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Tag: Osinbajo

  • Slow justice dispensation bad, says Osinbajo

    Slow justice dispensation bad, says Osinbajo

    Acting President Yemi Osibanjo has challenged the Judiciary to evolve ways of ensuring prompt determination of cases by the courts

    He described the practice where it takes years to determine simple cases as the “crawling” judicial process.

    Osibanjo spoke in Abuja yesterday at the opening session of the third annual judges workshop on petroleum, gas and power sectors, held the National Judicial Institute (NJI).

    He was represented by Minister of State, Petroleum Resources, Dr. Ibe Kachikwu, who holds a Ph.D in Jurisprudence.

    Osinbajo noted that the pace at which cases were determined in the courts was a disincentive to investors.

    He said: “We need to evolve measures that will speed up the judicial decisions. We also need these decisions not to be too complicated for investors to easily understand

    “We need to ensure sanctity of international arbitration. Also, judges should be trained in petroleum and energy sector so that they would to be fully equipped to handle the emerging trends in the sectors.

    “If the country is not positioned to supply the necessary power supply, which is essential for driving the economy, the country will not make much progress.”

    Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Walter Onnoghen, who declared the event opened, urged judges not to allow technicalities to stand in the way of justice.

    He said the workshop would enhance judges’ knowledge on issues relating to power and petroleum sectors.

    He urged judges to desist from taking cases arising from contract breach where parties to the contract failed to first explore the arbitration clause enshrined in such contract.

     

     

     

     

     

  • 2017 budget: Jibrin backs Osinbajo on project insertion

    2017 budget: Jibrin backs Osinbajo on project insertion

    Suspended House of Representatives member Abdulmumin Jibrin (APC, Kano) has expressed regrets that the Acting President Yemi Osinbajo may have played into the hands of the National Assembly by signing the 2017 budget into law despite the misgivings he had over the document.

    He said Osinbajo’s gesture should not be mistaken as a flaw and neither was it deserving of the threats he is getting from the federal legislators.

    Jibrin, in a statement yesterday, regretted that due process was jettisoned over grey areas identified by the acting President before the document was signed into law.

    He, however, assured that more facts about the 2016 budget were set to be released by him as a means of further identifying the inherent flaws in the 2017 budget document.

    He said: “The Acting President made what, in my opinion, was a harmless remark when he observed that the National Assembly has no powers to introduce new projects in the budget. In the same statement, however, he admitted the powers of National Assemblyto allocate resources as that is its core powers of appropriation.

    “I consider his statement very objective. His tone wasn’t confrontational, neither was his body language. Acting President Osinbajo had a day earlier signed the 2017 budget, noting that there were grey areas, especially funds lifted from key projects, to introduce new projects by National Assembly.

    “He further stated that he agreed to sign the budget after the assurance of commitment from National Assemblyto restore the lifted funds. That demonstration of faith in National Assembly was unprecedented, and the most generous concession in budget negotiation by a President since 1999.

    “No any president has ever agreed to sign the budget into law on the basis of extracting commitment from National Assembly to attend to outstanding issues after the budget is signed into law, the reasons being:

    “Once the budget is signed into law, the President must implement it, whether National Assembly makes the correction or not.

    “No President was ready to take the risk with National Assembly but Osinbajo did, as it appeared like striking a deal with an untrustworthy partner.”

    Jubrin said Osinbajo deserved a reciprocal gesture and unmistakable friendship from the lawmakers, not attacks and threats.

    The lawmaker added that in due course, he would do a recap of the 2016 budget fraud with new revelations of facts and key actors involved.

    “We will talk about fraud in 2017 budget, how members of the Executive arm collaborate with National Assembly in this venture, new strategies to beat vigilant eyes, concealment, abnormality, reckless spending, budget revenue frame work, and two dollar extra benchmark.

    “Also to be addressed are N140 billion increment in budget size amidst dwindling revenues (the largest in recent years), poor economics, the “reformed” budget process, public hearing of budget, page by page consideration of details, corrigendum, the lies, facts and half-truths of budgeting, conspiracy of a few members of National Assembly in the budget process against majority of the 359 members and 108 senators and, very importantly, how to stop these infractions.”

  • Osinbajo, Ambode for Chartered Arbitrators’ conference

    Acting President Prof Yemi Osinbajo (SAN) will deliver the keynote address at the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators Nigeria (NICARB) 2017 Annual Conference.

    NICARB Registrar/Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Shola Oshodi-John said Osinbajo will be joined by Lagos State Governor Akinwunmi Ambode, who will give the welcome address.

    The event will hold between June 21 and 22 at the Oriental Hotel, Victoria Island, Lagos.

    Speaking at the weekend, Oshodi-John stated that the conference’s theme is: ‘Enhancing foreign direct investments through Arbitration and Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR).’

    She said: “The event will provide an opportunity for businesses, legal practitioners and other professionals to discuss the roles of arbitration in attracting foreign direct investment to the country.

    “More specifically, it will serve as a platform for positioning ADR as a preferred method for the speedy and efficient resolution of commercial and business disputes in Nigeria and the West Africa sub-region.”

    According to her, experts from the academia, judiciary, public and private sector will serve as speakers/discussants.

    The ‘over 1,700 members’ of NICARB are expected at the conference.

  • Agitations for break-up unlawful, says Osinbajo

    Agitations for break-up unlawful, says Osinbajo

    DSS to descend on hate campaigners

    Cleric flays elders backing agitators

    Acting President Yemi Osinbajo yesterday declared unlawful, agitations for the country’s break-up.

    The agitations for the creation of Biafra and the Arewa Youths’ ultimatum for the Igbo to leave the North are against the Constitution, the Acting President said at a meeting with traditional rulers from the Southeast.

    Eze Udo I of Ngboko Ngwa Amaise in Abia State and Southeast Traditional Rulers Chairman Eze Eberechi Dick led their colleagues to the meeting.

    Last week, Osinbajo met with some political and religious leaders from the region and the North in his efforts to check the brewing discontent in those parts of the country.

    The meetings will be rounded off today with traditional rulers from the North.

    Also yesterday, the Directorate of State Service (DSS) warned all ethnic groups against hate speeches and misinformation.

    Osinbajo said the manner, method and objectives of the agitations were wrong, adding that they should be dealt with in accordance with the Constitution.

    He said where there were grievances to be addressed,  the only way to make things right is by doing it right, instead of threatening to break the law or the country.

    The Acting President said: “As you are aware there has been agitation from some of our youths in the Southeast urging secession, the creation of Biafra. In apparent response young people in the north states, under the aegis  of Arewa youths have purportedly issued an ultimatum where they have set a date for the eviction of persons from the Southeast who live in the northern states.

    “Those agitations, the manner of those agitations, the method and objective are wrong, unlawful and the violation of the laws of Nigeria and the constitution of Nigeria. I want to repeat that both the agitations for secession and the ultimatum to leave the northern states are wrong and a violation of our constitution.

    “Our constitution says in Section 2 that Nigeria is one indivisible and indissoluble sovereign state to be known by the name the Federal Republic of Nigeria. That is the law of our country. Let us not be in any doubt about the fact that the federal government is committed to ensuring that our country remains united. And that anyone who violates the law in the manner such as we are seeing all over the place will be met with the full force of the law.

    “And the reason why it is so is because for Nigeria’s unity enough blood has been spilled and many hundreds of thousands of lives have been lost. Many have paid for the unity of this country with their lives and it will be wrong of us as men and women of goodwill in this generation to toy with those sacrifices that have been made. This is why men of goodwill in our generation must not tolerate any tendency that drags us in the direction of yet another civil conflict.

    “But we must be sensitive to the reasons why there are agitations by the various young men across the various zones of this country. Many have to do with perceived marginalisation, some have argued safety in the different zones have been compromised. But I want to say the only way to make things right is to do things right. And it will be wrong of us to approach even our grievances by threatening to disobey the laws or by threatening the integrity of our nation.”

    The Federal Government, the Acting President said, was committed to listening to all the reasons, the various suggestions and the agitations in order to ensure that justice is done to all.

    He said: “I recall that President Muhammadu Buhari said that as a person who served in the Nigeria Army committed his life to the service of this country and that he did so not alone but with others from the north, south, west and east of Nigeria. And that he fought side by side from the Congo to some many related places where he has served the country, protecting each other’s lives and ensuring that all of them were safe.

    “That in the Nigerian Army there were men and women from all parts of Nigeria and that is the reason according to him why he is so committed in ensuring that Nigeria remains one united country

    “Our greatness lies in our being together and I believe very strongly that as our royal fathers you will ensure the message is clear to all, that the greatness of any people lies in their ability to work together despite our differences, despite the types of offence that have been caused between each other, the greatness of any community lies in our unity.

    “We trust that you our royal fathers will give us he right directional advice to ensure that our country remains together.”

    On the traditional rulers’ roles on the matter, the Acting President said: “In planning these meetings I was conscious that we should have a separate set of meetings  with  our traditional rulers because of the peculiar and the unique positions that they hold especially in their relationship with those that live in their kingdoms.

    “I want to emphasise that it is the unique position that traditional rulers occupy that is behind separate consultations and we want to take much advantage of it as much as possible.

    “Most of us are aware especially for those who have been following the consultations, we have worked very hard to ensure that the representations across the two zones that we are interested in consulting with initially is as wide as possible and we have tried to inculcate that even in our traditional rulers today.”

    At the meeting were Speaker Yakubu Dogara, Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu, Deputy Senate Leader Bala Ibn Na-Allah, Chief of Defence Staff Gen. Abayomi Olonoshakin, Inspector General of Police  Ibrahim Idris, National Security Adviser Babangana Mongonu, Chief of Staff to the President, Abba Kyari, and other top government officials.

    At the Fathers’ Day service at the Aso Villa Chapel, Methodist Church of Nigeria Prelate Dr. Samuel Kalu Uche described those agitating for secession and the Boko Haram sect, among others, as miscreants.

    “They were not given proper education, they were not brought up to respect humanity,” he added.

    He condemned the elders who he said were backing the young people in their agitations for a break-up.

  • Fed Govt ‘ll address challenges facing aviation industry, says Osinbajo

    Fed Govt ‘ll address challenges facing aviation industry, says Osinbajo

    The Federal Government will address the myriad of challenges facing the aviation industry, Acting President Yemi Osinbajo has assured airline operators.

    He said it is only when challenges confronting the sector is addressed that aviation can be used as a catalyst to position Nigeria as a hub for Africa.

    Osinbajo spoke when officials and members of the umbrella body of indigenous carriers, Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON), met himat the weekend at the Villa.

    He said government would resolve obstacles affecting the sector’s growth to enable Nigeria take full advantage of its natural geographical position as the melting-point of aviation.

    The acting president said the meeting was one of the engagement strategies to obtain firsthand information from airline investors and operators.

    The meeting, he said, offered another vista to ascertain why Nigeria was not yet an aviation hub in Africa despite its many attractions, including natural and human endowments.

    Chairman of AON Captain Nogie Meggison listed the challenges operators are grappling with asincluding the Value Added Tax (VAT).

    He said only domestic airlines are the only mode of transport paying VAT.

    Meggison said other modes,including: marine, road, rail and even the international airlines,were not paying VAT.

    He canvassed the harmonisation of over 35 multiple charges anda reviewing of five per cent ticket sales charge (TSC) to a flat rate.

    He listed other problems affecting the industry as poor navigational and landing aids, high cost and epileptic supply of JetA1, obsolete infrastructure and limiting operations to daylight for most airports.

    He said: “Nigerian airlines fly an average of only five hours as against the average of 10 hours worldwide per airplane. There is also lack of consultations with airlines before introduction of new charges and policies among others.”

    The AON Chairman said: “There is an urgent need for a deliberate economic policy that will support the positive growth of aviation and survival of domestic airlines in the country. For instance, following the air crashes of 2005/06, government came up with a policy to ensure air safety.

    “Similarly, the economic policy for the sustenance of the industry needs to be seriously looked into.

    “Safety and economic policy go hand-in-hand. Where there is no financial profit for airlines, safety would be compromised.

    “A clear economic policy for the survival of domestic airlines is very critical at this time, which has resulted over the years in the death of over 25 airlines in 30 years. Safety and financial economic policy must go hand-in-hand; as airline investors are in the business of aviation for the profit and can’t make profit without safety or have a safe airline without profit.

    “This is one of the main reasonsfor the short lifespan of Nigerian airlines averaging about eight years.”

    The Acting President acknowledged the difficult situation the airlines face and promised to take a closer look into the various issues raised to find ways of addressing them.

  • Buhari rejects files, orders aides to meet Osinbajo

    Buhari rejects files, orders aides to meet Osinbajo

    • Shuts out ministers, presidential aides
    • Meets with only First Lady

    From his recuperation room in London, President Muhammadu Buhari, has reportedly been resisting attempts by some government officials, including ministers to undermine Acting President Yemi Osinbajo, The Nation can now reveal.

    He has refused to see such officials who sneak to the United Kingdom with files for his signature, it was gathered yesterday.

    Buhari, authoritative government sources said,  rejected the files and asked the affected government functionaries to take all documents and issues to Acting President Osinbajo.

    He has also refused to grant audience to ministers and some presidential aides who indicated interest to see him.

    But the President met with First Lady Aisha during her recent trip to London, contrary to social media reports.

    Sources said the President insisted that his administration runs one Presidency and since there is an Acting President in place, any attempt to create a division by anyone will not be tolerated.

    It was gathered that one of the delegations that went on a futile trip to see Buhari returned to Abuja on Wednesday a few hours to the signing of the 2017 Budget by the Acting President.

    It was learnt that during the failed trips, some files and documents were taken to the President ostensibly for his perusal and approval, but he refused to act on them.

    In line with his belief in due process, the President directed that all files and documents be made available to the Acting President.

    A top source said: “Despite the fact that he is fast recuperating, the President has tried as much as possible to stick to one presidency.

    “He has refused to see some government officials who went to London to see him instead of being at their desks to work. He also returned all files and documents to those who brought them to London.

    “The President gave stern instructions that all files, documents and issues needing decisions should be taken to the Acting President. He does not want a divided government. Buhari is living up to his Spartan discipline.

    “He has restricted audience to two or three personal aides with him in London. This is why there are no leaks associated with his first medical trip this time around.”

    The source added: “Those involved in taking files and documents to London had their ego deflated. Since their return from the various shuttles, they have been trying to curry the favour of the Acting President or cooperate with him. They did not know that intelligence report had exposed their antics.

    “And the truth is that the President has been speaking with the Acting President.”

    On the controversy surrounding the visit of the First Lady to London, the source said: “As a matter of fact, the First Lady, met with the President without any encumbrances.

    “Any story to the contrary is false. There is enough evidence to prove that she met with her husband. No one prevented her.

    “Some people came out with the rumour because the President has limited contact with them this time around because of leaks during his last trip.

    “Some of those who visited the President during the initial shuttle for medical care turned out to feed Nigerians with false information on his health.

    “It became necessary to restrict access to two of three aides. Not everyone with the President in London is allowed to see or meet with him. Ministers and government officials have been shut out too.

    “The declaration of the First Lady that the President was pleased with the conduct and performance of the Acting President was at the prompting of her husband to checkmate those who indulge in flying to London for unnecessary consultations and approvals.”

    The Director of Information to the Wife of the President, Suleiman Haruna yesterday insisted that “Hajiya Aisha met and spent some time with the President. I even issued a statement on this.”

    Haruna’s statement had read in part: “Wife of the President, Mrs. Aisha Muhammadu Buhari returned from the UK, where she went to visit her husband, who is on medical leave.

    “Mrs. Buhari, on arrival, conveyed the appreciation of the President to Nigerians over their constant prayers and said he will soon be with them as he is recuperating fast.

    “Mrs. Buhari called on Nigerians to continue to be strong in the face of challenges and to support the Federal Government in implementing the agenda for which they were elected.”

    ‘Mr. President thanked the acting President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo for his loyalty and called on Nigerians to continue to support the acting President in his effort to actualize the mandate of the All Progressives’ Congress (APC),’ she said.

     

  • Osinbajo yet to be truly tested

    Osinbajo yet to be truly tested

    FOR the unspecified period Vice President Yemi Osinbajo will hold the fort for the ailing President Muhammadu Buhari, he will walk a tightrope in the most gingerly and exasperating fashion possible. The president left many knots entangled before travelling abroad for medical attention; there is very little Professor Osinbajo can do to disentangle them. The president didn’t assemble the most inspiring of cabinets, especially his fairly insular kitchen cabinet; the vice president can do nothing about that. No matter how much he pretends, it will gall the vice president to have to embrace the status quo with smiles for the duration of the president’s uncertain absence. He will see and feel how urgently he needs to take action concerning deep and fundamental problems assailing the country, but he will be constrained by the straitjacket bequeathed him by the president.

    When he first acted for the president last year, Prof Osinbajo dazzled the country with his placatory visits to areas of discontent. For a country on tenterhooks before the president travelled, it warmed the cockles of the people’s hearts that the acting president spoke peace and helped establish peace. But beyond superficialities, Prof Osinbajo was unable to do much else. Even the little he accomplished in tinkering with the system drew the ire of vested interests and caused tremors to pulsate through the ranks of the president’s diehard aides. It took some special efforts to douse the enthusiastic comparisons — some of them sarcastic, and others quite morbid — which commentators launched into before the president made an abrupt and premature return to the country. It is therefore not surprising that this time around, the vice president has been more muted and more philosophical about the country’s many ills.

    Should the president stay away for much longer than seems logically and constitutionally tolerable, Prof Osinbajo will face real and far more troubling tests that will compel him to deploy and project powers the president’s aides may be unwilling to yield. On the surface, there will of course be no attempt to circumscribe the acting president’s powers, whether in acting or in substantive capacity. But behind the presidential villa’s oak doors, President Buhari and his formal and informal kitchen cabinets have structured the reins of power in such a manner that any other person, no matter how constitutionally empowered, is an outsider.

    One of those fiery tests is already manifesting. The separatist ferment poisoning interethnic and interreligious relationships in the country was of course evident even before the president took gravely ill. His style of tackling it was to dismiss it contemptuously with both a wave of the hand and the platitudinous talk about the unity of Nigeria being non-negotiable. Prof Osinbajo himself, perhaps more out of caution and dread than conviction, has parroted that impractical and futile line. Whether his fond wish for Nigerian unity will prove strong enough to resolve a problem that is seething and festering beyond any remedy can assuage remains to be seen. And whether that wish and the various meetings he scheduled with stakeholders can translate into something more positive in the face of the bellicose utterances of separatist campaigners is also uncertain.

    Nigeria is perching dangerously on the edge of a cliff. The deep fissures in the country require the intervention and innovation of a president enjoying and deploying his full powers and exuding such knowledge and brilliance that it is impossible for anyone to gainsay. Not only was President Buhari almost wholly without such amenities, even as he preferred to live in denial, the acting president is obviously unable to project such powers, assuming he has them, not to say deploy them. What is certain is that one day, the separatist clamour, herdsmen rampage, and other dangerous fuses could trigger a wider revolt. With the president unable to anticipate these troubles and thus prepare against them, and the acting president barred by circumstances and strictures from dealing with them proactively, it will be difficult to put out the fire when it is finally lit.

    Presidential aides, the kitchen cabinet, and the vice president’s men may deny it all they want, it is however unlikely that Prof Osinbajo can do more than just breath salubrious air in the rarefied and forested precincts of the villa, placate angry groups as best as he can on an ad hoc basis, paper over the social, religious and political cracks gnawing at the heart of the country, tiptoe around the controversial issues of regional and ethnic power dynamics, and moralise in general but ineffective terms about the virtues of nation-building. He cannot appoint anyone of substance into any high position, and cannot on his own sack anyone of substance, as indicated by the unlawful violation of the PenCom Act which he permitted. The president’s kitchen cabinet, divided even in the best of times, will continue to hold the fort, even as the acting president gives the impression of being in office and in power. Indeed, there is nothing the acting president can do about the dichotomised power structure that is evident in Aso Villa. It is the structure he met; and it is a structure he cannot change.

    If Prof Osinbajo faces a test bigger and more severe than he has faced so far, he will have to resolve, one way or the other, the conundrums stymieing the progress of the country, especially the change the All Progressives Congress (APC) promised without a clue regarding how to implement or energise it. There is nothing to suggest that with the president staying away for much longer than a few more months, the genial and eloquent but apparently apolitical professor will not finally confront the dilemma of being in office but not in power, surrounded by general and kitchen cabinet misfits, and shackled by parochial forces who view the country and its security structures through ethnic and religious prisms. Would to God the auguries were less alarming than they really are.

  • Nigeria to provide support for take-off of ECOWAS Disease Centre – Osinbajo

    Nigeria to provide support for take-off of ECOWAS Disease Centre – Osinbajo

    Acting President Yemi Osinbajo yesterday expressed Nigeria’s preparedness to provide the necessary support towards ensuring smooth take off of the ECOWAS Regional Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (R-CDC).

    Speaking at the 18th Ordinary Assembly of Health Ministers of the ECOWAS sub-region held at the ECOWAS secretariat, Abuja, Osinbajo said: “Nigeria is ready to give the necessary support towards ensuring adequate take off of the R-CDC.

    “I will urge this regional institution to consider as of prime importance the vehicle for delivering health interventions, the Health Systems.

    “No effort should therefore be spared by the region in ensuring that strong, resilient health systems exist at country levels.”

    The acting President also noted that with a population of about 365 million, the sub-region had similarities of disease burden.

    According to him, all the ECOWAS countries have huge burdens of malaria, HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis, neglected tropical diseases and other newly emerging diseases, Ebola and Lassa fever.

    He noted that these, combined with poverty and malnutrition, had thrown up public health challenges of immense proportions for individual nation states.

    He said: “The vision of the founding fathers to see a harmonised, unified response to the expanding health challenges of our sub-region has proved to be daunting.

    “And this is understandably so. Differences in language and system, and procedures have thrown up peculiar difficulties.’’

    According to him, lack of reciprocal recognition of regulatory processes between Anglophone, Francophone and Lusophone countries is a constraint to human resource mobility which, once removed, will allow quality and affordable medicines to circulate throughout the region as needed.

    He added: “Additionally, communication and information exchange between member countries is a significant problem.

    “Evidently improving communication will make integration easier and more beneficial to all member states.’’

    Osinbajo maintained that public health emergency preparedness should be a task that must be achieved by the sub-region.

    He said that the West African Health Organisation (WAHO) must actively take steps to be prepared by establishing preventive measures to avoid the spread of communicable diseases to the West Africa sub-region.

    “It is clear that WAHO, through its strategic operations, must invest its efforts in reducing the burden of communicable diseases in the region such as malaria, tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS.

    “While the recent outbreak of the Ebola Virus Disease in Democratic Republic of Congo raises concerns, the West Africa sub-region must actively take steps to be prepared by establishing preventive measures to avoid its spread to the West Africa sub-region.

    “Public Health Emergency Preparedness should be a task that we are determined to achieve.

    “Never again should West Africa be taken unawares in such outbreaks as we experienced in 2014 during the Ebola Virus outbreak with colossal loss of lives, economic resources and security threat to national survival.’’

    In his remarks, the Minister of Health said: “Contributing to economic development, we should improve access to quality health care without allowing for catastrophic spending.

    Similarly, we need to strengthen our health system to deliver high impact interventions. Our focus at reducing the burden of diseases of our people should be unequivocal.

  • CAN visits Osinbajo, demands five-point agenda

    CAN visits Osinbajo, demands five-point agenda

    The Christan Association of Nigeria (CAN) has made five demands on the Federal Government.
    The demands were handed over to Acting President Yemi Osinbajo at a closed door meeting at the Presidential Villa, Abuja on Wednesday.
    The five demands, which were obtained on Thursday night include “Change obnoxious curriculum that demands students study Islamic Arabic Studies
    “Arrest and prosecute murderous herdsmen
    “Arrest and prosecute those who called for the expulsion of Igbos
    “Turn our youths into Entrepreneurs
    “Stop kidnapping on our roads.”
    CAN was led on the courtesy visit by its President, His Eminence, Rev Dr Samson Olasupo A Ayokunle.
    His full speech read “Your Excellency Sir,
    The leadership of Christian Association of Nigeria, the umbrella body for all Christian churches in Nigeria is here today to pay you a goodwill visit and to pray for the speedy recovery of the President of our nation, President Muhammadu Buhari so that he might be able to come back home and continue with his leadership responsibilities of this country to the good of all. It is our prayer that there would be miraculous intervention in his healing and all praises shall be to God.
    “This is our sacred duty as fellow human beings who can also fall sick and as Christians who value so much the life of all living creatures, especially human beings.
    “On the other hand, we want to commend your Excellency for doing your best to see that no vacuum is created by the team left behind by the President in the governance of the nation. We are watching the dexterity with which you are leading others to carry out government business with sense of admiration and thanks to God. We commend your submission to your principal and your humility in service. May God cause every grace to abound towards you so that you might be able to hold fort better each day until the President returns in the name of Jesus. Please be assured of our prayers always.”

    Obnoxious, divisive and ungodly secondary school curriculum.
    “We are here to point your attention to a time-bomb, obnoxious, divisive and ungodly secondary school curriculum that the Federal Ministry of Education is introducing into our schools and of which we had earlier complained to the Presidency. Then, if I am not mistaking, it was suspended but has again been re-introduced without any review at all. This curriculum the brain-child of Nigerian Educational Research Council, an agency of the Federal Ministry of Education. To us in Christian Association of Nigeria, it’s introduction is an ill-wind that blows nobody any good for so many reasons. Lead a State has started implementing it already and Christians that are more on the receiving side of it are already crying fowl because of its potential dangers now or in the future.
    “In this curriculum, Islamic and Christian Religious Studies will no longer be studied in schools as subjects on their own but as themes in a civic education. This is undermine the sound mitral values that these two subjects had imparted in the past to our children which had made us to religiously and ethnically co-exist without any tension. It was some three or two decades ago when our education planners started removing the teaching of religious values through the cancellation of morning devotion in schools that all these violence by youths in different forms came on board. I was in a meeting yesterday with some Muslim leaders where one of them also expressed his fears about the dangers in this new curriculum. As prophets to the nation, we demand a complete withdraw and ban of this curriculum. If allowed to be implemented, it would lead us to a godless nation with violence and all forms of ungodliness as the order of the day.
    “Furthermore sir, this curriculum went ahead to introduce Islamic Arabic Studies in another section together with French and made one of the two compulsory for the student. You are aware that we have very low percentage of French teachers in all our secondary schools in Nigeria. I am sure that over 80% of our secondary schools do not have French teachers at all but have Arabic teachers. The implication is that Christian students would have no choice than to study Arabic. If a Christian student voluntarily goes to study Islamic Religious Studies, there is nothing bad in that because some of us in both religions had done that before for better understanding, however, where the student is tactically forced into studying it because the alternative subject does not have teacher to teach it, it is a great problem tending to Islamization.
    “Still in this curriculum, Islamic Religious Knowledge was equally made available as a subject in another section without any corresponding availability of Christian Religious Knowledge. Is this not a divisive curriculum that can set the nation on fire? Is this fair to millions of Christians in this nation? A Christian student in a secondary school in Kwara State had the body lacerated with cane by the Arabic Teacher because the pupil refused to do Arabic Studies when French Teacher was not available and Christian Religious Knowledge, Hebrew or Greek were not part of the options at all. If we are going to do pilgrimage together as a nation, there must be fairplay, mutual respect for one another and justice which can be brought about by different arms of government. We demand for justice from the government on this matter very quickly. We would request for a return to the curriculum we were using before this dangerous one which did not produce insurgents or a wrongly indoctrinated Nigerians. A stitch in time saves nine.

    “Bring Murderous Herdsmen and Kidnappers to Book
    You are aware sir how the rampaging Herdsmen have been decimating the lives of farmers in this nation from the North to the South, the East and the West. Southern Kaduna is not totally free from their grip up till now. Killing and maiming of farmers continue in Benue, Enugu, Abraka in Delta State just to mention a few. The most painful thing is that we are seeing their victims without the seriousness from the law enforcement agents to arrest and successfully prosecute the murderous herdsmen. This has encouraged them to continue in their killing and kidnapping spree with reckless abandon.
    “Don’t we have a competent government in place with all the necessary law enforcement apparatus to ensure law and order? This government has to do more than what you have done presently to bring these criminals to Book. They had deemed the hopes of many and caused unprecedented sorrow in many homes. Please sir, do something to the activities of herdsmen before they destroy almost all Nigerians or before everybody would look for weapons for self defence. The sources of their weapons must be probed.

    ” We thank the Police and DSS for their recent breakthrough in apprehending some kidnappers around the country. This effort must be sustained for safety of all of us in our movements for our daily bread. We urge you to call the attention of Kogi State Governor and the Inspector General of Police to the kidnapping ring on Lokoja-Okene Road, Lokoja-Kabba Road and Abuja-Kaduna Road. Every week, several travellers are kidnapped on these roads. The feelers we have from those who got set free from them after the payment of huge ransom was that from the kidnappers’ conversations, the Police and the Community Leaders are partners with the kidnappers in the evil act. These two groups receive their own share from kidnapping. We suspect that the money amassed from kidnapping may still be used to cause further havoc by the terrorists perpetrating this act. We are hopeful that through your intervention and our prayer backing, there would be reprieve for Nigerians.

    Ultimatum from some Northern Youths and an Elder for the Ibos to vacate the North.
    “We are so disappointed to hear the ultimatum of hate made by some Northern Youths that the Easterners of Igbo extraction should leave every part of Northern Nigeria within three months. We condemn such statement in strong terms and we see it as divisive, misguided, ethnocentric and unconstitutional. We urge that the law enforcement agents should be directed by you to go after those behind it whether young or old. It is a reasonable statement that no amount of previous provocation can justify. We commend you for talking tough on this dangerous statement but still urge sir that you get them arrested as Kanu, the leader of Indigenous People of Biafra was arrested and prosecuted. We believe in one indivisible Nigeria where our diversities can be explored for growth and development. We must be tolerant of one another and co-exist in love.

    “Youth Unemployment
    Youth unemployment is another development of great concern in our nation. We urge your government to pay more attention to this issue by creating investment friendly environment that would absolve millions of youth roaming the streets daily without job or hope for tomorrow. Industrial Estates should be created as the late sage Chief Obafemi Awolowo did in Lagos which brought many industries to Lagos and is still the life wire of Lagos State economy till today and a major employer of labour. If this is done, kidnapping and other violent crimes would reduce and there would be tranquillity in the country.
    We would appreciate that from time to time you would create time to see the leadership of CAN for progressive discussion like this and prayers.
    Thank you very much sir for your time and patience.” it stated

  • Osinbajo, Emir of Kano meet in Aso Villa

    Osinbajo, Emir of Kano meet in Aso Villa

    Acting President Yemi Osinbajo and the Emir of Kano, Muhammad Sanusi II, yesterday afternoon met behind closed-doors at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

    The meeting, which started when the emir arrived at State House around 2:42p.m., lasted till around 4:50 p.m.

    Sanusi, however, declined to speak with State House correspondents on the purpose of his visit to Aso Rock.

    He was seen exchanging pleasantries with some presidential aides and workers in the vice presidential wing of the State House.

    There was also no official statement concerning the meeting as at press time.

    But Osinbajo on Tuesday began series of meetings with stakeholders and leaders of thought from the North and Southeast over the ultimate from Arewa youths asking Igbos to leave their region by October 1.

    Osinbajo will meet with northern traditional rulers on Monday. He is also scheduled to meet with governors of the 36 states on a yet to be determined date.

    A bigger meeting with all stakeholders is scheduled to hold on Thursday June 22.