THURSDAY 12TH JANUARY 2023

NUPRC Announces Commencement of Deep Offshore Mini-bid Round Pledges transparent, competitive procurement process Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja The Nigerian Upstream Petroleum

Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) has announced the commencement of the 2022 deep offshore mini-bid

round, promising that the process would be transparent and competitive.

In a statement issued yesterday, which was signed by the commission’s Chief Executive, Mr. Gbenga

Komolafe, the agency noted that the development presents an opportunity to spur new exploration and

drilling activities in the prospective Continued on page 40

Kyari: Without OPEC Quota Restriction, Nigeria will Hit 2.2m bpd Oil Production in 2023... Page 6 Thursday 12 January, 2023 Vol 27. No 10137. Price: N250

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British Parliamentarian Backs Atiku, Harps on INEC, CBN’s Independence... Page 40

Buhari to Catholic Bishops: I Will Reposition Economy, Improve Security Before Leaving Office Says Boko Haram designed to destroy Nigeria Insists multi-party democracy better than military rule Deji Elumoye in Abuja President Muhammadu Buhari has again promised Nigerians that he would reposition the nation's

economy as well as improve on security before the end of his eight-year tenure.

According to him, the gains recorded in security would be

further consolidated, and more attention would be given to the economy, before he hands over on May 29, 2023.

Buhari has also declared that

multi-party democracy is better than military rule and described the Catholic Bishop of Sokoto Diocese, Matthew Kukah as a vigorous fighter.

Receiving Executive members of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria (CBCN) yesterday, at the State House, Abuja, Buhari, according to a statement issued

by his Media Adviser, Mr. Femi Adesina, while commenting on the nation's economy said creditors Continued on page 40

With 43 Days to Go, INEC Vows Elections to Hold as Scheduled Commission not contemplating postponement, cancellation, says Yakubu 93 million voters to decide Atiku, Tinubu, Obi, Kwankwaso, others’ fate Lagos leads with seven million registered voters, Kano, Kaduna, Rivers follow

Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja and Hammed Shittu in Ilorin With exactly 43 days to the 2023 general election, the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, has promised Nigerians that the exercise would hold as scheduled.

He stressed that INEC was not contemplating postponing or cancelling the polls.

Yakubu said this yesterday, while presenting the national register of voters to political parties in Abuja.

He insisted that the repeated assurances by the security agencies for the adequate protection of its personnel, materials and processes also reinforced the commission's determination to proceed with the polls.

He stated categorically that any report to the contrary was not the official position of the Commission.

The clarification became imperaContinued on page 40

CATHOLIC BISHOPS MEET BUHARI...

President Muhammadu Buhari (right) in a handshake with the Catholic Bishop of Sokoto Diocese, Bishop Matthew Hassan Kukah, during the visit of Executives of the Catholic PHOTO: GODWIN OMOIGUI Bishops Conference of Nigeria to the Presidential Villa, Abuja…yesterday.

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Group News Editor: Goddy Egene Email: Goddy.egene@thisdaylive.com, 0803 350 6821, 0809 7777 322, 0807 401 0580

NEWS

ATIKU AT THE HOUSE OF LORDS...

L-R: Baron of Kingsclere and member of the House of Lords, Lord Dan Hannan; House Minority Leader, Hon. Ndudi Elumelu; Senate Minority Leader, Senator Philip Aduda; Sokoto State Governor and Director General of the Peoples Democratic Party Presidential Campaign Council, Hon. Aminu Tambuwal; Presidential candidate of PDP, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar; and former Presidential Spokesman, Mr. Reno Omokri, after a meeting at the chambers of the House of Lords in London…yesterday

UN: We are Working with Presidential Candidates to Promote Peaceful Elections in Nigeria Ugo Aliogo The United Nations Office for the West Africa and the Sahel (UNOWAS) has disclosed that it is collaborating with presidential candidates and other stakeholders in Nigeria to ensure peaceful elections in the country.

The Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary-General and Officer-in-Charge of UNOWAS, Ms. Giovanie Biha, disclosed this in New York, while presenting the latest UNOWAS report covering trends and developments over the past six months.

Biha said the office had also witnessed the signing of a landmark Peace Accord among political parties in Nigeria to promote peaceful elections.

“In Kaduna State, in December 2022, the Mission supported the first of six state-level stakeholders’ fora to promote peaceful elections.

In Benin, peaceful parliamentary elections were held just two days ago,’’ she said.

According to her, although West Africa and the Sahel continues to face unprecedented security challenges, it is still, “a land of immense opportunities.”

The UN official, however, urged ambassadors to continue to support a strategy centred on building resilience, promoting good governance, and strengthening peace and security.

“Despite efforts by national security forces and international partners, insecurity has again

deteriorated in large parts of the region.

“Operations by armed groups, violent extremists and criminal networks forced the closure of more than 10,000 schools, with millions of children affected, and some 7,000 health centres,’’ she said.

“These non-state groups are fighting among themselves for supremacy and control of resources, she said, which is pushing States to the margin and causing untold misery to millions who have fled elsewhere to safety.

“Indeed, the central Sahel continues to face multidimensional challenges, unprecedented levels of security and humanitarian challenges, socio-political instability, further compounded by the impact of climate change, and food insecurity which was exacerbated by the conflict in Ukraine,” she added.

At the same time, countries along the coast of the Gulf of Guinea have also seen an increase in attacks against their territories, threatening transport routes to landlocked nations further north.

Biha reported on UNOWAS activities, including its efforts to promote political consensus and to ensure a level playing field ahead of elections this year in countries such as Nigeria.

The Office has also been working with the West African economic bloc ECOWAS and other UN entities to contribute to conflict resolution, both at the regional and local levels, including among

farming and herding communities in northern Benin.

Relatedly, UNOWAS also worked with youth and women’s groups to promote conflict-sensitive best practices on climate change adaptation. These findings were brought to the COP27 UN climate conference in Egypt November 2022.

“In Guinea and Côte d’Ivoire, peace caravans supported by the United Nations have concluded their journey through the respective countries, providing spaces for effective inter-communal dialogue along their way,” she added.

In the wake of the September 2022, coup in Burkina Faso, and another in Guinea a year earlier,

UNOWAS also welcomed agreements on the length of political transitions.

“UNOWAS will remain actively committed to the assessment and follow-up mechanism agreed between Burkina Faso and ECOWAS and in the operationalisation of the transition timeline in Guinea.

“The UN system will have to continue providing support to the countries concerned by focusing on responding to the grievances that led to those coups taking place,” Biha said.

Combating insecurity and stepping up humanitarian assistance are particularly important in the context of these urgent challenges,

she stressed, noting that millions remain the target of seemingly endless attacks, particularly in Mali and Burkina Faso.

“For our part, UNOWAS will continue its collaboration with the Working Group on Women, Youth, Peace and Security in West Africa and the Sahel to assess the effectiveness of the current approaches, and to find new ways to ensure that half of the region’s population can make their voice heard in assemblies where decisions are taken, and budgets approved,” she said.

Meanwhile, a process towards establishing a justice ministers’ forum among ECOWAS countries

To Prevent Security Breach, AIG Orders Intensive Stop, Search Operation in FCT Kingsley Nweze in Abuja To forestall any security breach, the Assistant Inspector-General of Police (AIG) in charge of Zone 7, Mr. Kayode Egbetokun, has ordered the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Command to intensify stop and search operation.

Egbetokun, gave the directive yesterday in Abuja, during his familiarisation visit to the command.

He, however, warned the personnel against any form of extortion in the course of the operation.

The AIG said they should engage local communities to ensure proper security in the FCT. Egbetokun called on the personnel to work together to restore professionalism in policing and ensure efficient utilisation of resources.

The AIG said the essence of police duties was the protection and promotion of human rights, adding that, every offence is a violation of somebody’s right.

He said modern policing was intelligence led, community-based

and technology driven, as such officers and men should work harder to enhance their intelligence capacity and improve on visibility policing.

The AIG said the recent deployment of newly passed out recruit constables would be a big boost to policing in the country.

He called on the command to sustain its strategic partnership with other security agencies and stakeholders.

“We must improve traffic control within the FCT. Traffic officers must

WEF Warns Rising Cost of Living, Climate Change Constitute Biggest Risks to Global Economy Says COVID-19, others eroding economic gains James Emejo in Abuja The World Economic Forum (WEF) yesterday warned that the cost of living crisis remained the biggest short-term risk to the global economy.

The forum, in its Global Risks Report 2023 which was released ahead of its Annual Meetings in Switzerland, also pointed out that the failure of climate mitigation and adaptation remained the largest long-term concern.

The report noted that geopolitical rivalries and inward-looking stance would heighten economic constraints and further exacerbate both short- and long-term risks to the global outlook.

The report further urged countries to work together to avoid “resource rivalries”.

WEF’s Managing Director, Saadia Zahidi, said, “The short-term risk landscape is dominated by energy, food, debt, and disasters. Those that are already the most vulnerable are suffering – and in the face of multiple crises, those who qualify as vulnerable are rapidly expanding, in rich and poor countries alike.

“In this already toxic mix of known and rising global risks, a new shock event, from a new military conflict to a new virus, could become unmanageable.

Climate and human development therefore must be at the core of concerns of global leaders to boost resilience against future shocks.”

Also, commenting on the report, Head of Sustainability Risk, Zurich Insurance Group, John Scott, said, “The interplay between climate change impacts, biodiversity loss,

“can be a critical tool, given the recurrent allegations that the judicial system is being instrumentalised in the region.”

In addition, Biha urged the Council to continue to support the UN strategy.

“In spite of the many challenges facing the countries of the region, especially the Sahel region, the region remains a land of immense opportunities.

“I take this opportunity to salute the enormous resilience of the population of the region, particularly the Sahelian people who faced with many challenges of unprecedented magnitude continue to fight every day for a better future,” she said.

food security, and natural resource consumption is a dangerous cocktail.

Without significant policy change or investments, this mix will accelerate ecosystem collapse, threaten food supplies, amplify the impacts of natural disasters and limit further climate mitigation progress.

“If we speed up action, there is still an opportunity by the end of the decade to achieve a 1.5oC degree trajectory and address the nature emergency. Recent progress in the deployment of renewable energy technologies and electric vehicles gives us good reasons to be optimistic.”

On his part, Risk Management Leader, Continental Europe, Marsh, Carolina Klint, stated that “2023 is set to be marked by increased risks related to food, energy, raw materials, and cyber security, causing

further disruption to global supply chains and impacting investment decisions.

“At a time when countries and organizations should be stepping up resilience efforts, economic headwinds will constrain their ability to do so.

“Faced with the most difficult geo-economic conditions in a generation, companies should focus not just on navigating near-term concerns but also on developing strategies that will position them well for longer-term risks and structural change.”

For the past 17 years the WEF’s Global Risks Report has warned about deeply interconnected global risks as conflict and geo-economic tensions have triggered a series of deeply interconnected global risks.

The report further noted that

energy and food supply crunches are likely to persist for the next two years, warning of strong increases in the cost of living and debt servicing.

The forum also noted that the crises risk undermining efforts to tackle longer-term risks, notably those related to climate change, biodiversity, and investment in human capital.

It stressed that the window for action on the most serious longterm threats is closing rapidly and concerted, stressing that collective action is needed before risks reach a tipping point.

According to the report: “While ongoing shocks unfold, the world stands at a crossroads. As we enter a low-growth, low- investment, and low-cooperation era, the actions that we take today will dictate our future risk landscape.

be on their toes to ensure traffic flows within the FCT. “We must reinvigorate stop and search, effectively man black spots and sustain the present tempo in raid of criminal hideouts.

“Scavenging has been banned within the FCT and we must not allow them to continue to operate,” he added.

In his remark, the Commissioner of Police (CP) in charge of the FCT, Mr. Sadiq Abubakar said the command had developed and implemented operational strategies targeted at combating crime.

He said the development was in compliance with the vision and mission of the Inspector-General of Police (IG), Mr. Usman Baba.

The CP said the operational policies and strategies had led to the arrest of 18 armed robbery suspects and recovery of 1,159 exhibits, including arms and ammunition of various caliber.

He said motor vehicles and motorcycles, illicit drugs and other harmful weapons were among the exhibits recovered.

He said 24 kidnapped victims were rescued by the command and reunited with their families.

“The FCT command under my leadership is committed to ensuring that the policing ideals of the IG, which have been effectively canvassed by the AIG, are clearly and without doubt exemplified in the command.

“Similarly, one of the foremost mandates of the command is to deliberately entrench modern policing standards, particularly respect for the rule of law and the fundamental rights of all citizens.

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NEWS

OBSERVING DUE DILIGENCE...

Executive Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mr. Abdulrasheed Bawa (2nd right), observing the ongoing auction of forfeited real estate assets at the day three event by the commission in Abuja...yesterday

Labour Party Charges INEC to Intensify PVCs’ Issuance Frowns at upcoming TV reality show Gabriel Emameh in Abuja The National leadership of Labour Party (LP) yesterday called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to intensify the distribution of Permanent Voter’s Cards (PVCs) to Nigerians as the elections draw nearer.

Speaking during a press briefing in Enugu, to announce the party’s rally coming up today in the state, the spokesman of LP Presidential Campaign Council, Dr. Yunusa Tanko, urged INEC to increase manpower and extend collection center to every pulling units in the country to ease the collection.

“I am disappointed with the level of issuance of voter’s cards across the country. The turnout is much but the process of collecting it is quite difficult.

“The number of uncollected

cards remain the same because the process is very difficult. The queue is very much in every collection center but few people were able to collect it at the end of the day.

They are frustrating the people.

“INEC should use any legal power to shift the closing date for collection or any other means to make sure they didn’t disenfranchise people from voting,” he said.

Tanko, also expressed dissatisfaction over the upcoming new BBnaija reality show, tagged: “The Titans,’ alleging that it was sponsored by politicians to distract youths from participating in the general election.

“We want to alert the ever vibrant Nigerian youths of the hidden agenda behind the new reality show tagged: ‘The Titans,’ designed to hit the airwaves by January 15 barely 40 days to general election.

“We have credible information

that it’s being sponsored by one of the major opposition parties to distract the Nigerian youths from changing the leadership that has placed them in perilous times laced with abject poverty.

“Information made available to us revealed that the son of one of the presidential candidates in active collaboration with others visited South Africa to hatch this plan,” he said.

He disclosed that LP as a party with the sole aim of turning the country into a place where poverty, unemployment, ‘japa’ would be seen as a taboo, was being threatened by an opposition that hates the Nigerian youths with passion.

“Big Titan or whatever they may call it will distract the youths from taking what belongs to them now.

The Big Brother Naija ended not long ago, why the ‘Titans’ now that we are facing a major election

that will determine the future of the Nigerian youths?

“Any reality show now is laced with a lot of unforeseen dangers for the youths because their attention will be divided. As a party, we are not against reality shows because it helps the Nigerian youths to break the poverty line but for now, for the common good of all it should

Several hours after domestic flights in the United States were yesterday grounded due to computer glitch, services picked up slowly in all parts of the country, as the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) scrambled to fix the system.

Reuters reported that more than 7,300 flights were delayed and 1,100 cancelled, according to the FlightAware website in the first national grounding of flights in about two decades.

According to Reuters, the number was still rising and officials said the outage could cause delays through at least Thursday, if not longer, according to several airlines.

The cause of the problem with a pilot-alerting system was unclear, but US officials said they had so far found no evidence of a cyberattack.

US Transportation Secretary, Pete Buttigieg, told CNN that an issue with overnight, "irregularities" with safety messages sent to pilots prompted the outage.

He said the ground stop was the "right call" to make sure messages were moving correctly and there is no direct evidence of cyberattack.

The outage occurred at a typically slow time after the holiday travel season, but demand remained strong as travel continues to recover to

near pre-pandemic levels.

The FAA said in a tweet that normal air traffic operations were resuming.

The outage could impact traffic through Friday, Vice President of the Allied Pilots Association, Captain Chris Torres said.

"This thing was lifted at 9 a.m.

Eastern. That doesn't mean the problem stops at 9 a.m. This is going to cause ripple effects," said Torres, whose members fly

for American Airlines.

The FAA had earlier ordered airlines to pause all domestic departures after its pilot alerting system crashed and the agency had to perform a hard reset around 2 a.m., officials said. Flights already in the air were allowed to continue to their destinations.

CNN also reported that major US carriers including United Airlines, Delta and American Airlines all said they had grounded flights

Says NNPC's relationship with FG strictly commercial Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja The Group Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC), Mallam

in response to the situation.

United and Delta have issued travel waivers in response to the outage. American Airlines also said its customers could rebook their flights Wednesday and Thursday without additional fees.

FlightAware, which tracks delays and cancellations, showed more than 7,600 flights to, from and within the United States as being delayed as of 1:05 p.m. ET, and more than 1,100 flights cancelled so far.

Pastor Kidnaps Self Twice in Plateau, Collects Ransom from Congregation Seriki Adinoyi in Jos The Plateau State Police Command has arrested a pastor who allegedly kidnapped himself several times and collected ransom from members of his congregation.

The state Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), DSP Alfred Alabo, disclosed this in a statement yesterday, in Jos. Alabo said the suspect was arrested by the police in November 2022.

“The police has uncovered the nefarious act of one Pastor Albarka Sukuya of Jenta Apata, Jos, who on

several occasions staged his kidnap with his cohorts and received ransom from sympathising members of his congregation.

“Sequel to his spurious kidnaps of Novvember 14 and November15, 2022, where N400,000 and N200,000, respectively, were paid by his sympathisers as ransom for his release, the incidents triggered suspicion.

“Through credible intelligence, the clergyman was invited by the DPO Nasarawa Gwong Police Station, CSP Musa Hassan and investigation commenced immediately.

“In the course of investigation,

the organisers is whether they’re truly friends of the political entity known as Nigeria or enemies of progress.

“Like I said earlier, this reality show was concocted and designed by a major opposition political party and at the right time we will unmask them to the Nigerian youths,” he said.

Kyari: Without OPEC Quota Restriction, Nigeria will Hit 2.2m bpd Oil Production in 2023

Flight Disruptions in US Could Last for Days after FAA’s Outage Stopped Domestic Service for Hours Chinedu Eze with agency report

be shifted to another convenient date after the general elections must have been concluded.

“Those putting together a reality show at this time when we are counting days to the general elections are enemies of the Nigerian youths and by extension all well-meaning Nigerians. The question Nigerians should be asking

it was established that the suspect has been conspiring with his gang to stage his kidnap and fraudulently collect ransom. He has confessed to committing the crime,” he said.

Alabo said the suspect had revealed the identity of three other members of his gang, adding that two of them were arrested while one was still at large.

“The suspect further disclosed that on Jan. 1, he set ablaze the vehicles and a bicycle parked at ECWA Bishara 3, Jenta Apata premises belonging to his colleagues,” Alabo alleged.

Mele Kyari, yesterday maintained that Nigeria could hit 2.2 million barrels per day in 2023, without the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) oil production quota rationing.

However, Kyari who was speaking at the virtual Global UAE Energy Forum, said despite all odds, the country aims to produce 1.8 million bpd this year.

Last month, the NNPC put Nigeria’s daily oil production at 1.59 million bpd, a Bloomberg survey pegged it at 1.35 million bpd, while the industry regulator, the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) data revealed a 1.235 million bpd volume, excluding condensates.

But when condensates which are outside OPEC's calculation are added, the figure released by the NUPRC in its latest crude oil and condensate production data for December 2022, rocketed to 1.413 million bpd.

Although still significantly lower than the roughly 1.8 million bpd OPEC allocation to Nigeria, it showed that crude oil production increased from 1.18 million bpd in November.

The output will be the highest production level since March 2022 when the country’s production averaged 1.237 million bpd.

Nigeria has been unable to meet its OPEC production quota for over a year, thereby hobbling the country’s main source of foreign exchange and putting immense pressure on the local currency, the naira, against the American dollar.

But Kyari admitted that Nigeria struggled to achieve its OPEC quota in 2022, stressing that the country had a “different challenge” from the rest of the world, as security issues undermined production.

“For us, we see a trajectory of

restoring production, including condensates within the year definitely.

And we believe that we can hit our target of 2.2 million barrels per day, although now our OPEC target is 1.8 million barrels per day. We know that it’s practical to do 2.2 million barrels per day.

“We took definite steps to increase production and this is paying off.

Around July, our net crude oil excluding condensate came down to around 1million bpd. That has been restored,” Kyari said.

According to him, the government has also taken very practical steps around pipeline security. In August 2022, a high-ranking federal government delegation struck a deal with a former militant-turned security contractor, Government Ekpemupolo, also known as Tompolo, to crack down on oil theft.

“It’s practical to hit 2.2 million bpd in 2023, this is practical. It’s a moving target,” Kyari said, adding that: “There are a number of projects that I have clear line of sight that can come on board in 2023.”

Also speaking on the controversial petrol subsidy regime in the country, Kyari explained that the NNPC’s relationship with government as of today, is strictly on a commercial basis.

“NNPC has become a completely private company today. Yes, owned by the government, but it’s operating like every other company today, like Shell, Chevron and any other company you can think of in our country.

“And therefore, our relationship with government today in terms of supply of fuel is on a commercial basis. There’s a service level agreement between us and government to supply fuel and sell it at a price that the policy decision has asked us to do.

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PROJECT INAUGURATION...

L-R: Former Governor of Delta State, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan; Olu of Warri Kingdom, His Royal Majesty Ogiame Atuwatse III; National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Senator Iyorchia Ayu; and Vice presidential candidate of PDP and Delta State Governor, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa, during the inauguration of Ogheye Ultra Modern Floating Market in the state…yesterday

Ayu: Okowa Deserves PDP's Vice Presidential Ticket Sylvester Idown in Warri National Chairman of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Senator Iyorchia Ayu, yesterday said Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta State deserved the party’s vice-presidential ticket for the forthcoming general election as he inaugurated the multi-billion naira Ogheye Floating Market in the state.

Ayu said the market, like the State Secretariat in Asaba, also built

by Okowa, were great wonders that had stood out in the country and beyond.

Ayu described the governor as "a brilliant and articulate statesman" who has continued to offer greater services to his people.

Ayu said Okowa's outstanding works and contributions to the party earned him the vice presidential ticket and described him as a brilliant and articulate man who, had continued to offer greater services to the party and the country.

"Okowa is an articulate and brilliant statesman and the leaders of our party, the PDP, decided that Delta State has to be rewarded for its contribution to the growth and development of the party and Nigeria," he said.

Ayu noted that Okowa's socioeconomic development of Delta State was outstanding, adding that he would bring the "culture" to national stage when PDP would take over governance in the country.

Other projects inaugurated by

the PDP Chairman were Odokun Secondary School; three-km pedestrian road linking Oboghoro to Ogheye-Dimigun and a pedestrian bridge crossing Jorojoro Creek to Ogheye-Dimigun, all in Warri North Local Government Area of the state.

He said the projects, including the floating market would contribute immensely to the growth of commerce in the coastal communities in the state.

The PDP chairman called on the federal government to give more support to governments of Niger Delta states, saying that the people of the region deserve a better deal for their sacrifices and contributions to nation’s economic mainstay.

He remarked that the All Progressives Congress (APC)-led federal government had set the country backward for over 50 years, and urged Nigerians to support his party’s mission to rescue and rebuild the nation.

He said: "Thank you Deltans for the support you have given to us in our journey so far to recover and rebuild Nigeria.

"I am happy to come back to the State for the second time as National Chairman of our great party to inaugurate projects executed by Governor Ifeanyi Okowa who by the grace of God will become our next vice-president in a few months.

"I first took note of Okowa’s works as governor when he built the best State Secretariat in the country and I remember telling

him that the nation was taking note of his contributions to the development of his people.

"Some political parties will come to campaign to the people, make all manner of promises to deceive the people into voting for them but when they come into office they don't fulfill their promises and that's criminal.

"But the PDP which I was a founding member was formed to work for the people and we are particularly proud of our governors who are hoisting the party's flag high.

"I am happy that there is continuity in governance here in Delta and the three governors so far, have not disappointed Deltans,"

he said.

"Okowa is an articulate and brilliant statesman and we the leadership of the party decided that Delta State has to be rewarded for its contribution to the growth and development of the party.

In his remarks, Governor Okowa paid tribute to his predecessor, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan, who conceived and started the construction of the market which was later abandoned due to financial constraints and non-performance by the contractor.

"I was part of the initiative when I visited Warri North for the inauguration of projects at Oboghoro and Utonlila communitie and I visited the market project

Urges security agencies to go after those trying to frustrate INEC from conducting the elections Juliet Akoje in Abuja With 43 days to the presidential and National Assembly elections, the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) has appealed to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to as a matter of urgency comply with the court orders by substituting close to 130 candidates of the party for the state Houses

of Assembly members, National Assembly and deputy governors to enable them to participate in the polls.

The party has, however, expressed confidence in Prof. Mahmood Yakubu-led INEC’s ability to deliver free, fair, credible elections.

Addressing journalists yesterday in Abuja, the NNPP National Chairman, Prof. Rufai Ahmed Alkali, said

Reveals nine months hazard allowance paid The Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige, yesterday said the federal government was already addressing the grievances raised by members of the National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD).

The Resident doctors had warned against imminent industrial action if the federal government fails to resolve the myriad of lingering CONMESS payment and other related issues affecting it’s members.

But Ngige who spoke to THISDAY yesterday regarding the strike threat, said the issues raised by the doctors were already being looked into by the government.

He said most of the demands and complaints contained in the association's letter were already being taken up by a committee involving the Ministries of Health, Finance and the Salaries, Income and Wages Commission.

On the issue of hazard allowance, Ngige said that the doctors were not the only ones that have outstanding, adding that senior doctors, nurses and health workers also have issues with that.

“It is only four months that are outstanding from the 13 months arrears,” he said.

Ngige, who acknowledged that his ministry had received the letter by the doctors, said it had been sent to the Presidential Committee on Salaries, Income

project in some other states, it could cost up to N5 billion to execute such projects here," he said.

In his remarks, the Olu of Warri, Ogiame Atuwatse III, commended the governor for ensuring the completion of the age-long market, adding that its completion would improve the growth of commerce in the area.

He said the area was known for abundance of oil and gas but regretted that the people had not benefited from the proceeds from the exploitation of the resources.

The Warri monarch further said that building of the market was commendable as commerce remained the best way to reposition Delta beyond oil and gas.

Obey Court Orders, Substitute Names of 130 Candidates, NNPP Begs INEC

Strike Threat: FG Attending to Resident Doctors’ Demands, Says Ngige Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja

and assured that we would take steps to re-award the contract.

"We got a local contractor, an indigene of the community to take up the job and we thank God that in two years, he was able to deliver and it is important to state that our people have the capacity to do great things," he said.

Okowa urged the party hierarchy to support the development of the region, pointing out that "it costs so much to execute projects in the Niger Delta".

"When we take over government of Nigeria on May 29, 2023, I am sure that we will get to understand that the people of the Niger Delta truly have a very difficult terrain.

"If it costs a billion to build a

and Wages for consideration.

He said the Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission is the organ responsible for handling reviews of such allowances being sought for by the doctors.

The minister further said as far he was aware, the issues raised by the doctors cannot be described as unresolved since government had started action on them.

He also said the situation does not warrant threat of strike yet.

For instance, he said that: "In December, 2021, we concluded discussion on hazard allowance for the health workers. The implementation would have started from January 2022, but we decided to start from December instead.

“So by December 2022 the total hazard allowance they are supposed to collect was for 13 months. Federal government has paid nine months remaining four months and the Ministry of Finance and Ministry of Health are working together to offset that outstanding. “"So the issues are being addressed by government and there is a committee made up of the Ministries of Health, Finance and Salaries, Income and Wages Commission looking into it right now," he said.

The doctors' demands were contained in a letter from NARD to the Minister of Health Dr. Ehanire Osagie and other key government ministries.

it had become very imperative for INEC to carry out the replacement of candidates because the cases were expeditiously delivered by the courts so as to further build up the confidence of the political parties and the general public in the Commission’s unflinching and unwavering commitment to conducting free, fair and credible election in the 2023 general elections.

Alkali who also appealed to the judiciary to attend to the cases against NNPP candidates speedily, however, urged its candidates to continue with their campaigns, saying, “All those whose names have been approved by the courts, we urge INEC to take appropriate action.”

Meanwhile, the NNPP National Chairman has urged the security agencies to go after those trying to frustrate the Commission in conducting free, fair and credible elections.

Alkali said: “It is very important we find out, any anti-democratic forces that are trying to undermine this process, they should not be allowed to succeed.”

Alkali said, “We also as a party and the party leaders and people are looking at us and the only way is to go to the courts and they have also given us relief. That is why we are saying that all those people whose names have now been approved by the court as we are praying, pleading with INEC to do the needful. Let them process everything and they are going to

continue with the process of our elections.

“We have invited you members of the Fourth Estate of the Realm to brief you on activities involving our party, NNPP, especially our court matters with the Independent National Electoral Commission. Our party has reasons to take INEC to court over disagreements on the issue of uploading and submission of the names of some of our candidates.

“Our great party, New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) wishes to use this medium to express our appreciation and gratitude to the Nigerian judiciary for being the last bastion of hope for the people and a pillar of democracy and democratic processes particularly leading to the 2023 general election.

“We also wish to use this medium to most especially appreciate INEC under the able leadership of amiable Patriotic Prof. Mahmood Yakubu for its h sense of responsibility to the promotion of rule of law and commitment to conducting the most credible election in 2023.

“In the same spirit, we most humbly urge the commission to urgently comply with the court orders expeditiously delivered by the courts so as to further build up the confidence of the political parties and the general public in the commission’s unflinching and unwavering commitment to conducting free, fair and credible election in the 2023 general election.”

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T H I S D AY ˾ THURSDAY JANUARY 12, 2023

POLITICS

Acting Group Politics Editor DEJI ELUMOYE Email: deji.elumoye@thisdaylive.com (08033025611 SMS ONLY)

Oborevwori: I Possess Cognate Experience to Serve as Delta Governor Peoples Democratic Party’s Governorship Candidate for Delta State, who is also the Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Rt Hon Sheriff Oborevwori, in this interview speaks on his political history, emergence as gubernatorial candidate and his programme of action for the development of the state, among other salient issues. Deji Elumoye brings excerpts:

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of Assembly twice and I am the only one to be so elected and the longest serving Speaker in the history of Delta State.

So far, I have worked with three governors since 2003 when I was appointed as a special assistant. I have both legislative and executive experience.

As Speaker, the entire state is one big constituency for me and apart from the incumbent Governor, Dr. Ifeanyi Arthur Okowa, no other politician has the kind of knowledge that I have about Delta State in terms of her development aspirations and challenges.

Besides these, I have also undergone political leadership and management courses in some of the best universities in the world.

I am well trained in executive and legislative leadership, development studies, ICT, advanced leadership and the New World Order in universities in the United Kingdom and the United States.

I have acquired skills and strategies in creative and critical thinking, development thinking and modern governance.

I have what it takes. My capacity is formidable.

an we meet you, sir?

I am Chief Sheriff Francis Orohwedor Oborevwori. I am from Osubi in Okpe Local Government Area of Delta State. I am the incumbent Speaker of the Delta State House of Assembly and also the Delta State governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

I am married and blessed with children.

Why do you want to be Governor of Delta State?

Let me answer by telling you about my mission in politics. It is really about the people. And I have come to understand quite early in life that the most important means of affecting the people for good is politics. When I was growing up, I saw a lot of deprivation and poverty in society and my biggest wish was to see how I can be of help to free people from lack and deprivation. As I went through primary and secondary schools the role of politics and government in making life better for the people was made central in our social studies, government and economics lessons and textbooks. We also got taught that the surest and legitimate way into government is politics. So from childhood I carried the burden of taking up the responsibility of making life better for the people. That was my motivation.

Now joining politics at the grassroots saw me growing and evolving. I served as a councillor and I also served different governments as special assistant, senior special assistant and as special adviser. I made sure I put the interest of the people and loyalty to the government above my personal consideration.

Then the good people of Okpe constituency decided that they wanted me to represent them in the Delta State House of Assembly. I contested and won the election and became a member of the State House of Assembly. Not too long after, my colleagues and fellow lawmakers elected me as the Speaker of the House and by that I became the head of an arm of government in Delta State. This marked a turning point in my political career and evolution. I was no longer just a member representing the Okpe constituency, but the Speaker presiding over the state legislature.

That act made me a Pan-Deltan and it changed my consciousness and perception. As Speaker of the State House of Assembly, the entire state became my constituency. That position enabled me to appreciate what Delta State is all about, her development aspirations, her challenges and the colourations and preferences of the people.

After the general elections in 2019, my colleagues in the House of Assembly expressed a vote of confidence in me by returning me as Speaker for a second time, that gesture opened my eyes to new vistas of possibilities for me and Delta State. My return as Speaker is unprecedented in the history of Delta State. My colleagues said that they were returning me as Speaker because I am a Pan-Deltan and that I easily build consensus. They also said I showed a deep understanding of the development challenges of Delta State and that for the State to develop without obstruction, I should continue to lead the legislative arm.

I took time to evaluate what my colleagues said and I realized that I have unconsciously promoted politics in the service of the people in the House of Assembly and by extension the State.

Oborevwori

I soon started receiving encouragements to take my peoples’ politics ideology higher by seeking to be governor of Delta State. I am not one to run away from a challenge especially when it has to do with the people. I thought seriously about it.

I also prayed. As a political scientist who is in practical politics, I thought of so many possibilities. I sat down to collate my thoughts arising from my burning desire to use politics to promote the welfare of the people.

I also asked myself, after speakership, what next? How else do I serve the interest of the people? It was at that point that I resolved and listened to the call to run for the governorship of Delta State. So, the

response to your question on why I want to be governor is to serve the people of Delta State and enhance their welfare and security. My reason and justification is people-centric. It is all for the people.

Do you have what it takes to be governor of Delta State?

Yes, I have more than what it takes.

Besides the basic points of being a Deltan and the age as well as the basic educational qualification, I am most qualified to be Governor of Delta State.

I am well educated in the art and science of politics having studied political science up to postgraduate level. I also must point at my experience in politics. I have been a councillor at the local government level.

I was special assistant, senior special assistant and special adviser handling very sensitive positions.

I then crossed over to the legislature after winning an election. I have been elected Speaker of the Delta State House

I am most qualified to be Governor of Delta State.

I am well educated in the art and science of politics having studied political science up to postgraduate level. I also must point at my experience in politics. I have been a councillor at the local government level. I was special assistant, senior special assistant and special adviser handling very sensitive positions. I then crossed over to the legislature after winning an election. I have been elected Speaker of the Delta State House of Assembly twice and I am the only one to be so elected and the longest serving Speaker in the history of Delta State

What about the controversy about your educational qualifications?

It is unfortunate that what was supposed to be a minor mistake arising from names used and names not used in the course of schooling was twisted to cause mischief in an attempt to undo me. Let the truth be told. Many people who have three or more names have used them differently at one point or the other. This was my case.

The names that my detractors pointed at are all mine. There is no doubt about them whatsoever. The schools I attended at different times have the records and they can verify that the names refer to one and the same person which is me.

I have never claimed that the schools I attended are no longer in existence. I can direct you to my schools from primary, secondary to university. I am well educated. I might not have gone to school in quick succession due to my background, but I had the benefit of western education up to postgraduate degree which is the Master of Science degree in political science that I obtained from the Delta State University, Abraka. My school mates and many of my teachers at different stages of my education are alive. I affirm that my educational qualifications are solid and genuine.

What do you think are the challenges or problems of Delta State?

The challenges of Delta State are essentially the same with those of Nigeria and other Third World societies. The challenges which are also the problems include poverty, unemployment, inadequate electricity, inadequate ICT, infrastructure deficit, inadequate healthcare, poor education, low industrialization and poor agricultural productivity and insecurity.

There are also problems associated with growing population and shrinking resources. There are other social ills like armed robbery, cybercrime, youth unrest and others which disrupt life occasionally, but once the major ones I mentioned are tackled and overcome then we would have a stable and prosperous society.

NOTE: Interested readers should continue in the online edition on www.thisdaylive.com

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T H I S D AY ˾ THURSDAY JANUARY 12, 2023

POLITICS

Adio: 2023 Polls Will Be Most Credible Elections Ever In this interview with Gboyega Akinsanmi, the National Publicity Secretary of Youth Party, Ayodele Adio speaks about the travails of the party in the hands of the Independent National Electoral Commission, credibility of the 2023 elections and the failure of the main presidential candidates to decisively address issues affecting youth in the manifestos of their political parties

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NEC de-registered the Youth Party in 2019 which sparked legal tussle, but the party eventually won at the Supreme Court.

How can you describe the de-registration of the Youth Party by the commission?

I think it is important to give context to this illegal and undemocratic action by INEC. The Youth Party had fulfilled every requirement to become a registered political party in 2016.

For some reasons, however, INEC refused to register us. Or, avail us with an application form for registration until we went to court.

We had to approach a High Court in Abuja to compel INEC to carry out its duties. Expectedly, the High Court ruled in our favour and ordered INEC to register us. Unfortunately, INEC did not obey that judgment until two weeks to the slated time for primary elections.

Between judgement delivery and compliance, INEC was busy sponsoring the amendment to the 1999 Constitution in a manner that would empower it to deregister the party immediately after the 2019 election.

INEC successfully sponsored the amendment of Section 225A of the Constitution, while delaying our registration. The section was amended to require performance of parties at election, without giving any period to allow the parties to grow organically. It means party can be registered today and de registered tomorrow without a fair chance to mobilise or perform. Nonetheless, we fielded 11 candidates for House of Representatives and States Houses of Assembly all over the country in those elections.

If you understand how elections work, you will know that no serious politician who wants to contest an election will stick with a party that has not been registered by INEC two weeks to the primaries. It was therefore a surprise that INEC was then eager to deregister us right after the election. It made no sense at all. Little wonder the Court of Appeal described INEC’s action as “reprehensible and illegal.”

We want to move forward and assist INEC with our electoral reform policy. We want to support INEC. We have made recommendation to the constitutional review committee of the National Assembly as well as its committee on the amended Electoral Act. We give commendation where it is due. Some of our recommendations were adopted based on our observation of the draft bill that we critiqued and the eventual Act that was enacted.

We have no issue with INEC’s power to deregister political parties that are not performing. But we have a serious issue with the procedure they are adopting. No window period for the parties to organise. Give parties a minimum of one full electoral cycle. There was no fair hearing.

Whilst INEC cannot disqualify a candidate without a court order, but can deregister the candidate’s party with a letter. Incredulous.

CBN needs a court order to withdraw a banking license, but INEC can deregister in its sleep and it’s legal. Exclusion of candidates and parties have also been legalised as it no longer voids any election. The way INEC Chairman and commissioners are appointed can be better.

Our electoral system is retrogressing and we need to pay attention. The price of liberty, including democracy, is eternal vigilance.

All these undermine the credibility of the democratic process and voters’ confidence.

It is no surprise that voter’s turnout is now effectively under 15 percent of registered voters from over 60 percent in 1999. We need to build confidence trust into the system, and it must start with INEC. Now that the litigation has been decided in favour of the Youth Party, what lessons has the party learnt from its deregistration and how does it plan to avoid de-registration in the nearest future?

I will argue that it is the Nigerian citizens that should draw lessons from our experience.

The first being that in spite of what we were up against, we stuck to our principles, and fought for what we believed were our inalienable rights until the very end.

members in our political party than the Conservative Party (the ruling party) in the United Kingdom.

In states like Kano, Gombe, Sokoto, Akwa Ibom, Abia, Kwara, Lagos, Oyo, Osun, Kaduna, we have an average of 30,000 members in these states. In others states across the country, we have between 5,000 to 10,000 members – predominantly young people.

We are the only party in Nigeria that runs effectively on membership dues and donations. We never owe staff salaries, we have published several policy documents, hosted several symposiums and managed a gruelling litigation over three years. We could only achieve this because young people believed in us enough to lend their support and put their monies where their heart was.

Adio

The most important lesson for us was the realisation of the huge gap in civic education. Most Nigerians, including many activists, civil society organizations and media specialists, have very little understanding of the workings of democracy. A lot of them asked us what the point of our struggle was and what was the need for another political party. These are the same people who cry everyday about the current state of affairs and the notoriety of the dominant political parties.

So, we quickly realised that we have to find a way to educate millions of young people on democratic ideals and to build their faith in the democratic system.

Avoiding deregistration is an easy one as we have four years to rebuild our party after our victory at the Supreme Court. I’m confident that we will do well in local and state elections in 2027 and pick up some important seats.

However, it is worth pointing out that the race to shape the future of Nigeria is a marathon and not a

sprint. For us, we have dug in and are ready to go the haul.

Youth Party is not contesting any political office in the next elections nationwide.

What does the non-participation of the Youth Party mean for the country’s political development?

We have two candidates: Tari Taylaur who is running for State House of Assembly in Eti Osa 1 and Mrs Victoria who is running for Governor in Abia state. Of course, we are currently in talks with INEC to ensure that these two candidates are on the ballot, and we are confident that reason will prevail.

Despite the reinstatement of the Youth Party, most young Nigerians are either supporting the Obedient Movement or other leading political parties in the federation.

Why has the party not earned trust of the teeming young Nigerians?

It is not right to say that we have not earned the trust of young Nigerians. Recall that over 70 political parties were deregistered in 2019 and we are the only one standing till date. That should tell you something. Even though INEC had its knees on our neck, we have gone on to build an admirable structure across the country.

I always boast that we have more registered

I’m optimistic that the elections will be credible. Or put differently, the elections will be very difficult to rig or manipulate.

However, we need to manage our expectations. Many communities in Nigeria don’t have access to electricity power as well as internet and mobile phone network. Also, voters education in the rural areas can also be better. We have infrastructure challenges that we can’t wish away.

Can electronic voting stop electoral violence and intimidation?

How many people have we prosecuted for these crimes as an example apart from mouthing off?

Electioneering has taken off in full scale.

Looking at the manifestos of the leading political parties, are you satisfied with the process so far? Or do their manifestos truly capture the interests of the teeming youths of Nigeria?

We have scrutinised the manifesto of the leading candidates and some of their positions align with our ideology. In a policy document we published last year titled The Bold Revenue Plan, we called for the complete removal of petrol subsidies to free up resources to fund health care, education, national security and infrastructural development. So, we are glad that two of the candidates have promised to take that bold step if elected.

Sadly, they have failed to state categorically the number of jobs they are going to create to stop this “Japa” movement. Lack of opportunities particularly jobs is our biggest problem.

It leads to brain drain, hopelessness and crime. We currently don’t have medical personnel to man our hospitals anymore. Also, we are yet to see any credible plan on police reforms, social justice, judicial reforms and revenue plan. These are very important issues requiring urgent attention.

With the adoption of electronic voting in the 2022 Electoral Act, most people believe the next elections will likely be credible.

Do you share this public perception?

With what I have seen in the Edo, Ekiti and Osun elections, I’m optimistic that the elections will be credible. Or put differently, the elections will be very difficult to rig or manipulate.

However, we need to manage our expectations. Many communities in Nigeria don’t have access to electricity power as well as internet and mobile phone network. Also, voters education in the rural areas can also be better. We have infrastructure challenges that we can’t wish away.

Can electronic voting stop electoral violence and intimidation? How many people have we prosecuted for these crimes as an example apart from mouthing off?

The only issue will be how we are able to reduce the impact of voter inducement and violence. If INEC finds a way to reduce the buying of votes on election day and security agencies can keep political thugs at bay, we may witness the most credible election our country has ever seen.

Since the Youth Party is not contesting the next presidential poll, is there any likelihood that it will support one of the leading presidential candidates? Can you give reasons for the decision of the party in this respect?

The National Executive Council of the party has taken a position on this matter. Since we don’t have a dog in the fight, we have encouraged our members across the country to vote their conscience. So, we have not endorsed any candidate and we are unlikely to, but members are free to support and vote for any candidate of their choice.

NOTE: Interested readers should continue in the online edition on www.thisdaylive.com

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T H I S D AY ˾ THURSDAY, JANUARY 12, 2023

FEATURES

Group Features Editor: Chiemelie Ezeobi Email chiemelie.ezeobi@thisdaylive.com, Tel: 07010510430

Princess Kelechi Oghene: Celebrating a Decade of Social Impact In celebration of 10 years of social impact, fashion entrepreneur and CEO of GMYT Fashion Academy, Princess Kelechi Oghene, through her three social impact platforms under the wings: GMYT Foundation, GAH-awardsandGMYTFashionAcademyisraisingN700milliontoprovidefreehybridskill-acquisition training, distribution of free sewing machines and other services to 100 women and youths. During the 2022 GAH awards and the academy’s graduation ceremony held recently in Lagos, she talked about her journey so far and plans to create more impact in Nigeria in this interview with MARY NNAH

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ou just celebrated a decade of social Impact how did that make you feel?

Excited. It is our 10th anniversary and we are also taking on another step to empower more people, say 1000 for the year. 2023. We kicked it off with 100. This evening we are also going to be giving start-up funds and also sewing machines to empower the next generation. So, I feel fulfilled doing this.

and they need that.

And then some of them do not have machines to practice at home. So we are looking for sponsors to pay for those people that cannot even afford their kits. And we can empower people around us; we currently have about three foundations that have partnered us. They send us foundation students for full-time studies.

We are looking at collaborating with more foundations this year where one organisation through their CSR programme can send us five or 10 students. We can train these people.

Another thing will be, instead of giving people around your money, why not just empower them with a token of 100,000?

So it is about time that our voices will be heard and that is why we are organising this.

How many people benefited from the free items you gave out at the graduation ceremony?

25 people went home with sewing machines while three persons got startup funds, which were for the best-graduating students, so we had three runner-ups. The first got N500, 000, second N300, 000 and the third got N200, 000. It is one thing to start and then to give them the skill. It is another thing to empower them with machines. This year we gave out over 400 machines. Also, we are looking at giving out 500 machines without sponsors but if we have sponsors we are going to do much more.

Let's talk about how it all started and the driving force for you.

My mum was a seamstress and so it started from the house. I have been in the fashion industry for about 16 years.

So, this is just one of the babies. It is a group of companies, the GMYT Group which includes Hostel Accommodation, Fashion Academy, GMYT Foundation, The GAH-awards and more. It has been years of experience and it has not been all successful but everything has been a learning curve.

I used to have a restaurant and a saloon but after all the investments, it didn’t work.

So, it has not been all rosy but these are the surviving companies but for the fact that the bottom line of all the companies that I have created is giving back and impacting lives just makes me fulfilled.

There have been a lot of testimonies from the beneficiaries during the 2022 graduation ceremony, what were the criteria used for selecting the beneficiaries?

We have three different categories. We have those who came as a result of the collaboration we have with other organisations, then we have those that are being sponsored by the NYSC. We are waiving tuition fees so that as little as N100,000 can come on board and learn for free and we are giving out 12 months of scholarships.

We have another set, where we are partnering with Industrial Training Fund (ITF) and they are going to be giving us students, all they have to do is just pay for the kits, and they would not pay for the tuition fee.

Then we have another category, the graduating students and beneficiaries for 2022 that have just graduated. What they would need is the start-up funds and machines to start their businesses, and this why we are looking for sponsors and partners that will help them to start their businesses and we are talking to our partners on this.

Then, the fourth category would be the new intake, the 2023 foundation. They have

Some of those who graduated showcased exceptional design. How did they get to such an extent in a short time?

It is all about intensive training. We have our textbooks, online platform as well and student portal, so there are no excuses. We are running a hybrid section for both part-time and full-time students. So, whether you are in school or not, you have to learn because we have made everything easy for you.

It has been 10 good years, tell us about some of the highlights for you.

The highlights are the every year impacts I have had on people. I have a lot of alumni today. I hardly go out but in the last three weeks now because we have begun to open up to sponsors and partners, I have called my contacts and we have done some little movements and each time I go out I meet one or two of my alumni on the street. Now, I begin to feel like I have a community.

Princess Kelechi Oghene

been able to purchase their kit for just a token of N100, 000. But then it goes beyond that. These people, I know over the years, because it is intensive practicals will still need more kits and they struggle but I have tried. Most of them come from a far distance and they need hostel accommodation.

We need space for that as well and they need transportation. They also need items for their practicals, those are very basic things. Then some people cannot even pay for their kits - they cannot afford the 100,000 for their kits. Some of the ones we got today, paid two times, that is 50,000 for two times because they have to do the administrative fee, and

we need all their kits to be uniform and telling them to pay those token fees, there is nothing we can do.

I wish I can train everybody for free but then it is as good as free because there is no tuition fee at all. And how we have been able to do this over the years is that if one student pays tuition fee, we get to train one other student for free and that is how it has been sustainable over the years. But now, even when we give them those scholarships, they still struggle in the long run, some of them even fall out at the end of the day because they are not able to do every month's practicals

We are looking at collaborating with more foundations this year where one organisation through their CSR programme can send us five or 10 students. We can train these people. Another thing will be, instead of giving people around your money, why not just empower them with a token...?

So it is about time that our voices are heard

Tell us a bit about the GMYT African Humanitarian Awards (GAH-award).

The GAH-award is a platform that has hosted the most prestigious events of the African continent in the last decade, recognising and awarding organisations and individuals in their diverse fields, whose exemplary lives have significantly contributed to positively affecting society.

Over the years, the GAH-award initiative has achieved 9 out of the 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

This is evidenced in the empowerment of over 12,000 women and youths with skills empowerment in fashion design and entrepreneurship training, free accommodation, grants and startup capitals.

The GAH award has also championed the distribution of industrial and domestic sewing machines to empower the next generation of fashion entrepreneurs through the GMYT Foundation.

In addition, we are focused on the ultimate goal of impacting the lives of 10,000 women and youths by 2030 through a step-wise approach to skill acquisition and entrepreneurship in partnership with GMYT Foundation.

So, in celebration of our 10th Anniversary which was held on December 19th, 2022, GAH-award kicked off its 2023 goal of training 1000 women and youth on skill acquisition, skill empowerment, sewing machines, hostel accommodation, and grants.

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T H I S D AY ˾ THURSDAY, JANUARY 12, 2023

#THISISNIGERIA Why I’m Voting for the First Time!

–Emitomo Tobi Nimisire

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was a panellist at the #YVote Festival last year, and everyone in attendance agreed that something different about this election season is evident in Nigerians’ intense interest in and readiness for it. This is supported by data, which shows that INEC added 9.5 million new voters to the 84 million it had in 2019; though between 2015 and 2019, INEC added 16.5 million new voters.

What’s more intriguing is that 84% of these new registrants are young people, who account for 26.6% of Nigeria’s 214 million people and 54.4% of the country’s 50.3% voting population (estimated utilising data from DataReportal). The youth are the ones who should, in all fairness, use their voting power to guide this nation towards a better future.

I sincerely hope that we will, as recent events like #EndSARS, the #ASUUStrike,

and #TwitterBan have demonstrated how much our indifference to politics and governance can and will cost us, including our safety, jobs, access to quality education and healthcare, and, worse still, our lives.

Nigeria has documented 2,293 deaths as a result of terrorism and organised crime in just the fourth quarter of 2022 (SBM Intelligence).

While the purchasing power of the Naira sharply decreased between September 2021 and September 2022, inflation increased from 16.63% to 20.77%, plunging Nigerians deeper into extreme poverty (NBS).

Our legislators are introducing repressive laws like those on hate speech, social media, and crossdressing while rejecting progressive

ones like the gender bills. Instead of institutionalising more effective security measures, favourable monetary policies, employment schemes, and creating opportunities for foreign investment, the government seems to be on a mission to make life more difficult for Nigerians.

I think that young Nigerians have had enough; they now know who to avoid voting for if they want to advance in life, and they also understand the importance of choosing representatives who are forward-thinking enough to hasten recovery.

In a similar vein, because only 7.89% of women are represented in the final list of candidates, I anticipate that, given that 50.6% of registered voters are female, they will vote for candidates who will represent their interests.

This year, I look forward to voting for candidates who: 1.

Possess the competence and capacity to lead Nigeria to the glory it deserves.

2.

Have the most trustworthy character to serve as public servants.

3.

Have the courage to make humancentred decisions.

4.

Have demonstrated enough genuine compassion to make our socioeconomic realities now and in the future better.

Why are you voting this year?

- Emitomo Tobi Nimisire is a Writer, Sexual Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) Advocate, and Communications Strategist.

FEATURES

ElectHer Inspires Women's Inclusion in Politics Rebecca Ejifoma

Giving women a platform to be heard is a starter to addressing their underrepresentation in politics across Africa for ElectHer, a non-partisan panAfrican organisation.

This was the focus of the Gala Night powered by ElectHer in partnership with the European Union on the theme, "We Are Nigeria'', recently held in Lagos.

This is to inspire more women's participation in politics and policymaking in the country and the continent ahead of the 2023 general elections.

According to the Founder/ CEO, ElectHer, Ibijoke Faborode there is a need for women to actively get involved in politics, as ElectHer is resolute in

supporting forward-thinking women who have the interest of the nation at heart.

This is part of their drive to get women into elective positions and make their voices offices get the support they need to win. In her words: “We have an election to run.

It’s not unusual, the inflation rate on the naira to the dollar, some of us don’t want to Japa but the truth is.

“So we need to think about how we can fix Nigeria, how we can make things right. It’s some of the solutions and perspectives as we stretch forward towards the next election, how can we lead people like movement?"

Faborode mentioned that the group unveiled the implementa-

tion for supporting women in politics. And the interesting thing is that ElectHer doesn’t align with political parties. "For us, it is about the women, it’s about ensuring that we create a safe space for women.

“How can we mobilise resources," she hinted. "How can we ensure that people understand that without women, there is no Nigeria essentially?

So for us, it is how we create a platform that can change the narrative that has amplified the voice of the mobile resources for them essentially,” Faborode explained.

Speaking about the eight women contesting next year, the CEO is certain that these women are just a small fraction of the women that have defined

themselves to run.

"Running as a woman in Nigeria comes with challenges like cultural stereotypes, speed, religious stereotypes and financial restriction," she bemoaned.

Earlier in his remark, the Patron of ElectHer, Akintoye Akindele told the media that women are inclusive in everything in society. “In terms of education, women are getting the right education in terms of exposure and the right exposure in terms of trade and entrepreneurship.

"There are more women entrepreneurs than men in terms of leadership from the community grassroots on top, women are more in the inclusion of managing families, managing communities.”

This is as he recalled various historic roles pioneered by women in the world. He outlined, “The Empress of Ethiopia led the war against the Italians. Women have been running governments, the military, companies and families.

"Women are able," he admitted. "It is about time we open up the conversation to have a balanced conversation and ensure that the future that we all create is a future that we all build together."

On his part, the EU Ambassador to Nigeria, Samuela Isopi patted ElectHer on the back for its unflinching effort to encourage women to join politics and affirms their support to continually join them

in encouraging more women.

The eight women under ElectHer contesting for different positions for the 2023 election are the ADC candidate, House of Reps, Kajuru/Chikun, Kaduna, Hawwah Abdullahi Gambo; the PDP Candidate for Delta State, House of Assembly, Ika North East, Marilyn OkowaDaramola; PDP Chairmanship, Esan Central, Edo state, Joyce Daniels.

The PRP House of Reps candidate, Kura/Madobi/Garun Malam, Kano state, Zahra’u Basheer; the All APC candidate for House of Assembly, Lere East, Kaduna state, Munira Suleiman Tanimu; the APC House of Assembly candidate, Owode Onire, Kwara state, Rukayat Shittu Motunrayo.

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THURSDAY, ͹ͺ˜ ͺ͸ͺͻ ˾ T H I S D AY

2023 CAMPAIGN WATCH SAMUEL AJAYI

E-mail: yemielegance@gmail.com

Mobile: 08033083367

OBI ENDORSEMENT:

How Obasanjo Ruffled Tinubu, Atiku’s Feathers

I

n his New Year message to Nigerians, former President Olusegun Obasanjo officially threw his weight behind the presidential ambition of former governor of Anambra State and the presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi. In a special letter addressed to young Nigerians, Obasanjo said the current leaders have done their best but their best has not been good enough for the country. He added that it has been hell on earth. He said those alive should brace themselves for the remaining few months of the present administration and prepare for a better future of liberation, restoration and hope.

“Our leaders have done their best, but their best had turned out to be not the best for Nigeria and Nigerians at home and abroad. For most Nigerians, it was hell on earth. Those of us who are alive should thank God for His mercies, brace ourselves for the remaining few months of this administration and pray and work very hard for an immediate better future - future of liberation, restoration and great hope and expectation,” Obasanjo wrote.

He added that there were contestants going up and down the country and saying what they meant and what they did not mean as well as what they understood and what they did not.

“I believe that we need not be confused nor be gullible. Let us be cautious, not to be fooled again.”

He said he had interacted with the major contestants and what he found interesting was that one way or the other, many of them wanted to replicate what he did during his Presidency between 1999 and 2007 and probably take the country even beyond that. He said while this might be laudable, what they have failed to realise was that the Nigeria of today was no longer that of June 1999 when he took over as the nation has been dragged so down that it was barely recognisable from the one he took over 24 years ago.

In a direct indictment of the ‘Emi lo kan’ mantra, which is the unofficial campaign slogan of the presidential candidate of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, Senator Bola Tinubu, Obasanjo said it was a wrong mentality and attitude to adopt when contesting for the presidency of the country as it smacked of a sense of entitlement. ”Let me say straight away that ‘Emi Lokan’ (My turn) and ‘I have paid my dues’ are one and the same thing and are wrong attitude and mentality for the leadership of Nigeria now. They cannot form the new pedestal to reinvent and to invest in a new Nigeria based on an All-Nigeria Government for the liberation and restoration of Nigeria. Such a government must have representation from all sectors of our national life – public, private, civil society, professional, labour, employers, and the diaspora. The solution should be in ‘we’ and ‘us’ and not in ‘me’ and ‘I’.”

In endorsing Obi, Obasanjo had this to say: “None of the contestants is a saint but when one compares their character, antecedents, their understanding, knowledge, discipline and vitality that they can bring to bear and the great efforts required to stay focused on the job particularly looking at where the country is today and with the experience on the job that I personally had, Peter Obi as a

Obi (left) and Obasanjo mentee has an edge. Others, like all of us, have what they can contribute to the new dispensation to liberation, restoration and salvaging of Nigeria collectively. One other important point to make about Peter is that he is a needle with a thread attached to it from North and South and he may not get lost.”

As expected, it was not Obasanjo’s endorsement of Obi that has unsettled the camps of both Tinubu and former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, the presidential candidate of the opposition People’s Democratic Party, PDP. His indictment of Tinubu and the Presidency has also unruffled not a few feathers. In fact, Garba Shehu, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, issued a strongly-worded statement saying Obasanjo was envious of the sterling achievements of his principal; adding that Buhari is celebrated across Africa as an “anti-corruption champion”.

On their own part, the campaign handlers of Tinubu said Obasanjo’s endorsement of Obi was “worthless”.

In a statement signed by Bayo Onanuga, the spokesperson of the team, Obasanjo was described as having no electoral goodwill.

“The endorsement is actually worthless because the former President does not possess any political goodwill or leverage anywhere in Nigeria to make anyone win a Councillorship

“The endorsement is actually worthless because the former President does not possess any political goodwill or leverage anywhere in Nigeria to make anyone win a Councillorship election let alone win a Presidential election.

He is a political paperweight.”

election let alone win a Presidential election. He is a political paperweight,” Onanuga said.

Coming after Obasanjo’s was renowned Ijaw leader, Chief Edwin Clark’s endorsement of Obi. While they have been indignant, the fact is that the Tinubu group was more disappointed that Obasanjo eventually threw his weight behind Obi even more than Atiku. When Tinubu and his crew visited Obasanjo last year, the visit was massively celebrated in the media and some of his associates even issued statements announcing that the former president had endorsed Tinubu. This was debunked by Obasanjo. That was how much the Tinubu camp desperately wanted Obasanjo’s endorsement.

However, now that Obasanjo has endorsed Obi, the same endorsement they desperately craved has become worthless and Obasanjo suddenly has no goodwill value.

Harvard-trained public health expert and founder of the Alliance for New Nigeria, ANN, one of the newly-registered political parties, Dr. Jay Osi Samuels, in a telephone chat with THISDAY said the Tinubu camp was simply unhappy with the endorsement, adding that with what Obasanjo has done, it would encourage other former leaders, religious as well as opinion leaders and respected statesmen to come out and endorse Obi. “Obasanjo has thrown the gauntlet.

In the coming days and weeks, other leaders will come out and endorse Obi and that would change the game. Nigeria is back to where it was in 2014 when they were tired of PDP and just wanted a change. But now, we don’t want a change just for the sake of it. Nigerians are just tired of both APC and PDP and want another tendency. And it is like a movement that is set to shake so many people,” Samuels said.

While they attacked the former President, both Tinubu and Atiku camps would secretly wished he threw his weight behind any of them. And there lies the essence of the endorsement itself.

THURSDAY, ͹ͺ˜ ͺ͸ͺͻ ˾ T H I S D AY

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Staying Close With 2023

2023 CAMPAIGN WATCH

Is Makinde Walking Down Career Cul-De-Sac?

T

he governor of Oyo State, Seyi Makinde, is perhaps one of the most confused and worried politicians in the country today as he continues his ‘war’ with the national leadership of his party by stubbornly pitching his tent with the so-called G-5 while also pursuing his second term ambition on the platform of the same party.

Last Tuesday, there was a press briefing ahead of the pro-Atiku rally to be held by the Oyo State chapter of the party. Conspicuously absent at the press briefing was Makinde and any of his aides. The briefing was held at the state secretariat of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, Iyaganku, Ibadan. Present at the media parley were former Minister of State for the Federal Capital Territory, Jumoke Akinjide; former Minister of Mines and Steel Development, Elder Wole Oyelese; former Deputy Governor of the state, Hazeem Gbolarumi, and another party stalwart, Femi Babalola.

Speaking at the media briefing, Oyelese had this to say: “Since the return of democracy in 1999, Nigerians can now see the difference between the PDP government and the APC government. During the Obasanjo and Jonathan years when PDP was in power at the centre, the Nigerian economy was much better than what it is now. Nigerians never had to suffer like this.”

While that might be the normal talk ahead of a political rally, the fact that Makinde keeps ostracising these party leaders and still hopes to win a second term is what is baffling many political watchers within and outside the state. Sources told THISDAY that when Makinde flew the cat of working for Senator Bola Tinubu, the presidential candidate of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, it was roundly rejected by party leaders in the state and even his loyalists. Besides, he was said to have been told that since the APC has its own governorship candidate, Senator Teslim Folarin, he should work for the presidential candidate of his party.

Perhaps, there are some salient points the governor might have forgotten or doesn’t take seriously. First is the fact that the presidential

election is coming before the governorship election.

Some analysts believe that if Makinde works for Tinubu and the latter emerges, it would be politically naïve for him to expect the APC to abandon Folarin and work for him during the governorship election.

“I doubt if Makinde is aware of this,” a party chieftain who did not want his name in print told THISDAY recently. “This has happened before and that was how five governors in the South-west lost their seats in 2003. If Makinde works for Tinubu and he defeats Atiku, he would be a political neophyte to expect that APC would return same favour to him during the governorship election and work against Teslim Folarin.

Ironically, when the G-5 governors came in last week to mobilise for Makinde, he got a taste of what might be coming for him. Wike had told the ecstatic crowd to vote for Makinde but should await instruction Makinde (left) and Atiku from the governor on who to vote for in the are in Rivers State and he feared that if he presidential election. But the crowd would worked at cross-purposes with Wike within have none of that as the shout of “Atiku, the PDP, the Rivers governor might target Atiku” rent the air. his businesses just the way he has been Of Makinde needed any proof that he doing to anyone he suspects of working might not be able to mobilise PDP faithful for Atiku in the state. in the state against Atiku, he got it from “Perhaps, Makinde places more emphasis the crowd. on his businesses than his re-election,” Against this background, the party the party chieftain said. “If not, I could chieftain adduced that Makinde might have not find any rational explanation for his been tagging along with Nyesom Wike, continued membership of the G-5 when the Rivers State governor and leader of he is the only governor seeking a second the G-5, due to the fact that his businesses term among the five.”

And that is why the Oyo governor seems to be confused. Even if all is well within his party, PDP, in Teslim Folarin, he has more than a battle to win if he is to return to Agodi Government House, Ibadan. Another school of thought has it that the fact that Adebayo Adelabu, (Penkelemesi) has decamped from the APC to the Accord Party might have strengthened his belief that the APC is no longer having the political firepower to fight him but it would be naïve to think so.

El-Rufai Faces Uphill Battle in Bid to Install Successor

W

hen shortly before the primaries, the Chief of Staff to the Kaduna State governor, Mohammed Dattijo, announced that he was stepping down as a governorship aspirant on the platform of the All Progressives Congress, APC, he simply made the job of his principal and governor of the state, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, easier.

It was a known fact that El-Rufai’s preferred candidate was Uba Sani who eventually picked the ticket in albeit controversial circumstances.

Sani was the special adviser on political affairs to El-Rufai between 2015 and 2019 and is a serving senator representing Kaduna Central Senatorial District. After withdrawing from the governorship race, Dattijo had offered himself to be picked as the senatorial candidate of the party for the Kaduna North Senatorial District.

Accusing the governor of manipulating the process to ensure the emergence of Uba Sani, aggrieved aspirants had gone to court to seek the nullification of the exercise and order for a fresh one. The court dismissed this and by September last year, the aspirants, under the auspices of Kaduna APC Aspirants’ Forum, agreed to drop the cases and work for Sani to ensure the party retained power in the state.

Though when they announced the withdrawal, they did admit that they were still discussing with Sani Sha’aban and Bashir Abubakar, a retired assistant controller-general of customs, to sheath their political swords and work with Sani.

Chairman of the forum, Hon. Ishaq

El-Rufai (left) and Sani

Baba Sale, said they had agreed to work with Sani in the interest of the party.

“We just concluded the meeting with our gubernatorial candidate, Senator Uba Sani. We all know his capacity.

We all know the kind of person he is. He is a person that will ensure that everyone is carried along. The outcome of the meeting is that, we have come together as a Forum to collapse all our structures into one and support our party’s candidates from Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu to Senator Uba Sani and all others,

to ensure that all of them emerge victorious in the forthcoming general election.”

While this sounded a good music to the political ears of Rufai, it must be noted that ensuring that Sani succeeds him won’t be a stroll in the park with the PDP in the state saying it would be a do-or-die battle to ensure that APC is sent packing.

It has always been very difficult to say which party is actually dominant in the state in the last sixteen years.

It must be noted that PDP was in power in the state between 1999

and 2015. And those years, safe for religions and ethnic crises, the state was safe from kidnapping and banditry attacks that have sacked so many villages and even entire local governments in the state.

With this in the minds of the people, how El-Rufai would convince the people to still vote for his party remains to be seen. In the area of security, even his ardent supporters know that his performance is nothing to write home about. Will the electorate be reinforcing that? That is the million-dollar question.

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THURSDAY JANUARY 12, 2023 •T H I S D AY

THURSDAY JANUARY 12, 2023 • T H I S D AY

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24 T H I S D AY THURSDAY JANUARY 12, 2023 TR

UT H

& RE A S O

N

opinion@thisdaylive.com

www.thisdaylive.com

THE COLLAPSE OF THE NIGERIAN TRIPOD

UZOR MAXIM UZOATU reckons that unless the third leg of the tripod is reintegrated, Nigeria is living on borrowed time

See page 25

HOW FAR CAN PETER OBI GO? Whatever happens at the end, Obi has run a good race, contends OLUSEGUN ADENIYI

See page 25

EDITORIAL

THE CASE FOR VOLUNTARY BLOOD DONATION

26

1

Thursday January 12, 2023 Vol 27. No 10137

Who has responsibility for the preparation of the annual budget? asks BONIFACE CHIZEA

THE 2023 BUDGET: MATTERS ARISING On January 4, 2023, I had 30 minutes virtual interview with Channels Television on Budget 2023. This will then represent the second occasion that I have been privileged to be on the same program in one week. The ÀUVW DSSHDUDQFH ZKLFK KDSSHQHG 'HFHPEHU 29, 2022 took place also virtually from my home base at Asaba. I thank Chamberlain Uso the coordinator of the Sun Rise program DW &KDQQHOV IRU KLV XQÁLQFKLQJ FRQÀGHQFH over so many years now regarding my ability to interpret budget proposals.

One must commend the President for WKLV VKRZ RI ÀGHOLW\ WR KLV UHVSRQVLELOLW\ E\ sticking to his determination that not only is the budget formulated and approved but to have some concern about its adequate implementation since to all intents and purposes at this point in time in the life of this administration, it is lame duck!

It is axiomatic to note that not everyone involved with the drive to formulate, obtain budget approval and commence implementation are in it for altruistic reasons. Some just have an eye focused on the opportunity therein for diversion of funds as the budget is being implemented.

This is more so as some will be leaving the stage for at least some time come the expiry of the tenure of this administration by May 29, 2023 and will be glad to help themselves as they depart. But there are issues such as WKH QHJDWLYH LPSDFWV RI ÁRRGLQJ DQG KRZ LW KDV DͿHFWHG SURGXFWLYLW\ LQ DJULFXOWXUH which I thought should be better left for the incoming administration. We must decry any attempts to throw money on any problems.

That is a recipe that guarantees poor value returns.

Let’s look at some of the legacies of this administration. These are the introduction of )LQDQFH %LOO ZKLFK VSHFLÀFDOO\ IRFXV DWWHQWLRQ on strategies for the funding of the budget and the other is the return of the budget cycle to harmonize it with the calendar year as it is the case with most other countries of the world.

There are issues with this harmonization agenda. We often have situations whereby the President assents to the Appropriation Bill with the proviso that discussions will continue after that fact, with the president appealing for the understanding and cooperation of the legislature for quick and speedy resolutions. And sometimes integral aspects of the budget have not been concluded. For instance Budget 2023 ZDV VLJQHG ZLWKRXW FRQVLGHUDWLRQ RI GHÀFLW ÀQDQFLQJ SODQ :KDW DOO WKDW VD\V WR XV LV WKDW WKH EXGJHW ÀQDOL]DWLRQ UHPDLQV ZRUN in progress. Therefore there is the need to revisit budget preparation timeline by the ÀVFDO DXWKRULWLHV VXEPLWWLQJ WKH GUDIW EXGJHW by the end of August instead of the current experience whereby the budget is submitted LQ 2FWREHU 'UDIW %XGJHW IRU LQVWDQFH was submitted on October 7, 2022.

Other matters include the fact that budget

estimates as submitted by the Executive are routinely increased by the National Assembly. In this particular instance a budget of 20.51 trillion Naira was submitted by the Executive which on approval has been increased to 21.8 trillion Naira, representing a whopping increase of 1.3 trillion Naira with 50.8 billion Naira due to increases made to ministries, departments and government agencies. The Legislature argues that it is their responsibility to oversee various activities and therefore must not be denied the privilege of increasing budget estimates.

But the reality as everyone knows is that this move is all self-serving. I have argued that this aspect of the approval process should be subjected to judicial interpretation. ,QFUHDVLQJ WKH EXGJHW DOORFDWLRQV IRU 0'$V by the National Assembly begs the question; who has responsibility for preparation of the annual budget? And as we have heard, there LV WKH VXVSLFLRQ WKDW 0'$V JR LQWR VKDULQJ agreements with members of the National Assembly to get their allocations increased.

Therefore if this is the case it gives the perfect setting for the entrenchment of corrupt practices. And as should be expected by all, in the upcoming dispensation there must be zero tolerance for corrupt practices which has contributed in no small measure to our underdevelopment.

We have recommended in the past that one known strategy for speedy, seamless approval of the budget is to adopt collaborative approach between the Executive and the Legislature during the preparation stage.

With this approach, legitimate interests of members of the National Assembly could be accommodated without much rancor beyond the glare of the public. This explains the imperatives for the existence of robust FRXQWHUSDUW EXGJHW R΀FH DW WKH 1DWLRQDO Assembly Some members of the National Assembly seem to be particularly eager to register their opposition to the request by the Executive to securitize the outstanding Ways and Means advances made by the Central Bank amounting to N23.8 trillion over the life of this administration. There is so much ignorance on display as this matter is being discussed.

It is by no means a fresh loan request. It is loan that the Central Bank has extended in

response to exigencies as they occurred. If the Executive needed to incur an expenditure and there is no ready way out, recourse has been had to this source as we buy some respite. The only problem is that this funding as it has accumulated is in breach of extant UHJXODWLRQV RQ WKH PDWWHU ,Q WKH ÀUVW SODFH this loan is supposed not to be in excess of 5% of the previous year’s total revenue LQÁRZ $QG QR IXUWKHU DFFRPPRGDWLRQ is allowed until the outstanding has been settled to avoid accumulation as we have now witnessed. The loan accumulation in this regard is clearly in breach of the law.

But the President has the good intentions to commence settlement by issuance of 40-year Treasury Bills. That signals the way forward as we struggle to come to terms with our debt overhang so as not to allow the debts represent a bottleneck in the management of the economy going forward. The president has alerted all concerned that if this proposed restructuring is not approved that it will automatically add N1.3 trillion in additional interest payments next year.

The National Assembly has no option but to give its approval. That will be the best thing to happen now in the greater interests of the National economy.

There have been so many complaints about the current Finance Bill. Particularly that the Executive has piled up multiple taxation on the private sector. It is argued that could be a veritable disincentive that has strong potential for making Nigeria an unattractive investment destination. Although the bill has been approved and signed into law, we recommend that the incoming administration should open it up for consultations with concerned stakeholders for legitimate complaints to be promptly resolved particularly in instances where equity and fairness have been undermined.

The Executive also presented a Supplementary Budget to allow the implementation of outstanding capital projects up to March 31, 2023. Well if we kept to the Rolling Plan approach whereby at each point in time we had a three-year plan to be rolled over yearly, this supplementary budget could have been unnecessary. The rolling plan approach is particularly apt for the implementation of capital projects which often have implementation period in excess of the Calendar year.

Of course it goes without saying that the incoming administration must prepare a supplementary budget which will better accommodate its particular aspirations and objectives. This is an area of governance which must be reserved for an individual with proven subject matter expertise. In our collective interest it must not and can no longer be politicized.

Dr. Chizea writes from Lagos

T H I S D AY

3 25

THURSDAY JANUARY 12, 2023

UZOR MAXIM UZOATU reckons that unless the third leg of the tripod is reintegrated, Nigeria is living on borrowed time

THE COLLAPSE OF THE NIGERIAN TRIPOD Nigeria today stands on wobbly legs, and wants needs to be done to make the country to stand steady and strong is to go back to where the rain started beating the country in the modern day.

At independence in 1960, Nigeria was said to stand on a pivotal tripod of East, West and North.

The 1967-70 Nigeria-Biafra war ensured that the North in alliance with the West defeated the East.

The oppressed minorities of course took sides with the victors because nobody would ever want to be in the corner of

losers.

That is a simple historical fact, and any other embellishments only exist to serve expedience.

According to Michael Crowder in The Story of Nigeria, “When the British occupied Nigeria they had almost no contact with the large Ibo (sic) and Ibibio population of the East, whilst already many Yoruba had received English education and provided a small intellectual elite in Lagos. Population pressures and land hunger in the East forced many Ibo and Ibibio to migrate to the cities of the West and North, where they proved remarkably successful as clerks, railway workers and storekeepers.”

In The Trouble with Nigeria, Chinua Achebe writes: “Nigerians of all other ethnic groups will probably achieve consensus on no other matter than their common resentment of the Igbo.”

Achebe continues thusly: “The origin of the national resentment of the Igbo is as old as Nigeria and quite as complicated. But it can be summarized thus: The Igbo culture being receptive to change, individualistic and highly competitive, gave the Igbo man an unquestioned advantage over his compatriots in securing credentials for advancement in Nigerian colonial society. Unlike the Hausa/Fulani, he was unhindered by a wary religion and unlike the Yoruba unhampered by traditional hierarchies. This kind of creature, fearing neither god nor man, was custom-made to grasp the opportunities, such as they were, of the white man’s dispensation. And the Igbo did so with both hands. Although the Yoruba had a huge historical and geographical head-start the Igbo wiped out their handicap in one fantastic burst of energy in the twenty years between 1930 and 1950.”

The fear of the other tribes could not have been assuaged by Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe’s statement, to wit: “It would appear that the God of Africa has created the Ibo nation to lead the children of Africa from the bondage of the ages…”

When Majors Emmanuel Ifeajuna and Patrick Nzeogwu struck to end the wobbling First Republic, the coup was tagged an “Igbo Coup” even though the

plotters had planned, according to them, to release Chief Obafemi Awolowo from prison and compel him to rule the country.

On why the coup-makers wanted Awolowo as the leader of the country, Major Ifeajuna wrote in his unpublished manuscript: “Chief Awolowo launched forth his party on a platform of tribalism, and for his parochial and partisan approach to national issues, he got deserving blame.

But probably in the later Awolowo of after the 1959 Federal election that began the ÀDVFR RXU SHRSOH VDZ IRU D VHFRQG WLPH DQ image of honesty, courage and discipline…

In time he came to win the respect and admiration of even his greatest detractors, and what was more, he came to represent a rallying point for the young and the intellectual, for all that sought progress and nationhood for our country.”

Major-General Aguiyi-Ironsi who took over after the failed coup announced WKH 8QLÀFDWLRQ 'HFUHH ZKLFK WRRN WKH fear of Igbo domination to a fever pitch.

Thousands of hapless Igbo were massacred in the North during the pogroms of 1966 until Ironsi himself was killed and toppled in the revenge coup of the Northern R΀FHUV After taking over power, Gowon had prepared a speech to announce the dissolution of the Nigerian Federation on August 1, 1966 and the secession (araba) of the North until he was prevailed upon to change his mind by the British High Commissioner in Lagos, Sir Francis Cumming-Bruce.

As the British did not want Nigeria dissolved, enormous support was given to the Federal forces, with the help of then Soviet Union, to defeat secessionist Biafra led by Odumegwu-Ojukwu.

Historically, the British had faith in the government of the feudal emirs of the North and the highly organized if decadent kings of the West as opposed to the rebellious and almost ungovernable Igbo and minority republics of the East.

There was talk after the war by Gowon of reconstruction, rehabilitation and reconciliation, but progress on all fronts is neither here nor there.

Frederick Forsyth captured the dire times at the end of the war in his book The Making of an African Legend - The Biafra Story thusly: “Back in the heart of Iboland (sic), some of the cream of the educated Ibos (sic), perhaps 10,000 in all, went to work for the Nigerians. For the masses of the Ibos, farmers and small traders, artisans and clerks, the road was hard. But they got by, working all hours of the day and half the night, building up a sort of life again. They silently rejected the Lagos Ibos proposed to them by the Gowon government.”

There is no escaping the fact that injustice to one means injustice to all. Nigeria can KDUGO\ HYHU DͿRUG DQ\ PHDVXUH RI JURZWK without addressing the concomitant matters of justice and equity.

The contradictions of Nigeria are staring back at the nation, and the truth that cannot be dodged remains that unless the other leg of the tripod is fully reintegrated into the country, Nigeria can only at best be living on wobbly legs and borrowed time.

Uzoatu is a Journalist and Poet

Whatever happens at the end, Obi has run a good race, contends OLUSEGUN ADENIYI

HOW FAR CAN PETER OBI GO? Continued from backpage Yet, these are the people any presidential candidate needs the most on election day because they also have personal interest in the outcome of the poll. Not only do the APC and PDP have candidates for all HOHFWLYH R΀FHV ERWK DW IHGHUDO OHYHO DQG LQ the 36 states, in some instances they have two or three people battling for the same seat. The idea is to eventually settle these contests in court should their party win since it is already concluded in Nigeria’s electoral jurisprudence that votes belong to political parties.

The Labour Party has no Senatorial nor House of Representatives candidates in

Borno, Ekiti, Katsina, Kebbi and Lagos States. And therefore, no direct stakeholder on the ballot beyond Obi on presidential HOHFWLRQ GD\ 7KHVH ÀYH FULWLFDO VWDWHV collectively boast of more than 20 percent of the total registered votes. The party also has only one Senatorial candidate each in Ondo and Yobe without a single candidate for House of Representatives in both states. That has serious implications for capacity and resources to mobilise party agents for 176,846 polling units in 774 local governments on the presidential election day.

Against the background that the presidential election and that of the National Assembly hold on the same day, the fact that the Labour Party is without the requisite number of candidates for Senate and House of Representatives in many states across the country is already a huge political drawback.

Statistics for the House of Assembly constituencies are worse. We are not even talking about the APC and PDP governors in 28 states either seeking re-election or plotting to have their successors in place, knowing that the outcome of the presidential election ZRXOG DͿHFW ZKDW KDSSHQV LQ VXEVHTXHQW polls. This is where the Labour Party may witness the vicious power of Nigerian ‘logistics’ in a society where poverty has reached the level of a husband killing his wife over a loaf of bread. Deployment of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Result Viewing Portal ,5H9 ZLOO PDNH D VLJQLÀFDQW GLͿHUHQFH WKLV time, but whoever believes the Central Bank RI 1LJHULD &%1 KDV HͿHFWLYHO\ FXUWDLOHG vote buying knows little about our politics.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, Obi remains the revelation of this election.

He left the PDP to pick the Labour Party presidential ticket at the end of May last

year (less than eight months ago) yet, he has become not only a front runner in the HOHFWLRQ EXW PRUH VLJQLÀFDQWO\ WKH PRVW preferred by young people. In a country where citizens are in perpetual search for a ‘Messiah’, it comes as no surprise that Obi is the anti-establishment candidate and standard bearer for those who seek something new. It worked for President Goodluck Jonathan in 2011 as ‘breadth of fresh air’ and drove the Muhammadu Buhari campaign in 2015 as ‘Mai Gaskiya’ (the honest one). Will it work for Obi this time? We have less than 50 GD\V WR ÀQG RXW Months before the 2011 presidential election, Buhari formed the Congress for Progressives Change (CPC) which PDGH D VLJQLÀFDQW GHQW EXW LW ZDV VWLOO not enough for the election of that year.

That then explains the feeling among structuralists that the ruling APC and the main opposition PDP are too entrenched to be easily displaced by the presidential candidate of the Labour Party in this election.

However, since Leicester Football Club won the 2015/2016 English premiership title against all odds, it has become obvious that in politics and sports, anything can happen. So, there is nothing to suggest that Obi may still not win this coming election, although the real tragedy would be for him to walk away in the event of a loss. He is well-positioned to galvanise Nigerians into the alternative platform (third force) many have clamoured for, and time is on his side. The credibility he has built and the network of genuine support across GLͿHUHQW VWUDWD RI RXU VRFLHW\ FDQ FKDQJH the trajectory of party politics in Nigeria.

Two plus two does not always approximate four in politics, but it is also true that for the rational gambler, there is no surer way to bet. Even at that, the contention about who will win the presidential election is needless.

Pundits cannot decide for the people.

David Arnor and Shelley Taylor have made us realise that in their essay, ‘When Predictions Fail: The dilemma of unrealistic optimism’ that when it comes to elections, people usually predict their bias. “By a number of metrics and across a variety of domains, people have been found to assign higher probabilities to their attainment of desirable outcomes than either objective criteria or logical analysis warrants,” they wrote.

Whatever happens at the polls on 25th February, Peter Obi can take solace in the oft-quoted 23rd April 1910 ‘Citizenship in a Republic’ speech of the former American President Theodore Roosevelt as a reminder of what this FRQWHVW LV DOO DERXW IRU KLP ,Q WKH ÀQDO analysis, ‘The man in the arena’ is not RQO\ WKH RQH ZKR GHÀHV FULWLFV HYHQ LQ the face of sweat and blood but also one who, “at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat.”

Adeniyi is Chairman, THISDAY Editorial Board

26 4

T H I S D AY

THURSDAY JANUARY 12, 2023

EDITORIAL

Editor, Editorial Page PETER ISHAKA Email peter.ishaka@thisdaylive.com

THE CASE FOR VOLUNTARY BLOOD DONATION It is safe and healthy to donate blood

W

women use at least 53 per cent of the blood that is ith less than 10 per cent of collected, and men 47 per cent. “In Nigeria, 80-90 per Nigerians donating blood cent of maternal mortality is as a result of bleeding voluntarily, the country is complications that we are not able to manage due to currently reeling under the shortage of blood,” according to Suleiman Akanmu, onslaught of serious shortage of a Professor of Haematology and Blood Transfusion at safe blood products with dire the College of Medicine, University of Lagos. consequences. Following attacks in Owo, Ondo State Unfortunately, whereas several other countries last year, several of the victims who required urgent within the continent like Uganda, Egypt and blood transfusion could not be attended to because Kenya have embraced 100 per cent voluntary, nonthe hospital’s blood bank was empty. While the remunerated blood donation by their citizens, problem is attributed to those who oppose the idea of Nigerians have not imbibed the habit. Given that blood donation for religious or cultural reasons, we there is so much ignorance about blood donation in call on Nigerians to cultivate the habit of voluntary our country, there is need blood donation, because for the relevant health of what it means to the authorities to partner with health of our society. the media and the civil There is need for the relevant health authorities to partner with Statistics from VRFLHWLHV RQ WKH EHQHÀW RI the World Health the media and the civil societies on the benefit of voluntary blood voluntary blood donation Organisation (WHO) to the larger society. reveal that Nigeria needs donation to the larger society That will help to allay an average of 1.8 million some of the myths and pints of blood annually misconceptions associated whereas the National T H I S D AY with blood donation, especially given the belief in Blood Transfusion Service (NBTS) collects only EDITOR SHAKA MOMODU certain quarters that the donated blood could be used 500,000 pints of blood with a shortfall of about 73.3 DEPUTY EDITORS WALE OLALEYE, OBINNA CHIMA for rituals. An urgent public enlightenment is needed per cent. This has resulted in a situation in which MANAGING DIRECTOR ENIOLA BELLO to address some of the fears often bandied.

DEPUTY MANAGING DIRECTOR ISRAEL IWEGBU most hospitals and patients in the country depend CHAIRMAN EDITORIAL BOARD OLUSEGUN ADENIYI Medically, people who donate blood regularly are on commercial donors for their blood needs. In other EDITOR NATION’S CAPITAL IYOBOSA UWUGIAREN YHU\ KHDOWK\ DV VXFK KDELW KDV QR VLGH HͿHFW $FFRUGLQJ countries, people usually donate blood voluntarily MANAGING EDITOR BOLAJI ADEBIYI to experts, the amount of blood usually taken from a because it feels good to help others, and such altruism THE OMBUDSMAN KAYODE KOMOLAFE person is only 450 mills and a healthy individual has has been linked to a lower risk for depression and 10-12 times that quantity while the little that is taken greater longevity. would be generated back to the body within two to According to medical practitioners, those who need T H I S D AY N E W S PA P E R S L I M I T E D four weeks. What the foregoing suggests clearly is blood transfusion include victims who have been EDITOR-IN-CHIEF/CHAIRMAN NDUKA OBAIGBENA that it is very safe and indeed healthy to donate blood involved in road accident and have lost blood, patients GROUP EXECUTIVE DIRECTORS ENIOLA BELLO, KAYODE KOMOLAFE, and we urge Nigerians, who ordinarily care for the ISRAEL IWEGBU, IJEOMA NWOGWUGWU, EMMANUEL EFENI going for surgery and those with blood disorder, like DIVISIONAL DIRECTORS SHAKA MOMODU, PETER IWEGBU, welfare of their fellow citizens, to embrace the habit sickle cell anaemia. There are also patients whose ANTHONY OGEDENGBE of voluntary donation so we can have a robust blood blood doesn’t clot (hereditary bleeding disease e. g.

DEPUTY DIVISIONAL DIRECTOR OJOGUN VICTOR DANBOYI bank. haemophilia) as well as children whose blood cells SNR. ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR ERIC OJEH As we call on Nigerians to make blood donation have been depleted by malaria. Cancer patients ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR PATRICK EIMIUHI also use lots of blood as well as those with burns. CONTROLLERS ABIMBOLA TAIWO, UCHENNA DIBIAGWU, NDUKA MOSERI a habit, we hope the relevant health authorities will DIRECTOR, PRINTING PRODUCTION CHUKS ONWUDINJO also ensure that donated blood is properly screened Women on antenatal or about to deliver a baby use TO SEND EMAIL: first name.surname@thisdaylive.com to avoid storing infected blood. lot of blood while statistics have indeed revealed that

Letters to the Editor Letters in response to specific publications in THISDAY should be brief (150-300 words) and straight to the point. Interested readers may send such letters along with their contact details to opinion@thisdaylive.com. We also welcome comments and opinions on topical local, national and international issues provided they are well-written and should also not be longer than (750- 1000 words). They should be sent to opinion@thisdaylive. com along with photograph, email address and phone numbers of the writer.

LETTERS COMMUNITY-BASED EFFORTS IN PREVENTING DRUG ABUSE Is it feasible to have free and fair elections in a peaceful atmosphere in Nigeria? We all know that drug use has sigQLÀFDQW QHJDWLYH LPSDFW RQ YLROHQFH DQG WKH PDMRULW\ RI young people who engage in these aggressive behaviors are either directly or indirectly inspired and supported by the powerful members of society. These agents of destabilization cannot access the bulk of drug misuse advocacy SURJUDPV VLQFH D YDVW PDMRULW\ RI WKHP DUH KRPHOHVV DQG lack access to social media or the internet. The activities of these hoodlums if not checked are capable of creating huge insecurity while distorting economic growth processes.

For Nigeria’s stability and economic growth, it is crucial to ensure that the 2023 elections take place without incidents of thuggery and ballot box snatching. There are ZD\V WR HͿHFWLYHO\ SUHYHQW YLROHQFH DQG HQVXUH D IDLU DQG free election process if desired commitment is shown.

One way is through community-based initiatives and grass-roots mobilisers in collaboration with the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA). These types of

organizations often have a deep understanding of the loFDO FRPPXQLW\ DQG FDQ WDLORU WKHLU HͿRUWV WR DGGUHVV VSHFLÀF LVVXHV DQG SUREOHPV 7KH\ PD\ SURYLGH HGXFDWLRQ and awareness programs on the danger of drug abuse and the importance of a peaceful election process, and work to engage individuals in positive activities and promote QRQYLROHQW FRQÁLFW UHVROXWLRQ Another approach is for NDLEA to intensify collaborations with local leaders and authorities to address the root causes of substance abuse. This could involve addressing issues such as poverty, lack of access to education, unemployment, and social -economic marginalization. It may also involve addressing underlying issues such as mental health problems which can contribute to violent behaviors.

While social media and other digital platforms can be useful tools for reaching a large audience, they may not be WKH PRVW HͿHFWLYH PHGLXP RI FRPPXQLFDWLRQ ZLWK WKRVH at the grassroots. Other strategies such as face-to-face outreach, community events/ meetings, as well as tradition-

al forms of media engagements (e.g. radio, print media) FDQ DOVR EH HͿHFWLYH LQ SURYLGLQJ HQOLJKWHQPHQW WR WKHVH group of persons.

To achieve the desired results, resources should be mobilized to provide advocacy programs targeted at preventing violence and promote a peaceful election process.

I must commend NDLEA in this aspect because in recent times much has been done concerning that. ,Q VXPPDU\ WKH PRVW HͿHFWLYH DSSURDFK WR HQVXULQJ D violence-free election in 2023 is to address the issue of drug abuse as part of a comprehensive approach using combination of strategies which include community-based initiatives, working with local leaders and authorities, and a variety of communication methods. Therefore it is feasible to hold a free and fair elections under a peaceful atmosphere in Nigeria if above methods and strategies are put in place.

Sini Joseph, Jimeta, Adamawa State

T H I S D AY ˾ THURSDAY, JANUARY 12, 2023

27

BUSINESSWORLD R A T E S MONEY MARKET

A S

A T

REPO

Group Business Editor Eromosele Abiodun Email oriarehu.eromosele@thisdaylive.com

08056356325

J A N U A R Y

S & P INDEX

1 1 , 2 0 2 3

S & P INDEX

EXCHANGE RATE

OPR

11.25%

CALL

10.25%

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613.31%

1/4 TO DATE

-0.85%

N416.86/ 1 US DOLLAR*

OVERNIGHT

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9.56%

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*AS AT LAST FRIDAY

3-MONTH

10.52%

MONTH-TO-DATE

0.44%

Stakeholders Insist on Passage of Critical National Infrastructure Bill in Telecom Sector

Emma Okonji Industry stakeholders have called on President Muhammadu Buhari to prevail on members of the National Assembly, to ensure the passage of telecom infrastructure bill in to law before leaving office this year.

According to them, four successive parliaments have discussed the National Critical Infrastructure Bill, yet none of the parliaments have been able to pass and harmonise

the bill for assent by the President.

They are of the view that instead of the rush to pass the recent National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) Bill, which seeks to automatically convert NITDA from a development agency to regulatory agency in a sector where there is an existing regulator, the National Assembly members should rather focus on the passage of the National Critical Infrastructure Bill for the telecom

sector, owing to its importance in national development and its contribution to Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth of the Nigerian economy.

The stakeholders unanimously condemned the plan by the Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy, in pushing the NITDA’s Bill, which they said, excluded all the contributions of industry stakeholders, and therefore does not represent their interests.

Chairman, Association of Licensed Telecom Operators of Nigeria (ALTON), Mr. Gbenga Adebayo, told THISDAY that the telecom sector, which contributed so much to Nigeria’s GDP growth and broadband penetration in 2022, suffered some setbacks in the areas of fibre cuts that affected internet connectivity. He said the sector also suffered from willful destruction and theft of telecom facilities, including the incessant closure of telecom sites

by most government agencies.

According to Adebayo, “Passing the Critical National Infrastructure Bill in telecom sector has become necessary because the facilities are for public use and must be protected by law to enable the sector sustain its achievements that have impacted positively on the Nigerian economy as well as on organisations and individuals.

The bill has been transmitted long ago to the National Assembly, but

it has not for once been presented for hearing. It is important that the current National Assembly members deliberate on the bill and pass it as a matter of urgency before leaving office this year.”

Adebayo further said: “The telecom sector had its challenges in 2022. Telecom operators suffered too many destructions of telecom equipment in 2022, which affected Continued on page 29

NCS Calls for More C y be r se cu r ity Professionals, Separate Directorate for IT Emma Okonji Nigeria Computer Society (NCS), the umbrella body for all Information Technology (IT) professionals in Nigeria has stressed the need for the federal government to train more cybersecurity professionals in order to address the shortfall.

President of NCS, Prof.

Adesina Sodiya, who made the call during a chat with newsmen in Lagos, also advised the federal

government to create a separate directorate for all IT departments in government agencies, insisting that IT professionals should be given their rightful positions to enable them deploy the right technology solutions for national development and digital transformation.

According to Sodiya, “Nigeria needs to be proactive in the area of cybersecurity. The study carried out by NCS, shows that Nigeria lags in the area of cybersecurity

and we need more cybersecurity experts in the country.

The few certified cyberseurity experts in the country are not sufficient to address the growing challenges that Nigeria faces in the area of cybersecurity. NCS had a Cybersecurity Forum and Workshop in 2022 to address some of the challenges.

From our studies, we found out that there is shortage of Cybersecurity experts in Nigeria.

“NCS is of the view that

government should rehabilitate hackers and engage them meaningfully to use their digital skills to grow technology innovation in Nigeria. Again, most IT professionals are relocating from Nigeria for job security and fear of political instability in Nigeria, and they must be replaced by new crop of cybersecurity experts and the training must start now.”

While calling for a separate directorate for IT, Sodiya said: “NCS is strongly recommending

that all ministries of government should have a separate directorate for IT. Most federal ministries do not have a separate directorate for IT. Most of them run their IT departments under the Ministry of Planning Research and Statistics, a development that will not promote IT growth in Nigeria.

“In 2019, there was a circular from the Head of Service, mandating all government agencies to digitize their service offerings. We carried

our independent investigation and found out that the policy has not been implemented since 2019.

NCS wants speedy implementation of that policy on digitization of processes and operations of government services.”

Sodiya therefore recommended that all government agencies must have a separate IT Directorate that would be supervised by IT experts.

According to him, a situation Continued on page 29

M A R K E T D ATA A S AT W E D N E S D AY, J A N U A R Y 1 1 , 2 0 2 3 BONDS DESCRIPTION Price ^14.20 14MAR-2024 ^13.53 23MAR-2025 ^12.50 22JAN-2026 ^16.2884 17MAR-2027 ^13.98 23FEB-2028

10.362, 00 10.459, 00 10.287, 00 11.168, 00 10.386, 00

Yield 10.82 11.11 11.35 12.60 12.92

Change Updated Time (%) -0.01 January 6, 2023 -0.71 January 6, 2023 0.00 January 6, 2023 0.00 January 6, 2023 0.00 January 6, 2023

BILLS MATURITY

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NTB 26-Jan23 NTB 9-Feb23 NTB 9-Mar23 NTB 27-Apr23

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NTB 11May-23

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OTC F X F U T U R E S

CPS

Change Updated Time (%) 6, -0.01 January 2023 6, 0.00 January 2023 6, -1.71 January 2023 6, 0.00 January 2023 6, 0.00 January 2023

MATURITY FDHP CP III 17-MAR-23 VHPL CP III 1-APR-23 MREP CP VI 11-APR-23

Change Updated Time (%) 6, 9.26 9.43 0.00 January 2023 6, 14.15 14.64 0.00 January 2023 6, 10.52 10.81 -0.01 January 2023

Discount Yield

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CONTRACT TENOR Contract (MONTH) NGUS JAN 25 1 2023 NGUS FEB 22 2 2023 NGUS MAR 29 3 2023 NGUS APR 26 4 2023 NGUS MAY 31 5 2023

Current Rate Updated Time ($/₦) January 6, 469.87 2023 January 6, 472.05 2023 January 6, 474.23 2023 January 6, 476.42 2023 January 6, 478.60 2023

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THURSDAY, JANUARY 12, ͰͮͰͱ ˾ T H I S D AY

BUSINESSWORLD

e-BUSINESS

Unravelling Recent Developments in Payment Card Industry Like other emerging markets across Africa, the payment industry has led the way with technological advancement in Nigeria. However, while several sectors of the industry have been decentralized, the card and token sector have stood out considerably, with the same key players innovating consistently to advance the sector over the years, writes Emma Okonji

I

n the beginning, there were no indigenous players in the Nigerian payment industry that was dominated by debit and credit cards. At that time, two foreign card schemes of international repute- Mastercard and Visa, however, recognised the opportunity in Nigeria’s developing payment sector and swiftly cemented Nigeria’s adoption of ATMs and digital payments with different variants of their cards.

The chief regulator of the sector, Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), effectively guided their activities in Nigeria.

While these card schemes delivered value in their own way, there were obvious challenges with Nigeria’s complete dependence on international card brands to facilitate and power local payments. Costs of production and processing cards posed a challenge that actively affected the customer’s experience and expense when using the cards. The culture gap was also evident as most semi-empowered Nigerians with lower disposable cash could not relate to or afford to use these cards.

Naturally, this impacted on general adoption and usage statistics, somewhat frustrating the attempt to reduce cash’s reign and engineer a new way of life that was more card or code dependent, than cash dependent.

BIRTH OF INDIGENOUS CARD Having envisaged the need to domesticate financial transactions through indigenous debit and credit cards, some Nigerians started thinking of ways to introduce indigenous card schemes in the Nigerian financial sector that will compete with foreign cards. It was therefore extremely remarkable and a thing of national pride when an indigenous company launched its own card scheme– Verve in Nigeria in 2011, before extending it to other African countries. It is perceived that Verve was deployed as a domestic card scheme with a broad appeal to other African countries.

The birth of Verve meant that banks could now process payments card quicker, and at a lesser cost. It also meant that more people could access a card scheme that was readily available and affordable for them. The card also empowered more Nigerians-including the bottom of the pyramid- to own a card at affordable cost.

It has been over 12 years since Verve was launched in Nigeria and the card scheme has achieved several remarkable feats, further demonstrating the ability of the Central

Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to regulate the industry in a sustainable manner and support local advancement. Since it is more affordable to produce and process, Verve card enjoys massive acceptance across Africa and the globe. The other card schemes are also owning their own, delivering value to the more elitist group, their major offerings revolving around international payments and cross-border shopping. The collaborative competition between the major card schemes in Nigeria has enhanced payment experience for Nigerians, and also positioned the CBN as an agency with the ability to regulate the industry in a sustainable manner while providing support for local advancement. However, the Verve card, hinged on its cost effectiveness, enjoys massive acceptance across Africa whilst leveraging strategic global partnerships.

VERVE CARD EXTENSION Having seen the growth of Verve Card in Nigerian after it was launched in 2011, Interswitch, the brain behind Verve card, took the card to East Africa, where oit was launched in Kenya in 2015.

The launch also gave Kenyans more options when it comes to cashless payments. The leading African payment card brand launched October 29, in Nairobi, Kenya.

The launch also brought to the fore, a strategic partnership with Kenya Commercial Bank (KCB) to expand the card’s acceptance and payment services in six key East African markets – Kenya, Tanzania, Burundi, South Sudan, Rwanda and Uganda.

This was a strategic effort by the Verve brand, which is the biggest payment card brand in Nigeria with more than 30 million payment tokens, to increase its acceptance across the African continent.

Chief Executive Officer, Verve International, Charles Ifedi said: “East and West Africa are host to some of the fastest growing economies on the continent. We are also seeing rapidly expanding trade flows between the two regions, and with that increased travel.

“Expansion of Verve acceptance across Africa and around the world is part of the long-term strategic vision for our business. It will also foster closer business partnerships between East and

West Africa and improve the ease of doing business on the continent, thereby encouraging even stronger growth. We have created Africa’s first truly global payment card brand and an important symbol of Africa’s economic power.”

CARD REGULATION Financial analysts have said the central bank has done a great job moderating a healthy competition amongst the card schemes that has benefitted both the financial sector and customers over the years. According to them, while Mastercard and Visa have continued to promise and deliver on seamless digital payments, both locally and internationally, the foremost fully indigenous card scheme, Verve, has also consistently innovated, delivering simple and seamless payments at home, and expanding to cater to digital and web transactions as well.

It has been observed that The Verve Card Scheme recently activated online payments for household platforms like Facebook, Spotify, Netflix and more. It seems like the gap is reducing, as all levels of the socio-economic class in Nigeria now have card or cardless options catering to their needs at every level.

CONCERNS Raising concern over government’s regulations and policies in recent times, analysts are however of the view that the federal government’s moves in recent times, pose great concern to all. First, the unique selling point for international cards like Mastercard and Visa seemed to have been handicapped when the government directed against making international payments with Naira cards beyond $20. Some have argued that the policy seemed to have been aimed as part of the solution to the foreign exchange volatility with respect to the Naira with, perhaps, some unintended demystification of the offerings of the card giants, putting them in a precarious position. Not long after, the cashless policy was announced, startling the market, and raising several questions. While many analysts have argued that it would eventually benefit the man on the street and drive increased dependence in favour of the card schemes, others

have expressed concern at the timing and purpose of it all.

The latest development may have compounded the debates and analysis some more, while seemingly complicating the situation. Partnering with the Nigeria Inter-Bank Settlement System (NIBSS), the Central Bank is set to unveil a new card scheme, in January 2023. This singular development may have triggered genuine concerns and questions about the federal government’s actions, even if their intentions and strategies were well thought out.

It is common knowledge that regulators are expected to be non-partisan, with a bird’s eye view on the industries they regulate, such that they can take objective measures to ensure sanity and progress within the industry, prioritising the economy and ordinary citizens. With the government and NIBSS set to launch a domestic card scheme, there are questions about FG’s ability to both regulate and still play in a sector it once only regulated.

There are concerns that this move could easily dissuade innovators and investors from pushing the envelope to deliver new possibilities for Nigeria. Such innovators would wonder if at the peak of their efforts, when success becomes apparent, the country would make policies that would cannibalize their efforts unduly.

Some observers have argued that if anything, the federal government, NIBBS and Nigeria should rally round a successful indigenous card scheme like Verve to overcome the challenges combating businesses that are fully owned and driven by Nigerians, while encouraging independent new entrants to take a dive in the pool and create many more viable and beneficial alternatives for Nigerians.

If the federal government succeed with launching a card, would Nigeria’s payment sector seem like the proverbial house divided against itself? The future of Nigeria’s payment sector, among others, would to a significant degree, be dependent on the outcomes of the recent policies and plans of the government.

Some analysts, who cautioned against the plan by government and NIBSS to launch a domestic card scheme for Nigeria, advised the two regulatory bodies to consider the myriad of possibilities, both positive and otherwise, before launching the domestic card scheme.

T H I S D AY ˾ THURSDAY, JANUARY 12, 2023

29

BUSINESSWORLD

BRANDS & MARKETING

Blazing the Trail in Human Capital Consultancy Raheem Akingbolu writes on how KloverHarris is pushing the borders of distinctiveness in its services in human capital consultancy

H

uman capital consulting is very crucial to a company’s growth trajectory and it is a widely accepted part of its structure to enable it function adequately with improved productivity. It is a process in which a consultant works with organisations to create greater economic value in the business and also provides outsourcing services to effectively manage their investments.

Though interchangeably used as human resources consulting, the services enable the consultant to employ analytics, research, and other insights into the industry to change programmes, develop systems, integrate diversity, engage employees, and deal with other vital issues for the development of any organisation. Furthermore, it leverages technology to streamline its functions, implement best practices, and enhance employee engagement to reduce turnover.

The process is very advantageous to companies who seek the expertise of this particular service as it helps in team-building, and improves employee engagement and satisfaction. Human capital consultants help in retaining employees and also in recruiting good prospects, enhancing a company’s return on investment as well as its culture.

Also, another aspect of human capital consultancy is its outsourced expertise with the provision of cutting-edge solutions for clients’ efficiency.

Indeed, the services have gained tremendous popularity because it is very beneficial in delegating business processes to the right organisations, and globally, the private and public sector resort to outsourcing a part of their processes for optimum productivity.

Consequently, it offers businesses access to cutting-edge technology that the outsourcing organisation does not have exposure to, hence the market size of outsourced services is expanding, and was valued at $92.5 billion in 2019, with businesses to spend over $700 billion annually by the end of 2022. This growing outsourcing industry includes IT (Information Technology), healthcare, accounting, and other sectors, with IT outsourcing to hit $519 billion in 2023.

There are 950 human resource consultancies globally, constituting $18.4 billion market in 2017, with Deloitte, Ernst & Young, KPMG, PwC Advisory, Accenture, McKinsey & Company, Boston Consulting Group, Bain & Company, as some of the big players in the industry, among others.

It is worthy of mention that there are avalanche of consulting companies in this sector providing diverse services, nonetheless, a remarkable impact has been made by KloverHarris, a Nigerian firm that has been renowned within that professional space, and also making a difference with its ground-breaking solutions in Learning and Development, Human Resource Outsourcing, Business Consulting, and Information Technology.

insights,” she affirmed.

Given that, the company can guide its clients on how to take advantage of the incentives that apply for government schemes like the Free Trade Zones, and mediate on their behalf. It interprets the processes in very seamless ways and helps them to meet their obligations, and this has positioned KloverHarris as a trusted business partner because of the level of honesty and high sense of commitment being displayed.

BOOKKEEPING

Ariyibi

PROFICIENCY The indigenous company has demonstrated its proficiency in three core areas which include accounting and tax advisory, learning and development as well as recruitment services, with a sense of professionalism to boost clients’ productivity. It has carved a niche for itself through its services and has ensured that the existing delivery processes of its clients align with its strategic objectives.

With a diverse client base that cuts across all sectors of the economy, KloverHarris is renowned for an impeccable delivery track record with a unique approach to ensure clients attain maximum gains based on their distinctiveness.

On its Accounting and Tax Advisory services, Managing Partner of KloverHarris, Ms. Bukola Ariyibi, said the company had observed how tax compliance has become a major challenge for many businesses as they see taxation as a minefield, consequently creating difficulties with their remittances and obligations to the appropriate government agencies and the company is turning this burden around for its clients with the use of modern technology, into a strategic enabler for their businesses.

“Our tax and advisory experts not only work with our clients to remit their taxes as and when due but also view taxation as a strategic opportunity to provide measurable

The company posits that accurate bookkeeping should be the first thing to take care of while ensuring precision in accounting and tax transactions, and also knowing the taxes that apply to your line of business, as well as keeping to deadlines. Remitting before deadlines will save you a lot of stress and penalties and can be quite cumbersome for business owners that do not have competent hands, hence clients in diverse sectors rely on KloverHarris because of its high level of proficiency.

As one of the pillars that supports a great business is its people, the foremost company’s Learning and Development initiatives are tailored to suit clients’ objectives. It focuses on classroom training and e-learning and how artificial intelligence is being optimised in imparting knowledge. The company has identified this trend and has also positioned itself to meet the demands of its clients as they relate to e-learning with bespoke solutions that foster proper understanding.

“In class, we start with a pre-course assessment and close with a postcourse assessment to measure learning outcomes,” Ariyibi explained.

KloverHarris’ learning and development solutions are designed to transform businesses to achieve their strategic objectives, in line with international standards, with well-skilled facilitators.

The IT-focused company handles all recruitment and executive placement needs for its clients; ranging from juniorlevel, mid-level, and C-suite executives. It starts by getting a full brief from clients, and understanding in detail the candidates they would like to hire.

RECRUITMENT SERVICES In recruitment services, KloverHarris is distinct in its ability to spot the talent of the best fit. It always tells the difference between a curriculum vitae (CV) and an interviewee. “It is like night and day. Beyond CVs, we help our clients spot candidates who are equipped with the knowledge to accelerate their businesses. We also believe that our talents of best fit

should thrive in their career paths and it is a win-win situation.”

With success factors such as clients’ satisfaction, quick turn-around time, and qualified candidates, identifying technical competence is usually the easiest on the recruitment ladder for KloverHarris. “Some behavioural traits may not be obvious during interviews and so to help identify some salient traits we ensure that candidates take behavioural/psychometric tests that unfold qualities that may have been masked during interviews. Once we can match technical skills with behavioural skills and align them with the company’s culture we can almost determine if a prospective candidate will be a good fit,” the company’s Managing Partner explained.

CHALLENGES Addressing some of the challenges in the recruitment service, Bukola pointed out Nigeria’s poor educational sector as one of the challenges in the recruitment service, as most Nigerian graduates are not employable. Another challenge she noted in recruitment service is the brain-drain where very brilliant professionals in various fields of endeavour travel out of the country for greener pastures, thereby leaving the nation with a deficiency in skilled personnel, a situation that has affected recruitment adversely.

Interestingly, the company dwells on one of its recent success stories in the oil and gas industry. The problem statement was that the business was on the brink of collapse due to liquidity issues and huge tax liabilities.

Ariyibi’s narrative threw more light on it as she revealed that the client could no longer cover its operating expenses as revenue wasn’t coming in. It had lots of receivables yet clients were not paying.

She explained: You know once a business gets to that point and the decision makers don’t see light at the end of the tunnel, they usually just pack things up. We started by reviewing their contract agreements. We wanted to ensure that no retention monies were being held up by contract employers.

Interestingly, this very first step made a significant impact. We realised how huge sums had been withheld by their clients longer than necessary. We contacted the companies that retained these funds and immediately started the process of getting them in. In no time there was cash to work with. We went on to review processed invoices to ascertain if there were any tax credit notes due to our client. Again, we found sizable chunks that we recovered which helped in reducing their liabilities.

This was particularly emotional for me as I experienced something that resulted in a comeback from the brink. Now for the clients, to say they were elated will be an understatement.

NCS CALLS FOR MORE CYBERSECURITY PROFESSIONALS, SEPARATE DIRECTORATE FOR IT where IT professionals are supervised by non-IT professionals when Nigeria is talking about digital transformation, should be discouraged.

Addressing the issue of technology innovation, Sodiya said Nigerians must come out to support technology innovation that would drive

digital transformation.

He commended the massive support NCS is getting from the Chairman of Zinox Group, Leo-Stan Ekeh and the Chairman

of Zenith Bank, Mr. Jim Ovia, in driving technology innovation among Nigerian youths.

“Currently NCS has five teams that we are grooming in

technology innovation and we are hoping that the solutions that will be developed from the five teams will shape the world and the Nigerian economy. The

five teams have gone far in their product development and their products will be unveiled to the global market in the next three months,” Sodiya said.

STAKEHOLDERS INSIST ON PASSAGE OF CRITICAL NATIONAL INFRASTRUCTURE BILL IN TELECOM SECTOR infrastructure rollout across the country. Telecom masts and a lot of fibre optic cables were damaged in 2022. The sector suffered multiple regulations from different tiers of government and government agencies, who used the opportunity to impose multiple taxes and

levies on telecom operations in the country. The challenges affected growth in telecom because telecom operators had to contend with the challenges.”

He therefore called on government to begin to think about the sustainability of the telecom

industry, and ensure quick passage of the bill in order to avoid further challenges in 2023.

Executive Vice Chairman, Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Prof. Umar Garba Danbatta, said the Critical National Infrastructure Bill,

when passed into law, would deal with the issues of frequent fibre cuts, infrastructure theft and vandalization, network congestion, community access denial, amongst other sectorial issues.

The Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Dr. Isa

Ibrahim Pantami, had also discussed the bill with President Muhammadu Buhari, with a view to protecting telecom facilities from vandalization and theft, amongst other things.

Telecom operators and industry players had over the years been

consistent in their demand for the federal government to declare all telecom facilities across the country as critical national infrastructure but their request was never heeded to, leading to frequent vandalization of telecoms infrastructure in various parts of the country.

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THURSDAY, JANUARY 12, ͰͮͰͱ ˾ T H I S D AY

BUSINESSWORLD

NEWS

L-R; MD SWAGCO, Babajide Arowosafe; Director OICL, Dr Tola Kasali; MD OICL, Mr Wale Raji; Chairman OICL, Otunba Bimbo Ashiru; Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo; Director OICL, Otunba Adebola Osibogun; Director OICL, Mr Seni Adio and Head of Communications OICL, Victor Ayetoro during the visit of ODUA investment Limited Directors to the Vice President in State House Abuja… recently

Imo State Begins Digital Skills Competition for Youths Emma Okonji In line with its vision to promote digital economy policy, the Imo State government has introduced a weekly youth digital skills competition to unlock students’ digital literacy and innovation skills in the state.

Imo State prides itself as the first state in Nigeria to align its digital economy policy direction with that of the federal government, and had since then, promoted digital skills development across the state.

The competition tagged: ‘SkillUpImo Challenge’, is a

sub-initiative of SkillUp Imo, a broader and premier human capacity development programme launched by the state government in December, 2022. As a propeller and offshoot of the SkillUp Imo Project, the SkillUpImo Challenge will help to fire up digital innovation and

ideas among students in the state, as winners will be rewarded with cash prizes weekly, throughout the competition.

The SkillUpImo Challenge is expected to drive the overall objective of the SkillUp Imo Project, focused on empowering citizens of Imo State

MTN Introduces New Advertising Campaign Solution for MSMEs MTN Nigeria has announced a new solution, MTN Thryve Ads, for Small and Medium Enterprises in Nigeria to aid their social media marketing efforts.

According to a 2022 report

by Data Objects, hundreds of small and medium businesses were asked about the digital tools used for their businesses and 67 per cent of participants use social media tools.

With the launch of MTN Thryve Ads, SMEs can now efficiently run social media advertising campaigns.

Thryve Ads is optimised to enable businesses

successfully schedule and track Facebook and Instagram ad campaigns while taking advantage of seamless support throughout the ad campaign life cycle.

Using social media as a marketing strategy can help small businesses or start-ups accelerate their businesses, access new markets, and scale quickly and efficiently.

However, now and again, Nigerian small businesses need help placing digital ads on social media platforms.

MTN Thryve Ads is a solution that seeks to eliminate these challenges. Additionally, it

includes features for tracking and optimizing ads for successful impact.

Speaking about this innovative solution, , Chief Enterprise Business Officer, MTN Nigeria, Lynda SaintNwafor said, “Social media has proven to be a useful marketing tool for SMEs as they focus on creating access to new markets leveraging digital channels.

We, at MTN, recognise these SMEs as the backbone of our economy. Therefore, as part of our commitment to drive digital access, adoption and transformation across industry

verticals, we are excited to be an enabler for SMEs to access new markets leveraging digital advertising inventories.

Whether they are early or late adopters of social media, the rich offering of MTN Thryve Ads helps SMEs drive their customer acquisition and retention strategies successfully and seamlessly.”

With plans from as low as N1,500 and 30-day validity, Thryve Ads is open to all MTN prepaid subscribers and business owners. MTN subscribers can also activate the service via the USSD channel by dialing *460*3*3#.

Nosa Alekhuogie

the National Executive Council, President, and staff to continue to meet the objectives of NCS. While welcoming Adekunle to his new position, the President of NCS, Professor Adesina Sodiya, said Adekunle was appointment after a rigorous process of selecting the best candidate for the job.

According to him, the Executive Secretary’s role includes many administrative supports to the organization, especially to ensure that professionals have all the resources they needed from the secretariat.

Adekunle was a big Data Analyst at TC Resources Technology, UK, before his appointment as the Executive Secretary of NCS. He has working experience in Project Management, Scrum Master, and

Machine Learning Capability at TC Resources Centre.

He was part of Team WAZOBIA B that carried out the project on CO2 emissions in the Southwest states of Nigeria as well as providing projections on what the next 10 years will look like for the states if the current trend continues.

He also worked as Head of the Cloud Applications Support Team at Choice Clouds Synergy Ltd, Lagos, before joining Victsoft Technical Services in Lagos as Head of IT Operations. He had also served as a Systems Manager, a senior management position at Nigeria Distilleries Ltd., (The Foremost Distillers) in Sango Ota, Ogun State for several years where he was given the best senior staff award, the Chairman Division, and a long

service staff award.

Adekunle has a Masters in Information Communication Technology from the Federal University of Agriculture Abeokuta.

He has vast knowledge in Agile Scrum Master, Big Data Analytics, SQL, Python, Project Management, Machine Learning, Server Management and Business Analyst.

He has a Certification in Big Data Analytics from National Mathematical Centre, Abuja, Nigeria.

He also has ITIL certification from Axelos Global Best Practice (EXIN).

He is a Fellow, Nigeria Computer Society (FNCS) and member Computer Professional Registration Council of Nigeria (CPN). He is equally a member of Information Technology Systems and Security Professional (ITSSP).

with cutting-edge digital skills that will keep them relevant in the 21st century; among others.

At the maiden edition of the SkillupImo Challenge held in Owerri earlier in the week, a student of the Federal University of Technology, Owerri (FUTO) Centre, Chucks Official, was adjudged winner in digital skill innovation, in the first week, based on shared experiences, ingenuity and digital innovation exhibited.

While presenting cash prize to the winner, the Hon. Commissioner, Ministry of Digital Economy and E-Government in the state, Dr. Chimezie Amadi, said the Skillup Imo Challenge would accelerate the actualization of broader objectives of the Skillup Imo. The broader objectives, according to him, are to train 300,000 youths over the next three years, with 100,000 trained each year; connect 60 per cent of the graduating students to high-paying jobs as well as empowering 40 per cent of them to become their own bosses, become tech entrepreneurs and employers

of labour.

According to him, as the training of the first batch of 100,000 youths progresses in 2023 under the Skillup Imo Project, the sub-initiative of the SkillUp Imo Challenge has been created to sustain the interest of the youth and boost excitement in the digital skill acquisition programme.

Amadi said through the SKillUpImo Challenge, a student would stand the chance of winning cash or other form of prizes each week for demonstrating great commitment to learning and for putting what has been learnt into practice.

He also stated that the first batch of 5,000 students from the 100,000 that will be trained this year, would graduate by the end of January 2003, to immediately bring onboard the next batch of beneficiaries of the digital skills acquisition programme.

Amadi assured that with the ongoing implementation of the Project, the Senator Hope Uzodinmaled administration would soon realise its vision of making Imo State the Digital Skills Hub of Africa.

NCC Resumes Television Programme NCS Appoints Adekunle as Executive Secretary with Telecom Weekly

The Nigeria Computer Society (NCS) has appointed Mr. Adesegun Adekunle as the new Executive Secretary to manage its secretariat.

Adekunle, a fellow of NCS, takes over from the immediate past Executive Secretary, Mr. Iyiola Ayoola.

Adekunle is a Computer Scientist with over 20 years of professional experience, spanning from technical to managerial functions, supported by technical and managerial development certifications.

In his role as Executive Secretary, Adekunle assumes responsibility for overseeing the day-to-day administration of NCS’s strategy implementation and programmes management, working closely with

Again, 9mobile Bags Africa Prize for Innovation Award Nigeria’s telecom provider, 9mobile has been recognised for its innovation in driving initiatives that solve critical societal challenges for the second consecutive time at the 16th edition of the Sustainability, Entrepreneurship, and Responsibility Awards (SERAS).

The telecom company was awarded the Deborah Leipziger Africa Prize for Innovation for consistently initiating projects that impact the beneficiaries and society. The award was based on the 9mobile Future CEO initiative

for secondary school students, aimed at inspiring future leaders by stirring up their interest in business and leadership. The initiative provides promising future leaders the opportunity to walk in the shoes of senior business leaders.

Speaking about the award, PR Lead, 9mobile, Chineze Amanfo, commended the award organisers for the recognition, stating that it is a well-deserved recognition of service to the brand for its consistency. She said: “At 9mobile, we are glad that our sustained

efforts in the past eleven months are attracting attention and recognition from reputable organisations like the SERAS. Our initiatives and projects are designed to impact society, particularly in education and youth empowerment.”

What we are doing with the 9mobile Future-CEO initiative is to help build students’ morale, confidence, and leadership capacity in preparation for the future. This award will undoubtedly motivate us as a company to intensify our efforts in executing projects that will have long-lasting impacts on

society through well-thought-out CSR interventions,” Amanfo added.

Last year, the brand also won the same award for powering the Bichi Emirate Digital Skills Project, an initiative that empowered youths in the Bichi emirate area council of Kano state with the requisite digital skills needed to compete effectively on the global scene.

The Deborah Leipziger Africa Prize for Innovation is a pan-African recognition for innovation that addresses crucial problems in society in a sustainable way.

Emma Okonji The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) is set for a return to the tube with a newly packaged 30 minutes weekly television programme that will regularly x-ray the Nigerian telecommunications and information communications technology (ICT) industry and provide awareness for telecommunication consumers across the country and beyond.

The weekly programme, tagged Telecom Weekly, made its debut on NTA Network Services comprising more than 45 stations across the 36 states and Abuja on Tuesday, January 10, 2023, at 5.00 p.m. All local NTA stations are expected to hook up to the programme at 5.00 pm every Tuesday.

The radio version of the programme will also air today Thursdays at 8 p.m. on the Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN) Network, for simultaneous transmission to all states of the federation with all the local FRCN stations expected to hook up during the weekly programme.

The programme is expected to add to the commission’s share of voice on radio

and television in a bid to provide stakeholders with timely information about developments and issues in the telecommunications industry.

According to a statement released by NCC and signed by its Director, Public Affairs, Mr. Reuben Muoka, “Apart from simplifying issues about telecommunications services for the average consumer, one of the cardinal foci of the programme will be to continuously create awareness among various stakeholders about the activities and programmes of the commission as it seeks to achieve regulatory excellence.

User experiences, gathered through consumer-related events and vox pop, will be used to spice the programme to enable the cross-section of consumers of telecommunications services to learn from such experiences and apply them in the usage of their services.”

Expert opinions will also feature prominently to facilitate the process of creating awareness about the industry.

Also, quiz sessions where viewers and listeners will win prizes will be a regular feature of the programme, the statement further said.

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HEALTH & LIFESTYLE

Group Features Editor: Chiemelie Ezeobi Email chiemelie.ezeobi@thisdaylive.com, Tel: 07010510430

Dreaming Big as Students with Cleft Lips, Palate Eunice Ajetoro and Grace Opara, two daring students with cleft lips and palate, have successfully had their cleft lips corrective surgeries. While they await their palate operations, Rebecca Ejifoma captures their career aspirations in life as nurses

I

t was a rainy Thursday on October 6, 2022 at 10 am. There were a handful of cleft lips and or palate champions waiting to exercise their football dexterity while their mothers were the spectators at a mini-sandy field of the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH).

This was the novelty match between the surgeons of LUTH and the cleft lip and or palate patients to mark World Smile Day 2022 on the theme, “Do an Act of Kindness. Help One Person Smile”, powered by Smile Train.

Among the cleft lips champions were people aged between 22 and five months old, some of which were yet to be operated on, hence, had painter’s tapes on their upper lips to close the split. One of the cleft lip champions is Eunice Oluwakemi Ajetoro, a 22-year-old student of Dental Nursing at POGIL College of Health in Ijebu Ode, Ogun State.

For this student, who punctuated her words with smiles, she is not only owning her dreams with her full chest but also intentionally changing the narrative for herself and other children living with the condition in Tede Town in Oyo State by staying positive.

She narrated her misery. “I was one year old when I had my corrective cleft surgery. Growing up was very disgraceful because people used to laugh at me. I didn’t have any friends when I was in school but I’m okay now and have friends and people don’t laugh at me anymore they welcome me and are very happy and are working.”

Although during her formative years as the last child of three children, Ajetoro thought the only emotions one could dispense and learn to adapt to were bullying and rejection resulting in low-self esteem. Today, it’s all history having been emboldened with counselling, continuous speech therapy classes and engagement courtesy of Smile Train.

The student of POGIL is undergoing speech therapy at LUTH having had her corrective surgery as an infant. “I’m doing speech therapy and it will last for two years. The doctor said I have two years to undergo speech therapy so that I can speak well. I hope to speak clearly after two years.”

As the last of three children and the only child with a cleft lip and palate, Ajetoro says her family has managed to cope with her through the journey, even with her academics. That is why her dream to become a dental nurse is on course. “I want to be a dental nurse to help my fellow people with cleft lips in Nigeria.”

She, therefore, lent her voice to others living with the condition. “Be happy and always smile”.

Subtly cautioning mockers, she said, “I will appeal to people out there not to discriminate against people with cleft lips. We are not happy to have it but we were born with it.”

Relief for Grace Opara Grace Opara is a 19-year-old lady, who resides and earns a living in the Ojuelegba area of Lagos State as a domestic worker. Having graduated from college in 2020, she is aspiring to go to university to also study nursing. “I want to be a nurse because I want to help people and save lives,” says Opara, the last of three children.

Just like Ajetoro, her newly found friend, Opara has had her fair share of travail during her secondary school days. “It was both hell and good. At one point, I felt like committing suicide. People were making fun of me in school,” she recounted sadly.

“Sometimes, it makes me feel bad. Other times, it makes me want to cry. And sometimes it makes me just feel like being alone or ending my life.”

But then she hung her hopes on her mum and God more. “People living with cleft lips and or palate should not look down on themselves,”

Grace Opara and Eunice Ajetoro at the novelty match at LUTH

I will appeal to people out there not to discriminate against people with cleft lips. We are not happy to have it but we were born with it enjoining Nigerians and the world to stop bullying them. “Please stop bullying us. You don’t know tomorrow.”

Indeed, there have been myths and misconceptions about children born with this condition.

According to the Smile Train Helpline Officer, Nigeria, Paul Lobi, people believe it is infidelity or some sort of supernatural issue that causes cleft lip. “One of the prevalences is stigmatisation,” he pointed out. “A lot of them cannot get jobs, and some can’t marry or go to school.”

Citing data, Lobi noted that about 6,000 people are affected by cleft lips in Nigeria yearly. He hinted that some individuals have been untreated for most of their lives because they neither understood the condition nor were aware if it could be treated.

While conceding that people fear that surgery is expensive, he described their reasons as justifiable, outlining that the larger population of rural areas are peasant farmers. “Hence, we are proud of what we are doing at Smile Train.

We don’t just stop at the surgery, we implement a holistic approach after surgery,” says the Smile Train officer.

Therefore, the novelty football march was brought to bear to commemorate World Smile Day and identify with the patients with cleft lips and or palate. Lobi emphasised, “This is our way of changing the narrative around the esteem of cleft patients, one such is through the

Sing And Smile Club. It is a safe space to provide psychosocial support to patients who have undergone cleft lip and palate repair and also to their parents.”

Through the Sing And Smile Club, the organisation network with patients, who share their testimony and experiences. This is because Smile Train believes that patients can strive to be whatever they want to be. “And we must create that enabling environment for them to thrive. That’s what we hope to achieve,” Lobi chipped in.

While basking in the moment of the football match as moral support to her cleft lip and or palate patients, Consultant Oral and Maxillofacial and Cleft Surgeon at LUTH, Prof Mobalanle Ogunlewe expressed, “I’m very happy because you can see that the children too are happy. That is one of the essences of putting up this football match.

“They are normal children. Let them live a normal life that any other child that doesn’t have any abnormalities lives. They are champions. You can see they won the match,” she giggled. “So everybody is happy. We thank God they achieved it.”

For those still living with a cleft lip and or palate, “Come out”, Ogunlewe beckoned. “It is not something that should limit you. You can live a normal life and it can be repaired.”

The surgeon cautioned everyone. “I want to tell everybody that the person that has it doesn’t have witchcraft,” she clarified. “The mother doesn’t have witchcraft either. The baby is neither a devil nor a witch. You can see how the children are,” pointing at the children on the pitch. “Do any of them look like witches or wizards? So we should just allow them to enjoy their lives and live their normal lives. Stop bullying them. We should rather continue to encourage them.”

With the knowledge that many organisations shy away from employing people with this condition despite their qualifications, Prof implored, “The defect is not a limitation to their ability and what they can do. We should just allow them and give them the chance to live a normal life.”

Smile Train’s Laudable Quest Meanwhile, in its quest to journey with these champions against all odds, Smile Train says it is not resting on its oars. Hence, the reason it is calling on stakeholders, the media and individuals to help create awareness. Arguably, Smile Train is the largest cleft-focused organisation globally. It has performed over 1.5 million cleft surgeries successfully since founded in 1999. It has also trained over 2,100 medical professionals on how to perform cleft surgeries.

Across the globe, patients get free surgeries and comprehensive treatment from feeding and nutrition, surgery, dental care, ENT care, speech services, and orthodontics to counselling and support.

This is because the World Health Organisation (WHO) estimated that over 6,180 children are born with cleft lips in Nigeria. Thus, the Smile Train is at the forefront to effect a positive change, one smile at a time.

LASHMA Unveils Health Insurance, Endowment Funds for Vulnerable Residents Rebecca Ejifoma The Lagos State Health Management Agency (LASHMA) has unveiled the Eko Social Health Alliance (EkoSHA), a health insurance and endowment fund for vulnerable and disadvantaged residents in the state to access quality healthcare.

At the launch in the Ikeja area of Lagos, the General Manager of LASHMA, Emmanuella Zamba said that despite having a high percentage of people living below the poverty line in

the state, the state government “Will ensure equal opportunity is given to those who cannot afford the ILERA Eko premium, in line with section 20 of the LSHS law.

“The law indicates that the agency should ensure the availability of alternative funding sources to the health sector for improved services,” she emphasised.

According to Zamba, the agency established the EkoSHA, which is its resource mobilisation to care for health insurance premiums of the vulnerable and indigents in

the state.

This is because the agency is leveraging its Rapid Poverty Assessment Tool in determining the vulnerability of beneficiaries.

“EKOSHA was formed to increase vulnerable coverage on the Lagos State Health Scheme to complement government effort and resources as well as collaborate with Lagos State MDAs,” says Zamba.

She highlighted that the agency was able to create a funding platform with support from Sterling Foundation to serve as one of the account-

ability measures where donors can see in real-time how the resources are utilised as well as the vulnerable coverage.

Zambia, however, beckoned for more partnerships. “Let me add that our door is open for more collaborations from everyone who has the interest of the vulnerable and indigent people at heart.”

On his part, the Commissioner for Health in the state, Prof Akin Abayomi explained that EkoSHA is a public and private partnership, adding that development and multilateral partners and individuals seek-

ing the good of residents of Lagos also make up the partnership.

He continued that N750 million equity funds as insurance coverage for no fewer than.

230,000 indigent and vulnerable residents of Lagos State were ongoing.

Abayomi, represented by the Director of Medical Administration, Training and Programmes, Funmilayo Shokunbi listed the elderly, orphanage homes, vulnerable persons living with HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis, Sickle Cell Anaemia, and victims of domestic and sexual violence

in Lagos to have access to the health plan.

He added: “The initiative is designed to mobilise adequate funds to help the identified vulnerable residents of Lagos state access health insurance through the Ultra Eko Social Health Plan under the Lagos State Health Scheme (LSHS).”

In the words of Abayomi, EkoSHA will also provide access to social welfare empowerment programmes for beneficiaries to have health insurance and get opportunities and support that will gradually alleviate them from poverty.

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FCCPC to Collaborate with SON, NAFDAC, to Strengthen Regulation, Penalties Raheem Akingbolu Players in the power, manufacturing sector and digital space may experience stricter regulations in the interest of consumers in 2023, the Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC), Babatunde Irukere, has said.

Speaking on Arise Exchange, a special business programme on Arise News Channel, the broadcast arm of THISDAY Newspaper, Irukera dropped the hint that FCCPC had, towards the end of 2022, embarked on further investigation and scrutiny of the power sector, fast moving consumer goods and the activities of digital lenders and unravelled major irregularities that have laid foundation for the areas the organisation would focus in 2023. According to him, to this end, the agency has started unbundling more of its regulatory tools to create room for penalties in the months ahead.

“Towards the end of last year, FCPC opened investigation into the activities of

some of the biggest importers of power generators in the country and we made headway in sanitizing the area. In particular, the commission has so far tackled cases of wholesome practices across consumer goods, digital economy and some other sectors,” he said.

“Looking at the agency’s activities last year and also moving forward on what the plans are to strengthen its operations this New Year, the vice chairman said over the period of several months, the commission was gathering intelligence and the intelligence had led FCCPC to conclusion that there were some irregularities in the activities of the alternative power generating companies and players in the fast moving consumer goods sector.

“Through investigation and intelligence gathering, FCCPC concluded that there were some anticompetitive practices in some sensitive industries such as power; especially alternative power generating sector. We found out that there are some level of coordination among big players who play in the 20 to about 200 KVA generators with shady deals. There were

questions about how they were procuring the equipment and what they were importing.

There were issues about duty free weaver or using it to also Import spare parts which are prohibited and whether they were procuring for themselves, essentially engaging illegal transfer pricing,” He disclosed that the court granted the commission a warrant of search and seize and it executed the warrant simultaneously.

He further added that FCCPC has since begun to analyze the evidence, pointing out that some of the allegations have already been confirmed.

“Quite a number of investigations were carried out, especially in the Fast Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG).

One of the first things we did was that early in the year, we started engaging the manufacturers about what we consider misleading.

For instance, we discovered that they are reducing volume and content without reducing packaging. Of course, we also carried out major investigation in the tobacco for penalties.

Duport Midstream Adds 50MW to Edo’s Growing Energy Pool In what is fast becoming a boom in energy options amid a national energy crisis, Edo State is set to add an additional 50MW through an Independent Power Project (IPP) by Duport Midstream at its Energy Park in Egbokor, Orhionmwon Local Government Area of the state The 50MW plant is to provide steady electricity to the 10,000 barrels per day modular refinery at Duport Midstream Company Limited, which has completed its energy park.

It also houses a 60 million standard cubic feet (scf) Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG)

processing plant; 10 million scf Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) plant and a Tier-4 Data Centre All-in-one facility.

The 50MW IPP brings the total energy pool in Edo State to 744MW, which includes the 461MW Azura Power IPP, which is connected to the National Grid; the 78MW plant at BUA plant that powers two lines of the company’s 6mtpa plant; the 95MW Ossiomo Power IPP, which is connected to government establishments, streetlights and industrial clusters in Benin metropolis.

The other facility is the

60MW IPP at Dangote Cement factory in Okpella, which provides electricity to the company’s 6mtpa factory.

Edo State is being repositioned to become Nigeria’s leading industrial hub, pushing for investments in industrial and processing industries. In the last six years under the administration of Governor Godwin Obaseki, the state has attracted close to $2bn worth of investment across agriculture, energy, food processing, light manufacturing, forestry and technology sectors.

Access Bank Set to Reward More Customers in 2023 Nume Ekeghe Access Bank Plc has said it plans to reward more customers this year in its transaction volume based AccessMore mega reward scheme.

Head of Digital Channels, Access Bank, Oluremi Gabriel, disclosed this while speaking at the prize presentation ceremony held in Lagos where a new set of eleven winners of the reward scheme were presented with their prizes.

Gabriel said the bank will expand the scope of the reward scheme to accommodate three batches against two in 2022 as a demonstration of the bank’s commitment to honour its customers.

AccessMore is an upgraded mobile app that is part of a strategy to drive easy, effective and rewarding banking where customers earn as they do transactions on the App. Before now, Access Bank Plc has rewarded some customers with millions of Naira.

In the batch unveiled earlier

in December 2022, one customer of the bank won an all-expense paid trip to Kenya while ten other customers won N100,000 each.

Gabriel said the reward programme is a way of saying thank you to customers for doing business with the bank.

He said, “We just decided to appreciate and reward our customers for using our mobile app, called AccessMore. For every transaction you do, you earn points and that points are equivalent to naira. So you can redeem your reward either to buy airtime or to pay any form of bills. People are doing that on a daily basis.

“But beyond that, we now picked our top earners, which mean those who are doing the biggest of transactions with us.

We did something in August 2022 where we reward eleven people.

One star winner won one million naira and then N100,000 for another ten people. In the second one which is also the second batch of 2022, the star winner is going on an all-

expense paid to Kenya and which was a destination of his choice.

That’s where he wants to be. Of course, we are rewarding another 10 winners with N100,000. Some of them are even foreigners.”

At the presentation ceremony, the elated Collin Egemonye, a legal practitioner, said he was surprised when he received a call from the bank that he won the grand prize of an all-expense paid trip to Kenya.

He said, “I actually don’t know what was going on. I was doing my normal banking and I got a call saying I have won a prize and it is actually quite delightful.

“I say a big thank you to Access Bank. I am probably the only customer in Nigeria that has just one bank account. I don’t bank with any other bank and my relationship with Access Bank started with the days of Intercontinental Bank. I have been with the bank for more than 20 years and it has been a very good relationship.

MARKET INDICATORS MONEY AND CREDIT STATISTICS

(MILLION NAIRA)

AUGUST 2022 Money Supply (M3)

49,356,443.6

-- CBN Bills Held by Money Holding Sectors

50,601.36

Money Supply (M2)

49,305,842.3

-- Quasi Money

27,869,678.3

-- Narrow Money (M1)

21,436,164

---- Currency Outside Banks

2,680,236.81

---- Demand Deposits

18,755,927.2

Net Foreign Assets (NFA)

5,074,909.92

Net Domestic Assets(NDA)

27,869,678.3

-- Net Domestic Credit (NDC)

61,195,142.4

---- Credit to Government (Net)

21,001,401.5

---- Memo: Credit to Govt. (Net) less FMA

0.00

---- Memo: Fed. and Mirror Accounts (FMA)

0.00

---- Credit to Private Sector (CPS)

40,193,740.9

--Other Assets Net

6,785,979.22

Reserve Money (Base Money

14,040,351.9

--Currency in Circulation

3,210,664.98

--Banks Reserves --Special Intervention Reserves

10,829,686.9 390,557.8

˾ ÙßÜÍÏ ̋

Money Market Indicators (in Percentage) Month

July 2022

Inter-Bank Call Rate

13.00

Minimum Rediscount Rate (MRR) Monetary Policy Rate (MPR)

14.00

Treasury Bill Rate

2.76

Savings Deposit Rate

1.42

1 Month Deposit Rate

3.64

3 Months Deposit Rate

4.96

6 Months Deposit Rate

5.87

12 Months Deposit Rate

5.76

Prime Lending rate

12.10

Maximum Lending Rate

27.61

˾ ÙØÏÞËÜã ÙÖÓÍã ËÞÏ ̋ ͯͱϱ

OPEC DAILY BASKET PRICE ͰͲ ˜ ͰͮͰͰ

The price of OPEC basket of thirteen crudes stood at $92.17 a barrel on Monday, compared with $92.09 the previous Friday, according to OPEC Secretariat calculations.

The OPEC Reference Basket of Crudes (ORB) is made up of the following: Saharan Blend (Algeria), Girassol (Angola), Djeno (Congo), Zafiro (Equatorial Guinea), Rabi Light (Gabon), Iran Heavy (Islamic Republic of Iran), Basrah Medium (Iraq), Kuwait Export (Kuwait), Es Sider (Libya), Bonny Light (Nigeria), Arab Light (Saudi Arabia), Murban (UAE) and Merey (Venezuela).

35

T H I S D AY ˾ DAY, ͯͰ˜ ͰͮͰͱ

Positive Sentiment Prevail as Stock Market Close Higher Kayode Tokede Positive sentiment prevails on the stock market of the Nigerian Exchange Limited (NGX) yesterday after prior day’s profit-taking as the investors’ investment up by N154 billion.

The overall market capitalisation value gained N154 billion to close at N28.176 trillion from N28.022trillion, while the NGX All Share Index (ASI)

rose by 283.27 basis points or 0.55 per cent to close at 51,729.87 basis points from 51,446.60 basis points.

The upturn was impacted by gains recorded in medium and large capitalised stocks, amongst which are; BUA Cement, PZ Cussons Nigeria, Champion Breweries, Guaranty Trust Holding Company (GTCO) and Nigerian Exchange Group (NGX Group).

P R I C E S MAIN BOARD

DEALS

F O R MARKET PRICE

Market sentiment, as measured by market breadth was positive as 26 stocks gained, relative to 12 decliners. Thomas Wyatt Nigeria recorded the highest price gain of 9.48 per cent to close at N1.27, per share.

Champion Breweries followed with a gain 9.45 per cent to close at N4.75 and FTN Cocoa processors rose by 7.69 per cent to close at 28 kobo, per share.

Mutual Benefits Assurance went up by 6.67 per cent

S E C U R I T I E S QUANTITY TRADED

VALUE TRADED ( N )

to close at 32 kobo, while Courteville Business Solutions appreciated by 6.52 per cent to close at 49 kobo, per share.

On the other hand, Chellaram led the losers’ chart by 9.89 per cent to close at N1.64, per share. Royal Exchange followed with a decline of 7.41 per cent to close at N1.00, while Wapic Insurance depreciated by 6.67 per cent to close at 42 kobo, per share.

T R A D E D MAIN BOARD

AXA Mansard Insurance declined by 6.54 per cent to close at N2.00 kobo, while R.T. Briscoe Nigeria depreciated by 3.57 per cent to close at 27 kobo, per share.

The total volume of trades decreased by 16.40 per cent to 281.945 million units, valued at N8.159 billion, and exchanged in 3,679 deals.

Transactions in the shares of FBN Holdings (FBNH) topped the activity chart with 108.925

A S O F

million shares valued at N1.221 billion. BUA Cement followed with 42.393 million shares worth N4.073 billion, while GTCO traded 233.985 million shares valued at N810.044 million.

Access Holdings traded 13.471 million shares valued at N122.606 million, while Transnational Corporation of Nigeria (Transcorp) transacted 13.418 million shares worth N16.046 million.

1 1 / 0 1 / 2 3 DEALS

MARKET PRICE

QUANTITY TRADED

VALUE TRADED ( N)

36

THURSDAY JANUARY 12, 2023 •T H I S D AY

THURSDAY JANUARY 12, 2023 • T H I S D AY

37

T H I S D AY ˾ THURSDAY, JANUARY 12, 2023

38

GAMINGWEEK

Edited by NSEOBONG OKON-EKONG | ikotibok@gmail.com | Tel: 08114495324

Why AI-Assisted Football Forecast Is on the Rise Recently, Nigerian punters nearly drowned the ship of a sports betting operator when the company was under pressure to pay winners over N700 million within 48 hours. Nseobong Okon-Ekong writes that the use of artificial intelligence may be helping bettors to arrive at more accurate results

W

hile artificial intelligence (AI) assisted football forecast companies ensure that they are free from liabilities to users of its predictions, they proudly advertise their correctness, which many times landed an impressive 100 per cent, but never less than 75 per cent.

As close as the machines may come to reasoning and understanding how a football match may proceed, a couple of unforeseen elements like players injury and players having a bad day no doubt alters the expected outcome from the computers, leading to results that are wide off the mark from artificial intelligence assisted forecast. Yet, it is increasingly possible to state with a good degree of exactness which team will have more on-target shots, commit fouls and hold on to the ball for longer moments.

Deploying data from the past, computers can safely conclude a football match. Artificial Intelligence relies heavily on statistics. Machine learning algorithms

devoid of human emotions determine what results will be reached.

A leading company in this space is Nerdytips.

It identifies as “a football predictor with artificial intelligence where you can find soccer predictions for matches from over 160 leagues. The tips are calculated using artificial intelligence algorithms and for each match, you have a wide range of tips. For each match, you can also access the section of details, where you can view statistics, recent matches and the profiles of the teams. This can help you have a better understanding of the prognostic offered.”

A common thread that runs through all Artificial Intelligence assisted football predicting companies is their reliance on Mathematical algorithms. For instance, SureBets says it is “a system for predicting football matches based on statistics. The system offers football predictions based on mathematical algorithms for each game of the world’s leading leagues. More than 200 leagues’ football data for the past 15 years is stored in our database.”

Though artificial intelligence-assisted football forecasts may encourage bettors, these companies do not like to take responsibility for outcomes resulting in litigation to which they may be liable. Kickoff.ai clearly states that the information provided is “in good faith and for general information purposes only. Any action you take based on the information on our website is strictly at your own risk. (In short, we are not responsible for any side effects of the luxurious lifestyle you will enjoy if you follow our predictions.).”

What is its reason for stating so? The publication believes that “ matches are not completely predictable.

Sometimes, surprises happen (some surprises are less expected than others!). Focusing on a particular prediction misses the big picture, which is the overall accuracy when all matches are taken into account.”

Octosportsprediction discloses what may not be readily apparent to bettors who are too emotional to make clearheaded decisions: “The secret of the software

is that it improves from match to match because it learns continuously by analysing the statistics of the matches, deciding the importance of each one and making the predictions. The software is developed in Java and runs on multiple servers in order to ensure its continuous analyzing process.”

For the avoidance of doubts, the publication stated, “Our tips are calculated by taking into account a great amount of statistics and the predictions are based on mathematics and algorithms.”

It added, “The absence of human input in the calculation of the predictions leads to a maximum level of objectivity. The software offers predictions for over 160 leagues.”

It seems that more and more bettors would rather ignore the caveat issued by the increasing number of artificial intelligence-assisted football predictors offering diverse services. Taking a chance on the computation, which are free from human influences, reduces some degree of risk, which is comforting to many punters.

How to Increase Safe Betting Options Davidson Abraham explains some of the frequently used expressions in sports betting

T

he sports betting industry is not as young as some think, as it has been in Nigeria and across Africa for quite some years now. Millions of football fans place their bets on games across the big European leagues and other international competitions every week, hoping to win some extra money.

However, some football fans are fully into betting and bet a lot, hoping to hit the jackpot.

Most people who are into sports betting tend to pick around 20 games and make risky predictions as it increases their winning potentials by a landslide. These kinds of gamers often end up with tickets like N200 to win N70, 000, and while the potential winning might seem astronomical, the reality is that these kinds of tickets have three out of 100 chances to succeed or three per cent winning assurance.

It is, therefore, always better to pick fewer games coupled with more reasonable and realistic predictions, which will give you a 50 to 70 per cent assurance of winning compared to three per cent. This may result in lower odds and consequently lower winning potentials, which the gamer can increase by staking more money.

Below are six of the safest betting options: 1: This means that the home team should win. This betting option can be paired with over 1.5 (e.g. 1 and over 1.5). It is commonly used when a big team hosts a small team, which it can easily defeat.

Examples of how one can be used in a betting: Example 1 Bayern Munich Vs Koln 1

Example 2 Bayern Munich Vs Koln 1 and over 1.5 1X: This means that the home team should win or draw. This betting option can also be paired with over 1.5 (example 1x & over 1.5).

It is commonly used when two good teams play each other and the home team is expected to win or draw at the very least.

Examples of how 1X can be used in a betting: Example 1 Real Madrid Vs Atletico De Madrid 1x

Example 2 Real Madrid Vs Atletico De Madrid 1x & over 1.5 2X: This Means that the visiting team should win or draw. This betting option, just like 1 and 1x can be paired with over 1.5 (E.g. 2x & over 1.5). It is commonly used when a big team is playing away at a small team, which it can easily defeat.

Examples of how 1 can used in betting: Example 1

Estac Troyes Vs Paris Saint Germain 2 Example 2 Estac Troyes Vs Paris Saint Germain 2 & over 1.5 Over 1.5: This means that the game must produce two or more goals (e.g. 1-1 &/or 2-0). This option can be easily paired with 1, 1x, 2 and 2x (as seen above). It is commonly used to bet on games that have a potential of producing goals. Such as the World Cup final, The El Classico and the Manchester Derby just to name a few.

Example of how over 1.5 can used in a betting: Man United Vs Man City Over 1.5 Team Performance Predictions: This means that you select a team of your choice to win a given competition (e.g.: France to win the UEFA Nations League). This option is not as popular among gamers as the five options illustrated above.

However, gamers who trust their instincts can cash out on it in at least 12 different competitions all year round. These competitions include international competitions (World Cup, AFCON, EUROs), The Champions League, The Premier League, La Liga, The Europa League etc.

Examples of how team performance predictions can be used in betting (2022 example): World Cup: Argentina to win the FIFA WC UEFA Champions League: Real Madrid to win the UCL The Premier League: Manchester City to win the PL AFCON: Senegal to win the AFCON

T H I S D AY ˾ THURSDAY, JANUARY 12, 2023

39

GAMINGWEEK

OSCAR MICHAEL:

Games Industry is Bigger Than Movie and Music Industry Combined Globally

FOR ECAST

Davidson Abraham’s It is exciting to learn of a creative enterprise with the potential income Weekly Match Preview that knocks music and movies over. That is one of the discoveries and Betting Tips: Week 2 from the encounter between the GAMING WEEK TEAM and Oscar Michael Esio, Founder of Africomicade, a gaming concern, with which he hopes to make a positive statement across Africa speak of finances right now.

There’s no industry that doesn’t have issues with finances. But one of the biggest issues is the education part. Making people aware this industry exists, making them understand what the industry is about, making them understand how to set up a structure, a sustainable structure for the industry.

Can you take us through the defining moments when you became known as a gamer /and a professional in the gaming industry?

That would be as far back as 2015/2016. That would be when I was working at the Centre for Tech.

That’s an organisation that focuses on training children and youth in STEM skills. So we used to teach them game design, animation and so much more, and that’s really where my career started.

In Lagos?

Yes, Lagos, Nigeria, at Ogba, Ikeja. So, I started out as a games facilitator, so I used to teach people how to build games using construct and unity, but then very quickly moved on to become Head of Operations where I was managing events, organising events, building programmes, educational programmes as well, as well as hosting Africacomicade And that’s really where my career started.

What would you say was the game that really sustained your interest in planning Africacomicade?

I wouldn’t really say it’s a game that made me start Africacomicade.

It’s all about business sustainability for me. The games industry out there is bigger than the movie and music industry combined globally.

But in Africa, that’s not the case.

A news report in 2021 states the African games industry is $580 million. But how many per cent of African game studios are getting up to that amount? Not up to one per cent. So for me what’s really driving me is the need to ensure that African creatives benefit from this market. The industry is huge.

The opportunities are there, but their ability to grow a business is very slim for African creatives. And that’s what’s striking.

Would you say then that you are inching closer to this vision of yours?

Yes, definitely. Day by day, with every activity we do, with every event and all, we’ve been able to achieve some amount of success.

We track our activities. We do our evaluations yearly. And over the years, we’ve not just been able to bring some impact. We’ve seen progressive growth, and that’s really exciting.

What are some of the things in your estimation that drive the passion of the gaming community in Nigeria today?

The passion is undoubtedly there.

Nigerians are gamers, contrary to what the world thinks. Globally, most people wonder if there are gamers in Nigeria. Most people have a very limited idea of what Africa really is on the ground. So we have gamers and then we have game developers. Both have passion, but what is lacking is a means to convert that passion into something you can say you have a career in. And that’s what’s available out there that is not here. So right now, passion is still the main driving force. Year in, year out, we’re getting closer to seeing more people say that they have a career in the video games industry.

Can you put a figure on that number of people?

In Nigeria, currently, I could say like genuine interest and people

Michael striving, I could put the figure at 200. Although it still looks like a small number. I don’t want to be over-ambitious, right? And if I look across Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa especially, I would say about 500 people. Once more let’s not forget, year in, year out, this is a collective number because some years cannot be 500 or 1,000. But the number of people that are able to stay on the path falls yearly, because as you know the economy in Africa is not the best right now even globally, so people have to find a means to sustain their life.

Was it ambition that drove you to make Africacomicade a continental thing instead of just Nigeria?

A lot of people say it’s ambitious.

How do they say it? Go big or go home, right? So the reason why we focus across Africa is the market size in terms of stakeholders in Africa is still very small. It’s a growing industry. So if you want to focus on Nigeria, which is actually still good, you have a very limited number of people to work with. And let’s not forget there is competition and other things in place.

However, on the development side, when you look across Africa, our problems are very much similar.

So what that means is to create a stronger front, especially when you look at the fact that out there in the West and the East, people consider Africa as a country, not a continent.

Most people think of Africa as just one place, whereas that’s not the case. But seeing that we have similar problems, the entire idea was to get like-minded people and bring them together and see how we can collaboratively tackle this issue.

Create more presence for Africa, connect more creative opportunities from Africa and with remote culture right now. Why limit yourself, really?

In tackling these issues, has it been a smooth sail, or did you overcome some obstacles?

Definitely not smooth. It’s been a very bumpy ride. However, it’s been fun and fulfilling along the way. One of the biggest challenges is education, and you come to realise that within the industry, there’s a lot of education that needs to be done. The stakeholders need to learn more about business, need to learn more about monetizing your skills, need to learn more about collaboration, outside the games industry, the stakeholders need to be educated. We need to tell people that in the video games industry, there is the gaming side and there’s the development side. And even on the development side, we don’t all have to be programmers, we need marketers, we need people in communication. We need project managers, financiers. So there’s a whole lot of work to be done.

And I think that’s why the Pan African approach is also good because some areas have more strength than others. Like in Nigeria, you have lots of game developers.

You have people that are also good in communication and all. If you go to Kenya, you have people good in organising stuff, networking, stuff like that. So that’s really why we basically said let’s bring these people together and see how we can do something much bigger. But I would say other challenges are mainly things common to other growing industries. You want to

“A news report in 2021 states the African games industry is $580 million. But how many percent of African game studios are getting up to that amount? Not up to one per cent. So for me what’s really driving me is the need to ensure that African creatives benefit from this market. The industry is huge. The opportunities are there, but their ability to grow a business is very slim for African creatives. And that’s what’s striking.”

Are there some of the myths about the gaming industry that you would like to debunk?

Ah, number one, there’s a difference between gaming and game development. They are totally different. Number two. Yes, it’s beyond passion. Like almost everybody getting into this space because of passion but at some point you have to realise you need something flowing into sustaining.

So as nice as this feels, we throw around $500 million worth of the industry, monetising in this industry is very difficult. Building a good game is far more difficult. So you need to go in and know what you are investing in.

What are some of the skills you would say have sustained you throughout this gaming career?

Passion, I would say, is great. And I think that’s common to almost all entrepreneurs. If you really want to succeed you have to have the spirit and confidence. At home, nobody basically understands what I’m doing.

I mean, we come from a culture where gaming is seen as something bad for the child, especially amongst millennials. You see a lot of people laughing. You see parents say don’t play games, but that is changing right now. So you need that grit to know that this is what you want to do, and despite all the challenges coming because there are many, you need that grit to keep on forging ahead.

We’d like to get your thoughts on Web3 gaming. What will drive the game developers and gamers into that web generation?

Okay, so when you look at the Web 3 space currently, for a lot of people there’s still a lot of pause basically. And that’s because things are not yet levelled. There’s still a lot more experimentation. And what is really driving it in Africa and across the world is the opportunity to make money really. Most people are not really concerned about the technology. And the reason why Web 3 gaming gained a lot of traction so quickly is because of the idea of play-to-earn.

I mean, traditionally, when you play games you pay to play the games. But now Web3 is giving the opportunity for you to pay to play the game and then make money while playing. That’s what’s really exciting for most gamers, but from the games industry perspective, most people are not for it, because it takes away the focus from play, like designing games that are fun to actually now trying to create some kind of money-making mechanism which is very similar to betting for most people. Looking at that, well, you look around you in Africa, more people are concerned about money.

That makes money the focus. We’ll see how that goes. But for now, it’s still an industry space where people The story continues online on www.thisdaylive.com

Here we go! Another weekend filled with mouthwatering ties across the big leagues. A resurgent Manchester United side welcome Manchester City to Old Trafford as they hope to continue their fine form. This game between the two Manchester rivals is expected to be an entertaining one. Man City who will be hoping to close in on Arsenal at the top of the table are the favorites coming into this one and they have been tipped by the bookmakers to go home with all 3 points or a point at the very least.

Inter Milan and AC Milan are expected to routinely claim all 3 points respectively from their games against Verona and Lecce as the hope to reduce Napoli’s advantage at the top of the table.

A star studded PSG and a very

much improved Marseille are expected to beat Rennes and Lorient respectively in their quest for the Ligue 1 title.

Real Madrid, Barcelona, Valencia and Real Betis will all be descending on Saudi Arabia for the annual Supercopa De Espana with Madrid taking on Valencia and Betis taking on Barcelona. Madrid and Barca are expected to beat their opponents and advance to the final, But never rule out surprises.

While back in La Liga, Atletico are expected to Win or draw at Almeria. Anything other a win will be demoralizing for Atletico lost there last league game against Barcelona one nil thanks to a goal from Dembele and a loss will cast serious doubts on their Champions League Qualification.

Date Fixture Betting Tips DATE Saturday 14th January 2022 Saturday 14th January 2022 Saturday 14th January 2022 Saturday 14th January 2022 Saturday 14th January 2022 Sunday 15th January 2022 Sunday 15th January 2022 Sunday 15th January 2022 Sunday 15th January 2022 Sunday 15th January 2022

FIXTURE

BETTING TIPS

Man United Vs Man City

1.5

Celta Vigo Vs Villareal

2x

Lecce Vs AC Milan

2x

InteVr Vs Verona

1x

Marseille Vs Lorient

1x

Chelsea Vs Crystal Palace

1x

Rennes Vs PSG

2x

Real Madrid Vs Valencia

1x

Real Betis Vs Barcelona

1.5

Almeria Vs Atletico

2x

PROMO!!!

50 MOST

INFLUENTIAL PERSONALITIES IN GAMING Keep a date on Thursday, March 30, 2023 as Gaming Week reveals across the gaming spectrum, the ladies and gentlemen who turn the wheel.

GAMINGWEEK TEAM Nseobong Okon-Ekong ikotibok@gmail.com | 08114495324 John Bamidele amostogun@yahoo.com | 08022212236 Akeem Lasisi lasaisai@yahoo.com | 08023687884 Vanessa Obioha vaysylver@gmail.com | 08069838305 Davidson Abraham davisiano.adm@gmail.com | +971 56 744 6013

40

THURSDAY, ͹ͺ˜ ͺ͸ͺͻ ˾ T H I S D AY

FORTY

British Parliamentarian Backs Atiku, Harps on INEC, CBN’s Independence A British parliamentarian and the Baron of Kingsclere, Lord Dan Hannan, has expressed support for the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Atiku Abubakar.

Hannan, in a chat with THISDAY yesterday, also advised the federal government to ensure that the independence of two critical institutions in Nigeria – the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the Central Bank of

Nigeria (CBN), were preserved.

He noted that as Africa’s biggest economy, the rule of law must be observed at all times.

Hannan explained: “Nigeria is Africa's biggest economy, biggest population and biggest hope. The rule of law matters immensely, and that includes the independence of state offices, including the central bank and INEC. Nigeria is an old friend and ally of the United Kingdom, and we all very much

hope that it will ensure free and fair elections.

“I would add that I am a strong supporter of closer trade and investment ties between the UK and Nigeria, and I am confident that an Atiku-led government would facilitate them.”

Hannan had about three weeks ago condemned the move by the Department of State Services (DSS) against Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Mr. Godwin

Emefiele, and had stressed the need for adherence to the rule of law and independence of the CBN. THISDAY reported on Wednesday that Atiku, who is presently in London, held a strategic meeting with the British government.

Atiku, who had been on vacation in Dubai, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) since January 1, arrived in London on Monday for the meetings.

According to a source, the meet-

ings which came about five weeks before the presidential election were to discuss areas of future potential collaboration between both countries.

The PDP presidential candidate in series of Tweets on Tuesday, had stated: “I just concluded successful meetings with The Right Hon. Andrew Mitchell MP—Minister for Development and Africa in the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO),

amongst other key senior UK government officials.

“It was an auspicious occasion to share my vision for Nigeria encapsulated in the Unity SEED with them. It is a vision United

by Security, Economy, Education and Devolution (of Powers). I solicited their partnership and I am encouraged by the UK government’s strong interest in helping Nigeria RECOVER every facet of its life.”

BUHARI TO CATHOLIC BISHOPS: I WILL REPOSITION ECONOMY, IMPROVE SECURITY BEFORE LEAVING OFFICE had full confidence in Nigeria in view of the country's capacity to utilise resources and repay loans.

“We are credible; that's why the countries and institutions agreed to support our development with loans,’’ Buhari stated.

Buhari said the destruction of oil facilities slowed the generation of revenues, adding that the government would be harder on saboteurs.

“If you look at the economy, we are trying hard to rely more on ourselves. Nigerians rely more on agriculture for livelihood, and we are putting in our best to enable more people, and diversify,’’ the president noted.

He added that the security situation had improved over the years, particularly in the North-east where the focus had shifted to rebuilding infrastructure and re-orientation on education.

He said: “I am very grateful for your visit to the Presidential Villa, and I agree with you on some of the observations you have made.

The question of insecurity is most important to us because unless a country or institution is at peace, it will be difficult to manage.

“I just came back from Adamawa and Yobe states. During the visit to both states, I listened carefully to what the people and officials had to say. And they all said the situation had improved since 2015, especially in Borno State.

“Boko Haram was just fraudulent and a plot to destroy Nigeria.

You can’t say people should not learn; the people need to grow intellectually," Buhari added.

Buhari told the Catholic Bishops that government would continue rebuilding infrastructure in parts of the country affected by terrorist attacks, while underscoring that

NUPRC ANNOUNCES COMMENCEMENT OF DEEP OFFSHORE MINI-BID ROUND deep waters offshore Nigeria.

“On behalf of the federal government of Nigeria, the NUPRC is pleased to announce the commencement of the 2022 mini-bid round. The mini-bid round is an opportunity to spur new exploration and drilling activities in the prospective deep waters offshore Nigeria,” Komolafe said.

According to him, the round was aimed at further development of the deep offshore acreages which would be held in accordance with the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA), 2021, with its enhanced legal and regulatory frameworks that seek to encourage new investors and investments into the next phase of exploration.

The bid process, he said, would be managed by the NUPRC, in line with the provisions of the PIA, as the statutory body responsible for ensuring compliance with petroleum laws, regulations, and guidelines in the Nigerian upstream petroleum industry.

Komolafe further promised that the National Data Repository (NDR) of the NUPRC and its multi-client partners were delighted and ready to support the exercise underpinned by high quality datasets.

“The blocks have extensive 2D and 3D seismic data coverage, including multi-beam and analogue data. Additionally, a remarkable quality, 3D MegaSurveyPlus reprocessed Pre-stack Time Migration (completed October 2022), with angle stacks and gathers is also available to prospective bidders.

Links to all data can be accessed via the dedicated NUPRC portal,” he added.

According to him, the minibid round was a market-driven programme and would follow a transparent and competitive procurement process designed to attract competent third-party investors from across the world that have the capability and proficiency in operating in deepwater environment.

Historically, Komolafe stated that the exercise intends to build on the successes of the last bid round that held in April 2007 during which a total of 45 blocks, drawn from the inland Basins of Anambra, Benue and Chad; the Niger Delta Continental Shelf; Onshore Niger Delta and Deep Offshore were put on offer.

The 2007 bid round, he pointed

out, was held under a different regulatory regime (the Petroleum Act, 1969) and generated massive interest and participation with its attended revenue which made the exercise a success.

“In this 2022 mini-bid round, seven offshore blocks covering an area of approximately 6,700 sq km in water depths of 1,150m to 3,100m were put on offer.

“The success of the mini-bid round will ensure all stakeholders gain value from the country’s resources, whilst paying close attention to reduction in carbon emissions, as well as overall environmental, social and governance (ESG) considerations,” he said.

He recalled that a dedicated programme portal had been published by the NUPRC which provides details of the bid round process, including the registration and prequalification requirements and detailed guidelines for applicants.

Komolafe further reiterated that the pre-bid conference was scheduled for January 16, 2023, to provide potential applicants with an opportunity to ask questions they may have concerning the process and requirements.

After this, he said that interested companies would be invited to submit their pre-qualification applications by January 31, 2023, assuring that the NUPRC would continue to provide further details and roadmap for the international competitive bid in due course.

Earlier, it was learnt that the offshore assets are located off the city of Lagos, rather than off the coast of the Niger Delta further to the east where most of the country’s oil industry's assets are concentrated.

The decision to put up the assets for sale is coming months after the NUPRC concluded the disposal of 57 marginal fields after a long and winding process to ramp up the country’s struggling oil production efforts.

The NUPRC had also resumed a separate bidding round for firms interested in commercialising gas that is flared by oil producers.

Separately, Komolafe had stated that that the bid round was open to foreign and local bidders with the technical wherewithal, explaining that the projected revenue can only be revealed after the initial ‘prospectivity’ analysis on the basis of data made available.

terrorists had no control over any space in Nigeria.

“Some people have acknowledged the difference,’’ he added.

Buhari said some of the challenges faced in the past, which included coups and counter-coups, and civil war, had prepared the nation for survival.

“We thank God that Nigeria is still one,’’ he said.

“We should not forget that more than a million died for the nation to survive.’’

The president noted that he had been part of Nigeria’s history since 1967, fighting in the civil war, serving as governor, minister, Head of State, Chairman of Petroleum Trust Fund, contesting presidential elections in 2003, 2007 and 2011, before winning in 2015.

Buhari also described the Catholic Bishop of Sokoto Diocese, Kukah, who was also in attendance, as a vigorous fighter.

The visit came few weeks after Kukah, in his 2022 Christmas message delivered at the St. Mary Catholic Church, Sokoto,

had lamented that Buhari had failed to fulfill the promises he made to Nigerians in 2015. The cleric had said the president was leaving office in good health while Nigerians were in pain as a result of his failed promises.

Adesina, in a post on his Facebook page, said Buhari displayed no form of malice to the cleric when he met him yesterday.

“When the bishop came into the council chamber, the venue of the visit, he pulled me, and started laughing, asking whether we should be fighting or greeting each other. We laughed heartily.

“During group photographs, the President, never holding malice against anyone, shook hands with the bishop, describing him as ‘most vigorous fighter.’ After it all, the bishop invited me for a personal picture with him. Bishop Kukah was cooking peace this time, and how refreshing it was,” Adesina added on his Facebook post.

Earlier in his remarks, the leader of the delegation and President of the CBCN, Most Rev. Lucius

Iwejuru Ugorji, commended the president for reforms in the electoral system, making it more stable and fair, particularly, the signing of the Electoral Bill into law.

He added: “We commend and congratulate you for the efforts the government has put into ensuring real improvement in our electoral system and processes, especially your signing into law the electoral bill.

“Please do not relent in making sure that INEC and other relevant agencies of government carry out their serious duties to conduct peaceful, free, fair, and credible elections."

Ugorji urged the president to use the remaining months in office as Commander-in-Chief to tackle insecurity in the country, and improve the economy.

“The main crux of our message to you today is one of fervent appeal and strong encouragement.

Your tenure of two terms as President, Commander-In-Chief of Nigeria, is drawing to an end.

“But we believe a lot can be

done to turn things around for the better in the about four months left of your presidency before you step down in May 2023.

“We have seen some signs that the government is not entirely incapable of tackling the sad state of insecurity in the land, which has consumed thousands of innocent Nigerians across all religions, creed, and ethnic groups,’’ the cleric noted.

The Catholic Bishops presented a souvenir to Buhari, containing a letter of encouragement and prayers for the forthcoming elections.

Multi-party Democracy Better than Military Rule, Says Buhari

In another development, President Buhari has declared that multi-party system of government is far better than military rule.

According to him, having served as military Head of state and civilian president, he could attest to the fact that multi-party Continued on page 41

WITH 43 DAYS TO GO, INEC VOWS ELECTIONS TO HOLD AS SCHEDULED tive following a statement credited to the Chairman, Board of Electoral Institute (BEI), Abdullahi Zuru, who had warned that the polls faced threat of cancellation if the level of insecurity across the country continued.

But Yakubu recalled that on February 26, 2022, the commission released the timetable and schedule of activities for the 2023 general election, saying since then, the commission had been relentlessly implementing the 14 step-by-step activities listed in the timetable.

He noted that some of the major activities included the conduct of primaries by political parties, nomination of candidates, the publication of list of candidates and commencement of campaign by political parties.

According to him, with the presentation of the register of voters to political parties at the meeting, the commission has now successfully implemented 11 out of the 14 activities on schedule, adding that the implementation of other activities has proceeded in earnest.

The INEC chairman stressed that already, substantial quantities of sensitive and non-sensitive materials had been deployed to the various locations across the country while the last batch of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) had been received, adding that the ongoing configuration of the critical technology in readiness for elections would soon be completed.

Yakubu stressed that in the last two days, the commission has commenced the airlifting of other sensitive materials to the states across the country.

"Already, some of the materials for 17 states in three geo-political zones have been delivered. Furthermore, 13,868,441 Permanent Voters’ Cards (PVCs) have been printed, delivered to states and are being collected by citizens as new voters or by existing voters who applied for transfer or replacement of cards as provided by law.

"In short, at no time in the recent history of the commission has so much of the forward planning and implementation been accomplished 44 days ahead of a general election.

"Therefore, the commission is not

contemplating any adjustment to the election timetable, let alone the postponement of the general election."

The chairman noted that for the avoidance of doubt, the presidential and National Assembly elections would hold on Saturday, February 25, 2023, while the governorship and state assembly elections would hold two weeks later on Saturday, March 11, 2023.

"The repeated assurance by the security agencies for the adequate protection of our personnel, materials and processes also reinforces our determination to proceed. The 2023 general election will hold as scheduled. Any report to the contrary is not the official position of the commission," he clarified.

Yakubu pointed out that as a further affirmation of the Commission’s readiness to conduct the election as scheduled, the final register of voters had been compiled.

He said Nigeria had a voter population of 84,004,084 in the 2019 general election, adding that after the cleaning up of the data from the last Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise held between June 2021 - July 2022, 9,518,188 new voters were added to the previous register resulting in the preliminary register of 93,522,272, which was presented to Nigerians for claims and objections as required by law.

Yakubu stated: "At the end of the period for claims and objections by citizens, the commission received 53,264 objections from Nigerians to the prevalence of ineligible persons on the register by virtue of age, citizenship or death. These names have been verified and removed from the register.

“Consequently, the register of voters for the 2023 general election stands at 93,469,008. Of this cumulative figure, 49,054,162 (52.5 per cent) are male while 44,414,846 (47.5 per cent) are female.

“The distribution by age group shows that 37,060,399 (39.65 per cent) are youth between the ages of 18 and 34; 33,413,591 (35.75 per cent) are middle aged persons between the ages of 35 and 49; 17,700,270 (18.94 per cent) are elderly voters between the ages of 50 and 69 while 5,294,748 (5.66 per cent) are senior

citizens aged 70 and above.

"In terms of occupational distribution, students constitute the largest category with 26,027,481 (27.8 per cent) of all voters, followed by 14,742,554 (15.8 per cent) Farmers/ Fishermen and 13,006,939 (13.9 per cent) housewives.

“The data on disability was not collected for previous registration.

However, the cumulative figure of 85,362 persons from the recent CVR indicates that there are 21,150 (24.5 per cent) persons with Albinism; 13,387 (15.7 per cent) with physical impediment and 8,103 (9.5 per cent) are blind."

Also, voter distribution per state revealed that Lagos State leads with 7,060,195 registered voters; followed by Kano with 5,921,370; Kaduna, 4,335,208; Rivers, 3,537,190; Katsina, 3,516,719; Oyo 3,276,675; Delta, 3,222,697.

Yakubu reiterated INEC's commitment to transparent, credible and inclusive 2023 general election, while promising that the commission would continue to take every step to protect the sanctity of the votes cast by citizens and to deal with infractions, "including the arrest and prosecution of persons that attempt to perpetuate illegality at polling units on election Day, be they underaged voters or vote buyers."

Also speaking at the meeting, the Secretary of Inter Party Advisory Council, (IPAC), Yusuf Dantale, commended the commission for ensuring that power was transferred to the common man with its effort to conduct free and fair elections.

He added: "We are equally aware of some of the frictions in the system to ensure that efforts of the commission are truncated.

But political parties have resolved to ensure that we cooperate with the commission to ensure that the commission has smooth and successful elections."

Dantale said IPAC had resolved to cooperate with the commission and vowed that political parties would resist anti- democratic forces in the system.

He said the forthcoming election would be different because of the new Electoral Act which has given rise to many innovations.

Meanwhile, the Resident Electoral

Commissioner in charge of Kwara State, Mallam Attahiru Madami, has also said the general election would hold as planned.

He disclosed this in Ilorin, the state capital on the sideline of the symposium organised by veteran journalists group in the state.

The title of the symposium was, "Towards a Peaceful 2023 General Election."

The guest speaker of the event was a legal luminary, Mallam Yusuf Ali. He charged Nigerians to be responsible and avoid violence to ensure peaceful polls.

Madami, who said that the commission was prepared to sustain peaceful conduct of elections in the state, added that the state had been recognised for achieving peaceful conduct of elections over the years, especially in 2019.

While assuring the political parties of unbiased process in the elections in the state, Madami said one of the reasons for violence during any election is a biased umpire.

He also identified the presence of adequate security, involving all law enforcement agencies, as measures to achieve peaceful conduct of the elections.

"Let's sustain the peace in the state. Elections can be violent when the umpire is biased. Adequate security should be provided and be civil.

"INEC has assured that election will hold despite the doubts by some Nigerians. Youths should be admonished to shun violence.

Women should do that, especially mothers. We should all preach unity.

Violence will take us nowhere", he said.

The state governor, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq who was represented by his special adviser on Strategy, Alhaji Saadu Salahu, restated his administration's continued support for the media and newsmen, serving and retired in the state.

He said his administration was committed to peaceful coexistence of the people of the state, adding that Kwara remains one of the most secured states in the country as attested to by the Inspector General of Police during his recent visit to the state.

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WELCOME TO NIGERIA...

L-R: Special Assistant, Mrs. Evelyne Simone; President, Universal Peace Federation Africa, Mr. Adama Doumbia; Chairperson for Universal Peace Federation International, Dr. Katherine Rigney; Chairman of Universal PHOTO: SUNDAY AGHAEZE. Peace Federation International, Dr. Thmoas Walsh; and President Muhammadu Buhari, during an audience with the delegation at the State House Abuja...yesterday

APC Asks Atiku to Come Clean on His Health, Alleged Corruption Tinubu unfit to lead Nigerians as president, PDP fires back Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja The ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has called on the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, to come clean about his health and alleged corruption issues using Special Purpose Vehicles after he became Vice-President in 1999.

But in a swift response, the main opposition party declared the presidential candidate of APC, Senator Bola Tinubu, unfit to lead Nigerians as president.

The APC call came following the recent release of an audio clip by a whistleblower where allegations were made against Atiku

The Director of Media and Publicity of the APC Presidential Campaign Council (PCC) of the (PCC), Bayo Onanuga, in a statement issued yesterday, said if Atiku has some modicum of honour, he ought to have stepped down from the race.

He said: "It’s time for Atiku Abubakar, the 76 year-old presidential candidate of Peoples Democratic Party to come clean over two issues clouding his campaign: his health status and his scandalous confession of how he colluded with his former boss, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo to fleece the Nigerian treasury, using the Special Purpose Vehicles after he became Vice-President in 1999.

"If Atiku has some modicum of

honour, he ought to have stepped down from the race that he is bound to lose again, following the release of his audio clip, in which he provides a vivid explanation into the modus operandi of his legendary corruption."

Onanuga said since the revelation, there had been no notable response from Atiku’s camp about the disturbing revelation, except for a futile attempt to disown the whistleblower, Michael Achimugu, a media consultant to Atiku.

He noted that Nigerians are appalled that Atiku and PDP are so shameless that they have shrugged off the bombshell.

To this end, Onanuga implored

Nigerians to hold Atiku to account over the shocking revelation by rejecting him at the polls in February.

He added: "Atiku is also not talking about his health status even when his hirelings daily make futile attempts to divert public attention to his main rival by cooking up lies upon lies. Whereas Atiku is the candidate that Nigerians should be sorely worried about.

"The lies of several years and the various diversionary tactics are no longer sustainable. Atiku's edifice of lies is about to crash on him.

The PDP presidential candidate is certainly not okay, the papering efforts notwithstanding."

Onanuga stressed that eyebrows

Citing Failing Health CUPP's Spokesman Begs Buhari for Kanu's Release Condemns terrorism charge against Emefiele Alex Enumah in Abuja The spokesman of the Coalition of United Political Parties (CUPP), Mr. Imo Ugochinyere, has called on President Muhammadu Buhari to intervene and direct for the unconditional release of the leader of Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Mr. Nnamdi Kanu.

Kanu, who has been in custody of the Department of State Service (DSS) since 2021, when he was forcibly renditioned to Nigeria from Kenya, was said to be "dying slowly" due to deterioration of his health in custody.

CUPP's spokesman yesterday told journalists at his country home

in Akokwa in Ideato North Local Government Area of Imo State, that the country might erupt in crisis if Kanu dies in the custody of the DSS. Ugochinyere accordingly, advised Buhari to order the DSS to release Kanu to attend to his health issues.

According to him, the continuous detention of Kanu in DSS’ custody was illegal, based on the judgment of the Court of Appeal, Abuja Division and a State High Court of Abia State in Umuahia, which ordered for his release.

He, therefore, urged Buhari to release Kanu in the interest of national unity, equity and justice.

"I got off the phone from the

lawyer to Mazi Nnamdi Kanu where his deteriorating health condition was brought to my notice. I want to urge Mr. president in the interest of peace and security to order the release of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu.

"There are several court judgements which have declared his continuous detention illegal. Mr. president has the constitutional power through the Attorney general to order for the discontinuance of the matter.

Kanu should be released then we come to the negotiation table and address those issues that led to the agitation," he added.

The CUPP spokesman who also condemned the terrorism charges

Nigeria’s Box Office Generated N6.94bn Revenue in 2022 Vanessa Obioha The Cinema Exhibitors Association of Nigeria (CEAN) said it generated N6.94 billion as revenue in 2022.

The National President, CEAN, Mr. Opeyemi Ajayi, said this in an interview, yesterday in Lagos.

Ajayi said there had been an appreciable increase in revenue generation in 2022, compared with the previous years.

“The box office raked in N4.74 billion in 2021, N2.1billion in 2020, N6.4 billion in 2019 and N5.98 billion in 2018.

“For 2022, the increase in average ticket price led to revenue growth and admissions remained flat in previous year.

“Nigeria continues to lead recovery in Africa, post COVID on the back of strong local industry.

Also, Hollywood continues to focus on African content and engagement is very positive for the box office.

“We observed that ‘Black Panther’ is on track to become first N1 billion movie,” he said.

Ajayi said for the 2023 outlook, gross revenue and admissions were expected to grow by a minimum of 20 per cent.

He said some factors had been observed to drive growth in the new year as five cinemas were opened in the fourth quarter of 2022, and a minimum of three new locations were expected to open in the first half of 2023.

“This will be a positive addition to the box office,” he said.

He said a 10 to 15 per cent increase on ticket price would potentially drive box office revenue in 2023, because independent cinemas constituted 25 per cent of the market share at present, although they were faced with low ticket price.

preferred against the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Mr. Godwin Emefiele, asked Buhari to instruct DSS to withdraw its terrorism charges against Emefiele. He said many were viewing Emefiele's ordeal in the hands of DSS as a witch-hunt against the southern people.

He also added that the DSS wouldn't have picked up on Emefiele if he was a northerner.

He also carpeted lawmakers at the Imo State House of Assembly for voting against a resolution for the independence of the judiciary, local government autonomy and parliamentary autonomy.

were raised when Atiku did not return to the country after the December holidays to continue his 5th campaign for Nigeria’s presidency.

He noted: "We have it on good authority that Atiku indeed fell ill, while missing on the field. He was indeed in the UK for some medical help, though handlers camouflage that he was there on the invitation of some British officials at Whitehall, in a mimic of the earlier visit of the APC rival, Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

"Despite the efforts by his handlers to showcase Atiku as healthy and physically fit to endure the rigours of the presidential campaign, pictures from rallies have belied this. Campaign pictures sometimes showed him being helped to descend steps at stadia. Sometimes, he walked with apparent handicap, dragging his feet."

Onanuga said a man who wants to rule Nigeria and wants Nigerians to repose some trust in him must immediately and honestly address the twin issues of his health and the alleged corruption levelled against him.

However, the PDP declared that Tinubu is unfit to lead over 200 million Nigerians as president.

The Spokesperson of the Atiku/ Okowa Campaign Organisation, Kola Ologbondiyan, in a statement, said it was imperative to observe that its campaign had focused on issues and refrained from Tinubu’s appalling health issues prior to the ignoble public dance of the Tinubu/ Shettima campaign.

According to him, since Tinubu by himself has opened the channels for Nigerians to examine his ill-health, “we have no other

option than to further expose that the APC candidate must be suffering from manifest Parkinson’s disease accompanied with incontinence.”

Ologbondiyan explained that Parkinson’s disease is a brain disorder whose symptoms include shaking hands, stiffness of limbs, difficulty with coordination, problem with balance when walking; articulation disorder, memory problems, as well as general mental and physical weakness which are all being witnessed in the APC presidential candidate.

He said: "This perhaps accounts for the desperation, the endless gaffes, the articulation errors, the incoherence, the many blunders and disconnection from reality for which Asiwaju Tinubu has become the butt of weird jokes among Nigerians and internationally.”

The spokesperson stressed that it was rather unfortunate that the APC presidential candidate, who cannot stand erect or walk up an elevation unaided, and who was reported in the public space as being challenged by incontinence could attempt to speak on the health status of any Nigerian.

"In any case, Nigerians are aware that Tinubu is not ethically, physically and mentally fit to hold office as the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, unlike the descent, honest, physically, mentally and emotionally fit Atiku Abubakar, who exhibits the manifest readiness, intellectual alertness, capacity and experience to lead our nation at this critical time," Ologbondiyan added.

He noted that those pushing "Emilokan's" candidature cannot claim to be unaware that he was not fit to preside over a country of 200 million people.

BUHARI TO CATHOLIC BISHOPS: I WILL REPOSITION ECONOMY, IMPROVE SECURITY BEFORE LEAVING OFFICE democratic rule is the best form of government.

Speaking yesterday at the State House, Abuja, while playing host to a delegation of the Universal Peace Federation, the President while delving into his experience with both military and civilian rule, wondered why some African countries were still descending into the abyss of unconstitutional change of government, saying: “I thought we had finally put that behind us.”

On the Peace Summit being planned for Abuja, to bring all African countries together before

the end of his administration

by May, 2023, President Buhari pledged Nigeria’s support, “relative to resources, to help in stabilising neighboring countries.”

He decried the problems in the Sahel belt of the continent, lamenting that it is of great concern, as it affects both agriculture and businesses negatively.

The president described the interest of Universal Peace Federation Africa in the continent as “quite genuine,” saying he was very pleased at the development.

Earlier in their speeches, Chairperson of the Federation in Africa, Dr, Katherine Rigney

and Chairman, Universal Peace Federation International, Dr. Thomas Walsh, said they believed the forthcoming summit in Nigeria “will top them all,” having held similar meetings in the past in Niger Republic, Senegal, Sao Tome and Principe, South Africa, among others.

During the Abuja Summit, President Buhari will be given the Leadership and Good Governance Award, “as appreciation of the fantastic results you’ve brought to Nigeria, and a celebration of your anti-corruption credentials," according to the organisers.

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EKITI PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN COMMITTEE...

L-R: Ekiti State Deputy Governor, Mrs. Monisade Afuye; Governor Biodun Oyebanji; Immediate past Governor of the state, Dr. Kayode Fayemi; and State Deputy Chairman, All Progressives Congress, Mr. Sola Elesin, at the inauguration of the 143-member State Presidential Campaign Committee in Ado-Ekiti…yesterday

At Enugu, Tinubu Pledges to Restore Coal Mining, Revive Economy Party leaders in state boycott rally, blame Imo governor for crisis APC-PCC releases revised campaign calendar Gideon Arinze in Enugu The presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator Bola Tinubu, yesterday pledged that his administration would revive the abandoned mining of coal in Enugu State to boost the state's economy if elected as president.

Tinubu made the promise yesterday in Enugu, during the party's presidential rally which was held at Okpara Square.

The APC candidate also used the opportunity to campaign for other candidates of the party, including the governorship candidate in the state, Uche Nnaji.

However, leaders of the party in the state, including Foreign Affairs Minister, Mr. Geoffrey Onyeama; former Senate President, Senator Ken Nnamani, former Enugu Governor, Sullivan Chime; former Speaker, Enugu State House of Assembly, Hon. Eugene Odoh; former Secretary to the Enugu State Government, Chief Onyemuche Nnamani; the Director-General of Voice of Nigeria, Mr. Osita Okechukwu, the immediate past chairman of the party in the state, Ben Nwoye and a presidential aide, Mrs. Juliet Ibekaku boycotted the party's presidential campaign rally.

Tinubu's running mate, Kashim Shettima was also absent at the rally.

After the leaders received Tinubu

at the Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu, they diverted to Chime's Enugu residence, where they addressed journalists to send a clear signal to the national leadership of the APC that something urgently needed to be done over the crisis rocking the Enugu State chapter of the party.

The leaders blamed Imo State governor, Hope Uzodimma for allegedly hijacking the APC structure in Enugu State, thereby disorganising the party.

They said t they were not privy to all the preparations and programmes for the rally.

However, they described Tinubu as a good candidate, assuring that they would work for his victory in the presidential election.

In his address, Chime said: "We received our presidential candidate at the airport. We believe in him, he is the best. "However, we were not at Okpara Square because of the internal issues we have in Enugu within the party. It has been there and this is because sometime in October, 2021, a non-member was foisted on us after the botched state party congress as a so-called chairman."

Speaking further, he said: "The party leaders went to Abuja, complained but nobody took them seriously, the issues continued. So, we have to distance ourselves from the local chapter of the party."

"After today, we expect that the party will do the right thing."

He said the leaders would ensure that Tinubu gets more than the required 25 per cent in Enugu, adding that the major thing was the election and not the rally.

Meanwhile at the rally, Tinubu advised supporters of the party in Enugu State to ensure that they collect their PVCs and vote for the party in February.

"Enugu State will become an industrial hub because the state has vast mineral resources that can propel economic recovery," he said.

He said unlike the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) which held power since 1999 and couldn't do anything for Nigerians, the APC has shown how committed it is to the welfare of Nigerians, especially in terms of infrastructural development.

"It is the APC administration that completed the Second Niger

The Edo State Government has recorded new three cases of Lassa fever, raising the total number of confirmed cases on admission to 26.

Addressing journalists in Benin City, the Commissioner for Health, Prof. Obehi Akoria, who decried the rising cases of the disease in the state, charged residents to observe preventive measures against the spread of Lassa fever to protect themselves and their loved ones from the disease.

Akoria noted that the confirmed persons, including 10 adult males and nine females, as well as seven children are currently receiving medical care at the Irrua Specialist Teaching Hospital (ISTH).

continued to record a steady increase in the number of cases of Lassa fever, with a total of 26 persons currently on admission at the Irrua Specialist Teaching Hospital (ISTH). The 26 confirmed cases on admission which include seven children, 10 adult males, and nine adult females, are all stable and responding to treatment.”

Reassuring the government’s commitment to ensuring the health and safety of Edo citizens, the Commissioner noted, “Lassa fever is preventable. Edo State no longer has the highest burden of Lassa fever in the country. This is proof that our interventions are working and that Lassa fever can be prevented.”

She added: “Lassa fever is a viral

showed that President Muhammadu Buhari was expected to attend rallies in Kwara State on January 17; Bauchi on January 23 while he would lead the South-west zone campaign to Ogun State on January 25th.

The Sokoto campaign earlier slated for January 16 would hold on January 29, and while the SouthSouth mega rally was expected to hold in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State capital on the January 30th.

The president would grace the rally in Lafia, Nasarawa State on February 4, while he would play the chief host on the 6th in Kastina State. He is billed to storm Owerri, Imo State on February 14.

According to the schedule, the president would also attend the grand finale rally of the campaign on February 18 in Lagos.

By the revised timetable, Tinubu was slated to have an interactive session with the NESG on January

13, and engage all APC state chairmen, governorship and National Assembly candidates the next day.

The campaign train would on January 19, hit Calabar while Taraba State would play host to the campaign team on 20th in Jigawa State and move on the 21st to Abia State; Benue (24th); Benue and Zamfara States are hosting on the 26th and 28th respectively while the campaign council round up the month in Anambra on the 31st of January.

The vice presidential candidate of the party was billed for the launch of tractors for the All Farmers Progressive Association in Abuja on 27th January. Kebbi would play host to the campaign team on the 1st of February while Ekiti and Osun would take their turn on the 2nd and 3rd of February.

Continues online

Support Groups PassVote of Confidence on Emefiele Sunday Aborisade in Abuja A group under the aegis of SouthSouth Buhari Support Group has passed a vote of confidence in the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Mr. Godwin Emefiele,

Edo Govt Confirms 26 Cases of Lassa Fever, Tasks ResidentsAccording ontoPreventive Measures her, “Edo State has illness caused by the Lassa virus and

Adibe Emenyonu in Benin City

Bridge which the PDP started and abandoned for years," he said, adding that his administration was coming to sweep away every bad leadership.

Earlier in their separate remarks, the governors of Imo and Ebonyi States, Hope Uzodimma and Dave Umahi said Tinubu would emerge victorious as he has a proven track record of accomplishments.

Also, yesterday, the APC Presidential Campaign Council (PCC) released the revised campaign calendar of the party’s presidential candidate ahead of the February 25th elections.

The review came after a crucial and strategic meeting among the presidential flag bearer, Tinubu, Shetimma, members of the Progressive Governors’ Forum (PGF) and the Campaign Council in Abuja on Monday night in Abuja.

A copy of the revised timetable

is transmitted to humans through contact with the urine or feces of infected rats, or through direct contact with the blood, urine, semen, or breast milk of infected humans. The symptoms of Lassa fever include fever, headache, malaise, weakness, muscle pain, chest pain, sore throat, vomiting, and diarrhea, as well as hemorrhage in severe cases.”

Akoria encouraged residents to avoid bush burning, indiscriminate waste disposal and maintain high standards of communal hygiene.

She further implored healthcare providers to desist from managing illnesses beyond their scope and to promptly refer such cases as early treatment is key to survival and containing spread.

for the effective implementation of the monetary policies of the President Muhammadu Buhari's administration.

The group in a statement signed by its Coordinator Mr. John Israel, and made available to THISDAY in Abuja yesterday, warned that it would not tolerate further assault on the CBN Governor.

The SSBSG Coordinator said the warning became necessary following recent alarm on a fresh plot to launch coordinated attack and smear campaigns against Emefiele.

The group described as unthinkable and unacceptable that the Department of State Service (DSS) would casually, accuse Emefiele, of financing terrorism.

The South-south group recalled the manner in which the former Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Walter Onnoghen, and several other top public office holders from the Southern Regions were scandalously removed from office.

It cautioned the security agencies to ensure their duties were carried out dispassionately and professionally.

The group also warned that if anything untoward happens to Emefiele there shall be severe consequences.

Part of the statement read, "Despite recent court ruling, we heard they want to yet again come up with plan to fabricate another allegation to help them arrest the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Mr. Godwin Emefiele, and force him to resign.

"This made this warning necessary, as we approach the 2023 general election.

"What is the evidence that the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Mr. Godwin Emefiele, is involved in terrorism financing?

"If the allegations against the CBN Governor are genuine, why didn’t the DSS present its findings to the President for consideration and necessary action?

"It is common knowledge that Emefiele, has been carrying out Mr. President’s directives and instructions religiously.

"The CBN Governor has been doing everything to salvage the national economy, with several intervention schemes in agriculture and the small and medium enterprises, among others.”

Meanwhile, the African Bar Association, the global body for all practicing lawyers in Africa, has warned the DSS or any other

security agency to desist from their planned arrest of Emefiele.

The AFBA in a statement said arresting the apex bank's boss could lead to anarchy and possibly derail the 2023 general elections.

The association in the statement signed by its chairman on the Human and constitutional Rights Committee, Sonnie Ekwowusi, specifically asked the DSS to comply fully with the decision of the Federal High Court.

Ekwowusi said the Court bared the DSS or any other security from arresting or inviting the CBN Governor over the alleged fabricated charged of terrorism and economic crimes .

He said, "We the international lawyers insist that rule of law must be followed ,and in the case of the CBN governor and DSS ,the statuesquo must be maintained until all the legal processes are fully exhausted. " AFBA said the reported move by the DSS to arrest Emefiele despite court decision restraining them was beginning to send wrong signals abroad about Nigeria.

According to him, violation of the decision of the court was a recipe to anarchy and could derail the upcoming electoral process in Nigeria.

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OFFICIAL ENGAGEMENT...

L-R: Bayelsa State Deputy Governor, Senator Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo; Governor Douye Diri; Justice Patience Diri; State Chief Judge, Justice Kate Abiri; and Senior lawyer, Mr. Thompson Okpoko SAN, during the inauguration of the remodelled State High Court at Onopa in Yenagoa…yesterday

Edo State Govt: 20 Train Passengers Abducted, Not 32 as Reported Rescue operation intensifies for 13 victims Adibe Emenyonu in Benin City Edo State has said only 20 persons were kidnapped in the Saturday train abduction saga, and not 32 as previously reported.

It said with the rescue of seven hostages in the kidnappers’ den, only 13 persons are presently in custody of the abductors.

The State Commissioner for Communication and Orientation, Chris Nekhihare, who stated this yesterday, said the latest information was gotten from security intelligence.

According to him, "From intelligence report, the kidnappers only took 20 hostages as against 32 initially reported."

Besides, the Edo State government’s spokesman, disclosed that in pursuant to this, the state deputy governor, Philip Shaibu, has met with Igueben community leaders, heads of security agencies to assure

residents of measures to check crime He quoted Shaibu as saying that the government was strengthening security to check crime and criminality, vowing that the Governor Godwin Obaseki-led administration would make the

President Muhammadu Buhari, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, and the Deputy Speaker, Hon. Idris Wase, yesterday congratulated the President of the Senate, Dr. Ahmad Lawan, as he marks his 64th birthday anniversary today, sharing the joyous occasion with the National Assembly.

The president, in a statement issued yesterday, by his Media Adviser, Femi Adesina, joined family members, friends, and political associates in celebrating the Senate President, who has a profile of being one of the most experienced legislators in the country, having served eight years in the House of Representatives, 1999-2007, and almost 12 years in the Senate.

Buhari affirmed that Lawan, after leaving his career path as a lecturer and researcher, deployed his vast knowledge in shaping policies and strengthening democracy in Nigeria by always showing maturity, and advocating a win-win for all stakeholders.

Clifford Ordia and the Speaker, Edo State House of Assembly, Marcus Onobun, where he called for calm among residents of Igueben LGA, urged members of the public to provide useful information that will aid rescue efforts by security

agencies.

He noted that Shaibu informed the people of what government was doing to give morale boost to troops on ground and also review the security strategy, warning the people of the consequences

of harbouring terrorists in their domain, while telling the royal father's within the area to sit up because if government found out that they let out their facilities to be used by the kidnappers, such facilities will be seized.

Diri Inaugurates First Electronic Court-filing System in Nigeria Olusegun Samuel in Yenagoa Bayelsa State yesterday recorded a first in Nigeria with the launch of its electronic court-filing system, which will quicken the process of litigation and administration of justice in the state.

Governor Douye Diri launched the new filing system while inaugurating the remodelled State High Court complex at Onopa,

Buhari, Gbajabiamila, Wase Congratulate Senate President, Lawan, on 64th Birthday Deji Elumoye and Udora Orizu in Abuja

state unsafe for kidnappers and other criminal elements to thrive.

He said the deputy governor was joined at the meeting by other top government officials, including the Senator representing Edo Central Senatorial District, Senator.

The president noted the historic interventions of the Senate President, particularly providing a peaceful and harmonious leadership for the Ninth National Assembly that has translated into many gains for the country on legislation and passing of bills into law. Buhari prayed for the well-being of Senator Lawan and his family.

Also, Gbajabiamila in his statement lauded the contributions of the President of the Senate to the Nigerian Legislature from 1999 to date, noting that as a presiding officer in the ninth assembly, he has demonstrated his experience and expertise acquired over the years.

The Speaker said working with the President of the Senate for almost four years as one of the presiding officers of the ninth assembly had been a worthwhile experience.

On his part, Wase described the President of the Senate as committed democrat who have consistently demonstrated exceptional capacity in running the affairs of the red chamber.

The Deputy Speaker prayed to Almighty Allah to grant him good health, wisdom to continue to offer selfless service to mankind.

Yenagoa.

The reconstructed complex is named after the pioneer Chief Judge of the state, the late Justice Koripamo David Ungbuku.

Senator Diri congratulated the state’s outgoing Chief Judge, Justice Kate Abiri, for the construction and completion of the project in record time.

A statement by the governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Daniel Alabrah, quoted him as saying that the electronic filing of documents and work-based access to court materials had become common place in many developed jurisdictions around the world.

Lauding Justice Abiri for outstanding 13 years of service as head of the state’s judiciary, Diri said the impressive new structure with its modern design is a mark of how much the state judiciary has progressed under her watch.

He also commended the Chief Judge of Borno State, Justice

Kashim Zana, for assisting the Bayelsa judiciary achieve the feat towards enhancing the speedy administration of justice.

The governor said it was fitting that the remodelled court complex was named after Justice Ungbuku, describing the gesture as a mark of honour to the late jurist who served the state meritoriously.

"I like to commend Justice Abiri for working with the executive arm of government to deliver good governance. Our Prosperity Administration views the judiciary as an important pillar of our democracy. And that is why we have continued to give other arms of government their dues without hindrance. What we see today is the outcome of that cordial working relationship.

"This edifice is named after late Justice Ungbuku. I see this as an act of remembrance and honour to those who have served our state.

Justice Ungbuku is actually one

of our heroes past in the judiciary of Bayelsa State."

The governor also commended the local contractor, Engr. Iniebi Warikoru, for delivering an impressive job and recommended him to the state Ministries of Works and Housing and Urban Development.

In her remarks, Justice Abiri expressed gratitude to Governor Diri for his administration's support, particularly the prompt release of funds for capital projects in the judiciary.

The chief judge said benefits of the electronic filing process cannot be over-emphasized, noting that members of the Bar and Bench were ready to embrace the technology as training was already ongoing.

Abiri, who also unveiled the practice direction at the event, explained that remodelling of the complex, which originally had two court halls and 24 offices, was concluded within six months, equipped with additional two new

court halls and 12 offices.

Also speaking, the Borno State Chief Judge, Justice Kashim Zana, said with the electronic filing technology in place, wherever there is internet connectivity, lawyers can file their cases anywhere in the world to aid quick dispensation of justice.

Justice Zana also announced that the first lawyer to utilise it would win the National Judicial Council (NJC) prize.

First son of the late Justice Ungbuku, Owendu Ungbuku, expressed appreciation to the governor and Abiri for the honour done to his father, who he noted served the state judiciary for six years after being the Rivers State Chief Judge for four years.

Goodwill messages were also delivered by the State Chairman, Nigeria Bar Association, Mr. Okunbiriowei Saiyo, Mr. Larry Selekeowei (SAN) and Thompson Okpoko (SAN).

Muslim-Muslim Ticket Not Barrier to Tinubu’s Victory, Says Akume George Okoh in Makurdi The Minister of Special Duties and Inter-Governmental Affairs, Senator George Akume, has said the MuslimMuslim presidential ticket of the All Progressives Congress (APC), should not constitute a barrier to the election of Senator Bola Tinubu and Kashim Shetima as president and vice president of the country in the coming general election.

He said the ticket remains the best for the country stressing that those on a mission to deceive Nigerians in order to deny them the benefit of voting the candidates do not mean well for the country.

The minister who spoke during the official flag-off of the Benue

State APC gubernatorial campaign in Gboko Local Government Area, likened the ticket to the AbiolaKingibe ticket of 1993 that enjoyed the massive support of Nigerians.

He said: “Let nobody deceive you, forget about what they say about Muslim-Muslim. What is Muslim-Muslim, what Nigeria needs at this time is a team that can deliver and the Tinubu/Shetima combination is what we need at this time in the country.”

While drumming support for the gubernatorial candidates of the party in the state, Akume urged the people to rally round the APC in the state to ensure its victory in the coming elections.

Addressing the gathering, the

National Chairman of the APC, Senator Abdullahi Adamu, enjoined the leadership of the party in the state to work hard to dislodge the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) from the state.

Represented by the APC National Vice Chairman, North Central, Alhaji Mu’azu Rijau, Adamu urged them to embark on mass mobilization across the state to ensure the victory of the party in the elections.

The Executive Secretary, Nigeria Shippers Council, Mr. Emmanuel Jime, who represented by the APC senatorial candidate for Benue North West District, Titus Zam, urged Benue people to vote Tinubu-Shettima for presidency, Rev. Fr. Alia for governor and all other

APC candidates in the election.

The governorship candidate of the party, Alia, in his speech assured that if elected governor of the state he would improve the healthcare delivery, prioritize agricultural production, build cottage industries and ensure infrastructural development among others.

Earlier, the Director General Alia/ Ode Campaign Organisation, Rev. Frederick Ikyaan, who also urged the people to rally round the APC in the state said, “this day heralds the conscious and vehement decision of Benue people to launch a leadership campaign that is purposeful and divinely prepared to meet the yearnings and aspirations of the teeming Benue masses.”

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COURTESY VISIT...

Enugu State Peoples Democratic Party governorship candidate, Dr. Peter Mbah (left), and the traditional ruler of Enugu Nkpoloro-Achi in Oji River Local Government Area, HRH Igwe Chima Felix Achiekwelu, during a courtesy visit at the monarch’s palace in the state…yesterday

Buhari, Gbajabiamila, Okowa, Others Commiserate with Founder of AMAA, Anyiam-Osigwe’s Family Deji Elumoye and Udora Orizu in Abuja President Muhammadu Buhari, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, Vice presidential candidate of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Governor of Delta State, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa, and Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, yesterday commiserated with the family of the Founder/Chief Executive Officer of the African Movie Academy Awards (AMAA), Peace Anyiam-Osigwe.

Anyiam-Osigwe, who was the President of the Association of Movie Producers and Chief Executive Officer of the African Film Academy, died on Tuesday in Lagos. She was aged 53.

Buhari, in a statement issued by his Media Adviser, Femi Adesina, shared the pain of the loss with the music and movie industry,

particularly Nollywood and teeming followers of her career, knowing a huge gap had been created by Anyiam-Osigwe’s exit.

Buhari affirmed the contributions of the industrious and creative artiste and administrator to the growth of the film industry in Nigeria, using the award platform to engage and inspire many.

He expressed belief that the strong institutions Anyiam-Osigwe built for discovery and promotion of African talents, AMAA and African Film Academy, would carry on her legacies.

The president prayed for the repose of her soul.

On his part, Gbajabiamila described as shocking, the death of Anyiam-Osigwe. The Speaker said the Nigerian and indeed the African movie industries have lost one of its finest and committed members.

He recalled that the late

719 Pending Court Cases Distraction to Political Process, Says Igini Emma Okonji and Nosa Alekhuogie A former INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner in Akwa Ibom State, Mike Igini, is worried over the rising court cases filed by aggrieved political parties, which have reached 719, describing them as a distraction to the country’s political process.

According to him, even though the Independent Electoral Commission (INEC) has put several reforms in place to maintain political stability, politicians keep going to court at the slightest opportunity.

Igini who spoke yesterday on ‘The Morning Show’ on ARISE NEWS Channels, the broadcast arm of THISDAY Newspapers, said: “INEC has put so many reforms in place to strengthen our electoral processes, yet there are as much as 719 court cases instituted by politicians and the court cases are distraction to our political processes and I do not see the court concluding on all the cases before the next general election, which comes up next month, because some of the cases will end up at the supreme court.”

He said some politicians have even gone to court to stop INEC from using the Bimodal Voters Accreditation System (BVAS), which he said, could be issues contrary to the statutory position of INEC policy and the people’s wish.

Igini therefore called on members of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) to call politicians to order, whenever

they are presiding over such cases.

Reacting to the issue of insecurity already threatening the general election, and the statement that emanated from INEC official who represented the commission at a particular occasion, warning that INEC may cancel the election, following the spate of insecurity across the country, Igini said such statement was never the position of INEC and that INEC Chairman had never at any point suggested cancellation of election because of insecurity.

Anyiam-Osigwe touched many lives positively during her lifetime, using her network of friends and associates across the continent.

In a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Lanre Lasisi, the Speaker said the late AMAA founder would be remembered for her humanitarian services and positive impact on the industry.

Gbajabiamila prayed to the Almighty God to grant her eternal rest and give her family and many associates the fortitude to bear the loss.

Also, Mohammed expressed shock over the death of AnyiamOsigwe. In a statement issued in Abuja, he said the best tribute that could be paid to the deceased was to keep her dream alive through the sustenance of her much-acclaimed project, AMMA. In the statement made available to the media by his aide, Mr. Segun Adeyemi, the minister expressed shock and sadness over the passing of the creative amazon.

Mohammed described the deceased as, “a legend, strong and positive force in the nation’s

The Supreme Court yesterday dismissed the separate appeals filed by Mr. Jimi Lawal and his group members, Taiwo Olabode Idris against the Court of Appeal ruling that allowed Hon. Oladipupo Adebutu’s application against the judgment of the Federal High Court, Abeokuta delivered by Justice O. Oguntoyinbo on September 27, 2022.

The Supreme Court panel of Justices led by Justice Kekere Ekun before dismissing the two appeals expressed displeasure against the

loss to Nigeria's creative industry given her invaluable contributions to the industry as a trailblazer and visionary leader in the film and television industry.

He remarked that the deceased was an authority in filmmaking and had left indelible imprints on the sands of time.

"Her passing at this time when the Delta State Government had just completed and awaiting inauguration of the Asaba Film Village, a world class facility for movie makers is indeed, a big blow to the industry.

Court Declares Police Regulation on Unmarried Pregnant Female Officers, Illegal, Discriminatory Awards N5m as damages Wale Igbintade The National Industrial Court sitting in Akure has held that the provision of Section 127 of the Police Act and Regulation 127 which applies to unmarried women police officers getting pregnant while in service but does not apply to unmarried male police officers impregnating females while they are in service, is discriminatory against women police officers.

In a landmark judgment delivered yesterday, Justice Dashe Damulak accordingly struck out the regulation for being inconsistent with Section 42 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) and Article 2 of the

African Charter on Human and People’s Rights which abolishes discrimination on basis of gender.

The judge also held that the claimant, Miss Omolola Olajide has a right to challenge the constitutionality of section 127 of the Police Act and Regulation 127 thereof.

Miss Olajide of the Ekiti Police Command was dismissed on January 26, 2021 by the former Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Mohammed Adamu, for getting pregnant while being single.

She proceeded to court to challenge her dismissal on the ground that the police authorities had discriminated against her since her male counterparts are not dismissed

Supreme Court Dismisses Jimi Lawal’s Cases against Adebutu, PDP Alex Enumah in Abuja

creative Industry.”

He said the deceased’s contributions to the entertainment industry in general and the film industry in particular were the stuffs of legends.

The minister condoled with the family, friends and associates of the deceased and prayed God to give them strength and comfort as well as grant repose to the soul of the departed.

In the same vein, Okowa, in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr Olisa Ifeajika in Asaba, Okowa said the passing of Peace Anyiam-Osigwe was a great

actions of the appellants appealing against the decision of the Appeal Court, stating that their actions were just aimed at frustrating the appeal of Adebutu at the Appeal court sitting in Ibadan despite been heard and allowed.

The panel, therefore, in a unanimous decision, dismissed the two appeals filed by Jimi Lawal and Taiwo Olabode Idris.

You will recall that the Appeal Court, Ibadan before its final judgment delivered on November 28, 2022 on the appeal filed by Adebutu against the trial court judgment of Justice Oguntoyinbo ruled

and allowed Adebutu to rely on records transmitted by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in appeal No. CA/ IB/411/2022 for his application.

The counsel to both parties in the matter, Chief Chris Uche, for Adebutu and Dr. Kemi Peinhero for Taiwo Olabode Idris and others, argued why the application should be allowed and otherwise but the ruling delivered Justice Folashade Ojo on behalf of Justice Moore Adumein and Justice Yargata Nimpa allowed the application in favour of Adebutu with appeal No. CA/ IB/411A/2022.

in similar circumstances.

In the suit filed on her behalf by the law firm of Falana & Falana and handled by the Chairperson of the Women Enlightenment and Legal Aid, Mrs. Funmi Falana, Miss Olajide listed the Nigerian Police Force, the Inspector General of Police and the Police Service Commission (PSC) as defendants.

In a 14 page judgment, Justice Damulak held that “the court accordingly, finds and holds that the provision of Section 127 of the Police Act and Regulation 127 thereof, which applies to unmarried women police officers getting pregnant while in service but does not apply to unmarried male police officers impregnating females while they are in service, are discriminatory against unmarried women police offices by Section 1(3) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, as amended, if any law is inconsistent with the provision of this Constitution, this Constitution shall prevail, and that other law shall to the extent of its inconsistency be void.”

The judge further held that “For the avoidance of doubt, the case of the claimant succeeds in part only in terms of prayer B which is a declaration that the provisions of Regulation 127 and Section 127 of the Police Act which is against women police officers getting pregnant before marriage but does not apply to male police officers impregnating women before marriage is discriminatory, illegal and unconstitutional as it violates the claimant’s fundamental right under Section 42 of the 1999

Constitution (as amended) and Article 2 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights and the said provision is hereby declared null and void and struck down.”

The court, however, refused Miss Olajide’s application to be reinstated as a police officer for her wrongful dismissal.

It agreed with the police counsel, Mr. Tolu Abisagbo to the effect that the claimant was employed on probation as at the time of her dismissal and she could therefore not be reinstated.

The court held that, “…as a probationary staff, the claimant is not yet clothed with the garb of statutory protection so even when her termination is wrongful, she cannot be reinstated”.

“For being wrongfully denied a lifetime opportunity of serving in the Nigerian Police based on a discriminatory law and since the claimant cannot be reinstated, she is entitled to aggravated and punitive damages assessed at N5million”.

Justice Damulak relied on many judicial authorities and particularly the case of Women Enlightenment and Legal Aid v Attorney-General of the Federation where the Federal High Court struck down the police regulation that placed a three-year ban on female recruits from contracting any form of marriage.

Counsel to the claimant, Mrs. Falana has commended Justice Damulak for his contribution to the development of the nation’s human rights jurisprudence on gender equality in the country.

THURSDAY JANUARY 12, 2023 ˾ T H I S D AY

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NEWS

A NEW MONARCH…

The fourth Olu of Agboyi, Agboyi Ketu Local Community Development Area(LCDA), Oba Monsuru Abimbola Adekanmbi Oladega(left), and newly installed Baale, Oke-Ora Kokanla Irawo, High Chief Hakeem Ogunjobi, also of Agboyi Ketu LCDA, Kosofe, Lagos, after Ogunjobi was installed in Lagos…recently

Gunmen Kill Man as Assailants Abduct Family OlawaleAjimotokaninAbuja

Tension has gripped the Ushafa community in Bwari Area Council of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) after a man died following an attack that resulted in the abduction of his family members.

Some members of the community said the attack was carried out early yesterday by gunmen suspected to be kidnappers.

It was gathered that the incident happened behind the LGEA Primary School, Ushafa, around the popular Going-Park.

Wike: Rivers Electorate Ready for Voting Revolution Blessing Ibunge in Port Harcourt

Governor Nyesom Wike has said that to ensure credible polls in the 2023, Rivers electorate have strategies to deploy voting revolution. The Rivers State governor explained that the voting revolution is to ensure that the consolidation team that will be headed by Sir. Siminialayi Fubara, the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state is elected.

Governor Wike, who spoke yesterday, at the flag-off of Obodhi-Ozochi Road/Bridge

construction in Ahoada West Local Government Area, disclosed that the PDP in the State will commence its campaign

by Monday in Omoku, the headquarters of Ogba/Egbema/ Ndoni Local Government Area.

The governor said it will be in the interest of the people of the state to vote for the PDP governorship, National and State legislative candidates in order to consolidate on the gains of the past seven years.

According to him, the state will suffer stagnation if any opposition party is erroneously voted into power.

The deceased, simply identified as Mr. Adegoke, was said to have been gunned down during a scuffle with the assailants.

According to a resident, Mr.

Tony Lawrence, the assailants had a freedom of operating for over 30 minutes in the community as there was no security operatives in sight.

The marauders subsequently

whisked away the wife and a two other family members to an unknown destination.

The spokesperson of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT police

command, DSP Josephine Adeh, did not answer her phone calls or respond to text messages to her by our correspondent seeking confirmation of the incident.

Kukah: No Eligible Voter Should Be Undecided Wants leaders to be held responsible for violence

Alex Enumah inAbuja

Influential cleric and Catholic Bishop of Sokoto Diocese, Mathew kukah, yesterday wondered why any Nigerian of voting age should be undecided in the forthcoming general elections.

Kukah observed that the failings of previous administrations as well

as the current one notwithstanding, Nigerians must come out to decide who rule them in the next four years.

The cleric spoke as guest on Channels Television programme, Politics Today.

According to him, no Nigerian currently facing insecurity, joblessness, hunger amongst

myriads of problems confronting the country should be undecided.

“Why will anybody be undecided about hunger, why will anybody be undecided about insecurity, why anybody be undecided about the fact that they don’t seem to know where the next meal will come from, why will anybody be undecided over the

fact that there are no jobs”, he said.

Kukah, who noted that his criticism of the President Muhammadu Buhari administration is not personal but borne out of the need to help the nation overcome some of her challenges, called for vigorous efforts at changing the narrative of voter apathy.

IPAC Urges FG to Eliminate Security Threats to 2023 Elections Segun James

The Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC) has called on the federal government to deal decisively with anything that may constitute a threat to the peaceful conduct of the 2023 general election.

The Lagos State IPAC Chairman, Mr. Olusegun Mobolaji, made this plea in an interview

yesterday in Lagos.

Mobolaji was reacting to the report by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) that the widespread insecurity across the country, if not decisively dealt with, might ultimately culminate in the cancellation and or postponement of elections in many constituencies.

INEC National Commissioner

and Chairman of the Board of the Electoral Institute, Prof. Abdullahi Zuru, expressed the concerns at a two-day validation workshop of Election Security Training Resources in Abuja.

The commission noted that such cancellation or postponement would hinder the declaration of election results and might lead to a constitutional crisis.

However, in a swift reaction, the federal government assured Nigerians that the forthcoming general election would hold as scheduled despite all threats.

Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, gave the assurance at the 17th edition of President Muhammadu Buhari’s scorecard series from 2015-2023 in Abuja.

Don’t Joke with Your Voting Rights, Emenike Tells Abia Electorate Strong Regulatory System Required for Safe not be joked with as it confers Emmanuel Ugwu-Nwogoin Umuahia

Voters in Abia State have been urged to cherish their rights to vote and use it to enthrone good governance in the state by electing the right leaders.

The governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress(APC) in Abia, Chief Ikechi Emenike, gave the advice during his visit to Ndume ward where he was hosted at the home of a federal commissioner, National Population Commission (NPC), Dr. Nwanne Johnny Nwabuisi.

He said that voting right should

enormous power on the masses, adding that in many countries people had died in struggles to have the right to vote.

“Don’t joke with your right to vote. Don’t sell your votes,” he admonished the electorate, adding that votes would be used to bring the needed change in Abia this year.

Emenike noted that “the wind of change has started in Abia” as his rescue and develop Abia(RADA) movement has gained the momentum to dislodge the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) from Abia government house.

Hall 7 Real Estate Celebrates 10th Anniversary Hall 7 Real Estate, one of Nigeria’s leading players in the real estate industry, has started its celebrating its 10th anniversary. The company promises to continue delivering luxury homes, plots of land with site and services advantages to clients and prospective investors.

Since beginning operations in 2013 in the Federal Capital Territory(FCT) Abuja, Hall 7 Real Estate has established several notable projects such as the Imperial Vista, Bridge Peridot, Bridge Garnet, POD and others that are being developed.

Commenting, the Chief

Executive Officer (CEO) of Hall 7 Real Estate, Olayinka Braimoh, expressed satisfaction and pride in the company’s progress in the real estate sector.

“At Hall 7, we are ecstatic about our positive trajectory since inception, and we are always happy to see the satisfaction on our clients’ faces when they receive the keys to their homes. As we look back at the last 10 years and ahead to the future, our goal is to meet the needs of our clients and prospects by delivering state-of-the-art real estate options for their maximum pleasure and satisfaction”

Quality Medicines, Vaccines, Says NAFDAC Boss

Onyebuchi EzigboinAbuja

The Director General of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, has said only a strong regulatory system will guarantee and accelerate the development, approval and access to safe and effective quality therapeutic

medicines and vaccines in countries across the world.

A statement by the Resident Media Consultant of NAFDAC, Sayo Akintola, quoted Adeyeye as having made the assertion while speaking at the hybrid University of California San Francisco (UCSF)Stanford Centre of Excellence in Regulatory Science and Innovation, (UCSF-Stanford CERSI) summit

in the United States.

Speaking as the only panelist selected from Africa at the summit with the theme: “Building a Global Vision for Product and Drug Development: Challenges and Opportunities,” Adeyeye, admonished nations on the premise of strengthening of regulatory system in compliance with the World Health Assembly Resolution

67.20 of 2014 in other to build the capacity of member states with the ultimate goal to have access to quality medicines to different low, medium income countries.

She said WHO supports member-states in reaching and sustaining effective regulatory oversight of medical products through the regulatory systems strengthening RSS programme.

Abiodun: We’ll Continue to Proactively Secure our People James Sowole inAbeokuta The Ogun State Governor, Dapo Abiodun yesterday, reiterated that his administration would continue to be pro-active and take actions that would guarantee security of lives and properties of the people in the state.

Abiodun stated this when he received the new General Officer Commanding (GOC) 81Division of the Nigerian Army, Major General Obinna Ajunwa, who paid a courtesy visit to the governor in his office, at Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta.

The governor noted that the state in the past had security challenges

ranging from farmers/herders clashes, kidnapping, cultism, armed robbery, ritual killings and other criminal activities, adding that the prompt response by the army and other security personnel brought the situation under control.

He said: “Ogun State has the highest network of federal roads

in the country and this means that a lot of people travel across our state to other parts and this put pressure on our infrastructure and facilities. That notwithstanding, we will continue to be proactive and take preemptive actions that ensure peace and security in our state.”

Court Sacks Ondo Deputy Speaker, Reinstates Iroju The court, which was presided crisis that erupted in the House was delivered yesterday.

FidelisDavidinAkure An Akure High Court yesterday voided the appointment of Mr. Samuel Aderoboye as the deputy speaker of the Ondo State House of Assembly and ordered the reinstatement of Hon. Ogundeji Iroju, as the deputy speaker of the assembly.

over by Justice Adetan Osadebey, described as illegal, null and void the purported removal of the lawmaker representing Odigbo Constituency 1 in the state assembly as the deputy speaker on November 24, 2020, by some members of the Assembly.

Recall that Ogundeji was impeached in 2020 following

of Assembly in the build up to the October 10 governorship election in Ondo State where he kicked against a move to impeach the then Deputy Governor, Mr. Agboola Ajayi.

The assembly later appointed Aderoboye as the deputy speaker, the position he was occupying as at the time of the court’s judgment

Displeased with the action of the assembly, Ogundeji through his Lawyer, Mr. Wale Omotoso (SAN) approached the court and described the decision of the assembly as nullity since the purported impeachment did not follow the constitutional requirements.

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THURSDAY, ͹ͺ˜ ͺ͸ͺͻ ˾ T H I S D AY

THURSDAYSPORTS

Group Sports Editor: Duro Ikhazuagbe Email: duro.ikhazuagbe@thisdaylive.com

0811 181 3083 SMS ONLY

Africa’s Fastest Man, Omanyala, Graduates as Police Constable Olu Osagie with agency report

Ferdinand Omanyala...Africa’s fastest man now a constable in Kenya police service

Africa’s fastest man, Ferdinand Omanyala, has graduated as a police constable in Kenya's police service.

The 26-year-old Kenyan sprinter was among 2,881 constables who graduated yesterday from the National Police College in an event presided over by President William Ruto.

The recruits finished the basic police training course among other courses on human rights, community policing, public order management, skills at arms, and countering violent extremism, according to the National Police Service.

He joins other top Kenyan athletes who are members of the police force.

The athlete has confirmed his new status in a tweet: “It’s Official,” Omanyala announced his graduation as a police constable on Twitter yesterday afternoon. He accompanied the tweet with two photographs of him in ceremonial police uniform: one alone and the other with an unnamed, beautiful lady smiling by his side.

Omanyala set the African 100m record of 9.77 seconds

in September 2021. He erased South African Akani Simbine’s 9.84seconds previous record.

He became African champion in June 2022 becoming the second Kenyan to become continental champion over the distance.

Just like former African 100m

record holder at 9.85 secs, Olusoji Fasuba of Nigeria who left the track & field business to enroll in the Royal British Navy, Omanyala however was silent if he was done with running.

He has, perhaps, joined the long list of Kenyan athletes with military background.

Aruna, Meshref Get Tricky Draws at WTT Contender Durban African champions Quadri Aruna of Nigeria and Dina Meshref of Egypt have been handed tricky ties in the first round of the WTT Contender Durban taking place at the Olive Convention Center Durban in South Africa.

The Nigerian and the Egyptian are number four seeds in the men and women’s singles and they are expected to start their campaigns from the main draw in the first WTT Series taking place in South Africa.

The tournament serves as a dress rehearsal for the 2023 World Championships in Durban come May. The $75,000 prize money tournament has Brazil’s Hugo Calderano and Germany’s Nina Mittelham as number seeds in men and women’s singles while for the first time, Botswana’s Ndelu Mooketsi and South Africa’s Zodwa Maphanga will be competing in the main draw of WTT even after working their way to the main draws.

Aruna who is the highest ranked African player in the world rated

15th will face a daunting task when he takes on Chinese sensation Sun Wen in the first round of the men’s singles.

The 26-year-old giant-killing Chinese star will be hoping to halt the dominance of Aruna over his compatriots which the Nigerian achieved at the 2022 WTT Star Contender in Qatar.

The Nigerian is a familiar foe for the Chinese having taken down some of their finest players in the party and Wen will be aiming to stop the reign of the African champion over his compatriots.

Like Aruna, Meshref who is the only top ranked African listed among the top seeds will confront German Chinese-born Yuan Wan. The Egyptian will have to be at her best against the skillful German ranked 86th in the world and capable of causing an upset against the 28th rated African champion.

The tournament will end on January 15with winners earning 400 ranking points.

Organisers Raise Bullet Energy Basketball Prize Money to N2m Felix Joins Chelsea

Now an all-female tournament with Asaba to host 2023 edition on Loan from Atletico

Organisers of the Bullet Energy Drink Basketball Tournament powered by the Sam Oguche Foundation have raised winners’ prize money to N2million.

Also, the winning team will now take home the sum of N2million as the prize money as against N1million for the last edition that held last November in Lagos.

According to Sam Oguche, the new development is in the best interest of basketball development in Nigeria.

The improved package means the runners up will go home with N1million and the third placed team will earn N500k.

“Initially, we didn’t plan for a competition exclusive to the women; we are just being dynamic. We are looking at the situation on ground around basketball in Nigeria, and responding positively to it.

“If you check closely you would agree that the men have a lot of competitions going on especially around Lagos. Often times, the women’s teams are just squeezed in to participate.

Even at the continental level, it is more of the men’s club playing. “And so we have decided to give the ladies a full platform; like a fill up to their league.

“It is a part of the reasons the prize money was increased.

We want something that is very attractive to the ladies; a competition they will give all and make the fans and sponsors feel good. For now, it stays with the ladies.”

The tournament began as beginners camps in Onitsha,

Anambra State nearly a decade ago.

Apart from the increased winning prize, the organisers of

the competition also announced that the next edition which has been confirmed for Asaba will be an all female competition.

Kwara Falcons won the men’s trophy in December while the First Bank women won their category.

Sam Oguche flanked by First Bank players who won the 2022 edition of the Bullet Basketball Tournament.

Chelsea have signed Atletico Madrid striker Joao Felix on loan for the rest of the season for a fee of 11 million euros (£9.7m).

Felix has also signed a one-year extension to his Atletico contract until June 2027.

Boss Graham Potter said injuries had "sharpened" Chelsea's focus in their pursuit of the Portugal international, with Christian Pulisic ruled out for a couple of months.

"He's a quality player," said Potter.

"He will make a difference in the final third of the pitch and I'm looking forward to working with him.

"He's young, but still has lots of good experience and it's given us all a bit of a lift.

"I've been aware of the potential deal for a while but the injuries we've had maybe sharpened our focus on it.

"But it's nice to get him here and he's been training today, which is positive for us."

Arsenal and Manchester United had been linked with the 23-yearold, whose wages Chelsea will pay in full until the end of the season as part of the loan deal.

"Chelsea is one of the great teams in the world," said Felix. " I hope to help the team reach their objectives. I am very, very happy to be here and very excited to play at Stamford Bridge."

Atletico made Felix the fifth-most expensive player in history when they paid Benfica £113m for the then 19-year-old in 2019.

He has gone on to score 34 goals in 131 appearances in all competitions, with 18 assists.

Felix was part of the Portugal squad at the World Cup, scoring once in five games as they reached the quarter-finals.

Since then, he has played for Atletico twice, scoring in a 2-0 win against Elche on 29 December before playing 73 minutes in a 1-0 defeat

by Barcelona on Sunday.

Felix has scored five goals and provided three assists for Atletico in 20 games this season.

He follows Benoit Badiashile, David Datro Fofana and Andrey Santos in joining Chelsea during the January transfer window, and signs with the club 10th in the Premier League - 10 points adrift of a top-four spot.

Rangers Set for New Abridged NPFL Season with Awka as Home Femi Solaja Rangers International F.C of Enugu have announced their readiness for the new abridged 2022/2023 Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) which kicked off at the weekend in Uyo. Now, the Flying Antelopes are ready for their Match-day 1 “Oriental Derby” clash against Abia Warriors in Awka with getting a continental ticket their prime target.

Administrative Secretary of Rang-

ers, Ferdinand Ugwuarua, hinted yesterday at a media parley with the sports journalists in Enugu that the Flying Antelopes “are physically, psychologically, and mentally set for the start of the new season.”

Ugwuarua stated that the management and technical crew of Rangers were in agreement with achieving the set goal for the season which includes picking a continental ticket and even winning the league diadem at the end of the abridged league season.

“I am optimistic of the team achieving our set target at the end of this season. Quality players have been acquired to beef up our chances of playing continental football as well as emerging champions of the league.

“The management is working in tandem with the technical crew to see that we achieve what we set out to get as a show of appreciation to our supporters all over the world.”

On the challenge of prosecuting their home matches away from

home at the Awka City Stadium, the youthful scribe said, “No doubt, we would have loved to play before our numerous supporters and followers in Enugu at the Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium but with the renovation work yet to be completed, we have to move to Awka where we also enjoy large followership.”

He however remains optimistic that playing away from home will not affect Rangers chances “as we have a formidable squad to draw talents from”.

Rangers first match of the new season is against Abia Warriors on Sunday, January 15, 2023, at 3pm.

Technical Adviser of the team, Coach Abdul Maikaba, also believes that Rangers have the squad from which to draw talents to defend the colors of the club in the abridged league, finishing amongst the top three teams in the group.

“Our prime target is to challenge for the trophy and also grab a continental ticket,” concludes the gaffer.

Thursday, January 12, 2022

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Price: N250

MISSILE

Godswill Akpabio to APC Members “What I will not support is a situation where some leaders would be shouting Asiwaju in the day and Atiku in the night. I am aware of a particular person in our party who has publicly endorsed the PDP governorship and senatorial candidates but would rush to Uyo to say I am the chairman of the rally for Tinubu. Which Tinubu are you talking about?”

---former Akwa Ibom Governor, on disloyal APC members in the state

OLUSEGUNADENIYI THE VERDICT

olusegun.adeniyi@thisdaylive.com

How Far Can Peter Obi Go?

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HISDAY headquarters on Creek Road, Apapa, Lagos was not far from Mr Peter Obi’s corporate office. So, we visited each other regularly before he became Governor of Anambra State.

Not only has our friendship endured, but Obi has remained the same man I first encountered more than two decades ago. Simple. Gracious. And, as I have learnt over the years, someone who is not affected by the trappings of power. In fact, Obi demystifies what most Nigerian politicians call power. I cannot count the number of times he has visited me either at home or in my office, including when he was governor (both in Lagos and here in Abuja), and he comes only in one car. When he left office as Anambra Governor, I singled him out in my 29th May 2014 column, ‘Peter Obi on Democracy Day’, praising him for a sense of perspective when it comes to the management of public funds.

Those virtues may have attracted him to many young Nigerians, but I can discern two extreme characterizations of Obi in the broader public’s imagination. For those who consider his presidential aspiration an irritation, Obi is an IPOB promoter, peddler of fake statistics, political spoiler, etc. To his army of supporters, especially on social media, Obi is the next thing to a Nigerian saint. And because saints are canonized, never scrutinized, any attempt to raise questions about the claims he makes in his numerous media engagements or his stewardship as Anambra Governor instantly elicits attacks. To these supporters, it is almost as if they have invented a new Obi who has no record of public service in Nigeria or political participation before now.

When the whole OBIdient ‘movement’ started evolving early last year, I had an interesting conversation with Obi, asking whether he had a strategy to harvest the enormous goodwill he enjoys, especially on social media. He confirmed to me that it all came to him by surprise. I find it refreshing that ordinary people can invest their time, energy, and resources to promote a Nigerian politician without gratification or expectation of reward. But while many of these enthusiasts have helped, Obi has also had to carry vicarious responsibility for the antics of some in a milieu where abuse is often substituted for critical engagement. I followed the drama of the former Enugu State Governor, Chimaroke Nnamani, who gave as good as he got from the ‘OBIdients’ on Twitter. And then, it was the turn of the Anambra State Governor, Chukwuma Soludo. The positive from the fightback by both Nnamani and Soludo was that it helped to dispel the notion that Obi’s presidential aspiration is an Igbo project. Just as he has supporters across the country, there are also people within the Southeast who do not support his aspiration. And nothing can be more ludicrous than the suggestion that his presidential ambition was motivated by the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra (IPOB).

Obi is a patriotic Nigerian who is seeking the presidency of his country and he is eminently qualified for the job. Indeed, by most projections, Obi is one of the four candidates Nigerians expect to emerge as our next president. Others are Asiwaju Bola Tinubu of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), former Vice President Atiku Abubakar of the main opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP). But while Tinubu and Atiku—(former) friends with a long history of political association dating back three and a half decades—are daily trading insults and damaging allegations against each other in the name of campaigns, Obi has stayed on message.

In nations where elite consensus is taken seriously,

Peter Obi Obi’s aspiration ticks some important boxes. There was a revealing exchange last week in one of the WhatsApp chat groups to which I belong

between two respected Igbo professionals during a discussion on what President Olusegun Obasanjo’s endorsement of Obi means. The first one wrote: “One nation, two oracles. One in Minna and the other, in Abeokuta. One North. One South.

Balanced Republic!” Not long after came this riposte from the second person: “Typical! Once again, the Southeast is being marginalized… not even half an oracle. God dey!”

Although the interactions were in the lighter mood, I believe the second post sounded truer than the writer may have intended. If one were to extrapolate, the only reason why we have an ‘Oracle’ in Abeokuta and another one in Minna is because they have led Nigeria at different epochs. To the extent that we have not had a democratically elected civilian president (or military leader with sufficient time in office) from the Southeast, Nigeria has also not been blessed with an ‘oracle’ from the region. Given the tripodal (as in WaZoBia) nature of our political arrangement in Nigeria, one can then surmise that there is a value in Obi’s aspiration that transcends his personal ambition. Nothing can advance a society better than equity in the distribution of political opportunities, especially at the highest level of government.

Overall, there is no doubt that there is a ‘Peter Obi effect’ on the coming election among urban elites and young Nigerians in the South and the Diaspora. That perhaps explains why Obi remains the toast of international media. It is also why most people believe it is to Obi’s advantage that as many as 71 per cent of the 12.2 million

In a country where citizens are in perpetual search for a ‘Messiah’, it comes as no surprise that Obi is the anti-establishment candidate and standard bearer for those who seek something new. It worked for President Goodluck Jonathan in 2011 as ‘breadth of fresh air’ and drove the Muhammadu Buhari campaign in 2015 as ‘Mai Gaskiya’ (the honest one).

Nigerians newly registered are young people.

But we must also understand that these newly registered young people still constitute only 12 percent of the total number of registered voters in Nigeria. Given their varied socio-economic status, there is no evidence to suggest that they will all vote the same way. The greater challenge is whether members of this demographic group even have the discipline to stay the course on election day. This now brings me to the question: How far can Peter Obi go in the 2023 presidential election?

To win a national leadership election anywhere in the world, you need three things: Popular appeal, party structure and ‘logistics’. In Nigeria the last is so elastic that it includes infrastructure for rigging. In most countries, ‘logistics’ is included in money deployed for media adverts. It can also be a potent weapon for other critical areas.

For instance, we have seen situations where a popular politician with a heavy war chest was able to hijack a party structure for his election.

In the United States, a certain Donald Trump was able to wrest the Republican Party from the traditional members and went on to win the election. Same happened in Nigeria in 1993 when the late Bashorun M.K.O Abiola seized the Social Democratic Party (SDP) structure from national chairman and presidential aspirant, Babagana Kingibe. Despite their wealth and popularity, both Trump and the late Abiola still recognized the importance of a political party with structures that go to the grassroots. In contrast, what Obi has going for him is popular appeal. But he lacks a strong party structure, even if we discountenance the factor of Nigerian ‘logistics’.

Let’s examine the issue of party structure. I have gone through the 410-page Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) final list of candidates for national elections (Presidential, Senatorial and House of Representatives) as well as their 894-page document containing the final list of candidates for state elections (Governorship and House of Assembly). The Labour Party is grossly disadvantaged in terms of the number of sponsored candidates for all these offices.

Continued on page 25

The FGC Birnin Yauri Tragedy

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here are some distressing Hausa language audio clips circulating on WhatsApp, essentially within circles in Abuja and the North. Parents of 11 girls between the age of 12 and 16 who have been held captive by the notorious bandit, Dogo Gide for almost two years, are crying out for help. The children were abducted from Federal Government College (FGC) Birnin Yauri, Kebbi State. The parents claimed they have been able to contact the mother of the bandit and have held several calls with their daughters.

They have decided to sell their houses, farms, and everything they own to pay the ransom of N100 million. They also give account details of two parents for those willing to contribute to their effort.

This tragedy started on 17th June 2021 when terrorists stormed the school, abducted over 112 students and eight teachers, and took them away in a pick-up truck and on motorbikes. Four days later, a video and photos of the abducted students went viral on social media. Dogo Gide could be heard claiming responsibility for the abduction.

Some parents were able to pay the ransom of their girls and a few escaped on their own.

On 8th January last year, 30 more students and one teacher were released to intermediaries who negotiated between the terrorists and the Kebbi State Government. The State has practically been left to resolve this crisis, yet the school from where the girls were abducted is a federal government college. Furthermore, internal security is a federal responsibility.

On 17th June 2022, the Yauri Emirate Development Association (YEDA) issued a statement about the remaining 11 schoolgirls, who were apparently being molested by the bandits. A month later, one of them was reported to have given birth in captivity. In October, another, aged 14, was also reported to have given birth. In November, two more (one 15, the second 16) were reported to have given birth.

One can only imagine the trauma that the parents of these 11 girls are going through.

For too many of us, the 11 FGC Yauri female students who remain in captivity are numbers, mere statistics from a distant land. But for these girls and their families, life stopped, and anguish began a year and almost eight months ago. Let us all resolve to keep reminding our security forces of

the need to rescue them. Let us spare a thought and prayer for many of our citizens who are in the captivity of criminal gangs that seem to have overpowered the State, including those whose plights go unreported. Let us never forget that they too are Nigerian citizens, deserving of their safety and support.

While kidnapping for ransom has become a career for criminals who go by the fanciful name of ‘bandit’, laying siege to schools is a dangerous dimension to the security challenge we face. Besides, it is bad enough that these outlaws find it easy to carry away innocent students after which they demand outrageous amounts of money from their parents, it is worse that they now blatantly molest innocent female children. From Chibok to Yauri, it is the same pattern of abuse, and we must find a solution to the menace. If parents can no longer send their children to school for fear of bandits, it is the future of Nigeria that is being threatened.

According to the United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF), when children are denied opportunity for education not only are their lives shattered, but the future of the nation is also stolen.

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