The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Nigerians

  • Tinubu to Nigerians: choose path of progress

    NIGERIANS should resist any attempt to roll back the progress recorded in the past three and half years by signing up for continuity in the New Year, All Progressive Congress (APC) stalwart Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu counselled in his New Year message.

    The former Lagos State governor encouraged Nigerians to select the path of forward progress as opposed to going backwards to the past that did not helped the nation.

    The APC leader said Nigerians must see the New Year as the dawn of a new beginning for their fatherland.

    Referring to the general elections, Asiwaju Tinubu said: “As time ushers in the New Year, we must look back on 2018 with thanks and gratitude. We thank God for Nigeria and all that He has done for us.

    “We realise that we still have much to do and far to travel to become the nation we are destined to be. Yet, we must also acknowledge that we have come a long way. We have made progress and it has at times been difficult, yet we stand with great hope and belief that we shall advance and move this nation forward.

    “Let us recognise that which has been done this past year.

    President Buhari has built a foundation for sustainable growth and development, a path for a better future. President Buhari has brought transparency and accountability in the government’s businesses. “The Buhari administration has shown the compassionate side of our traditions and our very nature by constructing a social safety net to assure the poorest among us are not neglected but are cared for as is the right of every human being. It has fed children that they may go to school.

    “It has trained people that they may acquire a livelihood. It has empowered those who wish to start businesses and employ others. It has helped farmers become more productive so that they may earn more money while better feeding the nation.

    “For instance, we have recorded significant breakthrough in agriculture with increased local rice production and the attendant reduction in rice importation. These things have been done not to win accolades but because they are the right things for a decent and caring government to do for a decent and good people.

    “As we move into the New Year, let us do so committed to doing our best for Nigeria.

    “The nation is on the verge of an election to determine our collective fate. We can either chose to continue forward or return to the old ways that held us back for so long. Just as 2018 must turn into 2019, we must also continue to move forward. As time cannot proceed backward. Nor should we.

    “We must enter the New Year and see it as a new day for Nigeria. Thus, I ask you to perform your civic duty to vote with utmost faith, responsibility and the best interest of the country at heart.

    “We have a choice to make. The choice we make will demonstrate the type of nation we want. I select the path of forward progress for I have never commended to myself or to the nation the awkward practice of walking backward. We must exercise courage and vision. We must continue forward. For the sake of this nation and our posterity, we dare not retreat or regress.

    “Elections will be free and fair. You must add your voice and vote. You must participate in this important exercise of our democratic rights and institutions. We seek to build a better nation. We ask you to join us.

    “In so doing, we give effect to the best of our hopes and aspirations for 2019. I wish you all a wonderful New Year”.

  • Governors to Nigerians: be hopeful about 2019

    IMO State Governor and Chairman of Progressives Governors’ Forum Rochas Okorocha, Rivers State Governor Nyesom Ezenwo, Cross River State Governor Ben  Ayade,  Southeast Governors Forum Chairman and Ebonyi State Governor Chief David Umahi have called on Nigerians to be hopeful about 2019.

    They spoke yesterday in their different new year’s messages.

    Okorocha: 2019 ‘ll favour Nigeria

    Okorocha, in his message, assured that the new year would “favour the nation and its people more than 2018”.

    The governor noted that “no nation grows with the citizenry being negative about the progress of such a nation”.

    He, therefore, urged Nigerians to see light at the end of the tunnel with regard to 2019, especially the nation’s politics, economy, unity and development.

    According to him, “the year 2018 which had just ended was not a bad year when properly scrutinised. Nigerians should be grateful to God for his goodness in 2018 and also pray that 2019 will be far better than 2018.”

    Wike wishes Rivers’ people prosperous new year

    Wike, in his message, wished Rivers people a prosperous 2019, urging them to use the New Year  to consolidate on the gains of the state’s rapid growth since 2015.

    The governor thanked Rivers people for their support and cooperation, assuring that his administration  will sustain the delivery of projects in the new year.

    He said though the outgoing year had several challenges, Rivers people should march into 2019 with renewed hope for greater accomplishments.

    The governor said the numerous challenges in 2018 did not stop his administration  from recording outstanding achievements in the area of road construction, healthcare delivery, provision of educational facilities, empowerment of the people, administration of justice, economic development  and security of lives and property.

    He said that 2018 would be remembered as a year when several key projects in Rivers State  were commissioned for over two months by eminent traditional rulers, national leaders and top political leaders  from the six geo-political zones of the country.

    Wike noted  that 2019 will witness more projects execution and empowerment  of the people in line with the tenets of New Rivers Development Blueprint.

    Look forward to better Cross River, Ayade tells residents

    Ayade urged Cross Riverians to be hopeful of a better 2019 as the foundation his administration has laid in the last three years is progressively being crystalised through rapid industrialisation.

    Ayade, in his New Year message signed by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Christian Ita, said the herald of a New Year, which comes with new vistas, new aspirations and a revitalised hope, offered Cross Riverians the chance to look forward to a better Cross River in 2019.

    According to Ayade: “Seeing out a year gone by and ushering in a new one is always a moving experience. If we take stock of the year gone by, we have every reason to be happy as our expectations are being fulfilled and our efforts at building a virile, stable and sustainable Cross River is crystalising.”

    Soliciting a hand of fellowship to actualise the dreams envisioned by his administration, the governor said: “Today, I thank you for standing by us so far and for the great support we have received from you. I also urge you to stretch your hands along with me that together, we may force a dawn of greatness on Cross River State.”

    Avoid extreme politics, says Umahi

    Umahi called on Nigerians to be more positive about Nigeria and avoid extreme politics as the country gets ready for the 2019 general elections.

    The governor, in his new year message by his Chief Press Secretary, Emmanuel Uzor, acknowledged that the country went through turbulent times in the year 2018, resulting in almost a near doubt about Nigeria.

    He called for a renewed belief in the country.

    Umahi maintained that even as Nigerians approach the polls to elect their leaders in the new year, one thing should be paramount to approach every election with every sense of brotherliness.

    Elections, he said, are not wars, calling for abolition of extreme politics among every political parties participating in the election.

  • ‘This time, last year’

    At a time most Nigerians have switched to the reflective mode, yours truly couldn’t think of a better way to put things in context than my piece published under the above title about this time last year. Expectedly, whereas some things have truly changed between when the piece was written and now, the changes, over all, have been more apparent than real. The question of whether the piece has borne out the saying that – the more things change, the more they stay the same – is for the reader to judge. Suffice to say that yours truly finds the reflections not only relevant but the issues so timely as to merit reconsideration.

    Here, you have it!

    “What a way to end the year! I mean a year which started on a cautious note, then slowly waltzed up in a surprising momentum only to end up in a terrible anti-climax. Having been spared of the experience about this time last year, if we thought that the era of crippling fuel shortages was finally gone with the supposed mother-of-all reviews of the fuel-price template of May 2016, the grand return of that Nigerian nightmare on Christmas has shown how far the handlers of the sector have yet to master the intriguing dynamics of the sector under their watch.

    As it appears, nothing truly has changed: not the pathetic blame game under which the culprit in chief would accuse others of precipitating the crisis when its own dereliction is so obvious to see; the perennial sideshow which comes by way of the routine hounding Depot and Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (DAPMAN), the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) and the legion of ubiquitous hoarders into Hades; and now top cap it all is the return of that toxic word – subsidy – into the nation’s fuel price template – yes, the old script – which underlies the federal government’s pathetic lack of will to address the economics of fuel importation under which the world’s leading oil producer is routinely subjected to the vagaries of crude oil price movements and foreign exchange fluctuations.

    Forget the NNPC’s needless showmanship; neither the crippling scarcity nor the return of the subsidy is entirely surprising. Nigerians would readily recall that the best argument put forward when the current petrol price template was set was not so much about deregulation but cost recovery. Whereas the regime of cost recovery was understandably designed to foster competition, true deregulation would involve a constant review of the parameters on the fuel price template which in effect means that prices would also change as the dynamics change. That is the dilemma that the current administration has found itself – and which has now cast a dark shadow on its modest achievements.

    It is a cross that the change administration must carry so long as oil prices continue to increase.

    By and large, year 2017 seems to have surpassed expectations. Against all expectations, it exited the recession in the second quarter with a modest GDP growth of 0.55 percent. Inflation is down from 18 percent in 2016 to around 15 percent. The naira has of course gained strength; from N490 to the USD a year ago, it currently trades at N360.  The same with the foreign reserves, it has improved dramatically from $23 billion in October 2016 to $38.2 billion a record 38-month. On the World Bank’s Ease of Doing Business Report for 2018, Nigeria ranks 145th position – 24 positions up from the 169th position in the 2017 report. There is also a fresh commitment to improve on revenue collection going by the unprecedented haul by the Nigerian Customs Service.

    So what do we expect this year?

    Whereas I wrote of a future hung on faith about this time last year, I must say that year 2018 is pregnant with possibilities. A lot depends on the fiscal discipline across the board.  At a time of unprecedented infrastructure gaps, it seems inexplicable that the federal government will for whatever reasons, fail to implement its own budget.

    Secondly, a lot would also depend on the extent on the abilities of revenue collecting agencies like the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) and the customs to sustain the current momentum. Thirdly, a lot will also depend on the extent to which the federal government is able to reduce or narrow the crippling infrastructure challenge. It is unfortunate that the Buhari administration appears to have done far less than would ordinarily been expected in the dire situation in which the economy has found itself. A sure proof of that is the perennial failure to implement the capital elements in the budget.

    But even more important is the extent to which the federal government is able to enlist the support of the private sector in getting things done. How to reduce the near total dependence of our manufacturing companies on forex market almost without exception and the associated capital flows which goes on under various guises – all of which flow directly from the failure backward integration remains  a big challenge. Just like the in the outgone year, the situation is expected to continue in 2018 and beyond.

    Finally, I want to talk about two factors that continue to undermine the economy. The first is fuel import said to account for 40 percent of our forex earnings; and the second, the scandalous situation of youth unemployment. On the first, there is at least hope that the country will somehow exit the import cycle when hopefully Dangote refineries comes on stream.

    But then, how do we begin to address the challenge of putting the nearly 50 percent of our idle youths to work? Only recently, the National Bureau of Statistics projected that “the unemployment rate, induced by a recession, typically peaks about 15-18 months after the beginning of a recession or 4-8 months after the end of a recession before it returns to its pre- recession trend”. That the unemployment situation will return to that terrible normal in 2018 can only be bad news for an economy with such a huge idle population. Has anyone thought of something of a Marshall plan to get our youths off the streets even for public works?”

    The above piece was published on January 2, 2018.

    So what has changed? Onethat is hard to miss is the yuletide-linked fuel crises. Thanks to last-minute manoeuvres by the finance ministry, the cycle of paralysis was averted in the outgone year although the issues at the heart of the crisis have remained intractable, just as the interests of the dramatis personae have also remained irreconcilable. Trust the old template –of kicking the problem down the road – working the magic. For now, we enjoy the peace while it lasts.

    The daemon of sluggish growth; of inflation and exchange rate fluctuation would seem determined not yield to easy therapy. Last year GDP growth rate was 1.8 percent. In 2017, it was 0.82 percent. The growth, though modest, is progress. As for inflation, it hovered around the 11 percent band in 2018. In 2017, it was around 15 percent. That too is positive.

    Now, the fear is that things will go worse as electioneering hits momentum in the coming weeks. And now, with the excess crude account buffer now exhausted, and another cycle of oil-price fatigue set on us, some volatility in the exchange rates and possible devaluation is not entirely ruled out.

    Just like last year, high oil price has meant higher costs to the treasury – in direct costs and subsidy. It’s a crazy business. Still wondering why the rate of forex accretion has slowed?

    By the way, I hear Dangote refinery will no longer be ready until 2022!

    Now to the final one –the elephant in the room – unemployment. From 14.2 percent in July 2017, it climbed to 20.4 percent in January 2018 only to peak at 23.1 percent in December 2018. While the figures are haunting as it is, there is something about the trend that says a lot about how far the administration is from getting things right.

    Happy new year to you, dear readers!

  • UN highlights the ‘unimaginable horrors’ of Nigerian migrants in Libya

    The United Nations has released a new report, which detailed the unimaginable horrors Nigerian migrants were being subjected from the moment they entered Libya and throughout their stay in that country.

    The report, released by the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) and the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), also showed the horrors of attempting to cross the Mediterranean to Europe.

    Entitled: ‘Desperate and Dangerous: Report on the human rights situation of migrants and refugees in Libya’, it detailed the horrific conditions Nigerian migrants and refugees faced during their transit through and stay in Libya.

    The findings were based on first-hand accounts gathered by UN human rights staff from Nigerian migrants in Libya, those who had returned to Nigeria, and Nigerians who managed to reach Italy.

    The report covered  20-months up till  August 2018, detailing a terrible litany of violations and abuses committed by a range of state officials, armed groups, smugglers and traffickers against migrants and refugees.

    The accounts of the Nigerian migrants were mostly those of woes ranging from unlawful killings to gang rape, prostitution, arbitrary detention, torture and inhumane treatment, unpaid wages, slavery, human trafficking, racism and xenophobia.

    Libyan law criminalises irregular entry into, stay in or exit from the country with a penalty of imprisonment pending deportation, without any consideration of  individual circumstances or protection needs.

    For instance, a 27-year-old man from Nigeria, who was held in captivity in Sabratah between May and October 2017, gave an account of death penalty in Libya.

    He described witnessing a migrant being shot by a “drunk guard for no apparent reason”, and another being shot point blank over a disagreement about a sim card.

    A Nigerian woman who had returned home in December 2017, gave account of rape, forced prostitution and other sexual violence.

    “To be sold and forced to have sex with Arab or African men either to pay for the journey  or to extract your money is a common thing to happen to you as a woman or a girl, all over  the journey from day one in the desert until you depart Libya.”

    A woman from Nigeria who arrived in Italy in April 2018 recounted being raped consecutively by four men, about three times a week, while held at a site in Sabha.

    She described how five men would enter detainees’ cells together and concurrently rape five women.

    When she arrived in Libya, she was in the early stages of pregnancy and suffered a miscarriage, she believed, as a result of rape.

    She claimed that when women died at the facility, guards would just shrug and remove the bodies.

    Women and girls were compelled to engage in sexual acts against their will and were under  the absolute power and control of their captors, the Nigerian migrants recounted.

    “In particular, Nigerian women and girls appear to be vulnerable to trafficking by multinational criminal networks in their countries of origin.

    “They embark on their journeys believing office work awaits them in Europe but find themselves in so-called “connection houses” (“brothels”) in Libya,” the report stated.

    A 22-year-old Nigerian woman, who was forcibly taken to a “connection house” in Tripoli’s Gergaresh neighbourhood shortly after arriving to Libya, was given a “choice” of either paying a “debt” of 24,000 Libyan dinars (then about $28,000) to her traffickers or engaging in sexual activities.

    She was forced into the second option for nearly one year until the “connection house” was raided by a Tripoli-based armed group in early 2017.

    She described the “connection house” as several three-bedroom flats, where an estimated 100 Nigerian women and girls aged between 15 and 22 shared rooms, using a curtain as a partition when engaged with “clients”.

    The women were never allowed to leave the “connection house” or to make contact with the outside world; they had to endure being raped by up to 20 men a day.

    They were not given any contraception, and several consequently got pregnant and forced to pay for dangerous abortions carried out at the “connection house”.

    As they were not allowed to keep any money in their possession and therefore unable to make payments directly, their “debts” were increased instead.

    The woman described seeing another victim bleed to death following an abortion.

    A 19-year-old girl from Nigeria promised domestic work by her traffickers found herself in a “connection house, recounted her shock.

    “At first, I refused to work. But if girls refused to work, they – connection house management and guards – would kill you or rape you and do anything they wanted to you.

    “I had to stay there for nearly a year, until I paid my debt of 1.3 million Naira ($3,500),” she said.

    Apparently due to her inability to pay a ransom, a 20-year-old Nigerian woman was forcibly transferred by smugglers/traffickers from a facility where she had spent one month to a “connection house” for one year and a half until March 2018.

    She reported being beaten at the “connection house” in Sabha for initially refusing to engage in sex work.

    As in “connection houses” in Tripoli, women and girls as young as 15 reportedly worked and slept at the facility, where they were locked up for the duration of their stay.

    They were forced to receive several clients – up to 10 – per day under threat of beatings and other abuse. She reported suffering a miscarriage and not receiving any medical treatment.

    A 23-year-old woman from Nigeria intercepted by the Libyan Coast Guard (LCG) off the coast of Zuwara in January 2017 recalled the panic caused when members of the LCG jumped onto their dinghy and shot in the air.

    Some migrants and/or refugees were reportedly beaten with hoses and the back of rifles for refusing to point out the “captain” – or individual steering the boat – to the LCG.

    A group of Nigerian men, detained at the Zuwara detention centre for two months following interception at sea in January 2018, described being beaten with water pipes and given electric shocks daily.

    They also described detainees being locked up in the refrigerated back of a van used to transport perishable food as punishment.

    A Nigerian man, who had lived and worked in Libya for 18 years, spent over one year held in the Mitiga detention centre without charge or trial after being handed over to SDF by armed men who kidnapped him in the street and collected a ransom from his wife.

    In April 2017, he and dozens of  other migrants were transferred from Mitiga detention centre to the DCIM detention centre at Tarik al-Sikka. He was deported in December 2017 for being in the country illegally.

    He had no opportunity to explain that his residence had lapsed because he had been in detention. While held at the Mitiga detention centre, he was forced to construct and paint prison cells.

    He was also beaten, held in solitary confinement for six months, slept on cardboard and rags and was denied medical treatment and family visits.

    A group of 16 Nigerian women arrested during house raids in Misrata in late August 2017 recounted being beaten with sticks and water pipes and being given electric shocks at a local police station, while being called “whores”.

    They were then transferred to al-Jawiya Prison, apparently on accusations of prostitution and alcohol consumption.

    Three women in the group suffered miscarriages in the subsequent two months, possibly due to beatings upon their arrest and medical neglect while in custody.

    They were not taken to the hospital when their bleeding started. One of the women, seven-month pregnant at the time, added: “I was feeling very sick. My friends (cellmates) started banging at the door.

    “They (prison administration) eventually took me downstairs to give me a drip (in the local clinic), but they refused to transfer me to the hospital. When I lost the baby, I had to flush it, together with the blood clots, down the toilet.”

    A Nigerian woman described to UNSMIL how “Asma boys” (as migrants refer to criminals in Libya) broke into her house, searching for money.

    They beat her even though she was visibly pregnant at the time; she showed UNSMIL a scar on her arm, which she claimed she sustained when she shielded her face from an incoming knife stab.

    The report said: “Countless migrants and refugees lost their lives during captivity by smugglers after being shot, tortured to death or simply left to die from starvation or medical neglect.

    “Across Libya, unidentified bodies of migrants and refugees bearing gunshot wounds, torture marks and burns are frequently uncovered in rubbish bins, dry river beds, farms and the desert.’’

    Tens of thousands of young men and women have been returned from Libya by the Federal Government since 2017 through the Voluntary Humanitarian Returns programme of the International Organisation for Migration.

    Dame Julie Okah-Donli, Director-General, National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), said no fewer than 13,000 trafficked Nigerians had been rescued by the agency by March 2018.

    “Some of them came back with all sorts of conditions – some treatable, some untreatable, some with hepatitis, HIV, some with full-blown AIDS,” she said, adding many of the victims have psychological problems.

    “A lot of them come back mentally sick and so we have to refer them to the mental hospitals because they were traumatised, they’ve been beaten, raped and used,” she said. (NAN)

  • Governors, others to Nigerians: allow Jesus’ message of love, peace to be your guide

    As the world marks Christmas today, governors, senators, ministers and other prominent Nigerians have called for the emulation of Jesus’ message of love, peace and humble living.

    Oyetola

    Osun State Governor Gboyega Oyetola has urged Nigerians to emulate Christ’s message of love and peace.

    Oyetola, in a statement yesterday by his Chief Press Secretary Adeniyi Adesina, rejoiced with Osun indigenes and Nigerians.

    The statement reads: “I rejoice with you fellow citizens of the State of Osun as you celebrate Christmas, the birth of Jesus Christ.

    “We should allow Jesus’ message of love, peace and humble living to be our guiding light.

    “I urge our citizens to continue to live in harmony because Jesus Christ is the Prince of Peace, with a message of peaceful co-existence among the people.

    “As the year 2018 gradually winds down, I promise to continue to run a credible and an all-inclusive government that will make life more abundant for our people.

    “This can only be possible in an atmosphere where everybody is free to contribute their quota to the economic development of our dear state

    “I urge you to show love to your fellow citizens as you go about celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ

    “Let us keep the peace and be orderly as candidates canvass for votes ahead of the 2019 elections.”

    Obaseki

    Edo State Governor Godwin Obaseki has enjoined Edo people and residents to emulate Jesus Christ as they celebrate Christmas.

    In his Christmas Message issued yesterday in Benin City, the state capital, Obaseki said: “On behalf of the government of Edo State, I rejoice with all Edo people, at home and in the diaspora as well as residents, as we celebrate Christmas.

    “Christmas season is an auspicious occasion to show love and reflect on the life of Jesus Christ, whose birth we are commemorating.

    “As we celebrate with our friends, relatives and neighbours, I enjoin you to spread the message of oneness, love, generosity and hope for greater things as demonstrated by Jesus Christ.”

    He expressed the state government’s gratitude to the people for their support for his administration.

    “As a government, we are grateful to all Edo people and residents who have stood by us in our pursuit of a united and prosperous state, where we all can realise our dreams. It is with great joy that I wish you a merry Christmas.”

     Senator Tinubu

    Lagos Central Senator Oluremi Tinubu yesterday reminded urged her constituents not to allow the reason for the season to be lost on them as they celebrate Christmas today.

    Mrs. Tinubu described the season as a period for Nigerian to pattern their lives after Jesus Christ, who came into the world as a mark of God’s compassion and love for mankind.

    She also urged Nigerians to remain steadfast and committed to the cause of a better Nigeria which, according to her, the All Progressives Congress (APC)-led administration “is working towards”.

    In her message, the senator urged Nigerians to show love and kindness to their neighbours.

    The message reads: “I rejoice with the people of Lagos Central Senatorial District, Lagos State and Nigeria for another season of festivities to commemorate the birth of our Lord Jesus and God’s love to mankind.

    “Christmas is a time of celebration, joy and love. However, it is also a time to reflect on the purpose of the birth of Christ and ensure that our lives model the exemplary sacrifice of God’s love for mankind.

    “In addition, it is a time to show love and extend helping hands, especially to the less privileged amongst us. It is my hope that we can carry on the culture of giving beyond the festivities and apply these tenets in our everyday lives as Christ enjoins us to.

    “Regardless of whatever challenges we may have faced this year which is fast coming to an end, I urge you all to remain steadfast and committed to the cause of a better Nigeria which the All Progressives Congress (APC) led administration  is working towards.

    “With the campaigns in full swing and the general elections fast approaching, we are confronted with choices or decisions to be made as individuals and a nation. I implore you to choose the path of peace for the greater good of our collective future.

    “Whatever you nurture will yield good results. Let us choose to nurture our heritage, communal history and our beloved Country Nigeria. I am certain that if we persist, it will pay off eventually.”

    Kashamu

    The lawmaker representing Ogun East Senatorial District and governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Senator Buruji Kashamu, has urged Nigerians, especially the good people of Ogun State to pray for a successful general election.

    In a statement yesterday, Kashamu expressed gratitude to God “for preserving our lives to witness another Christmas. Despite the challenges we face as a people, we should be grateful to the Almighty God for the relative peace in the land.”

    The lawmaker added that, “As we make merry and celebrate the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ, let us remember to pray for God’s continued guidance, mercy, grace and favour even as we go to the polls to elect a new set of leaders who will preside over our affairs in the next four years. Let us pray for a peaceful election in Nigeria, in general, and Ogun State, in particular, because it is only under a peaceful atmosphere that we can pursue our individual and collective goals.”

    Kashamu reiterated his commitment to the cardinal principles of transparency, inclusiveness and renewal, if elected, adding that it was by transparently involving all the stakeholders in the policy-formulation and decision-making process that the hope of the people would be renewed.

    “That is how we can collectively take Ogun State to greater heights,” he added.

    The Governorship candidate urged the electorate to vote PDP and its candidates during the 2019 general election.

    Ashafa

    The senator representing Lagos East, Gbenga Ashafa, has urged Christian brothers and sisters in Lagos East, Lagos State and Nigeria to have a joyous Christmas.

    His statement reads: “The yuletide season commemorates every good, precious and pure ideals that we share. I encourage each and every one of us to allow ourselves be infected by the spirit of joy this beautiful season as you mark the birth of Christ. It is important that we all remember that behind Christmas is the idea that we are to be our brother’s keeper and our sister’s keeper; that we should treat others as we would want to be treated and to share our love with all and sundry. It is my hope that this Christmas reminds us of these values as we keep them even after the celebration. While we are in the festive mood, let’s all be consciously reminded that the 2019 general elections is just around the corner. It is on this note that I implore each and every one of us for the good of our dear state Lagos State and great Nation Nigeria to go out enmasse to galvanize support for the All Progressives Congress (APC) from the Ward to the National Level. As we celebrate, it would be a good platform to equally share our support for President Muhamadu Buhari and Vice President Osinbajo, the APC candidate for Lagos State Gubernatorial election Mr. Babajide Sanwo-olu and his running mate Babafemi Hamzat as well as all other candidates running on the platform of the APC. Once again I wish us all a merry and joy filled Christmas.”

    FCT Minister

    Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister Malam Muhammad Bello yesterday pleaded with Christians to pray for President Muhammadu Buhari for God to continue to grant him wisdom and good health so as to take the country to the next level.

    Bello, in his 2018 Christmas message to residents of the FCT, advised Nigerians to use the occasion of this festive period to meditate and give expression to the teachings and lifestyle of Jesus Christ to neighbours and to humanity.

    His statement reads: “On behalf of the Administration and residents of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, I sincerely convey our felicitations to all FCT residents, especially our Christian friends, on the occasion of the 2018 Christmas celebrations.

    “The occasion also, offers us a unique opportunity to pray for our country Nigeria and our leaders, especially, our President, His Excellency, Muhammadu Buhari, for wisdom, courage and good health as he works to take Nigeria to the next level. This becomes more necessary, as we approach the 2019 elections.

    “I enjoin all residents to rest assured that the FCT Administration and law enforcement agencies are doing their best to guarantee the security of lives and property both during and after the festivities. You are therefore, to go about the celebrations and your lawful duties without fear. Residents are, however, requested to keep watch over their neighbourhoods and to report all suspicious movements to the law enforcement agencies nearest to them.”

    Lagos Speaker

    Lagos State House of Assembly Speaker Mudashiru Obasa has urged Nigerians to imbibe the spirit of love, tolerance, and sacrifice which made the life of Jesus Christ worthy of emulation.

    Obasa, in his Christmas message, stated that these are qualities essential for the development and growth of the country.

    “Jesus Christ was an embodiment of peace, love, tolerance and sacrfice in his entire lifetime hence he is referred and adored throughout the world. For us to be great as a nation, we must not only imbibe these qualities but we must also put them into practice,” the Lagos Assembly Speaker said in the statement by his Chief Press Secretary,  Musbau Rasak.

    According to him, “throughout his life, Jesus Christ was tolerant even against his most bitter enemies, preached and shared love and peace and ended up sacrificing his life on the cross Calvary which was the biggest supreme price one can pay for others to survive.

    “Vigilance should be our watchword all the time hence we must be wary of any unusual action in our neighbourhood, so that we continue to nip crime in the bud,” he said.

     Globacom

    Telecommunications giant Globacom yesterday congratulated Nigerian Christians on the celebration of Christmas which commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ.

    The company, in a statement in Lagos, urged them to pray for peace and unity of the nation, especially as the next general election comes up in two months’ time.

    According to Globacom, “no time is more auspicious than now to seek and pray for peace, unity and love for one another, because these are the virtues Christ symbolised”.

    It added: “As our brothers and sisters in the Christian faith celebrate Christmas, we rejoice with them and appeal to them to use the occasion of the celebration to seek the face of the Lord and pray for continued peaceful co-existence among the different groups in the country. If all Nigerians imbibe the virtues of Jesus Christ and demonstrate these in their lifestyle, the nation will remain united and make more progress.”

    Adeola

    The chairman of the Senate Committee on Local Content, Senator Solomon Adeola, has called on Nigerians to renew their faith in Jesus Christ and pray for a peaceful and rancor-free 2019 General Elections.

    In a Christmas message to felicitate with his constituents and Christendom, Adeola said Christmas symbolised the celebration of the birth of a new dawn for the salvation of souls for all humanity.

    A statement by his Media Adviser, Kayode Odunaro, said: “While acknowledging that Nigerians in general are going through a difficult gestation period for sustained economic growth that is mercifully not compounded by the usual fuel scarcity as witnessed in time past during Yuletide, the senator urged all Nigerians to be patient and look forward to a better future adding that with abiding faith in Jesus Christ all our challenges will be a thing of the past as we move to next level of our development.”

    Osun APC

    The Osun State chapter of the All Progressives Congress yesterday urged Christians to love fellow countrymen and women.

    A statement by its spokesman, Kunle Oyatomi, in Osogbo said: “As we celebrate Christmas,  the dominant spirit should be that of love, for the birth of Christ was and is the manifestation of God’s love for mankind, regardless of race, tribe or country.

    “Until we cultivate that love and make it shine through this earthly life, we may not have the full benefit of the grace that God’s love provides.

    “Although we have set a specific period for Christmas  – or the outward celebration of God’s love for us – it should not end with the physical activities of that period alone.”

    Ajibola Basiru

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) senatorial candidate for Osun Central Zone, Dr Ajibola Basiru, has felicitated with Christians on the occasion of the celebration of Christmas.

    Basiru, in a goodwill message, urged Christians to imbibe the lessons of Christmas which symbolises humility as Jesus was born in a lowly place.

    The former Osun State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice stated that: “As we celebrate, we shouldn’t forget that the birth of Jesus Christ is more of sober reflection than of outright merry making as the celebrant chose to come to the world in a manger and not a princely place. Therefore, we have to celebrate in moderation”.

    He said celebration of the birth of Christ should accommodate giving and sharing as Jesus is believed to have given his life for salvation of man. He urged people irrespective of faith to live in harmony.

    The APC senatorial candidate also enjoined his teeming supporters to go about their campaign peacefully, avoid and ignore any act of provocation from any quarters to ensure a resounding victory for all APC candidates in next year’s general elections.

  • ‘Nigerians should imbibe the teachings of Christ’

    Nigerians have been urged to imbibe the teaching of Christ, especially during this yuletide.

    Executive Chairman of Agboyi-Ketu Local Council Development Area, Mayor Dele Oshinowo, in his congratulatory message, said: “Let us imbibe the teachings of Christ who brought salvation to mankind. Christmas celebration calls for love, solidarity, cooperation, forgiveness and deep reflection as it brings about a moment where mankind was given the opportunity of salvation to reconcile with our creator.

    “It further signifies hope and joy brought to the world through redemption, and if observed righteously, this will ensure everyone lives peacefully with one another.”

    Oshinowo also praised residents of the council for their support and prayers for his administration. He appealed to them to display similar love during the elections in 2019, and urged them to use their thumbs with love, to vote for candidates of the All Progressives Congress (APC) at all levels.

    “The success story of my administration thus far would be incomplete without recognising the support we enjoy from the people, and that is why we are using this period to thank them for their perseverance, support and love.

    “As we approach the elections, we deem it necessary to inundate the electorate with messages of development and hope, which the APC has institutionalised to make life better for the people,” he added.

  • We’ve made progress on all fronts, Buhari tells Nigerians

    Global and local challenges nothwithstanding, Nigeria has made progress on many fronts, President Muhammadu Buhari said yesterday.

    Against the backdrop of insinuations of non-performance and negative narratives on economic development, the President insisted that, through perseverance, his administration lifted the economy from recession waters. The economy, he noted, has enjoyed six quarters of growth after its recovery from recession.

    The President spoke at the presentation of the N8.83 trillion 2019 Appropriation to the joint session of the National Assembly in Abuja yesterday.

    He was hacked by some lawmakers who he advised to “behave” because the world was “watching us”. But Buhari remained cool and calm as he read his speech.

    He said that contrary to the allegation of bias by the opposition in the allocation and implementation of infrastructural projects, no part of the country was neglected in the distribution of capital projects.

    “We have done more work with less resources in agriculture, infrastructure and social investments.  We have built better understanding between the Federal Government and the states on non-partisan lines, in particular, intervening several times to support states to meet their obligations, including the payment of salaries and pensions.

    “Sustained development is difficult, if not impossible, in an atmosphere of insecurity and poor governance.  We have therefore made strenuous and successful efforts to overcome the insurgency in the Northeast and to resolve inter-communal misunderstandings elsewhere.

    “The last three and a half years have been challenging, both at home and abroad. Commodity prices, both oil and non-oil, have been volatile.  Global trends, be it security, trade or politics, have also been unpredictable. Here in Nigeria, we have had to cope with disruptions in oil production and exports, security challenges and devastating floods.

    Weathering the storm

    “Through hard work, and by the special grace of God, we have weathered these storms and made progress on many fronts which is why we have cause to be optimistic about the future.

    “The economy has recovered from recession and we have had six quarters of growth since then.

    “The Federal Government and the National Economic Council (NEC) have been working in a unified and patriotic manner to tackle the underlying causes of tension between pastoralists and sedentary farmers. These conflicts have a long-standing history caused mainly by competition for increasingly scarce resources occasioned by rising population and erratic weather conditions – a product of climate change.”

    Buhari praised members of the Armed Forces and Security Services “for their courage, sacrifice and patriotism in protecting our collective safety and security”.

    “The Federal Government has also sustained its efforts to fight grand corruption and improve public financial management, and its efforts to improve public financial management through the comprehensive implementation of the Treasury Single Account (TSA), the Government Integrated Financial Management Information System (GIFIS) and the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS),” he said, adding:

    “You will also recall that as part of our commitment to improved governance, we joined the Open Government Partnership (OPG) in 2016 with the aim of enhancing public service delivery, promoting business opportunity, enhancing government efficiencies, preventing corruption and building trust in government.

    “We remain committed to these, and other institutional reforms that will enhance transparency and accountability in public service delivery.”

    Economic gains

    The President listed “several successes in economic management”.  Real Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth stood at 1.81 per cent in the third quarter of 2018 compared to 1.17 per cent in the third quarter of 2017.

    “We have had a sustained accretion to foreign exchange reserves from a low of $28.57 billion in May 2015 to $42.92 billion by mid-December 2018.  This has contributed to exchange rate stability and will provide a buffer against any unanticipated external shocks. Inflation has also declined from a peak of 18.72 per cent in January 2017 to 11.28 per cent in November this year,” he said.

    Buhari said: “In the area of trade, Nigeria has moved from a deficit to surplus in our trade balance. As at the third quarter of 2018, the trade balance was a surplus of N681.27 billion representing a significant improvement from the deficit of N290.1 billion in 2016.

    “This reflects the rebound in crude oil exports, increased non-oil exports and a reduction in the importation of food and items that can be produced locally.

    “Foreign capital inflows, including direct and portfolio investments, also responded to improved economic management. Capital importation to Nigeria in the third quarter of 2018 stood at $2.86 billion, which is a 56.7 percent increase compared to the corresponding period in 2016.

    “Trading is a significant contributor to our economic development but we must continue to focus on strengthening actual production. From farmers to miners to processors to digital entrepreneurs to players in the entertainment industry, all hands must be on deck to ensure the country succeeds.”

    According to him, “crude oil production continues to increase steadily towards budgetary targets and will receive a further boost when the 200,000 barrels per day Egina oil field starts operations”.

    Agric value chain

    “In agriculture, we are seeing increased investment across the entire value chain from agricultural inputs to farming and ultimately, food processing,” Buhari said, adding:

    “Barely three years ago, Nigeria was spending $5 million dollars a day on rice importation. Today rice imports have virtually stopped. Indeed, we are on course to achieve food security in major staple foods in the not too distant future.

    He spoke of “a lot of progress” in “infrastructure development”, stressing: “Our approach was a logical one. We simply prioritised the completion of critical on-going projects over the introduction of new ones.”

    “For example, in the Ministry of Water Resources, we identified 116 abandoned or uncompleted projects relating to irrigation, dams, drainage and water supply.

    “To date, we have completed and/or commissioned a number of these projects, including: Central Ogbia Regional Water Project, Bayelsa State; Northern Ishan Regional Water Supply Project, Edo State; Sabke Water Supply Project, Katsina State; Takum Water Supply Project, Taraba State; Ogwashi – Uku Dam, Delta State; Shagari Irrigation Project, Sokoto State; Galma Dam, Kaduna State; Mangu Water Supply Project, Plateau State; and Federal University of Agriculture, Makurdi Water Supply Project, Benue State.

    “In the railway sector, we completed and commissioned the Abuja-Kaduna Rail Line and the Abuja Metro-Rail Project. Similarly, the previously abandoned Itakpe-Ajaokuta-Warri Rail Line is undergoing test runs and will soon be commissioned.

    “We are also on track for the Lagos – Kano rail line as significant progress has been made on the Lagos to Ibadan segment of the project.

    “We remain committed to rebuilding and expanding our road network.  In 2018, an additional 1,531 kilometers of roads have been constructed and 1,008 kilometers rehabilitated across the country.

    Priority projects

    “Priority projects, such as the Abuja – Kaduna – Kano highway, as well as the Second Niger Bridge are well underway through the Presidential Infrastructure Development Fund.

    “In every state today, there is a major federal road project going on. For instance, in the Northcentral, long neglected roads like the Ilorin-Jebba Road, a stretch of 93 km that took a number of days to travel has been completed to provide a critical link between the North and South of Nigeria over a few hours.

    “We have awarded the dualisation of this road to expand it all the way to Mokwa, as we have done to the Abuja – Keffi-Lafia -Makurdi roads where work recently commenced.  Similarly, work has resumed on the Suleja – Minna road after years of inactivity.”

    Buhari listed projects in the Southsouth. He said: “We have recently completed the 60 km section of Alesi to Ugep in Cross River State, and awarded the 72km section from Odukpani Junction to Ugep which will reduce a journey that used to take 3 days a few years back, to 3 hours.

    “Work has also commenced on the Calabar – Itu – Odukpani Road that links Akwa-Ibom to Cross River State, as we have started work on the long-neglected Bodo – Bonny Bridge to connect these long separated communities.”

    Federal Presence in regions

    “In the Southeast, a critical section of Umunya linking Awka to Onitsha, a stretch of 18 kilometers, is being constructed now and one side of it should be ready for use before June 2019. Roads like Arochukwu – Ohafia – Bende are also receiving our attention.

    “In the Southwest, long neglected and abandoned roads like the Badagry Expressway have been awarded for construction along with the Apapa – Tin Can Island, Mile 2 – Oworonshoki road to ease the congestion currently being experienced in Lagos, while interstate roads linking Ogun through Ikorodu to Sagamu, and Ipaja to Otta and Abeokuta are being repaired with payment to contractors.

    “In the Northwest, we have completed the Sokoto to Tambuwal – Jega Road comprising 135km out of the entire Sokoto to Yauri stretch and sections of Kaduna Eastern bypass and Kano Western bypass are also progressing.

    “In the Northeast, we have started work on the long-neglected Mayo – Belwa – Jada Road, and the Gombe – Numan – Jalingo Road and recently awarded the reconstruction of bridges damaged by insurgency.

    “In addition, thanks to the N100 billion Sukuk Bond raised in Nigeria, work is on-going in 25 road projects. They incllude: construction of the Oju/Loko-Oweto bridge over River Benue; dualisation of section of Abuja-Abaji-Lokoja Road; dualisation of section of Suleja-Minna Road; dualisation of section of Lokoja-Benin Road (Obajana – Okene); dualisation of section of Kano – Maiduguri Road linking Kano-Jigawa-Bauchi-Yobe; dualisation of section of Kano-Katsina Road; dualisation of section of Kano Western By-Pass; construction of Kaduna Eastern By-Pass; rehabilitation of outstanding section of Onitsha-Enugu Expressway; rehabilitation of Enugu-Port Harcourt Road and the dualisation of a section of Yenegoa Road junction.

    “In power, we are working on over 90 transmission projects across the country; major power transmission stations like Mayo Belwa in Adamawa, Ejigbo and Odogunyan in Lagos, Apo in Abuja, Ikot – Ekpene Switching Station Akwa Ibom, Maiduguri in Borno, Damaturu in Yobe have been completed to support electricity transmission.

    “For effective delivery to critical areas, we decided that we had to decentralize power supply leveraging off-grid solutions especially solar based systems.  We are pushing more “willing- buyer willing –seller” arrangements. Already, this has brought more reliable off-grid power to markets and economic clusters around the country.

    “The projects being implemented right now include the Ariaria Market in Aba, the Sabon Gari Market in Kano, the Sura Shopping Complex in Lagos, to mention a few. Our hope is to roll out such programmes to 300 such economic clusters across the country.

    “In addition to economic clusters, we are also looking at rolling out similar off grid solutions to universities and medical centers across the country.

    “As we develop our infrastructure and power sector, we have not lost sight of the adverse impact climate change has to our economy, food and national security agenda. “The recent floods, farmer-herdsmen conflict and aggressive desertification are all effects of climate change. We have seen our forests, lakes, arable land and grazing areas gradually disappear over the decades.

    “As a government, we took a long term view on tackling the effects of climate change which must be contained and ultimately reversed. We have stepped up our afforestation efforts. In the past two years, we have planted over 2.3 million seedlings in 21 states.

    “We also successfully launched the Green Bond which will focus on developing environmentally friendly projects and other green programmes across the country. Nigeria is also actively participating in international efforts to tackle climate change.

    Stakeholders’

    partnership

    “Furthermore, working with key stakeholders, including the National Assembly, state governments and the private sector, we intensified our drive to remove obstacles, reduce processes and lower costs of doing business.

    “The fact that over the past three years, Nigeria has gained 24 places in the World Bank Ease of Doing Business rankings is a clear indication that we are moving in the right direction.

    “We are confident that improvements arising from on-going work will result in another quantum leap in the 2019 rankings.  The states have also keyed into efforts to improve the business environment, and the sub-national Doing Business Report for Nigeria showed that 32 out of 36 states recorded overall improvement”.

    Buhari spoke of efforts made in human capital development through some initiatives to boost the economy through entrepreneurial empowerment

    According to him, in line with the commitment of the government to creating a fairer and more inclusive society, efforts were made specifically through the N-Power scheme, 500,000 graduates have been employed to date.

    Others, he said,  include: the National Home-Grown School Feeding programme under which 9,300,892 pupils are being fed in 49, 837 schools in 24 states. The programme empowers  96,972 cooks. There is also the Government Enterprise and Empowerment Programme under which 1,378,804 loans have been disbursed to small businesses and farmers in all states including the FCT.

    The Presidentr went on: “These are interest-free loans that will be paid back; and 297,973 households in 26 states across the country are benefiting from the Conditional Cash Transfer Programme.”

    It was not all kudos. Buhari identified an area of concern, despite “the improved performance of the economy since we started implementing our Economic Recovery and Growth Plan (ERGP)”. “That has to do with our unsatisfactory revenue performance, adding:

    “Although we have sustained efforts at boosting tax revenues, our progress has been constrained by the relatively low level of growth, having just emerged from recession. This has restrained our tax revenue drive.

    “Furthermore, the volatility in oil prices, and disruptions in oil production, delayed our plans to recover past due oil licence and royalty charges as well as restructuring of the Joint Venture Oil Assets.

    “As we have returned to the path of growth, I have directed that action on all our revenue initiatives be expedited.

    “I have already issued a number of Presidential directives on the disposal of recovered assets, deployment of the National Trade Window as well as the immediate recovery of past-due oil royalties, including by crude seizures, if necessary.

    Those who have been asking about the whereabouts of recovered assets got a reply. The President said:

    “On asset recovery, in order to put to use for the benefit of all Nigerians monies and assets stolen from the public treasury, we have since the 2016 Budget created a revenue line in the budget for stolen and recovered funds.

    “Thus every government project today benefits in one way or the other from recovered looted funds. I have also directed all the relevant authorities to liquidate all recovered, unencumbered assets, such as landed properties, buildings  and vehicles, so that these funds can be available to help in the funding of the budget, particularly the important infrastructure projects.”

  • ‘Nigerians are religious’

    One of the visiting leaders of the True Jesus Church, Pastor Hong-Hsiung Ko, has said Nigerians fear God and are mostly religious.

    Ko, who described Saturday as the Sabbath Day, said his church does not believe in trinity and worship on Saturday, not Sunday, as most Nigerian Christians.

    The cleric spoke at the weekend Port Harcourt, Rivers State, during the dedication of the branch of the international church and ordination of two pastors.

    He said: “This is a very essential thing for us. According to the God-head, we believe that God is one true God and He is beyond all human concepts. We believe that He from heaven revealed Himself to us. We do not know about Him. We understand Him, because He revealed Himself to us.

    “First, the essence of God is the spirit (John 4:24). Secondly, God revealed Himself to Moses. He told Moses that His name is I am that I am. This is God’s existence. We believe that He lives forever. We believe that he is spirit.

    “The creed said that God father, son and Holy Ghost exist. God the father exists in eternity. He is not made. He exists alone in eternity already before now and the spirit exists from the father and the son.

    “The trinity doctrine has always been in existence, but we believe that the spirit is everywhere. We believe in one true God. After the creation, we knew who the first son of God was, which was Adam. The son (Jesus) is the second Adam.

    “It is not contradictory that the church does not believe the trinity, but members pray in the name of Jesus. The trinity exists because of salvation. Human is the son of God and the spirit is a working spirit. Jesus is a second Adam. The son is not the God-head. The son became a son out of flesh and that made him a son. He is our brother (Psalm 2:1 and Heb. 4:14). We believe that God is a spirit and because of salvation plans, Jesus was made flesh. Trinity came from Hinduism.”

    The pastor also said that the church, with its headquarters in Los Angeles, USA, believes in salvation and baptism in Jesus’ name for remission of sins. He stressed that baptism was a big thing to the church.

    Ko said: “Every baptised member (of the church) must be converted and taught the doctrines of the gospel. To us, the basis of membership is baptism. So, if someone stays in this church for ten years and he is not baptized, he is not our member. Even if he is baptised in another church, we call him brother, but he is not our member.

    “If you have five wives and you want to come to True Jesus Church, you must drop four of them and take only one. The population of this church worldwide is about 1.5 million and about 4,000 or more in Nigeria. This church has branches in Calabar, Lagos and Port Harcourt…”

    The cleric also insisted that Christendom was not united, but not wholly divided, while admitting that Jesus is the only name that people could rely on and be saved.

  • Nigerians to honour Bola Ige, 17 years after

    The Bola Ige Centre for Justice is organising the 17th year edition of Bola Ige Memorial Symposium with then theme: Reclaiming the Six South West States by the Progressives, 15th Year After PDP Tsunami: Nigerians Must Be Once Bitten, Twice Shy, to be delivered by Dr Wale Okediran and Mr Dare Babarinsa on December 18 at 10 a.m prompt at the Banquet Hall of Lagos Airport Hotel, Ikeja.

    The keynote address will be delivered by former Osun State Governor Rauf Aregbesola.

    The chairman of occasion is a Lagos chieftain of Pan-Yoruba group, Afenifere, Prince Tajudeen Olusi.

    President Muhammadu Buhari is expected to be the special guest honour while the guests of honour are: Mr Babajide Sanwoolu, Mr Bayo Adelabu and Mr Dapo Abiodun, the APC governorship candidates for Lagos, Oyo and Ogun states.

    The APC National Vice Chairman (Southwest), Pastor Bankole Oluwajana and the senator representing Lagos Central, Mrs Oluremi Tinubu, are Father and Mother of the Day.

    The chief host is Lagos State Governor Akinwunmi Ambode. Hosts are family members of the late Chief Bola Ige, led by Mrs Funso Adegbola (nee Ige) and Mr Muyiwa Ige.

  • APC to PDP: Stop dancing on the grave of Nigerians

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) has asked the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) to stop dancing on the graves of innocent Nigerians who were killed while they were at the helm of affairs in the country.

    National Publicity Secretary of the party, Mallam Lanre Issa-Onilu said in a statement that the main opposition party should also stop playing politics with the nation’s security and campaign on issues.

    Read Also:500 Fayose’s loyalists dump PDP for APC

    He said the PDP and indeed, all Nigerians owe victims of those gruesome killings solemn conducts in their honour and in empathy with the bereaved families.

    The APC spokesman who was reacting to a statement credited to the PDP national Chairman said: “The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in its latest ignominious campaign of falsehood is attempting to distort facts on the security record of the President Muhammadu Buhari-led All Progressives Congress (APC) administration.

    “The PDP National Chairman Uche Secondus in a recent television interview declared that under the APC administration, more Nigerians have been killed than during the Civil War that ended in 1970. Sadly, this kind of blatant falsehood has become the favourite pastime of the PDP.

    “If we are to join the PDP in their mindless game of playing politics with the state of insecurity, we would be pitching the number of casualty during the civil war with what Nigerians witnessed under PDP. As a Party, we would rather engage the PDP on the number of completed projects and pro-people policies we have embarked on as a government for the benefit of the country.

    “The APC understands governance to be serious business and is focused on finding lasting solution to the state of insecurity. Notably, significant successes have been recorded in the last three and half years.

    “For instance, the Niger Delta violence that was prevalent under the PDP government has not only been tackled, the APC government has now embarked on the environmental cleanup of Ogoniland to restore the ecosystem of the area, which was of no concern to PDP during its 16 years of ignoble rule.

    “Besides guerrilla attacks and hitting at soft targets, Boko Haram has been seriously degraded such that it lacks any capacity to hold territory. Most Nigerians, especially, the people of the North East are still smarting from the monstrosity of Boko Haram attacks on the innocent citizens and control of large swathes of the country’s territory under PDP.

    “However, in view of the PDP’s distortion of facts, it is necessary to catalogue some of the many unresolved political assassinations, state sponsored military attacks against Nigerian citizens and unchecked ethno-religious conflicts that led to the gruesome deaths of hapless Nigerians in their thousands.

    “We sadly recall military attacks on communities such as Odi and Zaki Biam; resultants deaths from riots over Sharia law in different parts of the North; unchecked internecine killings in Plateau State and other states in the North Central claimed thousands of lives.

    “The Niger Delta militancy that emerged under PDP made the region a hotbed of expatriate kidnappings, killings, illegal bunkering and other criminal activities. With the emergence of Boko Haram under the PDP administration, the sect was allowed to gain ground and control 14 local governments, turning states like Borno, Adamawa, Yobe and the Federal Capital Territory into killing fields.

    “The least PDP can do in this circumstances is to resist the urge to dance on the graves of the hundreds of thousands of people who were gruesomely murdered while it was in charge. PDP and indeed, all of us owe victims solemn conducts in their honour and in empathy with the bereaved families.”