped in providing education through Districts through which we went to school. His understanding of how the state system works was, for me, very impressive. So, here is a person who can tell where things fell apart, where things broke down and therefore, I believe him.

He says let us think about a solution for a Nigeria that worked when I was a child.

Nigeria worked for me. I went to school, not under a federal government arrangement but on a local government agreement.

He worked at the federal government and has seen the kind of enormous power wielded at that level and the amount of waste and inefficiency associated with it.

He has run businesses as well. So, he is talking from a very important standpoint.

This system is not working the way it is expected to work. Growing up, it worked, so I could see the difference. The federal government must reduce its sphere of influence. The states and local governments now must have responsibility for the people. They must be responsible for those who are closest to them – the citizenry.

For some curious reason, some people fear the election may not hold. No one knows what they see. As somebody who is in power, who gets security briefings, do you entertain such thoughts?

I do not have any reason to doubt that elections will be held. For President Buhari, I think he has now come to realise that his biggest legacy will be to bequeath this country a democratic system that works. I don’t see how anything that will stop that process will help him or his legacy. I see a President who will do everything to make sure that the elections hold.

With institutions like INEC that have been built over the years and the zeal and courage with which they push the issue of using technology, we are on course. There may be issues here and there, but I do not think that, on the whole, there is anything that will make elections not to hold.

For the political actors, what options do we have? We have no option. This is now our way of life. You have a generation that has grown up knowing that there must be elections and the demography of that generation is huge. What are you going to tell them? How are you going to govern this country? They understand that when this person doesn’t prevail this time around, in four years’ time, there’s another opportunity. You look at the child who is 30 years today and has witnessed seven elections in his life, you tell him elections won’t hold this time around?

Let’s talk about your friend, Wike. My brother.

Yeah, what is your relationship with him now like? I mean, since you had a public spat, all has been quiet?

It’s just more of mutual respect.

Do you guys talk?

We have not had the opportunity to talk. But you can pick the phone and call. People point the finger at him for causing problems in Edo PDP. Do you have anything to say about that?

Today’s issue for me should be how do we all pull forces together to make sure that we take over the government next year despite the internal challenges that we have. How do you ensure that you do not take your eyes off the ball?

Another question has to do with your predecessor. He is your friend. What is the relationship like now?

No. He was my friend. We are no longer friends, because he is not the sort of person I thought he was.

He was instrumental to your coming into office

Just as I was instrumental to his coming into office.

You seem very quick to answer this. Is there no meeting point right now?

No. This is because if I thought you were A and I later found out that you were B, I could only relate to the A and not the B.

Why don’t you make peace with each other and let bygones be bygones?

It’s not a question of war. It is that a person I thought was my friend; we discussed things and I thought we were in alignment, then suddenly I now realise he was something different. I can’t relate with him.

What legacy do you want to be remembered for when people mention your name as Governor of Edo State?

I want to be remembered in one, two or three generations from now by that Edo child, who benefitted from the world-class education delivered in our public schools. He or she will look back and say, ‘Thank God we had a Governor like Governor Obaseki, who made it possible.’

Obaseki

“The majority of the members of the party recognise the authority and supremacy of the party. The challenge is that you have some members of the executive that were put in place, who are the ones that are not happy. And for us, we continue to talk to them and reach out to them”

FEATURES

Group Features Editor: Chiemelie Ezeobi

Email: chiemelie.ezeobi@thisdaylive.com, 07010510430

Realities of Incessant Fuel Scarcity and Untold Hardship on Nigerians

In this report, Sunday Ehigiator writes that the incessant fuel scarcity and high cost of getting the product against the rise of the ‘black market, is causing Nigerians untold hardship in all sphere

From Lagos to Ibadan, Abuja, Kaduna, and Port Harcourt, it’s been a sad tale of the perpetual return of queues at service stations as residents struggle to buy petrol to fuel their cars and generators.

Aside from the difficulty faced commuting to work and the inflated fare prices charged by the few available commercial buses that now have to resort to black market just to remain on the road, the long queues at filling stations have become a common scene for all to see.

With the latest scarcity still lingering, findings revealed that where the product is available, it is sold at exorbitant prices, much higher than the government-approved price, thereby forcing people to resort to black market.

The Cause and Blames

In what appears to be their first official reaction to the crisis in the downstream oil industry, the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited, blamed the fuel scarcity and long queues at the filling stations on some road projects going on in Lagos.

Meanwhile, the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) blamed the scarcity of the product on the depots and the increasing difficulty in accessing petroleum products, and the increasing cost of the product.

According to the National Controller, Operations, IPMAN, Mike Osatuyi, “members of the association could not get sufficient products at the depots.

“No fuel. Even when we were able to get a small quantity, Depots and Petroleum Products Marketers Association of Nigeria (DAPPMAN) sold it to us at N200/N202 per litre. By the time we transport it to our stations, the cost would be around N210/litre,” he said.

He added that getting petrol to members’ filling stations from the depots now costs as much as N200 per litre in some instances.

In her reaction, DAPPMAN’s Chairman, Dame Williams Akpani, noted that the fuel crises persisted due to logistics challenges.

She said bad roads, resulting in petrol trucks taking one week instead of three days to arrive in Abuja from Lagos, were also responsible.

The Real Cause

The real problem, of course, is that the cost of importing petrol has risen due to factors like inflation, the Russia-Ukraine war, and Nigeria’s foreign currency challenges.

While the government wants to keep prices low, perhaps due to the general elections in February, someone has to pay the difference between the real cost and the political one.

The subsidy is also another factor affecting the product. In 2022, Nigeria paid over N2 trillion to subsidise petrol, a scheme riddled with corruption.

In its 2023 budget, the Buhari administration has allocated N3.6 trillion to fund fuel subsidies for six months. But all that money appears not to be enough to keep prices where the government wants or make the product readily available without having to queue up.

Black-market Booms

As the scarcity of petrol bites harder across the country, the black market is booming in several cities across Africa’s biggest oil producer, Nigeria.

The development arose after marketers decried the cost of lifting products from depots, saying it was no longer sustainable to sell petrol at N165 per litre, as some are now selling the product as high as N320 per litre.

As the fuel queues at many filling stations grew longer in Abuja and major towns across Nigeria’s commercial capital, and its neighbouring Ogun and Oyo state, THISDAY observed that the scarcity had led to a boom in black-market sales, as motorists opted to patronise the easy channel of getting the product irrespective of the quality or cost implication.

Taking advantage to make brisk sales, black marketers in the Gbagada, Owode Onirin, Festac, and Oshodi areas of the Lagos metropolis sold five litres of petrol for N4,000, representing about

N800 per litre, while 10 litres were sold for N6,500 in the neighbouring area.

The situation is not different in Abuja where the business has become very booming since April 2022 and has been sustained till December 2022, with many ascribing factors such as the Kogi flood and increased inflation rate to be responsible for sustaining fuel scarcity in the Federal Capital Territory.

Imports Risen by 173 per cent

As the current quest by Nigeria to wean itself off imported fuel and make the product much more available to the people drags on, new data show its petrol import bill has hit an all-time high of N4 trillion from January to September 2022, the highest in four years.

The country relies wholly on imports to meet its fuel needs as its refineries have remained in a state of disrepair for many years despite several reported repairs.

Data sourced from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) showed the importation of petrol gobbled up N4 trillion from January to September, a 173 per cent increase from N1.3 trillion recorded in the same period in 2020.

A further breakdown of NBS data showed Nigeria spent a total of N1.506 trillion in the first quarter of 2022, N948 billion in the second quarter, and N1.2 trillion in the third quarter.

From Q1 to Q3 of 2022, petrol accounted for the highest share of all imported products. The product accounted for 25.54 per cent, 17.46 per cent and 21.18 per cent in Q1, Q2 and Q3 respectively.

Weeks before, the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Timipre

Sylva, reiterated that Nigeria wants to end the importation of petroleum products by 2023, as the Port Harcourt and Dangote refineries come on stream.

Despite the increase in importation, one would think the scarcity of the product should be a bygone but that seems not to be the case.

DSS Issues Ultimatum

Following the resultant consequence of the fuel scarcity on the common Nigerian, the Department of State Services (DSS) on December 8, issued a 48-hour ultimatum to the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation Limited (NNPCL), Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) and other stakeholders in the oil sector to resolve the ongoing fuel crisis within 48 hours.

Hinting at economic sabotage, it threatened to go after those impeding the supply of petroleum products if fuel queues persisted at the petrol stations across the country after the ultimatum. It said the decision followed assurances by NNPCL of the sufficiency of the products.

House to the Rescue

Meanwhile, following the DSS ultimatum, the House of Representatives called on NNPCL to end the lingering scarcity of petroleum products in the next week to ease the suffering of Nigerians.

The House also called on the Nigerian Midstream Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority, NMDPRA, to seek the collaboration of the Nigerian Police Force and DSS to ensure that fuel was sold at the regulated price and in all retail outlets.

The resolutions followed a motion entitled: “Urgent Need for the Government to End the Current Fuel Scarcity,” moved by Saidu Abdullahi (Niger State) under matters of urgent public importance at plenary.

Presenting the motion, Abdullahi noted that in the last few months, Nigerians have been subjected to untold hardships caused by petrol scarcity, affecting economic activities and making the already trying times in the country more difficult.

Most of those fuel stations have resulted in selling fuel at over N300 per litre. It is observed with dismay that those who are gaining from this artificial fuel scarcity appear to be smiling home as a result of this ugly development and this has the potency to provoke innocent Nigerians against the government

He said: “Intelligence reports on current fuel scarcity gathered by our securities agencies indicated that there is a deliberate plan by some oil marketers to derail the effort of the government in the distribution of fuel in the country by hoarding the petroleum products and thereby, creating artificial scarcity all over the country.

“While the fuel scarcity is hurting, some major marketers are currently selling fuel at government-regulated prices, but some independent marketers, who operate in the market have enough petroleum products and are selling at unregulated prices.

“Most of those fuel stations have resulted in selling fuel at over N300 per litre. It is observed with dismay that those who are gaining from this artificial fuel scarcity appear to be smiling home as a result of this ugly development and this has the potency to provoke innocent Nigerians against the government.”

Following the intervention of the House of Representatives, NNPCL adopted new measures aimed at guaranteeing adequate fuel supply across the country, by fixing N148 per litre as the price for lifting petrol at depots.

It also agreed to supply outstanding stock to independent oil marketers, to end product shortage.

MOMAN Pledges Compliance

Similarly, the Major Oil Marketers Association of Nigeria (MOMAN), also pledged its support towards ending the shortage.

In a statement, the association said: “MOMAN continues to work with other key stakeholders to ensure that we ramp up supplies to our retail sites and return to normalcy as soon as possible. We envisage a rise in demand during the yuletide season and are prepared to work round the clock to keep our stations running.”

Infused Inflation

No doubt, the scarcity of the product and increased Nussle price and black market cost have further added to the inflation rate in the country.

The annual inflation rate in Nigeria accelerated for the 10th straight month to 21.47 per cent in November of 2022 from 21.09 per cent in October and above market estimates of 21.15 per cent.

It was the highest reading since September of 2005, attributed to the high cost of fuel, food supply disruptions, import cost hikes due to currency depreciation and a rise in production costs.

Nigerians scampering for fuel at a fueling station in Lagos

Shiloh Godson: Making Pleasurable Soundtracks in Nollywood

There are film producers and there are directors. There are casts and there are scriptwriters. But not many know that ther e is a Shiloh Godson. He is an enthusiastic sound designer, who serenades movie enthusiasts with rich and delicious soundtracks. While he may not be your regular screen god or crush, he is one of the many magic fingers behind the sweet memories movies have left in your mind’s eyes.

Over time, Shiloh has carved a marvellous niche for himself having been in the movie space officially since 2019. This has helped him to exercise his dexterity in 13 movies in Nigeria and two in the US. “I’ve done 10 films this year. For context, five films in a year are regarded as a lot. I was speaking with my friend, Michael Truth. We laughed that five films in a year are a lot for a filmmaker,” he giggled.

The movies include Blackmail, Badamasi Portrait of a General, the Johnny Jackson's Story, Money Miss Road (documentary), and Date Night among others.

Indeed, Shiloh, as he is fondly called, is not backing down any time soon. This is because he enjoys working on films. He chuckled, "Some films I've worked on were simply amazing. It's fun knowing I can change people's emotions simply by adding a bit of colour through everyday sounds, music, or even weird noise. Most films I've worked on were with some of my best buddies and they were fun of course.”

Arguably, as dialogue to drama engages the audience so is sound massaging to viewers and listeners. And the Hush Sound boss subscribes to this notion. “Sound is 50 per cent of the movie. 50 per cent of the entire story comes through sound,” he emphasised. “Imagine writing this piece and 50 per cent of the words were randomly yanked off, it becomes gibberish. That's how important sound is.”

Writing music for films starts hard for every composer, the sound editor acknowledged. “Each film starts with a blank

page. We never reuse previous ideas or tunes; it’s new for every film”. He told THISDAY, “Time has always been a major constraint. It still is a challenge at this mo-

ment. Even some months ago while writing the music for Johnny Jackson's story, I wrote the score for Mr Greg's scene the same evening after having an interview about the project.”

Shiloh also emphasised how demanding filmmaking could get. “Honestly, it's been a r eal issue, especially for those of us in the film industry, for context, from April to July, I was at my desk for 14 to 16 hours every day nonstop, and at some point writing music and sound designing shifts from being nonstop fun to being work with some flashes of fun.”

Sharing insights on major projects he has been part of, he reminisced. “It's different for every film. Blackmail was loads of fun for us because it was filmed in a lockdown. We had to create depth with sound. And I'm a sucker for violence in films, I enjoy seeing people beat themselves up.”

Although the sound designer concedes that his track record is a long way from here, he hopes to strike the right notes soon. “A fun accomplishment is that I'm currently writing a film score with the best vocalist I've ever heard. I've wanted to work on a film with her for a long time. Hopefully, it comes out as a nice score.”

Even Shiloh has been positively influenced. “I'll say the person who has influenced me most in filmmaking is Obi Emelonye. When I met him, I didn't even know what sound design or soundscape was,” he said gleefully. “He has also had an impact on my personal life. That's when he's not threatening me,” he chuckled.

As an ardent soundtrack connoisseur, Shiloh has scored four films this year and is currently writing one of them. He is also working on two US films and one Nigerian movie.

Interestingly, Shiloh doesn’t only have a knack for creating pure sounds, he also has a beautiful sense of humour that could trip his listeners any time any day.

Kennedy Adetayo's Quest to Spread Food Love through Ourfoodie_ng

Rebecca Ejifoma

For some, salivating the meal is just a perfect starter ahead of the demolition of that mountainous plate of food. Whereas others have continued to find a way to express their unflinching love for quality cooking through commendations, daily food quotes, and photo splash of both local and international cuisine to keep their body and soul together.

This is because the rush of excitement that comes with tasty food is unmatched. From the inspiring recipes to the preparation through to the presentation, Kennedy Adetayo – a tech entrepreneur – sees food as his most essential companion. However, because he can’t go a day without demonstrating his feelings for good nosh, he saw the need to further communicate that love by appreciating passionate cooks and scrumptious food with the creation of a dedicated Instagram page, Ourfoodie_ng.

"About eight years ago, I wasn't a fan of trying out different meals; I could call myself a proper foodie. I was always trying out different restaurants in Lagos,” he chuckled, adding that “I was always trying to see what else is interesting in menus. I took to the internet to search for more options.”

So, the first move Adetayo made was to follow a handful of food pages that speaks to his vision, amazing chefs, and most soughtafter restaurants among several others just to quench that thirst. It soon metamorphosed to a point where he realised that it was indeed a challenge if he had to do this religiously daily.

"I thought of a way to aggregate all of that content in one place," he thought to himself, a resolve that birthed Ourfoodie_ng. "For me, I took it judiciously and meticulously to make sure I post 10 to 20 pieces of content every day from different pages. Over time it grew into hundreds, thousands, tens of

thousands and currently hundreds of thousands."

Through his food page, he recognises and commends cooks and foods that are relatable, inspiring and fun. "Interestingly, I try to

focus on cooks, people that are not professionals, especially for recipes. I believe that the best recipes come from homemade meals but also for high-quality content, I look to restaurants and professional chefs. So, a healthy mix of content makes it to my blog.

While he promotes these chefs and their creativity for free on his dedicated Instagram page, he describes his experience with chefs – local and international as utterly intriguing, shocking and eye-opening.

"I must say that I have had different kinds of experiences. I have had chefs and cooks confront me on why I posted their food content. They tell me, 'You have more following. You're getting likes and impressions on your page and not mine. Please take down the post. I have had people that appreciated it," he narrated.

For the techpreneur, one beautiful benchmark of Ourfoodie_ng is that through his page, brands have evolved and expanded. He enthused, "I even get brands approaching me with their new products to serve as a food connoisseur then review it on my page."

Although there is a notion that love is blind, Adetayo can see clearer than you can imagine. He is intentional about the hygiene of preparation and promotes creativity and distinction. That is why at Ourfoodie_ng, Adetayo not only displays an array of food, but also its availability, recipes, and ingredients used for each food.

Indeed, distance holds no determination like the innate cravings of a foodie. This is one reason that has spurred Adetayo to tour a handful of states across Nigeria. He has also voyaged to 10 African countries and has experimented with their local cuisines unfazed. "Coincidentally in Lagos now, restaurants are opening up almost every day. They are fantastic," he reminisced.

"I make sure I go once in a while. Funny thing is that I do not wait for those restaurants to reach me or offer me free meals before I go because I like food naturally," he enthused. "I just go and spend my money. Most of them do not realise I am the brand they have always adored until I left. They then reach out to me for a more wholesome experience."

Shiloh Godson

Kennedy Adetayo

A wealth of creative minds have continued to make the Nollywood industry bloom. One of such mind is Shiloh Godson, a sound designer and founder/composer of Hush Sounds. In this tele-interview with Rebecca Ejifoma, he shares his small wins, current projects in the US, and plans for movie enthusiasts

EDUCATION

2022: Year of Unfulfilled Promises, Strike, Division

2022 draws to a close amidst the controversy surrounding the strike by the Academic Staff Union of Universities, which paralysed activities at several universities for eight months, experts have advised education administrators to listen to public outcries and serve the interest of the generality of taxpayers. Funmi Ogundare reports

In the outgoing year, the education sector received a budgetary allocation boost.

President Mohammad Buhari had proposed N1.79 trillion, representing about 8.8 per cent of the total N20.5 trillion, to the joint session of the National Assembly. It was the highest he has made to the sector since he assumed office in 2015.

The allocation is above N1.18 trillion or 7.2 per cent of the total budget compared to previous years.

However, the allocation was still a far cry from the 26 per cent UNESCO benchmark. This explains the rot in the sector as a result of poor funding.

A budget breakdown showed that N1.08 trillion was allocated to the Federal Ministry of Education (FME) and its agencies. Of the amount, N239 billion was allocated for capital expenditure, while N706.5 billion and N52.8 billion were allocated for personnel and overhead costs, respectively. Allocation to the ministry is significantly higher than the N875 billion proposed in the 2022 budget. The agency responsible for education at the grassroots, Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC), was allotted N149.7 billion, which includes N95.3 billion for personnel and N54.5 billion for capital projects. In 2022, the president proposed N108.10 billion for UBEC.

Also, the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) will get N248.3 billion in transfers. However, this is less than the N306 billion it got previously. Also, in the budget, N170 billion was proposed for salary increment and N300 billion as revitalisation fund.

The president proposed to spend N470 billion on public tertiary institutions and promised to pacify the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU).

However, this was not to be. On February 14, the union embarked on a warning strike, which later became indefinite, and lingered for eight months. The strike was to press home its demands on the federal government to provide funds for the revitalisation of public universities to the tune of N1.1 trillion, payment of earned academic allowances, adoption of the University Transparency Accountability Solution (UTAS) instead of the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS), payment of promotion arrears and the renegotiation of the 2009 ASUU-FGN Agreement.

After intensive bargaining, the federal government constituted a committee headed by Prof. Nimi Briggs, and ASUU came to a compromise leading to the submission of the revised draft agreement to the federal government in June 2022. Surprisingly, the government refused to execute the renegotiated agreement, claiming it lacked funds.

Rather than toeing the path of honour, the government resorted to mind games and armtwisting to frustrate ASUU’s strike. It enforced the ‘no work, no pay’ policy, threatened to proscribe ASUU, and later alleged that all the

demands had been met except the withheld salaries. Realising the futility of these gimmicks, it then sued ASUU at the National Industrial Court of Nigeria, registered fresh academic unions: Congress of Nigerian University Academics (CONUA) and Nigerian Association of Medical and Dental Academics (NAMDA), and finally accused ASUU of corruption. Fortunately, the National Assembly waded into the crisis, which had human rights activist and lawyer Femi Falana as its counsel, when the Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr Chris Ngige, had dragged the union to the NIC to force members back to the classroom. The union, in turn, filed an appeal against the court ruling. However, after a series of stakeholders’ meetings with the union and National Assembly, the parties came up with a seven-point resolution that the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, presented to Buhari, which subsequently led to the suspension of the prolonged strike.

ASUU President, Prof Emmanual Osodeke, said the union suspended the strike to obey the industrial court judgment, adding that the issues have not been fully resolved and no agreement was signed.

In October, when union members and the newly registered CONUA received pro-rata salaries, they expressed shock while describing the development as insulting, humiliating and embarrassing.

Osodeke again said the government’s action of paying 18 days’ salaries to its members contravened all known rules of engagement in any employment contract for academics all over the world.

The government’s action caused panic among parents and students, who feared it could cause another disruption of academic activities. Despite protests by some branches of ASUU, the union decided to tackle the issue with dialogue.

In the outgoing year, the Joint

Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) pegged the minimum cut-off point for admission into universities in Nigeria at 140. The cut-off mark for colleges of education and polytechnics was 100.

The board approved the cut-off points at a policy meeting in Abuja following the successful conduct of the 2022 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME). The meeting, chaired by the Minister of Education, Malam Adamu Adamu, had vice-chancellors, rectors, provosts and other stakeholders in attendance.

As part of its achievement for the year, JAMB Registrar Ishaq Oloyede disclosed that the board remitted about N50 billion to the federal government in the last six years, adding that the amount was left after the expenses incurred in conducting the examination. The remittance was due to measures put in place on cost control, prevention of financial leakages and minimisation of financial corruption. The registrar explained that the “humongous returns” were in contrast to about N52 million, which is the cumulative return of the previous 40 years of the board.

He listed UTME’s credibility and reliability, massive returns to the national coffers, the institution of CSR, the establishment of government-owned CBT centres in all states, and minimising fraud in National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) mobilisation as some of the achievements of the board under his watch.

“Over N29 billion of this has been returned directly to the CRF. About N11 billion disbursed on capital projects, corporate social responsibility, savings (about N6 billion) and others in contrast to about N52 million that had been the cumulative return of the previous 40 years,” he stated.

In the results of the May/June 2022 diet of the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE), the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) announced that 1,222,505 candidates, amounting to 76.36 per cent of the 1,601,047 candidates that successfully sat for the examination, obtained credits and above in a minimum of five subjects, including English Language and Mathematics.

The statistics indicated a decrease of more than five per cent in performance compared with the 81.7 per cent pass rate recorded in 2021.

The council scored a first this year with the inauguration of its digital certificate platform for candidates to generate their certificates online and to recover burnt, lost, and damaged certificates.

Certificates produced from 1999 to date are

eligible for such recovery.

According to WAEC’s Head of National Office for Nigeria, Patrick Areghan, who spoke during the unveiling in Lagos, the platform, which involves mobile and web-based applications, will cost N7,500 for new and old candidates to assess the platform, N3,500 to share and N5,000 for certificate confirmation to eliminate fraud and send fakers out of the market.

He added that the platform will enable over 30 million certificate holders to “access and share the original copies of their certificates from anywhere in the world, and those from 1970 to 1998 will be attended to shortly.”

Developed by Botosoft Technologies, the platform can also be used to recover candidates’ forgotten or lost examination numbers and “it has many security doors that will make it impossible to hack.”

In his assessment of the outgoing year, a Professor of French and Francophone Studies, University of Lagos (UNILAG), Victor Ariole, said the primary school that is exclusive to local government was a failure with 20 million out-of-school children, and with less than 7 per cent of the budget to education as a whole, the government was anti-education.

An associate professor at the Lagos State University (Journalism Department), Dr Tunde Akanni, said if government functionaries take rational decisions, things could get better.

“ASUU hasn’t been asking for nothing extraordinary, and the two consecutive corrupt former Accountant General of the Federation, Jonah Otunla and Ahmed Idris, have vindicated ASUU with the humongous amount of money they’re being compelled to return to public coffers. We need to have government officials feeding fat on the rest of us to do our bid by acting promptly in our interest as opposed to what we are currently experiencing,” Akanni stated.

He said the education minister in 2023 should listen to public outcries and ensure that he serves the interest of the generality of taxpayers and remember always that he was sworn into office with some pledge.

In her submission, the Executive Director of Edumark, Mrs Yinka Ogunde, stated that some states improved in their exams and made efforts to curb exam malpractice, adding that they are also collaborating in the digital space with organisations that will improve digital literacy among the students.

“Generally, we can say that there is a high level of awareness about the need to bring about improvement and reform within the sector. Going forward, a lot of things need to be put on the front burner much more,” she said.

Ogunde stressed the need for the country to review its curriculum to develop people who will fit into what is needed in present-day Nigeria and the world.

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

As

“When some of our bests heads may be living, then we may need to have a rethink and ensure that we are producing the right kind of teachers by giving them the right type of remuneration and we are making the sector attractive to good people.”

Buhari Adamu

Gombe Inaugurates Ultra-modern Tsangaya Integrated School

Segun Awofadeji

Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya has been commended for initiating policies, programmes and projects geared towards the development of education in the state.

This followed the governor’s resolve to take education to all nooks and crannies of Gombe.

The commendation was made by the Sultan of Sokoto, Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar weekend during the inauguration of the Goni Sani Integrated Model Tsangaya School constructed by Yahaya.

The sultan said it would reduce the number of out-ofschool children, not only in the state but the whole of northern Nigeria.

He said he came to Gombe

in solidarity with and support of what Yahaya is doing for the advancement of Qur’anic education, “which is part of our religion and history that we could not afford to abandon.”

The sultan urged the people to make good use of the education centre by taking full ownership of the edifice, adding that it is a rare opportunity to have such a centre of education and civilisation in one’s domain.

According to the governor, since Islam’s advent, Gombe has been a city with a long history of qur’anic education; where students from within and outside Nigeria troop to acquire Qur’anic and Islamic education, the process that produced hundreds of thousands of qur’anic and Islamic scholars.

To redeem and uphold this

good history and modernize the whole system, he said his administration deemed it fit to intervene in tsangaya schools to provide a more befitting environment for the tsangaya students and scholars.

He said when he came to power in May 2019, UNICEF statistics showed that Gombe had about 550,000 out-of-school children.

He said his government cooperated with National Board for Arabic and Islamic Education, NBAIS, to train qur’anic teachers and facilitate proper certification for the tsangaya students.

The Commissioner for Education, Dr Aishatu Umar Maigari, said the mega tsangaya school is part of the governor’s education policy to provide

education for all indigenes of Gombe.

She said the government mapped and profiled 1,500 tsangaya schools and girl-child centres across the state.

“We provided intervention in 676 centres which include 385 tsangayas and 291 girl child centres. We moped up 230,740 out-of-school children, out of which about 76,000 are tsangaya pupils, with 33,203 of them, girls. 1,460 NCE teachers and 89 monitoring officers were also engaged,” she disclosed.

The BESDA coordinator commended the governor for supporting the BESDA programme.

The head of the Tsangaya school thanked the governor for transforming the historic tsangaya into a modern centre.

120 Students Receive Grooming Centre’s N18m Research Grant

Oluchi Chibuzor

As part of their corporate social responsibility effort to boost entrepreneurship and encourage research development within the Nigerian tertiary institution ecosystem, the Grooming Centre, Ejigbo Lagos, has awarded N18 million to 120 students.

The grant will ensure that the recipients complete their undergraduate and postgraduate research projects.

This year’s award is the fourth since the inception of the Grooming Centre University grant awards in 2019.

The centre’s CEO, Godwin Nwabunka, said, “We tend to expand it so that undergraduates and postgraduates who have financial constraints. We will remove those constraints so that they can focus on what they do. Like I said, beyond areas of financial inclusion, we are now looking at a broader

area like the planet, people, profit and all these activities that happen at the bottom of the pyramid.”

The guest speaker, a Development Economics and Data Analytics with Lagos Business School, Prof Bongo Adi, explained that the country must begin to take research development very seriously.

The head of special project at the centre, Mr Chikezie Egbulefu, urged the students to see this as an opportunity to contribute to national development.

For Federal University of Agriculture Abeokuta postgraduate student Kwaghfan Saaondo, whose thesis is on the response of West African dwarf goats to graded levels of cassava leaf meal, the grant would enable him “perform laboratory analysis on growth performance of cassava leaf on West Africa dwarf goats.”

LASPOTECH School of Agriculture Alumni Launch N10m Faculty Endowment Fund

Oluchi Chibuzor

UNILAG Don Recommends More Human Interaction Via Reading

Uchechukwu Nnaike

A French and Francophone Studies professor at the Department of European Languages and Integration Studies, University of Lagos (UNILAG), Victor Ariole, has called for a reengineering of the learning and knowledge system to preserve human beings.

He said an emphasis on science and technology could overwhelm humans “and take over our humanities from us.”

Ariole said this recently in Lagos at the launch of his

four books ‘When Women Take Over’, ‘Oyster in the Pandemic’, Thoughts on Asserting Nigerianess Beyond Ethnicism’, and a French Book, ‘Les Femmes mo Pouvoir’.

According to him, humans should learn to connect with and understand one another through reading to prevent them from going extinct.

He said reading wide also helps to fight depression and provides understanding of life’s challenges and how to surmount them.

Ariole, who has been contributing to knowledge at

UNILAG for 30 years, said the book, ‘When Women Take Over’ through its main character, Esuru and her mentor, Obananjo encourages Nigerians to forget the past and move forward without acrimony so that the country will be a better place for everyone.

He said ‘Oyster in the Pandemic’ is basically what happened during the COVID-19 period and how human beings were forced into isolation.

“It is reminding human beings that without oxygen,

life will be over. We must do something to still remain human beings, and we must relate as human beings because every development we are looking for must revolve around making human beings better,” stated Ariole.

He said the book, ‘Thoughts on Asserting Nigerianess Beyond Ethnicism’, concerns all leaders in the country.

Ariole added that the French Book, ‘Les Femmes mo Pouvoir’, focuses on getting women to understand that for humanity to move forward, women are to lead the process.

British Council Honours Grace Schools with ISA Award for Third Time

Mary Nnah

Grace School, Gbagada, Lagos, has been awarded the British International School ISA Award for the third consecutive period. The award is based on the successful completion of the International Schools Award Portfolio Assessment of the school’s international work by the British Council.

The International School Award rewards schools that are committed to embedding international awareness and understanding within their school. It is also a badge of honour for schools that

showcase outstanding work in international education, Schools are encouraged through British Council support to complete collaborative, curriculum-based work with several international partner schools and involvement of the wider community.

The Project Officer, Schools Education, British Council, Nene Ogunade, commended Grace Schools for its successful completion of the assessment.

The British Council further urged Grace Schools to deploy the award on all Marketing and promotional channels of

the school.

With its outstanding success in International work, The scheme kite mark, which is a key part of the award and is a symbol of the British ISA would feature on all the school Literature, website and other branded collaterals of the school.

The Director of Grace Schools, Mrs Tokunbo Edun, says Grace Schools are reinventing the rules to offer qualitative educational service delivery. She says it is a strategic vision for the schools to develop robust and vibrant curricula to remain globally acclaimed citadels of learning.

“Winning the International Schools Award for the third consecutive period attests to the unwavering commitment of Grace Schools to remain a dynamic and forward-looking educational establishment,” stated Edun.

According to Edun, Grace Schools have a strong edge in superior service delivery, and the schools have never waivered from developing holistic learning approaches for the students. According to her, the schools also have a robust manpower development strategy which translates to excellence for the school

The 1986/1991 set of Lagos State Polytechnic (LASPOTECH) School of Agriculture Alumni Association, Ikorodu, has launched a N10 million faculty endowment to boost the agriculture department of the institution now known as Lagos State University of Science and Technology (LASUSTECH).

Speaking at the 2022 reunion of the association, the President of LASPOTECH School of Agriculture, Mr Olubukola Oreofe, said plans were underway to commemorate their 31st reunion by putting up projects that would reposition agriculture in the school.

He disclosed that the alumni would also donate to the e-library of the Faculty of Agriculture.

“Our other programmes, which we are committed to organising, include an annual colloquium to enable an interface between lecturers, students, policymakers/gov-

ernment officials, agricultural development organisations and institutions, captains of industry and relevant stakeholders,” explained Oreofe.

He added that the association was convinced that an annual forum such as this would be an incubator for ideas that would benefit the students, lecturers, the university and society.

“For a start, N10 million educational endowment programme for the faculty of agriculture, scholarship grants, students international exchange and development programme; and alumni student mentorship programme, sports development activities, no doubt, is essential that as we stretch our hands to support our alma mater, we need the institution as a partner,” Oreofe stated.

The Chairman of the Lagos State Local Government Service Commission and the board of trustees of the alumni, Hon Kamal Ayinde Bayewu, acknowledged the significance of helping to boost the faculty.

Governor Inuwa Mourns GSU Pioneer VC, Prof Mahadi

Segun Awofadeji

Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya has expressed sadness over the demise of the pioneer Vice-Chancellor of Gombe State University, Prof Abdullahi Mahadi, who died in Gombe aged 77.

Inuwa described the late university don as an accomplished educationist and erudite professor who carried out his academic and administrative duties with a deep sense of patriotism and dedication.

The governor noted that Mahadi’s footprints in Gombe State University and other institutions he served would remain indelible on the academic

sands of time.

“We have indeed lost a great man, an administrator per excellence, who made great marks on our education sector. His wealth of experience and sterling knowledge of education and environmental management will be sorely missed,” stated the governor.

He urged the deceased’s family to take solace in the fact that the late professor lived a great life of service to God and humanity and positively impacted many lives leaving behind a good name.

The governor conveyed his condolences to the deceased’s family, associates, and the academic community.

THISDAY reporter, Ms Funmi Ogundare ( middle ) flanked by other awardees of Command Day Secondary School, Ojo, 94 set alumni during their end of the year party held in Lagos... recently

L-R: Founder, NESH Foundation, Emeka Ugwu-Oju; celebrant/Executive Secretary, TETFund, Sonny Echono; and former Permanent Secretary, Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Johnny Chukwu, during Echono’s 60th birthday celebration in Abuja…recently

L-R: Head of Policy and Advocacy, GAIN, Nigeria, Joyce Akpata; author, Ngozi Zeo Adebiyi; Chief Executive Officer, Zesty Juices, Daba Omoregbee; and CEO, Jades of Green Consultancy, Ekaete Augustine-Edet, at the launch of the book ‘Growing’, authored by Ngozi Adebiyi, held in Lagos…recently

L-R: Project Lead, Noman Goni, Judith Alhamdu; NABG Communications Manager, Israella Enyi; and Chief Executive Officer, Moye Media, Michaela Moye, during the recent Women and Youth Farmers and Agrientrepreneurs regional conference organised by the NABG and Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation in Kaduna... recently

L-R: Anambra State Coordinator, National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), Mrs. Blessing Iruma; wife of Anambra State Governor, Mrs. Nonye Soludo; and acting Director-General of the NYSC, Mrs. Christy Uba, during Uba’s visit to the Anambra State first lady at the Government House in Awka…recently

L-R: Partner, The Flagship Law Firm and Fellow of the Intellectual Property Institute Nigeria, Ezenwa Anumnu; Judge of the Customary Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Hon. Simpa Ehusani; Prof. Samuel Oguche, representing Prof. Jamila Nasir, Professor of Law, Jos; and Director, Intellectual Property Institute Nigeria, Folarinwa Aluko, at the Innovation Conference and Awards of the Intellectual Property Institute Nigeria, held in Abuja…recently

L-R: Assistant Secretary-General, Aviation Roundtable (ART), Mr. Olumide Ohunayo; Chairman, League of Airports and Aviation Correspondents (LAAC), Mr. Olusegun Koiki; Manager, Corporate Communications, Skyway Aviation Handling Co. Plc, Vanessa Uansohia; Head, Corporate Communications, NAHCO Aviance, Mr. Samuel Akinrinmade; Command Public Relations Officer, Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Murtala Muhammed International Airport Command, Ikeja, Lagos, Superintendent Juliana Destiny Tomo; and Lagos Liaison Officer, Nigerian College of Aviation Technology, Zaria, Mr. Essien Bassey, at the end-of-the-year get-together of LAAC members held at the Murtala Muhammed Airport, Ikeja, Lagos…recently

Members of staff of Development Bank of Nigeria Plc(back row) with students of Government Secondary School, Durumi in Abuja (front row) during the bank’s capacity building training programme for the students, which was focused on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and digital literacy, in furtherance of the bank’s corporate social responsibility, held in Abuja…recently

SDGS WEEK'S SURPRISE MENTORSHIP PROGRAMME...

FG Promises to Increase Civil Servants’ Salary in 2023

To make pronouncement on it

soon Describes 2022 as year of industrial

dispute

ASUU's eight-month outstanding salary issue before court for interpretation

Deji Elumoye in Abuja

The federal government has raised the hope of public and civil servants as it promised to make a pronouncement soon on salary increase to cushion the effect of high inflation rate.

It said already a Presidential Committee on Salaries was doing a review of the existing salary structures and was expected to come up with salary adjustment early in 2023.

The Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr. Chris Ngige, who made this known to newsmen after meeting behind closed-doors with President Muhammadu Buhari at the State House, Abuja, said he was at the seat of government to discuss issues concerning his ministry including employment and productivity, describing 2022 as a year of industrial dispute.

The minister had recently hinted that the government was considering adjusting workers’ salaries to meet up with the economic realities in the country occasioned by inflation.

Asked if he discussed the issue of salary increase with the president especially with the rising inflation in the country, Ngige said, "Yes, that's what I am saying that the Presidential Committee on Salaries is working hand-in-hand with the National Salaries Incomes and Wages Commission. The commission is mandated by the Act establishing them to fix salaries, wages, and emoluments in not only the public service.

"If you want their assistance and you are in the private sector, they will also assist you. They have what is called the template for remuneration, for compensation. So if you work, you get compensated, if you don't work, you will not be compensated.

"So they have the matrix to do the evaluation, so they are working with the Presidential Committee on Salaries Chaired by the finance ministry and I'm the co-chair to look at the demands of the workers. Outside this, I said discussions on that evaluation are going."

On whether a time frame had been fixed for implementation of

new salary increase, he said: "As we enter the new year government will make some pronouncements in that direction."

Speaking further on the purpose of his visit to the State House, Ngige said he was there to brief the president on the activities of his ministry as the year comes to an end.

His words: "Well, majorly, I came to brief Mr. President, you know the year is coming to an end and we have to look at our 2022 exhaustively. Part of my ministry, we are to discuss labour issues... and what we are able to do. First and foremost, we look at the employment situation in the country and what we have achieved and what we have not achieved.

"Employment is high and various policies and I have to tell him the successful ones we are in them. We also had a briefing on productivity viz a viz the various industrial disputes we had in 2022.

"It's a year we can call a year of industrial dispute starting from the February Academic Staff Union of the Universities (ASUU) strike which was joined by other sister unions in the university system and even the people in the research institutes.

"And thereafter, threats from various unions including the medical doctors’ association

and its youth wing, the National Association of Resident Doctors, JOHESU which is also the Joint Health Sector Union all were asking for a wage increase.

"And asking for wage increase can also be understandable because of what inflation had done in the economy and the attendant cost of living for people who have to be workers in the public sector.

“In the private sector, the private sector employers have managed their affairs better, maybe, because their finances and its management is within their very audit and they could control it, they could do collective bargaining very easily with their workers.

"The banking sector, food, and beverages and finance insurance everywhere. So there is calm there. We didn't have the desired calmness on the government's side because of the government's finances.”

The minister added: "However, I've briefed him, we are doing some review within the Presidential Committee on Salaries, and discussions are ongoing. The doctors are discussing with the ministry of health, insurance people in the public sector discussing and there is a general calmness. Hopefully, within available resources, the government can do something in the coming year."

Prodded about the position of

government on the eight months outstanding salaries ASUU was requesting for, the minister said for now the matter was in court for proper interpretation of the Trade Dispute Act as it concerns no work, no pay policy invoked by the government during the strike period.

According to him: "ASUU has not pronounced anything on their salaries anymore because it's one of the issues that was referred to the National Industrial Court for determination, whether a worker

who is on strike should be paid in violation of section 43 of the Trade Dispute Act which says when you go on strike, the consequences are these: number one, you will not be paid, you will not be compensated for not going to work to enable your employer keep the industry or enterprise afloat.

"That money should not be given to you, and that compensation should not be given. It's there in Section 43 (1). There is a second leg to Section 43, it also said that that period you were on strike

will not count for you as part of your pensionable period of work in your service. That leg, government has not touched it, but the leg of no-work-no-pay has been triggered off by that strike. "So, we are asking the court to look at it. So the matter is out of the hand of the executive (that's us) and on the hand of the judiciary.

ASUU has also put up a defense in court, asking the court, yes we went on strike, but we did that for a reason. So it's now left for the court to look at it."

Bauchi Gov Donates N145m to Christians for Christmas

Segun Awofadeji in Bauchi

Bauchi

The chairman of the committee, Mr. Abdon Dalla Gin, who disclosed this yesterday, expressed gratitude to Mohammed for the annual gesture, saying that it has assisted Christian faithful in the state to celebrate

Christmas successfully.

He called on the beneficiaries to reciprocate the gesture by praying for the success of the Mohammedled administration and sustenance of peaceful coexistence in the state.

According to him, "His Excellency, has once again this year allocated N145 million to our committee for distribution as Christmas gifts, this is more than what we are expecting from him, we must appreciate and support him to succeed."

In a goodwill message to all Christians on the occasion of

Oil Hits 3-week High on Easing COVID Curbs in China, US Production Shut-ins

Oil hit a three-week high yesterday, as China's latest easing of COVID-19 restrictions spurred hopes of a demand recovery, and as production in the United States was hit by winter storms.

Brent crude was up $1.22 or 1.5 per cent, at $85.14 a barrel and the US West Texas Intermediate crude rose $1.06 to $80.62 per barrel, a 1.3 per cent gain.

Both benchmarks hit their highest level since December 5, earlier in the session. UK

and US markets were closed on Monday for the Christmas holiday.

China would stop requiring inbound travellers to go into quarantine, starting January 8, the National Health Commission said on Monday in a major step toward easing curbs on borders that have been largely shut since 2020.

"This is certainly something that traders and investors have been hoping for," Avatrade analyst Naeem Aslam said of

China's plan over the quarantine rule.

Meanwhile, frigid cold and blowing winds cut energy production from North Dakota to Texas due to freeze-ins that reduced supplies. Output of about 450,000-500,000 barrels of oil per day was curtailed over Christmas weekend in the Bakken oilfields, the North Dakota Pipeline Authority said.

“The US weather is forecast to improve this week, which means the rally may not last

too long," Saito, chief analyst at Fujitomi Securities, Kazuhiko said.

Some refineries along the Gulf Coast restarted operations and ramped up production.

Russian President Vladimir Putin had on Tuesday also signed a decree that bans the supply of oil and oil products to nations participating in the price cap from February 1, for five months. Concern over a possible production cut by Russia also provided price support.

the 2022 Christmas celebration, Mohammed pointed out that the annual celebration of Christmas was in commemoration of the birth of Jesus Christ who paid the supreme price in order to save the lives of his disciples and followers.

He said the Christmas period should be used to strengthen existing friendships and establish new ones with adherents of other faith and reiterated his call for mutual respect and peaceful coexistence among citizens by living with one another harmoniously irrespective of political, cultural and religious differences for societal development.

"It is with great pleasure that I, on behalf of myself, the government and the entire people of Bauchi State, extend my warm and sincere message of goodwill to all Christians on the occasion of the 2022 Christmas celebration.

"Jesus Christ had throughout his lifetime preached peace, honesty, love for one another and above all the fear of God. It is these virtues that people irrespective of their religious belief are enjoined to imbibe and put into practice.

“While we celebrate the event with meditation and happiness, we should also reflect seriously on our routine and spiritual deeds in the last one year and pray to God for better and prosperous years ahead."

State Governor, Senator Bala Mohammed has distributed cash and other essential items worth over N145 million to the Christian community including churches, women groups, associations and clerics across the state for the celebration of this year's Christmas.

L-R: Senior Special Assistant to the Lagos State Governor on Sustainable Development Goals, Mr. Lekan Fatodu; Lagos State Head of Service/Surprise Mentor, Mr. Hakeem Muri-Okunola; Head, Trade and Sister-Cities, Lagos State Office of SDGs and Investment, Mrs. Yemisi Akingbade; and Deputy Director, Public Affairs, Office of SDGs and Investment, Mr. Sanusi Abdullateef, at the Y2022 Lagos SDGs Week's Surprise Mentorship Programme held in Ikeja, Lagos… recently.

CORONATION CEREMONY...

Nigeria an IDP Camp, Says Peter Obi

Decries incessant attacks on members LP gets new campaign DG

Emameh Gabriel in Abuja

Presidential Candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Peter Obi, yesterday, described Nigeria as an Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camp due to the standard of living in the country.

Obi, who lamented the continue attacks and killing of its members across the country, stated this at the unveiling of the party’s new Presidential Campaign Council Director General, Balogun Akin Osuntokun in Abuja.

Osuntokun, former Political Adviser to President Olusegun Obasanjo, was appointed the new DG of the Obi-Datti campaign organisation, following the resignation of Dr Doyin Okupe, who was embroiled in a money

laundering case recently.

Speaking at the event held in Barcelona Hotel, Obi said: “I have been traveling to various states, people in difficulties, visiting the IDPs. Like I would always say, if Nigerians are in the IDP camps, if they are made to leave their homes and stay in IDP camps, then, Nigeria itself is an IDP camp, because, those are Nigerians that should be among us.

"The purpose of government is to care for the citizens and the first line of the care of citizens are the less privileged. My commitment is that every Nigerian wakes up and feels proud to be a Nigerian.”

Obi, who expressed worries over the current situation in the country, said Nigerians were industrious people looking for "opportunities

to work. Nigerian youths are energetic, they are productive and can compete with youths globally but as long as Nigerians are suffering, every Nigerian is suffering.

"You can’t be a rich man in a poor environment. It’s is not de-marketing the country. As long as there is insecurity in the north east and south east, there is insecurity in Nigeria. The highest number of unemployed people and out of school children are in the north. So, Nigeria has the highest number of out of school children and unemployed. It doesn’t matter where they reside in the country and the job of the government is to provide. I would never de-market Nigeria,” he said.

Announcing the new DG, the party’s National President, Julius

2023: Arthur Eze Under Fire over Comments against Obi's Chances

Foremost Nigerian philanthropist and chairman of Oranto Oil, Prince Arthur Eze has come under severe criticisms over his comments against the Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate, Mr. Peter Obi’s chances of winning the 2023 poll.

Eze had during the 2022 Ofala festival of his brother, Igwe Robert Eze, who is the traditional ruler of Ukpo kingdom, said that he had advised Obi to withdraw from the race as he was incapable of winning.

But supporters and nonsupporters of Obi have descended on Eze, saying that his support for the LP candidates amounts to less, especially as he has never supported a winning candidate in a presidential election, or even been able to produce a governor in his home state, despite several attempts and huge financial donations.

Many of Obi's supporters who wrote on social media berated Eze.

Harrison Madubueze wrote: "Someone who killed his own brother cannot boast to be a warrior."

Meanwhile, former publicity secretary of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Mr. Olisa Metuh has advised Eze to steer clear of politics to avoid infamy.

Metuh who mimicked Eze, referred to him as "My dear Princh", while insisting that people should focus on their candidate and leave Obi alone.

He said: "Some of us are now

non-partisan and will no longer make public comments on our political choices but then, we are not expected to make certain categorical statements.

‘For indeed, no man is God and no man should attempt to play the Almighty role.

"God has blessed you for decades, you have acquired untold riches and unimaginable wealth. Calm down and do not allow political punditry to lead you to infamy and public opprobrium.

"Let all the mini Amadioha's in our land campaign for their candidates and leave that poor man alone."

He recounted that similarly, Anambra power brokers had stood against him in previous elections he contested, but he won.

Metuh said Obi has been accused severally of not having structure, not having crowd, but he has disappointed them all, adding that only God knows who the next winner would be.

Abure, said the party regretted Okupe’s resignation but assured that Osuntokun had been appointed based on his vast knowledge and competence to drive the party to victory.

“The resignation of the former DG, Doyin Okupe, was regretted, because we will be losing his wealth of experience, but as a result of the circumstances surrounding his resignation, we didn’t have any choice but to accept the resignation as we said the Obidient movement is centered around integrity, humility and transparency.

“Therefore, in as much as we

regret his resignation, we are pleased to announce one of our comrades, also from the same geopolitical zone because we must appreciate the fact that we must employ federal character as enshrined in the constitution and all of that and so, having put all of these into consideration, and having consulted widely, we have come to the inevitable conclusion to replace the DG with Akin Osuntokun.

“We believe that he has the capacity, he has the competence to join us in this campaign and be able to drive it to success,” Abure said, while bemoaning attacks on

party members.

His words: “The party, no doubt, has been going through several challenges. There is no gain saying the party has been under serious attacks at various levels, our vehicles are being pulled down, we are being denied venues to do our rallies and all of that.

“We also have situations where some of our party members have been killed in Kaduna we lost our women leader and two other people, we have lost two house of Assembly members in Imo state. We also lost the National vice chairman.”

Cleric Urges Tinubu to Let His Govt Reflect National Unity

Sunday Aborisade in Abuja

An-Abuja based Islamic cleric, Sheikh Mohammed Idris has urged the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Tinubu to unite the country if elected president in next year’s election.

Idris, while reacting to the APC Muslim-Muslim ticket, in a chat with newsmen in Abuja, said, "Tinubu must not repeat the mistake of President Muhammadu Buhari if he is elected in 2023. Nigeria is currently divided along religious and ethnic lines. His administration should reflect national unity through his appointments and body

language."

He urged the candidate of the APC to do everything within his power to make sure that he calmed perceived frayed nerves across the country to a calm spirit, where the citizens would be harmonious among themselves so that there would be an easy coexistence when elected.

"Nigerians want to see a united country in 2023, where a Yoruba man would be president, Hausa/ Fulani/Kanuri as his vice and an Igbo man as the Senate President and so on.

"We are praying for a Nigeria where an Ijaw or an Efik person

would be competent enough to be the National Security Adviser. Tinubu should do everything within him to avoid lopsided appointments to give every Nigerian a sense of belonging.

"The pride of Nigeria is in its diversity and the new Nigeria must be one in which leaders employ the things that bind us together. There can be no greatness for Nigeria if every citizen of the country cannot feel at home whether they are in Kano, Ibadan, Calabar or Owerri.

The onus to ensure that we have a country where every single Nigerian can proudly call home lies in the hands of our youth,” he added.

Death Toll Rises to 57 As Freezing Temperature, Heavy Snow Hit US

A "once-in-a-lifetime” blizzard has killed at least 57 people in the United States, including 27 in western New York's Erie County officials have said.

The number of deaths from the monstrous storm was expected to grow as snow continued to blanket Erie County, leaving roads in many areas impassable, including the majority of Buffalo, County Executive Mark Poloncarz said at a news conference.

"We can see sort of the light at the end of the tunnel, but this is not the end yet," Poloncarz said. "We are not there."

Snow was expected to fall in Erie County into Tuesday afternoon. Nationwide, temperatures plummeted, and huge snow drifts

have snarled travel and trapped people inside their homes, according to NBC.

Stretching from the Great Lakes near Canada to the Rio Grande along the Mexican border, the storm had killed at least 57 people as of Monday morning, according to an NBC News tally.

The deaths were recorded in 12 states: Colorado, Illinois, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Missouri, Nebraska, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Tennessee and Wisconsin.

The medical examiner’s office in Erie County determined the 27 deaths there to be directly related to the blizzard, Poloncarz said. He said many died from heart problems while shoveling or

blowing

Buffalo area was producing 2 to 3 inches of hourly snowfall, with accumulations reaching 6 to 12 inches and as much as 1 to 2 feet in Jefferson and northern Lewis counties, the National Weather Service said in its 6:43 a.m. bulletin.

Some of those deaths were not included in Erie County’s official tally, Poloncarz said, adding that the county was working to confirm them.

The ferocity of the storm was unlike that of any the region has seen, Poloncarz said. The snow fell “with a vengeance," he said.

“It’s a generational storm," he said, and the county has yet to begin assessing the "full toll."

On Monday morning, a “band of heavy lake effect snow” in the

The “lake effect” occurs when cold air passes over the unfrozen and warmer lake water, transferring moisture and warmth to the lower parts of the atmosphere. The air then rises to form clouds, resulting in intense snow.

"We know that the storm is coming back," New York Gov. Kathy Hochul said, calling the blizzard "one for the ages."

President Joe Biden on Monday approved an emergency declaration for New York, which

authorizes the Federal Emergency Management Agency to coordinate disaster relief efforts in the affected area.

Earlier, the White House had said that Biden called Hochul “to offer the full force of the federal government in support of the people of New York as the state grapples with the impacts of a historic winter storm."

“This was two days of terrible conditions, but the ferocity of the storm was worse than the blizzard of ’77,” Poloncarz said.

The 1977 storm was called the “Blizzard That Buried Buffalo.”

Twenty-nine people died, most of them trapped in their vehicles, according to the Northeast Regional Climate Center.

snow. Others were found dead in their cars. At least one person in Niagara County died from carbon monoxide poisoning, he said. At least 18 people died in Buffalo, Mayor Byron Brown said Monday afternoon.

David-Chyddy Eleke in Awka

L-R: New traditional ruler of Edem-Ani Ogwugwu Ancient Kingdom, Nsukka Local Government Area of Enugu State, Igwe Samuel Ikechukwu Asadu (Igwe Ogadagidi); Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State; Deputy Governorship candidate of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Ifeanyi Ossai and the PDP candidate for Nsukka/Igbo-Eze South Federal Constituency, Vita Abba, during the monarch's coronation ceremony, held at Community Secondary School, Edem... yesterday

WEDDING RECEPTION OF MOSOPE AND CHIDINMA AT SAGAMU...

2023: Kwankwaso Mocks Opponents, Says He is Best for the Job

Presidential candidate of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, yesterday threw jabs at his opponents ahead of the 2023 elections. Kwankwaso, in a Twitter video made fun of the candidates of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar and Labour Party(LP), Peter Obi of the Labour Party (LP).

According to the former governor of Kano State, as a PhD holder, he has the best credentials to rule Nigeria “unlike secondary school certificate holder or diploma certificate holder.”

The NNPP presidential hopeful, who spoke in Hausa language, said he has a rich understanding of how the Nigerian government operates and is the best among the presidential contestants.

He said: “Nigerians should vote wisely this time around, as the country needs someone who can save it. I’ve worked with the ministry of defence, served as the Kano state governor and represented Kano Central senatorial district for several years with enough knowledge to know what is needed. I am a PhD holder, unlike a secondary school certificate holder or diploma certificate holder. I do not ‘bed

wet’, nor am I a spare tyre.”

The secondary school certificate holder comment is obviously a veiled reference to allegations that Obi never

attended the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN) while the spare tyre jab was directed at Atiku, a two-time vice president, who was once described by his

principal, Olusegun Obasanjo, as an indispensable “spare tyre.”

On the other hand, the bedwetting jibe may be referring to Tinubu because earlier in the

year,

Don't Visit My 'Sins' on Oyebanji, Fayemi Appeals to APC Faithful

Ekiti 'll compensate Tinubu with votes, says deputy gov

the 2023 election.

Gbenga Sodeinde in Ado Ekiti

The immediate past governor of Ekiti State, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, has appealed to leaders and members of the All Progressives Congress (APC), who did not get what they wanted during his tenure to sheathe their swords and support his successor, Mr. Biodun Oyebanji.

Fayemi, who spoke at a gettogether organized for all party leaders and excos from all the 177 wards to the state level at his Isan Ekiti country home as part of Yuletide activities appealed to the APC faithful not to visit his perceived sins on his successor.

‘Atiku's

Victory Sure at First Ballot’

The Atiku/Okowa Presidential Campaign Organisation, also yesterday, insisted that the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, will sweep the 2023 presidential election at the first ballot.

Spokesperson of the campaign organisation of Atiku and his running mate, Ifeanyi Okowa, Kola Ologbondiyan, said in a statement that with Atiku's overwhelming support among Nigerians, his victorious outing on February 25, 2023 will shock pollsters.

He was, apparently, reacting to THISDAY 2023 Election Centre, which a few days ago predicted a presidential run off.

Ologbondiyan stated, "Atiku enjoys the solidarity and support of greater majority of Nigerians, who are not captured in the indices relied upon by many of the pollsters in their projections on the 2023 presidential election.

"It is incontrovertible that Atiku will win the majority of lawful votes across the country and garner the constitutionally required 25 per cent of votes in more than 24 states of the federation.

"It is evident that the massive

traditional voters of the PDP across the polling units, wards, local governments, states and the six geo-political zones are not distracted in their steadfastness to rescue Nigeria from the misrule of the All Progressives Congress (APC) by voting en masse for Atiku."

Ologbondiyan also said the army of traditional voters were unrelenting in mobilising the non-partisan voters as well as the undecided across the country to vote for the PDP presidential candidate.

He said it was clear that the candidate of the rival APC, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, lacked the political muscle and national acceptability to stop Atiku at the first ballot.

Ologbondiyan said, "Our campaign is, therefore, unfazed, knowing that majority of Nigerians across the nation are in consensus to elect Atiku as the next president of our country, particularly, given his proven capacity, competence, political will and national acceptability to provide leadership at this critical time of our national history."

The Atiku/Okowa campaign urged Nigerians to remain united and focused in rallying with Atiku in the collective mission to rescue and rebuild the country from the misrule of APC.

Fayemi, who spoke at a gettogether organised for all party leaders and excos from all the 177 wards to the state level at his Isan Ekiti country home as part of Yuletide activities, also used the forum to rally support for the APC presidential candidate, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, urging them to work hard to ensure a total victory for the former Lagos State Governor.

This is as the Deputy Governor of the state, Chief ( Mrs) Christianah Monisade Afuye, has assured the APC Presidential Campaign Council that Tinubu, would secure over 75% of the total votes cast in the state in

The former governor specifically urged the party faithful, who were still aggrieved with his former administration to support the incumbent governor wholeheartedly "without taking revenge of his sins from Oyebanji's flesh."

Rallying support for Tinubu, Fayemi reminded the party faithful of the general election ahead of them, and stressed the need to work hard and ensure victory for all APC candidates for the party to sweep all House of Assembly, House of Representatives and Senate seats that were up for grab in the state.

He thanked all party leaders and

members for their support during his tenure in office, which culminated in breaking the jinx of an outgoing governor not handing over to his successor with a back-to-back victory achieved by a political for the first time in the state.

However, Afuye, who described Tinubu as part of Ekiti, being an in-law, political leader and mentor to many great politicians of the Ekiti extraction, said he deserved to be compensated with votes in 2023.

The deputy governor spoke on Tuesday, while donating cash and consumables to Ogoga-in-council and across 11 wards in Ikere Local Government to mark the Christmas and New year festivities.

She also empowered 110 Ikere indigenes with cash gift to lift them out of poverty and donated a sum of N1.5 million to party members and leaders across the wards.

In a statement by her Special Assistant (Media), Victor Ogunje,

Afuye appreciated Ikere voters for the support they exhibited for Oyebanji in the last governorship election, saying the votes garnered in the town boosted the party's chances in the keenly contested poll. She said Tinubu was one of the best brains and most experienced leaders with fervour to sail the country to prosperity, after President Muhammadu Buhari's exit.

"I know that Senator Bola Tinubu will visit our Kabiyesi anytime he is here in Ekiti State to campaign. I know Ekiti and Ikere in particular will declare block votes for him. We are not expecting less than 75% of votes for our great leader in Ekiti.

"We all know that Asiwaju is one leader that has the capacity to build and nurture. He did it in Lagos, let us allow him to do it for Nigeria. Get your Permanent Voter Cards in readiness to vote Asiwaju in the coming presidential election, because he is our own in Ekiti."

Kogi Guber: Bello Begs Buhari to Consider Adeyemi APC Candidate

Ibrahim Oyewale in Lokoja

Ahead of the 2023 gubernatorial election in Kogi State, the Minister for the Federal Capital Territory, Alhaji Mohamed Bello, has appealed to President Muhammadu Buhari to allow the ruling All Progressives Congress field Senator Smart Adeyemi as its standard bearer in Kogi, saying Adeyemi was a man of diligence and impeccable character with a zest for selfless service

The minister, who led a delegation of Christians and Muslims leaders including FCT stakeholders to Aso Villa to felicitate with the president

on Christmas day, said Adeyemi, having served as a three term senator has the requisite experience, capabilities and acceptability to make the APC win the governorship election.

Bello, who described Adeyemi as a patriotic party faithful, who has contributed so much to the growth of the party, praised Buhari for allowing power to shift to the South preceding the completion of his tenure by May 2023 and urged the president to allow the same thing to happen in Kogi State.

He recalled that since the creation of the state 32 years ago, the Eastern senatorial district of the state, has produced three

governors at various times, which spanned for 24 years and the central axis of the state also produced a governor, who will be completing his two term tenure of 8 years while the western senatorial district, where Adeyemi hails from has never produced any governor.

He said Adeyemi, who is the current senate committee chairman on FCT, has served in that capacity for two terms and has been one of the brains behind the development of the federal capital territory and described him as an honest politician and team player, adding that, if given the opportunity, he was well loved by his people and

acceptable to all the segments of the state.

In his remarks, Adeyemi commended Buhari for being a father to all Nigerians, irrespective of tribe and religion and stressed that his administration in the last seven years has made some drastic transformations in some areas of Nigeria’s national life .

He specifically commended the president for the peaceful conduct of the APC presidential primary elections, which threw up Bola Tinubu and Shettima Kashim and described them as the best team that would govern Nigeria due to their track records of service and personal integrity.

L-R: Chairman, Bicourtney Ltd, Dr. Wale Babalakin; Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun; his cousin and groom, Mr. Mosope Abiodun, the bride, former Miss Chidinma Okorama and Ogun State First Lady, Mrs Bamidele Abiodun during the wedding reception of Mosope and Chidinma at Sagamu, Ogun State... yesterday

a video which showed the APC candidate’s dress soaked with undetermined substance went viral creating a lot of chatter on the internet.

the following members: Senator Duro Faseyi, North; Mr. Diplo Anisulowo, Central; and Professor Kolapo Olusola Eleka, South; and Mrs. Yemisi Afolabi as secretary.

OBASEKI: ATIKU, BEST POSITIONED FOR NIGERIA

NIGERIA-AMERICAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE END OF YEAR DINNER...

Atiku Warns Wike, Others, Says 'Dumping Me Will End Your Political Careers'

G-5 Governors to grace Igbo int'l Christmas retreat

Chuks Okocha in Abuja and Emmanuel Ugwu-Nwogo in Umuahia

Presidential Candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, yesterday, warned the Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike and his embittered colleague-governors in the party against their alleged plot to dump him for a rival presidential candidate, saying any such decision would end their political careers.

This is as the five dissenting governors were selected in Abia State Wednesday to participate in the 2022 edition of the Igbo International Christmas Retreat slated to hold in Umuahia, Abia State.

Speaking through one of his campaign spokesman, Senator Dino Melaye, Atiku affirmed that no envy or blackmail would detract him from his aspiration towards winning the presidency

next February.

He therefore, warned that, “No blackmail, hate, or outrageous envy will stop Atiku. I pray it is not true (G-5 governors’ imminent endorsement of their preferred candidate). Attacking Atiku will cost them their political future.

“You don’t fight a man, who has done nothing to provoke you. Atiku’s only offence is that he won a presidential primary transparently and openly. No

man should play God. It is too late to stop Atiku. They should have a re-think while they can. Atiku will be president because the people have decided.

“My advice to the G-5 is ‘don’t end your political career because of an inordinate ambition and capricious manifestation that will yield no result.’ If they take that step, it will be the last kick of a dying horse.”

Meanwhile, the Igbo Interna-

tional Christmas Retreat slated for Umuahia, is an event organised by the Igbo thunk tank and Nzuko Ndigbo, which is in its fourth edition, themed: "Ndigbo Yesterday Today And Tomorrow" with a sub-theme, "Ndigbo in Geopolitics of Nigeria, The Case of 2023."

Chairman of the Board of Trustee (BoT), Professor Madubuike Ezeibe, told journalists in Umuahia that the event would

Secondus: PDP’ll Always Win in Rivers, Triumph in First Ballot

Says no state in north that Atiku’ll score less than 25 per cent

In an apparent reference to the THISDAY 2023 Poll Centre, a former national chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Uche Secondus, yesterday, said the party has always won decisively in Rivers state and next year general election would not be different.

Secondus, who boasted that there was no state in the north that the PDP presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar, would win less than the mandatory 25 per cent, added that, contrary to insinuations, the party would win at first ballot.

The former PDP boss, who spoke to THISDAY as the Technical Adviser to the PDP Atiku, said, "Statistics on ground showed that the PDP will win at the first ballots.”

He explained that the party, since 1999 had grown to the various wards in the country, as such there is no part of the country, especially in the north that the party cannot not score less than 25 votes score, unlike other political parties that have been changing their names and structures all the time

According to Secondus, " PDP is really the peoples party since 1999. We have been winning in

Rivers State since 1999 and there is no reason why the winning streak will not continue.

"In the northern part of Nigeria, the actions of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has made winning easier for the PDP. We are campaigning on our records. The APC has brought misery and poverty to Nigerians. Nigeria has become the headquarters of poverty in the world.

"The high cost of food stuff have shown the level of economic difficulties that the APC has brought upon Nigerians. Rice as a staple food is no longer within the reach of ordinary Nigerians.

"People can no longer travel because of insecurity and high cost of fuel. Those who want to travel because of the Christmas and new year holidays spend hours at the petrol stations. Nigerians have seen the difference and certainly, PDP will win the presidential and other elections clearly at the first ballots.

"We are not campaigning on propaganda, no. We are campaigning with records of our achievements. The records and pedigree of our presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar is clear.

Nigerians know his background, both academic and business

background. The presidential election will be a clear difference between light and darkness." Secondus explained.

Meanwhile, Atiku has appointed Hassana Maina as his Special Assistant on Sustainable Development Goals. Maina’s appointment was made public in a press release signed by Atiku’s

Media Adviser, Paul Ibe.

According to the letter of her appointment, Maina’s responsibilities included, among others, providing leadership and guidance on the sustainable development goals as it relates to the activities of Atiku and coordinating and integrating sustainable development goals

into Atiku’s national development plans.

Maina is a lawyer, poet and gender consultant with more than three years experience. She is a recipient of the Future Africa Award prize and holds a Master’s degree from the University of London in Law, with specialisation in development and globalisation.

be "enriched with timely and educative lectures by sound experts and will be attended by Igbos at home and in diaspora."

According to him, the event is usually a time for the Igbos to review issues concerning them and have a rethink of the way forward, noting that the G-5 Governors would be at the event to interface and share their vision and mission.

Ezeibe stated that the group's agenda was "to bring harmony to Igbo land and all other parts of Nigeria in order to achieve peace," stressing that the search for peace has become imperative given the present situation of Nigeria.

According to him, "So, we are concerned in whatever we can do for peace to remain in the country. In this year's retreat, we have so many important things to discuss. We are looking for peace in Nigeria, not only in the South East."

The maiden edition of the Igbo International Christmas Retreat was held in 2016 with the former Abia governor, Dr Ogbonnaya Onu hosting the event.

Emenike: APC Govt Will Enthrone Discipline in Abia’s Governance

Emmanuel Ugwu-Nwogo in Umuahia

The governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Abia State, Chief Ikechi Emenike has promised that he would enthrone discipline in the governance of the state when he becomes governor.

He made this known yesterday, during his annual family thanksgiving service held at St John Methodist Church, Umukabia Okpuala in Umuahia North Local Government of Abia State.

Emenike stated that Abia has been in a mess over the years because those at the helms of affairs lacked discipline, which rubs off on the entire governance structure, attitude to work and performance of official duties.

"Without discipline we cannot restore Abia," he said, adding that as governor he would lead

by example and ensure that government functionaries were made to perform their duties according to laid down rules and regulations.

"Nobody will come to work late because I will not come late. Nobody will delay salary payment because I will not delay it. And nobody will refuse paying pension because I will not tolerate it," he said.

The governorship hopeful and his wife, Dr. Uzoma Emenike who is Nigeria's Ambassador to the United States, and their children, were joined in the thanksgiving by members of Abia APC family, including the deputy governorship candidate, Mrs. Gloria Akara and sate chairman, Dr. Kingsley Ononogbu.

Emenike stated that when Abia was eventually rescued with APC in government house, the state would experience a new lease of life

with positive development because the children of God are in charge.

In his sermon, Very Rev, Obinna Agbo encouraged people to cultivate the habit of engaging in thanksgiving in whatever circumstances.

He said that, "God is the ultimate helper" hence people must seek his help before embarking on endeavours because no matter how highly placed or amount of resources one has, he cannot be self-sufficient.

"There is no other source of help except God whether in the past, whethe r at the present and whether in the future," he said.

At the reception that followed the thanksgiving Abia APC leaders, candidates and chieftains that addressed the huge gathering of party faithful from all the 17 Local governments called for concerted efforts to achieve victory in 2023.

The Deputy governorship

candidate urged party leaders to go back to their various wards and strengthen the party structure to put them in good stead to harness the votes in the grassroots.

Chief Whip of the House of Representatives, Hon Nkeiruka Onyejeocha reminded party members that, “rescuing Abia” was not about Emenike or any other party leader of political office holder but about the good of the state.

The Minister of State for Science, Technology and Innovation, Hon Henry Ikoh, called on all party members to throw their weight behind the party's governorship candidate to win the governorship race next year.

"Chief Emenike has positioned himself and his deputy to liberate Abia and we must support them and all APC candidates to emerge victorious in the 2023 general election," he said.

Chuks Okocha in Abuja

L-R: Nigeria-American Chamber of Commerce Board Member, Eileen Shaiyen; National President of The Nigeria-American Chamber of Commerce, Dame Adebola Williams; Honorable Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Otunba Adeniyi Adebayo; and Deputy President Nigeria-American Chamber of Commerce, Thomas Osobu, at the Nigeria-American Chamber of Commerce End of Year Dinner, held at Oriental Hotel, Victoria Island, Lagos... recently

WE SHARE IN YOUR GRIEF…

Again, Bandits Attack Kaduna Community, Abduct 16

John Shiklam in Kaduna

Sixteen people have been reportedly abducted in yet another attack on Angwa Pa community in Kajuru Local Government Area of Kaduna state. A resident of the area said the incident occurred on Monday at about 7:30 pm.

The incident occurred barely 24 hours after Christmas Day’s attack on Angwan Aku, also in Kajuru LGA, where one person was killed and 45 others abducted.

A resident of the village said in a telephone chat that the bandits

invaded the community at about 7pm and surrounded the village.

He said 53 people were abducted but 37 of them escaped and returned home yesterday morning, leaving 16 others in captivity.

According to him, small villages that are sparsely populated are now the targets of the bandits.

He said: “We didn’t expect that the bandits will attack Angwan Pa because, after the attack on Anguwan Aku on Sunday, soldiers were deployed to condone the area.

Niger PDP Guber Candidate Pledges to Fight Insecurity

DipoinMinna

The gubernatorial candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Niger state, Alhaji Isah Liman Kantigi, has pledged to bring insecurity occasioned by banditry to its kneels if elected governor next year.

He also vowed to collaborate with the police and other security agencies to achieve a peaceful atmosphere in the state for businesses to thrive.

Kantigi made the pledge when he paid a sympathy visit to some Internally Displaced Peoples (IDP) camps in company with his running mate, Mr. Samuel Gwammna in Gulu and Azza

communities in Lapai Local Government Area of the state during which he donated N13.5 million to the victims.

Kantigi commiserated with the victims over what he described as “the unfortunate situation they have found themselves” insisting that a PDP government under his watch in the state will not only bring bandits attack to an end but will ensure proper resettlement of those affected. A statement on the visit made available to newsmen in Minna, said Alhaji Kantigi apart from the cash gifts also condoled with those who lost loved ones and the injured currently recuperating at various health facilities in the local government.

2023 Polls: APGA to Flag Off Campaign January 14 in Awka

Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja

All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) has said it will formally commence the national campaign for the 2023 general elections on January 14, 2023 at Awka in Anambra State.

According to the National Organising Secretary of APGA, Ifeanyi Mbaeri, the campaign flag-off will be performed by the Anambra state governor, Prof. Charles Soludo at the Ekwueme Square, Awka.

“I have been directed by the National Chairman of our great party, Ozonkpu Victor Ike Oye, to invite APGA members, party stakeholders and well-wishers to the formal launch cum flag off of APGA national campaign on Saturday, January 14, in Anambra State,” he said.

The party said that APGA

flags would be presented to all candidates on the occasion.

Meanwhile, the National Financial Secretary of the APGA, Alhaji Ibrahim Garba Carefor, has expressed happiness with efforts and achievements made to reposition the party by Oye.

In a press statement issued after a meeting of party members and stakeholders in Katsina state last weekend, the party chieftain said the party is “a united and indivisible entity with Oye as it’s national chairman”.

He also commended the Governor of Anambra state, Prof. Soludo for his development strides in Anambra which has imparted on the popularity of APGA.

He said: “We resolved that our party remains united and indivisible family under the able leadership of Dr. Victor Ike Oye.

“The bandits came around 7:30pm yesterday (Monday) and surrounded the village. They usually come in very large numbers and well armed.

“They will just sneak into a

community, before you knew it, they had surrounded everywhere.

“If you run, they will shoot you and kill you. They don’t usually enter big communities that are densely populated.

“They target small and remote villages that are sparsely populated. They dare not enter big villages because they are also afraid of their lives. Many rural communities in Kajuru are living

in perpetual fear.”

Spokesman of the Kaduna State Police command, Mohammed Jalige, could not be reached when contacted as his telephone was switched off.

Five Feared Killed at Calabar Bikers/Exotic Cars Carnival

Bassey Inyang in Calabar

Five persons were feared killed yesterday afternoon in the Bogobiri axis along Mary Slessor Avenue, Calabar, Cross River State when an unmarked car rammed into a crowd of spectators watching the 2022 edition of the Bikers/ Exotic cars parade.

The bikers/exotic cars parade, which was a prelude to the 2022 Calabar Carnival scheduled for today, was stopped barely one hour after it was flagged off.

Eye witness account said the deceased were killed by one of the exotic cars, on parade that veered off the road and rammed into

the crowd.

Aside from those feared killed, many others sustained various injuries following the incident, and are receiving treatment at various medical facilities in Calabar.

Following the incident, the state governor, Professor Ben Ayade, has commiserated

with the victims, and ordered immediate cancellation of the parade.

A statement by the Special Adviser on Media and Chief Press Secretary, Christian Ita, said Governor Ayade was devastated by the incident and had directed security agencies to apprehend the motorist who is on the run.

Kwara PDP Tackles AbdulRazaq over Poor Performance

Hammed Shittu in Ilorin

Kwara State Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Campaign Council yesterday asked the State Governor, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq to roll out the achievements of his administration in three and half years to the people of the state.

The party’s campaign council also demanded that “the governor should be transparent enough to tell Kwarans what he has achieved with the humongous billions of naira he has collected as federal allocations and funds borrowed during the period under review”.

The PDP campaign council

was apparently reacting to the recent comment made by the governor against the former Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki, on Universal Basic Education funds allegations.

A statement issued by the former Speaker of the State House of Assembly and Director General of the PDP Campaign

Council for 2023 elections, Professor Ali Ahmad and made available to journalists in Ilorin on Tuesday said, “Mallam Abdulrazaq has spent three and a half years in office as a Governor but rather than roll out his achievements in office, he keeps waving a train that has long taken off”.

2023: Bauchi Commissioner Tasks LG Chairmen on Gov Mohammed’s Victory

Segun Awofadeji inBauchi

The Bauchi State Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Hon Abdulrazak Nuhu Zaki, has tasked the newly appointed Caretaker Committee chairmen of the 20 local government areas of the state to remain focus and work with relevant stakeholders for the success

of the present administration and re- election of the state Governor, Bala Mohammed, at the grassroots.

Zaki made the call yesterday after a closed door meeting with the caretaker chairmen, their deputies and the heads of administration of the 20 LGAs held at the Government House in Bauchi.

The commissioner, who is the

deputy director-general operation in the gubernatorial campaign council, said the caretaker committee chairmen are expected to run an open door policy to enable them discharge their duties effectively for the benefit of rural dwellers.

According to him, “Our meeting with the Caretaker Committee chairmen is to advise them on how to manage their local government

councils; we need sanity in the local government administration and therefore we want them to be with their people.

“The administration of Governor Mohammed is a people-government, and as such we are expecting the Caretaker Committee chairmen to be our good ambassadors in their respective local government areas.”

Oni, Oyebanji Know Fate Today as Ekiti Tribunal Delivers Judgement

SodeindeinAdoEkiti

The Election Petition Tribunal hearing the dispute arising from the June 18, 2022, governorship election in Ekiti State will deliver its judgment today.

THISDAY learnt that the tribunal had communicated the date of the judgment to parties before it

last Friday, and the notice of the judgment is already creating anxiety in some quarters in the state.

The tribunal arrived at the December 28, 2022, judgment date as the 180 days stipulated in the Electoral Act within with to hear the petition is expected to lapse on January 2, 2023.

The Social Democratic Party

(SDP) governorship candidate and former state Governor, Chief Segun Oni, had on July 7 filed a petition at the tribunal challenging the declaration of the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Governor Biodun Oyebanji, by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as the winner of the election.

Oni and SDP are the 1st and 2nd petitioners in the petition. The respondents are Ekiti State Governor Oyebanji (1st); APC (2nd), Yobe State Governor, Mai Mala Buni, in his capacity as chairman, APC Caretaker Extraordinary Planning Convention/ Committee (3rd); INEC (4th) and Ekiti State Deputy Governor, Mrs. Monisade Afuye (5th).

Man Found Dead Two Days after Being Allegedly Kidnapped

David-Chyddy Eleke inAwka

A man, whose name was given as Ifeanyi, who was allegedly kidnapped last Friday, just two days to the Christmas, has been found dead in Awka, the Anambra State. The man, who is said to be an indigene of Awgbu, a community in Orumba North Local Government

Area, was allegedly abducted at Okpuno, and whisked away by his abductors.

A source, Mr Ebuka Okoye, who revealed that the body of the abducted man was found on Christmas Day in Awka, said: “He was kidnapped on Friday on Geneva Hotel road. I don’t know exact point where his body was

found in Awka.

“This is one death too many. This sweet soul was kidnapped in the heart of the state capital on Friday, and just yesterday (Sunday) evening, his lifeless body was seen by the road side.”

Ebuka had blamed the level of insecurity in Anambra State on the state Governor, Chukwuma

Soludo, who he said had shown incompetence in the face of several killings.

According to him, “If such a barbaric outing can take place in the capital city of the state without any intelligence as regard to hunting the perpetrators of this crime down, then I can confidently tell you that no person is safe there.”

Gbenga

Laleye

L-R: Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Abiodun Alabi; mother of Omobolanle Raheem, killed by a policeman on Sunday, Mrs. Salami; husband of the slain lawyer, Gbenga Raheem, and others, during a condolence visit to the family of deceased in Lagos…yesterday

Two Suspected Kidnappers Neutralised On Christmas Day in Delta

Sylvester Idowu in Warri

Two self-confessed kidnappers were on Christmas day neutralised by operatives of Delta State Police Command.

The suspects were intercepted by a team of policemen from “A” Division, Warri on surveillance patrol at about 11 pm on Christmas Eve while riding a tricycle along Okumagba Estate

roundabout in Warri, Warri South local government area.

According to the State Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Bright Edafe, the police team, upon searching the tricycle operated by

the two suspects discovered there live cartridges concealed under the seat and we’re immediately whisked to the station.

“During the search, three live cartridges concealed under the seat

Three Persons Killed in Ebonyi Political Crisis

Benjamin Nworie inAbakaliki

A younger brother to Ebonyi State Chairman of the All Progressives Congress(APC), Eme Orji and two others have been killed as a result of political crisis that erupted at Ekoli-Edda in Afikpo South local government area of the State.

Confirming the incident, the Police Public Relations Officer of Ebonyi State Police Command, SP Chris Anyanwu, said that the incident was a supremacy struggle between the State APC chairman,

Stanley Okoro and the immediate past Chairman of Afikpo South Council area, Hon..Eni Uduma Chima.

Anyanwu said: “At about 1630hrs of 26/12/2022, a day popularly known as “Boxing Day” , a distress call was received that sporadic shootings and killings were going on at Ekoli-Edda between Ebubeagu operatives who accompanied their boss, Chief Stanley Okoro Emegha, the State’s APC Chairman, and another group of men purported to be loyalists to the immediate past Council Chairman, Hon Dr. Chima Eni, who is also the

APC flag bearer for national House of Representative in the area.”

“It was further gathered that the open shootout was not far-fetched from previous grudges existing between the two factions. In the process, a youth leader identified as Eseni Kalu Egwu was fatally wounded, later rushed to a neighboring hospital at Ohafia, Abia State where he was confirmed dead.”

“Angered by his death, the youth of the area mobilised and went on rampage, killing Eme Orji, a younger brother of the State APC Chairman

South Africa APC Elects Officers

Ugo Aliogo

The South Africa Chapter of the All-Progressives Congress (APC) recently held its election into executive positions.

A statement made available to THISDAY said the election saw the emergence of Hon. Oluwatoyin Oyekanmi as Chairman of the Chapter, alongside other notable members of the executives.

The election, which was preceded by the composition of a Five- Member Electoral Committee under the Chairmanship of Otunba Femi Jaiyesimi at the instance of Nigeria’s High Commissioner to South Africa,

His Excellency, Amb. Muhammad Haruna Manta, has brought to a close the substantial leadership vacuum in the chapter.

The statement also noted that the election, which was another successful feat by the Chapter, was conducted under a free and fair atmosphere devoid of violence as envisaged by all and sundry, especially media observers.

The statement said the new executives, who will operate and discharge their duties to the advancement and progress of the APC-SA are: Hon. Toyin Oyekanmi - National Chairman; Hon. Nelson Binitie, National Vice Chairman (South

South), Hon. Awosemo Abayomi, National Vice Chairman (South West); Hon. Mathias Afolabi Sagbo, National Secretary General; Hon. Kareem Saheed Olaore, National Deputy Secretary General; Hon. Uchenna Obioha, National Publicity Secretary; Hon. Osho Afolabi, National Treasurer; Hon. Adenike Adenrele, National Deputy Treasurer; Hon. Adasonla Victoria Temitope, National Financial Secretary; Hon. Abimbola Adeoye, National Welfare Secretary; Hon. Jumoke Shaba, National Women Leader; Hon. Seyanu Akinsola, National Youth Leader, Barister OreOluwa Keith Oladayo, Legal Counsel, APC- South Africa, among others.

and an Inspector of Police attached to SPU. The irate youth equally set ablaze the village house of Chief Stanley Okoro Emegha, his Toyota Hilux van and a Toyota Sienna space bus belonging to the Police Command’s Tactical Teams”

of the tricycle were recovered. The suspects were taken into custody. Upon interrogation, suspects confessed to be members of a five man kidnapping syndicate operating around Warri and its environs,” he said.

Acting on their confessions, he said the police operatives led the suspects to their hideout at a house located along Upper Erejuwa Street, on Christmas day where one AK49 rifle with breach no. 11876, one locally made double barrel long gun and two machetes

were recovered.

However, while on their way back to the police station, the two suspects jumped out of the moving police vehicle in an attempt to escape, but the policemen gave them a hot chase.

“In a bid to demobilise them, they were maimed by the operatives, and rearrested. The suspects gave up the ghost on while they were being taken to the hospital. Manhunt for the other members of the gang is ongoing,” he said.

Christmas: Gombe Gov Releases N75m, Food Items to Christians

Segun Awofadeji in

Gombe

In the spirit of Christmas and New Year celebrations, the Gombe State Governor, Mr. Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya, has released over N75 million to the Christian community in the state to enable them mark the Yuletide with ease considering the present economic hardship.

Apart from the funds, Governor Inuwa also ordered the distribution of 5,000 bags of rice to facilitate a more joyous celebration.

This was contained in a press release that was issued by Director-General (Press Affairs), Government House, Gombe, Mr. Ismaila Uba Misilli, which was made available to newsmen.

In addition, the governor had approved the payment of December salary to all the civil servants and political appointees, as well as local government employees in Gombe State since December 19, 2022.

He had earlier flagged off payment of over N1.6 billion gratuity arrears owed state retirees ahead of the Yuletide.

These gestures by the governor are in line with his resolve to improve the welfare of the good people of Gombe State.

Yahaya also charged Christians to uphold the tenets of love, sacrifice and tolerance as symbolised by Jesus Christ.

He enjoined Christians in Gombe State and all Nigerians alike, to sustain their abiding faith in God and maintain

peace, unity and virtues that promote the progress of the state and the country.

According to the message, he charged the people to rededicate themselves and remain steadfast in prayers, which he said have an immense impact on peace, unity and stability of the society.

The governor stated that “on this significant occasion of Christmas, I extend my best wishes to the Christian community and all citizens of the country.

“This period reminds us of the need to uphold the virtues of love, selflessness and tolerance. I call on all of us, to reflect on the lessons of the season which presents an opportunity to love and to share.”

Club Owners Dare IMC, Threaten to Boycott NPFL Draw Ceremony

Duro Ikhazuagbe

After almost six months that the Nigerian Professional Football League (NPFL) has been in the cooler, fresh crisis is brewing over the abridged format that the Interim Management Committee (IMC) has adopted to ensure the new season scheduled to begin in early January ends promptly.

With majority of the 20 clubs in the topflight frowning at the abridged format, as well as the modalities to pick Nigeria’s representatives in the CAF Competitions next year, today’s draw ceremony at the Sandralia Hotel in Abuja

will be the test case on whether the club owners have the liver to carry out their threat not to attend the event.

One of the administrators masquerading as owner of a club fully funded by a state government told THISDAY last night that they will not attend the draw ceremony in Abuja until further clarifications given on the abridged league format.

“Majority of our members (club Owners) will not be in Abuja for the Draw Ceremony. They can go ahead and do whatever that they like. We were in Abuja last week to discuss the abridged League and to come back again

Mohammed ‘Ibeji’ Leads Foreign Pros to Flying Eagles

Coach Ladan Bosso has disclosed that several players who featured for the Flying Eagles and are now plying their trade overseas will be called up for the U20 AFCON in Egypt.

Bosso listed Ibrahim Mohammed ‘Ibeji’ (winger, Cartegena/Spain), Ahmed Abdullahi (striker, Gent/ Belgium), Lawal Samson (attacking midfielder, Germany) as well as Lekan Oyedele (left fullback, Feirense/Portugal).

Ibeji’ was one of the Flying Eagles outstanding stars when they won the WAFU B U20 AFCON qualifying tournament

in Niger in May.

Bosso has said he needs experience in central defence as well as in attack.

The Flying Eagles training camp will reopen on January 7 before they jet out for a tour overseas ahead of the U20 AFCON, which kicks off in Egypt on February 19.

The Flying Eagles are drawn in Group A based in Cairo along with hosts Egypt, Senegal and Mozambique.

The semifinalists of the U20 AFCON qualify for the 2023 U20 FIFA World Cup in Indonesia in May.

GOtv Boxing Night 27: Esepo Wins WBF Title, N1.5m

Reigning West African Boxing Union (WABU) featherweight champion, Taiwo "Esepor" Agbaje, on Monday, won the World Boxing Federation (WBF) Intercontinental featherweight title at GOtv Boxing Night 27.

Agbaje defeated his Filipino opponent, Richard Taruc Pumicpic by a technical knockout in the 7th round to emerge champion. His fine displays also earned him his fourth Mojisola Ogunsanya Memorial Trophy for the best boxer along with the cash prize of N1.5 million attached to it.

The Boxing Day show which was held at the Tafawa Balewa Square in Lagos also featured five explosive bouts across weight categories.

National super lightweight champion, Adeyemi “Spirit” Adekanla defeated the bullish Bartholomew Abuchi by unanimous decision to retain his belt

and extend his unbeaten streak to 10 bouts, while Sikiru “Omo Iya Eleja” Shogbesan ended Sodiq Oyakojo reign as the national super featherweight champion by unanimous decision.

The bantamweight duel between Opeyemi “Golden Boy” Ibrahim and Sodiq “Happy Boy” Adeleke ended in Adeleke’s favour via unanimous decision, while Michael Adesodun knocked out Idris Aloma in the fourth round of their national super featherweight bout.

In the national middleweight female match, Abosede Akinsanya gave debutant Sofiat Lateef a night to forget by ending her debut with a second-round technical knockout.

The event sponsored by GOtv and refreshed by Supa Komando also saw thrilling musical performances from international Afrobeat superstars such as Ruger, 9ice, DJ Exclusive and Chinko Ekun.

on Wednesday to fly again to Abuja, that does not make sense,” observed the ‘club owner’.

He stressed further that the abridged league format was not going to do any good to Nigerian club football. “The Nigerian football ecosystem is wired to fail by the very people saddled with running the league.

IMC have taken their decision without considering what the majority of the clubs wanted,” he recalled with anger in his voice. But the IMC in a media statement on Monday insisted it was going ahead with the draw ceremony. IMC stressed that plans to usher the new NPFL season with glamour. “ The Draw

Ceremony is meant to “integrate the clubs to IMC strategic plans and to add value to the NPFL and attract more followership and Corporate Sponsorship.”

Chairman of the IMC, Hon Gbenga Elegbeleye had hinted that at the heart of the plans is the invitation of former International and NPFL players

to the event scheduled to hold tomorrow, Wednesday, December 28at Sandralia Hotel in Abuja. Further to this, the IMC also disclosed through a memo to the 20 clubs that it has secured the approval of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) to hold the draw for an abridged format of the season.

Awoniyi, Emmanuel Humbled at Old Trafford as United Continue Hunt for Top Four

Havertz, Mount on target as Bournemouth crash at Stamford Bridge

Nigerian internationals Taiwo Awoniyi and Emmanuel Dennis returned from World Cup break humbled 3-0 along with their Nottingham Forests teammates at Old Trafford on Tuesday night.

Marcus Rashford opened the scoring for Manchester United after a well-worked set piece, before Anthony Martial doubled their lead in the first half.

Fred added a third late on but in truth, it could've been more for United who missed a whole host of chances and they now lie just one point behind Tottenham with a game in hand.

Anthony Taylor blows his whistle to conclude a fantastic night for the hosts as they run out 3-0 winners.

Earlier, Mason Mount marked his 150th Chelsea appearance with a goal Chelsea boosted their top-four hopes as they resumed their Premier League season with a comfortable victory over Bournemouth at Stamford Bridge.

Having failed to score in three consecutive matches prior to the break for the World Cup it took Chelsea less than 16 minutes to get up and running with Kai Havertz sliding in an effort at the back post from Raheem Sterling's low cross.

With the hosts dominant, Mason Mount celebrated his 150th appearance for Chelsea in style, curling a superb effort into the bottom right corner of the Bournemouth net from the edge of the penalty area.

It drew a nod of satisfaction from manager Graham Potter, who will have been delighted by the slick performance his side delivered, particularly during the first half.

PREMIER LEAGUE

The

adrift of fourth-placed Tottenham with Bournemouth remaining in 14th.

The only negative in Potter's and Chelsea's evening came with the earlier-than-planned withdrawal of Reece James, seven minutes into the second period, on his return from the knee injury that ruled him out of the England squad for Qatar.

The 23-year-old lay on the turf with his hands on his head before receiving treatment and eventually walking off unaided.

While the Cherries improved after the break, and substitute Ryan Christie forced home goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga into a good save, they rarely looked capable of applying any late pressure to the hosts.

ONE YEAR AFTER HIS DEPORTATION

Djokovic Arrives Melbourne for 2023 Australian Open

Novak Djokovic has been welcomed back into Australia almost a year after he was deported over his Covid vaccine status.

Officials confirmed the 21-time Grand Slam champion, 35, had landed in the country for January's Australian Open.

Serb Djokovic, a nine-time Australian Open winner, had an automatic three-year visa ban overturnedin November.

"I think that he is going to be again the player to beat," said Tennis Australia chief executive Craig Tiley.

Last January, when Djokovic arrived in Australia for the 2022 tournament, Covid cases were skyrocketing and government rules required anyone entering the country to be vaccinated - unless they had a valid medication exemption.

Djokovic, who was detained by the Australian Border Force

on entering the country and forced to stay at an immigration hotel, claimed he had obtained a medical exemption to defend his title without being vaccinated because he had recently recovered from Covid-19.

However, after 10 days of legal argument, the government ruled he did not meet the requirements for entry, so his visa was cancelled and he was automatically not allowed to return to Australia until 2025.

Djokovic's detention dominated the headlines in the build-up to the tournament, with crowds gathering outside his hotel campaigning for and against his eventual deportation.

Immigration Minister Andrew Giles - whose government came to power in May - overturned the ban last month and Djokovic said he was"very happy"on hearing the news.

Tiley said he did not expect a

backlash to the player's return and added: "We welcome him back to Australia.

"I have a great deal of confidence in the Australian public. I have a lot of confidence that the fans will react how we hope they will react."

Djokovic, the world number five, said in November he was relieved to be able to return to Melbourne.

"[The] Australian Open has been my most successful Grand Slam," he added. "I made some of the best memories there.

"Of course, I want to go back there, I want to play tennis, do what I do best, hopefully have a great Australian summer."

Djokovic, who is one Grand Slam title behind Rafael Nadal's record of 22, is scheduled to play in the Adelaide International, beginning Sunday, with the Australian Open starting in Melbourne on 16 January.

Fred (second left) celebrating with his Manchester United teammates after getting on the scorer’s sheet against Nottingham Forest ...last night

L-R: The President of Nigerian Boxing Board of Control (NBB of C) Dr Rafiu Ladipo; Director, MultiChoice Nigeria, Mr. Faud Ogunsanya; and the winner of the Mojisola Ogunsanya Memorial Trophy, Taiwo ‘Esepor’ Agbaje, displaying his WBF belt and the N1.5 million cash prize at the GOtv Boxing Night 27...on Monday

Christian Pulisic saw an effort ruled out after Havertz was judged to have fouled Adam Smith, while the German also spurned a second-half opportunity to extend Chelsea's lead.

result sees Chelsea move up to eighth in the table, six points

MISSILE

Kukah to Buhari

“Clearly,inalmosteverydepartmentandwithallindicators,ournation hasbecomeataleoftwocities.Wehavewarsbetweentherichand thepoor,menandwomen,acrossgenerations,alongpartylines,social classes,religion,ethnicityandsoon.Thecentrehasgivenupinalmost everydepartment”––CatholicBishop MathewHassanKukahofthe Sokoto DiocesecriticisingthegovernmentofPresidentMuhammaduBuhari.

KAYODE KOMOLAFE

Has Buhari Admitted Failure?

Perhaps, the question to ask is really this: what exactly did President Muhammadu Buhari say that has been interpreted widely as an admission of failure?

In a clip produced as part of the remarkably modest celebration of his 80th birthday, Buhari said inter-alia: “I wonder if I am going to miss much. I think I’m being harassed. I believe I’m trying my best but still, my best is not good enough because there are people around that think that they can intimidate me to get what they want instead of going through certain systems to earn whatever they want to earn. And they are some people who want to be clever by half.”

The President was actually asked what he would miss about the presidency on leaving office.

Now, no charitable reading of that statement would be that the president has admitted five months to the end of his eight-year tenure that his administration is a failure. He couldn’t have, of course, passed such a damning verdict on his government. Only three months ago, Buhari lamented in Owerri as follows: “On the question of insecurity and bandits, the Second Niger Bridge, if Nigerians will reflect; anyway, to be frank with you, I blame the Nigerian elite for not sitting and thinking hard about our country.

“Between 1999 and 2015 when we came in, I will like people to check the Central Bank and the NNPC. The average production was 2.1 million barrels per day at the average cost of $100 per barrel. So, Nigeria was earning at this time 2.1 million times 100 times the number in those years.

“But look at the state of infrastructure; some of the roads since the good old PTF days. Look at the railway; it was virtually killed. Power, we are still struggling.

“But when we came, it was an unfortunate incident — the militants in the south-south were unleashed; production went down to half a million barrels per day. Again, unfortunately, the cost of petroleum went down from $28 to $37.

“Look at the problem in the north-east. Check with anybody from Borno or Adamawa. How many local governments were in the hands of the government and how many were in the hands of Boko Haram? Bloody fraudulent people, whoever they are; they are fraudulent.

“But now, go and ask the hardworking governor of Borno state — a very hardworking governor. The federal government is in charge now.

“So, in relative terms of time and resources, this administration has done extremely well. I have to say it because those who are supposed to say are not saying it. I don’t know why.”

By the way, the President made this statement extempore after reading a prepared speech on the occasion.

He was in Imo State at the invitation of Governor Hope Uzodinma to commission some projects.

Incidentally the Second Niger Bridge (which, by the way, some analysts have given the stylish code name 2NB !) was one of the achievements mentioned in the statement.

In the birthday video, the President was rather humble about whatever achievement his government has recorded by acknowledging that his best performance in office has been perceived by his critics as not being “good enough.” What he actually did was self-criticism, which is a

virtue.

To be sure, nothing in the President’s statement suggests that he has admitted failure. Just as it would amount to a great delusion to deny that the nation still faces a multi-dimensional crisis; so also would it be extremely uncharitable to claim that nothing good has happened to Buhari’s Nigeria in the last 91 months.

Little surprise, dismissive comments have greeted the president’s statement from the quarters of his political opponents. No one should, of course, expect anything different especially in an electoral season when politicians are competing for power. It is legitimate for the other parties to subject the record of the government to severe scrutiny. It is indeed their duty to do so. In the course of the criticism, the opposition may afford not to pay attention to whatever achievements the party in power has recorded. It is not the business of the other parties to count the strong points of the APC, whatever the number. That’s the logic of competition in a liberal democracy. And that’s what political publicists have been doing with the Buhari statement. After all, it is easier for the publicist of a political party to declare the other party a failure than to articulate alternative policies that his party would implement if it gets to power. It seems that a greater intellectual energy is required of a publicist to market the policies of his own candidate than to de-market the opponents in the rancorous political field. There is so much heat of abuse and insults and little or no light on the competing policies. Some political

publicists virtually canonise candidates of their parties while demonising the candidates of other parties.

The problem is worsened by the notorious fact that in the debate on the Buhari record in the public sphere the comments of some supposedly non-partisan pundits are hardly distinguishable from those of political publicists doing their legitimate thing. The line between analysis of issues to serve the public purpose and outright partisan campaigns is getting increasingly blurred. This is not helpful. With this trend, the public sphere is impoverished with the diminished quality of debates.

Any public intellectual who embarks on a judicious analysis of the Buhari legacy will no doubt be confronted with some contradictions. And it takes some dialectical rigour to do that efficiently in the service of history.

Some of Buhari’s critics who never concede that the government has achieved anything insist that it is “the reality” for everybody to see. That “reality” obviously discounts the tangible and intangible things that the administration has done right even while getting it wrong in many other areas. The reality ought to encompass what is done and what’s left undone. It is the place of the critics to say that what has been done is not good enough; but it would be wrong for any assessor to deny obvious achievements no matter how little it may be considered.

Policy articulation is not a strong point of the Buhari administration. Hence what the administration has achieved is easily dismissed as nothing. These include physical infrastructure (roads, railways, bridges, housing projects etc.), agriculture, water schemes, aviation facilities and social investments. At the intangible level, Nigeria has managed the crisis triggered COVID-19 better than some developed countries. Recent advances against the insurgents and bandits are hardly acknowledged.

The positive news about the Buhari administration has been eclipsed by the avalanche of the negative ones which are also true. Despite making social investments and humanitarian issues a focus of the administration, about 133 million Nigerians officially are victims of multi-dimensional poverty while millions of poor people are still languishing in the Internally Displaced People (IDP) camps. Social protection is still a dream. No formula has been founding for financing tertiary public education as well tertiary public health institutions. Inequality has become more pronounced in the socio-economic landscape. Whatever statistics you choose to believe, what is indisputable is that more people have been pushed below the poverty line in this unjust neo-colonial capitalist system. Misery is a prominent feature of this society. In sum, the quality of lives of the majority of the people has not improved.

All the development indices are certainly no

tribute to the economic managers. High cost of living, youth joblessness and disabling business climate are prominent among the many woes often listed. Electricity supply is yet to be made steady. Hunger is still an existential threat. Basic needs such potable water, social housing and sanitation are still luxuries for millions.

Stories from southern Kaduna, Benue, Zamfara, the southeast and other places point to the fact that insecurity remains the issue. Insecurity is even a threat to a successful conduct of the 2023 elections. Some local government areas remain virtually ungoverned spaces.

The foregoing catalogue of problems and much more dominate the discussions in the public sphere. There is, therefore, the temptation to assess the administration in absolute terms.

The sort of verdict being passed on Buhari is not new. In 2015, the coalition of political forces that transformed into APC also dismissed the 16 years of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as “the years the locusts have eaten.” The APC publicists once played this same game. The electorate was told that the time of PDP in government was an absolute disaster.

Incidentally, some PDP leaders who were then seeking power on the APC platform joined in dismissing the PDP government of President Goodluck Jonathan. Today, some of these politicians are back to the PDP to seek power once more. And they are resting their case (as lawyers would say!) on the “great achievements” of the PDP governments in the past. Doubtless, the PDP returnees are also making a statement of fact when they say that some of the rail projects, roads and bridges being completed by the Buhari administration were started by previous PDP administrations. The sovereign investment funds that the Buhari administration is creatively using to execute some truly landmark projects originated from the policies of the administration of President Jonathan. But these PDP returnees and their publicists are never generous enough to give the Buhari administration the well-deserved credit for not rendering those crucial projects as “abandoned” like the previous administrations. The Buhari government has commendably re-awarded some of the contracts while completing some other projects.

From the vantage point of optimism, a few things can still be done by Buhari in the remaining 153 days at least in the areas of laying foundations in political and economic terms. After all, the things which have defined French Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte and American President Franklin D. Roosevelt in history were done in their first 100 days in office. Napoleon made changes in the Imperial Constitution and forged alliance with opponents on marching upon Paris. Roosevelt laid the foundation for the New Deal. The bills for the legislations backing up the policies were sent to the Congress in the first 100 days.

In his understandably scathing Christmas Homily, Bishop Mathew Kukah actually suggested some symbolic gestures at the subjective level that the President could make to bolster national integration.

Buhari could not even form a cabinet in his first 100 days in 2015; but it is possible for him to make his last 100 days in office historic by taking some well-considered steps specially to promote national unity and engender socioeconomic development.

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Nothing in the President’s statement suggests that he has admitted failure. Just as it would amount to a great delusion to deny that the nation still faces a multi-dimensional crisis; so also would it be extremely uncharitable to claim that nothing good has happened to Buhari’s Nigeria in the last 91 months

Buhari