The Nation Newspaper

Author: The Nation

  • New lease of life for 25 Police barracks

    New lease of life for 25 Police barracks

    The picture that people have of the Nigeria Police (NP) barracks is that of squalor, filth and degeneration. People wonder how they live and bring up children in such environment; they say the frustration and anger of a police man on the street must be a reflection of his environment.They seem to transfer their aggression on the ordinary man on the street. But things will change soon as Lagos State is collaborating with the Police to rehabilitate the barracks to give them a new lease of life, OKWY IROEGBU-CHIKEZIE reports

    Nigerian Police barracks are the worst ever. Observers wonder how people who live in such squalor can be law enforcement officers. Imagine the psychological trauma they go through with their families living there.

      Others fear that if an epidemic breaks out in the country, the casualty that would be recorded at barracks would be high. People have this opinion because most barracks are battling with environmental issues, such as poor sanitation, lack of water, dilapidated buildings, filthy environment and overcrowding.

    Medical experts, who spoke with The Nation, said the recipe for the outbreak of a major health crisis is already in place and things could blow up in everyone’s face if the situation persists.

    Hence, almost everybody is excited with the thought of having rebranded barracks in the metropolis, especially as Lagos prides itself as moving from a mega city to a smart city.

    It is, therefore, a relief when Lagos State Government entered into a collaborative venture with the Nigeria Police to remodel and rehabilitate 25 barracks to give the Police a new lease of life. 

    The Special Adviser to the Lagos State Governor on Housing, Mrs. Toke Benson-Awoyinka, stated this at the Nigeria Police Command, Ikeja, Lagos.

    Mrs. Benson-Awoyinka said officials of the Nigeria Police across the nation and their families deserved better habitation and befitting amenities at the barracks to enhance their service delivery.

    She informed the Police that the state government would facilitate the planning works and building approvals needed for the realisation of the projects, and would also ensure that buildings were constructed to standards.

    The regeneration plan, according to Mrs. Benson-Awoyinka, shows that  the federal and the state governments take the welfare of security operatives seriously.

    “The governments are passionate about the welfare of the members of the force, hence, the regeneration of the barracks in Lagos State,’’ she said.

    She thanked the Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu and the Federal Government, through the Inspector-General of Police, Usman Aikali Baba, for putting heads together on this initiative of giving a face-lift to 25 barracks in Lagos.

    Also, the Special Adviser E-GIS and Planning Matters to Governor Sanwo-Olu, Dr.Olajide Babatunde, said rehabilitating the barracks would help prevent building collapse, revealing that the Lagos State Building Control Agency (LASBCA) had certified some barracks in the state as unfit for habitation.

    Recalling that LASBCA had published a list of some distressed properties in the newspapers for the awareness of their owners before demolition, Babatunde called on inhabitants of distressed buildings in any part of the state to willingly vacate such buildings for public safety.

    Earlier, the Nigeria Police Public Relations Officer, CSP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, commended the proposal by IGP Baba to modernise the barracks with Lagos State Government, to enhance the welfare of police personnel and create a conducive environment for officers to carry out their duties and responsibilities with honour and self-esteem.

    CSP Adejobi said the laudable initiative was timely as it is fundamental to address the long-standing issue of poor and dilapidated infrastructure within facilities occupied by Police personnel, as part of efforts to ensure improved working conditions for more effective and efficient service delivery.

    He said the Inspector-General of Police had announced plans for the sensitisation and relocation of police personnel living in the affected barracks from today.

    He also said the press briefing was part of the sensitisation aimed at having a dialogue with the affected occupants, other Police personnel and the general public, to avoid misinformation about the rationale behind the project.

    Adejobi said the IGP had issued a directive that those living in the barracks be given a one month notice to vacate their accommodation spaces. He stressed that the directive would be implemented in stages to ensure that officially-recognised and lawful residents of the barracks were properly catered for.

    CSP Adejobi said plans had been concluded to cover the accommodation cost of legal residents of the barracks with the payment of two years’ rent when construction on the barracks would end.

    He stated that the IGP had assured that officers on active service and living in the barracks legally shall receive the keys to their new apartments upon completion of the barracks.

     He said: “With the successful planning of these projects, potential officers deployed to the Lagos State Police Command, upon completion of the buildings, will be living in modernised facilities that will add values to the state’s social, economic and environmental profile to the Nigeria Police Force.”

  • Israel, Morocco host businesswomen

    Israel, Morocco host businesswomen

    Nearly 100 female business leaders from across four continents have gathered in Morocco for “Women Connect to Innovate” to forge new business collaborations and explore the role of innovation in empowering women to generate prosperity in the region.

    The event was hosted by Israel’s Start-Up Nation Central and Morocco’s CPR.

    The event, brought together women from Bahrain, Benin, Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Kenya, Morocco, Nigeria, South Africa, Sudan, United Arab Emirates, the United States, and others, focused on the shared challenges faced in the Middle East and Africa and how they are defined not just by geography, culture or religion, but also by how these impact women’s access to financial security, education and the basic infrastructure that enable opportunities for women to lead.

     Google, Women in Tech, CESE (Conseil Economique Social et Environnemental), Morocco’s Ministry of Soldiery, FRDISI (Fondation de Recherche de Development et d’innovation en Sciences et Ingenierie), UM6P (Mohammed VI Polytechnic University), OMPIC,the Gulf-Israel Women’s Forum, and Leaders on Purpose were partners in the event. 

    The three-day gathering included a series of roundtables, workshops and panels focused on investments and funding, education and infrastructure. The event culminated in the unveiling of a graffiti wall in Marrakech, jointly created by three artists from Israel, Morocco and Senegal.

    “The Middle East and Africa regions are growing at a rapid pace and innovation is a key component to that,” said Start-Up Nation Central Chief Executive, Avi Hasson. “Last year, we held the Connect to Innovate conference in Casablanca which brought together hundreds of Israeli and Moroccan business leaders. This gathering deepens the dialogue among professional networks from across the Middle East Asia(MEA) region and recognizes the important role that women play in the innovation ecosystem. We are proud to provide a platform to encourage further collaboration.” 

    “By bringing together prominent women in business, innovation and technology from the region, we are creating a cohort of women which will help propel our region forward,” said Start-Up Nation Central Director of Innovation Diplomacy Aviva Steinberger. During the last three days, the groundwork for new collaborations has been laid and we look forward to seeing the partnerships evolve.”

    What emerged from the workshops and panel discussions was that the MEA countries are closely aligned in facing personal challenges such as empowering women to facilitate their passions and become leaders in their field. Equally, much of the innovation that is the output of these countries includes solutions in sectors such as water technology, renewable energy, ag-tech, human capital, health tech, etc., all of which are complimentary business opportunities to tackle challenges not only regionally, but worldwide.

     Start-Up Nation Central is a non-profit organization that connects Israeli innovation to the world in order to help international entities solve global challenges. Immersed i the Israeli technology ecosystem, we provide a platform that nurtures business growth and generates partnerships with corporations, governments, investors, and NGOs to strengthen Israel’s economy and society.

  •  Fighting malaria through preventive approach  

     Fighting malaria through preventive approach  

    Sir: It was quite shocking to read in The Guardian newspaper of April 25, 2023 that Nigeria spends as much as N2.04 trillion annually to combat malaria, but despite the colossal resources thousands of Nigerians are still dying of malaria.

    Nigeria suffers the world’s greatest burden of malaria with approximately 51 million cases and 207,000 deaths reported yearly. Malaria remains a significant burden in Nigeria, particularly concerning pregnant women and children under the age of 5 years.

    It could be deduced from the above that Malaria is not only a public health challenge, its direct and indirect impact on the economy cannot be overemphasised considering the health care expenditure as well as the attendant impact like waning productivity occasioned by illness and death. It also affects foreign investment and tourism significantly.

    Some researchers have also corroborated the above exposition that malaria is not only a public health challenge, that its consequence on the economy is too distinctive to be ignored. In the Nigerian communities where malaria is endemic, the impacts are loss of resources, time, health of household members and, in worst cases, death. The researchers stressed further that 97% of Nigerians live under the risk of malaria and 76% in high transmission areas; 50% of the population estimated to have at least an episode of malaria yearly.

    Malaria is caused by a parasite called Plasmodium. Anopheles mosquito is the vector that carries the Plasmodium parasite. The egg larva that metamorphosed to mosquito is found in waterlogged areas, gutters and broken bottles or in cans.

    Some social thinkers have posited that the first stage of insanity is doing the same things the same ways over the years and expecting different results. If over the years colossal resources have been expended in combating malaria without commensurate results, is it not high time we re-strategised in our approach of intervention from curative to preventive for a better result?

    It is an established fact that various mass housing initiatives to provide decent houses to Nigerians have always been a drop in the ocean or more effective in rhetoric than in practice. To this end, emphasis should be more on a preventive approach that factors the kind of habitation or environment that Nigerians live in. It is evident that poverty is a major factor in malaria prevention, and poor habitation is a function of poverty.

    The more urban an area is, the lower the cases of malaria. Over 70% of Nigerians are poorly sheltered and as such many reside in waterlogged areas with blocked drainages. These are veritable sources of larva that eventually metamorphose into mosquitos.

    On the above premise, if N500 billion i.e., about half of the N2.04 trillion is expended annually on construction of culverts and gutters in all communities nation-wide, it is expected that malaria cases would be reduced considerably.

    The state and local governments should complement the Federal Government by being involved in development control. Their involvement in assisting and ensuring that individuals build standard gutters and drainage systems around their habitation would go a long way in reducing cases of malaria in the country.

    The defunct sanitary inspectorate system should be resuscitated as well in all local government areas to ensure that Nigerians keep their environment clean.

    With this preventive approach, there would be no place for anopheles mosquitoes to thrive and malaria cases would be reduced to a tolerable and inconsequential level.

    •Remi Adeleke,

    Suleja, Niger State

  • Case against special courts for insolvency, restructuring disputes

    Case against special courts for insolvency, restructuring disputes

    In this piece, Ayodele Ashiata Kadiri argues against the establishment of specialised courts for only insolvency and restructuring matters or disputes.

    I was privileged to participate in a debate at the annual International Conference organised by the Business Recovery & Insolvency Practitioners Association of Nigeria (BRIPAN) in 2022. It took place at the Federal Palace Hotel from September 22, 2022 to September 23, 2022 and was themed “Insolvency, Restructuring and Economic Development”. My co-debater argued that there should be special courts established for the administration of justice in insolvency and restructuring matters or disputes. I argued, on the other hand, that there was no reason for establishing special courts for insolvency and restructuring matters or disputes. I have set out in succeeding paragraphs the bases for my arguments.

    First, it is reinventing the wheel. The Federal High Court (“FHC”) already has and exercises “jurisdiction to the exclusion of any other court in civil causes and matters” on “bankruptcy and insolvency” by virtue of section 251(1)(j) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, (as amended) (the “Constitution”). Does the FHC’s exclusive jurisdiction over bankruptcy and insolvency not make it ‘special’ enough for the dispensation of justice in insolvency and restructuring matters or disputes?

    Second, and this flows from the first, it is a waste of resources that could be better utilised elsewhere. Think about the costs of setting up special courts. There will be construction or other real estate related costs, costs of operations (fuel, administrative staff, etc). There will also be that one cost that everyone seems to overlook but is the steepest – the cost of corruption. It will be another opportunity to embezzle funds, and also oil the wheels of nepotism in Nigeria. These costs could be applied to improving court infrastructure generally (e.g., finding a solution to the matchbox sized court rooms at the Federal High Court (Lagos Division)) and catering to the welfare of the Justices of the existing courts, as well as the members of their staff. It would be shameless of anyone to fail to acknowledge the near-crippling effect of the 64-day strike of the Judicial Staff Union of Nigeria on the dispensation of justice in 2021. The fact that it happened immediately after the COVID 19 lockdown made the consequences even more dire.

    Third, it is a superficial solution. I like to think of it as asking somebody with body odour to merely buy new clothes or change their wardrobe. We all know that, that is not the cause of the problem. There are a lot of problems in the judicial system in Nigeria, and we cannot keep creating special courts to solve that problem. We must rework the machinery for the administration of justice. It is as simple as that. We create new courts in the same problematic system so that they can also be drowned in the sea of the inefficiency that already exists. It is ultimately counterproductive. The way to drive it home is to look at it from the appellate courts. If you have a matter at the Court of Appeal today the chances are that your next adjourned date will be sometime in 2024. Imagine creating a special court for insolvency matters. Let us assume that the special courts deliver a judgement in nine months, but one of the parties is dissatisfied and goes on appeal. That matter suffers the same fate as any other matter that was not initially decided by a special court. What, then, was the point of the special court? Or is it the case that there will be a parallel appellate court system for only insolvency and restructuring matters?  The focus on restoring efficiency to the judiciary should not solely be on the courts of first instance. Efficiency must be restored at all levels.

    My opponent had, on that day, argued that creating special courts will among others improve efficiency and expertise. I believe that my third argument has addressed the efficiency point. In respect of expertise, we can have a division in the FHC where there can selected justices to preside over bankruptcy and insolvency matters. Again, this further reinforces my argument to rework the judicial system as a whole. There should be some system in building expertise across the courts, without necessarily separating the courts. If that was to be the case, then every subject matter should have its appellate courts where only expert justices will preside. My opponent also made two additional arguments I find very interesting but slightly upsetting. The first is that some other subject matters have their dedicated courts, like the National Industrial Court. It felt like the ’emi lo kan’ mentality was again rearing its head again. Is that what our judicial system has become?

    So, because labour and tax matters have special courts, insolvency and bankruptcy matters should have theirs? Have we interrogated the success of the National Industrial Courts? Where is the data in support of contention that special courts are required for insolvency and restructuring matters? We cannot make life-altering decisions because we think it is the turn of somebody or something to be there. It is still one of the battles we are fighting as a country. The second is that we should consider it because other jurisdictions have a similar system (i.e., special courts for bankruptcy and insolvency matters). I think that one of the many problems we have in Nigeria is that we keep looking at other jurisdictions instead of looking inwards. As much as I am a proponent of not reinventing the wheel, I think we should also make sure that whatever we are attempting to copy, is well suited for our peculiar circumstances. And I think, it is stating the obvious to say that creating special courts for insolvency/bankruptcy/restructuring matters without more is not what we need in Nigeria at this time.

    So, with these few points of mine, I hope that you are now convinced that rather than clamour for the establishment of special courts for insolvency and restructuring matters or disputes, we should all advocate for the restoration of efficiency in the judiciary as a whole.

    Kadiri, a2016 First Class Honours graduate of the Nigerian Law School, is based in Lagos. She can be reached via kadiriayodele@gmail.com

  • ‘A person unlawfully arrested, detained is entitled to compensation, apology’

    ‘A person unlawfully arrested, detained is entitled to compensation, apology’

    In the Court of Appeal

    In the Lagos Judicial Division

    Holden at Lagos

    ON FRIDAY, 14TH JANUARY, 2022

    Suit No: CA/L/393/2018

    Before Their Lordships:

    JIMI OLUKAYODE BADA Justice, Court of Appeal

    FOLASADE AYODEJI OJO Justice, Court of Appeal

    ABBA BELLO MOHAMMED Justice, Court of Appeal

    Between

    1. NATIONAL DRUG LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY
    2. ISA UMAR ADORO
    3. ZIRANGEY SUNDAY DIRANBI – Appellant(s)

    And

    1. DAHIRU BWALA – Respondent(s)

    LEADING JUDGMENT DELIVERED BY FOLASADE AYODEJI, J.C.A.

    NDLEA & ORS v. BWALA

    Compiled by LawPavilion

    CITATION: (2022) LPELR-56566(CA)

    Facts

    The case of the Respondent who was a Senior Officer in the service of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (the 1st Appellant) is that he was arrested and wrongfully detained in the cell of the 1st Appellant. He brought an application before the trial Court to enforce his fundamental rights. After hearing all the parties, the trial Court in a considered judgment found in favour of the Respondent. Aggrieved by the decision of the trial Court, the Appellant appealed to the Court of Appeal.

    Issues for determination

    The appeal was determined on the issue of whether the learned trial Judge was right when he held that the Appellants violated the fundamental rights of the Respondent and entitled to damages.

    Appellant’s submission

    Appellants’ counsel submitted that there was evidence to justify the restraint on the Respondent’s movement. He submitted too that the 21per cent post judgment interest awarded against the Appellants was raised by the trial Court suo motu and this occasioned a miscarriage of justice; OJELEYE VS. REGISTERED TRUSTEES OF ONA IWA MIMO CHERUBIM AND SERAPHIM CHURCH OF NIGERIA (2008) 15 NWLR (PT. 1111) 520.

    Appellants’ counsel also submitted that the award of damages by the trial Court was perverse and unrealistic; ODOGU VS. ATTORNEY-GENERAL OF THE FEDERATION (1996) 6 NWLR (PT. 456)508.

    The appellants’ counsel finally submitted that the trial Court lacked jurisdiction to entertain the Respondent’s action. The basis of the complaint of the Appellants on the jurisdiction of the trial Court to entertain the action before it was the pendency of a criminal charge against the Respondent at the time of hearing of the application for the enforcement of fundamental rights.

    Respondent’s submission

    Respondent’s counsel submitted that the affidavit evidence detailing the Respondent’s arrest was neither challenged, discredited nor contradicted and as such the trial Court could rely upon it; CHABASAYA VS. ANWASI (2010) 10 NWLR (PT. 1201)163.

    Resolution of issues

    The Court held that jurisdiction is the blood that gives life to an action in a Court of law and any action heard and decided without jurisdiction is a nullity. See ODUAH VS. OKADIGBO (2019) 3 NWLR (PT. 1660) 433. The Court further held that the pendency of a criminal charge against a person for which he has not been found guilty would not deny him access to a Court to enforce his fundamental rights where he feels same has been infringed. See IHIM VS. MADUAGWU (2021) 5 NWLR (PT. 1770) 584 at 616, Paragraphs C-D. The Court also held that by virtue of Section 46 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 jurisdiction to hear fundamental rights actions is vested in the High Court. And by virtue of FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA VS. IFEGWU (2003) 15 NWLR (PT. 842)113 at 178 PARAGRAPHS A-B, it is the principal relief endorsed on the application filed that determines the Court’s jurisdiction. Since the Respondent from the relief sought alleged that his fundamental right has been breached by the Appellants, the trial Court was right when it assumed jurisdiction.

    The Court held that a person who admits the detention of another by him has a duty to prove that the detention was lawful. See DIRECTOR STATE SECURITY SERVICES VS. AGBAKOBA (1999) 3 NWLR (PT. 595)314.

    The Court held that the fundamental right of a Nigerian citizen is guaranteed by the Constitution. See Chapter IV of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended). However, the Court held that the rights guaranteed under Chapter IV are not absolute but can be curtailed in the course of judicial inquiry or where the Defendant is arrested and detained upon reasonable suspicion of having committed a felony.

    The Court held that a party who leads evidence of the existence of a document in proof of his case is obliged to present it before the Court. The law does not allow oral evidence in proof of a document. See ABUBAKAR VS. WAZIRI (2008) 14 NWLR (PT. 1108) 507. The Appellants who relied on a document justifying the arrest of the Respondent did not produce same in Court and as such the Court has no business pronouncing on it.

    The court held that though Section 41 of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency Act, Laws of the Federation, 2004 confers powers on the appellants to arrest and detain any person whom it believes has committed an offence under the Act, such powers must however be exercised within the ambits of the law. The Court further held that arrest and detention before investigation where there is no prima facie evidence that the suspect has committed the offence, is unconstitutional. See FAWEHINMI VS. INSPECTOR-GENERAL OF POLICE (2002) 7 NWLR (PT. 767) 606.

    The Court further held that though Section 35(4) and (5) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 allows the detention of a person for the purpose of bringing him before a Court upon reasonable suspicion of his having committed a criminal offence, this shall be done within a reasonable time. Reasonable time in the case of where the Court is within forty Kilometers radius is 24 hours. See AKILA VS. DIRECTOR GENERAL, STATE SECURITY SERVICES (2014) 2 NWLR (PT. 1392) 443.

    In considering the contention of the Appellants that the trial Court did not take into cognisance the number of days for which the Appellants can detain the Respondent before coming to the conclusion that the detention was unlawful, the Court still held that it is not every error or mistake by a Court that would warrant the reversal of the decision reached in the proceedings. Such decision would be reversed only where there is a miscarriage of justice. See ETIM VS. AKPAN (2019) 1 NWLR (PT. 1654) 451.

    The Court, in considering the contention of the Appellants that the award of damages was excessive, held that by virtue of Section 35(6) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended) once it is established that a person has been unlawfully arrested or detained, he is entitled to compensation and public apology. The award of damages in such circumstance is at the discretion of the Judge. However, whatever compensation is awarded should reflect not only the pecuniary loss of the victim but also the abhorrence of society and the law for such gross violation of human rights. See MUHAMMAD VS. INSPECTOR GENERAL OF POLICE (2019) 4 NWLR (PT. 1663) 492.

    As regards the award of post-judgment interest, the Court held that although an award of post-judgment interest by a trial Court is discretionary, the Rules of Court provide for the limit of such interest. The Court held that by the Rules of the trial Court the maximum he could award is 10 percent. Thus, the Court held that the award of 21% post judgment interest was ultra vires. See EKWUNIFE VS. WAYNE WEST AFRICA LTD (1989) 5 NWLR (PT. 122) 422. However, the Court ordered the Appellant to pay to the Respondent 10% interest per annum on the damages of Seven Million Naira awarded in his favour with effect from 5th April, 2017 until same is fully liquidated.

    Held

    The Court allowed in part, affirming the judgment of the trial Court and all orders made by it except the award of 21% post-judgment interest.

    Appearances:

    I.J. IGWUBOR, Esq., Asst Chief Legal Officer, NDLEA                      – For Appellant(s)

    Abubakar Shamsudeen,                                                                – For 1st Respondent(s)

  • Benchmarking safety for Nigerian carriers

    Benchmarking safety for Nigerian carriers

    The push to attain efficiency in flights is forcing Nigerian carriers to embrace international safety audit and regulatory certification. Scaling such exercises not only enables them to close gaps in many areas of operations, but fetches them the membership of the league of global carriers, its clearing house with attendant benefits for airlines’ codesharing and interline agreements, KELVIN OSA OKUNBOR reports

    The drive to ramp up safety in airline operations is gaining global traction as airlines, civil aviation regulators and trade associations of carriers consolidate efforts to raise the bar in the enforcement of standards and recommended practices in the flight safety value chain.

    Inceasingly, more operators, including Nigerian airlines, are signing on to international operations safety audit and certification to scale up their processes and procedures to internationally-accepted standards and regulations.

    Only five of Nigeria’s 23 airlines have  completed and passed the global safety certification by the International Air Transportation Association (IATA).

    In the last few years more Nigerian carriers have embraced the International Operations Safety Audit (IOSA) by the IATA.

    Globally, there are 438 airlines on the IOSA registry of which 142 are non-IATA members.

    Last week, IATA presented United Nigeria Airlines (UNA) with its Operational Safety Audit Certificate.

    UNA is the sixth domestic carriers to register as an IOSA Operator. Others are Air Peace, Overland Airway, Ibom Air, Arik Air and Allied Air.

    The certificate presented by the Area Manager, West and Central Africa, Dr. Samson Fatokun, was received by the airline’s management team, led by the Chief Operating Officer (COO), Mazi Osita Okonkwo, at the airline’s office in Ikeja, Lagos.

    The IOSA programme is recognised for assessing the operational management and control systems of an airline.

    Created by IATA in 2003, IOSA uses international quality audit principles  to conduct standardised audits.

    Fatokun said the airline achieved the IOSA certificate within two years, stating that it was worthy of congratulations.

    Fatokun, who pointed out that it was the first time United Nigeria, was coming on the IATA registry, said: “We know what it takes to achieve it. United Nigeria achieved it in two years. It is a great accomplishment and we will like to congratulate the airline. You should be proud of yourselves.”

    Advising that sustenance of the certificate is important, Fatokun said:  “IOSA is an end and also a means you can use to go higher. I congratulate you and say you have done well. We have very few airlines in West African region that have it. You are one of the few. It is very good and we hope you sustain it. We also have  six  airlines in Nigeria that are on the IOSA register. There is no country that has as much as that.”

    He listed the benefits of the programme to Nigerian carriers to include the establishment of the first internationally-recognised operational audit standards, which would bring about reduction of costs and audit resource requirements for airlines and regulators as well as the continuous updating of standards to reflect regulatory revisions, and the evolution of best practices within the industry.

    On the airlines, which are yet to be on the registry, Fatokun advised: “I will encourage those airlines which are not in the registry to join. Our solemn encouragement is for them to join. The membership objective is safety. Any airline that aspires for safety, we will help them. We urge those airlines that are not in the register to approach us and see how they can be members.”

    IATA’s representative, however, said to become an IATA member, an airline must first be on the IOSA registry.

    Okonkwo said: “This is a journey we started  six  months ago. We thank our team that worked so many hours. We also thank IATA and the audit team that guided us throughout the process.

    “It couldn’t have been easy without our airline’s team, the regulator, ground handlers, and other stakeholders. It involves visiting our ATO that trains our pilots to ensure that our books are in order. In terms of United Nigeria Airlines, this is one step along our set objectives. It is a requirement and it is good to have such a stage in our development.

    “We will explore the advantages accruable from the IOSA registry. The business of flying is the business of safety. It is a collaborative work with the NCAA and IATA. 

    “It is also about benchmarking on safety standards according to the global best practices. We have a certified benchmark to work with. Codeshare will be part of it and we will announce the airlines we will be codesharing with.’’

  • Issues as Lagos plans roll out of e-call up for Lagos FTZ

    Issues as Lagos plans roll out of e-call up for Lagos FTZ

    Experts have agreed that the Lagos State and the Federal Governments must come up with plans to fix the gridlock that may overrun Lekki-Epe axis once activities pick up on that corridor, ADEYINKA ADERIBIGBE writes

    Those in the property business would tell you that the Lekki-Epe corridor is the hot cake in property business. What with the attraction of the Lekki Deep Seaport, which has started receiving large vessels, the Lekki Free Zone, the Dangote Fertiliser and Petroleum Refinery and a slew of industries along that corridor?

    But, is that  where it ends? Those who are attracted to the corridor will tell you that living or working around it is taking a toll on their health as a result of the traffic gridlock that throws the axis into nerve-wrecking and nightmarish traffic.

    But can you imagine what happens when over 1,000 trucks and containerised vehicles join the scenario, the moment the businesses incubating on the Free Zone come on stream?

    President, National Association of Maritime Transport  Owners (AMATO), Chief Remi Ogungbemi,  thinks Apapa and its traffic fiasco will be a child’s play if nothing is done to arrest the coming traffic situation.

    Ogungbemi, whose observation was coming on the heels of the Lekki Deep Seaport take-off, which is Nigeria’s first deep seaport, said over 600 containerised vehicles are heading to the Lekki Deep Seaport to serve the facility, wondering what would happen when the Dangote Refineries, reputed to be the third largest in the world open for commercial activity.

    The trucker chief urged the Federal and the state governments to address the impending traffic crisis on that corridor.

    Executive Director, Centre for Sustainable Mobility and Development (CenSMAD) Dr Kayode Opeifa agreed.

    He added that the government  must continue to engage the stakeholders with the hope of coming up with  solutions that may address the crisis.

    The National President, Chartered Institute of Transport Administration of Nigeria (CIOTA), Prince Olusegun Ochuko Obayendo, said they were willing to work with the Lagos State Government to come up with solutions that would address the challenges.

    Obayendo praised the government for coming up with the call up system option, but added that it must look beyond a fix-quick solution.

    Former Dean, School of Transportation and Logistics, Lagos State University (LASU-SOTL) Prof. Samuel Odewunmi, said the Lekki-Epe corridor provides an opportunity to the state government to come up with creative solutions to the issue that may further compound the travelling experience of people living along that corridor.

    Odewunmi, a mobility and logistics expert, said if the government is not deliberate in its planning, a situation worse than what you have in Apapa would surface in Lagos and that would be more severe as it could lock down the economy as the commercial centre would be impacted.

    “This is the time one would expect that the Federal and the state government should come with a creative solution to address the multi-dimensional developments taking place in the Lekki-Epe corridor as the development may be worse off, if not planned for.

    Odewunmi said, perhaps, the time had come for the government to put pipeline construction on the concurrent list like it has done to the rail and energy  to enable Lagos State government to venture into pipeline infrastructure to take away the liquid cargo that would be produced by the world’s largest refinery, which would produce in excess of four million barrels daily to safer places outside the state.

    This, he said, should be supported by the Green light rail, which is meant to service that corridor and this, he said could address commuter challenges as residents and others working along that corridor or within the Free Zone and its axis could ply effortlessly.

    This, for Odewunmi, is contained in the state’ transport policy, a document, which the government said is ready and awaiting final approval.

    In the interim, the government last week met with stakeholders on how the proposed call-up system could achieve desired results once it is deployed.

    Approved by Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu last month, the Commissioner for Transportation Dr Frederic Oladeinde, said last Friday that the government may introduce the system in June.

    According to him, the government proposed to put the system on pilot test for two weeks within which they would address the challenges that showed forth before fully deploying the controlling traffic system on the axis. 

    The Lagos State Government also sought the cooperation of stakeholders in ensuring the success of the system.

    At the parley, which took place at the Victoria Island office of the Lekki Worldwide Investment Company (LWIC), Oladeinde said for execution of the e-call up, there was the need to brainstorm with stakeholders within the Lekki-Epe axis, especially with the emergence of Lekki Deep Seaport, upcoming Dangote Refineries, among others.

    Oladeinde reiterated the need to understand the dynamics of each business for effective integration into the call-up, adding that the pilot operation, meant to be on for two weeks, is projected to start in June.

    The commissioner further stated that the essence of the pilot phase is to ensure the robustness of the application, and  free it from encumbrances after which it would go live.

    Oladeinde explained that the e-call up system is an effective way to manage the movement of trucks from the holding bays to the port gate, adding that six holding bays have been identified between Alaro city and other nearby towns in Epe which are  under consideration for certification.

    The Special Adviser to the Governor on Transportation, Hon. Sola Giwa believed that the E-call up is the way to reduce traffic stress to be induced by the invasion of the trucks which would throng the corridor for business.

    He said despite the fact that the state has the highest vehicular density it must continue to attract new investments. For him, while the establishment of new industries in the Lekki-Epe corridor is a welcomed development, the introduction of the electronic process to manage traffic within the axis is a necessity from which the government cannot shy away.

    Giwa added that the State Government is mulling the introduction of barge operations for the Lekki Deep Seaport to further reduce land movement of cargoes, soliciting support of all stakeholders’ for seamless execution of the process.

    Mr. Abiola Olowu, Special Adviser to the Governor on Commerce and Industry said the Sanwo-Olu administration is keen on creating conducive environment across the State for businesses to thrive, adding that the governor is specially focusing on the Lekki-Epe corridor due to industries springing up in the axis.

    To fast track the implementation of the E call up system, Olowu said the cooperation of all stakeholders will be needed.

    Also in attendance at the meeting, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Transportation Engr. Abdulhafiz Toriola, said the E-call up system application could not have come at a better time, saying Lekki- Epe axis is fast becoming a commercial hub and it behooves the government to plan ahead to forestall traffic menace in the area.

    Toriola lauded the government for being proactive through strategic planning on traffic management of the corridor, not neglecting the safety and security of citizens, while enhancing the business atmosphere.

    The Chairman of Ibeju-Lekki Local Government Mr. Sesan Abdullahi expressed delight at the approval of the E-call up system by the Governor, stressing that truck count moving into the corridor since the last quarter of 2022 is enormous hence the need to put in place a proper system to manage in and out of trucks.

    He admonished the Stakeholders’ to improve in their community relations, citing a situation where truck accidents occurred and truck owners failed to visit families of victims.

    Messrs Call Up Technology Services made a presentation of how the E-call up system will be implemented and the firm was directed to get necessary input from respective Stakeholders’ for successful integration and implementation of the System.

    Stakeholders’ present at the meeting include; Nigerian Port Authority (NPA), Dangote Refineries, Lekki Free Zone, Lekki Worldwide Investment Company, Lekki Deep Sea Port, Top Government functionaries from Ministry of Transportation, Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Ibeju-Lekki and Epe Local Governments, Pinnacle Oil and Gas amongst others.

  • Nigeria’s minimum wage needs review

    Nigeria’s minimum wage needs review

    I never appreciated the urgent need for review of the national minimum wage until I encountered impressive statistics giving enough justifications on why Nigeria must not only review the minimum wage but also enforce general compliance of state governments and the private sector.

    Arguments such as minimum wage increase will lead to higher inflation, minimum wage will limit private sector productivity and how we should only pursue low cost of living instead of minimum wage reviews will all be addressed in this article.

    Interestingly, I developed a high level of disappointment when I realised Nigeria has one of the lowest minimum wages in Africa and in the world, minimum wage of $74 or less compared with Chad that pays $102. Senegal pays $94 and Liberia pays $91. According to 2022 Statista data, the following countries pay the highest minimum wages in Africa, Seychelles ($461), Libya ($322), Morocco ($314), Gabon ($270.5), Kenya ($140) etc. I find these facts more troubling considering the fact that Nigeria has the largest GDP in Africa but pays one of the lowest minimum wages in Africa.

    Evidently, more than 70 million Nigerians are poor, according to the World Poverty Clock, making the country one of the poorest nations on earth. Nigeria’s middle-class has also been shrinking yearly due to this important factor, rising inflation rate and poor wages. According to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), Nigeria’s inflation rate rises to 22.04%, the third consecutive increase in 2023.

    In 2015, the inflation rate was 9.6% and $74(N30,000) minimum wage was only introduced in 2019. This implies that Nigeria’s working class specifically are earning far below their expenses.

     ”Nigeria’s spiralling inflation rate has eroded the N30,000 monthly minimum wage by more than 40 percent since 2019,” according to a new report by Afrinvest (West Africa) Limited. This brutal reality has deepened economic corruption, economic migration of an important professional working-class population and declining purchasing power which encourages what manufacturers call “sachet economy.” 

     Furthermore, it is important to address the concerns of those linking minimum wage increase to higher inflation.  A new Upjohn Institute working paper by Daniel McDonald and Eric Nilsson of California State University, stated thus, “By looking at changes in restaurant food pricing during the period of 1978–2015, MacDonald and Nilsson find that prices rose by just 0.36 percent for every 10 percent increase in the minimum wage, which is only about half the size reported in previous studies.” Also, another research by Greg Jericho and Jim Stanford shows that “minimum wage increases over the past 25 years have had little to no impact on inflation at all in Australia.” 

    Examining the Nigerian reality vis-a-vis inflation rate and salary increment, in 1974, inflation rose to about 13 percent before the Udoji salary award of the same year only to leap to 34 percent in 1975 mainly as a result of the award. It went down drastically until it returned to 10% in 1980, an academic research reveals. This economic context presents a typical case of “demand pull inflation” which implies the availability of too much money in circulation pursuing fewer goods, but such reality is easily managed by the government introducing higher taxes which neutralises the effects of over-availability of money in the economy. It must also be noted that from 1970-1975, Nigeria recorded economic growth of 11% annually, beating that of Asian tigers such as India, Malaysia, South Korea etc. This confirms the importance of an economy having robust purchasing power. 

    Regarding the concerns on how salary increments or reviewed national minimum wage will hurt Nigeria’s private sector and lead to job losses. A report by Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) linked lower purchasing power to one of the biggest reasons for poorer sales. A similar report was given by Picodi.com, an international e-commerce platform which revealed in January 2023 that basic food items required for survival by an average Nigerian family is N48,130. 60% higher than the 2019 minimum wage.

    Nigeria’s private sector should realise that lower purchasing power and shrinking middle-class status are the biggest demons to economic productivity and reviewing minimum wages is one of best tools of enabling economic growth (5% growth rate at least) and uplifting more people into the middle-class.

     Arguments emphasising  the priority of low cost of living against minimum wage review or increment are understandable, but it should be clarified that minimum wage review is not only for the sake of responding to inflation rate but also ensuring a fair share of national prosperity. Albeit, how do we attain low cost of living or quality living when more than 60% of the population cannot afford basic services and goods? While I support the priority of low cost of living as a sustainable long-term solution, I also support an interim solution of minimum wage and other “expansionary monetary policies” to enable higher economic growth.

    Importantly, the Federal Government must introduce innovative means to enforce compliance of minimum wage payment such as “whistleblowing policy, conditional loans/grants” etc. because failure of general compliance by the public and private sector will worsen the situation.

    A situation whereby only federal employees can afford goods and services because of minimum wage increments and other working-class people not benefiting are forced to pay market price will be counter-productive. Hence, there is a need to enforce national minimum wage compliance and refusal to allow state governors independently determine minimum wages lesser than the “federal benchmark.” The ability of state governors to pay must be addressed either through increased federal allocations or other compliance models. The status quo should be maintained if the Federal Government cannot ensure general compliance because this case is a case of “full bread and not half bread.”

    •Dada-Kadri writes from Abuja

  • Tinubu’s presidency

    Tinubu’s presidency

    Arguably, for the first time in Nigeria’s political history, the nation will on May 29, barely three weeks away, have someone who earnestly desired to be a democratically elected president assume power. Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the president-elect, confessed that he has coveted presidential power all his (political) life. So, most Nigerians anxiously await to see what he will do with the enormous presidential powers, when he assumes the authority and power of the president and commander-in-chief of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

    Historically, it is claimed that the First Republic prime minister, Alhaji Tafewa Balewa, was conscripted by his political leader, Sir Ahmadu Bello, Sardauna of Sokoto, to head the federal government in Lagos, while he secures the redoubt of Northern Nigeria. At the return of democracy in 1979, the winner, Alhaji Shehu Shagari, was conscripted from his senatorial ambition to the presidency. Again in 1999, the winner, ex-president Olusegun Obasanjo, was dragged from prison to the presidency. He in turn foisted the ailing ex-president Umaru Yar’Adua, when he finished his second term in 2007.

    In similar tradition, ex-president Goodluck Jonathan was catapulted by forces beyond his control from deputy governor to the presidency in a miraculous manner. The outgoing President Muhammadu Buhari, initially coveted presidential power, but gave up after several failures, only to be propelled to power by forces around him. While Obasanjo and Buhari may have willingly sought their second terms, there is little doubt that their first terms in office showed their unpreparedness. So, what difference would Tinubu’s preparedness make?

    While Tinubu’s “Renewed Hope 2023 – Action Plan for a Better Nigeria,” which is the presidential campaign manifesto, says a lot about the plans and programmes of his incoming administration, Nigerians are intently listening to and clutching at every statement the president-elect makes, to know the direction of his incoming administration. Among the burning issues is the insecurity across the country, which blossomed under the Buhari presidency. What will Tinubu do differently from the current era to stem the killings, banditry and kidnappings that overwhelmed many parts of the country under Buhari?

    The APC’s manifesto talks about decentralising the police by amending the constitution to create state and community policing to complement the federal police. Obviously, amending the constitution is a long-term project, and even with the best of goodwill, may take years to achieve. So, Nigerians would be interested to know what the Tinubu presidency would do immediately to deal with the marauding kidnappers that have made roads in the countryside an unfriendly route to ply.

    Closely connected is the issue of herders-farmers clash, which has become intractable across the country, with many believing that the Buhari regime has been an accomplice in favour of the Fulani herders. No doubt, majority of Nigerians believe that because President Buhari is a Fulani, he has overlooked the atrocities his kith and kin are committing in their determination to have unlawful access to pasture around the river banks of Benue and Niger, and further down south, especially during dry season.

    So, what will Tinubu do differently, without incurring the countervailing claim of oppressing the Fulani, whose political elites helped put him in power? Again, the permanent solution of ranching and outlawing open grazing, which the Buhari government failed to push through, in eight years, would require time to implement. So, what will Tinubu’s government do in the interim to contain the deadly Fulani militants who have rendered many villages desolate, and caused the displacement of many Nigerians, now exposed in Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) camps, more so as the rainy season is fast approaching?

    Another great challenge facing the incoming administration is fuel subsidy palaver. Though the Buhari government achieved giant strides in legacy infrastructure projects, it came at prohibitive cost to the nation’s economy. While Nigeria’s debt portfolio was tamed by the Obasanjo regime with the debt repayment it achieved under the direction of Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala as finance minister, the Buhari government has effectively returned the country to a new era of debt peonage, as the country is owing over N77 trillion, across portfolios by 1st quarter of 2023.

    With such a debt portfolio, the nation is in economic quagmire with an unmaintainable fuel subsidy regime, now estimated at over N3.36 trillion, for one half of 2023. The Buhari administration, which projected itself as a fearless reformer and corruption-free, came short in implementing the hard decision of removing fuel subsidy, and cleaning up the corruption-laden petroleum sector. Tinubu will, on May 29, inherit the economic mess that the mismanaged fuel subsidy regime represents. So, would Tinubu summon the courage to remove the fuel subsidy and contend with the backlash of strikes and public angst that would follow?

    It would be interesting to see how Tinubu would deal with the corruption that is associated with the departing Buhari administration Many commentators believe that members of the administration are engaging in last-minute looting. Questions are being asked why many big projects like population census, new national airline, over N23 trillion ‘Ways and Means’ expenditure and similar heavy financial outflows are all happening in the last days of the Buhari regime. For skeptics, what is going on is the last bazaar of the Buhari regime.

    So, would Tinubu set off a rash of probes to recover the loot, or would he let bygones be bygones? Again, how would he deal with the likely economic implication of starting off with an empty treasury and yet meet up with satisfying the great expectations of economic and social miracle from the disconsolate Nigerian populace? Feelers from the incoming administration indicate that Tinubu would be taking very hard decisions to contend with the economic mess the Buhari administration is leaving behind, and that would include rationalisation of the federal government agencies and workforce.

    One group that should be hopeful is the judiciary, considering the promise made by Tinubu during the recent commissioning of the Magistrates’ Courts in Rivers State. As a practising lawyer, this writer can authoritatively confirm that Tinubu and his successors successfully transformed the Lagos State judicially from decrepit court houses to comfortable court rooms. The judges, who used to drive around in nondescript cars, had since transformed to owners of brand-new SUVs, who live in their own houses in choice parts of town.

    Tinubu has promised: “We must fight corruption and we definitely must look at the other side of the coin. If you don’t want your judges to be corrupt, you have got to pay attention to their welfare.” He went on: “You don’t expect your judges to live in squalor, to operate in squalor, to dispense justice in squalor.” This writer urges Tinubu to gear up to deliver the majority of Nigerians from squalor.  

  • Senate presidency: Why Tinubu matters

    Senate presidency: Why Tinubu matters

    As soon as ex-president Olusegun Obasanjo of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) won Nigeria’s 1999 presidential election, he took charge of the levers of power, influencing and determining the direction of the emergent government and the concomitant politicking that would define the shape and texture of governance.

    Obasanjo had a clear idea of what he wanted.  He predetermined the outcomes of the contests for the positions of presiding officers of the National Assembly because he was interested in who became the Senate President and the Speaker of the House of Representatives. 

    The choice of the senate president was particularly much more engaging than that of the speaker.  Dr Chuba Okadigbo had emerged as the natural choice of senators-elect of the ruling PDP for the position of senate president.  In fact, in the pre-consultative meetings ahead of the inauguration of the National Assembly on June 3, 1999, the flamboyant politician from Oyi in Anambra State had been endorsed at the historic Agura Hotels, Abuja, meeting by the 66 senators-elect of the PDP as their candidate for the senate presidency.

    Okadigbo looked good to clinch the seat.  But Obasanjo had a different plan which he was determined to push through.  He wanted a candidate who was not as independent-minded as Okadigbo; and, against the run of play, he propped up Evan(s) Enwerem, aka “mature”, from Imo State, as his pick for the position.  The retired general threw everything into the mix because the emergence of Enwerem instead of Okadigbo mattered more to him than any other consideration. 

     The number three position in the country was a big deal and whoever stepped in must be loyal and subservient to him. Obasanjo moved into the camp of the opposition AD-APP senators and effectively cornered all 43 senators-elect.  That was the first strategic step he took and thereafter moved into the PDP caucus in the senate to deplete their numbers. 

    By the time the dust of the hotly contested race settled on June 3, 1999, on the floor of the Senate, the tide had turned against Okadigbo who had appeared surefooted that he was going to emerge as the senate president. Obasanjo had deployed intimidating presidential powers of patronage in the Senate to reverse the pre-election calculations and configuration in favour of Enwerem who received 66 votes (43 votes from the AD-APP caucus and 23 from the 66-member PDP caucus, whose endorsement Okadigbo had secured before the inauguration of the Senate) on the floor of the Senate as against Okadigbo’s 43 votes to emerge as the senate president.

    The emergence of Enwerem unsettled not only the Senate but also the Fourth National Assembly because Obasanjo had replicated the same stunt that he pulled in the Senate in the House of Representatives where he had successfully pushed through the candidature of Salisu Buhari as Speaker.  Obasanjo ensured that the senate president and the speaker were his men although both Enwerem and Buhari lost their seats some months later due to perjury. 

     While the losses caused a permanent seismic shift in the House of Representatives where an independent-minded Ghali Umar Na’Abba emerged as Buhari’s successor and successfully finished his course, it was a game of musical chairs in the Senate as three senate presidents were turned over between 1999 and 2003, namely Enwerem, Okadigbo who succeeded him (Enwerem) and Anyim Pius Anyim who succeeded Okadigbo when he (Okadigbo) was removed by a coalition of opposition senators funded by Obasanjo’s presidency.

    Although, I cannot specifically implicate the point of departure in the romance between Obasanjo’s presidency and Anyim’s senate presidency, one thing that remains a fact of history was that due to the strain in relationship, Anyim (an Ebonyi State senator) decided not to seek re-election to the Senate. He bowed out with the fourth senate. 

     Obasanjo had thus moved into the fifth national assembly to influence the emergence of Adolphus Wabara as senate president, who unfortunately lost his seat to some high-octane conspiracy by some southeast senators who were in bed with Obasanjo over the plot for possible tenure extension (third term agenda for Obasanjo).  Wabara was reasonably suspected to be interested in running for the presidency of Nigeria after his senate presidency.  He was implicated in a N50-million-bribe-for budget scandal for which Obasanjo, as president, made a national broadcast aired live on some television and radio stations. 

    But unfortunately for Obasanjo, the man who succeeded Wabara, Senator Ken Nnamani, was an independent-minded character who espoused and expounded the imperativeness of legislative due process in the conduct of senate business especially the senate consideration of the proposed bill for tenure elongation (third term agenda) under the Obasanjo presidency.  Nnamani presided over the death of the proposed tenure elongation (third term) which Obasanjo was looking forward to profiting from.  Nnamani, like Anyim in 2003, decided not to seek re-election in 2007 because Obasanjo, who was smarting from the death of the third term agenda, was not going to allow him to return. 

    The late President Umaru Yar’Adua, initially in the shadows of Obasanjo, inherited those Obasanjo facilitated their emergence. President Goodluck Jonathan maintained the status quo in the Senate with David Mark in 2011. He could not weigh in to reinforce support for the PDP anointed candidate, Mulikat Adeola, to emerge as speaker. She was defeated by Aminu Waziri Tambuwal in a grand conspiratorial alliance that fed on the support of opposition members in the House.

    Fast forward to 2023. President-elect Bola Ahmed Tinubu matters in the ongoing scramble for the National Assembly presiding officers’ positions.  Precedents of presidential interest in the fostering of synergy with trusted loyalists or party faithful abound in historical contexts. Only President Muhammadu Buhari appeared then to be half-hearted about insisting on producing his men as senate president and speaker.  Recall the 2015 saga that saw Bukola Saraki and Yakubu Dogara emerge as senate president and speaker respectively.  Both were not the anointed or endorsed candidates of the party. 

    Tinubu has demonstrated his strategic nature and mobilisational prowess in his presidency enterprise.  Such disposition ramifies his politics, and it is not going to be lacking this time around in the search for a senate president that he believes is reliable enough to synergise with him for his mandate deliverables.

    And this is why Tinubu matters in the ongoing frenzy over the presiding officers’ race.  His endorsement is being sought. The party ‘s National Working Committee (NWC) last week could not settle the issue of zoning and announced it was going to consult with Tinubu as the president-elect to get his buy-in because at the end of the day, the buck stops with him as the President and Leader of the party.  This, indeed, is why Tinubu matters.

    Tinubu knows what he wants and how to get it.  It may be convenient for some of those jostling for positions to drop his name; that is part of politics. Whereas, ordinarily, it is out of place to openly canvass support for any candidate in deference to the autonomy of the Legislature, Tinubu is, without a doubt, interested in who becomes the senate president and who becomes the speaker.  He has his head and heart in the enterprise. Although credible feelers have since resolved the possible zoning of the senate president’s position in favour of the South-South, what perhaps remains tentative and is liable to change is the candidate for the number three position: will it be Godswill Akpabio or Adams Oshiomhole who have consistently been mentioned in sundry reviews?  Again, this is where Tinubu matters.

    It is in the place of the president-elect to decide who he thinks has the capacity, the mental and intellectual discipline, shared principles and values, historically deep political connection, and most importantly, reliability and loyalty to him over the years in the critical choice of who the cap fits.

    These and other allied considerations should resolve Tinubu’s quiet support for either Akpabio or Oshiomhole.  Once that resolution is achieved, Tinubu knows what to do to covertly push through his preferred candidate.  This, indeed, is why the Jagaban Borgu matters in this entire rat race.  

    •Ojeifo,  ojwonderngr@yahoo.com