The Nation Newspaper

Author: The Nation

  • Dealing with the methamphetamine crisis

    Dealing with the methamphetamine crisis

    Sir: Methamphetamine addiction is a rapidly growing problem in Nigeria. Meth, also known as crystal meth or ice, is a highly addictive stimulant drug that can cause serious physical and mental health problems. The drug has devastating effects on individuals, families, and communities alike. In Nigeria, the methamphetamine crisis has reached alarming proportions and is a cause for great concern. The government must take immediate action to address this crisis before it spirals out of control.

    This is a call to action for the Nigerian government and its people to come together and address this problem before it’s too late.

    . According to recent reports from the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), methamphetamine use has increased by over 400% in the last five years. This is a shocking statistic that highlights the scale of the problem. Methamphetamine use can cause a range of health problems, including cardiovascular and neurological damage. The drug can lead to severe mental health problems, including psychosis and paranoia. In addition to the health risks, the methamphetamine crisis is also having a significant impact on the economy. The drug trade is fuelling organized crime and corruption, which is destabilizing communities across the country.

    It is essential that the government takes action to address this crisis. A state of emergency needs to be declared and resources allocated to tackle the problem. This includes investing in treatment and rehabilitation programmes, as well as increasing law enforcement efforts to disrupt the drug trade. It is only by working together that we can hope to overcome this crisis and protect the health and well-being of our communities.

    Methamphetamine addiction is often caused by a combination of factors, including genetic predisposition, environmental factors, and social factors. Addiction can be triggered by stress, depression, and other mental health conditions. In addition, methamphetamine addiction can lead to criminal behaviour, violence, and other social problems.

    The consequences of methamphetamine addiction are severe, and urgent action is needed to address the crisis.

    One possible solution is to declare a state of emergency, which would enable the government to allocate more resources towards tackling the issue. The state of emergency could involve the implementation of a range of measures such as increased funding for rehabilitation programmes, more drug enforcement agencies, and tougher penalties for drug-related offenses. With a state of emergency in place, the government would be able to act quickly and decisively to address the crisis. It is important to note that a state of emergency is not a permanent solution, but it can provide the necessary impetus to address the issue and set in motion a long-term strategy for combating the drug problem. As a society, we must come together to confront this crisis and take decisive action to protect our communities and future generations.

    We cannot afford to sit idly by and watch as our country is destroyed by this devastating drug. As concerned citizens, we can do our part by spreading awareness of the dangers of methamphetamine to our friends and family. We can also support organizations that are working to combat drug addiction and provide treatment to those who are struggling with addiction. However, it is ultimately up to the government to take decisive action to address this crisis. We cannot afford to delay any longer. Every day that we wait to take action, more lives are being destroyed by this deadly drug.

    I urge the Nigerian government and all citizens to come together and take the necessary steps to address this crisis and protect our communities.

    •Ikwuh John Ahmedu,

    Benue State.

  • On independent candidacy

    On independent candidacy

    Sir: The Senate has approved Constitution Alteration Bill No. 58 which makes provision for independent candidacy at all levels of elections in Nigeria. The proposed alteration bill provides that for any Nigerian national to contest the presidential election as an independent candidate, he/she must obtain verified signatures of at least 20 percent of registered voters from each state of the federation, provided that a registered voter shall not sign for more than one independent candidate in respect of the same office.

    For governorship poll, the independent candidate must obtain verified signatures of at least 20 percent of registered voters from each of the local government areas of the state; while anyone willing to contest National Assembly, (NASS) elections as an independent must obtain verified signatures of at least 20 percent of registered voters from each of the council areas in the respective senatorial district or federal constituency.

    The bill further empowers the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to prescribe payment of administrative fees by independent candidates for respective election, and mandates the body to waive 50 percent of the administrative fees for female candidates.

    One upside of this bill which has been transmitted to President Muhammadu Buhari for assent, is that it will liberalise the political space and allow for wider participation by all political actors. Popular candidates seeking elective offices can avoid falling victims to the vagaries of party politics, by going solo. However, there are numerous downsides to this bill which is largely a result of the peculiarities of Nigerian politics.

    One, the cost of conducting elections would be prohibitive. We had 18 registered political parties that contested for elective positions in the just concluded polls which cost tax-payers a whopping N355 billion. With independent candidacy, ballot papers would be more expansive, more ballot boxes would be needed and more instruments for agent accreditation would be required, among other election-related essentials that must be scaled up. All of these would spike the cost of conducting elections.

    Similarly, the cost of litigation borne by INEC and funded by the treasury will multiply.

    Two, independent candidacy will lead to instability in political parties as those who fail to secure the tickets to fly the flags of their respective political parties at the polls, would become desperate and opt to go alone instead of accepting the verdict of party delegates in the primaries. The unwieldiness of the party system where we have a few actual contenders and numerous pretenders seeking elective positions, would now be transferred to independent candidacy.

    Imagine a situation where we have 1000 candidates vying for the office of president. How will the names of 1000 independent and political parties’ candidates be put on a single ballot paper?

    Three, it will deepen godfatherism as many independent candidates would have to pay registered voters so as to get the required signature endorsement needed to run. What this portends is that politicians with weak financial muscles would be unable to run as independent candidates unless they get the sponsorship of a godfather.

    It is debatable that individual candidacy will make much difference in our electoral climate. A phased and guided implementation should be considered. For example, we can start with independent candidacy for elections into federal and state legislature only. Its success or failure would determine if it should be extended to all elective positions in Nigeria.

    •Peter Ovie Akus,

    New Jersey, USA.

  • BRT-train crash and driver training

    BRT-train crash and driver training

    Sir: As the BRT Bus collision with a train which led to the irreplaceable loss of lives is still fresh in the minds of Nigerians, there is a need for us to ponder on some salient issues to prevent such disastrous incidents in the future.

    As a reminder, it was reported that the driver of a BRT bus refused to give way to a moving train at a level crossing around Oshodi area of Lagos State. Though the driver has been charged to court, many lives and destinies have been wasted. There are however some questions to answer.

    Has the driver been regularly trained by his employer, Lagos State government?  It was obvious that the driver did not display a good hazard perception skill. Drivers are expected to gather information with their eyes, ears and nose, interpret the information with their brain and take safe actions promptly to prevent hazards on the road.

    The incident reports by bystanders and some survivors said that the BRT driver ignored the signal from the NRC traffic officer. He did not also display respect for the right of way at the level crossing. Ordinarily, the train has the right of way at a level crossing. 

    If the driver has not been regularly exposed to regular training  on the above, then the driver might be adjudged as guilty of manslaughter for failing in Duty of Care while his employer should also have a rebuke or fine for not training the driver as provided for in the National  Road Traffic Regulations (NRTR 2012 and 2016 Amendments).

    Research reports reveal that some drivers of government vehicles usually manifest arrogance, pride and gross disregard of Road Traffic Regulations because they erroneously believe that government vehicles and their drivers are above the laws and that other road users are subordinates on the government roads. This attitude can also be seen in the drivers of convoy vehicles whether their principals are in the vehicles or not.

    Some ignore traffic lights, signals and other regulations when they’re in haste. This why journey planning should be embraced and practised by the drivers and their employers or principals.

    The ongoing trial of the driver should enable us learn from his pitfalls and take steps to right all the wrongs he committed most especially in the areas of driver education, regular retraining, compliance to traffic signs and signals, mood management and self-motivation, journey planning,  hazard perception and accident avoidance techniques. 

    To ensure sanity and safety on the roads, the right things must be done always by all the road users and governments at all levels.

    • Jide Owatunmise,

    roadsafetytrainers@yahoo.com 

  • A tale of two thirsts

    A tale of two thirsts

    • MAN thirsts for cash.  FG thirsts for tax.  That explains the row behind the 2023 fiscal policy measures

    The Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) just railed against the 2023 Fiscal Policy Measures (FPM), with its “excessive” hikes in excise on beverages and tobacco; and a new tax on single use plastics (SUP).

    Still, what ails MAN to balk at these hikes is exactly what ails the Federal Government to hanker after them: MAN wants more of its cash to survive a harsh business environment.  The government wants more revenue for socio-economic investments, to birth a better milieu.

    However, whatever the government’s motives, it shouldn’t resort to policy panic that could torpedo industries’ medium-term plans.  

    That, ab initio, is the idea behind multi-year excise road maps, the first of which, according to MAN, ran from 2018 to 2021 without a hitch. That very idea this 2023 FPM appears to have ripped. 

    Besides, a policy yo-yo on excise badly hurts the strategic direction of the outgoing Muhammadu Buhari Presidency.  Its good investment record in infrastructure shows an iron determination to re-awaken the local real sector, from the import-push SAP economy, embedded since 1986.  But hiking excise — especially in a harsh business environment — will definitely hurt that strategic goal.

    Still, it is intriguing how both sides employed careful optics to wage their wars. 

    It is no accident that the Federal Government went after tobacco — the clear “bad boy” of manufacturing — and the beverage sub-sector: beer, carbonated drinks, alcohol, etc.  

    On health grounds, tobacco and the high sugar involved in beer and “soft” drinks manufacturing always get the flak of public health advocates (against diabetes, etc); and anti-alcohol moralists.  The tobacco sub-sector has for long been forced to run with a virtual disclaimer of its own products.  As for plastic, its environmental notoriety, particularly in this era of severe climate change, is getting well established.

    So, the government must have thought those three sub-sectors were quite soft spots to raid for sorely needed cash, since they are unlikely to attract much public sympathy.

    But MAN has hit back with high-octane jeremiad, showing the stark danger of such “excessive” excise.   Though it stacked its cards a little, it fully captured the harsh environment in which manufacturing operates.

    Francis Meshioye, MAN president, said that in Q1 2023, the brewing sub-sector lugged a -169 % decline in profit before tax, due mainly to sustained scarcity of the Naira (no thanks to the Central Bank of Nigeria’s mismanaged currency redesign policy), scarce and limited access to forex and a record inflation.  Yet, this same brewery sub-sector is expected to cough up new excise in a virtual ambush!

    In another catalogue of woe, Mesioye said MAN had a 36 % dip in profit margins from 2021 to 2022 and yet had to contend with more than 400 % hike in energy costs — no thanks again to vanishing electricity power and the humongous cost of diesel: the alternative that mostly powers factory power generators.

    Tobacco, the other sub-sector caught in the new excise web, is also reducing export production because it reportedly has N39 billion, from the Export Expansion Grant (EEG) incentive, which the Federal Government is yet to release to it.

    “This is coming against the backdrop of the huge tax burden on the tobacco and beverage sectors,” Mesioye lamented, “with the tobacco industry being taxed five times more than the average for other industries.”

    Indeed, the tobacco tax culture is hardly new, since there is a deliberate fiscal policy to discourage — if not outright deter — its consumption, for high public health goals.  That is not peculiar to Nigeria.  It’s pretty much standard fare the world over.

    Still, no one can ignore the general parlous manufacturing outlook.  Yet, it holds the key in re-creating mass jobs, towards a re-birth of the real sector, which can employ millions of Nigerian youths.  

    So, the spectre of spiralling overheads and dried-up operating expenses, which could then lead to job losses and factory closures, must be avoided.  That could be quite a stumble for a sector trying to rev into life again.

    But beyond the government plotting new taxes and MAN balking at its virtual impossibility, it is a question of fairness and planning.

    The government has a right to taxation to deliver its mandate, just as manufacturing has a right to fair cash to do its business and deliver value to its customers and shareholders.

    With neither side sleeping on its right, the government has clearly erred by virtually springing the 2023 FPM on MAN and its members.  Taxation must be applied in such a way that it does not kill off the firms supposed to pay those taxes.  That is the gloomy picture MAN paints — and that picture appears credible, even if MAN stacked its cards.

    That is why there is some merit in MAN’s call for the suspension of the 2023 FPM, to make for more dialogue on when it can be better re-introduced.

  • Taming inflation

    Taming inflation

    • In-coming government must change direction for effective result

    With inflation rate rising for a fourth straight month in April, there can be no prize for guessing the direction of interest rates as the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) meets Tuesday, this week: another MPC rate hike – the seventh straight one – seems imminent.

    Here’s how the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) in its report released on Monday captured the situation: “…the headline inflation rate rose to 22.22 percent relative to March 2023 headline inflation rate which was 22.04 percent”… an increase of 0.18 percent points.

    For food inflation, it was 24.5 percent in March; April was 24.6%. Summary: headline inflation rate, on a year-on-year basis, is 5.40 percent points higher (April 2022 rate was 16.82 percent).

    However, whereas the trend is one of sustained price increases across the board with key contributors said to be the prices of oil and fats, gas and air transport, that the latest rate is actually the highest level since September 2005 must be deemed as not only concerning, but call to question, government’s understanding of the roots of the menace and, by extension, the appropriateness of the tools being deployed to fight it.

    No doubt, the rest of the world could look in the direction of the on-going war between Russia and Ukraine and their spiral effects on the global economic scene as a major factor in the current crisis. Yet, much as no country in the world is spared of the biting effects of the war, particularly coming closely in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, in Nigeria’s case, the problems are of a different kind. Most of the problems, we daresay, are not only structural, they predated the latest cycle of global economic crisis. In fact, they mirror the endemic failure of governance on the one hand, and the fixations with policies, most of which have little relevance with current challenges or realities on the other.

    The consequence has been faulty diagnoses, hence solutions that are best ineffectual.

    Clearly, it requires no rocket science to appreciate why the current situation persists. Even with the modest efforts of the current administration, the infrastructural situation remains parlous. The port system remains shambolic several years after the much touted reforms. The road and the railways infrastructure are no different; they are still light years away from what a modern economy requires to run. Electricity supply has remained as it was a decade ago – unreliable. For a leading oil producer, we export our crude and use a part of the proceeds to import refined fuel. Unable to crack the riddle of domestic refining, the country is caught in the web of importation hence the premium it has to pay to deliver fuel to the pumps.

    While all of the above together have made Nigeria’s economy a high-cost one, they are at the heart of the inflation problem and so now particularly deserving of the utmost attention of the incoming government.

    The same of course applies to the food situation. Despite the best efforts of the Central Bank of Nigeria to boost output through improved financing, the supply situation has been severely hampered by the spectre of insecurity across the country. Even the closure of the borders, which the government announced would help boost domestic food production while stemming the tide of smuggling, has merely exacerbated the supply gap, thus compounding the inflationary spiral.

    The supreme irony is that the CBN, whose unbridled monetary interventions and irresponsible accommodation of the Federal Government’s reckless spending actually contributed to the crisis, continues to be fixated with a policy that sees monetary tightening as something of a magic.

    Of course, the country needs a new approach to tame the inflation monster. Boosting food output to significantly bring down food inflation must be seen as top priority. A good way to begin is to tackle the intractable security challenge facing the country headlong. Related to this is more investment in mechanised agriculture.

    In fact, we would urge the in-coming government to pay greater attention to those already identified critical infrastructure without which the nation’s quest for enhanced productivity and self-reliance would remain a pipe dream. Monetary policy tools are certainly important; but then, only to the extent that they serve as complement to other governance tools. What we saw in recent past of an unelected CBN virtually running ring around an elected government should be regarded as an aberration. It is something the in-coming administration should avoid. 

  • Our administration’II give sense of belonging to Nigerians, says Shettima

    Our administration’II give sense of belonging to Nigerians, says Shettima

    The Vice President-elect, Kashim Shettima, has said the incoming administration of the President-elect, Bola Ahmed Tinubu would carry everyone along and give a sense of belonging to all Nigerians.

    Shettima said this in Abuja this in Abuja during a book launch, award presentation and dinner night organised for the President-elect, Vice President-elect and Governors-elect by Arewa Women for Tinubu/Shettima and 100% Focus on Jagaban.

    The Vice President-elect, who was represented by Mohammed Bulama stated that the incoming administration will would run an inclusive government.

    Earlier, Chairman of 100% Focus on Jagaban, Dr Ibrahim Mohammed, appealed to the incoming administration to give priority to education and infrastructure such as roads, railways, among others.

    He said the population of the country should also be taken in to consideration and stressed the need for a comprehensive database for all Nigerians.

    “There suppose to be integration between all different departments, they need to do e-government system where by when you go to police, immigration you can get the data of Nigerians, so that will enable us to figure out who are the bad and good people.

    “We need to know ourselves, how we are, who we are, where we live and who are the bad and right people among us.

    “Nigerians are being painted with bad image, things that we do not do but we cannot account for it because we do not know who is not doing the right thing and who is doing the right thing. So we need a data of all.

    “The administration should be fast about solving situations and if there is a problem, that will give the people confidence about government and the people that are representing them should know how to talk to people publicly. That is our expectations in next incoming government. Nigeria we must remain as one despite our differences,” he stated.

    The Minister of Women Affairs, Mrs Pauline Tallen said, under Tinubu’s administration, women will take the lead.

    While noting that women have set the pace already by organising an elaborate victory celebration for Tinubu, she called on Nigerians to unite and pray the success of his administration.

    In her welcome address, the National President, Arewa Women for Tinubu/Shettima, Hajia Sa’adatu Gogo Bauchi said the group will continue to offer prayers for the administration of Tinubu to lead the country to greater heights.

    “It is great pressure to celebrate our victory, the emergency of Sen Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the president elect and his Vice Kashim Shettima and we thank the almighty Allah for this opportunity.

    “We have come through tough time but we thank God we have come out victorious, we will continue to pray to Almighty Allah to grant the president elect and the Vice President elect the opportunity to lead this country to greater heights,” she said.

  • IPAC to build capacity of politicians in China

    IPAC to build capacity of politicians in China

    Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC) has unveiled plans to empower and build capacities of politicians, especially those in charge of running political parties.

    The aim, it said, is  to boost their knowledge on how to improve the economy through governance.

    IPAC National Chairman, Yabagi Sani, spoke while receiving oficials from Chinese Embassy, led by Head of its Political Section, Du Sheng.

    Sani said IPAC has come up with a peer review mechanism to measure performances of governance in internationally accepted standards.

    “We are looking at how we are going to empower parties by way of training and capacity building and put the legislature on their toes to deliver on their mandate to make laws.

    “Most importantly, we want to see how representatives of parties who today are governors, as we know, states are centres of activities as regards delivering dividends of democracy.

     “We are also trying to see how we can make that tier of government people orientated by way of delivering on their mandates to improve the welfare and security of the people.

    “We are going to discuss issues of capacity building for politicians, especially those who in charge of running political parties, in doing that we are discussing with National Institute for Legislative Studies (NILDs), we also have an arrangement with NIPSS and Chinese Embassy which offered us opportunity to travel to China and be trained so that going forward we will improve our politics and economy”, Sani said.

    “We believe the only way we can make governors perform is when we interact with them and get them to buy into these internationally accepted standards of measurement of performance of government”, he noted.

    Sani, however, said the objective of the meeting is for them to have this mechanism put in place and, as they believe “it will fast track achievement of these parameters that when you look at them, it is the aggregate of what government is supposed to achieved.

    “That is why we have the partners here today to deliberate on methodology and the most effective way we can achieve these goals. Other countries have done well in terms of SDGs”.

    Sheng commended IPAC on successful conduct of the general election.

    He said “in our embassy’s view the election was a success to democracy and to Nigeria as a country.

  • Civil society organisation sentises pupils to substance abuse

    Civil society organisation sentises pupils to substance abuse

    To  discourage youths from substance abuse, the 6 Futas Club, a civil society organisation (CSO), 6 Futas Club is taking its advocacy to schools in Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

    In line with World Anti-drug Day on June 26, the club,  a movement of six footer women, who are advocacy partners to National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), visited Funtaj International School, Gudu Abuja, with representatives of NDLEA.

     They addressed 400 pupils on negative impacts of substance abuse on their general wellbeing.

     Club President, Kemi Olowoyo-Otegbade said: “Drug abuse is harmful at any age, but reducing adolescent drug use is crucial for controlling drug use and abuse (Sloboda & David, 1997). People mostly do  illicit drugs in adolescent years (Kandel & Logan, 1984). 

    “Young people who refrain from using psychoactive substances until 21 rarely become users later. Moreover, the earlier in life drug use is initiated, the more likely users are to consume progressively more substances (Newcomb & Bentler, 1989). 

    “Thus, preventing or delaying use of psychoactive drugs among adolescents is a critical public health goal. The goal of the National Youth Anti-Substance Campaign is to prevent drug use before it starts and encourage occasional users to discontinue. 

    “Most commonly, illicit drug of first use is marijuana. Many who start using marijuana early progress to other drugs. Conversely, people who have never tried marijuana and inhalants are unlikely to try other drugs. Thus, preventing use of marijuana appears to be a means for preventing other drug use.”

    NDLEA’s Director of Media and Publicity, Femi Babafemi, spoke on predisposing factors responsible for drug abuse, and why youths should avoid them. He urged youths to avoid drug abuse pitfalls, and be focused.

     The body recognised efforts of three women leaders who have been supporting it in its anti-substance advocacy drive, and gave awards. The awardees are: Mrs. Tosin Dokpesi, Mrs. Like Oluwole, and Mrs Funke Ibrahim.

  • ‘A new Nigeria unfolds with Tinubu’

    ‘A new Nigeria unfolds with Tinubu’

    Executive Director of the Senator E.A. Lamai Foundation, Chief Richard Lamai, has said a new Nigeria will unfold with Asiwaju Bola Ahmed as president.

    Lamai, a Chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), spoke at news conference in Abuja ahead of the first Senator E.A. Lamai memorial lecture.

    Lamai, a First Republic Senator from Fugar, Etsako Central Local Government Area of Edo State, died on May 14, 2009.

    The lecture is scheduled to hold on May 26 at the Yar’Adua Centre, Abuja, and will feature distinguished speakers and thought-provoking discussions on topics related to Senator E.A. Lamai’s dream of a better Nigeria through the instrumentality of good legislation.

    The younger Lamai also said the APC is not a self-serving entity and means well for the country.

    He added: “The elections may not have been perfect, as no election is, but Asiwaju Tinubu got majority votes, and I don’t understand how else you can determine popularity.

    Read Also : Tinubu will overcome legal battles, others, says cleric

    “Given Tinubu’s work experience in international blue chip corporation, a former senator versed in law and policy formulation, combined with his successful eight years cutting edge executive administration in Lagos State, I am very positive that a new Nigeria where we will all prosper is about unfolding. I know he will appoint credible and competent people with capacity and begin work immediately.”

    Lamai said the foundation was to promote the ideals which his late father stood for as he was a humanitarian and nationalist.

  • APC non-serving senators back Akpabio, Jibril

    APC non-serving senators back Akpabio, Jibril

    • ‘We will deliver Abbas as Speaker’

    No fewer than 77 non-serving senators of the All Progressives Congress (APC) have backed the aspirations of Senators Godswill Akpabio and Barau Jibril as Senate president and deputy senate president.

    Under the aegis of APC Non-Serving Senators of the 2nd to 4th Republics, the senators said the choice of Akpabio and Jibril well deserved as it would enhance the principle of fairness, balance, equity and inclusiveness. They urged other aspirants to step down for the anointed candidates.

    A statement by the convener, Senator Basheer Lado, reads: “As partners in this campaign, and more especially past senators, we are proud that our position, vision and objective with respect to the nature, type and structure of the leadership of the 10th Senate have been vindicated.

    “We believe that the continued consolidation of Nigeria’s political maturity can only be sustained through peace, stability, unity and progress of the constituents that make up the entire country. Our support for Akpabio and Jibril is to strike the needed political balance, ethnicity and religious diversity of Nigeria as one indivisible nation.

    “We, therefore respectfully, appeal to other aspirants to step down their ambition in the interest of national unity, peace, national stability of Nigeria and party cohesion.

    “We believe Senators Akpabio and Senator Jibril at the helm of affairs in the 10th assembly will further complement the administration of President-elect Bola Tinubu and Vice President-elect Kashim Shettima in delivering good governance and democratic dividends to Nigerians.”

    Also, Secretary of the Joint Task, 10th Assembly, a group of Members-elect of the 10th House of Representatives, Ali Madaki, has said the group will work as to deliver Tajudeen Abbas as Speaker of the House of Representatives.

    The Joint Task comprises members from APC, PDP, LP, NNPP, APGA, SDP, ADC and YPP that won seats at the National Assembly.

    Madaki, who spoke on a television programme, also said that the National Leader and Presidential candidate of the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP), Rabiu Kwankwaso, supports the NNPP’s membership of the Joint Task to deliver a Nigeria everyone will be proud of.

    He was confident that delivering Abbas and Benjamin Kalu as speaker and deputy speaker would be a smooth sail on the June 13 inauguration day.

    Madaki said: “The Joint Task itself is a kind of gang up. I’m from NNPP, the co-chair (Chinda) is a PDP member, the chairman is of the APC. A few days back, a greater chunk of the opposition came together and endorsed Abass. I can bet you the 10th assembly intends to work as a group and on that day, we will work as a group and speak as one. Other contestants are my friends but there can only be one speaker at a time, and the best among all of them is Tajudeen Abbas.”