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  • My five-day ordeal in prison over alleged attack on Obasanjo -Imo Deputy Governor

    My five-day ordeal in prison over alleged attack on Obasanjo -Imo Deputy Governor

    Imo State Deputy Governor, Prince Eze Madumere, speaks on his responsibilities as deputy governor, his relationship with Governor Rochas Okorocha, his marriage, family life and other issues of interest, in this interview with OKODILI NDIDI

    Many of your colleagues have described the office of the deputy governor as very challenging. What has been your own experience?

    Coming from where I came from as a former Chief of Staff in the Rescue Mission Government, the office of the Chief of Staff enabled me to know a lot about my current office as the deputy governor. And being that I was the coordinator and the engine room of the government at that time, most of the assignments the governor gave to the then deputy governor passed through me. This gave me enough understanding of some of the challenges that I am facing now as deputy governor.

    Of course, you know the deputy governor’s roles are very simple. Of course, you are supposed to basically complement the governor whenever he is absent. And the primary responsibility of the deputy governor as enshrined in the 1999 Constitution as amended, is to be the chairman of the Boundary Commission in the various states. Other assignments are at the discretion of the governor. So, you are only at the mercy of your governor, depending on the kind of relationship you have with him.

    In my own case, I have a wonderful relationship with my governor. That is why I have the privilege to represent him whenever it is necessary.

    What is the secret of your cordial relationship with the governor?

    It is simple. The reason is that most deputy governors you see in the system emerged through political alliance, and it is not always good for the polity. So when someone has a mandate, it is good to allow the person to choose who he is very comfortable with. And most of the misunderstanding that come between governors and their deputies are as a result of political arrangements which they are not comfortable with.

    In my own case, the secret is that I grew through the ranks with my boss. We have been working together for more than twenty-three and a half years now. I started serving my boss as his Personal Assistant (PA) Foreign Affairs. Then I grew up in the system to become his Chief of Staff as a private individual. Then when we came into government, he also revalidated my appointment as a Chief of Staff. Then an opportunity came and I became the deputy governor the first time and was re-elected deputy governor. So what makes my relationship with my governor different from others is that we have known ourselves for a long time. It is like one big family. For me, Governor Rochas Okorocha is like a father. So I don’t even see myself as the deputy governor but as a PA (personal assistant) to my governor, and that has been my strength and secret.

    On different occasions, the governor has described you as his beloved son in whom he is well pleased. Can you explain this?

    His Excellency, my leader and my governor, is speaking from his heart. Like I said, this relationship has spanned more than two decades, and the governor knows me very well and I know him too. When the governor makes that kind of statement, it shows the trust and confidence he has in me, and I have always appreciated that from the bottom of my heart. I have always prayed to God to never allow me to let my boss down.

    Can you tell us what your experience has been working with him both as a private individual and as a governor?

    Like I have said, being with someone like Rochas Okorocha, my governor and leader, for the past 23 years, if you cannot know your boss within that time frame, you are not worthy to be his servant. My governor is a very dynamic individual. He is a multi-tasked and multi-talented individual. He is a man full of ideas, and every particular moment, he wants to let out those things that are itching in his head. But it takes the people around him to execute such things. So the experience has been enormous and challenging. Everyday has been a lesson.

    People perceive your boss as highly controversial. Having worked with him for such a long time, can you tell us who Rochas Okorocha really is?

    Those who perceive Rochas as controversial are people who do not know who he is. If you know him like I do, you will know that he is a man that is highly blessed by God and he is a great giver. He is a man that has the heart for the common people and does not want to see anyone in pain. He is also a man that is always willing to listen. Rochas Okorocha takes those decisions that politicians usually don’t take because he has the political will. Maybe that is why people say he is controversial.

    For instance, we are doing urban renewal in Owerri. We have done free education as a government and I can go on and on. But when such decisions are taken, people term them controversial. He is a man that is convinced about what he wants and all we need to do is to support him. The fact is that once things are not done the way the opposition wants it, they call it controversial. It is not proper to term Rochas as controversial.

    There are calls in some quarters that you should succeed your boss. Do you align yourself to such calls?

    Well it is not my call to make. First of all, you know I was the Chief of Staff. The day I became the deputy governor, I had no idea. It is also important for you to know that the letter that went to the House of Assembly for me to become the deputy governor came through me. The governor gave me the letter to go and submit to the Speaker, and I took the letter without even asking my boss whose name was in it, because I had the confidence that the governor knew what he was doing, despite the fact that we had extensive discussions till 1:00am prior to the letter and he asked me to go to sleep, that we would decide on what to do in the morning. Little did I know that the letter I sent to the Speaker contained my nomination as the deputy governor. So I never clamoured to become the deputy governor. There were many people then clamouring to replace the impeached deputy governor, but I was not among them. I was busy doing my work then as the Chief of Staff and now I am the Deputy Governor. So who am I to question God? If the Almighty God who we all worship says it is me, let it be so. But if God says no, it is not me, why will I struggle?

    I want to make it very clear, Rochas Okorocha does not owe me. He has done what he can do for me in life. He gave me an opportunity to be in Nigeria and be what I am today. I probably would still be living in America. So, for that platform he created for me, I will ever remain grateful. So if any opportunity comes in the future, we will deal with it. But for now, I am not clamouring for anything.

    Supposing it is the will of God that you succeed your boss, will you continue with his policies and programmes?

    Of course, it has been our dream that whoever will succeed my boss will be somebody who has the Rescue Mission vision at heart, so that the legacy of my governor and our team will be sustained.

    Six years running, how would you rate the Rochas Okorocha administration?

    The last six years have been challenging. But we are happy that in the history of Imo State, no administration has surpassed what this Rescue Mission administration led by Owelle Rochas Okorocha has done. Is it the free education programme from primary to university level, which is unprecedented in the history of the state, or the 27 brand new general hospitals, or the 105 schools, or the about 1000km rural roads or the modernization of Owerri, Orlu and Okigwe cities and eight other satellite towns? This government has changed the face of Imo State. So the achievements are enormous and it will be a big task for subsequent administrations to surpass.

    People refer to you as Mr. Humility obviously as a result of your unassuming posture and attitude, which makes it difficult for people to easily identify you as the deputy governor. Where did you get the attribute from?

    It is the upbringing I had from my family. I came from a family of seven. I am the third male child. I have six brothers and a sister. One of the things our parents used to tell us in our early days was to always be ourselves no matter where we might find ourselves in life. When I was travelling to the US especially, I was advised to be myself and always remember home and not forget my roots. So I have always tried to be myself, and no person or position can make me change from being who I am.

    Talking about your growing up, were you born into a rich family?

    My father is an average but comfortable man. Although I was not born with a silver spoon, we were very comfortable. We had the opportunities every average Nigerian family would have. My father came from a very wretched family but broke the jinx by excelling in business. My father was once a major contractor in this state. The place I am living now as a deputy governor was actually built by my father in 1977. And as a young boy then, when they were building this house, I was running errand for the workers. My father and I never knew that many years later, I would live in the same house as deputy governor. Then, I was always involved in whatever my father was doing, and that greatly prepared me for life.

    As a young man, what did you do to make ends meet?

    My background of going to school in Lagos has so much to do with me, apart from my family upbringing. When I was in the primary school in Lagos, in between classes, we used to go to technical workshops and I used to participate in wood work. Then my school was at Alhaji Masha (Surulere), and we travelled all the way to Costaine for practicals. So that desire to succeed outside of my family has always been in me and I eventually I grew up with it.

    Even as a young chap during my secondary school days, what my grandmother used to call me was ‘Engineer’, because each time the generator was down, I would be the one to fix it and other technical matters. So, growing up in Lagos created a lot of opportunities for me. Even to travel to the United States, my parents never knew how I travelled. So it is basically the exposure that I got in Lagos that gave me the opportunity to do most of things I did in life and succeeded.

    Why didn’t you study Engineering, knowing that you are gifted in that field?

    The truth of the matter is that I was supposed to be an engineer, because basically, I was a science student. But along the line, during my college years, I had a scholarship from PepsiCo and the scholarship was to do Management. That was why I left Engineering, because I had to do what the organisation wanted.

    At what age did you get married and how did you propose to your wife?

    I had the opportunity to marry earlier than I did. I was 32 years when I got married, and there was so much pressure that I should marry then but I was trying to fix one or two things first, especially ensuring that your siblings were in good positions so that you won’t have things that would pull you down.

    I was already living in the US before I met my wife. It was during one of my holiday trips. If you know Owerri very well, I was coming out from the famous Works Layout when I saw a young lady that came out from a taxi and I was driving with my immediate elder brother, a friend and one other lady friend that came with me from the United States. So when I sighted the lady, I told everyone in the car, ‘Look at that lady; she is going to be my wife.’ They thought I was joking. When I levelled up with her, I called her but she refused to stop. So I came out of the car and kept following her until I cornered her and she said her father was around. So we agreed that I should pick her up at that corner the following day.

    The next day, before I came out, she was already waiting for me at the corner. That was how I met my wife. So I picked her up, but I didn’t know that she had malaria. So I ended up taking her to a clinic where she was treated for malaria that same day. Eventually, we started dating and I was shuttling between the United States and Nigeria. My governor was then a delegate to the Constitutional Conference and I was serving as his PA at the conference. That gave me the opportunity and I took a leave of absence from where I was working. So after two years of courtship, we finally got married in 1996. After our marriage, my first daughter came in 1997 and the marriage is blessed with four wonderful children: two beautiful girls and two handsome boys.

    At what point did you break even in life?

    It happened back in the United States. I was working with Pespsi and I was a very comfortable young man. I was one of those few people in the Nigerian community who bought a house in the US then at a very young age. I was not even married when I bought my first house. I bought the house in 1991 and five years later, I got married. Then it was not easy to see Nigerians buying houses in the US because they believed that they would be going back.

    The company I was working with gave me a lot of opportunities in so many countries overseas with a lot of bonuses attached. That gave me the resources to acquire few things around here. So, God has blessed us and we are very comfortable.

    A lot of people hold the opinion that you have not used your position as deputy governor to attract development to your area, especially in the area of road infrastructure…

    Well, what you need to understand is that the system we run is not the system  that the governor comes and says he is from his own local government and the deputy governor says he is from his own local government and every other person should go to the other side and stay because they don’t have the governor or the deputy governor. The truth of the matter is that everything we do in this state, we share it equally among all the 27 local government areas. The same amount is distributed round.

    For instance, 70 of our projects are situated in Owerri town. Is the governor from Owerri? The answer is no. Or is the deputy governor from Owerri? But the right thing has to be done. If we are what the previous administrations did, yes my people will not feel the same way; everywhere would have been developed and maybe we would have concentrated on the local government areas of the governor and the deputy governor. But we have had our own share. But you need to understand that over the years, nothing was done that my local government area is the closest local government to the city. Mbaitoli is the largest local government area and the people expect quick result because their son is the deputy governor, forgetting that Mbaitoli is vast and 20km of road is like nothing is there.

    But eventually, with time, most of these things will be in place. Recently the governor gave N20 million to each local government, but my local government got N40 million because of its size. Likewise Ngor-Okpala and Ohaji-Egbema. These are local government areas that have a lot of roads compared to others. If previous administrations did what we are doing, all these things would have been a progression. Before in this state, before you could see a governor to consider your road, you would have known how many cows you have presented. But this time, we don’t need to know you.

    You were reported to be in prison custody before your boss won the election. What actually happened?

    It was during the grand finale of our governorship campaign. Then, we were in APGA and the then ruling party of Governor Ikedi Ohakim was PDP. I was heading the campaign of the Rescue Mission. We had sought for and got security clearance to hold our grand finale at the stadium and paid for the stadium. Eventually, the PDP decided to hold their grand finale the same day we were holding our own. They asked them to refund the money we paid for the stadium, saying that they were going to use the same venue.

    We went across to where they had township primary school. That is where the governor put a legacy project now known as the Owerri Township School. We paid for the place. But the PDP came again and took over the place, saying that they were using it as their parking lot and there was no other place that was comfortable. We went to our campaign headquarters, which was very close to the Okigwe Roundabout. That was where we set up to hold our grand finale. In the process, we heard that Governor Ohakim had invited the then President Olusegun Obasanjo for their grand finale at the stadium. I was at the ground coordinating our grand finale.

    You know that our venue was close to the road and there was bound to be a spillover of the crowd to the road. But they said that when the President’s convoy was passing, it was pelted with pure water, and I was accused of inciting the crowd against the President. Then in the night, they held a Security Council meeting and decided that since they could not get my boss, I should be arrested. That was how they stormed my hotel and arrested me in the night. I spent five days in the police cell. When women and civil society groups stormed the police headquarters, they promised to release me in the morning. But rather than release me, they quickly arraigned me in court the following morning with trump up charges, and without the Magistrate asking our views, I was remanded in prison custody and I spent a total of five days in prison. I was charged with 18 others I had never met in my life. We appeared before six different judges, and every morning, they would go to the house of the Judge we were to appear before and fire shots to frighten him. But with pressure coming from civil society groups, we were eventually granted bail six days before the governorship election.

    How do you unwind?

    I am somebody who likes to be alone. That is the best way I relax. Once I have my ipad, I will be okay. I just like to be alone and plan myself very well. I don’t drink or smoke. I don’t hang out. I stay out of trouble because one of the biggest challenges I have is that I don’t go anywhere, I don’t visit people. And in my position, when you start hanging out, people will start quoting you out of context, saying the things you never said or did. I didn’t come from any political alliance; that is why I am mostly on my own.

  • Fed Govt owes Jonathan, Obasanjo, IBB, Shagari, 10 months salary allowances

    Fed Govt owes Jonathan, Obasanjo, IBB, Shagari, 10 months salary allowances

    Another shocking picture of the economic recession was painted yesterday.

    Former leaders – Goodluck Jonathan, Olusegun Obasanjo, Ibrahim Babangida and Shehu Shagari have not been paid their salaries and allowances since January.

    Members of the Senate Committee on Federal Character and Inter-Governmental Affairs, who visited the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (OSGF), were shocked by the news.

    Paucity of funds due to non approvals by President Muhammadu Buhari was blamed for the inability to pay the entitlements of the former leaders.

    Payment schedules were said to have been sent to President Buhari for approval to access funds from the Service Wide Vote to pay the outstanding allowances.

     The SGF, Mr. David Lawal Babachir, attributed the failure to pay to lack of funds in Service Wide Votes for salaries of former presidents.

    Babachir told the committee members: “There is a department responsible for payment of former Presidents. At present, funds are not available in Service Wide Votes to do that. We are aware that there was a protest in Bayelsa State that former President Goodluck Jonathan was not paid, but we have explained that he is not the only one affected.

    “Others affected are Inter Religious Council, traditional rulers council and so on. For some reason, we have been writing and writing, but there has been no response. And there is presently no money to pay them.

    “The budget for this year’s Democracy Day was N33 million and we had to do it on credit; we are yet to pay. There are lots of retreats which ought to be organised but there is no money to do any. The last time we got any release was in August.”

    The Senator Tijjani Kaura (APC, Zamfara North)-led committee members frowned at the non-payment of the former presidents’ entitlements.

    They canvassed a joint action by the Office of the SGF and the committee to resolve the “most unfortunate” problem.”

    The lawmakers also emphasised the need to draw the attention of the Budget Office and Ministry of Finance to the development.

    Vice Chairman of the committee, Senator Suleiman Hunkuyi, described the non-payment of former presidents as abnormal.

    Hunkuyi said: “What we have seen here is an abnormality. Before referring any matter to the National Assembly, it is a function of the executive to appropriate funds. Therefore, the SGF should understand that there is something wrong in this office that must be addressed.

    “There is no way you can run the expenses of this office without cash backing. We definitely have to draw the attention of the Budget Office and Ministry of Finance to the problems.”

    Former Sokoto State Governor Senator Aliyu Wamakko, a member of the committee also criticized the non-payment of former presidents by the office of the SGF.

    Wamakko said: “We can understand if former President Goodluck Jonathan has not been paid because he just left office. But for someone like Shagari, who lives from hand to mouth, it’s something I can’t understand. This development is really unfortunate;  it doesn’t indicate seriousness, and it doesn’t indicate fairness.”

    The SGF who laboured to calm the lawmakers, said: “When I got into this office, there was a lot of money in this account, but there was no Treasury Single Account.

    “Before the government left office, they jacked up salaries. We told former Presidents Jonathan and Obasanjo that they cannot earn twice what the others were earning. So we told them we wanted to review it, and we did. So they now earn what the others earn as well.

    “When I came into office, there was N1.5b in the account. We had payment of all liabilities which came to 700 million. Then we wrote to the President to return what was left to the TSA. That was how we came back to a zero balance.

    “It is painful to me because as a person I know all of them (ex-presidents) personally. Now, why have we not been able to get the money? We requested for a budget of N700 million, complaining, but the President has his way of doing things.

    “Look around, you’ll see government vehicles breaking down every now and then. Really, I know the challenges the Budget Office is facing, but the truth is, the funds are not just there. In any government, there are certain agencies that must be served first before others. So we have agreed on that. However, we will lean harder on the finance ministry to see that the situation is turned around.

    “As SGF, I’m getting embarrassed and demeaned by chasing money coming from demands. All MDAS come to me for things to be done, and it is not quite easy, but we will try our best.

    “Last year, these political appointees had nothing. As to assistance, we really need assistance, if not but to retain all what we have budgeted for.”

    Babachir urged the National Assembly to intervene by approving funds proposed by his office in the 2017 budget to be submitted soon.

    “What is in our budget, we need your help to defend it. This is part of the change agenda, so we must learn to sew our cloth according to the material,” he said.

    The committee faulted the office of the SGF over replication of 2016 budget details in its 2017 budget proposal.

  • Obasanjo gets Aba made shoes from Ikpeazu

    Obasanjo gets Aba made shoes from Ikpeazu

    Former President Olusegun Obasanjo yesterday received some pairs of shoes – all Aba made, from Abia State Governor Victor Ikpeazu.
    Obasanjo, who wore a pair, said since the shoes looked nice on his feet, it would also look good on anyone.
    The shoes, half a dozen of them, were presented to him on Monday evening when Ikpeazu, who doubles as the Ambassador of ‘Made in Aba’ products, visited the ex-President at his Presidential Hilltop home in Abeokuta, Ogun State capital.
    The governor explained to his host that “the shoes are all hand-made in Aba,” adding that 50,000 pairs were being made for the Army.
    Obasanjo lauded the Aba artisans for their ingenuity and creativity, saying the African Export–Import Bank (AFREXIM) might establish an industrial park in Aba to “encourage and support made in Africa products”.
    He urged the governor to give the AFREXIM team the necessary support.
    The former President noted that for a nation battling recession, their ingenuity is quite significant.
    “The three options of hard work, production and trade” are what Nigeria needs to exit these hard times.
    “When we use what we make by ourselves, for ourselves, others will support and will be willing to try and make use of what we make here.
    “Governor, I can’t thank you enough and truly I can’t thank enough my brothers and sisters, who have decided to adorn me with these wonderful gifts.
    “For me, this is significant in many ways and in fact the message I want to deliver to you is the message of AFREXIM, which is spearheading ‘Made in Africa’ products.
    “Indeed, we need this at a time as this. If we are going to get out of recession, we can only produce and trade to get out of recession.
    “There is no easy option to get out of this situation. The hard options are hard work, production and trade.
    “We have to trade internally, trade within ourselves in Africa and trade with the rest of the world. If the shoes that I am wearing are good for me, I believe they should be good for anybody in Nigeria, for anybody in Africa and indeed anybody in the world.
    “When we use what we make by ourselves, for ourselves, others will support and they will be willing to try and make use of what we make here.”
    Ikpeazu said the industry was worth N150 billion, with 150,000 people.
    The governor added that the government established a quality control agency to ensure the products meet minimum standard.
    He said they were working on packaging, while planning to also go leather, tannery, provision of gum and other accessories.
    “We need three essential things from the Federal Government to turn Abia State into the nation’s industrial hub – Electricity; good roads; and security.”

  • ‘Obasanjo, Yar’Adua, Jonathan blew over N70trn oil money in 15 year’

    ‘Obasanjo, Yar’Adua, Jonathan blew over N70trn oil money in 15 year’

    •NEITI boss seeks prudent expenditure

    Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI) Executive Secretary Waziri Adio said yesterday that the administrations of Presidents Olusegun Obasanjo, Umaru Musa Yar’Adua and Goodluck Jonathan blew over N70 trillion earned from sale of crude oil and gas between 1999 and 2014.

    Adio said this in his office when the Senate Committee on Federal Character and Inter-Governmental Affairs visited him during an oversight function.

    He insisted that unless the country developed a prudent way of expenditure, it was likely to be in difficult times in years to come.

    The NEITI boss noted that it was unfortunate that despite the huge earnings from sales of crude oil over the years, the country was unable to account for over $100 billion in the excess crude account.

    Adio urged the Federal Government to develop a saving culture that would ensure a slash on government’s spending.

    He said: “Let me inform the committee that we discovered that between 1999 and 2014, the country spent over N70 trillion it received from oil and gas alone. That is a whole lot of money. What is sad is that it was spent without the country being able to show anything for it. I think it is quite unfortunate.

    “For the sake of emphasis, however, I think if previous administrations had developed a culture for prudent management of resources, Nigeria ought to have over $100 billion saved in the excess crude account.

    “So, going forward, it is necessary for government to think about saving a lot more, and do all it can as well to cut down on wasteful spending, if the nation must make progress.”

    On the challenges confronting the agency, Adio told the committee that the country risked suspension from the global Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI), if the agency failed to complete its audit report by a given deadline, which comes up in December.

    The NEITI boss decried the paucity of funds in the agency due to late releases by the Ministry of Finance.

    He blamed lack of funds for the inability of the agency to conclude work on its audit report to the EITI.

    He noted that should Nigeria be suspended from the world body as a result of the agency’s failure to meet the December deadline, the development would be an embarrassment on the image and reputation of the country.

    Vice Chairman of the Senate Committee, Senator Suleiman Hunkuyi (Kaduna North), noted that the committee would require the effort of NEITI to close the communication gap between the agency and the upper chamber with a view to ensuring effective collaboration.

    He said that NEITI is the second agency of government among other that has not received its capital releases adequately.

    He described the development as “a misnomer”.

  • Obasanjo charges charity organisations on accountability

    Obasanjo charges charity organisations on accountability

    Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has charged Non- Governmental Organisations (NGOs) and foundations involved in charity works to be more transparent and accountable in the utilisation of funds entrusted in their care.

    Speaking at the launch of the Cancer Awareness and Diagnostic Centres in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital, Obasanjo said accountability will further encourage public- spirited individuals and organisations to get more involved in philanthropic gestures as obtained in advanced countries.

    The event was organised by Primus Torchbearers, a philanthropy and advocacy organisation, which was marking its 40th anniversary with plans to raise funds both locally and internationally, to establish cancer awareness and diagnostic centres in Abeokuta and the other two senatorial districts of Ogun State.

    The event was tagged ‘No to Cancer, Fund Me’. While acknowledging the efforts of credible foundations, Obasanjo added that it was imperative for wealthy and public spirited individuals to complement the efforts of government at all levels to address some of the challenges plaguing the society.

    Some of the dignitaries at the event included a former Senator, Dr. Femi Okunrounmu and a former Chief Medical Director of the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, Prof. Opeoluwa Adekunle, who was the Chairman of the Planning Committee of the event.

  • It’s unpardonable to import toothpicks, says Obasanjo

    It’s unpardonable to import toothpicks, says Obasanjo

    •Ex-president decries rising cost of food

    Former President Olusegun Obasanjo yesterday described as “unpardonable sin”, a situation where the country imports toothpick.

    He said the country did not need to import frivolities and what it could produce.

    The former president, who spoke at the 23rd Annual Development Forum, organised by Lift Above Poverty Organisation (LAPO) Microfinance Bank in Abuja, expressed concern over increasing poverty in the country and inability of families to survive the harsh economy.

    He noted that people’s purchasing power have declined from 33 in January to 38 per cent in July.

    Obasanjo stressed the need to embrace agribusiness to reduce hunger.

    He blamed the current recession on the country’s failure to produce sufficient food for local consumption and exports.

    Obasanjo said: “What are the luxuries that we do not need? What are we importing, definitely we don’t need to be importing toothpicks, can you imagine in 1977 as military head of state I banned the importation of toothpick in this country and that was also when we had ‘Operation Feed the Nation’. We have a situation almost similar to this…. Now, we then started importing toothpick; it is unpardonable sin.

    “We have to stop what we can do without and be self-reliant in food. Again, available findings from studies revealed that household purchasing power is far deteriorating; hence families are becoming food insecure.

    “This year, percentage of food insecurity rise from 33 per cent in February/ March to 38 per cent in July. That is an increase of five per cent and still counting, we don’t know what it is now in October.

    “Prices for local rice and local maize have risen but manual labour wage or any wage remains unchanged, severely reducing household purchasing power.

    “Our inability to produce sufficient food for our increasing population have been increasing food import which impact negatively on our foreign exchange earnings. I was explaining the other day that what we have now (the crash of naira) is simple, we are spending more than we are earning.

    “If UNICEF reported estimate that about 65 per cent of Nigeria population is food insecure and I believe it is not far from the truth, now we have serious national problem to confront. To be food insecure means there is hunger in the land – that is, if the hunger is not already with us, it is fast-approaching, but it is already with us. Available findings from studies shows that household purchasing power is already deteriorating hence more family in the country are becoming food insecure.”

    LAPO Founder Godwin Ehigiamusoe said the initiative was designed due to need to assist rural farmers, especially women.

    He said the bank has so far disbursed about N455.5 billion to owners of micro and small enterprises.

    Ehigiamusoe added that the bank with a customer base of 2.3 million people currently has offices in the 36 states.

     

     

  • How governors defraud councils, by Obasanjo

    How governors defraud councils, by Obasanjo

    Former President Olusegun Obasanjo yesterday rerenewed his accusation against governors for defrauding local governments and rendering them ineffective in the performance of their statutory functions.

    Obasanjo, who declared that the governors remained the “greatest obstacles” to having a virile and functional councils, alleged that some governors “steal” council funds on the pretext that did some work on their behalf.

    According to him, as soon as  the local government allocations were released from the Federation Account, the state governors  deduct from the source, whatever amount they claimed were spent on behalf of the local government areas.

    The ex-President spoke  after delivering his keynote address at the maiden International Conference on politics, security and development at Babcock University, Ilisan, Ogun State.

    The conference with the theme: “Forty years of Local Government Reforms and Democratic Development in Nigeria: Critical Perspectives,” and convened by the department of Political Science and Public Administration, Veronica Adeleke School of Social Sciences, was chaired by former Nigerian Airways Managing Director Alhaji Jani Ibrahim.

    Obasanjo who said he initiated Local Governments Reforms between 1976 and 1979 to make them autonomous, functional and developmental, lamented that once money was illegally deducted by the governors, no council chairman could question or challenge such illegality.

    He said: “I call such fraud, stealing and corruption. It is fraud, it is corruption. They will say they have done something or paid for something for their Local Governments. And when the Local Governments’ money comes, they take it. Who is that chairman that will tell the governor you have taken our money? You are gone.”

    Obasanjo said that not allowing the councils to work as well as  stealing of their funds from source by states is one of the greatest disservice of to our democratic experiment.

    He said the councils in many states across the country had become the most constitutionally-abused matter since the 1999 Constitution became operational.

    The former President said only a handful of states had held local government election while others carried on as if it is legal to run local governments without the constitution that created them.

     

  • Obasanjo keeps mum over arrest of judges

    Obasanjo keeps mum over arrest of judges

    Former President Olusegun Obasanjo yesterday declined comments on the arrest of judges for alleged corruption.

    The former president was asked by reporters to comment on the arrests at the Presidential Villa after a meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari.

    The meeting, which was held at the President’s office in the Presidential Villa, Abuja, started around 2:20 p.m. It lasted 30 minutes.

    Obasanjo declined to answer questions as he made his way to his car.

     

  • Gowon, Obasanjo, Tinubu hail President

    Gowon, Obasanjo, Tinubu hail President

    •Foreign leaders, others at
    presentation of biography

    All Progressives Congress (APC) stalwart  Asiwaju Bola Tinubu yesterday described President Muhammadu Buhari as “a true democrat”.

    He spoke in Abuja during the public presentation of a book entitled: “Muhammadu Buhari – The Challenges of Leadership in Nigeria”.

    Tinubu, one of the reviewers of the book, also described Buhari as a disciplined and focused person right from his youthful days.

    The former Lagos State Governor said Buhari was in haste to bring change as a young leader, but as an older leader, Buhari “is now slow and steady”.

    Former President Olusegun Obasanjo, former Head of State Gen. Yakubu Gowon and former United States Ambassador to Nigeria John Campbell also eulogised the President.

    Vice President Yemi Osinbajo and his wife Dolapo, Senate President Bukola Saraki and his wife Toyin, Speaker of the House of Representatives Yakubu Dogara and his wife, former Vice President Namadi Sambo, APC National Chairman John Odigie-Oyegun attended the ceremony.

    There were also Presidents Idris Deby of Chad, President Patrice Talon of Benin Republic  and President Mahamadou Issoufou of Niger.

    Presidents of Cameroon and Equitorial Guinea sent representatives.

    Tinubu said: “Essentially, the book explores how his professional career, his personal life and prior experiences in government shaped and prepared him for the momentous assignment he now has.

    “From the book’s pages, we see a man who has lived his life on assignments that always intersected with vital moments in the nation’s history. He was a man on assignment, when, in the military, he served bravely in a civil war to keep Nigeria united.

    “He was on national assignment when he became military head of state in a well-intentioned effort to straighten things out, and set Nigeria on a better path.

    “When he ventured into politics and competed for the Presidency, culminating in his 2015 election victory, he was still on assignment, showing that there was no other way for this nation to go but the way of democracy, no matter how difficult the path may be.

    “Now, as sitting President, he is on an assignment, against time, to undo the wrongs of nearly two decades of bad governance.

    “Such is the life of this man. Always in the public eye, doing things in his different, disciplined and Spartan way. From this compelling narrative, neatly demarcated into three parts and 24 chapters, the reader is able to glean the quintessential Buhari.”

    According to him, the book makes an educative and informative reading as he called for re-introduction of history as a subject in Nigerian schools.

    “The book is a timely narrative. Apart from being a senior officer to Buhari, Tinubu said Gen. Theophilus Danjuma and Buhari enjoyed a professional and personal friendship unparalleled in Nigeria’s history.

    “His words confirm that Buhari was a man prepared for leadership ahead of a time like this.

    “The formation of the All Progressives Congress, APC, is an important event that the book addresses. The merger was the result of teamwork, belief in the democratic will of the people and a commitment to national purpose.

    “Many of us invested ourselves, our heart, body, mind and soul in this project for national salvation. Many did not want it to happen and fought to undermine the good we sought to accomplish. Many others straddled the sidelines, neither completely in nor completely out, but waiting to see how the prevailing winds might blow before making their move.

    “Muhammadu Buhari never wavered for one moment on this journey. Proving to be a focused leader, he acted with single-minded determination that showed no fear or doubt in the rightfulness of the cause we pursued.

    “So many people made contributions that made the historic merger possible. It would be impossible to give each person the accolades they deserve in a concise work such as this one. However, it is an account that we must begin to chronicle fully, and with care, for it is the story of when reform came to the land.

    According to him, the founding fathers of the APC had three challenges while forming the ‘new’ party.

    The first challenge, he said, was learning the right lessons from the aborted attempt at political cooperation in 2011.

    “Talks mainly between the CPC, led by Buhari, and the ACN, led by myself, later joined by the ANPP and the progressive wing of APGA, would go more smoothly and would reach the desired finish-line this time. There would be a merger and there would be a presidential candidate agreeable to all. A winning combination had been joined.

    ”It would give the PDP, which had boasted of 60 continuous years in power, more than it could handle. After the successful merger and the birth of APC, it was time to pick a flag bearer. At the Lagos convention, President Buhari emerged as the new party’s choice in a transparently-honest process. His speech to the convention was greeted with ovation, even by those who had opposed him.

    ”This set the tone for the campaign to come. But first, there was the sticky issue of selecting a running mate. After careful study and discussion, it was agreed that we should field a religiously-balanced ticket given the sensitivities of the moment.

    ”Based on this conclusion, the name of Yemi Osinbajo, renowned law professor and former Lagos State Attorney-general during my tenure as governor, was proposed as an excellent running mate.

    “Osinbajo was also a pastor in the largest church in the entire country, and this would answer those who wrongfully tried to paint Buhari as intolerant.”

    Noting that President Buhari made three electoral promises on Security, Corruption and Employment, Tinubu said: “On security, success has been recorded in decimating Boko Haram. On corruption and the rule of law, Buhari continues to plough new ground.”

    Another reviewer of the book, Prof Ibrahim Gambari, challenged APC governors to replicate the change mantra in their states.

    “We must support Buhari so that we can take our country back from the enemies, the looters,” he said

    The Special Guest of Honour, former President Obasanjo said that the book confirmed what he knew about Buhari but didn’t represent a definitive assessment of the President.

    Gen. Gowon, who is the chairman of the occasion, said Buhari fought many battles to get to where he is today.

    “He deserves every word of praise today,” he said.

    The President of Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Mrs Nike Akande, said Nigerian business community remained grateful to President Buhari for the establishment of the Presidential Enabling Business Environment under the chairmanship of Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo.

    This, she said, was a clear demonstration of the Buhari-led administration’s resolve to fix the investment climate issues in the economy and enhance private sector competitiveness.

    ”He has given Nigeria a leadership that the country deserves at this critical moment of our history. In the last 16 months, Nigeria’s image has improved internationally,” she added.

    The author, Prof. Paden, described the book as an attempt to introduce Buhari to the international audience since Nigerians already knew who Buhari is.

    He said: “This book seeks to answer the questions: who’s President Buhari and how he’s grappling with the many challenges of Nigeria. My initial motivation was to introduce President Buhari to the international audience on the assumptions that Nigerians already knew their president.

    “But increasingly, I came to feel that, perhaps, Nigerians might find it useful to review. I also wanted to address the issue of leadership.

    “In the past, one such period was the civil war, another was the time of influx of petroleum dollars. The book follows Buhari through his challenges in and out of the office, his military training in the UK and elsewhere, his roles in military regime, including his time as military head of state for 20 months, his detention, his reemergence as a civil society leader and his eventual engagement in politics in the Fourth Republic since 1999.”

    President Issoufou, who spoke in French, also lauded the efforts of President Buhari’s administration in fighting Boko Haram to a standstill.

  • I warned Jonathan about recession, ‘reckless’ spending – Obasanjo

    I warned Jonathan about recession, ‘reckless’ spending – Obasanjo

    Former President Olusegun Obasanjo yesterday accused the immediate past president, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan of ignoring warnings about a looming recession and the consequences of the  ‘reckless’ spending of his government.

    He said in Abeokuta that two years ago when he saw signs that Nigeria was walking down the path of recession and the way the powers that be were expending the nation’s resources, he  drew Jonathan’s attention to the danger ahead, but was ignored.

    The former president spoke yesterday during a lecture organised by the Youth Fellowship of Owu Baptist Church, Abeokuta to mark Nigeria’s Independence Day anniversary.

    He said the economic situation in the country has turned development upside down as “things are not what they should be.”

    He cited the high level of unemployment which he described as a time bomb.

    “Unemployment is a major problem in the country today and if we don’t take care, it will consume all of us. In fact, the rising unemployment is a time bomb,” he said pointing out that the high rate of unemployment was responsible for youth restiveness in the country.

    He asked that the situation be tackled with all the seriousness it deserves before it gets out of hand.

    He added: “Whoever that has lived to witness the celebration of today should thank God. Things are not what they should be, but we should pray that next year will be better than this year.”

    “We thank God for those who are alive, we prayed for the souls of those who have laboured for this country and who have passed on to rest in perfect peace.”

    The former president recalled how he got five job offers immediately he completed his secondary school education at Baptist Boys High School, Abeokuta.