Nigeria at 56: The titanic in trouble?

 

Today, Saturday, October 1, Nigeria turns 56.  I want someone to please direct me to towns and villages where the confetti of celebration will be rocking the atmosphere.  I will need an approximated headcount of Nigerians who will put on some dancing shoes singing “Kumbayah”. This will be tasking. There won’t be too many excited because human beings dance and rejoice only when they are happy. They foot-it and hoof-it when their needs are met. But this time, hearts of men are weary.

Over many years, the country has been garnitured with strifes, struggles and jarring discordance. The status quo of misery, mess and dystopia remains what it was when she became Independent of the British fiefdom. Is the tunnel before Nigeria dark or lucent?Nigeria is growing old, but not growing up. The reasons are etched in the past as they are in the present. It’s always more profitable looking forward than glancing backwards.The past has passed, the present and future are all Nigerians have to figure things out.

 A nation that dwells in the past will grow old but never grow up. A country that dwells in the past will continue to have a blast dwelling in misery. But sometimes when we glance over our shoulders into yesterday, we are just trying to put history in perspective. In the days of boom and abundance, Nigerians had testimonies of doom and scarcity. The throes which have always come in droves will not let up because those who are captains of the Titanic called Nigeria have let us down. Anytime we glance backwards into history, it helps us pave a course towards the future.

What truly is Nigeria’s future? It depends on who you ask. Some Nigerians from a particular region will enthusiastically respond that the future is when their territory is freed from the shackle called Nigeria. They feel no sense of belonging in the laggard Lord Lugard arrangement. They believe that their continued consociation is a soulless, cold-blooded callous coercion. Are they right? That’s not the question. Are they wrong? Must anyone be forced into a marital relationship against their wishes?  Must a woman be forced into intimacy in a bed of discomfort, delinquency and nonfeasance? In the law of God and Man, this is called RAPE.

The cry against RAPE is not just from one region. A woman from another thinks Nigeria has hijacked her breastmilk and fed it to children of Belial. Maybe, on the grounds of compassion, other people’s children deserve a bit; but not the big proportion now on the resource allocation touchstone where strangers have the biggest portion. Worst of all, she is daily taunted and tortured with her own breastmilk. The woman from that region is not the only one who feels taunted and tortured; unemployed and hungry men from other regions do too. Only politicians and their cronies who have always been in power and have always stacked up on stolen money will be popping the champagne bottle tomorrow.

To safety and salvation Nigeria is presently crawling. The pace, however, is not reassuring enough to 120 million people who are still locked up in the closet of poverty and hopelessness. It is not reassuring enough that the N8.5tn in domestic debt will not be rolled over as a burden to generations not yet conceived in the womb. The speed does not affirm that Nigeria’s decaying infrastructure that require about N1tn injection will be refurbished. The strides don’t guarantee that ethnic hate and religious snafu will abate. The sing-song of “One Nigeria” is looking more like a lingering lie from la-di-da land. 170 million people are in self-deception about One Love.The Nigerian trumpeted love is not one. It is worn out! I hope I am not missing something.

When I was younger, the jingle: “I love my country I no go lie; na inside am I go live and die”, was a sort of jingo we chanted without end. But now decades after, those who should be LIVING‘inside am’ are LEAVING the shores. Those who should sacrifice for her are running away from being “murdered” by the same country they are supposed to die for. RES IPSA LOQUITUR- the thing speaks for itself.

“It is not the oath that makes us believe the man, but the man that makes us believe the oath”, said Aeschylus in 446 BC. Where are men with character and integrity who once swore to an oath to let selfless service trump selfishness, greed and avarice in Nigeria?

President Olusegun Obasanjo’s civilian administration earned N17tn from crude oil sales within eight years in office. His successor, Umaru Yar’Adua, earned N9tn from crude oil sales within the short period he was in power. Goodluck Jonathan’s administration earned N51tn within a period of five years.  From October 2014, Nigeria started borrowing money to pay workers’ salaries. Muhammadu Buhari’s administration will soon go cap-in-hand to money-men to obtain loans for capital projects. We all know great nations of the world also borrow money to fund projects and run government.  America owes about $21tn today. But all of these nations were not just transparent with their incomes, they embarked on projects that that made sense and that touched lives of ordinary citizens. If I attempt unearthing what transpired during the military misrule in Nigeria, some people will be so angry while others will go into depression. I don’t want to be the cause of any man’s bodily sickness. The figures I gave above are just from crude oil alone, not incomes from Customs, Nigeria Ports Authority, and other taxes and levies.  Nigeria is making money but making no progress. Do you wonder why many Nigerians are angry and want out of Nigeria? When men are hungry, they are understandably angry. Don’t tell me this TITANIC called Nigeria is not in deep trouble.

Our politicians built big hospitals running into billions of dollars, but when they have a migraine headache, they run to London for a splash of Mentholatum. They designed a free education programme, but ask them where their children attend elementary school. Some leaders came to steal valuables; and some came to sell assets. Between thieves and auctioneers, the orphan called NIGERIA has always been left to gasp for breath. Is Nigeria the TITANIC not in trouble?

Truth does not cry for justice nor beg for help.You can cage it if you want to; but you cannot break it even if you tried. Don’t think you are super-dominant when you suppress it; don’t sleep with both eyes closed when you repress it. When truth breaks out, it signals the daybreak; when the day breaks with TRUTH, it breaks the back of its suppressor.If you are a specialist in UNTRUTH, understand that TRUTH is irrepressible and unsurpassable.  At the appropriate time and season, it will jump out of the cage and defend itself.

Nigeria is nearing that time when TRUTH will loom large over falsity and falsehood. And all false prophets and their myrmidons will drop off the scene like dead fleas. Nigeria must face the truth of regional restructuring and reconfiguration NOW, yes now. Nigerians have nowhere else they can call home. The affluent and influential among them also know this to be true. Even if you have houses all over the world, there can only be one place called home. Nigeria is home to many. She is our Garden of Eden. And just like the instructions given to the biblical Adam by the Designer of the Universe, we must “dress it and keep it”. If we don’t, we will be undressed in the public market of ridicule.Can I still give a HAPPY BIRTHDAY shout-out to Naija? Yes, I will. It’s one right I can’t be denied. May God bless Nigeria!

Wishing Nigeria more bumpy roads at 56

 

With the nagging reality of economic recession, it is quite unlikely that the drums would be rolled out to celebrate Nigeria’s 56th anniversary on Saturday. Without a doubt, these are hard times for our dear nation. The signs are, indeed, not palatable. There is hunger in the land. Of course, once hunger establishes its foothold in any place, anger is bound to surface. Thus, there is hunger-induced anger in the land. At the home front, husbands and wives are increasingly getting mad at each other. Palpable tension is everywhere. At the slightest provocation, people easily flare up. Domestic violence is on the increase. At major newspaper stands across the country, members of the “Free Readers Association” engage in animated squabbles that often lead to free for all. That hunger has given rise to anger in the land is, thus, not an understatement.

Characteristically, frenzy prayers are being offered across various religious centres in the country. Mission: For our nation to be free from its many troubles.

“Oh God, please put an end to the troubles of our nation” has now become a major prayer point in different worship

centres. Since nothing is impossible with the Almighty God, Nigerians are, understandably, knocking on the gates of the Most High for an end to the nation’s many woes.

But then, as our nation turns 56, my wish and prayer for the nation differ quite sharply from that of my other compatriots.  At 56, my wish for Nigeria is for her troubles to multiply; for her to be embroiled in tougher challenges and battles. My wish is for the country to be entangled in additional complicated circumstances, issues and problems. Before one is accused of all sorts, let me affirm that my stance in this respect stems from a patriotic standpoint that is stimulated by the stark reality that without troubles, difficulties, challenges and complicated stuffs, no individual, nation, or society could really make the needed head start. Troubles, fierce challenges and perils are the major ingredients required to attain greatness.

In 1964, foremost social activist and educationist, Tai Solarin (1922-1994), wrote a controversial article titled, “May Your Road Be Rough”. At the beginning of the contentious piece, Solarin wrote: “I am not cursing you; I am wishing you what I wish myself every year. I therefore repeat, may you have a hard time this year; may there be plenty of troubles for you this year! If you are not so sure what you should say back, why not just say, ‘Same to you’? I ask for no more”.

While trying to clarify his stand on the subject, Solarin wrote: “When my sisters and I were young and we slept on our small mats round our mother, she always woke up at 6a.m. for morning prayers. She always said prayers on our behalf but always ended with something like this: ‘May we not enter into any dangers or get into any difficulties this day.’ It took me almost thirty years to dislodge the canker-worm in our mother’s sentiments. I found, by hard experience, that all that is noble and laudable was to be achieved only through difficulties and trials and tears and dangers. There are no other roads.”

Though many people misinterpreted Solarin’s prayer as a curse, but the main intent is to bring to the fore the intricate relationship between the bumpy roads of life and success. The bottom line is that success is not achieved on a platter of gold. It comes through continuous struggles and battles on the turbulent waters of life. In Solarin’s words, life, if it is going to be abundant, must have plenty of hills and valleys. It must have plenty of sunshine and rough weather. It must be rich in obfuscation and perspicacity. It must be packed with days of danger and of apprehension.

At 56, it will not be far from the truth if one concludes that Nigeria remains a crawling toddler. This is largely because we have always preferred the easy route to greatness. Our Independence was more or less got on a platter of gold. As if that was not enough, we suddenly struck oil. Thus, began a life of misplaced allure and grandeur. At the height of our nation’s stupendous oil wealth, a former Head of State was quoted to have said that: “Money is not Nigeria’s problem but how to spend it”. Thus, we virtually squandered our oil wealth. Today, there is trouble in the global oil market.

Thus, unlike what the rookie Head of State had affirmed, money has now become our nation’s problem. Most states cannot pay salaries. The Federal Government cannot fund its budget. Companies are downsizing. From all indications, trouble is here. Yet, at 56, trouble and more troubles are what we actually need to get our act together. Most of the developed world democracies thrive under difficult situations and conditions. Ours cannot not be an exception.

Current trouble times, if well-managed, could, indeed, be a blessing in disguise. The lull in the international price of oil could be an opportunity for us to eventually focus on the non-oil sector upon which our fore fathers built the nation’s prosperity. Now that we are groaning under severe economic burden is the exact time to pay adequate attention to other sectors where unlimited opportunities for job and wealth creation as well as accelerated economic and industrial growth abound.

We could take a cue from the nation of Israel which turned a huge geographical adversity into gains to become a renowned global agro-economy. We could also draw huge lessons from China which bounced back from a great famine that took millions of lives between 1958 and 1961 to become the world numero uno in food production.  The Singaporean model as illustrated by the late pioneer Prime Minister, Lee Kuan Yew, has equally shown us that bumpy roads are crucial necessities for national rebirth.

Going back to Solarin’s postulation, life will be worthless and unchallenging without rough roads. It is the rough paths of life that provide the desirable impetus for greatness. Therefore, at 56, here is wishing Nigeria many rough roads.

God bless Nigeria.

‘Lagos consumes N1.6bn worth of cattle daily’

The Nigeria Incentive-Based Risk Sharing System for Agricultural Lending on Thursday said about 8,000 cattle and small ruminants valued at N1.6bn were being consumed in Lagos State daily.

The Managing Director, NIRSAL, Mr. Aliyu Abdulhameed, stated this at a programme to celebrate the movement of the second cattle train of 15 wagons from Nguru, Yobe State, to Oko-Oba, Lagos.

This is coming about three weeks after the movement of about 500 cattle was done by train from Zamfara State to Lagos under the farm to market scheme.

NIRSAL is an initiative of the Central Bank of Nigeria to catalyse a national agricultural revolution by boosting food productivity and security through the mechanism of de-risking the agricultural value chain in order to encourage investment by banks and the entire financial sector.

The farm to market scheme, which is being operated under a partnership with Connect Rail Services, a bulk freight and logistics service provider, will also enable the transportation of tomatoes, vegetables and other perishable food items by rail within the next few months.

Preventing the ATM from ‘swallowing’ your card

 

One of the most embarrassing experiences a bank customer can have while using the Automated Teller Machine is when the machine withholds his/her card without dispensing cash.

The ATM is expected to work like a mobile bank that should enable you to have access to your funds anywhere and anytime you insert your card into the machine.

In as much as the ATM has lots of advantages, its essence can be defeated if it swallows the customer’s card when he needs money.

Here are some ways to protect the ATM from swallowing your card:

• Avoid suspicious ATMs: Some ATMs may not have been properly serviced and may be faulty. If you see some signs that it looks unkempt or abandoned, avoid inserting your card in such machines. Always read instructions on the ATM because most times, there are usually some notes on the machine to inform you that the ATM is faulty and that you should use another one. Some ATMs may also have been tampered with by criminals to steal users’ identities. Don’t be too much in a hurry to try your luck with such ATMs. Look for another ATM to be on a safe side.
• Multiple entries of wrong password: Be careful when typing your password on the ATM because when you make multiple attempts with the wrong password, the ATM may suspect that you stole the card and withhold it to protect the account holder’s fund.
• Expired card: An expired card will not bring out any money from the ATM. If you are trying to withdraw with such a card, the machine can swallow it.
• Blocked card: If you have reported to the bank to block your card because it is lost, but failed to ask your bank to un-block it after you found it, the ATM may swallow the card if you attempt to use it to withdraw money.
• Low balance: If you have a low balance in your account and you are still attempting to withdraw money, the ATM can swallow your card.
• Remove your card immediately after transaction: When the ATM gives you a message to remove your card and you fail to remove it on time, it may swallow it thinking that you have forgotten it or that it is now an abandoned card.
• Damaged card: If your card is damaged, broken or the magnetic strip has been affected, the ATM will not be able to read the card but will have to seize it.
• Stopped card: If the card has been reported as missing, or the bank has placed a stop order on it, the ATM can seize it if you make an attempt to use it to withdraw money.
• Wrongly inserting your card: You need to follow the arrow sign on your debit card and insert it into the ATM correctly. If you insert your card wrongly, the ATM may swallow it instead of returning it back to you.
• Wrong card: Some ATMs do not recognise some card providers. This happens a lot when you travel abroad. If you use your card on such ATMs, they can swallow it.

How to use an ATM

When you open an account, your bank will issue you a debit card, which you can use at the ATM.

Here are basic things to know about the ATM, according to http://www.handsonbanking.org.

• Create a PIN: To use your card at the ATM, you must enter a Personal Identification Number, a secret combination of numbers or letters that you create. Your PIN is like a secret password. If someone else has it, they can take money out of your account; so, don’t share it with anyone! If you do give it out, you may be held responsible for any money you lose. So, to keep your money safe, keep your PIN a secret!
• Stay alert and aware: Because most ATMs give out cash and many accept deposits, it makes sense to be alert and aware of your surroundings no matter where or when you use an ATM.
• Follow onscreen directions: Not all ATMs work exactly the same way, but they are all designed to be easy to use.

Just follow the directions on the ATM screen that you are using.

• Be aware of fees: Your ATM card will work in machines operated by your own bank. It may also work in ATMs operated by other financial institutions. This flexibility is great, but be careful about the fees you may be charged by both your bank and the ATM owner.
• Know your available balance: Be sure you have enough money to cover your withdrawals. Remember that whenever you make a withdrawal with your debit card, the money will be withdrawn from your account.
• Record your transactions: Make a habit of writing your ATM transactions and the purchases you have made with your ATM card or debit card in your register right away so that you don’t forget. On a monthly basis, compare the amounts on your receipts to those on your bank statement to ensure that they match.

Economy: Buhari to seek captains of industry’s help

 

President Muhammadu Buhari on Thursday said he would be reaching out to captains of industry from across the country in the coming months to assist him in implementing his administration’s agenda for the economy.

Buhari said this in a keynote address he delivered at the opening of the 44th Annual General Meeting of the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria in Abuja.

The President, who did not include members of the private sector in his Economic Management Team unlike what obtained in the past, enjoined members of MAN to avail him their wealth of experience in order to make his administration’s ongoing efforts to reposition the economy a success.

The President said, “I salute all members of MAN and once again congratulate you on the occasion of your 44th AGM and invite you today to join hands with the government in making our ongoing efforts a success.

“As events unfold in the coming months, many of you will be called upon to play critical roles in the implementation of this administration’s agenda. I implore you to avail us your wealth of experience so that together, we can uplift our nation’s economy and social well-being.”

While reflecting on the theme of the AGM, ‘Diversifying the Nigerian economy: The role of government in manufacturing’, Buhari urged MAN members to consider national interest so that the outcome of the deliberations would be to the benefit of Nigerians workers and promoters alike.

He said he was looking forward to receiving a communiqué of the deliberations at the meeting.

The President said the nation owed the captains of industry a debt of gratitude for their show of commitment, demonstrated by their respective investments in the Nigerian economy despite daunting challenges.

He said the nation’s future depended on such commitment and collective desire to build a thriving economy.

Buhari added that his administration remained committed to partnering the manufacturers in the task of charting a brighter future for the nation.

He described the meeting as timely, coming at a time when the nation was faced with the urgent need to diversify the economy in the light of dwindling price of crude oil in the global market.

Buhari reiterated the fact that the fall in crude oil and other commodity prices has had a serious negative impact on world economies, especially in countries like Nigeria, which depended on one commodity for its export earnings.

He added, “This administration is convinced that the key to our quest for economic diversification and therefore survival lies in agriculture and the manufacturing sector. A strong manufacturing sector will create more jobs and wealth for our people. It will usher in sustainable economic prosperity, because we will produce what we consume as a nation and generate foreign exchange by exporting any surplus.

“The manufacturing sector is well positioned to be a major driver of Nigeria’s economic growth, because of our immense natural resources and the entrepreneurial spirit of Nigerians. Government is, therefore, focused on implementing necessary policies and strategies aimed at unleashing the full potential of manufacturing in Nigeria.

“We will rely heavily on your ideas and inputs at all stages of formulation and implementation of new industrial policies. For our part, we will remove bottlenecks and create a more business friendly environment.”

Buhari said his administration’s plan to boost manufacturing activities in the country was supported by the Nigeria Industrial Revolution Plan and the National Enterprises Development Programme.

These programmes, he said, presented a clear road map for an industrialised economy.

He added that his government was working on improving the patronage of locally-made goods, bridging the gap between the skills required by industry and those provided by educational institutions, and access to finance for Small and Medium-scale Enterprises.

Meanwhile, the President of the Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote, has called on the Federal Government to ensure consistent implementation of industrial policies as a way of encouraging the manufacturing sector.

Dangote made the call in his address at the MAN AGM.

According to him, policy inconsistency destabilises industrial production plans and erodes investors’ confidence.

“For instance, the suspension of the Negotiable Duty Credit Certificate to exporters and non-payment of existing claims have discouraged non-oil exports and frustrated contracts entered into with overseas buyers,” he said.

Dangote also sought more support for small and medium-scale manufacturers.

He said since many Nigerian manufacturers were relatively small with limited capital to support their investments, the government had to develop industrial clusters with requisite infrastructure for this category of businesses.

He added that they should also have access to soft loans as well as research and development support.

Naira in free fall, plunges to 480/dollar

 

The naira plunged further against the United States dollar to a new record low of 480 on Thursday, down from 472 it recorded on Wednesday.

The currency had continued its two-week free fall on Monday, closing at 445 to the dollar after tumbling to 439 on Friday.

On Tuesday, the currency closed at 452 to the greenback. Also on Tuesday, the external reserves hit an 11-year low of $24.61bn.

“Dollar is very scarce in the market right now because many people don’t know how low it will fall in the near term, so people are holding on to their hard currencies in order to watch the direction of the market,” one dealer said.

The President, Association of Bureau De Change Operators, Aminu Gwadabe, told Reuters that forex traders from neighbouring countries and some importers had also been moving in recently, mopping up dollars and putting pressure on the naira in a possible speculative bid.

Chronic dollar shortage plunged the local currency to a wave of depreciation, which economic and financial analysts have linked to speculative attack on the naira and increased demand from companies and individuals.

After trading between 423 and 425 for several weeks, the naira plunged to 428 last Wednesday. This came a day after the Central Bank of Nigeria’s Monetary Policy Committee retained the lending rate at 14 per cent contrary to calls by the fiscal authority, economists and stakeholders.

Analysts have dismissed that recent declines had links to the MPC decision to retain the lending rate at the current rate.

However, at the interbank market on Thursday, the naira closed at 305.31 to the dollar, up from 312.99 on Wednesday.

Gwadabe said that the planned commencement of distribution of forex by Travelex could not hold due to some bottlenecks.

Travelex, an international money transfer organisation, ought to have begun the distribution forex to the BDC operators on Monday.

Its intervention was postponed to Wednesday, but again, it could not hold.

The ABCON leader had said the sale of forex to the BDC operators by Travelex would help to stem the tide of volatility in the exchange rate and subsequently close the huge gap between the official and parallel market rates.

He could not tell when Travelex would commence the sale of forex to the BDCs.

According to him, Travelex has the technology to sell forex to about 1,000 BDCs in a couple of hours, which is a major advantage.

He said the latest decline in the naira value was as a result of the activities of speculators.

A currency analyst at Ecobank Nigeria, Mr. Kunle Ezun, said, “The rising exchange rates we are seeing at the parallel market now are not realistic. They have to do with the activities of speculators.

“However, we cannot rule out the fact that there is an acute and chronic shortage of FX; there is a genuine demand that the supply cannot match simply because inflows have dropped significantly.”

Gwadabe said, “Several sharp practices have been going on in the forex market and these elements want to continue making profits from the status quo. This is why they are speculating against the naira.

“They are attacking the naira. This is why the fall in the value of the naira is partly caused by the activities of speculators.”

Recession: Furore over asset sale proposal

 

The recent National Economic Council’s endorsement of the recommendation by the Minister of Budget and Planning, Udoma Udo Udoma, on the need by the Federal Government to sell some national assets to tackle the ongoing recession have provoked a major controversy in the country.

The country begins to experience recession said to be the worst in the last 29 years as soon as the price of crude oil, Nigeria’s major source of revenue, started to decline in the international market.

As a result, the recession has made it difficult for government at all levels and private sector concerns to embark on projects that could increase economic activities in the country.

To therefore bail the country out of the recession, various initiatives have been suggested. Chief among them is the call on the Federal Government to take the diversification of the economy seriously. This is apart from the government’s plan to invest in solid minerals aimed at shifting the country’s focus from oil.

So, when the National Economic Council and other supporters of the assets sale, including the richest African businessman, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, and the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Mr. Godwin Emefiele, openly expressed their support for the recommendation, little did they know that they had stirred a hot argument in the polity.

Various groups, including the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria, the Trade Union Congress and the Nigeria Labour Congress have opposed the proposal. They said rather that selling the assets, the Federal Government should seek other ways to increase its revenue base, while plugging loopholes and leakages in public finances.

The unions also threatened to shut down the country should the Federal Government go ahead to sell the assets.

According to them, the planned sale of the assets, which are targeted at bringing a short term solution to the economic recession, is a self- destructive decision. They argued that the idea was meant to hand over the collective wealth of the country to a few individuals and further impoverish the citizens.

Some of the national assets being considered for sale are the Federal Government’s shares in the Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas Company Limited, Nigierian National Petroleum Corporation, refineries and financial institutions.

Supporters of the proposal are of the opinion that the money that would be realised from the sale should be used to cushion the biting effects of recession on the economy.

Like Dangote, the Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki, and the Emir of Kano, Alhaji Lamido Sanusi, hinged their reason for supporting sale of assets on the belief that it would provide the country an escape route from the current economic crisis.

Sanusi had, however, advised that the option of selling the assets could be explored with the consciousness of preserving notable interests in such assets by making the sale transparent and also positioning it to yield expected value.

According to him, “One option is to sell down some assets; sell down some refineries in a manner that does not hurt your strategic interest; sell down some oil assets; sell down some refineries in a transparent manner that gives you value. You can also have options to buy them back later. You should expect basically forex.”

Likewise, Saraki, before the Senate rejected the recommendation seeking the sale of national asset early in the week, had argued that Nigeria’s habit of borrowing over the years had not been helpful. He said the “singular strategy we are using of borrowing obviously is not working, hence the need for the government to look for alternative ways.”

Some experts have equally shared their views on the issue. A Professor of Energy Economy, University of Ibadan, Adeola Adenikinju, who told Saturday PUNCH that he has conditional support for sale of national assets, urged inventory of the assets proposed for sale.

He expressed optimism that if the sale was transparently done, the country could still generate revenues from them in future.

Adenikinju’s position contradicts that of a former CBN Governor, Prof. Charles Soludo, who said that the proposed sale of the national assets was based on a convenient, but false foundation.

The ex-CBN boss had argued that any sale of assets would amount to chasing pennies when by acts of omission or commission, the country would be losing pounds.

“Such a hasty auction of national assets can only benefit a privileged few with cash and access while jeopardising Nigeria’s long term economic interests,” Soludo had said.

But Adenikinju explained that the reason some opposed the sale was because they had lost confidence in the government. He said Nigeria could still bail itself out of the current economic crisis with the sale of the assets and still acquire productive ones in future.

He said, “Nigeria is in deep economic crisis and we cannot borrow ourselves out of the crisis. We need to rejig the economy and sell the assets that are not productive to those that will manage them well.

“We only need to ensure that the bid process is transparently done to ensure that those who buy them pay just and required value for them. They should be people who have commercial and technical knowhow to manage them effectively.

“We also need to have an inventory of what we are talking about. Is it the refineries that have not been working after huge amount of money have been spent in maintaining them? If that is the kind of asset we are talking about, then I will support it. We can sell the refineries off and get the private sector to move in and ensure that they are efficiently managed. It is an embarrassment that we continue to spend a lot of our foreign exchange to maintain assets that are not functioning well.

“If you are also talking about NNPC, which is supposed to be a producing commercial enterprise, ask yourself, how much have we been able to get from NNPC, which has not been declaring profit for a long time? Why don’t we get a better management by reducing our shares and get people who have robust experience and technical knowhow to mange this asset and then the country will benefit by getting revenue through taxation? Countries depend on taxation.”

Dr. Lanre Olaniyan of the Department of Economics, University of Ibadan, seeks a clarification from the Federal Government on the difference between sale of assets and sale of business enterprises.

Olaniyan, who said he found it difficult to understand what people considered as national assets, identified human capital resources as the main assets of Nigeria, which he  said cannot be sold.

Olaniyan said, “Human resources are assets any country can have. The definition of assets is anything that a company has which can be used in production of goods and services. And the main assets any country can have are the human beings. In order to use the assets, a country can set up business enterprises which exploit the assets (human beings).

“A country does not sell its assets because the assets are the human resources available to that country to develop. A country can, however, sell its enterprises or business concerns. NLNG is a business enterprise which Nigeria can sell if there are justifiable reasons to do so.”

He is, however, of the opinion that any country can sell off its business concerns and use the proceeds to solve peculiar problems.

He said, “The question is how is the country going to implement it?  How is the country going to replace what it has sold? For example, we need to be sure that the reasons Nigerian government actually wants to sell the business concerns are purely economic, and not because some people want to use illegitimate means to become owners of those enterprises.

“There is shortage of cash to solve the immediate problem of the country. So, if you have problem that is short time, it is always good to use short time solution to solve it. We need to evaluate the problem to determine if we need short term or long term revenue (solution) to solve it. But if the business enterprises will continue to give Nigeria revenue in the long run, then it is not good to sell them to solve short term problem.”

Contrary to some people’s claim that the proposal was a lazy way of thinking, manufacturers welcomed it. According to them, many of the ineffective joint ventures in which the Federal Government has shares can be sold and the money realised from them used to reflate the economy.

The President, Manufacturers Association of Nigeria, Dr. Frank Jacobs, told Saturday PUNCH that a lot of benefits would be derived from the sale of inefficient enterprises.

He said, notwithstanding the sentiment expressed by labour unions, the association’s position is that the government should reduce its ownership in a number of inefficient companies in the oil and gas sector.

Jacobs said, “We understand the sentiment of the labour unions and other stakeholders who argued that previous sale of assets did not reflect in the economy.

“This time around, we believe that government can reduce its ownership of a number of joint ventures such that we can raise money from that to help shore up foreign reserves and arouse the interest and confidence of foreign and local investors in the economy. If that happens, they can invest in the economy and we will begin to have inflow of foreign exchange into the economy. That will contribute to the process of getting Nigeria out of the current recession.”

Tinubu vs. Oyegun: The battle for 2019 begins

 

The recent call by a national leader of the All Progressives Congress, Asiwaju Ahmed Tinubu, that the party’s National Chairman, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, should resign has shown cracks in the party, which may set the pace for the 2019 presidential election, GBENRO ADEOYE writes

 

For more than a decade, there has been a lion at the centre of South-West political empire whose name is Asiwaju Ahmed Tinubu. But the enduring rein of the man also known as the Lion of Bourdillon appears to be facing its stiffest test yet.

Tinubu rose to the position of real influence and prominence because of his hold on Lagos politics and the roles he played in breaking the dominance of the Peoples Democratic Party in Oyo, Ogun, Osun and Ekiti states as the leader of the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria.

Then his role in the merger that brought about the All Progressives Congress and the success the party recorded at the last general elections further enhanced his profile as a political godfather.

The ACN, the All Nigeria Peoples Party, the Congress for Progressive Change, and a faction of the All Progressives Grand Alliance had merged to form a mega party which ended the PDP’s rule after 16 years.

Of the parties that make up the APC, the ACN was the biggest so Tinubu can be said to be the biggest partner.

But recently, the fallout of the APC’s governorship primary in Ondo State has snowballed into crisis within the party and thrown up political intrigues capable of damaging its chances in the forthcoming Ondo Governorship election and even the 2019 general elections.

Tinubu, had in a communiqué from his media office on Sunday, called for the resignation of the National Chairman of the APC, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, saying he had “dealt a heavy blow to the very party he professes to lead” by derailing from the path of progressives.

Oyegun has, however, declined to comment on Tinubu’s statement, saying he would need to consult before replying the party’s national leader, which political experts have described as understandable, considering that the latter had played a big role in the former’s emergence as the party’s national chairman.

A lawyer and political analyst, Yemi Adetoyinbo, who linked the crisis in the party to its governorship primary in Ondo State, said it was clear that Tinubu was still angry that his godson, Dr. Olusegun Abraham, lost the election to the eventual winner, Rotimi Akeredolu (SAN).

Akeredolu had 669 votes to put Abraham in second place with 635 votes.

“The election was seen to be transparent by the media but there was inkling that there would be issues when the party’s chairmen in Ondo East and Ondo West local government areas, Akintunde Samuel and Adeola Ademulegun, respectively, submitted a petition that their delegates had been replaced but the election had to go on,” he said.

“Tinubu had endorsed Abraham but others had ganged up against his godson to make sure that he was defeated, until the presidency met with them in Abuja and a list of delegates was given to them. But when the votes were cast eventually, Abraham had 635 votes and Akeredolu led with 669 votes. Olusola Oke came third and Prof. Ajayi Boroffice came fourth.

“We heard that Tinubu had guaranteed 805 votes for Abraham but that was not possible because the Osun State Governor, Rauf Aregbesola, decided to work for Oke because of his Special Adviser on Environment, Bola Ilori, who was his running mate.”

Therefore, following allegations by some party members including Oke, who specifically alleged that some names of the delegates were removed from the delegates’ list while non-delegates were allegedly allowed to vote, the APC set up a three-person Appeal Panel Committee, headed by Mrs. Helen Bendega.

Two of the committee members, which represented the majority, voted that the primary election won by Akeredolu should be cancelled and that a fresh one be organised.

The committee’s report was then submitted to the party’s National Working Committee, headed by Odigie-Oyegun, which upheld the primary and dismissed the report.

But reports that later came suggested that six out of 11 NWC members present at the meeting had voted in favour of the committee’s report and that Odigie-Oyegun had deceived the NWC by leaving to submit Akeredolu’s name to the Independent National Electoral Commission while they were praying or under the guise that he was visiting the toilet.

One of those said to have voted that the Appeal Panel Committee’s report be dismissed was the party’s National Legal Adviser, Muiz Banire (SAN), who had argued that there was no documentary evidence to support all the allegations put forward except oral accounts.

In a five-page letter to Odigie-Oyegun, Banire had recommended “the rejection of the recommendations of the Appeal Committee and the dismissal of the petitions as same are lacking in merit.”

However, Tinubu’s communiqué has enhanced the fault lines within the ruling party to make them bigger.

Analysts close to the APC say there are two major cabals and possibly three operating within the party, with Tinubu on one side, President Muhammadu Buhari on another and former Vice President and presidential aspirant, Atiku Abubakar on the third.

They say Oyegun, even though, has Tinubu to thank for his position, had acted the script of the Presidency’s cabal when he submitted Akeredolu’s name to INEC.

A source in the APC confirmed that Buhari had earlier promised to support the former NBA President, who was one of the President’s foot soldiers during the 2015 electioneering as a member of the presidential campaign committee, which was headed by the former Governor of Rivers State, now Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi.

So Amaechi is said to belong to the Presidency’s cabal along with the Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola (SAN); Minister of Solid Minerals, Dr. Kayode Fayemi; Governor Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna State; and Governor Ibikunle Amosun of Ogun State.

Meanwhile, on the other hand is the Tinubu faction with elders of the party like its former Chairman, Chief Bisi Akande, and former Ogun State Governor, Chief Olusegun Osoba. Then the third cabal in the party is said to belong to Atiku, who has a leg in each of the other factions and still calls some shots in the PDP.

Adetoyinbo said, “We have the Presidency’s group and the Tinubu camp. What everyone did was to defeat the candidate of Tinubu. The Presidency and his team allegedly came together to ensure Akeredolu emerged winner at the Ondo APC governorship primary.

“It means that it is now a battle between the President and Tinubu and Oyegun is allegedly with the Presidency while Tinubu is on his own. So if anybody will remove Oyegun, it will have to be the President and there is no way Buhari will remove because he is enjoying his loyalty to him instead of to Tinubu, his benefactor.

“It is like a chess game, you hold your own tail and shake Tinubu’s hand while you go behind to plan against him.”

Analysts believe that President Buhari’s moves suggest that he is laying the foundation for his re-election or for the election of the person he will nominate to succeed him should he wish to pass the opportunity to go for second term to someone else.

A political analyst, Mr. Segun Balogun, said, “It appears that Buhari’s camp is after two things: one, cutting Tiinubus’ wings and two, laying the groundwork for himself or the candidate that he will anoint ahead of 2019 presidential election.

“Tinubu did not support the nominations of Fashola and Fayemi as ministers but he picked them to work with him all the same and that has won him their loyalty and broken Tinubu’s influence on them and in the region. So it is a game that will get really interesting later. Gradually, Tinubu is being demystified and the situation will repeat itself henceforth. It used to be suicidal for party members to challenge Tinubu’s anointed candidate but many people will start to do so now because some others have done it successfully.”

Also, Adetoyinbo said the Presidency’s cabal has limited Tinubu’s influence to the South-West, where it is also being threatened.

“Tinubu still has the support of Akande and Osoba, so his influence is more regional now, limited to the western region and even in the region, there is a crack. Amosun never supported Senator Adeola Solomon (YAYI) from Lagos to be anointed to succeed him as Governor of Ogun State because he is already grooming his own candidate to replace him in office.

 “Tinubu nominated Wale Edun, who was his Commissioner for Finance when he was governor, to be Buhari’s Minister of Finance, but Amosun nominated Kemi Adeosun. Edun and Adeosun are both from Ogun State but Amosun convinced Buhari that Adeosun did well as his commissioner and would do well as minister.

“She is the daughter to the late Oluwole Adeosun, the renowned economist and former Managing Director of First Bank of Nigeria Plc. And Amosun, as an accountant, trusts Adeosun, so it will be difficult to remove her despite the economic crisis.

“So the practice by Tinubu to always want to plant people everywhere may not work every time as it has shown in Ondo and the National Assembly, where his candidates for the positions of Senate President and Speaker of the House of Representatives, Senator Ahmed Lawan and Femi Gbajabiamila, lost out to Dr. Bukola Saraki and Yakubu Dogara.

“Buhari is now creating his own political structure; he had none as of the time he vied to become the President because he was never a politician. So this politics will go on until 2019.”

According to Adetoyinbo, the intrigues that the APC crisis could throw up before 2019 could see Tinubu working with Atiku or Rabiu Kwankwaso, former Governor of Kano State, who is also interested in becoming the President of Nigeria someday.

He said, “They are trying to checkmate Tinubu, but if the situation continues like this, he is likely to support another candidate in 2019 and they may use one of the new parties. This is because Tinubu is not likely to run for the position himself.

“Atiku wants to be President by all means and he is working in-between the APC and the PDP and funding candidates here and there. The problem now is that Tinubu wants to be a supremo, the power broker and for Buhari to be under him. He wants to be the authentic party leader and not just a ceremonial national leader; he wants to sit down at meetings, take charge and give orders to the President but Buhari will not agree to that.

“But Kwankwaso will still want to contest and Saraki as well; all of them, including Tinubu are showing interests in new parties now. Atiku is still keeping his Peoples Democratic Movement in the cooler despite being in the APC and still funding candidates in the PDP.

“Tinubu has fielded Atiku as presidential aspirant for the ACN before and he can do it again because there is no permanent friend or enemy in politics. The two of them can still work together in 2019. Even Kwankwaso may work with Tinubu tomorrow as things stand because Tinubu will not likely support the return of Buhari for second term in office. Tinubu believes that he should be able to call the shots and anoint candidates.”

If Tinubu chooses any of the options highlighted by Adetoyinbo, it will throw up a stiff contest between the APC; the PDP, particularly, if its two factions are able to unite; and a new party that is likely to have the backing of the APC National Leader and either Atiku or Kwankwaso.

A similar situation is already playing out in Ondo State ahead of the governorship election, where Oke and his political structure are said to have almost finalised their move to Action Alliance, should Akeredolu remain the APC candidate for the election.

Oke is banking on the support of Abraham and Boroffice to defeat Akeredolu and the candidate of the PDP, Mr. Eyitayo Jegede (SAN).

Both Balogun and Adetoyinbo’s advice is that Tinubu and Buhari should close ranks and resolve the crisis in the party, describing the power of the Presidency as difficult to beat into submission.

“Buhari has the power of the Presidency and does not mind to step on toes, so even tomorrow, we can see Tinubu being hounded by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission because Buhari doesn’t believe there is any powerful toe that cannot be stepped on,” Adetoyinbo said.

Balogun said, “It will be difficult for Tinubu to win the war because even the people with him can switch alliances tomorrow and align with the Presidency because of the benefits that the office can provide.”

A member of the APC, Mr. Niyi Ajidahun, said the solution to the crisis was to have a fresh primary.

“I’m not comfortable with everything going on in the party but I think that we should cancel the primary and have a fresh one,” he said.

“Why should some people sit in Abuja and doctor the delegates’ list and say we have no resources to conduct a fresh primary? And without the support of Oke, Boroffice and Abraham in the Ondo governorship poll, I don’t think Akeredolu can win.”

CBN Gov’s wife kidnap: IG deploys helicopters along Benin-Agbor Road

 

In a bid to track the abductors of Mrs. Margaret Emefiele, the wife of the Central Bank Governor, Godwin Emefiele, the Inspector-General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, has deployed helicopters along the Benin-Agbor Road, where the incident had taken place.

Idris, it was gathered, had also flooded the area with hundreds of police operatives and sniffer dogs in a move to put pressure on the kidnappers.

A senior police officer said, “We received information on Thursday that the CBN governor’s wife was abducted alongside three women and a male driver. They were on their way to Agbor, Delta State, where she hails from.

“We have deployed policemen, helicopters and sniffer dogs and we will arrest the suspects very soon.”

Gunmen had on Thursday abducted Margaret along with four others and demanded N100m as ransom.

The kidnappers were said to have made the demand after taking their victims to an unknown location.

A senior police officer told our correspondent that Margaret was abducted alongside three women and a male driver.

He said they were abducted along the Benin-Agbor Road on Thursday.

Police sources said the abductors did not know her identity, adding that they simply stumbled on her and whisked her away.

Our correspondent learnt that the IG Special Intelligence Monitoring Team, headed by Abba Kyari, has commenced investigation into the incident.

Kyari was the officer who arrested the suspects responsible for the abduction of Prof. Kamene Okonjo, the mother of ex-Finance Minister, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, in 2012.

Another source said, “The kidnappers did not know the identity of the woman; preliminary investigation indicated that the gang just got her by chance. They have contacted her husband and they are demanding for N100m cash.”

Findings indicate that there were fears that the gang may increase their demand if they got to know the identity of their hostage.

“We actually wanted to keep the incident under wraps until the woman has been rescued, because the exposure of the victim’s identity may complicate the case; this is our fear,” a source said.

The police spokesman, Donald Awunah, could not be reached for comments as calls to his mobile telephone failed to connect. He had yet to respond to an SMS as of the time of filing this report.

Incident, very embarrassing-Security experts

Security experts described the abduction of the CBN governor’s wife as an embarrassment, noting that something must have gone wrong.

A former director, Department of State Services, Mike Ejiofor, stated that as a politically exposed person, Margaret must have had security operatives attached to her.

He wondered where the personnel were at the time she was abducted, noting that until the details of the incident came to light, it might be hard to know what transpired.

The lawyer urged Nigerians to take their personal security seriously.

Ejiofor said, “I don’t know the circumstances around her abduction, but this is one of the highest profile kidnap cases in recent time.

“How can the wife of the CBN Governor, with all these security challenges be kidnapped? We need the details. Was any security operative attached to her?

“As the wife of the CBN governor, I expect she would need some protection. Until I get the details, I can’t talk much, but I believe something has gone wrong, which is very embarrassing.”

Another security analyst, Ben Okezie, also observed that something must have gone wrong with the security operative(s) around Margaret.

He expressed confidence that the kidnap victim would be rescued and prayed for her safety.

“We pray they did not do anything evil to her. This should signal top people that their security should be guaranteed because they are important to Nigeria,” Okezie said.

When contacted, the spokesperson for the CBN, Mr. Isaac Okoroafor, did not pick repeated calls made by one of our correspondents to his mobile telephone.

When a text message was sent to him, requesting for comments on the kidnap of Margaret, his response was “I am sorry, not at this time.”

When contacted on Friday evening, the acting Police Public Relations Officer, Edo State Command, Stephen Onwochei, told our correspondent to call back in 20 minutes.

But he did not pick subsequent calls made to his telephone.

He also did not respond to a text message sent to his telephone number as of the time of filing this report.

However, the Zonal Police Public Relations Officer, Emeka Iheanacho, said that he was not aware of the incident.

Nigeria @56: Nigeria not on track, say Ekweremadu, Fasoranti, others

 

The Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, has called for sober reflection as Nigeria marks its 56th Independence anniversary.

He said there is the need to return to the path of true federalism as envisioned by the country’s founding fathers in order to move it forward.

Ekweremadu — who said these in his message to Nigerians on the occasion of the Independence anniversary, stressed the need for justice, peace and unity, urging the Federal Government to mobilise “all capable hands” to salvage the country’s ailing economy.

He said, “This 56th Independence anniversary calls for sober reflection. No people can make progress unless they retrace their steps back to where the rain started beating them. Nigeria, at formation, had a building plan, which was based on true federalism as covenanted by our founding fathers at various conferences leading up to Independence.

“For as long as we followed that plan, we prospered. But, once we discarded the building plan, dissembled the inherited structures and legacies and began to undermine the fabrics of equity, justice, balance, healthy competition and economic prosperity that was ingrained therein, we charted our route to the current perdition.”

Ekweremadu, however, assured Nigerians that the country would bounce back if immediate steps were taken to unite the country, getting the best hands on deck, irrespective of who they are.

The leader of Afenifere, a socio-cultural group, Chief Reuben Fasoranti, expressed disappointment at the pace of development in the country despite its abundant human and natural resources.

Fasoranti, who spoke in Osogbo on the sidelines of the 91st birthday ceremony of Senator Ayo Fasanmi, said the country was not on track even as it marks its 56th Independence anniversary, while he decried the lack of creativity by the country’s leaders, who he said had always depended on oil money to run the country.

He said, “We are disappointed. We are not on track at all. For instance, the sale of national assets should not happen at all because that is going to be a sad loss. The best thing for our leaders is to think well and look inward on how to maximise what we have.

“Our leaders only like easy option instead of exerting themselves. They should think well. What they are planning to do is a very easy option. The executives need to think again.”

A former President of the Nigeria Bar Association, Wole Olanipekun, described the current system of government in Nigeria as “hydra-headed unitarism,” which negates all known principles of federalism as practised in other countries of the world.

Olanipekun said this at the opening of an ultra-modern Vice Chancellor’s lodge which he donated to Ajayi Crowther University, Oyo, Oyo State.

He said, “Nigeria must be governed properly and I am saying that today, Nigeria is not being governed properly. Leadership is rudderless at the federal, state and local government levels.

“What we have in Nigeria today are powerful individuals, not powerful institutions. And the powerful individuals, if care is not taken, will become lions and when lions roar, they will devour. I hope those individuals who are richer than Nigeria don’t devour us. A time will come when Nigeria will start borrowing from them to survive.”

Obama congratulates Nigeria

 

The United States President Barack Obama, through his Secretary of State, John Kerry, has congratulated Nigerians on the occasion of the country’s 56th Independence anniversary.

In a statement on Friday, he, however, noted that much remained to be done to provide economic opportunities for all Nigerians, end corruption, win the fight against Boko Haram, ensure broad respect for human rights and provide humanitarian relief for the millions of displaced people.

Kerry stated that he recently returned from his third visit to Nigeria and came back with a strong sense that the country was resolved to build a better future.  

He said, “On behalf of President Obama and the American people, I congratulate the citizens of Nigeria as you celebrate your Independence Day on October 1.

“I recently returned from my third trip to Nigeria as Secretary, and I came back with a strong sense of the nation’s resolve to build a better future. During my trip, I was reminded that many Nigerians are engaged in bringing people together across the divides of culture, religious practices, and ethnicity.

“There is still much work to be done to provide economic opportunities for all, end corruption, win the fight against Boko Haram, ensure broad respect for human rights and provide humanitarian relief for millions of displaced people. But we know that Nigerians are hard at work to address these challenges.”

Kerry added that the US was looking forward to deepening its partnership and friendship with Nigerians from all walks of life for the betterment of Nigeria and Africa as a whole

Boko Haram kills 14 soldiers in Niger

 

Niger’s army said Friday that 14 of its soldiers and scores of Boko Haram fighters had been killed during a multi-month sweep operation in the nation’s southeast.

Defence ministry spokesman Colonel Moustapha Ledru told state television that “123 terrorists” had been killed and “a large quantity of arms recovered from the insurgents.”

It was not possible to independently verify this number.

Ledru said 14 soldiers were killed and 29 wounded in the joint operations with Chad’s military took place between July and September 28.

They targeted the Diffa region, which lies just across the border from the Islamists’ stronghold in northeastern Nigeria.

Ledru said the “terrorists” who had been killed had “infiltrated” into Diffa from Nigeria, adding that two fighters had been captured.

Boko Haram’s seven-year insurgency has left at least 20,000 people dead in Nigeria and border areas of neighbouring Niger, Chad and Cameroon, and made more than 2.6 million homeless.

Attacks in Niger’s Diffa region began in February 2015.

In late July this year a multinational force, drawn from Nigeria, Niger, Chad and Cameroon, was formed to tackle the Islamic insurgents and clear them out of towns and villages.

Ledru said operations had led to four strategic localities being taken back from Boko Haram control.

Forgery: FG searches for more evidence to nail Saraki, Ekweremadu

 

 

The Federal Government has started searching for more facts that can further prove the involvement of the Senate President, Bukola Saraki, and his deputy, Ike Ekweremadu, in the alleged forgery of Senate Standing Rules, 2015.

 Saturday PUNCH learnt on Friday that the Police Special Investigation Panel had written the Clerk of the National Assembly, Mohammed Sani-Omolori, to demand for the records of the proceedings where the Senate rules were amended.

Following the realisation that the evidence against the men was not enough to secure their conviction in court, the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, had directed the Inspector-General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, to dig further and get more evidence against the two senators.

Apart from Saraki and Ekweremadu, others facing trial over their alleged involvement in the forgery of the senate rules, include the former Clerk of the National Assembly, Alhaji Salisu Maikasuwa, and his deputy, Mr. Benedict Efeturi.

The trial judge on June 27, 2016, admitted the defendants to bail and adjourned the matter for trial.

The accused persons pleaded not guilty to the charges preferred against them.

Saturday PUNCH learnt on Friday that the IGP had directed the SIP handling the investigation to get more evidence that could sustain the conviction of the accused persons for forgery.

 It was learnt that the panel, led by Ali Amodu, a retired Assistant Inspector-General of Police, wrote a letter to  the National Assembly Clerk in August, 2016 and demanded the record of proceedings of the last Senate.

 The police also requested the clerk to clarify if the 7th Senate at any time amended the Senate Standing Orders 2011 and the extent of the amendment, if any.

 Sources stated that the panel also requested for copies of the Senate Standing Orders, 2015, as well as the Hansard (official record of debates) of June 9 and 24, 2015 to know what transpired on the floor of the Senate.

It was learnt that the panel, had in its letter, asked that the information should be dispatched before September 7.

 A source, who was familiar with the investigation, said that the clerk had yet to respond to the request, prompting the SIP to send a reminder about two weeks ago.

 The source said, “The SIP was expecting the clerk to send the copies of the senate standing rules, 2011 and 2015 to know if there was an amendment and the extent of such amendment. The police also demanded the record of the last proceeding of the 7th senate, but up till now, the clerk has not responded.

“The SIP has again sent a reminder to the clerk to fast-track its request. All these records are needed by the police to carry out a thorough probe into the case and ensure that the probe is rested once and for all.”

 Efforts made to get the Clerk to the National Assembly proved abortive as calls to his telephone did not go through. He also did not reply a text message sent to him as of the time of filing this report on Friday evening.

In June, when the case was first filed in court before Saraki and other co-accused persons were arraigned, the Federal Government had deposed to an affidavit, attesting that investigations into the matter had been concluded.

In the charge sheet dated June 10, 2016 and signed by D.E Kaswe Esq., Principal State Counsel on behalf of the AGF, which was supported by an Affidavit of Completion of Investigation deposed to at the Federal High Court Registry, Abuja, on the same date by Okara Neji Jonah, a litigation officer in the Federal Ministry of Justice, Abuja, attested that the police had concluded its investigations.

Saturday PUNCH learnt that the police failed to carry out a thorough investigation into the forgery case because the leadership of the Force was in a hurry to conclude the probe to please the Presidency.

The inconclusive investigation was carried out by detectives from the Force Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department.

 Renewed investigation abuse of judicial process—Saraki

Saraki, in his reaction, described the renewal of the investigation as an abuse of judicial process when the prosecutor had already dragged the suspects to court.

The Special Adviser to the Senate President on Media and Publicity, Yusuph Olaniyonu, told one of our correspondents on Friday that only Saraki’s lawyers would continue to speak for him on the matter.

He said, “I would have preferred that our lawyers speak on the matter; they would have been able to spell out the legal implication of going to court, swearing to an affidavit that the investigation had been concluded, which is the fulcrum of taking the matter to court. To now say there will be a fresh investigation is like leaving the case in court, while looking for an evidence to justify your position. That will be a clear abuse of court process, just like our lawyers submitted on Wednesday. It is a clear case of abuse of court process.”

Ekweremadu, who spoke through his Special Adviser on Media, Mr. Uche Anichukwu, said his lawyers would speak on the matter.

He referred our correspondent to a statement by the Civil Liberties Organisation, which, according to him, strongly criticised how court processes were being abused in the forgery case.

 The Special Adviser to the Attorney-General of the Federation on Media and Publicity, Mr. Salisu Isah, could not be reached through his telephone on Friday as repeated calls made to the telephone line indicated that it was not available.

It’s all drama—Afenifere

 But the National Publicity Secretary of the Yoruba socio-political group, Yinka Odumakin, described the suit as a drama.

He stated, “I think it is all drama and we have better things to face. We have had enough of these shows. Our anti-corruption war has yet to secure one conviction in 16 months now and I don’t think Saraki would be the first causality.

“What we want to see is concrete actions to halt the dangerous slide that we are in as a country.”

On his part, the Executive Director of a faction of the Civil Liberties Organisation, Ohabuenyi Ezike, described the issue as a rude shock.

According to him, the  reopening of investigation by the AGF and IGP appears to corroborate “the position of the Senate that the names of the accused persons were politically generated as names of the Senate President, Dr. Olusola Saraki, and Senator Ike Ekweremadu could not in any way be related to the Proof of Evidence.”

The President of the Nigeria Voters’ Assembly, Mashood Erubami, said that the matter should be thoroughly investigated.

Erubami stated that sweeping the matter under the carpet would not conform with the spirit of the moment. This is the time that the President should send a strong signal to the world that he and his government believe in the fight against anything unethical.

“It is a pity that the police have been reluctant to let Nigerians know what their findings are on the alleged forgery case and nobody is sure of whose doorsteps the guilt over the matter is to be laid.

“It is not enough to make an allegation against a person; what is important is being able to prove the case against the person to secure conviction.”

I’ll continue to blame my predecessors for Nigeria’s woes – Buhari

 

 

President Muhammadu Buhari on Thursday said despite the criticisms of many, he would continue to blame his predecessors for Nigeria’s woes.

He said, passing the buck, which people have been frowning on, was important in order for Nigerians to know what went wrong with the country.

Buhari spoke at an event tagged, “The Conversation: An evening with creative youths,” held inside the old Banquet Hall of the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

The event, attended also by the President’s wife, Aisha; Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo and his wife, Dolapo; as well as governors and other top government officials, had “Creative youth as drivers of the change agenda,” as its theme.

Buhari said, “I am going to bore you with what we met. I know that I am being accused in the papers of passing the buck, but passing the buck is sometimes absolutely necessary to remind people who take things for granted.

“When we came in, I screamed to high heavens because I had promised a lot while seeking votes.

“I asked, where is the saving? There was no saving. There was no infrastructure, power, rails, roads, there was none. What did we spend the money on? I was told (on) buying food and petrol.

“Where were the billions going? We conducted a study and found out that the oil marketers were committing fraud on at least one-third of what they were importing, which was about 25 per cent of our foreign exchange.

“The youth must watch our elite, especially with the condition in which we have found ourselves. It is unpatriotic for anybody to pretend that economically we have no problem.

“I have bored you with this long explanation because there are things that could be hidden from you by those that have mismanaged the country in the last 16, 17 years.”

The President therefore tasked Nigerian youths to be alive to their responsibilities of holding their leaders and the elite accountable.