Tragedy struck in Calabar, the Cross River state capital, Sunday when an unidentified lady got involved in an auto crash while chasing her husband who she saw with another woman in a shopping mall.
According to an eyewitness, Stephen Okposin, the accident happened on the ever-busy Murtala Mohammed Highway.
According to Okposin, “the lady saw her hubby at Spar shop with another woman in the car, so she hurriedly drove to double cross them.
This man saw her car and zoomed off, so the woman became aggressive and sped up to trail and catch up with them.
“I was just driving behind them just in less than three minutes, I saw her involved in the accident and she’s unconscious at the point of death.
The hubby that was running suddenly dropped off the lady who was with him and rushed down to assist and revive her from the car.
“She’s been rushed to the hospital. We pray she survives it.”
Few days after Ekiti state Governor, Dr Kayode Fayemi commissioned some projects in Oyo state, executed by Governor Seyi Makinde’s administration, the All Progressive Congress, (APC) in the state said the administration has “fake and deceitful record of achievements.”
Governor Makinde has signified intention to seek reelection for second term on the ticket of the People’s Democratic Party, (PDP).
The APC in the state was of the view that Governor Makinde intends to use those fake projects to campaign for reelection to mislead the electorate.
In a statement at the weekend in Ibadan, APC Publicity Secretary, Olawale Sadare, stated that “Gov. Makinde’s quest for another term in office is an affront targeted at the good people of the Pacesetter state who have gained little or nothing from his administration in the last 40 months.
“The governor had left no one in doubt of what his priority would be when he abandoned preparation of governance blueprint for inauguration day rehearsal as well as euphoria of occupying the governor seat.
“He would later nail it with his uninspiring inaugural address which got many people disappointed as he failed to convince the world that he was prepared to raise the bar from the legacies of the Sage- Chief Obafemi Awolowo, Chief Bola Ige, Lam Adesina, Abiola Ajimobi and others.
“Forty months after, the full reality has dawned on the people that the PDP administration of Governor Seyi Makinde has nothing to offer except window dressing, grandstanding and misappropriation of scarce resources.
“We now have an administration which has brought governance to a ridiculous level as against the traditional sterling performances which almost all the chief occupants of Agodi Government House have recorded in their respective times.
“Today, we have a government which prefers empowerment of miscreants to creation of enabling environment for investors to engage our teeming unemployed youths.
“We have a government which does not only celebrate cosmetic projects done at inflated cost but also mobilizes hirelings and praise-singers for orchestration.
“As a matter of fact, Gov. Makinde’s administration would occupy a good space in the history of bad governance and clueless government in the whole world.
“States such as Ebonyi, Borno, Osun, Gombe and Kaduna earn far less in terms of federal allocations and internally generated revenue but the value which their which their respect Governors have added in the last three years is a pointer to the fact that Oyo State has been on a downward slope since June 2019.
“For the avoidance of doubt, we challenge Gov. Makinde to name any of the key sectors of the economy where he has performed exceptionally since he came into office.
“Interestingly, the song on the lips of conscious and discerning indigenes and residents of Oyo state is that Governor Makinde should endeavour to stop further desecration of the Pacesetter status of the state.
“Even if he cannot pick any good thing from Governor Wike who is obviously his Godfather, he should desist from acting like an aide to his Rivers state colleague henceforth.
“We would also like to put it on record that Gov. Makinde’s quest to be relevant at the level of national politics is ill-advised and a clear indication that he does not have any serious thing to do with governance again in the state.
“The good people of Oyo state are tired of deceit, cronyism and noise making in exchange for creativity, responsibility and responsiveness.
“It is on this note that we are calling on voters in the state not to be swayed by the packaged media noise and fake record of achievements expected from the camp of Oyo PDP and Makinde in the coming days as we go into electioneering campaigns ahead of the next general election because once bitten, twice shy.”
Ekiti state has been adjudged the best in humanitarian service and support for the downtrodden during the COVID-19 lockdown.
The state was also recognized as having the best-performing disease surveillance team in the Country.
Governor Kayode Fayemi disclosed this while honouring members of the state Covid-19 Response Resource Mobilization Committee (RRMC), for their selfless service towards curtailing the effects of virus in Ekiti.
A statement in Ado Ekiti by the ministry of information stated that the Governor handed over the plaques and certificates of recognition to members of the committee during a dinner held in Lagos.
Fayemi noted that members have written their names in gold, adding that the commitment of the Grand Patron of the Committee, Aare Afe Babalola, its chairman, Prince Julius Adelusi-Adeluyi contributed immensely to the success recorded in the fight against the scourge.
He also acknowledged the contributions of two members of the committee, late Sir Remi Omotosho and late Senator Gbenga Aluko to the success of the committee while they were alive.
The governor maintained that he would leave a legacy of impactful programmes in the health sector and the incoming government will continue in the tradition of improving both human resource and health infrastructure.
On his part, the chairman of the Committee, Prince Adelusi-Adeluyi, commended the Governor for taking the bold steps in managing the pandemic in the State.
He said that the committee mobilized resources to procure a molecular diagnostic laboratory for the state; renovated and upgraded health facilities in Ayede General Hospital and 20 primary and comprehensive health centers across all local government areas of the state, among others.
Ekiti State Governor elect, Biodun Oyebanji, also commended the Governor for setting up the committee, adding that the aim of constituting the committee was achieved with successes recorded during the out break of the pandemic.
To this end, he appealed for more support from the committee members during his administration.
The push by the Rivers State Governor for the resignation, from office, of the National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Dr. Iyorchia Ayu, seems to have fallen flat. It has been aborted. The South-west Chapters have pulled out of the call. They are standing by Ayu. And labeling such calls sabotage against the Party and its chances in 2023.
The arrow head of the push is Wike. He is supported by four of his colleagues and some high profile stakeholders in the Party. Together, they are referred to as Camp Wike. His four colleagues are: Samuel Ortom of Benue State, Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia State, Seyi Makinde of Oyo State, and Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State. Some of the high profile stakeholders are: Professor Jerry Gana, a Board of Trustee member, Chief Bode George, a former National Vice Chairman, Dr Olusegun Mimiko, a former Governor of Ondo State, Donald Duke, a former Governor of Cross River State, and Ayo Fayose, a former Governor of Ekiti State.
The push for Ayu’s resignation started a couple of weeks after former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, emerged as the Presidential candidate of the Party, beating Wike to a second place. All was quiet until Atiku by-passed Wike and chose Delta State Governor, Dr Ifeanyi Okowa, as his running mate. Angry, Wike and his Camp gave space to Atiku and the Party. They shunned all activities of the PDP, and to rub it in, Wike began an openly romance Presidential candidates of other Parties. He and his colleagues in his Camp, except Ugwuanyi, raised the antenna by junketting to London twice within a month to hold meetings with three Presidential candidates, including Atiku. Others were Peter Obi of the Labour Party and Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress.
Dr. Iyorchia Ayu
Before the London meetings, Wike and Ikpeazu had gone on holiday to Istanbul, Turkey.
Wike, also, resorted to flogging Atiku and the PDP at every given opportunity. He talked down on them, and any PDP member in his State who as much as visited Atiku, he punished in his own way. It is a long list.
However, Wike was to publicly say, later, that he had forgotten about his losses at Party Primary as well as the Vice Presidential slot. He said they did not matter to him. What mattered to him and his Camp, he revealed, is the leadership structure of the Party. He said it is lopsided in favor of the North. He said it was unfair for both the Presidential candidate and the Chairman of the Party to come from the same Region. The solution: Ayu must make way, Wike said, for a Chairman from the South.
He also revealed that both Atiku and Ayu had agreed to that before, and immediately after the Convention for the Presidential Primary. He cited, at least, two occasions when Ayu said he would step down if the PDP candidate emerged from the North. He also revealed that Atiku visited him in the morning of the day after the Presidential Primary, and on his own, told him, Wike, that Ayu must step down.
Wike’s anger: Both men have reneged on the agreement. While Atiku said Ayu would go when he wins the Presidency, Ayu is now insisting on his four-year tenure.
At the Party’s National Executive Council, NEC, meeting recently, members gave Ayu a vote of confidence. However the Chairman of the Board of Trustees, BoT, Senator Walid Jibrin, resigned and made way for a Southerner, former Senate President, Dr Adolphus Wabara.
But Wike dismissed that as an insult to the South. He said only the resignation of Ayu from office would do. He said his fight in the PDP is for the South. He said when decisions are taken, it would be between the Candidate and the Chairman only.
But not a few people have reminded Wike that the National Secretary of the Party, Samuel Anyanwu, popular as Samdaddy, is a Southerner and, administratively, the engine room of the Party. They also point out that Anyanwu was put in that position by Wike.
However, things seem to be turning awry for Wike. Many State Chapters are pulling the rug from under his feet. A number of States in the South, which he says he is fighting for, have washed their hands off the call for Ayu’s resignation. They say they stand by Ayu. They say anybody asking for Ayu’s resignation does not mean well for the Party. They say the person wants the Party to lose the Presidential election.
Last week, Makinde of Oyo State, a member of Wike’s Camp, had told Atiku, when the later went to Ibadan to meet the Zonal Executive members and stakeholders of the Party in the South-west, that the demand of the Zone is that Ayu must resign for a Southerner to take over. Makinde said he was speaking for the Zone.
However, the All the States in the Zone have denied him, except Oyo State. They have put a lie to his submission. Osun, Ondo, Ogun, Ekiti, Lagos, all say Makinde is on his own and spoke for himself. They have declared support for Ayu, publicly. Their stand was reinforced on Saturday when the Publicity Secretaries of all the South-west States, except Oyo, addressed a Press Conference in Lagos.
The Publicity Secretaries present were: Hamed Amode, Lagos, Raphael Adeyanju, Ekiti, Kenedy Peretei, Ondo and Bankole Akinloye, Ogun. They described the call for Ayu’s resignation as a sabotage against the Candidate and the Party.
With Ayu, also being backed by most States in the North, and a couple of States from both the South-east and the South-South, many think Wike’s fight for the South has become a mirage. They say he may soon find himself walking, alone, on a lonely path.
Tragedy struck the family of Senator Kabiru Gaya on Tuesday, September 13, 2022.
The Senator, a former Governor of Kano State, but who currently represents Kano South at the Senate, lost his son in a most gruesome and unexpected manner.
Sadiq Kabiru Gaya, a Lawyer, was murdered by a callous human being described as his best friend.
His best friend invited him to the hotel, according to Kabiru Ado Muhe in a Facebook post, but stabbed him to death, and dumped his body in the hotel’s swimming pool. The killer also took his phone, and, allegedly, transferred the sum of N20m from his account.
Said the Facebook post: “Sadiq was invited by his best friend to a hotel in Abuja. He was stabbed in the chest, and dumped in the hotel’s pool. The friend took his phone, and transferred N20m.
What is not clear is how the alleged murderer thought he could get away with such a heinous crime, especially, after leaving a trail by first, inviting him, and second, transferring money using Gaya’s phone after killing him.
Until his murder, Sadiq was a staff of the Nigerian Assets Management Agency.
A graduate of Law from the Ahmadu Bello University, Sadiq got an LLM from the University of Wales, United Kingdom.
The FCT Police Command has confirmed Sadiq’s murder. Its Spokesperson, Josephine Adeh, said five persons, arrested in connection with the murder, are in custody.
Married with two Children, Sadiq has been buried in Abuja, according to Muslim rites.
There is a division among the Kingmakers popularly known as Oyomesi over the 10 selected Candidates from which the successor of the Late Alaafin of Oyo, Lamidi Adeyemi would emerge.
The Head of the Oyomesi, who is also the Basorun of Oyo, High Chief Yussuf Ayoola, in a statement by the Director of Media and Publicity to the Alaafin of Oyo, Bode Durojaiye, said that Oyomesi is presently in a fix.
He said Ifa (oracle) would be consulted to pick the next Alaafin among the shortlisted contestants.
Basorun stated that members of the Oyomesi would soon meet to deliberate on the next step, which he said would be an Ifa consultation.
The statement reads: “Whoever emerges among the shortlisted aspirants will be the candidate and the next Alaafin of Oyo.
“The State Government is not only aware but is carried along in all our proceedings before, during, and after the interview period. The State Government was ably represented by the chairperson of the Atiba Local Government Area and some officials of the Council.
“On the Alapinni matter, he is a member of the Oyomesi but presently indisposed. To follow the due process, he needs to be represented in order to keep him abreast of development. He cannot be left out in the scheme of things. Hence, we request his representative. Health is wealth. We wish him a quick recovery.
“People should watch their utterances and refrain from reckless comments capable of causing an implosion.
“People entrusted with the peace and tranquility of the town should not just rush to the press for mischief. It is better for one to find out about what he or she doesn’t know from the authentic source, than going to the press to cause disaffection.”
But the Iba Samu of Oyo, High Chief High Chief Lamidi Olayanju, when contacted, told our correspondent that he knew nothing about the shortlisted candidates.
Olayanju said, “I called Basorun and he told me that he was the one behind the news that 10 persons had been shortlisted. Four of us know nothing about it. When we completed the interview on Thursday, we all agreed that we would meet next Tuesday to do that but hearing that 10 persons had been shortlisted on the radio is news to me. I called Basorun and he told me he authored the news.
“I heard it on the radio that we had shortlisted 10 but I am telling you I am not part of that and I called four of us and they said they did not know anything about it. Agbaakin (High Chief Asinmiyu) told me he was not part of the decision to pick 10 contestants; Akinniku (High Chief Amusa Yusuf) also told me that he was not part of it; Alapini ( High Chief Rasheed Sheu)
is indisposed.”
Asked if the rest of the kingmakers would abide by the shortlisted contestants, he said, “Can you, yourself, abide by such a decision? We don’t know anything about it, we didn’t know when he picked them, so, we can’t abide by such.
“If we agree with him and the remaining contestants drag all of us to court, how are we going to defend what we were not part of?”
The crisis in the African Democratic Congress, ADC, has worsened. It has led to the expulsion of its Presidential candidate, Dumebi Kachikwu, and seven other chieftains from the party.
Kachikwu’s choice as the Presidential candidate has been controversial from day one. One of the Party’s chieftains, and the person most people thought would be the Presidential candidate, Professor Kingsley Moghalu, a former Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, protested, vehemently. He said the process which led to Kachikwu’s choice was badly corrupted. He dumped the Party and has become OBIdient.
However, Kachikwu has dismissed the his expulsion as null and void.
In a Statement by its National Chairman, Ralph Nwosu, issued on Saturday, 17th September 2022, the Party cited anti-party activities and violation of the party’s constitution as reasons for the expulsion.
Chieftains expelled from the Party are Kennedy Odion, Kingsley Oggah, Musa Hassan, Bello Isiyaka, Clement Ehiator, Kabiru Hussaini and Alaka Godwin.
The statement reads: “The seven-man Disciplinary Panel set up by the African Democratic Congress, ADC to look into the allegations of gross misconduct, anti-party activities and gross violations of the party’s constitution amongst others levelled against Mr. Dumebi Kachikwu and others, sat on the 8th, 9th, 10th, 12th, 13th and 14th of September respectively and submitted its report formally to the leadership of the party on the 15th of September 2022.
“The Panel found Mr. Dumebi Kachikwu and others guilty of the allegation levelled against them, subsequently in accordance with article 15 of the party’s constitution recommended that Mr.Dumebi Kachikwu & others be expelled from the party.
“The NWC met on the 16th of September 2022 to deliberate on the report and accepted the report of the Panel with modification.
“With this development, the party has taken strategic steps to clean its stables and is determined to move into reckoning across the country. NWC urged all the candidates and members to focus on the 2023 general election while rededicating themselves to the ideals of the party.
“The NWC also commended the members of the Committee for the courage and commitment shown in the quality of their work and called on all its members to remain focused and continue to be good ambassadors of ADC.”
But speaking to AIT on Saturday, Kachikwu said that the action taken by the 7-man panel is invalid and should be ignored by the public as the tenure of the national chairman of the party had expired in accordance with the party’s constitution.
Kachukwu insisted that the Ralph Nwosu led leadership is unconstitutional but the Patricia Akwashiki-led caretaker committee is valid in line with the party’s constitution.
The National Chairman had denied the claim that he had exhausted his two terms of eight years each, in office and admitted to having spent 17 years in office but that the party’s condition warranted it.
The ADC had earlier this month announced the suspension of Kachikwu through a statement released by the Deputy National Chairman, Bamidele Ajadi.
Kachikwu’s expulsion comes about five months to the Presidential election and two weeks to the start of Campaigns.
The status of the APC in the Presidential election is unknown. Perhaps, it will be determined by INEC? Is the Party allowed to present a substitute? Will Kachikwu go to Court to challenge his expulsion? As of now, the ADC has no Presidential candidate.
Few days after Northern Governors Forum united in support of state police to curtail insecurity arising from terrorism, a sister group, the North East Governors’ Forum, has raised the alarm that the zone could be vulnerable to the criminal activities of bandits, who are escaping the heavy fire power of security agencies in the North west.
The governors, who praised President Muhammadu Buhari and security agencies for the success recorded so far in minimizing and decimating the criminal Boko Haram terrorists in the Zone, expressed worries that the North East sub-region could again be vulnerable to banditry following the mass exodus of the criminal elements being pushed out of the North West by security forces.
Following marching order by President Mohammadu Buhari to security agencies, especially military to dislodge terrorists from their hideout in the north, there has been heavy bombardment, leading to killings and escape by some of the bandits.
The north east Governors noted that the way out of the seeming development was to launch a coordinated security roadmap in synergy with security agencies and the federal government
The governors, in a nine- point communiqué issued at the end of their 7th meeting in Gombe and signed by Profession Babagana Zulum Chairman North East Governors’ Forum and Governor of Bornu State, also expressed sadness over the poor power supply to the zone.
According to the governors, despite the zone’s landmass and population which is put at 30 percent and 14 percent respectively, it received only a misery five percent of national allocation from the nation’s grid.
This, to them is ridiculous, given the insecurity state of the area, the high level of poverty and GDP status, and therefore call for urgent intervention of the Federal government through innovative remedies.
Such remedies include, investing in the production of comparatively cheap hydropower and renewable energy, as well as accelerating the execution of the Mambila hydroelectricity project
The communique; “The Northeast Governors’ Forum (NEGF), comprising of the Governors of Adamawa, Bauchi, Borno Gombe, Taraba and Yobe States, held its 7th meeting in Gombe, Gombe State.
“The Forum, lauded President Muhammadu Buhari and the security agencies for the effort in combating the Boko haram insurgency.
“It noted the improvement in the security situation in the region which had largely been achieved through kinetic and non-kinetic measures.
“The Forum, noted the relative peace being experienced in the subregion, especially the reduced incidences of Farmer-herder clashes, as encouraging.
“However, there is increasing vulnerability of the region to insecurity due to the mass movement of the bandits who are gradually being pushed out of the Northwest by the security forces.
“On the influx of the bandits, there is an urgent need to launch a coordinated security road map in conjunction with the security agencies and the Federal Government.
“The Forum, noted the link between mining activities and insecurity especially the abuse of the mining leases. It therefore resolved to ensure strict compliance with the provisions of the Land Use Act.
“The Forum, again expressed concern on the parlous state of power supply in the north-east region, which at present receives less than 5% of national allocation of grid energy while accounting for 14% of the population and 30% of landmass.
“While noting the direct correlation between energy security and high level of poverty and our GDP status, it called on the Federal Government to introduce innovative strategies by investing in the production of comparatively cheaper hydropower and renewable energy.
“Related to this, the Federal Government is called upon to accelerate the execution of the Mambila hydroelectricity project.
“The Forum, noted the need to harness the vast untapped resources of the subregion by fostering integration in commerce as well as holding trade fairs with a view to attracting foreign investments.
“Forum therefore, urged the North-east Council of Chambers of Commerce to revive the Northeast Joint Trade Fair and commodity markets to stimulate economic activities.
“The Forum thanked the Federal Government for establishing the University of Health Sciences, in Azare to address the huge manpower deficit in the health sector and pledged to support the University to deliver on its mandate.
“The Forum, expressed grave concern about the devastating effect of flooding which is destroying homes and livelihood including road infrastructures.
“The Forum therefore calls on the Federal Government to as a matter of urgency direct its relevant agencies to immediately deploy all necessary interventions to ameliorate the situation in the affected areas.”
A couple of days ago, the Governor of Ebonyi State, Dave Umahi, was on television, praising Peter Obi, the Presidential candidate of the Labour Party. He hailed Obi’s courage for wiping the tears off the face of the South-east by being a strong contender in the 2023 Presidential election. If not that he is of the All Progressives Congress, APC, the Governor said, he would vote for Obi. He then declared that he would personally receive and host Obi anytime he, Obi, visits Ebonyi State for campaign.
Umahi’s pronouncement surprised not a few people. How did Umahi turn 180 degrees?, they asked. They did not believe Umahi, considering what was publicly known to be his relationship with Obi.
In 2019 when the Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Atiku Abubakar, picked Obi as his running mate, Umahi who was still in the PDP then, publicly hit the roof in anger. He openly protested and said his opinion was not sought.
A number of people said Umahi wanted the position, and till date, attribute his departure from the PDP to Obi’s choice by Atiku. Umahi, however, insists he left the PDP because he knew the Party was never going to give a South-easterner its Presidential ticket.
Aside from Umahi’s reaction to Obi’s Vice Presidential candidate in 2019, a Commissioner under Obi’s administration in Anambra, Chief Martins Uzodike, in a viral audio interview, attributed Obi’s untidy relationship with Reverend Father Ejike Mbaka, to an alleged mischief by Umahi and former Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu.
However, if what happened in Abakaliki, Ebonyi State in the morning of Saturday, September 17, 2022, is anything to go by, those who doubted Umahi’s sudden admiration for Obi may be correct.
In Abakaliki on Saturday, Obi’s supporters, known as OBIdients, had a rough time in the hands of the Nigerian Police. They had scheduled their one million march in support of the Obi-Datti Presidential ticket, a rally which they had successfully held in most State capitals in Nigeria without a hitch, but it, sadly, turned awry in Ebonyi.
As the OBIdients gathered in their thousands at the Pastoral Centre Abakaliki, their take off point, the Police descended on them. They were tear-gassed and dispersed. A number of them were injured. And, five, allegedly, arrested. Some of them could be heard in the video of the disruption, asking what they did wrong, and cursing out Umahi. One lady kept shouting: “Umahi is a murderer,”
According to reports, the Policemen said they were, allegedly, sent by Governor Umahi to disperse them, and to not allow the rally to hold. They were forced to relocate to another location, where they continued with their rally.
Ebonyi is the first and only State, so far, where the one million march by OBIdients has been forcefully disrupted by the Police.
At the time of filing this report, there has been no statement from either the Police or the State Government.
The Presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi, was on Friday, September 16, interviewed for CNN by Zain Acher. Following is the full text of the CNN Interview.
Zane Asher: Mr. Obi thank you so much for being with us. You’re certainly the most popular presidential candidate among young people in Nigeria, there’s so much momentum behind you. But here’s the problem. Nigerians are used to being disappointed by their leaders, and what do you think about some of the problems that are facing the country right now, they are systemic. I’m talking about the corruption, I’m talking about oil theft, I’m talking about insecurity, I’m talking about the fiscal hole that Nigeria is in right now. Can all of that really be solved by one person?
Peter Obi: Well, if you have a leader that is competent, has the capacity and commitment to start dealing with these challenges, you’re not going to solve it overnight, but there will be a clear, visible, measurable attempt to deal with these. And there is nothing that is not solve-able. Some issues just have to be dealt with decisively. But you need to have a capable leader such that when you look at his past records in office, you can say YES – He is capable.
Zane Asher: If you do, indeed, become Nigeria’s next president, Nigeria you know, is broke. It’s barely able to service its debts. It spends so much more that it earns. What are your plans? From a concrete perspective, what are your plans to take Nigeria’s economy off of life support?
Peter Obi: Well, a variety of things. One, is that we have to deal decisively with the issue of insecurity. It’s impacting negatively on our economy. We have to deal with it head on. We have to get our finances right — and start ensuring that the vast lands of the north are invested in and cultivated. We have to start pulling people out of poverty as quickly as possible. We have to immediately reduce aggressively, the cost of governance, and the issue of corruption.
Zane Asher: Anyone who knows anything about Nigeria knows that it has this embarrassing reputation of importing refined fuel, despite the fact that it’s Africa’s largest oil producer. What is your plan for transforming Nigeria’s economy from a consumption economy to a production economy?
Peter Obi: Let me tell you it’s not the issue of refineries not working — there’s no reason why we should not encourage the private sector to operate refineries. It can be done as quickly as possible. We can today, decide to remove the oil subsidies, and use the resources to invest in and support the principal areas of production; from critical infrastructure to education, to supporting investment in refinery, which will be, done in the shortest amount of time.
Zane Asher: A lot of Nigerian presidents have come in and talked about revitalizing the manufacturing sector, investing in refineries, but change, as you know, has been very, very slow. Why is it going to be different with you and what would you say were the biggest hurdles in making sure that all of the things that you just listed come to pass?
Peter Obi: Well, what people need to do is to look at what I promised as the state governor. When I said I was going to turn around education, health, pull people out of poverty, bring sanity and civility in governance — did that happen or not?
When I said we were going to save money, did we do that? Yes, we did.
Zane Asher: I want to talk about one of the major issues that Nigeria is dealing with, grappling with right now. That’s violence and insecurity. You can barely travel from one part of Nigeria to another without fearing for your life. I’m talking about kidnapping. I’m talking about banditry. I’m talking about terrorism, I’m talking about Boko Haram. What is your plan for that?
Peter Obi: Initially, what we first have to deal with is the issue of security. Unless you have security, the farmers can’t — you can’t have investment. Nobody will ever want to put or invest money in an insecure country. So we will deal this issue of insecurity decisively. We will start by reorganizing our security architecture. We will then bring in more hands into the security system, and motivate them properly, so that we can defeat the issue of insecurity . It’s the most important thing that Nigeria needs today.
Zane Asher: You and I are both Nigerians, were are both from southeastern Nigeria. It’s a very hard country to hold together. You have too manage about 200 million people, with so many different tribes, so many different ideas. When you think about the fact that you are from the southeast, how easy is it going to be to rally Nigerians from the north behind you? That’s got to be on your mind?
Peter Obi: That was the situation obtainable in the past. We used to elect leaders based on ethnicity, religion, strong connection etc, and that has brought us to the bad situation we are in today. “Our structure”, the structure of criminality, is what we want to dismantle now. We want to ensure that the next election is based on character, capacity, competence, commitment to do the right thing. Nigeria not just in a fiscal mess, it is at the last stage to collapse. The people in the north don’t have a secure place, they don’t have good roads. They don’t buy bread cheaper than those in the South. They people in the south are facing the same issues. All what you hear about ethnicity, religion, connection, is an elite conspiracy to keep Nigeria undeveloped. But now we’ve reached the edge.
