Category: South East

Embattled leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) Nnamdi Kanu has debunked stories making the rounds that his younger brother, Kanunta Kanu, and some close allies like IPOB Secretary Carolyn Okoroafor and Madam Nnennaya Anya were behind his re-arrest and repatriation from Kenya by the Nigerian government.

The story had been gaining momentum on the social media and blogs in the past few days, but Kanu, who is incarcerated in the facilities of the Directorate of State Services (DSS), through his lead counsel, Ifeanyi Ejiofor, has come out to say the story is false.

Describing the news as not only false but also mischievous, Kanu admonished those behind it to desist from spreading the fake news or he will be forced to take legal actions against them.

Ejiofor, who related Kanu’s position on his Facebook page yesterday shortly after his routine visit to the Biafran agitator at the headquarters of the DSS in Abuja, wrote: “Our client, Onyendu Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, has noted with displeasure and rude shock, the obviously false narrative being peddled by those whose primary intention is to cause mischief and on that note, he specifically directed that we should inform those who care to listen that neither the trio of Mazi Kanunta Kanu, Carolyn Okoroafor, Madam Nnennaya Anya, nor any other person was instrumental to his abduction in Kenya and subsequent extraordinary rendition to Nigeria.

“Onyendu warned those mischievously purveying these fake news to desist forthwith, and accordingly issue a retraction to the effect of this damaging blackmail to the trio of Kanunta Kanu, Nnennaya Anya and Carolyn Okoroafor, and this must be done without further ado or they will face legal actions. He was very emphatic on discipline and more importantly C and C.

“Onyendu thanked you all, millions of his supporters and followers for your peaceful conduct so far, and implored you all to keep it up and never derail. He also enjoined you, his followers, to shun distraction of any kind.”

 

A development advocacy group, the South East South South Professionals of Nigeria, (SESSPN), has demanded the outcome of the forensic audit report on the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).

It said the report must not slid into what they called voice mail by undue bureaucratic red tape or shot down by corruption.

The group, in a letter written to President Muhammadu Buhari, through the Minister of Niger Delta, Godswill Akpabio, said corruption that had held the agency down should be looked into.

A statement by the group’s Publicity Secretary, Mr Collins Steve Ugwu and the President, Hannibal Uwaifo Esq., said: “We understood the steps taken by the government to set up the Audit as a corrective duty, because it resonates with our group’s passionate advocacy for accountable governance, in the socio-economic development of a distressed region, and a mistreated national cash cow. Reasonably, we expected that the submitted report will quickly trigger a sequence of actions to preserve such a special development vehicle like the NDDC, from ever being so criminally abducted by rogue elements, for such aggravated rape and plunder visited on it.”

‘’For emphasis, SESSPN demands that the corruption banditry on this Agency’s over N6trillion appropriations and releases, in nearly two decades of sustained larceny, should be attended to swiftly, to punish the culprits unsparingly as deterrence, because the suppressed rage of the Niger Delta victims of this grand abuses look towards exemplary justice as basic atonement.

‘’We advise with caution that nothing will be more salutary, than making sure, the report is matched with a holistic White paper for a transparent implementation without compromise. Those who took delight in shredding the dreams of NDDC, and made it a tunnel of graft rather, should get the full whip of the law, and if found guilty, receive the scorn of jail sentences appropriate to the misery they planted, and the deprivations they sowed.

‘’We therefore make haste to call on the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, SAN, who received that report with a Presidential directive to do what is necessary, to rise to that mandate expeditiously. We remind him too that he promised to do justice to it with despatch publicly, as the defacto head of the Administration’s anti-corruption drive. The citizens of Niger Delta are still waiting, and SESSPN, very determined to see that promise kept to them in good conscience.

‘’We believe strongly that implementing the affirmative mandate of the Forensic Audit will re-echo not only the avowed anti corruption crusade of the President, but justify the time and resources his administration through the supervising Minister of NDDC has put into the entire exercise.

‘’Meanwhile, we hereby restate our earlier call that the constitutional requirement to have a duly constituted board for the NDDC, that will drive integrity and corporate governance of the Agency, be speedily addressed, concluded and inaugurated. That will put to rest the interim management misnomer, that has robed the Agency with unflattering theatrics and grave perception deficits.

‘’We encourage the Minister of Niger Delta to work purposefully to realise the huge public expectations, that a turn around in NDDC is not another convenient political rhetorics, but attainable social reality under his watch. That way, the enthusiasm of all stakeholders will mobilise the critical support needed to see the courage of performance, defeat sleaze and impunity, for the greater public good of Niger Deltans’’, the statement added

The Olu of Warri, His Majesty Ogiame Atuwatse III, has urged the Ijaw in Delta State to cooperate with God on His decision concerning who emerges as the next governor of the state in 2023.

He spoke in his palace in Warri when he received a delegation of the Ijaw for Governor 2023 Lobby Team led by the former minister of Police Affairs, Alaowei Bozimo.

The monarch encouraged the Ijaw to prepare their best and bring forth their strongest arguments in their quest to produce the next governor.

He said that the three senatorial districts, Delta North, South and Central, had taken turns to produce the governor.

The Olu of Warri advised the Ijaw nation to prepare their best and bring forth their strong arguments in their quest to produce the next governor in 2023.

“Bring your strong arguments, prepare your best, but once you see God moving as much as you can, embrace it and it will be well with you. You are our brothers.

“My prayer for you is that we cooperate with God as He is doing the shaking, sieving and refining. Because once that individual emerges, I am convinced that the entire state will simply accept and in our acceptance, it will make our journey, our rise better,” he said.

Added he: “My appeal to everyone of you as we go into 2022 and 2023 is to open your hearts and align your hearts to what God is doing.

“It is very important that Delta State is key to the success of Nigeria. But more than ever before, my eyes are open to see that if Delta State gets it right, Nigeria will get it right so effortlessly.”

“Delta State is in the hands of God. He is interested in who becomes the governor. I believe that the cycle has come to an end, as all the three senatorial zones have produced governors.”

Bozimo told the monarch that the visit was to seek his blessings for the Ijaw in their pursuit for the governor in 2023.

He said:  “With justice, fairness and equity, the Ijaw should produce the next governor.”

He congratulated Ogiame Atuwatse III on his successful ascension to the throne of his forefathers.

“The Ijaw said I should come and tell our Itsekiri brothers of Iwere land that this time, we will like to taste governorship power. It is only fair that we are considered.

“All these years, the Ijaw have supported other zones. We supported Chief James Ibori who is maternally Itsekiri and of course, our own son, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan, we stood solidly behind him to become governor and lastly, we supported Senator Ifeanyi Okowa from Delta North,” the ex-minister said.

Bayelsa State Governor Douye Diri has said the independence of the judiciary cannot be compromised.

He spoke yesterday at the Bayelsa State Judiciary 2021/22 Legal Year Thanksgiving Service held at Greater Evangelism World Crusade, Opolo, Yenagoa.

The event was attended by Deputy Governor Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, Chief Judge Justice Kate Abiri, chief judges from other Southsouth states, Secretary to the State Government Dr. Benson Konbowei and top government functionaries.

The governor said: “There is hope in our judiciary; let us be partakers in developing our judiciary that can stand tall among others in Nigeria. Let us join hands with others in the judiciary and other judges and administrators to ensure that our judiciary remains impartial. Our judiciary has what it takes to continue to dispense justice.

“This is why I believe in the independence of the judiciary. The autonomy of the judiciary cannot be compromised.”

“I have told the chief judge that I don’t want to see her carrying files to my office, and this implies that at all times, we will release what is constitutionally due to the judiciary, for them to manage the judiciary.

“Let me on behalf of the government and the good people of Bayelsa State send our goodwill message to the chief judge, the judiciary, using you and the judiciary to continue to keep the peace in Bayelsa State and to ensure that there is justice in Bayelsa.”

Diri said the judiciary in Bayelsa has come of age, noting that 25 years is no longer a child, but an adult and that 25 years means so much for the people of the state.

He added: “We like to urge you to continue in the best services that you have rendered to the state during these 25 years.

“We pray that God will continue to grant you the grace as you continue to render this invaluable service, as you commune only between yourselves and God to give justice to all manner of people in Bayelsa State and beyond.”

 

Edo State House of Assembly yesterday passed a bill to amend the Edo State Audit Law 2021.

Governor Godwin Obaseki had in a letter through the Secretary to the State Government, Mr. Osarodion Ogie, requested the house to amend some sections of the principal law.

At plenary, Majority Leader Henry Okhuarobo moved the motion for the suspension of relevant rules to enable the house consider the bill.

The member representing Akoko-Edo 1, Mr. Yekini Idaiye (PDP), seconded the motion.

Moving the motion, Okhuarobo said the amendment was to provide for a fixed tenure for the Auditor-General of the state.

He said that the amendment was also to provide for the appointment of either a public or private sector individual as Auditor-General.

Considering the bill at the committee of the whole, the house approved a four-year term for the Auditor-General, which could be renewed for a further term, subject to the confirmation of the legislature.

The house further approved the appointment of either a public or private sector individual as Auditor-General.

Consequently, Section 22 of the principal law was amended to read that the Auditor-General must have 15 years professional experience in accounting and audit.

The house unanimously approved the amendment and the bill was, thereafter, presented for its third reading by the Clerk, Mr. Yahaya Omogbai.

Speaker Marcus Onobun directed that clean copies of the bill be forwarded to the governor for his assent.

The member representing Akoko-Edo 11, Mr. Emmanuel Agbaje (APC), has hailed the lawmakers for their intervention in the security situation in Akoko-Edo.

He also praised the subsequent release of the kidnapped pupils of Gloryland School, Igara, in Akoko Edo.

Onobun commended the governor for the prompt intervention, which resulted in the release of the kidnapped pupils.

 

 

 

 

Rivers State Government has said no second term governor is working like Governor Nyesom Wike.

Information and Communications Commissioner Paulinus Nsirim said in Port Harcourt when he received the outstanding Commissioner of the year Award conferred on him by the Garden City Advancement Award 2021: “Of course, because His Excellency is doing quite a good job, I am proud to be associated with him. This is his second tenure. There is nowhere in Nigeria you find a second tenure governor working like Governor Wike.

“He is here to serve Rivers State until 2023 when he will hand over. We should expect the best of governance. Wherever you hear his name, good governance resonates. Just point to me one governor that is doing the magnitude of work Governor Wike is doing.

“He remains the star governor of Nigeria. So, we will continue to propagate his policies and programmes to the outside world.

The ultimate goal of our governor is to make Rivers State investors’ destination of choice.

“This is why you have massive infrastructure ongoing in the state in health care management, education, agriculture and other areas of governance. We should expect good governance. He has promised Rivers people that he will work and work until the end of his tenure.”

Nsirim said the award was made possible by the governor, who gave him the opportunity as a permanent secretary and later as a commissioner to serve the state.

Describing the award as a vote of confidence in the media community, he said the ministry would continue to evolve programmes to change the negative narratives of Rivers.

The convener of the award, Mr. Robinson Koyoyo, said over 2,000 nominations were received, out of which the winners in the categories emerged.

 

 

THE President General of Urhobo Progress Union (UPU) Worldwide, Olorogun Moses Taiga, has said the union has put a committee in place to prune the over 14 Urhobo governorship aspirants to two across parties.

Dr. Taiga said in a statement at the Urhobo Cultural Centre, Uvwiamuge-Agbarho in Ughelli North Local Government of Delta State, at a news briefing that the committee would select the two aspirants from any of the parties in Urhobo Delta Central.

UPU said that it supported the emergence of a governor of Urhobo extraction in 2023, adding that the Urhobo nation supported senatorial rotation for peace, equity, fairness and justice.

The statement said UPU is Nigeria’s oldest socio-cultural organisation that has had a chequered history and has survived all odds despite its challenges.

It recalled that when the Federal Military Government in January 1966 proscribed political and cultural organisations, it left only the UPU in recognition of its unsoiled, non-partisan character.

 

 

Delta House of Assembly Committee on Education has suspended the budget defence deliberations on higher education due to irregularities in the budget documents.

The Chairman of the committee, Mr. Charles Emetulu, said there were irregularities in the figures presented by the Commissioner for Higher Education, Prof. Patrick Muoboghare, while presenting the 2022 budget of the ministry.

Emetulu expressed the dissatisfaction during the 2022 budget defence meeting with the commissioner yesterday in Asaba.

He said that the committee was not satisfied with the presentation, especially the commissioner’s inability to renovate most library projects, which were captured in the 2021 budget.

Mr. Oboro Preyor, (PDP- Bomadi) expressed disappointment that the Bomadi major library, which was captured in the 2021 budget, was not renovated.

He said that the roof and furniture of the library were dilapidated, adding that the ministry omitted such projects from the 2022 budget.

The commissioner, reacting to the committee’s allegations, noted that the omission was not deliberate and promised to work on the budget proposal.

The committee chairman therefore asked him to go back and make the corrections.

The Commissioner for Secondary Education, Mrs. Rose Ezewu, said the ministry was proposing N12.7 billion for the 2022 fiscal year.

She said of the figure, N5.3 billion was earmarked for the completion of ongoing projects.

According to her, the ministry is also budgeting N1.4 billion for intervention and securing of schools’ land as well as creating conducive learning environment.

Ezewu, who appealed to the committee for approval, noted that the 2022 budget would help the ministry to move the education sector forward.

The Commissioner for Primary Education, Mr. Chika Ossai, told the committee that his ministry was proposing N5.9 billion for the 2022 fiscal year.

He appealed to the committee for prompt approval.

Responding, the committee chairman assured the ministries of the committee’s support in developing the education sector.

 

 

 

What will Nigerians say, and who will they blame should the insecurity problems in the country persist or worsen in 2022? Truth is, should the nation fail to adequately plan to tackle internal threats and insecurity in various parts of the country, she may find herself in a more dire condition.

From the media space alone that is usually regaled with unsavoury reports, one can easily draw up a list of Nigeria’s security problems – from the ubiquitous farmer-herder conflict to banditry, insurgency, robbery, kidnappings, abductions, and secessionist agitations.

The list expanded over time, and remains intimidating, even though much has been done and achieved in curtailing insecurity in the country. With the broad range of security challenges confronting Nigeria, even a casual observer would readily agree that the country needs to step up its game to avoid being overwhelmed by this huge baggage of problems as it was for some months sometime this year. Steady development in the various aspects of the nation’s life is contingent upon a stable and secure polity.

Insecurity, for example, has battered the nation’s agricultural sector and brought about an unprecedented rise in the prices of food and other commodities. Insecurity has also brought about much instability in the educational system, especially in communities within or around the theatres of conflict. The expectation therefore would be that there is a remarkable increase in what is budgeted for security on an annual basis. This looks pretty much so since the country’s security needs are largely import-dependent.

It is quite surprising, however, that the finance and budget offices of the Federal Government see things differently. This is evident in the recently slashed minimal budgetary request of N710 billion made by the Nigerian Army to N579 billion.

The Nigerian Army has been lamenting the negative impact this sharp reduction can have on national security in 2022.

The Chief of Army Staff, Lt. General Faruk Yahaya who appeared before the Senate Committee on Army last week stated that the reduction which was carried out by the Federal Ministry of Finance and the Budget Office was unhealthy amid heightening insecurity in the nation.

Read Also: We’re already sending criminals to God, says Gen. Yahaya after decoration

The Army Chief pleaded with the lawmakers to help remove the military from the envelope budgeting system which he maintained was hampering their operations.
In General Yahaya’s words, “In preparing for the year 2022 budget, the Nigerian Army (NA) proposed about the sum of N710 billion only. However, the Federal Ministry of Finance, Budget and National Planning budget ceiling reduced it to a total sum of Five Hundred and Seventy-Nine Billion Naira (N579b) only.

“This reduction would impede the capacity and tempo of the Nigerian Army in carrying out its constitutional duties particularly the ongoing war against Boko Haram terrorists and other criminalities across the country.”

General Yahaya also appealed to the Senate Committee to intervene so that its capital budget releases would be within the first quarter of 2022.

“The timely and complete implementation of the year 2022 budget will thus enhance the fulfillment of the NA’s constitutional mandate and thus engender peace for socio-economic development of our country Nigeria,” he stressed.

Looking at the issue of budgeting and timely release of approved funds, it is regrettable that even among those in top government positions, not all seem to agree that the issue of adequate funding for the military is very critical to the effective prosecution of the war against insecurity in Nigeria.

Sadly, one could recall that last year, the first tranche of funding for the Nigerian military in the national budget was only made available to the Armed Forces in July 2020. A clear six months or more after budget approval! Without doubt, such cannot be the story of a nation that is at war and badly needs to crush insurgents, banditry and separatist agitations. Investing in infrastructure development when adequate national security is lacking is a futile venture in many ramifications. With the kind of challenges facing Nigeria, funding security should be a top priority.

The consistent altruism shown by the military in their efforts in keeping the country together, and making all attempts to secure the country from various attacks is commendable.

This year alone, thousands of Boko Haram terrorists have surrendered or have been silenced. The military has intercepted innumerable offensives and destroyed major operation hideouts of terrorists in the North-East and North-West. The NA has indeed shown its capacity to deliver results when necessary measures and funding are put in place by the Nigerian Government.

Many observers have noted that between securing the Nigerian polity and protecting lives and property in the protracted fight against insurgency, the task of the Nigerian military has largely been upset by funding. The provision of some equipment no doubt have been remarkably forthcoming in recent times. The arrival of the Tucano fighter planes from America and high-mobility armoured tanks from China is heartwarming. But the aircraft, for example, were paid for over three years ago. This underscores the importance of critical mid-and long-term planning. There is no magic or miracle in the terrain of securing the nation.

However, It would be clearly counter-productive to subvert whatever gains could be made from these efforts with poor funding.

Even the chairman of the Senate Army Committee, Senator Mohammed Ali Ndume, who spoke after the presentation by the Chief of Army Staff, readily agreed that there is the challenge of inadequate funding and added that it is wrong to put the security agencies in envelope budgeting like other departments.

His words: “As a committee, the budgetary allocations proposed for the Nigerian Army in 2022 is grossly inadequate, the very reason envelope budgeting should not be used for the military at this time of serious security challenges in the country. We shall push for their exclusion from the system and inclusion in the first line charge.”

Many analysts believe that funding is one key reason behind the inability of the Nigerian Army to live up to its full potential in recent decades. Developed countries like China and the United States boast of the best armed forces in the world because they exhaustively fund their military, and aid their advancement in technology. If it is better funded, the same undoubtedly can be achieved with the Nigerian Army that has shown remarkable potential.

The World Bank and International Monetary Fund (IMF) recommended at least 1.5 percent of a nation’s GDP on security. The recommendation was for countries without security issues. It is remarkably higher in countries facing serious security challenges.

Shockingly, for a country with security challenges, the spending on the Nigerian military has witnessed a steady decline in the last five years. In 2015, Nigeria’s military spending was $2.07 billion which was a 12.39% decline from 2014. The defense budget saw a 16.57% decline in 2016 with an estimate of $1.72 billion. This was followed by a 5.92% decline in 2017 with a budget estimate of $1.62 billion. 2018 witnessed a 26.02% increase with an estimate of $2.04 billion. The defense budget in 2019 however saw a significant -8.95% drop with an estimate of $1.8 billion, and an estimate of $1.2 billion in 2020.

With the current spate of insurgency and other related issues of insecurity in the country, the Nigerian Army still has a lot to do especially in trenches and tactical research, training, asymmetric warfare, and armament development. This is the only known practical way it could challenge headlong the new realities of insurgency, banditry, kidnapping, and fundamentalist ethnicism spread across various parts of the country.

Presently, the Nigerian Army is actively engaged in containing one conflict situation or the other in 33 out if 36 states. Yet, we’re talking of an army of just 120,000 officers and soldiers.

It can never be overemphasized that critical to effectively prosecuting and closing the war in the Northeast and containing other security threats in the country is the issue of funding for the military. Fighting a counter-insurgency war will require a lot of resolve by the government to see the battle to a clear and logical conclusion. Such resolve can only be demonstrated by how much the country is ready to commit to the fight in terms of funding.

As I have stated elsewhere, ‘It is only with funding that the numerical strength of the military, and its weaponry, can be increased to the required levels. But the current financial state of the Nigerian military does not indicate that expected level of readiness.

“If Nigeria does not respond to the call for her to multiply her human power and firepower, she would continue to live with insurgency, banditry and sooner or later contend with more insurgencies from other parts of the country and the real threat of extinction.’

Prioritising national security is important but meeting it up with exhaustive funding is decisive in achieving victory. We cannot afford to underfund the Nigerian Army in crucial times like this. Chairman, Senate Committee on the Army, Senator Ndume said recently, ‘Nigeria is at war, the whole of the Nigeria Army budget is about $1.3m. That’s at the level of Niger, Chad, Sudan, and other poor countries.’

A significant increase in the budget for the military should be of critical concern to all stakeholders in the future of this country. Making the appropriated funds available on time is also crucial to national security. There can be no better motivation for the officers and men of the Nigerian military than to make available to them a sophisticated armoury, technology, welfare and intelligence to battle threats to the sovereignty of the nation, and to ensure the peaceful coexistence and prosperity of their countrymen and women.

•Dr. Udu Yakubu is the Publisher of The Journal, and can be reached at: udu.yakubu@gmail.com