President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has urged Nigerians not to take democracy for granted. The president spoke on the commemoration of Democracy Day celebrations.
The occasion is marked yearly to remember the annulment of the June 12, 1993, presidential election won by the late Moshood Kashimaro Abiola.
“We must not take democracy for granted, we must guard it jealously,” the president said on Monday.
The president who said democracy is better than military rule, noted that Nigerians who experienced military rule can differentiate between freedom and dictatorship.
Recall that former military dictator, Gen. Ibrahim Babangida annulled the election won by Abiola on the basis that some prominent Nigerians did not want the winner of the historic election to rule.
Abiola later died in detention on July 7, 1998.
Based on popular demand from not a few Nigerians, former President Muhammadu Buhari, on June 6, 2018, declared June 12 Democracy Day, and also conferred on the late MKO the highest national honour of Grand Commander of the Federal Republic, GCFR.
“For the past 18 years, Nigerians have been celebrating May 29, as Democracy Day. That was the date when, for the second time in our history, an elected civilian administration took over from a military government. The first time this happened was on October 21, 1979,” Buhari said.
“But in the view of Nigerians, as shared by this administration, June 12, 1993 was far more symbolic of democracy in the Nigerian context than May 29 or even the October 1.
“June 12, 1993 was the day when Nigerians in millions expressed their democratic will in what was undisputedly the freest, fairest and most peaceful elections since our independence.
“The fact that the outcome of that election was not upheld by the then military government does not distract from the democratic credentials of that process.
“Accordingly, after due consultations, the Federal, Government has decided that henceforth, June 12 will be celebrated as Democracy Day.
“Therefore, the government has decided to award posthumously the highest honour of the land, GCFR, to the late Chief MKO Abiola, the presumed winner of the June 12, 1993 cancelled elections,” the ex-president noted.
There are indications that some officers of the Nigeria Custom Service, (NCS) are being investigated over allegation bordering on smuggling.
Coming few days after the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Godwin Emefiele, was suspended over similar allegation, the affected officials are said to be involved in smuggling of fuel to neighbouring countries.
It is also seen as part of the war by President Bola Tinubu to restore accountability back to governance, due to perceived failure of the anti corruption war of the immediate past administration.
Allegation of fuel diversion raged during the past administration as substantial litres of petrol meant for consumption in the country were diverted.
Investigation has revealed that since the withdrawal of subsidy on petrol, which has jerked up the pump price to between N500 and N600, the fallout is being felt in those countries.
A video of some okada riders in one of the neighbouring countries went viral in which they were seen protesting Nigeria’s government withdrawal of subsidy.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s intervention on who becomes the Speaker of the House of Representatives seems to have paid off following the decision of two top contestants to step down.
At a meeting they attended with the president On Sunday, Aliyu Betara and Yusuf Gagdi agreed not to contest the Speakership election slated for Tuesday, January 13.
The coast, according to analysts now seems to have been cleared for Tajudeen Abass, the endorsed candidate of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC.
The only serious contender now left to contest against Abass is the immediate Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Ahmed Idris Wase, who has vowed not to step down.
But those watching the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, insist that this is a positive development after weeks of serious horse trading and efforts by the party to put its house in order before election day in less than 72 hours.
Recall that President Tinubu and the APC leadership had endorsed Abbas and Benjamin Kalu as Speaker and Deputy Speaker, respectively.
In the president’s quest to ensure that the APC had a smooth sail in the NASS leadership tussle, President Tinubu, during the week met with lawmakers across party lines.
At the meetings attended by Vice President Kassim Shetima and other APC stalwarts, the president appealed to the lawmakers to accept the party’s choice for NASS leadership.
Imo State Governor, Senator Hope Uzodinma, has bemoaned the passing of the former Lawmaker representing Anambra Central Senatorial District in the National Assembly , Senator Annie Okonkwo as well as that of the former Commissioner of Police, Imo State, retired Assistant Inspector General of Police(AIG), Isaac Akinmoyode. He described their death as shocking.
While Okonkwo reportedly died in the United States on Thursday from battle with a terminal illness, aged 63, Akinmoyode was said to have died on Monday in Lagos, also battling a terminal sickness. He was aged 60.
A statement on Friday by Oguwike Nwachuku, the Chief Press Secretary and Media Adviser to Governor Uzodimma said his Principal received with shock, the death of both gentlemen who were personally known to him and said his prayers are with their families.
Governor Uzodinma said with their passing, Anambra State and Ojoto in particular where Okonkwo hailed from, and Lagos State, where Akinmoyode came from, have lost rare gems who would be difficult to replace.
He said Okonkwo’s track records in politics, business and public service as well as Akinmoyode’s meritorious public service in the Police that saw him retiring with the rank of an AIG ought to be emulated.
Governor Uzodinma commiserated with the families of both Okonkwo and Akinmoyode, particularly their widows, the Governments and peoples of Anambra and Lagos States and prayed God, on behalf of the good people of Imo State, to grant them the fortitude to bear the loss.
At the same time, he prayed God to grant the souls of the deceased a peaceful repose.
As tension is brewing in Ondo state over possible takeover of motor parks by members of the National Union of Road Transport Workers, (NURTW), the State Government has warned against planned breach of public peace by the union whose operations have been suspended in the State.
Ondo state had banned the activities of the NURTW at motor parks following unending crisis and arbitrary increase in fares and set up a management committee, still under the chairman of NURTW.
Special Adviser to the Governor on Security and Commander, Amotekun Corps, Akogun Tunji Adeleye said anyone caught fomenting trouble in any park within the State will be picked and treated like a common criminal.
Akogun Adeleye noted that the position of Government on Park Management is resolute, adding that there is no going back.
“The Parks Management Committee was set up to oversee the activities of NURTW in view of the perennial crises occasioned by some of their activities which have become a threat to public peace and safety.
“It is shocking to note that some of the self-acclaimed Committee Members of the State NURTW forcefully opened the Igoba branch Office where any activity, to all intents and purposes, remain part of the operations suspended by Government.
“While arrests are yet to be made, Government cannot allow such brigandage to continue unchecked.
“It is thus in line with the avowed commitment of the current Administration under the able leadership of Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, SAN, CON, to ensure protection of lives and property that proactive steps would be taken to forestall any further breakdown of law and order.
“In view of this, security agencies have been put on the alert to arrest anyone parading himself as NURTW member in Motor Parks across the State.
“While we urge our people to go about their daily activities as usual, we will resist any attempt by any group, under any guise, to disrupt the fragile peace that we currently enjoy in the State. We shall do this with all vigor.”
The National Population Commission, (NPC), has called for an urgent commencement of the process of conducting the 2023 population and Housing Census to enable the country fit into the global data and benchmark.
The exercise, which was fixed to have been conducted last month before the terminal date of the immediate administration, was shifted to yet to be determined state.
The Federal Commissioner, NPC, Diran Iyantan made the call at a parley with Media Executives in Ondo State on the 2023 population and Housing Census in Akure, the Ondo state capital at the weekend.
Iyantan said the sensitivity of the exercise is to move with the train of the time, which heightens the fact that Nigeria is at risk of missing out.
“Not conducting a census soon means that Nigeria, which is the most populous country in Africa, risks being out of scene with the international community census scheme potentially affecting our ability to compare with the global benchmark.”
According to him, the immediate past President, Muhammadu Buhari said he had discussed with President Bola Tinubu on the need to as a matter of urgency, continue the process of completing of the exercise.
Iyantan, who explained that the census had multidimensional purpose for the development of the country, appealed to the media family to make sure that the process is not delayed.
The purpose of the parley, he stated, was to update the media on the status of operation of the census, pointing that the commission has taken up to 30 different activities it had done for a successful census.
Iyantan, who reeled out several preparatory activities that had been carried out towards the census among many others to include; the Enumeration Area Demarcation, conduct of pre-tests and trial census, recruitment and training of census field staff, procurement and configuration of personal Digital Assistants (PDAs), establishment of ICT infrastructures across the country and logistics support and advocate and publicity activities.
In his goodwill message, the Ondo state Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Journalists NUJ, Leke Adegbite who was represented by the Union’s state Treasurer, Fatima Muraina, who said the media have been helping the NPC in the mobilization of citizenry on the census before it was postponed, assured of the media continuous support whenever the NPC is ready to carry out the exercise.
Adegbite said members of the union are always ready to enlighten the people and the public through their media platforms on the need to be part of the exercise.
He urged the commission to also continue to work with the media so that the right and accurate activities of NPC would be reported to the public.
A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress, (APC) in Edo state, John Mayaki, has queried the rationale behind last minute approval by the House of Assembly of N3.5B loan for cars, other luxuries to Governor Godwin Obaseki.
Mayaki, pointed out that despite controversial session rocked by illegitimacy claim, the legislative arm as a final act, still went ahead to grant such request.
He claimed that the former Speaker, Marcus Onobun, who presided over a divided House in which duly elected members were denied representation, led the approval process, after agreeing with the governor that the state needs to incur a debt of such magnitude to fund fresh cars for incoming legislators and other government functionaries.
“A staggering N2 billion was also earmarked for the procurement of hospital equipment for the Stella Obasanjo Hospital.
“There was no breakdown presented detailing the planned expenses and how the state governor, who requested approval for the loan, arrived at the sum.”
Mayaki, in a statement, denounced the process as a “disgraceful sham that underscores the complicity of the outgoing Assembly in the tragic plunge of the state into debt, unconstitutionality and non-transparency.
“The outgoing Assembly, which will forever carry an asterisk due to its composition deformity, has given its final slap in the face to the Edo people with this outrageous move.”
“Instead of demanding answers from the governor on why the state, under his watch, has slid into general dysfunction and decay despite a rapidly growing debt profile; the Onobun-led Assembly has given a nod to the governor to, in fact, acquire more loans and mortgage the future of the state.”
“More troubling is the fact that the approval was swiftly granted without even a pretension at accountability.
“How did the governor arrive at the N3.5b sum? Should the state government be incurring billions in loans to purchase jeeps for incoming legislators at the time people are struggling to eat three square meals?
“Was the public, whose interest the lawmakers are meant to protect, allowed to determine whether they want an additional debt burden of over 3 billion naira?
“These are important questions of governance the Assembly ought to answer before granting an approval.
“Unfortunately, either due to its complicity or incompetence, no sign exists that any of this was done before Governor Godwin Obaseki was given the imprimatur to continue his loan spree.
“Many have in fact insinuated that loan is merely a send-forth package Obaseki and his merry men have awarded themselves, at the expense of the public.
“The allegation is fueled by the observation that this Assembly has functioned effectively as an extension of the governor’s office, as illustrated by its staging of plenary sessions in an office in the Executive Wing where the governor holds sway.
“What is the implication of this for the future? What kind of Edo State will we bequeath our children? One where the independence of the legislature is a forgotten ideal and elected lawmakers bow at the feet of the governor whom they ought to hold to account?
“A state neck-deep in debts to fund the expensive taste of a few while the majority wallows in poverty? I hope these questions plague the conscience of these men, provided they still have one.”
Senator Polycarp Nwite Foundation for Democratic Accountability, SPNFDA, has said that Nigeria would not make any realistic progress in her democratic journey, should systemic failures that enable divisiveness, nepotism and avarice be allowed to continue without decisive action by the Nigerian leadership.
It also congratulated President Bola Tinubu, on his emergence as the 16th president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. As the Chief Celebrant of this year’s June 12 Democracy Day celebration, The President is reminded of the spirit of togetheness and oneness of purpose that brought Nigerians of different backgrounds and leanings together in the Pro-Democracy movement of the 90s which helped to actualise the present democratic dispensation. The Unity of Nigeria, prosperity and welfare of its peoples is the single most important task of the President Tinubu government The foundation named after the late 3rd Republic Senator Polycarp Nwite, Democracy advocate and former Senior Presidential aide who, like President Tinubu was incarcerated by the military junta, during the June 12, 1993 political crisis, made these assertions in a statement in Abakaliki, Ebonyi State signed by its executive director, Mr. Michael Nwite, to mark Democracy Day.
The June 12, 1993 presidential election, which was won by late MKO Abiola, but annulled by the military administration of General Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida (IBB), was adjudged to be the most transparent election in the history of Nigeria. Since then, Elections in Nigeria have been fraught with ethnic and religious tensions accompanied by increasing mistrust in our democratic institutions.
According to the statement, “Democracy in its purest form only exists to serve the best interest of the people, in an equitable, just, transparent and unifying manner, that enables trust and engenders patriotism and pride in nationhood; and belief in democratic practice and leadership.”
Mr Nwite said further in the statement: “We are absolutely convinced and confident that President Tinubu, being one of the courageous fighters for the enthronement of Democracy in Nigeria, as the current man in the driving seat of Nigeria’s democratic leadership, is not only conversant with the democratic principles, norms and nuances, but is also willing and courageous enough to lead Nigeria to the future that would abhor divisiveness, fight nepotism, ethnic and religious bigotry, government indefference and insensitivity to the plight of the people and glaring injustice of unequal distribution of opportunities and common wealth of the nation.
“We are most glad, and I believe that our late father, Senator Nwite would’ve shared the same sentiments, were he to be alive, that President Tinubu, who he foundly called ‘Bola’,, now has the opportunity to fix Nigeria for the good of the people, in a democratic setting, like they had dreamt about, both in the tranches and in detention camp at Alagbon Close, Lagos state, where they were next-door cell mates in the dark days of military dictatorship.
“The tough decisions President Tinubu has made right from his first day are indicative of a President who will lead from the front and make tough calls for the overall good of the people.
“Nigeria deserves a leader that will be bold and decisive in policy formulation, implementation and declarations that guarantee democratic dividends and accountability to the Nigerian people.
“Today, as we remember and celebrate our Heroes of Democracy, both dead and alive, we urge President Tinubu to urgently take decisive steps to fight corruption, criminality and the intractable insecurity challenges across the nation, because we are of the opinion that no system of government, would make any meaningful progress in a situation characterised by multidimensional insecurity, fear and despondency, as we have in the nation at the moment.”
The Foundation implored the President to also take decisive action in education, health and electricity power generation/distribution to essentially curb unproductivity, youth unemployment, current mass migration to foreign lands, in search of better livelihood.
Senator Nwite, was Former Nigeria Ambassador to Botswana, a Senior Special Assistant to President Yar’Adua and also a frontline member of the National Democratic Coalition (NADECO), a broad coalition of Nigerians, formed in May 1994 to fight for the enthronement of civil rule in Nigeria.
The People’s Democratic Party, (PDP) has alleged that there are plots to arrest notable leaders of the party ahead of the inauguration of the 10th National Assembly on Tuesday.
PDP claimed that this is part of the plot to enable the ruling All Progressives Congress, (APC) actualize the zoning arrangement in the leadership of the national assembly.
PDP spokesman, Debo Ologunagba, told Journalists on Saturday, in Abuja that lawmakers-elect, who are opposed to the preferred candidates of the APC in the race for presiding offices of the Assembly are target of the planned arrest.
Ologunagba, who accused some elements within the APC of being behind the plot, said the move was aimed at intimidating and harassing lawmakers-elect to choose the party’s annointed candidates.
“The PDP notes that the independence of the legislature is a prerequisite for a virile democracy and therefore insists that the members-elect in both houses must be allowed to elect their leadership.”
He noted the provisions of the subsisting Standing Rules of both chambers of the National Assembly, which emphasize the need for the legislators to elect their leadership among themselves on the floor.
“This is the critical ingredient of constitutional democracy, independence of the legislature and principle of Separation of Powers.
“The national assembly is the symbol of the sovereignty of the people in a participatory Democracy.
“The people exercise such sovereignty through the choices made by their elected representatives on the floor of the National Assembly.
“Fundamental to this sovereignty is the choice of the presiding officers of the National Assembly which must not be appropriated by any group of individuals.
“Such will amount to a dethronement of the sovereignty of the people.
“The PDP charges the lawmaker-elect to remain steadfast in their resolve and continue to keep in mind that Nigerians expect them to assert their independence in the election of the Senate President and the Speaker of the House of Representatives.”
For a man used to luxury, used to power, who had, for years, been in the corridors of power, mingled with raw power, exercised raw power, risen to the highest pinnacle in his country’s financial system, seen raw cash, the manner in which Godwin Emefiele, until the evening of Friday, June 9, 2023, the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, was arrested, was humiliating.
Emefiele, suspended, not yet sacked, by President Bola Tinubu was arrested on Saturday, June 10, 2023, while he was in Lagos. With that, the long planned and expected wish to arrest him was finally fulfilled.
On arrest, he was put in handcuffs and driven to the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, local wing, in a very ordinary looking hilux van.
Before he was appointed the CBN Governor in June, 2014, Emefiele was the Group Managing Director of Zenith Bank PlC, one of Nigeria’s biggest financial in the Country.
He was sandwiched in between Security Agents.
His handcuffs were obviously removed when they arrived the tarmac where a private jet waited to whisk him to Abuja.
But what was the need?
Godwin Emefiele.
The young Security agent made sure the world saw the handcuffs. He dangled it, perhaps, unconsciously.
A couple of people who watched from afar were in tears at the humiliation. Others were in shock. And others looked on with mouth agape. Life and its irony.
Emefiele looked lost. And weary. And defeated And drained, as he climbed down from the hilux. The colour of his caftan, dull, matched his mood. As he climbed into the aircraft, the swaga was gone.
The questions many asked were: Was the public humiliation necessary? Was the handcuff necessary? Did he resist arrest? Did he commit murder? Is he not adjudged innocent until proved guilty? Why strip him of his dignity?
Here is a man who, on May 27, 2023, was honoured with the third highest National Award in Nigeria- Commander of the Federal Republic, CFR, by the immediate past President, Muhammadu Buhari. Was the former President unaware of Emefiele’s alleged crimes when he honoured him?
For the records, not a few people think Emefiele was long overdue for sack. In the history of Nigeria, no CBN Governor was publicly and brazenly involved in politics more than Emefiele. Not even his predecessor, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi.
He was so carried away that he actually picked the form to run for the office of the President while he was still CBN Governor. He was, it turned out, a card carrying member of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC.
When outrage greeted his aspiration, he went to Court to defend his right to run for President. Emefiele was like a man possessed. Who swore for him? What was he looking for? That was when he ought to have been sacked for desecrating that office. But he was allowed to stay on. Or was it deliberate to make him face this public humiliation?
When he “bloomed” with raw power, he challenged those against him to a fight. “Come and fight me”, he said. That was in the middle of the suffering of the people over the Naira new design. No money no food. Nothing.
Emefiele took it personal. There was no compassion. It was not his fault, of course. Somebody was beating the drum he was dancing to for him. It was the former President.
Independent (?) as the CBN is, somebody hires and fires the Board members, including the CBN Governor. Emefiele couldn’t have redesigned the Naira without President Buhari’s endorsement. But Emefiele was so smitten with, and by ego that he was unable to communicate his situation properly, to let the public know the truth. Even when the powers- that-be in APC described him as evil and called him other unprintable names, he played deaf and dumb.
President Tinubu, at that time, a Presidential Candidate, said he was the target of the Naira redesign. Yet, Emefiele kept quiet. It was like: Who will touch me?
Now, where are all those who pushed Emefiele into aspiring to the office of the President? Where are those who asked him to redesign the Naira a couple of months to a General Election? Where is Buhari? Who will save Emefiele? Who will speak for him?
What I don’t want to hear is “Eh, it is because he is Igbo.” Not true. He was not discrete, let me not say he was lacking in wisdom, or worse.
However, this treatment should not stop with Emefiele. I don’t know the exact crimes he, allegedly, committed. There are too many speculations. Whatever, there are many others worse than him.
Let the hands of the law be upon them, and let the same treatment given to Emefiele be extended to them. No less.
