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  • Attah and journey of new era

    Attah and journey of new era

    Book Review

    Title: Attah : Architect of a New Democratic Dawn‘

    Author: Dr Dele Sobowale

    Reviewer: Udeme Nana

    Many book reviews focus on the title, pagination, number of Chapters, Publisher, Author, themes, structure and technical faults but it is equally important to draw out lessons in books to attract readers, inspire and empower them especially if the subject of the Book, like in this case, is exemplary. Biographies are often written to reveal the life of the subject in raw form apart from serving as a family chronicle. In Attah: Architect of a New Democratic Dawn’, written by Dr Dele Sobowale, readers will discover that a young Victor Attah, although born into a family that was one of the ‘Joneses’ in Akwa Ibom State took his destiny into his own hands by hawking ‘nwo nwo’ – small pieces of cooked meat – around the circus of Uyo in the 1940’s,  a location which he adopted as the centerpiece of his urban renewal project as Governor of Akwa Ibom State from  1999 ! He actually redesigned the Ibom plaza as a flea market with hundreds of stalls to stop street trading by minors. His resort to hawking ‘nwo nwo’ was typical of one with an activist DNA who would not throw up his arms in defeat when faced with an obstacle. The challenge that time, reared it’s head when their house – keeper left him and his junior brother without a “penny” to feed. Attah had to find a way out just as he worked out a solution,  when as Governor, President Olusegun Obasanjo denied his State allocations from the Federation Allocation Accounts Committee ( FAAC ) because of Obasanjo’s designation of Akwa Ibom as a non littoral State underserving of the full payment of derivation funds as prescribed by the 1999 Constitution. During that time, the government of Akwa Ibom State was paid a miserly monthly hand – out of N600m only by Chief Obasanjo’s federal government.

    The seriousness with which Lagosians and perhaps the Yoruba race attach to their indigenous culture is captured in the Book by the story of a High Court judge who participated actively in an annual cultural show as a Masquerade. One imagines how dignified such a Masquerade would have gone about his outing along the streets. A lesson here is that our traditional Masquerades should be refined to present themselves majestically and honourably.The episode teaches that cultural plays are not exclusive to the dregs of society as professionals and respected high net worth individuals can also wear masks. On page 39, an Eyo Masquerade, after lifting his veil said to Attah’s eldest brother ‘go and report to the Police that I beat you. I am a Judge. They will bring your case to me’ !

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    The biography also sheds light on the strong bond in the extensive Attah family tree. A chapter titled ‘Sons rise in the East’ is devoted to the “Siblings like twins’ although Attah’s immediate elder brother, the world renowned pathologist, Professor Edward ‘B Attah, OON takes seventeen pages !

    The life story reveals Obong Attah’s strategy for attracting a lady’s attention. Getting the attention of his late wife, Alison wasn’t a short walk in the park. He had to think outside the box before he successfully won her heart and subsequently, her hands in marriage. It is a timeless lesson which bachelors and anyone soliciting for the hand of a woman in love should adopt.

    The book reveals Obong Attah as a bold and courageous person who speaks his mind once he is convinced about the correctness of his facts and rightness of a cause.  He doesn’t hide his punches and his strident, bold and insistent advocacy for True federalism, derivation, resource control in the face of stiff opposition brings that into sharp relief.

    As a youth, he disagreed with his father and changed his Church denomination.  As a young student in Zaria, he fought for the rights of students even though he didn’t benefit from the reward of that fight and as the Governor of Akwa Ibom State, he fought for the payment of 13 % derivation funds to mineral bearing States in Nigeria without dichotomy. He fought for the abrogation of the onshore – offshore oil dichotomy. As a Professional Architect, he fought against the decision of the Management of the Nigerian Deposit Insurance Corporation, NDIC, to tamper with his architectural design of the headquarters complex of the Organization. He rather opted to lose his commission than compromise on the integrity of his own professional design.

    The work presents Obong Attah as an ethical purist, a lover of his chosen field and one who is very proud and passionate about the professional standards of his profession. Little wonder he returned to practice his profession after serving for two terms in office as the executive Governor of Akwa Ibom State.

    Another lesson from the profile is how Obong Attah leveraged on his network and friendship with President Ibrahim Babangida for the creation of Akwa Ibom State and the site of Uyo as the capital city of the state. Relationships matter even in times of critical and momentous decisions.

    Furthermore, the Book tells the story of Agriculture in Nigeria, the various plantations which his father,  as one of Nigeria’s pioneer experts in the field helped to nurture. Attah also took after his father as a big time farmer.  There’s a lesson in how Obong Attah’s personal investments in farming through his Alvita farms in Cross River State, long before he became a Governor, has evolved from the cultivation of pineapples, oil Palm, rubber, cassava and back to rubber plantations. The biography seems to promote the argument that Nigeria could do much better in agriculture.

    In addition, the publication has shed light on the famous incident in the 1950’s where the late Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe lost out from emerging as the first Premier of Western Region. As captured on pages 30 and 31 of the Book ‘Azikiwe, could have contested the election into the parliament from the East, if he had wanted. But the NCNC was so sure of winning the election in the East, it was decided that Zik , as he was fondly called should contest in the West and become the Premier of Western Region. According to the calculation, the NCNC would have controlled two out of three regions in Nigeria…the NCNC won by a wide majority in the East, but the election in the West failed to produce a clear winner between the three parties ; the Action Group, the NCNC and the Ibadan Peoples Party… Ibadan Peoples Party was led by Chief Adisa Akinloye, a scion of Ibadan ruling family…it was the coalition ; the Ibadan Peoples Party and the Action Group which gave Chief Obafemi Awolowo, the Premiership.The often – told lie that Azikiwe was robbed of the Premiership of Western Region, after winning the election as Premier, was a deliberate falsehood….The carpet crossing, meaning the NCNC parliamentarians declaring for the AG, came afterwards as some of them sought to be appointed Ministers.

    The Book disclosed that “Chief Adisa Akinloye, the man who altered the course of Western Regional political history… explained the entire episode in an interview he granted the Daily Times on Saturday, October 5, 1996 ! The full account is on page 31 of the Book.

    Obong Attah’s biography has also revealed that a Public officer can ”fight” the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, and claim victory if the public officer is spotless and on very solid ground. The appendixes on pages 351 – 363 of the account present documentary evidence of how Obong Attah fought the Federal Government and the EFCC in the Federal High Court, Abuja Judicial Division and prevailed. He won the case and the Federal Government had to apologize to him! That is a profound lesson in probity and accountability for political office holders because only one who has no skeletons in his cupboard would take on such a fight to clear his name and preserve his reputation.

    Attah’s biography shows his deep faith in God. The Attah family prayer which is the first item in the Book seems to guide the Statesman throughout his exciting and purposeful trajectory in life. The family prayer helped to mould him and serves as his compass in life. That prayer is forged into his psyche.

    Obong Victor Bassey Udo Adiaha Attah was born in Uyo, attended the Practicing School in Uyo in Akwa Ibom State. He proceeded to Calabar in the present Cross River State for his Secondary School education and then traveled up North to Zaria for training as an Architect. He honed his professional skills in the Americas and the United Kingdom before returning to set up his professional practice in Kaduna, once the political heartbeat of Northern Nigeria. He moved to Lagos from where he joined the political train which culminated in his election as the second Civilian Executive Governor of Akwa Ibom State in 1999.

    At the presentation of the Book in the NAF Conference Centre Kado, Attah who had served as Chairman of the Nigerian Governors Forum drew a large number of his former brother Governors, political and professional associates, former appointees, men and women of goodwill across the world to the event. A soundbite that will continue to resonate and remain as one of Attah’s enduring legacies was the testimony by the Chairman of the occasion, Dr Goodluck Jonathan, GCFR, former President of Nigeria who pointedly declared that the humongous billions which the State governments in the Niger Delta region and others are enjoying as derivation funds today is the outcome of Obong Attah’s bold fight for it’s implementation. The life history of Obong Attah is rich and a nice treasure to have in personal and public libraries. It is recommended for students of history, political science, public administration, politicians and the general public. Those who would like to model their lives after His Excellency, Obong Victor Attah should pick up the Book for inspiration. Published by Agbo Areo Publishers, Ibadan, the 437 pages Book is dedicated to the G – 34, led by the late former Vice President of Nigeria, Dr Alex Ekwueme, GCON; who risked their lives to confront the late General Sani Abacha.

    The well designed book has benefited from excellent editorial work.

    •Dr NANA, FNIPR who served as Attah’s Media Adviser is the Founder of Uyo Book Club

  • Attah, Onyeama lead dignitaries to commission  7-Aside Astro Turf in UI

    Attah, Onyeama lead dignitaries to commission  7-Aside Astro Turf in UI

    The University of Ibadan on Friday, November 21, celebrated a landmark as the Ex-University of Ibadan Footballers Association (EXUIFA), in partnership with Renaissance Africa Energy Company Limited JV, commissioned a multimillion-naira 7-Aside Astro turf beside the UI Stadium.

    The commissioning ceremony attracted prominent dignitaries, notably Engr. Anthony Attah, MD/CEO of Renaissance Africa, whose organisation funded and steered the project from conception to completion, as well as Dr. Allen Onyema, MD/CEO of AirPeace.

    Representing the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Ajayi lauded Renaissance Africa and EXUIFA for what he described as the “astonishing speed and quality” of the transformation, commending both bodies for delivering a world-class sporting facility that significantly raises the bar for UI’s athletics and community recreation.

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    In an address delivered through the General Secretary, Lawrence Osuagwu, EXUIFA President Edwin Evbie hailed the project as “a victory for mankind and the next generation,” stressing that the facility stands as a symbol of gratitude, unity and enduring hope for students, athletes, and the wider UI community.

    “This is more than a pitch,” Evbie noted. “It is a legacy that will nurture future champions and strengthen community bonds.”

    He also expressed profound appreciation to the Renaissance Africa JV and Engr. Attah for their vision and partnership.

    Evbie further recognised the critical role played by the EXUIFA Board of Trustees led by Mogaji (Prof.) Olusegun Adekunle, the Executive Committee, and the two dedicated project committees. Despite substantial technical challenges, their commitment ensured the project’s timely delivery. “This project shows that when alumni unite behind a mission, nothing is impossible,” he said.

    The newly completed spectator stand  was named as the Dr. Isiaka Abiodun Salami Stand, in  honouring UI’s longest-serving soccer coach and former Director of Sports. Overwhelmed with gratitude, Dr. Salami remarked that he felt “deeply honoured that such a historic project happened during my lifetime,” offering prayers for continued uplift and success for all EXUIFA members.

    Guests were also treated to a friendly match between EXUIFA and the sponsors’ team, offering a lively first feel of the high-performance turf. Speaking afterwards, Evbie remarked that the arena “is hope for the next global star who will rise from this ground.”

    With this milestone, EXUIFA has further solidified its standing as one of the University of Ibadan’s most impactful alumni bodies—demonstrating how passion, unity and clear vision can reshape the future of Nigeria’s premier university.

    Now in its 11th  year, the EX-UI Footballers Association will celebrate its 11th  World Annual Reunion on Saturday, December 20  in Ibadan, where members from across the globe are expected to reunite and commemorate their shared legacy.

  • Ex-governors’ forum greets Attah on birthday

    Ex-governors’ forum greets Attah on birthday

    The former Governors Forum has greeted former Akwa Ibom State Governor, Victor Attah on his 85th birthday.

    The ex -governors’ message was conveyed in a statement by the Chairman of the Forum and former Governor of Niger State, Babangida Aliyu and former Governor of Ogun State, Gbenga Daniel yesterday in Abuja.

    The statement reads: “Former Governors Forum warmly congratulate a consummate politician, an indefatigable and outstanding Nigerian, Obong Victor Attah on his 85th birthday.

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    “Born to the renowned Udo-Adiaha Attah family in Akwa Ibom, Obong Victor Attah diligently pursued his goals, becoming one of the most experienced and successful architects in Nigeria, with background experience spanning different continents of the world. A professional in politics, Obong Attah worked hard and meritoriously as the Governor of Akwa Ibom State 1999-2007. Imaginative and bold; his vision and tenacity in engineering and executing laudable programs has been a reference point for a generation of Akwa Ibom citizens. Not many Nigerian of his generation, has had visible and undeniable impact on their community like Obong Attah.

    “Avuncular and cerebral; at the same time humble in dispositions, his mentorship in political leadership, intellectual property and architecture covers a large number of Nigerians.

    “We join the good people of Akwa Ibom State and other Nigerians in wishing a worthy statesman and a nationalist a happy birthday.”

  • Appeal Court reaffirms LP’s Attah as duly elected Rep for Eti Osa constituency

    Appeal Court reaffirms LP’s Attah as duly elected Rep for Eti Osa constituency

    The Appeal Court, Lagos Division, has reaffirmed Thaddeus Attah of the Labour Party as the duly elected House of Representatives member representing Eti Osa Federal Constituency in Lagos State.

    The National Assembly Election Petitions Tribunal which sat at the Tafawa Balewa Square, Lagos, had earlier invalidated Atta’s victory.

    Attah had through his counsel Prof Mike Ozekhome, appealed the tribunal judgment.

    Delivering judgment in the matter on Thursday, the three-member panel of the Court of Appeal set aside the decision by the National Assembly Elections Petition Tribunal.

    The panel, in its unanimous decision, agreed with Prof Ozekhome and held that the lower tribunal erred when it relied on the evidence of witnesses who were not party agents where elections were held or where elections were cancelled, but who only came to tender Form EC 8 which they did not author before the court.

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    The appellate court further held that for the tribunal to conclude that the margin of votes where elections were not held or were cancelled can sway the votes cast, the list of registered voters must be presented before it. This was not done.

    In addition, the court held that the “Voters’ register was never placed before the lower tribunal”, adding that the tribunal merely relied on Form EC 8 brought by witnesses who were not even the makers.

    The court also held that the elections were conclusive and faulted the tribunal’s directive to the Independent National Electoral Commission to conduct a supplementary election within 90 days in specific polling units.

    On the whole, the Appeal Court wholly set aside the judgment of the lower tribunal.

    The National Assembly Election Petitions Tribunal sitting in Tafawa Balewa Square, Lagos, had, in a unanimous judgment, declared the elections inconclusive and ordered INEC to conduct a supplementary election within 90 days in 33 polling units where elections did not hold.

    The Peoples Democratic Party candidate Bankole Wellington (Banky W), who was declared second in the polls, and the All Progressives Congress’s Ibrahim Obanikoro, had both filed petitions to challenge the elections of February 25, 2023.

    INEC had declared Attah winner of the February 25 election, having scored 24,075 votes, while Banky W who was represented at the Court of Appeal by Chief Kemi Pinheiro, SAN, scored 18,668; Obanikoro represented by Chief Abiodun Owoniko, SAN, scored 16,901 votes, respectively.

    In his petition, Banky W had argued that the respondent was, at the time of the election, not qualified to contest the election and that the election was invalid because of corrupt practices and non-compliance with the provisions of the Electoral Act 2022.

    The popular music artist and actor had also contended that the Labour Party candidate was not duly elected by a majority of the lawful votes cast at the election.

    Reacting to the judgment, Ibrahim Obanikoro in his X handle formerly Twitter, said, “I would like to congratulate Representative Jude Thaddeus Attah on his victory at the appeal court today.

    “Let’s throw our support for him so that he will give us a good representation for the next four years in Eti-Osa.”

  • Attah: Import of Buhari’s victory for Nigeria

    FORMER Governor Victor Attah of Akwa Ibom State has described the 2019 general elections and the victory of President Muhammadu Buhari as the triumph of the will of the common man and a death knell for the three power blocs that have constantly exerted their manipulative influence on the country.

    This, he added, would provide the opportunity for the President to set the stage for the much-talked about restructuring.

    Obong Attah, who spoke at a press conference in Lagos yesterday, said Buhari’s second term would bring to an end the influence of the two major parties, the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), as well as that of retired military officers that have been directing the political game from behind the scene.

    The former governor said Nigerians would not have been able to withstand the arrogance and the orgy of excesses that the PDP would unleash on the country, if its presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, had won the election. He said it took Atiku’s candidature in 2019 to galvanise the party to give Buhari a run for his money and that with the former vice president not likely to run in 2023, the party’s fortune is going to change for the worse.

    For the APC, Attah said it is President Buhari that has been holding the party together and that in the no distant future Nigerians are going to be singing its dirge. He said in the last four years nobody can say that the President was a truly party man in the conventional sense and that in his second term “it is my conviction that he is going to pay even less attention to the party”.

    He added: “There was yet a third group – the military block. They did not hide their support for Atiku and the PDP. They openly showed their hand and have been spanked. Their influence therefore is bound to wane. It is my prediction that from now on we are going to witness less and less of those pilgrimages to Abeokuta and Minna.  With this loss of influence, it is also safe to say that the military oligarchy is dead.

    “These were the three power blocks that constantly exerted their manipulative wiles on the country. If they did not approve of you, be as wise as Solomon, as brave as David, as strong as Sampson, you will not get anywhere and that is what has kept Nigeria down. The system has never allowed us to put forward our most capable.

    “Buhari’s victory is the death knell to these power blocks. It has started the process of dismembering these menacing Behemoths, pulling out their fangs, blunting the ir claws and neutralising their sting. Buhari’s victory has returned power to the common man. Positions negotiated in Abuja and Lagos over the heads of the people can no longer be guaranteed. His victory has therefore given Nigeria a long- delayed but much needed opportunity for a new life; an opportunity to chart a new course. That is why for me his victory represents not only the triumph of the common man, but indeed also a great blessing for Nigeria.”

    With this state of affairs, Attah said an opportunity has now been created for fresh hands to take over the leadership of the country. He said: “Nigeria can now look forward to a new birth. The phoenix can now rise out of the ashes and attain its destined glory.

    “If Atiku had won, it is possible that he would have atikulated this country to the next level – to borrow from the slogan of both parties. But I also had the fear that if Atiku wins and the PDP gets back in the saddle, this country would be plunged into an orgy of intolerable excesses.”

    The elder statesman said now that Buhari has won, he must take steps to put a stop to all agitations to split up the country, by restructuring the polity. He said: “He must see to it that we re-enact and reinstate the terms and conditions of the agreement that caused all the various peoples of this country, at independence, to agree to come together and form one country – federalism. Anything short of this is to court a disaster of unimaginable magnitude. The popular word today that describes this is restructuring. My prediction is that unless this is done, by the end of his tenure in the next four years, there may not be a country called Nigeria as we know it today.”

    Attah was categorical that there would be no Nigeria without restructuring. He added: “What is going to happen is that agitation for break up is going to get more violent, more virulent and the country will scatter. Certainly, Buhari would not allow that to happen.”

    The former governor said the entire process of restructuring may not happen within the next four years, because it would a lot of negotiation to arrive at an agreement. He added: “It would be like the quest for independence, some said we were ready, while others insisted we were not ready. But we must agree that restructuring is something we can do, so that there will be a Nigeria.”

    Attah said an effort was made before the general elections to convince President Buhari that it had become absolutely necessary to restructure the country. He said as interim chairman of the Pan-Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF), he led a delegation that presented a 16-point agenda to the President, which centred on the Niger Delta and restructuring at the national level.

    Nevertheless, he admitted that the group committed a blunder by identifying itself with a candidate. He said: “We made the same mistake that the military bloc made; we identified ourselves with a candidate. So, we were seen as a party, even though we are not a political party. We would have been in a better position if we had asked each of the candidates to restructure after they win the election.”

    Secondly, former Governor Attah said the Buhari-led administration must work relentlessly to see that in the shortest possible time every hamlet, every corner of the country enjoys 24 hours constant supply of electric power. He added: “In today’s world, it is not a luxury but an absolute necessity.”

    He also urged the President to forge ahead with his fight against corruption. His words: “The fact still remains that if we do not kill corruption, corruption will kill us. This time the fight must be total and unsparing.”

    The elder statesman urged President Buhari to put a stop to all the killings, “whether by herdsmen, Libyan mercenaries, marauders, cattle rustlers or whoever”. Attah also wants Buhari to facilitate the release of the abducted Dapchi school girl, Leah Sharibu, and totally annihilate Boko Haram.

     

  • Buhari greets Jonathan, Attah, Ezeife on birthdays

    PRESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari has joined Nigerians in sending warm greetings to former President Goodluck Jonathan as he turns 61 today.

    He also felicitated with former Akwa Ibom State Governor Obong Victor Attah as well as former Anambra State Governor Dr. Chukwuemeka Ezeife. They turn 80 today.

    The President believed the life journey of the former president remains an inspiration to every young Nigerian of the possibilities that await anyone willing to learn, work hard and participate in making the country great.

    The President, in a statement by the Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, also congratulated Jonathan on the publishing of his memoir, My Transition Hours, which will be launched as part of ceremonies marking his birthday.

    He encouraged Nigerians to follow same example of sharing their experiences in writing.

    The President prayed that the almighty God will strengthen Jonathan, grant him longer life and bless his family.

    He also joined family members, friends, professional colleagues and political associates of Obong Attah in celebrating the many years of service to God and humanity, and obvious impact of his leadership style.

    As an architect with versatile and global working experience, the President, in a statement by Adesina, hailed the strategic thinking and planning of Obong Attah and his cabinet in shaping the infrastructural development of Akwa Ibom, which he said still remained one of the most hospitable and attractive states for tourists in the country.

    Buhari affirmed that Obong Attah’s contribution to architectural growth has been most remarkable, and historical, especially when he served as President of the Nigerian Institute of Architects.

    He prayed to the almighty God for longer life, good health and more wisdom for the former governor to continue serving the country and humanity.

    Buhari, in another statement by Adesina, joined family, friends and political associates of Ezeife in celebrating the milestone, which has been lined with many notable achievements, both at state and national levels.

    As the for governor turned 80, the President believed Ezeife’s investments in human capital and laying of a foundation for a vibrant economy in Anambra State would be remembered and cherished by posterity.

    He prayed for longer life, good health and strength for Ezeife.

  • Akpabio can’t win Akwa Ibom for APC, says Attah

    At 80, elder statesman Obong Victor Attah is in a sober reflection. Eleven years ago, he vacated office as governor of oil-rich Akwa Ibom State. Since then, he has observed that the country has degenerated. His worries: gladiators are defecting in their gross immorality and the National Assembly appears to be holding the country hostage.

    “Nigeria is in a serious distress. We need divine intervention. The distress is caused by politicians who have lost morality, integrity and honour,” he lamented.

    Attah’s grouse is that political parties lack ideology and philosophy. He attributed the gale of defections to these gaps, stressing that a country without a sense of direction may not make progress.

    Chiding the defectors for jumping ship for selfish interests, he said: “Defection is not in defense of democracy. The Senate President, Senator Bukola Saraki, said he defected because out of over 200 juicy appointments, none was given to his camp. Some of the defectors will face a black cold winter.”

    The former governor faulted the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for making his successor, Senator Godswill Akpabio, its Senate Leader. He also said the reactions of the PDP and the All Progressives Congress (APC) to his defection were not impressive.

    Attah said: “They took a first term senator, a non-ranking senator, and made him the PDP Senate Leader. Today, he leaves your party and you call him a criminal. Why were you celebrating him before? If Akpabio has been charged to court and he was in the PDP, PDP would have shouted. Why accusing Buhari of selective prosecution? It is not right. But, the APC is also celebrating him.”

    To the elder statesman, Akpabio’s defection may reduce the chance of the APC in next year’s polls in Akwa Ibom. He noted that the state was the stronghold of the PDP before. But, when Akpabio became governor, all the leading lights moved to the APC. APC had 80 per cent chance of winning the governorship election before. But, today, people are going to the PDP because Akpabio has defected to the APC.

    The elder statesman said his predecessor brought uncommon poverty and destruction to the state.

    He added: “If APC manages to win Akwa Ibom, it will be in spite of, and not because of Akpabio”

    The Ibibio leader said the National Assembly is not insulated from the loss of a sense of morality and integrity. He warned that the Eighth National Assembly may be the worst in the history of Nigeria.

    He beamed the searchlight on the parliamentary/executive imbroglio, saying that both organs have been working at cross purpose. He attributed the rift to the outcome of the National Assembly leadership election. Attah recalled that while the APC leaders later embraced House of Representatives Speaker Yakubu Dogara, Saraki’s emergence as Senate President generated controversy.

    He said many crises have engulfed the Senate, including the seizure of the mace, the rejection of Ibrahim Magu’s nomination as the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the rejection of the Bill on Special Courts to try corrupt cases, controversy over the order of elections, and budget delays. “Magu was rejected, not because he is not suitable. They want an EFCC that will not go after some cases,” he lamented.

    However, Attah noted that the Chief Justice of the Federation has now used his administrative discretion by setting up the special courts.

    Chiding legislators for budget delays, the former governor said budget padding was also wrong. “If the Federal Government had listened to us on restructuring, the Federal Government will not need to be digging boreholes in the villages.”

    On the controversy over the order of elections, Attah said: “In a true federal arrangement, the Federal Government has no business in conducting state elections. Now, they want to cripple INEC so that it will not conduct election. There is a more disruptive cabal in the National Assembly than in the presidency.”

    To the Ibibio leader, the mushrooming of political parties is counter-productive. He advised the parties to come together, saying that the country does not need more than two or three parties.

    Attah, who renewed his agitation for restructuring, complained that the National Assembly has been aloof. “It is the fault of the National Assembly. We suggested state police and resource control. They dismissed it,” he fumed.

    In his view, piecemeal constitutional amendment is not the answer to the resolution of the national question.

    He added: “The National Assembly should call on the president to call an assembly to write a new constitution. If we don’t restructure, this country will die. If we don’t restructure, this country will be doomed.”

  • Gas preferred in global market forecast, says Attah

    Gas preferred in global market forecast, says Attah

    •NLNG may invest $10b in Train 7 gas supply, infrastructure 

    Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas Limited (NLNG) Managing Director/CEO Tony Attah has said projections put gas in the top quartile of the most competitive and strategic investments in the global energy market.

    Attah, who spoke at an executive roundtable discussion titled: “Growth Outlook and Strategies for Staying Competitive after a Global Downturn”, at the first Nigeria International Petroleum Summit (NIPS), in Abuja, said a combination of factors would give gas an edge as the energy of the future. He added that the global LNG trade was projected to nearly triple from about 12 trillion cubic feet (Tcf) in 2015 to around 31 Tcf in 2040.

    “Electric power sector carbon emissions are projected to be flat through 2050 as a result of favourable market conditions for natural gas and supportive policies for renewables, compared with coal”  he said, pointing out that the projections are underpinned by the prospect of the global economy growing at an average rate of 3.4 per cent per year, a population that expands from 7.4 billion today to more than 9 billion in 2040, and a process of urbanisation that adds a city the size of Shanghai to the world’s urban population every four months.

    Attah said global energy consumption would increase in the future, but on the other side of the fence, we also see the clamour for cleaner energy rising, and that is where gas comes in. Coal would be totally displaced as a source of energy followed by crude oil.

    “Oil will still be in demand, but (particularly as a source of power), will go down by about 50 per cent. Countries like the United Kingdom, Sweden, Norway and many other countries are making moves to significantly reduce their carbon footprint. Norway aims for all new passenger cars and vans sold in 2025 to be zero-emission vehicles, while Sweden has committed to 100 per cent renewable energy by 2040.”

    He warned that Nigeria was losing the competitive space in the LNG industry. “Nigeria started 24 months after Qatar. Qatar now produces 77 million tonnes per annum (MTPA) and is the number one LNG supplier in the world, while Nigeria is still on 22 MTPA. Australia is already flooding the market and will knock down Qatar to the third, or fourth place. In Africa, significant gas finds in excess of 127 Tcf in Mozambique have created the potential for another African super player. Mozambique is expected to become the second-largest exporter of Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) by 2025, as the country steps up production from 10 million tonnes per annum (Mtpa) in 2017 to an envisaged 50 Mtpa.”

    Attah said the real investment opportunity was last year, when prices were low; but he, however, assured that it was not too late. He stated “that is why “we need to take the decision on Train 7 now so we can stay within the Top 5 space. The future is gas and NLNG is ready to play.”

    He said for Nigeria to remain competitive in the oil and gas industry, upstream investment needed to be increased. “It’s time to prepare for the likely demand outlook that’s positive and has out-performed projections in the last three years,“he said, adding, “let’s get back to exploration and production (E&P) activities.”

    Attah listed other strategies to include stable regulatory framework, ease of doing business, as well as strategic implementation of cost management by developing projects that are competitive under current pricing. In addition, he said implementing structural cost-saving measures, such as standardised, modular approaches to plant construction and embarking on new E&P projects that have shorter payback periods, are recommended. He said  Train 7 project by NLNG will increase its production capacity from the current 22 MTPA to 30 MTPA of LNG.

    Also, NLNG Deputy Managing Director,  Sadeeq Mai-Bornu, said the NLNG business model needs to be replicated so as to generate opportunities for the power and gas sectors in the country.

    He spoke at an executive roundtable discussion titled: “Africa as an Emerging Gas Producer: Prospects and Opportunities” also at the first Nigeria International Petroleum Summit (NIPS) in Abuja.

    Other participants at the discussion included Shell Nigeria Exploration and Production Company Limited (SNEPCO) Managing Director, Bayo Ojulari; President, Nigeria Gas Association and Managing Director of Frontier Oil Limited, Dada Thomas; Group Executive Director and Chief Operating Officer (COO), Power and Gas at Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), as well as other executives in the industry.

    Mai-Bornu said:  “Nigeria is a gas country with some oil. NLNG is a success story partly because we are in the mid-stream and most of the risks have been taken by the upstream companies. But the thing is that there is a market out there. We sign a 20-year contract for the supply of molecules and we can actually go to the bank and get the funding we need.  When NLNG was set up, it had guarantees and incentives that safeguarded investments and returns. There was also the sanctity of contracts. That is what has helped NLNG. This model needs to be developed in the upstream and downstream.

     

  • Ex-presidential spokesman Attah for interment today

    Ex-presidential spokesman Attah for interment today

    The remains of a  former Chief Press Secretary to a military Head of State, Chief David Attah, will be interred today in Igumale, Ado Local Government Area of Benue State.

    Attah had served as the presidential spokesman during the tenure of the late Head of State, Gen. Sani Abacha.

    A statement by the spokesman of the family, Attah Emmanuel Attah, said the deceased will be buried by 1pm.

    The statement said: “Today we his family mourn him. He will be greatly missed. The interment of Chief Attah will hold at 1pm after an Open air church service at 10am.

    “The family of Chief David Attah and the community of Igumale in Ado Local government of Benue State is saddened by the death of a distinguished writer, journalist, politician and a philanthropist.

    “ His career as a journalist started in Daily Times in 1970 after he graduated from the university.

    At the Daily Times, he was originally engaged as a Chief Correspondent for Northern Nigeria and this set the motion for a rewarding and adventurous career in journalism.

    “He was a product of -Alhaji Babatunde Jose, a man regarded as the father of journalism in Nigeria.

    “He eventually became the Group Personnel Manager of the Daily Times Group and was subsequently seconded to the Plateau Publishing Corporation the publishers of the Nigerian Standard Newspaper as General Manager in 1976.

    “During his tenure he was able to leave his mark by erecting the tallest building in Jos today, at the age of 30. He also produced the first Sunday newspaper in Northern Nigeria-the Sunday Standard and the first comical newspaper in the country known as Pappy Joe, where various aspect of national life was satirized in the cartoon series.

    “Later, he was able to replicate great achievements as the General Manager of the Benue Printing and Publishing Corporation the publishers of the Nigerian Voice and the Sunday Voice. He introduced the Sunday Voice which was the second Sunday newspaper in Northern Nigeria.”

    “Still, he felt the pen was mightier than the sword and politics was the best medium to liberate his people. His love to liberate his people informed his decision to resign his position as General Manager of the Nigerian Standard Newspaper and joined Azikiwe’s party- the Nigerian Peoples Party (NPP). His desire to serve made him go into politics 1979 where he contested and won his election to the House of Representative, representing the Okpokwu East Federal Constituency despite overwhelming opposition from the National Party of Nigeria (NPN).”

  • Akpabio’s tenure as governor monumental waste –Attah

    Akpabio’s tenure as governor monumental waste –Attah

    Former Akwa Ibom State governor, Obong Victor Attah has been unsparing in his criticisms of his successor, Senator Godswill Akpabio over his stewardship. He spoke more on this and other issues in this interview with Remi Adelowo

    What is your take on the judgment of the Akwa Ibom Governorship Election Petition Tribunal, which many political commentators have described as ambiguous?

    I’m not a lawyer but from my personal point of view, Nigerians constitution says for anyone to be declared the governor, he or she must not only score the highest number of votes, he must also secure 25 percent of two thirds of the local government areas in the state, which in the case of Akwa Ibom State translates to 21. What the sitting governor secured is just 25 percent of the votes in 13 local governments, which means going by the constitution, he is not a governor. It is as plain and simple as that. If you read the judgment, the Tribunal said this can be corrected by the Appeal Court and I want to believe that the Appellate Court would declare that there is no governor in Akwa Ibom State and a new election must be conducted rather than a partial election. This is not just my take on the matter; I believe it’s a common sense position and what the constitution of Nigeria says.

    A few months ago, the Department of State Services (DSS) raided the Presidential Wing inside the Government House in Uyo, a place you once occupied. What is your reaction to this?

    Are you asking about the legitimacy of the raid or the findings of the raid?

    There are those who say the raid is constitutional while others think otherwise. Which of these do you align with?

    I have read the constitution of Nigeria and I have administered it and there is nowhere in the document that says if a particular location is being used to commit a crime, security agencies cannot go to the place to find out what was going on simply because perhaps the person illegally occupying the place has a personal immunity. Though I am not a lawyer, but I believe strongly that the DSS has the powers to raid any place or location believed is being used to cause security breaches.

    Eight years after you left office, some of the projects such as the Ibom Science Park are yet to be completed. You also mentioned earlier that you wrote a letter to the immediate past governor, Senator Godswill Akpabio to advise him on the economic waste of building the Tropicana Entertainment which has also remained moribund. But generally, what is your assessment of the eight-year tenure of your successor?

    Well, I am against the Tropicana project for a number of reasons. Not only is the project an economic waste with no tangible benefit for the people of Akwa Ibom State, it is also blocking the drainage that should have helped in de-flooding Uyo. There is also the issue of refusal to conduct an Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) on the project. Again, I am really very disappointed about how the airport project has been done. When my administration started the project…we have seen several other airports come up in states like Delta, Jigawa and a few other states. They are not anything compared to what we did. What we did is a runway of 3.6 kilometres long and 60 metres wide and there is a reason for that. And the second runway was to be 4.2 kilometres long and also 60 metres wide because a disabled aircraft cannot come to land and you turn it away. And those two runways were to be separated by 1.5 kilometres. That is why the Okobo people are yet to forgive me, because I took so much of their farmland. We needed to have the two runways separated by 1.5 kilometres, because that is the estimated accident distance of an aircraft. What that means is that if there is an accident on one runway, the other must remain open. But sadly, we have not been able to achieve that. On the issue of the Science Park, we sent 72 young men and women to Canada on IT training in order to make the place the reference point of ICT in addition to having an incubation center along with it. And by the time they were ready to come back, the Park had been abandoned. So now, these first class brains have been employed by international organisations all over the world. Worse than that, when the Ministry of Science and Technology started to build incubation centers, none came to Akwa Ibom State. Now let me talk about the Sea Port, which my administration also initiated and have begun work on it. We had acquired the land for the project and my finance person, who interestingly is now the APC governorship candidate had paid as much as $5million to the firm that designed the project. The original fee was $10million, but we could only afford $5million as at the time I left office. I had expected that if the remaining sum had been paid, by now we would have had a sea port that would be fully functional. What I was made to understand is that the C of O of the project was handed over to the Ports Authority and nothing more has happened. So, that is the sad story about that project, which contrary to stories being bandied, was not conceived by the government of Godswill Akpabio. My administration conceived that project, designed it and we were ready to take off before we left office. Let me talk about the University of Science and Technology, because that was a great innovation in Nigeria. Two years after we were issued license for the university, the National Universities Commission (NUC) asked us why we have not started. We responded that we have started but not by their conventional method. And what we did was to acknowledge the fact that a University of Technology often suffers from lack of capable manpower, including teaching staff. So, what we did was to advertise and accepted every Akwa Ibom person in the relevant faculty that has a First Class or Second Class (Upper), as Post Graduate students of the university and send them abroad to get their PhDs or Masters degrees in their various fields and they would come back as Research Fellows and teaching staff of the university. Our plan was that within the two years that they would be away, we would have built all the infrastructures needed in the university. But sadly again, that plan was destroyed, because somebody wanted the university in his backyard and changed it to a conventional university with multi-campus structures, which was not the concept we had in mind. I feel so sad that the money the state made in the last eight years, which could have been used to execute life changing projects were frittered away. I have said this before and I would say it again. The total amount of money we got in my entire eight years in office was N542 billion and yet, I did not leave any debt by the time I left office.  I once drew the attention of Akwa Ibom people that in one particular year, the State House of Assembly had passed a budget of over N520 billion, which was almost what I got for a whole eight years. The immediate past government received well over three trillion naira and yet left a debt of over N500 billion. Do you now blame me for calling those years the locust years?

    Beyond the personal letter you wrote to your successor, are there other personal interventions you made to make him realise the implications of some of his actions and policies? Secondly, I want you to put it on record which candidate you are supporting for the governorship now that there is going to be a re-run election?

    On the issue of the interventions, the answer is yes. As a matter of fact, you just don’t start by publishing a letter that you write to a governor. It was when I could not get any kind of reaction that I decided to publish the letter to let people see the efforts I have made to get certain things corrected. I also remember once telling him (Akpabio) that the way we rever the position of a governor, when he speaks, it’s almost taken as an article of faith. I advised him to be careful in making public pronouncements, because people will believe everything hook, line and sinker. Of course there were a number of other interventions, which he refused to heed or acknowledge. Talking about the candidate I am supporting, the question is what do I want? And what I simply want is freedom of choice and, if hopefully, by Appeal Court ruling I achieve that, I would have been satisfied. I’ve also told the people of Akwa Ibom State that their voter card is a fearsome weapon and they must use it well to liberate themselves. I don’t have to name any particular candidate I am supporting.