Ondo State Governor, Mr Rotimi Akeredolu, on Thursday, unveiled numerous potentials of the State to the Management of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), urging the Commission to partner with the State.
The Governor, while playing host to the Management of the Commission, led by the Interim Administrator, Mr Akwa Effiong, revealed that the State has diverse potentials from which the NDDC could invest and make money.
A statement by the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Mr Richard Olabode, stated that the Governor used the occasion to commission three waste trucks donated to the state by the commission.
Mr Akeredolu urged the NDDC to partner with the state to drive sustainable development which would change the lives of the people positively.
“Ondo State, no doubt, has many potentialities. Not only oil, our potentials are diverse. We want to put them before you. NDDC can make money in Ondo instead of spending money all the time.
“You can buy into our bitumen. It might be that our investment in bitumen will be what we rely on later. We have cassava. We have so many mineral resources. We have the best dimensional stone.
“We have beautiful seaside. We can invest in tourism together. Those are areas of interest for me. We have discussed and suggested so many other areas.
“I can assure you that here in this State, a lot can be done. Let’s drive sustainable development.
“It can be in form of investment partnership. It will change positively the lives of our people.”
The Governor expressed hope in the era of Mr Effiong as the Interim Administrator of NDDC and urged him to see to the setting up of project implementation and monitoring unit for the NDDC projects in the state.
“This is a new era for the NDDC and you have assured me that we will have rapid industrialization in the state.
“It is a new era for quantifiable economic growth, your new era of job creation and skill development in the Niger/Delta.”
Earlier, Mr Effiong commended the various strides of the Akeredolu administration, particularly in the area of road construction and other infrastructure.
He assured the Governor of the continued cooperation and support of the NDDC and promised to look into the issue of abandoned projects of the Commission.
The Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees,(NULGE) has asked former President Goodluck Jonathan to intervene in the move by the National Assembly to scrap the Third Tier of Government.
The Union’s Executives, on Thursday, visited the former President at his country home, Otuoke, Bayelsa state to seek his support.
The NULGE officials were there to seek the former President support against a Bill seeking to delist the local government as a tier of government.
A member of the House of Representatives, Mr Solomon Bob, had, in December, sponsored the bill to remove the third tier of Government from the Constitution.
Receiving the NULGE leaders, Dr Jonathan advised the National Assembly to, instead of scrapping the LG system, make laws that would strengthen it and grant it autonomy.
According to him, if he were a member of the National Assembly, he would mobilise his colleagues to amend sections of the Constitution to allow full democratization at the Local Government levels by allowing the people at the grassroots to decide who leads them, through election.
The former President maintained that Local Councils remain the oldest and globally acclaimed Government which impacts positively on the life of the people at the grassroots.
Dr Jonathan called on State Governors to refrain from interfering in the day-to-day running of Local governments affairs.
“The problem with Nigeria is that our Local Government structure is still very weak. And whatever restructuring we are talking about finally, Nigerians must sit down to discuss and the issue of Local Government autonomy must be considered.
“As long as we have weak Local Governments, we will have difficulty managing this country. The way it is now, the person who runs the state, runs the LGAs and that makes nonsense of the whole concept of the Third Tier of Government.
“The President should manage the Nation, Governors should manage the States and Chairmen should be allowed to run the Local Councils.
“And until we are able to do that, it will be difficult to impact on all the people at the grassroots level.
“It is only through Local Councils that the dividends of democracy can permeate uniformly into society. And all of us must advocate for this right.
“The issue of appointments now make Local Government Councils look like a part of the State’s administrative structure, but that is wrong.
“It is an abuse of democracy. So this appointment system have made Council Chairmen become like aides to the Governors and we must discourage that.”
The People’s Democratic Party, (PDP) has concluded arrangements to embark on fresh registration of members. Edo State Governor, Mr Godwin Obaseki, was named Chairman of the Registration Committee.
This is coming on the heels of the PDP wide condemnation of similar exercise embarked upon by the ruling All Progressives Party,(APC)
The approval is one of the resolutions at the end of the PDP National Executive Committee,(NEC) meeting in Abuja on Thursday.
Part of the resolutions, as released by the PDP spokesman, Mr Kola Ologbodiyan, announced is that “NEC also received reports on the e-registration of members as the NWC announced the membership of the committee set up to conduct the exercise.
“The Edo State Governor, Chief Godwin Obaseki has been appointed to serve as Chairman, while his Adamawa State counterpart, Governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri, is appointed to serve as Deputy Chairman.
“The statutory members of the committee are the National Organizing Secretary, National Treasurer, National Financial Secretary, Deputy National Secretary and the National Publicity Secretary.
Other issues in the communique are “the National Executive Committee (NEC) after its emergency meeting today, Thursday, April 29, 2021, considered crucial issues regarding the programs of the party as well as extensively reviewed the state of the nation, especially the escalated insecurity engulfing all parts of our country and resolved as follow:
“NEC lamented the heightened insecurity pervading all parts of our nation due primarily to the misrule of President Muhammed Buhari and All Progressives Congress (APC) as well as their failure to decisively tackle the menace of terrorism, banditry, kidnapping, bloodletting and acts of violence in our country.
“NEC urged President Muhammadu Buhari to immediately declare a national state of emergency on security.
“NEC also urged President Buhari to, without delay, convoke a national conference on Security so as to galvanize ideas and options to tackle insecurity in our country.
“NEC further commended the efforts of governors, senators, House of Representatives members and other officials elected on the platform of the PDP in forcefully seeking solutions to the spate of insecurity in our country.
“With regard to the programmes of our party, NEC expressed satisfaction with the efforts of the NWC in preparation for the November 6 Governorship election in Anambra state and asserted its readiness to do everything possible, within the confines of the law, to win the election.
“NEC unanimously passed a vote of confidence on the National Chairman, Prince Uche Secondus as well as the member of the National Working Committee (NWC).
“NEC further cautioned party members at all levels to be wary of agents of distractions and division while praising the effort of the NWC for being focused and purpose driven in piloting the affairs of the party.”
The recently revealed Global Terrorism Index has seen Nigeria occupy the third position as the most Terrorised country in the World.
Reason for this is not far fetched as the Spate of insecurity in the country has worsened these past weeks.
The rate at which School Pupils and undergraduates are kidnapped on a daily basis has skyrocketed, resulting in the closing of school in some states.
Afghanistan and Iraq are the top countries ahead of Nigeria in the global Terrorism Index ranking.
Syria, Pakistan, Somalia, India, Yemen, Phillipines and Democratic Republic of Congo complete the top 10 list on the ranking table.
It would be recalled that few days back, Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue State lamented the neglect his people are facing from the President Muhammadu Buhari Administration, as Fulani Herdsmen and Bandits massacred over 70 people in the State within the last two weeks.
Also, in Kaduna State, kidnapping of students have been the order of the day, likewise in Niger State and other Northern States.
The South-West and South-East aren’t left out of the kidnapping menace, as ransoms is been paid by victims family on a daily basis.
The House of Representatives during Plenary over the week called on President Buhari to declare a State of Emergency on the spate of insecurity in Nigeria.
With the disclosure of the Global Terrorism Index, this puts the country in a pathetic State as regards insecurity.
You rarely hear his voice in public when it comes to secular or controversial issues. A bruised reed shall he not break, and the smoking flax shall he not quench. He just faces the work he is doing, and how very well he does it. Gently.
But early this week, Pastor William Folorunsho (popularly known as (WF Kumuyi) came out to speak. He addressed the media as part of a weeklong crusade titled ‘Soaring Above,’ holding electronically in Abuja and the 19 northern states.
What did the simple, self-effacing man say? A lot, which can be distilled into the following points:
*Nigeria is down today, faced by many challenges, but it can still fly again, if only the people can stop hate, killing and divisive utterances.
*God is still interested in Nigeria, but we must eschew utterances that could damage the expected change.
*Don’t give up on Nigeria, but believe things will get better with focus on God.
Pastor Williams Kumuyi
*Love one another and use resources God has blessed the nation with, for the good of the people.
The former university don-turned-preacher declared: “I believe that we will fly again. Things are going to turnaround. We are praying and if we are praying and criticizing, we have hatred for one another, in that environment prayer cannot work in an optimal and maximal way. But if we understand and stop identifying; this person is my enemy and problem, that tribe is the problem, and if we stop all that and just look up to God, and love one another,” then the expected change will come.
What deep, penetrating words from the former Mathematics teacher, who heads one of the largest Pentecostal churches in the country. And how perspicacious, encouraging, comforting, unlike the things we hear from some pulpits, organizations, and preachers today. Those ones have become veritable parts of the problems of the country.
But permit me to digress a little, and we will then return to the subject matter. In October 2018, we had invited Pastor Kumuyi to speak at the Aso Villa chapel to commemorate the Independence anniversary of the country. He came, with his wife. He declared the gospel in his usual simple but powerful way. It was truly a divine visitation for us.
It was my duty to speak to President Muhammadu Buhari that Pastor Kumuyi was in town, and could he please receive him in a courtesy visit? I did, and while I was trying to tell the President who the impending visitor was, the man amazed me when he said: “I know him very well. Is he not the mathematician?”
I was amazed. What else does this President know, that people don’t know about? He received Pastor Kumuyi and his wife in the residence the next day, and it was such an endearing session, concluded with prayers. Bigot? Those who say so should look for another person. Not the Buhari that I know.
Back to Kumuyi and the state of the nation. Nigeria can fly again. There will be a turnaround. But that’s not what we hear from most preachers today. They talk of doomsday, encourage their members to hate the country and its leadership, give negative prophecies that keep falling flat on their faces, because “God is still interested in Nigeria,” as Pastor Kumuyi said.
Do those other preachers read copies of the Holy Bible different from the one Kumuyi reads? I wonder. Why are they then full of bile and ill will against their country and the leadership? Was it because the sluice gate got closed? Did money stop flowing to them unlike in the recent past? Why do they exhibit such hatred, and make outlandish claims in the name of God? Why don’t they preach hope, but rather provoke their members to hate?
There are questions to answer on the Last Day. Judgment will truly begin from the household of God.
Stop hate, killing, use of divisive utterances, Kumuyi said. You hear incendiary utterances all over the place today. On radio, television, social media, and even from the pulpit.
All these eventually boil over, and lead to wanton killings.
Don’t give up on Nigeria, but believe things will get better, the preacher also said. He asked all and sundry to focus on God, and not say this or that ethnic group is the problem.
Really? That is not what they tell us from some pulpits. The gospel of man, as opposed to the gospel of God.
When we have hatred for one another, Kumuyi submits, prayer cannot work in an optimal and maximal way. Bullseye. But that is not what some others tell members of their flock. They encourage hatred, dissenting and civil disobedience. During the last EndSARS campaign, many preachers were seen, egging the protesters on, and giving them tacit support. And when anarchy flared, those preachers went underground. Not a word did you hear from them, suing for peace and end to bloodshed and destruction.
Stop identifying; this person is my enemy and problem, that tribe is the problem, Kumuyi said.
Stigmatization and stereotyping are parts of the problem of the country today. If only we can listen to people like Kumuyi, then we will have a better country. “Let France have good mothers, and she will have good sons,” Napoleon Bonaparte said.
And I extrapolate it to say: let Nigeria have good preachers in the mould of WF Kumuyi, and she will have good citizens.
Nigeria has severe security challenges. It’s like hell has opened against the country, and foul creatures, evil through and through, have been unleashed against the land. But have we ever seen darkness overcome light, and evil hold sway over good? No, and never. We shall overcome. Nigeria shall fly again.
Let us listen to Kumuyi. Let’s hearken to his words. Paul the Apostle said: “Be ye followers of me, even as I am also of Christ.” (1 Corinthians 11:1). Nigeria shall indeed fly again. But me must first renounce hatred, from the churches, mosques, media houses, everywhere.
Adesina is Special Adviser to President Buhari on Media and Publicity
Former Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, has Lamented the pathetic and frightening State of insecurity in the country.
But the lawmaker expressed optimistimism that the situation is redeemable.
Speaking at the 10th Synod of the Anglican Diocese of Umuahia with the theme: “Let us rebuild and end this reproach” the Country’s Capital, Ekweremadu said there are a lot to be done by the Administration to tackle this menace.
Delivering the Synod lecture, with the title, “The Role of the Christian politician in nation-building,” the Senator, ably represented by the National Publicity Secretary of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, Hon. Alex Chiedozie Ogbonnia, said the country was at crossroads and it was high time leaders urgently rescued the nation.
“Nigeria is burning, literally and figuratively. Put even more appropriately, we are at that juncture where we must rebuild or risk perishing. But God forbids that we perish,” he stressed.
Ekweremadu regretted reports of bloodletting, mass killing, and that kidnap for ransom had become the daily realities of Nigerians, adding that hunger was on the increase because insecurity had dislodged Nigerians from their legitimate businesses and farms.
He, however, advised that only socio-economic and political justice could effectively address the frustrations and separatist tendencies and rhetoric across the nation.
“The country is as divided and disjointed as never in our history. Ethno-religious conflagrations and killings at the slightest provocations have become a norm rather than an exception.
“Agitations fuelled by palpable social and political injustice pervade the land, as many parts now want out of the union than be slaves and second class citizens in a place that is supposed to be their fatherland.
“We cannot build or rebuild a nation in the absence of social, political, and economic justice. How do you describe a situation where palpable double standard and open marginalisation of the South East has been raised to a state policy?
“We must show every part of the country a sense of justice because the truth is that a man, who is unjustly treated, will never be genuinely interested in peace. The shortest path to peace is justice,” he stated.
The lawmaker said the situation was not irredeemable and urged President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration to decentralise the policing system and seek help from more experienced and resourced nations.
“This is not a time to apportion blames but a time for sober reflection. The Church and the Christian politicians, and all Nigerians must rise and stand in the gap.
“We must take urgent steps to reclaim our land and defend our inheritance because no nation in the world can contain Nigeria.
“This administration must begin to listen, starting by taking urgent steps to decentralise policing to enable every constituent part to take charge of the security of lives and property in its jurisdictions. That is the least we can do, and the most urgent step we must take at the moment,” he said.
Facts are emerging on the board room crisis that precipitated the sack of Adesola Kazeem Adeduntan as the managing director/ chief executive officer of First Bank Nigeria Limited and his replacement with Gbenga Shobo, on Wednesday, by the board of directors of the first generation bank.
Even though the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN has since reinstated Adeduntan, feelers are to the effect that the last may not have been heard on the matter.
The CBN, on Thursday, wielded the big stick by sacking the entire board of the deposit money bank. Those affected in the shake-up included Chairman of First Bank, Chief (Mrs) Ibukun Awosika and the Chairman of First Bank Holding, Oba Otudeko.
Godwin Emefiele, CBN Governor announced on Thursday at a news conference in Abuja, the nation’s capital, the constitution of an interim board to run the big bank and stabilize its affairs.
The apex bank governor named Remi Babalola as the interim chairman of the Holding company, other members include, Peter Aliugo, Fatade Oluwole, Kofo Dosekun, Remi Lasaki, Alimi Abdulrasaq, Ahmed Modibo, Khalifa Iman.
According to Emefiele, Tunde Hassan Odukale will now serve as the new chairman of First Bank Limited, other members are Tokunbo Martins, Uche Nwokedi, Adekunle Sonola, Isioma Ogodazi, Ebenezer Olufowose, Ishaya Dodo, Sola Adeduntan as managing director, Remi Oni, Gbenga Sobo.
Otudeko: Removed By CBN
Trouble started after the Awosika-led board removed Adeduntan as managing director/ chief executive officer of First bank Nigeria Ltd and replaced him with Gbenga Shobo. The CBN later intervened, insisting that the removal was done without its approval as a regulator. Apart from that, the apex bank stated that it was premature to remove Adeduntan, eight months into his retirement from the bank. The chief executive was supposed to step down from the bank by December 2021, having been appointed in 2016.
CBN in a letter to Awosika on Wednesday said “The CBN was not made aware of any report from the board indicting the managing director of any wrong-doing or misconduct; there appears to be no apparent justification for the precipitate removal,” the letter signed by Haruna Mustafa, CBN’s director of banking supervision, read.
“We are particularly concerned because the action is coming at a time the CBN has provided various regulatory forbearances and liquidity support to reposition the bank, which has enhanced its asset quality, capital adequacy and liquidity ratios amongst other prudential indicators.
“It is also curious to observe that the sudden removal of the MD/CEO was done about eight months to the expiry of his second tenure, which is due on December 31, 2021.”
Sources in the apex bank told the magazine that the intervention was necessary to stop the illegality of the sacked board. “As the regulator, the CBN has the power to sack the board of any bank whenever any infraction is discovered. What the Governor did was to exercise his power under the CBN Act.,’ a source said.
But the magazine was told by insiders in First Bank that the crisis that consumed the Awosika-led board has started for sometimes, and may not be unconnected with plans by some top guns in the bank to write off over N75 billion owed by Oba Otudeko.
“The issue has polarized the management of the bank to anti and pro Otudeko elements, but the latter seemed to have upper hand in the matter and they are the ones that moved for the removal of Adeduntan,” a source said.
Another source also informed the magazine that the businessman who is the Chairman of Flower Mills Nigeria Plc has also been plotting a succession plan that would ensure that one of his children emerged as the chief executive of the bank but “this has been hampered by the CBN regulation which prescribes that a successor must be the most senior executive director from the bank. In this sense Shobo who is the Deputy Managing Director, DMD was asked to step in by the board. ”
According to the source, all efforts were made by “some persons to ensure that the N75 billion were written off as non performing loans or restructured to give the debtor a breeder, even as pressure mounted from the CBN on the management to determine the position of the loan.”
In a letter dated April 26, 2021 and addressed to Awosika, in response to FBN International Financial Reporting Standards accounts for the financial year that ended 2020, apex bank raised concerns that the issue concerning the loan was yet to be resolved.
CBN said “We further noted that after 4 years the bank is yet to perfect its lien on the shares of Mr. Oba Otudeko in FBN Holdco which collateralized the restructured credit facilities for Honeywell Flour Mills contrary to the conditions precedent for the restructuring of the company’s credit facility.”
The apex bank, therefore, directed the management of the bank to ensure within 48 hours that the loan facility was paid immediately. The directive from the CBN expired on Wednesday, April 28, the same day the board announced replacement for Adeduntan as chief executive.
This is not the first time the CBN had sacked the management of banks in the country, the regulator had even gone as far as removing the entire boards. Recall that former CBN Governor Lamido Sanusi fired some MDs and board members of banks in 2009 while trying to clean up the corruption mess created by the management of those banks.
The banks included Afribank PLC, Finbank PLC, Intercontinental Bank Plc, Oceanic Bank Plc and Union Bank Plc. These banks were either sold to new buyers or nationalized in some instances.
Not surprisingly, the main opposition Party, the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, has joined the chorus In Nigeria for the declaration of an emergency on insecurity by President Muhammadu Buhari.
This followed the unprecedented upsurge in insecurity, across the country. No region is spared. No zone is spared. Nigerians are killed in scores everyday. No place is safe. Military barracks. Military installations.Police barracks. Police stations, Divisions, State Commands, Zones. Farms. Schools. Homes. Churches. Markets. Roads. Rivers. Prisons Even the skyline is threatened.
Everybody is worried.
Those who felt that a change of guard of the Service Heads would do the magic, has since discovered that 12 and a dozen are the same.
A couple of days ago,Senator Smart Adeyemi, APC, Kogi, wept on the Senate floor while expressing his frustration and helplessness over the state of insecurity in Nigeria.
And this other day, the House of Representatives asked the President to declare a state of emergency on insecurity.
President Muhammadu Buhari, is perhaps, not unaware of the damage the situation has done to his Government. Speaking with the visiting United States of America’s Secretary of State, President Buhari asked for help.
On Thursday, the PDP followed after an emergency meeting of its National Executive Committee.
In a Cmmunique after the meeting, signed by the Party’s National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, the PDP said it was heartbroken at the state of insecurity in the country, and decried the unnecessary bloodshed and unprecedented loss of innocent lives.
Following the full text of the Communique.
Communique Issued At The End of the Emergency Meeting of The National Executive Committee (NEC) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Today, Thursday, April 29, 2021.
The National Executive Committee (NEC) after its emergency meeting today, Thursday, April 29, 2021, considered crucial issues regarding the programs of the party as well as extensively reviewed the state of the nation, especially the escalated insecurity engulfing all parts of our country and resolved as follow:
NEC lamented the heightened insecurity pervading all parts of our nation due primarily to the misrule of President Muhammed Buhari and All Progressives Congress (APC) as well as their failure to decisively tackle the menace of terrorism, banditry, kidnapping, bloodletting and acts of violence in our country.
NEC urged President Muhammadu Buhari to immediately declare a national state of emergency on security.
NEC also urged President Buhari to, without delay, convoke a national conference on Security so as to galvanize ideas and options to tackle insecurity in our country.
NEC further commended the efforts of governors, senators, House of Representatives members and other officials elected on the platform of the PDP in forcefully seeking solutions to the spate of insecurity in our country.
With regard to the programmes of our party, NEC expressed satisfaction with the efforts of the NWC in preparation for the November 6 Governorship election in Anambra state and asserted its readiness to do everything possible, within the confines of the law, to win the election.
NEC also received reports on the e-registration of members as the NWC announced the membership of the committee set up to conduct the exercise.
The Edo State Governor, Chief Godwin Obaseki has been appointed to serve as Chairman, while his Adamawa State counterpart, Governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri, is appointed to serve as Deputy Chairman.
The statutory members of the committee are the National Organizing Secretary, National Treasurer, National Financial Secretary, Deputy National Secretary and the National Publicity Secretary.
Further nominations will be taken from the Board of Trustees, the National Assembly, Forum of State Chairmen as well as the youth and women demography of our Party.
NEC unanimously passed a vote of confidence on the National Chairman, Prince Uche Secondus as well as the member of the National Working Committee (NWC).
NEC further cautioned party members at all levels to be wary of agents of distractions and division while praising the effort of the NWC for being focused and purpose driven in piloting the affairs of the party.
The man of God has, again, gone back to his vomit, 360 degrees, as he did during the President Goodluck Jonathan’ Administration.
The Man of God in question is Reverend Father Ejike Mbaka, the controversial Catholic Priest, and founder of the Adoration Ministry.
Mbaka was one of the staunchest supporters of President Muhammadu Buhari. He was one of Buhari’s Seers. The man who saw tomorrow for Mr President. He was the one who dragged the Kano State Governor, Dr Abdullahi Danguje, a Muslim, into the Church, the Adoration Ministry Centre, when he went to represent President Muhammadu Buhari, who was then, looking for an endorsement for his second term in office.
Mbaka gazed into his crystal ball and said that the Holy Ghost had since sanctified Buhari’s victory. The President went on to win, as seen by Fr. Mbaka.
What Mbaka did not see, however, is the situation Nigeria is, now, under President Buhari. He did not see the turmoil ahead. He did not see the hunger. He did not see the anger. Nor did he see that Boko Haram would be emboldened, and give birth to the twin babies named Bandits and Rogue Fulani Herdsmen. Indeed he saw nothing but the glory of God as he desperately begged the President’s representatives to tell him to come and do something for his Church. He did not see the flame both Mazi Nnamdi Kanu and Sunday Igboho would become. He did not see the destruction ahead, Or that according to Abubakar Sani Bello, Governor of Niger State, that Boko Haram would be a striking distance to the capital city, Abuja. Mbaka said he was being persecuted because of Buhari. But he never said how.
Now, things are no longer the same. Mbaka has made a shocking u-turn. He has turned against President Buhari.
In a surprising statement, the controversial Mbaka asked the President to resign from office. Otherwise, the Father says, the National Assembly should impeach Mr President. Why?
Mbaka cited the high level of insecurity in the country as his reason for his volte face.
Speaking at the Adoration Ministry in Emene, Enugu State he expressed surpise that Buhari could maintain “conspiratorial silence” despite the incessant killings in the country. For that, he insists Buhari should resign or be impeached. He has left the country shephardless, Mbaka thundered.
President Muhammadu Buhari
“Let me tell you, if it is in a civilized country, by now, President Buhari would have resigned with what is happening”, Mbaka said.
Mbaka; “Nigerians are crying because there’s no security in the country, the House of Representatives should impeach the President if he doesn’t want to resign.” He, obviously, forgot the role of the Senate in the impeachment of a President.
He threatened the Legislators, saying they cannot imagine what will happen to them if they fail to impeach Buhari.
Saddened by the activities of the herdsmen which has gone on unchecked, Mbaka warned Church leaders and Nigerians not to come after him because he supported Buhari earlier.
”A good coach cannot watch his players to be defeated when he has players sitting down on the bench. It is either Buhari resigns by himself or he will be impeached.
”This statement is too mysterious and supernatural. I know many people will begin to fight it, saying did you not pray for Buhari? Did Samuel not anoint Saul? Am I the creator of Buhari? God created him, Nigerians supported him because he did well sometime.
“But now, how can people be dying and the Chief Security Officer of the country will be sitting down without making any comment? Gunmen attacking people everywhere.
“I pray that the Church leadership will understand me as a messenger of God and not begin to attack me because the danger is going to affect the Church.
“When gunmen begin to strike inside the Church, they will begin to kill one man of God or the other or even members of the Church. Who will go to Church again? The Priests will lose their job, the Bishops will lose their jobs. So you better keep quiet or support what I’m saying,” Mbaka added.
But Nigerians say; this is Mbaka all over again. Same character. No change. And Nigerians are laughing him to scorn, wondering why he made this u-turn. They ask if the President and his wife, and their close associates have stopped picking Mbaka’s phone calls, or taking everything he says: hook, line and sinker.
That will not be a surprise.
In the months leading to the 2015 Presidential election, Mbaka turned against Jonathan because he said then First Lady, Mrs Patience Jonathan, was not picking his calls; that instead of giving him her direct number, Mrs Jonathan asked her aides to give him the numbers that the aides pick. “I never got to speak to her”, Mbaka said, “her aides kept turning me round and round.” Because of that, he turned against Jonathan.
He is, also, allegedly, doing the same to Governor Hope Uzodinma of Imo State, now. When most people lost every hope in Uzodinma becoming the Imo Governor, Mbaka kept faith. He backed him, and said he would be Governor. He prophesied it. It happened. Uzodinma became Governor. Before Uzodinma stepped into Government House, Owerri, Mbaka went ahead of him to sanctify the Governor’s office.
This other day, he, reportedly, cried out against Governor Uzodinma, disclosing that the Governor had stopped picking his calls.
What is it about Mbaka and phones?, people are asking.
In the Buhari case, Nigerians are aghast at the Priest’s change of tone. And, even though he forbade them from coming after him, most commentators treated his comments with deserved disdain.
Reno Omokri, a former aide to Jonathan, has this to say in a tweet. “Father Mbaka is an author of confusion. Today, he is calling on General @MBuhari to ‘resign or be impeached’.
“In 2015, he told Nigerians that God told him Buhari was Nigeria’s saviour.
“If the @CatholicEW Church doesn’t defrock this man, he will rubbish their name.”
Not a few Nigerians are of the same opinion. They say the man has made nonsense of his calling, and ask: Is the Catholic Church afraid of one of its own – Rev. Fr. Ejike Mbaka? Perhaps.
The managing director/ chief executive officer, Fidelity Bank Nneka Onyeali Ikpe has disclosed that the lender will continue to rely on a business model that works. The bank’s chief executive stated this on the crest of the submission of its unaudited quarter one, 2021 results to the Nigerian Stock Exchange, NSE, which showed that the new generation bank performed in key areas.
Onyeali-Ikpe said“We commenced the year showing impressive double-digit growth in profitability and improved performance across key efficiency indices whilst ensuring our business model continued to deliver strong positive results in line with our guidance for the 2021 financial year.
“In absolute terms, the increase in nominal interest rate came from foreign exchange related income, digital banking income and account maintenance charge among others.Net interest margin remained unchanged at 6.3 per cent compared to 2020 full year as the drop in average funding cost offset the decline in average yields on earning assets.”
“This led to 26.2 per cent decline in total interest expenses, which translated to 17.1 per cent increase in net interest income to N28.8 billion despite a 4.3 per cent increase in interest bearing liabilities.
“We refinanced our seven-year N30 billion Tier-II bonds issued in 2015 at 16.48 per cent p.a. with cheaper 10-year N41.2 billion tier II bonds priced at 8.5 per cent p.a., which led to a 61bpts drop in average borrowing cost to 4.5 per cent,” she said.
The DMB submitted its financial statement to the Nigerian Exchange, NSE which indicates that profit before tax leaped by 53.9 per cent to N10.134 billion from N6.583 billion compared to the same period in 2020.
Gross earnings increased by 7.7 per cent year-on-year to N55.1 billion, from N51 billion in the comparable quarter.
The results also show that Profit before tax grew by 54 per cent to N10 billion while profit after tax grew by 64 per cent to N9.6 billion. Net Assets grew by nine per cent from N242 billion to N264 billion, according to the result submitted to the NSE. .
