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  • Inconsistency, lack of party loyalty, bane of development, says ex-Oyo Deputy Governor

    The inconsistent nature of many politicians and lack of party loyalty have been blamed for Nigeria’s socio-economic and political underdevelopment.

    In a lecture to mark the 94th birthday of the leader of the pan-Yoruba socio-political group, Afenifere, Chief Ayo Fasanmi, in Osogbo, the Osun State capital, the guest speaker, Chief Iyiola Oladokun, who was the deputy governor of Oyo State between 1999 and 2003, berated politicians who jump from one political party to another for selfish reasons.

    In the lecture entitled: “Ayo Fasanmi: An Epitome of Consistency and Loyalty To Progressive Ideals,” the former deputy governor commended Fasanmi, a second republic senator, for being a consistent and loyal party man, who he said had stood firmly by the principles of the late sage, Chief Obafemi Awolowo.

    He said: “Papa Fasanmi came into politics with a progressive mindset and has remained so till now. He has never been a chameleon party man, which is the bane of party politics in Nigeria today.

    “Whereas there are uncountable number of men of his age bracket who are known for jumping from one political party to another for selfish reasons bordering on stomach infrastructure. Chief Ayo Fasanmi is consistent with the firm determination to do what is right at all times, no matter the odds.

    Read Also: Birthdays: President greets Fasanmi, Onabule

    “Contrary to what is in vogue in the Nigerian political arena, Chief Ayo Fasanmi contested elections and remained loyal to his political party in his loss and was humble in his victory. He contested governorship primary elections against Chief Adekunle Ajasin in 1979 in Ondo State. Chief Ajasin had 32 votes and Chief Ayo Fasanmi had 19. To the surprise of his supporters and other contestants’ supporters, Chief Fasanmi went and congratulated Chief Adekunke Ajasin.”

    Oladokun also prayed to God to give Chief Fasanmi the grace to celebrate many more of years on earth in sound health so that the present crop of politicians could draw lessons from his rich experience.

    Earlier, Osun State Governor, Mr. Gboyega Oyetola, described Chief Fasanmi as a beacon of hope and pillar of light for the younger generation of politicians and administrators.

    Represented by his deputy, Benedict Alabi, the governor said the unrelenting efforts and contributions of Chief Fasanmi to progressive politics had helped to deepen democracy in Nigeria.

    He further said that Chief Fasanmi’s democratic spirit pushed him to fight against military rule and bad governance with uncommon perseverance.

    Also speaking on the occasion, a former governor of Osun State and erstwhile national chairman of the All Progressives Congress, Chief Bisi Akande, advised the youths to always have another profession rather than depending solely on politics as a career.

    Akande said the only way for Nigerian politicians to be consistent and loyal to their party was to remain engaged in their professions rather than depending on politics.

    He attributed Fasanmi’s political consistency to the love he has for his country and the fact that he had a profession, which he remained true to, stressing that the nonagerian never depended solely on politics.

    Also, the National Leader of the APC, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, expressed appreciation to Fasanmi for his steadfastness and supportive role for national and Yoruba interests.

    Tinubu, who was represented by a former minister of state for defence, Senator Demola Seriki, noted the role of Fasanmi in the emergence of Muhammadu Buhari as President and the victory of the South West governors at the polls.

    The event was graced by dignitaries, including Senator Olabiyi Durojaye, the deputy governors of Ekiti, Ondo and Ogun States, and a former deputy governor of Osun State, Grace Titi Laoye-Tomori.

    Also, among the traditional rulers in attendance were the Ataoja of Osogbo, the Orangun of Oke-Ila, the Oluwo of Iwo, the Olufon of Ifon-Orolu, the Olobu of Ilobu and the Oloyan of Oyan.

  • Godwin Odiye: fans abused my family over own goal

    He peeled off the date, place and time, the moment the event was mentioned ‘Odiye infamous header.’

    “How can I forget? he blurted and went ahead to vividly describe the goal that dashed Nigeria’s dream of qualifying for its first World Cup in Lagos against the Tunisia and Nigerians had to endure 17 years’ long wait before featuring at the biggest global football tournament.

    “That goal was the highlight of my football career and it defined the course of my life, thereafter,” began Odiye in a recent interview with The Nation while on a recent visit to the country from his base in the USA. “Months before that game, I remember that famous commentator, the late Ernest Okonkwo, was pestering me to sign for his favourite club, Rangers International, but I preferred to play in Benin, as I am from that part of the country and besides I don’t speak Igbo, so I told him no.”

    Back to the own goal. “We were hard pressed to score a goal when the game was about 15 minutes to end and we went into massive attack with Christian Chukwu overlapping and supporting our midfielders.

    Read Also: Hits, misses: footballers who angered fans

    “I was the only one behind and I got a pass from Muda Lawal supporting the defence and I immediately passed it on to Sam Ojebode at left-back. Ojebode ventured into attack but his cross was headed back to a Tunisian who controlled the ball and raced down the left side position.

    “As I was alone with no help coming I took a decision that, if the Tunisian player crossed the ball, I will go for a corner kick header. The player did what I expected from him, but it was a spin, which grazed my head. Meanwhile, goalkeeper (Emmanuel) Okala had come out and the ball was in the net.

    “What surprised me mostly was the noise from the commentary box. Okonkwo was shouting repeatedly, ‘Nigeria score Nigeria’ and that must have enraged our fans and many Nigerians that were listening on radio.

    “I think he did it to get back to me for not signing for Rangers and I was really disappointed. It was not funny after the game as I was smuggled out of the stadium by my friends.”

    The drama became fiercer for Odiye. “The following day, I wanted to gauge people’s feeling, so I got on a bus heading towards the National Stadium and all the talks were about the game and me and I was called all sorts of name and some even abused my forefathers.

    “One man sitting beside me rained curses on me not knowing he was talking to the same Odiye. I did not say a single word but when I alighted he looked back, recognised me and I waved at him. Thereafter, I made up my mind that football was not for me. Though I came back to win the Nations Cup in 1980, I knew football wasn’t my thing.”

  • Two ‘robbers’ killed in Lagos

    Two suspected armed robbers were Monday morning killed and another injured during a gun battle with police in Lagos, The Nation learnt on Thursday.

    It was gathered that the suspects including one Toheed Fashola alias Epo met their waterloo around 5am while allegedly robbing early road users around Alakija on the Badagry Expressway.

    The suspects were said to have hijacked a commercial bus and robbed its passengers of their phones, other valuables when policemen from Satellite Division on crime patrol were tipped off about their operation.

    According to a source, the cops pursued the suspects from the scene of the crime but as they approached a dead end, they opened fire on the officers to evade arrest.

    Read Also: Police arrest four notorious ‘armed robbers’ in Lagos

    “Policemen retaliated and in the process two of the robbers died while the third one, Quadri Suleiman sustained leg injury. They are notorious in Sattelite, Tolu and environs. These boys operate up to Ajegunle and they terrorise people,” he said.

    “The injured one claimed it was his first time to join them.”

    Suleiman, it was gathered, has been transferred to the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) alongside the firearm recovered from the gang.

  • Hits, misses: footballers who angered fans

    They are paid handsomely and are expected to always deliver. Some have the weight of a nation’s expectations hanging on their shoulders. But, footballers are not robots. Yet, some have paid the price for their errors. ADEYINKA ADEDIPE recalls some talented footballers who lost their fans’ favour.

    Sportsmen, especially footballers, are some of the best paid athletes in the world. Their astronomical transfer fees and weekly wages are some of the highest. The best among them take home as much as a million pound/dollars weekly.

    Also, the huge pay from their endorsement deals is mouth-watering. They live a luxurious life due to the humongous wealth they command and they become the envy of everyone.

    However, the burden of expectation weighs them down as they need to perform at optimum level all the time.

    Some view them as superhuman. They are not expected to make mistakes especially at the sports ground as it could have dire consequences.

    It could lead to being ostracised from the team; some could be demoted to the junior team as well as placed on transfer as the club becomes desperate to ship them out.

    The most harrowing outcome for failing, however, is fans apathy. Supporters who once idolised them would turn their back on them and even demand their removal from the team.

    If the management or coaches are reluctant to remove them, the fans would vent their spleen on the footballers by booing them while in action, while the consequence for the reluctant coaches and management could be fatal.

    Neymar…a football genius who divides opinion

    History is replete with players who suffered from poor judgement while doing their jobs. On the international scene, Brazilian superstar, Neymar, a genius can single–handedly wreck any team on a good day. He has been the poster boy of Brazilian soccer since his emergence at Santos. He is renowned for mesmerizing runs and artistry on the pitch. He ghosts past opposition players with the speed of light.

    However, his penchant for showboating and selfish play has pitted him against his teammates, especially in his current club, Paris Saint Germain FC in France.

    The first altercation he had at the club was trying to take over penalty duties, albeit rudely, from Edinson Cavani, who was the regular penalty taker before the Brazillian joined the French club.

    He also incurred the wrath of Barcelona fans when he forced a move away from the Spanish club. The club fans who once supported him were happy to see him leave rather than have a divided team due to the overbearing attitude of the Brazilian megastar.

    Neymar tried to force his way back to the Catalan club in the last transfer window but the move failed as Barcelona came up short of PSG’s valuation of the player.

    At PSG, the fans are asking Neymar to leave. Though the club’s sporting director Leonardo said on the eve of the season opener that talks about the Brazilian’s exit were “more advanced than before”, fans held up a banner telling Neymar to “go away” during the opening game.

    However, he stays for now and might be leaving Paris in January if the deal goes through.

    Ozil…mercurial but inconsistent

    German International Mesut Ozil has increasingly come under fire at Arsenal due to what the fans perceived as a ‘laid-back’ attitude when playing for the Gunners.

    He is a genius who can destroy any team on a good day just like he did when he dribbled the entire backline of Ludogerets of Bulgaria including the goalkeeper to score a memorable goal in a UEFA Champions League game. The former Real Madrid man also has a knack for spraying defence-splitting passes to teammates.

    It was the same allegation that led to his exit from the national team when he was fingered for the German’s first round exit at the 2018 World Cup in Russia.

    The Germans were the defending champions and many had thought that the well-oiled German machine would retain the title. But it was not to be as the team unceremoniously and surprisingly exited the competition in the first round to the dismay of their teeming fans who vent their spleen on the winger.

    Ozil, who is still on Arsenal’s books, may not be there for long as the London club hopes to ship him out as soon as possible to balance its book. The German is currently on a £350,000 weekly wage.

    Bale…in and out of Madrid team

    At the time of his transfer to Real Madrid on September 1, 2013 for a reported fee of between €91 million and €100 million, former Tottenham Hotspur forward Gareth Bale was tipped to be one of the greatest Galaticos. Moreso, he had the mercurial Cristiano Ronaldo as his teammate who he also played against in the Premier League.

    His sojourn in Spain started well as he warmed himself into the hearts of Bernabeu die-hard fans with eye-catching displays. He scored beautiful goals along the way, some of them screamers after mazy runs. But after a successful first three seasons, the former Southampton man has been blamed for most of the problems of the team especially after Ronaldo’s departure to Juventus.

    He was accused of not being friendly with teammates, as well as not speaking Spanish despite his long stay in Spain. He also fell out with the fans, with his gesture during games not going down well them.

    And with the return Coach Zinedine Zidane, who continuously said that he was not part of his plan for the new season, it was almost inevitable that the Welsh strong man would leave.

    However, after the Galaticos were pummeled 7-3 by city rivals Atletico Madrid in a pre-season friendly, Real President Florentino Perez halted Bales transfer to the Chinese league, saying that he could not leave on a free transfer.

    Luiz…good with long passes but erratic

    Brazil international David Luiz, who joined Arsenal in the last transfer window, was actually told by Chelsea fans to leave. His offence: His horrendous performance against Salzburg in one of the pre-season games, which Chelsea won 5-3. It was too much for the Stamford Bridge faithful to take and they duly told the curly-haired Brazilian to leave.

    Luiz was not in his best form for the Blues in that game that was played on July 31 and fans took to social media to express their anger. They were of the opinion that Luiz is not the type of player that should be on Chelsea’s book following his horrendous performance against Salzburg. Some fans also believe that the former Paris-Saint-Germain star is the worst ever defender to play for the London club.

    Apart from falling out with the fans due to his erratic style of play, reports emerged few days before his sensational transfer to Arsenal that he did not get along well with his former team mate, Frank Lampard, who is the current coach. It was also gathered that he was not guaranteed playing time hence the need for Luis to move.

    Balotelli…talented player full of antics

    Mario Balotelli’s antics and indiscipline are well documented. The talented Italian’s penchant for getting into trouble has seen him fight with his former coach Roberto Mancini at Manchester City, where he won the Premier League crown.  He is currently with Brescia, a club too small for his prodigious talent.

    Balogun, Aiyegbeni…good players who made costly mistakes

    On the home front, Leon Balogun’s schoolboy defending in the final group game against Madagascar at the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) has earned him the name ‘robot’, with some fans wondering whether the 31-year-old has a future in the team, while others are calling for his exit from the team.

    To be fair to the former Mainz defender, he did not get much game-time in his debut season with Brighton and Hove Albion in England, which could have made him rusty for the AFCON, but Coach Gernot Rohr kept faith him.

    However, his terrible mistake which gifted Madagascar their opening goal in the 2-0 defeat of the Eagles will hunt the defender for a long time. Balogun misjudged a pass and what should have been a routine clearance by the defender was wrongly executed, giving the Madagascar striker the chance to bury the Eagles. The mistake may have cost him his place as Rohr is already shopping for his replacement.

    Yakubu Aiyegbeni might have score 172 career goal in 428 games but missing from three metres out against South Korea was unpardonable for fans. Nigerian lost the first two games at the tournament but still had a chance to progress if the Eagles defeated the Koreans but the former Julius Berge FC attacker sensationally lost the chance from three metres to the relief of the stunned Koreans, while the entire stadium watched in disbelief.

    The former Everton man scored a penalty, which earned Nigeria a 2–2 draw, but was not enough for Eagles to progress out of the group stages. However, the Nigerian fans had had enough and they were equivocal on the need to find a better striker for the team. After playing sparingly for the Eagles, Aiyegbeni took a bow from the team in 2012, giving room for the emergence of new point men for the Eagles.

    With few clubs already solely owned by fans, it is clear that the decision making power is gradually shifting to the terraces where faithful football fans will begin to take decisions in the best interests of their darling teams.

  • Suspected kidnappers terrorising Oyo arrested

    Five notorious self-confessed kidnappers who have been terrorising residents of Ibarapa area of Oyo State have been arrested, the  state police said.

    Last week, the Chairman, Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP),  Oyo State College of Agriculture and Technology Igbo-Ora, Mr. Opadijo Olujide, together with his secretary, Gbenga Alayande and three others were kidnapped in the Ibarapa area,  but were later released by their captors 24 hours after, on the payment of N5m ransom.

    Though, the police could not immediately link the five kidnappers with the abduction of the lecturers, they said investigation was ongoing on the latest arrest to know if they were the same people who masterminded the kidnap of the lecturers.

    The criminal elements, according to the state police command, were arrested while arranging for ransom for one of their  kidnapped victms, a 17-year-old boy, Shakiru Weti.

    They were all paraded yesterday  along with N1million cash (the ransom) recovered from them,  at the Eleyele Police Headquarters, Ibadan.

    Read Also: Police: ASP died in kidnappers’ attack on Abuja Road

    The Commissioner of Police in the State, Shina Olukolu who thanked  the people of Ibarapa for their understanding and support, said the kidnappers engaged the police officers in a gun duel when they laid siege to rescue the victim.

    According to the police boss, the family members were encouraged to agree to pay the amount demanded, while the police detectives laid ambush for the suspected kidnappers.

    Narrating how the daredevils were apprehended, the state police chief said  “On 17th September, 2019 at about 2200hr, one Alhaji Abdul Saliu ‘m’ the Sariki Fulani of Oyo State resident in Igangan reported at Ayete Divisional Police Headquarters that a Fulani called Weti ‘m’ reported to him that an unknown gunman kidnapped his son one Shakiru Weti ‘m’ aged 17 year to an unknown destination. But, on 22nd September, 2019 at about 1700hrs the abductors called and demanded for one million naira ransom .

    “Consequently, in the process one Yuguda Jayum was arrested with the ransom of N1m intact while his accomplice escaped, Yuguda Jayum confessed to be the leader of the group that carried out the kidnapping, at about 0300hrs of the following day, detectives extended investigations to their hideout at Igangan where their victim was found tied and blindfolded and was rescued.

    “The victim, Shakiru Weti was rescued unhurt while one Kehinde Adeoye ‘m’ a member of the syndicate who was guarding the victim to prevent his escape was arrested. But, another cohort Taiwo Adeoye ‘m’ who was armed opened fire on the team and escaped. In the course of further investigations, one Bature Dogo ‘m’, Kazeem Sule ‘m’ and Maanu Garuba ‘m’ were also arrested in connection with the kidnapping case. Upon interrogation Kehinde Adeoye ‘m’, Yuguda Jayum ‘m’, Bature Dogo ‘m’, Kazeem Sule ‘m’ and Maanu Garuba ‘m’ all confessed to have masterminded the kidnapping of Shakiru Weti ‘m’ with Taiwo Adeoye ‘m’ and Sanda ‘m’ who are also members of the gang but presently at large.

    “One Gionee phone , two Itel phones  and One Tecno handsets were recovered from the duo of Kehinde Adeoye ‘m’ and Kazeem Sule who are members of the criminal gang that carried out the kidnapping. Effort is being intensified to arrest other fleeing members of the gang.”

    pected kidnappers, Kazeem Sulaiman denied the allegation, saying that he didn’t know anything about the incident.

    “I didn’t know anything about this issue, security operative just came to my residence last week Sunday and arrested me, I was thereafter taking to the police station, on getting to the police station, I was told that a boy was kidnapped and those arrested with me has even confessed that I didn’t know anything about the incident.”

  • Reality of malnutrition

    Again, Nigeria is benefitting from external sympathy. About 87, 000 malnourished Nigerians in the troubled north-east region are targeted in a three–year programme funded by the United Kingdom to the tune of 22 million pounds. This intervention, from April 2019 to March 2022, is expected to significantly reduce the significant number of malnourished persons in the region, particularly children and women.

    The Nutrition Manager, United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF), Sanjay Das, who gave the information to journalists in Maiduguri, Borno State, on September 25, said the UK’s Department for International Development (DFID) had released the fund. This isn’t the first time the UK has funded a programme to tackle malnutrition in the region. According to Das, the UK had released $10m for the treatment of about 233,000 malnourished children between October 2018 and May 2019.

    But such foreign funding can’t stop malnutrition if the local authorities fail to tackle the causes. For instance, three years ago, the conflict in the country’s north-eastern region was said to have displaced 2.4 million people and had stretched food insecurity and malnutrition to emergency levels. Sadly, Boko Haram’s reign of terror, particularly in Borno, Yobe and Adamawa states, has caused a humanitarian crisis.

    In February, Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) at Teachers Village Camp in Maiduguri took to the streets to protest food shortage in their camp. The Teachers Village Camp is one of the largest, with about 20,000 displaced persons.

    The protesters, mostly women and children from Baga, Kukawa and Monguno, blocked the Maiduguri-Kano Road and caused a gridlock. They complained that they had been neglected by the government. They also said only three in ten people in the camp got food cards that were issued by the Red Cross earlier that day.

    “It took the intervention of officials of the Mobile Police to bring the situation under control. The policemen dispersed the protesters when they reportedly fired canisters of tear gas at them,” a report said.

    Fatima Ibrahim, an IDP from Kukawa, was quoted as saying: “We are hungry; our children are seriously hungry. Thirty persons share a bag of rice. We are in need of foodstuffs; please tell them to bring food for us.’

    The connection between insecurity and malnutrition in the region is clear enough. But it may well be that the causes of food insecurity are beyond the reality of insecurity.  Help from outside isn’t bad, but help from inside is better.

  • Progressive initiatives

    The Progressives Governors Forum (PGF) of the All Progressives Congress (APC) recently inaugurated two committees, the Governance Programme Steering Committee and the Legislative Programme Steering Committee.

    Why is this important? First, I confess my bias for genuine progressive governance, not one that appropriates the appellation without appreciating the substance of what progressivism entails. I supported APC in 2015 because while sixteen years of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) had been good for the men and women in the corridors of powers and their hangers-on, it produced untold misery for the development of the nation and thus for the masses who ought to be the beneficiaries of governance.

    In 2015, I thought that with a progressive government in power at the federal and state levels, there was a good chance for initiatives that put the masses at the center of governance. Naively, I expected those who subscribed to the manifesto of the victorious party to be all in with its requirements. I was wrong. For as it turned out, many were Progressives in Name Only (PINO).

    What with the hustle for personal advancement at the expense of collective achievement on behalf of progressive ideology? Or the open confrontation on the part of a hostile National Assembly against party initiatives? Or state executive misfits whose penchant for profanity outweighed and compromised the good they were capable of doing? Unfortunately, the paint brush of shame and dishonour that is justifiably applicable to a few ended up smearing the collective. Until the dam broke and the shameless lot got blown away by the storm.

    In 2019, I also supported APC for two reasons. First, it occurred to me that the challenges the party had between 2015 and 2019 were principally because its rank was infiltrated by strange bedfellows with a retrogressive mindset. Rid of that element in the runup to the 2019 elections, I surmised that the party could muster the combined strength of like-minded progressives for the good of the country. Second, I deeply resent PDP as a party which so egregiously betrayed the trust of the nation for sixteen years. The breach of trust was so glaring that the party itself felt the need to tender an apology to the nation, and even contemplated changing its name. How could such a party dare to come back within four years to seek another mandate to rule? Was that a test of national memory?

    Compare our situation in 2019 with the US presidential election of 2012. In 2008, Barack Obama won the election mainly because of the coherent policies he laid out to rescue the nation from the great recession into which it was plunged in the eight years of Republican administration. Obama and his team worked so hard that in 2012 the economy was on recovery mode. Yet the Republicans who ruined it in the first place had the gut to complain that the recovery was too slow! Of course, the people knew the facts and they gave Obama a second term to continue his recovery efforts. Nigeria was in a similar situation in 2019. And the people knew which party ruined their lot and which party had tried its best to focus on recovery.

    However, the people also want a consistency of policies and programmes from the ruling party at federal and state levels. But since all politics is local and the greatest impact of governance will most likely be felt at the state level, the new initiatives by PGF are timely and heartwarming.

    From the snippets provided in its media briefings, a few elements of the Governance Programme Steering Committee initiative are clear. For the Committee, the goal is uniformity of policy initiatives, with a focus on strengthening the capacity of APC states for implementing approved initiatives. Since it is their initiative, there is a buy-in by the governors, and the target is party manifesto and campaign promises. There will be peer review of states’ implementation of party programmes.  Finally, the need is recognised for ultimately highlighting the distinction between APC on one hand, and PDP and other parties on the other hand in terms of policies and programmes. It is all well and good.

    On its part, the Legislative Programme Steering Committee will synergise the interactions between the executive and the legislature across the country; help contextualise government processes and decisions in terms of the legal frameworks governing them; monitor government operations, gather and evaluate information and recommend action to PGF; promote the interest of PGF member-states with regard to laws, regulations, and policies that may affect them; and promote cordial relations between legislatures and executives in APC states.

    The two initiatives are certainly timely and proactive. But what will it take for these initiatives to succeed? It will take discipline and it will take fidelity to progressive governance ideas.

    First, the requirement of discipline is a no-brainer. We saw what havoc indiscipline wrought between 2015 and early 2019. When party members appear to be laws unto themselves and the supremacy of the party as a sine qua non of party success is thrown out the window, it won’t matter what progressive ideas have proved effective in other climes. Self-interest and hubris will always ensure that such ideas get pushed to the back burner of governance to the detriment of the masses. And with ego-driven conflicts between the executive and the legislature, progressive legislation designed for the good of the state is bound to suffer. Therefore, while the initiatives are great, what comes out of them will depend pretty much on the self-discipline and commitment on the part of actors.

    Second, the requirement of fidelity to progressive governance ideas is self-explanatory. A progressive party in government must set its eyes on the prize of implementing progressive policies for the development of citizens as human beings with inherent dignity, a priceless possession that has been unfortunately devalued and abused in a nation that glorifies material possession at the expense of human dignity.

    Three areas promised in the party’s manifesto and campaigns are worthy of attention for a common agenda across APC states. Education is key to the development of human talent. Unfortunately, the nation has ceded its responsibility to educate citizens to the private sector. The result is that only those with the resources that the private sector demands in return for good education have access to it. Thus, we now have two classes of citizens, contrary to the progressive ideal.

    Health is another agenda item. States have shared responsibility with the federal government on health and education. It is unfortunate, however, that this responsibility has been shirked over the decades since the inception of military rule. Public health is neglected. Basic health is not adequately funded. The masses lack the option of medical tourism; so, they end up dying in large numbers because of inadequate facilities and wrong or late diagnosis.

    Infrastructure is the third area. Rural poverty is largely related to lack of infrastructural development. The Buhari administration has prioritized economic diversification with a focus on agriculture and mining. But many rural roads are in terrible shapes. And though the federal government is investing heavily on road infrastructure, APC states must also do their part.

    Of course, security and revenue are two preconditions for the success of any initiatives on the progressive agenda. Both are related and intertwined. Revenue cannot be generated in an atmosphere of insecurity. And adequate revenue is essential for the implementation of programmes.

    APC states must work extra hard to ensure that security of life and property is guaranteed. Governors must invest their security votes wholly and effectively on tested and proven security measures. They must strenuously seek foreign direct investment in agriculture and mining as the multiplier effect of such investments will generate revenue for the implementation of various progressive programs in education, health, and infrastructure.

    In the next four years, if APC states can focus attention and invest heavily on education, health and infrastructure, and the federal government takes its signature social investment programs to the next level, the nation would have taken some giant steps towards the reduction, if not elimination, of poverty across the land. That’s progress.

  • Ex-agitators seek probe of alleged diversion of N100m

    Former Niger Delta militants from Akwa Ibom State have demanded the investigation of alleged diversion of N100million empowerment funds meant for them.

    They urged the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) to probe the alleged diversion.

    But, the Amnesty Office described the allegation as baseless and “unsubstantiated”.

    Akwa Ibom ex-Agitators Phase II leader, Imoh Okoko, in a statement, called for the immediate restructuring of the amnesty programme.

    He also accused the Amnesty Office of over-valuation of empowerment kits.

    Okoko urged the Federal Government to urgently address the issues or face protests.

    Read Also: Kuku, ex-MEND leaders to join APC

    “I, therefore, urge the Federal Government to consider this as a matter of urgent importance to guarantee continued peace and harmony in Akwa Ibom State.

    “If these demands are not urgently addressed, we will be left with no other option than to embark on mass protests, which will not be palatable for all and sundry.”

    Okoko alleged that former militants from Akwa Ibom and Cross River states were marginalised by the Amnesty Office.

    He alleged that they were not invited to meetings, were excluded from training programmes and had their names removed from the payroll.

    He said: “For the avoidance of doubt, we wish to state that since Prof. Charles Dokubo assumed duties as the National Coordinator/Special Adviser on the Programme, ex-militants of Akwa

    “Ibom State origin have been sidelined, neglected and discriminated against, despite the huge contributions of our state to the country’s oil revenue.”

    Okoko said it was disheartening that former militants from other states were listed for overseas training and empowerment programmes on monthly basis, while those from Akwa Ibom State were shut out.

    Spokesman for Amnesty Office Murphy Ganagana said the allegation of N100million diversion was baseless and “vague”. “There is no substance in the allegation,” he said.

    Ganagana said all former agitators duly enrolled in the Presidential Amnesty Programme were catered for.

    He said those not enrolled should explore a political solution by, for instance, getting their governors to lobby the President to include them in the programme.

    According to him, there are 30,000 ex-agitators on the Amnesty Office’s database, adding that those not enrolled in the programme have no basis to complain about marginalisation.

    He said the office has no power to include anyone not originally enrolled, adding that only the President could make a declaration for the inclusion of additional ex-militants in the programme.

    Besides, Ganagana said the known camp leader in Akwa Ibom is Lanto Marine.

    “If the person who issued the statement is a bonafide beneficiary, ask him to provide the name of his camp and his UN Code. I promise that we’ll take it up if indeed he and his group are omitted,” Ganagana said.

    The Federal High Court in Yenagoa on Thursday summoned Prof. Dokubo over alleged diversion of stipends meant for 75 former militants.

    Justice Awogboro Abimbola also ordered Director of Finance and Accounts in the Presidential Amnesty Office Isaac Ityohuma and Head of Reintegration Aroloye Brown to appear before him on October 4.

    Justice Abimbola adjourned after taking evidence from the ex-militants’ leader, Mr Clinton Oroupade.

    Seventy-five ex-militants under the Benuwolo Camp (second phase of the scheme), who accepted the Presidential Amnesty in 2010, are demanding payment of outstanding N492 million from January 2011 to May 2019.

    Oroupade told the court that his group was documented and allocated 75 slots, but received no stipends afterwards.

    The group urged the court to declare that the alleged fraudulent manipulation of the 75 slots allotted to Benuwolo Camp by officials of the Amnesty Office in connivance with some ex-militants is unlawful.

    Through their lawyer, Richard Turner, the plaintiffs urged the court to order the Amnesty Office to restore the Camp’s 75 slots and halt further diversion of slots.

  • Internet fraudster jailed six months in Kwara

    An Ilorin, Kwara State High Court on Thursday sentenced internet fraudster Stephen Olarewaju Odanye to six months imprisonment. The 35 years old Odanye had earlier pleaded guilty to the one count charge preferred against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

    The charge reads: “That you, Stephen Olarewaju Odanye (a.k.a Raymond Sullivan) sometime in September 2019 or thereabout at Ilorin,  Kwara State within the jurisdiction of this honourable court attempted to commit an offence of cheating by pretending and presenting yourself to one Lynn Smith,  to be a white man,  supplier of Engineering and Construction equipment,  living in Washington as it is contained in your email gmail account: raysulivan@yahoo.com and thereby committed an offence contrary to section 95 and 321 of the penal code law and punishable under section 322 of the same act.”

    Read Also: Suspected internet fraudster on FBI’s watch-list paraded

    Delivering his judgement, Justice Mahmood Abdulgafar said that “the defendant was arraigned on one count charge of attempt to commit an offence of cheating by pretending and representing one Lynn Smith, an offence contrary to section 95 of the penal Code Law.

    “The prosecution called one witness, Olamide Sadiq, an operative of EFCC who narrated to this honourable Court of how the defendant was arrested and items recovered from his laptop computer.”

    Justice Abdulgafar added that the prosecution was able to prove its case beyond reasonable doubt as the evidence of the sole witness was not challenged.

    “I found you Stephen Olarewaju Odanye guilty of one count charge of attempt to cheat by impersonation and hereby sentence you to six months imprisonment without an option of fine,” he said.

    He directed that the convict’s laptop and mobile phones of the convict be forfeited to the Federal Government of Nigeria.

  • Buhari, world leaders mourn ex-President Jacques Chirac

    President Muhammadu Buhari has joined other world leaders and political chieftains in France in paying tributes to former French President, Jacques Chirac, who died on Thursday at 86.

    The torrent of tributes came from German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Russian President Vladimir Putin, European Commission President and former Luxembourg’s Prime Minister Jean-Claude Juncker and British prime ministers (past and present), with John Major and Boris Johnson hailing Chirac’s political prowess.

    The late Chirac was a two-term French president, who was the first leader to acknowledge France’s role in the Holocaust and who defiantly opposed the United States’ (U.S.) invasion of Iraq in 2003.

    His death was announced to lawmakers sitting in France’s National Assembly and members held a minute of silence.

    In a rare homage, President Emmanuel Macron, a centrist, addressed the country yesterday evening in Chirac’s honour. The light in the Eiffel Tower in Paris was also put off.

    Read Also: Buhari mourns Robert Mugabe

    Buhari, who sent condolences to Macron, and citizens of France, “commiserated with family and political associates of the former French leader, who served his country as a military officer, mayor, parliamentarian, and President, leaving behind a unique blend of leadership that promotes unity, cares for ordinary people and creates possibilities for all to prosper”.

    The President, in a statement by the Special Adviser on Media and publicity, Femi Adesina, believed the ability of the departed leader to make friends easily contributed to the harmonious relationship Nigeria and France enjoyed during his two tenures, 1995-2007.

    He prayed that the soul of the courageous leader will find eternal rest and the legacies of global peace that he pursued will be remembered and upheld.

    Merkel said Chirac had been a “stellar partner and friend” to Germany.

    Putin, in a letter to Chirac’s widow, Bernadette, paid tribute to his “great personal contribution” to friendship between the two countries.

    At home, political leaders were united in paying homage,  with many recalling his historic acknowledgement of the French state’s role in the wartime round-up and deportation of Jewish people to Nazi death camps.

    The National Assembly and Senate in Paris interrupted their debates to stand in silence in memory of the conservative statesman who led France from 1995 to 2007.

    The late Chirac, who was admired by many abroad for his staunch opposition to the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq in 2003, “is now part of France’s history,” National Assembly President Richard Ferrand said.

    Former Socialist President Francois Hollande said his predecessor was a fighter, a humanist, a man of culture and a European.

    “For 12 years, he presided over France with the intention of making it respected throughout the world,” Hollande wrote in a statement.

    “I think he was one of the last giants of French political life,” the conservative president of the Upper France region, Xavier Bertrand, who served under him as a minister, said.

    The late French leader had “defended, with panache, the very particular place of France during the great international disorder that followed the end of the Cold War,” his conservative successor as president, Nicolas Sarkozy, wrote on Twitter.

    “He loved France more than others after him. And for that, we are grateful to him,” radical left-wing leader Jean-Luc Melenchon tweeted.

    “Even though he was a political adversary of the National Front for decades, we will remember his refusal to take part in the second Iraq war in 2003, which was one of the last acts of sovereignty by a French head of state,” far-right leader Marine Le Pen said.

    Under Chirac’s presidency, France entered into the single European currency and abolished compulsory military service.