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Tag: plan

  • How we plan to win 2019 election, by Buhari, Atiku

    Tony Momoh projects win for President

    Atiku camp: we’ll defeat him

    It is less than four months to the presidential election, but the shadow boxing has begun in earnest.

    The two leading contenders are bragging about their chances.

    Former Minister of Information Prince Tony Momoh yesterday said he was confident President Muhammadu Buhari will win.

    Momoh told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on telephone that the president deserved re-election.

    The Atiku Abubakar camp disagreed. It said the former Vice President would retire President Muhammadu Buhari to his village in Daura after the election.

    Momoh said Atiku, the candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), could not stop Buhari as he (Abubakar) was only popular with the elite and not the masses.

    Momoh, a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), said the Buhari administration had impacted on many ordinary Nigerians, and they would vote him in 2019.

    He, however, said Buhari would lose some votes in the North because Atiku is from the region, but that the APC candidate would make up in other regions to win.

    “I don’t think Atiku can defeat Buhari. No; he can’t, Buhari has done well in the delivery of his electoral promises and he will get the support of the people.

    “Look at the war against insurgency, for instance, has he not done well? Is the situation in the Northeast as it used to be? Of course, there is relative security in the region and the people will want to vote for an administration that made that possible.

    “Again, the school feeding programme, the conditional cash transfers and the other social programmes of the government, tens of thousands of Nigerians have benefited. You don’t expect them not to vote Buhari.

    “These are the real people that will vote, not the people on Facebook or Twitter. The people who are moving against the President now are the elite, not the people, and the reasons are obvious.

    “Yes, Atiku is popular with the elite, but how many are they? So I don’t see him winning, though, he will get votes in the North as he is from that region and he is a Fulani and a Muslim like Buhari.

    “However, the President will make up for lost votes in other regions like Southeast and South-South where he has delivered many projects to win,’’ he said.

    The former minister said the achievements of the President’s fight against corruption and the power of incumbency would work in his favour.

    To Momoh, it is an illusion for the PDP to believe the selection of former Governor Peter Obi of Anambra as Atiku’s running mate will deliver the region to the party.

    He said the Igbo are politically sophisticated and it had never been easy predicting their direction in any election.

    Momoh argued that Buhari picked running mates, the late Chuba Okadigbo and the late Ume Ezeoke, on two occasions for elections, but still lost in the Southeast.

    The former minister said the region was open to both candidates in 2019, based on the large number of both APC and PDP members in the area.

    He urged Nigerians to participate in the electoral process and obtain their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) to vote leaders of their choice.

    “The power to choose in 2019 belongs to the people. For that reason, I urge Nigerians to obtain their PVCs to participate in the process.

    “It is only when we participate that we can vote people of our choice to help realise the development objectives of our nation,’’ Momoh said.

    He urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to do its best to deliver credible elections in 2019.

    In an email message last night by Atiku’s Media Adviser Paul Ibe, the former Vice President said the  2019 election will be a referendum on the “failed” All Progressives Congress (APC) administration.

    Ibe said: “This is a government that has failed on all fronts. Nigerians can no longer be hoodwinked by the Orwellian propaganda that is the signature of this administration.

    “The 2019 presidential election will be determined by Nigerian voters and not by political soothsayers.

    “Nigerians will make a determination whether to settle for incompetence versus competence; cluelessness versus knowhow; joblessness versus employment; restiveness versus engagement; divisiveness versus unity; nepotism versus merit and bigotry versus inclusiveness.

    “It is instructive to say that since His Excellency Atiku Abubakar emerged as the presidential candidate of the PDP, the APC administration has gone into a panic mode.

    “They need to be reminded that they cannot stop an idea whose time has come. Nigerians are yearning for a competent and visionary leadership that will fix the mess that has been made of our economy, give jobs to the teeming unemployed, ensure security, heal the divisions in the land and get Nigeria working again. Atiku is well-wired to provide such leadership.”

    Babatope said Atiku was an experienced politician and that he had the capacity, credentials and clout to win and return power to PDP.

    “Atiku is the new face of the PDP. It is time for the party to win back power because I am confident Atiku will win.

    “My confidence is based on his political experience from being the founder of the PDM with late Yar’adua to being the Vice-President where he did very well.

    “He also has national appeal as he is a detribalised Nigerian with successful businesses all over. He is a bridge builder, a man with great capacity and passion to lead.

    “Atiku is the next president. Our People want him. He will rescue Nigeria, I am so sure he will win,” he said.

    Asked if the former vice-president did not have the ascribed qualities when he failed in his past attempts to be president, Babatope said everyone had his appointed time.

    He noted that Buhari also failed in his past attempts under different parties to be president until 2015 when he emerged under APC.

    Babatope said 2019 was the destined year for Atiku’s presidency and that Nigerians would be better for it.

    He said the selection of former governor Peter Obi of Anambra State as Atiku’s running mate would improve the party’s victory margin in the election.

    He added that the APC had failed Nigerians and that the PDP would return in 2019 “to restore hope”.

    Babatope said though the South-West PDP was not in the zoning equation of the party for now, he believed the region would gain massively at the end of the day.

    “We know how we do our things in the party to favour everybody. For now, we are preparing for the election, by the time we win, I am sure the South-West PDP will gain big from the power arrangement,” he said.

     

  • Access Bank leads plan on positive image for Africa

    Access Bank Plc has restated its unalloyed commitment to positioning Africa as a continent viable for business and investment. This follows the announcement of its five-year strategic plan which, amongst other things, focuses on Africa in relation to the global community.

    This direction accentuates the bank’s current drive to enhance the perception of Africa by drawing the attention of the global community to the indigenous products of Africans; their rich culture, Arts and lifestyle as well as providing essential channels through which individuals, families, and businesses can fully participate in global commercial activities seamlessly.

    The Group Managing Director/CEO of Access Bank, Herbert Wigwe, while speaking about the bank’s direction, stressed that the focus is a continuation of an existing passion of the Bank to ensure that the world sees and appreciates the true representation of Africa.  “Over time, we have remained committed to raising the standard of banking practice in Africa without compromising the importance of our customers,” said Wigwe.

    “Throughout our years of operation, we have realised how large the African continent has become, not only in terms of its viable business environment, but also the uniqueness of its people, culture, resources and lifestyle. These are the stories we are happy to share and we are committed to take on a pivotal role in leading this charge over the next five years,” he added.

    Access Bank is leveraging on technology, especially with its positive track record of innovative products such as the Access Africa; its cross-border transfer service, which is the fastest way to send and receive money across Africa, PayDay Loan and the recently launched Access WhatsApp Banking service.

  • Shipping firms plan N30b refund to importers, agents

    On-going negotiations between shipping companies and the Nigerian Shippers Council (NSC) will lead to refund of over N30 billion to importers and clearing agents, it was learnt at the weekend.

    The negotiation, it was gathered, was based on the fear that the Supreme Court may rule in favour of the Council in a suit challenging the alleged imposition of arbitrary charges on users of shipping services.

    No less than N600 billion may be refunded by the shipping firms, being accumulated levies collected over the years.

    The Court of Appeal and the Federal High Court had earlier given judgment in favour of the Nigerian Shippers’ Council and slammed a N1 trillion fine on the shipping companies and terminal operators.

    Speaking with The Nation in relation to the meetings, the Vice President, Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA), Dr Kayode Farinto, said the Executive Secretary of the Council, Mr. Hassan Bello, remains committed to protecting the interests of users of shipping services in Nigeria. On the allegations of unauthorised levies imposed on shippers by terminal operators and ship owners, Farinto said the justice system in the country works slowly, but added that the shipping companies are making moves to shield themselves from the sledge hammer of the law. He expressed confidence that the negotiation will  lead to resolution  of issues.

    Although the ANLCA chief lamented the slow dispensation of justice in Nigeria, he said the delay was responsible for the inability of the NSC to speedily resolve issues bordering on reversal of illegally collected charges.

    Farinto reiterated that the court of first jurisdiction had awarded a charge of N1 trillion against the  operators and shipping companies on the excess charges collected from importers and agents within the period they increased terminal charges and shipping fees without due consultation with relevant government agencies.

    “The justice system is very slow. The court had determined at the first instance that the illegal levies amounted to over N1 trillion and money was to be paid to the system before it went to the Court of Appeal. While the case is still pending, the amount of the illegal levies collected so far is in the region of N7 trillion.”

    Shippers Council, he said, was not the one that went to court; they took the agency to court. “I do agree that the amount to be paid by the shipping companies can be negotiated through consultation and dialogue because there is no way you can unilaterally or arbitrarily impose charges and say this is my charge, it must be negotiated and approved by the agencies representing the government at ports,” he added.

    A senior official of NSC, who craved anonymity, said the council was open to out-of-court settlement, but added that the most important thing is for the stakeholders to be carried along and the need for the shipping companies to obey the laws of the country.

    A Federal High Court sitting in Lagos had in a 2014 judgment declared that the Shipping Line Agency Charges (SLAC) levied and collected from Nigerian shippers by shipping companies since 2006 was illegal.

    “The Court, therefore, ruled that the shipping companies should account and pay to Nigerian shippers all monies or fees charged and collected since 2006 as SLAC from shippers or users of shipping/port related services from 2006 to date, which ran into several billions of naira.

    “In a landmark judgment by Justice Buba Ibrahim, sitting at the Federal High Court, Lagos, in Suit No. FHC/CS/1646/2014 – Alraine Shipping Agencies (Nig) Ltd & ORS Vs Nigerian Shippers’ Council and Suit No. FHC/CS/1704/2014 – Apapa Bulk Terminal Ltd & ORS Vs Nigerian Shippers’ Council, he affirmed the appointment of the Nigerian Shippers Council as the Economic Regulator of the ports and dismissed the claims of shipping companies and the terminal operators.

    “Pursuant to the appointment of the Nigerian Shippers Council as the Economic Regulator Government, in line with the executive powers of the president in February 2014, the NSC issued notices to both the shipping companies and terminal operators to reverse all illegal charges levied on Nigerian shippers,” the official said.

    Dissatisfied, the shipping companies and the concessionaires, he said, filed an appeal against the council at the Appeal Court in Lagos in 2015.

    “The Court of Appeal also dismissed the case brought against the Nigerian Shippers Council by the Seaport Terminal Operators Association of Nigeria concerning shipping charges hence, the current out-of-court negotiation by the shipping companies with NSC.

    “They have over N600 billion to refund, but the amount they have to pay may not be more than N300 billon or more,” the NSC official said.

  • Fed Govt plans vulnerability assessment in states

    The Federal Government is to conduct vulnerability assessment in states.

    Technical Advier to the Vice President on Disaster and Risk Management, Dr. Olufemi Oke-Osanyintolu said a technical committee to actualize this will be set up.

    According to him, this will mitigate against flooding in the country.

    In his statement, Oke-Osanyintolu said a workshop the theme:“Building Flood Resillient Communities,” will hold in flod –ptone states between August 20 and September 14.

    Oke-Osanyintolu listed the schedule of events to include: “From August 20-21st,  Ikeja, Lagos; Benin, Edo State, August 27th-28th, Porthacourt, Rivers State, August 30th-31st. Others are Yenogoa, Bayelsa State, September 3-4th, Owerri, Imo State, September 6-7 and Katsina, Katsina, September 10-11th while the programme had been slated to hold in Awka, Anambra State, September, 13th-14th.

    He said:“Governors will be required to give an update on efforts they have made towards mitigating imminent flood incidents in their states. Participants will also review the 2018 seasonal rainfall predictions and the annual flood outlook.

    “One of the outcomes of the event will be the setting up of a technical committee on the vulnerability assessment of the states.

    “Participants at the event will comprise of state governors, relevant ministries, deferral legislators, state commissioners, the Armed Forces, Police and para-military.

    “Others are; developmental partners, Local Government Chairmen, civil society organizations and Non-Governmental Organizations, NGOs.”

    Lagos State Governor Akinwunkmi Ambode has kicked off the seminar in Lagos.

  • Firm unveils plan to create more jobs

    TEXT Global has unveiled its plans to create more jobs in Nigeria.

    Its Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Stephen Akintayo, broke the news to reporters yesterday in Lagos.

    He spoke ahead of the firm’s 10th year anniversary, which will hold tomorrow at Dream Centre in Maryland at 9 a.m.

    Akintayo said part of the reasons for the celebration of the company’s 10th anniversary was to help Nigerians get more jobs.

    The company chief said about 4 million Nigerians are unemployed, adding that government cannot provide all the jobs.

    He said: “It is the private sector that needs to provide jobs and employment. We need to have more people going into businesses. We need more entrepreneurs to evolve in Nigeria. It is when this happens that Nigeria can become the lucrative economy we desire.”

    Akintayo said this was the reason GTEXT Global would venture into some sectors with many opportunities to enable many Nigerians get jobs.

    He said: “One of the sectors we are venturing into is the real estate. We are taking the industry by the storm. It has a lot of potentials, including construction and agency. We have trained about 1,000 people in real estate: how to market and sell land for companies and get commission…”

     

    more jobs

  • Financial viability: Why states must think, plan as countries, by Osinbajo

    In his keynote remark yesterday at the Leadership newspapers awards and conference, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo admonished states to think and plan as countries to be more financially viable.

    On the 9th of May 2018, while speaking at the opening ceremony of the 20th Conference of the Chartered Institute of Taxation of Nigeria (CITN),  I had occasion to refer to the remarkable achievements of the late Chief Obafemi Awolowo, as Premier of  the then Western Region of Nigeria from 1954 to 1960.

    The Western region is what today constitutes Oyo, Ogun, Ondo, Ekiti, Osun, parts of Kwara and Kogi, parts of Edo and Delta; Lagos, as far as Jibowu, some parts of Ikeja and Agege. The six year period of the Awolowo government is often cited as one of the most progressive of any government in the developing world.

    Some of the major accomplishments of that government include the University of Ife (now Obafemi Awolowo University); the 26-storey Cocoa House, Ibadan, then, of course, an architectural wonder; Western Nigeria Television Authority, the first in Africa; the Ikeja industrial estate, several farm settlements, the Airport Hotel, Ikeja, several other industrial establishments – Oodua Textile Industries, Ado Ekiti, Okitipupa Oil Palm Mills, Oluwa Glass in Ifon, the ceramics industry there, Ire Ekiti Brick Industry, a network of roads across the region.

    But, by far the most significant of these achievements is the Free Universal Primary Education. In 1952, when the scheme was proposed, 381,000 children, about 30 per cent of children at the time, were enrolled in school. By 1955, when the scheme took off, 811,432 children were enrolled. And the number continued to grow. The Government devoted as much as 41.2 per cent of the 1958/59 recurrent budget to education, one of the highest in the world at the time. At the same time, the region nurtured a vibrant civil service and judicial system which is widely acknowledged as a model, even today.

    So, how were Awo’s phenomenal achievements possible? There was no oil revenue, no Federal revenue. In fact, the Western Region government gave revenue to the federal government.

    How did they achieve financial viability? Mostly it was taxes and revenues from agriculture, especially cocoa, and some from mineral resources. Free education, which was audaciously launched by that government, was directly on the back of income taxes, a capitation or poll tax was imposed by the Western region government mainly to fund free education, despite much opposition and protests.

    But, with military rule from 1967, and oil money, every one forgot about taxes. The Federal Government gave everyone an allocation.

    So, today, the states in the old Western Region, aside from Lagos, do not earn enough in taxes or anything else to pay salaries, let alone do major capital projects. Without federal allocation, most cannot survive. Indeed, the problem of the states is the same as that of the Federal Government; a complete reliance on a source of revenue that is extractive, and so requires no creativity or productivity whatsoever.

    Most resource-rich nations and subnationals in the developing world end up being poor and financially unviable because making easy revenues from the extraction of resources is habit-forming; a habit of easy money without effort, few jobs are created because there is no value added.

    So, Japan, Singapore and South Korea with no significant natural resources are some of the most successful economies, because they create enough jobs for most of their population. Why is that so? Because financial viability is based on innovation and productivity; productivity means adding value, not necessarily possessing the resources, but adding value to whatever resources, even if you have to import the resources.

    So, the consumers of crude oil, like those countries I have  mentioned, earn more than producers of oil, because they add value to the crude oil they import by processing it and converting it to petrochemicals in some cases, often selling these improved products to the oil producers at more profit.

    I have drawn my examples from the experiences of Nation States to illustrate the problems of the unviability of states, because I think a lot of the answers to the challenge of creating financially viable state governments are the same as the problems of creating a financially viable countries or Nation State. So, the prescriptions would always be similar. Many of the same principles that work for a national government will also work for a subnational government.

    So, for the Federal government, one of our priorities has been diversifying our revenue base. When we assumed office in 2015, there were only about 14 million taxpayers of the almost 70 million economically active Nigerians. Indeed, of the 943 persons who pay over N10 million in assessed taxes in Nigeria, 941 of them live in Lagos, the other two live in Ogun State.

    The question you have to ask is: how does any country survive when only a fifth of those who should be paying taxes actually pay them. And so we set out to implement the needed reforms, including our tax amnesty, which is being done in partnership with the state tax authorities. Today, we have added nearly six million tax payers. It is taxes usually that would pay for development.

    Secondly, is a focus on agriculture and especially value-adding by processing along the agro-allied value chain, creating jobs, reducing imports and exporting more.

    Since all the land is in the states anywhere, except, of course, for the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), the states that have created the most jobs are those that focused on agriculture and the value chain. Rice-producing states, for example, have witnessed a tremendous rise in the prosperity of their people.

    So, states like Kebbi and Jigawa states have noticed a significant improvement in the earnings of farmers and of the people.

    Thirdly, creating an enabling environment for business is another must-do. We have pursued this goal aggressively since 2016, and I’m pleased to note that we’re already started seeing the results.

    We have reduced business registration times, we’ve implemented a functioning Visa on Arrival system, launched an online system for filing taxes, among other reforms.

    “By dismantling the bureaucratic obstacles in the way of businesses and investors, we are hoping to unleash the full potential of private enterprise; the kind of enterprise that creates jobs, that grows the economy, and produces future tax revenues for the government.

    On account of these reforms, the World Bank recognised Nigeria as one of the top 10 most improved economies in the world, and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) cited the business climate reforms as a major contributor to lifting the economy out of the recession last year.

    We are actively collaborating with state governments, under whose oversight some reform areas, like land acquisition and property registration, fall.

    Very recently, Lagos and Kano states – two of the largest sub-national economies in Nigeria – launched small claims courts to focus on Small and Medium Enterprise (SME) litigations that do not exceed N5 million. Both Lagos and Kano have clearly recognised the place of a good business environment for attracting investments and thus improving their revenues.

    Similarly, Ogun State’s industrial parks have attracted businesses and produced taxes which have moved the state to number four in revenue generation.

    Abia and Anambra are moving confidently to becoming manufacturing hubs, especially for steel fabrications, shoes and clothing. Jigawa has established a seedling reduction plant. Now it’s beginning to sell improved seedlings to many other states. States must behave like countries and the dynamics of success are changing. And I’ll come back to this point shortly.

    Indeed we are heading towards a time when our states will be competing very actively against one another for big-ticket investments, as is already happening elsewhere in the world.

    Recently, Amazon, one of the most valuable companies in the world, wanted to open a new headquarters, and they asked cities around America to pitch. About 200 cities submitted bids and Amazon announced a shortlist of 20 cities a few months ago. A final announcement, of the winning city is now pending. Now, why is this important? The city that will host Amazon HQ2 will enjoy more than $5 billion in construction investment alone, not to talk of the tens of thousands of direct and indirect jobs that Amazon will bring to the city, and the multiplier effects on the local transportation, hospitality, the entertainment industries, and the additional investment that other companies will bring because of Amazon’s presence in that city.

    Now think about what this development might mean for Nigeria soon, when companies make important decisions about siting their offices primarily based on how easy a state makes it for people to do business in it.

    States that make it easy for investors to acquire land, register property, pay taxes, and to access broadband Internet will be the clear winners, while states that make these things difficult or impossible will languish as the world carries on without them.

    If all of this sounds very theoretical, consider that Information and Communications Technology (ICT), which, of course, does not require natural resources, contributes about a tenth of Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) already, up from negligible levels less than two decades ago.

    And according to the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), the telecoms sector has attracted $70 billion in Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in the last 16 years. That’s the size of the economic potential that we are talking about. And they can take their business anywhere once the infrastructure is right.

    The access to broadband issue is worth highlighting as an example of how states can make decisions that can make or mar their economic future. This is an issue that was frequently debated at the National Economic Council (NEC), which, of course, as you know, brings together state governors and federal officials, and which I have the privilege to chair.

    The argument was that states should not charge prohibitive prices for installing fibre optic cables; that our goal as a country at this time should be covering the entire country with broadband as an investment into our future.

    The alternative, of course, is for a state government to look only at how it can maximise today’s revenues by charging exorbitant fees for broadband installation. This would be a case of penny-wise-pound-foolish; short-term gain at the expense of the future potential and profit. In the future – and that future is right here on our doorsteps. Our states will thrive or suffer on the strength of things like how fast and cheap the Internet is.

    Thankfully, NEC resolved in favour of low standard fees, but this would not include the cost of damage to roads. But, the states also agreed to ensure that roads being built must have ducts to prevent costly damage to roads when cables for various types of infrastructure and services are being laid.

    This conversation about creating financially viable states should therefore be viewed through the lens of the medium to the long term. There will always be the temptation to prioritise raising IGR at all costs. If this is done in a manner that stifles today’s entrepreneurs and investors, then clearly there will be a great price to pay down the line.

    So, it is clear that governors have to think beyond four or eight year cycles. There must be a commitment to laying a foundation that our successors will build on, and for successors to be ready to build on foundations laid.

    One of the challenges with governance in Nigeria today is that penchant for dismantling or dismissing everything inherited. President Buhari insisted when we assumed office that we must ensure the completion of projects started, but abandoned or uncompleted by previous governments before starting new ones. Our problem, of course, in our country, is not in new ideas or starting projects, it is the lack of rigour and discipline to complete projects and to maintain them.

    One of the reasons Lagos State is possibly the most successful sub-national economy is the continuity in the implementation of a plan. Each governor in Lagos has followed the plan in financial reform, in land reform, laid out by the administration of former Governor Bola Tinubu, so also in infrastructure development. The BRT was started in 2005 or so. Then Governor Babatunde Fashola completed and improved upon it, (Governor) Ambode finished off the Ikorodu route and has continued to expand the BRT.

    The rail project, which was largely begun by Fashola, is being completed by Ambode. The way of progress is by trying to follow through a plan and completing what has been started.

    Even though the Treasury Single Account (TSA), was not our idea, we recognised its value and realised that the real challenge was the lacklustre implementation that it had suffered over the years.

    And so, President Muhammadu Buhari issued his first Presidential Order, mandating full-compliance with the TSA. The closure of more than 20,000 commercial bank accounts that followed has resulted in monthly savings of N4 billion that would have gone on bank charges alone. That’s more resources for us to use for the benefit of Nigerians.

    The Lagos-Kano standard gauge and the Warri-Aladja rail, Second Niger Bridge, have always been in the pipeline. We have taken the concrete steps required to complete them. We raised the counterpart funding in the cases of those requiring loans, and made sure the contractors are getting the job done.

    Financial viability is not just about earning more, it is also as much about doing more with less, which is our mantra at the Federal level; making the little we have go as far as possible. How? By embracing fiscal prudence, debt management, controlling overheads, and so on.

    But perhaps, most importantly, and this is the elephant in the room; stopping corruption, beginning with grand corruption. By that I mean that habit of simply converting money from the treasury to personal use and ownership.

    This is the stranger than fiction variant of corruption which seems to be a uniquely Nigerian phenomenon. Financial viability is impossible if the custodians of the finances want the money for themselves. Our states must think plan and act as countries, and why not?

    Ten of Nigeria’s states with the highest GDPs have higher GDPs than over 15 African countries.  In fact, I was saying the other day, that if you look at Rwanda, which is a country that is celebrated in Africa, the GDP of Lagos State is almost four times the size of Rwanda’s GDP.

    Thinking like a country means planning like one. And I think that one of the most important things for states to do is to begin to think and plan like countries do. And we cannot wait for constitutional reforms that may be required for further devolution to the states.

    We must act whether or not there is this reform. In many cases, states have control of some of the resources that can make a tremendous difference in the way that they operate.

     

  • How Buhari’s men plan to checkmate Saraki, Dogara, others

    Strategists of President Muhammadu Buhari are leaving nothing to chance in the event that some bigwigs of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) dump the party in the build up to next year’s elections.

    The Buhari camp has in place a Plan B to mitigate the effects of the possible defection of the likes of Senate President  Bukola Saraki, House of Representatives Speaker Yakubu Dogara, Governor Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto State, Senator  Rabiu Kwankwaso, Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue State, Senator  Aliyu Wammako, and  Senator  Ahmed Yerima, among others.

    Also tipped to defect are Senators Shehu Sani, Suleiman Hunkuyi, Magnus Abe, Dino Melaye, and some other Senators and members of the House of Representatives.

    The Buhari strategists, The Nation gathered authoritatively yesterday, have come to the conclusion that some political heavyweights of the APC are on their way out of the party.

    Citing some recent political developments, the strategists at a meeting in Abuja said the bigwigs might abandon Buhari by shifting base from APC to PDP.

    One of the likely defectors is said to have taken a secret trip to  Port Harcourt last weekend to see Governor Nyesom Wike, escaping a near mishap when the chartered jet convening his delegation ran into a storm mid-air.

    The trip was made under the cover of an official engagement.

    Highly placed political sources said Thursday’s inauguration of the Liyel Imoke Committee by the PDP to work out modalities for receiving the APC bigwigs and alliances to ease out Buhari in 2019 was not co-incidental.

    The committee has its origin in what the sources called a secret agreement in Port Harcourt to hasten up the gale of defections.

    The committee was inaugurated by the PDP National Chairman, Prince Uche Secondus.

    Responding to the PDP threat, the Buhari strategists decided  to be a step ahead of the defectors, not wanting to be caught napping like ex-President Goodluck Jonathan when high profile PDP members left him in the lurch in 2014.

    It was gathered that the strategists have devised a “state-by-state” response and what one of the more reliable strategists called a “local content” solution.

    Giving an insight into the Plan B and why Buhari supporters are prepared for ‘aftershock’, one of the sources said: “With the exit of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, the pattern is predictable for Buhari strategists. Some chieftains have shown by their conduct that they are no longer with APC in spirit. Some steps taken by these leaders are pointing to likely defection. We cannot be caught unawares again.

    “We know some of those who may defect because intelligence has indicated that some of them are already negotiating the terms of their defection with a few opposition parties.

    “We will give a peculiar local response or local content to each of the defectors. It is going to be high-wire politics.”

    Kano State

    “For instance in Kano State, it is obvious that Sen. Rabiu Kwankwaso will leave APC because of his presidential ambition and irreconcilable crisis of confidence with Governor Abdullahi Ganduje.

    “He wants to prove a point by stopping Ganduje from earning a second term ticket. Since he is extremely popular in Kano, his candidate can become the next governor of the state in 2019 on a 50-50 per cent basis.

    “We also do not rule out the possibility of a repeat of the election of Senator Aliyu Sabo Bakin Zuwo (of the defunct PRP) in 1983 as governor of Kano State against the highly favoured Abubakar Rimi of the defunct Nigerian Peoples Party (NPP). Kwankwaso can spring a surprise like Bakin Zuwo

    “But Kwankwaso may not go far against Buhari in the presidential race because of some hurdles. His challenge is the platform to use because he has to face a stiff competition for the presidential ticket with his local rival, ex-Governor Ibrahim Shekarau, ex-VP Atiku, Governor Ibrahim Dankwambo, ex-Governor Sule Lamido, ex-Governor Attahiru  Bafarawa, Governor Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, and others.

    “The permutation of Buhari strategists is that if Kwankwaso gets the ticket of PDP, it will be easier to work with Shekarau’s camp to get substantial votes from Kano.

    “Certainly, there will be split votes in Kano in 2019 but the strategists are working hard on how Buhari, who has a solid support base in Kano, can secure at least 60 to 70 per cent of the presidential votes in the state.”

    Kwara State

    The source said some PDP leaders are in subterranean alliance with Buhari’s camp in case Senate President Saraki moves to PDP.

    The Buhari camp plans to  work with PDP leaders (mostly from Kwara Central) who may ditch the opposition party in protest against the possible  return of Saraki and his anointed candidates for the governorship and other election levels.

    His words: “With the alliance, Buhari may get  between  45%  and  47% of the votes from Kwara State and the  Kwara South Senatorial seat for APC which the incumbent governor from Ifelodun Local Government Area is interested in against Saraki’s long time ally, Senator Rafiu Ibrahim, the current Senator.

    “The results of the 2015 governorship election showed that the APC candidate, Governor Ahmed secured 295,832 votes to defeat the runner-up, Senator Simeon Ajibola, of the Peoples Democratic Party by 115,220 votes.

    “A major plan of Buhari’s strategists is to close the gap in 2019 by working with those who may leave PDP like former Minister of National Planning, Professor Abubakar Suleiman, Saraki’s ex-Adviser, Moshood Mustapha, ex-VC of UNILORIN, Prof. Shuaibu Oba, Yinka Aluko, ex-PDP governorship candidate, Sen. Ajibola and others.

    “If Saraki concedes the Kwara South Senatorial ticket to Offa, his camp can easily win the three senatorial districts in Kwara State. But if he allows the rivalry between the governor and Sen. Rafiu to fester, his camp might lose Kwara South because either of them can play a spoiler game.

    “Most of those against Saraki’s hegemony in Kwara State are from Kwara South where the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed comes from. Saraki is worried that Mohammed has not been forthcoming in checking the ‘rebels’ in APC.

    “Saraki has however taken his political destiny in his own hands to avoid any slip. He has been shuttling between Abuja and Kwara State in the past few weeks to fortify his base, and holding series of meetings and events in the state, sometimes without the knowledge of the governor who has allegedly created a political baggage for him.

    “His major headache is the choice of the governorship candidate for Kwara State in 2019 from either  Kwara Central or Kwara North which produced a governor last in 1992 (26 years ago) in the person of Senator Mohammed Sha’aba Lafiagi.

    “The Emirs and other traditional rulers in Lafiagi recently stormed Abuja to demand the governorship slot from Saraki who asked them to resolve the divisions in Kwara North first. These rulers have raised a three-man panel on how to resolve the rifts in Kwara North.

    “If Saraki crosses over to PDP, he will have the same problem of where to pick the next governor from between Kwara Central (the largest voting population area and where opposition to Saraki is unusually coming from) and Kwara North which has been deciding the fate of every elected governor in the state since 1979.

    “Those opposed to Saraki either in APC or PDP are waiting for a slip by him on the choice of party and governorship candidate before forming an alliance against him for Buhari’s camp to capitalize on.

    “As part of the Plan B, some APC chieftains are pushing for the choice of Saraki’s sister, Senator Gbemisola Saraki, as the national women leader of APC at the forthcoming national convention of the party.

    “APC leaders from Kwara South are already plotting against the current National Publicity Secretary, Mr. Bolaji Abdullahi by claiming that the slot was conceded to them by the party following the election of Alhaji Lai Mohammed before he became a minister.

    “Pro-Saraki leaders insisted that the office was only zoned to Kwara and not any senatorial district. But it is obvious that Sen. Gbemisola’s candidacy is meant to whittle down the influence of Bukola Saraki.

    “Kwara may end up with two national officers of APC if the proposal is approved.”

    Sokoto State

    The presidential ambition of Governor Aminu Tambuwal may  force the Buhari camp to negotiate with ex-Governor Aliyu Wammako, who is closer to a strategic member of  what is called the cabal.

    The source added: “Although Wammako shares a political bond with Saraki, those in Buhari’s camp believe his grievances can be addressed if they are given local touch.

    “There is a plan by Buhari’s strategists to return the party structure to the ex-governor in order to determine who will be the next governor of the state in 2019 and other elective posts. If the plan works out, Wammako may be able to install his governorship favourite in 2015, Farouk Malami Yabo (ex-Commissioner for Finance).

    “But if Wammako sticks to his new found political ally (Governor Tambuwal) and shifts base to PDP, the alternative for Buhari’s strategists is to strengthen a faction of APC  in Sokoto called APC Buhariyya which is propping up Dahiru Yusuf Yabo (a former Commissioner for Water Resources) as its gubernatorial hopeful. The Buhariyya group comprises those formerly in the defunct Congress for Progressive Change (CPC).

    “The target of the President’s men is Wammako who has proven to be unbeatable in Sokoto State.

    “The terrain is also slippery for Wammako because the governor has planted all his loyalists in the APC structures from ward to the State Executive Committee. He has been boxed into a corner in a manner that only Tambuwal-anointed candidate can emerge as APC governorship flag bearer even if he moves to PDP.

    “It will be in the interest of Wammako to remain in APC and allow Tambuwal to wander to PDP for the presidential ticket.”

    Benue State

    Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue State is believed to be considering switching allegiance to the Social Democratic Party (SDP) because the PDP has shut its doors against him unless he wants to be an ordinary member of the party.

    His chances as APC governorship candidate are not brighter either because his godfather, Senator George Akume, is no longer favourably disposed to him.

    But SDP is willing to admit Ortom into its camp because of his grassroots connection and the political mileage which the killings in Benue State have earned him.

    “Benue appears a write-off but strategists are relying on a change of governorship candidate to win the sympathy of the people of the state or, at worse, secure the mandatory 25 per cent of the total votes cast for Buhari,” another source said.

    “While some strategists and forces in the presidency prefer the Managing Director of the Nigerian Export Processing Zones Authority (NEPZA), Emmanuel Jime (who was APC governorship aspirant in 2015), Akume, the kingmaker in the state, wants Mr. Titus Tartenger Zam, who is a Special Adviser on Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs to Governor Ortom.

    “It is left to the strategists to take a risk or defer to Akume who holds the ace. But Ortom’s plot to control the party machinery in the state might box Akume into a corner.

    “The likely exit of Ortom to SDP will leave three parties (APC, PDP, SDP) competing for votes in the state.”

    Zamfara State

    Sources said Senator  Yerima’s next move appears unclear for now “because of his romance with Saraki.”

    However, Buhari’s  camp is banking on Governor Abdulaziz Yari, some Yarimawa like ex-Governor Mahmuda Aliyu Shinkafi and his running mate in  2015, Madami Dandoto, and a  former Deputy Governor in the state, Muktari Anka and others to checkmate the ex-governor.

    “The battle is likely to be a royal one because the governor is interested in installing his successor in 2019 and he wants to contest for the senatorial seat being occupied presently by Yerima,” one source said.

    “Yerima has told his political son that he is not yet ready to retire from politics now.”

    Buhari’s strategists have the weighty influence of a former National Security Adviser, Gen. Aliyu Gusau, traditional rulers in the state and the unending killings in Zamfara to cope with.

    “We think Gusau is in league with ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo and ex-President Ibrahim Babangida to stop Buhari in 2019,” another strategist added.

    Bauchi State

    Governor Mohammed Abubakar’s strong hold on the party’s structure in Bauchi State is posing immense threat to the political career of House of Reps Speaker Yakubu Dogara, who represents Bogoro/Tafawa Balewa Federal Constituency.

    From the look of things, it is unlikely that Dogara will get a ticket to return to the National Assembly or even have a shot at the governorship.

    Although the Speaker has reported the governor to the presidency, not much intervention seems to have taken place.

    The APC National Secretariat in August 2017 sent a Fact-Finding and Reconciliation Committee to the Bauchi State chapter but the panel which was headed by Labour and Employment Minister Chris Ngige could not go far.

    A source said: “The Cold War between Dogara and the governor may lead to the exit of the Speaker from APC to PDP where he will join forces with leaders like ex-Governor Isa Yuguda and ex-FCT Minister, Sen. Bala Mohammed to fight the governor.

    “The Speaker in May 2017, said: ‘It was because the people were getting so angry that they decided to take their destiny in their hands and everybody knows. You can find out from them in Bauchi that that was the direction we were heading to, a very dangerous direction and the president needed to intervene.’

    “Buhari’s strategists are aware that Bauchi State is politically fluid. The signs of the deep crisis in APC in the state were obvious at the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa Stadium in Bauchi during the recent visit of the President to the state.

    “The strategists are relying on total reconciliation with top politicians like Dogara, Yusuf Tuggar and all the segments of the state to save the situation for Buhari. The reconciliation may involve President Buhari this time around.

    “Apart from politicians, the traditional institution is unhappy with the deposition of about 150 district heads and civil servants were shocked by the suspension of their pay for three months. In fact, of the 12 members of the House of Representatives from the state, only five Reps are with the governor.”

    A source said: “Once Tambuwal defects to PDP, Dogara will follow, I can tell you this.”

    Kaduna State

    Apart from his hometown, Daura, President Buhari is emotionally attached to Kaduna where he almost lost his life to a bomb ambush about four years ago. Well-loved and treated like a tin-god by his large support base, Kaduna is an electoral nightmare for Buhari in spite of the pretence by Governor Nasir el-Rufai.

    In an apparently frustrated tone, el-Rufai on Friday declared the three Senators representing the state as useless for allegedly blocking a $350m loan request by the State Government. The senators are Shehu Sani (Kaduna Central), Suleiman Hunkuyi (Kaduna North) both of the APC and Danjuma Leah (Kaduna South), who is from the opposition PDP.

    Beyond the loan palaver, the battle ahead in 2019 is the hidden motive behind the vituperations of the governor.

    The facts are not adding up in the presidency and among Buhari’s strategists on the logjam in Kaduna. The entire Kaduna South is almost lost due to incessant killings such that the governor has not been able to attend major events in the area lately.

    The other two Senatorial districts are not an easy ride for el-Rufai who is Buhari’s self-acclaimed 2019 polls salesman.

    The most difficult will be Kaduna North where  Hunkuyi, ex-Governor  Ahmed Makarfi, ex-Governor Ramalan Yero,  a game changer, Isa Ashiru and the aggrieved huge population of followers of the Shiite leader, Ibrahim Yaqoub el-Zakzaky hail or operate from. El-Rufai is from Kaduna North although he votes in Kaduna Central.

    Except for the influence of ex-Vice President Namadi Sambo in Kaduna Central, Senator Sani poses less political threat to Buhari because his senatorial ticket was a “consequence of Buhari-el-Rufai’s benevolence in 2015.”

    Reputed as a human rights activist, Sani is not a natural or typical Nigerian politician. Although he is gifted with oratory skills, he will have to lean on big politicians like the ex-VP and the President of the Senate, Dr. Bukola Saraki (who can negotiate his exit from APC to PDP) to realize his governorship or senatorial ambition.

    But with the control of party machinery by el-Rufai, there were indications yesterday that Sani, Hunkuyi, Ashiru and other stalwarts might be PDP bound.

    Six options open to the strategists of Buhari on Kaduna are relying on old and stale love for the President by his mob supporters; appeasing Kaduna South with enhanced security and development; granting automatic second term tickets to all House of Reps members and the state Assembly members from Kaduna State;  immediate reconciliation with Hunkuyi and Sani by conceding automatic Senate tickets to them;  factoring Ashiru into consideration with a better package and resorting to aged fault lines of ethno-religious politics to win votes in 2019.

    A top source said: “Capitalizing on the age-long fault lines will make the politics in Kaduna in 2019 messier and Buhari might have the upper hand. The same factor will not make the Christians in Southern Kaduna to vote for Buhari.

    “El-Rufai’s offer of automatic second term tickets to House of Reps members and the state Assembly members from Kaduna State is an ingenious political masterstroke which can make each of them to defend their frontiers.

    “To knock out Sani, one of the propaganda stunts emanating from the fault lines against him is the fact that he is from Niger State and as a non-indigene, he should be disallowed from taking the slot of a native.

    “Also, if Buhari’s camp can strike a deal with Ashiru and Hunkuyi, he can comfortably win Kaduna with a better margin. But Ashiru, whose ambition is to be a governor, might prefer following his political friend and ally, Governor Aminu Tambuwal to PDP. It is becoming too late to win.

    Adamawa State

    The strategists of Buhari and followers of the First Lady, Hajiya Aisha Buhari have been trying to hijack the party structure in Adamawa State with a view to clipping the wings of ex-VP Atiku Abubakar who has tremendous influence on Governor Jibrilla Bindo.

    The outcome of Saturday’s congresses will determine and define where APC stalwarts in the state like ex-Governor Murtala Nyako, SGF Boss Mustapha, ex-SGF Babachir Lawal, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, Sen. Binta Mashi, Hajiya Aishatu Dahiru Modibbo Binani and others are headed.

    A source said: “Adamawa is a heterogeneous state and the politics of 2019 is still dicey as I am talking to you.

    “While Atiku is still pulling the strings in APC through the governor, all the leaders are divided. Governor Bindo has visited the Presidential Villa many times to assure the President of support but the strategists of Buhari are still suspicious of him.”

  • Wike: they plan to give me Alamieyeseigha treatment

    Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike yesterday claimed to have uncovered a plot by the Federal Government to plant illegal items on him outside the country.

    The plan, he alleged, is to implicate him so that he would be quizzed by foreign security agencies.

    This, the governor claimed, was what was done to former Bayelsa State Governor Diepriye Alamieyeseigha in 2005.

    But Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity Garba Shehu said the government would not react to the allegation.

    Rivers State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) dismissed the claim.

    A statement by  Wike’s Special Assistant on Electronic Media, Simeon Nwakaudu,  said the governor’s investigations revealed that the government was using security agencies for the plot.

    The statement quoted Wike as saying: “My investigation reveals that the Federal government is planning to use her security agencies to set me up anytime I am travelling outside the country. They plan to organise security to storm the hotel I am staying and say they found xyz cash in my possession; after which they would say I was arrested for currency trafficking or whatever offences outside the country.

    “They will then precipitate crisis in my state and other parts of Nigeria. They will plan demonstrations to demonise me and claim I have gone outside to embarrass the country. The public odium is meant to smear me before my people and other Nigerians. It is unfortunate, wicked and unfair.

    “What they plan is similar to what was once done to the late Chief DSP Alamieyeseigha. They are planning what they call the ‘Alams treatment’ for me. But, by the grace of Almighty God, they will fail.

    Wike said he chose to alert the public to the evil and dangerous dimension politics had degenerated in the country.

    “I am using this opportunity to alert the world of the sinister plot. I am a law-abiding citizen of this country and countries I visit in the course of my work or holidays. I have never dabbled into anything illegal. So, any attempt to frame me up on trumped up charges or alleged offences is bound to fail.

    “What they are doing is just cheap politics. They want to intimidate the opposition into silence as they are already doing with their so-called ‘looters’ list’. It won’t work. We can’t all be intimidated. What we expect government at the centre to do is to showcase to the people their lists of achievements; why they should get a second chance. But they have nothing to show; so they are embarking on intimidation and arm-twisting tactics of the opposition.”

    Wike said he was sure of victory in the 2019 polls because he has been serving the people diligently and efficiently.

    “My works will speak for me. My projects will speak for me. The People of Rivers State will speak for me by voting me back. No shaking, “ he said.

    Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers state, Chief Chris Finebon said: “Wike is raising false alarm. Wike was at the forefront of using federal might to win elections in 2015. Wike and his cohorts used the security agencies and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to massively rig the 2015 polls. The Rivers governor is now afraid of his shadow. Everybody is not like Wike. Nobody in APC will repeat what Wike and his cohorts did in Nigeria in 2015.

    “Wike is simply being mischievous by claiming that the Federal Government will have nothing to show during the 2019 elections. The administration of President Muhammadu Buhari has performed so impressively. In 2017, the trailer loads of rice that Wike bought for members of his Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) came from APC’s Kebbi State and part of the Buhari’s agricultural revolution.

    “Wike is deceiving himself by claiming that he is sure of resounding victory in 2019, with his claim of serving Rivers people diligently and efficiently. Rivers people are ready to vote Wike out in 2019, to put an end to his poor performance, brazen stealing, misrule, impunity and bad governance.”

     

  • ‘We’re committed to instilling succession plan in businesses’

    The Nigerian-German Business Association (NGBA) is committed to ensuring a sustainable and healthy business relationship between German investors and their Nigerian counterparts.

    Its Director-General, Mr. Gbenga Adebija, said the body was committed to ensuring that Nigerian businesses have good succession plans.

    Adebija said most thriving businesses in Germany started as family entities and grew to be conglomerates. He lamented that most Nigerian family businesses die with their owners, attributing the trend to lack of a long-term planning and sound business management principles.

    He said this was part of the training offered by the group to help in the sustainability of businesses.

    Adebija said part of NGBA’s agenda was to foster a better bilateral business relationship between Nigerian and German companies, especially in the non oil sector.

    He said the group would not only promote Foreign Direct Investment (FDI), but also encourage the export of Nigerian products and commodities to Germany.

    Other functions of the group, he stated, are to connect Nigerian businessmen to potential markets in addition to sourcing  finance for investments.

    “We have significantly collaborated with the two countries in the areas of sourcing financial and investment opportunities in Nigeria and Germany. Our aim is to facilitate the ease of doing business between the two countries,” he said.

    On the draw backs of trade facilitation between the two countries, Adebija said it was mostly that of perception. According to him, Nigeria is perceived as a corrupt nation, making it difficult for German businesses to be comfortable here.

    Adebija listed multiple taxation as another major factor that discourages investors. He added that corruption and multiple taxation were hindering FDIs from Germany, as German businessmen believe in zero tolerance for corruption. He said any level of corruption in Germany attracted a jail term.

    He said Germany, built by small businesses based on sustainable practices, was working to see Nigerian businesses get to that level.

    The group said it was speaking with some German investors and business organisations on marketing investment opportunities in Nigeria.

    Adebija said: “We have concluded arrangements with over 150 potential investors, who will explore the Nigerian market before the end of 2018 and we are keenly committed to that.”

    He added that NGBA had been  mediating between Nigerian and German businessmen. It has also been training young Nigerian entrepreneurs to imbibe the right value in doing business, which is a departure from the old order.

    He said having realised that some German investors were not comfortable with the way and manner of doing business in Nigeria, the NGBA charted a new course by trying to inculcate the right values in doing business – transparency.

  • Mazda, Toyota plan $1.6 billion in joint facility

    Toyota Motor Corporation and Mazda Motor Corporation had announced Alabama in United States as the site of their new joint-venture manufacturing plant.

    The new plant will have the capacity to build 300,000 vehicles annually, with production split evenly between two lines for each company to produce Mazda’s crossover model that will be newly introduced to the North American market and the Toyota Corolla.

    The joint venture represents a $1.6 billion investment that Mazda and Toyota plan to make with equal funding contributions. The site for the new plant is in Huntsville, located approximately 14 miles from Toyota’s Alabama plant (Toyota Motor Manufacturing, Alabama, Inc.). The facility is expected to create up to 4,000 jobs. Production is expected to begin by 2021.

    The State of Alabama is the fifth largest producer of cars and light trucks nationally with a strong automotive manufacturing presence including Toyota’s engine plant in Huntsville, where Toyota employs 1,400 team members. There are approximately 57,000 automotive manufacturing jobs in Alabama.

    In the coming months, after obtaining approvals and authorisation by antitrust agencies, the new joint venture will be established, and site preparations will begin with the start of production in 2021.

    Mazda Motor Corporation President and Chief Executive Officer Masamichi Kogai said: “Mazda makes cars with a clear vision of how we want to inspire people, contribute to society and help preserve the beauty of the earth. By making such cars here in Alabama, we hope that over time our plant will come to occupy a special place in the hearts of our employees and the local community. By making this plant a vibrant part of that community, we hope to work, learn and grow together with the people of Alabama and Huntsville.”

    Toyota Motor Corporation President Akio Toyoda said: “When Toyota and Mazda announced our intention to build a new plant in the US last summer, I said that two things brought the companies together: the love of cars, and the love of home towns. While cars get our hearts pumping, hometowns make the success of our endeavours.

    “We are proud of where we come from, of course, but as we expanded our business globally, every place where we operate has become our hometown.”