THEWILL NEWSPAPER October 02, 2022

IS NOW WHOLLY DIGITAL

Reading

through this year’s Independence Day issue, I am reminded of last year’s officially announcing me as Editor of this insert magazine, TheWill DOWNTOWN.

I can only give all the honour to the Creator of the Universe as in Him alone has every week’s issue been made possible. I have also been blessed with a fantastic team of writers, contributors, page planners, social media team, an art director, and photographers; without all of whom, we could not have produced such great work every week. Thank you to the publisher for trusting me with this project.

To you who have stayed through my quest for perfection, I say: ‘Thank you. Thank you for putting up with the late nights and sometimes outbursts of passion for work. To teammates—current and previous— that I have spoken to in ways that may have been stern, it was not my intention. As you will find out, passion and striving for perfection equals heightened expectations, which may come across as harsh.

As we push on to bring you, our dear readers, your weekly dose of lifestyle at its best, I would also like to thank you for your constant support and encouragement. Thank you to my family and friends, who have been a massive part of this journey!

This issue is packed with great content specially curated for you. We discuss Nigeria as ‘The Giant of Africa.’ Do we still hold that title?

Our food page displays local meals that I promise you will not recognise as our traditional meals. As they say, the food went to Harvard. The beauty page shares some tips for transitioning from relaxed to natural hair, while the movie review page suggests patriotic movies for you to watch over the long weekend.

My journal recounts a tale from years ago as a young Editor. An incident while we planned last week’s issue triggered my memory. You’ll enjoy it.

Our cover personality, Folarin Falz Falana, shares his position on where we are today as Nigerians and what the youth really want from the government. It makes for an enlightening read.

Happy Independence, Nigeria!

Until next week, enjoy your read.

Onah Nwachukwu

Editor, THEWILL DOWNTOWN @onahluciaa +2349088352246

Photo: Kola Oshalusi @insignamedia Makeup: Zaron

COVER

Fresh Crises Rock APC, PDP

Sustains Grudge Fight Against

BY AMOS ESELE

September 28, 2022 was officially marked by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for the kick-off of electioneering campaigns ahead of the 2023 general election, but the two major political parties, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and All Progressives Congress (APC) instead started their campaigns with fresh internal crises on that date.

The main opposition PDP got off to a shaky start with the public launch of three new books by its presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, and the inauguration of a 600-member Presidential Campaign Council on that date.

Later in the evening, one of the spokespersons of the party, Dr Daniel Bwala, hurriedly sent out a statement warning that a member of the party’s National Executive Committee, Chief Chinemerem Madu, had alerted the Atiku/Okowa Campaign Council to an alleged plan by some persons within and outside the party to conduct a press conference or issue a press release calling for the removal or resignation of the National Chairman, Iyorchia Ayu.

Bwala said, “Whatever the plans may be, they are

intended, in the statement of Chief Chinemerem Madu, to create a distraction from the collective efforts by the party and its members to execute a Rescue Nigeria project."

He added, “Our campaign council members were inaugurated today, Wednesday, during the launching of books about our flag bearer, His Excellency Atiku Abubakar. For all intent and purposes, we are set to commence our campaigns from today (Wednesday), hence the alleged plan to destabilise our efforts.”

Before the end of the following day, which was Thursday, Bwala’s fears were confirmed.

Each of the four members of the National Working Committee (NWC) released letters addressed to the National Chairman, Senator Iyorchia Ayu, stating their intention to return sums of money, totaling N128.8 million paid by the party into their bank accounts for purposes that were unclear to them.

The NWC members, namely, Prof Stella Effah-Attoe, the National Woman Leader of the party, got N36 million; Chief Dan Orbih, National Vice Chairman, South- South, received N28.8 million; Ambassador Taofeek Arapaja,

Deputy National Chairman, South-West, got N36 million and Olasoji Adagunodo, National Vice Chairman, SouthWest, received N28 million.

Coincidentally, the governing APC was at the same time also embroiled in a different crisis that prevented it from holding the public launch of its President Campaign Council.

On that Wednesday, September 28, a leaked letter from the APC National Chairman, Abdullahi Adamu, accused the presidential candidate, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, of running a one-man campaign show, after having filled the council with his friends and associates without any input from the party. He therefore demanded the withdrawal of the list.

The letter read, in part, “Without further admonishment or complaints, I wish hereby to call upon Your Excellency to restrain the PCC (Presidential Campaign Council) from undertaking solo projects of this nature, and agree to work with all stakeholders towards taking our party to victory.

“It suffices for me to convey the general and overwhelming sentiment of the NWC, with regard to the ill-timed and unfortunate release of the PCC list, which confounded

Fresh Crises Rock APC, PDP

rather than pleased the members and whose withdrawal will assure the NWC of Your Excellency’s respect and disposition towards the Party, as well as the magnanimous spirit of cooperation towards achieving victory together with the NWC.”

As this development raged, the party, in a statement, denied that any such ‘draft’ letter titled, ‘Release of the Tinubu-Shettima Presidential Campaign Council List,” ever emanated from the office of the party chairman.

According to the National Publicity Secretary of the APC, Felix Morka, “the DRAFT letter did not emanate from the party. An unsigned letter that marked itself as a ‘DRAFT’ cannot and should not be attributed to its purported author. Such an unsigned draft letter of the kind in circulation is patently unnecessary and of no qualitative value to engagement between the party and the PCC.”

Then on Thursday, Tinubu responded to the controversy over the PCC. Confirming reports of a rift between the PCC and the party Exco, he said he would expand the council from its current 422-membership to 2,000 to accommodate aggrieved stakeholders, who the DirectorGeneral of the PCC, Governor Simon Lalong of Plateau State, said had complained about its composition. While this controversy was trending, another crisis broke.

WHERE IS BOLA TINUBU?

Tinubu was absent at the venue of the signing of a preelection peace accord by the 18 presidential candidates on the platform of the National Peace Committee, headed by former Head of State, Gen Abdulsalami Abubakar (retd.).

Tinubu was represented at the event by his running mate, Kashim Shettima. It was bad optics for the party. Ordinarily, Tinubu’s absence would not have attracted public interest except that Shettima has been solely attending public functions on behalf of the joint ticket since the emergence of the presidential team in July, 2022, first, at the Nigerian Bar Association Conference held on August 22, 2022 and secondly at the Yoruba Tennis Club on September 17, 2022. It looked like the campaign season for the party would be made for Shettima.

The postponement of the inauguration of the Presidential Campaign Council is believed to be due to Tinubu’s absence from the country, just as his failure to attend the peace accord meeting is somehow seen as unprecedented, except for the case with Atiku in 2018 who had to come and sign the accord a day after the others had done so.

WIKE'S GROUP FIGHTS DIRTY OVER AYU

For the PDP, the return of N128.8 million by the four NCW members to the coffers of the party actually raised the question of timing and transparency.

Prof Effah-Attoe’s letter showed that the money was paid into the accounts of the quartet on September 14, 2022, for “two years’ house rent,” yet it took all of them up to 15 days to return the money. Why 15 days? Why did all four do so on the same day? All four, according to THEWILL findings, are associates of the aggrieved governors in Governor Nyesom Wike's camp. Attoe and Orbih were sponsored for their positions by Wike. Arapaja and Adagunodo are Governor Seyi Makinde’s allies.

According to a dependable party source, who chose to remain anonymous, the “show by the four NCW members was calculated to inflict damage on the credibility of the party at the launch of the its presidential campaign council. They are known as Wike's group allies. It is not by coincidence that they are all from the South.”

The Media Adviser to Governor Wike, Kelvin Ebiri, declined to answer a call put to his phone line.

The National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Debo

Ologunaba, who sent a statement rather than take direct questions from THEWILL, said the “Housing Allowance being referred to,” in reports alleging the payment was a bribe, “went through the due process of the party in line with the conditions of service and the entitlement of the staff and principal officers of the party."

He added: "If any individual, for any reason, decides to return the money duly approved and paid, such does not in any way suggest that the money was paid as bribe or indicate that it was illegitimate or unlawfully paid.”

A member of the PCC, and one-time NWC member of the party, Kola Ologbodinya, told this newspaper that the matter was a “distraction” that would not damage the party and affect its campaign.

Recounting his experience, Ologbodinya said: “Since the NWC members do not depend on monthly salaries, imprest and allowances are paid to them and because they are often paid when funds are available, the money often comes in bulk. Secondly, every NCW member submits their account numbers to the treasurer immediately the body is inaugurated and I know that everyone knows through meetings what to expect as a member. That was what happened when I was National Publicity Secretary of the party.”

He refused to be drawn into the argument that it was another opening in the ongoing battle by the Wike group, which is calling for Ayu’s resignation in the interest of peace in the party.

“It may take time, but the so-called crisis in the party would be resolved before the election,” he said with optimism, adding that the wrong public perception of the affairs of the PDP arose from the tendency to always look at the bigger picture and personalities.

“At the public presentation of three books by our candidate, Atiku Abubakar, before the inauguration, people were looking out for governors only, whereas representatives came from all over the states. For example, Governor Samuel Ortom was absent, but former Senate President, David Mark and many party leaders from Benue were present.

“People may wonder why Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State who received Abubakar during a visit to the state the previous day, was absent, but many leaders from Enugu were present, like Chief Jim Nwobodo. Ambassador Toafeek Arapaja from Oyo was there and so on.”

For the APC, it is still not clear if the expected arrival of Tinubu from London on Monday, October 3, would lead to the quick resolution of the confusion in the party over the composition of the PCC.

An inside source said, “One thing that is sure is that the council will be expanded and the current appointments will be juggled to accommodate new members.”

There is fear within the party that Tinubu may surround himself with aides and cronies should he emerge as President, given the way and manner he is going ahead with the running of the campaign council.

The undercurrents of the politics of the pre and postpresidential convention period, whereby President Muhammadu Buhari through the Chairman, Adamu, rooted unsuccessfully for the emergence of Senate President Ahmad Lawan is still playing out. Trust has suffered as a result and the leaders of the party are depending on support from members of their respective legacy parties that merged to form APC.

The Director of Media and Publicity of the current PCC of the party, My Bayo Onanuga, could not be reached on his phone. But a member of the media directorate of the PCC, Mr Kehinde Bamigbetan, told THEWILL that there was no cause for alarm.

For him, the picture being painted by Tinubu’s absence at public functions where Shettima often represented him was mistaken. It was for strategic reasons, he submitted.

Admitting that Tinubu was in London currently, but “to strategise for the campaigns,” Bamigbetan said it was only at the signing of the peace accord by presidential candidates that Tinubu had been absent and it was not deliberate.

He said, “People have to recognise that it is a joint ticket. One of them has to be present. The peace accord parley was a party and not an individual event. The appearance of VP candidate Shettima at the NBA event was deliberate.

“It was meant to expose Shettima to the Lagos crowd and the South where he is less known than in the North. That was what also happened with the Yoruba Tennis Club. It was Shettima who was invited, not Tinubu. For the LCCI, the invitation was staggered for the presidential candidate. Tinubu is supposed to be there on October 23, 2022.”

WAY FORWARD

For elder statesman, Alhaji Tanko Yakassai, who told this newspaper in an interview that he was not a card carrying member of any party but was merely exercising his right to support a candidate of his choice, hence his appearance on the APC PCC list as a campaign patron, in any organisation “founded by human beings there would always be disagreements. The important thing is that they are resolved.”

In conclusion, Ologbodiyan said, "We still have over 100 days to go before the election. The party is deploying all its machinery to resolve its crisis, but even so I can tell you that the campaign will deliver our candidate as the next President.”

For Morka, the APC simply wants to be part of the campaign council. “That’s all. The party is the vehicle the candidate is running on and the candidate is the candidate of the party. Planning should go on between the party and the candidate. People want to be part of the Campaign Council and those who are excluded are offended for not being included, if people are eager to serve in the council, they should be included. It is about managing members to add value to the campaign,” he said.

The Spokesperson of the APC Presidential Campaign Council, Festus Keyamo, could not also be reached as his telephone was switched off and out of reach when THEWILL called last Friday evening. A message also sent to him via his WhatsApp number had yet to be replied as of the time of filing this report.

We still have over 100 days to go before the election. The party is deploying all its machinery to resolve its crisis, but even so I can tell you that the campaign will deliver our candidate as the next President

Nigeria Shall Rise Again – Atiku

The presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, has congratulated fellow Nigerians on the occasion of the country’s 62nd Independence Day anniversary, assuring that the nation will rise again.

The former Vice President in a statement by his media office in Abuja on Friday said that the celebration of Nigeria’s Independence Day is an event that should reawaken our consciousness towards the consolidation of unity amongst the diverse people of the country.

He said Nigeria had come a long way after gaining independence from Britain 62 years ago and passing through different phases of challenges, stressing that the country’s democracy is the requisite antidote to the current challenges facing it.

The Wazirin Adamawa said, “Although Nigeria is beset with challenges that range from inadequacies of our economic plans to cover a large percentage of our people, who live below the poverty line, to security skirmishes that daily threaten the safety of lives and property of Nigerians, the root cause of these problem is traceable to the increasing lack of unity amongst us.”

He gave the assurance that as one people and under the canopy of one country sharing in one future, Nigerians will surmount the challenges facing their country and enthrone the nation of their dreams.

As the country prepares for the 2023 general election, Atiku Abubakar urged all Nigerians to give the issue of building national unity primary attention.

“Nigerians should elect leaders who are individuals with proven track records of being protagonists of unity and peace.

“I believe that when we fix the issues that continue to compromise our national unity, we would invariably fix issues that upset our peace and security and subsequently create an environment that can encourage economic prosperity," he said.

The presidential flagbearer of the PDP also called on all friends of Nigeria in the international community to continue to have confidence in the country because, “as a people, we never give up.”

He urged people of faith across the country not to relent in their prayers to God to keep Nigeria as a country of peace and prosperity for the good of all its people.

Court Reserves Ruling in Suit Against APC, INEC, Alia

FROM KAJO MARTINS, MAKURDI

AFederal High Court sitting in Makurdi, Benue State and presided over by Justice Abdul Dogo has reserved judgement in a suit filed by Engr Barnabas Gemade against the All Progressives Congres, Rev Fr Hyacinth Alia and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), challenging the party's governorship primary election in Benue State.

Justice Dogo took the decision after listening to arguments by all the counsels representing various clients, saying a date will be communicated to parties in due course.

When the case came up for hearing, counsel to Chief Gemade, Jubril Okutepa, SAN, prayed the court to grant all the reliefs sought by his client and nullify what he referred to as the purported APC primary which produced Fr Hyacinth Alia as the party’s governorship candidate.

According to him, APC did not follow the guidelines provided in the Electoral

Act and the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria for nomination of candidates for the 2023 general election.

Okutekpa explained that the APC primary elections held on May 27 and June 9, with Sections 77 and 84 of the Electoral Act, 2022 INEC Guidelines and the Constitution. He urged the court to order for fresh primary elections to enable all aspirants to participate.

He argued that the plaintiff filed the suit within the stipulated time on June 10, 2022, a day after the purported APC primary election result was announced, contrary to the submission by the APC and Alia's Counsels that the suit was filed out of time.

In their submissions, counsels for APC, Matthew Bukar, SAN and that of Fr Alia, Usman Sule, SAN, urged the court to dismiss the suit filed by Gemade against their clients with heavy costs on ground that APC conducted its primaries in Benue State in line with party guidelines and the Electoral Act.

Kaduna Court Sends 4 Fraudsters to 15 Years in Prison

Justice A.A Bello of the Kaduna State High court has convicted and sentenced three internet fraudsters and one currency counterfeiter to fifteen( 15) years imprisonment.

They were jailed on Thursday, September 29, 2022, after pleading guilty to separate criminal charges, upon their arraignment by the Kaduna Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.

The four fraudsters are Alade Olalekan Hezekiah, Joseph Truman, Ashei Bobai Bartholomew and Aliyu Adamu.

The defendants pleaded guilty to their respective charges when they were read to each one of them.

Based on their pleas, prosecution counsel, M. Lawal prayed the court to convict and sentence them accordingly. However, defence counsels: Godwin .O. Ochai, Abubakar.A. Muhammad, Abdulmalik.A. Taiwo and Daniel Bulusson sought the mercy of the court, pleading that the defendants are first-time offenders and remorseful

The judge, after listening to all counsels, sentenced and convicted Hezekiah to five years imprisonment or pay a fine of N150,000.00 (One Hundred and Fifty Thousand Naira) .He forfeited his GSM phones and the sum of $200 (Two Hundred United States dollars) to the Federal Government.

Truman bagged six months imprisonment or the option of paying a fine of N150,000.00 (One Hundred and Fifty Thousand Naira). He also forfeited his phone and the sum of $200.00(Two Hundred USD) to the government. .

Justice Bello convicted and sentenced Bartholomew to five years imprisonment with an option of fine of N100,000.00 (One Hundred Thousand Naira). He equally forfeited his phones and the sum of $200.00(Two Hundred US Dollars) to the government.

Adamu was convicted for currency counterfeiting and sentenced to five years imprisonment or pay a fine of N 150,000.00.

Three of the convicts; Hezekiah, Truman and Bartholomew were arrested for internetrelated offences, while Aliyu was arrested by officers of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) for being in possession of fake dollars printing paper and N1000 counterfeit bank notes, totalling N873,000 ( Eight Hundred and Seventy Three Thousand Naira). He was handed over to the EFCC for further investigation and prosecution. They were all prosecuted and jailed.

Court Jails Mama BoKo Haram, Three Others, 7 Years

The Maiduguri Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has secured the conviction and sentencing of Aisha Alkali Wakil, (a.k.a Mama Boko Haram) alongside Tahiru Alhaji, Saidu Daura and Prince Lawal Shoyode.

Justice Aisha Kumaliya of the Borno State High Court sentenced them on Thursday, September 29, 2022 to seven years imprisonment each, for the offences of conspiracy and another seven years for obtaining money by false pretence.

Before their conviction, the defendants were first arraigned on September 14, 2020 before Justice Kumaliya on two count charges for conspiracy to obtain money by false pretence to the tune of N15 million.

The second count of the charge reads: “That you, Aisha Alkali Wakil, Tahiru Alhaji Saidu Daura, Prince Lawal Shoyode while serving as Chief Executive Officer, Programme Manager and Country Director of Complete Care and Aid Foundation (Non-Governmental Organisation), respectively and Saidu Muktar (at large) sometime in November 2018 at Maiduguri, Borno State, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court with intent to defraud obtained the sum of N15,000,000.00 (Fifteen Million Naira) only from one Honourable Bukar Kachalla of Hammiza Global Resources Limited under the pretext of executing a purported contract of supply of 3 units of Chemistry Analyser Solar Energy Brand Model 1800 (UK Version), which you knew to be false and thereby committed an offence, contrary to Section 1(1) (b) of the Advance Fee Fraud and other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006 and Punishable Under Section 1 (3) of the Same Act.”

The defendants pleaded ‘not guilty’ to the charges, prompting prosecution counsel, Mukhtar Ali Ahmed, to present six witnesses and tender several documents as exhibits before the court and thereafter closed his case on October 27, 2020.

Delivering judgment, Justice Kumaliya found the defendants guilty on all the charges and sentenced them to seven years imprisonment each without an option of fine.

The judge further sentenced them to another seven years imprisonment without an option of fine each for the offence of obtaining money by false pretence.

He ordered the convicts to jointly restitute the sum of N15 million to their victim, in default of which they are to serve additional five years jail term.

The convicts made their ways to the Correctional Centres when they falsely obtained the sum of N15 million from a petitioner, in the guise of providing solar energy for his use. They neither offered the service nor returned his money to him. Justice Kumaliya had earlier convicted and sentenced ‘Mama Boko Haram’ to five years imprisonment on two-count charges of conspiracy and obtaining over N71million by false pretence. She was jailed on June 15, 2022.

L-R: Head of Service, Dr. Folashade Yemi-Esan; Minister of Labour and Employment, Sen. Chris Ngige; SGF, Boss Mustapha and Speaker, House of Representatives, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, during the mediation meeting by the leadership of the House with the Federal Government and ASUU with a over the ongoing  ASUU strike at the National Assembly on September 29, 2022.

POLITICS

2023 Election Campaigns: INEC,

BY AYO ESAN

Last Wednesday, September 28, 2022 marked the opening of the window for the Presidential/National Assembly Election campaigns and as the process for engaging the public kicks off, the stage is set for fireworks and various stakeholders have reminded politicians, their supporters and the media of the rule guiding their activities.

Such a reminder will be better appreciated if one realises that the country is already charged and there is a tense atmosphere. Deeply polarised nation along ethnic and religious lines, Nigeria is currently battling insecurity on all fronts and severe economic challenges. Thus, it is expected that the drums for the elections may sound louder than witnessed in previous polls as Nigerians are more conscious of the events in their political environment.

It is also not unexpected that the frills, the thrills, jabs and counter jabs, among other political gimmicks, will increase and the political atmosphere will be enveloped with lots of apprehension as the major political parties try to position themselves before the electorate and struggle to gather more supporters either by conviction or enticement.

Parties Signed Peace Accord

As a way of ensuring peaceful campaign and election, the 18 registered political parties vying for elective positions in the forthcoming general election had last Thursday signed an agreement for a peaceful conduct before, during and after the 2023 elections.

The peace accord, which was put together by the National Peace Committee (NPC) co-led by former Head of State, General Abudulsami Abubakar; Sultan of Sokoto, Sa’ad Abubakar II; Cardinal John Onayeikan; Bishop Hassan Kukah and other eminent statesmen has the sole objective of supporting efforts at ensuring free, fair and credible elections in Nigeria.

All chairmen and presidential candidates of the registered 18 political parties signed the peace accord under the guidance of officials of the NPC at the International Conference Centre in Abuja.

Delivering his goodwill message at the event, President Muhammadu Buhari was clearly worried about a possible recourse to personal attacks, insults and incitement by politicians in the build-up to their respective campaigns.

He enjoined all Nigerians, political parties, politicians, security agencies, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and all stakeholders to ensure that Nigeria was placed first above regional and sectional claims.

Buhari cautioned against shifting of focus from issue-based campaigns to engagement in personal attacks, insults and incitement by politicians.

He said: “As the President, I have always reiterated my commitment to a peaceful, credible and transparent election, and what the Peace Committee has been doing over the years, aligns with my belief that Nigeria needs peace in order to achieve credible elections.

“However, the rise of fake news and misinformation continues to pose a significant threat to the pattern of democracy in Nigeria. It has shifted focus away from issue-based campaigns to amplifying the potential for personal attacks, insults, and incitement. It has also significantly diminished the civility and decency in public discourse and debate.

According to Buhari, the initiatives undertaken by the National Peace Committee to commit all political actors to issue-based campaigns devoid of incitement, personal insults and attacks are a welcome development.

“The 2023 general election is more than an election; it is an opportunity to serve Nigeria, to defend Nigeria and to uphold her unity and progress.

“Therefore, I call on all Nigerians, political parties, politicians, security agencies, the election management body (Independent National Electoral Commission – INEC), and all stakeholders to ensure that Nigeria is placed first above regional and sectional claims,” he said.

While speaking, former President Goodluck Jonathan revealed his personal experiences while monitoring elections held in some African countries where significant improvement in the electoral process was recorded.

He expressed the hope that Nigerians will use the 2023 general election to try and ensure a free, fair and transparent election to prove that the country is on the part of sustainable progress and development.

Head of European Union Delegation, Samuels Isopi said that Nigeria should be seen as taking a decisive step towards delivering transparent and credible elections in 2023.

She said that INEC must be allowed to operate independently as provided by the constitution, in respect of the organisation of the election.

Ensure Issue-Based Campaign, Compliance with Electoral Act – INEC

The Independent National Electoral Commission, (INEC) has also reminded the political parties and their members of the need to play the games according to the rules as the campaign for the 2023 general elections begin.

INEC Chairman, Professor Mahmood Yakubu, said the 2023 general election would take place against the background of the

new Electoral Act, adding that, political actors, the broadcast media and other critical stakeholders must familiarise themselves with the laws.

He assured that, it will monitor compliance with the limits on campaign spending by political parties under the Electoral Act.

Yakubu said INEC will monitor compliance to ensure that parties shun abusive language likely to provoke a breach of the peace during the electioneering campaigns.

He has noted that commitment to peaceful and issue-based electioneering campaigns should resonate beyond the 18 Party Chairmen and Presidential candidates.

Yakubu commended the effort of the National Peace Committee which has engaged the 18 presidential candidates and the National Chairmen of the 18 registered political parties to sign a peace accord and urged the political parties to abide by the letter and spirit of the Peace Accord.

He also urged the parties to convey the message of peace to their candidates, members and supporters across the country for compliance.

“This is important considering the connection between peaceful campaigns on the one hand and peaceful and credible elections on the other. The Commission appreciates the positive role of the NPC in the progressive improvement of our elections in Nigeria.

He said, “The Electoral Act 2022 provides for campaigns in public by political parties to commence not earlier than 150 days before polling day. Accordingly, a campaign by political parties for the 2023 General Election officially commenced on Wednesday, 28th September 2022. This will continue until 24 hours before polling day i.e. 23rd February 2023 for national elections (Presidential and National Assembly) and 9th March 2023 for State elections (Governorship and Houses of Assembly).

“The implication is that for the next 148 days, political parties, candidates and their supporters are free to traverse the country holding meetings, rallies, processions and door-to-door campaigns. They will grant interviews, sponsor indoor and outdoor advertisements and publish other campaign materials.

Buhari cautioned against shifting of focus from issue-based campaigns to engagement in personal attacks, insults and incitement by politicians

“

Buhari

OCTOBER 02 - OCTOBER 08, 2022 THEWILL NEWSPAPER • www.thewillnigeria.com PAGE 10 THEWILLNIGERIA THEWILLNG THEWILLNIGERIA Kukah

POLITICS

NBC, Police Set Rules

This is often a delicate period characterized by excitement and anxiety.

“In line with the provisions of the Electoral Act 2022 and in our determination to play our role as a regulator, the Commission will vigorously monitor compliance to ensure that parties shun abusive, intemperate or slanderous language as well as insinuations or innuendoes likely to provoke a breach of the peace during the electioneering campaigns. Similarly, the Commission will also closely monitor compliance with the limits on campaign spending under the Electoral Act. There are sanctions provided by law. Political parties and candidates should study and familiarise themselves with the electoral legal framework to avoid any infraction of the law and the unhappy consequences that will follow any act of misdemeanor.

“The 2023 General Election will be conducted for 1,491 constituencies nationwide made up of one Presidential constituency, 28 Governorship elections, 109 Senatorial Districts, 360 Federal constituencies, and 993 State Assembly constituencies. Every constituency is important. Every election is important. Therefore, the commitment to a peaceful and issuebased electioneering campaign should resonate beyond the 18 Party Chairmen and Presidential candidates present here today.

It is not enough to simply sign the Peace Accord. What is more important is to abide by its letter and spirit. You should similarly pass the message to all your candidates, members, and supporters across the country for compliance. This will be your own way of showing appreciation for the work of the NPC and an affirmation of your contribution to electoral peace in Nigeria.”

Yakubu, assured of his firm commitment to delivering a free, fair and credible election, saying his ultimate goal was electoral justice, which would allow every Nigerian to experience electoral fulfillment.

On the expected role of the media during the campaign and the election proper, Yakubu said the media will play an undisputable role in ensuring a more effective public enlightenment in the coming 2023 general elections, urging the media and other political actors to act within the confines of the law.

He said, “Political party candidates and their supporters, as well as the media have a responsibility to operate within the confines of the law and the provisions of the commission’s regulations and guidelines.

“Issue based campaigns are essential for safe electioneering. In turn, this will create the atmosphere for the successful deployment and conduct of all electoral activities.

“Using the power of incumbency to deny opposition parties access to public facilities is outrightly illegal.”

Avoid Hate Speech, Fake News – NBC

The Nigeria Broadcasting Commission (NBC) has also reiterated the need for operators in Nigeria’s broadcast industry to stay off activities that could jeopardise the peace of the nation during the campaign and the election next year.

The NBC’s Director-General, Mr Balarabe Ilelah, urged operators of the broadcast industry to make sure that their reportage is made within the ambit of the law, warning that the commission would not hesitate to sanction any individual and organisation that breached the broadcasting codes.

He said, ‘’The stations will, therefore, assume and accept editorial responsibility. I will also use this opportunity to remind broadcasters not to allow any form of hate speech, fake news, use of derogatory or divisive remarks and any incendiary broadcast on their platforms.NBC is not going to take it lightly with any station. If you want to remain after the end of the election, you must make sure you operate within the law. And if you want to end your broadcast before the election, okay, you can go ahead and break the law. NBC will not fold its arms to see things are done in a wrong way.

“The broadcaster is not allowed to deny any group access to airtime, any form of denial of access is prohibited. However, if your political content is indecent and hateful, then a station is allowed to turn it down and give reasons it cannot be taken.”

On his part, the president, Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Comrade Chris Isiguzo, has also advised the NBC and other

regulatory bodies not to see the media as competitors but partners in delivering the Nigerian project.

Abide by Electoral Act, Shun Violence – Police The Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Usman Alkali Baba, as part of the effort to ensure peace before and during the forthcoming general election, has urged the leadership of the political parties and their presidential candidates to abide by the provisions and dictates of the Electoral Act 2022.

He listed all the prohibitive acts which politicians and their supporters were expected to avoid in order not to run afoul of the electoral law.

Baba was of the opinion that two major provisions of the Electoral Act that were very critical to the election had to do with complying

with the aspect that prohibits raising of campaign funds from outside the country and that of donations and spending limits for parties.

He also spoke of Section 225 of the Electoral Act which highlighted issues relating to the falsification of documents submitted for elections.

The Police IG warned against using of thugs or armed security by politicians and non-state actors to execute partisan objectives, adding that the Police will not tolerate any such acts ahead of the elections.

Also, the IGP read the riot act to personnel ahead of the 2023 election campaign season. Baba charged the senior officers to ensure a crime-free and enabling environment for campaigns as the public space will become very active and susceptible to politically related offences.

The IGP advised them to observe the dictates of the Electoral Act 2022, and the Code of Conduct and Rules of Engagement for Security Personnel on Election Duty issued in 2020 by the InterAgency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES).

He stressed that security outfits established by state governments and local communities, operating under different nomenclatures and structures, have no roles under the Electoral Act and in the electoral process.

The police chief warned police personnel against working for political or community actors in any role during the campaigns as such would amount to illegality and a threat to national security and democracy, Baba added.

The IGP urged all AIGs and Commissioners to engage in an all-inclusive approach by liaising with Resident Electoral Commissioners (RECs), leadership of parties, and other relevant stakeholders.

Baba further directed increased intelligence gathering and deployments to ensure that the security agency maintains law and order across Nigeria.

Yakubu

Alkali

The broadcaster is not allowed to deny any group access to airtime, any form of denial of access is prohibited. However, if your political content is indecent and hateful, then a station is allowed to turn it down and give reasons it cannot be taken

POLITICS INTERVIEW

El-Rufai’s Support For Women

Gives us Sense of Belonging – Yahuza

A frontline female politician in Kaduna State, Hadiza Ladi Yahuza, speaks on Governor Nasir el-Rufai’s efforts at giving priority attention to women in Kaduna and the need for women in the state to vote for APC candidates in this interview with TUNDE OMOLEHIN. Excerpts:

What is your assessment of governance in Kaduna State in the last seven years?

My honest assessment of the governance in Kaduna State under the leadership of His Excellency, Mallam Nasir El-rufai, is a perfect one expected of a visionary leader in any given society. He has transformed Kaduna from a sleepy state to a progressive and beautiful state. Let us start from the many infrastructures that we are seeing today across the state. Take the roads, for instance, that has further beautified Kaduna. These are developments that Kaduna has never witnessed since the time of colonial era.

Our primary and secondary schools have all been upgraded and furnished with state-of-the-art equipment. Our hospitals have been given a facelift and upgraded. This is also evident in other sectors. The governor has given us a sense of belonging in all ramifications. We are proud to raise our heads up because we now know Kaduna State has taken its rightful position in the scheme of things in Nigeria.

Insecurity has been a thing of worry for residents of the state. What is your perception of this under Governor Nasir ElRufai?

Before his government came onboard in 2015, what we were experiencing was cattle rustling and banditry. It later graduated to more serious criminalities like kidnapping and so on, which is not peculiar to Kaduna State only. But Governor El-Rufai was determined to tackle the menace with sincerity and determination. A ministry handling the issue of security was created by his administration. That ministry is headed by a competent person. Aside from that, security personnel have been given necessary support to enable them discharge their statutory duties in securing both lives and properties. The governor brought all stakeholders onboard, including our traditional and religious leaders across the state. That is why you are seeing relative peace in the affected communities now.

Governor El-Rufai has consistently adopted a female as his deputy. He has also ensured that a female deputy governorship candidate has emerged for the APC in the 2023 election, would you say this is an added advantage that will result in the party’s success in the forthcoming governorship election?

The governor has shown us how women are integral part of the state building and that it is statutory for women to be carried along in the society. By appointing a woman as his deputy, it was a signal and bold step to this commitment. That gave us (women folks) a sense of belonging. It gave us hope that a day will come for a woman to become the governor of this state.

Are you aware that 50 to 60 percent of the total votes are accounted for by women in any given society? So, giving us a woman as the party’s deputy governorship candidate in the forthcoming election is a testimony that he is still fighting for our cause.

Today, about eight or nine women are in his cabinet. About 40 or 50 percent of political positions are headed by competent women. Governor El-Rufai trusts women and sees them as major stakeholders in moving Kaduna State to a greater height. I can also point at myself as a great beneficiary of the governor's

commitment to women development when he drafted me into politics.

When elections could not be held in my local government, he picked me out to pilot the affairs of Chikun local government council as head of Interim Management Committee (IMC) for a period of five years. That shows that he is more interested in identifying competency and empowering them to do great exploits in the political space. I must say I remained grateful to him for such an appointment. While I was in office, he provided all the support that I needed to pilot the council to a success.

The issue of equal participation in politics is still unattainable for women in Nigeria. What do you think could be the shortest way to achieve this, with regard to elective positions?

For Women in Nigeria to participate in elective positions, we must adopt the system practised in Rwanda, which has raised the number of women in government. This is a quota system where elective positions are reserved for competent women at all levels in Government.

In the north, APC will be counting on some bigwigs to deliver for its candidate in the presidential contest. What are the names you still believe can project your party to success, come 2023?

I am very hopeful that my party will emerge victorious in the forthcoming general elections, be it state assembly, national assembly, governorship and presidential elections. We have gone through very transparent primaries and came up with very competent, experienced and acceptable candidates.

With the support given by His Excellency, Mallam Nasir El-rufai

“

For Women in Nigeria to participate in elective positions, we must adopt the system practised in Rwanda, which has raised the number of women in government. This is a quota system where elective positions are reserved for competent women at all levels in Government

to all candidates, this will pay off. At the national level, we have the united front of our Governors' Forum to work for the victory of our presidential candidate and that is an added advantage.

The candidature of Senator Uba Sani is already acceptable, not only within APC supporters but also among the people. He is going to play a significant role in seeing our party through. I also know the efforts made by the northern senators' forum headed by Distinguished Senator Aliyu Magatakarda Wamakko. He has proved to be a reputable political leader of note in the north. He is someone I so much respected. These are the frontiers in this journey, and I know with their support, experience and guidance, APC will become victorious in the general elections.

You are currently working with some like-minds in support of the party's presidential candidate, Bola Tinubu. What is the motivation?

We have two to three supporting groups working for the success of the APC presidential candidate, Asiwaju Ahmed Tinubu. The first one is tagged; Tinubu Volunteers, a like-minded group. We founded this group because we reviewed the political antecedents of Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu as a frontline politician who has been building human capacity in politics. We saw this as one of the major attributes of being a good leader. That is why we felt he should be supported to a higher political level being the presidency. In partnership with others, we have another supporting group headed Hon. Sadiq Mamman, Lagos for Tinubu and Uba Sani 2023.

We have been working tirelessly to canvass votes for both candidates in the forthcoming general elections.

You earlier mentioned that women accounted for significant votes in any given election. What advice would you give to women in exercising their voting rights without fear or intimidation?

My advice to women folks is to always have their own independent thoughts while making political decisions. There is a Hausa adage that says; if some promise to give you cloth then first look at what that person is wearing. My advice for fellow women is to look at these candidates and ask this question. Are they what they claim to be? This is the question women need to ask. Today, all our candidates in the All Progressive Party have proved they are experienced in good governance. They should look at the qualities of our presidential candidate, Asiwaju Ahmed Tinubu and our governorship candidate in Kaduna State, Distinguished Senator Uba Sani among others. These are people that have gone through the ranks of integrity. They have been tested in the position of leadership and found trustworthy in their own rights. Our women should vote wisely and not for material things on election days.

Yahuza

POLITICS NEWS

PDP Will Defeat APC Easily in South-East – Ihedioha

Former Governor of Imo State, Emeka Ihedioha, has said the Peoples Democratic Party stands a good chance to defeat the All Progressives Congress in the SouthEast region during next year’s general election.

He said that the APC governments at all levels had misused the opportunity to give the South-East good leadership, which he claimed, was the main demand of the people of the region.

The PDP chieftain stated this at weekend while appearing on a Channels TV programme, adding that, with the APC’s failure to provide required leadership, it would be easy for the PDP to exploit the loopholes and reclaim the region through the ballot.

Sharing Money to Voters Increases Unemployment – Obi

The presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), has advised politicians to invest in human capital development instead of sharing money to voters during elections.

Obi said this in Ibadan, the Oyo capital, after a meeting with the governor of Oyo state, Engr. Seyi Makinde.

According to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), the number of unemployed youths in Nigeria increased by nine million between 2015 and 2020.

The former governor of Anambra said the monetisation of the political space has resulted in high rate of unemployment in the country.

“The money that they are sharing is why there is joblessness in the society,” newsmen quoted Obi as

saying.

“That is the money that should have been used to do what is right, to improve human capital, to invest in education and health.”

He said he has been going across different party lines to canvass stakeholders to “save” the country.

Obi added that Nigeria is a consumption country, and promised to turn it into a country that prioritises production if he wins the presidential election.

He also said, if elected, he will ensure the country works for all persons, irrespective of social class.

He urged Nigerians to vote for him because he has the “competence and the capacity to turn around the country”.

EDSIEC Shifts Local Council Election to May 2023

The Edo State Independent Electoral Commission (EDSIEC) has shifted the date earlier fixed for the Local Government Elections from Thursday, January 19, 2023 to Saturday, May 06, 2023.

In a statement by the EDSIEC Administrative Secretary, Sunday A. Osayande, the electoral body said the decision is sequel to the fear of threat to peace and security over apprehension that many electorates will be disenfranchised if the Commission is unable to get an updated Voters Register from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

The statement reads, “This is to inform members of the general public and all the Eighteen Registered Political Parties in Edo State that the Board of the

Edo State Independent Electoral Commission at its meeting held today the 29th day of September, 2022 resolved to shift the date earlier fixed for the Local Government Elections from Thursday 19th January 2023 to Saturday 6th May, 2023 throughout the 18 Local Government Areas and the 192 Wards of the State.

It further noted, “This decision is sequel to the fear by the Commission of threat to peace and security as there is perceived apprehension that many electorates will be disenfranchised if the Commission is not able to get an updated Voters Register from Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as what has been released to the Commission so far is the Register used in the 2019 General Election by INEC.”

Nigerian Women Working For Tinubu’s Victory – Okotete

The immediate past National Women Leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Hon. Stella Okotete, has said that women from all the zones in the country are poised to elect Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu as their next President in 2023.

Addressing journalists in Abuja at the Asiwaju Women Cooperative Society event held at the National Women Centre, Okotete, who is also the Executive Director, Business Development at the Nigerian Export Import Bank (NEXIM), stated that Tinubu is the best deal for Nigerian women and that, that is why she and others are working assiduously to ensure his victory and those of other APC candidates nationwide, adding that Nigeria will experience economic growth and development with the coming of Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s government in 2023.

Also, the Coordinator of the group, Chief Toyin Badmus who said the group has been in existence for over two years, submitted that the group is fully out to support the candidacy of Tinubu.

Badmus said, with Tinubu as president of Nigeria, small-scale businessmen and women would have access to funds.

She said: “Our aim is for Asiwaju to become president in 2023.

“What we are advocating for is the return of people’s banks, it was a bank where small traders used to have access to funds, but now it’s different, we know that when Tinubu enters, he is going to look into this.

“Things are going to change with his government, we are in 23 states including the Federal Capital Territory, we are not a WhatsApp group, we have our exco from the senatorial to the local government.

In her remarks, the Chairperson, BoT, AWCS, Barrister Omolara Alakija, said the group is ready to work hard for the success of the APC in 2023.

“We are ready to work for Asiwaju, we are here to show to our leaders we are united and the women will all work in their respective local governments”, she added

“The South-East people are respected across the globe. We have the best professionals in Europe and America, in various spheres of endeavour, be it in medicine, technology, engineering, science and arts, in law.

“In this country, we have shown that we lead the way in commerce. It is important that we are given the right atmosphere, the right climate to excel, to showcase our individual capacities and that is why we look for good governance.

“And that is what the APC has failed to give (South-East) so it is easy to dismiss the APC in the South-East,” Ihedioha said.

On the PDP internal crisis, Ihedioha stated the squabbles will be resolved through that party’s internal mechanism, discussions and consultations.

According to him, the presidential candidate of the party Atiku Abubakar is working to resolve issues and the PDP will give Nigerians the government they desire.

“We will get over this situation. Disagreements are normal in every home, in every family and so deliberate steps were being taken as a party.

Calmly, we are resolving issues and by the time we come to the election, PDP will have put all its houses in order.

“I believe discussions and consultations are going on at various levels. I am very certain, knowing Atiku Abubakar very well, our issues will be resolved and the PDP will give Nigerians the government they desire.”

On the issue of alleged bribery in the party, the former governor said, “I am not a member of the NWC of our party, but the opposition is trying to play up issues. What did you hear about the APC? It is a party that operates like a secret cult. We (PDP) are a democratic party.

“I do not know the facts of this matter but we have internal mechanisms of dealing with issues and of course, if anyone said he was paid and he said he is returning the money for sure they will deal with that, these are not the issues that will give us good governance.”

L-R: Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Mohood Balogun; Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde; his Benue State counterpart, Samuel Ortom and former Governor of Oyo State, Senator Rashidi Ladoja during the flag off of Senator Rashidi Adewolu Ladoja GRA and naming of Ladoja circular road project along LagosIbadan Expressway, Ibadan.

EDITORIAL

Celebrating Nigeria @ 62

Nigeria marked her 62nd Independence Anniversary on Saturday, October 1, 2022, with commemorative activities across the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), while a military parade was held at the Eagle Square, Abuja . The special parade was inspected by President Muhammadu Buhari with other government officials in attendance.

A 15-member Inter-Ministerial Committee, led by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Boss Mustapha, had earlier been inaugurated to oversee and coordinate the week-long activities for the 62nd independence anniversary. The Committee was made up of the Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed and his counterparts from Interior, Finance, Budget and National Planning; Foreign Affairs, FCT, Special Duties and Intergovernmental Affairs ministries, as well as the National Security Adviser and Special Adviser to the President on Policy and Coordination.

Other members include the Permanent Secretary, State House; Permanent Secretary, Political and Economic Affairs Office; Permanent Secretary, General Services Office; InspectorGeneral of Police, DG DSS and the Commander, Guards Brigade.

The Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbeola, while announcing a public holiday for Monday, October 3, to commemorate the occasion, said: “The world is going through dire economic and security challenges, which have also affected our nation. However, I am assuring us all that the Federal Government will not abandon the

people, but will continue to confront all these challenges with all the might at our disposal until respite comes our way.”

There is no doubt that the chequered history of Nigeria since independence has been very challenging as most Nigerians believe that the developments recorded in the over six decades of political independence are not really commensurate with the available resources - human and material .

Political leadership in the past two decades has been very disappointing, especially with our nascent democracy continuously failing to deliver the expected dividends. Economically, massive corruption and over-concentration on oil as the main source of revenue have also compounded the nation's woes, more so as highly organised oil theft has continued to rob the country of the much-needed revenue.

Terrorism and increasing criminal activities have unfortunately succeeded in placing the country on the global map as one of the most dangerous places to live, while Nigeria is now regarded as the poverty capital of the world with a high unemployment rate and grave hunger in the land.

Incidentally, this independence anniversary is the last for the Buhari Administration. Its lacklustre performance in almost every sector in the past seven and a half years is unequalled. With just a few months to go, many Nigerians have been wondering what the present administration, with its failed leadership that has thrown the economy into a total mess, was actually celebrating.

Nonetheless, despite all the damning reports on the nation's economy,

silver linings still lie ahead. The 2022 economic outlook recently released by Allianz Trade points to a gradual improvement in the country's economic fortunes, despite the recent increase in interest rates by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN). According to the report, ''Nigeria's economy expanded by a better-than-expected 3.5 per cent y/y in Q2, up from 3.1 per cent y/y in Q1. The pick-up in headline growth was largely due to the contraction in the oil sector easing, while growth in the non-oil economy held up well.

"In seasonally-adjusted terms, GDP rose by around 0.9 per cent q/q.

More timely indicators suggest that activity picked up further at the start of Q3. The MI rose from 50.9 in June to 53.2 in July. And private sector credit growth reached 21.3 per cent y/y in July. "

The report however notes that "production in the key oil sector remained very low, essentially unchanged from June at 1.18mn bpd in July... the currency weakened against the US dollar, both on the Nafex exchange rate and the black market,'' adding, ''Inflation jumped from 18.6 per cent y/y in June to 19.6 per cent y/y in July, the highest since September 2005.''

Despite all the challenges and the failures of the country's leadership over the years, we still want to believe that Nigeria shall be great again, given the determination of the majority of Nigerians to make the right choice in the forthcoming general elections in February 2023. The forthcoming general elections really offer Nigerians another chance to put the wrong side of history behind them and open a new chapter for the future.

We also want to agree with the Interior Minister, Aregbesola, who said in a statement by the Permanent Secretary in his ministry, Dr. Shuaib Belgore, that “Our warmth, welcoming spirit and love, as well as our unbounded human capital and the richness of our land, make Nigeria unarguably the leading black nation in the world and Africa’s pride and beacon of hope."'

And we really have no doubt, like the minister also believes that "If we can rally ourselves together to harness our potential, we shall be the greatest nation on the earth.”

We wish Nigeria and Nigerians a happy independent anniversary.

Despite all the challenges and the failures of the country's leadership over the years, we still want to believe that Nigeria shall be great again, given the determination of the majority of Nigerians to make the right choice in the forthcoming general elections in February 2023

OPINION

Nigerian Media: Last Estate Standing

BY TOLA ADENIYI

Say what you like, but for the Nigerian media, those who were hell-bent on destroying the country would have succeeded a long time ago. It was the design of the destroyers, right from the inception of the so-called amalgamation of Northern and Southern Nigeria, not to allow the peaceful and all-trusting indigenous inhabitants of the space now called Nigeria to have a future.

We are again in the season of thoughtless rituals when we celebrate the flag-and-paper independence given to us by brutish British colonial masters who had planted inescapable land-mines with rigged population census figures, rigged parliamentary elections and irredeemably screwed regional boundaries before the take-off.

Thank goodness, we are still breathing; which is about the only commodity left, due largely to the heroic activities of the press before, during, and ever since the so-called deceptive independence. Every civilised community normally thrives on four inter-dependent pillars of governance: the Executive, Legislature, Judiciary and the Watchdog which ensures checks-and-balances so that none of the first three would lose its head and run amok.

The term ‘Fourth Estate of the Realm’, a descriptive term for the press, is almost unanimously agreed to have been coined by Edmund Burke, a 19th Century British statesman and orator, who championed many human rights causes and brought attention to them through his eloquent speeches.

The role of the mass media as the “fourth estate” of the realm implies that the media is also a lawmaker in itself. In addition to its core functions as informer, educator, entertainer, advertiser, critic and influencer, the media is supposed to be an agenda setter through its editorialising of opinions.

A paper’s editorial is sometimes called ‘leader’ because of its powerful role of setting alternative agenda for the state.

During the medieval era, the fourth estate was also referred to as the press because the press was the only prevalent form of media prior to the coming of television and radio.

“Though the media and press have a persuasive authority, yet their ability is not a secret to the world. The existence of a free, independent and powerful media is the cornerstone of a democracy, especially of a highly mixed society like India. The pivotal role of the media is its ability to mobilise the thinking process of millions’ says Prabhat Ranjan.

The Nigerian media has lived up to its reputation and, as mentioned inter-alia, it has been performing its role

creditably long before Independence and throughout the unforgettable interregnum of the jackboot.

Nigerians will never forget the role of the media in confronting and stopping the obnoxious Anglo-Nigerian Defence Pact stoutly opposed by the valiant Nigerian Students of the 1960s; the quartet of Rasaki Solaja, Julius Adelusi-Adeluyi, Hayford Alile, Dapo Falase and Co. Nigerians will never forget “If you Tarka me, I’ll Daboh you” and “Laup Ongonu Minister of Steel shall steel no more” captions and articles that forced ministers out of the cabinet. Or the provocative columns, “Let Me Fall” and “May We Never See It Again” [Daily Times, 1974], which saw Gowon tumbling down less than six months after!

When the press was chased off the streets by military juntas, especially in the infamous period between 1993 and 1998, the media led by the Osifo-Whiskeys and Onanugas moved their operational bases to the jungle and perfected what was known as ‘Guerrilla journalism,’ while Radio Kudirat sited its operational base on the Moon!

With all the courageous activities of the legendary NADECO forces, it was the media that announced and popularised their yeoman activities to the world and made Nigeria ungovernable for the Google.

I cannot and should not attempt to list the media heroes of that era, or indeed the media heroes of all time in Nigeria, simply because they were/are numerous and secondly, one is bound to inadvertently leave some big players unmentioned. Suffice it to say that they know themselves, Nigeria remembers them and of course, the God they serve recognises them. And posterity applauds them.

Let me say with all modesty that my pedigree qualifies me to appreciate which medium is good and which one is not up to its billings. Having worked at the very top level of some media establishments as Executive Chairman, Proprietor, Editor-in-Chief, as Features Editor, Columnist, Investigations/Reviews Editor and Chief Correspondent not only in Nigeria but also in Britain, the US and Canada, I feel confident that the Nigerian media stands tall in the comity of media industries throughout the world. The informed Editorials and columns dished out by Nigerian Journalists over the years can hardly be beaten by any Journalist anywhere in the world, especially in their thoughtfulness and the robustness of their argument and scholarship.

Forget the so-called free press in the so-called free world. It is all hype, exhibition of uninhibited racism, profiling, propaganda, irreverent and hedonistic social values, severe self- and governmental censorship, hero-worshipping and

always towing government line.

Back to Nigeria, a country in the throes of death, for about 23 years since it was fed with pretensions of democracy, Nigeria has been kept under lock and key by ‘misrulers’ who like to deceive themselves that they were and now practising democracy where the mandatory doctrine of separation of powers exists.

There was no pretence in the first 8-years of the experiment of democratic rule. It was merely the donning of agbada robes over starched khaki and jackboots. It was almost a full-blown military dictatorship where towns and communities were sacked at the command of the President without resort to the legislature or the judiciary. It was the media that exposed the Ghana-Must-Go bags stuffed with US dollars for the purchase of a notorious 3rd Term.

It was the Nigerian media that put paid to one man’s ambition to keep Nigeria under his armpit ‘for life!’

The legislature and the judiciary went to sleep when another President was gasping for life far away in Saudi Arabia or God knows where. The media was the only estate standing. But for the media, the dead, like the shrouded spirit of the Yoruba Egungun pantheon, would have been left to rule Nigeria ad infinitum.

It was the Nigerian media that rescued the country from the jaws of naira-eating predators under the cover of a huge umbrella, which ravaged the country for four and half good years under the blindfolded watch of the legislature and the judiciary.

Regrettably though, and here was a huge minus, the media colluded with conmen and con-women to impose a ‘Seenothing-hear-nothing-and-say nothing’ absolute ruler with draconian decrees on the country, as an alternative.

Nigerians must thank God that the media, immediately thereafter, woke up from their slumber and recovered their senses and have since resumed their watch-dog role in the face of the absentee executive, absentee legislature (recently chased out of Abuja by imported terrorists) and absentee judiciary (until recently headed by a Sharia-bag carrying messenger of the gods). I didn’t say vulture.

In the last seven years there have been a relentless war on the Nigerian economy, security, education, ancestral lands and waters by a single individual who had commandeered the three Estates of the Realm and collapsed them under his boots.

•Continues online at www.thewillnigeria.com

Imo’s New Speaker And 9th Assembly Legislators

BY SAMPSON UHUEGBU

Before the immediate past Speaker of the Imo State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Kennedy Ibeh, resigned his position, I had a premonition that the legislator would end up like his predecessors.

In all, the Imo Assembly has had four Speakers in the current political dispensation. Ibeh has every cause to be thankful to Providence for making it possible for him to hold that exalted office for about 10 months before his abrupt resignation, which has continued to elicit diverse reactions.

Interestingly, Ibeh’s successor, Emeka Nduka, is an outstanding lawmaker whose capacity cannot be waved aside, having been familiar with the terrain and legislative processes and challenges facing the House of Assembly.

Nduka is a reliable and responsible leader with elastic capacity. His antecedents and the impact of his humanitarian services so far on the lives of his constituents speak for him in Ehime Mbano Local Government Area of Imo State.

He is a leader that will reach out to everyone and do the needful to empower and sensitise the people at the grassroots level with information on events in the Assembly.

It would be recalled that the people of Imo were fed-up with the non-chalant attitudes of their representatives in the Assembly, but their prayers have been answered through the swearing-in of Rt. Hon Nduka who will change the ugly narratives.

Former Speaker, Chiji Collins, was at the helm of the Assembly for 13 months – between 2019 to November 2020.

When a vote of no confidence was passed on him by the members of the Assembly, he was removed and replaced by the Member for OnuImo State Constituency, Rt. Hon. Paul Emeziem, who served for more than 10 months.

Ibeh was wigged and gavelled last year (2021). He came, saw and was conquered because of his unnecessary highhandedness. Simply put, Ibeh has been out, while Nduka took over on September 19, 2022. His ascension was greeted with jubilation across the state.

The subsequent emergence of the Honourable member representing Ehime Mbano State Constituency, Nduka, as new Speaker of the House of Assembly, following Ibeh’s resignation, which can be said to have a whiff of noble intentions (though it was not received that way), is a commendable resolve taken by the Imo lawmakers.

To me, Nduka’s elevation as Speaker came at a time when the 9th House was winding up its session. No doubt, he will make an impact. Being the only All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate that keenly contested during the 2019 election and won under the ruling party, he should have been honoured before now. His representation at the legislative chamber has been super, effective, selfless and refreshing.

Nduka is one of the vibrant lawmakers in the 9th House. Unlike his predecessors whose outings for the good people of Ehime Mbano were nothing to write home about, he moved motions and sponsored bills that visibly impacted positively on lives of his constituents and Imo people in general.

Antagonistic behavior and the superiority- complex syndrome, which rocked the Imo House of Assembly in the past, will be clearly jettisoned because Nduka is a man of the people who carries everyone along in the scheme of things. He is a lawmaker who has a penchant for unity of purpose and believes in peaceful- coexistence with his fellow members of the Assembly.

The new Speaker is expected to recall suspended members of the assembly, such as Okechukwu Onyekanma, representing Mbaitoli Constituency and Ekene Nnodimele, representing Oguta State Constituency, who were unjustifiably edged out by his predecessor, Kennedy Ibeh, over what was described as legislative misconduct.

Nduka’s relationship with his honourable colleagues is commendable. He should therefore ensure that good bills authored by colleagues are quickly passed Into law for the enhancement of economic development in the state.

Moreso, the people expect him to revive the harmonious relationship with other arms of government: The Executive and Judiciary. It is now obvious that the 27 Imo legislators will always associate themselves with Nduka's exemplary leadership qualities rooted in wisdom, humility and selfless representation.

It is the passionate prayers of Ndimo that God will continue to strengthen him with the legislative enablement towards unlocking the hidden treasures in the 9th Assembly and bring back to track the robustness that Imo State House of Assembly was known for.

Cornerstone Insurance Heads For Dividend

Drought Amid 48% Half-Year Decline

BY SAM DIALA

Cornerstone Insurance Plc, Nigeria’s fifth largest underwriter by market capitalisation (N10.2 billion as of September 30, 2022), may experience resumed dividend drought that dogged its operations for five consecutive years, as its 2022 halfyear financial results have shown.

The 31-year-old insurance firm declared no dividend from 2016 to 2020 after the shareholders received a dividend of 2 kobo per share in 2015. The tardy trend was, however, interrupted in 2021 when the firm declared a dividend of 903.31 million, translating to 5 kobo per share, in 2021. However, the company’s directors enjoyed handsome remunerations amid lean profitability during the dividend drought.

According to the 2022 interim half-year financial results, Cornerstone Insurance posted unimpressive performance in key financial parameters. This is opposed to most of its peers that recorded at least modest growth during the period. Among the industry’s top 10 firms ranked by market capitalization, Cornerstone Insurance was among the few with poor results during the period; it recorded a growth decline of 48.8 percent year-on-year (based on profitability).

Unlike HY 2021 when the firm was able to raise pre-tax profit to N833.78 million, it stumbled to a 48.5 percent drop in HY 2022 posting N429.62 million. Similarly, post-tax profit retracted significantly. The firm recorded a 48.6 percent slump in profit after tax to N408.36 million, from N794.46 million achieved earlier in the corresponding period.

The company’s gross revenue haul had a marginal 4.3 percent

Nigeria Air: Stakeholders Thumb Down Start-Up Process

BY ANTHONY AWUNOR

Despite the recent acquisition of its Air Transport Licence (ATL) from the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA ) and the conclusion of the bidding process, which brought forward Ethiopian Airlines as a core investor, some stakeholders

are still not confident that the national carrier will find its feet in a few months’ time as promised.

This is just as these stakeholders picked holes in delays and transparency of processes

Continues on page 17

setback from N10.76 billion in HY 2021 to N10.3 billion in the reporting year. Gross premium earned, however, showed a positive result of N10.66 billion as against N9.0 billion, an increase of 8.8 percent. Net underwriting income of N6 billion in the preceding period dropped by 2 percent to N5.97 billion in the review space.

An examination of the firm’s HY 2022 financial results further showed that its revenue was obviously challenged by major operating costs which rose significantly during the period.

Personnel expenses rose by 42.3 percent to N1.33 billion from N932 million in the preceding period, while staff training and development jumped to N54.28 million from N16.53 million or 228.4 percent. Salaries also moved north: N890 million from N769.45 million in HY 2021, a rise of 15.7 percent.

“The increase in personnel cost and related matters suggest that the insurance company is investing proactively on its human capital because that is her most valuable asset. The employees have to be developed as a basis for securing future growth and generating optimum returns for the stakeholders”, said Ben Udoh, an investment analyst.

Evidently, the impact of high cost of diesel showed in the firm’s repairs, fuel and maintenance expenses which recorded a 21.2 increase to N143.25 million from N118.22 million in the corresponding period. The firm also spent more in business travels which consumed N50.10 million of its earnings as against N20.81 million in HY 2021. The assets base was equally challenged; it dropped by 2 percent to N48.27 billion from N49.30 billion.

MORE INSIDE

NLRC Inaugurate Committee to Strengthen Consumer Protection

CBN to Accelerate Intervention in Critical Sectors – Emefiele

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor, Godwin Emefiele, has reiterated the commitment of the bank towards developing the critical sectors of the economy through its intervention schemes.

Nigerian Exchange Group Holds 61st Annual General Meeting

The Intervention programme, initiated in 1977, was aimed to fast-track the development of the real economy, especially manufacturing and agriculture, by improving access to credit to operators and improve

OCTOBER 02 - OCTOBER 08, 2022 THEWILL NEWSPAPER • www.thewillnigeria.com PAGE 16 THEWILLNIGERIA THEWILLNG THEWILLNIGERIA OCTOBER 02 - OCTOBER 08, 2022 THEWILL NEWSPAPER • www.thewillnigeria.com VOL.2 NO.40 Continues on page 17 Musa

AVIATION/INSURANCE

Nigeria Air: Stakeholders Thumb Down Start-Up Process

Continued from page 16

that have been deployed since the airline was launched in Farnborough in July, 2018. During the launch, the Minister of Aviation, Senator Hadi Sirika had promised that Nigeria Air would commence operations at the end of the year 2018.

Four years down the line, the airline is yet to get all the necessary requirements to commence operations.

The airline, which was originally scheduled to commence operations in December 2018, could not start as planned due to the preparation towards the 2019 general elections, while the outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 and its extension to 2021 further scuttled the commencement date.

Even after COVID-19, the story has remained the same. First, it was planned to start in April 2022; when that failed, the option became to bring in the first out of the three wet-leased aircraft for the airline in June and then commence operations in July, 2022. Again that take-off date failed.

However, a major breakthrough was recorded recently, when the airline received the Air Transport Licence ATL from NCAA. Shortly after that, Ethiopian Airlines (ET) Consortium was selected as preferred bidder for the operation of Nigeria Air.

The Hon. Minister of Aviation, Senator Hadi Sirika who announced the emergence of Ethiopian Airlines in a press conference held in Abuja, recently, while updating status of the Nigeria Air and the PPP Bidding Process, said the business arrangement will offer an owner consortium of

In less than 24 hours and in a dramatic twist, the Aviation Ministry came out to state that it has removed the Sovereign Wealth Investment Authority from core investors. It however, noted that there are other "institutional investors" without mentioning their names

3 Nigerian investors MRS, SAHCO and the Nigerian Sovereign Investment Authority (NSIA) (46 percent), FGN owning 5 per cent and ET 49 per cent.

In less than 24 hours and in a dramatic twist, the Aviation Ministry came out to state that it had removed the NSIA from core investors. It, however, noted that there are other "institutional investors" without mentioning their names.

Meanwhile, according to the Minister in his statement, Ethiopian Airline was the only bidder despite the extension of date by an additional one month.

Other bidders allegedly submitted their bids after the close of the bidding process. So, their bids were not accepted. What this means is that ET had it on a platter without any competition.

In their reactions, most aviation stakeholders have described the choice of Ethiopian Air¬lines as the core investor and technical partner in the Ni¬geria Air project as a win for the East African carrier and a huge loss to Nigeria.

Some of the experts among these stakeholders also expressed the fear that, rather than the airline to be a part¬ner with Nigeria as a result of the deal with the Federal Gov¬ernment, Ethiopian Airlines would be competing with the country on its Bilateral Air Service Agreement (BASA) arrangements with other coun¬tries, while capital flight would also increase.

To some of these experts, the rush to convince Nigerians about the commencement of operations of Nigeria Air was just to fulfill one of the election prom¬ises of the President Muham¬madu Buhari-led administration in 2015 and not for the econom¬ic development of Nigeria.

Also, players in the sector said the aircraft wetlease ar¬rangement with Ethiopian Airlines, maintenance, crew engagement and training of personnel would add more pressure on the demand for foreign exchange, which would further weaken the naira.

Commenting on the development, Group Capt. John Ojikutu (rtd), the Chief Execu-tive Officer (CEO), Centurion Security Limited, said he is not in support of having any of the foreign airlines and a competitor with us on the BASA Routes as our technical partners, adding that foreign airlines’ interest in the partnerships will come before ours.

Ojikutu recalled that similar partnerships with the KLM and the SAA in the early 90s did not benefit Nigeria, advising that the Federal Government should therefore, look for partnerships outside the competitors in the BASA Routes in countries like Canada, Australia, and the others.

*Continues online at www. thewillnigeria.com

Cornerstone Insurance Heads For Dividend Drought Amid 48% Half-Year Decline

Continued from page 16

Cornerstone Insurance Plc directors’ cost during HY 2022 was N37.19 million as against N10.54 million in the preceding period representing a jump of 252.85 percent. This is more than three times the gross premium written during the period and close to N10 percent of the post-tax profit.

The National Co-ordinator, Independent Shareholders Association of Nigeria, Anthony Omojola noted that the half-year result may not tell sufficient story of the firm’s performance for the year. While the 48 percent drop in post-tax profit could be worrisome, the investment advocacy leader argued that the marginal drop in assets should not be a source of worry given the devaluation of the Naira and inflation. He believes that the third quarter would give a clearer picture of the firm’s performance.

“The directors’ cost is about the same for the two years. The 2 percent drop in assets is commendable in view of the value of the Naira and high cost of materials. Wait for the 3rd quarter results for further comments,” Omojola told THEWILL in a note. He added that the sliding numbers will most likely impact on the overall performance making it difficult to avoid the impending dividend drought.

Udoh said the half-year results are indicative of the full-year performance of the firm for the next two quarters. According to him, in view of the depressed economy which does not spare the insurance sector in any particular way, the dwindling value of the Naira and rising inflation, it is not likely that Cornerstone Insurance would post impressive returns during the year.

“There is a declining trend already. The profits are low and operating expenses are rising. Businesses are generally challenged. The half-year result of the insurance firm shows it is not going to be better than 2021”, Udoh said by telephone.

When contacted, Cornerstone Insurance Head of Marketing and Corporate Communications, Cordelia Ekeocha, confirmed receipt of the enquiry but did not respond further as of the time of going to press.

The insurance apex regulator, National Insurance Commission (NAICOM) in August 2020 rolled out a new capital base for insurance firms listed on the NGX Exchange. The announcement revealed that a total of N142.13 billion would be required to meet the new minimum capital base for the 24 of the listed 25 firms.

NAICOM in a circular specified the minimum paid-up share capital of all classes of insurers insurance and reinsurance companies with the exception of Takaful operators and micro-insurance companies. The minimum paid-up capital of life insurance companies was reviewed from N2 billion to N8 billion while that of general insurance companies

“

Cornerstone Insurance Plc directors’ cost

during HY 2022 was N37.19 million as against N10.54 million in the preceding period representing a jump of 252.85 percent. This is more than three times the gross premium written during the period and close to N10 percent of the posttax profit

was reviewed from N3 billion to N10 billion.

The paid-up capital requirement for composite businesses was reviewed from N5 billion to N10 billion.

That of reinsurance businesses was reviewed from N10 billion to N20 billion. NAICOM also barred regulated entities from borrowing money to meet the requirements, a move that left the firms with the options of merger and acquisition or capital raise by rights issue. Available data then showed that Cornerstone Insurance would seek additional capital of N8.05 billion to boost its existing N1.95 billion to meet the newly stipulated minimum paid up capital.

Cornerstone Insurance Plc said on July 24, 2020 that its board of directors had reached a decision concerning a proposed issuance of bonus shares to its shareholders as part of the plans to meet its recapitalization mandate. In a notice that was sent to the NGX Exchange, the firm said the resolution on bonus shares was one of many other resolutions that were reached when its board of directors met on July 22, 2020. It said that the bonus shares would be issued in the proportion of seven new shares for every thirty shares of fifty kobo each, already held by shareholders.

The company’s market capitalisation as at September 30, 2022, according to data by the Nigerian Exchange (NGX) was N10.17 billion; its share price closed N0.56 at last Friday’s trading.

from page 16

CBN to Accelerate Intervention in Critical Sectors – Emefiele

the financial position of the Deposit Money Banks.

Emefiele made this remark during press briefing at the conclusion of the September 162nd Monetary Policy Committee meeting in Abuja on September 27, 2022 where the decision was made to raise the benchmark interest rate from 14 percent to 15.5 percent to tackle the raging inflation which hit 20.6 percent in August,.

Enumerating the success story of the apex bank’s intervention fund in rescuing the economy from the effects of COVID-19 and subsequent recession, Emefiele said that one of the schemes, Real Sector Facility, had impacted positively on manufacturing.

“Under the Real Sector Facility, the Bank released the sum of N66.99 billion to 12 additional projects in manufacturing and agriculture.

Cumulative disbursements under the Real Sector Support Facility (RSSF) currently stood at N2.10 trillion disbursed to 426 projects across the country.“

He also said that the 100 for 100 intervention policy boosted production and productivity.

“Furthermore, under the 100 for 100 Policy on Production and Productivity (PPP), the Bank disbursed the sum of N20.17 billion to 14 projects in healthcare, manufacturing, and services, bringing the cumulative disbursement under the facility to N93.39 billion to 62 projects.

“In the healthcare sector, N4.00 billion was disbursed to two (2) healthcare projects under the Healthcare Sector Intervention Facility (HSIF), bringing the cumulative disbursement to N130.54 billion for 131 projects, comprising of 32 pharmaceuticals, 60 hospitals and 39 other services.

“Under the Export Facilitation Initiative (EFI), the Bank funded several commodity projects in the non-oil export segment for valueaddition and production to the tune of

N3.24 billion, aside the N50.00 billion disbursed through the Nigerian Export Import Bank (NEXIM),” the apex bank boss stated.

He revealed that in the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprise (MSME) sector, the Bank supported entrepreneurship development with the sum of N39.26 million under the Tertiary Institutions Entrepreneurship Scheme (TIES), bringing the total disbursement under this intervention to N332.43 million.

He added, “Under the Intervention Facility for the National Gas Expansion Programme (IFNGEP), the Bank disbursed N1.00 billion to support the adoption of Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) as the preferred fuel for transportation and Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) as the preferred cooking fuel,”

He said the bank will not wind down on the intervention scheme but will narrow the scope to focus more on the critical sectors that impact significantly on the economy, especially in manufacturing and agriculture to boost job creation.

On the domestic front, he said available data on key macroeconomic variables indicate that output growth will continue for the rest of 2022, however, at a much-subdued pace.

“Some of these domestic shocks include: the high level of insecurity currently disrupting the free flow of economic activities; heightened sovereign risk as the 2023 general elections approach; continued upward pressure on inflation, driven by exchange rate pressures amongst other domestic factors.

“In addition, domestic price development is expected to maintain the current upward trend in light of the build-up of increased spending and demand for money, as the 2023 general elections approach.

“Accordingly, the Nigerian economy is forecast to grow in 2022 by 3.52 per cent (CBN), 4.20 per cent (FGN) and 3.40 per cent (IMF),” Emefiele said.

NCC, NLRC Inaugurate Committee to Strengthen Consumer Protection

The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) and the National Lottery Regulatory Commission (NLRC)

on Thursday in Abuja set up a committee to work towards the protection of the interest of telecom consumers against malpractices that may attend mobile lotteries in the country.

The Committee, which was inaugurated at the NCC Head Office in Abuja, was tasked with the responsibility of articulating measures to address mutual regulatory issues, including the review of revenue-sharing formula between Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) and lottery operators.

The NCC’s Executive Commissioner, Stakeholder Management (ECSM), Barrister Adeleke Adewolu, who presided at the meeting comprising senior staff of the two agencies, recalled fondly previous engagements between the agencies and stated that the committee was important in order to review and update an NCC-NLRC Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), which was signed on the 6th of August 2018 but has now expired.

The ECSM said the Commission is committed to regulatory collaboration and strategic partnerships and has carefully reviewed NLRC's requests and is convinced that both organisations can conclusively address issues and other concerns that have been identified in the operation of lotteries in the telecom industry.

"We expect that the Joint Committee of senior members of staff in both organisations will work closely to develop a collaborative framework to progressively improve gaming service delivery for telecoms consumers and further accelerate holistic development in Nigeria’s digital economy," Adewolu stated.

In addition, the ECSM reiterated that the Committee is expected to articulate a new MoU to address issues around revenue sharing between MNOs and lottery operators, the need to review and recommend a workable model for addressing the needs of both organisations, and present informed recommendations to deepen regulatory collaboration between the two regulatory agencies.

"Given the strong professional pedigree of the members of this Joint Committee, I have no doubt that they will meet and even exceed the expectations of the Managements of both the NCC and the NLRC, and I wish you all success in this task," Adewolu added.

Nigerian Exchange Group Holds 61st Annual General Meeting

The Nigerian Exchange Group Plc. held its 61st Annual General Meeting (AGM) in Lagos on Friday, 30 September 2022, where shareholders approved resolutions by the company’s Board of Directors.

Mr. Apollos Ikpobe and Dr. Okechukwu Itanyi retired by rotation and were reelected as non-executive directors. Professor Enase Okonedo’s resignation was earlier approved by the board and as such she was not presented for reelection. Other resolutions adopted at the AGM include the appointment of Ernst & Young as NGX Group's external auditors; the Board's authority to fix the Audit Company's remuneration; the disclosure of NGX Group's executive remuneration; and the re-election of the Statutory Audit Committee.

The Group Chairman of NGX Group, Otunba Abimbola Ogunbanjo, who was due for re-election for a period of one year until the next AGM in 2023, voluntarily retired from the board and did not present himself for re-election. While four nonexecutive directors of the board were reelected, including Mrs. Fatimah Bintah Bello-Ismail, Mr. Oluwole Adeosun, Mr. Chidi Agbapu, and Mr. Patrick Ajayi.

To allow for wider consultations and further engagement with shareholders, the special business to raise funds of up to N35,000,000,000 (Thirty-Five Billion Naira) for business expansion was not presented.

Commenting at the AGM, Otunba Ogunbanjo thanked shareholders for working assiduously with the Board and Management of the Group in delivering the dividends of demutualisation and enhancing shareholder value and for attaining many firsts during his term in office. He stated, “We released our dividend policy in line with our mandate to shareholders after the completion of our recent extraordinary General Meeting.

"We also created a revised corporate governance framework, already approved by shareholders and consistent with securities regulations to realign the interests of all stakeholders.

"In closing, I would like to thank the Board and Management of NGX Group for their support since I assumed office as Chairman of the Group in 2021. As I retire from the Board, I trust that my successor will continue the legacy of service and bring greater accomplishments as the sustainable exchange group championing Africa’s socio-economic growth.”

Oscar N. Onyema, OON, GMD/CEO noted that the Group recorded a 22% increase in profitability, a 13% increase in gross earnings, and 14.9% growth in revenue. He noted that the Group intends to enhance its performance going forward and called for support from all stakeholders.

After the AGM, the Board of Directors appointed Mr. Apollos Ikpobe as Acting Chairman, who said he recognised the enormous responsibility associated with the role. He pledged to work with all stakeholders to ensure the stability and growth of the company during this transition. “On behalf of the board, I thank Mr. Ogunbanjo for his selfless service to the company over the years”.

L-R: Marketing and Innovations Director, Guinness Nigeria, Mark Mugisha; Current Commonwealth games, Para-Table tennis Silver medalist, Ifechukwude Christiana Ikpeoyi; World Boxing Foundation, International Super Bantamweight belt holder, Mary Aina; Current Commonwealth Games, Para-powerlifting Silver medalist, Bose Omolayo and Corporate Relations Director, Guinness Nigeria, Rotimi Odusola, as Guinness spotlights the athletes and celebrates their sports achievement at the the Guinness Headquaters, Ikeja, Lagos on September 22 2022.

Photo: Peace Udugba

CAPITAL MARKET

BY SOLA ONI

Ihave been inundated with phone calls and text messages from highly respected professional colleagues in the media and financial markets on my opinion on the stories that have become the fallout of the recent financial performance of NGX Group PLC., which demutualised in March, 2021. The spate of such requests is a burden on me that people of substance read my comments on the financial markets.

Having reported the market for The Guardian in the 1990s during the Call-Over trading system, worked for The Nigerian Stock Exchange (now NGX Group PLC) for over one decade and reinforced my professionalism with different certifications in the Capital Market, I cannot take any issue about the financial markets with a mere passing interest.

The Demutualisation project was conceived and commenced by the former administration of Professor Ndi OkerekeOnyuike as far back as 2001 and I was then the Exchange’s Spokesman. I was later moved to Market Operations, which positioned me to have more insight into how demutualisation of The Exchange would be structured.

However, one thing that we held sacrosanct through reports of some of us that visited some demutualised markets in other countries was that demutualisation would never be a silver bullet as some people wanted us to believe at that time. All of us had high hopes that the project would be successful and we were planning to sensitise the entire masses to become shareholders after demutualisation and listing of The Exchange.

Although our administration was abruptly truncated in 2010, it is commendable that the new administration did not dump the lofty project, instead it saw it to its fruition.

Therefore, when the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) endorsed the conversion of The Exchange to a profit making organisation in March, 2021, I was excited that our idea has come into reality.

Thereafter, the bourse was listed by Introduction. The Demutualisation gave birth to 432 new shareholders, comprising 255 Dealing Members – the stockbroking firms and 177 Ordinary Members who are individuals.

In the last couple of days, there have been a series of stories trending in the social media, on the matters arising from NGX Group’s current audited accounts.

By its audited report ended in December 2021 but announced in March, 2022, NGX Group PLC’s Profit after tax (PAT) inched up by 22.2 per cent to N2.3 billion from N1.84 billion recorded in the corresponding period of 2020. But some proposed resolutions ahead of the Company’s upcoming Annual General Meeting (AGM) have elicited reactions.

I have read some of the reactions. Analysts are at liberty to take position on any issue as long as they are armed with facts. It all depends on the perspective.

I have also gone through NGX Group’s explanations on its portal, signed by the Group Company Secretary, Mojisola Adeola. The statement has sought to refute some inaccuracies and factual errors in those stories, touches on the proposed capital raise, explains that dividend was not proposed due to regulatory constraints, current Board Members’ justification for seeking shareholders’ approval to defer their retirement and the Group’s initiatives to boost earnings in the future.

Nonetheless, I have a brief comment on the implications of the current situation if not properly managed. Given the preeminent position of The Nigerian Stock Exchange prior to its demutualisation, shareholders of NGX Group PLC had high expectation of quick return on investment.

I believe that many Dealing Members have already taken advantage of the liquidity facilitated by the demutualisation and have cashed out and exited the market. This is normal and expected. The demutualised Exchange stands out as the cynosure of a beautiful bride in the marketplace.

In the medium to long run, demutualisation enhances competition, access to economic and human capital and better corporate governance among others. Individual shareholders have invested their hard -earned income to purchase the shares while 255 Dealing Members and 177 Ordinary Members were allotted shares.

They obviously expect sustainable long term return on their capital. But it is debatable whether such expectation is achievable or realistic within a space of 18 months of transition from a Company limited by guarantee to that of profit making. NGX Group PLC, is still operating a balance sheet of a Mutual Organisation, but competing for profit in the economic space. No fewer than 58 stock exchanges had demutualised across the globe. But they all transited from their core areas, attract investors and adjusted to the opportunities and challenges of demutualisation.

The Chief Executive Officer of NGX Group PLC, Mr Oscar Onyema, knows from the outset that every listed company must be undressed in the public and face constant scrutiny

of the shareholders. The High Priest of NGX Group must face the stark reality that managing a company limited by guarantee is a different ballgame from that of a profit making entity.

A buoyant macro-economic environment is the underlying asset for a securities market to thrive. But irrespective of the state of the economy, shareholders globally, cannot wait to get value for their investment because they have access to alternative asset classes. It boils down to the investment objective and risk tolerance.

Investors with a long term horizon need assurances that the company has strong potentials to generate and deliver value in the foreseeable future. Anything contrary becomes a recipe to ventilate their frustration. But such anger should not be overdramatized so as not to throw the baby out with the bathwater.

The reality for now is that shareholders of NGX Group may need to be patient while the key drivers of the Company review the current structure of the Organisation and shed weight where necessary. The quick fix may be a compelling need to phase out any perceived or real cost centre and trim recurrent expenditures.

After all, if income becomes malnourished because of the tough operating environment, expenditure’s protruding stomach should be controlled through appropriate and disciplined dietary methods.

The Board and Management of NGX Group have to do a lot more on stakeholder engagement. The Company’s upcoming Annual General Meeting is a platform to rub minds with the Shareholders, provide sufficient information on nagging questions and seek their buy-in on policy issues.

The Shareholders are at liberty to set a target for the Management at the meeting. System runs a company as the staff, including the Chief Executives come and go. With the right structure, an organisation can operate optimally and generate value for its stakeholders. But effective communication with stakeholders is desirable at all times to avert trust deficit.

This is where the Association of Securities Dealing Houses of Nigeria (ASHON), the umbrella body for securities dealing firms should enlighten its members on the direction of NGX Group. In this era of vagaries in the variables that shape the operations of the global capital market, it is doubtful whether demutualisation of a market in the short run may translate to silver bullet for shareholders that need financial succour.

But shareholders are under pressure for returns and they need to be managed. Most importantly, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), must be seen to be partners in progress with the NGX Group by offering all the support necessary to see that the dividends of demutualisation are not unduly hindered by regulation.

The Board and Management of NGX Group must have conversations with its stakeholders to hedge against hostile takeover. Black Knights are on the prowl. One or two fat cats may emerge from the rabbit hole, snatch the market through desperate proxies and turn the bourse to personal asset.

The fall of NGX Group will be a major disaster to all stakeholders, particularly the stockbrokers. It will haunt the market at the African Securities Exchanges Association (ASEA), the premier Association of Securities Exchanges in Africa, weaken the rating of the market at the prestigious World Federation of Exchanges (WEF) which works with its members to build trust in markets, and expose our Capital Market Senior Prefect, SEC to public odium at the famous International Organisations of Securities Commission (IOSCO).

This market did not start with a silver spoon. The labour of our heroes past should not be in vain. We should collectively save the soul of the Nigerian bourse

•Oni is the Chief Executive Officer, Sofunix Investment and Communications.

OCTOBER 02 - OCTOBER 08, 2022 THEWILL NEWSPAPER • www.thewillnigeria.com PAGE 19THEWILLNIGERIA THEWILLNG THEWILLNIGERIA NGX Group: Hedging Against Black Knights

The Chief Executive Officer of NGX Group PLC, Mr Oscar Onyema, knows from the outset that every listed company must undress in the public and face constant scrutiny of the shareholders

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45 Years of CBN Intervention

CBN INTERVENTIONS IN DELTA AND EDO STATES

DELTA STATE

The Central Bank of Nigeria has financed 22,585 projects in Delta State. We highlight three of these projects in this edition, in recognition of the fact that access to affordable finance is a major factor to innovation and development of any economy. In Nigeria, the Central Bank’s development finance interventions are targeted at priority sectors which include the following: agriculture, manufacturing, infrastructure, healthcare, export, micro, small and medium enterprises, MSMEs.

Here are some of the projects financed under the Central Bank’s interventions:

Name: Emmppek Farm Limited

Intervention: CACS

Sector: Agriculture Location: Ogboru Street, Ajanomi Quarters, Abraka, Delta State.

Name: General Steel Intervention: RSSF-DCRR

Sector: Agriculture Location: Kilometer 1, Asaba-Ibusa Road Asaba, Delta State

Name: Trinity Plantation Limited

Intervention: CACS

Sector: Agriculture Location: Indumuje Ugboko, Aniocha North, Delta State

Trinity Plantation Limited is an agro processor of premium quality palm oil. The company accessed funds under the Commercial Agricultural Credit Scheme, CACS to finance the procurement and installation of a 240 tons per day oil processing mill. The funding has enabled the company to increase its capacity, which has resulted in the creation of 150 direct and Indirect jobs, thereby impacting the country’s GDP positively.

General Steel Mill is an industrial plant that manufactures steel. The company, which began operations in 1963, has progressed over the years, and diversified into 7 companies, with 4 being steel related.

The company accessed funding under the Real Sector Support Facility-Differentiated Cash Reserve Requirement, RSSF-DCRR which enabled it to increase its capacity. This has also assisted in the creation of about 200 direct and indirect jobs, thereby contributing positively to the economy.

Emmppek Farm Limited is an integrated agribusiness enterprise with a bioeconomy strategy, positioned to take advantage of opportunities in high-valued crops and livestock to achieve high premium quality products using technology. The company accessed funding under the Commercial Agricultural Credit Scheme (CACS). The fund was utilised for the establishment of an egg powder plant with a production capacity of 250,000 eggs per day. The Facility has enabled the company to create 150 direct and indirect jobs.

The Central Bank of Nigeria undertakes some developmental functions to facilitate the attainment of its objectives. These include stimulating finance to key sectors of the economy like the agricultural and real sectors, facilitating investment in the development of critical infrastructure, deepening financial inclusiveness etc.

45 Years of CBN Intervention

EDO STATE

INTRODUCTION

The Real Sector development initiatives of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) were introduced to stimulate and sustain growth in key sectors of the economy, revive moribund projects, empower the youth population, explore untapped potentials in various economic landscapes and enhance foreign exchange inflow. These interventions have significantly contributed to the overall growth of the Nigerian economy. From the provision of loans at concessionary rates to cushion the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic in the country, these initiatives originally designed to address issues surrounding core sectors of the economy, have now become a lifeline for most Nigerians.

There are about 17,370 ongoing projects in Edo State, which reflect the unwavering commitment of the CBN towards poverty alleviation, job and wealth creation and overall sustainable development of the economy. Below are testimonials from beneficiaries of some of the interventions introduced by CBN.

Mr. O. A. Fortress is a POS and Logistics operator, who struggled to break even due to low capitalization. He, however, accessed a loan under the Targeted Credit Facility (TCF), ploughing the funds into his business for expansion. The business has witnessed growth since the injection of funds with the acquisition of 6 motorcycles and hiring of 10 additional workers.

Mr. Fortress has nothing but praise for the CBN for coming to the aid of small business owners through its intervention.

Okomu Oil PLC is located in Edo state.

The company is one of Nigeria’s four largest palm oil producers. The company accessed a loan under the Commercial Agricultural Credit Scheme (CACS), an intervention of the Central Bank of Nigeria, and utilized it for the installation of a 30 tons per hour oil processing mill, bringing the company’s production capacity to 60 tons per hour. This has led to the increase of the company’s staff strength to 3,500.

Medvical International is a medical facility which operated as a clinic with one outpatient ward and a visiting doctor. The clinic accessed funding from the Central Bank of Nigeria under the Health Sector Intervention Fund (HSIF). With the loan, the clinic was able to upgrade to a hospital with 4 out-patient wards, 3 maternity wards, a well-equipped theatre, and a diagnostic laboratory with a 4D automated ultra-scanning machine. They also have 3 doctors on call and a pharmacy. The funding enabled the hospital to increase its capacity, which resulted in the creation of about 30 jobs.

Name: Medvical International Intervention: HSIF Sector: Health Location: Boundary Road, Benin City, Edo State

Name: Joy Usifoh

Intervention: Agribusiness, Small & Medium Enterprise Investment Scheme, AGSMEIS Sector: MSME Location: Obanor ST. off Ahor Road, Aduwawa by-pass, Uhunmwonde LGA.

Name: Okomu Oil Plc. Intervention: Commercial Agricultural Credit Scheme (CACS) Sector: Agriculture Location: Ovia Northeast LGA, Edo State

Joy Usifoh is a baker who was struggling to produce at least 300 loaves of bread every day. She, however, accessed funding through the Agribusiness Small and Medium Enterprises Intervention Scheme (AGSMEIS), an intervention of the Central Bank of Nigeria. She is currently producing 1,200 loaves of bread per day. She has also been able to employ more staff, with her staff complement being 8 now. Ms. Usifoh expressed much gratitude to the Bankers Committee and the CBN for the improvement in her life and business.

Name: Owaeghianye Anthony Fortress Intervention: Targeted Credit Facility (TCF) Sector: MSME Location: 84 Mission Road, Benin City, Edo State.

OCTOBER

OCTOBER

Singer Veno Marioghae-Mbanefo, whose hit song, Nigeria Go Survive, was the toast of the entertainment industry many years ago, speaks with SHADE WESLEY–METIBOGUN about the state of the nation and other matters as Nigeria marks her 62nd birthday. Excerpts:

I STILL BELIEVE THERE WILL BE A TURNAROUND IN NIGERIA

– VENO MARIOGHAE-MBANEFO

Youreleased an evergreen song, Nigeria Go Surviveover three decades ago and literally disappeared from the music scene. Why is this so?

I did release another album under PolyGram Records (later renamed Premier Music). After that, I took a break from recording, got married and concentrated on raising my children, while I did shows here and there and also wrote articles and scripts. But I have started recording again.

Were you rewarded by the Federal Government for singing such a patriotic song for the country?

I was paid well by the government for every performance that I did for them.

What have you been up to in recent time?

I teach English Elocution, Public Speaking and Creative Writing. I also write TV drama and movie scripts, short stories and songs. I am recording new songs at present.

How does it feel releasing a song more than three decades ago and it is still applauded till date?

I have mixed feelings about it. On the one hand, it feels good to learn that my work is still relevant after such a long time. On the other hand, I wish that the same circumstances that brought about the work do not persist. I think that by now we ought to have arrived at the level we should be as a nation.

How would you compare the music industry back in the days to what you are seeing today?

In those days, there wasn’t much money in music and show business, but people were more professional and the songs they recorded were cleaner and decent. Nowadays the songs that we listen to are extremely sensual. It is quite terrible to hear children sing them. Some of the younger artistes do not know how to perform live. Some of them are good and pretty professional. And they are making a lot of money.

About 30 years ago, you were hopeful that the situation in the country would change for good. Do you still feel that way now?

It is pretty disappointing that decade after decade, you hope and pray that things would change for the better and they don't. Do I believe that there could be a turnaround? Most definitely. We can beat this. But that can happen only if we put on our thinking caps and stop voting with our emotions and allow ourselves to be swayed by a few grains of rice and naira notes tossed our way. It is time to give our votes to those who can actually do the job.

Where do you think our leaders got it wrong? When you say that someone got something wrong, the implication is that they made honest mistakes. That is not the case with Nigeria. While I won't tar every leader with the same brush, I would say that we have had leaders with a tunnel vision. All they

see is themselves and how to loot our treasury with impunity. They don't care about the citizens they have sworn to serve. And when the treasury is empty, all they do is impose more taxes on the already overburdened people. Our leaders are in it for themselves and not for us.

What do you think can be done to rectify the situation?

Everything rests on the shoulders of the electorate. If they are tired of the status quo, then they should open their eyes and ears and process what they hear and see intelligently, and make informed choices when they vote. Shine your eyes, open your ears, analyse, research and make informed choices, come 2023 elections. Take out the undesirables by your votes. And put in the needed votes.

Contrary to what you preached in your song, many young Nigerians are relocating abroad because of the situation in the country. Looking at the state of things in Nigeria, would you still advise the youth to stay back in Nigeria? This mass exodus of the youth is a function of the failures of the older generation. Today's youth never saw the glory days of Nigeria. Corruption in high places, failing infrastructure, insecurity and a hostile economic environment and a sit-tight older generation who have refused to leave the corridors of power is all they have ever known. So, they reckon that if they can't grow and thrive in their own land, then they will sail off to take their chances elsewhere. They love their country, but they won't stay in a stifling environment. If we get it right, they will return.

What advice do you have for Nigeria leaders at 62? For once, they should make the wellbeing of the citizens their priority. They are too self-preoccupied. They should engage the youth and let technocrats work on solutions that will revive every sector of the economy and also totally get rid of criminality and insecurity.

What about your advice for the youth? They should consider how we got into this mess in the first place and not walk in the footsteps of those whose selfishness and lack of vision brought us here. They have got tremendous power to change things. They should use that power in 2023. And bring about a new Nigeria. I have faith in them. They have what it takes; they should harness what they have positively.

Are your children taking after you musically? My children sing pretty well and love music. But, no, none is interested in going my route. They are all creative, though.

A new political dispensation is upon us and it is a make or mar one for the country. What advice do you have for Nigerians concerning this?

Cultivate the ability to be very objective. Jettison subjectivity and emotionalism and choose individuals, not parties or your townsman. Choose them based on antecedents and how practical their solutions are, in terms of sorting the very weighty problems of this country.

Who do you think has the right leadership capacity to take Nigeria to the next level?

I know who it is, but I will not say anything on this until the time is ripe and right.

The issue of same faith presidential ticket is currently on the front burner of Nigerian politics. While some people think it is not good for a country deeply split along religious and ethnic lines, others believe it doesn't matter as long as they get the job done. What is your take on this?

We are so deeply polarised along religious and ethnic lines now that it would have made more sense to balance the choices to give everyone a sense of ownership. I believe that we have credible and intelligent people from both faiths to make the pair. So, to say that it doesn't matter as long as the job gets done is a very weak argument.

Do you think the electoral bill signed by President Muhammadu Buhari would make any difference in the forthcoming general election?

Yes, I think so, as long as it's not upended by people.

How do you think the Federal Government can resolve the lingering ASUU crisis?

The Federal Government should accede to ASUU’s demands. They are not asking for wants; they are asking for needs. It is unfair that those who are intellectually growing generation after generation are not well rewarded and the infrastructure is not there to enable them to do a good job. Education should not take a backseat to other sectors. Pay these people what they deserve and let them return to the lecture rooms.

You have had to take legal actions against a foremost telecommunications company over a copyright issue on your song. What is the current situation now between you and the company?

My lawyers and I are heading to court.

Marioghae-Mbanefo

Marioghae-Mbanefo

NIGERIA @ 62: 12 Songs that Celebrate, Preach Unity in Diversity

October 1 is a significant day in the history of Nigeria. It is a day set aside each year to celebrate Nigeria’s independence from British colonial rule. Nigeria officially became a politically independent country on October 1, 1960. Besides being blessed with diverse natural resources, Nigeria is home to an estimated 350 ethnic nationalities, cultures and indigenous languages, making it a great nation with diverse strength. Nigeria is also blessed with many talented artistes who have recorded and released songs that celebrate the nation. These artistes, with their songs, have contributed immensely to national growth and unity among the people. As the country celebrates its 62nd anniversary, IVORY UKONU and ADEDOLAPO BALIKIS chronicle some classic songs composed to celebrate and unify citizens.

One Love Keep Us Together

– Onyeka Onwenu

Music legend, Onyeka Onwenu is very passionate about the unity of Nigeria. She has to her credit many Nigerian themed songs, including One Love Keep Us Together and Unity Song among others. These songs emphasise the theme of love and unity in a world of struggle and dreams of staying alive.

Nigeria My Beloved Country

– Funmi Adams

This song by Funmi Adams was a household anthem in the 1980s. Adams who seems to have vanished from the Nigerian music scene was popular during this period. Her songs were aimed at inculcating the positive values of culture in young Nigerian children. She also sang about Nigeria in All We Need Is Love

Let’s Live Together

– Kush (TY Bello, Emem Ema, Lara George)

Kush, a Gospel and R&B music group released the song, Let’s Live Together about two decades ago. The song, which was well received, was a heartfelt appeal to Nigerians to live together in peace and unity and a reminder that there is strength in diversity.

Nigeria Go Survive

– Veno Marioghae-Mbanefo

This song by Veno Marioghae-Mbanefo expresses hope in the survival of Nigeria. Rendered in Pidgin English, the song boasts about the rich agriculture and oil in the country. It emphasises the rich natural resources in the country, including Cocoa, Timber, Rubber and Cotton, among others.

Released in 2007, TY Bello blessed Nigerians with Greenland, a pop-influenced tune that celebrates Nigeria as a place of abundance. The song aims at spreading love, strengthening the family bonds, and expressing optimism for Nigeria. It also encourages Nigerians to move away from the state of fear and discomfort to a land of hope and possibilities.

Late Lanre Fasasi, otherwise known as Sound Sultan, in 2002 recorded the song, Mothaland which appealed to Nigerians in Diaspora not to forget their home country. Singing in Yoruba language, Sound Sultan in the song says one may travel far and wide, but that there is no place like home. He would later remix the song in which he featured soul singer, Johnny Drille, shortly before his death in 2021.

Which Way Nigeria

– Sunny Okosun

When late singer, Sunny Okosun released this classic in 1984, his motive was to make Nigeria’s leaders and the populace to realise the need for the country to overcome the challenges facing it and move forward. The song’s lyrics frown at bribery and corruption, two vices limiting the growth and development of the country.

Mothaland – Sound Sultan

Green Land – TY Bello

Bello Ema George

The Way Forward – Sunny Ade

In 1993, King Sunny Ade brought together many Nigerian artistes to sing The Way Forward (Part 1 and 2). This was done in Pidgin English,Yoruba, English, Igbo, Hausa languages, among others.

The song was composed after the annulment of the June 12, 1993 presidential election and remixed in 2003 as a reminder of what the country passed through after the annulment of the election.

The song calls for unity of all tribes and the collaborative effort of every Nigerian to make the nation great.

Great Nation – Timi Dakolo

This soulful song by Timi Dakolo released in November 2012 has since remained one of the favourites of many Nigerian music fans. The song expresses confidence in the greatness of this nation and how its vast potential can be realised through peace, unity,equality and justice.

Song Of Unity – Nigerian Leaders

This Land – Onyeka Onwenu and others

Arise – Mavin

Song of unity was done by some of the past and present Nigerian leaders. It was led by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, alongside past Heads of State likeYakubu Gowon, Olusegun Obasanjo, Ernest Shonekan and former VicePresidents Ebitu Ukiwe, Alex Ekwueme, and General Oladipo Diya retd. The song expresses hope in God as the ultimate help of the country.

The song was a centenary gift to Nigeria written and performed by Onyeka Onwenu, featuring – Zaaki Azzay, gospel artists, Tosin Martins, Emmanuel Benjamin aka EBEN, Omawumi Megbele, Silver Saddih, Ayobami Ayolola, Seun Shobo.

Sang by Micheal Collins Ajereh aka Don Jazzy, Ayoleyi Hanniel Solomon aka Reekado Banks, Korede Bello and Hadiza Blell-Olo aka Di’Ja, the song praises the resilient spirit of the average Nigerian.

Osinbajo

Onwenu

Azzay

Martins

Saddih

Ayolola

Shobo

Ajereh

Bello Solomon Blell-Olo

Benjamin Megbele

Gowon Obasanjo

Shonekan

Ukiwe

Ekwueme Diya

STORIES BY IVORY UKONU

COSMAS MADUKA RETURNS

Foremost businessman and entrepreneurial coach is back to doing what he knows how to do best, taking charge of running his chain of money spinning businesses and imparting knowledge.

Recall that the philanthropist, Founder, President and Chairman of the Coscharis Group, lost Charity, his wife of many years, in November 2021 to the cold hands of death.

Charity who was the co-founder and vice president of Coscharis Group succumbed to a protracted health condition she had been battling with.

A few days before she died, she reportedly accompanied her husband to Michael Okpara University, where he was awarded an honorary degree, but died after returning to their country home in Umudim-Nkwa, Nnewi. That Maduka was devastated by his wife’s death would be putting it mildly. At every given opportunity, he never failed to eulogise his late wife whom he said believed in him when he had nothing to his name. This is despite the fact that she belonged to

the upper class of the society.

According to him, Charity’s parents thought she was insane to marry him and despite all the hurdles, she stuck with him.

She was finally given a befitting but solemn burial two months after her death.

Having mourned her for nine straight months, the wealthy businessman has now shed his garment of mourning and has taken back his pride of place in the business community. First he kicked off his return to the business world with a speaking engagement sometime last month at the first anniversary of Business Network International BNI, a platform for chief executives, investors and market leaders who believe in connections and enriching each other. Later today, October 2nd, he will be speaking to a Christian audience at a paid-for dinner with

Maduka

business executives, for the purpose of sharing wealth of experience, networking, business collaborations etc. at the Dr Olumide Emmanuel led Calvary Bible Church, Idimu, Lagos. Obviously, Maduka is getting back in the groove.

Maduka's business conglomerate, Cosharis Group is considered in business circles as one of the most influential brands in Nigeria. It has several subsidiaries including manufacturing, ICT, petrochemical, auto care and auto components, agric and agro Allied business.

Coscharis Motors another subsidiary, is a leading distributor of several brands of luxuries cars including Range Rover, Ford and Jaguar.

Taiwo Afolabi And Sayyu Dantata’s Mutual Love For The Skies

Taiwo Afolabi and Sayyu Dantata are, no doubt, successful businessmen with indelible imprints in the business world. While one grew his business with the help of his alleged connection to the corridors of power and alleged waivers, the other is a study on how one can build a conglomerate by sheer dint of hardwork, grit and determination. Bottom line, both men play major roles in Nigeria's business landscape. One is Sayyu Dantata, the founder and Chief Executive Officer of MRS Holdings Ltd, formerly, MRS Group. A half-brother to Aliko Dangote, Africa's richest man, Dantata started his career as Director of the Engineering and Transport Division of Dangote Group,

considered the Largest Nigerian conglomerate, before setting out to found MRS Holdings.

The other is Taiwo Afolabi, chairman, founder and CEO of SIFAX Group, one of the leading conglomerates in Nigeria. Afolabi started operation as SIFAX Nigeria Limited, a freight forwarding agency in Lagos rendering services such as haulage and warehousing operations until the company metamorphosed due to its rapid growth to several subsidiaries, such as, maritime, aviation, logistics, oil and gas, financial services and hospitality.

Both Afolabi and Dantata have taken their business acumen to the next level. MRS and Skyway Aviation

Handling Company Plc, SAHCO, a company Afolabi owns and a leading airport and aviation service provider, were both revealed during the week to be the local investors in the national carrier, Nigeria Air. SACHO which was carved out of the defunct Nigeria Airways, was handed over to the Sifax Group in 2009 by the Federal Government after a keenly contested privatization in which Sifax Group came first as the preferred bidder with the sum of N5 billion naira.

While MRS and SAHCO alongside other unnamed interests will own 46 per cent equity, the Federal Government will own 5 per cent equity, while Ethiopian Airlines will own 49 per cent equity. What this means in essence therefore, is that there is some likelihood that the national carrier may finally take off, two years after it was inaugurated. But what is more, the two companies, SAHCO and MRS which have shown considerable level of consistency over the years with their operations in the aviation sector, have further proven by this investment, that their dream of operating air carriers fully and in their individual capacities, is only but a matter of time. Hopefully this latest development will help to uplift the spirit of Afolabi who suffered a devastating blow with the loss of his twin brother, Kenny a few months after they both celebrated their 60th birthday.

Femi Pedro Replaces Late Kemi Nelson in GAC

Aformer Deputy Governor of Lagos State, Femi Pedro, has made a comeback from political oblivion and relegation.

He is now back to political relevance and wielding enormous powers, at least at the state level. At the time he was poached from the banking sector in the early 2000, where he was at that time, the Managing Director of defunct First Atlantic Bank, to be Bola Ahmed Tinubu's deputy in Lagos, he wielded some degree of power and was naturally courted by many who requested one favour or the other from him. But that wasn't for long as no sooner had he tasted power than he began to tussle with his benefactor over his choice of successor in the twilight of his boss' administration.

Pedro wanted to succeed his boss but the latter didn't think he was the right man for the job. In anger, he began to throw tantrums, resigned and moved to another party, hoping to fulfill his ambition. Unfortunately, things didn't quite work out as he wanted and that was the beginning of his end.

The Lagos State House of Assembly naturally decided to impeach him for alleged gross misconduct and subsequent forfeiture of all his entitlements as Deputy Governor of Lagos State.

He suffered badly for seven years for his political miscalculation.

He became relegated in the scheme of things. After some soul searching, he swallowed his pride and went back to his boss when he couldn't remedy his situation.

He was accepted back albeit, warily. He had to prove his loyalty and after a few tests he passed.

First, he got a pardon from the State House of Assembly orchestrated by his former boss, for his impeachment. This was after the House considered his plea to be forgiven in a letter he wrote them in 2015. Then he was given a federal appointment, as the Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN), courtesy the influence of his former boss.

To further restore his political relevance, he was recently appointed into the Council of the Governors’ Advisory Council, GAC, the highest decision-making body of the All Progressives Congress in Lagos State.

THE WILL gathered that his appointment may likely be a replacement to the vacant position of the late former women leader in South West APC, Kemi Nelson who was a commissioner during Tinubu's tenure as governor. Until her death weeks ago, she was the only female in GAC, a position she earned due to her closeness to Tinubu and her immense contributions to the party in Lagos State. With Pedro's appointment one can right say that he is back to political reckoning.

Respite Comes For Sheraton as New Owner Saves Hotel From Dwindling Fortunes

The fortunes of Sheraton Hotels will soon be revived having been majorly acquired by its new owners. In its hey days, the luxury hotel was the place to be and commanded high patronage from the elites of society.

But in the last few years, the respect that the hotel commanded has dwindled considerably. With patrons allegedly complaining about one thing or the other, the chain of hotels, two in Lagos State and one in Abuja, is allegedly, currently surviving on its past glory.

Patrons of Four Points by Sheraton, Victoria Island, Lagos, complain about the hospitality centre becoming a den for high class

sex workers. It is alleged that the once serene environment where business moguls hold and attend conferences, lunch, dinner and leisure meetings has over time become a sanctuary for these 'business women' who come to the hotel in groups at times to seek prospective customers. They allegedly contribute to lodge in the hotel to enable them gain access to the swimming pool and bar areas where they can easily have access to meet rich clientele who also lodge there or are there for a drink or business meeting.

These 'business women' allegedly became quite brazen, harassing unsuspecting customers, pitching their bodies as essential commodity to be had for a fee.

Many patrons have complained about the once luxurious Lagos Sheraton Hotel. They claim that the entire building looks like it could do with a face-lift.

It is shabby, they said, and the interior décor urgently in need of an overhaul. They have also complained about the grubby furniture and the fact that the hotel’s structures no longer match the brand.

The management of the Abuja branch of the hotel has been accused of institutionalising racism and gender insensitive policies. Perhaps all of these may have contributed to 22 Hospitality Limited acquiring a

majority stake of 66 per cent of the shares of the hotel group.

Following its acquisition, five members of the board of Capital Hotel Plc, the owners of Sheraton Hotel, resigned their positions. They are Chief Anthony Idigbe, SAN; Dr Alexander Thomopulos; Mrs Fadeke Olugbemi; Mrs Helen Da-Souza and Mr Akpofure Ibru. 22 Hospitality Limited, the new owners of Sheraton Hotels, is a subsidiary of 11 Plc, formerly Mobil Oil Nigeria. 11 Plc is ironically owned by Ramesh Kansagra one of the richest Asians in the United Kingdom. Besides being the chairman of 11 Plc, Kansagra is also the Managing Director of Solai Holdings Limited, an investment services company with net asset value in excess of £160m. Solai Holdings is involved in oil trading, raw materials for ceramic industry, agriculture and food industries processing with various investments in Africa and the UK. Ramesh holds 135 appointments at 135 active companies. The asset value of all businesses where Ramesh holds appointments equals €144.4 million, a combined total current assets vue of €745.7 million with a total current liabilities of €697.1 million and a total current net worth of €835.4 million. Ramesh is a recipient of the honourary award, Member of Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Pedro

Afolabi Dantata

OCTOBER 02 - OCTOBER 08, 2022 THEWILL NEWSPAPER • www.thewillnigeria.com PAGE 26 THEWILLNIGERIA THEWILLNG THEWILLNIGERIA Kansagra

BY SHADE WESLEY-METIBOGUN

OTUNBA FEMI OKENLA FETES GUESTS

MOM'S

The lively town of IjebuOde was brought to a standstill last week when London returnee and Chief Executive Officer of IBIS hotel, Otunba Femi Okenla, staged the final burial ceremony of his late mother, Chief Mrs Florence Morenikeji Okenla. The event started with a Christian wake and lying-in-state, after which a procession followed the corpse of the late chief around her neighbourhood. Pallbearers danced excitedly as they celebrated the deceased for a life well spent. It was followed by a church service and interment.

The reception took place after the internment. It turned out to be a mini carnival as socialites, politicians and business moguls gathered to celebrate with the real estate businessman. Tungba exponent, Yinka Ayefele kept many guests dancing for a

while as he thrilled them to melodious songs. Those in attendance had more than enough to eat as the billionaire businessman spared no cost to entertaining his numerous guests. The hospitality mogul, who owns HDV Group which comprises Home Deals Ventures Nigeria Limited and Hotel Development Ventures returned, to Nigeria after spending about 25 years practicing criminal, asylum and litigation law in the United Kingdom. He ventured into the real estate business while still working as a lawyer. He later established one of the biggest hospitality houses in Ikeja, IBIS hotel. He also made his debut as a writer in 2015 at the launch of his first book, The Power of Thoughts during his 50th birthday celebration.

Emeka Nnamani, the House of Representative candidate for Aba North Federal Constituency in Abia State under the platform of Labour party is already facing some hitches that might prevent his dream of serving his constituency in the 2023 general election from coming to pass.

Nnamani’s estranged wife, Chinazor, has accused him of domestic violence and dragged him to court. It was gathered that the woman allegedly ran for her dear life five years ago when she couldn't endure the frequent beating from her husband and father of her three sons. Family members allegedly tried to step in to reconcile the two, but their efforts didn't stop Nnamani from continuing to allegedly, physically assaulting his wife. She had to run to an Abia State High Court to seek the dissolution of her marriage to the politician.

The mother of three alleged that her husband used armed men to forcefully take two of her children from her. The two children were whisked away in what looked like an abduction while they were busy shopping in a supermarket in the Federal Capital Territory in 2018.

She was allegedly brutalised by her husband's armed guards

who allegedly threw punches at her while forcefully taking two of the children. The case was allegedly reported to the police and he was summoned by the police. However, Nnamani shunned their call as if nothing had happened. Ever since then, he allegedly denied his wife the privilege of seeing her children for the past two years. She had allegedly travelled on several occasions to Abia State just to check on the children, but she was denied access to them.

The mother of three was allegedly beaten again two weeks ago when she visited Abia State just to reason with her estranged husband so that they can have an amicable resolution to their problem. He filed a legal action against her for libel and allegedly threatened her from making any further public utterance about their problem.

He has been allegedly boasting that his ticket to the House of Representative cannot be reversed by his party since he is already a candidate.

While speaking about the allegations

leveled against him, he denied ever raising his hands on his estranged wife but admitted that she was brutalised by his armed guards when she came to see the children in Abia State. However, he revealed he didn't direct his men to treat her in such a way. He accused the mother of his children of working with the opposition to malign his image as she had collected a huge sum from them.

Ayobami Aranmolate, the Medical Director and Chief Executive Officer of Grandville Medical Centre, a plastic and aesthetic surgery hospital in Lagos State, has cried out over death threats to himself and some members of his medical team.

Aranmolate had treated a 32 year-old male patient who was involved in a ghastly road accident and was brought into his medical facility in a critical condition.

Necessary investigations were conducted and it was discovered that the victim had multiple fractures and had to be operated upon, despite the fact that the family only deposited part payment for the patient's treatment.

After the successful operation, the patient was moved to the ICU for critical care and monitoring, but 15 hours later, his family requested that he should be transferred to another medical facility. The doctor resisted such a move because of the fragile state he was in. However, the family would have none of that, the patient was moved in Grandville's ambulance with mobile mechanical ventilators and three medical staff to another medical facility after the drama. The medical facility the patient was taken to rejected him because of his fragile state and the family turned the aggression on the medical personnel who followed the ambulance. They fought Aranmolate and almost lynched him. They also kidnapped the ambulance driver and made him drive for several hours in search of another medical facility that would admit the patient.

Unfortunately the patient died as they were moving from one facility to the other. The family thereafter started threatening Aranmolate and his medical team after the death of the patient. They accused them of killing the 32 year old accident victim and are demanding for their pound of flesh.

The position of the Lagos State Commissioner for Waterfront, Kabiru Abdullahi, is under threat after a petition was written against him by some aggrieved group members.

The Arewa Community of the All Progressive Party in the South-West accused Abdullahi, who was the group's General Secretary, of gross misconduct and imposing himself on the group as its Chairman.

This development happened a few years after Abdullahi, with the help of some people, overthrew the democratically elected chairman, Sidi Ali, from his position. Ali fell ill after he lost his post.

Unfortunately, he didn't recover from the illness.

Accusing fingers were pointed at Abdullahi for contributing to Ali's death. Abdullahi also allegedly seized some of the properties belonging to the group and has been using them for his personal gain.

He sabotaged efforts made at electing a new chairman for the group because of his thirst for power, despite the fact that he neglected members of the group without contributing to their welfare and has stayed in power for over

20 years.

This is not the first time that the character of the commissioner is being questioned. He was also accused by the Lagos State House of Assembly of misconduct and disobedience to constituted authority.

The assembly had summoned him over his official activities.

He was called upon severally to submit documents for a midyear budget review, but he failed to appear. The Assembly had to constitute a committee to investigate the activities of the commissioner. There is an indication that he might be stripped of his position, if found guilty.

Popular socialite and real estate mogul, Chief Adebola Dosunmu, has added another feather to his cap. The Chief Executive Officer of Utica Homes has joined the Lagos State Standing Tribunal of Inquiry into Chieftaincy Matters.

The exalted position was bestowed upon him by the

governor of Lagos State, Babajide Sanwolu. As a member of the tribunal, the Akinsiku of Lagos will manage the incessant chieftaincy disputes that most communities in Lagos State battle with after the demise of their traditional ruler. He will also acquaint members of each community with the Chieftaincy Laws of the state, as well as bridging the gap between the government and the parties involved in chieftaincy issues.

The business mogul who turned 50 years a few months ago has been sworn in and handed his certificate of office. Aside from his new role in the tribunal, Dosunmu who is a very close ally of Oba Saheed Elegushi, the Elegushi of Ikate-Elegushi kingdom, is also the custodian and supreme head of Eyos and the Eyo Festival. He also leads thousands of performers anytime the Adamu Orisa play is staged in Lagos State most especially at the behest of the Oba of Lagos.

Okenla

Abdullahi

Dosunmu

Nnamani

FEATURES

Justice Delayed For Oluwabamise?

“

If ever Andrew Ominnikoron the BRT driver currently under trial for conspiracy, rape and murder were to sit on a psychiatrist’s couch, the verdict would no doubt be something close to being audacious for the crimes he has been accused of. For three times in just four months, the heavily built motorist responded to the baser nature of man by forcing two female passengers to non-consensual sex in a Bus Rapid Transit vehicle he was driving.

In retrospect, you could say Ominnikoron – oddly named Nice who did not live up to his name - lived double lives during that period. For three or four days a week, he conveyed passengers to and from work in the daytime. (Whether male or female, BRT drivers work on alternate days from Monday to Saturday.) By night, he picked up lone, female passengers and then forced them to have sex with him.

Strong like an ox with beefy biceps, Ominnikoron’s victims are smaller physically. One, Oluwabamise Ayanwole, 22, a fashion designer, died in the process. With gentle feminine persuasion and guile, another escaped and hastily de-boarded from the vehicle before her final destination. Against her wish, a third succumbed to the driver’s unwelcome and forceful overtures.

When Maryjane Odezelu boarded the bus Ominnikoron was driving on November 25, 2021, she expected to reach her destination safe and sound. She did not. Alone with Omminikoron, things started going the way she never planned or expected.

From her testimony during the first trial on May 9, she claimed the accused asked her to move from the back seat to the front close to Ominnikoron the driver. She obliged him, which probably encouraged him to begin to ask her some intimate questions. According to Odezelu, the man then brought out what she thought was a medication and drank it with water. Before you could spell Maryjane, the man’s member became very turgid, shooting up straight from his trousers.

The young woman knew what was coming from then on. She resisted Ominnikoron who threatened her with a knife, tore her clothes and then had her from behind. Taken as a compensatory gesture, he promptly wired N3, 000 to her account to take care of herself after apologizing to the victim. Asked why she didn’t complain to the police soon after, Odezelu said she distrusts the police because they used to ask for money.

There is no indication Odezelu told anyone what happened that night on November 25, not to her family, friends or colleagues. But once Bamise’s story broke last February, she recognised the serial sex offender at once. She then felt safe enough to come out with her own story.

Last Wednesday September 28, Ominnikoron appeared before Lagos State High Court in Tafawa Balewa Square in continuation of the rape and murder trial of Ominnikoron. Details of the case leading to the trial is very much known by most Nigerians and the rest of the world. On the evening of February 26, Oluwabamise boarded the BRT bus Ominnikoron was driving. There was a male passenger in the vehicle when she got in at Chevron bus stop. That was when Bamise’s troubles began.

When Maryjane Odezelu boarded the bus Ominnikoron was driving on November 25, 2021, she expected to reach her destination safe and sound. She did not. Alone with Omminikoron, things started going the way she never planned or expected

Alone with the driver, and with a woman’s instinctual feeling, she began to notice the driver ogling her and making lewd gestures. With the hydraulic doors sealed shutting both driver and commuter from the rest of the world like the tomb of a pharaoh, Bamise panicked. Psychologist like to say sometimes that only the paranoid survive. The inference is that if one is conscious of one’s environment, you are more than likely to escape an unexpected ambush. Bamise saw the ambush coming but she couldn’t do much to escape it.

For one, she was way, way smaller than the driver who stood at an imposing six-feet-plus. Though no witness was in the bus except the assailant and his unfortunate victim, it is possible Ominnikoron threatened the poor girl with a weapon – a pocket knife concealed somewhere in the bus to be used at the opportune time, the same instrument he allegedly used to scare Maryjane the previous November.

After sexually satisfying himself, he proceeded to kill Bamise and then threw her body off the bus with the calmness and casualness of a street cleaner dispensing with unwanted trash. The BRT driver then drove his bus, as he was wont to, to the terminal at Oshodi, parked it, signed off for the day, and then ran away to Odogbolu in neighboring Ogun state.

Life would have gone on swimmingly for the BRT driver but for Bamise’s panic. Trapped in life-threatening situations like Bamise faced that night, the fight or flight response were the only options open to her for any chance of survival. She could do neither. Her assailant was bigger and stronger. The bus was sealed from door to door. But she did manage to send urgent messages and videos to her sister explaining the predicament she was in and details of the BRT driver and his bus.

So, when news of Bamise’s death reached her parents, they knew exactly where to go. Though there was some initial resistance by the management of BRT in handing over the sex-hungry driver to the

police, Bamise’s hastily sent messages to her sister convinced his employers and was promptly handed over to the police.

According to law enforcement agent’s reconstruction of the rape and murder case, the fashion designer who had just had her freedom from apprenticeship and looking forward to setting up her own tailoring outfit went missing on February 26 enroute Ota in Ogun state from Ajah. She boarded a bus with number 240257 going to Oshodi at about 7 p.m. at Chevron Bus-Stop. She did not reach her destination. It was her corpse that was found near Carter Bridge.

Found out by an investigating team of police and DSS, the driver told a different story. Three male passengers who were already inside the bus threatened him with a gun and he panicked. “I picked her from Chevron,” Ominnikoron said in his statement. “When the other three guys at …when those guys show me his weapon as I was inside, I can’t be myself anymore.

“Fears have come in, so, whatever the man with the gun told me, I do. I followed that Carter Bridge, that overhead bridge, they ordered me to stop there. They say I should open the door, when I open the door, then when they come down, they now start dragging her, when I saw that she was crying for help, actually, I was helpless.”

Was he fibbing or telling the truth? To answer the first question, his lawyer will have to disprove what has become something of a pattern, considering Odezelu’s testimony, of the driver carrying out and executing what seems to have been premeditated actions. “He brought a medication and drank it with water…his penis became erect,” Maryjane said in her testimony.

It is a damning enough testimony. What is far more baffling to most people now is the consistent absence of his counsels in court on days fixed for trial. Is it deliberate on their part, to prolong the trial for as long as possible to wipe it off public memory and so die a natural death?

Several excuses by one of the counsel range from handling other court cases to traffic gridlock. The presiding judge, Justice Sherifat Sonaike, had warned the counsel Abayomi Omotubora during the last sitting on July 7 to make an appearance.

“If he is unable to avail himself a lawyer on the next adjourned date,” Sonaike said then, “I will direct that the Legal Aid Council should take up his case. The defendant’s counsel, Omotubora, has been absent from court on several occasions. This is unbecoming of a lawyer of this noble profession. This particular counsel has failed to come to court to conduct his trial and this court strongly condemns it.”

The counsel himself has been absent a half dozen times, prompting Dr. Babajide Martins, Director of Public Prosecution, to inform the court that the defendant’s counsel was not in court. Omotubora was said have arrived the court after proceedings.

For now, Bamise’s parents, sibs, friends and concerned Nigerians are in the dark as to what would become of the case. Outside the court premises last Wednesday, sympathisers brandished banners seeking justice for the late fashion designer. Mr. Nice has been returned to detention at Ikoyi Prison. Will his defence counsel absent himself from court in subsequent hearings, presumably, to delay justice again? Time will tell.

OCTOBER 02 - OCTOBER 08, 2022 THEWILL NEWSPAPER • www.thewillnigeria.com PAGE 28 THEWILLNIGERIA THEWILLNG THEWILLNIGERIA That is the question on the lips of most Nigerians who have followed closely the trial of BRT driver Andrew Ominnikoron since last May. Charged for conspiracy, rape and murder of a lone female passenger in a public bus he was driving months before, counsels representing the accused have not made the customary appearance in court. Six months down the line, the trial has not progressed more than the day it began. Last Wednesday September 28, the accused oddly named Nice appeared in court with a protective face mask, a warden draping his hands across his shoulders. Predictably, his defence lawyer failed to show up. Justice delayed, so the saying goes, is justice denied. Michael Jimoh reports…

Ominnikoron

Oluwabamise

SHOTS OF THE WEEK

L-R: Principal Partner, Mr. Orji Okpechi; Managing Partner/CEO, Dr. (Mrs.) Ngozi Ogwo (both of Grant Thornton Nigeria); The 58th President, of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN), Mallam Tijjani Musa Isa; Vice President, ICAN, Dr. Innocent Okwuosa and Registrar/Chief Executive, ICAN, Prof. Ahmed Kumshe, during an official visit to the firm on September 26, 2022.

L-R: Commissioner for Education, Mrs. Folashade Adefisayo; Special Adviser to the Governor on Civic Engagement, Princess Aderemi Adebowale; Lagos State Governor, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu; Commissioner for Women Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Hon. Mrs Cecilia Bolaji Dada and Director, Women Affairs Department, WAPA, Mrs. Olufunke Shyllon, at the Lagos State Ministry of Women Affairs and Poverty Alleviation 2022 WAPA Connect themed: “The Emerging Woman” at Lagos Continental Hotel, Victoria Island on September 27, 2022.

L-R: Stakeholders Relations Coordinator, Savannah Energy, Nigeria, Obinna Okorie; ED, Oil Producers Trade Section, Bunmi Toyobo and Communications Manager, Oil Producers Trade Section (OPTS), Okwudili Onyia, during the 60thanniversary celebration of OPTS in Lagos on September 27, 2022

L–R: Group Chief Executive Officer, Nigerian Exchange Group Plc, Oscar N. Onyema; Outgoing Group Chairman, Nigerian Exchange Group Plc, Otunba Abimbola Ogunbanjo and Group Company Secretary, Nigerian Exchange Group Plc, Mojisola Adeola, at the 61st Annual General Meeting of Nigerian Exchange Group in Lagos on September 30, 2022.

L-R: Vice Chairman, Instrumentation, Engr. Olufemi Anuoluwadiji; Financial Secretary, Engr. Gbadamosi Lukmon; CTO Dahua Technology, West Africa, Mr. Burce Zhou; Chairman, Nigerian Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (NIEEE), Lagos Chapter, Engr. Olalekan Olabode; Technical Manager, Dahua Technology Company Limited (DTCL), Assistant General Secretary NIEEE, Engr. Richard Isaac and Vice Chairman, ICT, Engr. Omoh Imoobe, during the visit of NIEEE to DTCL in Lagos on September 26, 2022.

L-R: Governor of Anambra State, Prof. Charles Soludo and General Officer, Commanding, 82 Division of the Nigerian Army, Enugu, Major General U.T. Musa, during a courtesy visit of General Officer, to the Governor's Lodge, Amawbia, Anambra State on September 30, 2022.

Photo Editor: Peace Udugba [08033050729]

SportsLive

Pinnick's Tenure And Change of Guard at Glass House

BY JUDE OBAFEMI

The two-year tenure of Amaju Melvin Pinnick, president of the Nigeria Football Federation, has elapsed and the battle for control of the powerful football governing body was at its most feverish last week, even as a subsisting court order delivered a suspension of the planned September 30 election for a new president scheduled for the ancient city of Benin, capital of Edo State. It will draw the curtain on the term of the Delta State-born sports administrator, first elected as NFF President in 2014 after winning an elective congress that was held in Asaba, the Delta State capital. Pinnick, whose reelection in 2018 made him the first ever football adminstrator to win a second term, was previously accused of nursing ambitions for an illicit third-term.

At the sidelines of the General Assembly of the Confederation of African Football (CAF) hosted by Kenya last August, Pinnick had given life to that accusation when he chipped in the quip that there were some stakeholders in the football scene asking him to remain in the saddle for another term but the member of the FIFA Council vehemently denied ever considering any tenure-extension agenda, while dedicating himself to a free, fair and transparent process that will lead to the emergence of a worthy and acceptable successor. He also admitted the existence of capable hands to run the country's football affairs after him, saying: "There are so many Nigerians that are capable of being there (NFF President). I will assist and work with anyone who wins the elections. I will work with whoever emerges as NFF President. That I promise. I will intervene but will not interfere.”

This successor will have work to do, given where Nigerian football stands currently, especially as the World Cup played in Qatar in November without the Green and White of the Nigerian Super Eagles, a clear signal of its declining status as a continental and global football powerhouse. The responsibility for this decline rests partly on the administration of the game in the country, which is Pinnick's office and duty.

Pinnick

A veritable criticism of the two-year tenure of the 51-year-old President was that faced with a choice of developing football through incremental steps at every level and the option of raising the profile of Nigeria's football pedigree by raising his personal profile as football adminstrator on the continent and globally, he never missed the chance to pick the latter. Therefore, soon after becoming NFF President in 2014, he began a race to become a member of CAF's Executive Committee with his sights also set at membership of the FIFA Council, the highest decision-making organ in world football.

These drives were productive for Pinnick. He was elected into the CAF Executive Committee in March 2017 and, in September 2018, he replaced Kwesi Nyantakyi as First Vice President of CAF. Then, during the CAF General Assembly held in Rabat, Morocco in March 2021, Pinnick beat incumbent Malawian FA president Walter Nyamilandu to secure a seat in the prestigious FIFA Council.

Pinnick's belief in elevating the status of Nigerian football through these continental and global elections came at a price. While his profile increased, there was no corresponding elevation in the results that football in the country witnessed during the single-term tenure of his predecessor, Aminu Maigari. Nigeria won no fewer than 13 trophies, bringing home the prestigious African Cup of Nations (AFCON) under Maigari's four years in office and it has only managed three trophies under Pinnick's eight years, with one of the three being a victory that can be attributed to Maigari's work before he left office.

The last time Nigeria won the AFCON was in 2013 and they have not lifted the trophy under Pinnick. Under him, since

1974 Nigeria failed to qualify for two consecutive AFCON competitions.

The three trophies clinched under Pinnick include the Under-17 World Cup in 2015 and the Women’s AFCON in 2016 and 2018. Yet even in the women's game, the decline is all the more apparent. The Aisha Buhari invitational, which the NFF created in partnership with CAF a year ago, turned out disappointingly in the end when South Africa's Banyana Banyana whipped the Super Falcons 4-2 in the earliest indications of their overtaking the Falcons on the continent. That trend continued when both countries were drawn in the same group in this year's WAFCON as South Africa both beat Nigeria again and finished victorious to lift the continental trophy for the first time, after their previous strings of disappointing finishes. It was the worst ever outing

of the Falcons since the WAFCON began and it coincides with the inability of the female team to qualify for the last two Olympic Games. In male, female and age-range competitions, this declining trend is apparent.

Although two gargantuan sponsors of the Nigerian Professional Football League (NPFL), Supersports and domestic telecommunications company Globacom pulled out from their sponsorship agreements for their reasons (Supersports alleged breach of contract with the League Management Company that manages the NPFL and Glo claimed there was no return on investment), there were some significant sponsorship deals signed to support the NFF in football adminstration in Nigeria.

Last September, towards Pinnick's attempt to make the federation self-funding, the NFF and Nigeria’s largest carrier, Air Peace, signed a sponsorship deal worth N300m to make the airline the official airline sponsor of Nigerian national teams, and followed that with a a sponsorship deal worth N500 million with multi-national telecoms company MTN, which became the exclusive communications partner of the Nigerian national football teams. There were further deals with Dettol, Revolution Plus, Premier Lotto ("Baba Ijebu") and a leading fintech company, Bitnob.

The onus will now rest with whoever succeeds Pinnick to continue on the drive towards selffunding and to grow the local league to the point of competing favourably enough to improve the country's 14th-place ranking on the continent. There is also the responsibility of seeing to the realisation of Nigeria's 10-Year (2022-2032) Masterplan for the revitalisation of football in the continent and beyond. If properly implemented, the Masterplan can help to address the basic issues that persistently impede the growth of football in the nation and provide benefits to a wide range of football-related concerns. These and a potpourri of matters at the Glass House will be at the forefront for the 11 aspiring contestants for the NFF presidency, who have fulfilled the conditions necessary to stand for election.

These 11 aspirants include the following: Abba Yola, the Chief of Staff to the Minister of Youths and Sports Development, Sunday Dare, who is an ex-chairman of Nigerian football giants, Kano Pillars; Adam Mouktar Mohammed, the economist, who is the current chairman of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Football Association and who also heads the Abuja-based football academy, FC Hearts; Amanze Uchegbulam, who is the current chairman of the Imo State Football Association and who formerly served as the 1st vice president of the NFF and as a former vice president of the Board of Appeal of CAF; Dr. Christian Emeruwa, who is a sports adminstration lecturer, is the Head of Safety and Security at CAF and also is a FIFA Senior Safety and Security Officer; David-Buhari Doherty, who is a football scout based in the United Kingdom and is an entrepreneur and the President of Team Nigeria UK (TNUK).

The others are: Ibrahim Gusau, who is a current executive board member of the NFF, and is also the Chairman of all State Football Association Chairmen; Idah Peterside, who is a former goalkeeper for Enyimba and the Super Eagles and currently features as a TV pundit with Supersports; Musa Ahmadu, who is a lawyer and former General Secretary of the NFF; Seyi Akinwunmi, another lawyer who is the current 1st Vice President of the NFF and who also heads the Lagos State Football Association; Shehu Dikko, who is the NFF's 2nd Vice President and Chairman of the LMC; Suleiman Yahaya-Kwande: , who is a politician, the former chairman of Mighty Jets Football Club, the vice chairman of Plateau State Football Association and a current executive board member of the NFF, while also being an ex-member of the Nigerian House of Representatives.

The onus will now rest with whoever succeeds Pinnick to continue on the drive towards self-funding and to grow the local league to the point of competing favourably enough to improve the country's 14th-place ranking on the continent

SportsLive

Better Days Ahead as Gusau Emerges NFF President

BY JUDE OBAFEMI

When Ibrahim Musa Gusau, the Chairman of the Football Association Chairmen, entered the race for the presidency of the Nigeria Football Federation, he met with football stakeholders in Zamfara State to make it clear that he was running for the position in order to promote unity and the growth of the local league.

Gusau, who is also a member of the CAF organising committee and the chairman of the Zamfara State Football Association, added that if elected president of the NFF, all international footballers at all levels will be chosen based on merit, and he will focus on finding more talents throughout the nation.

At the 78th NFF Elective Congress, which took place in Benin, Edo State on Friday, Gusau was one of 11 contestants vying for the top post vacated by Amaju Melvin Pinnick at the expiration of his two-term tenure this September. In the running for the job were Abba Yola, the Chief of Staff to the Minister of Youths and Sports Development, Sunday Dare; Adam Mouktar Mohammed, the current chairman of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Football Association; Amanze Uchegbulam, the current chairman of the Imo State Football Association; Dr. Christian Emeruwa, a sports adminstration lecturer and David-Buhari Doherty, a football scout based in the United Kingdom.

The others were Idah Peterside, a former goalkeeper for Enyimba and pundit with Supersports; Musa Ahmadu, a former

General Secretary of the NFF; Seyi Akinwunmi, the current 1st Vice President of the NFF; Shehu Dikko, the NFF's 2nd Vice President and Chairman of the LMC; Suleiman Yahaya-Kwande, the vice chairman of Plateau State Football Association.

When the elections were through and the votes were tallied, Gusau received 21 votes, beating his closest rival, former first Vice President Barrister Seyi Akinwunmi, who received 12 votes, to emerge the next NFF President. Although Gusau did not receive the necessary 22 votes to win in the first round and there was the possibility of a rerun, the other candidates decided against participating in a rerun, effectively establishing Gusau's victory.

Gusau, who is also a member of the CAF Organising Committee, was very much interested in the 10-year Football Development Masterplan approved by President Muhammadu Buhari, and promised that if elected as the NFF president, the plan will be implemented step by step to achieve the desired objectives. He had said: "We will see how we are going to implement the plan step by step as being said by the president for us to achieve our objectives and we will do our best in conjunction with other stakeholders to make sure that we implement it for the benefit of Nigerian football."

The ball is literally now in his court and it till be beneficial to all football lovers and the status of the country if he keeps to the words of his promises.

Obi, Tinubu, Atiku And Opinion Polls

onset. There is no shortage of examples to demon strate how polls get it wrong at times for a variety of reasons, even as there are examples of precise polling to cite as well.

Polls conducted around the United States in the months and weeks before the November 2016 elec tion suggested that Democratic contender and front line presidential candidate, Hillary Clinton, would win handily only for the outsider, billionaire Donald Trump to evoke shock across the world because, in the end, while the popular vote was correctly pre dicted by the pollsters, they fell short in crucial swing states, which helped Trump to win the Electoral Col lege and become President against all odds. As digitally astute as the Americans are, majority of the polls failed to correctly nail the outcome of the elections and it was a situation that very nearly repeated itself in the last elections where Trump per formed better than the polls suggested in Democratic and Republican strongholds before the incumbent Joe Biden edged him out via mail-in ballots and the de termination of young progressive voters determined

to wrest control from the Make-America-Great-Again (MAGA) crowd.

Nigeria is even worse for polling than America. The app-based poll applied in the polling by Bloomberg definitely did not accurately represent the voting bloc of Nigeria because the vast majority of these voters are not of the digitally savvy demography and there is a majority of single-language speakers, who do not understand a word of English, but are more than capable of communicating in their local dialects and language and are well-versed in the voting process because they never miss an opportunity to exercise their rights to vote.

These set of voters take a cue from their political leaders on who to cast their votes for. This is because Nigerians, across the length and breadth of the coun try, are notoriously difficult to poll from a distance, as the Bloomberg poll did. A lot of the voting public, who will actually come out that day with their PVCs to de termine who will run the affairs of the country for the next four years, at the very least, will not be directly involved in these polls and that is why those who

depend on them for actions around their campaign must heed my call for caution.

What I know for certain will determine the next oc cupant of Aso Rock is the candidate that the majority of voters pick. That is why we must await the verdict of the voters and not be complacent by the carnivals of rallies, marches, sizes of the crowds and opinion poll results. These polls will obviously give us an idea of where things are with the pulse of the segment of the nation, but it is far from a complete picture of the events around the election campaigns and Nigerians of all classes and statuses must not relent in their attempts to pursue the campaign for their candidates, regardless of what the one poll or the other says.

My candid counsel to the campaign organisations of the three main political parties – the APC, PDP and LP and their supporters – is to continue to work and mo bilise the citizenry because it is the ballots counted at the polling units on Election Day that will ultimately decide Nigeria’s next President. That is what matters and that should be the utmost in the hearts of every one involved.

Gusau

2023 Presidency: Obi, Tinubu, Atiku And Opinion Polls

Theseed of discontent with the status quo, which was the denouement of the #ENDSARS protests of 2020, has metamorphosed into a movement for a change in the political structure of Nigeria, with the candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi, as its anointed poster child.

What we have witnessed in recent months has been the blossoming of that drive for a people-oriented gov ernment into self-organised rallies and carnivalesque marches targeted at whipping up support and drum ming up a massive backing for Obi's candidacy under the incipient moniker the "Obidient Movement."

It has seen what was born with the "Soro Soke" push for the proscription of the reportedly brutal and corrupt Police Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) become a revolutionary drive to bring about a new dawn of politics and governance enough to worry the septuagenarian political heavyweights of the two established political parties in the country.

What has been the major attraction to the Obi can didacy for the majority of the Obidient Movement, which is currently teeming with mostly a youthful demography and a working middle class equally disil lusioned by the state of affairs, has been the 61-yearold's perceived characteristic difference as a politician of impeachable reckoning, whose antecedents as a former governor of Anambra State between 2006 and 2014, serve as pointers to a frugal personality and an accountable and transparent manager of human and material resources.

In a political climate where most politicians serve to enrich themselves at the detriment of the people they are meant to serve, Obi comes across to many as someone who can stop the leakages in the nation’s treasury and revive the economy.

The fact that Obi’s political ideology is founded on cutting the insidious waste of the country's resources by frugal expenditure that he practised as governor, on economic production rather than the ostentatious consumerism, and on the resourceful management and investment in key sectors, for economic growth and development, makes his candidacy a magnet for those who have decried these national issues from time immemorial.

As the election campaigns for all the political par ties formally took to the road from September 28, 2022, the enthusiasm that characterised the 'Obidient Movement' has gained steam as was evident in the Jos flagoff of the Labour Party’s 2023 campaigns.

The fact that volunteer-sponsored rallies have spear headed the promotion of Obi's appeal across several Nigerian cities, including Makurdi, Calabar, Lafia, Port Harcourt, Afikpo, Owerri, Enugu, Auchi, Abuja, Kano, Ilorin, Abakaliki and Ibadan, is hinged on noth ing more than a perceived rekindled hope in Nigeria's turn for the better under a potential Obi presidency that will fulfill the lofty dreams of what a country like Nigeria can become if prudently led and with the best hands like square pegs in square holes.

These supporters, who cut across previously deci sive cleavages of religion and ethnicity, see in Obi a politician who is cut from a different cloth, unlike the corrosive political class that has foisted on the county debilitating educational and health systems, epileptic power supply system that has been inimical to indus

trial growth and development, a vastly diminished era of opportunities for employment and productive engagement for Nigerians and a huge infrastructure deficit that has been a clog in the wheel of the nation’s economic development for a very long time.

Yet, there are those who are not impressed by the canonisation of the ex-Anambra State governor and who will rather pitch their tents with either Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, the formidable candidate of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, the candidate of the main opposition party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as we countdown to the February 2023 general elections.

Even though Obi's supporters point to the record of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), which reported that it recorded a total of ap proximately 12.3 million fresh registrants out of which 8.8 million, that is 71 per cent, are youths, as at July 31, 2022 when it ended the exercise, to support the fervour that Obi has brought to the picture ahead of next year's general election, those who are critical of the 'Obidient Movement' believe it is mostly noise and thunder, signifying nothing.

While they agree that Obi's influence and the rallying cry for better governance that is energising his cam paign is worthy of note to the point of elevating him to contention in the campaign, the threadbare nature of the Labour Party across the country is considered a major minus to win him the coveted Aso Rock seat.

The argument that "the people are the structure" which Obi has furnished as his answer to this nega tive fact of his campaign will not hold water across the dedicated army of party faithful across the wards, local governments, state government and national cohesion that opponents in APC and PDP can boast of. Furthermore, those who sneer at the possibility of Obi's emergence also question his antecedents, especially when juxtaposed with the political savvi ness of his primary opponents, who have amassed years of political experience at both local and national levels, which, they believe, dwarf anything that Obi can ever muster at the moment. They argue that his slim Anambra State resume is nothing compared to the might of Tinubu, who self-proclaimed his eleva tion of President Muhammadu Buhari to power and the political heft of the northern representation that

Abubakar wields as a former Vice President, serial presidential candidate and the Turaki Adamawa.

Detractors also argue that there is nothing to provide guarantees that, as politicians have done throughout the country's history, Obi will keep to his promises, should he be fortunate enough to win the presiden tial election or that he will not bring the agitation for secession of the Igbo to the front burner and see to the balkanisation of the country. It was within this matrix of divergent views that the recent polls and forecasts proposing to provide a feel of the pulse of the voting population about how they will vote in February 2023 sparked to life a new category of debates and opin ions.

Of the polling and forecast results available so far, the three most pertinent have been those organised for Bloomberg by the San Francisco, California headquar tered Premise Data Corp, for the ANAP Foundation by NOI and by The Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU), an arm of The Economist of London. While two of these three have given victory to Obi (Bloomberg and ANAP), the EIU gave it to Tinubu with nothing yet go ing for Atiku.

In the Bloomberg poll premise surveyed 3,973 Nige rians selected from quotas developed by age; gender and location across the country’s six geopolitical zones between September 5 and 20 with an app-based poll. The results were then weighed against the original quotas to ensure national representation and of the 92 per cent of participants who had decided how to vote, 72 per cent named Obi as their first choice. This was a landslide victory over his opponents as Tinubu only garnered 16 percent of decided voters with 9 per cent for Atiku.

In the ANAP poll, Obi led again, with 41 per cent of those polled opting for him while Tinubu and Atiku were tied at 25 per cent each. However, the forecast of the EIU, which was not a poll, was in favour of Tinubu with the assured claim that the controversial MuslimMuslim ticket, which was heavily considered to be a major dent on Tinubu's chances in the predominantly Christian South, did not weigh heavily on the outcome of the elections.

The poll gave Atiku a less favourable chance due to the potential of losing likely voters to Obi in the South East, South-South and South-West and the ongoing tussle the Atiku camp is presently engrossed in Gov ernor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State, who has not only refused to endorse him but also waging an interne cine battle against him.

What the publication of these polls and forecasts achieved was to evoke fiercer arguments, debates and contrary opinions about whose campaign will prevail over the other and why there is little to nothing in the polls that did not favour them, but everything to celebrate in those that did. As much as all of these are part of the process, I have to counsel that all parties must be wary of the results of these opinion polls.

Without asking that polls be completely discounte nanced, pollsters themselves warn that their results be taken with the allowance of some margin of error. That is why I am urging all sides to be wary from the

In a political climate where most politicians serve to enrich themselves at the detriment of the people they are meant to serve, Obi comes across to many as someone who can stop the leakages in the nation’s treasury and revive the economy