Former Minister of Aviation, Femi Fani-kayode, has asked the Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo to resign his appointment, having been “Skillfully and technically castrated”. In a series of tweets, Fanni-kayode said that there is one thing left for the vice president to do: Resign.
“Your boss @MBuhari left the country without transferring power to you. You have been stripped of all your power & authority and left with only 5 aides in the Presidency. Your Pol. Advisor has been directed to leave the Villa and report to the Ministry of Information & Culture.
“All the parastatals and agencies that were under you have been taken away and you are no longer involved in helping to determine economic policy. It appears to me that you have been skillfully and clinically castrated! How many more insults will you take before you resign?
“There is only one thing worse than being a spare tyre & that is being a spare tyre that is flat and that can never be used. Must you wait till they hold you by the scruff of the neck and throw you out? Have you no self-respect, honor or dignity left? You deserve to be pitied!”, he tweeted.
President Mohammed Buhari is currently in Russia attending an African summit with Vladmir Putin, leaving the Vice President to preside over the Federal Executive Council meeting in Abuja. It is not clear whether whatever decision arrived at will have to wait for the Approval of President Buhari when he arrives back in the country, judging by the fact that he-Buhari-did not transmit power to the Vice President before his travels.
There is always the tendency to reverse osinbajo’s decisions in Buhari’s absence, even when he has transferred the decisions to him as Acting President. Some of his current travails is said to be because he took decisions against the interest of his principal when he was Acting President.
A Port Harcourt, Rivers State based lawyer, Vincent Chukwu, is being rained with curses by angry Nigerians. They are wishing him the fate of the families of victims of his client – a self-confessed serial killer.
Chukwu incurred their wrath not just because he appeared as the defence Counsel to serial Killer, Gracious David West, but for daring to say that West had “very plausible reasons for killing the women”.
West shook Nigeria by embarking on a serial strangulation, to death, of women. He was, finally, arraigned in a Port Hacourt, Rivers State High Court on Monday.
But standing before Hon. Justice Adolphus Enebeli on Tuesday, after his first appearance on Monday, he shocked not a few when he pleaded guilty to killing more than the number of women earlier thought.
He has always been accused of killing seven women in different hotels – one in Lagos, one in Owerri, and five in Port Harcourt.
During his parade by the Police, on arrest, he confessed: “So far, I have killed five girls in Port Harcourt, one in Owerri, and another in Lagos. I started the killing in Lagos. I took N52,000 from the first girl I killed in Lagos. Thereafter, I went to Port Harcourt, then to Owerri, and later returned to Port Harcourt”
But in court, on Tuesday, he told bewildered listeners that he encountered 10 women, killed nine, and only tied the 10th to a chair.
He pleaded for forgiveness, and said he was possessed, and being pushed by something he had no control over.
Then, he did the unbelievable. He reported the Police to the Judge. He said they seized his things – chain, wrist watch and, the sum of N60,000 from him on arrest. ” Tell them to give them back to me”, he asked of the Judge. Such guys. Nobody in court knew whether to laugh or cry at such request.
The crowd which gathered, to have a glimpse at him, was not angry with him. People had developed an indifferent attitude towards him.
He has pleased guilty in court. So, case closed. That ought to be the natural thing.
But, his lawyer, Chukwu, had a different idea. He felt the guilty plea was not enough to convict him. He says having discussed with him, West had plausible reasons for murdering innocent women. He had a plausible reason for having sex with them, tie them hands and feet, in exchange for their lives, asked them to give him their ATM cards and PIN number, then broke his promise of sparing their lives, and strangled them while they pleaded for their lives?
Chukwu:”The offence in question is a capital offence. Whether my Client did it or not, the presumption is that the prosecution must still prove its case beyond reasonable doubt. So, it is not for the defendant to just say I am guilty and liable, and it ends there.
“Because the punishment is death, the burden is now on the prosecution to go ahead and prove its case, And we are waiting for it.
“My client has a very plausible defence, which we shall open at the appropriate time. We had fruitful deliberations with him in Monday, and we hope for the best in the matter.”
That was the submission that angered some people. Said one outraged young woman who identified herself as Rose: “This lawyer is speaking grammar. He is saying that this killer has a plausible reason. I don’t blame him. If his sister was killed, he won’t be here speaking grammar. I wish him the pains of the families.”
Another, Cecilia, said, “I curse this man. Where did he come from?”
“Blood of Jesus”, exclaimed another. “This lawyer is even defending the killer. He is looking for reasons to justify this heartlessness”.
An elderly man insisted: “Do you know how much he would earn? I don’t blame him. Perhaps, he has no sisters. Lawyers should fear God. They must not defend every case”
But one Mr Green directed his anger at the Judiciary. “This killer has pleaded guilty. Why are they wasting time. Why is the case adjourned? It is a simple case. If you leave them, it will last for ten years.”
But another cautioned: “The Judge knows what he is doing. He cannot convict him just like that, even though he has pleaded guilty. Everything should be documented, else Human Rights people will say nobody gave him fair hearing”
Hon. Justice Enebeli adjourned the case for further hearing, while the Rivers State Government took over the prosecution.
Let me start by asking for a favour that would send a message to all arrogant, political emperors.
Irrespective of party or religious affiliation, the people of Kogi State owe Nigeria a duty. They owe democracy a duty. And it is a sacred duty. Please, throw Yahaya Bello, your Governor, out of office. Deny him a second term in office.
In the history of our wobbling democracy, only a few Governors have been denied a second term in office, either by the people or, their political parties. On this November 16, the day of the Kogi State Governorship election, Yahaya Bello should join this exclusive club of “One Termers”.
I don’t know where Bello was when Nigerians were fighting for democracy. I don’t know where he was when many of them trooped to the streets to fight for democracy. I don’t know where he was when many were forced into exile. I don’t know where he was when many were herded into jail on trumped-up charges. I don’t know where he was when many lost their lives – all for the sake of democracy. I mean, I never heard his name, not even as a foot soldier. But, this, I know: Bello is destroying everything that was fought for. And he is doing so in a brazen manner.
For me, here is the irony. When Bello was drafted to reap where he did not sow, I knew it was untidy. I had no doubt in my mind that the process which produced him stank to high heaven. There was no capable shadow of doubt that when Abubakar Audu, the APC candidate, who had already won the election, suddenly died before the result was announced, his running mate, Hon. James Faleke, ought to have stepped into his shoes. But, in politics, especially here, nothing is straight. It has to be crooked at some point. So, Bello, inexplicably, stepped in.
Yet, I didn’t quite condemn him, publicly.
Here is why.
I am a fan of not-too-young to run. So, I looked at Bello. Young. Good looking. Energetic. Full of life. Cosmopolitan. And, I said to myself: Why not? Let him be the face of the youths. But my disappointment came too soon. It is, really, not my business, but I was taken aback when I heard he had about three wives, or more. And, I was like: What time will he have for the state?
Then, stories began to hit like claps of thunder. There was so much work to do, but Bello was always out of Lokoja. Abuja became his main base. And he was like a visitor in the State. He declared President Muhammadu Buhari his father. No problem.Given the Nigerian way, The President is the father of us all. But Bello feels he has more claim over the President than even Governor Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna state. He, always, was by his father’s side, and had little or no time for Kogi. Lokoja remained what it was since my primary school. Confluence town. The meeting point of two great rivers. But no development.
Yahaya Bello, Kogi State Governor.
Bello left the state infrastructure-deficit. The people complained no end. Nothing is working. But Bello is a success in one department. He succeeded in becoming an all-conquering Emperor, intolerant of any opposition, or criticism. He crushed the opposition. A number of his loyalist jumped ship. And told the world: “the state is gasping for breath”. Contracts claimed to have been done were fictitious, they claimed, just on paper.
At a point, Bello descended on the Judiciary. The Chief Judge, Hon. Justice Nasir Ajanah, became his target. His Lordship, forgetting Bello’s status as an Emperor, tried to exhibit some kind of independence. Bello took an exception to that. He decided to throw Ajanah out. He succeeded, almost, but His Lordship was saved by the NJC.
Now, Yahaya Bello has descended on Nigeria’s Constitution. And has just rubbished it. He has, in defiance of the Constitution, thrown his Deputy, Simon Achuba, out of office. In connivance with a lilly-livered House of Assembly, he impeached Achuba. In his place, he swore-in Edward Onoja. And, shamelessly, Onoja’s first pronouncement was to “thank God for Achuba’s mistakes” which paved the way for him to become the new Deputy.
Achuba had a running battle with his boss, Bello. The House of Assembly served him an impeachment notice. The Chief Judge, Ajanah, set up an investigative panel to look into the many allegations levelled against Achuba. It was headed by John Baiyeshea, SAN.
The panel sat fully and, courageously, gave Achuba a clean bill of health. The Assembly, the Panel said, could neither prove its case, nor present documents. There were no witnesses. Four charges were not substantiated. Two pleadings were abandoned. Achuba was discharged and acquitted. Still, the House impeached him, and cleared Bello’s nominee, Onoja. Inexplicably, Chief Judge Ajanah swore Onoja in. Friends, now?
But, here’s what Section 188 (8) of Nigeria’s Constitution says:
“Where the Panel reports to the House of Assembly that the allegation has not been proved, no further proceedings should be taken in respect of the matter”.
For the records, I am not in support of Achuba. I am not a lawyer. But, I’m still wondering why Achuba was not found guilty by the panel. Perhaps, because, the House took things for granted, and did not care to defend its case. They knew the Emperor-governor would bully his way through. Otherwise, to me, Achuba is as guilty as hell.
I listened to him each time he was interviewed on Television. I read him in the print media. I think he suffers from a diarrhea of the mouth. He over-spoke, and also mis-spoke. He held nothing back. He accused his boss of incompetence. He said his boss had no capacity for the job. He said the state was at a standstill. He talked about contracts, allegedly, given, money paid, but not done. Meaning: Fictitious contracts. He talked about salaries and allowances owed him. He talked about killings and violence in the State. And, at one point, almost, pointed accusing fingers at the governor over such killings.
Everybody knows that Deputy Governors in Nigeria are anonymous. They are decorations. They are only as powerful as their governors make them. The Governors’ Chiefs of Staff and Secretaries to the Government are more relevant to them than their Deputies. Indeed, in some states, some Commissioners are more relevant than the Deputies.
So, if you are a Deputy, and you don’t like the situation, you should quit. I don’t know how Achuba expected to still be working with Bello after running his mouth ever so often. He was no longer loyal. A ship has only one Captain. Not two. You cannot remain in office, and fight your boss.
Achuba should have quit on his own. In Bello’s shoes, I wouldn’t keep him. I would have booted him out. But legally.
Bello is under attack because he brazenly breached the Constitution. Once the Panel did not find Achuba guilty, he should have been left alone, and be treated like the outcast he reduced himself to. Don’t invite him to meetings. Don’t consult him on anything. Pay him his entitlements but, reduce him to reading newspapers in the office.
Bello had endured Achuba for almost four years. To respect the Constitution, it wouldn’t have killed him to endure Achuba a couple of months more. The election is on November 16. In February, the winner will be sworn-in. Whether Bello wins or not, Achuba wouldn’t be there. So, why slap the Constitution with impunity?
It is for this impunity that Bello should be shown the way out of office. If he wins, he would do worse than what he has been doing. He will become an Emperor of the worst order. He could wake up one day and sack the State Assembly. No jokes. Did he not try to sack Chief Judge Ajanah illegally? And that’s where His Lordship has surprised me.
This same Chief Judge set up a Panel to investigate the allegations against Achuba. The Panel he set up turned in a-no guilty verdict. Yet, Justice Ajanah swore-in Onoja. Has anybody written a petition against him yet? I hope so. The NJC should take note. And so should the Police Authorities.
Achuba says the Police in Kogi treated him like a common criminal. He alleged he was kept under house arrest, and his water and power supply cut-off, while the Police supervised. Nobody could gk out or leave his official quaters. When he put on his power generating set, it was also cut off. Under whose order? IGP Adamu should ask questions.
Bello, the Chief Judge, and members of the House of Assembly all swore to protect the Constitution.
Yet, they thought nothing of desecrating it. The Police should help keep the law. Not help to break it.
Those who should shudder choose to remain dumb. Only the NBA, some SANs and well, the PDP are talking. What is President Buhari’s stand on this? Or, is it a family affair? I think not. It is a slap on the Constitution.
Achuba has gone to court. It may be of no use. The case could take the next five years. Nobody cares.
He should ask Sir Jude Agbaso. He was illegally impeached as the Deputy Governor of Imo State within two years in office, under then Governor Rochas Okorocha. Unlike Achuba, Agbaso was loyal. He never ran his mouth. Just a victim of power-play. So, he went to court. It’s been six years, and the case is still in court. It’s frustrating.
In the instant case, only Kogites can rise in anger. They owe that to democracy. The state is theirs. They should vote out impunity and arrogance.
On November 16, they should send Yahaya Bello home. He deserves it.
About a month after Atiku’s lawyers filed an appeal against the Judgment of the Appeal Court in Abuja, the Supreme Court is yet constitute the panel to look into the appeal.
The Supreme Court is expected to constitute about seven Justices to hear the case.
There has been verbal altercations being thrown between the Supreme Court and coalition of Opposition parties, who had accused the Chief Justice of the Federation of yielding to pressures from the Presidency to abandon the age old precedent of using the seven most senior members of the bench in the Apex Court in the constitution of the panel. The Supreme court allegedly broke tradition and joined issues with the opposition parties, while the ruling party lent its support to the presidency.
The Supreme Court technically did not deny the allegation, according to the coalition of opposition parties.
The first seven Supreme Court Justices include the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Muhammed Tanko, Justice Rhodes-Vivour, Justice Mary Odili, Justice Sylvester Ngwuta, Justice Olukayode Ariwoola, Justice Musa Muhammad and Justice Kumai Akaahs.
The non-constitution of the Supreme Court was also recently lampooned by the Peoples democratic party caucus in the House of representatives. In there statement last week, they insisted on precedence being followed.
“Chief Justices of Nigeria through time have never in the selection of the Supreme Court’s Election Petition Appeal Panel surrendered to the phony dictates of the ruling parties”, they said in their joint communiqué.
“In 2008 when President Buhari, defeated by late President Umaru Yar’Adua, appealed the decision of the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal, the then Chief Justice, Legbo Kutigi, empaneled Justices Katsina-Alu, Aloma Mukhtar, Dahiru Musdapha, Walter Onnoghen, George Oguntade and Niki Tobi to hear the appeal that year.
“He was never dictated to, nor was any attempt made by our great party to influence CJN Justice Legbo Kutigi, who stuck to a conventional practice that consistently secured the seal of approval of past Chief Justices: CJN Fatai Williams, 1979; CJN George Sowewimo, 1983; and CJN Muhammad Uwais, 2003.
“CJN Katsina-Alu also followed CJN Kutigi’s steps in 2011 and kept to the age-long conventional practice. If there is any arm of government that regards precedents and practices as almost sacrosanct, it is the judiciary. Nigerian Judiciary cannot reverse that internationally accepted practice of stare decisis just to please A.P.C government and serve the interest of a select individual or group.
“Selecting the Supreme Court Panel isn’t about witch-pricking-pricking Justices who suck the blood out of justice isn’t about going outside the order of seniority to select Justices, witch-prickers, without independent jurisprudential thoughts and whose singular attribute for selection is that they demonstrate permanent dislike for justice and passion for doing the bidding of power.
“Surely, selection, Shorn off pressure and influence of the government and the present ruling party, is about demonstrating and holding firm to the constitutional powers of the Supreme Court to conduct its own affairs and not succumb to pervasive power and corrosive external influences.
“To sidestep precedents and convention is to provide legitimacy to the ruling party whose stock-in-trade is ridiculing the judiciary. Chief Justice Ibrahim Tanko must stick to precedents and conventions to preserve the integrity of the courts as the last hope of the common man and of citizens of our great country.
“We are, however, gladdened that on Monday 14th October 2019 through its Director, Press, and Information, Dr. Festus Akande, the Supreme Court refuted this intent and reassured the Nigerian public that it is out to “Serve the interest of the generality of the Nigerian masses and not select individuals or groups. We, therefore, pray and hope that the Supreme Court does not allow itself to fall into this gobble trap.”
The current favorable disposition towards Nigeria is once again reflected in their ranking on the ease of doing business released Thursday by the World Bank. In a released ranking, Nigeria is now ranked 131 out of 190 countries. They were previously ranked 116, hence the country has moved 15 places in ranking rung.
Only recently, the World body approved a loan of $3 billion for the power sector in Nigeria, which may apparently indicate increase in confidence on Nigeria.
“Only two Sub-Saharan African economies rank in the top 50 on the ease of doing business rankings while most of the bottom 20 economies in the global rankings are from the region”, the Bank said, adding that Nigeria conducted reforms impacting six indicators, including making the enforcement of contracts easier, which placed the 200-million-person economy among the world’s top improvers.
“Compared to other parts of the world, Sub-Saharan Africa still underperforms in several areas. In getting electricity, for example, businesses must pay more than 3,100% per cent of income per capita to connect to the grid, compared to just over 400% in the Middle East and North Africa or 272% per cent in Europe and Central Asia.
“When it comes to trading across borders and paying taxes, businesses spend about 96 hours to comply with documentary requirements to import, versus 3.4 hours in OECD high-income economies, and small and medium-sized businesses in their second year of operation need to pay taxes more than 36 times a year, compared to an average of 23 times globally” , the Bank said.
It takes far more than 96 hours to process import papers at the Nigerian Dockyards. Investigations show it takes weeks in some cases, and importers pay demurrage on the delay caused by bureaucracy.
The import process in Nigerian coastal waters is so high that most importers prefer to use the Cotonou seaport, which is smaller and cheaper. They then import the products from there into Nigeria. This has made Benin republic the country with the highest importation of cars-the annual import of cars far exceed the small country’s population.
The closure of Nigeria’s borders have been cautiously hailed by the International Monetary Fund, IMF.
The Brenton wood organization , according to experts, responds to the whims of the world powers, including the United states. Analysts posit that Nigeria should expect more favorable deals from the West and America, judging from the current resurgence of cold war between the United states and Russia. China is also expected to soften their terms as a counterpoise to the wooing of Africans by the Russia.
African countries are now meeting in Russia with president Putin. Nigeria’s president Buhari is said to be negotiating train contracts as well as resuscitating the Ajeokuta steel complex-a contract the Russians were initially involved in, and which the engineering documentations were written only in Russian language to prevent technology transfer. This, according to analysts, accounts for why the contract died after the Russians left.
Nigeria’s hip hop star, Azeez Fashola, populat as Naira Marley was among a list stars that smiled to the bank after performing last Saturday, alongside Burna Boy, Davido, Tiwa Savage at the 02 Arena in London at the Starfest show organized by Wizkid.
But while Marley was enjoying himself at the show, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC back home in Nigeria, was compiling evidence to send him to jail over allege credit card fraud and other offenses.
The anti- graft agency eventually found one fool-proof- evidence that could be used to put the controversial Marley behind bars for many years.
In the evidence presented before a high court in Lagos, the EFCC said the RnB star could be part of a big credit card syndicate that defrauds foreign nationals.
The EFCC, told the court on Wednesday that stolen credit card information issued by European, American and Latin American banks were retrieved from a laptop allegedly belonging to the musician.
An Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) forensics expert, Nuru Buhari, told Justice Nicholas Oweibo that some of the credit card information belonged to four persons in the United Kingdom (UK) including one Nicole Louise.
“During analysis, the cache file and history file revealed that the most frequently visited sites by the user of the computer include arder007.org, Zuni.sa, nationwidecheckbalance.co.uk, ferunshop.net AMD cocoa.co.uk.
Analysis of the websites revealed that web 1 is where stolen card information is sold to intending fraudsters, web 2 is for stolen credit cards specifically for the UK, web 3 is an online website designed for UK cardholders to check their balance wherever they are around the world, web 4 is a dark web meaning an underground tunnel in the internet where stolen credit card information is sold and traded, web 5 is an online shopping mall where members are given discounts for shopping from certain shops,” the EFCC witness said.
Most of the applications found on Marley’s laptop, the witness also stated indicated that he has been trying to dupe unsuspecting victims.
He explained that suspicious apps that are mostly used by people with shady deals on the Internet were found on the laptop.
The court was also informed that an analysis of the administrator account on the laptop revealed that the admin is one Naira Marley and the account was connected to his iCloud account.
Also at the hearing, EFCC prosecution counsel Oyedepo tendered the request for the analysis of the Apple Mac book Pro laptop, an iPhone allegedly confiscated from the defendant and the forensic laboratory report prepared by Buhari.
The musician was arrested on May 10, by operatives of the commission alongside others “in relation to advance fee fraud — Internet-related cases and all of that. Give me a little time and I will get you the details,” the EFCC said.
According to EFCC spokesman “Intelligence report had also linked them to cybercrime offence.
They were arrested along with: Tiamiu Abdulrahman Kayode, Adewunmi Adeyanju Moses and Abubakar Musa.
The case has been adjourned to tomorrow when Justice Oweibo will hear cross-examination of the witness.
Though engaged in a fierce battle for the soul of Edo, ahead gubernatorial election in the state next year, Governor Godwin Obaseki and his estranged political godfather and predecessor, Adam Oshiohmole, who is also the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, APC, are both in a quagmire as to how to avoid being consumed politically by their tiff, this magazine can authoritatively reveal.
Caught Between the Devil and Deep Sea
Obaseki and Oshiohmole are caught between the devil and the deep sea. Watchers of the unfolding dogfight between godfather and godson say a pragmatic approach is needed to resolve the logjam else, both men lose head and tail.
While Oshiohmole is not averse to giving his estranged godson the Ambode treatment by denying him the APC return ticket, The Source learnt that the APC boss is also wary of provoking an electoral upset in the state.
“Oshiohmole is aware, and also concerned that his unnecessary plots to stop Obaseki’s second term is capable of delivering Edo to the laps of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP on a platter of gold. He is worried that if APC loses Edo, the moral fibre to cling to office as the National Chairman of the APC would have been severely eroded”, an APC stalwart, who described himself as “non- aligned” , situated the unsettling dilemma starring the former governor in the face.
He told The magazine that the duo were headed for mutually assured destruction, politically, unless they allow common sense to prevail.
On Obaseki’s part, reliable Government House sources confided in the Magazine that the governor, despite his boasts of having the Edo APC in his pocket, and optimistic of winning the party’s guber ticket for the election, is actually scared stiff about the likelihood of being shut out of contention for the ticket at the eleventh hour, by which time the PDP, alleged to be his joker, would have closed the door against him by fielding a candidate.
The Plots, the Consequences
The Source gathered that Oshiohmole’s supporters are pressurising him to strike at Obaseki when he least expected a sucker punch.
One of the cards on the table is said to be the dissolution of the Edo chapter of the party, currently loyal to Obaseki, a few months to the primary and, constitute an interim Executive wholly loyal to the APC National Chairman.This Interim Executive will then, immediately, announce the expulsion of the governor from the party.
It is on the basis of his expulsion that Obaseki will be excluded from the primary election to select the APC flag bearer.
Fear of Backlash
However, some loyalists of the former governor are against the anti- Obaseki moves.They insist that the backlash will ultimately destroy the party’s chances at the polls. The fear is that if Obaseki is denied the APC ticket and misses that of the PDP he will assiduously work to destroy the APC and ensure it is defeated.
One of Oshiohmole’s supporters told this magazine: “Remember Obaseki is a sitting governor with enormous war chest. Also remember that he, who is already down, fears no fall. He will certainly unleash venom on our party if he is shabilly treated. Edo is not Lagos and not everybody is as meek and clawless as Ambode who gave up without a fight”.
At the Heart of the Spat
Repeated denials from the Oshiohmole camp notwithstanding, very reliable sources close to the two protagonists, confirm that at the heart of the crisis is Obaseki’s refusal to dispense patronage to party loyalists and thugs loyal to Oshiohmole who helped to rig him (Obaseki) into power in 2016.
Frank Okiye: Will he be the sacrificial offering for peace?
Tony Adun, also known as Tony Kabaka, an APC stakeholder in Edo, who claimed he was among those who made Obaseki’s victory possible, but now part of the forces against the governor, gave filip to the above in an interview with Punch newspaper recently: “The fact is that, when people support you, you get them involved in boards, committees and give them contracts”
The former governor is also said to be offended by Obaseki’s effrontery in installing Frank Okiye as Speaker of the State House of Assembly.
Having installed his godsons as governor(Obaseki.) and deputy governor (Philip Shaibu), the APC National Chairman reportedly thought it wise to complete the take- over by installing the Speaker. He, however, got a rude shock when Obaseki decided to assert his independence by proclaiming the House in the wee hours of the morning only with 10 members loyal to him, and got Okiye installed as Speaker.
“Obaseki actually preempted his godfather and beat him to his own game. Oshiomole’s plan was to seize the House as soon as it was proclaimed with all the members-elect sitting and then impose his stooge as Speaker” , The Source was informed.
The magazine was told that Oshiohmole saw all these as an affront as he regards himself not only as Obaseki’s godfather but the godfather of Edo politics.
“He sees himself something akin to Bola Tinubu of Lagos who every politician in Edo must pay obeisance to and take instructions from”, a party insider told the magazine.
He further confided: “Oshiohmole never envisaged Obaseki’s stubbornness after he got him into power. Of course, both men knew that if the September 2016 guber election in the state had been free and fair- one man/woman one vote- the PDP candidate, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, would have beaten Oshiohmole and his godson silly”
Peace Moves and the Option Before Obaseki, Oshiohmole
Some party chieftains told this magazine in Benin that the APC is headed for oblivion unless Oshiohmole and Obaseki sheath their swords, shift grounds and, reach a compromise before the election.
Failure to do this, they predicted, will lead to the castration, politically, of the two men following the eventual death of APC in the state.
“I can tell you that the PDP has been waxing strong here as a result of the crisis. Many of our members (APC) are simply waiting in the wings to turn coat. Others are secretly working for the PDP. Many of them are neither for Oshiohmole nor Obaseki.They are just tired of the crisis. If the guber election is held today, PDP will carry the day with a wide margin, an APC stalwart told The Source.
It has been gathered, however, that some concerned, non partisan, elders in the state are working towards an amicable resolution of the crisis by getting both parties to agree to a compromise.
The peace formula may see Okiye stepping down for a Speaker to be produced by Oshiohmole in exchange for the adoption of Obaseki as Edo APC’s sole candidate for next year’s election.
The governor is also to make some boards and political appointments to accommodate cronies of the APC National Chairman.
The controversial new minimum wage implementation may take off April 18, 2019, if feelers from the the Federal Executive Council, FEC, is to be believed.
The FEC meeting Wednesday, presided over by Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo, has among other things deliberated on the N30,000 minimum wage. Recently, government and Labor leaders agreed on the all issues pertaining to the minimum wage issues. Labor later called off the strike action it proposed as a back up if there was no truce with the federal government.
But Labour had insisted that the Minimum wage payment must be backdated to five months ago, a request that the decision of the FEC may have agreed to.
Osinbajo has directed the salaries and wages commission to communicate the template of the approved consequential in crease in salaries to both the state and local governments for implementation.
Many states had, however, expressed unwillingness to pay the new wage, citing financial crunch as reason.
It is not clear whether the Vice President will authenticate the decision or wait for President Buhari to come back since Buhari’s trip was a short one and there was no need to transmit a letter for the Vice president to take decisions in acting capacity.
Before now, many people including me never knew the importance of seeds. However, a different perspective was introduced by an expert for better appreciation of seeds and this is worth sharing. Without seeds, there cannot be life. This was the position of the 61st inaugural lecturer of the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNAAB), Ogun State, Prof. Dupe Akintobi of the Department of Plant Breeding and Seed Technology, College of Plant Science and Crop Production (COLPLANT) of the institution.
The inaugural lecturer, who is a Professor of Seed Science and Technology, stated that for profitable agricultural business and farming enterprise to take firm root in Nigeria, as a way of making agriculture the mainstay of the country’s economy, much effort should be concentrated at acquiring high-quality seeds that are genetically-pure and free from seed-borne diseases while also ensuring best environment. The title of the lecture was “Seed: Source of Life, Prosperity and Pain” and it was graced by eminent internal and external community members.
According to Prof. Akintobi, any agribusiness entrepreneur, who does not adequately factor seed as a critical input in the crop production cycle in determining the upper limit of the entire production output, is not in for serious business. She enumerated the major production constraints to include an inadequate supply of certified seeds, poor government policy, varietal erosion, exploitation by seed dealers, illiteracy, poor seed storage infrastructure and the avalanche of fake seeds in the market. “There is even a new scenario now where people sell fake seeds, but thank God for the National Seeds Council of Nigeria (NASC), which has nipped this in the bud by getting the government to sign the seed bill into law in Nigeria”, she stated.
“In 2010/2011, during my sabbatical leave at NASC, one of my novel research breakthroughs in that year was the development of locally-made germination material from unused newspaper sheets that has water-absorbing capacity and a tensile strength of 50% of that of the imported paper towels, which when sterilised and used in sheets of six, instead of the three for the imported ones, produced seed-germination results comparable, if not better, than the imported ones. This was compared with the various substrate materials, using different seeds to test for seed germination. Thus, a sterilised, unused newspaper sheet, which is cheaper, readily and locally-available has replaced imported paper towels, as a substratum for seed germination. I am glad to announce that by this break-through, NASC now uses it all over Nigeria and some West African countries as well as by PBST staff and students”, she added.
Prof. Akintobi, who disclosed that she was the first female lecturer in COLPLANT, lamented the high cost of innovative technological inputs for crop production, which she said were not affordable to most farmers. For seed to be a source of life and prosperity in Nigeria rather than source of pain, her recommendations in this regard include an urgent need to bridge the gap between seed adoption and replacement, to strengthen the seed sector by ensuring the supply of improved seeds ahead of demand in terms of both quality and quantity; the need for research funding, especially seed equipment, which is lacking in all agricultural institutions in Nigeria; and the imperative for leaders in all tiers of government to endeavour to fund agricultural research in collaboration with other stakeholders, among others.
The Vice-Chancellor of FUNAAB, Prof. Felix Salako, who chaired the event, described the inaugural lecturer as an outstanding scholar and renowned researcher that is committed to the girl-child development and advocacy for the rights of the Nigerian child. The Vice-Chancellor, who is a Fellow, Soil Science Society of Nigeria (FSSSN) and from COLPLANT, admonished students of the university to be free to discuss their challenges with their lecturers,.
Before the inaugural lecture, ASSN had called for speedy commercialisation of Genetically Modified (GM) seeds to increase agricultural productivity and promote sustainable development in the country. The association call was made during its fourth annual conference of ASSN, held at the Federal University of Technology, Akure (FUTA), as members charged the government to make available GM seeds to the Nigerian farmers for improved productivity in farm yields. At the occasion, Prof. Akintobi, who is President of ASSN, stated that seed is the gem of every plant life and a major agricultural requirement that determines productivity. She stressed the need for the use of quality seeds in modern agricultural practices, adding that quality seeds would determine the benchmark or upper limit of the effectiveness of other agricultural inputs.
Prof. Akintobi was the pioneer Coordinator of the Diploma and Certificate Programmes (DICEP), under the former Centre for Human Resources Development (CENHURD) now the Institute for Human Resources Development (INHURD) for about five years. She is the first African woman under the Women Leaders in Agriculture and Environment (AWLAE) programme. Prof. Akintobi attended the University of Ibadan, California State University, University of Ife (now Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife), Mississippi State University, University of Illinois, and California Poly University, United States of America. She is also a member of the African Crop Science Society, Agricultural Society of Nigeria, Nigerian Hortscience Association, Nigerian Cassava Growers’ Association, African Women Leaders in Agriculture and Environment, Farm Management Association of Nigeria, and Nigerian Society for Plant Protection, among others.
In the final analysis, what should be a major take-home from the lecture of the don is the way forward for agricultural production in the country. Unfortunately, many research findings continue to gather dust on the shelves without making use of them for national development. There are many researchers, scholars, and academics doing one study or the other with tangible results. What have we done with them over the years? We need to take a stock of the piles of research outputs idling away in solving many of Nigeria’s problems. Our leaders and policy makers should look inward, to make things work for the nation. This time around, let’s begin with the seeds.
Indications are that the Federal Government has finally fixed a deadline for the reopening of the Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu. The deadline is now Easter 2020.
Initially, there were no indications of a deadline for the reopening of the Airport that the Federal government had claimed was closed for security reasons. Even now, workers are reportedly yet to be mobilized to site.
But the minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika, had claimed that the Airport was previously slated to be reopened by December to accommodate the Christmas rush-a statement that appears to be an afterthought since there was no indications that work would even have commenced before then.
Experts have contended that the renovations, at standard pace, should take about one month to round up.
Sirika, who made the statement when he was answering questions from Honorable Members in the House of representatives Tuesday complained that the Presidency is yet to release the approved N10 billion for the project. Judging from precedents, it is doubtful if the full amount will be released to the Ministry, or that it will be released on time.
Meeting the deadline is dependent on the release of the funds.
Sirika, however, said that the work will not “last beyond Easter and it will be so delivered in such a way that we will treat the Enugu problem once and for all”.
Recall that the Airport was closed down on security reasons without the government putting things in place for the renovation work. It was after the closure that the search even for the contractors, the funding and other issues started. The Aviation Ministry requested for the sum of N10 billion for the rehabilitation work but Federal Government remained uncommitted. It took the South east governors and leaders of thought to go and see President Buhari on the Issue before a policy statement on the rehabilitation was made. The Government then approved the N10 billion requested by the Ministry.
