WEDNESDAY 22TH MARCH 2023 by THISDAY Newspapers Ltd

Tinubu: Physical, Verbal Assault During the March 18 Governorship, States Assembly Elections, Unacceptable Calls for reconciliation, says ethnic slurs capable of creating needless mis-characterisation Atiku: your call for reconciliation smacks of hypocrisy Chuks Okocha and Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja

President-elect, Bola Tinubu, yesterday, condemned the physical and verbal assaults meted out to

voters in some states of the federation during last Saturday's governorship and Houses of Assembly elections.

Tinubu also called for reconciliation and healing with the elections over. But in a swift reaction, yesterday,

the presidential candidate of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, dismissed Tinubu’s call

for healing after a violent election Continued on page 10

Emeﬁele Apologises for Deluge of Online Transactions’ Failure... Page 6 Wednesday 22 March, 2023 Vol 28. No 10206. Price: N250

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Buhari: I’m Happy Nigerians Now Realise TheirVoting Power Says ‘I told voters to take money, vote according to their conscience’ Hints he's eager to retire home to tend his over 300 animals Remove fuel subsidy before leaving, US envoy advises president Deji Elumoye in Abuja President Muhammadu Buhari, yesterday, said he was unhappy that some candidates lost out in the just concluded general election,

but took solace in the fact that the people have now realised the power in their votes. The president, who described the election as evidence of voters’ vibrancy and maturity, said he

personally told voters at different instances to take money when given but vote their conscience, stressing that, given the chance of a free and fair election as well as non-interference in elections,

Nigerians had proven capable of deciding their leaders without prodding. Buhari, who hinted at some of his retirement considerations, said he planned to be a “big landlord” back

at home, working on his farms and tending his more than 300 animals, adding also that he was eager to leave office. But, this is as the outgoing United States Ambassador, Mary

Beth Leonard, has advised Buhari to remove fuel subsidy before leaving office, adding that there were a few more things he needed to do before Continued on page 10

Obi, Atiku,Two Others Want Tribunal toVoid Tinubu's Declaration as President-elect

Declare me winner of presidential election, Obi tells tribunal Says, Tinubu, Shettima not qualified to be on ballot Seeks president-elect’s disqualification on account of his US drug-related forfeitures Accuses INEC of suppressing votes in 18,088 polling units, refusal to present forms EC8A, EC8B in Rivers for inspection Story on page 10

POST MONETARY POLICY COMMITTEE MEETING MEDIA BRIEFING...

L-R: Deputy Governor, Operations, Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Adebisi Shonubi; Deputy Governor, Financial System Stability, Mrs. Aishah Ahmad; Governor, Mr. Godwin Emeﬁele; Deputy Governor, Corporate Services, Mr. Edward Adamu, and Deputy Governor, Economic Policy, Dr. Kingsley Obiora, at the post Monetary Policy Committee meeting media brieﬁng in Abuja ... yesterday

I Am Opposite of What You’re Saying About Me, Obi Replies Nnamani... Page 40

WEDNESDAY MARCH 22, 2023 •T H I S D AY

WEDNESDAY MARCH 22, 2023 • T H I S D AY

WEDNESDAY MARCH 22, 2023 •T H I S D AY

WEDNESDAY, ͺͺ˜ ͺ͸ͺͻ ˾ T H I S D AY

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

NEWS

BUHARI RECEIVES OUTGOING US AMBASSADOR... United States Ambassador to Nigeria, Mrs. Mary Beth Leonard (left), being presented with a gift by President Muhammadu Buhari, during a farewell audience for the outgoing US diplomat at the State PHOTO; SUNDAY AGHAEZE. House Abuja... yesterday

Buhari: My Govt Has Succeeded in Combating Terrorism, Armed Banditry, Kidnapping, Oil Theft, Others Inaugurates national counterterrorism centre UN's security council adopts over 40 counterterrorism resolutions since 2001 Deji Elumoyein Abuja President Muhammadu Buhari has declared that his government since coming to office eight years ago has succeeded in achieving milestones in area of national security. The milestones, he stated, included combating terrorism, armed banditry, kidnapping, separatist tendencies, crude oil theft as well as militancy in the South-South and cyber-security. The president spoke yesterday, in Abuja, while inaugurating the new Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) and National Counterterrorism Centre (NCTC), two state-of-the-art facilities to optimise efforts at addressing evolving security challenges in the country, especially terrorism and violent extremism.

According to him, the two world-class facilities, would serve as a major legacy to provide the incoming administration with infrastructure to effectively coordinate national security and counterterrorism efforts. Buhari used the forum to outline significant milestones achieved by his administration on National Security. On the threat of terrorism, which was labelled as a major security challenge facing the country when he assumed office in 2015, the president said: ''I can confidently state here today that we have achieved significant milestones in degrading the major threat and restoring normalcy to most of the hitherto securitized areas in the North East. ''These areas previously occupied

by terrorists have been freed and Internally Displaced Persons are voluntarily returning to their homes. ''This was largely achieved through the valiant efforts of our Armed Forces and other security agencies, in collaboration with our regional and international partners but above all, the support and cooperation of the Nigerian citizens.'' Apart from the degraded threat of terrorism in the North East, Buhari also expressed delight that government had curbed series of armed banditry and kidnapping cases in the North West and North Central zones. He noted that the criminal acts had emerged as a result of the scattering of Boko Haram in the North East and the implosion of Libya in the Maghreb.

On separatist agitations, the president noted that agitators in the South East and to a much lesser extent the South West, who have been experiencing concerns of separatist tendencies, were being checkmated. ''Meanwhile, issues of crude oil theft, sea robbery, piracy and militancy in the South-South are equally being addressed. ''Most of these threats have transnational linkages thereby reinforcing the need for regional and international cooperation as critical enablers to enhance our national security,'' he said. On maritime security, Buhari expressed delight that some key threats within Nigeria’s Maritime Environment such as piracy, sea robbery, crude oil theft as well as illegal unregulated and unreported

Monguno: Why NSA's Functions Are Expanded Kingsley Nwezeh in Abuja The National Security Adviser (NSA), Maj Gen Babagana Monguno (rtd) has said that the changing nature of the security landscape over the last three decades in the country and across the world necessitated the broadening of the mandate of the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) to accommodate the needs of emerging security threats. Monguno spoke at the commissioning of the new Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) and the National Counterterrorism Centre (NCTC) building complex in Abuja. The NSA said while ONSA’s core mandate is to assess the security concerns of the country and advise the president on all matters bordering on national security, the dynamic nature of global and domestic security environments has necessitated the modification and expansion of some of the functions of ONSA. “The Office, through the activities of key interagency intelligencesharing platforms such as the

intelligence community committee, joint intelligence board, general security appraisal committee and the cybercrime advisory council, assesses the security concerns of the country and advises the president on all matters bordering on national security", he said. However, the series of amendments incorporated in the Terrorism Prevention Act in 2011, 2013 and 2022 have broadened the counterterrorism responsibilities of ONSA,” he said. A statement issued by the office of NSA and signed by Head, Strategic Communication, Office of the National Security, Zakari Usman, said Monguno identified the establishment of the National Centre for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons to meet the regional and global requirements as well as Nigeria’s commitments to the control of small arms and light weapons, the cybersecurity coordination centre, the NCTC to coordinate Nigeria’s counterterrorism efforts and the upgrade of the Intelligence Fusion Centre (IFC) as some of the developments

that generated the need for larger, more secure and better-equipped facilities to centrally house all key departments in order to optimally discharge the functions of ONSA. “The new office for the National Counterterrorism Centre is designed to accommodate the additional workforce and improved technological capabilities of the Centre, particularly the Explosive Devices Analysis Office (EDAO), increasing

activities of the Countering Violent Extremism (CVE) department and the Joint Terrorism Analysis Branch,” Monguno said. The new ONSA and NCTC building complex boasts of office spaces, a world-class hall, conference rooms, team rooms, laboratories, an auditorium, and an operations/ crises centre. Continues online

fishing are being effectively tackled. According to him, between August 2018 and March 2023, over 220 vessels involved in maritime criminality within Nigeria’s Exclusive Economic Zone, up to the Republic of Togo, had been prosecuted. He commended the Falcon Eye maritime domain awareness project, domiciled with the Nigerian Navy and coordinated by ONSA, for providing high-quality real-time intelligence, leading to the arrest and prosecution of economic saboteurs. He added that over 87 oil tankers involved in various crude oil and product theft had been arrested; theft of over three million barrels of crude oil prevented and 15 million litres of petrol and diesel recovered. ''Recent commendations from the International Maritime Organisation, European Union and United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime to Nigeria on our efforts in reducing maritime criminality in the Gulf of Guinea and successful prosecution of pirates in the region are worth mentioning,'' he said. On cyber threats, the president underscored the importance of protecting Nigeria’s cyberspace from all forms of intrusion. To this end, he said in addition to receiving regular briefing from the Cybercrime Advisory Council, the government had established the Nigeria Computer Emergency Response Team and revised the National Cyber Security Policy and

Strategy in February 2021. ''To further complement these efforts, I will soon be endorsing the Presidential Order for the Designation and Protection of Critical National Information Infrastructure. “This is bearing in mind that cyberspace creates a nexus for synchronising efforts of our security and law enforcement agencies towards addressing numerous security challenges,'' he further stated. On the newly inaugurated top grade facilities, Buhari described the secure and hi-tech offices as a demonstration of his administration’s firm commitment to ensure national security capabilities are kept abreast with the highest global standards. He said the offices were designed to enhance strategic response to a broad range of current and emerging security concerns, noting that Nigeria exists in an interconnected world and therefore must be able to face and respond to both domestic and global security challenges. Congratulating the National Security Adviser, Major General Babagana Monguno (retired) and his team for this noble achievement, the president expressed confidence that the new facilities would in no small measure enhance the desired peaceful and secure environment for the country. Continues online

Senate Kicks as Buhari Rejects Bill Seeking Legislative Powers to Summon President, Govs Sunday Aborisade in Abuja The Senate yesterday, lamented President Muhammadu Buhari’s refusal to sign the constitution amendment bills especially the one which seeks to empower lawmakers to summon the president and governors. The President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan, while presiding over the plenary, said the rejected legislation was one of the 18 constitution alteration bill forwarded to Buhari by the National Assembly

for assent. Buhari had on Friday last week, assented to 16 out of 35 constitution alterations bills transmitted to him for assent by the National Assembly. The most striking of the assented 16 bills according to him, was the fifth alteration bill number six which makes provisions for financial independence of State Houses of Assembly and Judiciary. Others he added, were those that has to do with power devolutions in the areas of moving Railway services , Correctional Centres and power

generation and distribution , from the exclusive list to concurrent list . He however said that 19 bills that were not assented to, by the president would still be pursued vigorously by both Chambers of the National Assembly for that purpose. The first of such 19 bills not assented to by Buhari was the fifth alteration bill number 24, which sought for an Act to Alter the Second Schedule to the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999. The bill seeks to empower the National Assembly and State

Houses of Assembly to summon the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and Governors of States to answer questions on issues which the National and State Houses of Assembly have powers to make. Also alteration bill number 7 which sought for an Act to Alter the Provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 to compel persons to obey or comply with Legislative Summons, was refused assent by the president. Continues online

WEDNESDAY, ͺͺ˜ ͺ͸ͺͻ ˾ T H I S D AY

NEWS

90TH BIRTHDAY/THANKSGIVING SERVICE... L-R: The Bishop of Remo and the Archbishop of the Ecclesiastical Province of Lagos, The Rt Revd Micheal Olusina Fape; Bishop of Ijebu Anglican Diocese, Revd Dr Peter Rotimi Oludipe; Governor Dapo Abiodun; the celebrant and Chairman, Ogun State Governor's Elders Advisory Council, Chief Oluneye Okuboyejo and the Bishop of Ijebu South West, Anglican Communion, Rt. Revd Babatunde Ogunbanwo during the 90th birthday Thanksgiving service held at the Cathedral Church of our Saviour, Ijebu-Ode... yesterday

Emeﬁele Apologises for Deluge of Online Transactions’ Failure CBN to maintain monetary tightening amid inflation, proposed fuel Subsidy Removal Reiterates Nigeria’s banking industry resilience to external shocks Apex bank raises MPR to 18%, urges FG to boost non-oil revenue to cut fiscal deficit, debt burden eNaira transactions hit record N22bn, 13 million wallets, banks’ cash reserve deposits hit N14 trillion Disbursements under ABP now N1.09trn James Emejo in Abuja and Nume Ekeghe in Lagos The Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Mr. Godwin Emefiele, yesterday admitted challenges faced by bank customers following the limit on cash withdrawals and apologised for the deluge of online transaction failures in the country. Also, Emefiele said the apex bank would sustain the current monetary tightening regime following the continued rise in headline inflation which posed significant risks to the economy. The CBN governor said this just as the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) of the central bank, resolved to raise the Monetary Policy Rate (MPR) otherwise known as interest rate by 50 basis points to 18 per cent from 17.5 per cent. Additionally, Emefiele said the continued upward risk to price development around expectation for the removal of fuel subsidy as well as rising prices of other energy sources, continued exchange rate pressure and uncertain climatic conditions further justified the need to purse a moderate contractionary monetary policy. “I must apologise. Yes, online channels fail. But no doubt it is as a result of the deluge of online transactions that hit the banking industry. But it is being resolved. “On a daily basis, our Payment System Management Department monitor the online payment platforms so as to make sure that when there is a downtime, they are quickly resolved so that transactions can go on smoothly,” the CBN governor said. Addressing journalists at the end of the two-day meeting of the committee in Abuja, Emefiele, however, noted that the bank retained other monetary policy parameter including bank’s Cash Reserve Requirement (CRR) at a minimum of 32.5 per cent as well as the Liquidity Ratio (LR) at 30 per cent. The MPR is the rate at which the CBN lends to commercial banks and often determines the cost of borrowing in the economy. The CBN governor further explained that the decision to raise interest rate was taken to further rein in inflation. Emefiele said the Nigerian banking sector has had no contagion as a result of the recent banking failures in the United States and Switzerland. He said this was made possible by the prudential guidelines already put in place to ensure that financial institutions are able to ward-off any

such risk exposures. Emefiele said through the various prudential requirement in place, and to act as insulation from global shocks, banks’ cash reserve deposits had increased to a whopping N14 trillion. He also disclosed that the CBN Digital Currency, also known as eNaira had witnessed significant adoption as value of transactions currently stood at N22 billion with 13 million wallets created. The CBN boss also disclosed that total disbursement under the Achor Borrower’s Programme (ABP) stood at about N1.09 trillion to date. Emefiele, who read the committee’s communique noted new and existing headwinds to the broad stability of the global economy, particularly the risk of a global financial contagion from the recent bank failures in the United States and Switzerland. He added that the war between Russia and Ukraine had continued unabated, causing critical strains to the commodities and energy markets as supply chain bottlenecks remain, while the lingering risk of the resurgence of several variants of the Corona virus persists after China set aside its Zero-COVID policy. The CBN governor noted that the MPC meeting focused not only on the inflationary trends in most major economies, but also on the reported impact of policy rate hikes: aimed at rein-in inflation on financial system stability in the global financial system. He said, the committee, as a result discussed the recent bank failures in the US and Switzerland, an event that occurred following the persistent interest rate hikes in the US, and how this had adversely impacted the broad portfolio of banks in the US. The MPC noted that whereas the MPR was increased by 500 basis points in Nigeria, from 12.5 per cent in 2022 to 17.5 per cent in January 2023, the Financial Soundness Indicators (FSIs) in Nigeria shows that the Nigerian banking system remain resilient due largely the stringent prudential guidelines put in place by the CBN which has resulted in a strong build-up of not only the Cash Reserve Ratio (CRR) in Nigeria, but also the Liquidity Ratio and capital Adequacy Ratio. Emefiele said in the light of these strong FSIs, the committee was comforted that its various decisions in increasing MPR have had moderate impact on inflation, given that the rate appears to have plateaued in Nigeria. He said the MPC’s major

considerations at the meeting, therefore, focused on arriving at key policy mechanisms to shield the economy from emerging shocks from the global economy, as well as sustain its focus on domestic price stability. According to him, “Headline inflation, in the view of members, remained high with increased expectations of price development, due to the perennial scarcity of PMS and ongoing discourse around the removal of fuel subsidy. “With the prices of other energy products also rising, members stressed the importance of addressing price development. “The Committee also considered the continued impact of exchange rate pressure on domestic price levels and called for policies to attract both portfolio and foreign direct investment to Nigeria. “It maintained optimism that, the continued progress made with the RT200 FX programme, Naira4-dollar and other policies targeted at attracting diaspora remittances, would continue to help improve accretion to the external reserves and improve liquidity in the foreign exchange market.”

He said while output growth remains on a positive trajectory, members called for increased monetary and fiscal coordination to support the recovery in light of risks confronting the domestic economy. To this end, the committee enjoined the fiscal authority to explore other avenues to improve non-oil revenue to reduce the fiscal deficit and public debt burden. He said, “Following new risks of financial contagion emerging from the scenario of failed banks in some advanced economies, members examined the possibility of shocks to the Nigerian banking system from these banks and concluded that the Nigerian banking system remains reasonably insulated from such likely contagion. “The CBN has been able to achieve this through stringent micro and macro-prudential guidelines that have ensured that individual banks and the banking industry in Nigeria have adequate buffers to ward-off global contagion. In addition to this, the MPC examined the possible impact of further policy rate hikes on the stability of the banking system and was convinced that further hikes would

not adversely impact the stability of the banking system. “The Committee, however, called on the central bank’s management to strengthen its regulatory oversight on the banking system to ensure that the banking industry remain stable and resilient.” In arriving at a decision to raise the benchmark interest rate however, Emefiele noted that the continued rise in headline inflation remained a significant problem confronting the economy, other macroeconomic variables are moving in the right direction, despite observed headwinds. He said the committee’s debate, therefore, was whether to continue its rate hike to further dampen the rising inflation trajectory or hold to observe emerging development and allow for the impact of the last five rate hikes to permeate the economy. He said loosening, in the view of members, would gravely undermine the gains achieved so far. He said, “The MPC observed the continued upward risk to price development around expectations on the removal of the PMS subsidy; rising prices of other energy sources; continuing exchange rate pressure;

and uncertain climatic conditions. “These in the view of members, provides a compelling argument for an upward adjustment of the policy rate, albeit, less aggressively. ‘The Committee, however, noted that the naira redesign and cash withdrawal limit policies have resulted in a sizeable reduction in Currency-Outside-Banks, indicating an expected improvement in the potency of monetary policy tools. “Members, however, remained aware of the ongoing challenges associated with the limits imposed on cash withdrawals in the face of frequent downtime in bank electronic transaction channels. “The Committee thus called on Other Depository Corporations, online payment platforms, and other stakeholders to ensure that the prevailing incidence of network failures is overcome in the immediate and short term. “This would ensure that the naira redesign and cash withdrawal limit policies lead to an improved in-road of the CBN cashless programme and efficiency of the transmission mechanism of monetary policy. Continues online

Finally, FG Exempts Digital Economy Sector from 5% Excise Duty Pantami: More tax will negatively impact SMEs Oghenevwede Ohwovoriole in Abuja The federal government has finally excluded the digital economy sector from the contentious five per cent excise duty proposed earlier in the 2022 Finance Act. The federal government had earlier suspended the proposal pending the outcome of the recommendation of a presidential review committee on the five per cent excise duty on telecom equipment proposed by the Federal Ministry of Finance, Budget and National Planning. The Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Isa Pantami disclosed this yesterday, after receiving the report submitted by the Presidential Review Committee on Excise Duty in the digital economy sector.

At a session with journalists after the meeting, the minister said the president had approved the exemption of the digital economy sector from the five per cent excise duty tax. "I am glad to say and announce to Nigerians that his Excellency Mohammadu Buhari, the president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria has approved the exemption of the digital economy sector from the five per cent excise duty to be paid. And this is because of the argument presented to him that the implementation will increase the suffering of citizens. "And he strongly insisted that other sectors in our country are to be challenged to improve revenue generation for government not the sector that has already increased revenue generation by 594 per cent within only three years which is

unprecedented in the history of Nigeria." According to Pantami, the telecom sector was already over-burdened by taxes and levies, adding that presently, 41 categories of taxes, levies and charges are already in the digital economy sector; hence there is no justification for an additional excise. He stated: "There is no need for excise duty in the telecom sector because the industry is already heavily taxed up to 41 taxes. "The sector has been contributing hugely to Nigeria's economy; more tax burden destroys the industry." The minister further justified why the president had to exempt the digital economy sector from the five per cent tariff, saying, "this is the only sector where the prices of services have been

reduced," adding that "there is no justification for the government to impose more burden on its poor citizens." He stressed that many Micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) and Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) depend on the sector for survival. The minister further argued that increased taxation would take a toll on these businesses. He revealed: "To this end, on March 6, President Muhammadu Buhari approved the exemption of the digital economy sector on the 5 per cent excise duty because it would harm the Nigeria citizens." The Executive Vice Chairman (EVC), Nigerian Communications Commission, (NCC), Prof. Umar Danbatta, in his remarks reiterated the commission's commitment to improving the telecom industry.

WEDNESDAY MARCH 22, 2023 • T H I S D AY

WEDNESDAY, ͺͺ˜ ͺ͸ͺͻ ˾ T H I S D AY

NEWS

SANWO-OLU BACK TO WORK... L-R: Lagos State Deputy Governor, Dr. Obafemi Hamzat; Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu and Managing Director, Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority (LAMATA), Mrs. Abimbola Akinajo, during an inspection of the Red Line Rail at Yaba Terminal ... yesterday

IPAC Urges INEC to Declare Winner of Enugu Governorship Election Gideon Arinze in Enugu The Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC), Enugu State chapter has asked the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to, as a matter of urgency, declare a winner for the governorship election held in the state.

INEC had suspended the collation of results for the governorship election in Enugu State to allow it review results from two outstanding local governments areas of Nsukka and Nkanu East. Addressing newsmen yesterday, Enugu State chairman of IPAC, Edwin Ikechukwu, said any action

short of the announcement would be outside the law and could bring anarchy to an already fragile situation. He said the collation centre was not an election tribunal or the law court where redress would be sought, adding that the centre was only expected to accept results

as they come, collate and announce them, and ultimately declare the winner. He explained that after discharging his statutory responsibility of collating the results of all the 17 local government areas, including those of Nkanu East LGA and Nkanu East Local Government Areas,

Lawyers Want Ogun Guber Election Reviewed as Adebutu Leads Protest to INEC James Sowole in Abeokuta

A group of lawyers, under the aegis of Concerned Indigenes of Ogun State (CIOS) yesterday, gave the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) a six-day ultimatum to review the declaration of the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Dapo Abiodun as the winner of Saturday's election in the state. The group issued the ultimatum in an open petition to INEC, saying the declaration of Abiodun was against the requirements and provisions of the Electoral Act. The petition of the group coincided with the protest led by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Hon Ladi Adebutu, to the INEC Headquarters in Ogun State, over the declaration of Abiodun, as the winner of the poll. The protesters, marched from the PDP State Secretariat to submit a petition, demanding re-run elections at polling units where elections were cancelled on Saturday. The protesters who were chanting anti-INEC songs were armed with placards with inscriptions such as: "INEC should save our democracy", "INEC betrayed the people of Ogun", "Electoral fraud will not stand", INEC should respect people's wish", "INEC should stop being biased" and "Ogun election was inconclusive, INEC correct yourself", among others. But, the protesters were denied access into INEC by heavily armed security operatives comprising men of the Nigerian Army, the Police and the Nigeria Securiry and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC). Addressing journalists at the entrance of the INEC office, Adebutu insisted that, they would not leave until officials

of the electoral commission attend to them. Adebutu said the party had submitted several protest letters to the commission demanding the review of the results of the Saturday's election and re-run where elections were either cancelled or disrupted. He said, it was regrettable that security agencies were being used against the wish of the people, warning that the development could degenerate into another #Endsars protest. Adebutu said, "We are here to protest, but unfortunately we have been confronted by the Nigerian Army, shooting sporadically to the air, in the hope that they will disperse us, but we are resolute, we are going to stay here until we are addressed by officials of INEC. "Our contention is that the measures by which other states have been treated and they are allowed to have venoms, Ogun State should be measured in the same vein. "Adamawa had run-off, similarly, Kebbi had run-off, why is Ogun State being denied runoff? We are not particular about whatever interest is guiding this, we are only asking for our rights. "We have submitted several letters protesting this decision and we are asking that these gentlemen allow us access to INEC to submit an additional letter, but unfortunately we don't understand what is happening, rather than allow us access, they are shooting sporadically in the air in the hope of scaring us away and we are not going to be scared. “This is our fundamental human right ...a democratic process, please beg them we don't want another #Endsars, we don't want another bloodshed in Ogun State, please beg them for us. It is our right that we should protest and

exercise our right.” Also addressing journalists in Abeokuta, the coordinator of the lawyers' group, Femi Oniyide, alleged that, the election was fraught with violence, manipulation and irregularities. According to him, election results from 100 polling units in 14 local government areas of the state were either cancelled or election not held due to violence and malfunctioning of the Bimodal Voters Accreditation System (BVAS). He alleged that, "31,000 voters were disenfranchised due to violence, ballot box snatching and burning of ballot papers with non-use of BVAS." Oniyide said, the State Returning Officer, Prof. Kayode Adebowale, acted with impunity by not obeying the law guiding the declaration of a candidate as the winner of an election. He said he margin between the votes of the APC candidate and the voters disenfranchised, “through cancellation is so huge and should not have been overlooked by the presiding officer." He said, the Returning Officer should have declared the election inconclusive in line with Section 24 subsections 3, 4 and 5 of the Electoral Act, 2022. Oniyide said, "We demand by this open petition, that INEC should within six days from today, the 21st of March, 2023 review the ultra vires declaration and return of Professor Kayode Adebowale, the Returning Officer in the governorship election of Ogun State made on Sunday, the 19th of March, 2023 against the requirements and provisions of the Electoral Act, 2022. "This brazen act of impunity by the Returning Officer must not be allowed to stay. We must not let the present mantra in our election vocabulary of 'Go to

Court' become a revolving evil genie that may truncate our hard earned democracy. "Due process must be followed in that fairness and justice must be seen to be done on the part of INEC, before our people lose trust in our democracy. "We hereby plead with INEC not to allow politicians destroy our democracy and our judiciary. We cannot afford to put our judges at the brutish end of our election process.”

the remaining responsibility for the State Returning Officer was to announce results and declare the winner. "We call INEC’s attention to the case of the Presidential and National Assembly elections where its Chairman, Prof Yakub Mahmood, stood his ground, completed the collation process and announced the result despite all protest," he said. He said that it was surprising why the announcement of the final results and declaration of the winner in the Enugu governorship election, which is adjudged comparatively free, fair and credible should be placed on hold. "We are therefore urging the resident electoral commissioner in the state and the state returning officer to as a matter of urgency do the needful by announcing the result of governorship election without delay and declare the winner with immediate effect" he said. On issues relating to accreditation and votes cast in a polling unit and the fate of such votes where they exceed the number of accredited

voters in such units, the PDP said such are guided by Section 51(2) of the Act. “The position of the law is that a Returning Officer has no power to cancel any results at the stage of collation. The only option open to any person dissatisfied with the process is to resort to Section 130(1) of the Electoral Act, which vests the power to receive and adjudicate petitions complaining of an undue election or undue return in an election in the tribunal or court. “As a matter of fact, we are dissatisfied with the result from Nsukka Local Government Area. We are dissatisfied with the results from Udenu, Isi-Uzo, Ezeagu, and more. But is not for us to take the laws into our hands or indulge in self-help. That is why we are ready to go and interrogate those results at the appropriate quarters because we can no longer complain as the collation has been completed. “INEC cannot choose the ones you will collate to release the result and the ones you will collate and withhold the result”, the PDP emphasised.

Otti: Why Nobody Can Overturn My Lead in Abia Guber Election Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja The governorship candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in the March 18 governorship election in Abia state , Dr Alex Otti, yesterday insisted that with the margin he was leading in the poll, it’s not possible for anybody to overturn his victory. Otti , who highlighted attempts by the the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state to manipulate the numbers from Obingwa council to cancel his massive lead , spoke during a press conference in Abuja. The former top banker stressed that he already polled over 171,000 votes from 16 local governments so far declared by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) with his closest rival, Okey Ahiwe of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) trailing with about 80,000, wondering how the 90,000 lead will be overturned. Otti urged INEC not to accept any result that is not consistent with the information on the Bimodal Voter Authentication System (BVAS), alleging that the PDP had cooked

some figures from Obingwa. He said: “The votes, the Labour party has got out of the 16 local governments is over 171,000. That of PDP is less than 80,000. So how will you flip and dice it? “Even the number they have written that does not have the support of the law, cannot torpedo our victory. It is also important to say that we believe that INEC will do the right thing. “All the other local governments that have been declared used the BVAS machine for accreditation. It is our firm belief that INEC will not change the rules in the middle of the race. “We are calling on our people in the Labour Party and Abia people to remain calm and wait on INEC to review the result. “The other important thing is that we are also thanking INEC, like we have always said the BVAS is a game changer, particularly if there is the will to use it. What has happened this time around is that the BVAS has demystified Obingwa Local Government in Abia state.

“You will recall that in 2015, when I contested for the first time, it produced 82,000 votes from Obingwa to upturn the victory that Abia people gave us. This time around, they want to do the same thing but the BVAS has proved that there was no more than 30,000 votes. That was what we also proved in 2015 that led to our victory at the Court of Appeal.” He, therefore maintained that with the comfortable lead of the LP in the race, and the reality of under 30,000 registered voters in Obingwa, the figure cannot change the victory of the party in the election. Otti called on the people of Abia state to remain calm and assured them that INEC was reviewing the result from the Obingwa area. He also commended his co-contenders who had called to congratulate him on the 'victory', urging INEC to release the election result. According to him, only results from the BVAS as provided in section 47 of the electoral Act are acceptable, insisting that the electoral umpire must obey the law.

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Polls: US Condemns Violence, Voters’ Intimidation in Lagos, Kano, Others Mulls visa restriction, others for offenders Ugo Aliogo The United States has expressed displeasure over the disturbing acts of violent voters’ intimidation and suppression that took place during last Saturday’s polls in Lagos, Kano and other states. In a statement made available to THISDAY, it noted that members of the United States diplomatic mission observed

the elections in Lagos and elsewhere and witnessed some of the incidents of the electoral violence first-hand. The statement also noted that the use of ethnically charged rhetoric before, during, and after the gubernatorial election in Lagos was particularly concerning. The statement added: “We commend all Nigerian political actors, religious and community

leaders, youth, and citizens who have chosen to reject and speak out against such violence and inflammatory language, affirming Nigerians’ commitment to and respect for the democratic process.” The United States called on Nigerian authorities to hold accountable and bring to justice any individuals found to have ordered or carried out efforts to

intimidate voters and suppress voting during the election process. The statement noted that the United States likewise would consider all available actions, including additional visa restrictions, on individuals believed to be responsible for, or complicit in, undermining the democratic process in Nigeria. The statement added: “Following the February 25, national

elections, the United States joined other international observers in urging the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to improve voting processes and technical elements that experienced flaws in that voting round. “The March 18 elections appear to have had significant operational improvements, as polling stations generally opened

on time and most results were visible on an electronic viewing platform in a timely manner. “The United States renews its call for any challenges to election results to go through established legal processes, which must not be interfered with. We further call for Nigeria’s people to work together as they participate in and continue to strengthen the country’s vibrant democracy.”

OBI, ATIKU, TWO OTHERS WANT TRIBUNAL TO VOID TINUBU'S DECLARATION AS PRESIDENT-ELECT Alex Enumah in Abuja As the curtain falls on the time frame for filing of petitions against the outcome of the February 25 presidential election, the presidential candidates of Labour Party (LP), Mr. Peter Obi; Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Atiku Abubakar; Action Alliance (AA), Solomon Okangbuan; and Allied People's Movement (APM), Chichi Ojei, have filed for the nullification of the declaration of Bola Tinubu of All Progressives Congress (APC) as president-elect by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). AA’s petition was contained in suit number CA/PEPC/01/2023, while that of APM was CA/ PEPC/03/2023, and that of LP was marked CA/PEPC/04/2023. Atiku swelled the list with his petition filed on Tuesday in Abuja. Although details of the application by PDP Candidate were yet to be made available in the petition marked: /PEPC/05/2023, Atiku and his party had since faulted the entire process that led to the emergence of Tinubu as president-elect. Atiku's petition filed last night came exactly 21 days after INEC Chairman, Professor Mahmood Yakubu, declared Tinubu president-elect, saying his party scored majority of votes cast at the poll. Meanwhile, Obi, yesterday,

asked the Presidential Election Petition Court (PEPC) to declare him as the authentic winner of the February 25 presidential election. In the petition filed by his team of lawyers, including 13 Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SANs), among who are Dr. Livy Uzoukwu, Away Kalu, Onyechi Ikpeazu, Chief Sebastian Hon, and Jibrin Okutepa, Obi hinged his request on the grounds that he, and not Tinubu, scored majority of lawful votes cast at the presidential poll. Obi insisted that Tinubu and his vice president-elect, Kashim Shettima, ought not to be on the presidential ballot on the grounds that they were not lawfully nominated by their party. The INEC chairman had on March 1 declared Tinubu as the president-elect. In the results announced, Tinubu polled 8,794,726 votes to emerge victorious. Atiku, who came second, scored 6,984,520 votes, while Obi scored 6,101,533 votes. Dissatisfied with the action of the electoral umpire, Obi and his party approached the court to set aside the return of Tinubu as president-elect and declare him winner instead. The petition, marked: CA/ PEPC/03/2023 and filed by Uzoukwu, was predicated on three grounds, among which were that: Tinubu as at the time of the elec-

tion was not qualified to contest the election; the election of Tinubu was invalid by reason of corrupt practices or non-compliance with the provisions of the Electoral Act, 2022; and that Tinubu was not duly elected by majority of the lawful votes cast at the presidential election. While Obi and LP are the petitioners in the suit dated March 20, 2023, INEC, Tinubu, Shettima, and APC are First, Second, Third, and Fourth respondents, respectively. In the first ground of the petition, Obi and LP argued that the nomination of Shettima as vice president was done in violation of the law and as such should be disqualified. The LP presidential candidate’s petition read, "The petitioners aver that on July 14, 2022, the third respondent, contrary to the provisions of the Electoral Act 2022, whilst still being a senatorial candidate for Borno Central Constituency, knowingly allowed himself to be nominated as the vice presidential candidate to the second respondent on the platform of the fourth respondent and became the new candidate for the office of the vice president on that date (14 July 2022). "The petitioners shall rely on Form EC11A signed by the 3rf Respondent and the officials of the 4th Respondent on that same July 14, 2022.” According to the petitioners, as

at the time Shettima purportedly became a vice presidential candidate, he was still the nominated senatorial candidate of APC for the senatorial election for Borno Central Senatorial Constituency. The petition said, "It is also the petitioners’ case that a candidate, in this case the 3rd Respondent, shall not knowingly allow himself to be nominated in more than one constituency. "The petitioners shall contend at the trial that the purported sponsorship of the 2nd and 3rd Respondents by the 4th Respondent was rendered invalid by reason of the 3rd Respondent knowingly allowing himself to be nominated as the Vice Presidential Candidate whilst he was still a Senatorial Candidate for the Borno Central Constituency. "The petitioners shall further contend that for this reason, the votes purportedly recorded for the

2nd Respondent at the contested presidential election were/are wasted votes and ought to be disregarded". Besides, Obi and LP also insisted that Tinubu was "at the time of the election not qualified to contest for election to the office of President as he was fined the sum of $460,000.00 (Four-Hundred and Sixty Thousand United States Dollars) for an offence involving dishonesty, namely narcotics trafficking imposed by the United States District Court, Northern District of Illinois, Eastern Division, in Case No: 93C 4483.” Documents they intend to tender in proving their claim include; a) Verified Complaint for Forfeiture, submitted by Michael J. Shepard (United States Attorney) and signed by Marsha A. McClellan (Assistant United States Attorney); b) Stipulations and Compromise

irrespective of the circumstances of birth.” Tinubu noted that as former governor of Lagos State, he could attest to the strength of the country's diversity and togetherness. He stated, "As your president-elect, it is that spirit of inclusiveness we engendered in Lagos that I intend to bring into national governance so that together we can attain our full potential. “I will give priority to expanding the civic space and safeguarding citizens' freedom to exercise their rights within the bounds of the law." The president-elect stressed that elections were over and the people had voted to elect their governors and state legislators that would serve them for the next four years, saying the time for leadership and governance is now upon the elected representatives. He stressed that in a democracy, the majority would have their way, but added that the majority must not suppress the minority from having their say. Furthermore, Tinubu said as democrats, “they have to safeguard free expression,” adding that winners must be magnanimous and those who did not win should have a large heart for tolerance and respect for the greater interest of the nation. He stressed that as the elected, the only way to justify the trust and confidence of the people and the mandate entrusted in them was to commit themselves to the service of the people. The president-elect said he and his team must work diligently and sincerely to make life better for the masses, saying as elected officers, they have no other assignment than to be burden-bearers for the masses and ensure they have better life that they promised during the

campaigns. He said, "We must take urgent steps to unite the people; those who voted for us and those who did not. We must champion the healing process by embracing the opponents and their supporters. As I have stated previously, the time for à is gone. This is time for nation building, a task beyond one individual or a section of the society. We need every hand from wherever it may come to be on deck." Meanwhile, responding to Tinubu’s statement, Atiku dismissed the former Lagos State governor’s call for healing after a violent election as the height of hypocrisy. The former vice president, however, commended the United States government for condemning the violent and ethnically charged election in Lagos State. Atiku’s Special Assistant on Public Communication, Mr. Phrank Shaibu, in a statement, described Tinubu’s statement as an after-thought and hypocritical garbage. He said it was curious that Tinubu was talking about reconciliation after his minions attacked Igbo voters in Lagos in order to give his party, the All Progressives Congress (APC), advantage during the governorship election. Shaibu said Tinubu had continued to protect transport hooligans, politicians and even traditional leaders in Lagos who were seen on video threatening non-indigenes. He said, “Tinubu’s latest statement is laced with hypocrisy and lies. For a whole month, traditional leaders, transport hooligans and politicians in his camp threatened non-indigenes but Tinubu kept mute. “His lackey, MC Oluomo, who is a member of his Presidential Campaign Council, was seen on video threatening Igbo people but

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BUHARI: I’M HAPPY NIGERIANS NOW REALISE THEIR VOTING POWER leaving office. Buhari, who spoke yesterday at a farewell meeting with Leonard at the State House in Abuja, expressed satisfaction with remarkable passion towards democracy exhibited by Nigerians through the choices they made in the presidential, national assembly, governorship and state houses of assembly elections, adding that Nigeria’s democracy has truly matured.

According to him: “People are realising their power. Given the chance of a free and fair vote, nobody can tell them what to do. I am unhappy that some candidates lost in the election. But I am inspired by the fact that voters were able to make their own decision, to decide who won and who lost. “With the currency change, there was no money to spread around but even then, I told voters to take the

TINUBU: PHYSICAL, VERBAL ASSAULT DURING THE MARCH 18 GOVERNORSHIP, STATES ASSEMBLY ELECTIONS, UNACCEPTABLE as the height of hypocrisy. Tinubu, in a statement he personally signed, yesterday, expressed sadness about the reported infractions during the elections and its aftermath in some states. The president-elect said, in the statement titled, “Elections Are Over: Healing Process Must Begin,” noted that election was pivotal to the growth and sustenance of democracy and democratic governance at the state level. He added that consolidating democratic governance at the sub-national level would bring more development and improved quality of life to the masses. According to him, “The more we entrench and consolidate the gains of our democratic venture across the length and breadth of our country, the more our people benefit in terms of dividends of democracy and good governance.” Tinubu added, "However, I’m saddened by the reported isolated infractions during the elections and its aftermath in some states. I strongly condemn it. Also, the report of arson after the announcement of governorship results in one state did not represent who we truly are: peace-loving people. "The physical and verbal assaults committed are unacceptable and antithetical to democratic ethos. "Elections should be a celebration of our maturing democracy and freedom of choice and ought not to be moments of grief. I am particularly pained by cases of ethnic slurs, which are capable of creating needless mis-characterisation reported in some locations." The president elect appealed to all Nigerians to rise above individual differences, “which, in reality, are fewer than the valued strings that bind the nation together as a people

Settlement of Claims to the Funds held by Heritage Bank and CitiBank; and c) Decree of Forfeiture as to Funds held by First Heritage Bank, signed by United States District Judge, John A. Nordberg. "The petitioners shall contend that by reason of the said disqualification of the 2nd and 3rd Respondents, the votes purportedly recorded for the 2nd Respondent in the election were/are wasted and invalid; and that the 1st Petitioner who from the correct result of the election obtained the highest number of lawful votes cast in the election and met the constitutional requirements to be declared and returned as the winner of the election, ought to be declared as the winner of the Presidential election held on February 25, 2023."

Tinubu said nothing. His campaign spokesmen, Bayo Onanuga and Femi Fani-Kayode, went on social media to warn Igbo people against exercising their franchise but Tinubu looked the other way. “Traditional rulers imposed curfews and went about slaughtering goats and placing them in front of polling units but Tinubu said nothing. “A traditional leader and council chairman in Gbara community, Eti Osa local government, summoned non-indigenes to a meeting where they threatened non-indigenes with eviction if they failed to vote for the APC but Tinubu said nothing. “Those invited by the police ignored invitations because Tinubu is shielding them. “On the day of election, many people who looked Igbo were beaten and prevented from voting, but Tinubu kept mute. Now that his party has stolen the election, he has found his voice and is preaching reconciliation. He should tell that to the marines. ‘If Tinubu is serious, he should ensure that all those found culpable are arrested and prosecuted. But we know he cannot do this because he is their godfather.” Shaibu also described the statement by the US Embassy in Nigeria condemning the violence meted out to the Igbo as a welcome development. He, however, said the US ought to have gone further by mentioning the names of those found culpable and exposing the identities of those it would hit with visa restrictions. Atiku’s aide added, “We commend the US and the EU governments for condemning the violence and intimidation that marred the governorship election especially in Lagos where Tinubu’s henchmen

held the state to ransom. “But the US knows the identities of the perpetrators of violence and ought to have mentioned their names. MC Oluomo is an American citizen. The US must also go further by mentioning the names of others, including the traditional rulers in Lagos who were complicit. “The US has in the past openly condemned Vladmir Putin of Russia and others found wanting in other countries. This is not the time for political correctness. Those who will be slammed with visa bans should be named and shamed.” Shaibu maintained that there could be no reconciliation without restitution. He said anything short of this would not heal any wounds. Atiku’s aide further argued that Tinubu had shown from his electioneering that he had no plan to unite Nigeria but was only after one thing – power and the resources of Nigeria. He said, “Tinubu is only after power. Before he took over power, Lagos was known for its urbane and accommodating nature. The late Nnamdi Azikiwe built his political base and business empire in Lagos. “Mbonu Ojike, born in Imo State, was the Deputy Mayor of Lagos in 1951. Many others from around the country and beyond built businesses and political careers in Lagos unmolested. “But on Bola Tinubu’s watch, Lagos has become an intolerant state where non-indigenes are openly beaten on election day and threatened with eviction if they don’t vote for his party. Now he seeks reconciliation? What a joke! “There will be no reconciliation until MC Oluomo and all his minions who took part in issuing threats and brutalising people are diligently prosecuted.”

money and vote according to their consciences,” adding that he was completely satisfied with his own role in the election process, staying above it, without meddlesomeness or any form of interference. He commended the outgoing US ambassador for the enormous achievements recorded in the NigeriaUS relations in the three and a half years that she had been here. The president chronicled a number of challenges faced by Nigeria as the country strived to unite her diverse communities and achieve national development, while expressing his appreciation for the way the United States was able to hold together as a nation. He therefore, expressed the hope that Nigeria would continue to make progress in building a nation out of our different and competitive communities, saying he enjoyed working with the ambassador and wished that she had more time to serve in the country. Answering a question posed by Leonard, Buhari said he planned to be a “big landlord” back at home, working his farms and tending his more than 300 animals. “I am eager to go,” said the President. Earlier, the US envoy said she was happy with the progress made in the Nigeria-US relations in the past three and a half years, specifically citing the recent institution of a five-year visa regime between the two countries. She cited other instances to include active collaboration in security and the supply of military hardware as well as war planes and the soon-to-come fighter helicopters, and the cooperation in the health sector to fight HIV and Covid response, giving more assurances that US would continue to assist in the strengthening of Nigeria’s health sector. She expressed her gratitude and that of the US government in the continuing role of the president in ensuring regional security and strengthening of democracy as a system of government, citing his strong response against the recent surge in coups-d’état in West Africa as worthy of commendation. Leonard, however, hoped that even as he was preparing to leave office, there were still a few more things the president could do, among which she mentioned, the urgent need to remove fuel subsidy.

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MIDWEEKPOLITICS

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

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Will PDP Ever Get its Groove Back?

With the outcome of the 2023 general election showing the erstwhile ruling Peoples Democratic Party once again failing to regain its former status as the country’s leading party, Emameh Gabriel, looks at the prospect of what was once Africa’s largest political party

Atiku

Ayu

Wike

ormer National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Chief Vincent Ogbulafor, once asserted that he foresee the PDP staying in power for sixty years but that was before the tumultuous reign of President Goodluck Jonathan that precipitated massive defection from the party and witnessed a merger of various political parties and factions in a determined pact to ouster the then ruling party. The effort paid off and in February 2015 general elections, the product of that merger, the All Progressives Congress (APC) succeeded in toppling the party. This would later be the beginning to what today looks like an end of an era for the once formidable party that wielded power in over 30 states across the federation. Since then, the party’s fortune has continued to dwindle even to this day. When the PDP began as a political party with the lifting of the ban on political parties with the death of General Sani Abacha in June 1998, which saw a conglomeration of notable political personalities coming together, starting with the G-18 and later the G-34 with names such as Chief Alex Ekwueme, Alhaji Abubakar Rimi, Chief Audu Ogbe, Chief Sunday Awoniyi, Alhaji Adamu Ciroma, Alhaji Lawal Kaita, Alhaji Sule Lamido, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, Chief Solomon Lar, Iro Alhaji Abubakar, and Alhaji Dan Musa. Others were Professor Ango Abdullahi, Alhaji Tanko Yakasai, Ambassador Aminu Wali, Ambassador Yahaya Kwande, Professor Jibril Aminu, Professor Iya Abubakar, Alhaji Bello Kirfi, Chief Barnabas Gemade, Dr Iyochia Ayu, Chief Tom Ikimi, Alhaji Isiyaku Ibrahim, Senator Walid Jibril, Dr. Garba Nadama, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur, Senator Olusola Saraki, Alhaji Sani Zangon Daura, Chief Anthony Anenih, Chief Bola Ige, Chief Jim Nwobodo, Professor Jerry Gana and Colonel Ahmadu Ali (rtd). The fine array of gladiators and ideologues was an indicator of its auspicious beginning and the party did not disappoaint as it went about the gigantic task of reforming a society and economy severely battered by decades of military misrule coupled with a number of coup d’etat that dominated part of that era. Among the achievements of the party in its formative years include: its deregulation and privatization drive, establishment of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Crimes Commission (ICPC). In its heydays, the party under the leadership of Olusegun Obasanjo had a near iron grip on the nation’s political life, particularly after the 2003 general elections when it trounced the then Alliance for Democracy (AD) in its Southwest stronghold with only Lagos State surviving the onslaught. The PDP began its domination in the nation’s political turf with 21 states in the 1999 governorship election and after winning the presidential election that year. The party won in all the six states in the South-South, five states in the South-East geopolitical zones and 10 in the Northern states. The APP won in nine states including Zamfara, Yobe, Sokoto, Kwara, Kogi, Kebbi,

Secondus

who did not agree with them. Others (political parties) were attracting new members, they were driving away members. The party (PDP) lacked internal democracy. “Yar’Adua came and called me and others. We went round and brought back aggrieved members. Yar’Adua died and we didn’t conclude that assignment.” The former Vice President further stressed that there was a need for the party to go back to its root to pick up itself in the face of the challenges it has been confronted with. “I am happy that out of the debacle of 2015, there is need for introspection to find out where we went wrong and how to right the wrongs,” Ekwueme had said then.

Jigawa, Gombe, and Borno with AD winning only in the South-West geopolitical zone including Osun, Oyo, Ondo, Ekiti, Ogun, and Lagos states. In the 2003 poll, the party retained power in the centre and went on to increased the number of states under its control to 28 states during the 2003 governorship election, though the party later lost Anambra to APGA through a court process. At this time, AD only won Lagos State. They lost other states in the southwest zone before the party later metamorphosed into Action Congress (AC). The APP which would later change identity to ANPP won seven states, including Borno, Jigawa, Kano, Kebbi, Sokoto, Yobe and Zamfara. Between 2007 and 2011, the number rose to 31 states. As of May 30, 2007, the PDP had 31 states under its control namely Abia, Adamawa, Anambra, Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Benue, Cross River, Delta, Ebonyi, Edo, Ekiti, Enugu, Gombe, Imo, Jigawa, Kaduna, Katsina, Kebbi, Kogi, Kwara, Nasarawa, Niger, Ogun, Ondo, Osun, Oyo, Plateau, Rivers, Sokoto, Taraba and

Zamfara. While the defunct All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) had Yobe, Kano, Bauchi, and Borno states, the defunct Action Congress (AC) had only Lagos. While the PDP basked in the euphoria of its reign in the 16 years, internal sabotage and crises sparked by lack of internal democracy ensued. This would become the party’s undoing in its later years before it fell in the hands of the current rulling party in 2015. The PDP has since then, remained almost a shadow of itself. A founding father of the party and former Vice-President, late Dr. Alex Ekwueme, said PDP was formed as a “mass movement” but along the way, it was hijacked by selfish interests. The elder statesman noted that those who hijacked the party were not founding members. Ekwueme in his last days on earth, lamented that PDP’s fall was caused by its failure to sustain mass movement ideal of the party. He also cited lack of internal democracy in the party, particularly in the build-up to the 2015 elections. He said: “We found it difficult to manage the party as a mass movement; unfortunately, some people who did not know how the party was formed, turned it into a personal estate. “They wanted to use my state, Anambra, to do re-registration, to exclude some people

On the eve of every general election cycle since its fall from grace, the PDP has had to grapple hard to hold its tent together. After the 2023 presidential primary, the party was unable to recover and heal in time for the general election proper amid accusations of double dealing, marginalization and injustice, particularly in the light of the wider agitation for Igbo presidency and of zoning the presidency to the South, after two terms of eight years in the North under incumbent President Muhammadu Buhari

Difﬁculties of Being in Opposition Since the PDP lost power in 2015 to a merger coalition consisting of the ANPP, ACN, CPC, a faction of APGA and the PDP under the banner of the APC, it seems to have been unable to regain its balance, and play the role of a proper opposition party, united and checkmating the every excesses of the ruling party. It has seen one crisis after another as factions vie for control of the party structures, especially in the shadows of the intractable zoning, the so - called gentleman agreement that has underlined Nigeria’s democratic equation since the inception of the Fourth republic. From the leadership struggle that forced former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and the seven governors of Adamawa, Kwara, Sokoto, Jigawa, Kano, Rivers and Niger States to stage a walkout at the party’s national convention held in Abuja in 2013 to the battle between Ali Modi Sheriff and Senator Ahmed Makarfi, to the antagonism between Governor Nyesome Wike and Uche Secondus, down to the rift between Ayorchia Ayu, Atiku and the G5 governors that marred the party’s 2023 general elections preparations. All the above have taken place amid strenuous and sometimes desperate efforts to engineer peace and stability in the party culminating in the setting up of a plethora of committees such as the PDP post 2015 election review committee also known as the Ekweremadu panel, the 2016 Dickson/ Mantu led reconciliation committee, the Jerry Gana led strategy review and inter party affairs committee, the 2017 Dankwanbo/ Wike reconciliation committee, the Seriake Dickson standing committee on reconciliation, the Bala Mohammed-led post 2019 election committee, the Saraki-led national reconciliation and strategy committee, the Ugwuanyi-led zoning committee, the Samuel Ortom-led zoning committee, among many others commissioned to micro-manage intermittent crisis at the state level. As former National Secretary of the party, Prof Wale Oladipo, once said: “There is no hiding the fact that the PDP has been passing through troubled times. Since the last election that our candidate, President Goodluck Jonathan conceded, our party has had to chart a path that is not familiar with us.” NOTE: Interested readers should continue in the online edition on www.thisdaylive.com

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FEATURES

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

How Olam Agri is Promoting Sustainable Practices in Baking Industry As environmental sustainability increasingly becomes an urgency for businesses, Precious Ugwuzor reports that investment in research that are capable of yielding sustainable solutions to environmental challenges, as well as diminishing natural resources, are critical levers of growth. Through focused Corporate Social Sustainability, CSS, efforts Olam Agri is leading the charge for the baking industry in Nigeria to prosper sustainably by deploying gasifiers in local bakeries in place of the more expensive diesel generators

A bakery staﬀ at work

A baker in a Lagos bakery

ider women empowerment and a deeper environmental sustainability drive are critical to achieving prosperity. This approach creates prosperity in the present while preserving the future of the unborn generation. Hence, equipping women to enhance their productivity level, investing in curiosity-driven research to fast track the pivot to renewable energy has become an important socioeconomic focus across the world. Nigeria is also beginning to take the focus seriously. The World Bank Gender Equality Index in 2020 revealed that Nigeria still has a lot of ground to cover to achieve gender equity. Ranked 27th out of 53 nations surveyed on the index, the foregoing assertion about the country can hardly be disputed. Interestingly, Nigerian women are enterprising, industrious, and creative. They keep stamping these impressive values on key segments of the economy. According to PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), a global professional services firm, 41 per cent of micro-businesses operating in the country are owned by women. Considering the gender's strong entrepreneurial drive, it is believed that by providing the population segment sufficient support in terms of funding, skill development and exposure to useful growth practices, their output would expand greatly. Regarding environmental sustainability, issues arising from environmental degradation because of higher carbon emissions and ineffective management of waste released from the production circles are generating hot discourses. Failure to manage these sustainability issues could mortgage the future. This is why Abdullahi Mohammed Evuti from the Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Abuja, in an academic presentation, subtly advised the Federal Government to focus on formulating policies that would ensure a balance between ‘'economic development and the sustainability of its environmental resources." Private businesses such as Olam Agri in Nigeria, are rising to support the government’s effort in tackling the twin issues of women empowerment and environmental sustainability. The business is driving the attainment of the Federal Government’s top economic development agenda through the Seeds for The Future Foundation (SFTF), its corporate social investment (CSI) vehicle. The CSI vehicle is focused on supporting farmers and farming communities, enabling wider education & skill development for young people, upskilling women bakers, promoting health & nutrition, and reducing carbon emissions in business operations. To provide support for women, the agribusiness launched the Crown Flour Angels (CFA) initiative in 2021. The CFA initiative equips local women with baking skills to enhance their earnings while enabling them to contribute meaningfully to their community and the national economy. By 2022, the business scaled the women

A female baker working in a bakery empowerment initiative to train and provide baking tools for 250 International Cake Exploration Societé (ICES) women in Lagos. The trainees were further certified by the National Business & Technical Examinations Board (NABTEB) to enable them to find deeper relevance in the industry. As a follow-up to the successful training of the ICES women training, Olam Agri launched a baking academy early in 2023, in the country’s largest city, Kano. The academy is currently helping women in that region to build and learn baking skills. These learning engagements are expected to yield good incomes for the women’s households when put to commercial use. It is a fine way to deepen women's empowerment. Olam Agri in Nigeria consistently matches strategic focus with suitable implementation actions. To fast-track, the achievement of reduced carbon emissions across business operations, one of the major pillars of the Olam Agri SFTF, the business continues to invest in research. Its research activities focus on delivering innovation capable of reducing carbon footprint and encouraging a cleaner, greener

Nigeria. It recently developed an industry innovation targeted at utilising agri-waste to produce a heat source useful for bakery operations. The innovation which is called ‘the Gasifier’, is a Palm Kernel oven which utilises palm kernel waste i.e., palm kernel shells to produce heat that powers bakery ovens. This innovative biofuel provides a cleaner, greener environment. What is the smart thinking behind this innovative sustainability and production approach? The palm oil industry is seeing a surge in production activities due to the growth in demand for palm oil derivative foods, beverages, cosmetics, and personal care products. The derivative production processes create solid waste begging for innovative utilization. A report compiled by Energy Procedia, from a research work carried out in Indonesia established further that palm kernel biofuel improves public health status by decreasing the level of pollution in the air. It reduces the level of solid waste lying around. It reduces the cost of energy by cutting the rate of dependence on the more expensive and scarce fossil fuels. It also reduces the depletion of natural resource as well as mitigate climate change. With those environmental, climatic, public health and cost advantages in view, Olam Agri's palm kernel-fired oven or ‘the gasifier’ as it is popularly known is an exciting innovation.

The CSI vehicle is focused on supporting farmers and farming communities, enabling wider education & skill development for young people, upskilling women bakers, promoting health & nutrition, and reducing carbon emissions in business operations

Speaking about the innovative palm kernel-fired oven, Ashish Pande, Country Head, of Olam Agri in Nigeria, said, “We are committed to supporting the country's sustainability drive to tackle climate change. As an innovation-driven organisation, we are utilizing agri-waste to produce combustible gas that fires bakery ovens and cuts reliance on expensive, environmentally unfriendly diesel fuel. This innovation utilizes the amply available palm kernel shells to produce a form of renewable energy that aids bakery operations." “We have completed the trial of the innovative palm kernel shell-fired ovens in five local bakeries. The owners of the bakeries are realizing the significant cost advantage attached to using the ovens and are glad to continue with them in place of the more expensive options.” Bolaji Anifowose, Vice President of Olam Agri in Nigeria, explained that the innovative bakery solution is practical and cost-effective. He said, “Rather than importing the technology from elsewhere, the solution is developed locally thereby conserving FOREX. Also on estimates, the palm kernel fired oven reduces cost significantly by over 75 per cent and decarbonises baking operation”. The innovative palm kernel-fired oven represents a profitability stimulus for bakers. The bakers under the aegis of the Premium Bread Makers Association of Nigeria (PBAN) have been lamenting the hike in diesel price from N260 to about N850 lately. They said the hike sent the cost of bread production to an unbearable level, such that many of their members are having to shut down operations. Sumervant Singh – Vice President – Technical at Olam Agri added that "the shift from fossil fuels to innovative and sustainable energy sources for baking ovens is not just a matter of economic and environmental sense, but also a step towards securing a healthier future for our planet and generations to come,”. Considering the cost advantage attached to using palm kernel-fired ovens instead of a diesel-powered generator, in a market plagued by an epileptic power supply, the bakers can look forward to getting back to their profitability level. Nigeria can also look forward to a greener future driven by innovation, thanks to Olam Agri in Nigeria. Olam Agri is a leading agribusiness, transforming food, feed and fibre with a global origination footprint, processing capabilities and deep understanding of market needs built over 33 years. With a strong presence in high-growth emerging markets and products across grains & oilseeds, animal feed & protein, rice, edible oils, specialty grains & seeds, cotton, wood products, rubber and commodity financial services, Olam Agri is at the heart of global food and agri-trade flows with approximately 40 million MT in volume traded annually. Focused on transforming food, feed, and fibre for a more sustainable future, it aims at creating value for customers, enable farming communities to prosper sustainably and strive for a food-secure future.

T H I S D AY ˾ ͰͰ˜ ͰͮͰͱ

PERSPECTIVE

To Make ePayments More Acceptable, Nigeria Needs to Curb Fraud Victor Irechukwu

hen a credit alert drops on your phone, chances are you will get excited. Even if it wasn't a surprise and you were expecting that money. But when it is a debit alert, there’s also a certain type of gloom you feel; you want money to keep coming in but as little as possible of it going out. It may be safe to say most of us feel that way. Now, imagine the debit alert was for a transaction you know nothing about. A commonly reported theme has been alerts that your card was used to make deposits on a gambling website, whereas you may never have even indulged in gambling your entire life. At other times, you are shown a debit alert by someone who wants to purchase goods or services from you, but only later realise they showed you what has now been termed ‘fake alerts’. By this time, your goods, for instance, would have been long gone. In recent months, social media has been awash with reports of money literally growing wings and leaving some people’s accounts to those of other people without authorisation. Many of these cases have gone viral on social media, causing embarrassment for the banks involved - The issues are either quietly - or corrected with public acknowledgement. But not all are resolved, at least not yet. As much as the country and even individuals would like to go cashless, these bad experiences leave a sour taste in the mouth, and they have continued to rain on the parade as Nigeria marches towards a cashless economy. It must be stressed that a cashless economy does not mean theft of money will stop, what it does is to change how thieves go about it. But more importantly, it also doesn’t mean thefts must occur, at least not if systems are strengthened and the right protocols are put in place. In the electronic world, an article on The Balance Money describes hackers as the bank robbers and muggers and in a cashless society we are all exposed to them. According to the Nigeria Inter-Bank Settlement System Plc (NIBSS), growth in the use of electronic channels, specifically mobile devices has also enticed fraudsters into focusing their efforts on these electronic channels. When an attack is successful and the culprits are able to drain funds from your account, you could be effectively left

Irechukwu stranded. God forbid you needed that money for a life threatening emergency because that could be the end unless you are one of the lucky few whose funds get recovered in a place like Nigeria and on time too. Agusto & Co.’s ‘2022 Consumer digital banking satisfaction index for Nigerian banks’, found that approximately 59 percent of respondents had been fraud victims on the digital platforms of their banks. The figures in terms of number of attacks, success rate and amounts lost remain a source of concern. By the third quarter of 2022, the total number of frauds & forgeries cases reported by Nigerian banks was 19,314 as against 27,356 incidents reported in the second quarter of 2022. But there’s more. While the number of attacks represents a 29.40 percent decrease between the periods, the total sum

reported to be involved in fraud cases increased by 9.50 percent to N9.62 billion from N8.78 billion in Q2 2022. Also, for the total amount lost due to fraud incidents, there was a significant increase of 207.94 percent from N1.17 billion in the second quarter of 2022 to N3.62 billion in the third quarter of 2022. In essence, the number of attacks may have decreased within that particular period, but more money was lost to the fraudulent attacks. These insights were provided in the Q3 2022 report by FITC, an organisation mandated to receive data on fraud from all Nigerian banks and prepare quarterly reports. The figures show that the highest number of occurrences were recorded under computer/ web fraud followed by mobile fraud which includes fraud activities through USSD transactions and ATM related fraud. BusinessDay had even reported that every day between January and March 2022, there was an average of 450 incidents of frauds and forgeries against Nigerian bank customers. In those three months, the attackers targeted N14.65 billion, with Computer/Web Fraud

responsible for N10.57 billion (72.18 percent), and Mobile Fraud recording 1.48 billion (10.08 percent). Those 40,522 attacks had resulted in N1.54 billion lost by bank customers. Computer/ Web Fraud accounted for 70.51 percent (N1.07 billion), followed by Mobile Fraud accounting for 17.58 percent (N270.92 million) at the time. Going back a bit, data by NIBSS also showed that fraud attempts via mobile channel saw a 330 percent increase year-onyear (YoY) between 2019 and 2020, while attempts via web and POS channels saw a 173 percent and 215 percent increase YoY. In those nine months, 96 percent of the attacks were successful and there were 46,126 of such attacks. “This trend is expected to continue as Nigeria further grows financial inclusion and customers become increasingly dependent on electronic channels for their day-to-day transactions,” said NIBSS. In other words; things are expected to get a lot worse, according to the organisation described as Nigeria’s central switch for the financial industry. Fraud is and has always been a large threat to commerce and e-payment transactions. It is impossible to totally eliminate the chance of fraud, but applying timely measures and ensuring the use of secure payment infrastructure can help reduce or even eliminate these risks. Security should continue to be top priority for every party involved in ePayment transactions. Fraud prevention involves taking measures to stop fraud from occurring and taking steps to detect frauds quickly (when they occur) and stop them as soon as possible. Different techniques for preventing and detecting frauds are required as there are different types of fraud in e-payment transactions. Awareness of these risks by merchants, consumers and individuals plays an important role in reducing fraud in e-payment transactions. Merchant awareness and education is important - they should be aware of the types of frauds, implications and application of best practices. Consumer awareness and education is also important in order to reduce identity theft or payment data theft. This would help the individual in adopting an active and cautious attitude when carrying out electronic transactions. It could teach them to be aware of possible risks, avoid e-scams, and minimise giving vital information to merchants (or other parties) when carrying out electronic payments. -Irechukwu is Head of Engineering, OnePipe.

The Role of Energy in Sustainable Development Nzan Ogbe

e all have several needs but surely not enough money and resources to meet them all. How do you adequately satisfy the need for food, clothing and shelter for one and ensure that the needs of another, who will be born 40 years after, will also be adequately met without one affecting the other? Sustainable development hopes to get this done. The phrase ‘Sustainable Development’ became an anthem after the United Nations General Assembly in 2015 adopted the Sustainable Development Goals to achieve a better world. Beyond the anthem, sustainable development seeks to ensure a world where human needs are met without disrupting the stability and integrity of our planet. The UN has listed 17 goals as steps to how it can attain sustainable development. They include zero hunger, no poverty, good health and well-being, quality education, clean water and sanitation, affordable and clean energy, industry, innovation and infrastructure, sustainable cities and communities, responsible production and consumption, and climate action. However, energy lies at the centre of the climate equation and the quest to build a sustainable world. In fact, the United Nations describes it as the key to solving some of the challenges being experienced. From heat production to keep us warm to electricity generation to power homes,

industries and fuel for vehicles, trains and aeroplanes, energy plays a vital role in human existence. Thus, it cannot be ignored in the quest to build a sustainable world. Fossil fuels, such as oil & gas and coal, have been identified as the largest contributors to the climate change problem. Data from the UN shows that fossil fuels are responsible for an estimated 90% of all carbon dioxide emissions and about 75% of greenhouse gas emissions. The effects of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases on the environment can be likened to that of a blanket. It traps heat from the sun and reduces the earth’s ability to cool itself by radiating this heat back into space. This has led to a phenomenon called climate change, where the earth is hotter, and there is increased drought and more severe storms – to mention a few. To avoid the worst impact of climate change, the UN has set a goal to reduce emissions by almost half in 2030 and achieve zero emissions by 2050. This is the basis for the climate change conversation. Seeing how crucial the need for energy is for human survival, alternative energy sources are being explored daily. This research has resulted in electric cars and

electricity generation using heat from the sun (solar power), water and wind. The possibility of electricity generation from waste is also being explored. Several arguments have been made in favour of renewable energy; its sources are all around us, it is cheaper, it creates jobs, it is healthier, and all these mean that it makes economic sense. To ensure everyone is on the same page, countries have been encouraged to develop an energy mix that does not lean heavily on fossil fuels and cut spending/funding for projects powered by fossil fuels. Large corporations and companies have been encouraged to reduce their carbon footprint and offset emissions by donating to green energy projects and planting trees. Companies in the oil & gas sector (including Levene Energy) are also shifting their focus and spending from crude oil to renewable energy. However, critics have described the green energy campaign as unfair to developing countries like Nigeria. They argue that if coal powered the development and industrialisation of European countries, the United States of America and even the United Kingdom, why should oil-rich countries not enjoy using their resources for their development? Their argument seems valid when the contribution of African countries to greenhouse gas emissions (estimated to be about 3.8%) is considered, yet these countries also bear the brunt of the effects of climate change. The initial refusal of China and the European Union to fund a ‘loss-and-damage’ fund

for the world’s most vulnerable countries, which also have to contend with the effects of climate change, also gives their stance some fuel. This incident was one of the highlights of the 27th Conference of Parties – the United Nations climate change conference (COP27) held in Egypt. The EU had said it would only partake in the fund if China were also a donor, insisting that the Asian powerhouse has developed significantly since it was categorised as a developing nation in the 1990s and has become one of the biggest greenhouse gas emitters. Thankfully, the historical ‘loss-and-damage’ fund was set up. The fund will have a broader funding arrangement outside the UN climate change process from other sources such as insurance, donor contribution, oil & gas tax, and debt relief. Frans Timmermans, the Vice President of the European Commission, has also said the fund should cover middle-income countries like Pakistan. The road to sustainable development is a long one for the countries of the world. Energy – whether green or otherwise – will play a crucial role in determining what will remain on our planet in another 100 years. Will it be cool and green with plants flourishing? Or will it be one hot, chaotic planet with oil spills and other industrial waste? Only time will tell. -Ogbe is the Group Chief Executive Officer, Levene Energy Holdings

WEDNESDAY MARCH 22, 2023 •T H I S D AY

WEDNESDAY MARCH 22, 2023 • T H I S D AY

WEDNESDAY MARCH 22, 2023 •T H I S D AY

T H I S D AY ˾ WEDNESDAY, MARCH 22, 2023

BUSINESSWORLD R A T E S MONEY MARKET

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Investors Purchase N2.61trn FG Bonds in Q1 2023 as Yield Fall Below Inflation Rate

Kayode Tokede Domestic investors purchased N2.61trillion worth of FGN Bonds in the first quarter of (Q1) 2023 out of which N1.89 trillion was eventually allotted amid yield on 10-Year Bond falling below the inflation rate. Latest statistics released by the Debt Management Office (DMO) revealed that a total sum of N1.08 trillion was the amount offered in the period under review as the federal government intensified borrowing from local investors to bridge budget deficit. In Q1 2022, the DMO proposed to raise N450 billion but investors subscribed N1.16 trillion while the

DMO eventually allotted a total of N882.49 billion. The federal government had proposed to borrow over N11 trillion to finance the proposed 2023 budget deficit. The Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Zainab Ahmed had said the government’s budget deficit is expected to exceed N12.42 trillion if the government keeps the petroleum subsidy for the entire 2023 fiscal cycle. She stated that N9.32 trillion in new borrowings, comprising N7.4 trillion from domestic sources and N1.8 trillion from foreign sources, adding that the government is expected to generate N206.1 billion from privatisation proceeds

and N1.7 trillion in multilateral project-tied loans. The N1.08 trillion bond proceeds is expected to be used to finance Nigeria, budget deficit, fund key infrastructure projects and stimulate economic development. Findings by THISDAY revealed that 12 FGN Bonds auctioned were re-openings with rates below inflation rate. The debt office in 2023 maintained four tenor bond auctions between January and March and each FGN bonds offer are oversubscribed. Meanwhile, the latest auction result for the month of March witnessed a total subscription of N808.612 billion, about 44.5 per

cent above the N360 billion offeredN563.36 billion was allotted. The DMO on behalf of the federal government conducted an auction of FGN bonds on March 20, 2023 with a total of four offered to investors. The four tenors auction was oversubscribed by domestic investors, indicating a strong demand for FGN Bonds amid the country’s macro economy headwinds and double-digit inflation. The bond on offer were the 13.98 per cent FGN FEB 2028 (10-year), 12.50 per cent FGN APR 2032 (10-year), 16,25 per cent FGN APR 2037 (20-year) and 14.80 per cent FGN APR 2049 (30-year) with

amounts at N90 billion for each tenor and totalling N360billion. The bonds were sold at varying rates with marginal rates ranging from 14.000 per cent to 15.7500 per cent The March auction recorded a subscription for the auction was N807.9billion, more than double the amount offered by 124 per cent. The total amount allotted was N563.3 billion, with the highest subscription of N355.633 billion, going to the 20-year bond. However, the highest allotment was N326.5billion going to the 30-year bond. In February, the auction featured the re-opening of four

bonds: the 13.98 per cent FGN FEB 2028 (10-year bond), 12.50 per cent FGN APR 2032 (10—year bond), 16.249 per cent FGN APR 2037 (20-year bond) and 14.80 per cent FGN APR 20049 (30-year bond). The coupon rates for each bond was maintained with successful bids for the 13.98 per cent FGN FEB 2028 (1—year bond), 12.50 per cent FGN APR 20232 (10-year bond), 16.2499 per cent FGN APR 2037 (20-year bond) and 14.80 FGN APR 2049 (-year bond) being allotted at the marginal rates of 13.99 per cent, 14.90 per cent, 15.90 per cent and 16 per cent, respectively. The story continues online on www.thisdaylive.com

LCCI: High Inflation May Hurt Productivity, Raise Poverty Figures Dike Onwuamaeze The Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) has warned that sustained high inflationary rate in the Nigerian economy might further constrain production of goods and services and lead to a steeper rise in poverty figures in the country. It sounded this warning in

a press statement titled, “LCCI Statement on February 2023 Inflation Rate,” that was signed by the Director General of LCCI, Dr. Chinyere Almona. According to the statement, “The sustained upward trend in the general price level in recent times has had significant but bothersome impacts on the household and business sectors.

Apart from eroding purchasing power, it has led to inventory stockpiles. If left unchecked, the high inflation may further constrain production, lead to a steeper rise in poverty figures, frustrate economic growth, and lead to higher unemployment and non-competitive exports, especially in the sub-region. These are not statistics that should be staring

at the country in the near term.” The LCCI also expressed concern about the excessive focus on exchange and interest rates management and tasked the fiscal and monetary authorities in the country to find effective mix of measures that ameliorate the spiraling inflationary trend in the economy. It said: “The LCCI is concerned

about the excessive focus on exchange and interest rates management. Unfortunately, this is at the expense of inflation. There is an urgent need for monetary and fiscal authorities to find an effective mix of measures and policies to thwart the worrisome trend in inflation, especially staple food prices.” The chamber also observed that

the latest statistics on inflation from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) showed that the Consumer Price Index (CPI) as at end-February, 2023 was 21.91 per cent against 21.82 per cent in January 2023.

The story continues online on www.thisdaylive.com

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

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

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

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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 T H I S D AY WEDNESDAY MARCH 22, 2023 TR

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Wednesday March 22 , 2023 Vol 27. No 10206

opinion@thisdaylive.com

www.thisdaylive.com

ELECTIONS ARE OVER: HEALING PROCESS MUST BEGIN The only way to justify the trust and confidence of the people is to be committed to their service, writes BOLA TINUBU

See page 25 PRIORITISING CHILDREN IN NIGERIA’S WATER CRISIS SULEIMAN ADAMU and CRISTIAN MUNDUATE canvass the need to ensuring every child has access to clean water

See page 25 EDITORIAL

THE JUDICIARY AND THE ELECTIONS

OLUSEGUN ADENIYI pays tribute to Tony Elumelu, economist, banker, and founder of the Tony Elumelu Foundation

60 HEARTY CHEERS TO TONY ELUMELU It is remarkable that the United Bank of Nigeria (UBA) Chairman, Mr. Tony Elumelu who clocks 60 today started his career “as a salesman, a copier salesman WR EH VSHFLÀF µ E\ KLV RZQ DGPLVVLRQ %XW there were never any doubts about his drive and tenacity for success, right from the moment he completed his mandatory National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) primary assignment at the Union Bank in 1985. And today, Elumelu can look back with satisfaction not only for what he has achieved but also for the lives he has impacted along the way. A graduate of Economics from Bendel State University (now Ambrose Alli University) who also obtained a masters in the same discipline from the University of Lagos, it was no surprise that Elumelu chose banking as a career. From being an employee of the Allstates Trust Bank, he led a group of investors to take over a near-comatose Crystal Bank which he rechristened Standard Trust Bank (STB). How he turned the fortunes of that bank around is one of the remarkable stories of the reform of the banking sector in Nigeria at the end of the last century. But that was just the beginning. With less than a decade DW LWV KHOP 67% EHFDPH VR SURÀWDEOH WKDW in 2005 Elumelu would go on to lead one of the largest mergers in the Nigerian business landscape at the time with the acquisition of the UBA. As Group Managing Director of UBA, Elumelu had a vision not only to make the bank truly African beyond its name but also to take it into the global market. That goal eventually resulted in the establishment of subsidiaries of the bank in several countries within the continent as well as in Western countries like France, United States, United Kingdom, etc. He also took the bank to the Middle East with a branch in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Meanwhile, in between stints as GMD of the bank (a position from which he had to retire based on the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) guidelines at the time) and eventual return later as chairman, Elumelu devoted considerable time and energy to social entrepreneurship. In 2010, Elumelu founded Heirs Holdings, as a family-owned investment holding company. Same year, he also established the Tony Elumelu Foundation (TET), with a commitment to the promotion of entrepreneurship across the continent. It was intentional. Many scholars have argued that for Africa to develop, there must be a conscious re-orientation of priorities that would engender the promotion of rapid socio-economic development through entrepreneurship. Not only has Elumelu

bought into that proposition, but he also believes that charity must begin at home. Having consistently harped on the need for job creation, poverty reduction and economic development in Nigeria, it was easy to repurpose TEF as the engine IRU DFWXDOLVLQJ WKRVH GUHDPV ÀUVW RQ WKH national plane and on the continental front. The whole idea is built around the fact that we have a fertile environment for entrepreneurship across many countries in Africa with particular emphasis on Nigeria. “We need jobs to be created in 1LJHULD WR WDNH RXU \RXQJ RQHV RͿ WKH street, to reduce insecurity and promote QDWLRQDO GHYHORSPHQW DQG FRKHVLRQ µ said Elumelu at the recent conclusion of the TEF entrepreneurship forum. The strategic imperative of TEF is anchored on the fact that the private sector, and most importantly entrepreneurs, remain the catalyst for the social and economic development of the continent. And time has proved Elumelu right on that. With an initial commitment of $100 million to empower 10,000 entrepreneurs across 54 African countries over a 10year period, no fewer than 7,531 have DOUHDG\ EHQHÀWWHG IURP WKH VFKHPH ZLWK interesting stories to tell. The creation of young African entrepreneurs, Elumelu believes, will ginger hope, and help to drastically reduce the economic underpinnings of Africa’s current migration crisis.

Modern economies are driven by innovation which derives from forward-thinking individuals, so we need more entrepreneurs like Elumelu to create new sources of wealth, especially in our country

Sustainability of ideas is a problem on the continent, but Elumelu has remained steadfast with his vision. 6WDWLVWLFDO ÀJXUHV IURP WKH 7() UHYHDO that on average, revenue generated by their entrepreneurs increased by 189% post-graduation while the number of DGGLWLRQDO MREV FUHDWHG E\ EHQHÀFLDULHV increased by 197%. Some 25 percent have acquired additional investors in their businesses since receiving seed capital from TEF. Eighty percent of the funded EXVLQHVVHV VLQFH DUH VWLOO DÁRDW In terms of gender mainstreaming, the programme has empowered 7183 women and 85 percent of these businesses are also women-led. Meanwhile, 15 percent of these entrepreneurs also employ at least VWDͿ DQG LQ WHUPV RI UHYHQXH JURZWK 13 percent of them generate above $50,000 annually, after the programme. By most accounts, TEF is increasingly sharing its unique ability to identify and empower young entrepreneurs across the continent by collaborating with development partners like the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), and other global institutions. In the process, Elumelu has also come up with the concept of ‘Africapitalism’, which positions the private sector, and most importantly entrepreneurs, as the catalyst for the social and economic change required to transform the continent. From oil and gas sector to the hospitality industry, Elumelu (through his Heirs Holdings) maintains a portfolio of investments across several industries. He also sits on many public and social sector boards, including the World Economic Forum Community of Chairmen and the Global Leadership Council of UNICEF’s Generation Unlimited. In recognition of his work at TEF, Elumelu was in 2020 QDPHG LQ WKH 7LPH 0RVW ,QÁXHQWLDO People in the World and recognised with Belgium’s oldest and highest royal order. In 2022, TIME again recognised Elumelu with its inaugural TIME100 Impact list, honouring him alongside six global leaders who continue to impact generations. Modern economies are driven by innovation which derives from forwardthinking individuals, so we need more entrepreneurs like Elumelu to create new sources of wealth, especially in our country. As he therefore joins the Sexagenarian Club today, I wish him happy 60th birthday, long life, and good health. Adeniyi is chairman, THISDAY editorial board

T H I S D AY

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WEDNESDAY MARCH 22, 2023

The only way to justify the trust and confidence of the people is to be committed to their service, writes BOLA TINUBU

ELECTIONS ARE OVER: HEALING PROCESS MUST BEGIN With the conclusion of the Governorship and State Houses of Assembly elections, I congratulate all the elected governors and assembly members for earning the mandate of the people. The March 18 governorship election held across 28 states and the state legislative poll across the 36 states of the federation have brought the HOHFWLRQ FLUFOH WR D ÀWWLQJ FORVH I must praise President Muhammadu Buhari, the Independent National Electoral Commission, security agencies, Observer Groups, Civil Society Organisations, development partners and the electorate

GLͿHUHQFHV ZKLFK LQ UHDOLW\ DUH IHZHU than the valued strings that bind us together as a people irrespective of the circumstances of our births. As former governor of Lagos State, I can attest to the strength in our diversity and togetherness. As your President-elect, it is that spirit of inclusiveness we engendered in Lagos that I intend to bring into national governance so that together we can attain our full potentials. I will give priority to expanding the civic space and safeguarding citizens’ freedom to exercise their rights within the bounds

for the success of the elections. The election of the law. Indeed, the elections are over. The is pivotal to the growth and sustenance of democracy and democratic governance at people have voted to elect their governors and state legislators that will serve them the state level. Consolidating democratic governance for the next four years. The time for at the sub-national level will bring more leadership and governance is now upon development and improved quality of life us. In a democracy, majority would have to the masses. The more we entrench and consolidate the gains of our democratic their way but that majority must not venture across the length and breadth of suppress the minority from having their RXU FRXQWU\ WKH PRUH RXU SHRSOH EHQHÀW say. As democrats, we have to safeguard in terms of dividends of democracy and free expression. Winners must be magnanimous and those who did not win good governance. However, I’m saddened by the reported should have a large heart for tolerance and respect for the greater interest of the nation. As the elected, the only way to justify WKH WUXVW DQG FRQÀGHQFH RI WKH SHRSOH DQG the mandate entrusted in us is to commit ourselves to the service of the people. We must all work diligently and sincerely to make life better for the masses. As elected R΀FHUV ZH KDYH QR RWKHU DVVLJQPHQW than to be burden-bearers for the masses and ensure they have better life that we promised during the campaigns. We must take urgent steps to unite the people; those who voted for us and those who did not. We must champion isolated infractions during the elections the healing process by embracing the and its aftermath in some states. I strongly opponents and their supporters. As I have condemn it. Also, the report of arson after stated previously, the time for politicking the announcement of governorship results is gone. This is time for nation building, in one state did not represent who we truly a task beyond one individual or a section of the society. We need every hand from are: peace-loving people. The physical and verbal assaults wherever it may come to be on deck. I am ready to work with you all as committed are unacceptable and your President. I will be a worthy partner antithetical to democratic ethos. Elections should be a celebration of you can trust and rely on as we all bond our maturing democracy and freedom of together, in unity of purpose and renewed choice and ought not to be moments of hope for, the betterment of our blessed grief. I am particularly pained by cases of country and beloved people. ethnic slurs, which are capable of creating Asiwaju Tinubu needless mis-characterisation reported in is President-elect, Federal Republic of some locations. Nigeria My appeal is for us to rise above our

This is time for nation -building, a task beyond one individual or a section of the society. We need every hand from wherever it may come to be on deck

SULEIMAN ADAMU and CRISTIAN MUNDUATE canvass the need to ensuring every child has access to clean water

PRIORITISING CHILDREN IN NIGERIA’S WATER CRISIS Access to clean water is a basic human why so many people are resorting to right, yet millions of children in Nigeria self-supply, such as drilling their own DUH VXͿHULQJ WKH FRQVHTXHQFHV RI ZDWHU boreholes. We must address this issue scarcity. On this World Water Day, we must urgently to ensure that urban areas take a hard look at the water situation in KDYH DFFHVV WR VX΀FLHQW FOHDQ ZDWHU Nigeria and renew our commitment to and that Nigeria’s water resources will ensuring that every child has access to be safely managed and sustained to clean water. provide for all. According to UNICEF, over 60 million But there is hope. Nigeria has made people in Nigeria still lack access to progress in increasing access to clean clean water, more than 110 million lack water and sanitation facilities in recent basic sanitation facilities and 48 million years, and more needs to be done. We are still practicing open defecation. The need to invest in sustainable water situation is particularly dire in rural areas solutions that are resilient to climate where access to water is limited and often change and can provide access to requires walking long distances to fetch water to all Nigerians, regardless of water from contaminated sources. This where they live. leaves children vulnerable to waterborne This requires a multi-sectoral diseases, which are among the leading approach that involves government, causes of child mortality in Nigeria. civil society, the private sector, and But the impact of water scarcity on international partners. Governments children in Nigeria goes beyond their must prioritize investments in water infrastructure and policies that support sustainable water management. Civil society must continue to raise awareness about the importance of water and sanitation and advocate for the rights of children to access clean water. The private sector can support WKHVH HͿRUWV E\ LQYHVWLQJ LQ VXVWDLQDEOH water solutions and promoting water conservation. And international partners can provide technical and ÀQDQFLDO VXSSRUW WR KHOS 1LJHULD achieve its water and sanitation goals. Most importantly, we need to SULRULWL]H FKLOGUHQ LQ DOO RXU HͿRUWV Children are the future of Nigeria, and they deserve access to clean water, physical health. Children who are forced education, and other opportunities to walk long distances to collect water that will allow them to thrive. By often miss out on education and other prioritizing children, we can break the opportunities, perpetuating a cycle of cycle of poverty and inequality and poverty and inequality. build a brighter future for all Nigerians. The consequences of inaction are As we mark World Water Day this severe. By 2050, Nigeria’s population will year, the focus of the UN observance reach 400 million, which will put even is on accelerating change to solve the greater pressure on the country’s already water and sanitation crisis. We need limited water resources. Without urgent everyone to take action, including you, action, the situation will only worsen, your family, school, and community. and millions of children will continue Your commitments will be added WR VXͿHU WKH FRQVHTXHQFHV 0RUHRYHU to the Water Action Agenda, to be with an urban growth rate of over 5%, as launched today at the UN 2023 Water &RQIHUHQFH ² WKH ÀUVW HYHQW RI LWV NLQG for nearly 50 years. Children are the future of The global campaign, called Be the Change, encourages people to take Nigeria, and they deserve action in their own lives to change access to clean water, education, the way they use, consume and manage water. Let us all be part of this and other opportunities that campaign and take action to ensure that every child in Nigeria has access will allow them to thrive. By to clean water. In conclusion, let us renew our prioritising children, we can commitment to ensuring that every break the cycle of poverty and child in Nigeria has access to clean water. Let us invest in sustainable inequality and build a brighter water solutions that can withstand the challenges of climate change and future for all Nigerians provide access to water to all Nigerians. And let us prioritize children in all our HͿRUWV VR WKDW WKH\ FDQ KDYH D EULJKWHU more people move to towns and cities, future for themselves and for Nigeria. the parlous state of our urban utilities needs highlighting. A 2021 study found Adamu that only 22% of Nigerian waterworks is Nigeria’s Minister of Water are fully functional and are only utilizing Resources while Ms Munduate is 25% of their potential capacity. This is UNICEF Representative in Nigeria

26 4

T H I S D AY

WEDNESDAY MARCH 22, 2023

EDITORIAL

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

THE IMPERATIVE OF NATIONAL HEALING The task of nation-building and deepening Nigeria’s democracy should be taken as matter of strategic importance

n calling for the healing process in his statement yesterday, the president-elect, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, set the right tone. He expressed sadness by what he described as “isolated infractions during the elections and its aftermath in some states” along with the report of arson after the announcement of governorship results in one state. “The physical and verbal assaults committed are unacceptable and antithetical to democratic ethos,” said Tinubu, and DSSHDOHG WR 1LJHULDQV ´WR ULVH DERYH RXU GLͿHUHQFHV which, in reality, are fewer than the valued strings that bind us together as a people.” We agree. While healing will not erase injuries, it ZRXOG DͿRUG VWDNHKROGHUV WKH DELOLW\ WR OLYH ZLWK them in constructive ways. But the ultimate responsibility still lies with Tinubu. The NLQG RI KHDOLQJ WKDW Nigeria needs today is a civic connection that transcends our delicate fault lines, especially ethnicity and religion. It also includes rebuilding our levels of trust in one another as well as in critical institutions so that we FDQ WRJHWKHU EHJLQ WR WDNH FROOHFWLYH DFWLRQ IRU WKH FRPPRQ JRRG :H FRPPHQG NH\ RSSRVLWLRQ ÀJXUHV HVSHFLDOO\ IRUPHU 9LFH 3UHVLGHQW $WLNX $EXEDNDU and Mr Peter Obi for their restraint. We also urge the FRXUWV WR EH WKRURXJK DQG ÀUP LQ GLVSHQVLQJ MXVWLFH on all election cases. The challenge at hand is about rebuilding relationships that have been fractured by what transpired before, during and after the elections in some states while ensuring that aggrieved people are availed justice. We must banish fear, intimidation, and revenge between and among people who have lived together in peace before being torn apart by partisan politics. Those who were successful at the poll particularly ought to understand that democracy is not just about winning elections or staying in power, it is about service to the people, the

ultimate of which is to guarantee peace. Those who lost should also accept the redemption that there is almost always a tomorrow. As we reiterated recently, there is an intricate correlation between unguarded utterances and the heightening of tension in the polity. While disappointment in defeat and triumphalism in victory are natural entitlements, both can be dangerous if not properly managed under the prevailing circumstances in Nigeria. Besides, even where the majority may vote one-way, democratic civility demands and requires that we address the dashed expectations of the minority. A federation this large and complex requires utmost political and attitudinal dexterity to guarantee peace and prosperity. Meanwhile, we must condemn the resort to violence and ethniccoloured voter repression in Lagos and a few other states. We call for VWLͿ SXQLVKPHQW IRU WKH perpetrators to prevent D UHWXUQ WR WKH NLQG RI YLROHQFH WKDW WUXQFDWHG WKH ÀUVW DQG VHFRQG UHSXEOLFV Indeed, one of the most regrettable episodes in this election cycle was the open mobilisation of ethnic sentiments in Lagos and the resultant inter-ethnic tension it generated. We must move fast to restore peaceful co-existence among all groups to sustain the city’s prosperity as a major economic hub on the continent. However, we need to put the bitter acrimony of the election period behind us and pull together as a FRXQWU\ :H FDQ·W PDNH WKH XUJHQWO\ QHHGHG SURJUHVV or sustain our democracy in an atmosphere of FRQWLQXRXV ELFNHULQJ ELWWHUQHVV GLYLVLRQ DQG DQJHU ,W LV WLPH WR UHWXUQ WR WKH VHULRXV ZRUN RI QDWLRQ building and national reconciliation. It is time for healing. But healing is not a self-induced, spontaneous event. It is a process that sometimes involves several DFWRUV ZKLOH WKH PXWXDO WDVNV RI QDWLRQ EXLOGLQJ DQG GHHSHQLQJ 1LJHULD·V GHPRFUDF\ VKRXOG EH WDNHQ DV matter of strategic importance by the leadership.

The kind of healing that Nigeria needs today is a civic connection that transcends our delicate fault lines, especially ethnicity and religion 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 VALUE OF A GOOD EDUCATION “What sculpture is to a block of marble, education is to the soul.” —Joseph Addison, 1711. DID you ever go to school? Most people can answer yes—but not everyone can. Millions of children receive no regular schooling, and this has continued to be the case for a long time, so that today a large number of adults are illiterate. Yet, a good education is a basic need. The Holy Scriptures strongly encourage the acquisition of wisdom, for example, at Proverbs 3:21, where it says: “SafeJXDUG SUDFWLFDO ZLVGRP DQG WKLQNLQJ DELOLW\µ DQG DW 3URYHUEV 4:7, where we read: “Wisdom is the most important thing, so acquire wisdom, and with all you acquire, acquire understanding.” :LVGRP LPSOLHV D EUHDGWK RI NQRZOHGJH DQG D GHSWK RI XQderstanding. Understanding adds strength to wisdom, contributing greatly to a person’s discretion and foresight, which are also notable characteristics of wisdom. The Biblical sense of wisGRP OD\V HPSKDVLV RQ VRXQG MXGJPHQW EDVHG RQ NQRZOHGJH DQG XQGHUVWDQGLQJ WKH DELOLW\ WR XVH NQRZOHGJH DQG XQGHU-

standing successfully to solve problems, avoid or avert dangers, attain certain goals, or counsel others in doing so. Education is closely related to wisdom and understanding in the sense that education involves the gradual process of acquirLQJ NQRZOHGJH DQG XQGHUVWDQGLQJ (GXFDWLRQ KROGV WKH NH\ WR a better life. A good education prepares people to cope successfully with life in today’s society. It equips them with academLF VNLOOV LQFOXGLQJ WKH DELOLW\ WR UHDG DQG ZULWH ZHOO DQG WR GR DULWKPHWLF 0RUHRYHU LW DͿHFWV WKHLU LQWHUDFWLRQ ZLWK RWKHUV DQG helps them build up wholesome standards of morality. Also, as human society becomes even more complex, a good education WDNHV RQ JUHDWHU LPSRUWDQFH (YHU\RQH LQFOXGLQJ FKLOGUHQ GHVHUYH WR EH SURSHUO\ HTXLSSHG ZLWK WKH QHFHVVDU\ VNLOOV UHTXLUHG IRU WKHP WR IXQFWLRQ HͿHFWLYHO\ LQ WKH ZRUOG In earliest society, the family was the basic unit for imparting education. The father was the head of the family and was therefore responsible for the education of his household. Today, parents continue to be the primary ones responsible for the education of their children, especially their early education. However, in some areas today, parents sometimes send their sons to school but not their daughters. Perhaps some parents

WKLQN WKDW LW LV WRR H[SHQVLYH WR HGXFDWH WKHLU GDXJKWHUV DQG EHlieve that girls can be more useful to their mother by staying at home all day. But illiteracy will handicap a daughter. One UNICEF publication stated: “Study after study has demonstrated that providing education for girls is one of the best strateJLHV IRU EUHDNLQJ WKH KROG RI SRYHUW\ µ (GXFDWHG JLUOV DUH EHWWHU HTXLSSHG IRU OLIH DQG PDNH ZLVHU GHFLVLRQV WKXV EHQHÀWLQJ DOO in the family. In some other places children are deprived of formal education, and then handed over to someone to learn a trade. Sometimes these children are exploited. Learning a trade is a good WKLQJ EXW WKH\ ZRXOG EH PRUH OLNHO\ WR DYRLG H[SORLWDWLRQ LI WKH\ ÀUVW UHFHLYHG D EDVLF HGXFDWLRQ DQG WKHQ OHDUQHG D WUDGH But how can a good education be possible without the proper UHVRXUFHV" :KDW LI WKHUH DUH LQVX΀FLHQW ERRNV D ODFN RI TXDOLÀHG WHDFKHUV DQG QRW HQRXJK VFKRROV" ,QGHHG ZKHUH FDQ SHRple get a quality education that encourages individual particLSDWLRQ H[SDQGV WKHLU NQRZOHGJH RI WKH ZRUOG DURXQG WKHP and helps them achieve a better quality of life? Daniel Ighakpe, FESTAC Town, Lagos

T H I S D AY ˾ WEDNESDAY, MARCH 22, 2023

BUSINESSWORLD

ECONOMY

Economy: Analysts Set Agenda for President-elect With a new administration expected to be sworn in on May 29, 2023, analysts speaks on their expectations from the incoming government in growing the Nigerian economy. Nume Ekeghe writes

s electioneering activities begin to wind up in the country, elected officers are now saddled with the job of meeting up with their campaign promises and ensuring not just the welfare of Nigerians but also the growth and development of the country. Chief of these is the president, who will for the next four years steer the wheel of the country. The candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Ahmed Tinubu had been declared the winner of the presidential election by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). With only a couple of months for the presidentelect to commence the work he signed up for, analysts in the financial sector have begun to roll out their expectations for the new administration. To many, the Nigerian economy is in a stumbling and fragile state and in dire need of a new direction and the political transition offers a great opportunity to chart a new course. FISCAL REFORMS According to the Chief Executive Officer, Eczellon Capital, Diekola Onaolapo, there is a lot of economic headwinds that an incoming president would have to deal with; “so there is need for the president elect to assemble a solid team to manage the economy. “Nigeria is particularly unique in the sense that in addition to economic issues, it also had its own socio-political issues that need to be dealt with. And these challenges are what the new president would have to face. “He should be able to assemble a solid enough team to manage the economy because I think that’s one of the things that the country has not clearly enjoyed in recent times. I hope that one of the things that we will see in the incoming administration would be a good vision plan and then we have a competent team that can execute.” The Former Chairman of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) Ms. Ifueko OmoiguiOkauru had stressed the need for the incoming administration to focus on policies that would

stimulate economic growth in the country. Ifueko-Okauru while noting that the economy is at the heart of propelling a better quality of life for every Nigerian said, “Whatever we do must translate to a higher level of disposable income for everyone to live at the very minimum a decent life. “So, if we do not focus on growing the economy, providing jobs, and ensuring that whatever we do truly translates, we’re not just discussing at a higher growth level, but truly translates to testimonials of the common man. “Government can be such a huge enabler; government should build an enabling environment for the private sector to thrive. I say these things and I hesitate to say them because every time a government comes in, that is what we want. But it’s still what we want, and therefore, the appeal is to actually do it and give hope.” Speaking further, she said: “Unfortunately, the elections have further divided us and it’s important that we really calibrate because a divided country cannot achieve as much as it could do when it comes together.” On his part, the Chief Executive of Center for the Promotion of Private Enterprise (CPPE) Dr Muda Yusuf, said there is the need for the incoming government to establish quality economic governance consistent with tested economic principles and empirical evidence, and contextualized within socio-economic peculiarities, which according to him is critical for signaling and investors’ confidence. He urged that the incoming president set up a “Transition Committee on the Economy to come with propositions of what needs to be done differently and ensure the delivery quick wins in the in the first one month of the administration. Technically sound economic team to give guidance and direction on general economic policy direction, policy conceptualization and urgent reforms.” On fiscal reforms, Yusuf said there is need for the incoming government to reform the country’s tax regime to ensure efficiency

in tax administration, reduce tax evasion and tax avoidance and eliminate multiple taxation. Asides this, he called for the elimination of fuel subsidy which according to him can help the country to save an estimated N7 trillion annually. He added that the elimination of foreign exchange subsidy would also unlock a minimum of N3 trillion revenue annually from the sale of CBN foreign exchange to the official foreign exchange window. Yusuf also urged the incoming administration to “unlock more income from revenue generating agencies through enhanced efficiency of their operations, initiate budget reforms to ensure fiscal discipline, curb budget padding, curb duplication of projects and review the service wide votes to ensure transparency, ensure value for money in government expenditure and procurement and commit to reduction in the cost of governance.” The President of the World Bank Group, Mr. David Malpass, speaking to THISDAY at the IMF/World bank annual meeting last year on Nigeria’s economic direction reiterated the need for Nigeria to gradually phase out petrol subsidy. He said: “With regards to subsidies, to the extent that governments can have them be smaller meaning that if you’re putting a cap on gasoline prices, don’t make that a nominal cap in the local currency terms, but allow it to be reduced over time. “So, the challenge for Nigeria is that the subsidies are so large that they undermine the revenues coming to the government from the state-owned oil company. Nigeria is actually in a concerning situation because the increase in the oil prices that occurred earlier this year actually ended up hurting the finances of Nigeria because of that large subsidy that’s provided.” Furthermore, he restated that multiple exchange rates remains a challenge for Nigeria, saying it was hurting capital flows into the country as well as foreign direct

investment. He called for ease in trade policies to avert Nigeria’s protectionist approach. He added: “Some of the challenges in Nigeria that I’ve talked about and been involved with them for some time is the dual exchange rate or the multiple exchange rates that are used which makes it very hard to have capital flowing in an efficient way within the country. MONETARY REFORMS On foreign exchange, he said there is a need for reform to unlock inflows of capital into the economy, reduce arbitrage in the foreign exchange market and improve transparency in the foreign exchange allocation as he said government need to, “ensure a market reflective exchange rate to eliminate the distortions in the foreign exchange ecosystem and ensure level playing field in foreign exchange transactions.” The CPPE chief also called for the removal of impediments to markets mechanism in allocation of foreign exchange. This will boost inflows from Foreign Direct Investment [FDI], Foreign Portfolio Investment [FPI], Export Proceeds and Diaspora remittances. For the banking system, he said the industry, “must be repositioned to play its fundamental role of financial intermediation for the benefit of investments in the economy. Some key regulatory instruments of the CBN should be interrogated to ensure their appropriateness and impact on the economy. The CRR regime is one of such policy instruments that would require a review. Current CRR of 32.5 per cent is one of the highest globally. It has serious implication for financial intermediation. “The imperial and intimidating disposition of the current leadership of the CBN needs to be moderated in the interest of the development and stability of the financial system. The development finance operations in the economy have had some positive impact for a few beneficiaries in the real sector. But it needs to be streamlined to minimize loan losses and ensure effective targeting of deserving investors. There is need to ensure full compliance with the recent ruling of the Supreme Court on the currency redesign policy of the CBN.”

Ukadike: Infrastructure Remains Key Driver for FMCG Industry’s Growth Recently, there have been a number of funding announcements for investments along the FMCG value chain in Sub-Saharan Africa. These include investments in ecommerce and accompanying investments in distribution channels which are expected to improve the business prognosis for existing and new manufacturers, improve efficiency and reduce revenue leakages. Consumer goods analyst at Vetiva Capital Management, Chinma Ukadike in an interview with Kayode Tokede speaks on these trends in the Fast Moving Consumer Goods industry in Sub-Saharan Africa. With the global uncertainties that have persisted in the last few years, would you say that the FMCG industry in Sub-Saharan Africa has experienced growth? would say yes, within the context of revenue growth when looking at our coverage companies. For major players in the space, we can also see bottom-line resilience, and this is important to note especially given the significant headwinds these companies have faced during the period. Apart from this, there has also been evidence of expansion – I mean a drive towards achieving scale – across market sub-segments within the region.

What do you think has been driving this growth across the SSA region? I believe that a key driver for the growth we have seen in the SSA FMCG industry has really Ukadike been the increase in consumer spending across various countries within the region, which has region averages around $80 billion yearly in itself been driven by rapid population growth infrastructure investments. To put this in in recent years. Also, we have seen increased perspective, in 2018, the AfDB, (the African industry capex spend across SSA countries on the Development Bank) had estimated that Africa back of significant incentive for investments in needed a range of $130-170 billion yearly to the region and this continues to impact various plug the infrastructure deficit. Moreso, when segments of the FMCG value chain positively. we consider the fact that for technology to That being said, another growth driver we cannot drive growth, there is a need to have the ignore is technology, both on the demand and enabling infrastructure in place, this factor supply sides of the spectrum. As with many is definitely a headwind to growth in the other sectors, technology is a vital catalyst for sector. Another challenge would really be growth in the FMCG industry and we see this reflected in the increase in e-commerce activity bottom-line preservation. While turnover has and in respect of the general efficiency gains largely been in line with expectations, and from digitization initiatives. One example is the revenue is stable and growing, maintaining brewery industry where players have attested historical margins has been a real challenge. to the impact of e-commerce on sales, and this A major reason for this is that operational is because the use of technology has sort of expenses have increased astronomically, and streamlined the sales process, fast tracked and you would agree with me that this is not eased payments as well as reduced restocking/ news. Energy prices have skyrocketed for example, and food prices have behaved in communication lags for retailers. Obviously, there have been challenges to a similar manner and so on. Also, beyond this growth. Yes, infrastructure remains a big operational expenses, financing costs have deal and this cuts across the entire region. also been a burden for companies operating Currently, Africa is still playing catch up from within this space, with interest rates rising an infrastructure perspective even though the globally at a historic pace. The implication

of this is that critical capex spend will likely stay below required levels to drive growth, at least in the near term. Amid these challenges, what would you say are tailwinds that FMCG players have enjoyed, nonetheless? The FMCG industry thrives on quick and regular substitution where consumers can easily switch from one product to another based on a number of factors ranging from trends to lifestyle choices to affordability. Affordability is especially important, as data has shown, over the years, that household income distribution in Africa and especially in the Sub-Saharan Africa region is skewed towards lower income households, with little or no brand loyalty. For this segment of the population, a large portion of household income - averaging 70per cent across SSA - is spent on Food and other necessities. Another interesting point is that despite the low-income per capita scenario in the region, the fast-growing population in Africa has supported increased consumer spending in the region in absolute terms and this is a huge positive for the FMCG sector. This is also why the investment spend I spoke about earlier has come at a good time. With so many choices and low substitution costs, players who can hack the route to market strategy and deploy efficient distribution infrastructure would win today’s consumer. Another thing to note, is that the uneven distribution of the population towards lowincome households in the region has capped manufacturers’ pricing power. This is because these consumers can only afford necessities and would typically favour lower priced items. As such, across Sub-Saharan Africa, the theme has really been value (save for the brewery segment, which has largely thrived on premiumization in recent times). Added to this, with inflationary pressure ravaging consumer wallets, manufacturers in the space have had to be very creative in adapting their

products to suit the purchasing power of the consumer. How has the pricing dynamic affected margins and growth? Not positively. While the pricing strategy I mentioned earlier has been good for volumes, the low price point synonymous with mass market products is not as favourable for margins and consequently, bottom-line especially when we consider that costs have not slowed down. This has made some companies focus on achieving scale to maintain absolute profits and is another factor that has been driving the significant investments observable in the region. Would you say that governments have a role in driving the sector to the next frontier/level of growth? That’s a good question and my answer would be yes, from an infrastructure perspective. Apart from actual investments in building infrastructure, governments in the region need to be a lot more intentional in driving and implementing policies that would also promote private-led infrastructure investments. For example, in July 2022, the African Development Bank, concluded the first PPP road project in Kenya, a public-private partnership transport infrastructure project with invested funds of $150 million. These sorts of combined efforts in addition to favourable policies could set a precedence for other successful ventures with the private sector. What is your outlook for the SSA region as a whole? I think that the AfCFTA potentially is a key growth driver for the region. This is because it opens up markets in Africa, with the expectation that the agreement could boost trade within Africa by as much as 33%. Beyond this, the growth in population is expected to be a plus for the region, boosting labour force within the region and household incomes as well as increasing spending power and consumption.

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 22, 2023 ˾ T H I S D AY

BUSINESSWORLD

INSURANCE

Insurance Operators’ Agenda for In-coming Govt In their continued struggle to enthrone a regime of vibrant and developed insurance sector that meets global standard, insurance sector operators have listed their expectations from the in-coming administration writes Ebere Nwoji

s Nigeria looks forward to enthroning new governments at federal, state and local government levels, hopes are high among operators of various sectors of the economy that the new regime would bring a major turn around in their operations. Their hope is indeed high because coming from the passing administration in which the operators watched their businesses bedeviled with problems ranging from negative effects of COVID-19 pandemic, climatic change, social, political and economic downturn, security challenges inflationary challenges and continued loss of value by Naira to dollar and other currencies due to hyper inflation, the operators look upon the in coming administration as a place of refuge and a messiah that would lift them out of the unfriendly business environment that has remained inimical to their survival. The insurance sector as part of the finance service sector of the economy is not immune from these problems and the operators are among the expectants of the needed salvation from the incoming government. On their own, the sector operators especially the regulator, National Insurance Commission (NAICOM) said it is determined to take the industry’s fate by hand through implementation of initiatives that would make the sector move away from what it described as “One cap fit all” model of supervision to a new model that would stabilise and advance the industry. The Commissioner for Insurance, Mr. Sunday Olorundare Thomas, in a recent interview with THISDAY said his starting point towards repositioning the industry is that he would this year direct his regulatory attention to migrating the entire insurance sector from compliance based capital supervision to risk based supervision. He said the era of one cap fits all, in his supervisory role was over and had given way to a new era of risk-based capital model of supervision. “It will no longer be the case. This year, we will be closing on that and before I finish the first tenure, it will be operational. We are in partnership with the multilateral institutions in our quest to evolve, this risk-based capital. Our staff members have gone through a lot of training in this area and it’s been quite helpful, ”he said. From the insurance operators’ side, the umbrella body of insurance underwriters, the Nigeria Insurers Association (NIA), has been moving its tentacles in search of ways to make the insurance industry in Nigeria stand out among other committee of insurers across the globe.

OPERATORS’ EXPECTATIONS Chairman of the NIA Mr. Olusegun Omosehin, in a telephone chat with THISDAY highlighted six major areas of the operators’ expectations from the in-coming administration saying it

would among others include ensuring the stability of the macroeconomic environment especially inflation rate, exchange rate etc. to accelerate growth in the economy. Reduce the current level of insecurity and insurgency in some parts of the country. He noted that a safe and secure polity is a necessity for economic growth and prosperity. He said the new administration should ensure that Nigerians have respect for, and enforcement of all existing laws that relates to insurance in Nigeria particularly all the compulsory insurances. He said the administration should ensure support for the manufacturing and industrial sector to stimulate growth in the economy. The administration he said should be bold to tackle the monstrous fuel subsidy issue and free up funds for development He further said it should be providing the enabling environment to support innovation from individuals, small businesses and be deliberate about growing Nigerian owned enterprises. Also the President Chartered Insurance Institute of Nigeria (CIIN), Mr Edwin Igbiti, said the insurance sector expects a lot from the in coming administration. According to him, elections in developing democracies like Nigeria tend to be accompanied with tension because of the possibility of violence. So for insurance, the main concern tends to be around the impact of these potentially violent situations. He said, of course, while insurers may take some steps to protect themselves from the impact of these events, operators also want to be mindful of the risks the customers face and provide relief where it is necessary. “While we encourage consumers to be aware of their risks at all times, there is usually a heightened awareness of risk during these periods. What is the expectation of the insurance industry now that we have a president-elect? the CIIN president asked.

SIGNIFICANT CHALLENGES In response, he said, “The new administration faces a number of significant challenges: insecurity, a flagging economy and an increasing debt burden among others. He said the government would have to take significant steps to tackle these issues and get the country on the path to double-digit growth at least. He said insurance has a role to play here, to provide platforms for people and businesses to take risks, which ultimately increase the supply of goods and services, create jobs, and grows the economy. He said this being the case; insurance needed an environment that encouraged the types of investments the country needed to spur this growth.

He said this would be beneficial to all Nigerians and the insurance industry as well. Igbiti said in terms of indices that contributed to the growth of the industry, the industry needed indices that contributed to growth, as he added that the overall state of the economy has a lot to do with the strength of the industry. He noted that increasing income per capita and disposable income contributed positively to insurance growth, adding that high inflation reduced disposable income and reduced growth of the industry. “A high rate of saving also increases growth of the insurance industry – saving is essentially deferring consumption and insurance products fulfill this as well. Increased investment in production capacity, which reduces inflation by increasing supply, and generates jobs leads to growth in the insurance industry as well”. He said the incoming administration should through its policies and programmes put in place an environment that would ensure the achievement of the aforementioned. The Executive Secretary Nigerian Council of Registered Insurance Brokers, Mr Tope Adaramola, said the incoming administration must ensure that there was better adherence of government at all levels to compulsory insurance. “There would be significant improvement in the solvency of insurance industry, translating in better contribution to the GDP if this is done. “Government should also consider insurance as a critical component of financial or economic recovery initiatives. It is appropriate for insurance professionals to be more involved in government’s machinery since there is a risk component in all social and economic endeavours. “It is believed that when government gives clout to the industry, they would be relieved of the burden of spending hard earned expenditure on disasters and risks the victims could have undertaken by themselves”. He cited instance of the palliatives often given after disasters have occurred, adding that such monies could have been preserved by government and spent on other social benefits for the people. According to him, here lies the place of our industry in returning our economy to vibrancy under the new regime.

ADHERING TO RECOMMENDATIONS The insurers believe that if the incoming administration acts along the line of the above recommendations, with the efforts being made by the insurers themselves, the industry would be better for it and the entire economy would stabilise.

In their efforts, Omosehin had during his investiture speech as NIA Chairman mandated the operators to henceforth play the role of catalysts in protecting the future of Nigeria economy through support of innovations in the new business world the country found itself in order to deliver prosperity. Omosehin, also urged the insurers to be deliberate in technological investment and innovations in order to leverage on the advantages to improve on accessibility, affordability, adequacy, awareness and availability of insurance products. He said the insurers had the tools to do this noting that in the new business world thrown up by the COVID-19 pandemic and its like challenges, insurers’ roles were clearly defined but were yet to be occupied. “By embracing the new and emerging world and the associated challenges, steer the ship of growth and innovation quickly to provide the buffer required for the economy to thrive not impending by clinging on to the past, ”he charged. Thomas, pointing out the achievement recorded by the operators despite the downturn in the economy, recalled that the industry was committed to his care with market production of about N320 billion, but that between that time and now, the industry’s market production has grown to N730 billion. He said he was deputy commissioner until around August 2019. When he was appointed Acting commissioner, recalling that the market production in terms of premium was about N400 to N520 billion. But by 2022, the market recorded more than N730 billion. Insisting that his administration was still not satisfied yet, until he has achieved the N1 trillion target. The NAICOM helmsman said he expected that with the enabling environment to be created by the incoming administration, the industry would hit the N1 trillion premium income target and surpass it. He said total asset of the industry moved from about N1.3 trillion in 2018 to about N2.5 trillion in 2022. “We are making progress but looking at our economy, these, to me, are small numbers. I will also say that our methodology is also changing. Inspection used to be compliance-based with a checklist. But now, the world has moved to risk-based supervision. We started that last year. Some companies have tasted what it means to have risk-based supervision environment. It has been quite revealing about the operations of these institutions. We are taking it to a new level, risk-based capital. If you know the history of capital in this country, it has been an issue and we want to remove that. You can trade, for instance, as a motor third party insurance company, based on your capital. Then, if you want to trade in the highly volatile business environment of oil and gas, you also must provide the needed capital to be able to run at that level. That is where we are going now,” Thomas stated.

T H I S D AY ˾ WEDNESDAY, MARCH 22, 2023

NEWS

BUSINESSWORLD

NIPC Rallies Chinese, Foreign Firms on Value-Chain Addition

James Emejo in Abuja

The federal government has called on Chinese companies as well as other foreign investors to play a stronger role in adding value to Nigeria’s raw commodity exports. The Executive Secretary/Chief Executive, Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission (NIPC), Mrs. Saratu Umar, said going forward, companies should be able to establish factories and process raw materials in Nigeria. She noted that even though the

country had done a lot of exports to China, the former would like to replace raw material export with processed or finished goods going forward. Speaking while receiving a delegation from the Chinese Embassy in Nigeria, comprising members of the China General Chamber of Commerce (Trade and Investment Promotion Office), Umar said Nigeria has lots of potential in agriculture and solid minerals among an endless list of opportunities and urged the investors to focus on value-chain addition that would create a win-win

AXA Mansard Empowers 100 Female Entrepreneurs With Digital Marketing Skills As part of efforts to increase opportunities for women, accelerate their participation in economic activities and encourage digital equity, AXA Mansard, a member of AXA Group has empowered over 100 young female entrepreneurs with digital marketing skills in Lagos. The two-day digital marketing training held in Lagos according to the Chief Customer and Marketing Officer AXA Mansard, Jumoke Odunlami, is part of the company’s programmes to commemorate this year’s International Women’s Day. With the training, the company seeks to empower female SME owners with skills to improve their digital output and position them for the immense opportunities available in the digital space. Odunlami noted that this is in line with AXA Mansard’s inclusivity agenda; explaining that the company was convinced that support for women through its

inclusive protection programmes, was important to AXA’s purpose of acting for human progress by protecting what matters. She said focusing on digital equity as a sub-theme of this year’s International women’s day is because the company realised the importance of digital to the growth of the SME sector in Nigeria and wanted to ensure that women were empowered enough to be a consequential part of that growth. “It’s almost trite to say that SMEs are the engine of economic growth, especially in developing countries like Nigeria. What needs to be continually discussed is how Nigeria is going to unlock that potential for economic development and how much of those potential will be unlocked by women and for women “.

situation for the parties. She said while value chain addition would help conserve foreign exchange for Nigeria, it would equally enable the Chinese companies to repatriate their proceeds. The NIPC boss said, “We have lots of potential in agriculture and solid minerals among an endless list. “We are inviting countries, particularly China to come and play in the Nigerian economy to help develop our value chains, set up industries within the value chains that you can process and it would be a win-win; you should be

able to repatriate your proceeds as the law allows you to do that. “But at the same time, we also want to take the benefit of developing the value chain and developing the country as well. And that’s the direction I want China to see on where we want to go.” She said the NIPC was in the process of developing the Nigerian Investment However, Chinese Economic Minster- Counsellor in the embassy, Mr. Wang Xijia, commended the bilateral trade relations between both countries over the past years. He said Nigeria remained China’s

third investment destination in Africa, adding that total investment from Chinese companies to Nigeria amounted to about $290 million in 2022 compared to about $300 million in the preceding year. Wang, who only assumed his duties in January said Chinese investors had enjoyed strong support from local partners, the Nigerian government including the NIPC, adding that he would seek to deepen the existing cordial trade relationship between China

and Nigeria. “We are looking to see more Chinese business delegations coming to Nigeria. We are very happy that our investors enjoyed their operations with local partners, and we are also delighted to see free trade zones in Lagos. “In that free trade zone, we have many Chinese investors in building materials and other sectors and they are very satisfied with the investment environment over there. And we are going to promote more Chinese investments to come here, “he said.

Insurers Collaborate With LASG to Institute Compulsory School Safety Insurance Scheme Ebere Nwoji Insurance operators in Lagos are collaborating with the Lagos State Safety Commission to institute compulsory School Safety insurance scheme for all public and private schools in the State. The plan which is still at discussion stage was initiated by industry leaders in insurance industry while discussions for its full take off is on going between Nigeria Insurers Association (NIA) and Lagos State Safety Commission. At its last council meeting in Lagos, THISDAY was reliably informed that NIA members have agreed on modalities for the scheme in order to ensure that it is workable and beneficial to the school children, the school authorities and other stakeholders. A source close to NIA council

told THISDAY that in the last meeting between the insurers and the state safety commission, it was agreed that the school safety insurance would be mandatory for all schools when it takes off. “When it takes off all schools will be made to have insurance cover for their teachers, students and pupils, and school buses”. According to the source, discussions on this have reached advanced stage and implementation will soon take off. The state Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu who stated this at insurance conference in Lagos explained that this would come in form of various group insurance coverage for the workers. Sanwo Olu, who was represented at the event by the state Commissioner for Finance, Mr. Rabin Olowo, said the state had perfected plans to bring all

its workforce under various group insurance coverage including Group Personal Accident Insurance Cover, Group Life Insurance, adding that his government had perfected plans to put in place several emergency response agencies to safeguard the lives of over 22 million people in the state. Lagos, he stated, cannot afford to shy away from this responsibility. He commended the effort of insurance sector operators in responding to claims from #endSARS protest adding that it served as an acid test for the industry. According to him, “#endSARS experience was a test and we are grateful to insurers for taking responsibility and it proves that insurance is working. I encourage Nigerians to buy insurance that is why we are partnering with

150 brokers which serve as intermediary to over 20 insurance companies to provide end to end risk management services for all classes of insurance in the state including group life.” The Nigerian Council of Registered Insurance Brokers (NCRIB), which gave the assurance, said families of victims of the accident involving a train and staff bus belonging to the Lagos State Government would receive their insurance benefits from their underwriters if they were insured. Also, the National President of the Association of Registered Insurance Agents of Nigeria (ARIAN), Kunle Odewunmi, on his part expressed the Association’s heartfelt condolences to the families of those who lost their lives and wished the victims a speedy recovery.

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 22, 2023 ˾ T H I S D AY

BUSINESSWORLD

NEWS

Leadway Pensure Emerges W’Africa’s Most Outstanding PFA Brand Ebere Nwoji

Leadway Pensure PFA Limited, one of the licensed Pension Fund Administrator (PFA) has been named West Africa’s Most Outstanding PFA Brand of the Decade at the 2023 edition of the West Africa Brands Excellence Awards. The award organisers recognised the leading PFA for its tenacious and extraordinary accomplishments, efficient service delivery, industry dominance, and customer satisfaction, through innovative and bespoke product portfolio to its varying customers for over a decade across West Africa. Speaking on the significant achievement, the Managing Director/ Chief Executive Officer of Leadway Pensure, Lanre Idris stated that the award added to the potpourri of recognitions received by the brand for its stellar, unparalleled commitment and exceptional delivery of superior financial solutions to its customers. “This award is a testament to the brand’s DNA and corporate culture hinged on sustained and impeccable service delivery, cutting edge and technology-driven pension solutions targeted at actualising the possibilities for ultimate customer satisfaction. According to Odin, over the years, Leadway Pensure had envisioned delivering unrivalled pension services and financial security in retirement beyond the shores of our immediate community. He added that the recognition was a validation that the firm was progressing in the

right direction to steer the course gradually and tenaciously toward African dominance in the pension space. “This is an unflinching commitment despite volatile economic realities on the continent and globally. We remain resolute in prioritising operational excellence and generating enviable investment returns for our customers, “he said.

He commended the award team for their tenacity, leadership, and excellence in ensuring that promises to various stakeholders become realities. He said riding on the assertion that the reward for hard work is more work, he would like to remind the team that this was a clarion call to not relent but continually push the boundary for phenomenal outcomes”.

Guinea Insurance Promises Return to Profitability Ebere Nwoji Guinea Insurance PLC says the era of losses in the company was over, assuring that things would take a new turn this year in the business outing of the company. Describing the year 2023 as base year for profit swing for the company, the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of the company, Mr. Ademola Abidogun, said the indicators were clear that a reign of profit begins and cited the company’ reduced losses from N700 million to N200 million and coming down to N20 million. Abidogun who spoke at interactive session with members of National Association of Insurance and Pension Editors (NAIPE), said his administration had moved Guinea Insurance from

the negative position that having done a lot in terms of shaping the company it will still do a lot this year in terms of revamping the entire operations of the company, in terms of the outlook, and in terms of being more visible. “Our priority for this year is to ensure that we deliver profit to all the stakeholders. The era of making loses is gone. This year we will continue with the work we have done which we have started seeing results and this will lead us to delivering value to all our stakeholders because that is the time you can talk about people coming to invest in the company, “ he said. He said his administration was working on the negative mind-set of the people concerning the company and would operate an open administration, and would not do things that would be against the law.

WEDNESDAY MARCH 22, 2023 • T H I S D AY

T H I S D AY ˾ WEDNESDAY MARCH 22, 2023

EDUCATION Governor Adeleke Says Osun Educational Summit Underway Yinka Kolawole ÓØ ÝÙÑÌÙ

etermined to change educational directions in Osun, Governor Ademola Adeleke announced that he would soon convene an educational summit where all stakeholders will brainstorm to reposition the worst system in the state. Adeleke stated this at the presentation of instructional materials to secondary school students in Osun and said the summit would enable him to submit the Imole Education Agenda to fast-track the implementation process. He stressed that he aims to ensure an education system in tune with the demands of the 21st century, saying, “Our students stand for the future of the state. How we treat them will tell us what our society will look like tomorrow.” The governor added that “the state of education in Osun State indeed demands urgent attention” from the government, pointing out that infrastructure is in bad condition “from primary to secondary schools.” He stated that the worst side is the previous administration’s bad educational policy and lack of political will, stressing that Osun “is placed 34th or so on the national examination rating index.” He promised that his administration would change the situation for the better. “To that end, we have a comprehensive education sector reform agenda. We will soon hold an educational summit where

Adeleke

all stakeholders will brainstorm,” the Osun governor explained. The summit will enable me to submit the Imole Education

Agenda with a view to fast-track the implementation process. Our aim is to ensure an education system is in tune with the demands of the 21st century.”

Specifically, Adeleke said his administration is resolved to improve the learning environment, empower the teachers and provide learning aids. “I have a very ambitious target for this sector. The ultimate goal is to improve the educational rating of Osun from the present 34th position to between first to 10th position.” He lamented that books and other materials are becoming unaffordable for most parents. “I will today share hundreds of instructional materials to aid learning in our secondary schools,” Adeleke stated at the summit. The governor noted that part of the reason for failure at national examinations is a lack of familiarity with computer systems, as most students cannot use computers until a few days before their examinations. He directed the state’s education ministry to clean up and reopen the nine computer centres in selected schools across the nine federal constituencies. He called on the ministries of education and science to study the possibility of introducing tablets at the senior secondary school level, saying that it would address the increasing cost of book purchases and enhance the state’s readiness for e-learning. The governor also directed the ministries to look into best practices and engage TLG, a local company in which the government is a shareholder, on the subject matter.

Afe Babalola Urges MDCN to Increase Admission Quota for ABUAD’s College of Medicine Gbenga Sodeinde ÓØ ÎÙ ÕÓÞÓ

The founder and Chancellor of Afe Babalola University, Ado Ekiti (ABUAD), Aare Afe Babalola (SAN), has urged the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN) to increase the student admission quota for the institution’s College of Medicine. He made the appeal during the induction ceremony of 123 graduating students of the institution’s College of Medicine. Babalola said that in anticipation of the upcoming accreditation exercise, the university authorities built modern structures accommodating over 360 new students. The MDCN Registrar, Dr Tajudeen Sanusi, advised graduate medical doctors in the country not to travel abroad without a purpose and target for it. The ABUAD founder said such will guarantee the training of more medical practitioners and the empowerment of those in the profession and pointed out that MDCN desires to have autonomous colleges of medicine in Nigeria to eradicate delayed graduation of medical students, admonishing the graduands to make ethics of the profession their watchwords. “There is this trend now called Japa. I want to advise you; there is nothing over there. The truth (is) home is home. After

Babalola completing your training here in Nigeria, the idea of the proverbial seeking greener pastures abroad is not it,” he explained. “Most of our colleagues over there are itching to come back home, and some of them felt they should have been back after completing their postgraduate training. So

I will advise that if you must go, have a target, return home on completion of your postgraduate training.” Sanusi noted that the council made some adjustments, with some schools spending between 10 and 13 years to graduate their first sets of medical students, which became an embarrassment to the system. “It was one of the reasons why some

parents send their children abroad to study. The adjustment put more pressure on the institutions, and I am happy ABUAD was able to cope. Its first set didn’t spend more than six to seven years before graduating. Some nine universities also had their graduations,” Sanusi disclosed. He added, “MDCN is still looking inwards as to what to do to arrest the situation so that the medical students are not unnecessarily delayed for too long before graduating. By the guidelines of MDCN, it is expected that every university wanting to run degree in medicine or dentistry to operate a college and the it must be an autonomous college.” The registrar revealed that the MDCN wrote the National Universities Commission on the need to incorporate French and sign languages into the medical studies curriculum for effective communication between patients and doctors. He warned the young doctors against joining any industrial action while on their mandatory one-year housemanship, adding that as house officers, they are not expected to embark on strike because the one-year housemanship is structured in such a way that it has to be 12 uninterrupted weeks in each of the postings and once it is interrupted they have to repeat it without pay.

Education and Water Resources Ministries Partner for WASH Kuni Tyessi ÓØ ÌßÔË

In commemorating the 2023 Common Wealth Day, the Ministries of Education and Water Resources have partnered to protect young people against future pandemics, particularly in the improvement of Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH). This was as the Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu, performed his last and seventh Commonwealth Day commemoration with the theme ‘Forging a sustainable peaceful and common future’. Adamu said promoting quality education, digitised learning, human rights, and

democratic governance must be enshrined among children and young people. The minister said this year’s theme is a reawakening call that promoting unity, love, peace, and prosperity is the foundation of development and the comity of Commonwealth nations in particular. “Health is wealth. The Commonwealth ministers of education are committed to strengthen the health system for the protection if young

people to be more resilient against future pandemics. It is worthy of note that the ministry is collaborating with the ministry if water resources to improve hygiene and sanitation facilities and services in federal educational institutions,” he explained. The minister noted that peace in any space of human aggregation or nation translates to progress, wealth and tranquillity, which will enhance positive outcomes in trade, investment, human rights, democratic governance, quality education, digitised learning, among other things. In his remark, the Director of Educa-

tion Support Services, Dr L.I. Giginna, said the ministry focuses on forging a common future devoid of tribalism, violence, incessant attacks on students and teachers and destruction of education infrastructure. He said with Nigeria’s strength in having the largest population of youth in the world, with about 70 per cent of the population under 30 and 42 per cent under the age of 15, the education sector will continue to partner with developmental partners and will exploit all available aids for the promotion of health and wellbeing for young people nationwide.

T H I S D AY ˾ WEDNESDAY MARCH 22, 2023

EDUCATION

UNILAG Mass Comm German Government Appoints UNIOSUN Alumni Organise VC as Research Organisation President Mentoring Programme organisation. AGNES was founded directly Foundation. AGNES is a funding by Germany, vowed to ensure Disclosing this to the unifor Fresh Graduates The German government and versity’s stakeholders during organisation that awards that the institution becomes Alexander von Humboldt Foun- a media interaction session, grants and fellowships to a model and reference point Yinka Kolawole in Osogbo

The University of Lagos Mass Communication Alumni Association (UMCAA) has held its first mentoring session for new members. The initiative became necessary to enhance the fresh graduates’ preparedness for the increasingly competitive labour market. The Programme Coordinator, Dr. Kehinde Oyesomi, the Vice- President of UMCAA, stated that the programme was put together to increase the fresh graduates’ institutional knowledge and understanding of how the labour market works, increase their confidence and position them for professional development opportunities. “This mentoring programme is an avenue for you as fresh graduates to receive guidance and support from respected members of UMCAA community, who are in the business of mentoring the next generation,” she said. The session was facilitated by members of the association who have distinguished themselves in their chosen endeavours, like: veteran journalist, Lekan Otufodurin, seasoned public relations professional, Eniola Mayowa, and data-centric digital marketing

genius, Oluwatayo Alofun. In his presentation, ‘Understanding the Media Job Terrain’, Otufodunrin, the Executive Director, Media Career Development Network, advised the fresh graduate not to limit themselves to broadcasting, public relations or advertising, but as multimedia professionals, as the media industry cuts across various areas of specialisation which they were taught in school. “The specialisation in school is necessary for academic purpose, but in the world of work, you must have the capacity to do a bit of everything to enhance your job search opportunities,” he said. Using real life experiences, he advised the graduates to take internship opportunities, where they are available and show their skills. Mayowa, the Chief Operating Officer at Stepcraft Nigeria Limited, underscored the place of knowledge, skills, learning and mentorship as the factors to success, as these apply to both employment and entrepreneurship. She admonished the graduates to be multi-skilled and be ready to add value as these will stand them out anywhere.

dation (AvH) have appointed the Vice-Chancellor of Osun State University, Prof Odunayo Adebooye, as president of an international research funding organisation. Adebooye was elected as the chair/president of the African-German Network of Excellence in Science (AGNES), a networking organisation established in 2011 by the German government and the Alexander von Humboldt

Adebooye said he was elected to lead the network from 2023 to 2025. The position is renewable for another two years. Sequel to the appointment, the network’s secretariat will be moved to Nigeria for the first time since the organisation’s establishment, and it will be situated at Osun State University. This is the first time a Nigerian scholar will head the international funding

support highly qualified young scholars (doctoral students and postdoctoral researchers) from sub-Saharan Africa through four grant programmes (AGNES intra-Africa mobility grants; AGNES-PAWS intra-Africa mobility grants for women in STEM (Science Technology, Engineering and Mathematics); AGNES junior research grants; AGNES-PAWS junior research grants for women in STEM). Adebooye, who added that

for other higher educational institutions regarding vision, strategies, leadership style, transparency and stability. He said the university is poised to continue the trend, and the target is to become one of the top 10 in Nigeria in the next four years. Adebooye stressed that the university would not relent in its efforts to constantly improve global visibility, global recognition, and local relevance.

Christopher University, Established to Groom 21st Century Global Students, SaysVC Oluchi Chibuzor

The Vice-Chancellor of Christopher University, Mowe, Ogun State, Professor Oyelana Afolabi, has said that the institution was established to equip 21st century global students. He said the institution is doing this through a process that would interface endogenouslocal research and innovation with the development of needdriven educational programmes to produce highly skilled, globally and self-employable graduates, who may transform into entrepreneurs, and create their own enterprises and business opportunities. He added that the university would adopt public-private partnership in the provision of quality teaching-learning facilities and resources. This he said would produce transformational leaders who can provide the required vision needed for human emancipation in the scientific, technological, political and socio-economic domains in Africa. Briefing journalists recently to announce the forthcoming convocation programme, the VC said the university, which started with 25 students seven years ago, has seen a 100 per cent student population. He said his team would continue to work assiduously to ensure that his university becomes the only public school alternative in Nigeria, while establishing credible alliances to build quality infrastructure to engender best practices.

According to him, “most African countries are poorly developed when it comes to educational infrastructure and as a university we are focused on changing this trend to enhance national development. “We know that the current state of Nigerian public universities is very deplorable to meet 21st century global students. As a university, we would provide the much-needed institutional platform upon which to build and develop local initiatives and alternative adaptable indigenous technologies that would be capable of galvanizing Nigeria’s rapid agricultural, economic and infrastructural/industrial development as soon as we commence our engineering and science programmes.” “We would establish synergies and collaborations with industries with the aim of ensuring a solid base for a high impact research, inflow of industry funds and the engagement of industry professionals and experts as facilitators and members of special boards to help initiate and build business models, and help improve the chances for jobs and employment for our graduates,” the vice-chancellor said. According to him, the convocation lecture with the theme ‘Socio Re-engineering, Justice, Ethical Reorientation as a Panacea for Nigeria’s Quest for National Integration’, will be delivered by Dr. Anthony Idigbe, while the Executive Secretary of the NUC, Professor Abubakar Rasheed is expected to attend.

The Principal, King’s College, Lagos, Mr. Andrew Agada presenting awards to winners of the 103rd inter-house sports competition of the college recently

APWEN Builds Capacity of Engineers Funmi Ogundare

In partnership with the Royal Academy of Engineering, UK, the Association of Professional Women Engineers of Nigeria (APWEN) recently held a SheEngineer 30 per cent club capacity-building workshop for professional engineers to strengthen the skills and abilities of members. Speaking during a virtual meeting, the president of the association, Dr Elizabeth Eterigho, noted that it believes in gender equality and has decided to change the narration of underrepresentation of women in leadership positions by championing the integration and implementation of 30 per cent females in leadership position using the aviation, automobile and energy sectors as a pilot engineering organisation. She noted that developing the capacity of members

cannot be overemphasised given the challenges associated with leadership positions, particularly in a male-dominated workplace like engineering. “Gender-sensitive policies in the workplace are key to creating a safe and respectful work environment,” she stated. “APWEN, through this workshop sponsored by the Royal Academy of UK, has put in place strategic machinery to achieve gender equality and empower all women in engineering into leadership positions at all levels and prepare the young engineers for such responsibilities.” Eterigho added that by building or developing “ourselves, we are showing the way through our chosen fields, to the rising generation of women and men, that our gender should not be an excuse when it comes to contributing to local and

national development through leadership positions.” The association’s UK partner, Dr Evi Visa of the University of Scotland, who spoke on ‘Capacity Building for Practicing Engineers’, advised the engineers to have a self-assessment by identifying their strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats for any project they plan to embark on. This, she added, would enable them to evaluate their professional interests, knowledge and skills. “Creating a self-assessment allows you to examine your current position as it relates to your career goals. When you determine the skills and interests you currently possess, you can identify areas in which you can improve to obtain your goals,” said Visa. She stated that they could also create time and deadlines for their goals and invest money in their skills

by acquiring professional qualifications and joining professional bodies. “Learning is not always happening in the classroom or in a work environment. It is often happening outside, in the community or through a project aligned with our principles,” Visa noted. In her remarks, the Programme Manager of SheEngineer 30% Club, Dr Felicia Agubata, said the association planned to drive profitability, productivity, and creativity and reduce skills shortage by encouraging more girls to take up STEMbased careers, create positive workplaces through training in equality and diversity issues and support the development and implementation of gender inclusion policies, as well as build up an engineering talent pipeline with the necessary skills to respond to local challenges.

T H I S D AY ˾ ͰͰ˜ ͰͮͰͱ

CITYSTRINGS

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Doing Public Relations for Good: The C&F Model At a recent gathering that brought together stakeholders in the communication sector, C&F Porter Novelli, a strategic communication firm, depicted at its 25th anniversary that businesses exist to solve problems in various ways and one of such ways is through purpose-driven initiatives birthing its mantra - Public Relations for good. Writes Mary Nnah

eter Drucker, a revered management thinker of the 20th century, explained that the purpose of a business is to create customers. More recently, Michael Porter an American academic known for his theories on economics, business strategy, and social causes, built a case that a business should create shared values by connecting its success to social progress. Beyond the issues of perception and publicity lies the strategic vision that sets a brand apart and sustainably builds businesses. Herein lies the power of building Reputational Capital which continues to generate value. It is then safe to say that C&F Porter Novelli is a Reputation Capital Consultancy, built on purpose to do business better. C&F Porter Novelli is the trusted business advisor and leader in strategic communications in West Africa that combines an in-depth understanding of the Nigerian and other West African markets with 360° strategic communication skills and a commitment to standards of excellence to influence those that matter most to their clients. The result is a strong reputation capital that delivers measurable and competitive business results for its clients through transparent actions. With over 25 years of experience and having drawn from the legacy Porter Novelli network of over 50 years, the company believes that a legacy is built through sustainable action that impacts lives and the value chain. In commemoration of its 25th anniversary, it introduced some Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives to celebrate its various stakeholders and partners in progress - a personal and professional branding workshop for journalists; a give-back initiative to Mrs. Rose Julius- the Nigerian pensioner who displayed patriotism by donating her monthly pension to the Buhari government and an Academy for Business Communication (ABC) West Africa, a platform for training young Nigerian undergraduates for free on Communication and Public Relations, are some of the events which marked the celebrations. The personal and professional branding workshop for journalists was a virtual workshop organised to empower the media with the tools that they need to continuously seek innovative ways to scale their reporting skills even after they exit the industry. At the training, media practitioners were urged to take cognisance of the six principles of marketing needed to effectively build their reputation capital and professional branding. The training was facilitated by industry experts across technology, broadcast media, brand strategy and reputation management. Speaking at the training session, the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, C&F Porter Novelli, Mr. Tony Ajero, urged the media practitioners to continuously hone their reporting skills, and also seek innovative ways to carve a niche for themselves in the profession. According to him, it had become imperative for media practitioners to skill up and look for ways to distinguish themselves through personal branding and conscious reputation capital development. Defining a brand as what makes a product unique, such that the product

C&F Porter Novelli CEO, Tony Ajero

is more successful than its peers or competitors, the much-sought-after speaker on marketing communications, therefore charged practitioners on the need to be ready to imbibe the six marketing Ps: Production, Promotion, Pricing, Packaging, Placement and Positioning to further their personal and professional brand. C&F Porter Novelli, a company very passionate about purpose, also saw the need to put Mrs. Rose Arabameh Julius on a monthly allowance as a way of encouraging patriotism and rewarding actions such as that taken by Mrs. Julius in 2016 to support the Buhari administration’s anti-corruption war. Mrs. Julius who retired as a cleaner from the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, in 2016, reportedly donated her entire monthly pension of ten thousand Naira (N10,000) to support the administration’s war against corruption and

pledged to contribute N1,000 every month towards the rehabilitation of the Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) as her way of encouraging the federal government to restore the lost glory of Nigeria and curb corruption in the country. Seeing the kind gesture of Mrs. Julius rekindles the spirit of patriotism and hope for a better nation. Ajero added: “The company has decided to remit the sum of ten thousand Naira (N10,000) every month to Mrs. Julius for as long as she lives.” C&F Porter Novelli also unveiled its Academy for Business Communication (ABC) for West Africa. “The Academy for Business Communication is borne out of two factors. First is the societal challenge arising from the falling educational system which results in fewer equipped graduates. "Second is our corporate culture which is built on providing total marketing communications solutions. Hence, we deemed it apt to contribute solutions rather than moan about the situation,” Ajero enthused. The training, which will be delivered online is in partnership with senior academia and professionals from its

The ﬁrm has an advanced understanding of the trends, issues and sensitivities of operating in the Nigerian environment. This has come from extensive practice covering various aspects of public relations and a wide variety of sectors and industries having undertaken major campaigns within Nigeria and African markets

sister companies in the Integrated Marketing Communication (IMC) group. Furthermore, the best students will be mentored in their chosen career paths and encouraged to pay it forward to successive generations. It is not surprising then that C&F Porter Novelli has over the years, been acknowledged as the “University of Public Relations” because its alumni are found across the communication industry in Nigeria and abroad. Additionally, it is a knowledge-driven organisation with year-round robust internship opportunities and the annual Public Relations Fundamentals programme which has produced Management Trainees since 2011. Originally called Corporate & Financial Communications Limited, C&F was birthed in 1997 as a specialist consultancy focused on Corporate and Financial Communications. The company grew into a driving force in Public Relations and the corporate world. In 2007, it took a major step towards solidifying its global reach by joining the vast Porter Novelli network as an affiliate partner in West Africa, hence, its re-branding to C&F Porter Novelli. Quickly, C&F became Porter Novelli’s West African hub. This new framing follows on the back of a series of strategic shifts the company has made in response to client needs, including aligning the business around four capability areas: Brand Growth, Corporate Counsel, Purpose, Impact, and Employee Experience. The PN (Porter Novelli) network is found in over 60 countries and 100 offices worldwide. Chairman of C&F Porter Novelli, Nn’emeka Maduegbuna in a statement said: “With global partnerships and in-depth local insights garnered over two and half decades in the Nigerian market, our partnership with Porter Novelli (PN) has strengthened our strategic communications offerings to ambitious clients in both the public and private sectors’’. This no doubt, contributed to C&F becoming PN’s hub for West/Central Africa, and strategic partners across the globe. The firm has an advanced understanding of the trends, issues and sensitivities of operating in the Nigerian environment. This has come from extensive practice covering various aspects of public relations and a wide variety of sectors and industries having undertaken major campaigns within Nigeria and African markets some of which include managing the passage of the bill to demutualise the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE); supporting the Financial Reporting Council of Nigeria (FRC) in gaining stakeholder contribution to the draft of the Nigerian Code of Corporate Governance; flotation marketing support for the Skyway Aviation Handling Company Plc Initial Public Offer; ushering the telcos MTN and Etisalat into the country; managing the protracted Trovan clinical trials crisis for Pfizer; and supporting the joint efforts of the Federal Government, and the UK Department for International Development (DfID-UK) in securing passage of critical financial reform bills; and helping with the Stanbic-IBTC merger which was Nigeria’s first tender offer. Others include managing brand repositioning and perception campaigns for such major consumer brands as Coca-Cola, Maggi, Pampers, Guinness Foreign Extra Stout, Malta Guinness and Oral B among others.

WEDNESDAY MARCH 22, 2023 • T H I S D AY

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 22, 2023 ˾ T H I S D AY

BUSINESS/MONEYGUIDE

PenCom Urged to Revisit Life Annuity Product Design Structure Ebere Nwoji The National Pension Commission (PenCom) has been urged to critically revisit and re examine Life Annuity product design structure in the on going Contributory Pension Scheme to build sustainable standard of living for the pensioners especially in the present period of hardship facing the country. This was stated by Actuarial scientist and chartered Insurers, Dr Prius Apere. Apere who is also Chairman Anchor Actuarial Services Limited, said pensioners in Nigeria were in dare need to have a sustainable standard of living at retirement. He noted that the provision of regular enhanced Pension by PENCOM for the retirees under the Programme Withdrawal system of retirement benefit payment was a step in the right direction pending the implementation of Guaranteed Minimum Pension (GMP). He however, said the provision of Enhanced Pension for Life Annuity pensioners, which was under the control of NAICOM, would not be achieved without revisiting the

current Life Annuity product design. According to Apere, there had been a delay in the implementation of the guaranteed minimum pension (GMP) leading to retirees’ inability to have sustainable standard of living at retirement. He said this could be considered as the main reason for PENCOM’s attention being drawn to the clamouring for periodic enhancement of the pension for retirees on Programmed Withdrawal (PW) under the CPS” using the surpluses generated from the return on investment in their Retirement Savings Account (RSA). “PENCOM’s framework on Enhanced Pension (EP) and the addendum dated 3rd October 2018 state that PFAs shall continue paying current pensions to Programme Withdrawal retirees that have insufficient growth [in their RSAs] to be considered for enhancement [and also those] that have fully exhausted their RSAs from the provisions made for Pension Protection Levy pending implementation of Minimum Guaranteed Pension (MGP)”, in pursuant to sections

82 (2) and 3(c). He observed that PENCOM had approved the first and second tranches of enhancement of Pension for 2,916 and 52,186 Programme Withdrawal retirees which amounted to monthly enhanced pension of N13.16 million and N1.71 billion with effect from December 2017 and 2018 respectively, as revealed in PENCOM’s Annual Reports. The third tranche of enhancement of Pension has been approved to take effect from February 2023”, he said He said the approval of regular enhancement of Pension for Programme Withdrawal retirees only has left Life Annuity (LA) retirees in a state of limbo. This is because the regulation of LA product and insurers has not resulted in enhancement of pension for LA retirees probably due to the current LA product design being approved for the Nigerian Pension Industry. He said the enhancement of pension (EP) for PW retirees only could be seen as cushioning the effect of the non-implementation of GMP but that this is not a substitute for GMP for the following reasons.

MARKET INDICATORS MONEY AND CREDIT STATISTICS (MILLION NAIRA) AUGUST 2022 Money Supply (M3)

49,356,443.6

Abdullahi: FCT-IRS Will be Model for Nigeria, Africa

-- CBN Bills Held by Money Holding Sectors

50,601.36

Money Supply (M2)

49,305,842.3

Olawale Ajimotokan ÓØ ÌßÔË

-- Quasi Money

27,869,678.3

-- Narrow Money (M1)

21,436,164

---- Currency Outside Banks

2,680,236.81

The Acting Executive Chairman of the Federal Capital Territory Internal Revenue Service (FCTIRS), Mr. Haruna Abdullahi has boasted that the service will be a model for counterpart agencies in Nigeria and Africa through the sustained institutional framework that were being carried out in the past two years. He stated this while giving a key note address on, “Accounting for a better World” at the annual Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) Members, Partner Employers and Students Summit 2023 in Abuja. “We have carried out a number of reforms to reshape the Service to enhance our revenue drive in the FCT. We have stepped up on our awareness campaigns

to educate taxpayers on all our processes as well mobilise the prospective taxpayers to be in tax net, “he said. Abdullahi said what the management of the service under his leadership has been doing in the last two years was to build a strong and robust system that would outlive them, thereby making processes and procedures of tax administration easier and seamless with a view to enhance tax collections. “Our engagement with our major stakeholders has been enhanced overtime as we constantly engage them, update and educate them on decision, direction and introduction of any policy in order to carry them along. “From what we have done so far, in the next few years,

there will be visible impact in terms of what the Service will be generating, “he stated. He admonished students at the Summit on the importance of mentorship when making career choices, noting guidelines from their mentors would go a long way in shaping their career paths. Abdullahi who is also a Fellow of ACCA underscored the need for mentors and successful persons in their chosen endeavours in the society to identify talents and build them to become great people in their careers. The FCT-IRS chairman while commending the ACCA for organizing the summit, stated that the association had given him global opportunity to work around the world hence urged the participants to tap from this privilege to change their destiny.

First Bank Calls for Application to 3rd Edition of FMAP Nume Ekeghe First Bank of Nigeria Limited has announced the call for participation in the third season of its FirstBank Management Associate Programme (FMAP). FMAP is a 24-month fast-track comprehensive programme targeted at young, dynamic and highly driven individuals that are passionate about making a difference in the financial services industry.

The programme is designed to build the next generation of leaders to drive the Bank’s vision of being Africa’s Bank of First choice. The bank in a statement noted that the interested participants are required to submit their application via a link adding that application is extended to the general public as it closes by 24 March 2023. Speaking on the FMAP Season III, Group Head,

Human Capital Management and Development, Olumuyiwa Olulaja said “Since its inauguration in half a decade, we are delighted with the giant strides and impact the initiative has had in promoting the career development of emerging talents in the financial services industry as they are instilled with the tenets and ethics of the banking industry in line with global best practice.

Benedict Peters to Receive African Philanthropist Award In Kigali Nigerian Business Mogul Benedict Peters is set to be honored at the African Heritage Concert and Awards slated to hold in Kigali, Rwanda on April 1, 2023. Peters who is the founder of Aiteo Group, Nigeria’s largest indigenous oil producing firm, will receive the African Philanthropist Award for his giant strides in Sports and Human Capital Development across Africa. Also, former Former President of Tanzania, late

John Magufuli; Vice President of Liberia, Her Excellency, Chief Dr. Jewel HowardTaylor; Former President of Botswana, Lt. Gen. Seretse Khama Ian Khama (retd), former Nigerian President, Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan and many other prominent Africans will be honored. According to the organizers - Heritage Times (HT), The African Heritage Concert and Awards will celebrate and honor distinguished African personalities, who

have dignified themselves through remarkable achievements across the globe. This, the organizers says have become imperative to foster the African culture of excellence and promote Afrocentrism. Peters leads the Aiteo and EMA Consortiums which has won separate bids to acquire three power generating companies, and is set to build a 100,000 barrel refinery in oil-rich Warri in Delta State, South-South Nigeria.

---- 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 8 MARCH, 2023

The price of OPEC basket of thirteen crudes stood at $84.37 a barrel on Tuesday, compared with $84.59 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).

T H I S D AY ˾ WEDNESDAY, MARCH 22, 2023

MARKET NEWS

Others Advocate Financial Literacy for Young Nigerians Kayode Tokede Nigerian Exchange Limited (NGX) continues to build on its advocacy of inculcating a culture of saving and investing in young Nigerians as it celebrates the 2023 edition of Global Money Week (GMW). The event was held at the Exchange yesterday to raise awareness on the importance of ensuring that young people,

from an early age, are financially aware, and are gradually acquiring the knowledge, skills, attitudes and behaviours necessary to make sound financial decisions and ultimately achieve financial well-being and financial resilience. NGX, Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and NGX Regulation Limited (NGX RegCo) partnered the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to

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educate over 100 students on the theme, “Plan your money, plant your future”, to further enhance investor education and financial literacy. In his opening remarks, the Divisional Head, Capital Markets, NGX, Mr. Jude Chiemeka who spoke about the need to guide children in their formative years so as to be responsible citizens in the future. He emphasized that choices

they make today will have a significant impact on their future. “We must also recognize that our individual financial health is closely linked to the health of the planet and of society as a whole. The choices we make about how we earn, spend, save, and invest our money can either contribute to or undermine the sustainability of our world. As such, it’s essential that we all adopt a responsible and informed approach to financial

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decision-making that considers the impact of our choices on our environment and society.” Speaking on other NGX-led financial literacy initiatives, Chiemeka noted that beyond offering a range of educational resources, the Exchange has a comic book series named NGX StockTown with the goal of using illustrations to raise the next generation leaders who are financially aware, responsible

AS O F

and skilled economic citizens. The celebration which culminated in a Closing Gong ceremony had the overall winners at the quiz session held at the Exchange close the market by sounding the gong. They were also gifted shares with the firstprize winner receiving N80,000 worth of shares while the first and second runner ups won N70,000 and N50,000 worth of shares respectively.

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WEDNESDAY, ͺͺ˜ ͺ͸ͺͻ ˾ T H I S D AY

MILESTONE

Tony Elumelu’s 60 Years of Unrelentless Service to Humanity Festus Akanbi, in this piece, pays tributes to the billionaire banker and foremost philanthropist, Mr. Tony Elumelu who marks his 60th birthday this week

ow do we fight poverty and other indices of underdevelopment in a country with a bourgeoning population like Nigeria? Should we leave the government to do justice to the ever-increasing needs of the people? Economists explain that as demand for a better life among the citizenry continues to rise, the reality is government alone cannot turn the economy around without the full support of the private sector. All over the world, discerning political officeholders have realised the symbiotic relationship between the public and private sector players. While one sets the rules and provides the enabling environment, the other party executes the policy and funds the government by playing its role as a set of good corporate players. Perhaps, this explains the decision of Nigeria’s President-Elect, Bola Tinubu to have picked the Lagos home of the foremost philanthropist and serial investor, Mr. Tony Elumelu as one of the places to visit shortly after the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) pronounced him the winner of the 2023 presidential election. His emergence was followed by an unprecedented protest laced with ethnic sentiments. It was in the thick of these ethnic and political tensions that the Chairman of Heirs Holdings, Tony Elumelu released a video of a visit to his house by the President-Elect, Asiwaju Tinubu in Lagos. In an Instagram post, Elumelu writes: “Last (Tuesday) night, I was honoured to receive the Nigerian President-elect at my home. We discussed ways in which the incoming administration must empower and support our immensely talented Nigerian youth. We have so much young potential to unleash.”

strengthening our sector”. He added that even though the competition was stiff within the industry, being young posed no barrier. Elumelu urged successful leaders to champion young people who are focused, hardworking, and committed to making a difference in their communities because their drive and determination make things happen. “More than ever, all of us who have attained success must become role models for the younger generation, so that the next generation can learn from our mistakes and achieve even more than we have,” he said. He was also the originator of the economic philosophy of Africapitalism, which emerged as a means of fostering economic development in Africa through private sector-led growth.

Rising to the Occasion

It is also on record that Elumelu was among the leading lights of the Nigerian private sector that mobilised N100 billion to support the fight against insecurity in the country. Giving an insight into the national service, Elumelu was once quoted as saying, “We, the private sector, have just put N100 billion together, again, under this coalition to help fight insecurity or to support our security agencies’ capacity to be able to deal with the issues we have in the country on security.”

Changing the Narrative

Elumelu as Private Sector Mirror

Elumelu, who marked his 60th birthday this week, has indeed paid his dues as a foremost businessman with his interest spanning the power, oil, hospitality, and banking sectors of the economy. Today, Elumelu has distinguished himself as a consistently focused administrator. He has carved a niche for himself as one of Africa’s leading investors and philanthropists. He is the Founder and Chairman of Heirs Holdings, his family-owned investment company committed to improving lives and transforming Africa, through long-term investments in strategic sectors of the African economy including financial services, hospitality, power, energy, technology, and healthcare. He is the Chairman of the pan-African financial services group, the United Bank for Africa (UBA), which operates in 20 countries in Africa, the United Kingdom France, and is the only African bank with a commercial deposit-taking presence in the United States. UBA provides corporate, commercial, SME, and consumer banking services to more than 21 million customers globally. He also chairs Nigeria’s largest quoted conglomerate, Transcorp Plc whose subsidiaries include Transcorp Power, one of the largest generators of electricity in Nigeria, and Transcorp Hotels Plc, Nigeria’s foremost hospitality brand. He is the Founder and Chairman of Trans-Niger Oil & Gas Limited (TNOG), an upstream oil and gas company that owns and operates Nigeria’s OML17, (with 2P reserves of 1.3 billion barrels of oil equivalent) and is committed to creating resource-based added value on the African continent. In 2010, he created The Tony Elumelu Foundation (TEF), the pan-African philanthropy empowering a new generation of African entrepreneurs, catalysing economic growth,

Elumelu driving poverty eradication, and ensuring job creation across all 54 African countries.

Creating African Entrepreneurs

According to reports, the Foundation has funded just under 10,000 entrepreneurs and created a digital ecosystem of over one million Africans as part of its ten-year, US$100m commitment through its flagship Entrepreneurship Programme. Self-funded, the Foundation is increasingly sharing its unique ability to identify, train, mentor, and fund young entrepreneurs across Africa, with institutions such as the United Nations Development Programme, the International Committee of the Red Cross, and other global development agencies.

Breaking Boundaries with Africapitalism

His businesses and foundations are inspired by his economic philosophy of Africapitalism, which positions the private sector, and most importantly entrepreneurs, as the catalyst for the social and economic development of the African continent. Tony sits on many public and social sector boards including the World Economic Forum Community of Chairmen and the Global Board of UNICEF’s Generation Unlimited. He was named in the 2020 Time100 Most Influential People in the World, recognised for his business leadership and economic empowerment of young Africans. Africapitalism positions the private sector, more importantly, entrepreneurship, innovation, and business enterprise, as the

key economic driver of growth and job creation across Africa, while also promoting sustainable development. The Tony Elumelu Foundation (TEF) is the leading champion of Africapitalism in Africa, and across the world, with significant contributions to the achievement of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) across the continent.

Reaping the Fruits of Hardwork

Not shy to tell his success story, Elumelu recalled, “I owed my accelerated career and successes to two things: hard work and luck...,” the entrepreneur said. He disclosed that he became a bank chief executive at the age of 34, one of the youngest in the industry at that time, by a dint of hard work and luck. He was the CEO of the defunct Standard Bank at the time before a business combination with UBA saw him become the chief executive of the new larger entity. The business combination has remained a subject of study in the history of mergers and acquisitions in Nigeria to date. “My successes – and yes failures – have always driven me to create opportunities for young people. I believe that our young have the talent and the zeal to transform our world,” he said. He noted that the time he took the helm at Standard Bank coincided with a period of fast-paced transformation in banking when “reform-minded policymakers had opened up paths for consolidation and

Last year, Africa No Filter, a donor collaborative working to transform stereotypical narratives of Africa, launched the Tony Elumelu Storytellers Fund. Named after African business leader and philanthropist Tony O. Elumelu, the Fund will award grants to emerging artists and storytellers, whose work shines a light on entrepreneurs and entrepreneurship in Africa. The $30,000 fund is sponsored by Heirs Insurance and Heirs Life Assurance, the insurance subsidiaries of the pan-African investment group, Heirs Holdings. The Tony Elumelu Storytellers Fund is a standalone initiative and an extension of his commitment to catalysing a redefined African success story, powered by Africa’s youth and their creative ideas. The Fund calls on journalists, filmmakers, content producers, and visual and performing artists to submit multimedia creative ideas, that tell the stories of inspiring entrepreneurs and showcase the true and positive spirit of entrepreneurship in Africa. Elumelu was born in Jos, Plateau, Nigeria, on 22 March 1963, to Suzanne and Dominic Elumelu from Onicha-Ukwu in Aniocha North Local Government Area of Delta State. He studied Economics at Bendel State University (now Ambrose Alli University) obtaining a Bachelor of Science. Afterward, he received a Master of Science degree in Economics at the University of Lagos. Elumelu worked at the Union Bank as a Youth Corp member during his National Youth Service Corps in 1985, before starting his career as a salesman. He subsequently joined Allstates Trust Bank. In 1997, Elumelu led a small group of investors to take over a struggling Crystal Bank (later renamed Standard Trust Bank). He turned it profitable within a few years and in 2005 he led one of the largest mergers in the banking sector in Sub-Saharan Africa by acquiring the United Bank for Africa (UBA). Following the merger of Standard Trust Bank and United Bank for Africa in 2005, Elumelu led the company as Group Managing Director from a single-country banking group to a pan-African bank with subsidiaries in 20 African countries, France, the U.S and the U.K, eventually stepping down in 2010. Elumelu currently chairs the board of the United Bank for Africa.

WEDNESDAY, ͺͺ˜ ͺ͸ͺͻ ˾ T H I S D AY

NEWS

PRESENTATION OF THE PROVISIONAL CLEARANCE CERTIFICATE... Bayelsa State Governor, Senator Douye Diri (left) and Edo State Deputy Governor and Chairman, Peoples Democratic Party Governorship Screening Committee for Bayelsa State, Philip Shaibu, during the presentation of the provisional clearance certiﬁcate by the committee to the governor at the PDP headquarters in Abuja…yesterday

Tee Mac: Guber Poll in Lagos a Fraud, Results Pre-arranged Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja Renowned flutist and former President of the Performing Musicians Association of Nigeria (PMAN), Tee Mac Omatshola Iseli, yesterday characterised last Saturday’s governorship election in Lagos as a Fraud, explaining that the result of the poll was pre-arranged. Speaking on Arise Television, THISDAY’s broadcast arm, Tee Mac, an in-law to the President-elect, Mr Bola Tinubu, stated that the violence which marred the election in Nigeria’s commercial capital was pre-planned and organised before the election. Tee Mac, who in the months before the presidential poll kicked against Tinubu’s election on the grounds that everything about him was shrouded in secrecy, maintained that the chaos during the poll was to ensure voter suppression and create fear among the electorate. He narrated that before the election he had intel that he should be careful because as there were plans to cause a security breach, mainly to prevent the people of his area, around Okota, Ago Palace, from exercising their voting rights. “I had a phone call last week from a gentleman who said, Tee Mac, please I want you to make sure you have security in your area because I just attended a meeting

at the Mushin Local Government. There were APC top people, the Baales and Kings. “ It was decided that we are going to disturb Okota Ago palace way to Festac because they are not pleased to see that 80 to 90 per cent of votes will be for Labour Party (LP). “So, I asked him what do you suggest? and he said, please inform the police and tighten up the security. Also, he (the informant) said I have just seen the result sheets of the election. I said how is that possible? “He said, if you don’t like it, you can go to court and he told me something like: That area will have 48,000 All Progressives Congress (APC) votes, then maybe 24,000 for LP and that is what I saw on your television yesterday,” the popular musician stated. Tee Mac disclosed that the thugs that attacked the polling centre threw stones and sticks which wounded some of the youths around the area, insisting that he did not come with his dogs to the centre to intimidate anyone, but to ensure the polls were not disrupted. “They threw sticks and bottles at me and my boys. One of my boys got injured on the face and back and we chased them off the street into the Swampy area,” he added. According to him, the number of injured persons during the governor-

ship election was underreported, insisting that many hospitals received more cases on the day of the election and in the days that followed. “People did not come out like in the presidential election, and those who came out to vote, it is either they didn’t find somewhere to vote

because the boxes were destroyed, or they were driven back home. So, the outcome of the very poor in that area,” he argued. In his comments during the programme, national spokesperson of the LP, Yinusa Tanko, also contended that the election was scripted to satisfy certain interests.

He said: “During the election, it was executed by intimidation, harassment, killing and disdain which they held the Nigeria people. No wonder you saw in the election result uploading where three elections took place. “Now you could upload the House of Representatives, Senate

Insecurity: House to Give Legal Backing to Compulsory Use of NIN in SIM Card Registration Lawmakers urge FG to curb reoccurring train mishaps Urge FERMA to rehabilitate Jos, Bauchi roads Udora Orizu in Abuja The House of Representatives at plenary yesterday, passed through second reading a bill seeking for an act to make mandatory the use of the National Identity Number (NIN) in the registration of Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) cards by all mobile telecommunication network operators with the Identity Management Commission. The proposed legislation tilted, "Bill for an Act to Amend the National Identity Management Commission; and for Related Matters (HB. 1447)," was sponsored by Hon. Sergius Ogun, (PDP, Edo). Leading the debate on its general

principles, Ogun noted that though the Executive had already started the process of getting all users of mobiles phones to link their SIM cards to their NIN, this bill was necessary, so as to give legislative backing to the step taken by the Executive. According to him, the bill was the legislative contribution to the ongoing fight against the increasing cases of criminality in the country orchestrated by bandits, terrorists, internet fraudsters and armed robbers, who take advantage of easy access to telecom networks. By amending the NIMC Act to include registration of SIM cards with every subscriber’s NIN, the lawmaker said it becomes easy to

uncover the identity behind various criminal activities being carried out in the society. He said, "National identity management system is critical to the development of any economy. It provides a universal identification infrastructure for a country to access and confirm the identities of individuals residing in its territory for the purpose of economic planning, intelligence gathering and social development. “All these will be difficult to achieve in the absence of a robust national identity management system. In recognition of the foregoing, the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) was established in

UNICEF: Threat of Water-related Crises Endangering Lives of 78m Children in Nigeria There can’t be food security without water security, IFAD says Segun Awofadeji in Bauchi The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) has revealed that 78 million children in Nigeria are at risk of three water-related threats. These it listed to include inadequate water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH), related diseases and climate hazards This was contained in a statement issued by UNICEF, Nigeria Chief of WASH, Dr. Jane Bevan, which was made available to journalists yesterday. It stated: "In Nigeria, one-third of children do not have access to at least

basic water at home, and two-thirds do not have basic sanitation services. “Hand hygiene is also limited, with three-quarters of children unable to wash their hands due to lack of water and soap at home. "As a result, Nigeria is one of the 10 countries that carry the heaviest burden of child deaths from diseases caused by inadequate WASH, such as diarrhea diseases." She said Nigeria also ranks second out of 163 countries globally with the highest risk of exposure to climate and environmental threats. “Groundwater levels are also dropping, requiring some com-

and you cannot upload the result of the presidential election. “This is a blatant open murder against the interest of the Nigerian state instituted by a group of people, saying 'we have done what we want to do, you can go anywhere you want to go to'. But we are not perturbed”.

munities to dig wells twice as deep as just a decade ago. At the same time, rainfall has become more erratic and intense, leading to floods that contaminate scarce water supplies. "I believe we need to rapidly scale-up investment in the sector, including from global climate financing, strengthen climate resilience in the WASH sector and communities, increase effective and accountable systems, coordination, and capacities to provide water and sanitation services, and implement the UNWater SDG6 Global Acceleration Framework.

"If we continue at the current pace, it will take 16 years to achieve access to safe water for all in Nigeria. We cannot wait that long and the time to move quickly is now. “Investing in climate-resilient water, sanitation, and hygiene services is not only a matter of protecting children's health today, but also ensuring a sustainable future for generations to come," she added. Meanwhile, ahead of the UN 2023 Water Conference, the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) has called for accelerated investments to help small-scale farmers in developing countries

access and manage increasingly scarce water resources in the face of a changing climate and more extreme weather events. “There is no food security without water security. Water is indispensable to produce food but small-scale farmers increasingly struggle to access the water they need to grow their crops and feed their animals, leading to human suffering, migration and conflict,” said Jyotsna Puri, IFAD Associate Vice-President, Strategy and Knowledge Department. “Solutions exists, but investments are needed to help millions of small-scale farmers access them.”

2007, to create, manage, maintain and operate a unified National Identity Database for Nigeria. "It is against this background that this bill is proposed, to include in the Act, a new paragraph requiring the use of National Identity Number in the registration of Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) cards by all mobile telecommunication network operators with the Identity Management Commission.” The Speaker, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, set up a team to interface with their counterparts in the Senate to harmonise differences in the insurance bill recently passed by both chambers. Members of the harmonisation team included Hon. Darlington Nwokocha (Chairman), Hon. Benjamin Kalu, Hon. Wole Oke and others as members. Meanwhile, the House of Representatives has urged the federal government through the Nigerian Railway Corporation to provide measures to curb incessant loss of lives and properties through train mishaps. The lawmakers mandated the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau to investigate the causes of the various train incidences. The resolutions of the House followed the adoption of a motion of urgent public importance sponsored by Hon. Idem Unyime at the plenary yesterday. Moving the motion, Unyime recalled that in January 2023, a train accident was reported in the Kubwa axis of Abuja, which claimed the life of Selimota Suleiman, a staff of the Nigerian Television Authority.

WEDNESDAY, ͺͺ˜ ͺ͸ͺͻ ˾ T H I S D AY

NEWS

REVENUE ENHANCEMENT AND MANAGEMENT... L-R: Director Finance and Account (DFA), Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Teaching Hospital, Bauchi, Mr. Adamu Abubakar; DFA, UCTH Calabar, Soni Eloma; DFA, UMTH, Maiduguri, Hassan Yahaya; Budget Oﬃcer, Federal Ministry of Health (FMoH), Kui Shishang and Budget Oﬃcer, FMoH, Ibrahim Abubakar, during a workshop on Revenue Enhancement and Management organized by FMoH in Abuja ,... yesterday PHOTO: ENOCK REUBEN

I Am Opposite of What You’re Saying About Me, Obi Replies Nnamani Ex-Enugu gov accuses Ugwuanyi, others of working against him The presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Mr. Peter Obi, has replied the Senator representing Enugu East senatorial district, Dr. Chimaroke Nnamani, who after losing his seat to a Labour Party candidate, on Saturday, accused him of all sorts of things including playing ethnic and religious politics. This was just as Nnamani blamed Enugu State Governor, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, for being responsible for his defeat. Nnamani of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) had lost the election to Kelvin Chukwu of the Labour Party. Chukwu scored a total of 69,136 votes to defeat the former governor of the state, who polled 48,701 votes. Since then, he has been groaning over his loss, blaming it on so many factors and persons, including Obi. Nnamani, on his Twitter handlem had derisively described the former

governor of Anambra State as ‘Gringory’, saying his brand of politics had set the political trajectory of the Igbos backward. But Ob, in a letter to the former Enugu State governor, wondered if he knew who he was talking about, saying he was the direct opposite of all he accused him of. The letter read: “Throughout these electioneering campaigns, you have consistently cast aspersions on my person, despite my always being respectful to you as an elder brother, and never publicly or privately commenting negatively about you. “I am really surprised that you as my dear elder brother would go out of the way in the exercise of his fundamental rights of freedom of speech and expression as enshrined in our law to go into saying what he knows is not true. “I find it very shocking that you had to label me as an ethnic

and religious bigot and as one who indulges in a campaign of hatred. In this instance, I like to state unequivocally that I am the direct opposite of what you said in your statement and what my campaigns have been. “I want to believe that my dear elder brother must have mistaken me for someone else because, in this campaign, I have consistently championed issues-based campaigns, and maintained so, even using illustrations and data to buttress my position, to the extent that I have been accused of using data wrongly and media houses had to create fact check desks just to monitor and address issues I raised during campaigns. “I have been on record to have insisted severally throughout the country that I should not be voted for based on any ethnic or religious link, but to be considered based

on character, character, capacity and compassion. I have always respectfully requested that my track records & integrity be verified. “I will also like to challenge anybody including, my dear elder brother to show anywhere in my public appearance where I in any way portrayed ethnic, or religious bigotry or where I called names, even when I came to campaign in Enugu State. “I was also taken aback at your attributing the “Lagos is no man’s land” statement to Igbos because there is no evidence of that which I see as a case of giving a dog a bad name just to hang it.” Obi added: “Maybe my brother would like to know that I got more votes from non-Igbos in Lagos, Abuja, & other parts of Nigeria, and even if Igbos voted for me should it be the reason why they should be chased away from where they are living

FG Arraigns Tukur Mamu on 10-count Terrorism Charge Alex Enumah in Abuja The federal government has arraigned a Kaduna-based Islamic Scholar, Tukur Mamu on a 10- count terrorism charges. The arraignment before Justice Inyang Ekwo of a Federal High Court in Abuja, yesterday, came several months after his arrest by the operatives of the Department of the State Service (DSS), over offences relating to violent attack on an Abuja-Kaduna train in which some persons lost their lives and several others abducted. He was arrested in Egypt on September 6, last year, while on his way to Saudi Arabia for the lesser hajj. Although, Mamu had carried out series of negotiations that led to the release of some of the victims of the Kaduna train attack, his arrest however, was sequel to the discovery of some military uniforms and monies found during a raid of his Kaduna residence. Specifically, the government accused him of aiding and abetting Boko Haram terrorism attacks against innocent Nigerians. He was also charged with collecting various sums of money in various currencies on behalf of Boko Haram terrorists from the families of victims of the train attack.

According to the charge, Mamu was said to have collected $420, 000 and another N21 million from families of victims of the attack. Similarly, Mamu was accused of concealing the terrorism funds in his Kaduna residence in violation of provisions of Terrorism Prevention, Prohibition Act. He, however, pleaded not guilty

to all the changes, prompting his lawyer, Mohammed Ndanusa, to move his bail application; which was opposed by the government's lawyer, Aderonke Imana. While Ndanusa told the court that his client was suffering ailments that required urgent surgical operation, Imana submitted that all ailments claimed by Mamu could

be treated by medical doctors at the DSS hospital. However, after taking arguments for and against the bail request, Justice Ekwo reserved ruling till a date that would be communicated to parties, just as he ordered that Mamu remains in the custody of the DSS pending the ruling on the bail application.

and making tangible contributions to development? “Britain will not send Indians packing because they voted for an Indian to become the Prime Minister. I also noticed the spirited efforts you put up to tag me a tribal bigot but such would be hard to prove empirically and I would like to advise my dear elder brother not to join in such senseless and unsubstantiated allegations just to dent one’s image. “As I very much know that among the critical characteristics of every good leader are listening, and learning and my brother advised that I should return to school to learn some aspects of leadership I am lacking. “Why should I go to school to pay huge fees when I can get it free of charge from my dear elder brother who knows it better? I respectfully appeal that I be invited by my Senior brother to teach me accordingly. My warmest regards to the family and God bless.” Meanwhile, Nnamani continued to groan over his loss in the Enugu East senatorial district election, seemingly also blaming Ugwuanyi as being responsible for his defeat. Nnamani questioned the meaning of someone saying, “we all will lose,” a statement which was alleged to have been used by Ugwuanyi after losing his senatorial election, believing he (Ugwuanyi) worked against him. In a series of tweets yesterday, Nnamadi claimed that Enugu PDP

and his Ebeano political structure were overtly schemed out. He wondered who organised and financed his suspension following his expulsion from the party and the thought process of choosing agents chosen for him, whom he believed worked against him. Nnamadi also raised a question about who put together the PDP/ Labour coalition, which he claimed ensured that the PDP voted Labour Party for Senate and Labour Party voted PDP for governor. He wrote, “Given the choice, Enugu PDP and Ebeano will not overtly scheme me out to the extent of losing centres won by PDP candidates in the same polling booths. Who is an Emeka Anyogu, an INEC staff on a night shift across the Halls of Enugu Local Govt and INEC fine-tuning things. “What was the ultimate effect of the cliche we all will lose? What was the thought process of all my agents chosen for me? And my agents directing voters to vote for PDP Governor and Labor Senate? How does one explain the huge disparity between votes for Governor and Senator? “Who chastised Local Chairman who were interested in the Senate Project, including Enugu North Chairman ordered to leave Enugu Central? What were the roles of the Reps who lost elections earlier and the Governor too, some losing their Polling booths?

Kalu Goes for Senate Presidency, Says Another Muslim Won't Fly N’Delta youths beg Tinubu to pick north central ranking senator Sunday Aborisade in Abuja Senate Chief Whip, Orji Uzor Kalu, has declared his intention to contest for Senate presidency in the 10th National Assembly, saying the thought of another Muslim heading the senate after the president and vice-president are Muslims would not fly. Kalu, who won re-election to represent Abia North, was the first aspirant to declare his interest in the number three position, aside speculations. He made the declaration while briefing journalists at the National Assembly complex yesterday.

The ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) maintains majority in the Senate, having secured 57 seats. APC senators eyeing Senate presidency have been lobbying their colleagues for support. Other ranking senators believed to be eying the position are Sani Musa (Niger), Godswill Akpabio (Akwa Ibom), Barau Jibrin (Kano) and Dave Umahi (Ebonyi). The party is expected to announce its position any moment from now, even though the APC leadership has said it has not zoned the Senate presidency yet, and that it was not a right of any of the zones. However, Kalu told reporters that

it was his turn to become Senate President being a ranking lawmaker from the South East. "If I'm elected Senate President, I will be team Nigeria. I'm going to work for every corner of Nigeria. I schooled in Maiduguri, Borno State. I started my business in Lagos and spread it across all state capitals. My first name will be team Nigeria, my last name will be team Nigeria. "Remember, I'm the only former governor, who has never changed phone line more than 20 years ago. I'm still willing to maintain that telephone number to answer all my calls. I'm not going to switch off my phones because I'm Senate

President. "I'm hoping that Nigerians will pray for me to become Senate President because it's my turn," Kalu said, adding that, he would not be comfortable having a Muslim as a Senate President in the 10th National Assembly. According to him, “I will not be comfortable with a Muslim Senate President, because this is a secular state. In a secular state, we need to accommodate interests, nations and spread to be able to maintain the secularity of our country. “To me, like I told you people the truth here before, that I believe in Muslim-Muslim ticket. I would not

believe in another Senate President being a Muslim. It will not augur well for the country.” Meanwhile, a group of young Nigerians from the various oil producing communities in the country have urged the PresidentElect, Bola Tinubu, to consider a ranking senator from the North Central geopolitical zone as the next Senate President. The Niger Delta Progressive Youths Frontiers made the appeal in an open letter to Tinubu, signed by its Secretary General, Oyinemi Nicholas Endeley, and made available to journalists in Abuja on Monday.

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NEWS

COURTESY VISIT... Sweden's Ambassador to Nigeria, Annika Hahn-Englund (L) and the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Otunba Adeniyi Adebayo during the visit of the Ambassador to the Minister... yesterday

Gbajabiamila: 2023 Polls aren't Perfect But Marked Improvement Says lawmakers will pass electoral offences law before June Urges leaders to assuage tension across Nigerians Udora Orizu in Abuja Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, yesterday said the 2023 general election wasn't perfect but any objective assessment of the exercise would show marked improvements from previous outings. Gbajabiamila, who stated this while delivering his opening remarks at the resumption of plenary, commended staff of the the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for their hard work and commitment to ensuring free and fair elections across the country. He disclosed that the lawmakers would ensure passage of the electoral offences law before the ninth assembly comes to an end, to ensure a system of vigorous

prosecution and punishment of electoral offenders to serve as deterrence to others in the future and as well help to build confidence in our elections. He noted that amendments to the Electoral Act by the 9th National Assembly had been particularly instrumental to improving the elections process through the use of technology tools to facilitate voter accreditation and transmission of results. According to the speaker, the process of ongoing reform and continuous improvement must continue and as a necessary first step, INEC should collaborate with stakeholders to conduct a meticulous assessment of the election process. Expressing his gratitude to men and women of the security agencies, who ensured the worst

APC Gives INEC 7 Days to Declare Kano Guber Poll Inconclusive Ibrahim Shuaibu in Kano The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kano State, has rejected the announcement of Abba Kabir Yusuf of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) as the winner of the March 18 governorship election and gave the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) seven days to declare the election inconclusive. At a press conference in Kano, yesterday, the APC Legal Adviser, Abdul Adamu Fagge, said the election should have been declared inconclusive because the canceled votes, which are more than 270,000 was higher than the 128,897 margin between the winner and runner up. While further disputing the election outcome, the party hinged its argument to the cancellation of sixteen House of Assembly elections in the state due to violence and over-voting as the reason, adding that, "While the same votes were considered in collating the governorship election, as the two elections took place same day, same time, same places and under the same circumstances. “Based on Section 65 of the Electoral Laws 2022, we have written to INEC to revisit and cancel the hasty, wrong and selfish declaration of the NNPP as winner of the elections, and declare the conduct inconclusive.”

In his remarks, Deputy Governor of the state, Nasiru Yusuf Gawuna, admitted that power comes from God, but that would not stop the party from following legal process to challenge the outcome of the hard-fought election. According to him, even though he had said several times during his campaign that he would accept whatever God has destined for him in the election, it was expedient for him to follow any legal means to challenge attempts to subvert the people's mandate.

predictions of crises and conflict did not come to pass, Gbajabiamila urged political, religious, social and economic leaders to assuage also tension across the country. "The 2023 general election has effectively come to an end, with the exception of those areas, where the electoral body has declared elections inconclusive or scheduled reruns. As I said two weeks ago, this has been a hard-fought election season.

“Expectedly, the declaration of results will not by itself suffice to assuage the passions or calm the tensions aroused by this electoral competition. For that, we need time and the deliberate efforts of political, religious, social and economic leaders acting in recognition of the fact that while elections will come and go, our highest imperative remains the progress of Nigeria and the prosperity of her people.

President Muhammadu Buhari has rejoiced with distinguished banker, economist and philanthropist, Mr. Tony Elumelu as he marks his 60th birthday anniversary today. The president, in a release issued yesterday, by his Media Adviser, Femi Adesina, shared joy and warmth of the occasion with the entrepreneur, who was ranked among World’s 100 most influential personalities in 2020 by Time magazine. Buhari felicitated with the Chairman of the United Bank of Africa (UBA) Group on the milestone, affirming the honor and pride

significantly improved elections in Nigeria since 1999. “The Electoral Offences Act is one area where we must take action before the culmination of the 9th House of Representatives. The Act is necessary to ensure effective enforcement against individuals and organisations whose violations of our electoral laws undermine our constitution and threaten our democracy."

Wike: INEC Chairman,Yakubu, Never Worked Under Me Says Amaechi's comment incitive to violence Blessing Ibunge in Port Harcourt Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, has denied allegation by his predecessor and former Minister of Transportation, Chibuike Amaechi, that the Chairman of Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof Mahmood Yakubu, worked under him as an Executive Secretary of TETfund, when he (Wike) was a Minister. Wike, however, said Amaechi’s opposition to the reappointment of Yakubu because he was nominated by someone from the camp of the President-elect, Bola Tinubu, could cause public incitement and a threat to national security. Wike, who stated this yesterday in a statewide broadcast on the outcome of the March 18th, 2023, general election in Rivers State, said Amaechi's outburst that the just conducted elections by INEC

was the worst in Nigeria’s history was ludicrous. His words: "The truth was that Mahmood Yakubu never worked under me. Both of us worked in the Federal Ministry of Education. He was the Executive Secretary of the Tertiary Education Trust Fund, supervised by the Minister of Education, while I was the Minister of State for Education. "At any rate, was Mahmood Yakubu INEC’s chairman in the 2015 general election in Rivers State, when we defeated him and his political party as a sitting Governor and Director-General of Muhammadu Buhari’s Presidential Campaign? "Was it not the same Mahmood Yakubu that conducted the 2019 general election, which the APC and President Muhammadu Buhari won? Was he working for Atiku Abubakar of the PDP, when, as a sitting super

Buhari Rejoices with Tony Elumelu at 60 Deji Elumoye in Abuja

"Any objective assessment of these elections will show marked improvements from prior outings. This is not to suggest perfection but to acknowledge evident progress in our collective efforts to ensure elections we can all be proud of. Amendments to our nation’s electoral laws by the legislature, pronouncements by the judiciary and operational reforms by the electoral commission have

that the benefactor had brought to Nigeria and Africa, with his achievements, lighting the way for many to grow through inspiration, mentorship and training, with focus on raising generation of entrepreneurs. The president believed Elumelu’s benevolence typifies his humble background and upbringing, starting out as a young banker, daring to dream of a modern and technologically friendly financial institution, Standard Trust Bank, and leading one of the biggest mergers with the UBA, which made history and strengthened the economy. Buhari noted the combination of youthfulness in style, broadness

in networking, with both old and young, and the passion in pursuing and realising dreams that the entrepreneur continually projects, graciously guiding others to nurture their business ideas to reality, especially in meeting societal needs and rendering value. As the Chairman of Heirs Holdings, Transcorp and Tony Elumelu Foundation clocks 60, the President joined family members, particularly his wife, Dr. Awele Elumelu, in thanksgiving to God for all the resourcefulness and impact, with brighter future ahead. Buhari prayed for long life, good health and wisdom for the Humanitarian.

Minister of Transportation, he could not win 25% for President Buhari in Rivers State in the 2019 general election?" The governor wondered why it took this long for Amaechi, who served as a minister for over seven years under Buhari to speak out about his opposition to Yakubu’s reappointment. He observed that in his frustration, Amaechi had allegedly denounced and claimed to know so much bad things about the federal government that he served for seven years, regretting that Amaechi lacked the courage to tell Nigerians what he claimed to know about Buhari’s government, which he alleged had failed. According to him, “In saner climes, law enforcement agencies should have invited such a devious and malignant character for hate speech, public incitement and threat to national security, public safety and order. By his mischievous statements, Rotimi Amaechi attempted to attribute, locate and blame his infamous political failures and frustrations in Rivers State on the INEC chairman. “In the 2015 general election, we defeated him as a sitting Governor and Director-General of the Buhari campaign in Rivers State. In the 2019 general elections, we beat him as President Buhari’s super Minister and Director-General of the APC Presidential Campaign. “He could not even influence 25% of the votes for his party, even after using the army to cause mayhem and attempt to rig the election. In 2023, we defeated him as an ordinary person. This shows that Rotimi Amaechi cannot win any electoral contest with us in Rivers State.” The Rivers governor stressed that

the outcome of the 2023 general election in Rivers State has allegedly exposed Amaechi, the APC governorship candidate, Tonye Cole and his Social Democratic Party counterpart, Senator Magnus Abe, as political paperweights and rejects. “The APC Gubernatorial candidate, Tonye Cole, lost in his Ward and Local Government Area. He lost in almost all electoral units, wards and Local Government Areas of the State. Tonye Cole never ran any effective political campaigns. His party was fractured beyond redemption. He was literarily waiting for his godfather and business partner, Rt. Hon. Rotimi Amaechi to magically make him Governor. “Rotimi Amaechi also lost to the PDP in his community, Ubima, his Ward and the Local Government Area. Both forgot that Rivers people knew them as an evil partnership that diverted the State’s $50,000,000.00 and declined overwhelmingly to vote for them,” he said, noting that the electoral fate of the SDP candidate, Abe, who lost woefully in 15 out of 17 wards in his native Gokana Local Government Area, was also not better. “Magnus’s vaunting ambition was to have a chance to be named on the ballot as a gubernatorial candidate of any party, having twice been denied the APC by his former friend, political leader and associate, Rotimi Amaechi. He achieved this limited and useless ambition when he hurriedly decamped from the APC to the SDP,” he said, mocking him. He however, challenged Abe to explain to the world his relationship with Lebara Nduh, the INEC Director of Security, who availed him and his supporters with fake INEC security tags.

WEDNESDAY, ͺͺ˜ ͺ͸ͺͻ ˾ T H I S D AY

NEWS

NOSAK GROUP WOMEN VISIT ORPHANAGE HOME... L-R: Human Resource Officer, Nosak Group, Stella Ukhurebor; Human Resource Officer, Rachael Kemonah Famous; Group Executive Director, Treasury & Asset Management, Iyobo Innih; Administrator, Little Saints Orphanage, Ogudu GRA, Dominica Ida Imaobong; Founder, Kasara, Eki Ogunbor; Itunu Johnson and Dasola Animashaun (both Corp Members with Nosak Group) and Legal Officer, Nosak Group, Yewande Durojaiye during the donation of food items including Nosak Famili Oils to Little Saints Orphanage, Ogudu GRA to mark the 2023 International Women’s Day celebration in Lagos...recently.

Ashiru: Kaduna Guber Poll Result Not Reflecting Wishes of Majority PDP rejects outcomes John Shiklam in Kaduna The defeated governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Kaduna State, Isah Ashiru, has said the results of the governorship election did not reflect

the wishes of majority of voters. In a statement yesterday in Kaduna, he said he would ex-ray the entire electoral process, including the announced results, before the next line of action by him and the party. The statement signed by the

Deputy Director, Media and Publicity, PDP Campaign Directorate, Reuben Buhari, expressed gratitude to residents of the state for the massive support to the PDP during the elections, adding that Ashiru was humbled by the dedication,

commitment and confidence shown in him. “People who believed in the vision my party and I stood for, showed exemplary dedication, sacrifice, and commitment to our project. Despite challenges that included fuel and

cash scarcity, insecurity and threat, people still braved the odds to go and vote. “And while the announcement of the results went through several postponements, they patiently and peacefully waited. I remain grateful

thugs at Wigbeke 11. One of our observers, Lawrence Onwe was beaten in Ishingbo 1, PU 001, 002, 004 by thugs," she said. The foreign observer group, however, noted that though that there was voter apathy in the state during the governorship election, the Bimodal Voters Accredited System (BVAS) recorded some improvement, which was better than the presidential election.

for such commendable passion and support, especially the insight and guidance provided to me,” the statement said. Meanwhile, leadership of the PDP in Kaduna State has rejected the result of the governorship election won by Senator Uba Sani of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC). Addressing journalists in Kaduna, Chairman of the party, Hassan Hyet, said the declaration of Sani by INEC as the winner of the election was a “day light robbery.” Hyet alleged that INEC was complicit in denying the people of Kaduna state what they actually voted for, and was inconsistent in declaring results. He said the PDP has “commenced actions necessary in accordance with the law with a view to arrest the glaring broad day robbery against the people of Kaduna State by APC government and its collaborators."

Respondent and for those scores which were legitimately obtained by the Petitioners to be credited to the Petitioners’ scores. "The petitioners also state that when the scores unlawfully added to the 2nd Respondent are deducted, the petitioners will have the highest number of votes in the election, as shown is in the Forensic Report pleaded above. "The petitioners aver that when the results of Polling Units, Wards, Local Governments, States are properly tabulated and calculated as required by the Electoral Act and the Regulations and Guidelines for election, the overall results of the election and the percentages scored by the Political Parties will show that the Petitioners won the Presidential election of 25 February 2023. "The petitioners shall rely on a Report of Inspection of the electoral materials pursuant to the orders of this Honourable Court, which orders were made to enable the Petitioners institute and maintain this petition. The orders made by this Honourable Court are hereby pleaded and shall be relied upon at the trial.” The reliefs they sought from the court included a determination that at the time of the presidential

election held on February 25, 2023, Tinubu and Shettima were not qualified to contest the election. They sought, “That it be determined that all the votes recorded for Tinubu (2nd Respondent) in the election are wasted votes owing to the non-qualification/ disqualification of Tinubu and Shettima. “That it be determined that Tinubu having failed to score one-quarter of the votes cast at the presidential election in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja was not entitled to be declared and returned as the winner of the presidential election held on 25th February, 2023. “In the alternative to 2 above: an order cancelling the election and compelling INEC to conduct a fresh election at which Tinubu, Shettima and APC shall not participate. “In the alternative to 1,2,3 above, I) that it may be determined that Tinubu was not duly elected by majority of the lawful votes cast in the election for the office of the president and therefore the declaration and return of the 2nd Respondent as the winner of the Presidential Election’ are unlawful, unconstitutional and of no effect whatsoever.

Foreign Observers Urge INEC to Cancel Results of Ebonyi Volatile Areas Benjamin Nworie in Abakaliki A Foreign Observer Group, Pan African Women Projects, has called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to review and cancel results of the concluded governorship and state House of Assembly elections in Ebonyi State, where the poll was marred by violence and other irregularities. Briefing newsmen in

Abakaliki, Head of the Foreign Mission, Lutheria Hanson, alleged that the elections failed to meet up with the expectations of the people of the state as there were reported cases of harassment, intimidation and manipulation of results. She lamented that one of their members, Lawrence Onwe, was beaten in Ishingbo in Ohaukwu local guy area by political thugs.

"The gubernatorial and State House of Assembly elections held on March 18, 2023, failed to meet up the expectations of the good people of Ebonyi State and Nigeria in general as there were cases of harassment and intimidation of the electorate and doctoring of results. "We plead with the electoral body to review the election results and outcomes in most of the areas with electoral

infractions, thus, cancelling results of extremely violent areas; places where voting didn't take place and yet results were produced and possibly conduct a rerun to show transparency and equity according to international best practices. "In Ohaukwu Local Government Area, there were reported cases of vote buying and physical harassment of PDP and APGA agents by

OBI, ATIKU, TWO OTHERS WANT TRIBUNAL TO VOID TINUBU'S DECLARATION AS PRESIDENT-ELECT On the alleged corrupt practices or non-compliance with the provisions of the Electoral Act, 2022, it was the case of the petitioners that INEC, the fourth respondent, failed to transmit results electronically as stipulated by the law. Obi and LP contended that the deployment of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System BVAS (BVAS), Election Results Collation System (CSRVS), and the INEC Results Viewing Portal were aimed at giving the election necessary transparency and credibility. They claimed that despite a court order, INEC refused to give/ issue those forms and refused to allow the inspection of the forms. They argued, "The petitioners further plead that due to the 1st Respondent’s refusal and neglect to upload and transmit the result of the election in the polling units to the IReV as required by law on the day of the election, the 1st Respondent suppressed the actual scores obtained by the petitioners. "The suppression of the 1st petitioner’s scores which occurred in Eighteen Thousand and Eighty-Eight (18,088) Polling Units was orchestrated by the 1st Respondent deliberately uploading unreadable and blurred Forms

EC8As on the IReV; and thereby, suppressed the lawful scores obtained by the Petitioners in the said Polling Units. "The petitioners hereby plead and shall at trial rely on a Spread Sheet containing the Polling Units Codes and details of the aforesaid Eighteen Thousand and Eighty-Eight Polling Units, as well as the authentic results in the aforesaid Eighteen Thousand and Eighty Eight Polling Units. In addition, the Petitioners plead that in Benue State, the 1 Respondent also mischievously uploaded blurred Forms EC8A allegedly for Polling Units in an attempt to suppress the lawful result of the election in the Polling Units. The Petitioners shall also at trial rely on a Forensic Report of the Presidential election held in Polling Units in Benue State.” Obi and LP further claimed that INEC had announced the scores of the petitioners in Rivers State as 175,071 votes and Tinubu and APC as having 231,591 votes. However, by the actual scores obtained at the polling units, the petitioners’ lawful votes in Rivers State are 205,110 votes, while the Tinubu and APC score ought to be 84,108 votes. The petitioners further con-

tended that if INEC had, as it was mandated to do, utilised the scores recorded on the Forms EC8A, as against the fictitious forms uploaded on the IReV, the petitioners would have won Rivers State. They added, "Similarly, in Benue State, the 1st Respondent whilst suppressing the lawful votes obtained by the Petitioners, announced that the Petitioners scores from the polling units in Benue State is 308,372 votes. “The 2nd and 4th Respondents’ score was falsely announced as being 310,468 votes. However, the actual scores of the Petitioners from the polling units in Benue State was 329,003 votes, while the 2nd and 4th Respondents’ scores were 300,421 votes. "The petitioners were also, by the unlawful announcement made by the 1st Respondent, denied as the winner of the election in Benue State. The petitioners shall at trial rely on the forensic analysis of the election for Rivers State and Benue State made pursuant to the inspection of the election materials as ordered by the court. "The 1st Respondent and its Officers/Agents whilst purportedly acting under the cover of

uploading the result of the Presidential Election held on 25 February 2023 on the IReV, embarked and are still embarking on massive misrepresentation and manipulation by uploading fictitious results in Polling Units where there were no elections as well as uploading incorrect results. The actual scores of the petitioners have been reduced, tampered with and false. "The actual scores of the petitioners obtained from the Polling Units and from the result of the election pursuant to the Inspection of the election materials as ordered by the court, shall be shown in the Forensic Report of the election result. The said Forensic Report is hereby pleaded and is also incorporated in this Petition. "The petitioners further aver that the scores obtained by the Petitioners were unlawfully reduced and added by the 1st Respondent to the scores of the 2nd Respondent. Further, the 1st Respondent deliberately uploaded blurred result, which were in favour of the Petitioners on the IReV in a bid to conceal them. "The petitioners shall pray the honourable court to deduct these unlawful scores added to the 2nd

WEDNESDAY, ͺͺ˜ ͺ͸ͺͻ ˾ T H I S D AY

NEWS

REWARD FOR TALENT... L-R: Head, Corporate Communications and Government Aﬀairs, Cadbury Nigeria Plc, Frederick Mordi; Managing Director, Tolulope Olaoye; Marketing Lead, Motsamai Pule, Mrs. Oyeyimika Adeboye, with winners of Bourn Factor Season 4, during the media presentation of the awardees at the Company's head oﬃce in Lagos...recently

Soludo Congratulates Tinubu, Names Nigeria Youths Election Heroes Urges president-elect to release Kanu after swearing-in David-Chyddy Eleke in Awka Anambra State Governor, Prof Chukwuma Soludo, has congratulated the President-elect, Bola Tinubu, even as he named Nigerian youths the heroes of the just concluded national elections in the country. Soludo, who is the national leaders of APGA, added that beyond the elections, the insecurity ravaging the South East should be of concern to all, which was why he called on Tinubu to immediately release leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, after

his swearing in. The governor, in a press statement personally signed said, "The 2023 General Election in Nigeria has come and gone. While we commend INEC for the successful completion of the general election, it is important to note that we must seriously continue to reform and strengthen our electoral processes and citizens’ political participation as we march towards a more perfect system. "To me, the true heroes of the last elections are the citizens of Nigeria, especially the youths, whose voices

will continue to be critical as we collectively strive to build a new Nigeria. Nigeria is the winner, and I am confident that a better future lies ahead of us." Congratulating Tinubu, he said, "Let me also congratulate the President-elect, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, for his election. We congratulate your closest opponents for their courageous and impressive outing. "Nigeria needs healing and restructuring, and the fundamental challenges of insecurity and the economy remain humongous. We

Akeredolu: Political Progressivism Has Come to Stay in Nigeria Fidelis David in Akure Ondo State Governor, Mr Oluwarotimi Akeredolu (SAN), yesterday, declared that political progressivism as espoused by the All Progressives Congress (APC) had begun to take firm root in Nigeria, and the tenets had also come to stay. The governor, who made the declaration in a congratulatory message by his Chief Press Secretary, Richard Olatunde, said the fact that APC won in most of the states of the federation despite the challenges faced preparatory to the general election indicated that the party's message of hope and shared prosperity resonated with most Nigerians. While expressing delight over the victory of the APC in a majority of states in the country, Akeredolu equally congratulated the national leadership of the APC on the impressive outing at the elections. “I rejoice with all governorselect on the platform of our great party, the APC. Your emergence is a tonic and energiser for the growth and development of the party. Progressivism has come to stay in Nigeria political space. “Undoubtedly, your victory is the needed elixir for our great party to take firm roots in the political firmament of our nation. Since political parties thrive on popularity and relevance, you have further sustained the body and soul of our party. “On the strength of our

party’s manifestos and ideology, we shall together help deliver dividends of good governance to the Nigeria people in line with the Renewed Hope mantra of our President-elect, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu. “Once again, I congratulate my colleagues re-elected for a second term in office. Your performance and hard-work paid off. You had blazed the trail for long and your people have rewarded you by reinvesting their mandate with you. “We must salute all those, who toiled to bring to fruition this comforting feat. Our victory as a party belongs to the

people, who have chosen to embrace APC despite all odds. As we enjoy this enthralling moment, let us prepare for the task ahead. We have recorded great leaps as a party. We must be ready to drive agenda that will sustain and maintain the goodwill enjoyed by our party among the people. “I am particularly enamoured by the track record and antecedents of most of the governors-elect. It shows that our party recognises excellence. I have no doubt that you are all fresh and resourceful and committed to upholding our ideals and common cause.”

pledge to collaborate and partner you and the federal government for the development of Anambra State and Nigeria. This is the only

country that we call ours and we must make it work." On the insecurity in the South East, and the call for Kanu's release,

Soludo said, "One critical issue that we must draw your urgent attention to is the issue of systemic insecurity in the South East.

Court Strikes Out FG's Suit on N70tn Looted Govt’s Funds in 29 Banks Wale Igbintade

Justice Peter Lifu of the Federal High Court in Lagos, yesterday struck out a suit filed by the federal government seeking recovery and forfeiture of over N70 trillion allegedly hidden in 29 banks’ accounts by top government officials. The applicants, the federal government and the Attorney General of the Federation, had in suit number: FHC/L/CS/968/2021 sued 17 banks, Nigerian Agip Oil Company Limited and the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC. The matter had suffered several adjournments due to changes of Applicants' counsel. The court had on March 7, 2022 adjourned to March 31, 2022, for ruling. Since then, it has been adjournment upon adjournment. Delivering ruling yesterday, Justice Lifu noted that ever since the court vacated the ex parte application, the case had been back and forth with various excuses and applications for adjournment at the instance of the Plaintiffs/

Applicants counsel. The court held: "I have carefully and painstakingly gone through the entire processes filed in this case. This case was instituted through an Ex-parte Motion dated and filed on 5th August, 2021. An Interim Order was made by my brother Ringim J. during vacation on the 6th of August, 2021. "Upon resumption from annual recess, this case was re-assigned to this Court on the 22nd of September, 2021 and on 24th November, 2021 all parties were heard and ruling delivered on the 27th of May, 2022 where the Ex-parte Order of Ringim J. was vacated for failure of the Plaintiffs/Applicants to comply with the ex-parte order so granted after over nine months. “Ever since, it has been back and forth, with various excuses, applications for adjournment at the instance of the Plaintiffs/Applicants counsel, Mohammed Ndarani. "From all indications, the instant case has clearly lost its stance as the Plaintiffs/Applicants seems not to be interested in the matter any longer having failed consistently

to be present in Court since 9 December, 2021. "The Chambers of Femi Falana that just filed Notice of Change of Counsel on the last adjourned date has suddenly withdrawn appearance today. "Going through the Originating Process filed by Mohammed Ndarani Esq. which is no longer extant as the ex-parte order was set aside on 7th May, 2022. There is nothing left again for this court to adjudicate upon. "It is amazing that the Plaintiffs/ Applicants Counsel from Ndarani SAN to Falana SAN has suddenly developed cold feet over this alleged public interest case which has generated so much public interest on the issue of an alleged N70 trillion hidden in some accounts, allegedly belonging to some public officers. "In the circumstances of this case therefore the application of the Learned Counsel for NNPC, M. T. Danzaki Esq., and Access Bank Plc, I. S. Etefia Esq., succeeds. This case is hereby struck out for want of diligent prosecution and I make no order as to cost".

I Will Govern for All, Sani Tells Kaduna Residents

John Shiklam in Kaduna

Kaduna State governor-elect, Senator Uba Sani has promised that he would govern for all regardless of religious and ethnic differences and how people voted. In his acceptance speech yesterday, following his declaration on Monday as the winner of the governorship election in the state, Sani said, he would focus on continued progress, peace and prosperity of Kaduna state. “We shall govern for all, no matter how they voted, no matter how they worship or which of our many tongues they speak. “Our gaze will be firmly in the direction of continued progress, peace and prosperity of the state”, he said.

Sani thanked Governor Nasir El-Rufai and his executive team for their collective efforts since 2015 to build the foundation for new Kaduna state. The governor elect also expressed gratitude to Bola Tinubu, the president- elect, for his consistent support. “With gratitude to Almighty Allah for making us see this day, I am overwhelmed by the affection of the people of Kaduna state who have made their democratic choice loud and clear. “The people of Kaduna State have given us their mandate to lead in serving them for the next four years. “We accept this privilege as a heavy responsibility. We shall carry out the people's democratic direc-

tives with focus and unrelenting dedication. “We shall govern for all, no matter how they voted, no matter how they worship or which of our many tongues they speak,” he said. Speaking further, Sani said, “Our gaze will be firmly in the direction of continued progress, peace and prosperity of the state. “We shall get straight to work on sustaining and strengthening the path to development that our beloved leader Malam Nasir El-Rufai has so briliantly opened for Kaduna state.” He also thanked residents of Kaduna State, “who helped to make the 2023 elections a peaceful exercise. “I acknowledge the efforts of APC leaders at all levels and the

tireless work of the members of our campaign council and party supporters across the state who helped to carry our message to the people. “The teeming youths, women, civil society and our many support groups worked for this victory, and we thank them. “We are indebted to traditional, community and religious leaders who helped to foster an atmosphere of peace. “I salute all APC candidates in 2023 elections for their hard work and contributions to this overall success, despite some setbacks. “I wish to specially acknowledge the support of President Muhammadu Buhari who even took the time to record a message of endorsement for my campaign.

“It is in the nature of democratic contestations that they are concluded with the declaration of one candidate as the winner. “But we are all winners when the people freely declare their preferences at the ballot. “I note the energetic campaigns of fellow contestants and call on them to continue to make their contributions to Kaduna state. “Much has been achieved since 2015, but much remains to be done to drive Kaduna State closer to its potentials. “Therefore, we shall be devoting efforts in the next few days to ensuring that we can begin to govern effectively from 29th May 2023 with the standards of efficiency and clarity set by the current government”, he said.

wednesday march 22, 2023 • T H i s d ay

NEWS

CELEBRATING INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY…

L-R: Deputy Head, Media and Publicity Committee, Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) Women Forum, Gloria Ireka; Head, Media and Publicity Committee, NBA Women Forum, Onyinye Ukegbu; Chairperson, Conference Planning Committee, NBA Women Forum 2023, Dr. Foluke Dada; Chairperson, NBA Women Forum, Chinyere Okorocha and Deputy Head, Fundraising & Finance Subcommittee, Ifeoma Ben, during a press briefing on its third annual general conference and International Women’s Day event in Lagos…recently-

Grandma Sets Son,Wife, Two Grandchildren Ablaze in Ondo Fidelis David inAkure

An aged woman simply identified as Iforiti has allegedly set her middle-aged son, wife and two grandchildren ablaze in Aponmu community, along Ondo road, in Akure South Local Government Area of the state. THISDAY gathered yesterday that the grandmother, who lives

with her son and his family allegedly set the house ablaze last weekend while the family was asleep, killing three of them including the son, Victor; wife Racheal and one of the grandchildren while the remaining child is in critical condition. An eyewitness, Mr Korede Michael, while narrating the ugly incident said: “I saw the house on

Election Victory: Gombe Gov Embarks on ‘Thank You’ Visits Segun Awofadeji inGombe

In an apparent show of gratitude to Almighty God and the people of Gombe State, Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya, has embarked on a “thank you’ tour of all the local government areas to appreciate the electorate for giving him and his party a resounding victory at the just concluded elections. This is just as traditional rulers, community leaders and other stakeholders pledged their unflinching support to the state governor. The Governor was earlier in Kwami, Funakaye, Nafada and Dukku Local Government Areas (LGAs). In Malam sidi, the headquarters of Kwami LGA, the governor’s motorcade was received amidst wild jubilation by teeming youths, women and other support groups to express their joy over the

governor’s victory at the polls. Addressing the crowd, Governor Yahaya thanked them for their abiding faith in the All Progressives Congress (APC) which ultimately led to the victorious outing of the party at the national and sub-national levels. Governor Yahaya observed that in spite of the setback experienced during the presidential and National Assembly elections, the APC in the state was able to retrace its steps and forge a common front which led to the overwhelming victory of the party in the Governorship and State Houses of Assembly elections. He assured the people of Kwami that his administration would remain resolute towards consolidating on major breakthroughs so far achieved by his government in the first half of his social contract with the people of the state.

Trespassers Encroach on Police, Fire Service, NIPOST’s Lands in Abuja

Olawale Ajimotokan in Abuja

A community in Lugbe yesterday raised the alarm over the activities of illegal developers in CRD Estate, Lugbe, Abuja who are buying, developing structures on properties that are meant for public use, including the land that belongs to Nigerian Police, Fire Service, and NIPOST among others. Few days ago, FCT Director of Development Control, Mukhtar Galadima, decried the proliferation of illegal housing estates and other developments along Idu Train Station, Apo Tapi and Lugbe areas within the Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC). He said the alarm became necessary, due to the rising adverts on social media by land

grabbers and illegal developers of housing estates. A resident, George Udoh, said some of the land in the in CRD estate, that belonged to the government and marked for public infrastructure are illegally sold by some persons to private individuals, who come with FCTA approvals. On the removal of contraventions in the community, Udoh insisted that most of the buildings had approval but they were shocked to learn that their approvals are fake. Muina, who also resides in the area, appealed to Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA), to create access road because the major access road they were using in River Park Estate has been blocked.

fire around 2:00am at the weekend and had to break the window to rescue everyone in the house. The woman, her son, Victor Oloro; wife, Rachael; and children, Toluwani and Blessing, were all in the house when the woman set it on fire. She got some dry palm fronds

and the little petrol her son kept in a gallon (for generator), spread it around the house and then put fire to it”. He explained that he was the first person to notice the fire and jumped into the house before other members of the community

joined him in rescuing them, after which they got a vehicle to transport them to the University of Medical Sciences Teaching Hospital (UNIMEDTH), Akure annex. “When we got to Akure (UNIMEDTH annex), the doctors and nurses rejected the patients,

saying they cannot take care of them due to the degree of the burn and advised that we take them to the Federal Medical Center in Owo. Unfortunately, we lost the last grandchild, who was just two and a half years old, immediately we got to Owo.

Declare Otti Winner of Abia Guber Poll, SAN Tells INEC APC rejects Abia guber poll results

Wale Igbintade and Emmanuel Ugwu-Nwogo in Umuahia Former gubernatorial aspirant of the All Progressives Grand Alliance(APGA), in Abia State, Etigwe Uwa, SAN has called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to ‘immediately’ declare, Labour

Party candidate, Dr. Alex Otti as winner of the Abia governorship election. The senior lawyer in a statement issued yesterday noted that Dr. Otti currently leads his closest rival Okey Ahiwe of the PDP by over 94,000 votes, hence, INEC should declare Otti as winner of the Abia State

governorship election. He stated that there was undisputed fact that Otti has emerged as winner of the election, stressing that INEC should align with the wish of the people of Abia State and avoid unnecessary tension and break down of law and order. The statement reads: “The

people of Abia have spoken through their votes in the 17 Local Government Areas of Abia State. The results released so far show that the aggregate of votes secured by Otti the Labour Party candidate is at least 94,000 votes more than that polled by its closest rival Mr. Okey Ahiwe the PDP.

Kwara Gov Pledges Support to Traditional Council

HammedShittuinIlorin Kwara State Governor, Alhaji AbdulRamanAbdulRazaq yesterday pledged that he would continue to give the traditional council in the state the honour and support that it deserves. AbdulRazaq stated this in Ilorin when he led a delegation of victorious APC candidates to the

palace of Emir of Ilorin, Dr. Ibrahim Sulu-Gambari, on a thank-you-visit. He lauded the Emir for his continued support and prayers which he said accounted for the success and peaceful conduct of the last Saturday’s elections in the state. He said the ruling APC owes the monarch and other traditional rulers absolute respect and appreciation for their fatherly roles.

He pledged to continue to give the traditional council in the state the honour and support that they deserve. “This is a unique and wonderful day for us. We are here to show respect for the traditional institution, the main institution in Kwara state, for your support and your prayers,” he said. “From my first term, which is

gradually coming to an end, we have seen the very important roles that the traditional rulers played, and we truly appreciate that. First of all, the peace and security we have. Without the peaceful environment that you create, we will not have any progress or sleep with both of our eyes closed. Your synergy with the security agencies has made things easy for us,” he added.

Observers Debunk Allegation of Electoral Violence, Intimidation of Voters in Bauchi Segun Awofadeji in Bauchi

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) accredited foreign and domestic observers for Bauchi State has refuted the allegation by the All Progressive Congress (APC) that the governorship

and State House of Assembly election was marred by violence, voter’s intimidation and ballot box snatching. The forum declared that the election was conducted peacefully without any rancour. The APC governorship candidate, Air Marshal

Sadique Baba Abubakar (rtd) had alleged that the election was marred by violence in some local government areas of the state, intimidation of APC voters, ballot snatching and electoral fraud, calling for the cancellation of the election result.

However, addressing a press conference in Bauchi yesterday, the Coordinator of the forum, Ambassador Charity Erhire, said that the distribution of sensitive and non-sensitive materials for the election was adequate and electoral officials arrived in most of the polling units in time.

Prioritise Welfare of Katsina Women Adversely Affected by Insecurity, ADC Chieftain Urges Radda FrancisSardaunainKatsina

The Katsina State governor-elect on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Dr. Dikko Umar Radda, has been admonished to prioritise the welfare of women and youths affected by insecurity and economic hardship in the state.

A chieftain of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Hon. Hauwa Lawal Jibrin, gave the advice at a news conference she christened: ‘Only God Gives Power’, held in Katsina, the Katsina state capital yesterday. Hauwa is the only female candidate in Katsina State that vied

for State House of Assembly seat for Katsina Local Government on the ADC platform but she lost the election to Ali Al-baba of the APC. Although the ADC stalwart conceded defeat during the media chat, she urged the governor-elect to focus more on ameliorating the plight of women and youths whom

she said were adversely affected by insecurity and economic asperity. She said: “I implore the incoming administration of Dr. Dikko Umar Radda to focus more on the welfare of women and the teaming population of youths in the state who have been adversely affected by insecurity and economic hardship.”

Rotary Club to Build Peace Garden in UNIABUJA The Rotary Club of Abuja go back to the basics to protect mark this year’s International Day Maitama yesterday unfolded plans to build a Peace Garden in the University of Abuja. The club also planted some fruit trees for the benefit of the university community. It appealed to Nigerians to

and save the environment to live healthy. The President of the Rotary Club of Abuja Maitama, Yusuf Alli, disclosed the plan at the foundation laying ceremony for the garden and tree planting to

of Forests. He said: “Our club decided not to plant only trees but to leave permanent footprints by building a Rotary Peace Garden in UNIABUJA. This project is embarked upon to serve as a

garden of peace, friendship, unity and a connecting point for the town and the gown. “I urge the university community to take advantage of this partnership to save our environment and guarantee its peace.”

WEDNESDAY MARCH 22, 2023 ˾ T H I S D AY

NEWSXTRA

PEACE GARDEN FOR UNIABUJA…

L-R: President, Rotary Club of Maitama, Yusuf Alli; the representative of the Vice Chancellor of the University of Abuja (UNIABUJA) and Senior Deputy Registrar, Dr. Idris Jibrin; Chairman, Task Force, Parks and Gardens of UNIABUJA, Prof. JacobWapa, and the President-elect, Rotary Club of Abuja Maitama, Ijeoma Agwu, during the foundation laying of Rotary Peace Garden and tree planting in the university… yesterday

No Receipts for Alleged N1.2bn, $4m Given to Fayose, Obanikoro Tells Court Wale Igbintade

A former Minister of State for Defence, Senator Musiliu Obanikoro yesterday told a Federal High Court in Lagos, that he has no document to show for the withdrawal of N1.2 billion, he allegedly gave the former governor of Ekiti State, Ayodele Fayose. Obanikoro who is the 12th prosecution witness stated this during the ongoing trial of Fayose, and his company, Spotless

Investment Limited, charged by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over alleged N6.9 billion fraud. The former minister, had in his previous testimony before the court stated that the N1.2 billion was deposited into the account of a company, Sylva McNamara which was used to fund clandestine security operations aimed at preventing terrorists’ activities in Lagos State in two batches. When the matter was called

Mystery Fire Razes Shops in Onitsha Main Market David-Chyddy Eleke in Awka

A mysterious fire which broke out in the early hours of yesterday at the Onitsha main market in Anambra State gutted many shops in the market, consuming numerous wares worth several millions of naira. The main market in Onitsha is reputed to be the biggest market in West Africa, and hosts a large population of traders, who are mainly importers of goods, and deal in varied products. A source, Mr. Barth Ifediora, who raised the alarm of the fire, said the fire broke out early yesterday morning, in a section of the market known as White House.

White House is the office of the leaders of the market, an expansive two storey building, and host several offices, halls for meetings in the first and second floor, while the ground floor hosts shops. The source said: “The area mostly affected by the fire is the block of shops under the White House, where expensive lace materials are sold, and other areas.” The state fire service boss, Martin Agbili, could not be reached as at the time of filing this report. Traders were, however, said to have mobilised the market and fought the fire, even though wares worth several millions of naira were reportedly destroyed.

C’River Governor-elect Promises Inclusive Govt

Bassey Inyang in Calabar

The Governor-elect of Cross River State, Senator Prince Bassey Otu, has promised to run an allinclusive government in the state. Otu, who stated this in his acceptance speech last Monday night, said his victory is for all parties and citizens of the state. According to him, “Fellow Cross Riverians, the victory we celebrate today is not a winnertakes-all. It is not the victory of one political interest over another or the victory of one cultural zone over others, but the victory of our brotherhood over the dark forces that seek to polarise us into camps. It is the victory of our humanity over poisonous rhetoric. “Once again, we have demonstrated that the ties that bind us are stronger than the artificial gulfs they tried to create between us for selfish purposes. “This mandate is the people’s

mandate. It is a reaffirmation that as a people, we have a keen sense of justice. And when the chips are down, we sacrifice our differences to reaffirm our sense of justice. I am touched by this act of greatness, and I will not let you down. I will work night and day to justify the confidence you have reposed in me.” Continuing Otu, popularly referred to as ‘Sweet Prince’, said: “there are no winners or losers, and no victor, no vanquished. What we have is the victory of democracy. So, I reach out a hand of fellowship to my brothers who ran for this position against me from other political parties. I urge you all to join hands with me to build a new Cross River State. This state belongs to only one party; and that is the people of Cross River State. We share the same obligation to work for its welfare and progress.

for continuation of trial, Rotimi Jacobs announced appearance for prosecution, Ola Olanipekun announced appearance for the first Defendant, Ayodele Fayose while Olalekan Ojo announced appearance

for the second Defendant, Spotless Investment Limited. During cross-examination by counsel to the second defendant, Ojo, Obanikoro told the court that during his several visits to the EFCC,

he did not show EFCC’s operatives any document showing that he gave instruction or withdrew the sum of N1.2 billion from the Diamond bank account of Sylva McNamara Limited.

When reminded that in his earlier evidence, he had stated that he took over the control and management of Sylva McNamara account in Diamond Bank, the witness answered in the affirmative.

‘Incoming President Must Tackle Greatest Challenge, Meet Expectations of Nigerians’ Fidelis DavidinAkure

The Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Canada Chapter, Mr. Omololu Nick Apata, has declared that the incoming president of Nigeria, Bola Tinubu must be ready to tackle Nigeria’s greatest challenge of insecurity, widespread corruption

and a general sense of dissatisfaction among citizens and as well, meet the expectation of the people. Apata stated this yesterday in a statement made available to journalists by a chieftain APC in Ondo State and Media Director for the APC Presidential Council for Canada, Dr Abiola Oshodi. The APC chairman, who also

asserted that the various secessionist movements across the country were not the answer to the challenges facing Nigeria, called on the incoming president to tackle the problem by unifying the country and solve major socio-economic problems confronting the country. “Let me first congratulate our President-elect Asiwaju

Bola Ahmed Tinubu on this monumental achievement of winning the presidency of our beloved country Nigeria. I also congratulate our party the APC for a job well done. Finally, I doff my hat to the Nigerian electorate for coming out to cast their vote for the candidate and party of their choice.”

Edo Labour Party Decries Inconclusive House of Assembly Election Adibe Emenyonu in Benin-city

The Labour Party (LP) in Edo State yesterday frowned at the declaration of last Saturday’s House of Assembly election as inconclusive in areas it identified as its strongholds, and alleged that officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission

(INEC) were compromised. Addressing journalists in Benin-city, the state Chairman of the party, Kelly Ogbaloi, said the March 18 Assembly election was marred by “low turnout, gross irregularities, and the involvement of life-threatening political thugs.” As at the time of filing this

report, the INEC was yet to release the full results of the election as submitted to it by the returning officers from the 24 state constituencies, and field reports gathered showed that some areas have been declared inconclusive while there could be possible re-run elections in other areas.

Ogbaloi, who was flanked by leaders of the party, including the newly elected House of Representatives member for Oredo federal constituency, Esosa Iyawe, said: “Despite supporters coming out to cast their votes for Labour Party, the election results announced give cause for concern.

Sokoto PDP Accuses Police Minister of Intimidating Supporters during Guber Poll Onuminya Innocent in Sokoto

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Sokoto State has accused the Minister of Police Affairs, Muhammad Maigari Dingyadi, of using security at his disposal to intimidate their supporters at the just concluded governorship and House Assembly elections in the state. Briefing journalists at the

National Union of Journalists (NUJ) secretariat in Sokoto yesterday, the state Chairman of the party, Alhaji Aliyu Bello Goronyo, said thousands of their supporters were arrested during the election. He maintained that the security apparatus were used to intimidate their supporters during the election which led to disenfranchising them.

He further explained that the People Democratic Party (PDP) as a law-abiding party with longest history of governance in Nigeria is using this medium to commend its teaming supporters in Sokoto State for their sustained commitment and resilience which manifested in their mass trooping out to vote for the party in the just concluded governorship and state Assembly elections

He disclosed that available data confirm that the turn out for this last election was almost nine hundred thousand which contrasted with the presidential and National Assembly elections which have the turnout of about six hundred thousand voters. “The party is mindful of the ordeal that its teaming members are being subjected to deliberately by the leadership of the APC.

Ex-Militants, IYC Warn Group over Attempts to Blackmail NNPCL Boss Olusegun Samuel inYenagoa Ex-militants leaders from the Niger Delta region and the umbrella body of Ijaw youths worldwide, the Ijaw Youth Congress (IYC), have warned those they said are blackmailing the Vice President of the Nigerian Petroleum company Limited (NNPCL), Tombomieye

Adokiye, to desist henceforth or they will be fished out together with their sponsors to face the brunt of the angry youths in the region. While the ex-militants stated that those blackmailing Adokiye are afflicted to oil thieves in Nigeria, IYC said the call for the probe of Adokiye by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission

(EFCC) by the faceless group is distasteful and affront on the Nigerian people whom have suffered a lot from economic sabotage and crude oil theft. The ex-militant group under the aspics of the 21st century youths in Niger Delta and Agitators with Conscience (21st CYNDAC) vowed to fight dirty with any individual

or group whose aim is to attack in order to distract and discourage the good work of Adokiye. A statement signed by its leader, Izon Ebi, also warned those that are tussling power from their kinsman to think twice before stepping into the battle arena as they are battle ready to challenge the false whistle blowers.

Elumelu Congratulates Oborevwori, Makinde, Other PDP Governors-elect Udora Orizu in Abuja Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, Hon. Ndudi Elumelu has congratulated the governors-elect of Delta State, Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori, and Seyi Makinde of Oyo State and others so far declared on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for their victory at the

election. Elumelu in a statement said the victory being recorded by PDP governorship candidates was a resounding reaffirmation that they are persons of proven integrity, capacity, competence, commitment to duty. The statement reads: “I also congratulate Governors Bala Mohammed and Seyi

Makinde of Bauchi and Oyo States respectively as well as governors-elect of Akwa Ibom State, Pastor Umo Eno and his Plateau State counterpart, Caleb Mutfwang for their success at the polls. From the results obtained directly from Polling Units across the country, we are optimistic of the victory of PDP candidates in other States, as the nation awaits

final declaration in Adamawa, Taraba,, Zamfara, Enugu and other states. “The victory being recorded by PDP governorship candidates is a resounding reaffirmation that they are persons of proven integrity, capacity, competence, commitment to duty and political Will to ensure that the aspiration of the people prevailed in governance.”

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BACK PAGE CONTINUATION

Abia: INEC Chairman Denies Issuing Directive at Variance to its Guidelines /#" $40T PUIFST XBSO BHBJOTU TVCWFSUJOH QPMM

Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja and Emmanuel Ugwu-Nwogo in Umuahia The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Mahmood Yakubu has denied given the Returning Officer for Abia governorship election, Prof. Nnenna Oti any directive at variance with the guidelines of the commission during the collation of results in the state as being portrayed by a blog. The commission had on

Monday suspended further collation of governorship election results in some parts of Abia and Enugu States in order to review the conduct of the Governorship and State Assembly elections held last Saturday. An online blog had quoted the Returning Officer as alleging that she was being forced to do the wrong thing. The blog reported that to the shock and surprise of everyone in the hall, the Returning Officer said the INEC Chairman

personally called her and gave her directives on guidelines to follow in ensuring that Abia governorship election results were collated based on some criteria. But the Chief Press Secretary to INEC Chairman, Mr. Rotimi Oyekanmi in a statement issued yesterday, said Yakubu had no time gave any direction to Oti. He said: “The INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu never called the Returning Officer to give her a directive. Rather, the Returning Officer

wanted the official communication on the Commission’s decision to suspend the collation of results in Abia State. “The Chairman then directed that pending the delivery of the hard copies, the soft copies of the Commission’s letter be forwarded immediately to the Resident Electoral Commissioner of Enugu State and the Administrative Secretary of Abia State. “This is what is now being mischievously interpreted as a directive to the Returning Officer

UK to Host African Investment Summit in April Ugo Aliogo The UK Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak would host African leaders in London in the second UK-African Investment Summit expected to hold between April 23rd and 24th, 2024. The summit is expected to build on the £6.5 billion deals and £8.9 billion investment commitments achieved at the 2020 summit. A statement by the Senior Press and Public Affairs Officer, British Deputy High Commission, Lagos,

Ndidiamaka Eze, stated that the summit aims to promote two-way trade and investment, creating jobs and growth and supporting women entrepreneurs. The statement also noted that the announcement came as HM Revenue and Customs signed an MoU with the Federal Inland Revenue Service to help increase Nigeria’s domestic revenues. It explained that the summit would bring together Heads of States and Governments from 24 African countries with British and African business leaders.

Controversial Anambra Pastor, Odumeje Prophesies His Death David-Chyddy Eleke in Awka Controversial Anambra pastor, Chukwuemeka Ohanere, who is popularly known as Odumeje has prophesied that he would soon die, saying he has completed his earthly ministry. The pastor came into limelight with his weird pattern of spiritual deliverance, where he carries miracle seeking members of his church in a manner akin to the WWE wrestlers, and also smashes them on the floor. He was also in the news last year, after he confronted officials of the Anambra State government, who had come to demolish his church. The attempt earned him severe beating that made many

pity him. During Sunday service, Odumeje, in a video circulating online was seen telling his church members that it was time for him to go. He said: “I have called my little son, KingDavid, and I told him that very soon, I, your father will leave. You must take care of your brothers and your mother. “I came to this world for a purpose, and that purpose has been fulfilled. I have finished my earthly ministry, and I will leave soon,” he told the congregant. Odumeje has fought several battles, and has challenged many native doctors to open contests on their ability to perform miracles. He is 40 years old.

It also noted that the summit would strengthen UK-African partnerships to create jobs and growth, supporting British and African talent in sectors such as finance and technology, and promote women entrepreneurs. It further explained that the summit would build on the results of the UK-African Investment Summit 2020 and virtual UKAfrican Investment Conferences in 2021 and 2022. It remarked that the UK-African Investment Summit 2020 marked an important milestone in the UK’spartnerships with African countries and announced over £6.5 billion of deals, plus a further £8.9 billion of investment commitments. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak was quoted in the statement to have said: “To grow the UK’s economy, create opportunities for growth and bolster our economic security, we must deepen our ties with partners across the world. “This summit will ensure we are able to harness the potential of our relationships across Africa and

grow our economies together, making them stronger, resilient, and innovative.” The statement also revealed that by facilitating business-tobusiness links, trade opportunities and investment, UK-AIS would help harness this potential for the creation of mutual prosperity, economic growth, jobs and a global transition to green energy. Also, the Foreign Secretary James Cleverly said: “The UK’s trade and investment relations with countries right across the African continent are delivering significant mutual economic benefits to all of us. Affirming the UK’s position as a leading investor in Africa, this second African Investment Summit in London will build on our successes since 2020 which have combined the strengths, innovations and expertise of the UK and our partners across Africa to support reliable, sustainable and long-term investment. The UK and Africa go far when we go together.”

on some phantom criteria at variance with the approved guidelines. There is nothing like that. “In fact, the content of the letter is basically the same as the Commission’s Press Release dated Monday 20th March 2023 which has since been uploaded to the Commission’s social media platforms and is already in the public domain.” The commission, therefore, urged the public to disregard the story as fake news. Meanwhile, Professional groups, rights groups and civil society organsations have risen in condemnation of the lingering delay in concluding the collation and announcement of the March 18 governorship poll results. The groups in separate press conferences in Umuahia yesterday, warned INEC against succumbing to the temptation of subverting the will of Abians as expressed in at the poll. In its reaction to the umpasse, the Abia State chapter of the Nigeria Bar Association(NBA) expressed sadness that the 2023 governorship poll result in the state had been mired in controversy. Speaking at a news conference in Umuahia, the chairman of NBA, Umuahia branch, Jasper Ejimofor said the undue delay in announcing the winner of the governorship poll was threatening the unity, peace and stability of Abia. “We cannot stand aloof at this point in time, especially when it is obvious that there are moves to trample on the democratic rights of Abians and prevent them from having the person they have unanimously voted

for as their go up,” he said. “The delay in declaring the true winner of the election is causing unnecessary tension in the state, and this tension could snowball into serious crisis and breakdown of law and order,” he added. Accoring to him, “the overwhelming evidence emanating from INEC indicates that the Labour Party Governorship candidate, Dr. Alex Otti has won the governorship election with a very wide margin.” The Umuahia NBA chairman argued that having already collated and declared results of 16 out of 17 local governments with the, “LP candidate is leading with over 90,000” votes hence Obingwa result should not constitute a stumbling block. “We, therefore, enjoin INEC to declare Alex Otti of Labour Party as the winner of the Governorship election to save the state the avoidable disaster that is looming,” the NBA chairman said. In its reaction to the poll result collation saga, the Coalition of Abia Patriots and Youth Leaders called on INEC to act without further delay and return Otti as the winner of the 2023 Abia governorship poll. The convener of the coalition, Hon Dannie Ubani, who addressed the media in Umuahia said that Abia is being put in tensed suspense due to the desperation of “a clique of power-intoxicated power barons”. According to him, the power grabbers were bent on “lording themselves over the rest of Abians by manipulating and joggling election figures at their whims and caprices”.

Buhari Seeks Senate’s Conﬁrmation of New NDIC Board Members Sunday Aborisade in Abuja President Muhammadu Buhari has asked the Senate to confirm the appointment of new members of the board of the Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation. The request was contained in a letter dated March 15, 2023, which

was read at plenary yesterday, by the Senate President, Ahmad Lawan. The letter read, “Pursuant to section 5 ( 4) of the Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation Act, I forward herewith for the confirmation of the Senate, the under-listed names of the newly appointed members of the Governing Board of the Nigeria

Deposit Insurance Corporation. “Their CVs are therein attached.” The letter added, “While I hope that this submission will receive the usual expeditious consideration of the Senate. Please accept, Distinguished Senate President, the assurance of my highest consideration.”

The nominees included Hon. Abdulhakeem Mobolaji for Chairman (South-West). The members are Prof. Osita Ogwu, (South East); Umar Jubril, (North Central); Mohammed Haruna, (North East); Yesmin Dalhatu (North West); Simon Ogie (South-South) and Abimbola Olashore( South-West).

frustrated by the contrived late arrival of voting materials should have supplementary elections ordered. All votes reduced and inflated must have the correct figures restored. The judiciary should not dismiss these matters under the umbrage of substantial compliance for it is possible that these malpractices will affect the issue of polling the required 25% of the votes cast in two-thirds of the states. Nigeria needs to heal from the 2023 elections. A man who has been prevented from voting in his own country as a result of his ethnicity will not heal if the judiciary throws the Electoral Act on substantial compliance at him. For those who think that the answer is a government of national unity, the simple answer is you cannot come to my house to steal my food and then invite me to your house to eat it with you. Most importantly, the brazenness of the rigging of elections, falsification of election results, violence, ballot box-snatching, voter intimidation and voter suppression are getting worse with each election cycle and have become so bad that they threaten our cohesion and the foundation of our country. The reason why

this is so is because there are no consequences. The security agencies ignore or even connive with the perpetrators. The man who was seen in a video threatening voters of South East origin in Lagos not to dare come near the polling units if they were not going to vote for APC had a policeman with him. Three weeks after that contravention of the Electoral Act, the police claims that they are still ‘investigating’. With the failure of the security agencies , the acts of impunity by politicians get worse because the judiciary citing substantial compliance ignores them when victims of electoral malpractices come to court to complain. Only one person can win an election, and it is not being suggested that any particular person or political party should be favoured. But the judiciary has a duty to ensure that the process is free and fair and that the conduct of elections does not constitute a threat to the existence of the country. If the incendiary consequences of the Imo judgement are replicated in various parts of the country in 2023, one doubts if the security agencies would be able to contain them. The 2022 Presidential primaries

were mismanaged by the political class who allowed the process to be heavily monetised by the two hegemonists and oligarchs that had the most money to run away with their parties’ tickets. The 2023 elections were mismanaged and compromised by INEC and by the Executive as exemplified by a governor of the ruling party in one of the North Central States who on the eve of the presidential election, dug trenches, destroying Federal government roads in order to incapacitate his opponents during the elections and whose local government chairman was seen in a video accompanied by a policeman in what was obviously a general operation storming polling stations to tear up selected ballot papers presumably of the opposing political parties. The redress for all these acts of mismanagement and impunity lies with the judiciary. If the judiciary itself mismanages the process for redress, the consequences for the country could be catastrophic. r4FOBUPS 4PMB "LJOZFEF B DPOTUJUVUJPOBM MBXZFS XBT UIF $IBJSNBO 4FOBUF $PNNJUUUFF PO 'JOBODJBM $SJNFT BOE "OUJ $PSSVQUJPO GSPN UP

BACK PAGE CONTINUATION THE JUDICIARY- MAKING OR BREAKING NIGERIA The danger is that today, Nigeria is at a tipping point. While the deployment of technicalities might benefit a few, it will be a mistake of catastrophic proportions to attempt them in respect of the 2023 elections. For the past eight years, Nigerians have been in the throes of three existential crises. An existential crisis with regard to our territorial, political and structural integrity and the security of our citizens in every part of the country particularly in the North West and the North East where terrorism, violent insurgency and banditry have taken root. Existential crisis with regard to our national cohesion following the mismanagement of our diversity by the Buhari administration resulting in separatist tendencies, ethno-religious polarisation, farmers-herders clashes in the North central states. Existential crisis with regard to our economy. Nigeria has the highest number of extremely poor people in the world. (87.2 million poor souls) more than India with a population of 1.34 billion people. Unemployment rate is 35% while youth unemployment is over 50%. A country that is essentially bankrupt, since 2020 we have been spending 98% of our revenue just to service our debts, the World

Bank projecting that the 98% will rise to 160% in 4 years. The current administration in its first five years borrowed $21.7 billion - more than Presidents Obasanjo, Yar’Adua and Jonathan combined borrowed in 16 years. The country has never in its history experienced a convergence of these three existential crises. These are what 63% to 70% or more of Nigerians voted against. What has been saving the country from a cataclysmic explosion or a paroxysmal upheaval of the restive and angry youths and increased subnational agitations is the hope in the 2023 elections. To make matters worse, these elections have been characterised by unprecedented falsification and manipulation of results, dangerous ethnically driven voter-intimidation where voters of south east origin and other ethnicities were physically intimidated, prevented from voting in their own country and had the doors of polling stations locked against them. In addition, there was obvious evidence of voter suppression with INEC probably in collusion with the candidates of the ruling party and in some cases the opposition turning up very late or not turning up at all in opposition strongholds.

The judiciary must not make the mistake of deploying the electoral impossibility and illegality formula of Imo or the fictional fabrication and technicality of the Lawan formula in deciding the 2023 elections. After the #EndSars protests that rocked Lagos and other cities all over the country virtually bringing the country to its knees, the youths were asked to convert their #EndSars energy into electoral energy. They did. Persons who claim to be indigenes in the ‘Centre of Excellence’ decided to deploy all manner of malpractices including the primitive ‘Oro’ cult ritual curfew in which women and non indigenes are threatened with beheading should they venture out. If everybody did his own version of ‘Oro’ in other parts of the country threatening non indigenes and those they suspect would not vote for them, would there be a Nigeria? The only way to prevent a reconversion of the youths’ electoral energy into a negative and destructive energy that will surpass #EndSars is for the judiciary to transparently address each and every one of the issues in the badly flawed elections. All those places that constituted the stronghold of the opposition where elections did not take place or voters were

WEDNESDAY, ͺͺ˜ ͺ͸ͺͻ ˾ T H I S D AY

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Group Sports Editor: Duro Ikhazuagbe Email: duro.ikhazuagbe@thisdaylive.com

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Osimhen Storms Camp to Boost Eagles’ Firing Power against G’Bissau

Duro Ikhazuagbe

Napoli’s man-of-the-moment, Victor Osimhen, checked into Super Eagles John Woods Hotel camp in Abuja yesterday evening ahead of Friday’s first leg of the double header AFCON 2023 qualifying clash against the Wild Dogs (Djurtus) of Guinea Bissau at the MKO Abiola Stadium in the federal capital city. Osimhen who is the leading marksman in the Italian Serie A on 21 goals with additional four goals scored in the UEFA Champions League, before arriving the Abuja camp of the senior national team, was in Lagos to sign a multimillion dollars endorsement deal. Although there were apprehension in football circle that Nigerian ball fans may be denied the chance to see their topmost striker in Europe on duty for the Super Eagles due to reports in Italy that Napoli had demanded that NFF should run a scan on Osimhen’s leg to confirm the level of the knock he received in the game against Torino last weekend. Osimhen scored a brace in that game to extend the Naples-based team’s lead at the top of the Serie A to 18 points. However, Media Officer of

A F C O N 2 0 2 3 Q UA L I F I E R S the team, Babafemi Raji told THISDAY that there was nothing to fear about Osimhen featuring in the double header against Guinea Bissau. “Victor Osimhen is here with us. He checked into camp this evening. Although he did not take part in the evening training, we hope to see him at morning training tomorrow (Wednesday). On the reports of Napoli asking for a scan, so far there is nothing of such and any medical matter will be appropriately handled here. There is nothing to worry,” Osimhen scored four out of the ten un-replied goals that Super Eagles pumped into São Tomé and Principe net in Agadir, Morocco nine months ago. Unless scan shows anything contrary that may prevent the leading scorer in the Italian topflight from lacing boots on Friday, Guinea Bissau should be prepared for the fury of this Nigerian striker of the moment. At yesterday’s evening training, 21 Super Eagles players took part in it with fears that technical crew of the team may have the headache of who to select to start the game on Friday. Apart from Osimhen, the

forward line is saturated with quality players. From Paul Onuachu who was leading scorer in Belgium before switching to Southampton in January winter transfer to Ademola Lookman, Kelechi Iheanacho, Samuel Chukwueze and Terem Moffi, they are all top players capable of ripping apart the Wild Dogs. Porto FC defender, Zaidu Sanusi was the only player yet to arrive Super Eagles camp as at last night. The players will continue their training this morning in Abuja. Nigeria, on six maximum points from previous two matches, will take on Guinea Bissau in a top-of-the-table fixture that will largely determine the swing of the pool, with the Super Eagles favoured to pick all six points and guarantee their passage to Cote d’Ivoire early next year. 22 EAGLES IN CAMP *Akpoguma *Aribo *Lookman *Iwobi *Ajayi *Aniagboso *Uzoho *Ndidi *Bameyi *Omeruo *Onyeka *Simon *Onuachu *Osayi *Musa *Moffi, *Sochima *Bassey *Onyemaechi *Chukwueze *Iheanacho *Osimhen

...Fans to Pay N2,000, N10,000 to Watch Super Eagles Play Wild Dogs Tickets for Friday’s 2023 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying match between the Super Eagles of Nigeria and the Djurtus (Wild Dogs) of Guinea Bissau have been calibrated in price ranges of N2,000 and N10,000 for ordinary and VIP seats respectively. According to a statement issued by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) yesterday,

the tickets are available at the secretariat of the federation at the Package B of Moshood Abiola National Stadium, Abuja, Old Parade Ground, NFF’s former office at Wuse Zone 7 and other designated places while details will be announced on broadcast stations nationwide. Egyptian referee Mahmoud Elbana will be in the centre,

Mbappe Appointed New France Captain Paris St Germain forward, Kylian Mbappe, has been named France captain to succeed Hugo Lloris, the French football federation (FFF) announced on Monday. French sports daily L’Equipereported that Mbappe had accepted the captaincy after speaking with coach Didier Deschamps. “Didier Deschamps has named Kylian Mbappe the new captain of Les Bleus. Antoine Griezmann is the vice-captain,” the FFF said on Twitter as reported by Reuters. “Kylian meets all the requirements to have this responsibility. On the field as in the life of the group, by being a unifying element,” French TV channel TF1

quoted Deschamps as saying in an interview to be aired on Sunday. Mbappe, 24, had been touted as one of the candidates for the role since goalkeeper Lloris retired from international football in January, weeks after leading France to a second straight World Cup final, where they were beaten by Argentina in shootouts. Mbappe has been capped 66 times and played a key role in their successful 2018 World Cup campaign as well as their runners-up finish in 2022. France will take on the Netherlands at the Stade de France in their first Euro 2024 qualifier on Friday, before travelling to Ireland next Monday.

with his compatriots Youssef Elbosaty, Sami Halhal and Ahmed El-Ghandour to function as assistant referee 1, assistant referee 2 and fourth official respectively.

Victor Osimhen ...landed in Super Eagles camp in Abuja yesterday

Players, Bullet Energy Give Thumbs up to Abuja Tournament Hot Coal burn out FCT Hardrockers to win tournament In spite of the rescheduled gubernatorial and state assembly elections falling within the period of the Bullet Energy Drink Basketball Tournament in Abuja, teams and basketball fans still had fun during the basketball fiesta which started from the National Stadium and ended at Zone 6 of the federal capital city. Sam Oguche whose Foundation organised the tournament was full of joy for the manner the event ended. Speaking in Abuja, Oguche said in Abuja on Tuesday that “We sat down and reviewed the schedule and the elections across the country and agreed that we just had to go with the competition and it was one of the best decisions taken in recent times. “A change in date would have affected our other major events throughout the year. We are really excited to have finished up even

Hot Coal Basketball team players and oﬃcials celebrating after receiving the Bullet Energy Drink Basketball Tournament winners’ trophy from organisers on Sunday in Abuja though we were forced to play an additional day. The idea of

NTTF Hails Aruna for Excellent Performance in Singapore The leadership of the Nigeria Table Tennis Federation (NTTF) has hailed Nigeria table tennis star, Aruna Quadri, for reaching the quarter finals of the World Table Tennis Grand Smash Series in Singapore. He thus becomes the first African to get to that stage at the global level.

President of the Nigeria Table Tennis Federation, Ishaku Tikon, while commending Aruna, hinted that the Nigerian star defeated some highly rated players including Japanese star, Tomokazu Harimoto who had beaten him thrice in the past on his way to the last eight of the WTT Grand Slam Series.

"Aruna's outing at the Singapore WTT Smash Series and his emphatic victory over Tomokazu Harimoto of Japan will remain on lips of many global table tennis followers for a long time", Tikon said. Though Aruna lost his quarter finals match 4-0 to Brazilian

Hugo Calderano rated fourth in the world to say goodbye to the tournament, Tikon said he is indeed proud of his performace in Singapore which earned him the record as the first Nigerian nay African player to reach the quarter finals as well as improve his world ranking.

running these programmes is to give the players opportunities to grow in the game for the teams to watch their players in actual match situations. “The state associations and the NBBF cannot give the teams enough competition and so the former players help out and we are so grateful that Bullet Energy drink has identified with the players and basketball in Nigeria for close to 10 years now,” concludes Oguche. In the competition that ended late on Sunday in Zone 6 of the Federal Capital Territory, Hot Coal

defeated FCT Hardrockers 65-60 to lift the trophy and the cash prize at stake. The Hot Coal players who were hardly given chance to excel by analysts burnt out all opponents in the weeklong event. The players celebrated through the night on receiving the trophy and attached prize money. The next stop for the Bullet Energy Basketball tournament will be Asaba. A new date will be announced in due time by the Sam Oguche Foundation and Bullet Energy Drink.

Wednesday, March 22, 2023

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MISSILE Mike Ozekhome to Nigeria “Nigeria’s democracy, either as a concept or a system of rule, has become excessively ambiguous in contemporary political analysis. It has been fragile and ﬂuctuating, since independence. Indeed, Nigeria, especially under the President Muhammadu Buhari administration, does not practice democracy at all. Rather, it practices ‘electionocracy ‘, ‘judocracy ‘, ‘executocracy ‘, and ‘legislatocracy.” --Constitutional Lawyer, Mike Ozekhome, coined and explained the above terms to describe Nigeria’s democracy in his column of yesterday, in this newspaper.

SOLAAKINYEDE GUEST COLUMNIST

The Judiciary - Making Or Breaking Nigeria A

s the 2023 election cycle comes to a close, the battle for the various political offices will shift to the Tribunals and the courts. Ordinarily this should be a reason for relief. However following some recent decisions of the Supreme Court, what we have is a feeling of trepidation and a fear of the unknown. In 2020, the Supreme Court nullified the election of Hon. Emeka Ihedioha of the PDP who had been declared by INEC as the winner of the Imo state governorship election having polled 273,404 votes, but in what appeared to be a judicial coronation, Senator Hope Uzodinma who came fourth with 96,458 votes was installed. Overruling the decisions of the Tribunal and the Court of Appeal, it held that elections took place in 388 polling units based on results tendered by a single policeman who was never at those polling units. That decision resulted in the total number of votes cast exceeding the total number of accredited voters by over 100,000 votes -an electoral impossibility and illegality that the Supreme Court has not been able to explain up till today. Neither has that court been able to explain why and how 100,000 people who were not accredited were allowed to vote. The court has also been unable to tell Nigerians where and in which polling units and local government areas the 100,000 unaccredited voters came from in order to determine(1) which votes to void for overvoting as prescribed by section 51 of the Electoral Act (2) whether the candidates polled one-quarter of the votes

Minister of Justice and Attorney-General of the Federation Abubakar Malami cast in at least two-thirds of Imo’s 27 local government areas as required by Section 179(1)b of our Constitution. Realising that its decision in Imo was an egregious mistake, but unwilling to face its fallibility, the court instead balanced the political equation violating the will of the Bayelsa people who voted for APC’s David Lyon by nullifying his election and awarding the state to PDP on the technical

ground that as his running mate( not himself) presented a forged certificate, being a joint ticket, Lyon’s election was ‘vitiated’ despite the clear provisions of Section 177(c) of our Constitution and the Supreme Court’s previous decisions that confirm that an election is a vote for a party rather than an individual. This year the court yet again arrived at another decision that confounded and dumbfounded many Nigerians -that the Senate President Senator Ahmad Lawan whom everybody knows did not contest the Senate Primary for Yobe North Senatorial District was APC’s duly nominated candidate . This time, it again overruled the Federal High Court and the Court of Appeal basing its decision on yet another technicality. The reason advanced by the Supreme Court had nothing to do with the merits of the case but related to the method by which the legal action was commenced -an argument as to the form rather than the substance or justice of the case. This technical argument as to form was the gold standard in the courts more than 800 years ago in 13th century England until King Henry III who was not a lawyer realising the perversity, the injustice and absurdity of technicalities (as we have in Lawan’s case) overruled the English judges resulting in the birth of Equity and the Court of Chancery. The two cases mentioned above have greatly undermined the credibility, respect and confidence that the Nigerian people have in the judiciary. In Imo, Senator Hope Uzodinma is derisorily referred to as ‘Supreme Court Governor’ . This is not surprising. In the 2018 United States of America Supreme Court case of Rosales v Morales, the American Supreme Court Justice, Justice Sonia Sotomayor stated ‘The public reputation of the judicial

system hangs on the perceived adherence to the principles of justice. An unjust court is considered an illegitimate court.’ How do you describe a court that rules that a person who never participated in the primary of his political party is the duly nominated candidate of that party? The attitude of the Supreme Court is obviously different from that of the United States Supreme Court as can be gleaned from the statement of the of one of the Justices of the Nigerian Supreme Court who stated in an imperious manner in the Bayelsa case ‘No force on earth can force this court to change its decision’. Apart from the fact that the court was simply being asked to correct what was obviously a grave mistake, is it about force or power or about justice? And even if it is about power, that power should be used for the benefit of the Nigerian people who voted and not against them. Imo state has become a theatre of war since the decision of the Supreme Court and one can clearly see in this year’s presidential and governorship elections a governor who didn’t win his election struggling to turn his minority government into a majority resulting in all sorts of manipulations of the electoral process. But more importantly, many lives have been lost as a result of the political instability created by the judgement. This public perception of its reputation is what the Supreme Court will be bringing into the 2023 presidential and governorship elections cases. That it about power, legal and judicial brinkmanship, technicalities and gymnastics and the readiness to deploy that power for and kowtow to the rich and powerful. Continued on page 46

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THE EDITORIAL BOARD

Nigeria Points The Way Toward Democracy in a Region in Which It is Scarce

t might be tempting for opponents of democratic governance to take Nigeria as a case study in why democracy can’t work in Africa. Actually, the opposite is true. In Nigeria, even with its chaotic and flawed process, the system has held and is holding — far better, so far, than might have been expected. True, Nigeria’s presidential election, on Feb. 25, was a messy affair. Some polling places didn’t open on time. A new electronic voting system to upload results from the 176,000 scattered polling places to a central website seemed to collapse. There were reports of scattered violence in a few places, with ballot boxes stolen at gunpoint. Turnout was disappointing, at 28.6 percent. The candidate of the current ruling party, Bola Tinubu, was declared the winner with 36 percent of the vote on March 1. But because of the problems, the result is being challenged by his two closest rivals, Atiku Abubakar, who won 29 percent and Peter Obi, who got 25 percent. Mr. Abubakar, Mr. Obi and their supporters claim the election chaos means the voting was rigged in favor of the ruling party, but they have yet to produce concrete evidence of malfeasance. They are demanding the election be rerun. That doesn’t mean the vote should be discounted. In fact, much good came from it. It is encouraging, first, that the losing candidates are pursuing their claims through the courts. They have until March 31 to present their petitions to Nigeria’s appeals court tribunal, which would be expected to issue a written decision within 180 days. While the

A man in Abuja, Nigeria celebrates March 1 after the country’s Independent National Electoral Commission declared Bola Tinubu PHOTO: Reuters the nation’s next president rhetoric has been heated, remarkably there have been no reports of post-election violence, intimidation or threats. No one has blocked highways, as happened in Brazil after Jair Bolsonaro lost his reelection bid. Opposition party supporters have not attempted an insurrection.

Second, Nigeria’s military has stayed out of the fray. This was not a given, since Nigeria’s generals ruled the country after a series of coups for most of the 1980s and ’90s. In Africa and elsewhere, a supposedly flawed election has been a handy excuse for militaries to annul election results and seize power for themselves. It happened in Myanmar in early 2021, for example, despite no evidence of any fraud. If Nigeria’s generals remain on the sidelines this time, it could be taken as evidence that Africa’s most populous country, and its largest economy, has moved past its coup-prone history. Third, this proved to be Nigeria’s most competitive election since democracy was restored in 1999. Each of the three top candidates — Mr. Tinubu, Mr. Abubakar and Mr. Obi — won 12 of the country’s 36 states, a surprisingly even split. And Mr. Obi, who was projected to win in some polls, could claim a stunning victory in Lagos state, Mr. Tinubu’s home turf. Mr. Obi’s campaign was powered by young, better-educated urban voters savvy with social media, but he was unable to make inroads in more rural and traditional areas. But at 61, he is nearly a decade younger than Mr. Tinubu, 70, and can be expected to be in politics for years to come. Nigeria’s neighbors and its major trading partners, including the United States, have all accepted the result, which most international observers said was largely free and fair, despite problems. But a delicate period lies ahead. If President-elect Tinubu is eventually confirmed as the winner, he will need Nigerians to fully accept that he was the

legitimate victor. This means the losing candidates should have their day in court and be able to present any evidence that election-day problems affected the final result. Officials have asserted that technical glitches, not sabotage, were the issue and have cited poor internet connections and heavy traffic that slowed the system. But to restore trust, they need to demonstrate this with transparency. All election day irregularities need to be thoroughly examined. And the country’s Independent National Electoral Commission needs to assess what went wrong and fix it. A round of elections on Saturday for 28 governorships and state assemblies seemed to be much better managed and passed without major snafus, despite some scattered reports of violence. Even a flawed election in Nigeria can set a standard in a part of Africa where staging a coup is more common than canvassing for votes. Among Nigeria’s neighbors, Chad’s military leader, Mahamat Idriss Déby, who seized power when his father was killed in 2021, has repeatedly delayed elections and halted a return to democracy. Military leaders in Mali, which saw coups in 2020 and 2021, have delayed elections until 2024. Guinea’s first democratic leader was toppled in 2021. Niger has been rocked by coup attempts. Benin’s president, Patrice Talon, has clung to power and stacked the parliament, which must approve presidential candidates, with his supporters. In Cameroon, President Paul Biya has ruled since 1982. An election in Nigeria won’t turn Africa into a democratic utopia. But it can point the way to a different path.

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