President Muhammadu Buhari has said the Federal Government will launch the first African Sovereign Green Bond in December 2017, to finance renewable energy projects.
Buhari said this in Abuja on Tuesday while presenting the 2018 Budget Proposal to the National Assembly.
“I am pleased to inform this distinguished assembly that the Federal Government will be launching the first African Sovereign Green Bond in December 2017.
“The bond will be used to finance renewable energy projects. We are very excited about this development as it will go a long way in solving many of our energy challenges, especially in the hinterland,’’ the president said.
He said the Federal Government was working hard on the Ogoni Clean-up Project.
“During the year, we engaged eight international and local companies proposing different technologies for the mandate.
“To enable us select the best and most suitable technology for the remediation work, we asked each company to conduct Demonstration Clean-up Exercises in the four Local Government Areas of Ogoni Land.
“These demonstrations were recently concluded and the results are being studied by the Governing Council of the Ogoni Clean-up Project.’’
Buhari, who said the project would be funded by the International Oil Companies, said the Federal Government had made provisions in the 2018 Budget for the costs of oversight and governance, to ensure effective implementation.
As the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) national convention gathers momentum, a delegation of PDP youths from the twenty local government areas of Lagos State has thrown its weight behind an aspirant for the position of PDP National Youth Leader, Comrade Wolimoh Olajide.
Speaking on behalf of the delegation during a courtesy visit to his residence in Oworonshoki, Bariga, Lagos State, a youth mobilizer, Hon Oladapo Adeyemi stated that Comrade Olajide is the best man for the job at this period of the party’s history.
He added, “Olajide is an experienced man in the party who is aware that the task ahead of us is daunting. But as a unifier and trouble-shooter who hopes to rise above divisiveness, pettiness and partisan politics. I am convinced that the task is not insurmountable.”
“I am also convinced he is not going into the race neither for personal gains or selfish ambition, nor to promote partisan interests or mediocrity, but to prove he has the capacity to serve and inspire youths, and to further rebrand the image of our party PDP.”
In his brief address, Comrade Olajide appreciated the delegation for finding him worthy and promised never to relent in standing in support of Nigerian Youths at any time he has the opportunity irrespective of their party differences.
Olajide reiterated that PDP must zone the positions meant for youths to the youths and also listen to the youths as they believe that the near victory of PDP during last election was because of the position given to the youths, but the party failed because they never listened to the youths.
While encouraging the youths to work for the success of the Senator Ahmed Markarfi led party leadership, he added, “we must continue to reach out to our leaders as PDP cannot afford to present anyone in the South with a battered image, we need deep experience, youthful inclination and braved.”
He further pledged to build upon the foundation already laid by his predecessors over the years, strengthen the weak pillars and fill the cracks in the process.
“I believe the governors of the party should rescue the party while party chieftains begin to work in earnest with Gov. Ibrahim Dankwanbo of Gombe and Darius Ishaku of Taraba in the north, because as we search for a National Chairman in the South, same efforts must begin in search of a credible presidential candidate who can take Nigeria to the greater height,” he added.
President Muhammadu Buhari Monday hit back at former President Goodluck Jonathan, saying our achievements are there for all to see.
Buhari also reminded the former president that unlike his time when they chunk out between 800 billion and 1.3 trillion Naira as ‘subsidy’ yearly in their time, without making the products available even at regulated prices, this Administration is not paying any subsidy, yet the product is available and queues have disappeared from the filling stations.
Buhari therefore posited that by now Nigerians
Nigerians are brilliant and discerning, and won’t be taking in by the former president’s claims.
Jonathan last week took a swipe at the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), accusing the party of lies and propaganda, saying “My government was severely criticised for increasing the pump price of petroleum from N67 to N97 at a time that global crude price was going for over 100 dollars.
“The pump price was later reduced to N87 when the price of crude oil dropped and they attacked us that it was supposed to be lower.
“Those who criticised my administration are not talking again now that the global crude oil is about 53 dollars per barrel and the pump price of petrol is N143,” Ikechukwu Eze, Jonathan’s spokesman, quoted him in a statement.
But the president punctured his claims with facts and figures at the Nigeria Government Forum (NGF), Media Conference For media handlers of state’s chief executive governors with the theme: “Governors Public Perception: Changing the Narrative Agenda”
Buhari who was represented by the Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, said “Those who accused this Administration of ‘propaganda and lies’ in the fuel supply sector, for example, did not tell Nigerians that whereas they paid between 800 billion and 1.3 trillion Naira as ‘subsidy’ yearly in their time, without making the products available even at regulated prices, this Administration is not paying any subsidy, yet all products are currently available at competitive prices and fuel queues are now history.
“In their time, they paid subsidy of 3.7 billion Naira DAILY in 2011; 2.2 billion Naira DAILY in 2012 and 2013, and 2.5 billion Naira DAILY in 2014, all for products that were never available.”
Describing disinformation and fake news, as ”evil twins” in the public space, the president said that they have become potent weapons in the hands of opposition, expressing worry that they will be the biggest obstacle as the 2019 general elections.
He said, “Let me be straight: This is the most difficult time for anyone to find himself or herself in your position. Why? Because in addition to working with a tight budget, you face the double tragedy of disinformation and fake news, buoyed to a large extent by the advent of Social Media. Never before have these ”evil twins” of disinformation and fake news permeated the public space as they have now and, make no mistakes about it, they have become potent weapons in the hands of naysayers. Sadly, they will be the biggest obstacle facing you from now till the 2019 general elections, whether you believe it or not.
“In recent days, you have all seen the dangers posed, not just to you but even the general public, by those who have chosen to deploy disinformation and fake news as a weapon of choice. First, they created unnecessary panic in the society by claiming that Monkey Pox resulted from the Federal Government’s deliberate injection of people with the virus in certain states. We had hardly dispelled that when they claimed that the military, which is going beyond the call of duty to support the civilian populace, has been injecting school children with Monkey Pox, forcing many parents across a number of states to withdraw their children from school for days. Imagine the implication of this on the affected children’s education and health.
“Now, the disinformation is that ahead of the forthcoming election in Anambra, the government has been providing IPOB uniform to some people to cause mayhem, so they can in turn blame IPOB, and that many roads leading to Anambra will be closed before and after the elections, hence they advised Anambra residents to stay at home and not come out for the election. This is all disinformation, pure and simple. There is no such plan.
“Now, going hand in hand with disinformation and fake news is the new strategy of the naysayers to label the achievements of the government of the day as ‘propaganda and lies’ in order to discredit them. It is for you, at your level, to use concrete facts to showcase the achievements of your principals. Nigerians are brilliant and discerning, and won’t be taken in by such deliberate denigration. But they also need facts and figures.
“For our Administration, our achievements are there for all to see. We are delivering in the broad areas that formed the plank of our policies: Security, fight against corruption and the economy, which includes the massive provision of infrastructure, ease of doing business and agriculture, just to mention a few.”
Earlier, the DG NGF, Mr. Bayo Okauru said the workshop is to help build the capacity of media handlers of the chief executives.
The Director of General, National Orientation Agency (NOA), Garuba Abari, describe media handling as the key ingredient in bringing out the messages of what the Chief executives are doing.
He said citizens must know why things are happening and why there are not happening, describing the workshop as an opportunity to interact and exchange ideas.
He also said it is opportunity to get feedback on what government is doing.
Maiduguri - Twin explosions in Maiduguri late Sunday night have killed 16 people including the suicide bombers.
The explosions occured at the Muna Garage and Muna Dalti, suburds of Maiduguri which have experienced more than five blasts in the past.
Commissioner of Police, Borno Command, Mr Damian Chukwu said a male suicide bomber with explosives strapped to his body caused the first explosion at Muna Garage, “killing himself and 13 persons.” Five persons were also injured, he disclosed.
“In another development at Muna Dalti, two female suicide bombers detonated explosives killing themselves and injuring 13 persons,” Chukwu said.
He said 16 people died in the explosions while 18 were injured.
He said those injured have been taken to the university teaching hospital for treatment.
Muna Garage general area, the scene of the bombing, is located some 2 kilometres to the city centre. It has witnessed more than five suicide bomb attacks this year.
The Sunday bombing came barely two weeks after four suicide bombers blew up themselves while attempting to scale the peremetre of a public hospital at the city outskirts.
Lagos – The management of Dangote Cement Plc recently presented its third quarter financial results ended September 30, 2017 to the investing public, revealing that profit after tax (PAT) grew at a faster pace than revenue from sales for the period, when compared to that of prior year.
Nigeria attained self-sufficiency in the production of cement and is now an exporter of the commodity due to the vast investments by the Dangote Cement Group.
According to the result, sales revenue increased by 36.52 per cent from N442.09 billion in the corresponding period of 2016 to N603.58 billion, with revenue from sale of cement, its core business contributing N603.38 billion of the income, up from N441.98 billion; while production cost of sales increased to N259.85 billion from N241.68 billion, driven by N87.60 billion in material consumed, up from N64.25 billion and N85.98 billion in cost of fuel and power consumed, as against the previous N86.98 billion. This resulted in gross profit of N343..72 billion, as against the N210.41 billion recording in the first nine months of 2016.
During the nine-month period, while revenue and net profit from Nigeria stood at N416.11 billion and N251.09 billion respectively; N191.85 billion came from Dangote Cement’s pan-African operating units, which sustained a N14.65 billion net loss; which was further hampered the group’s N8.49 billion represented the group’s central administrative cost.
Administrative expenses climbed to N32.67 billion from N29.97 billion; just as selling and distribution expenses rose from N62.03 billion to N80.82 billion, with haulage expenses contributing N54.47 billion, from just N14.9 billion; while depreciation rose to N14.6 billion from N15.7 billion in the 2016 nine-month.
Other income slowed down to N2.62 billion from N10.54 billion; resulting in profit from operating activities of N233.14 billion, compared with the N122.37 billion in 2016; finance income dropped also to N26.96 billion from N55.70 billion, as foreign exchange gains, arising from the translation of foreign currencies denominated balances at the end of the period across the group fell to N20.87 billion from N54.37 billion, while interest income improved to N6.09 billion from N1.34 billion. Finance costs rose from N29.35 billion to N39.91 billion, the bulk of which was the N39.42 billion interest expense, up from N29.28 billion.
Profit before tax stood at N220.18 billion from N148.72 billion and profit after tax move from N133.52 billion to N193.14 billion, representing a 44.64 per cent growth for the period. The net profit resulted in Earnings Per Share of N11.30, up from N8.13 each.
5% y/y and q/q each) in per tonne production cost.
Group opex rose by 14 per cent year-on-year and 16 per cent quarter-on-quarter. In Nigeria, opex remained well contained while sharp increases were recorded overseas. At the Group level, the EBITDA margin of 47.5 per cent was higher by 1649 basic points year-on-year, with Nigerian realised 62.4 per cent.
Commenting on the score-card, analysts at FBN Capital Limited, noted that “Despite the stellar sales growth, what is clear is that the unit volumes in Nigeria continue to be under pressure, due to the effect of weak private demand and elevated prices.
“Similar to second quarter, we believe that the marked expansion in gross margin in Nigeria was driven by the combination of higher pricing and a favourable fuel mix in favour of coal and gas as compared with low-pour fuel oil (LPFO),”.
Analysts at GTI Capital noted that this was due to the effect of a price hike in cement price that was done towards the end of 2016 which has greatly impacted revenue this year.
“The performance was further stimulated by the cost optimization strategy of the firm as evidenced by the reduction in operating expense ratio. Also the percentage of growth of the net income is higher than that of the revenue.
“In addition to this, the firms Q3 2017 net income which came in at N193 billion has already surpassed the full year net income achieved in 2016 which was N187 billion. This may result to an increase in dividend that will be paid,” they said.
They however noted, the firm’s capacity to meet its short term obligations weakened due to a decrease in its current and acid test ratio.
Analysts at Cordros Capital said, Dangote Cement’s performance over the nine months of 2017 was very strong, and consistent with the broadly expected impressive year for the Group, saying “We look for positive investor reaction to the result.”
The chairman of the company, Aliko Dangote, said the company’s strategy in every country of operations is to be the leader on costs, quality and service.
He said the company build large, modern, highly efficient plants that combine the latest equipment from Europe, China and beyond to enable it make higher-quality cement at lower costs, thereby giving it strong competitive advantages.
Group managing director of Dangote Cement, Onne Van der Weijde, recently said the company exported nearly 0,4 tonnes into neighbouring countries and in doing so, achieved a great milestone by transforming Nigeria into a net exporter of cement. “This is a remarkable achievement, given that only five years ago, in 2011, Nigeria was one of the world’s largest importers, buying 5,1Mt of foreign cement at huge expense to our balance of payments. We will increase our exports substantially in 2017,” said Weidje.
Dangote Cement is Africa’s leading cement producer with nearly 46Mt capacity across Africa. Its Obajana plant in Kogi, Nigeria, is the largest in Africa with 13,25Mt of capacity across four lines. The Ibese plant in Ogun has four cement lines with a combined installed capacity of 12Mta. The Gboko plant in Benue state has 4Mta. The company plans to build new factories in Ogun State (3-6Mta) and Edo State (6.0Mta). In addition, it has invested several billion dollars to build manufacturing plants and import/grinding terminals across Africa in Cameroon, Congo, Ghana, Ethiopia, Senegal, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Tanzania and Zambia.
Lagos – The Nigerian Importers Integrity Association (NIIA) has commended the Chairman of INTELS Nigeria Limited, Mr. Gabriele Volpi, for intervening in the dispute between his company and the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) over remittances into the Treasury Single Account (TSA).
While the NPA had insisted that all funds collected on its pilotage agency agreement be remitted into the account, INTELS had argued that such directive was in violation of the terms of its contract. The stalemate led NPA to terminate the 10-year pilotage agreement contract with INTELS.
The cancellation of the contract various reactions from different segments of the Nigerian society. However, the INTELS Chairman, who had been out of the country for a while flew in last week and intervened in the face-off. Volpi, who described INTELS as a committed development partner to Nigeria, said he would do everything possible to ensure amicable resolution of the crisis.
Volpi said, “We intend to comply with the directive of government and transfer all the revenue to the TSA because we are a law-abiding company.” He also allayed fears that the company would pull out its investment in the Badagry deep seaport project.
“We are committed to cooperating with the government and NPA in the development of Nigeria’s maritime sector and this includes the Badagry deep seaport. The Badagry deep seaport is a massive undertaking which will cost billions of dollars and will be the biggest in Africa and would turn Nigeria into a regional hub for ships bringing goods to the continent.
“It will also help to move a lot of shipping activities at the Apapa and Tin Can Island ports and help to decongest Apapa, so we are serious about our investments in Nigeria,” he said. Reacting to the development, NIIA President, Godwin Onyekachi, commended Mr. Volpi for the peace move.
Onyekachi said Mr. Volpi’s intervention “is a mark of good leadership. It will save a lot of jobs and restore investor confidence in Nigeria. Disputes are bound to arise in commercial transactions of this nature ad it is the responsibility of concerned parties to shift grounds so as to arrive at an amicable resolution,” he said.
Speaking separately, a development Economist, Dr. Austin Nweze and leading financial analyst, Dr. Ken Igboanugo said the lingering NPA-INTELS face-off was a bad signal to Foreign Direct Investment (FDI).
According to Nweze, “The government decision will send wrong signal to foreign investors who want to invest or those who would have wanted to do more than they have done because they know government can wake up one day to terminate the contract without recourse to the law and agreement of the contract.
“Government is gradually destroying the economy with every of its action. International community take note of all contractual action and the irony is that we travel abroad asking investors to come and invest but what will they invest for when simple agreement cannot be adhered to.” On his part, Dr. Igboanugo, said NPA should take all necessary steps to resolve the dispute amicably in order to encourage investment in the country.
Lagos – Founder of Heirs Holdings, Tony Elumelu, Prof. Pat Utomi and founder of Life Above Poverty Organisation (LAPO), Godwin Ehigiamusoe, have said weak institutions had posed a significant drag on the nation’s economic growth.
They urged governmental to adopt a holistic measures aimed at curbing unnecessary bottlenecks that slows the growth and development of businesses in Nigeria.
Speaking on the theme, ‘Galvanizing SMEs for Inclusive Development in Nigeria’ at the 24th annual LAPO Development Forum held in Lagos, Ehigiamusoe said, unfriendly business environment, over dependence on oil, poor funding, and inconsistent government policies are some of the major factors responsible for the gross under performance of the SMEs sub-sector.
He called for more coordinated efforts by all stakeholders aimed at galvanizing SMEs towards inclusive development in Nigeria just as it advocated for transparency and accountability at all levels of government to enable SMEs to thrive.
Also, the founder, Heirs Holdings; Tony Elumelu , who was represented by the chief executive officer of Transcorp Group, Adim Jibunoh called for more coordinated efforts by all stakeholders to stimulate SMEs towards inclusive development in Nigeria
While, Utomi, stressed the need for government at all levels to prioritise the ease of doing business, create institutional support for SME growth and ultimately generate more jobs opportunities for the youths. According to him, government needs to strengthen all institutions and regulatory authorities that have involvements on the ease of doing business in Nigeria.
He added that this would give a major push to export SMEs goods across Africa and opportunity for more market on Nigerian products. “SMEs are where most people work. One of the most challenging conversations that we have about economic growth, job creation and all of that is that we are looking for foreign investors, we are looking for big cooperation to come and set up, but what most people want is SMEs.
“If you think about it, the oil industry directly employ less than ten Nigerians but where most people work are in companies that employ just more than 10 people and less than a 100 people so it is important to take this sector seriously.”
Elumelu identified SMEs as having a huge potential and the capability to create millions of jobs if the government addresses some of its critical challenges such as inadequate funding, policy inconsistencies among others. Addressing the urgent need to prioritise the sector, Elumelu, noted that the country desperately needed a mechanism for job creation to address inclusiveness and sustainable development.
“SMEs are the engine of growth. When they succeed, they create employment. To get it right we need to continue to prioritise our SMEs and improve the environment for SMEs to succeed,” Elumelu said.
Abuja- A United Nations Human rights and election monitoring group, People’s Right to Life Development Foundation (PERLDEF) has urged President Muhammadu Buhari to veto any legislative proceeding involving contribution of Senator Bassey Akpan.
Senator Akpan, represented Akwa Ibom North-East Senatorial Zone before he was sacked by a Federal High Court, on February 27, 2017.
In his place, the court declared Bassey Etim as the validly elected candidate for the senatorial seat.
Estim was accordingly, ordered to be sworn in as the authentic Senator for the zone.
However, since the court order was made, the group said the Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki, has refused to swear in Etim, the Senator-elect.
In a petition to President Buhari, dated October 17, 2017 and made available to our reporter, the group wondered why a sacked Senator would continue to sit and take part in senate’s legislative process, even when his Certificate of Return had been withdrawn.
The petition was signed by Ifot Nathaniel, National Chairman; Ali Abacha, Secretary; and Chief Oni Emmanuel, Zonal Coordinator South-West.
The group complained to Buhari that “Despite, his sack, Bassey Akpan is still attending senate proceedings, thereby invalidating such proceeding and making them null and void.
“Your Excellency, such invalid proceedings as bills or resolutions for assent or implementation negate the principle of due process and impaired the constitutional right of Mr. President on assent” the group stated.
“In view of the threat that the violation may cause to the Constitution of Federal Republic of Nigeria, the Electoral Act and Senate Standing Rule, we hereby call on President Muhammadu Buhari to veto any legislative process involving contribution of the erstwhile senator since March 6, 2017 as one cannot build something on nothing” the group wrote.
More so, PERLDEF urged President Buhari to order for the investigation and arrest of Akpan for illegally participating in the senate proceedings without Certificate of Return.
“Rather than execute the judgement delivered by a court of competent jurisdiction in the country, National Assembly continues to pay salary to Akpan. This is corruption and abuse of rule of law” the group insisted.
Abuja- Thousands of commercial bank customers who operate accounts without a Biometric Verification Number (BVN) are currently panic stricken, as the Federal High Court, Abuja, has granted federal government’s prayers to have such accounts forfeited if owners do not come forward to claim them in two weeks time.
Trouble for non-BVN account owners started on October 17 this year, when Justice Nnamdi Dimgba ruled on an ex-parte motion filed by the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF), Justice Abubakar Malami, where he slammed a restraint order on commercial banks to desist from operating such ‘ghost’ accounts.
Justice Dimgba further directed the banks to disclose the owners and the financial content of each of the accounts.
The 19 Deposit Money Banks (DMBs) in the country are affected by the court orders which seek to check corruption and enthrone transparency in the financial system.
The ex-parte motion – FHC/ABJ/CS/911/2017- was filed on September 28, 2017 and argued by the plaintiffs’ lawyer, A. D. Tyoden.
It was brought pursuant to the Central Bank of Nigeria’s (CBN) Know Your Customers (KYC) Guidelines and Section 3 of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act of 2011 as amended.
The enrolled orders from the ruling read: “That the 1st – 19th defendant banks shall disclose: (a) the names of the accounts as operated; (b) account number(s); (c) outstanding balances (d) domiciliary accounts and (e) the branch/location where the accounts are domiciled of all accounts without BVN.
“That the 1st – 19th defendant banks to disclose any investments made with funds from these accounts without BVN in any products including fixed/term deposits and their liquidation and interest incurred, bank acceptances, commercial Papers and any other relevant information related to the transaction made on the accounts.
“That an order is hereby made freezing the said accounts by stopping all outward payments, operations or transactions (including any bill of exchange) in respect of the accounts pending the hearing and determination of the substantive application.
“That an order is hereby made directing the 1st to 19th defendant banks to disclose any investments made with funds from these accounts without BVN in any products including fixed/term deposits and their liquidation and interest incurred, bank acceptances, commercial papers and any other relevant information related to the transaction made on the accounts.
“That an interim order is hereby made directing the Central Bank of Nigeria and the Nigeria Interbank Settlement Systems to validate the information contained in the affidavit of compliance/disclosure filed by the respective 19 banks within seven days from the date of service on the Central Bank and NIBSS.
“That an interim order is hereby made appointing a Bank Examiner from the Central Bank of Nigeria to examine the books of any bank that fails to comply with the order of the honourable court to file affidavit of disclosure.
“That an interim order is hereby made granting leave to the applicants or any officer authorised by them to advertise the accounts without BVN disclosed by the bank in a widely circulated national newspaper as notice to any person or body corporate or financial institution who may have any interest in any of the said accounts to claim ownership of same within 14 days of the publication of the order and show cause why the proceeds in the account should not be permanently forfeited to the Federal Government of Nigeria.”
Justice Dimgba fixed further hearing on the case for November 16, 2017.
As at the first quarter of this year, the CBN had issued 30,511,506 BVNs.
However, the Nigeria Inter-Bank Settlement System (NIBSS) says a total of 15.72 million bank accounts remain unlinked as at February 2017.
Prior to the court order, the apex bank issued a memo warning the banks, NIBSS, Deposit Money Banks (DMBs) and Other Financial Institutions (OFIs) to ensure proper capturing of the BVN data and validate same before linkage with customers’ accounts; ensure all operated accounts are linked with the signatories’ BVN; and ensure customer’s names on the BVN database are the same in all of his/her accounts, across the banking industry.
The CBN Director of Banking and Payment System, Mr. Dipo Fatokun, who signed the memo asked the banks to report confirmed fraudulent individuals’ BVNs to NIBSS for update of the watch-list database; report the BVN of deceased customers to NIBSS for update on the BVN database; render returns to NIBSS for enlisting individuals involved in confirmed fraudulent activities, with the report signed by the chief audit executives.
The apex bank requires NIBSS to ensure BVN data are stored within the shores of Nigeria and shall not be routed across borders without the consent of the CBN, while users of the BVN information shall establish adequate security procedures to ensure the safety and security of its information and those of its clients, which shall include physical, logical, network and enterprise security.
The BVN, which gives each bank customer a unique set of number, was launched on February 14 2014 for the purpose of registering all customers in the financial system using biometric technology.
It seeks to promote transparency in the nation’s financial system.
The idiocy of the Nigerian state is magnified by the fact that whereas Nigeria has crude oil worth over $15billion stolen from its shores, at a time when the selfsame country is chasing after loans that represent just a fraction of what its citizens in collaboration with foreigners have stolen from it.
Therefore, the spectre of gloom that continues to stare Nigerians in the face as a result of the present economic situation may not be about to end unless the Federal Government of Nigeria ensures that the move to recoup proceeds from stolen crude, get some traction. The story is as stupefying as it is unbelievable.
An estimated 1,492,000,000 (One billion, four hundred and ninety million barrels of crude oil) was carted away between 2011 and 2014.
The cost is put at between $15b and $17b. Moves are being made to recover the monies. Of the 51 countries alleged to be destinations of the stolen crude, investigations on 41 have been concluded.
Painfully, however, the slow pace of the investigation has not been unconnected to the dysfunctional institutions in the country which made extraction of information that would have aided the tracking of the products impossible.
DISTURBED by the magnitude of crude oil and gas stolen from Nigeria between 2011-2014, estimated at over 17billion dollars, members of the House of Representatives, office of the Attorney General to the Federation and the presidency have traced locations of Nigeria’s stolen crude oil across the globe.
Latest updates indicate that 51 countries are alleged to be involved.
According to sources, already, investigations have been concluded in 41 countries.
As at the time of going to press, the list of the countries was still being kept under wraps for diplomatic reasons.
Sunday Vanguard learnt that the Presidency, United States’ Justice Department, and Office of the Attorney General of the Federation, OAGF, have intensified efforts towards getting the funds back.
Yakubu Dogara
Information available suggests that the Nigerian government has been in touch with the US Justice Department, the initial investigators, Loumos Group, which is a Texas-based firm, and Hon Ehiozuwa Johnson Agbonayinma, PDP, Ikpoba Oha/Egor Federal Constituency, in Edo State, on how to get a substantial part of the funds returned.
In the forefront of this campaign to get a refund and speed up the prosecution of the multi-national companies involved are Hon Agbonayinma, and Barrister Juliet Ibekaku-Nwagwu, who currently serves as Special Adviser to President Muhammadu Buhari on Justice Reform/National Co-ordinator Open Government Partnership.
Also, Loumos Group engaged the services of three lawyers to help pursue the matter in the US as all efforts of the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, to prosecute the matter here in Nigeria, continue to hit a brick wall.
For instance, the General Counsel to Loumos Group, Jerome Stanley, disclosed that all attempts, through institutions in Nigeria, to extract information that would aid the tracking of the crude oil that left Nigeria proved abortive.
In fact, after spending time in Nigeria without achieving any meaningful results, the team of lawyers from the United States of America, according to Stanley, had to return to Houston, Texas, in the US. (Read attached interview on the next steps to be taken).
Last year, specifically on Friday, September 23, the House of Representatives inaugurated an ad-hoc Committee to carry out investigative hearings on the allegations as presented by Hon Agbonayinma in a motion.
The committee, headed by Hon Abdulrazaq Namdas, APC, Adamawa, concluded its investigations but has not laid its report on the floor of the House.
Once the committee commenced the investigative hearing, it became difficult to get the critical stakeholders who deliberately refused to appear or even submit vital documents until the lawmakers threatened to issue a Bench warrant.
Motion that set off investigations
Agbonayinma told his colleagues that former President Goodluck Jonathan contracted an auditing firm to probe what went wrong and he gave a brief synopsis of the report.
He gave the breakdown that the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, and the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, NIMASA, and other agencies were indicted in the report.
The company was contracted in 2013 by the administration of President Jonathan to
proffer solutions to the challenges of crude oil theft.
Agbonayinma, in the motion, recalled that Molecular Power System was engaged to provide technical data (records of crude oil and liquefied natural gas lifting in Nigeria as obtained from the NNPC, and landing certificates at global destinations) to verify possibilities of non declaration to the federal government by multinational companies.
“The data gathering of shipment to the USA for the period 2011 to December 2014 through critical NNPC data and the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, pre-shipment inspection report shows undeclared crude oil shortfalls of 57,830,000 MT of Nigerian crude oil, translating to well over $12 billion to the USA, also over $3billion to China, and $839,522,600 to Norway,” he said. These were conclusively ascertained by buyers’ bill of lading, arrival dates, destination ports, quantity of crude oil and other documented information, Agbonayinma said.
This is scandalous.
The lawmaker further noted that the data gathered showed a liquefied natural gas shortfall of 727,460 metric tonnes, estimated at over $461 million, from shipments to seven countries. The revenue loss, Agbonayinma said, was traced to cargoes at each destination port of entry, and have been established as undeclared cargo.
He added that the tracing was found in 51 countries where Nigerian crude oil has been exported, with the US being the largest receiver of crude oil.
The report from the US and that of other countries, were made available to the former President, the office of the Attorney General of the Federation and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, he said.
“The machines that monitor loading into the vessels were bought, owned, calibrated and operated by the International Oil Companies (IOCs) without monitoring”.
After listening to him, the Speaker, Yakubu Dogara, quickly set up an adhoc committee to dig deeper into Agbonayinma’s assertions.
When the committee commenced its work, more embarrassing revelations came to light.
Committee’s work
The members, while cross examining Rabiu Bello, NNPC’s Chief Operating Officer (COO), he admitted before the panelists that there were discripancies in the documents before the Adhoc Committee.
In the process, the committee discovered that within four years, from the documents submitted by the stakeholders, about $15billion unremitted oil and gas revenue could not be adequately explained.
The committee also discovered that the alleged missing funds were contained in the two separate documents submitted by the NNPC.
Also in his presentation, Jack Ukitetu, CBN Director who represented the CBN Governor, Mr Godwin Emefiele, explained that the Accountant General of the Federation approves and determines the money that goes into the Excess Crude Account.
Ukitetu, who explained that before 2006, the CBN collected the money on behalf of government’s agencies and remitted same into the Federal Reserve Account in New York, and charged 0.25 percent, however, noted that after 2006, the oil companies pay directly what is due to the government.
On commissions being collected by the apex bank, the CBN representative told the lawmakers that the CBN collects 0.25 percent via forex allocation and does not charge FG one kobo as its deductions are made from central sales.
He explained that the levels of sales are the buying, central and selling rates, but CBN does its deductions at central sales level.
The CBN representative also disclosed that the crude oil account is maintained by JP Morgan, and admitted that in making the transfers, the money could be misdirected to another account by the financial institutions.
He added that the apex bank has no statutory power of oversight to demand for details of the transactions made by NNPC.
The committee at this point, asked him to bring the total commissions deducted by the apex bank from 2011-2014 within the next one week. He was also instructed to bring along all letters of credit issued by the CBN within the same period.
Waziri Adio, Executive Secretary of Nigerian Extractive Industry Transparency Initiative, NEITI, in his submission, accused NNPC and CBN of misleading the Adhoc Committee but pleaded to withdraw the earlier documents submitted.
He however pledged to submit “more damaging documents” on the alleged crude oil theft to the Adhoc Committee, that will help in unearthing the unremitted revenue which accrued from oil and gas sales but which were not remitted.
Namdas had earlier threatened that the Ad-hoc Committee will not hesitate to submit its report to the House without the inputs of major Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) which fail to honour the invitation of the committee.
To this end, he mandated the apex bank and NNPC to submit the audited report of the oil and gas account showing the remitted funds into the Federation Account between 2011 and 2014.
The Corporation was also mandated to submit Bill of Laden relating to the 974,721 barrels of crude oil lifted on 20th October 2011; 961,963 barrels lifted on the 10th October 2011; 974,935 barrels of crude oil lifted on the 9th July 2011 as well as 974,953 barrels of crude oil lifted on the 18th July 2011 but were not declared.
The lawmakers also requested for report of the reconciliation conducted by NNPC and Federal Inland Revenue Service, FIRS, as well as the list of oil off-takers for 2013 and 2014.
When the Freedom of Information Act was enacted in 2011, many citizens mostly activists and journalists assumed that the nation had achieved a near revolution because through the Act the days of secrecy in governance ought to be over.
Although it was expected that the Act would make Nigerians know everything about how they are governed, events have since shown that the Act in Nigeria is only a policy statement and that like all policies in the country, the gap between plans and implementation is exceedingly wide.
This seems to explain why, those in authority make it impossible for the citizenry to know what is happening in government.
With the modalities for utilizing the provisions of the FOI Act yet to be put in place, any effort to make those in power accountable to the people would remain a mirage. The nation is therefore greatly indebted to Aisha Buhari, the wife of our President for exposing so much about the Special Hospital in the Villa. Through her effort, we are better positioned to catch a glimpse of why Nigeria is virtually static.
Some days ago, our First Lady told stakeholders at a meeting on Reproductive, Maternal, Nutrition, Child Advocacy and Health and Nutrition (RMNCAH), that going by her findings at the State House Clinic in the Villa, the Nigerian health sector was in a deplorable state.
Her deduction is logical because if a medical facility dedicated to looking after the first family is defective, where else is a functioning public hospital likely to be found? Recalling her personal encounter with the Centre, she revealed that the place was operating with a dysfunctional X-ray facility amidst non-availability of everything medical including basic drugs.
All she found happening in the Centre was inexplicable continuous construction of buildings as if it was a site of the Federal Housing Authority. Since then, some people in government have been in disarray trying to explain or add more fire or cover aspects of the subject. The gain has been that of the nation as more and more of what people do or fail to do or are not allowed to do are coming out.
First, it has shown that the highest decision maker concerning the hospital is not its Chief Executive and Medical Director but a civil servant described as Permanently Secretary, State House. So, what is the relationship between the Medical Centre and the Ministry of Health which also has a permanent secretary and indeed a minister?
Now that the priority of the centre is buildings, is not time to ask of the real purpose for which the centre was established? Was it supposed to cater for all comers or the first family and her immediate staff?
Because of the first lady’s exclamation the truth has now come out that the centre now caters for what has been explained as “apart from the presidency, other beneficiaries of the free services include political appointees, the military, para-military, other security agencies, members of the national assembly, and the general public.”
The reason is not farfetched; it is because the service is free. If so, who now patronizes the public hospitals in Garki, Wuse, Maitama and Asokoro and is it really true that the centre also caters for even our legislators who we hear have allowances for every item or subhead?
Second, Aisha Buhari’s critical comment has also shown that figures that are bandied around in budgets are a far cry from reality. For instance, it has now been made public that the Centre has a zero allocation in 2017 and that the claim that it had N11.01billion as appropriation for the period 2015-2017 is incorrect.
“According to the permanent secretary, State House, Jalal A. Arabi, “out of the total capital appropriation of N2.9 billion and recurrent appropriation of N465 million for the period under reference, only the sum of N969 million (representing 32.97%) for capital and N225 million (representing 48.41%) for recurrent was actually released.” Who has the balance? This question and many others are what investigative journalists have been working upon in the last two weeks.”
The media have found and are still finding many allegations that should now be explained. They have found for example that the poor state of the centre is well known to higher authorities considering that the Medical Director Dr. H.Y Munir had reportedly addressed a letter to the Chief of Staff to The President dated 3rd October, 2017 titled “Re-State House Clinic Patients Groan Over Drug Scarcity.”
Another issue concerns the failure of the clinic’s management to fumigate the centre and its environment thereby breeding mosquitoes such that patients on admission at the centre battle with mosquitoes at nights while others who visit the clinic with different ailments leave with malaria.
There is also the problem of salaries of internship doctors which are reportedly diverted into fixed deposit while another allegation suggests that doctors lure patients from the centre to their private clinics while they leave student-doctors to attend to patients under critical health conditions at the centre.
It has also been alleged that so far 21m has been deducted for the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) whereas no staff has access to the scheme interestingly, as soon the President’s wife raised alarm, the House of Representatives quickly swung into action to probe the subject.
According to media reports, the decision of the House was sequel to a motion entitled, ‘’Need to investigate the deplorable condition of the State House Clinic and the alleged deductions from the salaries and allowances of the medical staff”, moved by Rep. Henry Archibong, PDP, Akwa Ibom.
The House was also reported to have commended Mrs. Buhari for what was described as “her exemplary show of patriotism and selflessness” in exposing the rot at the clinic. The involvement of our legislators provides another angle for questions.
How effective is the House committee on health? Is it aware that what has been appropriated for the clinic is different from what is released? How far do our legislators carry out their much talked about oversight functions?
Indeed, why was the exposure of the alleged rot at the centre by Aisha Buhari for which she is being commended by the House not discovered and exposed during oversight functions? The summary is that Mrs. Buhari has admirably opened-up governance.
President Muhammadu Buhari has said that the problem with Africa as a continent and her nations has never been planning but in implementation, and not in debating but in doing, adding that in executive offices and legislative chambers you would easily encounter brilliantly drafted documents and initiatives, but implementation has been the problem.
President Buhari who was represented by the Vice-President, Professor Yemi Osinbanjo made the mark while declaring open the 48th Conference of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) Africa Region, held at Imo Trade and Investment Owerri on Saturday, October 21, 2017, adding that, “what we need to Consistently do now is to put action behind our visions and missions as time is no longer on our side as the countdown to 2063 has long started”.
He Continued “The theme of this 48th CPA Conference, African Agenda 2063: Vision Master Plan, presents yet another crucial reflection point for those who today have the privilege of being Africa political elite. The Agenda 2063 spelt out a vision of an Africa that is prosperous, integrated, peaceful, secured and a continent that recognizes the full potential of its human capital and as a respected player on the global stage”.
Prof. Osinbajo stressed “The Africa we want is an Africa that works for its people, one that ensures that Africans can enjoy decent standard of living and security, freedom and one where men and women have equal assets and treatment, with respect to all economic, political and social good”.
He added “Distinguished legislators, the Power and the responsibility for rewriting the story of Africa lies in our hands; the people of our various Countries have elected us to chart a course to the Africa that they want and desire. Our democracy serves no purpose if it does not advance the well-being of our people because we were elected to think, plan and act for the interest of the majority. We will be charlatans of the greatest order if our leadership does not provide for the present and secure the future of those that elected us”.
The Vice-President further remarked “I must commend His Excellency, the Governor of Imo State, Owelle Rochas Okorocha for the leadership he has shown and for the great work he is doing in Imo State, and for his excellent hospitality always. In the true spirit of African brotherhood and spirit, Imo State has in the past two weeks hosted not less than 3 African Centred international gatherings including the visit of two African heads of State”.
One day Africa will sing a new song – Okorocha
Governor Rochas Okorocha in his Speech at the event said, “one day Africa will sing a new song and we believe one day, we shall occupy our rightful place in the comity of nations. Therefore your meeting this time is apt and timely. It is a struggle to find the way forward for the African nations”.
Governor Okorocha Continued “But one thing I have come to realize is that there is nothing wrong with Africa but there is something slightly wrong with Africans in our attitude and the way we do things. But I’m further worried by the fact that if we do not act quick under the present ugly situation which our condition points out to us, we might be destroying the psyche of the generations of Africans yet unborn”.
For him “We are passing through a very difficult moment which many great nations of the world have passed through and we are not an exemption but we will one day in this our lifetime take our rightful place. My concern is about the youths of Africa. It might be shocking to all of you to know that African youths are so frustrated. We have not lived up to expectation of what we can do for the African Child. That will also anchor on my feelings that education must be given it’s rightful place if the youths of Africa must find and take up their positions”.
He added “I therefore appeal to you the lawmakers when you go home that you legislate on the issues that will impact positively on the youths of Africa. Legislate for free education so that the children of the poorest of the poor can go to School. The essence of democracy is good governance and to equip our people for a better future. Every President of a place in Africa should see himself as a father and every first lady as a mother to be instruments to provide education to their children”.
President of CPA and Speaker Imo State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Acho Ihim said, “A well established strategy is crucial to the development and performance of any Organization because it is a plan that integrates its major goals, policies and actions into a cohesive whole. I am sure that if we are able to match our vision with actions our vision plan can be achieved”.
His words, “We, as parliaments must do our best to move beyond conferences and ensure that some of the laudable outcome of the numerous conference have direct impact on the development of the African Continent”.
Lokoja – A director in the Kogi State civil service, Mr Edward Soje has allegedly committed suicide by hanging himself on a tree in Lokoja, the state capital .
It was gathered on Saturday in Lokoja that the dangling body of Soje was found on a tree behind the mammy market at the Maigumeri barracks, the Nigeria Army Command Record.
The 54-year-old civil servant decided to take his life barely 10 days after his wife of 17 years gave birth to a set of male triplets in a private hospital in Abuja. The couple had been childless before then.
Soje, a Grade Level 16 Officer in the Kogi State Teaching Service Commission, was being owed 11 months’ salary arrears as at the time he took his life.
He hailed from Ogori town in Ogori -Magongo Local Government area of the state.
He had before killing himself travelled to Abuja and left a suicide note for the wife who also works in one of the federal ministries.
“Psalm 121:3 God will not suffer your foot to be moved: He that keepeth you will not slumber. Amen. You and the three boys, the God Almighty will keep you and prosper you, amen. I love you,” according to the suicide note.
Confirming the incident, the state police command Public Relations Officer, ASP William Aya said that the dangling body of Soje was found on a tree behind the barracks at about 5:55 p.m on Oct. 16.
Aya said that the Divisional Police Officer in charge of Area D Division received information about the incident from the military intelligence office in the barracks.
“Police moved to the scene, removed the corpse to the morgue of the Federal Medical Centre, Lokoja. Investigation is still ongoing,” Aya said.
The police spokesman said that nothing was found on the man to help trace his address and family.
However, a search party organised by his relations and friends, found his corpse at the morgue of the hospital on Friday, Oct. 20.
Family sources said that Soje had before the incident been going through a lot of financial pressure due to non-payment of his salary for 11 months by the Kogi State Government.
He was among thousands of civil servants being owed between two and 21 months’ salary arrears by the state government.
As a way out, he was said to have sold his only car and a three-bedroom bungalow he was building at Otokiti area of Lokoja.
The building which was at lintel level was sold by Soje at a giveaway price of N1.5 million in April to meet urgent family needs, it was gathered.
According to the sources, Soje’s financial woes became compounded when the wife gave birth to a set of triplets through Caesarian operation in a private hospital in Abuja on Oct. 7.
The deceased remained in the hospital to look after wife and children until Oct. 13, a day before the naming ceremony when he decided to come back to Lokoja.
On getting to Lokoja, Soje went straight to his bank to collect the remaining N30,000 in his salary account with one of the commercial banks and thereafter informed the bank in writing about his decision to close the account.
He immediately left Lokoja for the hospital in Abuja where he rejoined his wife and handed over the N30,000 cash to her.
On Oct. 14, Soje and wife were joined by two pastors and few relatives to perform a brief naming ceremony for the triplets in the hospital.
He later left the hospital on the pretext that he wanted to pick few things from the wife’s apartment in Abuja with a promise to come back quickly.
But Soje did not return for hours and did not pick any of the many calls made to his telephone line, a development which forced the wife to send somebody to the house to go and ascertain what was happening to him.
The person, on getting to the apartment knocked the door severally but no response and decided to call his telephone number.
On hearing the telephone ringing out from the apartment, the person was said to have knocked severally again but no response, this made him to seek the assistance of neighbours to force the door open.
When the door was opened, the people were shocked when they saw Soje’s telephone handset placed on a suicide note on the centre table in the sitting room while he was nowhere to be found.
When the wife was informed, she quickly contacted some people to begin a search for him in Abuja while relations and friends in Lokoja were also informed of the development.
Efforts made to locate him did not yield fruit until relations decided to visit hospitals in Lokoja, the decision paid off eventually on Friday, October 20 when the corpse of Soje was found in the morgue of the Federal Medical Centre, Lokoja.
A member of the family said that the management of the hospital explained to them that Soje’s corpse was brought in by the police, who found it dangling on a tree.
A member of the family, who spoke on condition of anonymity, described the late Soje as a “very quiet and lovable human being. “
He said that some members of the family have been sent to Abuja to break the news to the wife and refused to answer further questions. (NAN)
•Says Buhari has not told the north he will run in 2019
•Lists what will influence the 2019 election
Alhaji Gambo Gujungu is the National President of Arewa Youth Forum, AYF, a powerful and vociferous group of young Northerners which influences policies and decisions in the region.
In this interview, Gujungu examines President Muhammadu Buhari’s anti-corruption war, the raging restructuring agitation and the 2019 election. As the race for 2019 election begins to gather momentum, Gujungu says Buhari has not told anyone in the North that he will run again in 2019. Excerpts:
By Soni Daniel, Northern Region Editor
What do you think should be restructured in Nigeria to make it a better, greater country?
The issue of restructuring the Nigerian polity has always been a recurring decimal. For me I believe it has to do with the leadership of the country, not just the present leadership but also the past ones in the country.
The issues of restructuring and marginalisation all stem from leadership failure. If the people are comfortable with the leadership of the country no matter where the president is from this issue of restructuring will be reduced to the barest minimum. So if you ask me I will say we need to restructure the minds of our leaders to begin to do the right thing for the majority of the people.
If after 57 years of independence we are still talking about roads, water, hospital and housing when other countries are going to the moon and selling technology, we should begin to examine ourselves and determine where we went wrong and begin to think seriously what will give us an edge as a nation and stop talking about mundane things that cannot take us to anywhere.
Today, some people hammer on devolution of more powers to states without taking cognisance of the misuse of the little powers at the disposal of our governors. If we may ask those calling for the devolution of more powers to the state, what will happen if they are given more powers?
For me, let us restructure the electoral system that will throw up good leaders, leaders who will be accountable to the people, leaders who will have the interest of the people at heart. With that I believe the issue of marginalisation, the issue of restructuring will be reduced. Restructuring is not going to put food on our table for the common man or increase the status of the average Nigerian.
Is that why the North is opposed to restructuring?
Who said so? It is not true that the North is opposed to restructuring and our leaders have consistently made that point very clear. But this narrative has continued because some people want to paint the north as a region that is opposed to restructuring. Some people are of the view that the only way they can feather their own nest is to always say that the north does not want restructuring.
However one thing is clear, is restructuring the answer to the myriad of problems bedevilling this country? You can answer that. I want to see the advocates of restructuring begin to tell us how it will secure the tomorrow of Nigerian youths, how it will reduce poverty and deprivation in the north, how it will tackle the security challenges and other challenges plaguing this country.
Do not forget that these same elements had caused Nigeria to spend billions of Naira to organise the last National Conference which they knew would produce no binding results but to enable them to line up their pockets. These advocates of restructuring and national conferences just want to sit down and talk again and share money and go home. For example, some people have said that the report of the National Conference that was convened by former President Goodluck Jonathan should be implemented as part of the restructuring of the country.
Jonathan had the report but refused to implement it. The new government was not part of the conference and it is doubtful whether they will want to implement it. But we are watching. Others have talked about the Justice Lawal Uwais Electoral Reform Report and the government does not seem to be keen on touching it even with a pole. Those are issues that we should be talking about because I can tell you sincerely that most of the advocates of restructuring cannot give you a good proposal on how it should be done.
But in Nigeria we like the bandwagon effect. But Northern leaders have been talking about the kind of restructuring that they want. When the time comes, we will bring out our own stand on the matter to the table. However, let it be known that we are not opposed to restructuring. But our main issue is how to better the lot of Nigerians as a whole in a united and prosperous country.
How would the North want the country to be configured if they were to embrace restructuring and why?
Restructuring is not about shape or size. It should be about giving Nigerians better quality of life, equitable and just society and a country where corruption is reduced to the barest minimum, to give the average Nigerian a sense of belonging and sense of inclusion no matter where one chooses to reside and do their business. So, my advice is that Nigeria should be restructured to give all a sense of belonging. Nigeria must be restructured to reduce poverty and make sure that the youths can aspire and see their aspirations come to pass. Nigeria should be restructured to create an enabling environment for people with ideas to thrive, reduce unemployment and make the people secured.
What would you say about the anti corruption war of the Buhari government? Is it working and has it changed the mindset of Nigerians from stealing and looting of public funds?
Many people voted for this government because of the personality of the President and I believe many of them were not disappointed with the way the government started by hitting the ground running in terms of its anti-corruption crusade. In view of that I will say the president is trying. However, the vigour with which the President started the war on corruption seems to be losing steam.
Maybe corruption is fighting back. But President Buhari needs to keep up the steam because the fight is losing steam. Take for example the case of the suspended Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Babachir Lawal, and Director General of the Nigerian Intelligence Agency, Amb Ayo Oke, who were suspended since April this year and investigated by the Acting President and the Attorney General of the Federation and the National Security Adviser.
The report of the probe has since been submitted to Buhari but he has continued to keep mute over it when Nigerians are dying to see action taken against the officials. Unfortunately, as in other high profile corruption cases, he has chosen to keep silence over the matter, which is generating tension in the land. It is unfair and unhelpful to the anti-corruption fight. The attitude of Mr. President gives the impression that he has given up on the fight against corruption and this is quite unfortunate to say the least.
Buhari must know that many Nigerians are not happy with his government’s response and handling of the controversial issue. Nigerians need to be assured that the President is not shielding his own people, those around him. They want to see him fight corruption no matter whose ox is gored so as to win their support. That is the only way to go. But we are happy because he is trying but he needs to do more.
For the first time in a long time, the North rose in unison to vote massively for President Muhammadu Buhari in 2015, making him the first Nigerian leader to defeat a sitting president. Why did that happen?
No, it is not correct to say that the North rose in unison to elect Buhari in 2015. It was the whole country that voted for him to defeat President Goodluck Jonathan. So, don’t attribute the victory of Buhari to the North alone because it would not be fair to those who saw some unique qualities in him and voted for him from all parts of the country. Having said that I believe the overwhelming support that President Buhari got in 2015 was because of the state of affairs in the country then. I think there was an unwritten agreement among majority of Nigerians that after 16 years of the Peoples Democratic Party, power should be given to another party to lead Nigeria.
I think Nigerians were somewhat fed up with the PDP and that was why they elected the APC Government under Buhari. Indeed, the change of power was like a movement across the whole country not only in the north.
Beyond that I think President Muhammadu Buhari just capped up the whole issue on ground then because people saw in him as an incorruptible leader, someone who could rally the country and take it to the next level. To be honest, I believe that was what happened. President Muhammadu Buhari was a major factor in what happened in the last election, but it was not all about him. So many other factors played out and culminated in what transpired. So if at any point in time again majority of Nigerians feel bad about any government they will likely repeat the same feat and drive out an uncomfortable government from power through the ballot box.
Given this understanding of Buhari, will the North repeat the same feat in 2019 by voting enmass for Buhari since it is clear he will seek re-election?
That is your own opinion and I am just hearing that from you for the first time and not the president or his minders. You are informing me about his seeking re election, because am not aware that he has said anywhere that he is seeking re-election. We are not aware of his desire to seek re-election. What I believe is that when the time comes and if he actually decides to run again then we can look at the situation on ground with other stakeholders. But like I said the president has not said anything about the next elections.
However, one thing I can say is that the north will appraise its situation about the performance of the President. You know he came in based on certain promises which he must fulfil in order to convince the electorate to go for him or not. I suspect strongly that the 2019 presidential election would be based on performance and not on promises because Nigerians are very enlightened and expectant.
How far the President and his party are able to fulfil their manifesto to the people and tackle hunger in the land will be a deciding factor in the next poll. Do not forget that government is supposed to add value to people’s lives and Buhari’s government would be judged along that line when the time comes.
Buhari is being accused of having asked the World Bank President to pay special attention to the North in its development programmes, thereby making some Nigerians to accuse him of promoting sectional interest. What do you make of this claim?
I believe the presidency has explained the stand of Mr. President on the issue and I believe it suffices. The north east is part of this country and all of us are aware of what is happening there. The crisis in the North east presents a rather very unfortunate situation that I believe all well-meaning Nigerians should genuinely be concerned about. So it is a normal situation for the preference for the north east. I believe there was something like that immediately after the civil war and it was meant to tackle the devastating effect of war and its attendant suffering by the people.
Also you know the north east is one of the least developed zones in the country. So there is nothing wrong with government trying to make it catch up with other zones in the country. The problem is that some critics will not see anything good in whatever people do. If government had said for instance that the World Bank should focus attention on the South West for instance, the same critics would be the ones to lampoon the government for not focussing on the troubled North East that is suffocating from the effects of the Boko Haram. But for us, when government takes action that is good we commend, when it is bad we tell them and I believe that is the way it should be.
As someone from the north where open grazing is promoted as part of daily living, do you consider that Nigeria is ripe for ranching of livestock to prevent incessant clashes between herdsmen and farmers across the country?
Open grazing has been around for a long time now but the truth must be told by all that the time and dynamics have since changed and we need to adjust accordingly to avoid being caught up by climate change and other challenges of the time. The situation in the country is quite different from what it was in 1960s and 1970s. The herdsmen are used to the way they move their animals around and it has become a way of life. Also nobody is happy with these clashes between herdsmen and farmers.
My take on this is that government should take all these interests that I mentioned into consideration and come out with a way out. In view of the rising population and the effect of climate change, land, water and grass are in short supply and we need to devise new methods of feeding livestock using technology as other countries have done so that we are not left behind.
Government should begin to work towards a permanent solution because we need the land to farm and the animals to eat, too. Ranching can be a way out but it should be done in a way that those involved will understand. That is where sensitization is key. Let government make the herdsmen understand that things have changed and are still changing. They must be told to change with the tide so as to continue to remain in the business of raising cattle for living. Am concerned about the clashes and they don’t portray us as a nation that is developing and is concerned about the welfare of its people. Government needs to stop the bloodshed.
The Senate has mandated its committees on Police Affairs and National Security to investigate clashes between border communities in Nigeria and Cameroon, which has claimed lives and property of Nigerians.
The resolution to this effect emanated from a point of order raised by Sen. John Enoh (APC-Cross River) during plenary on Thursday.
Enoh said that it was Federal Government’s duty to protect its citizens from internal and external aggression, lamenting that affected people from his political jurisdiction had been abandoned to attacks from Cameroonian aggressors.
He said, “I rise to call attention to a dire and serious security situation that is occurring in my senatorial district between the communities in Cross River and communities in Cameroon.
“This crisis has taken international dimension. The porous nature of our borders, especially at that particular axis, is a great concern.
“The main reason why government exists is to protect people’s lives and property; I therefore call on Nigerian authorities to increase security presence because there is still rising tension in that part of the country.”
The lawmaker also urged the security agencies to see how much help they could provide to ensure that people in that area were protected.
In his remark, President of the Senate, Dr Bukola Saraki, stressed that it was the responsibility of government to provide adequate security at the borders and also ensure safety and security of the citizenry in the country.
He, therefore, referred the matter to the Committees on Police Affairs and National Security, mandating them to carry out a thorough job on the conflict and report back to the chamber.
TO different people, he means different things. While some perceive him as a cultural advocate, others hold contrary views. Whichever way he is viewed, Otunba Gani Abiodun Ige Adams is unarguably a leading promoter of Yoruba interest worldwide.
This is a cause he has chosen ever since destiny made him the National Coordinator of the Oodua People’s Congress, OPC, in 1999. It has been a journey that saw him transforming from a militant youth leader to a socio-political activist of national and global repute. Born April 30, 1970 in Akoko North-West, Ondo State, Gani Adams’ entrance into limelight began immediately after his secondary education at the popular Ansarudeen Secondary School in Isolo, Lagos.
Growing popularity
His foray into the struggle for a return to democratic rule began in 1993 after the annulment of the June 12 presidential elections. Sensing the urgent need to stand against the injustice meted out to the late MKO Abiola, a Yoruba man, Adams founded the Oodua Youth Movement to champion this cause. In a move aimed at advancing the cause of the Yoruba, he was among the nine people that founded the OPC on August 25, 1994 at 110, Palm Avenue, Lagos.
The OPC, however, became a force to reckon with and a thorn in the flesh of the military government of the day. As a way of reducing the growing popularity of June 12 activists, the military government clamped down on, among others, the founder of the group, Dr. Frederick Fasehun. While Fasehun was incarcerated by the military regime, Gani Adams soon took up the mantle of the OPC leadership.
Adams admitted he started under Fasehun, noting; “He was my leader from the beginning.” He was also quick to add that he was mentored by the late fiery human rights lawyer, Chief Gani Fawehinmi and Dr. Beko Ransome-Kuti. “As activists, when some of us had problems, we usually went to the chambers of Chief Gani Fawehinmi. He (Fawehinmi) discovered my determination and that was one of the reasons we were close,” he said.
Cultural advancement
While sensing the need to remove the negative toga critics associated with the OPC, Adams veered into advancing the rich culture of Yorubaland. He said: “The OPC has done a lot of good in Yorubaland; most of the cities in Yorubaland are secured by the private security of the OPC.
“I can tell you authoritatively that 75 per cent of members are artisans or technicians. Out of the 150 National Coordinating Council members, we have about 33 graduates in various disciplines. The elite are fond of disparaging the good side of any group without letting the people get to know of them. Some ignorant elite know how to portray any group, not in their good books, in a bad light.”
In 2002, the OPC leader set up the OlokunFestival Foundation with the view of promoting the rich cultural heritage of the Yoruba race. Interestingly, the annual OlokunFestival has become an important tourist and local attraction throughout Yorubaland by various Yoruba people and groups. Aside theOlokun festival, he also established the Oodua Progressives Union, OPU, which seeks to sustain Yoruba identity.
He said Yoruba people all over the world must have a sense of belonging and identify with their roots all the time. It is instructive to note here that the OPU has presence in 74 countries. There is no doubt that Gani Adams has paid his dues over time and has endeared himself to those who see him as champion of the Yoruba race. As the mantle of Aare Ona Kakanfo falls on him, it is expected that he would bring his cultural experience to unite the Yoruba race.
