TUESDAY 23TH MAY 2023

Presidency Releases List of Buhari’s Key Achievements in Eight Years

Says FG embarked on most ambitious infrastructure programme since 1960 Discloses Air force acquired 38 aircraft, Navy 400 new platforms, 20,000 policemen recruited

Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja

The presidency through the Presidential Communications Team(PCT) has released a list of

President Muhammadu Buhari’s major achievements in key sectors , including on security and justice, the economy, power, housing, infrastructure, among others.

In a 119-page publication, the presidency stressed that on security, 38 brand new aircraft have been procured for the Air Force since Buhari took over in 2015 as well

as 10 super Mushshak, five MI-35 helicopters and two bell helicopters.

In addition, it stated that the Air force now has in its kitty 12 A-29 Tucano, four Agusta, three JF-17

Thunder and is expecting another 12 new attack helicopters and 24 M-346 fighter attack aircraft.

Muhammadu Buhari administration successfully conducted several incountry periodic depot maintenance

“For the first time in history, the NAF has , under president Continued on page 12

Zubairu, AFC Boss, Explains How the World Misunderstands the African Market...

www.thisdaylive.com

Court Declines Atiku's Request for Live Broadcast of Proceedings...

Buhari: With Dangote Refinery, Nigeria Would Have Excess Refined Petroleum for Export

Optimistic Tinubu will sustain improved economic, business environment

Emefiele: Dangote has repaid 70% of loan used in constructing facility Says refinery will save Nigeria $30bn forex, additional $10bn inflows

Without CBN governor this project wouldn’t have seen the light of day, Aliko declares

Massive ovation for Africa's Richest Man Dangote: first product from refinery to hit market end of July

Vows to satisfy Nigeria's demand for all petroleum products this year Mele Kyari pledges NNPC’s support for domestic refinery projects Sanwo-Olu praises Buhari, Tinubu, Dangote Obi: it’s another milestone towards new Nigeria

INAUGURATION OF THE MULTI BILLION DOLLAR DANGOTE PETROLEUM REFINERY...

L-R: Senate president, Ahmad Lawan; Vice President-elect, Kashim Shettima; Lagos State

yesterday.

Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu; President/Chief Executive, Dangote Industries Limited, Aliko Dangote; President Muhammadu Buhari; President of Ghana, Nana Addo Akufo-Addo; President of Senegal, Mackey Sall; President of Niger, Mohamed Bazoum; and President of Togo, Faure Gnassingbe, during the formal inauguration of the multi billion dollar Dangote Petroleum Refinery and Petrochemicals FZE, in Ibeju-Lekki, Lagos ...

PHOTO: SUNDAY ADIGUN

10th Speakership: Opposition

Denies Endorsing Any Candidate

Meets Obi, Kwakwanso, inaugurates zonal coordinators to interface with stakeholders

Udora Orizu and Juliet Akoje in Abuja

The minority caucus for the 10th House of Representatives, has reiterated that, it has not endorsed any aspirant for the office of speaker.

The caucus also known as 'greater majority' going by its collective number of 182 member-elect across minority parties, made this known at

its fourth general meeting in Abuja, yesterday.

The lawmakers had last week met with the outgoing Speaker, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila and disclosed that during their talks, frank exchanges were shared, all sides agreed to embark on consensus building, in the interest of the institution of the legislature.

But 48 hours later, the group claimed the caucus only met with Gbajabiamila and APC's consensus speakership candidate Tajudeen Abbas, who also engaged its members and made his own presentation to solicit their support to work with him just like the other aspirants had done.

Addressing journalists at the

meeting, the Convener, Hon. Fred Agbedi (PDP, Bayelsa), reiterated that they were yet to endorse any of the aspirants as their candidate, disclosing also that they met with Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi and his counterpart in NNPP, Rabiu Kwakwanso as part of their ongoing consultation.

The lawmaker while disclosing

NASS Leadership: LP Yet to Decide Where to Pitch Tent

Emameh Gabriel in Abuja

The leadership of Labour Party has said it was yet decide where to pitch tent for those seeking to be elected presiding officers of the 10th National Assembly.

National Secretary of the Abure led-NWC of the party, Farouk Umar, said this yesterday at a world press conference ahead of a one-day summit for all its elected candidates organised by the Diaspora wing of the party in Abuja.

Farouk dismissed rumour that the party had directed it members-elect to support the All Progressives Congress (APC), but maintained that the Labour Party objective was to provide better welfare for Nigerians.

"We will partner those willing to partner us. But our lawmakers at the National Assembly will continue to give us updates on developments there," Farouk said, adding that the party's doors remained open to those

vying for principal offices in the National Assembly for negotiations.

Speaking earlier, the Committee Chairman of the conference, Dr. Yunusa Tanko, said the conference would focus on impactful leadership and good governance, building

synergies for the new Nigeria of our dream, lawmaking, constitution and democracy, among others.

Tanko added that the gathering would enable the party to brief its legislators and governor-elect on the brand of politics that was

people’s oriented. On his part, the Chairman of Labour Party Diaspora, Hon. Amadi Chike, explained that the diaspora chapters were championing the summit because they wanted a Nigeria that would work.

that the group has set up zonal coordinators that would interface with party’s stakeholders for the achievement of their objective, said they had not been given any mandate by their governors on what to do.

"Let me quickly say that if we must do the right thing, if we must actually represent our people, we need to be guided and to be guided we mean that we need to interact with our leaders in our constituencies, we need to interact with our colleagues from the various states.

“We need to interact with our party stakeholders and all that in arriving at a decision that will be well for us. Your conveners and other leaders have not either on your behalf or for you adopted anybody for the office of presiding officers. That will only take place when that agreement is reached by all of us. That decision

will be our collective decision.

"But I am even saying before we get to that decision, we are going to ensure that take, for example, I come from Bayelsa State, I should be able to speak with my governors, party leaders so that whatever I key into is with the understanding that my state leaders are on the same page with and that's what we expect of all of us to do. So, that we don't ambush Mr. A or Mr. B.

“So, I wan to assure you that we will lead ourselves to arrive at a collective decision and in doing that, we have also resolved to have state coordinators, who are going to meet at their different state levels, eventually also have zonal coordina- tors who will also work at the zonal level in collating decision that they will finally come up with after due consultation,” Agbedi said.

S'East Youths Kick against Deputy Speakership Position, Want Senate Presidency for Equity

Amby Uneze in Owerri

Southeast Youths under the auspice of the Coalition of South East Youth Leaders (COSEYL), yesterday, rejected the position of the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives zoned to the South East by the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and insisted that the Senate President position should be zoned to the zone for equity, fairness and justice.

The group made this known through the COSEYL President

General, Goodluck Ibem and Secretary, Okey Nwaoru, while addressing newsmen in Owerri.

They described the zoning arrangement of the APC, of the Deputy speaker position as exclusionary and an embarrassment to the South East region.

“It has come to the notice and knowledge of Coalition of South East Youth Leaders, COSEYL, the apex socio -political youth group in the South East, that a phony, littleknown group by the name “Center for Excellence and Performance in

Governance (CEPG) is parading itself as a watchdog and avant-garde of the crusade to make the Igbo settle for less in the so-called zoning of the APC National Assembly principal positions.

“This was evident in a release, where they argued, among other things, that having moved a specific number of motions and sponsorship.

Ben Kalu, who was proposed as the Deputy Speaker, should be considered as a reward due to the South East in terms of the zoning of political offices. We ask CEPG

House Will Be Safe Under Abbas Leadership, Says Group

Blessing Ibunge in Port Harcourt

A pressure group under the aegis of Niger Delta Rights Advocates (NDRA), has expressed strong belief that the House of Representatives under the leadership of Tajudeen Abbas and Benjamin Okezie Kalu would be safe and efficient.

The group expressed the belief yesterday in Port Harcourt, during a briefing with journalists on matters

concerning the 10th National Assembly. Bright Ngolo, National Coordinator of the group, said their agenda was to support a leadership that must build on transparency, accountability, trust, intelligence and champion youths development.

Ngolo, who noted the diversities in interests and the aspirations of other candidates for the speakership of the House of Representatives, said, "We cannot fall for cheap, pedestrian and

jaundiced theories on the arguments of zoning of positions. These emotional arguments have indeed succeeded in eroding the key argument of the capacity and competence of these aspirants."

The Niger Delta group said for purpose of equity in the incoming leadership of the country, they have chosen to support Abbas/Kalu's House of Representatives leadership.

Ngolo who further stated that

Nigerians have suffered from poor leadership linked to ethnic, religious or other sentiments, said the best brains and excellent leaders should not be crucified at the alter of zoning but merit.

"The Nigerian-styled democracy needs to strike a balance between legislative activism and achieving results in the overall interest of a largely under-developed populace and economy,” he said.

which of the bills Benjamin Kalu personally sponsored, have been signed into law, and how many if any, have improved the lot of the Igbo race or the South East?" the group asked.

They described the situation as huge embarrassment to Igbo sons like the great Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe, who fought so hard with his NPP to relaunch the Igbo into the political orbit of the Nigerian state after the war.

They also submitted that Dr. Sam Mbakwe, who fought the “abandoned property saga” through pro bono service; even Dr. Michael Okpara, the premier of what used to be Eastern region, and Dr. Akan Ibiam, the former governor of the old Eastern Region.

"All these men fought to reposition the Igbo before, during, and after the war, yet a faceless group, just because of ‘a mess of pottage’ and crumbs, will leave the bigger picture to chase narrow blurry vision means a slap in their faces.

“Of what significance is the post of the Deputy Speaker to one of the most populous ethnic nationalities in Nigeria, whose contribution to the

nation’s independence, liberation, and even emergence is not in doubt? We call on all well-meaning Igbo to join their voice in the campaign for the leadership of the Tenth Assembly.

“We move that the position of the Senate President be zoned to South East and we urge all senators to support us to achieve this ambition at the tenth assembly; it is not beyond the Igbo, and it is not too much to ask for because as a region the South East has continued to get little after giving much, especially in the APC scheme even though people like Senator Owelle Rochas Anayo Okorocha, Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu, and others had a stake in the APC from inception.

“In 2019, the APC denied South East the position of the Senate President and Deputy Senate President, under the premise that their is no APC Governor in the South East.

Now that the South East has two APC Governors, which are Imo and Ebonyi States and South-South has only one which is Cross River State, which excuse do they have again to insult us with the position of a Deputy Speaker? they queried,” the group stated.

Hon. Abbas TajudeenHon Muktar Aliyu Betara

BUHARI PERFORMS PRESIDENTIAL FLEET REVIEW...

To Mark End of Tenure, Buhari Reviews Naval Fleet, Says Recapitalisation Drive Key to National Prosperity

Charges navy to translate actual capability to dominate Nigeria’s maritime environment

Deji Elumoye in Abuja and Chiemelie Ezeobi in Lagos

President Muhammadu Buhari yesterday, said the intensive fleet recapitalisation drive his administration embarked on was a key driver in the quest for national prosperity.

Buhari made the disclosure at the end of the 2023 Presidential Fleet Review (PFR) held in his honour by the Nigerian Navy to mark the end of his administration.

With the theme: “Fleet Readiness for National Prosperity,” the navy

assembled 16 warships and three AW Agusta helicopter, including Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) KADA, NNS IBENO and AW 140 Agusta helicopter for commissioning by the president.

In his speech, Buhari said: "There is an inextricable link between maritime security and economic prosperity given that the maritime environment serves both as a store house of resources as well as medium for maritime transport.

"The safe and secure utilisation of these resources for national prosper-

ity in support of Nigeria’s Blue Economy aspirations is cardinal to the Nigerian Navy’s policing duties.

"Realising this, my administration vigorously engaged in the recapitalisation of the Nigerian Navy Fleet throughout my eight years in office.

"Accordingly, about 20 capital ships have been acquired for the Nigerian Navy. These ships comprise Offshore Patrol Vessels (OPV), Landing Ship Transport (LST), Hydrographic Survey

Vessels, Seaward Defence Boats (SDB) and helicopters as well as over 300 Inshore Patrol Vessels and Assault Craft." On the showcase of different types and classes of ships as well as helicopter, he said it symbolised the nation’s maritime power and its preparedness to carry out the Navy’s constitutional roles.

"Also, the combat displays staged by elements of the Nigerian Navy Special Boat Service and a mix of the air assets from the Nigerian Navy and the Nigerian Air Force were quite impressive. "I

Jigawa, Kaduna, Bauchi Emerge Leaders in ICAN’s Accountability Index

Rivers gets lowest ranking

Dike Onwuamaeze in Lagos and Segun Awofadeji in Bauchi

Three northern states, namely Jigawa, Kaduna and Bauchi States took the first three positions in the Public Finance Management (PFM) report of the ICAN’s Accountability Index’s (ICAN-AI), which was released yesterday in Lagos by the President of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria’s (ICAN), Mr. Tijani Musa Isa.

ICAN stated that the report was meant to promote high quality public finance management’s system in Nigeria and encourage the development of robust and credible PFM database.

According to the report, which was titled ICAN-AI 2021 Assessment Report for the 2020 Fiscal Year, Jigawa, Kaduna and Bauchi earned 75.1 per cent, 74.7 per cent and 74.3 per cent to emerge first, second and third respectively.

Also Edo and Niger States scored 73.5 per cent and 64.9 per cent to take the fourth and fifth positions respectively.

However, Rivers State, which was ranked 37, took the last position with 20.4 per cent.

Other laggards in the report were

Zamfara, Imo, Oyo and Sokoto States that scored 24.9 per cent, 24.9 per cent, 24.5 per cent and 23.7 per cent to take the 33, 33, 35, and 36 positions respectively.

Moreover, Jigawa and Kaduna States also took the first and second positions respectively in the ICANAI’s 2020 Assessment Report for the 2019 fiscal year.

ICAN vouched that the quality assurance process followed in the production of these reports satisfied all the requirements of its governing council.

It stated that “accountability and transparency in the management of public finance is a sensitive aspect of the activities of government at all levels.

“In Nigeria, lack of accountability and transparency in public finance have stunted the growth and development in every sector of the economy.

“Accountability and transparency have largely been compromised by those holding positions of responsibility in the public sector.

“There is the general perception among the populace that the so called dividends of democracy are not equitably shared.

“ICAN’s response to this situation,

therefore, is the development and launching of the ICAN Accountability Index (ICAN-AI).”

Isa, who delivered the keynote address during the Public Presentation of the 2020 & 2021 ICAN Accountability Index (ICAN-AI), said the report has, “provided detailed analyses of the three tiers of government with a view to informing the public about each entity’s level of adherence to best practices in PFM.”

He said the report adapted, “the Public Expenditure and Financial Accountability (PEFA) framework, taking into consideration the public finance peculiarities of emerging economies. The ICAN-AI Framework consists of five pillars, 25 indicators and 70 dimensions.”

The five pillars are budget credibility; policy-based fiscal strategy and budgeting; external audit and legislative scrutiny; management of assets and debts as well as control in budget execution, accounting and reporting.

He said: “The first two editions of the report, covering 2017 and 2018 fiscal years, revealed major gaps in Nigeria’s Public Finance Management’s (PFM) system, especially low level of publicly available information

on the fiscal activities of the three tiers of government.

“We are encouraged that the 2020 and 2021 reports reveal a significant improvement in the percentage of information made available during assessment exercises, recording 50 per cent and 53 per cent overall information availability respectively.

“These percentages are improvements from the 28 per cent and 35 per cent average availability rates in 2018 and 2019, respectively.

“While these improvements in information availability is a welcome development, there is so much room for improvement and need for a higher commitment to fiscal transparency and accountability.

“There is the need to increase the ease of accessing fiscal information on the various entities. This will encourage more robust interrogations, by stakeholders, on how the country’s fiscal resources are managed by its stewards.”

Governor of Jigawa State, Mr. Muhammad Badaru Abubakar, who was represented by the auditor general of the state, Mr. Garba Muhammad Dutse, said that the government and people of Jigawa were delighted that the state emerged first in PFM’s report.

expect this to translate into actual capability to dominate Nigeria’s maritime environment and secure the vast resources therein for the socio-economic development of our great country." Expressing delight at the Nigerian Navy's efforts in indigenous shipbuilding, he said it was in line with the nation’s local content development plan is yielding positive result.

"Our naval engineers were wholly responsible for building three Seaward Defence Boats namely NNS ANDONI, NNS KARADUWA and NNS OJI. In December 2021, I equally performed keel laying foundation for the construction of two Seaward Defence Boats, which will be ready by 2024.

"At this rate, I have no doubt that the Nigerian Navy will soon commence construction of larger ships for itself and other navies in the region and beyond. This achievement is a great pride to Nigeria and an impressive contribution to national development," he added.

Speaking on the theme of the PFR, he said it was carefully chosen to underscore response capability of the Nigerian Navy to infringements in our maritime spaces and in the Gulf of Guinea towards attainment of national prosperity.

He also commended the Nigerian Navy for putting these vessels into effective use as evident in successes recorded in the fight against resource theft, counter drug operations and piracy.

He said: "As you are aware, piracy reduced significantly over the past seven years, which culminated in delisting Nigeria from the list of piracy prone countries by the International Maritime Bureau in March 2022.

"Furthermore, application of technology to secure the maritime domain has supported intelligence driven deployment of these ships.

"I will particularly commend the diligent arraignment and prosecution of MT HEROIC IDUN, sequel to the detection and arrest for attempting to load crude oil, offshore Bonny in August 2022 without authorisation amongst others.

"This successful conviction further confirms the navy’s resolve to protect resources for economic prosperity."

Earlier in his welcome address, the Chief to Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Awwal Zubairu Gambo, said the review was organised in honour of the president who had provided unprecedented support to the Nigerian Navy in terms of fleet recapitalisation, infrastructural development and personnel welfare thereby boosting morale and fighting efficiency.

On the fleet review he said: "The recapitalisation of the fleet has enhanced Nigerian Navy maritime security framework and repositioned it to effectively combat maritime crimes.

"There is no better evidence to show than the record of drastic decline in piracy incidents in Nigerian waters as contained in the International Maritime Bureau Global Piracy Report of 14 July 2021.

"This culminated in delisting Nigeria from the International Maritime Bureau List of Piracy prone countries in March last year.

These achievements are attributable to sustained presence of Nigerian Navy ships at sea, increased regional and international synergy as well as active maritime domain awareness.

"To further bolster Nigerian Navy maritime security operations efforts, Mr. President approved acquisition of additional vessels as well as several air assets.

"Currently under construction are two by 76m High Endurance Offshore Patrol Vessels in Turkey, three by 45m Fast Patrol Boats in France and two by Augusta Westland helicopters amongst others.

"Undoubtedly, the transformation of the Nigerian Navy within the eight years of Mr. President’s tenure in office has repositioned the Navy for better service delivery and actualisation of its constitutional mandate."

After the review, there was a combat display by a squadron of Nigerian Navy ships, boats and elements of the Special Boat Service as well as display by air assets of both the Nigerian Navy and the Nigerian Air Force.

R-L: President Muhammadu Buhari and Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Awwal Zubairu Gambo at the 2023 Presidential Fleet Review and Commissioning of two naval vessels, NNS IBENO and KADA and an Agusta helicopter

RISK MANAGEMENT ON THEIR MINDS...

L-R:Former Registrar, Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (CIBN), Dr. Seyi Awojobi; Chief Risk Officer (CRO), Globus Bank, Titus Ebare; CRO, Providus Bank, Olugbile Erinwusi; Director Risk, Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Dr. Blaise Ijebor; Country Manager, Nigeria, Aptivaa & CogNext/ Member, Governing Council, Chartered Risk Management Institute(CRMI) Dr. Laurine Ubanozie; Executive Director/CRO, Fidelity Bank/ First Vice President, CRMI, Kevin Ugwuoke; Founder, Aptivaa & Cognext, Sandip Mukherjee; Registrar, CRMI, Victor Olannye, and Board Advisor to Aptivaa, UK, Ranjit Gokarn, at CRMI/ Aptivaa quarterly risk roundtable in Lagos… recently

Zubairu, AFC Boss, Explains How World Misunderstands African Market

looking at African market

Obinna Chima with agency report

President of Africa Finance Corporation (AFC), Samaila Zubairu, has pointed out that one of the challenges that the African market faces presently is that global investors do not have a clear knowledge of it and so misunderstand the depth of its opportunities.

Zubairu pointed out that the continent required urgent investment in infrastructure, which he estimated to be between $130 billion and $170 billion.

The AFC boss spoke in an interview on Politico, a German-owned political newspaper company based in the United States.

Responding to a question on the biggest misconceptions about the investment readiness of African countries, Zubairu said, “The first one is this risk perception of Africa and the ‘prejudice risk premium’ that we have to pay as Africans. There have been several studies done by a lot of the rating agencies, international rating agencies, that show that the only region with a lower default rate than Africa for project finance and infrastructure is the Middle East.

“Africa has the same default rate, at five per cent, with Western Europe — lower than North America, lower than Latin America, lower than Asia. Yet, Africa risk is priced much significantly higher than everywhere else in the world.

“Another thing that is not understood is the African market itself. It’s quite a huge market —

very many young people, all are very aspirational. And they are all consumers.

“The only people that are looking at the African market are the Chinese and the Asians. They understand that there is a huge market here, and they actually make products for the market.”

Explaining what he meant by prejudice against the continent, the AFC boss said, “If you look at Latin America and their history of defaults and the history of restructuring, and the price at which they can access funding, it’s very different from Africa, which has very little history of default.

“So the cost of capital in Africa is higher than any other region while the evidence of default rates in Africa is lower than most other regions.

“Another example: political risk insurance. Very few claims in Africa, but Africa has the highest premium.”

Zubairu pointed out that in its fight to combat corruption in Africa, AFC had subscribed to most anticorruption, anti-bribery, anti-money laundering provisions of the world, and tried to enforce them.

He noted that one of the ways to overcome the challenge of corruption was more development, stressing, “and I mean sustainable development.”

Zubairu said, “With that kind of wealth creation, there’ll be less incentive for corruption, which is why our view is that we should focus on structural transformation, focus on value addition on the continent,

focus on creating that middle class that comes as a result of this.

“Because once you have those jobs, you have a middle class. Once a middle class increases in the country, even the political outlook of the country changes.

“Corruption is corruption. We must have very clear rules against it. But we also need to look at how to prevent the incentive for corruption from happening.”

Zubairu stated further that there was need to fill the wide infrastructure gap in the continent, estimating that between $130 billion to $170 billion would be required.

He said, “The real spending that we need is for infrastructure that enables industrialisation to take place, because the big challenge we have on the continent is that we’re still operating the same business or economic model for the last two centuries that led us nowhere.

“We need to move away from

exporting raw materials as primary produce to doing value addition.

“If we look at critical minerals: you have to do all that is required to do that mining sustainably. You need a road from that mine to either a rail line or to a primary road.

“From that road to a port. At that port there should be an industrial park that will do the processing and transformation, and then it can be exported.”

Responding to a question on the interest of American investors in African countries, the AFC boss said, “There’s a lot of conversations going on now, and I think that those conversations are timely, but not much has happened yet. We’re on the path for something to happen.

“What is required now is a lot more. For example, for these critical minerals to get to the market, a lot needs to be done.

“The difference with the US is that there’s no, like state agency, that

can be asked to do things. You have to engage with different companies, and different companies have their own priorities.

“The challenge is while there’s a lot of talk about doing more, it just takes time for a company in Seattle or Texas or New York to take a decision to go to Africa.

“You look at the map of Africa, it doesn’t tell the story. It is far bigger than what you can see on the map, and to connect the continent is significant.”

Zubairu pointed out, “Investment from China in infrastructure has been going down partly because of the lockdowns and Covid, and also partly because of the challenge with some of the investments made in Sri Lanka, Zambia — basically a lot of issues.

“But they’re still engaged. They’re on the ground. They’re a big part of the economy now, because they’ve built quite a number of roads, they

are interested in mines. And they’re a big market.

“If you look at bauxite, for example, it’s mainly China. If you look at iron ore, again, it’s mainly China. A lot of the crude oil as well, oil and gas, and that’s also China. “China is quite active on the continent. There’s no doubt about it. But Africa is so huge and so vast — there’s room for everybody. “We can’t be exclusive to one party. We have to be open to everybody. More importantly, we should be open to ourselves. It’s very important that we focus on how we trade amongst ourselves in that market.”

Zubairu said the toughest part of his job was to get the capital needed to do all the things required to be accomplished on the continent.

He said, “If we continue to export raw cobalt, raw lithium, nickel we might just get about $12 billion. But if we can move to battery and cathode precursors? That’s $240 billion.

Inaugurates 2nd Niger Bridge, Six Other Legacy Projects Today

Buhari

Deji Elumoye in Abuja

President Muhammadu Buhari will today inaugurate seven legacy projects completed by the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing across the

country as part of his administration’s determination to upgrade and expand the nation’s stock of infrastructure. The projects include three major bridges, three Federal Secretariats and a Road.

UBA Africa Conversations 2023: Hilda Baci, Owen Omogiafo, Others to Discuss Business Innovation

The United Bank for Africa (UBA) Plc is set to celebrate this year’s Africa Day in commemoration of African unity with the fifth edition of the annual UBA Africa Conversations.

A statement yesterday, disclosed that the event would be held at the bank’s head office in Lagos.

“Coming at a time where Africans are achieving great feat on the global front, UBA Conversation 2023 provides the opportunity for the African and global audience to hear and connect with diverse panelists on their African journeys, and how they have waded through various challenges to attain global successes in their own rights.

“This year’s theme is: ‘Innovating for Growth in Africa’ and interestingly,

this edition involves an all-female panel who are certified professionals in their own right from various fields.

They include the Executive Director/ Chief Executive Officer, UBA Africa, Abiola Bawuah; President, Transnational Corporation (Transcorp) Plc, Owen Omogiafo; award-winning and trendsetting Foodpreneur/Chef, Hilda Baci; Renowned Fashion Designer, Banke Lawson-Kuku and Business & Technology Executive; Folusho Gbadamosi.

“These intelligent women will speak on how they have succeeded at their craft overtime, and the place of innovation in business. They will also speak on their personal journeys, and how women have aptly taken

their pride of place against all odds to emerge as business leaders while supporting change on this continent.

“The session will be moderated by UBA Ghana’s Head of Marketing and Corporate Communications, Henry Dottey.”

Also expected at event is the Chairman, UBA Group, Tony Elumelu; the Group Managing Director, Oliver Alawuba, other key management staff, business leaders and key players in the economic, financial and business landscape in Africa.

“The UBA Africa Conversations which will begin at 12pm WAT, is open to all and will be aired online on the bank’s social media pages including Instagram, Facebook and on the

website at https://africaday.ubagroup. com/virtual-conference-room

“Since 1963, Africa Day has been celebrated every year on May 25th, across the African continent and worldwide. The day was inaugurated by the Organisation of African Unity, in celebration of the unity, diversity and beauty of Africa and its people.

“UBA, one of Africa’s leading financial services institutions, with a pan-African footprint spanning 20 African countries and globally in the United States of America, the United Kingdom and with presence in France, continues to lead the narrative focused on the development, growth, and unity of Africa,” the statement added.

The historic event, according to a statement yesterday, by Media Adviser to the President, Femi Adesina, would be headlined by the Second Niger Bridge which was conceptualised in 2005.

In 2014, there was an attempt to begin the project through Public Private Partnership (PPP) but this was not successful. The construction began in 2016 with the Presidential Infrastructure Development Fund (PIDF).

Others are the Loko-Oweto Bridge across River Benue to link Benue to Nasarawa State and the Ikom Bridge in Cross River State while the Road project is the completed Section of the over 200 kilometres of Kano-Kaduna Dual Carriage Expressway and three new Federal Secretariats.

The first of the Federal Secretariats at Awka is located at Executive Business District Layout, Awka South Local Government Area, Anambra State and is situated on a 5.106 Hectares of land. The project was first awarded on 9th December, 2011 but was practically completed and taken over by the Ministry of Works and Housing on 14th July, 2022.

The Secretariat has a total of 498 Office Space, a Conference Hall, four Committee Rooms, an Exhibition Hall, a Banking Hall, a Post Office and befitting Reception. In addition, the Secretariat has lift facilities, well laid out parking spaces and drainages, staff canteen, fire hydrant and other vital facilities.

The second, Federal Secretariat Gusau, Zamfara State is located at Unguwan Dan Lawan, off Sokoto ByPass Road, Gusau, Zamfara State. The project is situated on a 7.5 Hectares of land and was awarded also on 9th December, 2011 was practically completed and taken over by the Ministry on 30th November, 2022.

The third to be inaugurated is the Federal Secretariat Yenagoa, which is located at Alamieyeseigha Road, in Bayelsa State. It is situated on a 7.5 Hectares of land and was awarded on 9th December, 2011 but was practically completed and taken over by the Ministry on 30th November, 2022.

Buhari had inaugurated a fourth one, the Federal Secretariat Lafia, located at Bukar Sidi along Jos Road, Lafia, Nasarawa State in February this year.

Insists continent has huge untapped market Seeks shift from export of raw materials to value addition Declares Chinese, Asians are only people

PenCom Boss Highlights Why Industries with High Labour Turnover Should Pay Contributory Pension Recovered N384.28m as pension contributions from defaulting employers in Q1 2023

Ugo Aliogo

The Director-General, National Pension Commission (PenCom), Aisha Dahir-Umar, has stated that industries with large labour turnover should pay contributory pension scheme to protect workers’ interest and address the need for

their compensation, retirement benefits and severance packages.

She stated that the contributory pension would ensure that workers have accrued rights to particular funds as entitlement.

Dahir-Umar, who disclosed at the 2023 Labour Writers Association of Nigeria (LAWAN) workshop,

in Lagos said the commission had recovered N384.28 million as pension contributions owed workers by defaulting employers in the first quarter (Q1) of 2023. She also noted that the amount recovered by the commission from January 2023 to March 31, 2023, was N384.28 million. These,

according to her was recovered from 34 defaulting employers.

Aisha Dahir-Umar who was represented by the Head of Corporate Communications, PenCom, Abdulqadir Dahiru, said the commission was committed to protecting workers’ interests and ensuring that employers

Ambrose Alli Varsity Sacks 13 over Alleged Fraud, Age Falsification, Sexual Harassment, Others

Adibe Emenyonu in Benin City

The management of Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma, Edo State has dismissed 13 of its staff for alleged offences ranging from falsification of age, financial fraud, sexual harassment and extortion.

Those affected were both academic and non-academic staff.

The Acting Vice Chancellor of the institution, Prof. Asomwan Adagbonyin, who disclosed this while submitting the report of the University Staff Disciplinary Committee to the Chairman of Special Intervention Team, Mr. Andrew Olotu, at Government House, Benin City, said the decision to terminate the appointment of the alleged

Ahmed Seeks Smooth Transition Between Incoming, Outgoing AGF

Ndubuisi

Francis in Abuja

The Minister of Finance Budget and National Planning, Mrs. Zainab Ahmed, has lauded the appointment of Mrs. Oluwatoyin Sakirat Madein as the substantive AccountantGeneral of the Federation (AGF) by President Muhammadu Buhari

She urged the outgoing AGF, Mr. Sylva Okolieaboh, to collaborate with Madein, for a seamless transition.

Madein's appointment was announced last week by the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation following the successful conduct of a selection process to fill the existing vacancy.

Madein is taking over from Okolieaboh, who has been the acting AGF since June 20, 2022.

In a statement issued by her Special Adviser, Media and Communications, Yunusa Tanko Abdullahi, the minister thanked the president for the appointment of the first female Accountant-General of the Federation.

She also thanked the outgoing

erring staff was reached following their being found culpable in the offences they allegedly committed.

Adagbonyi, disclosed that the affected staff were from the faculty of Basic Medical Science, Medical Laboratory Sciences, Nursing Department, Engineering Department, Faculties of law, Political Science, as well as the former Director of the University's Farm. He revealed that the disciplinary committee had given the affected staff fair hearing and recommended that, "the criminal aspect of the disengaged staff offences should be reported to security operatives."

Adagbonyin said a lecturer who was the head of nursing science was recommended for sacked after he was found guilty of extorting students of N32,000 and N52,000 respectively, adding that a lecturer who was indicted for sexual harassment was also dismissed.

On the lecturer dismissed for sexual harassment, he said the lecturer had claimed to only make advances, “but he went to the said girl's church to plead for forgiveness. The victim has been protected and reassigned to another lecturer."

The Vice Chancellor, however said out of the 209 disciplinary cases received, the USDC has concluded 132 of the cases, representing 63 per cent, while 77 cases representing 37 per cent were pending.

Receiving the report on behalf of the Special Intervention Team of AAU, chairman of the Committee, Mr. Andrew Olotu, promised to look at all the details report and carefully study it for final decision.

He thanked Governor Obaseki in his quest to reposition the university for greater heights.

Olotu noted that, "with what is happening now, AAU, Ekpoma is set to be great again."

pay pension contributions as and when due.

“PenCom is determined to ensure that Nigerian workers receive their retirement benefits in time. The commission’s meticulous regulation and supervision of the pension industry had ensured that pension assets and the contributory pension scheme (CPS) membership continued to grow,” she stated.

Speaking further on pension recoveries, she said the value of pension assets stood at N15.58 trillion as at March 31, while CPS membership was 9.95 million.

The PenCom DG said in 2022, the commission launched a policy allowing retirement savings account (RSA) holders to utilise a portion of their retirement savings as equity for mortgages.

She said the policy marked a significant milestone in the commission’s ongoing efforts to provide greater flexibility and access to pension funds for the benefit of RSA holders.

“We recognise that many individuals face challenges in securing adequate housing upon retirement, and we aim to address this issue by unlocking the value of their pension savings to facilitate homeownership.

“Under this new policy, RSA holders who have contributed to their accounts for at least five years and met specific eligibility criteria can utilise up to 25 percent of their pension savings as equity contribution towards acquiring

residential properties.

“This policy aligns with our commitment to ensuring that pension funds catalyse economic development and social wellbeing.”

Dahiru-Umar also said RSA holders could access 25 per cent of their RSA balance to cushion the effect of job loss if they could not secure another employment after four months of job loss.

She said the partial withdrawal from RSA was to offer immediate support during a difficult period.

Dahiru-Umar added that the remaining balance in the RSA would continue to grow and accumulate until the RSA holder attains retirement age.

Speaking on pension inclusion of informal sector, Head Micro Pension Department, National Pension Commission, Dauda Ahmed, reiterated the need to facilitate financial inclusion in the informal sector through Micro Pension Plan.

According to him, the informal sector constitutes a large and persistent scale in any economy especially in Africa where the working population falls under the informal sector.

He said it was imperative to have these categories of workers captured in the financial inclusion map as a tool for economic development, particularly in the areas of poverty reduction, employment generation, wealth creation and improving welfare and general standard of living.

eNaira: CBN, Zenith Bank Take Sensitisation Drive to UNIJOS

Seriki Adinoyi in Jos

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and Zenith Bank Plc, have taken the eNaira sensitization drive to the University (UNIJOS).

The initiative is to promote adoption of e-Naira, the country’s CBDC to the management, staff and students of the university.

The head of the sensitisation team and Branch Controller of CBN, Jos, Mrs. Tinat Esther Catherine, said a committee was working on making government disbursements and salaries receivable via the e-Naira

platform.

She added that the e-Naira could be used for a number of transactions including payment of school fees as payments on its platform are seamless, and the settlement instant.

She said, “Students are the targets of the CBN’s engagement, and the best place to engage students is the university because they will take it round.”

The team, which also paid a courtesy call on the Vice Chancellor of the university, said it would promote the adoption of e-Naira to the entire university community

“because we want school fees to be paid via e-Naira.”

She observed that the whole world was going digital, hence the CBN was responding appropriately to the innovation by introducing a lot of cashless policies, of which e-Naira is one, noting that the Central Bank in Nigeria is the first to introduce e-Naira in Africa and only the second in the world.

Also speaking, an official of Zenith Bank, Mr. Agai Joseph, said the eNaira was not different from the regular cash in hand.

According to him, the eNaira

was a way to improve the payment system to make it more robust and intended to widen the opportunities for people to make their payments.

He added that the eNaira was designed specially to facilitate transactions.

Noting that it was faster and cheaper to use students as ambassadors to drive the policy, Agai maintained that the sensitisation and training would make it easier for the students to create the awareness since they are within the ecosystem.

On his part, a consultant with the CBN, Mr. Godson Izuchukwu, said

the excuse of unreliable network for e-payment had been resolved as over 20 million Nigerians have keyed into the system.

Responding, the university's Vice Chancellor, Prof. Tanko Ishaya, urged the team to work on making e-Naira accessible to Nigerians abroad as it could help facilitate easier international transactions. He said the university would consider adopting it if the platform would help ease payments in the university, improve financial inclusion, and provide a source of income for the students.

COLLINS EDOMARUSE'S DAUGHTER WEDS...

L-R: Publisher, Metrowatch Online Newspaper, Mr. Collins Edomaruse; his wife, Ngozi; the couple, Dr. David Egede and his wife, Efe; and Consultant on Petroleum and Management, Rt. Hon. Chevalier Dr. Jackson Gaius-Obaseki, during the wedding ceremony of David and Efe Egede in Lagos...recently

acting Accountant-General for his meritorious service to his fatherland as he exits on May 28, 2023 when he will be attaining the retirement age of 60.

Ahmed implored the newlyappointed AGF and the outgoing one to work together for a seamless transition.

India Withdraws Highest Value Bank Notes Months Before Polls

remain legal tender.

People in the country have until September 30 to deposit 2,000 rupee ($24) notes into their bank accounts or exchange them for other denominations, the Reserve Bank of India said in a statement Friday citing its “clean note policy.”

It didn’t say what happens to those unable to meet the deadline but added that as of now the notes

The move holds echoes of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s demonetisation decision in 2016, which came weeks before a key state election and was alleged to be a clampdown on spending by political rivals. While that move removed almost all cash with the public, the latest decision impacts just about 11 per cent of currency in circulation and therefore will probably trigger little chaos.

The RBI said the decision had been taken as the 2,000 rupee note isn’t commonly used for transactions and, "the stock of banknotes in other denominations continues to be adequate to meet the currency requirement of the public.”

"The RBI had already shown an inclination to reduce the usage of 2,000 rupee notes in the economy,” said Rahul Bajoria, an economist at Barclays Plc in Mumbai.

"Unlike the previous episode in 2016, this withdrawal is unlikely to

be disruptive for economic activity.”

The value of 2,000-rupee notes in circulation is 3.62 trillion Indian rupees ($44.27 billion). This, the regulator said was about 10.8 per cent of the currency in circulation.

“When 2,000-rupee notes were introduced in 2016 they were intended to replenish the Indian economy's currency in circulation quickly after demonetisation. However, the central bank has frequently said that it wants to reduce high value notes in circulation and had

stopped printing 2,000-rupee notes over the past four years.

"This denomination is not commonly used for transactions," the Reserve Bank of India said in its communication while explaining the decision to withdraw these notes.

While the government and the central bank did not specify the reason for the timing of the move, analysts point outed that it comes ahead of state and general elections in the country when cash usage typically spikes.

BUHARI: WITH DANGOTE REFINERY, NIGERIA WOULD HAVE EXCESS REFINED PETROLEUM FOR EXPORT

Deji Elumoye in Abuja, Nume Ekeghe and Peter Uzoho in Lagos

History was made yesterday as President Muhammadu Buhari inaugurated the first indigenous refinery in Nigeria, the $18.5 billion Dangote Petroleum Refinery, in Ibeju-Lekki, Lagos. Owner of the facility, Africa's richest man and global business icon, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, received tons of applause and massive ovation from the crème de la crème of the business world.

Heads of State from Ghana, Togo, Niger, and Senegal, and a representative of President of Chad graced the event.

Buhari said the modern refinery would enable Nigeria achieve selfsufficiency in refined products and even have surplus for export. He said he was optimistic President-elect Bola Tinubu would sustain the enhanced business environment that facilitated such a Governorproject.of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Mr. Godwin Emefiele, in his goodwill message at the event, disclosed that the Dangote Group had paid back about 70 per cent of the loans it took to construct the refinery. Emefiele highlighted economic gains from the project to include savings of up to $30 billion annually in foreign exchange, and additional $10 billion in inflows.

Dangote announced that the first refined petroleum products from the refinery would be in the Nigerian market by the end of July or beginning of August. He promised to satisfy Nigeria’s domestic demand for petroleum products.

Group Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC), Mallam Mele Kyari, pledged continued support for development of local refining capacity.

Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, in his remarks, said Buhari, Tinubu, and Dangote were a testament to the prosperity that could be achieved when leaders share a common vision for the people they

Presidentiallead.candidate

of Labour Party (LP) and former governor of Anambra State, Mr. Peter Obi, said, “This refinery is another milestone towards the New Nigeria, to which I am committed,” a new nation with a thriving private sector.

Speaking further, Buhari described the refinery as a significant milestone for the Nigerian economy and a game changer for the downstream petroleum products market in the entire African continent.

According to him, “This mega industry we are commissioning today is a clear example of what can be achieved when entrepreneurs are encouraged and supported and when an enabling environment is created for investments and for businesses to thrive.

“I am confident that my successor, His Excellency, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, will sustain the improvement in our economic and business environment and strengthen the framework of our public private partnership policies to accelerate the pace of our economic growth and development.

“I am happy to leave our economy in very competent hands."

The president Dangote’s feat in executing the 650,000 barrels per day refinery, and urged other entrepreneurs to emulate his example in driving economic growth and realising Nigeria’s

economic potential. He stressed the need for African countries to come together, integrate their economies, eliminate trade barriers, and rally their populations to achieve Agenda 2063 for the continent’s prosperity.

Buhari stated, “I urge and encourage our other great entrepreneurs to emulate this iconic Nigerian industrialist and join the government in accelerating our growth in order to realise our country's globally recognised economic potential.

“When I travel around Africa and meet and engage my brother Heads of State (and I am delighted some of their Excellences are here) I often sense a quiet expectation that our country is blessed with resources and human capacity to lead Africa's rise to economic prosperity and the attainment of Agenda 2063 - ‘The Africa we all want.’

“But to achieve the goals of Agenda 2063, Africa must come together – we must integrate our economies, eliminate barriers to trade and energise our youthful population to scale up our productive capacity.

“We must create necessary conditions for our private sector to grow and partner with the public sector to accelerate economic growth across the continent.

“We must not allow outside powers to use some of our leaders to destabilise our economic and political trajectory."

Buhari acknowledged the visionary investments made by the Dangote Group, under the leadership of Dangote, in transforming Nigeria's economy through its involvement in critical industries, such as cement and fertiliser. He noted that investment in these sectors had played a crucial role in shifting Nigeria from heavy import dependence to becoming a net exporter.

The president acknowledged that Nigeria's economy had faced significant challenges over the years, including deficits in economic infrastructure, insurgency, and external crises, such as the global financial crisis, oil price collapses, the COVID-19 pandemic, and the Russia-Ukraine war.

Buhari stated, “The consequence of these challenges constitute a severe strain on our economy, limiting government's ability to provide basic infrastructure without resorting to huge borrowings.

“Our government, therefore, took the decision to focus attention on creating an enabling environment for the private sector to thrive and fill the enormous gap in investments, not only in infrastructure, but also in all critical sectors.

“We recognise that without the active participation of the private sector and a strong commitment to public private partnership, our economy would continue to remain severely challenged and our economic growth impeded.

“Government, therefore, will and should continue to provide an enabling environment and encourage innovative public private partnerships in all sectors of our economy.”

Buhari emphasised his administration’s commitment to the public private partnership approach, citing the Executive Order 007 of 2019, which facilitated the rehabilitation/ construction of many roads by private sector investors using the tax-credit scheme.

the private sector to accelerate the provision of critical infrastructure, in particular roads, power and gas pipelines."

Earlier in his welcome speech, Dangote emphasised the refinery's role in fulfilling the group's corporate vision of promoting self-sufficiency and global competitiveness. He stressed that the refinery was immensely supported by the CBN, under the leadership of Emefiele.

Dangote stated, “As in most mega projects, financing has been a source of many significant challenges. Governor Emefiele’s belief in and commitment to this project has been awesome.

“Without Governor Emefiele’s courageous support and backing, this project would not have stood a chance of successful completion. Governor Emefiele moved mountains to ensure the success of this project.

“Indeed, apart from the top management of the refinery itself, no one in this gathering has visited this site more times than Governor Emefiele. We are, indeed, very grateful.”

Dangote said, “We have built a refinery with a capacity to process 650,000 barrels per day (plus 900,000 tonnes of polypropylene) in a single train – which is the largest in the world. We have selected the best plants and equipment and the latest technologies from across the world.

“Our products slate is designed to meet the highest quality standards and high-value products, including Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), Automotive Gas Oil (Diesel), Aviation Turbine Kerosine (ATK); all of Euro V Standards that will enable us not only meet our country’s demand but also to become a key player in the African and global markets.

"Our coastal location and offshore loading and offloading (SPM) facilities with a capacity to receive all our crude oil supplies and evacuate up to 75 per cent of our liquid products give us direct access to the rest of

Africa and the global market for exports. In addition, 80 per cent of our production can be discharged through trucks nationwide.”

Dangote disclosed that the huge investment of over $18.5 billion in the industry was prompted by the company's desire to support and contribute its quota to the federal government’s sustained effort to transform the economy and reposition Nigeria as the leading nation in Africa, and a respected member of the world’s emerging economies.

According to him, apart from ensuring consistent supply of highquality fuel for the transportation sector, the refinery would provide essential raw materials to a wide range of manufacturing sectors, including plastics, pharmaceuticals, food and beverages, and packaging, construction.

Dangote further stated that the refinery's operation and related businesses would generate a substantial number of job opportunities, while the downstream supply and distribution of its products would significantly contribute to the absorption of labour, potentially benefiting hundreds of thousands of individuals.

He stated, “Once our plant is fully on stream, we expect that at least 40 per cent of the capacity will be available for export and this will result in significant foreign exchange inflows into the country.

“Overall, we are committed to operating our plant in line with international best practice requirements, recognising the importance of protecting the environment, and putting in place stringent environmental, health and safety policies to ensure that the refinery operates in a safe and sustainable manner.”

Dangote maintained that the inauguration ceremony was just the beginning of a great journey, a milestone in a new and exciting trajectory for the downstream sector of Nigeria’s oil and gas industry.

He said the group was firmly

committed to replicating in the downstream oil sector what they had achieved in the cement and fertiliser markets, where Nigeria transited from being the largest importer of these products to a net exporter.

Beyond today’s ceremony, he noted that the first goal of the Dangote Group was to ramp up production of the various products to ensure, "Within this year, we are able to fully satisfy our nation’s demand for high quality products to enable us eliminate the tragedy of import dependency and stop, once and for all, the dumping in our market of toxic sub-standard petroleum products."

He added, "Beyond this, we intend to ensure that our plants are run at the highest capacity utilisation and highest efficiency to enable us to export competitively to other markets, especially in the ECOWAS and the wider Africa region in which 53 countries out of 55 are dependent on imports to meet their petroleum products demand.

“This is a clear opportunity for Nigeria given the African Union’s commitment to the creation of an African Common Market through the recently established African Continental Free Trade Area (AFCFTA) regime.

“Let me now briefly touch on the immediate benefits today’s commissioning will bring to our economy and our people.

“First, beyond the constant availability of high-quality fuels for our transportation sector, the refinery will also make available to our Industries, vital raw materials for a wide range of manufacturers in the plastics, pharmaceutical, food and beverages, packaging, construction, and many other industries.

"Second, while the refinery operation and ancillary businesses will generate massive job opportunities, the downstream value chain will equally provide far more absorptive

"Making such a move ahead of the general elections is a wise decision," said Rupa Rege Nitsure, group chief economist at L&T Finance Holdings. "People who have been using these notes as a store of value may face inconvenience," she said.

In Nigeria, the Central Bank recently came under intense criticism when it decided to redesign some denominations of the nation’s currency and pegged naira withdrawal limits few months to the 2023 general election.

capacity for labour in hundreds of thousands.

"Third, once our plant is fully on-stream, we expect that at least 40 per cent of the capacity will be available for export and this will result in significant foreign exchange inflows into the country."

Dangote commended Lagos State Government under the leadership of Sanwo-Olu for providing an enabling environment for private sector growth, particularly, the Dangote Refinery.

He said, "Lagos State Government has been exceptionally remarkable in their efforts toward the completion of this project.

"The Lagos State Government under the leadership of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu has provided an enabling environment for private sector growth in the state and this project. It has allowed us to invest over $30 billion in different sectors of the industry."

Emefiele said one of the expected benefits of the refinery was savings for the country in foreign exchange spending worth between $25 billion to $30 billion annually.

The CBN governor noted that Dangote Group had started repaying some of the commercial loans even before the inauguration of the facility, which, he noted, reflected the commercial capability of the group and its chairman.

Emefiele added, “I am pleased to inform everyone today that following extensive repayments, outstanding debt has dropped appreciably from over $9 billion to $3 billion.

“I must at this juncture appreciate all the participating local Nigerian banks, who did not only partner with the project through effective financing but were keenly aware of the importance of the project for our nation. They provided immense support and exceptional understanding, even when interest payments and principal repayment

Continued

PRESIDENCY RELEASES LIST OF BUHARI’S KEY ACHIEVEMENTS IN EIGHT YEARS

and avionics upgrade of some of its platforms,” the publication put together by the PCT stated.

For the navy, it stated that more than 400 new platforms are now available, including 200 riverine patrol boats, 114 rigid hull inflatable boats, 22 fast attack boats, 14 unmanned aerial vehicles, four barges, four helicopters, among others.

“ In line with the president’s directive, the Nigerian navy has established a naval base at Lake Chad in Baga, Borno state and has received presidential approval for new naval bases in Lekki, Oguta and Kano,” the Femi Adesina-led PCT stated.

Under the administration, the presidency stated that hundreds of battle tanks, mine sweepers, armoured fighting vehicles, mountain climber bikes, infantry fighting vehicles, MRAPS, light tanks and several others have been procured.

“Most recently in 2023, the Nigerian military acquired 700 brand new troop carrying vehicles all assembled in Nigeria,” the presidency said.

In addition, it stated that 20,000 new police officers were recruited in two tranches of 10,000, while processes for the third batch are ongoing to hit 40,000 in no distant future.

Furthermore, it stated that in 2021 and 2022 alone, the National Drug

Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), arrested 24,000 drug traffickers, including 29 barons, while 3,400 offenders were convicted.

The value of drugs and cash seized came to more than N450 billion, while 772 hectares of cannabis farms were destroyed, the presidency added.

On infrastructure, the Buhari government stated that as with legislative reform, Nigeria was also seeing, under President Buhari's watch, the biggest and most ambitious federal infrastructure programme since Nigeria's independence.

“The Infrastructure Corporation of Nigeria (InfraCorp) was established by President Buhari in February 2021, with initial seed Capital of N1 trillion, provided by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), the Nigerian Sovereign Investment Authority (NSIA) and the Africa Finance Corporation (AFC).

“InfraCorp’s goal is to to catalyse and accelerate investment into Nigeria's infrastructure sector by originating, structuring, executing and managing end-to-end bankable projects in that space.

“In addition to the N1 trillion equity seed capital, InfraCorp is expected to mobilise up to an additional N14 trillion of debt capital. Establishment in 2020 of the Presidential infrastructure Development Fund (PIDF), with

more than $1 billion in funding so far,” it added.

The presidency further listed Buhari’s achievements in terms of infrastructure as the 156 kilometres Lagos-Ibadan rail line, purchase of 64 coaches and 21 locomotives, 186 kilometre Abuja-Kaduna rail and the completion of the 327km Itakpe-Warri standard gauge rail.

On power, Buhari stated that an incremental 4,000mw of power generating assets was completed during the life of the administration, including the Zungeru hydro, Kashimbila, Adam 111, Kudenda, Okpai phase 11, Dangote power plant , among others.

In oil and gas, the PCT listed the signing of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA), Nigeria’s Decade of Gas, the ongoing 614-kilometre AjaokutaKaduna-Kano gas project, the $1.4 billion Nigeria-Morocco ammonia facility, among several others as part of the gains of the current government.

In the Niger Delta, the Buhari administration listed the take-off of the Nigerian Maritime University in Okerenkoko, Delta State, which was granted approval in January 2018 by the National Universities Commission (NUC) to commence undergraduate degree programmes.

“President Buhari approved N5 billion in take-off grant for the

on

Maritime University,” it said. It further listed the resumption of work on the 337km East-West Road project, originally awarded in 2006, which it said the Buhari administration expects to complete in 2022/23.

It stated that the Ogoni clean-up for which S$170 million seed funding was set aside, approvals for the establishment of private-sector-led modular refineries across the nine states of the Niger Delta were also part of what Buhari administration achieved.

The publication further highlighted the payments to states amounting to N2 trillion in bailouts in the heat of the economic recession.

“ The Buhari administration had extended more than N2 trillion in bailout packages to states to enable them to meet their salary and pension obligations, especially in the face of dwindling oil revenues in the first three years of the administration,” it pointed out.

On Covid-19, the PCT stated that the president in March 2020 set up an Economic Sustainability Committee chaired by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, to develop a comprehensive economic plan to respond to the disruptions and dislocations caused by the COVID-19 pandemic which effectively handled the challenges occasioned by the pandemic.

As Labour Party Washes Its Dirty Linen in Court...

The second week of pre-hearing of petitions against INEC’s declaration of All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu as winner of the February 25, presidential election would have gone unnoticed but for the unsolicited and unwarranted display of love for power or office by the Labour Party’s leadership.

The signs that the week’s sittings in the pre-hearing session would be intriguing emanated the previous week, when the Acting National Chairman of the party, Mr. Lamidi Apapa directed the legal team handling the petition of the party and its candidate in the February 25 presidential election, Mr. Peter Obi, to furnish him with situation report at the Presidential Election Petition Court (PREPEC).

Obi and LP’s petition is one of the three petitions presently at the PREPEC; the other two are that of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its presidential candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar and the Allied Peoples Movement (APM).

Although, five political parties had filed petition at the court, the Action Alliance (AA) and the Action Peoples Party (APP) had withdrew their petition during the inaugural sitting of the court two weeks ago.

At the inaugural sitting and subsequently after, Obi had been representing himself while one Obiora Ifoh, who identified himself as LP’s National Publicity Secretary, had represented the party, who is the second petitioner.

Although, the suspended National Chairman, Julius Abure, has always been in court but has never announced appearance on behalf of the LP.

However, at the resumption of proceedings last Wednesday, a mild drama began to play out as the Acting National Chairman, Mr Lamidi Apapa, who has not been in court since the commencement of the pre-hearing session showed up for the first time, in company of some of his supporters.

Act one, Scene one witnessed a shouting match between the Lamidi Apapa-led faction and the Julius Abure-led faction.

Recall that a High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) had last month ordered the suspension of Abure over alleged corruption charges.

Upon Abure’s suspension, Apapa had assumed office as acting national chairman, although his office is in controversy, following his suspension by the Abure-led faction.

Following the known response by the legal team representing Obi and the Labour Party to his request, Apapa on the next adjourned date, May 17, 2023, stormed the Abuja Division of the Court of Appeal, venue of the PREPEC.

On getting there, Apapa and his group went to where the Julius Abure-led faction were already seated and asked the Director General of Obi campaign, Mr Akin Oshuntokun, to vacate his seat for him.

According to Apapa, Abure and his group have no business in court because he is the authentic leader of the party for the time

being. This statement resulted to exchange of unpleasant words between the two factions to the disappointment of court staff and other litigants in court, including other observers and journalists. However, since the Abure faction refused to vacate their seat, Apapa and his entourage moved to seat among the crowd.

Clash over representation.

Shortly after the court convened, another commotion arose as to the authentic representative for the Labour Party.

While Obi introduced himself as the first petitioner, one Dudu Manuga, who claimed to be the Labour Party’s Women Leader stood up to announce representation for the party. But before the court could record her, Apapa stood up to introduce himself as National Chairman of the party and the rightful representative of the Labour Party. Responding, Justice Tsammani who observed that “there is a little disagreement about who is representing the Labour Party”, held that, “we are not recognizing anybody as representative of the party “.

The court subsequently went ahead to take the appearances of other parties in the petition without recording any entry for LP except that of Obi who is the first petitioner.

Confrontation between Apapa and Obi’s supporters.

But for the timely intervention of police officers, angry supporters of Peter Obi, suspected to be sympathetic to the Julius Abure-led faction of the Labour Party, would have lynched the Acting National Chairman, Mr Lamidi Apapa, last Wednesday afternoon.

Shortly after the adjournment of the pre-hearing to Friday, May 19,

Apapa had wanted to speak with journalists covering the proceedings outside the courtroom but was prevented by the aggrieved supporters who stood in front of television cameras, shoving Apapa aside and calling him all kinds of names. While some were shouting “ole, ole”, which in Yoruba language means “thief”, others called him a betrayal and a saboteur, accusing him of working against the interest of the Labour Party and its presidential candidate, Mr Obi.

According to the angry supporters, Apapa was alleged to have collected the sum of N500m to sabotage the petition of the party and Obi. So, they began to boo and shove Apapa from one point to another thereby preventing him from speaking with the press outside the courtroom.

At a point, the angry supporters roughhandled the acting chairman and started pushing him out of the court premises towards the gate. Probably, if not for the timely intervention of some police officers, Apapa would have been seriously dealt with outside the court premises, even like he himself stated that “they would have killed me if.....”.

After escaping death by the whiskers, Apapa later met with journalists where he shared his pains and frustration over the inability of the party to resolve its internal wranglings. While describing the incidents both in the courtroom and outside the courtroom as “disgraceful”, Apapa urged Obi to wade into the dispute objectively with a view to amicably resolving the lingering crisis.

The acting chairman claimed that the leadership crisis would have been put behind the party if the presidential candidate had respected the order of the FCT High court which ordered Julius Abure and three others from parading themselves as national officers of the party over their indictment for forgery and perjury.

Tracing the genesis of the leadership crisis, Apapa said immediately the order of court was served on the party, he was unanimously selected in acting capacity as the National Chairman of the party.

According to him, it was wrong of Obi to be according respect to Abure inspite of the order of the Court and as a presidential candidate

seeking justice from the same court of law.

On the alleged receipt of 500 million Naira from external forces to destabilize the party, Apapa vehemently denied receiving any money or being influenced by anybody or group to work against the party.

He also said it was wrong for Peter Obi to have claimed not knowing him adding that he worked closely and even travelled in the same flights with Peter Obi throughout his presidential electioneering campaign.

He therefore appealed to Obi to be open minded, neutral and objective so as to be able to end the crisis.

Also speaking at the briefing, the Deputy National Chairman of the Party in the North, Mike Ayuba Auta, denied the allegation that the All Progressive Congress (APC) was behind the crisis adding that the allegation was baseless and unfounded.

Auta apologized to Nigerians, who he said, gave Labour Party over six million votes during the last presidential poll adding that they should not be discouraged by the current leadership crisis and assured that the dispute will soon be resolved.

Parallel legal team

Although, Apapa had vowed to continue to attend proceedings of the Labour Party despite perceived threats to his life.

However, while his presence at Friday’s proceedings was not unexpected or unusual, very few people had expected him to come with a legal team to take over from the current team handling the party’s petition. Owing to the confusion that arose over the representation of the LP at the previous sitting, Obi had announced representation for himself, who is the first petitioner as well as for the Labour Party, who is the second petitioner.

But, shortly after Chief Awa Kalu, SAN announced appearance for the petitioners and listed other members of the legal team in court, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Chief Oba Maduabuchi stood up to announce representation for same LP.

Luckily for Obi, the court shut him down. The panel of Justices while refusing to acknowledge his presence, berated the senior lawyer for attempting to stir up confusion adding that, “as a Learned Silk, you should know better and you should have told whoever that briefed you that there is another lawyer handling the matter”.

The senior lawyer had informed the court that, “he was given a brief”, by the other faction “to appear” in court in respect of the Labour Party and Obi’s petition.

While the court should be commended for not allowing the issue of representation and appearances truncate the proceedings of last week, Obi and the Labour Party may not be that lucky in the future. It is therefore imperative that Obi provides true leadership at this point in time, by engaging all warring parties in a roundtable, with a view to resolving all lingering disagreement festering discord and disunity in the party’s move at reclaiming electoral victory through the court.

The leadership tussle rocking the Labour Party if not well managed and quickly nipped in the bud, may deal a major blow to the fortune of the party, as a house divided against itself cannot stand, writes Alex Enumah

Obi

While the court should be commended for not allowing the issue of representation and appearances truncate the proceedings of last week, Obi and the Labour Party may not be that lucky in the future. It is therefore imperative that Obi provides true leadership at this point in time, by engaging all warring parties in a roundtable, with a view to resolving all lingering disagreement festering discord and disunity in the party’s move at reclaiming electoral victory through the court

Abure

Apapa

KUNLE

ON

THE RACE TO LUGARD HOUSE OLAMIROO LUKEMAN argues that Braimoh, the AA candidate, stands out in the pack

See page 17

EDITORIAL

THE CURIOUS DEATH OF A POLICE INSPECTOR

Is Ekweremadu a victim of circumstances? asks PAT ONUKWULI

ON THE TRIAL OF IKE EKWEREMADU

It is no longer news that the former Nigerian Deputy Senate President for three consecutive tenures, Ike Ekweremadu, his wife, and one Dr. Obinna Obeta were on March 23, 2023, found guilty of organ harvesting by the Central Criminal Court of England and Wales on Old Bailey, London. On June 23, 2022, the three were arraigned and the prosecutors told the trial court that they conspired and brought a victim from Nigeria with the intention of harvesting his kidney in an £80,000 private transplant facility at the Royal Free Hospital, London. The court cleared and acquitted the intended recipient of the organ, Sonia (Ekweremadu’s

lacking in common sense, and subject to presented evidence and societal norms. While some others have the view that the Ekweremadus should have been given circumstances of the case.

Unfortunately, in criminal court proceedings, the primary objective is to determine whether a person has committed a crime and, if so, to impose an appropriate punishment. The principles of equity, such as considerations of fairness, individual circumstances, or balancing of interests, play a relatively limited role in the criminal justice system unlike in the civil realm. However, there may be instances where equitable considerations come into play during criminal proceedings, particularly when it comes to sentencing. Judges or other decision-makers might consider factors such as the defendant’s circumstances, history, or potential for rehabilitation when determining an appropriate sentence within the legal framework.

THE RACE TO LUGARD HOUSE

The political temperature is approaching pitch height in Kogi State. Unlike in other states where the political space has returned to normalcy since the conclusion of the general elections in March, politics is still thick in the

11th November 2023.

in two other states, Bayelsa and Imo, according to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). It is therefore little wonder that the imminent polls have been states. Whenever two or three Kogites are gathered, the governorship election is likely to chip into their interests. That is hardly a

He has never hidden his admiration for the ruling party.

Ardent readers of the Kogi political barometer with eyes beyond the surface, however, point to Braimoh as a candidate more likely to spring surprises, all things being equal. Young and soft-spoken, the to watch. Let’s check out the facts.

Since his foray into partisan politics some months ago, Braimoh has created stares strong enough to cause agitations within the big power blocks and other entrenched interests. His party organised one of the most orderly primaries in the state. Three aspirants vied for the ticket. On the day of the election, one of the aspirants withdrew and asked his supporters to vote for Braimoh. His election was a landslide, leaving his only opponent to immediately accept defeat.

daughter) of the same charge. On May 5, 2023, the court delivered judgment with the sentencing of Ekweremadu to nine years and eight months imprisonment, his wife four years and six months and lastly Obeta, 10 years.

On the face of it, the court spoke eloquently and delivered justice on the matter. At any rate, the court system law which is crucial in justice delivery. This could not exculpate or get him preferential treatment for any wrongdoing. It means that all individuals, regardless of their position, are subject to the same laws and will be held accountable for their actions if they violate those laws. Themis, the Goddess of Justice, is depicted as a blindfolded lady holding scales and a sword to respectively symbolise impartiality and objectivity in the administration of justice as the power and authority to enforce justice.

Themis, therefore, speaks to the aspiration that the extraction of judgments be solely on the facts and evidence presented without the or other extraneous factors. Philosophically, her representation continues to serve as a symbol of the principles and values that underpin the administration of justice. Therefore, a well-articulated judgement should provide clarity, establish a legal precedent, and promote public trust in a judicial system. Ekweremadu’s conviction generated a lot of controversies with many pointing out that the evidence against him was strong, and that he received a fair trial and was justly convicted.

of his supporters claimed that he was let down and unfairly targeted by the British authorities. They consider the court judgement unjust. No wonder the phrase attributed to Mr. Bumble in Charles Dickens’s Oliver Twist that “The law is an ass” suggests the frustration or criticism of a legal system. It equally suggests that the law can sometimes be illogical, unfair,

Evidence shows that Ekweremadu had in December 2021, written a letter to the British High Commission, regarding a visa application for his daughter, Sonia, scheduled for medical investigations for a kidney donation. Again, Ekweremadu’s defence lawyer Hicks QC, in making his closing statement, insisted that the victim, David Nwamini, the presumed victim of the kidney-harvesting exploitation, was not to the United Kingdom. Neither did the evidence support what Nwamini told the Police that he was a 15-year-old orphan who did not know why he was brought to the United Kingdom. One then wonders why these were not pieces of vitiating evidence against their conviction and if the British High Commission did owe Ekweremadus a duty of care. These also question the Reus and Mens Rea that must be proven to establish a crime.

Hicks, drily titled his closing statement an Inconvenient Truth. He stated that the Crown Prosecutors cashed in on Nwamini’s allegations, having realised they had a could be used to set a precedent for organ donation’s strand of the Modern Slavery Act. As an obiter dictum, the wording of this Act is a great injustice to what millions slavery. At best, the phrasing is an attempt at historical reductionism that seeks to casualise and oversimplify the brutal and cruel doing avoid propitiation. On the other end, it is deliberate ambiguity and sophistry by denialists and revisionists designed for the manipulation and distortion of historical narratives for deceptive purposes. These tally with controversial and provocative ideas enunciated by Protagoras, which holds that truth and knowledge are subjective and dependent on an individual or a culture.

From the home front, the Ekweremadus were left to dry. They were virtually abandoned and neglected to their own devices without assistance or support. The federal government and National Assembly’s intervention and assistance were lethargic and woeful.

Dr Onukwuli writes from Bolton, UK, (patonukwuli2003@ yahoo.co.uk)

surprise. The past seven and half years of the outgoing administration has been mostly the developmental needs of the citizenry. Poverty walks on two legs across the state. Not a few of the traumatised people are eager for a new breath of life.

The poll promises to be a clash of the titans. Records obtained from INEC show that all the race to Lugard House, as the Kogi seat of power is known. The list contains anointed or seasoned politicians from the behemoth parties.

Usman Ododo, described as a cousin of the (APC). Senator Dino Melaiye will hold forth for the main opposition People’s Democratic Party (PDP) while Leke Abejide, a second-term member-elect of the House of Representatives is holding the ticket for the African Democratic Congress (ADC).

Other candidates in contention include Olayinka Adenehon Braimoh of Action Alliance (AA), Julius Elukpo of Action Democratic Party (ADP), Okeme Adejoh of Labour Party (LP), Musa Mubarak of New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) and Omale Samson Agada of Young Progressives Party, (YPP). Of course, the INEC’s list also contains names of pretenders, too numerous to mention.

The contest is viewed by many as a straight outgoing Governor’s preferred successor, and PDP’s Melaiye, his archenemy. This is primarily due to the long years of rivalry between the two parties, which have exclusively controlled power since the state’s creation more than three decades ago.

Abejide, known for his deep pockets and whose party boasts of another member-elect of the Green Chamber easily comes across as a third force. Even at that, both ADC and APC are believed by not a few persons to be up to the last Presidential election, Abejide campaigned vigorously for President-elect and then APC candidate, Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

Even at that, the candidate embarked on fence-mending with diverse party interests, to bring everybody on the same page. He has also been meeting with traditional institutions and groups to share his vision. His consultative brand of politics and the speed with which he is gaining traction among the wider populace has placed him in a class by himself.

Whereas, all the big parties have been bleeding from the labour pangs of the primaries, AA has remained peaceful and waxing strong. For instance, disgruntled members have been abandoning their membership cards in PDP, APC, NNPP, and LP, in droves. Indeed, legal tussles over the primaries are threatening to tear some party tickets to shreds.

Braimoh has other things going for him.

The middle-aged real estate developer is a philanthropist and an easily accessible person. These qualities place him as a bridge builder between the young and the old on one hand, and across social divides, on the other.

Even more intriguing is the depth of his knowledge of the issues. Braimoh’s understanding and diagnosis of the needs and potential of Kogi State are disarming. They show a mind conversant with the state and equipped with the wand for its development. He says he has the vision to lift the state out of scary poverty, to wealth creation, distribution and retention. ongoing power rotation debate among the people of Kogi State. The 47-yearold hails from Akutupa, Kabba-Bunu Local Government Area, of Kogi West, a zone that has been at the receiving end of entrenched marginalisation, nepotism, and underdevelopment.

Since 1991 when Kogi State was created, only the East and Central Senatorial Districts have held tightly to the Driver’s seat. Kogi East has monopolised the position for about 16 years, Kogi Central for about eight years, and still counting, while Kogi West has nothing in the kitty. Although, the other zones are not letting solo candidacy from the central, and the about a dozen candidates of Kogi East origin, expectations are rife that the West will produce the Governor this time around. Incidentally, the zone boasts, Braimoh, Melaiye, and Abejide as worthy ambassadors in the struggle.

Lukeman writes from Anyigba, Kogi State

OLAMIROO LUKEMAN argues that Braimoh, the AA candidate, stands out in the pack

Editor, Editorial Page PETER ISHAKA

Email peter.ishaka@thisdaylive.com

EDITORIAL

THE CURIOUS DEATH OF A POLICE INSPECTOR

The outcome of the investigation should be made public and erring officers held to account

Acts of torture, ill-treatment and extrajudicial killings are steady staple of Nigeria’s security operatives. Last week in Lokoja, Kogi State, they curiously extended such treatment to one of their own. Taiye Atobiloye, an inspector of police died in police custody under murky circumstances, and members of his family are seeking explanations. At a time police authorities are standing be tragic if they cannot account for the life of

another

According to reports, Atobiloye, attached to the Oke Onigbin Police Division, Kwara State, was posted to the Zone 8 Police Command, Lokoja, on special duty. He initially declined the posting after a disagreement, but eventually reported at the zonal headquarters, and was detained for dereliction of duty. He died in police custody eight days after. While the police claimed he died of illness, the autopsy reportedly invalidated the claim as there were bruises on the body, an indication of torture. The report also showed that Atobiloye was hypertensive and starved in the cell.

While we commiserate with the family of the deceased, Atobiloye’s death has again brought to the fore the issue of police brutality and reinforces a vicious cycle of violence currently taking place in the country. Nigerians are familiar with several cases of ill-treatments of suspects by security operatives, which have resulted in wanton loss of lives. Despite the highlevel rhetoric on police reform, particularly after the December 2021 EndSARS protests, no concrete actions have been taken.

Section one of the “Anti-Torture Act” imposes an obligation on the government and law enforcement agencies to ensure that all persons, including suspects, detainees and prisoners are always respected and that

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

no person under investigation or held in custody is subjected to any form of physical or mental torture. Yet, our security operatives are notorious for physical assaults on suspects in the bid to extract information or to subdue them. The indiscriminate use of brutal force, as the case Atobiloye suggests, inevitably creates a vicious cycle, and draws attention to the pathetic state of the Nigerian Police in terms of training and operational tools. The root of these human rights violations is an embarrassing ignorance on the part of security operatives of the basic rights of citizens in a democratic society.

This newspaper has said repeatedly that we stand the Nigeria Police because we believe what they do is a dangerous job as they confront the brutalities that the rest of society only imagine or watch on television from the comfort of their homes. But allegedly tortured to death, there is a systemic problem. There is therefore the need to strengthen the Nigeria professionalism and structure, so that it sustains the capacity to carry out its constitutional responsibility of maintaining law and order. It is important to let the police know that treating people with contempt, hostility, or applying excessive force does not in any way advance the cause of law enforcement in the country. Police training should not be restricted to the

It is heartwarming that the Inspector General of Police, Usman Baba, has ordered an investigation into the death of the police inspector. But the outcome of the report should be made public in order to hold culprits accountable and ensure justice for the family of excessive force that injures and sometimes kills many

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

OBSTETRIC FISTULA: LIVING WITH INCONTINENCE AND SHAME

I am a 30 years old lady based in Bauchi. I’m a survivor of Vesicovaginal Fistula. It happened when I was involved in an accident 26 years ago, which led to an injury in my bladder, though it was repaired at that time.

Fast forward to 2019, when I gave birth to my second child. Iing and breathing properly. Several investigations were conducted which showed bladder diverticulum, mild right side obstructive uropathy, stenosis, and many more.

I underwent a successful surgery, and two days after the operation, while I was eating, I felt a sudden pain in the abdomen. Before the end of the day, I started leaking urine. I was taken back to the operating room.

Twelve days after, I started leaking urine again. Thereafter, an assessment of Vesicovaginal Fistula was made, and I was placed for conservative six weeks. I was devastated. I was later referred to National Obstetric Fistula Center (NOFIC) Ningi, Bauchi State, where I met other women with similar cases. beginning, because I had to take pills to be able to sleep, despite all the support from my family, especially my husband who has been very supportive and tolerable, as I have never for once, experienced

any form of insecurities.

visitations or social gatherings, when I started thinking of how to survive and socialize just like everyone else, especially in providing myself diapers, perfumes, clothing and detergents that will take away the foul smell, a development that got me thinking about all the other women that are shunned or divorced by their husbands or community; on how do they survive mentally, emotionally and out unsuccessful.

How do they cope and who do they go to for help as 80% of them are divorced? All we want is to feel among, and be treated with kindness.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), over two majority of such cases occurring in resource-poor countries likepoverished to interact with society as a result of our foul smell and inability to bear more children. This results in our being ostracized and shunned by our community.

cal outcomes have been poorly studied as a patient may undergo

so many surgeries and still be unsuccessful. As we mark this year’s International Day to End Obstetric Fistula, it is worth noting that treatment is now free in Nigerian Fistula Centres. It is a huge relief,

Though the free treatment brings relief to the VVF patients, it is and sometimes feces is often rejected by her husband, divorced or shunned, and discriminated against by the people around her. This results in so much shame, worries, fear, and depression. But due to frequent visits to the hospital and interaction with other victim, they are relieved of such predicaments.

The government of Nigeria and other international bodies have made the surgery-free, and sometimes distribute machines to those whose surgeries are unsuccessful to start afresh. But what happens to us that are still struggling with the injury for decades or a few years? There’s a need for more interventions, especially on how we should maintain personal hygiene by providing us with perfumes, washing detergents, and pampers so as to move freely, as only 4%

Hauwa Muhammad Aminu,

The indiscriminate use of brutal force, as the case Atobiloye suggests, inevitably creates a vicious cycle, and draws attention to the pathetic state of the Nigerian Police in terms of training and operational tools

QUOTABLES

‘The National Assembly actually told us a lie…..I thought that the representation of the National Assembly in respect of electronic voting, had consequences. It has no consequences. So, if you don’t use BVAS, and so what?’ - Dr

Olisa Agbakoba, SAN, Past President, Nigerian Bar Association

‘You no longer have to be a moneybag, to contest elections in Nigeria.’ - Femi Falana, SAN

COLUMNISTS

PROF MIKE OZEKHOME, CON, SAN, FCIArb,, PH.D. LLD

Constitutional Democracy, means a system of government, in which political and governmental power, is defined, limited and shared by a grundnorm called the Constitution, which provides inbuilt checks and balances.

This column seeks to fiercely discuss constitutional, legal and political issues, with a view to strengthening, deepening and widening the plenitude and amplitude of democracy and good governance, without fear or favour.

The writer of this column, Prof Mike Ozekhome, SAN, is a Constitutional Lawyer, Human Rights Activist, Pro-Democracy Campaigner, Notary Public and Motivational Speaker. He co-founded the Civil Liberties Organisation (CLO), Nigeria’s pioneer human rights league, on October 15, 1987, the Universal defenders of Democracy (UDD), in 1992, and with Chief Gani Fawehinmi and others in 1998, the Joint Action Committee of Nigeria (JACON), to push out the military. In his early days, he lectured at the University of Ife. Prof Ozekhome is an author of many books. He is also a Special Counsel at the International Criminal Court (ICC), at The Hague.

Power of Court to Reverse its Own Order Made Without Jurisdiction

Page IV

NBA Unveils 2023

Conference Theme and Declares

Registration Portal

Open

Page V

AGA Africa Trains

Nigeria's AntiHuman Trafficking Fighters

Page V

NBA-SBL Announces Chairs of SubCommittees for the 17th Annual International Business Law Conference

Page V

Kubi

Udofia PhD

Kubi Udofia holds a Doctorate degree in Law from The University of Nottingham, a Certificate in International Risk Management from the Institute of Risk Management, London, a Masters degree in Corporate Law from University College London and a Bachelors degree from University of Uyo in Nigeria. He is a leading and an acknowledged expert, in corporate restructuring and insolvency law in Nigeria. As a scholarpractitioner, Kubi Udofia has extensively researched and written on a broad spectrum of topical issues in corporate restructuring and insolvency law. He is a seasoned transactional and dispute resolution specialist, with extensive knowledge and practical experience in corporate and commercial law. He is a Partner at Babalakin & Co, a leading commercial law firm in Nigeria.

ONIKEPO BRAITHWAITE: EDITOR, JUDE IGBANOI: DEPUTY EDITOR, PETER TAIWO, STEVE AYA: REPORTERS

‘My Appointment as CSAT President, Announces Nigeria’s Legal Profession Worldwide’

The Use and Abuse of Divorce Laws

Gratitude

In all things, one must always give thanks to God. As I turn 58 today, I thank God Almighty and my beloved Parents, late High Chief Omowale Kuye OFR, Otun Olubadan of Ibadanland (I pray that Allah has granted him the highest level of Jannah) and Dame Priscilla Kuye, for my life. Indeed, it is a blessing to have a publication on my birthday, and I thank my dear Publisher, ‘Duke’, Prince Nduka Obaigbena, for this opportunity. I thank my children, my MD, Eniola Bello (Eni B), and my indefatigable Deputy Editor, Jude Igbanoi, for their unceasing and invaluable support. And, I thank you my faithful readers, for your comments and criticisms, and your encouragement which constantly spurs me on. I am truly grateful.

International Forum Shopping

It’s interesting how Nigerians like to run home, when they have issues that concern the law abroad. Sadly, the only reason they elect to do so, is because here, in Nigeria, they know that they are able to get away with things which they cannot get away with in other countries. The other day, I gave the example of the Ekweremadus’ case, in which organ donation for a fee is nothing more than a misdemeanour in Nigeria (see Section 53 of the National Health Act 2014), but is a serious felony in the UK, where a convict can face up to life imprisonment (see Sections 2-5 of the Modern Slavery Act 2015 Chapter 30). Even an issue as mundane as costs; our courts here have a penchant for awarding unreasonable costs like N100,000 and the like, knowing very well that N100,000 is nothing more than a token, as unrealistic as they come, and not commensurate to the costs incurred by the person they are awarding it to. It is high time that within our legal system, these things, including our cost award regime, start to change. We complain that our court system is clogged up, and the the wheels of justice turn ever so slowly; but, if litigants and Lawyers realise that they will pay N20 million costs and the like for filing frivolous cases which constitute nothing more than an abuse of court process, and the Lawyers who have filed such useless cases will face the Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee and/or be unable to practice until the costs awarded against them and their clients are liquidated, people will think twice before they run to court to file nonsensical cases. Similarly, in the case of divorce, I have seen women run to the UK to take up residence there for a while before they file for divorce over there, instead of remaining in Nigeria where they married and lived throughout, because when it comes to divorce settlements, Nigerian courts are known to be mean to womenfolk. This is not a good report for Nigeria - the perception of a chauvinistic divorce legal system, mostly skewed in favour of men. See Section 42(1)(a) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended in 2023)(the Constitution) and Anekwe & Anor v Nweke (2014) LPELR-22697(SC) per Olukayode Ariwoola, JSC (now CJN). Under our Matrimonial Causes Act 1970 Part IV, the powers of the court to make orders for maintenance and settlement are vague, wide and discretionary on the part of the court; there are no strict rules of division of assets, just what the court considers to be just and equitable in the circumstances of the case. So, some Nigerian women therefore, go to the UK, because their husbands may own property there and they hope to get a share of it, and to also secure a generally fairer divorce settlement than they are likely to get in Nigeria, where the court could even say that it lacks jurisdiction over properties in the UK, even if they constitute community property.

This temporary arrangement of running to UK to seek maybe a fairer divorce settlement or simply to get justice, or coming home to Nigeria to avoid settling a spouse fairly in a divorce, is called International Forum Shopping. In Ugo v Ugo (2017) LPELR-44809 (SC) per Ejembi Eko, JSC, the Supreme Court

ONIKEPO BRAITHWAITE

onikepo.braithwaite@thisdaylive. com onikepob@yahoo.com

The Advocate

These days, couples abroad enter into a ‘Prenup’, that is a prenuptial agreement, which is a contract made between a couple before marriage, on how income, assets, liabilities etc will be divided in the event of a separation or divorce. A prenup includes all the issues that form the subject-matter of disputes in court between divorcing couples - division of property, custody of children, spousal and child support, inheritance, which law governs the marriage etc.

Domicile

An individual has a Domicile of Origin, which is inherited from his/her Father. Then one has their Domicile of Choice, which is simply the place where an individual permanently resides. In Ugo v Ugo 2008 5 N.W.L.R. Part 1079 Page 1 at 25 per Adekeye JCA (as she then was), the Court of Appeal held thus: “A domicile of choice is a domicile established by physical presence within a State or territory, coupled with the intention to make it a home”. It behooves the court to also look at the intention of a person who jumps from one place to another to seek a divorce; and certainly, taking up residence with the intention of avoiding a fair divorce settlement elsewhere, doesn’t constitute the kind of intention the court was referring to when it said “intention to make it a home”. Also see the case of Omotunde v Omotunde 2001 9 N.W.L.R. Part 718 Page 252. Domicile of choice replaces the domicile of origin in a sense, at least for divorce proceedings, in order to establish the divorce jurisdiction.

held that a husband who came to take up divorce proceedings in Nigeria even though he and his wife were domiciled in USA, was guilty not only of “international (forum) shopping, which is an aspect of abuse of court process”, and the Nigerian court lacked jurisdiction. In these circumstances, such Petitioners cannot be said to be domiciled where they have run to, simply to seek a better divorce deal. Community Property & Equitable Distribution

While I don’t believe in this latest trend of women marrying well-to-do men only to turn around to seek for divorce after a few years, and then ask for half of everything the man owns, I do believe in equity and fairness. And, just as our regime of cost award seems to still be lagging behind in the dark ages, so also does Nigeria’s divorce settlement regime. For instance, a housewife in Nigeria, is not considered to have particularly contributed to community property. This should not be so. Additionally, once the Nigerian court makes the man responsible for the upkeep of the children, everything else may depend on the benevolence of the man and the court; the wife doesn’t necessarily get what should really come to her. This must change.

It is therefore, not surprising to find a man who is domiciled in USA running back home to Nigeria to divorce his wife, since he would rather not part

with anything significant in a divorce settlement under the more costly American community property sharing (there are nine States in USA including California and Nevada, who practice this) or equitable distribution (all other States in USA) options, depending on which State you are domiciled. In the community property States, the law recognises community and separate property, the former being the property, income and assets acquired by either spouse or both during the subsistence of the marriage, and the latter belonging to one spouse, being that which was acquired before marriage or after the separation. In community property States, this means that community property may be shared on a 50/50 basis. In equitable distribution States, the court divides the assets accumulated during the marriage equitably, but it doesn’t have to be equally. Where one spouse seeks to hide property acquired during the subsistence of the marriage from the other to avoid sharing it with the other, the court may punish the party who hides assets, by awarding the spouse a higher proportion of it.

Unfortunately, in Nigeria, we do not seem to have reached the stage where there is a proper asset sharing formula for the purposes of marriage and divorce, let alone that of any equity in sharing same, in the event of a divorce.

Prenuptial Agreement

To be clear, in Koku v Koku 1999 8 N.W.L.R. Part 616 Page 672 at 680 per Onalaja JCA the Court of Appeal held that “Domicile, succinctly put, is the permanent abode of a party, whether he goes to the North, South, East or West, he would return to the place” - the operating word here, I would say, being ‘permanent’. An online definition of Domicile states thus: “The country that a person treats as their permanent home, or lives in and has connection with”. A make-shift arrangement, made for convenience of obtaining the type of divorce settlement you desire and nothing else, cannot by any stretch of the imagination, be said to be the permanent that is contemplated in Law. It is important to note that, you can only have one domicile at a time. See the England and Wales Court of Appeal case of Kelly v Pyres [2018] EWCA Civ 1368.

Can one then claim that because their domicile of origin is Kaduna, though their domicile of choice is New York where they have resided throughout their marriage with their family and all the properties they own but one in Kaduna, are all located in New York, they are domiciled in Kaduna for the purposes of a divorce, also because they may plan to retire to Kaduna in their old age? I think not. In any case, the burden of proof will be on the man claiming that Kaduna is his domicile and not New York, to prove same. His home and work address in New York for the past 20 years, business or shares owned there, paying his taxes there, his family living there, children going to school there, membership of a Church or Mosque Parish in New York, all point to the fact that such a person is permanently resident/domiciled in New York, and not Kaduna.

Someone mentioned that it is the domicile of the man and not that of the woman, that is important in a divorce case. Poppycock! This is such a discriminatory statement (again, see Section 42(1)(a) of the Constitution), and is not true. The matrimonial domicile, counts, and not just that of the man.

Conclusion

In order to show that a country is developing, it is necessary that its legal system is seen to adhere to international best practices, as opposed to being perceived as one that people, especially its citizens, can escape to, to unfairly and undeservedly secure a softer landing, or to simply avoid the law taking its course. This is not the type of optics that any serious country needs, especially one that seeks to attract a sizeable amount of FDI.

“Can one then claim that because their domicile of origin is Kaduna, though their domicile of choice is NewYork where they have resided throughout their marriage with their family and all the properties they own but one in Kaduna, are all located in NewYork, they are domiciled in Kaduna for the purposes of a divorce, also because they may plan to retire to Kaduna in their old age? I think not”

Power of Court to Reverse its Own Order Made Without Jurisdiction

Facts

The 1st – 10th Respondent instituted an action before the High Court of the FCT-Abuja, seeking inter alia, a declaration that the demolition of their shops was unlawful. They also sought compensation for the demolition, as well as loss of earnings. The trial court granted the reliefs in part. Dissatisfied with the refusal of the other reliefs, the 1st – 10th Respondent filed a Notice of Appeal at the Court of Appeal on 5th March, 2010. The record of appeal was however, compiled and transmitted outside the prescribed time. The 1st – 10th Respondent filed an application to regularise the late transmission of the record on 16th November, 2011. Subsequently, they filed their Appellants’ brief of argument on 29th August, 2012, together with a motion for leave to amend their Notice of Appeal. Thereafter, they filed another motion dated 28th June, 2013 for leave to amend their notice of appeal. Both applications to amend their Notice of Appeal were subsequently withdrawn. They later filed a fresh motion for leave to amend their Notice of Appeal on 11th April, 2014.

Whilst the 1st – 10th Respondent’s applications were still pending before the Court of Appeal, the Appellant filed an application on 3rd December, 2014 seeking the dismissal of the appeal for want of diligent prosecution. The Court of Appeal granted the application and dismissed the appeal, pursuant to Order 8 Rule 18 & Order 18 Rule 10 of the Court of Appeal Rules 2011, to the effect that where an Appellant fails to compile and transmit the records after the failure of the Registrar to do the same, or where an Appellant fails to file his brief within time, the Respondent may apply for the appeal to be dismissed for want of diligent prosecution. Subsequently, the 1st – 10th Respondent filed an application seeking inter alia, an order setting aside the ruling dismissing their appeal; an order to regularise the late transmission of the record of appeal; leave to amend their Notice of Appeal; an order deeming the amended Notice of Appeal filed with the motion as having been properly filed and served, and an order deeming the Appellant’s brief of argument dated 29th August, 2012 as having been properly filed and served. The application though opposed by the Appellant, was granted by the Court of Appeal. Consequently, the Court of Appeal restored the 1st – 10th Respondent’s appeal to its cause list.

The Appellant was dissatisfied with the decision; hence, it filed an appeal before the Supreme Court.

Issue for Determination

The Supreme Court considered the following sole issue submitted by the Appellant, in its determination of the appeal:

Whether the Court of Appeal has the jurisdiction to grant the application of the 1st – 10th Respondent, relisting their appeal which had been dismissed pursuant to Order 8 Rule 18 and Order 18 Rule 19 of the Court of Appeal Rules, 2011.

Arguments

Counsel for the Appellant argued that once a dismissal of an appeal is ordered pursuant to Order 18 Rule 10 of the Court of Appeal Rules 2011, the appeal so dismissed cannot be relisted; and so long as the court below relied on the said provision in dismissing the 1st – 10th Respondent’s appeal, the dismissal was irreversible by the same court. He submitted that the Court of Appeal’s reversal of its order of dismissal of the appeal and its relisting of the appeal amounted to the Court of Appeal sitting on appeal over its own decision. He

In the Supreme Court of Nigeria Holden at Abuja

On Friday, the 27th day of January, 2023

Before Their Lordships John Inyang Okoro Amina Adamu Augie Adamu Jauro Tijjani Abubakar Emmanuel Akomaye Agim SC.86/2017

Between REFUGE HOME SAVINGS & LOANS LIMITED APPELLANT And

ALHAJI UMARU GARKUWA & 12 ORS

RESPONDENTS (Lead Judgement delivered by Honourable Adamu Jauro, JSC)

submitted that the Court of Appeal had become functus officio at the point of the dismissal, and it is only the Supreme Court that could have validly exercised jurisdiction over a complaint against the Court of Appeal’s decision dismissing the appeal. He placed reliance on A. D. H. LTD v AMALGAMATED TRUSTEES LTD (2007) ALL FWLR (PT. 392) 1781.

In response to the Appellant’s submissions, counsel for the 1st – 10th Respondent submitted that the Court of Appeal rightly set aside its initial order dismissing the 1st – 10th Respondent’s appeal, when it became clear to it that the order was made without jurisdiction. He argued that the

Appellant’s application seeking the dismissal of the appeal was wrongly granted, as an appeal cannot be dismissed for failure to file brief, when the record of appeal had not been transmitted and the appeal has not been entered. He submitted that while a court is not permitted to sit on appeal over its decisions, a court is not completely powerless to review and ex debitio justiciae set aside its null orders, and that it was for this reason that upon the application of the 1st -10th Respondent, the court below immediately appreciated that its order dismissing the appeal was incongruous and was made without jurisdiction, and held that good and substantial reasons had been disclosed to warrant the setting aside of the same. He cited the case of OKAFOR v ATTORNEY-GENERAL AND COMMISSIONER OF JUSTICE (1991) 6 NWLR (PT. 200) 659. The 11th and 12th Respondent did not file any brief of argument, although they were served with all the processes in the appeal.

Court’s Judgement and Rationale

In determining the appeal, the Court reproduced Order 8 Rule 18 of the Court of Appeal Rules, 2011 which deals with dismissal of an appeal for failure to compile and transmit the record of appeal and Order 18 Rule 10 of the Court of Appeal Rules, which makes provision for dismissal of an appeal for failure to file Appellant’s brief within the period prescribed by the

Rules. The Court held that as a follow up to Order 8 Rule 18, Order 8 Rule 20 provides that where an appeal is dismissed for failure to compile and transmit record of appeal, the Court of Appeal has the discretion to restore and relist the appeal upon application by the Appellant, upon terms as the court may deem fit. Conversely, there is no such provision in relation to an appeal dismissed for failure to file Appellant’s brief pursuant to Order 18 Rule 10 of the Court of Appeal Rules 2011. Such dismissal is a dismissal on the merit, it is final, and the lower court is rendered functus officio in that it cannot restore the appeal, except under exceptional circumstances, such as where the order is a nullity or made where there was a pending application for extension of time to file Appellant’s brief.

The Apex Court further held that the power for the dismissal of an appeal on the ground of failure to file Appellant’s brief, can only arise where the appeal has been entered. It is after the entry of the appeal, that time begins to run for filing the Appellant’s brief. The necessary implication of this is that, it is only when the record of appeal has been regularised and the Appellant has failed to file his brief within the 45 days prescribed under the Court of Appeal Rules, that the Respondent can then apply for the dismissal of the appeal for failure to file Appellant’s brief under Order 18 Rule 10(1) of the 2011 Rules. The Court found that in the instant case, at the time of the dismissal of the appeal for the purported failure to file the Appellants’ brief, the 1st – 10th Respondent as Appellants had a pending application to regularise the late compilation and transmission of their record of appeal. The application was yet to be heard, by the lower court. In essence, as at the time the court made the order of dismissal of the appeal, the record was not yet regularised and the appeal had not yet been entered. There was therefore, no basis for the lower court to dismiss the 1st -10th Respondents’s appeal for failure to file Appellants’ brief pursuant to Order 18 Rule 10 of the Court of Appeal Rules 2011, as the court was not yet imbued with the requisite jurisdiction to do so by reason of non-entry of the appeal. In other words, the order dismissing the appeal was a nullity.

The Court held that although a court generally lacks the power to revisit its order and after rendering its ruling, order or judgement, the court becomes functus officio and such an order can only be set aside on appeal. However, in certain instances, a court has the jurisdiction to set aside its own decision ex debitio justiciae. This power or jurisdiction may be exercised, where for instance, the judgement, ruling or order sought to be set aside is null and void ab initio, or there was a fundamental defect in the proceedings which vitiates and renders the same incompetent and invalid. The Court referred to UWEMEDIMO v MOBIL PRODUCING (NIG.) UNLTD (2019) 12 NWLR (PT. 1685) 1.

The Supreme Court held that the Court of Appeal was right to set aside its order of 12/2/2015 dismissing the appeal and to restore the appeal pursuant to Order 8 Rule 20 of the Court of Appeal Rules 2011, upon realising that it made the said order without jurisdiction, as its power to dismiss the Appeal for failure to file Appellant’s brief was yet to arise at the time it made the order.

Appeal Dismissed.

Representation

Sylvester Okojie Esq. with Chris Ebare, Esq. for the Appellant.

Dr. George Ogunyomi, Esq. with Mr. Ifeanyi Ndumnego and Miss. Nguerese Tine Tur for the 1st – 10th Respondent.

F. S. Jimoh, Esq. for the 11th and 12th Respondent.

Reported by Optimum Publishers Limited, Publishers of the Nigerian Monthly Law Report (NMLR)(An affiliate of Babalakin & Co.)

“…..in certain instances, a court has the jurisdiction to set aside its own decision ex debitio justiciae. This power or jurisdiction may be exercised, where for instance, the judgement, ruling or order sought to be set aside is null and void ab initio….”

Honourable Adamu Jauro, JSC

Monday

NBA Unveils 2023 Conference Theme and Declares Registration Portal Open

Alex Enumah inAbuja

The 2023 edition of the Annual General Conference of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) AGC was on Monday well heralded following

the Unveiling of its theme. "Getting It Right, Charting the Course for Nigeria's Nation Building". The Conference is billed to run from August 25 until September 1, 2023.

Others present were NBA

Mrs Linda Bala and NBA Secretary, Mr Adesina Adegbite.

Speaking on the theme of the Conference, the NBA President

AGA Africa Trains Nigeria's Anti-Human Trafficking Fighters

Igbawase Ukumba in Lafia

The Attorney General Alliance - Africa (AGA Africa), in collaboration with the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), on Monday, began a five-day training of Investigators and Prosecutors, to strengthen the anti-human trafficking efforts of the NAPTIP.

Fielding questions of journalists in Keffi, venue of the five-day training workshop, International Advisor of AGA Africa Programme, John Edozie, said AGA Africa works with various countries and stakeholders on transborder crimes. He stated that human trafficking was one of those crimes; hence, adding that AGA Africa had done trainings with NAPTIP in the past, and that the ongoing training was a continuation of the collaboration.

"What we are doing, is to work closely with organisations like NAPTIP on human trafficking. Essentially, we try to deal with the three Ps: We pick the victims, prosecute the criminals, and prevent human trafficking.

"We do this not only with NAPTIP alone, and not just in Nigeria alone. We do work in Kenya, South Africa, Zambia and Ghana. AGA Africa deals with transborder crimes. Human trafficking is one of those crimes. We provide experts. These are Prosecutors, Police Officers, and Judges from places like America, Europe", he said.

In addition, Edozie stated that AGA Africa also provides Judges, ex-Police Officers, Prosecutors from other African countries who would come to

#upjudicialsalaries

Nigeria and give international perspective to a regional perspective.

He continued: "We also work with Nigerian Prosecutors and people from NAPTIP and other former Prosecutors about this issue to build capacity with organisations like NAPTIP, to help the Prosecutors learn more about challenge of human trafficking, and put them in a place where they can actually prosecute people who are involved in these things and make it deterrent.

On her part, the Director General of NAPTIP, Prof. Fatima Waziri-Azi, revealed that NAPTIP had last year done a gap analysis, and one of the outcomes was the need to strengthen its investigation and prosecution departments.

The NAPTIP DG therefore, said one of the outcomes of the training was to see a cohesive and collaborative investigation and prosecution departments, that would ensure that perpetrators were kept behind bars.

She said: "We are hoping to have more convictions, which will also translate into sending a strong message across the country. When you have a strengthened investigation department, when you have a strengthened prosecution department, that is the only output that you get.

"In addition to the prosecutorial target of the agency, we also do a lot of awareness creation. Our awareness creation, focuses on rural areas and urban communities. Since last year, we have being establishing Trafficking of Persons and

Violence Against Persons Vanguard in secondary schools".

She however, discovered that the Agency has been able to do that in 84, out of the 110 Federal Government's Unity Schools across Nigeria.

Waziri-Azi added that having secured approvals from the Service Chiefs last year, the agency was also expanding the Trafficking and Violence Against Persons Vanguard in military secondary schools.

In one of the community engagements NAPTIP did last year, the Director General of the Agency said it was a collaborative between the Oba of Benin’s Palace where the agency set up the Oba of Benin Task Force on Trafficking of Persons.

"We identified three endemic Local Government Areas in Edo

State and four communities, where we went on round sensitisation. In terms of online exploitation, we have seen a drastic shift from offline exploitation to online exploitation. We noticed this shift during the Covid-19 period.

"In terms of stemming this tide online, we have established a cyber security response team for NAPTIP. This response team is responsible for handling all cases of online sexual exploitation, child sexual and material assault."

For the Country Coordinator of the AGA Africa, Ebelechukwu Enedah, the five-day workshop was all about capacity building of Prosecutors and Investigators of human trafficking. According to her, "the people that are here, are the people that actually

investigate this crime and then the people that take it to court". She however, wanted NAPTIP to start involving the public in its fight against human trafficking, because according, to her “There is so much agencies can do; the churches, the schools, the parents. They actually need to take the fight back to the general public”.

Enedah maintained that if those agencies were not involved, there was so much the Government could do.

"But if the public and the communities are involved in this fight, you will see that it will be more of a collaboration. However, if the awareness is not there about the ills of what actually constitutes trafficking, people will not know. They will still go ahead", the AGA Africa Country Coordinator concluded.

noted that it is important for the Association to get it right, since the nation Nigeria as a whole has all the resources in place to give its success the requisite "push".

He therefore, noted that the Bar has carefully selected an array of notable members, to work as members of the Conference Planning Committee 2023, which is ably chaired by a reputed Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Mazi Afam Osigwe.

The President also seized the opportunity, to declare the Registration Portal for the 2023 Conference open.

"The NBA must take the lead to get it right; we have to get it right in everything we do, because we are blessed with all the potentials we will need to get it right.

"It is for us to find it; It is for us to discover it; It is for us to take the lead in providing leadership and providing direction to the people of this country", he said.

Mr Maikyau also noted that the current administration of the NBA is prepared to "take the bull by its horns", adding that, same is what it hopes to show case at the Conference.

NBA-SBL Announces Chairs of Sub-Committees for the 17th Annual International Business Law Conference

The Nigerian Bar Association, Section on Business Law (NBA-SBL) has announced the leaders of the Conference Planning Committee of its upcoming 17th Annual International Business Law Conference, themed "The Nigerian Business Landscape: Priorities for Law, Policy and Regulation".

Executive Committee

Ayoyinka Olajide-Awosedo

– Chair

Ose Okpeku – Vice Chair

Temi Olowu - Secretary

The Sub-Committee Chairs for the NBA-SBL Conference 2023 Fundraising Sub-Committee

(Co-Chair) (Vice Chair)

2.Program & Content SubCommittee:

Chair)

3. Media & Publicity SubCommittee:

4. Technology Sub-Committee:

Chair)

5 Venue & Accommodation Sub-Committee:

Chair)

6. Logistics and Entertainment Sub-Committee:

7. Conference Sponsors Administrative Sub-Committee:

8. Young Lawyer Sponsorship Sub-Committee:

9. Exhibitions Sub-Committee:

10. Regulatory Clinic Coordinators:

“We are thrilled to have such a talented and diverse

group of leaders, to guide the sub-committees for this year's Conference”, said Mrs Ayoyinka OlajideAwosedo, Chair of the NBA-SBL Conference Planning Committee. “Their expertise and dedication to advancing the practice of Business Law in Nigeria, will ensure a successful and impactful event.”

The 17th edition of the Annual International Business Law Conference is scheduled to hold over a three-day period, from Wednesday, July 5 to Friday, July 7, at the Eko Hotels and Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos.

"The Committee notes the need to review the existing package of benefits and allowances currently available to judicial officers, in recognition of the peculiar demands of the judicial office. The current official allowances are inadequate, in view of the status and work schedule of a judicial office.” - NBA Working Committee on Judicial Remuneration and Conditions of Service

The opening Media Conference was held at the NBA Secretariat in Abuja and had in attendance the President of the NBA, Mr Yakubu Maikyau OON, SAN; Chairman of the 2023 AGCPC, Mazi Afam

Osigwe, SAN; Mrs Oyinkan BadejoOkusanya, Alternate Chairperson of the AGCPC; Mrs Laura Alakija and Mrs Nkiru Okeke representing Crystal Digital, the IT Consultant for the Conference.

L-R: NBA 2023 AGC Chairman, Mazi Afam Osigwe, SAN; NBA General Secretary, Adesina Adegbite; NBA President, Y.C. Maikyau, SAN and Alternate Chair, Oyinkansola Badejo-Okusanya

First Vice President,

L- R: Mr Austin Emumejakpor; Country Coordinator, AGA Africa, Ebelechukwu Enedah; International Advisor, AGA Africa Programme, John Edozie; DG, NAPTIP, Prof. Fatima Waziri-Azi; AIG Christopher Owolabi (Rtd), and Mrs Olufemi Olubusola Fatunde at a five-day Workshop to strengthen anti-human trafficking efforts of NAPTIP at Keffi last

NBA-SBL Chairman, Dr Adeoye Adefulu

CSOs and the Media in Promoting Democracy and Good Governance in Nigeria (Part 7)

Introduction

In the last six parts of this article, we discussed the role of the media and moved on to the sources of Press Freedom. Today's edition, being the final installment, we conclude it with an analysis of the Character of the Nigerian Media and rightly end with Conclusion and Recommendations.

Character of the Nigerian Media

During the first Republic in Nigeria, between 1960 and 1966, there were ten newspapers. Daily Times (Lagos), West African Pilot (Lagos), Nigeria Citizen (Kaduna), The Outlook (Enugu), The Eastern Guardian (Port-Harcourt), Sketch (Ibadan), The Tribune (Ibadan), The Express (Lagos), Morning Post (Lagos), The Spokesman (Onisha) and the Observer (Benin). There were also the weeklies like the Drum, the spear and the spectator, all published in Lagos. The Federal Government (then in Lagos), and each of the regional Governments (in Benin, Enugu, Ibadan and Kaduna) had radio and television stations.

Of the print media, Daily Times, The West African Pilot, Eastern Guardian, The Spokesman and Tribune were privately owned. Nigerian Citizen, The Outlook, The Sketch, The Daily Express, Morning Post and the Observer were Government owned newspapers. Apart from the Daily Times, the owners of the other privately owned newspapers were deeply involved in partisan politics. Most of these partisan newspapers owners used their media houses to get to Government House, and upon getting there, they usurped other media houses belonging to government for their own personal aggrandisement.

Also, the most successful politicians belonged to the major ethnic groups in the country-Hausa-Fulani, Igbo and Yoruba. The Nigerian regional leaders, during this time, used all the electronic and print media organs within reach, to fan embers of ethnicity and personal political aspirations. The posture of both the government and private media, demonstrated that the interest of the major ethnic group was

synonymous with the interest of the region. What this development resulted into, was that, the minor ethnic groups which constitute the plural society, because they neither owned or had access to media organs, had no voice and opportunity for self-expression.

The media, during the democratic experiment of the Second Republic in Nigeria, 1979 to 1983, was made up of electronic medium, which within this period, was either State or Federal owned. However, this situation has since altered, with the emergence of Raymond Dokpesi’s Daar Communication PLC, (the first Nigerian private broadcast group that operates AIT and Ray Power FM); John Momoh’s Channels TV; Nduka Obaigbena’s Thisday and Arise TV; Sam Amuka Pemu’s

Vanguard; Ibru’s Guardian; Aboderin’s Punch; Asiwaju’s TVC and Nation; Sam Ndah Isaiah’s Leadership; Eric Osagie’s ThisNigeria; Kabiru Yusuf’s Trust; Ben Bruce’s Silverbird TV; Orji Uzor Kalu’s Sun and Telegraph; etc. Indeed, a new generation of online publications have since emerged to challenge the orthodox print and electronic media. Such are Sahara Reporters, Premium Times, Gazette, Blue Print, Newson-the-Go of Ise-Oluwa Ige; Dele Momah’s Boss, etc.

Conclusion and Recommendations

To conclude, Civil Society is simultaneously a goal to aim for, a means to achieve it, and a framework for engaging with each other about ends and means. When these three faces turn towards each other and integrate their different perspectives into a mutually supportive framework, the idea of civil society can explain a great deal about the course of politics and social change, and serve as a practical framework for organising both resistance and alternative to social, economic and political problems.

Many of the difficulties of the Civil Society debate disappear, when we lower our expectations

of what each school of thought has to offer in isolation from the others, and abandon all attempts to enforce a single model, consensus or explanation. This may not defer the ideologies from using Civil Society as a cover for their own agendas, but it should make it easier to expose their claims and challenge the assumptions they often make.

Recommendations

1. Increase support to the great Civil Society Federations made up of trade unions, under the aegis of the NLC, TUC, and other longstanding associations that have significant influence on critical sectors of the society and economy.

2. Identify and support activities in the area of advocacy, that are issue-driven and limited to one or two goals only.

3. Work with national level crosssector fora that already exist, and are not donor-driven. Some formal civil society fora already exist, to facilitate coordination and cooperation across different sectors of the Civil Society. The NLC has a Civil Society Forum, designed to coordinate labour activities with other non-labour organisations. In addition, the Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria has started a Civil Society Forum that includes many human rights and other pro-democracy groups. More recently, a business association, the Convention on Business Integrity, has commenced an innovative “Civil Society Club” as a vehicle for linking businesses and CSOs in coalitions, to fight government corruption.

4. Provide capacity-building to CSOs with substantial experience in the areas of civic awareness and advocacy, and to those that have internal democratic practices; and where appropriate, encourage Civil Society groups to democratise their own decision-making processes, and provide greater transparency and accountability to their communities. How?

5. Explore the possibility of continuing support to media activities, that promote civic awareness for transparency and accountability and advocacy. This will have the effect of insulating media practitioners from the strangulating control and grip of their media organisations.

6. Provide advocacy skills to the CSOs support under the HIV/AIDS initiative. This might be done as a buy-in to the DG Civil Society portfolio, to access this assistance. (The End).

THOUGHT FOR THE WEEK

Society cannot exist without law. Law is the bond of society: that which makes it, that which preserves it and keeps it together. It is, in fact, the essence of civil society. (Joseph P. Bradley)

“Increase support to the great Civil Society Federations made up of trade unions, under the aegis of the NLC, TUC, and other longstanding associations that have significant influence on critical sectors of the society and economy”

INSOLVENCY DISCOURSE

Silicon Valley Bank’s Resolution: Salient Lessons for Nigerian Regulators and Stakeholders

Exordium

Silicon Valley Bank (SVB) was shut down by Regulators, following a bank run. At the time of its closure, SVB was the second largest bank failure in U.S. history, and only became the third following the failure of First Republic Bank on 1 May, 2023. With a view to drawing lessons for stakeholders in Nigeria; this discourse analyses the failure and resolution of SVB, and how technology, digital banking and social media may increase the risk of bank runs.

The Run on SVB

A bank run occurs when Depositors make significant withdrawals at the same time, due to fear that the bank may fail and be unable to make payments. There is an implicit assumption in banking, that all depositors will not demand for payment at the same time. Consequently, banks often reserve a fraction of deposits, whilst the remainder are given out as loans or invested in securities.

SVB invested substantial depositors’ funds in long-term U.S. treasury bonds. Treasury bonds have an inverse relationship with interest rates, such that their values decrease when interest rates are high. Treasury bonds were attractive investments in the aftermath of the Covid-19 pandemic, when interest rates were lowered to stimulate economic growth. However, in recent times, the U.S. Federal Reserve has been raising interest rates to curb soaring inflation. These rate hikes significantly devalued SVB’s bonds. It also increased cost of borrowing, compelling SVB’s depositors to make withdrawals from SVB for their liquidity needs. SVB resorted to a firesale of $21 billion worth of bonds at a $1.8 billion loss, to cover deposit withdrawals. It also announced a plan to raise $2.25 billion, by issuing shares to shore up its balance sheet. This heightened concerns regarding SVB’s solvency, resulting in the withdrawal of over $42 billion within 24 hours. These withdrawals left SVB with a negative cash balance of $958 million.

There has never been a bank run in Nigeria. This does not imply that Nigerian banks are immune to runs. Instructively, one of the tools which the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has put in place to pre-empt runs, is the cash reserve ratio (CRR). The CRR is the fraction of a bank’s total deposits which is mandatorily required to be reserved with the CBN. Whilst the U.S. presently has a reserve ratio 0.0%, Nigeria’s current CRR of 32.5% is one of the highest in the world. The extent to which Nigeria’s high CRR may assist in cushioning depositor runs is yet to be practically ascertained. The downside of Nigeria’s high CRR is that banks are unable to utilise these “idle” non-interest-yielding funds for any profitable investments.

A “Sprint” Fuelled by Technology, Digital Banking and Social Media

The speed and magnitude at which depositors withdrew funds from SVB was unprecedented. An estimated $42 billion (constituting 25% of SVB’s total deposits) was withdrawn within 24 hours. In comparison, in Washington Mutual’s case in 2008, $16.7 billion (constituting 9% of its total deposits) was withdrawn within 9 days. Technology, digital banking and social media played pivotal roles in the pace and magnitude of SVB’s run. Information and misinformation about SVB’s financial condition were easily shared real-time on social media. Depositors did not have to wait for early morning newspapers. Digital banking platforms provided SVB’s depositors with remote and easy access to their accounts for transfer of funds to safer lenders. Consequently, in contrast to past runs, there were no crowded bank halls with anxious and irritated customers.

SVB’s case has illustrated that technology, digital banking and social media may significantly increased the vulnerability of banks to depositor runs. The ongoing push by CBN for cashless banking in Nigeria is bound to further increase the use digital banking services across Nigeria’s banking space. Regulators and stakeholders must be conscious of the downsides of technology, digital banking and social media vis-à-vis bank runs. For instance, it is now possible for a run to occur outside banking hours i.e. at night, on a public holiday or on a weekend. Previously, this would have been practically impossible. Furthermore, a run may be maliciously induced on social media to undermine a bank, cause chaos in the financial system or sabotage the economy.

The speed in which the run on SVB played out is also very instructive. This was clearly driven by technology, digital banking and social media. The implication of this is that regulators may have very little time to respond to or deal with digital bank runs.

It is therefore imperative for regulators and stakeholders to develop protocols (in advance) for effective, efficient and prompt response to digital runs. Censorship of social media is a sensitive and complex issue and may not be an option. However, other mitigation strategies such as temporary denial of access to online bank services, tentative transfer/ withdrawal limits or temporary prohibition withdrawals may be explored.

Bail-out and Moral Hazard Risk

The maximum deposit insurance coverage in U.S. is $250,000 per depositor per insured bank. In SVB’s case, U.S. authorities made both secured and unsecured depositors whole. Approximately 94% of SVB’s $172 billion deposits were uninsured. In the 2008 financial crisis, over $700 billion of taxpayers’ funds were expended in bailing-out troubled firms. In contrast, U.S. authorities have emphasised that SVB’s resolution is at no cost to taxpayers. Rather, funds have been drawn from banks’ contributions to deposit insurance fund and a special assessment on banks. Furthermore, SVB’s resolution does not involve “bailing-out”

shareholders or creditors. These parties have been wiped out and SVB’s $72 billion worth of assets have been sold at a discount of $13 billion to First Citizens Bank.

There are at least three concerns regarding SVB’s resolution approach. First, making uninsured depositors whole amounted to bailing-out some big venture capital firms, tech entrepreneurs and their portfolio companies. These parties constituted a substantial bulk of depositors whose deposits exceeded $250,000. Second, bailing-out uninsured depositors could create moral hazard, which is the incentive to engage in excessive risk-taking because the consequential cost would be borne in whole or part by others. Third, banks will eventually pass the costs of bailing-out uninsured depositors to their customers. Indeed, Andrew Bailey, the Governor of Bank of England, recently (and rightly) observed that “with all things relating to bank resolution, there is no free lunch!”

However, the above concerns were arguably outweighed by the objectives of promoting confidence and stability in the U.S. banking system. Loss of deposits by uninsured depositors would have eroded public confidence in the U.S. banking system and exposed it to a contagion. Extending coverage to both insured and uninsured depositors was aimed at stabilising the banking system. Put differently, making all depositors whole was a means to achieving the objectives of strengthening public confidence and promoting stability in the U.S. banking system.

Although there has never been a bank run in Nigeria, there have been notable bank resolutions necessitated by significant undercapitalisation of the banks. An estimated $3.83 trillion have been expended on bank resolutions in Nigeria since 2009 with approximately $1 trillion used for Skye Bank’s resolution in 2018. These resolutions were financed with public funds with the attendant moral hazard. Worse still, principal actors who drove some of these banks into financial difficulties were not held to account to serve as a deterrent to insurance-induced careless or reckless risk-taking.

After the closure of SVB, the U.S. Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) created the Silicon Valley Bridge Bank (SVBB) on 13/3/2023. SVB’s deposits and assets were promptly transferred to SVBB whist a buyer was sought for. On 26/3/2023, FDIC entered into a purchase and assumption agreement with First Citizens Bank for SVBB’s deposits and loans. Instructively, Nigerian regulators had adopted a similar resolution approach for Skye Bank (Polaris Bank) on 21/9/2018 and Spring Bank (Enterprise Bank), Afribank (Mainstreet Bank) and Bank PHB (Keystone Bank) on 5/82011. This approach ensured

non-disruption of banking operations. It also gave all depositors uninhibited access to their accounts. Implicitly, it bailed-out uninsured depositors, whilst creditors were wiped out. However, in comparison with SVB’s case, for varying (tenable and untenable) reasons, it took relatively longer periods for the Nigerian bridge banks to be sold to investors i.e. Polaris (20/10/2022), Keystone (22/3/2017), Mainstreet (4/10/2014), Enterprise (15/10/2014).

The Role of Deposit Insurance

SVB’s case has rekindled the debate on the suitability of deposit insurance coverage limits. Deposit insurance aims to promote public confidence and stability in a banking system by protecting depositors against loss of deposits where a bank fails. Although inability to meet payment demands may be due to a run, preventing bank runs is arguably not a proper objective of deposit insurance. In reality, such “objective” may only be achieved by unlimited coverage i.e. full insurance of all deposits. Such unlimited coverage would disincentivise depositors with the largest deposits (who are more prone to runs) from participating in bank runs. A significant drawback of unlimited coverage is the attendant moral hazard. It would induce banks to engage in excessive risk-taking, whilst removing depositor discipline. Unlimited coverage would also require a humongous deposit insurance fund. As at October 2022, Nigerian banks held an estimated N43.05 trillion in deposits. The cost of such huge insurance fund would be borne by banks, which would ultimately pass them on to customers.

The maximum deposit insurance limits in Nigeria is N500,000 per depositor per commercial/merchant/ non-interest/primary mortgage bank and N200,000 per depositor per microfinance bank. In defence of these coverage limits, sometime in 2021 NDIC claimed that 97.6% of account holders in commercial/merchant/non-interest/primary mortgage banks in Nigeria were fully insured. It stated that this accorded with the principle on coverage by International Association of Deposit Insurers (IADI). The IADI principle requires the coverage level to fully protect a large majority of depositors while leaving a substantial proportion of the value of deposits unprotected to exert market discipline. However, the IADI principle also requires the coverage level to be reviewed at least every five years, to ensure it meets public policy objectives of the deposit insurance system. Instructively, the N500,000 coverage limit for deposits in deposit money banks was fixed in 2010 – about 13 years ago. An emerging trend or practice is for coverage limits to be overridden by a temporary regime of unlimited coverage where a systemically important bank is facing significant problems or in times of financial crises. Bridge banks have this effect. This promotes public confidence and stability in the banking system, objectives which outweigh the risk of moral hazard.

“There has never been a bank run in Nigeria. This does not imply that Nigerian banks are immune to runs. Instructively, one of the tools which the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has put in place to pre-empt runs, is the cash reserve ratio”

‘My Appointment as CSAT President, Announces Nigeria’s Legal Profession Worldwide’

The nation came into international legal recognition, when for the first time in the history of the Commonwealth Secretariat Arbitral Tribunal (CSAT), a Nigerian, the first Black person and first African was appointed as the President of CSAT. His Excellency, Judge (Professor) Epiphany Azinge, OON, SAN was first appointed into the Tribunal in 2015. His recent elevation and assumption of office as President of the Tribunal, has raised Nigeria’s profile in the international legal community. In a chat with Onikepo Braithwaite and Jude Igbanoi last week, the former Director General of the Nigerian Institute of Advanced Legal Studies (NIALS), gave a deep insight into how the Tribunal works, its composition and the benefits Nigeria stands to gain by his appointment. He further condemned the vexatious ease by which Nigerian Lawyers challenge arbitral awards in court

Introduction

Learned Silk, or should we say Judge Prof, Congratulations on your recent appointment as the First African and First Black

person ever to be appointed as the President of the Commonwealth Secretariat Arbitral Tribunal London. Indeed, this is a laudable milestone for Nigeria. Tell

“My appointment as President of the Tribunal is undoubtedly, a remarkable milestone for Nigeria. In the history of the Commonwealth Tribunal, I am the first African and First Black Person to be appointed President of the Tribunal”

us a bit about your Tribunal. What type of cases do you hear? What does your new role entail?

As you are aware, I have been appointed a Judge of the Commonwealth Secretariat Arbitral Tribunal (CSAT) since 2015, and members of the Tribunal are fittingly addressed as Judge. So, it is not out of place to refer to me as Judge of the Commonwealth Secretariat Arbitral Tribunal. But, that is beside the point. The title is not as important or significant as the job we do as Judges of

the Tribunal. As an international Administrative Tribunal, the jurisdiction of the Tribunal is defined by statute adopted by Commonwealth Governments on the 1st of July, 1995.

My appointment as President of the Tribunal is undoubtedly, a remarkable milestone for Nigeria. In the history of the Commonwealth Tribunal, I am the first African and First Black Person to be appointed President of the Tribunal. This elevates me to equal pedestal as Justices of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) with diplomatic immunity and overriding pre-

President, Commonwealth Secretariat Arbitral Tribunal, His Excellency, Judge (Professor) Epiphany Azinge, OON, SAN

eminence amongst the Judges of the Commonwealth Tribunal. This underscores the title of His Excellency attached to my office.

The Commonwealth Secretariat Arbitral Tribunal, is not at par with other Commercial Arbitration panels.

The CSAT is established by the 56 Commonwealth Nations to hear and determine any application brought by:

(a) A member of staff of the Commonwealth Secretariat itself.

(b) The Commonwealth Secretariat itself.

(c) Any other person who enters a contract with the Commonwealth Secretariat, and there is allegation of non-observance of a contract.

The CSAT is also competent to hear and determine applications involving an international or intergovernmental Commonwealth body or organisation, which meets the requirements as set out in the statute of CSAT. Cases could originate from London, Geneva or New York - centres, where Commonwealth Offices are located in the world.

The role of the President of CSAT is enormous and encompassing. Mark you, the Tribunal consists of eight members, including the President, and all are nationals of the Commonwealth member States.

As President, it is my responsibility to constitute the Panels of three for every case, and I must preside over the case and write the Judgement also. If there are applications for review by either of the parties, it is also the duty of the President to set up a review panel of five and the President shall determine the most senior member of the panel of five preside over the review case.

Both the statute and rule of the CSAT place a lot of administrative and judicial burden on the President of CSAT, and to this extent, the President is the live wire of the Tribunal. This requires demonstrating leadership, and being the moral compass for the activities of the tribunal.

Your appointment will certainly be an advertisement to the world, that Nigerians are not only serious about

Arbitration and ADR, but that we have world class Arbitrators here. How did you get to this point, especially seeing as Arbitration practice is yet to be fully entrenched in Nigeria? Kindly, share with us, your journey to becoming the President of the Commonwealth Secretariat Tribunal London

To a large extent, my appointment announces Nigeria’s legal profession to the world. But, there are so many before me like the Elias’s Ajibola’s, Onyeama’s etc. These were strong representatives of Nigeria, at the International Court of Justice (ICJ). We

have a host of Nigerians, who have excelled as world class Arbitrators. But, the CSAT is not another form of Arbitral Panel. As representatives of various countries and given the limited number of Judges at any point in time, the quality of Judges is expectedly very high. Judges of CSAT are of high moral character and must have held, hold or be qualified to hold high judicial office in a Commonwealth country or be juriconsults of recognised competence with experience as such for a period of not less than 10 years. The President and other members of the Tribunal shall be selected by Commonwealth Governments on a regionally representative basis, with an appropriate gender balance.

Yes, Judges of the Tribunals can be knowledgeable in Arbitration and ADR, but, they must also be qualified to be Judges of the CSAT.

My Appointment is purely at the pleasure of the Government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. I was nominated and had to scale the regional hurdle, and this means getting the whole of Africa to endorse my candidature. Africa had to sell my nomination to

the rest of the Commonwealth Governments, before I could be appointed. This was first in 2015, and I was reappointed again in 2019 going through the same process. My appointment to the Presidency is on the recommendation of my colleagues to the Board of Governors, and ratification of Heads of State and Governments of the Commonwealth of Nations.

Of what advantage would you say your headship of this august institution will be to Nigeria and Nigerian Arbitrators?

My Presidency is of the Commonwealth Tribunal and the advantage is for the whole of the Commonwealth, and not for Africa alone (my Region) or for Nigeria (my country). Indeed, the code of conduct for judicial officers of the CSAT enjoins us to be loyal to the Commonwealth, and not to our respective member countries.

But, certainly, the knowledge I have gained in the past eight years, both as an international public servant and a Judge of the international Administrative Tribunal, is one that I will continue to share with students and my mentees. I look forward

“The CSAT is also competent to hear and determine applications involving an international or intergovernmental Commonwealth body or organisation, which meets the requirements as set out in the statute of CSAT”

‘My Appointment as CSAT President, Announces Nigeria’s Legal Profession Worldwide’

President, Commonwealth Secretariat Arbitral Tribunal, His Excellency, Judge (Professor) Epiphany Azinge, OON, SAN

‘My Appointment as CSAT President, Announces Nigeria’s Legal Profession Worldwide’

cont'd from page IX

to documenting my thoughts in my memoirs also.

One major complaint of Nigerian Arbitrators is that most multinational companies operating in Nigeria appear to prefer and choose a seat of arbitration outside Nigeria, even for disputes that arise from transactions involving Nigeria and Nigerian companies. Why is this so? How can Nigeria be made more attractive as a seat of Arbitration and developed into an Arbitration hub?

I am fully aware of the complaint of multinational companies operating in Nigeria, and their preference for a seat of Arbitration outside Nigeria. As someone who has been involved in Arbitration cases and has watched in dismay cases starting from High Court after Awards have been handed down and go through the judicial ladder to the Supreme Court, it does not project us well before the international community. This is condemnable and abuse of process. The legal profession (indeed, the Arbitration community), must do some cleansing. There must be some standards and indeed, sanctions. I am not aware of any disciplinary measure by Institute of Arbitration against members for trying to circumvent awards, by invoking all subterfuges to avoid honouring awards. Judges and our courts should also have a role, in this regard. Should challenges of an award for any reason be automatic? Should there not be high obstacle to be cleared, before the matter can be entertained by the courts?

Nigeria can never be an attractive hub for Arbitration, unless there is sufficient evidence to show that Nigeria’s courts can rule against the Government agencies and MDA’s. The independence of the judiciary in this regard is seriously questioned, and this is a clear minus for Nigeria as an attractive seat for Arbitration.

Nigeria’s Arbitration law has been undergoing a process of review for more than half a decade now. It has gone to the National Assembly and back. What could be responsible for the seemingly unending delay?

The good news is that Nigeria’s Arbitration Law is undergoing statutory reforms. Laws must be dynamic, to be effective. To shift the frontiers of law, is to be able to catch up with the dynamics in society. Statutory amendments, are usually difficult and challenging procedures.

Given the litany of statutes waiting for amendment at the National Assembly, it is to be expected that there will be delays in legislative amendments. What is fundamental however, is that we should not lose focus and continue pressing for the review.

If Arbitration is governed and regulated by one codified law, UNCITRAL, why do we have so many arbitration bodies and institutions, which mostly don’t seem to have cohesion, especially in Nigeria? How can this issue be addressed?

Choice of forum, is one fundamental right available to parties in Arbitral Disputes.

This is regardless of principles, laws applicable in various jurisdictions. The plethora of bodies and institutions are basically regulatory in nature, and do not in any way diminish the administrative cohesion expected.

In Nigeria, the regulatory bodies have performed excellently well in ensuring perfect grooming of members, and upholding high ethical standards among members.

Is there a way that we can formally entrench Arbitration into our justice system, in order to reduce the dockets of the courts?

Our justice system has for a long time incorporated and internalised Arbitration, through the Multi-door court system. In specialised matters like matrimonial causes etc, avenues for dispute settlement are formally entrenched. Whether these are enough for reduction of the dockets of the court, is a totally different proposition. What is critical, however, is Lawyers educating their clients of the relevance and significance of adopting options other than litigation, which certainly have advantages over and above litigation.

Some have suggested that ADR be introduced into the LLB curriculum in Nigerian Universities. Do you support this call? Would you say the curriculum in the Nigerian Law Faculties are up-to-date and adequate in today’s world?

There is nothing wrong with widening the course content of the LLB Curriculum, to accommodate ADR in Nigerian Universities. The norm however, is to incorporate ADR contents into various courses at various level of Legal Studies in the Law Faculty. Be it Nigerian Legal System, Law of Contract, Torts, Constitutional Law, Family Law, Commercial/Business Law, Administrative Law, and Criminal Law. ADR can be introduced into these various subjects at the LLB Level. It can then be made a full course for the master’s degree program.

How do you think the outgoing Buhari administration has fared vis-à-vis its main campaign promises - fighting corruption and insecurity, and revamping the economy? What issues would you prioritise for the incoming administration?

I am afraid, I am unable to comment on issues of politics, both locally and internationally. The Code of Conduct for Judicial officers of the CSAT does not encourage us to engage in such issues, and I am therefore, unable to speak competently and authoritatively on matters of domestic politics in Nigeria. All the same, I wish the outgoing administration the best of luck. I feel highly honoured that it was in the lifespan of the administration that I was first appointed, reappointed, and became President of the CSAT.

Thank you Judge.

“Nigeria can never be an attractive hub for Arbitration, unless there is sufficient evidence to show that Nigeria’s courts can rule against the Government agencies and MDA’s. The independence of the judiciary in this regard is seriously questioned, and this is a clear minus for Nigeria as an attractive seat for Arbitration”

President, Commonwealth Secretariat Arbitral Tribunal, His Excellency, Judge (Professor) Epiphany Azinge, OON, SAN

Federal Government Plans to Introduce New Strategy to Attract, Retain FDIs

Gilbert Ekugbe

The Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment (FMITI), has announced plans to introduce a new Federal State Investment Strategy (FSIPS) in a bid to attract and retain both foreign and local investments in the country.

The move is coming at a time when Nigeria has lost its place as the first point of call for Foreign Direct Investments (FDIs) in Africa.

Speaking at the FSIPS retreat for Federal and State officials in Lagos, the Head, Department of Investment Promotion, Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment, Mrs. Gertrude Orji, said although, Nigeria is making serious efforts in attracting FDIs into the country, but bemoaned that not much has been achieved compared to other smaller African countries on the continent.

Represented by the Deputy Director of investment Promotion Department in the Ministry, Mr Ishaya Abednego, she said one

of the reasons for the decline in FDIs into the country is due to the fact that investment promotion in Nigeria has been done in an uncoordinated manner, adding that most investment profiles prepared by States government and the private sector, lack important information needed by investors to take investment decisions.

She expressed deep commitment of the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment towards Investment Promotion, stressing that the ministry has always worked with stakeholders and is seeking to expand Its stakeholder engagement by working with the African Enterprise and Entrepreneurship Institute to build large collaborative communities for effective investment promotion across Nigeria.

She also expressed the profound pleasure of the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment with the quality of the work that has been done by the Nicky Okoye

Foundation, especially in funding all the efforts for development of the FSIPS which she said has reached a level ready for unveiling to stakeholders

Orji equally expressed satisfaction that the current FSIPS workshop organised with the support of the African Enterprise and Entrepreneurship Institute Lagos, with technical support from the African Enterprise Institute Washington DC.

Also speaking, the president, African Enterprise and Entrepreneurship Institute, Mr. Nick Okoye, said it is worrisome that only four States attracted FDIs in 2022. He said the private sector is extremely import a in the new strategy, saying that the first step was to get the public sector to understand the role of the private sector. He lamented that despite having institutions saddled with the responsibility to attract investments, Nigeria has not succeeded in attracting investments.

Adeosun: Why CIS Signed MOU With Lagos Business School

In a new wave of human capital development, Chartered Institute of Stockbrokers ( CIS) through its training arm, CIS Academy, has executed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Lagos Business School (LBS) for sustainable capacity building and development training.

The first series which was held at LBS,, recently focused on a range of issues about “ Board, Leadership, Regulation, and Compliance Issues in the Securities and Investment in Nigeria”, attracted seasoned capital market regulators and operators, captains of industries, Board Members and Senior Management Staff of Pension Industry.

Providing an insight into the relationship between the two institutions, the President, CIS, Mr. Oluwole Adeosun, explained that both institutions were not only established about the same time but shared some common mandates to train future leaders. CIS, being a certification institute also is involved in top-notch training programmes.

“We were both established at about the same time: LBS in 1991 and CIS charters in 1992. We both share a common mandate to train and produce professional leaders for the Nigerian economy, and we have both acquitted ourselves remarkably well in this regard, setting the pace and standards

in our various jurisdictions. The partnership is expected to provide a good platform for industry professionals and executives to catch up with the rapidly changing business landscape and innovations in the contemporary business environment, “Adeosun said.

Explaining further, he said the programme was of immense significance to the economic development of Nigeria as one giant step in upgrading professional competence.

According to him, this will lead to improved service delivery and product development in the capital market which is the engine of sustainable development.

Alpha Morgan Capital Recognised by Financial Times Two

Years in Row

Once again, Alpha Morgan Capital has established itself in the African investment banking sector as a force to reckon with the recent recognition by the Financial Times & Statista as one of the fastest growing companies two years in a row for 2022 & 2023 respectively.

The brand was ranked 4th in the financial services sector in the continent, 4th

in Nigeria and 17th in the African investment banking sector.

The latest ranking shows a significant growth in comparison to last year’s result in which the company was ranked 7th in Nigeria and 22nd in Africa. This feat firmly establishes Alpha Morgan Capital as a trusted player in the industry with seasoned banking profession-

als with over 52 years of combined experience.

Alpha Morgan Capital is registered with the Corporate Affairs Commission of Nigeria (RC1049863). Established in 2012 as a Fund Management and Investment Banking outfit, the brand is also registered as a Specialist Dealing Member in FMDQ OTC Securities Exchange.

Parallex Bank Named Most Innovative, Regional Bank of the Year

Parallex Bank Limited has been recognized as the Most Innovative Bank of the Year 2022 by Champion Newspapers and Regional Bank of the Year 2022 by National Daily Newspaper.

The awards were presented on May 12th, 2022, at Eko Hotel and Suites and Oriental Hotel, Victoria Island, Lagos respectively.

While the National Daily Awards had top dignitaries such as former President Olusegun Obasanjo, Prince Julius AdelusiAdeluyi, the Inspector General of Police, State Governors, and their representatives, the Champion Awards was chaired by Otunba Olusegun Runsewe and had top dignitaries such as former Governor of Cross Rivers, Mr. Donald Duke, Chairman and Chief Executive of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency,

Brig.Gen. Mohammed Buba Marwa (Rtd), and many others in attendance.

The Group Managing Director and Editor in Chief of Champion Newspaper, Dr. Nwadiuto Iheakanwa, stated that the annual meritorious award is given to leaders, companies, and institutions that have made remarkable contributions to expanding Nigeria’s business frontiers and growing the economy.

Parallex Bank was acknowledged for offering customers limitless banking experience and introducing cutting-edge products and services while maintaining a customer-centric approach for both retail and corporate clientele. The bank’s digital technology and automation policies were also commended.

Similarly, the Chief Executive

Officer and Editor in Chief of National Daily Newspaper, Mr. Sylvester Ebhodaghe, highlighted that Parallex Bank’s successful transition from a microfinance bank to a full-fledged regional bank in Nigeria, along with its platform that is adaptable with competitive and attractive commissions for agents working on technology and terminals, enabled the company to roll out various unique services in the market.

The Managing Director of Parallex Bank, Dr. Olufemi Bakre expressed his delight in receiving the awards. He acknowledged that the awards are atestament to the bank’s commitment to connecting with Nigerians and delivering top value. Bakre emphasized that Parallex Bank will continue to provide Nigerians with a limitless banking experience.

Regional

S/West 1, Access Pensions; Mrs. Esther Yaria, ADN; Head, Business Development Division, S/West, Mr. Peter Oliti; Deputy Director, Library, UCH, Mr. Olanrewaju Olokede; retired ADN, Mrs. Abimbola Adenuga and Unit Head, Service Centre, West, Mr. Olaloye Esanju, at the Customers Forum, held by Access Pensions, at the School of Nursing, UCH, Ibadan...recently

Money

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).

L-R: Assistant Director of Nursing (ADN), UCH, Ibadan, Mrs. Victoria Uzuegbu; the

Manager,

Neimeth Shareholders Optimistic as Revenue Increases By 20%

Kayode Tokede

Shareholders of Neimeth International Pharmaceuticals Plc have expressed confidence in the ability of the company to grow their investments despite Nigeria’s challenging business operating environment.

The shareholders expressed this optimism at the 64th Annual General Meeting (AGM) of Neimeth held recently in Lagos. Addressing shareholders at the meeting, the

Chairman of the company, Dr. Ambrosie Orjiako announced a 20 per cent growth in the turnover of Neimeth for the 2022 business year.

He said Neimeth sustained her growth trajectory with a boost to sales revenue for the 2022 business year. The company grew its turnover to N3.649 billion compared to N3.046 billion in the prior year of 2021. Acting Managing Director/ CEO of Neimeth International Pharmaceuticals, Mr. Gerald Oputa assured shareholders that the proj-

ects will increase the profitability of the company by increasing the cost absorption capacity of plant operations.

“When we are able to manufacture more, unit cost of production will come down and that will lead to higher profits”, he said.

The Chairman used the opportunity to announce the retirement of Mr. Matthew Azoji as Managing Director/CEO

However, the high cost of doing business in the year, especially

with regard to foreign exchange for the procurement of input materials and other inflationary pressures adversely affected profitability.

The company made a gross profit of N1.33 billion in 2022. But the inflationary effects of the operating environment impacted marketing and distribution costs which went up 30 percent to N755 million compared to N579 million in 2021 while administrative expenses grew by 52 percent

from N513.9 million to N783 million.

Finance cost increased from N188.2 million to N375 million in 2022. Saddled with these costs, the company wrote a loss after tax of N406 million for the 2022 business year.

During the business year, Neimeth commenced the repayment of two facilities from the Bank of Industry (BOI) and the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) which were received in 2020

to fund capital projects still in progress and yet to contribute to income. Neimeth is undertaking a comprehensive factory upgrade of its Lagos manufacturing plant which is expected to increase its production capacity by 300per cent within the next few years, while a World Class pharmaceutical manufacturing facility targeted to meet World Health Organisation (WHO) standards is being constructed at Amawbia, Anambra State.

PRICES FOR SECURITIES TRADED ASOF MAY/22/23

& ENVIRONMENT

ACRC Develops Multi-sectoral Solutions for Safer, More Resilient Lagos

Bennett Oghifo

The African Cities Research Consortium (ACRC) have evolved research-based multisectoral solutions to resolve the multi-dimensional challenges experienced by the residents of Lagos to make the state safer and more resilient.

These research solutions were presented to stakeholders at a workshop by ACRC, organised in Lagos by Centre for Housing and Sustainable Development, University of Lagos and funded by Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO).

The orgnisers said Lagos was selected as one of the case study cities for the African Cities Research Consortium (ACRC) Project which is funded by the FCDO.

ACRC is a multi-city project which presents an opportunity for researchers and practitioners to work together to achieve a shared understanding of the political economy of African cities in order to identify and address the critical challenges the cities are facing.

According to Prof Taibat Lawanson, City Lead, ACRC Lagos, ACRC is a city-based

research looking at the different problems and challenges of urban life and thinking about the political impact and influences that are determining those problems.

She said beyond that is to think about solutions that work for everybody, across communities, business sectors, government and civil society.

“What we have been doing over the last nine months is doing the research, finding the problems, thinking through the solutions,” stating that the findings were being presented to critical stakeholders in the four domains where they are working, including housing, safety and security, structural transformation and neighbourhood and district economic development.

“We are having the stakeholders think about the interventions that we have come up with and looking at the feasibility and viability and how it can be implemented to make Lagos a better experience for the citizens.

“Our aim is to generate insights and evidence that will help improve the living conditions, services and life

chances of all city residents, particularly for disadvantaged communities. In Lagos, the domains of interest are Structural Transformation, Safety and Security, Neighbourhood and Economic District Development and Housing.

“City systems being interrogated are transportation, healthcare, education, waste management, energy, water and sanitation as well as food distribution, Finance, ICT And Law and order.

“This workshop is an opportunity for an interaction between ACRC Lagos and the key strategic stakeholders relevant to the four domains of interest from relevant government officials, business community, civil society actors, as well as members of local communities. Through this interaction, we hope to finetune our intersectoral understanding of Lagos, identify gaps in policy and practice, and collaboratively advance pragmatic approaches to bridging these gaps.”

According to the Housing Domain Lead, Dr. Basirat Oyalowo, “One single policy cannot solve the housing problem in Lagos, because the

needs are very heterogeneous, so the solutions must also cut across the needs.” She said the solutions must be connected “to ensure that we have policies that respond to people and are also realistic,” stating that their research found there are inadequate new-built, affordable and decent houses for Lagos residents, especially the low income people.

Existing buildings, the research found, are substandard, having been built by individual landlords within their means. According to her, they are encouraging larger actors to move in to provide better housing, “particularly those that are already active in the state like cooperative societies, faith-based organisations and other types of social entrepreneurs who

can target the housing needs of their people and provide housing for them, but they can’t do it alone, they also need the support of government.”

She recommended housing cooperative societies, especially those supporting eco-friendly developments, stating that slum upgrade should not necessarily involve the demolition of informal housing.

Ariston Group Places Energy Efficiency as Sustainable Growth Strategy

Fadekemi Ajakaiye

Ariston group has placed energy efficiency at the heart of its sustainable growth strategy, the new the new management of Central Africa, Mr. Solomon Umoh has said.

According to him, renewable and high efficiency products and solutions can make a high contribution to reaching the environmental goals in the building sector, reducing cost of energy consumption without compromising comfort.

“So basically Ariston invests a lot into research and devel-

opment and comes up with high efficiency products which not only provide quality and reduce cost in terms of cost of energy, improves efficiency and at the same time protects the environment.”

Speaking at a press conference, he said “We all understand how the topic of global warming is important. In most developed continents, most especially Europe and the Americas, if your products are not ranked or classified amongst the top ranks in the energy efficient range, whatever solution you’re providing is a waste.

“The world crisis due to COVID-19 emphasised the importance of hot water, in the sense of both safety and security, before now most people didn’t pay attention to hygiene but because of the pandemic that visited the world in 2020, a lot of people paid attention to hot water, paid attention to hygiene, which hot water sits ultimately, compared to any other source of hygiene. Ariston group is also deeply committed to delivering comfort to everyone no matter where you are in the world, that is Ariston’s mission in

all the communities where it operates.

“Since 2010, the group has embarked on a major growth journey, finding success in both mature and emerging markets by expanding its international presence, relentlessly investing in research and development.

“Let me emphasize that a little bit, part of the group’s mission is basically to deliver sustainable comfort, no matter where you are in the world. So investment has been put into place to diversify the technologies embedded within the group to also learn more,

to adapt into our lifestyle, in order not to present our solutions as products but as part of our lives.

“So let me just give an example to this, in terms of connectivity for most markets now, it’s a virtual or remote interface with the product, without having to basically walk up to touch the product, a lot of innovations are being put in and this is through careful investment in research and development, with consumers in mind, no matter where you are to have access to sustainable comfort.

“With a history of over 93

years of Ariston, the company has established itself as a one of a kind global player, with a unique proposition of renewable and high efficiency hot water solutions. What we are trying to talk about is providing solutions in alternative forms of energy, green energy, things like solar, or heating items, which basically do not depend on fossil fuel or natural gas. We have solutions, we depend 100% on solar energy and we also have solutions, which work on the back of a reverse refrigeration cycle, without requiring much electricity to basically deliver comfort.”

Magnificent Multiservices Successfully Redeems N5bn Commercial Paper Programme, Says Agenmonmen

Fadekemi Ajakaiye

The Magnificent Multiservices

Limited has announced the successful maturity and redemption of its debut Series 1 Commercial Paper Issuance under its N20 Billion CP Programme.

According to a statement by the General Managing Director, Uwadiale Agenmonmen, “The Magnificent Multiservices Limited is an innovative real

estate company dedicated to developing long-lasting sustainable homes that are effective, aesthetically pleasing, and valuable in today’s world.

The statement said, “The180 days Series 1 (N5 Billion) was issued on the FMDQ Securities Exchange Limited (FMDQ) in the third quarter of the year, matured on March 19, 2023, and was redeemed in March 2023.

“Datapro Limited has issued

The Magnificent Multiservices Limited a short-term rating of (A1) and a long-term rating of A- (stable outlook), indicating the company’s adequate capacity for timely payment of financial obligations, good profitability, strong liquidity, and good capitalisation.”

The statement said uring a press conference held at the company’s headquarters in Lagos, “the company’s founder

and General Managing Director, Uwadiale Agenmonmen, stated that the Series 1 repayment of the commercial paper demonstrates the company’s credibility to meet its financial obligations as a reputable and leading real estate company in Nigeria.”

He thanked the company’s financial partners, Pathway Advisors Limited, Keystone Bank Limited, Qualinvest Capital Limited and all institutional

investors associated with the brand, in an appreciation speech, for their commitment and faith in the company.

Uwadiale also stated that the commercial paper programme, which was signed in September 2022, aided the development of top-quality real estate projects for clients both at home and abroad.

According to Hamid OlaAlabanla, the Project Manager

at The Magnificent, during the press conference, the redemption of the N5 billion commercial paper to investors will better position The Magnificent Multiservices Limited and foster more investor’s trust in the company. This is in line with the company’s mission to provide an innovative and dependable real estate investment platform where investors are comfortable enough to transact business.

Rehoovoot Nigeria Commits to Transforming Nigeria’s Real Estate Industry

Fadekemi Ajakaiye

The Unleashed 4 Takeover Conference has rounded off its 2nd edition with key stakeholders providing insights into sustainable strategies to ensure the growth and development of the real estate industry in Nigeria. The conference brought together over 1,500 participants and 20 speakers allowing real estate industry

players to not only connect but also inspire other career professionals and entrepreneurs across the industry.

The exhibition which happened on the 1st to 3rd of May 2023 attracted local and international investors, exhibitors and renowned speakers including Adetoke Benson-Awoyinka; CEO of Gemstone Group, Fela Durotoye; CEO of Rocky Realty

Limited, Dr. Ibukun Adebayo; hosts of the conference, Founder and Group Managing Director of NedcomOaks Group, Dr. Kennedy Okonkwo; and Deputy Managing Director Nedcomoaks and CEO of Victoria Crest Homes, Ichechi Okonkwo and Samuel Akinbinu, Managing Partner, Rehoovoot Nigeria Limited; amongst others.

This year’s edition featured

world-class thought leaders who inspired, directed, and provided attendees with essential information and direction spotlighting how to make a difference in the real estate industry. Akinbinu Samuel Managing Partner, Rehoovoot Nigeria Limited shared while addressing the theme of the event- Re-shaping Real Estate in Africa, “Nigeria, the most popular country in

Africa, continues to deal with the challenges and opportunities that come with a rapidly growing population. One key industry that has been impacted by this demographic shift is real estate. This is why we must investigate the positive and negative effects of population growth on Nigeria’s real estate market, shedding light on the complexities that arise as stakeholders in this sector strive

to strike a delicate balance. An increase in demand and property value is one of the benefits of population growth. A rise in property values results from the increasing demand for homes that comes along with population growth. Because of the growing demand for real estate, especially in urban areas, homebuyers, and real estate investors can earn sizable returns on their investments.”

L-R: Structural Transformation Domain Lead, African Cities Research Consortium (ACRC), Prof. Abiodun Folawewo; Neighbourhood and District Economic Development Domain Lead, Dr. Olasunmbo Olusanya; Housing Domain Lead, Dr. Basirat Oyalowo; and Safety/Security Domain Lead, Dr. Adewumi Badiora during the ACRC workshop in Lagos… recently

RATES AS AT MAY 22,2023

Petrol Prices Jump by 47%, Diesel 28.6% in One Year

Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja

The price of petrol, arguably Nigeria’s most consumed fuel, increased by a whopping 47.18 per cent on a year-on-year basis between April 2022 and April 2023, new data from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), has shown.

But when reviewed monthon-month, the figures from the NBS indicated that there was a slight reduction between March and April this year, to the tune of 3.87 per cent.

However, the jump in price of

petrol is despite Nigeria’s spending on its very controversial fuel subsidy regime, which has gulped up to N21.7 trillion in the last 18 and a half years, according to a recent THISDAY computation of data from the Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI) and industry figures between 2022 and H1 of 2023.

In all, between 2005 and 2021, N13.7 trillion was spent on subsidising petrol for Nigerians, while in 2022 and the first half of 2023 N8 trillion would have been expended NEITI said that expenditure on petroleum products by the

five income groups in Nigeria showed that the richest 20 per cent consumes 75 per cent of petrol in Nigeria while the poorest 20 per cent consumes just 1 per cent of the product.

Nigeria currently imports over 90 per cent of all its liquid products due to its dilapidated local refineries, which the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) says are being rehabilitated.

Although the international price of crude oil remains the highest cost centre in the production of petrol, experts believe that shipping costs, ports charges, among others

could be eliminated if the product is refined locally.

For context, the official price of petrol has more than doubled under the Muhammadu Buhari administration. While the pump price was N87 at the time the current president was taking over, the product now sells for between N185 and N235 in different parts of the country. But the NBS data under consideration further indicated that Taraba state had the highest petrol price for the month of April this year, while Sokoto spent the least on a litre of fuel.

“The average retail price paid by consumers for Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) or petrol in April 2023 was N254.06, indicating an increase of 47.18 per cent relative to the value recorded in April 2022 of N172.61.

“ Likewise, comparing the average price value with the previous month, that is, March 2023, the average retail price decreased by 3.87 per cent from N264.29.

“On state profile analysis, Taraba state had the highest average retail price for petrol with N320.00, followed by Imo with N310.55 and Jigawa with N305.00,” the NBS

report stated. On the other hand, it explained that Sokoto recorded the lowest average retail price for premium motor spirit with N195.00, followed by Benue with N198.13 and Kogi with N206.11.

“In addition, analysis by zone showed that the South-east recorded the highest average retail price in April 2023 with N291.15, while the North-central had the lowest with N208.88,” the data revealed.

AfDB Earmarks $28m for Fertilizer Financing to Small Holder Farmers in 2023

The Board of Directors of the African Development Bank (AfDB) has approved $11.7 million budgetary allocation to the African Fertilizer Financing Mechanism (AFFM) for its 2023 operations.

According to a statement obtained from its website, the approval included $16.4 million extended to the facility to support its 2023 budget and $4.7 million, which was carried over from the previous year.

The move, according to the

multilateral institution, would help to strengthen the fertilizer sector through access to finance, supporting the development of sustainable policy reforms to improve fertilizer production, trade and use, and facilitating access to inputs and technical

assistance for smallholder farmers.

The statement added that AFFM also plans to continue implementing three commercial credit guarantee projects amounting to $8.3 million whose recipient countries are Zimbabwe ($4.3 million), Côte d’Ivoire ($2 million),

and Ghana ($2 million).

Going forward in 2023, it plans to implement trade credit guarantee schemes totaling $9.7 million in Tanzania, Uganda, Mozambique and Kenya, stressing that three more new projects could be launched in Senegal, Zambia and

Ghana if the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) followed through on its $15 million commitment to the AFFM.

Gilbert Ekugbe

FG Reaffirms Commitment to Maritime Devt, Inaugurates NIMASA’s Enforcement Platforms

Gilbert Ekugbe

The federal government has applauded the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) for its efforts at developing the maritime sector of the economy.

The Minister for Transportation, Mu’ Azu jaji Sambo stated this during the commissioning of the NIMASA Search and Rescue Base Clinic (SARBC) in Lagos.

He said NIMASA’s effort is in line with the government’s drive

to diversify the nation’s economy away from oil, maintaining that the sector plays a significant role in revenue generation for the nation.

Sambo said as the supervisory Ministry, it would continue to give its support to NIMASA as she continues down this commendable path to ensuring the growth of maritime in Nigeria.

“We commit ourselves to the supervisory role that would create enabling operational regimes for

the agencies and departments under the ministry,” he said.

According to him, the SARBC will enable the agency to fulfil its obligations to seafarers and the general public by providing top-notch medical care facilities, stressing that the newly acquired communication gadgets will enable the agency’s enforcement and search and rescue operators communicate in real-time without any hindrance or interference while conducting their operations at sea,” he added.

Earlier, the Director General, NIMASA Dr. Bashir Jamoh, said the commissioning would help address the high cost incurred by the agency in providing medical services to its staff while also generating foreign exchange for the nation’s economy as the clinic would be open to seafarers home and abroad.

“We will building infrastructure day in, day out and will do everything within our mandate to develop the nation’s maritime sector. Our ears and doors are

NAPTIN: Nigeria Earning FX from Training of Other Countries in Power Sector

Addeh in Abuja

The Director General of the National Power Training Institute of Nigeria (NAPTIN), Ahmed Nagode, has disclosed that Nigeria now earns foreign exchange from the training of power sector manpower in other climes.

Positing that a stronger human capacity development drive could help grow the power sector in Nigeria and other African countries, Nagode noted that South Africa, Angola, Mozambique, Ghana, Liberia and others have gained from Nigeria’s wealth of experience.

Speaking in Abuja at the first Alumni seminar of the institute tagged: “Unlocking Power Sector Potential,” Nagode also advised the incoming administration to consolidate projects and scout for new investors.

“I must say that the training at NAPTIN is world-class, and we are a centre of excellence in Africa.

“We have trained staff of

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Senior Correspondent

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Correspondents

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Malawi and South Africa. We just concluded training for 100 staff of Mozambique electricity industry. We are training staff in Angola and we are starting another in Liberia in the second week of June.

“We are not only training staff of Nigerian power utilities, but

we are also generating foreign exchange for the country because the training we offer outside of Nigeria is paid for in forex,” he stated. According to him, there are huge opportunities to reshape the power sector into one that is more efficient, sustainable,

and resilient. For Nagode, these opportunities include being able to harness emerging technologies, leverage renewable energy sources, and revolutionise the way the country generates, transmits and consume power.

Aduda: PIA will Reposition Oil, Gas Industry

The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Petroleum Resources, Gabriel Aduda, has stated that the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) passed in 2021 would help reposition the Nigerian oil and gas industry. Aduda made the remark while receiving a delegation from a Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO), the Oloibiri Oil and Gas Entrepreneurship Development Initiative (OLOGEDI), according to a statement by the Director of Information, Mrs. Enefaa

Bob-Manuel.

The PIA, according to the permanent secretary, though a desirable document, has in the course of the implementation of the provisions of the act, thrown up observed flaws, gaps and inadequacies which are being looked into.

Consequently, the ministry , he said, would coordinate all of the activities with a view to initiating the process of amendments to the concerned sections of the act in order to entrench a better oil and gas industry.

Speaking on the impact of the

PIA to the host communities, Aduda posited that specific provisions in the act had given impetus to the oil producing areas. He noted that the PIA was robust with its engagements with the host communities in the areas of funding through the Host Communities Development Fund (HCDF), and in ensuring the participation and inclusion of the locals.

The permanent secretary reiterated that the ministry has the mandate of policy formulation, supervision, and monitoring and evaluation of the oil and gas industry in Nigeria.

FG Scores NEMSA High After Routine Assessment

The federal government through the office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) has marked the Nigerian Electricity Management Services Agency (NEMSA) 87 per cent in a performance assessment by the Bureau of Public Service Reforms (BPSR), an assessor under the government scribe.

Chairman, Governing Board of NEMSA, Suleiman Yahaya, said this during the presentation of the Nelson Mandela Pan African Leadership Prize for Integrity and Transparency award to him.

Speaking shortly after receiving the award, Yahaya, dedicated the award to NEMSA noting that if the agency was not doing well,

he would not be honoured by the watchers.

“Particularly, this award is for the NEMSA. If we were not doing well, I don’t think they will come here. I remember about three months ago, from the office of the SGF, there was an appraisal for every public agency and organisation and we were one of the best agencies as we scored 87 per cent. In scoring 87 per cent out of 100 per cent, I think we have every right to collect this award today,” he stated.

The President, Save Africa Youth Development initiative (SAYDI), Dominic Laluta, in his remarks, said the agency was positioning African youths for the 2060 energy transition target to transform Africa.

“Our terms of conditions that led to this award today

includes that you are a team player who carries everyone along in your decision making, positive idea in transforming NEMSA. You are public servant with zero tolerance for corruption or nepotism,” he said .

The Managing Director of NEMSA, Engr. Tukur Aliyu, represented by the Executive Director, Technical Services, Usman Shuaibu, said it was an epoch-making event as the board chairman has strived to take NEMSA to a greater height.

The Chairman, Committee on awards and privileges, SAYDI, Austin Kwasi, said it covers 53 African countries with 48 countries actively participating to volunteer in building Africa, sensitising youths to shun drugs.

open to maritime stakeholders. We will do the best to produce the platform for the benefit of Nigerians,” he said.

He, however, restated its determination as an agency and as a nation in its entirety, to be persistent and relentless in the fight against maritime crime and insecurity while also striving at making the nation’s waterways and general maritime ecosystem safe.

“We have from the very beginning of our

administration reckoned that attaining a Blue Economy is pivotal to the growth and development of the nation. It was equally important that while we had our vision set on achieving something great, we simultaneously took cognizance of the damaging impact that piracy, kidnapping of seafarers, smuggling, illegal oil bunkering, robbery at sea and illegal, unregulated and unreported fishing has had on our maritime profile,” he said.

Report: Africa’s Refining Industry on Path to Recovery in 2023

Addeh

The reopening of some refineries in Africa and the gradual commissioning of new facilities will mark the recovery of the continent’s downstream industry in 2023, according to Hawilti’s African Refineries report.

While sub-Saharan Africa’s refining capacity is still underutilised at some 40 per cent, Hawilti noted that recovery is on the horizon with the re-opening of South Africa’s Astron Energy Refinery (100,000 barrels per day and Ghana’s Tema Oil Refinery (45,000 bpd).

“Once both facilities are back in operations, the sub-continent will be able to utilise about half of its installed refining capacity,” it explained.

However, the report stated that a much larger change is currently happening in Nigeria, with the commissioning of the 650,000 bpd Dangote Refinery. The facility was inaugurated on May 22nd just before President Muhammadu Buhari leaves office

and has cemented Nigeria’s position as Africa’s leading refiner.

However, Hawilti expressed cautious optimism on the commissioning of the Dangote Refinery, pointing to the complex and lengthy process required to reach full production.

In its most recent report on Nigeria, Hawilti quoted the International Monetary Fund (IMF) stressing that it does not expect the refinery to reach full capacity right away, assuming a production of only 100,000 bpd in 2024 and 200,000 bpd in 2025.

Meanwhile, Nigerian modular refineries, it said, have managed to navigate the country’s challenging business environments and found ways to secure new feedstock options to run small-scale facilities.

Both the 1,000 bpd Edo Refinery and the 2,500 bpd Duport Midstream Refinery for instance, the report added, are currently receiving crude oil by trucks from a marginal field in the Niger Delta to support their operations.

Record Orders, Strong Sales Drive Siemens Energy’s Q2 Margins

Siemens Energy, which supplies equipment and services to the power sector, posted forecastbeating second-quarter sales and lifted its revenue outlook, as strong demand pushed the firm’s order book past the 100 billion euro ($110 billion) mark.

Sales in the January-March quarter were up 24 per cent at 8 billion euros, beating the 7.4 billion Refinitiv estimate and spurring the group to now expect revenues to grow 10-12 per cent this year, up from 3-7 per cent previously, Reuters reported.

“Strong orders confirm our

very good positioning in the markets for energy transition technologies, such as power generation and transmission,” Chief Executive Christian Bruch said.

Shares in the company, which makes and maintains gas and wind turbines as well as converter stations, rose to their highest level since January 2022, and were up 3.5 per cent.

At 102 billion euros, the group’s order backlog hit a fresh high at the end of March, boosted by its gas services and grid technologies units as well as its struggling wind turbine division Siemens Gamesa.

Emmanuel

Emmanuel

in Abuja

Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja

Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja

Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja

Breweries, Tobacco Industries on Brink of Disaster

Fiscal Policy

The breweries and tobacco sub-sectors of the Nigerian manufacturing sector are currently faced with dire existential threat. The threat is coming from the 2023 Fiscal Policy Measures (FMP) that was released by the Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Mrs. Zainab Ahmed, via a circular on April 20, 2023. It will take effect from June 1, 2023.

The FMP contained increases on excise duties for beer and other alcoholic beverages as well as tobacco and single use plastics. It increased the excise on beer from N25 to N75 per liter in spite of the agreed excise on these products that was negotiated between the government and manufacturers in 2022 that was approved by no less an official than President Muhammadu Buhari to run till 2024.

These increases on the excise duties charged on beer, according to the President of Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN), Mr. Francis Meshioye, is as high as 200 per cent while taxation on tobacco products is five times higher than those paid by other manufacturers. Meshioye described the new increase “as in increase on an increase” since there is already an approved increase for 2023.

“The rate of increase is exceptionally excessive and not consistent with best practice globally. This is coming against the backdrop of the huge tax burden on the tobacco and beverage sectors, with the tobacco industry being taxed five times more than the average for other industries,” Meshioye said.

He averred that, “this is not the time to impose additional increases in excise on manufacturers who are reeling under the depressive weight of Nigerian hostile and excruciating manufacturing environment due to the effects of scarcity of Naira, limited access to foreign exchange, galloping domestic inflation, and extensively diminished purchasing power of Nigerian consumers.

“These challenges have led to a massive decline of -169 per cent in profits before tax for the brewing sector in Q1 2023. Similarly, industry turnover for non-alcoholic beverages and tobacco declined by -15 per cent while gross profit and profit before tax declined by -31 per cent and -96 per cent within the same period respectively.”

The president of MAN stated categorically that, “the Nigerian manufacturing sector recorded a 36 per cent downturn in profit margins from

2021 to 2022 and over 400 per cent increase in energy costs.

“In addition, the tobacco sector has actively begun to reduce its export production from Nigeria as it has over N39 billion trapped in the Export Expansion Grant incentive not yet released by the federal government to manage its operations.”

He, therefore, appealed to government to “suspend the 2023 FPM on excise duty and retain the 2022 to 2024 excise duty roadmap as approved in the 2022 FPM to foster stability in the affected sectors and their value chain in the interest of the national economy.”

He said that the increases in the 2023 FPM have put every planning into shambles that nobody gets his bearing right again.

“So, it is not the best. It means that the government this time has failed to uphold its agreement. The most honourable thing is to uphold that agreement that it had with us.”

Without mincing words, the Director General of MAN, Mr. Segun Kadir-Ajayi,

stated that, “the manufacturing sector is under siege.” According to him, the manufacturing sector’s contribution to the country’s GDP for more than 20 years has never gone beyond 12 per cent. “Now it is going to an all-time low of 9.0 per cent,” he said, which should be enough signal to any government to recognise the need to specially address the sector’s multifarious militating challenges.”

He also regretted that the federal government is targeting the best performing sub-sector of the country’s manufacturing sector with a virtually punitive excise regime that could led to its extinction.

“One will actually imagine why the sub-sector that is contributing the most is being literally decapitated. And that shows the worry that we all have because it is inconceivable that we are having an increase that threatens to throw these businesses out of joint. This sector is going to suffer because of policy inadequacy to support its growth,” Ajayi-Kadir bemoaned.

He added that the new excise regime, “is going to put this sector in an uncompetitive

Abubakar: Over 89,000 Improved Seed Varieties Available for Planting in 2023 Cropping Season

Gilbert Ekugbe

The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr. Mohammad Abubakar has announced that the Revised National Agricultural Seed Policy (RNASP) 2022 has enabled the availability of 89,512.10 metric tonnes of assorted improved seed varieties for planting by farmers in the 2023 cropping season.

Speaking at the launch in Abuja, Abubakar, said the new policy document is an investment geared toward building a better future for Nigeria’s agriculture sector, explaining that seeds are critical inputs in enhancing farmer’s productivity while also boosting the country’s Gross Domestic Production (GDP).

Abubakar noted that the

RNASP 2022 would help to ensure more access to improved quality seeds, boost food and nutrition security as well as encourage participation of women and youth in the seed value chain.

He noted that the enactment of the National Agricultural Seed Act, No 21 of 2019 and the Plant Variety Protection Act, No 5 of 2021 have empowered new responsibilities and widened the scope of operations of the National Agricultural Seed Council (NASC). The minister revealed that the present seed policy document represented the concerted efforts of NASC and other stakeholders who had made valuable inputs towards ensuring that farmers have unrestricted access to best

genetics to enhance their productivity.

He noted that the council had also introduced additional innovations and technologies, which included Third Party Certification, Seed Tracker, NASC Seed Information Management Platform (NASIMP), NASC Electronic Survey Tool (NEST), e-Library, Molecular Diagnostics System to ease its functions of delivering quality seeds to the Nigeria’s farming populace.

Earlier in his remarks, Chief of Party and Managing Director, USAID Feed – the –Future Nigeria Agribusiness Investment Activity, (NAIA), Mr. Olumide Ojo, who was represented by Ms. Yvonne Isikuemen, stated that the policy was significant to the seed industry as it underscores

the need to strengthen efforts for quality seeds production, address issues of seed fraud and improve healthy seed supply for the benefit of agricultural productivity and food security in Nigeria.

He said that the review process went through initial data gathering and desk review by an international authority on seed policy, with several stakeholder reviews and validations which culminated in the final approval of the policy in March 2023.

He further revealed that the Feed the Future Nigeria Agribusiness Investment Activity is a five-year USAIDfunded programme, which aims to strengthen the enabling environment for agribusiness finance and investment in Nigeria.

position when compared with countries that surrounds us, especially in the advent of ECOWAS Trade Liberalising Scheme (ETLS) and AfCFTA. So, whichever way we look at it, it is a losing game for everyone if we do not reverse this ominous trend.”

The 2023 FPM also run against the principles of taxation that take into consideration of certainty, convenience, ability to pay and equity.

The spokesperson of the tobacco group who is also the Managing Director Nigeria and Cluster Manager West & Central Africa at British American Tobacco, Mr. Yarub Al-Bahrani, noted that the prevailing market realities, especially higher inflationary rate and the cash crunch, have eroded their financial projections, contracted there market share and created inroad for illegitimate products to be entrenched in the market.

Al-Baheani said: “We had massive suppression of sales during the cash crises. The industry is therefore on its knees and what we need is a period of stability so that the industry can recover.

NOTE: The story continues online on www.thisdaylive.com

SIFAX Boss Calls for Improved Investments in Maritime Sector

As Nigeria is transitioning to a non-oil dependent economy, atten tion needs to be shifted towards other critical sectors, especially the maritime industry, so they could contribute substantially to the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP), Chairman, SIFAX Group, Dr. Taiwo Afolabi has said.

Speaking at the 5th edition of the Taiwo Afolabi Annual Maritime (TAAM) Conference held at the University of Lagos (UNILAG), Afolabi said the dwindling oil revenue in recent years and the huge potentials locked in the maritime sector make it imperative for the Federal Government to show better commitment to the industry.

He said: “The country’s national budget, in the last few years, has been majorly

funded without revenue from oil but from other sectors. The days of over reliance on oil is behind us now and it’s time we focused on transitioning from an oil-dependent economy to non-oil reliance. The maritime sector, I can say without any fear of contradiction, will play a crucial role in this economic transitioning if more attention is committed to the industry.”

Despite the growth that the industry has witnessed in the recent years including development and approval of various deep-sea ports, springing up of inland container depots across the country, linking seaports with rail lines,

FG Rallies Female Energy Professionals on Nigeria’s $410bn Energy Transition Plan

Peter Uzoho

The federal government through the Energy Transition Office (ETO) has extended its ongoing meeting with relevant stakeholder groups with female energy professionals and operators under the aegis of Women In Energy.

It was learnt that this is to bring them on-board

the discussions around the implementation of the $410 billion national energy t ransition plan.

This followed the recognition of the underrepresentation of women in the energy sector and acknowledgement of the crucial role women play in catalysing the implementation of Nigeria’s energy transition plan and advancing cleaner

energy technologies and solutions.

At the Women in Energy Dialogue on Energy Transition h eld in Lagos, the ETO brought together female professionals and women groups in the energy sector to explore how their skills, roles, and expertise can accelerate the implementation of the Energy Transition Plan.

The event aimed to foster

collaboration among female professionals and groups across the energy supply chain and to provide a platform for policymakers, industry leaders, and experts to develop actionable solutions in support of the Energy Transition Plan. In her remarks at the session, Principal Specialist, Energy and Climate/Co-Head of the Energy Transition

Office, Ms Lolade Abiola, highlighted the impact of inadequate energy access on women and children.

Abiola emphasised that Nigeria has seen a remarkable rise in the participation of women in the energy sector, taking on roles as solar entrepreneurs, capacity builders, policy makers, engineers, financiers, and communicators. Women

are boldly asserting their presence in this traditionally male dominated field. She also stressed the importance of women’s representation in addressing climate change and the energy transition, highlighting the government’s response to global calls for reducing carbon emissions by 2060 and achieving universal access to energy by 2030.

Industrialists and economists have expressed apprehension that the 2023

Measures will spell doom for breweries and tobacco industries, writes Dike Onwuamaeze

A Mutual fund (Unit Trust) is an investment vehicle managed by a SEC (Securities and Exchange Commission) registered Fund Manager. Investors with similar objectives buy units of the Fund so that the Fund Manager can buy securities that willl generate their desired return.

An ETF (Exchange Traded Fund) is a type of fund which owns the assets (shares of stock, bonds, oil futures, gold bars, foreign currency, etc.) and divides ownership of those assets into shares. Investors can buy these ‘shares’ on the

floor of the Nigerian Stock Exchange. A REIT (Real Estate Investment Trust) is an investment vehicle that allows both small and large investors to part-own real estate ventures (eg. Offices, Houses, Hospitals) in proportion to their investments. The assets are divided into shares that are traded on the Nigerian Stock Exchange.

GUIDE TO DATA:

Date: All fund prices are quoted in Naira as at 19May-2023, unless otherwise stated.

Offer price: The price at which units of a trust or ETF are bought by investors.

Bid Price: The price at which Investors redeem (sell) units of a trust or ETF.

Yield/Total Return: Denotes the total return an investor would have earned on his investment. Money Market Funds report Yield while others report Year- to-date Total Return.

NAV: Is value per share of the real estate assets held by a REIT on a specific date.

DAILY PRICE LIST FOR MUTUAL FUNDS, REITS and ETFS

COURTESY VISIT...

Executive Vice Chairman/Chief Executive Officer, Nigerian Communications Commission, Prof. Umar Garba Danbatta (L) with Chairman, Executive Committee, West Africa Telecommunications Regulators Assembly (WATRA), Saidou Poma Sankare, during new Executive Committee’s courtesy visit to the Commission in Abuja ... recently.

Court Declines Atiku's Request for Live Broadcast of Proceedings

Supreme Court to decide Tinubu's fate over alleged double nomination May 26

The Presidential Election Petition Court (PREPEC), yesterday, declined request by the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, for live broadcast of the court's proceedings of his petition.

The court rejected the request on grounds that it lacked merit, it did not advance the case of the petitioners, that there was no policy direction yet regarding live broadcast of court's proceedings. This was as the Supreme Court will Friday May 26, decide whether it would nullify the victory of the All Progressives Congress (APC)

and its presidential candidate in the February 25 election, Bola Tinubu, over alleged double nomination. A five member panel of justices of the PREPEC had last Thursday, reserved judgment, shortly after lawyers to parties in the petition argued for and against the granting of the application. Atiku and PDP, who came second in the presidential election were pleading with the court to "allow the televising of the proceedings in their petition given its significant monumental importance."

Their lawyer, Chief Chris Uche, SAN, in moving the application also prayed the court for an order directing the modalities for the implementation of the live telecast.

However, the three respondents – the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), President-elect, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu and the All Progressives Congress (APC) – opposed the request, arguing that it was inappropriate.

INEC's lawyer, Mr Abubakar Mahmoud, SAN, noted that if granted it would defeat the solemn atmosphere and the seriousness of the court.

Tinubu's lawyer, Chief Wole Olanipekun, SAN, stated that live telecast of the proceedings was not necessary, because the proceedings was already being given effective coverage with the array of journalists seated in court.

On his part, APC's lawyer, Lateef

Fagbemi, SAN, who equated the televising of court's proceedings to the 'Big Brother Naija ", series, said that the application if granted would invade the privacy of even the judges.

After listening to the submissions of the counsel, Justice Haruna Tsammani, announced that judgment was reserved to a date that would be communicated to parties.

However, delivering ruling in the motion yesterday, Tsammani held that the request was not rooted from the petition Atiku filed before the Court, stating that if granted, it was capable of turning the court to a stadium or a market square, and that public proceedings "does not mean the court must sit in a

Certificate Saga: Civil Society Group Carpets NYSC over Alleged Campaign of Calumny against Mbah

Demands FG’s probe

Chuks Okocha in Abuja

The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria, (HURIWA), has carpeted the Director-General of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), Yushau Dogara, for leading an alleged campaign of calumny against the Governor-elect of Enugu State, Dr. Peter Mbah, in the certificate saga that has ensued since the beginning of the year.

Addressing a press conference yesterday, in Abuja, the National Coordinator of HURIWA, Emmanuel Onwubiko, said it was surprising that the NYSC Director General would lead a black propaganda against the Peoples Democratic Party, winner of the March 18 governorship election in Enugu State.

The group said the NYSC DG was suspect to have made sudden U-turn claiming that Mbah was not issued an original certificate by the Service.

HURIWA alleged that the NYSC DG might be working for opposition parties who were dissatisfied that Mbah won the poll against the Labour Party and the All Progressives Congress in the last election.

The group therefore demanded that the federal government, especially the Office of the Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, constitute a panel and probe

the shenanigan of the NYSC DG against Mbah and other victims of NYSC certificate blackmail.

The group wondered that anytime enemies want to carry out a smear campaign against a winning politician of government official, NYSC is the go-to place to achieve their crafty devices.

Citing the case of former Finance Minister, Kemi Adeosun as still fresh in the minds of Nigerians, the national coordinator, said, "At 50, NYSC has sadly become an instrument for mischievous politicians to weaponise their political detractors.

"We recall back in February when we called on the new NYSC DG to dismantle a syndicate issuing fake NYSC certificates to members of the public,” stressing that the members of the “syndicate are also members of the scheme who want to monetise controversies and hatchet jobs of the enemies.”

"Recall also that the NYSC defended an Enugu corps member who was caught allegedly manipulating election results in a polling unit in the state,” he stressed.

He explained that the NYSC had said the error committed by corps member in Abakpa Ward in Enugu East Local Government Area, was not deliberate.

According to him, "The corps member was reported to have favoured one of the presidential candidates in the elections. We

wonder why the corper has not been arrested and prosecuted.

"It must also be put on record that it is fat lie that Brig Gen Yusha’u Dogara Ahmed told Dr. Peter Mbah, that his discharge certificate was not issued by the NYSC.

"NYSC’s conspiracy, deceit, and willful misrepresentation of facts necessitated Mbah’s N20 billion lawsuit against it.

It is also an irony that the DG said he would not want to comment on the matter since it was in court, only to go ahead to not only deny knowledge of the lawsuit and consequent court order.

"For context, Mbah was given a letter by the NYSC national headquarters dated 7th May 2003 (reference number NYSC/DHQ/ CM/27/20) to the State Director, Lagos, NYSC, re-mobilising him for the remaining part of his service year after a break, by the express and written permission of the agency, to complete Bar Part II (Bar Final).

"We wonder why Mbah would go through all the rigorous process to serve his fatherland only to end up forging a certificate.

"NYSC discharge certificates are printed by the Nigerian Security Printing and Minting Company Plc. They have security features such as watermarks and serial numbers denoting the batches. We therefore challenge the NYSC to produce any other certificate in the series

of Mbah’s certificate that has the same serial number as his.

"The suspicious role of the management of NYSC in the instigated saga about the so-called unknown NYSC certificate presented by Governor elect of Enugu State is therefore suspect.

"The maximum political demarketing of the Governor-elect is satanic and condemnable. The whole thing should be subjected to forensic finger printing analysis," he explained.

stadium or a market square."

In addition, the court observed that the case of Oscar Pistorious, O.J Simpsons and others cited by petitioners in their application did not apply to the Nigerian judiciary.

"The application is a novel one in the country and has not been provided for in any of the court's rules or procedures,” he said, adding that for the court to do that, judicial policies and regulatory frameworks had to be put in place.

The panel, therefore, dismissed the motion for lacking merit.

Meanwhile, the Supreme Court, yesterday, adjourned to May 26 to deliver its judgment in the appeal by the PDP, shortly after taking submissions from counsel representing parties in the suit.

Specifically, the PDP sought the disqualification of Tinubu and his deputy, Senator Kashim Shettima, over alleged double nomination, an act they said violated the electoral laws.

The appellant anchored its appeal on the claims that the appellate court erred in law, when it dismissed its appeal and affirmed the judgment of a trial court, which held that the suit was incompetent and lacking merit.

PDP claimed that the APC breached the law, when it nominated Shettima as senatorial candidate for Borno Central and as Vice Presidential candidate.

At yesterday's proceedings, while APC's lawyer, Mr Babatunde Ogala, SAN, asked the court to strike out the case on the grounds that it has become statute barred, because the 180 days stipulated by the law to hear the suit has elapsed, PDP's

lawyer, Mr Joe Agi, SAN, disagreed. It was Agi's position that the issue of 180 days did not apply in respect of double nomination, adding that since the act was purely an illegality, the court has the right to entertain the appeal.

"They have done that before, they did it in the case of Nwosu and APC and they will do it again,” Agim added.

The appellant, accordingly, urged the apex court to grant the appeal, set aside the concurrent decision of the two lower courts and nullify the election of Tinubu and Shettima for alleged double nomination.

The PDP had by their appeal marked: CA/ABJ/CV/108/2023 urged the appellate court to reverse the January 13 judgment by Justice Inyang Ekwo of the Federal High Court, Abuja, which dismissed its suit on the grounds that the PDP lacked locus standi to have instituted the suit.

The three member panel of justices of the Court of Appeal, in the lead judgment, held that the PDP failed to establish its locus standi in the case.

Justice James Abundaga, who delivered the judgment of the appellate court, agreed with the respondents that the PDP was a busy body, who dabbled into issues that were internal affairs of the APC.

“The appellant, having failed to disclose its locus standi, this appeal fails and it is hereby dismissed,” he said and proceeded to affirm the judgment of the Federal High Court.

Justice Abundaga further awarded N5million cost against the appellant’s lawyer, J. O. Olotu.

FG Appoints Abdul Yabatech Rector

Funmi Ogundare

The federal government has approved the appointment of Dr. Ibraheem Adedotun Abdul as the Rector of Yaba College of Technology.

Abdul, a chief lecturer in the Department of Mechanical Engineering was until this appointment, the Director of Open Distance and Flexible E-Learning(formerly, Flexible Skills Development Centre) of the college.

The Deputy Registrar/Head of Public Relations, Mr. Joe Ejiofor in a statement, stated that Abdul succeeds Mr. Obafemi Omokungbe, whose tenure as rector of the college

ended on January 29, 2023.

Adedotun was also a former Head, Department of Mechanical Engineering, in addition to serving as Chairman and member of important and strategic management and academic board committees.

A native of Ado-Odo-Otta in Ogun State, born in 1965, Abdul joined the service of Yaba College of Technology in 1993 as lecturer two and rose steadily to become a chief lecturer in 2012.

He attended Ansar-ud-deen College, Isolo, for his O/A Levels in 1983, Ansar-ud-deen College.

He graduated from University of Lagos with a B.Sc in Mechanical Engineering in 1987 and had his

M.Sc in the same university in 1996.

He had another Masters degree from University of Ibadan in Industrial and Production Engineering in 2004; and begged a Ph.D in Engineering from Okayama University, Okayama, Japan in 2011.

The new rector is a corporate member, Nigerian Society of Engineers(NSE) (2003), member, Council of Registered Engineers in Nigeria(COREN) 2004, as well as fellow, Global Academic of Entrepreneurship and Innovation-2022.

A scholar of high repute and immense quality, Abdul, has published valuable and scholarly papers in both local and international journals. He is married with children.

Chuks Okocha and Alex Enumah in Abuja

CLINA-LANCET LABORATORIES NIGERIA CSR FOR GIRL CHILD SCHOOL SUPPORT PROGRAMME...

Osinbajo: Nigeria Loses 2,500 Children Daily from Preventable Causes

Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja

Nigeria's Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, has said the country presently loses 2,500 children under the age of 5 everyday due to largely preventable causes.

He said 80 per cent of these death burdens occurred in the primary health care and community levels.

The Vice President regretted that among the causes of infant deaths were lack of skilled birth attendants.

In his speech at the launch of community-based Health Research Innovative Training And Services Program (CRISP) by the National Primary Healthcare Development Agency (NPHCDA), yesterday, Osinbajo said there was no better way to tackle the challenges of health care delivery in Nigeria than to close the gaps on the equitable availability of skilled health workers in our Primary Healthcare Centre facilities, which he said could be achieved by a creative measure such as the CRISP.

"For this reason, I think there is no better way to tackle the challenges of health care delivery in Nigeria than to close the gaps on the equitable availability of skilled health workers in our PHC facilities. This can be achieved by a creative measure such as the CRISP. This is the Community-based health Research, Innovative Training and Services Programme.

"I am aware that Nigeria makes up only 2 per cent of the world

population but accounts for 14 per cent of the world’s maternal death burden. Similarly, our country loses 2,500 children under the age of 5 everyday due to largely preventable causes, including the lack of services that skilled birth attendants could provide," he said.

Osinbajo said the deplorable health induces clearly justified the need for urgent actions to be taken to implement the CRISP to address the situation.

“I can confidently tell you that President Muhammadu Buhari and I are ever passionate about interventions that would help to improve the health and wellbeing of the Nigerian people, and I have no doubt in the capacity of Dr Faisal and his team working in partnership with the academia and teaching hospital will implement and get the desired result from this initiative.

"This initiative will not only make skilled health workers from our teaching hospitals and federal medical centres available to offer services in our primary health care centres in all states of the federation but will also be leveraged to ensure capacity transfer to, and mentorship of PHC workers as well as promotion of best practices in community health.

"It is my belief that effective implementation of this initiative will help to fast track the attainment of universal health coverage as well as reduction in preventable maternal and child mortalities in Nigeria," he said.

Earlier, the Minister of Health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire, said Nigeria was facing the challenges of gross inadequacy and inequity in the availability of human resource for health, especially skilled birth attendants (Doctors, nurses, midwives, and Community Health Extension

Workers (CHEWs)) trained on Modified Life Saving Skills across our primary health care facilities. The minister said primary health care centres have remain unattractive to most of our skilled workers, who prefer to provide services in the urban settings.

"So, aside from the problems of gross inadequacy and inequitable distribution of our skilled health care workers, we are also facing the problem of their detrition from the PHC facilities,” he said.

On his part, the Country Director of the World Health Organisation

(WHO), Dr. Walter Molumbo, said the plan to recruit health workers and deployed them to PHC facilities across the country was very commendable, adding that, WHO Nigeria would provide technical support to the CRISP of NPHCDA to enable it achieve its aims.

Custodian Group Breaks Ground for State-of- the-Art Accident, Emergency Centre in Lagos

Custodian Social Responsibility

Foundation, the CSR arm of the Custodian Group, has achieved a major milestone in healthcare provision with a groundbreaking ceremony for the construction of an accident and emergency centre at the General Hospital in Epe, Lagos.

The Custodian Accident and Emergency Centre, upon completion, would be a cutting-edge medical facility that provides comprehensive healthcare services to trauma and accident victims, as well as other medical emergencies.

Speaking at the event in Lagos at the weekend, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer (MD/ CEO) of Custodian Investment Plc, Mr. Wole Oshin, emphasised the company's commitment to health as a significant pillar of the foundation.

He said the decision to under-

take the project was driven by the desire to support the government's efforts in the healthcare sector and reiterated the dedication of the Custodian Group to delivering a world-class medical facility.

Lagos State Commissioner for Health, Prof. Akin Abayomi, underscored the importance of the collaboration between the Custodian Group and the government.

He said, "The partnership between Custodian Group and the Lagos State Government exemplifies our shared vision of creating accessible and quality healthcare facilities for all Lagosians.

“We are confident that Custodian Accident and Emergency Centre will have a significant impact in Epe and its environs, contributing to the development of the healthcare landscape in the state."

The Custodian Accident and

Buhari Assents to Eight New Bills, Seven Days to Hand Over

Sunday Aborisade in Abuja

President Muhammadu Buhari, yesterday, assented to eight bills about a week to leave office and they included the National Social Investment Programme Agency, National Senior Secondary Education and six other Bills, passed by the National Assembly, in furtherance of the provisions of the Acts Authentication Act Cap. A2, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004. This was contained in a statement by the Senior Special Assistant to

The President on National Assembly Matters (Senate), Senator Babajide Omoworare.

The National Social Investment Programme Agency, according to the president’s aide, was established to assist and empower the poor and vulnerable in Nigeria.

The objective of the Act, he said, was to provide a legal and institutional framework for the establishment and management of the National Social Investment in Nigeria.

The National Senior Second-

ary Education Act, according to him, established a Commission, prescribes minimum standards for senior secondary education in Nigeria and the management of National Senior Secondary Education Fund.

Omoworare said, "The Chartered Institute of Power Engineers of Nigeria Act establishes the Chartered Institute of Power Engineers of Nigeria and is charged with the responsibility for determining the standard of knowledge and skill to be attained by persons seeking to

become chartered power engineers.

"The President also assented to the Federal University of Health Sciences Ila-Orangun (Establishment) Act, the Federal University of Health Sciences, Azare (Establishment) Act, and the Chartered Institute of Development Studies and Administration of Nigeria (Establishment) Act."

The rest are "The Federal Institute of Industrial Research (Establishment) Act, and the Institute of Strategic Management of Nigeria Act, respectively."

Emergency Centre is set to play a vital role in improving healthcare services and saving lives in the Epe community, reflecting Custodian Group's commitment to social responsibility and advancing healthcare in Lagos State.

Other distinguished guests at the event included Mrs. Mimi AdeOdiachi, Chairman of Custodian

Social Responsibility Foundation; Mrs. Olubunmi Aderemi, CEO of Custodian Social Responsibility Foundation; Mr. Larry Ademeso, MD of Custodian Life Assurance Limited and royal fathers from the Epe kingdom, graced the groundbreaking ceremony alongside government officials and community leaders.

Demolition: Rivers, Bayelsa Relationship Still Intact, Says Wike

Blessing Ibunge in Port Harcourt

Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, has said the recent demolition of the Bayelsa State government buildings in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, has not strained the relationship between the two states.

Wike said this yesterday at the flag-off of the construction of seven units of five bedroom buildings for judges of the State judiciary.

The residential quarters is sited on the land, where the Rivers State government recently demolished property owned by the Bayelsa State government on Akasa Street in Old GRA, Port Harcourt.

He explained that with the dilapidated property owned by the Bayelsa State government demolished, his administration considered it appropriate to develop on it residential quarters for judges.

Wike said the project would be implemented under his administration’s urban renewal programme and to rid the area

of criminal elements, who used the abandoned Bayelsa State property as hideout.

"This is the second phase of residence of judges of the Rivers State judiciary. It is important to let the public know where we are. This place used to be Bayelsa State government property when it was created out of Rivers State.

As part of urban renewal, we gave the whole of Old GRA to Julius Berger Nigeria PLC to do all the roads and drainages," he said.

The governor recalled that in August 2021, he wrote to the Bayelsa State governor, Douye Diri to inform him about how very dilapidated the property was and how it served as hideout of people, who could not be properly identified.

The engagement between them, he said continued without yielding the expected responses and his administration was compelled to acquire the property under public policy.

L-R: Head Business Development And Marketing, Clina-lancet Laboratories Nigeria, Temitope Ambrose; MD/CEO, Dr. Olayemi Dawodu; Principal, New Era Senior Girls Secondary School Surulere, Mrs. Adeniran Yetunde; Human Resources Manager, Mrs. Olaide Esan and Operations Manager, Omotola Oshilaja, at the Clina-lancet Laboratories Nigeria Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) A Girl Child School Support Programme in line with the United Nations goal 3 at New Era Senior Girls Secondary School, Surulere, Lagos…recently

VALEDICTORY DINNER IN ASABA...

El-Rufai Deposes Two Traditional Rulers in Kaduna

Kaduna State Governor, Nasir ElRufai, has approved the deposition of two traditional rulers in Piriga Chiefdom, Lere LGA and Arak Chiefdom Sanga LGA of the state.

A statement on Monday, signed by the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Umma Ahmad, said Jonathan Zamuna, Chief of Piriga and Aliyu Yammah, Chief of Arak ceased to be traditional rulers effective from Monday, May 22, 2023.

The statement said the depositions followed recommendations by the ministry in line with the provisions of Section 11 of the Traditional Institu-

tions Law No. 21 of 2021.

The commissioner sad the District Head of Garun Kurama, Babangida Sule, had been directed to oversee the affairs of Piriga Chiefdom, pending the appointment of a new chief, adding that the secretary of

the traditional council had been directed to initiate the process for the appointment of a new chief.

She said, Gomna Ahmadu, secretary of Arak traditional council was also directed to oversee the affairs of the chiefdom and initiate

the process for the appointment of a new chief.

“The government found unacceptable the response of His Royal Highness, General Iliyah Yammah to the query regarding his appointment of four district heads, contrary to

the one approved for his chiefdom and his non-residence within Arak chiefdom.

“The deposition of Jonathan Zamuna, follows the recent communal clashes between the Gure and Kitimi communities of Piriga chiefdom in

Lere LGA, and his non-residence within the chiefdom,” the statement added.

The statement also announced the immediate disengagement of the village heads of Aban, Abujan Mada and Anjil in Arak chiefdom.

IMN: Spirits of Massacred Shi’ite Members Will Hound Buhari

The Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN) also known as Shiite, has said the spirits of hundreds of its

members allegedly massacred under the present administration would hound President Muhammadu Buhari as he leaves office on May 29.

In a statement in Kaduna, chairman of IMN’s Resource Forum, Prof. Abdullahi Danladi, said Buhari attempted to muzzle the Shiite, and that in spite of the

Jang Condemns Plateau Killings, Bemoans Lalong's Failures in Security, Others

Seriki Adinoyi in Jos

A former governor of Plateau State, Jonah Jang, has condemned the recent overnight attacks on some communities in the state, which claimed several lives, and described it as unfortunate.

Bemoaning the administration of the outgoing governor, Mr. Simon Lalong, for his poor handling of security issues in the state that resulted in wanton loss of lives, he added that, “goof and gaffes were the hallmarks of his administration.”

In a statement by his media consultant, Mr. Clinton Garuba,

the former governor lamented that, "At a time when sections of the state have come under attacks from people hell-bent on waging genocide on the people, the government is rather hurriedly commissioning projects, some of which it even inherited as ongoing projects of the Jang administration just to cover for eight years of total failure.

“Perhaps, Lalong realised too late in the day that it had pursued personal political gains to the detriment of the general well-being of the state and is in a hurry to claim that he, at least, did something when

in fact, he did almost nothing.”

Jang said having failed woefully, one would have expected Lalong to exit quietly and ingloriously without having to insult the sensibilities of the Plateau people, but rather, he had embarked on distortion of facts and barefaced lies to score cheap political points to salvage his already diminished profile, which has made him lose favour with the Plateau people.

Priding in his achievements during his administration, Jang said he stood out in a class of his own, when compared to the abysmal performance of Lalong’s

Otti Receives Transition Report, Says Implementation Won't Be Difficult

Emmanuel Ugwu-Nwogo in Umuahia

Abia State Governor-elect, Mr. Alex Otti, has received the report of the Transition Council, and said the job of implementing his policies has been made easier.

Otti had last month set the 101-member TC chaired by the Managing Director of PWC, Mr. Victor Onyenkpa to come up with a policy direction for his incoming administration.

The membership of the TC comprised many technocrats, including a former executive chairman of

Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) Mrs. Ifueko Omogui-Okaru, as member.

A press release from Otti's media team by Mr. Kazie Uko, said the report of the TC was received by the governor-elect on Sunday, eight days to his inauguration.

Otti expressed gratitude to the members of the Transition Council, noting that their recommendations were far-reaching and in tandem with his vison for a new Abia.

"I will say that this job (governance) has been made very easy by the job that you have done," he said, adding that with the fresh

ideas and sharper focus contained in the report, "it becomes easier to implement.

"I want to thank you for the energy, I want to thank you for the time you put into this. I want to thank you for doing a job without pay. I do know how important your time is. You can rest assured that we are not going to take lightly the efforts you have put into this."

The governor-elect, however, assured the TC members that he would make them very proud because "the recommendations that you have made will be implemented."

administration, characterised by dotted projects on the landscape of the state.

He said that the 2023 general election in which Lalong failed woefully, were a referendum on his administration and by extension on the APC in the state, which did nothing other than dismantle structures put in place for a prosperous Plateau.

He added that the state of governance has nosedived that one would not envy the incoming administration for the weight of work that it has to do in rebuilding the people’s trust in government, its programmes and policies.

persecution, the Islamic group was resilient, stronger and popular.

He said Buhari failed the Nigerian masses, who saw him as a messiah and gave him massive support to become president.

On December 2015, some members of the Shiites clashed with the Nigerian Army in Zaria, resulting in the deaths of over 347 members of the religious group, including the four children of Sheikh Ibrahim Zakzaky, leader of the IMN.

Zakzaky and his wife Zeenat were arrested, detained and charged to court for alleged culpable homicide, unlawful assembly and disruption of public peace among others by by the Kaduna State government.

The Shiite leader and his wife were however freed by the court after over five years in detention.

Danladi said, Buhari has written his name and that of Nigeria on the black pages of human history.

“It is in the history of Nigerian politics that no single person has enjoyed the support and expectation of the Nigerian masses like president Buhari did. He was seen

as a messiah from the adversities of President Jonathan’s government.

“How the common man was made to contribute monetarily to the campaign funding of Muhammadu Buhari is still fresh in their minds.

People saw it as religious onus to elect their redeemer so that they will live evocative and purposeful live.

“The campaign promises centered on poverty eradication, tackling insecurity and checkmating corruption. Now that the curtain is drawing, those staunch supporters and fogies have totally and openly abandoned the wrecked ship of the government,” he said.

Danladi said, “Many theories have been put forward regarding Buhari’s failure to take Nigeria to the promised land. Some attribute it to the lack of professionalism in selecting the cabinet and ill-conception of the policies on which the government was run.

“Some saw the problem of nepotism and lack of will to checkmate the bizarre corrupt activities of the government officials. All these could be contributory factors in the unforgivable failure of the Buhari administration.”

NBA Urges Tinubu to Ensure Independence of the Judiciary

Gbenga Sodeinde In Ado Ekiti

The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Ado Ekiti Branch, has urged the President-elect, Bola Tinubu, to ensure the independence of the Judiciary, when he assumes office.

Chairman of the branch NBA, Adetunji Fasanmi, while speaking to newsmen during the the opening ceremony of the Association’s 2023 Law Week, held at Afe Babalola Bar Center, High Court premises, Ado Ekiti, Ekiti State capital, contended that it was only such measure that

could restore the confidence of the public in the judiciary.

According to him, the judiciary should be allowed to handle and control its finances without interference from any quarter, pointing out that at the moment, the judiciary was at the mercy of the executive financially.

At the Law Week with the theme: “The Law and the Economy: Funding Pathway for a Prosperous Post-Election Nation Nigeria”, he said, “When you are at the mercy of someone, that person can dictate

to you and you to dance to the dictate of that person.

“Therefore, I urge the incoming President, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, to please implement the independence of the Judiciary to ensure its smooth running so as to restore the confidence of the people in the judiciary.

“It is better the judiciary is totally independent in finance and its works. The states should follow the lead of the federal government to ensure equal rights and justice in the society,”he said.

L-R: Delta State Governor-Elect, Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori; Deputy Governor, Delta State, Kingsley Otuaro; Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki; Delta State Governor, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa, and his wife, Dame Edith, during a valedictory dinner in Asaba, Delta State…recently

John Shiklam in Kaduna

John Shiklam in Kaduna

TOURISM AGENDA FOR THE NEW DISPENSATION...

L-R: Group Chief Executive Officer, August Eye, Dr. Okhidievbie Oamien Roy ; Managing Director, That Good Media, Toyosi Etim-Effiong ; Chief Festival Administrator, Olojo Festival, Ile-Ife, Otunba Ayo Olumoko; Former Director General, (NTDC) Sally Mbanefo; President, Association of Travel and Tourism Writer Of Nigeria, (attwon) Ayo Omotosho; Former Director General, (NTDC). Mrs. Omotayo Omotosho; Director General, West Africa Tourism Organization, (WATO), Hassan Zakiri and Representative of Executive Chairman, Mushin Local Government/Head, Tourism Unit, Mrs Kamson Adedamola during the 4th edition of Tourism Parliament, theme; "Setting Tourism Agenda for the new Dispensation in Nigeria" organised by the Association of Travel and Tourism Writers of Nigeria (attwon) in Lagos...recently

Sani Musa Refutes Plans to Make Lawan 10th Senate President

Sunday Aborisade in Abuja

The senator representing Niger East Senatorial District, Sani Musa, has described as untrue and malicious, stories doing the rounds that some senators-elect including him, had formed an alliance to ensure the return of Senator Ahmad Lawan, as President of the 10th Senate.

Musa, a frontline contender for the position of the Deputy Senate President in the 10th National Assembly, in a statement, last night, said the concocted publication was aimed at causing confusion to pitch the All Progressives Congress senators-elect against the President-elect, Bola Tinubu and his deputy, Kashim Shettima.

The Niger East Senator, therefore, urged the newly elected senators-elect

had fallen due.”

Emefiele recalled that in September 2013, when Dangote announced his plans for the refinery, it was estimated to cost about $9 billion, of which $3 billion was projected as equity investment by the Dangote Group and the balance financed through commercial loans.

He explained that due to an array of factors, the project was eventually completed with a total of $18.5 billion with funding distributed into 50 per cent equity investment and 50 per cent debt finance.

The CBN governor said, “This project avails Nigeria with significant savings both in terms of foreign exchange and in easing the fiscal burden on the federal government. Available data at the Central Bank of Nigeria as of 2014, shows that at least 30 per cent of the foreign exchange required to meet Nigeria’s import needs went into the importation of refined petroleum products.

“It is instructive to note that according to the balance of payments statistics, the cost, including freight, of petroleum products imports into Nigeria doubled over a five-year period from about $8.4 billion in 2017 to $16.2 billion, indicating an annual average of $11.1 billion, before rising further to $23.3 billion by end-2022.

“At this rate, the average annual cost of petroleum products imports to Nigeria could reach $30 billion by 2027 if we continued to rely on petroleum imports. These figures suggest that the refinery could engender foreign exchange savings, to the country of between $25 billion and $30 billion annually.”

He added that the impact of these savings would be directly reflected in Nigeria’s foreign exchange reserves by reducing the pressure on the balance of payment.

Emefiele added, “This project will equally provide support to the fiscal operations of the government as it could help ease budget constraints of funding the petroleum subsidy and engender fiscal savings.

and the general public to disregard totally, the false information in the media, which he said was a figment of the imagination of rumour mongers.

He insisted that he stood by the position of his colleagues in the North Central geopolitical zone, who had endorsed him as their candidate for the position of

Deputy Senate President in the 10th National Assembly. He also said he would not do anything contrary to the position of his colleagues, which had been

sanctioned and approved by the North Central governors.

Musa said there was no meeting anywhere, where there was an agreement between him and

other senators-elect to support the outgoing Senate President and Senator-elect, Osita Izunaso to emerge Senate President and Deputy Senate President of the 10th Senate.

FG to Establish National Flood Management Council

Folalumi Alaran in Abuja

The federal government through the Ministry of Water Resources has proposed the establishment of a National Flood management Council (NFMC).

The Council would be domiciled in the office of the Vice president of Nigeria.

Speaking yesterday, in Abuja, the Chairman of the presidential committee on management of floods and disasters

“Available data indicate that, over a five-year period, fuel subsidy in Nigeria rose more than nine-folds from about N154 billion in 2017 to over N1.43 trillion before another three-fold rise to N4.4 trillion by the end of 2022.

“A simple straight-line projection suggests that this figure could surpass N7 trillion within the next three years if we do not tackle it effectively.

“Thankfully, the Dangote Refinery and Petrochemicals could spare Nigeria about N5 to N7 trillion annually in fiscal expenditure of the federal government over the next five years.”

Emefiele pointed out that the project was one of the many efforts of the CBN to support Buhari's drive to diversify the economy.

He said, “We have provided interventions in many critical segments of the real sector, a few of which I will now mention, with your permission. The CBN Real Sector Facility is implemented through two interventions, namely Real Sector Support Facility through Differentiated Cash Reserve Requirement (RSSFDCRR) and Covid-19 Intervention for Manufacturing Sector. Under this facility, the CBN has released the sum of N2.56 trillion to 462 projects in agriculture, manufacturing, mining, and services sectors.

“In addition, the CBN has also supported other priority sectors and segments of the economy, with cumulative N3.60 trillion released to the manufacturing sector to support the domestic productive capacity of industries.

“The sum of N2.09 trillion has been disbursed to various projects in the agricultural sector, particularly through the Anchor Borrowers’ Programme, which has supported 4.56 million smallholder farmers cultivating over 5.96 million hectares of agricultural commodities across the country.

“The Bank has also supported infrastructural development with the sum of N2.28 trillion to bridge

in Nigeria who is also the Minister of Water Resources, Sulieman Adamu, explained that the council's primary responsibility would be to advise the president on all matters related to flood management, including the declaration of a state of emergency based on the categorisation of floods.

President Muhammadu Buhari had in November 2022, inaugurated a presidential committee saddled with the development of a comprehensive action plan for preventing flood

the nation’s infrastructure gap and improve access to energy for domestic production.”

Kyari, said the Dangote Refinery, with the new deal the company and NNPC had been building, supported by the enabling Petroleum Industry Act (PIA), would surely provide domestic security of supply.

He said, "The lingering challenges of petroleum subsidies is clearly getting out of the capacity of the state to bear and the differentials that domestic refining will provide is insignificant and cannot compensate for the subsidies."

Kyari added that NNPC would continue to support investment in domestic refining to satisfy the growing demand for refined petroleum products in both local and regional markets as against simply exporting unprocessed crude to diminishing markets.

Sanwo-Olu said the story of Buhari, Tinubu, and Dangote was a testimony that prosperity could be achieved when leaders have shared vision for the people they lead.

Sanwo-Olu shared three different stories on how Tinubu and Dangote were connected to the newly commissioned first privately owned refinery in Nigeria, saying the three leaders have shown Nigerians that leadership is about consistency and commitment to economic growth.

The governor said, "The vision of Aliko Dangote, President Muhammadu Buhari, and incoming President, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, is a story of possibility when men have a shared common vision, purpose and they have the possibility that things can happen, things can change and things can be prosperous for the people they are leading.

"These three men: Aliko Dangote, President Muhammadu Buhari, and President-elect Bola Ahmed Tinubu, epitomise all the great qualities of great leadership. They have shown us that nothing can be something. They have shown us that leadership

disasters in the country. The president had mandated the Minister of Water Resources to fashion out ways of preventing flood disasters in Nigeria within 90 days.

The committee, in its bid to complete the presidential assignment, said they have identified ten key strategies to address the incessant flooding across the country.

The minister explained: “The president on the advice of the NFMC, shall declare a state of emergency when

is about consistency. It is about showing that whatever it is that you believe in, give it all it takes and at the end of it you will see the results coming out."

Sanwo-Olu, while commending Dangote, said the business mogul was a completely detribalised Nigerian who had impacted many lives positively.

He said, "To our son, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, we are, indeed, truly proud that you have put Nigeria and, indeed, Africa on that world map in which you have done the very first. We are proud of your belief in your country and your belief in the youth that you are giving the opportunity to. We are proud of the fact that you are a Nigerian that is completely detribalised and you have imbibed it in many ways.

"It is about the opportunity this (refinery) has provided for all the youth and young people of our country. It is about the fact we can say to them the work these three men – Mr. President, Alhaji Dangote, and our incoming president have done and will continue to do.

"It is about our future. It is about providing an opportunity for the youth because over 150,000 direct and indirect jobs that will be created are for our youths; young leaders that are in their 20s and their 30s for them to believe that, indeed, Nigerian is a place for them. Nigeria considers them as an important and veritable tool in developing and ensuring the very best.

"I want to also thank our presidentelect, who propelled a vision of what we are enjoying today. As governor and as Lagosian, he was the main architect of the modern history of the trajectory of Lagos and we are hopeful and praying that when he comes in as president, all of those additional vision that he has will come to reality."

Sanwo-Olu, who was part of the birth of the Lekki Free Zone in 2006 during the tenure of Tinubu as governor of Lagos State, praised

a category 4 ’Major flood’ flood occurs.”

He added, “Following a series of situational studies, analysis, field evaluations and key stakeholders’ interactions, the presidential committee identified 10 key strategies to address the incessant flooding across the country.

“The key Strategies are: Data Acquisition for integrated flood management, coordinated multi-sectoral flood early warning system, development of capacity on flood management,

the host community for showing hospitality to investors in the area.

The governor stated, "I want to use this opportunity to thank our host community. This community has been the host to several firsts in our country and I want to thank all of them; from the traditional rulers, to all of the indigenous citizens that have continued to reflect the true spirit of Lagos to be able to show hospitality and accommodation in everything that we are about."

Sanwo-Olu also commended Buhari's eight years in office, saying the people of Lagos State are proud of what the president has done for Nigeria.

He said, "You (President) have spent 2,915 days out of 2,922 days that you have. Mr. President, you have spent 99.98 per cent of your time. Mr President, history will certainly judge you well. We in Lagos are happy. This is your third trip to the Lekki Free Zone in less than a year.

"We are proud of you. We are, indeed, excited that you have thrown everything you have into it and as you bow down, I might not have the opportunity of holding a microphone again, I want to say to you, that on behalf of Lagos State, we are truly proud of the things that you have done for us in this country."

Presidents of African countries at the event included Macky Sall of Senegal, Nana Akufo Ado of Ghana, Faure Gnassingbe of Togo, and Mohamed Bazoum of Niger, and a representative of the Chadian president.

Nigerian dignitaries at the ceremony also included Chairman of THISDAY/ARISE NEWS, Prince Nduka Obaigbena; Nigeria's Vice President-elect, Kashim Shetima; Obi; Senate President Ahmad Lawan; and Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwa-Olu.

Others were governors of Ogun (Prince Dapo Abiodun), Nasarawa (Abdullahi Sule), Kano (Umar Ganduje), Plateau (Simon Lalong), Sokoto (Aminu Tambuwal), and Osun

development and management of flood plains.”

The minister however said there was no short term in flood mitigation and that the estimated cost of implementing the ten strategic plan was N3.460 trillion.

“Flooding is the most common and expensive natural disaster in the world. Mitigation projects, which encompass a range of prevention solutions, are the most cost effective strategy for decreasing flood risk.

(Ademola Adeleke). Present also at the event were former Senate President, Bukola Saraki; Chairman of Zenith Bank, Jim Ovia; Chairman of Transcorp Plc, Heirs Holdings and United Bank for Africa, Mr. Tony Elumelu; Group CEO of Access Bank Holding, Dr Herbert Wigwe; former CEO of Access Bank Plc, Aig Imoukhuede; and Chairman of Geregu Power Plc, Mr. Femi Otedola.

Obi:

Dangote Refinery Milestone Towards New Nigeria

Obi, in his goodwill message, stated that the launch of the Dangote refinery was yet another breakthrough towards the rise of a new Nigeria. The LP presidential candidate said, “This refinery is another milestone towards the New Nigeria, to which I am committed. That new nation will be an enabling environment for a booming private sector that will see the rise of many micro, small and medium-scale businesses that will boost the nation's economy and foster increased productivity among our people.”

Obi stated, “Today, I honoured the invitation to the commissioning of the Dangote Petroleum Refinery and Petrochemicals in Lagos. This is the world's largest single train petroleum refinery.

“I congratulate Alhaji Aliko Dangote for this world-class project, which I believe will be very beneficial to Nigeria's economy.

“The refinery, with a capacity of 650,000 barrels of crude oil per day, when operated maximally, is expected to meet Nigeria’s domestic demand for petroleum products and help Nigeria to save the much-needed foreign exchange currently spent on the importation of such products.

“By supplying the surplus to the international markets, Nigeria will reposition itself as a key player in the downstream petroleum sector of the global market.

PHOTO: ABIODUN AJALA

BUHARI: WITH DANGOTE REFINERY, NIGERIA WOULD HAVE EXCESS REFINED PETROLEUM FOR EXPORT

BRAND AMBASSADOR…

Ajaero: Tinubu’s Agenda Not Clear to NLC

Buhari sets Nigeria backwards

Onyebuchi EzigboinAbuja

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has said that it will be too early to speculate on the plans of the next administration under All Progressives Congress(APC).

President of NLC, Comrade

Joe Ajaero, who spoke yesterday during a familiarisation visit to one of the affiliate unions, the

Amalgamated Union of Public Corporation, Civil Service Technical and Recreational Services Employees (AUPCTRE), noted that as far as organised labour was concerned, there is nothing to indicate that the next government APC will be significantly different from the outgoing one.

According to the labour movement, administration of

Dolapo Osinbajo Tells Women to Live Lives of Impact

Kuni Tyessi in Abuja

The wife of the Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo, Mrs. Dolapo Osinbajo has called on women to use their talents, resources, education and exposure to create impact that will stand the test of time.

Similarly, Nigerian women have called on the incoming government to be led by Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu to revisit pending legislation that cover women and give nothing less that 35 per cent to women in appointive positions.

Osinbajo, who stated this in her keynote address in Abuja at the maiden edition of Women of Divine Destiny Initiative (WODDI) Inspiring

Women Summit, which was organised by Dr. Nneoma Rochas Okorocha, said the total woman has so many parts playing different roles and the challenge is to be successful in every part.

With the theme of the summit as “Inspired to be the complete woman” Osinbajo added that every woman must identify her personal goal post and determine to be focused, intentional and to choose to score and win.

“Use your hands, talents, intellect to raise a generation and leave your footprints in the sands of time by imbibing positive attributes in the lives of fellow women, young girls and in generations yet unborn.

‘Osun Procurements Comply with Due Process’

Yinka Kolawole in Osogbo

Osun State Government has assured the public that its projects design and procurement activities comply with best practices, due process and project management norms.

The government also clarified that the statewide borehole projects would soon to be equipped with generating sets before their inauguration for public use.

In a statement issued yesterday, the Government explained that its project choice across the sectors followed its avowed principles of grassroots development, local infrastructure agenda, peoples’ first philosophy and urgency of local -state connectivity.

It pointed out that “those principles are put into practice by a team of competent

professionals who are delivering on roads, bridges, boreholes, channelisation, water provisions, health care among others.”

“We affirm that current projects are being professionally executed and delivered as can be attested to by the IkirunOsogbo road, several local roads, culverts, bridges, boreholes among others. The ongoing massive delivery of projects are products of due diligence and need analysis based on the five point agenda and reports of the Adeleke Transition Committee.

In specific terms, the government dispelled insinuations in some partisan quarters that the borehole water project has failed.

According to the government, the project is successful in many ways, noting that it is in the process of purchasing generating sets to power them.

President Muhammadu Buhari, in the past eight years was married by retrogression in almost all indices of development in the country. He said: “So the new government we’re still waiting to

get their own agenda because if we follow it from the manifesto of the APC, they will follow what Buhari has done and if its underdevelopment that they are sustaining, then there is a problem.

Former PDP Members Join

Ibrahim Oyewale in Lokoja Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello, received a group of former members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) from Igalamela/ Odolu Local Government Area who have decided to join the All Progressives Congress (APC) and pledged their support for the APC

APC,

“So, NLC will wait for the agenda of the new government before we comment. You can see that parties no longer implement their manifesto and it like all the parties lack manifesto, that is why

we are worried we should be able to hold them accountable, to say this is your party manifesto, this is what you are doing, it is not in line with your parents manifesto.”

Support Ododo Ahead of Guber Election in Kogi

gubernatorial candidate, Ododo Ahmed Usman, in the upcoming Kogi 2023 election. The former caretaker Chairman of Igalamela Local Government Area, Alhaji Abdullahi Ibrahim, along with Hon. Adama Sani and Aikoye Anu, the defectors from Ajaka Ward 1 and 2 led the defectors to join the APC.

Other notable PDP leaders who also defected to the APC included former President of the PDP National Youth Movement, Ahmed Mahmud, and Saidatu Ogohi, the Ajaka Ward 1 Women Leader.

Governor Bello expressed his appreciation to the defectors for recognising the achievements of his

administration and for choosing to join the APC. He emphasised that the APC, being a progressive party, welcomes all individuals who are willing to contribute to the development of the state, assuring the former PDP members that they would have equal rights and opportunities within the APC, just like the existing members.

Oromoni: Group Decries Coroner’s Delay in Declaring Cause of Death two Years After

Sylvester IdowuinWarri

A group, Justice for Sylvester Oromoni Committee (JSOC), yesterday appealed to the Federal and Lagos State Governments and the judiciary to immediately make public the coroner report on the death of late Sylvester Oromoni jnr, the JSS 11 student allegedly tortured to death by some fellow

students at Dowen College, Lekki almost two years ago.

The group decried the prolonged delay by the Coroner Inquest set up by Lagos state government to investigate cause of death of their late son and wondered why it was taking too long for the report to be released.

The late Sylvester Oromoni Jnr died on November 30, 2021,

four days to his 12th year birth anniversary from an alleged torture and administration of a poisonous substance allegedly forced down his throat by some identified senior students of the college.

JSOC, in a statement signed by its Coordinator, Elder Regent Youmor, on the delay, appealed to the Lagos state government, the judiciary and other well meaning

Nigerians to prevail on members of the Coroner to immediately make its findings and recommendations available to the public in the interest of justice for their late son.

The group said it has become very necessary for the Coroner to immediately declare its findings to enable the parties involve take their next line of action in ensuring that justice prevails.

Oyebanji Reiterates Commitment to Policies that’ll Enhance Quality of Life in Ekiti

GbengaSodeindeinAdoEkiti

The Ekiti State Governor, Mr. Biodun Oyebanji, yesterday, reiterated his administration’s commitment to programmes and policies that would enhance the quality of life of Ekiti residents, especially the pensioners.

Oyebanji stated this during the presentation of cheques worth N915

million as gratuities to 289 state, local government and primary school retirees at the Governor’s Office, Ado-Ekiti.

Speaking at the event which was hailed as unprecedented in the state, he said the payment of the gratuity was in fulfilment of his campaign promise of shared prosperity, adding that his administration

would continue to ensure that pensioners enjoy a worthy life after their meritorious service to the state.

Oyebanji, who said that he was not unaware of challenges confronting the retires as a result of regrettable delay in accessing their gratuity benefits as and when due, assured the senior citizens that his government is irrevocably committed to ending

the regime of endless wait in the payment of gratuities.

He informed the gathering that since the inception of his administration in October 2022, over N1.2 billion had been paid as gratuity to both the state and local governments’ retirees while payment of monthly pensions had been regular.

US-based Nigerian Doctor Asks Supreme Court to Delay Tinubu’s Inauguration

David-ChyddyElekeinAwka

A United State based medical doctor and presidential aspirant of African Renaissance Party (ARP) in the 2011 presidential election, DrAdah Obekpa has approached the Supreme Court of Nigeria, to delay the inauguration of president-elect, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu

N1bn

on May 29.

Obekpa, who filed a motion at the Supreme Court of Nigeria, said there was need to delay the inauguration until the resolution of his standing matter before the Court.

Obekpa’s counsel, Barr Jonathan Akeme, in a press statement made available to THISDAY inAwka, said

the case already has a precedence, citing the Amaechi vs Omehia case in Rivers State.

Speaking on behalf of Obekpa, Akeme said the circumstances of Obekpa’s alleged unlawful exclusion from the 2011 presidential election, which has been lingering in court, and now before the apex court, deserve

priority over any other considerations.

He said: “Dr Obekpa’s Appeal No. SC/934/2019, is predicated on his claim of unlawful exclusion from the 2011 general election. He was unjustly barred from participating as the potential presidential candidate of the African Renaissance Party (ARP), a registered political party in Nigeria.

Contract Scam: Court Fixes June 20 to Hear Suit against NLNG

Blessing Ibunge in Port Harcourt Justice Chinwendu Nwogu of a Rivers State High Court sitting in Port Harcourt, has fixed June 20, 2023 to rule on motion in N1billion contract suit against the Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas (NLNG) by one of its indigenous contractors,

Macobarb International Limited. Macobarb had dragged NLNG to court in 2022 claiming N1billion as accumulated fund for a 2014 contract which allegedly failed. NLNG went on appeal against the preliminary objection and returned to the High Court seeking to stop hearing pending

outcome of the appeal.

When the matter was mentioned in the court yesterday, legal representative for NLNG, Lawson Ogari raised preliminary objections that the case was status barred and that the Chief Executive Officer of Macobarb should not be a party in the matter.

But counsel for Macobarb, Morrison Uzoma countered the motion by the NLNG lawyer that the case be struck out.

After hearing the arguments by the both parties, Justice Nwogu fixed the aforementioned date to rule if the case should continue or stopped following the motion filed by the defendant.

Chairman, Periwinkle Empire, Dr. Chiedu Nweke (right), Mr. Ebuka Obi-Uchendu, after signing a multi-million naira deal as a brand ambassador for the company in Lagos... recently

Niger Delta Ministry Commences Distribution of Relief Materials to 2022 Flood Victims in A’Ibom, Edo, Bayelsa

Okon Bassey in Uyo, Adibe Emenyonu in Benin City and Olusegun Samuel in Yenagoa

The Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs yesterday flagged off the distribution of relief materials to flood victims in some local government areas of Akwa Ibom and Edo States.

In Akwa Ibom, the relief materials distributed included: mattresses, pillows, blankets, cooking pots, cartons of noodles, bags of rice, bags of beans, a grinding machine

Others were sewing machines, hair clippers, cement, roofing

sheets, ceiling boards and bags of nails, among others.

Handing over the materials to National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) for distribution in Uyo, the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Mr. Umanah Okon Umanah, said the items were meant to provide succor to the victims.

The Minister represented by the State NDDC Commissioner, Mr. Emem Wills, thanked President Mohammadu Buhari for approving the distribution of the relief materials to mitigate the sufferings of Niger Delta flood victims.

Umanah, noted that the relief materials would be distributed to all the LGAs in the Niger Delta affected by the flood last year.

He regretted that the region remains the worse hit by flood in the country due to its topography and location.

“Even though the flood was however predicted by relevant federal and state agencies, the density of the flood was however beyond our imagination.

“It was the worst flood by its destructive effect on the livelihood of the people and entire ecosystem of the Niger Delta.

BEDC Given Two-week Ultimatum to End Estimated Billing in Delta

Omon-Julius

Onabu in Asaba

The Benin Electricity Distribution Company (BEDC) has been given a two-week ultimatum to resolve the imposition of outrageous estimated monthly billing, which was not based on units of power consumed, because of failure of the company to install prepaid meters for electricity consumers in Ogwashi-Uku town, Aniocha South Local Government of Delta State.

The community warned

that it would be left with no other choice but to institute legal action against BEDC, the company responsible for electricity distribution to Delta, Edo and two other states, to compel it to do the needful.

The 14-day ultimatum is contained in a letter from the chamber of ‘The Law Office of H.T. Ogidi’ on behalf of The Beacon Club, a nongovernmental organisation (NGO) in the Ogwashi-Uku community.

In the letter signed by Henry Tobechukwu Ogidi, the club,

which draws its membership from Ogwashi-Uku, stated that it would at the expiration of the ultimatum “seek order of court declaring the imposition of the estimated electricity bill by BEDC on consumers in Ogwashi-Uku community as null and void.”

It warned that it will also seek an order compelling the distribution company “to compute and refund all excess charges on electricity bills collected from consumers, provide and install prepaid meters in the community.

PDP Chieftains, Members Dump Party for APC in Ondo

Omon-Julius Onabu in Asaba

The Benin Electricity Distribution Company (BEDC) has been given a two-week ultimatum to resolve the imposition of outrageous estimated monthly billing, which was not based on units of power consumed, because of failure of the company to install prepaid meters for electricity consumers in Ogwashi-Uku town, Aniocha South Local Government of Delta State.

The community warned that it would be left with no other choice but to institute legal action against BEDC, the company responsible

for electricity distribution to Delta, Edo and two other states, to compel it to do the needful.

The 14-day ultimatum is contained in a letter from the chamber of ‘The Law Office of H.T. Ogidi’ on behalf of The Beacon Club, a non-governmental organisation (NGO) in the Ogwashi-Uku community.

In the letter signed by Henry Tobechukwu Ogidi, the club, which draws its membership from Ogwashi-Uku, stated that it would at the expiration of the ultimatum “seek order of court declaring the imposition of the estimated electricity bill by BEDC

on consumers in Ogwashi-Uku community as null and void.”

It warned that it will also seek an order compelling the distribution company “to compute and refund all excess charges on electricity bills collected from consumers, provide and install prepaid meters in the community.

Moreover, the petitioners stated that it would “seek order of perpetual injunction restraining the company from disconnecting consumers in Ogwashi-Uku for non-payment of electricity bills until the provision and installation of prepaid meters.

FG, Global Alliance Sign MoU on Nutrition

Olawale Ajimotokan in Abuja

The Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, and Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on nutrition for the National Home-Grown School Feeding Programme (NHGSFP).

The agreement was signed in Abuja by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Dr Nasir SaniGwarzo, who represented the

Minister, Sadiya Umar Farouq.

He described the MoU as another milestone for the NHGSFP.

Sani-Gwarzo said the approval of the policy on NHGSFP by the Federal Executive Council and the signing of the MoU on nutrition was a step forward towards realising the objectives of the school feeding programme in Nigeria.

He said: “I am really happy that this is happening at a time when this country is transiting to a new administration. They will require this kind of documentation to build upon

because people will change, leadership will change, but once the documentation is right, we are on the right cause.

“The MoU is not just going to be a symbolic signing but a strategic one. The ministry will continue to work towards achieving its separate, but yet mutual objectives of building resilience, and empowering people.”

Sani-Gwarzo also stressed that another strategic importance of the MoU is that the GAIN would go down in history as one of the first organisation to partner the government in institutionalising the process.

Energy Firm Provides 24-hour Electricity to Yabatech

Omolabake

Fasogbon

Aiming at sustainable development and quality educational outputs, a United States (US)-based manufacturer of power stations, Bluetti, has donated more than 100 solar power solutions to Yaba College of Technology (YABATECH), Lagos, to help the institution run on 24-hours electricity.

The firm, which recently launched it in Nigeria, explained that the gesture was in demonstration of its drive for sustainable development in Africa.

Speaking at the presentation

ceremony that took place in the institution recently, Bluetti Brand Influencer, Joseph Tolulope Adeyemi, referenced power deficit in the country, according to the World Bank, as 85 million persons lacked access to grid electricity.

He decried huge economic loss in Nigeria occasioned by electricity theft and constant grid outages amid surplus solar resources.

Adeyemi said the firm recognised this challenge, hence the donation of the E-40Series Solar Home System to the institution through the organisation’s Lighting An African Family (LAAF) CSR project’.

The LAAF project aimed to provide solar-powered lighting solutions that are both costeffective and environmentally friendly to underprivileged African families with Yabatech being the first beneficiary.

Adeyemi said: “Bluetti will consistently focus on the off-grid solar energy market in Africa and carry out LAAF activities to provide local residents with superior and high-efficiency energy storage solutions, helping increase households’ and businesses’ autonomous power ability and contributing to local sustainable development.”

Seun Kuti's Intergenerational Slap

When Seun Kuti slapped the unnamed policeman in the incident that has now become a cause célèbre, he was not just slapping him as a lone individual. In a mystical way, that would be very hard for me to explain here, he was unleashing an intergenerational slap, and the instrument of the slap was the hand of Seun, but the inspiration for the strike, and the force which powered it, was that of Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti, Fela Aníkúlápó Kuti, and Beko Ransome-Kuti.

It is just like hitting a rock. A mother kept hitting it, and it would not break. Then she died, and her son kept hitting it. Then he also died. Then his brother kept hitting it. Then he likewise went the way of all humanity. And then their progeny hit it once, and it cracked.

Just like the question the Sadducees asked Yeshua, our Lord and Saviour about the seven brothers who all had one wife after dying one after the other. "At the resurrection, whose wife will she be of the seven, since all of them were married to her?”-Matthew 22:28.

It was not just Seun's effort that cracked the slap heard across Nigeria. It was much more the effort of those who came before him that cracked it.

In her lifetime, Chief Olufunmilayo Kuti was known as the "Lioness of Lisabi". She was the first stormy petrel of Nigerian activism, long before Gani Fawehinmi. Mrs Kuti was a contemporary of Herbert Macaulay. She led 10,000 women to stage a coup in Egba land, which led to the abdication of Ladapo Ademola, the then Alake of Egba.

She was also one of those brave Nigerians that put themselves and their families at risk by pressing the British colonial government for Nigeria's independence. She died and passed the baton to her children, who continued from where she stopped. And in the cases of the maverick musician, Fela Kuti and the notable activist Dr Beko Kuti, they paid a hefty price for fighting for the oppressed of society. A hefty price indeed!

Fela would be beaten by the police, set up by the government, economically ravaged by imprisonment, and publicly paraded by the Musa Bamaiyi-led National Drug Law Enforcement Agency like his son Seun, who has just been paraded.

His brother. Beko would, amongst many other things, be accused of and convicted of treason for exposing the sham trial of General Olusegun Obasanjo, the same man under whose regime he had lost his mother due to police and military brutality.

These are the people who could (and here you have to forgive my literary licence) be said to have telepathically guided Seun's hand. Maradona made history with the hand of god, while Seun made mystery

with the hand of his ancestors.

What we now beg the authorities to do is consider the extreme and intergenerational trauma Seun has been subjected to, and cut him some slack. It could even be an act of clemency by Buhari to bid farewell to Nigeria.

What Seun did was wrong. And I condemn it. But Seun, as I have detailed above, has a history with the police and the military that has scarred him for life.

They beat his Septuagenarian grandmother and threw her from the first floor to the ground. She died from the injuries sustained. His father carried her coffin to Dodan barracks in tears! Till today, NOBODY was punished for the crime against Olufunmilayo Kuti. They beat his father to an inch of his life. Multiple times. They burnt down their residence, with multiple cars and other property. They were never paid compensation.

The police raided the shrine episodically, right from when Seun was a baby to his adulthood.

And even in this incident involving the slap, there was provocation from the policeman. I am not saying that the provocation justified the slap. My motive is

just to put things in context.

What he did was condemnable. It is unacceptable. But when you look at his personal history, there are mitigating circumstances. And I beg the Inspector General of Police to take Seun's Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder into account. Because even Buhari's wife, Aisha, admitted that her husband also suffers from PTSD due to his experience with the Nigerian state apparatus.

The police is institutionally to blame for what happened to that policeman as Seun. They are the ones who drew first blood. They initiated the casus belli. Let us do equity here and not just justice.

When people are under pressure or suffering from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, they lash out in unusual ways. I will give an example. On Saturday, November 6, 2022, Peter Obi angrily lashed out at Dino Melaye on live TV during a Presidential debate. He was so annoyed he pointed at Dino and shouted, "I have taken enough from you!" He was so visibly angry that he almost got off the stage.

In the same vein, Seun and his family have taken enough injustice from the Nigerian police, and the Nigerian state's wilful failure to punish those responsible for their PTSD has made them paranoid. You would be too, if you and your family had been a victim of the type of institutional injustices they have had to endure. Sometimes, to death.

The slapping incident was VERY wrong. At the risk of repeating myself, I condemn it. However, What Seun Kuti needs now is counselling, not prison. And certainly not a continuation of the war the Nigerian state has been fighting with that illustrious family that cost the lives of their grandmother, their father, and their uncle and my friend, the late Beko Kuti, inter alia. I therefore call on President Muhammadu Buhari, as a fellow sufferer of PTSD, to intervene and use his prerogative of mercy to pardon Seun Kuti.

And for those who are celebrating Seun's downfall, they should remember that at any point in time, half of the world's surface is covered in darkness, while the other half is blanketed with light. Think of that before you celebrate anyone's downfall. Light will still touch them, and darkness may also cover you. Seun Kuti is down now. But give him time. He will rise above his traducers.

"Weeping may endure for a night, But joy comes in the morning."-Psalm 30:5.

Fela Kuti went to prison and came out to release his best-selling album, Beast of No Nation. Johnny Cash recorded his two highest-selling albums right in prison. Lil Wayne released a Billboard Number One album from prison. Mark Morrison returned from jail to meet Return of the Mack as a global Number One.

As a Human, You Are Now Hackable!

During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, governments worked with telecommunications companies to know where you had been using your smartphone, so they could determine if you crossed paths with an infected person. If you did, you got an automatic alert on your phone to self-isolate. They still have that technology. But now, they use it to target you with advertising. If, for example, you enter a Gucci store, even though you don't buy anything, you get targeted with Gucci ads. They are using the same technology that allows your phone to pinpoint the exact location at which you took any photo.

Look through your phone. Go to any photo. Your phone has the precise geolocation of the snapshot. When you are typing on your phone, it actually suggests the very words in your mind before you type it. Not even your twin brother knows you as telepathically as Artificial Intelligence does.

That is why you need to strengthen your willpower. Because Artificial Intelligence is so advanced that it can influence what you buy, who you date and marry, where you travel to, etc. You see these targeted ads, and you think it is a coincidence. It is not. Your phone is stalking you and reporting your ins and outs to advertisers, who then use that information to bypass your will and manipulate your judgment. Very soon, politicians will use it. That is, if they are not already doing so. If your phone records you going to synagogue, church, mosque or other religious services regularly, then the AI will guess you are a Conservative, and you can be labelled and discriminated against. Because big tech leans to the left. If you frequent gyms and health food stores, the AI takes the hint that you are a Liberal. And they enhance your social media, and you get many followers you can influence with the liberal agenda.

Once that happens, the one world Oceania Big Brother scenario George Orwell wrote about in his book 1984 will be a clear and present reality. If your willpower is weak, your attention span is short, and you are incapable of deep independent thinking, with critical analytical abilities, you may become a zombie in this modern age!

TRIBUTES

Femi Falana at 65: Grey Hair Conundrum

Banji Ojewale

Some years ago after my relocation from Lagos to Ota in Ogun State, I ran into an ex-banker who sought to give me a low-down on Femi Falana, activist and Senior Advocate of Nigeria.

A news story he was reading in the daily featured the prominent lawyer, with his photograph coming along. Drawing my attention to the grey strands that had taken possession of Falana’s head, the old banker said the learned personality didn’t acquire his hoary crown from ageing. Nor was it the result of excessive mental and physical toil. He told me white hair sets in early for those whose days and nights are in the abode of silvery-hair juju men. You get their hirsute features, mainly the colour, transferred to you as you patronise them for supernatural counsel and power. So, the man concluded, Comrade Falana is a closet voodoo person, seeing his age (then under 60 years) was dissonant with the advent of his white strands. I asked if he had met the man. He hadn’t. But he didn’t need to, to arrive at the private ruling he was sharing with me, he insisted. Inerrant tradition he subscribed to was his tutor and guide in such matters, he argued.

So, unwilling to start a war of words I wouldn’t win where I was outnumbered by priests and votaries of culture, I refrained from telling my friend that I knew Falana, that I didn’t think he owed his exploits as a legal giant to some esoteric source.

Did my friend really know the Femi Falana I first met in Ilorin, Kwara State, in the 80s? The lawyer was in the town, where I served as a member of the Editorial Board of the government-owned newspaper, The Herald, along with my good friend, Dapo Olorunyomi, a journalist of great regard and now publisher of the revered online Premium Times. Dapo and Femi were old boys at University of Ife, now Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU).

The barrister showed up at The Herald to see Dapo, who promptly introduced us. The Marxist solicitor, upon hearing the mention of my name, dragged me into a warm déjà vu hug, exclaiming, “Ahhh…

governments and monopoly entrepreneurs that took dictation from US and other capitalist powers of the day.

We realised we shared the same ideology, namely, standing in the gap for the oppressed of society by diligently seeking to apply our privileged social positions and professional bestowals. Femi and I, in later years, would meet again a couple of times. He would take up legal issues for me pro bono as well as for the popular South-west evening paper, PM News, which I edited in the 90s.

This angle of the world of Femi Falana, who turned 65 on May 20, is only a fraction of the whole. Yet, it’s one of the cases where seeing a little of the whole leads you into the whole. The centre of gravity of the lawyer’s universe is the condition of the vulnerable. To understand society, you must look, not at the gluttonous and greedy grandeur of its leaders’ lifestyle, (although this may come into consideration later), but at the poverty levels of the majority. This is my understanding of the foundational Marxist propositions: the way a man earns his living determines his outlook to life. And “mankind must first of all eat, drink, have shelter and clothing, before it can pursue politics, science, art, religion etc.” (Frederick Engels in a speech in London on March 17, 1883 at the burial of his friend Karl Marx).

So, for Femi Falana, the legitimate and legal pursuit of the defence of the harassed and humiliated hoi polloi, wherever he can locate them, in his own profession, among journalists, in officialdom, in schools, in marketplaces, in entertainment circles, in organised private sector, in religious centres, etc., is his lifetime preoccupation. He has used his law practice to try to attain the goal. He has failed attempting to employ the instrumentality of partisan politics to grab power and continue the struggle to save the poor. His shot at the governorship seat in Ekiti hit the rocks. What happened? Why did the people he would have delivered reject him? Why did they prefer being governed by their oppressors? These setbacks, including brutal treatment at the hands of government, military and civilian, sometimes entailing imprisonment and detention, have not discouraged him, nevertheless. Instead, they have led

him to other adventures and initiatives in the interest of the underclass. He has established a ubiquitous presence in the media, social and mainstream, joining numerous other concerned patriots to denounce the nation’s jejune leadership responsible for the second cycle of degrading colonialism we’re facing. He’s also a constant figure in the labyrinth of the legal system where he battles injustices against the lowly. That he is succeeding in wielding his profession to rescue society’s weak after he couldn’t make any inroad in politics returns us to the Marxists’ rejection of the idea of “art for art’s sake”. The argument here is that you’re not kitted (trained for a career) to work and live solely for yourself. You acquire your skills or education in order to use them to liberate humanity. It is as Georgi Plekhanov, a follower of Karl Marx and Frederick Engels, puts it in his book, “Art and Social Life”, “to assist the development of man’s consciousness, to improve the social system”. In the same book, Plekhanov quotes the 19th Century socialist literary critic, Nikolay Chernyshevsky as saying: ”The idea of ‘art for art’s sake’ is as strange… as ‘wealth for wealth’s sake’, ‘science for science’s sake’, and so forth. All human activities must serve mankind if they are not to remain useless and idle occupations. Wealth (all the resources known to man) exists in order that man may benefit by it; science exists in order to be man’s guide…”

That’s the way Femi Falana correctly views his profession and the profit therefrom in relation to his environment: all must be laid at the feet of the people. Our public office holders and the elite need to learn from him. Your enduring worth as a leader is benchmarked, not by what you amass but by how, as you serve sacrificially, you become poorer in attending to the people. You follow the precept of late Mother Teresa of Kolkata: you give and give until it hurts… and you keep on giving. If you don’t subscribe to this, you’re not qualified to lead. Nigeria has continued to writhe in ritualistic rings of ructions because we don’t have leaders of such mettle.

Happy Birthday, Comrade Femi Falana!

You wrote, the article, ‘Between Xtianity and Marxist Revolution” in The Guardian newspaper.

The piece was my small contribution to the massive Liberation Theology movement in Latin America.

Christian leaders and members of the region’s Marxist Left were coming together on a united front to battle

The same thing happened to Tupac and TI. You can laugh now. But Seun may be the one laughing all the way to the bank after he exits prison. And now to other matters.

Seun Kuti

Falana

Newcastle Target Chukwueze as Replacement for Saint-Maximin

Kunle Adewale

Super Eagles winger, Samuel Chukwueze, has been linked with plying his football trade at St. James' Park next season as Newcastle have expressed interest in the Villarreal’s player as a potential candidate to fill

Saint-Maximin’s boots. Chukwueze, known for his electrifying pace and technical prowess, left a lasting impression earlier this season when he tormented Carlo Ancelotti’s

Real Madrid, netting a memorable brace in Villarreal’s 3-2 victory over the Bernabeu side.

Similar to Alexander Isak, Chukwueze possesses the ability to captivate spectators with his dazzling displays while maintaining an unwavering commitment to hard work.

The Nigerian winger has established himself as a veteran of the Spanish top flight, amassing over 200 appearances and contributing six goals and five assists in 34 La Liga matches this season.

With Chukwueze’s contract set to expire in a year, Villarreal may be compelled to offload him at a bargain price, presenting an enticing opportunity for Newcastle to secure his services.

As Eddie Howe looks to strengthen his squad for the challenges that lie

ahead, acquiring a player of Chukwueze’s calibre would undoubtedly enhance the Magpies’ attacking prowess and reinforce their aspirations for success in the upcoming European campaign.

Newcastle United’s impressive performance throughout the 2022/23 campaign has positioned them for an exciting season ahead, one that may include Champions League football alongside their Premier League commitments. As the Magpies set their sights

on European competition, manager Howe faces the challenge of bolstering his team strategically.

Maintaining the team’s harmony and work ethic is crucial for Newcastle, as they aim to avoid disrupting the delicate equilibrium that has contributed to their success thus far.

Yet, with the impending departure of talented forward Allan Saint-Maximin, it becomes imperative to find a suitable replacement.

Juventus Docked 10 Points Over Transfer Dealings

Juventus have been docked 10 points following a new investigation into the club's past transfer dealings.

Juve were initially handed a 15-point penalty in January but Italy's highest sporting court overturned that decision in Apriland ordered the case to be re-examined.

The new ruling was announced on Monday, before the team's game away to Empoli.

The penalty drops Juve to seventh place in Serie A, outside the European qualification spots.

Napoli have already secured the Serie A title and, before Monday's

ruling, were 17 points ahead of second-placed Juve.

In April, Italy's Sports Guarantee Board revoked Juve's 15-point penalty from the Italian Football Federation (FIGC) appeals court.

It asked the appeals court to revise punishments to the club and some key figures, including former Vice-chairman Pavel Nedved.

Long bans given to former Chairman Andrea Agnelli, ex-chief executive Maurizio Arrivabene and sporting directors Federico Cherubini and Fabio Paraticihave now been upheld.

If Juve beat Empoli, they will be two points behind AC Milan, who occupy the final Champions League spot, with two games to play.

Juve are also embroiled in criminal proceedings over their accounting practices, with 12 current and former key club figures including Agnelli potentially facing trial. According to Italian news agencies, a high court hearing on 26 October will decide whether any eventual trial will be held in Turin, where the investigation has taken place, or in either Milan or Rome.

IMC Congratulates Clubs that Made Super 6 Playoffs

The Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) has formally announced the six clubs that qualified for the NPFL Super 6 Playoff to determine the winner of the 2022/23 season and the country's representatives in the two CAF Club competitions.

In a letter inviting the clubs for the playoff and intimating them with the calendar of events, the Head of Operations of the Interim Management Committee (IMC), Davidson Owumi, congratulated the clubs for making the cut. The six clubs from Groups A and B include; Bendel Insurance, Remo

Over 1000 Participants Set for Maiden Onazi Football Clinic

Olu Osagie

The countdown for the anticipated inaugural Ogenyi Onazi Football Scouting Clinic, earlier scheduled to take place from June 6th to 9th. The event has already garnered immense excitement and support, as evidenced by the record-breaking registration of over 1000 aspiring young footballers eager to participate in this prestigious scouting tournament.

Organised by former Nigerian footballer Onazi, the Ogenyi Onazi Football Scouting Clinic aims to create a platform for talented players to showcase their skills and open doors to professional opportunities in the world of football.

According to the organisers, with the event still days away, the overwhelming response from football enthusiasts across the nation reflects the immense passion and talent prevalent in Nigeria. The clinic, set to be held at The Stable, Union Bank, Surulere, Lagos, promises to be an unforgettable experience for all participants.

Aspiring footballers between age 16 and 20 years and from regions of the country, will converge to compete and exhibit their abilities in front of a distinguished panel of coaches, trainers, and scouts from professional football clubs and national teams.

Onazi, the driving force behind the clinic and a prominent figure in Nigerian football, eagerly awaits the event. "I am thrilled by the incredible response we have received for the

maiden edition of the Ogenyi Onazi Football Scouting Clinic," he said. "The immense talent and potential displayed through the registrations are truly inspiring. I am committed to providing a platform for these young players to pursue their dreams and achieve greatness in the world of football."

The clinic will feature a comprehensive programme designed to assess and develop participants' skills.

Stars and Enyimba International from Group A and Rivers United, Lobi Stars and Sunshine Stars from Group B.

In the letter, Owumi wrote, "I offer you compliments on behalf of the Board of the Interim Management Committee (IMC) of the Nigeria Premier Football League and have the pleasure to congratulate your team on the qualification to participate in the 2022/2023 NPFL Championship Playoff".

He further confirmed the date for the Playoff which will hold at the Mobolaji Johnson Arena at the Onikan area of Lagos State.

The clubs were informed that the official arrival date in Lagos is June 1while the Draw and Technical meeting to brief the clubs on the rules for the Playoff will hold on Friday, June 2.

The Playoff also dubbed the Super 6 is scheduled to hold from Saturday 3rd to Sunday, 11th June, 2023.

While wishing all participating teams a most successful outing in the 2022/2023 NPFL Championship Playoff, the IMC reiterated its resolve to organising a merit-based league that would produce worthy champions.

THE INVINCIBLE...

Bendel Insurance were unbeaten all through the abridged season, leading to the Super 6 Playoffs to determine the winner of the 2022/23 NPFL

‘Why Petralon Energy is Backing Okpekpe Road Race’

The Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Petralon Energy Limited, Ahonsi Unuigbe, has admitted that his company's support for the historic Okpekpe international 10km Road Race “is a fulfilment of his personal vow a couple of years ago.”

Petralon Energy Limited is the first CSR partner for the race since it became the first road running event in Nigeria to be granted a label status by World Athletics and Ahonsi is delighted he and his company are

delighted to be part of the race which has attained a gold label status for the ninth edition holding this Saturday in Okpekpe.

'Petralon's sponsorship of the Okpekpe race started in my head about 10 years ago when the administration of Comrade Adams Oshiomhole partnered Mike Itemuagbor and his company, Pamodzi to start the Okpekpe 10km road race that has made Okpekpe, Edo State and Nigeria a destination

of sort for sports.

“I was a Commissioner then in the administration of Comrade (Adams) Oshiomhole and I said to myself there are admirable people like Itemuagbor who want to sacrifice their time and money for the good of their people.

“Through the Okpekpe race he has certainly changed whatever negative narrative about Nigeria out there. I said to myself at the time that if I find myself in a position to help, I

will definitely do it and thank God

I am able to do it now as the official CSR partner,” said Unuigbe.

The Petralon CEO revealed there will be a pre-Okpekpe race trial for intending runners of the Ora communities where 100 of them will be sponsored to the main Okpekpe race.

“The race will hold in four of the Ora communities and there will be prizes for the top three athletes from the Ora communities. If others can also be impacting their

communities like Itemuagbor has done and I am about to do, we can also produce many more talented athletes ,” added Unuigbe who revealed Ajayi Agbebaku, the first Nigerian athlete to win a medal at the World Athletics Championship comes from his community. Meanwhile, organisers of the race have announced that collection of running number (bibs) will start on Thursday, May 25 and end on Friday, May 26 at Uyi hotel in Auchi.

Samuel Chukwueze ...tipped to replace St. Maximin at Newcastle

Governor Matawalle to EFCC Chairman

“If he exits office, people will surely know he is not an honest person. I have evidence against him. Let him vacate office, I am telling you within 10 seconds probably more than 200 people will bring evidence of bribe he collected from them. He knows what he requested from me but I declined. He requested a bribe of $2m from me and I have evidence of this. He told me governors were going to his office but I did not. If I don’t have evidence, I won’t say this “ --ZamfaraState Governor,BelloMatawalle,accusingAbdulrasheedBawaofdemanding$2mbribefromhim.

TUESDAY WITH REUBEN ABATI

abati1990@gmail.com

General Aliyu Mohammed Gusau at 80

General Aliyu Mohammed Gusau turned 80 last week on May 18, and for those who know him, or have worked closely with him and has been impacted by his humanism and generosity of spirit, he is a man to be celebrated, a strong pillar of the Nigerian estate, a living memory bank and an asset to his country. I first met him sometime in 1998. General Olusegun Obasanjo as he was then addressed, had just been released from prison by the Abdusalami Abubakar administration following the trumped-up charge of coup-plotting against Obasanjo and others. General Obasanjo himself has told his own story. But his release, some would say escape from Abacha’s trap was a special moment for many. At the time, I was a regular participant at the Farm House Dialogues, founded by General Obasanjo, under the auspices of the Africa Leadership Forum, headed by our very able boss, Ayodele Aderinwale, OFR, now Chairman of JustRite. I wrote many of the Farm House Dialogue Reports and communiques. To cut a long story short, after his release, General Obasanjo went straight home. His house in Ita-Eko, Abeokuta was filled with so many people who thronged the place to see him and congratulate him. The moment I entered the house, the first man that I saw was General Gusau. I didn’t know who he was but as is customary the right thing to do is to greet an elderly person. I was however taken aback when he called out my name as if he had known me from somewhere. I wasn’t a regular face on television at the time, so I used to enjoy the serenity that anonymity offers. Not anymore. But I wondered why the elderly man would call out my name with such certainty. Out of curiousity, I later asked people around: who is that man?

“You don’t know General Gusau?, three persons asked in quick succession. They made it look as if not knowing General Gusau was the equivalent of failing an important examination.

“You don’t know General Gusau and you call yourself a journalist?”, one person quipped. I threw a sour look in his direction. Why should that be a test of my professional ability as a journalist?

“General Gusau is one of the most powerful men in this country. Nobody can run this country successfully without him. You are surprised he knows you? It is his duty to know you. He knows everything that goes on in this country. He has his boys and eyes everywhere.”

Even at that time, I already had an idea that Nigerians are capable of writing stories, blending facts with myths. But the main story of the moment was the widespread excitement over Obasanjo’s return. Those were truly crazy days in Nigeria. The military under Abacha had imposed a regime of terror on the country, such that even babies were not spared. The catalyst for Nigeria’s descent to the lower depths, was the annulment of the June 12, 1993 Presidential election won by late Bashorun MKO Abiola. Leaving office, General Ibrahim Babangida left behind an Interim National Government (ING) headed by another Egba man, Chief Ernest Shonekan. IBB had said he was “stepping aside”. Eventually, General Sani Abacha, who had been left behind as Minister of Defence, hijacked the government, drove away the Interim arrangement, and imposed himself on Nigeria in a most brutal manner that did neither the people nor the country any good. Obasanjo was one of Abacha’s victims, although destiny soon played out. Obasanjo would later emerge as Nigeria’s civilian President in 1999, in an arrangement that was meant to correct the tragedy of the Abacha years and the pain that the military inflicted on the country.

Gen Gusau

The military do not always want to accept all the blames that the civilian population heaps on them. They do not agree that they mismanaged Nigeria, while at the helm of affairs for the better part of the last 63 years. In many accounts, Nigerian military chiefs project themselves as men who saved Nigeria, and provided such quality leadership that the civilians seem incapable of. This is probably the reason why since the return to civilian rule in 1999, the military have continued to cast their shadow over the politics of Nigeria. It is further not surprising that Nigerian public affairs commentators talk about those they call “the owners of Nigeria”. On that day in Abeokuta, all I heard about General Gusau was his reputation as “one of the owners of Nigeria”, a kingmaker, a power behind the throne. In fact, one fellow boasted that nobody could lead Nigeria without General Gusau’s hand in it. I took another look at the man. He looked quiet. His demeanour was calm. I guess you can never judge people by merely looking at them. But to be serious it is certainly not a compliment to refer to any group as “owners of Nigeria- that is totalitarianism: We are not in Hitler’s Germany. We are not in Vladimir Putin’s Russia.

Born Aliyu Mohammed, on 18 May 1943, the Gusau that is attached to his name is his place of birth in present-day Zamfara State of Nigeria. He graduated from the Nigerian Defence Academy in 1967, and fought in the civil war as a second lieutenant. He has since then remained a prominent figure, occupying one leadership position after another as Brigade Commander, Director of Personnel at Army Headquarters and as Director of Military Intelligence, Head of the National Security Organization (NSO) or as National Security Adviser. General is credited with having set up Nigeria’s intelligence infrastructure. In 1989, he broke up the NSO into three different organizations; the State Security Services (SSS), the National Intelligence Agency (NIA), and the Defence Intelligence Agency (DIA). It is a measure of the man’s capacity and influence that he is even in retirement regarded as Nigeria’s Number one Intelligence Officer and a major force in the determination of Nigerian affairs. He is one Nigerian who has been here and

there, and has been on duty at every critical moment in Nigeria’s post-independence trajectory: He fought in the civil war. He served in Abeokuta as Commander of the 9 Infantry Brigade. He was General Officer Commanding (GOC) at the 2 Mechanised Division in Ibadan, Commandant of the Nigeria Defence Academy, and Chief of Army Staff. He was said to have been involved in the coup that brought General Muhammdu Buhari in 1983, and also in the coup that removed him in 1985. Nor was he popular with General Sani Abacha who removed him as Chief of Army Staff. But whatever travail he may have suffered in the course of his career, has not stopped him. He was Obasanjo’s National Security Adviser when he returned to power in 1999. He was later President Goodluck Jonathan’s National Security Adviser and Minister of Defence.

Twice, in 2006 and 2010, he had sought to be President of Nigeria but the story behind his back was that it would have been a lot too much to hand over Nigeria to the country’s top spy. It was said that nobody would be safe. Nonetheless, General Mohammed as he prefers to be known, has remained even at 80, a major power behind the throne. His influence goes beyond the military where he made a career. Over the years, he has built bridges across the country and constituencies. It is not for nothing that he is regarded as a powerful man.

I was privileged to observe him at close quarters when he served as President Jonathan’s Minister of Defence. He was always quiet, almost self-effacing, yet everyone deferred to him. General Gusau is a major lesson in how to wield power and influence without brandishing it. I would later discover that many top journalists are his friends. Journalists deal with information. They look for sources, in pursuit of the stories behind the stories. The country’s top most intelligence operative was bound to be a friend of the media. When I ran as a Deputy Governorship candidate in Ogun State in 2019, General Mohammed told me our team would not win, if we didn’t make certain choices in Ogun PDP. He was proven right. Ahead of the 2023 general elections, he had done an analysis of the political terrain and predicted what

would happen. Again, he has been proven right. Many of us in this country just sleep and wake up, hustle and try to look for ways to pay our ever-increasing bills, but there are others whose day work is entirely devoted to looking into the deeper end of things. What I admire about him is his love of knowledge, his generosity and his attention to details. I once visited The Gusau Institute – a research centre that he has set up in Kaduna. This Centre is probably the richest personal library in Nigeria today. It is a fully digitalized library, with a collection of books, documents and resource materials on military history and general subjects. I was taken round the library, and I was amazed at what I saw, including a Reuben Abati file containing letters to the editor that I wrote in the Nigerian Chronicle, as an undergraduate at the University of Calabar, opinion articles I wrote as an NYSC teaching assistant at the University of Benin, published in the Nigerian Observer, and my writings over the years that I can’t even trace. I saw publications and writings by just about anybody, including copies of examination papers ever written at the Nigeria Defence Academy. Researchers are allowed access to the Centre. Within the premises, there is yet another building, where General Mohammed has done an excellent job of documenting his own career, with pictures, documents and correspondences. I doubt if there is any other General today in Nigeria who has paid as much attention to detail. The only thing missing is that I have not yet seen a written memoir by the General. He has a story to tell, and this is perhaps the right time to tell that story. I have heard people say that he knows too much, and that a man like him should not tell stories. I disagree. While spy chiefs and military leaders trade in secrecy, the truth is that some remarkable books have been written by intelligence chiefs and military leaders. Sun Tzu was a Chinese military General. His book, The Art of War, is regarded as a major text on military strategy and warfare. What makes an intelligence officer? How do intelligence officers operate? What roles do intelligence officers play in the making of foreign policy, international affairs and national security? How secretive and accountable should they be? These are aspects of the making of Nigeria that require interrogation and I cannot think of any better person to tell such stories than General Mohammed.

I must not end this tribute however without noting General Mohammed’s example necessarily throws up afresh questions about the role of the military in Nigeria’s political space. It may have been fashionable in the 70s and 80s to hail Nigerian soldiers as strong men. It was the age of “the strong man” as a messiah in African politics. But with the wave of democratization that gripped the heartbeat of politics in the 90s, the military involvement in governance and politics began to attract heavy criticisms, By 1993, most people were clamouring for the exit of the military. “Never again”, we all chorused. There seemed to have been a consensus that the period the military ruled Nigeria could best be described as “the years eaten by the locust”, the title of two well-received collections of writings by Fr. George Ehusani. To those who have any faint recollection of that season, it may sound ironic that a top soldier is the subject of a tribute. But have the civilians fared any better in terms of personal example? Every man will be judged on his own account. It is also interesting what has become of the intelligence establishment. The DMI at some point became a place of torture and nightmare. One of the soldiers who headed the place, as things turned worse, reportedly used to boast that he would waste people. Similarly, the Department of State Security (DSS) has had mixed fortunes over the years. How many officers can still come across as officers and gentlemen? The best tribute that the younger generation can pay to General Gusau is to toe the path of professionalism, honour and loyalty. Happy birthday sir.