A deflective strike from Al-Sadd Football Club of Qatar striker, Baghdad Bounedjah, was all the Desert Warriors of Algeria needed to lift the 2019 African Cup of Nations trophy.
Algeria had waited 29 years to lift the illustrious African trophy, having lifted it last on home soil in 1990, defeating the Green Eagles of Nigeria 1-0 in the pulsating encounter.
Like a repeat of AFCON 1990 where the Desert Warriors did a double against Nigeria with a 5-1 defeat in the group stage, before humbling the Coach Clemens Westerhoff turtored side 1-0 in the final.
Same was what played out in the land of the Pharaohs.
The Teranga Lions of Senegal were in same group with Algeria in the group stage. Algeria won 1-0 to cement its position as the group leader. The same scoreline gave the Algerians victory at the Cairo International Stadium.
The 28-day continental showpiece came to a climax amidst fun fare as Algeria became the new king of Africa, forcing Senegal to continue its illusion of winning the trophy some day.
Perhaps, the next two years could see the Teranga Lions winning the continental showpiece, having reached the final twice now.
In 2002 in Mali, Senegal lost 4-3 on penalties to the Indomitable Lions of Cameroon, which was their first ever AFCON final.
Again, in a heartbreaking situation, despite dominating the match against Algeria from the blast of the whistle signalling the commencement of the final till the end, Senegal had to wait another time to lift the trophy.
Rais Mbolhi of Algeria was named the Best Goalkeeper of the competition, having conceeded only two goals throughout the Championship.
21-year old Ismael Bennacer of Algeria was named the Man of the Competition for his exploits and superlative performance throughout the competition inspite his age.
Jude Odion Ighalo of Nigeria won the golden boot award with his five goals at the competition.
Ighalo opened his account at the competition with a sublime finish again at Burundi to announce his intention of winning the coveted highest goal scorer award.
He had to wait till the knockout stages where he recorded a brace against the Indomitable Lions of Cameroon in his team 3-2 win.
Two more goal against Algeria and Tunisia in the semi finals and third place playoff saw him winning the award.
In a bid to solve the Herdsmen crisis that has bedeviled the country, which they tried to do through the Ruga settlement program that has been widely rejected by Nigerians, President Buhari has come up with the idea of granting illegal immigrants free citizenship. Most of the immigrants are suspected to be Fulanis from Mali and other Sahel countries.
In a widely circulated document that was ascribed to Nuhu Ribadu, a former presidential candidate, it was alleged that the current herdsmen crisis was a fallout of illegal immigrants imported by the Northern elites to cause mayhem if Jonathan declares himself winner of the 2015 presidential election. When Buhari won, their welfare was neglected and Mallam Nasir el Rufai, who was in charge of their welfare told them that their services were no longer required. Hence they resorted to terrorism, kidnapping and others as a form of self help. In the ensuing negotiations, they demanded for N150 billion, which the government provided N100 billion. Yet they do not want to leave. Government planned Ruga to settle them but the uproar has been too much. Hence the new order to get them registered as citizens. With this, they have a right to live anywhere in Nigeria.
Ribadu has neither denied nor confirmed authorship of the said document.
Now Buhari has ordered there registration and six month amnesty as bonafide citizens of Nigeria. This, according to an angry analyst, will swell the population of the North and swell their back up security “towards their islamisation agenda”.
Government had admitted that those that were terrorizing the North are from some West African countries, citing Senegal, Mali, Niger, Chad, and others as their countries of origin. During the last elections, more were allegedly brought in. Opposition parties allege that some were used for the rerun election in Kano, where voters of opposition extraction were allegedly intimidated and prevented from voting.
The registration has been announced by the secretary to the government, Boss Mustapha, thus: “It is on this note, therefore, that I am declaring a six-month amnesty period for illegal migrants already in the country to submit themselves to the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS) for the purpose of this registration. The registration will be carried out without any payment or penalties. I’m enjoining all migrants staying in Nigeria whether regularly or otherwise, to take advantage of the amnesty window to register with the NIS,”
But the Immigration department insisted that there is a misunderstanding. “It is not illegal migrants; it is irregular migrants across the country we are registering. What we are doing now is to register every non-Nigerian. People are trying to misconstrue this directive by Mr. President. People should stop giving ethnic coloration to good plans by government. It is good for Nigeria. At least, it would help in our security situation, governance and planning,” the Service explained.
Many Nigerians, including Yinka Odumakin,, an Afenifere chief scribe, condemned the act. “The registration of migrants will not force the government to enforce the law against criminal herdsmen/terrorists, which the government is not doing at the moment. The exercise cannot make the government to stop acting as the media office of Miyetti Allah. There is no level of registration that will make Nigeria a safe place if the government is not run to protect all citizens as against special interests,” Odumakin said.
In what may be described as panic reaction, the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, FAAN, made a sweeping suspension of all security unit heads on duty during the recent stowaway plane-climbing incident pending the outcome of an investigation already instituted by the agency, the first time they will react so swiftly over security breaches.
This Magazine found out that all Airports in the country have porous security fences, with many completely lacking perimeter Fences.
At the Murtala Muhammed Airport, both security and Perimeter fences have completely collapsed in some places, while the barbed wire that form part of the security is non existent in many places.
There has been reports in the past of Herdsmen taking over aprons with cows due to security lapses. This has resulted in Air France landing on top of cows in Portharcourt, with the pilot, who never imagined they could be cows thinking they were a flock of geese.
In Sokoto, Miscreants overtook the apron to welcome a politician that came for campaign.
All these and other stowaway crisis always ends up in business as usual for the ground handling agency.
But this time, according to Henrietts Yakubu, FAAN spokes person, “the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) has suspended indefinitely the Aviation Security unit heads who were on duty when the incident occurred, pending completion of ongoing investigation into the regrettable security infringement.”
She listed the affected officers as the Airport Chief of Security, Mamman Mohammed Sadiku, International Terminal Security Officer, Oni Adedamola Abiodun, Head of Department Domestic Terminal 2, Owotor Kenneth Okezie and Head of Department Domestic Terminal 1, Badejo Adebowale Ayodele.
“In the interim, a General Manager of the Authority, Dr. Anne Enyinnaya-Egbadon, has been detailed to take charge of security at the airport. Other affected officers have also been replaced,” she said.
According to her, the current arrangement is aimed at “ensuring an efficient and thorough investigation towards the recovery and sustenance of the airport’s proactive security integrity. FAAN views this breach as a serious security concern and has commenced investigation to ascertain the remote and immediate causes of this incident to forestall future occurrence.”
Stakeholders insist that the arrangement is probably to assuage frayed nerves, as little or nothing is being done about the porous fences. The staff strength may be spread thin for all angles to be covered by security personnel. “Moreover, the current rule of mediocrity in the country is having a band wagon effect on all government agencies”, a stakeholder told this magazine after the incident.
An attempted stowaway has been apprehended by FAAN security when he rushed out of the Bush and climbed a Port Harcourt bound Aircraft waiting to take off, depositing his rucksack into the engine, thereby underlying the security crisis bedeviling the Nigerian airports.
The aircraft belongs to Azerman Airlines.
News agency of Nigeria reports that the man claimed to have wanted to climb to Ghana, and has been arrested by the Federal Airports Authorities of Nigeria, FAAN, who took him to the Airport interrogating room, popularly called tango City.
FAAN Spokesperson Henrietta Yakubu, confirmed this to NAN.
This is not the first time that a stowaway has been apprehended at the airport.During the time Adams Oshiomhole was governor, a boy sneaked into an aircraft about to taxi and was arrested. But the governor gave him a VIP treatment and no deterrent was given. This may have emboldened others.
The screening of the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Muhammed Tanko, by the Senate for his confirmation as a substantive Chief Justice, CJ, has thrown the Nigerian Judicial system into anticlimactic diminuendo, resulting in ordinary citizens poking jabs at the exalted third estate of the realm.
Answering questions on Legal Technicalities by Senator Enyinnaya abaribe, the CJ used words like “driving” an airplane and defined technicalities as Something technical-which, technically, is correct.
“In the 2018 case of Akeredolu V Abraham, the Supreme Court said, ‘technicality in the administration of justice shuts out justice’ and went further to say, ‘it is therefore better to have a case heard and determined on its merit than to leave the court with the shield of victory obtained on mere technicality’, Abaribe had asked.
“This is the Supreme Court, we are very happy with that. But My Lord, just a few weeks ago, the Supreme Court also said, ‘The correct order is to declare the judgment of the trial tribunal a nullity as a result of one of the panellists not sitting on the day proceedings were held’.
“And so Nigerians are really worried. Where would the Supreme Court stand under you? Where would justice be and what we can expect from the Supreme Court under you?”
In the case between Governor Oyetola and senator Adeleke who dragged him to court over the Osun Governorship elections, the Supreme Court had ruled in favor of Oyetola on technical grounds without going into the merits of the case. This was quoted above by Abaribe.
In his answer, the CJ averred:
“Permit me distinguished senators to ask what a technicality is? It is something which is technical. By definition, it is something that is not usual and may sometimes defy all the norms known to a normal thing. Now, we have technicalities in our laws and this is because these laws we have inherited were from the British.
“The British people centuries ago introduced what is known as technicalities in their laws. Now, if something is technical, it is giving a leeway for double interpretation. It may be interpreted in one way by Mr A and another way by Mr B.
“Now, if something which is technical comes before the court, what we do in trial courts is to ask people who are experts in that field to come and testify. We rely on their testimony because they are experts in that field.
“Ask me anything about an aeroplane, I don’t know; ask me to drive an aeroplane (sic), I am sure if you are a passenger and they told you that the flight is going to be driven (sic) by Honourable Justice Ibrahim Tanko, I am sure you will get out of the plane because it is something that requires technicality and if I have any technicality, my technicality will only be limited to law. Therefore, it is something that has to do with the perception or the way you will be able to achieve the goals you want to achieve.”
It will be recalled that the National Judicial commission, was reluctant to send the name of Tanko to the senate for approval. Normally, the NJC were expected to send three names to the presidency for them to chose from. They sent only Walter Onnoghen’s name, which was the most senior. President Buhari, who was known to have favored the Sharia Lawyer, refused to send Onnoghen’s name to the Senate, until Vice President Osinbajo did that as acting president. Since then the presidency allegedly instigated the code of conduct Tribunal to try Onnoghen. The rest is history.
It was rumored that the New CJ never went to Law school but rose through the ranks as a Sharia Judge, not a conventional judge. His answer may have unwittingly laid credence to that rumor.
With the emergence of Tanko, opposition allege, the other two arms have been subjugated under the executive arm.
Senate President was allegedly shielding the CJ from being questioned by other senators for fear of more gaffes.
Richard Akinola II, Lawyer, Authur, Retired journalist and human Rights Activist had this to say:
“Those of us who are deep in legal research would have observed that when you juxtapose the judgments of the era of Adolphus Karibi-White, Chukwudifu Oputa, Nnaemeka-Agu, Andrew Obaseki, Kayode Eso and today’s era, particularly regarding obiter dictum, you would notice that there is a decline in intellection contained in their judgments.
Where are the quotables in today’s judgments in terms of didactic philosophical, sociological and historical contexts? This low intellection was reflected in that shambolic response by the CJN during his clearance session at the Senate yesterday.”.
The Social media has been awash with reactions to the CJN answer. Oby Ezekwesili, a Rights crusader of the Bring Back Our Girls fame, has this to say:” Do we need to be told that there’s a quality of leadership crisis in our country? It’s across board; the executive, legislature judiciary; federal, state and local. That Senate hearing with Justice Tanko merely reminded us of the depth of our leadership crises. Better own our crisis.”
The Nigeria Customs Service, NCS and APMT, Nigeria’s biggest container terminal operators are trading blames over a large quantity of Tramadol that recently disappeared from the Apapa Port.
The hard drug has been banned by the federal government.
Close to 300 cartons of the banned substance are believed to have been stolen by some suspects who the security agencies have now launched a manhunt for.
But while speaking to the magazine, a security expert, Albert Babatunde, wondered how a large quantity of “tramadol, already banned by the government could get missing in the full glare of many security agencies working at our ports.
This is mind boggling and the attempt by some criminal elements in possible connivance with some security agencies to destroy the lives of our youths must not only be investigated whoever all the culprits must be punished.
Apart from the customs other security agencies working at the ports are DSS, Police, NIA and others.
But while speaking on the issue on Wednesday, the Customs Area Controller, NCS Apapa command, Comptroller Abba Kura accused the Dutch firm of frustrating the efforts of federal government in combating the spread of dangerous and hard drugs in the country.
He stated that large cartons of Tramadol worth N3 million had already being seized by the command.
Kura disclosed that some elements have already broken into the container in which the killer drug was kept and made away with a larger quantity.
He fingered some employees of the company in the alleged theft.
Two suspects, Micheal Ajibade and Olatunde Emmanuel, the controller said, were arrested during an attempt to use an ambulance with registration number, LND 605XW,belonging to the firm to steal cartons of drug out of the ports.
One of the suspects has already confessed that he was bribed to commit the theft.
In spite of this, Comptroller Kura said the command has already launched investigations into the matter with a view to come to the bottom of it.
Abba said of the seizure ‘Those behind the failed attempt to bring in cartons of Tramadol are saboteurs with some internal collaborators. On Friday, July 12, 2019, at about 11 pm, my officers on routine surveillance intercepted an ambulance (Hyundai) with registration number LND 605 XW Lagos, suspected to be laden with offending articles of trade.
“Upon examination, the said ambulance was discovered to be carrying ten cartons of 225kg Tramadol tablets valued at N2, 814,139.00. Two suspects named: Michael Ajibola (driver), and Olatunde Emmanuel (escort) were arrested along with the ambulance. You will recall that the Federal Government through the National Agency for Food Drug and Control (NAFDAC) had banned the importation of Tramadol in excess.”
The criminals will not go unpunished he also said adding that efforts by some operators to frustrate the war against illicit drug will be resisted by the service.
“Furthermore, an investigation into the source of the stolen tramadol revealed that the drugs were pilfered from an undeclared container.
Physical examination further revealed that 211 cartons of the drugs were missing from the container. The duty paid value of these stolen drugs stands at N59,378,332.09,” he said.
The Super Eagles of Nigeria finished its campaign at the 2019 African Cup of Nations on a consolatory note, winning the bronze medal for the eighth time in the history of AFCON.
Odion Jude Ighalo scored the only goal of the third place match against the Carthage Eagles of Tunisia in the third minute to register his fifth goal of the Championship and, also, to maintain his top position in the highest goal scoring cadre at the competition.
Ighalo could have increased his tally of goals, but he got injured in the closing stages of the first half and was subsequently substituted by youngster, Victor Osimhen.
With this triumph in the third place playoff, Nigeria has won eight third place matches in the AFCON tournament since inception in 1957.
The victory over Tunisia, and winning the bronze medal, is coming after Nigeria had won five bronze medals in a space of 12 years.
At 2002 AFCON hosted by Mali, Nigeria won bronze having defeated the host Mali in the third place match 1-0 courtesy of Yakubu Aiyegbeni.
Two years later in Tunisia, Nigeria also failed to make it to the final, losing to eventual winners, Tunisia, in the Semi Finals, but had to slug it out with Mali again in the third place playoff.
Again, Super Eagles defeated Mali 2-1, with goals from Austin Okocha and Peter Osaze Odemwengie.
At 2006 AFCON hosted by Egypt, Nigeria was defeated in the semi finals by Cote d’ Ivoire 1-0, courtesy Didier Drogba’s strike. Nigeria had to settle for bronze, defeating the Teranga Lions of Senegal 1-0 through Garba Lawal’s solitary strike.
Nigeria failed to go beyond the quarter final at AFCON 2008 hosted by Ghana, but repeated their semi finals feat at AFCON 2010 hosted in Angola.
The Pharaohs of Egypt dashed Nigeria’s hope of featuring in AFCON final once again since 2010 by humbling Nigeria 1-0 with Mohammed Aboutrika scoring.
Nigeria had to face the Desert Warriors of Algeria in the bronze medal match, with Nigeria winning 1-0 through the strike of Victor Obinna Nsofor.
In the history of AFCON no team has won the third place playoff more than Nigeria. Nigeria has recorded eight wins from eight, and are yet to lose any third place playoff.
The eventual winner of this year’s AFCON tournament will be known on Friday 19th, July, 2019 at the Cairo International Stadium in Egypt, when the Teranga Lions of Senegal and the Desert Warriors of Algeria lock horns to ascertain who is the King of African Football.
However, attention in Nigeria has shifted to what the fate of the Super Eagles Coach, Gernot Rohr will be. Quite a number of football stakeholders blame him for the not-too impressive performance of the team.
Segun Odegbami, a former international footballer, advised him to resign honourably. Former NFF Technical Director, Kashimawo Lalako blasted the Coach for “lacking tactical acumen.”
But NFF President, Amaju Pinnick says Rohr will not be sacked, but would, instead, be sent on a refresher course in Germany.
But another international, Dr Felix Owolabi has picked holes in that idea, disming the Coach Rohr as ” technically inept”, asking why the NFF would send him on a course when he is not a Nigerian.
But many ordinary football enthusiasts applaud the coach for his efforts so far, and say he is good for the team.
It may seem early in the day but the signs are good; very good indeed. It is such an exhilarating feeling to observe all the good behaviours and best practices one had written about and wished for in the last three decades unfold before one’s eyes.
It is not only that it is happening in one’s lifetime, but the fact that one is a participant observer. Not a better feeling in a long time one must confess. Again, the natural reaction is to argue that it’s too early to call but then, it is said that morning tells the day. And as Igbo say, a good farmer can tell a ripened corn by sight. You need not pinch the sheaf to know it’s ready for harvest.
The blitzkrieg of activities of last week finally left me with no doubt that Imo is on to a big deal this time.
First, an extraordinary Executive Council (Exco) meeting which had in attendance, paramount monarchs of Imo; industry leaders and heads of all the banks in the state was convened.
Purpose of this expanded (and extended) Exco is to intimate critical stakeholders about Executive Order 005. This implies that Imo State henceforth adopts the Single Treasury Account (TSA). Apart from the Federal Government, Kaduna is the only other State in Nigeria which has adopted a similitude of the TSA.
Hitherto, Imo was akin to an economic and financial gangland where the fastest to draw the gun kills the other. There were over 250 bank accounts purportedly operated by the state government: every ministry, department, agency and even individuals opened multiple and parallel accounts on behalf of government.
State revenue was a bazaar with a plethora of collection contractors. It was largely collect and keep; finders-keepers. While Government House, aka first family sat firmly on FAAC and lump-sum IGR takings, other denizens of the jungle scrambled over the remains of the feast. That was how come Imo State’s IGR record was a joke – about the least in the southeast. And Imo was supposedly an oil-producing state.
In just a couple of weeks, the Dr. Abraham Nwankwo-led Imo State Financial Advisory Committee has its interim report ready. Dr. Nwankwo was Director-General of Nigeria’s Debt Management Office (DMO) for about a decade. Prior to the DMO job, he had a stint as Senior Advisor in the World Bank. There couldn’t have been a better choice for the job.
In just a couple of weeks again, the intractable Imo Pensions scheme has been unraveled as the Pensions Review Committee in conjunction with consultants presented an interim report.
Verdict: the last proper payment of pension was in 2014; no accurate database of the pension system in Imo State; payment of pension became a racket in the last four years as the system was managed by various contractors. It was a huge payday for jobbers while retired workers lived in pain and penury.
It has therefore been decided that Imo must urgently migrate to electronic database platforms for her pension scheme. This means that there shall be electronic capture of pensioners. This means that no more carrying of appointment and retirement letters, no more tedious and expensive verifications, no more long queues and delays in payment of pensioners, no more fraud in the pension scheme and the ability of the government to plan and project its pensions outlay over many years is most salutary.
This is the new regime that will kick in for Imo pensioners this year. Imo pensioners are indeed in for a good time under Governor Emeka Ihedioha. Contributory pension will follow after the system has been revamped and benchmarked under current best practices around.
The committee on the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) is hard at work. The State health Insurance Scheme to cover the entire 305 wards of Imo State is being aggressively pursued. It is a tacky issue but not an insurmountable problem. As the bureaucratic knots are being carefully untied, the governor let it be known that “We have the political will to wring change in this state.” It is always a reassuring charge to members; especially hi-impact members of his team who are burning for a rapid reform of the odious status quo.
Debris of the mis-governance of the past eight years is being removed on all fronts. The taps in Owerri city had been dry for many years. This has necessitated urgent rehabilitation of the Otamiri Water Scheme. It had been dysfunctional and abandoned for years. Work has commenced and taps will run again in Owerri soon.
TSA, pension scheme, National Health Insurance Scheme, Public Water Supply, a return to the UN system through the return of UNICEF: If you didn’t see the connection here, what about the return of the World Bank Group to Imo State after a long hiatus?
The immediate past administration of Governor Rochas Okorocha was of course not up and doing in paying counterpart funds; in addition, its officials were alleged to have sought to compromise the Bank’s team which supposedly led to their retreat for about two years. It was nigh impossible dealing with the last government, they determined.
Last week, a team from the World Bank/International Development Association led by Mr. Salisu Dahiru met with Governor Ihedioha in Government House Owerri. They were later to flag-off the Ezemazu-Urualla Gully Erosion control project in Ideato North. It is a project under the World Bank/NEWMAP programme on erosion and watershed management.
Notwithstanding the shenanigans of past officials of government, the new government of Governor Ihedioha promptly paid up the counterpart fund of N500m required to kick in this N9.8b project, World Bank’s biggest in Nigeria. The leader of the WB team couldn’t hide his surprise: what they had chaffed over for about eight years has been resolved in about four weeks of a new government. It is a mark of leadership, a landmark achievement and it is unprecedented, he remarked.
The markers are right and the signposts are pointing in the right direction. It’s about leadership and governance; it’s about the grundnorms and rule of law as a mantra for good governance.
Consider these facts: no serious leader would govern a state without an Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice. Though the cabinet is not emplaced, the governor sought leave of the State Assembly to appoint one. And he reached for the very best of Imo in Nnawuchi Ndukwe, (SAN). They don’t come much better.
Again, you can’t begin to run a modern government without a bureau for procurement. Thus one of the first offices set up by the Ihedioha administration is the Bureau for Public Procurement and Price Intelligence (BPPPI). And only the best mind in the land had to run it. The lot fell on Dr. Pascal Egwim, an ex- Regional Logistics Manager for Shell in Africa and a lead Procurement Consultant for Nigeria’s Bureau of Public Procurement; to name just a few accomplishments.
There is Prof. Chudi Uwazurike, a multi-disciplinary academician, administrator and politician heading Diaspora affairs.
Engr. John Obinna Chukwu, retired Permanent Secretary, Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) and Fellow of the Nigerian Society of Engineers has been virtually dragged on board; a technocrat with deep experience in public works. He will lead the massive road projects to be embarked upon soon as the rains recede.
The best hands and minds are consulted daily for the Imo Rebuild project. Kanu Nwankwo was tapped for stadium main bowl re-grassing; Olympian sprinter, Charity Opara co-opted to see to new tartan track project. Prof. Jude Njoku and company sorting the miasma that has been made of university education in Imo and another team lead by Hon. Charles Enwererm and Prof Peter Okorie wringing the change in Imo technical and vocational education.
Things we thought could never be done are already happening. LGA elections have been set for December this year; State election commission has already been put on notice by the governor. We must not exceed the statutory period stipulated by law for interim conditions to last in LGAs, the governor warned ISIEC
Imo is about to bask in the euphoria of reason and commonsense, we are about to say goodbye to the era of tomfoolery and bare-faced brigandage; the markers are being rigged in the right places for the rebuild of Imo.
Recently on July 8, one Nura Dalhatu, an assistant superintendent of Customs, ASC promoted himself to the rank of Deputy Inspector of Customs and walked up to the Comptroller General of Customs, Hameed Ali in Abuja, demanding that he stepped down for him.
It has since been discovered that the said officer is not well and has been taken to medical facility by his employer.
But despite the failure “to topple’ Ali who was appointed into that office, three years ago by President Muammadu Buhari, the magazine learnt that officer Dalhatu represents the deep feelings of some officers and men who are disgruntled with the current leadership.
An online medium, nigeriamaritime360 suggests disenchantment within the rank and file of the service against CG Ali.
“There may be many Nura Dalhatu in the service who may have the same mind set as Nura but lack courage to express it. Nura Dalhatu’s aborted coup may be a sad reflection of the dominant mood among officers about their state of disenchantment with the system,” the medium said
To that extent, some close watchers of the service have mauled Ali’s replacement in the yet to be announced new cabinet of President Buhari.
Recall that the president last week stated that pressure was on him to announce his ministers.
The president’s admonition came on the suggestion of Senate President Ahmed Lawan, last week that Buhari was poised to send the list of his nominees to the Senate for confirmation.
Some very top officers of the service have recently told the magazine that they expect Ali’s replacement as soon as President Buhari formed his new cabinet.
An ACG told the magazine “There’s high expectation in the service already that the CG will be replaced by the president.”
He however said the “agitation is not because the CG has not performed” but that his “style of leadership has upset the tradition in the service.”
Ali is not a career customs officer and his military background raised dusts when he was appointed by the president.
The names of some prominent Nigerians have recently been thrown up as possible replacements for Ali.
Among those that have been suggested is Brigadier General Buba Marwa, former military administrator of Lagos.
The ex-milad has narrowly missed being appointed Chief of Staff after President Buhari re-appointed Abba Kyari.
Apart from Marwa, some stakeholders have also made a case for the appointment of career officers and as such some DCGs, the magazine learned have stepped up their lobby of top echelon in APC to land the job.
But despite high wire contest for Ali’s job, the magazine has learnt from competent Aso Rock sources that the Kaduna state born retired Army colonel will likely keep his job.
Close presidency sources told the magazine on Monday that nothing suggests so far that President Buhari was done with the service of one of his very trusted aides.
Ali was General Buhari’s Aide de Camp, ADC when the latter was military head of state.
“Col. Ali is one of the trumped cards of the administration. Since he was appointed he has changed the revenue profile of the Customs apart from re-organising the service for better performance. What better CG does the president need for another four years,” a presidency source said.
The source added that Buhari’s advisers favor continuity.
“The president has recently re-appointed Godwin Emefiele as Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN he also extended the service of the Comptroller General of Prisons for a year, despite the fact that the prison boss was already due for retirement.
There are also suggestions that some ministers who served in the first tenure are likely to return. What the president is trying to incline is that he favours continuity and performance,” a political analyst said.
Despite the ‘quiet agitation’ for a new CG by some elements within the service who are not favored in the ‘current arrangement’, it was learned that one factor that has worked for Ali is the “re-organisation of the service as one of the highest revenue earner for the federal government apart from the Federal Inland Revenue Service, FIRS,” a ministry of Finance official told the magazine on Tuesday.
“At least over one trillion naira was generated last year into the federation account by the Customs, the first time in many years.
This has freed up huge resources for the government to spend on infrastructure and other essential services” the official said.
But the CG on his part is not solely depending on his perceived performance and closeness to the president to keep his job, sources said those close to him has recently suggested the need to ramp up campaign for his re-appointment by the president.
“This has become necessary after President Buhari re-appointed Abba Kyari. The CG was among those initially considered for that position, but I think the president changed his mind due to political expediency. And now that that the window has closed, everything must be done to retain this position,” a close aide of the CG said.
Part of the ongoing effort to make sure Ali retained his job, some of his aides told the magazine, is to further showcase the service as a big revenue performer and a reorganized agency of government.
Comptroller Mohammed, others top officers in Seme recently
“You must have noticed recently that top commands in the service have been churning out their half year revenue profile. This is not for fun.
What Ali’s spin doctors are telling the presidency is that the current structure in Customs fits the federal government revenue projection plan for the next four years,” Jelili Akande, a public affairs analyst told The Source.
The Apapa and Tin can commands have recently announced that they generated over N400bn in the last six months.
The breakdown of the revenue profile indicates that Apapa generated N203.264 bn while Tin can command generated N179.2 bn into the federation account.
Other top revenue earners in this category are Port Harcourt Area 2 command with revenue profile of N54 bn and the MMA Command which generated N29.1 bn.
“The Seme command is also one of the strategic image makers for the CG. Apart from tightening grip on smuggling of rice, tokunbo vehicles and other banned imported materials, the command under the leadership of one of the CG’s most trusted controllers has etched up its revenue profile,” Aniete John, a security analyst said.
The Area Controller of Seme command, Comptroller Mohammed Uba Garba had announced on July 1, 2019 that the half year revenue generated into the coffers of the federal government stood at N4.1 bn.
Meanwhile, a top presidency source told the magazine that the “successful establishment of the Seme-Krake joint border post with the Republic of Benin and the recent interconnectivity between the two customs services” is a plus for President Buhari’s bilateral trade policies with Nigeria’s West Africa neighbours.
Former Secretary General of Commonwealth, Chief Emeka Anyaoku, has joined the group of Nigerians who believe that Nigeria is heading towards disaster or, in the words of Obasanjo, heading for the precipice.
Speaking Tuesday in Abuja, Tuesday, during a book launch, Anyaoku said that things will continue in bad shape as long as the elite continue to live in denial.
Anyaoku said the situation is extremely worrisome.
“No objective observer, including those in the government, can deny that the current state of affairs in our country is extremely worrisome,”he said.
According to him, the myriads of problems bedeviling Nigeria will be handled if leaders will embrace “a structure of governance that draws not only from the lessons of successful diverse federations but more importantly, from Nigeria’s own past happier experience during its immediate post-independence years,” he said.
He advised that the RUGA policy should be handled with circumspection.
“For the sake of peace and integrity of the country, the RUGA policy must be handled with circumspection and strictly in accordance with our extant constitution’s provisions on land tenure. And we also see that all these unwholesome developments are accompanied by a worsening level of poverty that is leading to Nigeria fast becoming the poverty capital of the world.
“I call on our president, the members of the National Assembly, the governors, and indeed on all our political elites not to continue to live in denial of the seriousness of these glaring facts which, if not effectively addressed, are bound to push the country over the brink of a national disaster.”
Prominent Nigerians have been warning President Buhari on the dangers of not reading the handwriting on the wall. Recently, former President Obasanjo wrote a letter to the President, highlighting the problem and preferring solutions in the wake of the killings of Afenifere Chieftain, Pa Ruben Fasoranti. But president Buhari dismissed the dismal warning, calling Obasanjo unpatriotic.
Former president Goodluck Jonathan has lent his voice.
Leaders of the South and Middle belt have also joined the cry.
Only Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, the APC National leader and a South west chieftan, is playing the Ostrich because of his alleged presidential ambition.
