In line with its commitment to deepen Democratic rule in Nigeria, and make the government accountable to the electorate, the Nigerian Guild of Investigative Journalists, NGIJ, will on Monday 2nd December, 2019, begin a Governance Assessment Tour in Ondo State to assess the impact of Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu administration on the people of the State.
In a statement issued by the Guild’s Public Relations Officer, Adeyemi Obadimu, it said the NGIJ delegation would arrive Akure, the Ondo State Capital on Monday, December 2, for the Tour.
Obadimu noted that the Governance Assessment is aimed at rooting for the truth, getting first-hand information from different stakeholders, and assessing the impact of the current administration in Ondo State.
”Our members from every part of the country will on Monday converge in Akure, Ondo State Capital, for commencement of Governance Assessment Tour to assess Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu administration’s impact on the people.
”Our crew will engage critical stakeholders, including traditional rulers, civil servants, labour unions, pensioners, top government officials, students, market men/women and others in order to get first-hand information about the current administration led by Governor Akeredolu.”
The Guild has carried out similar governance assessment in Kogi and Bayelsa states.
Their reports were in tandem with the outcome of the Governorship election in the two States.
Nigeria’s first Lady, Aisha Buhari, is in support of the regulation of the Social Media. She, also, says Nigeria’s problems were getting out of hand, and too numerous for her husband, President Muhamadu Buhari to handle. She has, therefore, called on Ministers, Governors, Security Agencies and Nigerians to join hands with the President in tackling and finding solutions to the enormous challenges the country is facing.
Mrs Buhari also slammed state governors and ministers for failing to provide basic social amenities and infrastructure, lamenting that things were getting out of hand.
Rising cases of insecurity which she said was a result of injustice, has made it impossible for some Nigerians to travel to their states and villages and sleep peacefully.
She said her husband cannot handle the challenges facing the nation alone, and needs the support of everybody.
She further admonished the political leaders to work together to bring the country out of the doldrums.
The First Lady made these statements at the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs’ general assembly and national executive council meeting which held at the National Mosque in Abuja.
She also called on the Muslim Ummah in the country to embrace the communique and directive that would be issued by the council.
She lamented the high rate of insecurity, warning that if the needful was not done quickly by the government, it would further escalate.
In her words, “We either fasten our seatbelts and do the needful or we all regret it very soon, because at the rate things are going, things are getting completely out of hand.
“The VP (Yemi Osinbajo) is here. Some ministers are here. They are supposed to do justice to the situation.
“People cannot afford potable water in this country while we have governors. Since this is the highest decision-making body of Islamic affairs, for those that are listening, we should fear God, and we should know that one day, we will return to God and account for our deeds here on earth.”
She also called for the regulation of social media, noting that China with about 1.3 billion people had done so, adding that many people cannot visit their villages on account of fake news.
She added: “On this issue of social media, you cannot just sit in the comfort of your house and tweet that the Vice President has resigned. It is a serious issue. If China can control over 1.3 billion people on social media, I see no reason why Nigeria cannot attempt controlling only 180 million people.
“We must do justice to ourselves. Most of us here, as a result of the long time of injustice done to others, cannot go to our villages and sleep with our two eyes closed.
“We all know that my husband has three years to go. We either fasten our seatbelts and do the needful or we all regret it very soon.
Vice President Yemi Osinbajo in his address admonished Nigerians to be their brothers’ keepers regardless of their religious affiliation, noting that “all Nigerians are equal.”
He stated: “It is my view that the weight of ensuring that this country is on the right track is on our leaders. We should be our brother’s keeper no matter the religion. We should always be ready to make sacrifices for one another.
“We have religious and tribal tension in this country. Many are beating the drum of ethnic and religious war. We are at a historic juncture of our nation.
“Every Sunday, my family and I and other hundreds of worshippers attend the villa chapel, and it is located in the premises of the President and his family, and located a few seconds away from the kitchen of the First Lady. That is the kind of tolerance we are talking about.
“It is the duty of leaders to show that attitude. Leaders should be committed to their call to service, especially political leaders. Their actions can transform the nation.
Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El -Rufai is in trouble. The Federal High Court In Abuja has ordered the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, to commence an investigation on him over an alleged N32 Billion fraud.
El-Rufai had approached the Court to stop the investigation process.
But, Hon Justice Binta Nyako, while delivering a judgment in a suit no: FHC/ABJ/CS/60/09 filed by El-Rufai calling on the Court to stop the anti-graft agency from investigating him dismissed it.
The governor was seeking the court’s determination whether, as the then Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, he had complied with the guidelines approved by the Federal Executive Council for the sale of Federal Government houses between May 2005 and May 2007.
El-Rufai was the applicant, the defendants from 1st to 13th include: EFCC, FCT minister, FCDA, AGF, CBN, Oceanic Bank, Access Bank, Intercontinental Bank, Aso Savings and Loans Ltd, Union Homes, Akintola Williams Deloite and Aminu Ibrahim & Co.
In the originating summons brought pursuant to Section 302 of 1999 Constitution and Section 3 and 18 of the FCT Act 1990, El-Rufai also sought court’s determination: “whether the proceeds of the sale of Federal Government houses in the FCT between May 2005 – May 2007 were properly accounted for or not in accordance with the FEC mandate and guidelines to the Federal Capital Territory Authority.
“Whether the sum of N32 billion (or any sum whatsoever) is missing from the proceeds of the sale of Federal Government Houses in the FCT between May 2005 and May 2007.”
The former FCT Minister sought the court’s relief on “a declaration that the sale of Federal Government houses in the FCT was conducted in accordance with the Federal Executive Council mandate to the FCTA through the ad hoc committee for the sale of non essential houses in Abuja.
“A declaration that the proceeds of the sale of the said Federal Government houses conducted by the Ad hoc Committee on SOGH in Abuja between 2005 and 2007 were properly accounted for in accordance with the mandate and guidelines approved by the FEC.
“A declaration that the Audit Report prepared by the 12th and 13th respondents on the sale of Federal Government Houses in the FCT confirm that the Sale of Federal Government houses in FCT compiled with the approved guidelines for the sale of Federal Government properties in FCT and the proceeds were properly accounted for.
“A declaration that the proceeds of sale of Federal Government Houses in FCT between May 2005 and May 2007 were properly apportioned and accounted for in accordance with the approved guidelines as confirmed by the Audit Report of the 12th and 13th respondents, dated July 20, 2007.
“A declaration that the sum of N32bn (or any sum whatsoever) from the proceeds of the sale of Federal Government of Nigeria Houses in FCT between May 2005 and 2007 is not missing.
“An order directing the 2nd respondent to disclose the exact amount remitted to the 5th respondent as the proceeds of the sale of Federal Government houses in the FCT between May 2005 and May 2007.
“An order directing the 5th respondent to disclose the exact amount received from the 2nd respondent as the proceeds of the sale of Federal Government houses in the FCT between May 2005 and May 2007.”
It would be recalled that Justice Nyako had earlier, in her judgment, granted El-Rufai’s prayers, but in a landmark judgment made by Nyako on Friday, she noted that the EFCC had called the court’s attention to its counter-affidavit in objection to the prayers.
The anti-graft agency, in its counter-affidavit, had submitted that the motive of the applicant was to stop the commission from investigating him in order to cover up the alleged fraud perpetrated when he was FCT minister.
Justice Nyako, who held that the earlier judgment delivered still stood ,ń declared that no court would stop the EFCC from investigating anyone in line with its constitutional mandate.
“No court, including this one, will allow itself to be used to shield anybody from being investigated by the 1st respondent,” the judge said.
The gale of sack which hit the Barclays English Premier League is continuing. Just few days after Everton Football Club sacked Marco Silva as the Head Coach of the Club, Arsenal Football Club has also given Spaniard Unai Emery a red card.
His sack followed the poor performance of the Club in the domestic league and Europe.
Last night, during the Europa League match at the Emirates Stadium between Arsenal and Eintracht Frankfurt, during which it lost 2-1, the Club witnessed the lowest turnout in its history.
The Stadium was almost empty with fans not showing up for the match.
The loss to Frankfurt put the Gunners in a precarious position, needing an outright win against Standard Liege Football Club of Belgium in its last Europa League match to secure top spot and qualify for the knockout phase of the competition.
Fans also promised not to come to the Stadium again as long as Emery remained in the saddle as Arsenal coach.
Emery had failed to win any match in his last seven matches, losing to Sheffield United, Leicester City, Liverpool and Eintracht Frankfurt to the displeasure of the fans.
Banners were flown high on the stands, as fans called for the dismissal of Emery.
The handwriting was boldly written on the wall following the series of poor results.
Former Sweden and Arsenal player, Freddie Ljungberg, has replaced Emery as the Head Coach of Arsenal for the remainder of the season.
Emery was appointed Arsenal’s team last season at the exit of Arsene Wenger. Wenger was in the saddle as Arsenal manager for 21 years.
Emery is the fourth casualty this season to be shown the exit door in managerial circle.
First was Watford Football Club that appointed Quique Flores after sacking its former coach who failed to win any match for the team this season. Tottenham Hotspurs sacked Mauricio Pochettino and appointed Jose Mourinho, while Marco Silva was relieved of his job in Everton.
Emery failed to win any silverware with Arsenal throughout his stay at the club.
President Muhammadu Buhari administration’s penchant for borrowing knows no bound, watchers of this government have said.
His government, critics say, could end up the biggest debtor, even though the administration says borrowing could free up more funds to bridge the infrastructure gap in the country.
The misgiving among Nigerians has been further echoed by world financial body IMF, which warned that the nation’s debt to GDP is moving to an unacceptable level.
“Nigeria’s debt has increased but the level is way below the average for the region.
Even if we include the CBN overdraft and others, we are talking about a debt to GDP ratio that does not go beyond 27 to 28 per cent to GDP and that is including AMCON overdrafts and others,” Amine Mati, IMF Senior Resident Representatives and Mission Chief for Nigeria at a recent event in Abuja, the nation’s capital.
The debate over Nigeria’s rising debt came on the crest of recent request President Buhari sent to the Nigeria Senate to borrow $29.8b.
In November 2016, the Eight Senate under the leadership of Bukola Saraki had rejected the request on the basis that it will further increase the nation’s debt burden.
But three years after, the president said the Senate should not deny government the needed loan because it’s required to develop “39 emergency projects in the Power, Agriculture, Transport & Mining sectors of the Nigerian economy.”
Buhari said in the letter cited by the magazine titled: “Request for the National Assembly to reconsider and approve the Federal Government’s 2016-2018 external borrowing plan,” for rapid infrastructural development in the mentioned areas.
According to the president “Pursuant to Sections 21 and 27 of the Debt Management Office (Establishment Etc) Act, I hereby request for resolutions of the Senate to approve the Federal Government’s 2016-2018 External Borrowing Plan as well as relevant projects under this plan.
Specifically, the Senate is invited to note that (a): While I have transmitted the 2016-2018 external borrowing plan to the eight National Assembly in September 2016, this plan was not approved in its entirety by the legislature. “
The president said further that “Only the Federal Government’s emergency projects for the North East’s four states projects and one China Assisted Railway Modernization Projects for Lagos-Ibadan segment were approved out of the total of 39 projects.”
Therefore, he requested “That outstanding projects in the plan that were not approved by the legislature are nevertheless, critical to the delivery of the government’s policies and programmes relating to power, mining, roads, agriculture, health, water and educational sectors.
These outstanding budgets are well-advanced in terms of the preparation, consistent with the 2016 date.”
He said statutory bodies in the country have given approval for the loan because “Sustainability analysis undertaken by the Debt Management Office were approved by the Federal Executive Council in August 2016 under the 2016-2018 external borrowing plan.”
Necessary documents have been attached for perusal, the president said in the letter, adding that the minister of finance will provide detailed information.
“I have attached for your kind consideration, relevant information from the Minister of Finance, the specific outstanding projects under the 2016-2018 external borrowing plan for which legislative approval is currently being sought.
I have also directed the Minister to make herself available to provide any additional information or clarification which you may require to facilitate prompt approval of the outstanding projects under this plan,” Buhari said.
But his critics said borrowing the $30b will unbalance the required threshold of 27 to 28 GDP level, making it the highest in the sub-region.
The approval could also see Nigeria’s debt rise to over $110 billion since President Buhari took over government in 2015.
The Debt Management Office, DMO recently said Nigeria’s debt profile has risen to $81.27 billion or N24. 947 in the first quarter of 2019: an increase of 2.3 percent as at March 2019.
Critics of Buhari’s government said the nation’s total debt has risen astronomically since he took over from Goodluck Jonathan.
I have consistently tried to create levels of differentiation between democracy and dictatorship, especially dictatorships of the military variant as we have had in Nigeria. I have argued that Nigeria is still very far away from the goal posts of what could be called a democratic society. In my view, the environment does not as yet look anything democratic because the actors are largely strangers to the ethos of and what is more, too many of them are tied to the old order, not to talk of the fact that the presence of General-presidents suggest that we are still in the thrall of militarism.
Democracy thrives on debate, consensus building, negotiation, persuasion, argumentation, rule of law, process, and inclusion. The military thrives in a coup culture, secrecy, betrayal, violence, command structure, exclusion and lack of transparency. That explains why I have always warned against describing the current charade of violent elections as democracy.
I have illustrated on several occasions that many among us arrived at Democracy’s altar by parachutes, funded by moneybags, cliques and cults. We have seen no difference from those who claim to be democrats in terms of the strong-arm tactics that we associated with a militarized environment. Our ‘democrats’ have had no problems with what Noam Chomsky would refer to as resorting to manufactured consent when it comes to elections. They have rented the same crowds, contrived the same outcomes as the old order, seducing the people by bribery rather than persuasion and debate.
Like the false feathers of Icarus, everyday, the drama of the fraud called democracy is re-enacted as the masks occassionally fall off and we see the real face of fascism that hides behind it all. When they sense that we want to test their mandate through closely monitored elections, they threaten that we will receive either coffins or body bags in return. Every day, the evidence is before us suggesting clearly that, in the mind of those whom we have entrusted our future to, democracy is merely a heuristic device to perpetuate their grip on power, a bad portfolio investment that fears scrutiny. All the State Assemblies, at best glorified cemeteries of silence, inhabited by puppets, cowed to silence and submission as they munch their crumbs.
The recent outrage by the Minister of Information, Mr. Lai Mohammed over public reaction to the Social Media Bill, is illustrative of the point I am making, namely, that not all who call themselves democrats appreciate the enormous burden that goes with the claim today. The Minister has used some rather harsh and divisive words that suggest some contempt for the voices and views of those whose labours and sacrifices brought him and his government to where they are today. His language is disrespectful, appalling and illustrative of the highhandedness that suggests that we are not in a democracy. The language is as intolerant as it is alienating. The Minister says that no amount of threat, blackmail etc will dissuade the government from going ahead with the social media because it is borne out of patriotism. Really?
There are many questions begging for answers here. Is this the language of democracy? Is this the language of people who understand or have really imbibed and internalized the spirit and fine principles of democracy? If we must do your will or face the wrath of government, then, this suggests two things: First, we must obey you and government because we are subservient to you and government. We must be answerable to you not the other way round. We must, because if we don’t, we can be penalized by imprisonment for daring to question its wisdom or seek to have an input in a law that concerns us. When did we surrender our rights and voices to government if we are not heading to totalitarian rule? It looks like and smells like it. Is Mr. Mohammed a lawyer who is a politician or a politician who is a lawyer? In an ideal situation, the former should reinforce the latter.
At this point, I would rather side with President Muhammadu Buhari who has been far more honest about his deficient democratic credentials. I have heard the president on at least three occasions complain that democracy is definitely not his strong jacket. To him, democracy is an irritant, a nuisance that he is compelled to live with. To paraphrase the President: ‘When I was a military man, I arrested all the thieves and put them in protective custody. I asked them to go and prove their innocence. Now, I have been told that even though I can see the thieves, I cannot arrest them. I must take them to court and prove that they are guilty.’
I admire the fact that the president has illustrated that his conversion to democracy was not like Paul on the road to Damascus. His tentative conversion to democracy did not come with a confession of his sins (of staging a coup), a promise not to do that again and then a plea for absolution and the acceptance of the required penance! In honesty, the president says he prefers to work with ‘those he knows not those who know’, so we can forgive him. But not others.
Mr. Mohammed has climbed a moral high horse, claiming that he is motivated by higher and noble values of protecting the rest of us from a hovering scarecrow of evil, the social media. This is a low level fence erected to hide the construction of a wall of tyranny, fascism and totalitarianism. All tyrants and fascists started with the most noble of intentions, composing panegyric lullabies in praise of patriotism. But, as the old saying goes, patriotism is often the last refuge of scoundrels. Sooner than later, they will start the witch-hunt. This is why, the radical American intellectual and activist, Lillian Hellman who lived under the witch hunting era of McCarthyism titled her memoirs, ‘Scoundrel Time!’
To be sure, there is no one, including myself, who is not aware of the dangers posed by the social media. We have all been victims. However, should the government wish to address this matter legally and openly, why should they be afraid of a public debate? It is desirable that we address the social media by way of education, open debate and transfer of knowledge. When did the social media become sinister in the eyes of the government? Is it after the same government used it that they now realise that it was good for them then, but bad for the rest of us now?
Law making is a serious business and it demands high moral standards of honesty on the lawmaker. No citizen should be compelled to obey bad laws. Patriotism is not a commodity of exchange. I have lived long in this country, been engaged long enough to know that the degree of patriotism of office holders is often in direct proportion to the opportunities that they have. Today’s Buhariphiles will develop Buhariphobia when they lose their position. Against the backdrop of the rumours and whispers about term limits, do we know where this is going?
Finally, we must all concede that technology is here to stay. All we can do is to try to make it work for us. Like their explorer grandfathers before them, both Mark Zuckerberg (Facebook) and Jack Dorsey (Twitter) have shone their light. They know what they have seen in Nigeria and Mr. Dorsey says he plans a longer stay in future. They have seen opportunity in an incredibly energetic and brilliant youth and they are prepared to pour investment into them. What do those who govern us see? Afraid of their shadows, they see in their own Youth, trouble and threats to the quicksand into which they have buried their selfish ambitions. They want to kill these dreams by thinking of a Bill to protect us from Hate speech and so on.
There is absolutely no doubt that we face a difficult future with what to do with the social media. However, the future of employment lies there and all need to do is to extend the frontiers of the imagination of our Youth to enable them explore a future that can make us safer and prosperous. We know that fire burns and people drown in water. Should we therefore restrict the usage of water and fire or should we sit the children down and explain the dangers inherent in the goodness of water and fire? Our real challenge is the shame that now afflicts us due to years and years of the neglect. A people so badly governed will use anything to express their frustration and sadly, this is what makes us all victims of hate speech. The greatest expression of Hate is those who use the power in their hands to divide us by favouring or excluding others based religion, gender, political affiliation or social class. They are the real reason why our people have remained diminished.
It is a measure of who we are and the premium we place on life that anyone would dream of suggesting a death sentence for the propagation of Hate speech. Surely, unscrupulous and immoral theft of humungous resources belonging to all of us by our politicians is more damaging to our society than any Hate speech. It is like comparing saliva and a dam. We should have nothing to fear. A clear conscience fears no accusation. Technology, developed by humans still has inbuilt safety valves that will enable it to correct itself. Threats, arm-twisting or raw bravado will not do. Edward Snowden has shown that the builders of terror can always pull back. It is inefficiency and political corruption that creates the conditions for the social Media to thrive not lack of patriotism.
The ultimate goal of this Bill is not to punish those who offend, but those who offend government or those in government. Again, here, we have to fall back on the president’s sense of honesty. When he promulgated Decree 2, the focus was to punish journalists who made public officers uncomfortable. Again, on this note, the President has not changed his mind set at all. So, again when Tunde Thompson rushed to forgiveness, it was not because the President had shown any contrition. Therefore, when the sponsors of this Bill claim that it is for our own good, they are borrowing our mouths to eat onions. If the government gets away with it, we have no idea what else will be on the table. Only a robust debate can cure the claims of cynicism.
The Government has all the laws it needs to fight any form of crime and individuals can fall back on it. This Bill is a redundant, stale, superfluous and a fraud. We will fight it Bill with all our energy. It is rotten yoghurt being marketed beyond its expiration date. We should reject it as a totalitarian attempt to circumscribe our hard earned freedom.
Kukah is the Roman Catholic Bishop of Sokoto Diocese
Super Eagles Coach, Gernot Rohr and his employers, the Nigeria Football Federation, NFF, are enmeshed in controversies over non-payment of his allowances.
The rift deepened following Rohr’s allegation that he is being owed over $100,000 in bonuses and allowances by the NFF.
Rohr had earlier complained about the delay in the payment of his salaries, prompting his reluctance in renewing his contract after the expiration of his current contract.
The Franco-German tactician claimed he had employed the service of Jean Jacques as his lawyer to engage the NFF.
Reacting to Rohr’s outburst, NFF said Rohr is going against the contractual agreement it has with them by divulging information that are classified to the federation.
NFF’s Technical Director, Bitrus Bewarang, cautioned Rohr on his utterances, saying that Rohr is only owed $30,000 as against the $100,000 he claims.
“Rohr’s utterances is highly unprofessional and flagrantly disrespected the provision of his contract and the Code of Conduct for coaches.
“Rohr will soon be paid, as we have just paid all National Team coaches and we are putting into place a mechanism to ensure we don’t owe them going forward. Rohr has talked about bonus from the 2019 African Cup of Nations Championship, which is not contractual but discretionary on the part of the NFF”, Bewarang concluded.
Rohr was a former Togolese Coach.
In another development, the NFF has disclosed that a new template for payment of bonuses and allowances for the Super Eagles is underway.
Bewarang said the NFF is negotiating with the players on a new template for payment of bonuses and allowances based on their performances after qualification for the championship.
Bewarang said that the players were not paid any bonuses or allowances for the 2021 AFCON qualification series against the Squirrels of Benin Republic and the Crocodiles of Lesotho.
In one of the most structured Budgets ever, Imo State Governor, Emeka Ihedioha CON, presented a ”Rebuild Imo Budget One” to the Imo State House of Assembly.
In his presentation at the Assembly Chambers Wednesday, Governor Ihedioha presented to the House of Assembly, a proposed budget of N197,607,272,328. Recurrent expenditure is at N91,377,822,129, which is 46.2 percent of the budget, while Capital expenditure stood at N106,229,450,200, which is 53.8 percent of the budget.
He said, “In summary, the Recurrent Expenditure is N91, 377,822,129. However, this figure includes the repayment to FGN on debts including bail out funds and rescheduled service of bonds.
“Our capital expenditure is N106, 229, 450,200 which represents 53.8 percent of the proposed budget. This is a welcomed development in an era where many other administrations have well below 40 percent in capital expenditure. It goes without saying that capital expenditure drives development and growth.
He said the focus of the 2020 Budget is six pronged aimed at “rebuilding infrastructure, especially roads, smart electricity sub sector, Agriculture by laying the groundwork for sustainable agriculture, health delivery, with focus on health insurance, primary healthcare and cleaner environment, human capital development, especially technological advancement, technical education, women and youth empowerment, Ease of Doing Business, job/wealth creation and youth empowerment.
The Governor said the six planks of the budget will be achieved through, enhancement of Internally Generated Revenue (IGR), aggressive road reconstruction programmes, enabling environment for private sector investment, smart public private sector partnerships, capacity building especially for the youth, provision of agricultural inputs and development of agricultural infrastructure, local governments partnerships, health insurance, primary healthcare and cleaner environment.
He stated that the 2020 budget proposal which encapsulates government’s political, economic and social development strategies, aims at giving the citizenry a sense of belonging.
Governor Ihedioha recalled the state of Imo before he was sworn-in as Governor and how far his administration has gone in actualizing the Rebuild Imo Agenda.
He said “The State of colossal ruins this government met upon the inception of our administration is no longer news. It was an all round devastation spanning every facet of infrastructure, public utilities, health, education, industry and the public service to mention but a few.
“Imo State was like a pariah state avoided by investors, ignored by International donor agencies and denigrated by national agencies.
He noted that “Last year, the State was among few States in Nigeria that could not qualify to receive 18m dollars World Bank grants due to absence of transparency and accountability in governance.
“Reports upon reports lamented the unwillingness of the then Government to work with constitutionally approved structures of governance, its lack of due process and resort to ad hoc and episodic approaches to governance. This came along with a huge loss in investor confidence and absence of international development assistance.
He said on assumption of office, he pledged to rebuild the State and restore its glory.
“Mr.Speaker, I am glad to report that we have not wavered on that pledge”.
He stated, “Consequently, I am here today, in keeping with the Constitutional requirement to present to this Honourable House, the Budget proposal for 2020. As you are all aware, prior to our inauguration, we began by harnessing our huge human and economic resources to set a clear path in the rebuilding process. We had set up a high-powered Transition Technical Committee (TTC) comprising very distinguished ladies and gentlemen from both within the state and the diaspora. These resource persons met and articulated a possible development path.
“Consequently, government set out a vision to elevate Imo to become one of the top three state economies in Nigeria by 2025 and ranked within Africa’s top ten economies by 2030. To this effect, we are leveraging the abundant human capital and natural endowments of the State to build an economy anchored on good governance, accountability, wealth creation, rule of law and sound management of state resources. We have also mapped out a Short-term Plan involving, some quick-wins, particularly restoration of critical infrastructure, public utilities and security. In the same vein, we activated the State Health Insurance Scheme.
“Furthermore, we have set up a structure for transparency and accountability in the governance process. On this score, I signed the Executive Order 005, known as Treasury Single Account (TSA) Order. The essence is to consolidate all government revenues under one account. Similarly, we have signed to implement the International Public Sector Accounting Standards (IPSAS). These measures are designed to plug leakages and increase Internally Generated Revenues (IGR) in the State coffers.
Governor Ihedioha revealed plans of his administration to embark on massive roads construction across the State.
“Mr. Speaker, Honourable Members, I am very glad to inform you that works have commenced on 25 critical roads across the State. Also recently we awarded portions of five major roads leading into the State capital. These roads are the Owerri-Orlu Road, Owerri-Okigwe Road, Owerri-Obowo Road, Owerri-Aba Road and the Owerri-Port Harcourt Road. Notably, these roads are federal roads but impact the ease of movement and doing business in the State hence our intervention. In all, about N40Billion is being committed to these projects. Likewise we have awarded contract for the construction of Oguta link road to connect the Oguta Lake Resort to enhance access to this international tourism haven.
“Mr. Speaker, we have also paid attention to the rural road construction. Essentially, we have harnessed resources and paid N500Million counterpart funding to the World Bank and so attracted N13.5 billion from the Bank, under its Rural Access and Mobility Project (RAMP). A cumulative distance of 380.7 kilometers is already under construction across 26 local government areas under this programme.
He said lives of the people of the State have also received the attention of his government
“Similarly, we have given priority attention to the security of lives and property in the State. The Operation Iron Gate is on course and has significantly brought down the level of insecurity we met at the inception of this administration. In this regard, we have directly engaged special units of security agencies including anti-cult and anti-kidnapping units. We have also held security summits on flash points in the State and mapped out special policing strategies for the areas. Likewise we have activated an emergency call centre which has enhanced rapid response to security alerts. In the same manner we have acquired special gadgets to help forestall the menace of these undesirable elements in our society. Currently, we are effectively participating in a collaborative manner with sister states in the South East towards strengthening regional security. Tellingly, we are coordinating this effort.
Sports he said, has not been left out in the Rebuild Imo Agenda
“As a government and a people, we have lofty plans for sports development in the State. This is borne out of the well-established pedigree of Imolites as national sporting icons. We are also mindful of the huge sporting potentials amongst our people and are determined to mine these talents to the overall benefit of the State. On this score, we are investing heavily in upgrading our sports infrastructure such as the rehabilitation of Dan Anyiam and the Grasshoppers’ stadia. We are also partnering with the local governments in the construction of 27 mini-stadia in the Local Government Areas. Drawing from these investments into sports infrastructure, we would be bidding to host the National Sports Festival for 2022.
Governor Ihedioha revealed plans of his administration to improve the quality of education in the State and give due attention to technology
“As I indicated in my inauguration address, we have commenced the rebuilding and upgrading of the four technical colleges in the State under our Technical & Vocational Education Training (TVET) programme. The beneficiary institutions include Government Technical College Owerri, Ahiara Technical College, Government Technical College Okporo, Orlu and Government Technical College, Osu, Mbano. Our target is that by 2020 we should have hit 60 percent mark of post-Basic students as enrolees in the TVET system.
“In the same vein, we are giving attention to capacity building in technology. For instance, we facilitated training of 200 teachers in Microsoft office and basic internet skills by Digital Bridge Institute – a training arm of the Nigerian Communications Commission – NCC. Similarly, we are in collaboration with Leo Stan Eke Foundation for the training of 5400 Imo Youths in information technology. So far 2300 youths from 13 Local Governments of the State have benefitted from the training. An additional 3100 beneficiaries for the remaining Local Government Areas would proceed for the training in due course.
“Other investments in this sector include training of 250 women in partnership with Microsoft on Computer Coding and Web development, most of whom have already gained employment. Others include 100 Imolites on artificial intelligence and machine learning in partnership with 6-Factor, a California-based tech company. Similarly 2000 youths have been trained on financial technology, in collaboration with e-Transact and Iwuanyanwu Foundation. These programmes are meant to make our people acquire globally competitive skills and therefore more employable. So far, 500 Imo Youths have been trained in sustainable agricultural skills.
Governor Ihedioha also spoke on the success his administration has recorded in offsetting the huge pension bill of pensioners in the State
He said “Mr. Speaker, Honourable members, I am glad to inform you today that what seemed impossible a few months ago has been resolved. Here, I refer to the pension debacle. We have reformed our pension administration system, developed a credible pension data-base following a painstaking verification exercise. Notably, this action has saved Imo State approximately N280m monthly. Accordingly, we have commenced payment of pension arrears.
“It is pertinent to state that payment of salaries and pensions remains the bulk of our recurrent expenditure. Indeed about N3.5b (70% of an estimated N5b from the monthly FAAC receipts) is spent on salaries and pensions. These figures are significantly higher than what was expended by the previous administration, primarily because while they paid workers a reduced sum based on an arbitrary percentage of their earnings and owed pensions, we have not only commenced payment of pension arrears, but also full payment of workers entitlements.
“My fellow compatriots, following these various strategic reforms and fiscal responsibility interventions, Imo State is now in the Open Governance Partnership League. This thus qualifies us for performance-based grants of the World Bank States Fiscal Transparency, Accountability and Sustainability (SFTAS) programme. As a result of these measures, Imo State has gained positive image in the international community and multilateral development institutions.
In his address, Speaker of the Imo State House of Assembly, Chiji Collins, while welcoming the governor, noted that this is his first budget proposal after assuming office.
He reassured of the commitment of his colleagues, irrespective of political party affiliations, adding that, “the indelible achievements Governor has recorded since assumption of office is worthy of commendation, despite inheriting a state in ruins with humongous infrastructural and institutional decay”
The Minister for Niger Delta Affairs, Senator Godswill Akpabio has debunked claims that he bribed the Minister for Justice and Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, the sum of $2 Million to stop the swearing-in of the Niger Delta Development Commission board.
Akpabio, through his Chief Press Secretary, Anietie Ekong, said ” I state, categorically, that the allegation is a concoction manufactured from the pit of hell, and a figment of imagination of the author of the fake news”.
Ekong stressed that Point Blank News broke the untrue news, few days after concocting and alleging that the Interim Management of the NDDC had sought the nod of the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, to withdraw the payment of N1.9 Billion for Water Hycinth Contract.
Ekong added that with the look of things, the news medium was contracted by contractors who were scared of the Forensic Audit of the NDDC as ordered by President Muhammadu Buhari, and are bent on truncating Akpabio’s effort by blackmailing him with such grievous allegation without any shred of evidence to back up their claims.
“We wish to state that no amount of sponsored fake news and blackmail would deter Senator Akpabio from doing the right thing as directed by the President. Akapabio has the overwhelming support of the impoverished masses of the Niger Delta who have borne the brunt of underdevelopment of the region over the years”.
Nigeria’s First Lady, Mrs Aisha Buhari, owes Nigerian Women a duty. And, because she is, also, referred to as the mother of the nation, she owes Nigerians a duty.
That duty is to quickly put a disclaimer on the Governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello. It is to roundly condemn him, and publicly rebuke him for stripping women of their dignity and self esteem.
It is an urgent duty. A moral duty. A mother’s duty.
When a child misbehaves, it is the duty of the mother to condemn and chastise that child. One of the reasons we are in this sorry situation as a country, and a people, is that a number of mothers condone their children’s bad behaviour. They condone evil.
Your child with no means of livelihood comes home, suddenly, rich, and you don’t ask questions. Instead, you celebrate him/her as having done you and the family proud. Our late mothers, or grandmothers, who were in the habit of going through our belongings, and asking questions about anything they suspected they did not buy for us, or we couldn’t afford, legally, must be turning in their graves to see the jamboree going on.
Aisha Buhari
Gov. Bello is Mrs. Buhari’s beloved son. And, so, deserves to be chastised by her. She should ask him questions – questions like, “My son, how did you win your election? Did you soil your hands? Did you encourage violence?”
Stories out of Kogi give the impression that Mrs Buhari’s beloved son, Bello, thoroughly misbehaved, and shamed her.
For the records, Bello’s reputation has never smelt of roses. It has always been a burden to his political party, the APC, and all those who conspired to inflict him on Kogites. But it worsened in the run-up to the governorship election held on November 16.
Nigerians always knew that the governorship election in Kogi and Bayelsa would be violent. But nobody expected the level of violence wrought on the people.
The Inspector General of Police, Muhammed Adamu, had told us not to worry. He had promised us the police would be on top of everything. He had said any ballot box snatcher risked being shot. He had more than hinted such people would lose their lives. So, why should anybody have worried?
To reassure us, the IGP unleashed an unbelievable number of Policemen to both states for election duty – over 30,000 per state. There were, also thousands of security personnel from the military, immigration, customs, road safety, etc. So, some comfort?
Perish the thought.
Security personnel, along with INEC, delivered, to us the most despicable election in the history of Nigeria. Aside from the heist that was brazenly carried out, in some cases, in connivance with, and in the presence of security personnel, guns cracked like claps of thunder. Bullets flew from left, right and centre. Voters ran helter- skelter to save their lives. Policemen and soldiers, allegedly, joined in the snatching and stuffing of ballot boxes.
Why?, you ask in shock.
Yahaya Bello
And the answer came from no less a person than the IGP himself.
He is the head of the Police, in charge of our internal security, who had deployed more than 60, 000 Policemen for the election. He, it was, who assured Nigerians of a peaceful election. And now, there he was, embarrassingly, telling Nigerians that fake policemen overwhelmed and over-ran the policemen he deployed.
The IGP did not quite put it that way. But he looked Nigerians in the face, and told them that those who snatched ballot boxes, and shot to high heavens, killing and maiming innocent Nigerians, and scared voters from exercising their voting rights, were fake policemen.
So, one is tempted to ask: Where were the IGP’s police? From where did the fake police get the uniforms? Where did they spring from? How come they were not confronted by the IGP’s Police? Or, did they run away on seeing the fake ones? Lord, have mercy. What was the use in deploying policemen if they were going to be there while fake policemen held sway? How many of the fake policemen were arrested and interrogated?
Both Kogi and Bayelsa suffered the same fate – the same scenario for which winners should not be proud. The same blood stained victory.
In many places, there was no voting. No election. Most Nigerians know the truth, and for that, are not proud of the outcome.
So, why am I calling on the First Lady to disclaim Bello, the INEC-declared winner of the Kogi governorship election, and not Bayelsa’s David Lyon too.
It is because Kogi state was not only engulfed in violence that defied all understanding, women were also inexplicably targets of the violence that gave Bello victory.
Natasha Akpoti
For the records, Kogi’s war against women started before the election.
The first target was the governorship candidate of the Social Democratic Party, SDP, Natasha Hadiza Akpoti.
Beautiful. Articulate. Sure-footed. BIunt. Bold. Full of confidence, Akpoti just wanted to exercise her right as a free Nigerian citizen – her right to vote, and be voted for.
She just wanted to try her luck. Who knows? She posed no threat to any of the two main candidates of the APC and the PDP.
I did not expect her to win. I wonder if anybody sincerely expected her to win, or make any impact. Not even her followers. Indeed, I wonder if she expected she would win.
But Akpoti was fun to watch, and listen to. In the land of beasts, she was the human face. She was harmless. She had followers who just loved to see her beautiful face, and hear her well articulated message. None of those was going to translate into votes.
Yet, she was a target for thugs, allegedly, loyal to Bello. Her opponents did not like her voice. Or her face. Mere seeing her face and/or hearing her voice irritated them.
When the court threw out her disqualification by INEC, Bello and his supporters, according to her, promised her hell on earth. She had accused Bello of plotting to kill her. What befell her confirmed there was fire in the smoke she saw, and cried out about.
Her office and the headquarters of her political party, the SDP, were burnt down. Everything in sight, including computers and fans and chairs and documents were razed.
Akpoti alleged that the razing of her office and party headquarters was the handiwork of Bello’s men. She alleged that the mayhem was supervised by armed Policemen who made sure nothing was saved.
The reason for that wicked deed was because she is a woman – a common woman. So, how dared she challenge Bello and co. in a contest. A mere woman, why should she want to be a governor?
In all that, I never heard about, or read any condemnation of the evil that was being done to Akpoti from First Lady Aisha Buhari. Not from any of Bello’s harem. Not from Dame Pauline Tallen, Minister for Women Affairs. And, not from the leadership of the National Council of Women Societies.
And, well, not from the President, Muhammadu Buhari.
I may be wrong, but I am not sure the Police arrested anybody for that infamy.
But Akpoti’s ordeal was just beginning. A worse experience was to come.
And, it came soon, unbelievably, before the IGP, Governor Bello, the Chairman of INEC , and the cream of Kogi’s political stakeholders.
The IGP and INEC had arranged a peace meeting with the leadership of all political parties and their candidates. Akpoti was one of them.
But they wouldn’t let her in. As she made to enter, all hell was let loose. Thugs, allegedly, loyal to the APC, swooped on her. They booed her. They called her names. A free woman. You know, once Nigerian men call a woman a free woman, they think they have killed her. Yet, not a few of them patronise the red light.
So, they called Akpoti a free woman. They molested her. To save the day, Policemen present, threw tear gas at them, which even affected their IGP.
Akpoti was prevented from being part of that meeting. Yet, nobody was arrested.
Mrs Buhari must either have read about these, or heard about them. But she said not a word against the intimidation and humiliation of one of the few women, bold enough to dare contest a political office.
Instead, the First Lady went to Lokoja to campaign for Bello’s victory. She went to ask Kogites to vote for Bello. She made excuses for Bello’s failures, and promised better days ahead for the people, under Bello. She did not condemn the harassment and intimidation of Akpoti. She did not ask them to leave Akpoti alone. If she had, perhaps, the grossly murder of the Kogi PDP woman leader, Salome Abuh, might not have happened.
Salome Abuh
Election day, and with all the violence and incredible things that followed, Bello was declared winner. It was a victory soaked in violence, molestation and blood. A victory stained.
But, worse was to come.
In victory, the violence against women in Kogi did not abate. It worsened.
It went beyond cursing, calling of names and molestation to the killing of Mrs Abuh. She was murdered in a most cruel manner, in her house.
This woman was inside her house, her home, when political thugs set her house ablaze. They stopped her from coming out. So she screamed, and screamed until she died in a most horrifying manner. No help came.
Bello issued a half-hearted condemnation of the evil deed, a couple of days later. There was no word from Mrs Buhari, Minister Tallen, or the NCWS. And no arrests.
But 24 hours after President Buhari found it in him to ask the police to fish out Abuh’s killers, almost a week after the deed, Police announced the arrest of six people, allegedly, connected to her murder.
The interpretation some people are giving it is that the Police was waiting for the President’s marching order before going after the killers. That did not want to spill the milk, unless given a green light to do so.
True or false, the truth is that women politicians, unless those in Bello’s party, and those who agree with him, are not safe in Bello’s Kogi State. They are endangered.
For what happened to Akpoti and Abuh, nobody should have congratulated Bello. The stained victory should not have been celebrated at all. But Bello celebrated in a big way.
He went to Aso Rock, and was given a red carpet reception. He took victory photographs holding a Certificate of Return, soaked in blood, with the President and the embattled APC National Chairman, Adam’s Oshiomhole. And they were all grinning from ear to ear. How could they?
Mrs Buhari has not publicly congratulated Bello. Or has she? She should not.
Not a few Nigerians admire Aisha Buhari for her bluntness. They admire her for speaking truth to power – even when it concerns her husband, his government, and the APC. She is loved for that. They know her as a no-nonsense woman.
She should prove this one more time by putting out a disclaimer on Bello.
She should publicly condemn Bello for what has happened to Akpoti and Abuh in Kogi.
She should not be seen associating with anybody in government who treats women shabbily. Bello did not personally molest Akpoti. He did not personally murder Abuh. But he did nothing to protect them. He condoned the circumstances that led to Akpoti’s humiliation and Abuh’s murder.
An injustice done to one woman is an injustice done to every other woman. Nigeria’s First Lady should show her anger by publicly rebuking Bello. It will be no hate speech.
Aisha is Nigeria’s First Lady, not APC’s First Lady.
As for Tallen, so far, there is no sign that she would champion the cause of women. Perhaps, it is too soon. But she can start now. Let her show she can by insisting that an Akpoti and an Abua must not happen anywhere else.
She is Nigeria’s Minister for Women Affairs, not APC’s Women Affairs Minister.
But back to Mrs Buhari, she has built a reputation. She should never be seen with hater of women, a man who cannot protect women. Give him a red card by issuing a disclaimer on him.
