Friday, February 3rd, 2023 Edition

President Muhammadu Buhari (M) flanked by Chief of Staff Prof Ibrahim Gambari, Minister of Interior, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, Minister of Finance, Zainab Ahmed, Comptroller General of Nigerian Customs, Rtd Col Hameed Ibrahim Ali, Sec Gen World Customs Organisation, Dr. Kunio Mikuriya, Dr. Jehangir Khan, Mr. Anselme Yabouri, Mr. Edwin Nuvaga and others during an audience with the delegation in the State House yesterday in Abuja.

PHOTO; State House

Diversification: Digital economy saves FG N45.7bn -Buhari

By Egena Sunday Ode

President Muhammadu Buhari has said that the digital economy sector has been most successful in the diversification of the nation’s economy, saving the Federal Government over N45.7 billion in IT projects clearance.

The President stated this Thursday at the State House, Abuja, when he unveiled and launched two new policies developed by the Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy.

Linking the two policies to the diversification and prosperity of the economy, President Buhari said the National Policy on the Nigerian Government Second-Level Domains and the National Data Policy, are central to accelerating the development of the nation’s digital economy sector, adding that this administration would continue to develop policies and programmes in furtherance of the diversification of the economy:

“In the last three and a half years, we have intensified the development of policies, design of programmes and implementation of projects in the digital economy sector and the impact has been very impressive.

“For example, we have succeeded in diversifying our economy to a large extent and this is obvious when we consider the contribution of the ICT sector to our Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in the second quarter of 2022 which stood at 18.44%, compared to the contribution of the oil sector to the GDP which was 6. 33% in the same period,” he said.

The President noted that Nigeria’s strides towards a thriving digital economy started on October 17, 2019 with the redesignation of the Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy and the restructuring of its mandate, stressing that the changes have been phenomenal.

“We are proud of the great strides of our digital economy sector and the impact it has had on the different sectors of our economy and I commend the Honourable Minister for being committed to the implementation of the digital economy mandate.

“As part of our commitment towards ensuring the sustainability of our gains in the digital economy sector, we have taken steps to institutionalise the process by developing relevant policies and strategies,” President Buhari further stated.

According to him, a total of

21 new national policies and strategies have been developed by the Federal Government since 2019, adding that “ the policies and strategies are national instruments to support Nigeria’s digital economy at the national and sub-national levels. The national policies have led to significant development across all sectors of our economy.”

On the issue of digital identity for the country, President Buhari declared that the present administration has actively promoted it as key to a sustainable and secure development of our digital economy which will ultimately promote the use of the right identity by all Federal Public Institutions.

While noting that “the National Policy on Nigeria Government Second-Level Domains is a welcome step in this direction,” he directed that all government officials should refrain from using private emails for official purposes and Federal Public institutions (FPIs) must migrate their websites to the relevant government domains.

On the recent deployment of Starlink services by SpaceX in Nigeria, first of its kind in Africa, the President expressed his delight, declaring:

“We are glad that Starlink

services are already deployed in Nigeria. This has made Nigeria the first and only African country to have this link. With the deployment of Starlink services in Nigeria, we have 100 percent broadband penetration in Nigeria.”

Earlier, Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Professor Isa Ali Pantami said that the two policies being launched were outcomes of compliance with the President’s directive to come up with a National Policy that was earlier approved by the Federal Executive Council, noting that the policies were targeted at consolidating on the gains achieved so far in the digital ecosystem.

Enumerating the benefits to be derived from implementing the policies, the Minister said the Ministry relied on relevant provisions of the Constitution of Nigeria 1999 as amended, and the NITDA Act 2007, with the belief that they would go a long way in consolidating the achievements in the digital economy sector.

On the National Data Policy, Prof. Pantami reiterated the indispensability of data in national life, emphasizing that data was critical and could be leveraged on for the development of other sectors of the economy.

Buhari greets FIRS Chairman, a Muhammed Nani at 55

President Muhammadu Buhari has warmly felicitated with the Executive Chairman of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), Muhammad Mamman Nami on his 55th birthday, praising him for making commendable efforts to raise government revenues, especially

at this time of great need.

A statement by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu said Buhari noted that the leadership and guidance of Nami has repositioned operations and staff of the agency, using technological tools to institute far more

transparency, accountability, and effectiveness, which has, in turn, translated into the increased capacity to deliver on mandate with results manifestly seen.

It added that the President commends the Executive Chairman for bringing many years of experience in financial

services to bear on the foremost tax regulator, with a growing impact on the economy, especially as the government expands and prioritizes infrastructure development.

President Buhari prayed for the well-being of the Executive Chairman and his family, the statement said.

R-L: Board Chairman Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) Bukhari Bello, Corp Marshal Dauda Ali Biu and Board member Abdullahi Sifawa, during a 1 Day pubic hearing on the bills to for an act to establish Federal Road Safety Commission Command and Staff College Ibadan to Serve as a high level centre for training for personnel, strategy Sister Agencies, Ministries, Parastatas and Departments, at the National Assembly, yesterday in Abuja. Photo: Mahmud Isa

Era of election rigging over —INEC

From: Femi Oyelola, Kaduna

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), has said the era of election rigging in Nigeria is over, saying henceforth, no eligible voter can vote more than once in any election in the country.

The Assistant Electoral Officer, Kaduna South Local Government Area Hauwa Yakubu asserted this during a Town Hall meeting organised by the Kakuri Development Association on the 2023 elections held in Kaduna yesterday.

According to her, the votes of Nigerians would count in the 2023 general election.

Hauwa added that, there will be no case of over voting again in any polling station, noting that

Troops rescue 30 kidnapped victims, along KadunaBirnin Gwari road

From: Femi Oyelola, Kaduna

Afighting patrol from 1 Div yesterday rescued 30 kidnapped victims along Kaduna -Birnin Gwari road.

The Acting Deputy Director Army Public Relations 1 Division

Nigerian Army Lieutenant Colonel Musa Yahaya stated this in a statement made available to the media in Kaduna yesterday.

The statement stated that troops who were escorting the Chief of Defence Training and Operations, Maj Gen SE Udonwa on operational visits to Operation Whirl Punch Headquarters in Birnin Gwari engaged the bandits and overpowered them, forcing the criminal elements to withdraw in disarray.

The statement added that the gallant troops rescued 30 kidnapped victims, recovered 2 motorcycles and immediately cleared the highway for free flow of vehicular traffic.

Voting will be based on BVAS and other electronic devices by INEC.

“At the polling stations, the number of votes must be based on the number of voters accredited at the time of polling and not based on the number of registered voters.

“The number of accreditation at the polling station must tally with the number of actual voting. If it exceeded by one vote, the entire process would be invalidated,” She said Speaking earlier, the Chairman of Kakuri Department

Association Graba Yusuf said the Town. Hall Meeting Supported by Interfaith Mediation Center and Action Aid is to enlightened the residents of the local government on the forthcoming 2023 elections especially the new technology.

Similarly, Emmanuel Bonnet of Action Aid urged the residents of Kaduna South to ensure that the elections are peaceful.

Mr. Bonnet explained that there is are many ways voters can address their grievances without resulting to violence.

Ministry to

launch 24/7

citizen’s desk for diaspora response – Onyeama

Minister of Foreign Affairs

Geoffrey

Onyeama says that the ministry will launch a 24hour, seven days citizens desk for responding to complaints of Nigerians from across the globe.

Onyeama made this known on Thursday, in Abuja at the 22nd Edition of the PMB Administration Scorecard while presenting the achievements of the Foreign Ministry in the past seven years.

He said that the desk would be a game-changer with the

government’s active presence in almost all the countries.

“We are setting up a citizen’s desk so that a 24/7 team should be there, so that Nigerians all over the world can call a dedicated line of the help desk.

“We are about to launch that very soon and this will be a real game changer for Nigerians who are outside the country.

“We are also putting up a diplomatic service digitization initiative so that all our embassies will be able to have one unified communication network,” Onyeama said.

He said that under Buhari’s intervention on creating an enabling environment for ease of doing business, the Ministry had also developed a match making portal to boost foreign direct investments.

“In the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, we have developed a match making portal to facilitate this exchange between Nigerian businesses and foreign businesses and making it easier.

“Mr President set up a Presidential Business enabling environment also for greater

ease of doing business and we are doing that concretely by setting up this portal.

“So, we have this digital online match making portal and it will give access and connectivity to various businesses and investors for verified Nigerian businesses and skill professionals.

“It leverages on the fact that we have over 100 missions across the world, so we are leveraging on that match making and get businesses to come into the country,” Onyeama added. (NAN)

L-R 1-Minister of State for Power, Mr. Goddy Jedy-Agba, the MD of Rural Electrification Agency Engr. Ahmad Salihijo Ahmad and the Executive Director Rural Electrification Fund, at the retreat of Rural Electrification Agency Board and Management of the agency, yesterday in Abuja. Photo: Mahmud Isa

By Christiana Ekpa

Bills seeking to reposition

The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) have come under public hearing in the House of Representatives Committee as coordinated by the committee on Road Safety.

The Chairman of the Committee on Road Safety, Honourable Akinfolarin Samuel, said that the bills were important to the overall good of the Road Safety.

The Bills are: ‘A bill for an act to establish Federal Road Safety Commission Command and staff college Ibadan to serve as a high level centre for training of FRSC personnel, personnel of strategic

Sam Zuga Foundation offers free medication, empowerment to Niger youths

From Yakubu Mustapha Bina

ANon Governmental Organization, Sam Zuga Foundation has offered free medical services, empowerment number of youth and women in Bosso local government area of Niger state.

The founder, Bishop Dr Sam Zuga in an interview during the program in Bosso, said he has been in to humanitarian services for over 20 years.

The program included healings sessions for the beneficiaries from Bosso and environs.

It also included a testimony of Sam Zuga benevolent and the healing of a 16 years old girl who was lame at 2 years and received a miraculous healing.

Bishop Dr Sam Zuga disclosed that he has chosen to impact on Nigerian society through his healings adding that God has called him to his people through humanitarian services so as to better the lives of others.

He further revealed that various services are been offered to include; free medical services, empowerment of youths and women financially to improve their businesses in order to get rid of poverty in the land.

Bishop Dr Sam Zuga was earlier turban as Sarkin Yaki Magaguna of Bosso by the district head of Bosso in recognition of his humanitarian services to humanity.

A community leader, Danlami Malagwa appreciated the kind gesture of Sam Zuga Foundation for chosen Bosso local government to offer his humanitarian services, adding that the numbers of testimonies stands him out.

Reps move to reposition Road Safety Corps, as 3 bills under go public scrutiny

sister agencies, relevant MDAs as a centre of research in road traffic administration and safety management and for related matters;

A bill for an act to establish FRSC inspectorate training school as a higher national diploma awarding institution to provide academic and professional training and for related matters;

A bill for an act to establish FRSC academy as a degree awarding academy institution to provide academic and professional training and for related matters as well as bill for an act to establish FRSC road marshal assistant training school and for related matters in addition to a motion on recurring blockade of highways by articulated trucks in Nigeria.

Disclosing the rationale behind the public hearing, Hon. Samuel, the essence of the public hearing was to get the views of the public on how to move forward and make the dream of the founding fathers of road safety

come to pass.

“The purpose is to commend the road safety for taking the lead in road traffic management administration and safety management in Nigeria and Africa as a whole. Two to see legal backing or recognition for institutions that’s are fully in operation at different levels,” Honourable Samuel said.

He also enjoined major stakeholders at the hearing to put up constructive suggestions.

He commended the FRSC for having the foresight to propose the establishment of the institutions for the building of personnel capacity.

“I just want to emphasize the importance of collaboration and synergy in office and among agencies of government. As you all know and the chairman of the Corps can attest to it, if not for the fact that we are up and doing, if we rely on budgetary allocation alone what we are doing here will not be possible and I am making this

special appeal to other agencies to borrow what we are doing here, that it is important to form synergy, to collaborate with other institutions,” he said.

“The last leg of this public hearing is to let the outline know that the committee is working on a motion to curb recurring of obstruction caused by articulated vehicles on our highways. Let me reiterate that public hearings are crucial avenues for us to distil public opinions and set the course of the nation over policies and activities with the sole aim of providing our people with the needed space to participate in our lawmaking processes”, the committee chairman explained.

According to him, other laws and regulations, training and retraining of members of the Corps was of utmost importance.

“It is my firm belief that the establishment of the Institutions would avail Officers and Marshals of the Corps and interested members of the public

opportunity for capacity building and development of positive policies that will eradicate the menace of road traffic crashes in the country. It will also enhance leadership qualities of such member of the Corps to be vibrant road traffic administrators and safety managers,”he said.

A representative of the National Universities Commission (NUC), Mr. Paschal Iwuaga, said that the NUC did not get the bill for the establishment of the FRSC Staff College.

He also said that the NUC does not oppose the Road Safety Academy but that the Chairman of Council must be appointed by the Nigerian president.

Other stakeholders commended the FRSC for its foresight and the committee for ensuring that everyone was carried along.

They also appealed that other members of the public be allowed to attend the institutions when established.

CSOs urges INEC to build Nigerians confidence around BVAS

By Abubakar Yunusa Abuja

Less than 22 days to the 2023 general election, the resource Centre for Human Rights and Civic Education (CHRICED ) has called on Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to build Nigerians’ Confidence around Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) to ensure there is would free, fair election.

CHRICED also called on INEC to engage in more confidence building concerning the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) device, which

came under the spotlight at the recent Governorship Election Petition Tribunal judgment for the Osun State gubernatorial election conducted in 2022.

Briefing newsmen on the State of the nation in Abuja on Thursday, CHRICED Executive Director, Comrade, Dr. Ibrahim M. Zikirullahi said INEC should make sure the forthcoming election is delivered successfully.

He also accused the present government saying that the Buhari administration has failed woefully, in all ramifications and there’s nothing good to say about this government.

Speaking further, he said “2023 is another opportunity for Nigerians to reset the country and breath new life into it by electing the right leaders.

Zikrullahi explained that the election is taking place at a time when the country is facing numerous challenges, from insecurity to turmoil in the economy and the lack of job

He said, “From insecurity to the turmoil in the economy and to the lack of jobs for those willing and ready to work, there are more than enough reasons for all registered Nigerians to come out in good numbers on

Election Day to exercise their democratic rights.

While commending the INEC for its a recent extension to the timeframe for the collection of PVCs, he said “There been very disturbing video evidence of cases wherein Nigerians wanting to collect their PVCs were asked to part with specific sums of money to be able to get their PVCs

“CHRICED unequivocally condemns these manifestations of petty corruption in the PVC collection process as documented in Enugu and Nasarawa States.”

L-R: Dr Mohammed Badamasuyi, Minister of State for power Gody JedyAgba and the Managing Director of Rural Electrification Agency, Engr. Ahmad Salihijo Ahmad, at the retreat of Rural Electrification Agency Board and Management of the agency, yesterday in Abuja. Photo: Mahmud Isa

Abuja building mishap kills one, scores trapped

By Stanley Onyekwere & Mashe Umaru Gwamna

At least one person was confirmed dead while twenty persons escaped death by the whiskers when a two storey Commercial complex under construction in Gwarinpa District of Abuja, the nation’s capital city, collapsed yesterday afternoon, with many trapped under the debris.

This is as the Federal Housing Authority(FHA), revealed that the developer of the building went contrary to their approval.

It was gathered that due to rescue operation by a combined team of several emergency responders including security and paramilitary agencies, the 20 persons were rescued and taken to hospital for proper treatment.

Director Forecasting, Mitigation and Response, FCT Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Mrs. Florence Winigene, confirmed that at the last count, only 20 victims were rescued, and 1 death recorded in the building mishap.

According to an eye witness, John Edwin, several workers at the site, especially laborers conveying blocks to the top decking, were over 40bin number, when the mishap occurred.

Edwin, who claimed to have lived in the area for many years, and that he has always known the place to be a reserved green area.

He however, urged relevant authorities to call the management of Federal Housing Authority to question, for illegally allocating Green areas to commercial complex.

Earlier, while confirming the incident, Director Development Control, Federal Capital Territory Administration ( FCTA), Muktar Galadima, most of the affected persons were construction

workers, many of whom were still trapped on the debris of the illfated building.

Similarly, Coordinator, Abuja Metropolitan Management Council ( AMMC) Umar Shuaibu, who noted that while the council won’t appropriate blame to anybody, but that investigation will commence immediately to ascertain both the remote and immediate cause of the collapse.

Shuaibu said: “When the monitoring officers, leave the site and leave the contractor or the developers what they do outside is a different thing entirely. We have to make sure that it is the professionals that are supervising, most of the quacks are involved. When you have quackery anything can happen, however, we are on

top of the situation.

“Things like this are very rare in Abuja because of the standard monitoring that we engaged from the monitoring of the city side.

The Housing Authority also has its professionals.

“We are going to hold to ensure that they do the right thing especially those who are involved in this development and definitely if there are punishment to be meted on the actual people that appropriately but now we are focusing on lives to be rescued.”

Responding to the question on the rescue mission being slow, the AMMC boss attributed it to the enormity of challenges involved as the slabs that are over the victims required a machine to lift them up.

“You can see how many

machines that are here and you said it’s slow. For an operation like this, we have four excavators working, we have Federal Fire Service, NEMA, all the machines need to conduct this operation are here. In fact, we are very fast , operations like this , at times take two three days before you get to the bottom of the debris”, he stressed.

As at the time of filing this report, rescue operation was still ongoing at the collapse site, situated at 7th avenue of Gwarimpa, in the nation’s capital, Abuja.

Meanwhile, the Federal Housing Authority(FHA), has revealed that the developer of the building collapse went contrary to the authority’s approval.

This was contained in a

statement signed and issued by Head Public Affairs, Kenneth Chigelu.

It said the structure, is a commercial privately developed, privately owned, and situated along the 6th Avenue.

He said “Preliminary findings revealed that an approval for 2 floors was granted to the developer, who decided to add an extra floor to the structure”.

According to him, as at the time of collapse, the building was a frame structure with columns, suspended slabs in place, and some block works.

He said rescue efforts are currently going on to save lives, with responses from all relevant agencies.

“ A total of four people have been rescued from the rubbles at the time of this release”.

Meanwhile, investigations are on - going will reveal immediate and remote causes of the collapse.”

Fragile borders fueling terrorism, economic sabotage, Says Buhari

By Egena Sunday Ode

Nigeria and her neighbors must place higher premium on the effective policing of borders, as the fragile nature of entry points into various countries enhance terrorism, economic sabotage, and illicit flow of arms, President Muhammadu Buhari has said.

The President spoke Thursday at the State House, Abuja, while playing host to Dr Kunio Mikuriya, Secretary General, World Customs Organization (WCO), who is in Nigeria for a Global Conference on Fragile Borders.

Commending Mikuriya for his 4th visit to the country, President Buhari said this current one was coming at a time we were preparing for general elections, and “I have made it a cardinal commitment to ensure each Nigerian is able to exercise their franchise by participating in a free and fair election, in true practice of our relatively nascent democracy.

“It is our objective to ensure this takes place in a peaceful and conducive atmosphere, despite all the usual excitement and gamesmanship that is known to occur during election campaigning.”

Theme of the conference is ‘Enabling Customs in Fragile and and Conflict Affected Situations,’ which the President said is of “critical importance for us as a country as we go to the polls, but equally important to most countries on the continent, and dare I say the world. In fact, it is quite frankly the singular most concerning sub-issue in our national security agenda. The fragility of our borders has been a major Achilles heel in our fight against terrorism, economic sabotage and illicit flow of small and light weapons.”

President Buhari said it gladdens his heart, that the WCO has dedicated an entire conference to the subject and theme, “thus recognizing not only its importance, but dedicating working sessions and brainstorming around it and inviting great thought leadership to dissect the issues and explore how nations in Africa can address this problem given our unique set of circumstances while also pursuing our joint and collective idea of an interconnected continent via trade

and movement of goods and services.”

The Nigerian leader briefed the WCO Secretary General and his team on a number of efforts in combating the challenges of fragile borders, which include:

“Our National Security strategy 2019 which promotes close inter-agency cooperation and the National Counter-Terrorism strategy which mandates Nigeria Customs Service to support other Agencies of government on fighting terrorism;

“Support for the armed forces in launching operations to secure our borders;

“Demonstration of a strong political will to support Nigeria Customs Service, as a critical agency of state in the discharge of its security and revenue mandates;

“Approval of the Federal Executive Council for a new Customs Modernization Project that actively promotes the integration of technology into border operations;

And “the ongoing effort to review the Customs enabling law to strengthen the Nigeria

Customs Service and provide stiffer sanctions against smuggling and other criminal acts.”

President Buhari hoped that the conference will seek to understand the operating environment that exists around countries who struggle with fragile borders, and see how comprehensive and exhaustive solutions can be proposed that deal with the multi-faceted nature of the issues.

Dr Mikuriya described WCO as a 184-member worldwide organization, in which Nigeria plays an active and vibrant role.

He said Customs services must now go beyond mere revenue generation, and delve into security, as “without security at the borders, we cannot effectively collect revenue.”

Mikuriya lamented that Customs officials are often targets of terrorists and armed groups, “and so we need to have collaboration with other security agencies, share intelligence, and deploy technology.”

He thanked Nigeria for hosting the three days conference.

R-L: Chairman House of Representatives Ad-hoc Committee on Crude Oil theft, Hon. Mack Billah; members of the committee, Hon. Sergius Ogun and Hon. Dachung Bagos, during an investigative hearing on Crude Oil theft with Interpol teams at the National Assembly, yesterday in Abuja. Photo: Mahmud Isa

•Urges premium on effective border policing

•Restates commitment to peaceful polls

•20 Victims rescued •Developer went contrary to our approval—FHA

Nasarawa killing: Gov. Ortom lambast deposed Kano Emir Sanusi for profiling him

From Uche Nnorom, Makurdi

Benue State Governor Samuel Ortom has stated that he cannot be distracted by blackmail orchestrated against him by deposed Emir of Kano, Lamido Sanusi.

The dethroned Emir according to the Governor, had in a statement signed by 52 personalities of Fulani extraction profiled him as the mastermind of the recent killing of 43 persons suspected to be Fulani Herdsmen in Akpanaja, Nasarawa State.

The Governor had last week, strongly denied the allegation, maintaining it was a military operation which he knew nothing about.

At a world press conference on Thursday held at the Banquet Hall, Ortom fumed, “they are maliciously accusing me of genocide, maligning me and calling on all Fulanis to work against me and vote against me in the forthcoming election.

“I consider this as a grand conspiracy against me. I have escaped 7 assassinations plot. I have been made an enemy for standing for my people. These are people who elected me. I was not electd by the dethroned Emir who is seeking relevance and using ethnicity to brand me so as to look like a good man.”

2023: No plan to boycott coverage of elections – NSCDC

By Tobias Lengnan Dapam

The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) has denied insinuation that its personnel will boycott the coverage of the forthcoming general elections.

The Corps said thousands of NSCDC personnel will be deployed to every nook and cranny, critical national infrastructures not exempting the protection of Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), it’s staff and electoral materials, all in a bid to ensure a peaceful election.

There had been reports that operatives of the Corps plan to boycott 2023 election coverage due to outstanding allowances for 2022 Osun and Ekiti election coverage.

But in statement released Thursday in Abuja by the Corps spokesman, Olusola Odumosu, confirmed that personnel of the Corps that took part in the Ekiti and Osun state governorship elections in 2022 are yet to receive their allowances, adding

that the management of NSCDC has taken bold steps in ensuring the allowances are paid before the presidential election.

According to Odumosu, the federal government recently released Osun election allowances which is in the process of disbursement to operatives who participated in the election duty and it was also promised that the allowances for Ekiti election is in the process of release to the Corps.

“The Corps wishes to debunk such speculations as thousands of NSCDC personnel will be deployed to every nook and cranny, critical national infrastructures not exempting the protection of Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), it’s staff and electoral materials, all in a bid to ensure a peaceful election.

“The recently released fund was due to the commitment and passion of the Commandant General, Dr Ahmed Abubakar Audi, mni, OFR to ensure that staff welfare is not tampered with.

“Worried by the initial

delay, Dr Audi, set up an action committee, headed by the Director of Finance and Accounts (DFA), Mrs Comfort Danladi, to make necessary follow-ups with the Federal Ministry of Finance in ensuring the release of the funds.

“The cooperation received from the Ministry of finance in respect of the payment of the election allowances prompted the assurances by the Corps’ management to personnel that the process had begun, hence, the need to sue for more patience at that time.

“It is worthy of note that, the CG is very passionate about the welfare of personnel and would not fold his arms and allow personnel to groan in anguish, pain or very low morale in the course of carrying out their duties especially in the forthcoming general elections.”

The statement urged the personnel to exercise more patience, saying the payment process cannot be completed in one day.

“The Corps therefore wishes to implore those attempting to

cause confusion in the Corps not to waste their time and efforts as it will be an exercise in futility.

“The Corps is a professional body and a regimented organisation with well trained and highly disciplined personnel that have full understanding of paramilitary doctrines and public service rules, and would not be coarsed into engaging in acts of Indiscipline or sabotage against the nation.

“Personnel of the Corps are educated and enlightened enough to understand that allowances are only added incentives to salaries and not a right, and that sometimes, bureaucratic bottlenecks can be responsible for such delays.

“Besides, the Commandant General has reiterated times without numbers that under his administration, ‘the era of monkey dey work, baboon dey chop’ in the Corps is over.

“The Ministry of Finance can be reached for more details about the circumstances surrounding the delay in payment of the election allowances.”

Elections: Zamfara NSCDC Commandant warns against corruption

From Ibrahim Sidi Muh’d, Gusau

Zamfara State Command of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) has warned it’s members to ensure total respect for the rules of engagement for absolute hitchfree conduct of the forthcoming general elections in the state.

This was communicated yesterday by the State Commandant, Mohammed Bello Mu’azu during a capacity building organised for the senior officers of the

Command being part of preparations for the peaceful conduct of 2023 general elections.

Commandant Mu’azu warned that, members of the NSCDC must before, during and after elections exhibit due diligence, commitment and courage in the discharge of their constitutional duties, and must not compromise the performance of duties on any ground.

“The Corp shall cooperate, collaborate and partner with other security agencies for the purpose of formidable synergy to

ensure that the election is peaceful, free, fair and credible, personnel are to link up with the operation room and adhered strictly to harmonize operational order to ensure among others minimum of the one person per polling booth, collation and final result declaration venters”.

“I am directing you to ensure all deployed members for the conduct of election in the state should be civil not aggressive, this is for the fact that the main aim of the NSCDC is to provide conducive environment for credible elections to the

extent voters must have cool and calm election exercise at all polling units across the state”, Commandant Mu’azu further directed.

He further warned that, “In a nutshell, both the staffers of the INEC, eligible voters and all the election materials must be well protected, but there may be situation whereby an individual or group of unpatriotic citizens may engage selves in illegal actions against the elections, there, the need for application of force may have way in under the Command’s order”.

President Buhari with Chief of Staff Prof. Ibrahim Gambari, Minister of Communication and Digital Economy Prof. Isa Pantami, Perm. Sec. Ministry of Communications Dr. Williams Alo and DG NITDA Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi as he Unveiled 2 National Policies on Nigerian Government Second Level Domains and National Data Strategy (2023-2027) in State House on 2nd Feb 2023

2023: IGP flags off PCRC women, youths sensitization summit in Abuja

The Inspector-General of Police, IGP Usman Alkali Baba, has flagged off the Police Community Relations Committee (PCRC) National Women and Youths Sensitization Summit on peaceful, free and fair 2023 General Elections with the theme ‘Ensuring Secured and Safe Atmosphere for Nigerian Women and Youths during Election Process’.

A statement yesterday by CSP OLUMUYIWA ADEJOBI, Police spokesman said the summit dissected the role of the electorate, particularly women and youths, and urged cooperation with personnel of the Nigeria Police and other security agencies engaged in election security management for robust security before, during, and after the 2023 General Elections.

The IGP commended the initiative of the PCRC National Chairman, Alhaji Mogaji Ibrahim and the PCRC National Executives while urging them to use their platform to improve security at the grassroots level while working to empower local communities to work in tandem

Niger students endorse Tinubu for 2023

From Yakubu Mustapha Minna

Niger State students under the auspices of Asiwaju Students Club (ASC 2023) has endorsed the candidature of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Asiwaju Ahmed Bola Tinubu for the forthcoming general elections.

The Niger State Coordinator of the club, Comrade Jibril Mohammed Lwafu during the official endorsement after addressing the students in Minna, said Tinubu’s endorsement was sequel to the mass consultation of the group.

Lwafu maintained that Nigeria needs not only personality but a leader that is competent, patriotic, visionary and detribalized individual.

He said that the politically conscious and proactive students were concerned about the democratic challenges that borders on the national unity and transformation.

The student leader emphasized that 36% of INEC voters register consist of students and youths, hence they must take their destiny in their hands by mobilizing Nigerians to vote Tinubu and Shetima for 2023 general elections to salvage the country.

with the NPF in ensuring their safety and security and to create a more secure environment for everyone.

Similarly, the IGP addressed the previous batch of Police Constables who have been trained in weapons handling, police

tactics/techniques, human rights standards in arrest/detention/ search of persons or vehicles, and public order management by the NPF Peacekeeping Office. The officers conducted a brief demonstration of the contemporary techniques for

crowd control and intervention in the event of public disorder which they have learned in preparation for the 2023 General Elections.

While reiterating his vision for a Police built on the tenets of training and retraining, the

Inspector-General of Police charged the officers to employ their training judiciously with a huge dedication to duty so as to ensure that the 2023 General Elections security management is effectively handled at every level, particularly at the grassroots.

ICPC arrests woman over alleged sale of new Naira notes

The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has arrested a woman with the Twitter handle @Simisola of Lala, allegedly offering the redesigned Naira notes for sale on social media.

Spokesperson for the commission, Mrs Azuka Ogugua in a statement on Wednesday

said that she was arrested as a result of intelligence received by ICPC’s operatives.

She said the suspect allegedly seized the opportunity of the scarcity of the new naira notes to openly market the new notes.

“It is believed she is in collusion with key elements in the financial services sector diverting the newly released notes away from banking halls

and payment channels into a “ black market, ” she said.

She added that the woman, a social media “serial entrepreneur” deals in skincare, sales of fuel, facilitation of foreign travels through visa acquisitions, and other businesses.

According to her, the suspect is currently in ICPC detention and is helping the anti graft

agency with its findings on the criminal trading of the naira and the attendant scarcity and negative economic outcomes being caused by the action.

She further explained that the arrest was in furtherance of the collaboration between CBN, ICPC and EFCC in implementing the new cashless policy and Naira redesign. (NAN)

Benue PDP cautions APC over involvement in crisis

From Uche Nnorom, Makurdi

Peoples’ Democratic Party, PDP, Benue State chapter has cautioned the All Progressives Congress, APC, not to drag the party into its internal wrangling.

PDP Publicity Secretary

Bemgba Iortyom in a statement yesterday made available to Peoples Daily, said APC’s prevailing doom and the attendant impending death of the party are clearly the result of poor administration of its internal processes.

He added that the APC should

own up to and work to address, rather than indulging in false accusations against PDP which in the end will only amount to a waste of their time.

Bemgba said APC’s accusations against PDP in this instance range from destruction of their campaign materials

to sponsorship of Professor Terhemba Shija’s legal battles against what he is challenging as a fraudulent gubernatorial primary election in 2022, as well as a purported hiring of thugs to disrupt the re-run of the primaries scheduled to have commenced on Thursday.

Tinubu’s wife to support out-of-school children

From Ahmed Idris, Birnin Kebbi

The wife of the All Progressive Congress (APC) Presidential candidate Oluremi Bola

Tinubu has promised to put incentives in place to encourage children to go back to school if her husband won

the next month’s election.

She stated this at town Hall meeting organised in her honour in Birnin Kebbi.

She added that educational sector would be streamlined in order for everyone to benefit.

National Industrial Court, Abuja has fixed Feb. 16 for adoption of final written addresses in suit filed by Mr Funmilayo Omosule against the Oil and Gas Free Zone Authority Administration (OGFZAA) over his alleged unlawful suspension.

Justice Olufunke Anuwe, in a short ruling, also directed parties to regularise their processes before the next adjourned date.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Omosule and OGFZAA had been locked in a fierce legal battle to resolve the legality or otherwise of his suspension, following his petition against some management staff of the agency on alleged corruption.

Upon resumed hearing, Omosule’s counsel, Dr Tunji Abayomi, informed that the defendant had just served him with their written address shortly before the commencement of proceeding.

Abayomi said new issues were raised in the process which would need a response, even though he had already filed their written address following the failure of the defendant to do so on time.

OGFZAA’s lawyer, Mr Michael Ajara, who apologised for late filing of their application, said a motion for an extension of time had been filed.

He said the motion sought an order to deem their application as being properly filed. Consequently, Justice Anuwe granted the motion and adjourned the matter until Feb. 16 for adoption of final written addresses.

The judge, who held that the adjournment would also allow Abayomi respond to the defendant’s final written address by filing a fresh one, directed parties to regularise their processes before the next date.

NAN reports that OGFZAA had,

via a letter dated April 18, 2011, suspended Omosule as the manager of its Abuja office on the grounds that he had refused to comply with its letter dated December 3, 2010, which had directed him to present the originals of his credentials for verification.

Omosule, however, refuted the claim of the authority, stating that he made available to the defendant CTCs of his educational certificates/credentials, including GCE ‘O Level certificates and degree certificates as instructed.

Omosule had claimed that the originals of his credentials were misplaced in untraceable circumstances as at 2010 when the report to submit originals was made.

The claimant also averred that the CTCs of his certificates submitted to the defendant were certified by the issuing institutions, which included the West African

Examination Council (WAEC) and the University of Ado-Ekiti, then Ondo State University, Ado Ekiti, respectively.

The claimant is seeking the court‘s declaration that he was still a staff of the organisation and entitled to all the rights, privileges and benefits due to him by reason of his employment.

Court to hear adoption of written addresses in suit against OGFZAA NANS, youths endorse lawmaker for 2nd term

He is praying the court for an order directing the defendant to reinstate him to the position of a director, on grade level 17, a position he claimed his contemporaries were holding currently.

Omosule is equally seeking the order of the court to direct the defendant to pay all his outstanding salaries, benefits and entitlement since 2011 and to also order the defendant to pay him the sum of N50 million as exemplary and general damages. (NAN)

Buhari’s personality earns Nigeria respect internationally - Onyeama

By our correspondent

Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama has justified the international shuttles of President Muhammadu Buhari saying that it has earned respect for the country from the international community.

Onyeama said yesterday while presenting the Foreign Affairs progress report of the President Muhammadu Buhari administration at the 22nd edition of the Presidential Scorecard Series in Abuja yesterday, that the President deserved to visit more countries.

Onyeama was reacting to a question as to whether the President’s frequent foreign trips have yielded enough returns for the country.

He said Buhari has been the most influential foreign minister in the history of this country, and that the affection and respect he has earned internationally is

breathtaking.

There is a lot that that been achieved for Nigeria, he said, adding that a lot of his personal engagements with countries have raised the confidence that Nigeria has among countries of the world.

“I will even have him visit more countries if I have my way,” he said.

According to him, Nigeria looks to be a member of the security council, and as such it has to show its presence in so many countries, and that besides, the country needs the African market.

“We need to have our presence in so many countries, but we cannot reduce too much if we want to become the country that we want to become,” he noted.

Answering a question on the effect new naira note swap, he said some Ambassadors have come to ask him about the challenges they are having regarding the Naira redesign, but that it is essentially the Finance ministry that should address that.

He said Nigeria hopes to take African slot at the United Nations Security Council and is obliged to show examples to justify that it deserves to be the African country

to be in the UN permanent seat. He said, for example, that Nigeria is the only country that has a permanent seat on the African Union.

2023 Elections: Organisation urges youth to take responsibility, maintain peace

Junior Chamber International (JCI), a non-profit organisation of young people, have called on Nigerian youths to take responsibility during and after the general elections.

The President of the JCI, Mr Samuel Chinonyerem, made the call while addressing newsmen in Abuja on Wednesday.

He said that youths should

also make it a duty to go and get their voter’s card and vote for their preferred candidates.

“We pray that government through the security agencies provide an enabling environment for peaceful elections.

“Politicians should desist from any act that will bring violence before, during and after the elections. Government of the

people will emerge at the end of the 2023 elections,’’ he said.

The president said their prayers was predicated on the fact that, the relative peace t enjoyed in the country had been threatened by heightened insecurity.

He said that the heightened insecurity which cuts across all regions of the country, needed to stop for the country to experience

economic growth.

Chinonyerem who further listed the causes of insecurity in the country, identified good governance as key to the solution.

He said having the right leadership in place would guarantee good governance and can only be possible if there was peace and security in country.

(NAN)

The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has endorsed a House of Representatives member, Tolulope Akande-Sadipe for a second term for the Oluyole Federal Constituency of Ibadan.

A statement by Mr Lekan Olusada, Media Aide to AkandeSadipe, said the NANS National Vice President, External Affairs, Mr Akinteye Afeez, gave the endorsement when the leadership of the students’ body visited the member on Wednesday, in Ibadan.

Afeez said that the association had followed Akande-Sadipe’s achievements closely for years.

He said that a number of students in the diaspora had benefited from her educational programme for the constituency.

The student leader said, “she has built different school facilities in Oluyole Federal constituency that have provided good learning environment for pupils.

“Recently she presented a bill to make JAMB valid for three years; she is a thoughtful woman, “he said.

He urged her not to relent her efforts in developing the students, saying that the youth and students would ensure she won her reelection.

Responding, Akande-Sadipe, expressed delight over the endorsement, saying that the gathering was about the future of Oluyole.

“I want to thank NANS leadership for coming out to validate this God blessed mandate. My team and I are just starting.

“ The agenda for a better Oluyole Federal constituency is still on track. We will commit more into education in the constituency,“ he said.

She promised to continue to support education and give pupils the conducive environment to learn.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the association also presented a certificate of endorsement to the lawmaker.

NAN also reports that other students at the occasion declared their support for the lawmaker, over her quality contribution at the House of Representatives.

(NAN)

President Buhari

Redesigned Naira Notes: NOA solicits NUJ FCT council collaboration on sensitisation

The FCT Directorate of National Orientation Agency (NOA) has solicited the collaboration of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), FCT council to sensitised Nigerians on the redesigned naira notes.

The Acting Director, NOA FCT Directorate, Mrs Comfort Ogunmola, said this when she led a delegation to the NUJ FCT council office on Wednesday in Abuja.

Ogunmola said that it was the agency`s mandate to sensitise Nigerians on government policies and Programmes.

She called on Nigerians to accept the naira notes and to be patient with government as it`s try to get the new note in circulation.

Ogunmola said government has been sensitive to the cry of Nigerians by extending the deadline for the old

currency as legal tender.

He said that the change was done in good faith for a better Nigeria.

She said that change of currency was statutory which should be carried out every five to eight years, adding that it was done to mop up excess money in circulation.

“We have a lot of money stashed in people`s houses and it is not good for our economy, hence the need for the redesigned notes.

“The redesigned naira notes is to checkmate this and ensure that all money released are in circulation.

“Today we are here on advocacy visit to NUJ because I see NUJ as partners in progress since our jobs are similar.

“For all we do, if we don’t have the media coverage and projection of our activities, we will not be visible even when we are doing so much.

“This is not to deny the robust support we have enjoyed with the media but there is always room for more,” she said.

Responding, the Chairman, NUJ FCT Council, Mr Emmanuel Ogbeche, thanked the agency for seeking collaboration with the council and pledged the council’s willingness to work with the agency.

Ogbeche said that the country was faced with three critical issues of elections, census and currency introduction which was causing some challenges in the system.

The chairman said the role of NOA was critical in mobilising and creating enlightenment for the Nigerian populace.

Ogbeche appreciated the government for listening to the cry of the people to extend the deadline of swapping the old currency for

new ones.

He, however, called on the government to do more enlightenment for the census as the awareness was low.

“Census is very important in terms of national planning and development. But I must confess that the awareness in terms of arrangement for the census is not as compared to the elections.

“So the NOA has a major assignment to keep Nigerians up to date on census because even the mode census that was conducted, people seem not to be fully aware of what is happening.

“Since a lot of resources have been deployed to ensure that we have a near accurate data in our demography, we are willing to work with NIA on this direction,” he said. (NAN)

Obi-Datti presidency, key to national rebirth – LP chieftain

Mr Nwachukwu Nwabueze, a chieftain of the Labour Party (LP) in Ebonyi said Mr Peter Obi, the presidential candidate of the LP and his running mate, Mr Yusufu Datti presidency, if elected, would be key to national rebirth.

Nwabueze stated this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday in Abakaliki.

He described Obi as a ‘detribalised Nigerian whose commitment to Nigeria’s unity was the driving force behind his presidential aspiration.

The chieftain, who also is the National Chairman of Good Governance Initiative (GGI), a group committed to promoting credible, transparent and allinclusive governance in Nigeria noted that Obi-Datti’s presidency would lead the nation to economic, social and political prosperity.

Nwabueze said: “Peter Obi’s presidency will be a liberator and it’s a presidency that will give birth to a new Nigeria, because his leadership will embrace Nigerians from across all economic, social and political strata.

“Obi-Datti presidency will enthrone good governance and alleviate the suffering of the people .“There is a need for the citizens to vote for Obi who is an accomplished entrepreneur, who knows the plus and minus to move the country into prosperity.”

He said that to move the country from a consumption to a production economy, corruption would be first eliminated, stressing that it was one of the cardinal agenda of Obi, if elected.

Leadership Award: LOTUS Bank poised to improve service delivery, financial inclusion

LOTUS Bank Limited, one of Nigeria’s dynamic NonInterest Bank (NIB), says it is poised to improve on financial inclusion drive and overall service delivery.

Oluremi Akande, Head, Brand Marketing and Communication of LOTUS Bank, made the commitment on Thursday, in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria(NAN).

Akande spoke against the backdrop of the banking winning “Bank of the year Award 2022” in an event organised by Leadership Newspapers.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the NIB won the award at the recently held 14th Leadership Conference in Abuja.

According to Akande, the annual event has over the years become a barometer for measuring excellence in both private and public sectors of

the Nigerian economy.

He said that LOTUS Bank won the award because of its visible contribution towards deepening financial inclusion and also supporting the government efforts towards economic diversification.

He added that the Leadership award had continued to provide one of Nigeria’s most reputable fora to publicly acknowledge and inspire talents and achievements in all walks of life.

“The organisers in their statement noted that LOTUS Bank won the Bank of the Year 2022 award for its drive and impact in improving financial inclusion in Nigeria and boosting non-oil export earnings of the country.

“LOTUS was also honoured for its efforts towards economic growth and pursuit of ethical banking in less than two years since it obtained its banking licence,” he said.

Meanwhile, the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the bank, Mrs Kafilat Araoye, said that the award came as a surprise.

“We were just doing what we can to ensure that Nigeria achieves financial inclusion and to help businesses particularly exporters to enable the country generate the needed foreign exchange.

“One of the purposes of setting up LOTUS Bank is to add value to the society.

“What we have done most since inception is to go to places where people don’t normally go to and try to educate them on why they should have bank accounts.

“People should be financially included, we should finance them, we should try to increase our agricultural output and our export to reduce pressure on our foreign exchange,” she said.

According to Araoye, LOTUS Bank is poised to continue to deliver superior and innovative non-interest banking financial products and services to diverse customer segments in line with its principles and ethical values.

She added that the bank had, within its short period of existence, grown its branch network to over 30 locations, including digital centers, with plans to establish more in the coming months.

LOTUS Bank, established in 2021, is a subsidiary of LOTUS Capital, a privately held financial institution founded in 2007, which pioneered non-interest finance in Nigeria.

The bank is a non-interest Nigerian bank noted for ethical banking and investing. A non-interest bank is a bank that operates on a zero interest rate.

(NAN)

Nwabueze said: ”You must first and foremost eliminate corruption before you can talk of production, because it is the money saved from the corruption that will be invested into the economy.

”So, we need a man who knows how to invest; we need a man who knows how to block the leakages in the national treasury to move to a more sustainable business environment.”

On the LP’s presidential rally slated for Ebonyi on Feb. 3, the chieftain said that the party’s leadership had made adequate arrangements to ensure its successful.

He called on the Ebonyi electorate to arm themselves with their permanent voter cards to be able to exercise their franchise on the election days.

Nwabueze said: “So, I advise all the eligible voters in Ebonyi that are yet to collect their PVCs to go and do so to be able to vote for the candidates of their choice.

“Our votes will count; INEC has assured us that votes will count,” he added. (NAN)

President Buhari receives in audience Yobe Governor Mai Mala Buni in State House in State House in Abuja, yesterday.

PHOTO STATE HOUSE

PDP Chairman tasks Ekiti caretaker committee members on unity, victory

By Lateef Ibrahim, Abuja

The national leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has harped on the need for its members and supporters in Ekiti State to come together and work assiduously for the benefit of winning the forthcoming general election in the State.

The National Chairman of the PDP, Dr Iyorchia Ayu gave the charge on Wednesday at the party’s headquarters in Abuja during the inauguration of the state caretaker committee headed by Architect Sadiq Obanoyen.

Represented by the Party’s Deputy National Chairman North, Amb. Umar Damagun, Ayu declared that the party is ready and working together to reclaim Ekiti state from the All Progressives Congress (APC).

The National Chairman, who recalled that the Ekiti State chapter of the party has been in crises, pointed out that the task of the new caretaker committee is to ensure that all stakeholders are under the umbrella to deliver the state to PDP on February 25.

According to him, “If you notice recently, we had an election in Ekiti state, the state chapter of the party has always been bedeviled by crisis. As a result of that, we had one of our worst outings in the election in Ekiti state.

“Ekiti has always been a PDP state, you have been resilient, and from what we see during the presidential campaign, we know that Ekiti is still PDP. That gave us the courage to sit down and say we have to get things right.

“How do we do this thing? It is to be able to dissolve that executive

that has always been in one crisis or the other and give a new life to the party by constituting a caretaker Committee, which will give us a brand-new executive, that will be all inclusive.

“First of all, I believe you must have been selected from wherever you come from, because you have distinguished yourselves in the activities of this party and we know you have the capacity and the capability to drive this party to where we are expecting.

“Mind you, we are in an election year. In the next few days, we’ll have our first election which is the election of the president and National Assembly members, followed by the State Assembly election because you don’t have gubernatorial election in Ekiti.

“I will want to urge you to bring all and sundry to come together to

work assiduously for the benefit of winning this election in Ekiti and I believe, if you do the right thing, we’ll be able to come out victorious. So you have a daunting task before you”, he said.

Responding on behalf of the committee, its chairman Arch. Sadiq Obanoyen thanked the party for the responsibility reposed on them.

While acknowledging that the task before the committee is enormous, he pledged that members will work together to deliver Atiku Abubakar in the state.

His words, “Distinguished leaders of our party, we take this as a challenge and we believe that we have an enormous task on our hands, we also believe that by the Grace of God, with your support, we have what it takes to reconcile and unite our people ahead of the

coming all important election.

“I believe that with your support, galvanizing all the resources that we have within the tenets of all the people that you have put together, we believe that Ekiti state will be delivered. Be rest assured that you have sent us on an errand and we will deliver”.

The committee has Barr. Dosu Babatunde as Secretary while other members include: Hon. Ojoade Fajana, Adijat Eniola Balogun, Hon. Oladimeji Joshua Ayodele and Chief Boboye Adekunle.

Others are Hajia Lawal Idayat Tosin, Comrade Waliu Olawole Oladipupo, Erelu Toyin Olumilua Mark, Dr. Alade Beatrice Modupe, Aare Temitope Amerijoye, Akogun Bunmi Ogunleye, Olugbenga Adewole, Hon Ajibola Samuel and Barr. Dosu Babatunde.

From Mika’il Tsoho, Dutse

Theforum of Labour Party (LP) candidates in Kano has reacted to the claims made by the gubernatorial candidate of the party Bashir I. Bashir that, he and all other candidates were not involved in the preparation of Peter Obi’s campaign rally in Kano.

This was contained in a statement signed and issued to news men by the chairman of the forum and also candidate of Labour Party in Bagwai/Shanono constituency, comrade Abubakar Ali Ado. He said said, “we are fully involved in the whole process.

“Our attention has been drawn to purported disgusting and undesirrable media program organised by a respected personality and member of our great party (LP),Engr. Bashir I Bashir, saying that he, and some candidates were not consulted in the preparation and conduct of LP Presidential rally in Kano which he said was the reason for boycotting the rally and party activities in the state.”

The statement said, Engr.Bashir I Bashir was part of all the process and was fully consulted but repelled it and said, he was out of town and will not beable to attend.”

APGA unveils Hadiza Mohammed as Vice-Presidential Candidate

The All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) on Wednesday unveiled

Hajiya Hadiza Mohammed as its Vice-Presidential Candidate for the Feb. 25 general election.

Edozie Njoku, National Chairman, APGA, unveiled Mohammed at a ceremony on Wednesday in Abuja, naming Jonathan Elendu as DirectorGeneral, of the party’s Presidential Campaign Council (PCC).

Njoku commended the judiciary for finally resolving the party’s crisis, lauding the party loyalists that stood by the party.

He alleged that he was accused of so many things including forging a supreme court judgment and expressed happiness that truth had

prevailed.

Njoku said that with the court judgement, it was left for Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to do the needful by recognising authentic APGA candidates, ahead of the general election.

“So I am pleading with the hierarchy of INEC to address this ,because if the right thing is not done, I assure you that after the election, there will be more suits on the basis of exclusion,” he said.

Njoku said that the party was ready to launch its campaign to win the 2023 election and called for support from Nigerians to make the nation better.

He expressed confidence in the party’s candidates and in its ability to

serve justice to Nigerians and unify all.

Dr Chekwas Okorie, APGA, Presidential Candidate,said he consulted with the National Working Committee (NWC) and it was unanimously agreed that no person was better suited to pair him on the presidential ticket as VP than Mohammed.

Okorie said that Mohammed hailed from Borno and had a rich and impeccable profile and she was an accomplished personality with sound education and varied academic exposure.

“I am confident that as l march side by side with Hajiya Hadiza Mohammed to campaign across Nigeria our strong and progressive

message shall resonate and introduce fresh and exciting narratives to our proposed governance agenda.

“This is if by the special grace of God Nigerians give us their mandate to preside over the affairs of our great country as President and Vice President, come May 29.

“It is also my singular pleasure to unveil at this occasion the Director General of our Presidential Campaign Organisation who prefers to be referred to as simply Jonathan Elendu.

” His rich profile that shows his wide experience and knowledge as a publisher, an author, poet and public affairs analyst both in Nigeria and many countries abroad has also been read to this distinguished audience,”

he said.

Okorie said it was neither by design our desire that APGA was stepping into the campaign arena somehow late.

He said that it was public knowledge that on May 9 2022, the Supreme Court corrected a judgment it had delivered on Oct. 14 2021, which erroneously referred to the former National Chairman of the Party, Chief Victor Oye as National Chairman instead of Chief Edozie Njoku.

“Unfortunately, the parties adversely affected by the wellconsidered correction effected by the Supreme Court engaged in all manner of blackmail, subterfuge and malicious allegations. (NAN)

We were fully consulted for Obi’s rally in Kano - LP candidates

Forum

APC Senatorial candidate of Edo North Senatorial District, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole at Campaign Ground at Akoko Edo North ahead of 2023 General Election, yesterday

2023 elections must hold

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) fears the February presidential and general elections may not hold, after all, because of prevalent general insecurity. Chairman Mahmood Yakubu, who spoke during validation of election security training in Abuja on Monday, said there was a real threat of poll cancellation if the security challenge did not improve. Yakubu, represented by the chairman, Board of Electoral Institute, Abdullahi Zuru, warned that “if the insecurity is not monitored and dealt with decisively, it could ultimately culminate in the cancellation and/ or postponement of elections in sufficient constituencies to hinder declaration of election results and precipitate a constitutional crisis.”

The INEC chairman, however, assured the nation that the commission would do everything possible to ensure the success of the elections. “We all appreciate the fact that election security is vital to democratic consolidation through provision of an enabling environment for the conduct of free, fair, credible and inclusive elections and thus strengthening the electoral process,” Mahmood noted. “Consequently, in preparing for the 2023 general elections, the commission is not leaving anything to chance in ensuring that intensive and extensive security is provided for election personnel, materials and processes.

“This is particularly significant to the commission given the current insecurity challenge in various parts of the country and the fact that the National Youth Service Corps members constitute the core of the polling unit election officials. This must not be allowed to happen and shall not be allowed to happen. Therefore, security personnel in particular and all election officials, in general, must be alert to unusual activities in their environment and must be fully equipped to deal with

any challenges at all times.”

We are all too aware that insecurity is a serious challenge. But for the INEC to go public with its fears about a likely “cancellation/ postponement” of critical elections only a month away is highly disturbing. This in spite of assurances from President Muhammadu Buhari to make the polls succeed even if it is the only thing he will do before he leaves office in May this year. In his New Year’s message to Nigerians on Jan. 1, he pledged “my personal commitment and executive promise to ensure that the 2023 elections, which (will be) diligently conducted by INEC, are free and fair. The collective electoral will and the votes of Nigerians will be fulfilled, even in the twilight moments of my term.”

This pledge by the President, made on his personal integrity, should have allayed the concerns of professor Mahmood and his men and women at INEC but it didn’t, apparently. This explains why they cried out publicly, instead of going to the president to exact more assurances from him. Were they right?

The answer, a big No. The opposition has said repeatedly that Buhari and his All Progressives Congress (APC) would rig the elections in their favour or, at worse, scuttle them to cause a constitutional crisis. We fear that, even by hinting of a cancellation or suspension, the INEC has unwittingly handed the opposition a smoking gun. Which is dangerous. But damage control is possible. The government should move quickly ( because time is short) to address what lingering doubts the election ombudsman is entertaining. The president should call a meeting with INEC, security agencies and the state governors to sort out how best to secure next month’s elections. Because hold they must in the interest of the heath of our democracy.

Remembering the exceptional bus driver

By Ahmed Mahmud

As for the driver, he did not see his kindest act as anything important. He believes it is normal to return things that are not yours. He went further to say that,he too was very worried about my wife’s emotional state having realized that the laptop belongs to a company, hence he made sure he came to to station earlier than usual.

This man. He’s a bus driver in Ajah area of Lagos.He is fondly called Mr. Righteous.He is always in rain boots and professional overall.

He is also called an Engineer by all bus drivers at the bus station, apparently because of his choice of dressing.

His spoken English is Queens, very articulate and fluent. He hails from Imo State.

Without a doubt, he’s man of integrity, pillared by conscience and roundly revered by everybody in the car park.

He is a very simple man, about 5ft tall with white beard. I think he is in his late sixties.

Just last night, at about 7pm.

My wife entered his tiny bus, usually called Korope. She sat at the front with her company’s laptop which contained vital contents and information.

The distance to her destination wasn’t upto 4 kilometers. Still. She decided to drop the laptop by her side while seated.

Shockingly, when she arrived at her destination, she got off the bus without the laptop.

It was when she got home she realized her laptop was still on the bus.

Swiftly, we drove out in a bid to locate the man’s whereabouts since he’d told my wife that that was his last trip and he lives around Sangotedo’s ShopRite.

The traffic didn’t help the situation, but I managed to speed when there was a chance.

We got to the United Estate, but the man could not be found. Still we braved the traffic back to Ajah’s bus stop with the hope that he would return the laptop if sees it. Yet to no avail.

The entire time, my wife was understandably distraught. Praying, wailing and crying at the same time. She did so in a profuse scale wondering what is she going to tell her company.

For me, the speed in which I drove the car was unprecedented and I am thankful to God we had no accident.

As we got to Ajah and explained the

situation to everyone, they expressed their empathy and assured us that the driver is a man of integrity and if he sees the laptop that he would surely return it.

We went back home at about 10 pm after exchanging telephone numbers with the drivers we met and promised them that we will return this morning since we were told the driver will surely be at the park today.

Throughout yesterday’s night my wife did not sleep and neither did I.

On the other hand, inspite of all the efforts I displayed to get the laptop back on real time, as a husband, I was blamed for the loss.

Understandably so, it is the nature of every woman. They blame their husbands for everything.

The tension in the house was high and I dared not say anything to escalate it.

If you are a married man reading this, you will have an ideaof what I am talking about.

As early as 7am this morning, my wife left for the bus station and I followed her shortly. We got there and waited for close to 2 hours narrating the situation to the drivers and engaged in conversations about incidents similar to ours. Boom!

At about 8 O’clock, the entire car park erupted in a wild jubilation as Papa emerged with the laptop. On sighting the driver,my wife broke down in tears of joy as we roundly gave the man an appreciave hug thanking him for his utmost sincerity.

As for the driver, he did not see his kindest act as anything important. He believes it is normal to return things that are not yours. He went further to say that,he too was very worried about my wife’s emotional state having realized that the laptop belongs to a company, hence he made sure he came to to station earlier than usual.

After handing over the laptop, I gave him money as a token of our appreciation, but Papa refused to take it

Please, I am using this medium to thank Papa and appeal to everyone reading this to pray for this man because he has saved my household from trouble.

With this demonstration, he has proven once again that God answers prayers and that Nigeria is full of Good Samaritans.

Finally, have confidence in Nigeria and Nigerians, because there are so so many good people in this beautiful land of ours.

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We are all too aware that insecurity is a serious challenge. But for the INEC to go public with its fears about a likely “cancellation/ postponement” of critical elections only a month away is highly disturbing

The Advocacy for a better Nigeria, through the medium of imbibing dividend of good governance

By Nabil Yusuf

The ability of the masses to determine the candidate of their choice based on credibility and ability to perform certain social functions coupled with the manifestations of party and constantly navigation of the activities of each party, this among others would ensure good governance which would bring political development.

Representative democracy is the most practicable method of establishing democracy, therefore, periodic election become necessary for this purpose.

It’s pertinent to note that as election is approaching, which is an indispensable feature of democracy where members of a particular polity exercise their power to elect those who’ll represent them at the helm of political affairs.

This exciting season of political clamour has returned in Nigeria. The 2023 election drums have been beaten up, and many politicians have started selling their personal interests in the name of national interest. They are making noise, setting all forms of political gimmicks by feeding people lies and promising them possible and impossible things, they are deploying their arsenal of deceitful manifestoes. In this market of political interest, politics to

them is an art of manipulation of personal interest which seems like national interest, the politics of saying anything to get into the mantle of leadership. For instance, the top three presidential candidates (Kwankwaso, Atiku and Tinubu) were adjudged to have lend their voice on the current currency redesign policy, where they advised Nigerians not to panic because if voted they will ensure flexibility of the policy to enable every Nigerian change his/her currency with ease. This is a mind game!

The central and sub-central governments have crowded with mundane political meetings and discussions among the seekers of political seats, which their sole aim is to get into power through whatever means possible. Whereas the masses are left with no trust in those political institutions. Voters anger is skyrocketing in an alarming rate which would invariably affect our nascent democracy.

To this end, there’s always two actor games between the politicians and the political hoax traders, the actual members are always at the receiving end of this political gimmicks.

This few petty elites serve the interest of their Bosses by exacerbating political thuggery and Money Politics among the common masses. Urging you to acknowledge poverty doesn’t mean lost of dignity

and it doesn’t mean corruption that makes you to recourse to money politics and thuggery as remedies for your poverty.

This is an appeal to all Nigerians to be sufficiently educated to ensure good governance. They should stop expecting anything from political party apart from being reputable and preventing credible candidates who will listen to yearnings and aspirations of the electorates, by doing this they will taste the dividence of good governance.

The ability of the masses to determine the candidate of their choice based on credibility and ability to perform certain social functions coupled with the manifestations of party and constantly navigation of the activities of each party, this among others would ensure good governance which would bring political development.

The Development of a nation requires the effort of many variables. People should understand that in political sphere there must be a symbiotic relationship between rulers, and the rule. The rule elect and the ruler (s) harmonise, determine and coordinate the affairs of the people which they (masses) will in turn benefit from if well articulated by the leaders.

Nabil Yusuf is a Public Policy Analyst.

Russia’s military diplomacy in Africa: High risk, low reward and limited impact

By Kestér Kenn Klomegâh

Since Soviet’s collapse in 1991, Russia itself has rekindled relationships with African countries for myriad reasons – but these can largely be attributed more to pragmatism than ideology. More specifically, Russia’s interactions with African states have been multidimensional ranging from economic and political to security oriented.

The South African Institute of International Affairs, a Johannesburg based foreign policy think tank, has released a special researched report on Russia-Africa. According to the report, Russia has signed military-technical agreements with over 20 African countries and has secured lucrative mining and nuclear energy contracts on the continent.

Russia views Africa as an increasingly important vector of its post-Western foreign policy. It’s support for authoritarian regimes in Africa are readily noticeable, and its soft power has drastically eroded. As suspicions arise that Russia’s growing assertiveness in Africa is a driver of instability, its approach to governance encourages pernicious practices, such as kleptocracy and autocracy in Africa.

Over the years, Russia has terribly failed to deliver on its pledges and promises, various bilateral agreements undelivered. Heading into the 2023 Russia-Africa Summit in St Petersburg (unless the proposed date and venue change, again), Russia looks more like a ‘virtual great power’ than a genuine challenger to European, American and Chinese influence.

What is, particularly, interesting relates to the wellresearched report by Ovigwe Eguegu, a Nigerian policy analyst at Development Reimagined, a consultancy headquartered in Beijing, China. His report was based on more than 80 media publications dealing with Russia’s military-technical cooperation in Africa. His study focused on the Republic of Mali and the Central African Republic as case studies.

The report titled – Russia’s Private Military Diplomacy in Africa: High Risk, Low Reward, Limited Impact – says that Russia’s renewed interest in Africa is driven by its quest for global power status. Few expect Russia’s security engagement to bring peace and development to countries with which it has security partnerships.

While Moscow’s opportunistic use of private military diplomacy has allowed it to successfully gain a strategic foothold in partner countries, the lack of transparency in interactions, the limited scope of impact and the high financial and diplomatic costs expose the limitations of the partnership in addressing the peace and development challenges of African host countries, the report says.

Much of the existing literature on Russia’s foreign policy pointed to the fact that Moscow’s desire to regain great power status has been pursued largely by exploiting opportunities in weak and fragile states in Africa.

Ovigwe Eguegu’s report focused on the use of private

military companies to carry out ‘military diplomacy’ in those African states, and the main research questions were: What impact is Russia’s private military diplomacy in Africa having on host countries’ peace and development?

Why Russia has chosen military diplomacy as the preferred means to gain a foothold on the continent?

He interrogates whether fragile African states advance their security, diplomatic and economic interests through a relationship with Russia. Overcoming the multidimensional problems facing Libya, Sudan, Somali, Mali and Central African Republic will require comprehensive peace and development strategies that include conflict resolution and peacebuilding, state-building, security sector reform, and profound political reforms to improve governance and rule of law – not to mention sound economic planning critical for attracting the foreign direct investment needed to spur economic growth.

In the report, Eguegu further looked at the geopolitical dynamics of Russia’s new interest in Africa. He asserted that during the Cold War, the interests of the Soviet Union and many African states aligned along pragmatic and ideological lines. Many African countries had, after independence, resumed agitation against colonialism, racism, and capitalism throughout the 1970s and 1980s. The clash between communism and capitalism provided ample opportunity to the Soviets to provide support to African countries both in ideological solidarity and as practical opposition to Western European and US influence in Africa.

Since Soviet’s collapse in 1991, Russia itself has rekindled relationships with African countries for myriad reasons –but these can largely be attributed more to pragmatism than ideology. More specifically, Russia’s interactions with African states have been multi-dimensional ranging from economic and political to security oriented.

He offered the example of Moscow’s relationships with Eritrea and Sudan that ultimately provided Russia with some influence and leeway in the critical Red Sea region, and also to counter the influence of the US and China. But the main feature of Russia’s policy is mostly ‘elite-based’ and support for often illegitimate or unpopular leaders.

The report also highlighted the myriad socioeconomic and political challenges plaguing a number of African countries. Despite these developments, some have struggled to maintain socioeconomic and political stability. The spread of insecurity has now become more complex across the Sahel region. The crisis is multidimensional, involving the political, socioeconomic, regional and climatic dimensions. Good governance challenges plays it own role. In additional to that, weak political and judicial institutions have contributed to deep-seated corruption.

Conflict resolution has to be tied to comprehensive improvement of political governance, economic development and social questions. Some of the fragile and conflict-ridden African countries are keen on economic diversification and broader economic development.

However, progress is limited by inadequate access to finance and the fragile security situation.

According to the International Monetary Fund, these fragile states have to diversify their economy and establish connection between the various economic regions and activities. Poverty caused by years of lacklustre economic performance is one of the root causes of insecurity. As such, economic development and growth would form a key part of the solution to regional security problems.

Analysts, however, suggest that Russia utilises mercenaries and technical cooperation mechanisms to gain and secure access to politically aligned actors and, by extension, economic benefits like natural resources and trade deals.

It is argued that the adherence to a primarily military approach to insecurity challenges is inadequate and not fully the right path for attaining the expected peace and development. Furthermore, fragmented, untransparent and unharmonized peace processes will impede considerably on sustainable solutions to the existing conflicts in Africa.

Worse is that Russia’s strengths expressed through military partnerships fall short of what is needed to address the complexities and scale of the problems facing those African countries. Moscow certainly has not shown enough commitment needed for the comprehensive peacebuilding programmes, security sector reforms, state-building, and improvement to governance and rule of law.

Surely, African countries have to begin to re-evaluate their relationship with Russia. African leaders should not expect anything tangible from meetings, conferences and summits. Since the first Russia-Africa summit held 2019, very little has been achieved. Nevertheless, not everything is perfect. There is some high optimism that efforts might gain grounds. The comprehensive summit declaration, at least, offers the clear strategic roadmap for building relations.

At this point, it is even more improbable that Moscow would commit financial resources to invest in economic sectors, given the fact that series of stringent sanctions imposed to isolate it following Putin’s invasion of Ukraine. The impact of sanctions and the toll of the war on the Russian economy are likely to see Moscow redirect its practical attention towards ensuring stability within its borders and in its periphery.

Notwithstanding its aim of working in this emerging new multipolar world with Africa, Russia’s influence is still comparatively marginal and its policy tools are extremely limited relative to other international actors, including China and Western countries such as France, European Union members and the United States. Russia’s policy objectives and perspectives have to advance the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the Agenda 2063 of the African Union.

Kestér Kenn Klomegâh is an Int’l Affairs Analyst.

Inadvisability of throwing away Obi’s chances of becoming Nigerian president

By Isaac Asabor

His chances of becoming Nigeria’s president in the next few weeks should not be thrown away. The reason for the foregoing view cannot be farfetched as Nigeria cannot afford to have another president that Nigeria never had as he has what it takes to move the country to the Promised Land in 2023.

In 1987, after the sage, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, popularly called Awo, transited to glory, the late Ikemba of Nnewi and erstwhile leader of the ill-fated Republic of Biafra, Chief Emeka Odumegwu Ojukwu, described Chief Jeremiah Obafemi Awolowo as “the best president Nigeria never had”. Without sounding exaggerative, such an assessment meant a lot, particularly as it came from a highly intelligent personality like Ojukwu who had also followed the path of all men by his transition to the great beyond. In fact, most available records show that Ojukwu held Awo in very high esteem.

However, it is not an exaggeration to say that the quotable quote credited to Ojukwu has from one political dispensation to another been finding expression as Nigerians have continued to witness partisan politics impede the emergence of credible and patriotic leaders at the corridors of power.

In his book, “Yoruba Elites and Ethnic Politics in Nigeria: Wale Adebanwi investigates the dynamics and challenges of ethnicity and elite politics in Nigeria, and therein talked about how Awo was denied the opportunity of becoming Nigerian president and threw more insights into the outpouring of eulogies that trailed his death.

He wrote, “While the nation was generally believed to have been gripped with grief, the political elite were gripped by the passion to gain maximally from the death and burial of Awo. Chief Emeka Odumegwu-Ojukwu, an Igbo and the leader of the secessionist Biafra Republic, who had opposed Awo in the Second Republic, was to make, perhaps, the most widely cited statement on the man after his death. Ojukwu said that Awo was ‘The best president Nigeria never had’, adding that, with his death, ‘Nigeria will never be [the] same again’ (Daily Times, 11 May 1987). The federal military government, in its

reaction to Awo’s passing, described him as ‘one of the greatest Nigerians who in his lifetime made enormous contributions to the development of our nation’, and changed the name of the University of Ife, one of Nigeria’s best universities, to Obáfémi Awólówò University (New Nigerian, 11 May 1987, New Nigerian, 13 May 1987, 1). The New Nigerian, a newspaper, which, though owned by the federal government, was the voice of the (Hausa-Fulani) ruling elite regarded by many Yoruba as the most powerful ‘stumbling block’ to Awo’s ambition, in an editorial that was essentially a eulogy (African Guardian, 21 May 1987, 15), said Awo’s accomplishments ‘dwarf the accomplishments of virtually all his peers’. The paper added that, despite his sterling qualities, Awo was denied the presidency which ‘would have been his for the asking owing to his perhaps erroneous perception as a tribalist’ (New Nigerian, 11 May 1987).”

Without a doubt, the foregoing aptly captures the political situation in Nigeria where good leaders were good leaders are denied the opportunity to bring their leadership skills and patriotic zeal to bear toward the development of the country and are paradoxically showered with praises upon their mortal exit.

In a similar vein, there is no denying the fact that Nigerians have been denied the opportunity of benefiting from the leadership qualities and patriotic fervor of incumbent Nigerian vice president, Prof. Yemi Osinbanjo, supposing he was given the presidential ticket of the All Progressives Congress (APC). Rather, the ticket was given to Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu at the party’s primary election, last year. Without a doubt, Osinbajo would have been the candidate to beat in the upcoming election if he were to be the one that is presently flying the party’s flag.

In his view on Osinbajo’s leadership prowess, Akin Irede, in an article titled “Nigeria 2023: Does Tinubu’s Presidential declaration signal the end for Osinbajo?”, wrote, “Unlike previous deputies that had been given the derogatory nickname ‘spare tyre’, Osinbajo served as President of Nigeria for 171 non-consecutive days in 2017 and 2018 during Buhari’s first term, bearing full powers and privileges of the President such

that he was able to unilaterally sack the head of Nigeria’s secret police, Musa Daura; send proposals to the National Assembly, sign the 2017 budget, and introduce some economic reforms.

Unlike Buhari who had been nicknamed, ‘baba go slow’ because of his slow approach to governance, Osinbajo took quick and decisive decisions. A report in the BBC titled, ‘Yemi Osinbajo – why Nigeria’s favorite leader won’t become president, yet’ released on 19 August 2018, explained how Nigerians were yearning for Osinbajo to become President and how this was shared across social media platforms by his supporters.

Fearful of his soaring popularity, several interests –including a powerful cabal in the Presidency – saw to it that Osinbajo was relegated in Buhari’s second tenure, but this did not stop many from campaigning for him.”

Unfortunately, rather than give Osinbajo the chance to become Nigerian president, he has been blocked from being that by partisan politicians that decide who gets what, and when, as far as sharing the proverbial “National Cake” is concerned.

Be that as it may, Nigerians, no doubt, have a very promising and good presidential candidate in Mr. Peter Obi, the presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), yet he is been attacked by his own “brothers”, political opponents, and equally been attacked on the basis of his tribe and religion.

Without sounding partisan in this context, there is no denying the fact that he is the best candidate among the 18 other candidates cleared to contest the upcoming presidential election by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) come February 25, 2023. To me, he is the most qualified to become the next president of Nigeria and Nigerians should not in any way miss the opportunity of making him become our president.

His chances of becoming Nigeria’s president in the next few weeks should not be thrown away. The reason for the foregoing view cannot be farfetched as Nigeria cannot afford to have another president that Nigeria never had as he has what it takes to move the country to the Promised Land in 2023.

Isaac Asabor is a Public Policy Analyst.

A Plea to the North: Don’t foist Tinubu on Nigeria

By Olu Fasan

Nasir el-Rufai, the Kaduna State governor, said that in deciding that power should shift to the South, APC Northern governors asked themselves what their founding fathers – Ahmadu Bello, Tafawa Balewa or Aminu Kano – would have done. Of course, they would have supported power shift to the South after eight years in the North in the national interest.

In the end, my view may not matter. In the end, most Nigerians may not see what I see. In the end, they may elect Bola Tinubu as the next president this month. But this is a patriotic stance and I’ll be on record for making it: for saying unequivocally, even vociferously, that a Tinubu presidency would be cataclysmic for Nigeria; that it would bring Nigeria utter embarrassment globally; and that no one who truly loves this country would want Tinubu as its president. Well, with just over three weeks before the presidential election on February 25, I want to continue that advocacy by appealing to the good sense and patriotism of a critical component of this country: the North!

Last week, I took President Muhammadu Buhari to task over his “unquestionable” support for Tinubu. Each time a prominent Tinubu supporter questioned Buhari’s loyalty, as Alhaji Tanko Yakasai did recently, the president often quickly professed his unflinching commitment to Tinubu’s electoral success. Surely, those calling for Buhari’s muscular support for Tinubu believe that only with such strong backing would he harvest enough votes in the North to win the election. Tinubu’s entire calculations are based on replicating the electoral pact between the core North (with Buhari’s fabled “12 million bloc votes”) and the South-West (Tinubu’s base) that won Buhari the presidency in 2015 and 2019.

Indeed, Alhaji Yakasai, a chieftain of Arewa Consultative Forum, ACF, once came up with a “winning formula” for Tinubu. He said: “With the South-West, all Tinubu needs is for him to get about 45 to 50 per cent of the North’s votes to win the presidency.” That permutation suggests that even if majority of South-East and South-South voters shun Tinubu, as they might, he could still breast the tape in the presidential race if he scraped enough votes from the North and secured

massive votes from the South-West. The North is thus the ultimate kingmaker and could make Tinubu Nigeria’s next president.

Well, that’s scary. But why would the North foist a Tinubu presidency on Nigeria? Why would Northerners inflict such a monumental calamity on a country they presumably love? Sadly, some Northern politicians say: “The North is indebted to Tinubu, and it’s payback time.” Indebted for what? Well, they’re referring to how Tinubu helped Buhari to become president. Tinubu himself famously said: “I made Buhari president”!

But what an utter insult on the collective intelligence of Northerners to say that because Tinubu opportunistically helped Buhari to gain power, the North is indebted to him! Is the North better off today because of Buhari’s presidency? Well, not with 20m out-of-school children, not with 86 million (65 per cent) multidimensionally poor people, compared to the South’s 47 million (35 per cent), and not with several thousands of people dead and hundreds of thousands displaced due to chronic and acute insecurity. The North is today a world-class basket case!

So, why does the North owe Tinubu a debt for helping Buhari to become president? In truth, Tinubu didn’t do it for Nigeria’s sake or the North’s or even Buhari’s, but purely his own. He rubbed Buhari’s back, so to say, in the expectation that Buhari would rub his. It was purely opportunistic and self-serving; there was no love lost between them, and there still isn’t! In his book My Participations, Chief Bisi Akande, former Osun State governor, wrote that after Buhari refused to make Tinubu his running mate in the 2015 presidential election, following opposition by “the Northern Interest Group” to a Muslim-Muslim ticket, Tinubu said: “I don’t trust Buhari.” That distrust has endured and led to Tinubu’s now twice bad-tempered Abeokuta outbursts against Buhari for suspected treachery.

Truth is, if Tinubu became president, he would, sooner or later, show undisguised animosity towards Buhari and his acolytes, such as the APC national chairman, Abdullahi Adamu, who he regards as “betrayers” for trying to impose Ahmed Lawan, the Senate president, as a consensus candidate in an attempt to stop him from getting the APC’s

presidential ticket. Of course, the party’s Northern governors came to Tinubu’s rescue.

Well, several disaffected APC leaders, such as Naja’atu Muhammed, who recently resigned from Tinubu’s campaign council and from APC, Rotimi Amaechi, former transport minister, and Chukwuemeka Nwajiuba, former Minister of State for Education, have publicly said that Tinubu “bribed” APC governors, delegates and fellow aspirants to clinch the party’s ticket. But let’s leave that aside and stick to the APC Northern governors’ public reason for supporting him.

Nasir el-Rufai, the Kaduna State governor, said that in deciding that power should shift to the South, APC Northern governors asked themselves what their founding fathers –Ahmadu Bello, Tafawa Balewa or Aminu Kano – would have done. Of course, they would have supported power shift to the South after eight years in the North in the national interest. But would they have supported a Muslim-Muslim ticket? No, because they valued not only Nigeria’s ethnic diversity but also its religious diversity. “Unity in diversity,” Sir Ahmadu Bello proclaimed! Yet, while the “Northern Interest Group” rejected a Muslim-Muslim ticket in 2015, APC’s Northern governors support it now. They betray their founding fathers!

And would the North’s founding fathers have wanted someone as fatally flawed morally and ethically as Tinubu to be Nigeria’s president? Again, the answer is no, because the Ahmadu Bellos, Tafawa Balewas and Aminu Kanos had moral courage and high ethical standards. Think about it. If Tinubu became president, he would be the first Nigerian president with a drug-related criminal forfeiture against him in a foreign country; the first multibillionaire president, with private jets, yet with no known legitimate source of his stupendous wealth; the first president whose pedigree is shrouded in utter dubiety; the first president with the worst character and integrity deficits. Would the North’s founding fathers have wanted him to be Nigeria’s president? Certainly not. Sadly, their descendants have no such reservations. But here’s my message to the North. You are a critical kingmaker in choosing Nigeria’s next president this month. Act patriotically in the national interest. Don’t foist a disastrous presidency on Nigeria.

Olu Fasan is a Public Policy Analyst.

Guber candidate pledges to sustain World Bank APPEALS project in Enugu

The PDP governorship candidate in Enugu State, Dr Peter Mbah, has pledged to sustain the World Bank’s Agro-Processing, Productivity Enhancement and Livelihood Improvement Support (APPEALS) project.

Mbah, represented by the state Commissioner for Rural Development, Dr Kingsley Udeh, disclosed this in Enugu on Tuesday during the flag off ceremony of the implementation of “Women and Youths Empowerment Programme”, by Gov. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi.

According to him, he will sustain various agriculture programmes by Gov. Ugwuanyi and also expand them to accommodate others who are not in the programme.

“In my manifesto, agriculture is one of my focal areas because it is part of the tools we use as government to fight poverty and create jobs for the teeming youths.

“By God’s grace, we will use it as a tool to lift a lot of people in the state from poverty because our target is to attain a zero per cent poverty rate in Enugu state, and that is achievable,” Mbah said.

He said he would partner international community, agric developing partners, both locally and internationally, to promote and improve agriculture in the state.

The PDP governorship candidate further said that he would pursue special agricultural processing zone, introduce technology for modern agriculture and reform agricultural system in the state.

He, however, congratulated the beneficiaries of the APPEALS project, especially women and youths.

“Please note that there are millions of people in Nigeria that cannot be beneficiaries but of course, based on various factors, including very stringent processes that are followed, you were selected.

“We believe that we will use this opportunity given to you to make the best out of your life, especially in the area that you have chosen in agriculture.

“You will not only feed yourself, you will feed the nation,” Mbah prayed for them.

He urged the beneficiaries to vote for him to sustain continuity in governance, saying,” What we are witnessing here today and the good work being done through APPEALS project, can be sustained.” (NAN)

Youth participation necessary in any democracy —EU Ambassador

By Tobias Lengnan Dapam

The European Union (EU) Ambassador to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Samuela Isopi has identified youth participation as an important element in any democracy.

She stated this on Wednesday in Abuja, during #Readytorun conference organized by Yiaga Africa.

She said exclusion of young

people can lead to crime and other vices.

“There is need for inclusion of young people in democracy. The young people we see have shown that they have what it takes to lead.

“The decline in the number of young people contesting is not good for us; that means the job is half done. We must continue to push forward to ensure inclusion of youths in democracy.

“We should also ensure women

inclusion to give them a voice. A lot of women have demonstrated that they can do the job when given the chance. Our advocacy should ensure more women participation.

Speaking further, she urged the youths to provide effective leadership, sincerity of purpose and represent the collective interests of the people they are representing.

“On our part, we will continue to partner and ensure women and youth participation in democracy.”

Speaking earlier, Executive Director of Yiaga Africa, Samson Itodo, said the conference was a platform to jaw jaw with young people vying for political offices.

“This platform enable us to hear their policies and the plan they have when they emerge victorious.”

He expressed delight with the turn out but expressed worry that the number of youths contesting for elections in 2023 has dropped compared to 2019.

Election: Archbishop cautions Nigerians against voting on basis of religious sentiment

The Archbishop of the African Church Province of Abuja, Peter Ogunmuyiwa, on Wednesday cautioned Nigerians against voting for candidate on the basis of religion in the 2023 general elections.

Ogunmuyiwa made the call at the Interfaith Peace Summit: Tips on 2023 General Elections, with the theme,” Prosecuting Peaceful Elections: Role of Faith Communities,” organised by the Al-Habibiyyah Islamic Society, in conjunction with the NTA Abrahamic Mission, in Abuja.

Ogunmuyiwa said: ” Religion of a candidate should not be the basis for our choices at the forthcoming elections but their antecedents and commitment to the development of the country.

” The effects of bad governance are felt on all Nigerians, irrespective of their religion or ethnicity, poverty has no religion and friend as when we have bad leadership all of us Christians, Muslims and others eill suffer.

” Democracy thrives on diversity and our diversity and our religions should be something that we harness together.

“We therefore need to be wise this time around and make wise choices in the forthcoming elections.

” We need peace in Nigeria. We can’t afford religious crises or civil war any longer which ordinarily is always instigated by the sentiment of religion or tribes.”

On the Muslim-Muslim ticket, the archbishop said any religion’s person could be a President of Nigeria.

” I am not an advocate of Muslim-Muslim ticket but if para venture the ticket wins, it will mean that christians also voted for the ticket. So, it will make a lot for the stability of this country.

” It will means a lot to the ideology of Abrahimic mission and if it comes to be and there is peace in Nigeria, then that will suggest that a Christian supports the Muslim-Muslim ticket.

“The forthcoming elections are very interesting and eventually the will of God will prevail.

“But the signal will be that God is interested in Nigeria which ever way the election goes.

Earlier, the Chief Iman of Al-Habibiyyah Mosque, Faud Adeyemi,said the NTA Abrahamic Mission programme was widely accepted and had a lot of impact in the lives of Nigerians.

” Then we decided to move forward to see what can we do to get it more impactful now that elections are here.

“We want to use that expose to be able to get to the people so that we do the right thing for ourselves during the forthcoming election.

” We all know that we are mostly religious people in this country and that is why we brought Muslim and and the Christian leaders to talk from their religious perspective what should we be doing now that election is by the corner.

” And as people who follow

God injuctions what are the things we should do to ensure peaceful elections in the country? Adeyemi asked.

Also, the Iman of the Abuja National Mosque, Dr Kabir Mohammed, urged Muslims and Christians to embrace themselves and continue to live in peace and harmony before, during and after the elections.

Similarly, the DirectorGeneral, National Orientation Agency (NOA), Dr Garba Abari, said the agency was doing its best to instill positive attitude in the electorate to ensure peaceful polls.

Represented by Mrs Ebele Okonkwo, Assistant Director, Political and Civic Ethics and Values Department, Abari said the agency was also working to ensure that the election was allinclusive.

This is by engaging women and the People with Disabilities to ensure that they are represented in the electoral process.(NAN)

R-L; President Muhammadu Buhari, Sec Gen World Customs Organisation, Dr. Kunio Mikuriya, Dr. Jehangir Khan, Mr. Anselme Yabouri and Ms. Maria Crespo during an audience with the Delegation in the State House yesterday in Abuja. PHOTO; State House

CSOs urge INEC to build Nigerians confidence around BVAS

By Abubakar Yunusa

Less than 22 days to the 2023 general election, The resource Centre for Human Rights and Civic Education (CHRICED) has called on Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to build Nigerians' Confidence around Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) to ensure there is would free, fair election.

CHRICED also called on INEC to engage in more confidence building concerning the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) device, which came under the spotlight at the recent Governorship Election Petition Tribunal judgment for the Osun State gubernatorial election conducted in 2022.

Briefing newsmen on the State of the nation in Abuja on Thursday, CHRICED Executive Director, Comrade, Dr. Ibrahim M. Zikirullahi said INEC should make sure the forthcoming election is delivered successfully.

He also accused the present government saying that the Buhari administration has failed woefully, in all ramifications and there's nothing good to say about this government.

Speaking further, he said "2023 is another opportunity for Nigerians to reset the country and breath new life into it by electing the right leaders.

Zikrullahi explained that the election is taking place at a time when the country is facing numerous challenges, from insecurity to turmoil in the economy and the lack of job

He said, "From insecurity to the turmoil in the economy and to the lack of jobs for those willing and ready to work, there are more than enough reasons for all registered Nigerians to come out in good numbers on Election Day to exercise their democratic rights.

While commending the INEC for its a recent extension to the timeframe for the collection of PVCs, he said "There been very disturbing video evidence of cases wherein Nigerians wanting to collect their PVCs were asked to part with specific sums of money to be able to get their PVCs

"CHRICED unequivocally condemns these manifestations of petty corruption in the PVC collection process as documented in Enugu and Nasarawa States.

"While these may be isolated cases of acts of corruption by a few unscrupulous officials, it is important for the Commission to speedily cause an investigation of these infractions and ensure law enforcement brings the perpetrators to justice," he said.

Accept Labour Party candidates in 24 states –Court tells INEC

By Musa Baba Adamu

AFederal High Court in Abuja on Thursday ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to accept the nomination of candidates of the Labour Party (LP) in 24 States of the federation for the purpose of the 2023 general elections.

The court ordered that the electoral body must accept the list of the candidates in the 24 states either manually or through its electronic nomination portal.

Justice Inyang Edem Ekwo in his judgments in 24 different suits brought before him by the Labour Party held that INEC violated sections 31, 33 and 36 of the Electoral Act 2022 in rejecting Labour Party candidates

in the affected states on the ground of non functionality of its nomination portal.

The 24 states affected by the Court order are Kwara, Plateau, Nasarawa, Lagos, Kaduna, Oyo, Benue, Bauchi, Ebonyi and Ekiti States.

The rest are Katsina, Bayelsa, Niger, Rivers, Sokoto, Akwa Ibom, Gombe, Borno, Osun, Adamawa and Cross River states.

The Labour Party had last November conducted substitution nominations for its candidates who withdrew from the 2023 general elections in the affected states.

The withdrawals were communicated to INEC by the National Chairman and National Secretary of the party along with notification of the October

27 date to conduct substitution nomination primary elections.

However, at the point of uploading the fresh candidates names, INEC claimed that its nomination portal was faulty and declined to accept the candidates list manually promoting the 24 legal actions.

Justice Ekwo in the judgment said that the evidence of the Labour Party through exchanged letters with INEC in the nomination issue was credible and proceeded to attach probative value to it.

The judge held that the consequences of non-functional electronic nomination portal cannot be visited on the Labour Party.

Justice Ekwo agreed with the Labour Party that nomination

and submission of candidates list cannot be rejected by INEC from any party until 90 days to the general elections.

The judge said that the time the Labour Party sought to submit a list of its candidates in the 24 states was more than 90 days to the 2023 general elections, and hence, within time allowed by law.

Justice Ekwo held that INEC was bound to accept the Labour Party’s candidates list manually once its electronic nomination portal is faulty.

The judge subsequently ordered INEC to open its website for the purpose of allowing the Labour Party to submit a list of its candidates or accept the same manually with immediate effect for the purpose of the 2023 general elections.

APC Senatorial candidate of Edo North Senatorial District, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole at Campaign Ground at Akoko Edo North ahead of 2023 General Election, yesterday

Disqualification suit: Enugu PDP knows fate February 15

By Christiana Ekpa

AFederal High Court sitting in Enugu has fixed February 15 for judgement in the suit seeking the disqualification of all the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, candidates in Enugu State from taking part in the 2023 elections.

The case was instituted by the Enugu North Senatorial district candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Chika Idoko.

In the suit No: FHC/EN/ CS/217/2022, Idoko had dragged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the PDP, and all its candidates in Enugu State to the court.

He is claiming that the PDP primary election was in contravention of Section 77 of the Electoral Act and should thus

be voided, adding that the party should be punished in line with extant provisions of the Section 84 of the same Act.

His argument is that the party submitted its membership register to INEC on May 6, 2022, less than 30 days to its primary election, contrary to the provisions of the law.

Legal fireworks resumed on Thursday, with all the parties adopting their process, including preliminary objections and addresses for the substantive suit.

Counsel to the applicant, Barr. T. Ekpenyong told the Court that the case of his client, (Idoko) pertains to the interpretation of Section 77 of the Electoral Act.

He said a letter from the first defendant, which was admitted in evidence, showed that the PDP submitted the register in

contravention of the Electoral Act.

The plaintiff’s counsel also cited some cases to support his assertion that his client had the locus to file the suit.

“We ask that the preliminary objection of the defendants be discountenanced,” Ekpenyong prayed the court.

The defendants, including the PDP, its guber candidate, Barr. Peter Mbah, National and State Assembly candidates were represented by Onyechi Ikpeazu, SAN, Anthony Ani, (SAN), Justina Offia (Mrs.) SAN, Barr. Ogochukwu Onyekwuluje.

With the exception of the first defendants, INEC, all the other defendants filed preliminary objections.

They argued that Idoko being a member of the ADC lacked the locus standi to file the matter,

adding that it was also statutebarred, as according to them it was filed out of time.

The defendants told the court that whereas the course of action arose on May 6, the plaintiff waited till September to file the court action.

While making its submissions to have the main suit struck-out, the PDP said it submitted the soft copy of its register to the INEC in March, 2022, adding that what it submitted in May was a hard copy to ease the job of the commission.

They urged the court to strike out the suit for lack of jurisdiction.

After listening to their arguments, the Judge, Justice Folashade Giwa-Ogunbanjo adjourned the suit to February 15 for ruling on the preliminary objection and judgement on the substantive suit.

Delta South: We’ll destroy, rebuild PDP –Umukoro to NNPP candidate, Nesiama

By Ikechukwu Okaforadi

AChieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP in Warri South Local Government Area of Delta State, Victor Umukoro has said he and others like him would destroy the party and rebuild it for a better Nigeria.

He was addressing the Delta South Senatorial candidate of the New Nigerian People’s Party, NNPP, Omatseye Nesiama

at a town hall meeting organized by the NNPP in Warri.

He said, “I am a PDP member. I am a member of the PDP that’s my saying enough is enough. We will destroy this PDP and rebuild the PDP for a new Nigeria.

The former Council Chairmanship aspirant in Warri South Local Government Council said some members of the party are angry because of the dirty

politics allegedly played in the party.

“They tell you Oga done talk. The system has spoken. We are tired. We will put an end to it.”

Umukoro said it is people like Omatseye Nesiama who are well trained and well travelled that they need as representatives.

“For the cause of this election, I am not a party man. Am an observer.”

Umukoro, however, complained that

they’re politically backward in Essi layout in Warri, appealing to the people of the area not to be afraid of any intimidation during the forthcoming election but to come out en mass and vote for Omatseye Nesiama.

Earlier, Omatseye Nesiama affirmed that he was still in the race and that there is no going back, vowing that he is ready to work and make a difference at the Senate.

My administration will unlock Zamfara potentials - Obi assures voters at rally

By Ikechukwu Okaforadi

Obi-Datti Presidential Campaign touched down in the North Western state of Zamfara on Thursday with the Candidate, Peter Obi and his Vice, Yusuf Datti BabaAhmad promising to unlock the abundant resources of the state into development for the good of the people.

The team which arrived at the rally ground in Gusau, the state capital to a warm reception of jubilant supporters, told the people that if voted into office by February 25, the God-given gift of natural resources of the state will be turned around for their good.

“Your natural resources should bring you good things not crime”

The Presidential flag bearer told the people that the insecurity that has bedeviled the state for years now will be a thing of the past, as he and Datti have the key to unlock and pull the state out of poverty.

‘Zamfara state with its huge mineral resources has no business being one of the poorest states in the country’

The former Anambra state Governor assured the people that security is top in their agenda because it’s only in a secured environment that the huge potentials of the state can be properly and adequately harnessed.

He said their Labour Party manifesto stresses the importance of taking the country away from consumption to production and through that engage youths who are in their productive ages and reduce crimes and criminalities

in the country.

Obi also talked of proper education for the people as he and Datti see education as investment and are therefore ready and willing to invest heavily in education and health.

The LP flag bearer reminded

the people what the forthcoming election means for the country, a huge opportunity to take back from those holding down with their failed leadership and transform it into a country that can compete in the comity of nations.

You betrayed Southern Nigeria

By Musa Baba Adamu

Former Federal

Commissioner

for

Information and SouthSouth Leader, Chief Edwin Clark, has told Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta State to resign from being the running mate of Atiku Abubakar, the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, for this month’s presidential election.

–

According to Clark, Okowa should apologise to his colleagues in both PDP and APC that he deceived into taking a decision he never believed in.

Clark, in a letter dated February 2, 2023, and addressed to the governor, said that Okowa and Atiku will not win the presidency on a joint ticket.

The statement, made available to journalists, reads in part: “I can therefore understand why you

He urged the people to ignore those who will approach them with the sentiments of religion and tribe because unlike in the past this election is to be based on characters we can trust, competence, capacity, capabilities and antecedents.

‘Enough of their lies and deceits’, Obi stressed The enthusiastic organic crowd had waited patiently to hear the penetrating messages of Obi and his team. The team also addressed other critical stakeholders in the state.

Edwin Clark to Okowa

have deliberately and immorally betrayed your colleagues of Southern Nigeria and the people for your own selfish ambition by wanting to land on safer ground by accepting to serve as running mate to Alhaji Atiku Abubakar.

“No, by God’s grace, your prayer will not be answered. Perhaps, you’ve forgotten the gravity of the offence you’ve committed against the people of Southern Nigeria.

“It’s therefore in your own interest to openly apologise to your colleagues of both APC and PDP whom you deceived in taking a decision you never believed in. After your unreserved apology to your people and Southern Nigeria, you should step down your ambition of becoming VicePresidential candidate of the PDP. There your honour lies,” he said.

Worse things will happen if we vote bad politicians – NNPP candidate, Nesiama

By Musa Baba Adamu

The Delta South Senatorial Candidate of the New Nigerian Peoples Party (NNPP), Omatseye Nesiama has warned that worse things than the hike in petrol and the

scarcity of the new naira notes will happen in Nigeria if the people refuse to vote against bad politicians in the 2023 elections.

Nesiama made the assertion during a town hall meeting in Ward 9, Warri, Delta State.

He noted that the hike in

petrol and scarcity of the new naira note is biting harder on citizens of the country.

Nesiama said, “I thank God it’s happening like this. Our refusal to take action on the 25th of February, worse things will happen. I am not trying to be

pessimistic.”

He alleged that politicians are trying to pack money to rig the forthcoming election and advised the electorate to resist.

”If politicians give you money, collect and vote against them.”

Southern, Middle Belt leaders endorse Peter Obi for 2023 presidency

By Christiana Ekpa

Elder statesmen and prominent leaders from four of the country’s six geopolitical zones have endorsed the Labour Party presidential candidate, Mr Peter Obi, as their candidate in the

presidential election which will be held on February 25.

The Southern and Middle Belt Leaders Forum, (SMBLF) is made up of leaders from the Middle- Belt, Ndi- Igbo (Ohanaeze) Afenifere, Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF) and headed by Ijaw leader and

elder statesman, Chief Edwin Clark.

The decision was said to have been taken at the end of the extraordinary meeting of the forum on Wednesday in Abuja.

The Communique was read by the immediate past President General of the umbrella body of Ndigbo Worldwide, the

Ohanaeze, Chief John Nnia Nwodo.

Recall that Obi had received the endorsement of former President Olusegun Obasanjo, founder of Afe Babalola University, Chief Afe Babalola (SAN) and a host of other significant but quiet endorsements.

NNPC signs maintenance services agreement with Daewoo to repair

Kaduna refinery

From Abubakar Yunusa Abuja

The Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited says it has signed a maintenance services contract with Daewoo Engineering and Construction Nigeria Limited for a “quick-fix repair” of the Kaduna Refining and Petrochemical Company (KRPC) Limited

Daewoo Nigeria is a subsidiary of Daewoo E and C Co. Ltd of South Korea, having a share equity of 90 percent in South Korea and 10 percent in Nigeria.

The national oil company made this known in a tweet on Thursday.

The NNPC had signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Daewoo Group, a South Korean conglomerate, for the rehabilitation of the Kaduna refinery.

In August 2021, the federal executive council (FEC) approved $1.48 billion for the rehabilitation of both Warri and Kaduna refineries.

Desmond Inyamah, acting managing director, Warri Refining and Petrochemical Company (WRPC), had said the refinery will commence full operations in December 2023.

These efforts are geared towards sustaining the progress made raising oil output.

Last month, Timipre Sylva, minister of state for petroleum resources, expressed hope that Nigeria may stop the importation of petroleum products by the first quarter of 2024.

Sylva said the Port Harcourt refinery, which has a capacity of 60,000 barrels per day (bpd), will be partially restored and ready for operation by the first quarter of 2023.

The minister said in addition to several modular refinery projects in the country, the 650,000 (bpd) Dangote refinery is also expected to be operational by the end of 2023.

According to Sylva, with the combined production capacities of the Port Harcourt refinery, Dangote refinery, and the modular refineries, Nigeria would end the importation of petroleum products soon.

President Buhari greets FIRS chairman, Muhammad Mamman Nami at 55

From Abubakar Yunusa Abuja

President Muhammadu Buhari warmly felicitates with the Executive Chairman of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), Muhammad Mamman Nami on his 55th birthday, praising him

for making commendable efforts to raise government revenues, especially at this time of great need.

Buhari, in a statement by presidential spokesman Garba Shehu on Thursday, notes that notes that the leadership and guidance of Nami has repositioned operations and staff

of the agency, using technological tools to institute far more transparency, accountability, and effectiveness, which has, in turn, translated into the increased capacity to deliver on mandate with results manifestly seen.

The President commends the Executive Chairman for bringing

many years of experience in financial services to bear on the foremost tax regulator, with a growing impact on the economy, especially as the government expands and prioritizes infrastructure development. President Buhari prays for the well-being of the Executive Chairman and his family.

Naira Redesign: CHRICED faults CBN’s cash swap policy

By Abubakar Yunusa Abuja

The Resource Centre for Human Rights and Civic Education (CHRICED), has frowned at the decision of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to cash swap policy, saying that the policy has inflicted on many millions of ordinary Nigerian.

Recalled President Muhammadu Buhari last week in Kastina said the Cash swap policy has assured Nigerians that the government will ensure that citizens are unharmed in their businesses and no disruption is caused to the entire supply chain arising from the currency swap due to end shortly.

He reiterated that several initiatives by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and all commercial banks are underway to speed up the distribution of the new notes and do all that is necessary to forestall cash squeeze and chaos.

Speaking at a press conference on the state of the nation Thursday at the top

rank rotel galaxy, the Executive Director, Comrade Ibrahim M. Zikirullahi said the fact remains that CBN’s cash swap policy continues to impoverish many more Nigerians.

He noted that when the benefits and drawbacks of the currency redesign and swap policy are considered, there is no doubt that it is a colossal failure and an unmitigated disaster, Criminals, and money launderers.

Zikirullahi opined that vote buyers have taken advantage of the CBN system’s porous nature to conceal their wealth., while ordinary citizens who require only little amounts of cash for daily survival have no access to the currency.

“We are in a situation where Naira is now used to buy Naira In addition, the CBN’s unpopular policy of redesigning Naira notes is already driving honest and hardworking farmers, traders, and artisans in rural areas whose funds are all in cash into bankruptcy.

The Human Rights group strongly condemned the suffering and agony inflicted on

millions of ordinary Nigerians in recent weeks. These travails are the outcomes of the CBN’s sloppy implementation of the currency redesign and swap policy (CBN).

According to him, CHRICED in a previous intervention warned that if the apex bank does not handle this policy carefully, it will cause unnecessary hardship, particularly in rural areas.

Zikirullahi said, “CHRICED prediction has proven to be correct. Not only was the level of citizen sensitization for such a significant policy low, but the apex bank also failed to form any effective collaboration with institutions such as the National Orientation Agency (NDA) to get the important message about the currency redesign and swap across to citizens, especially those in rural areas.

“From the CBN currency debacle to the fuel and Permanent Voters Cards (PVC) collection queues, which have nearly become a permanent feature of everyday Nigerian life, the elements of corruption

and the absence of the rule of law are clear for all to see.

“ CHRICED is of the view that the anti-corruption mantra, which enabled President Muhammadu Buhari and his co-travelers in the All Progressives Congress (APC) to win presidential power in 2015 and later in 2019, has now taken a back seat.

“Nigerians have seen massive corruption allegations ranging from all theft to alleged disappearance of stamp duty revenue made against key State functionaries being swept under the rug.

“ Allegations of corruption against leaders in positions of power within institutions that should be on the front lines of governance, are simply ignored and dismissed.

A case in point is the fact that for some time, CBN Governor Godwin Emefiele became a justice after going into hiding for nearly two weeks to avoid arrest on allegations of terrorism financing made against him by the Department of State Services (DSS),” he said.

CBN directs banks to pay new naira notes over the counter — N20k maximum

By Abubakar Yunus Abuja

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has directed commercial banks to start paying the redesigned naira notes to customers over the counter.

In a statement on Thursday, the CBN said the new directive was to alleviate the challenges that Nigerians are experiencing with getting access to the new notes, as well as reduce queues at the automated teller machines (ATMs) nationwide.

The latest development comes across as one of the several reversals made by CBN since it announced the naira redesign policy in October last year.

Following the unveiling and the commencement of the circulation of the redesigned naira notes on December 15, 2022, the apex bank ordered deposit money banks (DMBs) to stop issuing the new notes over the counter.

But the directive, coupled with many other restrictions that dots the policy, has unleashed hardship on Nigerians who are making frantic efforts to deposit their old notes (N200, N500, and N1,000) before the new February 10 deadline elapses.

Residents have also been seen crowding ATM terminals in the country in a bid to get the new notes.

In the statement, signed by Osita Nwanisobi, director, corporate communications, CBN, the apex bank said it was working to address challenges with access to the redesigned notes.

“We have equally noticed the queues at automated teller machines (ATMs) across the country and an upward trend in the cases of people stocking and aggregating the newly introduced banknotes they serially obtain from ATMs for reasons best known to them,” CBN said.

“While reiterating our commitment to Nigerians to ensure the effective distribution of the newly introduced naira banknotes, we urge them to exercise patience as the CBN is working assiduously to address the challenge of queues at ATMs. In line with this resolve, the Govenor, Mr. Godwin Emefiele, has directed deposit money banks (DMBs) to commence the payment of the redesigned naira notes over the counter, subject to a maximum daily payout limit of N20,000.

“We also admonish members of the public to embrace and adopt other payment channels for their transactions.”

SEC to step up investor education

From Abubakar Yunusa Abuja

The Securities and Exchange Commission has restated its commitment to continue to educate and enlighten investors in a bid to ensure they make informed investment decisions.

This was stated by Head, Office of the Chief Economist of the SEC, Dr. Okey Umeano during an interview in Abuja.

Umeano stated that the upsurge in the activities of illegal fund managers in recent times has been a source of worry to the Commission and assured investors that the SEC is working hard along with other government agencies to reduce their activities to the barest minimum.

According to Umeano, “This is an area that we are doing a lot and still have a lot to do. If you look at the Capital Market master plan, you will see that a lot of the things we want to do revolves around investor education. In investor education,

what we tell investors is how to know who is genuine and it is very simple.

“Just go to the sec.gov.ng you can just on the search portal type CMO. The search portal comes out and you type the name of the firm marketing to you, if it is not there then it is not registered with SEC that means you are not protected. You are not covered by that investor protection that I am talking about. Those who are marketing financial products, investment related financial products must come to SEC and be registered”.

Umeano disclosed that in an effort to further protect investors, the Commission has been carrying out enforcement exercises against these illegal fund managers and would continue to do so.

He said, “We have been going around closing Ponzi schemes and all those illegal fund managers and you know we have been on different stations. I personally have been

on several TV stations, radio, and newspaper talking about this. We are about to launch a few billboards around the country saying these same things. Nigerians must understand that the money that they are giving people it is difficult to get.

“It is difficult to raise capital and before you give it to someone, it is important to know that person is the right person. This they can easily ascertain by going on our website. That is the message.

He stated that the Commission has a police Unit that assists in investigating these entities and carrying out enforcement actions when the need arises, while also collaborating with relevant government agencies like the Nigeria Financial Intelligence Unit and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.

“The problem with Ponzi schemes is they use the money from Mr. A to pay Mr. B and use Mr. B’s own to pay Mr. C and while they are

paying all that, they are taking their own so by the time we close them, there’s not enough money again to return to the people whose money they took. You also know they promise outrageous returns and these returns are paid to the first people.

“We have a few now that we are trying to resolve but I must tell you that it is difficult for anyone who has put money in a Ponzi scheme to recover much. It is important that Nigerians understand it is not nice. If anyone promises you a return too good to be true, then it is probably not true.

Dr. Umeano therefore urged Nigerians to be vigilant and carry out their due diligence by visiting the Commission’s website to ascertain registration status of the entities before investing, adding that there is also a need for them to understand the products they are investing in to obtain desired returns on their investments.

Some assets owned by federal government are unknown, dead -says MOFI

From Abubakar Yunusa Abuja

The ministry of finance incorporated (MOFI) says some assets owned by the federal government are unknown, while others are “dead and gone”.

MOFI is a corporation solely vested with the responsibility to manage all federal government investments, interests, estates, easements and rights.

President Muhammadu Buhari had, on Wednesday, inaugurated the new the governing council, board of directors and executive management team of MOFI.

Speaking at the ceremony, Shamsudeen Usman, MOFI’s new board chairman, said the federal governments assets currently have an estimated value of N18-19 trillion.

The former minister of finance, however, said there is uncertainty about actual the assets owned by the federal government as some are unknown.

He said MOFI will do a detailed inventory to produce a credible

national register of the assets.

Usman said the register would help to eliminate uncertainties regarding assets owned by the government.

“There is no body in government today that can tell you with certainty, [that] this is 100 percent the assets owned by the government. Unfortunately, we are in that situation, some work have started. That’s why we arrived at this estimated N18- N19 trillion. But there are some that are even not known. There’s a lot of uncertainty. Where are they? Where are they all over the country? What’s the value? And how can we turn them around?” he said.

“I’ve seen the list. For example, some of the quoted companies in which the government owns shares, are dead already, dead and gone. But it is in the register that government is still owning some of those shares, but the companies are no more.

“You know, I think in terms of the major assets today, the petroleum assets, for example, are huge. NNPC itself is partly owned

by MOFI, the Bank of Industry, Bank of Agriculture, NEXIM, our shareholding in the Islamic Bank, African Development Bank, these are all assets we own. And then of course, there are some that you know, they are more or less either dead or not yielding anything.

“Some of them, we took loans to set them up. They are supposed to be commercial ventures that are supposed to actually generate the repayment of those loans. Now, in some cases, the government has paid the loans. And those institutions are still being baby nursed by the government.

“I don’t want to give any specific example. I don’t want to embarrass some of the MDs of those companies. So, we have to work on those to say, look, how do we restructure you in such a way that you begin to yield revenue to the government. And where some of the loans are outstanding, can we generate some of the repayment of the loans from the activities of those corporations?”

Asked how the board intends

to manage the conflict between the Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission (ICRC) and the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE), since MOFI has been declared a clearing house for asset sale, Usman said the body would work with all the agencies.

He said the agencies were already part of the committee that did the initial work, adding that consultations would go on.

“Well, I don’t want to comment on that. But certainly, you know, as a former minister, I know that there are those potential conflicts. I think what we’ll do is we will try and work together with all those agents,” he said.

“Luckily, in the background work that was done, as you heard in the minister’s speech and in the president’s, those agencies were actually involved as part of the committee that did the initial work. So, we will continue the consultation. And I’m sure at the end of the day, we will do what is in the best interest of Nigeria.”

CBN to prosecute sellers, abusers of Naira

From Abubakar Yunusa Abuja

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has warned Nigerians against selling, spraying and stamping on the naira, describing the acts as “unlawful”.

In a statement issued on Thursday, the apex bank said the warning was necessitated by the

activities of persons who sell the new notes and those who abuse the currency by hurling wads of cash in the air at social functions.

On Wednesday, the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) arrested a woman for selling new naira notes on social media.

The CBN said there have

also been reported cases of unregistered persons and non-bank officials swapping banknotes.

“We wish to state unequivocally that, contrary to the practice of these unpatriotic persons, it is unlawful to sell the Naira, hurl (spray), or stamp on the currency under any circumstance whatsoever,”

the statement signed by Osita Nwanisobi, CBN’s spokesperson, reads.

“For the avoidance of doubt, Section 21(3) of the Central Bank of Nigeria Act 2007 (As amended) stipulates that “spraying of, dancing or matching on the Naira or any note issued by the Bank during social occasions or otherwise howsoever shall

constitute an abuse and defacing of the Naira or such note and shall be punishable under the law by fines or imprisonment or both.

“Similarly, Section 21(4) states that “It shall also be an offence punishable under Sub-section (1) of this section for any person to hawk, sell or otherwise trade in the Naira notes, coins or any other note issued by the Bank.”

Hardships caused by Naira redesign worries FG -Minister

By Egena Sunday Ode

The Federal Government is worried over the hardships being experienced by the citizens arising from redesign of the naira..

The Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Mrs. Zainab Ahmed disclosed this Thursday while featuring at the weekly press briefing organized by the Presidential Communication Team at the Aso Rock Presidential Villa, Abuja.

According to the Minister, the harsh realities faced by citizens due to the introduction of the new naira notes by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), is a necessary price to pay for the long-term health of the economy.

Answering questions from newsmen Mrs. Ahmed said

“President Mohammadu Buhari is not happy that the citizens are suffering because of the implementation of the naira redesign but was convinced that the policy will at the long run be beneficial to the economy.”

The current hardships, though temporal, are required to stifle corruption and gradually transition into a cashless economy, she said.

According to her, one of the positive aspects of the policy is that a lot of money has been mopped up.

Recall that in November last year, the CBN announced that it will redesign the N200, N500, and N1000 notes of the naira.

The nation’s apex bank gave January 31, 2023, as the deadline for the populace to return all old notes to commercial banks after

which they will cease to be Legal Tender.

The decision generated a lot of controversies which necessitated the meeting between President Buhari and the CBN Governor, Godwin Emefiele in Daura on Sunday, January 29 where the later after the meeting announced a 10-day extension from January 31 to February 10, 2023.

The new dates also include a grace period of seven days (February 10-February 17, 2023) when Nigerians could return old notes to the CBN.

Speaking in Daura on Saturday, January 28, the President had argued that the FG’s currency swap is not meant to target innocent citizens but corrupt persons and terror financiers hoarding illicit monies.

He also assured Nigerians that the government will ensure that they and their businesses will face no harm from disruptions caused to the entire supply chain arising from the currency swap.

However, the scarcity of the new naira notes has become a thing of concern to many Nigerians, who cannot lay their hands on either the new notes or the old ones.

The Federal Government will start collecting taxes from cryptocurrency transactions in Nigeria explaining that while the taxation of cryptocurrencies is provided for in the law that we’re trying to finalize the exact volumes, there’s still an assessment process that was going on which is supported by the World Bank.

“So we will know how much

yield in terms of taxes, saying Nigeria consistently ranked among the top global players in cryptocurrency transactions, and we’re missing out completely from taxing those things.

“The principle of taxation is whether or not the revenues are legal or tax and the government will take the right decision.”

On what effort the ministry takes to curtail the challenges of the redesign of naira notes in the country, Mrs. Ahmed said that it will be a monetary policy decision.

She assured that the CBN was considering resolving the issue because there have been several questions being asked, adding that the monetary authorities will take that decision and present it on the board and “we’ll have to wait for their own process.

By Stanley Onyekwere

The FCT Administration has pledged to bolster the existing collaboration with the Nigeria Institute of Soil Science (NISS), so as to improve the quality of soil in the nation’s capital city.

Making this point yesterday, FCTA’s Permanent Permanent Secretary, Mr. Adesola Olusade, noted that the FCT Administration was very concerned about the quality of land because the productivity was largely dependent on land.

Adesola, spoke on behalf of the FCT Minister, Malam Muhammad Musa Bello, when the governing council of the institute led by its President, Prof. Ayoade Ogunkunle, paid a courtesy call on the FCTA, in Abuja.

He assured that any agency of government that was desirous to contribute to the development of the

METRO

Food security: FCTA to boost collaboration with soil science Institute

FCT is always well received.

According to him,” if the land quality is weak you will farm for nothing and therefore, for a body to regulate the use of land is very important and appropriate for the country.

“We are here to receive you today on behalf of the FCT Minister, by my person Adesola Olusade, the Permanent Secretary FCTA, the Mandate Secretary Agriculture and Rural Development Secretariat, FCT, Abubakar Ibrahim and other management of staff in the secretariat.

“We have taken note of the

Minister hails Afreximbank boss for supporting FCT health sector

By Stanley Onyekwere

The FCT Minister, Malam Muhammad Musa Bello, appreciated the efforts of the Chairman of Afreximbank, Dr. Benedict Oramah, especially in the development of the health sector in the FCT.

Bello revealed that Oramah, Chairman of Afreximbank resonates with stakeholders in the FCT, as the international financial institution, which he heads has keyed into our vision of making Abuja a global destination for the provision of world class healthcare with the construction of a 200-bed hospital in the city.

He adds: “Let me therefore seize this opportunity to call on other organisations and business concerns who share in our dream for the development of Abuja into a world class city to partner with us in this regard”, he added.

Bello who spoke at the 14th edition of the Leadership Annual Conference and Awards in Abuja, while welcoming the thoughts of the keynote Speaker and former Prime Minister of Kenya, Honourable Raila Amolo Odinga on the event’s theme, commended him for being among the special recognition award recipients while also welcoming him to Abuja.

The Minister also commended the Wife of the Late Sam Nda Isaiah, and Chairman of the Leadership Group, Mrs. Zainab Nda Isaiah, the management and staff of the Group for sustaining the annual event and keeping alive the memory and legacies of Sam Nda-Isiah whom he described as a patriot and one of Nigeria’s great visionaries.

The Minister along with the Vice President, HE Yemi Osinbajo, Hon. Raila Odinga and the Etsu Nupe, HRH Alh. Yahaya Abubakar were bestowed with special recognition awards.

accomplishments of the institute and we also noted the paragraph two of your letter where you requested for an office space in the FCT. We will convey your request to the minister “I thank you Prof. Ayoade for acknowledging the robust structure we have in the FCT and for the enlightenment you provided us on the institute. On thing is certain the institute appears to be the father of all.”

Earlier, Ogunkunle, explained that the institute was an agency under the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development with its Act enacted and signed by

President Muhammadu Buhari on February 3, 2017.

He also said that the institute was charged with the mandate of regulating and sustaining the profession of soil science and not only the profession but the use of soil.

He revealed that currently the institute have over 350 registered soil scientist that we can vouch for and they can counsel or advice people on the use of soil and if you adhere to it you are bound to succeed.

He said: “Soil is like the home for everybody such as human being,

plants, animals and the nature of soil in every country makes it if we destroy it then we are in for problem.

“If we don’t manage it sustainably then we are in trouble. In abroad where we study we realized it and they make so many places untouchable because you cannot go to the next country to ask for their soil.

“You can ask for many other things but not soil. If a soil is erroded and damage it will take many years to restore it. Soil is like a living being when you start using it at a stage it doesn’t respond again unless it is well manage.”

Board concludes staff verification in public schools

By Stanley Onyekwere

The FCT Secondary Education Board (SEB) has concluded its staff emolument verification exercise in the public senior secondary schools across the six Area Councils of the Territory, as part of effort to ensure staff remain committed and productive with improved academic performance of the students in the teaching and learning system.

Speaking at one of the verification centre at Government Secondary School, Kagini, SEB Director, Dr. Sani Mohammed Ladan, who led the Board’s management Team, said the exercise wa another initiative

the Board decided to embark upon, in order to verify the staff’s presence on the field and credibility at their various Schools of primary assignment.

Ladan explained that the on the spot assessment verification is valuable tool for background checks of staff both in the city and rural areas where the Senior Secondary Schools are located to avoid some lapses such as abscondment and issues of Ghost workers who received monthly salaries and allowances but are not on ground physically to render the teaching services they have been employed for.

A statement from Deputy Director & Head, Information/ Public Relations Unit Education Secretariat, Kabiru Musa, added

that the Director, who visited schools in the Bwari Area Council, explained that the verification procedures involve thorough checks of correct filling of the emolument forms with particular attention to the Tax Identification Number (TIN), national housing scheme Identification, contributory pension pin number and staff attendance records for punctuality and efficiency on the Job.

He added that the verification exercise will help the Board to know the appropriate data of teaching and non teaching Staff in Schools for proper planning and avoid wasted resources,time and the wrong person on the teaching job as the teaching job is an organized profession

with ethical values guiding it’s operations.

Accorfing to him, orientation exercise for both old and new staff will soon commence to help them in the discharge of their duties while assess the fundamentals of staff.

He reminded the staff of their responsibility as a Teacher and role model urging them to continue to add values to the teaching system by impacting positive knowledge and moulding the Students in their custody for a brighter future.

He however, warned them against nonchalant and irresponsible attitudes or encouraging negative vices among the students as anyone caught will be sanction .

“In their various responses, some of the verified staff described the verification exercise as a welcome development, as it helps the Board to validate staff records as well as enable them provide proof of their productivity at their various schools.

“Also, they commended the SEB for it’s leadership skills and effort towards protecting its reputation, and building the staff confidence, promising to continue to put in their best on the Job.

“The intensive Staff Emolument Verification Exercise which was carried out in all the 88 Senior Secondary Schools in FCT lasted for a week”, the statement added.

Scene of a building that collapsed along 7th avenue in Gwarimpa, yesterday in Abuja. Photo: Mahmud Isa

Jacinda Ardern: New Zealand PM quits citing burnout

Jacinda Ardern is quitting as New Zealand prime minister ahead of this year’s election saying she no longer has “enough in the tank” to lead.

The shock announcement comes as polling indicates her Labour Party party faces a difficult path to re-election on 14 October.

Ms Ardern choked up as she detailed how six “challenging” years in the job had taken a toll.

Labour MPs will vote to find her replacement on Sunday.

Ms Ardern, 42, said she had taken time to consider her future over the summer break, hoping to find the heart and energy to go on in the role.

“But unfortunately I haven’t, and I would be doing a disservice to New Zealand to continue,” she told reporters on Thursday.

Ms Ardern will step down by 7 February. If no would-be successor garners the support of two-thirds of the party room, the vote will go to Labour’s lay membership.

Ms Ardern became the youngest female head of government in the world when she was elected prime minister in 2017, aged 37.

And a year later she became the second elected world leader to ever give birth while in office, after Pakistan’s Benazir

Bhutto in 1990.

She steered New Zealand through the Covid-19 pandemic and its ensuing recession, the Christchurch mosque shootings, and the White Island volcanic eruption.

Ms Ardern said the past five-and-ahalf years had been the “most fulfilling” of her life, but leading the country during “crisis” had been difficult.

“These events... have been taxing because of the weight, the sheer weight and continual nature of them. There’s never really been a moment where it’s ever felt like we were just governing.”

National Party leader Chris Luxon was among those who thanked Ms Ardern “for her service to New Zealand”.

“She has given her all to this incredibly demanding job,” the opposition leader wrote on Twitter.

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese described Ms Ardern as a leader of intellect, strength and empathy.

“Jacinda has been a fierce advocate for New Zealand, an inspiration to so many and a great friend to me,” he wrote.

Canada’s leader Justin Trudeau said she had made an “immeasurable” difference to the world.

But while Ms Ardern was often seen as a political star globally, opinion polls suggest she was increasingly unpopular

at home.

She led the Labour Party to a landslide election victory in 2020, capitalising on her government’s strong early response to the pandemic.

But the latest opinion polls put her personal popularity at its lowest since she was elected, and approval of her party’s performance similarly low.

In 2022, Ms Ardern told the BBC her declining popularity was the price her government had paid for keeping people safe from Covid-19.

However, she has also been confronted with a cost-of-living crisis, national fears

about crime, and a backlog of election promises put off during the pandemic.

Reaction to her announcement has been varied. One local from her own Auckland electorate told the NZ Herald Ms Ardern was “running away before getting thrown out”, blaming her for increased crime and rising living costs.

For others, like Auckland Pride’s Max Tweedie, she is “one of the greatest prime ministers in New Zealand’s history”.

Those are sentiments shared by New Zealand actor Sam Neill, who said Ms Ardern had faced “disgraceful” treatment from “bullies” and “misogynists”.

Ukraine’s interior ministry leadership killed in helicopter crash

The three main figures in Ukraine’s interior ministry have been killed in a helicopter crash beside a nursery in an eastern suburb of the capital Kyiv.

Interior Minister Denys Monastyrsky, 42, died alongside his first deputy minister and state secretary.

Fourteen people died when the helicopter came down in Brovary around 08:30 local time (06:30 GMT), including one child, authorities said.

There is no indication the crash was anything other than an accident.

But the SBU state security service said it was following several possible causes for the crash, which included sabotage as well as a technical malfunction or breach of flight rules.

The State Emergency Service had previously stated that up to 18 people were killed but later revised the death toll from the crash, saying 14 had died.

Mr Monastyrsky, who was one of President Volodymyr Zelensky’s longest serving political advisers, is the highest profile Ukrainian casualty since the war began.

The deputy head of Ukraine’s presidential office, Kyrylo Tymoshenko, said the minister had been travelling to a war “hot spot” when his helicopter went down.

The head of police in the northeastern city of Kharkiv, Volodymyr Tymoshko, said the ministerial team were on their way to meet him there and he had spoken to them only yesterday.

The minister’s death cuts to the heart of the government in Kyiv as the interior ministry has the vital task of maintaining security and running the police during the war.

President Zelensky has spoken of a terrible tragedy that claimed the lives of “true patriots”.

The head of Ukraine’s national police force, Ihor Klymenko, has been appointed acting interior minister following Mr Monastyrsky’s death.

Witnesses in Kyiv said Russia’s war was to blame for the disaster.

“It was very foggy and there was no electricity, and when there’s no electricity there are no lights on the buildings,” local resident Volodymyr Yermelenko told the BBC.

Key officials are flown by helicopter across Ukraine at tree-level, but that comes with risks.

All that was recognisable of the helicopter was a door panel and one of its rotors which landed on the roof of a car. Next to it were three bodies covered in foil blankets.

The main kindergarten building was left badly damaged by the crash.

The 42-year-old interior minister was a prominent member of President Volodymy Zelensky’s cabinet.

He was a recognisable face for Ukrainians throughout the war, updating the public on casualties caused by Russian missile strikes since Ukraine was invaded in February 2022.

Ukrainian officials said those on

board the helicopter included six ministry officials and three crew.

First deputy minister Yevhen Yenin died along with state secretary Yurii Lubkovich, whose task was to organise the work of the ministry.

Before he moved to the interior ministry, Mr Yenin helped represent Ukraine’s government abroad.

Mr Tymoshenko said the interior ministry’s work would not be affected by the loss of its leaders, but government colleagues were visibly shocked as they reacted on national TV.

A friend of the late minister’s, MP Mariia Mezentseva, said it was a tragedy for everyone as the ministry had a

significant role in Ukraine’s response to the invasion.

“He responded 24/7 to his colleagues, friends and family. He was very close to President Zelensky from day one of his presidential campaign,” she told the BBC.

National police chief Ihor Klymenko wrote on Facebook that the helicopter belonged to Ukraine’s state emergency service, while other officials said it appeared to a be a French Super Puma aircraft.

Parents were bringing their children to the kindergarten before going to work when the helicopter came down.

Source;BBC

Ms Ardern said she was looking forward to finally getting married to partner Clarke Gayford

The remains of the helicopter were visible outside a residential building in Brovary

Landmark law to protect women’s rights in Sierra Leone

Sierra Leone has passed an historic law to improve women’s rights, including better employment rights.

Under the new Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment Act (GEWE) 30% of government and private sector jobs in the country are reserved for women, according to an official statement.

“Today is an historic day when Sierra Leone can rightly say it has legislation carefully designed to do away with gender inequality,” Gender Minister Manty Tarawalli said.

“Today is an important step in the right direction but more steps will have to be taken before the country can say fairness has been achieved across the genders,” she added.

Women will also now benefit from ringfenced senior positions in the workplace, at least 14-week-long maternity leave, equal access to bank credit and training opportunities.

There are harsh repercussions for employers who do not stick to the new gender ratios including hefty fines, and even potential prison time for financial institutions that do not give women fair access to financial support. It is thought this will make it easier for women to start their own businesses.

The government says the

employment law will apply to any business with more than 25 employees.

Mali accepts Russian warplanes and helicopters

Mali has taken a delivery of warplanes and helicopters from Russia as Moscow deepens its involvement in the country.

Since breaking ties with France, the military regime in Mali has become reliant on its new ally, which has deployed mercenaries from the Wagner group, according to multiple sources.

Correspondents say these troops are doing little of the fighting against the Islamist insurgency, and appear to be concentrating on securing Mali’s mineral resources for exploitation.

Russia has also been accused of becoming involved in another African nation, Eswatini, though Moscow’s ambassador there has denied reports it is training security officers.

Alexander Surikov said it was just giving scholarships for military education.

Rwanda-DR Congo tensions stoked amid clashes - AFP

Rwanda’s government has accused the Democratic Republic of Congo of wanting to “perpetuate conflict and insecurity” and failing to stick by a peace agreement, according to the AFP news agency.

It comes amid ongoing fighting in the east of DR Congo and comments from Congolese Foreign Minister, Christophe Lutundula, that accused Kigali and the

M23 rebel group of “once more failing to uphold their commitments”, to the peace deal aimed at stopping fighting in the tense region.

The UN recently confirmed the discovery of mass graves in the eastern Congolese Ituri province. It was not clear who was responsible, but many armed militias operate in the area, including M23.

Mr Lutundula added that his country would “safeguard its territorial integrity” and “all means” would be used to protect itself.

DR Congo, along with some European nations and the US, accuse Rwanda of supporting the M23, but Rwanda denies this.

CHAN: Can Senegal coach Pape Thiaw match the country’s Afcon triumph?

Senegal are among the teams vying for the African Nations Championship (CHAN) title in Algeria, having qualified for the tournament for locallybased African players for the first time in 11 years.

But what do we know of their coach, Pape Thiaw, the man tasked with emulating Aliou Cisse, the coach who led the Teranga Lions to a maiden Africa Cup of Nations victory nearly a year ago?

BBC Sport Africa has been looking more closely at Thiaw as he tries to steer his local lions to CHAN glory and make Senegal double African champions.

Who is Pape Thiaw?

A former striker, Thiaw, 41, played alongside Cisse at the 2002 World Cup in Japan and South Korea - Senegal’s memorable first appearance at football’s global showpiece.

Another member of that squad, Alassane N’dour, says Thiaw and Cisse were very alike.

“Within the group, Aliou Cisse and Pape Thiaw had a certain similarity: their calmness,” N’dour told BBC Sport Africa.

“Thiaw was a little more sociable. Aliou was more into the action, I could say. After the game we wouldn’t see much of him.

“Pape is more open to discussions, more open to exchanges, but they are two professionals with profiles that are similar but with their differences,” the former defender added.

• Profile: Aliou Cisse’s path to Afcon glory

• Aliou Cisse on impact of ‘Africa’s Titanic’

As well as winning 16 caps and scoring five goals for his country, Thiaw represented several clubs including Strasbourg, Metz and Alaves during a

playing career based in France and Spain.

He then went on to coach first division club Niarry Tally in Senegal until February 2021 before a move into the Senegal set-up as coach of the local team.

N’dour says the coaching styles of Thiaw and Cisse are very different.

“Aliou forges his team on rigour and drive, as he did when he played football. Pape’s style is more enveloped in stillness but we can still see a rigorous team.

Senegal’s CHAN qualification campaign impressed N’dour, particularly the crucial two-legged play-off against Guinea that ended 1-1 on aggregate and was decided by a penalty shootout on the opponent’s home turf.

“The evidence of Pape’s coaching are the results of the two [CHAN] qualifying matches against Guinea. They had to focus on tactics, and it was successful.”

Pape Thiaw (top left) and Aliou Cisse (bottom right) played together for Senegal at the 2002 World Cup Thiaw’s coaching experience

Thiaw’s achievement in steering Senegal to CHAN qualification was notable; they had not participated since the second edition in Sudan in 2011.

At 36, Amara Traore, was the elder statesman of Senegal’s 2002 World Cup squad - and he thinks understanding the country’s football landscape has been crucial in Thiaw’s journey as a national coach.

“He has the benefit of knowing local football and African football so he knows and understands the mentality of the leaders, of the people.

“Senegal went 11 years without qualifying for CHAN and he arrived and managed to do it so we have to let him grow and let him do his job,” Traore said.

Allasane N’dour also believes managing teams in the Senegalese league provided vital experience for Thiaw.

“He had an atypical career where he was a coach for a local neighbourhood team that he helped to raise to the first division. So he wasn’t scared to learn,” said N’dour.

“He took the time to complete his coaching training and to apply it as a coach at Senegalese clubs.

“So he can pass on all his knowledge, all his lived experience from Senegal, Europe and from playing in the national team.”

Can Thiaw lead Senegal to CHAN glory?

After the euphoria in Senegal following a first ever Africa Cup of Nations triumph in February 2022, the appetite has been whetted for more trophies.

Can the locally-based Teranga Lions roar in a similar way?

“Of course, of course, we believe it. We trust him. I’m sure he can win this CHAN,” said a confident N’dour.

“I don’t know the objective set by the Senegalese Football Federation but I would say they should take each match one at a time, savour each one and see what our result will be in this beautiful competition.”

Traore says qualifying to the next phase - from a group also featuring DR Congo, Uganda and Ivory Coast - would be impressive, but Thiaw and his players need to keep their ambition high if they are to secure the trophy.

“After 11 years, I wouldn’t say it is impossible, but we have to raise the bar and we go to the competition to win it.

“If he qualifies for the second round he would have more than reached his objectives. I wish him the best.”

Source: BBC

The new law has been described as historicImage caption: The new law

Former Senegal international Pape Thiaw is coaching the local Teranga Lions at the 2022 CHAN in Algeria

n ews F rom A s IA

Iranian man who beheaded 17-year-old wife jailed for eight years

Aman who beheaded his 17-yearold wife has been sentenced to eight years in prison in Iran, the judiciary says.

Images of Sajjad Heydari carrying Mona’s severed head in Ahvaz after the so-called “honour killing” last year caused widespread outrage.

A judiciary spokesman said the leniency of the sentence was due to Mona’s parents having “pardoned” him for the murder rather than seeking retribution.

Her father previously said that he had not given his consent for the killing.

Mona had been married to her husband since the age of 12 and had given birth to their son when she was only 14.

Local media reported that she had fled to Turkey after allegedly being subjected to domestic violence by her husband, who had refused her requests for a divorce.

She had returned to Iran a few days before her murder last February because she had reportedly received assurances from her family that she would be safe.

Judiciary spokesman Massoud Setayeshi told reporters on Wednesday that Sajjad Heydari had been sentenced to seven-and-a-half years

in prison for murder and an additional eight months for assault.

He explained that the verdict was in line with Iranian law, under which intentional murder is punishable by death unless the family of the victim forgives the killer.

Mona’s brother-in-law was given a 45-month sentence for complicity in the murder, he said.

The gruesome killing prompted fresh demands in Iran for a law aimed at preventing domestic violence and protecting victims.

There were also calls for the minimum age of marriage for children to be raised. It is currently set at 13 for girls, although girls even younger than that can legally marry with judicial and parental consent.

In 2020, there was similar outrage after 14-year-old Romina Ashrafi was beheaded by her father after she reportedly ran away from home with her boyfriend. The father, who had consulted a lawyer to find out what punishment he could face for the crime before he killed her, was sentenced to nine years in prison - one less than the maximum allowed under the law.

The government subsequently approved a draft law that would criminalise various forms of violence against women. However, it has yet

to be passed by parliament and a UN independent expert has said it does not go far enough.

Iran is currently being rocked by anti-government protests that were sparked by the death in custody of

a young woman who was detained by morality police in September for allegedly wearing her hijab, or headscarf, “improperly”.

Four people have so far been executed in connection with the

protests, while 18 others have been sentenced to death. Human rights groups have said they were convicted after grossly unfair sham trials.

Source: BBC

Iran protests: 15 minutes to defend yourself against the death penalty

Four young men have been executed in connection with the nationwide protests that erupted in Iran four months ago, while 18 other people have been sentenced to death. Human rights groups have said they were convicted after grossly unfair sham trials.

Mohammad Mehdi Karami, a 22-year-old karate champion, was hanged on 7 January, just 65 days after his arrest.

Sources have told BBC Persian that he had less than 15 minutes to defend himself in court.

His story shows how authorities in Iran are using show trials to strike fear into the hearts of the protesters, who are demanding freedom and an end to the clerical regime.

‘Don’t tell Mum anything’

The protest movement began after the death in custody of Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old woman who was detained by morality police in September for allegedly not wearing the mandatory headscarf “properly”.

Authorities dismissed the unrest as “rioting” and launched a violent crackdown. At least 481 protesters have been killed by security forces, according to Iran Human Rights, a Norway-based non-governmental organisation.

Karami was arrested in connection with the murder of a member of the paramilitary Basij force during protests in the city of Karaj, just west of Tehran, on 3 November.

He was later charged with the capital offence of “corruption on

Earth” and went on trial before a Revolutionary Court in Karaj on 30 November along with 16 other people, including three children, also accused of involvement in the murder.

Defendants are entitled to legal representation in Iran, but in sensitive cases like this one, or in espionage cases, they are not allowed to choose their own lawyers. Instead, the court appoints one from a list approved by the judiciary.

Journalists and members of the defendant’s family are also barred from being in court, so the only window into what happens behind the closed doors is heavily edited footage released by the judiciary.

In one such video, Karami appears visibly distressed as he “confesses” to hitting the Basij member on the head with a rock. His court-appointed lawyer does not challenge or dispute this and, instead, asks the judge for forgiveness. Karami then says he was “fooled” and sits down.

On 5 December, Karami was convicted and sentenced to death. Four of his co-defendants were also sentenced to death, while the children and eight others were handed lengthy jail terms, according to the judiciary.

Normally, defendants’ family members come under pressure from authorities to stay silent.

But Mohammad’s father, Mashaalah Karami, who works as a street vendor selling packets of tissues, gave an interview to the Etemad newspaper. He said his son had called him in tears

the day that he was sentenced to death.

“Dad, they gave us the verdict. Mine is the death penalty. Don’t tell Mum anything,” his father recalled, reiterating his son’s innocence.

Chilling accounts

Later, opposition activist group 1500 Tasvir published an account on social media alleging that Karami had been tortured.

It said he had told his family during a meeting in prison that he had been beaten unconscious by guards. The guards had assumed he was dead and dumped his body in a remote area, but as they left they had realised he was still alive, it added.

Karami also told his family that security agents had “touched

his genitals every day and threatened to rape him” during interrogations, according to the account.

Under Iran’s legal system, when a lower court passes a death sentence it is sent to the Supreme Court for approval. But even if the Supreme Court endorses the death penalty, it can still be appealed.

Karami’s father told Etemad that he had tried to contact the state-appointed lawyer multiple times, but there had been no response.

The family then tried to hire one of Iran’s most prominent human rights lawyers, Mohammad Hossein Aghasi.

“Mohammad called me from prison three times and asked me

to represent him. His parents also urged me to represent their son,” Mr Aghasi said.

Mr Aghasi wrote to the local court and then to the Supreme Court. At every stage, his letters were ignored or rejected. And lodging an appeal against the Supreme Court decision was also ruled out by a judge.

Authorities have repeatedly said the fast-track trials of protesters and the harsh sentences handed out are meant as a deterrent.

Vulnerable and isolated

Seyed Mohammad Hosseini, a 39-year-old volunteer children’s coach, was also hanged on 7 January, after standing trial alongside Karami for the same crime. Source; BBC

Mona Heydari had reportedly accused her husband of domestic violence before her murder

Mohammad Mehdi Karami told his family he was tortured in detention

Environment

COP15: High stakes in Montreal as negotiators seek new global biodiversity framework

The Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) convened for its resumed Fifteenth Conference of the Parties (COP15),yesterday in Montreal, Canada, and to close on Monday, 19. Negotiators will be working to clinch a new global biodiversity framework (GBF) that will set a series of goals and underlying targets for a “nature-positive future.”

The previous set of goals and targets that have guided international biodiversity conservation efforts in recent years, the 2011-2020 Strategic Plan for Biodiversity and its 20 Aichi Targets, expired in 2020, with the COVID-19 pandemic stymying plans to already have a GBF ready to take their place.

The first part of the CBD COP15 took place in Kunming, China, and online last year. While China is the meeting’s host, travel restrictions and other challenges related to the pandemic led to the resumed COP15 venue being moved to Montreal, where the CBD secretariat is located.

Discussions in Montreal are numerous and include issues related to addressing environmentally harmful subsidies; the final shape of the 30×30 target; the signals that COP15 sends for scaling up naturebased solutions, including naturebased infrastructure; the linkages between nature-based solutions finance and climate finance; and how the results of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change’s (UNFCCC) Twenty-seventh Conference of the Parties (COP27) can inform the Global Biodiversity Framework.

Johan Rockström, Director of the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK), remarked: “We need a ‘Paris Moment’ in Montreal. Similar to the legally binding global climate agreement to hold global warming well below 2 degrees Celsius and aim for 1.5 degree Celsius, governments gathering at the world nature summit COP15 in Canada need to set a limit to nature destruction. To safeguard our life-support system on Earth, we need to halt nature loss to zero, which means protecting all remaining intact nature. Only if we protect and regenerate Earth’s nature, we can really protect Earth’s climate.”

“This is potentially an historic moment for biodiversity,” said Andrew Gonzalez, a professor in the biology department at McGill University in Montreal and founding director of the Quebec Centre for Biodiversity Science.

He added: “The rate of global change in nature during the past 50 years is unprecedented in human history,” the report said, pointing to five key drivers: land- and seause changes, direct exploitation of organisms, climate change, pollution, and invasions of alien species.

Environmental crisis: Nigeria seeks UN interventions on GGW, HYPREP issues

The Federal Government of Nigeria has called on the United Nations (UN) to assist in addressing Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project (HYPREP) and Great Green Wall issues (GGW) to enable restoration of lost lands in the country.

Minister of Environment, Mohammed Abdullahi, said this while receiving the Deputy Secretary-General of UN, Amina Mohammed, on courtesy visit, in Abuja, recently.

Abdullahi said that the ministry was committed to ensuring that the two major projects were implemented effectively, adding that the UN’s intervention would boost the ministry’s efforts.

“There are two important projects which we will need more of your support, the HYPREP and GGW. We are doing our best to ensure that it’s working greatly.

We have the team for the HYPREP. We are doing our best to make sure that the structure put in place is maintained to ensure checks and balances for good governance and transparency.

“This is what we are doing and we hope we will get robust support from you.

“You have always been there for us and we still have hope that you will continue to give us your full support,” he said.

Responding, Mohammed said that the UN would give its best to support in restoring the loss lands.

“So, it’s really important that we put in place the teams that will help us to look at those programmes and to see that GGW issues is properly addressed.

She said the GGW project was an economic corridor, which would offer empowerment to both youth and women, if properly addressed in the country.

According to her, the GGW project will really empower our people, but at the same time, it is able to give less reason for people to destabilise countries when they get involved in conflicts of different types.

“So again, we are at your disposal; the UN will support any efforts that you want with the GGW, particularly the wetlands,” she said.

Mohammed, however, advised agencies, parastaltals and other relevant stakeholders to support the ministry in ensuring that the environmental programmes were implemented effectively.

She thanked the minister

for his strong leadership and commitment in ensuring that environmental crisis were being tackled as well as ensuring that Paris Agreement was achieved effectively.

HYPREP was established in 2012 under the Federal Ministry of Environment to achieve the under listed objectives in Ogoniland and other impacted communities:

“To determine the scope, means and modalities of remediation of soil and ground water contamination in impacted communities as may be recommended by HYPREP Governing Council and remedy them,

“Enhance local capacity for better environmental management and promote awareness of sound environmental management as

well as ensure livelihoods and sustainable development, and

“Ensure security and promote peace building efforts in impacted communities as well as strengthen governance, transparency and accountability in the region.”

The Great Green Wall (GGW) initiative, launched in 2007 by the African Union, aims to restore the continent’s degraded landscapes and transform millions of lives in the Sahel.

Its ambition is to restore 100 million hectares of currently degraded land, sequester 250 million tonnes of carbon, and create 10 million green jobs by 2030.

In Nigeria, the GGW Initiative also seeks to recover degraded land, preserve ecosystems, and provide sustainable livelihood opportunities for communities.

PILIWA launched in Nigerian

By Mashe Umaru Gwamna

Lawyers, civil society, and media executives converged to Benin, the Edo state capital recently for the launch of the Public Interest Lawyering Initiative for West Africa (PILIWA) Nigeria chapter.

The initiative which was founded in 2016 has a membership that cuts across nine West African countries including Cote d’ Ivoire, Ghana, Sierra Leone, Mali, and Niger, among others, and supports young lawyers interested in public interest cases technically, financially, and intellectually.

A member of PILIWA and Executive Director of the Environmental Rights Action/ Friends of the Earth Nigeria (ERA/ FoEN), Chima Williams said that public interest lawyering is a special area for legal practitioners

with passion for public good.

Williams explained that the PILIWA was particularly interested in Nigerian lawyers because of the peculiarity of environmental and human rights abuses perpetrated by big corporations aided by the state in all parts of the country where natural resources are found.

On the Nigeria launch of the PILIWA initiative, the ERA/FoEN boss said a desk office will be set up in Benin which will receive an endowment of N250,000 (two hundred and fifty thousand naira only).

The initiative will equally train young lawyers and imbue them with the relevant knowledge on sources of evidence, how to gather evidence and how to present it before a court of competent jurisdiction.

In his intervention, Jonathan Kaufman, Executive Director of

the Advocates for Community Alternatives (ACA) said that he owes his association with legal work and particularly public interest cases with his experience as a young lawyer, when he was conscripted into the cases filed by families associated with the Ken Saro Wiwa case as well as victims of the Parabe Oil Platform case caused by Chevron in Ondo State.

The two cases, Kaufman pointed out, encouraged him to reach out to and start associating with local lawyers that are classified as stubborn because of their quest for justice.

He revealed that many legal cases suffer because of information gathering deficit, financial constraints, and lack of thoroughness in terms of minute details. Sometimes lawyers are not able to obtain cross border information that their peers may

be able to obtain and pass onto them if a platform for cooperation exists.

He said that the PILIWA platform will bridge the identified gaps to help public interest lawyers secure what they need to push and win unconventional cases.

The highpoint of the event was the inauguration of zonal coordinators for the PILIWA in Nigeria. The nominated coordinators of the South-South, South-east and North Central Zones are Courage Nsirimovu, Kalu Emmanuel Chisom and Redzie D. Jugo respectively. The coordinators for the Northwest, Northeast and Southwest will be announced later.

Participants were drawn from the legal profession in Edo, Bayelsa, Rivers, Plateau, Imo, Enugu, Niger and Kogi states, among others.

Can Sri Lanka trade its way back to prosperity?

Sri Lanka is, in the words of its own president, “bankrupt”.

The Indian Ocean nation defaulted on its sovereign debt in May 2022, plunging the country into economic and political chaos.

The Colombo government secured a $2.9bn (£2.4bn) International Monetary Fund bailout in principle the following September.

But the cash will not be released to Sri Lanka until its sovereign creditors in China and India first agree to a restructuring of the billions of dollars of bilateral debt they are owed.

Despite optimism over the past month that such an agreement was imminent, a deal has still not materialised - and Sri Lanka’s economic agony, and the suffering of its population, continues.

Yet, even if the bailout cash does start to flow in the coming weeks or months, that will not mark the end of Sri Lanka’s economic rebuilding programme, but merely the beginning.

For it’s widely accepted that Sri Lanka’s economic model needs a fundamental overhaul.

In the years following the savage end of the government’s 25-year war against the separatist Tamil Tigers in 2009, Sri Lanka benefited from something of a financial “peace dividend”.

The government at the time successfully attracted large flows of foreign investment, not only from foreign governments like China, but also private international bondholders.

These financial flows pumped up domestic economic growth, but at the cost of ballooning imbalances.

The domestic economy grew steadily less internationally competitive in these years. And while exports continued to rise from 2000 to 2018, from $6.5bn to $19.4bn, over the same time period they slumped as a share of the economy, from 39% to 23%.

Even before the pandemic hit in 2020, tearing the heart out of the island’s lucrative tourism industry, the Sri Lankan trade deficit - the gap between its imports and exports - was already running at more than 6% of GDP.

That imbalance is one of the reasons the default hit Sri Lanka so hard - it suddenly found itself without the means to generate the foreign currency needed to import vital supplies of food and fuel.

Ranil Wickremesinghe, who took over the presidency after the discredited and reviled Gotabaya

Rajapaksa fled the country in July 2022, has been clear that Sri Lanka’s road to recovery will have to involve addressing the imbalance at source, and, in particular, driving up exports.

“We have to transform into a highly competitive export-oriented economy,” he told local business leaders last year.

“There is no other way out. We are a country with 22 million people. We have to find markets outside.”

So the big economic question looming over Sri Lanka is: can this be done? Can the country trade its way back to prosperity?

Traditionally, Sri Lanka’s big exports have been agricultural, starting with cinnamon, which attracted European colonisers in the 16th Century. Today tea is still the biggest export commodity.

But the tea sector is still reeling from a disastrous 2021 ban on imports of fertiliser by the previous government, which cut yields by a fifth.

Looking to the future, increasing agricultural productivity is an obvious avenue for policymakers to explore.

Yet many firms in the tea sector style themselves as “artisan” producers, with leaves still plucked by hand as they were two centuries ago when the plantations were started by the British Empire. And many estates are still using archaic processing equipment.

On top of this, Roshan Rajadurai, the general manager of the Pedro estate in Nuwara Eliya, says that its workers are resistant to new, more efficient methods of picking.

He wants to move to a model in which pickers and their families are given individual sections of plantation to harvest themselveswith them setting their own hours - rather than working in large traditional work teams for fixed daily hours.

It’s a reform Mr Rajadurai says has been proven to increase yields where it has been adopted, but he says the pickers are resisting.

“If we don’t do it I think with the rising cost, and the static prices that we get in the world markets for our product, I don’t think we can be sustainable in the long term,” he warns.

Textiles - manufacturing garments for Western brands - are another major source of exports for Sri Lanka.

But this, even more than tea, relies heavily on imported raw materials and fuel, which have shot up in price in the wake of the

Unlike other Asian nations such as Malaysia or Vietnam, which saw a major stateled push into electronic manufacturing, there’s no strong sense that one hears of a particular sector where the country can and should gain an advantage

pandemic and the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Those prices should come down this year, yet the reality is that tea and textiles, though they will probably always be important, are unlikely to push Sri Lanka very far up the global export value chain.

So what else could Sri Lanka export?

What’s striking is that speaking to policymakers and analysts in Sri Lanka, as Newsnight did in January, is that there is very little sense of a grand plan.

Unlike other Asian nations such as Malaysia or Vietnam, which saw a major state-led push into electronic manufacturing, there’s no strong sense that one hears of a particular sector where the country can and should gain an advantage.

The closest area to a prospective national champion is probably port services.

The governor of the county’s central bank, Nandalal Weerasinghe, says Sri Lanka’s geographical location, in the centre of Indian Ocean shipping lanes, offers an opportunity to be a major “transshipment” hub.

“Ports and logistics are where there is the potential for us to promote exports,” he says.

Sri Lanka’s geographic location may enable it to increase the usage of its ports

It is estimated that a third of the world’s bulk cargo, and two-thirds of its oil, is transported across the Indian Ocean.

But perhaps the absence of a clear national plan doesn’t matter as much as getting the economic policymaking basics right.

In the grip of the crisis last year, the government removed a peg on the currency, which resulted in a halving of the value of the rupee against the US dollar. Some think keeping a floating exchange rate will ultimately help boost exports.

“[In the past] we didn’t allow it to depreciate or to adjust according to market forces, which has basically discouraged exports,” says Roshan Perera of the Advocata think tank, and a former central bank director.

Another area for reform identified by the World Bank is, ironically, liberalising imports and dismantling tariffs. These duties make many imported goods and products more expensive, thereby benefiting domestic producers, such as those in the retail and construction sectors.

Source:BBC

Sri Lanka still hasn’t seen the number of visiting tourists return to pre-Covid levels

Tea cultivation remains central to Sri Lanka’s economy

HOSANNA GLORY HOMES PHASE III EXTENSION OWNERS ASSOCIATION, LUGBE ABUJA

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1. TO RESCUE MEN THROUGH THE TEACHING AND PREACHING OF THE WORD OF GOD AND PREVAILING PRAYERS.

2. TO RUN AND ESTABLISH VIBRANT CHURCH BRANCHES AND NETWORK WITH OTHER CHRISTIAN BODIES WITHIN AND OUTSIDE NIGERIA.

3. TO ENGAGE IN COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT, WELFARE, AND BENEVOLENCE PROJECTS.

ANY OBJECTION TO THIS REGISTRATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR-GENERAL, CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, PLOT 420, TIGRIS CRESCENT , OFF AGUIYI IRONSI STREET , MAITAMA , ABUJA WITHIN 28DAYS OF THIS PUBLICATION.

SIGNED : SECRETARY.

PUBLIC NOTICE

PATRIOTIC ELITE CLUB OF AMASSOMA

THIS IS TO INFORM THE GENERAL PUBLIC THAT THE ABOVE NAMED HAS APPLIED TO THE CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION (CAC), ABUJA FOR REGISTRATION UNDER PART ‘F’ OF COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT, ( CAMA 2020).

THE TRUSTEES ARE :

1. YERI, WAIBODEI, PETER (CHAIRMAN)

2. AYOGOI, AYOGOI, SIMON (SECRETARY)

3. AMBAIOWEI,TARI,EBIOWEI (MEMBER)

THE AIMS AND OBJECTIVES ARE :

1.TO ORGANIZE SEMINARS AND ENLIGHTENMENT CAMPAIGNS TO EDUCATE THE PEOPLE OF AMASSOMA COMMUNITY AND BAYELSANS ON THE IMPORTANCE OF EDUCATION IN NATION BUILDING AND SUCH OTHER LECTURES THAT WILL AFFECT THE SOCIETY POSITIVELY.

2.TO FOSTER UNITYAMONG MEMBERSAND INCULCATETHE ESSENCE OF CITIZENSHIP,MUTUAL CO-OPERATION, PEACEFUL CO-EXISTENCE AND PROGRESS.

3.TO FIGHT AGAINST ALL FORMS OF DISCRIMINATIONS AS A RESULT OF POLITICAL, SEX, RELIGIOUS, FAMILY AND EDUCATIONAL DIFFERENCES AND TO PROMOTE PEACE AND UNITY IJAW NATION.

4.TO EFFICIENTLY HARNESS AND DIRECT THE EDUCATIONAL NEEDS OF BAYELSANS ASSISTING DESERVING STUDENTS MORALLY AND FINANCIALLY.

5.TO BE STRONGLY OPPOSED TO ALL FORMS OF CRIMINALITY AND SOCIAL VICES IN SOCIETY.

6.TO ENCOURAGE AND FACILITATE IN ANY DEVELOPMENTAL PROGRAMME IN AMASSOMA COMMUNITY AND OTHER PARTS OF BAYELSA STATE.

7.TO PROMOTE THE OBSERVANCE OF THE TENET OF DEMOCRACY, RULE OF LAW, EQUITY, FAIMESS, RIGHT AND JUSTICE IN AMASSOMA AND BAYELSA AT LARGE.

8.TO ADEQUATELY ADVOCATE FOR POLICIES AND IDEOLOGIES OF GOOD GOVENSANCE

9.TO HONESTLY SEEK FOR THE INTEREST AND PROGRESS OF AMASSOMA COMMUNITY IN PARTICULAR AND BAYELSA STATE IN GENERAL.

ANY OBJECTION TO THIS REGISTRATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRARGENERAL, CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, PLOT 420, TIGRIS CRESCENT OFF AGUIYI IRONSI STREET MAITAMA , ABUJA WITHIN 28DAYS OF THIS PUBLICATION. SIGNED : SECRETARY.

PUBLIC NOTICE

THIS IS TO INFORM THE GENERAL PUBLIC THAT THE ABOVE NAMED HAS APPLIED TO THE CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION (CAC), ABUJA FOR REGISTRATION UNDER PART ‘F’ OF COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT, ( CAMA 2020).

THE TRUSTEES ARE :

1. KUDIRAT MOSUN ADEYEMO-CHAIRMAN

2. NOJEEMDEEN O.OLADIPO-SECRETARY/MEMBER

3. PHILLP DAMILOLA ABIOLA MEMBER

4. AWE GRACE OLUWAFUNMIKE MEMBER

THE AIMS AND OBJECTIVES ARE :

1. TO ACHIEVE EXCELLENCE AT ALL LEVELS IN THE COMMUNITY.

2. TO CREATE AWARENESS AMONG THE LESS PRIVILEGED (ORPHANS, WIDOWS AND WIDOWERS)

3. TO SET UP ON A HUMANITARIAN GRAND. ANY OBJECTION TO THIS REGISTRATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR-GENERAL, CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, PLOT 420, TIGRIS CRESCENT , OFF AGUIYI IRONSI STREET , MAITAMA , ABUJA WITHIN 28DAYS OF THIS PUBLICATION.

SIGNED : SECRETARY.

ASSEMBLY

PUBLIC NOTICE

PATNAB HEALTH INITIATIVE

TREASURE MINDS CLUB

2025 AFCON: if Morocco becomes an obstacle, we’ll crush them –Peseiro

Super Eagles Head coach Jose Peseiro has vowed to “crush” any team that will stand in the way of the Super Eagles as they prepare to go all the way and win the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, AFCON title

Giving credit to Morocco, the Portuguese tactician agreed that Morocco has put football in Africa on a higher pedestal; but he still insists that Morocco will be crushed should they pose an opposition to his team.

“Morocco’s performance as the World Cup shows African football has come of age and many teams especially from the rest of the world will now show more respect to teams from the continent,” Peseiro told the Media.

“On our part, the aim still remains to win the next AFCON and we are ready to beat any team that comes our way.”

“That’s the target and it remains the same,” he added.

The gaffer further stated that he’s got his tactics, which will be transmitted to the players, and when the transmission is finally over with everybody understanding each other, even Argentina will not stop them.

Peseiro was in Qatar during the 2022 World Cup which ended on Sunday to understudy teams and their tactics.

Enzo Fernandez: Benfica boss criticises Chelsea pursuit of Argentina midfielder

Benfica manager Roger Schmidt has criticised Chelsea in their pursuit of Argentina midfielder Enzo Fernandez.

The Blues are in talks about signing the 21-year-old 2022 World Cup winner from the Portuguese club. Fernandez, who joined Benfica from River Plate in August 2022, has a release clause of about £106m.

“What the club is doing who wants Enzo, it’s disrespectful against all of us, against Benfica and I cannot accept what they are doing,” said Schmidt.

“To make the player crazy, and then to pretend they can pay the clause and later they want negotiate I think is not what I understand about a good relationship between clubs who maybe want to discuss about the player.”

Fernandez played 89 minutes for Benfica in a 3-0 defeat against SC Braga following his return to Portugal after playing a key part in helping Argentina win the World Cup.

“Enzo, we don’t want to sell him, nobody wants to sell him at this club,” said Schmidt. “Everybody knows he has a clause in his contract and, of course, if the player wants to leave and somebody comes and pays the clause we cannot work against that and so then maybe we will lose the player.

“There’s a club who want our player, they know we don’t want to sell the player, they tried to get the player on their side and they know that they only can get this player when they pay the clause so it’s a very clear situation.”

He added: “First of all Enzo is a very good boy and a fantastic football player. We like him a lot and, of course, we want that he stays at Benfica.

“Of course, the situation for him is not so easy because he played the World Cup, he became world champion, he got offers, and there’s a lot of money on the table.

“In this situation as a young player you think about that, [it can] confuse you a little bit. I think that everybody can understand but, nevertheless, he’s a very good boy.

“He was not there last week, he had no permission to go to Argentina. He missed the training so that is not acceptable [and] that’s why it will have consequences.”

Ahmed Musa unveils ultra-modern sports complex in Kaduna

Super Eagles captain and Nigerian star, Ahmed Musa, shared a video of the imposing, ultra-modern sports complex that he built and which was unveiled in Kaduna State.

On account of how frequently he has given back to society, the 30-year-old

has managed to capture the hearts of many people in Nigeria and all across the world. The latest facility is situated in Kaduna, Kaduna State, Nigeria, in the Old Kamazo, Janruwa Layout, along the Yakowa motorway.

In the video of the complex that the former

Leicester City forward shared on Twitter, courts for badminton court, volleyball, lawn tennis, squash court, and a football field can all be seen with an embedded gymnasium to complete the top-of-the-line facilities.

Musa is a forward and left winger for the Nigerian

national team as well as Sivasspor in the Turkish Super Lig. He is one of only three Nigerian centurions crossing the 100-cap mark, having played in 107 games so far, scoring 16 goals, and helping the Super Eagles to lifting the Africa Cup of Nations.

Novak Djokovic into Adelaide International last eight with win over Quentin Halys

Novak Djokovic earned a hard-fought win against Quentin Halys to move into the quarter-finals of the Adelaide International on Thursday.

The Serb rallied back from 5-2 down in the first set and 5-3 in the second to beat the Frenchman 7-6 (7-3) 7-6 (7-5).

Djokovic will face Canada’s Denis Shapovalov on Friday as he continues his build-up to the Australian Open.

Australia’s Nick Kyrgios has withdrawn from the second week of the Adelaide tournament with an ankle injury.

The 27-year-old also pulled out of last week’s United Cup and so will have had limited match time going into the Australian Open, which gets underway on 16 January.

The world number 22 could go into the first major tournament of the season having not played a singles match since an ATP event in Tokyo in October.

Meanwhile, Djokovic, who beat Kyrgios in the 2022 Wimbledon final, will be bidding for his

10th Australian Open title in an attempt to equal Rafael Nadal’s overall men’s Grand Slam record of 22.

The former world number one is set to miss this season’s Indian Wells and the Miami Open after the United States extended its requirement for international visitors to be vaccinated against Covid-19.

Djokovic, who was deported prior to the 2022 Australian Open because of his Covid-19 vaccination status, said “it is what it is” when asked about the prospect of missing more tournaments.

“If it is official then it is. What can I do? Nothing,” the 35-yearold said.

“I’m hoping [to play], but if I can’t go, I can’t go.”

Seventh seed Shapovalov, Djokovic’s quarter-final opponent, raced through Thursday’s second-round Adelaide International tie with a 6-4 6-3 victory over Russian Roman Safiullin.

IOC boss, Bach congratulates Gumel on re-election as NOC President

By Amaechi Agbo

The International Olympic Committee (IOC), President, Dr Thomas Bach, OLY, has congratulated President of the Nigeria Olympic Committee Engr. Habu Gumel on his re-election.

Dr Bach conveyed his congratulatory letter to Engr Habu Ahmed Gumel who is an a Honorary Member of the IOC from Lausanne, dated December 20.

In the letter personally beside by the IOC Boss, added that the International Olympic Committee is predisposed to collaborating with Nigeria Olympic Movement to continue

to support and assist NOC in performing its mission and daily activities.

‘’Please allow me to extend my sincerest congratulations to you on your re-election as President of the Nigeria Olympic Committee on 15 December 2022, and my very best wishes for a successful term.

‘’The IOC looks forward to pursuing its fruitful collaboration with your NOC and remains fully at your disposal to continue to support and assist your NOC in performing its mission and daily activities.

‘’Wishing you and your NOC a happy and successful New Year 2023, remain, Thomas Bach,’’ the statement stressed.

Right, Engr Habu Gumel, NOC President in a handshake with IOC President, Dr Thomas Bach recently

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Chelsea transfer news: Benoit Badiashile signs for Blues from Monaco for £35m

In search of a multipolar world order

Coming back to the NATOEU Declaration – this is an interesting document. These two organisations are being presented as an alliance of democracies against autocracies amid global rivalry. A patently confrontational agenda has been announced for the world to hear. Europe has waived its independence.

Guest Columnist

By Kestér Kenn Klomegâh

Chelsea have signed France defender Benoit Badiashile from Monaco for £35m on a seven-and-a-half-year contract.

Badiashile, 21, has spent five seasons in Ligue 1 and made 135 league appearances for Monaco.

The central defender made his senior international debut in September against Austria and has two caps.

“I’m very happy to be here at Chelsea. I can’t wait to see the fans and start playing in the best league in the world,” said Badiashile.

Badiashile joined Monaco in 2016 and made his Ligue 1 debut against Paris St-Germain in November 2018 when Thierry Henry was manager.

He has featured in the Champions League and Europa League for the French club and has scored six goals and registered three assists.

“Benoit’s growth over the last two-and-a-half seasons from a young player struggling to fully bring his talent to bear is testament to his and the staff’s attitudes in adopting a higher professional standard,” said Monaco sporting director Paul Mitchell.

“Signing with one of Europe’s biggest clubs is the fruit of the work being accomplished within our academy and first team and once again highlights Monaco’s ability to develop young players to the highest level.”

Blues chairman Todd Boehly said: “We’re delighted to welcome Benoit to Chelsea.

“He’s an excellent young player who has quickly established a strong reputation for himself and has a huge amount of experience for his young age. We are sure he will form an important part of our team in the years ahead.”

Graham Potter’s side are currently without defenders Wesley Fofana, Reece James and Ben Chilwell through injury.

Addressing media conference on the performance of Russian diplomacy in 2022, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov spoke, at length, lambasting the United States and its European allies’ coalition, the emerging poly-centric world and on the role of regional organizations as well as latest developments in the former Soviet region.

In his introductory remarks, Lavrov acknowledged that the previous was indeed difficult due to deep-rooted trends in geopolitics but unique, to some extent, reflecting the processes in the world. What is happening in Ukraine now is the result of preparations by the United States and its satellites for the start of a global hybrid war against the Russian Federation.

According to his explanation, Western partners are cunning while vehemently trying to prove that they are not fighting Russia but are only helping Ukraine respond to an “aggression” and restore its territorial integrity. The scale of their support makes it clear that the West has staked a great deal on its war against Russia; this is obvious.

“Free market, fair competition, free enterprise, the inviolability of property, and the presumption of innocence, in a word, everything the Western globalization model relied on collapsed overnight. Sanctions have been imposed on Russia and other objectionable countries that do not comply with these tenets and mechanisms. Clearly, sanctions can be imposed any time on any country, which, in one way or another, refuses to mindlessly follow American orders,” he told the media representatives gathered in the auditorium.

The European Union has been completely subsumed by this US dictatorship (there’s

no point in discussing this at length). The signing of the Joint Declaration on EU-NATO Cooperation on January 10 was the high point of this process, something that has been in the making for several years. It states explicitly that the alliance and the EU’s goal is to use all political, economic and military means in the interests of the golden billion.

Coming back to the NATOEU Declaration – this is an interesting document. These two organisations are being presented as an alliance of democracies against autocracies amid global rivalry. A patently confrontational agenda has been announced for the world to hear. Europe has waived its independence.

The Joint Declaration directly subordinates Europe to NATO. It includes commitments to serve US interests in matters of geopolitical containment of Russia and China. Their declared goal – well known to everyone before but now laid out in black and white – is to enable the US-led alliance to achieve global preeminence.

Lavrov further added that in the so-called “Indo-Pacific region,” the West is out to create bloc architecture against Russia and China. With this aim in view, they have consistently been destroying (although they prefer to keep quiet about this) the decades-old mechanisms and formats of cooperation created around ASEAN based

on equality, consensus, and a balance of interests.

Instead, they are putting together military blocs. A shining case in point is AUKUS, an Anglo-Saxon bloc in Asia, which includes the US, the UK, and Australia). Japan is under pressure to join it as well. Prime Minister Fumio Kishida’s recent visit to Washington ended up confirming this course. Japan is militarising again. Japan is bracing to alter the articles in its constitution that prevent it from doing this. The process is underway.

Lavrov made some comparisons. Like Napoleon, who mobilized nearly all of Europe against the Russian Empire, and Hitler, who occupied the majority of European countries and hurled them at the Soviet Union, the United States has created a coalition of nearly all European member states of NATO and the EU and is using Ukraine to wage a proxy war against Russia with the old aim of finally solving the “Russian question,” like Hitler, who sought a final solution to the “Jewish question.”

Along the line Lavrov stressed the role of regional organizations. Countries are developing economically. Look at China and India (strategic partners), Türkiye, Brazil, Argentina, Egypt and many African countries. Considering their immense natural resources, their development potential is enormous. New

centres of economic growth are emerging.

The West is trying to prevent this, in part, by exploiting the mechanisms created to service its interests within the globalization framework it created. The role of the dollar as a reserve currency is very important in this respect. This is why Russia is intensifying contacts through the SCO, BRICS, the CIS, and the EAEU, and in cooperation with associations of Asia, Africa and Latin America.

It will take a long time to create a multipolar world order. This will take an entire historical era – it is in the midst of this process. It takes time to create a multi-polar world and finalize the relations needed for the triumph of democracy and justice and for the observance of the UN Charter principle of respect for the sovereign equality of all states. In the majority of cases, it crudely violated the UN Charter.

The UN Charter is a good foundation. At the time it was adopted, it was a revolutionary document. Unfortunately, the West distorted all its correct principles. It did not respect the principles of sovereign equality of states, non-interference in internal affairs and peaceful settlement of disputes. The United States used its armed forces abroad hundreds of times since the establishment of the United Nations.

Kestér Kenn Klomegâh is a Public Policy Analyst.

Along the line Lavrov stressed the role of regional organizations. Countries are developing economically. Look at China and India (strategic partners), Türkiye, Brazil, Argentina, Egypt and many African countries