₦airaland Forum

Edo2020: APC Flag off Shows the People are with Ize Iyamu/ Gani Audu - Prince Odigie


A former Commissioner representing Esan central on the board of EDOSOPADEC, who resigned his appointment from the Governor Obaseki led administration Prince Emmanuel Odigie has said the massive turnout of the Edo People during the campaign flag off of the All Progressive Congress yesterday in Benin City is a clear signal that the people truly are with the party's Govnership and deputy candidates.

Speaking to newsmen in Benin City on Sunday evening he said the people have already spoken and that indicates they are fully in Support of Ize Iyamu/Gani Audu ticket under the platform of the All Progressive Congress.

Prince Emmanuel Odigie said the current Governor who is seeking re-election does not enjoy the same support because the people of Edo state do not have confidence in him and he has also not performed in the last four to give him the audacity or tenacity to seek re-election.

Prince Emmanuel Odigie appealed to the National peace accord committee head by General Abdulsalami Abubakar to work with INEC, security agencies and other stakeholders, invite the political gladiators and political parties candidates of the 14 political parties participating in the election to sign a peace accord agreement to ensure there is peace in our state. this is imperative and unprecedented because of the drum of war in Edo state. ( Heart beat of the Nation)

We saw what happened in King Square, Oba's Palace and most recently Edo State House of Assembly.

We need peace in Edo, election is not war.

The political parties should engage in issues based campaigns.

Youth Council Vows to Expose Persons, Govt Agencies Involved in Fraud and fiscal irregularities in the country

The National Youth Council of Nigeria has threatened that it will expose persons, agencies of Government that are involved in Fraud and fiscal irregularities in the country. 

Speaking to news men at a Pre Conference Press briefing on International Youth day, A day set aside by the United Nations to celebrate Young People in the World and harness their potential conference in Abuja, the National President of the Council, Amb Sukubo Seraigbe Sukubo disclosed that this year's celebration Wil feature compilation of list of corrupt MDA's and persons to be forwarded to Mr. President Muhammadu Buhari for Action and all related Anti Corruption agencies.

The National Youth Council of Nigeria are in receipt of petitions from our affiliate Youth organizations and we have  thoroughly investigated some of the petitions. we shall submit the list of these persons and Government Agencies to media at the appropriate time and also submit a petition to relevant anti-graft agencies for necessary actions.

The President of council also noted that the Youth of Nigeria under his leadership Will not allow corruption which had hithatrtho distroy our economy to continue to have it's way.

While Speaking further on the Nigerian Youth Investment fund, he said the Council has received nod from the Ministry of Youth to set up modalities and centers across the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory and recommend credible youth to pilot the scheme.

As young people whose only Country is Nigeria, we shall join efforts with Mr President to build a stronger Soceity that we can all be proud of.

As the September 19 Governorship election in Edo State draws closer a group known as OTITI-ESAN KWOLEGBE FOR POI has thrown their weight behind the candidate of the APC pastor osagie oze Iyamu,

Speaking to newsmen in Ekpoma Esan West Local Government Council the Converner of the group and former chairman of the APC in Edo state Prince Tony Omaghe said they were here today, in the midst of our fellow compatriots, to discuss and interrogate our political compass as we approach the twilight of a new Dawn in the political trajectory of our dear Esanland.

Since the inception of civil rule in 1999, Edo Central Senatorial District has burn the brunt of marginalization in all facets of social, political and infrastructural developments, that was further kindled with the short-lived administration of Prof. Osariemen Osunbor. His tenure, which would have brought relief and social Justice to Esanland was truncated by forces beyond our control. However, since that unfortunate incident of history, our collective efforts have been geared towards agitating and plotting several interactive graphs that would rightly accord us our pride of place in the political equation of Edo State.
This meeting has become inevitable to rouse the consciousness of our people who are driven by different political persuasions and ideologies, to join hands in the collective quest for political equity in advancing the cause of an Esan Governor in the next dispensation. This is the Esan Agenda which is supported by the facts that Edo Central Senatorial District has not effectively occupied the seat of the Governance of Edo State since 1999, whereas the Edo North and South have had it in successions. Edo South, under Chief Lucky Nosaghare Igbinedion ruled for eight years, Edo North under Comrade Adams Oshionhole ruled for eight years, and rather than go to Esanland in 2016, Mr. Godwin Obaseki of Edo South again was elected to office.

The idea of the Esan Agenda has been a recurring issue for some time, and we believe this can be best realised through implicit tact and diplomacy, considering the demographic balance that weighs against us.

We must build friendship and have allies knowing that in the game of politics we must be sensitive to the feelings of others. We must promote constructive engagement and collective bargaining in the minds of our political associates so that our aspiration and temperament are properly understood.

We need the cooperation of the other Senatorial Districts in achieving this objective. We have reviewed and fully appreciate the tide of promises made by the contending political parties who are vying for the seat of government in the September 19 election. The choice we make is very important in determining our political future. We have studied their various election agenda and believe that our hopes and aspirations are best represented in the SIMPLE AGENDA of Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, the candidate of All Progressives Congress, (APC)
The SIMPLE AGENDA, as documented, is a reflection of the aspiration of the needs of Esanland. It addresses inter alia the following challenges of our corporate existence, viz:
(a). SECURITY AND SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT.
(b). INFRASTRUCTURAL DEFICIT.
(c). MANPOWER DEVELOPMENT
(d). PUBLIC, PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP in the development of our abundant human and natural resources.
(e). LEADERSHIP BY EXAMPLE. This is imperative in attaining a new social order for the repositioning of our civil society
(f). EMPLOYMENT GENERATION for the legion of School leavers and those who must be trained to acquire skills in various vocations.


We call on Esan people and leaders not to be deceived by vain promises made by those who have consistently betrayed our aspirations. Some 'leaders', who consider their interest more Paramount than that of the people, have again recently sold our future and the Commonwealth of Esanland on mere receipt of political 'portage'. While some received Cash, others got Vehicles as compensation for abandoning the Esan Agenda. This betrayal must be resisted by our people who must now critically analyse the candidates of the two frontline political parties.
The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Governor Godwin Obaseki, does not appear to me a promise keeper. He also does not have the interest of Esanland in mind. In the past four years of his administration, he has had many opportunities to assuage the visible marginalization in Esanland, but turned his back against us. We can count a litany of such indiscretion against our land. There are no visible development in any of our LGA towns and villages, our local schools don't have teachers, no laboratories or library in any of our public schools, Nearly all school buildings are derelict, no government presence in the health sector, all Primary Health Centers have been virtually abandoned because of poor staffing and lack of equipment, No attention is accorded to repair or construct access roads, even the Federal government initiated SEEFOR program for rural road development is not visible in Esanland. All the access roads to Esanland, whether through Igbanke to Igueben, or through Ehor to Ogwa, or through Auchi to Ekpoma have all failed. There has been no appointment of Esansons into any responsible government positions in the last four years. We have not seen the much desired love and attention to our needs to convince us that when reelected, Obaseki will be a 'newman'. The 60MVA transformer at Irrua, which was facilitated by Rt Hon Patrick Ikhariale, (while he was at the House of Representatives), that was installed to provide regular and stable electricity to Esanland was forcefully removed at the instance of Governor Obaseki to unapproved location outside Edo Central. All Esan roads and infrastructures provisioned in the last four years' budgets were never done, thus making easy access to our towns and cities impossble.

The Federal college of Education approved to be cited in Irrua was arbitrarily relocated to Ekiadolor in Edo South, where the Tayo Akpata University of Education was abandoned. Today, he claims credit for the ongoing infrastructural facelifts in Ambrose Alli University. To the contrary, facts reveal that the projects in AAU are sponsored by the Federal government under the TETFUND intervention scheme for tertiary institutions. Rather, the Obaseki regime has drastically reduced the monthly statutory subvention to AAU, thus constraining their academic operations.

Esanland has no portable WATER, the Ugbalo water project co-sponsored with the Federal government has been abandoned for lack of counterpart funding. While our villages are ravaged by gully erosion, the Edo government refused to apply the approved Ecological funds sourced from the Federal authority in solving this problem.
Furthermore, the incumbent Governor refused when he had opportunity to make an Esanman the Head of Service of Edo State, the Secretary to State Government, as well as Chief of Staff, when the occasions arose. He by-passed us and gave the positions to his cronies from other areas of the state, thus furthering our political marginalization as a People. Information reaching OTITI-ESAN KWOLEGBE indicate that the Governor, has already anointed his deputy, Rt. Hon. Philip Shaibu as his successor, if per chance he's reelected. This puts Esan in a very precarious position, but God forbid, this will never happen.

Thank God the candidate of APC, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu has demonstrated strong commitments to ensuring his successor comes from Esanland. POI has shown strong belief in our people by giving them loud and strategic positions in his campaign organization. His campaign Director General (DG) and many of his campaign Directors are from Esanland. The POI agenda and desire for political equity in Edo State favours our collective aspirations as a Senatorial District. We shall pursue the actualization of the agenda with all vigour.

In conclusion, we call on all Edolites, and particularly, Esan people to join us in the mobilization towards achieving the promises of the APC's 'S.I.M.P.L.E' agenda, and the promise of Installing an Esanman as the successor of Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu. We deserve a better lease of life in Esanland, and as a strategic Senatorial District, we resist further attempts at marginalization in the hands of Governor Obaseki.
We have consulted far and wide, we have searched our minds and interrogated various scenarios, and have come to the conclusion that the candidate who shows us love and has our interest at heart, is the one deserving of our support. Let's support the candidate of APC, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, who has shown us love. He is in a more formidable position to win the election considering his state-wide support base. His election will help in realizing the Esan Agenda and aspirations, and also restore the integrity of the 'tripod' upon which the political stability of Edo State stands. We have extracted a solid commitment from the APC candidate, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, that there will be a deliberate intervention in the Infrastructural renewal of all five LGA's in Esanland. We believe he will deliver on all promises. We therefore call on all Esan sons and daughters at home and the Diaspora to vote massively for APC in the election come September 19th, 2020; for we see Hope and great promise in the SIMPLE AGENDA of Pastor Osagie Andrew Ize-Iyamu. All ESAN are invited to embrace the SIMPLE AGENDA of Hope that would take Esan to the NEXT LEVEL OF DEVELOPMENT.
VOTE THE BROOM.
VOTE PASTOR OSAGIE IZE-IYAMU.
VOTE APC,
OTITI-ESAN KWOLEGBE.
ENIGIE GHATOR, EKHALE, ISE. .

IN politics, globally, and in life generally, emotional maturity and emotional intelligence are two different but symbiotic factors essential to maintaining healthy relationships.

Experts describe emotional maturity as the ability to handle situations without gratuitously escalating them. Instead of seeking to blame someone else for their problems or behaviour, emotionally mature people seek to fix the problem or behaviour and always accept accountability for their actions.
No matter the situation, or so the experts assert, emotionally mature people don’t lie in uncomfortable situations. Rather, they face the reality of the situation frontally. And, they don’t resort to personal attacks during a disagreement; they address only the issue. They are not impulsive and don’t speak recklessly. They ensure that they are calm and think before they speak.
On the other hand, emotional intelligence is the ability to identify and manage your own emotions as well as the emotions of others. You can identify an emotion and respond to it rather than react, which is another critical skill.
But those who – like Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo State – are deficient in these areas see a breakdown in communication and, ultimately, complications in or the breakup of their political, business or even romantic relationships.
Perhaps, because he doesn’t even know what they are or understand how they work – both separately and in tandem – Obaseki forgot to acquire the skill-set needed to navigate life and politics, which is why the house his predecessor literally helped him build for the collective sheltering of Edo indigenes with sweat and sheer willpower, has collapsed under his watch.
Even the umbrella that he sought refuge under is now leaking porously. Everything that can possibly go wrong with a political campaign is going wrong with Obaseki’s. From the gale of resignation to a groundswell of apathy by the electorate to his ambition, all the indices are that the second term bid of the governor is dead on arrival.
Obaseki and his cheerleaders were in denial all along as they continued to run on their contrived popularity and propaganda but the penny has dropped with happenings in their camp in recent days.
Last Tuesday, Mr Patrick Iyoha, the Director, Obaseki/Shaibu Movement, resigned his appointment with immediate effect, citing personal reasons. The resignation of Iyoha, also a member of the Edo State Waste Management Board, threw the campaign organisation into disarray, as he was the nerve-centre of Obaseki’s re-election bid.
But it was not only Iyoha that resigned within the week. Two members of the State Post Primary Education Board – Mr Gabriel Oiboh, Chairman and Mr Osanyemwere Osawe, a member of the board – also resigned their appointments. Oiboh and Osawe said their resignations followed pressure by Obaseki to defect to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) from the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Earlier on Monday, July 27th, three commissioners of the Edo State Oil and Gas Producing Area Development Commission had resigned their appointments. The commissioners – Osamwonyi Atu, Emmanuel Odigie and Rilwanu Oshiomhole – hitherto represented Edo South, Edo Central and Edo North senatorial districts.
Particularly, Odigie said he was resigning, because “The appointment was given to me based on my membership and commitment to the APC. I have contested elections twice to the House of Representatives on the APC platform, as a party loyalist, and based on my principles, I strongly believe it will be unfair to cross over to the Peoples Democratic Party.”
Oshiomhole echoed the same sentiment, adding that as a loyal party man, his resignation was to enable him to work for the success of Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, the APC governorship candidate in the September 19th election.
The previous Friday, Commissioner for Environment and Sustainability, Dame Omoua Oni-Okpaku resigned from the state cabinet, joining a long list that includes several cabinet members and senior aides of the governor. These resignations were preceded last May by the shocking exit of Taiwo Akerele, the immediate past Chief of Staff to the Governor.
Those conversant with Nigerian politics and how the government – whether federal or state – works, know that the appointive position of the Chief of Staff is usually given to an ally of the governor or president as the case may be. Akerele was seen as Obaseki’s eyes and ears in the government, the major interface between the governor and the people, stakeholders in the state and appointees.
The blame of Akerele’s shocking resignation was laid squarely at the feet of Obaseki, who was variously accused of having evolved into an imperious and inexorable leader especially as it became clearer by the day that he was taking on too many pointless, ego-driven battles.
When John Maiyaki, a former Chief Press Secretary to Governor Obaseki resigned his appointment in 2019 long before the governor defected to the PDP, he said it was the people of Edo State that are opposed to the governor’s second term, not the former National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Comrade Adams Oshiomole.
Maiyaki said those, who worked for the election of the governor in 2016 were disappointed that he abandoned the developmental agenda on which he was elected and had subjected the people of the state to abject poverty. He further alleged that it was indisputable that Governor Obaseki has refused to implement the continuity agenda promised to the Edo People in 2016 describing it as a needle to the bubble of lies created by agents of underdevelopment and poverty in the state.
According to him, “It is a decision made after a clear evaluation of the competence, actions, and intentions of Godwin Obaseki, who though admitted to the success of the administration he succeeded, has merely reversed the gains recorded in a futile attempt to create a political dynasty founded on nepotism, ethnic division, corruption, and disregard for the rule of law.
“Certainly, no right-thinking member of the society would support this. It is therefore not a surprise that Edo citizens, high and low, young and old, have abandoned personal sentiments or affiliations, and resorted to logic and core hard facts in their collective rejection of the governor.
“This simple truth is backed by the fact that Godwin Obaseki is presently fighting to earn the approval of his own family members who have since embraced the party and the Edo People’s Movement in the mission to kick out the inept leader from office.” Maiyaki should know. He was Obaseki’s spokesman for three years.
Like Dr Mike Murdoch once said, “A foolish man will enjoy a perfect today and lose a perfect tomorrow. A wise man will forfeit a perfect today to gain a perfect tomorrow. Maturity is the ability to delay gratification.”
Obaseki seamlessly rode into power on the wings of the accomplishments of his predecessor. As noted by Maiyaki, he was supposed to consolidate on the gains bequeathed to him but deviated and took the state many years back. Alas, where the people expected political maturity, they found scapegoating and scaremongering.
His subsequent projections, including paranoia, an inability to self-analyse, and a lack of emotional intelligence will lead to his downfall at the polls.
In the twilight of his administration, especially, Obaseki began treating governance as some spectator sports by fomenting trouble where there was peace with the intent to distract the people from their daily drudgery and to expect somehow, at the end of it all, that the miracle of a better-governed state would emerge.
But there is a silver lining in all these, of course, and the informed electorate of Edo State has fully come to terms with the sure-fire power of their votes to effect a change in government, which they have unanimously consented to do on September 19th.
In the end, it is left to Pastor Ize-Iyamu to help the people sort through all of the debilitating disruptions of Obaseki. He is coming adequately prepared for the job.
Apart from having spent the best part of his meritorious existence in the state, he has acquired, along the line, political maturity and dexterity, and a leadership skill-set that would come handy as he attempts to put the state back in order from the day he is sworn in as the next governor of Edo State.

George-Hanson wrote this piece from Lagos Nigeria.

Edo PDP House Of Assembly Candidate condemns the crisis rocking the state house of assembly

The candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for Oredo West Constituency into the state house of assembly, Eghosa Agbonifo has condemned the crisis rocking the state house of assembly when some lawmakers purportedly resumed sittings and claimed to have impeached the Speaker, Rt Hon Frank Okiye in an undisclosed location and thereafter claimed to have elected Hon Victor Edoror as the new Speaker.
In a statement issued in Benin City yesterday, Agbonifo said the lawmakers who claimed to have met do not have such powers since their seats have been declared vacant because they refused to resume sitting since the inauguration of the house in June last year. He therefore described their action as illegal.
Agbonifo said lawmakers have failed to resume sitting and their seats declared vacant, the runners-up in their election in 2019 ought to have been sworn.
“As far as I am concerned, what they did is not known to law. It is illegal and unconstitutional. We are talking of people who were never sworn in because they on their own decided to stay away from sittings and their seats were declared vacant.
“For instance my constituency, Oredo West has not been represented in the house since it was inaugurated and since their seats were declared, I as the first runner-up in the election ought to have been declared the winner and sworn-in. My demand is that I and others should be sworn in to complete the house.
“Their purported sitting and impeachment of the Speaker and their purported election of a new speaker is of no effect.
“I call on security agencies to ensure there s peace because their action can spark crisis in the state because the state is preparing for a governorship election with imminent victory for the PDP and Governor Godwin Obaseki”

Just In: Newly Sworn in Speaker in Edo State pays courtesy visit to Edo State Commissioner of Police



Members of the Edo Assembly, led by newly-elected Speaker, Rt. Hon. Victor Edoror, pay a courtesy visit to Edo State Commissioner of Police, Johnson Kokumo.

He has assured them of his support as the 7th Assembly is now in session.

By Ghazali Al-Mustapha

It is now a common sight for governors to sprint to Abuja to seek respite each time there's perceived security breach in their respective states. They do so at a lightning pace. Usain Bolt will feel like a proud father. 

In their customary pattern, the governors are billed to meet with President Muhammadu Buhari again later this week after Tuesday's National Security Council meeting. The planned gathering has drawn concern from across the board, especially after the purported attack on the convoy of Governor Babagana Zulum of Borno State, said to be on his way back after distributing relief materials to Internally Displaced Persons, IDPs.

There were also claims of an attempt by insurgents to take over the state capital, Maiduguri in addition to the security challenges in Katsina, Zamfara, Sokoto, Kaduna, Niger, Plateau and Benue states where banditry, abductions and cattle rustling have become rife. 

As the governors prepare to embark on another athletic exercise, however, the focus has once again shifted from the main issues resulting in the security threats in the north to politics. Once more, certain forces have tried to paint a gory image, depicting that the insecurity has to do with the Service Chiefs.

The President, though, by involving relevant stakeholders like the governors and other political appointees for the next meeting has shown that he understands the issues beyond a single narrative and is willing to interrogate the situation at the appropriate quarters. On their part, meanwhile, the governors exhibited despondency and utter cluelessness whenever security issues arise. 

The governors hide under the ridiculous fabric that since they do not control any of the security agencies, the mandate falls on the Federal Government to address such problems. Doing so, they completely ignore the fact that as chief executives of specific spaces, they constitute the first line of defence with their constitutionally assigned roles of ensuring the security and well being of citizens in their respective states.

Recall that at the end of a meeting with the President on security matters in 2017, the state governors were made to realise their greater roles in providing adequate security for citizens even more than Abuja. The same year, the Northern Governors’ Forum met and decided to collectively tackle the issue of insecurity bedevilling the region as one entity instead of leaving it to the individual states affected to do so.

In a communiqué read by the chairman of the forum, then Governor of Borno State, Kashim Shettima, the governors took other measures like resolving to accept the recommendations of the Body of the Attorneys General of the 19 Northern States to domesticate the model Penal and  Fiscal Responsibility Law and the model Administration of Criminal Justice Law through the necessary legislative actions by subjecting them to the individual peculiarities of the states.

They also identified some of the factors that make the security situation in the region intractable to the porous borders which they say allows criminal elements to move freely within the West African sub-region; access to arms through the black-market and the lack of strong legal framework.

The governors went further admitting that the huge forests in the north allow bandits to easily move from a place, making it difficult to engage them in combat.

But they unanimously agreed that the military has been overtasked with the task of ensuring adequate security as they were in operation in almost all parts of the country. 

This underscores the fact that the issues are beyond what combat operations alone can handle. Additional proactive measures must be taken to avoid deterioration to the point where military engagement would be required like putting in place a comprehensive business plan as well as opening discussions to boost power supply and offer financial assistance to citizens. They acknowledged that the military has done much to reduce the magnitude of violence in the region.

For instance from 2009 when violence broke out in the Northeast till now, the military has done a lot to bring the situation under control. These are obvious in the fact that the military had recaptured an area spanning 20 local councils with a population of about two million inhabitants in Borno, Yobe and Adamawa States once taken over and declared a caliphate by the insurgents.

Admittedly, so much was lost due to the activities of the insurgents; the destruction of infrastructure and large-scale humanitarian crisis owing to the sacking of many communities. But the military was able to reverse all that, making it difficult for the terrorists to continue such attacks while opening markets and roads hitherto closed.

Governors and politicians in states like Adamawa, Bauchi and Gombe which were initially ravaged by Boko Haram have taken the initiative to cooperate fully with the military in terms of logistical support, frequent consultations and provision of relevant actionable intelligence.

They have also made steps to disabuse the minds of their youths against violence, engaging them in productive economic activities and involving communities in early detection. However, their counterpart in Borno and to some extent, Yobe, have fallen short in that regard.

This perhaps explains why insurgency has almost been obliterated in the aforementioned states yet continued to escalate in Borno and Yobe as the governors and elders abandoned their own duties to the military. 

The current governor of Borno, unfortunately, unlike his colleagues, seems not to have grasped the enormity of the task on his shoulders, instead of jumping at the slightest instance to blame the military. He isn't alone, though. 

The politicals elites in Borno have remained on the sidelines, doing almost nothing to support the military. There are reports that they chose to act that way as they were profiting from the smuggling businesses and the take over of the multi-million naira fishing business in Baga.

There's is also the report of the lack of conscious efforts to reduce the level of poverty in Borno which is making insurgency to thrive in the state.

One, however, expects that since the stakeholders and political class have realized that the military cannot do all, they should have stepped up efforts, embarking on alternative dispute resolution mechanism, ensuring fairness and justice in the conflict between communities and providing the enabling environment for all citizens to cohabit with one another without any fear of molestation. 

To tackle insecurity squarely, Zulum and other governors obviously need to do more than embark on their usual trip to Abuja. They have to provide leadership at the various levels including the local government and communities.

They need to ensure that political thugs who were armed during the last elections are disarmed and deradicalized as quickly as possible. The governor also needs to be in constant consultation with citizens of their respective states. Only then can they dash to the nation's capital and no one would bother. Absolutely none.


Al-Mustapha is a security expert and wrote from Kaduna.

*Boko Haram: Nigerians vow to champion mass campaign, public awareness against insurgency to complement military’s efforts*

A group of well-meaning Nigerians, under the aegis of Initiative for One Nigeria (ION), have vowed to hold massive campaigns to create awareness in support of the military's efforts in the war against Boko Haram/ISWAP terrorists.  

Speaking at a press conference on Thursday in Abuja, Secretary-General, Comrade Ohene Dominic Ejembi, said there is need for active participation by all citizens, stressing that the war against the insurgents shouldn't be left alone for the Federal Government and military. 

According to ION, from its findings, there has been neglect from politicians, community heads as well as relevant stakeholders in charting a solution to the insurgency. 

Describing the efforts of the military so far as "brilliant", the group believes much more can be achieved if all and sundry would elect to come together and support the Nigerian military wholeheartedly.  

The Initiative for One Nigeria, however, reassured by closing all gaps and working together with the military, the country will experience a rebirth in the coming days. 

Read the full statement below:

The Initiative for One Nigeria, an organization dedicated to the peace and progress in Nigeria welcomes you all to this important press conference convoked in the light of the fact that there has been an erroneous mentality that the war against insurgency is the preserve of the Federal Government /Military alone.   

While it is understandable that this line of thought has been entrenched in the system for so long, however, it is not too late to change the mentality to that of collective endeavour rather than a job for the Federal Government/Military alone.

It is instructive to state that the Initiative for One Nigeria has carried out extensive research on why the war against insurgency in Nigeria is prolonged and the findings from the various reports indicate that there has been near neglect of charting a Nigeria solution to the insurgency and the critical stakeholders have not availed the much-needed support.

The Initiative for One Nigeria states that there is no better time for all and sundry to come to the table and work with the Federal Government in the fight against insurgency as these insurgents are not spirits but humans that reside in Nigeria.

It is indeed a statement of fact that ending the Boko Haram scourge rest within us as Nigerians because we have the wherewithal and the know-how to end the insurgency, but a situation where the citizens are not cooperative with the Federal Government and the military, there would always be setbacks. This is not restricted to Nigeria alone but in other climes that have experienced insurgencies and successfully overcome it.

We must also realize that the effort to end Insurgency in Nigeria must be a collective one, and the time to act is now. The participation of the citizens of Nigeria is as critical as the efforts of the Nigerian Military in the insurgency crisis in Nigeria.

It is common knowledge that indeed there have been gaps that were created as a result of the nonchalance and the politics of bitterness as displayed by some members of the political authorities in North-Eastern states in the country as well as other parts of the country. This has to end as a matter of urgency. 

It must be noted that the role of the community leaders in ending the Boko Haram scourge cannot be overemphasized. And this much they must realize and extend their support to the Nigerian Military because at the end of the day, Nigeria would be the ultimate beneficiary. 

The Initiative for One Nigeria is of the firm conviction that Nigeria can defeat the Boko Haram insurgency especially with the level of commitment displayed by the Military since 2016 when it gained ascendency over Boko Haram and the consequent recapturing of all Nigerian territories that were hitherto under the control of the Boko Haram group. 

The dislodgement of the Boko Haram group from their operational base in Sambisa forest is another highlight of the efforts of the Nigeria Military in the war against insurgency in Nigeria. It is thus our considered opinion that should the efforts of the Nigerian Military had been complemented with support from other critical stakeholders; the war against insurgency would have long become history in Nigeria.  

This also reinforces the position of the Initiative for One Nigeria, as well as other groups of like minds that have been advocating for cooperation from all and sundry in support of the efforts of the Nigerian Military thus far. 

We wish to place it on record that this position of ours should not be construed to mean that support from the civil populace has not been availed, but rather not in the right proportion and this is responsible for where we are today in the war against insurgency.

The Initiative for One Nigeria wishes to state that should Nigeria get overwhelmed by the Boko Haram scourge, we would all have our selves to blame because of the opportunities to proffer Nigeria solutions to the Boko Haram Insurgency has been availing itself to us in ways too numerous to mention.

It is a function of two things; its either we take the opportunities and end the insurgency, or we live with the consequences of the insurgency that has already claimed hundreds of thousands of lives and displaced millions of people. 

The Initiative for One Nigeria states that the efforts of the Nigerian Military have been brilliant as evident in the various successes recorded so far. These efforts can yield the ultimate result if all and sundry would elect to come together and support the Nigerian Military wholeheartedly.  

The Initiative for One Nigeria is holding this press conference as a clarion call to all citizens of our great country in absolute reverence to our National Pledge to Nigeria our country, to be faithful, loyal and honest. To serve Nigeria with all our strength to defend her unity and uphold her honour and glory so help us, God. 

The Initiative for One Nigeria is confident that in the coming days and weeks, there would be a rebirth in the country where all Nigerians regardless of their ethnic and religious affiliations would come together and assist the Nigerian Military in the war against insurgency in Nigeria.

It is indeed time to end insecurity by closing all gaps and working together with the Nigerian Military as they continue to push for the final decimation of the Boko Haram group. 

I thank you all for your patience and time, and we desire that in no distance time, Nigeria shall be indeed free from the threats posed by the Boko Haram group.

Long Live the Federal Republic of Nigeria. 

Thank you all, and God bless.

*Lack of political collaboration, not military sabotage responsible for the resurgence of Boko Haram, ex-Senate President, Ebute writes Governors Forum*

Third Republic Senate President, Senator Ameh Ebute, says a lack of political collaboration and not sabotage on the military's part is behind renewed Boko Haram/ISWAP activities in the country. 

The elder statesman made this known in an open letter to the Nigerian Governors Forum (NGF) on Wednesday.

According to Senator Ebute, while Boko Haram/ISWAP threats have almost vanished in neighbouring states, it persists in Borno due to the unwillingness of political leaders to partner and support the military. 

The erstwhile lawmaker urged the NGF to call their counterpart from Borno, Babagana Zulum, to order, adding that his administration hasn't been cooperative with authorities towards ending the Boko Haram scourge. 

"If the truth must be told, with the way and manner the political authorities in the state are treating the threats posed by Boko Haram, we might experience the worse soon," the letter reads in part.

"In our opinion, it is an anomaly to assume that the task of securing Borno State is the exclusive preserve of the Federal Government alone.

"The case of Borno state is unfortunate because it has remained the unresolvable base of the insurgency not because the Federal Government has not lived up to expectations, but because the current government in the state has not deemed it necessary to support the military in their operations.

"Has the state government been cooperative with the military authorities towards ending the Boko Haram scourge? These questions are because all we see in the media is either the state Governor is attacking military commanders at checkpoints or his Deputy speaking to our selfless men and women in a very derogatory manner."

Ebute further advised Zulum to take a queue from governors of Yobe, Bauchi, Adamawa and Gombe states, all of whom, according to the ex-Senate President have always been on the side of the troops. 

The reverse, he said, has dampened the morale of the troops and in turn, bolstered criminal activities. 

His words: "The governors of Yobe, Bauchi, and Adamawa and Gombe states have indeed set examples worthy of emulation for their continuous support towards ensuring there is no resurgence of Boko Haram in their domains. This they have achieved by working day and night with the military."

Challenging the governors to avail more resources for the military, Senator Ebute, however, reiterated that the troops must be encouraged and appreciated to continue to give in their best in the task at hand. 

"Governors as Chief Security Officers are aware that resources are needed in security operations. As such, they must advocate for more resources for the military to aid their operations," he said. 

"The military must be encouraged and appreciated to continue to give in their best in the task at hand. The psychological implication of these cannot be overemphasized."

*Insecurity: Centre calls for more synergy, political consultations to double military’s successes recorded between 2015- 2020*

The Save Humanity Advocacy Centre (SHAC) has called for enhanced synergy, consultation and less conspiracy among political leaders and relevant stakeholders to double the Armed Forces' successes recorded in the last five years. 

According to SHAC, the strategies being deployed by the military hierarchy has been effective despite sabotage by International Non- Governmental Organizations and the political actors within the theatre.

The centre made this known in its abridged strategic report on the Boko Haram crisis in Nigeria from 2010 till date and the effectiveness of the Nigerian Military strategies towards addressing the threats posed by the Insurgency. 

In the report signed by its Executive Secretary, Abubakar Ibrahim, on Wednesday, the SHAC analysed the genesis of the Boko Haram crisis, the approach of previous governments and what the current administration is doing differently. 
Among others, the centre recalled that the military headquarters was moved from Abuja to Maiduguri, funding for operations drastically increased and new military leadership were appointed. 

This, according to the report, has resulted in a significant turnaround in the prosecution of the Boko Haram war in favour of the Nigerian troops who are edging closer to the end of its clearance operations. 

In order to sustain the momentum, the centre, however, urged stakeholders to join hands with the federal government.

While calling on religious and community leaders to support the troops, SHAC advised political leaders to desist from undermining their efforts. 

Read the abridged report below:

Introduction:

The Boko Haram crisis in Nigeria has claimed thousands of lives and displaced millions of people. It has been estimated that the cost of the damages in North-East Nigeria is in the region of $9billion since 2009 when the group began its violent campaign in Nigeria.

Since 2009, the Boko Haram insurgency and the government’s military response have killed tens of thousands of civilians and displaced millions across the Lake Chad region, which straddles Cameroon, Chad, Niger, and Nigeria.

Boko Haram re-emerged in 2010 under the leadership of Abubakar Shekau, carrying out sporadic attacks across the northeast. Its clandestine tactics gradually grew more sophisticated, but the Nigerian government was slow to recognize the extent of the crisis. Then-President Goodluck Jonathan instead framed Boko Haram as a terrorist organization with ties to international jihadist networks, thereby laying the ground for a narrow counterterrorism response.

In 2013, the Nigerian Military intensified its campaign against Boko Haram. Yet its indiscriminate tactics failed to degrade the group's capacity and deeply alienated the region's civilian population. A state of emergency imposed on Borno, Yobe, and Adamawa States only deepened the cycle of violence.

In April 2014, Boko Haram’s kidnapping of 276 female students from the town of Chibok made worldwide headlines, drawing greater policy attention to the crisis. Several Western governments—including the United States—offered technical assistance and intelligence-sharing to help find the girls.

In 2015, a renewed military offensive began making headway against the group. The Nigerian MilitaryMilitary seized back most of the territory previously held by Boko Haram. Although major military campaigns in 2015–2016 succeeded in degrading the group's territorial control, Boko Haram has proven remarkably adaptable in its tactics: Since early 2017, military gains and improved security in parts of north-eastern Nigeria have spurred a greater focus on conflict stabilization measures.

The Issues: 2010-2015

From 2010 onward, Boko Haram started launching a series of attacks on security structures and military installations in the North-Eastern part of the country. For example, on September 7 2010, Boko Haram attacked and overrun a prison in Bauchi, freeing over 700 inmates in the process. Between 2010 and 2015, Boko Haram attacks became more daring and brazen. Never in the history of political violence in Nigeria had any group deliberately targeted not just military structures but military formations and barracks. The attacks launched on Giwa Barrack and Baga military base in Borno State in 2014 and 2015 are cases in point. In the two encounters, over 500 lives were lost. What became noticeable in the course of the confrontation was that the adversaries simultaneously employed asymmetric and conventional tactics and strategies in waging war.

The fact lends credence to the lackadaisical approach by previous administrations towards addressing the threats posed by the Boko Haram group. It was stated in several fora that the Goodluck Jonathan administration saw the emergence of the Boko Haram group as a ploy by the North against his administration following the death of President Umaru Yar’Adua in 2010. Consequently, the government paid little attention to the activities of the group now led by a radical Abubakar Shekau. The group, therefore, grew in strength and sophistication and continued to wreak havoc in North-East Nigeria.

Another factor that was of significant concern was that lack of professionalism in the Armed Forces occasioned by mass corruption that saw monies meant for the purchase of arms and ammunitions ending up in private pockets. This fact consequently led to casualties of immeasurable proportion on the side of the Nigerian troops, and also the Boko Haram group capturing territories on Nigerian soil.

The government in Nigeria between 2010 to 2015 exhibited a lack of political will to end the Boko Haram crisis. This nonchalance put the Nigerian MilitaryMilitary under strain and lacking in the right motivation and equipment to confront the Boko Haram terrorist group headlong. This also led to near incapacitation of the Nigerian MilitaryMilitary that came under heavy bombardment from the Boko Haram insurgent group with no meaningful response from the Nigerian Military.

The 2015 Baga Massacre is an example of how incapacitated the Nigerian MilitaryMilitary were in dealing with the threats posed by the Boko Haram group. Boko Haram overran a military base that was the headquarters of the Multinational Joint Task Force containing troops from Chad, Niger, and Nigeria. The terror group then forced thousands of locals from the region and committed mass killings.

Aside from this, the country was generally unsafe with countless Boko Haram attacks on crucial government infrastructures such as the headquarters of the Nigerian Police Force and the Headquarters of the United Nations in Nigeria. Public places such as motor parks, places of worships were not spared either as Boko Haram imposed a regime of absolute fear in the country. The government seemed clueless on ways to address the threats posed by the Boko Haram group, so much, so it blamed members of the opposition, while the country continued to bleed.

2015-2020

The change of government in May 2015, has brought about a significant difference in the prosecution of the Boko Haram war. Upon assumption of office, President Muhammadu Buhari promised to take the issue of security.

President Muhammadu Buhari has made some modest reforms to improve the Military's effectiveness against Boko Haram. He moved the Military's headquarters from Abuja to Maiduguri, increased funding for operations in the area, and appointed new military leadership.

Among his earliest acts in office was to replace the heads of the army, navy, and air force. The new army chief by many accounts has taken a more proactive approach than his predecessors toward countering the group. For example, they moved the army's operational headquarters from Abuja to Maiduguri and have deployed more long-range patrols in the region. Experts suggest that the Military is now conducting more strategically-focused operations, such as those that target Boko Haram's logistics routes.

According to reports, morale within the army has improved under the new leadership. The government has arrested several former senior officials on corruption charges, including former President Jonathan's National Security Advisor, who has been charged with fraud over a $2 billion arms deal for equipment that was reportedly never delivered. Jonathan's former chief of defence has been accused of stealing $20 million from the air force, and, as of late March 2016, some 300 individuals, including army officers, and companies were under investigation for the embezzlement between 2011 and 2015 of an estimated $240 million in fraudulent or overpaid defence contracts.

Under the present administration, Nigeria has sought military support from its neighbours, who increasingly suffered attacks during Boko Haram's upsurge. Since 2015, Cameroon, Chad, and Niger have deployed thousands of troops as part of a multinational force authorized by the African Union. The coalition has been credited with helping the Nigerian MilitaryMilitary retake much of the territory claimed by Boko Haram and reduce violence linked to the group to levels seen before 2014.

The Nigerian Army has introduced various counter-insurgency strategies that have recoded multiple gains.

Aside from the reclaiming of territories once under the control of the Boko Haram group, the Nigerian Army also displaced the group from their operational headquarters in Sambisa forest.

The period from 2015 to date has also witnessed a transformation of the Nigerian MilitaryMilitary from a force in disarray to a professional fighting force fighting within the rules of engagement and respect for human rights.

Conclusion:

This report concludes that the period between 2010 to 2015 could be regarded as one of the lowest points in the history of the Nigerian Military because of the inability to deal with the threats posed by the Boko Haram group. The period was also occasioned by the dearth of arms and ammunitions in the Nigerian Military as well as a high rate of lethargy amongst the officers and soldiers in the prosecution of the war against Insurgency.

It is indeed a statement of fact that with the advent of the Muhammadu Buhari administration in 2015 the fortunes of the Nigerian Military changed as evident in the prosecution of the war against terrorism in Nigeria. A cursory look at the available indices indicates that there have been substantial gains in the fight against Boko Haram terrorist group.

This period has seen their ranks broken, and they have resulted in aiming at soft targets in women and children, going on rampages in villages and causing destructions to paint a picture of a potent fighting force. However, in truth, they are in disarray. The troops have displayed the right mental balance in the prosecution of the war, and this has led to the tangible gains recorded so far. All of these gains are attributable to the commitment of President Muhammadu Buhari to address the various threats posed by the Boko Haram group.

Recommendations:

After extensive study of the Boko Haram crisis from 2010 to date, the following recommendations are made:

All stakeholders must join hands with the federal government in the war against terrorism in Nigeria.

The political leadership in the country must desist from attempting to undermine the efforts of the Nigerian Military by engaging in acts that are counter-progressive in the war against terrorism.

The religious and community leaders in the North-East must continue to support the Nigerian Military in its operations in a bid to bringing to an end the Boko Haram crisis.

Senate exonerates OMSL, dismisses alleged illegal security activities at Lagos ports

…commends company for genuine national interest, $400M security investment

The Nigerian Senate has cleared Ocean Marine Solution Limited (OSML) of allegations of illegal security activities at the Secure Anchorage Area (SAA) of the Lagos ports following the conclusion of an investigation which revealed that contrary to the allegations, the company had invested over $400 million to help strengthen security in the area.

The exoneration was contained in a Senate resolution passed upon the submission of the report on the investigation into the allegation by the Joint Committee on Navy, Marine Transport, and Finance.

According to the report, OMSL had shown genuine and commendable national interest with the investment of over $400 million into the security at the SAA and the Nigerian waterways.

“OMS provided the needed platforms and logistics for the Nigerian Navy to effectively perform 24/7/365 patrol operations as well as to provide the required protection for vessels waiting to berth at the Lagos Ports,” the report read in part.

Since its investigations showed no fraud in the operations of OMSL, and that the company, apart from operating at no cost government, is investing in the security of the country’s waterways, the Senate ruled that it “should be allowed to continue its operations at the SAA until such a time when a better and more cost-effective system is put in place by the Government.”

CORRUPTION: PDP members petition ICPC, accuse Obaseki of diverting state funds using AfriInvest.

…says Governor planning to use stolen funds as starting capital for regional bank

Some members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) under the aegis of Concerned Edo PDP Stakeholders, have petitioned the ICPC over alleged diversion of state funds by Governor Godwin Obaseki through the award of fraudulent contracts to his personal firm, AfriInvest Limited.

A copy of the petition signed by Andrew Egboigbe, a PDP member in Ward 3, Orhionmwon LGA of Edo, and submitted at the ICPC on Monday, was made available to the press in Benin City.

The petition, titled ” Petition against the unfairly advantageous awarding of Edo State Contracts to Afrinvest Limited by Mr. Godwin Obaseki”, alleged that Mr. Godwin Obaseki abused his office as Governor to unfairly award inflated contracts to his company, AfriInvest Limited, in flagrant disregard for the constitutional provision that guides the award of contract.

The petition alleged that Obaseki, been the founder of Afrinvest, used his position as Governor, to unfairly award contracts to his company in flagrant disregard for the constitutional provision that guides award of contract.

It read: “We, as concerned Edo indigenes, who have no other place to call our home except Edo state, file this honest petition against Mr. Godwin Obaseki, the governor of the state. and his firm, Afrinvest Ltd.”

“This followed revelations from reliable sources of unfair advantage the governor bestowed upon the firm using accumulated state funds meant for developmental works and projects.”

The petitioners claimed that although Mr. Godwin Obaseki stepped down as the Chairman of AfriInvest’s Board of Directors in 2016 on the assumption of office, he installed one Mr. Ike Chioke who served as his stooge at the firm and helped him siphon state’s resources.

“One of such abuse of his official position was when Obaseki, single-handedly, without the approval of his cabinet and legislative arm of government, awarded a N1.8 billion naira consultation contract on water storm project to Afrinvest Ltd., without the justification of the inflated sum and the nature of the contract. This, when established, will find the governor in contravention of Section 19 of the ICPC Act 2000.”

“That Afrinvest Ltd has, on different occasions, served as front and pipe for Mr. Godwin Obaseki’s diversion of state’s funds through bogus contracts and budgetary allocations.”

The petitioners further alleged that the security votes of Edo state which increased to an annual sum of 7.5 billion naira by Obaseki, since 2016, had been deposited in Afrinvest Ltd’s bank account.

According to the petitioners, the stashed funds and other illegally obtained profits are what Governor Godwin Obaseki used as starting capital to resuscitate PRIMUS bank which the Governor, acting through his proxies, is now seeking approval for, to operate as a regional bank.

“That Primus bank was funded through stolen funds and granting approval for its operations could lead to a financial closure as it remains vulnerable to an abrupt close when investigations if its fraudulent findings come to light.”

They urged the ICPC to act within the mandate of its powers “having established these facts and provided the surrounding context of the corrupt relationship between Obaseki, Afrinvest, and Primus Bank.”

“The ICPC in line with its core mandate to examine the practices, systems, and procedures of public bodies and where, in the opinion of the commission, such practices, systems born procedures aid or facilitate fraud or corruption, to direct and supervise a review of them.”

There are currently 34 States and the FCT on the program.
States indicate their interest in benefitting from the program through the signing of an MOU, which details responsibility of the States and the FG.
Through the MOU , the States are responsible for the implementation of the program while the FG provides funding.
The program targets public school children in primary 1-3 and provides 1 free meal a day for the duration of the school term on school days at 70naira/ child/ day Each school term lasts approximately 3 months.

The program commenced in 2016 as one of the Social Investments under HE President Muhammadu Buhari, overseen by the office of the Vp.

During that time, it is reported that upto 9 million children were beneficiaries of the intervention. There are also less visible beneficiaries such as the cooks who prepare and serve the food and the smallholder farmers who provide the food items.

In order to institutionalize these legacies, Mr President Created a ministry for humanitarian affairs, disaster management and social development in August 2019, 3 years after the programs started.

The School feeding program and the other SiPs were moved to the Ministry and have carried on without changes due to the fact that institutionalization takes time for the right structures to be put in place and also to avoid disruption to the pupils. Plans had been developed to carry out massive enumeration of beneficiaries, facilitate legal frameworks and deploy extensive monitoring systems during the Holidays.

Unfortunately, covid-19 struck the world and Nigeria made efforts to modify its available social protection apparatus to respond to the glaring humanitarian crisis facing the country, especially on food security.

Mr president directed the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs to liaise with State Governments and come out with modalities to continue the school feeding program even by jough schools were shut down.

Discussions were held through the Nigerian Governors Forum and plans were discussed and it was agreed that take home rations would be provided to the beneficiaries of the program using the existing Structures of the program based on the urgency of the situation at the time.

It was agreed that State Governments would use their available resources such as school registers, sbmcs and subebs to identify the household of the children in the communities where the school feeding already exists. This is as Nigeria grapples with the paucity of detailed data on its citizens.

It is worthy to note that not all schools in each state participate in the program. Since State Governments are responsible for the expansion of the program to all the public primary schools.
The plan also identified that a typical household in Nigeria has 5.6-6 members in its household, with 3-4 being dependent and so each household was assumed to have 3 children. The data used is what was transferred with the school feeding program to the Ministry and is reported from validation exercises from NBS.
The cost of food rations is 4,200 and contains items that were assessed not just for sustenance but also for their nutritional value to children- rice for carbohydrates, beans and eggs for protein, salt for iodine palm oil and tomato paste for vitamins.

Knowing this was a novel solution in Nigeria although a fairly common practice in other countries, the 3 most affected states at the time , Lagos, FCT and Ogun were selected as pilots for the program so that lessons would be learnt.
The role of the FG was to fund and to monitor while the States Implement. The data of the beneficiaries was also collected as part of the monitoring process to begin to formulate a database for the Ministry.

So far only these 3 states have been concluded
With beneficiary breakdown as follows;

FCT - 29,609 households
Lagos - 37,589 households
Ogun - 60,391 households

A former Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Alani Akinrinade (retd.), has said the sacking of the heads of the armed forces in the country is at the discretion of the President, who is also the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces.

The former army chief said service chiefs could resign if they felt they did not have anything new to contribute again or wait to be sacked by the President.

Akinrinade made this known in a recent interview.

There have been calls for the sacking of service chiefs due to the worsening insecurity in the country and the Senate last week called on President Muhammadu Buhari to sack them.

Asked if he supported the calls that service chiefs should go, Akinrinade said the President had the power to either sack the service chiefs or retain them.

He said, “A service chief can resign but sacking them is at the discretion of the President. When you get to that position, you are serving at the discretion of the President.

“If he wants you to go, then you leave. If you have served and you feel that you don’t have anything again to contribute, then you can approach the President and tell him. Or you can write to your minister who will deliver such letter to the President to tell him that you will like to leave.

“But if you are not interested in leaving, you wait for the President to tell you to leave. There is no tenure and that is the problem. It is not stated anywhere that you have to serve as the Chief of Army Staff for four years or as Chief of Defence Staff for two years. There is no tenure.”

Akinrinade, who is a chieftain of the National Democratic Coalition, said the civil service rule stipulating retirement for anybody who has served for 35 years which he said had been extended to the armed forces was not helpful to the nation at times.

 He stated that some persons might join the armed forces early and would still be productive after spending 35 years in service.

He said, “The civil service rule which has been extended to the forces now; that if you have served for 35 years, you should leave. I don’t particularly think this is a good idea because somebody can serve for 35 years and he or she is only 56 years old, has such person reached the climax of their productive life?

“If the person is doing well are we going to just kick out such person because they have served for 35 years? 

These are matters which
we have installed in our system but which are not necessarily productive at some points. “

Asked to proffer solutions to the insecurity in the country, Akinrinade said it would be difficult to offer good advice without having complete information of what was going on in the military and in the minds of the enemies of the country.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0FUPS8zkmcc

A source close to the Obaseki family in Benin City has faulted the claim by a certain Victor and Osaro Obaseki claiming to have endorsed Ize Iyamu the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), in the upcoming September 19 Elections.

The source while admitting that the duo are members of the family and speak for themselves but however do not have the authority to speak on behalf of the family.

The source however warned family member's not to do anything that is capable of dragging the family name in mud. the Obaseki family have always worked so hard to preserve the family over the years without blemishes.

Politics will always come and go and the family will always remain.

The family heads that makes up the Obaseki family are currently meeting to address this issue in other to ensure they all speak in one voice.

Dear Emmanuel Igiebor,
Re: AN OPEN LETTER TO THE PALACE AND CAPTAIN HOSA OKUNBO BY CONCERNED EDO CITIZENS – EMMANUEL IGIEBOR
 
We read your open letter referred to above on social media and we felt obligated to join issues with you on all of the issues that you raised. Just as you have exercised your right of a third-party intervention, we have also decided to do the same. It is our hope that this would help to throw some light on the issues.
 
We are concerned Edo citizens just as you are but by virtue of our association with Captain Hosa, we find it pertinent to correct some wrong impressions which you may have inadvertently disseminated.

Whereas, we know that Capt. Hosa would ordinarily not bother to validate the narrative that your letter presented with a response, we feel very strongly that we owe a duty to  him and the Edo people to explain and attempt to put events in proper context.
 
It may interest you to know that a majority of Edo Citizens whom you claim to represent are based in Edo (Benin) and it is only natural that their bona fide representatives should logically reside among them and have firsthand benefit of the overwhelming facts surrounding current issues.
 
The issues you interrogated are laid out hereunder and addressed accordingly.
 
(1) POSTER: The fact that Captain Hosa is not a candidate in the forthcoming elections is obvious and the presence of his orchestrated poster at the Oba’s Palace was simply the handiwork of mischief makers, a feeble attempt to create a diversion. We are very much aware of a grand scheme by Captain Hosa’s traducers to embark on a campaign of calumny to replicate this hideous act of attaching a poster of his photograph to acts of thuggery in subsequent events, which would most certainly be hallmarked by such shenanigans - more like the case of setting him up and making him look complicit in acts of which he knows nothing. Could this be a calculated bid to give a dog a bad name in order to hang it?

We wish to also state that the said posters of Captain Hosa with that of Hon. Osaro Obazee being displayed at the gate of the Oba’s Palace did not and still do not make sense in such a gathering because neither Captain Hosa nor Hon. Osaro Obazee is contesting for any office. We wonder then, what purpose the posters were meant to achieve, if not for some orchestrated mischief. Hon. Osaro Obazee, was a former Chairman of Oredo Local Government Council, the same Local government from which the Governor hails. No one is in any doubt that he left behind a strong record of performance which has greatly diminished the governor’s acceptance in the Local Government Area.
 
(2.) ALLEGIANCE:  Captain Hosa has a home that is open to his friends, supporters, and well-wishers who seek his regular support. It therefore makes sense that his abode should be the most appropriate place for anybody to pledge allegiance as is customary during electioneering and other events. The Palace is hallowed ground for all sons and daughters to pay homage when they have need to do so and no true Benin son would choose to cause mayhem there.
 
(3) VISITING THE PALACE: You may wish to realize that the Governor of the State, by right, has access to all nooks and crannies of Edo state, including the Oba’s Palace after due protocols. The renovation you spoke about was a collective effort by well-meaning Edolites and friends of Captain Hosa for the sole purpose of upgrading the Palace into a more befitting edifice that will house our highly revered King. Captain Hosa was only privileged to have participated in the structural reforms and it is therefore our fervent hope that one day you and I will also be in a position to contribute our quota.
 
(4) CAR GIFT: One of the oldest monarchs in the world, the Queen of England, is usually accorded gifts by her subjects as a demonstration of love and affection. The Kano Emirate, the Ooni of Ife, Oba of Lagos, including the Queen of England, all ride in a Rolls Royce Phantom. What stops our revered Oba from driving in a Rolls Royce Phantom befitting of his status? As a proud and responsible Edo indigene, it was only necessary for Captain Hosa to contribute his quota to the uplifting of the status of our dear Oba. That Captain Hosa had the means and privilege to present a gift of a RR to our Oba remains a thing of joy and satisfaction, and certainly not regret to him and to us who are his friends. Those of us who know Captain Hosa well will attest, as we are doing with this right of reply to the fact that he can be quite discreet as a trusted ally and a man of integrity, whose hallmarks are reliability, credibility and dependability. For Captain Hosa, and we share his position, the car is a necessity and not a luxury.  Our dear Emmanuel Igiebor, you needed to have seen the majestic fanfare with which the Oba drove into Aso Rock Villa, typical of expected elegance and royalty, and you would be proud to be an Edo man.
 
(5) KABAKA: Kabaka is an Edo man who is a traditional Ogbe boy. I am sure you are aware of the role Ogbe youths traditionally play in celebration with the Oba. 

Just recently, Kabaka led the traditional “Coronation” Band Train from Uselu and all through the entire procession culminating in the Palace. You cannot therefore exclude Kabaka from such ancient traditions bestowed upon him by his forefathers. Kabaka does not work for Captain Hosa and he has never been sent on any errand by Captain Hosa and certainly not an errand that involves violence. Have you considered the possibility that people working for the governor may have set up this mayhem in an attempt to smear Captain Hosa’s reputation?

It must be noted that the Ogbe youths, whom Kabaka leads, were on that occasion dancing and rejoicing as it was in accordance with their tradition.
 
6) CANADA: Agreed that Captain Hosa has Canadian residency, but it is news to us and our friend, Captain Hosa, that Kabaka’s wife is equally resident in Canada. Please note that Canada is a well-organized society with strong immigration laws and you must therefore have your facts correct to substantiate the claims alleged, otherwise, you stand the risk of being sued for libel in a Canadian court of law.
 
7) OMO N’ OBA: A true Edo (Benin) man cannot be seen to cast such aspersion on the person of the Oba and His father, Oba Erediauwa of Blessed memory, as you have alleged. This is termed a traditional abomination from whence we came and a sacrilege for any Benin man, no matter his status, position or location, to openly criticize His Royal Majesty, the Oba of Benin. The Oba, by his disposition, is a father to all and the custodian of the ancestral heritage of our Kingdom, one of the few surviving ancient Kingdoms around the world and has never singled anyone out, not even Captain Hosa, for any form of favour. However, Emmanuel Igiebor, as a true Benin man, you must know that: “the wealth of subjects is at the mercy of the Oba and if he has to count his wealth, he starts from the top.”
With all sense of modesty, we make bold to state that Captain Hosa’s relationship with the Palace predates our Oba Ewuare, in whose honour he (Captain Hosa) launched a book titled “A Compendium of Speeches and Writings of Omon N’ Oba N’Edo Erediauwa of Great Benin,” as the Chief Launcher. In attendance on that occasion were such dignitaries as: Gen Yakubu Gowon; Nobel Laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka as Chairman and book reviewer respectively. The book was published by the University Press Ibadan, in 2013. This necessitated Oba Erediauwa to also bestow on Captain Hosa, Ikele Beads in 2014, which is the apogee of honor for any Benin man. May we therefore inform you that Captain Hosa’s relationship with the Palace is long-standing and enduring; that Oba Ewuare personally prayed for him with the traditional staff of authority when Capt. Hosa exhibited his love and total commitment to the Palace in a dance that was the admiration of any true and well brought up Benin man. We want to believe you were also proud of that dance as a Benin man from a respected lineage. The Oba had, on the basis of that, declared him an adopted son of the Palace.

Emmanuel, how else do you expect the adopted son of the Palace to be favoured other than such privileges. Honor begets honor.
 
KABAKA HOTEL:  Our dear Emmanuel, if you have the audacity to accuse the Oba of not asking Kabaka to apologize to the Governor, you should equally have had the audacity to accuse the Oba of not stopping the Governor from demolishing Kabaka’s Hotel without discretion, while Kabaka’s utterances were simply reactionary. The case of Mr Edegbe in Dallas, Texas is different. His unwarranted attacks on the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and  Captain Hosa was unprovoked, hence the Oba deemed it necessary to ask for an apology so as to create a sense of protection for all his subjects worldwide, including Mr Edegbe himself. The Oba as you know, is royal, neutral and unbiased, he acts at all times with a deep sense of neutrality and these have endeared him to the nation and numerous admirers worldwide as he views issues from different perspectives as guided by his ancestors.
 
9) CONCLUSION: Captain Hosa’s so-called “fight” with Governor Godwin Obaseki is not a “fight” but a difference of opinions based on Captain Hosa’s convictions under the principles of good leadership and governance. We share in those principles. Let it be on record that Captain Hosa was one of the staunch supporters of Governor Obaseki in the 2016 Governorship Elections. Why don’t you ask Captain Hosa what has gone wrong instead of casting aspersions on his person or intentions? For clarity of purpose, our observation is simple: Governor Obaseki’s style of leadership is faulty, selective and divisive; progress might have been noticed but with a huge deficit in infrastructure and human capital development. The Captain Hosa, that we know, does not fight; he only disagrees and this virtue is characteristic of the humble businessman and philanthropist as well as his siblings. These are virtues bequeathed to them by their father of blessed memory, a one-time educationist in Edo State. The Okunbo family are not of the violent species and thuggery cannot be associated with them. Captain Hosa’s philanthropy and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) principles are guided by God Almighty, and his style of assistance remains his absolute prerogative, where only the beneficiaries can speak about it, but not himself. These are Captain Hosa’s guiding principles which keep him in a covenant with God. As we round off, we know that Captain Hosa is not a politician.  He is a businessman. Why are some people like you, constantly defaming an illustrious Benin son who, through the grace of God, has achieved so much and given sacrificially to the development of our Kingdom? Why are you trying to bring him down through your fictitious writings instead of celebrating him?
If these orchestrated attacks were due to his choice of who to support for the governorship, then it is rather unfortunate. Capt. Hosa, to the best of our understanding, has decided to pitch his tent with a candidate against Governor Obaseki in because of his convictions. His persona and businesses have been under constant attacks and his existence has been unconscionably threatened as he had indicated in his well-publicized open letter to President Muhammadu Buhari and the good people of Edo State.

Edo State needs a man who is man-caring and God-fearing and we believe that Pastor Ize-Iyamu fits that bill.
We restate that Captain Hosa’s differences with the Governor are issue based and must remain so. Please do not allow yourself to be used to run down a man who is trying his best possible to deploy the resources that God has given to him in lifting our minority tribe and placing it on a pedestal of recognition by others in Nigeria and beyond the shores of our country.
Capt. Hosa’s contributions to the progress and development of Benin Kingdom, Edo State and Nigeria are evident in the socio-economic and cultural spheres. He is even readily disposed to render support to and collaborate with government to realise its mandate. Consider this: Do you know that Captain Hosa played a key role in partnership with National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), the anti-human trafficking agency, in a concerted effort to push back the frontiers of human trafficking for which he was awarded the 2020 Anti-Human Trafficking Hero award by the agency? Suffice it to say that Captain Hosa’s resources were put at the agency’s full disposal to advance its critical mandate. This is just one instance of Capt. Hosa’s readiness to support and collaborate with government at all levels. Our dear friend, Emmanuel, it is our hope that all we have enumerated above would constitute sufficient grounds for you to shift your position. Thank you.
 
Signed
1 Chief Kennester Oteghekpen The Nobabo of Benin Kingdom
2 Prof Ovenseri Aibueku
3 Prof Edoba Omoregie
4. Hon. Patrick Obahiagbon
5.Hon. Ehiogie West-Idahosa
6. Hon. Razaq Bello-Osagie

Nigeria Cannot Be Defeated By Evil Forces, Inter- Faith Clerics Declare At Ongoing Prayers


Clerics at the ongoing 21 days prayers and fasting for Nigeria have said the country cannot be defeated by evil forces.


The prayer session led by the National Inter-Interfaith and Religious Organizations for Peace is aimed at interceeding for the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari as well as the various security agencies in the countr


Led by the National Coordinator, Bishop Sunday, the clerics unanimously agreed that Nigeria is God's project and no  enemy can defeat it.


He said, " I  bring Calvary greetings to you all my beloved brothers and sisters gathered here in prayers and fasting for our dear country against the forces of evil that have conspired against it. This gathering is indeed ordained by God to rescue Nigeria in this critical point of our existence. 


"This gathering that consists of our brothers and sisters from both faiths is indeed a testimony that Nigeria is on the path of greatness, and we shall overcome the forces of darkness that have conspired against us.


"My brethren, I stand here before you not to preach the gospel of Christ, but rather to give a message of hope from the Most High God to all of us here as we continue in our fasting and prayers. 


"There is indeed a statement from God that Nigeria is His project and therefore no matter the amount of conspiracy against it, it shall not succeed and Nigeria shall never be defeated. Those planning evil against the country would have their selves to blame because God has sent His angels to guard over the affairs of Nigeria. 


"The promise of God concerning Nigeria was revealed to us in the Book of Psalms 125:2 “Just as the mountains surround Jerusalem, so the LORD surrounds his people, both now and forever." This is the promise of God towards Nigeria. God indeed revealed that he would cause the mountains to surround Nigeria both now and forever, and no harm shall befall us.


"This was further revealed in the Book of Psalm 91:7 wherein the Bible stated that “A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand; but it shall not come nigh thee.” 


"My brothers and sisters, no harm can come near Nigeria regardless of the evil conspiracies against us. They will gather, but the Lord shall scatter them in Jesus name. I tell you, my brothers and sisters, that our gathering here shall never be in vain.  


"Our prayers and supplications have indeed gone ahead to the Host of Heaven to open the doors of blessings for our dear country Nigeria. My joy knows no bound because from the revelations from God; indeed, something good is about to happen in Nigeria.


"My brothers and sisters, in line with the biblical injunction of touch not my anointed and do my prophets no harm, is indeed applicable to Nigeria because President Muhammadu Buhari is God sent to Nigeria to lead us to the promised land. All those that are planning against his noble desires for the country shall be consumed by the fire of the Holy Ghost.   


"I  have a message for those that are fuelling acts of violence in Nigeria to undermine the efforts of our military. They should have a rethink and retrace their steps because the wrath of God is about to be visited on them in truckloads.


"They must indeed realize that with this revelation from God, all their efforts shall be null and void because God is not a man that he should lie. His words are yes and amen and what God has decreed concerning Nigeria shall come to past in Jesus name. 


"My brothers and sisters, this great intercession that we have embarked on behalf our dear country is not by any stretch of the imagination an endeavour that would not yield the much-desired outcome because we have cried unto God. He has promised to grant us our heart desires"he said


Garuba said the desires of the group for Nigeria are simple; all those that want to see the end of Nigeria shall meet their waterloo in the fullness of time. The wrath of God shall visit all those that want to rise against our peace and progress. Those that want to undermine and distract our military shall never succeed because ours is the Lord's army devoted to ensuring that all threats posed by the Boko Haram group and other criminal groups are neutralized. 


"Nigeria is the apple of Gods eyes, and as such nothing, evil shall befall it. Even though they plan and plan against our peace and development, we shall come out unscathed and in praise and adoration for God almighty the author and finisher of our faith. 


"My brothers and sisters, I declare today by the anointing of God upon my life that in the coming weeks, there shall be a massive revelation in the country that would expose all those conspiring against the peace and progress of the country. 


"Hear me, my brothers and sisters, I stand before you under the authority of God to declare that no enemy can defeat Nigeria. God would indeed fight our battles and put our enemies to shame. All their evil plots shall be null and void. 


"I  want to encourage us to continue to pray and fast throughout this 21-day fasting and prayer session because at the end of the day we shall all lift our voices in appreciation to God almighty for His great deeds in the life of our dear country.


"We must also commit our military into Gods hands because of the level of conspiracy against it. Our military have continued to push and push in the preservation of the territorial integrity of the country.


"The efforts of our military are indeed commendable. We owe them a duty to continue to put them in our prayers for God to continue to grant hem victory in all of their operations till we see the end of Boko Haram and other militant groups in the country. 


"My brothers and sisters, I want to thank you all for your patience and perseverance during this programme. I prophesy that at the end of the 21-day prayer and fasting programme, we shall all sing out loud in appreciation to God almighty for his great and wondrous deeds in Nigeria. 


"Our prayers must also remain with President Muhammadu Buhari as he pilots the affairs of our great country to the glory of God. 


I thank you all for your great sacrifice. The God of Isaac, Abraham and Jacob would grant us our heart desires and led us to a new Nigeria where peace and tranquillity shall reign supreme"he added

......Ask him to show Edo People his report card of development in the last four years

A former Commissioner representing Esan central on the board of
Edosopadec Prince Emmanuel Odigie who just resigned his appointment from the board, has called out the state governor to show his report card of development in the last four years to the people of Edo State rather than the Audio development been peddled by his dwindling supporters.


He said Edo people are desrious of knowing exactly what the governor had achieved in the last four years that is giving him the audacity to seek for re-election.

Prince Emmanuel Odigie going further said Chris Nehikhare assertions today on Channels TV, that he only had access to what the governor Obaseki has done since he the governor declared to PDP, confirms that the governors achievements is only on papers.

This is announcing the appearance of a huge and special Guest on Channels TV this morning @ 8am on the program Sunrise Daily.

After his resignation, he promised to expose the dirty deals of Governor Godwin Obaseki - we invite you to join this fearless and articulate Edo son on his surprise appearance on Channels TV.

This special guest would be the same person ...... however watch out for the identity of the huge Guest in question.

Don’t be told, be part of it....

By Philip Attah

The Holy scriptures admonishes us in Matthew 5:9 that “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.” It is a sacred charge on all humanity to be partakers in the process of restoration of peace anywhere it is punctured. God Himself acknowledges the inevitability of wars and conflicts, precipitated by crisis among people, which culminates into what we generally categorize as insecurities.

But the King of the universe and King of Kings has told us through His messengers that “For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven: a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted; a time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing,” Ecclesiasticus 3:1-22.

Nigeria is facing dire and very serious resurgent insecurity situation in parts of the country. From Boko Haram/ISWAP terrorism to armed banditry, herdsmen marauders, ethno-religious and communal clashes to acts of kidnapping, armed robberies among others. The severity of the insecurity dilemma is well known to every Nigerian.

We have indulged in this self-destruction for too long and it is time to heal and reconcile ourselves and the nation. But some Nigerians are shirking on this divine command for egotistic interests.

President Muhammadu Buhari and the Nigerian Military have battled this insecurity menace in the last five years with an exceptional determination and commitment. For reasons best known to the actors of this illegal warfare on the Nigerian state, all entreaties and pleas to their conscience to drop their arms and ammunitions against their compatriots have failed to touch their hearts. Every day, fresh plots of horrendous atrocities on the Nigerian people are hatched and delivered on the country by these devils and their veiled paymasters.

For a country desirous of peace, its citizens collectively unite to confront insecurity threats. Peace cannot just descend from the skies; we must consciously work to have it.

But the thinking in Nigeria is ironic and different. All Nigerians erroneously think, the responsibility of blighting the fires of insecurities which have engulfed our land is the sole burden of Mr. President, the Service Chiefs and the troops on the battlefield. The rest of Nigerians are apathetic to it and have only assigned to themselves the infantile and inglorious role of wailing over the killings and blaming other leaders.

Some of those who blame Mr. President and disparage the Service Chiefs for not doing enough are also leaders in their respective capacities who have a role to play in the entrenchment of peace and security in the country. But they have unrepentantly ignored it.

We have forgotten that there is nowhere wars or conflicts are settled through military might alone. The dialogue table is the most fertile and potent weapon of resolving issues of war than guns. That’s why Malvin Gaye has told us that “War is not the answer, for only love can conquer hate.”

But we are all accomplices in failing ourselves. Everyone is guilty for failing our people and the nation. No matter how much we pretend or try to conceal this reality, but it smoulders with the flames of our guilt. All the stakeholders or leaders of Nigeria are guilty in same decree we delight in blaming the President or anyone else.

How long shall we continue with this dodgy posture on rising in unison to assail the insecurities besieging us? Depending on Mr. President to tackle it alone is like waiting for a tomorrow that may never come. Why have other leaders relinquished their basic and crucial roles of intervention in the respective capacities they preside over the people.

A few days ago, I was extremely cold, upset and astonished with the blitzkrieg of media criticisms of President Buhari when he jetted out to the Republic of Mali to officially mediate in the crisis in that country generated by electoral dispute. Buhari did not decide to busy himself with internal matters of another African country because he has finished solving all the problems of Nigeria. But the President had to act under the banner of ECOWAS and officially as demanded of him.

But some Nigerians deridingly scolded President Buhari and described his actions as abandoning crisis in his country to mediate on the same issues in another country. It is the loud confirmation of our posture of abandoning the entire insecurity crisis in Nigeria to the President alone. This is foolhardy.

None of the critics gave a thought to the symbolism of the President’s actions, which signifies collective actions to solve crisis of monumental proportion. His actions sent the message that leaders are not left alone to handle conflicts of such dimension and magnitude.

Unfortunately, in Nigeria, we have abandoned insecurities to Mr. President. Some simpletons even feel the President should again wear his military uniform and jump into the jungle to personally battle the armed criminals terrorizing Nigeria because he is the leader of the nation.

Therefore, Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) and activists are silent. When they find it necessary to voice out, they are lamenting or protesting the insecurities in the country. It means these Nigerians can’t think beyond these actions by working on initiatives which can assist government solve the problem of insecurities in Nigeria?

The religious leaders and clerics have also adopted the sit-down look attitude. In fact, some of them even preach inciting sermons in worship places to embolden or lure fresh Nigerians into such crimes against their compatriots, instead of peace. They hardly condemn the actions of the criminals and their sponsors who are dragging our country into this mess or ruination.

And the politicians only exploit the insecurities for politicking advantages. Some are beneficiaries of the insecurities, by using it for commercial value or as a means to grab and permanently hold unto to power. They arm the youths during elections. In the last general elections in the country, some aggressive votes catchers invaded IDPs camp in different parts of the country, manipulated the traumatized and helpless victims of violence to snatch votes.

Traditional rulers have been most disappointing. It is hard to belief that some of them have not only lost their voice, but no initiative of dialogue with subjects or stakeholders to explore ways of complementing government efforts in the fight against insurgencies, armed banditry and other crimes. Regrettably, some of them are even agents of these armed criminals and tormentors of Nigeria.

Bureaucratic bottlenecks are another pain in the neck. For the President to have the National Assembly (NASS)approve budgets for the purchase of weapons for the military to battle insurgencies and insurrections as well as carter for their welfare is usually a tug of war or a combat itself. NASS has refused to grant many requests from the Military to assist them win the war.

Time has come for us to either face the truth or continue with the hellish experiences in our communities. We must begin to collectively act now; we must come together to defeat Boko Haram and the ideology of our killers to appease those the criminals have sent to untimely grave. Excluding ourselves from the battle confronting us is a wrong perception.

Every one of us has a role to play and let’s begin to exercise it now. It is not the responsibility of Mr. President or Service Chiefs exclusively. If we continue with this inclination, it implies that we have all failed ourselves and country. And passing the buck to someone else like Mr. President or the military will do us no good neither can it rescue this nation. For now, we are all guilty. Let’s stop licking our wounds and whining, but embark on appropriate actions.

Attah is a pastor and Christian evangelist based in Abuja.

....warns against calls by politicians for a military coup

The Concerned Yoruba Patriots (CYP) have warned politicians calling for a military coup that the unity of Nigeria is "sacrosanct and non-negotiable". 

The South-West group pledged its total support for one indivisible Nigeria in a peaceful rally on Wednesday in Lagos against disintegration, mutiny and destabilization of the country. 

It also demonstrated solidarity with President Muhammadu Buhari and the Nigerian Armed Forces in a letter received by Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu. 

Speaking on behalf of the group, Converner, Elder Bankole Johnson, disclosed that these disgruntled politicians have already recruited foot soldiers, whipping up ethnic sentiments and portraying a particular tribe as against the interest of the country. 

The Concerned Yoruba Patriots further denounced some persons claiming to represent the interest of the region, affirming that the "Yoruba Nation is on the side of one strong and indivisible Nigeria". 

Amidst the conspiracy, the CYP declared absolute faith and trust in President Buhari and vowed to ensure that those engaged in acts aimed to destabilize the country are exposed and brought to shame. 

The group further hailed the current administration for its giant strides in entrenching peace and security in the South-West and across the country.

It, however, advised those on a mission to undermine these gains, clamouring for a military coup that they will meet with strong resistance. 

Read full address below:

Ladies and gentlemen of the press gathered here. I want to crave your indulgence to stand on all existing protocol.

The exigencies of time indeed require that we must be guided in our public utterances in the interest of peace and sustainable development. For Nigeria, it neither east nor south, north or west, but one Nigeria bonded in love and strength. 

The recent happenings in the country have indeed brought out some of the salient issues affecting our growth and development. This fact if we must admit would ultimately constitute a clog in the wheels of our progress, and as such we must do all within our powers to address it from its very source.

We the members of the Concerned Yoruba Patriots know for sure that the unity of Nigeria is sacrosanct and non-negotiable and that is why we have elected to undertake this rally against disintegration, mutiny and destabilization in Nigeria. 

 Do we need a soothsayer to tell us that the enemies of Nigeria have conspired to see the country go up in flames? I am not convinced we need to look too far to see the handwriting on the wall. They have had nocturnal meetings, they have received illicit funding, they have recruited foot soldiers all in fulfilment of their nefarious plot against Nigeria.  

They have also started whipping up ethnic sentiments and portraying a particular ethnicity as against the interest of the country. This is indeed uncharitable and sad, but our consolation rest in the fact that the Yoruba Nation is on the side of one strong and indivisible Nigeria. 

This is regardless of the ignoble position taken by some characters pretending to be representing the Yoruba nation wherein they made fallacious and unsubstantiated allegations that are capable of causing an uprising in the country.

We know for certain that the sons and daughters of Oduduwa are not known for causing disaffection in the society. And consequently, we won’t allow a group of selfish politicians that know nothing but how to take care of themselves alone jeopardize the future of Nigeria just because they want to score political goals.  

The Concerned Yoruba Patriots rebuke such posturing as it is not only self-serving; it is also capable of presenting the Yoruba nation in a bad light and against the unity of Nigeria.  

We wish to state that this rally is to set the record straight and put issues in proper perspectives as regards where the Yoruba Nation stands with regards to the unity of Nigeria. 

The position of the Concerned Yoruba Patriots is crystal clear, and the fact that our absolute faith and trust is with the unity of Nigeria. We shall do all within our means to ensure that those that have elected to engage in acts that would destabilize the country are exposed and brought to shame. 

The Concerned Yoruba Patriots stand firmly with Nigeria and state that those that have been spreading inciting messages are not representing the interest of the Yoruba nation but rather the interest of their paymasters that have ganged up against the soul of Nigeria. 

We are in absolute commitment with the efforts of the government towards making Nigeria safe and secure for all regardless of our ethnicity, religion or geographical locations, which has remained the hallmark of the present administration since 2015. 

Our support remains unflinching despite the gang ups and conspiracies against the country by those that have benefited from the rot in the system. Since it is no longer business as usual, they have thus constituted themselves as clogs in the wheels of our progress.

We the Concerned Yoruba Patriots are in solidarity with President Muhammadu Buhari for his giant strides in entrenching peace and security in South-West Nigeria. Our gratitude knows no bounds but for his rare display of sincerity of heart and purpose, the South-West would have been turned into a killing field by politicians and those who do not wish well for the country and the South-West region. 

The Concerned Yoruba Patriots as a reputable association of patriots in South-West Nigeria would do all within its limits to ensure that the noble objectives of President Muhammadu Buhari towards the peace and security of South-West Nigeria are fully implemented. 

Our gratitude knows no bounds, and that is why we have come out in our numbers to push forward our message for the whole country to know that indeed any negative news coming from groups and associations of South-West origin is not the reflection of the generality of the people of the South-West region. 

This is especially so because the people of the South-West region are not ingrates. We are appreciative people with a rich history of identifying with progressive policies and ideas towards making Nigeria the country of our dreams. 

As members of the Concerned Yoruba Patriots, it is inexcusable for any group from the South-West region to attempt to undermine the efforts of President Muhammadu Buhari towards peace and security in South-West Nigeria. The Concerned Yoruba Patriots would resist such dispositions as well as mobilize the peace-loving people of the South-West region to the streets in solidarity with the federal government.

The stakes are high, and the unity of Nigeria is sacrosanct and non-negotiable. This fact remains our position now and in the future, because we shall not entertain any form of politicking with the security of lives and properties in the South-West region. The interest of the people of the South-West region remains the top priority of the Concerned Yoruba Patriots, and this supersedes any personal or organizational interest.   

The Concerned Yoruba Patriots believe that this is not the time to play politics with the lives of the people to attain political goals. This much the people of the South-West region must come to terms with and realize that indeed some individuals and groups are out to undermine the peace and security in the region for their political advantage through the instrument of whipping up unnecessary ethnic sentiments. 

The South-West region is in safe hands with President Muhammadu Buhari at the helm of affairs in this country. Our solidarity today is to thank and also pledge our support to the government's efforts towards ensuring that peace and security reign supreme in the South-West region. 

The Concerned Yoruba Patriots is a partner in progress, and we are known to speak power to truth. This peaceful rally is just one instance as we shall be monitoring events as they unfold to chart a course that would ultimately be beneficial to the generality of the people of the South-West region.

I thank you all for coming out in droves in defence of our nascent democracy. We desire that indeed those that have conspired against the interest of the peace and loving people of the South-West region are put to shame.

This really is just a first step as we have marshalled out strategies to ensure that the hopes and aspirations of the people of the South-West region are translated into tangible realities.

We thank President Muhamamdu Buhari in this regard and wishes to plead with him to continue his good deeds towards the people of the South-West region in Nigeria. 

Thank you all, and God bless. Please let us endeavour to keep the flag flying in the overall interest of Nigeria.

... task Minister to sustain Buhari, masses’ confidence in her stewardship

No fewer than 2,000 Nigerians, on Wednesday, held a 'Thank You Rally' to the Presidential Villa over the success of the N-Power scheme and other Social Intervention Programmes in the country. 

Led by the Concerned Citizens/ N- Power Forum with participants drawn across the 36 states of the federation and the FCT, they expressed gratitude to President Muhammadu Buhari and Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Hajiya Sadiya Farouq, for the numerous interventions "targeted at the vulnerable and less privileged groupings in the country". 

In his address, president of Concerned Citizens, Ibrahim Kabiru Dallah, extolled President Buhari as a leader with the interest of the people at heart who has displayed " an unalloyed commitment to the entrenchment of sustainable growth and development". 

Dallah recalled how the National Home Grown School Feeding Programme (NHGSFP), National Cash Transfer Programme (NCTP), Government Enterprise and Empowerment Programme (GEEP) and N-Power, in particular, have affected the common Nigerian. 

According to the groups, the feat recorded has been made possible by the commitment, dedication and transparency of Hajiya Farouq. 

The Concerned Citizens and N-Power Forum, however, advised the minister not to relent in her service to the country, sustaining the trust of Mr President to ensure total implementation of the various SIPs. 

While thanking President Buhari for the N-Power Batch A, B and incoming C, the groups pleaded that the number of intended intakes is increased from 400,000 to one million. 

The groups further assured the president and minister of their total support.

Read the full statement below:

I bring warm greetings to everyone here on behalf of the Concerned Citizens/N-Power Forum on this exceptional day and occasion that has seen to the converging of like minds in appreciation to God for the gift of President Muhammadu Buhari to Nigeria. 

Our joy knows no bounds. Words alone are not sufficient to express our gratitude to a man that has distinguished himself as a leader of repute in service to the country through the introduction of the various social intervention programmes targeted at the vulnerable and less privileged groupings in the country. 

The Concerned Citizens/N-Power Forum is not oblivious of these numerous interventions that has indeed brought about the much-needed relief in the lives of these group of individuals that dots the nook and cranny of Nigeria.  

Mr President, to say you haven't done well would be a sin against God because in all sincerity, your passion towards uplifting the plight of the masses has been well articulated and this indeed gave birth to the various National Social Investment programmes suited to overcome the failings of the past and to enshrine the values and vision of the current administration for graduating its citizens from poverty through capacity building, investment and direct support.

Mr President, the Job Creation and Youth Employment (N-Power), National Home Grown School Feeding Programme (NHGSFP), National Cash Transfer Programme (NCTP), and Government Enterprise and Empowerment Programme (GEEP) have all proven to be invaluable in the lives of our citizens in the sense that the testimonies from these social interventions from the various states in the country are not in short supply.  

Mr President, we have come here to inform you that the National Home Grown School Feeding Programme is feeding over 9 million pupils in 24 states in Nigeria. It has also engaged and empowered over 100,000 cooks across the country.

We wish to state that this is indeed phenomenal when we considered the multiplier effect the National Home Grown School Feeding Programme has had on the ecosystem in Nigeria. This is indeed strategic and a manifestation of foresight displayed by you in steering the ship of Nigeria to greatness.  

Mr President, the implementation of the National Cash Transfer Programme (NCTP) has been a huge success with the payment of beneficiaries in 20 States, to 297,973 caregivers; being trained by 2,495 Community Facilitators. This is also aside from the conditional cash transfer of N20, 000 to the vulnerable households during the COVID 19 Pandemic lockdown. 

Mr President, the joy that radiates in our hearts can be felt in all parts of the country because you have proven yourself as a leader with the interest of the people at heart. You have displayed an unalloyed commitment to the entrenchment of sustainable growth and development, you have also matched your words with actions, and the generality of Nigerians are better for it.

Mr President, the N-Power scheme is another way you have touched the lives of many citizens of Nigeria. This suffices to mention that the Batch A and Batch B streams accommodated 516,600 beneficiaries from various parts of the country. These individuals have benefitted immensely as evident in the contributions they have made towards the success of the programme as well as the skills and knowledge they have gathered throughout the duration of their enlistment in the programme. 

We cannot thank you enough for this significant intervention that has catered for the needs of a large chunk of the youthful population in Nigeria. This is also strategic and a display of sound leadership acumen to understand the critical role of the youths in the socio-economic development of Nigeria. 

Mr President, while we are still thanking you for the Batch A and B streams, the introduction of the Batch C stream is indeed soul-lifting for the members of the Concerned Citizens/N-Power Forum. This is so because of the enormous impact the commencement of the Batch C stream would have in the polity.

Mr President, as a father and a leader, we cannot be afraid or shy to ask for favours from you. Consequently, we are using the occasion of this rally to extend our endorsement of the Batch C stream of the N-Power Programme and also to plead that the number of intended intakes is increased from 400,000 to one million to be able to accommodate more youths and touch more lives in the country.

Mr President, this plea is with the best of intents because as a group, we are witness to the enormous impact the N-Power initiative has had on the lives of the youths in the country. We are not by any stretch of the imagination in denial that if the number of intake for the Batch C stream is increased to the one million marks, the youths of Nigeria would be eternally grateful to you and other members of your administration that have made the N-Power initiative a huge success.

Mr President, in as much as we are gathered here to thank you immensely, we must not fail to bring to your notice that the success of the various Social Intervention Programmes of your administration has been made possible by the commitment, dedication and transparency of some of your lieutenants in the person of the Honorable Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Hajia Sadiya Umar Farouq.    

The Honorable Minister has been outstanding in the discharge of her duties, and her level of transparency and accountability has seen to the display of confidence in the various social intervention programmes of your administration. 

The Concerned Citizens and N-Power Forum wishes to encourage her not to relent in her service to the country as the supervisory minister of the various Social Intervention Programmes and to continue to uphold the confidence and trust of Mr President to ensure that there is 100% implementation of the various Social Intervention Programmes in the country. 

Mr President, We thank you once again. It is our earnest prayers that God in His infinite mercies would continue to grant you the grace and the wisdom to lead Nigeria in the right path towards attaining sustainable growth and development.

Mr President, you can always count on the support of the Concerned Citizens/N-Power Forum at all times as we march towards greatness in Nigeria.

Thank You, Mr President and God Bless.

Barely 24 hours ago, three members of the EDOSOPADEC, resigned their appointments, further adding to the political woes of the state governor, Godwin Nogheghase Obaseki.
Since then, the governor, via his aides, has been boxed into a corner, trying to figure out the best way of possibly wriggling out of the debilitating impact of the stream of resignations. In so doing, they once again, exposed themselves as a group that has entered into a covenant with lies and falsehood.
Among others, they claimed, as exemplified in a trending social video, further given wings by AIT's Osamor, that one of the resigned political office holder, Prince Emmanuel Odigie, is a younger brother to late Clara Aiyebho Oshiomhole, former First Lady and wife of Comrade Adams Aliyu Oshiomhole.

Let me state, unequivocally, that the governor and his aides, including the mindlessly loquacious former chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Chief Dan Orbih, lied.

The said Prince Odigie is not, I repeat, not a "junior brother" of the late Clara as they want Nigerians in general and the people of Edo state to believe.

For emphasis, I wish to add as follow':

1). Prince Odigie and Clara are from Okaigben, Ewohimi. That's where the connection or relationship ends-no final connection whatsoever.

2). While the Clara is from the very noble Akharagbon family in Idumu Akhilemhen, Okaigben, Ewohimi, Prince Odigie is from the renowned and very prominent Odigie clan from Idum Oboh. None of them is connected either from the maternal and or paternal sides.

3). I speak here, one as someone who was fairly close to the late Clara and knows Prince Odigie fairly well, being also from the same Okaigben Ewohimi as the both of them.

4). I am from the same Idumu Akhilemhen clan as the late Clara even as I was her Press Secretary.

Let me assure you that the attempt to reborn Prince Odigie a "junior brother" to late Clara, thus kitting him as Comrade Oshiomhole's son in-law a typical reflection and proof of the infernal relationship Obaseki and his disingenuous supporters, including Dan Orbih, have with lies and falsehood.

Let me add also that their avowed commitment to the romance they have with lies and falsehood further strengthened our long held view that the people of Edo state must distance themselves from every inch of every word from both Governor Obaseki and his supporters. No liar or peddler of falsehood is deserving of either the trust or vote of the people of Edo state.

This is to inform the good people of Edo state that they must be wary of the antics of desperate liars and peddlers of falsehood. Their only concern is how best to achieve their Machivelian dreams.

Facts speak for themselves.

Ernest Omoarelojie
Fmr Press Secretary to
Late Mrs Clara Aiyebho Oshiomhole

EDO2020 AND OBASEKI THREATS TO THE EDO NATION REVISITED: CAPT. IDAHOSA OKUNBO IN FOCUS.

"First they came for the socialists, and I did not speak out—
Because I was not a socialist.

Then they came for the trade unionists, and I did not speak out—
Because I was not a trade unionist.

Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out—
Because I was not a Jew.

Then they came for me—and there was no one left to speak for me." - Martin Niemoiler

The above is the poetic form of a post-war confessional prose by the German Lutheran pastor Martin Niemöller (1892–1984). It is about the cowardice of German intellectuals and certain clergy—including, by his own admission, Niemöller himself—following the Nazis' rise to power and subsequent incremental purging of their chosen targets, group after group. . It deals with themes of persecution, guilt, repentance, and personal responsibility.

The current situation in Ẹdo State is the same as Nazi Germany. Godwin Obaseki has clearly shown same ruthless streak of the Nazist and my contention is that hẹ should be stopped before it is too late.

Last week, I chronicled Godwin Obaseki ancestral traits of power desperation to show that wẹ are dealing with something pathological . This was to enable Ẹdo people plan for what lie ahead.

Godwin Obaseki was sold to Ẹdo people by the then Governor Adams Oshiomhole. Hẹ was totally unsong and unheralded but against wise counsels, Adams Oshiomhole put him ọn his back and delivered to Government House as Governor . Hẹ hardly became Governor before hẹ started fighting his Party members and ultimately , Adams Oshiomhole , who he shamelessly banned from entering Ẹdo State.

Hẹ pulled all strings and spent hundreds of millions of Naira to remove Oshiomhole as Chairman. A man who could do this to the man who bent sọ low to make him Governor , will stop at nothing.

Before now, hẹ had sponsored one Andrew Adaze Emwanta, to file an action to stop the nomination of Ẹdo former Deputy Governor Pius Odubu as NDDC Chairman, under the pretext that it was not the turn of Ẹdo but Delta to produce the Chairman.

Now ,few days to the 2020 Ẹdo Governorship election , Godwin Obaseki, at the height of power stupor, not understanding the vicissitude of power,like an Emperor, has set his sight ọn Capt. Hosa Okunbo, a notable industrialist, philantropist and Ẹdo hero, to destroy him for not supporting his reelection ambition .

Obaseki has now engaged media hatchetmen and spin Doctors to carry out unprecedented media attacks ọn Idahosa Okunbo in order to destroy his reputation,personality and business. Again, the fellow hẹ used to file the Court action against Pius Odubu is one of the hatchetmen engaged and mobilised for the hatchet job. Same Adaze Emwanta who curiously left his Job as Assistant lecturer at the University of Calabar and used to go around Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, who likes to mentor younger Edo professionals and politicians ,but who probably did not see the fellow as a hustler ready to do any dirty job for anyone who can pay. I recall Pastor Ize-Iyamu used to give this individual clothes to wear to accompany us to functions... A Governor that can engage touts, marabouts and loafers to insult prime citizens of his State has apparently lost every sense of legitimacy . Godwin Obaseki has become like King Saul of Biblical Israel, after God rejected him and annointed David Jesse in his stead and the spirit of God consequently left him.

I have often stated in various fora that political contestations are all about negotiations,mediation and concilliation; but for Obaseki, it is his way or nọ way and this shows the poorness of his spirit, probably symptomatic of his rumoured unconventional, queer or eccentric venereal personality.

I have found the way Godwin Obaseki has used State instruments and resources to fight his political benefactors and opponents queer. It can only be compared with the way his grandfather Gaius Obaseki went about his politics between late 1940s and early 1950s.

Godwin Obaseki's threat to burn Capt. Hosa's farm and revoke his certificates of occupancy because hẹ is not supporting his second term bid is history repeating itself before our very eyes.

Between 1896 and 1920, Agho Obaseki Ogbeide-Oyo fought hard for power,culminating in a callous betrayal of the Kingdom and Ọba Ovoranmwen Nogbaisi.The bitter struggle for power with Ovoranmwen's son Aiguobasinmwin ( you dont struggle with the Ọba) ended in pains and defeat for Agho Obaseki and those who supported him.

Agho was seen more as a foreigner as his grandfather came in from Nsukwa in present Delta State, sojourned a bit in Ike, Uhunmwode Local Government ,before his own father, Ogbeide-Oyo moved to Benin City. It must be noted though they initially moved from Benin to Nsukwa because of a conflict between them and a certain Oba of that era.

Then came Gaius Obaseki, who did not also grow up in Benin. He also fought for power even more, burning houses of political opponents, using his links with Ibadan to intimidate all those who stood against him. Hẹ struggled for power,using every unorthodox means. Hẹ had a bitter feud with the Ọba Akenzua,but at the end, hẹ also totally lost out.

Godwin Obaseki had his early years in Benin where hẹ was laid back,nonchallant about life and did poorly in School , earning him the sobriquet NFAite, euphemism for unserious , no good boys in Benin.

Hẹ was farmed out to Ibadan,like his grandfather Gaius Obaseki, where he graduated from the University of Ibadan and settled to live in Lagos.

As soon as hẹ became Governor using Oshiomhole, he quickly showed there was nọ friendly snake. Hẹ started fighting all those he did not like their guts, turning people against established orders and lying to the people to make them feel hẹ was fighting their battles, the same way Agho Obaseki tried to convince some Palace Chiefs and other Benin people in 1914 that it would serve a nobler Benin purpose for him to become the King. Nothing could be farther than this. Godwin Obaseki is repeating the histories of his fathers.

No one should see Godwin Obaseki's struggle for power now as just mere political contestations for the Governorship of Ẹdo State. There is an underlying, sinister agenda that targets our Edones and what makes us unique. Let him that reads understand. If Godwin Obaseki suceeds in this present political struggle ( God forbid), the next direct target will be the home Leopard ( I spit out!)

The two earlier Obasekis did not suceed in their agenda and did not end well. This one shall not be different, but wẹ cannot pretend that it is not our business. Dante Alighieri has already stated unequivocally in his immortal admonision that "the hottest places in hell are reserved for those who, in times of great moral crisis, maintain their neutrality.”

DAN Osa-Ogbegie is a member of the Oloke family of Benin.

By David Obaju

The Armed Forces of any nation are the only omnipotent institution which has the onerously pathetic responsibility of its members compulsorily risking their lives to protect others in comfort of homes in times of dire insecurity situations. It is a personally signed official national duty, the Military undertakes at the darkest moments in the history of any country at all times.

The Military have a disciplined and strict culture tethered on professionalism and observance of officially certified etiquettes which defines the entirety of their existence. It does not matter whether colleagues are in active service or retirement. But the spirit of comradeship has never waned at any time. It’s an indestructible cord in that confined league of warriors.

Therefore, it is dreadful for any country to consider operating an Armed Forces controlled by a clan of politicians of whatever adoring jargons, laced in the niceties of legislations which seeks to outsmart the singular regulating apparatus about the Military. Unfortunately for Nigerians who argue along such sentimental dimensions, the proposals are not possibly permissibly anywhere in the world.

Let the tattletale’s activists of such abomination gaze elsewhere because every nation trains, ethically purifies and preserves its Military strictly for lawful professional duties. And it is all about the protection and defence of sovereignty and territorial integrity of a country.

It is the standard conventional practice all over the world. It justifies why the Nigerian Armed Forces should be insulated from politics wholesale. And Nigerians must consider is crucial and avertable because indulgence or deviation of the Military into partisanship or posture violates national interest, which most times is lost along the line of corrupting influence.

However, Nigeria is an eccentric country. And politicians have always sought the control of the Military in disparate and cunny ways for partisan reasons. It is the same desperate politicians who yearn for a better democratic country. Nothing can be more condescending!

But in sardonic swagger, they ignore or are not satisfied with the Constitutional clause empowering them to append a seal on Mr. President’s nominees for Service Chiefs. Through the backdoor today, Nigerian parliament schemes to control even when Military Chiefs should be sacked, what the Nigerian Constitution, the supreme law of the land, vests exclusively powers in the hands of Mr. President.

That’s why in the 9th Republic Nigerian Senate, some members of the National Assembly (NASS) attempted to legislate and pass an illegal law to wrest such powers from the jurisdiction of President Buhari by transferring it to NASS or humongous politicians directly. The proposed law contemplated a Special Military Board, comprising politicians to decide appointment and sack of Service Chiefs any time they consider it necessary, instead of the Commander-In-Chief of the nation. Where has it ever happened in the world?

But Nigeria is full of surprises which no longer astounds anyone. They injected other very obnoxious clauses in the proposed law, which would empower all manner of politicians as approved by the legislature to decide the fate of Service Chiefs in a country where patriotism has been on sabbatical leave for dozens of years.

The resentful law crushed itself on the altar of truth and did not see daylight. But before this period, there have been countless times Nigerian politicians’ have interfered with the professionalism or tried to pollute the sanctity of soldiers. That’s why from 1983 to 1999, Nigeria was compelled to contend with different Military dictatorships. Almost all leaders of past military Heads of Government claimed they were invited by civilians to intervene and save democracy.

Generally, the world is no longer receptive to Military coup d’états. Africa is caught up in this new wind of change and with it, Nigeria which has reluctantly mooned the consciousness of a re-ordered world. It has nevertheless cautioned or appeased fifth columnists or political shenanigans and power hawks. Once in a while, especially when these despoiled politicians fail to garb democratic leadership through the ballot, they attempt to induce the military to seize power.

Nigeria has dragged the Military into civil duties which are in discord with their defined constitutional mandates. For a start, the drafting of soldiers for Election Duty; the attempts by some political moneybags or possessors of Nigeria’s illicit wealth to financially induce soldiers on such special assignments or Internal Security (IS) operations to gain certain favours are not exciting. But the society demands it. There are also other such demeaning acts which have always exposed Nigerian Military to risky temptations capable of compromising their professional ethics.

Of course, Nigerians would still remember the shambolic outing of soldiers on Election Duty which foisted former Governor Ayo Fayose of Ekiti state. Soldiers played ignoble roles leading to an indictment by a formal Military Panel of Inquiry and verdict, when President Muhammadu Buhari came on board as Nigeria’s democratic leader.

It’s still fresh, the attempt by Rivers Governor Nyesom Wike to bribe the GOC and the soldiers he deployed on Election Duty during the 2019 general elections in the state. It proclaims and confirms the ever-gassy determination of Nigerian politicians to corrupt the Military by all means.

It only took the grace of God for the GOC and the soldiers under the COAS and leader of counter-insurgency operations he assigned to resist Gov. Wike’s overtures of bribe in order to compromise the electoral process. But thereafter, a relentless Wike, like typical Nigerian politicians, followed it up with blackmail and executive rancorous intimidation of the Nigerian Army.

No doubt, Gen. Buratai has done everything possible to reposition the Nigerian Army to operate or function professionally at all times. The refined conduct of soldiers is generally much-admired by Nigerians anywhere they are deployed for special assignments. It’s a tempo the country should strive to sustain. And separating the Military from politics should be the inviolable obligation of every Nigerian.

But some Nigerian political elites and leaders have always advertised themselves as people who learnt nothing or any valuable lesson in a lifetime and so, have forgotten nothing! Some of them still nursing personal grudges and grievances against President Buhari have many times struggled to instigate the military to carry out a coup in the last five years, but it failed. President Buhari trusts his Service Chiefs whose first and last preoccupation is loyalty to professional creeds.

Meanwhile, unconscionable politicians whose permutations to grab power crumbled have fruitlessly and repeatedly attempted to drag them into politics. After failing variously on this agenda, they are also not relenting in other “clever” ways to smear the reputation of the Nigerian Military, so that they can use the Military to get at their political enemies. And President Buhari has been at the receiving end of their destructive designs.

President Buhari has suffered so much in the hands of these politicians hellbent on forcefully and illegally terminating his administration with their angry swords by persuading the military to stage a coup d’état to dethrone him. When Buhari had persistent health issues beginning of May 2017 and travelled to London for medical attention, the politicians plotted to use the Army to overthrow his Government.

The underground plots to illegally oust Buhari out of power rang to the point the speculations of a potential coup assailed Nigerians everywhere. A vigilant Chief of Army Staff, Gen. Buratai countered them. The Army is more suitable for such odd jobs.

So, first, Buratai issued a repeated stern warning to all soldiers to isolate themselves from politics. He also stepped up security measures and instantly transferred several senior officers prone to inducements for a coup. Only these actions saved the day.

Gen. Buratai thundered; “Any officer or soldier of the Nigerian Army found to be hobnobbing with such elements or engaging in unprofessional conducts such as politicking, would have himself or herself to blame.”

Also, the weeks preceding President Buhari’s inauguration for a second term in office experienced clandestine coup plotting actors by mid-May 2019. The Department of State Services (DSS) alleged plots by another set of politicians under the auspices of Nigeria Continuity and Progress (NCP) to overthrow President Buhari.

The planned coup was targeted to strike and disrupt President Buhari’s inauguration for second tenure before May 29, 2019, by the subversive agents and adversaries of democracy. There were attempts to garb it a military revolution.

And the strategy of these subversive elements using the Military was to create artificial atmosphere of insecurity; spark or induce widespread violence and use same to transplant disaffection in national psyche and prod the military to overthrow the Government for failing to protect lives and property of Nigerians. It also failed flat like a pack of cards because Gen. Buratai corpulently descended on the suspected Army officers.

But Nigerian politicians hardly give up on any evil mission. They have been scouting for other means to fascinate the Armed Forces and its leadership into politics. But Buratai particularly and his colleagues have proved very difficult to overwhelm with their intended antics on the Military to indulgence in the political affairs of Nigeria. The hatred of these Service Chiefs by Nigerian politicians’ is therefore understandable.

Nigerian politicians should sleep and reflect. The Army is an indispensably a standing Military institution which should not be this consciously destroyed, nay the Military. Politicians should conscionably recoil from dangling these tempting carrots of politics to the military and allow the Army focus on its mandate of protecting the territorial integrity of the nation. #

Obaju is a lecturer at Federal College of Education, Okene.

By Gabriel Agibi

The metamorphosis and enlargement of Boko Haram terrorism into various interests is by no means surprising. The infusion of political, commercial and economic interests, aside its initial facade of religion has made Boko Haram terrorism a bigtime monster in Nigeria. And each of the piebald interests is driven by a different motive and ideology.

The COAS and helmsman of the counter-insurgency operations, Lt. Gen. TY Buratai declared after his recent parley with President Muhammadu Buhari in the Presidential Villa that 90% of terrorists and armed bandits terrorizing and tormenting the country are Nigerians. That’s an amazing figure. But it is nothing, but the painfully naked truth.

And this enervating and earthshaking figure is ennobled by the infusion of the disparate interests into Boko Haram which was formerly, a small assemblage of religious extremists and criminals. But now, Boko Haram has unimaginable veiled patrons, agents, sympathizers, investors and propagandists in the country. The nest is very wide and really unimaginable. It hints of the extent some Nigerians are not only unpatriotic, but sadists deeply excited with crimes against their own compatriots.

But that’s just a small fraction of the kernel of the problems of terrorism in Nigeria. One of the foremost actions embarked upon by Gen. Buratai in 2015 when he sauntered on the war theatre to lead the combats of anti-terrorism and other evils was to adopt measures to curb the recruitment of idle youths into the sect’s fold. Some of these youths exuded innocence because they were either charmed or hypnotized into initiation by the sect to embark on the destructive mission of heinous crimes against humanity.

Gen. Buratai’s foresighted action of blocking Boko Haram’s recruitment of Nigerian youths as foot soldiers worked perfectly. It was evident in the drastic decline in numbers and depopulation in the ranks of Boko Haramists. And coupled with the frequent casualties the sect suffered in the hands of the Nigerian Army, the surrender of top commanders of the sect and hundreds of already initiated foot soldiers, without replacements, the impact of the war was tremendous.

Nonetheless, by the beginning of 2018, the narrative changed. The political, commercial/business and economic interests of Boko Haram re-sprouted and increased its numerical strength. While it sounds incredulous that a parent could secretly and willingly give out his child for initiation by Boko Haram for a paltry fee or the offer of protection by the criminals, it is sadly, very true. It explains the monstrous resurgence of terrorism because the penetration is too wide and its shadows very difficult to trace.

Therefore, when Gen. Buratai proclaimed that 90% of terrorists and armed bandits are Nigerians, it’s easy to discern. And Nigerians must know, what has manifested as armed banditry is derived from an enfeebled Boko Haram in the Northeast. Insurgents who had a tough time operating in the Northeast like in the past, since Gen. Buratai took over the battle, relocated to the Northwest and resurrected the rested armed banditry and cattle rustling.

These criminals use same sophisticated weapons. The modus operandi of armed bandits with Boko Haram is the same. There is also a blend the heartlessness of the perpetrators in committing atrocious acts. Violence, killings, arson, abductions and looting of targeted areas also blend with Boko Haram in every exactitude. That’s why majority of insurgents’ victims are their brothers either in biological or religious links. Earlier in the year, President Muhammadu Buhari confessed that 90 % of Boko Haram victims are Muslims. It is the gospel truth.

It is natural that most Nigerians can hardly interpret their milieu or trend of events around them. An obsession with hype of half-truths or absolute falsehood blinds them to reality infinitely. Therefore, Gen. Buratai’s assertion that 90% of terrorists and armed bandits operating in Nigeria are Nigerians may sound strange to some ears. But the Army Chief is not alone in this thought or realization of this truth.

Incumbent Katsina state Governor, Alhaji Aminu Bello Masari is also on same page with Gen. Buratai. A few days ago, Gov. Masari, a politician of enduring years of partisanship and former Speaker of Nigeria’s House of Representatives accused enemies or opponents of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) as responsible for the renewed attacks by bandits and Boko Haram in Northern Nigeria. It’s an insightful clue.

And when one recalls the timing of the resurgence of terrorism and banditry in the country at the commencement of partisan campaigns for the 2019 general elections, the excitement shall only be complete by crowning Gov. Masari with a medal for his rare insights. But how many Nigerians have the patience to explore these angles as reeled out by Gen. Buratai and Gov. Masari? Very few.

Almost all the times you encounter some Nigerians, there is the glaring attempt to interrogate the renewed insecurities in Nigeria on the periphery. There is usually, an unfounded excitement of propagating lies and everything that serves to destroy Nigeria’s interests, in alliance with external allies.

It is also undeniably the trademark of opposition. Its in their culture to celebrate any odd news against Nigeria; but somewhat feel some internal pains to applaud positive news about the country. It is inexplicable; but that’s what is happening to Nigeria. So, no one is concerned to assist security agents unearth the masked faces behind the acts of renewed terrorism assailing the country; rather, majority protect and shield the sponsors and perpetrators. What a people!

But security agents are not magicians or voodoo merchants. And Nigerians must know the peculiarity of Nigeria. This country has no absolute control over its communication apparatus and the reach is limited. And that’s why the human effort is crucial in adding security agents to fish out terrorists and bandits.

Disappointingly, while Nigerians renege on this moral responsibility, the easiest thing to do is to mouth how President Buhari is incompetent or the Service Chiefs have overstayed their tenures and should resign or be sacked. That’s outright claptrap! And those who complain loudest about “inaction” of government are the same suspected Nigerians who raise hideous planks for the progression of terrorism and survival of terrorists.

All hopes not lost, in spite of the dicey situation! Nigerians have a chance to get back on track by retracing their faulty steps and making the necessary adjustments to act appropriately. Nowhere in the whole wide world is the issue of security abandoned to the leaders or Security Chiefs alone. There must be a synergy between the government and the people to overcome threats of insecurities. Citizenship patriotic roles are very important in surmounting insecurity challenges. The consistent neglect of it by Nigerians is to their peril.

Therefore, and like Gen. Buratai, the fearless and the ever-undistracted soldier counselled, the Nigerian Army will continue to do its very best to secure Nigerians and their properties. But when the yoke of terrorism and armed banditry would pass away is strictly the decision of Nigerians. So, its foolhardy to keep blaming Mr. President or security chiefs, while the citizens withdraw vital support; but rather massively embolden acts of terrorism.

Further interrogating the statement by Gen. Buratai, a brave soldier and goal-getter in counter-terrorism by all standards, one would see the sincerity of a good leader who is not ready to deceive his country with mere propaganda.

The Army boss hides nothing in the service of Nigeria. He is one leader who says it as it is and typical of the life of soldiers who do not dread to tell the truth. Buratai is always blunt. His statement that overwhelming majority of the bandits and terrorists are Nigerians is one bold solution to the problem bedeviling the country. This is the gospel truth that Nigerians have been waiting for a courageous person to voice it.

Therefore, Gen. Buratai and Gov. Masari have let the cat out of the bag. Now that the terrorists are known; the bandits are known and the criminals tormenting the country have been revealed, it is high time Nigerians begin to identify ways which can proceed to the second stage of solving the problem of terrorism. Massive exposure of the suspected culprits. It is the English people who say in an adage that a problem known is partly solved.

There is every need now for all Nigerians to expend more energy by unanimously calling on all those who know the veiled forces tormenting the country to stop it now or expose them to security agents for apprehension. It’s the only potent way citizens can demonstrate patriotic participation for the success of the stiff war Government has mounted against terrorism and armed banditry.

And Nigerians must also necessarily remember that a few days ago, the Defence Headquarters (DHTs) disclosed something crucial in a public statement. Defence spokesman, Gen. John Enenche said, the task of exposing sponsors or agents or sympathizers of Boko Haram/ISWAP or armed bandits is outside the briefs of the Military.

It is a job for the intelligence arms of Nigeria’s security agencies. Therefore, the Nigerian public should be guided accordingly. Nigerians must begin to rise up in our communities to expose the bandits and their sponsors, the terrorists and their promoters and just everything possible to support our military. Sane Nigerians are not interested in their evil ways and therefore, the crimes against Nigerians and the country must cease now unconditionally.

Agibi is a public affairs analyst based in Abuja.

*Service Chiefs: Nwodo is new grand patron of IPOB, unfit to advise Buhari - Igbo Conscience*

The President General of Ohaneaze Ndigbo, Chief Nnia Nwodo, is morally unfit to advise President Muhammadu on issues of national security after he assumed the role of patron of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), the Igbo Conscience has said. 

According to the southeastern natives, there is a deliberate plot by Nwodo and his cohorts to destabilize Nigeria with his call for the sack of the Service Chiefs. 

In a statement signed by converner, Kingsley Mbani, on Friday,  the Igbo Conscience denounced Nwodo, adding that his position doesn't represent that of the people of South-East Nigeria. 

Describing him as selfish, the group noted that Mr Nwodo has thrown aside national interest, fraternizing with IPOB amd others against the interest of the country. 

The Igbo Conscience warned Chief Nwodo that "posterity would not be kind to him should he continue to with fraternize with the likes of Nnamdi Kanu and his paymasters whose major preoccupation is the destabilization of Nigeria". 

It, however, advised the Ohanaeze leader to denounce and resign his position as the grand patron of IPOB.  

Read full statement below:

The Igbo Conscience group wishes to place on record that the statement credited to Chief Nnia Nwodo, the President General of Ohaneaze Ndigbo supporting the call for the removal of Service Chiefs in the country is not the position of the people of South-East Nigeria.  

Chief Nnia Nwodo has by all intent and purposes displayed a disdain for Nigeria by electing to see things from the prism of his selfish interest, rather than that of national interest. 

The Igbo Conscience is left with no choice but to believe that Chief Nnia Nwodo has gone back to his olds ways by fraternizing with those against the interest of the country.  We wish to state that the statement credited to him is most despicable even though it's common knowledge that he shares a particular affinity with the leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).  

We are consequently alarmed that caution could be thrown in the wind in the blind pursuit of personal aggrandizement not minding the consequences of such actions on the socio-political fabric of the country. 

The Igbo Conscience disassociates from the statements and wishes to inform members of the general public that there is credible evidence that Chief Nnia Nwodo is the new grand patron of the Indigenous People of Biafra recruited for the sole purpose of destabilizing the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari. 

The unholy alliance by Chief Nnia Nwodo with the leader of IPOB, Nnamdi Kanu is albeit shameful; it further buttresses the fact that Chief Nnia Nwodo is not a true Igbo man that has a mind of his own to challenge any evil in the society. 

If that has not been the case, it leaves all to the imagination for supporting the call for the sack of Service Chiefs, which by and large aligns with the position of IPOB in their grand plot to destabilize Nigeria. 

The Igbo Conscience wishes to use this medium to inform the members of the general public that Chief Nnia Nwodo and his paymasters have elected to turn blind and deaf in the blind pursuit of their well-crafted agenda against the unity and progress of Nigeria.  

Chief Nnia Nwodo must as a matter of urgency come back to consciousness and realize that his public utterances and conduct is nothing but a reflection that he has indeed sold his soul to the devil in exchange for a plate of porridge. 

The Igbo Conscience wishes to remind Chief Nnia Nwodo that posterity would not be kind to him should he continue to with fraternize with the likes of Nnamdi Kanu and his paymasters whose major preoccupation is the destabilization of Nigeria. 

We wish to encourage Chief Nnia Nwodo to do the needful by denouncing and resigning his position as the grand patron of the Indigenous people of Biafra to prove his sanity because there is no moral justification for his support for the sacking of Service Chiefs in the country. 

The Igbo Conscience group is credibly aware that the statement by Chief Nnia Nwodo is indeed the voice of Jacob and the hands of Esau. We consequently wish to advise Chief Nnia Nwodo to desist from his several unholy adventures that are against the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari.

STAKEHOLDERS ADVOCATE STRATEGIES  FOR  DEVELOPING THE OIL AND GAS FREE ZONES FOR GLOBAL COMPETITION.



Stakeholders have advocated for a Repositioning the Oil and Gas Free Zones for Global Competitiveness. Speaking at  the Webinar organised by SING Nigeria, a good governance and accountability organisation, which partnered with other CSOs in her accountability project to engage Government. 
During the webinar,  Speakers called for an enabling environment that will promote competition for all operators to thrive in all oil and gas export free zone in line with global best practice.

The Speakers at webinar included  Prof. Pat Utomi, Fr. Edward Obi, Mr. Willem Vermeer, Hon. Rimande S. Kwewum, Mr. Umana O. Umana, addressed various strategies that can assist the efforts of the Oil and Gas Free Zones, towards Repositioning it for Global Competitiveness.

Participants at the Webinar agreed that it is time for Nigeria to embrace local production since it is the heart of the growth of the economy, which can generate competitiveness. They further advocated that the Oil and Gas Free Zones should engage in peer review so as to learn from contemporaries in places like South East Asia.

They also advised that each Trade Zone should specialize in certain derivatives, while government Institutions should be strengthened in order to avoid hindrances to ease of doing business.

The forum also urged the private sector to see it as a collective responsibility by working together to ensure that they are strong institutions.

While commending the Umana Umana led incumbent management of the OGFZA, the forum said that business in the Oil and Gas Free Zones should support a precautionary approach towards ensuring environmental standards, while stringent regimes of environmental regulations are enacted to punish or deter unfriendly activities in the ports and elsewhere, since the long term cost of dealing with environmental hazards is considered over short-term high revenue with respect to environmental hazards and degradation.

It was also suggested that Nigeria’s free trade zones should integrate its plan with the Africa Continental Free Trade Area (AFCFTA) of the African Union, while developing its opportunities in Agriculture, education, and others, as a spillover from Foreign Direct Investments.

.... backs Buhari on retention

The Coalition Against Terrorism and Extremism (CATE) has expressed disappointment with the Senate over its call for the sack of the Service Chiefs in the middle of war. 

The centre also affirmed total support for President Muhammadu Buhari's decision to disregard the Senate's drama, showing faith with the military heads. 

According to the centre, in its usual manner, the Red Chamber goofed having relied on Senator Ali Ndume who was once accused of sponsoring Boko Haram. 

In a statement signed by its National Coordinator, Gabriel Onoja, on Tuesday, CATE said the Senate have by this act thrown their weight behind terrorists, bandits, criminals and their sponsors, forsaking gallant troops on the frontlines. 

Instead of politicking, the centre said it expected the upper house to craft anti-terrorism legislation that has been sorely needed to defeat terrorism. 

The group, however, advised the lawmakers to resign for failing the Armed Forces and the nation through delayed budget consideration and approval. 

Read full statement below:

The Coalition Against Terrorism (CATE) is totally disappointed with the decision by the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to side with terrorists and bandits with its call on the Service Chiefs of the Armed Forces of Nigeria to resign. The Senate erred in this misguided resolution just as it has been erring in the performance of its duties.

Our disappointment is not in any way mitigated by the knowledge that the lawmakers have a history of pursuing agenda that are at variance with the yearnings of the constituents and that the oversight powers bestowed on them by the Constitution has consistently been abused in pursuit of lining their individual pockets.

It nonetheless appalling that the Senate did not even avail itself the face-saving measure of shopping for a unicorn by having a credible member of the Red Chamber to move the motion on something as important but relied on Senator Ali Ndume, representing Borno south and chairman of the committee on army, who has not satisfactorily proven that he is not part of Nigeria’s Boko Haram problem.

The lawmakers worsened the situation by adopting resolutions whose import they understand even less than they understood the dynamics fueling Nigeria’s security breaches and the efforts that military leaders under President Muhammadu Buhari have made to curtail them. 

They have by their cavalier attitude sent the message to terrorists, bandits and criminals that they have the support of the Senate against the gallant officers and men that have been toiling to defeat terrorism and stamp out insecurity. They have also told the enemies of Nigeria that they have the approval stamp of the National Assembly.

To have set the war on terrorism back on the scale the Senate has done unfair to all concerned. They are unfair to President Buhari. They are unfair to General Gabriel Olonisakin, Chief of Defence stcaff; Lt. General Tukur Buratai, Chief of Army Staff; Air Marshall Sadique Abubakar, Chief of Air Staff; and Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ekwe Ibas, Chief of Naval Staff. 

The Senate has never shown a commitment to support the efforts of these military leaders and President Buhari in fighting terrorism and other crimes in the country. This latest outing by the Senate is a clear indication that whilst the President and the Service Chiefs are working day and night to address the insecurity in its multiple facets, the Senate prefers to play politics with the lives of the citizens.

The lawmakers failed woefully in crafting and amending anti-terrorism legislation that has been sorely needed to defeat terrorism, which consequently left the military to be overstretched and compelled to fight the terrorist with only strategy and military might. We are therefore wondering when the Senators will resign their positions for having failed to exert international pressure on countries that have been fueling terrorism in and around Nigeria by covertly funding and supporting Boko Haram.

We demand to know when the Senators will resign for sabotaging the anti-terrorism efforts through delayed budget consideration and approval, distracting the Armed Forces with pointless inquisitions that are in reality barefaced attempt to extort those invited to appear. They should accept responsibility for keeping the country’s teeming youth in deprivation and poverty that are the main drivers of the insecurity in the land rather than trying to offload the blame for the problems in the land on principled men that cleaning the mess created by the likes of the politicians in parliament.

CATE calls on the Service Chiefs to disregard the drama from the Senate and focus on carrying out the assignment given to them by President Buhari.