The Nation Newspaper

Author: The Nation

*Obi, the church and politics

WHO exactly is Jesus Christ, the rock solid foundation on which Christianity rests? Some say he was a great man, a moral exemplar, an inimitable teacher or a gifted story teller among other perceptions. When Jesus asked his disciples, “Who do people say I am?”, they replied that some said he was John the Baptist, others that he was Elijah or one of the prophets. However, when Jesus asked who the disciples themselves thought he was, Peter responded by saying that Jesus was the son of God and the expected Messiah of mankind. Impressed, Jesus said this truth could only have been revealed to Peter by the Holy Spirit.

For those who perceive the Lord Jesus in mere human terms as morally good or as one of the great out of the many great personages of history, Professor Clive Staples Lewis, one of the brightest minds of the 20th century, a former atheist turned Christian, affirmed in his book, ‘Mere Christianity’, that “I am trying here to prevent anyone from saying the really foolish thing that people often say about him: ‘I’m ready to accept Jesus as a great moral teacher, but I don’t accept his claim to be God’. That is the one thing we must not say. A man who was merely a man and said the sort of things that Jesus said would not be a great moral teacher. He would either be a lunatic – on a level with the man who says he is a poached egg – or else he would be the Devil of hell. You must make your choice. Either this man was, and is, the son of God or else a madman or something else…But let us not come up with any patronizing nonsense about his being a great human teacher. He has not left that door open to us. He did not intend to”.

It is astonishing that with a substantial number of Nigerians still unreached with the message of the gospel of Christ, and many more ranking among the billions in the world who remain completely at sea as regards who the man of galilee is, many Nigerian Christian leaders are so obviously preoccupied with and distracted by partisan politics especially in the run-up to next year’s elections. But the prime and most critical mission of the church is to preach good news of salvation through Christ and win souls into God’s kingdom. It is in this sense that the Lord Jesus described the church as the salt of the earth. But of what use is salt when it has lost its saltiness, Jesus asked?

Is the church losing its saltiness by descending into the arena of partisan politics? This appears to be the case sadly. But the church is not a political organization. It is first and foremost a spiritual body. A situation in which churches take partisan political positions and even some trying to corral their members to follow their choices by declaring on their altars that those who vote against a Christian candidate would go to hell, could have long run deleterious consequences especially because membership of churches comprise people of different partisan preferences.

Perhaps the first distraction for the Christian church in Nigeria was the astounding prosperity with which God has blessed her. This has led to an obsessive materialism on the part of many church leaders that has made it difficult to distinguish the church from the world. Prosperity is not a sin and poverty is not synonymous with virtue. But the prosperity gospel can easily become a snare to the church if the emphasis is on the acquisition of wealth, the competition among church leaders to ride the best posh vehicles, fly in their personal private jets or live in the most majestic houses as well as build the most magnificent, sprawling houses of worship. I can recall the man of God who famously declared that he wished the COVID-19 pandemic could continue to rage because it was during the lock-down that he bought another private jet. Statements like this, breed distrust and discontent against Christianity and the gospel by many who believe that the Christian Ministry has become nothing but a money-spinning enterprise by men of God who have become desensitized to the poverty of many of even their members many of who, ironically, pay their tithes and offerings faithfully. But I digress.

It is the pervasive and blatant political partisanship of many church leaders, particularly those of the Pentecostal persuasion that is the potential greatest danger to the credibility of Christ’s gospel and the integrity of the church today. The presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Mr. Peter Obi, has strived more than any other candidate in the run-up to the 2023 election, to play on the Christian religious card just as former President Goodluck Jonathan did during the 2015 elections, which he nevertheless lost. Earlier this month, Obi was at the annual Convention of the Winners Chapel, Ota, popularly tagged ‘Shiloh’, where, just like in the many other churches whose events and gatherings he has attended in what can only be described as politically opportunistic church tourism, he was introduced by colluding clergy in a way as to elicit excitable applause for him.

Speaking on the occasion, the founder and spiritual leader of the church, Bishop David Oyedepo, claimed that what Nigeria needs now is not a leader but a deliverer. Unfortunately, he did not expatiate sufficiently on exactly what he meant by that distinction. Was he referring to Obi as his envisaged deliverer of Nigeria? If so, he did not state what the characteristics of a deliverer are and how Obi fits the bill. Was Obi’s performance as two-term governor of Anambra State so stellar that we can credibly rely on his record to conclude that he is Nigeria’s long-desired deliverer? It is not enough for a man of God, no matter how revered, to magisterially declare one candidate as the deliverer Nigeria needs without offering compelling logical and empirical reasons for his arriving at that conclusion.

Or, could it have been a revelation from God? If so, will church leaders who take blatantly partisan positions and speak ex-cathedra from their altars in the name of God not risk bringing God to disrepute if such political projections turn out to be wrong and misguided as has happened a number of times in the past? Bishop Oyedepo told his congregation that he warned the nation in 2015 that the nation was headed for a disastrous crisis if his voice was not heeded on the election. At that time he was one of those Christian leaders rooting for Jonathan and the PDP. He gave the impression in his sermon that the challenges the country faces today started with the APC assuming power in 2015. The truth is that the problems of today have their roots in the venality, incompetence and lack of vision of the PDP’s 16 years in power although the APC ought to have done much better in confronting these challenges including insecurity and the management of the economy. Unfortunately, the Christian leadership was implicated in the massive corruption of the Jonathan years.

It is difficult to understand how some Pentecostal pastors in particular are doing everything to influence their congregations to vote for a supposedly Christian candidate in the person of Peter Obi. This divisive campaign and its undisguised Christian religious undertone may swing a good number of votes in certain quarters to Obi but it may at the same not sway an also not inconsiderable number of Christians from voting for other candidates. On the other hand, Obi’s openly divisive campaign will definitely hurt the (LP) candidate grievously in huge Muslim voting blocs across the country.

In any case, what has been Obi’s track record in terms of his relationship with Christian leaders and the Christian church before now that he is seeking to ride on the back of Christians to occupy the country’s apex position of authority as President? Did he attend these church gatherings before now that he religiously does now? Is it true that he marginalized Anglicans and favoured Catholics as governor of Anambra State? Obi’s supporters claim that he returned Christian schools taken over by government to their owners as governor. But there is nothing spectacular about that. Asiwaju Bola Tinubu returned mission schools to their original owners as governor of Lagos State. In fact, though a Muslim, Tinubu returned more schools to their original Christian mission owners than to the Muslim missions. Again, Tinubu built a chapel at the Lagos State House at Marina to enable Christian members of staff have a convenient place to observe their religious obligations.

Before Tinubu, there was only a Mosque at the State House. His wife is not just a Christian; she is a senior pastor of the Redeemed Christian Church of God. Throughout his eight-year tenure as governor of Lagos State, the annual New Year thanksgiving service always held with the revered General Overseer of the RCCG, Pastor Enoch Adeboye, ministering. There is no evidence of Tinubu compelling members of his family to convert to his religion, which makes nonsense of the argument that a Muslim-Muslim ticket will lead to the Islamization of the country. In any case, how is that even constitutionally possible?

True, the church cannot be indifferent to the social, political and economic milieu within which it operates. But on no account must she descend into the partisan arena as a participant. Nigerian Pentecostals in particular must learn the appropriate lessons from the experience of the Evangelicals in America who had passionately backed former President Donald Trump without restraint only for the latter to lose the election to Joe Biden this year. Some Christian leaders cite the Biblical aphorism in the book of Proverbs that when the righteous rule, a nation prospers to justify their political partisanship. But who constitute the righteous? Does bearing a Christian name, attending church or even having lofty Christian titles necessarily indicative of righteousness? It is dangerous for man to seek to usurp God’s sovereignty in determining who the leader of a country or entity will be at any time even though Christians have a responsibility of using their votes and prayerfully.

It is necessary to repeat that the primary and most critical mission of the church is to help save the souls of men through the preaching of the good news. In doing so, the church does not need to have men in high positions of authority such as President or Vice President etc. to achieve its goals. In his scintillating book, ‘Jesus: The Man Who lives’, the British journalist, Malcolm Muggeridge (1903- 1990), writes, “When he was approached by someone important like Nicodemus, it never seems to have occurred to him, as it surely would to any ordinary evangelist or promoter of good causes, that, such a man, with valuable contacts and influence, would be of service to his ministry. What he had to say to Nicodemus was precisely the same as what he had to say to the meanest beggar or the most disreputable tax collector – the equivalent, then, of today’s property-developer – that he must be reborn, and become a new man”.

The Lord Jesus avoided the palaces and mansions of the rich and powerful while on earth. Anytime he accepted an invitation to the habitations of the rich and influential such as Mathew the tax collector, it was to speak words of truth to them thus leading to their salvation. He was completely aloof to the politics of the Roman Empire and the desire of the Jews for liberation from the bondage of Rome. Stressing that his kingdom was not of this world, He rejected any attempt to be crowned King of the Jews by those desirous of a secular Messiah. Yet, a small band of his disciples, empowered by the Holy Spirit, turned the Roman Empire upside down and caused the behemoth to succumb to the message of a gospel spread by the most humble and lowliest of men.

In his tome, ‘The Penguin History of the World’, Professor J.M. Roberts states that “Emphatically, Jesus rejected the role of political leader and a political quietism was one of the meanings later discerned in a dictum which was to prove to be of terrible ambiguity: ‘My kingdom is not of this world”. And Malcolm Muggeridge reiterates this point in his submission that “In his teachings, too, Jesus continually stressed the fallacy of looking to this world and its rulers for help and guidance in fulfilling God’s purposes…the profound distrust of power which Jesus inculcated has lived on in the hearts of those who have lost him most and served him best”.

•This article was first published December 24, 2022

March 18, 2023
*’Women do not support women in politics’: The facts

THE former President of France, Nicolas Sarkozy has been sentenced to a one year jail term over campaign funding during his second term bid in 2012. His status as a former President did not shield him. This shows the beauty of the rule of law. That is democracy in action. It is a system of government that ought to be played according to the rules.

The political party system that is a vehicle through which candidates emerge to be eligible to contest for positions are supposed to be run by laid down rules. In most cases the parties take preeminence during elections. They often control the campaign funds unlike what obtains in some third world countries like Nigeria where individuals and groups often usurp party roles especially during elections.

The jailing of a former President over illegal campaign funds beyond the legal limit is an example of a viable democracy. One of the major huddles militating against inclusive politics and a level playing field in Nigerian politics is money. Democracy is expensive because a lot needs to be done. However, the free run and the shaky political structures in Nigeria and most other developing nations affect the stability of democracy. Lack of strong regulatory financial policies makes it possible for politicians across the country to take undue advantage of their own financial muscles or that of their supporters.

Lack of financial power, some socio-religious factors are some of the reasons women do not even have the confidence to play politics and the few that venture in always come out bruised literarily. The fact that Nigeria has the lowest gender parity in politics has clearly shown that there must be structural changes to make the process more accessible to women and youths.

One of the greatest blackmail of women in Nigerian politics is the flawed rhetoric being bandied by men that women do not support each other. They easily cite the case of Dr. Sarah Jibril who is the first woman to contest for Presidency in Nigeria. They easily mock women for not ‘supporting’ their own. They often triumphantly celebrate their erroneous conclusion that ‘women do not support women’ But the male politicians have carved a false narrative that somewhat masks their strategies aimed at monopolizing the political space, qualified or not.

The Roundtable Conversation decided to have a chat with the poster woman of female audacity at the highest level of political contest. Dr. Sarah Nnadzwa Jibril is the first Nigerian woman to throw her hat into the ring of Nigerian Presidential contest. Her political career started in her teenage years as a class captain and sports prefect at different levels. She is a renowned and passionate educationist, a social and religious evangelist for a return to our human and moral values, a politician whose first foray into elective position was in 1983. She had contested the Senatorial seat in her native Kwara state.

Her life story as a woman in a socio-religiously influenced environment is as instructive as it is noteworthy. Both the socio-cultural and religious nuances influenced her decisions. According to Madam Jibril, as a sports and dormitory leader in her high school, she had experienced leadership at that basic level and had her eyes on education and leadership. Her vast education in the UK and United States in sports, comparative, social policy, sociology, comparative education, a bit of psychology and women affairs made her came to the realization that leadership was pivotal to the development of women and the entire country.

Beyond these educational and human experiences, she grew up reading and observing female political amazons like the late Gambo Sawaba, Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti, Margaret Ekpo and the likes of other women in most communities that took part in politics and gave the men a run for their money. She therefore realized that if those women could step in to provide leadership, she too with her exposure and education can do better in reorienting the Nigerian woman about the things that are possible given the value she had acquired through her parents, environment and education in Nigeria and abroad. Education, physical and sycho-social stamina were the pillars that equipped her to seek a paradigm shift in leadership in ways that women can put in their nurturing skills. The welfare of women both in her native Nupe and her marital state made her make up her mind to take up leadership. A particularly profound experience for her was what transpired during an election in Kwara state when one Madam AbdulRasaq was allegedly rigged out in a Kwara election and all the women were shouting Alleluya and Allahu al ‘Akbar in protest and insisted on a repeat of the election.

The lesson for her was that the women were united despite religious differences. So women would always support each other if the men do not interfere with divide and rule. This in addition to a global experience of the roles women play as mothers who birth and nurture children who grow into men and women was a motivating factor for her to venture into politics. To her, there is a divine provision for men and women to play complimentary roles in politics and women must stand up and sit at the table and men must also recognize the fact that the women shed blood to bring life and as such they must be part of leadership for the welfares of all.

The Roundtable Conversation asked her about her political odyssey being an alleged metaphor for women’s lack of support for fellow women to access leadership. Dr. Jibril debunked that fallacy by maintaining that politics in a democracy is very expensive and the name of the game in Nigeria is money and the men are more economically empowered than women. In her political life, she had fought against the idea of making the political process very expensive especially during the military era all in her bid to make the political space accessible to most people willing to serve including women.

However, as a developing democracy, the Nigerian political space is monopolized by the men who have the economic power but beyond that , both men, women and children are guilty of not supporting women to be leaders because the society and religion all groom people to feel that women must not lead. The men surreptitiously use money to distort the process and both men, women and youth could be victims of myopia in this instance falling to the lure of money. So blaming only women for not supporting women is the men hiding behind a finger or playing the Ostrich. She is satisfied that more women because of her are now taking steps to dare to participate actively in politics. To her the trail-blazing experiences are so instructive and must be built on by generations. The fact is that men and women are ordained to play complimentary leadership roles and nothing will go right in the nation until both men, women and children act.

She believes education must be more functional in ways that from the basic levels, we must begin to teach children their roles. At secondary and tertiary levels, there must be an introduction or Gender studies for both genders. We have a shared humanity that must be cared for together. Women must stop being seen as mere reproductive tools that can only be given tokens as welfare officers, women should become party leaders.

Iyom Josephine Anenih (mni), a former minister of women Affairs and renowned woman leader and gender and development advocate is a contemporary of Dr. Sarah Jibril. The Roundtable Conversation asked her views on the mocking cliché of ”women do not support women” always used to taunt women by men in politics. She said that men would always use any rhetoric to blackmail and sometimes bully women out of the political space. It is to their advantage.

Men pitch women against each other in ways akin to cock fights in the local parlance. Sometimes men instigate the cock fights that often results in the death of the weaker one as a sport. The men enjoy pitching women against each other so they take the space. Women must learn to be together, women are not each other’s enemies, the men are the common enemy. No woman should buy into the male blackmail at any level.

The question is, how many women kill each other for power both locally and globally? Women can have disagreements but not bitter political rivalries that often result in assassinations and all forms of life-threatening issues. If the men are sincere Iyom insisits, let them step down at certain points for more competent women to contest with each other. Why do they blame women for contesting against each other, it is a contest not a sign of hatred.

Iyom Anenih believes that the needed tool is massive education from homes to make people unlearn and relearn the leadership structures that harness all the human potentials of every gender because leadership is not about gender but capacity and the wiliness to use that capacity to serve. The jinx must be broken. Teach children the capacity of each gender.

On the part of women, they must be willing to step up and step out. Believing the male rhetoric is accepting to be underdogs which is not natural. Every human is created with capacity and leadership potentials. Women had always provided leadership in Africa before the colonialists came with their system and when they left, the men continued the monopoly which has taken Africa down the development ladder. It is time for women to begin to detoxify the socio-religious impact of cultural and religious dogmas that make women see themselves as less capable of leadership. All the women who are historical figures brilliantly rebelled against that and their societies became better for it.

Dr Sarah jibril and Josephine Anenih believe that education and a recall of leadership history by women and for women would change the false narrative by men to bully women out of political contests. The world and our nation need the complimentary leadership by the able across genders.

The dialogue continues…

*This article was first published October 2, 2021

March 18, 2023
Parties waiting for IREV to collate results kidding – Aluko

FORMER Vice Chancellor of Federal University, Otuoke, Bolaji Aluko, has flayed political parties and gladiators waiting for INEC Result Viewing (IReV) portal for collation of election results.

He said such individuals and parties must be kidding and not ready for prime time.

Aluko, in a statement titled ‘My Views on BVAS, IREV and the 2023 Presidential and NASS Election Results’ said: “Let me repeat what I have stated several times now: All political parties worth their salt – or at least one of them, where all the others were shut out – by now know all the results filled onto Form EC8A on the field. Anybody or political party waiting for IREV for collation was just kidding, not ready for prime time.

“When it comes to discrepancies, there can only be comparisons between two INEC-certified documents: ones from the field (which must have been used for collation down the line of various collation centers) and the one set of uploaded documents Form EC8A onto IREV, either instantaneously or later for good logistical or tactical reasons. If there is any one of the two missing, or if there is a discrepancy, it is up to the courts to do one of three things:

1. Accept one of them, likely the field one, particularly if the IREV one is missing.

2. Reject both results, particularly if both results are mutilated and are different from each other.

3. Call for a re-run in certain areas, especially if the overall winner result will be affected otherwise.

“My political instinct is that all of this palava will not matter a hoot on the long run. The final detailed numbers may be different, but statistically across the country, the winners will remain the same. The boundary conditions of BVAS and IREV will ensure that. But at least everyone would have been satisfied that their grievances would have been heard, and we will move forward to a more perfect electoral process.”

He went further to ask “Can INEC ensure that more results are uploaded in a timely manner on Saturday? Certainly – and it must, and I believe it will. Next General Election will be the best ever, particularly if we can manage to eliminate the physical carriage of Form EC8A and other forms from PUs to RA collation centers, etc.

“Until then, however, in all the years that I have been reviewing General Elections in Nigeria – starting from when I was eight years old – this presidential election has been the best ever, thanks to BVAS and IREV.”

March 18, 2023
PDP condemns arrest of chieftains in Imo

Imo chapter of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has condemned what it describes as the “wanton” arrest of the Party’s chieftains ahead of the March 18 House of Assembly elections.

A statement signed by the Party’s Publicity Secretary in Imo, Mr. Collins Opurozor, and made available to newsmen in Owerri on Thursday condemned the recent arrest of a former Deputy Governor of the state and chieftain of the PDP, Mr. Gerald Irona, describing it as a show of cowardice targeted at weakening the Party and that it would only remain futile at best.

Opurozor described as “puerile”, a recent invitation to former Gov. Emeka Ihedioha and a House of Representatives member-elect, Ikenga Ugochinyere, by the police in Imo.

He challenged the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state, led by Gov. Hope Uzodinma to allow all political parties to test their popularity at the polls rather than resorting to intimidation of the opposition using the police and other agencies of government.

“This is a calculated attempt by the Sen. Uzodinma – led APC to arrest and keep these prominent leaders of our Party out of circulation during the House of Assembly elections scheduled for Saturday, March 18th.

“This way, it would be easy to rig the polls and reestablish a weak and malleable APC-dominated House of Assembly in Imo which can only sing his praises. Imo people must now rise and defend democracy in the State.

“A former Deputy Governor of the State, Rt. Hon. Gerald Irona had his residence invaded last week by armed security operatives on the orders of Uzodinma. Since then, he has been in detention, persecuted for doing no wrong.

“Our Party regrets that the police in Imo has allowed itself to be abused by Sen. Uzodinma, and deployed as a tool for political vendetta. This is extremely dangerous,” Opurozor said.

He further described the police in Imo as “highly politicised” and called on the Inspector-General of Police, Usman Alkali Baba, to overhaul the policing architecture in the state to ensure a level playing ground for all actors in the state’s politics.

This, he said, would rekindle faith in the fairness and credibility of the Police and its capacity to secure Imo people.

March 18, 2023
Customs seizes N231m contraband in Ogun

MEN of the Ogun 1 Area Command of Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), have contraband worth N231,218 million in the state between January and February.

The Comptroller of the Command, Bamidele Makinde, made the disclosure during a press briefing in Abeokuta on Tuesday.

According to Makinde, the command recorded a total of 115 seizures during the period under review.

He said the seizures included 6,743 50kg bags of smuggled foreign parboiled rice, the equivalent of 11 truckloads.

He listed other items including 19,806 litre of Premium Motor Spirit, 18 units of used vehicles used to convey smuggled goods, 64 sacks, and 824 wraps of book.

He said:’’ Others are 10 big pieces and 19 small pieces of artifacts, one motorcycle used to convey prohibited items and 73 bales of second-hand clothing; 14 sacks of foreign-used shoes, 900 pieces of foreign-used tyres and 520 cartons of frozen poultry products.

On revenue generation, he explained the sum of N28.445,757 million was generated through import duties, and auction sales of scrap vehicles and petroleum products.

He added: ”Our officers have continued to exude resilience and commitment to service delivery. This is the reason for the improved seizure profile we have recorded.

‘ I will like to reiterate that the revenue activities of the command comprised of importation and exportation of legitimate goods under the ECOWAS Trade Liberalization Scheme and Assessment of Merchandise on Baggage.”

March 18, 2023
How Nigerian, other African nations’ economy can experience positive growth -ECA

AFRICA’s economy could experience positive growth if the continent’s multiple shocks were adequately addressed, the Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) has said.

This was contained in a statement, by ECA’s Director of the Macroeconomics and Governance Division, Adam Elhiraika at the ongoing experts’ meeting in Ethiopia.

Elhiraika said an overview of the recent economic and social developments in Africa by ECA centred on the complex economic and financial picture of the confluence of shocks that slowed down the global economy.

He said these shocks included the COVID-19 pandemic impact, price rise fueled by Ukraine’s conflict, and extreme weather patterns.

“The result is that Africa currently accounts for the largest share of the world’s poor, with 149 million previously non-poor Africans now facing the risk of falling into poverty. The global picture is different. In 2022, Africa saw the fastest expansion among developing world countries after East and South Asia,” Mr Elhiraika explained. “This is due to improvements in East, North and West African sub-regions, which drove Africa’s overall growth.”

He said North Africa’s growth was expected to accelerate from 3.9 per cent in 2022 to 4.8 per cent in 2023 because of increased import demands in the Eurozone, increasing demand for exports from North African countries, adding that the number of tourist arrivals and remittance inflows will also rise.

Mr Elhiraika explained that Algeria, Morocco and Tunisia were expected to experience positive effects as they conducted higher levels of trade with the Eurozone. He pointed out that in Central Africa, strong domestic production in Cameroon and Gabon contributed to Africa’s growth in the push to respond to the global increase in oil prices.

He said in West Africa, Senegal was expected to continue experiencing remarkable improvements in its growth rate in 2023 due to the commencement of hydrocarbon exports, coinciding with rising natural gas prices.

The ECA director also mentioned that West Africa’s growth would rise slightly to 3.8 per cent in 2023, while Southern Africa, led by South Africa, would have slow growth with a 2.8 per cent average.

“Ultimately, governments need effective coordination between monetary and fiscal policy; this is critical for reducing inflation while shielding the most vulnerable households. Moreover, to make inroads in meeting the SDGs, governments need to improve macroeconomic fundamentals and deepen structural transformation,” he noted.

The ECA director also urged the nations to enhance domestic resource mobilisation, reduce illicit financial flows and integrate innovative mechanisms and instruments such as green financing and carbon markets to spur and stimulate investments.

He suggested accelerating the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) to speed up industrialisation and diversification.

March 18, 2023
Zamfara CP cautions politicians against do-or-die affair politics

THE Zamfara State Police Command has cautioned politicians against seeing today’s gubernatorial and house of assembly electoral contests as a do-or-die affair.

The Commissioner of Police, Mr Kolo Yusuf, gave advice in Gusau on Thursday when leaders of political parties involved in the elections signed a peace accord.

He said that the election was simply a process of electing leaders where there must be winners and losers.

“I am happy that all critical stakeholders are here to endorse the peace accord.

“As security agencies, we want peaceful election; we are after free, fair and credible elections.

“All security agencies in the state are ready for peaceful election.

“We invited the leadership of political parties and the youth leaders because of their importance in the election process.

“We want our youths to remain peaceful before, during and after the elections.

“We want assurance from all political parties that they will control their youths and supporters; we want everyone to remain peaceful and avoid any act of violence.

“We are not at war; the election cannot be successful with violence,” Yusuf explained.

Also speaking, the state Chairman of Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC), Alhaji Bashir Idris, commended the command for organising the peace meeting.

“This is a welcome development; I think this is the fourth time we are having a meeting toward a peaceful conduct of the 2023 general elections.

“During the previous meetings, all political parties’ leaders were present.

March 18, 2023
208 candidates battle for 26 seats in Ondo Assembly

YOUNG persons are on the verge of dominating the Ondo State House of Assembly if the majority of them emerge victorious in today’s State Assembly election.

This is because many of the political parties fielded young persons between ages 25 and 40.

Checks showed that 93 of the candidates representing 44.7% are young people who are less than 40 years old. 47 of the candidates representing 22.5% are above 50 while the rest, representing 32.7% are between 40 and 50 years old. The oldest candidate in the Ondo Assembly election is 69 years old while the youngest is 26 years old.

Members of the All Progressives Congress are in high spirit ahead of the state assembly’s election. The victory the Ondo APC recorded in the February 25th general elections has made the party members see the state assembly election as a walk-over. Their target is to win all available seats in the Ondo Assembly.

A total of 208 candidates are vying to represent the 26 constituencies across the 18 local government areas of the state. The political parties that fielded candidates are the Action Alliance (AA) Social Democratic Party (SDP) Labour Party (LP) All Progressives Congress (APC) New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) National Redemption Movement (NRM) Peoples Redemption Party (PRP) African Action Congress (AAC), the Action Democratic Congress (ADC) and the Zenith Labour Party.

The February 25th general election was a two horse race between the PDP and the APC as other political parties performed poorly after results were announced. It was also an election in which the Ondo PDP suffered huge electoral defeat since 1999. The APC won the presidential election with a wide margin. The party won the three senatorial seats and eight House of Representatives seats while the PDP won only one seat in the House of Representatives. This was unlike in 2019 when the Ondo PDP won two seats in the Senate and three House of Representatives seats. It also won the presidential election by recording the highest number of votes in the Southwest.

However, pundits have predicted that the state assembly election might produce different results from the February 25th presidential election. They said other parties besides the PDP and the APC might win one or two seats in Ondo East, Ondo West and Idanre local government areas.

The list of candidates released by INEC showed that the APC has no candidate for Akoko Southeast constituency due what the electoral body termed ‘court order.’

Spokesman of the Ondo PDP, Kennedy Peretei, said the party would be victorious in many constituencies due to popularity of the party’s candidates. He said issues around the presidential election would not work in favour of the ruling APC or any other political party.

State Chairman of the APC, Engr. Ade Adetimehin, said the party would win in all the 27 constituencies just as it did in the presidential election.

March 18, 2023
Emefiele: haunted by the disappearing naira

THE Governor, Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele may have forgotten that everything in life is ephemeral. While the cashless policy he introduced caused many Nigerians so much hardship, his initial silence over the Supreme Court judgment pitched him against the suffering citizenry.

Even as the controversies rage, Emefiele should be concerned about what people would judge to be his legacy since he assumed office in 2014.

In other climes the CBN governor would have either been told to resign with immediate effect or be suspended over his defiance of the Supreme Court verdict on the controversial cash swap policy.

An eminent professor of law, Itse Sagay (SAN) even echoed that Emefiele should be jailed for contempt of the Supreme Court. He believes spending some time behind bars will make the CBN helmsman realise the enormity of the “merciless pain,” the naira crisis has subjected Nigerians to.

It is no longer news that the scarcity of the new naira notes brought about by the CBN policy has generated tension and visited untold hardship on the masses.

With the catalogue of misgivings highlighted over the naira redesign policy, Nigerians are passing through hell due to the scarcity of the new naira notes and unavailability of the old notes. It has aggravated the cost of living of cash-strapped Nigerians.

Many wondered why Emefiele-led CBN failed to heed the verdict of the Supreme Court which ruled that the old N200, N500 and N1,000 notes should be allowed to co-circulate with the new ones until December 31, but the apex bank was quick to react when over a less-than-palatable newspaper report about the apex bank chief.

Excerpts of the statement which read “… the CBN governor does not take part in politics,” amused many because he had once not only dared the public condemnation of his partisanship, he also went to the High Court, Abuja to file a suit against the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, SAN, alleging an attempt to disqualify him from the 2023 presidential poll over his rumoured ambition on the platform of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC). But the court refused his prayers.

The consequences of Emefiele’s political aspirations still ring hard. He brought the CBN under huge reputational risk. No one would forget in a hurry how some groups obtained the N100m APC expression of interest and nomination forms on his behalf. Dozens of vehicles branded with Emefiele’s image were also procured.

Governors Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna State; Yahaya Bello of Kogi State; Bello Matawalle of Zamfara State; and Rotimi Akeredolu of Ondo State, among others, had condemned the silence of the President and Emefiele on the Supreme Court judgment.

History can sometimes be cruel or good. It took the Emefiele-led CBN exactly 10 days after the Supreme Court judgement to officially order commercial banks to comply with the court verdict when he learnt some state governments were planning to initiate contempt proceedings against him.

One woul d recall a different kind of silence when he announced the naira policy in October, last year. The Minister of Finance, Zainab Ahmed had told the National Assembly that she was not consulted.

Emefiele’s curious actions since the naira crisis exploded created animosity between the presidency and the camp of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC). The governors had openly challenged a critical policy of a Federal Government headed by their party.

Now that the scenes are unfolding, glaringly, the bizarre naira redesign policy appears to be validating those who have argued that it was a subtle move to scuttle the presidential ambition of the party’s candidate, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu.

Buhari clearly threw Emefiele under the bus when he denied instructing the CBN boss and the Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, to defy the Supreme Court order on the naira redesign policy. His statement sounded like an end of romance with the CBN governor.

The president said the apex bank had no reason not to comply with court orders on the excuse of waiting for directives. To observers, the press statement explaining Buhari’s innocence about the disobedience to the Supreme Court judgment appears to be an attempt to absolve itself from the whole drama, and letting one’s self off the hook.

Now, the hunter has become the hunted. Some observers contend that Emefiele, who has been sabre-rattling, is about to be consumed by political intrigues. When the history of his time at the Central Bank would be told the whole naira fiasco which has greviously damaged the economy and devastated trust in the banking system would overshadow all. He would go down as a one-man wrecking ball.

March 18, 2023
How alleged international prostitution ringleader was arrested, extradited

FACTS have emerged about how a Nigerian lady, Joy Jeff, who was on an intercontinental wanted list for her role as a ringleader of an international prostitution syndicate, was arrested and extradited by Italian authorities and transported from Abuja back to Rome.

Joy, 48, who has been on the run since 2010, was found guilty of criminal conspiracy, enslavement, human trafficking, and living off the earnings of prostitution. She bolted in 2010 after she was convicted in absentia and handed a 13-year prison term.

The police added in a statement that the fugitive was a prominent member of the Nigerian mafia and one of the few women on Italy’s most-wanted list.

A 2020 agreement between Italy and Nigeria made her extradition easier. On June 4, 2022, she was detained in Nigeria under an international warrant.

Italian investigators in the eastern city of Ancona said Jeff played a leading role in trafficking women to Italy, Ireland, Spain and the Netherlands, where they were forced into prostitution by violence and threats. She has been convicted in her absence.

Video released by the Italian police showed the woman being flown from the Nigerian capital Abuja to Ciampino Airport in Rome where she was taken away in a wheelchair by police.

“The criminal is one of the few women included in the list of 100 dangerous fugitives drawn up by the integrated joint group for the search for fugitives of the Central Directorate of the Criminal Police,” the Italian police stated.

“This extradition represents the first provision under the extradition treaty between Italy and Nigeria, signed in 2020, and was possible thanks to the joint work of the Nigerian judiciary, the Italian ambassador in Nigeria and the Italian Ministry of Justice.

“Following an investigation by officials of the International Police Cooperation Service (SCIP) in the African country and the issuance of a red notice in 2010, the Department of State Services (DSS), the Nigerian intelligence service, managed to track down and arrest the woman on June 4, 2022, thanks also to the collaboration between the Italian immigration expert in Nigeria and the local police forces.”

March 18, 2023