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PDP Warns INEC Not to Attend, Monitor, APC National Convention; Says It’s Illegal

By
The Source
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The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has been warned that it would be breaching the law which set it up, as well as the Constitution of the Federal Republic, if it goes ahead to monitor the National Convention of the All Progressives Congress, APC, scheduled for March 26, 2022.

In a statement issued on Thursday, March 24, 2022, and signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, the party said its warming became necessary because the APC has since become defunct.

Said the PDP, “The APC, having been defunct on December 8, 2020, when it dissolved its National, States as well as Local Government structures ceases, in the eyes of the law, to be a political party, and, as such cannot be subject of INEC’s regulations with particular reference to its supposed National Convention.”

It said the APC Caretaker Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee, CECPC, was set up to conduct the Party’s Convention in 2020, but that it went outside that to conduct Congresses to produce officers in various states.

Following is the full text of the release which said APC’s scheduled March 26 National Convention is “empty, and a meaningless jamboree.”

“The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) cautions the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) not to attend, monitor or supervise the Saturday, March 26, 2022 jamboree being organized by the defunct All Progressives Congress (APC) in the name of a National Convention.

“The PDP forewarns that INEC would be going outside its statutory mandate under the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as emended) and the Electoral Act 2022 by attending or monitoring the purported APC National Convention.

“INEC, being a government agency set up by law, that also draws from the budgetary allocation of the country with respect to superintending over electoral processes and management of political parties, can only superintend over and monitor bodies over which it has mandate to supervise. This presupposes that any such body must be legally operating as a political party under INEC rules and guidelines.

“The APC, having been defunct on December 8, 2020 when it dissolved its National, States as well as Local Government structures ceases, in the eyes of the law, to be a political party and as such cannot be subject of INEC’s regulations with particular reference to its supposed National Convention.

“For emphasis, the APC Caretaker/Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee (CECPC) was established for the singular purpose of organizing the APC National Convention in 2020. The Committee violated the Constitution and the Electoral Act by engaging in party administration, conducting congresses to produce officers at the various state Chapters as well as delegates for APC National Convention.

“In any event, the CECPC by its composition with a state governor, H.E Mai Mala Buni as Chairman is illegal and unconstitutional by reason of Section 183 of the Nigerian Constitution which bars a sitting governor from holding “any other executive office in any capacity whatsoever”.

“Article 14 (i) of the APC Constitution, clearly states that the Chairman of the APC “shall be the “Chief Executive…” of the party.

“In going beyond its mandate, the CECPC acted ultra vires and all administrative acts purportedly done or deemed to have been done by this Committee are null and void and void ab-initio.

“To this effect, delegates to the APC purported National Convention produced by congresses conducted by the CECPC are at best handicapped delegates with leprous fingers who cannot deliver any vote to produce a valid and legal political leadership for the APC. INEC should therefore not waste public resources to monitor a jamboree that would be of no legal or electoral effect under our laws.

“If the APC had listened to one its members, the Minister of State for Labour, Festus Keyamo, SAN, who had cautioned that the “competence of Governor  Mai Mala Buni to organise the congresses has been called to question by the Supreme Court”, it would not have been in this quagmire.

“Our Party for the umpteenth time cautions Nigerians who intend to participate in the electoral process under the APC to be guided as they are on a voyage that leads to nowhere.”

Lagos 2023: Jandor Declares For Governorship; Explains Why He Left APC

By
Akinwale Kasali
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Jandor Declares

By Akinwale Kasali

Lead Visioneer of Lagos To Lagos Movement, Abdul-Aziz Olajide Adeniran, popularly known as Jandor has officially declared his aspiration to run for the Lagos State Governorship position under opposition Party, Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.

The former All Progressives Congress, APC, stalwart said he decided to seek the Executive Position to demystify the APC and bring an end to godfatherism and impunity going on in the State under the ruling APC.

The 44-Year Old Mushin, Lagos State born politician added that it was time for the PDP to take over the affairs of the State from those that have hijacked it for their personal and selfish interest, milking the resources of the State.

“I took the decision to rescue Lagos State from certain individuals who believe they can dictate the affairs and political sphere in the State. Bola Ahmed Tinubu saw himself as a god.

“In APC, nobody can have a structure other than the structure that is built and controlled by Tinubu. This was the cause of our disagreement. I said this cannot be, I decided to start the Lagos to Lagos Movement, Ibile Eko, Eko United and Team Jandor, which didn’t augur well with him. I frowned at an individual dictating the pace and what should be, which angered Tinubu.

“He wanted to tame me which I refused and stood my ground. They said I wanted to hijack the party that we should leave the party for them. And I thought that instead of forming a new Party, we decided to pitch our tent with the PDP to take the State back from those who are bent to ruining the State for their selfish interest”.

Jandor added that this was the sin he committed against Tinubu and the APC which is unpardonable to them.

He, however, appealed to the PDP to unite and form a formidable force that will wrestle power from the ruling APC, stressing that though there are other credible candidates like him in the PDP, but the unity of Party at this critical period is germane.

“There are rumours being peddled by mischief makers that I and my people that defected to the PDP enmasse are bent on hijacking the party. It is false and plot to disunite the Party.

“We are here to make sure that Lagosians enjoy the dividend of democracy. We are bent on making rescuing the State from the PDP bondage. We are not here to take all position in the party. If I emerge as the Party Candidate, I won’t produce the Deputy Governor and there over 20 Ministeries and hundreds of parastatals in the State it can’t be my people that will be there. The Party needs to unite and don’t allow mischief makers to sow seed of discord among us”.

He promised that if he becomes the Governor of Lagos State, there will be Free Education and Free School Uniforms for Primary School Pupils; putting a stop to the No Bed clamour in State Hospitals that has led to the untimely death of Nigerians, making the people enjoy the dividend of democracy, prioritizing the wellbeing and welfare of the people.

Bishop Funsho Awe on his part said that the APC has hijacked Lagos State and put it into slavery, with Lagosians under the grip and ruler ship, urging the electorates to vote the APC out in 2023, as it is time for Lagos State to be controlled by Lagosians and not people from other States.

“Our destiny is in our hands, with our PVCs let us vote the APC out and bring on board the PDP”.

In the same vein, Mazi Nnaji, representing the Igbo Community in the State said that the South East are ready to back Jandor as his ideologies is in tandem with what progressives should encourage, stressing that the impunity of APC government is nothing to write home about.

Nnaji said Jandor is the New Face of Lagos and the Igbo Community is ready to back him to become the next Governor of the State.

2023 Presidency: 177 Anambra Autonomous Communities Adopt, Endorse Peter Obi

By
The Source
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Peter Obi

By Charles Igbo

History was made in Awka, Anambra State, on Thursday, March 24, 2022, when 177 Autonomous Communities in Anambra State, adopted and endorsed Peter Obi, as their Presidential candidate in 2023.

The Autonomous Communities were represented by their Royal Fathers.

Obi, a former two-time Governor of Anambra State, former Chairman, Fidelity Bank, former Chairman, Security and Exchange Commission, SEC, had invited them to formally brief them on his aspiration against 2023. He sought for their blessings.

He told them why he is seeking for their blessings. As he spoke, he was greeted with shouts of “okwuteee, okwuteee!”, meaning: the rock, the rock.

He said: “I am not contesting because I want political appointment, but to serve this country and unite Nigeria. I am the only person that can unite Nigeria.

“The State of our country today is deplorable.  The level of insecurity is, indeed, unfortunate, and Nigeria has fallen to the lowest ebb in the committee of nations, and, I am the only one that can restore security in Nigeria.

“As President, I want security of lives and property in Borno State, in Minna and Niger State, as I want it to be in Onitsha and in Kano and in Ekiti States.

“My interest in the Presidency of Nigeria is to restore security and revamp our educational sector and also revive the health sector, and I have seriously studied our country and I have come to discover that all that we need is to ensure security so that foreign and local investments would thrive in all parts of the country.

“I have come to serve Nigeria, and I have what it takes to restore the dignity of our country and to unite the country because if there  is no unity in Nigeria, we cannot move ahead.

“You all know me very well. I do not need any further introduction. You all know what I did as the Governor of Anambra State and Anambra is like Nigeria, and anybody who is able to manage Anambra State can manage Nigeria. I am calling you for your support and, I have confidence in you all that you will support me.”

Senator Uche Ekwunife, who was present, had earlier said: “When you go to the North, they say they are waiting for Igbo, and the person they want is Peter Obi. You go to the West, they say they are waiting for Ndigbo, and they are waiting  for Peter Obi, and you go to South-south, and they say they are waiting for Peter Obi.

“This is a good product, and a good product does not need so much stress to sell through, and that is Peter Obi and, we, in Igboland, have no choice but to support our brother because he is the next President of Nigeria.

The Igwe of Okija, Emma Nnabuife, who represented  the Chairman of the Anambra Traditional Council, Obi of Onitsha, said: The entire Monarchs have said that Peter Obi is our man for Presidency.

“We need no other person but him, and the Igbos have endorsed Mr Peter Obi as our candidate, and it is the turn of Ndigbo.”

Other Igbo sons who have declared interest too, are former Senate President, Anyim Pius Anyim, Chief Sam Ohuabunwa, both, like Obi, under the PDP, and Ebonyi State embattled Governor, Dave Umahi.

Breaking: Peter Obi Declares For Presidency; Informs Anambra Royal Fathers

By
The Source
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Peter Obi

By Charles Igbo

Former two-term Governor of Anambra State, Peter Obi, has formally declared his ambition to run for the office  of the President in 2023.

Keeping to the saying that “charity begins at home”, Obi formally informed the Royal Fathers of Anambra State, Thursday, March 24, 2022, of his ambition.

Addressing them, Obi thanked them for their roles in their various communities, and said he thought it expedient to, first, tell them, as his Royal Fathers, of his ambition to aspire to the office of the President of Nigeria in 2023.

He sought for their blessings.

As soon as he said that, shouts of “okwuteeee, okwuteeee” (the rock, the rock) rent the air in jubilation.

Obi was the Vice Presidential candidate to Atiku Abubakar, in 2019, under the banner of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP.

By declaring his interest, Obi has succumbed to the intense pressure on him, from different quarters, to throw in the hat into the ring.

…Details, later.

Strengthen Democratic Institutions – Jonathan, Obasanjo, Other West African Leaders

By
The Source
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African Past Presidents

Former West African leaders under the auspices of West African Elders Forum (WAEF) have called on political leaders in Africa to  address security challenges in their countries  and strengthen democratic institutions to enhance good governance and economic development in the sub-region.

The leaders who spoke at a strategy meeting held in Abuja on Wednesday stated that for democracy  to endure  it must yield basic public goods to its citizens.

Chairman of the Goodluck Jonathan Foundation and  convener  of the forum, Dr Goodluck Ebele Jonathan in his opening speech expressed concern over the recurring military intervention in West Africa, adding that the forum is poised to actively engage key stakeholders to stem the tide of regression of democracy in the sub-region.

He said: “The sustainability of democracy in West Africa is key to resolving many of our challenges. I therefore appeal to all our leaders across our nations to make democracy work for the interest of all citizens.

“This is why we need to continually advocate for the strengthening of our democratic institutions. Strong institutions are the pillars for the sustenance of our democracy and the development of our nations.

Dr. Jonathan also clarified that the forum was set up to complement the efforts of Governments and international organizations in the bid to promote peace and good governance in the sub-region.

He said further: “As stakeholders we must therefore help in this regard and fashion out the best approach towards the strengthening of our political systems.

“Let me re-emphasize the point that is often made that for democracy to endure, it must yield basic public goods to its citizens. These include economic development, good social services, freedom, justice, peace and security.

“This underscores the place of good governance in our discourse of democracy. Democracy loses its meaning if it does not guarantee the economic status and social security of the citizens.

“Today, we must interrogate some fundamental issues such as recurring military intervention, democracy and good governance, peace and security, economic development as well as human trafficking in our sub-region.

Former President of Nigeria Chief Olusegun Obasanjo who joined virtually  in his intervention called for a proactive strategy to forestall political crises in the region, adding that early warning signs should be leveraged to prevent degeneration of tenuous situations.

His words :  “I believe that we need a proactive strategy and a reactive strategy . When we open our eyes we can see what is going on in most cases. We know what the end will be and we fold our hands until the inevitable happens, then we start shedding crocodile tears.”

He added that elected leaders should not manipulate the system to go beyond their constitutional term limits to avoid plunging their nations into avoidable crises.

Former President of  Sierra Leon Ernest Bai Koroma  in his remarks noted that the region  was “experiencing reversal in gains made over the decades , stressing that the forum should come up with proposals that would address our situation. “

Similarly, former Prime Minister of Senegal, Aminata Toure in her address stressed the need to focus on prevention of election-related violence, and charged the forum to set up a task force that would follow up on elections to prevent electoral violence.

“Most of the time we have a standoff between the government and the opposition and the civil society is not really equipped enough to handle these issues. Let’s build a network of conflict prevention. We need  a network of people that can alert  and signal on potential issues and talk about our problems before our problems deteriorate.“

Former Prime Minister Burkina Faso Kadré Désiré Ouédraogo called on  ECOWAS  to be more visible in the management of political  crises, stating that such a disposition would improve the credibility of ECOWAS.

Ebele’s Diary and Other Unforgettable First Ladies

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The Source
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Azu Ishiekwene

By Azu Ishiekwene

I thought there was a mistake. The headline said Nigeria’s former ambassador to Spain and wife of Dim Odumegwu Ojukwu, Bianca, slapped the outgoing First Lady of Anambra State, Ebele Obiano. In my head, however, the news read differently. This was not the sort of thing you would associate with Bianca, a former ambassador and beauty queen.

In spite of what I was reading as the news broke, I told myself that the reality was the other way round: Ebele Obiano must have slapped Bianca Ojukwu. If you know Ebele, you will know why in spite of the news, it is easy to be mistaken about what really happened at the swearing-in of Charles Soludo as governor of Anambra State last week.

Willie Obiano may have been governor for eight years, Ebele ruled. She called the shots in respect of appointments, especially those related to internally generated revenue. Onitsha Market, a state cash cow, for example, reported to her through her protégée/manager. Members of the state universal basic education board took their brief from her, too. And inside Government House, her office was so strategically located, you could not mistake that it was the altar at this official shrine.

She was also a major political force whose influence people vying for political positions coveted. Her displeasure was avoided at all costs. She had weight and she knew how to flaunt it.

During the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) governorship primaries last year, for example, Ebele told her husband – the governor – that she had a different candidate. She reportedly told him that Soludo was a risk; they would be unable to control him if he took power.

But the governor wanted Soludo. His wife, on the other hand, made it clear that her preferred candidate was Chukwuma Ume Umeorji, currently representing Aguata federal constituency at the National Assembly. It took the combined intervention of some traditional rulers, along with members of the clergy, to appease Ebele and save the family divided against itself on the eve of an important election.

Ebere Obiano
Ebere Obiano

It would appear that as part of the “terms of settlement”, the governor would later announce that whereas he had no desire to continue in active politics after leaving office, he would secure a senatorial seat for his wife, Ebele, for her labours.

Such is the strength of Ebele’s clout and the fear of her majesty that you can imagine my confusion at the breaking of the news that she was at the receiving end of Bianca’s ambassadorial slap. It turned out that that was indeed the case, and to make matters worse, Ebele was alone in her moment of distress.

She was painfully ignored by her husband at the crime scene and left to be set upon by an ecstatic public that seemed so pleased by the incident it was prepared to forgive the indiscretion of an ambassador who ignored the provisions of the Geneva convention, supposedly in self defence. All is fair in love and war, I guess.

But this may well be an incident that Anambrarians, even the whole world, will look back on with deep regret. Had Ebele been permitted to take the dignified exit that she had hoped for and for which she had made elaborate preparations including a dance rehearsal the night before only matched by her extraordinary butterfly-sleeves pink dress on the D-Day, she might have considered sharing her First Lady diary with us.

The diary of her last days in office was nothing, if not extraordinary, worthier in my view than the famous memoirs of Harriette Wilson, the concubine of the Duke of Wellington who, in defiance of the threat of the Duke to publish and be damned, still went ahead to leak her salacious notes to a blackmailer.

I’m told, for example, that two weeks before the handover, the governor had taken journalists in the state on a final tour of his legacy projects. Later when they returned for lunch in the Government House, Obiano hosted them alone; Ebele was not available. As they finished and were departing, however, she returned.

The governor quickly recalled as many journalists as he could find and asked them to take their seats again. As they were wondering why, he announced that he recalled them to pay their respects to Her Excellency, the First Lady. Now that they had paid their courtesies and she had bestowed her benevolent smile on them, they could depart in peace.

People familiar with Anambra protocol in the last eight years said preferments have been amended to ensure that at all public functions, Ebele was duly acknowledged and applauded before the deputy governor. And, in fact, even on the handover day, Ebele’s diary would show that she was her own woman. She chose her own time to arrive at the venue which, by the way, was inside Government House. She arrived, not before the event started, but in line with her disdain for all deputies, including deputy governors, she came in after the new deputy governor had been sworn in.

Ebele has amassed such a rich collection of experiences in the last eight years, the world, especially the office of first ladyship, would be the poorer for the recent public humiliation which I strongly suspect might force her into her shell. Who wouldn’t want to find out what exactly was her beef with Bianca, for example?

I’m told that she was unhappy that Bianca took the Ojukwu political talisman too far. That just because she’s Ojukwu’s wife, Bianca regarded herself as the goddess of APGA, the sun around which everything revolved.

The cold war continued for years. When Bianca made a bid for the Senate in 2019, however, Ebele thought that was the moment to settle the matter of supremacy once and for all. She opposed Bianca’s candidacy and instead, backed E.N. Ukachukwu, the perennial aspirant for Anambra governorship and veteran Abuja politician.

Of course, Bianca “lost” the APGA party primaries to Ebele’s candidate, but another party, the YPP, exploited the divided house and won the bigger electoral war for Anambra South senatorial district. In the end, both Bianca and Ebele lost. That defeat widened the gap and festered the wound. By handover day, matters had reached boiling point.

Ebele is unforgettable. How can anyone forget her pair of crystal-studded Gucci glasses estimated by some to be worth only $2,755 or the equivalent at current prices, of three years’ minimum wage in the country? I think, if she had been treated nicely, she might even have decided to leave the exotic “bones” behind in the state museum. But sadly, that chance has been missed.

And also gone with the Gucci glasses is the inside story of the designer Covid-19 vaccine which Ebele travelled thousands of miles to Houston to receive at a time folks in her home state were wondering when the first jabs would arrive and if they would be alive to be vaccinated.

I’m sure that entries from Ebele’s 2014 diary would also have included the now leaked encounter in Poland where it took Nigeria’s former First Lady, Patience Jonathan, to save Ebele from what might have degenerated into a brawl, on foreign soil, with a Federal lawmaker, Uche Ekwunife. Mrs. Jonathan’s prompt and decisive intervention at that moment of great peril, it would seem, was one of the reasons insiders will forever remember the erstwhile First Lady as “Mama Peace”.

Ebele has given her side of the handover-day story; she explained that on that fateful day, she went over to admire the gloss on Bianca’s lips and to greet her only to be molested and struck in the face by the latter. I honestly think Bianca’s act of aggression constitutes a contravention of the Geneva convention. It was unprovoked (just like Putin’s war in Ukraine), and should be condemned in its entirety. Her supporters, whether they are oligarchs or puny-garchs, should also have their assets frozen as a deterrent.

Yet, Ebele is in good company of a long list of forebears who, though in a higher league, would have been proud of her performance. Former Kenyan First Lady, Lucy Kibaki, once slapped a government official during an Independence Day ceremony for mistakenly introducing her in the name of a woman widely believed to be President MwaiKibaki’s second wife. That was apart from besieging a newspaper house, slapping a cameraman and seizing a reporter’s notebook on charges that the newspaper had been unfair in its reporting.

Simone Gbagbo, wife of former Côte d’Ivoire Président Laurent Gbagbo, seemed to share Lucy’s aggressive genes; while Patience Jonathan was perhaps a softer, more dramatic and hilarious version of Lucy and Simone.

Grace Mugabe (fondly called Gucci Grace) had a cerebral approach. She pulled the strings behind the scenes and like the breeze, you knew she was there but you couldn’t hold her. She topped off her performance by procuring a postgraduate degree which became a subject of litigation only after her husband’s death. Her fury only came to the fore after her bereavement. Understandably.

Let no one diminish Ebele’s record. She will be greatly missed. In my humble view, our misery can only be assuaged if she could find it in her heart to let bygones be bygones, followed by the publication of her much-expected Government House diary.

It would be a bestseller, the envy of her cohorts, her ultimate revenge against Bianca, and for good measure, the launchpad for her senatorial ambition.

Ishiekwene is Editor-In-Chief ofLEADERSHIP

Indigenes Want VC Position At UNILORIN For Keep

By
Ayodele Oni
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By Ayodele Oni

Indiginization war ravaging the country’s Ivory Towers is spreading to the University of Ilorin as a Group has embarked on campaigns to stop the appointment of a non Indigene as Vice Chancellor.

Just as the row over invasion of Obafemi Awolowo University, (OAU) Ile Ife by sponsored Traditionalists over the appointment of a non- indigene as VC settles, the Ilorin Group has vowed that  “We won’t allow a non-indigene to succeed the indigene.”

The Ilorin Emirate Descendant Progressive Union (IEDPU) said there are plans by ‘fifth columnists,’ to scuttle the chances of indigenes of Ilorin emerging as the Vice Chancellor of the institution.

IEDPU in a press statement by its National President, Alhaji Abdulhamid Adi, titled ‘Return of the Fifth Columnist,’ accused those he called enemies of the emirates of launching ceaseless attack on the personality of the outgoing Vice Chancellor, Prof. AbdulGaniyu Ambali.

This, according to him, was in order to jeopardise the chances of the emergence of another Ilorin indigene to succeed the incumbent administrator.

The IEDPU warned those allegedly behind the plot not to take meekness of the union as weakness simply because Islam teaches and preaches tolerance.

It further warned that the sentiments against Ilorin indigenes and what Ilorin represents, as regards the university, should be stopped forthwith, warning that the hatred being exhibited can only drawback the entire system.

According to IEDPU, five vice chancellors had administered the university who were non indigenes of Ilorin, but got hugely supported and wondered why the hostility to Ilorin indigenes whenever they are in-charge instead of reciprocity.

“Our action is not a ploy to shield Prof. Ambali, but we cannot tolerate any person or group of people bent on rubbishing the feats attained by the university and Ambali in particular who happened to hail from the emirate.”

It said the people of Ilorin and the emirate had played significant roles before and after the establishment of the university by supporting the institution, noting that the vast amount of land donated by Ilorin made the university permanent site the biggest landmass possess by any university in Nigeria.

“At inception, pioneer staff of the university were imported as it were. Almost all academic and non academic staff including even cleaners were brought from states outside the then Kwara as if there were no one worthy enough within the state to be employed.

“The department of Arabic and Islamic studies which would have been the department to reflect the cultural attachment of our people was changed to that of religion because of the sentiment of a negligible few.

“In 1997, Prof Shuaib Oba AbdulRaheem was appointed the VC and was welcomed to the office, by a 21 ft python sat majestically on his seat just as he was about to commence his administration. The snake, preserved for posterity, is still in a laboratory of the university.

“They were hostile against Professor Oba all through his tenure and at national assignment and tormented professor Is-haq Oloyede because of his perceived link with Ilorin community and their paranoid for Islam. Were they on sabbatical when Prof Ambali was the VC?

“The reason for all these attacks is crystal clear, bring down the outgoing VC from Ilorin and another Ilorin VC will not emerge.”

On the protracted ASUU crisis that had plagued the university, IEDPU noted that the issue which culminated in the emergence of two factions, should have been resolved before now and advised the National Executive Council of ASUU to organise a free, fair and credible election to bring peace and unfettered operation to the chapter.

Professors in race for the VC post are Deputy Vice Chancellor, (Management Services), Prof. Adebayo Yusuf AbdulKareem, former Deputy Vice chancellor of the university, Prof. Bayo Lawal, Dean of Arts, Prof. Ahmad AbdulSalam, former Vice Chancellor of Al-Hikmah University, Prof. Sulieman Age AbdulKareem and one time Dean, Business and Social Sciences, Prof. Hassan Ajisafe Soliu.

Among the aspirants, three are from Ilorin while Prof Lawal and Prof Age Abdulkareem hail from Offa and Oro respectively.

APC Chair: Buhari, Govs Pick Adamu, Senators Kick

By
James Orji
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By James Orji

President Muhammadu Buhari has pressed home his support for Senator Abdullahi Adamu as his preferred candidate for the position of the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, APC barely 72 hours after report claimed that the president has withdrawn his backing for the former governor of Adamawa state.

The party has fixed March 27 for its national convention where a new chairman and other officials are expected to be elected to lead the party.

Adamu had said last week that he was sure of emerging APC chairman amidst reports that he has the support of the president. But the tide started turning earlier this week after senators elected on the platform of the party expressed their reservation about his candidacy.

Some APC governors were also said to have dropped their support for him, the The Source (Magazine) learnt on the basis that he was not a founding member of the party. The senator was a member of the PDP before he crossed to the ruling APC ahead the 2015 general election.

But the initial doubts as to whether the president is backing Adamu, a former governor of Adamawa state seemed to have vanished on Wednesday after Buhari met all the APC governors in the state house Abuja where the matter was finally resolved in Adamu’s favour. Baring any last minute change of arrangement, Adamu is sure to emerge the new chairman of the party, closes sources informed the magazine.

Even though some National Assembly members are believed to be supporting another candidate, the magazine learnt that the president has directed Mai Mala Buni, the Chairman Caretaker Committee of the party to ensure that Adamu’s candidacy has their buy in before Saturday when the election will hold.

Abdullahi Adamu
Adamu Gets Buhari’s Nod To Become APC Chair

“The party is working on a consensus candidate according to the request of Mr President. We want a situation where the party will be united after the convention. So, the governors and the party are working with the senators and house of Representatives members to ensure that a candidate who can win the next election for the party, as President Buhari has said, emerged as chairman,” one governor said on Thursday.

A pointer that the contending parties have reached an agreement over Adamu emerged on Thursday after the governors said they have no objection to Buhari resolve to the mergence of the former governor.

The governors made their position known on the matter after a meeting with President Buhari in Aso Rock, Presidential Villa, Abuja. The president had also met with other chairmanship aspirants where he told them to drop their ambition, sources privy to the meetings said.

As part of the agreement, the president has directed that all the aspirants who bought the form to contest the chairmanship election be refunded their money.

Aspirants who purchased the form include a former Governor of Nasarawa State, Tanko Al-Makura; Senator Sani Musa (Niger) a former Governor of Zamfara State, Abdulaziz Yari; Minister of Special Duties and Inter-Governmental Affairs, Senator George Akume (Benue);  Senator Abdullahi Adamu; Turaki Ilorin, Saliu Mustapha and Saidu Etsu .

Speaking with journalists after the meeting between the Progressives Governors and the president, Governor of Kebbi State, Atiku Bagudu, said a truce has been reached for the emergence of Adamu.

Bagudu said the governors have no other than to support the chairmanship candidate being backed by President Buhari, but added that none of the aspirants will be forced to drop their ambition.

“Today, we all briefed Mr President on the issue of distributing political party offices to the respective zones and our support for Mr President’s endorsement of the candidate for the national chairman of the party and the various geo-political zones took turns to brief Mr President, on what they have been doing to generate consensus in their respective zones amongst the National Working Committee (NWC) and zonal party positions that have been either allocated to the zones or which the zones are entitled to,” Bagudu, who is also the chairman of PGF said.

He said further that, “Most of the zones have been allocated NWC positions that are fewer than the number of states, but, however, there are zonal executive committees from which the zones are working to produce a consensus list.

“So, this afternoon, the respective zones; Governor Abubakar Bello briefed on behalf of the North Central; Governor Babagana Zulum on behalf of the North East; Governor Badaru Abubakar of Jigawa State on behalf of North West;  Governor Dave Umahi on behalf of South East; and Governor Kayode Fayemi briefed the President on behalf of the South West. I further mentioned the position of the South South to Mr President, as I had on paper.”

“As I remarked when I met Your Excellencies on February 22nd, our aim must be to hand over to an APC government at the centre and the great majority of states.  We must not, by default allow the PDP to get its dirty hands on government again and return us to the Stone Age.

“As I said at that meeting, our party chose its leadership by consensus.  I again plead that we choose our next leadership by consensus. This is consistent with the spirit of democracy, the party’s constitution and the Nigerian constitution.

“With the convention only two days away, I implore you to come together and sort out all the remaining party positions so that within the next 24 hours we can arrive at a Unity List, which we can take to the convention,” Bagudu said.

Meanwhile, the magazine learnt that the president has also endorse former Senate President Ken Nnamani as the Deputy National Chairman.

Fidelity Bank Gets Fintechs Support for New Digital Payment Solution

By
James Orji
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0

By James Orji

Leading Nigerian bank, Fidelity Bank Plc, has been commended for simplifying digital payments and the customer journey following the recent launch of PayGatePlus, a one-stop solution for payments that caters essentially for all business categories within the financial ecosystem.

Powered by OnePipe, PayGatePlus is a next-generation embedded finance platform which enables organisations in any sector to seamlessly integrate financial services into their existing offerings. The platform offers services such as web payments, virtual accounts, funds transfer, direct debit, online collections via NIBSS Instant Payment (NIP), BVN validation, and Buy Now, Pay Later.

At the platform’s official unveiling held at Eko Hotel and Suites in Lagos recently, the bank was praised for leading the charge in embedded finance with several guests emphasising that it was rapidly becoming the standard for delivering unified, enhanced user experiences.

While congratulating the bank on improving payment service delivery, Degbola Abudu, Founder and CEO of Capricorn Digital Limited, noted that the platform’s launch would result in a diversification of new digital financial products across different platforms in the coming years.

“I think PayGatePlus will be of immense value to the industry as it will enable different types of payments. Whether it’s the virtual account that can be created seamlessly or payments that will enable the distribution of loans across different channels, we see this platform as really enabling the bank to push many digital products through different digital channels including one like ours”, stated Abudu.

“If you call traditional banking 1.0, remote banking 2.0, then PayGatePlus is 3.0. I think, the biggest value apart from the distribution which we have talked about is the ability for you using embedded finance to remove frictions for your customers”, disclosed Akeem Lawal, Group Chief Executive Officer, Interswitch Group.

Founder/CEO of OnePipe, Ope Adeoye stated that the platform’s launch demonstrated that the payment industry was making significant progress. “Our view is that the market will recognise the importance of concepts like this. Fidelity Bank will blaze the trail and there’s a high probability that other competitors will come into the space down the line.”

In assessing OnePipe’s relationship with Fidelity Bank, Adeoye disclosed, “When we started working on the idea for embedded finance for non-finance companies with Fidelity Bank serving as infrastructure at the base, there was quite an effort spent on trying to understand each other. We enjoyed working with Fidelity Bank because the process was collaborative and smooth.

On his part, Executive Director, Inlaks, Tope Dare lauded the bank for blazing the trail in open banking and embedded finance which further reinforces its commitment to delivering unrivalled customer service. “We hope to see more players in the financial services industry collaborate to ensure we grow a bigger economy that would be beneficial to everyone in the ecosystem”, he said.

Similarly, the Executive Director/Co-Founder of AppZone, Emeka Emetarom applauded the bank for collaborating with the Financial Technology (FinTechs) industry rather than competing with them.  “We are hoping that all the other banks will take a cue from Fidelity Bank and ensure the adoption of embedded finance across the financial services industry”, said Emetarom.

Speaking at the event, Stanley Amuchie, Executive Director/Chief Operations and Information Officer, Fidelity Bank Plc encouraged customers to use the platform as guaranteed that they would return with positive testimonials.

“Everything we do as a financial organisation including the design of our products and services has the customer as our main focus. It is on this basis that we have worked very hard over the last few months, together with our technical partners to innovate a solution that enables businesses across different sectors to easily integrate financial services with their product offerings”, said Amuchie.

“APC Government, A Menace, You Must Reject It In 2023 – PDP Govs To Nigerians

By
The Source
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0

Governors elected under the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has urged Nigerians to completely reject the All Progressives Congress, APC, in 2023.

The Governors who met at the country home of Abia State Governor, Okezie Ikpeazu, dismissed the APC Government as a Menace to Nigerians, and urged them to throw it out in 2023.

In a communiqué issued at the end of the meeting, the PDP Governors did an almost sector by sector   analysis of life in 2015 when the APC took over the leadership of Nigeria, and concluded that there was no comparison as life was better then than now. “We lament the terrible pain and hardship facing Nigerians in virtually all aspects of life”

Following is the full text of the communique.

“The PDP Governors’ Forum comprising all elected Governors of the Peoples Democratic Party held its regular meeting on Wednesday, 23rd March, 2022, at Aba, Abia State.

“The meeting reviewed the excruciating hardship and suffering being meted out to Nigerians by a failed APC led Federal Government; the near collapse of the APC as a viable political party, the readiness of the PDP to take over and offer qualitative leadership options to rescue the nation and issued the following Communique:

“1.  We lament the terrible pain and hardship facing Nigerians in virtually all aspects of life. The meeting noted that life was much better in 2015 under the PDP than today under the APC as exemplified in the following Comparative Indicators obtained mainly from the National Bureau of Statistics:

“a. Diesel which is critical for running of SMEs was N131.47 in 2015, it now costs above N700

“b.  Fuel: Official and Black-Market was N87/155 in 2015, it now costs N167/350.

“c. Aviation Fuel/Air Ticket Rate on Domestic Flights was N110 per Litre/N18,000 in 2015, it now hovers around N700 per Litre/N70,000, where available. Indeed, the scarcity of fuel which has resulted in loss of several man hours is a disgrace to Nigeria.

“d.  The collapse of the National Grid (126 times in 7 years – (June 2015 to March 2022) and its consequences for non-availability of power is most unfortunate.

“e.  Kerosene (NHK) used by the ordinary Nigerian for cooking and power was N180 in 2015, it now sells at ₦450.

“f.  Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) – 12.5kg Cylinder sold for N2,400 in 2015, is now sold at between N8,750 and N10, 000.

“g.  Prices of basic food stuffs are now three times higher than what they used to be in 2015. Staple foods such as rice, beans, cassava flakes are now slipping out of the hands of average Nigerians. Indeed, a Bag of Rice sold for N8500 in 2015 is now N39,000.

“h.  Electricity was N14.23 per kilowatt in 2015, it is now N38.530, and not even available.

“i.  Unemployment rate was 11.4% in 2015, it is now over 33%, one the highest in the world.

“j.  The poverty rate in 2015 was 11.3% but now about 42.8%.

  1. Accumulated Inflation in 2015 was about 4%, it is now 15.50%; Inflation Rate was 9.01% in 2015 and now 15.7%.

“l.  Perhaps the Exchange Rate has been one of the most disastrous. N150 to a dollar was the parallel market (patronised by most businessmen and Nigerians) rate in 2015, it is now about N580 to $1 in the parrel market and still rising.

  1. Debt and Debt Servicing:

Domestic Debt of N8.4T and External Debt of USD 7.3b was incurred between 1999-2015.

“While Domestic Debt of N7.63T (June 2015-Dec 2020) and USD28.57b as at Dec 2020 was incurred.  External debt of USD21.27b was incurred between June 2015 and 2021.

“n.  National Debt to GDP Ratio was 23.41% (2016) it is now 36.88% (2022).

  1. The Corruption Index has risen from 136 in 2015 to 150 now.

“p.  Nigeria’s Misery Index, an indicator used in determining how economically well off the citizens of a country are, is usually calculated by adding the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate to the annual inflation rate, has moved from 14.75 percent in 2015 to 50.48 (2021).

“q.  The major threat to the agricultural sector and food security in Nigeria is insecurity. In the northeast of Nigeria, it is estimated that no fewer than 70,000 hectares of arable farmland have been abandoned in the affected States and Local Government areas. The trend is the same all over the country. This further contributes to food inflation.

“The APC led Federal Government must take steps to cooperate with States to bring security down to the grassroots.

“2.  The Forum is surprised that in the face of these statistics of complete failure in all ramifications and areas, the APC still wants to be on the ballot in 2023.

“This shows how uncaring and insensitive the APC is. IT HAS BECOME A MENACE TO NIGERIA.

“3. The Forum urges Nigerians to reject the APC, a party run undemocratically by a Committee contrary to the Constitution (S.228) with Mr. President regularly issuing instructions and dictates. It is impossible for a party so disorganized to offer good governance to the people of Nigeria.

“4. The meeting expressed concern and alarm over various reports and claims of incidents of stealing of crude oil ranging from 80% to 95% of production made by industry practitioners and called on the Federal Government to set up an appropriate mechanism to reverse this trend and bring perpetrators to account.

“5. The PDP Governors once again decried the inability of the NNPC to make its statutory contributions to the Federation Account, inspite of Oil selling at above $110.  It is patently unconstitutional for NNPC to determine at its whim and discretion when and what to pay to the Federation Account, as it is a mere trustee of the funds for the three tiers of Government: Federal, States and Local Governments. We once again, call for investigations and audit of the quantity of consumption of fuel ascribed to Nigerians and for deployment of technology at the filling stations to determine in a transparent manner the volume of consumption.

“The Governors would resist any further attempt by NNPC to ascribe unsubstantiated subsidy claims to other tiers of government.

“6. Furthermore, S.162 (1) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended stipulates that: ‘The Federation shall maintain a special account to be called “the Federation Account” into which shall be paid all revenues collected by the Government of the Federation…’

and S.162 (10) states that ‘For the purpose of subsection (1) of this section, “revenue” means any income or return accruing to or derived by the Government of the Federation from any source and includes –

(a) any receipt, however described, arising from the operation of any law;

(b) any return, however described, arising from or in respect of any property held by the Government of the Federation;

(c) any return by way of interest on loans and dividends in respect of shares or interest held by the Government of the Federation in any company or statutory body’

“a. As of today, 18 (Eighteen) Federation Revenue Agencies are not paying/remitting any revenue to the FAAC Account. These include (i) Central Bank of Nigeria (ii) Nigeria Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) (iii) Nigeria Liquefied National Gas (NLNG) (iv) Nigeria Communication Commission (NCC) (v) Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) (vi) NPA (vii) Security and Exchange Commission etc

“(b) FIRS and DPR takes cost of collection of 4% (Four percent) of Revenue collected while Customs collects 7%. In March 2022 for instance, FIRS took N15.4Billion as cost of collection and Customs took N8.4b. If these are annualised, FIRS and Customs collects about N1.84Billion and Customs N100B per annum. Obviously, some states of the Federation’s capital budget does not come close to these.

“(c)  Nigeria Federation has 49% shareholding in NLNG. According to the Minister of Finance during the 2020 budget performance brief at the National Assembly stated that the federation received dividend of N144billion (One Hundred and Forty Four Billion) from NLNG. These figure to the best of our knowledge was never paid into the Federation Account.

“(d)) NNPC deducts N8.33Billion monthly for the rehabilitation of the Refineries in Nigeria. Till date no refinery is working.

“(e) On priority projects of the Nation’s oil industry, NNPC deducted N788.78Billion for various investments between 2018-2021 without recourse to FAAC.

“(f) NNPC in 2021 alone claimed to have paid over One Trillion Naira as petroleum subsidy. Indeed, the month of March 2022, N220Billion was deducted as oil subsidy with a promise that N328Billion will be deducted in April 2022. This is unacceptable.

“(g) NNPC and FIRS as well as other remitting Agencies continue to apply an exchange rate of N389/$1 as against the Import and Export window of N416/$1. The extent of this leakage can be better felt, if this rate is compared to the current N570/$1.

“(h) From available records about N7.6T is withheld between 2012 and 2021, by NNPC from the Federation Account. All these are said to be payments for oil subsidy.

“(i) Conclusively, we believe that all these leakages in NNPC have been made possible because the President is also the Minister of Petroleum. The urgent separation of these two portfolios have become necessary

“7. The Forum noted the approval by the PDP NEC of the Time Table and Timelines for Congresses and Convention of the Party and urged all party members and party leadership to remain focused and united to win power in 2023, to tackle the myriads of problems facing the country.

“8. The PDP Governors congratulated the host, His Excellency, Governor Okezie Ikpeazu, the PDP Governors’ Forum Vice Chairman, for his generosity and hospitality in the hosting of the meeting.”

In attendance were:

  • Gov. Aminu Waziri Tambuwal – Sokoto State – Chairman
  • Gov. Okezie Ikpeazu – Abia State – Vice Chairman
  • Gov. Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri -Adamawa State
  • Gov. Udom Emmanuel – Akwa Ibom State
  • Gov. Bala Mohammed -Bauchi State
  • Gov. Sen. Douye Diri – Bayelsa State
  • Gov. Samuel Ortom -Benue State
  • Gov. Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa – Delta State
  • Gov. Godwin Obaseki – Edo State
  • Gov. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi – Enugu State
  • Gov. Engr. Oluseyi Abiodun Makinde – Oyo State
  • Gov. Nyesom Wike, CON – Rivers State
  • Hon Haruna Manu, Deputy Governor – Taraba State
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