Oct 28 – Oct 29 News

October 28

Bauchi Uncovers 41,000 “ghost Workers” Out Of 101,000 Civil

Servants
The Bauchi State Government has uncovered over 41,000 ghost workers on its payroll, 5 months after
Governor Bala Mohammed assumed office.

Governor Bala who disclosed this while hosting members of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT)
Minister’s Press Corps on Saturday October 26, said out of the 101,000 civil servants employed by the
state, thousands are receiving salaries without the compulsory Bank Verification Number (BVN).

He stated that a lot compromise took place in the last administration, but he will not succumb to such.

“Just last week, we discovered that some of our civil servants are ghost workers. The Federal
Government has said that everybody must have a BVN.

“But 41, 000 out of 101, 000 civil servants in Bauchi State do not have BVN and they have been
collecting salaries under the last administration. A lot of compromise happened.

“Those who have BVN have been getting alerts, but the rest of the civil servants must be investigated.
It is good to note that the government has not employed any graduate in the last four years. Yet our
salaries are increasing. And some mischievous people are complaining about my discoveries.

“Some of the ghost workers we suspect are conniving with our education secretaries in the local
governments and health directors. As a civil servant, I am just suspending them to find out what
happened. And if I find out that they are not compromising, I will be just and equitable to them. If
otherwise, the civil service rules will apply to them, so that nobody will do it again” Bala said.

Okorocha Reveals What He Would Have Done If He Wanted To

Steal (video)
[The former governor of Imo state, Sen. Rochas Okorocha has denied any financial impropriety while
serving as the Imo state governor.
Okorocha, who is the current senator representing Imo West at the Upper Legislative chamber in a
recent interview with BBC Igbo monitored by ABN TV, revealed that if he had wanted to steal while in
office as Imo governor, he would have built hotels and mansions in Dubai, South Africa, US, Abuja and
other cities where he said others build and not in Owerri.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_IauveL0_9Q
He frowned at the recent clampdown on his daughter’s and wife’s businesses by the Imo assets
recovery task-force, insisting that their businesses are not proceeds of crime.

"They went to where my daughter is selling bread, pepper soup and doing her restaurant business and
made away with her fridge, air conditioner and everything in the name of task-force.

They went to where my wife does her furniture business, opened the container and invited people to
remove her wares” he said.

‘lagos, South Consume 70% Of Kano Rice’

The President of Kano Chamber of Commerce, Alhaji Dalhatu Abubakar , on Sunday in Kano said 70
per cent of rice cultivated in Kano was consumed in Lagos and other states in the southern part of the
country.
Abubakar , who is also a rice farmer , said it was evident that Nigeria was endowed with the capacity to
produce what it could consume, rather than importing the commodity .
Abubakar, who added that rice mills in Kano were capable of producing the rice needed in the country ,
warned that it would be counter -productive for Nigeria to open its borders for foreign rice just as he
pointed out that local rice farmers had invested heavily into the business.
He said , “ Over 70 per cent of the rice cultivated in Kano State are sold to Lagos and other southern
states of the country.
“ President Muhammadu Buhari should stick to his gun on the border closure or else most of the mills
will close shop , thereby rendering our army of youths to be jobless .”
Abubakar who owned Al- Hamzad Rice Mill , said prior to closure of the borders , he used to store
between two and three trailers of processed rice at his warehouse due to lack of patronage , adding that
after the closure he had been able to sell all the available rice stock in his warehouse.
“ When President Muhammadu Buhari gave the directive for the closure of our borders , businessmen,
particularly from the southern part of Nigeria had no alternative but to resort to local rice as an
alternative , a development that enhanced the sale of locally-cultivated rice in the Nigerian market .’’
READ ALSO: We ’ve automated all tax processes – Fowler
However , the Kano Chamber of Commerce president lamented that rice dealers would purchase the
commodity cheap but sell at higher price .
“ The Federal Government should halt the artificial rise in price of rice which is caused by some
unpatriotic Nigerians, ” he added.
Anytime I Call God, He Always Picks My Calls – Dino Melaye
Maybe, it’s not be a good period for the member representing Kogi west senatorial district, Dino
Melaye, as the court has sacked him as a lawmaker and ordered a fresh election in his constituency, he
still keeps his head up, despite the turbulent period.

Eyes Of lagos gathered that, Stepping out for the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) campaign rally ahead
of the next gubernatorial poll in Kogi state, the controversial lawmaker shared that he does not have
network failure with God and that anytime he calls him, He (God) picks his calls.

He sent this out via his Instagram page on Saturday, 24th October.

Buhari/osinbajo Illegally Approved 1billion Loan To A Farmer -

Aisha Yesufu
The true story behind the N1.5million farm that turned N1billion in 2 years.

According Aisha Yesufu after her twitter handle has been suspended, she released a video to reveals
how Buhari/Osinbajo Illegally approved 1billion loan to a Farmer in Nasarawa, Praizenews report.

In her words, She said

The farm owner started his farm with a N1.5million loan in 2017, he did a video to praise
Buhari in 2018 and then received a call from Buhari's aide who then facilitated a N1billion
loan from CBN in 2019.
There's no turnover, there's no harvesting, just someone powerful made a call to CBN and
approved N1billion additional loan to this start up so as to fit the propaganda led by
Osinbajo
.
Who made that call

Watch the clip below

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NDInpD-YI08

Apc National Leader Tinubu – I’m Not Against Ekiti Cargo

Airport
National Leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, has debunked media
report suggesting that he is opposed to the ongoing construction of Cargo Airport in Ekiti State.

Governor Kayode Fayemi is currently embarking on the construction of airport in Ekiti, a move seen
by many as misplacement of priority.

While the condemnation over the project rages, an on online medium had framed Tinubu’s statement at
the recent 10th anniversary and 7th convocation ceremony of Afe Babalola University, Ado-Ekiti
(ABUAD) to give the impression that he was opposed to the project.
Eyes Of Lagos gathered that, Reacting to the report, Tinubu in a statement made available to newsmen
by his media aide, Tunde Rahman accused the online medium of presenting ‘inaccurate and incorrect
reporting’.

The former Lagos State governor said the report is “yet another in the plethora of fake news that dots
the land, which lamentably is the bane of many an online news platform”

He said he is not opposed to the cargo airport being developed in Ekiti because of its potential to aid
development of the state through rapid movement of agricultural products, goods and experts.

“What the APC leader is opposed to and in fact spoke against in Ado-Ekiti is creating another main
airport since there is already one in neighbouring Akure in Ondo State. This bears restating in order to
put the record straight.

“Asiwaju also condemned the tardy services at the Akure Airport whereby planes could not land at 8
am because some key navigational officers had not reported for duty at that business hour, promising to
take the matter up with the appropriate authorities”.

The statement insisted that authors of the report were either clearly mis-informed or deliberately out to
create mischief and cause disaffection between Tinubu and the authorities working on the cargo airport
or perhaps to use his good name as an alibi to scuttle the plans for the cargo airport.

Seyi Makinde Visit Market Traders, Announced Reduction In

Govt Stalls Rent
Governor Seyi Makinde was at Scout Camp Market Ibadan on a surprise visit to the market and the
traders who abandoned the government built stalls and lock up shops to be trading on the roadside,
Praizenews report.According to the governor ;
On Wednesday morning, we paid an unscheduled visit to Scout Camp market to speak to
the traders and find out why they have abandoned the market to trade on the roadside.
Following a subsequent meeting with the traders, we decided to reduce the rent in both
lock-up and open stalls in the market.
The rent reduction is to encourage the traders to utilise the market stalls and stop trading on
the roadside, for their safety, and for ensuring that the free flow of traffic is not hindered by
the roadside trading. I also promised that our administration will provide the necessary
amenities in the market.

One of their reasons for not using the stalls is because its too expensive, so the governor announced a
reduction in the rent henceforth and the traders agreed to return to the shops and are now prepared to
dissuade others that trades on the road after this.
Arewa Youth Forum Says EFCC Won't Probe Tinubu Because
He Is In APC
IgbereTV reports that on Sunday October 27, the Arewa Youths Consultative Forum (AYCF), reacted
to the petition against former Governor of Lagos and APC Chieftain, Bola Tinubu forwarded to the
Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) by Deji Adeyanju

Deji Adeyanju who is the convener of Concerned Nigerians, on Friday October 25 submitted a petition
to the EFCC, asking the EFCC to investigate the former Governor of Lagos over the source of money
allegedly conveyed in bullion vans to his residence during the 2019 Presidential election.

But the President General of AYCF, Yerima Shettima who spoke on behalf of the group told Nigerians
not to expect Bola Tinubu's prosecution by the EFCC.

Shettima said, "nothing will come out of the investigation because he is an APC member." It’s an
allegation and all Tinubu needs is to come forward and make clarifications and I just hope that the so
called institution which is the EFCC would do the necessary thing by looking into the issue."

“There is nothing wrong if there is an allegation and somebody is petitioned and there is nothing wrong
in Tinubu coming out to make clarifications, there is nothing extraordinary in this matter and I see
nothing coming out from this petition especially coming from the quarter it’s coming from."

“Our position on this issue is that even if you are an APC member, nothing will come out of this issue
but if you are an enemy, not part of them, then certainly something will come out of it."

Sagay Says Oshiomhole Should Resign If APC Loses Edo State

To Opposition
* We Won't Allow Anyone Push Obaseki Out Of APC - Idahosa

Temidayo Akinsuyi, Lagos

Prof. Itse Sagay (SAN), chairman of the Presidential Advisory Committee Against Corruption
(PACAC), said at the weekend that Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, national chairman of the ruling All
Progressives Congress (APC), is creating more problems for the party with his aggressive attitude.

Sagay said he would personally demand the removal of Oshiomhole if Edo State, the only state
controlled by the APC in the South-South, was lost to the opposition.

In a chat with Daily Independent on the lingering rift between Oshiomhole, a former two-time governor
of Edo, and his successor, Governor Godwin Obaseki, Sagay – who is also a leader in the APC – said
he had severally advised Oshiomhole on the need to be less combative in his dealing with people but
added that the former labour leader ignored his advice.

According to him, Oshiomhole’s aggressive approach has cost the APC some states in the country such
as Zamfara, Rivers, and others.

Expressing worry over the developments, Sagay said if care was not taken, the APC might be left with
no single state by the time Oshiomhole completes his tenure, given his confrontational approach to
issues.

According to the legal expert, “I have advised Oshiomhole rather unsuccessfully to stop being
combative, to stop punching, and all these aggressive behaviour.

“In a leadership position, you need to stoop to conquer, you need to be restrained. Even when people
are wrong and you want to correct them, you need to show that you are not after humiliating them and
that you will work with them to correct things; not to be aggressive, threatening and engaging in
pugilistic method. I told him this but he ignored it.

“Because of his aggression, we have lost quite a number of states. We lost Rivers State; we didn’t have
a chance to contest. We lost Zamfara, where we won the election and all our victories were handed over
by the Supreme Court to the PDP, all because of Oshiomhole’s aggression. I think there were also two
other states which we lost because of his aggressive attitude.”

Speaking further, Sagay also advised Oshiomhole, who is a former president of the Nigerian Labour
Congress (NLC), not to be treating the APC as a trade union organisation but as a political party.

“This is not trade unionism. Being a leader of a political party does not involve war but this is his
attitude. He needs to persuade people and even when somebody is wrong, he needs to build up the
person’s confidence so that they can take your correction.

“So, I think Oshiomhole is creating more problems for the APC by his aggressive attitude. By this
aggression, if we lose Edo State, which is the only state APC has in the South-South, I am personally
going to call for his removal as APC chairman.

“If by what is going on now between him and the state governor we lose Edo State, I will personally
call for the removal of Adams Oshiomhole. Otherwise, by the time he finishes his term, we will not
have a single state left.”'

Corroborating Sagay, Chief Charles Idahosa, a former political adviser to Oshiomhole, said if the APC
denied Obaseki a second term ticket despite his sterling performance, Edo would go to the opposition
in the governorship election billed to hold next year.
According to him, what Sagay said about Oshiomhole’s belligerent attitude towards party members was
nothing but the truth.

Idahosa, who said Obaseki was performing to the admiration of the people, threatened that he would
leave the party should the governor be forced out of it.

He said he was surprised that Oshiomhole who brought Obaseki as his successor would be doing
everything to frustrate the governor and get him out of office despite the fact that he had performed
creditably well in just three years in office.

“When I read what Professor Sagay said, I wasn’t surprised because he is a man of truth whom I have
always respected when he was in Benin.

“I have said it before in my previous interviews. I said that if they push Obaseki out of the APC either
by omission or commission that is the end of the APC in Edo State, but we will not allow that to
happen as we are ready to stand by Obaseki.

“This is a very strange phenomenon; a situation where a party will bring out a candidate, the candidate
is very popular with the masses but a few people, led by the so-called national chairman of the party,
will be saying they are not happy because he didn’t carry them along.

“The same national chairman will open his mouth and say Obaseki went to bring computer to use in
collecting revenues. Do you want revenues to be collected by thugs and miscreants who will use
weapons to beat up the people to force them to pay?

“You call yourself a national chairman, you came to Benin and no human being was with you apart
from thugs and miscreants and inconsequential people.

“Oshiomhole should leave Obaseki alone and allow him govern. He is no longer the governor of Edo
State. What is happening in Edo now is so embarrassing. I am fully in support of what Prof. Sagay
said,” Idahosa said.

Bayelsa 2019: Goodluck Jonathan Says He Can’t Work For APC

The ambition of the Bayelsa State candidate in the November 16 governorship election, Senator Diri
Duoye, to succeed the incumbent Governor of the state, Hon. Seriake Dickson, at the weekend received
a huge boost when former President, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, emerged from a closed-door meeting with
governors of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) states, and endorsed Duoye.

At the meeting which was held at his Abuja residence, Jonathan asked: “How can I be working for the
All Progressives Congress (APC) when I am a frontline stakeholder and the father of the Peoples
Democratic Party (PDP)?
The meeting was attended by state Governors of Abia (Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu); Oyo (Seyi Makinde);
Ebonyi (Umahi); Sokoto (Hon. Aminu Tambuwal); Taraba (Arch. Darius Ishaku) and his Bauchi State
counterpart, Senator Bala Mohammed, as well as the Director General of the PDP Governors’ Forum
Earl Osaro Onaiwu, represented the forum at the high-profile meeting.

Few days ago, there were insinuations in the social media that the former president had entered into an
unholy alliance with the APC-led federal government to work together in the build-up to the November
16, 2019, governorship election in Bayelsa State, a narrative, which was described in some quarters as
the handiwork of detractors.

However, last Friday’s meeting has doused the perception, as palpable fear seemed to have once more
gripped the opposition.

It is not clear whether the six governors facilitated the endorsement as it was perceived that Dickson
blocked the aspiration of the nominee of a former governor in becoming the PDP governorship
candidate in the November 16 governorship.

However, since the emergence of Douye, efforts have been made to receive the blessings and
endorsement of the PDP candidate.

But when the PDP governors mobilised to meet Jonathan and seek his endorsement of Douye, the
former president agreed to support his governorship ambition.

Allen Onyema Says His Benue Intervention Is For Peace, Not

Politics
The Chairman of Air Peace, Chief Allen Onyema, has refuted insinuations that he intervened in the
herders-farmers’ crisis in Benue State because of his alleged political ambition.

The philanthropist, who recently airlifted many stranded Nigerians from South Africa, noted that the
action was driven by his love for peaceful coexistence in the country.

He also denied reports that the National Secretary of Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore, Alhaji Alhassan Saleh,
apologised for the killings in Benue during a peace meeting he organised.

Allen spoke on Sunday during a telephone interview with one of our correspondents.

The Air peace boss had on Saturday facilitated a meeting between the Miyetti Allah and the Benue
State Government.

At the meeting, which was attended by top dignitaries of the state government, including Governor
Samuel Ortom, Onyema had asked the two warring parties to embrace peace.

Saleh had apologised for all that happened, while Ortom had said he was only interested in defending
the people of the state.

Onyema told The PUNCH that although the meeting was successful, he was surprised at reports that
the Miyetti Allah’s secretary apologised for the killings in the state.

He said, “Saleh Alhassan, who is the leader of the Miyetti Allah, never admitted to the killings. He
never said they were the ones that killed anybody. What he said was that, ‘we are here to make peace
with the state.’

“On Saturday, I had called him because I knew his group had been having a running battle with the
state government. I felt there should be peace in the country.

“The stadium was full and I started by preaching peace to the people of Benue. I told them that
somebody was in their midst who they might not want to see before now. I said their governor was
peaceful and the man was peaceful. I said he was Salleh Alhassan of Miyetti Allah and there was
silence

Increasing Rate Of Criminality Among Students, Lamentable –

CJN
The Chief Justice of Nigeria, Tanko Mohammad, has condemned in unequivocal terms, the growing
rate of criminal activities which are being carried out by students in Nigerian institutions nowadays.

Tanko who was the recipient of an honorary Doctorate Degree in Law and Doctorate of Business
Administration over the weekend at the convocation ceremony of Nile University of Nigeria, Abuja,
said that it is heartbreaking and demoralizing to see young students get themselves involved in illicit
acts of violence, kidnapping, ritual killings, internet fraud, armed robbery, drug trafficking and other
vices.

“It is a trend that must, as a matter of urgency, be nipped in the bud. If our most cherished future
leaders are allowed to wallow in such dangerous and inimical ventures, then the future looks very
bleak.”
His statement is not unconnected to the increasing rate of illegal activities which has clearly permeated
the Nigerian polity and which now constitutes a worrisome trend that needs to be curbed before it
destroys the larger percentage of the Nigerian youths.

“Our hope rests on you and you must not let us down. My candid advice to you is to avoid acts capable
of smearing our reputation.” He added.

President Buhari To Depart Abuja For Riyadh

Barely four days after he jets down Nigeria from Sochi, Russia where he attended the African-Russia
summit, president Mohammadu Buhari is set to travel to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia to participate in the 3rd
edition of the Future Investment Initiative (FII) conference.

The Future Investment Initiative (FII) is an annual investment forum held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, to
discuss trends in the world economy and investment environment. It is hosted by the Public Investment
Fund of Saudi Arabia (PIF). Topics of discussion are focused on economy, investment, trade,
technology and infrastructure.

The 1st edition was in October 2017, 2nd edition 23-25 October 2018 and this year's 3rd edition is to
run from 29-31 October.

President Buhari will use the occasion to speak about the economic opportunities that abound in
Nigeria, the effectiveness of his administration’s policies to improve the business environment, and
invite investors to the country.

The President will be accompanied by Governor Babagana Zulum of Borno State, Governor Abubakar
Bagudu of Kebbi State and Governor Aminu Bello Masari of Katsina State.

Also on the entourage are, Minister of State, Foreign Affairs, Zubairu Dada, Minister of Industry, Trade
and Investment, Niyi Adebayo, Minister of State, Petroleum Resources, Timipre Sylva, Minister of
Communications, Ibrahim Pantami, the National Security Adviser, Major General Babagana Monguno
(rtd), Director-General, National Intelligence Agency, Ambassador Ahmed Rufa’i Abubakar, and the
Group Managing Director, Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Mele Kolo Kyari.

After the conference, the President plans to embark on a journey to Mecca, located in Hejazi region of
Saudi Arabia to perform the Umrah, a lesser pilgrimage. Shortly after which he will return to Abuja,
Nigeria on November 1.

2023 Igbo President:consultation Begins As Northern Groups

Join Coalition
The Coordinator of
Pan Nigeria Coalition for Igbo Presidency (PANCIP) Comrade Chuks Ibegbu Who is the Spokesman of
Ohanaeze Ndi Igbo Worldwide has again said that Igbo Presidency come 2023 is non negotiable.
He made this known on 25th of October 2019 in Sokoto state while addressing the Igbo Community
resident in the area.
Ibegbu who was in the state to meet with some Northern Leaders regarding Igbo Presidency come 2023
advised all tribes in the interest of fairness to support the Igbo agenda.

He also made known the Aims and Objectives, Members of the Coalition,
Organography, Programmes and Activities of the Coalition among others.

According to him,
"The PAN NIGERIA COALITION FOR IGBO PRESIDENCY is a Socio- Political
Pressure group geared towards achieving a Nigeria Presidency of Igbo Extraction in 2023 .

MISSION
Our mission is to ensure political equity in Nigeria by making sure that a Credible and Pan Nigeria
Igbo Man or Woman becomes Nigeria President in 2023.

VISION.
Our vision is Anchored on on Enthronement of Good Governance and Rapid Development of Nigeria
Which a Nigeria Presidency of Igbo Extraction will hopefully achieve.

MEMBER GROUPS IN THE COALITION.

The Coalition has the following member groups which is not closed ended.
1. NIGERIA PRESIDENCY OF IGBO EXTRACTION PROJECT (NPIEP).
2. IGBO FOR PRESIDENCY ORGANISATION (IFPO).
3. NIGERIANS IN DIASPORA EQUITY MOVEMENT
(NIDEM).
4. EAST -WEST LINK (EWEL).
5. EAST- NORTH BRIDGE ( ENOB).
6. EAST -NIGER DELTA NETWORK ENDEN
7. G774.
8. G 37.
9. MOVEMENT FOR JUSTICE AND EQUITY IN NIGERIA, (MOJEN).
10. MIDDLE BELT CONGRESS FOR IGBO PRESIDENCY (MICIP).

STRUCTURE.
PANCIP is the Co-ordinating Group for the IGBO PRESIDENCY PROJECT.
The member Groups have Independent Structure and set up but report to the PANCIP their
Programmes and Activities for Synchrony.

ORGANOGRAM.
PANCIP have a GENERAL CO-ORDINATOR.
SECRETARY GENERAL.
DIRECTOR OF PROGRAMMES.
DIRECTOR OF PUBLICITY.
DIRECTOR OF FINANCE AND ACCOUNTS.
SIX ZONAL CO-ORDINATORS.
DIASPORA CO-ORDINATOR.

The member groups have the following;

NATIONAL CO-ORDINATOR
ZONAL CO-ORDINATORS
STATE CO-ORDINATORS
LGA CO-ORDINATORS
AND SPECIAL BRANCH CO-ORDINATORS.
THE DIASPORAL MEMBER GROUP WOULD OPERATE SOLELY IN THE DIASPORA".

He said that Vacancies Exist in Some Positions. He urged those who wish to join the Coalition to
contact the group nearest to them.

2023: "Igbo Presidency'll Remain A Mirage If"... Says Nyerere

A chieftain of APC in Abia state, Anyim Chinenye Nyerere has said that the clamour for the South East
to produce the next president of Nigeria may not see the light of the day if the appropriate measures are
not taken to make this dream a reality.

The former governorship candidate of the party made this known on Thursday in a chat with ABN TV
in Abuja.

Nyerere insisted that if the region will go and sit down and wait for the presidency to be served them,
the 2023 agenda will be a failed dream.

"If the Igbo will go and relax, waiting for other regions to come and give them the presidency of this
country, they should equally forget about it.

"Power is not given but taken. What efforts are we making as South Easterners? I don't want us to get it
wrong by looking at it as Igbo presidency. We are talking about Nigerian president of Igbo extraction.

"Let's not look at it as if we are trying to produce a president of five South Eastern states. When we're
talking of being the president of Nigeria, then let us wear the Nigerian clothe. We must wear the
Nigerian spirit, reach out, present ourselves, let them know that we're serious and not a situation where
your brother will be singing a different discordant tone, another person will be in another page.
Buhari To Embark On Private Visit To Lonodn, After Economic
Forum In Saudi Arabia
President Muhammadu Buhari leaves the country today on an official trip to Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
to attend Economic Forum of the Future Investment Initiative (FII) in Riyadh.

On the sideline of the event, President will hold bilateral talks with His Majesty King Salman and His
Majesty King Abdullah ll of Jordan.

On Wednesday, 30th October, 2019, the President will participate in the High Level Event titled “What
is next for Africa: How will Investment and Trade Transform the continent into the Next Great
Economic Success Story?” with Presidents of Kenya, Congo-Brazzaville and Burkina Faso.

At the end of the summit, President Buhari will on Saturday 2nd November, 2019, proceed to the
United Kingdom on a private visit. He is expected to return to Nigeria on 17th November, 2019.

Watch The N1.5m Farm That Turned N1billion In 2 Years In

Nasarawa State
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XLmIlQk_06Q
This farm has been bursted as a hoax and propaganda from the evil govt by Aisha Yesufu ..The Buhari
govt actually paid the dude over 700 million naira to set up the farm for propaganda purpose ...Please
watch link below and hear the truth about this propaganda farm .

https://www.instagram.com/tv/B4I_pKBABvp/?igshid=16zdgxjv0t2m7

Ohanaeze Wants The Name Nigeria Changed To A Positive One

The apex Igbo socio-cultural organization posited that the change became necessary “as the name,
Nigeria, connotes lack of progress, corruption and darkness.”

The deputy spokesman of the organization, Comrade Chuks Ibegbu in a statement noted that the name,
“Nigeria was given to us by a lover of Lord Lugard who later became his wife and was given at the
heat of passion.”

“Many countries in Africa , Asia and even Europe changed their colonial names after independence but
we foolishly stuck to the name with all its attendant minuses,” the group stressed.

It also challenged Nigerians to have an immediate Conference where different indigenous names could
be agreed upon as the new name of the country, insisting that “unless we change our name , our
numerous problems may have no solution because there is something in a name.”
“Though the name Igbo was not given to us by anybody if any day we find out any question mark on it
we shall change it . We are not Ibo but Igbo and Ndigbo. All colonial vestiges should be expunged by
the indigenous African people,” it concludes.

Lagos-Ibadan Rail: Amaechi Inspects Site Of All Stations

In as much as mobility, infrastructure and transportation are concerned in Nigeria, trust us to be your
eyes and ears. The Lagos Ibadan Railway project is a massive project that lots can't wait to see the
actualization, to some, it's a project that's taking too long to complete.

Some days back, we featured the Ibadan Axis of the Lagos-Ibadan Railway where we did a photo
documentary of the railway from start to finish.

Tolu Ogunlesi, the special assistant to the President on New Media was on tour with Nigeria's minister
of transportation, Mr Rotimi Ameachi where he inspected the ongoing construction at the Ebute-Metta
axis. According to Tolu, the Ebute-Metta terminal will be the biggest of all the stations that are being
constructed. For the records, there will be 10 Stations on the Lagos Ibadan Rail Line, across 3 States:
Lagos, Ogun and Oyo. Below are the list of the stations across the 3 states…
- Apapa
- Lagos Main (Ebute Metta)
- Agege
- Agbado
- Kajola
- Papalanto
- Abeokuta
- Olodo
- Omi-Adio
- Ibadan Main (Moniya)
[Moniya will also be home to an Inland Container Terminal]

From Ebute-Metta, the team went to Agege where another station will be sited and currently
undergoing construction. According to Rolu, earthworks ahead of track laying (The existing Tracks you
can see belong to the old narrow-gauge line, which is also being rehabilitated in sections alongside the
construction of the standard gauge line). One of the major challenges of the workers has to do with
population and a preponderance of gas and water pipes, buildings, markets, etc. as culverts,
underpasses, overpasses, etc all need to be constructed in built-up areas. A major undertaking and
challenge for the CCECC team.

The minister of transportation, Mr Rotimi Amaechi was in China two weeks ago where we went to
inspect and test the trains that the federal government bought for the Lagos-Ibadan Railway and the
Abuja-Kaduna rails, also he was in Russia some few days back where he went to sign an MoU with his
Russian counterpart for the Railway project in Nigeria. The minister of transportation is not resting on
his oars in making sure that the CCECC deliver and they deliver using the world-class materials and
expertise.
There is a section on the train where you can hold conference meeting and business talk while on
board. There’s a nice-looking boardroom here on this Test Train. I wonder if this design will be
available on the operational Trains - hold your board meeting en route to Ibadan, tour the City, and
catch a return train to Lagos. All in a day’s work.
After the inspection from Agege and Iju, the team rode on to Kajola. According to Tolu, We are now at
Kajola, in Ogun State. [There’ll be a Station here] On Nov 8, 2019, there will be a groundbreaking
ceremony on this site for a Wagon Assembly Plant - in the first instance. Eventually, locomotives &
coaches will be locally-manufactured here. The team went on to inspect the station at Kajola and see
the level of work done as well…
After accessing all the stations, the minister of transportation while addressing the contractors said, I
want (Free) Trial Runs for Lagos Ibadan Rail to start on the 30th of November, from Ebute
Metta all the way to Ibadan. Also, all minor stations must also be completed by the end of
November.

So far, the Lagos Ibadan Rail tracks have been laid between Kilometer 23 and Kilometer 157. The
ongoing phase of the track laying is now between KM 4 (Ebute Metta) and KM 23. The most
challenging bit, considering it’s within the Lagos metropolis. The weather has been a big challenge to
the pace of work. Plenty rain, slowing down work. Also Lagos Traffic conditions.

Factional Apc’s Meeting Turns Bloody In Edo

There are reports that the factional meeting called by Oshiomhole’s led Edo People’s Movement has
turned bloody in Owan East Local Government Area of Edo State.

Unconfirmed eyewitness told reporters that some community leaders who had earlier objected to the
gathering of the group in the area engaged the leaders in fisticuffs which resulted to a free for all fight
in which weapons were freely used.

Several vehicles that were parked within the vicinity of the meeting area were damaged, while some
EPM loyalists sustained various degree of injuries.

A former Civil Commissioner in Edo State, during the administration of Mr. Adams Oshiomhole, Mr.
Abdul Oroh was alleged to have hosted the meeting.

The alleged host is reported to have fled for safety.

More details later…

State of the nation: Igbo will suffer if they

secede — Senator Doguwa
…Whoever secedes from Nigeria as it is today will not succeed

…South will no longer call North parasites with oil discovery in North

By Abdulmumin Murtala
Senator Muslihu El-Jibrin Doguwa was chairman Senate Committee on Agriculture between 1999 and
2003. He had also served as a local government chairman, Kano State chairman of the People’s
Democratic Party PDP twice, and Managing Director of Hadejia Jamma’are River Basin Development
Authority. Doguwa, who joined the All Progressives Congress, APC, before the last general elections,
in this interview among others spoke on the state of the nation and the way forward.
59 years after independence, how do you  view the country’s political development so far?
We have to be grateful to our founding fathers. Those who fought for our independence in 1960 must
be appreciated. We must appreciate their zeal, courage and determination that led to our independence
despite all the odds. Secondly, we have to appreciate them for uniting themselves even with their
differences. You can see Sir Ahmadu Bello from the North, Chief Nnamdi Azikiwe from the East and
Chief Obafemi Awolowo from the West. There are a lot of others like Abubakar Tafawa Balewa,
Malam Aminu Kano and a lot of them who joined their hands together, kept aside their political
differences and got us independence 59 years ago.
Unfortunately, the question now is have we been able to manage that unity we inherited from them?  
The answer is no, we have not.
One can understatnd that in 1979 when Alhaji Shehu Shagari became the first Executive President,
Malam Aminu Kano was in the opposition but he gave advice on how the country could be governed.
But today there are a lot of differences, and changes. People don’t want to share their knowledge with
the opposition, the opposition doesn’t want to share its knowledge with the party in government. When
you talk about unity and political development in Nigeria one will surely see that there is a very long
way to go. On would ask, what are we trying to leave behind as legacy for our people?

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outstanding pension, gratuities
The legacy we are now leaving is not a unifying legacy. When you look at your people, when you look
at your children do you see them living along the same trend? Those from the South, East and West do
they see themselves as Nigerians?
To the contrary, now, people don’t see themselves as Nigerians first. I see myself as a northerner, the
other sees himself as a southerner and on and on. More so, even in the North, I see myself as a Kano
man and I will not share my views with somebody from Jigawa, Kaduna or Sokoto. That shouldn’t be
the case. We are supposed to see ourselves first as Nigerians then as northerners as the case may be so
that the unity we inherited from our founding fathers will be meaningful and useful to us.
There is a very long way to go when you talk of political development. We have developed in terms of
population, we have developed in terms of building houses and roads but have we developed in our
desire to be good people that are honest, sincere or transparent? Are we really as good as we should be?
Are we  a committed people trying to move the country forward?
Talking about unity what are your views on the agitations of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB for
Biafra Republic?
Let me tell you about this issue of IPOB, Afenifere and northerners, we don’t see ourselves as
Nigerians. During the days of Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa, he talked about Nigeria, he talked about
the problems in the East, he talked about the problems in the West and there was that regional issue; the
Northern Region, the Southern Region and the Eastern Region and the rest. When the leaders came
together with each one coming to present a case for his region, they discussed it wholly. But today that
you have 36 states, each member is talking about his state; when you go back to his state you have
about 43 constituencies with each one talking about his own constituency. So, at the centre how would
one be satisfied when there are 360 federal constituencies? When you come to Kano, for example, how
do you expect somebody to satisfy 44 constituencies?
The issue is that those people in IPOB, and similar movements agitations were not around when our
founding fathers were talking about the unity of this country. That is why they are bastardizing the
thinking of our youths and putting them on the wrong path, thinking that when they secede they will
succeed. Whoever secedes from Nigeria as it is today will not succeed.
Let me tell you this, especially the IPOB that has made it an issue, if they are allowed to go they will
cry. Let me give you a simple example, can you tell me any small village in Nigeria today that you
cannot find an Igbo man? You can’t. You can’t tell me of a small village in this country where you will
not find an Igbo man doing his small business or trade. When they secede will they then say they are
going back to their own country? Do you think we in the remaining Nigeria will allow them to continue
to stay in our villages or in our own part? Or will they allow our people to stay in their own part? No,
they will not.
There must be some systematic procedures for somebody to stay in your place. Go to Sudan where they
were separated into Southern Sudan and Northern Sudan, do you think somebody from Southern Sudan
can just go and stay in northern Sudan just like that? He can’t because it is no more his country. It is the
same thing that will be of Nigeria, everyone would have to move to his own region. We have properties
in their region and they also have a lot of properties in our region. They have forgotten that history is
meant to be used in shaping the future.
I did my NYSC in Rivers State, in 1979. Then the issue of abandoned property was still lingering in the
state between the Igbo and the people of Rivers and up to tomorrow that issue is still there.  The Igbo
people have forgotten the issue of abandoned properties in Rivers. What  would they do about that one?
How would they go about it? So, the IPOB and other people who are agitating for secession or
revolution and things like that are only wasting their time. There will be no revolution in Nigeria and
there will be no section of Nigeria that will go its own way.
What is your take calls for restructuring of Nigeria?
That is what we are yet to understand and our people are not yet educated on the issue of this
restructuring. Maybe people are misconceiving restructuring to mean independence. It is not.
Restructuring is probably: in the North, we are farmers, we have lands, we will develop our own ways
of using policies that we inherited that can give us peace, utilizing everything but at the centre there is a
government. And that government will coordinate the affairs of each region. We are only trying by
another way to say we are going back to the former regional government system. That is how I look at
it, I may be wrong.
But the issue is that restructuring does not mean independence of regions or independence of sections
of the country or even independence of those agitating to leave the country. It is not.
His take on the prevailing waves of terrorism, banditry, kidnapping, armed robbery and other forms of
insecurity

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tire
It is unfortunate. Insecurity doesn’t discriminate. You can fall victim of insecurity at any given time.
Even before the election of President Muhammadu Buhari in 2015, the issue of insecurity was allowed
to be politicised. As it has been politicised a lot of people have different views of it and is what it really
is. Between 2013 and 2014 when the real insecurity started we refused to put our heads together. As I
said earlier, even the opposition that had good mind were not given the chance to offer their advice.
The government in power did not want to listen to the opposition. I think that was the beginning of the
problem.
So, many people who were not in government but had insight and knowledge of how to tackle
insecurity were not given the chance. Secondly a lot of people that served in security parameters were
not given the chance by pooling them together to share their experiences.
I don’t think there was any time or moment when those people from the various military, paramilitary
or police were put together to share their experiences on how they handled issues of security during
their times. That is why a lot of lacuna were entrenched as regards security. I think now it is becoming
very endemic; one cannot travel freely from Kano to Abuja by road; one cannot sleep with both eyes
closed; one cannot travel to Zamfara or Sokoto by road freely without fear.
So, I think, the best way is let government identify all those who served, from former IGs, former
chiefs of Army Staff, former NSAs, former DGs DSS to put heads together and utilize their experiences
and knowledge so that we can move forward on the issue of insecurity.
There is also the issue of intense cry of poverty from the people, unemployment, deteriorating
educational   system, dilapidating infrastructure and others. What do you see as the way out?
I am happy that you have brought up the issue. There is so much poverty in the country. Absolutely,
there is no doubt about that and it is at this point that I even want to bring up the issue of the Minister
of Agriculture, Sabo Nanono. I have seen a lot of comments about his statement that there is no hunger
in this country, that even in Kano one can get N30 food to eat and be satisfied. He has his reason for
saying that but maybe he was misquoted and I think he should clarify the statement.   Yes, there is
abundant food in Nigeria, If you travel from Kano to Abuja, etc, you will see raw foodstuff, rice, etc,
on both sides of the road but do the people have the money to buy? You have to use the proper
language, that is poverty. When there is food but no money to buy, that is poverty. But when there is
enough money and there is no food to buy, that is hunger. Definitely, there must be right choice of
words. When you want to use a word you should know where to use it. You want to buy yam but you
don’t have money to buy it, that is poverty. But there is yam in the market. But when you have the
money to buy and there is no yam in the market, that is hunger. Government should realise all these.
I have so many options. The options can start from the local governments and go up to the states and
federal government.
When you initiate a lot of projects, even at the lower level, that is the level of the local governments or
states, those who would have come to the cities from the local governments will stay there and work as
laborers. Some are masons, some are carpenters, some are selling nails, some are selling iron sheets,
some are selling cement and a value chain will be created. By the time they award a project for the
construction of one school at the cost of N10m or N15m, it can create a lot of jobs in a local
government. How much more jobs will be created if such project is done in 20 local governments?
How many people do you think will be engaged? Many people will be engaged. If I am engaged as a
labourer and I am paid N1000 per day, I will go and but two measures of garri and the person I buy the
garri from will also make profit and will go and buy shirt. The person he buys shirt from will also make
profit and will go and buy cement to mend his house and on and so forth. That is the value chain I am
talking about. With that there will be money in circulation and poverty will reduce.
But when there is no project, no job created. Even, if you go back to the farm, a bag of fertilizer costs
N9,000. A farmer might decide to buy but deep down in his heart, he will be thinking that he is going to
lose because hardly that he will make up the N9,000 he spent on fertilizer. The government should
come up with projects that will engage people. Those who are going back to farm, let the government
help them; those who are artisans they should create activities for them.
So, if the government is determined to reduce the level of poverty in the country they can do it because
they have every apparatus to do it.
On controversies trailing the government’s quest for more foreign loans
I don’t see anything wrong in loans. Is America not the biggest economy in the world? If the Americans
tell you the loans they have procured you will be surprised. So, it is the utilization of the loans that
matter. How do you effectively utilize the loans? Do we use it judiciously or we only squander it or
allow other people to steal it and turn it into their personal property? But if you can obtain a loan that
you can judiciously utilise, I want to assure you that there is nothing wrong with that.
At the point we are today in Nigeria, government policies don’t seem to be popular among the people.
These include stiff taxations, border closures and others, what is your take on this?
I strongly favour border closures. I want to tell you this. From the time these boarders were closed,
have you imagined the development in agriculture? Our farmers are booming now. Formerly, a bag of
rice that is not milled sold for N6000-N7000 but now, it sells for about N10,000-N12,000. You can now
see how our local rice is being patronised. Instead of closing our eyes and asking why should the
borders be closed, let us see the advantages of closing the borders. Formerly, our borders were so
porous, any car can come in with whatever they wanted to, they can walk in because things were left
unsupervised. Today because our borders are closed a lot of   things were discovered.
This issue of insecurity is gradually being minimised or at least we are now seeing where these
problems are. No  Nigerian ever thought that a group could hold Nigeria to ransom like Boko Haram
did. Did we care to find out where these problems come from? We cannot say because we are not part
of the government and we are not part of the security. Naturally, we believe that there are contributions
of other countries who are supporting this because they don’t want Nigeria to be in peace. If Nigeria is
in peace, I don’t think there is any country in the world that can match the development of Nigeria.
God has endowed Nigeria with everything that we need. We have the human and natural resources, we
have the land. Look at the mineral resources that are abundant in every state in Nigeria. Did we harness
them? We didn’t.
Look at China coming to get what they want from Nigeria as raw materials. They utilize it, bring it
back and sell it to Nigerians. Everything we are buying from China, the raw material is almost coming
from Nigeria. That is part of the issue of restructuring we are talking about. Let’s go to Takai, there is
glass, let’s go to Takai where we have coal, let’s go to local governments where there are mineral
resources and harness them and sell to Europe and other parts of the world.
Let us get our money as revenue. That is why you can’t go to other places and see beggars on the
streets. You only see beggars in Nigeria and even the beggars in Nigeria are mostly from the North and
the North is a place where you have almost everything with which you can become a rich man. The
richest people in this country are from the North. There are silent rich people that are not known and
there are people who are very rich and are known to the world. Is there any other state or place in
Nigeria that has business moguls like Kano State? The big time oil moguls are from Kano. Even those
of them that are not from Kano are residing in Kano. That is the kind of synergy we want.
And the closure of the border   like I said is yielding result now. This is in my own opinion. I am not a
security man, I am not a customs officer but certainly I know from the beginning there will be some
difficulties and gradually things will come down. Just a while ago I enquired about the prices of rice
and I was told that it has started coming down. So it will stabilize with time. They didn’t open borders,
they didn’t bring rice into this country but it is our own that is being sold.
Secondly, did we even bother to ask how long the rice they are importing into the country have been
with them. But you are taking fresh rice from Nigeria. The only thing we can do is let the government
find market for our farmers outside the country. Let our rice go out there and compete with those
coming from other countries. Let our rice mills improve their milling systems so that they can mill
better rice which can be taken to other parts of the world to compete with rice from other countries.
And we have a lot of other crops, and fruits.  In 2001 or 2002, I was the chairman senate committee on
agriculture, I know how then President Olusegun Obasanjo fought to get market for casava producers
in the country, and he got it. I don’t know how that thing went into oblivion.
On the discovery of oil in northern Nigeria
I am so happy, very happy. Even this agitation coming from the south is as a result of oil because
they see us (North) as parasites. To God be the glory. I sincerely thank President Muhammadu
Buhari because it was courage and determination that made this happen. In 2001, it was in the
pipeline but never saw the light of the day due to political interests. I have a friend, Senator
Matori, I know how he had fought for this oil well in Bauchi. He fought for it when we were in
the Senate. Unfortunately, we could only legislate but had no powers to send people to start
investigating before it becomes a reality. Fortunately, it is during President Muhammadu Buhari
that it has become a reality. I am happy and sincerely thank President Buhari for taking the
North out of this messy situation where somebody will just wake up and say Northerners are
parasites. With this development nobody can look at us from the north and say we are parasites.  
There are also a lot of areas where hopefully we will get more. In Sokoto, around Tangaza we
have oil, we have it in Borno in the Chad basin, we have in Kogi at the border with Enugu. It is
just about courage and determination and utilizing the resources to get this thing done. It is my
hope that before President Buhari leaves office we will have about four or five states with oil so
that they will be among the oil producing states of the country.

Shehu Sani Reacts To Buhari’s Frequent Foreign Trips

gbereTV reports that Senator Shehu Sani, a former lawmaker representing Kaduna Central district at
the National Assembly, said that there is nothing wrong with the frequent foreign trips by President
Muhammadu Buhari, if such trips are able to help Nigeria solve its economic and security challenges.

Recall that IgbereTV reported earlier that President Buhari returned to Abuja on Friday after
participating in the three-day Russia – Africa Summit held in Sochi, Russia, with about 40 Heads of
State and Governments in attendance.

Buhari also plans to depart the country today- Monday for Riyadh, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, to
attend the third edition of the Future Investment Initiative (FII).

Sani, In a tweet on Monday, advised the President to add businessmen and women and security experts
in his entourage.

He said, “Official foreign trips by Mr President that will bring economic gains to our country or
realistically help us in addressing our security challenges is not bad. But we should see Businessmen
and security experts on the entourage.”
Police Investigate Audio Clip Claiming Muslims Being
Converted To Christians
The Zamfara State Police Command says it has launched an investigation
into claims that some people are converting Muslims to Christians in
Zamfara State.
The command's spokesman, Mohammed Shehu, said in a statement on
Sunday, "The Zamfara State Police Command wishes to inform members of
the public that, following an audio clip being in circulation on
various social media platforms in which the audio maker who also
claimed to be a victim alleged the emergence of a group of men and
women whose activities was to stop people, greet them in a Muslim way
of greeting especially those who they perceived to be Muslims and then
introduce themselves as staff of a company and the products.
"Later, they will issue a leaflet containing their address to the
person and collect his phone number for them to remind the person of
the seminar on their business which they normally conduct for those
who join newly. The strategy according to the audio maker was to
convert the Muslims faithful into Christianity.
"On getting the audio clip, the police command under the leadership of
CP Usman Nagogo swung into action by commencing a discreet
investigation into the matter with a view to authenticate the audio
clip and take proactive/ appropriate action that will prevent the
unwarranted religious crises in the state."
He added, The investigation carried out so far by the police and other
security agencies including the undercover agency has not revealed
such happening in any part of Zamfara state.
"What the investigation gathered was the existence of a company branch
named NEOLIFE a global company that deals with food supplements. The
company has branches across the country with about one hundred members
in the state that cut across the religious lines with two training
centres located at Hayin Buba and along bypass road, Gusau.
"They normally go round as a marketing strategy to look for customers.
However, an investigation is in progress, the command calls on the
audio maker and any person or group who has facts or evidences to come
to the police command Headquarters so as to assist the police in the

Budget 2020: Buhari, Osinbajo Double Own Cost Of Travels,

Food To N3.5 Billion
President Muhammadu Buhari and Vice President Yemi Osinbajo will spend a total N3.5 billion on
travel and food in 2020, a figure that is more than double what they spent in 2019, according to the
budget proposal submitted by the president early October.

The amount spent in 2019 was N1.4billion. The sharp rise comes at a time of increased worry about
President Muhammadu Buhari’s growing foreign trips.

The president flew out of Abuja on Monday to Saudi Arabia for what officials said would include
official meetings and a religious event. He will then travel to the UK after for a two-week vacation.
Mr Buhari just returned last week from Russia. Critics have questioned the real benefits of the trips that
come at huge costs to the nation.
In the 2020 budget, over N2.5 billion has been budgeted for the president’s local and international
travels.
Despite his new foreign travel guidelines for ministers which Mr Buhari said would curb leakages and
ensure efficiency in the management of resources of government, President Buhari’s allocation for
international travels increased from N751 million in 2019 to N1.75 billion.
Also, N775 million is budgeted for the president’s local travels, a whopping rise from the N250 million
budgeted for the same purpose in 2019.
Similarly, N98 million was budgeted for the president’s foodstuff and catering supplies, while N25
million was budgeted for refreshments and meals.
For refreshments and meals, the president and his household and office are expected to spend more
than N68,000 per day asides from the foodstuff and catering services.
For the vice president, N801 million was budgeted for travels for the year as against the N301 million
which was budgeted for travels in 2019.
Local travel will gulp N283 million while international travels get N517 million in 2020.
Similarly, for the vice president, the sum total of N50 million was budgeted for foodstuff and catering
materials and supplies and N18 million for refreshments and meals.
Health and Education
The African Development Bank in its 2018 Nigeria Economic Outlook said about 80 per cent of
Nigerians live on less than $2 per day.
The N3.5 billion assigned for travel and food for the president and vice president can construct over
320 blocks of two classrooms with furniture using N11 million as the price for each, according to a
pricing estimate by the civic group, BudgIT, provided for the 2016 Federal Constituency Projects.
Analysts believe this can help reduce the 10.5 million of the country’s children in the country.
The money can also be useful in providing healthcare for Nigerians. Nigeria is the highest contributor
to maternal mortality in Central and Western Africa and contributes 14% to the global maternal
mortality rate, according to UNICEF.
Most primary health centres in Nigeria do not have an ultrasound machine that could help save the
lives of mothers and children during childbirth.
With the cheapest of this equipment going for N1.6 million, the huge presidential food and travel bill
can cover 2,200 units of this equipment.
Tope Fasua, a financial analyst, said such spending merely help increase Nigeria’s debt.
“If you look at the budget, the entire revenue of the government can not fully cover the recurrent not to
talk of capital, recurrent is not being covered by the revenue and therefore the government goes into a
frenzy of trying to take taxes from people,” he said.
“Minding the fact that the global financial world is expecting another global recession by next year,
most of the countries in Europe are guarding their loins and getting prepared.
“Unfortunately, this is the best we can do in this country and of course it is also very unfortunate that
the Buhari government, that people had hoped that will be disciplined is perhaps the most undisciplined
of the lots we have had since 1999,” he said

Fatima Adamu: IGP's Wife Planning To Take Over Our Shops –

Traders
Over 120 traders, operating at the Police Officers Wives Association (POWA), Phase 2, Plaza,
Computer Village, Ikeja, have accused wife of the Inspector-General of Police, Mrs. Fatima Adamu, of
attempting to take over their shops and destroy their source of livelihood.

According to them, Adamu has concluded plans to demolish the shops, construct new ones and then
release the shops.

Adamu is the national president of POWA. A source close to the IG’s wife, however, told our
correspondent that the woman in question was not aware of the shenanigans going on in the market. It
was learnt that a senior police officer’s wife has been using the name of the IG’s wife to carry out
illegal eviction of the traders.

The woman is alleged to be colluding with a land developer to achieve this aim.

The traders, who came out on Friday armed with placards, said that the demolition would bring untold
hardship on them and their family members.

They urged the IG, Mohammed Adamu, to look into their plight and plead with his wife on their behalf.

The traders argued that nobody bothered to carry them along in the planning of the alleged planned
demolition.

The Chairman of POWA Plaza 2, Mr. Ebechukwu Enekwe, said that they were uneasy with the planned
demolition, stressing that nobody was sure of ever getting his or her shop back.

He said: “A lot of us will suffer if this plaza is demolished. This is where majority of us make our
living from. Many of us are still servicing bank loans which we took to pump into our business. If
we’re displaced, we don’t know what would become of our wives, family members and children. Some
of us have dependants.”

The former Vice President of the plaza, Mr. Mark Eze, disclosed that some of the traders had paid
advance rent.
He added: “We’re appealing to the Nigeria Police Force and Lagos State government to come to our
aid. They should help us to stop this demolition plan. Our lives and the future of our children are being
threatened.”

The Secretary of the plaza, Mrs. Benedict Osas, said: “A lot of widows are feeding their families
through this plaza. Lives would become unbearable for them if this demolition is carried out. There are
over 100 shops with over 2,000 employees in the plaza. If this plaza is demolished, the effect on us will
be disastrous.”

The Lagos State Chairperson of POWA, Mrs. Sarah Ajani, said they had been resisted by the traders,
insisting POWA also had a series of meetings with them, regarding the upgrading of the plaza.

Ajani explained that the disagreement started when the occupants of POWA Phase 2, were given a
letter of eviction in July to vacate the premises for reconstruction in September which was later shifted
to December following pleas.

She said: “The eviction notice was given to them following the directive of the Ministry of
Environment to us to upgrade it or face demolition by the state. The National President of POWA, Mrs.
Fatima Adamu, had earlier signed a letter indicating that traders with genuine allocation documents
from POWA in the old structure shall be reapportioned shops by POWA from the shops accrued to it
when the new structure is fully completed.

“The same number of shops demolished shall be reapportioned to the original tenants upon completion
of the new structure. We are doing this in a bid to meet up with the standard of Lagos State Ministry of
Environment. The purpose is to create an ultramodern plaza with better facilities and create more shops
that would accommodate more officers.”

The Liaison Officer of POWA, who gave her name simply as Inspector Esther, said that the demolition
became necessary after receiving complaints that the structure had weakened, necessitating it being
reconstructed.

She added: “Even those who have paid in advance will reach an agreement with their landladies and
continue doing business till the time their supposed rent will expire or be renewed.”

Dele Momodu Mocks Nigerian Youths On Detention Of Sowore

And Others
IgbereTV reports that Dele Momodu has mocked the youth on their inability to fight for the release of
Omoyele Sowore who was arrested and detained by the State Security Service (SSS) for calling for a
revolution of the Nigerian Government.
Dele Momodu wrote:

Just recently, I wondered why the youths who want power are not speaking up, mobilizing resources
and fighting hard for the release of OMOYELE SOWORE and other political prisoners in Nigeria's
gulag... The answer came to me like thunderbolt: TALK IS CHEAP, INTERNET IS CHEAPER…

Unemployment, Depression Contribute To Drug Addiction

Among Nigerian Youth –expert
A healthcare consultant, Dr Fola Adebowale, has said that unemployment, depression and poverty were
among leading factors responsible for drug addiction among youths in Nigeria.

Speaking with SaharaReporters on the differences between drug addiction and drug abuse, Adebowale
noted that drug addiction is when someone was using a drug as a way of life and that if they do not get
that drug, such persons can’t function normally.

According to him, drug abuse is the misuse of drug that can even come from a medical professional or
the general everyday person.

He said, "If a medical professional gives a patient an overdose, that is drug abuse.

“So, an abuse can occur without even addiction. Using drug to commit suicide is an abuse as well.

“More often than not, it is the people that get addicted to drug that abuse it. Abuse of drug can be larger
than addiction.

“Anyone of the two can kill depending on what is going on. The parameters doesn't define which one
kills faster, it defines how the person reacts to it at the moment.

“Drug addiction is much more than heroin and cocaine and some other illegal drugs.

“Any drug can cause addiction. A normal pain killer like paracetamol can be abused.

“Addiction is a disease, and a disease have to deal with the mental and psychological state of the
person and even the DNA of a person because the tendency to be addicted is higher in some people
than others.”

Adebowale urged people into drug addiction to find solutions to it, adding that addiction is hard but
curable.
36 State Governors Meet In Abuja Over Bailout Fund
Repayment
The 36 state governors, under the umbrella of Nigeria Governors’ Forum are currently meeting in
Abuja.

According to the agenda of the meeting, the governors would discuss the time frame for the refund of
the N614 billion bailout fund issued to the States by the Federal Government.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the development was a sequel to the notice given to the states
by the Federal Government to recover the loan facility.

The governors, according to the meeting agenda, would deliberate on getting an update on deductions
for budget support facility from the appropriate organ of government.

They are also scheduled to discuss a proposal for recovery of funds due to state governments,
withholding tax issues, collection of grand rent, NTEL and MTEL, among other matters.

Also on the agenda is the briefing by Governor Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna State on the National
Executive Council ad hoc Committee on Excess Crude and other Special Accounts of the Federation.

The governors would also get an update on ‘Primary Health Care Under One Roof (PHCOUR)’ and
other health-related matters.

Already in attendance were the Chairman of the forum and Ekiti Governor, Dr Kayode Fayemi and his
Deputy and Governor of Sokoto State, Aminu Tambuwal.

Other governors also in attendance were those of Ondo, Imo, Oyo, Cross River, Benue, Kaduna,
Zamfara, Anambra and Osun States.

Sadiya Umar Farouq: 90 Million Nigerians Are Living In

Poverty
Nearly 90 million Nigerians are living with extreme poverty, Minister of Humanitarian and Disaster
Management and Social Development, Sadiya Umar Farouq, has stated.

The Minister, who spoke at a budget defense session of the Ministry before the House of
Representatives Committee on IDPs, said the Buhari government was resolve to lift the 90 million
Nigerians in extreme poverty across the country.

She also said the new ministry was committed to strengthening coordination of humanitarian and
disaster management efforts by multiple stakeholders, adding that the Ministry has enormous
responsibility to address some of the underlying causes, drivers and consequences of humanitarian
crises and underdevelopment including: relatively high poverty of nearly half (90 million) of the
country’s 198 million population live in extreme poverty.

Breakdown of the proposed budget for National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally
Displaced Persons include: N474,306,285 for personnel, N165 million for resettlement of IDPs in the
North East and Bakkasi returnees in the 2020 budget proposal.

Others include: N15 million for 1,000 IDPs enrolment into NHIS; N105 million for renovation/rent of
21,000,000 per state; N60 million Back to school fees; N105 million for drilling of borehole; N184
million for securing land for relocation and reintegration of IDPs in FCT, Nasarawa States and N110
million for 2,200 families as return assistance to North East, among others.

Chairman of the Committee, Hon. Mohammed Jega promised to justify the confidence reposed in the
Committee by Nigerians, assured that the budget will impact positively on every Nigerian both
individually and collectively.

“We are therefore poised for a collaborative action with the Executive arm of government to ensure that
we design a performing budget that will meet the expectations of the teeming populace,” he stated.

Jega also applauded the resolution of President Muhammadu Buhari for creating the Ministry with the
view to address the numerous humanitarian challenges confronting the citizenry as a result of
insurgency, arm bandits and other humanitarian challenges affecting the country.

ICYMI: Presidential Aide, Police DIG ‘abducts’ Miss Amnesty

Organizer, Mcwary
Mrs Tracy McWary, Founder of Tracy McWary Foundation – organizers of Miss Amnesty Nigeria, has
spent at least five days outside her residence since her forceful abduction.

Igbere TV had reported that McWary was recently forcefully taken away by armed men believed to be
from the Police Force headquarters, Abuja.

This is coming weeks after she accused the Force Deputy Inspector-General (DIG), Michael Ogbuzi of
colluding with the Presidential Amnesty Office to blackmail her.

According to her, the force DIG had demanded that she sleeps with him as the only condition to stop
the unprovoked attack against her person, an offer she rejected.

Trouble started after McWary exposed some shady dealings in the Presidential Amnesty Office,
wherein she accused the embattled Amnesty boss, Prof. Charles Dokubo, of multimillion naira scam.
Dokubo had hijacked McWary’s Miss Amnesty Nigeria programme in 2018, and fraudulently got the
support of some organizations by impersonating her office.

She said the Amnesty boss had threatened to kill her, after she refused to sign some papers to divert the
funds made available to her by the government to empower Niger Delta women.

In a clip exclusively obtained by Igbere TV over the weekend, McWary could be seen arguing and
struggling with her abductors while on steering on the expressway.

The abductors believed to be men from the force DIG’s office, all dressed in suit, had earlier blocked
her private vehicle before forcefully taking her away.

Efforts to obtain comments from the Presidential Amnesty Office and the Force DIG regarding the
development, proved abortive.

But a Personal Assistant in the McWary Foundation, Heavens McWary, confirmed the development to
our correspondent over the telephone on Sunday.

He said the Amnesty Boss and Force DIG had illegally blocked all bank accounts belonging to his boss
(Tracy McWary) before her forceful abduction.

According to him, “Trouble started after my boss, Tracy McWary refused to fall for their tricks and
game plan. She was approached to transfer some funds earmarked for empowerment to a fraudulent
account which she openly rejected.”

Mr McWary said the Amnesty boss, Charles Dokubo was reported to the FCT Police Commissioner for
thorough investigation, “but he (Dokubo) colluded with the Force DIG and transferred the case”.

“The DIG did the biddings of the Amnesty boss and eventually took over the case file from the CP
despite the progress recorded. He frustrated the case using his office.

“McWary was subsequently abducted by the police and locked up in the cell. She was given some
outrageous bail conditions including a surety who has over N100 million in his bank account, houses in
Abuja and was asked to deposit N300,000 as bail charges. She met all the conditions in two days and
was later released.”

On how Mrs Tracy was forcefully abducted recently, Mr McWary said Dokubo planted a lady in their
Foundation who posed as a Miss Amnesty contestant and ended up selling out the Founder to the DIG.

“My sister (Tracy) got friendly with the said lady not knowing what her real mission in the organization
was. Eventually, the lady sold out Tracy’s movements to DIG’s men which led to her forceful
abduction.”
He said men of the DIG later stormed Tracy’s residence, ransacked the building and took away her
laptop, and equally wiped off all vital information on her phones and ended up blocking her bank
accounts.

Asked if any contact has been made confirming Tracy’s whereabouts, Mr. McWary said the force DIG
denied having her sister, and even barred them from seeing her and refused her bail.

“This is not right, how can you arrest a nursing mother denying her little baby breast milks and even
refuse to issue any official statement about the arrest. We the family cannot even reach her on the
phone. It is over five days now since she was forcefully taken away.

“We are calling on the President, Muhammadu Buhari and all well meaning Nigerians to call Prof.
Charles Dokubo and the Force DIG to order, this is an act of kidnapping and not just right”, Mr.
McWary added.

Igbo Presidency, Yoruba President, And Those

In-Between -By Niran Adedokun
One of the most discomforting things about Nigerian politicians is as the millennial says; they have no
“chills” about elections. In the minds of the proponents of democratic governance, elections are meant
to be the people’s celebration of their rights to choose those who lead them but politicians in Nigeria
have hijacked this citizens’ privilege. In fact, as it stands in Nigeria, governance, which is the real
essence of democracy, always takes the back seat such that the only manifestable component of
Nigeria’s democracy has continued to be elections!
This is why just seven months after the last general election, the polity has already started to
reverberate with permutations about the 2023 elections, a long four years away! In a normal democratic
society, politics takes the back seat immediately after elections; those who are elected into office, no
matter what their party affiliations are, face the serious business of governance, leaving politics in the
background, but that is not Nigeria where leaders play politics with the lives of the people all round the
clock.
And in flooding the people’s thoughts with elections this early, politicians have adopted two major
strategies both of which will continue to detract from good governance and short-change the people at
the end of the day!
Very early into the new federal administration, politicians began to drop hints about acrimonies
between President Muhammadu Buhari and Vice President Yemi Osinbajo. Literarily, every step the
President said he had taken to redefine governance has been interpreted as a ploy to undermine
Osinbajo and the whole country has been caught is a conflagration of presumed conspiracy, one that
will clearly slow down governance.  A corollary to this is the increasing name-dropping by proxies of
those who aspire for the presidency of the country in 2023. To be sure, there is nothing wrong with
being ambitious but the hope for the consideration of the people should be hinged on verifiable
performance over a four-year term.
But the Nigerian politician is motivated by factors that are extraneous to performance or the welfare of
the people. A large pool of people in the political class has no other motive than accessing the resources
of the state and becoming a part of those people inflicting a haemorrhage on national resources.
Elsewhere, people get out of political office to go back into primary careers like law, engineering,
acting and what have you, but politics in Nigeria is a lifetime meal ticket for the average participant.
So, someone leaves their position as a state governor after eight years, they fight tooth and nail to
become a minister and after being minister for four years, they go back to their state to fight for a
senatorial ticket. The current population of politicians put undue pressure on politics and politicking
and have totally subjugated good governance in the process.
The second self-serving weapon in the hands of Nigerian politicians is the escalation of the things that
divide the people. To remain relevant and court the patronage of the largely undiscerning population,
politicians introduce ethnic, religious and other such primordial sentiments, which is the strength of
nations in other places. Curiously politics and political parties have the fundamental purpose of the
integration of the people of a country towards shared prosperity and national development.  But
political gladiators in Nigeria employ these to divisive purposes for their own personal gains.
So, the trending matter is what part of the country should produce the next president. The situation is so
obvious that a United States of America diplomat, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, was recently quoted as
noting that the next elections in Nigeria might be challenging because of a gentleman’s agreement to
rotate power between the north and the south. In her statement, there seem to be subtle insinuations that
this agreement might not be honoured such that political actors in the north might fight for the retention
of power in that part of the country.
But even if the north decides to relinquish power, the Yoruba and Igbo majority ethnic groups in the
southern part of the country will have it hot slugging it out.  While Nigeria has carried on like the Igbo
must continue to suffer for the audacity to attempt a secession between 1967 and 1970, members of this
ethnic group continue to agitate that South-East Nigeria should produce the next President even though
the South-West also desires another bite of the pie.  The years leading to 2023, therefore promise to be
heated among the three major ethnic groups in Nigeria and the minority groups that will align on all
sides.
The harm that this type of frictions however does to national development should worry the people of
this country. When arguments about those who should lead a country are hinged on religious and tribal
sentiments for which each part is willing to fight to finish, rather than merit and the nationalist capacity
of aspirants to bring the people to a point of convergence on behalf of the nation, then there is much to
worry about.
Unfortunately, the people of Nigeria are also sold on the lie that improving the country is dependent on
supporting people from their ethnic stock even though history and recent events do not even validate
this position.
For instance, how much has President Muhammadu Buhari’s Katsina State improved since he was
sworn in as the President in 2015? On the contrary, the state remains one of the most hit by the banditry
that has gripped the soul of northwestern Nigeria lately.
In fact, not too long ago, one of Buhari’s in-laws, also the district head in his native Daura, Alhaji Musa
Umar, spent two months in the den of kidnappers after he was snatched from his home in May! It is not
just that, the United Nations Development Programme’s Multidimensional Poverty Index suggested
that Katsina State was on the list of 10 states with the least performance on the poverty indices this
time last year. This is just as Otuoke, the sleepy community where immediate past President, Goodluck
Jonathan, hails from cannot boast potable water or how the expressway between Lagos and Ota where
ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo lives is an eternal eyesore or even how someone of northern
extraction that has ruled Nigeria for 41 of the country’s 59 years after independence while the north
still remains the most developmentally challenged part of the country.
So, Nigerians should ignore all ongoing temptations to be drawn into discussions about the 2023
elections. Instead, they should demand good governance signified by the expansion of the Nigerian
economy, improvement in the quality of education in the country and provision of access for all
children, transformation of healthcare delivery to the advantage of all citizens, reduction in the
widespread level of poverty, making the country safe for its people and taking governance back to the
fundamental essence of making life easier for the people. And when time comes to make a choice in
2023, the people must shun all forms of appeal to ethnic and religious sentiment devoid of apparent
capacity.
Twitter: @niranadedokun

One Igbo custom that I am sad that it is fading

away is that on the paternity of a child -By
Azuka Onwuka
That Igbo custom states that the only way a man can be the father of a child is by marrying the child’s
mother. If a man gets a single girl pregnant, her child belongs to her father. If a man gets a married
woman (or a woman who is separated from her husband) pregnant, the child belongs to her husband.
As a man, if you need a child, go and marry. Period.
If you get a single girl pregnant or a married woman pregnant, you have simply donated your sperm for
traditional IVF. Thanks for your generosity! Even if the child is your carbon copy, it is not yours. You
are simply what is called: Mkpi na-agbalụ ọha eghu (the he-goat that services the she-goats of the
community!).
In fact, in the distant past, if you got a girl pregnant and wanted to marry her, that baby would no
longer be yours. You have to wait for her to deliver, nurse the baby, leave the baby with her mother or
sister to look after before becoming your wife. The first baby is not yours because you got her pregnant
before marrying her. So you have no claim on the baby. Marriage is the certification needed for
fatherhood.
I get angry anytime a man gets a single girl pregnant or even a married woman pregnant, then stays
away for the child to be raised, only to appear years after when the child is grown up, and proudly
shouts: “Give me MY child. I won’t leave without MY child.”
Your child my foot! How much does semen cost? Pay him for the sperm donation and send him away!
This Igbo custom on the paternity of a child
1. confers honour on marriage
2. creates the spirit of responsibility in men
3. makes men to respect women and avoid exploiting them
4. protects the child from being raised by an incapable father who may be a teenager or an
apprentice or a vagabond or playboy
If a woman is good enough to be slept with, she should be good enough to be a wife. If you don’t like a
woman, don’t get her pregnant. If you don’t see the woman as good enough to be your wife, then she
should not be good enough to have a child for you. If you don’t want a woman, please don’t want her
child. If you are not ready to be a husband, then you should not be ready to be a father. If you want a
child, get married. Simple.
It is sad that this Igbo custom on child paternity is being eroded because of modernity and borrowed
customs. The cultural consciousness among Igbos is low. In the name of modernity, Igbos are too quick
to adopt Western ways and other people’s way of life, without bothering to do a SWOT analysis on
their own first to confirm if it has great advantages that will make their society more stable.
Azuka Onwuka

If Presidency Goes To South-west In 2023,

Osinbajo NOT Tinubu Will Get My Vote -By
Fredrick Nwabufo
Why are Nigerian politicians ravished by the thought of election? They complot and machinate over it.
And when they eventually get into office, they spend four years scheming for another turn instead of
honouring their contract with citizens.
There is always a blue-print for the next election, but a subterfuge for governance and duty. The last
general election was held in February, and just eight months after, there are already ‘’crusades and
evangelism’’ ahead of the next one in 2023.
How can we make progress this way? We need to ask ourselves some uncomfortable questions? Do we
keep reprocessing the same class of predators every four years? Do we consider a single term
presidency? How do we reduce the cost of elections?
Our elections are about the most expensive in the world, with the cost ballooning from about N2 billion
in 1999 to more than N240 billion in 2019, trumping India’s — a country much bigger in size and in
population than Nigeria. Really, the argument of former President Goodluck Jonathan on this
climacteric issue reverberates with me. He foregrounded the paradox of our elections at the
constitutional term limits summit in Niamey, Niger Republic.
“Four years is quite a short period for a country that is developing for a person who wants to change the
country to do much. In Nigeria we just finished the election and some people are already talking about
2023 election. It is distracting,’’ he said.
“That is why some people come with the idea of a single tenure; so a president can sit down and plan
all his programmes for the good of the country. We are too distracted with these elections. Why must
we waste money every four years to elect a leader? Those are the things that agitate our minds.”
I think, a single term of six years may not be outrageous. Whoever is president will have to buckle-
down and work, instead of thinking of the next election, which is distracting.
Also, I believe, this should apply to other elective offices. I know some lawmakers who have become
fossils at the national assembly – every four years they buy their way into the legislature but with
nothing to show for their perpetuity in office. Should this continue?
Electing credible candidates is a different matter entirely. As long as ethnicity and religion are the
kernel for electing persons to public office here, competence and credibility will always be extraneous.
The current administration is yet to clock a year, but some agents of ‘’the presidency cabal’’ are already
crusading for a ‘’pretender to the throne’’.
Babachir Lawal, former secretary to the government of the federation, who is a consort of the rulers,
principalities and powers of present-day Nigeria, has kicked off the crusade with evangelism for Bola
Tinubu.
Hear him:
“By 2023 when Buhari’s tenure will be over, he’ll go back to Daura to face his cows like I am doing.
But you see, every leader must leave behind a legacy. I will like to see that he leaves behind a legacy of
achievement.
“Bola Tinubu is my friend of many years. Buhari is my big boss. Bola Tinubu without prejudice that
he’s my friend will make a good president.
‘’Other issues notwithstanding, he (Tinubu) will make a good modern president because the presidency
these days is scientific. Nigerians, by convention, seem to have agreed that there should be rotation of
the presidency.”
But, I would like to say, ‘’buyers beware’’. I do not intend to de-market product Tinubu, but I believe
he should remain tamed as a wraith hovering over the seat of power. He could dance around the throne,
but he should not sit in it. His antecedents are well established.
I do not think we need a president, who has publicly admitted arrogantly to conveying cash in bullion
vans on the eve of an election, in contravention of the country’s money laundering laws.
If by 2023, the ‘’children of Eris’’ unbalance the scale and decide to skirt the south-east by tilting the
office of the president to the south-west, then, I will gamble my vote on a refined, expansive and level-
headed person, who does not cut the figure of a mob boss, like Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo – if he
decides to run.
Follow me on Twitter @FredrickNwabufo

Governor Okezie Ikpeazu Is An Ugly Woman

With Bad Character -By Churchill Okonkwo
A beautiful woman with bad character is marriageable; an ugly woman with good character is also
marriageable – they will both be wives, but an ugly woman with bad character does not live in a
husband’s house. Governor Okezie Ikpeazu is an ugly woman with a bad character – incompetent,
chronically corrupt and now, through his aides is threatening to ruthlessly deal with anyone who dares
point at his failure in Abia State. He should have no place in the Igbo geopolitical landscape.
The powerful Igbo proverb ‘an old woman is always uneasy when dry bones are mentioned’
encapsulates Governor Ikpeazu’s unease at the mention of unpaid salaries and pension arrears. You
don’t need a light to see someone you know intimately at night. Abia citizens do not need a light to see
their bad roads or know that Aba is stinking and is one of the dirtiest cities in the world.
Ukpaka is a meal that has a strong odor that attracts flies after it has fermented. Governor Ikpeazu and
his aides are like the old woman who cooks a meal of ükpaka and knows the blind fly. They are worried
that the bad odor from the rot in Abia state is attracting the attention of well-meaning citizens. But
instead of purging the rot in the government house, they are taking the aggression to the already
impoverished Abia citizens.
Here is the governor Ikpeazu’s threatening message to Abia citizen through his aide, “Look, from
today, whether it’s about unpaid salaries, bad roads, unpaid pensions, whatever, if u ever write anything
about Abia State govt, you will disappear to Abuja…!” Chilling!
It is terrifying that the brazenly overzealous aide of Governor Ikpeazu on that recorded call threatened
to give the patriotic Abia son what he characterized as ‘Mopol’ treatment. Hear him; “If a whole Mopol
can be put out, who are you? Does your family have money to bail You?” The fact that he even
reminded the young man how poor he and his family are, was heartless
When there is a disturbance in the market, the old woman runs to the stall of someone she knows she
can beat. Governor Ikpeazu and his aides are like that ugly old woman with bad character. They have
seen a small guy they can annihilate and are, thus, anxious for a fight. Shameful.
What are Governo Ikpeazu and his aides teaching Igbo youths that will make future decisions about our
democracy? Let the governor and the killer squad that is behind him challenge the demons in the
government house in Umuahia that have prevented them from paying workers and keeping the streets
of Aba clean.
Everyone’s true colors show eventually. Governor Ikpeazu’s true color is clearly showing. His waring
is simple; speak up against the corruption and incompetence in Abia State and you will disappear. The
governor and his aides smell like the dirt in the streets of Aba, and Igbos, must rise, together and ask
Governor Ikpeazu to apologize to the young man his aide was threatening.
The old woman who provokes a fight but is not pushed to the ground will provoke a fight another day.
Governor Ikpeazu and his aides have just provoked a fight and Igbos should push them to the ground.
Governor Ikpeazu is a big mistake for Abia citizens and a terrible example for Igbos.
If you forgive the fox for stealing your chicken, he will take your sheep. If we let governor Ikpeazu get
away with boasting to cause the disappearance of his subject who is simply asking him to deliver good
governance, he will come after the teachers that are asking him to pay common salary. If he gets away
with this, he will send pensioners who he has been starving to their early death.
To lead is not to run roughshod over people and the jungle is stronger than the elephant. The citizens of
Abia State are the jungle and the elephants in and around the government house in Umuahia should not
be allowed to roughshod the people.
A weaning baby that does not cry aloud will die on its mother’s back. Igbos that are under the spell of
bad leadership since 1999 should cry out loud. We should speak up against poor governance or die
under the table of these failed leaders. History proves that to encroach on the liberty of one is to
threaten the freedom of all. The ugly political actors with bad characters must be confronted.
Let me now remind my Igbo brothers and sisters of one Acholi proverb which states that old and new
millet seeds end up in the same mill. The incompetence, corruption, and impunity in Abuja should,
thus, generate the same level of outcry from Igbos as the ones in Awka, Enugu, Abakaliki, Owerri and
Umuahia.
What has horns must not be hid in a sack. Let us stop protecting and hiding these embarrassing ugly
characters in our backyards. An okra tree does not grow taller than its master. Governors Obiano,
Umahi, Ugwuanyi, Okezie and Ihedioha should not be allowed to lord over us with impunity and
incompetence. We are their masters.
No one wants to be called fragile. If you are Igbo, and after reading this, you feel that I should stop
bashing and exposing Igbo politicians, then you are fragile. You have a low emotional tolerance for
discussing the rotten political class in Igbo land that is running amok.
Here is my Charge to Igbos: let us take a break from what is going on in Abuja for two years and focus
on the rot at our backyard. The vultures, we know would not land at the village in which there is a wise
old man. If Igbos will look inwards and apply just 50% of our wisdom to our local politics, the political
vultures that have held us hostage for years will have nowhere to land.
Knowledge without wisdom is like water in the sand. If we channel 10% of the energy we dissipate on
Tinubu and his Lagos on our governors in the southeast, we will make our states economically viable.
If we should stop hallucinating over Rotimi Amaechi and Aisha Buhari for 2 years, we will force our
governors to sit up and deliver good governance across Igbo land.
“Later, later” prevented the toad from growing a tail. The time to stop protecting the incompetence
across the Igbo states is now. May the child not die, may the child not die: Let it die, and let’s see if the
day will not break. We are stronger, together.
Unspoken, blame the mouth; unheard, blame the ear.
Together, we can.

Supreme Court: Timi Frank Rejects 'Handpicked' Justices For

Atiku's Case
A political activist and former Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress
(APC) Comrade Timi Frank, has made public the proposed names of eight Justices allegedly
'handpicked' to hear the appeal of the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)
Alhaji Atiku Abubakar.

Frank said the eight Justices about to be named were handpicked by the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN),
hence their rejection.

The names made public by Frank include: Hon.Justice Ibrahim Tanko Muhammad, Hon. Justice Bode
Rhodes -Vivour, Hon.Justice Olukayode Ariwoola, Hon. Justice Amiru Sanusi, Hon. Justice John
Inyang Okoro. Hon. Justice Ejembi Eko, Hon. Justice Taboo and Hon. Justice M. Abaji.

In a statement made available to newsmen, Frank raised an alarm that those selected to handle the
Supreme Court case were not based on the order of seniority.

"I have a privilege information to the effect that the under listed names have been handpicked by the
CJN in connivance with the presidency to do the bidding of the presidency and APC.

"The singular motive behind these names which is against the known norm of picking names according
to seniority which is a tradition the law profession takes very seriously, is to endorse the court of
Appeal judgment.

"By this statement, let it be known that concerned citizens outrightly rejects the list and any pre
conceived outcome.

"One wonders why the list is coming out at this time when it is just few days to the hearing of the
appeal. It is clear to all well meaning Nigerians that it is for the sole aim of boxing the opposition to a
corner where they will have no option than to accept the list."

The Bayelsa born activist called on Nigerians to be vigilant, adding that the time was a difficult one for
the country.
Signed:
Comrade Timi Frank
Political activist
Abuja

'Nigeria Doomed Under Buhari’ – Northern

Youths Group Attack President Over Frequent
Trips Abroad
The Arewa Youth Consultative Forum, AYCF, has declared that Nigeria was in for a doom under
the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari.
Speaking exclusively with DAILY POST, President General of AYCF, Yerima Shettima made the
remark while describing Buhari’s foreign trips as a political jamboree.
Urging Nigerians to be wary of the highlights projected of Buhari’s trip to Russia, Shettima maintained
that there was no time Buhari traveled abroad and came back with anything good.
According to Shettima, Nigerians should start looking inward to come up with ideas that can move the
country forward.
He said: “There has never been any time Buhari traveled out of this country and came back with
anything good. I have come to a level where I don’t believe in anything I hear or see online by this
President until I see it physically.
“It is one thing for them to discuss something and later come forward to tell you a different thing. So I
have come to the conclusion that I don’t get carried away by mere issues of prospects by this
administration.
“A prospect is something you are looking forward to in the future and I do not see anything about all
Buhari’s jamboree trips abroad.
“Nigeria is in for a doom under this administration and it’s high time Nigerians began to look inward,
began to think so that we can reflect and begin to come up with a genuine cause that will move this
country forward.”
Buhari, who recently returned from a three-day trip to Russia will today (Monday) depart for Riyadh,
the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, where he will attend the third edition of the Future Investment Initiative,
FII.
Garba Shehu, the President’s spokesman who disclosed this in a statement in Abuja on Sunday said that
event was organised by Saudi’s Public Investment Fund, PIF.
Nigeria, Egypt Advocate Concerted Efforts To Tackle Terrorism
In Sahel Region
*As Egypt pledges support for Adesina's candidacy
*VP receives Speaker & members of the Egyptian parliament

A concerted action by countries around the world is crucial towards tackling terrorism in the Sahel
region, as well as the challenges posed by Boko Haram and ISWAP in Africa, according to Vice
President Yemi Osinbajo, SAN.

Prof. Osinbajo made this call when he received a delegation of members of Egypt’s Parliament (House
of Representatives), led by its Honourable Speaker, Dr. Ali Abdel-Aal Sayed Hamad. The delegation
also included the Egyptian Ambassador to Nigeria, Assem Hanafy Elseify.

Similarly, speaking on behalf of the government of Egypt, Hamad said Egypt shared the same view as
Nigeria that concerted efforts was needed to combat terrorism in the Sahel region.

Prof. Osinbajo, who welcomed the delegation on behalf of President Muhammadu Buhari, noted that
Egypt and Nigeria have enjoyed very good relations over the years.

“Since Nigeria’s independence in 1960, we’ve always had friendly relations and cooperation with the
Republic of Egypt. We know that this very friendly and brotherly relations will continue.”

On the issue of security challenges on the continent, the Vice President urged for more concerted global
action to prevent similar escalating situations in some parts of the Middle East as related to ISIS.

He said, “We would want to urge that Egypt joins us in calling upon the world, the international
community, to immediately see the need for a concerted action against Boko Haram, Islamic State’s
West Africa Province (ISWAP), and terrorist groups operating in the Sahel, in particular.

“We think that it is time for that kind of concerted action in the Sahel. And with such concerted action,
we believe that we can prevent a situation as seen in some parts of the Middle East where damage to
lives and livelihoods was done by ISIS.

The Vice President added that the world should not look away and hope that the problem would
disappear, unless the international community come together to tackle it.

“Just as was done in Iraq, where the world powers came together to drive out ISIS, that is the sort of
cooperation that we should have now to ensure that we’re able to deal with terrorism, especially
terrorism in the Sahel,” he said.

Prof. Osinbajo also stated that Nigeria would continue to join hands with Egypt in promoting religious
tolerance and tackling extreme poverty and challenges to social inclusion.

The Vice President further said Nigeria is open to Egypt for more investments, especially in the agri-
business, agro-allied value chain, and also in light manufacturing and other such areas; just as he
equally noted that Nigerian companies, particularly in the financial sector and industrial investments,
are willing to do business in Egypt if given the opportunity.

In the same vein, the Egyptian Parliament speaker delivered a personal message from President Abdel
Fattah al-Sisi to President Buhari and the VP, inviting him for the Africa Investment forum and the
inaugural Forum for Sustainable Peace and Development in Egypt in November and December
respectively.

The Vice President said he would convey the message to President Buhari. He also said President
Buhari would be briefed on the request to mediate on the issue between Egypt and Ethiopia over the
building of the Renaissance Dam project on the Blue Nile River.

“I would certainly ensure that I convey the strong feelings of the Egyptian government on this point to
our president, President Muhammadu Buhari, and I believe that, within the auspices of the AU, we
would be able to reach a just and fair conclusion. I’m sure that he would work within the AU to find a
solution that is fair to all parties,” the VP stated.

Also, Hamad pledged the full support of the Egyptian government for the candidacy of Nigeria’s Dr.
Akinwunmi Adesina, who is running for a second term as president of the African Development Bank
(AfDB).

The Vice President had earlier stated that he (Adesina) has done quite well in the first term and that he
would do better in the second term.

Speaking further, Hamad noted that, “Egypt and Nigeria are two big nations in Africa in terms of
population and capabilities. We also pledge to put our expertise to foster and strengthen economic
relations, especially in the economic and energy sector.”

Laolu Akande;
Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity
Office of the Vice President
28th October 2019

CBN Governor Gives Conditions For Reopening Nigerian

Borders
The Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria, Godwin Emefiele, on Monday revealed conditions to be met
before the country’s borders could be closed.
Speaking with the State House correspondents shortly after meeting with President Muhammadu
Buhari, the CBN governor said until neighbouring countries agree to implement mutual anti-smuggling
policies, the borders would remain closed.
Mr Emefiele stated that Nigerian rice and poultry farmers have particularly been benefiting from the
border closure.
“In November 2015 President Muhammadu Buhari, the CBN and some state governors went to Kebbi
State to launch the Wet Season Rice Farming.
“Since then, we have seen an astronomical growth in the number of farmers who have been going into
rice farming and our paddy production has gone up also quite exponentially.
“Between 2015 and also now, we have also seen an astronomical rise in the number of companies,
corporate and individuals that are setting up mills, integrated mills and even small mills in various
areas.

“We have been embarking on a programme where we are saying if you are involved in the business of
smuggling or dumping of rice in the country, we close your account in the banking industry. And that is
very effective.
“Recently, and this is the absolute truth, about two weeks before the border closure, the chairman of the
Rice Processors Association – incidentally, he owns Umza Rice in Kano – called me and said that all
the rice millers and processors are carrying in their warehouses nothing less than 25,000 metric tons of
milled rice.
“This rice has been unsold because of the smuggling and dumping of rice through Republic of Benin
and other border posts that we have in the country and that he would want us to do something about it.
“Secondly, we also have members of the Poultry Association of Nigeria who complained that they have
thousands of crates of eggs that they could not sell; even some of the processed chickens that they
could not sell, also arising from smuggling and dumping of poultry products into Nigeria.
“A week after the borders were closed, the same rice millers association called to tell us that all the rice
that they had in their warehouses have all been sold,” Mr Emefiele added.

Only Those Doing Well Should Be Called ‘Excellency’ – Sanwo-

olu
Governor Babajide Sanwo -Olu of Lagos State says the appellation , ‘ Excellency ’ , should only be
used for executive officers who have performed well .

Sanwo - Olu said he was working on an executive order to ensure that a person will be referred to as ‘
Excellency ’ only after doing well .

The governor said this while addressing a congregation at the King ’s Court Parish of the Redeemed
Christian Church of God, Lagos , on Sunday .

The church is headed by Pastor Ben Akabueze , who is also the Director -General of the Budget office
and former commissioner to ex -govs Bola Tinubu and Babatunde Fashola of Lagos State .
Addressing the church , Sanwo -Olu said, “ I don ’t want title in front of my name. I am actually going
to come up with an executive order . This Excellency thing, I think it is when you have finished and if
you earn it , then you should be called Excellency .

“ If you haven ’t earned it , if you haven ’t delivered , there is nothing excellent in the Excellency . You
are just Mr Governor for crying out loud and it is only when you have finished the kingdom assignment
, when you have finished God’ s work in the chosen place that you have been called to do that people
can say in truth that you are a good representation and you deserve to be called ‘Excellency ’.

Sanwo - Olu , who has been governor for five months , has come under intense criticism in the last few
weeks over the poor state of roads and public infrastructure in the state as well as the filthy state of
Lagos .

The governor appealed to parishioners to be patient , promising to ensure that the roads are repaired
after the rains may have subsided .

Why I Was Removed As Governor- Ambode

1) I constructed 22 roads in Alimosho and refused to award any of the contracts to Aregbesola and co.

2) I insisted that contracts that had been awarded to party leaders under Fashola must be executed
before they can be awarded new contracts under my regime.

3) I wanted to phase out Danfos and Area boys from the streets of Lagos and introduce smarter means
of transportation without Area boys and Agberos.

4) I refused to pad the budget with 10% for house of assembly members led by Bayo Osinowo and
Mudashir Obasa.

5) I refused to grant the concession of 4th mainland bridge to Tinubu’s Hitech

6) I refused to increase the amount of money being paid from the state revenue to Tinubu through
Alpha Beta from 10% to 20%

7) I developed Epe. Epe was never in their master plan.

� I refused to support Aregbesola and Bayo Osinowo’s senatorial ambitions because they are not
Lagosians.

9) I refused to use Lagos state funds to finance osun elections.

10) I opposed Tinubu’s succession plan, which will see his son Seyi Tinubu becoming the next
Governor of Lagos state after me.

SPONSORED BY
AMBODE SUPPORT GROUP

October 29

Mompha: EFCC Arrests Hamza Koudeih Over Suspected

Laundering Of 33 Billion
•Accomplice Mompha ‘kept 51 bank accounts’

•N60m wristwatches seized

October 29, 2019

By Robert Egbe

A LEBANESE Hamza Koudeih and two other suspected accomplices of social media celebrity, Ismaila
Mustapha (a.k.a. Mompha), have been arrested in Lagos.

Koudeih was arrested at the weekend after a three-hour stand-off at his N1.8 billion luxury apartment
in the 33-storey Eko Atlantic Pearl Tower, Victoria Island, Lagos.

Mompha, Koudeih and the others are suspected to be kingpins of a network of cyber criminals who
laundered N33 billion through three firms.

His arrest by officials of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), followed
intelligence unearthed after Mompha’s arrest last Tuesday.

The Nation learnt that when the anti-graft agency’s operatives arrived at his luxury suite, Koudeih and
his wife refused to open the door.

The couple also did not respond to appeals from the building’s chief security officer.

But the operatives, who had been monitoring the premises and had it surrounded, knew the Lebanese
was inside. His cars were parked in the garage downstairs.

The apartment was fortified with triple reinforced fire-proof door and closed-Circuit Television
(CCTV) cameras and they could not gain entrance.

It was gathered that the EFCC investigators battled for three hours to break down the door using
breaching tools.

When they gained access, they met his wife who claimed Koudeih had escaped through the window.

But Koudeih’s apartment is on one of the topmost floors of Eko Atlantic Pearl Tower, said to be the
tallest apartment building in Nigeria.

“Our officials knew that he was still inside and they were even hoping to persuade him not to jump out
through the window because it would be suicide,” EFCC Lagos Zonal Head, Mr. Mohammed Rabo,
who confirmed the arrest, told The Nation.

But they did not find Koudeih in any of the rooms until they observed that a part of the ceiling in his
bedroom had been artificially sealed.

They pushed it open and found Koudeih hiding in the ceiling.

Further search of his bedroom revealed a fire-proof safe containing different charms and talismans in
calabashes.

According to the EFCC, the Lebanese admitted they were his “prayer objects”. Two luxury cars were
also recovered from him.

Rabo said the commission was investigating Koudeih and his wife’s immigration status and the result
was being expected.

He said it had been confirmed that they had Lebanese ancestry but it was not known if they had any
other nationality.

The nationality of the two other suspects, he explained, was not yet known.

Rabo stated that local and international law enforcement agencies had indicated interest to collaborate
in the investigation.

He said the operation that led to Koudeih’s arrest was “an offshoot of the collaboration between the
EFCC and the United States’ Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI),” but that Koudeih was arrested
based on “purely EFCC intelligence”.

Rabo added: “Actionable intelligence received from local and international law enforcement agencies
had revealed that Koudeih and Mompha alongside their collaborators are high valued targets in
Organised Cyber Syndicate Network (OCSN).

“Investigations have also revealed that Mompha uses a firm known as Ismalob Global Investments
Limited to perpetrate about N14 billion money laundering while Koudeih also operate two firms
namely: THK Services Limited and CHK properties Limited to launder about N19 billion.”

It was also learnt that the EFCC discovered 51 Nigerian bank accounts opened by Mompha for money
laundering.

The commission also revealed that the five wristwatches recovered from Mompha at his arrest on
Tuesday are worth over N60 million, rather than the N20 million earlier thought.

According to the EFCC, Mompha, “a premium and first-class customer of one of the popular
international airlines, was arrested on Friday 18, October 2019 at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International
Airport, Abuja, on his way to Dubai Emirate following [a] series of intelligence reports received by the
Commission.”

Shehu Sani: It Is Only Logical To Allow The South To Rule In

2023
*Shehu Sani It’s Only Logical To Allow The South To Rule In 2023

*Shehu Sani warns North against holding onto to power beyond 2023

Northern political leaders have been warned to resist the temptation of holding on to the
nation’s Presidency beyond 2023 as such political adventure would be a recipe for chaos
and crisis capable of threatening the unity of the country.

Sounding the warning during an exclusive interview with The Nation in Abuja, Senator
Shehu Sani said since President Muhammadu Buhari came to power with the support of the
south and on the principle of rotation of power, it is only logical for the north to reciprocate
the gesture by allowing the south to have the Presidency in 2023.

He said northern leaders who had been organising meetings to sell the idea of north holding
on to power beyond 2023 should have a re-think and place the unity and interests of Nigeria
above personnal interests.

Sani said: “The concept of rotation of power is simply to give every section of the country
the opportunity and ability to feel that yes, we are equal stakeholders in the enterprise
called Nigeria. If one part of the country now continue to dominate the political sphere,
they can take the mantle of leadership, but they will not be able to have the peace to preside
over the affairs of the country forever”.

” But my position on this is that President Muhammadu Buhari came to power with the
support of the south. It would be logical enough that we understand the diversities of
Nigeria, and the need to always balance our own personal interests and agenda with the
need to sustain the unity, peace and orderliness of the country” Senator Sani who was a
member of the 8th National Assembly from Kaduna Central Zone added.

Senator Sani further said: ” A lot of meetings are going on in the north today, and I can tell
you that they are gaining traction. And part of the reasons for some of them who told me
was that they believe that this government has served more people in the south than it has
served people in the north.

“So that is the argument which many of them have given and you see sometimes words
have life, if a prominent northerner who is well respected now averred that we are not
going to respect the principle of rotation of power and the north will continue to have it
forever, if you do not have a strong counter argument on that, it will settle in the minds of
the people.

“So as far as I am concerned, there is the need for northern and southern leaders, traditional
rulers, religious leaders, and politicians need to come together and discuss Nigeria. Where
do we head from here?

” Governance is such a serious business that you should not leave it to politicians alone to
decide. I think it is ideal, for instance, what stops the leaders of Afenifere, and Ohaneze
visiting Ango Abdullahi in his house in Zaria and discuss with him.

“What stops the leaders from the north moving to Chief E K Clark house in Abuja or down
there in the south-south to discuss with him. These are issues that I believe we should
resolve. But we should understand that if one part of the country is not prepared to rotate
power to another part of the country, we are simply setting a road map to chaos and crisis in
Nigeria”.

He said it is also possible for the south to lose out if political leaders from the region are not
united and if the lack of coordination in the major political parties persist, warning that the
northern political establishment could also take advantage of the unpreparedness of
southern leaders to hold on to power beyond 2023.

Senator Sani advised President Muhammadu Buhari to overhaul the nation’s security
architecture by appointing new Service Chiefs to build on the foundations laid by the
present ones, stressing that new ideas and initiatives would add the needed impetus to the
fight against Boko Haram, kidnappers, bandits and armed robbers in the country.

He said it is disheartening that governors are now negotiating with bandits for peace to
reign in the north-west of the country, regretting that bandits and kidnappers have taken
over scores of villages in Katsina, Kaduna and Niger states, with thousands of villagers
migrating to cities and towns for safety.

He advised northern states governors to hold a regional security conference and develop a
blue print that would be used to address the multi-faceted security challenges facing the
region, saying time has come for them to borrow a leaf from South-east and south-west
leaders who have responded to the security challenges in their regions with workable
strategy.
 He called on President Muhammadu Buhari to review the closure of borders considering
the soaring prices of food items across the country, warning that the economy of the
country should not be reduced to rice alone.

He said” the last time we heard about exporting yam to Europe, it became a failure, now it
is about preserving rice. For goodness sake how would a country has no issue to discuss
about order than rice.

“Agriculture should be about export of cash crops, agriculture should be about production
of varieties of crops, agriculture should be about providing incentives to farmers, and if
possible setting up state farms and connecting agriculture to industries”

KWSG Will Take Decisive Actions To Safeguard Lives And

Property – Kayode Alabi
Residents of Ilorin, the Kwara State capital, have called on the state government to urgently remove
buildings and other obstructions along waterways to avert disaster in the state.
 
Some residents who spoke with newsmen at the flooded popular Unity bridge on AbdulWahab
Folawiyo road expressed concern over the perennial flooding in the areas bordering Asa River in the
capital city.
 
They blamed the development on the erection of buildings and shops along waterways and other
encroachments on the setbacks, thereby blocking free flow of water.
 
A trader, Mr Micheal Alfred, urged the government to direct owners of the offending buildings to
vacate immediately in order to safe lives and property.
 
Alfred said flooding has hampered business activities in the area and deserves to be given the needed
attention.
 
"The water always disturb us here whenever it rains. We want the government to do something urgent
about it. For those that built on waterways, the government should ask them to quit. They should vacate
the buildings. Government must do something about it," he said.
 
Another resident of the area, David Ayotunde, on his part, also appealed to the government to find
lasting solution to perennial flooding along Asa River at Unity and other parts of the state.
 
"We want the government to help us here. The government should remove the buildings on waterways
to guarantee free flow of water," he added.
 
A shop owner, Mr Adeniyi Fabunmi, called for the dredging of Asa River to ensure free flow of water,
attributing flooding in some parts of the state to the buildings on the waterways.
 
The State Deputy Governor, Mr Kayode Alabi, who made an on-the-spot assessment to the area on
Monday, noted that the government has directed the Town Planning and Development Authority to
reassess the area and recommend appropriate measures to tackle the flooding.
 
He said: "We need to do something to guarantee free flow of water. So, we have called on the Town
Planning Development Authority to advise us on how to go about it. We must also ensure that the Asa
river is dredged to ensure free flow of water."
 
Mr Alabi, who promised that the government would take decisive actions to safeguard lives and
property of the citizens, urged the public to desist from indiscriminate dumping of refuse, particularly
on the river.
 
Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Environment and Forestry, Isiaka Al-Amin, said government would
take proactive measures to avert disaster in the state.
 
He urged residents not to throw dirts in the drainages or build on waterways, saying that building on
waterways could lead to further destruction of properties.
 
"Don't throw dirt on waterways or build on waterways - whether man-made or natural one. The
solution lies in the people and the government too must take proactive measures to ensure that those on
waterways vacate the places," according to him.
 
"We will continue to appeal to our people for attitudinal change before taking any punitive measure."

Saraki’s Ex-aide Under Fire As Group Petitions NBC, Rights

Commission
A pro-women rights group has petitioned the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) urging it to
question a former Kwara State commissioner Tunji Moronfoye over alleged comments disparaging the
recent nomination of nine women into the cabinet of Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq.

Authored Convener of the Women Against Gender Discrimination (WAGED), Dr Florence Onibudo,
the petition accused Moronfoye of misogynistic comments against womenfolk and must not be left to
go without response.

Moronfoye had once denied making the comments which have since attracted criticisms from far and
near.

The latest petition was copied to the National Broadcasting Corporation (NBC), NHRC Gender
Thematic Team Women, Children and Vulnerable Groups National Human Rights Commission, the
Women for Peace & Gender Equality Initiative, and Women Consortium of Nigeria.
“We are writing this Petition against Mr. Tunji Moronfoye, a former commissioner in Kwara State and
a purported civil society leader, for his careless hate speech, misplaced dark humours, uncultured
gender innuendos and gender discriminatory utterances which are targeted towards Kwara State
Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq's well-considered nomination of a cabinet having 56.25%
women,” according to the statement.

“The said unforgivable and irresponsible comments were reportedly made on the 24th October, 2019
while on air on local radio station called Albarika Fm, Ilorin. And the same unfortunate comments have
been echoed and trumpeted across various social media platforms by some ignorant and witless youths
who look up to Mr. Tunji and his ilk as perfect mentors of their sociopathy. Some of the misguided
youths have even tagged the nomination "bedroom appointment”. This is condemnable, to say the least.

“If hateful and character damaging statements of this magnitude are allowed and overlooked as mere
rantings it would be a grave insult on womanhood and would allow continuous barbaric and crude
notions that women are mere objects of sexual pleasure and nothing more.

“Considering key provisions against women degradation and gender discrimination in the Constitution
of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, Protocol to the
ACHPR on the Rights of Women in Africa, AU Solemn Declaration on Gender Equality in Africa,
Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, I hope he is summoned
by your able commission for questioning and he is strictly taken up for his comments. This would serve
the purpose of deterring all future comments with similar naivety.”

Warri And Kaduna Refineries To Be Renovated In 2020

The Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Chief Timipre Sylva, has said Warri and Kaduna
refineries will be revamped in the first half of next year.
Sylva said on Monday in Lagos that the rehabilitation of Port Harcourt refinery was ongoing.
The nation’s refineries have a combined installed capacity of 445,000 barrels per day but have
continued to operate far below the installed capacity for many years.
“Refurbishment of the existing refineries to achieve full capacity operations shall be fast-tracked: (Port
Harcourt ongoing, others to follow by Q1 and Q2 2020),” the minister said at the 13th Oil Trading and
Logistics Africa Downstream Week.
He said working with the private sector to aggressively increase domestic refinery capacity would be
paramount.
The minister, who was represented by his Senior Technical Adviser and Chief of Staff, Mr Moses
Olamide, said, “In order to have a robust, investor-friendly and stable downstream petroleum sector, the
government is currently finalising clearer and more transparent regulatory framework with well-
delineated activities to support the rapid infrastructural development in the sector including new
refining capacities emerging in the country.”
He said the government would aggressively promote the passage of the Petroleum Industry Bill, which
would engender a focused regulatory agency, regulated tariff and open access to pipeline and terminals,
and introduction of transportation network code, among others.
According to Sylva, appropriate framework is being built to encourage public-private partnership in the
downstream sector, especially in the areas of fixing and expansion of existing pipeline infrastructure
and depots.
He said flare gas commercialisation would be aggressively pursued with foolproof framework.

DPR Recommends Valve-Fitted Tankers To Prevent Spillage

And Oil Tanker Fire
Following the recent trend of oil spillage from Tankers in the country and the fire outbreaks caused by
it, the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) has recommended that petrol tankers should be fitted
with valves to prevent spillage in event of a rollover, IgbereTV reports.

Acting Director, Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR), Mr Rufai Shakur, said these at the 13th
edition of the Oil Trading and Logistics (OTL Africa Downstream) Conference held in Lagos. The
theme of the conference was: “Growth, Innovation and Technology.’

Shakur, who was represented by Mr Oluwole Akinyosoye, DPR Zonal Operations Controller, Lagos,
Ogun, Oyo, Kwara and Osun States, said the recommendation were the fallout from the Agency’s
recently concluded Annual General Meeting with its stakeholders.

DPR also said that Nigeria should revert to the use of 33,000 litres maximum capacity for tankers
instead of the 45,000 litres currently being conveyed by majority of the trucks.

He said the DPR was concerned about the frequency of tanker accidents across Nigeria, stressing that
this could be as a result of the high volume of fuel being conveyed by the trucks. He said that apart
from endangering lives and properties, over-laden tankers also endanger the lifespan of Nigerian roads.
“It was also recommended that all petrol tankers should be fitted with valves that would prevent
spillage in event of a rollover.

He said, “Think of it, if we had that, the recent inferno at Onitsha, arising from spillage from a
petroleum taker would not have happened. “The 2018 incident on Otedola Bridge and many other fire
incidents consequent on truck rollover might also have been averted’’, Shakur said. He said it was safer
and more efficient to use rail and pipelines for transporting of petroleum products. He noted that this
was however being hampered by activities of vandals which needed to be tackled using modern
technology.
Also Shakur, while commending the organisers of the conference, said the DPR would continue to
support initiatives that would improve operations in the downstream sector. Earlier, Mr Alex Egbona,
Deputy Chairman, House Committee on Petroleum (Downstream Sector), said the sector was very
crucial to ordinary Nigerians due to its impact on their daily lives. Egbona said the committee had
charged the Minister of State for Petroleum, Mr Timipre Sylva, during his recent budget defence, to
ensure that all refineries were working optimally within the next four years. He said the lawmakers
were also planning to hold town hall meetings with critical stakeholders in the Niger Delta to put an
end the vandalism of oil pipeline and oil theft.

Minimum Wage Negotiations: FEC Can’t Decide For States –

Governors
Negotiations over consequential salary adjustments on the N 30,000 minimum wage may run into a
storm in states as the Nigeria Governors’ Forum on Monday said states would not pay above their
capacities .
The Chairman of the NGF and Governor of Ekiti State, Dr Kayode Fayemi, who stated this after the
forum’s meeting in Abuja said the Federal Executive Council could not decide for states .
But organised labour lashed out at the NGF chairman and warned him against statements that could
trigger industrial crises in states.
Fayemi said the governors , at their meeting , reviewed progress in the implementation of the minimum
wage law .
Clarifying the forum’s position and FEC ’s decision, Fayemi said that while state governors agreed on
the N 30, 000 minimum wage, FEC did not determine what happened in states.
He said that each state had its executive council, which is the highest decision- making body at the state
level .
Fayemi stated , “ The forum as the representative body of the states keenly followed what happened in
the negotiations that led to that template .
“ As far as we are concerned, the best the forum can do is to stick with what has been agreed with the
states . States are part of the tripartite negotiations .
“ The FEC does not determine what happens at the states. Each state has an executive council which is
the highest decision- making organ in the state.
“ As far as we are concerned, the states were part of the tripartite discussion and agreed to the N 30,
000 minimum wage.
“ States also know there will be consequential adjustments , but that will be determined by what
happens on the state by state basis because there are different numbers of workers at states . There are
different issues at states level . Every state has its own trade unions and joint negotiations committee
and they will undertake discussions with their state governments. ”
The governor said there was a difference between the national minimum wage increase and the general
wage review .

Fayemi said , “ This is about minimum wage increment ; yes that may necessitate consequential
increment , there is no doubt about it , but that is a matter between the states and their workers .”
“ The day after this agreement was reached with labour, it was on record that I was on a national
television and made the position of the governors clear . That for us this was a national minimum wage
increase, not a general minimum wage review . Yes , that may necessitate consequential increment , we
have no doubt about that but that it is a matter for the states to discuss with their workers , ’’ he said

Ihedioha Attracts 50m Dollars Afrieximbank Facility To Imo

State
IgbereTV reports that the Africa Export Import Bank (Afreximbank) has identified Imo State for the
development of an internationally accredited quality assurance facility under the brand name of Africa
Quality Assurance Centre ( AQAC). This was conveyed in a letter from Prof. Benedict O. Oramah,
President and Chairman of the Board of Directors of Afreximbank.

The proposed Firty Million dollars ($50,000,000.00) investment will provide testing certification and
inspection services to key sectors such as food, agriculture, pharmaceutical and light manufacturing to
incresse export of goods to other African and International markets. The centre will also provide
capacity building and training in relation to conformity assessments.

The Afreximbank has requested for fifteen (15) hectares of land for the development of the facility in
Imo State. Meanwhile, His Excellency Rt. Hon. Emeka Ihedioha has accepted the request for land
provision and has directed the Imo State Commissioner for Land, to do the needful.

How Will Brexit Affect Nigeria?

Brexit is a term used to describe the scheduled withdrawal of the UK (United Kingdom) from the EU
(European Union).

This is a process that was birthed in the aftermath of a 2016 UK – EU membership referendum, where
majority of UK voters voted to leave the European Union.

Over the years, there has been series of negotiation and re-negotiation to reach a withdrawal agreement
which will form the basis of the post-divorce relationship between both parties.

However, these efforts have been met with a deluge of obstacles, the most recent being the UK
Parliament suggesting a further extension of the Brexit deadline and Prime Minister Boris Johnson
calling for a General Election in December.

Evidently, the effects of Brexit have been strongly felt by the UK economy with the British Pounds
(“GBP”) shedding over 21% since the exit process began in 2016.

This could be further worsened as vast majority of economic projections suggest that Brexit will harm
the UK economy both in the short and long term.
Although, Brexit is a political and economic issue relating to the United Kingdom, the effect is far-
reaching and cuts across the global economy.

The International Monetary Fund (“IMF”) downgraded its global economic growth outlook for 2019 to
3.6% with emerging economies expected to grow by 4.1% (following a 4.5% growth recorded in 2018)
citing the trade war between US and China and uncertainty regarding Brexit’s outcome.

How will Brexit affect Nigeria?

It is quite difficult to draw extensive and clear cut conclusions on the impact of Brexit on Nigeria’s
economy, as this situation is the first of its kind and hence there exists no precursor to be employed as a
basis for analysis. However, our study on the trade relations and economic interactions between the UK
and Nigeria discloses the following findings as consequences of the planned British exit on Nigeria’s
economy.

Investments and remittances

Brexit presents significant economic and political uncertainty. For the average investor, unpredictability
means danger! Foreign investors would be weary of investing in emerging economies such as
Nigeria’s. Over the years, Foreign direct investments (“FDI”) in Nigeria has declined significantly by a
cumulative average rate of 19% between 2014 and 2018 with the largest decline recorded in 2017 and
2018 (post Brexit referendum periods).

On the other hand, remittances to Nigeria is the second highest in Africa growing at an average rate of
4% between 2014 and 2018 with the largest growths experienced in 2017 and 2018.

Although correlation does not imply causation, we could assume that Brexit has contributed to the
trend experienced in both FDI and Remittances. This could continue in the foreseeable period
following the breakup of the UK and EU’s economic relationship.

Revenue generation

With the projected slowdown in economic activities across nations, emerging economies heavily reliant
on commodity export for revenue generation are expected to experience decline in revenue as demand
for commodities are weak during periods economic deceleration.

In 2016, oil prices declined by 17% year on year (y/y). This led to a slowdown in Nigeria’s economic
growth process, which eventually saw it slip into recession.

Around 32% of Nigeria’s 2020 projected revenue will come from oil, but with Brexit expected to come
into full effect in 2020, it might be too early to lay emphasis on the impact on oil revenue, vice
Nigeria’s economic performance.
Talent drain

With respect to human capital, we might witness an exodus of skilled workers and talented students to
the united Kingdom in the aftermath of a successful Brexit. The current British government under the
leadership of Boris Johnson has defined its post-Brexit approach to immigration as one which looks to
attract “Skilled Migrants”.

In line with the stated, the UK government has granted a further 2-years post study stay to international
students who have attended a recognised UK higher institution.

According to Study in-Uk (“SI-UK”), Nigeria ranks 9th amidst country of origin of international
students’ population.

On the job scene, 26% of Doctors practising in the UK are from non-EU countries, with a chunk of that
percentage coming from Nigeria. A continued relaxation of immigration policy in the UK will most
likely lead to human human capital flight in Nigeria, post-Brexit.

In conclusion; in order to mitigate the economic effects of British exit from the European common
market on Nigeria, the federal government must show seriousness in its economic diversification plan
(if such exists), as a means to boost revenue generation.

The federal government must also create the enabling environment for small and medium scale
businesses, as well as local industries to thrive, thereby driving domestic investment and discouraging
brain drain.

FG Under Fire For Hiring Turkish Firm To Produce Military,

Paramilitary Uniforms
Some stakeholders in the textile and garment industry in Nigeria have faulted the Federal
Government’s alleged directive that all military and paramilitary uniforms be given to Turkish
company in partnership with Defence Industry Complex (DICON) in Kaduna state, northwest Nigeria.

They lamented that such directive was capable of killing the garment and textile industry in Nigeria,
hence the need to involve local textile firms.

Last Thursday, a memorandum of understanding to ensure the establishment of a military and

paramilitary clothing factory in Kaduna was signed with a Turkish firm, Sur Corporatewear, in Abuja.

Speaking during the signing of the agreement, the Minister of Defence, Bashir Magashi, had said the
Turkish firm was expected to develop local brand of textile materials and accessories.
He had added that a total of $13million (N4.68 billion) would be invested by the firm to finance the
enterprise and make it viable.

Reacting to the development, the Creative Director of Ruff ‘n’ Tumble, Adenike Ogunlesi, described
the development as shocking and capable of keeping the moribund industry in coma.

In a statement they jointly signed, Ogunlesi disclosed that stakeholders had been holding meetings on
how to revive the industry, hence the directive came as a shock to her.

She said: “When President Muhammadu Buhari directed that all uniforms shouldn’t be imported any
longer, we were all excited. We felt it was high time for the local manufacturers to build capacity.

“We have met with the military and paramilitary bodies, and they have promised to patronise us. We
went as far as coming up with a MOU, they made corrections and returned it to us.”

Ogunlesi stressed the need for the government to believe in local companies and give them a chance to
grow.

She urged the government to create a level playing ground for all in the industry.

Describing the development as a security breach, Ogunlesi said it was totally wrong for a foreign
company to make our security uniforms.

“If you don’t invest in capacity building, how do will grow? The government needs to believe in us.
This is an attempt to kill the local industry because we have been looking forward to building local
capacity.

“This is an opportunity to develop the local capacity, bring in technical partners to deliver on a project
as big as this and create jobs. We are a sovereign nation, so why is another nation in charge of pour
security uniforms? This is a project that has the capacity to grow the entire garment industry and it is
given to one company. This is definitely not right,” she said.

Also speaking on the development, the Managing Director of Sam and Sara, Mrs. Folake Oyemade,
who described the move as unpatriotic.

She said: “I was shocked when I learnt about it because President Buhari has more interest in reviving
the textile industry and I don’t believe he was aware of this development. I don’t understand why the
job is given to a foreigner when local investors have indicated interest in it.

“I have two garment factories and we have more than 1,000 workers. I don’t know what the Turkish
firm is bringing to Kaduna State that we cannot do. The state government even offered them equity.
“We had also approached them for the same project and we didn’t ask for any equity, yet it didn’t see
the light of the day. We offered to build a factory and employ their youths but nothing came out from
it.”

Admitting that state government has the right to work with whoever they decide to, she insisted it was
wrong to cripple local manufacturers by diverting all military and paramilitary uniforms to a foreign
company.

“But I strongly believe the Federal Government has a good intention. We also have a MOU framework
with the government, which will be sign this week. We don’t know the details of the agreement reached
with the Turkish firm but I read that FG had directed that all the military and paramilitary bodies must
patronise them.”

She disclosed that after they got some jobs from the Federal Government, her company was able to
open a factory they shut down for two years.

“I believe they should be a level playing ground for all. We have Public-Private Partnership deal with
Osun State, where we built a uniform factory, Omoluabi Garment Factory. We didn’t get any equity
from the government, we funded the factory, trained 500 youths and employed some trainees,” she
said.

The owner of Wessy Tailor, Otunba Wasiu Taiwo, on his part lamented that local factories had been
folding up because there was no huge market.

He said: “Government needs to support and encourage us. We have the population and we have the
man power as well. They shouldn’t give our jobs to foreigners when we are capable of delivering the
same quality.

“The Indians and Chinese are already competing with us in the textile and garment industry, yet you
want to give our security uniforms to the Turkish. When they make their money, will they spend it in
Nigeria?

“Of course, no; they will take it back to Turkey. They will only come here to make money, not because
they love us. If anyone comes to invest in your country, the ultimate goal is to make profit.”

"The Chicken Has Come To Lagos To Roast "

Finally the chicken has come to lagos to roast.
Yes, what chicken, you may ask; Yes, the chicken is the neglected northern youths. They are
uneducated even to kindergarten level. They, surely have no skills nor trade.
Its unimaginable that a nation, in this century can produce such a mass of uneducated youths. The
numbers are staggering.
In my area, they are like colonies of bees, any where you go, lawless and fearless.
They all do okada business and nothing else. They do not live in houses. They sleep in open
compounds and when it rains, they look for cover in stair cases. I have some in my compound. Some
mosques used to accommodate them but i don't see them their anymore. Some sleep on top of their
bikes until day break.
They defecate in the open gutters.

They are Nigerians. They have rights to do businesses in any parts of the country they wish to. But
their fundamental right, which is education, was somehow denied from them.
The economy in the north is down to subzero thanks to the cabals and their selfish policies. Lagos is
one of the few states you can breathe financially so these army of unemployed and unskilled youths
descended on it.
The Lagos state government seems handicapped on this.
But something can be done. There used to be something called adult and night education. I don't know
if it is still active. Yes, they can be forced to enroll. They can be forced to rent accommodations. What
the northern leaders failed to do, Lagos state government can do for them for the betterment of
Lagosians.
There has to be a way to integrate them into the society.
Reintroduce education to them and make it compulsory.
Thats my take.

90 Million Nigerians Live In Extreme Poverty – FG

The Federal Government has said almost half of Nigeria’s population, about 90 million people, live in
extreme poverty.

Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Mrs Sadiya Farouq,
declared this in Abuja on Monday when she appeared before the House Committee on Women Affairs
and Social Development to defend the ministry’s 2020 budget proposal.

The minister stated that the ministry had the enormous responsibility of addressing some of the
underlining causes, drivers and consequences of humanitarian crises and underdevelopment.

She said the crises included the fact that “relatively high poverty, nearly half (90 million) of the
country’s 198 million population, live in extreme poverty; relatively high unemployment at 23.2 per
cent with over 40 million unemployed or underemployed citizens; high number of persons of concern,
including over two million Internally Displaced Persons; 230,000 Nigerian refugees in Niger, Chad and
Cameroon and 45,000 refugees in Nigeria; over 22 million persons with disabilities; over 14 million
persons in one form of drug and substance abuse or the other; and growing needs of the elderly and
other vulnerable groups.”

Farouq said the proposed total 2020 budget for the ministry was N3,582,102,000. The amount
comprises N499, 975,000 for recurrent expenditure and N3,082,127,000 for capital expenditure.

According to Farouq, the ministry has six agencies under its supervision, namely the National
Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons, the National Emergency
Management Agency, the National Social Investment Office, the North East Development
Commission, the Office of the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Sustainable Development
Goals, and the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons.

Alex Otti, So This Has Been Your Game Plan?

..Submits CV to villa for appointment as Patience Goodluck Camp Celebrates.

It is becoming clearer by the day that the defeated 2019 All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA)
Governorship candidate in Abia State, Dr Alex Otti, is blackmailing Abia State as a tool to curry favour
with the federal government. An impeccable source at the presidency confirms that he has submitted
his curriculum vitae (CV) to the presidency in preparation for appointment.

The source said his appointment formed part of the reasons the former president, Goodluck Jonathan
visited the president as the former first family is personal lobbying for Otti to be engaged.

Recall that Otti's nomination by former First Lady Patience Jonathan for the position of CBN Governor
was rejected while Jonathan was in office.

This development was further confirmed by an All Progressive Congress (APC) chieftain in Abia State
who said the party in the state is aware of the submission of resume by Otti but called on President
Buhari to reject any move to offer job to him when members of the party are yet to be rewarded for
their efforts during the last election that led to the president getting more than 25% of the votes cast
during the presidential election.

In his words “while we were fighting for the president to get 25% in Abia and the south east, some
privileged people around the president were busy awarding multi-billion naira NDDC contracts to Alex
Otti even while the party in the state was looking for money to win the election. Rewarding Otti with
appointment at this time is a recipe for complete disintegration of the party in the state and I want to
strongly urge the president to reject the proposal”.

This development we learnt has brought joy to the camp of the former President as a former
presidential aide who worked with former First Lady Patience Jonathan informed our reporter that the
expected appointment of Otti is good for their camp as it will mark the beginning of cooperation
between them and the Presidency.

He dismissed the allegation that Otti is joining APC because of fear of prosecution over unaccounted
NDDC funds that were diverted to campaign funds.
Three Boring Lies Nigerians Tell Themselves
1. WE ARE THE GIANT OF AFRICA

Majority of Nigerian's have this notion that the country is really the giant of Africa, where as its
nothing but a lie.

Countries like Ghana, South Africa, Rwanda, Botswana & Seychelles are doing better than Nigeria at
the moment but Nigerian's are easily deceived by the massive population of the country, the past
achievements of the country and some big brother roles it played in Africa in the 80/90's and early
2000's

While the countries I listed above are developing we keep on telling ourselves a lie and portraying
ourself to be what we aren't. Although Nigeria has the required resources and potential to dominate
Africa but its unfortunate the country isn't utilizing it and at the moment Nigeria is far from being the
giant or the big brother it used to be.

2. NIGERIA WILL GET BETTER OR SIMPLY PUT "NAIJA GO BETTER"

Here is another lie most Nigeran's tell every day and in fact its now a cliche in the country. The good
side of this is that it gives Nigerian's hope for a better tomorrow but the bad side is that this hope is
nothing but just a "false hope."

I have been around for almost three decades, I have been hearing Nigerian's make this statement since
then and even before I was born they have been telling themselves this lie. This lie, this illusion that the
country will get better is rooted deep in the minds of most Nigerian's but in reality things are getting
much worse everyday.

3. WE ARE THE MOST RESILIENT PEOPLE ON EARTH

This statement is a blatant lie but its just one of those lies Nigerian's tell to make themselves feel good
and happy but literally the fact is Nigerian's have just grown adapted to suffering.

Due to the level of suffering in the country Nigerian's have made themselves believe they are resilient
people but what they don't know is that being resilient is quite different from being adapted to
suffering.

Its about time every single Nigerian wake up from their illusion and face the truth, the earlier we
face the truth and realise the rot, the mess the country is, the better it is for the future of the
nation.
Akpabio: Corrupt People Treated NDDC As Their ATM - The
Cable
Godswill Akpabio, minister of Niger Delta affairs, says the Niger Delta Development Commission
(NDDC) was treated like an automated teller machine (ATM) by corrupt people.

Akpabio spoke in an interview with the Nigeria Television Authority (NTA).

President Muhammadu Buhari recently ordered a forensic audit of the operations of the NDDC from
2001 to 2019 . The president said the directive had become imperative in view of the persistent
criticisms of the operations of the commission.

Akpabio lamented that the commission has become known for abandoned projects, adding that political
interference has also not allowed the commission to work as it ought to.

“We have also had a lot of political interference, people have not allowed NDDC to work as it ought to,
people coming with ideas not to move the region forward but to move their pockets forward. It has
always been so,” he said.

“We currently have about 12,000 abandoned projects across the nine states of the Niger Delta. If those
things were completed, you can imagine that the area would have been turned into an Eldorado.

“There is no way NDDC road can last (for) even two years. I think people were treating the place as an
ATM, where you just walk in there to go and pluck money and go away, I don’t think they were
looking at it as an interventionist agency.

“Even the idea of giving out a job to somebody who does not have the requisite skills is corruption on
its own. The idea of bloating the contract is also corruption. Even collecting money and abandoning the
site is also corruption.

“We have also had a lot of political interference, people have not allowed NDDC to work as it ought to,
people coming with ideas not to move the region forward but to move their pockets forward. It has
always been so.”

Asked how he felt about the president’s order for an audit, he said: “I believe by now, people would
have realised that the president is justified in calling for a forensic audit of the commission.

“I wonder why the leaders in the past didn’t find it necessary to look into the activities of the NDDC,
with a view to repositioning it. There is nobody that will be happy to see this kind of situation.”
Ihedioha Orders Compulsory Teaching Of Igbo Language In
Schools
The Imo State Government has announced the compulsory teaching and learning of Igbo Language in
all primary, post-primary schools as well as tertiary institutions in the state.

Professor Viola Onwuliri, the Commissioner for Education, announced this at the 4th matriculation
ceremony of the state College of Nursing and Midwifery, Orlu, during which 55 students were formally
admitted into the institution for the 2018/2019 academic session.
Onwuliri, who directed the provost of the school, Princess Ngozi Duru, to make Igbo language a
compulsory course in the institution, also charged parents and guardians to teach their children how to
speak and write Igbo language to spare their mother tongue from possibly going into extinction.

Represented by the Director of Tertiary Education, Dr. Basil Iwu, the Commissioner said that her
ministry, in partnership with the state Secondary Education Management Board, had already organized
workshop for teachers and principals of post-primary schools in the state to enhance their capacity,
adding that a seminar for all Igbo Language teachers had equally taken place in the state.

Onwuliri expressed delight that students of the state origin have continued to excel in national and
international examinations and gave an assurance that her ministry would continue to give the
institution all the necessary support it required to enable it to emerge as one of the best colleges of
nursing and midwifery in the country.
Duru, in an address earlier, disclosed that the management had installed all necessary measures,
strategies, structures, procedures and mechanisms that would reposition the college as the first among
equals in nursing education in the country.

She said that the college, in pursuance of its vision of enforcing academic excellence, promotion of
godliness, competence, moral values and good character would continue to maintain a zero tolerance
for all anti-social behaviours such as cultism, examination malpractices, drug abuse, hooliganism and
prostitution.

Reno Omokri: Even Witches Are Complaining Buhari Flies

More Than Them
Reno Omokri, the self acclaimed Buhari Tormentor has criticised Buhari for travelling too much. He
says that even witches are complaining that Buhari flies more than them.

Read Read His Tweet Below:

With the number of hours General Buhari spends in the air, he should have qualified as a professional
pilot by now. Even the chief of air staff doesn’t fly as much as Buhari. Maybe Buhari can be a pilot for
Nigeria Air.
The difference is that Obasanjo got us DEBT RELIEF due to his travels whereas, General Buhari has
increased Nigeria’s DEBT by two and half times, from ₦12 trillion in 2015 to ₦27.5 trillion today .

Even witches are complaining that General Buhari now flies more than them! 16 days in London, after
3 days in Saudi, after 3 days in Russia, after 3 days in SA, after 4 days in Japan. Is Buhari now Chief of
Air Staff?

Never Let Peter Obi Be President

If there is one man who believes in a different form of governace in Nigeria, its Peter Obi so never
allow this man taste this most coveted seat cause wahala dey oooo...

A man whose principle and values spurns from his religious belief is a dangerous man, like a wild tiger
he must be prevented with all means necessary to get to his prey..We have seen a steady form of
leadership since the 80s riddled with all form vices christened Naija ways, don't think it will be in the
interest of any important player in this nation for a man like Obi to become the president..

He without doubt will overhaul the very core of our foundation and threaten out current vices which we
already regard as our eternal way of life.

Peter Obi is very mean man when it comes with governance , he's not Mr Intergrity for mouth but sees
the bigger picture of the future of a great country like ours..Are Nigerians masses ready for him, what
about the politicians , it will be operation overhaul if he gets power so if am on the side of the destiny
blockers of this nation, i will strongly participant in doing everything possible for such a man not
become President but if destiny smiles on him as Trump vs Clinton , then Nigerians should be prepared
of the real CHANGE..

Key likely things to happen if he succeds

1. A strong patching of the nation's resources bleeding points..
2 Demystification of the Presidency.
3. Serious cut down of the cost of governance
4. Strong investment in Education
5. Measured set targets in infrastructure
6 . Increased FDI
7. A controlled fiscal policy

Peter Obi is nobody's friend when it comes to governance so will not play by party rules, Both APC
and PDP will hate him cause he will be a total deviation from the status quo.. Government contractors
will struggle with lesser profits even the legislators will be at war with him for forcing their cost down.

This man has a vision like any other and will force to implement his ideas which will baffle the great
and mighty in this country, like Mao Zedong of China, he will seek to seal his name on the dust of
fatherland..

Will be a collective effort of all current stakeholders of our treasury to stop this man from attaining the
presidency..

As to the common man, the question would stand for him??

Nigeria Must Not Continue Borrowing — Senate President

Senate President Ahmad Lawan yesterday said Nigeria must not continue to borrow funds. He said the
federal government had been borrowing to fund budgets because many revenue-generating agencies
were performing below expectations. His Special Assistant on Press, Ezrel Tabiowo, in a statement,
quoted him as saying this while speaking at the third University of Benin/National Institute for
legislative and Democratic Studies convocation ceremony.

Lawan said: “Today, Nigeria is challenged by unavailability of revenues. We can pass the budget in
record time, but when it comes to implementation, that becomes subject to how much revenue we are
able to realise,” he said. “Majority of the agencies don’t remit these revenues. They force the Nigerian
government to resort to borrowing.

“The time has come for the national assembly to continuously engage revenue generating agencies to
know what their challenges are. Where they have targets, we must ensure they meet these targets.
Where they don’t meet them, we should find out why.” Lawan said the lawmakers were working hard
to pass the budget before the Christmas break. “Our target for tomorrow, the 29th of October, as the last
day for budget defence remains,” he said.

“We hope that from this week, the 30th of October to the 5th of November; we expect all our sub-
committees of the appropriations committee to defend their budgets before the appropriation
committees of the Senate and the House. “We are desirous and determined to ensure that the budget is
laid on the 28th of November this year. We want to ensure that we pass the budget before the end of
this year by December when we will go for Christmas break.”

Fulani Herdsmen Did Not Attack Any Community In Enugu -

EYC
Press Release

Fulani Herdsmen Did Not Attack Any Community in Enugu - EYC

The attention of Enugu Youth Coalition has been drawn to the report suggesting that Fulani Herdsmen
were responsible for yesterday's attack in Eke-town in Udi Local Government Area of Enugu State.
In a statement signed by the national coordinator of the coalition, Dr. Edwin Obune, the group said it
was wrong to accuse herdsmen of been responsible since the identity of the attackers is yet to be
established.

While condemning the attack, the Spokesman for the Enugu State Police Command, Mr. Ebere
Amaraizu said ''The gunmen were still at large, but it would be wrong to refer to them as Fulani
Herdsmen.''

Therefore, we frown at the latest attempt by some agents and their masters to re-invent 'yellow
journalism' in Enugu State for whatever reason or purpose.

Enugu State is not only peaceful, safe and secure but the people's hospitality is second to none in
Nigeria.

We therefore condemn the plot by some 'yellow journalists' and their collaborators to portray the state
and it's people in the bad light.

Enugu remains a destination of choice for all Nigerians irrespective of faith, tribe or political affiliation
because the state is in the Hands of God!

Signed:

Dr. Edwin Obune,

National Coordinator,
Enugu Youth Coalition

Ohaneze's Call, Nigerian Change Of Name And The Realities

Will Nigeria just go to the International Court of Justice, Sign Affidavit and Swear to an Oath for a
Change of Name

Most countries around the world including Ghana, Zimbabwe and others changed their names after
gaining independence.

Keeping colonial names will have inhabitants have that inherent sense of dependence on their Colonial
Master. Nothing wrong in changing Nigeria's name.

The colonial name of Zimbabwe was Rhodesia, Burkina Faso was Upper Volta, Ghana was Gold
Coast,Tanzania was Tanganyika-Zanzibar, Benin Republic was Dahomey, Democratic Republic of
Congo was Zaire.
There is need to eradicate every form of colonialism from our System and Stop Being people we are
not to start being real people we are.

NIGERIA Is just a conglomeration of different States by the River Niger Area.

The River Niger is the Only thing that Defines The term Nigeria. Niger-Area

It is the Only thing all Nigerians have in common

It is Our Common Heritage.

We are Just different People Living Around the Niger-Area, Hence the Name Nigeria.

It goes beyound Changing our Name. We must agree.

You Can Never Work together unless you Agree.

It was Lugard that Agreed to the name Nigeria. Flora Shaw Proposed the Name. What was their
Business, Wetin concern them. Name good ooo, e no good ooo, e no concern them as far as their
business dey move.

Nigerians has Never in History Sat Together to Agree.

Best they Ever Did was the CONFAB and the reports are rottening away in some drawers at the Federal
Secretariat.

If you Live Together and dont agree, Even The River Niger would Cease to be a blessing.

Once there is no agreement, Herdsmen would Kill Farmers. Igbos will NEVER Ever Trust Yorubas.
Hausa's would Always leverage on their Born to Rule Mentality after all the Powers were Handed them
at Independence...

Agreement between the constituent elements of Nigeria is much more imporatnt than any Change of
Name.

Of course there must be agreement before there can be a Change of Name. Ohaneze can not change the
Name Nigeria Overnight. Change to what?

Ohanaze is Just Beating about the Bush.

When Nigerians are Ready for a Country, The Volume would be louder.

Nigeria Has A Tourist As President – Lawyer

President Muhammadu Buhari has been described as a tourist who junkets around the globe at any
given opportunity.

Inibehe Effiong, a Human Rights lawyer, gave the description while reacting to Mr Buhari’s scheduled
visit to the United Kingdom where he is expected to spend two weeks.

The president who returned to the country last week after an engagement in Russia, left the country
yesterday for an economic summit in Saudi Arabia.

After the visit, he will journey from the Arab country to London on a private visit which will expire on
November 17.

A similar journey he embarked upon in April without transmitting power to his vice earned him a
lawsuit from Mr Effiong who said the action of the president was a violation of the Nigerian
Constitution.

While the matter is still pending at a Federal High Court in Lagos, the president has notified the public
of another private visit to the UK which will begin November 2.

ALSO READ: Buhari leaves for Saudi Arabia, to visit UK thereafter

However, the lawyer, in his reaction on Tuesday, is describing the president as a lawless leader of the
country who junkets around the globe at any given opportunity.

“In May, I sued President Buhari and Malami at the Federal High Court in Suit No:
FHC/L/CS/763/2019 for refusing to transmit a written declaration to NASS to enable Osinbajo become
Acting President during his vacation which he tagged a “private visit” from April 25 to May 5, 2019,”
Effiong said in a statement reproduced on his social media accounts.

Human Rights Lawyer, Inibehe Effiong.

“While this case is still pending before Hon. Justice A. O. Faji, Buhari has now announced that he will
be proceeding on another illegal and unconstitutional vacation to the UK which he also tagged a
“private visit”. This President is lawless. Buhari has gotten away with murder.

“In the spirit of the rule of law, one would have expected Buhari to either comply with the mandatory
requirement of Sec. 145 (1) of the Constitution by transmitting a letter to NASS to empower Osinbajo
to become Acting President during his vacation or await the court’s decision.
“The Constitution does not envisage a situation where Nigeria will be without a President or an Acting
President. Nigerians have been taken for granted by this President for too long. No responsible leader
will abandon his country in times of crisis. The world is laughing at us.

“Buhari has shown disdain for the law. It’s a shame that we have a tourist as President. The same
Buhari who has shut our land borders never misses an opportunity to flee the country in search of better
foreign services like health care. Hypocrisy is Buhari’s nickname. Shame!” he added.

Osinbajo Chairs NEC Meeting In Aso Rock Abuja

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo on Tuesday presided over the National Economic Council (NEC).

The meeting comprising of State governors and some other top government officials started at the
Presidential Villa around 11am.

It will consider many national issues, especially those affecting states.

The meeting was still in progress at the time of filing this report.

FG To Regulate Social Media - Lai Mohammed

The Federal Government has made known its intention to regulate the social media.

This was made known by Lai Mohammed, Information Minister.

Mr Mohammed at a press conference said the government would not fold its arms and watch while
activities on social media set the country ablaze.

“It has reached a level that the government may just no longer fold its arms and allow this to continue,”
the minister who has severally denied reports that the present administration intends to gag the media
said.

Social media has been one of the channels where purveyors of fake news circulate false information to
mislead the public.

The decision to regulate the social media comes weeks after the government increased fines for hate
speech, an action that has been described as a move to silent critics of the administration.

Buhari Sends List Of NDDC Board To Senate

President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday sent the list of nominees for Governing Board of the Niger
Delta Development Commission (NDDC) to the Senate for consideration and approval.
Senate President Ahmad Lawan read Buhari’s letter at plenary.

The NDDC’s Board nominees include the Chairman, Dr. Pius Odubu (Edo); Managing Director,
Bernard O. Okumagba (Delta); Executive Director Projects, Engr. Otobong Ndem (Akwa Ibom);
Executive Director Finance and Admin, Maxwell Okoh (Bayelsa); Delta State representative, Prophet
Jones Erue; Chief Victor Ekhatar (Edo); Dr. Joy Yimebe Nunieh (Rivers); and Nwogu Nwogu Abi’s.

Others are Theodore A. Allison (Bayelsa); Victor Antai (Akwa Ibom); Maurice Effiwatt (Cross River);
Olugbenga Elema Ondo); Hon. Uchegbu Chidiebere Kyrian (Imo); Northwest Rep, Aisha Murtala
Muhammed (Kano); Northeast Rep, Ardo Zubairu (Adamawa) and Southwest Rep, Engr. Badmus
Mutalib (Lagos).

Ifeanyi Ibezi Loses House Of Reps Seat To Obinna Chidoka

The Appeal Court sitting in Enugu has declared Honourable Obinna Chidoka as the duly elected House
of Representatives member representing Idemili North and Idemili South federal constituency.

The court sacked All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA)'s candidate Ibezi Ifeanyichukwu, who was
declared winner by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) after the February 23
National Assembly election in the state.

In its ruling, the court ordered INEC to issue a Certificate of Return to Chidoka and withdraw that of
the APGA candidate.

Obinna, 45, is the younger brother of Chief Osita Chidoka, the former minister of aviation.

"Despite putting in my best, they stil betrayed

me," - Obono-Obla laments - Politico
Suspended chairman of recently scrapped Special Presidential Panel for the Recovery of Public
Property (SPIP), Okoi Obono-Obla, has lamented that the government he served with all his best has
betrayed him.
In a Facebook post, he described his current plight as handiwork of some detractors who are desperate
to demonise him.
According to him, he felt betrayed that the same government that assigned him dangerous duties has
failed to protect him.
He said: “I want to open up to Nigerians the forces that masterminded what is happening to me, despite
my efforts to execute a very tough and difficult assignment given to me, which has exposed me to
victimisation.
“The government has left me unprotected and I seriously fear for my life and those of members of my
family. Even before my suspension was announced, my security detail was immediately withdrawn,
thereby exposing me to possible attack by those I had stepped on their toes.
“Suspension is not dismissal. So, it was strange and curious that the government withdrew my security,
knowing that I did a very dangerous job, which required government to throw a security ring around
me.
“My former office had been sealed since August 10, 2019, which effectively prevents me from having
access to materials to use to, even prepare my defence. I have been treated with utmost ignominy,
despite the massive work I did in just two years in the panel, which had no structure when it took off in
August 2017.
“Everything I have is what I had before I came into government in 2016. Everything I have was
acquired between 2003 and 2012 when I was in private legal practice. So, it is laughable and extremely
ridiculous for ICPC (the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission) to
claim that I am being investigated for living beyond my means.
“I live in a rented three-bed room apartment in Abuja. Two weeks ago, the rent became due and I was
on the verge of being ejected. I had to appeal to a good, prominent Nigerian, who used to be a member
of the House of Representatives from Delta State, to pay my rent, which he graciously did. I have only
a rickety vehicle which I bought in 2014.
“The panel (SPIP) was never funded by the government. It was given a take-off grant, which was
domiciled in the Office of the Secretary to Government of the Federation. I had no access to the money.
I only receive allowance at the end of the month.
“So, ICPC’s claim that I am being investigated for financial improprieties is also laughable. I didn’t
award any contract, because there was none to be awarded; the panel never had any money to even
carry out operations.
“All the success the panel recorded was through my passion, drive and dogged approach and the
support I had from operatives who worked with me. The office we had was given to us by the Minister
of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja.”
“For almost one year, we couldn’t move because we had no furniture. My personal efforts led the
NDIC (Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation) to donate N20 million that was used to purchase
furniture and other office equipment.
“I was victimised by powerful institutions, including the Eighth National Assembly, for daring to
investigate some powerful senators. A committee was set up by the House of Representatives to
investigate the legality of the panel, but rather than do that, the committee launched an investigation
into my educational qualifications, leading to the distortions that I forged my School Certificate.
“A kangaroo report was issued, despite the fact that I had gone to court to challenge the legality of the
committee investigating me personally outside its terms of reference. Despite the court action, the
committee still conducted a one-sided investigation and issued a report, which the ICPC is now using
against me.
“The government did not protect me, despite the fact that my job was difficult, challenging and
dangerous. They exposed me to attacks and hatred from those the panel was investigating. What you
are seeing is a gang-up against me by these powerful forces,” Obono-Obla said.

Border Closure: Nigerians Will Praise FG — Lagos Lawmaker

A member of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Mr Victor Akande, says Nigerians will praise the
President Muhammadu Buhari-led Federal Government later over the closure of the nation’s land
borders. Akande, representing Ojo Constituency I at the Lagos State House of Assembly, made this
assertion in an interview with News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Tuesday in Lagos. The lawmaker,
who is the Chairman, House Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights, Public Petitions and LASIEC,
said that the closure had security and economic benefits to the nation.

Akande said: “It is more beneficial to close our border than to allow it open for now. “Nigerians might
not understand this now, maybe because of the little pains it has brought; but the positive effects that
will soon follow will make Nigerians to praise the President for doing so. “Security of our country is
key and germane; if this step is not taken now, it may be difficult to control movement of people, arms
and ammunition into the country and win the war against insurgency,” he said.

The lawmaker urged Nigerians to be patient with the government, saying that the continued closure
was in the best economic and security interests of the nation. “We need the closure also to battle
problems of unemployment in the country. Our appetite for foreign goods and services is to our
detriment. “We create jobs for citizens of the countries where these foreign goods are coming from
while our teeming youths do not get work to do.

”As long as our local goods are not patronised, it is a death sentence to employment opportunities in
our country. “The border closure will make us look inward and see what we can do for ourselves and
even go back to agriculture. Nigerians will praise the government later for this step,” he said.
According to him, the closure will help put the nation on the path of economic growth and development
through revival of local industries. “We will have a sense of self-sufficiency. It is an avenue for us to
develop. People are cultivating and producing rice everywhere now which is good for us,” he said.
(NAN)

FG Spent N321.23bn More Than It Budgeted For Subsidy In

2018
The government has somehow out-jumped its budgetary provision for what the NNPC still records as
under recovery, while being unable to achieve close to 90 per cent of its infrastructural intentions.
The Government of Nigeria through the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation between July 2018
and April 2019 sunk N546.07bn into keeping the price of a litre of petrol at N145.

This is N241.07bn less than the N305bn President Muhammadu Buhari presented to the National
Assembly for fuel subsidy in November 2017 and signed in June 2018.

The government has somehow out-jumped its budgetary provision for what the NNPC still records as
under recovery, while being unable to achieve close to 90 per cent of its infrastructural intentions.

Based on data gathered by SaharaReporters from the corporation’s monthly finance and operation
reports, the figure covered July to April 2019 – the last month the company records its under recovery
data for.

The Petroleum Product Pricing and Regulatory Agency had in May 2016 designed a template of N145
for a litre of petrol based on a subsisting landing cost of N133.

The landing cost of a litre of the foreign-refined product was however, sourced from a barrel of oil,
which was selling in the $20 bracket at the time.

When the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries and its Russia-led alliance started to push for
higher prices, the Nigerian Government did not permit the PPPRA to draw up a new template.

Rather than approach the National Assembly to approve the recommencement of the fuel subsidy
regime, the government permitted NNPC to make itself the sole importer of the product.

The corporation did this and arbitrarily listed the monies used to maintain the N145 reality as an under
recovery.

Following calls by the Nigerian Governors Forum and the National Assembly for the NNPC’s
unbudgeted deductions to be probed, the Presidency decided to budget N305bn as fuel subsidy – a sum
it had exhausted at the end of January, the seventh month of the budget cycle.

In July, August and September 2018, the corporation said it under recovered N51.20bn, N65.90bn and
N45.80bn.

In October, November and December, the corporation informed the public through its finance and
operation reports that it made losses of N40.50bn, N2.88bn and N13.34bn.

Between January and April however, the NNPC said it forfeited profits worth N104.35bn, N102.34,
N30.64bn and N89.19bn.
With the exception of Dangote, whose refinery is most likely to become reality, much of the licenses
given for the execution of modular refineries have remained dreams.

Police Clash With IPOB Members In Ebonyi

The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has alleged that a detachment of joint-security team opened
fire on their members at Ozibo in Ebonyi Local Government Area, Ebonyi State, last Sunday.

Though no lives were lost, It was gathered several members of the pro-Biafra group were injured
following the fracas that ensued when the security operatives stormed the Oguzoronweya Primary
School, where the group was inaugurating its chapter.

IPOB leader, Nnamdi Kanu who broke the news via his twitter handle shortly after it happened. “A
combined team of security operatives invaded the venue of IPOB gathering in Ebonyi and opened fire
on innocent citizens. Early reports indicate many are seriously injured with some in critical condition,”
Kanu said.

When contacted, Police Public Relations Officer in the state, Loveth Odah, a Deputy Superintendent
Police, dismissed the IPOB’s claim that police opened fire on them, and instead said that it was pro-
Biafra group that allegedly attacked the police with gun and other dangerous objects.

Watch video:
https://politicsnigeria.com/breaking-heavy-trouble-as-police-opens-fire-on-ipob-members-photos/

BREAKING: MTN Files 9,100-page Document To Prove N3bn

Suit Against Malami
As a tax-related legal battle between telecommunication firm, MTN Nigeria Communication Limited,
and the Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, gathers momentum, the telco on
Tuesday transported a 9,100-page document to court in a bid to prove its N3bn claim against the AGF.

Several copies of the extraordinarily bulky document were brought in a Coaster bus and delivered to
the registry of the Federal High Court in Lagos.

MTN sued Malami last year in protest against an August 20, 2018 letter in which the AGF demanded
that the telecom firm pay N242bn and $1.3bn as import duties, withholding and value added taxes.

The firm’s lawyer, Chief Wole Olanipekun (SAN), described the AGF’s N242bn and $1.3bn demand
from MTN as “malicious, unreasonable and one made on an incorrect legal basis.”

Olanipekun said in writing the demand letter to MTN, Malami acted beyond his powers and violated
the provisions of Section 36 of the constitution on fair hearing with “the purported revenue assets
investigation” he carried out on the firm’s activities covering 2007 to 2017.

He is, on behalf of MTN, urging the court to award N3bn against Malami as general and exemplary
damages.

Justice C.J. Aneke, who is hearing the case, had in May dismissed the preliminary objection filed by
Malami, challenging the competence of the suit.

Justice Aneke rejected the AGF’s argument that the suit was not filed within three months of cause of
action and was statute barred.

“From the endorsement on the writ, this suit was commenced on September 10, 2018 and a simple
calculation shows that from August 23, 2018 when the cause of action arose to September 10, 2018,
when the suit was instituted, a period of three months had not expired, as envisaged, for the suit to be
statute barred,” the judge held as he declined the AGF’s prayer to strike out the suit.

Meanwhile, the Tuesday’s proceedings in the case were stalled as counsel sought an adjournment.

Justice Aneke adjourned till January 30, 2020.

In the suit, MTN, through Olanipekun, is urging the court to declare that the AGF acted illegally by
“usurping the powers of the Federal Inland Revenue Service, to audit and demand remittance of
withholding tax and value added tax.”

The firm also wants the court to declare that with the “self assessment exercise,” the AGF usurped the
powers of the Nigerian Customs Service to demand payment of import duties on importation of goods.

It wants the court to declare that “the purported self assessment” conducted by the AGF was “unknown
to law, null and void and of no effect whatsoever.”

Like P&ID, Like Accugas? Nigeria In Trouble Over Another

Sloppy Gas Deal
While Nigeria is still struggling to untie the legal knots around the controversial P&ID gas and supply
processing agreement (GSPA), another sloppy deal has boxed the country into a tight corner, TheCable
can report.

A gas supply agreement (GSA) between the Niger Delta Power Holding Company (NDPHC) Ltd and
Accugas Ltd has gone sour, forcing the federal government to keep paying over $10 million monthly
with or without gas supply to the Calabar Electricity Generation Company (CEGC) Ltd by Accugas.

The GSA has a take-or-pay obligation of 803 of the daily 104.8mmscf/day of gas and is backed by
World Bank partial risk guarantee (PRG) as payment security.

If Nigeria is reported for defaulting in payment, the country’s credit rating will not only be
downgraded, the $118 million sovereign guarantee will be called in, thereby putting the nation’s
foreign assets at risk.

Although this is nowhere near the calamitous $9 billion award to P&ID by a London commercial court
— currently being challenged by the federal government — there will still be questions as to how
Nigeria persistently enters into agreements that are apparently skewed against the country.

One question that industry watchers have been asking is: why did Nigeria proceed to sign the PRG in
spite of the objections raised by virtually every party involved — excluding, of course, Accugas but
including the World Bank itself?

WHAT IS THE AGREEMENT?

On December 8, 2011, NDPHC signed the GSA with Accugas Ltd for gas supply to the 561MW
Calabar power station — one of power projects under the national integrated power project (NIPP)
initiated by President Olusegun Obasanjo in 2005 under the power sector reform.
Accugas was to supply 131MMSCF of natural gas per day to Calabar, which will in turn generate
electricity for supply to the national grid.

As payment security for the gas, the GSA provided for a “take-or-pay” obligation on NDPHC, owners
of the Calabar GenCo, backed by a World Bank partial risk guarantee (PRG).
That means whether or not Calabar takes gas from Accugas, NDPHC will pay for it.

WHAT COMPLICATIONS AROSE?

Originally, gas was to be supplied to the Calabar GenCo by Addax Petroleum from its offshore Adanga
field, but there was a breakdown in negotiations between Addax and the Nigerian National Petroleum
Corporation (NNPC) joint venture (JV) while the 107km gas pipeline from the Adanga field to the
Calabar plant was being constructed.

Because Addax and NNPC JV could not sign their own gas development agreement (GDA), the
Chinese company notified NDPHC that it could not meet the deadline to supply gas to the Calabar
plant, which was at the time nearing completion.
Addax said even if the GDA was signed and the development of the field started, it would still take
three years to get the gas to Calabar.

According to documents seen by TheCable, it was at this stage that NDPHC decided to approach
Accugas –a consortium of Frontier Oil Ltd, Seven Energy and Accugas Ltd — as an alternative
arrangement to get Calabar up and running.

Accugas also had operations close to the Calabar plant and was already supplying gas to Ibom Power
Station and UNICEM.

It would only have to build a dedicated pipeline from its processing plant to join NDPHC’s planned
onshore pipeline segment at Oron, Akwa Ibom state.

DEVIL IN THE DETAILS

After the necessary approvals from the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), NDPHC
entered into the 20-year GSA with Accugas in 2011, with NDPHC and Calabar as the buyers and
Accugas as the sellers.

The GSA was an omnibus deal with several components usually described as “side letters”, notably the
account charge agreement and direct agreement.

In what it argued then as the need to prevent further delays in obtaining letters of credit for
construction, testing and commissioning of its facilities, Accugas developed side agreements with
alternative payment security.

This was to make NDPHC as the guarantor of Accugas’ loans and, curiously, bring in the lenders as
parties to the GSA — even though it was Accugas, not NDPHC, that was taking the credit.

RAISING THE RED FLAG

In June 2013, NDPHC, through Mohammed Mahmud, the company secretary and legal adviser,
forwarded the initial GSA and the “side” agreements to Mohammed Bello Adoke, then attorney-general
of the federation, for review before execution.

Adoke advised NDPHC not to sign the agreements because the terms were skewed against the country,
maintaining that they should be reviewed to protect the interest of the government subject to an
“express approval” from the board of directors.

Curiously, again, Mahmud wrote back to Adoke on September 12, 2013 saying “all draft agreements
connected to the gas supply by Accusgas, including Direct Agreement and the Account Charge
Agreement, have been extensively amended to make it clear in every instance that the security granted
to Accusgas is limited to the funds they are entitled to be paid as the gas seller”.

Mahmud also asked Adoke to direct the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) “to execute the
Payment Security Agreement [which] has been with them for a while without response despite His
Excellency, the Vice President’s directive that they execute the agreement immediately”.

The vice-president at the time was Namadi Sambo, who was by law the chairman of NDPHC and also
of the NIPP.

Adoke responded again, in a memo dated October 4, 2013, saying the amended agreement “in reality
puts the Contractor (NDPHC) in the position of the Borrower’s (Accugas) financial surety as well as its
guarantor for performance under the GSA, thereby effectively transferring to the Contractor obligations
that customarily should be borne by the Borrower”.

He said in view of the reasons he listed in his two-page letter, “it is my considered opinion that the
execution of the Agreements is not in the interest of the Contractor (NDPHC/CEGE)… I am therefore
unable to consent to the Draft Agreements”.

In November 2013, the managing director of NDPHC, James Olotu, wrote to Adoke saying all the
agreements had been reviewed and changes made to protect the country, but Adoke wrote back that the
“securitization agreements” allowed Accugas to draw down on funds provided by NDPHC in the
designated accounts and that the issues he raised had not been sufficiently addressed.

In all, the renegotiation of the agreements took about three years, the touchy issue being the payment
security in the “side” agreements.
However, by 2014, NDPHC had completed the construction of the Calabar plant.

With the station facing idleness, NDPHC/CGCL and Accugas signed an interim gas sales agreement for
gas supply.

NEW LEASE OF LIFE?

In 2015, Accugas was offered what was supposed to be a new life with the World Bank PRG under the
Nigerian Electricity and Gas Improvement Project (NEGIP) facility granted to the country.

While this would address concerns over the previous agreements that would have put the repayment
burden on NDPHC, the PRG could open up Nigeria as a sovereign entity to possible international
consequences in the event of a default.
More so, the Nigerian Bulk Electricity Trading Company (NBET) and NDPHC were not comfortable
with the new arrangement.
NBET is the body that buys power from the generating companies through power purchase agreements
(PPAs) and sells to the distribution companies through vesting contracts.

Documents seen by TheCable revealed that both bodies pointed out adverse liquidity challenges in the
Nigeria electricity supply industry which would affect the performance of the payment obligation under
the GSA.

In a November 21, 2016 memo to Marilyn Amobi, the NBET managing director, Ade Ipaye, the deputy
chief of staff in the office of Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo, expressed disappointment that despite the
signing of the PRG at the state house on November 3, 2016, NBET was yet to endorse three “vital
documents” — (1) the GSA and related deed of amendment (2) the support agreement and (3) the
reimbursement and credit agreement.

Reminding her that the minister of finance, then Kemi Adeosu, and the World Bank had signed the
agreement, Ipaye said Osinbajo had “directed that all stakeholders work together assiduously on sorting
out all outstanding disputes and execute the required documents no later than the 24th November 2016.
Copies of the executed documents should also be sent to the office of the Vice President by the 25th
November 2016”.

Ipaye attached a copy of the complaint sent to Osinbajo by Philip Iheanacho, the CEO of Seven Energy
International, a member of the Accugas consortium, over the delay in signing the PRG.

AMOBI STANDS HER GROUND

In her response to Ipaye, dated November 28, 2016, Amobi said NBET had signed its own portions of
the support agreements and the reimbursement and credit agreement — it is not a party to the GSA —
but warned that there was trouble ahead.

According to her, NBET was worried about the “sustainability of the transaction”, pointing out such
issues as “the near insolvency situation of the electricity market, the absent immediate market liquidity
solution”.

She said NBET and NDPHC would not be able to honour the associated financial obligations to
Accugas under the “take-or-pay” GSA.

“The transaction is only sustainable if the distribution companies are fully settling their invoices by
NBET for the electricity delivered at their respective grid supply points (GSPs). The electricity market
is currently collecting less than 25% of the aggregated invoices,” she said.
She also warned that except “very significant improvements are made in revenue collection and
remittances by DisCos, the entire remittances currently received by NBET would barely be sufficient to
pay for gas volumes to run the five GE Frane 9E gas turbines at Calabar. This has serious implications
not only for other GenCos but for the other seven (7) NIPP plants in commercial operation”.

In other words, the entire revenue from electricity in the country was not enough to pay Accugas for
gas supply to Calabar GenCo alone, much less those of the other GenCos, both government-owned and
private.

She warned that given the financial state of the industry, “it is reasonable to assume that
NDPHC/NBET will default in paying for the gas and Accugas Ltd will definitely draw on the Letter of
Credit to be established with JP Morgan Chase, consequently causing the downgrading of Nigeria’s
Sovereign Credit Rating”.

“This would be worsened when eventually JP Morgan Chase calls on the World Bank Partial Risk
Guarantee to recover its full exposure in the payment default. The projected monthly default is in the
region of US$8m monthly at the current market settlement rate whereas the World Bank has placed the
limit on the PRG for this project at US$112Million,” she added.

Despite all the red flags spotted by NBET, NDPHC and even the World Bank over the likelihood that
there would be a default, Accugas and the World Bank, in February 2017, approached federal
government again with a proposal to sign the PRG agreement.

In May 2017, NDPHC was cleared to sign the PRG by Abubakar Malami, the attorney-general of the
federation.

Osinbajo, as chairman of the board of directors of NDPHC, then gave the anticipatory approval for the
signing of the PRG, sending it for another endorsement by President Muhammadu Buhari who was on
medical leave in the UK. Osinbajo was the acting president.

AND NOW, TROUBLE KNOCKS ON THE DOOR…

The project is now facing challenges on several fronts — as a result of the inability of the Transmission
Company of Nigeria to transport power from the Calabar plant because of capacity issues and others
because of low tariffs in the country which are not cost-reflective.
NDPHC had managed to pay Accugas under the N701 billion power intervention fund of the federal
government which terminated in December 2018.

After that, it began to default and the federal government had to start making payments of over $10
million monthly to prevent the activation of the default clause by Accugas.
TheCable understands that since the amended GSA became effective, TCN has been dispatching power
at a very low level — a situation that means less use of gas even though NDPHC must continue to pay
in full under the take-or-pay obligation in the GSA.

While Calabar itself does not have issues, TCN could only take 70MW instead of the capacity of
115MW of each turbine. The turbines have a total capacity of 561MW.

As a result, the turbines have been regularly required to shut down and start up, with loads lowered or
raised frequently as requested by TCN but outside of the technical limits stipulated by the
manufacturers, TheCable understands.

These incidents have increased maintenance costs incurred by NDPHC and are beginning to impact on
the efficiency of the plants.
NDPHC has been groaning under low tariff, making it virtually impossible to meet its financial
obligations.

According to insiders at the ministry of power, the generation tariff of N18 per kilowatt hour (kWh)
paid by NBET for the NDPHC plants is among the lowest of all centrally-dispatched gas thermal plants
in the country. NBET pays other gas-fired plants N23/kWh.

NBET has refused to enter into a PPA with NDPHC because Calabar is still government-owned and
until it is privastised, it is not entitled to a fully commercial power purchase agreement that would have
boosted its tariff revenue.

ANY WAY OUT?

TheCable understands that the federal government is worried over the developments.
NDPHC was, at a point, indebted to Accugas to the tune of $70 million, but there is an outstanding of
$30 million after the ministry of power had stepped in to settle some of the claims.

A possible solution, according to industry experts, is for NDPHC to raise at least $10 million from its
current revenue to offset part of the cost in the hope that the federal government will raise the balance
of $30 million to pay off Accugas.

TheCable understands that all options are now being weighed as the sloppy deal weighs heavily on
Nigeria.

Meanwhile, Nigeria must continue to pay the full current gas bill of over $10 million monthly to
Accugas, failing which JP Morgan Chase may call in the PRG.
Five Containers Laden With Rotten Fish, Other Edibles, Found
In Apapa
Two safety agencies of Lagos State Government on Monday discovered five containers
laden with rotten fish and other edibles in Apapa area of the state .

The News Agency of Nigeria learnt that the shocking discovery was made during a site
inspection of the containers following reports of air pollution and release of toxic gas into
the environment at one of the off -dock terminals in Apapa .

NAN gathered that the site inspection was conducted jointly by Lagos State Emergency
Management Agency and
Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency .

“ The joint- team discovered edibles , including fish , which had become rotten due to
faulty refrigerators .

“ The LASEMA team observed the absence of emergency action as well as preparedness
plan and appropriate safety measures in place to curtail such incidence and guard against
recurrence.

“ A total number of 25 containers was located and five containers laden with edibles have
faulty refrigerators .

“ The edibles have therefore defrosted and have become rotten, causing severe health
hazard to the environment , ” Dr Olufemi Oke -Osanyintolu , LASEMA Director General,
told NAN on Monday .

The LASEMA boss said that the rotten edibles inside the containers left huge impact on
four of the affected 13 houses located on the street at Trinity Close, Apapa .
( NAN )

Arrest Yahoo Boys And Stop Harassing Innocent Young

Nigerians- President Buhari
Arrest Yahoo boys and stop harassing innocent young Nigerians- President Buhari tells Police

Worried by the repeated stories of harassment from policemen shared by many young Nigerians,
President Buhari has cautioned men of the Nigerian Police to stop with the indiscriminate arrest
of young Nigerians in their bid to arrest `yahoo criminals.’

The President gave this word of caution when he spoke at the opening ceremony of the
Conference and Retreat for Senior Police Officers in Lagos on Monday October 28th.

Represented by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, President Buhari said that the service the police
force rendered was one Nigerians could not do without as it was the closest to the grassroots.
“Recently many civil society groups have complained about the arrest of young men and women
just because they look successful and are carrying laptops. Yes we must apprehend yahoo
criminals but we cannot harass young men and women on the streets and in taxis, most of whom
are merely going about their legitimate businesses.
“There are also cases of extra judicial killings and injuries; misuse of weapons and excessive use
of force by some members of the force. This sort of conduct by a few bad police officers must
stop, and it is the duty of you senior and strategic leaders of the Police force to ensure that
impunity of any kind is discouraged and punished where it is found.’’ President Buhari said

The President added that the Nigeria Police force was one of the proudest national assets as it was
the largest police force in Africa.

How Mdas Spent Over N1bn To Prepare 2020 Budget —

TribuneOnline
THE Federal Government may have spent not less than N1 billion in the processes leading to the
preparation and production of the 1,969 pages of the 2020 appropriation bill currently before the
National Assembly, tagged: “Budget of Sustaining Growth and Job Creation,” Nigerian Tribune
can authoritatively report.

The amount is the cumulative expenditure by ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) of
the Federal Government, as reflected in the 2019 Appropriation Act currently being implemented
by the various agencies of the Federal Government across the country.

Nigerian Tribune gathered that the budget line item “Annual Budget Expenses and
Administration,” with the code 22021014, appeared 227 times in the Appropriation Act 2019,
with various costing by the respective MDAs.

The budget line revealed the total expenditure by the executive arm of government to prepare,
coordinate and present the executive bill for the 2020 fiscal year budget to the National
Assembly, with the State House spending N16,107, 232.

The State House has, however, approached the National Assembly to approve a higher figure for
the same assignment to prepare the 2021 budget. The new figure of N26,107,232, is N10 million
more than the money used to prepare the 2020 appropriation, Nigerian Tribune gathered.

Comrade Ezenwa Nwagwu, of the “Say No Campaign” movement, while reacting to the cost of
producing the budget by the executive arm of government, said: “if I were to be writing school
certificate today and asked to define government, I will simply write corruption.”

According to him, the situation turned for the worse when attempts were made to restore sanity to
the nation’s fiscal discipline.
About 277 institutions of government, according to the 2019 budget, spent over N1,191,088,860
after collation of the verifiable budget item coded 22021014, in the 2019 Appropriation Act.
The cost for preparing the 2020 budget could fund overhead expenditure of the Office of the
Auditor-General for the Federation in same budget at the sum of N984,230,795.

Nigerian Tribune can authoritatively state that five organisations allocated over N50 million to
fund the 2020 budget preparation exercise.
Top on the list, according to Nigerian Tribune findings, are Ministry of Interior, which spent
N115,119,851); followed by the Budget Office of the federation, spending N107,532,160.

These two were distantly followed by the Ministry of Budget and National Planning
headquarters, authorised by the 2019 Appropriation Act to spend N69,236,205.

Nigerian Tribune further findings revealed that the ministry of education headquarters spent
N65,353,467, closely followed by the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the
Federation, which spent N64,765,964 to prepare its budget.

Federal Science Technical College (FSTC), Awka, Anambra State, had the lowest allocation for
the budget line item, standing at N16,046.

According to the 2019 Appropriation Act, Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ expenditure for the
preparation of the 2020 budget was 52,905,860; Nigerian Nuclear Regulatory Commission, under
the Ministry of Petroleum Resources, spent N42,140,000.

The Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, topped the ivory tower league in huge spending of
taxpayers money to fund its 2020 budget at the cost of N30,999,061, with the amount over 40 per
cent of its capital allocation for the 2019 appropriation, standing at N71,678,378.

Director, Centre for Democracy and Development, Idayat Hassan, speaking on the development,
said such spending was alarming, as it provided civil servants the leeway to engage in unrealistic
and undisciplined fiscal transactions.

She called on the National Assembly to re-visit the 2016 auditor general’s report to address the
unjustifiable spending.

“It is alarming to have the numbers of miscellaneous and some at huge cost in the MDAs budget
as it may give room for improper spending.

“While I agree that it covers things not mentioned in regular category but also, it doesn’t allow
for disciplined spending or realistic planning.
“That is why the law states basically that no money can be spent without appropriation. In a
country where there is flagrant disregard for budgetary spending, this isn’t good practice. It is
time for the National Assembly to look into the 2016 Auditor-General’s report,” Hassan stated.

When contacted, a senior official of the Budget Office of the Federation who asked not to be
named, said how much is spent on preparation of annual budget depends on how large and
scattered a ministry, department or agency is.

According to him, in the preparation of budget, an agency would gather its relevant desk officers
from across the country to submit their recurrent and capital needs.
He explained further that it could take them days or even weeks to conclude the work and they
would need to stay in hotels, collect night allowances and be entertained.

“After collation and before the minister takes the budget details to Federal Executive Council for
defence, the officers would still be gathered from their stations to brief the political head of what
is contained.

“What each MDA will propose for budget preparation expenses would, therefore, depend on how
large and scattered such establishment is,” he said.

Igbo 2023 Presidency: We’ll Consult Fani-kayode, Ango

Abdullahi, Junaid Mohammed
Ohanaeze Ndigbo Youth Council Worldwide, has on Tuesday said that it would lead the 2023
National Committee on Igbo presidency project to visit some prominent Nigerians, informing
them on the need to support an Igbo stock come 2023.

Abia Assembly concludes capacity building workshop(Opens in a new browser tab)

The group said that the likes of the former aviation minister, Chief Femi Fani-Kayode, Ango
Abdullahi, Junaid Mohammed, ACF Scribe Sani, and Coalition of Northern Groups would be
consulted.

Disclosing this in a statement duly signed by the groups Deputy President General, Comrade
Obinna Achionye, and the Secretary General, Mazi Okwu Nnabuike, the group opined that South
East should be encouraged to produce a president.

The statement reads thus:

“Ohanaeze Ndigbo Youth Council Worldwide lauds Nigerians irrespective of tribe and religion
who believe in the principle of equity, justice and fairness in the country.

“For proper integration, Unity and maintenance of healthy democracy, the South East should be
encouraged to adopt the Yoruba Model of 1999, and Northern Model of 2019 were major political
parties in 1999 adopted all Yoruba candidates and in 2019 were PDP and APC featured all
Northern Presidential Candidates!! They should respect the rotational Presidency structure. What
is good for the Goose is also good for the Gander.

“A Nigerian President of Igbo stock will soon emerge, and we have activated Unity of purpose
among the ranks and files stakeholders of Igbo.

“The 2023 National Committee on Igbo presidency project, a new political organ and platform
that will independently drive the 2023 Igbo Presidency project has emerged.

“It is an assemblage of tested sons and daughters with proven track record of accomplishment in
their various areas of expertise and human endeavour.

“They have devoutly placed the collective bargain and aspirations of Igbo ahead of other
interests.

“These persons are determined through moral persuasion and well articulated Master plan
designed by late Chuba Okadigbo of blessed memory, as a guiding principles and Compass to
methodologically and systematically build bridges across the country and form alliances with all,
and consciously ensure the enemies within are suppressed with truth and reconciliatory measures
to prevent the repeat of Jos Convention PDP 98, were few Igbo leaders sold out against Dr Alex
Ekwueme.

“This committee will be under Natural oath of allegiance to the great Igbo deity, never to betray
this Igbo Presidency project whose time has come. There’ll be effort to address Biafra agitators to
mellow down and allow God’s will to be done.

“After due consultations with all the 69 OYC affiliated groups, students Union leaders, opinion
and Community based leaders, respected and erudite statesmen, Igbo Traditional Rulers,
Religious leaders, Women leaders and importantly our politicians, it’s collectively resolved that
Mazi Okechukwu Isiguzoro should head the 27 Man-2023 National Committee on Igbo
presidency project, with a clear mandate to reach out to all and Sundry especially those detractors
who are yet to see why their Zones shouldn’t hold on to power beyond 2023.

“There’s nothing amiss like in a multi party democracy, to engage your opponents through
fruitful discussions, dialogue and moral persuasive speech aimed at Cross fertilizing ideas on
Igbo presidency project.

“On that note, ACF Scribe Sani, Junaid Muhammed,Anglo Abdullah, FFK, Coalition of Northern
Groups and other Critics, as well as those who had openly declared support for the Igbo
Presidency struggle are top of the list to be consulted.

“We insist everyone will be consulted to gain confidence of all Nigerians before the end of 2021.

“Igbo Youths wish to state categorically that the current 2023 Igbo Presidency National
committee is open to all Nigerians to join not necessarily limited to Igbo folks.

“It’s subject to ratification and review periodically to fine turn with the realities on ground and
consideration to the fact there will be attempt to blackmail or canjole or derail this people’s
movement.

“We are fully aware of the fact that some elders who are advised to play advisory role may not be
comfortable with the new role, but we assure them only their blessings are required until 2023
Presidential election draws nearer, were they’ll openly play prominent roles.”

Ayade’s Administration Has Rehabilitated 406 Schools-

SUBEB Chairman
To ensure conducive environment for learning, the Governor Ben Ayade-led administration in
Cross River State has in the last few years procured and distributed 79,622 plastic chairs and
tables to about 300 schools in the state.
This disclosure was made by the state chairman of the State Universal Basic Education Board, Dr
Stephen Odey after a tour of some schools.
According to Odey, the Ayade-led administration has carried out the most intervention in schools
in the history of the state.
He said as part of the interventions, "a total of 79622 plastic tables and chairs have been procured
and distributed to schools across the eighteen local government areas of the state, and this is
geared towards boosting the basic education sector in the state."
Besides provision of tables and chairs to schools, he said the administration also awarded
contracts for the comprehensive rehabilitation of about 496 schools across the state," adding that,
"out of this, 406 projects have been completed. So this is the administration that has intervened
massively within the basic education sector."
“While we are making our pupils and students comfortable, the teachers also must be properly
accommodated, hence our desire to start another distribution of latest teachers tables."
Urging pupils to take their studies seriously as well as learn to respect their teachers and parents,
he reiterated the governor’s vision for pupils in the state.
He said it was the desire of the governor to create the best learning environment, hence the
establish the British/Canadian International School.
ThankGod Omini, a students of Government Secondary School, Ikot Effanga applauded the
governor on the various interventions in their school.
His words: "I feel very comfortable sitting on a new desk and receiving studies without pains.
Our governor, Prof Ben Ayade has done well, I love him and beg him to do more for us.
"I feel very happy. The teachers treat us well, show us love and are kind. Besides, we have new
desks and chairs to make the school conducive."

Enugu Police Intensify Manhunt On Abductors Of Priest

As Govt charges security agencies to rescue victim unhurt

The Enugu State Command of the Nigeria Police Force says it has intensified efforts to rescue
Rev. Father Arinze Madu who was abducted by unknown hoodlums Monday evening near the
gate of Queen of Apostles Seminary School, Imezi Owa in Ezeagu Local Government Area.

In a statement by the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Ebere Amaraizu, the Force
disclosed that “the priest was allegedly abducted on Monday at about 5.50pm near the gate of the
seminary as he was driving out of the premises.”

Reacting to the development, the Enugu State Government “expressed deep concern about the
unfortunate incident” and charged the Nigeria Police Force and other security agencies to ensure
that the priest was rescued unhurt.

The state government added that it “will leave no stone unturned to make sure that he regains his
freedom.”
The government reassured the people of its “commitment to continue to make the state safe and
to sustain the enviable status of Enugu as one of the safest and most peaceful states in Nigeria.”

It, therefore, urged members of the public to remain calm and to go about their normal businesses
while “government will continue to support the security agencies to secure lives and property of
the people.”

It would be recalled that Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi’s administration only recently procured and
distributed security patrol vans equipped with communication gadgets to the security agencies in
the state to aid their operations.

The state government equally procured two hundred and sixty vehicles, motorcycles and bicycles
respectively which will soon be distributed to Neighbourhood Watch groups and Forest Guards
for community policing.

Buhari’s Administration Impoverishing Nigerians – CUPP

The Coalition of United Political Parties (CUPP) on Tuesday accused President Muhammadu
Buhari’s administration of impoverishing Nigerians through the increase in Value- Added Tax
(VAT), borrowings and other policies.

The coalition said it had therefore, through one of its alliance party members, Action Peoples
Party (APP), instituted a legal action in the Federal High Court to challenge the federal
government’s actions.

The group’s spokesman, Imo Ugochinyere, who disclosed this in a statement, said the reason it
filed the suit was to bring respite to citizens who had been traumatized and impoverished by the
current government.

The suit, he said was filed before the Federal High Court presided over by Justice Ekwo Ekwo of
Court 5.

He added that the court had since commenced hearing in the litigation.

he Coalition of United Political Parties (CUPP) on Tuesday accused President Muhammadu

Buhari’s administration of impoverishing Nigerians through the increase in Value- Added Tax
(VAT), borrowings and other policies.

The coalition said it had therefore, through one of its alliance party members, Action Peoples
Party (APP), instituted a legal action in the Federal High Court to challenge the federal
government’s actions.

The group’s spokesman, Imo Ugochinyere, who disclosed this in a statement, said the reason it
filed the suit was to bring respite to citizens who had been traumatized and impoverished by the
current government.

The suit, he said was filed before the Federal High Court presided over by Justice Ekwo Ekwo of
Court 5.
He added that the court had since commenced hearing in the litigation.

Sagay: Only A Mad Person Will Say North Will Remain In

Power For 100 Years
Prof. Itse Sagay (SAN), Chairman of the Presidential Advisory Committee Against Corruption
(PACAC) on Tuesday said only a mentally slow person will proclaim that the North will remain
in power forever.

Speaking in a chat with Daily Independent, Sagay said for the sake of peace the unwritten
agreement of power rotation between the North and South after eight years must be adhered to.

According to him, power must shift to the South in 2023 after President Muhammadu Buhari
must have completed his tenure in 2023.

He said anyone thinking of truncating that arrangement is interested in the break-up of Nigeria.

“No rational mind will say things like that. Only an ethnic jingoist or a person who is mentally
slow and who does not have the interest of the country at heart will utter such a statement. That
statement can only come from somebody who wants us to break apart”.

“No sane person will talk in such an irresponsible manner. The mode of exercise of power and
choice of presidency has been established. Every eight years, it moves from the North to the
South and from the South to the North, depending on which region was in power at the particular
time”.

“If anyone thinks he can change that, then that person does not consider the future of Nigeria.
The country cannot survive any idea of a group of people in the North or South saying they will
remain in power permanently without respecting the rotation rule” he said.

You Cannot Escape Justice At Supreme Court, PDP Mocks

APC
You Cannot Escape Justice At Supreme Court, PDP Mocks APC

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) says there is no way the All Progressives Congress (APC)
can escape justice at the Supreme Court, given its weight of evidence proving that PDP
Presidential Candidate, Atiku Abubakar, won the February Presidential election.

The PDP cautions the APC and supporters of President Muhammadu Buhari to desist from their
blackmails and irresponsible allegations against the PDP and Atiku Abubakar, as such can never
sway the Supreme Court to alter the course in the matter.

The party says the APC, being discomfited by the weight of evidence against it and President
Buhari, has resorted to cooked-up stories, inventions and threats, in a bid to smokescreen its
machinations against the Supreme Court; all characteristic of individuals desperate to distract the
court.

The PDP has built a solid case at the Supreme Court. It stands with Nigerians across the country
in believing that Justice will prevail. On the other hand, the APC, seeing that it has no hope, has
been devising all manner of shenanigans to overheat the system so as to create the ground to
derail the course of justice.

Nigerians are aware of how chaotic the APC has been since the PDP and Atiku Abubakar
succeeded in assembling our undisputable evidence before the Supreme Court, including the clear
miscarriage of Justice in the judgment of the Presidential Election Petitions Tribunal (PEPT),
which even the tribunal admitted was full of errors.

Nigerians are also aware how the APC plots to frustrate and irritate the Supreme Court by filling
a cross appeal seeking to direct the apex court on what to do with the critically flawed judgment
of the tribunal.

Unfortunately for the APC and the Buhari Presidency, all the flaws in the judgment of the tribunal
are bare before Nigerians; they are now before the Supreme Court and the APC cannot escape
justice.

The PDP therefore refuses to be drawn into a dance in the mud with the unsettled APC, which is
reputed as a party of schemers, blackmailers, manipulators, scammers, coercers, powermongers,
certificate forgers and desperate individuals whose desire is to cause confusion, blackmail the
Supreme Court and disrupt the trajectory of justice in this case.

Signed:

Kola Ologbondiyan
National Publicity Secretary

Bayelsa 2019: We did not influence INEC's

list of presiding officers- APC - Politico
All Progressives Congress (APC) has denied influening the list of Supervisory Presiding Officers
(SPOs) by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to conduct forthcoming
Bayelsa governorship election.
In a statement signed by its Deputy National Publicity Secretary, Mr Yekini Nabena, in Abuja on
Tuesday, APC dismissed the allegation by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate,
Sen. Douye Diri, that APC had influenced the list.
Mr Jonathan Obuebite, the Director of Media and Publicity of Sen. Douye Diri Campaign Organisation
had on Monday, called on INEC to withdraw a supposed list of SPOs and engage fresh hands from
institutions outside Bayelsa.
“The baseless allegation by the PDP and its governorship candidate is part of their plan to intimidate
INEC and other critical stakeholders that will be on official election duty,” he said

Senate President Breaks Silence On

Scrapping House Of Representatives
Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, has said Nigeria should maintain a bicameral legislature
consisting of the Senate and House of Representatives as presently constituted.
He said the adoption of a bicameral legislature by the framers of the constitution was intended to
address the country’s diversity and ethnic composition to ensure justice, equity and fairness for
all Nigerians irrespective of their background.
Recall that Senator Rochas Okorocja had canvassed for the scrapping of the House of Representatives.
But the Senate President while speaking at the third University of Benin/National Institute for
Legislative and Democratic Studies (NILDS) convocation ceremony which held on Monday at the
National Assembly in Abuja, noted that having a unicameral legislature may create problems of non-
representation and exclusion from governance for minority ethnic groups in the country, as well as
inefficient representation for groups in the majority.
He said: “Nigeria has consciously adopted to have a bicameral National Assembly; it is because of who
and what we are.
“The diversity of Nigeria and ethnic composition of the country requires that we have a system that
provides justice, equity and fair play.
“It is a conscious decision and design to ensure that everybody is represented in the country. We need
bicameral legislature in Nigeria.”

₦250bn loan for Lagos: What is Governor

Sanwo-Olu up to? - Qwenu!
Lagos is among the richest of Nigeria’s 36 states. However, when the media reported that
Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu wants to raise some ₦250 billion loan, it raised eyebrows. 
In his letter to the state’s assembly, Sanwo-Olu had given his reasons as lack of revenue for the
remaining months of the year, and not being in a position to propose a supplementary budget.
The idea of getting a loan is actually not the problem, but the fact that Lagos has gotten nothing to
show for its decade-long indebtedness. It’s a supposedly wealthy state, but still, the debt level is among
the highest in Nigeria. 
On its part, the state’s chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) said, “the request was made
under very unclear needs and unless the governor allows public defence of it, we hold that 60 per cent
of the sought loan is to be shared amongst the governor, the lawmakers and notable chieftains of the
APC, essentially to placate the chieftains of the ruling party.”
According to the PDP, “we declare this assertion as very uninformed and a deliberate to divert the state
IGR. We have intelligence report that the state IGR is now between ₦60 to ₦70 billion monthly, but
that the actual collections are never made public.”
The governorship candidate of the state in the Action Democratic Party (ADP) in 2019, Babatunde
Olalere Gbadamosi, also noted that, “When Sanwo-Olu took over power and promised to re-ordered
the budget of his immediate predecessor, Akinwunmi Ambode, what came to my mind was that he
intended to downsize the budget like what Governor Seyi Makinde did in Oyo State. But with what is
happening it is as if he (Sanwo-Olu) lied to the people of Lagos during the debate we had before the
governorship election.”
Another gubernatorial candidate in the state, Ayodele Akele, who contested on the platform of the
National Conscience Party (NCP), also said, “the level of indebtedness of Lagos State is becoming
alarming and it poses a serious danger to its future. The loans have been piling up since the era of
former Governor Bola Tinubu and there are no critical things to show for it in terms of development
and alleviation of poverty.”
Also, a former National Chairman of PDP, Chief Olabode George, said “Since the year 2000, we have
been shouting that the Alpha Beta Company, which has been the tax consultant to Lagos must be
audited. The state is the greatest debtor outside the debt owed by the Federal Government, both locally
and internationally. Now they want to go and borrow another ₦250 billion; what happened to the ones
we have borrowed?”
Sanwo-Olu is the sitting governor in Lagos, and he’s expected to know the perfect fiscal need of his
state. However, that doesn’t mean he should go on spending spree, borrowing from every lender
available. 
With the volume of debt on Lagos, there shouldn’t be a flood on almost every street, as we see now. So,
when he talks about borrowing, he should start by probing the previous loans, and showing Lagosians
the impacts. Only after this should there be a space for another debt.

2023: Tinubu will regret alliance with North -

Femi Fani- Kayode
My Problem With Osinbajo
• The injustice against Igbo
Chief Femi Fani-Kayode, a former minister is a lawyer, essayist, poet and a political activist. He
spoke to AKANI ALAKA on the contemporary political developments in Nigeria, relations
among the ethnic groups in the country, the civil war, agitations for self-determination, the need
to restructure the country, as well as the jostling for the 2023 presidency among politicians from
the South, among other issues.    
Just recently, Nigeria celebrated its 59 Independence anniversary. You also celebrated your 59th
birthday some days ago. As an historian and somebody whose father also played a significant role
in ensuring that Nigeria became an independent nation, would you say the country’s founding
fathers will be proud of the position the country is in now 59 years after?
I think we ought to have gone much farther than we have gone. And if I am to be frank, I will tell you
that those that fought for Independence of Nigeria, including my father and many generations before
them, will not be too pleased with the situation we are in today. We were meant to have gone much
further, become much stronger, much more united. We were meant to be the greatest asset of the Black
man on planet Earth. But we have failed in all these respects. And consequently, I will have to say that I
am rather disappointed. We are like a giant that has shrunk into the position of a dwarf.  We have been
dwarfed in many ways – even by countries that are far smaller, with less potential than us, even in the
African continent. And that’s not good enough. And I think it all boils down to one thing – the fact that
we have had leadership that has not been the best for much of the past 59 years. And of course, the
other part of the problem is that we have not been able to answer the fundamental questions like, for
example, the national question and the outstanding issues concerning the Nigerian civil war and so
many other things. And I think this is why our development has been stagnated and in many ways, has
become retrogressive.
You talked about the national question – what is that national question and do you think there
have been sincere efforts to address it?
I don’t even think most political leaders or politicians in Nigeria even know what the national question
is. And that is really, really worrying because as long as you don’t answer that national question or
address that issue, we will continue to go round in circles. Of course, it starts with one fundamental
question, which was asked in 1947 by the great Chief Obafemi Awolowo in his book, The Path To
Nigerian Freedom. And the question was simply this – “Is Nigeria really a nation?” He (Awolowo)
concluded by saying, No, that it’s a geographical expression. He added that there is as much difference
as between a German and a Turk as there is between a Fulani man and an Igbo man and everybody
ought to be able to develop at his or her pace within his or her own region or zone. That was essentially
Awolowo’s contention in 1947. And many decades later, I still think he was right. We pretend to be one
nation, we tell ourselves that we are one, but deep down, we know how much we resent one another for
various reasons. We continue to act as if this is a marriage that is eternal, even though we don’t want it.
That’s the reality of Nigeria’s situation today. Most politicians will not say this to you because they are
interested in getting votes from all over the country and so, they prostitute their principles and
compromise on so many issues. But the new type of politicians that I think will deliver this country will
not think like that. I don’t think like that. I will rather tread the path of truth and justice than to say
things that are politically correct in order to gain favour with Northerners or anybody from any other
part of the country. The path of truth is the path that will deliver this country into the light of God and
the greatness that she deserves and we must not shy away from treading that path. We are not a nation;
we are a union of ethnic nationalities that are yet to resolve our fundamental differences and
fundamental issues. The questions that were raised before the Nigerian civil war and in the course of
that war are still being raised today. And my prayer is that it does not take another war or civil conflict
in this country for us to resolve those issues. We can resolve them in amicable and peaceful way, so that
everybody will feel equal before God and everybody will feel they have equal opportunity to aspire and
to excel in this country as citizens and not that we have some that are born to rule and some that are
destined to serve.
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to evacuate her remains
How can we, as a country resolve this question – because some like the Indigenous People of Biafra,
IPOB, want every tribe in the country to go their separate ways as independent entities while others
think restructuring of the polity will give every Nigerian a sense of belonging. On which side of the
divide are you?
The battle for restructuring is dead and buried. Restructuring is not discussed in the National Assembly.
It’s not discussed even in the main political parties. As long as they are concerned, restructuring is a
dirty word. To me, it is a way out of the mess that we have put ourselves in. But to most politically
correct politicians, who are mostly insincere and cowardly, they won’t even talk about it. The
leadership of the two main political parties – the PDP and APC – will not talk about it as a matter of
policy and neither will most of the small political parties. But this is something so obvious, that ought
to have been done long ago, not now. And the problem now is that it may well be too late for that. The
sentiment is so strong now for ethnic nationalism – it is happening all over the world. Look at what is
happening in Germany, in the US with Trump, in the UK with Brexit, the right wing political parties in
Europe like in Holland and Germany. The rise of ethnic nationalism is going on all over the world and
Nigeria cannot be isolated from that. In this country, we have major ethnic nationalities that see
themselves as members of that nationality before seeing themselves as Nigerians. There is nothing
wrong with that. It’s the perfectly natural order of things and that is the conflict we have in Nigeria.
This globalized hybrid state, that we must all become one, to my mind, is not natural. Yes, we can
become one if we share common values, common vision, a common understanding about how life
should be and common worldview. But if we don’t have that, and if one believes that he is king and the
others are slaves and must be slaves forever, then, on what basis can we continue to stay together? And
why should we remain together, just because a rather misguided man in 1914 by the name of Lord
Lugard, with his wife, decided that we should be together? I resent and reject that. I am a proud Omo
Kaaro o o jiire, I refused to use the word Yoruba. I am a proud son of Oduduwa and I believe proudly
and passionately in the rights of the people of the South-west to self-determination, if that’s what they
choose to do. I believe that the people of the East, the Igbo, have that right as well, if that’s what they
choose to do. And I believe in the power of referendum, self-determination and I think it is absolutely
wrong for anybody to say I don’t have a right to exercise that right, provided I do it in a peaceful,
logical and rational way.
Are you calling for the dissolution of Nigeria as a country then, because that is what this right to
self-determination will amount to…
I’m calling for the self determination of any ethnic nationality that chooses to be self-determined based
on referendum. This happens all over the world, international law backs it and it’s something that
should be done, provided it’s what the people want and it is done peacefully. And that’s my view. Even
if I don’t believe in it, I don’t think it will be right for me to impose my will on others and deny them
the right to believe in self-determination or the right to referendum to decide whether or not we should
remain as one. The UK that brought us together and declared our marriage one – between the poor
husband of the North and the rich wife of the South – and said that we must remain one forever is
doing that today. They are brexit-ing, based on referendum, from Europe, and they are also doing it
internally within the United Kingdom. Scotland had a referendum recently. They narrowly agreed to
stay in the United Kingdom. If they hold another referendum in the next few years, definitely, Scotland
is leaving United Kingdom. All the polls suggest that, and they will be allowed to leave. It is on that
basis of expression of freewill that you can say you will create and establish a nation. Now, if you don’t
want that part to be taken by the people, the only way is to treat them with respect, love and apologise
to them when you got it wrong. I will cite the case of the Igbo people and I have said it over and over
again. A situation where three million people -civilians- were killed during the civil war, the greatest
act of genocide in the history of African continent -black on black, not white on black- because King
Leopold ll killed 10 million Congolese. But we killed three million Igbo -civilians, men, women and
children- in a space of three years and we have not apologized for that. This is a crime against
humanity. It is a war crime. And for that kind of thing, the Nigerian commanders in the field, the
Nigerian Head of State at that time, all should be at ICC. But I haven’t called for that.  All I am saying
is that, at least, we should have the decency to apologise and also apologise for the fact that between
30,000 and 100,000 of them were killed just before the civil war by mobs in the North. These are the
fundamental issues. Every country that has indulged in such barbarity in the past has apologised,
including the Belgians. The only country that has refused to do so and has committed genocide is
Turkey. And I don’t think we should be in the same bracket as Turkey. They killed one million
Christian Armenians and they haven’t acknowledged it. We don’t want to be in that category.
Everybody else, including the Germans, what they did in the Second World War, 50 million people
died, six million Jews gassed to death, they apologised. Everybody at some time recognizes the power
of apology, reconciliation and restitution but we haven’t done that. Instead, we are still killing Igbo
people till today. Is that how a nation is built? And when they say they want to go because they are tired
of being killed even now, we are still killing them. It is unacceptable. Sadly, it is not just the Igbo now
that are being killed; if you go to the Middle Belt, Niger Delta, the West, Mid-West you will find
slaughter. All these slaughterings are being carried out by Fulani herdsmen and, of course, you have
Boko Haram in the North-east. It is so bad that Fulani herdsmen are even killing the local Hausa in the
North itself. The ethnic group carrying out this havoc, seven per cent of the population, that’s what they
are, and we will sit here and say we are one nation. We don’t have the right to retaliate, we don’t have
the right to cry, we don’t have the right aspire to be leaders in this country because we are second class
citizens, even, when we are the indigenous people of Nigeria. And you are saying we must accept that?
I will never do that. Unless they change and these things stop, Nigeria’s unity can never be something
that will be accepted by all of us.
Some critics, especially from the North had always faulted the call for apology to the Igbo people
over the civil war with the argument that the war was a reaction to the killings carried out in the
first coup of 1966, led by officers who hailed mostly from the then Eastern region…
I am very conversant with the history; I am part of it. They came to my father’s house in January 1966;
I was conversant with what they did. And my father was the only person that was taken away from
home that night who was not killed. About 20 people -key leaders in the military and the government of
that era- were killed. My father only escaped by divine providence because the federal troops saved
him at Dodan Barracks and I appreciate that. And I appreciate the pains that were caused that night
because I felt the pains too. I will never forget it. I witnessed it. I saw it. And I suffered the
consequences of that for many, many years because it traumatized me. The killing of all those people
was barbaric and unacceptable. I have said so. Definitely, the majority of the participants were Igbo, I
am not disputing that. But the question that you have to first answer is did those Igbo officers conduct a
referendum in the East before embarking on the coup? Did they do it on behalf of the Igbo people?
Because if you say you want to punish a whole ethnic nationality because of the action of a few people
-barbaric action in terms of the slaughter. They killed 20 people. You now say you want to wipe out
entire nationality, I think that’s an unacceptable behavior. The reaction is even more barbaric and quite
unacceptable in my view.
The argument was that the killings took place during a war situation…
It was not a war, because there was a coup in January 1966, 20 leaders were killed from all over the
country and only one leader was killed in the South-east. It was a tragedy. It was a wicked act. I accept
that. But there was no war at the time, there was a coup, an attempted coup. The coup failed. And what
happened next? The Northerners now decided to do a counter coup. Again, there was no war. It was
what they called a Northern revenge coup to avenge those that were killed in the first coup. And what
did they do? Here is what they did. They killed 300 Igbo officers in one night. They killed an Igbo
Head of State – Ironsi. They killed a Yoruba Governor of the Western Region, Fajuyi and they killed a
number of other people – all in one night. Now, look at it in numbers – 20 of yours were killed, you
killed 300 of theirs, plus the Head of State and Yoruba Army officers six months later.  And there was
no war declared. You didn’t stop there, but went a step further few months later and you slaughtered in
the North -the official figure is 30,000, the real figure is close to 100,000- Igbo civilians who knew
nothing about coup plotting, who did not participate in it, who are equally victims and were still
mourning that their people were killed. Those killings took place in few pogroms in a space of two
months and again, no war had been declared at that time.  But you didn’t stop there. When the Igbos
said it’s enough, let’s go back to the East, as they were going back, you were killing them at train
stations, firing bows and arrows at them. And when they got to the East, they now said ‘look, if you
want to wipe us all out, it is perfectly natural for us to say we want to leave’ and they now said they
want to go. First, you agreed that they will go based on terms agreed to at Aburi, then, you now change
your mind that even Aburi, which you have signed and agree on, you are not going to accept. They
must stay by force and the war started. And what did you do during the civil war? You killed three
million Igbo civilians. The number of Biafran soldiers that were killed was not more than between
30,000 and 40,000. But you killed three million Biafran civilians. One million of them were starved to
death with the policy of starvation that you put in place. And you justified that policy before the world
when you, Nigeria, said starvation is a legitimate weapon of war. Have you ever heard anything as
inhuman as that? I know who said that. I don’t want to mention the man’s name. Another government
official, a minister in Gowon’s government, went to America and when Americans were crying that we
were committing genocides against the Igbo people, he said ‘no, we are simply defending ourselves, we
will starve them to death.’ The people that said these were politicians, civilian leaders, but military
commanders executed that policy. Then, at the end of the war, you said ‘no victor, no vanquished,’ but
that was the biggest lie from the pit of hell. You gave them 20 pounds and then, you took all their
properties. It is only in the South-west that their properties were not taken and you turned them into not
second, but third class citizens. And today, one of those who participated in that war and all those
atrocities is now our President. …Now, we have killed many in the last four years. You killed many
IPOB people. And now, they are saying they want to go and you are saying they have no right to go. Is
that just or right?
The civil war was followed by a succession of military regimes and in 1999, Nigeria returned to
democracy. How well would you say we have done as a democratic nation since 1999?
I don’t think we have a real democracy and I will tell you why. In a real democracy, political parties
can be formed based on whatever criteria you choose. Anybody can literally get up and say, this is my
party, register it, I’m going to run as an independent, as whatever in my local government area. But
here, INEC, which is essentially a tool for government of the day controls everything in terms of
elections. And if you have a man who is the chairman of INEC working against you as the president,
which is what happened in 2015. (Attahiru) Jega worked against Jonathan at that time. I’m accusing
him of that right in this interview. And I’m also saying that there was time he was asked to resign and
the evidence was clear on why he has to …. but, in my view, very naively, (former President
Goodluck) Jonathan decided to keep him there. If you can control the INEC and the chairman of INEC
as an opposition party or if you can put your man there to run INEC as this government has done since
2015, then, you know you have no democracy. Yes, they can let you win some states as they did in
2019, but they can rig you out wherever they like. If you control the courts and you can remove the
Chief Justice of Nigeria just like that or you can raid the houses of judges at night with the DSS and
you have, more or less, captured the judiciary and intimidated the judges, you don’t have a democracy
and neither do you have rule of law. If you can send DSS officers to the National Assembly to go and
raid the place and lock out legislators because you cannot control the place as happened some months
ago, then you don’t have a democracy. Today, the APC, by design, controls the National Assembly.
They control it because they control virtually all the elections and so, they returned as many people as
possible through INEC – mostly unfairly. They control the elections tribunals, in my view. They control
the courts, in my view, and they control the media, in my view, because this kind of interview, I will be
surprised if you publish what I am saying. You may publish it online, but if you publish it in your
paper, you may get into trouble. They control the television. If you go there and you say anything
against them that is strong, factual, the NBC will come down on the television station. And you called
that democracy? It is tyranny. It’s a dictatorship. And everything that I, FFK, said in 2015 during the
course of the election that would happen if Buhari became the President has happened. And everybody
that insulted me then, laughed at me then, and said I was talking rubbish, even from within the PDP
itself, are now being prosecuted. All of them are now calling to say I was right. And everybody that
stood with them (APC) then, including Atiku, Obasanjo, Kwankwaso, Tambuwal, Dino Melaye, Saraki
has come back now. And now, they are all victims of this monster that they helped to create in 2015.
Now, we fought them in 2015 and we are still fighting them up till today. And until the end of time, we
will continue to fight them, not as individuals, because I have nothing against anybody personally. If
anything, I have more friends in APC than in PDP. That’s the truth. But in terms of ideology, politics
and what I think is best for my country, I see them as immortal enemies; I see them as nothing but
darkness. And I see those that seek to liberate this country from their shackles as the light and the
vessels and the tools of God to fight that darkness. That’s my position. So, if you asked me that do I
believe that we have a democracy? My answer is, no. They have corrupted it, they have abused it and I
knew this was going to happen. And let me tell you that it is going to get worse.
What has APC done to our democracy since they took power in 2015 that made you to arrive at
this conclusion?
Since 2015, what have they done? First, they introduced religion and ethnicity into government. Every
security agency in this country – whether the military, the one that have to do with external or internal
security – 17 agencies in all – they are all in the hands of Northern Muslims, except for one, which is
the Navy. And that’s unacceptable in a multi-religious, multi-cultural society. A situation where the
whole of the judiciary from the Supreme Court to the Court of Appeal, the Federal High Court has just
changed now – but the three tiers of the judiciary were being headed by Northern Muslims. It is just
now that we have only one being headed by Northern Christian, that’s the Federal High Court. A
situation whereby in the National Assembly, the Senate is headed by a Northern Muslim, House of
Representatives headed by a Southern Muslim – Femi Gbajabiamila, he is a good friend of mine, I have
known him for over 40 years – but he is a Muslim as well. So, you have Muslims heading both wings
of the National Assembly. And you know what they have done with Femi Gbajabiamila? They have
surrounded him with Muslims – his deputy is also a Muslim and the four principal officers around him
are also Muslims. So, what is there for us in that place? In the executive, apart from the security
agencies, look at all the key appointments – nine times out of 10, they go Northern Muslims. Go to the
Villa today – the official language is Hausa, 90 per cent of the people that are working in the Villa are
Northern Muslims. Look at the appointment of chief executives for the key agencies – they were
Northern Muslims, look at the ministerial appointments in terms of substance – the North-west where
the President comes from, the Hausa-Fulani catchment area, you have 10 substantive ministries, those
are full ministries, not Ministers of state, 10 in the North-west. Next is the South-west where I come
from, we have five substantive Ministers and everywhere else – the South-east, the North-central and
North-east have three substantive ministers each. That means the North-west where Buhari comes
from, which is the Fulani heartland has over three times the number of substantive ministers that all the
other zones have, except for the South-west. And south-west has only half the number the North-west
have. Is that fair?
But there are northerners, like Junaid Mohammed, who have argued that reverse was the case
between 2015 and early 2019 with more people from the South being in charge of substantive
portfolios as you have called them…
It is not true and even if that was the case, it is even better because that would have reflected the fact
that the President was not attempting to play an ethnic card. We would commend him for that. But that
is not even true. But I am saying let’s talk about today. He is now fully entrenched in power and he is
now showing his true colours. And I find it quite inexcusable and unacceptable that it is happening like
this and we are expected to say nothing because everybody is scared to talk, including the opposition
party, the PDP. You are dealing with a monster – and I’m not saying that Buhari is a monster – you are
dealing with a monstrous system and yet, you are acting as if you are playing chess. You don’t even
know that it is about to consume you.
But you have a vice president who is from the South-west; I know that you have been critical of
him…
I have nothing against Osinbajo at all. Again, I have known him for over 40 years. He is a good man,
he is somebody that I have always liked and respected, he is an absolute gentleman until he became the
vice president and then, he changed. I don’t know what happened to him. I don’t know the
psychological problem, whether it is the love of power or the lust for power, he has changed. And I
hope and pray, and I pray for him every day that the Yemi Osinbajo that I loved and respected before
will one day come back. He has changed.
What do you think has changed about him?
The Yemi Osinbajo that I knew would never sit with those that seek to destroy his faith and his ethnic
nationality. The Yemi Osinbajo that I once knew would never be a slave to anybody. The Yemi
Osinbajo that I once knew is a brilliant lawyer, greatest authority of the law of evidence in this country,
would never shed his intellectual strength and virility and bow before people that are barely educated
and serve them like a houseboy. Right now, they have used him and they want to dump him. They are
insulting him every day. I’m close to many people in what they called the ‘cabal’ by the way.  Buhari
was very close to my dad, Abba Kyari who is the Chief of Staff worked in my father’s law firm for 14
years. Mamman Daura was very close to my uncle, Chief Sobo Sowemimo who was my father’s
principal partner in that law firm. Alhaji Zangon Daura was director of my father’s company, a big
construction company. So, I know these people very well.  And they have their own worldview, I have
mine. I have nothing against them. But those worldviews are diametrically opposed. By the way, I have
immense respect for Abba Kyari, I liked him very much, though we are on opposing sides. But for
Yemi Osinbajo to have become like a houseboy to them simply because he might want to become
President in 2023 is something I find despicable. And it tells me something, that, maybe, I never knew
him that well because power is not something you sacrificed your principles for. It comes and it goes.
He didn’t get there by his own volition. He got there through the prayers of Pastor Adeboye and the
goodwill of Asiwaju Bola Tinubu. Now, the things he is doing today, Tinubu would never do it. When
the Fulanis were killing our people, raping our children in the Middle Belt and the Southern part of the
country, Osinbajo will say we should not retaliate, but rather, we should pray for them? You go to
America and say the whole issue of genocide going on in Nigeria is something that is exaggerated. You
refused to see leaders of Christian Association of Nigeria for the first three years you are in power, even
though you are a Christian and it was only when election was approaching that you now start to
romance them. But when you are in problem with your President and they want to remove you, you run
back to CAN, begging them to help you. And I speak out of love. I don’t hate him. I don’t hate any of
them. I respect him, but I disagree with him. You spend your time plotting how to jail every Yoruba
person. Deji Adeyanju, who was behind his detention? I wouldn’t say it was him, but he should ask
himself that question. And you are working against Bola Tinubu quietly.
But can all these be true ?
Tinubu knows it, I know it, and everybody knows it. That’s my only grouse with him. His aides are
going round saying they must block me, not to let me talk on TV, even going to various newspaper
houses. I know everything. I have been in this game since 1990. There is no editor I don’t know in this
country, there is no newspaper publisher I don’t know in this country. When it comes to the media, I
have very strong friends and I know what is going on. And you, because you are not ready for one-on-
one debate, public discourse with me, you want to shut my mouth, shut the opposition up. But it can
never happen.
What is your take on this debate on whether the North should retain the presidency in 2023 or
that it should shift to the South?
I am not interested in this argument of whether North or South should rule. You think the North is
going to give you power again? Do you believe that? Any Southern leader that is naïve enough to
believe that in 2023, this so-called North that most of them now worship and regard as god will give
power to them, is stupid, doesn’t understand this game yet. It is not going to happen. Two, I refused to
discuss this because they have just had an election now. He (Buhari) is barely in power for a few
months and we are stupidly debating whether it will be zoned back to the South in four years’ time,
when we know it is not coming. You know what they do? They dangle it before you to give you hope
and keep you mesmerized, living on hope every day. And when the time comes, three years from now,
they will say, ‘sorry, politics is a game of numbers. We have the numbers, you don’t have the numbers,
you’re all divided, Igbo fighting Omo Oodua, Omo Oodua fighting Igbo, you are divided, we are
united, we keep the power, it’s a game of number.’ And you will say, ‘what a pity, maybe in 2027, we
can get it.’ That’s the game they are playing and we are falling for it. The only way out of it is for us to
stand united – that’s the three zones of the South and the Middle belt – and say enough of this games
and say we want a peaceful devolution of power from the centre to the various zones, restructuring of
the system, so that we can give our people hope, we are not interested in your presidency anymore.
They control everything – INEC, the security agencies – you have the knife, the yam everything and
you are telling me to come and sit at your table and eat crumbs, I am not interested. It’s either we
restructure and save the union or one way or the other, this country is going to disintegrate. People like
me – we are pacifists, we simply talk, plant ideas and express the will of the people. We don’t believe
in violence, we only speak and we speak truth and tread the path of honour and justice no matter how
costly that might be to us. Now, there are others behind us that don’t even want to hear us. They say,
‘why are you talking?, you’ve spoken for so many years, you old men.’ They called me an old man at
59 and those that are older like my Baba, Baba Adebanjo, Professor Akintoye,  Baba John Nwodo of
Ohanaeze, Pa Clark and all the others – these are generations much older than me, do you want to
know what they call them? I won’t even tell you. The youths are not interested in people like them or
even like me anymore. They are settled in their minds that this matter can only be settled with force of
arms. But we have consistently said no way. The path of bloodshed and violence is one I will not tread
except it is in self-defence. So, the government and those that hate us for speaking the truth should
acknowledge this. If anything, we should all be working together to keep the peace, but they should
allow us to express ourselves. And we challenged them on the basis of ideas to let the people decide,
don’t intimidate or gag people. And that’s why what they did to Nnamdi Kanu was completely wrong.
What they did to IPOB, Sowore was wrong. These are men that never take up gun, they never kill, they
never threatened violence, they never attempted to violate the constitution, in my view. But you now
lock them up for treason and you are prosecuting them. That’s the dilemma we are facing as a country.
With what you’ve said now, does it mean that people like Asiwaju Tinubu who are alleged to be
positioning themselves to run for the presidency in 2023 are just wasting their time?
I laugh at them. And I feel nothing but pity for them. They deserve to be pitied. Asiwaju Tinubu is
somebody that I have always liked and he will tell you this. I have criticized him vigorously on many
occasions and I stand by everything I have said about him. But I have always liked him. He is one of
these people I can’t help liking, because he is really a warm person to be with, I can tell you that. I used
to interact with him a lot, even when I was a minister. In fact, let me go as far as to tell you that I may
not have been a minister if not for his support. Would you believe that? That’s the truth. I don’t forget
what people do for me and I don’t forget what people do to me. I have a long memory, it’s my Fulani
blood; one-eight of my blood is Fulani, so, I have a long memory. But I always repay those that do me
well with respect. That goes to show you that I have nothing against him personally. But on this one,
they have used him to split the Yoruba – in 2015, APC got 51 per cent of the votes for Buhari in the
South-west. Obasanjo, everybody was with them at that time, we (PDP) got 49 per cent. This time
around, I think they got about 52, 53 per cent, according to INEC figures and Atiku got about 48 per
cent. So, Oodua land is split right down the middle. He took that percentage to Buhari and APC. They
have got what they wanted from him now and they are set to destroy him. And that’s why all the
ministers that were nominated, not one of them came from Tinubu, take my word for it.  
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How true is that because some of the ministers like Sunday Dare, Aregbesola were believed to
have been nominated by Tinubu into the cabinet?
Dare was not nominated by Tinubu; quote me. I won’t say Dare said it, but I know it. Aregbesola, my
friend who I love and respect any day, anytime, even though we are in different political parties, a real
fighter, was not nominated by Tinubu. These people were selected by Buhari himself. Tinubu will not
tell you this, but they have already started. And his own boy who he made the vice president is working
against him quietly. So, a time will come, if…..this government lasts up till that time in 2023, when he
will know the mistakes he has made. Even, some of the Oodua state governors are actively working
against him. I won’t mention their names. These are APC governors. But by the time we get to 2023, if
we get there as a nation, that is when he will get to know what all these people are doing. And maybe,
at that point in time, he will now retrace his steps and we will all come together on a strong platform
where the sons and daughters of Oduduwa can come together to fight for their course in a wider
Nigeria. And I’m still waiting for that. I will love that. I will welcome him with open arms because
Tinubu, whether anybody likes him or not, one thing that you cannot take away from him, and I always
tell people this. If you look at the ways in which he built up his lieutenants and put them in key
positions, throughout the country, it is not just now. He started this long time ago. His own is to build
you up. You are loyal to him, he builds you up and he puts you in a key position and he supports and
stands by you. There is no other Oodua leader that has ever done that in my view. You can’t take that
from Bola Tinubu. However, Tinubu has made the biggest mistake that any Oodua leader has made
since Afonja. And that’s a very serious indictment of Tinubu.
What’s the basis for this assertion?
When you are looking at Nigeria’s history, you can’t escape one fact – and that is that every single
Oduduwa or Southern leader that has aligned with the North at any point in time in history has always
regretted it without any exception. Afonja betrayed his Alaafin and aligned with the Fulani, he ended up
losing his throne, they killed him and took his throne and till today, you have an Emir in Ilorin.
Akintola was killed because of his support for the North. My dad was not killed. But when June 12
occurred and a son of the South-west was denied the presidency, my dad said it publicly that it was a
mistake to have trusted them. That now, he knows that Awolowo was right all along about the way the
North operates, so he regretted it. The next one, Obasanjo, who was the greatest friend the North has
ever known from the South. He saved the North on many occasions. And what did the North do to him?
He ended up being jailed for three years. Then, when the country was about to explode over the Abiola
issue, they now freed him and made him the President. But they now fought him because he refused to
bow to them. And when he left power, they swore that they are going to destroy him. Yar’adua tried
and Buhari is trying now. He may not say it publicly, but I know deep down, Baba Obasanjo is
regretting. MKO Abiola was not just a friend, but he was a Muslim brother who was building mosques
all over the place and who was close to the Northern Emirs than any other Oodua person that has ever
lived. There is nothing he didn’t do for them. He won an election, they denied him that power. And
what did they do? They killed him. Abiola, I’m sure, would have regretted before he died. After
Yar’Adua, Jonathan came to power. Jonathan gave the North everything when he was in power. The
only thing he didn’t give them was his own seat. This was despite the fact that he was being warned
constantly that ’these people are trying to undermine you with Boko Haram, they have encircled you
and you need to know how to manage them. You need to operate from the position of strength and
courage and you need to put them in their place like Obasanjo did between 1999 and 2007. Treat them
as equals, don’t relegate them, but don’t let them feel as if they are superior.’ But Jonathan pampered
them, he appeased them, gave them everything they wanted and look at how they repaid him for it.
They rigged him out, they threatened, bullied him, they aligned with Obama’s people and manipulated
everything, including Chibok girls, Boko Haram and pushed him out of power. They have been
haunting all his loyalists for the past four years. Even his wife, they are going after her. I’m sure
Jonathan also regretted. Ironsi trusted the North in a very naïve way. He appointed the brother of one of
the people that was killed in the January 1966 coup by his own Igbo brother as one of his closest
orderlies. And the man was with him when he was killed. He was one of those that turned around to kill
him. So, I am sure from the grave, he is regretting. Then, Bola Ige, one of the greatest Oodua leaders
that ever lived and who was consistent in his political views throughout his life. Then, he now decided
to run for the presidency. He broke off from Afenifere, set up a group and aligned with the North. He
spoke Hausa fluently and even said he is a Kaduna boy. At the end, the North left him in the cold; he
was killed in very mysterious circumstances.  I am not saying Northerners are evil, but they are smart
politicians, they know how to use and dump you. So, everybody has learnt their lessons and there is
only one man left who has not learnt from the lesson of others. His name is Tinubu. He will learn from
his own mistake and the noose is already tightening. By the time they finish with him, he will regret the
same way that Abiola , Afonja, Fani-Kayode, Jonathan, Ironsi regretted. I’m not advocating that we
should be hostile to the North. I’m simply saying you should not trust the Fulani and I am not saying
that they should trust us either. What you should do is negotiate, you are clear, you get their words and
you verify everything that they tell you. That’s how it is supposed to be and you negotiate from the
position of strength, knowledge and understanding, not naivety and weakness. The failure to do this has
been the failings of Southern leaders since 1960.      
But the late Awolowo who took western Nigeria to join the North to fight the civil war…
Chief Obafemi Awolowo is a special case. He fought the North throughout his life as a politician, he
saw what others could not see at that time and he opposed everybody that aligned with the North. He
spoke truth and stood on principle. He fought like a lion, a tiger, all combined in one. The North
conspired to destroy him. But before it comes to that, let me tell you that it is the same Awolowo that
stood so strong, that made us proud, that also saved the North. I will explain. During the Nigerian civil
war, they sold a lie to him, deceived him – when they were on the ropes and knew they couldn’t hold
the Igbo without the support of Oodua people, they now approached him and said, ‘let’s us come
together against the rebel. By the time we have subdued the rebel and quell the rebellion, there will be
an election and we will support you to contest and to emerge as the Prime Minister or Head of State,’ a
classic Northern lie. And you know who sold that lie to him? It was Gowon who is not even a
Northerner; he is from the Middle Belt. But they used him to sell that lie and sadly, I won’t say
Awolowo bought it. We, the Oodua people, bought it and at the famous meeting of 1967, Oodua leaders
– my dad was there- Awolowo was elected the leader of the Oodua people because Oodua people
needed to be united because of the war. My father, Chief Fani-Kayode was elected deputy leader of the
Oodua people at that same meeting. It was Awolowo representing the Action Group side, my dad
representing the NNDP side because by that time, Akintola was dead. So, I know what transpired. The
whole idea was that we should all come together to support the Federal Government against the
insurrection of the Igbo people. So, it wasn’t just Awolowo that was deceived, but all of us were
deceived. And sadly, after the civil war ended, Gowon and the Northern federal government reneged on
every single understanding they had with us. In fact, they wanted to extend their tenure and Awo did
the honourable thing by resigning from office and he said this is not what you said you will do,
therefore, I am not going to be part of it anymore. But deep down I know that even Chief Awolowo,
wherever he is today, is regretting the fact that he stood with them, supported them and accepted the
lies they sold to him just before the civil war. We, as a people, the Omo Oduduwa of the South-west
would have gone much farther as would the Biafrans and all the other groups if we had gone our
separate ways then. But look at where we are. We are still locked in a cage, still struggling to survive
and still bowing at the feet of one small ethnic group. It is a tragedy of monumental proportions.