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Billionaire Philanthropist, Otedola Donates Engineering Faculty to Augustine University Lays foundation stone for block 2 and 3 Pledges to support varsity to become number one centre of excellence in Africa Nigeria's billionaire businessman and philanthropist, Mr. Femi Otedola has handed over the completed block A of a multi-billion-naira faculty of

engineering complex to Augustine University, Ilara, Epe, Lagos State, in fulfilment of his dream to add a lasting value to the institution and

its students.

Otedola, who is the Chancellor of Augustine University, handed over the edifice to the school, at

the inauguration and handover ceremony held on Wednesday, in the presence of his mother and inspirer of the project, Lady Doja

Otedola; Proprietor of the institution and Archbishop of the Metropolitan Sea of Lagos, Archbishop Adewale Martins, amongst other dignitaries.

The donor also laid the foundation stone for phase 2 of the faculty Continued on page 5

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Military, Police Vow to Defend Democracy at All Costs FG closes all land borders

Kingsley Nwzeh and Michael Olugbode in Abuja

The military high command and its police counterpart have vowed to defend the democratic system

of government in Nigeria with everything within their means.

They also promised to leave no

stone unturned in ensuring the smooth conduct of the general election.

The security agencies spoke yesterday in Abuja at a joint briefing with some journalists.

Director, Defence Information, Continued on page 5

87.2 Million Voters to Decide A Presidential Race Too Close to Call

Biden: US stands with Nigeria as it charts new path to secure future UK, Canada, Japan, others laud signing of second peace accord Lawan preaches peaceful polls, drums support for Tinubu Sheik Dahiru Bauchi endorses Atiku Obaseki: Atiku best choice for Edo people, urges them to reject same-faith presidency

Emmanuel Addeh, Sunday Aborisade, Michael Olugbode, Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja, Emma Okonji and Ugo Aliogo in Lagos As Nigerians prepare to go to the polls tomorrow to elect a new president in an election that is too close to call with four leading candidates, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has revealed that 87,209,007 voters out of the 93,469,008 registered voters have collected their Permanent Voters Cards (PVCs) and would be expected to vote.

The commission revealed this in a document made available to journalists. On same day, Nigerians would also elect members of the 10th National Assembly.

The four leading presidential candidates are Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress (APC); Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP); Peter Obi of Labour Party, and New Nigeria Peoples Party’s (NNPP), Rabiu Kwankwaso, THISDAY Projects that the Continued on page 5

A LAUDABLE ACT OF BENEVOLENCE...

L-R: Proprietor, Augustine University, Ilara-Epe (UAI) and the Archbishop of the Metropolitan See of Lagos Archbishop Alfred Adewale Martins; former first Lady of Lagos State, Lady Doja Otedola; and Chancellor of the University, Mr. Femi Otedola, CON, during the inauguration of the completed first block of the Faculty of Engineering complex donated to SUNDAY ADIGUN Augustine University by Femi Otedola and laying of foundation for block 2 and 3 of the Faculty in Epe, Lagos on Wednesday

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PAGE FIVE 87.2 MILLION VOTERS TO DECIDE A PRESIDENTIAL RACE TOO CLOSE TO CALL race is too close to call with Obi gaining momentum in Lagos State and Ogun States, while Tinubu and Atiku are slugging it out for the soul of Northern Nigeria whose votes are likely to decide the winner.

Atiku’s chances got a major boost yesterday, with Sheik Dahiru Bauchi, the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Sufi group endorsing his candidature. The prominent Islamic scholar endorsed Atiku in a message to his followers.

“You can’t bite true believer twice, some people were saying vote for

who will continue from where they stop, we didn’t enjoy where they stopped.

“Majority of my People told me that they will vote for Atiku, and I will not leave my people, I will be with my people to see what almighty Allah will do. We are praying to Allah to give Nigeria the best leader who will ease the sufferings of Nigeria and bring rapid development,” the Islamic cleric said According to THISDAY findings, among those who vote based on

religious sentiments, Obi will take up to 75% of Christian votes while Atiku, Tinubu and Kwankwaso will share the Muslin votes. But yesterday’s endorsement of Atiku by influential Muslim clerics could make a difference for the former Vice President just as he will also benefit from voters who vote regionally with Northern voters going mainly for him while Tinubu and Obi will share Southern voters. The road to the Presidency for Tinubu remains with the South West/North West

combo, but he has to get Buhari’s voters on his side - which is proving challenging.

With a race so tight a run off is a possibility and will pitch the man with the highest votes against the man with most geographical spread.

Based on the above, here is THISDAY PROJECTIONS: Obi leads in most of South East and South South states with a strong showing in Lagos, Benue and a possible win Plateau State.

Tinubu on his part, leads in the

BILLIONAIRE PHILANTHROPIST, OTEDOLA DONATES ENGINEERING FACULTY TO AUGUSTINE UNIVERSITY complex, which he promised would be completed in not more than two years.

The school named the engineering faculty building after Lady Doja Otedola in appreciation of her passion towards the betterment of the university and its students.

In his remark at the occasion, the serial entrepreneur said he made the commitment to donate one building of the engineering faculty to the school in March 2018, but later increased his commitment to the engineering complex to N2 billion, during his mother's 90th birthday celebration.

Otedola said, "It is with thanksgiving to God that I express my great delight for today's ceremony for the commissioning of the first block of the engineering complex of Augustine University. I thank God that my dream of donating the first block of faculty of engineering building has become a reality.

"On the 11th of March 2018, at the fund raising dinner organised by my sister, Dame Sena Anthony, I made the commitment to donate one building of the faculty of engineering to the university.

“On realising that the first building is a four-building complex, during my mother's 90th birthday celebration last year, I increased my commitment to the engineering complex to the sum of N2 billion.

"In fulfilment of this pledge, I am extremely delighted to be also turning the sod today for the commencement of building No 2 of the engineering faculty complex.

“I hope the construction period for this building will not be more than two years in view of the envisaged rapid growth of the students of the university with the admission of engineering students in the school."

He said his dream was to support Augustine University to become the

number one centre of excellence in Africa for the study of various disciplines of engineering.

Otedola, who is the Chairman of Geregu Power Plc, however, thanked the proprietor of the university for naming the engineering faculty building after his mother, saying "I'm glad that she is alive to witness this historic event in view of her unflinching commitment to the university."

The donor expressed his appreciation to the proprietor of the university for appointing him as the chancellor of the institution, promising to support the vision of the revered Cardinal Anthony Okogie, whom he said accompanied his late father, Sir Michael Otedola to meet the late Oba of Ilara in order to obtain the present site for Augustine University to commence.

Further thanking the duo of Okogie and Martins for their continuous encouragement, Otedola also expressed his gratitude to the trio of the Board Chairman of Augustine University, Sir Steve Omojiafor; the school's Vice Chancellor, Prof.

Christopher Ojetunde; former Chairman of Guaranty Trust Bank (GTB), Sir Egbert Imomoh; ProChancellor, Augustine University, Chief Gilbert Grant; and his sister, Sena, for the roles they played as his project steering committee throughout the completion of the project.

He also thanked those who worked on the construction of the project to make the day a reality.

While extolling the university, Otedola stated that, "Augustine University upholds the noble Catholic tradition of the type of higher education which does not only achieve intellectual excellence but moral and cultural excellence in preparing the students for important leadership roles in our society.

“The vision and mission of this university should be supported by all of us.”

He said he looked forward to hosting everyone physically present at the occasion to similar ceremony in two years’ time when they would cut the tape for the inauguration of block 2 of the engineering complex.

In her prayer, Otedola's mother asked God to bless the building and grant the students of the university knowledge and understanding and make every work of their hands to prosper.

"We pray that the Lord will bless this building. All the students that will come here, will have knowledge and understanding. Everything they lay their hands upon will prosper.

“We pray that the Lord will continue to bless the Archbishop, everybody and those people that are around here, may their ways be pleasing to God," she prayed.

In his remark, Archbishop Martins expressed the university's gratitude to the Otedola family, particularly the donor, for contributing in adding lasting value to the school through the building donated.

He said the Otedola family has the tradition of supporting the growth of education and the education of young people, pointing out that the late patriarch of the Otedola family played a key role in acquiring the land for the Augustine University existing today.

Martins said, "And so, as we gather today, it is the grace of God that inspired our mama, Mama Otedola, to encourage the family or to encourage in particular, her son, Mr. Olufemi Otedola, to donate this building which we commissioned today.

"Of course, the whole effort to support the building of this university and this particular

project, did not begin just when mama encouraged her son, but rather, many years ago when the patriarch of the family, as we have heard earlier, gave the initial push for the acquisition of the land.

“What we do today is simply a continuation of a family tradition that is very committed to growth in education and growth in future lives of people.

"We thank the Lord that the inspiration through my mama, found favour in her son, such that over the past four years, the whole project began with the turning of sod.

“All the different obstacles on the way were overcome. All the different challenges with inflation, with COVID, with so many other things were overcome by the tenacity of the donor as well as the university officials - the fund raising committee and those members of the Governing Council and the Board of Trustees.

"So, we are truly grateful to God Almighty that this effort to overcome all the obstacles, continued and persevered until we are here today. On behalf of the Archdiocese of Lagos, we say thank you to the Otedola family for this addition to all that have been done before now in ensuring that we have a university of our dreams."

He stressed that the university was not only grateful to the Otedola family because of the building as a physical infrastructure, but because of the value that lies behind it, which is education of the young and commitment to the growth and development of the country.

On behalf of the Archdiocese, Archbishop Martins pledged that the school's authorities shall ensure that the vision behind the foundation of the institution would continue to be realised in all decisions and actions they take.

MILITARY, POLICE VOW TO DEFEND DEMOCRACY AT ALL COSTS Brigadier General Tukur Gusau, warned during the briefing that strong forces would be deployed to check those who might attempt to breach public peace during the elections.

Gusau said, “We are set for the conduct of hitch-free election in the country. The AFN is prepared to support the Nigeria Police and other government agencies responsible for conducting elections. The CDS has sent out strong messages that the Armed Forces of Nigeria is committed to total collaboration with other security agencies to ensure this election is successful.

“The AFN is committed to strong and viable constitutional democracy, we are very loyal to the Nigerian state and we are ready to defend democracy at all costs.

During the elections, all our normal operations and duties will continue simultaneously across the country.

Operation Safe Conduct has been activated to guide the AFN during the general elections.”

He disclosed that the military high command had established a monitoring team as well as operation centres across the country to facilitate its response to cases of breach.

Gusau said, “Similarly, operations centres have been established in FCT and the 36 states of the country to serve as quick response centres for all distress calls in the event of any breach of peace during the general election.

“I want to use this opportunity to re-echo the warning of the CDS to undesirable elements, that the AFN and other security agencies are ready and will subvert any threats to peace and tranquillity, and strong force will be applied to those that

want to breach public peace during the general election. The AFN has adequately sensitised its personnel on their expected roles throughout the elections.”

The Force spokesperson, Muyiwa Adejobi, said the police were ready to protect democracy, adding that the elections would be free and fair.

Adejobi said, “Like the military, we are ready to protect democracy, we are ready to give good security to our electoral process so that we can have free, fair credible, and even acceptable general elections in 2023 in the philosophy of Mr. President who said he wants free fair and credible elections, despite belonging to a political party but he wants to give every Nigerian he rights, liberty to do whatever he wants to do.”

The police spokesman added that the ban on unauthorised use of vehicles, sirens, revolving lights, covered number plates, unregistered vehicles, and tinted glasses was still in force, saying police officers on election duties have been ordered to arrest violators of this order.

Adejobi said anyone not enjoying immunity, as prescribed by the constitution, should not come to the polling units with their details.

He added that governors and others covered by immunity had been advised to only show up with their ADC. Adejobi said, “I want to say without mincing words that our officers and men, particularly those that are detailed to VIPs or politicians as escorts or aids, are not allowed to move with any one of them during the elections.

“Apart from governors that can go out with ADC, we don’t

expect them (governors) to go with a large number of security operatives because on that day we all are equal before the law but we still know that they are governors and they can only go out with ADC or orderly “But any other person who is not a governor or does not enjoy any constitutional immunity but has privileges of having security personnel as aides or escorts will not be allowed to go out to any polling unit with his security operatives and this message has been discussed at various meetings at the instance of the CDS so that all security agencies will be on the same page.”

He warned people of voting age who do not have Permanent Voters Cards (PVCs) to stay at home throughout the exercise.

Adejobi said, “We want to assure active electorates, that is those with PVCs, to go out and exercise their franchise but inactive electorates, those that are more than 18, but without PVCs, please, stay at home we don’t want them, they are the ones that cause problems. So, just stay glued to your TV and radio stations to monitor the elections.”

The Force spokesperson advised eligible voters whose polling units were far from where they reside to move close to their units on Friday.

He said restriction of movement order would be enforced and those in that category might not be allowed to move around on election day.

Adejobi said, “Restriction order is very key for all of us to have wellorganised security arrangement for the success of the electoral process.

Exceptions to these restrictions include accredited members of the press and essential workers.

“For those who would want to move to a polling unit, we’ve been having problems with the relocation of PVC, if you know your distance will be long enough to use a vehicle, you are advised to move close to your polling unit on Friday before the restriction time because you may not have that free access to drive covering a large or long distance in any way.

“Men have been deployed to enforce this restrictions order and you are going to meet them at intervals so for your interest move close to your polling units.”

He said voters who intended to walk to their polling units must ensure such units were within walking distance.

Adejobi assured that security agencies were on top of the situation in states where beaches were being recorded.

He said, “Go out and vote, but those who want to foment trouble, you want it hot, we give you hot, you want it average, we give you average, you want it mild or simple, we give the way you want.”

Meanwhile, all of Nigeria’s land borders are to be closed during the elections on Saturday, Comptroller General of the Nigeria Immigration Service, Isah Idris, said yesterday.

In a statement, Idris said, “The federal government has directed the total closure of all land borders effective from 00.00 hours on Saturday, 25th February, 2023 to 00.00 hours Sunday, 26th February, 2023.”

He added, “Accordingly, all command comptrollers, especially those in the border states, are to ensure strict enforcement of this directive.”

South West, Borno and Yobe States, with a strong showing in North West.

Atiku has a strong showing in most of the North, while leading in Adamawa, Bauchi, Jigawa, Katsina, Sokoto, Kebbi, Delta, Akwa Ibom and Taraba States, with a very strong showing in Zamfara, Niger, Kwara, Nasarawa and Osun States.

Kwankwaso is leading in Kano with a strong showing in Jigawa, Katsina and Taraba States.

As the world's attention remains razor focused on tomorrow's election, the United States President Joe Biden, yesterday, restated his country’s commitment to free and fair polls in Nigeria.

Similarly, the diplomatic missions of the United States, Australia, Japan, Norway, Canada, and the United Kingdom in Nigeria lauded the signing of a second peace accord by the candidates competing in the upcoming presidential election.

President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan, urged Nigerians to conduct themselves peacefully during the period of the elections. Lawan also asked voters to choose the presidential candidate of All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, in a statement yesterday, which he personally signed.

However, Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, yesterday, called on residents of his state to come out en masse and vote the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its presidential candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, in Saturday’s election.

Obaseki stated that Edo State and its people would benefit tremendously from an Atiku presidency.

Underscoring the significance of the Nigerian election, Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Observer Mission to Nigeria said the poll was a guide to other countries in the sub-region and could not be allowed to fail.

The ECOWAS mission said failure of the country’s democratic process would spell doom for the sub-region.

Based on the disclosure by INEC, 87.2 million voters would determine the fates of Tinubu, Atiku, Obi, Kwankwaso of and other presidential candidates.

The commission, in a document made available to journalists, also revealed that 6,259,229 million PVCs were uncollected.

A breakdown of the PVCs collected per state showed that Lagos State topped the list with 6,214,970, followed

by Kano State with 5,594,193, Kaduna State with 4,164,473, Katsina State with 3,459,945, and Rivers State with 3,285,789.

Further breakdown of PVCs collected showed that Delta State had 2,989,514; Oyo State 2,761,421; Niger State 2,633,726; Anambra State 2,624,764; Benue State 2,607,141; Imo State 2,280,339; Borno State 2,447,209; and Ogun State 2,278,063.

Ekiti State was the least, in terms of PVCs collected, with 958,052, with Bayelsa State slightly ahead with 1,009,895.

The regional breakdown of PVCs collected showed that North-west led with 21,445,000, followed by Southwest with 15,536,213, North-central with 14, 603,62, South-south with 13,284,920, North-east 11,937,769, and South-east with 10,401,484.

Addressing a press conference in Abuja, Chairman of INEC, Professor Mahmood Yakubu, reiterated that the procedure for voting, as provided in the Electoral Act 2022, made the use of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) mandatory. Yakubu stressed that no voter would be allowed to vote without the PVC, insisting that the “no PVC, no voting” rule subsists.

The INEC chairman stressed that vote-buying remained a major threat to the country's democracy, adding that the commission has worked closely with the law enforcement agencies to ensure that this is eliminated from the electoral process.

Yakubu added, "We are convinced that our joint operations before and on election day will vastly reduce the prospect of voter inducement, which is not only illegal but immoral.

"The ban on the use of mobile phones and photographic devices at the voting cubicles, is still in place. Some voters have used these

devices in previous elections to snap their marked ballot papers for vote transaction.

“However, citizens are permitted to come to the polling units with these devices, as long as they do not take them to the voting cubicles.

"Our arrangement of placing the ballot box near the voting cubicle and away from party agents remains.

Our staff have been trained in the administration of the polling units and their attention should be drawn to any deviation from that training."

Yakubu said in the build-up to the general election, several of the commission's facilities were attacked by unknown assailants in various parts of the country.

However, he stated, "I am pleased that we have fully recovered from those attacks, and we have been further assured that our facilities, staff, voters, observers, and citizens will be safe during the election."

The INEC chairman also said, "The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has assured us that it will provide us with the small amount of cash we require from our budget to cash payment to some critical service providers for the election. I must reiterate that the bulk of payment for works goods and services are still paid for by electronic transfer."

He reiterated that the commission was adequately prepared for the election and remained committed to a free, fair and credible process.

Meanwhile, Community Life Project (CLP) donated Information Technology facilities to the INEC Citizen Contact Centre (ICCC) for the use of the commission in the 2023 general election.

Programme Manager of CLP, Francis Onahor, said the facilities were provided with the support of Ford Foundation. He explained that the ICCC facilities offered citizens and the public the opportunity to get real-time responses to inquiries, incident reports, and queries about any aspect of the electoral process.

The items supplied were 15 all-in-one desktop computers, two laptops for the supervisors, and 15 Universal Power Storage (UPS).

Onahor added, "Thus, CLP considers an efficient and effective ICCC as a critical element in making citizens' voices heard by the commission.

"We have no doubt that these facilities will contribute significantly to boosting INEC's capacity to resolve electoral incidents and offer citizens better opportunities to exercise their franchise.

"We commend the commission for its commitment to using ICT to improve our electoral system and for facilitating citizens' active participation in election day management."

Onahor said CLP had been engaged for over a decade in promoting inclusion and popular participation towards electoral integrity.

Biden: US Stands with Nigeria as it Charts New Path to Secure Future Biden, in a statement, urged all eligible Nigerians, irrespective of religious, regional or ethnic persuasions, to come out en masse to exercise their civic responsibility.

He lauded the political parties for agreeing in principle to abide by the rules and ensure a peaceful election, particularly expressing delight at the peace pact signed on Wednesday by the politicians.

Biden stated, “I commend yesterday’s peace accord in Nigeria, signed by the political parties and candidates running in Nigeria’s presidential election on February 25.

By signing this pledge, the parties and candidates have committed to accept the results of the election, as announced by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), and to support a peaceful transition of power.”

The US president said elections remained a fundamental part of a functioning democracy, and stressed that all Nigerians deserved the chance to choose their future — freely and fairly.

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NEWS

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

AGF BRIEFING...

L-R: Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation (AGF), Abubakar Malami; Solicitor General, and Permanent Secretary (SGF/PS), Federal Ministry of Justice, Beatrice Jedy-Agba; Special Assistant to the Minister of Justice (Financial Crimes), Mr. Abiodun Aikomo, and Special Assistant on Media and Public Relations, to the Minister of Justice Umar Gwandu, during the briefing on the activities on the Federal Ministry of Justice organised by the Presidential Communication Team at the Presidential Villa Abuja... yesterday .

GODWIN OMOIGUI

CSOs to Police, Security Agencies: Hold Your Officers Deployed to Polling Stations Responsible for Breaches Says flash points of violent states are Rivers, Ebonyi, Delta, Nasarawa and Zamfara Yiaga Africa deploys 3,836 observers Police pledge hitch free poll Female lawyers seek protection of women against violence List Borno, Plateau, Kaduna, Kwara as hotspots Group to students, youths: Do not sell your votes Chuks Okocha, Alex Enumah in Abuja, Onuminya Innocent in Sokoto, Blessing Ibunge in Port Harcourt and Adibe Emenyonu in Benin City With exactly 24 hours to the presidential and National Assembly elections, a coalition of civil society groups has called on the Inspector General of Police, Usman Alkali Baba and other heads of security agencies to hold security officials posted to polling centres accountable for any breach during the elections.

The civil society groups also commended President Mohammadu Buhari for opting to remain neutral during the presidential and other elections.

The group alerted security agencies of states perceived as security flash points to include Rivers, Ebonyi, Delta, Nasarawa and Zamfara states.

Addressing a press conference, the Coordinator of 1st NGO Radar Room by the Speak Out Africa Initiative, Kenneth Eze, while commending Buhari for his stance on neutrality, charged the Police and heads of security agencies to hold police officers deployed to any polling centres responsible for any security breach.

According to Eze, "We call on the Inspector General of Police to configure Polling Units’ security agent encryption where each assigned security agent to polling unit would be held accountable for actions/inactions such as vote-buying and other vices and such personnel details should be given to INEC staff in the polling unit to avoid impersonation/for recognition."

According to him, "INEC should carry out a pre-voter education before accreditation commences to all the voters on the queue on how to vote correctly, how to fold the ballot paper as well as issue of polling unit transfer to quell voter

agitation."

He added, "The central bank should track all transfer of money 48hrs to the election day through the commercial banks for possible identification of suspicious electronic money transfer from single sourceto-multiple individuals as politicians’ device new means of vote-buying while EFCC and ICPC handles the physical aspect of vote trading.

"We call on Nigerians to #WatchTheirVotesThemselves through Irev (INEC Result viewing portal) as that has been made possible through INEC innovation.

"We call on the citizens of Nigeria to take their destiny by their hands and reject any attempt to arm-twist their will or suffocate our hard-earned democracy and should troop out en masse to go out and vote for the candidate of their choice as we birth a New Nigeria."

The groups identified states as flash spots stating that, “through our violence incidence tracker, we wish to alert the security agencies to place an eye on the following states as there is likelihood of undemocratic issues such states are Lagos – where there is likelihood of voter suppression, likely security breaches, vote-buying, "Deliberate logistics delay, ethnic coloration, attempt to compromise INEC staff, likely attempt to undermine technology functionality and palpable violence attack on voters.

“Ebonyi and Abia - likelihood of attacks on political opponents using state machinery, political desperation by key actors and politically-induced voter apathy.

“Rivers and Delta - where political power tussle will be at the highest, vote-trading and activities of nonstate actors.

“Kano, Kogi and Kaduna - where political power tussle will be at the highest, vote-trading and attempt to compromise INEC staff and likely security breaches, and lastly Benue,

Zamfara, Nasarawa, Anambra and Enugu as states that need to be curtailed,” he said.

In the same manner, Yiaga Africa at a press conference addressed Dr. Hussaini Abdu, Chairman and Samson Itodo, the Executive Director, Yiaga Africa, the organisation would be deploying a total of 3,836 observers throughout the country.

According to Yiaga Africa, "This is comprised of 3,014 stationary Parallel Vote Tabulation (PVT) observers deployed to a random representative statistical sample of 1,507 polling units; 822 roving observers across the 774 LGAs and 36 states; and 8 Working Group members who run real-time election analysis.”

Yiaga Africa added, "We call on the Inspector General of Police to configure polling units’ security

agent encryption where each assigned security agent to polling unit would be held accountable for actions/inactions such as votebuying and other vices, and such personnel details should be given to the INEC staff in the polling unit to avoid impersonation/for recognition in the presidential election.”

Police Pledge Hitch-free Poll The Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG) in charge of Northwest zone, Muhammad Inuwa, yesterday, said the Nigeria Police Force would collaborate with other security agencies to ensure a hitch free poll in the zone on Saturday.

Inuwa, made the disclosure at police headquarters, Sokoto, while briefing men of Nigerian Army, police and other paramilitaries in the state.

The DIG noted that he was

in Sokoto on monitoring and assessment and to meet with security stakeholders in the state.

He said as security personnel, they must remain apolitical, saying they should have no sympathy for any political party.

"Our own duty is to maintain law and order during and after election,” he stated.

He said this synergy would continue even after the election, stressing that when it comes to internal security police are in forefront "You know government comes and government goes, but we remain loyal to government in power to ensure peace reign in the country,” he added.

The DIG also went into a closed-door meeting with traditional leaders, political parties, EU election observers, where he enjoined

political parties to caution their supporters to refrain from violence during and after the elections.

He maintained that no eligible voter would be disfranchised, saying his men are ready to deal decisively with those who want to foment trouble during and after the elections.

Earlier in his welcome address the Commissioner of Police, Sokoto State, Muhammad Usaini Gumel, said as part of preparation for a hitch-free poll, the command held series of inter-agency consultative meetings where every security agency pledged to do everything to ensure violence-free election.

Meanwhile, the Assistant Inspector-General of Police (AIG) in charge of Zone 13 (Awka), Anambra State, Abutu Yaro, alongside other Continued on page 16

Awoyemi: Insurance Industry Must Promote Adoption of Digital Assets to Deepen Coverage Seeks recapitalisation of firms James Emejo in Abuja The Founder/Chairman of Proshare Nigeria, Mr. Olufemi Awoyemi, has called on the insurance industry to spearhead the adoption of digital assets in the country in order to leverage inherent risks for wider coverage.

He said to thrive amid the emerging challenges facing the industry, insurance operators must be innovative by exploring accessible and affordable products that address the needs of the society.

Speaking on "Shaping the Financial Sector: Emergent Challenges and Opportunities - The National Budget as it Relates to the Insurance Sector," he also stressed the need for the insurance regulator

and operators to press more for the recapitalisation of the industry as well as passage of the Insurance Amendment bill.

Awoyemi said the 2023 national budget does not hold much promise for the industry unlike in other climes where regulation, taxation, infrastructure and social welfare programmes all have significant impact on the sector.

He argued that relying on the budgetary provisions for the National Insurance Commission (NAICOM) alone won't benefit the industry with regards to its development.

He said while uncertainties had become stress test for businesses and insurers, the headwinds present openings for the sector to convert the tailwinds into opportunities for

increased business.

According to him, the industry could leverage economic downturns to increase insurance coverage by prioritising certain types of insurance and infrastructure to reach new markets.

He said poverty and public distrust remained major obstacles to insurance penetration in the country.

He said, "For instance, life and health insurance may become more attractive to individuals who fill overwhelmed by stress and lacks and property and casualty insurance may become more important for businesses facing increased risk of uncertain times.”

On the other hand, the widespread poverty incidences should nudge insurers to offer

products and services that are affordable, accessible and meet the needs of consumers and businesses within each stratum."

Awoyemi, however identified some of the digital assets which could help insurance operators to expand coverage to include data privacy and security, money laundering, financial stability, financial inclusion and other financial and systemic risks.

According to him, aside the macroeconomic and political challenges that may impede the growth of the sector, insurance companies faced the threat and opportunities of a universal financial system in the country.

Continued online

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OBI, TINUBU EXCHANGE PLEASANTRIES AT 2ND PEACE ACCORD...

L-R: Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate, Mr. Peter Obi; Zenith Labour Party (ZLP) presidential candidate, Chief Dan Nwanyanwu and All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential candidate, Mr. Bola Ahmed Tinubu, during the second signing of Peace Accord for the presidential election held at Abuja… Wednesday SUNDAY AGHAEZE.

Malami: Buhari Didn’t Breach S’Court Order By Banning Old Banknotes Says security will determine govs, others' fate over alleged treason

Deji Elumoye in Abuja The Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, yesterday, dismissed insinuations that President Muhammadu Buhari acted in breach of the Supreme Court order on the currency swap case instituted by some governors.

Malami, who spoke to newsmen at the State House, Abuja, stated that Buhari did not in any way act in breach on the case instituted at the Supreme Court by some governors over the naira swap deadline.

He said as far as the rule of law was concerned, there were many options available.

Buhari had on Thursday, February 16, 2023, in a national broadcast, directed the CBN to re-circulate the old N200 denomination of the naira, thereby extending the validity of the notes for another 60 days to April 10 2023.

The President's broadcast and exclusion of the N1000 and N500 notes in his directive had since generated controversy among the public, especially, lawyers, who differed on whether or not the administration breached the Supreme Court order.

Reacting, Malami said considering the fact that the matter was still in litigation and the fact that their were options to government under the rule

of law, the administration was not in breach of the apex court order.

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

"The fact, clearly, is that we are not in breach of any order made by the court, inclusive of any order associated with the naira redesign.

We are not in breach. I believe I'm not a banker, but you have not gone to establish which bank is it that you have gone to present a N1000 or

N500 notes that has been rejected.

So we are not in breach.

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

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

Ogun Makes History as First Commercial Flight Lands at Gateway Agro Cargo Airport Osinbajo hails Abiodun Ogun State yesterday recorded a remarkable feat, as a first commercial flight landed at the Gateway Agro Cargo International Airport along Iperu- Ilishan road in Ikenne Local Government Area of the State.

The first flight landed at about 2.15pm to the cheering of hundreds of people of the state.

The Agro Cargo Airport was the idea of the Gbenga Daniel's administration conceived in 2005, abandoned by his successor Ibikunle Amosun but actualised by Dapo Abiodun.

Speaking at the event, Abiodun said the maiden test flight was one of the necessary activities leading to the full certification and licencing of the airport for safe aviation operations.

He submitted that the timing of the development of the airport was not accidental, at a time the Africa Continental Free Trade Area agreement had become effective.

The governor added, "The development of this project comes at a time when the country is vigorously pursuing strategies to promote increased export activity, for which the airport would be a key point of departure for export goods.

"It comes at time when the AfDB

sponsored Special Agriculture Processing Zone was established in the airport zone in conjunction with the Federal Government, a zone to also include various industrial and logistics activity centres and termed an Aerotropolis that would benefit from airport and air transportation services.

"It comes at a time the federal government has reconstructed the Lagos to Shagamu Express Way and is on the verge of concessioning the Shagamu to Benin Express Way ensuring safe and efficient land access.

"It comes at a time the federal government is about to start developing the east to west standard gauge rail line linking Lagos to the airport and to the east of the country.

"It comes at a time the state is embarking on a sister development, the development of a Dry Port and Port City at Kajola at the junction of the Lagos to Ibadan and the proposed East to Gateway Airport to the East (Calabar) rail line, essential providing connectivity between the Apapa ports to the Airport.

"It comes at a time the federal and state governments are developing the strategic east to west highway that will connect Ilaro in Ogun

West Senatorial district to the newly reconstructed Interchange to Abeokuta highway in Ogun Central via Kajola and Papalanto, sites of the Dry Port City and Dry Port, to the Gateway Agro Cargo Airport at the geographical centre of Ogun State.”

The Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, appreciated the effort of the Abiodun-led government for bringing the project into reality.

Osinbajo noted that the project would no doubt bring about economic prosperity, not only to the state but the country in general.

The VP said: "I am super proud to be a citizen of Ogun State, from Ikenne-Remo in Ikenne Local Government Area of the state.

This is incredibly momentous event.

"With what we all see here this afternoon; Ogun State is definitely taking a huge step in fulfilling the dreams of our forebears. The dreams of late Chief Obafemi Awolowo and others who worked with him.

“The dreams of a vibrant modern and industrious community living together in peace and prosperity.

A dream of Ogun State that is the engine room of our nation's economy, commerce and businesses.

"We must pause here to commend the first visioner of this airport, Otunba Gbenga Daniel who went as far as getting the federal government's approval for the project.

“But it is a tribute to the wisdom and understanding of our current governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun that he took it from the idea, re envisioned its completely and in the light of the opportunities, needs and requirements and realities of today, begets the best Gateway International Agro Cargo Airport of Ogun State.

"This project is the fulfilments of the vision for building a dynamic economic area. We are now poised to provide facilities for a world class economic zone.”

The Minister of Aviation, Senator Hadi Sirika, said the airport project would add value to the Gross Domestic Product of the country, its people and their well-being.

He noted that the Mohammadu Buhari's administration had witnessed the establishment of many airports since it came on board in 2015.

Sirika explained that the gains of the airport would engender economic prosperity of the state.

when you presented your application for setting aside.

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

So, we are not in breach."

This, nonetheless, some governors including Nasir el-Rufai of Kaduna State and Abdullahi Ganduje of Kano State had openly denigrated the naira policy, asking their citizens not to comply with the expiration of the legality of the old N500 and N1000 notes.

The two governors were among those who went to the Supreme Court to stop the February 10 deadline given by the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, from ceasing to recognise the N500 and N1000 naira notes as legal tender.

However, fielding question on the insinuation in some quarters that the utterances of the governors were tantamount to treason, the AGF affirmed that investigation could not be ruled out, and that the relevant security agencies would determine if there would be need for further action.

Malami stressed the importance of the redesign policy, which he said would enable citizens to assume collective ownership of the electoral system rather than allowing a few moneybags to take charge, adding that, the policy was designed to allow freedom of choice and also fight corruption.

On the benefits of electoral reforms, the AGF said it was only the President Muhammadu Buhari administration that had exercised the political will to enhance democratic practice through legislative, political and administrative interventions.

He said the reason behind the recent naira redesign policy was to ensure that Nigerians effectively take ownership of their election processes by way of ensuring that no foreign funds were allowed to influence the people’s decision in terms of

ownership and by way of limiting the contributions by Nigerians in political parties.

The AGF said the policy was not to allow money to play a prominent role in affecting freedom of judgment of Nigerians, but that the naira redesign has a lot of advantages associated with the fight against corruption in terms of design visibility and transparency.

His words: “Advantages associated with sustenance and allowing the freedom of the people of Nigerians to prevail, freedom devoid of monetary inducement and intervention is equally part of it.

“But then on the issue relating to the open rebellion in view of the fact that the sizable portion of such considerations constitute the subject matter of litigation before the Supreme Court. But above all, as you rightly know, you equally raised the issue of treason or certain order associated with it. These issues are usually issues that are issues of forces.

“So you cannot rule out the possibility of investigation but the responsibility of investigation and doing the needful arising from the weight and assessment of the implications of the statements is the responsibility of the security agencies and I believe they are doing the needful in that effect to determine whether there is need for further action.

“Actions associated with investigations as to what other measures need to be taken in case it is their conclusion that there is the need for actions to be taken related to the utterances made. So, that is the best I can say on that rebellion.”

He said the idea of prosecution is something that should be understood and that it is the vilification of corruption that has now been translated to have in front and at the disposal of government.

“I thought it's the benefit and visibility that can be used in the infrastructure and development of 200 million Nigerians. that matters to the demand of an individual that has perhaps illegitimately or unlawfully or fraudulently acquired N200 billion and he now sets aside N100 billion because he has greater voice speaking that we have to obey the rule of law.

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2023 PEACE ACCORD...

L-R: Commonwealth Secretary-General, Rt. Hon. Patricia Scotland; Former Kenyan President, Uhuru Kenyatta, Chairperson of Commonwealth Election Observers, Thabo Mbeki and President Muhammadu Buhari, during the second signing of Peace Accord for the presidential election in Abuja…Wednesday

Ahmed: Buhari’s Govt Has Done Foundational Works for Next Administration to Build on Says worrying over funds to finance govt programmes keep her awake at night Moghalu: Nigeria’s economic crises lies at its constitutional structure

Nume Ekeghe and Dike Onwuamaeze The Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Mrs. Zainab Ahmed, yesterday, said the President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration has laid good foundational work for the incoming administration to build on and deliver good governance and prosperity to Nigerians.

Ahmed also disclosed that one major thing that keep her awake at night was how to source revenue to implement crucial programmes of the government, adding that a lot of Nigerians do not think that there is anything wrong about not paying their taxes.

She made this comments while speaking on CNN, during a discussion on “Reforming Nigeria’s Embattled

Economy,” that was anchored by CNN Anchor and Correspondent, Ms. Eleni Giokos, which also featured former Deputy Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria, Prof. Kingsley Moghalu; Chairman, Platform Capital, Dr. Akintoye Akindele and the Founding Partner, Healthcare Capital Africa, Dr. Ola Orekunrin Brown.

The minister said: “It is always good to remember that Buhari’s administration has gone through several crises and still managed to keep the economy growing.

“Just on Wednesday, we released our most current GDP report and the economy has grown at 3.52 per cent.

So it's been very difficult. It's not the best of times. We have had the worst that could have happened thrown at us during this administration.

“Despite that, we've seen growth

and we've also seen an increase in infrastructure and also an expansion of social programs that impacted the lives of people as well as expansion of investments in education, health, as well as in social investment that is meant to address the most vulnerable segments of our society.”

She added: “On the issue of tax, it is still low compared to our GDP, but the absolute number on the taxes collected is increasing at a rapid rate.

For example, in 2021, the total collection of tax was N6 trillion, in 2022 that moved to N10 trillion.

“But again, as has been mentioned, on the fiscal side that there's a lot that we need to do to reduce the costs of governance because our expenditure is growing faster than the revenues by almost twofold on an annual basis.”

Ahmed also harped on the need

to rebuild the social contract between the citizen and the government on a constant basis because the world itself was dynamic, adding that the Buhari’s administration, “has started what whichever government that comes in will continue with and we hope it is the same ruling party so it becomes easier.”

She, however, noted that “revenue shortfalls keep me awake because you need finances to fund salaries, pensions, elections and infrastructure.

And we have a massive census also coming up in April. So, in 2023, we have huge expenditures spending in one year, and it keeps me awake at night.

“A lot of Nigerians do not think that there is something wrong in not paying their taxes. Before we had responsible citizens that paid

taxes. But since we discovered oil and moved toward a rent state the culture of tax payment just dissipated into the air. But it doesn’t add up and doesn’t work that way. Every citizen has to be a responsible.”

In his contribution, Moghalu, noted that the rate of diversification of the Nigerian economy has not taken place in a manner necessary for rent-seeking to stop.

He argued: “What Nigeria needs is foreign exchange diversification. We need an export-led economy that is driven by complex value added growth across a number of areas to create an inclusive economy.”

He said the next government must work on the fundamental things holding Nigerian back from achieving prosperity for its 200 million citizens.

Moghalu said Nigeria’s economic crises lies at its constitutional structure

that makes the central government extremely attractive.

He said: “There are two things the new government that is coming in must do. First, we must increase the supply of our oxygen. And that implies that we must deal with the fiscal crises. That is basic. We must increase our revenue. The second thing is that the next government must address the waste and corruption in governance by bringing in very competent professionals to manage the economy and stop.

“The challenge of the next government is the ability of its leadership to put the right things in place to stop the vested interests and put the people first. And to be very transparent about policies and ensure that critical institutions like the central bank and the judiciary do not become political balls.”

Ndubuisi Francis in Abuja

was one of the high points of the second meeting of the NCP for 2023, held at the Presidential Villa, Aso Rock, Abuja on Tuesday.

According to the privatisation agency, the firms are expected to provide proposals for carrying out the assignment based on: Validating the titles of the properties, thereby determining if the properties were duly registered at the relevant land registries; determining the ownership status of the properties as well as the type, size, and location of the properties, as well as providing any additional information that will enhance the audit of the properties.

In a statement, the BPE said the nine firms divided into the six geopolitical zones included Oghogho Ayanru (South East Batch 1), Raji Adewale Associates (South East Batch 2); Alaba Odunlanmi (South South Batch 1), Law Field Barristers and Solicitors (South South Batch 2), B.A. Wali & Associates (North West), and Aliyu Abubakar & Co (North East).

Others are Bola Fabola (North Central), Tayo Osuntogun & Co (South West Batch 1)and Primal Chambers (South West Batch 2).

Russia-Ukraine War: Global Supply Privatisation Council Appoints Firms to Verify NIPOST Chain Grew By 4% in 2022, WTO Reveals Nine Properties Nationwide Says wheat prices actually increased by 17% against projected 85%

Dike Onwuamaeze In spite of the constraints on exports brought about by the war between Russia and Ukraine, a report by staff of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) has revealed that the global trade was resilient and performed above the WTO’s forecast of 3.0 per cent in 2022 while the supply chain recorded four per cent growth during the year under review.

The report published in the WTO Information Note titled “One Year of War in Ukraine: Assessing the Impact on Global Trade and Development,” that was released yesterday, noted that “global trade continued to increase in 2022, including for products greatly affected by the war, highlighting the resilience of the multilateral trading system.

“Early estimates suggest that trade growth was above the WTO trade forecast from April 2022 (around 3 per cent) and substantially higher than the more pessimistic predictions for 2022.

“This stability is also reflected in trade in supply chains, which grew by 4.0 per cent year-on-year in the second

quarter of 2022, when measured in terms of trade in intermediate goods.”

The note also highlighted the importance of strengthening the multilateral trading system and warned that the least-developed countries would likely to be hardest hit if international cooperation were to break down.

According to the WTO’s Chief Economist, Mr. Ralph Ossa, "global trade has held up well in the face of the war in Ukraine. Despite the devastation we have seen one year on, trade flows remained open.

“We have not seen the worst predictions foreseen at the onset of the war. Sharply higher food prices and supply shortages have not materialised thanks to the openness of the multilateral trading system and the cooperation governments have committed to at the WTO. "Resilience will ultimately be best served by fostering deeper and more diverse international markets, anchored in open and predictable trade rules."

The note further stated that prices for goods that were greatly affected by the war rose less than expected

at the beginning of the war.

It stated that among products most affected by the war, “prices increased between 4.4 per cent (palladium) and 24.2 per cent (maize). While these price increases are substantial, they are significantly lower than the gloomiest predictions.

“The WTO Secretariat staff simulations highlighted that in the case of cascading export restrictions on food, prices for wheat could have increased by up to 85 per cent in some low-income regions compared to the actual increase of 17 per cent.”

The note attributed the relatively limited price increases to the restraint in the imposition of export restrictions

by WTO members, which might have played a key role in keeping price increases in check.

It said: “During the period from mid-October 2021 to mid-October 2022 covered by the latest WTO Monitoring Report, estimated trade coverage of the regular (non-COVID-19-related) importfacilitating measures introduced by WTO members (USD 1,038.4 billion) far exceeded the trade coverage of

import-restrictive measures ($163.5 billion).

“This, in combination with the limited price hikes, suggests that the 12th WTO Ministerial Conference, which resulted in a Ministerial Declaration on the Emergency Response to Food Insecurity, had a meaningful impact on reducing food insecurity.”

The note, however, stated that Ukrainian exports collapsed by 30 per cent in 2022 in value terms, especially exports of cereal, which were central to the food security of many African economies, declined by 14.9 per cent forcing these economies to adjust their sourcing patterns.

It recorded that Ethiopia, for example, which used to rely on Ukraine and Russia for 45 per cent of its wheat imports, reacted by increasing purchases from other producers including the United States (shipments up 20 per cent in volume terms) and Argentina, which supplied 21 per cent of Ethiopia's imported wheat, up from zero in the previous year.

Continued online

The National Council on Privatisation (NCP) under the Chairmanship of the Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo has approved nine firms to immediately carry out a nationwide verification of NIPOST Properties & Development Company Limited.

NIPOST Properties & Development Company Limited is one of the three subsidiaries carved out of the nation's main postal agency, Nigeria Postal Service (NIPOST) in 2020.

The other two are NIPOST Transport & Logistics Company and NIPOST Microfinance.

The nine firms approved by the NCP to undertake the nationwide verification in the six geo-political zones of the country are: Oghogho Ayanru, Raji Adewale Associates, Alaba Odunlanmi, Law Field Barristers and solicitors and B.A. Wali & Associates.

Others are Aliyu Abubakar & Co, Bola Fabola, Tayo Osuntogun & Co and Primal Chambers.

The Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE) disclosed that the approval

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FUTURE FORWARD FORUM LECTURES...

L-R: Ms Ann Haaga; Chief executive officer, Emmanuel Rotiba; Hajia. Aisha Salisu; with Ogochukwu Erilim; during the Future Forward forum lectures in Abuja, ...yesterday.

Atiku Raises the Alarm over Alleged Plan to Scuttle Tomorrow’s Election

Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja

The Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, yesterday raised the alarm over alleged plans by those he termed elements in the All Progressives Congress (APC) to foment violence in some states in order to force the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to postpone Saturday’s election.

In a statement in Abuja by his Special Assistant, Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, Atiku stated that the alternative plan

was to hold a staggered election whereby elections would not be held simultaneously across the country.

The PDP presidential candidate warned that failure to hold elections on the same day across the country would be an invitation to rigging, purporting that the violence in Kano was a prelude to the plan.

“Today, there was serious violence at the Kwanar Dangora on the outskirts of Kano City. This is a state where the APC holds sway.

They have already started with the violence as they did in 2019, where they forced a rerun and then used violence to win.

Frank Urges Northern Leaders, Clerics to Rally Support for Atiku Ohanaeze youths endorse all PDP candidates Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja A former Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Timi Frank, has appealed to Northern leaders, Clerics and youths across the 19 Northern states to mobilise support for the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, in tomorrow’s election.

Frank, in a statement, yesterday, said it was obvious that both Bola Tinubu of APC and Peter Obi of Labour Party were ethnic champions, and had run ethnic and religious campaigns in such a way that placed the North at disadvantage if either of them won this election.

Frank said Obi has visited nearly all the Churches with various Pastors openly endorsing him while Tinubu has been playing ethnic politics of 'Emilokan' (It is my turn), hence the need for the Northern leaders and Clerics to speak the truth to their followers as they go to Mosque on Friday.

He said the move became necessary because other two frontline contenders Obi and Tinubu have practically turned the game to ethnic and religious matters, hence the North should not put their son Atiku to shame during the election.

"It is very important at this point in time for the Northern elders, Clerics and the youths not to sit on the fence but rally round Atiku Abubakar like some Yoruba leaders, faction of Afenifere and PANDEF have done to Peter Obi and Bola Tinubu based on religion and ethnic factors.

"We have seen some southern

leaders like Chief Adebanjo openly threatening war if a southerner does not win this election. Again, the activities of the five southern governors, who are all Christians are part of the plot against the North, which must be resisted if Nigeria will continue as one.

"As a true southerner, I believe in one Nigeria and strongly believe too that the only candidate that can unify Nigeria and make her remain as one is Atiku Abubakar, who already has a blueprint and determination to restructure Nigeria in such a way that will benefit the North, West, East and South.

"I am, however, calling on Norther elders and other organisations in the North to take a bold step by publicly endorsing Atiku as Southern Pastors and other groups have endorsed Peter Obi and Bola Tinubu," he said.

Meanwhile, the Ohanaeze Ndigbo Youths Worldwide, have also endorsed Atiku and Ifeanyi Okowa for president and vice president as well as all candidates of the PDP. The endorsement was given at the maiden Igbo Youth Town Hall meeting held in Asaba, the Delta State capital.

The Igbo Youths led by Mazi Livinus Obasi Onu, said, the youths were concerned about the drifting economy and insecurity plaguing the once peaceful South-East and Atiku and Okowa to ensure they reverse the challenges facing Ndigbo.

Responding, Okowa said the Atiku-Okowa Presidency would apply dialogue to unite Nigerians and provide more jobs to the teeming youths with the setting aside of $10 billion for MSMES.

“We also have it on good authority that this will happen in Borno, Yobe, Kaduna. Kaduna, in particular, must be singled out because the governor has been prodding his people to disobey President Muhammadu Buhari. He has also been running from pillar to post since his plan to unleash the old naira notes on voters was scuttled by the federal government,” he said.

Atiku commended the Nigeria police for arresting and arraigning an APC federal lawmaker in Rivers State, Ephraim Nwuzi, who was allegedly caught on video discussing plans to attack electoral officials in the state.

The PDP candidate asked the police not to leave any stone unturned ahead of the election,

especially in Rivers State, which it said is one of the most volatile during elections.

“We commend the police for arresting and arraigning the lawmaker representing Etche/ Omuma Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Ephraim Nwuzi. His utterance is evidence that the APC has a grand plan to foment violence on election day. This is their only strategy to hold on to power after failing Nigerians,” he stated.

The former vice president also asked the police to pay close attention to states like Ebonyi, Cross River, and Imo states where he said the governors are bent on doing anything possible to ensure that Bola Tinubu gets the 25 per cent requirement.

“Ebonyi, Cross River, and Imo are all traditional PDP strongholds.

However, their governors are members of the APC. They know that they cannot deliver their states for Bola Tinubu, who stands no chance of winning. With vote buying now very difficult, the only option will be to suppress votes through violence.

“The police, the military, and other security agencies must therefore keep an eye on these states in order to prevent violence,” Atiku said.

Atiku who commended the deployment of a sizeable number of security agents in Lagos, said local government areas such as Oshodi/Isolo, Amuwo Odofin, Eti Osa, Ikorodu, Ojo, Ajeromi/ Ifelodun and Surulere must be put

on high alert to forestall intimidation and rigging.

“There have been complaints about voter suppression in Lagos in the past. In the 2019 presidential election, Oshodi/Isolo witnessed violence, which forced elections to be cancelled in some polling units. Even in Eti Osa today, a council secretary and traditional leader vowed to evict traders if they don’t vote for the APC. “They are doing this to impress their master and godfather, Bola Tinubu, and we hope the international observers are seeing this. We commend the police for summoning those behind the threats against non-indigenes. But more efforts must be channelled towards arresting more of such bigots,” Atiku noted.

Three Benue Senators Disown Ortom, Endorse Atiku

Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja

The three senators representing Benue at the National Assembly, Gabriel Suswam, Emmanuel Jev and Abba Moro yesterday endorsed the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar.

While distancing themselves from Governor Samuel Ortom’s resolve to work for the Labour Party (LP) candidate, Peter Obi, the federal lawmakers urged the people of the state to vote

massively for the PDP candidate.

The senators' declaration of support for Atiku came against the backdrop of Ortom’s position to support Obi against his party, the PDP under which he’s also contesting for a senatorial seat.

While Suswam represents Benue’s north-east district, Jev represents the people of Benue north-west district even as Moro is the current senator for Benue south.

In the joint statement, all three senators called “on all Benue people to vote for PDP

candidates beginning from Atiku Abubakar as president and all PDP senatorial and house of representative candidates”.

The lawmakers informed that their decision to throw their weight behind Atiku was arrived at after consulting with the people of Benue in the three senatorial zones. “ This is to inform the entire voting public, the citizens of Benue state and Nigeria that after due consultation with the Benue people in the three senatorial zones, Benue has resolved to

cast their votes for the Peoples Democratic Party.

“We are resolved to join the rest of Nigeria to elect former Vice President, His Excellency Alhaji Atiku Abubakar as president of the federal republic of Nigeria on February 25, 2023.

“We hereby call on all Benue people to vote for PDP candidates beginning from Atiku Abubakar as president and all PDP Senatorial and House of Representative candidates. This is the best deal for Benue state,” the three senators insisted.

Lawan Sponsored No Bill as Senate President, Says Group Udora Orizu in Abuja The Executive Director of OrderPaper Advocacy Initiative, a legislative performance monitoring organisation, Okey Epia, has revealed that the Senate President, Ahmad Lawan has not sponsored one single bill as a lawmaker in the ninth Senate that commenced in 2019.

Addressing a press conference in Abuja, yesterday, ahead of Saturday's Presidential and National Assembly elections in Nigeria, Epia urged Nigerians to vote those standing for election on basis of merit He said Lawan was rather known by Nigerians as the chief enforce of the desires of President Muhammadu Buhari.

Epia's revelations came against the backdrop of a survey by his

organisation which indicated that 0.23 per cent of the 4,223 candidates vying for the 469 elective seats in both the Senate and the House of Representatives have requisite knowledge of the statutory roles of the parliament in lawmaking, representation and oversight functions.

Out of the figure, 1,101 were senatorial candidates with 1,008 as males and 92 as females.

Similarly, the House of Representatives has a total number of 3,122 candidates with 2,832 as males while 288 were females.

Lawan has been in the National Assembly since the return of democracy in 1999.

He was first elected to the House of Representatives in 1999 to represent the Bade/Jakusko Constituency of Yobe State, reelected in 2003 before successfully running

to become Yobe North Senator in 2007.

Since then, Lawan has been elected back to back and later became the Senate President in 2019, after a successful tenure as the Senate Leader between 2015 and 2019.

Recently, the Supreme Court declared him the winner of the 2023 primary election of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) against the aspiration of Bashir Machina, who won the ticket at the time Lawan was engrossed with his presidential pursuit.

Epia also urged the media to go beyond reporting the drama of the polls, the winners and inform the electorate about the performance of the lawmakers especially those seeking reelection.

He said: "We infuse legislative election into our reportage and

keep away or do less of the drama.

Okay, you are watching out for if Lawan is going to be floored

by PDP because of the Machina affair, that is dramatic.

“That is fine. It is political reportage but are we also able to make people know that Lawan didn’t sponsor a single bill all through this 9th National Assembly?

And that's not excusable because he is a presiding officer, because we know his opposite member here has sponsored 27 bills.

"So, being a presiding officer is not an excuse why he didn't sponsor a single bill. People know him to be the chief enforcer of the President's desires in the National Assembly and he has been quoted that much.

“He has not refuted that anything Mr. Buhari wants, he will get it.

Mr. Buhari is always right.”

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COURTESY VISIT TO RACK CENTRE...

L-R: Managing Director, Cedarview Communications Limited, Olawale Owoeye; Senior Sales Manager, Carriers, Rack Centre, Donald Ibe; Divisional Head, Wholesale and Enterprise Services, Cedarview Communications, Kehinde Alphonso; Head of Sales (Enterprise) Cedarview, Olalekan Osibanjo and Senior Sales Manager, Cloud and Content, Rack Centre, Kelechukwu Nsofor during a recent courtesy visit to Rack Centre in Lagos...yesterday

TUC Urges Members to Vote for Obi, Labour Party Tomorrow Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja The Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC), has charged workers across the country to come out massively to vote for the Labour Party presidential candidate in tomorrow's presidential election.

In a statement jointly signed by TUC president, Festus Osifoh and General Secretary, Comrade Nuhu Toro, the TUC, who described the election as a crucial exercise that might determine the immediate future of the country especially, in socio-economic terms, and, the general wellbeing of the country, urged workers in the country and their allies to be vigilant during the elections.

"Workers have the duty not only to cast their votes for candidates of their choice who are pro-labour and that they can trust, but also to

defend the sanctity of the electoral process.

"Congress hereby directs all our members in all the thirty-six states and the seven hundred and seventy-four local government to be reminded that Labour Party belongs to us hence our appeal to all our members to vote for the labour party and all their candidates," it said.

TUC also said workers must keep in mind that where the political elites, some of whom hold multiple nationalities, were rich enough to relocate abroad, the working people and the mass of the citizenry had no alternative but to stay in the country.

He said, "The working class has a greater stake in ensuring not just the peaceful conduct of the elections, but also to safeguard general peace in the country

Kwara Declares Today Workfree Day for Civil Servants INEC distributes electoral materials Hammed Shittu in Ilorin Ahead of Saturday's presidential election, Kwara State governor, Alhaji AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq has declared today a work - free day for civil servants in the state.

Also yesterday, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in the state commenced the distribution of sensitive and non-sensitive materials across the 16 local government areas of the state.

A statement issued in Ilorin, yesterday, by the State Head of Service, Mrs. Susan Modupe Oluwole stated that the workfree day was to enable workers to travel down to their respective polling areas to actively participate in the elections holding on Saturday.

She therefore, admonished all citizens of the state, particularly the civil servants to perform their civic responsibility during the electioneering period without any acrimony.

Meanwhile, INEC in the state has commenced the distribution of sensitive and non-sensitive materials across the 16 local government areas of the state.

Addressing newsmen in Ilorin shortly after the dispatch of the election material from the Central Bank of Nigeria, Ilorin zone,

the INEC Residents Electoral Commissioner, Mallam Garba Attahiru Madami, said local councils far away from the state capital would first be attended to.

He said the Commission had concluded arrangements to ensure credible conduct of the election.

Madami explained that items to be distributed included, ballot papers, for presidential, Senatorial, and House of Representatives, result sheets and collation forms.

He said other items are the Bimodal Voter Accreditation system (BVAS) as well as the provisions of the Number of voters to the political parties.

The INEC Residents Electoral Commissioner urged the residents of the state to conduct themselves peacefully before during and after that election.

In his remark on behalf of the other political parties in the state, the Director General Atiku/Okowa campaign council in Kwara state, Dr. Mahmoud Ajeigbe expressed satisfaction with the conduct of INEC during this period.

He urged INEC to provide a level-playing field for all political parties and ensure free, fair, and credible elections in the state, adding that, 218,78 uncollected Permanent Voters Card (PVCs) were returned to CBN until after the elections.

including in the post-election period.

"We also urge all Nigerians to ensure that special protection is given to electoral officials especially, the over 200,000 National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members engaged as ad-hoc staff to ensure smooth elections. These Youth Corpers are not only crucial for successful elections, but also are part of the bulwark of our youths that can guarantee a future Nigeria.

"Congress also urges the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC to ensure smooth elections in which the votes count, the entire process must be free, fair, transparent and credible. Since it has publicly confirmed that its needs and demands including the availability of funds have been met, INEC has no excuse whatsoever for failure. Besides, this is one failure the country cannot afford as its wellbeing may relies on these

polls," it said.

TUC equally advised all politicians to keep to the tenets of democratic practices and play by the rules.

It further urged, "the police and other security agencies to maintain neutrality in the elections, not to engage in illegal escort duties, be civil to the citizenry and be professional in their general conduct throughout the elections.

Governments at all levels have a primary duty to secure lives and

property, so, they must protect all citizens before, during and after the elections.

"The TUC also welcomes the 33 international organisations and the 2,113 observers they have deployed for these elections and request them to stick to their role of observing the elections without any form of interference.

Equally, we urge them to refrain from making statements that can inflame passions or lead to any form of disruption in the country."

PDP Raises the Alarm over Plots to Compromise PVCs, INEC System in Imo, Cross River Chuks Okocha in Abuja Leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has alerted of a scheme by the All Progressives Congress (APC) leaders in Imo and Cross River States to compromise tomorrow’s presidential and National Assembly elections in the state by inducing unsuspecting members of the public to surrender their Permanent Voter Cards (PVC) to APC agents with false promise of cash payment.

In a statement by the National Publicity Secretary of the party, Hon. Debo Ologunagba, the PDP said, "Our Party has been informed of how a minister in the APC-led federal government, who has relocated to Imo State, is conniving with APC leaders in the state to manipulate information contained in the PCVs to compromise the integrity of INEC’s systems (BVAS and Server) with a view to rigging elections in the state.

"There are already apprehensions of plots by the APC to use the said minister’s influence in the communication Sector to hack into INEC’s system and open it up to manipulate accreditation and voting information to the advantage of the APC. " PDP, therefore, cautioned the APC and the said minister to note that “their scheme has been exposed. Imo State is a stronghold of the PDP; that the people are behind our Presidential and National Assembly candidates and any attempt to rob them of their votes will be firmly resisted.

"We urge the people of Imo State and Nigerians across the country to resist the APC by refusing to surrender their PVCs to anybody, no matter the pressure or inducement, or allow anybody, under any guise whatsoever to have access to their

PVCs." He called Nigerians to also note that the PVCs contain very important personal biometric information, stating that, "Allowing APC agents access to the PVCs is likely to open their information to criminals, who could use such to manipulate and devastate the financial and social lives of unsuspecting Nigerians.''

The PDP further called on INEC and the police to take urgent action against the schemes of the APC in Imo State as the people would surely not accept any electoral outcome that does not reflect their will and aspiration.

In yet another statement by Ologunagba, he said intelligence available to the party revealed that Governor Ben Ayade of Cross River State, had allegedly compromised some members of the Election Special Forces detailed from Abuja for the elections in the State.

"Our Party has also been made aware that the said operatives led by a Commissioner of Police were taken to the Government House in Calabar where Governor Ayade reportedly handed them a list of 150 prominent opposition members and supporters who he allegedly ordered to be arrested and taken out of circulation before and during the elections," he said.

Ologunagba further explained that information at their disposal indicated that Ayade also provided the alleged compromised security operatives with 14 trucks and other vehicles to hound, arrest and convey the said opposition members to secret detention facilities in the state capital.

The intention of the APC, he said was to use the security operatives to harass the opposition, instill fear in the people, create tension and

cause voter suppression in the state, having realised that the people had rejected the APC and its presidential and National Assembly candidates due to their manifest failures.

Meanwhile, the PDP faithful in Benue South Senatorial District rose from a stakeholders meeting in Otukpo yesterday’s evening to formally endorse the candidate of the party, Atiku Abubakar as the preferred choice for the plum position.

The meeting was held in the Otukpo, the country home of former President of the Senate, Senator David Mark, where the PDP stakeholders resolved to vote for Atiku on the premise that their interest would be better served under his presidency.

They distanced themselves from those campaigning for candidates of other political parties, saying, they could not be faithful members of the PDP and be seen to be working for candidates of other political parties.

They, therefore, urged all party members not to be distracted by the antics of a few but should go all out to vote for candidates of the PDP in the February 25, 2023 and March 11, 2023 elections.

Addressing the stakeholders drawn for the nine local government areas making up Benue South Senatorial District, Mark told them to be faithful to PDP “because it makes no sense for people to be jumping from one party to the other.”

He said political parties were vehicles for achieving one’s political ambition that must of a necessity be held sacrosanct obeying the rules and regulations.

Mark frowned at those who jump from one party to the other, saying “they are people without

conviction or do not know what they really want”.

On his part, the current Benue south Senator Abba Moro urged the party faithful to remain steadfast with the PDP. In another development, the Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom, has appealed to the youth in the country not to resort to violence and destruction of public properties as a result of the hardship occasioned by the scarcity of cash and fuel brought on the people by the outgoing APC administration.

Ortom made the appeal yesterday, when the new executive members of Tiv Youth Organization (TYO) paid him a courtesy visit at Benue Peoples House, Makurdi.

According to a statement by the Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Nathaniel Ikyur, he maintained that destruction of public facilities because of anger would serve no useful purpose and advised the youth to make their voice heard through the election of credible leaders.

The governor further berated the federal government for deliberately making Nigerians go through pains using the Naira redesign policy, stating that the time given for the old naira notes to go out of circulation was too short.

Ortom enjoined President Muhammadu Buhari to heed to the advice of Nigerians, including those he perceived as enemies and review some policies of his administration that have brought pain to the people.

He commended members of the Tiv Youth Organisation, (TYO), especially the outgone executive members of the association for standing with his administration and speaking out at all times in defence of the people.

16

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 2023 • T H I S D AY

NEWS

COURTESY VISIT OF NIGERIA INSTITUTE OF MARKETING TO ACCESS BANK...

L-R: Council Member and Chairperson, Events and Conference Committee, Nigeria Institute of Marketing of Nigeria (NIMN), Adenike Olufade; President and Chairman of council, NIMN, Idorenyen Enang; Group Head, Marketing and Communications, Access Bank Group, Chioma Afe; and Chairperson, Learning and Development committee NIMN, Katchy Uhec during a courtesy visit of Nigeria Institute of Marketing of Nigeria Executive Council to Access Bank’s head office in Lagos… recently.

Jubilation in Anambra over Simon Ekpa's Arrest in Finland IPOB factional leader freed after interrogation Enugu business owners defy sit-at-home order, insist no going back on elections Nnamani condemns Enugu killings, flays sit -at -home order David-Chyddy Eleke in Awka, Michael Olugbode, Sunday Aborisade in Abuja and Gideon Arinze in Enugu There was jubilation in Anambra State yesterday, following the reported arrest of a factional leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Simon Ekpa, in Finland.

Some residents who spoke to THISDAY, described Ekpa's arrest as "good riddance to bad rubbish."

A resident of Awka, the Anambra State capital, Nnamdi Ezendu said, "Ekpa should be renditioned to Nigeria for proper punishment. That guy needs to be peppered for all the atrocious acts he had caused in this state and the entire south-east.

"The Nigerian government should not allow his case to be handled by the Finland authorities. They will handle him with kid gloves.”

In many public places THISDAY observed how people celebrated the arrest of the separatist factional leader.

Ekpa had repeated ordered sitat-home protest in the south-east, including calling for attacks on government facilities.

His latest was the declaration of sit-at-home, to prevent people from engaging in Saturday's election, an order which most of his followers usually enforce violently. and Authorities

There had been continuous agitation by IPOB for an independent State of Biafra with the lead agitator, Nnamdi Kanu still detained by the Nigerian government.

The Helsingin Sanomat (HS), the largest newspaper in the Nordic countries, reported that the police escorted the separatist out of his apartment in Lahti.

The news platform claimed that they had gone to Ekpa’s residence for an interview, but to their surprise, the Finland police, KRP, answered when the HS team rang the separatist bell.

The HS said the KRP prevented their team from entering Ekpa’s apartment and said the interview would be moved “to the future.”

“It is our understanding that he is currently in police custody in Finland,” the official who is not authorised to speak to the press was quoted to have said.

“According to information available to us, the image is verified

by Helsingin Sanomat, a Finnish newspaper; in it, Ekpa is seen being escorted out of his home in Lahti by plainclothes Finnish police”, the official said.

However, Ekpa was later released yesterday evening. The Finnish Central Criminal Police confirmed Ekpa’s release, according to HS reports.

The police claimed that its

operation in Lahti and the subsequent arrest of the pro-Biafra agitator were in connection with ongoing preliminary investigation.

“The person being questioned today is suspected of a crime. We will return to the title on Friday,” Tommi Reen from the Central Criminal Police told HS during a phone interview.

Before his eventual arrest yesterday, Nigerians all over the world had signed a petition appealing to the Finnish government, Nigerian Government and the European Union to arrest Ekpa, the brain behind the sit-at-home order in the South-East.

An official at the Embassy of Finland in Abuja, Nigeria who spoke anonymously to our correspondent confirmed the arrest of Ekpa.

He said: “I can confirm that it is indeed our understanding, based on the news report by Helsingin Sanomat that Mr. Ekpa was taken in for questioning earlier today from his home in Lahti.

“Finnish police do not however, as a matter of principle, give out information of the identities of persons being questioned. The photo is verified by Helsingin Sanomat as showing Ekpa being escorted from his home by plainclothes police.”

The official at the embassy, said the disinformation about airport arrest, Interpol and Israel in some

of the published report should be disregarded, insisting that: “Those are all false.”

Meanwhile, owners of businesses in Enugu State, yesterday defied the sit-at-home order declared by Ekpa, noting that there was no going back on the general election.

Ekpa, had declared that elections would not hold in the entire south-east and that there would be a sit-at-home from February 23rd to 28th.

But when THISDAY visited the popular Ogbete Market yesterday, it was discovered that business activities were in full swing, unlike previously when the orders were given.

The road leading to the market was busy as always, with vehicular movements. Some banks also opened for business.

Business owners who spoke to THISDAY said they were no longer ready to obey such indiscriminate orders, especially as the elections were approaching.

Shadrach Ani, who owns a boutique inside the market said the decision by business owners to open despite the order showed that the people were ready for a change.

"If we had agreed to stay at home today, it means we will not come out tomorrow and even on Saturday" he said.

The federal government through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs had

summoned the Finnish Ambassador to Nigeria, Leena Pylvanainen, in reaction to the threats by Ekpa.

The Ohanaeze Ndigbo also held an executive committee meeting where it had condemned the threat by Ekpa to lock down Igbo land during the general election.

The South-East Council of Traditional Rulers had also reacted to the threat and had urged their subjects and residents of the zone to ignore the sit-at-home order and go out to vote for their preferred candidates Also, residents in the state have continued to react to the news about Ekpa’s arrest.

Some of those who spoke to THISDAY, said it would further encourage people to come out and vote on Saturday.

"We are tired of the situation in Nigeria, said a driver who prefers not tobe mentioned. " We want a change and a government that will work for us".

In a related development, former Governor of Enugu State, Senator Chimaroke Nnamani, yesterday condemned the attacks and killings in the state that claimed the lives of some politicians and urged the security operatives not to leave any stone unturned to bring the perpetrators to justice.

The lawmaker, currently representing Enugu East Senatorial

District in the National Assembly, condemned the activities of the unknown gunmen in a statement made available to THISDAY in Abuja yesterday.

He described the perpetrators of the heinous crimes as enemies of the people that must be fished out forthwith, insisting that anything to the contrary would be a disservice to God and humanity.

He condemned the series of attacks on various political parties’ campaign convoy; first on the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) bus at Topland, the second on All Progressives Congress (APC) at Agbani and that of Labour Party (LP) at Ekeotu (Wednesday was allegedly planned and executed by unknown gunmen who came to enforce the no election agenda.

He condemned the attacks in no unmistakable terms and urged governments and the citizens to rise up against the perpetrators who were planning to disrupt the elections in the south-east region.

Part of the statement read, "Senator Nnamani has been in the forefront and indeed the first notable political leader from the South East Zone to openly condemn the activities of unknown gunmen and the sit-at-home order by the proscribed indigenous peoples of Biafra (IPOB) bedeviling the region.

CSOS TO POLICE, SECURITY AGENCIES: HOLD YOUR OFFICERS DEPLOYED TO POLLING STATIONS RESPONSIBLE FOR BREACHES four Commissioners of Police deployed to Rivers State to supervise the general elections, has assured of adequate security across the Local Government Areas in the state before, during and after the polls.

The AIG who briefed journalists yesterday, at the Police headquarters on Moscow Road, Port Harcourt, stressed that election was not war, but a political process which should be peaceful, with a comfortable outcome.

Yaro, warned trouble makers and persons who intend to disrupt the peace of the state during the elections, to steer clear, saying that the Police and other security agencies would not allow such to thrive.

Yaro said the delegation was mandated by the Inspector General Police to undertake election security management, stressing that the police was determined to ensure professionalism and rancour free election in Rivers State.

He commended officers of the police command, sister agencies for maintaining stable security in the state, urging for more professionalism which he said, should be in tandem with the law.

"There is no alternative to peace.

We encourage all persons and all Police officers to be professional in

discharge of their duties. We ensure election is rancour free and peaceful.

We keep you abreast as the election progress.

"The only legacy we can impact as individuals is legacy of peace.

We owe a duty to God and to the state to preserve the legacy of peace," he added.

THISDAY observed at the briefing that three Commissioner of Police were deployed to each of the three Senatorial district in Rivers, while the fourth CP was deployed as resident Commissioner of Police in the state Police headquarters.

Female Lawyers Task INEC, Security Agencies on Violence against Women The International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA) has called on key actors in the electoral processes to address the issue of violence against women believed to be responsible for the low participation of Nigerian women in politics.

The association made the call yesterday, in Abuja, during the launch and opening of a Situation Room to observe the participation

of women and violence perpetrated against women in the 2023 general elections.

Speaking at the occasion, the Country Vice President/ National President, Mrs. Amina Agbaje, lamented that despite women constituting about 50 per cent of Nigeria's population, their level of political participation and representation was increasingly very poor.

Agbaje added that out of the 15,303 candidates contesting for various elective positions, only about 1,557 are females.

"Current statistics of women in parliament in Nigeria confirm that women representation in parliament has been on a steady decline, nine per cent in 2007; seven per cent in 2011; five per cent in 2015 and less than 10 per cent in the 9th National Assembly.

"Using the 2015 figures, there are only four women deputy governors in all of Nigeria's 36 states. While factors militating against women participation are varied, a major cause hindering effective participation of women in politics is the issue of violence", she said.

Presenting findings of the association's Pre-election Assessment

on Women Political Participation and Violence Threats Ahead 2023 General Election, Agbaje identified Borno, Plateau, Kaduna and Kwara as "key hotspots and areas that will militate against women participation" in the 2023 general elections.

The national president in addition identified factors such as economic hardship, discrimination against women, kidnapping, assassination, ethnic, religious and communal clashes, inadequate presence of security agencies, party thugs and hate speech amongst others that can trigger violence against women in the elections.

“In the light of the foregoing, key actors in the electoral processes particularly, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), political parties, security agencies, mass media and civil society organisations need to pay increasing attention to the identified risk factors limiting women participation with a view to tackling them headlong," she said.

Group to Students, Youths: Do Not Sell Your Votes Also, a group under the aegis

of Stand-Up Speak-Out Initiative (SUSO) has advised university students and youths in the country not to sell their votes but vote candidates of their choice The group’s Founder and President, Dr. Doyle Edeni, who gave the charge yesterday, at the University of Benin (UNIBEN), during a press conference with the theme: "Students Must Vote Campaign," said a new Nigeria was possible if youths fulfil their civic responsibility by voting those who can turn things around positively in the country.

He said the initiative was to galvanise students and youths across the country and let them know that they are important part of the voting population that would help to make a new Nigeria possible.

According to him, "We are not rooting for any particular party or candidate, but rooting for a good Nigeria, good governance and youthful leadership that would do the right things.

"We want you to take the message to your campuses, communities, look for youthful candidates that have character and vote them into officers and

hold them accountable. Nigeria will be good if we continue to hold leaders accountable for their action.

"Youth should wake up and take your destiny in your hands by voting for a new Nigeria, the idea of saying my vote won't count should stop, go out there and ushered a new Nigeria by voting a credible candidate."

Edeni, who lamented that Nigerians still play politics of religion and ethnicity, instead of voting for the right candidate that would ensure that public resources are used for the good of the people, also noted that the goal of group is to ensure good governance where the resources are used for the benefits of the people and the nation.

"We have volunteers from the various institutions across the country who take the message to their people and communities that they should all go out to vote.

"The group is also in the forefront of grass-root community-based mass mobilisation to raise socio-cultural and political awareness of the citizenry.

"Our current Students Must Vote Campaign is just one of many such intervention projects," Edeni declared.

17

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 2023 • T H I S D AY

NEWS

CELEBRATION OF THE ISO 9001:2015 CERTIFICATION FOR QUALITY MANAGEMENT...

L-R: Representative of Blue Star Management Systems Nigeria, Yewande Green; the Chief Executive Officer, Gordon Barrett, Taizir Ajala; Director Human Resource/Admin, Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Mr. Wakil; and the Chairman, RKK Group, AbdulRasheed Kilaso during the celebration of the ISO 9001:2015 Certification for Quality Management Systems as a customer-focused organization in Abuja... yesterday

DHQ: Troops Arrest Mastermind of Abuja-Kaduna Train Bombing in Kajuru Local Government Area of the state.

He said troops also recovered The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) said yesterday that troops of 83 rounds of 7.62mm NATO, 50 Operation Whirl Punch arrested rounds of 7.62mm special, and one of the masterminds of the seven magazines, among other March 28, 2022 terrorist attack on items. the Abuja-Kaduna train service.

Speaking in Abuja, the Director, Defence Media Operations, Maj Gen Musa Danmadami, said the suspect was one of the three Olawale Ajimotokan in Abuja terrorists apprehended by the troops at Damba community The FCT Security Committee has in Chikun Local Government assured residents of the Federal Area of Kaduna State on Feb. 14. Capital Territory of their safety He said the operation led to during and after the elections and the recovery of two motorcycles, has urged them to troop out in mobile phones, the sum of 5,000 large number to exercise their civic dollars, other currencies and some responsibility. sundry items.

The FCT Security Committee Danmadami said troops on meeting was presided over by the fighting patrol also neutralised FCT Minister of State, Dr. Ramatu seven terrorists at Ungwan Birni Tijjani-Aliyu and was attended by Kingsley Nwezeh in Abuja

Danmadami also said troops of Operation Hadarin Daji, had, within two weeks neutralised 23 terrorists and arrested nine as well as rescued 23 abducted civilians.

He stated that the air component conducted a series

of air interdiction operations to decimate and deny the terrorist freedom of action within the period under review.

“Specifically, on Feb. 13, an air interdiction operation was conducted based on an

intelligence report that terrorists had gathered for a wedding ceremony at a location within Safana Local Government Area of Katsina State.

“Another air interdiction operation was conducted at

identified terrorists locations within Kankara and Batsari Local Government Areas, all in Katsina state.

“Feedback revealed that several terrorists were neutralised in both air strikes,” he said.

2023 Elections: FCT Security Committee Assures Residents of Safety the FCT Permanent Secretary, Mr. Olusade Adesola, Chief of Staff to the FCT Minister, Bashir Mai-Borno, all heads of security formations in the FCT, chairmen of the six Area Councils of the FCT, secretaries of FCT Mandate Secretariats, chairman of the FCT Council of Chiefs, as well as some directors of the FCT Administration.

The committee said adequate security arrangement had been made to guarantee the safety

of officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as well as the residents who are expected to vote in the election that holds tomorrow and on March 11.

It made the assurance following its meeting held in Gwarimpa I District, Abuja. The committee also urged residents to conduct themselves in a lawful manner during the exercise and vote for candidates of their choice.

It noted that all potential flash points that could lead to the breach of peace have been carefully mapped out and appropriate surveillance measures have been put in place to maintain law and order in the FCT. It further reviewed all security concerns and expressed satisfaction with the level of preparedness by the respective security formations in the Territory and concluded that the 2023 general elections can

hold in an atmosphere of peace and tranquility in the territory.

The committee noted the proactiveness of the FCT Administration in restricting commuter movements around the International Conference Centre, Abuja, which is the Collation Centre for the 2023 Presidential election. It warned that it would not tolerate any act inimical to the peace and development of the Territory.

of Nigeria.

“Even though we all agree on the merits of the policy, its implementation gap unfortunately brought enormous hardship upon citizens across the country.

"However, I wish to assure us that with appropriate intervention by government and the collaborations of all stakeholders, this hardship will soon fade away and normalcy restored to our daily livelihoods.

"The All Progressives Congress (APC) has vigorously campaigned in all the states of the federation and Abuja to explain why Nigerians should again vote for our party and candidates.”

According to Lawan, in the years since 2015, “Our government has recorded some gains in the face of enormous challenges. Nigerians are witnesses to these achievements across the sectors in all the six geopolitical zones of our country.

"Our presidential candidate, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, and his running mate, Senator Kashim Shettima, are tested in government and will surely Renew our Hope in a brighter future through their carefully thought-out agenda.

“Therefore, I earnestly urge you all to cast your votes for the APC and all its candidates again from top down to bottom.

"The ninth National Assembly has done much to strengthen our electoral system by enacting the Electoral Act 2022 that has empowered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to better manage the electoral process.

“The Act has many innovations designed to make your votes count.

This has given Nigerians and our friends in the international community a great confidence that the 2023 polls will be the best that we have seen under our growing democracy.”

87.2 MILLION VOTERS TO DECIDE A PRESIDENTIAL RACE TOO CLOSE TO CALL The United States, Biden reiterated, did not support any single candidate or party, but strongly supported a peaceful and transparent process that reflected the will of the people of Nigeria.

He stated, “On election day, I encourage all Nigerians — no matter their religion, region, or ethnicity —to exercise this fundamental freedom and make their voices heard — including young voters, many of whom may be heading to the ballot box for the first time.

“The United States stands with the Nigerian people as they chart a path toward a more democratic, prosperous, and secure future. I appreciate President (Muhammadu) Buhari’s firm commitment that the will of the people will be respected.”

The US president encouraged voters to remain peaceful and patient after voting, as their ballots are tallied, and urged the political parties and candidates to live up to their pledge.

The diplomatic missions of the United States, Australia, Japan, Norway, Canada and the United Kingdom in Nigeria equally lauded the signing of the second peace accord by the candidates competing in the upcoming presidential election.

The countries expressed commitment to support all efforts that would ensure that Nigerians decide who wins the election.

In a joint statement made available to THISDAY, the countries noted that the signing of the agreement was vital to Nigeria’s stability and democratic consolidation. They called for a safe, fair and credible poll.

They encouraged all actors to intervene proactively to calm any tensions and avoid any violence in the periods before, during and after the elections.

The countries appealed to all officials at federal and local levels in Nigeria to respect the human and democratic rights of the citizens, while condemning any actions that undermine the peaceful and transparent conduct of the electoral process.

All the signatories to the statement appealed to political parties to respect electoral laws and institutions and take a firm stand against violence and hate speech by their supporters.

They urged the security services to do their best to protect the process and prevent as well as deter attacks against INEC facilities, materials and personnel.

The countries said in the statement, “We call on all officials, including the law enforcement authorities, to ensure a safe and conducive environment for the exercise of public freedoms - including the freedom of opinion and expression, the freedom of peaceful assembly and the freedom of association - all of which are essential in democratic societies, in particular in the context of elections.

“Law enforcement authorities should remain visibly neutral and respond in a proportionate manner to any election-related incidents. We further urge all presidential candidates and political parties to live up to their commitments under the second peace accord to accept the results of

the election as announced by INEC and to pursue any challenge of the results through the appropriate legal channels.

“We, the diplomatic missions of the United States, Australia, Japan, Norway, Canada and the United Kingdom in Nigeria, would like to congratulate Nigeria on its 24 years of democratic progress since 1999, during which it has been a symbol to others of the value of exercising democratic rights for the betterment of society. We hope that this year’s elections further build Nigeria’s democratic tradition.”

Lawan Preaches Peaceful Polls, Canvases Support for Tinubu President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan, urged Nigerians to conduct themselves peacefully during Saturday’s elections.

Lawan advised eligible voters to turn up at their polling units on the appointed days to responsibly exercise their civic responsibility and democratic right to elect their governments and representatives in legislature at the state and federal levels.

The senate president, in a statement he personally signed, appealed to the people to eschew violence and, instead, make these elections a celebration of democracy in the country. He cautioned them to always be mindful of the fact that Nigeria remained their only country and they had a part to play in sustaining its

peace, unity and progress at all times.

The statement read, "Nigerians are on the march again to another cycle of general election, the seventh since 1999, when the Fourth Republic began.

"As we go to our respective polling units to participate in the election of a new president and members of the 10th National Assembly on Saturday, February 25, 2023, to be followed by the elections of state governors and members of state Houses of Assembly on Saturday, March 11, 2023, I urge us all to be of good conduct and make the exercise peaceful.

"I call on all Nigerians, who have registered and collected their Permanent Voters Cards (PVC), to go to their polling units on the appointed days to responsibly exercise their civic responsibility and democratic right to elect their governments and representatives in parliament at the state and federal levels.

"We should always be proud of our right and duty under our hardwon democracy to elect our leaders.

So let's make this a celebration of democracy in our beloved country.”

The senate president added, "And as we discharge this responsibility, we should always be mindful that Nigeria is the only country that we have. We should, therefore, play our parts in sustaining its peace, unity and progress at all times.

"I sincerely empathise with fellow Nigerians the (on) hardship being experienced across our land in the implementation of the currency redesign policy of the Central Bank

Obaseki: Atiku Best Choice for Edo People, Urges them to Reject Same-faith Presidency

Obaseki advised Edo people to come out en bloc on Saturday to vote for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar. He said Edo State would benefit tremendously from an Atiku presidency.

Obaseki, in a state-wide broadcast yesterday, said the election of Saturday, “offers us a golden opportunity to vote out the APC government and vote in a president and party at the centre that will benefit Edo people.”

Obaseki stated that the policies of the APC federal government had continued to limit and frustrate the state government’s efforts to pursue life-changing projects to boost the state’s economy and improve the livelihood of the people. He said an Atiku-led federal government would boost the delivery of the Benin port and the Benin Enterprise Park projects, among other projects, with the potential to transform Edo State into the most vibrant sub-national economy in West Africa.

Continues online

T H I S D AY • FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 2023

18

PERSPECTIVE

25th February/11th March: Awaited With Great Expectation Larry Koinyan

1

. A rolling stone gathers no moss, they say. Our country seems content with rolling on, without any sense of a specific long term/strategic direction. We seem quite comfortable, as a norm, with reacting to immediate and short term situational challenges, some of which, when left unattended to over the long term become survival threatening. At times, we leave undone, things that should be done routinely. At times, we embark on retrogressive activities that bring us very close to the precipice.

2. The chances are that, even with all the hype, after the excitement of the eagerly awaited 25th February/11th March elections and whatever changes that occur or do not occur in government thereafter, we are most likely to settle into our routine of rolling along any path that captures the fancies of those who quietly pull the strings in the nation. As it is customary in our nation, we may just make some progress here and there, in our overall national growth and development effort and we will be satisfied.

3. We have seen this, time without number. Contestants promise a lot. However, the narrative changes, from most of them, once they get into office. Some people, indeed a very few, will protest the change of narrative. That will be all. We all then settle down, into our routine of just rolling on, with varying degrees of underachievement. This settling down to our normal, not particularly productive routine, includes even those few who want to keep some of their campaign promises. Suffering and smiling, as one of our most famous musicians sang, a long time ago.

4. A rolling stone truly gathers no moss, where paradoxically in our own case, the stone itself continues to grow bigger!

Our stone has many names, which most Nigerians and even non-Nigerians know. Yet, this is a nation where some outstanding things had been done in the past.

5. First, Saturday, 25th February, with all its excitement and expectations, is just weeks away. Of the 18 political parties’ sponsored presidential aspirants lined up for the contest, less than five seem to have some degree of national visibility, at least, as of now. Four have told us what they will do, if elected. With great passion, some people in the media are projecting the interests of these four, with all sorts of reasons, some quite contradictory. More contestants will probably show up on the national radar as we get closer to D-day.

6. The manifestos of some of the sponsoring political parties are in the public domain. Political campaigns, at various levels of intensity and impact, are going on, most vigorously in all parts of the country, employing all manners of tactics and strategies, yielding all manners of outcomes - worthy and not too worthy, comic and hilarious, saddening and depressing, etc.

7. Whom will we vote for? What will be the decisive factor(s)? Turn by Turn? Religion? Ethnicity? Regional/ Geopolitical Interest? Party Loyalty? Candidate Loyalty? Self Interest (Whose, Yours or That of Somebody Else)? Grand National Hoodwinking? Grand National Illusion? Corporate Business Interest? State Capture? Power Capture? Anger/ Frustration? Hegemonic Pursuit? National Embarrassment Strategy? Lies/Grand Deceit? Emotion Driven Carry-Go? Humongous Campaign War Chests? Massive Vote Selling and Buying (Who Initiates, the Buyer or the Seller)?

8. Vote, we must, with massive turn-out. INEC has assured us that our VOTES will count! For this we thank the steadfastness and doggedness of the current leadership and the combined efforts of some INEC members and some RECs, particularly knowing not only where we are coming from, of the election management process (with its very few and mostly very low points) but also most emphatically, how election results had been manipulated in the past. So whatever reasons propel you as voters, get your PVCs, go out and vote, in massive numbers. No voter apathy. No violence. Let us have a very peaceful and transparent presidential election.

9. On the same Saturday, February 25th, simultaneously with the presidential election, 1,100 and 3,233 candidates, respectively, will be contesting for the 109 Senate and 360 Representatives seats of the National Assembly.

Unfortunately, not much is heard at the national level about these contestants, even though their very critical responsibilities include making laws and appropriating funds for the entire nation and over-sighting the work of the Presidency and all Federal MDAs. 10. We need to underscore the fact that the Members of the National Assembly have to undertake the above very important national tasks within the complexity of individually and collectively representing the nation’s six geopolitical zones, 36 states, 109 senatorial districts, 360 federal consistencies, 774 local government areas, as well as members of the nation’s over 250 ethnic nationalities and over 100,000 grassroots/rural communities, etc. We should therefore go out, in like manner as for the President, and vote in the Members of our incoming 10th National Assembly, but insist that it should not be a rubber-stamp assembly.

11. We had seen traces of rubber-stamping in the past.

Separation of powers, yes. Bickering between the legislature and the executive, of whatever description, no. What is required always includes mature engagement between the two arms, for the good of the Nation at all times and over time, for the good of all parts of the nation, without discrimination, favouritism or show of power.

12. Specifically, the President has his distinct job cut out for him, which it can be argued is an over consentration of power and at times not used in the overall national interest.

The National Assembly also has its own job cut out for

INEC Chairman, Mahmood Yakubu it, as has been stated above. Both are critical national institutions. Each, not only deserves, but must also earn the respect of the other. The National Assembly is not inferior and should not act inferior to the Executive. If a request from the executive is clearly to the detriment of what is good for the nation and all its people, it should be rejected. We have seen this before. Party loyalty should not be an excuse.

13. Before, we move on, we need to remind ourselves of the two extremes of how candidates for elective office emerge from sponsoring political parties. Recall that at some point in time, we had well over 70 political parties.

It looks as if the process of the emergence of political party flag-bearers for elective office has not improved significantly.

14. At one extreme, some political parties shopped for flag bearers, a few almost desperately. In a few others, some individual, just like a small expectant business risk taker establishing a one man business/sole proprietorship, registers a political party, and naturally becomes its sole owner, its alpha and omega, its be-all and end-all.

15. At the other extreme, is the combination of high-wire political intrigues, plots and counter plots, horse-trading, over inflated and/or bruised egos, accusations and counter accusations, bad blood, defections and realignments, etc that accompany the emergence of the flag bearers of our major political parties. Most times the deep scars caused by these negative political activities remain for a very long period.

16. We should also not forget to pay tribute to some high benchmarks of the political parties of yesteryears (party hierarchy, management, organisation, discipline, focus, core growth and development programmes, democratic behaviour, ideological ethos) and some of the distinctive hallmarks of some of their political trailblazers (oratory, long term vision, foresight, top quality planning and mobilisation ability), etc.

17. We should also not forget that government at some point in time established two political parties, one slightly to the left and the other slightly to the right. (In effect, nobody or group can claim to be the founder or owner of any of the two political parties.) Remember also the paradox of the same government supervising a presidential election that was and is still acclaimed the most free and fair and then turning round to annul it.

18. We await Saturday 25th, February with bated breath.

19. Two Saturdays later, on 11th March, it will be the turn for the election of state governors and members of the state houses of assembly. This will involve 31 of the nation’s 36 states, except that governorship elections will hold in only 28 of the affected states. A total of 837 contestants, sponsored as usual by political parties, will contest the 28 state governorship seats, while a total of 10,231 contestants will vie for the state houses of assembly.

20. In one’s personal view, 17th March is as critical as 25th February, if not more so. In more serious minded nations, subnational groups are the real heartbeat of national growth and development, because it is the combined total of their hard work that truly showcases where the nation is in the world ranking of growth and development. We have 36 states, the FCT and 774 local government areas, covering every meter of the nation’s entire 923,768 sq kms.

21. All the 36 states and the FCT must put their individual and collective hands to the plough, using all the stupendous resources available to them. So also must all the 774 local government councils. We must not continue to allow them to be used as state capture pawns. They need full autonomy. This will also attract far more capable hands than we have hitherto, to be motivated to stand for elective office at that level. Local governments constitute the third tier of government.

They should all function fully as such, not some as near outposts of the seat of the state executive.

22. One major edge, subnational groups have over the centre is that land, one of the most critical growth and development requirements, is vested in trust, on each state

executive. Other reasons include their sheer numbers and spread, covering the entire country, their grossly underutilised potential to give even the smallest ethnic nationalities a sense of belonging, which the major ones assert at times, with almost arrogant impunity.

So we also await 11th March, with bated breath.

23. Since election issues are on our minds, how many of us are baffled by our political party campaign mammoth crowd phenomenon? Party XYZ goes to campaign in City LMN. A mammoth crowd is at hand.

Party ZYX arrives the same city, days/weeks later, a mammoth crowd. Apart from each party flag-bearer, his/her team and party officials, are the people in these mammoth crowds, majorly people of no particular political party affiliation/any gathering is fun/business type or two different crowds, consisting majorly of members of Party XYZ and Party ZYX, respectively.

24. Is there currently, any real sign of party loyalty?

How deep down is the no party ideology cry. Is this just an elite thing? Will it ever go deep down at some point in the future?

25. At another level, should we not be worried about the constant use, for some self serving and selfish reasons, of courts by some class of politicians and political adventurers, to undermine the entire political process, from pre-election, election, to post election? Is the management system of most of our political parties itself not a major part of the challenge?

26. Should we also not be worried by the great passion and vigour with which the media is being used to project specific contestants, coupled with pollsters projecting some of these contestants as sure-bet winners?

With all the generated frenzy, what will happen, if things do not turn out as projected?

27. What is the purpose of all of the above? Simple.

We have a major post February and March, 2023, national assignment to execute. Recall, it was said at the very beginning that our country is rolling along, with no sense of an agreed and easily discernable national direction. Every group it seems, is far more interested in pursuing its own agenda.

28. It can therefore not be said too often that what we need most urgently is a coherent, all inclusive, perpetually forward looking sense of direction that will be beneficial to all and in which all people, individually and collectively, can also strive for happiness, progress and prosperity as well as build a progressive and prosperous nation, that is highly respected both within and outside.

29. We have virtually everything we need to pursue all the above objectives and much more.

30. Recall that as far back as in the DFFRI days (1986-1993), the idea of national greatness was strongly recommended. Recall also the “The Making of a Truly Great Black African Nation-State” contribution, (published in two national newspapers - The Guardian and Vanguard) in October, 2015, as part of the NIGERIA AT 55! activities.

31. This however was definitely not a lone voice crying in the wilderness. Hundreds of thousands of other Nigerians, from times past and well into the immediate and distant future will continue to do the same, to ginger all of us, to make greater and faster growth and development progress than we are currently doing. We do not seem to be doing so, by any stretch of the imagination. Rather in many aspects of our growth and development endeavours, we seem to be heading in the opposite direction.

32. This necessitated the need to pause and think.

Is greatness unattainable by any country in Black Africa? If so, why has there always been and will continue to be a cry by us for it? After all, there had been very discernible movement towards it, in parts of our country in the past. The problem seems to be much more fundamental. We seem incapable of doing the right things right and even more fundamentally, doing these right things right sustainably over very long periods, until they become consolidated routine.

Then you strive for further improvements and even other more creative ways of doing them.

33. It is this driving motivation that birthed the beginning of this contribution, LET TRUE DEVELOPMENT BEGIN ... SERIES years back, when our situation was not even this dire. Does this mean that development had not been happening before?

Let us take a few examples to put what is being said, in better perspective.

34. We have been having elections since colonial times, with all manners of outcomes, most nightmarish, from when we took direct charge. We are assured that our votes in the eagerly awaited 25th February/ March elections in a few weeks’ time WILL COUNT. We are mostly over the moon, with some cautious optimism by others, as to be expected. This is development. The next logical question : What will elections in the country be like in two decades from now? No, too far for us, in a decade from now?

Consolidated and improved on or back to our so called “usual” ways of doing things? Remember elections constitute only one aspect of the political development process.

35. Some other examples. Promises on basic necessities of life - Food for all by ...! Where is the food? Rather we import food. There is now plenty of hunger, all round. It was not like that before. Recall also that in colonial times, we used to be a world acknowledged exporter of some crops. Water for all by ...! How

many of us have access to portable water now? Health for all by ... ! How healthy is our primary health centres?

Education for all by ... ! What quality of education is our entire education system, from pre-primary to post secondary, offering? Take any major aspect of your choice, from our national growth and development process and do your personal fact check.

36. The intention of the “LET TRUE DEVELOPMENT BEGIN ... SERIES” is for, us as a people, as a society and as a nation, to ponder most deeply why our nation, with all its humongous and highly diversified available resources, have not made any great and faster all round, all inclusive and sustainable growth and development progress?

37. Naturally and logically, the Series boldly provides a solution to our most fundamental problem of the lack of a very long term, strategic national purpose that provides a national sense of direction that all people of goodwill from all parts the country and all Nigerians in diaspora will gladly contribute to and immensely benefit from as well as make all People of Colour, anywhere in the world, proud. This national purpose, as stated in the Series, is to “Transform Our Country, Nigeria, Into A Truly Great Black African Nation-State”.

38. As will be seen in the Series Statement, the followup activities to the above, include some further details of background, how to strive towards achieving its various objectives, in an all inclusive, collaborative national effort, etc.

As the interim coordinator and to show good example as an active participant, work had been ongoing, as contributions to the Series. These include draft manuscripts on “The Making Of A Truly Great Black African Nation-State”, “Laying A Solid Foundation For Nigeria’s Greatness”, “Which Way Nigeria?”, “Arise All Grassroots Communities”, “Again, A Case for Rural Development”, etc.

39. The Series Statements is being finalised and being made ready for publication.

40. There is very great confidence that the LET TRUE DEVELOPMENT BEGIN ... SERIES will help us to most sincerely begin to strive towards the achievement of our strategic national objectives : • At each immediate, short, medium and long term situational level, and • At each level of growth and development action - national, state, urban centres, local government areas, grassroots communities, rural areas, etc.

To do this, we need to do all that needs to be done, individually and collectively, to ensure that the February and March 2023 Elections hold most transparently and peacefully.

41. We cannot continue along the same path that has brought us more sadness and pain, hunger and poverty instead of personal, group and national happiness and prosperity. Thus the 25th February and 11th March elections are awaited with great expectation, not for the general reasons that are usually associated with elections. 25th February and 11th March elections are awaited with great expectation, for them to be done with, so that we can settle down properly to undertake this really great and particularly critical national assignment.

42. We have made good progress in some specific areas and actually retrogressed badly in some other areas. Overall, however, after 62 years of Independence, we should have done far much better on all major national growth and development fronts : nation-building, state-building, economic growth and development, social development, political development, spiritual, ethical and moral development, cultural development, infrastructural development, integrated grassroots community and rural development, etc.

43. There are also challenges of orientation and motivation, organizations and mobilisation, planning and effective execution, proper and effective national and subnational coordination, as well as effective and efficient performance monitoring and evaluation and the most scandalous waste of all of our humongous resources, etc, all throughout the nation. For the avoidance of doubt, this is not a solely leadership issue. It requires the buy-in and total involvement of all of us as individuals, as a people, as a society and as patriotic citizens, including those of our people in diaspora.

44. Finally there is nothing new here that has not been thought of, said and discussed ad nauseam at home and abroad. At the personal level, the driving motivation continues to be that this is not the country one was born into during colonial times, marched for as a secondary school student, with great expectations, at Independence in 1960.

45. This is 2023, more than 62 years after. This however is not a personal matter. There are millions of other Nigerians who share similar experiences. We all must therefore strive together, to make things much better for us all than they were at Independence, by transforming our country, into a Truly Great Black African Nation-State, through our collective hard work.

46. There is no reason whatsoever, for us to be where we are today, with or without all the fantastic resources that we are blessed with. True GREATNESS is our destiny. It will not come on a platter of gold. It will require collective hard work, it must be emphasized time without number.

47. So let us elect those who will not only buy into this critical national assignment, but also help us strive towards achieving its objectives in a well thought out manner. February/March here we come. No pain, no gain, they say. What about, no deep thinking, no success? Which when periscoped to the national level, translates to no deep nation-centred thinking, no national greatness.

48. So, vote wisely at the February/March elections, for the very critical national task we have to undertake thereafter.

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T H I S D AY ˾ FRIDAY FEBRUARY 24, 2023

POLITICS

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

New Naira Crisis and Buhari’s Seamless Drift Fidelis David writes that President Muhammadu Buhari’s position on the naira redesign and withdrawal of old N500 and N1000 notes from circulation has continued to generate criticism from the citizenry including Governor Rotimi Akeredolu of Ondo State.

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resident Muhammadu Buhari recently directed the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to release old N200 notes into circulation to co-exist with new N200, N500 and N1,000 banknotes for 60 days.

He, however, said old N500 and N1,000 banknotes are no longer legal tender in Nigeria, apologising to Nigerians over the difficulty experienced in the implementation of the naira redesign policy.

However, even as he acknowledged the difficulties Nigerians were passing through as a result of the new policy, the President lamented that the currency in circulation grew from N1.4 trillion in 2015 when he assumed office to N3.23 trillion at the end of 2022, noting that N2.1 trillion of the cash in circulation have been retrieved since the launch of the naira redesign policy of the Federal Government on October 26, 2022.

Buhari’s Disregard for Court Orders’ Buhari’s directive came despite the Supreme Court order that the Federal Government, the CBN and commercial banks must not continue with the deadline pending the determination of a notice in respect of the issue.

Immediately after the broadcast, President Buhari came under fire for flouting the Supreme Court order on the validity of N1,000, N500 and N200 as legal tenders.

Civil society groups and senior lawyers including Babatunde Fashanu, Femi Falana and Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa said the President’s pronouncement was contemptuous and slammed him for spurning the injunction in his broadcast, stressing that the President showed utter disregard for the separation of powers by overruling the highest court in the land Falana, specifically, said: “It constitutes a contravention of Section 287(1) of the Constitution which provides that ‘the decisions of the Supreme court shall be enforced in any part of the Federation by all authorities and persons, and by courts with subordinate jurisdiction to that of the Supreme court.’”

The Position of 10 States Ten states of the federation challenging the policy also approached the apex court for an order setting aside the pronouncement of the President declaring the end of the old notes.

The plaintiffs include the Attorneys Generals (AGs) of Kaduna, Kogi, Zamfara, Ondo, Ekiti, Katsina, Ogun, Cross River, Sokoto, and Lagos states while the respondents are the Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami (SAN), and the AGs of Bayelsa and Edo states.

Specifically, the plaintiffs in the motion filed by A.J. Owonikoko, SAN, described the action of the president as “an unconstitutional overreach and usurpation of the judicial power” and as such should be set aside.

According to them, the action of the president had put the citizens in a dilemma as to which directives is to be obeyed because the interim order of the Supreme Court halting the federal government’s ban from taking effect from February 10, is still subsisting having not been vacated by the apex court.

Also, the Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA), said Buhari has been laying a very bad precedent by flagrantly disobeying court orders which is crucial for the sustenance of democracy and its values.

Meanwhile, some state governors have even gone as far as directing their people to continue to use the old naira notes as a legal tender, with the governor of Kaduna State, Malam Nasir el-Rufai specifically saying the policy will be cancelled if the presidential candidate of All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, wins the February 25th election.

Governors have no right to challenge Buhari On the contrary, the National Vice President of Ohaneze Ndigbo Worldwide, Chief Damian Okeke-Ogene, faulted the state governors countering Buhari’s position saying they have no right whatsoever, to challenge the authority of the president.

His words: “We have only one Commander-in -Chief and he has made a nationwide broadcast stating the way he wants the matter to be resolved and these governors

should abide by the president’s directive. If they don’t like what the president has done, they should approach the court, but not to incite Nigerians against the government. We don’t want our democracy to be derailed. ”What they are doing is treasonable offense and so we condemn their action because the situation in the country does not require further tension being created by these governors”.

On his part, the Chairman of the Southern Governors’ Forum and Ondo State Governor, Mr Oluwarotimi Akeredolu (SAN) said it was time for President Mohammadu Buhari to play the role of a statesman, by halting his “seamless drift” and the implementation of the currency swap policy.

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

President Buhari’s “Seamless Drift”

2023: Ex-students’ Leader Charges Youths to Shun Violence A former Students leader, John Akinmurele, advises the youth on the need to maintain the peace during the forthcoming general elections in the country.

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head of the 2023 elections, a former Students Union President, John Akinmurele, has admonished youths against violence and antics of desperate political elements.

Akinmurele, a former President of the Students Union, Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba, Ondo state, who gave the advice in an interview with the newsmen, hailed the federal government’s directive to close universities and inter-university centres for three weeks, to enable students exercise their franchise.

According to him: “The closing of academic exercise for three weeks is a welcome development.

“It should be seen as an opportunity for mass participation of students in the election because every student-voter would be encouraged to participate at their various polling units”.

He, enjoined parents and guardians to guide their children and wards accordingly, against moves by politicians who might want to exploit them for their selfish political interest.

According to Akinmurele, Nigerian youths must understand their critical role in the nation’s democracy and rise above being used as political thugs.

He said: “In Democracy, the office of the citizens is the highest office and this is so because of the voting right.

“Nigerian youths have displayed capacity in Tech Start- ups, entertainment, sports, digital economy, etc. So, who says we are not capable of politics?

“Now is the time to prove our critics wrong and I want to advise that we should become the inspiration of our colleagues and the generation coming after us”.

Akinmurele added: “As we go to the

polls, we need to take ownership of Nigeria from our respective polling units.

“If we desire a better Nigeria, we must start from our polling unit no matter how insignificant it is.

“We need to stand up for the ideals of participatory democracy, reasoning over violence, service over selfishness”.

He cautioned against vote-buying and it’s consequences on development particularly in Ondo state where he hails from.

He said it was unfortunate that the slogan “Dibo ko sebe” (sell your vote, and use the proceed to cook soup) was popularised in Ondo state, during previous elections.

The financial expert advised the people not to sell their hope of liberation from poverty and hunger on the altar of election day handouts.

“We got to this despicable low level because of the draconian and deliberate actions of our political leaders to perpetually keep us as paupers whom they could manipulate.

“We are in another period of elections, even from now till 2024 gubernatorial

elections in the state.

“They will come again; they have starched away our common heritage, waiting for the period of elections to becloud our common sense of judgement.

“We must be determined like never before, we must rise up, take our destinies in our hands and brace up for a paradigm shift and a new order,” he said.

While lamenting the high rate of hunger, poverty and insecurity in the state, Akinmurele advised the electorates to reject politician’s promises of deceit.

According to him, Ondo state is blessed with natural and human resources and should not be in the league of states owing workers their wages.

Commenting on the Federal Government’s Naira redesign policy, Akinmurele, a finance expert in Diaspora said the policy is good, except the time of its implementation.

According to him, the feedback Diasporan Nigerians were getting over the policy implementation and the hardship being faced by Nigerians were worrisome and call for concerns.

Akinmurele expressed disapproval of the unprecedented queueing Nigerians had been subjected to as well as violent protests inside banking halls and in some cities.

“Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele, claimed that the naira redesign is to help security agencies fight banditry and insurgency.

“He said that the policy will help the country move toward cashless policy, reduce inflation, eliminate corruption and reduce poverty.

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

20 T H I S D AY FRIDAY FEBRUARY 24, 2023 TR

UT H

& RE A S O

Friday February 24, 2023 Vol 27. No 10177

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opinion@thisdaylive.com

www.thisdaylive.com

NIGERIA DECIDES: NEW PRESIDENT, OLD PROBLEMS We need a President who can address the country’s problems, writes JOSHUA J. OMOJUWA

See page 21

ARISE, O COMPATRIOTS: REDESIGN NIGERIA WITH VOTES OLUDAYO TADE urges the electorate to vote wisely

See page 21 EDITORIAL

LESSONS FROM TURKEY’S EARTHQUAKES

22

1

The people have another opportunity to make the right choice for their future, writes BOLAJI ADEBIYI

FINALLY, TOMORROW COMES Without a doubt, this is the longest electioneering in the electoral history of Nigeria. The politicians entered the fray in early 2022, with Bola Tinubu, the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress, for instance, announcing his aspiration on 10 January after a meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari.

But it was between May and early June of that year that the presidential ÁDJEHDUHUV RI WKH SROLWLFDO SDUWLHV emerged, and traversed the country canvassing their programmes with the people. To be fair, at least the four frontrunners, Tinubu, Peoples Democratic Party’s Atiku Abubakar, Labour Party’s Peter Obi, and New Nigerian Peoples Party’s Rabiu Kwankwaso, have made substantial HͿRUWV WR UHDFK WKH SHRSOH DQG familiarise them with their intended governance policies.

Of course, there have been critiques of the substance of their campaign.

The essentially academic people and perennial cynics contend that the electioneering has been full of SODWLWXGHV WKDW RͿHU OLWWOH RU QR GHWDLOV of the candidates’ plans to revive the HFRQRP\ VHFXUH WKH FRXQWU\ ÀJKW unemployment and corruption as ZHOO DV À[ WKH ULVLQJ VRFLDO VWULIH LQ the country. Maybe they are right in the sense that the leading candidates lack the gift of the gab with which candidates in foreign lands galvanise the process and rev up the people.

However, what they cannot successfully take aware from the political gladiators is that they have in their own way attempted to engage the people through rallies, town hall meetings with various professional groups, focus group conversations and media engagements. Several nocturnal meetings were held with political and religious leaders who superintend over large congregations with a view to winning their support.

So, after eight months of preFDPSDLJQ FRQVXOWDWLRQV DQG VL[ PRQWKV RI R΀FLDO HOHFWLRQHHULQJ LW LV safe to say that a fair opportunity has EHHQ RͿHUHG WR WKH SHRSOH WR PDNH a choice tomorrow. The challenge though is the circumstances of the general election, which may question the basis of the people’s choice. The situation on the eve of the poll is that of hunger and anger activated by the collapse of the implementation of a monetary policy suspected to have

political undertones.

One of the objectives of the policy is to block politicians that are suspected to have accumulated wads of Naira in warehouses to purchase votes during the impending polls. Whether the PRS XS DQG YLUWXDO FRQÀVFDWLRQ RI WKH populace’s cash both at hand and the banks would achieve the desired aim remains to be seen. But what is walking naked on the streets across the nation LV WKH GHELOLWDWLQJ VXͿHULQJ RI WKH YDVW majority of the people, including the otherwise rich and wealthy.

Unable to access even the lowest denomination of the nation’s currency to do the basic things of life, including feeding and commuting to work, it is doubtful if the people who would cast their ballots tomorrow would do so without being susceptible to other forms of inducement. Or, how do you tell a hungry man not to accept a gesture of food from a helping hand even if it is intended to comprise his belief?

Yet the poll is so crucial to the continued survival of the country that a wrong choice must not be made again. With a comatose economy that has bred 33.5 per cent unemployment, SHU FHQW LQÁDWLRQ 1 H[FKDQJH UDWH ZHDN H[WHUQDO UHVHUYHV RI billion and a 33.5 per cent poverty rate; coupled with an acute security challenge, Nigeria needs not just a miracle worker but also a deliberate visionary leader who can help Nigerians to straighten out their country.

Incidentally, though the choice isn’t much because those with the political machinery to win a national election of this nature are not much, the frontrunners are familiar faces.

Tinubu had been governor of Lagos State for eight years, Atiku had been vice-president of the federation for eight years, Obi had been governor of Anambra State for eight years, and

The poll is so crucial to the continued survival of the country that a wrong choice must not be made again

Kwankwaso had been governor of Kano State for eight years and was also a federal minister for four years.

All but Atiku had the opportunity to showcase their leadership qualities DV WKH FKLHI H[HFXWLYHV RI WKHLU VWDWHV Their records of stewardship are not only in the public domain but have also been subjected to scrutiny for several months. Even Atiku who was a deputy to President Olusegun Obasanjo was associated with some of the policies of that administration even if he fell out of favour in the last lap of its tenure.

The media too have not done very badly in its task of projecting the candidates even if it is facing its RZQ H[LVWHQWLDO EDWWOHV ZLWK WKH GXOO economy that had dwindled its access to patronage. Safe for the broadcast sector, the media, particularly the print has not done great in this election cycle.

A cursory look at the pages of most national dailies would reveal scanty political advertisements. But overall, most of the media, safe the usually XQUHVWUDLQHG H[FHVVHV RI VRFLDO PHGLD have attempted a fair reporting of the activities of the dominant candidates.

6R WKH SHRSOH KDYH VX΀FLHQW information before them to make a choice if only hunger will make them WKLQN VWUDLJKW 2I WKH PLOOLRQ UHJLVWHUHG WR YRWH LQ WKH HOHFWLRQ 2 million collected their permanent voter’s card. An impressive number, hoping though that they will turn out to vote. They have little or no reason not to step forward as the Independent National Electoral Commission has promised electoral justice, assuring the nation that the people’s votes would count. The security agencies with the police in the lead, and the military, as well as paramilitary forces giving a helping hand, have promised to secure the process.

President Buhari too has said for the umpteenth time he intends to leave EHKLQG D OHJDF\ RI HOHFWRUDO ÀGHOLW\ May the people, therefore, have the clarity of mind and the courage of their conviction to make the right choice for themselves and the future of their children. Good luck to all the contestants!

Adebiyi, the managing editor of THISDAY Newspapers, writes from bolaji.adebiyi@ thisdaylive.com

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FRIDAY FEBRUARY 24, 2023

We need a President who can address the country’s problems, writes JOSHUA J. OMOJUWA

NIGERIA DECIDES: NEW PRESIDENT, OLD PROBLEMS Nigerians have a therapeutic relationship with elections. We generally believe that elections – especially the presidential ones RͿHU WKH GDZQ RI FKDQJH ,W·G EH LQWHUHVWLQJ to explore our obsession with the presidency, FRQVLGHULQJ WKH PRUH FRQVHTXHQWLDO HͿHFWV RI WKH 1DWLRQDO $VVHPEO\ VWDWH DVVHPEOLHV governors and the local government executives and legislature. We will get a new president as President Muhammadu Buhari LV ÀQDOO\ HDVHG RͿ D MRE WKDW KH REVHVVLYHO\ sought for over a decade, got it and made it look like it was forced on him. The man said he has done his best, for the sake of Nigeria,

we’d need a president who can do more than their best, we’d need one who would address some of our wicked problems and design the measures to advance our progress against them.

Whilst issues like insecurity and poverty cannot be addressed with an ‘either or’ decision, the fuel subsidy question is more direct. You either do away with it or retain it.

I know the government has played around the middle line for years but there is now an apparent consensus to let go. The main SRLQW RI GLͿHUHQFH KDV EHHQ KRZ WR PRGHUDWH WKH HͿHFWV RI WKDW GHFLVLRQ RQ WKH OLYHV RI Nigerians. You cannot feed a population a cheap meal for over two generations then suddenly decide you are done with it. That would cause chaos. Often with government, it is not as much about the introduction of the change that causes the chaos, it is the change management system put in place to introduce the change, the naira re-colouring is a case in point.

No matter how deep the consensus on the removal of fuel subsidy, if you for instance decide to hand it over like a New Year gift to Nigerians without warning, it’d be like breaking a dam. You could get overwhelmed by the outcomes. If you design a solid change management system for the removal without an apparent change in the choices and lifestyle of the ruling class, again, you would have messed up that change. You cannot be having a conversation about increasing the already misaligned salaries and allowances of political appointees and lawmakers and in the same breath say on account of limited government revenue, you are looking to remove subsidy. That is a situation set up for discontent.

Government is poor and can no longer DͿRUG WKH IXHO VXEVLG\" <RX PXVW VKRZ WKDW E\ PDNLQJ DSSDUHQW VDFULÀFHV ,I WKH SHRSOH see reduced convoys, reduced salaries and allowances and other unnecessary privileges RI SXEOLF VHUYLFH WKH\ ZLOO ÀQG LW TXLFNHU DQG easier to not just believe, but to know that government is indeed poor. With the fuel

subsidy, it is swim or sink really for Nigeria.

But expecting the masses to believe, let alone know that, when there is no apparent change in the lifestyle and choices of their leaders is to expect too much. I hope enough has been made of this point for those who would be responsible for the decisions to do the right thing.

On insecurity, Nigeria currently has a design that ensures the current insecurity challenges – as bad as they already are will be nowhere near those of the future.

That is quite easy to deduce; there are more people in the potential pool of tomorrow’s crimes. These out of school children will not suddenly grow into responsible adults in the society.

The same way you can largely predict that a well-educated and skilled population of children and young people will largely grow into a group of responsible adults, you can make an inverted deduction for a population of children abandoned to the dangers and vagaries of the streets and the gripping hold of illiteracy and the attendant anger at those who left them to rot – all of us, even if you feel you had no hand in it. We’d all be at their mercy. Or you think those children are not aware of how they ended up without luck on the street? This challenge is an issue for individual states, but it can be led by the central government because it is a matter of emergency. You either address it now or pay for the more costly multi-dimensional outcomes tomorrow.

The nature of power, especially the power that comes with being president, is to start RXW ORRNLQJ WR À[ HYHU\ SUREOHP 7KDW was the pit of delusion that sucked many governments into their journey of ignominy.

It may feel counter-intuitive to the trappings RI WKH R΀FH EXW WKH YHU\ ÀUVW WKLQJ WR QRWH DV an administration is that you are incapable of À[LQJ DOO WKH SUREOHPV 7KDW FODULW\ ZLOO OHDG to the point where you start to appreciate what then it is you can address within the timeframe permitted by your mandate, not forgetting the pressure of seeking re-election less than three years into that mandate.

New administrations often come with their alliterative or sweet-sounding agenda.

If they committed to them, Nigeria would be in a much better place today. Nigeria’s old problems remain because from one administration to the other, they scratch the surface of most of the country’s challenges without getting to the root of any. That is why, 62 years on, our problems are yet to evolve from the same ones we were handed at Independence. You could even say things got worse.

(YHU\ FRXQWU\ KDV LWV FKDOOHQJHV EXW WKH IXQGDPHQWDO GLͿHUHQFH EHWZHHQ D FRXQWU\ making progress and one that appears to be roving around the comfort of stagnation - assuming oscillation to be progress - is that whilst the countries making progress address their old challenges and then end up with new but relatively better challenges, the country making oscillatory movements continues to pretend to solve its old problems without really solving them. This is why the VDPH SUREOHPV 0.2 $ELROD DQG %DVKLU 7RID campaigned on in 1993 are the same ones our candidates in 2023 are promising to address.

What could be more tragic?

Omojuwa is Chief Strategist, Alpha Reach and Author, Digital Wealth Book

OLUDAYO TADE urges the electorate to vote wisely ARISE, O COMPATRIOTS: REDESIGN NIGERIA WITH VOTES Will Nigerians rise to the occasion and President, Yemi Osinbajo was patronizing redesign Nigeria with their votes? I know rural communities with trader-moni in WKDW VXUYLYLQJ KDV EHHQ GL΀FXOW IRU PDQ\ 2019. When last did you see him pursue and better for a few. Democracy is a game such scheme? It was to bring people in of number and this is why Nigerian voters with their treasured votes just as Nigerians should understand their situations and were asked their old naira in banks and LGHQWLI\ LQGLYLGXDOV ZKR EHVW ÀW WKH 1LJHULD after that, they have to beg to withdraw of their dreams. They should not do this only out of it. because of religion, region or political party.

Budgetary allocation to education and Since the return of democracy in 1999, poverty, health have not been encouraging. The criminal victimisation and unemployment nosediving fortunes in the education and DQG WKH HͿHFWV RI SRRU OHDGHUVKLS KDYH QRW health sectors contributed to the Japa spared any person because he or she comes syndrome which now puts the lives of from the North or South, Muslim or Christian. many Nigerians at risk because of shortage of skilled physicians and specialists.

Those still at home are hibernating for opportunities. Nigerians in homeland ZKR FDQQRW DͿRUG WR FRQVXOW LQ WKH 8QLWHG .LQJGRP RU 8QLWHG $UDE (PLUDWHV OLNH WKH outgoing president Muhammadu Buhari and some of those aspiring to become the President, need to think when casting who to vote for on Saturday, February 25, 2023.

Monetary poverty is across the nation but not above 50 percent. The price of Premium Motor Spirit hovers around N257.12 according to NBS. Still, fuel is scarce and depositors cannot get their money from banks. Their money has EHHQ NLGQDSSHG E\ WKH (PHÀHOHLVWLF naira redesign policy and its faulty LPSOHPHQWDWLRQ $V , ZULWH WKLV SLHFH people were under the sun and locked If a society deserves the type of leadership outside the banking premises observed WKH\ JHW LW PHDQV ORWV UHVW RQ WKH ÀQJHU RI IURP 8QLYHUVLW\ RI ,EDGDQ WKURXJK eligible voters. In your hands lie the future Dugbe in Ibadan. Yet, this Buhari-led of Nigeria and you should be ready to bear government asked people to exercise the consequences of your voting decisions. patience. The same government turned Before voting, it is important that you review the people against the banks by blaming it where we are coming from as a country to for sabotaging the policy. But who are the understand why we arrived at our present PDMRU VKDUHKROGHUV RI WKHVH EDQNV" $UH situation. The combination of the past and they not the politicians and their cronies present conditions should inform and guide who need naira ahead of elections and for you to make right choices for the future that money laundering? Will the banks not do you desire.

WKH ELGGLQJ RI WKHLU ÀQDQFLHUV WR VDYH WKHLU We are where we are partly because we jobs? While saboteurs within the banking KDYH DOZD\V HOHFWHG EDG RU PLVÀW SHRSOH LQWR V\VWHP FRQWULEXWHG WR WKH VXͿHULQJV RI JRYHUQPHQW $ IHZ SHRSOH OLH WR XV DQG WXUQ Nigerians, the government of the day one ethnic group against another to enslave cannot absolve itself of shallow thought their people and after that, the same tribesman on how to properly implement a policy of who had painted one political party as evil WKLV QDWXUH ZLWKRXW D΁LFWLQJ WKH SHRSOH goes back to the evil party to make money with pains, violence, dehumanization and for himself and his family. In 2014, we know death. how our economy was and how it is today.

From naked protests within the banking We know that Goodluck Jonathan was to be hall to the violence and arson on the YRWHG RXW EHFDXVH RI LQÀUPLW\ RI FRQWURO RYHU streets, the socio-economic landscape of his government and the endemic corruption. Nigeria speaks of pressure that Nigerians Candidate ‘Saint’ Muhammadu Buhari was endure under this outgoing government. repackaged by those who had expressed Someone reportedly died in Lagos while reservations about his person but that was the queueing up to withdraw cash while only route to the realization of their dreams. many died in the hospital because they $OPRVW HLJKW \HDUV DIWHU WKH HPHUJHQFH RI WKH cannot access money to pay for healthcare prince of Daura, corruption is deep-rooted in services. While so much has been spent to low and high places in audacious dimensions. equip the security systems, the Northeast is Policies of government are poorly conceived VWLOO D΁LFWHG ZLWK LQVXUJHQF\ DQG EDQGLWU\ or wholesale imported without domestication. 1RUWKFHQWUDO ZLWK SDVWRUDO KHUGHU FRQÁLFW Today, 133million Nigerians, according to the militancy and insurgency while SouthNational Bureau of Statistics (NBS) experience south is battling militancy, secessionists’ PXOWL GLPHQVLRQDO SRYHUW\ $FFRUGLQJ WR 1%6 movement, banditry and cultism leading 70% of Nigerians live in the rural areas. Out of to deaths, and displacements. The victims these, 80% of them are poor. The intensity of of armed robbery and kidnapping on poverty in the rural areas is 41.9% compared Nigeria’s hellish highways won’t forget to 36.9% in urban areas. Furthermore, seven in a hurry. Some people have left the out of 10 persons living in rural areas of country on account of insecurity; others Nigeria are multi-dimensionally poor while due to perceived hopelessness for their four out of every 10 persons in urban areas future in Nigeria. While many variables H[SHULHQFH WKH VDPH 8QIRUWXQDWHO\ PRVW account for crime occurrence, the failure of political campaigns leading to the 2023 polls government to tackle the causative factors have been urban-based and those who visited contributed to its pervasiveness. rural areas did so to patronize them for votes Dr Tade, and may never return there until another a sociologist writes via dotad2003@yahoo. election season. I remember when Vice com

22 4

T H I S D AY

FRIDAY FEBRUARY 24, 2023

EDITORIAL

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

LESSONS FROM TURKEY’S EARTHQUAKES The tragedy in Turkey is another wake-up call

W

e commiserate with the government and people of Turkey on the recent magnitude 7.8 earthquake that claimed the lives of thousands and wreaked monumental havocs in the country. But it is important for authorities in Nigeria to learn lessons from the tragedy. In September 2018, there was an outbreak of multiple earth tremors in some parts of Abuja which jolted the city and caused many residents to agonise in despair. For three days, the rumbling of the tremor sparked fears in the communities of Mpape, Katampe District, part of Maitama and some rural communities within the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

The intense trembling of the ground made many to even ponder the option of relocation as they imagined the vibration was a sign of earthquake.

Although the Nigerian Geological Survey Agency and other emergency agencies downplayed the likelihood of an earthquake in Nigeria at the time, ÀQGLQJV RI WKH SUHVLGHQWLDO DVVHVVPHQW FRPPLWWHH VHW up by the federal government were revealing on the dangers we face, especially from human activities.

The committee declared that Nigeria is prone to seismic hazards while the possibility of an earthquake occurrence should never be ruled out. While nothing was done about the report, the Turkey tragedy is a wake-up call that there is need for a proper monitoring of all earthquake-prone zones in the country after previous incidents in Kwoi, Kaduna State; Saki, Oyo State, and Igbogene in Bayelsa State in 2016. The geological, hydrological, and geotechnical report IRU $EXMD LGHQWLÀHG WKH XQGHUQHDWK URFN OD\HUV RI Mpape to be already shifted, weak and bearing several fractures and faults system. This is not unexpected.

For over three decades, the upland area has been exposed to unregulated drilling and blasting of rocks by quarrying companies and artisanal miners. The

shift in the tectonic plates, which leads to the sudden release of energy that causes the trembling on the ground, is a probable cause aside other human activity.

Besides, “there is the need to regulate the exploitation of ground water resources of Abuja via indiscriminate sinking of boreholes because this has been the primary reason for the stress build up leading to the Abuja tremors”, the presidential committee reported.

It is unfortunate that we continue to bask in the illusion that Nigeria is not at risk of earthquake as the country is not the in region prone to such disaster.

Without putting in place the necessary measures, the safety of lives and resources will be imperilled if we continue to deny that WUHPRUV DUH LQVLJQLÀFDQW natural phenomenon.

Earthquake is a disaster WKDW LQÁLFWV VXEVWDQWLDO human, material, and economic losses, which PDQ\ DͿHFWHG FRXQWULHV rarely recover from. A case study is when Port au Prince, the capital of Haiti, an impoverished Caribbean country, was hit by a 7.0 magnitude earthquake in January 2010. Besides killing more than 200,000 people, the massive earthquake destroyed the country and caused an estimated $14 billion in damage to private assets and public utilities.

To avert earthquake, the Nigerian Geological Survey Agency should implement the laws criminalising indiscriminate mining, rock blasting and digging of bore holes across the country. These unrestricted activities FDQ KDYH GDPDJLQJ HͿHFWV RQ WKH XQGHUJURXQG URFNV and by extension the earth layers. In addition, the appropriate authority should install equipment that will gauge and monitor geological surveying methods across the country.

Federal and state emergency agencies should also organise safety trainings in the communities prone to tremors and earthquakes on how to respond in the event of emergency given that earthquakes result LQ FROODSVH RI EXLOGLQJV ÀUH RXWEUHDN DQG PRWRU accidents.

Indiscriminate mining, rock blasting and digging of bore holes across the country can have damaging effects on the underground rocks and by extension the earth layers T H I S D AY EDITOR SHAKA MOMODU DEPUTY EDITORS WALE OLALEYE, OBINNA CHIMA MANAGING DIRECTOR ENIOLA BELLO DEPUTY MANAGING DIRECTOR ISRAEL IWEGBU CHAIRMAN EDITORIAL BOARD OLUSEGUN ADENIYI EDITOR NATION’S CAPITAL IYOBOSA UWUGIAREN MANAGING EDITOR BOLAJI ADEBIYI THE OMBUDSMAN KAYODE KOMOLAFE

T H I S D AY N E W S PA P E R S L I M I T E D EDITOR-IN-CHIEF/CHAIRMAN NDUKA OBAIGBENA GROUP EXECUTIVE DIRECTORS ENIOLA BELLO, KAYODE KOMOLAFE, ISRAEL IWEGBU, IJEOMA NWOGWUGWU, EMMANUEL EFENI DIVISIONAL DIRECTORS SHAKA MOMODU, PETER IWEGBU, ANTHONY OGEDENGBE DEPUTY DIVISIONAL DIRECTOR OJOGUN VICTOR DANBOYI SNR. ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR ERIC OJEH ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR PATRICK EIMIUHI CONTROLLERS ABIMBOLA TAIWO, UCHENNA DIBIAGWU, NDUKA MOSERI DIRECTOR, PRINTING PRODUCTION CHUKS ONWUDINJO TO SEND EMAIL: first name.surname@thisdaylive.com

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 THE DIGNITY OF LABOUR ´7KHUH LV EHQHÀW LQ HYHU\ NLQG RI KDUG ZRUN µ ² 3URYHUEV 14:23.

A talented Nigerian musician, Adekunle Gold, in one of his popular songs entitled ‘WORK,’ encouraged people to work hard. This is in harmony with what God’s Word; the Bible, recommends at Ecclesiastes chapter 9, verse 10, where it says: “Whatever your hand ÀQGV WR GR GR ZLWK DOO \RXU PLJKW µ :RUN ² ZKHWKHU SDLG RU XQSDLG LV JRRG IRU RXU KHDOWK DQG well-being. It contributes to our happiness, helps us to build conÀGHQFH DQG VHOI HVWHHP DQG FDQ UHZDUG XV ÀQDQFLDOO\ :RUN LV DQ essential tool through which individuals can achieve their goals, ÁRXULVK DQG OLYH KDSS\ PHDQLQJIXO OLYHV :RUN KDV GLͿHUHQW GLPHQVLRQV VXFK DV ZRUN IRU PDNLQJ D OLYLQJ and work for developing one’s talent and potential. For example, a little girl in one of the corners of the world who goes to the kindergarten and learns how to count, draw, or write, is working. Likewise, an adult, who goes to his/her job every day, and gets paid for that, is also working. Thus, based on the age, circumstances, needs DQG GHVLUHV RI LQGLYLGXDOV ZRUN RU ODERXU WDNHV GLͿHUHQW VKDSHV Work is a virtue and necessity, which requires the utilization of time and energy. Man is in control of his time and energy when

he voluntarily and constructively works. The Bible emphasizes the importance of work when it says, among other things, at 2 Thessalonians, chapter 3, verses 10 to 12 that: “ . . . if anyone does not want to work, neither let him eat . . .” This scripture condemns laziness.

We need to work to make a living and provide for our families.

Work provides the individual with the ability to be independent, to ÁRXULVK WR GHYHORS DQG PRVW LPSRUWDQWO\ WR ÀQG D PHDQLQJ WR OLIH +RZHYHU WKHUH DUH PDQ\ SUREOHPV VHULRXVO\ DͿHFWLQJ ZRUN DQG workers in Nigeria today. These include: unemployment, poor remuneration/wages, poor working environment and conditions, casualization of workers, among others. Many people experience poverty and unemployment through no fault of their own. Many who are able to work, willing to work hard, and even actively VHDUFKLQJ IRU ZRUN DUH VWLOO XQDEOH WR ÀQG ZRUN ² WKH\ DUH XQHPployed!

Unemployment and poverty are two of the major problems currently plaguing Nigeria’s economy and its society. Nevertheless, despite the high rate of unemployment and poverty, the situation LV QRW QHFHVVDULO\ KRSHOHVV 3HRSOH FDQ VWLOO ÀQG VRPH PHDQLQJIXO work to engage in, even though it may be small. And, as another talented Nigerian musician, Sonnie Smyth, sang in his music video

entitled: “NO WAHALA”: “No wahala, e go better, after today, I go see tomorrow o!” ,I \RX DUH XQHPSOR\HG RU FDQQRW ÀQG D MRE LQ \RXU DUHD RI SDUticular interest, it is wise to consider looking for a job in other areas, even if the job is considered ‘menial’ by the standards of some SHRSOH 'R QRW DOORZ IDOVH SULGH WR OHW \RX ORRN GRZQ RQ D MRE ² DV EHQHDWK \RXU GLJQLW\ $Q\ OHJLWLPDWH VHUYLFH WKDW FDQ EHQHÀW RWKHUV and that people are willing to pay for, can be considered as an alternative job opportunity when jobs are scarce.

3HRSOH GLͿHU LQ WHUPV RI PDQ\ FKDUDFWHULVWLFV VXFK DV LQWHOOLgence, talents, academic levels, etc. Therefore depending on huPDQ SRWHQWLDO DQG WKH VSHFLÀF ZRUNLQJ HQYLURQPHQW ZRUN FDQ EH HTXDOO\ EHQHÀFLDO WR WKH SHUVRQ RU GHPHDQLQJ )RU H[DPSOH SURVtitution, gambling, and drug dealing constitute work, as you get a kind of remuneration for the service you provide. But the money you get out of these kinds of work becomes useless, as it neither FRQWULEXWHV WR KXPDQ ÁRXULVKLQJ QRU LV WKH EDVLV RI D PHDQLQJIXO OLIH :RUN VKRXOG EH WKH NH\ WR KXPDQ VXUYLYDO DQG ÁRXULVKLQJ and not to degradation of the individual and his moral values.

Daniel Ighakpe, FESTAC Town, Lagos

T H I S D AY ˾ FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 2023

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BUSINESSWORLD R A T E S MONEY MARKET

A S

A T

REPO

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

08056356325

F E B R U A R Y

S & P INDEX

2 3 , 2 0 2 3

S & P INDEX

EXCHANGE RATE

OPR

11.25%

CALL

10.25%

INDEX LEVEL

613.31%

1/4 TO DATE

-0.85%

N416.86/ 1 US DOLLAR*

OVERNIGHT

11.50%

1-MONTH

9.56%

1-DAY

0.16%

YEAR TO DATE

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*AS AT LAST FRIDAY

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Despite Agitations, FG Moves to Complete Second Abuja Runway at Whooping N92.12bn

Chinedu Eze After many years of controversies and agitations over cost and inadequate ramp space, the federal government has announced that it would complete the N92.12 billion second runway, at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja by May 29.

Airline operators have however argued that the major challenge dogging the airport was ramp space for aircraft parking.

Although operators said the second runway remained critically important, but decried a situation where the major challenge currently is about how to expand the ramp space to mitigate congestion that

will likely impair seamless use of the airport in few years.

Industry stakeholders who spoke to THISDAY said that the new international terminal at the airport was located close to the runway reducing the space created for the tarmac.

The airport apron, flight line, ramp, or tarmac is the area of an airport where aircraft are parked, unloaded or loaded, refueled, boarded, or maintained.

THISDAY learnt that even with relatively low traffic compared to Lagos, the apron space at the Abuja airport becomes inadequate when wide-body aircraft like Boeing 777, Boeing 747 or Airbus A350 are parked at the ramp.

Investigation also revealed that two wide-body aircraft of international airlines could fill up the apron, leaving small space for other aircraft.

To solve the challenge, the Managing Director and CEO of Aero Contractors, Captain Ado Sanusi, told THISDAY that there should be holistic approach to infrastructural expansion of the airside of the airport in order to create more space for the apron.

He recognised the fact that the airport would continue to record increase in traffic, as Nigeria continues to grow economically and as more people travel by air.

He also noted that the Abuja airport was growing very fast in

terms of traffic, as more foreign airlines operate to the airport and as more domestic carriers join the market with attendant increase in passenger movement.

“There should be holistic approach in the plan to expand the ramp. It could be noticed that the new terminal building is blocking the control tower at the airport so there is a need to move the tower from where it is currently located and when removed the apron could be extended to that area and the new control tower should be built where it will have higher visibility of the airport.

“You notice also that when British Airways aircraft lands at the airport the remaining part of

the apron becomes too small. So the expansion should be done towards the taxiway in order to have more space where aircraft can park,” he said.

He advised that experts who are versed in airport infrastructure should be engaged to creatively open more space for the apron, “because there is limit to maneuverability due to structures, including the Presidential Air Wing at one side of the apron, the new terminal building and the General Aviation Terminal at the other end of the apron.”

On the second runway that would be completed in few months, Sanusi said the building of the runway was a very good idea,

noting that currently the airport does not have huge traffic but would have such traffic in near future, looking at the exponential growth being recorded by Abuja and Lagos airports.

Sanusi added that what makes the second runway critically important is in case that the existing runway was closed due to emergency the second runway becomes a very good alternative.

“The second runway is needed, although for now the traffic is not very high. VIP movement should be connected to the second runway and taxiway should be built to connect directly to the Continued on page 25

CBDC: CBN to Include More Telcos, Urges Nigerians to Embrace eNaira Nume Ekeghe The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has announced that it is in talks to include other telcos on the Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC) eNaira platform to widen its adoption and acceptance nationwide.

Currently, eNaira transactions are only enabled on MTN and 9mobile network but that will soon change if everything goes according to plan.

This is as the CBN has urged more businesses to adopt the eNaira

for transactions and trade, especially using Unstructured Supplementary Service Data (USSD), which it stated has almost no downtime.

The Coordinator, eNaira, CBN, Ms. Rakiya Mohammed said this yesterday at a media parley which also had the representation of its technical partners BullNet and the Balogun Business Association in Lagos.

Mohammed who was represented by eNaira Project Giant Team, Otaru Abdulkadir, noted that the cashless policy has enormous gains in the long run

He said: “The eNaira also came in to create an efficient and resilient environment for our electronic payments and transactions. I would like to commend the management of BullNet for coming up with this innovation and I see that this corresponds with our aim of the eNaira which includes reaching out to the financially excluded and the unbanked. We had to not only do something that works on the smartphone but something that works on any feature phone and with tech companies coming on board such as BullNet, people with

limited internet services can fund their eNaira wallet and have a safe wallet to be able to transact without having to go through the difficulties of having cash at hand.

“With the eNaira, we have a resilient infrastructure that can handle the requirements of the cashless policy and if we are able to drive the adoption of the eNaira efficiently, this will take away the pressure of the current cash crunch and issues with financial transactions in the country.”

He added: “We are still in the process of getting more telcos to

buy into the USSD. We have a third-party service and they were able to get us MTN and 9Mobile.

We are already speaking to Airtel and Glo as well and soon we will have them onboard with the eNaira.

“People have been quite receptive to the eNaira, the figure we have at the moment is a successful growing figure. However, pending when we can have more tech companies, banks, and businesses, then we can have a full ecosystem or create a new eNaira ecosystem. Hence, we need to create businesses where you can spend with the eNaira

and this is what the CBN has been doing in that area to make the innovation to be successful.

“We are also planning to onboard the traders at Balogun Market thankfully we have a representative here regardless of the type of phone they use. We have had a lot of tech firms, PoS operators come forward and we like what firms such as BullNet is doing and we are using this opportunity to appeal to stakeholders in this transactional ecosystem which Continued on page 25

M A R K E T D ATA A S AT T H U R S D AY, F E B R U A R Y 2 3 , 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

Change Updated Time (%) 10.82 -0.01 January 6, 2023 January 11.11 -0.71 6, 2023 January 0.00 6, 11.35 2023 January 12.60 0.00 6, 2023 January 12.92 0.00 6, 2023

Yield

BILLS MATURITY

Discount

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

3.01

NTB 11May-23

3.23

3.01 2.21 3.20

3.27

OTC F X F U T U R E S

CPS

Change Updated Time (%) 3.01 -0.01 January 6, 2023 January 6, 0.00 2023 3.02 January 6, 2.22 -1.71 2023 January 6, 3.23 0.00 2023

Yield

January 6, 0.00 2023

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

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

Discount Yield

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CONTRACT Current TENOR Contract Rate Updated Time ($/₦) (MONTH) NGUS JAN 25 469.87 January 6, 1 2023 2023 January 6, NGUS FEB 22 2 472.05 2023 2023 NGUS MAR 29 474.23 January 6, 3 2023 2023 NGUS APR 26 476.42 January 6, 4 2023 2023 NGUS MAY 31 478.60 January 6, 5 2023 2023

24

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 2023 ˾ T H I S D AY

BUSINESSWORLD

AIR WATCH

FAAN Graduates 381 Cadets, Instructors after Training A I R

Chinedu Eze

As part of its efforts to improve security in the aviation industry, the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) has graduated 381 Cadets and instructors who were commissioned during their passing out parade at Digital Bridge Institute, Kano State.

According to the agency said the 381 FAAN Aviation Security Cadets have undergone and completed 13 weeks of intensive training on the STP 123 Basic course in line with ICAO Standards and Recommended Practices (SARPs) and National Civil Aviation Security Training Programme (NCASTP).

Speaking at the graduation ceremony, Minister of Aviation, Senator Hadi Sirika, said the successful training of 381 Cadet Officers was indeed a pride to Nigeria, adding that it is quite reassuring that the federal government has taken the right step in the right direction.

Sirika who was represented by

the Director of Safety and Technical Policy, Captain Talba Alkali, informed that intensive preparatory work by the training faculty was done through commitment by management to actualise the training.

He said: “This level of commitment is evident before us in the successful completion of this training. Once again, accept my gratitude. My profound gratitude goes also to the management and staff of the Digital Bridge Institute Kano for providing an enabling environment with state-of-the-art training facility which has accommodated the three hundred and eighty-one (381) cadets and instructors in the last three months.”

Advising the newly commissioned Cadets, the Minister said: “This should come to you as a clarion call to work within the precepts of the training. This training that you have received is expected to commit you to the level of dedication that is expected in ensuring that the nation of Nigeria will not only be proud but also reap the benefits of this

well-organised training.

“In acceptance to be trained as an Aviation Security cadet, you must realize that it is a privilege to serve your country at this level as the aviation industry is one place where adherence and commitment to rules and standards are applied strictly to the letter.”

In his keynote address, Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, FAAN, Capt Rabiu Hamisu Yadudu, confirmed that the training has no doubt, enhanced their counterterrorism skills, conflict management skills, effective communication, information security and effective synergy with sister security agencies in ensuring a safe and secure environment, which is one of the aviation security principles.

According to Yadudu, “At a time of national security challenges, finding expression in myriad problems and threats such as terrorism, banditry, insurgency, kidnapping etc, the Aviation security STP 123 Training programme could not have come at a better time.”

Ethiopian Airlines, IGAD Sign MoU Ethiopian Airlines, the largest airline in Africa and Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for the purpose of providing a framework on the provision of Ethiopian Airlines products and services to IGAD. Ethiopian Airlines will also provide hospitability services to IGAD at Ethiopian Skylight Hotel and assign a dedicated team to handle travel and hospitality need of IGAD. Following the signing of the

MoU, Ethiopian Airlines Group Chief Commercial Officer, Mr. Lemma Yadecha said: “We are pleased to have signed this agreement with IGAD and play our part in the region’s socio-economic development. Ethiopian Airlines operates more than 20 flights daily to IGAD member states, playing a significant role in the socio-economic ties in the region and facilitating a way to achieve the economic cooperation and regional integration that IGAD strives to achieve. Furthermore, being the largest passenger and

cargo destination operating carrier in Africa, our vast network offers convenient access to more than 130 destinations worldwide and we are more than happy to offer that.”

Earlier, Ethiopian Airlines signed a strategic partnership agreement with International Djibouti Industrial Park Operation (IDIPO) and Air Djibouti to jointly commence sea-air multimodal transportation for an expeditious transportation of goods to Africa back in March 2022, taking its cargo transportation sector to a multimodal level.

Aviation Ministry, MOFI Set to Support Domestic Airlines The Aviation Ministry and the Ministry of Finance Incorporated (MOFI) said they would collaborate to support the growth and expansion of Nigerian airlines by providing financing and investment for them to expand their fleets, enhance their equipment and compete on the global stage.

This was the outcome of a meeting between the Minister of Aviation, Senator Hadi Sirika and the Chief Executive Officer of MOFI, Dr. Armstrong Takang in Abuja on Tuesday. Takang noted that the investment and collaboration would bring about mutual benefits for both MOFI and the Ministry of Aviation. Sirika also said that collaboration between the Aviation Ministry and the Ministry of Finance Incorporated (MOFI) was paramount in the Civil Aviation part of the Nigerian economy. Sirika

made the statement on Tuesday in Abuja, during a courtesy call to the Ministry by the MOFI management for collaboration between the Federal Ministry of Aviation and the organisation. The Minister expressed his excitement that there was a structure for MOFI, and it has fallen into the right hand to get the mandate of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria delivered and effected appropriately. He recalled that during the Nation’s Transition Committee period, there was an extensive discussion as to what contribution the aviation sector could make, and it was considered to add up to five per cent to the GDP of Nigeria.

The Minister added that a road map was created for the Civil Aviation industry to create a robust sector that would be

financially healthy and which would also make aviation the most preferred means of transportation.

Speaking earlier at the meeting, Takang congratulated the Minister on his recent appointment as a member of the MOFI Governing Council. He said the appointment demonstrated Mr. President’s trust in him given his vast experience in driving governance to achieve desirous outcomes, which would be valuable for MOFI in delivering significant value to its key stakeholders and its portfolio companies.

Armstrong recalled that MOFI was used as a Special Purpose Vehicle across the economic sector, focused on holding federal government investments, which it had been using to invest in commercial entities for over 60 years.

Spectranet Appoints New CEO, Rewards Partners Nosa Alekhuogie Spectranet, an Internet Service Provider (ISP) has appointed Mr. Maneesh Kulshrestha as its new Chief Executive Officer.

Kulshrestha joins Spectranet as a visionary and transformative leader with over 30 years of professional experience in the Telecom and Retail industries as part of its strategic new growth direction.

His appointment coincides with Spectranet’s latest business trajectory as the ISP creating unlimited opportunities for enterprising Nigerians.

Bringing a wealth of experience and knowledge to the team, Kulshrestha has worked for companies like Reliance Group, Telenor Group, Roshan Group

Afghanistan, Tata Group, Global Nortel and Matra amongst others.

Kulshrestha is said to have a deep understanding of emerging markets such as Afghanistan and India. He joins the Spectranet team with a high enthusiasm to achieve great results in the Nigerian market. He stated that his mission at Spectranet is a synergy of network expansion and an all-around superior customer experience for users on the network.

“I am very excited to be here in Nigeria, and about joining this capable team.

As the pioneer of 4GLTE in Nigeria, Spectranet plays as a frontrunner in the 4GLTE business, Fixed Broadband Solutions, Enterprise Business Solutions

and VoLTE. I look forward to developing the business further with a clear ambition to prioritize high-value service delivery to all our customers. I am intentional about developing a high-performing team by fostering new benchmarks in employee and partner engagement. A happy and engaged workforce is key to delivering the best possible service to our clients. There will be no compromise on excellent service delivery and improved experience on the network.

Under my direction, Spectranet will put customers first and create memorable experiences through improved processes and systems. A mission I intend to achieve together with the team,” Kulshrestha said.

WATCH ICAO Calls for Legislation to Compensate, Protect Accident Victims

Chinedu Eze The International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) has called on governments around the world to promulgate legislations that would protect accident victims and pave way for fairer compensations.

Compensation for victims of air crashes has not been reviewed over the years and according to Montreal Convention Treaty on Compensation, the victim in case of accident can claim compensation up to 4,694 SDR. The currency value of the SDR is determined by summing the values in US dollars, based on market exchange rates, of a basket of major currencies (the US dollar, Euro, Japanese yen, pound sterling and the Chinese renminbi); for damages resulting of the passenger’s international flight disruption. In the event of death or body injury, the air carrier is liable up to 100,000 SDR for each passenger.

But ICAO is demanding that there should be a review so that fairer compensation could be adopted for victims of air accidents.

In a statement credited to ICAO Council President, Salvatore Sciacchitano, in observance of February 20 as the International Day Commemorating Air Crash Victims and their Families, the organisation said it has formalised an obligation under the Chicago Convention for countries to adopt and implement effective assistance legislations for accident victims.

According to Sciacchitano, ICAO has further developed new modalities and training to assist governmental authorities in designing and setting out assistance legislations appropriately.

“Mindful of the importance of public and private stakeholders ensuring compassionate and effective assistance to aircraft accident victims and their loved ones, ICAO has formalized an obligation under the Chicago Convention for countries to establish effective legislation, regulations, and policies in this area.

“ICAO has furthermore developed new training to assist national officials in designing and setting out appropriate family assistance legislation and plans, and it also continues to promote the widespread ratification and implementation of the Montreal Convention – which provides for fairer compensation and greater protection for victims,” Sciacchitano said.

“Respect for civil aviation accident victims, and for their loved ones’ mental, physical and spiritual well-being, remains a key priority for global aviation.

“With the help of the insights and appeals of the Air Crash Victims’ Families’ Federation International’s (ACVFFI) committed representatives, ICAO will continue to advocate for improved victim support,” Sciacchitano further said.

The ICAO governing Council established the International Day Commemorating Air Crash Victims and their Families in 2022, in direct support of a proposal made by the Air Crash Victims’ Families’ Federation International (ACVFFI).

Its purpose is to provide governments and industry with an annual reminder of the onus upon them to improve the care, resources, and timely and comprehensive information that accident victims and their loved ones need in post-accident circumstances.

It was in 1998, during the 32nd ICAO Assembly (A32), the subject of assistance to aircraft accident victims and their families was first considered.

Participants acknowledged that the policy of ICAO should be to ensure that the mental, physical, and spiritual well-being of victims involved in civil aviation accidents and their families are considered and accommodated by the Organization and its Member States.

Following discussions, Resolution A32-7 urged the ICAO Council to develop guidance

material, citing the need to establish regulations and programmes by Contracting States and their air operators to support aircraft accident victims and their families.

ICAO first issued guidance on family assistance in 2001, and in 2013, it published the ICAO Policy on Assistance to Aircraft Accident Victims and their Families and an accompanying manual.

The topic was also formally acknowledged by states at consecutive ICAO Assemblies in 2013 and 2016 and considered by a special session of the 13th ICAO Air Navigation Conference in 2018.

In 2021, the ICAO Council held a further meeting with the Air Crash Victims’ Families’ Federation International (ACVFFI).

The ICAO Facilitation Panel subsequently recommended that associated priorities be enshrined in a full ICAO Standard to ensure stronger international compliance and alignment.

In addition to the Symposium ICAO conducted in December 2021, the ICAO Council adopted Amendment 29 to ICAO Annex 9 — Facilitation which has elevated Recommended Practice 8.46 to Standard 8.47, thus obliging states to establish legislation, regulations, and policies in support of assistance to aircraft accident victims and their families.

According to the ICAO Policy on Assistance to Aircraft Accident Victims, an aircraft accident is an unexpected and usually a catastrophic event.

The size and scope of an aviation accident will influence the types of family assistance needed, as well as the amount of financial, personnel and equipment resources needed to provide adequate and sufficient assistance. The scale of the family assistance response will be directly related to the number of people impacted.

The policy stated that family assistance may require national legislation, regulations and/or policies to ensure that the necessary resources and commitment to provide assistance are available at short notice. Effective coordination of the parties involved is considered essential.

The Council recommends that states: reaffirm their commitment to ensure that adequate and sufficient assistance is provided to aircraft accident victims and their families; establish legislation, regulations and/or policies addressing family assistance plans to ensure that family assistance providers have the necessary financial, personnel, and equipment resources, and that systems are available at short notice to provide assistance to aircraft accident victims and their families in a timely manner.

Other recommendations include: ensure that their family assistance plans consider the following factors: recipients of family assistance, types of family assistance to be provided, when family assistance should be provided, family assistance providers, periodic review and exercise of the plan and enactment of legislation, regulations and/or policies necessary to implement the plan.

Others recommendations also include to establish legislation, regulations and/or policies required to implement effective coordination and control of the efforts to provide the required family assistance; require that air operators implement family assistance plans, and ensure that these plans are exercised regularly, supervised and audited as necessary; require that airport operators implement family assistance plans, which can be part of their Airport Emergency Plans, in coordination with air operators, and ensure that these plans are exercised regularly, supervised and audited as necessary; and require air operators to have proper arrangements with airports in which they operate, so as to facilitate the provision of family assistance as required.

T H I S D AY ˾ FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 2023

25

BUSINESSWORLD

AVIATION

Mitigating Flight Delays in Nigerian Airports For several years, delays and cancellations have been associated with flight operations in Nigeria, a development that has created uncertainty among air passengers. Chinedu Eze looks at ways such incidents could be significantly reduced

T

he average Nigerian air traveller will always hold airlines responsible for flight delays and flight cancellations.

This explains why some passengers vent their frustration on airlines’ facilities and their personnel when prolonged delays occur. Although illegal, this has been the trend over the years in Nigeria.

But investigations confirm that there are many factors that could lead to flight delays. Some are attributed to the airlines; some to airport facilities and one of the major factors, which no one can be held responsible, is weather, a natural phenomenon.

From the statistics on flight operations in Nigeria between January and December 2022, made available last week by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), there are indications that compared to 2021 there has been no marked improvement in the number of delays and cancellations.

Also to confirm that this is not just airlines’ challenge, the difference in the number of delays between international flights and local flights is insignificant.

Domestic airlines operated 80, 328 flights last year and recorded 47, 144 delays; 795 flight cancellations and 91 air return. International airlines recorded 13, 003 flights, 4, 628 delays, 82 cancellations and 31 air return.

In 2021 international airlines recorded 9, 675 flights, 3, 216 delays, 37 flight cancelations and 24 air return; while domestic airlines recorded 74, 537 flights, 41, 328 delays, 542 cancelations and 110 air return.

International and domestic airlines recorded more flights in 2022 with slightly higher flight delays, cancellations and air return and the factors responsible for these delays are still prevalent.

PASSENGERS’ INCONVENIENCE

Editorial published early last year by THISDAY Newspapers, showed the medium observed that air travel in Nigeria is beset by frequent delays, and sometimes outright cancellation of flights without any justification.

According to the editorial, “A passenger on scheduled travel anywhere in the country at a particular time is never sure when the flight will take off or if it will take off at all. This disorganises business plans, appointments and other engagements and gives rise to inconvenience and frustration, as travellers are sometimes left stranded at the airports. Sadly, this situation has gone on for years, and despite occasional directives from relevant authorities on this vexatious problem, nothing seems to have changed.

“We are aware that some flight delays are caused by bad weather and the airlines cannot be blamed for this. But most of the time, there is no rational explanation for the delay and cancellations leading to suspicion that they are deliberate, most often to take more passengers. There is also the notorious ‘VIP movement’, which is now rather frequent. The authorities must deal with this nuisance. Meanwhile, it is ordinarily expected that airlines with few aircraft operate fewer routes and destinations and therefore should run almost seamless services because they are unencumbered by complex scheduling challenges. But all the airlines behave in the same manner, which suggests a serious systemic problem.”

WEATHER

After it was thought that harmattan weather had gone for good in January this year, it suddenly appeared last week and began to torment airlines and passengers.

But according to airline operators, flight disruptions in December last year and in January this year were not as devastating compared to previous years, but in February it suddenly appeared and led to flight disruptions. Earlier in the week airlines cancelled flights and some delays theirs due to bad weather.

Valuejet on Monday, issued a notice to its passengers saying, “Our flight operations have recently been impacted by the current harmattan weather. Due to poor visibility caused by the weather, we had to delay and cancel some flights for safety reasons.”

But it is expected that airlines should have envisaged these weather disruptions because the Nigeria Meteorological Agency (NIMET), always issue warnings and weather predictions to airlines and other users of weather services.

WARNING

NIMET issued a statement on February 2, 2023 warning that there would be bad weather in subsequent days. NIMET alerted stakeholders and the general public on the possibility of deterioration in visibility as a result of observed dust haze propagated into the country from the source region.

The agency said: “The weather reports from the country, indicating the approximate position of Inter-Tropical Discontinuity (ITD). Winds at 10 meters and 800 meters (925hPa) above the ground surface indicate favourable conditions for further Dust-Haze propagations into the nation, which will worsen horizontal visibility.”

The release further stated that observation from the source region indicates that “Niger (Maine-Soroa, Goure, Maradi, N-guigmi, Diffa, 61091, Bila and Agadez) and Chad (Faya-Largeau and Ndjamena) have both reported Dust-Haze with poor horizontal visibility.”

The agency said it expected that “in the next few hours, strong winds at 800m will spread more dust into the country thus, causing deterioration in horizontal visibility.”

It added that there were prospects of thick dust haze (in poor horizontal visibility, less than1000m) over Katsina, Kano, Yobe, Bauchi, Gombe, Jigawa, Borno, Adamawa, Sokoto, Zamfara, Kebbi and Kaduna states; while North central states are expected to report moderate dust haze (visibility of 2–5km).

Some industry stakeholders argued that if airlines have taken cognizance of these warnings they

would have envisaged the adverse weather and made provisions for it in their flight schedule. This would help to avert flight delays and cancellation.

POOR INFRASTRUCTURE

International airlines take seriously their flight schedules because they align with their integrated schedules in their global network; so they have to arrive at their operational hubs in time to distribute their passengers to farther destinations. So, for the fact that they recorded 4, 628 delays in 2022 and 3, 216 delays in 2021, indicates that there are extraneous factors beyond the airlines that cause the delays and that is attributed to poor infrastructure. This has been fingered as one of the major culprits of flight delays in Nigeria. Country managers of international carriers told THISDAY that poor airport facilities is a major set back in on-time operation of airlines, especially in Lagos and the Abuja airports.

THISDAY investigation revealed that since it became indicative that more people travel by air the terminal space has become inadequate for travellers. Even at low season in January the GAT terminal is crowded. The number of counters at the Air Peace part of the terminal is adequate that passengers travelling to some destinations have to be called out and attended to away from the counter. The poor passenger facilitating process makes delays inevitable. By the time passengers go through the two x-ray machines and arrive at the departures, breathless, at least over 30 minutes have been wasted for that flight. That may explain why the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) is expanding the GAT facility, but industry observers complain that work is very slow because it ought to have been completed, going by the agency’s initial deadline.

SHRINKING RAMP

Also at the airside of the General Aviation Terminal the ramp is small for the number of aircraft that park there. In fact, pilots have to be careful in order not to clip the wing of their aircraft. Recently passengers had fully boarded on

Air Peace flight and the aircraft was ready to depart but it could not be pulled back to taxi to the runway because it was blocked by Arik Air aircraft that was boarding passengers. When contacted, the pilot of the flight said he had to compete with boarding of the passengers before it would move the aircraft for the Air Peace aircraft to be pulled back. The flight waited for almost another 30 minutes.

THISDAY investigation also revealed that Air Traffic Controllers allow a flight that has taken off about five minutes before they would give start up to another.

In other words, an aircraft could be waiting at the holding point of the runway for five minutes for the aircraft that has taken off to reach a cruise level. Most often, especially at the Lagos airport, after it has taken off, the aircraft would wait for another five minutes or more for the one coming into Lagos to land. So on the average, an aircraft on the holding point can wait for 15 to 20 minutes before taking off. These delays build up on the aircraft and would affect on the services it would operate for that day. With the new technology in airspace management embraced by the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) it is expected that it should take shorter time to wait for a flight that has taken off before another would be given start up.

AIRPORT CAPACITIES

Industry expert and the Secretary General of Aviation Round Table (ART), Group Captain John Ojikutu, told THISDAY that there are many factors that give rise to flight delays. He identified ground services, from check-in to security screening and the capacity of the airports in terms of facilities and personnel.

“There are many factors that contribute to flights delays necessarily more from the ground services providers and much of cancellations from the airlines operators themselves. First, view the causes of delays from the airports capacities; how many of the airports cause more delays than the others? What is the capacity of each in terms of accommodation for aircraft and facilitation of passengers?

The story continues online on www.thisdaylive.com

CBDC: CBN TO INCLUDE MORE TELCOS, URGES NIGERIANS TO EMBRACE ENAIRA includes merchants, traders, organisations to come onboard with the eNaira project just in case they need assistance.”

He added that the eNaira has four methods which include scan to pay, wallet ID, USSD (*997#) and voucher and that the apex

bank is partnering agents and sensitising people on the eNaira.

“We are also speaking with government MDAs to be able to find more ways payment can be made with the eNaira. This speaks to government collections, remittances and the likes.The eNaira brings a

lot of features. Firstly, transactions are swift, with no network failure, no reverse or truncated transactions and is very secure. Embracing this (eNaira) will increase financial literacy for everyone, standard of living increases reduces operational cost for financial institutions, and

provide a more resilient network.

Hence with the eNaira, we can be able to start transacting efficiently and more securely.”

On his part, the Founder and Chief Executive Officer, BullNet, Bayo Akintoye noted that the technology offered is completely

safe and has limited downtime, which would foster effectiveness in trade as transactions are done quickly and easily.

He said: “Users can also transfer eNaira from one wallet to another simply by inputting the recipient’s phone number. The service also

makes it possible for users to cash out by sending the eNaira directly from their wallets to an ATM and withdrawing the cash equivalent without the need for a bank account or bank card. The user can also send eNaira to a designated bank account for savings or further transactions.”

DESPITE AGITATIONS, FG MOVES TO COMPLETE SECOND ABUJA RUNWAY AT WHOOPING N92.12BN Presidential Air Wing so that VIP aircraft can take off without using the runway for commercial and other flights. This will ease delays caused when VIP aircraft is using the runway. So, connecting taxiway to the VIP wing and to the second runway specifically will be good. A comprehensive look at the airport in planning the expansion will help greatly,” Sanusi further said.

Speaking in similar vein, the former Managing Director of the Nigeria Airspace Management Agency (NAMA), Captain Fola Akinkuotu, who is also a seasoned pilot and aircraft engineer, told THISDAY that the second runway at the Abuja airport was important because traffic at the airport is growing and that if by any possibility, the existing runway is closed, the second one will provide service

to flights.

“In 2013, I think in December of that year, a cargo plane, a Boeing 747 carrying arms wanted to land ta the Abuja airport for possibly technical stop, but there was problem on the Abuja airport runway and maintenance was going on, but the aircraft landed on the runway that was under maintenance and there was severe damage to the aircraft.

The aircraft blocked the runway. Part

of the aircraft was on the runway and the other part was on the grass beside the runway.

“The workers who were maintaining the runway could not evacuate it. It was Julius Berger Nigeria Plc that was contacted to come and remove the aircraft after two days. So the runway was closed for two days and when the aircraft was removed it had damaged beyond repair. For those two days

the President would not have gone out if he wanted to travel. He would have been stuck. So this is what makes the second runway critical. If we can have the second runway it will be good,” Akinkuotu who was also the former Director General of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), said.

He also observed that for an airport to have a single runway “you have to prepare for all sorts

of emergencies,” noting that even till now Nigeria may not have the equipment that could be used to remove wide-body aircraft from the runway in case of emergency.

On the expansion of the apron, Akinkuotu said there was need to expand the facility and expressed hope that such expansion should be part of the second runway project, as the new runway would have to connect to the apron.

26

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 2023 ˾ T H I S D AY

BUSINESSWORLD

INDUSTRY

SON in the Eyes of SMEs An in-depth survey on the perception of the operators of Small and Medium Enterprises provides a rear insight into workings of the Standard Organisation of Nigeria, writes Dike Onwuamaeze

H

ow does the operators of the Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) perceive the services provided by the Standard Organisation of Nigeria (SON)? This question was the subject of a recent survey that was carried out by the Lagos Chamber of Commerce (LCCI), in collaboration with the Centre for International Private Enterprises (CIPE). The finding of the survey was published in a report titled, “Perception Study: Efficiency and Impact of Regulatory Activities of Standard Organisation of Nigeria on SMEs.” The SON is a standard regulatory organisation that was established to ensure that all manufactured products that are made in Nigeria and those that are imported into the country are of good international quality?

According to the LCCI, the survey was commissioned, “to understand the perception and experiences of MSMEs regarding the operations and efficiency of the SON and to advocate for regulatory improvements that will facilitate the post COVID-19 economic recovery through institutional reforms to minimize corruption and strengthen efficiency in the regulatory environment of the SON.” It added that the study was carried out in four locations namely Lagos, Aba in Abia State, Onitsha in Anambra State and Kano.

KEY FINDINGS Its key findings stated among other things that the SMEs surveyed in the study were aware of the SON and its services and have constant interactions with the organisation.

The report showed that most of the SMEs that were interviewed have limited knowledge of the regulatory services that were offered by the SON. It noted that 69 per cent and 56 per cent of the respondents respectively identified “product quality standards” and “ensuring quality” as being the most popular services that were rendered by the SON to the SMEs. Also, 84 per cent of the SMEs that were surveyed said that product testing and inspection were there main reasons for interacting with the standard organisation.

According to these SMEs, testing and inspection of products is a vital requirement for producers and importers to verify that the items they would be taking to the markets are of high quality and could satisfy international standards.

The report also revealed that office visit is the most common method of communication between the SMEs (at least 75 per cent of them) and the SON. The justification for office visit lied upon convenience, quest for updated information and the opportunity to negotiate the service fees.

“This shows that the SON processes in terms of service payments are questionable as their as there should not be for negotiating a fixed fee,” the report said, adding that “the SMEs also think that the website does not give up to date information, indicating that the SMEs lack confidence published information.”

The report also showed that the use of intermediaries in dealing with the SON is prevalent in Lagos and Anambra at 41 per cent and 24 per cent respectively. According to the report, “one third of the SMEs surveyed use intermediaries,” who are also current staff of the SON, because they think that the SON’s operational processes are complex and time consuming. Hence, they prefer the consultants to take that burden away from them.”

The report further showed that “most of the SMEs make payments to SON via the bank, however, a notable proportion (25 per cent) of the SMEs reported paying through the SON’s staff account. This shows that some SON’s staff employees may be engaging in dishonest conduct when discharging their duties.”

In addition, “over 40 per cent of the SMEs reported that they had to pay additional monies to resolve their challenges (while) 45 per cent of the SMEs had to engage the services of a third party while 35 per cent of the SMEs reported resolving their challenges via a superior officer or authority.”

The report also showed that over 60 per cent of, “SMEs reported delays in getting the services they needed from SON while 30 per cent of the SMEs also complained that they rarely meet the SON staff on ground when they visit their offices and it is also hard to

reach them on telephone. Another 30 per cent of SMEs reported that they had to pay additional unofficial fees before accessing SON’s services.”

In general, the survey discovered that 65 per cent of all the organisations that were interviewed and engaged with the SON are in the manufacturing industry. Only 5.0 per cent of other businesses engaged in exporting, compared to 30 per cent of other businesses that imported.

This revealed a positive outlook on the Federal Government of Nigeria’s initiative through SON to promote locally made goods, to not only meet and satisfy the needs of Nigerians by reducing the number of defective products but also to ensure that the products can compete in global markets.

This was attested to by some SMEs who commended the realization of government’s intents through the SON by highlighting that the agency is committed to supporting the growth of SMEs while ensuring that ‘they’ adhere to the set standards and quality levels of goods and products.

A Kano based respondent said: “The SON mission is to ensure that goods and services produced in Nigeria meet up with the national and international markets.

“The SON, as the name implied, is a body that takes care of standards and makes businesses to conform to the maximum standard requirements of Nigeria.”

Data gathered from the survey revealed that manufacturing companies that participated in the survey produce wide range of products such as agricultural products, fast moving goods and plastics.

The data also showed that manufacturing industries are prevalent in Abia and followed

by Kano and Lagos. “This would appear to be supported by the numerous good manufacturing practices sensation seminars reported by SON in Aba, the economic hub of Abia State that is well known for its ‘made-in-Aba’ products.

“The data also appears to support the high priority that the Nigerian federal government gives to Aba-made products and small and medium-sized businesses in promoting high quality, locally made goods to advance the Nigerian economy.”

However, most SMEs participants in the qualitative interviews expressed that they experience delays in receiving accreditation or licensing, and this for them is a major challenge.

A respondent in Onitsha, Anambra Stae, said: “There is always a delay before receiving the needed certificates. It is time

wasting. Sometimes they (SON) will tell you three months… and sometimes after three months you will still have to wait before you go on to the next stage.”

The SMEss also believed that the SON is more concerned with protecting consumers than businesses. A participant in the survey’s focused group discussion in Lagos who shared this view also called for a level playing ground for all. “If we get protection from regulatory bodies in Nigeria, it will be nice. There is need for a taskforce that will hold everyone accountable. This is because those who are ‘big fish’ tend not to follow the rules. They tip one or two people and they will remain business.”

Another participant in Kano said: “I think that the SON isn’t actually concerned about protecting businesses.

So, they are checking quality because of the people (consumers) that patronise the business, but they are not checking for the sustainability of the business; they don’t check for other competitors who would be using lower quality. So, they are not offering the business protection.

They are only concerned about the other people (consumers). So it will be good if they can leverage that gap.”

Overall, the report showed that the SON is playing a strategic role in sustaining the vibrancy of the Nigerian manufacturing sector through the promotion of the manufacture of quality products.

Yet, the influx of fake and substandard products into the Nigerian market has remained a growing menace for the Nigerian economy, particularly the local industry.

The report said: “From Lagos to Aba, Kano and Kaduna, the Nigerian market is flooded with counterfeit products from Asia, mainly China. Some of the commonly counterfeited products in the local markets are textile, and leather products.

“The continued importation of these illicit products does not only stifle the local market but also cripple local initiatives and creativity.”

The report also observed that the influx of substandard products affect genuine local producers negatively and made customers to pay exorbitant prices for low quality goods.

Moreover, the illicit trafficking of counterfeited goods negatively impact government’s revenue through lost taxes and customs duties, especially when they are smuggled into the country.

The report emphasised that production

standard must be met, both for the sake of domestic consumers and for meeting global norms. It is essential to ensure that appropriate quality goods are available in the markets to take advantage of trade agreements like the African Continental Trade Area (AfCFTA).

It added, “Standardisation can be an effective way to increase productivity and efficiency, since it defines expectations, formalize processes and creates accountability for business.”

The report recommended to the federal government that, “the ordeal of imitated products and sub-standard goods and services have lowered the confidence of domestic and foreign customers, which government needs to revive with policy to boost the credibility and acceptability of SON badge as emblem of quality in global space.”

It further recommended that, “the SON should be in the front burner of agencies that Nigeria’s government should promote in the face of global communities with a view to increasing the acceptability of Nigeria made goods in global markets.”

It added that the SON is highly understaffed, therefore, “government should invest heavily in infrastructures and equipment that would assist SON to function effectively and efficiently.”

The President of the LCCI, Dr. Michael Olawale-Cole, explained that the research was carried out in 2022, by the LCCI on the processes of the SON. Olawale-Cole stated that based on the strategic plan and reforms agenda being implemented in the agency, it is imperative that players in the public and private sectors must effectively collaborate to achieve a shared goal of creating an enabling environment.

He said: “We advocate for the ease of doing business and the transformation of Nigeria’s institutions towards making them effective and supportive to private businesses, especially SMEs and generally to be globally competitive.

“The findings of the study revealed that SMEs are mostly small businesses with local focus, businesses that are unaware of all the services provided by SON or other regulatory bodies in Nigeria.

“Similarly, SMEs lack adequate knowledge of the guidelines, processes, utilisation of technology/resources provided by SON. Consequently, unscrupulous officials take advantage of the ignorance of the private sector operators to demand for unreceipted/ unofficial payment thereby casting aspersion on the entire agency.”

He added: “We are pleased to acknowledge the commitment and cooperation of SON’s officials in driving through this process for a win-win situation for business and government.”

This

Weekend

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WEEKLY MAGAZINE

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 2023

NIGERIA DECIDES 2023!

NEWS Twelveth Independent Newspapers Awards to Reward Service to Nigeria

See page 35

ART WEEKEND A Review of the Work Oyster in the Pandemic See page 35

The Type of Elections, Leader and Country Nigerians Expect

Group Features Editor: CHIEMELIE EZEOBI chiemelie.ezeobi@thisdaylive.com

07010510430

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ͰͲ˜ ͰͮͰͱ ˾ T H I S D AY

COVER NIGERIA DECIDES 2023!

The Type of Elections, Leader and Country Nigerians Expect With 18 political parties, 93,469,008 registered voters, 1,491 electoral constituencies, 774 Local Government Areas, 8,809 registration areas/wards, 176,846 polling units and 15,331 contestants angling for different positions from the presidency to senate, house of representatives and even at the state levels, Nigerians will tomorrow, Saturday, February 25, 2023, go to the polls and cast their votes for their choice. Rebecca Ejifoma and Sunday Ehigiator, who spoke to some Nigerians about the entire process, share their expectations for Nigeria during and after the elections AWELE OKWUDARUE: FASHION STYLIST

es, I will be voting in these coming elections. My hopes for the elections are that they will be free and fair, with no intimidation or electoral malpractice at the polling units.

My expectations from the new government are to tackle the reoccurring issues Nigeria has been plagued with for a long time, make the most basic of amenities available to the masses and take Nigeria out of t h e doldrums. I also expect the new government to make us a producing nation, not just a consuming one

Y

TOLULOPE OJEMUYIWA: PRO, NIGERIAN INSTITUTE OF JOURNALISM, OGBA, LAGOS

Yes, I’ll be voting. My hopes for the election are that the best candidates should emerge at every stage, local, state and federal, and the election is open and free of any rancour or skirmishes.

From the new administration, I expect a revamp of the agriculture sector, and the economy, especially in the area of debts and local currency.

I also expect that the new administration will make sure no public office holder travels out of the country for a medical check, periodical declaration of assets by public office holders, grant media interviews on monthly bases give utmost attention to security and allow the state to function, and lastly, I expect the president to restructure the economy.

SHADRACH OGAGAOGHENE ARUOTURE: ENTREPRENEUR

Yes, I will be voting in the forthcoming elections.

I am very hopeful that the abnormalities in the past and the present government will be a thing of the past.

M y expectations are numerous and very high following the hardship and difficulties associated with the present government. I am

expecting the new government to usher in peace and tranquillity in all spheres.

ENTREPRENEUR, OBINNA OKOYE

I will vote this Saturday. I hope that the election is free and fair. I expect a c c o u n t a b i l i t y, putting citizens first, and national infrastructural, human, and economic growth.

ENTREPRENEUR, SHADRACH OGAGAOGHENE ARUOTURE

Yes, I will be voting in the forthcoming elections. I am very hopeful that the abnormalities in the past and the present government will be a thing of the past.

My expectations are numerous and very high following the hardship and difficulties associated with the present government.

I am expecting the new government to usher in peace and tranquillity in all spheres.

LEGAL PRACTITIONER, OLUKAYODE FASEYI, ESQ

I will not be voting as I do not have a Permanent Voters Card (PVC) u n f o r t u n a t e l y.

However, my hope for the election is that it will be seamless, free, fair and peaceful My expectations from the new government are that the team will be brave enough to combat insecurity, and unemployment and have the political and mental capacity and wherewithal to fix the economy and infrastructure of Nigeria in an overriding atmosphere of the rule of law.

SENIOR STAFF, FEDERAL POLYTECHNIC, OFFA, KWARA STATE, BADMUS OLADIMEJI Yes, of course. I will be voting and as well mobilize members of my household, neighbours and other uninterested but eligible Nigerians to partake actively in the exercise.

I hope to see free and fair elections that will be devoid of bloodletting and every other characteristic that defines electoral malpractice. However, the reality staring us in the face points to the utopianism of this hope.

This is so bearing in mind the level of desperation by the politicians to win at all costs and how poverty has been weaponized to whip the people into their whims. If what I hope becomes the reality, there is no scepticism that a new and flourishing future would have been laid for generations yet unborn to be enthusiastically proud of the country.

HEALTHCARE CONSULTANT, SAMSON UGOCHUKWU

but I will also vote my conscience.

My expectations are not far-fetched; this is Nigeria, where we don’t like or wish to e m b r a c e change.

As they say, change is the only constant thing.

Suppose the electoral umpire can do just as the voters can vote their conscience, and votes will count, I am sure we will have completely different electoral results that will reflect the people’s will.

My expectations from the new government are just one thing, do things differently and expect different results and reactions from Nigerians, which I think is wishful thinking because I don’t see that happening so long as we still have the same old constitution and the same system of government.

Yes, I will be voting in the coming elections.

I hope that the election is free and credible, and my DANIEL NJA: LEARNING e x p e c t a t i o n s AND DEVELOPMENT after the OFFICER elections will Yes, I will only be valid if and only be voting in if Peter Obi wins. the coming elections.

I R AC H E A L N I Z A hope Nigerians VA L : E D I T O R A N D will come out en P R O O F R E A DER masse putting Yes, I will be voting and I hope aside religious the elections will be fair and votes and tribalistic accurately counted. I s e n t i m e n t s further hope the and taking process runs the competence and smoothly and capability of the candidate who will peacefully. I rescue this nation. also hope for Selling our votes for immediate gains a transparent will only result in four or eight years a n d of suffering. It is time to come together accountable and fight these politicians who do not g o v e r n m e n t have our interests at heart. Our votes t h a t are the only way and I hope we will p r o m u l g a t e s have a free and fair election policies that benefits the I expect the next president to fix the citizenry. country in all ramifications such as crashing the naira to the dollar exchange ROBINSON rate, crashing fuel prices, fixing naira OFUJE: scarcity and putting a smile back on COLUMNIST the face of the citizens, as many of us Nothing will have forgotten how to smile. prevent me from exercising UCHENNA STEPHEN my franchise ADEBANJO: in Nigeria’s ENTREPRENEUR I won’t vote forthcoming I was 2023 General as elections. I hope disenfranchised. the elections will be free My centre is in and fair in all ramifications.

Ogun State.

My expectations of the new INEC didn’t government are that they should allow me to be able to strengthen our economy, change my provide guaranteed security across location. the country, create better international I hope Buhari’s relationships and provide an enabling plan works as I environment for education and job expect a free and fair opportunities for the entire citizenry. election. Whoever wins s h o u l d take the job but I want Peter Obi to EGUNJOBI OLUFEMI: win. I expect a government that would ENGINEER have the well-being of all-inclusive I will vote, and not only vote, Nigerians at heart.

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T H I S D AY ˾ ͰͲ˜ ͰͮͰͱ

NEWS LAUNCHES TO MAKE Twelveth Independent Newspapers TAFIPAL TRAVEL, LIFESTYLE PLANNING Awards to Reward Service to Nigeria EASY FOR AFRICANS Stories By Mary Nnah The Managing Director/Editorin-chief Steve Omanufeme has said that the 2022 edition of the Independent Newspapers Awards celebrates all the awardees in recognition of their service to Nigeria. He said this while giving a speech at the event, which took place on Saturday, February 18 at the Eko Hotel and Suites, Lagos.

The event, which had as chairman the president of the Historical Society of Nigeria (HSN), Professor Samuel Ovuete Aghalino, was themed ‘Celebrating Nigeria’s Best’, and was well attended by the crème de la crème of Nigeria’s high society at social, political and cultural levels.

According to him, “this year’s awards focuses on people with exceptional performance in their chosen profession or walk of life. That is why it is themed ‘Celebrating Nigeria’s Best’.”

Among those awarded is the executive governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike; the Chairman of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Buba Marwa and the Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Udom Emmanuel.

Governor Wike was the high point of the evening as

he emerged as the Independent “Man of the Year” owing to his spirit of doggedness and consistency in his quest for equity and justice. His performance and statesmanship as governor cutting across several sectors also earned him many recognitions at national levels and across the board.

Also included is the Iyalaje Oodua, Princess Dr. Toyin Kolade, Femi Otedola, Abdul Samad Rabiu, Tompolo,

Abdullateef Adedimeji, and others.

Bodies and companies like AMCON, Glo, FIRS, and Geregu Power PLC were also winners of the night.

Currently, in its 12th edition, Omanufeme revealed that the prestigious awards involved a painstaking exercise to select worthy individuals.

“Our board of editors specifically embarked on a thorough and painstaking

assessment exercise from which our distinguished awardees were selected. So today, we are here to celebrate you all for your services to Nigeria our country in your chosen fields.

“We believe you all have strings of achievement worthy of emulation, and these awards are just a token of our appreciation of your great achievements.

“Finally, we pray to motivate you to greater heights,” he stated.

L-R: Training Manager, United Nigeria Airlines Limited (Independent’s Airline of the Year 2022 recipient), Barbara Dan-Asemah; Group Head, Corporate Services, Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (Public Sector Agency of the Year), Iyatum Adoke-Kobiti; Commissioner of Information/representative of Governor, Rivers State and recipient of the Independent ‘Man of the Year award, Chris Fynebone; Head of Retail & Business Banking, Standard Chartered Bank Nigeria (bank of the Year) David Idoru, and Director, Economic Empowerment/representative of Minister of Niger Delta Affairs (minister of the Year) Philip Ndiomu, during the Independent’s awards 2022 held at Eko Hotel and Suites, Lagos, recently

SPIN Promises Continued Effort in Strengthening Sustainability Practice in Nigeria t*OEVDUT OFX NFNCFST The Sustainability Professionals Institute of Nigeria (SPIN) has decorated and inducted 50 new members into the institute at its 2023 cohort induction ceremony themed Partnership for Sustainable Development: The Journey So Far. The event, which was sponsored by IHS Towers; expert partners in communications infrastructure, was held recently at the Lekki Conservation Centre, Victoria Island, Lagos, Speaking, the Vice President of the institution, Ini Abimbola, showered encomiums on S.P.I.N members for their commitment to promoting sustainable practices whilst charging the new inductees on imbibing good leadership traits which she described as having the drive to cultivate sustainable focus within any organisation they find themselves; being intentional in driving innovations to deliver value-driven impact

and solutions; and ensuring collaboration to deliver results at all times. She concluded by stating that the new inductees are joining the 89 members and sustainability ambassadors the institution already had before the ceremony.

The Director of the United Nations Information Centre (UNIC), Robert Kayanji, who Mrs. Thembekile Dube-Ncube, Partnerships Officer, Office of the UN Resident Coordinator for Nigeria, represented, delivered a presentation where she emphasized the importance of partnerships and finance in ensuring a sustainable future, hinting that the United Nations engages in partnerships with private sectors, government, civil society, and a wide range of stakeholders with a common goal to achieve a sustainable earth.

According to the Director, Advocacy & Stakeholders Rela-

tions, S.P.I.N, Ismail Omamegbe, the inductees will be engaged through a framework for capacity building and professional sustainability training; the development of standards for sustainability practice and professionalism in Nigeria and Sub-Saharan Africa; creating a pool of online learning resources for sustainability professionals and aspiring practitioners; interactions with sustainability practitioners and subject matter specialists to develop a training curriculum; and benchmark the capacity-building initiatives of similar associations like the ICRS, UK. Since its inception in 2019, one major objective of the Association, now an institution, has been to address the gaps in Sustainability and CSR practices in Africa’s most populous black nation - Nigeria. Through the years, the institution has recorded major milestones such as the inclusion

of 8 Professionals on the Board of Trustees; obtaining a partnership affiliation with the Institute of Corporate Responsibility and Sustainability (ICRS) in the United Kingdom, and transitioning from an Association to an Institute in November 2022.

The 50 professionals, who cut across different spheres of life, joined 89 other institution members decorated and inducted into different cadres of the institutionssuchasFellowMembers,Full Members, Institutional Members, Associate Members, and Student Members.

The induction, which was well attended by other professionals and stakeholders across all works of life, also featured goodwill messages from representatives of IHS Nigeria,Access Bank, Lotus Bank, and First Bank, all of whom are partners of the Institution and took turns emphasising their commitment to supporting a sustainable Nigeria.

Ogra, Oguntokun, Ogunleye, and Others to Feature at ‘The Industry Summit4.0’ The Head/GM, Brands & Corporate Communications at BUA Group, O’tega Ogra, Corporate Affairs and Legal Director, AB InBev, Temitope Oguntokun, General Manager Marketing · Seven-Up Bottling Company, Segun Ogunleye and other illustrious marketing communications professionals have been selected to feature at the fourth edition of ‘The Industry Summit/Awards’ as panelists.

The summit theme: How marketers should handle 2023 is scheduled to be held on Friday, March 31st, 2023 in Lagos and it would be chaired by Sir Steve Omojafor, Chairman STBMcCann Limited.

The papers would be presented by Tolu Ogunkoya and Ekuma Eze on these topics “Turn Data to Action: How Marketers can Rationalize Performance Measurement &Drive Efficiencies with Intelligence” and “FMCG: Impact of Government Policy Shift on the

Industry, respectively.

Others on the shortlist include, Panelists for these papers are drawn from all industries and they are Mr. O’tega Ogra, Group Head/GM, Brands & Corporate Communications at BUA Group, Mrs. Temitope Oguntokun - Corporate Affairs and Legal Director, ABInBev, Mr. Tope Ashiwaju, Director Public Relation & Events, De-United Foods Industries ltd, Mr. Segun Ogunleye, General Manager Marketing · Seven-Up Bottling Company, Mrs. Victoria Ndidiamaka Uwadoka, Corporate Communications & Public Affairs Manager at Nestlé Nigeria, Mrs. Tolu Medeme, CEO, Aster Muyiwa Akande, Group Head, Corporate Communications, SIFAX Group and the Moderator is Mr. Sunday Esan, General Manager, Corporate Communications, Dangote Group.

Others include Mr. Nduneche Ezurike, Group Head, Brands & Marketing Communications,

Polaris Bank, Mr. Dotun Babatunde, Head of Digital Marketing, Olam Nigeria, Mr. Lekan Akinyele, Creative Director, 7even Interactive, Ms. Chineze Amanfo, PR Lead 9mobile, Ms. Sandra Amachree, Nigerian Breweries Plc, Senior Manager, Media, Brand PR & Sponsorships, Ms. Amaka Uremeh, Digital Strategist & Community Manager, Digital Marketing Institute Lagos, Mrs. Cassandra Uzo-Ogbugh, External Comms & Partnerships Lead, SSA For Reckitt and the Moderator is Mr. Godfrey Adejumoh, Corporate Communications Manager, Unilever Nigeria.

The annual event, which is the initiative of The Industry Newspaper, one of the leading Brand Marketing publications in Nigeria will bring together professionals in marketing, communications, technology, banking, manufacturing, advertising, public relations, government agencies, and

students among others to share ideas and network.

“Data has become a critical element in planning marketing campaigns in the Nigerian marketing communication ecosystem therefore, the importance of data mining cannot be overemphasized. The choice of Mr. Ogunkoya who is currently the chairman of the Audience Measurement Board could not be questioned because the paper in itself talks about the performance measurement through data,” Ofose said.

According to him, the second segment of the event which will commence by 6 pm will be a Dinner/Awards where deserving organisations and professionals would be honoured for their efforts in promoting marketing and marketing communications in the country.

“Looking at this subject matter becomes necessary and stakeholders are seeking platforms to adequately discuss it.

As part of its mission to help millions of people across Africa build better relationships by creating new experiences, and innovative travel & lifestyle planning platforms, Tafipal has launched in Africa, starting with Nigeria. The platform was built to help individuals plan and manage trips, hangouts and so much more on the recently launched mobile app.

The launch which was officially announced on Monday, February 6, 2023, will provide Africans an opportunity to build better relationships by creating memorable experiences without encountering the stress and confusion that are usually associated with such a venture. Best of all, the company confirms, is that the entire process will be free on the Tafipal app.

According to the company’s Co-founder and CEO, Phillip Nduka, Tafipal is a trip management app designed to help users do everything from trip planning, tour discovering, travel checklists, memory storage, and much more with ease.

Unlike before now when you have to stress about traveling and worrying about forgetting important items; the team of experts at Tafipal built the app to help you plan & get reminders making the entire process easier. With the app, you can not only plan and manage trips and hangouts, but you can also safely upload and store important travel documents like Visas, insurance, etc. Phillip explained that the App employs the latest itinerary management technology to deliver the best trip-planning experience to Africans.

In his words, we are delighted to bring Nigeria and the rest of Africa, an opportunity that we believe offers an easy trip planning like never before. We all know how stressful planning a trip or lifestyle experience can be sometimes and we still forget things. We are glad to be solving this problem for Africans so they can focus on enjoying their trips and making great memories. With Tafipal, you can plan dates with your loved ones, group hangouts, tours, and other exciting experiences.

Phillip further explained that the App is easy to use and allows for onboarding in less than three minutes adding that the interface and UX have been designed to give customers a rewarding experience. “With Tafipal, planning your experiences is as easy as breathing. We deliberately made the process simple because we believe enjoying easy trip planning should not be complicated. At Tafipal, via our app and in just three steps, everyone can plan and enjoy their dream trips and experiences right from the comfort of their mobile phones.

Tafipal is available on both Android and Apple IOS devices.

MEDIACRAFT ASSOCIATES GIVES STAFF PALLIATIVE SUPPORT AMID ECONOMIC HARDSHIP Mediacraft Associates, a leading full-service public relations and integrated brand communications consultancy firm, has announced a Special Hazard Allowance for all its staff.

The allowance is to help alleviate the impact of the current economic difficulties many in the country are facing during these challenging times, specifically the challenges related to the cash and petrol scarcity. The company made the announcement on Thursday in a release signed by its General Manager/Chief Operating Officer, Laura Oloyede.

Mediacraft said it understands the significant impact the current economic climate has on the livelihood and welfare of its employees and is committed to supporting them in every way possible.

As a result, the company has provided financial aid to all its staff, including cash gifts, more flexible work arrangements, and other essential items. These measures have been made available to all employees, regardless of their position within the company.

Mediacraft CEO, John Ehiguese, said: “As an organisation, our people are our most treasured asset. As such, we recognise the challenges our employees face at this time from fuel crisis, currency swap issues, and rising costs of household items, and we are committed to supporting them to alleviate these challenges in any way we can, “We believe that it is our responsibility to help our staff and their families during these difficult times.

Our employees are the backbone of our organisation, and their well-being is our top priority.”

Mediacraft said it remains committed to its mission of providing a safe and supportive work environment for its employees. The company is continuously exploring new ways to support and empower its staff.

“We want our employees to know that Mediacraft cares about them and that the company will always give them the necessary support because they are the lifeblood of the business. The times are tough and so after careful analysis of the situation, we decided to make sure that our staff have the resources they need to weather this storm,” said Oloyede. “We hope that this special allowance, along with our other incentives, will help ease the burden on our staff and provide some relief during this period.”

Mediacraft Associates has continued to show industry leadership, and command respect in the Nigerian PR industry and among leading brands in the country due to the quality of its work and impactful contributions.

It has managed or is currently managing some of the most coveted accounts in the PR industry in Nigeria.

Multinationals such as the Stanbic IBTC Group, Olam Group, Interswitch Group, Boston Consulting Group (BCG), Western Union, Master Card, Nigerian Breweries Plc, Mobil, Nike, and UBS are some of the high-profile accounts to have benefitted from Mediacraft’s cuttingedge services.

FRIDAY FEBRUARY 17, 2023, T H I S D AY ˾

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ART WEEKEND

…For pure art enthusiasts

A Review of the Work Oyster in the Pandemic Dr. Augustine Okechukwu Agugua

T

he book, in its quintessential substance, goes beyond what might be seen as a deep thrust in the understanding of immediate and deep implications of the Covid– 19 pandemic in its substance, nature and thrust, but got into far deeper discourses of issues of human existence both within and outside Nigeria; linking both micro and macro implications of such issues in a highly admirable and appreciable scholarly masterpiece. If left to my whims and personal inclinations, I would have travelled on the path of primordial vocational inclinations by giving honour to whom honour is due, by doing a bigger review of the author of this book, Prof. Victor Ariole – digging up his sterling qualities as a scholar per excellence, organic, enterprising, multi- tasking in his intellectual drives and focus as having an uncommon knack; in daring to think, daring to do, and always daring to swim against the tide, treading in uncharted courses and venturing mostly on the road of academic endeavours, that is less travelled. Like he stated, the years 2019 to 2021 were crucial for human beings to re-think their destructive agenda and start a reconstructive one, and we strongly believe that factoring-in African myth in that restructuring process is very much a desiderata.

Furthermore, it is like Benjamin Hurlbut, a science historian, mentioned that our technology should be subject to democratically articulated imaginations of the futures we want, not the opposite. After all Science and Technology are servants of the society and their results are meant to serve the society. That democratic articulation does not mean everybody in the society voting for the use of an invention, but allowing the professionals in the free press world – nations who operate really free press – to do the articulation process.Africa’s learning and mythical discovery should be factored into such articulation. It is part of the discovery of Africa’s epistemic processes.

It is based on the foregoing background that I critically venture into reviewing this work of monumental intellectual prowess that makes scant relevance the background of the author in the Humanities, but covets a larger scope of relevance in the Social Sciences (such as sociology, political, science, psychology, social work, economics, philosophy, history, religion, quantum science, etc.)

Indeed, the work is a 386 pages of compendium of extraordinary academic enterprise that has a commendable 58 sub themes in the table of

Oyster in the Pandemic

contents, an intellectual exposition that feeds the human thought and imaginations with robust dossier that makes one hunger for more where most any version you get through with seems to be most satisfying. It is indeed a work with an encyclopedic disposition that will make past intellectual giants like Kiekagaard to turn gladly in his grave; for it was Kiekagaard, who in his later years, lamented the dying tradition of encyclopedic knowledge,andbemoanedwhatherathersaw as the enthronement of the parceling out of knowledge and the emergence of a minimalist orientation in knowledge production. If this allusion towards Kickagard is anything to write home about, then it is with all sense of responsibility that I accord Prof. Ariole the honour of having cut for himself a position in the nobility of thought which sociologists always reserve for themselves in the phrase.

“Asociologist is somebody who knows something about everything and everything about sociology”. Anchored on this inspiration, I make bold to say that Prof. Ariole’s insight

For Honeybell, It’s A Cocktail of Music and Advocacy Yinka Olatunbosun

into the issue of the Covid- 19 pandemic and the challenges as well as the prospects it holds for human survival and ingenuity in turning the table against evil forebodings is quite commendable. In furtively using this trait of creative imagination as it affects global economy, politics, religion, global divide in competiveness between the global North and the global South, socio-cultural matters as well as scientific imaginations, manifestations and applications are manifestations that can only be grappled from the stables of a genius with an unprecedented flair for inventiveness and creativity. However, it is here that the ovation tapers off for Prof.

Ariole’s ingenuity.

Indeed, in taking a sardonic look at this intellectual masterpiece, one discovers that from the source where adulation seems to spring, discomfort swells. For in taking a giant’s stride towards the sociological realm, the tragedy of an Iconoclast without icons rears its ugly head. This is because, in this work which covets 58 diverse themes of great research interest, one espies a moving train of thoughts that conjures up several nodes of shunting that can actually stand on their own as rail tracks with definite destinations of expertise.

Core sociologists, just like philosophers of old knows how to manoeuvre situations when they have everything before them, and then the dilemma of having nothing before them; when they set out on the path of incredulity to make something out of nothing and when an end means a beginning towards another end. I do not paint these pictures of incredulity as a source of despair; rather it is for Prof.

Victor Ariole seeing and understanding the Frankenstein of an academic enterprise he has initiated in the course of this publication and to brace up to the challenge of greater demands of reproducing knowledge in diverse forms in future which is the major challenge this encyclopaedic work has posed for him. And for us listeners, it is equally geared towards the understanding that this work is not just an academic work emanating from the domains of the humanities and should be so domiciled; rather it is a work that broke the rank of academic boundaries with utilitarian values for diverse fields of academic enterprise. It is on this note of optimism and expectancy that I commend this book to all, both the array of academics present, and absent in this hall. It is a work any serious minded intellectual should possess and covet for utilitarian purposes. t%S "HVHVB JT PG UIF %FQBSUNFOU PG 4PDJPMPHZ 6OJWFSTJUZ PG -BHPT "LPLB -BHPT /JHFSJB

Sculptors’ Association of Nigeria Demand for TBS Gate Restoration Yinka Olatunbosun

Honeybellann Ndubuisi, a singer-songwriter and SDG advocate, popularly known as Honeybell has always loved music, something she described as a means of expressing herself.

“Understanding the power that words hold, I use my music not just for entertainment, but for enlightenment, and as a tool for social change,” she reveals in a private interview. Furnished with a Master’s degree in International Relations from Obafemi Awolowo University, Honeybell observed that courses such as Diplomacy and Human right has helped her create her art with depth.

As a performer, she has performed at the Calabar Carnival, Felabration, and of course the Inauguration Day concert in Abuja. For her, the concert was a rare opportunity not only to commemorate the democracy day celebration but to give new artists their own voice.

Honeybell’s song ‘Naija Awake’ promotes youths’ interest in politics with verses rooted in existential themes and social realities.

She also shared the stage with the likes of Simi, Gandoki, Harrysong amongst others.

Aside from music, Honeybell revealed more about her zest for acting, film making and photography while using the same as a tool for the SDGs. She has been involved in several campaigns like the Electoral Reform campaign, a campaign geared to resolve a

Honeybell

long-standing issue surrounding the conduct of elections in Nigeria. The project, sponsored

by Open Society for West Africa (OSIWA), incorporated art forms including mascot parades.

“I strongly believe that we can actively solve the problem of accountable leadership if we encourage fresh voices such as youth leaders and creatives. A whole lot of positive development would stem from that. Personally, I hope to change narratives through my art, and create art that addresses issues that bother humanity.

With my music, I create awareness and call responsible parties to action.”

In an official response to the pulling down of Paul Mount’s Sculpture Gate formerly located at Tafawa Balewa Square, Lagos, the Sculptors’ Association of Nigeria has demanded for the TBS gate to be restored.

That piece produced in 1972 by Paul Mount (1922-2009) during General Gowon’s administration served amongst other iconic relics of symbolic essence, the story of our national independence and unity. Paul Mount was the founding father of the Art department at Yaba Technical Institute (now YabaTech), Lagos between 1955-1962.

According to the group, “the piece is a definition of Nigeria as a democratic state and celebration of the Nigerian military prowess.

It is this rich heritage that would have been the visible history for future generations that has come down mercilessly without the blink of an eye.”

Furthermore, the Association demanded that the sculpture gate should be restored and mounted in a space without delay, where it does not interfere with developmental policies of government and be treated as a national treasure in character, form and content, as it is an object of respect in the art historical heritage.

ASIRI @ TEN: CELEBRATIONS LOOM FOR NIGERIA’S RESEARCH, DIGITAL ARCHIVING BRAND

Adebowale

Yinka Olatunbosun When the researcher and culture archivist, OludamolaAdebowalefoundedASIRIMagazine ten years ago, it was meant to be a magazine on Nigeria’shistoryandcultureuploadedforconsumers on dropbox. But today, tens of thousands of netizens can easily access archival materials and storytellingontheASIRIwebsiteaswellasitssocial media platforms. At the moment, Adebowale who doubles as the creative director of ASIRI, still feels he hasn’t done enough for the culture despitethegrowingfollowershipandconnections made on the platform.

“Looking back at when we started, with a 33-pagedillustrationartmagazine,wewerebilled to do eight editions. One of the famous stories we did then was a story on Queen Idia, Moremi and Madam Tinubu. For all these stories that I did, I was always travelling to these regions to find out. But after the 8th edition, I felt we needed to do more,” he recounted.

To do so, he propelled the brand to launch its archival digital phase by sourcing for rich histocultural content and working with other media platforms to promote this underrated segment of a nation’s education- history.

“In the last ten years, we were also on television for a while, making documentaries. We were on Radio Nigeria for six months for the programme called‘Roots,’byASIRI.Itwasadrivetimestorytelling programme. For 30 minutes, people could listentostoriesabouttheirculturalhistoryonradio.

We have had partnerships within and outside Nigeria. We have done quite a lot of work.

“I have met a lot of people who have said that ASIRI was their reference point. In a way, I feel fulfilled but I want to do more. I feel proud that a Nigerian research brand will stand the test of time for ten years- self funded.”

Indeed,ASIRIisaNigerianbrand;notseekingto promote one tribe above others. The story behind the brand name itself is multicultural.

“The name of the brand ASIRI is not even a Yorubaword.ItisoriginallyArabicandthemeaning of ASIRI in Yoruba is secret and means the same thing in Ibo-ASIRI which means gossip or secret,samewithHausa,Swahili,NupeandIgala.

“It took me years to form a local brand because I wanted something that I can explain that would resonate with. The purpose of the brand is to preserve, explore and bring out Nigerian history. It is not meant for just a particular tribe.”

While reflecting on ASIRI and audience engagement over the decade, it’s been gratifying to hear stories of families reuniting over archival pictures that connect their roots with others.

For Adebowale, that in itself is a rewarding experience. “Families have reunited; people have met their cousins. Many have developed relationships via this platform. For us, it shows us how much Nigerians are aware of their history.

“On the flipside, I have had several issues of death threats. I remember when I posted an image of Ojukwu, there were lots of hateful comments. People who are not really smart individuals tilt to one side of history rather than understanding the core of history.”

Adebowale, who is a graduate of Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile Ife and an Associate Fellow of the Royal Historical Society, further revealed the lined-up activities to celebrate ASIRI at ten. A three-day hybrid event is in the pipeline.

T H I S D AY ˾ DAY ͰͲ˜ ͰͮͰͱ

31

IMAGES

Photo Editor Abiodun Ajala Email abiodun.ajala@thisdaylive.com

L-R: Youth Peace Ambassador, Tosin Sanusi; author of a book: ‘The Iconic Bola Ahmed Tinubu: An Inspiration to African Youths’, Samson Oki; co-author, Abayomi Oyelami; and activist, Erin Folami, during the pre-launch press briefing on the book, held on Victoria Island, Lagos…recently

L-R: Osun State Governor, Senator Ademola Adeleke; former state Governor, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola; and PDP senatorial candidate for Osun Central, Fabiyi Ajagunnla, at the Ikirun rally held at Oja Oba area at Ikirun, Osun State…recently

L-R: Leader of the pan-Yoruba group, Afenifere, Chief Ayo Adebanjo, and Founder, NESH Foundation, Emeka Ugwu-Oju, during Emeka’s visit to Adebanjo in Lagos…recently

L-R: Operations Manager, Ibile Oil and Gas Corporation (IOGC); Temitayo Gbajumo; HSSE expert, IOGC, Mary Idimogu; Team Lead, HSSE, Abdulrasaq Adewole; and another HSSE expert, IOGC, Emmanuella Nwankwo, posing with the organisation’s ISO certifications in Lagos…recently PHOTO: IOGC

L-R: Chairman, ODUA Investment Limited, Otunba Bimbo Ashiru; former Minister of Industry, Chief Mrs. Nike Akande; Deputy Governor of Oyo State, Bayo Lawal; Vice President Yemi Osinbajo; Director ODUA Investment Limited, Mr. Segun Olujobi; Director, ODUA Investment Limited, Mrs. Foluso Olaniyan; Group Managing Director, ODUA Investment Limited, Mr. Wale Raji, at the inauguration of Weslink Iconic Estate in a joint venture with ODUA Investment Limited in Ibadan, Oyo State…recently

AUDA-NEPAD road walk show on awareness campaign for violence-free 2023 general election in Abuja…recently

PHOTO: ENOCK REUBEN

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 2023 ˾ T H I S D AY

32

BUSINESS/MONEYGUIDE

ACCOBIN Advocate Increased Measures to Counter Financial Crimes Nume Ekeghe

The Association of Chief Compliance Officers of Banks in Nigeria (ACCOBIN) has called for more collaboration between deposit money banks in the country and law enforcement to combat financial crimes in banks. Chairman of ACCOBIN, Mr. Adeboye Ogunmolade, made the call during its recently concluded 3-Day retreat themed, “Building a Compliance Culture: Laying the Foundation for a Strong Future.”

Ogunmolade, in his opening remarks said: “As an association, we require a shift to improve our strategies, thus the necessity of this retreat. As Chief Compliance Officers (CCOs), we play a crucial role in promoting economic growth and development as our responsibilities extend beyond simply

combating financial crimes and countering terrorism; our role encompasses the entire process of ensuring our banks comply with all applicable laws and regulations across board.”

He added, “Given that financial crime is a global problem requiring a coordinated response, increased measures such as stricter enforcement are needed to prevent these crimes.

To prepare ourselves for the solutions that future problems may pose, the learning at this retreat will equip us with new strategies for evaluating, preventing, and predicting these threats.”

Speaking, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) Zonal Commander, Lagos, Ahmed Ghali, emphasised the need for and importance of the yearly retreat to building a stronger compliance culture in

the Nigerian financial sector.

According to him, “The spate of fraud perpetrated through financial institutions ranging from money laundering, cybercrimes, kidnapping for ransom in Nigeria has led to an unprecedented focus on the depth and effectiveness of compliance and regulation, therefore there is need to make the most use of technology, thorough engagement of all employees, partnering with regulators and collaboration amongst all financial institutions.”

Deputy Director, Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Mrs. Jane Aihevba in her keynote speech stated, “To build strong institutions, a sound compliance culture is crucial, and it must be applied from top to bottom to create an environment that fosters ethical conduct.

L-R: Managing Director, Rural Electrification Agency (REA), Mr. Ahmad Salihijo, CEO/Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for Sustainable Energy (SEforAll), Ms. Damilola Ogunbiyi, Grantee/ Chief Executive Officer, Havenhill Synergy Ltd, Mr. Olusegun Odunaiya, Hon. Commissioner for Energy and Natural Resources, Lagos State, Mr. Olalere Odusote and Senior Director, Universal Energy Facility, (SEforALL), Ms. Anita Otubu at the Universal Energy Facility for Stand-Alone Solar for Productive Use Programme in Nigeria launch event held IN Lagosyesterday

Linkage Assurance Offers Consumer Value Support for Partners Linkage Assurance Plc has announced value support services that would enable its broker partners deliver efficient services to numerous customers across Nigeria.

The company in a statement said it is by this move, unveiling digital service solutions and platforms that will enable broker partners reach that mass population of uninsured Nigerians.

To this end, Linkage Assurance Plc will be hosting over 300 Insurance Brokers at the Nigerian Council of Registered Insurance Brokers (NCRIB) bi-monthly Members Evening.

The Company would leverage the opportunity of the Council’s bi-monthly program to break new grounds in its relationship with Brokers.

The event which is scheduled to hold in Yaba Lagos on Tuesday, February 28, 2023, would be an hybrid of both virtual and physical and would be held simultaneously via zoom platform.

The Managing Director/ CEO, Linkage Assurance, Mr. Daniel Braie described the opportunity as timely and with great potentials that would culminate in better business relationship with Insurance Brokers that controls the largest chunk of Insurance Business in Nigeria.

Braie noted that the hosting of Brokers forum would create opportunity for the Company to discuss matters pertinent to the advancement of the Insurance Industry, most especially, at this crucial time.

According to him, Linkage Assurance Plc was incorporated on 26th March 1991 and was licensed to cover and transact non-life insurance businesses on 7th October, 1993. ”Linkage, a leading insurance service provider in Nigeria with reputation for prompt and accurate service delivery, efficiency, and customer satisfaction, has repositioned itself in the insurance industry, to provide Insurance solutions with a highly motivated and professional team, applying the state of the art technology”.

“Through our alliance with reputable financial situations and growing investment in human capital and information technology, we maintain the professional requirement of a global reputable insurance company, “he noted.

Dukka Launches PoS Terminals, App to Drive Financial Inclusion Gilbert Ekugbe A bookkeeping and payments solutions company, Dukka Limited has launched its Point of Sale (PoS) in it its bid to drive financial inclusion of Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in the country.

The move according to the company is coming on the heels of the federal government’s policy to push for a cashless society.

Speaking at the launch of Dukka Point of Sale (POS) terminal in Lagos, the Chief Executive Officer, Dukka Limited, Keturah

Ovio, said the mission of the company is to drive financial inclusion amongst Africa’s small businesses by providing them with the easy-to-use digital technology tools that will enable them to grow to become big businesses in the future.

She said the solution is intended to cater to small businesses across Africa, pointing out that Dukka’s POS terminal is designed to enable small business owners to accept all types of cash and digital payments methods such as card and bank transfers in-store and online, record sales, and view

business performance reports.

“This innovation is revolutionary at a time in the industry when the Federal Government of Nigeria is pushing its cashless policy.

Unsurprisingly, there has been a surge in the number of business owners demanding Dukka’s POS terminals ahead of its launch.

Founded in March 2021, Dukka is creating an operating system for small businesses to manage their finances better and accept any type of payment from customers across multiple sales channels,” she said.

Consumers commend Big Bull Rice N100 Pack TGI Group has introduced Big Bull Rice in an affordable N100 pack, a development that has been met with commendation from consumers across Nigeria.

Across neighborhood shops, departmental stores and open markets, the Big Bull Rice N100 pack has grown increasingly popular amongst consumers who crave good quality, affordable, convenient and hygienically packaged rice that complements their lifestyle needs.

For instance, a rice dealer on College Road, Ogba, Emmanuel Ejiofor stated that he has observed a gradual trend

of more consumers embracing packaged rice over the loose rice he displays in his store.

He noted the high demand for the Big Bull Rice N100 pack in particular as more consumers consider it for its traceability, quality, convenience and affordability.

For Ezekiel Mustapha, a student of the University of Ibadan, Big Bull Rice is already a household name in Nigeria for its quality, affordability and satisfaction. He noted that as a student, the rising popularity of the Big Bull N100 packs in a hygienic pack is a unique transition

from loose rice openly sold in big basins and measured with rusty, old tins.

Chief Marketing Officer, TGI Group, Mr. Probal Bhattacharya, expressed delight with the feedback received so far from consumers, stressing that the Big Bull Rice N100 pack size has captured consumer affection by being value maximizing and innovative.

“At the price point of 100 Naira, we were confident that the pack was capable of delivering excellent value for consumers looking for healthier choices and upgrading to packaged rice, ”he noted.

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 AS AT 10 JANUARY, 2023

The price of OPEC basket of thirteen crudes stood at $82.78 a barrel on Thursday, compared with $81.86 the previous day, 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)

33

T H I S D AY ˾ DAY, ͰͲ˜ ͰͮͰͱ

MARKET NEWS

Coronation Merchant Bank Projects 2.8% GDP Growth for 2023 Kayode Tokede Experts at Coronation Merchant Bank have projected 2.8 per cent growth in Gross Domestic Product for 2023, attributing it to slow policy implementations and capital expenses due to laser focus on the general elections and transition between administration in the first half of the year.

The Chief Economist and Head, Economic Research/

Intelligence, Coronation Merchant Bank, Chinwe Egwim in a presentation stated that the GDP growth is projected to be driven mainly by the non-oil sector.

According to her, “The services, agriculture and manufacturing sectors are likely to remain key growth drivers, supported by financial interventions by the CBN. Furthermore, the effective implementation of the 2022 Finance Act and the

P R I C E S MAIN BOARD

DEALS

F O R MARKET PRICE

Strategic Revenue Growth Initiatives should contribute to the growth drive through increased non-oil revenues.

“We also considered stable oil prices above USD80/barrel.

However, we expect domestic crude oil production to remain below pre-COVID19 levels, due to existing challenges within the sector. We have also taken into consideration, relatively weak consumption patterns on the back of high inflation and its

impact on service-oriented sectors, the impact of foreign exchange depreciation and increased borrowing costs on business activities.”

She noted that there would Be increased foreign exchange demand due to the need for safe- haven currency (USD) on the back of security concerns. We expect weak portfolio investment inflow on the back of negative real returns (yields vs inflation) and the political risks surround-

S E C U R I T I E S

T R A D E D

QUANTITY TRADED

VALUE TRADED ( N )

MAIN BOARD

ing the 2023 general elections.

We considered the absence of Nigeria from the ICM in the near term, which does not bode well for external reserves.

“Accordingly, we expect that the existing demand patterns in the parallel market will continue.

In our base case scenario, we see the foreign exchange rate at the NAFEX/I&E window at N505/ USD by end-2023.

We considered: stable growth in non-oil exports boosted by

AS O F

the RT 200 foreign exchange program, continuous injections by the CBN (avg. seven per cent of total inflows on a m/m basis), halt to fuel subsidy payments by end-H1 2023.

She stated that analysts at Coronation Merchant Bank expected inflation to moderate in 2023, partly attributed to positive base effects and the Monetary Policy Committee’s (MPC) current stance on the policy rate.

2 3 / 0 2 / 2 3 DEALS

MARKET PRICE

QUANTITY TRADED

VALUE TRADED ( N)

34

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 2023 • T H I S D AY

MARKET NEWS A Mutual fund (Unit Trust) is an investment vehicle managed by a SEC (Securities and Exchange Commission) registered Fund Manager.

Investors with similar objectives buy units of the Fund so that the Fund Manager can buy securities that willl generate their desired return.

An ETF (Exchange Traded Fund) is a type of fund which owns the assets (shares of stock, bonds, oil futures, gold bars, foreign currency, etc.) and divides ownership of those assets into shares. Investors can buy these ‘shares’ on the

floor of the Nigerian Stock Exchange.

A REIT (Real Estate Investment Trust) is an investment vehicle that allows both small and large investors to part-own real estate ventures (eg.

Offices, Houses, Hospitals) in proportion to their investments. The assets are divided into shares that are traded on the Nigerian Stock Exchange.

GUIDE TO DATA: Date: All fund prices are quoted in Naira as at 22Feb-2023, unless otherwise stated.

Offer price: The price at which units of a trust or ETF are bought by investors.

Bid Price: The price at which Investors redeem (sell) units of a trust or ETF. Yield/Total Return: Denotes the total return an investor would have earned on his investment. Money Market Funds report Yield while others report Year- to-date Total Return.

NAV: Is value per share of the real estate assets held by a REIT on a specific date.

DAILY PRICE LIST FOR MUTUAL FUNDS, REITS and ETFS MUTUAL FUNDS / UNIT TRUSTS AFRINVEST ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD aaml@afrinvest.com Web: www.afrinvest.com; Tel: +234 818 885 6757 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Afrinvest Equity Fund N/A N/A N/A Afrinvest Plutus Fund N/A N/A N/A Nigeria International Debt Fund N/A N/A N/A Afrinvest Dollar Fund N/A N/A N/A AIICO CAPITAL LTD ammf@aiicocapital.com Web: www.aiicocapital.com, Tel: +234-1-2792974 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn AIICO Money Market Fund N/A N/A N/A AIICO Balanced Fund N/A N/A N/A ANCHORIA ASSET MANAGEMENT LIMITED info@anchoriaam.com Web:www.anchoriaam.com, Tel: 08166830267; 08036814510; 08028419180 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Anchoria Money Market 100.00 100.00 7.59% Anchoria Equity Fund 154.26 155.90 6.42% Anchoria Fixed Income Fund 1.23 1.23 -0.01% ARM INVESTMENT MANAGERS LTD enquiries@arminvestmentcenter.com info@anchoriaam.com Web: www.arm.com.ng; Tel: 0700 CALLARM (0700 225 5276) Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn ARM Aggressive Growth Fund 23.49 24.20 7.03% ARM Discovery Balanced Fund 549.17 565.73 5.36% ARM Ethical Fund 46.71 48.12 3.53% ARM Eurobond Fund ($) 1.13 1.13 0.80% ARM Fixed Income Fund 1.12 1.12 1.23% ARM Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 10.65% ARM Short Term Bond Fund 1.05 1.05 0.93% AVA GLOBAL ASSET MANAGERS LIMITED info@avacapitalgroup.com Web: www.avacapitalgroup.com; Tel 08069294653 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn AVA GAM Fixed Income Dollar Fund 96.43 96.43 1.40% AVA GAM Fixed Income Naira Fund 1,104.69 1,104.69 -1.93% AXA MANSARD INVESTMENTS LIMITED investmentcare@axamansard.com Web: www.axamansard.com; Tel: +2341-4488482 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn AXA Mansard Equity Income Fund N/A N/A N/A AXA Mansard Money Market Fund N/A N/A N/A CAPITAL EXPRESS ASSET AND TRUST LIMITED info@capitalexpressassetandtrust.com Web: www.capitalexpressassetandtrust.com; Tel: +234 803 307 5048 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn CEAT Fixed Income Fund N/A N/A N/A Capital Express Balanced Fund(Formerly: Union Trustees Mixed Fund) N/A N/A N/A CAPITALTRUST INVESTMENTS AND ASSET MANAGEMENT LIMITED halalfif@capitaltrustnigeria.com Web: www.capitaltrustnigeria.com; Tel: 08061458806 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Capitaltrust Halal Fixed Income Fund N/A N/A N/A CARDINALSTONE ASSET MANAGEMENT LIMITED mutualfunds@cardinalstone.com Web: www.cardinalstoneassetmanagement.com; Tel: +234 (1) 710 0433 4 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn CardinalStone Fixed Income Alpha Fund 1.02 1.02 1.20% CHAPELHILL DENHAM MANAGEMENT LTD investmentmanagement@chapelhilldenham.com Web: www.chapelhilldenham.com, Tel: +234 461 0691 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Chapelhill Denham Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 12.68% Paramount Equity Fund 20 20.36 7.48% Women's Investment Fund 156.68 158.65 5.83% CHD Nigeria Bond Fund 101.35 101.35 10.91% CHD Nigeria Dollar Income Fund 1.02 1.02 9.41% CORDROS ASSET MANAGEMENT LIMITED assetmgtteam@cordros.com Web: www.cordros.com, Tel: 019036947 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Cordros Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 9.13% Cordros Milestone Fund 143.20 144.12 4.00% Cordros Fixed Income Fund 106.89 106.89 9.49% Cordros Halal Fixed Income Fund 104.18 104.18 6.03% Cordros Dollar Fund ($) 114.03 114.03 5.76% CORONATION ASSETS MANAGEMENT investment@coronationam.com Web:www.coronationam.com, Tel: 012366215 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn 1.00 1.00 10.75% Coronation Money Market Fund 1.22 1.24 2.35% Coronation Balanced Fund 1.37 1.37 -2.46% Coronation Fixed Income Fund EDC FUNDS MANAGEMENT LIMITED mutualfundng@ecobank.com Web: www.ecobank.com Tel: 012265281 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn 100.00 100.00 9.84% EDC Nigeria Money Market Fund Class A 1,000,000.00 1,000,000.00 11.43% EDC Nigeria Money Market Fund Class B 1,115.28 1,119.33 0.75% EDC Nigeria Fixed Income Fund EMERGING AFRICA ASSET MANAGEMENT LIMITED assetmanagement@emergingafricafroup.com Web:www.emergingafricagroup.com/emerging-africa-asset-management-limited/, Tel: 08039492594 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Emerging Africa Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 13.56% Emerging Africa Bond Fund 1.08 1.08 10.26% Emerging Africa Balanced Diversity Fund 1.13 1.13 32.48% Emerging Africa Eurobond Fund 105.60 105.60 4.05% FBNQUEST ASSETS MANAGEMENT LIMITED invest@fbnquest.com Web: www.fbnquest.com/asset-management; Tel: +234-81 0082 0082 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn FBN Bond Fund 1497.03 1497.03 12.32% FBN Balanced Fund 210.16 211.65 5.24% FBN Halal Fund 125.21 125.21 12.87% FBN Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 12.22% FBN Dollar Fund 121.38 121.38 6.87% FBN Smart Beta Equity Fund 175.43 177.69 5.93% FBN Specialized Dollar Fund 105.44 105.44 9.61% FCMB ASSET MANAGEMENT LIMITED fcmbamhelpdesk@fcmb.com Web: www.fcmbassetmanagement.com; Tel: +234 1 462 2596 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Legacy Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 8.61% Legacy Debt Fund 3.52 3.52 -12.08% Legacy Equity Fund 2.09 2.13 20.14% Legacy USD Bond Fund 1.27 1.27 5.27% FSDH ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD coralfunds@fsdhgroup.com Web: www.fsdhaml.com; Tel: 01-270 4884-5; 01-280 9740-1

Fund Name Coral Balanced Fund Coral Income Fund Coral Money Market Fund

Bid Price 4,370.80 3,754.70 100.00

Offer Price 4,399.80 3,754.70 100.00

Yield / T-Rtn 26.66% 7.90% 11.24%

FSDH Dollar Fund 1.14 1.14 5.67% GUARANTY TRUST FUND MANAGERS LIMITED enquiries@investment-one.com Web: www.gtcoplc.bank; Tel: +234 812 992 1045,+234 1 448 8888 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Abacus Money Market Fund N/A N/A N/A Vantage Balanced Fund N/A N/A N/A Vantage Guaranteed Income Fund N/A N/A N/A Kedari Investment Fund (KIF) N/A N/A N/A Vantage Equity Income Fund (VEIF) - June Year End N/A N/A N/A Vantage Dollar Fund (VDF) - June Year End N/A N/A N/A LOTUS CAPITAL LTD fincon@lotuscapitallimited.com Web: www.lotuscapitallimited.com; Tel: +234 1-291 4626 / +234 1-291 4624 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Lotus Halal Investment Fund N/A N/A N/A Lotus Halal Fixed Income Fund N/A N/A N/A MERISTEM WEALTH MANAGEMENT LTD info@meristemwealth.com Web: www.meristemwealth.com/funds/; Tel: +2348028496012 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Meristem Equity Market Fund 13.06 13.10 5.95% Meristem Money Market Fund 10.00 10.00 11.09% NORRENBERGER INVESTMENT AND CAPITAL MANAGEMENT LIMITED enquiries@norrenberger.com Web: www.norrenberger.com, Tel: +234 (0) 908 781 2026 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Norrenberger Islamic Fund (NIF) 102.00 102.00 10.23% Norrenberger Money Market Fund (NMMF) 100.00 100.00 10.07% PAC ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD info@pacassetmanagement.com Web: www.pacassetmanagement.com/mutualfunds; Tel: +234 1 271 8632 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn PACAM Balanced Fund N/A N/A N/A PACAM Fixed Income Fund N/A N/A N/A PACAM Money Market Fund N/A N/A N/A PACAM Equity Fund N/A N/A N/A PACAM EuroBond Fund N/A N/A N/A SCM CAPITAL LIMITED info@scmcapitalng.com Web: www.scmcapitalng.com; Tel: +234 1-280 2226,+234 1- 280 2227 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn SCM Capital Frontier Fund 131.93 135.05 0.05% SFS CAPITAL NIGERIA LTD investments@sfsnigeria.com Web: www.sfsnigeria.com, Tel: +234 (01) 2801400 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn SFS Fixed Income Fund 1.02 1.02 11.01% STANBIC IBTC ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD assetmanagement@stanbicibtc.com Web: www.stanbicibtcassetmanagement.com; Tel: +234 1 280 1266; 0700 MUTUALFUNDS Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Stanbic IBTC Balanced Fund 3,803.32 3,833.98 12.20% Stanbic IBTC Bond Fund 246.58 246.58 4.67% Stanbic IBTC Ethical Fund 1.51 1.53 20.63% Stanbic IBTC Guaranteed Investment Fund 335.48 335.48 7.14% Stanbic IBTC Iman Fund 275.90 278.93 18.06% Stanbic IBTC Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 12.91% Stanbic IBTC Nigerian Equity Fund 12,818.25 12,973.23 17.40% Stanbic IBTC Dollar Fund (USD) 1.38 1.38 6.68% Stanbic IBTC Shariah Fixed Income Fund 122.11 122.11 4.45% Stanbic IBTC Enhanced Short-Term Fixed Income Fund 116.45 116.45 9.47% Stanbic IBTC Absolute Fund 4,623.89 4,623.89 8.69% Stanbic IBTC Aggressive Fund 3,417.39 3,460.95 22.93% Stanbic IBTC Conservative Fund 4,360.46 4,377.14 14.54% UNITED CAPITAL ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD unitedcapitalplcgroup.com Web: www.unitedcapitalplcgroup.com; Tel: +234 01-6317876 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn United Capital Equity Fund 1.03 1.06 8.34% United Capital Balanced Fund 1.55 1.58 13.45% United Capital Wealth for Women Fund 1.23 1.25 6.02% United Capital Sukuk Fund 1.12 1.12 10.09% United Capital Fixed Income Fund 1.97 1.97 7.32% United Capital Eurobond Fund 126.34 126.34 5.50% United Capital Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 11.59% QUANTUM ZENITH ASSET MANAGEMENT & INVESTMENTS LTD service@quantumzenithasset.com.ng Web: www.quantumzenith.com.ng; Tel: +234 1-2784219 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Zenith Balanced Strategy Fund 14.44 14.57 4.10% Zenith ESG Impact Fund 16.43 16.53 3.74% Zenith Income Fund 23.81 23.81 1.06% Zenith Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 0.00% VETIVA FUND MANAGERS LTD funds@vetiva.com Web: www.vetiva.com; Tel: +234 1 453 0697 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Vetiva Banking Exchange Traded Fund 4.42 4.52 10.13% Vetiva Consumer Goods Exchange Traded Fund 6.13 6.23 4.95% Vetiva Griffin 30 Exchange Traded Fund 19.70 19.90 11.36% Vetiva Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 10.41% Vetiva Industrial Goods Exchange Traded Fund 24.61 24.81 23.05% Vetiva S&P Nigeria Sovereign Bond Exchange Traded Fund 140.46 142.46 -10.90% REITS NAV Per Share

Yield / T-Rtn

115.29 53.47 101.31 9.93

1.22% 4.65% -13.05%

Bid Price

Offer Price

Yield / T-Rtn

16.36 140.75 109.82 17.40 16.40

16.46 143.20 111.72 17.50 16.50

5.69% 10.30% 9.84% -0.32% 6.29%

NAV Per Share

Yield / T-Rtn

106.75

0.00%

Fund Name

SFS REIT Union Homes REIT Nigeria Real Estate Investment Trust UPDC REIT

EXCHANGE TRADED FUNDS Fund Name Lotus Halal Equity Exchange Traded Fund SIAML Pension ETF 40 Stanbic IBTC ETF 30 Fund MERGROWTH ETF MERVALUE ETF

INFRASTRUCTURE FUND Fund Name Chapel Hill Denham Nigeria Infrastructure Debt Fund

The value of investments and the income from them may fall as well as rise. Past performance is a guide and not an indication of future returns. Fund prices published in this edition are also available on each fund manager’s website and FMAN’s website at www.fman.com.ng. Fund prices are supplied by the operator of the relevant fund and are published for information purposes only.

35

T H I S D AY • THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 2023

FOREIGN DESK

COMPILED BY BAYO AKINLOYE

Ukrainians Mark Russian Invasion Anniversary in Australia

Ukrainians and their supporters marched through Australia’s biggest city, Sydney, Thursday to mark the first anniversary of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

“365 Days Strong” was the rallying call for the march in Sydney.

About 1,000 people marched through the city before holding a candlelit vigil outside the city’s St. Mary’s Cathedral.

Rally organisers say the mood was sombre yet defiant and that the gathering has honoured “the heroic resistance of the brave Ukrainian people.”

Andrew Mencinsky is the vice president of the Ukrainian Council of New South Wales.

He told VOA Thursday that the vigil was a time to reflect on what he called a “horrific year.”

“There is an immense amount of trauma that people have suffered. There is an immense amount of human loss of life that people have experienced. Almost every person marching today knows someone who has been injured or has lost a loved one, and so tonight we are gathering to honour those people that have fallen,” said Mencinsky.

Vigils were also held Thursday in Canberra and Melbourne.

Rallies are scheduled in Brisbane and Perth on Friday.

Australia is the largest non-NATO contributor to Ukraine’s war effort, supplying missiles and armoured personnel carriers.

Since the invasion began a year ago, Australia has imposed sanctions on hundreds of Russian politicians, including President Vladimir Putin, military commanders and businesspeople.

Jill Biden Highlights Democracy, Youth, Women on 2nd Day of Namibia Visit US first lady Jill Biden praised Namibia’s vibrant democracy Thursday at a pomp-filled, wine-laden, dignitary-heavy state luncheon with Namibia’s first lady Monica Geingos and her husband, President Hage Geingob.

“I’m proud to be standing here standing with a strong democracy,” Biden said. “And as Monica said yesterday, a young democracy working together. As Joe said at the summit, African voices, African Leadership, and African innovation are all critical to addressing the most pressing global challenges and realising the vision we all share is a world that is free.”

Thursday also is the 30th anniversary of the first sitting of Namibia’s first post-independence upper house of parliament.

Geingos, a Namibian entrepreneur and lawyer, the president’s third wife, said she invited Biden to visit after meeting at December’s US Africa Leaders Summit in Washington.

“Of course, there will always be differences,” she said. “But what is important is what the Biden presidency represents. And that is decency, democracy, and diplomacy. This luncheon is to celebrate connection and possibility.”

Biden will also visit a US-funded project near the capital, Windhoek, that focuses on empowering women and children and ensuring access to economic opportunities and health resources. And on Friday, she will speak to university students about youth empowerment.

Ukraine Repels New Russian Attacks, Leaving a Battlefront Stalemate Ukraine said Thursday that it had repelled attempted Russian advances along the length of the front line of fighting in eastern and southern Ukraine, leaving the war in a stalemate a day ahead of the first anniversary of Moscow’s invasion.

Russia controls about a fifth of Ukrainian territory, far short of the quick, countrywide takeover many military analysts predicted a year ago as Moscow’s tanks rolled into Ukraine’s eastern flank.

In the most recent fighting, Moscow’s forces have made progress trying to encircle Bakhmut, with Ukrainian military spokesperson Brigadier General Oleksiy Gromov saying Moscow was trying to use its manpower advantage to exhaust Kyiv’s forces.

“The enemy, despite significant losses, does not abandon attempts to surround Bakhmut,” he said.

But Ukraine said Russian troops have failed to break through Ukrainian lines to the north near Kreminna and to the south at Vuhledar, where they have sustained heavy losses assaulting across open ground.

Gromov said Ukrainian forces had repelled 90 Russian attacks in the northeast and east in the last day.

Israeli Airstrikes Hit Gaza After Deadly Raid, Rocket FireIsrael’s military said Thursday it carried out airstrikes against targets linked to Hamas militants in the Gaza Strip in response to a series of rockets fired hours earlier at Israeli territory.

The Israeli Defense Forces said the airstrikes focused on a weapons manufacturing site and a military compound.

Israel’s air defences intercepted five of the six rockets fired from Gaza, with one landing in an open area in southern Israel.

The cross-border attacks followed an Israeli raid Wednesday in the occupied West Bank that killed 11 Palestinians.

Israel said it was conducting an operation to detain militants in Nablus, and its forces came under fire, setting off a gun battle.

Palestinian health officials said more than 100 Palestinians were wounded.

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres told a UN meeting Wednesday that the situation “is at its most combustible in years.”

“Deadly cycles of violence keep accelerating. Tensions are sky-high. And the peace process remains stalled,” Guterres said as he advocated a push for a two-state solution.

Report: Methamphetamine Use Rising in Thailand as Prices Fall Methamphetamine use in Thailand jumped 30 per cent last year, new research shows, amid a production boom of the illicit drug in next door Myanmar flooding the region with ever-cheaper supplies.

To cope with the surge, Thailand’s Public Health Ministry is pushing for tough new rules that could see anyone caught with more than one meth tablet prosecuted as a drug dealer, a move academics and social workers say would not help and could make the problem worse.

According to a nationwide survey on drug use led by Thailand’s Chulalongkorn University, an estimated 57,900 Thais between the ages of 18 and 65 used meth at least once last year, up from some 44,500 the year before.

Rasmon Kalayasiri, who heads the university’s Center for Addiction Studies, said the numbers are likely an undercount, as many may be wary of admitting to using an illegal drug, even though the study keeps them anonymous. Previous surveys by the government’s Office of the Narcotics Control Board, which sample more people, have put the number of meth users in the hundreds of thousands in recent years.

Rasmon said the results of the ONCB’s next survey, typically carried out every three to five years, would offer a more definitive picture of the latest trends. But the university’s own study, she added, still suggests that meth use may be rising.

Thailand’s Raks Thai Foundation, which provides harm reduction and needle exchange services for drug users across the country, has noticed the trend too.

R. Kelly Handed Fresh 20-Year Imprisonment A federal judge on Thursday handed singer R. Kelly a 20-year sentence for his convictions of child pornography and the enticement of minors for sex but said he would serve nearly all of the sentence simultaneously with a 30-year sentence imposed last year on racketeering charges.

US District Judge Harry Leinenweber also ordered that Kelly serve one year in prison following his New York sentence.

The central question going into the sentencing in Kelly’s hometown of Chicago was whether Leinenweber would order that the 56-year-old serve the sentence simultaneously with or only after he completes the New York term for 2021 racketeering and sex trafficking convictions.

The latter would have been tantamount to a life sentence.

Prosecutors had acknowledged that a lengthy term served only after the New York sentence could have erased any chance of Kelly ever getting out of prison alive. It’s what they asked for, arguing his crimes against children and lack of remorse justified it.

With Thursday’s sentence, though, Kelly will serve no more than 31 years. That means he will be eligible for release at around age 80, providing him some hope of one day leaving prison alive.

South African Power Utility CEO ‘Released’ from Job The head of South Africa’s embattled state power company, Eskom, is leaving his job earlier than planned after accusing high-level officials of corruption. The CEO’s departure came the same day South Africa’s finance minister announced a massive bailout for the debt-ridden company amid record

power cuts.

Eskom’s CEO, Andre de Ruyter, has been “released” from his job “with immediate effect,” the company said Thursday in a statement.

De Ruyter submitted his resignation late last year, saying he was unable to turn the graft-riddled utility around. Shortly afterward, he alleged there was a poisoning attempt on his life.

However, he had been set to serve out his notice period until the end of March and a replacement has not yet been found.

News of his early departure came shortly after de Ruyter gave an explosive interview on local TV this week, accusing high-level cabinet officials of being aware of and accepting corruption.

Eskom spokesman Sikonathi Mantshantsha said the board had convened a special meeting on Wednesday, during which it was mutually agreed to curtail his notice period.

“The board further resolved that Mr. de Ruyter will not be required to serve the balance of his notice period but that he will be released from his position with immediate effect,” he said.

Earlier this month, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa declared a national state of disaster because of the electricity crisis.

US Nominates Ajay Banga for World Bank President The United States is nominating former Mastercard CEO Ajay Banga to lead the World Bank, President Joe Biden announced on Thursday, crediting him with critical experience on global challenges, including climate change.

The news comes days after Trump appointee David Malpass announced plans to step down in June from his role leading the 189-nation poverty reduction agency.

His five-year term was due to expire in April 2024.

Addressing the impacts of climate change at the multilateral bank is a priority for the US, and leading climate figures have urged the Biden administration to use Malpass’ early departure as an opening to overhaul the powerful financial institution, which has been increasingly criticised as hostile to less-wealthy nations and efforts to address climate change.

Malpass ran into criticism last year for seeming, in comments at a conference, to cast doubt on the science that says the burning of fossil fuels causes global warming. He later apologised and said he had misspoken, noting that the bank routinely relies on climate science.

Banga, currently vice chairman at private equity firm General Atlantic, has more than 30 years of business experience, having served in various roles at Mastercard and the boards of the American Red Cross, Kraft Foods and Dow Inc. He is the first Indian-born nominee to the World Bank president role.

Mine Collapse in China Kills Five, 48 Miners Still Missing At least five people were killed, and 48 others were still missing a day after the collapse of a coal mine in China’s northern region of Inner Mongolia, state media reported on Thursday.

The open-pit mine operated by small local firm Xinjing Coal Mining Co collapsed in a landslide, leaving dozens of workers buried under a huge pile of debris half a kilometre (550 yards) wide and an estimated 80 m high, according to state broadcaster CCTV. Dramatic security camera footage aired on CCTV on Thursday showed an avalanche of rock and soil falling from one side of the mountain into the mine pit, burying several excavators and dump trucks.

Three hundred rescue workers were at the site using heavy machinery and rescue dogs to aid in their search for the trapped miners, state media said.

On Wednesday evening, the National Health Commission said that six injured people had been rescued from the mine.

36

FRIDAY FEBRUARY 24, 2023˾ T H I S D AY

NEWS

WE APPRECIATE YOUR SERVICES…

L-R: Outgoing Chief Executive Officer, Dangote Cement Plc, Michelle Puchercos; Chairman , Dangote Industries Limited, Alhaji Aliko Dangote; General Manager , Total Nigeria Plc, Alhaji Abdullahi Musa Umar , and Chief Commercial Officer, Dangote Industries Limited, Alhaji Rabi’u Umar , at the recent send-off party of Puchercos in Lagos…recently

Threat to Life: Court Orders Security Operatives to Give Protection to CUPP’s Spokesman, Ugochinyere Alex Enumah and Sunday Aborisade in Abuja

The High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) has ordered security agencies in the country to within 24 hours provide protection to the Spokesman of the Coalition of United Political Parties (CUPP), Ikenga Ugochinyere.

Justice Eleojo Enenche gave

the order while delivering ruling in an exparte application brought before the court over failed assassination attempt on his life as well as alleged planned invasion of his home in Akokwa in Imo State by agents of the state government.

Ugochinyere is the candidate of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party ( PDP) for the House of Representatives seat

Youths in Lagos Declare for Tinubu As the nation counts down to the presidential election, youths in Lagos have come under a single umbrella to reiterate their support for the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

Tinubu, they submitted, is the most experienced and reliable candidate to lead the country in the next dispensation.

The youths, who came from all the traditional divisions in Lagos, converged on Marquee Hall in Agidingbi, Ikeja, yesterday to unanimously adopt the APC presidential candidate and his running mate, Sen. Kashim Shettima.

Besides, the youths endorsed Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu for

another term, describing the Lagos helmsman as the most performing state administrator in the outgoing dispensation.

The attendees included members of non-political youth organisations, members of voluntary youth organisation (uniform) operating in Lagos, and their non-uniform counterparts in various groups.

Reading out the decisions agreed at the event, Chairman of the National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN) in Lagos, Comrade Biliamin Oba, said the attendees were convinced that Tinubu remained the only presidential candidate who possessed the capacity and vision to turn things around in the country.

in Ideato Federal Constituency of Imo State.

His house in Akokwa was recently invaded by gunmen and properties worth millions of

One of the largest communities of innovation enablers, AfriLabs, has announced that through its RevUp women programme it would be supporting 50,000 African women through financing, mentorship, business training, and a grant of up to $100 million.

Speaking at the launch of RevUp women programme in Lagos, the Executive Director, AfriLabs, Anna Ekeledo, noted that the programme would kick off with 500 African women and fund 10 businesses

DSS Told to Arrest Oshiomhole for Comments against Buhari The President of the Nigeria League of Veteran Journalists (NILVEJ Chief Oliver Okpala has called for the immediate arrest and interrogation of a former National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Comrade Adams Oshiomhole.

Chief Okpala was reacting to the viral video where the former Edo Governor was seen allegedly inciting people against the Buhari led federal government during a campaign

rally. Okpala also described the act as anti-party, being a member of the APC which has President Buhari as leader.

He said: “This is pure anti-party activity and criminal incitement of the citizens against the president and the federal government, simple. He should be arrested and charged, this is no longer political talks. Watch it, I am not a politician but a patriotic true Nigerian. “

the applicant had urged the court to order the security agencies to protect his life as well as property pending the hearing of the substantive suit marked

FCT/HC/CV/2328/2023.

He had in the motion dated February 13, alleged threat to life and destruction of properties amongst others.

Privatisation Council Appoints Nine Firms to Verify NIPOST Properties Ndubuisi Francis in Abuja The National Council on Privatisation (NCP) under the Chairmanship of the Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo has approved nine firms to immediately carry out a nationwide verification of NIPOST Properties &

Development Company Limited.

NIPOST Properties & Development Company Limited is one of the three subsidiaries carved out of the nation’s main postal agency, Nigeria Postal Service (NIPOST) in 2020.

The other two are NIPOST Transport & Logistics Company and NIPOST Microfinance.

The nine firms approved by the NCP to undertake the nationwide verification in the six geo-political zones of the country are: Oghogho Ayanru, Raji Adewale Associates, Alaba Odunlanmi, Law Field Barristers and solicitors and B.A. Wali & Associates.

Others are Aliyu Abubakar

& Co, Bola Fabola, Tayo Osuntogun & Co and Primal Chambers.

The Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE) disclosed that the approval was one of the high points of the second meeting of the NCP for 2023, held at the Presidential Villa, Aso Rock, Abuja on Tuesday.

NDLEA Storms Edo Forest, Destroys 7,286kgs Skunk Michael OlugbodeinAbuja The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has stormed the Ujiogba Forest Reserve in Esan West local government area of Edo State where they destroyed 7,286 kilogrammes (72.86 tons) of warehoused skunk and five

hectares of its plantation.

A statement on yesterday by the spokesman of the anti-narcotics agency, Femi Babafemi, said the special operation was carried out on Wednesday following credible intelligence that some cartels had warehoused hundreds of jumbo bags of the illicit substance inside

the thick forest of the reserve for distribution to some states ahead of the general elections.

He revealed that the operation could however not go on immediately until after several road blocks set up by armed guards of the drug lords were cleared and they were overpowered by

the superior firepower of Strike Force officers of the agency in a gun duel.

He noted that after the initial resistance, two rifles, spent cartridges of short guns and an empty shell of AK47 rifle were recovered while a 24-year-old suspect, Calvary Essien, was arrested.

Seven Killed, 63 Arrested, Vehicles Burnt in Kano Clash

IbrahimShuaibuinKano

50,000 African Women to Benefit from Seven people were killed during political clashes in Kano yesterday, $100m AfriLabs Business Grant while several others sustained with $10,000 grants to support their AyodejiAke businesses.

“Our business strategy is supporting the women businesses and what we want to do is that for the initial pilot, we want to train up to 500 women and fund up to 10 businesses with $10,000 grant but the long term three years goal is across Africa, to be able to train through our hub network up to 50,000 women who will eventually create over 100,000 jobs and funding women businesses with up to $10 million and unlock additional funding from private capital of up to $100 million into the women.

naira destroyed in the process and some people killed.

In a motion exparte marked: M/4710/2023, filed and argued by his lawyer, Mr. P. O. Abang,

injuries.

Also, 63 individuals have been arrested by men of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) after political clashes along Zaria road in Kano city.

The Spokesman of the Civil Defence Corp, Ibrahim Idris Abdullahi told reporters that the arrested persons were caught wielding dangerous weapons and this led to the burning of many cars and smashing of glasses.

Abdullahi said: “We have arrested about 63 suspected thugs disrupting public peace, wielding dangerous weapons, burning vehicles and

snatching handsets from people.

They are going to be investigated and taken to court for prosecution” he stated.

It was gathered that the seven persons were killed along Zaria road during the clash with political thugs.

An eye witness told THISDAY that one of the persons killed was burnt to ashes after he was said to have killed three persons.

Several other people are confirmed to have been injured as a result of the clash before the arrival of the security operatives.

Unconfirmed sources told reporters that some local government officials and party members were said to have been arrested but no official confirmation from either the government or the police in the state as of the of filing this report.

ADC Donates Polling Agents for Obi in Rivers Blessing IbungeinPortHarcourt

Ahead of the Saturday, February 25 election, the African Democratic Congress (ADC) in Rivers State, has donated its 5,000 agents to stand for the Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate, Mr. Peter Obi in the state.

The Governorship Candidate

of ADC in the state, Tonye Ibraye, who spoke with journalists in Port Harcourt, on the development, said the party would work for Obi’s victory in the state.

Ibraye urged party faithful in the state to stand for the LP presidential candidate, noting that Obi’s legacy as a former governor and his manifesto has put him in a

better position to rule the country in the next four years.

He said: “I am pleased to be here today to announce my endorsement of Peter Obi, the Labour Party candidate for the upcoming election.

“As many of you may know, my party, ADC, has endorsed Mr. Peter Obi as their preferred candidate, after

careful consideration and discussion, to support this auspicious move.

“Furthermore, I would like to announce that we will be giving Mr Obi access to my 5000 polling agents to support him.

“I know that with their help Mr Obi will be able to reach more voters and spread his messages of hope and change across the country.”

Makinde Ends Campaign, Thanks Oyo State Residents Kemi Olaitan inIbadan

The Director-General of the Governor ‘Seyi Makinde Campaign Organisation, Hon. Bayo Lawal, yesterday expressed gratitude to the good people of Oyo State, who trooped out in large numbers to welcome the governor’s campaign trail in the different stops across

the 33 local government areas of the state.

Lawal, in a statement yesterday, said Governor Makinde and the campaign expressed happiness at the huge turnout and have taken particular notice of the joy that radiated on the faces of the residents and indigenes of the state throughout the campaign.

He said he was particularly impressed at the enthusiasm displayed by the people of the state and especially their readiness to welcome the governor to their localities even at late hours of the day.

Lawal said: “On behalf of His Excellency, Governor Seyi Makinde, and the Campaign Council, I want

to express our gratitude to the good people of Oyo State who joyfully came out to welcome our campaign in the different localities.

“We are particularly grateful that you accorded His Excellency and his team a very warm reception at every stop, even as you readily applauded his accomplishments in Omituntun 1.0.”

FRIDAY FEBRUARY 24, 2023 ˾ T H I S D AY

37

NEWS

LANCELOT GROUP CELEBRATES 30TH ANNIVERSARY…

L-R: Director, Lancelot Registrar and Investors Relations, Mrs Iniobong Utere; Director, Lancelot Ventures Ltd, Ms. Fiyinfolu Adeleke; Director, Lancelot Fund & Portfolio Management Ltd, Mr. Godwin Ifeakor; Director, Lancelot Ventures Ltd, Mrs Olubosede Adeleke; Executive Chairman, Lancelot Ventures Ltd, Mr. Adebayo Adeleke; Director, Lancelot Fund & Portfolio Management Ltd, Mrs Hilda Nkor; Chairman, Lancelot Fund & Portfolio Management Ltd, Alhaji Danladi Yaro; Director, Bird Song Glory Ltd, Mr. Moses Igbrude; Directors, Lancelot Ventures Ltd, Mr. Olufifun Adeleke and Olufikun Adeleke, and Director, Lancelot Registrar and Investors Relations Ltd, Mrs Abiodun Igben, during the 30th Anniversary celebration of Lancelot Group in Lagos...yesterday ABIODUN AJALA

Obi: Killing of LP Senatorial Candidate, Supporters Wicked, Barbaric Emameh Gabriel in Abuja The Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has condemned in strong terms the killing of the party’s senatorial candidate for Enugu East, Mr. Oyibo Chukwu, last Wednesday by yet-to-be identified gunmen.

Obi described the gruesome killing of Chukwu and his supporters as “barbaric, inhuman and senseless.”

In a statement signed by Labour Party Presidential Campaign Council Media office, the former Anambra State governor said he was devastated by the killings, and called on the security agencies and the Enugu State Government to do everything possible to fish out the killers of the LP members.

He said: “I am shocked by this dastardly act few hours to the national elections. There will

Group Calls for Calm, Peaceful Elections

Sunday Okobi

In few hours to the 2023 general election in Nigeria, an advocacy and justice-oriented international organisation, Brothers Across Nigeria (BAN), has cautioned Nigerians of all creeds and in all regions on the need to vote without rancour and acrimony in the elections.

At a press conference held by the group in Rivers State, the President of BAN, Azubuike Onowu, urged Nigerians that whosoever becomes the elected president should be given all the support, even as he called on the citizens should carry out their responsibilities in support of the leadership.

He stated that although Nigeria has always had a leadership challenge, the citizens must also

recognize their responsibilities while taking cognisance of their rights.

The BAN, also known as Buccaneers Confraternity (BC), also maintained that the buccaneers referred to by Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, is an adjective to describe politicians who acts in recklessly and often unscrupulous ways, has nothing to do with the revered Buccaneers Confraternity.

Briefing journalists on the electioneering process, the group’s leader, also known as the Grand Eye, told journalists that the BC seems to speak in ‘Negative Positivism’, a notion which led them to adopt the name for a group of fine gentle men who have formed and found unity, fairness and justice irrespective of tribes and tongues.

Edo Poly Secures NBTE Accreditation for Six Programmes Ugo Aliogo The Edo State Polytechnic, Usen, has secured the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) accreditation for six programmes, including institutional accreditation, which affirms its status as a leading polytechnic operating in line with regulatory standards.

The six programmes accredited include: National Diploma (ND) Surveying and Geo- informatics; ND, Urban and Regional Planning; ND, Estate Management and Valuation; ND, Welding and Fabrication Engineering Technology; ND Computer and Engineering Technology as well as Institutional accreditation for the polytechnic.

The NBTE’s approval for the six programmes is contained in a letter addressed to the Polytechnic Acting Rector by the Director, Polytechnic Programmes, Are Ngbede Ogoh, on behalf of the Executive Secretary

of the Board, Prof. Idris Bugage.

The accreditation of the programmes was the outcome of the recent quality assurance visitation exercise by NBTE to the polytechnic from January 9 to 13, 2023.

While describing the accreditation of the programmes by NBTE as a laudable achievement, Acting Rector of the Polytechnic, Omoruyi Sylvester expressed appreciation to Governor Godwin Obaseki for his continued support and commitment to ensuring that all programmes run in the institution are fully accredited.

He said the accreditation of programmes was captured in the Governor’s 2023 budget speech, which communicated the governor’s desire to ensure that the school meets all necessary requirements to become a worldleading centre for research and teaching.

never be any justification for taking human life. It’s clear that the activities of evil men like the killers of Chukwu do not represent the character of Igbos

and Nigerians as a whole.”

Obi appealed “to everyone to join hands to defeat these evil men and women who are an insignificant part of peace-loving

Nigerians.

While he urged people in the Southeast as well as election officials in the region not to be deterred or frightened

away from participating in the forthcoming election, Obi condole with families of those killed and prayed that God grant their souls eternal rest.

Cash Scarcity: Sule Distributes Palliatives in Nasarawa IgbawaseUkumbainLafia

Nasarawa State Governor, Abdullahi Sule, yesterday directed the immediate distribution of rice, spaghetti, noodles and Maggi cubes across the 13 local government areas of the state as palliatives to cushion the hardships being experienced as a result of the cash swap policy.

The governor issued the directive during a meeting with LGAs

chairmen at the Government House in Lafia.

He, therefore, directed that each LGAand DevelopmentArea should be given 1,000 bags of rice (10kg), as well as unspecified quantities of spaghetti, noodles and Maggi cubes for onward distribution to the less privileged people who may be in difficulty to access money to buy food.

Sule further directed the office of

the Secretary to the Government of Nasarawa State (SSG) to immediately commence the distribution by making the items available for the local government chairmen.

He, however, cautioned the officials against diverting the palliative, but to ensure that the food items get to those who are in dire need because of the scarcity of money.

The governor said the gesture, which was a collective decision of the APC governors, was mostly out of humanitarian concerns and not necessarily to score cheap political gains.

“The gesture is part of the decision taken by the governors of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in their bid to alleviate the plight of the less privileged members of the society,” Sule explained.

CBN Urged to Provide Cash to Parties for Election Logistics Oyetubo, in a statement titled parties post more than one agent However. the senior lawyer his Wale Igbintade A Lagos-based legal practitioner, Mr. Tayo Oyetibo, SAN has asked the Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele ,to make needed new naira notes available to political parties for the forthcoming polls, just as he did for the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

‘Political Parties Need Cash Too’, wondered why CBN accepted that INEC needed for cash for its election logistics, and shut its eyes to the needs of the political parties for their own election logistics.

He stated that political parties required to post agents to each of the polling centres across the country, adding that some political

to a centre, and would need cash for their logistics.

The CBN had on Tuesday assured INEC of needed naira notes as required for the 2023 election.

The CBN governor gave the assurance in Abuja when he hosted the delegation from INEC led by its chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu.

statement said: “The news that the CBN has made cash available to the INEC for its election logistics is gratifying. The INEC chairman, Prof.

Mahmud Yakubu, was reported to have said during a visit to the CBN governor, that they needed cash rather than bank transfers to sort out many of their activities during the elections.

$125,850 Debt: Court Dismisses Suit against American Firm Wale Igbintade

A Lagos State High Court in Ikeja has dismissed a suit filed

by Virtual Century Technologies and its owner, Ubong AndrewEssien, demanding the sum of $125, 850 over alleged failed business transaction.

Justice L.A.M Folami in her judgement held that she

found no merit in the claimants’ demands for the sums of $27,350, $41,500 and $57,000, and thereby dismissed them accordingly.

The claimants had through their lawyer, Udom John Udom, in a suit marked LD/1692CMW2016, urged the court to compel the defendants, Resource Petrol and Petrochemicals Limited, Mr. Damon Lee and Mrs. Daunette

Chung Lee, to pay them the sum of $27,350 at the interest rate of 21 percent per annum from May 2009 till judgment, and thereafter at the interest rate of 11 percent until the full satisfaction of the judgment sum.

The claimants also prayed the Court for a judgment in the sum of US$41,500 at the interest rate of 21 percent per annum from

April 2015 till judgment and thereafter at the interest rate of 11 percent until full satisfaction of the judgment sum They also sought additional $57,000 at the interest rate of 21 percent per annum from June 2015 till judgment, and thereafter at the interest rate of 11 percent until full satisfaction of the judgment sum.

‘States Must Close Gaps on Ease of Doing Business in Nigeria’ Omon-Julius Onabu in Asaba

Participants at a stakeholders meeting in Delta State have harped on the need for collaborative effort among states in the country to close identifiable gags in the ease of doing business in Nigeria.

This is coming on the heels of assurances by the Chairman,

Delta State Investment Development Agency (DIDA), Mr. Paul Nmah, that the state government had drawn up strategies to improve the ease of doing business (EODB) in Delta pursuant to achieving the World Bank’s standards on EODB. These formed part of the issues of deliberation at an

engagement meeting on EODB with organised private sector and other stakeholders organised by DIDA in Asaba.

The DIDA chairman said that the agency was addressing the identified factors militating against business establishment and operations in the state, including power supply and multiple taxation exacerbated

by excessive drive for revenue by local governments, in a bid to improve EODB. Nmah said that DIDA, which is a brainchild of the Okowa administration, had attracted several industries to Delta to reduce overdependence on oil, adding, “We know all the issues and we are working hard to resolve them.”

Igbinedion Varsity Introduces New Programmes in Academic Curriculum With the addition of five new departments, Nigeria’s first licenced private university, the Igbinedion University, Okada, Edo State, has moved from 29 departments to 34, and from 38 programmes to 55 programmes.

This is the largest in any private university in

the country. Similarly, the university has moved from 19 post graduate programmes to 24 programmes.

These disclosures were made by the Vice Chancellor of the university, Prof. Lawrence Ikechukwu Ezemonye, while speaking to newsmen after the university’s 10th

Entrepreneurial Day, a programme designed to encourage productivity among the students of the university.

According to the VC, the new programmes were digital and technology-based programmes, in line with the mantra of the university to produce “futureready graduates.”

He said the programmes were with a view to affording the students the latitude for IT profiling and they include Bachelor of Science (B.Sc.) in Engineering, Mechatronics; B.Sc in Cybersecurity; BSc in Software Engineering; BSc in Environmental Engineering; and B.Sc in Pharmacology.

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FRIDAY FEBRUARY 24, 2023 ˾ T H I S D AY

WORLD OF ISLAM Resist Politicians Planning to Buy Votes, Clergy Warns Electorate More about Shaban You May Not Know

NEWS XTRA

Edited by: MJO Mustapha Email deji.mustapha@thisdaylive.com

Yinka Kolawole in Osogbo

As Nigerians prepare for next Saturday elections, the Lead Bishop of Worldwide Anglican Church (WAC) in Nigeria, Bishop Seun Adeoye, has called on the electorate to resist politicians who make attempt to buy their votes.

Adeoye, who is the World Bishops’ Council (WBC) spokesman in Africa, stated this in a statement he issued in Osogbo, the Osun State capital, yesterday.

He stated that going by the agonies Nigerians have been going through in the last few weeks over the shortage of new naira notes, it will be out of order

for anyone to possess such cash to buy votes during the polls.

According to him, “We were told that the new naira notes are unavailable for Nigerians because politicians have mopped up the cash printed by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

“So, our real enemies are those who removed from circulation the new naira notes and kept them out of the reach of the masses for the purpose of using same to buy votes on election day.

“If we see anyone sharing same new naira notes as inducements to buy votes, we should not hesitate to report them to security agencies.

Already, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has released telephone numbers you can call when you see such.

“Vote against any political party that makes attempt to bribe you. Some say take their money and vote against them, but I say reject it and vote against them because that money is blood money from wicked people.”

Bishop Adeoye advised Nigerians to troop out in large number on Saturday to vote for their candidates of their choice, calling on security agents to be alert to check those who planned to cause trouble.

Diri Hails FG on ADR Centre in Yenagoa Olusegun Samuel in Yenagoa

Bayelsa State Governor, Senator Douye Diri has commended the federal government over the siting of the Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) Centre under the Nigeria Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission in Yenagoa.

Diri, gave the commendation when a delegation of the commission led by an Executive Commissioner, Capt. John

CHANGE OF NAME I formerly known and addressed as MISS CINDY IJEOMA IKEAKA now wish to be known and addressed as MRS CINDY IJEOMA UNIGWE. All former documents remain valid. Embassies and the general public should please take note.

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CORRECTION OF NAME I ADIGUN OLUFUNMILAYO DORCAS, am the same person as ADETUNJI OLUFUNMILAYO AFUSAT and ADETUNJI FUNMILAYO DORCAS as it has been captured in some of my documents and bank details. Henceforth I am now bearing ADIGUN OLUFUNMILAYO DORCAS. All former documents remain valid.

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Tonlagha, paid him a courtesy visit in Government House, Yenagoa.

Diri, who said the gesture offers hope not only to the people of the state, but also to the entire Niger Delta, described it as a sign of good things to come.

According to him, “this has been the bone of contention between most Niger Delta states, which is principally on the relocation of head offices of oil companies to their areas of operation. I see what is happening today as a very good sign that our age-long dream may be achieved.

“Bringing the ADRC to Yenagoa is a sign of good things to come for the government and people of Bayelsa State. So let me on behalf of the state appreciate President Muhammadu Buhari

for approving Yenagoa for hosting of this important organ.”

The state’s helmsman also noted that by the singular act of the federal government, it had made access to justice more accessible to the people of the Niger Delta, which the people have been clamouring for.

“These disputes occur in Bayelsa and other Niger Delta states and not in Abuja or elsewhere and it will be punishment to ask people of the Niger Delta to move to Abuja or Lagos to resolve their issues with the oil companies.

That will be continued injustice to the people.”

Diri, however, lamented that the agitation of the Niger Delta people has not seen the light of day regarding the relocation of the headquarters of oil companies to their areas of operation.

By: Sadullah Khan/IslamiCity

S

ha’ban is the eighth month of the Islamic lunar calendar; the month that precedes Ramadan. The literal meaning of the word Shaban is something that is successively developing or uninterruptedly increasing. This is a month in which the Prophet incessantly fasted.

Many are Oblivious of the Value of this Month.

‘A’ishah, the wife of the Prophet (pbuh) said, “I never saw the Prophet fasting (voluntary) fast more in any other month than that of Shaban.

He used to fast throughout the month.” [AlBukhari]. When the Prophet was asked why fasted so much in Sha’ban; the Prophet replied; “There is a month between Rajab and Ramadan of which many people are neglectful; it is the month in which deeds are raised (for evaluation) to the Lord of the universe, and I love to be in a state of fasting when my deeds are taken up for evaluation.” [an-Nisa’i] From this hadith we learn that …

- the Prophet fasted consistently in Shaban.

The reason for that fast being that deeds are elevated for evaluation, and - the best condition to have one’s deeds evaluated in a state of fasting.

Here we keep in mind the words of the Prophet pertaining to the special nature of the ‘ibadah of siyam/fasting; “Every deed of a human being is for himself except fasting; it is for me and I will personally reward that”. [al-Bukhari] We also made to realize the importance of recognizing our accountability for our deeds...

Each of us need to reflect on the verse; “O You who proclaim Faith! Be sincerely dutiful to Allah, and carefully consider what you have sent forth for the morrow. Be sincerely conscious of Allah, for surely Allah is well-informed of all your deeds”. [Qur’an 59:18]

Appeal Court Overrules Ekwunife, Historical Events on the 15th of Declares Umeh as LP Senatorial Candidate Sha’ban: - The Qiblah or direction for salah was changed David-Chyddy Eleke in Awka

The Court of Appeal, Awka Division in Anambra State has overruled the senatorial candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Senator Uche Ekwunife, insisting that Senator Victor Umeh is a validly nominated candidate of the Labour Party (LP) for the zone.

Ekwunife had secured a judgement from the Federal High Court, Awka, presided over by Justice HC Nganjiwa, sacking Umeh as the candidate of LP. Ekwunife had contended that Umeh was still a member of All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) as at the time he was nominated as LP senatorial candidate.

Umeh had, however,

approached the Appeal Court, where the court declared him the candidate of the Labour Party.

Umeh submitted that he duly resigned from APGA, and that Ekwunife and the PDP, not being members of LP, had no business challenging his nomination.

Umeh also added that Ekwunife filed her case behind time, making it statute barred.

The court in its judgement, which was delivered yesterday morning, held that the suit which supposedly disqualified Umeh at the Federal High Court was statute barred and lacked locus.

Justice Olubunmi Oyewole, who read the judgement via zoom, allowed the two appeals by the Labour Party and Senator Umeh to stand.

DPKAY Group Donates Campaign Vehicles for Tinubu, Sanwo-Olu Ayodeji Ake

In support of the All Progressive Congress (APC) presidential candidate, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, and ahead of the reelection of Lagos State Governor Babajide SanwoOlu, the Chief Executive Officer of DPKAY International Group, Dele Akinola, has supported the movement with campaign vehicles.

Presenting the vehicles to the campaign committee in Lagos recently, he noted the support was birthed from the tremendous work the Lagos State government had done with the aid of mentorship from Tinubu, evidently developing the state into a business-friendly environment.

He said Sanwo-Olu, within the

space of four years, had touched every ministry, delivered the mandate he promised, and thus deserves a second term to continue his good work.

Akinola said the campaign vehicles, which include space buses and cars, would aid the easy movement of the campaign train.

Receiving the vehicles at the Sanwoolu/Tinubu Campaign office in GRA Ikeja by Chief of Staff & Sanwoolu Campaign Director, Tayo Ayinde, Cardinal James Odunbaku and other campaign directors, appreciated the gesture. They promised that his contribution to the victory of Tinubu/Shettima and Sanwoolu/ Hamazat would not go in vain.

from masjid-ul Aqsa (in Jerusalem) to the “Ka’bah” at Masjid-ul-Haram (in Makkah) two years after hijrah on the 15th of Shaban.

- There is tradition/hadith documented in the Sunan of ibn Majah and the Musnad of Imam Ahmed bin Hanbal, which is not of the highest degree of authenticity; in which an incident occurred on the 15th night of Shaban in the Prophet’s time while he was in Madinah. The Prophet’s wife, ‘Aishah narrates that she woke up in the middle of the night and found the Prophet away from home. She looked for him and found him at the graveyard and upon being questioned by her, he said that this the night that Allah forgives; hence the name Layla-tul Bara’ah (Night of Forgiveness). Though this incident is reported in a weak tradition; there are undoubtedly authentic ahadith that testify to the significance of Nisf Sha’ban.

Reference to Nisf Sha’ban in Authentic Narrations Let us reflect on one such authentic hadith regarding Nisf Sha’ban and consider the lessons we learn from it.

The companion Mu‘ath ibn Jabal narrated that the Prophet, (pbuh) said: “On the night of mid-Shaban, Allah looks at His creation and forgives all of them except for the polytheist and the quarrelsome or hateful person.” [AtTabrani] [Classed as sahih by foremost Salafi hadith scholar, Shaykh Nasiruddin Albani in his Silsilah Al-Sahahah] Three things we gather from authentic hadith regarding Nisf Shaban: - There is definitely a significance to the night as the Prophet particularly mentioned it. Little wonder that among the many great scholars who have emphasized the significance of Nisf Shaban include Imam al-Shafi’, Imam al-Awza’i, Imam Suyuti, Imam ibn Taymiyah (in his Majmoo’ al-Fatawa ibn Taymiyah and Iqtida’ al-sirat al-mustaqim) and Imam Nawawi.

- The second point to note is the forgiveness of Allah. We acknowledge the words of the Prophet, “All human beings commit wrong

and the best of those who sin are those who repent. [Tirmidhi]. We are thus reminded in the Qur’an…” Ask your Lord to forgive you your sins, and turn towards Him in repentance, for surely, my Lord is a Dispenser of Grace, Most Loving.” [Q 11:88-90] Therefore, let us all heed the promise and the invitation of the Divine... “O my Servants who have transgressed against their souls! Despair not of the Mercy of Allah, for Allah, forgives all sins: for He is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful. [Q 39:53] Besides asking forgiveness, let us also be forgiving; “If you pardon, reconcile and forgive; surely Allah is Most Forgiving, Most Merciful.”

[Qur’an 64:14] - The third point referred to in the hadith is the warning to neither be mushrik nor mushaHin. Shirk: We are reminded in surah Luqman, that “shirk is indeed a tremendous wrong” [Q 31:13] and we are further warned in surah an-Nisa’ that “Allah forgives all sins except shirk, for shirk is a most sinful forgery.” [Q 4:48] There are basically two categories of shirk: - Shirk-ul-Akbar /major shirk, which entails associating or equating anything in any way to Allah.

- Shirk-ul-Asghar /minor shirk. The Prophet said; “Of the fear I have the most fearful is that you will engage in shirk-ul-asghar.” He was asked what is shirk-ul-asghar, he replied “doing things for show”.[Musnad Ahmed] Ikhlas/sincerity is thus essential for any action.

As the Prophet said “Actions are judged by intentions”. Sincere intention thus supersedes any action, because there could be ostentation or ulterior motives in an outward action. The Prophet thus reminded us that, “Allah does not judge you by your physicality or your appearances; He rather looks at (the sincerity of) your heart and (the goodness of) your deeds. [Muslim] The Prophet also said; “Successful indeed are those who are sincere in faith, whose hearts are pure, whose tongues are truthful, who have inner contentment and whose character is upright.”[Musnad Ahmed] MushaHin: We are also warned in the hadith not to be of the mushaHin; that is, those who are excessively argumentative and hateful.

Allah says in the Qur’an . “Among people, there are those whose talks about affairs of the world may impress you, and they call Allah to witness what is in their hearts, yet they are severely argumentative. [Qur’an 2:204]. Prophet Muhammad thus warned, The most disliked of people on the estimation of Allah are those most argumentative. [Bukhari].

Reflect a Culture of Kind Consideration So let us avoid argumentation, harbor no hate and rather be more loving. Wise ones have said; “imbue yourselves with the qualities of Allah”.

The qualities of the Divine and those characteristics pleasing to the Divine are indeed the best qualities to imbibe and to nurture. Allah is al-Wadud / Most Loving and a believer should imbibe these qualities and manifest it at a human level. It is in this spirit that our beloved Prophet advised; The Prophet said, The peak of reasoning after accepting faith in the Divine is being affectionate towards people, and doing good to others, irrespective of their being pious or sinful. [Bayhaqi]

Take Heed of the Lessons of Shaban Our learned admonish us: Rajab has passed and Shaban has entered; successful are those who successfully prepared themselves with proximity to Allah in Rajab for Ramadan; but now that Shaban has entered, people are heedless/neglectful.

On the night of Nisf Shaban, leading to the special month of Ramadan; let us acknowledge that the right thing to do is always the best thing to do. Let us do all forms of good with the best of intentions; and avoid any form of evil in all of its dimensions. Realize that our deeds are evaluated and that we will be held accountable.

Let us not be argumentative and hateful, let us rather be loving and compassionate. In keeping with the name of Shaban, the ever increasing, May Allah increase us in goodness and heed the Prophetic advice (as documented by Tibrani); “Do not engage in any act unless it is good; do not say anything unless it is beneficial.”

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FRIDAY, FE ͺͼ˜ ͺ͸ͺͻ ˾ T H I S D AY

FRIDAYSPORTS

Group Sports Editor: Duro Ikhazuagbe Email: duro.ikhazuagbe@thisdaylive.com

0811 181 3083 SMS ONLY

Rio Ferdinand Insists Man Utd Need Osimhen to Become Title Contenders The Napoli star listed in UCL Team of the Round of 16

Duro Ikhazuagbe Former Manchester United centre-back, Rio Ferdinand, has said that the Red Devils can only become title contenders if they sign either Victor Osimhen or Harry Kane in the next summer transfer window.

The Nigerian and Napoli striker, Osimhen, scored in Napoli’s 2-0 victory at Eintracht Frankfurt on Tuesday night to take his total

goals tally so far this season to 20.

Ferdinand insisted that with Osimhen at just 24 years making such massive impact in Europe, he would rather prefer the Nigerian rather than going for Kane who is nearing his retirement at 29 years.

“I think if I was talking about investing and looking after my money, I’d probably go for Osimhen,” Ferdinand told BT Sport yesterday. “There’s resale value with his age at 24 years

old. It’s gonna be a huge outlay.”

However, the Reds legend did admit that he would be happy with either front-man arriving at Old Trafford, suggesting that they can transform Ten Hag’s side into title challengers.

Osimhen was named in both the UEFA Champions League Team of the Week and also Team of Round of 16 first-leg, yesterday.

Whoscored.com, football facts

and statistics website, named the red-hot Osimhen in the two lists yesterday and was dully announced on its social media handles.

He took his tally for the season to 20 in 24 games in all competitions for the Serie A leaders.

Osimhen alongside three of his Napoli teammates and Real Madrid’s quartet of Karim Benzema, Eder Militao, Vinicius

Junior and Luka Modric, all made the Team of the Week.

While for the Team of firstleg Round of 16, Osimhen was included with the same Madrid players and also three of his Napoli teammates.

Manchester United have been impressive in recent months and are the only side in England still competing on four fronts.

The Reds currently sit third in the Premier League table and face

Newcastle United in the Carabao Cup final on Sunday afternoon.

However, while Marcus Rashford has been in scintillating form – registering 24 goals and nine assists in 36 appearances – United‘s other forwards have struggled for goals this term.

French striker Anthony Martial has scored just six goals, while loan attacker Wout Weghorst has only found the back of the net on one occasion.

EUROPA LEAGUE Midtjylland 0-4 Sporting Monaco 2-3 Leverkusen Nantes 0-3 Juventus PSV 2-0 Sevilla Man Utd 2-1 Barcelona Rennes 1-0 Shakhtar Roma 2-0 Salzburg U’Berlin 3-1 Ajax CONFERENCE Anderlecht 2-1 Ludogorets CFR Cluj 0-0 Lazio (agg 0-1) Partizan 1-3 Sheriff Basel 2-0 Trabzonspor Angel di Maria scored all three goals as Juventus defeated Nantes 3-0 to reach the Round of 16 of the Europa League...last night

Sergio Ramos Di Maria’s Hat Trick Powers Retires from Spain Juventus into Europa Round of 16 Spain’s most capped player, Sergio Ramos, has announced his international retirement after being told by new coach Luis de la Fuente that he was not part of his plans.

The 36-year-old Paris St Germain defender, who won the World Cup in 2010 as well as two European Championships, has not played for Spain since March 2021, yet said he should have been given the chance to show he could still be of service to his country.

“The time has come, the time to say goodbye to our beloved and exciting national team,” Ramos, who captained Spain 52 times, said in a statement.

“This morning I received the call from the current coach who told me that he doesn’t and will not count on me, regardless of the level I can show or how I continue my sporting career.”

The Spanish FA (RFEF) confirmed to Reuters that the conversation between coach De

la Fuente and Ramos took place on Thursday, but provided no further details.

Ramos was dropped by former Spain coach Luis Enrique and had not made an appearance since coming on as a late substitute in a 3-1 win over Kosovo in a World Cup qualifier two years ago.

“Humbly, I think that my path deserved to end because of my personal decision or if my performance was not up to the level that our national team deserve, but not because of age or other reasons,” Ramos said.

“Being young or less young is not a virtue or a defect, it is only a temporary trait that is not necessarily related to performance or ability.

“I look with admiration and envy at (Luka) Modric, (Lionel) Messi, Pepe… the essence, tradition, values, meritocracy and justice in football.

“Unfortunately, it will not happen to me because football is not always fair and football is never only about football.”

Angel di Maria scored a hat-trick last night to give Juventus a comfortable 3-0 win at Nantes and take the Italian side into the last 16 of the Europa League.

After a 1-1 first-leg draw in Italy last week, Di Maria scored after five minutes with a brilliant curled shot into the top corner from 18 yards.

Nantes defender Nicolas Pallois was sent off for a 17th-minute handball and Di Maria converted the penalty.

The Argentine forward got his third with a header in the 78th minute.

Juventus dropped into the Europa League after finishing third in their Champions League group and will find out their next opponents in today's draw in Nyon, Switzerland at 11:00 GMT. They will play one of the sides that won their Europa League group, with Premier League leaders Arsenal one of their potential opponents.

The other teams they could face are Fenerbahce (Turkey),

Ferencvaros (Hungary), Feyenoord (Netherlands), Freiburg (Germany), Real Betis and Real Sociedad (both Spain) or Union Saint-Gilloise (Belgium).

Juventus are seventh in Serie A after being deducted 15 points following an investigation into

their past transfer dealings, so may need to win the Europa League if they are to be playing in next season's Champions League.

Nantes are 13th in France's Ligue 1 so unlikely to be in European competition in 2023-24, unless they win the French Cup.

Their hopes of winning this tie ended inside 20 minutes as they went two goals down and reduced to 10 men after Pallois' dismissal.

Juventus also hit the post twice, through Manuel Locatelli and Filip Kostic.

Edo Deputy Gov for FIFA Best Awards The Deputy Governor of Edo State, Rt. Hon. Philip Shaibu, will be one of the guests expected at the FIFA Best Football Awards scheduled to take place on February 27 in Paris, France.

Shaibu who made history as the only present or past deputy governor to play in the Nigerian Premier Football League (NPFL) with Bendel Insurance two seasons ago, remains the force behind the fly away performance of the Benin Arsenal this season.

The FIFA Awards is an event which FIFA uses to celebrate

the very best…coaches, players, fans and her corporate sponsors.

In the invite sent to Shaibu, the World soccer football governing body, FIFA, said: “It is our pleasure to invite you to the annual celebration of football’s greatest stars, the Best FIFA Football Awards, which will take place at Salle Pleyel in Paris on 27 February 2023.

“On this occasion, we honour the best players, coaches and fans who have enthralled us over the last season with their breathtaking skills and moments of high drama.”

FIFA hinted that this year’s ceremony will take on a special significance as it will be held in the wake of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022, “which gave us so many memories to cherish and proved that football is a truly global sport.”

The greatest names in football will be attending this show, which will crown the very best in yet another tremendous season. “We look forward to welcoming you to Paris for the 2022 edition of The Best FIFA Football Awards,” concludes the email.

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Price: N250

MISSILE NYSC Coordinator to Corps Members

“I will advise all those involved in the elections to ensure that they have what to eat. What I’m saying in essence is that people may use anything to drown you. You may be sleeping and other things would be taking place without your knowledge, so, please, ensure that you equip yourselves properly” –Bauchi State Coordinator of NYSC, Mrs. Rifkatu Yakubu, warning officiating Corps Members against any misdemeanour during the 2023 general elections.

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KASHIMIBRAHIM-IMAM Tinubu: The Man Meets The Moment GUEST COLUMNIST

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n all scores, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu eminently fits the bill for what Nigeria needs as its next president. He is inventive and hardworking, courageous and committed, steadfast and sagacious, firm and flexible, accommodating and empathetic, and lots more. He is not faultless, and no human being is. In any case, he is running to be a president and not to be a Pope. He may appear frail physically on account of a recent knee operation, but his mind is as fit as a fiddle. He is full of energy (as his punishing schedule on the campaign trail has shown), his intellect remains sharp, and his problem-solving skills are still top-notch.

Let me admit my bias upfront. He is my friend. We have been political associates for more than thirty years. On account of this association, I have had the privilege of seeing him up close, and I can testify that Tinubu is imbued with all the qualities that Nigeria needs at this critical juncture of its political and economic journey. He is a politician and more, the best positioned on account of executive and legislative as well as political experience to help forge the needed national consensus for national development. He is an astute manager of men and resources, in fact a magnet for talents, and thus the safest pair of hands for the present turbulent economic currents.

For local exigencies, Tinubu and I sometimes stood on different sides of the political divide. For example, at the SDP Convention in Jos in 1993, he was with Bashorun MKO Abiola, GCFR, and I was with Ambassador Babagana Kingibe, GCON. At the Jos convention I offered him and other supporters of Abiola the hotel rooms we had cornered in exchange for them to support Ambassador Kingibe. They didn’t have a place to stay but he declined, saying they were in Jos to work and not to sleep.

That’s vintage Tinubu for you. Once he is committed to a cause, even sleep can be sacrificed. Both of us later worked on the Abiola-Kingibe Hope ’93 Campaign, he in a more prominent capacity as he was a sitting senator then. By the way, the first political project we worked on was in supporting Professor Iyorchia Ayu to become the Senate President in 1992.

The outset of the Fourth Republic again saw us in different political parties as regional realities demanded, but we have remained close, and this is largely on account of his political astuteness. It will be hard to find a Nigerian that today matches the depth and breadth of Tinubu’s political and social network, north to south, east to west. He is the vintage bridge-builder. He is not only at home in all parts of the country, he is a leader who will make all Nigerians feel at home, and will deliberately increase their stakes and renew their hope in the country.

As a politician of close to 35 years’ experience, I have known and collaborated with some of Tinubu’s competitors too, and they surely have their qualities too. But all things considered, Tinubu towers head

Tinubu

and shoulders above even the closest in the field in terms of real accomplishment, temperament, understanding of and readiness for the urgent tasks at hand.

He occupied real executive powers in Lagos State, which is as complex and diverse as Nigeria is, and he did so at a time when the challenges are similar to Nigeria’s of today. His records and those of his successors speak for themselves.

But it may help to outline a few of them to illustrate why Tinubu is the right man for the job at this moment.

Yes, Lagos had been the administrative capital of Nigeria from 1914 to 1991 and still remains the commercial capital of our country. This status clearly gives Lagos some head-start over the other states in the country in terms of infrastructure, commercial activities and revenue potential. But the Lagos that Tinubu took over in 1999 was a city-state with visible signs of decay. Refuse clogged the space, most roads were ridden with potholes, public transportation of the Molue-era was a nightmare, inter-ethnic skirmishes were regular, Victoria Island was constantly flooded, and Lagos was grossly underperforming its revenue potential.

Yes, Lagos is still a work in progress, especially because of the daily influx of people not only from all corners of Nigeria but also from neighbouring countries into the state with the smallest landmass in Nigeria. But the difference between the Lagos of 1999, which many seem to have forgotten, and the Lagos of 2023 is like the difference between night and day. Refuse dumps are now a rarity in Lagos, and gardens and parks have sprouted from places that used to harbour criminals. Major and minor roads, bridges and flyovers have been constructed all over the state.

Molue has been retired and Lagos is one

of the few cities with BRT lanes and buses.

And with the newly-launched Blue Line of the Lagos Rail, a major headache of Lagosians is about to be addressed. These few examples alongside critical investments in education, health and security, did not happen by accident. They are products of Tinubu’s vision, capacity and guidance.

This is why it is not an exaggeration to call Tinubu the architect of the Modern Lagos, a fast changing but positively evolving megalopolis. Which of these can be denied: Is it his vision and role in the Lekki Seaport, in the Lekki Free Trade Zone (which houses the Dangote fertiliser plant and petrol refinery), the Lekki Airport, the Fourth Mainland Bridge or the Eko Atlantic City? These are all audacious and transformational interventions/projects that did not happen by accident or just simply because of the history or prior reputation of Lagos. They were part of a development masterplan, and arose from clear vision, deliberate planning and diligent execution of an outstanding leader and distinguished administrator.

Take Eko Atlantic City. Victoria Island was constantly at the mercy of perennial surges from the Atlantic Ocean. The sea had defied the tokenist interventions of previous administrations and even of the Federal Government. But with a masterstroke, Tinubu envisioned and coordinated an effort that not only pushed back the sea but also created a highly sought after real-estate this side of the globe. This is simply the stuff of genius!

Tinubu’s inventiveness is best appreciated in the financial realm. Yes, Lagos always had the potential to be more financially viable than others. But potential on paper and potential in reality are not the same things. It takes a lot of thinking and heavylifting to link the two. It is a known fact that when Tinubu took over Lagos in May 1999, the Internally Generated Revenue of the state was about N500m per month.

In a feat of financial wizardry, Tinubu increased Lagos’ IGR by more than 15 folds within a few years. Today, Lagos IGR is about 100 times what it used to be in 1999. This healthy IGR improved the resilience of the finances of Lagos and its economy. The healthy IGR ensured that Lagos survived a period when its local government funds were illegally seized by the Federal Government. It also contributed to the impressive growth of the GDP of Lagos, which according to World Bank data consistently outperformed that of the country. With about four-fifth of its revenue now coming from within, Lagos is one of a handful of states in Nigeria today that can survive without federal transfers or is already weaned off oil rents. It was not always like this. And the change didn’t happen by accident.

Nigeria is today at a financial space close to where Lagos used to be or worse. Nigeria collects the lowest revenue as a portion of GDP not only among its peers but also in Africa. The average tax-to-GDP rate in Africa

is around 18% but Nigeria’s is around 8%.

Without adequate revenue, Nigeria risks falling into a debt trap and being unable to meet its basic obligations to its people.

Nigeria needs a tested administrator and a creative thinker who has real-life experience in tackling the biggest challenge facing the country today. Nigeria needs the man with the Midas torch. Nigeria needs the Jagaban to replicate his feat in Lagos.

Apart from his innate abilities, Tinubu’s key strength is the capacity to surround himself with competent people. He is smart enough to know that he is as good as the people around him. He therefore actively shops for the brightest and the best around, he argues with them as they argue with him, and he gives them the space and the support to excel. Some of these accomplished administrators have been given bigger roles in national affairs and they include the likes of Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, Babatunde Raji Fashola and Ben Akabueze. Nigeria is in dire need of a leader who has proven track record in putting the strongest hands on the plough. Tinubu is that leader.

At this special hour, Nigeria also needs a detribalised and accommodating leader.

Tinubu relates with and invests in all Nigerians irrespective of how they worship or which part of the country they come from. It is a known fact that his wife, Senator Remi Tinubu, is not just a Christian but an ordained pastor of the Redeemed Christian Church of God. It is on record that he nominated a northern Christian, Babachir Lawal, to be the Secretary to the Government of the Federation—BD Lawal himself said so. His running on a same-faith ticket is not out of disdain for Christians but borne out of the same political pragmatism that made Abiola run on a same-faith ticket in 1993: as a southern Muslim, he is a minority from the south and his chances will be grossly diminished with running with a minority from the north. I can testify that Tinubu strongly believes there are many other ways of accommodating and indeed the need to accommodate the interests of the different diverse religious, ethnic, gender and generational groups of our country.

It is also not an accident that he got the strongest support from the north during the primaries of APC. He has been an active supporter of the north, a testament to his open-mindedness. He made his political platforms available to Alhaji Atiku Abubakar and Nuhu Ribadu to run for president in 2007 and 2011 respectfully. He contributed in no small measure to the victory of President Muhammadu Buhari at the fourth attempt in 2015. After eight years of President Buhari, a northerner, the honourable path for the north is to support power shift to the south. And there is no southerner in the presidential race deserving of that support more than someone who has also been a supporter of the north, who is a competent and safe pair of hands, and who is a strong believer in a united and strong Nigeria. He is no other person than Alhaji Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Jagaban Borgu.

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