The solidarity visit and congratulatory message by the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) to President Muhammadu Buhari on his victory at the polls on February 23, 2019, has elicited mixed reactions among Nigerians, some of who believe that the actions of the body in recent times show that they cannot be the mouthpiece of Christians.
Is CAN really the mouthpiece of Christians? Did it have any other option other than congratulate President Buhari after an election that was alleged to have been widely rigged, and electorate intimidated in many areas; an election where violence went up to high heavens with great connivance by the security agencies?
Did CAN congratulate President Buhari because the Christians have already changed their prayers in most, if not all the churches before the election, that God should not allow President Buhari and the All Progressives Congress (APC) a second term in office because Nigerians are suffering?
If Atiku Abubakar, the Presidential Candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), who has gone to the Electoral tribunal to prove that his mandate was stolen by President Buhari through the connivance of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), will CAN not turn around and not only pay a solidarity visit and send congratulatory message to him?
The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) led by its President, Samson Olasapo Ayokunle and the Executive Council of the association, had congratulated President Muhammadu Buhari for his victory at the presidential election, in February, asking the president to ensure the release of Leah Sharibu from Boko Haram captivity and permanently address the killings in Kaduna State and release the leaders of the Ajara chiefdom to douse the tension in the zone.
In his speech, Ayokunle said: “This delegation has come on behalf of the Christian Association of Nigeria (the largest Christian Association in Africa) to congratulate you for victory and for being declared winner by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) at the just concluded 2019 Presidential Election in our nation.
“Our prayer for you is that God shall grant you everything it takes to perform hundred times better than your first term. We pray that your administration would lead Nigeria to become the glory and pride of the nations in Africa and a country many people would desire to be, in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord and Saviour.
“Please count on this organization as one that has the success of your administration at heart. In that respect, we would not cease in praying for you and speaking out about what is expected to be done from time to time in keeping with the Bible, the word of God.”
“Each passing day inflicts anguish in the hearts of the parents of this young girl, the rest of us who are parents, all Nigerians and others all over the world who love freedom and regret that Leah’s life is being wasted in captivity for no sin of hers other than for her religion. Doing all within you to free Leah Sharibu and according it top priority shall confer greater credibility on your government and on you as a person.
“Please and please, Mr. President, let Leah Sharibu and those in captivity of insurgents be freed to enjoy their lives,” he said.
Speaking further, the CAN President revealed that there were some Christian leaders who opposed the visit, whom he described as “saboteurs and politicians in cassock. Saboteurs didn’t want us to come here (Aso Rock). We are old enough to know what to do and what not to do. If somebody like me after 60 years of age will be under pressure, it means that my life would never have meaning again.
“But by the grace of God we have a meaningful life, I know what to do. By God’s grace He has prepared me well for this assignment. So, those detractors and those politicians in cassock should go and find better job to do.”
CAN’s visit was also to remind Buhari of the expectations of Nigerians in his second term. According to Ayokunle: “Now, he has mastered the job; he has mustered enough strengthen to be able to go full swing into action. We want him to do more on security- kidnappings almost everywhere and the issue of insurgency in the North-East; the insurgents should be silenced once and for all.
“These ethnic militias that have now moved to the northwest, which used to be peaceful, and they are now causing violence there – before they will grow wings, their wings should be clipped completely.”
In a chat with Roland Michael, a Sociologist, CAN had no choice than congratulate the President on his election victory whether he won it by hook or crook. Check the composition of the executive of the body, they look like politicians.
“ If Atiku later wins at the tribunal, will the same CAN body which preached and prayed that the President should not get a second term not pay a solidarity visit and send congratulatory visit to him? The issue is that when you seek the opinion of many Christians, you will know that they don’t see CAN as a strong voice of their problems.
“ In the killings and alleged takeover of Christian communities in the North, have they really spoken with strong voice in condemning the killings? How many of them, even individually had voiced out against the killings in Benue by herdsmen? Is this what happens in other climes? I think they are playing to the gallery and maybe under pressure to do what they did,” he said.
The Magazine learnt of earlier reports that CAN was under pressure to visit Buhari, but that the organisation had chosen to wait till after the conclusion of the case presented by Atiku Abubakar at the Presidential Election Tribunal. Ayokunle debunked the claims as untrue and blamed “saboteurs” for the report.
For Johnson Tamunokombia, a Christian: “ Sometimes I get surprisingly confused by the actions of the so- called CAN and the affiliate bodies when they take decisions or speak on issues affecting Christians.
“ In this case, they will now change their preaching that it is the will of God. Where they not the same people that prayed with their congregations tirelessly for President Buhari not to win a second term in office? Is everything that happens the will of God or due to not doing the right thing at the right time? The thing here is that some of these CAN leaders are in their comfort zones, and will not like to lose them, hence the stance to congratulate whosoever wins by any means.”
Tamunokombia believes that the Christian body is more than that. “ It is high time it stand and speaks strongly on issue affecting not only Christians, but this country.
Unyio Peters believes that CAN has no option but congratulate any winner of any election. “ It must be in the constitution to do such whether the winner got the mandate by hook or crook. Check past elections from Shagari, Obasanjo, Yar’Adua, Jonathan, the body has been congratulating them, even when things on ground show that all did not go well. I don’t think they have any choice, unless they want to step on toes,” she stated.
The messy face-off between Innoson Motors and GTBank has taken a bizarre turn with Innoson legal team threatening to seal of GTBank office in Lagos to recover their N8.8 billion.
Last week, the, spokesperson of the group, Connell Osigwe, said as many as seven branches of the Bank have been sealed off. He named the Branches as one in Nnewi, two in Onitsha, two in Awka and two in Enugu. “We will have to move to the head office by next week”, he was quoted as having said.“We will seal more of their properties to recover our money and from next week, we shall move to GTB head office to enforce the judgment of courts. We will sell those properties to get our money back.” GTBank has protested that the case was between Innoson and the Nigerian Customs, and has nothing to do with GTBank. “The judgment allegedly in issue is in respect of Garnishee Proceedings against the account of the Nigerian Customs Service Board domiciled with the Bank and not against the Bank as an entity”, the Bank had said in a statement signed by Erhi Obebeduo. This was vehemently refuted by Innoson Group, who insisted the case was actually between them and GTBank. ”In a garnishee proceeding, once an order of garnishee nisi is made, the garnishee is required by law to set the amount involved aside and will not allow the judgment debtor to withdraw from it;” Osigwe said, “and if the order is made absolute, the garnishee pays the money to the judgment creditor and incurs no liability for doing that but if the order is not made absolute the garnishee returns the money to the judgment debtor.
“In this case, the order was made absolute since 29th July 2011 and GTB held unto the money from that time and is using for its business. It follows that by the time the order was made absolute it was no more the judgment debtor’s money but rather that of Innoson Nigeria Ltd who is the judgment creditor; if a garnishee refuses to comply with the order, then, it becomes a judgment debtor, as GTB has become in the present case, against whom execution of the order will issue. Therefore, there is no merit or force in the GTB’s press statement.”
The story started when the Nigerian Customs Service allegedly seized goods belonging to Innoson group and had them destroyed for unknown reasons .Innoson took the customs Board to court for redress.
The high court sitting in Ibadan awarded N2 billion to Innoson, which the Board has to pay through their account in GTBank. In earlier negotiations, GTBank agreed that they have withdrawn the amount from the Customs Board, and the money in their custody. Innoson had then approached the court saying that since GTBank had been doing business with his money, they should be paying him interest based on the amount the Banks charges customers who borrow from them as interest rate. But the Bank wanted the money treated as savings, in which the interest rate should be far lower.
The Ibadan High Court agreed with Innoson and awarded N2.2 billion to Innoson, with a yearly interest of 22%. The bank went on appeal and lost. They went all the way to the Supreme Court and the court held the same position as the two lower courts. Now, with interests, the total amount has risen to N8.8 billion since 2011.
This Magazine was informed that while muscle flexing continues on the media, there has been concerted efforts by the Management of GTBank to reach out to Innoson for an amicable solution. Part of the discussions, it was disclosed, is geared towards the possibility of converting the debt into equity shares, a proposal which GTBank was alleged to have initially rejected.
This was one of the two cases between Innoson and GTBank being adjudicated at the supreme Court. The second case deals with GTBank and Innoson directly.
Fidelity Bank Plc has proposed N3.2 billion dividend payout to shareholders ahead the Annual General Meeting, AGM coming up later this year.
The development, the tier two lender said came following strong financial results it recorded for the year-ended December 31, 2018.
Some shareholders of the bank who spoke with the magazine over the issue said they were happy that the bank has sustained the tradition of paying dividends despite the harsh business environment.
Some banks have not paid dividends for years.
While speaking on the issue the managing director/ CEO of the bank said the sterling performance is due to efficient management and digitalise banking operations.
The place of digital banking in the bank’s sustained cannot be over-emphasized, considering that over 42 per cent of customers are now enrolled on the bank’s mobile/internet banking products and more than 81 per cent of total transactions done on digital platforms, resulting in 25 per cent of fee-based income, coming from digital banking.
He explained that the bank has sustained performance in the last few years while maintained its position as one of the leading banks in the country through the provision of seamless banking solutions to its numerous customers.
According to Okonkwo “We are delighted by our 2018 numbers, which clearly shows a sustained performance trajectory.
We are growing our market share with continued traction in our chosen business segments.
We recoded double digits growth in interest income on our liquid assets, digital banking, FX and other income lines.”
He explained further that the bank’s electronic banking operations stand out among its competitors because “as seen in recent years, the bank’s digital retail banking approach has continued to yield positive results.
Savings recorded its fifth consecutive year of double digits growth with a 27.7 per cent increase to peak at N228 billion.
Savings accounts for over 23 per cent of our total deposits, an attestation of our increasing market share in the retail segment,” he said.
Fidelity posted a 4.8 per cent growth in Gross Earnings from N180.2 billion to N188.9 billion while Profit Before Tax grew by 30.6 per cent to N25.1 billion, when compared with the N19.2 billion it recorded in 2017.
To prove that its customers still have confidence in the bank Customer Deposit grew by 26.3 per cent from N775.2 billion to N979.4 billion while total assets grew by 24 per cent from N1.4trillion to N1.7trillion.
Also, profit After Tax increased by 29 per cent from N17.7 billion in 2017 to N22.9 billion in 2018, while Operating Income rose by 13.9 per cent from N85.9 billion to N97.2 billion.
Lagos state Governor-elect Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, deputy governor-elect Dr. Obafemi Hamzat on Friday 29th of March, 2019 received their Certificate of Returns from Independent National Electoral Commission.
The presentation was done by the INEC commissioner in charge of Lagos, Ogun and Ondo state, Chief Adekunle Ladipo Ogunmola at the commission office in Yaba, Lagos. following; some faces present at the event by Uche Nwosisi.
Dr. Obafemi Hamzat and his wife OluremiChief Ifeanyi Chukwu and Mr.Bayo SoyannwoSenator Musiliu Obanikoro and Chief Demola SerikiMr.Sam Olugbadebo Olumekunmi and Dr.Adekunle OgunmolaMr. Babajide Sanwo-olu and his wife IbijokeMallam Olalekan Olofin and Hon. Akinola Obadia
This is authoritative. If the South East eventually ends up with any meaningful position in the yet- to-be composed President Muhammadu Buhari’s second term government, it would probably be a direct result of former governor Orji Uzo Kalu’s threat to revolt against the All Progressives Congress, APC, on the floor of the Senate during the inauguration of the ninth National Assembly on June 10. Should the zone be denied the Deputy Presidency of the Senate, Kalu threatens to break ranks with his party.
Kalu, is a Senator-elect on the platform of the APC for Abia North. He, and the outgoing governor of Imo state, Rochas Okorocha, won senatorial elections on the party’s platform in February. But Okorocha’s fate hangs in the balance as the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, is withholding his Certificate of Return on the ground that he procured his victory at gun point.
Senator Benjamin Uwajimogu’s return to the upper chamber is also uncertain as INEC is yet to conclude senatorial election in Okigwe (Imo North) senatorial district. If Okorocha and Uwajimogu later find themselves in the Senate, the South East APC will boast of only three Senators out of the 109 in the red chamber.
Buhari: Will he carry all sections of Nigeria along in his second term?
This Magazine has learnt that the national leadership of the party and the presidency were rattled and unsettled by the former Abia governor’s insistence that for equity, fairness and justice, he must be crowned the Deputy Senate President so as to give the South East a sense of belonging in the Buhari government. He reminded the President that he had, upon his victory in the February 23, 2019 presidential election, pledged to be fair to all sections of Nigeria in his second term.
Party insiders have confided in The Source that some power brokers in APC are not disposed to the South east occupying any important position in government on the account of the party’s poor showing in the region in the just concluded general elections.
The power brokers rue that of the six geo political zones in the country, only the South East is without an APC governor, a situation, they say, has attracted mockery to the APC.
APC top guns pushing for the total exclusion of the South east in the sharing of the spoils of war are, therefore, insisting that the zone’s “hatred” for the party should not be rewarded with plum political positions.
A section of the party, it was learnt, is piqued that inspite of APC’s pre- election strident efforts to conquer the South east, the geopolitical zone blatantly rejected it at the polls, stubbornly sticking to the opposition Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.
The winner takes all postulation of the APC National Chairman, Adams Oshiomhole, insiders inform, is not merely on the basis of PDP’s minority status in the National Assembly, but an euphemism for total exclusion of the South east from important political positions as punishment for rubbishing the party at the polls.
The party had already, allegedly, bought wholesale, the scorch earth policy against the South East as advocated by its (APC) hardliners but was, however, rattled by what a source described as the sudden outburst of Kalu.”
Before the former governor threatened that he would go ahead to contest the Senate Presidency on the floor of the Senate if the Deputy Senate Presidency was not conceded to him, sources reveal that the party had penciled down either the South West or North Central for the position.
South West elements in the party were making strong arguments for the position, not minding that Femi Gbajabiamilia of the House of Representatives, have already been anointed for House Speaker.
One of the arguments advanced is that the zone merited the two plum National Assembly positions because the South West, according to them, was the vehicle through which the APC came to power, in the first place, in 2015.
Besides National Assembly top positions, it has also been learnt that the South East may not have been considered in the tentative sharing of other grade “A” political offices. For example, dependable sources say Boss Mustapha from North east state of Adamawa will most likely retain his position as SGF, ditto Chief of Staff, Abba Kyari.
However, following Kalu’s outburst on the injustice of excluding the South East from the emerging power calculus, the party is now reportedly having a rethink.
Oshiomhole: Winner must take all
The source was informed that nobody in the APC reckoned that Kalu would come out smoking.” We were shocked. Nobody knew he would openly make a case for his people the way he did. We all thought that Kalu, an establishment person, will just play along. His pro- South-east stand is strongly worded and you can not ignore him, or the zone”, a party chieftain who pleaded anonymity said.
This magazine was told that the former governor’s opposition to the marginalization of the South east in the scheme of things, it was, that forced the National leadership of the APC to issue a statement to the effect that apart from the Senate Presidency which the party has ceded to the North East, and endorsed Senator Ahmed Lawan for it, decision was yet to be taken about zoning of other positions.
Meanwhile, the Presidency and APC sources hint that in the absence of any other way to placate the South East, the party may grudgingly concede the position of Deputy Senate President to the region. But whether Kalu will benefit from such concession is not yet clear as some forces in the party are allegedly pressing necessary buttons to ensure that INEC’s eventual verdict on the stalemated Imo North senatorial election favours Senator Uwajimogu.
“A mad person feels no shame. The shame is felt by relations”
The above is an Igbo saying. It’s one I take seriously. On a number of times, it has guided me.
I think President Muhammadu Buhari should think about this saying as the scary situation in Rivers state unfolds.
Going through national newspapers, everyday, these past few weeks, my question has remained the same: Does Mr President know the truth about Rivers? Or, have they been giving him a different story line? The problem in Rivers, a top government official told me recently is, this is the first time a real election is being held. Really? Nigerians are worried. And so should Mr President.
The worry stems from what Rivers state means to Nigeria. It stems from the impact a full blown crisis in the state would have on our lives. Nigeria’s fragile economy would slip into recession, again. And may never recover.
It gets worse day by day. With the number of deaths recorded during the Presidential and NASS elections of February 23, many thought the worst was over. But, that has turned out to be a dress rehearsal.
The violence which accompanied the March 9 Governorship and House of Assembly elections was unbelievable. It stretched from almost all the local government areas in the state to the INEC headquarters in Port Harcourt. And, the questions again:
Does the President know how bad it is? Does he know that politicians in Rivers state are using his name to play football? And, that in so doing, they are soiling his much touted reputation garnered as an Army General, a former General Officer, Commanding – GOC; a former Head of State, and now, by God’s grace, a-two-term elected civilian President? Not many people are privileged to preside over the affairs of their country as a Military Head of State, and as a civilian President. In Nigeria, President Buhari and President Olusegun Obasanjo are the only two so privileged. It is a big deal, not one to be toyed with. At times, they seem to forget.
President Obasanjo toyed with his membership of the club because of an ill-advised third term agenda. He, it was, who handed over power, on time, the first in Africa, to a civilian regime. As a civilian President, Obasanjo left behind many positive democratic legacies, forget the story line now. The truth is known. Yet, during some discussions, the third term agenda, usually, is a sore thumb. It pops up its ugly head. And it remains a minus from his legacies.
In almost, four years, depending on your beliefs, President Buhari has made some positive impact. He has his negative sides. But more than those negatives, the violence and some mago-magothat accompanied the 2019 General elections in many states take the cake. And now, an unbeatable record is being set in Rivers state. If not promptly checked, everything the President tells us he stands for – discipline, honesty, incorruptibility, straight-forwardness – will be rubbished. History is a detailed recorder of events.
In my adult life, I have seen, monitored, and voted during General elections. But none has been as confusing, and as demeaning as the 2019s. It doesn’t matter what anybody is telling Mr President. He should think about it in his “quiet moments.”
President Muhammadu Buhari.
It takes the cake as the worst organised in our country. It is the most violent. The number of deaths is unbelievable. The brazenness of thugs, the impunity freely and publicly exhibited by security agents, their open display of lawlessness; their open intervention in the electoral process, all leave one breathless. Court processes have been abused. In the middle of collation of votes, a court would order a halt – as witnessed in Bauchi. In the middle of elections, a court would order a stop – as witnessed in Adamawa. And, in the middle of collation, INEC would, on its own, stop the exercise over the safety of its staff – as witnessed in River state. So, you ask, where were the security agencies which budget ran into billions of Naira just to keep us safe, and protect the electoral process?
I am one of those sincerely happy that we have crossed, almost, the 2019 general elections bridge, and we remain one country.
It is for the need to still remain one country that Mr President should, not only dispassionately put an eye on Rivers state, but put his feet down. And, like a good Muslim, stand on the side of truth and justice. Above everything else, the peace and unity of our country beckon.
As I write, the results of the Governorship and State House of Assembly elections in Rivers state, held on March 2, are still hanging. It is the shame of a country that three weeks after, we are still battling with the collation of results. The only reason is that we are a people, a country, with so many crooked, selfish and dishonest politicians and leaders. It is for this crookedness, selfishness and dishonesty that some people would describe the 2019 general elections as the freest election ever conducted in Nigeria. It is for this reason that somebody would see the video and pictures of what happened in Kano state, last week, and give thumbs up. It is for the same reason that some characters in Rivers state would embark on a road show, giving thumbs-up to the brazenness of the shame the state has been reduced to by its sons. These people, from whichever political divide they are from, are out to deceive the President. They are out to rubbish his name and legacy.
It is because of them that I began this write-up with that Igbo saying. Unlike Mr President, they have no name to protect. They can run naked in the market place. This is why the President should play the statesman that he is, and protect his name. He should look at posterity in the eye and say: “This is who, and what I am. This is the legacy I want to leave for my country which has done so much for me”
Here are why.
The buck, as they say, stops on the President’s table. If anything goes wrong anywhere in Nigeria, to his knowledge or not, he takes the rap. I cannot begin to tell you how many times I took responsibility for what were published in The Source which I had no knowledge of.
Nigeria is a big country. Its population, in one state alone, is more than those of several countries of the world. The President is not a spirit, and, so, cannot be everywhere. But, there are those which he sees, or reads, or gets briefed on.
As the collation of votes resumes in Port Harcourt on April 2, nobody needs to tell Mr President that even though INEC is independent, it is his legacy that is at stake. Nobody needs to tell him that his name is being thrown about by all the parties in the state – positively, negatively. Nobody needs to tell the President that the political gladiators in Rivers state are dragging his name in the mud. They are presenting him as not in charge. Mr President should shame them, and rise above party politics.
Here are why:
He is our President. All the political gladiators shaming him in Rivers state are young men. They are in their 40’s and 50’s. The President is in his, late 70’s. He is old enough to be their father. Politically, they are beneath him. The President was a Military Governor of a number of states, put together, when these guys were probably in secondary schools. The international community know as our President, not them. He is more exposed than all of them. He had seen war, and partaken in it. The shame in Rivers state will ultimately be the President’s. In future, when the sordid story is told, the question will be: who was the President?
A couple of times, the President, sadly, missed the opportunity to stamp his authority. When his Minister for Transport, Rotimi Amaechi, and Senator Magnus Abe, former allies, embarked on the destruction of the President’s party, the APC, Mr President should have called them to order. When Amaechi publicly threatened fire and brimstone, sang and danced to an Igbo war song in PH, before the President, he should have called Amaechi him to order. When a new GOC posted to an Army Division chose to pay courtesy calls on the governors of neighbouring states, and not on the host governor, the President should have asked the Army leadership questions. The governor complained.
When some military men and policemen invaded Rivers communities during elections; when they were caught, on camera, interfering with the voting process; when they invaded INEC headquarters, over which a high ranking INEC official, on national television, told the world that these men in uniform had prevented them from entering their offices to do their job, the President should have intervened. When they were invading people’s homes – Ateke Tom’s, where they descended as low as shooting to death, three dogs, the President should have asked questions. When the home of the Rivers state Commissioner for Education, including his wife’s kitchen, was invaded, the President should have called somebody to order. Now, they tell us they were fake soldiers. So, we agree. But questions: Why were they not arrested? How can fake soldiers and fake policemen, in uniform, flaunting guns, invade the state, homes, INEC office, and nobody is arrested? Where were the real soldiers and policemen whose job was to protect the people and the state? The consolation: The Chief of Army Staff, Lt. General Tukur Buratai has promised to fish out those involved. This is important so we also know the circumstances under which a couple of our soldiers were injured and hospitalised.
The drama in Rivers state is beneath contempt. And should shame us all. But the President has a chance to shame those shaming our country; to stop them from doing damage to his name and his administration. This opportunity comes from April 2 – April 5, when INEC says it will resume the collation of votes.
Mr President’s schedule is extremely tight. Damaging allegations are being made from left right and centre. This other day, an Akpe Yeeh made the mother of all allegations. Akpe Yeeh? Remember him? Definitely not. Don’t feel bad. It is all thanks to Amaechi that we heard his name politically.
Here is his story.
The APC had no candidate to present in any of the elective offices, thanks to the indiscipline, impunity and power play in the party. With Amaechi and Abe as arrow heads, the party denied itself an opportunity to present any candidate for NASS, governorship and House of Assembly elections. Bent on seeing Governor Nyesom Wike out of office, Amaechi adopted the African Action Congress, AAC, an unknown party in Rivers state. He then ordered the APC (his faction) in Rivers state to vote for the AAC. This was just a couple of days to the governorship election. Ayee was the Deputy Governor of this unknown party. This other day, he quit the party, quickly followed by his state Deputy Chairman. By any means possible, Amaechi, it seems, wants to shove the party down the throat of Rivers people, not a few people allege.
It is for this reason that the mayhem, the blood-letting and the confusion in the state has persisted. It is for it that, till date, there is no result in Rivers state. It is for it that there are, now, street protests in the state everyday, almost – either sponsored by the Amaechi group or the PDP. The PDP claims that its sitting governor, Nyesom Wike won the governorship election. The AAC, please, don’t laugh, also claims it won.
Yeeh, who played along with his party and the Amaechi-led APC, this other day, developed a cold feet. Acting remorseful, he quit. But not quietly. He made very damaging allegations against Amaechi. In his resignation letter, he alleged that Amaechi told them, in the AAC, while adopting the party that:
*He would do everything, including using the Military, the Police and the DSS to shove the AAC down the throat of Rivers state.
*Forced him to sign a resignation letter so that, on winning, he would install his own deputy governor.
* 90 per cent of the appointees would come from him. And much more.
*That no collation of votes and/or results would take place in the state, as he, Amaechi, had concluded arrangements to use the Military, Police and the DSS to disrupt it.
These allegations should worry the President. Are they true? If so, who are providing the security agents to be used for the alleged “dirty job?” If not, Ayee should be made to prove his allegations, with evidence.
Not a few people are alleging a plan to impose a state of emergency in Rivers state. Is that really what is needed in Nigeria now? Is that why some people, somewhere, are stoking crisis in the state? Is that why there are protests in the streets, especially, praising the military activities, and calling for the removal of the Resident Electoral Commissioner, Mr Obo Effanga? Many people, including AAC members say they don’t believe that the AAC, a party which never campaigned, which name and symbol nobody knew as such in the state, could pull an upset in the state? The AAC governorship candidate, Engr. Awara this other day, insisted he won. True? One of AAC’s officials, while debunking Yeeh’s allegations against Amaechi insists that the Minister gave the party no conditions on adopting it. True? As the Americans would say, “Tell that to the Marines”. No politician will be that stupid. But the President could pull a fast one on everybody. Shame them by standing on the truth.
So, I have a shopping list for Mr President
*Call all the attack dogs in Rivers state from both sides of the divide to order.
*As the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, order a Judicial Commission of Inquiry into the activities of the Military and the Police in the Rivers state elections. A number of their names have been like recurring decimals. Ask why they are permanent in the state.
*Ask them to protect INEC office in PH and INEC staff, and let the results be honestly and transparently collated and released.
*Read the riot act for them, and walk the talk. You don’t need this type of wahala in the state.
*Ignore any pressure to declare a state of emergency in Rivers state. The reason will be too obvious. When you leave office, at the end of your tenure, the people will never forgive their sons. They would know who were behind the state of emergency. It is already public secret.
In sum, Mr President, shame all those dropping your name in the war in Rivers state.
Here is why you should.
Many find it hard to believe that you didn’t know about the alleged shameful actions of the military and police during the general elections, and in Rivers state in particular. Show them that you are a father to all. Shame them, Mr President. Shame the name droppers, trouble makers and blood suckers. They are no good for you. Or for our country.
The All Progressives Congress, APC’s insistence that the Senate President must come from their Party, and that it must have to be Ahmed Lawan has been generating some rancor within the party, with senators with eyes on the pie vowing to fight solo if the Adams Oshiomhole led party will not backtrack.
Although efforts are ongoing to reconcile the warring parties, it may hamper the party’s chances if not diplomatically handled.
It will be recalled that the APC has settled on Lawan, with the Party Chairman, Adams Oshiomhole threatening anyone who will go against the party position. The choice was said to have been endorsed by President Muhammadu Buhari, who, opposition allege, wants a pliant President of the Senate to enable him prosecute his third term agenda. Lawan himself appears to have keyed in to that mood when he allegedly mooted the idea of a constitutional amendment to facilitate Buhari’s life Presidency. He has since denied the allegation.
Recall again that Lawal Gumau, Senator for Bauchi South senatorial District had last year, during the supplementary election that brought him to the Senate, vowed that his sole reason of coming to the red chamber is to sponsor a bill for the life presidency of President Buhari. Both alleged affirmations have fueled speculations that the ultimate aim of President Buhari is life presidency. Former President Olusegun Obasanjo had tried it, but the idea died in the senate plenary.
Obasanjo has, however, denied that he was ever interested in the third term bid.
But Senator Abdullahi, who is the spokesperson of Ahmad Lawan For Senate President Group, described the purported Lawan’s statement as a very desperate attempt by detractors and some politicians who want to taint the good image of the Senate Leader, and the future Senate President, Senator Ahmad Lawan.
“When we (Senators) met the President two days ago, he (President) was very emphatic that he has stood for election five times and this is his last”, said Abdullahi. “The President made it clear that he wants to retire quietly to his home, on the basis of which he is going to work very hard these four years since Nigerians have given him this opportunity, to leave a lasting legacy behind. The President’s statement clearly shows that he is a full democrat who knows that our constitution only provides for second term which he has gotten, and for which he is grateful to Nigerians. Therefore, to come back to say that Senator Ahmad Lawan will amend the constitution to keep him in office beyond 2023 is just the height of evil thinking and bad politics taken too far. The public should discountenance that and focus on supporting a very genuine and transparent process that will lead to the emergence of our own choice leaders as Senators-elect when the 9th Senate unveils”, Senator Abdullahi said.
The opposition to Lawan’s ambition seem to have caught on. Others vying for the Senate leadership are Danjuma Goje and Ali Ndume, both from the North-east zone of the country, and Abdullahi Adamu from the North-central zone. Ali Ndume has already written the leadership of the party intimating them of his intention to contest for the senate Presidency. Now, he said, Oshiomhole unilaterally imposed Lawan on the Party. “Before I went into this contest, I consulted with Mr President and he gave me the go-ahead”, Ndume said. “I consulted with Asiwaju Bola Tinubu and he also gave me the go-ahead immediately after the primaries.”
Political watchers are quick to point out how the opposition to Lawan is generating rancor within the Party, positing that it will likely cost them the senate Presidency. By statute, the Senate President is elected by the senate from “among its members”, according to the senate statute. It has nothing to do with parties. This the People’s Democratic Party, PDP harped on, insisting that they are also in the race for the senate Presidency.
“It is laughable and amounts to empty grandstanding and self-delusion for President Muhammadu Buhari and the National Chairman of the APC, Adams Oshiomhole, to pose as if the presiding offices and committee chairmanship in the National Assembly are exclusive rights of the APC”, the party said through their national spokesperson, Kola Ologbondiyan. “President Buhari and Oshiomhole should wake up to the fact that the National Assembly belongs to no political party but to all Nigerians, who exercise their control through their elected representatives. For emphasis, Section 50 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) is clear in providing that ‘There shall be:- (a) a president and a deputy president of the Senate, who shall be elected by the members of that House from among themselves; and (b) a Speaker and a Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, who shall be elected by the members of that House from among themselves. Section 92 (1) makes the same provision for the election of the Speaker and Deputy Speaker of State House of Assembly”, he said.
Currently, the APC has 65 senators while PDP has 53. Analysts suggest that they may garner protest votes from disgruntled APC Senators to create a majority.
Onyechi Ikpeazi, SAN, the lawyer who handled the case between the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP governorship candidate, Ademola Adeleke, and the APC Candidate, Gboyega Oyetola, at the tribunal, is now in high demand among some political big wigs that need legal representations.
Ikpeazu led a team of lawyers to secure victory at the tribunal-a victory for Adeleke over the Osun governorship election case, which tribunal sat in Abuja for security reasons. It is also expected that he and his team will handle the appeal whenever and if ever Oyetola goes on appeal. PDP Osun chapter has told Oyetola to accept the verdict of the Tribunal and move on-an echo of the pressures being mounted on the PDP presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar to jettison his “mandate”.
One of those reaching out to him, the governorship Candidate of the Allied Peoples Movement, APM, in Ogun state, Adekunle Akinlade, has hired him for the case against the All Progressives congress, APC. Dapo Abiodun of the APC, who won the election, according to INEC, polled 241670 votes to defeat the nearest opponent, the Candidate of APM, who polled 22153 votes.
Ikpeazu lead other three senior Lawyers-Mamman Osuman, Sabestin T. Hon and Ahmed Raji-and 21 other lawyers to file a motion ex parte at the tribunal requesting for the tribunal to ask INEC to allow them inspect electoral materials used for the March 19 elections, which, according to him, is important in the prosecution of the case. He joined the APC candidate and his party as second and third respondents.
In the petition, he filled the application on 11 grounds, insisting that without formal order formal instruction from the Tribunal, INEC will not grant him access to the Materials.
The tribunal has reserved formal inauguration for Monday, April 1st.
Recall that Ikpeazu was the Lawyer that handled the case of Peter Obi versus Chris Ngige, where Obi won the case against the incumbent Ngige.
Meanwhile, the Presidential candidate of the PDP, Atiku Abubakar, begins his legal onslaught today against President Buhari.
A five man panel headed by president of court of Appeal, Justice Zainab Bulkachuwa is expected to chair the court of appeal.
The intelligence unit of the Seme command of the Nigeria Customs Service, NCS has been stressed to the limit as it struggles to apprehend criminals and smuggler who sometimes use various means, including hiding under the cloak of diplomatic immunity to get passage at the border.
The situation is not helped by the delay on the part of the Nigerian Nuclear Regulatory Authority, NNRA to approve for use the multi-million dollar scanner donated by European Union, EU to aide seamless clearance of goods at the Seme/ Krake joint border post.
The development has somehow slowed down effort by the Col. Hameed Ali (rtd), Comptroller led NCS to eliminate, to a certain level direct human contact in the goods clearance cycle at the border with Benin Republic.
But the controller of the command, Comptroller Mohammed Uba Garba said he has directed his men not to let down the retired Army officer despite the setback on the part of the nuclear agency to approve the machine for immediate use.
Haul of goods laden trucks are known to besiege this important border daily. And as the volume of trade increases along this route keen border watchers have expressed fears of imminent trailer congestion.
Combined with the effort to block smugglers from using the corridor to bring in prohibited goods, analysts say Comptroller Uba and his men may have been overwhelmed with the load of work.
Not many are even aware that for weeks portable water was scarce at the ultra-modern ECOWAS Building that houses both Nigeria and Benin Republic border security officials, but the officers have survived because of their never-die-attitude to work, one of them told the magazine yesterday.
The officers were more than ever ready to perform their duty, said another Superintendent of Customs, SP who did not want his name to be mentioned.
The situation is even bad enough for the officers who are constantly accused of aiding the unscrupulous importers to beat the system by collecting bribes, close border watchers told the magazine.
But Comptroller Uba said the command will not be distracted by such spurious allegations. Officers and men have worked to do, he stated despite the sully narrative.
Uba: his men apprehend fake diplomat.
He seemed to be walking the talk. Others said there is still more to be done.
It’s left for his critics to determine whether he has lived up to the expectations of his boss in Abuja, the controller told journalists at the new ultra-modern Seme/Krake border last week.
But figures hardly lie. The command seems to have results to show for hard work in the last three months of the year despite seeming challenges.
The biggest trophy for Comptroller Uba and his men is the arrest of a member of the National Youth Service Corps, NYSC, Usman Abdulumar who must have made fortunes smuggling fairly used vehicles, popular as Tokunbo into Nigeria, using fake diplomatic documents.
Security experts told the magazine that the federal government has directed security agencies to crack down on individuals using diplomatic immunity for smuggling since the incident happened.
“The President Buhari administration has issued a red alert to security officials to search any suspicious diplomatic vehicles and personnel following the arrest of the suspect,” an anonymous DSS official told the magazine.
The suspect has been using the Inspector General of Police, IGP and Director General of DSS as cover to beat security at the border.
As soon as he’s flagged down by officers for search, the suspect will quickly brandish these identities and he would be allowed to go.
That’s what he has been doing until he was apprehended recently by Comptroller Uba’s men. It’s now end of the road for him.
Comptroller Uba said his case will serve as deterrence to others who hide under fake identity to commit crime.
After he was arrested by our highly intelligent officers, Uba said, “we ask him which documents do you use to pass and he brought out his phone that he has the phone number of the inspector general and I told him that is not possible.
After search was done on the vehicle, documents were found in the vehicle that stated that the vehicle is PrImera and with a plate number KJA 461 FP. The vehicle is Renault model.
He had a paper on him that if you intercept him is either you allow him to pass or call the Inspector General of police or call the foreign Affairs.
Further drilling showed that the suspect has since passed out from the NYSC, Uba stated because “when we asked him who he is, he brought out his identity card, 2014 NYSC. We asked him NYSC is just one year, what happened and his response was that he has an issue that is why he was carrying the ID card.
We call the director of NYSC to confirm the issue in such cases but the director said in such cases, they do collect the old ID card and will issue a new one to the person which is the current year and that is why we arrested him for further questioning.”
Within this period, the command generated the N1.26 billion into the federation account.
It’s very difficult to eradicate smuggling but under this circumstances ‘intensified operation of the enforcement unit has drastically reduced smuggling activities to the barest minimum,” Comptroller Uba said.
The unit seized 4745 bags of 50kg foreign rice which is equivalent to over 8 trucks with DPV 85, 504, 000, 68 parcels of Tramadol with DPV of N918, 000 and 10 parcels of cannabis.
The banned drug, the controller said has been handed over to the NDLEA for further investigation.
Other seizures include 180 sacks of scrap metals in Volvo FL7 truck with DPV of N8, 505, 000 intercepted along Owode axis and other exotic cars.
Since he assumed office last August the controller has instructed the enforcement unit of the command to ensure compliance with the reform process of the Comptroller General of the Service, Col. Hameed Ali (rtd).
He has also directed him officers to fasttrack documentation of both export and import.
Uche Abel, a customs agent at the border told the magazine that his principals (importers) are now happy that they could take delivery of their goods in 48 hours.
But that’s not the real problem. When the importer thinks that his problem are over, starring him in the face are numerous checkpoint mounted on the very busy Lagos/Badagary expressway by customs officers “who will ask you for their cut” to let you pass, the gent said.
Until recently, there were more than 10 of those checkpoints on this road. The checkpoints have now been reduced to less than five “we are still planning to cut them down” in line with ECOWAS protocol of free movement of goods and persons along this border, Comptroller Uba told the magazine recently.
The Federal Airports Authority, FAAN, has been battling to extricate itself from the ethnic slur being given to the Ground handling company in the way they handled the Air peace landing crisis.
Recall that a Boeing 737-300 acquired by Air Peace was denied Landing at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos by FAAN for several hours. After several hours of wrangling, the Aircraft was allowed to pack at the Cargo terminal instead of the normal parking bay. The visibly angry foreign Pilots who were expected to train the crew on the new Aircraft left, complaining about the treatment and hostility from FAAN, thereby creating an international embarrassment for the Nigerian Aviation industry.
The FAAN Airport Manager, Victoria Shin-aba who sent a message to the Airline that the Aircraft will not be allowed to pack at the Airport was less than civil. “Go and park in Enugu or find a place for it in Port Harcourt”, she was reported to have said. “We don’t have space in Lagos” This was coming on the heels of the just concluded governorship elections in Lagos where so called Igbophobia took center stage in Lagos.
Air Peace, which is said to be an Eastern owned airline, arrived from Dallas Airport in the United States.
According to the Airline, they got a letter from FAAN twenty minutes from time of the Aircraft was expected to land requesting that the Aircraft should not land.
“One of these Boeing 777 aircrafts creates jobs for 1500 people”, says Allen Onyema, the CEO of Air Peace. “It is only in Nigeria that you make this kind of investment and people will just sit down somewhere and decide to frustrate you. And these are the same people who will turn around to complain that Nigerian Airlines don’t have the capacity to purchase the right Aircraft for International Operations”.
Air peace is still embroiled in the issue of Boeing 737 max 8. They had ordered ten of the ill fated brand before the Ethiopian Airline crash. There were fears that Fidelity Bank, which has backed the financial undertaking for the airline might back out because of the huge financial implications. Boeing shares have plummeted in international markets in the wake of the crash.
Fidelity is also behind the current purchase.
But highly placed sources within Fidelity allayed such fears saying that they have been partnering with the Airline and are yet to back out.
When confronted with the issue, a visibly angry spokesperson of FAAN, Henrietta Yakubu, declined comment. “I have nothing to say on that topic”, he told this magazine-a statement she repeated three times, underlying her cautious nervousness. “Whatever you need are written in the papers” , she said, fiddling with her phone.
Her worries and apprehensions are understandable: She has been the center of focus on the unfortunate saga.
But the image maker of the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority, NCAA, Sam Adurogboye, insisted that whatever happened is a product of communications breakdown between Air Peace and FAAN, and need to be resolved with dialogue.
This is the third Boeing 777 acquired by Air Peace which they are preparing to use for international flights. According to sources within the airline, the aircraft are packed since they are being used for training, and auditing procedures are being done with the NCAA to complete the registration formalities.
