Today is the 5th day of our ongoing civil protest against the oppressive policy of the Federal Government as they feed fat on our resources while expecting the citizens of our nation to fast and pray, and at the same time try hard to remove the crumbs the poor depend on for survival.
I salute all Nigerians and our compatriots for making the rallies as peaceful as they have been. From the first day till now, our watchwords remain: NO REVENGE, NO REPRISALS, NO RAGE, NO RESENTMENT, AND NO VIOLENCE even in the face of provocation and unimaginable threats.
Across the nation and on so many TV stations, serious advertisements are being aired to stir up the people against us, while news coming from the Freedom Park, Ojota is being censored, though the crowd is being shown.
We are not unaware of the tendency of authoritarian regimes to use manufactured ‘public opinion’ to diminish their own role as they react to the very passions they have created in their people. We know that when the arrow of truth shoots, there will be no traces of falsehood. In spite of the lying propaganda, it is part of our responsibility to channel our collective energies in the right direction and remain focused on the main issues rather than using ‘ring worm’ medicine to cure leprosy.
I have four (4) major pieces of information to share with you this morning:

CRITICAL INFORMATION 1 is predicated on the little painting hung on the wall of my primary school’s auditorium: ‘Honesty is the best policy: Tell the truth and let the devil be ashamed.’
Time has come for the government to tell the whole truth to the citizens of this country in respect of fuel subsidy.
I will share with you the information we have on the Fuel Subsidy Payouts in 2011:
Fuel Subsidy Pay-Outs in 2011 were Fraudulently to Cronies:

The purported expenditure of between N1.4 and N1.6 trillion on 'subsidizing' PMS and Kerosene is indefensible and at least three quarters of the amount is fictitious, fraudulent and grand corruption.
The amount budgeted in 2007 for subsidizing ALL imported refined products (petrol, diesel, kerosene, and aviation fuel) was about N300 billion. In 2011 the amount earmarked was N240 billion - an average of N20 billion a month as FG's contribution towards the import price subsidy deductions for petrol and kerosene. Diesel had been "deregulated" since 2008, with little improvement in price, supply chain stability and quality. Where did those 'savings' go?
The deductions went up six times in the months just before and after the elections due to fraud perpetrated by the products' importers in collaboration with officials of NNPC, PPMC, DPR, PPPRA and Petroleum Equalization Fund.
Prior to this, the NNPC had been making other deductions from oil revenues before remittance to the Federation Account which the FMF and State Finance Commissioners had been disputing. Two audit firms - KPMG and S S Afemikhe & Co. were contracted by FMF to "undertake a process and forensic review of NNPC, claims of indebtedness against the FGN by NNPC, and Review of Petroleum Product Subsidy Processes."
The two audit firms submitted their report to the FMF in the third quarter of 2011. The current ministers of Finance, and Petroleum Resources and the Presidency are fully aware of the key findings and recommendations which I will highlight.
Revenue leakages from Federation Account estimated at about N800 billion and their sources were identified for immediate corrective actions by FG.
Revenue leakages estimated at N1.2 trillion from the downstream sector operation of the NNPC including the "subsidy system" were also identified and reasons given.
The leakages largely arose because of the multiple and conflicting roles of the NNPC as agent as well as customer of the government of the Federation, enabling it to play games to the disadvantage of FG and the State governments. NNPC also makes claims against the FGN that no one is in a position to independently substantiate and verify.
At a period of generally high oil prices, about N1.6 trillion was paid as subsidy between January 2007 and June 2010, representing an annual average cost of N460 billion to the federation - i.e. FG and 36 state plus FCT! Why did it become N1.6 trillion in 2011 alone. What parameters changes? None.
The top ten marketers received 80% of the subsidy paid during the period.  They are MRS (Sayyu Dantata), Oando (Wale Tinubu), African Petroleum/Zenon (Femi Otedola), Folawiyo Energy (Tunde Folawiyo), Aiteo Energy, Rahmaniyya (Yar'Adua's In-law To Be), Northwest Petroleum, Total, Sahara Energy (Tonye Cole) and Conoil (Mike Adenuga).
About 36% of purported stocks of refined and imported products for which subsidy of N296 billion was paid between 2007 and 2009 were questionable, and not available for sale to the public (i.e. non-existent!). The demurrage paid of US $198 million during the period was equally questioned. The Auditors provided the names of the companies involved in the imports, storage and demurrage issues. They include Addax, Sahara, MRS and Oando, among others.
Some product importers/marketers might have claimed subsidies using bills of lading with apparently altered dates (Lloyd, Dee Jones and Rahmaniyya). Pinnacle, and Sahara Energy got paid subsidies with questionable documentation. Mobil, Vitol and Northwest were thought to have claimed subsidies in spite of issues with their documentation, with FG losses estimated at nearly N5 billion.
The auditors identified and named 27 companies that apparently got overpaid subsidies by nearly N25 billion between January 2007 and June 2010. The minimum expected of FG here is to recover the money and prosecute the accessories to the overpayment.
The auditors made many recommendations to remedy the problems identified, the most fundamental being the need to enact the Petroleum Industry Bill to lay the solid foundation for the deregulation of the oil and gas industry.
The point is that there has been a systemic infrastructure of fraud, corruption and impunity in the fuel subsidy regime and everyone is aware who the potential and actual culprits are. An audit report has identified them.

·         Why are they not being investigated, funds recovered and prosecuted?
·         Is it easier to impose a tax on 167 million Nigerians than to deal with a handful of rich fat-cats?

This is a governance issue not one about economic policy only.

Leaders unwilling to sanction their friends are not fit to lead.

Leaders that rush to punish ordinary citizens for the fraud and greed of their friends are even worse.

This administration has exhibited both negative tendencies. We must go beyond the subsidy debate and demand accountability and good governance in public life. No more, no less.

We hereby call on the National Assembly to investigate the N1.3 trillion unappropriated funds paid out as subsidy in 2011, as admitted by the Federal Government, and take all the necessary actions to stop this haemorrhage in our economy before the nation bleeds to death.

CRITICAL INFORMATION 2
Budget 2012 contains Waste and conveys Wrongful Spending Priorities

1.       The budget of N4.749 billion assumes an oil price benchmark of $70 a barrel, oil production of 2.45 million barrels per day and zero deduction from Federation Revenues for the fuel subsidy.

2.       Yet, the budget contains a deficit of 2.77% of GDP. (The nominal GDP has been estimated by National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) to be about N36 trillion in 2011), so essential about N1 trillion of the budget is to be borrowed, or relies on exceptional income like privatization proceeds, loans and grants-in-aid.

3.       Accordingly, out of the capital budget proposal of N1.32 trillion, only about N300 billion will be available from our federal revenues.  If the "subsidy" is not withdrawn, the deficit will be even higher and the FG would then contravene the 3% cap on deficit in the Fiscal Responsibility Act 2007.

4.       None of the so-called SURE projects have any NEW source of revenue to finance them other than what have been described above UNLESS:
(1)   the oil price benchmark is raised above $70 or
(2)   the Naira-Dollar exchange rate allowed to slide thus raising more Naira for the government.

Some examples of wasteful spending decisions are itemized below:

5.       A review of the budget provisions of 21 out of 50 Ministries, Departments and Agencies revealed the following amounts for some recurrent and capital expenditure items:
· Travel - local and international                                                                     N13 billion         
·Stationery, Magazines, Newspapers, etc.                                                      N4.5 billion
·Maintenance of vehicles, furniture, etc.                                                        N17 billion
·Training                                                                                                          N5 billion           
· Fuel and Lubricants for cars, generators, etc                                                N4 billion
· Miscellaneous: welfare packages, refreshments, meals, etc                          N9 billion           
· Acquisition of Computer Software                                                              N2.5 billion         
· Research and Development: whatever that means!                                     N27 billion
6.       The actual provisions in the budget would be at least twice these amounts, and total about N160 billion of waste. This amount is equal to the amount budgeted for the power sector!
7.       Some examples of some of the wasteful spending under "Research & Development" are N2.498 billion for "citizen's call centres" under the Ministry of Communications & Technology, N1.2 billion in the Ministry of Agriculture to incorporate commodity marketing companies! The Ministry of Foreign Affairs wants to spend N322 million to acquire "computer software". This is very expensive software indeed!
8.       A lot has already been written about the budgets in the Presidency. The following are some weird examples of what has been included in the State House (Villa) budget:
9.       Overhead is about N7.2 billion, or about N20 million per day to keep our President and VP happy. Their local travel budget is N724 million or N2 million per day, including weekends, while their international travel budget ix N951 million or nearly N3 million per day.
10.   The president's office has N285 million to hand out as "welfare package", N265 million to buy computers, N150 million to buy scanners, N161 million for buses, N295 million for new furniture, and N1.8 billion to "maintain existing furniture, office and residential quarters".
11.   The intend to buy desktops for N300,000 each, laptops for N314,000 each and scanners for a whopping N190,000. The public address system in the President, VP's office and Banquet Hall will cost N150 million! The SGF wants to spend N65 million on tree planting. Note that planting a million trees in Abuja over 4 years cost the FCT Administration less than N50 million then!

Conclusion: There is a lot of waste, and misplaced spending priorities in the Budget which can be reviewed to free more funds to finance subsidies, capital investment and improved governance.

CRITICAL INFORMATION 3
Thursday, January 12, 2012 - Eso calls for withdrawal of NASS constituency allowances

A former Justice of the Supreme Court, Justice Kayode Eso (retd), has said the constituency allowances of the National Assembly members should be stopped while the bogus allowances of the executive arm of government should be drastically reduced to provide funds for provision of infrastructure and other social services for the masses.
If implemented, he said, there might not be a need for fuel subsidy withdrawal.
In a telephone interview on Wednesday, he said the money that would accrue from the constituency allowances and the executive allowances could be enough to sustain fuel subsidy.
Eso stated that constitutionally, members of the National Assembly should not be involved in the execution of projects in their constituencies, adding that the allowances of the executives were astronomically high.
He said the Federal Government and Nigeria Labour Congress and Trade Union Congress should go into the 'root cause' of lack of provision of basic amenities instead of fighting over subsidy withdrawal.
Eso said, “The allowances of the executives are incredible. They are more than the subsidy that are given to us for fuel. They should remove all the allowances. This is the time to look into everything and everybody will be happy
“They should remove the subsidy (i.e. constituency project funds) being given to the National Assembly. They have no right to have them. They are there to make laws and not to become contractors. The governors are there to take care of their states. If we have all that money, there will be less demand for subsidy to go.
“The governors are the people to do the project. Legislators have no right to do any project. We voted them in to make laws and not to execute projects. Who gave them assignment to execute projects? The Constitution does not permit them to do that. It is not part of their work. Their only work is to make laws and that applies to all legislators all over the world.”
Eso urged the Federal Government and the labour to holistically address issues hindering development in the country.
He said the problem of lack of infrastructure and good governance transcended fuel subsidy removal.
According to him, this is the time to fix Nigeria and tackle those challenges and concerns that have slow national growth.
“What is important is that the Federal Government should go into the root of the whole matter. Why do we need the money when there is money somewhere that should not be there? We should find out the amount the subsidy will yield, how much are the members of the National Assembly taking as constituency allowances. We should find out that and see whether removal of subsidy is necessary at all.
“The immediate solution is for labour and FG to meet immediately and go to the root and not the surface. What they are attacking is just the surface.”

CRITICAL INFORMATION 4
We welcome the decision of PENGASSAN to shut down the oil wells by midnight tomorrow, Saturday. On our part, we will give you further information on our strategy before the close of today. Let it be clear to those who underestimate the will of our people and their resolve to kill corruption instead of allowing themselves to be killed by corruption, that there is no army strong enough to kill an idea whose time has come. Nigerians from all walks of life have regained their voices. We will, by God’s grace, continue and sustain this protest until the government sees reason to revert to N65.00.
NO RETREAT, NO RE-THINK & NO SURRENDER. WE ARE PERSUADED THAT WE SHALL OVERCOME BECAUSE ‘THE TRIUMPHING OF THE WICKED IS SHORT AND THE JOY OF THE HYPOCRITE IS BUT FOR A MOMENT’ (Job 20:5).

Thank you. God bless you and God bless Nigeria.

Sources: http://www.facebook.com/notes/save-nigeria-group-official-fan-page/press-release-by-the-covener-of-save-nigeria-group-sng-ojota-rally-day-5/10150596950869783

http://shoutonpaper.com/nigeria-world/breakingnews/day-5-press-release-by-the-covener-of-save-nigeria-group-s-n-g-ojota-rally

Now we are talking!

Justice kayode Eso is right.

Thats what we should all be fighting for, total demand for change not revert of pump price to N65

We need to demand for prosecution of corrupt individuals, cut in govt wasteful spendings in all arms of govt especially those rogues in NASS.

This sounds more like it and not asking a helicopter to crash!

Govt, "Don't push us cos we're close 2 d edge. We're tryin not 2 lose our heads"

^Lol

Why? This Is outright evil!

Brilliant piece.

I know some people are going to come here and try to politicize this write up instead of disputing facts embedded in the write up.

NLC, it is up to you to do Nigerians bidding. Negotiate to secure corrupt free environment, accountability, transparency, to cut wasteful spending, regressive policies, mediocrity, passage of PIB, blockage of fund siphoning and other issues that affect every commoners in our country.

Tunde Bakare is Fake and a Hypocrite. He won't succeed in his evil agenda.

Time will tell. Enuff said.

This is the way forward i.e charismatic Nigerians raising awareness amongst a largely apathetic people , making them realise they deserve more and showing them that they have the power to get what they want. I dont always agree with Bakare 's brash approach but he is standing up to be counted. We cannot ask for more.

It really would be good if other prominent and well-respected Nigerians utilise this approach more. Then the ruling elites would have nowhere to hide. They will then become prisoners in their homes to the extent the only choice facing them would be to use the wealth of the nation ,in their control, to develop Nigeria and Nigerians.

Unfortunately, no matter how sound/valid his points may be (which I must confess, I did not bother to read), it remains coloured and textured by political considerations. Bakare belongs to an opposition party with elected representatives at the National Assembly. If he is sure of what he iv saying, he shd pass the info to his party's MPs to bring it up properly for it to be debated. Otherwise, it remains a rumour and political talk which shd and ought to be dismissed with a wav of hand!

muami:

Unfortunately, no matter how sound/valid his points may be (which I must confess, I did not bother to read), it remains coloured and textured by political considerations. Bakare belongs to an opposition party with elected representatives at the National Assembly. If he is sure of what he iv saying, he shd pass the info to his party's MPs to bring it up properly for it to be debated. Otherwise, it remains a rumour and political talk which shd and ought to be dismissed with a wav of hand!

By your reasoning, if you had read a piece by Obama 3 years ago, you would have dismissed it because he belonged to an opposition party (Bush is a republican, in case you forgot!). You did not bother to read a piece, yet you bothered to put down such diatribe. Your confusion is really within you.

Akainzo:

By your reasoning, if you had read a piece by Obama 3 years ago, you would have dismissed it because he belonged to an opposition party (Bush is a republican, in case you forgot!). You did not bother to read a piece, yet you bothered to put down such diatribe. Your confusion is really within you.

Yes, i did not bother to read because the opening line already reveals the context and date of the statement. so whats your point? For your info, every accusation, David Cameron had against the Labour Party before he became PM, he brought to the Parliament and now that he is in power, Labour does the same. Anything outside that is a mere political speech

Tunder Bakare is protecting his Corrupt Yoruba Kinsmen, Wale/Adenuga/Jimo. Nigerians don't be deceived by the word of a fake Prophet. KEKERE Bakare is a Billionaire but Jesus Christ never kept Worldly riches. Bakere repent from your Sins.

Wily1Wily:

Tunder Bakare is protecting his Corrupt Yoruba Kinsmen, Wale/Adenuga/Jimo. Nigerians don't be deceived by the word of a fake Prophet. KEKERE Bakare is a Billionaire but Jesus Christ never kept Worldly riches. Bakere repent from your Sins.

Are you a zoologist?If yes,little wonder.If no,you didn't bother to read the write -up and see those names mentioned in the press release as those benefitting from the subsidy scam.

Kekere Bakare is a Failed Prophet

Great Strategy.
SNG all the way. The masses are with you!!

You fools will alwaz be bamboozled! So u exp Jonathan to (overnyt) clear the mess created by the south-west and the whole of north leaders, abi? The oil thieves/cabals are they not Yorubas/hausa-fulanis.

The owners of the oil, whom, u hv so wrecked, are saying enof of the thievery+ una mendacity, and that these trillions of naira shld be re-invested to benefit all and sundry and u're here sheddg crocodile tears.

Jonathan means well and i pity the poor masses who think that the protests are for their favour, not knowing that the protesters and labour officials may hv bn overly bribed by the oil thieves, who, by the way hv stolen enof and shld be hanged.

Yorubas and hausa-fulanis shld stop destroying this country and let Jonathan work! If you don't let him work now, perhaps, sooner than later, we wont be talkg abt fuel subsidy, but u guz will be begging for consideration. Fools!

Change will not come to us if we wait for some other people, or if we wait for some other time, we are the ones we have been waiting for and we are the change that we seek. lets match on

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Don-Jay/206124316146502

though he's got points but let another person speak, I don't want to listen to this political pastor,

Yes, i did not bother to read because the opening line already reveals the context and date of the statement. so whats your point? For your info, every accusation, David Cameron had against the Labour Party before he became PM, he brought to the Parliament and now that he is in power, Labour does the same. Anything outside that is a mere political speech

@muami,
are you in any way trying to condemn the relevance of opposition in a democratic setting?  it is not important if you like the messenger or not but the most important thing is the massage. these are written words and it is always the duty of the ruling pdp to come out and say, BAKARE - YOU HAVE LIED.
we all listened to the president saying he alongside sambo will eat N1B worth of food and this is not bakare saying it rather our president.
we have been under this pdp leadership since 1999 with nothing to show for it. we need a change. the major problem we have as a country is lack of formidable opposition and as such pdp is afraid of no one and will always do what they want.

Bakare is gearing up elective post so try and vote for him whem the time comes. We will also make effort to register the SAVE NIGERIA as a political party.

I STAND BY PASTOR BAKARE ALL THE WAY! YOU ALL HAVE OR WOULD HAVE CHILDREN AND CURRENTLY YOU HAVE FAMILIES BOTH IMMIDIATE AND EXTENDED. WHY DO PEOPLE ACT OR SPEAK SO SELFISHLY. OUR CHILDREN NEED A BETTER LIFE THAN WHAT WE HAVE BEEN GETTING.

PROVERBS 13:22 SAYS A GOOD MAN LEAVES AN INHERITANCE FOR HIS CHILDRENS CHILDREN.

WHAT LEGACY OR INHERITANCE ARE WE LEAVING FOR OURS? WHAT PASTOR BAKARE HAS SAID IS WHAT IS NEEDED IN SUCH A TIME AS THIS. LET US SEE THE TRUTH AND CALL IT BY ITS NAME AND NOT CAST STONES IN THE WRONG DIRECTION. WE ALL KNOW THE TRUTH AND WHAT HAS BEEN HAPPENING IN OUR GOVERNMENT YET WE PRETEND AND LIE TO OURSELVES AND CONSOLE OURSELVES WITH SUCH COMMENTS AS "THE GOVERNMENT (JONATHAN) KNOWS WHAT HE IS DOING" OR "VERY SOON THINGS WILL IMPROVE AND GET BETTER".

WHY DECEIVE YOURSELVES? WE ALL NEED TO FROWN OR SPIT ON CORRUPTION AND STOP TOLERATING IT. I WEEP FOR NIGERIA AND NIGERIANS BECAUSE WE REALLY NEED TO SAVE OURSELVES FROM OURSELVES. GOD BLESS YOU ALL.

Brilliant!

Diligence:

You fools will alwaz be bamboozled!  So u exp Jonathan to (overnyt) clear the mess created by the south-west and the whole of north leaders, abi?  The oil thieves/cabals are they not Yorubas/hausa-fulanis.  

The owners of the oil, whom, u hv so wrecked, are saying enof of the thievery+ una mendacity, and that these trillions of naira shld be re-invested to benefit all and sundry and u're here sheddg crocodile tears.

Jonathan means well and i pity the poor masses who think that the protests are for their favour, not knowing that the protesters and labour officials may hv bn overly bribed by the oil thieves, who, by the way hv stolen enof and shld be hanged.

Yorubas and hausa-fulanis shld stop destroying this country and let Jonathan work! If you don't let him work now, perhaps, sooner than later, we wont be talkg abt fuel subsidy, but u guz will be begging for consideration.  Fools!

Where were the 'progressive' ACN reps and CPC reps when all these frauds, waste, and leakages were passing through the National Assembly for rubber stamping?

By the way, it is naive to expect NLC to fight the wastes especially since their constituency - Ministries, agencies, and other government departments are the major beneficiaries of those 'largesse' and perk of office.

Let us also not forget in a hurry the worker's unions are the same body that frustrated NEPA/PHCN and also threatened to resist the merging of government ministries and department on the excuse that it will lead to redundancy and retrenchment of members of NLC.

NLC does not support lean government, they actually oppose it.

As for bakere, he hasn't said anything new. The question again is that what has his party CPC done in their own little way to raise or address these issues at the NA ?

that said Bakera is a hypocrite: an attention seeking mofo, whose strange and unholy alliance with one who the 'spirit of God' according to him has rejected (buhari), led to the slaughtering of innocent corpers and soiling Nigeria with blood.

Bakera is a lost and sinking soul who is always looking for platform to reinvent himself. It is simply opportunistic of him to try to make himself the face of this protest. Perhaps as usual, he will fool his folks.

Revealing, N5m a day for transportation. OMG, some people ought to be shot in the head.

I am quite impressed by the facts (not sentiments) that is now coming forward from the other side and quite optimistic that the wheel of change that this has brought will be followed through by President Jonathan.

While I still believe that de-regulation is the final way to go, I am also confident that this should ultimately deliver the price of 65 or even lower if managed properly.

President Jonathan lost his focus which should have been on the people and how he can implement policies that do not cause unecessary hardship. It does appear that while his attempts to take corrective action afterwards is the right step to take, the impact of them is insignificant relative to the stresses caused and it is time to go back to the drawing board and rethink by looking at both plan c and d and as many other as is necessary. He needs to be able to take the Nigerian people along with him.


As an interim measure(say for 6 months), there needs to be a restoration of the subsidy maybe not to petrol pump price of N65 put not more than N90. The contract to get costs at this level needs to be specific both in price and quantity. It needs to be a rolling month contract so that marketers know they risk losing their contract for failure to perform and to only use marketers who have demonstrated efficiency in the logistics and provide minimum add on cost. The bottlenecks that led to delays and increased cost should be identified and corrective actions taken. As the FG is able to demonstrate its commitment to the process of making Nigeria self sufficient by increased capacity at the refineries then the cost should come down as less and less would need to be imported.

If the government is asking the people to make adjustments, they need to demonstrate by practising what they preach i.e review their budget and spend by looking to make meaningful efficiency savings and require the same from the legislative arm. No legislature should be able to be paid more than what is received by the President of the USA even thinking about this makes be shudder at how obsene this is.

It is only when a Government are able to demonstrate fiscal and budgetary responsibility that they earn the right to demand same from the people. So until we know what adjustments both the executive and legislative arm are prepared to make the pump price should be left at N65.

We need to all be in this together.

blink182:

Revealing, N5m a day for transportation. OMG, some people ought to be shot in the head.

Seriously, they need to be shot in their head at a closest range. Wicked and inhumane politicians. Mtchewwwwwww

not all the so called pastors are working for jesus, especially the ones that is in love with the emires,jihadist islamoron imams and fraudlant gangsters in his greed to be richer than king solomon.tunde boko bakare has preached to his fool-lowers once again.

oro kabiti!

Tunde Bakare is Fake and a Hypocrite. He won't succeed in his evil agenda.

Time will tell. Enuff said

How is TB fake and a hypocrite? But you said "What is good for the GOOSE, is good for the GANDER". Do you mean the so-call leaders should enjoy all the wealth of the country while they make the masses to starve to death? Please, use your head and don't live according to your name.

,