The Nation Newspaper

Category: Sentry

  • Once upon an FCT Minister

    Once upon an FCT Minister

    After God na government! That pithy pidgin English statement succinctly captures the awesome powers of government at any level. No matter how powerful or wealthy an individual may be they are quickly brought down to earth when they confront the government of the day.

    Not many today remember that once upon a time in the 80s and 90s, a certain Chief M. K. O. Abiola was one of the richest and most influential Nigerians. He was courted by the high and mighty, sought after by countless others who craved his benevolence to address their challenges.

    For most of his time in the limelight, the mogul was a friend of the most powerful people in government. That was until he decided to cross the divide and seek political power. It was a fated move, it would also prove to be fatal.

    Sentry was recently regaled with a true tale about the powers of government that played out a couple of decades ago back when the military ruled the roost. At that point an influential general from one of the Northern states was the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister.

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    At that time there was a massive construction boom in Abuja as the young capital city began to take shape. A key player in the industry was another Northerner who had built a thriving business renting out earthmoving equipment of all kinds. His operation was almost comparable to a monopoly because no one else had his array of equipment.

    But gradually the upstarts started encroaching on his turf by also acquiring some of the construction equipment as they had capacity to do so. In no time these little competitors mushroomed to the extent that the market leader began to feel the impact on his business.

    Alarmed, he ran to his kinsman for help. After laying out his predicament, he was assured that something drastic would be done to restore his near-monopoly.

    Not long afterwards, the minister issued an order directing that no one should operate in the earthmoving equipment business in the FCT unless they had the complete works. In one fell swoop the bit players were knocked out of business, while the monopolist was restored to his gravy train. Talk about the awesome powers of government! 

  • Chop alone, die alone

    Chop alone, die alone

    These are the tales of two state chairmen of a popular party.

    They are predecessor and successor; the former a lawyer-diplomat, and the other a businessman.

    Both were eminently qualified, but one was definitely wiser.

    The challenge was money, or put succinctly, the management of corruption or financial inducement.

    The diplomat believed in a collegiate approach, collective effort and team spirit. Thus, when bribes were offered to him during local government nominations, he would declare the amount to the members of executive during meetings. The money was shared by all of them.

    But the businessman had a way of secretly collecting bribes from aspirants without disclosing to members of his team.

    No matter how it was concealed, the bribery always leaked. Exco members always got to know because the mouths of bribe givers were not closed. The exco members would grumble, but they often lacked the temerity to challenge the chairman.

    Even at that, the diplomat who carried his team along ran into turbulence during his tenure. An aspirant who offered some money as gift ahead of nominations cried foul when he did not emerge as candidate. He alleged that the chairman took bribe from him and failed to deliver. A petition was forwarded to the party leader. Copies were sent to the governor and the executive committee.

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    Swiftly, the exco rose in defense of the chairman, absolving him of the charge. They unanimously told the leader that it was one of those unsolicited unofficial donations to the party and that no member of exco was in the dark. The chairman survived. He completed his tenure successfully.

    But it was the other way round for his successor; the stingy businessman-chairman. When he ran into crisis over a dollarised bribe, his exco abandoned him – after all they never partook in it.

    He appeared alone before the leader. His defense was turned down. There was no support from exco. The leader remembered how his predecessor was fiercely defended by other party officers. His tenure ended on that note.

    The former promoted the idea of “we chop together and survive.” The latter, the idea of “chop alone, die alone.”

    Neither of the two approaches is clean. But since politics is always in conflict with morality, wise politicians tend to lean towards the second approach as a strategy for survival in the murky waters of corrupted politics.

  • Government can’t be charmed

    Government can’t be charmed

    Politicians grumble a lot. The Gen-Z ones among them are in a hurry, restless and desperate for power. They can hardly stay on the queue and wait patiently for their turn.

    That’s what led four of them to the same watcher of signs and times – the babalawo who claimed ability to see tomorrow. They had heard of his power of prediction and efficacy in the use of charms.

    Their complaint was that the appointment of Secretaries to Local Government and Supervisors had been delayed by the state government. The four men believed they would make the list, but their main regret was that the process of appointment had dragged on for four months after council elections.

    Local Government chairmen are already working and drawing salaries while they were left in the cold.

    The man with the mystical powers promised to help.

    Their request was that he does something that would make the appointments happen within seven days.

    He gave them a cowry to speak to silently, assuring that the oracle will harken to their petition.

    Of course, they parted with joy after paying the babalawo.

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    Seven days after, no appointment was announced. Nine days, then 14 days, then 21…

    In annoyance, they returned to the babalawo to inquire as to why his assurance failed.

    The seer was surprised too. Then, he started to inquire from them what they told the oracle through the cowry.

    According to them, they told the oracle to spur the state government to announce appointments within seven days.

    The babalawo exclaimed: ‘I see. That’s your fault. The oracle would have been looking for the government, but could not find it!”

    They rejected his explanation and doubted his powers.

    But, the babalawo took pains to explain the bitter truth about how these things work.

    He said: “Charm can catch Governor A, B or C, especially if you mention his name. He is a person who has blood running in his veins.  He can be determined. He is known. But no charm in the world can catch any government, local, state or federal.”

  • The consultant who saw tomorrow

    The consultant who saw tomorrow

    Politicians have many consultants. Since they battle with executive stress, those who are high up usually have paid personal physicians.

    Some have advisers, or political aides domiciled in the universities and human rights enclaves. Others tap the media for problem solving

    Many patronise pastors, sundry spiritualists, including babalawos and other seers who claim to see tomorrow.

    The last category is more relevant during electioneering. It is because they can predict victory and failure, and they can also appease some supernatural forces to avert failure or convert it to success.

    To one of those who claim they can read the signs of the times went four politicians. The four are A, B, C, and D. One of them, A, was jostling for the position of party chairman. B was eyeing vice chairman. Since B was the only candidate for vice chairman, it was certain that he would be vice chairman unopposed. B did not need prayers again.

    But upon getting to the man in an Ijebu town of coastal Lagos, the powerful consultant picked another person, B, out of the four, saying that the crystal ball has told him he would be chairman. The three – B, C and D – protested, reminding him that they came because of A. The man shook his head, meaning ‘no way.’

    He insisted that B, who was not contesting for chairman, would be the chairman. They went back disappointed because B never bought form for chairmanship position.

    Upon request before they departed, the man reluctantly prayed for A. But as they were departing, he still pointed his finger at B, saying that he would still be party chairman. They ignored him and left. They doubted his capacity, competence and claim. They regretted consulting him. They lamented that they gave money and other things to a fake.

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    The party congress came. A was defeated by his rival from another camp or caucus within the big party. But B was elected unopposed as vice chairman.

    However, suddenly, the chairman resigned, and since the state chapter could not hold a new congress, the party asked B to step into the shoe of chairman immediately.

    It was at that stage that the three of them remembered the prediction of the Ijebu man who claimed to see tomorrow.

    Trust replaced doubt. Henceforth, he became their permanent spiritual consultant in whom they were well pleased.

  • A very innovative mobilisation

    A very innovative mobilisation

    Strategy meetings are peculiar to political parties and their leaders. It was in one of such secret meetings that some unexpected feedback was brought by a concerned chieftain in one of the Southern states.

    The sad news was about voter fatigue, leading to aloofness to the ongoing party membership registration. Despite radio jingles, television advertisements and appeals to members, turnout remained low.

    Seized by anxiety, the party chairman decided to find out the reason for the unusual dwindling interest. He informed the elders who, in their wisdom, advised him to place suggestion boxes in many wards

    The startling revelations were confounding. The masses of the party ventilated their grievances in the boxes, warning of dire consequences if leaders refuse to harken to the voice of distress.

    Complaints at meetings with the ordinary party folks followed a similar trend.

    Have the higher ups not been telling our leaders at home to wet the ground, one queried. Without waiting for a response, he asked further: “why is the ground still dry?”

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    Another member, a youth, who frowned, asked: “You put all your children in councils. One hundred days have passed. Our own appointments for crumbs are still hanging. Why?”

    Another member, a woman, said: “We are only working for you and your children. We only see your face down during elections. After that, your face is up. Why? So, settle us.”

    Before dispersing the stakeholders’ meeting, party executives tried to wet the ground. They did not go empty handed. Many got 10kg bag of rice. Others received vegetable oil, garri and beans. Some smiled home with little cash.

    The next meeting was fuller. Research had been conducted and the outcome known.

    Confident of appeasement, the same carrot was doled out, with a greater demand for mobilisation towards the membership registration.

    The party now came up with a novelty: a huge cash prize for the ward and local government that recorded the highest number of registered party members. It went viral in the wards: ‘Cash for registration, I will partake.’

    So, the mobilisation, and indeed the registration, became competitive. Problem solved!

  • Tax mischief

    Tax mischief

    Against all odds, President Bola Tinubu’s much heralded tax reforms have come into force.

    The new acts are supposed to ensure uniformity in tax revenue administration across Nigeria, eliminate double taxation, use taxation to encourage private sector investment in critical industries and boost disposable incomes through targeted tax exemptions.

    The poorest in society are expected to be winners under the new arrangement. Individuals earning below the minimum wage are exempted from the Pay As You Earn (PAYE) tax. Similarly, small businesses with annual turnovers of N50 million or less would be excused from paying taxes.

    The new laws reduce corporate income tax rate from 30% to 25% over the next two years as a way of alleviating financial pressures on businesses and foster investment.

    From the very start the legislations have been greeted with intense suspicion, especially up North.

    Most people who have taken the trouble to read through the legislations or even familiarise themselves with summaries, admit that while not perfect, the bills are a massive improvement on what we currently have. Of course, they challenge states which are currently content with heading to Abuja for the monthly handout from FAAC, to do more about boosting economic activity in their domains.

    READ ALSO; Why I walked away as Finance Minister – Kemi Adeosun

    But, surely, no one can quarrel with tax exemptions for the poorest of the poor, or cuts for struggling families. Fair minded persons cannot be against reducing the taxation burdens on MSMES and other companies.

    What is most exhausting is that, in typical Nigerian fashion, what should be discourse about the economic wellbeing of citizens has been reduced to a political shouting match about plots to disadvantage one region or the other.

    Some of the most hysterical voices have been those who don’t even know what the new laws contain, but are content to recycle ignorant posts on social media.

    Others have even taken their mischief-making a notch higher. For instance, the story is told of how some months back farmers in parts of the North were misinformed that if they produced four baskets of onions or tomatoes, the government would take one of those baskets as tax! That is to say 25% of their produce.

    This caused quite a flap. In no time, clerics were already preaching inflammatory anti-government sermons about the supposedly evil new tax burden in their mosques on Fridays.

    Informed about the dangerous information being spread by these unknown individuals whose only goal was to torpedo the new legislation, some members of the Presidential Tax Committee quickly engaged influential clerics and stakeholders from the region in a town hall of sorts.

    By the time the engagement was halfway through, they had managed to calm inflamed emotions with proper information about what the new laws were about and what they were not. The bemused clerics kept glancing at each other in confusion because what they hearing wasn’t what they were told.

    Opponents of tax reforms got second wind because of the so-called alterations in the gazetted laws. But those who make these claims haven’t been able to show what was changed and for what purpose.

    The deliberate injection of falsehoods and innuendoes into what should be a sober conversation just speaks to the hidden agenda of these forces.

  • Life in the opposition wilderness

    Life in the opposition wilderness

    These are not the best of times for opposition parties in Nigeria. On paper there are scores of them registered with Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). In reality, only a handful of them exist with realistic chance of success at the polls.

    Today, the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) controls 28 governorships and seems to be casually targeting the 32 once held by the once-upon-a-time mighty Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). Incidentally, this force of nature that at some point boasted it would govern the country for 60 years is now a shell of itself.

    Aside battling fragmentation which further enfeebles it in its bid to return to power anytime soon, opposition parties and their most prominent leaders are fighting for scraps looking for what to hurl at the ruling party. Bad news and statistics are good news for them. Unfortunately, they’ve not had much to work with in this area.

    After United States President, Donald Trump, labelled Nigeria ‘a disgraced country’, threatening to storm our shores with ‘guns blazing’, there was jubilation in certain quarters. Visions of US marines dropping on the roof at Aso Rock to effect regime change had some people in ecstasy. Alas, it was just a fleeting dream!

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    What followed was swift engagement with Washington by the government. After the recent fact-finding visit by the American congressional delegation, every dream about bombs dropping from the sky disappeared in the unappealing diplomatic talk.

    Even the rash of suspicious mass abductions which looked like a reprise of the final days of former President Goodluck Jonathan’s hapless regime, have petered out as the Nigeria Army fanned out ‘guns-a-blazing’ across the land.

    It’s Christmas time and the trademark fuel queues are nowhere to be found. Food prices are crashing. The president just decisively dealt with necessary personnel changes that were potentially distracting for his government, and raw material for a thousand opposition press releases. Tinubu looks increasingly presidential, his would-be usurpers increasingly frustrated with feeding on scraps.   

  • Sympathy for IDPs

    Sympathy for IDPs

    One of the most cutting taunts in Nigerian politics right now is to be referred to as an Internally Displaced Politician (IDP). That is the tag that has been hung around the necks of some of the leading lights of the opposition African Democratic congress (ADC).

    Among the most prominent of this new species is former Vice President Atiku Abubakar who left the main opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) with so much hype, but is yet to formally join the over-inflated platform that we were all told was going to topple the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and send President Bola Tinubu back to Lagos in a hurry.

    In this group belongs the fire-spitting former governor of Kaduna State, Nasir El-Rufai, who regular bulletins on X have somehow lost their earlier menace. Now he mournfully bewails the calamity that awaits Nigerian democracy if the president is allowed to cruise to victory in two years’ time.

    In the meantime, he’s floating around in political purgatory – somewhere between the Social Democratic Party (SDP) where he has received an icy welcome and his ADC promised land, trying to conjure some sort of magic potion that would banish Tinubu and deliver him from irrelevance.

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    Part of this band is a certain Rotimi Amaechi, one-time Minister of Transportation who briefly flirted with something called the All Democratic Alliance (ADA). It was a brief and spectacular flop. The former governor of Rivers State who still fancies himself something of a political lion has been huffing and puffing – wondering why Nigerians haven’t revolted against the government of the day.

    When that trick didn’t work he began moaning about hunger. Again, not too many were sympathetic given his ample midriff.

    And then there’s Peter Obi who seems to be doing his level best not to jump into the ADC bed and whilst still pretending to be a member of the troubled Labour Party (LP).

    You really have to feel for the politically homeless are they trun round and round in circles not having the courage of their convictions but always willing to believe that their accommodation problems are caused by the all-powerful occupant of Aso Rock – and not by their own dithering.

  • Osun primary: conmen on the prowl

    Osun primary: conmen on the prowl

    As All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship aspirants warm up for next week’s primary in Osogbo, capital of Osun State, some of them are targets of swindlers.

    One of them – a serial contender – nearly fell prey recently in Lagos, when he approached a perceived middleman for help to shore up his chances.

    The scammer saw the desperation in the man he wanted to cheat when, in response to his request for a broader endorsement, promised to take him to the Abuja to meet the high and mighty in the party.  But on one condition.

    The impostor, who claims to have the ears of the leaders of the party requested for $70,000 for his service, to be paid upfront.

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    Over N100 million for access money? Well, it could be more, particularly for the gullible. Afterall, it is the equivalent of the fee for the Expesssion of Interest form. More importantly, the road to Abuja is not ordinary. Only some big men can facilitate access to the high corridor.

    But the aspirant suddenly came into his senses after sleep-walking down to Lagos. He demurred after waking up from his deep slumber.

    The result:  No access, imaginary or real. But no parting with hard-earned money.

    At the end, there was no victor, no victim of executive 419, and no vanguished.

  • The ex-minister and his interests

    The ex-minister and his interests

    These are not the best of times for a noted All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftain from the South-South geopolitical zone. The man who also used to be a state governor and one-time minister is on the ropes as it were. But it’s not only his economic interests that are threatened, those of his loyalists are under pressure as individuals with  federal connections are angling to take over their existing surveillance contracts.

    They are moaning that moves to hijack the surveillance contract of loyalists to the Niger-Delta born politician were politically motivated,  and warning that cancelling their meal ticket would be counter productive.

    Already, certain youth groups within the ruling APC are accusing the administration in this South-South state of collaborating with vested interests in the state to undermine our man’s interests.

    The youths lamented that the only offence of the targeted surveillance contractors was their steadfast loyalty to the under-fire politician. They insiste that executing what they claim is a  witchhunt against founding  members of APC who had given their all to the party would hamper peace in the state.

    The youths said: “Any attempt to wrest these contracts from them, if true, would represent not only an act of political victimisation but also a direct threat to the economic stability of hundreds of youths who rely on these engagements for their survival.

    The APC youths said allowing such a plot  would be deeply regrettable and could further inflame existing tensions in a state already grappling with economic and political strain.

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    “It would be disappointing, and indeed unnecessary, for individuals in such privileged positions to seek control over the modest enterprises that sustain many ordinary citizens.

    “What is playing out, in our view, reflects an increasingly intolerant and overreaching political culture—one that seems driven more by insecurity and resentment than by genuine public interest. Having already manoeuvred to dominate political structures built through the sacrifices of others, one must ask: what more is there left to take?

    They called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to use his good offices to ensure fairness and restraint in the handling of matters affecting peace, livelihood, and cohesion in the state.

    “We urge all actors to remember that the essence of leadership is service, not conquest, and that governance should never descend into a zero-sum contest of personal interests.

    “We remain committed to pursuing every legitimate and peaceful avenue to resist any unjust or economically harmful action against our members”, they said.