APC Senators Move to Delegitimise Future Elections, Democracy

Mobilise against e-transmission of results Lawmakers divided over plenary voting method
Chuks Okocha in Abuja Act Amendment Bill 2021 insistence on prohibiting by federal legislators to rig the electronic transmission of civil society organisations.
tomorrow, All Progressives electronic transmission of 2023 general election ahead of results had been surreptitiously However, following the
As the Senate Committee on Congress (APC) senators results, THISDAY has learnt. time through the manipulation inserted into the draft bill, public outcry, members of
Independent National Electoral are set to delegitimise future THISDAY had reported of the amendment bill 2021. drawing widespread rejection the committee had met and
Commission (INEC) tables its elections and undermine the mounting concerns over what This was based on a claim of the alleged clause by
report on the 2010 Electoral nation’s democracy with their social critics called attempts that a clause prohibiting stakeholders, including 22 Continuedon page 12

Bandits Abduct Emir, 10 Family Members in Kaduna... Page 5

Monday 12 July, 2021
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T H I S D AY
NEWS
Bandits Abduct Emir, 10 Family Members in Kaduna
Middle Belt Forum calls for state of emergency
Kingsley Nwezeh in Abuja and
John Shiklam in Kaduna
The Kaduna State Police
Command has confirmed
the abduction of the Emir of
Kajuru, the headquarters of
Kajuru Local Government
Area of Kaduna State, Alhaji
Alhassan Adamu, and 10
members of his family by
bandits.
However, an eyewitness said
the bandits also abducted four
other persons from the area.
Adamu, an octogenarian,
is a second-class emir in
the Kajuru Emirate, created
about two years ago by the
state Governor, Mallam Nasir
el-Rufai.
Also abducted were his
daughter and grandchildren.
A former councillor who
spoke off the record said the
bandits came about 12:30 am
yesterday and broke the gate
to the palace.
The source, in a telephone
interview with THISDAY said:
“The bandits came around
12:30 am and broke the gate
to the palace. After breaking
the gate to the palace, they
went and broke the door to
the emir’s room.
“Soldiers came at about 3:30
am after the bandits had fled
with their victims.”
Kajuru is about 40 minutes
drive from the Kaduna
metropolis.
Confirming the incident, the
police, in a statement yesterday
by the spokesman of the
command, Mr. Mohammad
Jalige, said the emir was
abducted alongside 10 members
of his family.
The statement said: “The
Kaduna Police Command
through the Divisional Police
Officer (DPO) Kajuru, Kaduna
is in receipt of an unfortunate
report on the kidnap of the
Chief of Kajuru, His Royal
Onochie, Adam’s Fate
Uncertain as Senate Receives Buhari, ACF Mourn Former Kaduna Deputy Gov
INEC Committee’s Report Govt declares today work-free
Deji Elumoye in Abuja
The fate of two out of the
six nominees for the position
of national commissioner of
Independent National Electoral
Commission (INEC) whose
names were forwarded to the
Senate for confirmation by
President Muhammadu Buhari
last year hangs in the balance
as the upper chamber receives
the report of its committee on
INEC on Wednesday.
The two nominees are a
presidential aide, Ms. Lauretta
Onochie, and Professor Sani
Adam.
THISDAY gathered that
the Senate committee will
make the final decision on
the two nominees latest by
Tuesday before forwarding its
recommendations to the upper
chamber the following day.
The Senate will on
Wednesday make a final
decision on whether or not
Onochie and Adam should
be confirmed along with four
others as INEC commissioners
in view of the petitions written
against their nominations.
Highness, Alhaji Alhassan
Adamu, in the early hours
of today 11th July 2021.
“The incident occurred
about 0234hrs when armed-
wielding bandits in large
numbers invaded Kajuru
town shot sporadically and
gained access into the chief's
residence where they abducted
him and 10 members of his
immediate family to an
unknown destination.”
Jalige said a joint patrol of
the Police Mobile Force (PMF),
conventional police and the
Nigerian Army attached to
Kajuru LGA were searching
the forest for a possible rescue
of the victims.
He added that the Inspector-
General of Police’s (IG’s) tactical
units have been contacted for
technical support.
Jalige said: “The command is
saddened with this incident and
it is not relenting in ensuring a
lasting solution to the current
upsurge of criminality in the
state.
“Members of the public
are urged to remain calm
and should always support
the police and other security
agencies with credible
information that will enable
them to curtail any possible
attack on innocent citizens
before it happened.”
Before yesterday’s abduction
of the emir, 121 pupils of the
Bethel Baptist High School,
Kaduna were some of the
latest victims of kidnapping
in the state.
The victims, mostly in Senior
Secondary Schools 2 and 3,
were kidnapped after bandits,
disguising as military personnel
invaded the school about 1
am on July 5.
A day after the kidnapping,
the bandits reportedly reached
out to the school management,
demanding foodstuffs,
including 30 bags of rice, 20
Buhari had on October 12,
2020, nominated Onochie
and others as INEC national
commissioners and their
names forwarded to the Senate
for confirmation.
The list of the nominees
was forwarded last month by
the President of the Senate,
Dr. Ahmad Lawan, to the
Senate Committee on INEC
for screening.
But the nomination of
Onochie elicited reactions from
stakeholders who accused
her of being a card-carrying
member of the ruling All
Progressives Congress (APC).
The committee last
Thursday screened the six
nominees during which
Onochie claimed she stopped
being a member of the APC
shortly after the re-election
of Buhari in 2019.
Her denial was despite
swearing to an affidavit at an
Abuja High court in June 2021
affirming her membership of
the ruling party.
Continued on page 12
bags of beans, and 10 kegs of
palm oil, to feed their captives.
The pupils’ parents and
school management were said
to have raised money to buy
the foodstuffs following the
bandits’ threats to starve the
students if the foodstuffs were
not supplied.
Middle Belt Forum
Calls for State of
Emergency
Meanwhile, following the
spate of killings, and kidnap
for ransom by rampaging
armed bandits in the country
especially Kaduna State,
the Middle Belt Forum
weekend called on President
Muhammadu Buhari to declare
a state of emergency in the
state.
WITNESSES TO CONSECRATION...
L-R: Delta State Governor, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa; his wife, Edith; Secretary to the State Government, Mr. Patrick Ukah; and
Chief Lawrence Osiegbu, during the church service for the consecration of two Bishops-elect and presentation of Archbishop by
the Primate of Church of Nigeria Anglican Communion in Asaba...yesterday
Deji Elumoye in Abuja and
John Shiklam in Kaduna
President Muhammadu Buhari
and the Arewa Consultative
Forum (ACF) have mourned
the immediate former Deputy
Governor of Kaduna State, Mr.
Barnabas Bala (Bantex), who
died yesterday in an Abuja
hospital, following a protracted
illness.
Buhari described Bala as
a true gentleman, forthright
politician, and a thorough
professional.
The Kaduna State
Government has declared
today work-free in honour
of the former deputy governor.
Buhari, in a statement by
his spokesman, Mallam Garba
Shehu, joined the government
and people of Kaduna State
to mourn the passing of Bala.
Buhari described Bantex as
a gentleman and consummate
professional who would be
remembered for his many years
of distinguished service to his
home state, his patriotism to the
nation as well as forthrightness
in politics.
Email Ejiofor.Alike@thisdaylive.com, 08066066268
The forum said 224 people
were kidnapped in Kaduna
since April even as 10 others
were killed.
A statement signed by
the National President of
the Forum, Dr. Bitrus Pogu,
said el-Rufai, had failed to
negotiate with the bandits,
and has resorted to making
provocative statements that
enraged the bandits.
The forum said the Kaduna
governor had failed to take
steps to protect vulnerable
communities.
The group said the most
worrisome is the attitude of
El-Rufai towards tackling the
security challenges confronting
the state.
The Middle Belt Forum
noted that while he has
refused to negotiate with
The president said the former
deputy governor was a potent
voice on peace, stability, and
progress at the state and
national levels.
Bala was deputy to Governor
Nasir el-Rufai between 2015
and 2019 after, which he
resigned to contest for Kaduna
South Senate seat in 2019 on the
platform of the All Progressives
Congress (APC) but lost to
Senator Danjuma La’ah of
the Peoples Democratic Party
(PDP).
He was a one-time Chairman
of Kaura Local Government
Area of Kaduna State.
He represented the Kaura
federal constituency in the
House of Representatives
between 2007 and 2011 on
the platform of the PDP.
el-Rufai has expressed shock
over his death, describing him
as a consistent, dependable,
and brilliant man.
In a statement, el-Rufai
said: “From our days as
undergraduates in the 1970s
to our practice as professional
colleagues in the construction
industry and eventually
Group News Editor Ejiofor Alike
kidnappers, he has also not
done anything to secure these
weak communities against
further attacks on vulnerable
communities.
"More than anytime,
Governor el-Rufai has
continued to provoke bandits
through unguarded utterances
that have further enraged them
to unleash more terror attacks
on various communities", said.
The Middle Belt Forum
stated that "arising from the
glaring failures by Governor
el-Rufai to protect lives and
property, the MBF is calling
on President Muhammadu
Buhari to declare a state of
emergency on Kaduna State as
the governor has shown gross
incapacity to maintain peace.
"We call on security forces
to create necessary synergies
partners in a governance
project, Bantex was consistently
a dependable man of brilliance
and imagination.
“He believed in the potential
of our state and in the capacity
of our people to work together
for progressive attainments.
“Together, we took on
the task of providing new
leadership for Kaduna State
in 2015.
“He brought to his duties as
deputy governor during our
first term his unique insights
as a politician with experience
in navigating the diversity of
our state.”
The governor added: “Bantex
radiated hope and optimism
in the future of our state, even
when the circumstances were
dreary.
“Bantex had served the
people of Kaduna State in
several capacities prior to
becoming deputy governor."
The ACF commiserated with
el-Rufai over the death of Bala.
In a statement yesterday in
Kaduna, the spokesman of the
forum, Mr. Emmanuel Yawe,
said the ACF was sad over
5
with attacked communities
through the establishment
of local vigilante groups to
track down these criminals
that have declared war on
our people".
The MBF affirmed that 224
people including students,
infants, and the elderly were
kidnappers within the period
under review while 10 people
were killed.
It said the sum of N350
million ransom demand was
made by the bandits for the
release of 77 members of Libere
community.
"The Middle Belt Forum
(MBF) is deeply worried by
the ugly security situation in
the country, especially Kaduna
State where the rising spate
of insecurity has continued to
degenerate on a daily basis.
the demise of Bala.
The ACF described him as
an unusual gentleman who
contributed in stabilising
the first tenure of el-Rufai’s
government.
It said: “At the ACF, Bantex
was considered an unusual
gentleman who contributed in
no modest way in stabilising
the first tenure of el-Rufai's
government.
“The ACF condoles with
Governor El-Rufai and the
immediate family and the
whole of Kaduna State on the
loss of the great human asset
known as Architect Barnabas
Bala Bantex.”
Meanwhile, the Kaduna
State Government has declared
today as work free in honour
of the late deputy governor.
The government, in a
statement yesterday by the
spokesman of the governor,
Mr. Muyiwa Adekeye,
said: “The Kaduna State
Government has formally
announced the death of
former Deputy Governor,
His Excellency, Barnabas
Yusuf Bala (Bantex).
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T H I S D AY
NNPC Records $1.2bn Shortfall
in Priority Projects Funding
PIB: Senate restricts petroleum products importation to refinery owners
Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja
and Peter Uzoho in Lagos
The Nigerian National
Petroleum Corporation (NNPC)
recorded a total shortfall of
$1.2 billion in the financing of
its priority projects between
January and May 2021, latest
data from the national oil
company has shown.
This is coming as the
Senate’s decision to award
three per cent to oil-bearing
communities may not be the
only controversial clause in the
Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB).
The Senate in the recently
passed PIB, has also restricted
the importation of all petroleum
products into the country to
only players that have local
refining capacity.
The NNPC document
showed that the entire
appropriation for ‘calendarised’
cost recovery and funding for
priority projects was $6.43
billion, which was further
segmented into $536 million
monthly.
According to the corporation,
of the $2.680 billion that was
supposed to be released for the
projects as of May this year,
only $1.468 billion financing
had been made available,
leaving a deficit of $1.211
billion.
In terms of actual functional
dollar funding level, a
breakdown of the releases
showed that in January,
$276.4 million was spent on
cost recovery and ongoing
projects, in February it was
$252.9 million, while it was
Boat Mishap Claims 350 Lives
Nationwide in One Year
Laleye Dipo in Minna
No fewer than 350 people
have died in different boat
accidents nationwide in the
last one year, the Hydro Power
Producing Areas Development
Commission (HYPPADEC)
has said.
Of the figure, not fewer than
50 lives were lost in Niger
State alone during the period.
The Chairman of the
Governing Board
HYPPADEC, Mr. Joseph
Ityav, gave the figure in
of
Malele town in the Borgu
Local Government Area of
Niger State at the launch
of cutting of tree logs and
removal of the huge debris
from the Shiroro and Kainji
lakes.
The project is being
executed by both the
National Inland Water
Ways Corporation of Nigeria
and HYPPADEC for an
undisclosed amount.
Ityav blamed the causes of
river accidents in the country
on the poor condition of boats,
overloading of the boats, lack
of life jackets and tree logs.
He said the two
organisations decided to
embark on the cutting of
logs and removal of water
snacks to contain the menace
$307.65 million in March.
In the same vein, for
April, out of the monthly
appropriation of $536 million,
$239.2 million was spent, while
in May, it increased to $392
million, the highest in the
period under consideration.
The corporation listed the
federally funded upstream
projects as gas infrastructure
development, Brass LNG,
crude oil pre-export inspection
agency expenses, frontier
exploration services as well
as the Excravos Gas-to-Liquid
(EGTL) operating expenses.
However, it noted that the
funding excluded pipelines
security and maintenance,
which gulped N2.263 billion
in May alone.
THISDAY had earlier
exclusively reported that the
corporation had resumed the
monthly funding for its frontier
exploration services which
did not receive any budget
in April, but gulped N3.216
billion in May, having received
N1.964 billion in January,
N1.920 billion in February,
and N2.255 billion in March.
Added to that, in May, the
gas infrastructure development
was funded to the tune of
N3.919 billion and the crude oil
pre-export inspection agency
expenses was N659 million.
In the month under review,
funding for renewables was
N196 million, while the
Nigeria-Morocco pipeline
which was not funded in April,
received attention to the tune
of N8.33 million in May.
Meanwhile, the Senate in the
and alleviate the hardship the
people face while traveling
across rivers in the riverine
communities of the state.
He added that HYPPADEC
will within the limits of its
resources address the various
problems facing people living
in the riverine communities
of its catchment areas.
He, however, advised them
to avoid construction and
living on the banks of the
rivers because of flood.
The Secretary to the
Government of the Federation
(SGF), Mr. Boss Mustapha,
who was represented by
Alhaji Umar Musa Gulani,
in an address called for
adequate follow-up as well
as monitoring and evaluation
by reporting cases of accidents
to the government while also
asking the organisations to
discharge oversight functions
adequately.
Mustapha stated that the
federal government was
concerned about the annual
loss of lives and property
in the riverine communities
as a result of flood, which
necessitated the establishment
of HYPPADEC by President
Muhammadu Buhari.
He, therefore challenged the
body to discharge its duties
diligently.
PIB has restricted petroleum
products importation to only
operators who own and run
local refineries.
The joint PIB harmonisation
committee of the National
Assembly is expected to meet
from today to address some
of the controversies generated
by the bill, chief among them
are the three per cent of the
operating expenditure of oil
companies that should go to
the host communities and the
30 per cent NNPC’s profit
designated for exploration
in frontier basins.
THISDAY gathered that
while the PIB expectedly
removed price controls on
petroleum products in section
205, the Senate version of
the bill has a clause that
constrains market competition
by restricting the importation
of products to only players
with local refining capacity.
The controversial provision
CHECKING THE PLAZA...
L-R: Ogun State Commissioner for Finance, Mr. Dapo Okubadejo; Governor Dapo Abiodun; and Commissioner for Works and
Infrastructure, Mr. Ade Akinsanya, during an inspection tour of the 14-km Ijebu-Ode-Epe Expressway toll plaza…yesterday
Ohanaeze Constitutes Legal
Team to Monitor Kanu’s Trial
Christopher Isiguzo and
Gideon Arinze in Enugu
The apex Igbo socio-political
organisation, Ohanaeze Ndigbo,
has constituted a legal team that
will ensure a fair trial for leader
of the proscribed Indigenous
People of Biafra (IPOB), Mr.
Nnamdi Kanu.
Ohanaeze, which is speaking
for the first time since the arrest
of Kanu, said it is not averse
to Kanu’s trial.
South-east leaders,
comprising the governors,
political, religious and
traditional rulers, had in a
meeting in Enugu last month,
disowned IPOB and all pro-
in the Senate’s version
contained in Section 317(8) of
the PIB, clearly counters the
provision of 205(1) of the bill,
which states thus: “Subject to
the provisions of this section,
from the effective date,
wholesale and retail prices
of petroleum products shall
be based on an unrestricted
free market pricing conditions.”
The inserted section 317(8)
in the Senate bill stated that
the authority, that is, the
new agency to oversee the
activities of downstream and
midstream sectors of the oil
and gas industry shall apply
the Backward Integration
Policy in the downstream
petroleum sector to encourage
investment in local refining.
The Senate’s version also
stated that, to support the
provision above, licence to
import any product shortfalls
shall be assigned only to
companies with active local
Biafra agitators, saying: “They
do not speak for South-east.”
The legal team will be led
by the National Legal Adviser
of Ohanaeze, Chief Chuka
Muomoh.
Kanu, who disappeared
while on bail in 2015, was
re-arrested on June 27 and
brought back to Nigeria in
order to continue facing trial
on an 11-count charge against
him, bordering on terrorism,
treasonable felony, among
others.
In a communiqué issued
at the end of the National
Executive Committee (NEC)
meeting on Saturday, National
Publicity Secretary, Mr.
MONDAY, 
refining licences.
The upper legislative
chamber also stated that
import volume to be allocated
between participants based on
their respective production in
the preceding quarter, and
that such import to be done
under the Nigerian National
Petroleum Company (NNPC)
Limited Direct Sale/Direct
Purchase (DSDP) scheme.
The Senate further in its
own version of the PIB,
equally stipulated that, to
safeguard the health of
Nigerians, imported petroleum
products shall conform to the
Afri-5 specification (50ppm
sulphur) as per the Economic
Community of West African
States (ECOWAS) declaration
of February 2020 on the
adoption of the Afri-Fuels
Roadmap.
Reacting to the controversial
provision, an industry source,
who pleaded anonymity,
Chiedozie Ogbonnia, said
Ohanaeze had observed
with keen interest the recent
re-arraignment and consequent
trial of the IPOB leader.
He added that although
Ohanaeze is not averse to the
trial of Kanu, efforts should
be made to ensure that he is
tried within the ambit of the
law and in line with global
best practices.
Ogbonnia also expressed
support for the stand taken
by the Southern Governors'
Forum on anti-open grazing,
restructuring, rotation of
presidency to the South in
2023 and the proposed five
per cent share of the Petroleum
NEWS
said such a provision in
the Senate’s version of
the PIB, which restricted
the importation of refined
products to only players with
local refining capacity would
create a monopoly in a price
deregulated environment
and destroy the Nigerian
downstream petroleum
industry.
“The provisions above
will create a monopoly in a
deregulated price environment
thereby destroying the Nigerian
downstream industry as we
know it today. It restricts the
importation of all petroleum
products, including petrol,
diesel, aviation fuel, lubricants,
base oil – products that are
already deregulated, to only
players with local refining
capacity,” the source said.
He added that only the
NNPC currently has domestic
refining capacity for petrol and
will be the only importer.
Industries Bill (PIB) for host
communities.
“We also identify with
the Igbo youths in their
grievances with respect to Igbo
marginalisation, the menace of
Fulani herdsmen. However,
we do not support the use
of any form of violence to
redress the relative deprivation
and prevailing inequality and
injustice across the country,”
it said.
The organisation urged
the youths to be law-abiding
and sheathe their sword as
the South-east leaders and
stakeholders address collective
grievances through meaningful
dialogue and negotiations.
MONDAY JULY 12, 2021 • T H I S D AY 11
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T H I S D AY
PAGE TWELVE
CBN Advocates Private Sector Funding to Tackle 22m Housing Deficit
Obinna Chima
The Central Bank of Nigeria
(CBN) has stressed the need
for the mobilisation of private
sector funding to redress the
country’s 22 million housing
gap.
The Deputy Governor
(Economic Policy) of the
CBN, Dr. Kingsley Obiora,
gave the advice in his personal
statement at the last Monetary
Policy Committee (MPC)
meeting, a copy of which
was posted on the regulator’s
website at the weekend.
According to Obiora, the
CBN has collaborated with
the federal government and
the private sector to stimulate
the economy and prevent
economic scarring, through
various interventions targeted
at households, SMEs, health,
agricultural and manufacturing
sectors.
PDP Cautions Police against Undermining Powers of Zamfara Deputy Gov
Warns banks, others over dealings with Matawalle
Chuks Okocha in Abuja
The Peoples Democratic Party
(PDP) yesterday condemned
alleged attempt by the police
to undermine the statutory
powers of the Deputy
Governor of Zamfara State,
Mr. Mahdi Gusau, given what
the main opposition party
described as the decision of
Governor Bello Matawalle to
vacate his office by decamping
to the All Progressives
Congress (APC).
ONOCHIE, ADAM’S FATE UNCERTAIN AS SENATE RECEIVES INEC COMMITTEE’S REPORT
THISDAY findings at the
weekend revealed that the
committee met again last
Friday to look at the resumé
of all the six nominees with
a view to writing its report
being presented at Senate
plenary on Wednesday.
It was discovered that
apart from Onochie whose
nomination was petitioned
against by some stakeholders,
including the national
leadership of the main
opposition party, the Peoples
APC SENATORS MOVE TO DELEGITIMISE FUTURE ELECTIONS, DEMOCRACY
denied the existence of the
prohibition clause.
THISDAY had, however,
reported that the Senate
committee had bowed to public
pressure and had decided to
insert a clause authorizing INEC
to use electronic transmission of
results whenever and wherever
practicable.
The attempt to tamper with
the draft electoral law had
also attracted the attention
of the diplomatic community,
which met last week with the
leadership of the National
Assembly and followed up with
a private letter appealing to the
lawmakers to do all within their
powers to deepen democracy
through the current effort at
amending the Electoral Act.
This development followed
an uproar generated by reports
that there was an attempt
by a section of the National
Assembly leadership to
smuggle certain clauses into
the draft electoral law banning
the electronic transfer of election
results, even though the same
section agreed to an electronic
voting system.
THISDAY, however, gathered
at the weekend that the
He stated that whilst the
impact of the policies on the
economy was undeniable, but
given the fragile recovery and
coupled with long-standing
infrastructural challenges, more
action would be required to
return the economy to full
recovery.
He said: “For example, I
believe this is the right time
we start addressing the
housing deficit by making
a big push in mortgage
financing to reduce the 22
million housing deficits in
Nigeria. We also need to put
in place a trade policy that will
encourage SMEs, and boost
non-oil exports, as well as
invest more in infrastructure
and the digital economy.
“This offers opportunities for
investments and job creation
that will boost economic
growth in the near term.
However, it will require
The main opposition
party said its position was
predicated on the alleged
harassment of the deputy
governor by the police,
including an unlawful and
vexatious obstruction of a
planned rally by the deputy
governor, despite the statutory
powers vested in a situation
where the governor has
vacated his office, in line
with the extant ruling of the
Supreme Court.
The PDP in a statement by
Democratic Party (PDP), there
was another petition against
another nominee, Prof. Sani
Adam.
In the petition against
Onochie, the petitioner
quoted Section 156(1)(a)
and the provisions of the
Third Schedule, Part 1,
item F, paragraph14(1) of
1999 Constitution as altered,
which requires that a national
commissioner shall be non-
partisan and a person of
unquestionable integrity.
lawmakers who are opposed
to the electronic transmission
of results have not given up
and are mobilising to shoot
down the clause at plenary.
It was also gathered that
the lawmakers, who are
largely from the ruling All
Progressives Congress (APC)
are mobilising to ensure that
voice vote would be used to
pass certain clauses in the
bill to ensure manipulation
of lawmakers’ decision.
But those in favour of
electronic transmission of
elections, who are largely
from the opposition Peoples
Democratic Party (PDP), are
also said to be mobilising to
ensure the retention of the
clause by resisting the use of
voice vote.
The opposition lawmakers
are said to be strategising to
ensure that the lawmakers
adopt the division method
of voting, which is difficult
to manipulate.
THISDAY gathered that
the APC has mobilised its
members to ensure the defeat
of the controversial clauses
during the passage of the
draft electoral law.
mobilising private sector
funds, especially in the light
of Nigeria’s huge investment
requirements and limited fiscal
space.”
In his contribution, a
member of the MPC, Mr.
Robert Asogwa, stated that
accelerating the distribution
of bank liquidity to firms and
households in a targeted
manner would ensure an
early return to pre-pandemic
output levels.
“There is a strong belief
that the cost of withdrawing
the CBN monetary stimulus
too soon will exceed that of
withdrawing it too late and
it is thus important for the
central bank to continue
monitoring the domestic
and global macroeconomic
developments.
“Once there are clear signs
that economic conditions
are normalising, the bank
the National Publicity Secretary,
Mr. Kola Ologbondiyan said
that instead of harassing
Gusau, the police, as agents
of the law, should be providing
him all the protection and
privileges, particularly as the
formal process for his official
declaration given the vacation
of office by Matawalle has
already commenced at the
Federal High Court.
"The Police should know
that by virtue of Section
221 of the 1999 Constitution
While the petition against
the nomination of Onochie
was over her alleged
membership of the APC, the
one against Adam was over
his reported dismissal as a
lecturer in the University of
Jos in 2007.
The petitioners were said
to have alleged that Adam
was dismissed over improper
behaviour.
But the Appeal Court
judgment in his case with the
University of Jos sighted by
It was learnt that a former
North-east governor, who is
now a senator, is in charge of
mobilisation of other senators
for the ruling party.
The APC, it was gathered,
believes that the insertion of
the electronic transmission of
results would mean a victory
for the opposition, hence the
mobilisation to ensure its defeat
during the consideration of the
draft law by both the Senate
and House of Representatives.
Investigations revealed
that the senator met other
APC senators and House of
Representatives members at
the weekend to convey the
position of their party to them.
The meeting, it was learnt,
took place in a hotel in Abuja.
A source privy to the meeting
told THISDAY at the weekend
that: "We see this as a challenge
and must be resisted. If we
allow the opposition to have
their way, it means that before
the election in 2023, we have
conceded defeat.
"For party interest, we are
mobilised to ensure that the
clauses of electronic voting
and transmission of results
are defeated - at least, for now.
should stand ready to take
appropriate actions to address
any upward pressure on
inflation over the medium
term,” he said.
In his contribution, the
Deputy Governor, Operations
Directorate, Mr. Adebisi
Shonubi, said the country
was facing the increasing
need to refocus the economy
and look beyond oil as many
jurisdictions scaled down
further investments involving
the use of fossil fuel.
He said: “Interestingly,
the speed and source of our
recovery underscored the fact
that recent economic downturn
was strictly on account of
external shock and not due
to a weakness in domestic
macroeconomic fundamentals.
“We must therefore take
more steps to enhance
domestic investment and
productivity, as well as
(as amended) as well as the
judgment of the Supreme
Court in Faleke v. INEC
(2016), that the Zamfara State
governorship mandate belongs
to the PDP and that Gusau,
not Matawalle, is now the
holder of that mandate, given
Matawalle’s wilful defection
to the APC.
"The PDP’s mandate is in no
way transferable to the APC
and the police and all security
agencies should be guided by
this," the party said.
THISDAY showed that the
university dismissed him in
pursuance of the policy of the
federal government reform
in ministries, parastatals, and
agencies through a letter dated
21st May, 2007 but served on
the respondent on 13th June,
2007.
Adam challenged the
dismissal at the Federal
High Court, Jos Judicial
Division seeking to void the
termination and payment of all
due salaries and allowances.
"The draft bill will be
tabled on Tuesday and the
debate clause-by-clause will
commence on Wednesday
up to Thursday; thereafter,
we proceed on Sallah break."
But those opposed to the
removal of the clauses are also
preparing a counter move.
A source from the opposition
political parties told THISDAY
that there would be no voice
votes when a serious decision
on the clauses is to be taken.
"We have provisions in the
Senate rules for voice votes as
well as dividing the Senate for
the purpose of taking crucial
debates.
"Under the circumstances, we
shall call for division because
it is in our rules, or we take
electronic voting; they are all
in our rules. But the voice
votes may not be allowed to
prevail in issues like this," the
senator said.
Meanwhile, the National
Consultative Front (NcFront)
has called on stakeholders
across party lines, civil society
groups, labour unions, youths
and women groups to unite
against the thickening plot
and conspiracy against the
MONDAY, 
reinforce the internal stabilisers
of the economy. Considering
the observed gradual but
steady positive outcomes
of the current policy mix,
I am convinced that as we
strengthen implementation of
the intervention programmes,
we should maintain the status
quo, and allow more time for
the manifesting gains to fully
mature.”
On his part, the CBN
Governor, Mr. Godwin
Emefiele, noted that short-
term outlook of the economy
continues to improve,
congruent with strengthening
global prospects.
He reaffirmed that the
CBN will maintain its
collaboration with fiscal
authorities to proactively
target and stimulate high
impact productive sectors
of the economy.
Emefiele said long-standing
The PDP also cautioned
banks and other financial
institutions to be wary
of unapproved financial
transactions with cronies of
Matawalle, particularly, given
the alleged moves to sweep
the coffers of the state ahead of
Matawalle’s inevitable eviction
by the court.
According to the PDP, "Such
institutions should be very
circumspect in their dealings
with impostors who have
since ceased to represent the
The Federal High Court in
a considered judgment on 6th
June 2008 gave him judgment
and availed him his prayers.
But the university appealed
the judgment on 14th October
2011.
Justice Raphael Agbo in
the lead judgment upheld
the appeal by the university
and quashed the decision of
the lower court.
The other four INEC
National Commissioner-
nominees, who don't
amendment bill.
In a statement by the
spokesman of the National
Consultative Forum, Dr. Tanko
Yunusa, the group said the plot
against the electoral reforms
draft was by a few politicians
in power, who wanted to
circumvent and supplant the
popular will and yearnings of
Nigerians for an improved
electoral system.
He stated that the group
has commenced a nationwide
mobilisation of concerned
leaders and stakeholders,
including former and intending
presidential candidates, party
and political leaders, labour and
civil society activists, among
others, to meet and demand
acceptable amendments to the
Electoral Act, with the aim of
improving Nigeria's democracy.
NCfront said it was reaching
out and rallying stakeholders,
eminent Nigerians, including
religious leaders, leaders
of youths, women and
vulnerable persons' groups
behind stopping the national
emergency threatening the
future of Nigeria's democracy.
The group urged all
concerned Nigerians and
structural imbalances and
deep-seated supply-side
constraints had propped
inflation rates above the
tolerance band of between
six and nine per cent.
According to him, the
pervasive security strains,
infrastructural debility, energy
price shocks, exchange rate
pressure, and COVID-19-
induced vulnerabilities are
the major cost-push drivers
of inflation.
“The bank will continue
to engage and partner with
fiscal authorities on measures
to dismantle the encumbering
structural bottlenecks and
correct inflationary trends.
Financial market conditions
during the review period were
subpar, with a bearish stock
market, tepid liquidity in the
money market, and lingering
exchange market pressure,”
he said.
state, immediately Matawalle
defected to the APC."
The PDP called on Gusau,
to remain resolute and not be
deterred in any way as the
people of Zamfara State are
solidly behind him in resisting
impostors and deserters at this
trying time.
The party also urged the
people of Zamfara State to
remain united as the mandate,
which they willingly gave to
the PDP, will never be allowed
to be stolen.
have any petition against
their candidature are
Prof. Muhammad Kallah
(Katsina); Prof. Kunle Ajayi
(Ekiti); Mr. Saidu Ahmad
(Jigawa); and Dr. Baba Bila
(North East).
The committee, sources
said, would meet again latest
by Tuesday (tomorrow) to
look into the petitions and
recommend accordingly in
its report before presenting
it to the Senate at the plenary
Wednesday.
political stakeholders,
irrespective of divide and
affinity, to come together to
demand a formidable, inclusive,
improved and sustainable
electoral law that can build
the trust and confidence of
Nigerians in the electoral
system on future elections,
starting from the 2023 election
cycle.
TOP GAINERS NGN NGN %
FTNCOCOA 0.03 0.34 9.6
JOHNHOLT 0.06 0.73 8.9
UNITYBANK 0.04 0.59 7.2
NEIMETH 0.10 1.80 5.8
CORONATION 0.03 0.59 5.3
TOP LOSERS NGN %
AIRTEL 66.70 601.00 9.9
NAHCO 0.25 2.59 9.6
NEM 0.20 2.00 9.0
REGENCY 0.04 0.45 8.1
REDSTAR 0.20 3.11 6.0
HPE Nestle Nig Plc ₦1,540.00
Volume: 241.839 million shares
Value: N2.707 billion
Deals: 3,819
As at Friday 9/7/2021
See details on Page 39
MONDAY JULY 12, 2021 • T H I S D AY 13
14 T H I S D AY • MONDAY, JULY 12, 2021

COMMENT Editor, Editorial Page PETER ISHAKA

Email peter.ishaka@thisdaylive.com

NDPHC AND CURRENT POWER DISPENSATION

Ayobami Adekunle writes that the NDPHC has outlived its usefulness

T
he federal government incorporated the Niger Delta Power
Holding Company Limited (NDPHC) as a limited liability
company owned by the three tiers of government -FGN,
states, and local government areas to serve as the legal
vehicle to intervene in the power sector through direct
provision of infrastructural facilities to bring immediate
remedy to the power supply gap in the country. This included the
establishment of generation facilities in order to reduce the power deficit
as well as the provision of evacuation and distribution facilities to aid
the process of stabilising the power supply value chain.
This provision was arrived at by the government on the basis that
there was a huge power sector investment gap over the years and since
government had decided to reform the sector by allowing the private
sector to bring in its resources as well as technology and managerial
expertise, an intervention vehicle that could quickly solve the problem
was conceptualised and incorporated.
Thus, NDPHC was supposed to provide the facilities, bring value
for the facilities and re-invest into the power system: a purely projects
identification, design, execution and deployment mechanism that was
not expected to run the facilities. It was envisaged that the company
would subsequently ensure the even development of all regions of the
nation through these focused and purpose-driven interventions.
In that regard, the National Integrated Power Project (NIPP) was
conceived as a fast-track government funded interventionist mechanism
or initiative to ginger new form of growth as well as stabilize Nigeria’s
electricity supply system on an ad-hoc basis with a sunset period in
view.
In carrying out its mandate, the NDPHC has invested in generation,
transmission, distribution and gas assets as follows: Generation Plants:
NDPHC had invested about USD 4.5 billion in the construction of 10
gas-fired power plants which are sited close to the fuel sources in the
Niger Delta region and are of varying capacities. These plants are at
various levels of completion since inception (about 16 years ago).
The mandate of the NDPHC is largely about improving power
access and quality delivery to customers and the ability to actually
bring about these solutions depends on NDPHC’s ability to have more
resources on a continuous basis, through recovery (by divestiture) of
their investments and re-invest. NDPHC’s response is supposed to be
based on Load Forecast (prediction of electric power needed to balance
demand in the short, medium and long terms) by the system operator.
However, it is pertinent to note that since the federal government
decided to sink over US$12billion at the commencement of the
programme as well as other subsequent injections by the government,
there have been issues arising from the way and manner the monies
were invested or accounted for. For instance, the seventh and eighth
National Assembly had constituted panels to investigate the use of these
resources without much to show for it.
In addition to these investments, the National Bulk Power purchaser
(NBET) has been paying NDPHC for power generated from the poorly
maintained generation facilities without any form of accountability for
the money so realised.
It is pertinent to note that the various interventions by NDPHC have
not been transparent even as they are not yielding the desired results
largely because the company has forgotten to focus on its core mandate
but was busy deploying its energy and resources to replace the defunct
Power Holding Company by becoming an integrated power company
involved in power generation, transmission and distribution.
But the problems in the power sector have persisted, compelling
the government to look at a more enduring solution to the problems.
This informed the need for various interventions by the government
in order to address these challenges. And they are being addressed
comprehensively by the federal government through various
programmes like the comprehensive Presidential Power Initiative (PPI)
meant to address all the bottlenecks in the power sector, the World
Bank Distribution Intervention Programme (DISREP), the Ministry
of Finance and Central Bank’s interventions, all aimed at addressing
the sector’s investment deficits, payments management as well as the
bottlenecks between the distribution companies (DISCOs) and the
Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN).
It is part of this effort that the federal government through the
National Council on Privatisation (NCP) had directed its secretariat-
the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE) to get to work and privatise;
especially the generation assets. The Bureau should therefore be
supported to execute this mandate and not the unnecessary draw
back from members of the public and other agencies of government.
It is disheartening to note that since its inception, the NDPHC
(despite the huge resources pumped into it by the federal govern-
ment), its finances have not been audited to ascertain how the
resources have been deployed or to provide clear information on
what has happened to the funds 16 years down the line. Given also
that the issue of failed contracts and poorly executed works abound
all over the place, shouldn’t the government beam its search light on
the resources’ guzzling institution that could easily mar the reputation
of the government when the facts are eventually revealed? Indeed it
is trite to ask that in the light of current developments in the power
sector and the huge interventions through bilateral and multilateral
institutions, is NDPHC still relevant or put differently, has it not
outlived its welcome?
Since the vision has been lost and Nigeria cannot overcome the
perennial problem of power shortage with more interventions in the
value chain by the NDPHC; and considering the funding constraints
IN LIGHT OF CURRENT DEVELOPMENTS of the three tiers of government now and that the results of the huge
IN THE POWER SECTOR AND THE HUGE investment are abysmal, shouldn’t the shareholders resort to the best
INTERVENTIONS THROUGH BILATERAL AND course of action; which would be for the tiers of government to divest
their interest in the NIPPs and utilize the proceeds to fund other
MULTILATERAL INSTITUTIONS, IS NDPHC developmental projects?
STILL RELEVANT? Adekunle wrote from Abeokuta, Ogun State

WHEN SOVEREIGNTY STRIKES BACK

Partisan differences in a democracy should be moderated by a common commitment to promote unity and development, writes Japhet Maduka

T
he past week will remain a reassuring
reference point in the annals of
Nigerian security operations that first
surprised the world by sensationally
bring back Nnamdi Kanu, a fugitive
offender from foreign hideouts before
forcing the other tribal separatist provocateur,
Sunday Igboho, to flee from a lightening raid on
his home, abandoning his cohorts and a cache of
ammunition\ and fetish objects. These operations
are a pointer to the gravity of wilful threats to the
territorial integrity and sovereignty of Nigeria and
the absolute necessity to nip them in the bud.
It is most instructive that this spectacular
performance of the intelligence community
occurred when the propaganda of national
pessimism had become an epidemic, riding on the
remorseless fixation with doomsday depictions by
partisan opposition, ethnic champions and their
media megaphones. Pulling off such a breath-
taking international intelligence operation and
smoking out an “invincible” local war monger
in a couple of days was a dazzling display of
sophisticated operational strategy that must have
aptly sent the appropriate signals in the language
of the outlaws.
Apart from the obvious lesson that rebellion
and terrorism do not pay, there are many other
telling inferences from the shocking and awe-
some recapture of Nnamdi Kanu and rattling
of Sunday Igboho by Nigeria’s security and
intelligence services, dramatically demonstrating
the dexterity of the proverbially long arm of the
law which sooner than later, catches up with
those who would rather circumvent constitutional
procedure in pursuit of aspirations and even
unleash violence in the process. Such uncivilized
conduct invariably becomes the nemesis of the
“independent” republics should they ever realize
their self-serving schemes.
The ultimate import of these operations is
the vindication of the critical institutions of state
which have remained resilient and resolute in
their sworn allegiance to uphold and defend the
Nigerian state against all existential threats. The
“collaborative efforts” of the nation’s security and
intelligence agencies which achieved the feats
was a fortuitous reminder to the loud minor-
ity of self-imposed politically-ambitious urban
“stakeholders” who are quick to write us off as
a “failed nation” from which they will “break
away” whenever they are outside the corridors
of power, that indeed Nigeria is greater than their
myopic misgivings.
More crucially, there are Nigerians whose
“ambition” is patriotic eternal vigilance and com-
mitment to protect and uphold the sovereignty,
law and order for continued peaceful co-existence
of the silent but loyal majority of citizens. Citizen-
ship is unconditionally anchored on not having
any other country to call your own – or to escape
to for refuge after making Nigeria “ungovernable”.
But for the unwavering focus of the rank and file
of our security, intelligence and defence institu-
tions on the larger picture of territorial integrity,
indivisibility and sovereignty of our dear country,
the forsaken fate whimsically wished upon it by
those political predators interested only in reaping
without sowing, would have been a tragic history
long ago!
We must see the ethnic geo-political and their
motley cliques of “non-state actors” hiding their
ulterior mercenary missions with the civil society
mask in their true colours as mere rabble-rousing
fronts for failed politicians who use them to
convert election defeat into a “mandate” to
grapple for getting recycled back into power. They
obstinately oppose smooth development in the
name of political opposition to any government,
by constantly contriving caustic criticism and
deploying destabilizing disinformation loaded
with fake news, hate speech and incitement on
private and social media. In their desperation,
Nigeria becomes dispensable!
How have ACF, NEF, Afenifere, Ohaneze
Ndigbo, Middle Belt or Niger Delta pressure
groups contributed to stem the tide of insecurity
in the areas they claim to be representing? All
they do is fanning embers of disunity, intolerance
and separation. It is a mark of their duplicity
and diminishing relevance that characters like
Nnamdi Kanu, Sunday Igboho and bandit groups
have practically pushed them aside and turned
them into clueless spectators. It is an ominous
pointer to what will become of their “republics”
if (God forbid!) their separatist –secessionist blind
ambitions are realized.
It is high time our over-crowded constituency
of ambitious politicians come to terms with the
reality of the futility of their anarchic do-or-die
approach to being in government, especially at
national level. There is no denying that their re-
lentless desperation to occupy political office at all
costs is the most despicable catalyst of geo-political
acrimony, insecurity and instability in the country.
It is also responsible for the predatory practice of
opposition politics motivated by uncompromising
rivalry and tendency to undermine the elected
government which further heats the polity and
impedes democracy and development.
Unfortunately, all the desperation and acrimony
are seen to be the result of inordinate ambition to
access the spoils of elective office through corrupt
practices at the expense of good governance and
delivery of dividends of democracy. The elevation
of self-interest and other clannish objectives over
and above national interest and public good
amounts to a great disservice and negation of
leadership attributes. Partisan differences in a
democracy should be moderated by a common
commitment to promote unity, peace, development
and progress of the people. Electioneering should
not entrench bitter rivalry or be extended beyond
campaign season so that positive partnership can
be engendered to ensure success of the popularly
elected government. Abandoning national interest
and public good is as bad as waging war against
the country.
It is therefore timely as a re-affirmation of
the dependability and indispensability of our
indefatigable and patriotic security and intelligence
national assets that Nigeria recorded such an
internationally-acclaimed feat in capturing a
major fugitive enemy in a robust riposte to the
unfounded mischievous rating as a failed state.
The patriotism and zealous devotion to preserva-
tion of the territorial integrity and maintenance of
law and order of the security agencies is borne out
of keen appreciation of the inalienable right of the
majority common people of Nigeria to peaceful
coexistence, law and order to make a living and
raise families.
From all indications, this is just the first salvo
in a forthcoming decimation of insurgents and
terrorists as the Commander-in-Chief, President
Muhammadu Buhari decisively declared:
“whoever wants the destruction of the system
will soon have the shock of their lives. We’ve
given them enough time... we will treat them
in the language they understand.” The cool
and comfortable appearance of Nnamdi Kanu
in a trendy designer suit speaks volumes of the
“soft touch” applied in capturing and bringing
him back to court by the security agencies, thus
providing further evidence of the genuineness
of President Buhari’s acclaimed transformation
to a democrat, especially when compared to the
“cargo treatment” deployed in the failed capture
of late Umaru Dikko by the then military govern-
ment! Due commendation must go to the security
agencies for these astonishing accomplishments
that remind us of their being there for Nigeria
--even when we think they are not.
Maduka wrote from Awka
T H I S D AY • MONDAY, JULY 12, 2021
COVID-19 AND THE DELTA STRAIN
Nigerians should adhere to non-pharmaceutical measures to save lives
A
few weeks after the warning against
travelling to or returning from
countries currently experiencing
the third wave of the COVID-19
pandemic, the Nigeria Centre
for Disease Control (NCDC) last
week confirmed a case with the
highly transmissible COVID-19
(SARS-CoV-2) Delta variant. Said to have been detected in
an in-bound traveller following the usual routine check, the
Indian strain has been linked to a surge in cases in countries
where it is the dominant strain with ongoing studies to
understand its impact on existing vaccines and therapeutics.
This is another wake-up call for the country as we urge
the authorities to do everything that will avert a Covid-19
disaster in Nigeria.
The Presidential Steering Committee on COVID-19, last
month placed travel ban on dozens of travellers who failed
to observe the mandatory protocols put in place against the
spread of the virus. But available reports indicate that there
are no enforcement mechanisms for these rules and where
they exist, they are not
PROVEN PUBLIC HEALTH effective. Apart from
AND SOCIAL MEASURES travellers who routinely
SUCH AS PHYSICAL flout these protocols,
majority of Nigerians
DISTANCING, FREQUENT
HANDWASHING, AND no longer obey the
PROPER USE OF FACE non-pharmaceutical
measures like the use of
MASKS, PREVENT
face masks, maintaining
INFECTIONS AND SAVE social distance, among
LIVES others.
In a very revealing update yesterday, Lagos State
Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, highlighted the challenge
of monitoring passengers who enter the country. While
admonishing non-accredited Covid-19 treatment centres to
refer suspected cases to the appropriate medical centres, the
governor also appealed to religious leaders to minimise their
gatherings and observe laid down protocols to avoid any
catastrophe.
We agree with the governor that Covid-19 infection is
still very much around and could snowball to what has been
Letters to the Editor
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1000 words). They should be sent to opinion@thisdaylive.com along with the email address and phone numbers of the writer.
DANKAKA AND LEADERSHIP AT THE FCC
W W
hen the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria
confirmed Dr. Muheeba Dankaka as the chairman of
the Federal Character Commission (FCC) it ushered
in a new era at the commission. Having been part
of a 38-man list submitted by President Muham-
madu Buhari for appointment into the commission,
Dankaka, a native of Offa, Kwara State, was confirmed on merit.
However, the circumstances surrounding the appointment of the second
principal officer of the commission raised some eyebrows as Mohammed
Tukur Bello is from Taraba State, also in the north. This was perceived by
many cynics to be a non-application of the principles of federal character.
But only six months into her appointment as the chairperson of the
commission, Dankaka proved the cynics wrong notably through the
centralisation of the administrative structures of the monitoring and
enforcement department.
Second, the achievements so far recorded by the chairman appeared
to be unsettling some who are not happy with her strides, as some
commissioners within the commission petitioned the Independent Corrupt
Practices and other related offences Commission (ICPC), this time, accusing
her offences relating to the abuse of office. It should be noted that prior
to her appointment as head of FCC, Dankaka was the immediate past
president of the Kaduna Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and
Agriculture, an endeavour she undertook meritoriously. She was far from
controversy when she was the head of affairs at KADCCIMA. This got
many wondering and talking as what could have happened to a trusted
entrepreneur who got a national award for her contributions to the
National economy while outside the government employment. She was
conferred with the of Order of the Niger (OON) by President Buhari for
EDITORIAL
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T H I S DAY
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DEPUTY EDITOR YEMI AJAYI, DAVIDSON IRIEKPEN,
MANAGING DIRECTOR ENIOLA BELLO
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ANTHONY OGED ENGBE
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her contributions to the Nigerian economy, as an entrepreneur per excel-
lence. A response by the FCC boss at that time which was later proved
right suggests there was personal motives and interest clash between
her and the petitioners who were out just to tarnish her image and the
credibility. The petitioners who as earlier stated are commissioners in the
commission had accused the chairman of infractions such as granting
of waivers to advertise to MDAs and shunning the principles of federal
character in job allocations. She was also accused of acting alone without
recourse to fellow commissioners. After investigations by relevant agencies,
the petitions had no substance and thrown out.
Today, the same masters of calumny are at it again. They are unrelent-
ing even when they know their antics would take them nowhere. Today
the trending issue is the usage of the mass media to disseminate falsehood
by alleging that the FCC chairman was involved in a certificate forgery.
It would have been better to ignore the petitioners, but to set the record
straight. Dankaka is a graduate of the Kaduna Polytechnic and the
Ahmadu Bello university, Zaria, Kaduna State. She is a Kaduna-based
successful business woman who, before her appointment as the FCC boss,
was into construction and consumer product developments.
Her past leadership role includes her headship of the Farida Ventures
limited where she served as CEO. She was the immediate past president
of KADCIMA. She was a member of the Governor Abdul-Razak APC
transition committee in 2019. She had many awards and honours and
these include the conferment on her the prestigious National Productivity
Merit Award and OON by President Buhari for her contributions to the
Nigerian economy as an entrepreneur per excellence. Her people conferred
on her the title of the ERELU of Offa, Kwara State.
Musa Wada, Abuja
15
experienced in countries like the United States, Turkey, Brazil,
as well as India, if the citizens continue to flout existing
preventive protocols. This warning is particularly important,
especially now that some countries have started experienc-
ing a third wave of the pandemic occasioned by a more
fast-growing new strain which has posed to be deadlier than
the previous strains that had wrought global disruptions for
more than a year.
igeria cannot handle the experience of India
where the surge once overwhelmed hospitals,
morgues and crematoriums and left several fami-
lies scrambling for scarce medicines and oxygen.
Health experts in the country believed mass religious gather-
ings and political rallies were the major factors responsible for
the problem that led to the death of thousands. Should the
same surge occur in Nigeria due to the carelessness of many
of our citizens, the country does not have the healthcare and
structural capacity needed to manage cases.
We call on every Nigerian to sustain the precautions that
have ensured the number of infections did not outgrow the
health system. Religious clerics, traditional rulers and other
stakeholders must lead the efforts for the continued adher-
ence to laid down infectious disease protocols put in place by
the Nigerian government. “Proven public health and social
measures such as physical distancing, frequent handwash-
ing, and proper use of face masks, prevent infections and
save lives”, according to a statement by the NCDC which
urged states “to ensure sample collection and testing for
COVID-19 is accessible to the public.”
No time is more apt for the collective effort against
COVID-19 than now, especially since the National Primary
Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), NCDC
and the Federal Ministry of Health have not done much to
vaccinate the public. In a country where less than one per
cent of the population has been fully vaccinated, we cannot
afford to be careless. In the absence of an effective COVID-19
vaccine distribution across board, all the country has for now
are the infectious disease protocols which must be adhered
to pending when every Nigerian receives the jab.
Under the prevailing circumstance in Nigeria, prevention
remains the most plausible cure.
LAGOS ABOUT TO BE
OVERRUN BY BEGGARS
hilst the Lagos Assembly is upbeat in
passing a legislation outlawing parading of
suspects in whatever guise, it leaves much
to be desired why such bill has become a
legislative priority in an assembly inundated
with cosmopolitan exigencies begging for
attention. How has parading a suspect or it’s flip side helped the
Lagos economy or its social life? It comes across as one of the
inanities of the Lagos Assembly leaving exigent state matters to
suffer while focusing on immaterial denouements.
Lagos has become a basket of attraction for mendicants who
are ejected from other less endowed states who have adopted
proactive state legislation. Beggars including other social miscreants
have made Lagos one of the most unlivable spaces on earth yet
Lagos assembly finds no merit in taking urgent legislative steps to
arrest it.
Highway robbers can hardly be distinguished from highway
beggars in Lagos, all combined to make commuting a hell for law
abiding citizens. In the midst of these confusion, Lagos assembly is
only concerned with a mundane issue of parading or not parading
suspects, what an outlandish dereliction of duty?
Lagos can provide crowdfunding platforms where citizens can
make contribution to housing and feeding the homeless among
these beggars but to simply allow beggars to lay siege on a state
capital accentuates a depiction of an Hobbesian state of nature.
If Lagos State is not embarrassed by this malady then nothing
else could rouse its sense of tectonic urgency.
Bukola Ajisola, bukymany@yahoo.com
16 MONDAY JULY 12, 2021 • T H I S D AY
MONDAY JULY 12, 2021 • T H I S D AY 17
18 MONDAY JULY 12, 2021 • T H I S D AY
T H I S D AY ˾
MONDAY JULY 12, 2021
POLITICS
M O N D AY D I S C O U R S E
How Much Influence Can the North Exert
on Choice of a Southern President?
Nseobong Okon-Ekong writes that as agitation for a president of Southern Nigeria extraction gains
traction, the critical decisions may be influenced by Northern Nigeria
Buhari
Tinubu
R
ising from their recent meeting in
Lagos, governors of the 17 states
in Southern Nigeria under the
aegis of the Southern Nigeria
Governors Forum left no one in
doubt concerning their preference for who
succeeds President Muhammadu Buhari in
2023. Without prejudice to political party
affiliation and ethnic group, these states chief
executives defended the widely accepted
arrangement that the presidency of Nigeria
should rotate between North and South of
Nigeria. This political expediency is what
Governor Nasir el-Rufai of Kaduna State
describes as “a political design that must
be respected,” although as he said, “ the
power shift arrangement among the various
regions is unconstitutional.”
While this thought espoused by Southern
Nigeria Governors Forum is not novel, com-
ing at a time when the debate for which
section of the country the next president
should come from has become vociferous,
throwing their weight behind calls for a
president of Southern Nigeria extraction has
major implications for the polity ahead of
the next national elections in 2023.
Three political parties-the All Progressives
Congress (APC), the Peoples Democratic
Party (PDP) and the All Progressives Grand
Alliance (APGA) have a control of the various
17 Southern states. The APC and the PDP
have equal control of eight states each, while
the APGA controls Anambra State only. In
the South-east; APC has Ebonyi and Imo.
19
Group Politics Editor NSEOBONG OKON-EKONG
Email: nseobong.okonekong@thisdaylive.com
08114495324 SMS ONLY
Osinbajo
Ganduje
The party also has its flag flying proudly in there seems to be unison in their position that of the Igbos-the third major ethnic group
Ogun, Lagos, Osun, Ondo and Ekiti in the is completely blind to ethnic and political in the country, following the Hausa/Fulani
South-west, while it controls the lone state differences. It is increasingly becoming clear and the Yorubas, has been consistent and
of Cross River in the South-south; making that any Southerner who holds a different more vociferous in demanding that they be
eight states. The PDP similarly is entrenched view will be walking on a lonely road. Al- allowed an unfettered shot at the presidency
in the South-south states of Akwa Ibom, though, agitation for which section of the in 2023, this quest is blighted by another
Edo, Bayelsa, Delta and Rivers. It retains South; west, east or south should have it, compelling quest mounted by a section of
two South-states; Abia and Enugu, while will later dominate the discourse; for now it Igbos fighting for a separate country, called
holding on to Oyo State in the South-west. may just be good enough to bring home the Biafra. This struggle for an Igbo country that
Apparently, the Governors of Southern trophy before discussing where to keep it. is independent of Nigeria was what led to the
Nigerian states are echoing the overriding There are six geopolitical zones in the coun- Nigerian Civil War between 1967 and 1970
sentiments of their people and that is why try. Although the South-east, made up largely during which over 1 million lives were lost.
The agitation has been revived and gained
more steam in recent times under the leader-
ship of the proscribed Independent Peoples
of Biafra (IPOB), whose leader Mr. Nnamdi
Figures obtained from the Independent National Kanu was recently intercepted in Kenya and
Electoral Commission (INEC) shows clearly that 77 brought back to Nigeria to continue with
his trial for treasonable felony, from which
percent of voters in the 2019 National elections he absconded in 2017. The Igbo quest for
presidency in Nigeria may be marred by
were from Nothern Nigeria. The North is largely trust issues and divided interest.
In the South-east, the two leading political
considered to be more politically exposed than parties are equally matched in their conten-
tion for the presidency. Both the APC and
the South. Even as religion and ethnicity remain PDP have control of two states each. APGA
which has control of the fifth state may have
domineering influences in Nigerian politics, the positioned itself as the beautiful bride to
homogeneity of the North, in terms of the Hausa wooed by both the APC and the PDP. Many
political pundits have contended that the
language and Islamic religion becomes an effectivet presidency should be conceded to the Igbos to
give them a sense of belonging, full integra-
ool in delivering block votes to their preferred tion and a closure of the Nigerian Civil War.
There are groups and individuals in the
presidential candidate South-south who are making a case for presi-
20
Masari
Fayemi
dency to go back to the region based on the
understanding that Jonathan only served
one term. They argue that he previously
completed the two years left in Yar’Adua’s
first tenure truncated by his death. A South-
south presidential hopeful may spring from
the PDP, the main opposition party that has
managed to retain its appeal in the Niger Delta
region. Since it is not a regional but a national
contest, can a presidential candidate from that
region be successfully sold to other regions
of the country so soon after Jonathan? The
APC would not dare choose its presidential
flagbearer from the South-south because it
is yet to gain the kind of popularity that can
keep it afloat in the region. But there is a
school of thought that is willing to swear by
the name of the Minister of Transportation,
Mr. Rotimi Amaechi, insisting that he wants
to run for the presidency of Nigeria.
The demand of the Yorubas in the South-
west for the presidency is stronger in the
APC, the ruling party at the centre, which
undoubtedly has deep roots in the region with
many of its leading lights being instrumental
to the formation of the APC. The serving
Vice President Professor Yemi Osinbajo is
from this region. Many are willing to hazard
a guess that Buhari and influential Nothern
politicians across board may be comfortable
with an Osinbajo presidency. The Chairman
of Nigerian Governors Forum, Dr. Kayode
Fayemi, governor of Ekiti State is from this
region and is widely believed to harbour
presidential aspiration. But the man whose
quest to participate in the 2023 presidential
contest is louder than everybody else is the
National Leader of the APC, Senator Bola
Ahmed Tinubu. As it currently stands in the
region, the PDP may not venture out with a
presidential candidate from the South-west.
Part of the Southern Nigeria Governors
Forum communique stated its “commit-
ment to the politics of equity, fairness and
unanimously and agrees that the presidency
of Nigeria be rotated between Southern and
Northern Nigeria and resolved that the next
President of Nigeria should emerge from
the Southern Region.” This resolution was
communicated on their behalf by the Chair-
man of the forum and Governor of Ondo
State, Mr. Oluwarotimi Akeredolu (SAN).
The incumbent, President Muhammadu
Buhari is from the North-west state of Katsina.
His maximum tenure of eight years comes
to an end in 2023. He took the reins of gov-
ernment from former President Goodluck
Jonathan who hails from the South-south
state of Bayelsa.
Jonathan had served out the remaining two
years of a four-year term of his predecessor,
Alhaji Musa Yar’Adua, a Northerner from
the same Katsina State as Buhari who took ill
and died in office in 2009. On his own steam,
Jonathan was elected for another four-year
term which he completed in 2015. His at-
tempt to seek another four-year term was
unsuccessful. He was defeated by Buhari.
Among the 19 states, the APC has five
states in the North-west in its fist. They are
Kano, Katsina, Kebbi, Zamfara and Jigawa
states, except the Sokoto which is ruled by
the PDP. The party rules in fives states in
the North-central. These are Kogi, Kwara,
Plateau, Nasarawa and Niger. Benue State
is controlled by the PDP. The tally of states
under the PDP in the North-east are three;
Adamawa, Taraba and Bauchi states, while
the APC rules Borno, Gombe and Yobe states.
One piece of good news for the Southern
governors is that an increasing number of
Nothern governors are also drumming up
support for them. Some of the Northern gov-
ernors who have publicly shown preference
The incumbent, President Muhammadu Buhari is
from the North-west state of Katsina. His maximum
tenure of eight years comes to an end in 2023.
He took the reins of government from former
President Goodluck Jonathan who hails from the
South-south state of Bayelsa. Jonathan had served
out the remaining two years of a four-year term of
his predecessor, Alhaji Musa Yar’Adua, a Northerner
from the same Katsina State as Buhari who took
ill and died in office in 2009. On his own steam,
Jonathan was elected for another four-year term
which he completed in 2015
Badaru
Amaechi
for a Southern president in 2023 include
Governors Nasir el-Rufai of Kaduna, Abdul-
lahi Ganduje of Kano, Abdullahi Sule of
Nasarawa, Aminu Masari of Katsina, Samuel
Ortom of Benue and Babagana Zulum of
Borno. A spokesperson for Ortom stated
the governor’s position. “Give all citizens
a sense of belonging and reduce tensions
across the country. “
Borno State Governor said his was a prin-
cipled stand. “I am in the APC. Six or seven
years ago, APC had zoned the presidency
to northern Nigeria based on the agreement
that, in 2023, the presidency should go to
the South.”
El-Rufai had long taken a stand, “The
southern part of the country is supposed
to produce the President come 2023; I don’t
support a northerner to vie for the seat after
President Muhammadu Buhari based on
Nigeria’s political arrangement.”
The Kaduna is an influential voice in the
APC. He headed the APC’s Restructuring
Committee. He told a national newspaper.
“In the APC, we deliberately omitted rota-
tional Presidency in our constitution and
the emergence of a presidential candidate
does not take into account zoning and that
was why in 2015, Rochas Okorocha from the
East contested, Sam Nda-Isaiah contested,
T H I S D AY ˾
MONDAY JULY 12, 2021
MONDAY DISCOURSE
Buhari, Kwankwaso and others contested.
II can say that as distinct from the PDP, APC
has no rotational Presidency but candidates
are selected strictly on the basis of political
merit and the general acceptability of the
candidate. Those of us from Northern Ni-
geria honour agreements. We do not violate
unwritten political agreements and I will
be the last person to lead in violating that
agreement. I may have a personal view but
that should be the basis. I don’t care where
you come from but I look for merit. As a
group, the Northern APC will have to sit
down and endorse someone, most likely
someone from the South, because after eight
years of Buhari, I don’t think the Presidency
should remain in the north unless there is
some extenuating circumstances. All things
being equal, we will honour our agreement
and we keep our words.’’
Ganduje, an ally of Tinubu said he was
supporting zoning of the presidency in
2023 to the South because it was strategic
in winning elections.
Governor Sule of Nasarawa State said
rotational presidency was one of designs
that can guarantee peace in Nigeria. Katsina
State governor, Masari also spoke in the same
vein, saying a Southern president will ensure
equity, fairness and justice.
However, there are still many hurdles
to cross for the Southern governors to get
the unalloyed support of their colleagues
and other powerful interest groups in the
North. For instance the Jigawa State Governor
Mohammed Abubakar Badaru who is the
Chairman of the Progressives Governors
Forum, that is governors elected on the
platform of the APC, believes the race for
the presidency should be an open contest to
all comers from all regions of the country.
His Bauchi State counterpart, Bala Moham-
med, Chairman of acommittee that reviewed
PDP’s loss in the 2019 presidential election
returned a report that opens the contest for
the party’s presidential ticket in 2023 to any
interested member of the party. The PDP
has since downplayed this position, while
emphasising that it has not taken a position
on the matter yet.
NOTE: Interested readers should continue in the
online edition on www.thisdaylive.com
T H I S D AY ˾
MONDAY JULY 12, 2021
Anamcadabra: Magic of the Anambra PDP
Governorship Primary
Tony Amadi explains what happened during the Peoples Democratic Party Anambra State governorship
selection process at the Dora Akinyili Women Development Centre, Awka
Ozigbo
I
n the course of my years of reporting
the politics of Nigeria and writing the
epic The Making of the PDP’ book
in 2000, I have observed many party
primaries, the most important being
the 1999 presidential primaries in Jos. I am
afraid that none of those primaries would
out-match the recently concluded ‘Anamca-
dabra’ in the Anambra State capital, Awka
on June 26, 2021.
Awka was boiling as the People’s Demo-
cratic Party (PDP) held its primaries for the
next governor of the state for the November
6 gubernatorial elections. The city was
locked down in a fierce political battle as
the 16 aspirants, the highest in the state’s
electoral history sought to win the prized
gubernatorial primary. Multiple political
Intrigues reigned supreme as aspirants tried
to outfox each other as the leading aspi-
rants Dr. Godwin Maduka, Chris Azubogu,
Valentine Ozigbo, Senator Uche Ekwunife
and Dr Obiora Okonkwo dug in for a fight
to finish.
Unfortunately, Ekwunife and Okonkwo
who are from the Central Senatorial district
were boxed into a zoning controversy as the
generality of Anambra people wanted the
southern senatorial district to be favoured
in the zoning which has gone round since
the advent of the 1999 return to democracy
and after 15 years of military interregnum.
A gun shot had rang out at 9.09am at the
Dora AkunyIli Women Development Center
Awka, venue of the primaries, signaling
signs of an impending shootout that hope-
fully would not materialize at the end of the
day. But nothing of the sort had happened,
instead what was going on was a series of
changes to the goal post as the rules were
changed several times for understandably
no reason.
Anambra state like most states in Nigeria
is usually politically charged during elec-
tions but the southern senatorial zone in
their attempt to show a united front to
orchestrate their zoning demand, had all
their aspirants actively meeting in solidarity
to their course. I must have counted more
than 10 meetings in Abuja or Awka where
they often met in a hotel room in the Area 11
part of the Federal Capital City. Dr. Obiora
Okonkwo, The Dikeora didn’t give a damn
about the zoning to the south because as
the story goes, the Central zone where he
comes from has the biggest slice of the voters,
followed by the North where the current
Governor Obiano hails from.
However, Senator Uche Ekwunife, the
abrasive and tough talking ‘Iron Lady’
member of the Upper Chamber reminded all
that apart from being married to the Central
Zone which she represents in the Senate, she
is a southerner by birth; a question of having
it both ways. The Senator was reported to
have dared the 13 male aspirants not to
forget her capacity to crush the men that
come across her political path in apparently
reminding everyone how she trounced the
Okonkwo
former Central Senator Victor Umeh and once
chairman of All Progressive Grand Alliance,
the governing party in Anambra state.
As the primaries drew nearer, most analysts
agreed that a political rooky and a United
States’ based pain doctor, Dr. Godwin
Maduka was far ahead in polls among grass
roots primary voters, a situation that worried
the party grandees who usually decided who
should occupy Agu Awka, the local White
House. The billionaire medical doctor was
seen as the spoiler who was making the King
Makers lose control of their pecks and use
the people’s money to work for them and
not the political elite.
Dr. Maduka is also a top philanthropist who
had done a lot for his Umuchukwu people and
promised the extension of his development
of his town to the rest of Anambra if elected
governor. Despite his extension of largesse
to the political leadership of the PDP in the
state and at the national level, he was seen
by them as the man that will bring their
political career to an end should they endorse
his project. So a cabal had to be set up to
ensure that his quest for the governorship
of Anambra was scuttled before damage
was done to their own political wellbeing.
And so the 2021 primaries were the best
opportunity to hit back at the triple professor
of Medicine, Surgery and Pharmacy. By the
close of the pimaries in the wee hours of the
26th June, the results showed that Maduka
had only five votes against the winning
Valentine Ozigbo, the former Managing
Director of Hilton Hotel, Abuja scoring a
whopping 62 votes, followed closely by Dr.
Obiora Okonkwo with 58, and Senator Uche
Ekwunife with 44 votes.
So what happened at the Dora Akinyili
Women Development centre, Awka, the venue
of the PDP 2021 Anambra State primaries?
One of the several voters disenfranchised
at the primaries told me after the results
were announced that “this, kain primary
So it emerged that another bout of shooting
itself on the foot became the obvious result of
the primaries with the PDP left with nothing else
than to begin a major fence mending activity to
paper through the deep cracks it has forced on
itself. Peter Obi, the party leader in the state
and the presumed winner of the primaries
Valentine Ozigbo began their tour to assuage
the losing candidates, particularly Dr. Godwin
Maduka who was bruised and battered by the
butchery at Awka
Ekwunife
na propa abracadabra”. He said that when
the National Working Committee decided
to announce the total figure of 197 delegate
voters as the final number that should vote
at the primaries when it was found that some
people had doctored the local government list
that should have had close to 2000 delegates
on the final list to vote.
Security presence at the venue was visibly
tight when I arrived the venue very early,
with police in their various departments
with Mobile Policemen dominating. One
officer told me that his unit was dispatched
from Port Harcourt but headed by a Deputy
Inspector General based in the state. But as
time went by, the main entrance was becom-
ing chaotic as unauthorized men began to
cluster around before the Chairman of the
primaries, the Edo State Deputy Governor
Philip Shuaibu came to take control of the
entrance to the venue. Mr Shuaibu was
clothed in an Oshomhole-fatigue type of
khaki shirt and shorts with barely six months’
membership of the PDP, having joined with
Governor Godwin Obaseki from the APC
at the height of the last Edo governorship
race which checkmated the ruling party’s
dominance of the state.
When I asked the deputy governor what
he thought of the proceedings so far, he
put up a brave face and concluded that the
primaries would go well and that the result
would reflect on the high level of integrity
that his team would impose on the event.
However, the deputy governor’s hopes
were going to be dashed ruthlessly by the
determination of the state leadership to
select rather than elect the winner. It had
always been brandished by the PDP at all
levels to win the Anambra governorship
after languishing in obscurity for 16 years,
largely winning all the state assembly seats
but losing the priced governorship.
The South-east of Nigeria always had the
PDP in total control and with 2023 national
21
POLITICS
Maduka
elections two years away, the party had lost
two states of Ebonyi and Imo to the ruling
APC with rumours of Enugu and Abia gov-
ernors following suit, no sane party man
would concede another inch of South-east
territory to the APC. The bungled Anambra
primary was certain to become the party’s
watershed as 2023 elections loomed large in
the horizon. As political analysts pondered
what was going on at the primaries, the
delegate list continued to change, starting
with the disenfranchising of voters with
disability who had turned up in their numbers
but were told to go home.
Meanwhile one Nnewi based former Chair-
man of the party in the state told me there
was expectedly more changes to the list to
come from Abuja where the party leaders
were holed in at Wadata House, applying
their carrot and stick formulae to ensure
their predetermined winner emerges at the
end at the Dora Akunyili Women center in
Awka. Only God Almighty knew when the
voting would start as the advanced rigging
methodology had to be perfected.
So it emerged that another bout of shooting
itself on the foot became the obvious result of
the primaries with the PDP left with nothing
else than to begin a major fence mending
activity to paper through the deep cracks
it has forced on itself. Peter Obi, the party
leader in the state and the presumed winner
of the primaries Valentine Ozigbo began
their tour to assuage the losing candidates,
particularly Dr. Godwin Maduka who was
bruised and battered by the butchery at Awka.
The Okwute man came as early as 10am to
Maduka’s home just as he returned from
Church, a stone throw to his home in the
state capital where he spent over an hour
to calm his nerves, followed immediately
at midday by the winner of the primary,
Val Ozigbo.
The PDP may well have felt the problem
it has inflicted on itself with the bungled
primaries as rumour mills have gone into
overdrive that Maduka and Obiora may well
switch parties to contest the main elections,
counting that their wide popularity can still
take them to Agu Awka on November 6
when the election proper would take place.
Obiora gave an exhaustive interview with
AIT where he kept his next move under
wraps, while Maduka addressed thousands
of his supporters in front of his foundation
office on the highbrow business district on
Onitsha/Enugu road.
With Maduka’s war chest still left with
very huge balances and Obiora also said
to be heavily loaded, the PDP chances in
clinching the central South-east state now
face serious difficulties ahead of a national
election in 2023 where its own governors in
safe states are moving towards the failed
national government of APC. Not to men-
tion APGA candidate Soludo, the former
CBN Governor solidly set and a force to be
reckoned with. What a tragic outcome for
the leading opposition party in Anambra!
22 T H I S D AY ˾



ͯͰ˜
ͰͮͰͯ

FEATURES Group Features Editor: Chiemelie Ezeobi

Email chiemelie.ezeobi@thisdaylive.com, 07010510430

As Lagos Moves to Stop Parade of Suspects

By the time Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu signs into law a bill just passed by the Lagos State
House of Assembly seeking to stop the police and other law enforcement agencies from parading
suspects before the media, one question begging for answer would be if these agencies known
for breaking the law would obey it, Davidson Iriekpen writes

Arrested Suspects

A
ny moment from now, Governor
Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos
State will sign into law a bill
that will make it an offence for
the police and law enforcement
agencies to parade suspects in the state.
The bill, which was passed last Monday
by the state House of Assembly, is seeking
to put a stop to suspects from being paraded
before the media.
The bill, which is an amendment of the state
Criminal Justice Law, according to section 9(a),
states that “as from the commencement of
this law, the police shall refrain from parading
any suspect before the media".
In addition to stopping the parade of
suspects before the media, the bill also prohibits
arrests in lieu in criminal matters. It states
that suspects should be accorded humane
treatment, with the right to dignity of person
and not be subjected to any form of torture,
cruel, inhumane or degrading treatment.
It also stipulates that the only condition
where the police can arrest without warrant Some arrested suspects IG Baba
is if a person is “reasonably suspected to
unlawfully be in possession of firearms or display of suspects before crowd of people, consider them as being proactive. A Police Public Relations Officer once
other such dangerous instruments". one may be in doubt as to the legality of However, several lawyers, human right revealed that there was no law prohibiting
The bill adds that arrested persons “shall this action considering the fact that those activists and civil society organisations have the parade of suspects before the media
be given reasonable facilities for obtaining parading the suspects are the ones saddled called for its end, saying it does not protect in Nigeria. Even though is no specific law
legal advice, bail or making arrangements with the responsibility of enforcing laws and the human rights of suspects. They hinged barring the Force carrying out such action,
for defence or release". should therefore know the law. their arguments on Section 36 subsections 5 of what perhaps the PPRO was not aware of
Parading of suspects before the media is not Several arguments have been put forward the 1999 constitution of Nigeria (as amended) are a plethora of judgments frowning at the
new in Nigeria. The legality or otherwise of as to the merits of public parade of suspects. which presumes every person who is charged action.
the issue has always been a point of debate. The arguments in favour of public parade with criminal offence as innocent until such For instance, in Ndukwem Chiziri Nice
Public parade of suspects is basically a practice of criminal suspects majorly come from law person is convicted by a court of competent v. AG, Federation & Anor. (2007) CHR 218
among law enforcement agencies where enforcement agents, particularly the police. jurisdiction. at 232, Justice Adebukola Banjoko of the
persons suspected of committing criminal It has been reasoned that public parade The provision also falls in consonance with High Court of Federal Capital Territory held
offences are put forward before pressmen of suspects by the police is to boost public African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, that “The act of parading him (the suspect)
or the members of the public pending their morale of the policemen on patrol as well which is also known as the Banjul Charter, an before the press as evidenced by the exhibits
arraignment in court. In most cases, after as to promote the efficiency and the capacity international human rights instrument that is annexed to the affidavit was uncalled for
such public parade, some of the suspects of the police to detect crime in the society. It intended to promote and protect human rights and a callous disregard for his person. He
are eventually released from custody for lack is also seen as deterrence to other members and basic freedoms in the African continent. was shown to the public the next day of
of sufficient evidence to link them with the of the public watching or reading about the Nigeria was part of the 54 African Union his arrest even without any investigation
alleged offence. paraded suspects to desist from crime. (AU) member states that ratified the treaty conducted in the matter.
It is also not unusual for the paraded Arguments in favour of public parade in 1983. By the virtue of this provision, the “He was already prejudged by the police
suspect to be discharged and acquitted by of suspects have been pushed further that liberty and privacy of criminal suspects under who are incompetent, so to have such function,
the court, after which he or she is left with the suspects are paraded as suspects not the law of the land are protected beyond any it is the duty of the court to pass a verdict
the public impression of being a criminal as as convicts and as such they are not being orchestrated intent of the law enforcement of guilt and this constitutes a clear breach
the pressmen before whom the he or she was prejudged by the police. In essence, from the agency. of Section 36(4) and (5) of the Constitution
paraded are not invited and the allegations perspective of some individuals like the law Notwithstanding the clear position of the law of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 on
retracted before them. enforcement agents, public parade of criminal and the plethora of court judgments against the the doctrine of fair hearing.”
With the trending rate of public parade suspects is seen as a welcome development pre-trial parade of crime suspects, successive Similarly, in Dyot Bayi & 14 Ors. V. Federal
of suspects by law enforcement agents both which would boost public confidence in the police authorities have openly sanctioned Republic of Nigeria (2004-2009) CCJLER 245
on electronic and print media and also the law enforcement agents and make the public the action. at 265, the Community Court of Justice,
T H I S D AY ˾



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ͰͮͰͯ
Policemen
ECOWAS Court condemned the media trial
of the applicants when it held that: “The court
is of the opinion that for the fact that the
defendants presented the applicants before
the press when no judge or court has found
them guilty, certainly constitute a violation
of the principle of presumption of innocence
such as provided in Article 7(b) of the same
African Charter and not a violation in the
sense of Article 5 of the said Charter.
The court proceeded to award damages of
$42,750 to each of the 10 applicants and $10,000
as costs payable by the federal government
for the illegal actions of the naval personnel
who carried out the illegal parade of the
applicants.
In 2011, a Federal High Court awarded
the sum of N20 million against the Lagos
State Commissioner of Police for parading
one Ottoh Obono before the media as an
armed robber, even before his arraignment
in court. Upon the issuance of the advice of
the Director of Public Prosecution, Obono
was later found to be innocent of the crime.
Despite the fact that these judgments seri-
ously frowned at public parade of suspects,
the police have not relented in still carrying
out the action. Before his retirement recently,
an Inspector General of Police (IG) openly
gave the practice a stamp of approval. In
his response to a question asked during the
#AskThePolice session on Twitter, he said the
parade of suspects “is simply the Force letting
the public know the efforts and achievements
of the police in curbing and reducing crime
to the barest minimum.”
Observers have often argued that a majority
of crime suspects paraded by the police are
often persons of low means. While it is not
unusual to parade poor criminal suspects
who are accused of stealing as low or small
as mobile phones, it is rare for the police
and other security agencies to parade rich
and powerful criminal suspects who loot
the treasury to the tune of several billions of
Naira. They stated that many notable politi-
cians and businessmen who today have been
pronounced guilty of corruption by the courts
and sentenced to jail, were never paraded
before their trial.
Recently, a human rights activist, Femi
Falana (SAN), sued the police, the Economic
and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC)
and the Attorney-General of Federation
over media parade of suspects. Falana, who
approached a Federal High Court in Abuja
in suit FHC/ABJ/CS/519/19 said pre-trial
media parade of criminal suspects by security
and anti-corruption agencies is illegal and
unconstitutional.
The lawyer said the act is a violation of
Section 36(5) of the Constitution of the Federal
Republic of Nigeria, 1999 as Amended, Article 7
of the African Charter on Human and Peoples
Rights (Ratification and Enforcement) Act, (Cap
A9) Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.
This is why upon hearing about the pas-
sage of the bill by the Lagos State House
of Assembly, he urged Governor Babajide
Sanwo-Olu not to delay in assenting to it.
In a statement titled: “Kudos to Lagos State
House of Assembly for outlawing parade of
criminal suspects”, the human rights lawyer
said it has become expedient for the governor
to assent to the bill in view of the provisions
of the constitution and African Charter.
He argued that the practice of parading
suspects is illegal as it constitutes a gross
violation of the fundamental right of criminal
suspects to presumption of innocence.
“It is equally discriminatory as only lowly
placed criminal suspects are exposed to
media parade by the police and other law
enforcement agencies. While poor suspects
are paraded for allegedly stealing tubers of
yam or telephone handsets valued at N10,000
or less, politically-exposed persons accused
of looting the public treasury to the tune of
N10 billion or more are never paraded before
the media,” the rights lawyer said.
The senior lawyer noted that even though
the incriminating statements procured from
criminal suspects during media parade are
not admissible during trial in criminal courts,
they are used by law enforcement agencies to
compel members of the public to participate
in mob justice,” he said.
He argued that they are also used to
blackmail judges to convict criminal suspects,
with or without evidence adduced by the
prosecution.
Also, a Professor of law at the Bayero
University, Kano, Mamman Lawan Yusufari
(SAN), believes such tendencies portray
suspects as guilty in the eye of the society,
thereby constituting defamation to the
reputation of their characters.
“A suspect is protected by the constitution
because the law says if a person is suspected
to have committed an offence, he/she is a
suspect. When you charge the person to court,
the name changes to accused person or a
defendant. When trial starts, he may plead
guilty or not guilty after the charges are read
to the fellow. If he pleads guilty, the court
may convict him, depending on the nature
of the offence. That is called summary trial.
“After conviction, following summary
or normal trial where witnesses and other
evidence are taken, the court will deliver
judgment by either convict the fellow or
discharge and acquaint the accused. If the
accused person is convicted, the name changes
from accused to convict. At this stage, the
media can pronounce to the whole world
that the person is a criminal. Before you get
to this stage, the constitution under section 36
(5), says the person charged with a criminal
offence shall be presumed to be innocent
until he is proved guilty,” Mamman said.
According to him, that is a fundamental
right under Section 4 of the constitution. If
the media report a suspect of crime by a
means of showing the face or mentioning
his name on the newspaper, he argued that
it is as good as convicting the suspect in
the eye of the public. Mamman said such
is fundamentally wrong because it is only
a court that can pronounce suspect guilty
and convict an accused person.
Afegbai Imoodu believes that the parade
of suspects by the police is a reflection of
a lack of professionalism. Pointing out that
often time, cases are bungled by the police
during the parade.
He said: “With due respect to the Nigerian
Police, I think parading suspects before or
after the investigation is concluded but before
arraignment shows lack professionalism. The
act simply amounts to advertisements by
the police. They just want to tell the whole
world that they are working whereas in most
cases, the parade is one of the reasons cases
fail in court.
“It also distorts investigation as some of
the suspects who may be at large will run
away from the country. Police should stop
getting cheap popularity. The innocence of
a suspect is presumed under the law. The
media trial has no recognition in law. Police
should stop using their advertised inconclusive
investigation to get undeserved applause from
the populace.
"Can you imagine a police team sending
pictures online of how they arrested suspects
thereby giving themselves away? Were the
suspect’s fools waiting to be arrested? I think
there is a need to educate the police on this
aspect of the law. I don’t think that the police
is aware that 85 per cent of the cases they
investigated are being thrown out of court
due to poor and inexperienced investigation
tactics.”
However, a criminologist, Dr. MaiKano
Madaki, feels otherwise.
He stated that the police could enforce
a parade on suspects during investigation,
since the fundamental rights of suspects are
relinquished when police investigation begins.
But Madaki stressed that the law did not
allow police to pre-empt whether suspects
are guilty or not before the media and public.
“When someone is suspected to have
committed a crime, the person’s fundamental
human rights are suspended because being
a suspect; you are technically relinquishing
those rights. That’s why during investigation,
the suspect’s house may be invaded, property
impounded, some certain document seized.
You may no longer have freedom to your
privacy, movement restricted, your speeches
restrained and you are detained even while
you are charged to court and standing trial.
“The law enforcement agencies must have
linked all sufficient evidence to the suspect
because what is critical in any criminal
investigation and prosecution is linking the
crime to the suspects. However, the suspect
will remain innocent until proven guilty by a
competent court of law. Perhaps, this is one
of the fundamentals that police mostly rely
23
FEATURES
on before parading their suspects. Police is
not empowered by constitution to declare or
pre-empt suspects, only the courts reserve
that right,” he argued.
Madaki further stated that parading
suspects before the media has no value to
the investigation. Police, he reiterated are
entrusted to investigate, arrest, and submit
a report of its investigation and file charges
before a competent court of jurisdiction for
legal prosecution.
“For me, there is nothing like parading
suspects before the media. What the police
are doing is an informal system of social
degradation ceremony where suspects are
taken to the marketplace to stigmatise and
disgrace them in social prosecution. Even
before police can declare suspects wanted,
display his picture, name and identity to
public, they must approach the court for
ruling,” he insisted.
In a response to a national daily recently, the
immediate past National Assistant Publicity
Secretary of the Nigerian Bar Association
(NBA), Akorede Lawal, noted that despite the
popularity of media parades, courts give no
consequence to confessions made by suspects
in such parades. He pointed out that it was
high time police moved away from such
practice and conduct serious investigations
that would lead to conviction in court.
According to him, one ill of the media
parade and the confession is that it is often
elicited from the suspect and places undue
pressure on the prosecution and affects the
independence of decision of the court and
the reasons for its judgment.
He said: “By the provisions of the Admin-
istration of Criminal Justice Act (as well as
the extant criminal procedure laws of various
states, including the Administration of Criminal
Justice Law of Lagos State, 2011) and the
Evidence Act, the ‘media confession’ – the type
elicited from Chidinma Ojukwu– is hardly
admissible in law due to the torture, threat,
inducement and promise by the police, that
often precedes such media session.
“Also, the law demands that a confession
should be in writing and should be made
in the presence of the suspect’s counsel, an
officer of the Legal Aid Council of Nigeria
or an official of a civil society organisation
or a justice of the peace or any other person
of the suspect’s choice – a condition that is
hardly fulfilled during the media parade.
However, where such confession is admitted
because of its relevance, it would arguably
be of lightweight in the absence of other
proven evidence of her guilt.”
The questions begging for answers now
are: Will the police and other law enforce-
ment agencies which are fond of breaking
the laws of the land obey the new law when
it eventually comes into effect? Won’t the law
also generate another debate on whether the
federal police can obey a state law? Nigerians
are watching.
24 MONDAY JULY 12, 2021 • T H I S D AY
T H I S D AY ˾


ͯͰ˜
2021
BUSINESSWORLD
MONEY MARKET
OVERNIGHT
OBB
COURTESYVISIT
L-R:OyoStateHeadofService,Mrs.AmidatOloladeAgboola; SecretarytoStateGovernment(SSG),Mrs.OlubamiwoAdeosun and President/ChairmanofCouncil,CharteredInstitute
ofPersonnelManagement(CIPM)andGroupHeadofPractice,BezaleelConsultingGroup, Mr.OlusegunMojeedwhenhe visitedtheSSGinIbadan…recently
Stock Market Reverses Gains
as Investors Book Profits
Goddy Egene
The stock market closed last
week on negative note as the
positive sentiments of the
previous week could not be
sustained.
The pullback followed profit-
taking in blue-chip stocks, espe-
cially in banking and consumer
goods sectors by some investors.
As a result, the Nigerian
Exchange(NGX) Limited All-Share
Index (ASI), which appreciated by
1.47 per cent two weeks ago, fell
0.57 per cent to close at 37,994.19,
while market capitalisation shed
N123.7 billion to be at N19.796
Africa’s Single Currency Realisable,
Says AfCFTA Scribe
Dike Onwuamaeze
The Secretary General of the
African Continental Free Trade
Area (AfCFTA) Secretariat, Mr.
Wamkele Mene, has predicted
that Africa would one day have a
common currency that would ease
constraints of settling intra-African
trade in foreign denominated
currency.
Mene likened the possibility
of having a common currency
to realisation of AfCFTA even
though people never thought
that there would ever be a free
trade area in Africa.
He said: “But we now have it.
And so I am confident that one
day the African continent will
have a single currency.
“Though there are a range of
issues to be considered regarding
macro-economic convergence.
Thankfully, there are departments
R A T E S
REPO
20.50 CALL 19
19.75 1-MONTH 20.50
3-MONTH 22
STOCK MARKET
trillion last week.
However, the slowdown
in momentum or correction,
according to the analysts at
InvestData Consulting, has cre-
ated opportunities, for discerning
investors to reposition in interim
dividend paying stocks.
The analysts said there was no
need to panic at this point because
profit-taking is an integral part of
stock market dynamics anytime,
to drive oscillation that creates
room for entry and exit.
“So investors and traders should
ECONOMY
in the African Union (AU) to deal
with the complexities about how
we get to a single currency for the
African continent. But certainly it
is a positive step that will facilitate
intra-African trade.”
He made this statement at
the weekend during a virtual,
“Quarterly Press Briefing on
AfCFTA Achievements, Status
of Implementation, and the Next
Steps Confirmation,” where he
disclosed that negotiations on the
Phase Two of AfCFTA on trade
competition policy, intellectual
property right, investment protec-
tion and promotion as well as
digital trade, women and young
people would soon commence
and would be completed in the
shortest possible time.
Mene said successful negotiation
A S A T
S & P INDEX
INDEX LEVEL
1-DAY
MONTH-TO-DATE
not be carried away with any
rally or rebound, but be guided
by their investment objectives,
while taking profit immediately
reasonable profit targets are met
(say 15-20 per cent) while keeping
an eye on the preset stop-loss,”
they said.
The analysts added that
they expect a mixed trend, on
profit-taking and repositioning
for half-year earnings reporting
season kicking off any time soon
after forming a wave that supports
an uptrend as bargain hunters
take advantage of pullbacks to
reposition ahead of second quarter
(Q2) numbers.
of the intellectual property rights
would facilitate the establishment
of vaccines producing factories in
Africa, which is currently subject
to negotiation at the World Trade
Organisation (WTO).
He said: “It will take time to
negotiate legal binding agreement
for the manufacturing of vaccines
in Africa. It is subject to negotiation
at the WTO. We are hoping for
positive outcome.
“We need to have a legal
framework in Africa that is
why the AfCFTA’s protocol on
intellectual property right is so
important. Because embedded
in that protocol will be a provi-
sion that will enable countries to
produce and manufacture vaccines
not only for COVID-19 but all
other pandemics to enable us
address Africa’s public health
imperatives.”
The secretary general also
J U L Y 9 ,
S & P INDEX
539.26% 1/4 TO DATE
0.03% YEAR TO DATE
1.18%
Looking ahead, InvestData said:
“Again, the way to go is target
dividend-paying stocks and fun-
damentally sound companies with
growth prospects in 2021, looking
the way of mispriced equities ahead
of interim dividend announcement.
“This is especially given that despite
the seeming improvements, fixed
income yield continues to offer a
negative real rate of return due to
the galloping inflation.
“However, the strong and faster
recovery may continue, depending
on market forces, going forward, as
propelled by expected Q2 earnings
Continued on page 26
disclosed that negotiations on
86 per cent of tariff lines have
been concluded under the Rule
of Origin (RoO) but clarified that
the 86 per cent is on the coverage
of products and not the degree
of value addition required.
“It is the number of traff lines.
So, out of 100 per cent tariff lines,
we have been able to agree on
the RoO for 86 per cent tariff
lines for the AfCFTA,” he said,
adding that “we want to use the
RoO to make sure that Africa
industrialises. That is why we
will be very deliberate, careful
and thorough about these RoO
because they are at the heart of
Africa’s industrialisation.”
He also stated that the pilot
stage of the Pan-African Payment
and Settlement System (PAPSS)
that would enable trading within
Continued on page 26
25
Group Business Editor Obinna Chima
Email obinna.chima@thisdaylive.com
08152447875
2 0 2 1
EXCHANGE RATE
1.18% N411.75//1US DOLLAR*
-19.55% *AS AT LAST FRIDAY
Quick Takes
Advertising Practitioners Hold 48th AGM
The Association of Advertising Agencies of Nigeria has concluded plan to
holdits48thAnnualGeneralMeeting(AGM)/Congress.TheAGM/Congress
will hold in Ibadan, Oyo State between Friday 23rd and Saturday 24th
July, 2021.The theme for this year’s AGM/Congress is “Boom, Gloom and
Doom! Where do we sit?”
The Governor of Oyo State, Mr. Seyi Makinde will be among dignitaries
at the meeting. The governor is expected to declare open the AGM. The
Minister of Information, Alhaji Lai Mohammed will also be in attendance
as the Special Guest of Honour.
The President of the association, Mr. Steve Babaeko stated that the
association’s AGM is a platform to actively engage in intellectual and
critical discourse on the challenges facing the business and practice of
advertising in Nigeria and advocate unconventional solutions in rebuilding
and rebranding the industry.
The Chairman of the Events Planning Committee, Mr. Doyin Adewumi
statedthattheassociationhascometoadecisiontoinviteleadingexperts
in their fields to lead the discourse on the theme.
To emphasise the importance of the AGM, the association has invited Mr.
Abubakar Suleiman, MD, Sterling Bank Plc); Mitchell Elegbe, MD/CEO,
Interswitch;andMr.IyinoluwaAboyeji,Founder,FutureAfrica,asspeakers.
The panelists include, Mrs. Cherry Eromosele, Group Chief Marketing &
Corporate Communications Officer, Interswitch; Mrs. Bukola Akingbade,
CEO,ImageandTime;Mr.LanreAdisa,CEO,Noah’sArk;Mr.TundeDosekun,
Managing Director, DDB Lagos; Miss Nnenna Onyewuchi, Co-Founder/
Director of Strategy, Yellow Brick Road; and Mr. Dipo Adesida, Chief
Operating Officer of Verdant Zeal Group.
Headdedthatinrecognitionofmeritoriousservice,someseniormembers
will be honoured and given special recognition awards.
Ecobank Appoints Directors
The Board of Ecobank Nigeria has announced the appointment of three
independentnon-executivedirectors.Theexperiencedprofessionalswho
have distinguished themselves in their various careers, include Mrs.Taba
Peterside, Mr. Yusuf Suleiman and Alhaji Abu Idris.
Peterside has over 33 years’ experience in the Nigerian and international
banking, financial services and the capital markets. She started her career
at the Nigerian-American Merchant Bank before holding several senior
management positions at Investment Banking &Trust Company Limited
(nowStanbicIBTC),CanadaDepositInsuranceCorporationandInternational
Finance Corporation, Ghana. She was a General Manager at the Nigerian
Stock Exchange (NSE); Founder and CEO ofWaveline Growth Partners, a
micro credit company in Nigeria; among others. Suleiman is a banking and
finance professional with over 26 years’ experience mainly in treasury,
financial control, credit, and risk management. Yusuf started his career as
a Financial Analyst at the former International Merchant Bank. He served
as Head of Financial Controls and Operations at Nigerian-American Bank
Limited,GroupHeadFinancialServicesatKakawaDiscountHouseLimited
and Group Head Treasury, Risk Management and Financial Control at
Societe Bancaire Limited.
Similarly, Idris brings to the Board over 33 years of Central Banking experi-
ence, 23 of which were spent in the regulation and supervision of Banks
& Other Financial Institutions under the purview of the Central Bank of
Nigeria. Idris, joined the services of the Central Bank of Nigeria as a Senior
Supervisor in December 1984, upon the completion of the mandatory one
year NYSC programme in August, 1984.
Halogen Retains Global Rating
The Halogen Group, one of the Nigeria’s leading security risk management
organisations has again been voted as Nigeria’s most valued contract se-
curity company at the 2021 Outstanding Security Performance Awards
(OSPAs). This makes it the fourth consecutive year that Halogen would
win the award. OSPAs is the independent award scheme that rewards
outstandingperformanceinthesecuritysectorintheUK,theUnitedStates
of America, Africa, Europe, and other parts of the world.
The award recognises and rewards companies, people, products, and
services that have made a significant contribution to the Nigerian security
sectorandhavedemonstratedexceptionalindustry,talent,andinnovation
in different categories.
“By next year, we hope to receive all
the 13 airplanes we already made
firm orders for and by the end of 2023,
we intend to activate payment for
another 10 of the aircraft brand which
will bring it to 23.And we have new
routes that we want to deploy the
aircraft to”
Air Peace’s Founder,
Allen Onyema
26

ͯͰ˜
ͰͮͰͯ
BUSINESSWORLD
STOCK MARKET
REVERSES GAINS AS
INVESTORS BOOK
PROFITS
reports, until the next Monetary
Policy Committee (MPC) meeting
in the coming weeks.”
Also commenting on the
outlook for the market this week,
analysts at Cordros Securities said
with the moderation in the prices
of bellwether stocks last week,
they expected savvy investors
to take advantage of this and
make re-entry ahead of their
H1-21 earnings announcement.
“However, we do not rule
out the possibility of continued
profit-taking activities. As a result,
we think the local bourse will
likely exhibit a zig-zag pattern.
Therefore, we advise investors to
take positions in only fundamen-
tally justified stocks,” they said.
Meanwhile, investors traded
1.348 billion shares worth N12.140
billion in 21,581 deals were traded
as against 1.021 billion shares
valued at N14.145 billion that
exchanged hands last week in
17,565 deals the previous week.
AFRICA’S SINGLE
CURRENCY REALISABLE,
SAYS AFCFTA SCRIBE
the free trade area to be done in the
local currencies of each member
state started last month in six
countries and would run for
another two months.
Mene said: “We have 42
currencies in Africa. The cost
of converting currencies amounts
to $5 billion a year. This is very
big amount of money that can
be seen as revenue forgone. So
we want to reduce and eliminate
this cost to converting curren-
cies in Africa for the purpose
of trading.
“The PAPSS is a very
important pillar for the imple-
mentation of the AfCFTA. We
are grateful to Afreximbank for
making liquidity available to
operationalise the PAPSS.
“The pilot countries for PAPSS
are Ghana, Nigeria Liberia and
S/Leone. Local banks will be
able to switch on to the platform
once the platform is up and run-
ning throughout the continent. I
hope the platform will be available
for all African countries that want
to switch on to it by the end of
this year.
“This is one of the strongest
signals so far that the AfCFTA
can work, will work and will be
effective.
Group Business Editor
Obinna Chima
Capital Market Editor
Goddy Egene
Comms/e-Business Editor
Emma Okonji
Asst. Editor, Money Market
Nume Ekeghe
Senior Correspondent
Raheem Akingbolu (Advertising)
Correspondents
Chinedu Eze (Aviation)
Eromosele Abiodun (Maritime)
James Emejo (Finance)
Ebere Nwoji (Insurance)
Chineme Okafor (Energy)
Emmanuel Addeh (Energy)
Reporters
Nosa Alekhuogie (ICT)
Peter Uzoho (Energy)
T H I S D AY ˾

NEWS
11% Pension Penetration Worries Operators
Ebere Nwoji certainly come a long way from Nigeria, has adopted international raised the bar for professionals he observed. He, however, said
when the Pension Reform Act best practices, is technologically locally. The investment, risk and despite these, there are many areas
Stakeholders in the pension sector was initially passed in 2004. driven and has grown steadily compliance professionals within where the sector fall behind its
at the weekend reviewed the According to him, the industry over the period. the industry can favourably counterparts in other countries.
performance of the sector 17 years has moved from a largely un- “There is also a marked compare to their counterparts “One area is the level of pension
after its reform as well as since the funded pension system to one progress with respect to the anywhere in the world. penetration. Nigeria currently
introduction of the Contributory that is fully funded, professionally level of professionalism within “Indeed, the industry has bred a has a pension penetration rate
Pension Scheme (CPS). managed by mainly private sector, the industry. new class of pension professionals of approximately 11 per cent of
The operators noted that though adding that the CPS practiced in “The pension industry has across board over the years,” its labour force.
there have been remarkable
growth and achievements in
the industry, Nigeria still lags
behind many other countries in
pension penetration with the
current penetration rate of 11
per cent.
The stakeholders spoke at the
third annual PenOp-National
Assembly retreat organised by
the Pension Operators Association
of Nigeria (PenOp) in Lagos.
The stake holders also
highlighted issues that should
be addressed to keep the sector
continually on growth track and
ensure deeper penetration of
Pension scheme among Nigerians
According to them, there is
need for strong political will, espe-
cially among state governments,
determination for self-regulation
among the sector operators,
capacity building, technological
advancement and assurance of
better future to Nigerian workers
who contribute to the pension fund
as well as predictable policies on
the side of government in place
of policy somersault.
PenOp President, Mr Wale
Odutola who is also the Managing AWARDWELLDESERVED
Director ARM Pension Managers, Founder/ExecutiveChairman,OrientalEnergyResourcesLimited,Dr.MuhammaduIndimi(left),andChancellor,UniversityofLagos,AlhajiAbubakarUmar
noted that in the past 17 years, GarbaiEl-Kanemi,duringtheinstitution’s51stconvocationceremonywhereIndimiwasconferredwithhonorarydoctoratedegreeataceremonyheldin
Nigeria’s pension industry has Lagos...recently
Customs Impounds Four Containers of Wood worth N373.5m
Eromosele Abiodun unprocessed woods. He said smugglers of the woods of foot wears, 343 rolls of synthetic recovered the sum of N1.9 billion
The unprocessed woods, defied extant export prohibition grass cover and 1,709 bags of 50kg from Demand Notices (DN) raised
The Controller General of the he revealed, were about being list. According to him, criminally of foreign parboiled rice with a within the period under review
Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) shipped out of the country to Asia minded businessmen are riding on cumulative Duty Paid Value of (January and June 2021).”
Strike Force, Team A, has an- when the men of the strike force the determination of government N664.6 million. “Considering the socio
nounced that it intercepted four intercepted it. to improve on the nation’s export “Within the period January and economic, security and health
container loads of unprocessed The federal government had trade, to indulge in the illegal June 2021, a total of 86 seizures effects on the national Economy,
woods valued at N373.5 million. in 2019 outlawed the export of shipment of woods to Asia. were made and they were found to importers and exporters and trad-
The Coordinator, CGC Strike unprocessed woods and allied He said the strike force team A have contravene different sections ers are advised to be committed
Force Team A, Deputy products to protect the nation’s would go after those behind the of the Customs and exercise laws. to the well-being of the nation’s
Comptroller of Customs, Ahmadu forest. illegal exports and that the team The goods are worth the N1.65 economy by complying with the
Shuaibu, while showcasing the Shuaibu said the team has would also cripple the finances billion in Duty Paid Value (DPV).” Federal government extant laws
items at Ikorodu, said the team shifted its attention to identifying of the sponsors. Shuaibu added that, “Sequel to and policies aimed at reviving the
in a renewed vigour seized dangerous cargos right inside the According to him, “Among meticulous documentary checks, moribund industries and to sustain
four containers loaded with Seaports before they are cleared. other seized items are 550 cartons the ICT components of the team the existing ones” he explained.
NNPC, Kano State Others Seal Deal on AKK Gas Pipeline
Ibrahim Shuaibu in Kano step forward towards revitalisation been given by the State Execu- Kano is a large market,” he added. the economic development of
of the economy, particularly for tive Council to the NNPC-AKK He also assured of continued the country. “Knowing what gas
The Kano State Government, the industries, with Kano being Pipeline project delivery and Gas support and cooperation to the pipeline did towards reviving the
Gas Aggregation Company of the commercial nerve centre of Industrialisation Committee to NNPC towards the realisation industries in Lagos and how today
Nigeria and the Nigeria National the northern part of the country. set up its planning location at of the project. Also, the Group it is used to provide energy for
Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) Ganduje, who was represented Tamburawa in Dawakin Kudu Managing Director of NNPC, Mele gas based industries to produce
have signed a Memorandum by his Deputy, Dr. Nasiru Yusuf adjacent to Challawa Water Works. Kyari, who was represented by the fertiliser and lots more, we realised
of Understanding (MoU) for Gawuna, urged investors to utilise “This project is very important Chief Operating Officer Gas and Kano being endowed with lots of
the Ajaokuta-Kaduna Kano the opportunity offered by the to us, in fact we have started see- Power, Yusuf Usman, explained potentials will be a major business
Gas Pipeline project. Speaking NNPC-AKK Gas Pipeline project ing positive results through the that with President Muhammad partner having already taken a step
after the signing of the MoU at when completed for their busi- commitment of the committee. I Buhari passion towards uplift- through creation of industrial park
the Kano Government House, nesses. He pointed out that as am calling on them to however ing the living condition of the which would boost and sustain
Governor Abdullahi Ganduje part of the commitment of his sensitise other stakeholders about masses, the AKK-Gas pipeline development for the economy,”
described the occasion as a major administration, approval had the impact of the project because infrastructure would enhance he added.
Access to Modern Fuel to Cost Africa $7.5bn, Say Refiners
financing workshop, noted that to build clean cooking stoves and hydrocarbon resources. firm, have presented a jointly-
Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja there was need to harmonise downstream infrastructure that The International Energy prepared resource mobilisation
fuel specifications as well as would support the attainment of Agency (IEA) had in a report plan to support implementation
The African Refiners and Distribu- Environment, Social, Governance the United Nations Sustainable insisted that achieving net- zero of the Africa clean fuels roadmap.
tors Association (ARDA) has said (ESG) considerations to reduce Development Goals (SDGs). Execu- emissions by 2050 would require The plan also contains near-term
it will cost the continent about $7.5 the looming public health and tive Secretary of ARDA, Anibor complete transformation of the framework arrangements with
billion to exit the use of outdated environmental impacts on Africa’s Kragha, who spoke during the global energy system and called traditional and alternative funding
fuel sources like firewood and citizens. event, noted that with the growing for a total halt of investments for counterparties and a longer-term
charcoal and embrace modern, Between now and 2030, the pressure against fossil fuels, African upstream oil development. ARDA Credit/Investment Fund
cleaner energy. group noted that the $7.5 billion countries must deploy measures As a first step, Kragha said whereby ARDA members can
ARDA which made the disclo- investment, inclusive of debt, eq- to secure the needed financing ARDA and Aldersmead, an EU- benefit from credit advanced
sure at a recent virtual sustainable uity and grants, would be required to develop and add value to its based corporate finance advisory from the fund.
T H I S D AY ˾


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Kyari: NNPC Can Recoup Investment in
Dangote Refinery in Five Years
The Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, Mallam Mele Kyari, in this
interview on Arise News Channel, THISDAY’s broadcast arm, spoke about on topical issues, including why the
national oil company is taking a 20 per cent stake in Dangote refinery. Emmanuel Addeh presents the excerpts.
T
ell us why the NNPC is acquiring
20 per cent in Dangote refinery
The question is: Why would we even
build a refinery in the first place? First
of all, there are a number of realities
like transportation, power and other things that
petroleum adds to nations and populations. These
are real and you can’t avoid it and of course for a
resource-dependent country, we are very blessed
with over 37 billion barrels reserves of crude oil
and over 203TCF of gas.
One key issue about oil is that it must be close
to source of supply in terms of security and every
resource-dependent country makes sure they add
value to what they produce. That means capturing
all the value upfront and getting energy security
in-country. Today, we import 100 per cent of what
we use for the very reason that we were unable to
maintain our refineries over the years. We don’t
want to lament, but of course, we haven’t done
well in the last 20 to 25 years. But the fact remains
that we are a net importer of petrol and that throws
in enormous energy supply security issues for the
country, so three years ago we decided to expand
our portfolio. It’s not today. We didn’t start thinking
about Dangote refinery yesterday. We decided that
we cannot depend on the refineries that’s owned
solely by us. We needed to spread the ownership
of the refineries in such a way that at any point in
time , we will guarantee supply of for our country
and have multiple sources of supply.
We decided that we were going to take equity
in other assets. Today, NNPC has equity in am-
monia plants, methanol plants, fertiliser plants so
that we can spread our risks and portfolio. We
believe that taking equity in any refinery that is
producing more than 50,000 barrels is the right
thing to do. The reason is that you do not allow
entities of this nature in a country like ours that
relies on revenues and resources from petroleum
for its wellbeing to allow the private sector only
to have that control. No country does that. So,
we have decided that we will invest anywhere,
including that one owned by Mr. Aliko Dangote’s.
He didn’t ask for it. It’s our decision to take equity.
We made this decision three years ago much earlier.
It’s not what he wants, but they are also aware that
they operate in a resource-dependent country. We
made a request and it’s the policy of government
that we take interest in this refinery. So, overall,
what will happen is that the NNPC will have
a seat on the board of this refinery with 20 per
cent equity. It’s not a closed deal but we are very
hopeful that this will happen. There are some things
that are lingering, including getting the consent of
the federal executive council for the very obvious
reason that we are buying these shares on behalf
of the federation.
Are they (Dangote) in agreement with you
on the 20 per cent?
What they want is for us to take less, but
because we are very experienced in the NNPC
about what refineries do and what returns come
from refinery operations, we have seen that these
refineries, whenever we invest in, we are very sure
we can cash out on our investments in five years,
maximum. So, it’s a very valuable investment that
we have seen. In terms of scale, we have a huge
refinery that can produce up to 50 million litres
of petroleum alone. That means that if you don’t
have a say and don’t have an instrument that will
guarantee some level of supply that will come
out from the refinery, you could run into trouble.
Therefore, we insisted that it has to be 20 per cent
of the equity. Obviously, that’s not what they want.
Negotiations are on and in any case, you can’t force
yourself into a private business, but they asked for
something less. We didn’t start negotiations today.
We started more around December last year. It’s
an elaborate process we are going through.
If you have got all the experience, why are
you not running your own refineries effectively?
That is what I said. I admitted that we haven’t
managed our refineries well, but now we have a
different perspective. As you rightly pointed out,
we have issued the EPC contract for Port Harcourt
refinery. We have changed the entire model. The best
practice is to get and O&M contractor. Obviously,
we will use some of our staff to run it. Having
Kyari
that kind of structure will work and that’s why
we have seen the structure in many refineries.
It’s best practice.
Where are you going to get the money from?
We are borrowing $1 billion from a syndicate
being coordinated by Afreximbank and no one will
give you $1 billion if they don’t see a pathway to
recovery. What we are going to do is to pay back
from the cash flows from these refineries. It means
that the banks will see that these refineries will
make money. It will also pay dividends. We don’t
see any trouble. Mind you that it’s a very special
refinery in the sense that you will see massive
volume all the way to the West Africa countries,
even to Europe. Today, most of the products are
from Europe and the Middle East. So, we can
reverse that. Once we get this done, there are a
number of other initiatives that we are doing, like
the condensate refineries. We are following up
the process to pull back the Warri refinery. The
combination of all these is that you are going to
be a net exporter of petroleum product in a very
short time , probably in less than three years. If
that happens, then we have to start looking for a
market. Looking for a market means seeing the flow
of product in Africa. In South Africa, for instance,
they cannot meet their local requirements, so they
import from Europe and East Africa. As soon as you
have it available in Nigeria, distance is shorter and
you will see Nigeria dominate the entire market,
particularly the south coast and this is something
we should have done 20 years ago.
What’s the update on the government-owned
refineries?
We have made a very deliberate decision that
what we are dealing with is not turnaround
maintenance and there’s a difference. In your car,
Today, we import 100
per cent of what we
use for the very reason
that we were unable to
maintain our refineries
over the years. We don’t
want to lament, but of
course, we haven’t done
well in the last 20 to 25
years
you change your engine oil and a few other things
and that’s what turnaround means in the sense of
a refinery. You do some basic things. But when it
is a refinery that has undergone clear absence of
doing the right thing for a long period of time, over
20 years, it simply means you have to overhaul
or rehabilitate. The plants have serious issues. We
have taken an assessment of what they look like
and definitely we are going to have a refinery that
will come back, not necessarily to its original form,
but obviously will work more than 90 per cent of
installed capacity. What we did was to follow the
process to award the EPC and on the back of that,
we are pulling through the process of awarding the
contract for both the Kaduna and Warri to reputable
international companies. In the past, we weren’t
this efficient and transparent. Obviously, we are
going to have the best of class of contractors to do
this. Overall, the Warri and Kaduna (refineries) will
catch up with the Port Harcourt process because
we have learnt from the Port Harcourt mistakes
we made. So that we are hastening the process
so that they can run concurrently. In the end, we
will deliver all of them about the same time. We
also have a different strategy. We don’t have to
wait for everything to be completed before we
start refining. Very soon, we will do the same for
Warri. Completion may be 40 months away, but
production will start much earlier than that.
When can Nigerians expect to see production
begin?
This is on multiple platforms. The Dangote
refinery from all intents, because we are potential
shareholders, by 2022 will come on stream. Secondly,
the plan is to have full rehabilitation of our own
refineries, which means, both the plants and facilities
around it, though for 40 months, production can
start in 18 months from the day the contractors
mobilise to site.
So, it will happen in the life of this ad-
ministration?
It’s not a political date, it’s a technical date. This
can be done. It will make much political sense
to deliver it in the life of this administration and
there has never been this level of commitment
from previous administrations. I have worked for
this company for 30 years and we have seen how
things were done in the past. We have a number
of other initiatives like the condensate refineries
initiative. They are much smaller, quicker, cheaper
plants and overall, we are looking at about 200,000
barrels per day for all the condensate refineries. We
will take the FID. There are a number of modular
refineries private initiatives. Two, three of them
27
are already running. A number of them have been
issued licence. There are over 18-20 refineries lying
although licences have been issued, yet only a few are
running. The reason is simple. We need to connect it
to the fiscal environment we face. Refineries owners
should know how much they will sell their petrol.
If there’s a reason to sell below market price, you
must tell them who’s going to pay the difference.
This has kept people from coming in because banks
will not lend you money if you can’t tell them how
you can recoup your cost. But I am aware that the
petroleum industry bill will ensure that there will
be a framework that will enable refinery owners
recover their monies and costs. We are running
out of time because the whole world is transiting.
So, we must make these decisions now, monetise
the resources because if we don’t, we will get into
huge trouble.
What is the update on the alleged zero remittance
to FAAC for June?
There’s a lot of miscommunications around this.
What we communicated to the accountant general
was a simple process issue. We have an obligation
to give a forecast of what the revenue flow will look
like in the next three months. So, when you look at
costs and revenues, you can easily say whether you
will meet up. But getting money to the FAAC is
far more complex than what you see NNPC return
every month. So, overall, we account for over 80
per cent of oil produced in this country. Our first
job is to make sure production activities take place
in the country. Once you do this, our partners are
able to pay taxes and we are able to recover our
taxes and royalties from government production.
Our remittance comes from our own operations,
not what our partners do. The meaning of this is
that we are paying for cost of production which
is taken from our gross revenue. The big elephant
in the room is that today we are selling petrol
at N162 per litre and the market price is N256.
So, if we decide to sell at market price, it will be
N256. We understand the issues why we can’t do
the N256. Today, there are engagements that are
going on between organised labour, civil society, the
governors’ forum and several other organisations
to make sure we have a fully deregulated market.
We understand the realities and we can see that it
is the personal conviction of the president that we
should not put pain on the ordinary people if we
can avoid it. We have to have the best framework
and when that happens, you will see some of the
revenue. For instance, we are supposed to deliver
N120 billion into the federation account. We have
not been able to do this in the last four months
because the net cash flow is impacted by the very
reality of the subsidy regime we are operating on
behalf of all of us. Until you take that out, you’re
not going to see the full revenue stream but we
will make sure that we continue to produce which
will give us the continuous petroleum tax and all
the royalties. Every other thing is secondary. We
also need to ensure delivery of gas to gas-based
industries. All of them is to ensure that value comes
to the federation. People won’t see this, but what is
obvious is the remittance to FAAC. Zero allocation
doesn’t mean zero. It wasn’t zero in June and won’t
be zero in July. It was about N38 billion in June.
Doesn’t it look like the NNPC is overwhelmed?
I am not sure that is correct because when you
say overwhelmed, it means we cannot get things
done the way they should be done. I don’t think
that’s the picture today. Today, this company is
much more open and transparent with shareholders
than it ever was. We have published our audited
financial statements for 2018 and 2019 and we
will do the one for 2020. Our shareholders will
know what we are doing. We are delivering on
everything that we should do, including delivery of
gas projects into the domestic market on schedule
and on cost. We are making sure that our refineries
are rehabilitated and it is on cost and on schedule.
We are not on negative revenue status, meaning
that this year I’m very confident that other things
being equal, our accounts will show that for the
first time in our history, this company will deliver
dividends to its shareholders. This is not a picture
of a company that is overwhelmed but the one
that is transiting, making progress on behalf of
CONTINUED ON PAGE 28
28

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KYARI: NNPC CAN RECOUP INVESTMENT IN DANGOTE REFINERY IN FIVE YEARS
its shareholders and I think we will say, with all
humility, that this company is doing great today.
There are challenges but we are surmounting them
and those challenges are very obvious in the energy
industry. We are learning and we are making all
the changes and today, nearly 70 per cent to 80
per cent of all our processes are automated. I do
not have to deal with any hard copy documents
and this is history and is very abnormal. So, it’s
not a picture of a company that is overwhelmed.
Today, when you go to our website, for every
transaction that we we do on behalf of this country,
it is completely published on our website, including
our working documents.
Given the OPEC cut, is there any hope that
Nigeria may be able to ramp up production
very soon?
During the Covid-19 pandemic, it was a very
conscious and considered decision for the oil
producing community to come together to cut
production. This may never come back because
people’s choices have changed and a number of
things have happened. The net effect is that you
lose transportation for taking out some volume
out of the market. Getting back to the pre-Covid
levels is still far away, and that will be by at least
2022. There are engagements that are going on at
the OPEC level because even producing countries
don’t like prices that are too high. When you cross
$80 to the barrel, it constrains your consumers who
will make choices because they don’t want to go
out of the budget. Producers are aware that when
prices are too high, they will lose their customers
and for you to do that, you have to bring it to a
level that your customers can afford. To curtail this,
we need to increase production or increase supply
and that’s what will happen. Even right now, we
are unable to produce maximally for several reasons
which are also technical because when you shut
down an oil well, it doesn’t mean that it is going
to come back. That is the reality of this business
and even where you have a reason to come back
to this well, it will cost you more money. There
are many cost implications to that, but obviously
Kyari
as the production environment is changed by the
OPEC arrangement, we will benefit from it.
The other issue is the cost of producing a
barrel of oil in this country relative to other
places like Saudi Arabia?
We realised during the heat of covid-19 that we
couldn’t continue to produce at that cost and still
be effective or profitable, so we told our contractors
that it will no longer work, so that we needed to
renegotiate. We were able to get up to 30 per cent
terms from our contractors. It is possible to optimise.
We have set a target for this and we are sure that it
is possible to bring it to about $10 per barrel. The
end result is that we have substantially brought
down cost and though I can’t put a number to it,
but I’m sure that we have been able to bring down
our operating revenue by at least 30 per cent of
what it used to be one year ago. We are working
on three legs to make sure production is optimised
T H I S D AY ˾

so that value will come , in the international space,
price is optimised by this arrangement, but we
want to have price range of between $50 to $60,
which we are very comfortable with.
We are seeing that the numbers are changing
and obviously we are proud that this is working.
Let’s talk about gas?
In the past, oil companies were looking for oil.
So, gas was not the focus. And even the legislations
that were on ground were actually focused on oil
development and almost oblivious of the reality that
we are a gas country. For instance, the inland basin
act which guides the operations in the deep-water
and the production sharing contract are simply
an arrangement based on crude oil and very silent
on what we do with the gas. We have declared
2020 as the year of gas and then the decade of
gas, meaning that we are shifting attention from
oil to gas as a transition fuel and as the vehicle
that can deliver prosperity to our country. We are
short of power in this country. Enormous work is
going on, but there’s a space to be filled.
What is the latest data on vandalism and
what is the NNPC doing, working in concert
with the security agencies to put a lid on this?
There are still a number of infractions on our
facilities in very many locations. But it is different
now because today the level of vandalism that we
see is far less than five years ago. So, there’s massive
improvement because of two things. One, because
of the engagements that are now different and there
are a number of clean and clear engagements to
ensure a more clement environment and then the
activities of the government security apparatus. The
numbers are going down. Things have changed
and obviously there are still challenges and part of
the changes is the petroleum industry bill which
has provision for the local communities. There is
also the more technical issue which is sometimes
mistaken for vandalism. Many of the pipelines
were laid 30 years to 40 years ago and they have
deteriorated and have undergone rust . But it is
cheap excuses to say they are vandal actions.
T H I S D AY ˾


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Stakeholders Seek State of
Emergency on Export Sub-sector
Ndubuisi Francis in Abuja
The President, Abuja Chamber
of Commerce and Industry
(ACCI), Dr. Al-Mujtaba Abubakar
and other stakeholders in the
export business have called
for the declaration of a state of
emergency sub-sector to remove
bottlenecks in the processing of
non-oil exports in Nigeria.
They raised the alarm over
serious constraints in the export
business, describing the situation
threating government’s efforts to
increase non-oil revenue earnings.
Speaking separately at the
unveiling of a study report on
the operation of dry ports in
Nigeria organised by the ACCI,
the stakeholders cited multi-billion
naira loss being experienced by
exporters due to delay at the ports,
multiplicity of agencies, poor
infrastructure and bureaucratic
challenges in the processing of
approvals for export.
The study had listed several
challenges militating against
deployment of dry ports in the
logistic chain, calling for urgent
intervention to address critical
weaknesses in the export chain
business within the context of
the African continental free trade
zone (AfCFTA).
Opening the public private
dialogue attended by agencies
of the Ministry of Transportation,
commodity associations, exporters
and other stakeholders, the ACCI
President said all hands must be
on the deck to ease the burden of
UNILAG Honours Oriental Energy Chairman
The University of Lagos
(UNILAG) has conferred an
Honorary Doctorate Degree on
the Founder and Executive Chair-
man of Oriental Energy Resources
Limited, Alhaji Muhammadu
Indimi, for his contribution to
society and national development.
The Doctor of Science, Honoris
Causa, was presented by the
Chancellor of the University,
Alhaji Abubakar Umar Garbai
El-Kanemi, during the institu-
tion’s 51st convocation ceremony
held recently. According to a
statement, the conferment
was in recognition of Indimi’s
commitment to the development
of education, advancement of
knowledge and humanity in
Nigeria.
FG Unveils Plans for Nigeria Energy Summit 2022
Peter Uzoho
The Federal Ministry of Pe-
troleum Resources has unveiled
plans for the fifth edition of the
Nigeria International Energy
Summit (NIES) 2022.
Formerly known as the
Nigerian International Pe-
troleum Summit (NIPS), NIES
is scheduled to take place in
Abuja, from February 27 to
March 3, 2022.
The summit, with the theme:
“Revitalising the Industry:
Future Fuels and Energy
Transition”, aims at driving
a new narrative around energy
transition.
“Energy transition is real.
That is the direction the
industry is moving globally
and Nigeria cannot afford to
be left behind,” Minister of
State for Petroleum Resources,
export if Nigeria was to expand
her revenue earnings and meet
the demands of new continental
free trade regime.
Abubakar linked the achieve-
ment of huge export trade volume
to strong hitherland logistics like
ports and rail, adding that the dry
ports report provides opportuni-
ties for all stakeholders to declare
emergency in the export sub-sector
because of the complicated nature
of problems confronting exporters
in Nigeria.
Economic development, he
stressed, would be best escalated
when multi-modal transporta-
tion model is the backbone of
the economy, noting that this is
true of developed economies and
even truer of developing climes
as Nigeria.
He noted: “This reality
underpins the interest of the
Abuja Chamber of Commerce and
Industry to partner development
organisations for the study and
deployment of best practices and
policies in various sectors of the
Nigerian economy.
“As part of the ongoing pro-
cesses, the Public Private Dialogue
is a step further to intimate the
relevant agencies of government
and actors in the port space of
the outcome of the assessment.
“Our goal is to sensitise the au-
thorities to the critical importance
of dry port as an expander and
booster of hinterland economy.
The gathering of several par-
ties creates opportunities for
considerations of best practices
It added that the institution
was aware of the many lives he
has impacted positively through
philanthropic gestures and vari-
ous interventions to support
education in Nigeria. In his
acceptance, Indimi expressed
his gratitude for the award,
saying, “I am truly honored
and humbled by this award
and recognition for my modest
contribution to the development
of education, society and our
nation.
“It is indeed a pleasure to
receive this Honorary Doctor-
ate degree from such a great
institution.’’ An astute business-
man and great philanthropist,
Indimi’s humanitarian gestures
cut across education, health,
Chief Timipre Sylva, said. In
line with the new focus, the
scope of NIES 2022 has been
expanded to incorporate the
latest industry trends and
topical issues that are driving
the global energy transition
agenda.
“Never in history has
an energy transition been
attempted so quickly. It is
a journey to transform the
global energy sector from
fossil fuels to zero-carbon
supported by societal push
towards a sustainable future.
“The energy transition also
aims to reduce energy-related
greenhouse gas emissions
through various forms of
de-carbonisation and Nigeria
cannot afford to be left behind
in these conversations,”
Managing Director, Brevity
Anderson, producers of NIES,
29


as Nigeria build up her networks
of dry ports.”
The ACCI commended its
partners, the German Devel-
opment Agency (GIZ), the
European Union and others for
the facilitation of the assessment
study, noting that the partners’
support in the transport and other
sectors has tremendously assisted
Nigeria to institute best practices
in various sectors of her economy.
“We hope to proceed to partner
further for the development of a
National Policy on Day Port in
Nigeria. This assessment report
is an invaluable resource material
for all stakeholders in the dry
port sub-sector,” he added.
In her opening remarks, the
Director General, ACCI Victoria
Akai, said the Nigerian logistic
sector is undergoing extensive
expansion across transport, and
logistic modes, observing that
as Nigeria is expanding her
railway ports, roads, airports and
other infrastructure, dry port has
emerged as a major focus along
the logistic change.
She pointed out that creating
the necessary policy framework
is therefore a necessity, assuring
that the ACCI with her partners
is spearheading this move.
The Executive Secretary, Nigeria
Shippers Council Hon. Emmanuel
Jime, at the event said they are
not unaware of the operational
challenges of the Kaduna Inland
Dry Port, which could be attested
to through the various initiatives
aimed at solving these problems.
housing and social welfare. Over
1,000 students in universities
across Nigeria have benefitted
from his scholarship scheme. Last
year, Oriental Energy Resources
Limited built a multi-million
Naira Empowerment Centre
in Mbo Local Government in
Akwa Ibom State as a sustainable
enterprise and viable income gen-
erator for the youths. Recently,
the company also donated a
state-of-the-art Science Labora-
tory Complex to Community
Grammar School, Ebughu in
Mbo Local Government Area.
Through the Muhammadu Indimi
Foundation, 100 houses were built
to accommodate 600 internally
displaced persons (IDPs) in Bama,
Borno state.
Mr. James Shindi, said.
To ensure that the NIES
2022 maintains its position
as Africa’s largest and most
important industry platform,
providing linkage to the world
for engineering and technologi-
cal breakthroughs, the Ministry
of Petroleum Resources has
concluded plans to inaugurate
a Technical Committee
made up of high-ranking
executives from both public
and private sector to work
along its consultants, Brevity
Anderson and the Ministry’s
LOC.
With the full backing of the
federal government, NIES has
over the years witnessed the
highest level of attendance by
top decision makers, industry
leaders and all stakeholders
from both the public and
private sectors.
30

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NEPZA, Katsina Free Zone Project Target 70,000 Jobs
James Emejo and Folalumi
Alaran in Abuja
The Managing Director/Chief
Executive, Nigeria Export
Processing Zones Authority
(NEPZA), Prof. Adesoji Ade-
sugba, said he has received the
Certificate of Occupancy (C of
O) for the proposed Textiles
and Garment Park in Funtua,
Katsina State.
He said the project will create
FG Unveils Initiative to Boost
Foreign Capital Flow
James Emejo and Folalumi
Alaran in Abuja
The Minister of State for Industry,
Trade and Investment, Mrs.
Mariam Katagum, has said the
federal government is committed
to improving the inflow of foreign
capital into the country.
She pointed out that capital
inflows dipped by 60 per cent
in 2020 from $24 billion in 2019
to $9.7 billion.
The minister said the gov-
ernment remained determined
towards addressing the enormous
challenges faced by stakeholders in
the agric-commodity value chain
in particular.
She said this was why the
government launched Nigeria
Agri-business and Agro -Industry
Development Initiative (NAADI)
to among other things rein in the
high cost of production, low
quality of products and issues
around capacity utilisation in the
sub- sector.
Katagum, in her remarks during
the official flag-off and inaugura-
tion of the Bauchi State Office
for the implementation NAADI
in the state recently, pointed out
that the overall objective of the
initiative was to develop an
industrialised and commercialised
agricultural sector, comprised of
highly productive and profitable
commodity value chains.
This, she said would help
to accelerate the growth and
diversification of the economy
into differentiated high-value
Wakanow Appoints
Macaulay CCO
Nume Ekeghe
Wakanow.com Limited (Wakanow)
has announced the appointment
of Mrs. Adenike Macaulay as the
company’s Chief Commercial
Officer, effective July 5, 2021.
Macaulay was the first
female and first Nigerian to be
appointed as General Manager
for Lufthansa Group in Nigeria
& Equatorial Guinea. Her career
at Lufthansa spanned a period of
12 years where she held various
positions across Sub-Sahara Africa
overseeing diverse teams as Re-
gional marketing manager, Senior
Manager Customer Products &
Marketing, Head of Sales products
& programs and rose through the
ranks to become the General
Manager of Lufthansa Group.
As the General Manager, she led
the sales, marketing, servicing and
commercial activities for Lufthansa
in Nigeria and Equatorial Guinea.
She holds an MBA from the
University of Warwick in the
UK, BSc in Systems engineering
from the University of Lagos,
professional diploma from the
Digital Marketing Institute, Ireland
about 70,000 direct and indirect
jobs for Nigerians.
He further assured that the
special zone which is expected to
be ready for investors’ participa-
tion by the end of 2022 will create
about 10,000 direct employment
including 60,000 indirect jobs in
the state.
Speaking at the ceremony,
Adesugba said: “We believe that
within the next 18 months, we
will be ready for investors to
products.
The minister said the govern-
ment was particularly interested
in the programme because of the
accruable benefits including the
capacity to stimulate the flow of
equity investment to meet sectoral
equity investments gap in sectors
critical to driving the country’s
trade and export competitiveness.
She said NAADI has the
potential with to improve the
flow of foreign capital which
had dropped by 60 per cent in
2020 from $24bn in 2019 to $9.7
billion.
She added that the initiative
will also enhance the country’s
agribusiness performance; reduce
its dependence on imports of
agro-industry products as well
as support human capacity devel-
opment of MSMEs, particularly
youth and women operating in
the export supply chains and
increase of value added goods
and services.
She commended the Gov-
ernor of Bauchi, Senator Bala
Mohammad, for accepting to
key into the initiative as well
as the arrangements made for
the establishment of the NAADI
office in the state.
The minister said: “This initia-
tive is very strategic, towards
implementing the economic
diversification agenda of this
present administration, an effort
anchored on the Economic Re-
covery and Growth Plan (ERGP)
and by extension the Economic
Sustainability Plan (ESP).
amongst other qualifications.
Over the last two years,
Wakanow has been able to grow
its customer base and market share
despite the advent of the Covid-19
Pandemic which had an adverse
effect on the travel industry. The
Company continues to service its
customers and maintain its best
value proposition with improved
product offering & world class
customer service.
Macaulay in a statement added:
“ I’m excited to bring my expertise
home to build an indigenous brand
I have watched grow, disrupt and
lead the evolution in the travel
industry in Africa. I look forward
to contributing to the growth of
Wakanow and exploring the
opportunities ahead.”
The statement further stated that
the Board and Chief Executive
Officer Wakanow, Mr. Bayo Adedeji
are optimistic that Macaulay will
bring on an invaluable and dy-
namic contribution to the company
by expanding the already thriving
commercial opportunities in the
business, thereby enhancing the
objectives and continuous growth
of the company.
start chosing the zone.”
He pointed out that the gov-
ernment had already expended
N500 million in the particular
zone adding that there are
plans to construct some of the
infrastructure including internal
roads, drainage system, water
works, administrative building
among others.
The NEPZA MD said the
authority will partner the state
government to promote invest-
2021 STRATEGIC DISCOURSE SESSION
L-R: Director, Legal and Corporate Affairs, International Breweries Plc, (IBPLC), Temitope Oguntokun; Lagos State Commissioner for
Information and Strategy, Gbenga Omotoso; Lead, Corporate Communications/Public Affairs, Nestle Nigeria Plc, Victoria Uwadoka, and
Immediate Past Chairman, Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR) Lagos State Chapter, Segun McMedal, at the Strategic Discourse
Session of the 2021 Annual Lagos Public Relations Week organised by NIPR Lagos State Chapter...recently
Startups Pitch for Investments, Partnerships at ARM’s Initiative
Startups at this year’s Lab by
Asset & Resource Management
Holding Company Limited (ARM)
have pitched to secure investment
and partnerships.
Labs by ARM is a 12-week Ac-
celerator programme by ARM in
partnership with Ventures Platform
designed to fund and support
compelling fintech startups solving
critical problems in the financial
services industry.
The program aims to find
and support startups unlock-
ing industry verticals and new
markets, thereby changing how
users access and consume financial
services.
The Demo Day event for
this third edition held recently
with investors, corporates, tech
leaders, and senior executives of
the ARM Group in attendance,
and had commenced in March
2021, with the objective of helping
5 early and growth-stage startups
commercialise and distribute their
US Consulate Announces Application for Women Entrepreneurs
The US Consulate General
in Lagos and Ascend Studios
Foundation have partnered to
implement the 2021 Academy for
Women Entrepreneurs (AWE), a
US Government initiative that
supports women entrepreneurs
around the world, now in its
third year.
According to a statement, 200
participants will be selected from
the 17 states of southern Nigeria
for the 2021 cohort.
Female entrepreneurs interested
in participating in the program
can apply at no cost by filling
ments in the zone.
He said the employment
opportunities will have great
multiplier effects especially as
it related to textile
He explained: “We believe that
this is the right place to site it.
We expect traction because the
people that are going to drive the
implementation and the federal
government is also supporting
us and so we see no reason why
we should not deliver on time.”
innovations.
The teams participated in deep-
dive sessions and were supported
to create unique strategies for
solving peculiar challenges. In
addition, programme mentors and
advisors, who are thought leaders
in their various fields, provided
support in business growth,
product-market fit, distribution
and software engineering.
These sessions helped the
startups navigate specific chal-
lenges and, more importantly,
become better positioned for
growth.
Within the four months, the
startups recorded impressive
growth.
For instance, a startup providing
affordable home financing options
for Africans doubled its users and
raised over $300k in funding;
one of the startups solving for
more convenient cross-border
payments has processed $20,000
in transactions within a month
out the application form. The
application portal is currently
open and closes on July 15, 2021.
To support the comprehensive
rehabilitation and reintegration
of returned migrants, 50 female
returnees will also take part in
the program, it added.
“As part of this highly
competitive entrepreneurship
program, participants who
graduate from the AWE gain
automatic membership to the
US government exchange alumni
community, providing access to
a vast network of like-minded
T H I S D AY ˾

He identified Special economic
zones as critical for industrialisa-
tion and economic development,
stressing that arrangements had
also been concluded to establish
the zones in about 10 other states
of the federation.
He added that the Federal
Executive Council (FEC) had
already approved N2 billion
for the project, and urged other
state governments to key into
the project to enhance national
of operation.
Also, another startup whose
solution is making it easier for
online shoppers to log in and
checkout on digital platforms,
recorded 600 merchants and
1200 customers since its launch
in the program.
According to a statement, the
five startups that pitched at the
Demo Day event were Bongalow,
Founded by Kelechi Nwokocha,
Abdulrahman Atta and Samuel
Haruna, Bongalow; Breeze, a pay-
ment system that was founded by
Chimenem Nnwoka; HouseAfrica,
founded by Ndifreke Ikokpu and
Nnamdi Uba; Pass which was
founded by Eze Samuel, and
Plumter that provides instant,
multi-currency accounts for easy
local and diaspora banking.
Speaking on the program,
Director of Programs at Ventures
Platform Foundation, Mohamed
Felata, said: “The Labs by ARM
programme is the leading fintech
and highly regarded professionals
across the country.
“Women’s meaningful economic
participation is integral to achiev-
ing greater security and stability
around the world,” it added.
It pointed out that the AWE
initiative is a great opportunity for
Nigerian women entrepreneurs to
gain university-level business and
management training, strengthen
their networks, and grow sustain-
able businesses.
“Women have a key role to play
in Nigeria’s future prosperity,”
it quoted US Consulate Public

economic development.
Earlier, the Director General,
Katsina State Investment
Promotion Agency (KIPA),
Alhaji Ibrahim Tukur Jikamshi,
commended the authority for
the establishment of the textiles
and garment park in the state.
He added that the state was
anxious to have the site located
on its territory because of its
desire to actualise its quest for
industrialisation.
ETOP UKUTT
accelerator in Nigeria. It works
because of the special collaboration
between ARM and ARM Ventures
Platform.
“ARM not just funds the
programme but gives the startups
access to the market. In this cohort,
we have seen startups introduce
and develop leading solutions that
range from cross-border payments
to mortgage financing.”
Also, Jumoke Ogundare
CEO, ARM, congratulated all
participants for their advancement
in the programme, and wished
them the best of luck. She specially
thanked Ventures Platform for a
successful partnership, and Mr.
Tomi Davies of Techno Vision
for his continued mentorship
of the fintech companies even
after the investment stage. The
CEO also expressed her gratitude
to the Advisory Board of ARM
Digital Financial Services for
charting the right path for ARM’s
digital growth.
Affairs Officer Stephen Ibelli, to
have said.
“As we have seen time and
time again, when women do
better, countries do better, com-
munities do better, and families
do better.”
Leading local business leaders
will help facilitate the intensive
program scheduled to run from
July to September 2021.
“In addition, participants will
receive access to DreamBuilder,
a blended business training
course developed through a
partnership between Arizona
T H I S D AY ˾


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NACCIMA: AfCFTA Provides Opportunity for Nigeria to Dominate Africa
Dike Onwuamaeze
The leadership of the Nigerian
Chamber of Commerce, Industry,
Mines and Agriculture (NAC-
CIMA) has challenged Nigerian
businesses to shed the toga of fear
of Nigerian becoming a dumping
ground and step out boldly to
compete and dominate African
economy with the opportunities
offered by the African Continental
Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) agree-
The Development Bank of Ni-
geria (DBN) Plc has concluded
plans for the 2021 Entrepreneur-
ship Training Programme in line
with its mandate. The exercise
is expected to commence from
August 16 to October 14, 2021.
The programme which will
be implemented in phases over
three months will develop the
ment.
This challenge was given
recently, during the inaugural
press conference of the new
President of the NACCIMA,
Mr. John C, Udeagbala, who
stated that competition under
the AfCFTA would strengthen
Nigerian businesses rather than
and drowning them.
Udeagbala said: “I want to be
very honest with you as I will
be speaking as an industrialist.
Development Bank to Train 1,000 MSMEs
capacity of 1,000 MSMEs drawn
from across the country with the
requisite business knowledge and
skills to upscale their businesses
amidst the challenges of the new
normal posed by the COVID 19
Pandemic.
The MD/CEO of the Bank,
Tony Okpanachi, said the
training programme was being
Initially, I entertained fears as
a manufacturer about Nigeria
becoming a dumping market
knowing the state of our infra-
structure, especially power.
“That was my personal fear.
But if we do not join the train at
the station it is going to leave us
behind. African trade has been
going on before now and if you
go to Ghana and other countries
you will see a lot of trucks moving
in from Nigeria with goods.
organised in collaboration with
Google Nigeria, Enterprise
Development Centre (EDC) off
the Lagos Business School and
Wider Perspective Limited (WPL).
This, he said is in line with the
bank’s mandate of enhancing the
capacity of MSMEs’ to improve
their chances of having access
to finance.
“For instance, shoes and leather
products that are made in Aba go
as far as Guinea, Gambia, and
Cameroon. So, I believe that it
is better that we go into the
competition. It will strengthen
us.”
Udeagbala also said NAC-
CIMA under his leadership
would focus on strengthening
the collaboration between the
private sector and the National
Assembly, federal and state
He elaborated that:
“As a Development Financial
Institution established to bridge
the financial gap through our
Participating Financial Institutions,
our strategic focus is providing
liquidity, credit guarantee, and
capacity building for MSMEs to
be more productive. The Capacity
Building initiative is an integral
governments and pursue the
effective implementation of the
AfCFTA agreement.
Other areas of focus, according
to him, would be the creative
sector, harnessing technology
and digital ecosystem, enhancing
gender and youth empowerment
as well as strengthening the col-
laboration between the private
sector, diplomatic missions and
development agencies. He also
pledged to champion the creation
part of the bank’s mandate
to drive economic growth by
empowering MSMEs with the
skills required to improve their
capacity and productivity. So,
our objective, in a nutshell, is
to equip entrepreneurs across
sectors of the Nigerian economy
with the requisite management skills
to develop viable business plans,
31

of “enabling environment for
Micro, Small and Medium En-
terprises with a focus on business
and capacity developments in the
areas of agriculture, industry and
services.” Speaking in the same
vein, the First Deputy President
of NACCIMA, Mr. Dele K. Oye,
said that Nigeria has nothing to
lose as the country’s manufactured
goods have been competing fairly
in the African market even before
the commencement of AfCFTA.
access funds, and effectively manage
their business growth. Through this
training, we will enhance their
entrepreneurial and managerial
competencies,” he added.
Okpanachi called on eligible
MSMEs across the country
to avail themselves of the
opportunity that the training
programme provides.
32 MONDAY JULY 12, 2021 • T H I S D AY
MONDAY JULY 12, 2021 • T H I S D AY 33
34

ͯͰ˜
ͰͮͰͯ
IMAGES
Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Geoffrey Onyeama, (middle) flanked by the High Commissioner-Designate of
Nigeria to Ghana, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ekwe Ibas rtd, (right) and Ambassador-Designate of Nigeria to Chad,
Air Marshall Sadique Abubakar (rtd during the presentation of Letters of Credence to the Ambassadors in
Abuja…recently
L-R: Vice Chairman Senate Committee on Upstream Petroleum, Senator Gershom Bassey; Former Governor of Abia State Senator Orji Uzor Kalu; Minister of Special Duties and Inter-Governmental Affairs, Senator George
Akume; Representative of Anambra Central in the Senate, Senator Annie Okonkwo; Chief Executive Officer of Bussdor Group of Companies, Chief Oscar Igbokwe and Chairman, House Committee on Federal Road Maintenance
Agency (FERMA) Hon Olufemi bamishile during a meeting at Villa, Abuja…recently
L-R: Chief of Staff to Ogun State Governor, Shuaib Salisu; Deputy Governor, Noimot Salako-Oyedele; Governor
Dapo Abiodun; and Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure, Ade Akinsanya, during an inspection tour of
Oba Erinwole Road, Sagamu…recently
L-R: Secretary of the PDP South West Reconciliation Committee, Monsuru Kukoyi; Governor of Oyo State,
Seyi Makinde; Chairman of the Committee, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola; another member of the Committee,
Dr Saka Balogun; and fomer Deputy Governor of Ondo State, Omolade Oluwateru, during the presentation of
the Committee’s report to governor in Ibadan...recently
T H I S D AY ˾


Photo Editor ÌÓÙÎßØ
ÔËÖË
Email ËÌÓÙÎßØ˛ËÔËÖË̶ÞÒÓÝÎËãÖÓàÏ˛ÍÙ×
L-R: Senior Special Assistant to the President on Strategic Communications, Oge Funlola Modie; Special
Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Mr. Femi Adeshina and Minister of Aviation, Alhaji Hadi
Sirika during the weekly briefing organised by the Presidential Communication Team at the Presidential
Villa, Abuja..recently PHOTO: GODWIN OMOIGUI
L-R: Senior Special Assistant on Development Partnership & Economic Planning, Ayisat Agbaje; Special
Adviser to the Governor on Religious Affairs (Christian), Very Rev. Bukola Adeleke; Chief Executive Officer,
Lagos State AIDS Control Agency (LSACA), Dr. Monsurat Adeleke and General Secretary, National Youth
Network on HIV/AIDS (NYNETHA) Lagos Chapter, Mr. Isaac Moses during the Capacity Building Workshop for
the Line Ministries and LSACA Workgroups on HIV Prevention Organized by LSACA in Lagos..recently
L-R: Member, House of Representatives Committee on Industry, Ganiyu Johnson; Director, Laboratory Services,
SON, Barth Ugwu; Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Industry, Enitan Dolapo-Badru; and
Director General, Standard Organization of Nigeria (SON), Farouk Salim, during the committee’s visit to SON
Laboratory in Ogba, Lagos…recently
MONDAY JULY 12, 2021 • T H I S D AY 35
36 MONDAY JULY 12, 2021 • T H I S D AY
MONDAY JULY 12, 2021 • T H I S D AY 37
38

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2021
BUSINESS/MONEYGUIDE
BUA Cement Shareholders Approve N70bn Dividend
Goddy Egene
Shareholders of BUA Cement
Plc, one of Africa’s largest
cement companies, last week
approved the N70 billion
dividend recommended by
the board of directors for
the year ended December
31, 2020.
The dividend payout which
translated to N2.067 per share
was endorsed at the company’s
annual general meeting (AGM)
held in Abuja.
The company had ended the
year with a turnover of N204
billion and profit after tax of
N72.3 billion.
Speaking at the AGM, Chair-
man of BUA Cement, Abdul
Samad Rabiu, hailed efforts
of the management, staff, and
customers of the company for
ensuring that BUA Cement
remained the cement of choice
for quality in Nigeria.
In his comments on the
increased demand for cement
Ecobank Targets 40m Women
Businesses with New Product
Dike Onwuamaeze
Ecobank Nigeria Plc has
launched its ‘Ellevate’ proposi-
tion.
The product was designed to
provide access to finance, market
and training to over 40 million
female-owned and managed
businesses as well as those that
produce goods and services to
women in its bid to stand out
as the most female-friendly bank
in the country.
The Managing Director of the
Ecobank Nigeria, Mr. Patrick
Akinwuntan, said during the
launch of product that ‘Ellevate’
is the bank’s best gender-based
proposition designed to empower
women-owned and managed
businesses in Nigeria and indeed
across 33 African countries and
beyond where Ecobank has its
footprints.
Akinwuntan stated that Ellevate
would also benefit businesses that
have high proportionate female
board membership as well as
those that are manufacturing
goods and providing services
for women. He said its objec-
tives is to narrow the gender
inequalities in entrepreneurship
and unequal representation of
women in the Nigerian formal
IPMAN Factional President Alleges IG
Collaboration in His Removal
Peter Uzoho
The factional National President
of the Independent Petroleum
Marketers Association of
Nigeria (IPMAN), Mr. Sanusi
Abdu Fari, has decried his al-
leged ejection from office by
a member of the association
and his faction, Mr. Chinedu
Okoronkwo.
He alleged that the act was car-
ried out with strong connivance

ͰͮͰͯ
of the Inspector General of Police
(IG), Mr. Usman Alkali Baba.
Fari, in a petition to the IG,
lamented the illegal occupation of
the IPMAN National Secretariat
located in Asokoro, Abuja by a
factional president who dislodged
him from the office.
He maintained that the
emergence of Okoronkwo was a
which had led to higher retail
prices despite significantly
lower ex-factory prices, Rabiu
canvassed more investments
in the cement industry, saying
that current national production
levels across were not enough
to meet the ever-increasing
national demand for cement
which was increasing at a rate
over three million metric tonnes
per annum.
He therefore, canvassed new
investments in the cement sector
and encouraged other investors
to develop new cement plants.
According to him, BUA
Cement is constructing a 3.0
million metric tonnes factory
in Sokoto, which is expected
to come on stream in by the
end of 2021 with new plants
already in the works.
In his comments, Managing
Director of BUA Cement Plc,
Yusuf Binji, said the company
was committed to remaining a
value–driven, oriented company
that prioritizes excellence and
business sector, adding that
Ecobank earmarked N100 million
to support the Micro, Small and
Medium Enterprises (MSMEs).
He said: “For us, Ellevate
seeks to bring financial support
to over 20 million female-owned,
managed MSMEs in Nigeria.
Add to it businesses that serve
women and we will be looking
at an ecosystem that is close to
40 million as our target market.
We want to be the most female-
friendly bank in Nigeria
“This proposition is a total
package that will address the
broad needs of women-owned
businesses in Nigeria, including
businesses that produce and
provide services for women.
“Our objective at Ecobank is
to be the leading pan-African
financial institution driving the
empowerment of our women,
creating wealth, integrating our
people financially and contribut-
ing to the economic development
of the continent.
“Today, we are launching El-
levate to deepen our commitment
to women-owned businesses.
“Ecobank’s elevate promises the
women an end-to-end partnership
in which they can gain access not
only to financial services, loans
at a discounted rate and fixed
clear violation of the association’s
Constitution, which he said,
prescribes rotation of presidency
between the North and South.
He argued in the petition
that by virtue of Article IV
of the Revised Constitution
of IPMAN, approved by the
National Executive Committee
and adopted at the Annual Gen-
eral Meeting of the Association
held on June 14,1997 at Sheraton
Hotel, Abuja, he automatically
becomes the National Chairman
after the three year tenure of
Obasi Lawson. The petition
dated July 9, 2021, was titled:
“Miscarriage of Justice by the
Inspector General of Police
against the Leadership of
Independent Petroleum Marketers
Association of Nigeria.”
He said the action was against
T H I S D AY ˾

product quality. He also added
that the company was well-poised
to sustain current profitability
despite the very competitive
landscape.
“Our value proposition in
terms of product and service
support offerings has positioned
BUA Cement as a market leader.
In addition, we continue to
prioritize innovation and con-
tinuous improvement, thereby
ensuring the continued “fit” of
our products to ever-changing
customer demands and needs.
We are also investing in the latest
plant designs which not only
drive efficiency but translate into
value addition to our customer
through the cost savings derived,”
he said.
BUA Cement Plc is Nigeria’s
second largest cement company
and the largest producer in
its North-West, South-South,
and South-East regions; BUA Rabiu
Cement operates strategically
from Okpella, Edo State and
Kalambaina, Sokoto State.
MARKET INDICATORS
MONEY AND CREDIT STATISTICS (MILLION NAIRA)
JANUARY 2021
Money Supply (M3) 38,779,455.43
deposit investments at special
premium rates, but also enjoy -- CBN Bills Held by Money Holding Sectors 1,039,129.55
zero accounts maintenance fee, Money Supply (M2) 37,740,325.88
continuous financial education
and capacity building, network- -- Quasi Money 21,779,302.69
ing, access to markets on our
-- Narrow Money (M1) 15,961,023.19
online platform that will leverage
on our digital payments.” ---- Currency Outside Banks 2,364,871.13
The Ecobank Group Executive
for Commercial Banking, Ms. ---- Demand Deposits 13,596,152.06
Josephine Ankomah, said at Net Foreign Assets (NFA) 7,414,275.50
least 10 per cent of the bank’s
commercial loans would be Net Domestic Assets(NDA) 31,365,179.93
dedicated to businesses that -- Net Domestic Credit (NDC) 42,916,586.63
are owned by women because
“Africa needs empowered women ---- Credit to Government (Net) 12,304,773.44
to lead the change we want.”
---- Memo: Credit to Govt. (Net) less FMA 0.00
The Executive Director of
Commercial Banking, Ecobank ---- Memo: Fed. and Mirror Accounts (FMA) 0.00
Nigeria, Ms. Carol Oyedeji, said
Ellevate would be used to educate ---- Credit to Private Sector (CPS) 30,611,813.19
women on several opportunities --Other Assets Net 3,892,112.74
and platforms they could use to
support their business. Reserve Money (Base Money 13,264,585.14
She said: “The Ellevate proposi-
tion we are launching today has --Currency in Circulation 2,831,167.19
several levers. One is finance,
--Banks Reserves 10,433,417.96 ˾

ÙßÜÍÏ
̋


where we offer significant dis- --Special Intervention Reserves 317,234.17
counts on lending rates to women
because we realised that they put
in a lot into their businesses and
Money Market Indicators (in Percentage)
we should help them to grow. Month March 2018
We do this in collaboration with Inter-Bank Call Rate 15.16
several intervention schemes from
the regulators within healthcare, Minimum Rediscount Rate (MRR)
creative industry, agriculture.
Monetary Policy Rate (MPR) 14.00
Treasury Bill Rate 11.84
Savings Deposit Rate 4.07
1 Month Deposit Rate 8.82
a further pronouncement of the
3 Months Deposit Rate 9.72
Federal High Court sitting in
Calabar in the suit decided by 6 Months Deposit Rate 10.93
Honourable Justice Amobeda
on February 21, 2019, which he 12 Months Deposit Rate 10.21
said, interpreted the Supreme
Prime Lending rate 17.35
Court judgment in his favour
in accordance with IPMAN’s Maximum Lending Rate 31.55
1997 constitution and settled
the leadership crisis in his favour.
The IPMAN president further ˾
ÙØÏÞËÜã
ÙÖÓÍã
ËÞÏ
̋
ͯͱϱ
recalled that after the ruling of
the nation apex court, all govern-
OPEC DAILY BASKET PRICE 

 ˜
Ͷ

ment agencies, private sector and
security agencies were notified
The price of OPEC basket of thirteen crudes stood at $71.97 a barrel on Thursday,
and had since accorded him
compared with $73.58 the previous day, according to OPEC Secretariat calculations.
recognition.
He further noted in the peti-
The OPEC Reference Basket of Crudes (ORB) is made up of the following: Saharan
tion that the Attorney General of
Blend (Algeria), Girassol (Angola), Djeno (Congo), Zafiro (Equatorial Guinea), Rabi Light
the Federation and Minister of
(Gabon), Iran Heavy (Islamic Republic of Iran), Basra Light (Iraq), Kuwait Export (Kuwait),
Justice, Mr. Abuabakar Malami,
Es Sider (Libya), Bonny Light (Nigeria), Arab Light (Saudi Arabia), Murban (UAE) and
had congratulated him as the
Merey (Venezuela).
President.
T H I S D AY ˾


ͯͰ˜
ͰͮͰͯ 39




Vetiva Bullish on Fast Moving Consumer Goods Companies

Goddy Egene
Vetiva Research has released its
second half (H2) 2021 outlook
report on the fast moving
consumer goods (FCMG)
space, predicting a rebound
for the sector.
In the report, Vetiva stated
its expectation of improved
performances across board amid
the constraints to consumer
purchasing power.
Noting the rebound in the
consumer goods sector from
the depressed levels in the
previous year, the Consumer
Goods Analyst at Vetiva, Chinma
Ukadike, also focused on the
expectations for three sub-sectors
in the FMCG space.
According to her, the food
segment the resilience displayed
by the subsector in the past year,
would persist in the coming half
year, due to the defensive nature
of the segment and despite
inflationary pressures.
Whilst noting the rate of
vaccinations achieved and what
the new strains may mean in
achieving herd immunity, Uka-
dike’s outlook for the brewery
sector especially inQ2’21 is very
optimistic and is based on two
drivers.
First is the low base effect
from the Q2’20 period and the
rebound in economic activities in
this quarter will further support
growth in this segment. She also
expects a similar sentiment in
the Home and Personal Care
segment of the market, once
again driven by the beauty
segment in response to increased
physical social interactions.
Although the analyst expects
costs rising in the period, amid
inflationary pressures, she sees
little frame for price increases.
On Q2 performances, she
remains optimistic as she expects
the low base from the severe
depression in the lockdown
period to support growth in
this year.
Vetiva Research had recently
said the Nigerian economy
could grow by 3.1 per cent in
2021. A panoramic view of the
Nigerian economy was carried
out with Vetiva beginning with
the appraisal of the real economy
with the assessment of Nigeria’s
growth trajectory, falling living
standard levels, a recent policy
framework to address poverty,
and the outlook for the real
economy. After articulating the
drivers of growth in major sectors
of the economy, Vetiva estimated
that the Nigerian economy could
grow by 3.1 per cent at the end
of the year.
On inflation, Vetiva envisaged
a tussle between FX pressures
and high base effects in the
second half of the year. While
base effects are expected to influ-
ence a moderation in inflation,
the economist noted an average
inflation expectation of 17.34 per
cent for 2021.

P R I C E S F O R S E C U R I T I E S T R A D E D AS O F 9 / 0 7 / 2 0 2 1
MAIN BOARD DEALS MARKET QUANTITY VALUE TRADED MAIN BOARD DEALS MARKET QUANTITY VALUE TRADED
PRICE TRADED ( N ) PRICE TRADED ( N)
40 MONDAY JULY 12, 2021 • T H I S DAY

A Mutual fund (Unit Trust) is an investment
vehicle managed by a SEC (Securities and
Exchange Commission) registered Fund Manager.
Investors with similar objectives buy units of the
Fund so that the Fund Manager can buy securities
that willl generate their desired return.
An ETF (Exchange Traded Fund) is a type
of fund which owns the assets (shares of stock,
bonds, oil futures, gold bars, foreign currency,
etc.) and divides ownership of those assets into
shares. Investors can buy these ‘shares’ on the
floor of the Nigerian Stock Exchange.
A REIT (Real Estate Investment Trust) is an
investment vehicle that allows both small and
large investors to part-own real estate ventures (eg.
Offices, Houses, Hospitals) in proportion to their
investments. The assets are divided into shares that
are traded on the Nigerian Stock Exchange.
GUIDE TO DATA:
Date: All fund prices are quoted in Naira as at 08-
Jul-2021, unless otherwise stated.
MARKET NEWS
Offer price: The price at which units of a trust or
ETF are bought by investors.
Bid Price: The price at which Investors
redeem (sell) units of a trust or ETF.
Yield/Total Return: Denotes the total
return an investor would have earned on
his investment. Money Market Funds report
Yield while others report Year- to-date Total
Return.
NAV: Is value per share of the real estate
assets held by a REIT on a specific date.

DAILY PRICE LIST FOR MUTUAL FUNDS, REITS and ETFS

MUTUAL FUNDS / UNIT TRUSTS GREENWICH ASSET MANAGEMENT LIMITED assetmanagement@gtlgroup.com
AFRINVEST ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD aaml@afrinvest.com Web: www.gtlgroup.com ; Tel: +234 1 4619261-2
Web: www.afrinvest.com; Tel: +234 818 885 6757 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn
Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Greenwich Plus Money Market Fund N/A N/A N/A
Afrinvest Equity Fund 156.46 158.02 -3.28% Nigeria Entertainment Fund N/A N/A N/A
Afrinvest Plutus Fund 100.00 100.00 4.76% GROWTH & DEVELOPMENT ASSET MANAGEMENT LIMITED assetmanagement@gdl.com.ng
Nigeria International Debt Fund 320.39 320.39 -20.59% Web: www.gdl.com.ng ; Tel: +234 9055691122
Afrinvest Dollar Fund 111.22 111.22 -0.78% Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn
ALTERNATIVE CAPITAL PARTNERS LTD info@acapng.com GDL Money Market Fund N/A N/A N/A
Web: www.acapng.com, Tel: +234 1 291 2406, +234 1 291 2868 INVESTMENT ONE FUNDS MANAGEMENT LTD enquiries@investment-one.com
Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Web: www.investment-one.com; Tel: +234 812 992 1045,+234 1 448 8888
ACAP Canary Growth Fund N/A N/A N/A Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn
ACAP Income Funds N/A N/A N/A Abacus Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 7.14%
AIICO CAPITAL LTD ammf@aiicocapital.com Vantage Balanced Fund 2.88 2.95 1.01%
Web: www.aiicocapital.com, Tel: +234-1-2792974
Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Vantage Guaranteed Income Fund 1.00 1.00 4.50%
AIICO Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 7.02% Kedari Investment Fund (KIF) 151.17 151.45 -2.78%
AIICO Balanced Fund 3.26 3.43 -3.95% Vantage Equity Income Fund (VEIF) - June Year End 1.27 1.32 1.21%
info@anchoriaam.com Vantage Dollar Fund (VDF) - June Year End 1.09 1.09 0.06%
ANCHORIA ASSET MANAGEMENT LIMITED info@anchoriaam.com LOTUS CAPITAL LTD fincon@lotuscapitallimited.com
Web:www.anchoriaam.com, Tel: 08166830267; 08036814510; 08028419180 Web: www.lotuscapitallimited.com; Tel: +234 1-291 4626 / +234 1-291 4624
Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn
Anchoria Money Market N/A N/A N/A Lotus Halal Investment Fund 1.41 1.43 3.47%
Anchoria Equity Fund N/A N/A N/A Lotus Halal Fixed Income Fund 1,152.70 1,152.70 4.32%
Anchoria Fixed Income Fund N/A N/A N/A MERISTEM WEALTH MANAGEMENT LTD info@meristemwealth.com
ARM INVESTMENT MANAGERS LTD enquiries@arminvestmentcenter.com
Web: www.arm.com.ng; Tel: 0700 CALLARM (0700 225 5276) Web: http://www.meristemwealth.com/funds/ ; Tel: +234 1-4488260
Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn
ARM Aggressive Growth Fund 19.64 20.23 8.28% Meristem Equity Market Fund 11.45  11.4992 9.34%
ARM Discovery Balanced Fund 425.78 438.62 6.35% Meristem Money Market Fund 10.00 10.00 7.89%
ARM Ethical Fund 38.19 39.34 13.29% PAC ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD info@pacassetmanagement.com
ARM Eurobond Fund ($) N/A N/A N/A Web: www.pacassetmanagement.com/mutualfunds; Tel: +234 1 271 8632
ARM Fixed Income Fund 0.96 0.97 -8.11% Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn
ARM Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 6.09% PACAM Balanced Fund 1.67 1.70 7.12%
AVA GLOBAL ASSET MANAGERS LIMITED info@avacapitalgroup.com PACAM Fixed Income Fund 11.51 11.56 -5.16%
Web: www.avacapitalgroup.com PACAM Money Market Fund 10.00 10.00 3.80%
Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn PACAM Equity Fund 1.65 1.66 4.30%
AVA GAM Fixed Income Dollar Fund N/A N/A N/A PACAM EuroBond Fund 111.41 113.07 1.34%
AXA MANSARD INVESTMENTS LIMITED investmentcare@axamansard.com SCM CAPITAL LIMITED info@scmcapitalng.com
Web: www.axamansard.com; Tel: +2341-4488482
Web: www.scmcapitalng.com; Tel: +234 1-280 2226,+234 1- 280 2227
Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn
AXA Mansard Equity Income Fund N/A N/A N/A Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn
AXA Mansard Money Market Fund N/A N/A N/A SCM Capital Frontier Fund 131.37 133.68 4.23%
CAPITAL EXPRESS ASSET AND TRUST LIMITED info@capitalexpressassetandtrust.com SFS CAPITAL NIGERIA LTD investments@sfsnigeria.com
Web: www.capitalexpressassetandtrust.com ; Tel: +234 803 307 5048 Web: www.sfsnigeria.com, Tel: +234 (01) 2801400
Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn
CEAT Fixed Income Fund 1.97 1.97 -16.16% SFS Fixed Income Fund 1.01 1.01 3.41%
Capital Express Balanced Fund(Formerly: Union Trustees Mixed Fund) 2.07 2.11 -14.49% STANBIC IBTC ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD assetmanagement@stanbicibtc.com
CARDINALSTONE ASSET MANAGEMENT LIMITED mutualfunds@cardinalstone.com Web: www.stanbicibtcassetmanagement.com; Tel: +234 1 280 1266; 0700 MUTUALFUNDS
Web: www.cardinalstoneassetmanagement.com ; Tel: +234 (1) 710 0433 4 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn
Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Stanbic IBTC Balanced Fund 3,262.16 3,294.15 1.53%
CardinalStone Fixed Income Alpha Fund N/A N/A N/A Stanbic IBTC Bond Fund 231.11 231.11 2.78%
CHAPELHILL DENHAM MANAGEMENT LTD investmentmanagement@chapelhilldenham.com Stanbic IBTC Ethical Fund 1.21 1.23 3.39%
Stanbic IBTC Guaranteed Investment Fund 303.80 303.80 3.10%
Web: www.chapelhilldenham.com, Tel: +234 461 0691 Stanbic IBTC Iman Fund 220.55 223.82 1.05%
Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Stanbic IBTC Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 7.49%
Chapelhill Denham Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 6.85% Stanbic IBTC Nigerian Equity Fund 10,300.27 10,446.22 -1.85%
Paramount Equity Fund 16.62 16.94 3.97% Stanbic IBTC Dollar Fund (USD) 1.26 1.26 2.85%
Women's Investment Fund 136.77 138.36 2.78% Stanbic IBTC Shariah Fixed Income Fund 114.69 114.69 3.25%
CORDROS ASSET MANAGEMENT LIMITED assetmgtteam@cordros.com Stanbic IBTC Enhanced Short-Term Fixed Income Fund 102.10 102.10 -
Web: www.cordros.com, Tel: 019036947 UNITED CAPITAL ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD
Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn
Web: www.unitedcapitalplcgroup.com; Tel: +234 01-6317876
Cordros Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 5.89%
Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn
Cordros Milestone Fund 2023 117.23 118.00
United Capital Balanced Fund N/A N/A N/A
Cordros Milestone Fund 2028 N/A N/A United Capital Bond Fund N/A N/A N/A
Cordros Dollar Fund ($) 107.12 107.12 United Capital Equity Fund N/A N/A N/A
CORONATION ASSEST MANAGEMENT investment@coronationam.com United Capital Money Market Fund N/A N/A N/A
Web:www.coronationam.com , Tel: 012366215 United Capital Eurobond Fund N/A N/A N/A
Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn United Capital Wealth for Women Fund N/A N/A N/A
Coronation Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 4.87% United capital Sukuk Fund N/A N/A N/A
Coronation Balanced Fund 1.18 1.20 -1.48% QUANTUM ZENITH ASSET MANAGEMENT & INVESTMENTS LTD service@quantumzenithasset.com.ng
Coronation Fixed Income Fund 1.36 1.36 -14.44% Web: www.quantumzenith.com.ng; Tel: +234 1-2784219
EDC FUNDS MANAGEMENT LIMITED mutualfundng@ecobank.com Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn
Web: www.ecobank.com Tel: 012265281 Zenith Equity Fund 12.89 13.00 8.63%
Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn
EDC Nigeria Money Market Fund Class A 100.00 100.00 3.11% Zenith Ethical Fund 14.18 14.31 16.07%
EDC Nigeria Money Market Fund Class B 1,000,000.00 1,000,000.00 3.21% Zenith Income Fund 24.16 24.16 0.76%
EDC Nigeria Fixed Income Fund 1,146.68 1,159.58 -0.57% Zenith Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 5.44%
FBNQUEST ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD invest@fbnquest.com REITS
Web: www.fbnquest.com/asset-management; Tel: +234-81 0082 0082 Fund Name NAV Per Share Yield / T-Rtn
Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn SFS REIT 124.09 2.77%
FBN Fixed Income Fund 1,385.31 1,385.31 11.10% Union Homes REIT 51.54 -1.64%
FBN Balanced Fund 190.42 191.74 1.46% EXCHANGE TRADED FUNDS
FBN Halal Fund 111.01 111.01 8.17% Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn
FBN Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 9.20% Lotus Halal Equity Exchange Traded Fund 13.21 13.31 -0.05%
SIAML Pension ETF 40 126.19 129.22 4.90%
FBN Nigeria Eurobond (USD) Fund - Retail 125.97 125.97 3.52%
Stanbic IBTC ETF 30 Fund 99.41 101.52 0.16%
FBN Smart Beta Equity Fund 157.50 159.66 4.18%
MERGROWTH ETF 17.97 18.07
FCMB ASSET MANAGEMENT LIMITED fcmbamhelpdesk@fcmb.com MERVALUE ETF 18.42 18.52
Web: www.fcmbassetmanagement.com; Tel: +234 1 462 2596
VETIVA FUND MANAGERS LTD funds@vetiva.com
Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Web: www.vetiva.com; Tel: +234 1 453 0697
Legacy Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 4.30% Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn
Legacy Debt Fund 3.95 3.95 2.11%
Vetiva Banking Exchange Traded Fund 3.96 4.00 4.73%
Legacy Equity Fund 1.59 1.62 4.06%
Vetiva Consumer Goods Exchange Traded Fund 5.95 6.03 4.55%
Legacy USD Bond Fund 1.18 1.18 3.69%
FSDH ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD coralfunds@fsdhgroup.com Vetiva Griffin 30 Exchange Traded Fund 17.41 17.51 7.29%
Web: www.fsdhaml.com; Tel: 01-270 4884-5; 01-280 9740-1 Vetiva Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 4.79%
Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Vetiva Industrial Goods Exchange Traded Fund 19.19 19.39 -6.44%
Coral Balanced Fund N/A N/A N/A Vetiva S&P Nigeria Sovereign Bond Exchange Traded Fund 151.57 153.57 -30.82%
Coral Income Fund N/A N/A N/A INFRASTRUCTURE FUND
Fund Name NAV Per Share Yield / T-Rtn
Coral Money Market Fund N/A N/A N/A Chapel Hill Denham Nigeria Infrastructure Debt Fund 107.52 13.11%
The value of investments and the income from them may fall as well as rise. Past performance is a guide and not an indication of future returns. Fund prices published in this edition are also available on
each fund manager’s website and FMAN’s website at www.fman.com.ng. Fund prices are supplied by the operator of the relevant fund and are published for information purposes only.
MONDAY JULY 12, 2021 • T H I S D AY 41
42 MONDAY JULY 12, 2021 • T H I S D AY
MONDAY JULY 12, 2021 • T H I S D AY 43
44 MONDAY JULY 12, 2021 • T H I S D AY
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46 MONDAY JULY 12, 2021 • T H I S D AY
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48 MONDAY JULY 12, 2021 • T H I S D AY
T H I S D AY • MONDAY, JULY 12, 2021
Makinde, Mofe-Damijo, Music Community, Others Mourn Sound Sultan
Yinka Olatunbosun and
Rebecca Ejifoma
Oyo State Governor, Mr. Seyi Makinde;
Nollywood veteran actor, Mr. Richard
Mofe-Damijo (RMD); actress Kate
Henshaw, Ruggedman, as well as the
music community have mourned the
death of Olanrewaju Fasasi, popularly
known as Sound Sultan.
The late musician was said to
have given up after a long battle with
Angioimmonoblastic T-cell lymphoma,
which is cancer of the throat.
This was disclosed in a statement
signed by his brother, Dr. Kayode
NDLEA Intercepts N6.5bn
Heroin at Lagos Airport
Michael Olugbode in Abuja
Operatives of the National Drug
Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA)
have intercepted a consignment of
26.150kilogrammes of heroin with
a street value of over N6.5billion at
the SAHCO shed of the Murtala
Muhammed International Airport,
(MMIA), Ikeja, Lagos.
The illicit drug had arrived
Lagos in 25 parcels from South
Africa through an Air Peace Airline
flight on June 30, 2021 and was
detained for screening following
reasonable suspicion of the content
of the consignment.
A follow-up operation was
subsequently carried out the fol-
lowing day, July 1, when narcotic
officers of the MMIA command
trailed the driver and a clearing
agent that were assigned to deliver
the consignment to the house of
a baron, Tony Chidi Onwurolu at
No. 132 Lateef Adegboyega Street,
off Ago palace way by Grandmate
bus stop Okota, Lagos.
During the follow-up operation,
Onwurolu who obviously mounted
a counter-surveillance around his
2021 Eid-el-Kabir to Be
Observed July 20, Says Sultan
The Sultan of Sokoto and President-
General, Nigerian Supreme Council
for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA), Alhaji
Sa’ad Abubakar III, has declared
yesterday July 11, as the first day
of Dhul-Hijja 1442AH.
This was contained in a statement
by Prof. Sambo Junaidu, Chairman,
Advisory Committee on Religious
Affairs, Sultanate Council, Sokoto
yesterday.
“The Sultanate Council Advisory
Committee on Religious Affairs in
conjunction with the National Moon
Sighting Committee on Saturday
received reports on the sighting of
the crescent of Dhul-Hijja 1442AH.
“The Sultan accepted the report
and accordingly declared Sunday,
July 11, as the first day of Dhul-Hijja
1442AH.
Omo-Agege: Nigeria Needs Prayers to
Overcome Current Challenges
Deji Elumoye in Abuja
The Deputy President of the Senate,
Senator Ovie Omo-Agege has called
for fervent prayers for Nigeria to
overcome her current challenges.
Omo-Agege who made the call
yesterday at the First Session of
the Fifth Synod of the Diocese of
Sapele (Anglican Communion),
Okpe Archdeaconry, asked Nigerians
not to despair over the challenges
confronting the nation.
Speaking on the theme, “The Lord
is my Strength and Stronghold”,
the Deputy Senate President urged
the church to continue to pray for
the country.
“We need the intervention of the
church; we need prayers for this
country. We are nothing without
God. No matter what we do, if
we don’t have the blessings and
anointing of God, it is to no avail.
Fasasi, on behalf of the Fasasi family.
Sound Sultan is survived by his
wife, three children and his siblings.
In his condolence message, the Oyo
State governor described his death
as a huge loss to the state and the
entertainment world.
The Oyo State governor, while
reacting to the death of the talented
singer in a statement by his Special
Assistant (Print Media), Mr. Moses
Alao, said the news of the demise
of the Iseyin-born artiste greatly
unsettled him.
He described him as a great but
humble entertainer who rose to
stardom through hard work and great
neighbourhood fled his home before
the arrival of the team of operatives,
who stormed his residence.
They were, however, able to
search his home and recover a
number of documents to establish
his true identity.
NDLEA spokesperson, Mr.
Femi Babafemi, said following
the development, the chairman/
chief executive of NDLEA, Brig.
Gen. Mohammed Buba Marwa
(rtd) has directed that the fleeing
drug baron, Onwurolu, be declared
wanted immediately and his details
submitted to INTERPOL for track-
ing across the world.
Marwa also directed the agency’s
directorate of assets and financial
investigations as well as the director-
ate of intelligence to deploy their
networks to fast-track the arrest
of Onwurolu.
Marwa said in view of the
volume of heroin brought into
country by the fleeing baron,
the agency would deploy all
available mechanisms, locally
and internationally, to track him
and bring him to face charges in
the law court.
“He felicitates with the Nigerian
Muslim Ummah and wishes them
Allah’s guidance and blessings,” he
said. The Sultan urged the Muslim
Ummah to continue to pray for peace,
progress and development of the
country while wishing them happy
Eid-el-Kabir in advance.
The News Agency of Nigeria
(NAN) reported that Dhul-Hijja
is the 12th month of the Islamic
calendar.
It is a sacred month in Islam, one
in which Muslims perform the Hajj
(Holy Pilgrimage) as well as observe
the Festival of Sacrifice.
With the declaration by the Sultan,
Nigerian Muslims will observe the
2021 Eid-el-Kabir on Tuesday, July
20, which is equivalent to the 10th
of Dhul-Hijja 1442AH.
“I want to urge the church to
continue to pray for Nigeria. There
is a lot more that we need to do
to protect our citizens”.
In his homily, the Anglican
Bishop, Diocese of Lagos, Rev.
Humphrey Olumakaiye, enjoined
Nigerians not to lose hope but to
have faith in God for solutions to
their problems.
Quoting from the Holy Books
of Psalm 46:1-7; 27:1; 21:6; 16:11;
Isaiah 26:3 and John 16:33, the guest
preacher assured that Jesus Christ
has not changed from caring and
loving his followers.
According to him, the Church
has become the last hope of the
hopeless. He enjoined the church
to preach hope to their followers
to bring them back to the society.
God’s presence, according to the
cleric, brings joy, spiritual growth,
healing, divine protection and it
helps to fulfill our destiny.
determination, saying the state, his
family and the industry would sorely
miss him.
“The news of the death of popular
singer and producer, Lanre Fasasi,
popularly known as Sound Sultan,
unsettled me greatly
“In him, Oyo State lost a truly great
but humble artiste and ambassador.
We lost an individual who tried his
best to positively impact his society
through entertainment”.
Mofe-Damijo, Henshaw, and Rug-
gedman among others have also taken
to Instagram to mourn the death of
their friend and colleague, who passed
on yesterday at 44.
FACILITY TOUR…
L-R: Chairman, Oriental Energy Resources; Alhaji Mohammed Indimi; President /Chief Executive Officer, Dangote Industries Limited, Alhaji Aliko Dangote; and
Group Executive Director, Strategy, Capital Projects and Portfolio Development, Dangote Industries Limited, Mr. Devakumar Edwin, during the facility tour of
Dangote Petroleum and Petrochemical Projects, Lekki, Lagos…weekend
Police Confirm Abduction of College Provost, Teacher in Zamfara
The Zamfara State Police Command
has confirmed the abduction of
Provost, College of Agriculture and
Animal Science, Bakura.
It also confirmed the abduc-
tion of another school teacher of
Government Science Secondary
School Bakura in the early hours
of yesterday.
The Police Public Relation Of-
ficer, Mohammed Shehu, made
NAFDAC Cautions Nigerians against Use of Sanitizers with Methanol
The National Agency for Food and
Drug Administration and Control
(NAFDAC) has again cautioned
Nigerians against the use of hand
sanitizers especially Nutricional S,
de R, L De C.V containing methanol.
The warning is contained in a
public alert with No: 20/2021 tagged
“Recall of Hand Sanitizers by DiBAR
Nutricional due to the presence of
Methanol(Wood alcohol).
The alert was signed by the
Director-General of the agency,
Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, and made
available to the News Agency of
Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja yesterday.
She said that the agency had
received information from US
Food and Drug Agency (FDA)
about the presence of methanol
Kingdom Wins Nigerian Idol Season 6, Clinches N50m Worth Of Gifts
Sunday Ehigiator
Kingdom Kroseide has emerged
winner of the Nigerian Idol season
six competition, thereby winning
the grand prize of N30 million in
cash and N20 million worth of
other gifts.
Kingdom was announced the
On his IG page @mofedamijo,
RMD wrote: “Did you know when
you wished me happy birthday three
days earlier than usual that you won’t
have the strength to do it a day later?
“Words would never be enough
my brother. Love you men!
For Henshaw, she recalled via her
Instagram page, @k8henshaw, that
she and the late artiste joked about
how he never aged.
She expressed:“I have never called
on you that you have said no to my
request and vice versa”.
Ruggedman on his Instagram page,
@ruggedbaba, lamented:“Words escape
me….Ha! This hurts badly.”
the confirmation in an interview
with journalists in Gusau.
He said that the command
was aware of the incident and
personnel were already deployed
for necessary investigations on the
matter.
Shehu said police and other
security operatives in the state had
commenced intelligence operation
to ensure the safe release of the
in hand sanitizers.
She added that information from
FDA noted that Nutricional S,de R,L
De C.V (Dibar) is recalling all Dibar
Labs hand sanitizers, ProtectoRX
hand sanitizers and Advance hand
sanitizers due to the presence of
methanol.
According to her, methanol, or
wood alcohol, is a substance that
can be toxic when absorbed through
the skin or ingested and can be
life-threatening when ingested.
“Substantial methanol exposure
can result in nausea, vomiting,
headache, blurred vision, permanent
blindness, seizures, coma, permanent
damage to the nervous system or
death.
“All persons using these products
winner after defeating Francis Atela
at the grande finale aired live on
the evening of yesterday, July 11.
Highlights of the night include
performances by the judges and
a beautiful rendition of One Hit
by one of the guest judges on the
show, Cohbams alongside Kingdom.
Francis thrilled the audience with
the performance of Roju alongside
Omawumi followed suit via her
Instagram account @Omawonder:
“Ahhh Uncle Sound! God comfort
your family… Sun re o.”
His other colleagues in the entertain-
ment industry have also expressed
their grief at the news of his death.
Afrobeat musician, Femi Kuti who
dropped a comment on the last post
shared on Instagram by the deceased
said, “I am shocked and very said
reading this news of the passing of
Sound Sultan. I pray our Creator to
give his family strength at this time.”
The CEO, Virtual Media Network
and former OAP, Femi Aderibigbe
popularly known as Kwame posted:
victims.
“The entire area has been
combed by security personnel
and very soon, the victims will
be rescued and the perpetrators
will be arrested and brought to
book,” he assured.
The Deputy Register, College of
Agriculture and Animal Science
Bakura, Malam Atiku Aliyu, said
the college provost and one other
on their hands are at risk for metha-
nol poisoning, young children who
accidentally ingest these products
and adolescents and adults who
drink these products as alcohol
(ethanol) substitute, are most at risk.
“Methanol is not an acceptable
ingredient for hand sanitizers and
must not be used due to its toxicity,”
she stressed.
Adeyeye, therefore, called on con-
sumers, who have been exposed to
hand sanitizer containing methanol
and are experiencing symptoms,
to seek immediate treatment for
a potential reversal of toxic effects
of methanol poisoning.
According to her, the call is
necessary at this time after the FDA
analysis has found the product to
popular singer, songwriter Chike.
Ayra Star and Patoranking also
performed their hit tracks. Patorank-
ing sang Celebrate Me and used
it to pay tribute to Sound Sultan
whose news of passing sent shivers
down the spine of many today.
The grand prize for the competi-
tion includes a cash prize of N30
million, a brand new SUV, six track
49
NEWSXTRA
“To say this one weak me, is
an understatement! You lived an
exceptional and exemplary life bro,
it’s crazy to be writing this about you
right now.”
Another collaborator, the CEO, Black
House Media, Adekunle Ayeni also
mourned the loss of one of Nigeria’s
most cerebral music artists.
“We’re sending prayers and
condolences to the family of Sound
Sultan, a long-time BHM friend and
collaborator who has sadly shockingly
passed on. Sound Sultan’s contributions
to the development of music, film
and sports in Nigeria will forever be
remembered and celebrated.”
school teacher were kidnapped
at their residents at government
secondary school Bakura.
Aliyu said the kidnappers had to
break the window of the provost’s
house to gain entry, adding that
the school teacher abducted was
his neighbour.
“Right now, that I am speaking,
we don’t know anything about
their whereabouts.”
contain methanol in lab testing.
Adeyeye stated that NAFDAC
implores importers, distributors,
retailers and consumers to exercise
caution and vigilance to avoid the
distribution, sale and use of methanol
alcohol-based hand sanitizers.
She also called on healthcare
providers and members of the
public in possession of methanol
alcohol-based hand sanitizers to
discontinue sale and use or submit
stock to the nearest NAFDAC office.
She said that healthcare profes-
sionals are encouraged to report
any problem related to the use of
any hand sanitizers to the near-
est NAFDAC office, NAFDAC
PRASCOR (20543 TOLL FREE
from all networks).
EP recording deal, three music
videos included, an all-expense-paid
trip to Seychelles, and a weekend
getaway to Dubai for two weeks.
Other gifts for the winner include
a wide range of Tecno products, Bigi
branded refrigerator plus one year
of Bigi drinks, and a DSTV Explora
fully installed with a premium
subscription for 12 months.
50
NEWSXTRA
Third Wave of COVID-19 Imminent, Sanwo-Olu Warns
Says only 1% of Lagos residents received second dose of vaccine
The Governor of Lagos State, Mr.
Babajide Sanwo-Olu yesterday warned
that the third wave of COVID-19 was
imminent in the state, revealing that
the state has started experiencing a
Police Arraign Banker over
Fraudulent Withdrawal of N46.4 m
from Customer’s Account
Sylvester Idowu in Warri
A 39-year-old banker with one of the
new generation banks in Effurun,
Delta State, Osazuwa Obarisiagbon,
has been arraigned before a Chief
Magistrate Court over alleged
fraudulent withdrawal of N46.4
million from a customer’s account.
Osazuwa, a Relationship Manager
with Sterling Bank, Effurun branch,
was arraigned last Friday on six-
count charge bordering on alleged
stealing, defrauding, forgery and
impersonation.
Some of the charges in charge
number: ME/77C/ 2021 read thus:
“That you Osazuwa Obarisiagbon
between December 31, 2015 and
November 30, 2016, at Effurun
within this magisterial district,
did commit felony to wit: stealing.
You hereby committed an offence
punishable under Section 516 of the
criminal code, Cap C. 21, Vol. 1,
Laws of Delta State of Nigeria, 2006.
“That you Osazuwa Obarisiagbon
between December 31, 2015, and
November 30, 2016, at Effurun,
within this magisterial district, did
Two Sisters Keep Mother’s Decomposing
Corpse for Nine Days in Edo
Adibe Emenyonu in Benin-city
It was a bizarre sight to behold for
the residents of Okhoro area of Benin-
city, Edo State, as the decomposing
body of a septuagenarian was
discovered in an apartment nine
days after her death.
The most disturbing aspect is the
fact that two children of the deceased,
Mrs. Agbenese Oshoma, 78, were in
the know of their mother’s death,
but kept it to themselves for nine
days, until the offensive odour from
their apartment forced neighbours to
broke into the house to behold the
bloated body of the elderly woman.
Strangely, the two children of the
deceased, Grace Osagede, 60, and
her younger sister, Theresa Suberu,
58, told the prying neighbours that
they were instructed by God not to
disclose the death of their mother
to anyone.
The two women, it was gathered,
went about their normal daily chores
inside the house while their mother’s
corpse laid, rotting away as they
made no attempt to embalm the
Why We Unveiled New Kwara APC
Secretariat, by Legacy Group
Hammed Shittu in Ilorin
Some loyalists of the Minister of
Information and Culture, Alhaji
Lai Mohammed, under the aegis of
Kwara Legacy Group at the weekend
in Ilorin, Kwara State, exonerated the
minister from the circumstances that
led to the recent unveiling of a new
state secretariat of the All Progressives
Congress (APC).
The group, however, said the
reasons behind the creation of new
party secretariat of the party were
due to the expiration of agreement
with the landlord of the building that
had served as the party secretariat.
The minister was reportedly invited
before the national leadership of the
party for allegedly opening another
party secretariat in Ilorin, the state
capital, last Saturday.
Speaking with journalists in Ilorin,
potential third wave of the pandemic
with dire consequences.
He said the state government would
do everything possible to prevent
a massive outbreak, threatening
fraudulently convert to your own
use or the use of other persons, the
sum of N46, 422, 432.64, property
of Wellington Hotel Limited. You
thereby committed an offence
punishable under Section 390 (8)
(b) & (9) of the Criminal Code,
Cap C.21, Vol. 1, Laws of Delta
State of Nigeria, 2006.
“That you Osazuwa Obari-
siagbon between the 31st day of
December 31, 2015, and November
30, 2016, at Effurun, within this
magisterial district, did conspire
to commit felony to wit: forgery.
You thereby committed an offence
punishable under section 516 of
the Criminal Code, Cap C 21. Vol.
1, Laws of Delta State of Nigeria,
2004.
“That you Osazuwa Obarisiag-
bon, between December 31, 2015,
and November 30, 2016, at Effurun,
within this magisterial district, did
conspire to commit felony to wit:
personation. You thereby committed
an offence punishable under Section
516 of the Criminal Code, Cap C.
21, Vol. 1, Laws of Delta State of
Nigeria, 2006.
body since they were “instructed
by God” not to tell anyone.
It was further gathered that
neighbours, who initially perceived
the stench from the building,
inquired from the two sisters what
the matter was, but the deceased
children dismissed such enquiries
as nothing.
When the offensive odour became
unbearable, the neighbours were said
to have mobilised and barged into
the building only to discover the
decomposing body of the woman,
who everyone in the neighbourhood
called ‘Iye’ (an old woman).
When confronted, the older
woman, Grace, told the people
that she had instruction from God
not to disclose the death of their
mother to anybody, a position that
was corroborated by her younger
sister, Theresa, who said her elder
sister asked her not to tell anyone
as “instructed by the Lord.”
The neighbours and the landlord
of the building were said to have
arranged to have the corpse moved
to a morgue while the police were
called in.
the spokesperson of the group, Hon.
Kayode Ogunlowo, said: “Following
the expiration of the tenancy agreement
of the former party state secretariat,
there is need to acquire new one to
allow the party function in the state.
“We can recall that before the
emergence of Governor Abdulrah-
man Abdulrazaq as a candidate of
our party in 2018, we had a party
secretariat that was fully functional, but
immediately Abdulrazaq became the
governor, he rented a three-bedroom
apartment at Tanke Iledu and tagged
it the state secretariat of the party.
What a leader?
“After the expiration of our
agreement with our landlord, the
party structure was left without a
party secretariat which informed the
party executive led by Bashir Omolaja
Bolarinwa to acquire a befitting party
secretariat that was unveiled by the
minister last week.”
imprisonment of travellers who fail
to release number through which
they can be contacted.
“Starting around the end of March
2021, the second wave of the COVID19
pandemic in Lagos State began to
wind down, and we began to enjoy
some reprieve from the worst effects
of the virus.
“This allowed us to further open-up
the economy to allow the start of the
journey towards full normalcy in our
HONOURING THE DEPARTED…
L-R: Chairman of Platform Petroleum Limited, Chief Dumo Lulu-Briggs; Group Managing Director of Nigerian National Petroleum
Corporation (NNPC), Mallam Mele Kyari; and Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Chief Timipre Sylva, at the Church Service
for the late Mrs. Helen Robert Membra, in Okpoama Kingdom, Bayelsa State…weekend
Afenifere: Only Restructuring Can Save Nigeria from Catastrophe
The executive council of the pan
Yoruba socio-political organisation,
Afenifere, has warned of looming
disaster if Nigeria does not return
to “true federalism”.
The National Publicity Secretary
of the body, Jare Ajayi, released a
statement to this effect yesterday.
He said the position was part
of the council’s resolution after its
meeting at the Lagos home of Ayo
Adebanjo, leader of Afenifere.
Ajayi said the organisation
resolved that the country must be
restructured and full implementation
S’West Govs Propose six Regions, Seek Resource Control
Segun James
As part of the review of the 1999
Constitution, the South-west gov-
ernors have proposed conversion
of the present six geopolitical zones
into federating units.
In a document presented last
week to the members of the
National Assembly from the
geopolitical zone, the governors
also made other proposals to
weaken central government,
while allocating more powers to
APC Urges Members to Participate in INEC Continuous Voter Registration
Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja
The All Progressives Congress
(APC) has called on its support-
ers and members at home and in
the Diaspora to take advantage of
the ongoing Independent National
Electoral Commission (INEC) online
Continuous Voter Registration (CVR)
exercise to register and complete
the process at designated centres
from where they can obtain their
Permanent Voter’s Card (PVC).
The National Secretary of the
lives and the pursuit of livelihoods,
after what has been a very difficult
year. Regrettably, in spite of the hard
work and dedicated efforts towards
sustaining the return to normalcy, over
the last three months, we are now
finding ourselves at what appears
to be the start of a potential 3rd
wave of the COVID-19 pandemic,
in Lagos State.”
“Also, within the last two weeks,
the occupancy rate at our isolation
must be executed before the end
of the first half of 2022.
“The Nigerian nation is at the
brink of an avoidable catastrophe
that requires urgent actions. And
the most potent recipe to prevent
the catastrophe is restructuring that
would return the country to true
federalism,” the statement reads.
“After reviewing recent develop-
ments in the country, Afenifere
executive council said that the
signs are ominous, requiring
steps to prevent the country from
apocalypse.
the federating units and states.
In the document titled, ‘Proposals
for the Review of the Constitution
of the Federal Republic of Nigeria
1999 (As Amended): Presentation by
South-West Governors’ Forum’ and
dated July 5, 2021, the governors
sought amendment to Section 3(1)
and (3) of the constitution.
The present Section 3(1) reads,
“There shall be 36 states in Nigeria,
that is to say, Abia, Adamawa,
Akwa Ibom, Anambra, Bauchi,
Bayelsa, Benue, Borno, Cross River,
Delta, Ebonyi, Edo, Ekiti, Enugu,
Caretaker/Extraordinary Convention
Planning Committee, Senator John
Akpanudoedehe, in a statement is-
sued yesterday said APC members
across the country should equip
themselves with the voters’ cards
to enable them vote in the several
forthcoming by-elections and other
staggered elections culminating in
the 2023 general election.
According to him, “We want to
remind our members that the PVC
is the only legal instrument voters
need to elect leaders who can sustain
T H I S D AY • MONDAY, JULY 12, 2021
centres increased from an average
of 1 per cent to 6 per cent. This is
the new and disturbing reality that
now confronts us.
“But we must not be demoralised
by this. We must instead resolve that
we will not leave any stone unturned
in our bid to effectively mitigate the
third wave of this pandemic in Lagos.
As you all know, Lagos has been
the epicentre of the pandemic since
the start, and the way we manage
“The executive council meeting
called on President Muhammadu
Buhari, the national and state as-
semblies and all other concerned
authorities to ensure that restructur-
ing takes place within remaining
part of this year. Its implementation
in terms of true federalism in
finance, security, social welfare
must begin before the middle of
next year.” Afenifere expressed its
support for the southern governors’
decision to ban open grazing. The
organisation frowned at the criticism
of the decision by some northern
Gombe, Imo, Jigawa, Kaduna,Kano,
Katsina, Kebbi, Kogi, Kwara,
Lagos, Nasarawa, Niger, Ogun,
Ondo, Osun, Oyo, Plateau, Rivers,
Sokoto, Taraba, Yobe and Zamfara.”
The governors added, “We
propose that Section 3(1) be
amended as a federation consisting
of six geopolitical zones constituted
from the states. The federating
units or regions are divided into
the following geopolitical zones:
North-West Zone, North-Eastern
Zone, Middle – Belt Zone, South-
East Zone, South-South Zone,
the national ongoing efforts of the
APC governments at the federal,
state and local government areas
to sustain its successes in renewing
national infrastructure, transforming
agriculture and diversifying the
economy.
“New voters can pre-register on
the INEC portal, while those who
have registered in the past can access
the platform to review their voter
registration status.”
Akpanudoedehe said some of
the features on the portal allow
it here has a significant impact and
reverberating effect on the national
outlook and outcomes.
“We will continue to test aggres-
sively. We will also focus on sequencing
the samples we are collecting to ensure
we are detecting and keeping track
of the different variants in circulation.
It is only by testing and sequencing
comprehensively that we can collect
the data required for informed
decision-making.”
leaders, wondering what the nation
has gained from open grazing.
“Afenifere is in full support of
the governors to have laws banning
open grazing latest by September 1,
this year. We notice that some states
already have this law enacted,” the
group said.
“We urge the remaining states
to enact the law expeditiously.
Beyond the enactment however,
we call for immediate enforcement
of the law so as to put an end to
various vices that the act of open
grazing is engendering.”
South-West Zone and the Federal
Capital Territory.
The forum added that “the
geopolitical zones have been
recognised and accepted by
Nigeria’s political class.”
It also said, “Section 3(6)
be amended to provide for a
number of local governments or
such autonomous administrative
units to be created by the respective
federating units or states, the criteria
of which shall include population,
taxable capacity, ethno-religious or
other cultural and social affinities.”
registered voters to update their
personal information or transfer
their voter registration to another
polling unit.
The secretary stressed that new
voters are only required to fill and
upload their forms on the portal
after entering their biodata and
required documents, after which
they are expected to visit an INEC
state or local government office to
provide their fingerprints before July
19 to complete the registration and
obtain their voter’s cards.
T H I S D AY • MONDAY, JULY 12, 2021
12m People Displaced in North-east, Says UN
Michael Olugbode in Abuja
The United Nations migration
agency, International Organisation
for Migration, (IOM) has put the
total number of displaced persons
in North-east at about 12 million
even as it said 4.4 million people are
at the risk of food insecurity due to
protracted and increasing insecurity
Yerima Declares Support for
Electronic Transmission of Results
Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja
Former Governor of Zamfara State,
Senator Sani Yerima, has stated that
there was a need for the country to
use technology as much as possible
to sanitise its electoral process.
Yerima’s intervention came
following recent media reports
suggesting that electronic transmis-
sion of results by the Independent
National Electoral Commission
(INEC) has been expunged from
Electoral Act Amendment Bill 2021
due for passage before the National
Assembly.
Section 50 (2) of the Electoral
Act Bill, which is presently before
the National Assembly, makes no
provision for INEC to transmit
results of any election electronically.
The Section states: “Voting at an
election under this bill shall be in
accordance with the procedure
determined by the commission,
which may include electronic voting,
provided that the commission shall
not transmit results of elections by
electronic means.”
Ekiti Dredges Blocked Waterways,
Builds Bridges to Check Flooding
Plants 250,000 trees to curb desertification
Victor Ogunje in Ado Ekiti
In preparedness to surmount the
challenges of flooding, which have
caused the destruction of lives and
property, the Ekiti State Government
has embarked on the construction of
bridges and dredging of waterways
to avert such occurrences.
The state government has also
taken actions to rejuvenate the
depleted nine forest reserves in the
state and also acquired new lands for
the plantation of indigenous trees to
check desert encroachment in the state.
The state Project Coordinator of
a World Bank initiative, Nigeria
Erosion and Watershed Management
Project (NEWMAP), Dr. AKinyemi
Akinyugha, stated these in Ado
Ekiti yesterday during a chat with
journalists.
Akunyugha, who is also the Senior
Special Assistant on Environment to
the state Governor, Kayode Fayemi,
said the government, through
NEWMAP, would soon complete
Dangote Cement Acquires 2,000
Trucks for Distribution of Products
To address challenges related to
the ease of distribution and avail-
ability of cement across the country,
especially among its value-chain
service providers, Dangote Cement
Plc has rolled out over 2,000 trucks
for distribution services.
With an investment of $150 mil-
lion, the company took delivery of
trucks, trailers, bulk tankers, tippers,
cargo trucks and bulk cement tank-
ers. These assets would meet the
expected increase in demand for
transportation of cement to every
part of the country and create
employment of over 4,000 people
in Nigeria.
Besides, Dangote Fertiliser, which
recently made a grand entry into
the market, has already taken
delivery of 500 trucks from Dangote
Sinotruk West Africa Limited (joint
venture between Dangote Industries
in the troubled region.
Parts of the North-east have for over
11 years continued to be attacked by
non-state actors, Boko Haram/ISWAP,
which have made millions to flee
their homes and without a chance to
engage in economic activities, mainly
farming and fishing.
Many of those dispersed are living
in internally displaced persons camps
But while fielding questions from
journalists at the weekend in Abuja,
Yerima said he was in full support
of electronic voting, adding that the
world is changing and Nigeria has
to follow it.
According to him, “I support
electronic voting. I think that
when we were queuing to register
without the card reader what was
happening? People will just sit down
and write names and say we have
such number of people.
“By the mere introduction of the
card reader, the whole thing has
changed. You can see that you have
your fingerprint, and look at what
is happening now-registration of
voters online. The world is changing;
Nigeria has to follow the change. We
need to use technology as much as
possible. As far as I am concerned,
one day, we are going to go for
electronic voting.”
The former Zamfara State gover-
nor noted that he would contest the
2023 presidential election, saying both
the country’s constitution and that of
the All Progressives Congress (APC)
do not forbid him from contesting.
the construction of Arinkin and
Ajolagun bridges in Ikere and Oke
Ako Ekiti respectively.
The NEWMAP coordinator
described the two sites as heavily
prone to flooding that has caused
threats to lives and property.
He said: “The government of
Governor Fayemi is using the
NEWMAP to change the landscape
of the state. We are embarking on
construction of drainages and culverts
at Arinkin in Oke Ako and Ajolagun
in Ikere Ekiti in the first phase of the
project after which we will proceed
to Ogbomu bridge located between
Irele and Ponyan in Kogi State.
Ajolagun bridge is to be delivered
by August, 2021.
“We are also going to undertake
erosion works at Bisi Aloba avenue,
and Temidire Road in Ikere Ekiti. In
Ado Ekiti, we are focusing attention on
Tinuola, Eminrin, Afao Road, Ajilosun,
and Odo Ado, while attention will
also be at Owode and Otete in Efon
Alaaye, all these are subject to World
Bank approval.”
Limited and Sinotruk China) for
the distribution of Urea to different
States in Nigeria.
The newly acquired trucks are
expected to improve the efficiency
and effectiveness of Dangote Cement
Logistics network of distribution
nationwide, as the company plans
to commission its new cement plant
in Okpella Edo state in a few weeks.
“We have acquired the new trucks
in line with our new expansion
capacity in Obajana, Ibese, Gboko
and the new cement plant at Okpella.
The acquisition is due to the growing
needs of the business, especially
as regards the increased trucking
demands encountered lately, due to
the surge in the demand for cement,”
according to the Group Executive
Director - Logistics and Distribution,
Dangote Industries Limited, Alhaji
Abdu Dantata.
within the region with equally large
numbers fleeing into neigbouring
countries of Chad, Niger and
Cameroon as refugees.
Speaking at the weekend in Abuja
to journalists on issues surrounding
migration, security and their impact on
human lives, the IOM Chief of Mission
in Nigeria, Mr. Frantz Celestin, noted
that increased number of people are
migrating due to insecurity and the
impact of COVID-19, climate change
and natural disasters, adding that the
security situation in North-east, is
SIXTY HEARTY CHEERS...
L-R: Senior lawyers, MR. Kunle Ogunba (SAN); Mr. Kayode Enitan (SAN); Chief Lateef Fagbemi (SAN); President of Nigerian Bar
Association (NBA), Mr. Olumide Akpata; Mr. Seni Adio (SAN); and Mr. JK Gadzama (SAN), at the 60th birthday anniversary of Chief
Emeka Ngige (SAN) in Lagos…yesterday
APC Constitutes Three-member Caretaker Committee for Zamfara
Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja
The Caretaker/Extraordinary and
Convention Planning Committee
of the All Progressives Congress
(APC) has constituted a three-member
Caretaker committee to pilot the affairs
of the party in the state following the
recent Defection of the state governor,
Mr. Bello Matawalle.
The party in a statement issued
yesterday by its National Secretary,
Senator John Akpanudoedehe, said
the Committee has Senator Hassan
Mohammed Gusau as Chairman,
while Mr. Muntari Anka is the
Deputy Chairman and Prof. Abdullahi
Uwaifo and I were Street Hawkers in Benin, Igbinedion Reveals
Adibe Emenyonu in Benin City
The Esama of Benin, Chief Gabriel
Igbinedion, has admonished Nigerians
to imbibe the habit of building people
rather that destroying them.
He gave the advice at a dinner
party he hosted in Benin-city at the
weekend to honour Nigerian music
icon, Prof. Victor Uwaifo, a lecturer at
the University of Benin, who marked
his 80th birthday in March this year.
Igbinedion, who disclosed that he
was out of the country when Uwaifo
celebrated his birthday, described him
Cholera Death Toll in Plateau Hits 17 as Cases Rise to 1,004
Seriki Adinoyi in Jos
Plateau State Government has
disclosed that a total of 17 persons
have died from Cholera outbreak
in the state.
The state Commissioner for
Health, Dr. Nimkong Lar, who gave
the update in Jos, the state capital,
yesterday, added that so far, 1,004
suspected cases have been recorded.
grim leading to the large number
of displaced persons.
He said:“We carry out stability index
to see if those displaced can be able to
return to their communities of origin
while we provide them with some
basic amenities like water, health care,
schools and water; this is in line with
our work of preparedness, response,
transition and recovery.
“Our records have shown that
7, 053 babies have been born in
18 of these IDP shelters in Borno
State alone and this is unfortunate
Shinkafi is the Secretary.
The ruling part said the step
followed the recent positive develop-
ment in the Zamfara State chapter
of the party and the approval by
the caretaker committee to dissolve
the leadership structure of the party
organs in the state.
The caretaker committee hereby
strongly appealed to those directly
affected by this action to show
understanding and consider this
a sacrifice made for the growth of
the party.
The party assured all concerned
that it shall ensure that inclusive-
ness, fairness and transparency are
(Uwaifo) as ‘great man’.
According to the Benin high chief,
“you are a great man; one of the
greatest human beings in life. To
clock 80 years, you must have a
good mind.”
Igbinedion recalled their childhood
days in the city, saying: “I was selling
Kerosene while Uwaifo was selling
Kola-nuts.”
Igbinedion disclosed he sold
kerosene while the legendary
highlife musician sold kolanuts in
their childhood days on the streets
of Benin.
He said: “To clock 80, you must
According to Lar, out of the 1,004
suspected cases recorded in the state,
980 persons have been discharged,
while seven others were still receiving
treatment in various hospitals.
The commissioner said: “So far,
we have recorded 1,004 cases but
980 of them have been treated and
discharged, leaving only seven active
cases. Unfortunately, 17 persons have
died as a result of the complications
as many of them are born with no
health facility.”
He traced internal migration
to hardship, conflicts, and natural
disasters, while revealing that 4.4
million people are at risk of hunger
in the troubled North East region,
which could lead to increase number
of migration if left unchecked.
Celestin, while explaining the need
for people to migrate externally in
a proper way, said if irregularly
done, migration can lead to a lot
of hardship, detention, exposure to
maintained by the new leadership
on all fronts.
Meanwhile, following the
recently-concluded APC primaries
to elect the party’s flagbearer for
the November 6 Anambra State
Governorship Elections, the Governor
Mai Mala Buni-led committee has
appointed the Governor of Lagos
State, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu
and the Governor of Kwara State,
Abdulrasaq Abdulrahman to unify
and strengthen the party in the state
ahead of the elections.
Akpanudoedehe in a statement
yesterday said the two party leaders
were charged with the responsibility
have a good mind. You are a great
man and one of the greatest human
beings on earth.”
The iconic musician, who was
accompanied by his wife, noted that
Igbinedion, who rose from grass to
grace and conquered poverty, greatly
surprised him.
He said: “I have never smoked
in my life. I do not take drugs. I do
not drink alcohol. It is now that I
started taking wine. Music makes
me high.
“If you are smoking, doing drugs
or taking alcohol, it is not too late
to stop. Parents must warn their
arising from cholera, which has
affected 13 local government areas
of the state.”
He stated that the affected local
government areas are Jos North,
Jos South, Riyom, Kanam, Bokkos,
Wase, Mangu, Bassa, Jos East, Barkin
Ladi, Qua’anpan, Langtang North,
and Shendam.
Reassuring the people of the state
government commitment to curtailing
51
NEWSXTRA
abuse and violation of basic human
rights and in extreme cases, death.
The agency said it has been
generating data on migration to
help state and non-state actors, target
intervention in the area of food and
medical provisions to those displaced.
IOM also said it has the widest
footprint in the North East with pres-
ence in many Local Government Areas
(LGAs) and has been able to work in
Bama, Monguno and Gwoza among
others, to restore those displaced back
to their homelands.
of bringing together all the erstwhile
aspirants and their supporters to
join the campaign organisation of
the party and achieve victory for
the APC in the state.
The committee mandated the
two governors to do everything
reasonable and necessary to ensure
that all feuding parties, erstwhile
aspirants and their supporters
close ranks and work for the APC
to defeat the contestants fielded by
other political parties.
“We look forward to a unified
front and a shared commitment to
support the party before, during and
after the election,” the party said
children against taking drugs and
not to wrongly imitate people.”
Uwaifo, the Joromi maestro-
turned academic, who lectured in
the University of Benin, expressed
surprise at the honour given to him
by Igbinedion, saying: “Tonight, Chief
Igbinedion has surprised me. This
is the man who rose from grass to
grace, and who conquered poverty.
“Any person, who wants to know,
must be given the opportunity to
know and keep knowing. “If you
go through the crucible of life, then
you will know the value of life, and
you must add principles.”
the disease from spreading further, Lar
also advised the people to imbibe the
act of hand washing and sanitising
their hands to avoid the spread of
the highly contagious disease.
He said: “As a government, we
are not relenting in our efforts to
address the problem, but we also
want to appeal to the public to always
maintain good sanitation and shun
indiscriminate dumping of waste.”
52 T H I S D AY • MONDAY, JULY 12, 2021

NEWSXTRA
2023: Delta North Traditional Rulers Urge Politicians Not to Distract Okowa
Sunday Okobi
Traditional rulers in Delta North
senatorial district of Delta State have
appealed to politicians across the state
to rally round the state governor, Dr.
Ifeanyi Okowa, in the remaining two
Group Condemns DSS Violent
Attack on Igboho, Others
years of his administration to enable
him finish successfully in his drive for
productivity and economic growth in
the state.
The appeal was made at the
weekend when political leaders of
Ijaw extraction in the state paid a
consultation visit to the members
of the Delta North Traditional Rul-
ers Council at Owa Royal Palace,
Owa -Oyibu in Ika North East Local
Government Area of the state.
Former Police Affairs Minister, Chief
Alaowei Broderick Bozimo, led the
delegation, which included former Delta
State University Vice Chancellor, Prof.
Victor Peretomode; former Commis-
sioner for Local Government Affairs,
Neworld Safugha; former President
of the Ijaw Youth Council (IYC), Hon
Prince Chris Ekiyor, among others, to
consult with the monarchs on their
ambition to take a shot at the state
governorship race in 2023.
The Obi of Owa, His Royal Majesty,
Dr. Emmanuel Efeizomor II, who
spoke on behalf of the kings, told
the delegation that there was the
need for political gladiators from the
three senatorial districts in the state
to join hands with the governor to
finish strongly on his SMART and
stronger Delta Agenda.
While receiving the delegation
which comprised politicians from
Patani, Burutu, Bomadi , Warri South-
West, Warri North and Isoko Local
Government Areas of Delta South,
the Owa traditional ruler applauded
the visitors, saying their desire was
genuine.
The royal fathers, however, urged
them to commit their ambition to God.
Efeizomor added that their doors
were open to others who may wish
to consult the monarchs, adding that
such consultation visits would help
to strengthen the bond of friendship
across the divide.
The monarch assured them that they
would consult with their subjects on
what is best for them in the 2023 polls.
Earlier, the leaders of the delegation
and a frontline Ijaw leader, Bozimo,
told the kings that they were in the
palace to seek permission to enter
their domain and talk to the people
on their ambition to vie for the
governorship position in the state
in the 2023 election.

Sunday Ehigiator
The Socialist Congress of Nigeria
(SCON) has condemned the recent
attack by men of the Department of
State Security (DSS) on the private
residence of a Yoruba activist, Chief
Sunday Adeyemo, popularly known
as Sunday Igboho, in Ibadan, Oyo
State on July 1, 2021.
In a statement signed by the group,
which was made available to THISDAY
at the weekend, the SCON decried the
growing frequency and the intensity
of the deployment of heavily armed
forces, which it said are causing civil
disturbances.
It equally condemned what it
described as a“heavy military barrage
against El-Zakzaky a few years ago
in Zaria, Kaduna State, the massive
and unprovoked military attacks and
killing of unarmed peaceful protesters
at the Lekki Toll Gate in Lagos on
October 20, 2020, and the current
entrenchment of routine attacks
on peaceful protests, including the
recent murder of a student who was
protesting against increment of school
fees in Kaduna State.”
According to the group, the
sustained state terror across Nigeria
has its antecedents in the brutal
economic and social policies imposed
with impunity since the late 1970s.
Journalist Petitions Rights Commission over Death of 14-year-old Girl
Udora Orizu in Abuja critical of DCP Joseph’s role in inves- pre-condition to conduct the autopsy the medical report as though it’s a
tigating the death of Keren-Happuch in line with the global best practice. personal laurel to the detriment of
Aondodoo Akpagher, a 14-year-old This, the activist said, led to the further medical investigation?
A journalist and leader of the
boarding house student of Premier stalling of the autopsy, which was ‘’In what appears like a fightback,
coalition of Gender-based Violence
Academy, Lugbe, Abuja, who was scheduled for July 3, and consequently, barely 24 hours to a planned rally by
Responders, Lemmy Ughegbe, has
raped, while a condom was left inside the coalition has issued a statement our coalition in Abuja to seek justice
filed a formal complaint against the
her uterus, which caused sepsis and alleging that the DCP’s refusal for Keren-Happuch last Friday, the
Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Deputy
led to her death on June 22, 2021. was reprehensible as well as raises DCP sent policemen to my wife’s
Commissioner of Police (DCP), Mr.
According to him, the DCP has suspicion as to his motive. nursery and primary school, which has
Fom Pam Joseph, over alleged threat
refused to release the medical report According to Ughegbe, “Why no link whatsoever with the coalition,
to his life and those of members of
of her death to the police-appointed will he want to sit on the medical to intimidate and threaten her and
his family, at the National Human
pathologist at the Maitama General report and not release it to the police- the staff at the school as well as
Rights Commission (NHRC).
Hospital, Abuja, Dr. Desmond Ike appointed pathologist? Why is Fom sending policemen to survey where
He said the coalition has been
Okonkwo, which he requested as a Pam Joseph holding tenaciously to they live.

NYSC Certificate:
Hold Adeosun’s
Accusers to
Account, Afenifere
Urges Buhari
The United States of America and
Europe Chapters of the pan-Yoruba
socio-political organisation, Afenifere,
has called on President Muhammadu
Buhari to bring to book the accusers
of a former Minister for Finance, Mrs.
Kemi Adeosun, who was accused of
certificate forgery.
A Federal High Court in Abuja, last
week, ruled in the former minister’s
favour, saying NYSC certificate was
not mandatory for appointment into
political office in the country.
In a statement jointly issued by Mr.
Babatunde Shinaba and Dr. Durojaiye
Akindurire, the chairman of Europe
and USA chapters, respectively, the
group said there was a need for the
Presidency to question those who
accused the former minister of forgery.
In the statement, the group com-
mended the judiciary for the court
ruling, which vindicated the former
minister, insisting that Adeosun should
be celebrated rather than persecuted

Tension Rocks
Dunamis Church as
#IStandwithBuhari
Group Confronts
Sowore
Olawale Ajimotokan in Abuja

There was palpable tension yesterday

at the Dunamis International Gospel
Centre in Abuja when a pro-Buhari
group under the auspices of Abuja
Grassroots Project (AGP) prevented
the planned picketing of the church
by Omoyele Sowore #RevolutionNow.
The members of the group clad
in t-shirts and face caps with the
inscription, #IStandwithBuhari, laid
siege to the entrance of the church
to prevent the Sowore group from
carrying out their protest over last
week arrest of 10 Buhari-Must-Go
activists at the church.
The group Coordinator, Yunusa
Yusuf, said they got reliable information
that Sowore would lead his followers
to stage a protest at the church.
The atmosphere around the church
located on the Abuja International
Airport Road was tensed with heavy
presence of security operatives from
all the forces to nip any breakdown
of law and order in the bud.
Yusuf insisted that the church of
God must prevail against every evil
plan, no matter how highly placed
the person is.
T H I S D AY • MONDAY, JULY 12, 2021 53

NEWSXTRA

House Reverses Award of Dawes Oilfield to Petralon, Others

Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja
The House of Representatives’
Committee on Public Petitions has
reversed the Department of Petroleum
Court Rejects Yar’Adua’s Daughter’s Request
for Order against FCT Minister, Others
Alex Enumah
A High Court of the Federal Capital
Territory (FCT) in Maitama, Abuja has
rejected a request by the daughter of
ex-President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua
(now late), Zainab for a restraining
order against the Minister of the
Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and
three others.
Zainab’s lawyer, Sebastine Hon
(SAN), had filed an application for
an injunctive order to stop the FCT
Minister and other defendants, in a
pending suit, from taking any further
actions on the land being disputed
by her and two of the defendants.
Acting through a firm, Marumza
Estate Development Company Lim-
ited, Zainab, who was once the wife
to former Kebbi State Governor, Saidu
Dakingari, is claiming ownership of
Plot 506, Cadastral Zone B09, Kado
District, Abuja.
The substantive suit, marked:
CV/1270/2021 is challenging an
earlier revocation of the allocation
of the land by the Federal Capital
Resources (DPR)’s award of Dawes
Island marginal field to Petralon 54
Limited and its partners.
Although the DPR was said to have
taken the decision on the directive of
the Minister of State for Petroleum
Development Authority (FCDA),
which claimed to have found,
among others, that the Irrevocable
Power of Attorney used to procure
the land through alleged donation
was purportedly forged.
At the last mention of the case,
plaintiff’s lawyer attempted to move
the application for injunctive orders by
Justice Olukayode Adeniyi expressed
his unwillingness to hear it, saying
he would rather proceed to hear
the substantive case rather than
waste time dealing with interlocutory
applications.
Justice Adeniyi proceeded to
order parties to maintain status
quo pending the determination of
the substantive suit.
Resources, the lawmakers stated
that the revocation of the licence
and re-award to Petralon, was not
done in the interest of equity and
fair play.
The lawmakers wondered why
the DPR punished two members
of the JV - Eurafric and Tako and
yet rewarded one member (Petralon)
for the purported joint failure of the
venture after it was cancelled in April
2020 for alleged non-performance.
According to the committee, the
SERAP Asks Court to Slash Buhari, Govs, N’Assembly Members’ Allowances
The Socio-Economic Rights and
Accountability Project (SERAP), has
asked a Federal High Court in Abuja
to order the Revenue Mobilisation
Allocation and Fiscal Commission
(RMAFC) and the National Salaries,
Incomes and Wages Commission
(NSIWC) to review downward
the remuneration and allowances
of President Muhammadu Buhari,
Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo, 36
governors and members of the
National Assembly.
The group said this should be
three companies should benefit from
any re-award of the asset, which it said
should be restored to pre-revocation
status in the interest of equity and
national interest.
It alleged that there was an ulterior
motive in re-awarding the licence to
Patralon alone, when abinitio, Eurafric
and Tako, Petralon were supposed to
be punished for the same offence.
DPR reportedly justified the
revocation of the field licence on
the ground that nothing was done
done by the duo by performing
their statutory functions.
SERAP in a suit number FHC/
ABJ/CS/658/2021 filed last Friday,
SERAP seek“an order of mandamus
to direct and compel the RMAFC
to send its downward review of the
remuneration and allowances of these
high-ranking public office holders and
recommendations to the National
Assembly for appropriate remedial
and legislative action, as provided
for by the Nigerian Constitution
1999 (as amended).
on the field from award of the licence
till its revocation, adding that no field
development plan was submitted for
Dawes Island.
According to the DPR, the deci-
sion was in the best interest of the
nation, although it failed to explain
how the JV members would recover
their reported investments of over
$50 million on the field prior to the
licence revocation.
The regulatory agency argued
that the expenses were borne on
SERAP said slashing jumbo pay
for these high-ranking political office-
holders would reduce the unfair pay
disparity between political officer
holders and judicial officers.
The rights organisations said ad-
dressing the persistent poor treatment
of judges, would improve access of
victims of corruption to justice and
effective remedies.
SERAP is also seeking “an order
of mandamus to direct and compel
the RMAFC to perform its manda-
tory constitutional duty to urgently
sole-risk basis and thus a loss to
the companies, arguing that the
revocation and re-award was done
in the nation’s interest and claiming
that the decision to award the licence
to Petralon alone was based on a
2018 petition from Petralon against
Eurafric.
However, the lawmakers stated that
none of the parties notified Eurafric
of the said petition or requested a
defence from the company before
acting on it.
review upward the remuneration,
salaries and allowances, as well as
the conditions of service for Nigerian
judges.”
Joined in the suit filed on behalf
of SERAP by its lawyers, Kolawole
Oluwadare and Ms Adelanke Aremo,
are Senate President, Dr. Ahmad
Lawan; Speaker of House of Repre-
sentatives, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila,
for themselves, and on behalf of all
members of the Senate and House
of Representative; and the National
Judicial Council.

Taraba Seeks FG’s

Support to Resettle
Flood Victims
Wole Ayodele in Jalingo

Taraba State Government has expressed

its readiness to relocate and resettle
victims of last Saturday’s flood that
wreaked havoc in some parts of the
state. The state Governor, Darius
Ishaku, told journalists after an on-
the-spot assessment of the affected
areas in Jalingo, that it has become
imperative to relocate all the people
living along the river banks in the state
considering the perennial flooding
in the areas.
He, however, appealed to the federal
government to come the aid of the
state in solving the problem, saying
the problem is so huge and tasking,
and may be beyond the capacity of
the state government alone.
The flood destroyed no fewer than
200 houses in Jalingo, Lau, Karim
Lamido and Ibi Local Government
Areas of the state, rendering thousands
of people homeless.
Fielding questions from journalists
yesterday night after the assessment
tour, Ishaku said: “It has become
expedient to resettle all the people
living along the river banks because the
issue of flooding has become perennial.

Igbo Group Cautions FG

against Use of Force on
Agitators for
Self-determination
Calls for Kanu, other political
prisoners’ unconditional release
Fred Ojeh

The Igbo World Assembly (IWA),

the umbrella body of Ndi Igbo in
Diaspora, has cautioned the Federal
Government of Nigeria against the
use of force to stop ethnic groups
from agitating for self-determination.
The group, during an emergency
meeting by its country leaders yester-
day, having reviewed the abduction of
the Leader of the Indigenous People
of Biafra (IPOB), Mazi Nnamdi Kanu,
in a foreign land and his detention
in Nigeria, called for his release and
that of other political prisoners in
the country unconditionally.
It advised the government to allow
Nigerians to decide their fate while
it focuses on addressing massive
insecurity, unemployment, hunger,
poverty and other challenges.
54 T H I S D AY ˾˜
 
͹ͺ˜
ͺ͸ͺ͹

Group Sports Editor Duro Ikhazuagbe

 Email duro.ikhazuagbe@thisdaylive.com
0811 181 3083 SMS ONLY

Agony for Lions as Italy Beat

England in Shootout to Lift Euro 2020
nland's ‹id to end their śś- and were level in the Ŝŝth ashford hiĴin a post and who showed sžch cožrae to paid an instant dividend as foothold in the closin phase
¢ear wait for a ma“or troph¢ minžte when eonardo o- ianlžii onnaržmma den¢- step forward, was consoled he ran on to Kane's perfect of the ęrst halfǯ
ended in the familiar aon¢ nžcci požnced after nland in adon Sancho ‹efore - so ‹¢ nland team-mates and pass to ęnd the onržshin tal¢ dominated possession,
of defeat in a penalt¢ shootožt
as tal¢ claimed the žro ŘŖŘŖ
crown at em‹le¢ǯ
n a niht of anticipation,
tension and žltimate heart‹rea”
in a feverish atmosphere,
arr¢ Kane and
arr¢ on ‹žt it loo”ed for the ęrst
nland loo”ed on cožrse for
their most “o¢ožs da¢ since řŖ
oal”eeper ordan ic”ford cržell¢ for sžch a ęne ¢ožn manaer Sožthate ‹žt there Shaw at the far post and he nland lost impetžs and it
tžrned arco erraĴi's header pla¢er - Arsenal teenaer was no real consolation for s•a––ed an e–phatic ęnish was no sžrprise when the¢
on to a postǯ ž”a¢o Sa”a also saw the them or the e¡pectant fans past onnarž––aǯ restored parit¢, then loo”in
And after a tense period iant tal¢ oal”eeper save pac”ed into em‹le¢ǯ n•and were žp and the more li”el¢ winners as
of e¡tra time failed to ęnd a his spot-”ic”ǯ nland's ¢ears of hžrt o ržnnin and žred on ‹¢ Sožthate's side, so fžll of
winner, it was on to penalties
a vastǰ fren£ied crowd the¢ ržnnin earl¢ on, started to
and ‹iĴer disappointment for ažire were on taret řŖ minžtes of this ęnal that had this talented, streetwise la‹ožr, particžlarl¢ after losin
nland manaer areth for nland while ic”ford the moment the cožntr¢ has talian side on the ‹ac” foot the ožtstandin eclan ice
žl¢ ŗşŜŜ when ž”e Shaw
ave them the perfect start
after two minžtesǯ
tal¢, žn‹eaten in řř matches
Sožthate and his pla¢ers, ”ept hopes alive with saves waited more than ŘŖ,ŖŖŖ da¢s žntil the¢ sžddenl¢ ained a to a ”noc”ǯ
who had one into this ęnal from Andrea eloĴi and for had ęnall¢ arrivedǯ
on a wave of e¡pectation and
hih emotionǯ
‹efore this ęnal, slowl¢ eded
their wa¢ ‹ac” into the ame
Italy defeated England in penalty shootout to win Euro 2020..last night
Dare Hails DȇTigersǰ Conędent of
Team Nigeria’s Podium Finish
Youth and Sports Development
Minister, Chief Sunday Dare, has
hailed Nigeria’s Senior men's
basketball team, D'Tigers for
pulling off one of the biggest
upsets in the history of the sport
when they defeated three-time
reigning Olympic champion
and the number one-ranked
team in the world, Team USA
in a pre-Tokyo Olympics opener.
“Every single player showed
up for the game and collectively
the team put up a ruthless ex-
ecution of basketball skills. The
team matched the highly rated
American team skill for skill, shot
for shot and in every department
the Nigerian team was on top of
its game. Thank you, D Tigers
for again announcing Nigeria's
arrival on the basketball world
with a bang”.
“Nigeria and Nigerians are
proud of you. As the Olympics
games proper beckons in a few
days we are confident in your
skills and certain that you are up
to the task. Just as we are sure
of the female team D' Tigress”.
“Having this morale boosting
performance on the eve of the
delayed Tokyo 2020 Olympics
is a positive signal that Team
Nigeria will achieve podium
finishes at the Games,' said the
Minister who is confident Nigeria
will surpass the feat achieved in
1996 at the XXVI edition of the
e's a‹le to pla¢
Games in Atlanta.
''I am delighted with the
progress our athletes are making
in their respective sports and I
strongly believe we will have
nland missed three of
their ęve penalties, arcžs
many of our athletes in strong
medal positions at this Olympics
and future international global
events,' the Minister further said
and praised the Nigeria Basketball
Federation for the progress both
the D'Tigers and D'Tigress have
made.
''I said it about a week ago
that basketball has been on the
ascendancy in Nigeria in terms
of the performance of the athletes
and the organisational ability of
the NBBF. Now we are seeing
a confirmation of what I said.
The Federal Ministry of Youth
and Sports Development will
continue to provide the enabling
environment for sports to grow
in Nigeria.'
The Sports Minister believes
sports will grow in geometrical
propositions by the time the
Djokovic Equals 20th Men’s Grand
Slam Title with Wimbledon Win
ova” “o”ovic, řŚ, clai–ed
a recordȬešžallin ŘŖth –en's
title ‹¢ ‹eatin tal¢'s aĴeo
erreĴiniin Sžnda¢'s i–‹le-
don ęnal, –atchin the record
held ‹¢ oer ederer and
afael adalǯ
nl¢ araret ožrt, Serena
illia–s and SteĜ raf have
–ore, ‹žt cnroe e¡pects
“o”ovic to sžrpass the– tooǯ
Ȉ“o”ovic is pla¢in ‹eĴer
than he has ever pla¢ed,Ȉ he
told  Sportǯ
Ȉ thin” he will pro‹a‹l¢
orinho while omenico
erardi, onžcci and ederico
ernardeschi scored for tal¢ǯ
he tearfžl ŗş-¢ear-old Sa”a,
Sports Industry Policy becomes
operational and a number of key
critical stakeholders key into it.
“Last week I was in Bayelsa
to watch our Olympic-bound
wrestlers in their preparations
for the games. I was delighted
not only with the commitment
of the wrestlers but also that of
the government of Bayelsa state
who is turning the state into the
wrestling capital of Nigeria.
''I saw the wrestling gym
under construction and this
falls in line with one of the
critical components of the Sports
Industry Policy which is the
provision and development of
infrastructures for sports,” said
Dare.
The number one sports man
in Nigeria is also happy with
the progress athletes in track
win at least fožr or ęve
–ore, o‹viožsl¢ dependin
on sta¢in health¢ǯȈ
fter triž–phin in the
žstralian penand rench
pentoo, Ser‹ia's “o”ovic has
now won all three rand Sla–
titles this ¢earǯ
ith the l¢–pics and S
pen co–in žp, he cožld
e–žlate raf's ŗşŞŞ ' olden
Sla–', thožh sa¢s he is ȈśŖȦśŖȈ
a‹ožt pla¢in in o”¢oǯ
Ȉ“o”ovic has pžt hi–self so
far ožt in front of ever¢one in
Sožthate's side came ęrin
ožt of the ‹loc”s and the man-
aer's one chane of replacin
Sa”a with Kieran rippier
and field are making.
''Our adopt an athlete initiative
has greatly helped in bridging the
funding gap for the athletes and
their preparations and the results
we are seeing are testimonies
of that.
''For the first time two home
based track and field athletes on
our adoption list achieved feats
not witnessed on Nigerian soil
in over two decades.
''Enoch Adegoke ran 10.00
seconds to win the 100m title
at the Olympic trials in Lagos.
That is the fastest time ever
achieved by a home based
athlete on Nigerian soil.
''Grace Nwokocha also ran
11.09 seconds in the women's
100m. It is also the fastest time
ran by a home based athlete here
in Nigeria in over 20 years.'
ter–s of his a‹ilit¢ to e–‹race
what he is doin - in ter–s of
creatin histor¢ - and ‹ein
a‹le to e¡ecžte žnder a lot
of stress,Ȉ said cnroe, who
won seven rand Sla– sinles
titlesǯ
Ȉož're tr¢in to ‹rea” the
all-time records - there is a lot
of pressžreǯ
his ‹est tennis at this pointǯ
Ȉož e¡pect that to o on
for another cožple of ¢ears,
žnless someone steps žp and
realises how reat the¢ areǯȈ
Messi Admits His Emotional
Happiness after Copa Win
Lionel Messi spoke of his relief
after finally ending his trophy
drought with Argentina by
winning the Copa America 1-0
against Brazil in Rio de Janeiro
early hours of Sunday.
Messi, 34, had previously
tasted defeat in three Copa
finals and one World Cup
final with Argentina, with his
critics, at home and abroad, often
questioning his ability to lead his
country to silverware.
However, at the fifth time of
asking, Messi finally won a major
final with Argentina as Angel Di
Maria's 22nd-minute goal at the
Maracana ended the Albiceleste's
28-year wait for a trophy.
"I was close many times," a
visibly emotional Messi told
reporters after the match. "I knew
it would happen eventually. I am
grateful to God for giving me
this moment, in Brazil against
Brazil. I think He was saving
this moment for me.
"I still don't think we are
aware of what we have done,
beyond becoming champions.
Now we're really happy, celebrat-
ing, but this is a game for the
history books, beating Brazil in
a final in Brazil.
"It's crazy. I can't explain
how happy I feel. I've been
sad many times [with Argentina
after tournaments] but I knew
it would happen and there's
no better moment. This team
deserved it."
Messi was named the
Player of the Tournament at
the Copa America and shared
the competition's Golden Boot
with Colombia's Luis Diaz. Both
players scored four goals. Messi
also laid on five assists.
At full-time, the Argentina
players raced toward Messi
and threw him in the air in
recognition of his role in their
run to the final.
Lionel Messi ended his trophy draught as Argentina beat Brazil to lift
2021 Copa America early hours of Sunday
Messi, who is a free agent after
his Barcelona contract expired on
June 30, also shared an intimate
moment at full-time with Brazil's
Neymar and Argentina coach
Lionel Scaloni, who he later paid
tribute to.
"It's to the merit of [Scaloni]
because of everything he's done
and what he's built," the forward
said. "The process with him
started three years ago and it's
been constant growth. He knew
how to build a spectacular group,
a winning group. He deserves the
recognition. It's been a long time
since Argentina were champions
of South America, and we've won
it again under him."
Messi has won everything in
the club game with Barcelona and
has been named the best player
in the world on six occasions.
Success with Argentina, though,
had always eluded him.
He won the Under-20 World
Cup and an Olympic gold medal
with the U23s but tasted defeat
in the 2007, 2015 and 2016 Copa
America finals and was on the
losing side against Germany
in the 2014 World Cup final
in Brazil.
Messi, who broke Javier
Mascherano's appearance record
for Argentina during the tourna-
ment, with 151 caps, now wants
Argentina to take their form into
next year's World Cup in Qatar,
when he will be 35.
"When you win, you have to
take advantage of that momen-
tum," he said. "It's easier when
results accompany you. We must
take advantage of this [win] and
this selection of players.
"I told them they're the national
team of the future, and I was
not wrong. They proved it by
winning this Copa. We've been
working together for a while now.
It's a great group of guys. I am
happy to be part of this group."
MONDAY JULY 12, 2021 • T H I S D AY 55

SHAKAMOMODU
THIS REPUBLIC
Basket of Deplorables
T
he political stakes as the 2023 general
election draws near are almost
unimaginable - all the more so because
of the overlapping and complementary
vulnerabilities of the two leading political
parties - accentuated by the public perception
of them as essentially Siamese twins. But one
is gaining ground, the other is losing.
The umbrella of Prince Uche Secondus,
chairman of the main opposition party, the
Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is leaking
and badly. Buffeted mercilessly on all sides by
disloyal and defecting members whose politics
lack principle, endurance, moral direction, and
sacrifice, the holes in the umbrella are getting
bigger and bigger. The beneficiary of PDP’s
many troubles is the ruling All Progressives
Congress (APC), which ordinarily should be
in its death throes by now on account of its
unimaginable mismanagement of our diversity,
colossal failure of governance, unprecedented
insecurity across the country, corruption on a
scale never before seen in our lifetime. A party
with an imprudent disdain for criticism, whose
governance model is based on incompetence,
economic mismanagement and nepotism, the
elevation of one religion/ethnicity over others,
clannishness and crony capitalism, as well as lies
and propaganda. It is unfortunate that such a
party is being made to feel that failure is a
virtue to be emulated and rewarded.
Many well-meaning Nigerians would
naturally be pleased to see the back of the
APC for its many sins against the Nigerian
people but is now being given some oxygen to
live a day longer than necessary and pummel
us further. It even boasts about its exploits with
haunting arrogance. I have asked the question
repeatedly, what’s the reason for the sudden
desire to defect to such a party? I can’t find
any rational explanation for the mad rush other
than to conclude that it is pure bread-and-butter
politics that is at play - aided by the APC itself
whose take-no-prisoners approach to ‘winning’
any seat is legendary. And I dare say that, that
is what is pulling in the crowds.
It is sad that state governors, senators, members
of the House of Representatives, party chieftains are
jumping ship and ditching the umbrella because
they know that our votes don’t count. Nigeria
is on the ropes because a motley assortment of
shady characters has taken up leadership positions
at all levels and is now a moral hazard to the
health of the body politic. Nigerian politics is
heavily driven by what is in it for one, not what
is in it for the country.
Reasons for the mass defections are as hazy and
confounding as they come. Their explanations
make no sense. They ranged from the palpably
selfish, disguised as altruistic, to the pitifully
ridiculous. Interestingly, none of the governors
or lawmakers that defected pointed to any crisis
in the PDP as a reason for jumping ship.
Now, let’s interrogate their reasons for leaving
the PDP: On November 17, 2020, Governor Dave
Umahi of Ebonyi State dumped the PDP for
the APC. According to him, he moved to the
APC because of “injustice” meted out to the
southeast by the party. This was how he put it:
“It is absurd that since 1999, going to 2023, the
southeast will never be considered to run for
the presidency under the PDP. And this is my
position and will continue to be my position,”
If Umahi left the PDP in protest against the
“injustice” done to his people, the question to
ask him is, was the southeast being treated
justly under the APC-led federal government
before he crossed over to the party? Has the
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Monday July 12, 2021
MISSILE
Afenifere to FG
“After reviewing recent developments in the country, Afenifere
executive council said that the signs are ominous, requiring
steps to prevent the country from apocalypse”
– Pan Yoruba socio-political organisation, Afenifere, warning
against looming disaster if Nigeria is not returned to true federalism.
shaka.momodu@thisdaylive.com
Secondus
situation improved since President Muhammadu
Buhari shook his hand in the Presidential Villa
to welcome him to their fold? Immediately he
came to power, Buhari made it clear that he
would govern on the basis of 97 percent and
5 percent and proceeded to implement every
policy decision and all appointments on that
basis. The southeast has got 5 percent or less of
all federal appointments and projects location.
Just recently, to underscore his contempt for
the southeast, he described the region as dot in
a circle. Yet, Umahi left the party that he had
been a member for 25 years just to associate
with Buhari who clearly is not enomoured of
him or his ethnicity. At every opportunity, he
praises Buhari to the skies and even calls him
his friend and father. But a man he calls father
doesn’t see him as a son but just a dot in a
circle! What further evidence does anyone want
to get the message?
Governor Ben Ayade of Cross River State,
another deplorable, had this to say: “Having seen
and known President Buhari and his commitment
to this country, his nationalistic disposition and
all the efforts he has made to bring Nigeria to
where we are today, it is obvious that, at this
point, we need to join hands with him to build
a Nigeria that we can be proud of.”
Cananything be more ridiculous and insensitive
to our feelings? Why would Ayade rub salt into
the wound? Why did he decide to traumatise us
with claims he himself knows are false? Watching
him make that statement was gut wrenching
and pathetic. To think he is a professor, who
once taught in a university, was even more
disturbing. What commitment to Nigeria was
he really talking about? To bring Nigeria to
where we are today? Nigerians should ask this
verbose professor whether where Buhari has
brought this country to is enviable. With the
level of mismanagement of our diversity and
the national economy, the insecurity pervading
the entire length and breadth of the country,
the governor was trying to teach us a lesson
in revisionism. The world can see how well
Buhari is building our national economy. In
the 2020 budget implementation released by the
finance ministry and BudgIT, debt servicing alone
gulped 97% (N3.34 trillion) of government’s
total revenue (N3.42 trillion). Total expenditure
stood at N10.01 trillion. Which means nearly
all federal government’s salaries, overhead and
CAPEX were financed with loans and Central
N
UTH
& R E ASO Price: N250
0811 266 1654
Bank’s support. What does this say about the
government?
If Ayade was emboldened by his success
in teaching his students such nonsense in the
university, then he should have realised by
now that he is dealing with a more informed
and resilient public who will not clap for him
while spewing out nonsense grammar to cover
his emptiness. Is it any wonder students are
turning out the way they are these days? With
dishonest claims from men like Ayade, we can
only pray that our nightmare ends in a miracle.
I often ask myself what cause do I believe in
strongly enough that I am willing to lose for it.
And I believe some Nigerians have laid down
a marker as boundaries they will not cross no
matter what. A man should be able to stand for
something in life.
Now let’s look at the case of the Zamfara
State Governor, Bello Matawalle, the latest on
the list of the deplorables. He had this to say: “I
decided to change (political party) so that I can
bring peace to my state. Now that we all belong
to the ruling party, I now have the full backing
of the federal government to fight insecurity.” Is
this man really serious at all? Is there anything
more absurd than this claim?
Reading that statement, two things immediately
jumped out at me. Either the federal government
is not taking the insecurity in Zamfafa State, nay,
the entire country seriously, or it is using it as a
tool of coercion of opposition-controlled states
and their lawmakers to jump ship and join its
fold. Whichever it is, it does not tell well of
both Matawalle and the APC-controlled federal
government which up till now has not rebuffed
the impression created by Matawalle. Nevertheless,
it is important we interrogate the claim and see
whether Matawalle’s reason holds water.
Among the nine states worst hit by insecurity
in the country, namely, Kaduna, Katsina, Zamfara,
Borno, Adamawa Yobe, Benue, Niger and Plateau
States, only Zamfara, Adamawa and Benue were
opposition-controlled states. Kaduna State, which
is fast becoming the capital of kidnappings, is
under the control of the APC. What has the
federal government done to stop terrorists from
invading schools, hospitals and private residences
to kidnap scores of students, patients in hospitals,
including babies as young as four months’ old,
and individuals? Several schools have been closed
down indefinitely because of the insecurity in
the state.
Banditry, kidnapping of schoolchildren and
killings are rife in Buhari’s home state of Katsina.
So desperate is the situation that the state chapter
of the PDP had to resort to stone-age tactics
of buying catapults for members to fight the
bandits. The situation in the APC-controlled
Niger State is just as bad. The state governor,
Abubakar Bello in April cried out that the state
was not getting federal help to curtail the terrorists
who are targeting schools for kidnappings. Just
a few weeks ago, he again raised the alarm that
Boko Haram terrorists had infiltrated the state
and had not only hoisted their flags in captured
villages, including Kaure village in the Shiroro Local
Government of the state, they had also forcefully
allocated displaced women to themselves as wives.
The governor contended that the Sambisa Forest
is several kilometres from Abuja, but Kaure is just
two kilometres from the Federal Capital Territary,
FCT, insisting that nobody is safe anymore, not
even residents of Abuja.
So what was Matawalle talking about that joining
the APC would bring more federal muscle to fight
insecurity in his troubled Zamfara State? Let’s not
even talk of Borno State, the epicentre of terrorist
groups. Clearly, the governor’s defection was
not about getting more federal help to bring the
security situation under control as he claimed. The
fact is that he has always wanted to join Buhari’s
APC since the Supreme Court disqualified all
the APC candidates who had won the election
and handed PDP candidates victory in the state.
From the outset, his admiration for the president
was clear for the discerning. He largely shares
Buhari’s ethno/religious views and has defended
him on several occasions, even more than the
APC governors before finally showing his true
colours.
This same governor, instead of dealing with
bandits frontally and decisively has been appeasing
them and paying them not to kidnap. Matawalle
gives out Toyota Hilux vehicles, motorcycles,
money, etc, to bandits as incentives to stop
their nefarious and heinous criminal activities.
What has been the result? A spectacular, criminal
enterprise has been berthed in his state through
his incompetence and collusion. His appeasement
has only served to embolden the terrorists to
continue to ply their trade of killing, maiming and
kidnapping people. Some of the Hilux vehicles
and motorcycles he gave the bandits are actually
used to ferry more kidnapped victims into the
forest until ransom is paid. His poor leadership
style and policy of appeasement are fuelling the
security challenges facing the state.
While Matawalle has been soft on those
committing mass murder and kidnappings in
his state, he is ready to go to war with southerners
over killings in Sasha in Ibadan and Imo. He boasts
of the destructive capacity of the north to unleash
violence on southerners and their businesses in the
north. For those who might have missed it, here
are excerpts from what Matawalle said in April:
“Despite what northerners are experiencing today
in many parts of the southwest and southeast
in particular, all we hear is the conspiracy of
silence from northern leaders and elites who
are supposed to stand firm, in the manner in
which other leaders of the south are doing even
when they know that their people are at fault.
This must not continue.
“As northern leaders, our dignified silence in the
face of constant provocation and assault, because
of our desire for peace, must not be taken as a
sign of weakness. Indeed no community or region
has the monopoly of violence. If northerners and
their means of livelihood will not be protected,
accommodated and be dignified anywhere they
choose to stay in any part of the south, southerners
should not expect protection from the north as
the north has more than what it takes to respond
to any kind of aggression and hatred.
“We have seen the destruction, the killings
and the devastation recently at Sasha market
against northerners and their economic interests.
Properties worth billions of Naira were lost in
addition to human lives, yet some leaders in
the southwest are downplaying the atrocities
committed or, worse still, justifying it. Some
of them have shamefully gone to the extent of
apportioning blame on the victims and casualties
of their aggression. We will not take that any
longer, as no human life is worthier than another.
No business interest is better than another. In
fact, in a crisis situation, the south has more
to lose in terms of its business interests in the
north and the strategic nature they established
themselves in the north than northerners living
in the south.
NOTE: This piece is concluded in the online
edition on www.thisdaylive.com