The Nation Newspaper

Tag: PRESIDENCY

  • Presidency cancels FEC meeting

    Presidency cancels FEC meeting

    The weekly meeting of the Federal Executive Council did not hold at the Presidential Villa, Abuja on Wednesday, the News Agency of Nigeria reports.

    FEC is the highest Federal Executive decision-making body presided over by the President with the Vice-President, Secretary to the Government of the Federation and all the ministers in attendance.

    The Head of Service of the Federation and some presidential aides are also members of the Council.

    NAN reports that there is no official reason given by the presidency on why Wednesday’s meeting did not hold.

    Some ministers who were not aware of the development arrived at the villa before 10am, the usual commencement time of the meeting, but were turned back by protocol officials.

    With the absence of President Goodluck Jonathan, Vice-President Namadi Sambo would have presided over the meeting.

    Jonathan left Abuja on Tuesday night for London and Paris to confer with the British Prime Minister, David Cameron and the President of France, Francois Hollande on matters of vital interests to Nigeria, Britain and France.

    The Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Dr Reuben Abati, had said in a statement on Tuesday that the president would, on his way to London, stop over in Cairo, Egypt.

    He said the President would participate in the conference of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) scheduled to open there on Wednesday.

    According to Abati, the President would also attend the launch of former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s Foundation in London on Friday.

    He said the president would be back in Abuja on Monday.

     

  • Presidency, South-south and Ijaw hegemony

    Presidency, South-south and Ijaw hegemony

    SIR: Events that began with the death of President Umaru Yar’Adua in 2010, have come to unveil the historic fraud that was then held as a South-south political platform.

    Presently, the flag of the irredentist Ijaw minority has been treacherously substituted as a South-south political platform, even as their ethnic leaders have superimposed themselves as South-south leaders leaving the peoples and nationalities of the zone without any facility for their own true political expression.

    Today, it is clear to the people of all nationalities in our geo-political region that the sole aim of what was presented to them as a regional mandate in 2011, was actually the establishment and perpetuation of an Ijaw hegemony that subsumes the political expression of the entire zone to its exclusive agenda. This hegemonic ambition, verifiable by the pattern of President Goodluck Jonathan’s appointments since his emergence, is characterized by a near-monopoly of significant empowerment and strategic ministries and positions by the Ijaws to the exclusion of other South-south nationalities. For example, of the six ministerial slots given to the South-South zone, three are occupied by the same Ijaw ethnic nationality. A similar analysis of other key appointments in the presidency, federal departments, parastatals and agencies, portray the same lopsidedness and inequity against other nationalities of the South-south.

    This dominion and monopoly over the other South-south nationalities like the Urhobo nation, which constitute a major block of zone, is classically illustrated by the fact that the entire Bayelsa State which is exercising the so-called South-south Presidency, in addition to a full minister, is made up of the same eight local government areas as the Delta central senatorial district of the Urhobos in Delta State. Yet in the entire South-south, the Urhobos can only boast of chairman of a moribund river basin authority. Even of the eight LGAs that make up the President’s Bayelsa State, a couple of them such as Sagbama LGA have significant Urhobo population. In Delta State, where the Ijaws are a small minority, with Urhobo as the overwhelming majority, the only minister from the state is ironically from the Ijaw minority. What do we call this if not internal colonialism?

    Of equal symbolic evidence, is the exclusive appropriation of the amnesty programme and other related patronages by the Ijaws in the aftermath of a struggle that was supposed to be of the Niger-Delta region. Thus, both the Niger-Delta minister and the head of the Niger-Delta amnesty empowerment programme are both of Ijaw extraction. It is also manifested in the sudden spate of territorial expansionist crises involving Ijaw communities in different parts of the Niger-Delta region such as Edo and Ondo states.

    Now, the cumulative internal crisis of confidence in our zone, engendered by this surreptitious superimposition has degenerated to such depth of bitterness. On top of all these, is the growing realization that our collective political future as minorities stand the danger of being irretrievably compromised in the politics of Nigeria by the accident of history that precipitated the Jonathan Presidency. Our people have come to realize that the dishonesty and betrayal of trust that trailed the president’s candidature, in relation to the zoning principle of the People’s Democratic Party, after the death of the late President Yar’Adua in 2010, is capable of collectively stigmatizing us as an untrustworthy people in the future politics of this country.

    The time has come, to put an end to this national deception, to deconstruct the fraud that is presently assumed to be a South-South political platform and to herald the true political vision of the present day South-south Nigeria.

    • Maxwell Okirikpo

    Effurun Delta State.

  • 2015 Presidency: Igbo leaders sing discordant tunes

    2015 Presidency: Igbo leaders sing discordant tunes

    As the debate over the next zone to produce the president of Nigeria gathers momentum, Assistant Editor, Dare Odufowokan, takes a look at the position and preparedness of the South-East zone to produce the country’s president in 2015.

     

    When Dr. Dozie Ikedife, a former President-General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, reportedly declared that Ndigbo will contest the 2015 presidential election only if President Goodluck Jonathan is not seeking reelection, little did he know he was fanning the ember of discord among the leaders and people of the South-East region.

    Formed in 1976 by a group of eminent Igbos led by frontline legal luminary, Professor Ben Nwabueze, Ohaneze Ndigbo is seen as the umbrella body of all pan-Igbo organisations. As such, when its leaders talk, their utterances are usually taken very seriously within and outside the region.

    As if not to leave anyone in doubt about its pro-Jonathan stance, Ohanaeze, speaking through its newly elected leadership confirmed Ikedife’s position recently, when it said it would go along with Jonathan’s decision to either run or not in 2015.

    Addressing a maiden news conference in Lagos, the newly elected National Publicity Secretary of Ohanaeze, Chief Tonnie Oganah, said the President was constitutionally empowered to seek re-election at the expiration of his tenure except he declined.

    “After Jonathan’s tenure is completed either in 2015 or 2019, it will be the turn of the Igbo for the Presidency. What we are saying is that the Igbo, being a major player in the country, are entitled to the Presidency and it is their turn. If President Jonathan declines to run in 2015, it then makes it quicker for the Igbo. The bottom line is that an Igbo man will succeed Jonathan whether in 2015 or 2019,” Oganah said.

    But just as politicians and other stakeholders across the country were beginning to see the pronouncement as the collective position of the South-East region on the forthcoming general election, dissenting voices started emerging from the region, suggesting that Ohaenaeze’s position may after-all be an unpopular one among Ndigbo.

    Socio-political groups like the Ikenga, Igbo Mandate Group (IMG) and Njiko Igbo, have all come out to refute the claim by Ohanaeze that Ndigbo are willing to forfeit their presidential pursuit if President Jonathan is desirous of another term in office come 2015.

    For Njiko Igbo, there is no going back on the quest to have a Nigerian president of Igbo extraction in 2015. The group said majority of the people of the South-East are opposed to Ohanaeze’s support for Jonathan at the expense of what it called the collective dream of the Igbo people.

    The acting National Publicity Secretary of the group and former Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) gubernatorial aspirant in Imo State, Mr. Brady Nwosu, said the organisation’s position was in line with its objective to promote the place of the Igbo nation in the Nigerian project.

    Nwosu said while the leaders of Njiko Igbo  believe in the corporate existence of Nigeria, they also believe there should be equity in the country, especially as it concerns the presidency of Nigeria.

    “Right now, our brothers from Ijaw have already attained the presidency and we have not and the Igbo nation is a major political bloc.

    “Our group believes that an Igbo man must become president in 2015. An Igbo has never been opportuned to be president of this country. It is our turn to produce the president in 2015,” Nwosu said.

    But the Ohanaeze Ndigbo feels different. The group said there is no reason Ndigbo should be against Jonathan’s ambition in 2015. The organisation declared that it is not ready to obstruct the President’s quest for another term irrespective of how other stakeholders in the region view the development.

    Acknowledging that the orgnisation shares the agitation for Igbo presidency, Oganah said they will expect political parties to have the Igbo Presidency in mind in selecting their flag bearers for the presidential election.

    He said “all Ohanaeze and indeed the Igbos want is to get their fair share of leadership of the country. But such expectation is subject to the decision of President Jonathan to run or not to run in 2015.

    “Either way, we are not against him. We will urge Nigerians to give him the necessary support needed to make life better for Nigerians until his tenure expires,” Oganah said.

    But the Njiko Igbo would want the leadership of Ohanaeze Ndigbo to take stock of political development since the inception of the present democratic dispensation. The group said given that the South-East contributed substantially to the emergence of presidents from other geopolitical zones, it is imperative for the other zones to reciprocate by supporting an Igbo man to be Nigeria’s president in 2015.

    Not to be left out of the raging controversy, the Oganiru Ndigbo Foundation recently distanced itself from calls on Jonathan to contest the 2015 election, warning those using the name of the Igbos for such pronouncements to desist or prepare to be ostracized.

    The group said while Ndigbo are not at war with Jonathan, there is absolutely no reason, at this time, to endorse him or any other politician for 2015 election, especially as Ndigbo has already expressed interest in producing the next President of Nigeria in 2015.

    “Whereas Ndigbo overwhelmingly supported the election of President Goodluck Jonathan in 2011 elections, we remain of the view that the President should not be distracted by relevance-seeking political jobbers with such calls, even when he is yet to deliver on his major promises to Ndigbo,” they said in a statement.

    The statement was signed by Emeka Maduewesi (Leader), Uche Onuh Lucas (President-General), Maxi Okwu; Okey Igbokwe, Onyema Uche and Obichi Ikechi, on behalf of others.

    They drew attention to Jonathan’s failures so far to honour promises made to the Igbos, including construction of the second Niger Bridge within his first tenure; to convert Enugu Airport to an international hub; and to give roads in the South-East urgently needed attention within his current tenure.

    “As at today, none of these promises have been fulfilled,” the statement said.  “Second Niger Bridge is still in the “drawing board” and no international flight has yet landed or taken off from Enugu Airport. South-East roads remain the worst in the country.

    They also contended that in the sharing of national resources, Ndigbo are yet to get any favors from the Jonathan regime.

    “No single refinery out of the six promised by Jonathan is located in the South – East even though three South-East states, Abia, Imo and now Anambra are oil producing states,” they said. “Revenue allocation is heavily skewed against Igbo states with one state receiving more monthly allocation than all the five South-East states.

    Commenting on the debate, Presidential adviser on inter party relations, Senator Ben Obi, said it is proper for the Igbos to wait for President Goodluck Jonathan’s decision on whether to run or not before taking their own decision on the 2015 presidential race.

    The senator, who spoke in Awka during the week, observed that although some individuals and organisations had insisted that the Igbo were already working towards taking over from Jonathan in 2015, there is need for them to allow the president to make his intention known first.

    “Ohanaeze Ndigbo, of which I am a caucus member, has said it loud and clear that it is the turn of Ndigbo to produce the president in 2015. Indeed, we are highly interested in the 2015 presidency, but that is if President Jonathan decides not to run. If, eventually he decides to run, then Ndigbo will have to consider the situation and weigh the options. I do not have any right to question the decision of Ohanaeze to insist on presenting a candidate because the group has a leadership which we all follow.”

    Obi said it is the duty of the leadership of Ndigbo to champion the cause of the people, while other people he described as foot soldiers would join, adding that when the leaders do not make the much needed move, others would have nothing to do.

    But former Abia State Governor, Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu, is of the opinion that Ndigbo should be allowed to provide leadership for Nigeria and Nigerians in 2015. Kalu said anyone who would emerge president from the South-East would have dynamic leadership qualities that could turn around the economy.

    He said that Ndigbo, having excelled in various fields of endeavour, with qualified people who can bring their vast experiences in the private and public sectors into play if given the chance to rule the nation, should be given the nod to rule the country.

    Given the ongoing scenarios in the region and the expectation that more organisations and individuals will soon join the fray, Nigerians are waiting with keen interest to see what will become of this renewed aspiration for the presidency on the part of the South-East region.

  • Ex-President’s position contradictory, says Presidency

    Ex-President’s position contradictory, says Presidency

    President Goodluck Jonathan has described as contradictory, former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s Boko Haram comment in his CNN interview.

    Presidential spokesman Reuben Abati wondered where the former president stands on the issue, because according to him, Obasanjo had earlier accused the government of being too soft on the insurgents.

    Abati also recalled a recent comment attributed to the former president in which he called for the Odi option in handling the issue, an option the presidency said did not yield any meaningful result.

    He noted that it was surprising that the same Obasanjo could turn around to accuse the government of applying only the “stick approach” as against the “carrot and stick approach.”

    “It is surprising. That means the former President contradicted himself. Were you not in this country recently when Obasanjo said that when he was confronted with a similar issue in Odi, he applied force? Where exactly does he stand on this matter?

    He added: “You will recollect that a few months ago, former President Obasanjo made a comment about the federal government’s handling of Boko Haram. What he said at that time, he was more or less recommending the way he handled the situation when he was the president. That was purely a stick approach, now you claimed he said there should be carrot and stick, that dialogue should be adopted. It sounds contradictory to me.

    “So, I really don’t want to believe that. I really think that there is a contradiction.

    Abati insisted that a lot of progress has been made by the government in its handling of the issue, likewise other issues contrary to what Obasanjo wanted the world to believe.

    He said: “ But what we can say is that government’s approach in handling of the situation has been purposeful and result-oriented. Everybody can see that the federal government has really developed the capability in dealing with the problem and the evidence is really large in the progress that has been made. Not just in relation to Boko Haram, also in redefining the security architecture in the country, and ensuring better productivity on the part of the security agencies. “

     

  • Presidency backs Anenih to stop IBB, Obasanjo, others

    Presidency backs Anenih to stop IBB, Obasanjo, others

    Party chiefs battle for BoT chairman

    A desperate battle to build a concensus by Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chiefs ahead of today’s election of the chairman and secretary of the Board of Trustees (BoT) collapsed last night.

    The bitter rivalry among influential forces within the party is likely to go on – no thanks to the quiet campaigns for 2015.

    The party has split into three camps — the Presidency-Anenih group, pro-ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo caucus and the reformists(ex-Military President Ibrahim Babangida and ex-Vice-President Atiku Abubakar), who are insisting on due process and transparency.

    The Presidency is believed to be pushing for a former Chairman of the BoT, Chief Tony Anenih.

    About 20 leaders of the party have obtained forms to occupy the seat, which was vacated last June by Obasanjo.

    Some of the aspirants are: Anenih; former National Chairman of the PDP Senator Ahmadu Ali and Dr. Okwesilieze Nwodo; a former Deputy National Chairman, Chief Shuaib Oyedokun; ex-Senate President Ken Nnamani; and Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu.

    There are also a former National Chairman of the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP), Chief Don Etiebet, who is a returnee to the party; a former Chairman of the BoT of the ANPP, Chief Harry Akande and 12 others.

    Others who did not apply but are being recommended for the post are ex-Vice-President Alex Ekwueme and a former acting National Chairman Alhaji Kawu Baraje.

    Although horse-trading was ongoing last night, none of the candidates has agreed to step down.

    A source in the BoT said: “The situation is still dicey because none of the candidates is willing to step down. The horse-trading is getting keener and challenging.

    “All the affected zones (Northcentral, Southsouth, Southeast, Southwest) are insisting on their right to occupy the seat.

    Responding to a question, the source added: “So far, the party has split into three. We have the Presidency-Anenih group, pro-ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo caucus, and the reformists (ex-Military President Ibrahim Babangida and ex-Vice-President Atiku Abubakar), who are insisting on due process and transparency.

    “But leaders are trying to be careful in managing the situation to avoid any crisis within the main advisory organ of the party.

    “What is fueling the tension is the 2015 campaign being read into the choice of a new chairman and secretary for the BoT.”

    The Nation learnt that the situation has degenerated with some BoT members opposing the conduct of the election because the tenure of the organ expired in July, last year.

    All the BoT members came on board in 2007, shortly after the election of the late President Umaru Yar’Adua.

    The members are citing Article 12.77(A) of the party’s constitution to demand the shift of the poll.

    The article says: “Without prejudice to the provisions of Article 12.81 of this constitution, all members of the BoT specified in paragraphs (e)-(g) of Article 12.76(1) shall serve a single term of five years.”

    The pro-postponement group is calling for an interim chairman, who will lead the organ till March when a new BoT will be constituted.

    A source said: “Those in favour of postponement are saying that the Southwest should act as interim chairman till March when the tenure of the current Secretary of BoT, Sen. Walid Jibrin, will expire.

    “If that works out, a former Deputy National Chairman of the party, Alhaji Shuaibu Oyedokun, might serve as the acting chairman of the BoT.”

    But most members of the BoT were still locked in lobbying ahead of the agenda, which slated election of new chairman for today.

    It was gathered that the presidency is pushing for Anenih’s candidacy because of the 2015 presidential poll.

    The popular thinking in the Presidency is that only Anenih as the BoT chairman can strategise for Jonathan to get the party’s ticket.

    A source said: “The President’s strategists favour Anenih because most of the political godfathers in PDP, like former President Olusegun Obasanjo, ex-Military Head of State, Gen. Ibrahim Babangida, and ex-Vice-President Atiku Abubakar, are believed not to be for Jonathan.

    “These point men are of the opinion that only a political tactician like Anenih could assist Jonathan with a counter-plot to secure a second term ticket. The Presidency is already buying into this idea.

    “The idea behind Anenih’s choice is not to leave Jonathan bare – politically.”

    But Anenih may face a big hurdle because the PDP Constitution does not allow a second term for a BoT chairman.

    A member of the National Executive Committee of the party said by virtue of Article 12.77 (c) of the PDP, Anenih cannot return to office as the BoT chairman.

    The article reads: “The Board of Trustees shall ensure that the Chairman and Secretary of the BoT shall subject to Article 12.81 of this constitution serve a single term of five years.

    He said: “If Anenih is made the chairman of the BoT, it would amount to a violation of the PDP constitution. We do not know the justification behind the Presidency’s push for Anenih.

    “Some people are arguing that Anenih was humiliated out of office in 2007 by ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo. But the real issue is that whether Anenih spent a day in office as BoT chairman, he cannot come back to lead the organ.”

     

  • 2015 presidency splits South-South govs

    2015 presidency splits South-South govs

    There are strong indications that President Goodluck Jonathan’s re-election bid in 2015 has caused a major division among South-South governors, his home region.

    Although the parting of ways over Jonathan is still a carefully guarded secret at the top, The Nation learnt that some of the governors are so crossed with the president that they have entered into political alliances with other possible contenders, a move that is certain to rattle Jonathan’s return ambition in 2015.

    Unlike what obtained in the 2011 general elections when all the South-South governors threw their weight behind Jonathan’s election as President, the 2015 election is poised to be dicey. This time around, except Jonathan acts fast to save the situation, it seems two, out of the five South-South governors, are no longer queuing behind him.

    The South-South governors that may have withdrawn their support for Mr. President, according to impeccable sources, are Rivers State Governor, Rotimi Amaechi, who is also the Chairman of the Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF) and Cross River State Governor, Liyel Imoke.

    According to sources close to Amaechi, he is of the view that the next presidential race should not be based on ethnic considerations, but that the best candidate from any of the regions in the country should emerge as the next president.

    But beyond his opposition to ethnic affinity in deciding the 2015 race, sources close to him revealed that Amaechi’s cold war with the president is a fall-out of the alleged plan by federal authorities to cede about 45 oil wells in the Kalabari area of Rivers State to Bayelsa, the president’s home state.

    Despite the president’s assurances that he was not using his executive powers to favour Bayelsa State in the oil well controversy, Amaechi, according to sources, feels otherwise.

    At a town hall meeting held in Port Harcourt recently, Amaechi, according to a source, told the audience that the reason some powers-that-be have decided to deny Rivers State of the oil wells boils down to the politics playing out ahead of the 2015 elections. He allegedly accused the president of attempting to clip his wings so as to stop him from supporting an opponent in the 2015 presidential election.

    Imoke’s grouse is also connected to oil wells. We gathered that Imoke’s anger is traceable to Mr. President’s alleged indifference to the plight of Cross River State after it lost substantial oil wells to the neighbouring Akwa Ibom State in a case that dragged on to the Supreme Court. The decision of the highest court of the land deprived Cross River State of huge revenue.

    A source told The Nation that “The unanimous opinion of many Cross River State indigenes, including the governor, is that the president, after assuming office in 2010, should have used his exalted office to broker a political solution to the oil well issue, rather than allow the state to lose out completely.”

  • Anambra votes for state creation, rotational presidency

    The Senator Representing Anambra Central, Dr Chris Nwabueze Ngige, yesterday commended Governor Peter Obi for taking the South-East to a higher level.

    Ngige recalled that during his time as governor, the South-East Governors Forum was not as strong and united as it was today under the leadership of Obi.

    Ngige was speaking at the  meeting on Constitutional review at the Women Development Centre, Awka.

    At the meeting, stakeholders in Anambra State agreed on aspects of the constitution to be amended, especially one more state for the South-East and equally agreed that office of the President should rotate among the six political zones while the office of the governor should rotate among the three senatorial zones.

    They stakeholders insisted that geo-political zones should have equal number of states. This, according to them, therefore, means that one state must be created in the South-East zone to redress the present imbalance in the six geo-political zones while the geo-political zones should be included in the constitution for administrative purposes.

    They also agreed that  indigeneship and residence status should be incorporated in the Constitution to enable people who have lived in a particular place for a long time to enjoy rights and privileges of the area including right to contest election.

     

     

     

     

     

     

  • Presidency bans ministers from phone calls

    Presidency bans ministers from phone calls

    The Presidency has banned ministers and heads of parastatals from using mobile phones during meetings with President Goodluck Jonathan.

    Also, the government has issued an alert on increasing robbers’ attacks on Automated Teller Machines (ATMs) in Lagos.

    The ban on ministers and other top government officials from making calls, was as a result of rampant cases of phone calls and texting at official meetings, including during the Federal Executive Council (FEC).

    It was gathered that the mobile phone indulgence has caused distractions at sensitive meetings.

    Findings revealed that some ministers and top government officials hide under the guise of seeking clarifications on issues or emergency challenges to use mobile phones at meetings.

    The presidency has told the ministers to stop the habit through a circular signed by the Chief of Staff to the President, Chief Mike Oghiadome.

    The circular has been sent to all ministers and chief executives of government agencies.

    The circular reads: “Following the observation of some individuals using their mobile phones whilst Mr. President presides over meetings, it has become necessary to state that the use of mobile phones in meetings being attended by Mr. President is now prohibited.

    “Please ensure phones are either left with security personnel in the relevant meeting room or switched off.

    “Henceforth, responding to calls or texting or having a phone interrupt proceedings at a meeting will not be tolerated.”

    A source in government said: “The ban became necessary because some ministers have been losing focus at meetings because of phone calls and text messaging. This development has affected the quality of outcome of important meetings. It is even a slight to pick calls when the President is presiding over any meeting.

    “In line with our transformation agenda, there is no way we can allow this trend to continue. Some ministers are already under watch over this improper conduct.”

    In another development, the presidency has sent a security alert to Minister of Finance Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala and Minister of Police Affairs, Mr. Caleb Olubolade, on how armed robbers are targeting ATMs, hotels and drinking spots since the cashless policy was introduced in Lagos .

    The alert was contained in a circular signed for the Secretary to the Government of the Federation by A.G. Ibrahim.

    The directive reads: “I am directed to inform you of a report which reveals that armed robbers in Lagos have resorted to attacking Automated Teller Machines and their users following the implementation of cashless economy.

    “According to the report, armed robbers hover around banks and hotels with ATM and trail customers to unsuspected areas to attack while others attack ATM in less secured environment.

    “The development suggests that criminal elements may be devising a new strategy to perpetrate their nefarious activities following introduction of cashless economy.

    “The need for security managers to evolve measures to protect the ATM and their users is therefore advised. It is also important to collaborate with media managers to sensitise the public on necessary safety measures. The foregoing is forwarded for your information.”

  • Buhari’s stand on Boko Haram rattles Presidency

    Buhari’s stand on Boko Haram rattles Presidency

    The Presidency seems rattled by former Head of State Gen. Muhammadu Buhari’s stance on the Boko Haram sect.

    Gen. Buhari, who has rejected the sect’s nomination to moderate its proposed talks with the Federal Government, says he does not know any member of the group, which has killed many innocent Nigerians, including women and children.

    Besides, in Gen. Buhari’s view, the Federal Government has lost control of the security situation.

    But, to the Presidency, Gen. Buhari’s views are not right.

    Addressing journalists in Abuja, presidential aide Dr. Doyin Okupe maintained that it would be out of place for Gen. Buhari to accuse the Federal Government of being behind Boko Haram when he, according to him, had once advocated violence.

    He referred to Gen. Buhari’s claim that Boko Haram is a creation of the government as “ridiculous”.

    Gen. Buhari, rejecting Boko Haram’s mediator role, said: “I don’t know of any religion that will go and kill people, burn schools.”

    But Okupe recalled that “during campaign for the election, Gen. Buhari himself campaigned for violence…..so it is too late in the day to try to back track.”

    “Those who sow the wind and the nation is reaping the whirlwind should not try and begin to look good.”

    Also yesterday, a senator gave an insight into why the Boko Haram sect took to violence.

    According to him, the activities of the police “pushed the Boko Haram people to the wall”.

    Senator Bukar Abba Ibrahim (Yobe East) is a former governor Yobe State, which – along with Borno – is the epicenter of Boko Haram activities.

    He is also one of those nominated by the sect’s leadership to moderate its proposed talks with the Federal Government.

    Senator Ibrahim spoke on the floor of the Senate yesterday while contributing to the motion entitled “Recent banditry attack on Kabaru village in Maru Local Government Area of Zamfara State.”

    The motion, sponsored by Senator Marafa Kabiru Garba (Zamfara Central) chronicles attacks in various parts of Zamfara.

    Ibrahim said he initially wanted to oppose the motion because its content is a daily occurrence in the Northeast.

    He described what is happening in the country as “really very sad.”

    The senator said contrary to the claim by Chief of Army Staff Gen. Azubuike Ihejirika, Boko Haram is not the number one killer organisation in the country.

    Security agencies, he insisted, “are the number one killers in term of number.”

    Ibrahim said: “I am surprised that the other day the Chief of Army Staff said Boko Haram killed 3,000 people. The security agencies have killed a lot more than 3,000 people.

    “When this thing started, on the first day that this crisis erupted in Maiduguri , over 5,000 people were killed.

    “Boko Haram is just like any other religious sect; it has existed for ages. It is not a new phenomenon altogether, but it is the activities of security agencies, particularly the police, that pushed the Boko Haram people to the wall by killing their leaders, killing thousands of other innocent people.

    “That is what forced them to come out against the Nigerian State.

    “It is the attitude of the security agencies, the way they operate, that really makes it worse not any better.

    “Of course, naturally, common criminals will take advantage of the situation to extort money from people and then the armed robbers are the second killers, and this is happening in Zamfara.

    “I fully support this motion because it is relevant to what is happening in other parts of the North, not just Zamfara State and I think the National Security Adviser, the Inspector General of Police, the Chief of Army Staff and other leaders should really take a close look and probably investigate the activities of security agencies.

    “They are killing people; many people, day in, day out.

    “If one army officer is killed in an area, they will come and cordon off the whole place and kill people they can get hold of and then burn all property in that area.

    “What has property got to do with people killing security agents on the road?

    “If a security agent was killed on patrol, they will come and burn the whole area.”

    Senator Ibrahim explained that common criminals have cashed in on the situation by intimidating people and extorting money from them.

    “If you refuse to give them money, they will come and kill you in your house. People are now being forced to partially fund Boko Haram as a result of threats,” he said.

    Marafa, in his lead debate, said he was alarmed by the attack on Kabaru village on October 29.

    He noted that the attack was carried out by about 60 armed men, who killed 18 villagers, including the village head, Alhaji Maiyara.

    The lawmaker said that he was aware that an earlier attack of Guru and Tungar Baure communities in August 2011 resulted in the death of many villagers.

    He recalled that a similar attack on Lingyado, Guru and Sammaje villages in September led to the mass killing of over 25 villagers as well as the reported house-to-house raid in June of Dangulbi district by armed bandits, who killed 27 people.

    He noted that the spate of attacks, besides resulting in loss of lives, had disrupted economic activities and livelihood of the communities in the surrounding villages and districts.

    Senator Sahabi Ya’u (Zamfara North) noted that what is happening in Zamfara State can only be described as “barbaric, inhuman and unfortunate.”

    Of more concern to him is the discovery that bandits are getting arms from police officers.

    He said: “The other day, an armed robber that was caught confirmed that a serving police officer supplied them with arms and ammunition.

    “To confirm what the armed robber said, a call was made through him (the armed robber) to the said police officer to get some arms to the armed robber.

    “To the surprise of those who were there, within minutes, the police officer brought arms to the robber.”

    Ya’u said that the same thing was happening in Jos, Plateau State where, according to him, police officers are arming armed bandits.

    He said: “Even in Jos, some caught armed bandits said that it was serving police officers that supply both Christians and Muslims with arms.”

    To Senator Ayogu Eze (Enugu North), what is happening in Zamfara State is as a result of “system failure”.

    Eze said that it is unfortunate that the system that cannot dictate when robbery is being planned and hatched.

    He said: “We should go beyond bringing motions and get the security agencies to be up and doing.

    “The National Security Adviser should be up and doing because for a 60-man bandit to operate successfully in broad-day light is a failure of intelligence and failure of the security.

    “Today, it is Zamfara State , tomorrow it could be another state.”

    Senate President David Mark said the revelations by the lawmakers are serious allegations that should not be left unattended.

    Mark said the Committee on Police Affairs, Intelligence and National Security, Defence and the Army should investigate the allegations.

    He said: “These are weighty allegations and I, the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Police Affairs should meet with the IGP to investigate the allegations and find out if they is true, that (serving policemen are supplying arms to bandits.)

    “It is after it is confirmed that we will get to know what to do. But it is a weighty allegation indeed that should be looked into. I don’t think any Senator can just get up and say what is not backed up with facts. I am sure he (Ya’u) has his facts. We should, therefore, find out the truth about it.”

    On the allegation that soldiers are killing innocent people, Mark said: “It is not for me to defend or speak for the Armed Forces, but the Armed Forces find themselves in a very difficult situation when they have to do internal operations or street-to-street fight.

    “What I would suggest is that in areas where we have these types of problem, people must give as much information as possible and as quickly as possible because once you kill a member of the Armed Forces, the natural reaction is for them to do what perhaps is happening now.

    “It is very difficult for a Commanding Officer to see two or three of his people killed and then he begins to search around looking for the fellow who committed the atrocity.

    “It is explainable.

    “For the police, I think as much information as you can give to them but there are serious allegations that have been raised here and I hope that the Committee on Police Affairs and Intelligence and National Security, Defence and the Army that will take up some of these.

    “But I know that Senators have complained to me about the action of members of the security agents and I want either the Chief of Defence Staff or the Chief of Army Staff to listen to their own side of the story too.

    “The fact of the matter is that it is neither here nor there. When there is insecurity so many things can go wrong and that is why we must make every effort to bring the situation to normalcy.”

    The Senate also resolved to call on the Federal Ministry of Works to, in view of the growing danger, prioritise the construction of F128 and F129,ie, Anke-Dangulbi-Birnin Gwari and Dayi-Tsafe-Dangulbi federal roads as a means of opening up the area and linking it with neighbouring communities.

  • Between the Presidency and the National Assembly

    Between the Presidency and the National Assembly

    Easily the most important and most controversial of all the assumptions for next year’s budget is its crude oil price benchmark. As we all know, for decades now King Crude has, far and away, become the biggest source of public revenue and has since become the central, some would even say virtually the only, pillar of our annual budgets.

    Figures from a sampled history of its prices at the New York Mercantile Stock Exchange from December 31, 2005 to this month, shows that this year the prices opened on January 6 at $101.56/barrel, fell to $98.7 in the first week of February, rose to $103.77 third week of February, fell back again to $98.49 on May 4 and closed at $86.28 last week on October 26. This shows volatility in its price but with a trend towards decline.

    This volatility and decline has become the source of a sharp dispute between the executive and legislative arms of our Federal Government; whereas the executive says the price should be benchmarked at $75 and the difference of a little over $11 from the current price put aside for the probable rainy day, the National Assembly wants it at $78 (Senate) and $80 (House of Representatives).

    As usual, the executive has been on a media blitz in an attempt to convince the public that the federal legislators are either demonstrating economic illiteracy or are being unreasonable – or both. Leading the media onslaught is the Finance and Coordinating Minister herself, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, darling of the West as managing director of the World Bank on sabbatical to her country.

    According to the super minister, there are at least five reasons why the benchmark must remain at $75/barrel, actually six reasons if you consider her argument that this price was itself a concession to the hawkish legislators. The more prudent benchmark, using what she called “oil-price based fiscal rule,” which is “a standard technique commonly used by commodity-dependent countries to protect them against the volatilities of oil,” was $71. This, she said, was rounded up to $72. However it was, she said, eventually pushed up to $75 after consultations with governors and the National Assembly.

    A benchmark of $80, the minister said at a recent press conference would, first of all, lead to excess liquidity which would, in turn, lead to inflation and exchange rate depreciation. Second, the current relatively high oil price on which the legislators are basing their benchmark is, she said, “overly optimistic” because the price is not predicated on any economic fundamentals but is rather based on the current crisis in the Middle East, the world’s biggest source of cheap oil.

    Third, the current prices, she said, are not sustainable because of decline in demand occasioned by the recession in Europe, slow growth in America and economic slowdown in China and India, coupled with an increase in supply from new discoveries in Africa and elsewhere and the end of hostilities in Libya.

    Fourth, a benchmark of $80, she said, would lead to lower savings which would in turn remove the cushion the country would need should the current price crash, as it did in 2008 when it eventually bottomed out at $37.71 on December 26, from a peak of $145.29 on July 4.

    Finally the higher legislators’ benchmark would, she said, send the wrong signal to foreign investors that we are imprudent and lead to the two international credit agencies that are soon expected in the country – Fitch and Standard & Poor – to downgrade our credit rating which in turn would discourage foreign investors and at the same time make it difficult, if not impossible, for our own local investors to borrow from abroad.

    The minister has since been echoed in her criticism of the legislators by, among others, my friend and onetime colleague at the New Nigerian, Abba Dabo, a senior special assistant to the vice-president, and by a non-governmental organisation with the impressive title of Economic Advancement Advocacy Initiative (EAAI), but which is possibly of dubious existence.

    Abba not only criticised the legislators on their rejection of the executive’s benchmark. He went on, in a widely published article last week, to severely reprimand the Speaker, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, for seizing the occasion of his moving the National Assembly’s vote of thanks following President Goodluck Jonathan’s presentation of the 2013 budget to generally criticise the President for his style and substance of governance.

    On its part, the EAAI not only rehashed several of Okonjo-Iweala’s arguments in a full page advert in several newspapers including Thisday (October 25). It also purported to show that, at $72 per barrel last year, Nigeria had the highest oil price benchmark among most members of OPEC and it also had the lowest foreign reserve ($41.30 billion) among a number of disparate African, Middle-East and Asian countries, including Malaysia ($134.50 billion), Saudi Arabia ($592.30 billion) and China ($3,240.00 billion).

    No doubt the executive arm seems to have all the right arguments on its side. In any case it’s difficult, if not impossible, to quarrel with the dictum that one should always save for rainy days. The problem is that with this country the rainy days have always been with us, what with its terrible infrastructure and services in every sector of the economy – security, transport, energy, education, health; name it.

    Yet we earn enough revenue from oil alone to make a huge difference in the quality of our infrastructure and services, and still have a little to spare for savings and investment in days stormier than the merely rainy ones. The trouble is that since oil took over our political-economy as king, the public has never had value for the money their leaders have claimed to have spent on their behalf. This, and not the size of our savings either as Excess Crude Account or the new-fangled Sovereign Wealth Fund, is the central issue.

    Given the volatility of the price of crude oil alone, it makes more eminent sense to have a benchmark of $75 per barrel than of $80 for next year’s budget. The trouble is that experience has shown there has been little or no transparency in the management of the difference between the benchmark and the subsisting prices. Instead, it has become like a slush fund for the executive arm to spend as it likes, at times in cahoots with the leadership of the legislative arm, at other times in spite of it. As Tambuwal said in his vote of thanks which apparently did not go down well with the Presidency, the public has, for example, never known whether the figures of our foreign reserve we are told include the interests accrued or not.

    We are also told little or nothing about the foreign banks that manage those reserves, the criteria used in choosing them and how they manage the reserves and how much we pay them as management fees.

    In any case what kind of economics is that which keeps huge sums of its revenues in relatively idle savings and at the same time makes a virtue of borrowing heavily at home and abroad less to invest in profitable ventures than to squander on, among other things, the creature comforts of its leaders – their lavish residences, their frequent and expensive foreign junkets, etc – as is so apparent from the size of our recurrent expenditure?

    President Goodluck Jonathan and his super minister of finance and economic coordination are right to push for an oil price benchmark of $75 per barrel for next year’s budget. But they can only seize the moral high ground from the legislators in their campaign for prudence and transparency in our political-economy if they are seen to make as much, if not even more, sacrifices in how they conduct themselves in and out of office as they demand from the rest of us.

     

    Feedback

    Last week’s piece on Chinua Achebe’s personal history of Biafra elicited well over 100 texts and several emails, as usual some of them sensible and profound, some downright silly and abusive. My original intention was to devote today’s column entirely to my selection of those responses. I changed my mind when I realised it was easier for me to write the piece above than edit the responses in time for my deadline. So I decided to publish only a couple of the texts today and the rest next week. Here they are:

     

    Sir,

    “The Igbo man will spoil a good case with a useless lie”, Achebe wrote in The Arrow of God. The child’s lie of how Igbo politicians were wonderfully lucky on coup day is still boldly told. A grievously wounded North returned! It’s been 40 years of destabilising response and ravage. We have all lost! Ironically, the North is the worst hit. The madness continues.

    Ebelegi Kponam Newton. +2348092856001

     

    Sir,

    What led to the pogrom is neither here nor there. I was just going through the list of the majors who struck in January 1966 and only one, Ifeajuna, was Ibo. Nzeogwu you know is an Ika. The lie that it was an Ibo coup remains Nigeria’s albatross.

    Tony Chigbo. +2348050494477