Friday, February 24, 2023 Edition

The Representative of the National Co-ordinator / CEO, NEPAD - AUDA, Mr. Hakeem Akande (4th right) leading the staff and other stakeholders on a Road Walk during the NEPAD sensitization campaigns for violence Free Election theme: “Silence the Guns”, held yesterday in Abuja.

Photo: Justin Imo-owo

DSS vows to ensure hitch-free exercise

By Tobias Lengnan Dapam

TheDepartment of State Services

(DSS) has assured of its commitment to the conduct of the general elections with the Presidential and National Assembly polls on Saturday.

DSS said it had made several arrests and seized weapons that would be inimical to the conduct of the election in various states.

The Service said it will partner with other sister security and law enforcement agencies to ensure a hitchfree electoral exercise

It pledged its neutrality, professionalism and good conduct of its personnel to the democratic process.

Spokesman of the Service, Dr Peter Afunanya, made this known in a statement he said was presented during the joint security press briefing on the 2023 general elections at the Defence Headquarters in Abuja.

The statement reads: “As you are aware, the general elections will commence on 25th February, 2023-just a few hours from now. The DSS assures of its commitment to a peaceful exercise. It pledges its neutrality, professionalism and good conduct of its personnel to the democratic process. It will continue to discharge its mandate of disseminating timely, actionable and proactive intelligence necessary for tactical, operational and strategic decisions even beyond the elections.

“Also, it will partner with other sister security and law enforcement agencies; all levels and arms of Government and indeed all stakeholders particularly the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and relevant Non-Governmental and Civil Society Organisations to ensure a hitch free

electoral exercise. In this regard, we call on all citizens and residents to be law abiding before, during and after the elections. Eligible voters are enjoined to cast their votes without any form of violence and also maintain the peace after that.

“To achieve the desired environment for the elections, the Service engaged in proactive and intelligence-led operations across the States. For instance, on 22nd February, 2023, the Service conducted a legally backed search operation on a property along Airport Road, Nasarawa LGA, Kano State. During the operation, it recovered dangerous weapons including a gun, daggers, swords, jackknives from the said building. Pictures are attached herein:

“Therefore, the accusation that the Service intimidated a particular political party in that State is untrue; otherwise, how come those weapons were found there? Are those objects of violence campaign materials? Whether in Kano or elsewhere, the DSS has provided equal opportunities for all political parties to engage in their lawful activities. We can say this without any form of contradictions or equivocations.

“On the same 22nd February, 2023, the Service arrested a gunrunner, Aliyu YAHAYA, an associate of Kachalla Damina, a suspected bandit who operates around Dansadau, Zamfara State. Items recovered from YAHAYA include: one GPMG Rifle; one chain of ammunition, One Hundred and Ninety (190) rounds of GMPG Ammunition, Twenty Eight (28) rounds of AK47 Ammunition and One (1) grenade. The suspect was going to deliver the armaments to DAMINA (See picture of Yahaya and the dangerous materials seized from him).

“In Kaduna State, two (2) arm

couriers namely Tukur Usman and Illiyasu Adamu were arrested at Chikun LGA, on 20th February, 2023. Three Hundred and Seventy-Two (372) rounds of 7.62 X 39mm ammunition; TwentySix (26) rounds of live ammunition for GPMG rifle were recovered from them. The duo were suspected arm suppliers to bandits in Zamfara State. Earlier, on 22nd January, 2023, the duo of Shafíu Usman and Ahmed Nasiru were arrested on the Barkin Ladi-Pankshin Road, Plateau State while on transit to deliver ammunitions to their customers.

Six Hundred and Twelve (612) rounds of ammunition for GPMG-120 and AK-492 concealed in a bag of rice were seized from them.

“On 16th February, 2023, at Asaba, Delta State, Fajuwon Isaac was arrested. Four Thousand, Five and Three (4,503) rounds of pump action rifle ammunition among others were recovered from him.

(See picture):

“On 18th February, 2023, in Anambra State, the Service arrested the quartet of Sunday Muokwue, Oforjeri Osita, Ude Bernard John and Okechukwu Emeka and recovered among others from them, one AK-47, Three Thousand, Nine Hundred and Eighty Five (3,985) rounds of AK-47 ammunition.

“These operations are a continuation of similar ones executed in December 2022 and January, 2023 during which suspects were arrested and arms and ammunition recovered across the geopolitical zones of the country. On the security situation in Sagamu, Ogun State, the Service is working with relevant agencies to bring those behind the violent protest to book. After due investigations, all the suspects will be charged to court.

“In furtherance of its collaborative

efforts, the Service has engaged stakeholders including the Media, Faith and Community Based Organisations, Civil Society and others. While this is part of its non-kinetic strategies to maintain peace and public order before, during and after the elections, it will also not rest on its oars to identify and disrupt subversive tendencies; be they terrorists, kidnappers, hostage takers or outlawed violent separatist agitators and their likes. In discharging its mandate, the DSS will be fair, objective, transparent and accountable but like the President has directed, “Firm and Courageous”. It will abide by the rule of law and comply with the tenets of democracy. The Service will be decisive in the implementation of its responsibilities and this will be done without let or hindrance.

“For the media, the Service recognises you as partners in nation building. We wish to advise that deliberate effort is made to shun fake or misleading news. Unverified and unsubstantiated news could cause harm to the election and its outcomes. Fake news could also incite violence. Consequently, you should exercise restraint in the news you may wish to publish or relay. At the end of the day, there should be a country before there can be a President, a Governor or Parliamentarian. People should not see elections as a do-or-die affair. Nigerians are called upon to be patriotic in exercising their franchise. We should give peace a chance.

“To strengthen these efforts, the Service has consolidated its public communication platforms. For ease of access, its website (www.dss.gov.ng) will remain interactive as ever; same with the email (dsspr@dss.gov.ng). Citizens and residents are at liberty to reach out to any of our offices nationwide.”

L-R: Senior Fellow, Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD), Prof Jibrin Ibrahim, National President, Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Comrade Chris Isiguzo and the Head CDD Nigeria / CDD EAC Chairman , Prof Adele Jinadu, during the formal opening of the CDD Election Analysis Centre , yesterday in Abuja.

Election: NRM, ZLP, 2 others endorse Tinubu/Shettima in Lagos

Four political parties in Lagos State on Thursday announced endorsement of the APC Presidential Candidate, Sen. Bola Tinubu and his running mate, Sen. Kashim Shettima, in Saturday’s General Elections.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the political parties are the National Rescue Mission (NRM), Action Peoples Party (APP), Zenith Labour Party ( ZLP), and Allied Peoples Movement (APM).

Speaking at the endorsement ceremony in Ikeja, the Spokesman for the group, Mrs Temilola Akinade, said that the political parties decided to endorse Tinubu because of his track records and belief in federalism.

Akinade, the Lagos State Chairman of NRM, said: “We are here massively to endorse Asiwaju Bola Tinubu as our Presidential

Candidate on Saturday. He is the man that we want, he is the man of the people.

“We believe he is the man that can take us to the Nigeria of everyone’s dream. Four political parties and their senatorial and federal house of representatives candidates are here supporting Tinubu.

“Sen. Bola Tinubu is a preacher of State Police which will bring about peace and stability in the country and also combat insecurity in the land.

“Tinubu believes in equity and justice. He is a man that believes in one Nigeria. We know too well that when he becomes the next President, the economy of the nation will be better,” she said.

Also, Mrs Adeyemi Abiola, the Chairman, Action Peoples Party (APP) disclosed that the party and its five House of Representatives

and one Senatorial Candidate were supporting Tinubu and other APC candidates at the Presidential and National Assembly Elections.

According to her, the party took the step for the sake of better Nigeria.

“We are supporting Tinubu because of his good past record. He has done well in Lagos State as former governor and senator. We love him because he has strategies to move Nigeria forward.

“We have seen what he has done, and we believe he can do more at a time when Nigeria needs someone to give them hope. We believe in him and we know he can do better,” Abiola said.

She said that APP House of Representatives Candidate in Ojo, Amuwo-Odofin, Lagos Island, Mushin Federal Constituencies and the Lagos West Senatorial candidate had endorsed Tinubu.

Also speaking, Mr Adenipekun Mode-Adekunle, the ZLP Chairman and Governorship Candidate, said that nine of the party House of Representatives and two senatorial candidates were stepping down to support Tinubu and APC Candidates in the Saturday’s Presidential and National Assembly Elections.

Mode-Adekunle said that the party’s 10 House of Representatives Candidates except that of the Amuwo-Odofin Federal Constituency, as well as senatorial candidates for Lagos West and Lagos Central.

He said that majority of the contestants on the party’s platforms chose to endorse Tinubu, saying that the former Lagos State governor, remained the best to resuscitate the economy. (NAN)

Photo: Justin Imo-owo

Niger APC guber disassociates party from CBN Naira swap policy

Imo: INEC takes delivery of sensitive materials from CBN, distributes to LGAs

to confirm the arrival of the sensitive materials and today, we are here again to take a look at the checklist to compare with the politicians,” she said.

From

Yakubu Mustapha Minna

Niger state gubernatorial candidate of the All Progressives Congress

APC, Umar Mohammed Bago has disassociated himself and the party from the redesign naira note policy of the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN.

Bago made this known during his friendly meeting with Niger State Council of Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) in Minna.

He described the current cashless and naira notes swap policy as callous and inhuman, adding that it is not inline with the APC plans.

He stated that the policy was never an APC manifesto.

Election: PCC predicts landslide victory for Tinubu

The Presidential Campaign Council (PCC) of the All Progressives Congress (APC) says it is confident that its candidate, Sen. Bola Tinubu will win the Feb. 25 election, with 21 states already in its kitty.

The PCC’s Director, Media and Publicity, Mr Bayo Onanuga, stated this in an interview with newsmen, on Thursday in Abuja.

Onanuga said the APC was in a pole position, saying that ” as at today, there are 21 states under APC control. If out of 36 you already have 21 in your bag, that means you are closer to victory.

He said: “We have some states where we have alliances – like Oyo State, like Rivers State, even Enugu State. We are the only party that has support that cuts across party lines. Sokoto is going to be a battle ground.

” It used to be an APC state. Our party is waxing stronger and stronger in that state. We expect that state to swing to our side. We expect Bauchi also to swing to our side.

” We have tremendous goodwill in Bauchi state. If you put all these together, which no other party has, Tinubu will win hands down on Feb. 25.

”We are very optimistic. We are not God but we believe that God is on our side.”

The former Managing Director of NAN said that Tinubu and the APC had worked very hard, adding, “we believe that God is going to reward us with victory on Feb. 25.”

(NAN)

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Thursday took delivery of the sensitive materials for Saturday’s Presidential and National Assembly election in Imo from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that security agencies, representatives of various political parties in collaboration with INEC inspected the materials before deployment to the 27 Local Government Areas commenced.

INEC’s Resident Electoral Officer for Imo, Prof. Sylvia Agu, expressed confidence that the commission would conduct the election without hitches.

“We were here last week

She explained that the sensitive materials included the ballot papers and the results sheet for the Presidential, Senatorial and the House of Representatives Elections taking place on Saturday.

The Imo Secretary of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Mr Alphonsus Ndubuisi, who doubled as the party’s CBN agent expressed satisfaction with INEC’s preparations for the poll.

“We are here to inspect the sensitive materials at the CBN; everything is going on well,” Ndubuisi noted.

Also speaking, the Deputy Chairman of PDP, Mr Martin Ejiogu, who monitored the exercise, also lauded INEC’s decision to reverse its earlier decision of collapse polling units in some areas to the stadia.

“Somebody from Mgbe cannot walk to Sam Okwaraji in a situation where there is no vehicular movement.

“If there is a security challenge and the Police cannot manage the situation, the election should be rescheduled for another day,” he said.

The state’s Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr Cyprian Akaolisa, who served as the All Progressives Congress (APC) agent at the CBN, also commended INEC’s organisation

of the electoral process so far.

“We do not envisage any major problem because INEC has done what they are supposed to do.

“The preparation for the election, the sensitisation, the awareness is there, but obviously, based on the security challenges, there may be flashes.

“But I know that the security agencies are equal to the task,” he stressed.

Also present were the state Commissioner of Police, Mr Muhammed Barde, the state Commandant of NSCDC, Mr Sunday Mathew, and the Comptroller of the Nigeria Immigration Services, Mrs Nkechi Ezugwu, among others. (NAN)

2023: Tinubu means well for Nigeria – Buratai

The former Chief of Army Staff, retired Lt.-Gen.

Tukur Buratai, has enjoined Nigerians to vote for the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential candidate, Sen. Bola Tinubu on Feb. 25

.Buratai made the call in a statement he personally signed and made available to the News

Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Thursday in Abuja.

The immediate past Nigerian Ambassador to Benin Republic, urged Nigerians to come out and vote for Tinubu, who meant well for Nigeria.

Buratai also encouraged Nigerians to keep aside all kinds of sentiments and prejudice and

do what is best for the country.

“I want to urge all Nigerian voters to come out enmasse and vote for Asiwaju Bola Tinubu as their next president.

“I say so because he means well for Nigeria, and he has a better plan to fix the country and take it to the promised Land.

“The evidence is very glaring

for all to see; he has done it in the time past in Lagos and I am sure he has the wherewithal and capacity to replicate what he did across the country.

“Let us all work together to salvage this country by electing leaders with capacity.

“Nigerians have no reason to fear anything; this election will be

L-R: Senior Fellow, Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD), Prof Jibrin Ibrahim, National President, Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Comrade Chris Isiguzo and the Head CDD Nigeria / CDD EAC Chairman , Prof Adele Jinadu, during the formal opening of the CDD Election Analysis Centre , yesterday in Abuja.

Photo: Justin Imo-owo

Election: Benue Govt, INEC trade blame over IDPs voting

From Uche Nnorom, Makurdi

Barely 48 hours to the Presidential election, Benue State Government and the Independent National Electoral Commission,INEC, are trading blames on disenfranchemnt of Internal Displaced Persons, IDPs.

While briefing newsmen in Makurdi during the monthly distribution of relief materials to the IDPs in Benue State, the Executive Secretary, Benue State Emergency Relief, Management Agency, SEMA Dr. Emmanuel Shior accused the Commission of plans to disenfranchise thousands of IDPs.

Shior regretted that most of the IDPs who registered, could not collect their Permanent Voters Cards, PVCs, alleging deliberate plot by INEC to disenfranchise the displaced persons.

However, in a swift reaction, the INEC Public Relations’ Officer, PRO Terkaa Andyar dismissed the allegation as ‘false’, maintaining It is borne out of ‘ignorance’.

2023: Adamawa

SDP refutes defection claim of executives into PDP

From Umar Dankano,Yola

The Adamawa state chapter of the Social Democratic Party,SDP, has refuted claims that it has collapsed its structure in to the opposition People’s Democratic Party(PDP) in the state.

It would be recalled that on Tuesday 21st Febuary 2023, a group of politicians who claimed to be members of the SDP had an audience with Governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri at Government house Yola where they announced their defection from SDP to the PDP.

Announcing the refutal at a press conference in Yola Wednesday, Publicity Secretary of the party,Hon.Ibrahi m Ahijo Karlahi said SDP is intact in Adamawa accusing the opposition PDP of sponsoring the defection claim using a rented crowd to shortchange Governor Fintiri for political considerations.

Troops arrest several criminals in Jos, Benue, recover arms

By Tobias Lengnan Dapam

The Nigerian Military said its troops of Operation SAFE HAVEN as well as other operations in the North Central Zone have sustained the offensive against terrorists and arrested many of them.

Maj-Gen. Musa Danmadami, Director, Defence Media Operations, made this known on Thursday in Abuja, while giving update on the Military operations in the country.

He said the operational activities were conducted at different locations and villages within Jos South, Wase and

Bokkos Local Government Area of Plateau State and other location within the theatre of operation.

“Notably, between 16 and 18 February 2023, troops on patrol responded to distress call on kidnapping incidents at Kwanan Fulani, along Jos-Abuja road in Jos South Local Government Area Plateau State. Troops mobilized to the location and engaged the criminal in a fire fight, who fled. Troops searched the general area and rescued 10 abducted civilians. Troops equally engaged some criminal elements at Yelwa Nono village in Bokkos Local Government Area who fled in disarray, during which 4 civilians

were also rescued.

“Troops also responded to robbery activities at Anguldi village in Jos South Local Government of the same state. Troops mobilized to the locations and made contact with the criminal who fled. Troops exploited the general area and recovered 1 fabricated rifle, 1 pistol and 76 rustled cattle.

“Also troops on 19 February 2023 while on check point duty at Katsina-Ala LGA of Benue State intercepted a vehicle and arrested 2 suspected gunrunner. Troops recovered one FN rifle with fully loaded magazine, one pump action gun, a motorcycle and 3 mobile phones.

“Accordingly, within the weeks in review troops recovered, one FN rifle with fully loaded magazine, one pump action gun, 3 locally fabricated rifles, 5 rounds of 7.62mm special, 4 locally fabricated pistols, 3 motorcycles, 8 mobile phones, 7 bags of substances suspected to Indian hemp, 76 rustled cattle and other sundry items. Troops equally neutralized 1 criminal, arrested 18 suspected criminals and rescued 14 abducted civilians. All recovered items, arrested suspects and rescued civilians have been handed over to relevant authority for further action.”

LP ‘ll win Saturday’s presidential election- Support Group

The Obidient Movement, a Peter Obi support group, says it is almost certain that the Labour Party (LP) will win the Feb. 25 presidential election, going by happenings in the country.

Mr Valentine Ozigbo, the spokesperson for the group said Special Adviser to Obi on Technology and Strategic Alliances, said this at a news conference on Wednesday in Abuja.

“We are positioned to win this election for Mr Peter Obi, and we are watching to see how

state election and governorship candidates treat Obidients and Labour Party supporters.

“What we want is a peaceful election. We want the election to be free and fair, and transparent.

“We want voters to come out and exercise their civic responsibility on Saturday and be free to vote for who they want

” Labour Party is leveraging on technology, the strength of the youth, and the brilliance of the candidacy of Mr Peter Obi, towards winning the election,” said Ozigbo said that the

Obidient Movement would adopt governorship and state assembly candidates across the country after victory in Saturday’s poll.

He added that the movement would carefully consider and extensively consult with stakeholders across the country before adopting governorship candidates.

This he said, was particularly, where the LP has no candidate.

“The adopted candidates would be chosen because of their track records as honest

citizens, their dedication to the welfare of their people.

”Most importantly, is their alignment with the values and principles of the Obidients Movement and their public support for the election of Peter Obi as President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

“The Obidients Movement will fully back these candidates in the upcoming governorship and Houses of Assembly elections and will work hard to ensure they win as a reciprocal gesture of their support for Mr Peter Obi,” he said. (NAN)

NYSC Director General, Brigadier General Yusha’u Dogara Ahmed (Rtd) assisted by the Director Press and public Relations , Mr Eddy Megwa, during the commissioning of the newly created NYSC call centre for Corp members serving in different parts of the country especially those that will be deployed for the 2023 general election duties, held recently in Abuja. Photo: Justin Imo

2023 poll: Over 6 million PVCs uncollected, reveals INEC

• South West tops list of states with highest number of uncollected voters cards

By: Lateef Ibrahim, Abuja

As the presidential and National Assembly elections hold tomorrow, not less than 6,259,229 registered voters will not participate in the election as they are yet to collected their Permanent Voters Cards (PVCs).

The figure represents 6.7% of the total of 93,469,008 registered voters in the country.

The Chairman, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Mahmood Yakubu disclosed this Thursday at the daily media briefing of the Commission in preparedness for the 2023 general election.

A total 87,209,007 Nigerians, according to Yakubu, have, however, collected their PVCs as at 5th February, 2023.

Statistics obtained from INEC indicated that states in the South West geopolitical zone has the highest number of uncollected PVCs.

The breakdown of uncollected PVCs showed that Lagos State leads with 845,225 uncollected PVCs representing 12 % of registered voters in the state, followed by Oyo State with 515,254 uncollected PVCs representing 15.7% of registered voters and Ogun with 410,281 representing 15.3% of registered voters.

Other states with high number of uncollected PVCs are; Edo State with 373,030 uncollected PVCs representing 14.9% of registered voters, Osun State with 360,794 representing 18.5% of registered voters, Ondo State with 261,981 representing 13.2% of registered voters.

Closely followed are; Rivers State with 251,418 representing 7.1% of registered voters,

Adamawa State with 225,916 representing 10.3% of registered voters, Delta State with 232,183 representing 7.2% of registered voters and Taraba States with 197,049 representing 9.7% of registered voters, Kaduna State with 170,735 representing 3.9% of registered voters and Benue State with 170,586 representing 6.1% of registered voters.

States in the North East geopolitical zones have low number of uncollected PVCs with Bauchi having 27,662 representing 1.0%, Gombe having 40,840 representing 2.6%, Yobe having 47,295 representing 3.2% and Borno having 66,072 representing 2.6%.

In the South East, Anambra has 31,690 representing 1.2%, Ebonyi has 45,851 representing 2.9%, Enugu has 117,404, representing 5.6% Imo has 139,583 representing 5.8%, and Abia with 171,626, representing 8.1%.

In the South South, Bayelsa has 46,967, representing 4.4%, Cross River has 93,667, representing 5.3%, Akwa Ibom has 158,795, representing 6.7%.

In the North West, Kebbi has 51,870, representing 2.6%, Jigawa has 52,933, representing 2.3%, Katsina has 55,274, representing 1.6%, Sokoto has 74,091, representing 3.4%, Zamfara has 76,815, representing 4.0% and Kano with 327,177, representing 5.5%.

In the North Central are, Nasarawa with 51,495 representing 2.7%, Niger with 64,616, representing 2.4%, FCT with 93,868 representing 6.0%, Plateau with 101,995, representing 3.7%, Kogi with 118,945, representing 6.2%,

and Kwara having 158,653 representing 9.4%.

The INEC Chairman stated, at the press conference he addressed with the National Commissioners of the commission, that the electoral umpire is adequately prepared for the general elections. His words, “INEC is adequately prepared for the elections. Our allegiance is to Nigeria and no one else”.

Yakubu confirmed that INEC had gotten some forms of assistance, requested from the Central Bank of Nigeria and the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, among others.

According to INEC Chairman, “The General Election commences in next 41 hours, with the national elections (Presidential and National Assembly) on 25th February and state elections (Governorship and State

Assembly) on 11th of March.

“The Commission has meticulously prepared and implemented its Election Project Plan, learning from recent elections.

“It is important to keep the sheer magnitude of Nigeria’s general elections in mind.

“The voter population of 93,469,008 is more that the total number of registered voters in all the other countries of West Africa put together.

“In addition, we shall be deploying to 176,606 polling units (excluding the 240 polling units without registered voters) simultaneously.

“This election is a huge logistical deployment. We have painstakingly procured, organised and delivered all the materials to the States for deployment. “We commenced the delivery of non-sensitive materials over two

months ago and they have been batched down to Registration Area/Ward and Pulling Unit levels.

“Sensitive materials have been delivered to the States and are presently being delivered to our Local Government Area offices.

“As such, these materials are only between one and two levels away from the Polling Units. We have achieved this by learning from our recent difficult experience with logistics.

“We have completed arrangements with the transport unions for the final leg of the movement of personnel and materials to the Polling Units.

“They have assured us of their readiness to provide all the vehicular needs of the Commission for the election”, he said.

Naira redesign: FG not in breach of Supreme Court order, says Malami

By Egena Sunday Ode

The Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, on Thursday broke his silence over the raging allegations of breach of the Supreme Court order with respect to the naira redesign policy of the Federal Government.

He said point blank that the Federal Government had done no wrong and had not breached the order by the apex court or any other order associated with the naira swap policy.

Malami spoke Thursday as a guest at the weekly media briefing by Ministries, Department and Agencies, MDAs on the activities of government, organized by the Presidential Communications Team at the Aso Rock Presidential Villa, Abuja.

He said all that the government was doing was to ensure that its right within the context of Nigeria redesign policy is protected, by challenging the order of the apex court.

Recall that the Governor of Kaduna State, Malam Nasir El Rufai and his Kogi and Zamfara states counterparts, Yahaya Bello and Bello Matawale respectively, had on February 8 approached the Supreme Court and obtained and order restricting the Muhammadu Buhari-led Federal Government from banning N200, N500 and N1000 from circulation as legal tender.

The matter was adjourned for the second time on Wednesday, February 22 to March 3 for ruling.

Some of the governors in the dispute with the federal government have since announced to indigenes and residents in their states to continue to use the banned naira notes as legal tender in their domain, alleging that the Federal Government had flagrantly disobeyed the order or the apex court by refusing to recirculate the old naira notes.

Recall also that following the court order and ahead of the February 22 adjournment for

hearing on the matter, President Buhari has last week Thursday made a nationwide broadcast where he insisted that the affected naira denominations had ceased to be legal tender after the grace period of February 10.

The President However, ordered the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, to bring back N200 notes into circulation in order to mitigate the hardships occasioned by naira scarcity following the implementation of the policy.

Fielding questions after his presentation on whether the federal government is in breach of the Supreme Court order as alleged, the Chief Law Officer said:

“Your question can best be answered within the context of what constitutes a rule of law in the Nigerian situation. Where an order is made by a court, you have multiple options, but let me state before even addressing the issue of the options available at our disposal as a government.

“The fact, clearly, is that we are not in breach of any order made by the court, inclusive of any order associated with the naira redesign. We are not in breach. I believe I’m not a banker, but you have not gone to establish which bank is it that you have gone to present a N1000 or N500 notes that has been rejected. So we are not breach.

“But then, assuming we are in breach, the fact remains that this matter is sub-judice, as you rightly know. It’s being contested before the Supreme Court and when an order is made, you have multiple options within the context of the rule of law.

“One, you are entitled as a matter of right, if the facts and evidence support your position, to apply for setting it aside. The position of the law, legal jurisprudence is clear, once you are attacking and you’re seeking for a setting aside of an existing order of the court, you cannot be said to be operating in breach when you’ve presented your

application for setting aside.

“If the court is not an apex court, you equally have a right of appeal and can support the right of appeal with an application for stay of execution order. So the bottom line of what I’m trying to state, if the matter is subjudice and within the context of the rule of law, we are doing the needful as a government, in terms of ensuring that the right of the government, within the context of the naira redesign, is being protected. So we are not in breach.”

The Minister also explained that some of the impediments to reforms in the judiciary is the penchant for some people to disguise personal interest as national interest thereby swaying unsuspecting citizens.

He reeled out facts and statistics by the Buhari administration to enhance electoral process, including financial autonomy to the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC.

• We are adequately prepared for elections, says Yakubu

L-R:, Director of organization, Alhaji Sule Maina, receiving the expression of interest and nomination forms from Kogi state APC governorship aspirant, Prince Shuaib Abubakar Audu with them is the younger brother of late Abubakar Audu, Prince Ibrahim Audu during the submission of the governorship nomination forms at the APC national secretariat, yesterday in Abuja. Photo: Mahmud Isa

Buhari arrives Katsina ahead of Saturday’s Presidential election

President Muhammadu Buhari has arrived Katsina, Katsina State, for onward trip to Daura, his country home, ahead of Saturday’s Presidential election.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the presidential aircraft conveying the president and members of his entourage landed at Umaru Musa

Yar’Adua Airport, Katsina, on Thursday at exactly 4:40 p.m.

The president, who was received at the airport by Gov. Aminu Masari and other State Government dignitaries as well as heads of Federal Government agencies and departments, would be casting his vote in Daura.

Prior to leaving Abuja for Katsina on Thursday, Buhari had

summoned a Security Council Meeting where he met with heads of security agencies to intimate them on the need to protect electorate, ensure hitch-free and fair elections.

The president also met with the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Prof. Mahmood Yakubu in Abuja, where he was assured of

the commission’s readiness and commitment to conduct free and fair general elections on Feb. 25 and March 11, 2023.

The Nigerian leader was also present at the International Conference Centre Abuja, where candidates participating in the 2023 presidential election signed a peace accord on Thursday.

Buhari had charged all the

candidates to accept the outcome of the elections as the choice of the electorate.

In the build up to the elections, Buhari had in Feb. 2022 signed the Electoral Act Amendment Bill into law.

He had also repeatedly vowed to bequeath an electoral process that would be adjudged credible and transparent. (NAN)

Restructuring has been politicised in Nigeria – Sani

Yabagi Sani, Presidential Candidate of the Action Democratic Party (ADP), says the issue of restructuring has long been addressed in Nigeria, describing the current clamour for restructuring as political.

Sani, also the National Chairman, Inter Party Advisory Council (IPAC), said this when he appeared at the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) Forum in Abuja.

“The issue of restructuring has long been settled, what we are having as call for restructuring is political, the Nigerian system is made in such a way that issues like that are addressed without

causing dislocations or problems to the system.

“We have the National Assembly, we have organs like Revenue and Mobilisation Commission which is responsible for fixing salaries and sharing of nation’s resources and to monitor the way they are being utilise.

“Nigeria is not a country without a Constitution.

“Restructuring is an already settled issue in Nigeria, these are issues that have either been settled through the constitution or conventions like the creation of the six geopolitical zones and others,” he said.

Sani added: “The creation of six geopolitical zones for instance is not in the Constitution but it is to address certain political realignment.

“When you go to the constitution we have issues on exclusive and concurrent lists, if the legislation feels that some issues be taken from the exclusive list to the concurrent list and that it why I said that the issue of restructuring has long been settled.

“Your National Assembly members are just there to make that, you have elected representatives from all over the

country in the two Chambers of the National Assembly as Senators and as members of House of Representatives.

“The lawmakers have just two functions- to make laws and to embark on oversight to ensure that the laws are working.

“The essence of oversight is to find out if these laws are working if they are not, then they have to rejig them and that is why I said restructuring is already impeded in our constitution.”

He said the same thing could be applied to the current Naira redesign policy which had generally heated debates in the

country.

“Look at the problem we are facing today about naira redesign, a well intentioned policy that is supposed to be applauded by all Nigerians. In fact it is stated in the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) establishment act that it must change Nigeria’s currency every 10 years.

“But because the policy wasn’t well thought out or given necessary analysis in term of social implications it is rather causing untold hardship on Nigerians. This is what we are talking about,” he said.(NAN)

L-R: Member, Arewa New Agenda (ANA), Prof. Adamu Kyauka Usman, Secretary of ANA, Hajiya Halima Idris, Former Permanent Secretary, Dr. Jalal Arabi; Chairman of ANA, Senator Ahmad Abubakar, representative of the APC Presidential candidate/former FCT Minister, Dr. Aliyu Modibbo Umar and deputy Chairman of ANA, Prof. Ahmed Danfulani, during a press conference and presentation of ANA Compendium of demands to APC Presidential candidate, yesterday in Abuja. Photo: Mahmud Isa

.State Administration Secretary Independent National Electoral commission Kaduna State, Awwal Mohammed Mashi, Handing over Presidential Sensitive Material to Electoral Officer From Zango Kataf Local Government Mrs, Dinnah Yakubu at Central Bank premises, yesterday in Kaduna.

From: Femi Oyelola, Kaduna

The Gubernatorial Candidate of the Action Democratic Party (ADP), Alhaji Sani Mahmood Sha’aban has promised to govern Kaduna with the fear of God, knowing that even hereafter, whatever he does, God above is seeing him even when humans are not.

He asserted this during a policy dialogue with governorship candidates organised by the Partnership for Issues-Based Campaign in Nigeria (PICaN), Legal Awareness for Nigeria Women (LAWN) with the support of ActionAid Nigeria and Partnership to Engage, Reform and Learn (PERL/FCDO)

Sha’aban said he has been involved in several nongovernmental organisations because he believes in human capital development”.

TheDeputy Inspector-General of Police (DIG), Force Operations, Mr Johnson Kokumo, says no fewer than 27,000 personnel have been deployed in Lagos for the general elections.

Kokumo disclosed this on Thursday in Lagos while briefing newsmen as well as officers and men of Lagos Police Command, ahead of Saturday’s presidential and National Assembly elections.

He said that other sister security agencies would also join the police personnel to provide security during the exercise.

The police chief urged the personnel to ensure that they abide by the provisions of Electoral Act and ensuring that the election was

free, fair and credible in all parts of the state.

“We are supposed to be apolitical. We should not unleash terror on members of the public. Also, don’t use arm on harmless members of the public.

“We are to be civil and respect the rights of citizens. We are to collaborate with other sister security agencies, but we are to take the lead, according to the Electoral Act,” he said.

Kokumo assured residents of the state of the safety of their lives before, during and after the elections.

He also said that all the areas noted for crisis or where security threat might come from had been

taken care of and would be wellpoliced.

Election: 27,000 police personnel deployed in Lagos – Kokumo I will govern Kaduna with fear of God - ADP guber candidate

The DIG further said that the Inspector-General of Police had ordered for special deployment in the air, land and water, in collaboration with sister security agencies operating in those areas.

He urged the command to set up a special electoral investigation team at the State CID, where all cases and arrest relating to elections would be treated immediately.

Kokumo also urged the command to ensure that the border posts were well policed, with a view to preventing any incursion by nonNigerians during the elections.

Earlier, the Commissioner of Police in the state, Idowu

Owohunwa, assured the DIG that the police in Lagos would not disappoint the residents and the nation at large.

“I assure you that we will not fail in Lagos as a command, with God’s guidance and the commitment of the men I have. We will not fail the nation.

“We assure the people of Lagos that we will not fail in our election duties. We shall make the nation proud,” Owohunwa said.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that all Area Commanders, Divisional Police Officers as well as Unit and Squadron Commanders were in attendance at the briefing. (NAN)

2023 : We’re stronger than before, Jigawa LP replies to Kano ex- LP guber candidate

From Mika’il Tsoho, Dutse

Asa counter reply to exKano state Labor Party (LP) gubernatorial candidate, Engr. Bashir Ishaq, the Jigawa state chapter of Labour Party (LP) said, the party is stronger then ever in the state.

This was contained in a statement signed by the Labour Party governorship candidate, Alhaji Aminu Abdul’aziz Yahaya and made available to news men in Dutse.

“It has come to our notice that the Labour Party gubernatorial candidate of Kano state, Engr.

Bashir Ishaq who recently defected to the ruling all progressive Party (APC) that his defection is with the entire structures of the party in the Northwest Zone”.

The statement maintained that “This is not true and his defection to APC has strengthen the Labour Party in the entire North West, more

especially, here in Jigawa State.

“The Jigawa State Labour Party leadership structures and candidates remain intact, with all Obidient supporters across the 27 local government areas and will deliver her mandate for Obi-Datti towards victory”.

Engr Dada Pre- Season NNWLC tournament ends in Niger State

From Yakubu Mustapha

Minna

The pre season tournament of Engineer Ibrahim Dada annual Nigeria Nation

Wide League Competition has ended in Makunkele, Bosso local government area of Niger state.

The football competition during its 10th Anniversary tournament with 20 clubs

participated which final ended 2-0 in favour of Tornadoes Feeders Club of Minna against the Alheri Babes of Nasarawa.

Engineer who is the annual sponsor of the competition in

an interview said the aim is to contribute his quarter by engaging youths for the development of the state and the country.

Dada emphasized that sports is the easiest means of unifying

youths and the people rather than allowing them to be involved in social vices like restiveness, drug abuse, thuggery and others hence the idea for the competition to the betterment of their future.

Police deploys 6,505 for elections in Niger

From Yakubu Mustapha Minna

Niger state police command has deployed no fewer than 6,505 personnel to ensure the 2023 general elections is free, fair and without disorderliness across the 25 local government areas of the state.

Assistant Inspector General of Police Zone 9, Isaac Akinmoyede said this while addressing media in Minna, saying the Police will also be working alongside three thousand, three hundred and fifty eight agencies excluding the Military and Department of State Service (DSS).

He warned that the Police will not tolerate thuggery or any form of disorderliness prior to or during and after the elections. Adding that, “the government wants the elections to be free, fair, credible and that is what we (the Police) will do”.

He further disclosed that, the Police has discovered flashed Local Government Areas in the State to include Munya, Rafi, Shiroro, Paikoro, Gurara and Mariga.

He hinted that the Police and other Security agencies will remain professional in discharging their duties, the security and safety of INEC workers, Journalists and other staffers who are on essential duty will be guaranteed.

CDD, UK urges all presidential candidates, supporters to uphold peace accord

By Abubakar Y Ojimaojo Abuja

The renowned think tank, Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD) and the United Kingdom, Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) have urged all presidential candidates and their supporters to uphold the peace accords signed on 29th of September 2022 on the 22nd of February 2023, as well as to observe the electoral Act...

CDD, also deployed a total of 4,993 trained and accredited observers, data clerks and fact-checkers, and social

media monitors for both the presidential, legislative, and governorship elections, to assess the election.

According to the pre-election brief signed by the EAC Chair, Professor Adele Jinadu, and CDD Director, Idayat Hassan, “all the political parties should ensure that their supporters adhere to the conditions laid out in the National Peace Accord through the voting process and after the announcement of results.

“INEC should continue to communicate regularly with Nigerians about the ongoing election process as transparent as possible during the

collation and announcement of results.

“The Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security must ensure that all security personnel on electoral duty adhere to the agreed code of conduct and rules of engagement”.

Speaking on fake news, he said “Social media companies should support the work of fact-checking organizations by promptly taking down digital content that promotes political disinformation or hate speech that relates to the election.

Election: Police warn miscreants in Benue

From Uche Nnorom, Makurdi

The Benue State Police Command has warmed strongly that miscreants who will try to truncate efforts made to ensure a successful election in the State will not be handled with levity.

The State Commissioner of Police, CP Wale Abass who gave this stern warning in a statement signed by Police Public Relations’ SP Catherine Anene, called

on parents/ guardians to warn their children/wards to desist from being used for election violence, even as he urged the electorates to come out and perform their civic duties without fear of any kind.

The CP stated that as the lead security agency on internal security in the state, the command, under his watch has been able to liase with other security Agencies to assess strength, challenges and threats, and plan towards allocating available resources/assets to successfully manage

the electoral process in the state. He also, directed all police officers to be guided by extant laws, rules and regulations as well as standard norms and practices as summarized in the Revised Standard Operational Guidelines/ Rules for Police Officers and Other Law Enforcement Agents on Election Dutiesa handbook produced by the Force and issued to every police officer, emphasizing the need for them to be apolitical.

National Commissioner, in charge of Voters Education, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Barr. Fetus Okoye (middle) in a handshake with Programme Manager, Community Life Project (CLP), Mr. Francis Onahor (right), during the community Life Project (CLP) handover ceremony of IT facilities to INEC in support of the INEC Citizens Contact Centre (ICCC) for the 2023 General Election with support from the Ford Foundation, yesterday in Abuja.

Photo: Mahmud Isa

A104-year-old woman, High Chief Lolo Iyom Josephine Ezeanyaeche, has endorsed Mr Peter Obi and Datti Baba-Ahmed for president, saying they would make Nigeria an investment hub.

Ezeanyaeche, also the Chairman Emeritus of “The Voice for Senior Citizens of Nigeria”, known as Mama Africa, said this when she visited the Labour Party office in Abuja.

According to her, the endorsement of Obi as the next President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria was because he is qualified as the number one out of the four major contestants.

“The search light for his selection was nationally oriented and accepted for his visionary leadership, integrity, transparency, competence, capacity, character, selflessness, enlightenment, education,

nationalistic and globally acclaimed.

“Calling him for this honourable task in our assessment will comfort Nigerians for a new beginning.

“Obi will fix the economy and create jobs, if the economy is fixed, it will be easier tackling insecurity, fighting corruption and improving social well-being of the people.

“Peter Obi will passionately undertake major constitutional changes that will bring about devotion of power, fiscal federation and entrenching of good governance and rule of law.”

Ezeanyaeche said that Obi has great opportunity to change the course of the country’s future for good. And he has the character, competence and capacity looking at his previous achievements, and previous performances.

She added that Obi would

unite the people of Nigeria in all ramifications to make Nigeria one united family.

She said that Nigerians are long yielding for younger generation to take the mantle of leadership to rescue her from current predicament.

“Nigerians will be healed of the wounds caused by incompetent leadership,”she said

The Chairman of the Party, Mr Juius Abure, thanked Ezeanyaeche for believing in Obi to transform Nigeria.

Abure said that in the last few days, a lot of groups and political parties have endorsed Obi because they know he would deliver.

“I, therefore, want to urge all our supporters that on the 25th of this month which is Saturday, they should all come out to cast their votes for the labour party.

Abure said that they had been

assured by security agencies that they are on top of the matter.

He added that LP have confidence in INEC, led by Prof. Mahoud Yakubu, to do the right thing.

“I, therefore, want to use this opportunity to appeal to INEC that the standard they have laid, the integrity they have built over the year, they must crystalize it by their activities in this election.

Election: 104-year-old endorses Peter Obi, says he’ll transform Nigeria Niger INEC distributes Saturday election materials to 25 LGAs

“They must be patriotic and put the interest of the country first and beyond every other interest.

“They must avoid the temptation of allowing this election to be compromised.

“I must also commend all the international observers that have interfaced with me personally, with our party and with our candidate and have assured us that they will observe the election and do the right thing.” (NAN)

From Yakubu Mustapha Minna

Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Niger State office has taken delivering of sensitive electoral materials from Central Bank of Nigeria, Minna Branch for onward delivery to 25 local councils of the state.

It has commenced the distribution of the materials to local government electoral officers at the premises of CBN, Minna branch.

Resident Electoral Commissioner, Ahmed Yushau Garki noted that the sensitive materials were handed over to INEC by CBN accordingly,and would be distributed to 4,950 registration centres across the state.

He lauded the management of Central Bank of Nigeria CBN,Minna branch,for the support to the commission adding that the commission had earlier distributed the non-sensitive materials across the state without stress.

The REC also commended the stakeholders, representatives of various political parties as well as security agencies for their unretired support to the commission since the election process began.

The representatives of various political parties were available to monitor the distribution, however praised the INEC for timely distribution and enjoined it to maintain the tempo in all the electoral process in the state,before,during and after the 2023 general elections.

Niger deputy gov. says APC will wins Saturday’s Presidential election

From Yakubu Mustapha Minna

Niger state Deputy Governor, and Coordinator of the Tinubu/Shettima Grassroots Independent Campaign Council, Alhaji Ahmed Mohammed Ketso has said that the organization has put in place strategy to mobilize about one million votes for APC Presidential

candidate come Saturday.

Ketso announced this at a press conference in Minna, ahead of the Presidential and National Assembly Elections as structures that would facilitate mobilisation of votes for APC across the 4, 950 polling units in the state.

He explained that the strategy is through one-on-one campaign approach, 130, 697 members of the ruling APC with Permanent

Voter’s Card had been mobilized with a mandate for each of the 15 unit members to get 5 registered voters hence they are expected to deliver a total of 653,485 votes for the APC.

The deputy governor revealed that they are not scared or threatened by the major opposition political party the PDP campaign especially in zone A, because APC is the party to beat

in the state and Nigeria.

According to Ketso, “each of the identified member of party with PVC had been tasked to mobilize at 5 voters to vote for Tinubu and Shettima which he said would give the outcome of 653, 485 votes for the APC on Saturday, adding that APC had the highest number of members with Permanent Voter’s Card in Niger state”.

He stated that the APC would take the lead in the forthcoming Presidential and National Assembly elections añd subsequent elections.

He said the Governor had already given the security agencies the task not to allow voter Aparthy as a result of the activities of hoodlums.

The Representative of the National Co-ordinator / CEO, NEPAD - AUDA, Mr. Hakeem Akande (4th right) leading the staff and other stakeholders on a Road Walk during the NEPAD sensitization campaigns for violence Free Election theme: “Silence the Guns”, held yesterday in Abuja. Photo: Justin Imo-owo

Elections: NSCDC deploys 1,450 personnel in Niger Engr Dada Pre- Season

NNWLC tournament ends in Niger State

From Yakubu Mustapha Minna

The pre season tournament of Engineer Ibrahim Dada annual Nigeria Nation Wide League Competition has ended in Makunkele, Bosso local government area of Niger state.

The football competition during its 10th Anniversary tournament with 20 clubs participated which final ended 2-0 in favour of Tornadoes Feeders Club of Minna against the Alheri Babes of Nasarawa.

Engineer who is the annual sponsor of the competition in an interview said the aim is to contribute his quarter by engaging youths for the development of the state and the country.

Dada emphasized that sports is the easiest means of unifying youths and the people rather than allowing them to be involved in social vices like restiveness, drug abuse, thuggery and others hence the idea for the competition to the betterment of their future.

From Yakubu Mustapha Minna

Niger state Command of Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps has said to deployed 1,450 personnel to Nigeria Police for onward posting across the state to provide security coverage during the forthcoming

general elections in the state. This was contained in a statement issued by the command PRO, DSC, Nasir Abdullahi. He said the state Commandant, Ahmed Mohammed Dandare will work as a team with other security agencies to achieve common goal of hitch free elections,. The commandant while

addressing the management staff of the command, warned officers to be apolitical and conduct themselves while discharging their legitimate functions.

He cautioned the officers not to intimidate voters at the polling unit and never to handle any election material or assist a voter on how to vote, but for protection

of lives and properties especially Critical National Assets and Infrastructure.

He further reiterated the Command’s readiness to deal ruthlessly with anybody or group of persons caught trying to sabotage the smooth conduct of the election or destroy any INEC material.

L-R: Chief Representatives of Japan International Corporation Agency,JICA Nigeria, Mr Yuzurio Susumu receiving some documents from Director general,Small and Medium Enterprise Development Agency of Nigeria,SMEDAN Wale Fasanya when the DG visited the JICANigeria Office, yesterday in Abuja.

2023 Poll: Vote NASS candidates based on merit – Media Expert, NGO tells Nigerians

By Christiana Ekpa

The Executive Director of OrderPaper, Okey Epia on Thursday urged Nigerians to vote for National Assembly Candidates with clear understanding of the core functions of the Parliament during Saturday, 25th February, 2023 general elections.

The Order paper Director, who presented the report on the surveys conducted by the Organisation at a press briefing held in Abuja, disclosed that 0.23% of the 4,223 Candidates contesting for the elective positions have requisite knowledge of the statutory roles of the Parliament as lawmaking, representation and oversight of the Executive arm of Government.

According to him, “Nigerians are expected to elect 469 lawmakers during the National Assembly election scheduled to hold on Saturday, February 25, 2023 which will take place in 176,846 Polling Units across 109 Senatorial Districts and 360 Federal Constituencies across the 36 States and Federal Capital Territory (FCT)”

Out of the total number of 1,101

Senatorial Candidates, 1,008 are Males and 92 Females; while out of the total number of 3,122 House of Representatives Candidates, 2,832 are Males while 288 are Females.

He said: “going by the concept of representative democracy, the legislature is the first and foremost arm of government, and it plays a crucial role in the sustenance of democracy as a tradition for a country’s people.

“Having had a series of military interregnums in politics where the National Assembly gave way for Military Decrees and Edicts, a return to democracy in May 1999 saw the inauguration of the 4th National Assembly, and we have since then had the 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th and now, 9th National Assemblies.

“It is, therefore, noteworthy to state that this year’s National Assembly is holding on the eve of the 25th Anniversary of the Nigerian National Assembly; at least in the uninterrupted Fourth Republic.

“In each of the six electoral cycles leading to the election of lawmakers who have served in these Assemblies, we have observed as a legislative-focused organisation that many at times,

the majority of the lawmakers who have served in the various Assemblies we mentioned earlier, emerge through a bandwagon.

“This trend, to a large extent, sacrifices merit for party considerations, especially as the National Assembly elections hold simultaneously with the highly-anticipated Presidential Elections.

“In no small measure, this has affected the quality of representation in each Assembly and also prevented effective service delivery. This development is what OrderPaper and our partners have considered necessary to address for the future development of parliament,” he noted.

Epia said that the OrderPaper’s National Assembly Election Situation Room located at the Board Room, Hawthorn Suites will open by 8:00am on Saturday, 25th February 2023 and deployed Citizens Observers across the 360 Federal Constituencies for Election Monitoring and Observation (EOM).

While speaking on the performance of the President of the Senate, Senator Ahmad Lawan in the 9th Assembly, Mr. Epia argued that: “if we infuse

legislative election into our reportage and keep away or do less of the drama. Okay, you are watching out for if Lawan is going to be floored by PDP because of the Machina affair, that is dramatic that is fine.

“It is political reportage people to know that but are we also able to make people know that Lawan didn’t sponsor a single bill althrough this 9th National Assembly? And that’s not excusable because he is a presiding officer, because we know his opposite member here he has sponsored 27 bills.

“So, being a presiding officer is not an excuse why he didn’t sponsor a single bill. People know him to be the chief enforcer of the President’s desires in the National Assembly and he has been quoted that much, he has not refuted that anything Mr. Buhari wants he will get it, Mr. Buhari is always right.

“So, these are one of the opportunities for us to be able to infuse the right knowledge and awareness in our reportage. In the midst of the drama we are able to capture in the elections, we can also put in the facts and figures, the data that will enable citizens make informed decision

making when they are casting their ballots, not just in 2023 but going forward in other elections,” he urged.

On the preliminary assessment of the campaign promises tracking for the National Assembly Elections, he disclosed that: “Majority of the candidates running for the 469 National Assembly seats (especially among the aspiring lawmakers) cared very little about releasing an articulated plan of their campaign promises (manifesto) for their would-be constituents.

“Most of the manifestoes and campaign promises of the legislative candidates were heavy on subjects outside the core duty of a legislator.

“From the records available so far, only 0.23% out of the total 4,223 National Assembly Candidates running for elections on Saturday, February 25 2023 had functional and wellarticulated manifestoes that speak to these core duties.

“We, therefore, fear that a lot of these candidates do not have a clear picture of what they will be doing at the 10th National Assembly in the event that they are elected on Saturday.”

Photo: Mahmud Isa

Nigeria’s moment of truth

Tomorrow (Saturday), some 70 million eligible voters have a chance to elect a new president and 469 federal parliamentarians. This will be followed a week later with the elections of state governors and lawmakers. Overseeing these make or mar polls is the election umpire, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), headed by a former university lecturer prof. Mahmoud Yakubu.

On paper, it is a crowded race for the presidency. But realistically, it is a race between the governing All Progressives Congress’ candidate, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu and opposition People’s Democratic Party’s Atiku Abubakar. The latter is a former vice president ( 1999-2007) and has been a serial presidential contender. A third runner, Peter Obi, of the Labour Party, has run a singularly robust, crowd pulling campaign so far but he may not get further a look-in when the final tally is delivered.

The elections are the 6th, an impressive uninterrupted run, since Nigeria returned to democratic civil rule in 1999. That makes 24 years, compared to over 30 years of military dictatorship. The PDP governed for 16 of the 24 years of civilian dispensation, producing presidents Olusegun Obasanjo, the late Umaru Musa Yar’adua and Goodluck Ebele Jonathan. The latter lost a second term bid in 2015 to the incumbent, Muhammadu Buhari of the APC.

Buhari’s upset victory in 2015 was the most successful transition from one civilian administration to another in the nation’s history, aside the election that produced the late President, Umaru Musa Yar’Adua. Buhari was to be reelected in 2019 for a second and last term. The winner of Saturday’s election will replace him as president.

The outgoing president in the months preceding the election released tidbits from press

interviews, suggesting he would be relieved to leave office and would give Abuja, the nation’s capital, a wide berth. He has not shown that there is a favoured candidate, instead asking Nigerians to vote for candidates they trusted.

There are many firsts in these elections. It will be the first time in a quarter of a century that the leading candidates in a presidential election are not former soldiers, and the first in two decades in which Buhari will not be on the ballot. Secondly, with the three main candidates representing the three major regions at Independence – one from the East, another from the West and another from the Northern region –2023 marks a return to the original fault-lines that were present at the creation of Nigeria, or a return of tripodal politics.

Thirdly, in these elections, INEC proposes to deploy the Bi-Modal Voter Accreditation System ( B-VAS) as its solution to Nigeria’s history of data-free voting. The B-VAS device accredits voters, counts them and can digitally transmit the results from a polling unit to the INEC’s central collation. The result transmission capability of B-VAS is, however, substantially dependent on the existence of broadband infrastructure, which cannot be guaranteed in some parts of the country.

Besides, the election preparations have suffered a major bleep. A well intentioned monetary policy, leading to changes in the designs of some currency notes, is causing mass misery nationwide. Deposit banks are unable to meet customer demands, leading to violence in many cities. The shortage of cash, it is feared, may lead to massive voter apathy. However, the chance to have their votes counted in real time will be too tempting for many voters to want to grasp.

OUR PEOPLE OUR MISSION

Manager, administration

Hassan Hammanyaji

HEAD, ADVERT Patrick UGAMA

As Gombe Prepares for 2023 Elections

By Kabiru Danladi Lawanti, Ph.D

The political stage for the race to Gombe government house is set, as the incumbent, His Excellency, Alhaji Inuwa Yahaya, battles two prominent candidates in the People’s Democratic Party, Alhaji Muhammed Jibrin popularly known as Dan Barde and the New Nigerian Political Party candidate, Alhaji KHamisu Ahmed Mailantarki. For anyone conversant with Gombe politics, they know that the political environment is tricky, with divergent political culture. From the “pade roba” politics of 2003, which scuttled Abubakar Hashidu’s second term ambition, to the Dankwambo’s phenomenon that led PDP to victory in 2015, despite the Buhari tsunami which swept PDP in many states and the coming of Alhaji Inuwa Yahaya in the political scene in 2019, Gombe politics remains as unpredictable as the recent weather.

Unlike what happened in 2019, Gombe state is going into the presidential elections on Saturday, 25th February with its political heavyweights, especially in the ruling APC fighting each other. I have read several submissions on how the elections will go, with some predicting failures for the APC’s presidential flagbearer Ahmed Bola Tinubu in the state because of the Atiku factor. Others were predicting a tough race for APC at all levels because of the internal wrangling within the party hierarchy, especially the crisis between Senator Danjuma Goje and Alhaji Usman Bello Kumo, the present member representing Akko Federal Constituency and APC candidate for same position.

the ticket. When he failed, after the intervention of the National Working Committee of the party, Goje changed tactics. He was accused of aligning with the opposition candidates tacitly supports them to the detriments of his party’s candidate. Now Goje has come out openly to show support for opposition candidate, especially the House of Reps candidate in PDP and the NNPP governorship candidate. This was evident when the candidate of the NNPP, Alhaji Khamisu Ahmed Mailantarki visited Akko last month. Mailantarki openly chanted Goje’s name as the candidate of Gombe Central Senatorial District against his own political party flagbearer Alhaji Muhammad Babikir Gale. Mailantarki’s anti-party activities infuriated the supporters of Gale, who promised to teach Mailatarki lesson during the general elections.

The marriage of convenience between Goje, Mailantarki and NNPP also made PDP and Danbarde angry. They felt, according to this school of thought, betrayed by Goje, who promised to support their House of Reps candidate Hajiya Nana Aisha, their governorship candidate Alhaji Jibrin and presidential candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar. With NNPP’s supporters claiming support from Goje, Danbarde turned to Dankwambo for rescue, who is also battling a more acceptable candidate in Gombe north, Alhaji Saidu Alkali of the APC.

OUR VISION

Goje assumes the position of a godfather of Gombe politics, in which he feels he is the only person in the state that can determine who gets what, when and how in the state. Therefore, he is not happy seeing the people he thinks he “helped” bring to power are challenging his authority. Initially, he indicated that his opposition was with Usman Bello Kumo (World), but after his failure to convince His Excellency, Alhaji Inuwa Yahaya to ditch World, Goje waged an open war with the Governor citing issues of betrayal. Even after the intervention of the Buni led Committee, Goje continued setting landmines for the Governor and all his close allies including World.

Politics, they say is local. This is what we are seeing playing in Gombe state. Goje, who earlier retired from politics, has been responsible for the present crisis in Akko LGA, Gombe Central Senatorial District and Gombe state in general. He came out openly to oppose Inuwa’s second term ambition and has shown his determination to make sure Alhaji Usman Bello Kumo did not participate in the party’s primaries or even giving

In all these crises, the beneficiary remains Alhaji Inuwa Yahaya, who for the past 3 months was working for the victory of APC candidates in Saturday’s election and its Presidential candidate, Alhaji Asiwju Bola Ahmed Tinubu. The incumbent is also sailing to victory in two weeks from now, when Gombawa cast their votes on 11th March, 2023. We have every reason to believe that APC is going to win the elections. First of all, the candidates presented by the APC, except of course Senator Danjuma Goje, are working assiduously for the victory of the party and all its candidates in the coming elections on 25th February and 11th March, 2023. While the opposition are in disarray cancelling each other during the campaigns, with the false assumption that they have the support of Senator Danjuma Goje, Governor Inuwa is focused on consolidating his 4-year achievements and designing a roadmap for his second tenure.

On the other hand, the confused opposition are now de-marketing their candidates, the way the NNPP candidate was doing in Kumo, Pindiga and Kashere just to please Goje. Or he (Goje), working very hard to discredit his Governorship candidate and the Akko Federal Constituency candidate of the APC. Is this not a futile exercise?

Danladi wrote in from Zaria

“To be a reputable, profitable, innovative and technologically reliant media company offering world class services and products”

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There are many firsts in these elections. It will be the first time in a quarter of a century that the leading candidates in a presidential election are not former soldiers

Choice of the next CEO of Nigeria PLC

By Tony Osakpamwan Agbons

Another significant addendum required for the Office of CEO of Nigeria PLC is mental and physical fitness. This is sacrosanct and we can only disregard it at our own peril. The job of a CEO is daunting, and energy sapping. The rigour to perform at that level of organogram cannot be over-emphasized. You can ask any CEO of a company, be it a Small and Medium Enterprise SME, a National or International firm or Conglomerate.

Alas, the day is here, and the hour has come when millions of Nigerians go to the polls to se(elect) the next Chief Executive Officer (President) of Enterprise Nigeria. It is the magical 25th day of February in the year of our Lord 2023 Anno Domini. The eye of the world is on Nigeria as we continue our gallant march in our journey to further solidification of our nascent democracy. Since the job portal for applications for the top job was opened last year, many candidates sent in their curriculum vitae, CV to the head-hunting Nigeria people. The current occupant of the office, President Muhammadu Buhari is concluding his tenure in a few weeks time. The enterprise needs a new man at the helm.

The veins and arteries of the enterprise called Nigeria PLC is bleeding profusely as a result of the continuous `Brutus stabbings` from the knives and swords of the criminal political gangs and charlatans who have held her hostage. The enterprise has been bedevilled by executive recklessness and profligacy. The entity is going/has gone bankrupt at the speed of light and the jury is out. The Chairman and Board of Directors (the people of Nigeria) desire a competent new CEO to take Corporation Nigeria out of the current mess it has found itself. The company`s debt profile of over 70 million Trillion naira is anaemic and malignant. Budget deficit is at 33% and counting. Insecurity in the enterprise is at breaking limits. Over 133 million out of the 200 million staff (67%) of this enterprise are living in multi-dimensional poverty. They have no access to quality education, healthcare, housing, electricity, transportation, and simple amenities like portable water, good roads to mention just a few.

To make the right choice in the recruitment of the next CEO, the job specification is clear. The enterprise needs a qualified, mentally, and physically fit CEO. The job is a 24-hours-365-days role. A sick enterprise like

Nigeria PLC cannot survive another four or eight years with a sick man in charge. Secondly, the enterprise requires a CEO with knowledge of the dynamics of a modern business organisation top-bottom, and bottom-top in line with current global best practice.

As we carry out the recruitment of our next CEO of enterprise Nigeria on Saturday 25th February 2023, the challenge before the se(election) committee (people of Nigeria) is an attention to the fine details and small prints. The se(election) committee must change the status quo. The task before all is; are members of Nigeria PLC better off in 2023 than they were in 2015? The se(election) committee must use as their template the time tested maxim of; `you cannot keep doing the same thing and expect a different outcome`. In picking the next CEO for Nigeria PLC, religion, tribe or ethnicity cannot be the determining factor. It also cannot be narcissistic sense of entitlement coloured in the robe of `EMILOKUNISM or I HAVE SEEN IT ALL. Both the APC

candidate, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, and the PDP`s Alhaji Atiku Abubakar are on that trajectory in word and in deed. The choice of our next CEO of Nigeria PLC should be based on the essential vitals of Competence, Character, and Capacity. These aforementioned attributes can only be felt and seen in the LP candidate, Mr Peter Obi. I can tell you that for free without any equivocation.

Another significant addendum required for the Office of CEO of Nigeria PLC is mental and physical fitness. This is sacrosanct and we can only disregard it at our own peril. The job of a CEO is daunting, and energy sapping. The rigour to perform at that level of organogram cannot be over-emphasized. You can ask any CEO of a company, be it a Small and Medium Enterprise SME, a National or International firm or Conglomerate. The role wears down both the brain and the body concurrently. It is not a job for the daft, faint, or physically weak person. Such will crash and we cannot to afford to take that chance. Time is running out for Project Nigeria and there is no time to waste time. In conclusion, I want to urge all citizens of Enterprise Nigeria to understand that they (the people) hold all the aces. We decide who gets the job. The three shortlisted frontline candidates (in no particular order) – Tinubu, Atiku and Obi are applicants for the top job. These men are looking for a job. We (the Nigerian people) are the ones to decide their fate on 25th February 2023. Our vote is our Power. Our instrument of authority is our PVC and the interview boardroom is the polling booth. So let us shoot our shot with all sense of responsibility.

Indeed, A NEW NIGERIA IS POSSIBLE…

Dr Agbons is Lead Institute of Good Governance & Leadership @www.twin2. org

Nigerians and 2023 elections: Prioritizing public accountability for social development

By Sunday Timothy Taiwo

These cited narratives are fractions of the many gross public sector misconducts which have not only created a big trust gap between citizens and government officials but gravely hinders socioeconomic development in the country.

Critical, but less discussed in the lead up to the 2023 Elections is the state of accountability in the Nigeria public sector. In a democracy, elections are pivotal to public administration, development and democratic sustainability being the sole legal instrument that allows for citizens to decide and elect their representatives at the helm of affairs where governance and policy-making mechanisms are developed over time.

Howbeit, it’s no gainsaying that no critical development effort can succeed without a government that is responsive and accountable to its citizens. Being accountable is a burden that is placed on the public sector when it accepts responsibility for exercising powers on behalf of the public; as the people entrust in a candidate their collective mandate by voting into power, it is both constitutionally and morally expected of such a candidate to work effectively towards fulfilling his/her end of the social contract.

In Nigeria, public accountability is a dwindling phenomenon, and amidst nations of the world, the country has attained a high level of public sector corruption and gross mismanagement of public finance which has impacted greatly on our corporate development from local, state, to national level.

Nigeria, having dropped from 26 in 2019, to 25 in 2020, and 24 in 2021 assessment, the country again stood at 24 of 100 in the 2022 Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) of Transparency International (TI). Through the CPI, TI measures the level of public sector corruption in the systems of 180 countries around the world and rank accordingly. Ranked 150 of 180 with CPI score of 24 attests to the fact that despite the current administration’s commitment to battle corrupt practices, corruption in Nigeria’s public sector has grossly worsened in the last 4 years even.

Paradigm Leadership Support Initiative (PLSI)’s analysis of the 2019 audit report of the federation revealed that the sum of N455.14bn was not accounted for by 70 MDAs of the federal government, being 20.69% of the N2.2tn total funds released in 2019 fiscal year. Similarly, its Subnational Audit Efficacy Index 2021 which assessed accountability levels in the management of public funds across the 36 states in Nigeria revealed that only 11 out of the 36 states of the federation assessed, conducted either performance or compliance audit on public expenditure in 2020. This translates to the fact that 25 Offices of State Auditors-General did not adhere to procurement and financial regulations by government MDAs which limits their state’s ability to achieve value for money on programs and projects implemented in the year 2020.

These cited narratives are fractions of the many gross public sector misconducts which have not only created a big trust gap between citizens and government officials but gravely hinders socioeconomic development in the country. To curb the sheer lack of public accountability, such that public resources will be judiciously channeled for public good, it is imperative to strengthen public audit practices at the national and subnational levels.

At the moment, the foremost audit institution in Nigeria – Office of the Auditor-General for the Federation is legally disempowered, as the office still operates with an obsolete legal framework – 1956 Audit Ordinance which provides very limited chances for the institution to fully deliver on its mandate. Many Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) in Nigeria have made several calls for the enactment of the Federal Audit Service Bill, which if fully implemented will strengthen Nigeria’s SAI to operate independently (providing financial and administrative autonomy) and nip corruption in the bud. The gains that came with the implementation of the Electoral Act 2022, which has improved INEC operations, especially its Results Management System thereby guaranteeing a more credible polls can be better consolidated if the Federal Audit Service Bill is also implemented, to enable the Supreme Audit Institution (SAI) efficiently fight corruption in the Nigeria public sector and foster accountability in the

management of public funds.

To advance this, citizens need to collaborate with CSOs and other critical stakeholders to through collective efforts, drive reforms that will seek to accelerate the enactment of a modern audit law that provides for administrative and financial autonomy of the Office of the Auditor-General for the Federation, and also, to expedite actions towards enhancing the implementation of new audit laws that guarantee financial autonomy for the Offices of the AuditorGenerals at the subnational level. The forthcoming 2023 elections offer a chance.

As the much-anticipated elections draws closer, data has shown the high rate of undecided voters through several opinion polls conducted online to measure the winning possibilities of each leading presidential aspirant. One amongst them is the ANAP Poll which recorded 29% undecided voters and 23% voters who wouldn’t want to reveal their preferred candidate.

It is no gainsaying that citizens’ electoral dispositions are daily being influenced by a number of development challenges the populace is suffering from, especially the severe economic hardship the recent petrol supply shortage and naira notes scarcity have brought upon us. It is however important for citizens to prioritize studying the effectiveness of the public accountability roadmap of each candidate as one of the core parameters to justify their electoral choices and opt for their preferred candidates among other factors. Each presidential aspirant has a published manifesto which is available for public accessibility. Find below the policy documents/manifestos of the four leading presidential aspirants:

Citizens are encouraged to interrogate these documents in order to assess the principles, policies and intentions of each candidate and measure their prospects of effective accountability with best practices to inform their electoral choices, as public accountability remains one of the major pillars of democracy.

Sunday Timothy Taiwo is a Public Policy Analyst.

The veins and arteries of the enterprise called Nigeria PLC is bleeding profusely as a result of the continuous `Brutus stabbings` from the knives and swords of the criminal political gangs and charlatans who have held her hostage

Road to presidency: How Buhari’s successor will emerge

By Gift Habib

Ifthe BVAS fails to recognise the voter’s fingerprint, the facial recognition function of the BVAS will be used to verify and accredit the voter. If the above steps are completed, a poll official will check for the voter’s name in the register of voters and tick it.

As Nigerians go to the polls on Saturday to elect the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari’s (retd.) successor, GIFT HABIB writes on electoral processes from polling units to declaration of results

There is a lot of anticipation as over 93 million registered voters prepare to cast their ballots on Saturday to decide who takes over from the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.) on May 29, 2023.

According to the Independent National Electoral Commission, the 2023 general elections consist of a presidential election, governorship elections in 28 states, and 1,462 legislative elections representing 109 Senate seats, 360 House of Representatives seats, and 993 State House of Assembly seats.

Different stakeholders have described the 2023 presidential election as a “tough race” in the history of the country, as four out of 18 presidential candidates are jostling hard for the seat of the presidency. The moment represents the seventh election cycle since Nigeria became a democracy in 1999.

The four major candidates, Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress, Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party, Peter Obi of the Labour Party, and Rabi’u Kwankwaso of the New Nigeria Peoples Party, have all toured different states in Nigeria and given reasons, why Nigerians should trust them with their votes, come Saturday.

The winner of the presidential race will serve as a critical transfer of power, as President Buhari has served two terms and is not qualified to rule for another four years.

However, the success of any election

depends on efficient planning and its conduct, that is, accreditation, voting, counting, collation, and result declaration.

Before a person can vote, he must be a Nigerian of 18 years of age or older, registered, and in possession of a permanent voter card, and must appear in person at the polling unit. The voter will vote in the polling unit where his or her name is listed.

The election will run from 8.30am to 2.30pm. However, voters in the queues on or before 2.30pm will be allowed to vote.

Registered voters are to be at their polling units before 8am in a coordinated manner. Voting starts at 8.30am.

The presiding officers or assistant presiding Officers I, II, or III will ask the voters to present their permanent voter cards for accreditation using the Bimodal Voter Authentication System.

The voter is expected to check and be sure his or her name is on the register of voters in that particular unit. If the voter’s name is in the register, the BVAS will match his fingerprints and (or) face, one of which must successfully identify the voter as the owner of the PVC presented to the official before he will be allowed to vote.

If the BVAS fails to recognise the voter’s fingerprint, the facial recognition function of the BVAS will be used to verify and accredit the voter. If the above steps are completed, a poll official will check for the voter’s name in the register of voters and tick it.

Indelible ink will be applied to the cuticle of the voter’s finger. A stamped, signed, and dated ballot paper will be issued to the voter afterwards.

However, if the BVAS fails to recognise a voter’s fingerprints as well as his facial photograph, the voter will not be allowed to vote.

The voter will go to the voting cubicle to mark his or her choice on the ballot paper in secret. The voter will ensure that the ink does not smear onto other parts of the ballot paper to avoid having his or her vote rejected.

The ballot paper should be folded

vertically, and he or she will not be allowed to take photographs of the ballot paper when in the voting cubicle. The voter will drop the marked ballot paper into the ballot box in full view of all present.

After casting his or her vote, the voter is free to remain 300 metres from the polling area to witness sorting, counting, and the announcement of the results provided the voter is orderly and does not disrupt the process.

Results shall be collated at the polling unit and various other levels depending on the type, after which they are announced by INEC.

From the polling units, the result will be transmitted electronically to the INEC website. The presiding officer will take the result to the ward headquarters, where they the results of all polling units will be collated and sent to the local government headquarters. From the local government level, it will be sent to the state capital and INEC headquarters in Abuja.

Explaining how a president emerges and the conditions that may necessitate a second election, the National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education, INEC, Festus Okoye, explained, “Section 134 (2) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, which is the fundamental law of the land, makes it mandatory that before anyone can be deemed to have been elected as president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, that candidate must secure the highest number of votes cast at the election and must also secure a quarter of the votes cast in two-thirds of the states and the Federal Capital Territory. It is mandatory.

“Now, if no candidate secures this highest number of votes and the mandatory threshold, the constitution says we must have a second election within 21 days. Not all candidates are going to participate in this second election. Eighteen candidates will be on the ballot for the first election. If no candidate emerges from the first ballot, only two candidates will contest the

second election.

“The constitution has made it very clear that of the two candidates that will be on the ballot, one must score the highest number of votes in the election. The second candidate that will be on the ballot is one of the remaining candidates who have a majority of votes in the highest number of states. The constitution did not say that the one who came in second would be in the second election.”

For the presidential poll, the INEC Chairman, Mahmood Yakubu, who is the chief electoral officer, is expected to announce the result in Abuja.

The commission says it is prepared for the second election if the situation arises, taking into consideration the fact that it will be difficult to engage in reverse logistics and then begin to look for printers to print 93 million ballot papers before the commission starts thinking of how to move them to the states, local governments, wards, and polling units.

The commission has printed the ballot papers for the main election and the run-off election at the same time. That is what the commission will do.

The Executive Director of Civil Society Legislative Advocacy, Auwal Musa, noted that the entire process of a president emerging on February 25 has been a herculean task, noting that each process was marred by one challenge or another that could affect the election results.

Musa said, “From the party primaries that took place last year, we saw the determination of aspirants from the 18 political parties working day and night to emerge as presidential candidates of their party. Although this was not done without controversies, hate speech, or bribing of delegates.

“The political campaigns were full of attacks, especially on party supporters. Hate speech and violence became the order of the day. Most presidential candidates dodged the compulsory national debates, and those who attended did not deliver manifestos that will bring critical development to

the country and provide a good life for Nigerians.

“Approaching the election period in which Nigerians will decide a new Nigeria with their vote, the naira crisis and fuel scarcity might end up shaping the votes of Nigerians as poor and average Nigerians are affected by the menace. Vote-buying will play out as a result.

“We only pray for the best as Nigerians cast their votes, and whoever emerges as the winner of the presidential election, it should be taken in good faith.”

Also, the Director of the Centre for Democracy and Development, Idayat Hassan, said, “The entire process has been interesting. One of the keen interesting things is what the Electoral Act of 2022 did. It changed the whole context. It threw political parties into disarray during their primaries, since most of them were not even aware of some of the provisions of this Electoral Act.

“It was able to balance and reduce incumbency in politics because this time around, people could resign before they could run for any position. We saw a lot of them resign, which rarely happens in the pre-election process. The primaries were quite interesting because it was a two-way thing. Looking at the primaries, the aspirants had to go across the country to canvass for votes from their party members, which was new. However, money was used to devalue this good innovation. People bought votes to emerge as winners of party primaries.

“The campaign period too is worrying. The level of campaign violence is high. For us at CDD, we have been able to count a total of 60 attacks on campaign rallies as opposed to 24 during the 2019 general election.

“There were lots of challenges, but I think the most important thing is the mere fact that it happened, and now, we are closer to the election. Nigerians are eager to see what happens on Saturday.”

Gift Habib is a Public Policy Analyst.

Nigerian refineries: For refurbishment or remodelling?

By Sheriffdeen Tella

According to Collins dictionary.com, remodelling is the act of changing or altering the structure, style or form of something. If we want different results from what we have been getting from these old refineries, the way of remodelling is the right path, not refurbishing. Remodelling means that the refineries will be modernised.

The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation Limited is at it again. Some of the refineries are undergoing refurbishment and will start ‘production’ sooner or later. It was widely reported at the end of January 2023 that Daewoo Engineering and Construction Limited, a South Korean firm, signed an agreement with the NNPCL to undertake a quick-fix (whatever that means) repair of the Kaduna refinery and restore production to about 60 per cent capacity by the end of 2024.

The Kaduna refinery, the latest and largest of the four refineries now owned by the NNPCL was constructed in 1980! The first refinery was built in Port Harcourt in 1965 with a capacity to process 60,000 barrels per day and a ‘new’ one in the same place in 1989 which could process 150,000 barrels per stream day. The Warri refinery was commissioned in 1979 to produce, initially, 100,000 barrels per stream day and later upgraded to produce 125,000 barrels per day. This was earlier offered for refurbishment in 2022 with the promise that it will start full production again in December, 2023.

There are stories in recent times that these refineries have not been refurbished in almost 15 years, but we did hear of payment for turn-around maintenance within the same period. Money down the drain or money drained into private pockets? What is important to us here is the ages of the refineries and the technology at the time they were built. The technology of the 1965 refinery must be different from that of 1980. Definitely, the technology of refineries today cannot be compared with that of 1980 which is over 40 years. Can there be spare parts currently for technology of 1980? Maybe

Daewoo and NNPCL can provide a favourable answer.

In an earlier article in July 2022, I posited that, “NNPC, the corporation, was the only organisation that had unproductive refineries but maintained full complementary workforce on its payroll. It was the public company that derives joy in importing refined fuel while exporting crude oil to the detriment of the economy. It is one of the very few public companies that refused to be accountable to anyone, even the government that set it up. One of the few public companies that were not part of the treasury single account and the government department that, when it sneezes, the other ministries catch cold. The public outfit that has hoodwinked everybody such that those who should know better and call to question the wrongdoings of the company or cooperation are in total silence or submission.” It is still in this context that the company, which has turned private, could engage in refurbishing two refineries at the cost that can build a new, modern refinery with greater outputs.

Refurbishing, from my understanding, is like making a building look new through such activities like repairing, cleaning and painting. No fundamental changes but the normal renovation like freshen up or brighten or revitalisation. Quite different from something like overhaul which is to repair or renew thoroughly and better than refurbishing. This is also different from a word like remodelling which means to change the structure or form of something.

According to Collins dictionary.com, remodelling is the act of changing or altering the structure, style or form of something. If we want different results from what we have been getting from these old refineries, the way of remodelling is the right path, not refurbishing. Remodelling means that the refineries will be modernised. The 40-year-old technology will give way to modern one without destroying or removing the whole machines. That might be worth the amount of funds currently allocated to the refurbishing exercise.

At the transformation of NNPC to NNPCL, the Chief Executive

Officer of the new company and erstwhile General Manager of the NNPC, Mele Kyari, promised that, “the company will be smarter, more responsive and accountable and will act within the premises of all regulations guarding private enterprises. It will be managed to meet global standards of best practice in terms of governance.” Part of being smarter is to adopt new management techniques and discard the old ones that did not pay off. Another word for turn-around maintenance is ‘refurbishing’ which had, in the past, led to waste of resources like time and money.

A smarter way of running the old refineries profitably is to remodel them. It may not even involve any immediate funds if the company decides to go into partnership with the Daewoo company, as the latter would see the prospect for profit making in the relationship and thus key into it by supplying the technology required in a joint venture management. I doubt if Daewoo would want to partner with the NNPCL in the case of refurbishing the existing refineries because they know it would be money down the drain.

However, it is shameful that a NNPCL that is now private sector driven and whose business for now is to import and supply petrol and allied products cannot supply the products in adequate quantities to avoid the logjam that is being witnessed now. The company is to make money from supplying the products to customers who pay directly for what they buy. Or is the company also in the hands of economic mafia?

In the article entitled, Nigerian economy in the stranglehold of economic mafia, about three weeks ago and before the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress cried out on sabotage regarding his presidential ambition, I opined that some ministers and public officials were no longer in control of activities under their watch. I did not expect that to happen to a private company like the NNPCL if it is run truly as a private company rather than a public sector parastatal. What is currently happening with the running of the outfit seems to prove me wrong.

Sheriffdeen Tella is a Public Affairs Analyst.

Tinubu not against CBN’s cashless policy — PCC

TheAPC Presidential Campaign Council (PCC) says the party’s presidential flag bearer, Sen. Bola Tinubu, is not in any way against the cashless policy of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

Mr Bayo Onanuga, Director, Media and Publicity of the PCC, while addressing newsmen on Thursday in Abuja said Tinubu was only concerned about the effects of the Naira swap and petroleum scarcity on the masses.

He said while the APC presidential candidate was not against the cashless drive of the apex bank, the timing for its implementation was, however, wrong.

“Our candidate made this an issue and alerted government. That government should find a solution. I can report that as at today, Abuja does not have problem of fuel anymore.

” I learned that in Lagos fuel scarcity had also eased. I’m sure in other parts of the country fuel will soon be delivered to many stations and this crisis will be over.

“For the currency swap, as the CBN calls it, our candidate is not against a cashless economy. He’s an Accountant. He understands how these things work. He knows the benefits to the economy,” Onanuga said.

Onanuga wondered how the CBN cashless policy was expected to work in a country where about 60 per cent of the population do not have bank accounts and relied heavily on cash to transact their daily businesses.

He, however, added that the decision of the CBN to pursue cashless policy was based on faulty and erroneous statistics that could not be validated against reality. (NAN)

Action Alliance to boycott presidential, NASS elections over exclusion

From: Femi Oyelola, Kaduna

The Action Alliance (AA) has declared that it will boycott the Presidential and National Assembly elections scheduled to hold on Saturday.

National chairman of the party, Dr Adekunle Rufai Omoaje who disclosed the party’s stand in a statement made available to the media in Kaduna yesterday hinted that the decision of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to exclude the party from the election led to the decision.

He said despite various court judgements obtained from, different courts, including the court of Appeal compelling INEC to present the names of candidates, he (Omoaje) submitted, INEC failed to recognize all the candidates he submitted.

The AA national chairman, said the leaders of the party from across the 36 states of the federation had met and resolved to boycott the election to protest against INEC ‘s flagrant disobedience to court orders.

Omoaje who blamed the Prof Mahmood Yakub led INEC for plot

to truncate the nation’s democracy through lack of respect for the rule of law, said the actions of the INEC chairman have shown that democracy is in danger in the country.

He expressed displeasure over the decision of INEC, just as he threatened that the party will approach the Elections Petition Tribunal to challenge its exclusion from the elections.

The AA boss noted that the scenario played out by INEC was unprecedented in the history of election in the country and expressed worry about why INEC

could allow it to be bought by unscrupulous politicians.

He said the party would use all legal means to challenge INEC decision, just as he warned the electoral body against acts capable of undermining the rights of the masses and truncating the hard earned democracy.

Also, he called on members of the party and their loyalists not to participate in the Saturday’s election in the interest of fairness and justice, expressing optimism that the party will triumph at the election petition tribunal.

NPC trains Jigawa journalists on effective reporting of Census

From Mika’il Tsoho, Dutse

The National Population Commission (NPC), has embarked on capacity building workshop of Jigawa journalists on effective reporting of 2023 population and housing census.

Speaking during the flaggingoff of the capacity building, the

state commissioner NPC Jigawa state, Alhaji Garba AD Zakar said, about 786,741 personnel are to work in the forthoming 2023 census.

According to Umar Jingino those trained are; 623,797 enumerators, 125,994 Supervisors, 24,001 Data Quality Assistants, while 12,000 are Field Coordinators.

He said others are; 1,000 Data Quality Managers, 1,639 Training Centre Administrators and 59,000 LGA level facilitators.

He explained that adequate training of personnel to work in the fourth coming headcount census is a key preparatory activity for the exercise, while the quality of the data depends on the competence and skill of the personnel engaged.

Also speaking, the HOD said that, the training which is organized in stages commenced with the training of Census Specialized Workforce (CSW) and facilitators who will in return train enumerators, supervisors, field supervisors,data Quality assistants and data quality managers.

L-R: INEC National Commissioners, Ukeagu Kenneth Nnamdi, Major Gen. A.B. Alkali, Mrs. May Agbamuchi-Mbu and Chairman of INEC, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, during the first daily briefing on the 2023 general Elections, at the International Conference Centre (ICC), yesterday in Abuja.

Photo: Mahmud Isa

Why tension is high ahead of Saturday’s presidential election - IPAC

By Ikechukwu Okaforadi

The Inter Party Advisory Council (IPAC) has said that winner takes all syndrome among politicians, where no room is given for losers in political contests, usually results in desperation to clinch powers at all cost by candidates and their supporters.

Addressing 2023 presidential candidates of various political parties at the International Conference Center (ICC) in Abuja, the Deputy National chairman of IPAC, Maxwell Mgbudem, cautioned politicians that no victory is worth the blood of any Nigerian.

“Election, as observed every four years, is a high level call to Civic obligations on Nigerian citizens, to make choices of leaders who will administer the country and spearhead the distribution of dividends of democracy to the people.

“Thus, the stakes are really high, especially against the background of an

Massive crowds welcome Lawan on campaign trail in Yobe North

By Musa Baba Adamu

The President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan was on Thursday received by massive crowds while on his campaign trail in Yobe North.

Lawan, who is the All Progressives Congress(APC) Senatorial candidate for Yobe North, witnessed similar reception on Wednesday while in Machina, Nguru and Karasuwa Local Government Areas of Yobe State.

On Thursday, Lawan’s first stop was at Yusufari in Yusufari Local Government where he was celebrated by party supporters and also their monarch, HRH Alhaji Mohammad Ibn Zannah Zakaria, who honoured him with the title of Walin Yusufari.

The Senate President urged the people to show their political strength in Yobe State by voting en masse for APC and particularly its Presidential candidate, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, his running mate, Senator Kashim Shettima, the Yobe State Governor who is going for his second term, Hon Mai Mala Buni and other candidates of the party.

From Yusufari, the campaign trail moved to Jakusko where party supporters also trooped out in their numbers and even danced along with the Senate President to a special campaign music in his honour.

Addressing the rally, the Senate President thanked the people of Jakusko for voting for him in 1999, 2003, 2007, 2011, 2015 and 2019.

The Senate President urged them this time around again to vote for APC from top down to bottom - Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Senator Kashim Shettima and all APC candidates.

He reminded them of the projects that he facilitated in the area like the Gasanu-Armshi- Gogaram road, solarpowered lights and boreholes, and youth employment opportunities.

Lawan assured them that the student scholarship scheme which he instituted will continue and also promised them a

entrenched zero sum political culture in our Nation; in which the winner takes it all. Distinguished leaders and elders, this can explain the tension and inflamed passion witnessed between candidates and their supporters ahead of this all important election”, Mgbudem said.

While pointing out that the essence of signing of the Peace Accord signifies collective resolve and commitment to ensure that the 2023 general election is bloodless, Mgbudem enjoined them to abide by the letters of the Oath they took.

To this end, the IPAC leader cautioned political gladiators and their army of supporters that no inflamed passion over high political stakes is worth setting the country on fire, adding that any consideration capable of causing wanton destruction of lives and properties should best be avoided.

According to him, “This is a moment to stop and reflect on what becomes of the nation, her citizens and our democracy,

if unquestionable fire erupts out of the electoral process when we instigate our followers to violence through our actions and inactions.

“It is therefore, on this premise that IPAC calls on politicians to play by the rules, de-escalate tension and embrace one another in peace, so as to instill the understanding that election is not a do or die affair among their supporters.”

He said the Peace Accord should not be seen as a mere ceremonial exercise of putting pen to the letters of oath, rather, it is an endorsement of a united and peaceful Nigeria, to which maximum commitment is required through peaceful conduct and utterances both during and after the elections.

At this juncture, Mgbudem, who is also the National Legal Adviser of Accord Party, commended the National Peace Committee (NPC) led by former Head of State, General Abdulsalami Abubakar, for the role the role of plays to ensure that politicians

campaigned based on issues and citizens are also allowed to vote for candidates of their choice peacefully.

“As IPAC appreciates your efforts and genuine commitment in our democratic journey, we wish to assure you that posterity will judge you kindly, especially given the role you have played over the years to encourage peace in our elections”, according to him.

In addition, IPAC called on INEC to ensure that a level playing field is provided to all political parties, adding “grievances and genuine concerns raised by any party or candidate must be addressed on time and no political party should be treated as more sacred than others, for this is a prelude to electoral violence.

“This election should not only be seen to have been conducted free and fair, but must be seen and judged as transparent and credible by every political party and their candidates, so as to inspire their acceptance and confidence.”

LR: Deputy D.G, APC PCC, Hadiza Bala Usman, FCT Minister of State, Dr Ramatu Tijjani Aliyu, FCT Minister, Malam Muhammad Musa Bello, APC Vice Presidential Candidate, Sen. Kashim Shettima, Deputy National Chairman (North) Sen. Abubakar Kyari, Ona of Abaji HRH Adamu Baba Yunusa and other FCT traditional rulers during the visit of Sen. Shettima to the FCT Council of Chiefs, yesterday in Abuja.

CDD, UK urges all presidential candidates, supporters to uphold to peace accord

By Abubakar Y Ojimaojo

The renowned think tank, Centre for Democracy and Development CDD and the United Kingdom foreign, commonwealth and Development office (FCDO) have urged all presidential candidates and their supporters to uphold the peace accords signed on 29th of September 2022 and the 22nd of February 2023, as well as to observe the Electoral Act...

CDD, also deployed a total of 4,993 trained and accredited observers, data clerks and fact-checkers, and social media monitors for both the presidential, legislative, and governorship elections, to assess the election.

According to the pre-election brief signed by the EAC Chair, Professor Adele Jinadu, and CDD Director, Idayat Hassan, all the political parties should ensure that their supporters adhere to the conditions laid out in the National Peace Accord through the voting process and after the announcement of results.

“INEC should continue to communicate regularly with Nigerians about the ongoing

election process and is as transparent as possible during the collation and announcement of results.

“The Inter-Agency Cnsultative Committee on Election Security must ensure that all security personnel on electoral duty adhere to the agreed code of conduct and rules of engagement”.

Speaking on fake news, he said “Social media companies should support the work of fact-checking organizations by promptly taking down digital content that promotes political disinformation or hate speech that relates to the election.

“Nigerian voters, and citizens in the diaspora, should critically assess information that they receive about the elections before sharing to help prevent the spread of malicious information about the elections.

“The government should ensure INEC and the security agencies have the necessary resources at their disposal to roll out their comprehensive plans for election day operations that ensure polls take place in a safe, free, and fair environment.

In his goodwill message, FCDO delegation to Nigeria, Chris Pycroft urged

all presidential candidates and their supporters to uphold the peace accords signed on the 29th of September 2022 and the 22nd of February 2023, as well as to observe the Electoral Act.

According to him, The UK strongly supports free fair, and peaceful elections in Nigeria and will continue to support the strengthening of democracy in Nigeria. He commended the Center for democracy and development on the elections Analysis Center, monitoring the integrity of these critically important elections.

He said, “The role of the election in 2019 cannot be overstated. It was critical in combating fake news and cross-examining media coverage of the elections.

“In this electoral cycle, the pervasiveness of fake news of myths and disinformation in the media has been disturbing. The elections Analysis Center and its experts need to leverage previous experience to address these worrying trends.

“Nigeria must go to the polls this weekend against the backdrop of security concerns in a challenging economic situation”.

Photo: Mahmud Isa

Killing LP senatorial candidate, supporters wicked, barbaricPeter Obi

By Christiana Ekpa

Labour Party Presidential Candidate, Peter Obi has condemned the killing of the party’s senatorial candidate for Enugu East, Oyibo Chukwu on Wednesday by yet to be identified gunmen.

Obi said the brutal killing of Chukwu and his supporters on Wednesday is “barbaric, inhuman and senseless.”

The Labour Party Presidential hopeful also says he was devastated by the killings and called on the security agencies and the Enugu State Government to do everything possible to fish out the killers of the LP members.

“I am shocked by this dastardly act a few hours to the National elections. There will never be any justification for taking human life”, Obi laments, making it clear that the activities of evil men like the killers of Chukwu do not represent the character of Igbos and Nigerians as a whole.

He appeals to everyone to join hands to defeat these evil men and women who are an insignificant part of peace loving Nigerians.

Obi urges people in the south east as well as election officials there not to be deterred or frightened away from participating in the forthcoming election.

He condoles with families of those killed and prays that God in His infinite mercies would grant their souls eternal rest.

Those against me helping my electoral victory – Senator Akpabio

By Musa Baba Adamu

The All Progressives Congress, APC, senatorial candidate for Akwa Ibom North West, Godswill Akpabio, said he is not perturbed by political leaders attacking him in the state.

Akpabio who stated this on Thursday in Abak during a consultative visit to Afe Annang, the highest socio-cultural organisation in Annang land said his antecedence would earn him victory at the polls and no level of blackmail would change his people’s minds.

One of the leaders in Ikot Ekpene senatorial district and a member of the APC Board of

Trustees (BoT), Chief Don Etiebet had at different fora asked Senator Akpabio to jettison his senatorial ambition otherwise he would ensure that he ‘fails the election.’

Etiebet, though an APC chieftain, had openly declared his support to Akpabio’s opponent in the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Emmanuel Enoidem on the ground that it is the turn of Abak 5 to produce a senator.

But Akpabio in the meeting said he does not need the endorsement of a lone leader but that of the people of the district whose votes would make him victorious and urged the royal father to caution their sons against opposing his candidacy and speaking ill of him.

He challenged Etiebet to

indicate how he improved the fortunes of the people as former Minister of Petroleum and contributed to the development of Akwa Ibom State.

“I want to say that all the blackmails [and] calumny sponsored against me and my candidacy is for my good. They will form a stepping stone to my victory,” Akpabio stated.

He further said: “You [Etiebet] were the Minister of Petroleum, tell me one local government you empowered or established NNPC, you did nothing and you call yourself a leader.”

The former Akwa Ibom State governor also berated his former commissioner and a contender in the race, Emmanuel Enoidem for

speaking against him, insisting that he created the platform for Enoidem to become politically relevant today.

According to him: “Ingratitude is a sin before God and for someone to open his mouth to say that “I didn’t work for you but for Akwa Ibom government” is ridiculous.”

Akpabio, while enumerating the myriads of development projects he executed as a governor and what he can attract to his people, urged the people to vote for Bola Ahmed Tinubu as president in Saturday’s election saying that Tinubu would make the best successor to President Muhammadu Buhari.

Deputy Director General APC PCC, Hadiza Bala Usman, FCT minister of State, Dr Ramatu Tijjani Aliyu, FCT Minister, Malam Muhammad Musa Bello, APC Vice Presidential Candidate Sen. Kashim Shettima and APC Deputy National Chairman (North) Sen. Abubalar Kyari during the visit of Sen. Shettima to the FCT to meet with the FCT Council of Chiefs, yesterday in Abuja.

Arewa group rallies northerners to vote enmass for Tinubu on Saturday

By Ikechukwu Okaforadi

Agroup known as Arewa New Agenda (ANA) has thrown its weight behind the aspiration of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the Presidential flag bearer of the governing All Progressives Congress, (APC), urging all northerners anywhere they may be in Nigeria to cast their vote for Tinubu to become Nigeria’s next President.

This position was made known during a press conference addressed by the Convener and Chairman of ANA, Sen. Ahmad Abubakar MoAllahyidi, in Abuja.

He titled his paper: “The North: Vanguard of Renewed Hope.”

The group said Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu presidency would consolidate the gains of Nigeria’s democracy.

“We make the case for supporting Asiwaju Ahmed Bola Tinubu; having him as President will consolidate and deepen the roots of shift in the political psychology of Nigerians, that is, rotating power between the North and the South. This promises to have long lasting benefit for national peace and stability, which in turn is necessary for any further socioeconomic progress.

“The quest for rotational presidency (Power shift) can be gleaned from happenings as far back as in 1980 when the country was struggling to adjust to the new federal character provision in the 1979 Constitution, many analysts argued that the formula discarded merit; but elders at that time posit that maintaining peaceful coexistence and sense of belonging in a plural society is the highest aspiration and goal of a nation, and there is no other consideration above that. This is very apt today as then, Power shift and federal character have combined to achieve the same psychological aims therefore, electing Asiwaju Tinubu with majority of Northern votes promises to achieve national peace in the short, medium and long term.”

ANA said it believes in the indivisibility of the Nigerian state, and in the promotion of unity among Nigerians for nation building, hence its support for Tinubu.

“Northerners appreciate the principles of reciprocity, fairness and corporate existence, where one leans his support to the other partner irrespective of his comparative advantages.

“Arewa New Agenda acknowledges that the south has

eminently qualified citizens with requisite capacity to be President of Nigeria at any given time; yet, they supported a northerner to become Nigerian president in (2015 and 2019) in the spirit of fairness to cite a simple example. It is therefore appropriate for the North to return the “same favor” in like manner today. The Arewa New Agenda continues to call on millions of her members and non-members alike to see the imperativeness of fairness and equity and cast their votes for Asiwaju Ahmed Bola Tinubu, because we have seen and touched what he has done, unlike the other presidential candidates that cannot say what they have done but what they will do.”

The group noted that not much will change in policy terms unless the politics changes. Change of politics at this time is power shift to the South.

According to ANA, “At this critical moment, Nigerians are gripped with the fear of uncertainty, un-patriotic elements continue to over-heat the polity causing anxiety, anger and stress; all sorts of negative permutations, fake news, incitements become the order of the day for “fifth columnists”. This state of affairs characterized

our electioneering processes in the last six election cycles; at each of these turns, the North will rise up and play the role of the vanguard of a renewed hope by bringing to bear on the electoral process its immense voting power to stabilize the polity by voting wisely for the benefit of the greater Nigeria. This time around the Arewa New Agenda expects no less and suffice it to say that it is more expedient now than ever in this digital Age.”

The group then presented the expectations of the North from Tinubu presidency.

“We are putting forward very strongly the priorities of what Arewa holds dear in Agriculture, Commerce, Transport, Housing, Education, Health, Livelihoods, Peace, Security and economic development. All these give voice to the masses of our people.

“Our objective in this endeavor, is to bring our people together, build bridges between urban and rural areas, bring closer the different point of views which exist in our region. The foregoing represents time honored values like tolerance, compassion, honesty, trust, and pride cherished in the north.”

ANA rejects in strong term the situation where some

presidential candidates made myriad promises in countless speeches, “one memorable utterance that stood out among the rest and which gives us concern is that seed of discord sown through fanning of ethnic, tribal and religious sentiments; some people want to benefit from divisive politics,” the group explained.

ANA Chairman also commended the patience and leadership equmen of Tinubu of knowing when to retreat when he was not getting the necessary dividends after assisting President Buhari to power in 2015.

“Finally, Tinubu deployed his position as the undisputed political leader of the West to bring the West into a major national political alliance that wrested federal power from a ruling party for the first time in Nigeria’s history in 2015. Although he did not reap political benefits commensurate with his contribution, he displayed unparalleled patience with the situation, when most other Nigerian politicians (Some of them are in this race) would have used that excuse to change parties as, other repeatedly did,” the group expantiated.

Photo: Mahmud Isa

You turned NASS to rubber stamp Assembly –Aisha Yesufu slams Lawan

By Christiana Ekpa

Popular Nigerian activist and social critic, Aisha Yesufu has attacked the President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan, for saying the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, allowed the Boko Haram insurgency to fester during its 16 years in power.

The social critic also said the All Progressives Congress, APC, had over seven years to tackle the insurgency but instead worsened it.

Yesufu expressed her feelings in a post via her verified Twitter handle on Wednesday.

The Senate President had while addressing the Presidential Campaign Rally of the ruling APC, which was held in Damaturu Yobe State, alleged PDP rally, allowed Boko Haram to fester.

Lawan’s statement was signed by his Special Adviser on Media, Ola Awoniyi.

He said, “When Boko Haram started in the northeast, in Borno state, the then leadership of PDP said it was not true. There was nothing like Boko Haram, and Boko Haram blossomed. Boko Haram flourished, and Boko Haram gained ground and took root.”

But reacting to the allegation by the Senate President, Yesufu said Lawan turned the National Assembly into “a rubber stamp Assembly”.

She wrote, “The Senate President who turned the National Assembly into a rubber stamp Assembly is accusing PDP when his own party has had over seven years to tackle the insurgency and have worsened it. Both APC and PDP are failed parties that should not be allowed into the corridors of power.”

Special Purpose Vehicle Allegation: Atiku demands apology from Tinubu

By Lateef Ibrahim, Abuja

The presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Alhaji Atiku

Abubakar has demanded for an unreserved apology from his counterpart in the All Progressives Congress (APC) Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu over the allegation of Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) saga.

Atiku, who made the demand through the spokesperson of his presidential campaign organisation, Mr Kola Ologbondiyan, also threatened to furnish Nigerians with a compendium of Tinubu’s alleged corrupt practices as well as the list of SPVs used by him to loot public funds in key government agencies.

He reminded the APC candidate of the age-long aphorism that those who dig pits for the innocent always fall into them.

According to him, “This is the case in the vexatious plots by Asiwaju Tinubu to divert attention from his litany of atrocities by seeking to impugn on the impeccable character of our candidate, Atiku Abubakar, with unfounded controversy of corruption”.

Atiku accused Tinubu of using one Michael Achimogu to blackmail him, stating that

.....Tells APC presidential candidate to quit race

“no matter how much falsehood appears to thrive, the truth will always prevail at the end of the day.

His words, “Tinubu has not only failed in this mission to tarnish the clean image of Atiku Abubakar but in the process also exposed himself as the real Mr. SPV.”

He listed a number of account Tinubu allegedly used to move huge sums of money from a domiciliary account to a firstgeneration bank in a three-day lodgment scheme.

The PDP Presidential flag bearer said the money was spilt and paid in bits and pieces of $30,000, $30,000, $35,000, $30,000 into a domiciliary account in a first-generation bank.

“Nigerians are now in the know of how tranches of $35,000, $71,000, $100,000, $30,000, $200,000, $300,000, $30,000, $70,000, $80,000, $70,000 and $30,000 were alleged to have been taken by Tinubu from different branches of the said first generation bank between February 4 to February 5, 2015.

“Nigerians now know of how Tinubu has been desperately trying to divert attention from his alleged use of ... companies he reportedly owned by proxy, to loot N100 billion tax money belonging

to Lagos State, since 2002.

“It is now in public domain how (the company), which has for over 20 years held the exclusive rights to collect taxes in Lagos State in return for a commission under very shady arrangements through which it reportedly siphoned billions of naira belonging to Lagos State.

“The public is now aware of a petition before an anti-corruption agency wherein Tinubu’s alleged SPV company was reported to have used another company which shares same address with Tinubu’s office on Idowu Taylor Street in Lagos to launder Lagos State funds.

“Documents sighted in one of the anti-corruption agencies reveals that Tinubu’s SPV allegedly laundered over N20 billion ($46.5 million) in different currencies to several companies, including payment of N1 billion ($2.3 million) to company that is widely known to belong to him.

“Bola Tinubu should come out clean and speak to these damning money laundering allegations against him.

“He should explain to Nigerians how billions of naira belonging to Lagos State and meant for the welfare of the people, reportedly found its way ... and ended in bits and pieces in

foreign currencies into domiciliary accounts allegedly owned by him in commercial banks.

“We also challenge Asiwaju Tinubu to explain to Nigerians how, as Lagos State governor, he awarded the exclusive right of tax collection in Lagos State to his alleged proxy company ... as well as the allegations that the SPV was used to steal over N100bn belonging to Lagos State.

“Furthermore, Nigerians are still awaiting the APC presidential candidate’s still has no explanation for his conviction and criminal forfeiture of $460,000 in a criminal case of trafficking in narcotic in the United States of America, for which under section 137 (1) (d) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), he is not eligible to contest election in Nigeria.

“Since Asiwaju Tinubu has on his own opened up on the allegations of corruption, our campaign is prepared to help him to fill the gaps he wants closed,” Atiku threatened.

He called on Tinubu to listen to the voice within and withdraw from the presidential race, adding that “if anyone is to be arrested and disqualified from the presidential race on account of corruption, certainly, that person is not Atiku Abubakar but Bola Tinubu.

2023 elections will hold – Kwara REC

By Musa Baba Adamu

The Resident Electoral Commissioner, REC, in Kwara State, Malam Attahiru Madami, on Wednesday declared that this year’s general elections will hold as scheduled.

He spoke at a lecture titled “Toward Peaceful 2023 General Elections” organized by the National League of Veteran Journalists, Kwara State Chapter, at the press centre of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, NUJ, in Ilorin.

He dismissed insinuations in some quarters with the impression that the impending general elections

may likely be cancelled due to the state of insecurity in some parts of the country.

Attahiru declared untrue reports making the rounds that the exercise may not hold, assuring that “the elections will hold as planned.”

He also revealed that the chieftains of political parties contesting the elections in the state have written to him pledging to abide by the rules in a bid to have a peaceful exercise in Kwara State.

Delivering the lecture, Barrister Yusuf Ola-Olu Ali, SAN, argued that for the conduct of peaceful general elections in the country, all stakeholders must be guided

by the Electoral Act and obey its provisions.

Yusuf Ali, who was represented by Barrister Ibn Haruna Mahmoud, said rather than resorting to violence, aggrieved parties must direct their grievances to the election tribunals to seek redress after the elections.

He also cautioned against vote buying which Section 36 of the Electoral Act frowns upon, describing it as a criminal offence.

Yusuf Ali noted that the Electoral Act is adequate to cater for complaints of aggrieved parties seeking redress after elections instead of adopting violence.

He stressed the need for the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to embark on voter and civic education of the electorate before the election, describing it as fundamental toward realizing a credible and peaceful general election.

Chairman of NALVEJ, Tunde Akanbi, in his speech, said with 45 days to the general elections, politicians and their supporters could have a positive change of mind to counter the erroneous belief that “it is either them or the elections will not hold.”

2023 elections: Every vote will count – Osun INEC REC, Agboke

By Ikechukwu Okaforadi

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Resident Electoral Commissioner for Osun, Dr Mutiu Agboke has assured that each vote will count.

He said that despite apprehension about security, the Commission is determined to go ahead with the general elections calling on all stakeholders to work for a free, fair and transparent election.

Agboke stated this during a sensitisation visit to the Ogunsua

of Modakeke, Oba Joseph Olubiyi Toriola on Wednesday.

The Osun INEC boss also maintained that the Commission has decided to carry along traditional rulers and chiefs in their locality.

According to him: “With the coming election, INEC has decided to include the kings and chiefs. We want the traditional institution to talk to the people and educate them on the election. Majority of the electorates still believe it is business as usual.”

He affirmed: “INEC is assuring that each vote will count. INEC

wants all people to come out and vote and they must have their PVCs. With BVAS each vote is assured of being counted. All the news about cancellation and postponement of the vote is not an issue. We want all stakeholders to work for a free, fair and transparent election. The uncollected PVCs must be collected as part of requirements for voting.”

Responding, the Ogunsua of Modakeke, Oba Joseph Olubiyi Toriola urged the Commission to ensure its machines are in working order to avoid complaints common among the electorate.

“The town has been talking to its people to ensure the election is peaceful and free from violence,” he concluded.

In a visit to the INEC local government offices in Ife North, Ife South, Ife Central, Ife East and Ife East Area Office, Modakeke, Agboke maintained that the visit is aimed at reminding the staff and members of the National Youth Service Corps, NYSC, that they have more work to do within this period.

He added that between now and February, INEC is going to be busy.

He warned: “Staff who don’t apply the rule will face the music. Staff should stick by the rules. The INEC chairman will not be happy seeing any staff being liable.

“INEC staff should be organized. INEC is ready because it knows that its staff are ready. We also expect performance and delivery on the INEC mandate.

“We would not tolerate any negative report. With BVAS in place, no staff can assist anybody during the election. You are advised to be in tune with the training and discharge your responsibility on election day.”

Naira falls at official market amid cash crunch

From Abubakar Y. Ojimaojo ABUJA

Naira fell slightly against the United States dollar at the Investors and Exporters window on Wednesday, a day after it recorded marginal gain at the spot market in the midst of currency scarcity across the country.

According to data posted on FMDQ website, where forex is officially traded, the local currency closed at ₦461.60 per $1 on Wednesday.

This implies a 0.06 per cent depreciation from N461.50 to a dollar it traded in the previous session on Tuesday.

The Naira which opened the day’s trading at N461:35 per $1, hit an intraday high of N446.00 and declined to a low of N462.01. The local unit eventually settled at N461.60 on Wednesday with $81.95 million posted as forex supply within the business period.

In recent weeks, the naira has moved within the range of N461.25 and N461.60 to a dollar at the authorised window.

The strongest rate the domestic currency has traded this week is the N461.50 per $1 dollar it exchanged Tuesday, the same rate it closed on Wednesday last week.

In Abuja, black market currency traders said the naira was exchanged at N760.00 to a dollar and sold at N765.00 on Wednesday.

In Uyo, currency dealers said the dollar exchanged within the range of N745.00 and N750.00 to a dollar and sold at N755.00 on Wednesday amid increased demand for the greenback.

Afreximbank’s FEDA acquires 5% stake in Geregu Power

From Abubakar Y. Ojimaojo ABUJA

The Fund for Export Development in Africa (FEDA) has acquired a 5 percent stake in Geregu Power Plc, an electricity-generating firm.

FEDA is the impact development unit of the Africa Export and Import Bank (Afreximbank).

Details of the acquisition were contained in a statement issued by Akinleye Olagbende, Geregu’s secretary, to the Nigerian Exchange Limited (NGX) on Wednesday.

In October 2022, Geregu Power Plc became the first electricity generation company (GenCo) to be listed on the main board of the NGX.

“The purchase of the shares was concluded today the 21st

of February 2023 with the purchase agreed in on the 21st of December 2022,” the statement reads.

Last year, FEDA announced that it received internal approvals to acquire a strategic minority stake in Geregu Power Plc, subject to satisfactory diligence and documentation.

The bank said as part of its intervention efforts in Africa’s energy sector, it made

NBS: Nigeria’s GDP growth dropped to 3.1% in 2022

From Abubakar Y. Ojimaojo

ABUJA

The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) says Nigeria’s annual gross domestic product (GDP) growth rate in 2022 stood at 3.10 percent, representing a decrease when compared to the 3.40 percent recorded in 2021.

NBS, in the GDP report released on Wednesday, said the performance of agriculture and industry reduced in 2022 relative to 2021.

However, the report noted that Nigeria’s GDP — driven by the service sector — grew by 3.52 percent in the fourth quarter (Q4) of 2022.

The figure represents a growth of 1.27 percentage points compared to the third quarter (Q3) of 2022, which stood at 2.25 percent.

The bureau said the service sector improved by 5.69 percent

and contributed 56.27 percent to the country’s GDP, while the agriculture sector underperformed, due to the flooding that rocked the nation last year.

“Although the agriculture sector grew by 2.05 percent in the reference period, its performance was significantly hampered by severe incidences of flood experienced across the country, accounting for lesser growth relative to the fourth quarter of 2021 which was 3.58 percent,” the bureau said.

“Moreover, the industry sector was yet challenged, recording -0.94 percent growth and contributing less to the aggregate GDP relative to the third quarter of 2022 and the fourth quarter of 2021.

“Overall, the annual GDP growth rate in 2022 stood at 3.10 percent, from the 3.40 percent reported in 2021.

“Thus, the performance of agriculture and industry reduced in 2022 relative to 2021, while the performance of the services sector improved in 2022.”

In the report, NBS said the oil sector contributed about 4.34 percent to the Q4 GDP growth, and 5.67 percent in the total annual GDP for 2022.

It linked the oil sector’s poor performance to the Nigeria’s dwindling oil production.

“The nation in the fourth quarter of 2022 recorded an average daily oil production of 1.34 million barrels per day (mbpd), lower than the daily average production of 1.50mbpds recorded in the same quarter of 2021 by 0.16mbpd and higher than the third quarter of 2022 production volume of 1.20mbpd by 0.14mbpd,” the report added.

“The real growth of the oil sector was -13.38 percent (year-on-year) in Q4 2022 indicating a decrease of 5.33 percent points relative to the rate recorded in the corresponding quarter of 2021.

“Growth increased by 9.29 percent points when compared to Q3 2022 which was -22.47 percent. On a quarter-on-quarter [basis], the oil sector recorded a growth rate of -14.93 percent in Q4 2022.

“The oil sector contributed 4.34 percent to the total real GDP in Q4 2022, down from the figures recorded in the corresponding period of 2021 and the preceding quarter, where it contributed 5.19 percent and 5.66 percent respectively.

“The total annual contribution of oil to aggregate GDP in 2022 was 5.67 percent”

On the other hand, the non-oil

a strategic decision to support leading energy platforms across Africa, including the renewable and transition fuels sectors.

Afreximbank added that it aims to support Geregu Power as a minority investor and work with the current owners and management team to drive the expansion of the business over the next few years.

sector grew by 4.4 percent in 2022 and contributed 95.66 percent to the Q4 growth rate.

The non-oil sector, which includes information and communication (telecommunication) sector topped the contribution, trade, agriculture (crop production), financial and insurance (financial institutions), manufacturing (food, beverage and tobacco), real estate and construction, and accounting, contributed positively to the GDP growth.

The sector’s contribution to the nation’s 2022 Q4 GDP figure is higher than the share recorded in the corresponding quarter of 2021 which was 94.81 percent and higher than Q3 2022 at 94.34 percent.

Meanwhile, on aggregate, 94.33 percent was contributed in 2022, higher than the 92.76 percent reported in 2021.

Speaker, House of Representatives, Rep. Femi Gbajabiamila (2nd left) with wife, Mrs. Salamatu Gbajabiamila (1st left) and others while presenting a key of a bus to a beneficiary of the faith-based organisations at the Gbajabiamila Empowerment Programme held at the Teslim Balogun Stadium, yesterday in Lagos.

Entrepreneur bemoans low patronage amid naira scarcity

FG announces preferred bidder for Zungeru hydropower plant concession

From Abubakar Y Ojimaojo ABUJA

From

Abubakar Y Ojimaojo ABUJA

Sanusi Dantata, an entrepreneur, has complained of a reduction in customers’ purchase of eggs.

In a tweet on Wednesday, Dantata attributed the low patronage to the poor implementation of naira redesign policy.

The naira redesign policy of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), which has been followed by scarcity of naira notes, has led to protests in parts of the country.

Peoples Daily had reported that the supreme court adjourned judgment in the suit challenging the naira redesign policy to March 3.

The entrepreneur, who is the son of Abdulkadir Dantata, late business tycoon, said his store produces about 500 crates of eggs every day.

He said that sales have drastically dropped despite accepting online cash transfers as well as old naira notes from customers.

Dantata also said the prices of the eggs have been slashed by more than 20 percent as a tactic to attract customers and boost sales.

“We all are suffering for the sins of a few!

Thanks to the naira redesign Policy, and subsequent downturn in economic activities, see how our eggs dey pile! Our store and floor are full. We must continue to Feed our Birds! Meanwhile, people aren’t buying! God will see us through!” the tweet reads.

“We accept transfer of course. We even accept Old Naira! The Naira Redesign Policy has created chaos in the economy, which you might have heard about. People aren’t buying stuff. Some are unable to buy stuff.”

The federal government has approved Mainstream Energy Solutions Limited (MESL) as the preferred bidder for the concession of the 700 megawatts Zungeru hydroelectric power plant.

Ibeh Chidi, head of public communications for the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE), in a statement on Wednesday, said MESL offered a concession fee of $70 million per year, for a period of 30 years.

“The national council on privatisation (NCP) has approved Mainstream Energy Solutions Limited (MESL) as the preferred

bidder for the concession of the Zungeru hydroelectric power plant (ZHPP) for a fee of $70,000,000.25 per year, for a period of 30 years,” the statement reads.

According to the statement, the council — chaired by VicePresident Yemi Osibanjo — gave the approval at its 2nd meeting in 2023, held on Tuesday, at the presidential villa, Abuja.

The council further directed BPE to commence the negotiations and execution of the concession agreement with the preferred bidder.

“MESL (the preferred bidder) scored 1,142 marks (94.3 percent) of the total 1,200 marks, thus surpassing the minimum

benchmark score of 75 percent of 1,200 marks, having offered the highest concession fee of $70,000,000.25 to beat Africa Plus Partners Nigeria Limited Consortium (APPNLC) which scored 742 points,” BPE said.

On June 30, 2021, the ministry of power granted an irreversible power of attorney to the BPE after the NCP approved the concession of the ZHPP on December 21, 2020.

Consequently, the BPE published the requests for qualifications (RfQ) for the concession of the power plant in three national newspapers on October 27, 2022, which at the close of the deadline, 11 firms submitted bids.

Three of them: Africa Plus Partners Nigeria Limited Consortium (APPNLC), Mainstream Energy Solutions Limited (MESL), and NorthSouth Power Consortium (NSP), prequalified for the deal.

In another development, the NCP has approved a scheme of external restructuring proposed by Kepco Energy Resources Nigeria Limited (KERNL), the core investor in Egbin Power Plant.

“The approval is to enable the entity to boost its capacity to raise the required capital to double the existing capacity of the plant to 2,640MW,” BPE said.

European Commission Bans TikTok On Official Devices

From Abubakar Y Ojimaojo ABUJA

The European Commission on Thursday banned TikTok on official devices used by staff amid concerns over data protection as the EU seeks to bolster its cybersecurity.

TikTok, whose parent company ByteDance is Chinese, has faced increasing Western scrutiny in recent months over fears about how much access Beijing has to user data.

The new ban also means European Commission staff cannot use the video-sharing app on personal devices including phones that have official EU communication apps installed. Employees must remove the app as soon as possible and should do so by March 15.

EU spokeswoman Sonya

Gospodinova said the corporate management board of the European Commission, the EU’s executive arm, had made the decision for security reasons.

“The measure aims to protect the Commission against cybersecurity threats and actions which may be exploited for cyberattacks against the corporate environment of the commission,” she said.

There was no immediate comment on whether other EU institutions such as the European Council, which represents member states, or the European Parliament would take similar measures.

After the news was made public, EU industry commissioner Thierry Breton pointed to the cybersecurity risks he said had informed the decision.

“As an institution, the

European Commission has, from the beginning of the mandate, a very strong focus on cybersecurity, protecting our colleagues and, of course, everyone who is working here in the Commission,” Breton told reporters.

A spokesperson for TikTok said it was “disappointed with this decision, which we believe to be misguided and based on fundamental misconceptions”.

In November, TikTok admitted some staff in China can access the data of European users.

The company however denies that the Chinese government has any control or access.

TikTok on Thursday stressed it protects the data of 125 million users monthly in the European Union on its app and was taking steps to strengthen data security.

“We’re continuing to enhance our approach to data security,

including by establishing three data centres in Europe to store user data locally; further reducing employee access to data; and minimising data flows outside of Europe,” the firm said.

The United States last year banned the app from federal government devices, and some US lawmakers are trying to prohibit TikTok from operating in the United States.

Last month, the Dutch government reportedly advised public officials to steer clear of the app over similar concerns.

TikTok chief executive Shou Zi Chew was in Brussels last month for talks with EU officials during which they warned TikTok to ensure the safety of European users’ data.

The company has said it is setting up centres in Europe to store user data locally and

has promised to further reduce employee access to data.

TikTok also promised last year to hold US users’ data in the United States to allay Washington’s concerns.

The European Union has taken a tough line on technology companies, passing two major laws to make sure social media platforms adhere to the bloc’s rules on digital issues.

The Digital Services Act (DSA) forces social media platforms, online marketplaces and search engines to react more quickly to remove content deemed in breach of EU regulations.

The other, the Digital Markets Act (DMA), prohibits anticompetitive behaviour by the so-called “gatekeepers” of the internet.

From left (front roll.. Chairman Vanguard media Mr Sam Amuka Peru, Emeritus Bishop of Abuja Cardinal John Onayikan Sultan of Sokoto, Sa’ad Mohammed Chairman National Peace Committee (NPC) and former Head of State, Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar; General Yakubu Gowon; President Muhammadu Buhari; former South African president, Oliver Tambo Mbeki; former Malawian president, Dr Joyce Banda and Secretary general of Commonwealth, Scotland Hon. Baroness Patricia with presidential candidates and their party chairmen during the signing of the 2nd National Peace Accord in preparation for the forthcoming general presidential elections, yesterday in Abuja. Photo: Mahmud Isa

Police, others to deploy 404,106 security personnel for general elections - IGP

By Egena Sunday Ode

No fewer than 404,106 personnel from police and other security agencies will be deployed for the conduct of the February 25 and March 11 elections in order to ensure peaceful conduct of the exercises.

The Inspector-General of Police, Usman Alkali Baba disclosed this on Thursday while appearing at the Ministerial Media Briefing organized by the Presidential Communications Team at the Presidential Villa, Abuja,

The IGP also disclosed that the security agencies are beaming their searchlight on one Simon Ekpa, who claims to be a member of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, and threatening that elections will not hold in the Southeast.

The police boss said all necessary protocols would be respected as he was inciting people from Finland which was outside the country.

He added the police would change the narrative by ensuring that people saw his action of declaring curfew and asking people not to vote in the Southeast as acts of incitement meant to destabilise the country.

It was reported that Ekpa, who resides in Finland and allegedly being sponsored by some external forces outside the Southeast and few miscreants within the zone are responsible for the continues lockdown of the economy through the so-called sit-at-home on Mondays and some other designated days.

the IGP said the threat made by Ekpa against conducting elections in Southeast was an attempt to destabilize the country.

He also said, out of the 404,106

security personnel, the police will be providing 310,973 personnel while the balance will be sourced from complementary security agencies in the country.

Baba also said other security outsides, besides the military and the Department of State Service (DSS), will compliment the efforts of the police with a total of 93,133 personnel, bringing all to 404, 106 personnel.

“Nigeria police will deploy 310,973 personnel for the elections security operations. This will comprise of the conventional policemen, the mobile policemen, the special counterterrorism unit, the special forces, intelligence response team and other sections of the police.

“The manpower requirement for this exercise will be complemented by the military and other security agencies. In this regard, aside the military and the DSS, other security agencies will contribute a total of 93,495 personnel for the election security operations.

“These include the Nigerian Security and Civil Defense, which will deploy, through the Police, 51,000 personnel; the Federal Road Safety Corps, 21,000; Nigerian Correctional Service 11,336; the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, 9,447; Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, 350, totaling 404,106 to police the elections.

“With this layout, a minimum of at least two personnel, drawn from the above agencies, will be jointly deployed to man each of the polling units across the country while the armed personnel will

secure the public space, INEC facilities, vulnerable locations, border areas, as well as undertake armed escort duties for INEC personnel, materials and local and international observers.

“We also expect the military to compliment this situation by providing armed protection to critical national assets, ensure that the enforcement of movements are curtailed through the blocking of exit points and entry points to various states, local governments and so forth”, he said.

The police boss said an intelligence unit had been put in place to track and apprehend those who might engage in vote buying and others who might want to disrupt the exercise.

“As part of efforts to address the menace of votes selling and buying, a special intelligence unit of the force has been constituted to clandestinely monitor the trend and work with EFCC, ICPC and INEC in identifying the network that may be involved in this illegality and apprehend them where possible.

“In addition, the unique technical intelligence assets of the force are also being deployed towards identifying adverse elements that may be planning to disrupt the process. Through this initiate, such elements will be identified real time, geo-located, isolated, arrested and brought to justice”, he said.

The police boss listed some threats against the conduct of the elections including fuel scarcity and cash squeeze but assured that the situation with both will stabilize before the commencement of the

exercise.

“We are very sure the situation of cash and petrol will stabilize before the conduct of the election,” he stated.

Alkali asserted that an intelligence unit is in place to track and apprehend those who may engage in vote buying and others who may want to disrupt the exercise.

On the red zones, he said, “The force has identified the following major crimes that could negatively impact on the peaceful Democratic trajectory.

“We looked at offenses like banditry and terrorism which is majorly located in the north east geo political zone, violent secessionist campaigns by elements of the Indigenous People of Biafra and the Eastern Security Network which has been targeting the symbols of democratic governance including INEC assets, police stations and personnel, military and other agencies as well as state government officials, and traditional institutions, all in an effort to attain or disrupt the 2023 general election.

“We also have this growing misguided activities of the Oduduwa nation agitators who from intelligent sources of late are attempting to also attempting to destabilize the situation.

“We have this issue of illegal small arms and light weapons trafficking which are being used to bring a lot of problems. We have issues including cyber crimes, cyber bullying, kidnapping and all sort.

“So, generally, the situation as it is against this background, the

focus of the force has been to up scale our operational activities to stabilize these situations in order to ensure that the election takes place.

“We have in place certain strategic operational and tactical measures to ensure a peaceful electioneering atmosphere in Nigeria.”

On what the police would do to address post election challenges and the preparation to ensure elections were held in Southeast and Northwest, the IGP said the force was ready with the use of minimum force, adding that “We are prepared to confront any situation that requires special intervention from simplest to violent ways of confronting rioters.”

The IGP absolved the police of any blame over low prosecution of electoral offenders, saying “the Electoral Act as amended gives us latitude to investigate but not to prosecute. We have done much but prosecution is very low”.

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.

•As FG beams searchlight on Simon Ekpa over sit-at-home order

IGP, Usman Alkali Baba

2023 Polls: FCT Minister charges residents to be peaceful, orderly Department

sensitises residents in Garki, Wuse

By Stanley Onyekwere

In continuation with its sensitisation of FCT residents on peaceful conduct during the fast approaching polls, the FCT Administration took its enlightenment train to residents in Garki, and Wuse districts of the Federal Capital City.

The week-long exercise, which commenced Monday, seeks to awaken the consciousness of residents on peaceful and orderly conduct before, during and after the polls, this Saturday, February 25, 2023.

The Director, FCT Department of Information and Communications Mr. Sule Hazat, who spoke through Deputy Director, Public Enlightenment in the Department, Mrs. Josie Mudasiru, notated that it was imperative to sensitise residents of the FCT concerning the forthcoming election, as the exercise can only be carried out successfully, in a peaceful condition and environment.

His words: “What we have come here to do is, to appeal to the people to go and cast their votes on Saturday, in a peaceful and orderly manner.

“There is every need for residents to eschew arguments and quarrels that could trigger violence, which undermines, smooth conduct of elections.

“As Nigerians, we must comport ourselves in an orderly and decent manner. Cast your vote quietly for candidates of your choice, without being compelled to, and refrain from compelling others.

“If you must wait for votes to be counted, then endeavour to stay at a safe distance. Let us all remember that after this election, we will still be together and there will still be one Nigeria”.

Reacting to the development, a panel beater inside Gwagwalada Motor Park, in Area One, Garki, Matthew Macaulay, said they have been praying daily for peaceful, free and fair polls and in just a matter of days, the election will hold.

He adds: “It is our desire that at the end, we will all elect a credible, God fearing and caring leader, that will take Nigeria out of the woods and restore her pride of place in the comity of nations, that are progressive and prosperous.”

“I told a young man yesterday, if he gets into a heated argument about who to vote for at the polls, and picks a fight and dies in the process, he will not live to tell the story, hence, there is no profit in being unruly and meddlesome during the election.

“Quietly, vote for the person that is in your heart, don’t say its APC, PDP or Labour party, vote for peace. Don’t go there to go and fight. With my PVC, I will make my statement on Saturday, and everyone else should do the same.

“I will vote the person that I love and know that can turn around the fortunes of Nigeria, because what we’re passing through now, is very distressing. I quite appreciate the efforts of the FCT Administration in sensitising us to embrace peace at the polls”.

It was observed that the sensitisation team moved from Gwagwalada Motor Park, in Area One to Wuse Market, before heading to Garki Market.

By Stanley Onyekwere

The FCT Minister, Malam Muhammad Musa Bello has charged residents of the nation’s capital to be of their best behaviour for the success of the 2023 elections in the FCT.

The Minister gave the charge in a message to residents on the 2023 general elections scheduled to take place across the country tomorrow, Saturday, February 25, 2023, according to a statement from Director Of Press, Office of the Minister, Anthony Ogunleye.

Bello urged residents to perform their civic duty of voting for candidates of their choice in a peaceful and orderly manner and respecting

all laid down electoral and security regulations.

He said: “I want to appeal to residents to be peaceful, law abiding and go out enmasse to cast your votes, because it is by your votes that you will determine who will represent you in the National Assembly.

“And I have no doubt that you will all make us proud by being disciplined and obey all regulations as set by INEC as well as the security agencies”.

He however, commended residents across all the political parties for their peaceful conduct and decorum during the electioneering campaigns over the past few months, saying that this was an indication that the culture of democracy has matured in the FCT.

“I want to commend all residents across

all political parties for tremendous decorum and peaceful electioneering campaign that has taken place over the last few months in the Federal Capital Territory.

“This has continued to show that democracy has matured in the FCT, where all contestants, irrespective of political party played by the rules and campaigned with decorum, discipline and above all with respect for one another”, he said.

While calling on residents to help further entrench the principles of democracy in the FCT, the Minister said: “So, everyone should go out, get accredited and vote for candidates of their choice. And by so doing, you will deepen democracy in the Federal Capital Territory”.

Former President of Kenya and Head of the African Union Observation Mission to Nigeria’s General Elections, Uhuru Kenyatta paid a courtesy visit to APC Presidential Candidate Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu at his Residence Asokoro Abuja.

Dev’t Control seal off 4-Storey building over landuse contravention

By Stanley Onyekwere

For allegedly deviating from approved original building plan approval Director of the FCT Development Control Department, Muktar Galadima has ordered immediate seal off of the entire site of a 4-storey commercial complex on Adetokumbo Ademola Crescent, Wuse 2 District.

The property located at plot number 965, Cadastral Zone A07 of Wuse, purportedly belonging to one George Ochekwu Ajonte was discovered to have abandoned its original approval for residential apartments and embarked on building a commercial complex without recourse to the authorities.

It was gathered these findings were made during inspection tour by officials of the Department, who expressed shock

that the construction site was filled with unregistered builders, supervising the infractions.

Galadima revealed that the building approval granted was specifically for a residential block of flats, but the developers illegally modified the plan, converting it to a commercial complex.

He explained that efforts had been made in the past to stop the illegal development, but the developers disobeyed all the stop work notices and went ahead with the illegalities.

According to him, the builders supervising the project would be reported to their professional bodies, while the site remained sealed until the right thing was done.

He said: “From what we have discovered, they want to add a sit-out floor, which will mean an additional load. That is why we are taking this

action, because when something happens, it is the authority that will be blamed.”

Explaining further, Deputy Director of the Department, Hauwa Tundunwada noted that the additional floor the developers were illegally constructing on top of the building was never part of the original plan, just like other infractions.

She added that the exercise would be carried out at other project sites to checkmate other illegal developments and ensure perpetrators are sanctioned accordingly.

Meanwhile, Ganiu Ademola, one of the supervisors, who claimed to be a graduate architect on the site, acknowledged that there had been a distortion from the original plan, but said the developers have the intention to seek variation approval from relevant agencies.

Florida TV journalist and child shot dead at scene of earlier murder

TV reporter Dylan Lyons, 24, and a nine-year-old girl have been fatally shot near Orlando, Florida, close to the scene of a murder that took place hours earlier.

A second reporter, Jesse Walden, and the girl’s mother were shot and injured by the same gunman, who is also suspected of the other homicide.

The journalists were covering the killing of a woman when the teenage suspect returned, police say.

It is unclear if they were targeted.

The suspect was armed when he was arrested and was not co-operating with police, said investigators.

The other two victims in Wednesday’s two attacks in Pine Hills, a suburb west of Orlando, have not yet been identified.

In a news conference, Orange County Sheriff John Mina said the journalists were “in or near their vehicle”, which he said did not look like a TV station’s official vehicle, when they were attacked at around 16:00 local time (22:00 GMT).

He said the Spectrum News 13 journalists had been reporting on a shooting that took place earlier in the day at around 11:00 local time, which saw a woman in her 20s fatally shot inside a car, when the suspect returned to the crime scene and opened fire.

After attacking the journalists, the alleged gunman - Keith Moses, 19 - went into a nearby home and shot the girl and her mother, the sheriff said.

The mother was in hospital in a critical condition, he added.

Other journalists nearby helped provide first aid to the victims, according to local reporters.

The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.View original tweet on Twitter

Spectrum 13 continued live coverage after the death of their reporter was announced.

Swedish police chief Mats Lofving found dead after inquiry

One of Sweden’s most senior police officers has been found dead at his home, in an incident described by police as “extremely tragic”.

Mats Lofving, who was Stockholm’s regional police chief, had just been investigated over decisions he made while allegedly in a relationship with the ex-head of police intelligence.

Police said they were alerted about an injured person in Norrkoping, 160km (100 miles) south-west of Stockholm.

His life could not be saved, they said.

A spokesman told Swedish media that police had begun a preliminary murder inquiry because the circumstances surrounding his death were still uncertain.

Hours earlier, an external investigation had found that Lofving, 61, who was also deputy national police chief, had a conflict of interest in some of the decisions he made relating to Linda Staaf, who was the intelligence chief at the police national operations department (Noa).

Ms Staaf has repeatedly maintained her relationship with Lofving was only ever superficial, and they were never close.

She was appointed intelligence chief in 2015, but Runar Viksten, the special investigator who led the review, found no evidence that she and Lofving were in a relationship at that time.

The police chief was involved in assigning her service weapon in 2020, extending her contract and raising her salary, and also giving her permission to write a crime novel.

While his decisions were neither incorrect nor undeserved, Lofving should not have made them, the investigator found.

Lofving told Sweden’s public

broadcaster on Wednesday that the conclusions had been hard to hear. The report had suggested he should either lose his role as police chief or leave the force completely.

Hours before news of his death emerged, Ms Staaf said she had been well qualified for her job and she felt vindicated as the investigation had concluded that decisions made about her had been right.

However, she felt the police authority could have given her greater support. Last December she told Swedish media that she had been the victim of a “smear campaign”.

Mr Viksten was about to enter a Swedish TV studio on Wednesday evening to discuss his findings but cancelled his interview when news emerged of the police chief’s death.

He told Swedish media his conclusions remained unchanged, but “repeating my criticism in a TV broadcast didn’t feel right. What’s happened is extremely tragic”.

The head of the police union, Katharina von Sydow, said Mats Lofving’s death was incredibly sad and that her thoughts went out to his family, friends and colleagues.

Greg Angel, a news presenter for the station, said the injured journalist had “been able to speak with investigators and colleagues”.

The suspect, Mr Mina said, “has a lengthy criminal history, to include gun charges, aggravated battery and assault with a deadly weapon, burglary and grand theft charges”.

He described him as an “acquaintance” of the woman shot in the morning, “but as far as we know, he had no connection to the reporters and no connection to the mother and the nine-year-old”.

Asked about the possibility that

the gunman purposefully targeted the reporters, Mr Mina said “it’s something we’ll be taking a look at”.

He added that it was also possible the suspect mistook the journalists for police.

A reporter for Orlando TV station WESH 2 reported that she and her camera operator had left the crime scene only moments before the shooting.

“We got a gut feeling” and decided to leave for their own safety, said Senait Gebregiorgis.

Charter Communications, the company that owns the TV station, released a statement calling the attack “a terrible tragedy for the Orlando community”.

“We are deeply saddened by the loss of our colleague and the other lives senselessly taken today,” the company said.

White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre tweeted condolences, saying: “Our hearts go out to the family of the journalist killed today and the crew member injured in Orange County, Florida, as well as the whole Spectrum News team.”

There were 40 journalists killed in 2022, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists. Only one of those killed was in the United States.

Alaska lawmaker censured for asking if fatal child abuse saved taxpayer money

An Alaska lawmaker has been censured after asking whether fatal child abuse could actually serve as a “benefit to society”.

Alaska’s House of Representatives voted 35-1 to censure Republican Rep. David Eastman on Wednesday.

Mr Eastman - who has a history of making controversial remarks - was the only dissenter.

His question arose during a Monday hearing where experts testified about the long-term effects of child abuse.

Mr Eastman asked the experts how they would respond to what he said was an argument that “in the case where child abuse is fatal, obviously it’s not good for the child, but it’s actually a benefit to society because there aren’t needs for government services and whatnot over the whole course of that child’s life?”

He added that some have made the argument the abuse could amount to a “cost savings” measure because the child would no longer need to rely on state government support.

“Did you say, ‘a benefit for society?’” responded Trevor Storrs, the president and CEO of the Alaska Children’s Trust.

“I’m not even sure how to answer that,” Mr Storrs said, adding that the loss of a child was “unmeasurable” to a family and society.

His remarks sparked a backlash on social media and among colleagues.

In introducing a measure to censure Mr Eastman, Alaskan Democratic Rep. Andrew Gray - who said he had adopted a child from foster care who previously suffered abusesaid Mr Eastman had brought “great shame on this house”.

“I would just say for me personally, my child is the greatest joy I’ve ever had - that there is no price tag on that,” he said while

choking up, according to the Anchorage Daily News.

Mr Eastman’s office did not respond to a request for comment, but during a hearing on his censure, the lawmaker denied he supported child abuse.

“The outrageous accusation that somehow I and members of my district support the extermination of people or support child abuse when I’ve staked my entire political career arguing for the opposite is not acceptable in this body,” he said.

Mr Eastman, who is from Wasilla, became the first Alaska House member in history to be censured over a separate incident in 2017, when he claimed some Alaskans tried to get pregnant to take advantage of travel funded by the US health care programme Medicaid for medically necessary abortions.

“You have individuals who are in villages and are glad to be pregnant, so that they can have an abortion because there’s a free trip to Anchorage involved,” he told Alaska Public Media at the time.

Source: BBC

Dylan Lyons, 24, was killed while covering a crime story

Mats Lofving was not found to have made incorrect decisions although there had been a conflict of interest

Rep. David Eastman asked if fatal child abuse could save taxpayer money during an Alaska House Judiciary hearing

Simon Ekpa: Nigeria’s IPOB faction leader arrested in Finland

Acontroversial leader of a Nigerian secessionist movement has been arrested at his home in Finland, the BBC has confirmed.

Simon Ekpa allegedly used social media to incite violence and called for a boycott of Saturday’s Nigerian poll.

He leads a faction within the Indigenous People of Biafra (Ipob), which is fighting for a breakaway state in south-eastern Nigeria.

Nigeria’s government had asked Finland to act against him.

A leading newspaper in Finland, Helsingin Sanomat, said that one of its reporters, who had gone to interview Mr Ekpa, saw him being led out of his home by police.

Mr Ekpa had called for a sit-at-home protest from 23 February until after the election.

In 2022, a BBC investigation identified Mr Ekpa as one of the “media warriors” of Ipob, who were allegedly using social media to call for violence.

He did not respond to BBC requests for comment at the time.

Mr Ekpa has declared that his group is “in a revolution and visible state of war”.

He had also called for a five-day sit-athome last December, warning that those who failed to comply should “blame” themselves “for whatsoever that happens” to them.

Source: BBC

2023 Polls: IPCR calls for peaceful conduct

By Ochiaka Ugwu

The Institute for Peace and Conflict Resolution (IPCR) calls on Nigerians to embrace peace and eschew violence ahead of the 2023 general elections.

In a statement released in Abuja Thursday by the Director Overseeing the Office of the Director-General, IPCR, Gabriel B. Jiya, Esq, it noted that this election is a defining moment in the political anal of the country because of the innovative commitment of the President and the Commander-in-Chief, Muhammadu Buhari in signing the new Electoral Act and the determination to bequeath to the nation a credible, peaceful, free and fair election.

According to the statement, “The Federal Government under the leadership of President Muhammadu Buhari has also called on the citizens to participate in the exercise as the state has put in place measures to ensure the security of lives and property.

“As a public agency, the Institute encourages political parties and their supporters to leverage on the goodwill of

the President and relevant state agencies in ensuring that the election is peaceful, credible and violence-free.

“The recurring attacks on INEC, security and other public facilities are condemnable as they pose imminent threat to the electoral process and our hard earned democracy. In guarding constitutional democracy, citizens must shun political thuggery, hate speeches, fake news and divisive utterances.

“The Institute commends INEC for the preparations and assurances to the, political parties, electorates and the international community. We are confident that INEC will sustain the commitment by ensuring that the innovations introduced will help foster neutrality, transparency, fairness, credibility and professionalism during the exercise.

“Furthermore, the Institute applauds the security agencies for containing the existing and emerging threats to peace and security in the country, especially Boko Haram/ISWAP terrorism, armed banditry and violent separatist agitations.

“They have also assured citizens of their readiness to ensure that the election

is violence-free and will deter criminal and other electoral malfeasances. The Institute urges the security agencies to maintain professionalism and non-partisanship in the discharge of their electoral duties.

“The IPCR encourages all Election Observers (domestic and international) to conduct their assignments in a way that will facilitate democratic consolidation, sustainable peacebuilding and good governance in Nigeria.

“As assured by the President, electorates should endeavor to exercise their civic rights and refrain from acts that would be inimical to the process as the outcome will be an added value to the processes of nation-building. We encourage political parties and their supporters to be modest and sensitive in the receiving the election outcomes as there are available constitutional platforms for seeking redress.

The Institute looks forward to a peaceful and violence-free election on Saturday, 25th February and Saturday, 11th March, 2023” the statement concluded.

Thomas Sankara’s widow boycotts reburial of African revolutionary

Burkina

Faso’s most famous revolutionary Thomas Sankara has been reburied in the capital by the military junta - despite his widow and children boycotting the funeral.

Sankara was laid to rest at the spot where he was assassinated in 1987.

His immediate family wanted the reburial at a site that would “appease hearts”, not at the “crime scene”.

The dispute is seen as unfortunate, as the funeral was aimed at honouring a man revered as a national hero.

Sankara was regarded as a pan-Africanist with a modest lifestyle who spoke out against neo-colonialism.

But his critics say his rule was also marked by human rights abuses and state repression.

His new grave is in front of an imposing statue of him at the Thomas Sankara Memorial Park in the capital, Ouagadougou.

Some of his relatives attended the funeral, but his widow, Mariam, and children were absent, AFP news agency reports.

In an earlier statement issued on behalf of the family, they said Sankara should have been laid to rest at a public garden or at the cemetery from where his body was exhumed in 2015 as part of investigations into his assassination.

“We believed and continue to believe that it is fundamental that a space be found that allows us to gather and appease hearts, and not divide us and increase resentment,” the statement said.

The military government said the site was chosen in the “national interest”, and because of “security imperatives”.

Sankara was Burkina Faso’s president when he was shot dead, along with 12 others, by a hit squad.

The assassination opened the way for his friend, Blaise Compaoré, to seize power in a coup. The 12 killed with him were also reburied in coffins draped in the national flag at a ceremony attended by the junta’s prime minister and other officials and dignitaries.

“We thank the authorities who took part in writing an important page of our history,” Reuters news agency quoted Sankara’s uncle Mousbila as saying. Compaoré was overthrown in a popular uprising in 2014, and was later sentenced in absentia to life in prison for complicity in Sankara’s assassination.

He is exiled in Ivory Coast, and denies involvement in the murder.

Burkina Faso has been in political turmoil since his overthrow, and the security situation has worsened as militant Islamists wage a brutal insurgency.

It has led to the military seizing power once again, but it has continued with efforts

to honour Sankara.

Many people are, however, disappointed that the junta and his family failed to reach agreement on his reburial.

They feel that 35 years after their hero’s killing, he should be left in peace.

Thomas Sankara’s widow boycotts reburial of African revolutionary

The reburial of the charismatic leader has taken place 35 years after his killing

Led By Donkeys paint Russian Embassy road in Ukrainian flag colours

Four people have been arrested after protesters painted the road outside the Russian Embassy in London in the colours of the Ukrainian flag.

Led by Donkeys covered a street in Kensington in yellow and blue paint ahead of the first anniversary of the war in Ukraine.

The group said it wanted to remind Russia’s president of Ukraine’s “right to selfdetermination”.

The Met Police said three men and one woman remained in custody.

Led by Donkeys, which began in 2018 as an anti-Brexit group, said it had poured 170 litres of yellow paint on the eastbound carriageway of Bayswater Road and a similar amount of

blue paint on the westbound side, with passing traffic then spreading the colours along the road.

Explaining the protest in a tweet, the group said: “Tomorrow is the first anniversary of Putin’s imperialist invasion of Ukraine, an independent state and a people with every right to selfdetermination.

“The existence of a massive Ukrainian flag outside his embassy in London will serve to remind him of that.”

The Met said officers had been called to the area at 08:45 GMT over reports of paint being thrown on the road.

It added the four people had been arrested on suspicion of criminal damage and obstructing the highway, and were all in custody.

Selfie image shows US pilot flying over Chinese ‘spy balloon’

TheUS Department of Defense has released an image taken by an airman as he flew over the Chinese balloon shot down earlier this month.

The selfie was taken from the cockpit of a U-2 spy plane as military leaders tracked the high-altitude balloon’s progress over the continental US.

Beijing has maintained that the balloon was a weather ship blown off course.

But Washington says the balloon was part of a sprawling Chinese intelligence collection programme.

As the balloon flew over US territory, at least two planes gathered information on its features and trajectory.

A senior State Department official said earlier this month that fly-bys revealed it “was capable of conducting signals intelligence collection operations”.

Officials first became aware of the balloon when it crossed into Alaskan airspace on 28 January.

Fighter jets belonging to the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) - a joint operation between the US and Canada - identified the foreign object, but the military did not shoot it down at the time.

Officials explained they could not shoot the balloon down over land because its size and likely debris field

posed a threat to civilians on the ground.

One defence official told US lawmakers earlier this month the balloon was as tall as the Statue of Liberty and had “a jetliner-size payload”.

The image released on Wednesday was taken the day before the balloon was shot down off the coast of South Carolina on 4 February. The photo has reportedly “gained legendary status” inside the Pentagon.

The balloon was said to be hovering at 60,000 feet (18,200m) in the air.

U-2 planes routinely fly at altitudes

Japan’s mystery ball removed from the beach

over 70,000 feet, according to the Air Force.

The single-seater reconnaissance and surveillance aircraft, nicknamed the Dragon Lady, were previously flown by the CIA. Pilots are required to wear full pressure suits similar to those worn by astronauts.

Recovery efforts for the balloon’s scattered remnants in the Atlantic Ocean ended last Friday.

Pieces of the debris, including its payload, have been recovered and are being studied, the Pentagon’s deputy press secretary Sabrina Singh said.

Lebanon central bank governor faces corruption charges

Lebanon’s central bank governor

Riad Salameh has been charged with money laundering, embezzlement and illicit enrichment, the state news agency says.

Public prosecutor Judge Raja Hamoush has also filed charges against Mr Salameh’s brother Raja and an adviser, according to the National News Agency.

The brothers deny any wrongdoing.

The judge’s move follows an 18-month investigation into allegations that they embezzled $300m (£249m) from the Banque du Liban between 2002 and 2015.

Riad Salameh - who has led the bank for 30 years - has faced intense scrutiny over his role in Lebanon’s economic collapse since 2019.

The country is experiencing one of the most severe and prolonged depressions the world has seen, with its currency losing more than 90% of its value against the dollar and the annual inflation rate soaring to 170% last year.

That has left more than 80% of the population living in poverty and struggling to afford food and medicine.

Before the crisis, Mr Salameh was widely praised for having kept the Lebanese pound stable and the banking system afloat despite years of political turmoil.

The National News Agency reported on Thursday that Judge Hamoush had charged Riad Salameh, Raja Salameh and his assistant Marianne Howayek with embezzling public funds, forgery, illicit enrichment, money laundering,

and violation of tax law.

It provided no further details, but said the judge had referred the case file to Beirut First Investigative Judge Charbel Bou Samra, “demanding that they be interrogated and that the necessary judicial warrants be issued against them”.

Riad Salameh told Reuters news agency in a text message that the charges were “not an indictment” and promised to co-operate with the judicial process.

“I am respectful of the laws and of the judicial system and will abide by the procedure, and as you know one is innocent till proven guilty by a court of law,” he wrote.

He has previously dismissed the accusations as part of an effort to make him a scapegoat for Lebanon’s economic collapse. Source: BBC

Ametal

sphere that washed up on a beach in Japan, perplexing locals and setting off widespread speculation, has been removed, according to local media.

Pictures showed a heavy lifting machine picking up the huge sphere.

Local officials in Hamamatsu said that it will be stored “for a certain period of time” then “disposed of”.

But many have also questioned why Japanese officials have not come out and clearly said what it is.

Interest in the object - dubbed “Godzilla egg”, “mooring buoy” and “from outer space” - started earlier this week after a local alerted police upon noticing the unusual object on the shore.

Police, and even a bomb squad, were sent to check out the object.

Authorities cordoned off the area and conducted X-ray exams which did not reveal much more - other than confirming the object was safe.

Now it has been removed.

“I think everyone in Hamamatsu City was worried and curious about what it was about, but I’m relieved that the work is over,” a local official told Japanese media.

Many also questioned on social media why Japanese officials have not explained what it is. Others have voiced embarrassment at the whole episode.

“I can’t believe officials from a country surrounded by ocean don’t recognise a ball buoy,” read one tweet.

“OMG! It’s a steel mooring buoy people. I’m embarrassed to be Japanese,” said another.

Hamamatsu’s local civil engineering office said it “considers it to be a foreign-made buoy”.

Prof Mark Inall, an oceanographer at the Scottish Association for Marine Science, said he knew what it was “instantly”.

“It’s very recognisable,” he told the BBC. “We use (them) to keep instruments floating in the ocean.”

They often wash up on the coast of Scotland, he added.

While Professor Inall said he

was surprised that the metal sphere was not identified more quickly, he acknowledged that the general public wouldn’t necessarily have known what it was.

“It could be confused for a World War 2 mine ... but those would have spikes sticking out of them,” he said.

He added that the objects can float in the ocean for decades, and can lose their markings and get rusty when they wash ashore.

The buoys can break free from their anchorage either in a violent storm or from being pulled by a big fishing vessel, Professor Inall said.

The Japanese authorities’ response to the metal sphere was as curious as the object itself.

The mysterious ball washed up amid a heightened sense of nervousness here. Last week Japanese media was discussing the ramifications of North Korea’s recent missile activity.

On Saturday an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) landed in Japan’s territorial waters. On Monday, North Korea fired two ballistic missiles into the Sea of Japan after the United States held joint exercises with East Asian allies.

There’s also the issue of China’s spy balloons. On Wednesday, Japanese and Chinese officials held security meetings in Tokyo for the first time in four years, where Japan expressed concern about the surveillance balloons.

Last week the government here said at least three unidentified flying objects spotted over its territorial skies between 2019 and 2021 were “strongly suspected” to have been Chinese.

Beijing denied allegations of espionage and urged Tokyo to stop following Washington’s lead in exaggerating Chinese threats.

Given this tense undercurrent of geopolitical events and perceived threats from its neighbours, the flurry of speculation in Japan is understandable.

“Given the recent events ... I could understand there’s an interest in an unidentified floating object,” Professor Inall said.

The selfie has reportedly achieved “legendary status” within the Pentagon

Issues

National Tier IV Data Centre: Towards boosting the Nigeria’s digitalization process

By Hassan Bashir Ibrahim

At the launch of the National Tier IV Data Centre located in Kano on 30 January, 2023 by President Muhammadu Buhari, it would have been most fit and proper to play “Save the Best for Last”, a song by American singer and actress Vanessa Williams, released in January 1992 as the third single from her second studio album.

Co-written by Philip E. Galdston/ Wendy Waldman-parker/Jon Lind, the title of the song derives from the idiomatic expression of keeping something appealing in reserve until the end or the final moment.

Isn’t that what is happening with the plethora of infrastructural projects being commissioned just a few months to the end of the Buhari administration that can put the sail out of some of the criticisms directed at it?

Those who are willing to credit the Buhari administration with significant achievements can’t help but recall the following lines from the song:

Just when I thought our chance had passed

You go and save the best for last

On the famous Ahmadu Bello Way, Nassarawa GRA, which is less than 2km to the Kano State Government House, the State’s seat of power, now stands a magnificent edifice whose launch attracted ministers of Power (Mr. Abubakar Aliyu) and that of Finance, Budget and Planning (Zainab Shamsuna Ahmed) and several other top Federal and Kano State Government functionaries and diplomats.

Also in attendance was the Chinese Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr Cui Jian Chun. So was the MD/CEO, Huawei Nigeria. In his remarks, the Chinese Ambassador applauded the collaboration of Nigeria and the Chinese government (through Huawei) in the area of Information technology development, disclosed a sustained working relationship with the government to build a global data system. He said 5,000 youths would be trained in ICT knowledge through the Chinese owned ICT firm, Huawei, to strengthen Nigeria’s cyberspace and data intelligence.

The Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Professor Isa Ali Ibrahim (Pantami), was the Chief Host. He and the MD/CEO of Galaxy Backbone Limited (GBB), Professor Muhammadu Bello Abubakar, were visibly elated to conduct the President and other dignitaries round the National Tier IV Data Centre.

Remarkably, the launch closely followed the commissioning by the President, last 20th December, 2022, of the National Shared Services Centre (NSSC), which was aptly christened Muhammadu Buhari National Shared Services Centre. The Centre, which

houses the TIER 3 Data storage facility, is expected to serve as a strategic and significantly important resource to stakeholder organizations in both the public and the private sector.

The TIER 4 Data storage facility is a major component of the phase 2 of the National Information Communications and Infrastructure Backbone (NICTIB) Project. It is strategically located in the city of Kano as a model of the envisioned full-fledged national Data Center concepts that support the Data Sovereignty aspirations of the Nigerian Government.

Following the activation of the NICTIB phase 2 project, in November of 2020, the final detailed design of the facility was embarked on and received the approval of stakeholders.

The Government of Kano State, in appreciation of the strategic impact of such proposed state-of-the-art facility, actively supported the project by duly allocating a befitting plot of land for its development.

If the strides that Nigeria has recorded during the Buhari administration are due, in part, to the appointment of the right man at the helm of affairs of the Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy, one of the master strokes was his assemblage of the right caliber of professionals to develop and implement the nation’s digital economy. Prominent among them has been the hardworking and resourceful Managing Director/CEO of Galaxy Backbone Limited.

One remarkable fact about the data centre project is the speed with which it was conceived and implemented – everything from detailed design to completion was nine months -- June 2021 to March 2022.

Speaking to the media on the event, the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, said the impetus for the multi-million-naira project was provided by the President who directed his ministry, in his words, “to complete the project as part of the National Information and Communication Technology Infrastructure Backbone (NICTIB 2).”

He explained the significance of the project: “There is no data centre above this in the whole world because tier four data centre is the best all over the world. That is why the reliability is 99.999% which is almost 100%. So, by implication, this is the best anywhere in the world.” He explained the significance of the project in terms of the fact that “You cannot build a knowledge-based economy without where to keep your data. The security, reliability, functionality and many more are key to the success of the data centre. Secondly, it will go a long way in supporting Nigeria to continue to consolidate its own digital economy because data centre is key to the digital economy. Thirdly, it will also support

our country to continue to diversify our economy. Number four, it will increase revenue for government. Number five, there are also many opportunities for job creation, both in private and public sectors. So, these are some of the benefits to be attained. And finally, it will improve our cybersecurity and cyber space.”

The CEO of Galaxy Bakcbone Limited, threw additional light on the project: “If you look at the trend, the trajectory is always moving forward, and that is what this data centre is also going to do. In some few years to come, you will see that we are going to have much more unprecedented achievements. Now, the producers of services and products will get a much easier link-up with the consumers and ultimately, the businesses will continue to flourish in multiple forms.”

“Following the activation of the NICTIB Phase-2 project by November of 2020, the final detailed design of the facility was embarked on and received the approval of stakeholders for the project that covers north of Nigeria and some southern parts of the country.”

Its facilities comprise a 600 sqm tier 4 data center with capacity of 46 rack cabinets and fully equipped data centre infrastructure including cloud of 2.2PB storage capacity, 6,144vCPUs and 9TB memory; a regional office building of three floors, with private and open office spaces; a Network Operations Center; training facilities; meeting rooms; and a colocation room occupying 900 sqm of space.

The centre has power systems comprising a 33KVA utility source, dedicated transformers and two backup generators.

The benefits of the centre are

immense. In addition to providing full backup services for the primary Data Center facility in Abuja, it ensures fullfledged service availability that allows for independent operation and national cloud computing service delivery.

It is providing full backup services for the primary Data Center facility in Abuja that allows for independent operation and regional cloud computing service delivery. Its containerized design provides for high scalability.

This facility is available to both government and its agencies and private sector organizations looking to leverage the reliable infrastructure in providing services to their own clients.

The GBB CEO said the Kano Data Centre will offer an enabling environment for ease of doing business to boost Nigeria’s GDP. He puts the data centre projects in perspective: “The Information technology space is huge. The interesting thing about this industry locally and globally is its fast pace of evolution and transformation. As customer requirements expand, the potential and possibilities of this industry that now powers all industries expand, too. As an organization that is fully aware of the reality that it cannot be everything or all things to its numerous customers and stakeholders, Galaxy Backbone (GBB) has chosen to focus on one area that can help create the platform for other local ICT companies, Original Equipment Manufacturers and organizations from the private and public sector dealing with a lot of data.”

Indeed, Mr. President has saved the best for the last in the very critical communications and digital economy sector!

* Ibrahim is a contributor

Professor Muhammadu Bello Abubakar, Managing Director/CEO, Galaxy Backbone Limited

Feature

Why Nikki Haley thinks she can beat Trump in Republican race

Nikki Haley, the first candidate to challenge Donald Trump for the Republican presidential nomination, held her first campaign event in Charleston, South Carolina, on Wednesday.

Hundreds of her supporters packed into a covered outdoor venue in central Charleston known as “the Shed”.

It’s usually a site for weddings and live music, but on this day it was decked out in patriotic splendour, lined with red-whiteand-blue bunting, an American flag over the stage and twin South Carolina palmetto and crescent moon state banners flanking a giant “Nikki Haley” sign.

A mix of ‘70s soul and rock classics belted out of loudspeakers before Ms Haley - who was born in in 1972 - made her appearance.

She’s hoping that these supporters, and Republicans across the country, are looking for something different in a candidate - a different direction and a different look. The question is, can she pull it off?

Why she thinks she can win

She’s good at elections

The first thing to know about Nikki Haley is she has never lost a race for office. It’s a remarkable streak that will be put to the test in her quest for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination.

Her opponents underestimate her at their own peril, says Dave Wilson, president of the Palmetto Family Council, a South Carolinabased evangelical Christian group. He saw it firsthand during her first campaign 19 years ago.

“Few people understand how well Nikki Haley does retail politics,” he said. “Nikki would sit there and hand out doughnuts at the entrance to neighbourhoods. She’d put on a pair of jeans and a pair of boots and go to the biker bar and sit there and talk with them.”

Retail politics will come in handy in places like Iowa and New Hampshire, the two states that hold votes before South Carolina on the Republican nomination calendar.

Strong track record

Another of Ms Haley’s strengths is her CV, which at this point in her career is fairly wellrounded.

She gained national prominence in 2015 when she successfully pushed to have the Confederate flag removed from the

state capitol in Columbia after a racially motivated mass shooting at a black church.

It was a decision that played well with the state’s business leaders, who feared growing boycotts and negative publicity over the flag’s presence.

“It was the right moment. It was the right time,” Mr Wilson said. “She was a strong personality to make those things happen. Nikki Haley worked really hard to get businesses to come to South Carolina, and she bucked up against the good old boy system.”

Although Ms Haley originally supported others in the 2016 Republican race, she backed Mr Trump in the general election - and became his pick for UN ambassador after he won.

The Cabinet-level position allowed Ms Haley to develop her foreign policy credentials. While in the UN she advanced the Trump administration’s pro-Israel stance and was an outspoken critic of Iran.

“China’s dictators want to cover the world in communist tyranny, and we are the only ones who can stop this,” she said at her Charleston rally. “But we won’t win the fight for the 21st Century if we keep trusting politicians from the 20th Century.”

Youth and diversity

At 51, she is significantly younger than Mr Trump and her potential Democratic opponent, Joe Biden.

In 2010, she was the youngest governor in the nation as well as the first woman and the first person of colour to lead South Carolina.

In the past, Ms Haley has cited Hillary Clinton’s presidential campaign in 2008 as inspiring her to get involved in politics.

She’s a different kind of Republican politician at a time when Republicans might be looking for something different.

“I think we need a new candidate, and I think that we need a female in there to tell these men how to do things just the right way,” said Suzie Vahala, a Haley supporter from nearby Mt Pleasant who attended the campaign event. She says that she supported Mr Trump in past campaigns, but the party needs to move in a different direction in 2024.

“He just needs to be quiet,” she added. “He can’t shut his mouth.”

Not being too Trumpy

Among Ms Haley’s supporters,

a change of tenor and direction from Mr Trump could be exactly what they want.

In a recent poll by South Carolina Policy Council, a conservative think tank, half of the respondents who had a “very positive” view of Donald Trump don’t want him to run and don’t think he can win.

“They’re tired of the chaos or they don’t think other people will vote for him,” said Dallas Woodhouse, executive director of the council. “So I think there’s an opportunity in South Carolina and other places for Governor Haley.”

Why she might struggle

Enemies on the right

If Ms Haley has the kind of CV suited for presidential success in theory, reality presents a much cloudier picture.

The former ambassador’s hard line on China may be in step with Republican voters, but her views on Vladimir Putin and Russia have resulted in her being branded a warmonger by some on the right.

“Nikki Haley is a cheerleader for the military industrial complex,” Charlie Kirk, founder of the conservative youth group Turning Point USA, said on his radio programme.

Neither does Ms Haley doesn’t lean heavily into culture war issues that are popular among the conservative base, regular topics on right-wing media and frequent talking points for both Mr Trump and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, another potential presidential candidate.

Donald Trump

Her biggest obstacle, however, may be her former boss - the man who continues to lead many 2024 Republican polls.

Ms Haley has had a complicated relationship with him. She was one of the few early Cabinet-level officials to receive a warm send-off from the president.

She criticised him after he contested the 2020 election results

and his supporters attacked the US Capitol, but a few months later, she said she would not oppose him if he ran for president again. Then she began a steady march towards launching her campaign.

In her announcement video and during her 26-minute campaign speech in Charleston, she did not mention the former president by name once - although she occasionally talked around him. Source: BBC

A rally in Charleston kicked off Nikki Haley’s campaign

Supporter Ken Yasger waits in line in Charleston

I think we need a new candidate, and I think that we need a female in there to tell these men how to do things just the right way,” said Suzie Vahala, a Haley supporter from nearby Mt Pleasant who attended the campaign event. She says that she supported Mr Trump in past campaigns, but the party needs to move in a different direction in 2024.

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REALWAY EVANGELICAL MINISTRY INTERNATIONAL

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. MUSA LUKA AMITSEH. - CHAIRMAN

2. TIKWE MARK - SECRETARY

3. MANJA MARTIN AGGREY

4. BOYI DANIEL ANDEYATSO

5. HELEN MUSA LUKA.

THE AIMS AND OBJECTIVES ARE :

1.TO BRING HUMANITY CLOSER TO GOD THROUGH TEACHING AND PREACHING BIBLE.

ANY OBJECTION TO THIS REGISTRATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR-GENERAL, CORPORATEAFFAIRS COMMISSION, PLOT 420, TIGRIS CRESCENT , OFF AGUIYI IRONSI STREET , MAITAMA , ABUJA WITHIN 28DAYS OF THIS PUBLICATION.

SIGNED : CHAIRMAN

AL- NAHL COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVE

OLORUNTOBI IBIGBEMI FOUNDATION FOR THE LESS PRIVILEGED

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 IBIGBEMI OLORUNTOBI

2.IBIGBEMI SEUN SAMUEL

3.IBIGBEMI ABIGAIL

4.MUSA DANIEL

5.MUFTAUDEEN YUSUFF OLATUNJI

THE AIMS AND OBJECTIVES ARE : TO PROVIDE MATERIAL AND FINANCIAL SUPPORT TO REDUCE THE NUMBER OF OUT OF SCHOOL CHILDREN IN NIGERIA AND TO ENSURE THE IMPROVEMENT OF CHILDREN ENROLLMENT IN SCHOOLS ACROSS NIGERIA.

ANY OBJECTION TO THIS REGISTRATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR-GENERAL, CORPORATEAFFAIRS COMMISSION, PLOT 420, TIGRIS CRESCENT , OFF AGUIYI IRONSI STREET , MAITAMA , ABUJA WITHIN 28DAYS OF THIS PUBLICATION. SIGNED : SECRETARY.

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APOSTLE SOLOMON EMPOWERMENT FOUNDATION JALINGO

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THE TRUSTEES ARE :

1. ALFORD SOLOMON GANGWON. - CHAIRMAN

2. APWENRIKWEN ANDENYANGTSO SAMAILA - SECRETARY

3. SAIDU QUEEN

4. TANIMU SULE ITSON

5. BENJAMIN SHATU.

THE AIMS AND OBJECTIVES ARE :

1.TO ASSIST NEEDY AND LESS PRIVILEGED

ANY OBJECTION TO THIS REGISTRATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR-GENERAL, CORPORATEAFFAIRS COMMISSION, PLOT 420, TIGRIS CRESCENT , OFF AGUIYI IRONSI STREET , MAITAMA , ABUJA WITHIN 28DAYS OF THIS PUBLICATION.

SIGNED : CHAIRMAN

PUBLIC NOTICE

OZOR - UDEGBUNEM CHARITY FOUNDATION

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. CHIEF LIVINUS C. OHAGWU. - CHAIRMAN

2. OZOR - UDEGBUNEM UMEAYOR OLIVER. - SECRETARY

3. NKOMADU FRANCIS

4. NNABERG JAMES P.

5. NKOMADU PRINCE JAMES NNABUENYI

6. NKOMADU SERGIUS NDUBUEZE

THE AIMS AND OBJECTIVES ARE :

1.TO ASSIST NEEDY AND LESS PRIVILEGED.

ANY OBJECTION TO THIS REGISTRATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR-GENERAL, CORPORATEAFFAIRS COMMISSION, PLOT 420, TIGRIS CRESCENT , OFF AGUIYI IRONSI STREET , MAITAMA , ABUJA WITHIN 28DAYS OF THIS PUBLICATION.

SIGNED : CHAIRMAN

RAYMOND AKAM CHARITY FOUNDATION

THE GENERAL PUBLIC IS HEREBY NOTIFIED THAT THE ABOVE NAMED ORGANIZATION HAS APPLIED TO THE CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION ABUJA, FOR REGISTRATION UNDER PART C OF THE COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT. 2020.

TRUSTEES

1. AKAM RAYMOND MOSHE

2. AKAM ROSEMARY MANYA

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES

1. TO EMPOWER YOUTH, ORPHANS AND HANDICAPS BECOMES LEADERS WITH SKILLS AND CONFIDENCE TO ACTIVELY DEVELOP POSITIVE CHANGE.

2. TO EMPOWER THE LESS PRIVILEGE AND TO RENDER CHARITY AND HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE.

3. TO PROVIDE TECHNICAL TRAINING, CRAFT AND SKILLS ACQUISITION TO YOUTH, WOMEN, ORPHANS, LESS PRIVILEGE, WIDOWS AND DESTITUTE.

4. TO PROTECT CHILD TRAFFICKING AND ABUSE PROTECTING THE RIGHT OF WOMEN AND CHILDREN.

5. TO FOSTER GOOD HARMONOUS RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN MEMBERS OF THE FORUM BY ASSISTING EACH OTHER IN TIMES OF NEED.

6. GIVING FIRST AID TO ORTHOPEDIC VICTIM.

ANY OBJECTION TO THE REGISTRATIONS SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR, CORPORATEAFFAIRS COMMISSION, PLOT420,TIGRIS CRESCENT, OFF AGUIYI IRONSI STREET, MAITAMA, PMB 198 GARKI ABUJA WITHIN 28 DAYS FROM THE DATE OF THIS PUBLICATION.

SIGNED: SECRETARY

PUBLIC NOTICE

GOVERNMENT COMPREHENSIVE SECONDARY SCHOOL BOROKIRI, CLASS 81 OLD BOYS ASSOCIATION

THE GENERAL PUBLIC IS HEREBY NOTIFIED THAT THE ABOVE NAMED ORGANIZATION HAS APPLIED TO THE CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION ABUJA, FOR REGISTRATION UNDER PART C OF THE COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT. 2020.

TRUSTEES

1. GREEN, BARR. CHRISTOPHER - (CHAIRMAN)

2. KIOLAWSON DATOM - (SECRETARY)

3. WILLS, INIRUO

4. ALABOSON, COLLINS DEINGIKUMO

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES

(A) TO FOSTER UNITY AND UNDERSTANDING AMONG MEMBERS.

(B) TO INITIATE PROGRAMMES OR ACTIVITIES NECESSARY TO MAINTAIN PROMOTE AND ENCOURAGE THE WELFARE OF MEMBERS.

(C) TO SUPPORT THE GENERAL DEVELOPMENT AND UPLIFTMENT OF OUR ALMA MATER SO AS TO ACHIEVE A COMMON GOAL IN THE PURSUIT OF CORPORATE AND EDUCATIONAL EXCELLENCE FOR OUR ALMA MATER.

(D) TO ENGAGE IN SUCH ACTIVITIES AS THE CLASS MAY DEEM FIT IN ORDER TO PROMOTE ALL OR ANY OF THE ABOVE IDEALS. ANY OBJECTION TO THE REGISTRATIONS SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR, CORPORATEAFFAIRS COMMISSION, PLOT420,TIGRIS CRESCENT, OFF AGUIYI IRONSI STREET, MAITAMA, PMB 198 GARKI ABUJA WITHIN 28 DAYS FROM THE DATE OF THIS PUBLICATION.

SIGNED: SECRETARY

PUBLIC NOTICE

GLORY EWALEFOH FOUNDATIONS

THE GENERAL PUBLIC IS HEREBY NOTIFIED THAT THE ABOVE NAMED ORGANIZATION HAS APPLIED TO THE CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION ABUJA, FOR REGISTRATION UNDER PART C OF THE COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT. 2020.

TRUSTEES

(

1) GLORY EWALEFOH. CHAIRMAN.

(2) ESTHER OKPETE -SECRETARY .

(3). TSOLA OMATSOLA TAWIAH ORITSEJAFO

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES

1. TO PROVIDE ACCESS TO QUALITY TERTIARY EDUCATION FOR UNDER PRIVILEGED CHILDREN

2. TO PROVIDE DEPRIVED YOUNG PEOPLE WITH THE POWER TO EARN A REGULAR AND DECENT LIVELIHOOD BY GIVING THEM ACCESS TO TERTIARY EDUCATION

3. TO INTEGRATE CHILDREN WHO ARE MARGINALIZED BY POVERTY AND LACK OF EDUCATION INTO MAINSTREAM SOCIETY THROUGH WORK PLACEMENTS AND OTHER PROGRAMS.

4. TOASSIST IN THE PROCESS OF SOCIAL INTEGRATION TO UNDERPRIVILEGED

YOUNG PEOPLE INTO THE SOCIETY

5. FACILITATING VOCATIONAL TRAINING TO THE YOUNG ADULTS TO REDUCE THEIR SKILL GAP WHICH WILL HELP THEM IN EITHER GETTING EMPLOYED OR START THEIR OWN ENTERPRISE.

ANY OBJECTION TO THE REGISTRATIONS SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR, CORPORATEAFFAIRS COMMISSION, PLOT420,TIGRIS CRESCENT, OFF AGUIYI IRONSI STREET, MAITAMA, PMB 198 GARKI ABUJA WITHIN 28 DAYS FROM THE DATE OF THIS PUBLICATION.

SIGNED: MADUAKOLAM IGWE ESQ.

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

UMAR

I, FORMALLY KNOWN AS UMAR MUHAMMED NOW WISH TO BE KNOWN AND ADDRESSED AS UMAR ADAMU. ALL DOCUMENTS REMAIN VALID. ALL AUTHORITIES CONCERNED AND GENERAL PUBLIC PLEASE TAKE NOTE.

HAUWA

I, FORMERLY KNOWN AS HAUWAU ALIYU MUHAMMAD. NOW WISH TO BE KNOWN AS HAUWA TUKUR ALI. ALL FORMER DOCUMENTS REMAIN VALID. ALL AUTHORITIES CONCERNED AND GENERAL PUBLIC PLEASE TAKE NOTE.

NKECHI

I, FORMERLY KNOWN AS NKECHI JOVITA MADUFOR. NOW WISH TO BE KNOWN AS NKECHI JOVITA ADIOHA. ALL FORMER DOCUMENTS REMAIN VALID. ALL AUTHORITIES CONCERNED AND GENERAL PUBLIC PLEASE TAKE NOTE.

JIBRIN

I, FORMERLY KNOWN AS USMAN FATIMA WITH THE DATE OF BIRTH 08/01/1987 NOW WISH TO BE KNOWN AND ADDRESSED AS JIBRIN FATIMA WITH THE CORRECT DATE OF BIRTH 20/08/1988. ALL FOR DOCUMENTS REMAIN VALID. THE GENERAL PUBLIC TAKE NOTE.

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. EBAH JAMES PATRICK - CHAIRMAN

2. ENWERE FRANCIS NNAMAKA - TRUSTEE/SECRATARY

3. ADEYEMI OLUWABUKOLA MOSES

THE AIMS AND OBJECTIVES ARE :

1. TO IMPROVE THE STATE OF THE MEDICAL SERVICE, ENVIRONMENTAL STABILITY, IMPROVING THE WELFARE OF THE UNDERPRIVILEGED AND DISADVANTAGED BY PROVIDING MEDICAL AND SOCIAL SERVICES THAT WILL HELP REDUCE DISEASES PREVALENT IN URBAN AND RURAL AREAS. ANY OBJECTION TO THIS REGISTRATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR-GENERAL, CORPORATEAFFAIRS 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 OF THE LOSS OF ORIGINAL RIGHT OF OCCUPANCY (R OF O) IN RESPECT OF PLOT NO. 1069, FILE NO. BN 11019, DAPE DISTRICT CADASTRAL ZONE CO4, FCT ABUJA. BEARING ODE OLUJIMI ADEKA.

ALL EFFORTS MADE TO TRACE THE MISSING DOCUMENTS PROVE ABORTIVE. PLEASE THEAGIS, FEDERAL CAPITALTERRITORYADMINISTRATION (FCTA) AND THE GENERAL PUBLIC SHOULD TAKE NOTE.

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. LUCKSLEY INDI IGENEGBAI (CHAIRMAN)

2. KATE MODUPE FALANA (SECRETARY)

THE AIMS AND OBJECTIVES ARE :

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.

RAIN OF PRAYER ASSEMBLY

PATNAB HEALTH INITIATIVE

TREASURE MINDS CLUB

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 2023

Christian Atsu’s two pairs of shoes found, his club not helping in rescue Him - Agent

By Amaechi Agbo

Ghana football star, Christian Atsu’s two pairs of shoes have been found but the player is still missing 10 days after a 7.8 magnitude earthquake hit Turkey killing thousand of persons.

Atsu agent, Nana Sechere in an official statement on Tuesday accused his club Hatayspor of Turkey of not doing enough in rescue effort to pull the player out of the rubble.

Mr Sechere who said that his room has been located and two pairs of shoes found, added that rescue efforts have been slow due to lack of resources.

“We’ve been able to locate Atsu’s exact room location, and we have found two pairs of his shoes.

“We received confirmation that thermal imagery was showing signs of up to 5 lives,however, real confirmation of life is through sight,smell and sound.”

“Things are moving incredibly slow and as a result of that many rescues are being delayed, and lives are being lost due to the lack of resources available to the workers.

“It is unfortunate that the club is not on the ground with us, side by side, in the search for Atsu”.

“Their position and influence, accompanied with their local knowledge would be extremely helpful. We implore the President of the club and mayor of Hatay, Lütfü Savaş to provide additional resources to speed up the rescue efforts as a priority”, the statement read.

Over 33, 000 persons have been confirmed dead from the earthquake that hit Turkey and Syria on Monday last week.

Atsu’s wife, Marie-Claire Rupio, said she still prays and believes Atsu is alive.

“He is still trapped under the rubble, but the problem is they don’t have the necessary equipment needed to get them out.

“So he is still missing, and they don’t know where he is.”

“I still pray and believe he’s alive.”

Atsu scored the only goal in his “last” match on Sunday, February 5 as Hatayspor defeated

Kasımpaşa 1-0 in the Turkey League

The 31-year-old has won 65 caps for Ghana national and joined Hatayspor last September after a season with Saudi Arabian team, Al-Raed.

Medical and Anti Doping Training will Reduce Doping Temptations by Athletes, Coaches - Rugby President

President of Nigeria Rugby Football federation, Dr Ademola Are has itemised the benefits of forthcoming level 1 medical and Anti -Doping training course in conjunction with Sports and Youth Development Academy, SYDA and African Sport Connect, ASC

The president while speaking to media in

Abuja said Rugby is a contact sports so the tendency to want to be fit at all time is there which may lead to taking of substance that is banned by international rugby federation.

‘we want to be proactive by not allowing anything to derail us,our medical personnel and athletes must be in tip top shape physically and psychologically’.

“We are organizing Level 1 medical and Anti -Doping training course to prepare our medical personnel and athletes for any eventualities, knowing how challenging the sports can be and the tendency to want to take illegal substance. In view of this, we deemed it fit to educate these personnel who will also go back to their various zones and

implement it in their treatment and training of athletes”

About 44 participants are expected to take part in the three-day programme that will see Nigerian based accredited facilitator; Doctor Rotimi Akinola and Mr Femi Ayorinde a World Anti-Doping Agency accredited Educator handling the course.

Photo: Christian Atsu has been missing since Monday last week

S P R T

NPFL MD8: Profigate Niger Tornadoes held at home

The Ikon Allah Boys were held by a resilient Bayelsa United who were resolute at the back, no thanks missed chances in front of goal by the hosts, as spoils were shared at the Ahmadu Bello Stadium Kaduna in a match day 8 NPFL encounter.

As early as the 5th minute on the clock, Jonas Emmanuel had a chance to put the hosts in front but directed his effort towards the goalkeeper.

David Okoromi broke the deadlock in the 26th when he smartly connected to Abba Khalid’s corner kick and smashed the ball in to the net for the opener and Tornadoes first home goal in 3 games.

What appeared first like a roller coaster for the Ikon Allah Boys turned out to be a tough game as the visitors snatched an equalizer almost in a similar fashion like the hosts, when Robert Mizo reacted quickest to a corner kick and hit the ball in to the net

to level things up before half time.

Second half resumed with the hosts piling more pressure and pushed the visitors into defending.

Midway through the half, Munir Idris spectacularly played a fine ball to David Okoromi who drived into the area but was hacked down by a United defender and the referee awarded a corner kick instead of a penalty appeal.

The Ikon Allah Boys made several

incursions into the opponents end, all in an effort to grab the winner but luck ran out on them even as the visitors remained resolute at the back.

The result means Tornadoes have picked three successive home draws and remain 6th on Group ‘B’ Abridged League Table.

The Minna based side will be on the road on Sunday as they tackle Dakkada FC in matchday 9 fixture

BAL 2023: Kwara Falcons, REG, champions Monastir drawn in Sahara Conference

Nigeria Premier League Champions

Kwara Falcons, Rwandan representatives, REG, and Basketball Africa League ((BAL) defending champions US-Monastir of Tunisia are among six teams drawn in the Sahara Conference group phase of the regular season of the BAL 2023.

The group phase is due to run from March 11-21 at Dakar Arena in Senegal.

Besides, Kwara Falcons, REG and US-Monastir, the Sahara Conference also features Abidjan Basket Club (Côte d’Ivoire) AS Douanes (Senegal) and Stade

Malien (Mali).

Other six teams were pooled in the Nile Conference group phase that will take place at Hassan Mostafa Indoor Sports Complex in Cairo from April 26 to May 6.

The Nile Conference will bring together debutants Al Ahly of host nation Egypt, Cape Town Tigers (South Africa), BAL 2022 runners-up Petro de Luanda (Angola), City Oilers (Uganda), Ferroviario da Beira (Mozambique) and Seydou Legacy Athlétique Club (Guinea).

The top four teams from each conference will qualify for the BAL Playoffs

and Finals which will feature a singleelimination tournament at BK Arena in Kigali from May 21-27.

“There is an incredible momentum leading up to the third BAL season, and each of the 12 teams have fought hard to earn their spot through intense competition,” said BAL President Amadou Gallo Fall.

“We are very excited to see the oncourt action tip off next month in Dakar and look forward to delivering worldclass basketball and entertainment to our passionate fans across Africa and around

the world,” he added.

Champions from the national leagues in Angola, Egypt, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, and Tunisia earned their participation in the 2023 BAL season by winning their respective national leagues.

The remaining six teams, which come from Côte d’Ivoire, Guinea, Mali, Mozambique, South Africa and Uganda, secured their participation through the Road to the BAL qualifying tournaments conducted by FIBA Africa across the continent from October to November 2022.

S P R T

FIFA to conduct 2030 World Cup host vote in September next year

The 2030 World Cup hosts are expected to be picked in September next year, FIFA said Tuesday.

FIFA’s ruling council confirmed a timetable for bidding and a vote to be held in the third quarter of next year by around 200 member federations. FIFA has long targeted a decision in 2024 for the tournament that is currently scheduled to have 48 teams.

A separate election meeting will be held earlier in 2024 to pick a host for the 2027 Women’s World Cup, soccer’s governing body said.

The three 2026 hosts of the men’s World Cup _ the United States, Canada and Mexico all had their expected automatic entries in the 48-team finals tournament confirmed Tuesday. It will be the first edition expanded

from the 32-team tournament that was introduced in 1998.

FIFA also picked Saudi Arabia a potential candidate in the 2030 contest to host the next Club World Cup from Dec. 1222 in the latest addition to the kingdom’s sports hosting ambitions.

In the 2030 hosting race, co-hosting bids from South America and Europe have been the expected favorites, with Morocco also in the picture and speculation about a Saudi-led and unprecedented threecontinent project.

The inaugural 1930 World Cup host, Uruguay, is part of a centenary bid with Argentina, Chile and Paraguay.

Spain and Portugal were joined last October for their longstanding European candidacy by Ukraine.

Morocco committed to taking part in the 2030 contest more than four years ago immediately after losing the vote for the 2026 tournament to the North Americans.

At the World Cup in Qatar in December, Moroccan soccer federation leader Fouzi Lekjaa was still open to reviving an old idea of Morocco joining its near-neighbors Spain and Portugal in an intercontinental bid.

Saudi Arabia’s ambitions to host more soccer events have led to unconfirmed speculation of a 2030 bid with Egypt in Africa and Greece in Europe. It is unclear how European soccer body UEFA would deal with a member federation joining a rival bid.

Such a bid also would require sending the tournament back to Asia and the Persian Gulf only eight years after Qatar hosted, so a

Saudi bid for 2034 could be more realistic.

The Saudi-hosted Club World Cup in December should be the last in the current seven-team format of continental champions plus the host nation’s domestic league winner.

FIFA has set a June 2025 target to launch a tournament of 32 teams with European teams taking 12 entries.

Continental allocations for the tournament were confirmed Tuesday with South America to get six teams, and four each going to Asia, Africa and the CONCACAF region, plus one to Oceania. The host nation will get the last slot.

The United States is a potential host for the 2025 Club World Cup as a test event for the following year’s World Cup.

PEOPLES DAILY

Women and climate change: A perspective from Pakistan

NPFL: Bendel Insurance Maintain Unbeaten Run After Pipping Nasarawa As Enyimba Overcome 3SC

The scientific data and statistical observations will not only prove the on-ground realities of the strong linkage between women and climate change but will also help women’s emancipation and their effective contributions toward managing climate change. It is therefore important to recognize the role of women in climate change policies and action plans.

Climate change poses an unprecedented threat to all of humanity and it has emerged as the biggest health challenge of the 21st century. In these perilous times, to effectively neutralize the effects of climate change many actions are being initiated from academic responses to business efforts from local to international levels.

Guest Columnist

By Muhammad Mumtaz

Bendel Insurance continues their impressive start back to the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL), after defeating visiting Nasarawa United 1-0 in Wednesday’s Group A game, Completesports.com reports.

The result means Bendel Insurance remain unbeaten after eight league games played (six wins and two draws).

Ebuka Akobundu was the hero for Insurance after netting the only goal in the 52nd minute.

Akobundu drove in with the ball to the edge of the box, exchanged pass with his teammate, danced his way in and fired a rocket into the back of the net.

Insurance remain top in the 10team Group A standings with 20 points and are four points ahead of secondplaced Enyimba.

And in Aba, Enyimba recorded a 2-0 win against Shooting Stars of Ibadan thanks to a brace from Chukwuemeka Obioma.

Obioma gave Enyimba the perfect start as he broke the deadlock just two minutes into the game before adding the second on 45 minutes.

Other results in Group A saw Plateau United hammer El Kanemi 5-0 and Remo Stars held Kwara United to a goalless draw away.

And results in Group B saw Dakkada beat Sunshine Stars 2-1, Abia Warriors lost 1-0 to Doma United, Niger Tornadoes were held to a 1-1 draw at home by Bayelsa United and Wikki Tourist saw off Lobi Stars 2-1.

The game between Rivers United and Rangers was postponed due to the formers’ Confederation Cup engagement.

Lobi, on 16 points, top Group B and are closely followed by Abia Warriors on 13 points, Rivers United who are also on 13 points are third.

NPFL Game Week 8 results:

Bendel insurance 1-0 Nasarawa

United

I have taught a course on Gender and Public Policy at Fatima Jinnah Women University, Rawalpindi, Pakistan. One particular aspect of this course was to familiarize and instill in the students the role of women in climate change policies. A few aspects in this context are narrated in this article. Women’s role in climate change policies has duly been recognized across the world and deliberated in various leading academic forums such as conferences, journal articles, and other international bodies working for climate change. However, there is a scarcity of literature on the subject, especially in developing countries context where women are hit hardest by climate change.

The purpose of this article is to highlight and share the role of women in climate change policies so that policy-makers and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) working on managing climate change could possibly engage women in forecasting and managing climate change impact and policy debate. Moreover, the purpose is to make the course more pragmatic and not just an academic course merely to meet the academic requirements.

Pakistan has a population of over 224 million, with almost 50 % share of women, and mostly the population is settled in rural areas; these areas are highly prone to climate change. Every segment of the society particularly women are being severely affected by the negative consequences of climate change.

The scientific literature on climate change has identified that women face higher risks and greater burdens due to climate change; these risks further exasperate in situations of poverty. In rural areas of Pakistan, women are engaged in the agriculture sector which is considered the most vulnerable sector to climate change. 50-80 percent of food producers are women while 70 percent of the livestock is managed by women in rural areas. United Nation figures indicate that 80 percent of people displaced by climate change are women. It is therefore, women are at the forefront and they are the first to be affected by the brunt of climate change.

women in climate planning, policymaking, and policy implementation. In the Western part of the world, the role of women has been recognized. In the Paris Agreement 2015 wherein the importance of involving women in the development and implementation of national climate policies is highly emphasized. However, in Pakistan, the role of women in climate change governance is not yet fully utilized and there are many loopholes that are needed to be addressed on a priority basis so as to ensure the involvement of women in this important debate of the current time.

Pakistan is one of the most vulnerable countries due to climate change and recently Global Climate Risk Index has ranked the country in the list of top five countries that are experienced severe impacts of climate change. The country faces many environmental challenges linked with climate change such as deforestation, biodiversity loss, air pollution, lack of access to safe drinking water, and many more.

Climate change has a greater impact on all segments of society especially those who are highly dependent on natural resources for their livelihoods and have low adaptive capacities to respond to natural hazards, such as droughts, landslides, floods, and hurricanes. Pakistan is continuously experiencing the negative impacts of climate change such as heatwaves, flooding, unstable rainfall patterns, and rise in temperature coupled with the loss of biodiversity and deforestation which made everyone including women vulnerable to climate change. Like any other country, Pakistani women being a major stakeholders can play a significant role in response to climate change, especially in the context of adaptation actions.

Pakistan’s main strategy to deal with climate change is adaptation measures which are locally driven governance initiatives where women can play an instrumental role. They are key to fixing climate change due to their local knowledge and their familiarity while handling and managing household practices in a sustainable way. It is therefore, women are an important player in climate governance. Hence, women must educate about climate and their meaningful engagement in the policy process and decision-making must be ensured to deal with climate change in an appropriate way.

most affected segment of society. For instance, in the floods of 2010, about 713,000 females between 15 and 49 years of age and 133,000 pregnant women suffered. The scientific data and statistical observations will not only prove the on-ground realities of the strong linkage between women and climate change but will also help women’s emancipation and their effective contributions toward managing climate change. It is therefore important to recognize the role of women in climate change policies and action plans.

There is a need to launch an impactful drive for recognition of the role of women to confront climate change. Multiple civil society organizations, especially in urban areas such as LIFT Pakistan, are playing their role to highlight the importance of women to counter climate change through arranging various seminars and workshops on the subject in Islamabad. The LIFT so far has conducted 10 seminars to train more than 100 women in Islamabad to make them understand the phenomenon of climate change, its impacts, and their role to face this issue. This initiative appears a successful experience in engaging women to prepare women to mitigate climate change. However, there must be a replication of such steps at a massive scale especially in rural areas so that the mobilization of women for effective climate governance can be utilized.

There is a need to arrange consultative workshops across the country mainly at district and tehsil levels to engage women in order to make them understand their role in handling climate change through policy measures. Local institutions and district administration along with local and international NGOs such as United National Development Program can play a positive role in arranging such workshops and seminars. Moreover, the Higher Education Commission should encourage academic research and may dedicate special funds for women scholars or the projects which are being done on women and climate change research.

the role of women in addressing this issue in particular. Pakistan Television network is extended in rural areas so it may schedule a weekly evening program on gender and climate change where experts especially women experts can be invited to discuss the issue. Moreover, local FM radios are key for the dissemination of any kind of information at a local scale in local languages. FM ratios are tuned almost in every house in rural areas. It is therefore strongly suggested to devise a mechanism where regular programs on daily basis on FM ratios should be aired about women and their role to address climate change. The war against climate change cannot be fought without involving each and everyone, especially the meaningful participation of women.

There is a need to launch academic programs and courses on climate change in relation to gender. Having more women climate scientists and experts may allow for an increased emphasis on understanding and providing solutions for some of the most far-reaching implications of climate change. We must continue to highlight the links between women and climate change and efforts to address the impacts of climate change from the perspective of women.

Pakistan must move forward to curb climate change adopting the vision of its founding father Muhammad Ali Jinnah who had a strong believer in women’s participation in every sphere of life. “No struggle can ever succeed without women participating side by side with men. There are two powers in the world; one is the sword and the other is the pen. There is great competition and rivalry between the two. There is a third power stronger than both, that of the women.” ― Muhammad Ali Jinnah (Islamia College Lahore-28 October 1942). Let’s ensure women’s active involvement and due representation in climate policies and climate governance for sustainable development for future generations.

The writer is working as Assistant Professor, at the Department of Public Administration, Fatima Jinnah Women University, Rawalpindi, Pakistan. He can be reached at mumtaz86@hotmail.com

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To effectively encounter the adverse effects of climate change, it is imperative to empower and prepare women so that they can effectively manage the impacts of climate change. Moreover, women’s participation may necessarily be ensured in decisionmaking processes and to engage

Experts rightly emphasized the need for research and data gathering at local scales, on the effects of climate change on gender, to inform and make policy-makers realize and respond to the looming threat of climate change for vulnerable women. Previous disaster events in Pakistan had shown that women had been the

It is the responsibility of the media to highlight this important issue at a massive scale so that more people can be engaged in understanding climate change and realizing the role of women in tackling climate change. However, public awareness about climate change is quite low in Pakistan as compared to other countries in South Asia. It is therefore, the media role is instrumental for women because they can be educated about the challenge and their role to deal with it. It is suggested that the local media whether print, electronic, or FM radios may be used to highlight the issue of climate change in general and