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Tag: Mallam Nasir el-Rufai

Calls for public scrutiny of NASS budget justified, says Shehu Sani

The Chairman of Senate Committee on Local and Foreign debts and Senator representing Kaduna Central, Senator Shehu Sani has said that call by Kaduna state governor, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai for the National Assembly to open their books for public scrutiny was legitimate and morally right.

The human right crusader however asked the Kaduna state governor to tell Nigerians where he got the money he allegedly used to pay Fulani herdsmen to stop the carnage in Southern Kaduna.

In a statement made available to The Nation in Abuja, Senator Sani said it was however unfortunate that apart from President Muhammadu Buhari and Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, none of the Change ambassadors was ready to publicly declare their assets.

He said Nigerians are living in a period he described as “Felanistic times” where people blame each other for the wrongs of the society, adding that the leadership of the National Assembly was listening to the clamour, believing that the disclosure by Speaker Dogara was timely.

The statement reads: “The call for National Assembly to open its book is legitimate and morally right. I believe the leadership of the Assembly is listening and the disclosure by speaker Dogara is timely.

“The general public should not be deceived by Kaduna Governor Stunts and public presentation of his work of fiction he calls security vote. Whoever can believe that a state Governor lives on less than half a million monthly is either hypnotised, dazzed or high on an inebriant.

“If you are convinced that Kaduna Governor transparently spent his security votes on CCTV camera, visit Kaduna if you will ever see one security camera. If you are convinced that the Kaduna Governor transparently spent his security votes on the police, please ask him from which of the votes does he pay the Herdsmen?

“We live in a “FELAnistic” times where the Political elites are engaged “you be thief, I no be thief, you be robber, I no be robber, you be armed robber, I no be armed robber situation.”

“The Nigerian public cannot know who is a saint or a sinner in power. It always has to take men out of power for the public to know what exist beneath the throne.

“Nigeria’s lost wealth is not just in Swiss banks and dubai real estate; it’s not just hidden in cesspit holes and in dusty ceilings; it’s in the files of conduct bureau well protected by the law of secrecy.

“Apart from PMB and VP Osinbajo, no other vendor of change is willing to publicly declare his assets. Everyman on the throne of power stands in the dock of history and posterity. If we don’t learn from the travails of men out of power, we will queue behind them in fate.”

April 14, 2017
Reps to El Rufai: Face your state’s security problems

The House of Representatives Tuesday flayed the Kaduna State Governor, Mallam Nasir El Rufai to face the problem in his state and stop attacking the National Assembly.

Reading from a prepared speech titled: “Mallam Nasir El-Rufai should concentrate on Kaduna State and stop undermining the National Assembly,” to reportersTuesday, Chairman House Committee on Media and Publicity Affairs, Abdulrasak Namdas said El Rufai is ignorant of the financial happenings in the National Assembly and that “We decided to respond only to correct some factual inaccuracies and set the records straight.”

The statement reads as follows: “Nigerians may recall that the Rt. Hon. Speaker on Friday April 7, 2017 in response to calls by Kaduna State Governor Mallam Nasir El-Rufai disclosed that the leadership of the National Assembly had directed the bureaucracy and all other agencies under the National Assembly to make available details of their annual budgets beginning from 2017 budget which is still under consideration in the parliament.

“Nigerians may further recall that the Rt. Hon. Speaker requested Kaduna State Governor, El-Rufai who is known for his consistent advocacy for openness in the budget of the National Assembly, to, in the spirit of good governance, transparency and accountability extend his campaign to other arms and tiers of government beginning from the Judiciary, to State Governments and Local Governments. The Speaker specifically urged Malam El-Rufai who has been championing this cause to impress on his colleagues (Governors) to disclose their Security votes and also publish what they do with local government funds under their jurisdictions.

“Thus, the call by the Speaker was for Malam El-rufai to extend his advocacy on transparency and accountability to other arms and tiers of government in order to remove the lid of secrecy that has beclouded expenditures at the state level led by his colleagues especially on their security votes and not the states’ security budget. We note that what Malam El-rufai published was the security budget of Kaduna state and not his security vote expenditure as such.

“We wish to advise the Kaduna State Governor, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai to concentrate his efforts in Governing Kaduna State and stop undermining and distracting the National Assembly in playing its constitutionally assigned role in nation building. He launched an attack on the National Assembly on Friday, 7th April, 2017 and continued on Monday 10th April 2017.

“We are aware that there are serious security issues he should be grappling with in Southern Kaduna and other governmental issues facing him. He should not give the impression that he has no challenging work to do in Kaduna State. These attacks are coming on the heels of his now famous letter to Mr. President, Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR, where he made strenuous effort to undermine his government, by openly lampooning him when he has unhindered access to His Excellency, Mr. President. As a senior citizen, he has a responsibility not to unnecessarily overheat the polity with tendentious and unfounded outbursts.

“The National Assembly Budget is not opaque. Since 2010 when the Constitution was amended and National Assembly was placed on the first line charge, its budget became part of Statutory Transfers, together with the Judiciary, INEC and others. You cannot find details of the Budget of the Judiciary and INEC in the National Budget. It exists elsewhere. Of course from 1999 to 2010, the details of the National Assembly Budget was contained in the National Budget.

“The leadership of the National Assembly has already directed the Clerk to the National Assembly to publish details of the National Assembly Budget from 2017 and so to continue to repeat the same call made 3days earlier smacks of propaganda and cheap blackmail.

“The Kaduna State Governor chose to give headings of its budget on security related matters. Maybe he will give further details of actual security expenditures at the appropriate time. He claimed that the State’s accounts have been audited. No grounds have been broken here. The response by the Kaduna State Governor completely missed the point. Mr. Speaker’s call was for El-Rufai to extend the campaign for openness and transparency to other arms of government, including the Governors’ expenditures on security votes and Local Government funds. He merely doubled down on his campaign on National Assembly Budget leaving out the other aspects of Mr. Speaker’s request.

“The Kaduna State Governor claimed that “in 2016, the National Assembly budget for its 469 members was larger than the entire budget of several Nigerian States”.

“This statement is patently misleading and a terrible display of ignorance and falsehood or a deliberate attempt to blackmail the parliament. For the avoidance of doubt, the National Assembly budget includes the salaries, allowances, expenditure and running cost of 469 members. It includes the salaries, allowances of about 3,000 Legislative Aides; it includes the salaries, allowances, equipment and maintenance of about 5000 staff in the Bureaucracy of the National Assembly.

“The National Assembly has agencies too. The National Assembly Service Commission has a staff strength of about 500. The National Institute for Legislative Studies is also a parastatal of the National Assembly that serves as a legislative think-tank and a highly rated academic institution, which serves not only the National Assembly but also State Houses of Assembly and the international community. It is currently building its headquarters which is world class. It has to be funded. El-Rufai’s mischievous publication carefully ignores the fact that the Bureaucracy of National Assembly and its agencies and 469 members need travel and transport support. They require medical attention, offices, equipment and all the support available to others in the public service.

“El-Rufai conveniently forgot that the National Assembly has buildings to build and maintain. He discountenanced the need for training and re-training of staff and even capacity building for members. The narrative is such that he excludes the need for National Assembly members and bureaucracy to attend conferences both local and foreign. Some of the most critical work the National Assembly does is Oversight. It costs a lot of money to conduct proper oversight of executive agencies to save money and ensure governmental efficiency for the Nigerian people. Public Hearings by the National Assembly and its Committees have become a regular feature of our democracy, because citizen engagement and consultation is cardinal for running a democratic government. It costs a lot of money.

“It is most uncharitable to ignore the fact that the National Assembly is an arm of government, not a department in the Executive branch. The Budget of so many agencies in the Executive is higher than that of National Assembly, an arm of government. Such agencies as NCC – N102billion, CBN – N421billion, NPA – N250billion, NIMASA – N100billion, FIRS – N146billion, Customs – N81billion and NNPC whose budget runs into trillions are some examples. Indeed, the National Assembly Budget is about 2% of the National Budget.

“Yes, the National Assembly has voluntarily agreed to publish its Budget from 2017, as a responsible and accountable democratic institution. What happens to 98% of the National Budget should engage our attention too. We are sure that if 10% of the public scrutiny National Assembly receives is also devoted to those spending the other 98%, Nigeria would be better for it.

“I am directed by the Hon. Speaker, Rt. Hon. Yakubu Dogara, to also in the spirit of transparency release his pay slip for the past 6 months from October 2016 to March 2017, for your information.”

April 11, 2017
El-Rufai is after my life – Apostle Suleiman
- ‘Gov training militia’
Omega Fire Ministries (OFM) on Tuesday accused Kaduna State Governor, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai of masterminding the recent series of spurious allegations of infidelity against its General Overseer, Apostle Johnson Suleman.

The spokesman of OFM and Suleman’s Communications Manager, Phrank Shaibu, in a statement yesterday in Abuja, said that facts and available intelligence incontrovertibly point to the Kaduna Governor as the mastermind of the allegations.

According to him, El-Rufai decided to sponsor the allegations as a strategy to silence Apostle Suleiman and to take revenge for the latter’s famed audacity of standing against the persecution and killing of Christians in Southern Kaduna.

“It is clear that Mallam Nasir El-Rufai is the mastermind of these allegations. The masquerade has been unveiled and is now dancing naked in the market Square. We don’t need to look any further for the source of the smoke,” he stated.

•Governor El-Rufai

Shaibu contended that apart from the initial suspicion by the church that the Kaduna Governor may be behind the evil plot, the latest so-called revelation by one Queen Esther, a supposed usher of the Omega Fire Ministries finally uncovered the lid as to who was sponsoring the myriad of allegations against the General Overseer.

“When Festus Keyamo in his first letter to our pastor made allusion to Fulani herdsmen, we dismissed it as a coincidence. Then intelligence revealed that some persons are lodged in a hotel being trained on how to clone Apostle’s voice and crop videos.

“The first question that crossed our mind was who was paying the bills, especially the huge media blitz that has trailed the spurious allegations. We did not have to wait for long before El-Rufai exposed himself. Indeed, he could not wait for long before coming out of the closet,” he revealed.

The spokesman wondered why the said Queen Esther, who allegedly pleaded for the media not to reveal her real identity should give as a condition that the Kaduna State Government must guarantee her safety if the governor had no hand in the plot.

“Why is the said Queen Esther asking for protection from the Kaduna State government. Is the government now the police or the Department of State Services (DSS)? Why did she not mention any other state? Is it not obvious that she is telling us what her sponsors are willing for Nigerians to know?” he asked.

Shaibu argued that it was more than a coincidence that these allegations are coming up no soon after the Senior Pastor had an altercation with the same Kaduna State Government over the persecution and killing of Christians in Southern Kaduna.

He, therefore, urged the security agencies, particularly the DSS to investigate El-Rufai’s involvement in the unfolding saga, particularly the possibility that he may be harbouring a private militia.
March 14, 2017
Bloody Christmas: 10 killed in fresh attack in Kaduna

IN spite of 24 hours curfew imposed on three Kaduna State Local Government Areas of Jema’a, Kaura and Zango Kataf for security reasons, it was a bloody Christmas eve as Goska village in Kaninkon Chiefdom of Jema’a in Kaduna State was attacked on Saturday night , leaving 10 persons dead and several houses razed.
Police Public Relations Officer, Kaduna Police Command, ASP Aliyu Usman confirmed the attack, but said there was no casualty. He described it as ”attempted attack” on the community.
Governor Nasir Ahmad El-Rufai has however condemned the attack, describing it as inhumane and handiwork of forces of darkness.
El-Rufai in a strong-worded statement empathised with the families that lost their loved ones and charged security agencies to redouble their efforts.
He said the attackers will not know peace as they will be chased to their hideouts and brought to justice.
A local in Goska Bulus James told The Nation that, “the Fulani herdsmen had earlier informed the community that they will launch an attack on it. We didn’t take it seriously until when they came at about 5pm on Saturday. They encircled the village and started shooting anybody at sight.
According to him, “that shooting continued through the night. They killed one of the daughters of two term member of Kaduna State House of Assembly and a one time Chairman of Jema’a local government, Gideon Yakubu Morik and burnt his house and several other houses. Only a very few houses are left. As I speak with you, we can still hear the gunshot.
“It was very pathetic. It was a serious attack. While that was ongoing, they released their cattle to feed on beans yet to be harvested. We tried to call security people around who were outskirt of the village but we discovered that they don’t have bullets. So, we are only in the hand of God”, the source said.

December 26, 2016
Amosun, El- Rufai, urge Nigerians to see nation’s diversity as strength

Governor Ibikunle Amosun, Kaduna State Governor, Mallam Nasir El – Rufai, and his Bayelsa State counterpart, Dickson Seriake, have urged Nigerians to see the nation’s diversity as a source of “strength” for its “greatness” and not for disunity.

Amosun, El – Rufai and Seriake said the country’s diversity should be fully utilised by Nigerians in harmony “for the good and progress of Nigeria” and not otherwise.

The trio made the appeal separately yesterday while delivering separate goodwill messages at the 2016 annual Ojude – Oba cultural carnival of the Ijebu nation in Ogun State, Nigeria which depicted an array of people suffused with glamour, excitements and splendour.

An estimated 25,000 Ijebu sons, daughters friends and well – wishers participated at this year’s Ojude Oba in Ijebu – Ode, the royal home of Awujale and where over 35 age grades – Regberegbes, took turn to pay homage to him who is often referred to as the Orisa Ijebu(the god of the Ijebu people)

Amosun who lauded Oba Adetona for his capacity to use “culture, tradition and religion” to weave a an enviable and enduring unity among his people, said the nation’s leaders should emulate leadership style and forge a greater unity among Nigerians out of the country’s multi – diversities.

The Governor also commended the Ijebu people for not only making Ogun State unique with the Ojude Oba festival but for also using same to continually launch the State into global consciouness.

” One sees the love, tenacity and determination of the Ijebu people to showcase their rich cultural heritage and tradition. In Ogun State, we create the template for others to follow.

“In Nigeria, we should serve diligently. It is not where one comes from or religion should count but one’s diligent service. We should emulate Kabiyesi ability to forge unity among his people despite different religions.

“We should live in togetherness, love and harmony not only in Ogun State but also in Nigeria,” Amosun said.

For El – Rufai, he lauded Awujale for the courage and leadership competence in leading his people towards organising the annual Ojude Oba which he dedcribed as an “incredible event.”

” I came here not as Governor, not as guest of Governor Amosun or as a member of All Progressives Congress but I’m here because Awujale is my father, a man of great wisdom, unparralled courage and integrity.

“Throughout my public service and exile, he was a true father to me. He adviced and even supported me financially. I know dream of Ijebu State is close to your heart and one can pray for your long life to see Ijebu State come to pass,” El – Rufai said.

Also, Governor Dickson Seriake who was the Special guest of honour, urged Nigeria to find a way to export Ojude Oba to the rest the world through cultural tourism.

Seriake who is a descendant of Adebukunola Fidipote, a Princess from one the Ruling Houses of Awujale stool in Ijebu – Ode, said Nigeria should leverage on her rainbow of diversity to work towards greatness and not division.

In his brief spech, Oba Adetona said the festival has continued to gain more local and global attention by the year and commended Govermor Amosun and corporate bodies for their continual support.

Apart from the three governors, Senator Ibikunle Amosun’s Deputy – Governor, Princess Yetunde Onanuga, former military Governor Old Rivers State and traditional ruler, HRH, Afred Diette – Spiff, were among the digniatries who honoured the Awujale at this year Ojude Oba with their presence.

Others are Omoba Olori Subomi Balogun, Speaker Ogun State House of Assembly, Suraj Adekunbi, the Moyegoso of Itele – Ijebu, Oba Adesanya Kasali, Chief Ayo Adebanjo, Commissioner for Commerce and Industry in Ogun State, Chief Bimbo Ashiru, his Culture and Tourism counterpart, Basorun Muyiwa Oladipo and the Commissioner of Police, Ahmed Iliyasu.

September 14, 2016
2016 Budget: FG strengthens monitoring and evaluation process

The Federal Government is now strengthening its monitoring and evaluation framework towards ensuring effective monitoring of ministries, departments and agencies’ compliance with the objective of the 2016 budget, the Minister of State for Budget and National Planning, Mrs Zainab Ahmed has said.

Speaking while receiving Governor of Kaduna State, Mallam Nasir El Rufai who paid a courtesy call to her office, she emphasized the Federal Government’s determination to achieve all the laudable goals of the 2016 budget.

“We are now strengthening our Monitoring and Evaluation Department, especially through staff training and retraining, including the application of accountability and transparency principles in our operation; DFID, UN and the World Bank are giving us support in this exercise.

“We have started the strategic implementation plan on 2016 budget, developed the Medium Term Expenditure Frame Work (MTEF), working very hard towards economic diversification and infrastructural development,” Mrs Ahmed stated.

Proudly recollecting the capabilities of El Rufai who is her foster brother, she noted that the governor has consistently outperformed many others, adding that her ministry will always solicit for his advice and guidance towards managing current economic challenges.

“Wherever you have worked, no one surpassed your standard; since you left Federal Capital Territory (FCT) , no one has measured up to your achievements.
“Kaduna State today, you have ranked it as a state to be copied in development strides, as a useful resource person,” she added.

Earlier, Governor has revealed plans to restructure his state’s Ministry of Budget and Planning into a Budget and Planning Commission, under an arrangement whereby the staff will enjoy better remunerations and excluded from posting to other ministries while their professional budget and planning skills will be enhanced.

Governor El- Rufai further described both Senator Udo Udoma and Mrs Zainab Ahmed as ministers, noting that the Ministry of Budget and National Planning is in good hands under such ministerial functionaries.

May 27, 2016
Kaduna Assembly passes bill on master plan into law

The Kaduna State House of Assembly has passed into law a bill seeking to establish a master plan for the state.

The Assembly at its Tuesday plenary sitting passed the executive bill sent to by Governor Nasir El-Rufai into law.

The bill reads: “Any person who encroaches, interferes or in any way obstructs the orderly implementation of the master plan commits an offence and shall be liable on conviction to imprisonment for a term of six months or fine of N250,000 or both.”

Similarly, it said that any officer charged with the responsibility of implementation of the master plan, who falls or collaborate with others to obstruct the master plan shall be liable on conviction to imprisonment for a term of three years or a fine of N1,000,000 or both not exempting administrative disciplinary procedures as contained in the civil service rules.

The bill also stated that the government shall have the right to remove, modify, restructure or reconstruct any existing structure, building or facility in order to bring it into conformity with the master plan and provided that it shall have due regard to provisions of the Land Use Act, 1978 on the payment of compensation in appropriate or deserving cases.

“From the date of commencement of the law, all transactions and Physical developments in the designated planning or urban area of Kaduna metropolis shall be in accordance with the provision of the master plan.

“Kaduna State Urban Planning and Development Agency, KASUPDA or it successors is hereby vested with power, duties and responsibilities to ensure compliance with the master plan in the state.

“Any development carried out prior to coming into force of the law shall not be invalid for non-conformity with the master plan if the owner thereof can establish ownership of the property, obtaining all the necessary governmental consents and development approvals were obtained prior to the said development and been up to date in the payment of all fees, charges and rents on the property.

“Any Magistrate court or such other court that may be constituted for the purpose of this law shall try the offender and impose such punishment and sanctions as presented by this law.

“The master plan shall be reviewed after every decade or within such reasonable periods as the Governor may decide,” the law stated.”

However, the objective of the law includes, to boost sustainable economic development of Kaduna State in it National, regional, state and city perspective. To improve governance in land administration which hinges on reform of physical planning and community participation in planning processes.

Others include, to enhance sustainable use of natural resources, proper solid waste management including air, surface and ground water quality and to secure property, safety from fire, natural disasters, adequate lighting, ventilation as well as ensure safety of pedestrians, bicycle ways and people living with disability.

March 8, 2016
Why Nigerians must support Army

I just watched the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt. General Tukur Buratai on Television after he visited troops in Geidam Community of Yobe State, as a result of Wednesday’s attack by Boko Haram militants who over-ran the military.

Tn the attack, the insurgents killed 3 soldiers, carted away many weapons and ammunition abandoned by the military on the run and looted mostly food and petroleum products from the popular Wednesday market.

I was particularly touched by the honesty of General Buratai who was obviously angry with the troops who had run away from Geidam town.

In his words, the General said “How can you allow these criminals over-run you? How can you run away from this rag-tag and untrained criminals? You allowed them to operate here for 12hours unchallenged. You refused to come back until they withdrew.”

On the surface, the words of COAS Buratai are very hurtful to the image of the Nigerian Army but this is the painful reality today.

The Nigerian Army seems to be overwhelmed and demoralized.

The image of the Nigerian Army has suffered so much damages in the eyes of Nigerians and the international community mainly because of the way they have handled the war against Boko Haram in the past 3years.

These insurgents have repeatedly, for over 2years, embarked upon massive propaganda using social media to demonize the Nigerian Army.

They have through so many online propaganda and campaigns portrayed our army as a weak and a cowardly army that cannot stand to fight.

Many online media and personalities helped the insurgents to achieve their propaganda campaigns either intentionally or otherwise.

It is important for us to know that all wars are fought both on ground, air, sea, land and in the minds of all parties involved in the war and most importantly in the psyche of the citizens. To win this war against Boko Haram, we must conquer the minds of Boko Haram with fear, win over our allies and friends by convincing them our army is capable and reliable and also boost the confidence of our troops through citizenry support since the morale of our troops are boosted when they know the citizens of their country are solidly behind them.

The Nigerian Army and our other security agencies are our last line of defense against these barbarians since we cannot defend ourselves against their satanic attacks. If not for the efforts of the Nigerian Military and our other security agencies, these barbarians would have taken over the entire nation, enforced their barbaric and misguided religious tenets on all of us, restricted us to their false Sambisa sharia law system, forced our Sisters into sex slavery like they have done to the Chibok Girls and make us live in perpetual fear of terror.

[quote font_size=”18″ font_style=”italic” bgcolor=”#000000″ bcolor=”#e2e2e2″]We sleep safely at night because rough men stand ready to visit violence on those who would harm us.” ― Winston S. Churchill[/quote]

If not for the Nigerian Army and other security agencies, many Muslims and Christians across our country would not be able to go to the mosque on Fridays or the church on Sundays.

Boko Haram seeks to destroy Christianity and Islam and do not wish any of us well, Nigerians, irrespective of religious consideration, party affiliation and tribal affinity, must realize that Boko Haram are our common enemies and not just the Nigerian Army’s.

The Army means well and are doing their very best to protect us all despite the overwhelming odds, they need our support at all times.

This was what the opposition party in the days of President Goodluck Jonathan was admonished with but they refused to listen. They politicized everything.

Sadly, they politicized the attempt by the former president to list Boko Haram as a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO); they politicized the procurement of arms to prosecute the war; they politicized appointments of service chiefs; they politicized State of Emergency in the North East; they politicized Chibok and turned it into a campaign tool against Jonathan.

The PDP-led Federal Government and the Nigerian Army, for inexplicable reasons, chose to see issues as an appendage of the PDP rather than the federal government.

Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, now governor of Kaduna State and many leading APC chieftains then referred to the Nigerian army as Jonathan’s army. They politicized everything as regards the fight against the deadly sect.

At some point in time, their presidential candidate now President Muhammadu Buhari called an attack against Boko haram an attack against Northern Nigeria.

If the political class and all Nigerians had supported the then Federal Government and our security agencies in the fight against Boko Haram, may be we would have long won the war.

The politicization of the war against Boko Haram caused more damage than good on the whole nation. Those who saw the war against Boko Haram as an avenue for them to keep scoring needless and cheap political points in the North, sabotaged the efforts of our security agencies.

They got the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) to issue endless press releases kicking against the ban on Boko Haram and the plan of the then FG to list Boko Haram as an FTO which was needed to get arms from our allies to effectively prosecute the war.

And finally, when Boko Haram was listed as an FTO, they began another campaign against the army saying former Chief of Army staff, Lieutenant General Ihejirika was also a sponsor of Boko Haram and was the one supplying arms to Boko Haram on the orders of former president Jonathan.

Their allegations were so scary and consistent that our allies became skeptical of supplying us with arms, and the United States and Israel refused selling arms to us to fight the deadly sect.

We had to turn to Russia for help. As if that was not enough, the former governor of Adamawa State, Murtala Nyako even did the unbelievable, accusing the FG of genocide against Northern Nigeria and suggested that federal troops were the ones dropping arms for Boko Haram with helicopters.

Furthermore, it was Mallam El-Rufai that built a propaganda foundation which suggested that former President Jonathan was the one sponsoring Boko Haram against the North.

He also tried to bring in the Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, Ex-Niger Delta Militants and others as possible sponsors of the terrorist group. El-rufai ensured he poisoned the minds of young people from the North and many of his followers on social media against the then president Jonathan by maintaining this lie. He further justified this lie when he spoke at Chatham House by presenting a table to justify his propaganda theory.

The questions all Nigerians must now begin to ask those who refused to support the former administration of Goodluck Jonathan and our security agencies in their fight against Boko Haram then and who are suddenly supporting the Federal Government and the army now is, what has changed? Is Goodluck Jonathan still the one sponsoring Boko Haram with the help of his Niger Delta ex-militants? Is CAN still the one sponsoring Boko Haram? Explanations were offered to APC on why they should see the battle against the terrorists as a national issue rather than treated as a political one just for parochial and mundane reasons, that where national security is concerned, we must not play politics with it but they did not listen.

They threw caution to the wind and were playing loudly to the gallery. Now see where that has gotten us to, in just 120 days of president Buhari taking over, the deadly group has killed more than 1,300 Nigerians and bombed Abuja twice.

The message here is this, the enemy is Boko Haram, not the Federal Government, not president Buhari, and definitely not our ever caring Nigerian Army and the security agencies who daily spend their days in the heat and their nights in the cold while the rest of us spend times with families in the comfort of our homes.

The military deserves our respect and support as they remain in the forefront in the fight against these barbarians.

Deji Adeyanju is a Member of the PDP

He writes from Abuja and can be contacted:

Twitter: @adeyanjudeji

Email: dejiadeyanju_1979@yahoo.co.uk

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October 10, 2015
NNPC has outlived its usefulness, says el-Rufai

•Omatseye urges end to impunity

Kaduna State Governor, Mallam Nasir el-Rufai has urged President Muhammadu Buhari to set a machinery in motion aimed at unbundling the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC).

Speaking yesterday in Abuja at the 7th Wole Soyinka Centre Media Lecture Series under the theme, ‘Nigeria and the Oil Misfortune,’ El-Rufai lamented that while the country earned nearly $1trillion from crude oil and gas sales over the past 50 years, the fact that about 70 million Nigerians still live below the poverty line is an indication that the so-called oil fortune is not for the masses.

While el-Rufai insisted that “NNPC must die” because of its recklessness in the oil sector, the Chairman of Vintage Press’ Editorial Board, Sam Omatseye, sought renewed commitment to the rule of law as a strategy towards curbing impunity and corruption in the oil sector.

General Manager (Policy, Government and Public Affairs), in Chevron, Deji Haastrup, who also spoke at the occasion, said International Oil Companies (IOCs) operating in the country, appreciate the need for greater transparency in the oil sector, while the former Executive Secretary, Petroleum Equalisation Fund (PEF), Mrs. Adefunke Kasali, lamented that “the oil sector has suffered from gross mismanagement over the years.”

At the event, the Executive Secretary of Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI), Hajia Zainab Ahmed, said huge resources from oil and gas, minning and even funds meant for the development of natural resources have been frittered without any sense of accountability, even as some states generate less than five per cent of their needs.

In his keynote address, el Rufai said fuel subsidy must be scrapped so that its N1 trillion annual budget could be released for capital development, adding that the NNPC has become a parallel government that must be scrapped before its undue appropriation of oil proceeds kill the nation.

He said: “For our vast masses, oil is no fortune; it is more of a mirage, but a more insidious kind, because the fortune is visible in the lifestyles of a few thousands of the privileged elite but is stubbornly inaccessible to tens of millions of ordinary people.

“Our rich enjoy the lifestyles of the richest in the world, while our poor are truly the wretched of the earth. This inequality is most unfortunate.”

He said there is no justification for entities that pay taxes to turn around altogether and unilaterally withhold trillions of naira, or seek multi-billion dollar federal budget annually to the detriment of the overall good of the nation.

“Reliance on imports of refined products has seen unsustainable expenses on questionable subsidy payments, exemplified by $8.99 billion in the 18 months between January 2012 and June 2013, adding that “the long and short of the situation of our oil industry is best exemplified by the parallel government called the NNPC. In 2012, it sold N2.77 trillion of ‘domestic’ crude oil, but paid only N1.66 trillion to the Federation Account.

As el-Rufai put it: “In 2013, it earned N2.66 trillion, but paid N1.56 trillion to FAAC, in 2014 N2.64 trillion but remitted N1.44 trillion, while between January and May 2015, it earned N733.36 billion and remitted only N473.2 billion!

“That means that the NNPC only remitted about 58 per cent of the monies earned between 2012 and the first half of 2015. A company with the audacity to retain 42 per cent of a country’s money has become a veritable parallel republic!

He said NNPC feels entitled to consume more resources than the 36 states, the FCT (Federal Capital Territory) and the Federal Government combined, stating that the example just given is only with respect to domestic crude oil sales.

He said similar leakages exist in NPDC, NAPIMS procurement and subsidiary budgets.

Calling for proper governance, efficiency and security of Nigeria’s oil industry in view of the fact that a barrel of crude oil is projected to remain low at between $40 and $60 per barrel for a long time, he urged a mix of fresh strategic thinking and a firm commitment to reform. He said the country must address a fixation with public ownership and control of every major oil asset; corruption and distortion that oil subsidy is inflicting on the economy, and; NNPC whose existence is no longer in the national interest.

The governor said: “We need to define exactly what we want the oil industry to be and to achieve, and then define the structure that can best deliver it; an efficient and productive oil sector, able to create jobs, spur industrialisation and earn more revenues requires that we tackle the monster that the NNPC has become.

“This country can no longer afford to maintain an NNPC that arrogantly, unlawfully and unconstitutionally spends an unhealthy proportion of national oil earnings on itself.

“We should replace the NNPC with brand new organisations that are fit for purpose: – among others – a commercialised and corporatised national oil company and new industry regulators; this new national oil company should be capitalised once and for all, and then freed to fend for itself like other national oil companies do, seeking its financing independently from the financial markets and paying due taxes and royalties.

“The corruption and nonchalance that have hobbled the NNPC are symptoms that its best days are over. We should give it a deserved funeral so that a new institution, active and nimble, can promptly replace it; NNPC’s subsidiaries and associated companies can be reviewed, restructured and privatised or commercialised as appropriate consistent with national interest and objectives.

“No one is better qualified to do this than the person that birthed the NNPC through the merger of the NNOC (Nigeria National Oil Company) and the Ministry of Petroleum in 1977 – President Buhari himself.

July 14, 2015
El-Rufai blames low turn-out on ‘PDP’s threat in Kaduna

….as Yero tells supporters to accept polls outcome

Gubernatorial candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Mallam Nasir El-Rufai has blamed the low turn-out of voters in yesterday’s election on alleged threat by the PDP to cause chaos in the state.

This was as incumbent Governor Mukhtar Ramalan Yero enjoined his supporters and entire people of Kaduna State to accept whatever is the outcome of the election. Yero made the call after his accreditation in Zaria.

In areas like Gonin Gora, Barnawa and Narayi in Southern metropolis of the state, electorates were seen relaxing and seemingly not bothered to go out for the accreditation.

On the other divide of the state, Kaduna North and places like Sabon Gari, Tudun Wada, massive turn-out of voters were witnessed.

Speaking to newsmen after casting his vote at polling unit, 024 Angwan Sarki, in Kaduna, El-Rufai blamed the low turn-out on the threat by the PDP-led government to unleash terror on the electorates. El-Rufai said the electorate were afraid to show up at their polling units as a result of the threat.

The opposition candidate who arrived the polling unit at about 9:55am and was promptly accredited told our reporter that “Accreditation commenced on time compared to that of the Presidential elections.”

He expressed satisfaction with the use of card readers which he described as effective and called on the electorates to come out en mass to exercise their civic responsibility.

He said “He have been assured by the police and army that there will be enough security on ground to forestall any violence.”

April 12, 2015