The Nation Newspaper

Category: Special Report

  • Farmers to access loans at 5% interest

    To boost agriculture, five per cent interest loans are coming for farmers. They are also to become shareholders in the Bank of Agriculture (BoA) to give them a sense of beloging. VINCENT IKUOMOLA examines the government’s effort to ensure food-sufficiency.

    MORE incentives are coming the way of farmers. They are to enjoy low interest rate loans from the Bank of Agriculture (BoA).

    Agriculture & Rural Development Minister Audu Ogbe said the Federal Government plans to make loans available to local farmers at five per cent interest.

    According to him, the Bank of Agriculture (BoA) was being repositioned to grant credit facilities to the farmers targeting five percent interest rate loans for farmers to achieve food sufficiency.

    The minister, who spoke yesterday in the company of other members of the Feeral Executive Council (FEC) at a Town Hall Meeting in Dutse, Jigawa State, added that farmers will have access to flexible loans after the completion of the bank’s restructuring in December.

    Besides, he the government has a plan to make farmers shareholders in the bank after the overhaul.

    The meeting, coordinated by Information, Culture & Tourism Minister Lai Mohammed, was the third edition of such parleys ahead of the 2019 presidential election.

    The meeting served as a platform to present the scorecard of the President Muhammadu Buhari administration in the agriculture sector in the past three years.

    The parleys are meant to showcase the achievement of the Buhari administration in the agriculture sector.

    As one of the panelists, Ogbe noted that the abandonment of rural dwellers who account for the highest population of farmers was part of the problems facing the country.

    Other panelist are: Suleiman Adamu (Water Resources Minister); Aisha Abubakar (Minister of State for Trade & Investment) and a Special Assistance to governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Mr. Olatunde Akanbi.

    He said government’s diversification agenda which gives priority to agriculture has made farmers stronger and independent.

    He noted that with reduced interest rates on loans and provision of inputs, politicians will no longer manipulate citizens with lies as they will no longer depend on handouts from them during elections.

    The minister posited that high interest rate on loans has seriously damaged agriculture, making Nigeria to lose its place as an exporter of farm produce.

    Ogbe stressed that already the reduction of interest rate on lending to farmers at nine per cent has ignited a revolution in agriculture.

    He noted that with the reform of the BoA, which will be completed by next month, the government is targeting five per cent lending rate to farmers.

    His words: “One of the biggest things we recognised was that the biggest hindrance to growth has been outrageous interest rate. From 1986 when our economic disaster began through the Structural Adjustment Programme (SAP), interest rate went up to 25-30 per cent.

    “I am not an economist but I keep on asking; how can anybody produce anything profitably at the interest rate of 25 per cent? How can a farmer grow rice if he or she borrows at 25 per cent and put in the market to to compete with what we are importing form Thailand and Europe. When in those countries, the interest rate is three per cent?

    “With the Anchor Borrower Programme (ABP), it came down to nine per cent. The first loan was N40 billion to framers. That money within one year, rose to N249 billion. It proved a point that with a reduced interest rate in this country, for agriculture and industry, Nigeria would have no business complaining of poverty, unemployment or hunger.

    “By mere reducing interest rate to nine per cent, great things are happening. Reduce interest rates, give inputs to farmers, and mobilise them, Nigeria will get back to where she was.

    “I have better news too; we are quietly reforming the Bank of Agriculture. The Bureau of Public Enterprise (BPE) has almost completed its work. Where are going to restructure the bank. Farmers will become shareholders of that bank. And we are looking at bringing the interest rate down to five per cent for agriculture. By then, we can challenge the world to a contest.”

    The minister also pointed out that the revolution in agriculture by the present administration has now turned Nigeria into an exporter of agricultural products.

    “In July this year, the Tin Can Island published a report that Agricultural export has risen by 150 per cent. Containers leaving Nigeria are no longer going empty,” he said.

    The CBN promised to sustain its support for agriculture as part of efforts to make the country self-sufficient in food.

    Speaking through his special assistant, CBN Governor Godwin Emefiele explained that what the apex bank intervenes by granting loans to farmers at single digit interest rate to support agriculture through commercial banks and other financial institutions.

    He said: “In the past four years, CBN has been so supportive of the government, especially in the agricultural revolution of the government.

    “The flagship of course of which you all know is the Anchor borrower  programme, which was launched in November 17, 2015, by Mr. President and since then, the CBN has supported over 850,000 small rural farmers. The CBN has disbursed over a hundred and sixty billion under the anchor borrower programme.

    “Why the programme is very popular is because the target is small rural farmers. There are lots of other programmes the CBN has done targeting large scale commercial farmers, small sale commercial farmers and other enterprises. But this is specifically for small rural farmers.”

    He explained that the ABP was not meant for rice farmers alone, though about 80 per cent of buy-in has been from rice farmers.

    The programme, he said, supports 15 different commodities like cassava, fish groundnut, cotton, maize, poultry, soya beans, and oil palm among others.

    He listed another programme being supported by the CBN as the presidential fertiliser programme.

    This he noted, explained the fall in the price of fertiliser, which now sells for N5, 500 and has also saved the county a lot of foreign reserves.

    The CBN, he said, also supports the paddy rice programme, the food security programme, which is for large enterprises.

    Comparing the impact of agriculture revolution in the country along five major commodities, he said: “What we have done is that we have looked at five key commodities, we have taken sugar, milk, rice, tomatoes and wheat. In 2013, the country saved $1.4 billion to import these commodities into the country. By the end of 2015, that figure at a time was over 30 per cent $971 million dollars, rice at that was $590 million.

    “As at the end of 2017, that figure had reduced by almost 60 per cent the value of food import into Nigeria for these five commodities. At the end of 17, we only spent $678.6 coming from $1.4 billion.”

    The information minister warned that Nigerians should not expected food exporting countries to help them to achieve food sufficiency.

    Mohammed said: “if the country is to achieve self-sufficiency in food it must look inward.”

    The minister also urged Nigerians to see as fake news that local production is reducing.

    Rather he said the country has experienced a rapid growth in rice production over the last three years.

    He noted that it was untrue that the country imported 400,000 metric tonnes more than the quantity of rice imported in 2017.

    The minister said: “Please permit me to alert Nigerians to the reality out there. In pursuing our agricultural revolution, which will ultimately lead to self-sufficiency in the national staples, we should not expect accolades and support from outside, especially from countries that have hitherto been the main exporters of food items such as rice to Nigeria.

    “Every nation pursues its national interest, and it is definitely not in their interest for Nigeria to produce what it consumes, because it means you will no longer import from such countries.

    “The conspiracy to thwart Nigeria’s push toward self- sufficiency in rice did not start today. In 2015, the government was put under undue pressure to import rice ostensibly to make up for a massive shortage, when in the real sense there was a glut of paddy rice produced locally.

    “It is in that context that Nigerians should see the recent fake news that Nigeria imported 400,000 metric tonnes more than the quantity of rice it imported in 2017. The report, quoting the 2018 United States Department of Agriculture World Markets and Trade Report, also posited that Nigeria’s local rice production is dropping.

    “When the figures were challenged, they said it was based on the assumptions – unrealistic as they were – such as satellite mapping of farms, expected demand by politicians for election campaigns and expected losses from flooding.”

    Quoting the CBN, the minister stressed that the volume of rice importation into Nigeria declined drastically this year.

    The decline he explained was as a result of concerted efforts by the Ministry of Agriculture & Rural Development and the interventions of the CBN.

    The Emir of Dutse, Dr. Nuhu Mohammed Sanusi, decried that his emirate has been collecting loans with interest rates as high as 19 per cent contrary to CBN’s claim of single digit interest rate.

    According to him, the emirate has approached the CBN on the issue but to no avail.

    He also encouraged the Federal Government to look into the real problems of agriculture as the sector goes hand in hand with infrastructural development.

    Noting that the agricultural sector will improve significantly with efficient transportation system, especially the rail services, the emir, stressed the need for more research and education for farmers, especially women.

    He said that farmers constitute 50 per cent of residents in the rural areas, saying that with their low level of education, they cannot benefit from the new technology in farming.

     

  • Presidential running mate: Obi’s choice splits Southeast

    The choice of Peter Obi as Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential running mate to Atiku Abubakar in next year’s election has divided the party in the Southeast. OKODILI NDIDI reports the intrigues.

    FORMER Anambra State Governor Peter Obi may have been picked by Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar as his running mate in the 2019 election without much consideration. His choice is creating ripples in the Southeast.

    Disturbed by the development, the PDP leadership in the zone summoned an emergency meeting of critical stakeholders in Enugu.

    The meeting, initially scheduled for the party’s zonal headquarters, was later shifted to the Independence Layout residence of the Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu.

    At the meeting were three PDP governors of Ebonyi (Dave Umahi); Abia (Okezie Ikpeazu) and Enugu (Ifeanyi Ugwanyi), some National Assembly members from the zone, zonal leaders and others.

    Addressing reporters after the meeting, Governor Umahi said that the leadership of the party was unaware of Obi’s choice as running mate. He said nobody consulted them.

    The governor said that they only heard the appointment on social media, saying they expected they would have been carried along prior to the announcement.

    He said they expected that Abubakar would visit to inform them about his choice of Obi.

    But, the PDP candidate in the 2017 Anambra State governorship election, Oseloka Obaze, faulted the position of the party leadership on Atiku’s choice.

    Obaze told reporters after the meeting that it had never been heard of how a presidential candidate would consult on a zonal level before choosing a running mate.

    He noted that the antics of few individuals within the party and cautioned that they needed not go into the election divided.

    “As the leader of the party in Anambra, I want to say that we support the choice of Peter Obi. He is our son but we are here saying we are not aware of his nomination.

    “We need to support him and the party,” he said.

    Obaze said that the conduct of the governors who took off from the residence of Ekweremadu without meeting with party faithful who attended the meeting was most regrettable.

    “I have heard corridor talks about passing a resolution to repudiate the selection of Obi as Atiku’s running mate.

    “I hope that those who champion such cause will also have the courage to sign their names to the resolution so that in the fullness of time our posterity will appreciate our folly.

    “If we lose the present opportunity to produce the vice president due to the whims of a few among us, Ndigbo will never recover the past and history will be unkind to us,” Obaze said.

     

    Obi’s choice of no consequence to Buhari’s chances in Southeast

     

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate in Imo State, Uche Nwosu, said that the ceding of vice presidential slot to the Southeast by the opposition PDP would not stop President Muhammadu Buhari from winning  in the zone.

    Nwosu viewed the nomination of the former Anambra governor as Abubakar’s running mate as another ploy to derail the Igbo Presidency.

    According to him, “I don’t think that the nomination of the PDP presidential running mate from the Southeast will affect anything, because President Buhari has made a landmark, I call him a man of his word.

    “One this is sure that President Buhari cannot be compared to Abubarkar. President Buhari is a man of integrity and remember that the country was almost gone before he came in and since he came in, you can see that every part of our economy is doing well and our integrity abroad has been restored and the fear of corruption is very high now, so President Buhari remains the best for Ndigbo and the country”.

    He went further:  Abubarka is doing a very big mistake, we cannot afford to wait for another eight years to have an Igbo man as a President, I think it is

    a carrot that is being dangled at Ndigbo but we must reject it, we cannot wait for another eight years, we prefer to vote for President Buhari and in the next four years, power will return to the Southeast.

    “So the issue of vice president cannot bring anything to the Southeast, you cannot compare a vice president to a president. So, the issue of bringing Peter Obi is to deceive Ndigbo again and make them continue the waiting all over again. What we are asking for as Ndigbo is a president, not vice president. That is not what we need.

    “When President Buhari finishes in 2023, it will be the turn of Ndigbo. So, no Igbo man that is well in politics, will think of supporting Abubakar, who will want to stay for another eight years, no that is not acceptable. So, we shall vote for Buhari en masse to ensure that Ndigbo will only have to wait for four years”.

    On the possible extraction of commitment for the anticipated Igbo Presidency in 2023, Nwosu assured that, “those expressing doubt are not members of the APC, we that are members of the APC will tell you the commitment President Buhari has for Igbo presidency. So, let them wait and see what will happen. So, on the issue of power coming to the Souteast, President Buhari is a man of integrity, a man of his word and will support Ndigbo after the end of his tenure in 2023”.

    Nwosu also dismissed insinuations that the APC may have been weakened by crisis arising from the just concluded primaries.

    He said” I don’t think it has affected the party in anyway, it is politics and the most important thing is that at the end of the whole thing, we must resolved the issue of our quarrel because the APC is a big party and the party in power, it is not a problem at all”.

    He also lauded Adams Oshiomole’s led other NYSC National Working Committee (NWC) members saying that “I think our national chairman has all it takes to bring the APC to victory in 2019, remember that before now the party was in shambles and nobody was hearing about the party.

    “The former leadership did not visit any state throughout the time they were there, nobody knew that APC was existing but, now the people know that is Oshiomole is a man you can trust with power andoffice. Immediately he took over, you can see the vibrancy in the leadership of APC, and I am convinced that he will lead the party to victory in 2019”.

     

  • Mixed feelings as parties pick governorship candidates

    Political parties are picking their governorship candidates across the states for next year’s election. The Nation reports that leaders of the parties should brace to manage post-primary crisis going by the results from some of the states

    The race to Government Houses in states began yesterday with political parties staging shadow polls to pick their standard bearers in the governorship election scheduled for early next year.

    Some candidates of the two major parties – All Progressives Congress (APC) and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) – emerged at the close of the primaries in some states yesterday. The exercise is rescheduled for today in some APC states.

    The exercise, organised by both parties, was marred by complaints as aspirants alleged manipulations by some powerful elements. In some states, factions held parallel primaries, resulting to the emergence of multiple candidates under the same umbrella.

    The results of the shadow are captured in this report.

     

    El-Rufai emerges in Kaduna

     

    Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai yesterday returned unopposed after polling 2,427 votes out of 2,457 to emerge APC governorship candidate for the 2019 general elections.

    The PDP primaries at the Kaduna International Trade Fair Complex was ongoing as at the time of filing this report, as only five out of the 23 local government areas in the state had voted as at 8:00pm.

    Announcing the APC primaries result at the Umaru Musa Yar’Adua Hall of Murtala Mohammed Square in Kaduna, Chairman of the electoral committee the state, Mathew Idoriyekemwem, said 2,457 out of 3,200 delegates from the 23 local government areas of Kaduna State voted in the primaries.

    He said: “We have a total of 30 invalid votes, and 2,427 votes for the only aspirant who remain the candidate of APC for the governorship election of Kaduna State. We hereby return as elected as gubernatorial candidate of APC, Malam Nasir el-Rufai.

    El-Rufai, in his acceptance speech, said he accepted the nomination as a vote of confidence of the delegates in him. He promised to use the mandate of the delegates to work towards the greatness of the state.

    The governor called on the delegates, party members and leaders of the party to support him in the race to win the 2019 gubernatorial election, saying that, “we have traveled far together since July 2013, we have worked together but the journey ahead is still long and rough.

    “It’s with delight and humility that I accept your nomination as the party’s gubernatorial candidate. I accept this nomination as your vote of confidence to continue the work. I use my acceptance of your nomination as a mandate not to relent but to continue to work for the greatness of Kaduna state.”

    At the PDP primary, nine aspirants were slugging it out for the PDP ticket.

    One of the aspirants, Alhaji Ja’afaru Sa’ad had on the floor of the primaries after two local government areas had withdrawn from the contest.

     

    Ribadu withdraws from race in Adamawa

     

    A former Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) Chairman Mallam Nuhu Ribadu yesterday withdrew from the APC governorship primary in Adamawa State.

    He said he had raised the alarm since May that the party congresses were hijacked and nothing was done to correct the anomalies.

    Ribadu expressed regrets that while many APC members wanted direct primaries in the state, the party opted for indirect primaries.

    He said he was under no illusion of a fair contest in the hands of those so-called party officials.

    But Ribadu assured that he would remain in APC, and continue to support President Muhammadu Buhari’s good works and his candidature as product of direct primaries.

    His withdrawal was contained in a statement by the Nuhu Ribadu Campaign Organisation’s Director-General Mallam Salihu Bawuro.

     

    Makinde wins Oyo PDP ticket

     

    Frontline aspirant Seyi Makinde yesterday clinched Oyo PDP ticket.

    He defeated his only opponent Senator Ayoade Ademola Adeseun by winning 2772 votes to his rival’s 21 votes

    Senator Adeseun before the commencement of the primary alleged foul play against Makinde and called for the cancelation of the process.

    After announcing his partial withdrawal from the race, Senator Adeseun led his supporters out of the venue

    The screening for the delegates was ongoing when Adeseun’s supporters suspected alleged irregularities in the delegates’ list and engaged the Makinde camp in a shouting match.

    Adeseun called the attention of the PDP National officers to the development

    He said: “It may interest you to know that even in my local government, 56 names were fraudulently inserted into the delegates’ list.

    He left the mainbowl of the Obafami Awolowo Stadium around 1:38pm with his convoy.

     

    Kwara PDP primary ends in fiasco

    • Governor whisked away as ex-minister pulls out

     

    The PDP governorship primary in Kwara State ended in deadlock yesterday.

    The shadow poll was peacefully going on when a lady from Asa local government area disrupted the process.

    Before her action, delegates from two local areas had already cast their votes as at about 7.30pm.

    Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed failed in his bid to calm frayed nerves. The governor was hurriedly whisked away from the venue.

    It was gathered that Senate President Bukola Saraki, who did not attend the primary, met with the aspirants on Saturday and appealed to them to step down for Rasak Atunwa, a member of the House of Representatives, who is his favourite.

    Before the commencement of voting, House of Assembly Speaker Ali Ahmad withdrew from the race.

    Delegates hurriedly departed the venue of the event after the pandemonium.

    Former National Planning Minister Dr. Suleiman Abubakar, one of the contestants said he might not participate in the reschedule primary because “it is not likely to be fair.”

     

    Adelabu gets Oyo APC ticket

    • Akintola quits partisan politics

     

    Former Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Deputy Governor Adebayo Adelabu yesterday emerged the APC candidate for the 2019 election.

    All the aspirants stepped down from the race leaving the ticket for him.

    But voting took place because some of the aspirants like former Governor Adebayo Alao-Akala were said not to have withdrawn officially.

    The last aspirant to pull out, Mr Niyi Akintola (SAN) delayed his exit from the race until he was prevailed upon by APC national leader Asiwaju Bola Tinubu.

    Akintola subsequently withdrew from partisan politics.

    Three out of the seven aspirants shortlisted for the governorship primary had earlier stepped down at the primary held at the Lekan Salami Stadium, Adamasingba, Ibadanand attended by thousands of the party supporters from across the state. Security was tight.

    Those who initially stepped down from the race before the contest include, Joseph Tegbe, Dr Owolabi Babalola and Dr Olusola Ayandele.

    Ex-Governor Alao-Akala on Saturday said he would not attend the primary while former commissioner of health Dr Azeez Adeduntan earlier withdrew.

    After about three local government had voted at the primary which started at about 5pm, Akintola later approached the chairman of the primary electioncommittee, Prince Demola Seriki, to announce his withdrawal from the contest.

    Akintola, who spoke in an emotional tone, said the decision to withdraw from the contest was against his wish and that of his immediate family, but had to accede to the plea and request by Tinubu, the Alaafin of Oyo Oba Lamidi Adeyemi and the Iyalode of Ibadan Aminat Abiodun, who spoke with him to step down from the contest.

     

    Ayade gets the nod in Cross River

     

    It was a walk over for Governor Ben Ayade of Cross River State.  He emerged the governorship candidate of the PDP for next year’s governorship election.

    Ayade, who was the sole aspirant, garnered 1927 votes in the primary election that involved delegates from the 18 local government areas at the U.J. Esuene Stadium, Calabar, venue of the shadow poll.

    2001 delegates where accredited for the exercise with 10 voided votes.

    Speaking moments after the result was announced, Ayade attributed the outcome to the will of God.

    He said: “This purely the will of God. You can see the overwhelming acceptance from the people through my party and I’m happy that my people can appreciate my little effort so far in transforming the socio-economic landscape of the state.

    “I came with the mission to restructure the economy of the state. The outcome of the exercise is clearly an endorsement of what I had started. I want to assure Cross Riverians that I am poised to complete the economic restructu”ring of the state.

    “Everyone is so enthusiastic to participate in the primary to reelect me and I can only say that, it’s God’s will. One thing you must know is that, the people have only come here to vote according their conscious in spite of the fact that I am the only aspirant for the election.”

     

    Ugwuanyi emerges unopposed

     

    Enugu Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi had no challenger in the PDP governorship primary that held yesterday in Enugu, the state capital.

    He got the nod to fly the party’s flag next year, not without the due process as delegates from the 17 local councils were cast their votes on the insistence of election committee chairman Senator Ambuno Zik.

    Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu who introduced Ugwuanyi to the teeming delegates said: “This is the first time since 1999 we are having a single aspirant in our primary. The aspirant achieved this by weaving all camps together and ushering in peace.”

     

    Emmanuel unopposed in Akwa Ibom

     

    Akwa Ibom State Governor Udom Emmanuel yesterday returned unopposed as the PDP candidate.

    Chairman of the party Obong Paul Ekpo and other stakeholders said the governor was unanimously returned by the delegates.

    Akwa Ibom State PDP congress committee chairman and Ekiti State Governor Ayodele Fayose communicated the decision.

    The governor promised to “continue to be your Servant-Leader, providing development that is both immediate and sustainable, ensuring that we continue to enjoy peace and security in this State and to use our commonwealth to advance the interest of our people.”

     

    Ekere leads peaceful shadow poll

     

    The APC governorship primary in Akwa Ibom was generally peaceful despite reports of late arrival of election materials.

    Special Assistant to the President on National Assembly Matters (Senate), Senator Ita Enang told reporters that election materials arrived the state party headquarters late on Saturday night.

    Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) Managing Director Dr Nsima Ekere looked good to get the ticket.

    At the end of the voting at about 5pm yesterday, Ekere had already won in most of the wards.

    He defeated other aspirants, including, former Minister of State for Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Senator John James Akpanudoedehe, former NDDC Managing Director Dr Edet Efretuei and Sir Bassey Dan-Abia.

     

    It‘s Dan Iya for PDP in Sokoto

     

    The last minute’s withdraw  of Prof Hamza Maishanu from the governorship race on PDP’s platform Prof Hamza Maishanu Yabo paved the way for the emergence of Muhammad Dan Iya as the party’s standard bearer at its primaries.

    The professor had at the weekend announced his withdrawal from the race.  Dan Iyaý who emerged unopposed was affirmed at the exercise which was conducted at Giginya Township Stadium, Sokoto. However, the delegates who participated in the process leading to affirmation of the candidature were drawn from 23 councils in the state.

    Declaring the results, primaries election committee chairman Ambassador Bashir Yuguda described the exercise as smooth, successful and credible in accordance with the constitutional provisions of the party.

    He said that 4,175 out of the 4,976 delegates who participated in the primaries voted for the aspirant who emerged as the standard flag bearer of the party.

    Yuguda acknowledged the collective efforts of party members as well expressed appreciation to the LOC for the peaceful, transparent and purposeful success of the exercise and hoped that same will be reflected at the polls for the victory of the party come 2019.

     

    Polls hold today in Lagos, Imo, Abia, Zamfara, Ogun, Bauchi, Cross River

     

    The governorship primary of the All Progressive Congress (APC) in Lagos, Imo, Abia, Zamfara, Ogun and Bauchi and Cross River states will hold today. The party shifted the shadow polls in some of the states due to logistics, and due to non-arrival of the election committee from the National Headquarters in Abuja in other states.

    Zamfara APC Publicity Secretary Malam Shehu Isa, announced the shift of the shadow poll in Gusau yesterday.

    The State Police Command appealed to stakeholders to cooperate with security agencies and abide by security measures during the primaries.

    Commissioner of Police Usman Belel made the call at a security stakeholders meeting in Gusau, Public Relations Officer of the Command, Muhammad Shehu, a Superintendent of Police, said in a statement yesterday.

    Shehu said the meeting was attended by heads of security agencies in the state, officials from Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the APC governorship aspirants.

    He said: “The meeting was aimed at taking proactive security measures for effective security coverage before, during and after the APC governorship primaries in the state.’’

     

    Rivers APC faction announces Abe winner  in Rivers

     

    Senator Magnus Abe has been declared winner of the direct primary for the 2019 Governorship election conducted by a faction of the All Progressives Congress (APC) party in Rivers.

    The result was announced by Dr Sam Eligwe, the Returning Officer for the faction at the  secretariat controlled by the faction in Port Harcourt.

    According to Eligwe,  Abe won with 144,929 votes..

    Chief  Dumo Lulu-Briggs, who polled 3,444 votes, came a distant second while Dr. Dawari George scored 1606 and Dr Tonye Cole got 882 votes in the results announced.

     

    Ishaku is PDP standard bearer in Taraba

     

    Taraba State Governor Darius Ishaku yesterday emerged as the PDP candidate. Chairman of the governorship primary election committee and former Kogi State governor Idris Wada, declared Ishaku winner at the end of voting by delegates.

    Wada explained that 1,928 of the 2,000 accredited delegates for the primaries voted for Ishaku, who was the party’s sole aspirant.

    Commending the delegates for their peaceful conduct Wada said: “I want to commend you all the delegates to this election for your peaceful and orderly conduct.”

    Reacting to the victory, Ishaku thanked the PDP family in the state for the confidence repose in him and pledged to redouble his efforts at developing the state if re-elected at the general elections.

    “It is not easy to be a sole aspirant for governorship in a party like PDP, but because of the confidence you have in me, it has happened,” the governor said.

    Taraba PDP Chairman Victor Bala noted that with the successful conduct of the primaries, the party was poised to continue to govern the state beyond 2019.

     

    Ogun PDP get ‘two candidates’

    • Factions pick Adebutu, Shittu

     

    Two factions of the Ogun chapter of the PDP held parallel primaries in Abeokuta yesterday to elect governorship party’s governorship candidate ahead of the 2019 polls.

    The group recognised by the national body of the PDP held its primaries at the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library (OOPL) where a House of Representatives member Ladi Adebutu, emerged the candidate.

    Adebutu, representing the Remo/North Federal Constituency, was the sole aspirant of the group.

    He emerged after all the 2,369 delegates from the three senatorial districts voted for him at the primary supervised by a five-man primary committee from the national headquarters, headed by Captain Mike Hart (rtd).

    In his opening remarks, Hart described the PDP as “a rebranded party in Ogun’’ adding further the party had learnt from its past mistakes.

    He encouraged party members to brace for the task ahead of ensuring the party won the governorship seat.

    On his part, Adebutu expressed satisfaction on the transparent manner the exercise was conducted, adding that he was elated with his selection as the party flag bearer.

    The parallel primary staged by the Sen. Buruji Kasamu faction picked Adeleke Shittu as its candidate.

    Kasamu, representing Lagos East at the Senate, has been expelled by the national body of PDP following issues surrounding misconduct and anti-party activities.

    The Chairman of the Executive Committee of the Kasamu-led faction, Bayo Dayo, said the exercise conducted by the group was the authentic.

    He said: “The law is on our side until the judgment we had in 2016 is set aside. We have a judgment that compels the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to accept only candidates that emerge from primaries conducted by our group.

    “The other faction had tried twice to set the judgment aside but the Court of Appeal had dismissed their appeal. We do know that the National body does not recongise our group but I am sure that eventually, the rule of law will prevail because Nigeria’s constitution supersedes the party’s constitution.”

     

    APC primary fails to hold in Bauchi

     

    APC card-carrying members in Bauchi, eager to elect their party’s flag bearer yesterday left their polling units disappointed as voting could not kick-off as at 6pm.

    ýThe News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports the members had been told that voting would commence 10am and they had been at the centre as early as 6am.

    The party is using the direct primary method whereby all party members with the party membership card would vote in all the wards to elect candidates of the party in the state.

    A member of the party who came to Baba Sidi polling unit to vote, Malam Sabitu Musa , told NAN  that his time had been wasted, adding that he was smelling a ‘rat’ in the whole affair.

    When contacted, APC the Organising Secretary in the state, Abdulkadir Gyang, assured that primaries will be conducted in Bauchi.

    He said the committee members that would conduct the exercise had just arrived, adding that they were only waiting for their chairman.

    Gyang, however, declined to state whether the exercise would still hold on Sunday or postponed to another day.

    NAN reports that as at 6.25pm yesterday, voting had not commenced and party members had deserted the polling units, having spent the whole day waiting in vain.

     

    It’s Bello vs Nyako again in Niger

     

    Governor Abubakar Sani Bello yesterday emerged as the APC governorship candidate in Niger State after he was unianimously endorsed by the APC in the state as the party’s sole candidate.

    He will face his old rival Umar Nasko, who emerged as the PDP governorship flagbearer. Nasko beat Ahmed Ibeto, who resigned his position as Nigeria’s Ambassador to South Africa Ambassador.

    Members of the APC in the 274 wards in the state trooped out in their large numbers to affirm Bello as the APC standard bearer for next year’s governorship election.

    The governor who was at Mustapha Comprehensive School, the center for Kontagora Central Ward, Kontagora Local Government Area, venue of the primary, expressed appreciation to party members for reposing confidence in him by returning him unopposed.

    He said: “It is very comforting when your people have confidence in you, when they support you, when they overwhelming endorse you. In politics this is what you need and I really appreciate they gesture. Their action has further humbled me and to do more in the years to come. By 2019 our administration will continue the good works we started.”

    In the PDP primary, Ambassador Ibeto got 516 votes, Mu’azu Hannafi Sudan got 157 votes, Aminu Mohammed Baka got 110 votes while Umar Ahmed got 24 votes.

    The chief electoral officer of the PDP governorship primaries, Baraka Sani, declared Nasko as the PDP governorship flagbearer, having scored the highest number of votes.

    The primaries was adjudged as being free, fair and transparent by the other contestants as they pledged their support towards ensuring the Party governorship flagbearer wins the 2019 election.

     

    PDP holds parallel primaries in Borno

     

    The PDP in Borno yesterday held parallel primaries to elect candidates to contest the 2019 governorship election.

    The separate congresses were held by two factions of the party to elect the party’s flag-bearers in the forthcoming election.

    The Usman Baderi’s faction held its exercise at the secretariat with two candidates – Muhammed Wakil and Bukar Kyari.

    Wakil, a former Minister of State for Works, said they held seperate primaries because they were opposed to the conduct of the election by Zanna Gadama’s faction.

    He alleged that Gadama’s faction abused an earlier court order, describing the exercise as “null and void”.

    Wakil claimed that the Court of Appeal had ruled in favour of Baderi as the recognised chairman of the party.

    “What the other faction is doing is illegality of the highest order because we are the ones legally recognised by the court of law. So we are conducting election and submitting result to the national body.

    “If they see reasons to accept the result fine, and if they don’t, I am sure some of us remember the case of Rotimi Ameachi.

    “You cannot just build something out of nothing and expect it to stay. The issue of impunity and illegality has to stop in the country, political parties have to behave.

    “You cannot come out one day and start blaming the other party when you are also guiding impunity.”

    On his part, Kyari lamented that the national working committee of the party chose to recognise an illegal faction despite existing court order.

    Kyari said: “We as law abiding citizens will not indulge in illegalities, we shall seek redress in competent court of law for our rights.

    “Therefore, we will conduct our elections here. We will invite the INEC to monitor it and then come up with the authentic delegates that have been elected this October.”

    However, Gadama said his faction had secured a court injunction, which ordered that the status quo be maintained.

    Gadama said that the state PDP remains the authentic party in the state that should hold primary elections.

    “The national PDP secretariat recognises only one PDP in Borno, which is the one I am currently heading as a Chairman.

    “This is why they sent the INEC officials and other observers to come and monitor the elections we are currently conducting.”

    Muhammad Imam, emerged winner of the election.

    Declaring the result, Gabriel Kataf, the chairman Electoral committee, said Imam scored 2, 685 votes and his closest opponent Kyari scored 52 while Wakil scored 22 votes.

     

    Utomi, Ochei, Kachikwu fault APC primary

     

    The APC governorship aspirant Prof Pat Utomi has called for a postponement of the APC primaries in Delta State, describing the process as illegitimate as the delegates’ list was unavailable to the aspirants.

    He said at a meeting between critical stakeholders that three of the aspirants suggested a postponement due to the shortcomings that have plagued the shadow polls.

    According to Utomi those present at the meeting included, former Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan,Victor Ochei and Minister of State for Petroleum Resources Dr Ibe Kachikwu.

    He said: “The delegates list is not available; aspirants have not seen the list; I believe only those who drew up the list have it. The list should have been made available to all at least three days to the primaries to enable aspirants make their pitch to them.

    “There is no level playing field for all aspirants. This will create a crisis of legitimacy. We have suggested that the primaries be postponed, that way we will have a truly democratic process.”

    Wike picked in Rivers State

    The PDP nominated Rivers State Governor Nyesom Ezenwo Wike to fly its flag for the 2019 governorship election.

    In a peaceful state congress at the Sharks Stadium in Port Harcourt, party delegates unanimously voted for Wike, who was the only candidate on the ballot.

    The chief returning officer for the primary, Chuma Chinye, announced that the governor polled 3345 delegate votes from the 23 local government areas of the state.

    The voting process was kick-started by the party’s National Chairman, Prince Uche Secondus, who was a statutory delegate from Andoni Local Government Area.

    After Wike voted, other statutory delegates took their turns to cast their ballot in alphabetical order.

    Rivers State PDP Chairman Felix Obuah stated that Wike’s nomination followed due process and a reflection of the people’s support for him.

    The primary began with a motion for the constitution of the 2018 special congress by former House of Representatives Deputy Speaker Austin Opara and seconded by Rivers State Women Affairs Commissioner, Mrs. Ukel Oyaghiri.

    In his acceptance speech, Wike restated the party’s readiness to win the state’s governorship election next year.

    He declared: “We are prepared for the election in 2019. Let nobody make a mistake that what happened in Osun and Ekiti States will happen in Rivers State. We are ready to follow them to any level that they want.”

    The governor urged party faithful to canvass for votes across the state, warning the people of the consequences of voting APC, a party he said is steeped in darkness and doom.

    He stated that following due consultation, he will run for the governorship election with his deputy, Dr. Ipalibo Harry Banigo.

    The governor stated that he has the experience, training and commitment to consolidate on the gains of his first term, since he will not be learning on the job.

    He said: “In seeking to return as governor, I am not coming to learn on the job, I have the experience, intellect and commitment to drive the state forward.

    “With my background, I will not be offering excuses. I will continue working from day one of my second term.  Rivers State is working.”

    He noted that in the last three and half years, his administration recorded inspiring projects that have improved the living condition of the people, while more projects are on-going.

    “The progress of this state in the last three and half years is appreciated in the country and across the globe. That is why I feel confident to ask for a second term.  There is more work to be done across the state.”

     

    APC primary fails to hold in Bauchi

    APC card-carrying members in Bauchi, eager to elect their party’s flag bearer yesterday left their polling units disappointed as voting could not kick-off as at 6pm.

    ýThe News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports the members had been told that voting would commence 10am and they had been at the centre as early as 6am.

    The party is using the direct primary method whereby all party members with the party membership card would vote in all the wards to elect candidates of the party in the state.

    A member of the party who came to Baba Sidi polling unit to vote, Malam Sabitu Musa , told NAN  that his time had been wasted, adding that he was smelling a ‘rat’ in the whole affair.

    When contacted, APC the Organising Secretary in the state, Abdulkadir Gyang, assured that primaries will be conducted in Bauchi.

    He said the committee members that would conduct the exercise had just arrived, adding that they were only waiting for their chairman.

    Gyang, however, declined to state whether the exercise would still hold on Sunday or postponed to another day.

    NAN reports that as at 6.25pm yesterday, voting had not commenced and party members had deserted the polling units, having spent the whole day waiting in vain.

     

    It’s Bello vs Nyako again in Niger

    Governor Abubakar Sani Bello yesterday emerged as the APC governorship candidate in Niger State after he was unianimously endorsed by the APC in the state as the party’s sole candidate.

    He will face his old rival Umar Nasko, who emerged as the PDP governorship flagbearer. Nasko beat Ahmed Ibeto, who resigned his position as Nigeria’s Ambassador to South Africa Ambassador.

    Members of the APC in the 274 wards in the state trooped out in their large numbers to affirm Bello as the APC standard bearer for next year’s governorship election.

    The governor who was at Mustapha Comprehensive School, the center for Kontagora Central Ward, Kontagora Local Government Area, venue of the primary, expressed appreciation to party members for reposing confidence in him by returning him unopposed.

    He said: “It is very comforting when your people have confidence in you, when they support you, when they overwhelming endorse you. In politics this is what you need and I really appreciate they gesture. Their action has further humbled me and to do more in the years to come. By 2019 our administration will continue the good works we started.”

    In the PDP primary, Ambassador Ibeto got 516 votes, Mu’azu Hannafi Sudan got 157 votes, Aminu Mohammed Baka got 110 votes while Umar Ahmed got 24 votes.

    The chief electoral officer of the PDP governorship primaries, Baraka Sani, declared Nasko as the PDP governorship flagbearer, having scored the highest number of votes.

    The primaries was adjudged as being free, fair and transparent by the other contestants as they pledged their support towards ensuring the Party governorship flagbearer wins the 2019 election.

     

    PDP holds parallel primaries in Borno

    The PDP in Borno yesterday held parallel primaries to elect candidates to contest the 2019 governorship election.

    The separate congresses were held by two factions of the party to elect the party’s flag-bearers in the forthcoming election.

    The Usman Baderi’s faction held its exercise at the secretariat with two candidates – Muhammed Wakil and Bukar Kyari.

    Wakil, a former Minister of State for Works, said they held seperate primaries because they were opposed to the conduct of the election by Zanna Gadama’s faction.

    He alleged that Gadama’s faction abused an earlier court order, describing the exercise as “null and void”.

    Wakil claimed that the Court of Appeal had ruled in favour of Baderi as the recognised chairman of the party.

    “What the other faction is doing is illegality of the highest order because we are the ones legally recognised by the court of law. So we are conducting election and submitting result to the national body.

    “If they see reasons to accept the result fine, and if they don’t, I am sure some of us remember the case of Rotimi Ameachi.

    “You cannot just build something out of nothing and expect it to stay. The issue of impunity and illegality has to stop in the country, political parties have to behave.

    “You cannot come out one day and start blaming the other party when you are also guiding impunity.”

    On his part, Kyari lamented that the national working committee of the party chose to recognise an illegal faction despite existing court order.

    Kyari said: “We as law abiding citizens will not indulge in illegalities, we shall seek redress in competent court of law for our rights.

    “Therefore, we will conduct our elections here. We will invite the INEC to monitor it and then come up with the authentic delegates that have been elected this October.”

    However, Gadama said his faction had secured a court injunction, which ordered that the status quo be maintained. Gadama said that the state PDP remains the authentic party in the state that should hold primary elections.

    “The national PDP secretariat recognises only one PDP in Borno, which is the one I am currently heading as a Chairman.

    “This is why they sent the INEC officials and other observers to come and monitor the elections we are currently conducting.”

    Muhammad Imam, emerged winner of the election.

    Declaring the result, Gabriel Kataf, the chairman Electoral committee, said Imam scored 2, 685 votes and his closest opponent Kyari scored 52 while Wakil scored 22 votes.

     

    Wike picked in Rivers State

    The PDP nominated Rivers State Governor Nyesom Ezenwo Wike to fly its flag for the 2019 governorship election.

    In a peaceful state congress at the Sharks Stadium in Port Harcourt, party delegates unanimously voted for Wike, who was the only candidate on the ballot.

    The chief returning officer for the primary, Chuma Chinye, announced that the governor polled 3345 delegate votes from the 23 local government areas of the state.

    The voting process was kick-started by the party’s National Chairman, Prince Uche Secondus, who was a statutory delegate from Andoni Local Government Area.

    After Wike voted, other statutory delegates took their turns to cast their ballot in alphabetical order.

    Rivers State PDP Chairman Felix Obuah stated that Wike’s nomination followed due process and a reflection of the people’s support for him.

    The primary began with a motion for the constitution of the 2018 special congress by former House of Representatives Deputy Speaker Austin Opara and seconded by Rivers State Women Affairs Commissioner, Mrs. Ukel Oyaghiri.

    In his acceptance speech, Wike restated the party’s readiness to win the state’s governorship election next year.

    He declared: “We are prepared for the election in 2019. Let nobody make a mistake that what happened in Osun and Ekiti States will happen in Rivers State. We are ready to follow them to any level that they want.”

    The governor urged party faithful to canvass for votes across the state, warning the people of the consequences of voting APC, a party he said is steeped in darkness and doom.

    He stated that following due consultation, he will run for the governorship election with his deputy, Dr. Ipalibo Harry Banigo.

     

     

  • Economy looking up, says MPC

    After an analysis of the economy and banking sector, the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) believes the economic indicators are showing positive trend, writes COLLINS NWEZE

    For the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) led Monetary Policy Committee (MPC), the economy is on the road to full recovery. MPC is chaired by CBN Governor Godwin Emefiele.

    Feelers from the committee’s last meeting in Abuja indicated ongoing economic recovery which will be sustained with a positive outlook over the medium- term. The recovery is anchored on oil price recovery, fiscal spending and stability in the foreign exchange market.

    Although the banking sector is equally upbeat, but the committee members advised the lenders to continue on aggressive debt recovery drives, realize collaterals of non-performing credits as well as get the insurance companies to settle claims relating to insured debts.

    They are also expected to strengthen risk management practices and strictly enforce the CBN restrictions on payment of dividends by banks with high Non Performing Loans (NPLs).

    For instance, data from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) showed that real Gross Domestic Product (GDP) grew by 1.95 per cent in the first quarter of 2018, compared with 2.11 per cent and a contraction of 0.91 per cent in the preceding and corresponding quarters of 2017, respectively.

    The oil sector, which contributed 1.26 per cent in first quarter of 2018, compared with 0.76 per cent during fourth quarter of last year was the major source of the growth. The Purchasing Managers Indices (PMI) for manufacturing, and non- manufacturing activities rose for the 15th and 14th consecutive months to 57.0 and 57.5 index points, respectively, in June 2018. The committee noted the positive impact of the sustained improvement in foreign exchange supply on the performance of manufacturing and other key sectors of the economy.

    The committee welcomed the positive economic growth, but observed that the recovery was still fragile and called for the speedy implementation of the 2018 Federal Government budget and the Economic Recovery and Growth Plan (ERGP) to strengthen output growth in the Nigerian economy.

    The MPC noted with satisfaction the fourth consecutive quarters of growth in real Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and the positive growth outlook in the domestic economy. This is shown by the sustained improvement in the Manufacturing and Non- manufacturing Purchasing Managers’ indices in the second quarter of the year.

    The MPC commended the approval of 2018 Federal Government budget and called for an accelerated implementation to further support the fragile growth recovery. The committee also called for sustained implementation of the ERGP to further stimulate output growth. The committee was, however, concerned about the liquidity impact of the 2018 expansionary fiscal budget and increasing Federation Accounts Allocation Committee (FAAC) distribution, arising from rising prices of crude oil as well as the build-up in election related spending.

    For the CBN Deputy Governor, Corporate Services, Edward Lamtek Adamu, had in his personal note, said the corrective actions by the apex bank have put key banking industry indicators at the path of recovery as the non-performing loans (NPLs) ratio moderated and the capital adequacy ratio (CAR) rose mildly since June this year.

    He explained that other financial soundness indicators (FSIs) including return on equity (ROE) and return on asset (ROA) also suggested growing industry resilience. However, these improvements are yet to translate to the much needed real intermediation.

    “This is quite concerning because financial stability isn’t an end in itself; it must lead to improved services to the critical sectors of the economy, to be meaningful. It is in this light that the committee committed at the July meeting to another initiative directed at promoting private sector credit,” he said.

    Lamtek, said the meeting was held against the backdrop of improvements in key (domestic) economic and financial system indicators relative.

    “On the global front, geopolitical tensions and trade issues have remained, even as the outlook for global output growth continues to be largely positive. However, the outlook for domestic economic conditions going into 2019 is laden with uncertainties around liquidity and capital flows, among others,” he said.

    “As I evaluated the available data and forecasts, I noted especially, the fragile nature of the gains in the current macroeconomic and financial outcomes. This essentially strengthened my persuasion on the need for more reforms in the country’s fiscal and financial systems to deal with persistent liquidity threats and ensure better credit intermediation, respectively. Whereas measures by the Bank continue to be relevant stop gap, those alone would not permanently solve the fundamental structural impediments to lasting economic stability. Infrastructure continues to be a key imperative towards easing some of the constraints on credit delivery and growth in the economy”.

    Furthermore, he explained that in considering policy options for managing the risks to inflation and the naira exchange rate, there was need to factor-in economic growth and employment concerns.

    “In the absence of firm real GDP data for second quarter, 2018, indications from the Purchasing Managers’ Indices (PMIs) came quite handy. Both manufacturing and non-manufacturing PMIs, at 57.0 and 57.5, respectively for June, showed some prospects of output expansion, which should be sustained and possibly strengthened in the interest of jobs and poverty reduction,” he stated.

    While the private sector credit is expected to soothe the situation in the short-term, a long-term solution would be one that comprehensively addresses the risk concerns and apprehensions of commercial banks with non-prime borrowers in particular. On their part, industry managers need to grow banks’ resilience to shocks as well as their capacity to function by stepping up deposit mobilization and capitalization.

    Adenikinju Festus, a committee member explained that for Nigeria economy, a number of good news continue to be recorded: foreign reserves accretion continues, annual output is projected to grow by about 2.3 per cent at the end of the year, disinflation path continues year on year, Purchasers’ Manufacturers index (PMI) climbs slightly. Besides, staff presentation shows a slight drop on quarterly unemployment rate.

    “Domestic deposit banks continue to record improved performance. NPLs continue its downward trend. Deposit and asset values of the banks continue to grow, however, credit growth to the private sector was negative. This is unacceptable in the face of huge unemployment and relatively low capacity utilisation in the industrial sector. Bank operational costs remain unacceptably high. This continues to keep lending rates unacceptably high, which may affect the efficacy of simple reduction in the MPR,” the committee member said.

    He said the low appetite for risky investment and flight to safer fixed income assets is a source of concern to unlocking credit to the economy.  “I support the MPC decision for the CBN to explore unconventional way of unlocking credit to the private sector by exploring smart use of monetary instruments and other methods.

    However, the fiscal positions continue to be a source of major concern. High deficit in the 2018 budget remains a source of concern. “We are just not building buffers in a period of high oil prices, we are also not living within our means. Components of government revenues continue to underperform while non-capital expenditure remains fairly sticky downwards in the first quarter of 2018”.

    Continuing, he said there is a genuine anxiety about liquidity surfeit in a pre-election year, with anticipated high election spending, as political parties fail to keep to election spending guidelines, late passage of the 2018 appropriation bill, the supplementary bill submitted to the National Assembly, and the tensions between the executive and the legislature.

    CBN Deputy Governor, Ahmad Aisha, explained that half way into the year, the path of growth and other macro-economic indices are more evident, but the effect of the emerging global and domestic economic landscape still bears uncertainty.

    She insisted that stability and improved convergence in the exchange rate reflects the importance of Nigeria’s external reserves buffer which has grown substantially over the last two years and currently stands at N47.6 billion as at July 18th 2018.

    “Accretion to reserves has been driven mainly by the sustained recovery in crude oil prices, innovative exchange rate policies of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) across various segments and export expansion / import substitution initiatives. These have given the CBN greater flexibility in managing the exchange rate”.

    “For instance, BDC rates appreciated to N360.5/$ (June 29) from N362.4/$ in November 2017, whilst the premium between the interbank and BDC rates narrowed to 17.9 per cent from 18.48 per cent, over the same period, indicating increasing rate convergence due to sustained supply of Foreign exchange (FX) by CBN and its commitment to promoting stability, liquidity and transparency in the FX market.

    Forex flows through the economy from CBN and autonomous sources also improved; reports from bank staff indicate forex from non-oil exports increased by 22 per cent from January to April 2017 compared with same period in 2018, and overall funds inflow into the forex market grew by 18 per cent over the same period”.

    “Although recent foreign investor exits have put pressure on the reserves, the CBN has been able to retain confidence of global investors by maintaining the supply of investment outlets and intervening to support market liquidity where required to facilitate seamless exits for international investors who are so inclined. This willingness to defend the naira stability has gone a long way to enhance market confidence and retain net positive forex flows which have remained largely positive over the first half of 2018”.

    Another committee member, Asogwa Chikwendu, said banking sector soundness indicators improved considerably by end of June 2018 based on CBN Staff report. For instance, there were improvements in the capital adequacy ratio, the non-preforming loans ratio as well as the profitably indicators (return on assets and return on equity).

    The capital adequacy ratio which was 11.95 per cent by April had increased to 12.08 in June while the non-performing loan ratio which is a measure of the Industry’s asset quality had reduced to 12,45 per cent in June from the previous level of 14.15 per cent in April 2018.

    The committee member said the trend in total deposits and total assets declined marginally between May and June 2018, but there was an increase in new credit which raised the overall total credit between May and June. In addition, the spread between maximum lending rates and the consolidated deposit rates narrowed in June when compared to the earlier months.

    However, another committee member, Obadan Idi, said although Nigeria has exited recession, the growth rates achieved averaged only 1.50 per cent which is very low compared to the rate of growth of population of about three per cent and very much below the economy’s potentials.

    “The outlook for growth remains fragile, as the recurring incidence of herdsmen attack on farmers, would affect agricultural output and increase prices. Other militating factors include the expected liquidity challenge from late passage and implementation of the 2018 budget, election spending, likely wage increase and the lingering challenges of critical infrastructure necessary for job creation and economic growth,” he said.

    “Inflationary pressure in the economy continued to moderate such that all measures of inflation (headline, core and food) decreased further in June, 2018. The headline inflation declined to 11.23 percent, thus sustaining the downward trajectory that began in 2017. The downward trend in domestic prices reflects the bank’s tight monetary policy stance coupled with the impact of significant reforms in the foreign exchange market”.

    He also agreed that the financial system remains sound based on various measures of financial soundness. “The few cases of high non-performing loans in the portfolios of a few commercial banks have negative consequences on the banks’ earnings and capital. However, the problem is being addressed by the CBN with corrective actions to prevent spill over to other institutions or adverse impact on financial system stability,” he stated.

     

  • Why Nigeria Air must fly, by expert

    Nigeria Air opponents have been told to pull the brakes on their battle to stop the venture. Their positions are a disservice to their fatherland. In this article titled: “Nigeria Air: Time to engage”, aviation consultant Chris Aligbe claims that the benefits of floating the national carrier outweigh the demerits.

    In the aviation sector, the most trending news is all about the proposed new national carrier – “Nigeria Air” recently unveiled at the Farnborough Air Show by the Minister of State for Transport (Aviation), Senator Hadi Sirika.

    The extent of discussions and reportage remains unequalled in the annals of the history of the industry.  More critically is the number of high standing professionals in aviation and other sectors who have expressed their views on Nigeria Air.  These include: Dr. Oby Ezekwesili, Bismark Rewane, Captain Nogie Meggison, Captain Roland Iyayi, John Ojikutu and Nick Fadugba.  We have also had comments from Mr. Chike-Obi and journalists like Sonala Olumense.  All these are people who should be taken very seriously among many others when they ventilate on serious national matters by virtue of either, their personal standing, professional success, the positions they hold or have held or the group they represent.

    I have chosen the above commentators out of the numerous others, for the reason, inter alia, that their views aggregate most of the others.  I will therefore identify and engage their various positions, not necessarily as a final rebuttal as in Zik’s “Civil-Military Diarchy”, but rather, to extend the frontiers of discourse on this critical national issue.

     

    ‘Nigeria Air must fail’   

     

    This affirmative position was advanced by one of Nigeria’s outstanding citizens – Dr. Oby Ezekwesili whose incisive insights and analytical strength are usually magnetic. Having held various national and international positions, which include headship of Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP) and Minister of Education as well as World Bank Vice President, the tremendous experience and exposure of Mrs. Ezekwesili, who was during her years under President Olusegun Obasanjo, nicknamed “Madam Due Process” would have been invaluable if she had said the Nigeria Air WOULD FAIL rather MUST FAIL.  This is because, unlike “MUST” which is proclamation of a mere wish, “WOULD” would have provided reasons why Nigeria Air would fail.  This would have educated us a lot, more so when one remembers that Mrs. Ezekwesili’s service under Obasanjo spanned the period when five attempts at the floatation of a national carrier International Finance Corporation (IFC) privatisation of Nigeria Airways, Kema Chikwe’s Air Nigeria and Nigeria Global, Isa Yuguda’s Nigerian Eagle and Obasanjo’s disaster called Virgin Nigeria) all failed.  But, since we don’t have her usual insight, I find no basis to engage her “MUST FAIL” wish.  To attempt to do so will either end in illicit deductions and imputation of improper motives or improper imputation of motives which are fundamental flaws in public discourse and logic.

    Secondly, even in THISDAY report of her interview on AIT, which unfortunately I didn’t watch, she was reported to have opined that the government’s plan to invest $300 million to kick start Nigeria Air is a waste of public funds.

    She looked at the opportunity cost of such an investment vis-à-vis other sectors of “higher” priority such as education, health and others.  Mrs. Ezekwesili as reported, further went ahead to say that, based on her experience at the World Bank, “if the government wanted ‘Nigeria Air’ to be private sector-driven as it claimed, the design of the project would have been made in a way that the investors would have provided start-up fund for the airline”.  Fair enough.

    But such designs have typologies and models which vary from one locale to the other.  For instance, across Africa today, there are new national airlines coming up – Uganda, Zambia and those already up like Kenya Airways, Rwanda, Asky and AWA, all of which have different models.  Unfortunately, the THISDAY report did not indicate whether Mrs. Ezekwesili proffered any model.

     

    The return on investment

     

    This position advanced by one of Nigeria’s most outstanding financial analysts, Mr. Bismark Rewane, of Financial Derivatives posits that, contrary to the Aviation minister’s position that the $300 million start-up investment by the government will be recovered in three years of Nigeria Air operation, going by the known best returns on investment of airline globally, that, Sirika’s position is incorrect. Based on his further evaluation, he advised the government to rather focus on an MRO Centre and airport concession which he considers more profitable. I want to concur with Bismark in his financial position, not just because not to do so will be to engage a “lion in his den” but because the margin of direct financial return on investment in airline operations is usually low, uncertain and its volume is usually based on a lot of “ceteris paribus”; the protective cliché of economist.

    However, since I do not believe that the uncertainty of the single factor of financial return is enough to put off Nigeria Air, I will want to look at the issue of Return on Investment (ROI) from a wider ramification.

    It is my position that ROI is dependent on the objectives of whosoever is investing. If a private man is investing, the classic concept of ROI which implies recovery of invested funds applies. This is what Bismark is rightly referring to and he cannot be faulted.

    However, when governments are investing on airline project, the objectives are different with priorities that include but not limited to employment creation, provision of affordable and reliable air transport service for the air travel public, creating a platform for aviation manpower development, hub development and aviation services expansion, BASA utilisation and reduction of capital flight. Without even calculating the consequential collateral benefits that trickle down, as well as push and pull factor effects, the realisation of the above stated objectives, when reduced to monetary calculations will more than triple the start-up investment of $300 million.  For instance, a Nigeria Air with a fleet of 10 jet aircraft would require between 35 – 50 personnel per aircraft, depending on the aircraft types.  It will reduce, at least by 25 per cent, the over $600 million transferred annually by foreign airlines on ticket sales.

    Again, I am in agreement with Bismark that the government should pursue the issues of MRO Centre and airport concession.  However, I need say here that an MRO Centre will only succeed when Nigeria Air becomes operative. This will create an immediate market for the MRO which is non-existent now, but which is needed to build the usual symbiotic business relationship that is a sine qua non for success.  This is because no MRO succeeds without a parent airline. In 2015, we carried out a survey of 56 MROs globally and found out that only three started without any parent airline.  In Africa, the MROs in South Africa (the largest in Southern hemisphere), Ethiopia and Egypt, all grew out of parent airlines, all of which are, up till today, national carriers.  The number of operating aircraft in the country is so small and varied in types to support any MRO viably.

     

    The cart before the horse

     

    This position which holds that the Aviation ministry, by taking steps to float and bring Nigeria Air into being by December, without first sourcing investors and core partner is not only tantamount to putting the cart before the horse, but  also negates its claim to the airline being private sector-driven.  A corollary of this argument is also that the five per cent equity to be held by the government is unequitable to the $300 million being invested by the government over the next three years – 2018 to 2020.

    This position is held by quite some, most notable among whom is former Asset Management Corporation Of Nigeria (AMCON) Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Mustafa Chike-Obi who fired the first salvo by comparing the $256 million paid to acquire 30 per cent equity of Virgin Atlantic by Air France/KLM with $300 million for per cent equity in Nigeria Air that is yet to be formed.  Incidentally, Chike-Obi spoke before the Aviation minister explained the aim and application of the $300 million as a start-up fund and a three-year cash-flow provision which could be converted into equity or debt.  Out of the $300 million, $55 million will be spent in 2018 as an upfront grant/Viability Gap funding, $100 million in 2019 and $145 million in 2020.

    Beyond this, what appears clear is that many a commentator seem to have missed the fact that no local investor will invest in a product he/she has not seen or is not part of the origination. It is even worse when it is an airline, given the history of airline business in our country where over 25 private airlines have gone under, including two that were quoted on the Stock Exchange – ADC and Albarka – as well as the wholly government-owned national carrier – Nigeria Airways. Secondly, and quite critical is the fact that even if Nigeria Air is floated, investors will wait to know who will manage it before coming with their funds. For instance, if investors find that the management is a government appointed team, given our past experiences, they will stay away.  But, if they find that core-investor partner is a world-class airline, like Cathy Pacific, Singapore Airlines, Emirates, Qatar, Etihad, British Airways or Air France, they will cascade.

    The point I am making is precisely that for Nigeria Air to fly, the two most critical determinants are: the product (airline) and management.  As a professional, the minister should be aware of these two factors and his present approach is mostly probably being guided by this indubitable fact.

     

    The national carrier no longer fashionable

     

    This position is canvassed by Captain Roland Iyayi, an airline operator and former Nigeria Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) CEO and Airline Operators of Nigeria President Captain Nogie Meggison. Though Iyayi is not opposed to floatation of a national carrier unlike Meggison who always say that his members are opposed to it, both are on the same page of non-fashionability. While their position is not supported by any African airline as all of them are national carriers, mostly in the old classic model of 100 per cent government equity like the defunct Nigeria Airways.  They cite European airlines as example, forgetting that all of them were national carriers before they were privatised. If the two professionals mean they are opposed to a 100 per cent government equity-type Nigeria Air, I will join them with a placard in protest. But what we have been told is five per cent equity which I think is small but enough to give the vital sovereign cover necessary for a national carrier that will engage in international operations in reciprocity to our over 70 BASA.  I wish Iyayi and Meggison talked about models typologies and functionality rather than fashionability.  What does it matter whether I am wearing Agbada, Babariga, Ofong-isin or Ted Lapidus suit provided it is functional, decent and fitting?

     

    The three national airlines

     

    This position arose from a rhetorical question asked by Nigeria’s foremost and most exposed aviation consultant, Nick Fadugba, during the recent League of Aviation and Airport Correspondents’ (LAAC) seminar Sheraton to the effect that as at that date and even up till now, the Federal Government owns two airlines – Arik and Aero through AMCON and that floating Nigeria Air would bring them to three.  He then said: “I do not know any country in the world where the government owns three national carriers”.  Although Nick, in his serious mindedness, did not expound further, his observation has since elicited a flurry of comments, mainly in the social media, permutations and imaginary restiveness of the staff of these two airlines. Those who wrote are aviation professionals of good standing, the most prolific among them being Group Captain John Ojikutu (rtd), a former Airport Commandant, now aviation security consultant and Aviation Round Table (ART) Secretary.  Comments have it that the government intends to merge Arik and Aero to form Nigeria Air and use Aero as MRO Centre while Arik will be the operational base.  It was stated that the staff of the two airlines have become jittery over their fate and were wondering whether they would not suffer the fate of pensioners of the liquidated Nigeria Airways Limited (NAL) whose entitlements have not been paid since 2004.

    Unfortunately, there is no iota of truth in the above claim.  All views expressed are not based on any fact known and unknown.  The facts on this issue include the following:

    • AMCON is basically a fund recovery agency and its business is neither to acquire nor own any property or asset on behalf of itself or on behalf of the government.
    • Whatever asset AMCON is disposing must be aimed at recovery of debt owed by the organization to the government. It cannot by statute transfer such assets to government.

    I therefore posit that a much more defensible position is that the government does not own any airline and by this very fact, neither Arik, nor Aero is a national carrier.

    Secondly, AMCON estimates the combined debts of Arik and Aero at over $800 million which it must recover from whosoever is acquiring them. Does it therefore make any sense for the government to spend $800 million on such acquisition, spend monies on pay-off and on merger with all legal encumbrances than spend the projected $300 milllion on a new airline that will be free of encumbrances?

    If these and other issues were thought over, all the energies and time spent on Fadugba’s “kite” would not have been necessary.  One thing we should not forget is that there are in the Federal Executive Council (FEC) very cerebral and highly exposed Nigerians who are very successful in their various professions and businesses before becoming ministers.  These can evaluate business proposals tabled at the Council.

    Lastly, a check on all the processes midwifing Nigeria Air, which include, but not limited to; project proposal, FEC initial approval, FEC approval of transaction adviser, FEC deliberation of the transaction adviser’s report, approval of the Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission (ICRC) and issuance of the Outline Business Case (OBC) compliance certificate which states terms and conditions which must be complied with, otherwise the project would be denied legality; and would have put paid to this issue.

     

    We possess the required management competences

     

    This position comes from some industry professionals who argue that there is no need to bring in foreign management for Nigeria Air since there are outstanding indigenous professionals with requisite managerial competences. This is very far from the truth as it is not supported by the facts available. We no doubt had great first-class pilots and engineers in the days of NAL, many of whom have died due non-payment of their pension rights. But even then, we did not have great airline managers.  Captain Joji recognised this as far back as 1992/1993 when in his effort to implement his great privatisation vision that would create Air Nigeria/Nigeria Airways, brought in about 18 outstanding professionals, many of who retired from Swiss Air and Sabena. They were to constitute the apex start-up team for Air Nigeria which was to operate international routes while Nigeria Airways was to operate domestic and regional routes under indigenous management.

    Further evaluation will reveal that the toddler-profile of our airline operations and collapses are due to five major factors which include, wrong business models, low capitalisation, harsh operating environment, unfavourable policies and low managerial competences, arising from “owner-manager syndrome”.  This last factor is rated high among the collapse factors.  Today’s managers are less exposed to skills of modern airline management and are dependent on residual knowledge.  In the last 18/19 years, only two Nigerians – Jani Ibrahim, an engineer, (1999-2000) who came up with a turnaround vision as NAL Managing Director and Captain Dapo Olumide (2008-2009), who took over the management of the beleaguered Virgin Nigeria at the exit of the Virgin Atlantic team and was clearly turning it around until Jimoh Ibrahim took it over, can be said to have visibly demonstrated clear airline-business management competence.

    It is vital here to correct those who still cite Virgin Nigeria as national carrier that it never was.  It was owned by a triumvirate – Richard Branson (British) and two Nigerians masked by UBA/UBA Capital who had the authority to illegitimately and illegally confer it with the national carrier title. It was a product of quintessential abuse of office which the Nigerian tax payer is today paying for.

     

    Ministerial obligation

     

    It is necessary to point out here that since Nigeria Air is proposed to be a national carrier, every Nigerian is a stakeholder and therefore has a right to be informed well and to critique as an input.

    Therefore, all criticisms whether abrasive, constructive or unconstructive must be seen as an exercise of due rights and treated without prejudice.  The Aviation minister should robustly engage the public with full necessary information on the projected new national carrier which belongs to them. Not to do this is to allow the ongoing distortions to fester. It is time to address it before it becomes too late.

     

    Food for thought

     

    All of us who have written can pay our flight fares at least on economy seat, some premium economy, others business class.  But, what about the large majority of other Nigerians – students and parents, etc?

    Are we happy that air fares out of Nigeria are the highest?  Are we happy that our children who have trained as pilots and aeronautical engineers, over 600 are roaming without jobs?  Are we happy that Ethiopian Airline, Asky (Togo) and AWA (Ghana) have taken over our skies and airports?  Are we happy that we are losing our natural hub endowment to Accra (Ghana)?  Are we comfortable with the huge capital flight of over $600 million from the airline sub-sector?

    These questions can go on and on and are quite numerous to exhaustively raise.

    We killed Joji’s Air Nigeria (1993), we electrocuted Jani’s turnaround (2000) and we exterminated IFC privatisation project (2001).  In all these, who lost?  Not Ibrahim Babangida, not Joji, not Jani, not Obasanjo, not IFC/World Bank and not Mrs. Kema Chikwe. The Nigerian nation and its citizens lost.  Are we then going to kill Sirika’s vision?  If we do, who will lose?  Not Sirika, not Buhari but all of us, our nation, our children and their progeny. Something to think about!

     

  • Ending menace of tankers, trucks on Lagos roads

    Despite all efforts to stop them, tankers and containerised trucks have for years converted Lagos roads and bridges to illegal parks, causing intractable traffic gridlock and throwing commuters and residents into untold hardship. But, the Lagos State Government and stakeholders are determined to dislodge them through ‘Operation Restore Sanity on Lagos Roads’ which begins in the early hours of today. ADEYINKA ADERIBIGBE, PRECIOUS IGBONWELUNDU and ROBERT EGBE report.

    For many years, commuters and residents of Apapa and environs have suffered horrendous bedlam. No thanks to indiscriminate parking by drivers and owners of articulated vehicles moving in and out of the sea ports.

    They had watched helplessly as truck and tanker drivers took over all the routes leading into the axis, leaving their vehicles on the bridges and streets, thus blocking access routes, unmindful of the implications of their actions.

    Gradually, Apapa, which hitherto, boomed with businesses during the day and a beehive of social activities during nightfall, started crumbling. Business concerns started relocating their headquarters off the area, while nightclubs and other relaxation spots began to wind up. Tenants who could afford relocation started moving out as the once booming region gradually lost its steam.

    Little care was paid to the cries of the residents until the truck drivers developed further wings, stretching to occupy major highways and bridges. From Oshodi-Apapa Expressway, they extended to Western Avenue into Mobil Road and then Ikorodu Road up to Eko Bridge, Lagosians wasted several hours in gridlock orchestrated by these articulated vehicles.

    Aside the traffic, it was gathered that most of these drivers, who were usually armed with knives and other dangerous weapons, usually attack road users at night, dispossessing them of valuables.

    Tales have been told of how pregnant women being rushed to hospitals died in Apapa traffic because of the blocked access. There have also been instances where motorists suffered traffic-induced heart attacks and died on steering.

    However, each time the state government tried to rid them off the bridges and major roads, the drivers, particularly, those under the Petroleum Tanker Drivers (PTD) unit of the National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG), who embark on national strike, thus leading to fuel scarcity and forcing the government to relax enforcement.

    The Nation learnt that the traffic gridlock worsened on Monday following a 10-day suspension of four major shipping lines by the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA). The suspension which took effect from July 14 affected four major firms – Maersk, Cosco Shipping, APS and Lansal.

    Others factors include bad roads, port concessioning and alleged over-charging of truck drivers by port authorities as demurrage, among others.

     

    Residents, business

    owners frustrated

     

    The indiscriminate parking articulated vehicles on the Oshodi-Apapa Expressway affect Oliver Eze in two major ways – they block access to his electronics shop at Berger area, off the expressway, thereby warding off customers and they cost him friends and neighbours at his Kirikiri Town, Apapa resident.

    Eze told The Nation that some of his neighbours, who could not cope with the chaotic traffic, have moved out.

    He said: “Some houses in my area are empty, because of the roads.”

    Emeka Azubuike’s car dealership is just a few metres away. His problems are similar.

    Azubuike said: “Everywhere is blocked. Making sales has not been easy since these trucks started parking here some months ago. Buyers used to stop here by themselves, walk in and buy vehicles. But, now, we have to go out and persuade them to come and look at the cars. After buying, we beg and beg the tanker drivers before they allow us to move customers’ cars out of this place.”

    Eze and Azubuike’s plight, just like that of other Lagosians, is the result of the about 13,000 trucks and tankers parked illegally in parts of the nation’s commercial hub.

     

    Tankers’ plight

     

    Even the tanker drivers are not happy about the situation. But, they are helpless.

    Godwin Efiko stood beside his container-laden Mac Truck on the Mile 2 section of the Oshodi-Apapa Expressway, inward Tin Can Island/Apapa. He peered at the endless rows of articulated vehicles parked bumper to bumper ahead of and behind him.

    “I joined the queue at Second Rainbow Bus Stop on Wednesday morning and I have been here since Wednesday night,” the Abi, Cross River State-born native said yesterday with a sigh.

    Efiko’s destination is the same as other trucks’: the Tin Can or Apapa ports.

    But it does not look like he or any of the other drivers around him will get there anytime soon. Some of them were seen chatting on the pavement beside their trucks or buying food from hawkers.

    “May God help us,” Efiko said, clambering back into the vehicle to begin another round of waiting.

    His closest neighbour, who identified himself only as Moroof, was only a few metres away in the next vehicle.

    Moroof’s left foot was on the window of his truck as he leaned into his seat, listening to the radio. He seemed resigned to his fate.

    According to him, he joined the queue on Sunday at Cele Bus Stop.

    Pointing at the distance ahead of him, Moroof said: “If they can help us to fix Berger Road, the line will move faster.”

     

    Causes of gridlock

     

    According to the Permanent Secretary, Lagos State Ministry of Transportation, Dr. Taiwo Olufemi Salaam, there are 65 tank farms in the Apapa axis, each loading between 100-200 tankers every day.

    Salaam said: “Imagine each of the 65 tank farms loading 200 tankers daily, that is about 13,000 tankers every day. The other illegal activity the tank farm operators do in that axis is that if they have the capacity to load 200 tankers, they would go and collect money from drivers and call in 500 tankers and where are you loading the 300 extra. The remaining 300 would be on the road.

    “We have tried so many times to sanitise the system but what we have seen is that this is a syndicated issue. What we have seen is that people are staying in Abuja and causing us problems in Lagos. We don’t care anymore; we are determined to clean them up; let them invite us to Abuja so that we would be able to sort out this menace.”

     

    Lagos talks tough

     

    To Salaam, the vehicular menace was unacceptable. H said: “The situation at the ports which has locked up the roads and bridges in Lagos is totally unacceptable to this government. The Lagos State Government has given them a long rope and it seems they are taking us for granted.

    “A situation where people would not be able to get to their homes and spend long hours on the road is unacceptable. They have given their sovereignty to the government to protect them and that is what we are determined to do.

    “A situation whereby accidents occur at will with all the monies we are spending on equipment and road infrastructure to reduce crashes on our roads is unacceptable.”

    According to him, the Nigeria Shippers Council (NSC) and the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) are to blame.

    Salaam said: “The problem is with the Nigeria Shippers Council and the Ports Authority. They are the regulators but it looks as if they are helpless to check this crisis.

    “They have two main entries; the first entry has six gates and the second has eight gates at each point. They locked all but one, so, at each of the two entries, they are using only one gate.

    “Last week they did not operate at all because they had an issue with the workers who went on strike, and that led to the backflow along Western Avenue and Ikorodu Road. As we speak now, that thing has back flowed up to Iyana Itire. What will happen tomorrow, only God can really know.

    “Therefore, we need to take the bull by the horn, and deal with them. By tomorrow night, by 00.00 hour, which is 12 midnight, we are going to start operation.”

     

    End in sight

     

    Despite the hardships, the government has assured of respite in the nearest future. Salaam said: “We are cleaning them up. By 12 midnight on Thursday (yesterday), we are going to begin ‘Operation Clean Lagos Up’.

    “We are going to clean Lagos of these tankers and trucks menace on our roads and bridges. We will not let the cat out of the bag, but definitely we are doing something and by Sunday night, Lagosians would be able to move freely anywhere thy want to go within the state.

    “We as a government cannot go and operate at the port because it is a federal territory. We are not the one clearing the shipping companies. All the shipping companies are under the Shippers Council and  apart from the dry cargoes, we also have the wet cargoes.”

     

    Restoring sanity

     

    The police and relevant stakeholders also assured Lagos residents that steps were being taken to address the lockdown occasioned by the activities of the truck drivers.

    This assurance came with the announcement of a joint stakeholder operation, ‘Restore Sanity,’ billed to have kicked-off at midnight.

    The joint operation was one of the decisions reached at a stakeholders’ meeting on the lingering bedlam triggered by the movements of articulated vehicles in and outside Apapa.

    Addressing reporters after the meeting yesterday, Police Commissioner Imohimi Edgal said 1,000 cops would be deployed for the operation.

    The meeting, which was held at the command headquarters in Ikeja, had in attendance representatives of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA), Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC), Amalgamation of Container Truck Owners Association, Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG), National Association of Transport Operators (NATO), Association of Maritime Truck Owners (AMATO), among others.

    Aside the 1,000 policemen, LASTMA would supply 500 officials, FRSC volunteered 120 personnel, NSCDC will supply 100, 250 personnel from the military and 50 each from NUPENG, NARTO and amalgamated truck owners’ association.

    Also, the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) would provide necessary equipment for the operation as well as deploy 20 officials throughout the exercise.

     

    An unacceptable

    national disaster

     

    Edgal described the Apapa gridlock as a national disaster that has raised major concerns, adding that the operation was necessary to prevent complete breakdown of law and order.

    He attributed the situation to the sorry state of federal roads, bridges linking the ports, port operational problems, activities of tank farms and shipping lines, who do not have holding bays as stipulated by law, diversion orchestrated by ongoing construction, among others.

    Edgal said it was gratifying that all stakeholders unanimously agreed that the operation should commence with immediate effect, while the NPA and other relevant agencies work to fashion out permanent solution to the issues within the Ports which gave rise to the gridlock.

    He said: “Everybody is aware of the madness going on on the Oshodi-Apapa Expressway that has been completely blocked by trailers and tankers. The same problem we have on our bridges in Western Avenue, Iganmu and Apapa axis.

    “However, it would be irresponsible of us to continue to watch and allow Lagosians go through these period of untold hardship without coming up with strong palliative, security measures and strong joint effort to at least, ease the traffic problem and allow for free flow, while agencies that are responsible for these problems sit together like I hear they are doing currently and fashion out permanent solutions.

    “We have held series of meetings between yesterday (Wednesday) and today (Thursday) and we have come up immediately with a resolve to start ‘Operation Restore Sanity On Lagos Roads’.

    “This operation which kicks off by early hours of Friday (today) is intended to move trucks and containers from our roads, highways and bridges to designated locations.

    “Thereafter, inventory will be made. The shipping companies themselves will be called to send their representatives to take inventory of these containers and at least have records that the containers have been taken to the designated locations so that they can continue their activities from there.

    “One thousand policemen would be deployed to move trucks and containers from bridges and roads to designated locations for ease of traffic. This operation needs a lot of manpower and requires cooperation of all sectors in charge of transport.

    “Between now and Monday, there will be free movement of motorists and Lagosians will have easy access to their works and homes.

    “On Monday, we will go to another level of engagement with relevant authorities so that we do not have a repeat.”

    The police commissioner appealed to maritime workers to shelve their planned strike, adding that they should put the country first.

    LASTMA’s General Manager, Olawale Musa, assured that normalcy and order would soon be restored, adding that his personnel had fully been mobilised.

    He said: “Just to tell Lagosians that as a government, we are very responsive and for a situation that is beyond our control and not our doing, we are nonetheless making all efforts to ease the problem.

    “We are on ground and we are going to ensure that sanity is restored on our roads. If the people are suffering, we are also suffering because for me to get to Apapa is a big problem to access the road but with all stakeholders coming together to solve these problems, we assure Lagosians that very soon we are going to restore order.”

     

    Moving forward

     

    National President of AMARTO, Chief Remi Ogungbemi backed the government’s efforts to solve the problem, noting bad roads as a major constraint to their operations.

    Ogungbemi said: “Virtually all roads within and outside Lagos State are very bad and we are hereby calling on the National Assembly to amend all relevant laws that would make it possible for the Federal Government to cede all its roads within the state to the state government. If this is done, the state would be able to ensure adequate maintenance.

    “Secondly, the environment under which we operate is very volatile and unconducive for truck owners and drivers. Our drivers spend time to come to Lagos ports and stay on the roads for between four days and two to three weeks just to gain entry into the ports and another three weeks to exit.

    “They don’t sleep well and weariness often leads to accidents on the roads. Because of the extremely unfriendly environment in which they work, some of our drivers are hardly differentiated from lunatics, or like someone who escaped from the prison yard. Their clothes are often dirty and crimson with grease.

    FRSC Sector Commander Hyginus Omeje said stakeholders had agreed to free service lanes from Oshodi to Apapa of all hindrances.

    He added: “We are going to have the trucks on queue and they are going to be on the express section of the road so that people living on the expressway, such as Oshodi, Cele, Ijesha, Isolo and Okota among other, would have easy access in and out of the service lanes.

    “We have been able to identify some holding bays, whether private or concessioned. The truth is any available spaces we see we are going to push those vehicles there.

    “Over five holding bays have been identified and some of them are being currently used as a private concern, but we are not going to be bogged by those details for now as we are concerned about clearing those vehicles off the roads. We need to address this because this is a national issue now.”

    A logistics and maritime expert, Tunji Olaosun, urged the government to resolve the challenges that make ports’ operations cumbersome.

    Olaosun said: “As an operator, who has once been an insider, I can tell you that we have all the answers to resolving the traffic gridlock at Apapa. The answer lies with the Shippers Council. If we let the Shippers Council work, we would resolve the bottlenecks within the ports and this would have an effect on the roads. In a short time you will discover that the traffic bottlenecks would be tackled and Apapa would return to its old golden age.”

     

  • Where teenagers die by rat poison

    • Sad chronicle of Nigeria’s suicidal teens
    • Why young children are dying by suicide
    • Health experts warn as pesticide becomes toxin of choice

    At 16, Yinka Olatunde’s life started to ‘fall apart.’ She failed the university entrance examination at her first try. And rather than sponsor her education abroad, her father suggested that she enrolled in a private university in Lagos. To compensate her, he promised to sponsor her on shopping spree to Dubai, to acquire clothes and shoes for the new school year.

    Grudgingly, she accepted, until she hosted cousins and friends from her alma mater on her 17th birthday. The party unfurled pleasantly to the celebrant’s delight. Save a minor tantrum at dusk, over her inability to join her peer in schooling abroad, everything seemed right with pretty teenager.

    The morning after she turned 17, her mother found her sprawled naked, on the bathroom floor. Olatunde was not breathing, because she had consumed ‘Sniper,’ a pesticide. She was dead.

    “Nobody suspected anything. She agreed to school at a private university. And she was even in high spirits on the day we visited the school to check out hostel accommodation…But she experienced a mood swing the night before her birthday party. I heard her tell a friend over the phone that her life had fallen apart. I talked to her and she snapped out of it. Had I known, I wouldn’t let her host that party. Most of her friends and cousins had resumed schooling abroad. They didn’t help matters with their mockery and snide remarks,” said Rosemary, the deceased’s mother.

    Further findings revealed that it wasn’t Olatunde’s first suicide attempt. Eight months earlier, in February 2017, she attempted to kill herself.

    “She cut the clothesline and tied it to a clay flower pot by the pool side. Then she attached herself to the pot and jumped in the pool. It was the splash that alerted the gateman. It was 9 pm, and it was too late for anyone to be swimming,” revealed Biola, the deceased’s aunt.

    But for the gateman who saw her leap in the pool, Olatunde would have successfully committed suicide at her first try. The morning after the attempt, her parents invited their ‘church pastor’ to pray for her.

    “He ministered to her and everybody saw that she was delivered. It was obvious because she became bubbly and eager to live. She was in very high spirits. We are all saddened by her death. It’s so sad,” said Biola.

    It was equally saddening to come to grips with Mercy Afolaranmi’s untimely death late last year. The 16-year-old, 100-level student of Microbiology at the Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife, Osun State, allegedly committed suicide due to bad grades in October 2017.

    According to the school’s Chief Security Officer (CSO) Babatunde Oyatokun, Afolaranmi poisoned herself. “We got a call that one of our students took poison,” Oyatokun said, “We got to the hospital and hospital to realise that she mixed rat poison. She gave us the contact of her parents but before they arrived, she already gave up due to the effect of the poison she took.”

    Further findings revealed that the deceased, who lived off-campus at Sabo area of Ile-Ife, died after ingesting “rat poison mixed with battery extract” because she scored ‘E’ in CHM101 (Chemistry for first year students), a reportedly dreaded course by year one students of the science and technology department.

    Before her death, on October 10, she posted on Facebook: “Above all other things, I just wanna see God, see what He looks like, speak with Him face to face. I don’t wanna miss heaven. LORD HELP ME.”

    And few people would forget in a hurry, the tragic demise of Ariyibi Ayomide. The 19-year-old First Year student of the University of Lagos (UNILAG)’s Faculty of Business Administration reportedly committed suicide after being disgraced by her roommates for allegedly stealing in her hostel.

    Ajani Damilola, a colleague of the deceased, narrated what happened via his Facebook account.

    “An incident happened in her (Ayomide’s) room (Amina Hostel), which involved the missing of belongings which include make up and clothes of another girl in the same room.

    “On Thursday, some of the belongings of the roommate were found in Ayomide’s bag ( scattered in three different bags – make up in one of her bag, clothes in another bag and clothes in another bag making three of Ayomide’s bags),” he said.

    “As a result, the roommates disgraced Ayo and called her many names ( relating to a thief) and disgraced her publicly. Ayomide called her mum and her mum came down the next day ( Friday) to settle the issue. The make up was valued at N2,000 for which her mum paid. After that, her mum told her to pack her bags and follow her home, which she did, but as she was going, the roommates shouted on her and called her so many names,” said Damilola.

    The deceased’s mother, who is said to be a UNILAG staff, reportedly took her home and returned to work. stay alone. Being the only one in the house, there was no one to stop her from consuming ‘Sniper,’ the rat poison. The 19-year-old’s mother returned in the evening to find that she had consumed rat poison. Immediately she gave her palm oil as antidote before rushing her to a medical centre at Ebute Metta, Lagos.

    Ayomide was reportedly taken to the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), where she was pronounced dead.

    There is no gainsaying that a creepier form of suicide, by teenagers and young adults, has emerged as a major public health issue in the country; the past few years, for instance, have heralded an upsurge in suicide death reportage in the local media.

    Nineteen-year-old Loveth of Ekiugbo, Ughelli North of Delta State, committed suicide because she was displeased that her Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) score, 163, was inadequate for her to study Medicine in the university.

    Loveth was found dead in her home, after allegedly taking three bottles of the dangerous pesticide, Sniper.

    The deceased was reportedly distraught after she discovered that she scored far lower than she expected in the UTME.

    A relative of the deceased, who pleaded anonymity, said her parents, who believed their daughter could still be revived, made last minute efforts to save her life.

    “When she got home from where she had gone to check her result, her father told her that the score was too low to study Medicine. The father even assured her that she could get admission with the result into a polytechnic.

    “After the discussion with her father, she was said to have left for her mother’s shop, which is some few metres away, and secretly collected the three bottles of Sniper to drink. She drank all three bottles found in her room,” the family source explained.

    Recently, Aisha Yesufu, a human rights activist and one of the organizers of Bring Back Our Girls initiative, took to her Twitter handle to post the picture of an 18- year-old girl who allegedly drank half a bottle of the poisonous insecticide, Sniper, in an attempted suicide bid. She reportedly left a note that she decided to take that route because her boyfriend dumped her.

    “Young love or sick love? This girl tried killing herself because her boyfriend jilted her. He was brought to console her.”

    While the latter’s boyfriend was brought into the scene to console her, 15-year-old Jero Loveth a.k.a Slimzy Jay, enjoyed no such privilege. She reportedly committed suicide by drinking Sniper, because her boyfriend broke up with her.

    Although her sister confirmed the suicide, she claimed it wasn’t because her boyfriend broke up with her. The teenager has since been buried.

    According to the World Health Organization statistics, about one million people worldwide die from suicide every year (mean mortality rate: 16 per 100.000), that is, one death every 40 seconds. In some countries, suicide is the second leading cause of death in the 10 to 24 years age group; these figures do not include suicide attempts which are up to 20 times more frequent than completed suicide.

    Death by Sniper

    Health experts have raised concerns over the indiscriminate use of Sniper petriicide in the control of mosquitoes, cockroaches and other household insects, warning about its dangerous effects, especially to respiratory organs and even carcinogenic risks.

    Sniper is a DDVP, 2,2-Dichlorovinyl dimethyl phosphate  compound, marketed in Nigeria by Swiss-Nigerian Chemical Company, as  a synthetic organophosphorus but which many Nigerians have converted to an indoor insecticide.

    A person may be exposed to the associated risk of DDVP through inhalation, absorption via the skin, ingestion, and eye contact.

    According to the Centre for Disease Control (CDC), effects of exposure may include irritation of eyes, skin; miosis, ache eyes; rhinorrhea (discharge of thin nasal mucus); headache; chest tightness, wheezing, laryngeal spasm, salivation; cyanosis; anorexia, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea; sweating; muscle fasciculation, paralysis, dizziness, ataxia; convulsions; low blood pressure, cardiac irregularity.

    Sniper’s efficacy makes it the insecticide of choice in many Nigerian homes. But the insecticide’s utility has since been perverted and misappropriated by suicidal teens.

    Consequently, parents and health experts have called for government’s intervention. “The government owes it as a duty to protect the citizenry’s lives by making dangerous pesticides less accessible to the general public.

    “The youth in particular, are abusing the pesticide by consuming it in suicide attempts,” said Suleiman Falade, a retired civil servant.

    Bolaji Okin, a public health worker, advised regulatory authorities to place embargo on the sale of dangerous pesticides, insecticides and other chemicals. “The government should apply similar measure to the one it took in curbing codeine abuse. We shouldn’t wait to lose more of our children to suicide by insecticide and other dangerous chemicals,” she said.

    Demography of suicide

    Though suicide is a deeply personal and individual act, suicidal behaviour is determined by a number of factors, according to medical experts. These can be classified under the terms of predisposing factors and precipitating factors, according Olumide Okin, a consultant clinical psychiatrist. Predisposing factors, according to him, are internal determinants operating at the level of the individual. These include such dynamics as personality traits, bonds with family and society, biological and genetic factors.

    Suicidal behaviour, however, has two dimensions, according to recent research findings. The first dimension is the degree of medical lethality or damage resulting from the suicide attempt. The second dimension relates to suicidal intent and measures the degree of preparation, the desire to die versus the desire to live, and the chances of discovery. The clinical profiles of suicide attempters and completers overlap. Suicide “attempters” who survive very lethal attempts, which are known as failed suicides, have the same clinical and psychosocial profile as suicide “completers,” according to a recent W.H.O and World Bank sponsored report.

    This assertion is wholly illustrated by a recent incident involving Sunday Omotayo, an unemployed Mechanical Engineering graduate of the Ekiti State University. Omotayo attempted to commit suicide recently when he threw himself down on a busy street in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State,  in frustration at his circumstances. Exasperated at his inability to secure a job 10 years after graduating from school, Omotayo attempted to committed suicide in the Akwa Ibom State capital by jumping off a speeding Toyota Hiace bus on to the road leading to Ibom Plaza in the city centre.

    He reportedly resorted to the suicidal act after failing at an earlier one. Omotayo allegedly approached the state’s prison service asking the warders to either kill him or allow him rot in jail. One prison official said: “We just saw somebody, well dressed and on tie with no look of being mentally deranged running towards us. His action forced us to become immediately alert with our weapons.

    “The next thing he said was shoot me, shoot me, I want to die, I am tired of this world. We were still facing him with our weapons when he scrambled towards us, saying we should allow him to enter and die inside the prison,” revealed a prison guard.

    The prison officers eventually calmed Omotayo’s nerves and got him on the bus, from which he made another suicide bid. Fortunately, none of the cars crushed him when he jumped off the bus and policemen were on hand to restrain him.

    Omotayo said: “There is no state that I have not gone to in search of job in the past 10 years but none for me. I came to Akwa Ibom State because this is my last hope…However, unfortunately, since I came, I discovered that even many people from Akwa Ibom are also crying because of poverty and joblessness.”

    According to the recent statistics published by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), as many as 54 per cent of Nigerian youths were unemployed in 2012; in the survey, the population of youths aged between 15 and 35 years in Nigeria was estimated at 64 million.

    Personality traits

    Personality characteristics have been associated with higher risk for suicide. The traits that have been identified are a heightened sense of hopelessness, a high score on neurotism, external locus of control, low self-esteem, aggression, novelty seeking behaviour, and impulsiveness. The trait of introversion has been associated with higher risk for suicide, especially among adolescents. Suicidal youth have often been linked with impulsive and aggressive tendencies and low tolerance for frustration. Such youth are not only more aggressive toward others and their environment but also are more impulsive in other ways that involve, for example, relationships or personal decisions about a job or purchases. A propensity for more severe suicidal ideation and a greater likelihood of acting on powerful feelings combine to place some at greater risk. The greater frequency of aggressive behaviours in men may partly explain the higher suicide rates reported in men than in women, argued Dr. Lakshmi Vijayakumar, a consultant clinical psychiatrist.

    Risk factors

    A Consultant Psychiatrist, Professor Abiodun Adewuya, expressed concern over the high rate of suicide in Nigeria, blaming the problem on the inability of government to address social issues. Adewuya of the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH), Ikeja, said that available hospital records have shown that suicide was becoming rampant in the society.

    According to him, there could be extreme cases that drive people to commit suicide. He attributed the rising cases of suicide in the country to mental illnesses, chronic illnesses, social and environmental factors, adding that lack of self- esteem also made many people to commit suicide.

  • June 12 recognition: Abiola’s canonisation as Buhari’s tsunami

    PRESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari is not a run-of-the mill politician steeped and mired in the wired acrobatics of political gerrymandering. He is certainly not a politician of the Nigerian pigmentation.

    His exceptional politics is rooted in the military discipline that he has brought to bear in the articulation of his peculiar dispositions. He is an avatar who embodies truth and integrity.  He is thus under intense pressure to provide a leadership that is consistent with these values and virtues in a social order that is fundamentally corruption-prone.

    His first outing as military head of state from December 31, 1983 to August 27, 1985 presented a man that is rigidly committed to his beliefs, which essentially shaped and defined his leadership genre at that intersection. We have not forgotten how he dealt with corrupt Second Republic politicians who had looted our public treasuries at the different levels of government.

    The politicians were not the only ones that were at the receiving ends of Buhari’s campaign for a better Nigeria. The entire citizenry was compelled by the government to embrace his regime’s War Against Indiscipline (WAI).

    That historical development would later work against him in his presidential bids in 2003, 2007 and 2011. Paradoxically, in 2015, it worked propitiously in his favour and cascadingly redounded in victory because at that juncture, the vast majority of Nigerians wanted a strong and committed leadership with capacity to do things differently and redirect the ship of state away from eschewable cataracts and icebergs in the destination of a greater and better nation. Buhari has created the impression in people like me that he knows what he wants; that he knows the trajectories to chart both in and outside government.

    He is unpretentious and restricts himself to his forte.  Unlike some leaders who deployed the tool of dissimulation and polemics in public administration and shifted the goal posts several times in the course of their political transition programmes, Buhari is always sharply-focused on points he has promised to engage with from the outset of his endeavours. At the outset of his electioneering, he was very specific about instilling discipline in public administration and fighting corruption, a promise he has so far lived up to.

    The fight against corruption is an all-encompassing enterprise.  Corruption is a behemoth, which apparently has the capacity to fight back.  But, Buhari is prosecuting the fight systematically even if the gradualist approach is yet to inflict maximum collateral damage on corruption and those that worship in its odious pantheon. The president must be commended for not giving up to the overwhelming nature of pervasive corruption in government. It can be frustrating if only one man‘s commitment is being referenced in the fight against corruption.

    While he is digging in his feet in the anti-corruption fight, he is making his positive moves in the other sectors of the political economy. For instance, his unexpected huge gambits on June 6, 2018 when he took the nation by storm with his announcement of June 12 as the nation’s Democracy Day and the national honours conferred on the symbol of the June 12 struggle and custodian of the annulled pan-Nigerian mandate, the late Chief Moshood Kashimawo Olawale Abiola, are confirmatory of my asseveration.

    I do not sympathise with the opposition elements, especially the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), which had in its usual perfunctory and obviously bland reactions, sans constructive alternatives, gone to town to adduce vote-catching in the southwest as the essential motivation for the presidential gestures. They must be derided as they did, in fact, succeed in depositing this writer in a state of kookaburra for reducing to vote-catching, the significant effort by the Buhari presidency to show fidelity to the social contract in a sui generis way designed to meet the age-long yearnings of the Yoruba and other progressive sane Homo sapiens.

    By the sheer magnitude of that political correctness, which, to my mind, is tantamount to a tsunami, the president has inflicted a collateral damage to the opposition’s overall electoral calculations and permutations to lock in the votes of the southwest zone ahead of 2019 presidential election. It is quite understandable that the PDP has not yet recovered from the crushing defeat that Buhari handed down to its presidential candidate, former president Goodluck Jonathan, in the zone in the 2015 presidential election.

    In 2015, it took the political savvy and coruscating brinksmanship of Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, the oracle of Nigerian politics and generalissimo of Southwest politics to deliver the Southwest zone to Buhari and the All Progressives Congress (APC). Tinubu successfully sold the candidature of Buhari to the Yoruba, latching on three foibles of the PDP-led Federal Government: corruption, insecurity and crumbling economy. To retain the support of the Yoruba, a lot more would need to be done.

    One of them is the recognition that June 12, Abiola and human rights activist, the late Chief Gani Fawehinmi has been accorded. I can assure the Yoruba of the Southwest with aplomb that President Buhari is ready to meet their other aspirations, especially restructuring of the federation. Buhari is calculative and bidding his time, just the way he has taken positive actions on the June 12 issue. This is just his third year in the saddle.

    Whereas, the PDP-led Federal Government had all of 16 years to revisit the June 12, 1993 presidential election annulment and deal with its ramifications and had all the time in the world to move government in the direction that Buhari has just taken to make some atonement on behalf of the nation for the June 12 debacle, it failed abysmally and catastrophically to act. Methinks exasperation and exacerbation have set in and the discombobulated opposition camp is irredeemably overwhelmed and macadamized by the positive actions of the Buhari presidency.

    For me, I consider these actions by President Buhari to be in apple-pie order against the backdrop of more than two decades agitational remonstrations for the consummation of this long-overdue political correctness. Buhari has seized the big stage by declaring June 12 as the nation’s Democracy Day. His posthumous national honours of Grand Commander of the Federal Republic (GCFR) award to Abiola and Grand Commander of the Order of Niger (GCON) award to Gani Fawehinmi cannot be faulted in the circumstance of our current politics.

    By this audacious move, he has soothed frayed nerves of critical stakeholders in Nigeria and given a democratic sop to the Mephistophelian and Machiavellian Cerberus of yesteryears, especially the Southwest geo-political enclave, whose belief in the sanctity of the June 12 is impeccable. The international community which strives to align with global best practices in the management of public and political administration must be enamored by Buhari’s sense of fairness.  As a matter of fact, the president’s actions say loud and clear that there is limitless capacity by government to do much more good in the national interest.

    It takes patriotism and pertinacious political will to pull this through.  Who would have thought Buhari would be the one to profoundly right the wrongs that the military, his constituency, committed by the hands of Gen. Ibrahim Babangida, whose regime masterminded the dastardly act? Interestingly, the Gen. Babangida administration toppled Buhari regime in 1985. It is a notorious fact that outside power, Gen. Babangida had continued, until Obasanjo stepped in as president, to exercise strong influence on successive military regimes, including those of the late Gen. Sani Abacha and Abdulsalami Abubakar, under whose suzerainty Abiola died in the custody of the Federal Government and under whose command Gen. Olusegun Obasanjo was anointed and enthroned as president on the PDP platform.

    Obasanjo and those he installed as his successors did nothing about June 12.  Buhari has dismantled the culture of silence on the issue to the discomfiture of the PDP and the leaders that failed to correct past wrongs and mitigate their consequences.  If the Yoruba will consider Buhari’s positive actions in the consideration of where to direct their votes in 2019, the APC shall be grateful on behalf of President Buhari.

     

    • Obahiagbon, a former member of the House of Representatives, writes from Benin.

     

  • June 12: A long, tortuous walk to justice

    All roads tomorrow leads to the State House in Abuja for the conferment of posthumous national awards of Grand Commander of the Federal Republic (GCFR) on Chief Moshood Abiola and Grand Commander of the Order of the Niger (GCON) on Chief Gani Fawehinmi. Abiola’s running mate in the scuttled election Babagana Kingibe, will also be honoured with the GCON award. Musa Odoshimokhe profiles some of the pro-democracy activists.

    AFTER twenty-five years of agitation, pro-democracy forces can now heave a sigh of relief. Their clamour for recognition for the acclaimed winner of the June 12, 1993 presidential election, Chief MKO Abiola, will tomorrow be officially granted.

    Key leaders in the struggle for the revalidation of the results the first-ever general elections adjudged as the fairest and fairest, have been invited by the Federal Government for posthumous proclamation of the highest national  award of the Grand Commander of the Federal Republic (GCFR) on the symbol of the struggle.

    The results of the election were “arrested” in a terse statement by the then presidential spokesman Nduka Irabor during the administration of self-styled military President Gen. Ibrahim Babangida, who superintended the election.

    All previous administrations turned down the activists’ yearly request that the presumed winner of the election be immortalised.

    But in a statement on June 6, President Muhammadu Buhari proclaimed June 12 Democracy Day and the conferment of national honours on the late Abiola, his running mate Ambassador Babagana Kingibe and foremost pro-democracy activist, the late Gani Fawehinmi.

    As at last night, four Southwest states of Lagos, Ogun, Ondo and Osun, have declared tomorrow a work-free day to mark the 25th anniversary of the annulment of a presidential poll adjudged by local and international observers as Nigeria’s best.

    Some of activists, who took to the streets in cities centres to protest the annulment of the results and demanded for revalidation, are profiled below.

     

    Femi Falana

     

    The activist-lawyer was in the vanguard of revalidation of June 12 presidential election results’ campaigners. Like other prominent figures, Falana took the battle to the streets where participated actively in demonstrations.

    Falana, now a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), in the company of others, suffered arrests and detention in the hands of government forces that took his positions on issues as affront to constituted authority.

    On many fora, Falana pointed out the evil associated with the annulment and barring the unforeseen, the Lagos-based lawyer will be in Abuja tomorrow for the ceremonial proclamation.

     

    Olabiyi Durojaiye

     

    The Ogun East Senator between 1999 and 2003 fought on the side of the masses for the actualization of the annulled election. Durojaiye was an active member of the National Democratic Coalition (NADECO), a pressure group that was turn in the flesh of the military administration of the late Gen. Sani Abacha.

    He was among those detained by Gen. Abachan as “Prisoners of War”.

    Following his release from after the death of Abacha, Durojaiye contested and won the Ogun East Senatorial seat under the Alliance for Democracy (AD). He is a staunch member of Afrenifere. His memoir on the annulled June 12, 1993, is in the works.

     

    Segun Osoba

     

    The former Ogun State governor under the defunct Social Democratic Party (SDP) played major role in the struggle. He supported the cause through media outreach and financial supports for pro-democracy groups including oil workers unions – National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG). He was a thorn in the flesh of antagonists of June 12. As a NADECO member, he faced persecution from the military and had to go underground from time to time to sustain the cause of June 12. He ranks among the heroes of democracy.

     

    Chima Ubani

     

    Ubani was one of the activists who lost his life in the struggle for a better Nigeria. He played critical role to ensure victory and he became a prisoner of conscience under the military.

    His thirst for a fair and better society led to his untimely death in an accident en route Maiduguri, Bornu State for a pro-democracy rally.  He was honoured locally and internationally for his selfless efforts.

     

    Beko Ransom Kuti

     

    He was the chairman for the Campaign for Democracy (CD), a forum he deployed to the emancipation of the downtrodden.

    The medical doctor-turned rights’ crusader was imprisoned by the military for speaking out against injustice.

     

    Baba Omojola

     

    Baba Omojola was a chieftain of the NADECO, a platform that rallied other coalition groups against dictatorship. The fiery rights’ activist was incarcerated for being in the forefront of against injustice.

    He did not abandon the cause even in the face of intimidation by the military. He would be remembered for his contributions to make the country a better place to live in for all.

     

    Tunji Abayomi

     

    Dr. Abayomi, a legal practitioner and activist known for his principle on fairness and justice, played an active role in the crusade for a better nation. To him, those who annulled the June 12 election murdered sleep.

    He was arrested and detained for several years by the military. Dr. Abayomi was in the forefront of the crusade to free Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, when he was arrested over the phantom coup plot against Gen. Abacha.

     

    Mike Ozekhome

     

    Mike Ozekhomhe is a lawyer and human rights’ activist. The Edo-born activist led youths and concerned stakeholders in the battle to liberate the country from the jackboots of the military. He equally deployed his legal support to ensure justice.

     

    Ayo Obe

     

    As President of Civil Liberties Organisations (CLO), Dr. Ayo Obe   was in the forefront of the agitation for justice. Through the CLO, she rallied many organisations to get justice for Abiola. She could not be cowed by the military as she threw all resources at her disposal into the crusade for a better Nigeria.

     

    Shehu Sani

     

    Senator Shehu Sani was fearless in the battle against military dictatorship.  The Kaduna Central District Senator was arrested and clamped into detention by government forces during the administration of Gen. Abacha.

    Yesterday, Sani shared on his twitter handle, photographs of his time in prison in 1995.

    He was sentenced to 15 years in prison for treason against the military.

    He shared on Twitter: “In my Prison Cell, Aba, Abia State, in 1995 serving 15-year sentence for (1) Treason against the Military Junta (2) Managing an unlawful society, The Campaign for Democracy CD. Prison number 95/1186. The other on the right, in my Cell in Kiri Kiri Maximum Security Prison Lagos.”

     

     

    The Annulment Statement by Nduka Irabor

    In view of the spirit of litigation pending in various courts, the federal government is compelled to take appropriate steps in order to rescue the judiciary from intra-voyaging. Those steps are taken so as to protect our legal system and the judiciary from being ridiculed and politicized, both nationally and internationally.

    In an attempt to end this ridiculous charade which may culminate in judicial anarchy, the Federal Military Government has decide to stop forthwith, all court proceedings pending or to be instituted and appeals thereon in respect of any matter touching, relating or concerning the presidential election held on June 12, 1993.

    The Transition to Civil Rule Political Programme (Amendment Number 3), Decree Number 52 of 1992 and the Presidential Election (Basic Constitutional and Transitional Provisions)Decree Number 13 of 1993 are hereby repealed. All acts or omissions done or purported to have been done, or to be done by any person, authority etc, under the above named decree are hereby declared invalid. The National Electoral Commission is hereby suspended. All acts or omissions done or purported to have been done by itself, its officers or agents under the repealed Decree number 13, 1993 are hereby nullified.”

     

     

  • Counting the gains of Buhari’s U.S. trip

    In this analysis entitled: “Highlighting the benefits of Buhari’s meeting with Trump”, Prudence Arobani of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) captures the gains of President Muhammadu Buhari’s trip to the United States (U.S.).

    PRESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari’s recent meeting with his United States (U.S.) counterpart Donald Trump gave the two leaders the opportunity to discuss significant issues bordering on fight against terrorism and how to grow Nigeria’s economy through partnership.
    The meeting at the White House in Washington DC., U.S., was important even as Buhari became the first sub-Saharan African leader to be hosted by President Trump for such a fundamental bilateral talks on more issues such as trade, investment and governance.
    It drew the attention of Nigerians and global players in terms of expectations and opportunities, which discerning observers describe as significant as strategic.
    After the bilateral meetings and subsequent meetings with investors, some analysts however observe that the visit has brought some gains and opportunities for Nigeria.
    Foreign Affairs Minister Geoffrey Onyeama said that the meeting discussed how to increase the level of trade between both countries.
    He said: “On security, the U.S. has been helping Nigeria, supplying military equipment in the fight against terrorism and there is agreement to continue the cooperation between the two countries.
    “In the area of governance, the meeting discussed the return to Nigeria of the money that has been siphoned out of Nigeria and lodged in various banks around the world.
    “There is cooperation with U.S. helping to repatriate these funds to Nigeria, so they are good wins on the security side, continued cooperation and, of course, repatriations of these funds and increase in trade.’’
    The Minister of Justice and Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF), Abubakar Malami, said that the U.S. government was committed to repatriating more than $500 million dollars to Nigeria.
    Malami said: “There have been clear directives for both attorneys-general to meet and have a road map for the repatriation of the assets and we have succeeded in having a very positive progress.
    “The truth is that we are looking at the shortest practicable time for the repatriation but the fact is that there is political commitment by the two presidents.
    “This is a clear demonstration of the fact that the possibility of having the money repatriated within the shortest possible time cannot be ruled out.”
    Sharing similar sentiments Industry, Trade & Investment , Minister Okechukwu Enelamah said that Trump acknowledged the importance of the Nigerian economy in Africa and the role Nigeria could play in its relations with U.S.
    Enelamah said: “There is an acknowledgment that the U.S. is clearly the number one economy in the world and there is a lot of room for cooperation which both presidents view as a priority.
    “There are a lot of cooperation such as the commercial and investment dialogue which we have signed with the U.S. Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross.
    “It is really focused on how to deepen the commercial relationship in support of businesses from the two countries as well as the growing trade in a win-win partnership.’’
    Enelamah said that U.S. businesses operating in Nigeria were looking for a way to increase their investments to improve production and create employment.
    He said: “There is the big one — the $2 billion investment — to revamp our existing rail and making sure it is used for cargo and transport.
    “That is the narrow gauge and the exiting rails we have in addition to all the new ones we have and that is just one investment from one company.
    “Some of the companies which authorities Buhari had met with included John Deere for assembling and supplying tractors in Nigeria.”
    He said that the company would train, employ people and help the agriculture value chain in terms of mechanisation and automation, among others.
    The minister said that other multi-million dollar companies such as Cotava and Continental Grains, among others, were committed to making serious investments in Nigeria that would run into billions of dollars.
    He went further: “Boeing is very interested in supporting the aviation sector; it plans to roll out something that will increase the availability of flights from Nigeria while Procter & Gamble is looking to expand its investment in Nigeria.
    “So, in terms of investment and commitment, there is every reason to be positive, it is certainly in billions of dollars, we need to sharpen our pencils and take it on.
    “I was encouraged by the level of engagement, commitment and frankly, the way people perceive and assess the opportunities; I think it’s good we had the blessings and the endorsement of the two presidents.
    “We have had meetings that backed that up; going forward, we are looking to see good things come out of this visit.’’
    Ogun State Governor Ibikunle Amosun of Ogun also described the meeting as “very fruitful, insightful and successful.’’
    According to Amosun, the Trump administration showed commitment and the general impression that it would support what the Nigerian government was doing.
    He said: “We are gaining a lot; in the area of security, they’ve actually said they’re not only selling those Tucano helicopters to us, they’re going to follow it up with training and other assistance.
    “In fact, as we speak, they are already in Nigeria assisting and they promised to do more.’
    The governor said that he was impressed by Trump’s commitment that the U.S. would now focus on the agriculture sector in its assistance to Nigeria.
    Amosun’s colleague in Plateau State Simon Lalong said Buhari’s meeting with Trump “is not only fantastic but successful for the progress of Nigeria.”
    He added: “If you look at the totality of why we are here, I think we have even achieved more than what we bargained for.
    “So, in all the areas, they promised to help us, particularly in fighting terrorism and the security challenges that we have.’’
    Also, retired Justice Sylvanus Nsofor, Nigeria’s Ambassador to the U.S., expressed joy that Buhari’s visit was successful.
    Irrespective of the success and expectations from the meeting, concerned Nigerians have cautioned the Federal Government against being carried away by the euphoria of the visit.
    They advise that the authorities should rather make concerted efforts to leverage on the goodwill of the U.S. government and ensure that Nigerians reap the benefits of the visit.