₦airaland Forum

Cultistupdate:
Na these ones dey cause mass deportation. A voicenote came in today that Vikings and black axee want to also add Ghana to their war zone to continue killing themselves

Founder and presiding Bishop of Living Faith Church Worldwide, a.k.a Winners’ Chapel International, David Oyedepo has banned followers not to name the church after him.

He said the church belongs to Jesus, not him.

“After I go at a very ripe old age which I know God has the plan for me, let no man here name anything here after me because the owner never dies”, Oyedepo said in a sermon published today by Church Gist.

The renowned cleric said this Sunday while preaching that breakaway churches don’t thrive.

According to Oyedepo, he is not a church giver and warned against immortalising him in the church.

“Don’t try it, it’s not God’s will it’s not God’s plan.

“People die before they share their will in any term but this man never dies. So who will now give you the will to read?

“Lawyers, do you read the will when the man is still alive.

“You can’t divide anybody goods till after his death and and Jesus the owner of the church ever liveth. So where will you divide his lit, that time won’t come”.

Oyedepo said he once received a request from a resigning pastor to gift him a church branch.

He said he declined the request.

According to him he would have lost the Winners Chapel ministry forever if he obliged to the pastors request because the church doesn’t belong to him.

“One of our pastors resigned in those days and I said if there’s anything in getting started in your ministry, he said I want you to give me the church that I’m pastor. I said it’s not my own.

“You have no power to give what is not yours. I can’t give you the church it’s not my own.

“I told him to ask for any other thing, I’m not a church giver. I would have lost this ministry forever,” he said.

Onyiiobi7735:
Obi Cubana is heavily blessed. There is this kind of wealth and fame God will shower on you,that people would say you are into rituals.

JayPeeOham:
No worry yasef!! This year na sure steady cash out for real gees on legit hustle after all last year was for yahoo boys

JayPeeOham:
I swear... I thought I was the only one having this good feeling!!!

Sincerely, there's this thing about this year that it would be the best year ever!!!

Baawaa:
Local level spokesman, something is fishing

Former Deputy National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Chief Bode George says he would not hesitate to relocate from Nigeria if the National Leader of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Bola Tinunu emerges next president of the country.

In an interview with Vanguard, the one-time military governor of Ondo State explained that Asiwaju lacks the capacity to lead the nation, stressing that he (Tinubu) would be a big disgrace representing the country in the international community.

The 77-year-old man, however, clarified that he has no personal issues with Tinubu, adding that he only speaks because he owe the general public the truth.

According to him, Tinubu’s comment that he had been making kings and would want to be king himself was very annoying. Bode stressed that in Yoruba culture, king makers don’t emerge king by choice.

He said “I will relocate from Nigeria, I will leave the country because Tinubu will be your representative in the international plain. Which investment will he bring here?

“I am not talking because I have any hatred for him. This is not the kind of person that we can hand over this massive country to manage. He will be the greatest joke on the international plane. We should bother who should lead us no person like Tinubu. Those supporting him are those who have benefited from his largess.

“There is absolutely nothing personal. This is my country. At 77, why will I not be able to tell truth to power? I have some facts about this character.

“The most annoying part is what he (Tinubu) said that he had been a kingmaker all his life and now, he wants to be king.

“Let me remind him (Tinubu) because he is a Yoruba man. In my part of the world, kingmakers are called afobaje. When you are a kingmaker, you do not throw yourself in the ring and say you want to be king”.

DAILY POST reports that Tinubu, earlier in the week, informed President Muhammadu Buhari of his intention to run for the office of Nigerian president.

Asiwaju, while fielding questions from the State House correspondents, said he would still continue with his consultation before making a former declaration.

Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida (IBB), former military head of state, says the ideal president for Nigeria in 2023 should not be as old as he is.

He said this in an interview with Daily Trust TV.

When asked about his choice of president in 2023, 80-year-old IBB responded saying: “It is not who do I have in mind but who fits in”.

“Any person who fits in within these criteria, then he is the right person as long as he is a Nigerian; he is a politician, he is not old like I am; he is very conversant with the country, he communicates, he is a very good communicator,” he said.

“He should be able to communicate because a president should be able to walk into a group of people and talk to them on issues concerning Nigeria; not all the time but most of the time.

“He must have somebody he knows in every part of the country. It is not a tall order.

“You could limit it to states, you could limit it to local governments even to the wards if you can but somebody such that once you hear the name, it is somebody you will say, yes, I have heard that name before either in the country or in his profession; if he is a doctor, a journalist or whatever, all areas, we have heard the name before; okay then I will make an effort to know more about him.”

On whether he sees such a person among the current political office holders, he said he believes the process will take care of that.

“Within the process, of those people you mentioned now, there are people who could fit into this category and I believe the process can take care of that,” he said.

The former head of state also spoke about his decision not to remarry after the death of Maryam Babangida, his wife.

She died at the age of 61 on December 27, 2009, after battling ovarian cancer for years.

IBB said he stayed unmarried to honour his late wife.

“The media still snoop around me, they should have known. I haven’t. It is a matter of choice; I decided to honour her by being not a bachelor but being unmarried,” he said.

The President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), has expressed hope that God will listen to Nigeria’s prayers on insecurity, insisting that his regime has done its best on security and will continue to do more by pursuing policies to deal with terrorism.

This was as he urged Nigerians to be fair to his government in assessing the insecurity in the country by reflecting on what obtained when he took over in 2015. He said the North-West which had given the nation some “headache” would experience a turnaround for the better.

Buhari spoke on Friday during a visit by the Grand Khalifa of the Tijjaniyya Islamic Movement World-Wide, Tidjani Ali Bin Arabi, to the State House, Abuja.

The President urged citizens to show interest in their safety and complement what the government was doing.

He added, “We have done our best, and we will continue to do more by pursuing coherent and consistent policies to deal with terrorism. I hope God will listen to our prayers.”

Buhari thanked Governor Abdullahi Ganduje of Kano State for inviting the Grand Khalifa to come and pray for the peace and stability of Nigeria.

Ganduje, accompanied by the Emir of Kano, Aminu Ado-Bayero, and the leader of the Tijjaniyya Islamic Movement in Nigeria, Sheikh Dahiru Bauchi, said the state government invited the Tijjaniyya World Leader to the country to lead faithful in prayer considering the complexities around the insecurity in the country.

He said the visit of the Grand Khalifa rekindled the old ties between the Tijjaniya and many cultural and educational institutions in Nigeria.

Arabi and Bauchi extolled the cordial relations between Nigeria and Algeria as they prayed for guidance and blessings for the country and its leaders.

Ganduje later told State House Correspondents, “We invited him and his team to pray for the peace, stability and prosperity of Kano State and Nigeria. We are all aware of the security challenges we are having, the federal and state governments, we are all doing our best.

“To round it up, we decided to visit Mr President. They prayed for him and indicated the importance of the relationship between Algeria and Nigeria and their continued cooperation in prayers for peace and stability.”

The governor added that the delegation constituted a committee to consider education, commerce, and agriculture issues.

Asked about any sustainable structure to resolve the Almajiri issue in his state, he noted that Kano had the highest number of Almajiri in Nigeria but noted that there were regulations to prosecute the parents of Almajiri and out-of-school children.

“We have taken statistics; most of these Almajiri are not indigenes of Kano State, and as Nigerians, they are free to live anywhere they want in this country. We have introduced free and compulsory primary and secondary education in Kano State. We have built many Islamiya schools. We have reformed the Almajiri system of education.”

He said the state had an agency repatriating Almajiris to their states and some to Niger Republic and Cameroon. He said only a universal legislation could permanently prevent the movement of school-age children from one state to another.

The Nigeria LNG Limited announced on Thursday that its board of directors had approved the supply of 100 per cent of the Liquefied Petroleum Gas (butane and propane) produced by the company to the Nigerian market.

The NLNG said in a statement that it would prioritise the domestic market for 100 per cent of its butane (cooking gas) production.

It noted that it supplied its first propane cargo into the domestic market three months ago.

The company said it had developed a scheme to sustainably supply propane for usage in cooking gas blending as well as in agro-allied, autogas, power and petrochemical sectors of the Nigerian economy to further deepen gas utilisation in the country.

It said the initiatives were designed to increase LPG availability in Nigeria, diversify its uses and support the Federal Government’s Decade of Gas initiative.

According to the statement, the NLNG is currently the highest single supplier of LPG into the domestic market, with an estimated 400,000 metric tonnes supplied in 2021.

The Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, NLNG, Dr Philip Mshelbila, said the announcement marked the company’s strong commitment to the continued growth of the domestic LPG market and its passion to increase utilisation of one of the most versatile energy sources in the world.

He said, “Committing 100 per cent of our LPG supply is a major milestone in our journey of domestic gas supply. We supplied our first butane cargo into the domestic market in 2007, which helped to develop over the years the LPG industry in Nigeria from less than 50,000 tonnes to over 1 million tonnes market size annually by the end of 2020.

“In 2021, we increased our LPG supply commitment from 350,000 metric tonnes (or 28 million 12.5kg cylinders) to actual delivery of 400,000 metric tonnes (or 32 million 12.5kg cylinders) thereby directing most of our production into the domestic market.

“But this was not enough for NLNG, hence this commitment to do all that we possibly can and supply 100 per cent of our LPG production to the domestic market.”

According to Mshelbila, gas, as the cleanest of the fossil fuels, has become an essential energy source to be reckoned with during this energy transition period.

He said, “Other countries are revolutionising their energy industry to cut down on carbon emissions drastically. Nigeria should not be left out in this drive, considering its abundant gas resources.

“Gas is essential for life and living at the moment, because it can support everything we will need to develop our economy and create better living standards for Nigerians. We need to change the narrative, and NLNG is being pragmatic about it.”

Asked if the company exported cooking gas in the past, the NLNG, in an emailed response to The PUNCH enquiry, said, “Nigeria LNG Limited supplied LPG both to the Nigerian and international markets before now. With the decision of the Board of Directors, all of the company’s LPG production will be delivered to the domestic market.”

Lalasticlala, Mynd44

Amotekun officials of Osun, Oyo, Ondo and Ekiti states, who spoke separately with our correspondents, said they had got credible intelligence that terrorists fleeing military operations in the North-West would seek refuge in the forests of the southern states.

Amotekun personnel, therefore said they had started combing forests in the region for the fleeing terrorists from the North-West.

As South-West states beefed up security, groups including the Arewa Consultative Forum; the pan-Yoruba group, Afenifere and Ohanaeze Ndigbo, in separate interviews with The PUNCH, lamented recent killings in the country, particularly in Zamfara, where 200 people were killed, as well as Plateau, Ondo and Enugu states.

The group said recent statements on insecurity by the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), showed that he was not in touch with reality.

Berating the President, the ACF said insecurity had worsened in the country since he assumed office in 2015 despite his military credentials.

The ACF noted with sadness that the President was elected partly because Nigerians believed he had all it took to crush any form of security challenges but the reverse remained the case.

The forum through its National Publicity Secretary, Emmanuel Yawe, stated these in reaction to the sustained killings in Zamfara, Niger and bandits attacks in Ondo, Enugu, Benue and Plateau, and other parts of the country.

The ACF’s spokesman told The PUNCH in Kaduna with the look of things, it seemed the President was not in tune with the reality on ground.

Insecurity has worsened under Buhari – ACF

He said, “The President was elected partly because he had the credentials that fitted the job at hand. Sadly, the security situation has aggravated since he came into office.

“We only hope he has a rethink. Some of the things he said during the interview (with Channels Television) portray him as a man who is out of day.”

During the interview a few weeks ago, Buhari was asked what he thought could bring a lasting solution to farmers, herders’ clashes and banditry.

The President, among others, said the way out was for the grazing areas and waterfronts to be secured.

On its part, Afenifere expressed dismay at the disposition of the President.

The group, which said Nigerians had all along thought that Buhari’s image-makers were not representing him very well busy, said the interview aired recently (by Channels Television) showed the true position of things.

The National Publicity Secretary of the Afenifere, Jare Ajayi, said, “The disposition (of the President) is that the insecurity situation is not as critical as Nigerians are painting it. Before hearing him, the thinking was that those who have been speaking for him have not been correctly representing him. His recent television interviews have clearly shown that he had all along been correctly represented.

“Now that we know the President’s position, it is certainly not out of place to express regret that our President is not in touch with the reality of the present security situation in Nigeria.

“Just today, Thursday, reports have it everywhere that Borno State Governor Zulum openly declared in Maiduguri that terrorists are effectively in control of two local government areas in his state. He added that the terrorists have assembled 300 motorbikes to attack more communities.

“Same day, news have it of 18 people that were murdered in Plateau State also by terrorists. Similar disheartening incidents mentioned above are also occurring in several other states particularly in the north and in the South-East.”

On its part, the apex Igbo socio-cultural organisation Ohanaeze Ndigbo appealed to President to listen and support restructuring of Nigeria to a true Federalism and save the country from bloodletting going on in the country.

Ohanaeze spokesman Chief Alex Ogbonnia, who spoke to one of our correspondents on telephone said that the killings going on in the country showed that federal police could nnot secure Nigeria again.

“Nigeria is not the first country to practise federalism, we have other Federal States across the world where Federalism has succeeded. I cannot remember any federalism where we have one layer of security architecture.

“When we talk about State Police, you talk about Ebubeagu and the rest is just to complement federal police. It doesn’t mean federal police should stop. It doesn’t stop other layer levels of security architecture. You see when you heard that 200 persons were killed in Zamfara, this number killed in Jos or Ondo, it is only in a third world country like Nigeria you can still hear something like that – so many people killed, massacred. Why because the federal police have failed to protect the people. So the president should think twice and listen to ideas from people like Ohanaeze and others on the need to support state police to complement federal police.”

Amotekun combs South-West forests for fleeing N’West terrorists

As the socio-political groups took a swipe at the President, the Corps Commandant of Amotekun in Osun State, Brig. Gen. Bashir Adewinbi, (retd.), said the state before now had intelligence that fleeing bandits might attempt to occupy forests in the South-West.

Adewinbi however said Amotekun in the state would not allow criminals to occupy its territory.

Although the Amotekun boss refrained from mentioning in details the strategies, he said steps being taken to prevent invasion by criminals involved collaboration with security agents in neighbouring states, especially Kogi and Kwara states.

He said, “We have received credible intelligence about that before. We have met and we are still meeting to effectively forestall this.

“We won’t allow criminals to use our forest as an alternative. If you can recall, recently, there was an attack on a village in Ondo State. The whole village was burnt down.

“We have always had those feelings that they may likely want to use South-West forest, but we will not allow that. Before now, we have always been working to prevent that.”

Ekiti Amotekun collaborating with hunters, farmers, forests guards

In Ekiti State, the Corps Commander of Amotekun Corps, Brig. Gen. Joe Komolafe (retd.), said that the agency was maintaining surveillance to prevent bandits from accessing or occupying the forests in Ekiti.

Komolafe said that Ekiti Amotekun was also in collaboration with Amotekun in neighbouring states for border patrol to keep the areas safe.

He said, “We maintain surveillance. Then we collaborate with local hunters, farmers and forestry guards so that they intimate us when they see strange faces or movements in the bush.

“Again, we have informants who volunteer information and we speak to traditional rulers fo alert us whenever they see suspicious faces or individuals. We do not wait until bandits or criminals come in or strike”.

Oyo Amotekun intensifies patrol as bandits flee from military onslaught

Amotekun in Oyo State said it had intensified its intelligence gathering and patrol in some border communities as bandits and other criminals started fleeing from the North due to military onslaught.

The Commandant of Amotekun in the state, Col. Olayinka Olayanju ( retd.), said his men had been on the lookout for strange faces who might want to occupy forests in the state to start to cause havoc.

Olayanju said, “ We are aware that some of the bandits who escaped the military onslaught may want to migrate down South to start causing problem and we have started patrolling to prevent them from coming here.

“The patrol was intensified since about six months ago and it is still on till now. We are on the lookout for strange faces because of our proximity to Niger State which is another theatre of bandit operations.

“We started patrolling from Kishi to Igboho and the constant patrol is still ongoing. Also, our men patrol from Iwajowa Local Government Area of the state to the four local government areas in Ibarapa axis and Oyo State boarder with Benin Republic as well as Oyo State border with Ogun State at Olomo Meji Isale and Oyan River.”

The Ondo State Amotekun declared that the state would not tolerate acts of banditry in any part of the state.

The state Commander of the corps, Akogun Adetunji Adeleye who spoke to one of our correspondents, said the corps would not give room for the influx of terrorists from any part of the country.

Concerning the recent attack in the Molege and Arimogija communities in Ose Local Government Area of the state, the commander, who did not state the cause of the attacks, said the men of the command were still on the trail of the attackers, adding that the terrorists would be prevented from entering into the state.

eorge Obiozor, president-general of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, says the federal government should adopt political solution on the case of Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).

Kanu is facing charges bordering on treasonable felony instituted against him by the federal government.

In November 2021, south-east traditional and religious leaders had asked President Muhammadu Buhari to grant amnesty to Kanu to deescalate tension in the zone.

But Buhari, in a recent interview, had said he cannot release Kanu, adding that the IPOB leader should defend himself in court.

Asked to respond to Buhari’s recent comment on Kanu, Obiozor, in an interview on Channels Television on Thursday, said political solution is possible since militants in the south-south and repentant Boko Haram members have been offered amnesty.

“We in Igboland have made it categorically clear that we prefer a political solution to it — a dialogue to end it. It is clear to the rest of Nigeria,” he said.

“And we have repeatedly said that Igbo nation is not at war with Nigeria. Therefore, what is happening can be handled. I will use the words ‘political solution’ as the answer. Dialogue is the answer.

“Just as other sections of Nigeria, some areas of Nigeria, people who behaved like Kanu have been forgiven, given amnesty and integrated into the country.

“So, what we are asking is for Mr President to use the prerogative of mercy to look into the situation in the south-east.

“Prerogative of mercy is exclusively the right of the president. We are not talking about court. We are not talking about use of force. Use of force is dangerous for everybody and it will definitely not solve the problem. It will make it worse.

“We are not new to Nigeria’s politics. We saw in south-south — Niger Delta Avengers, MEND — and the rest, even the present Boko Haram, those who said they are repenting, how they are being rehabilitated.

“The problem of federalism is that the sensitivity is very much on the surface. If you don’t do one as you have done others, you will have problem.”

ENIGMATIC2023:
Yes because he is the number one citizen.

Oil prices continued their surge yesterday, hitting a two-month high amid projections that lack of production capacity and limited investment in the sector could lift crude between $90 and $100 a barrel this year.

Specifically, tight supply and easing concerns about the potential hit to demand from the Omicron combined to jack up prices as Brent sold for $85.04 a barrel yesterday and the United States West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures were up to $82.90.

But the news is both good and bad for Nigeria which should ordinarily earn more foreign exchange from the sale of crude, but now has to contend with paying more for petrol subsidy.

There is a positive relationship between the international prices of the commodity and the pump price of the petrol in Nigeria.

On December 22, the National Assembly approved a N17.126 trillion ($38 billion) budget for 2022, anchored on an oil price benchmark of $62 per barrel.

The approved oil price assumption was higher than the $57 per barrel price that President Muhammadu Buhari had proposed to the parliament on October 7, and also higher than the oil price benchmark of $40 per barrel adopted by the government for the 2021 budget.

Nigeria retained the oil production target of 1.88 million bpd, including condensate production of between 300,000-400,000 bpd, for the purpose of its revenue calculation in 2022.

While oil exports account for about 80 per cent of Nigeria’s foreign exchange revenue, the country has battled with a sharp drop in revenue amid a drop in crude oil production for months.

Potentially, Nigeria has the capacity to pump around 2.2 million bpd of crude and condensate, but in recent months its output has been weakened to below 1.55 million bpd.

The country’s crude oil production averaged 1.42 million bpd in November, according to an Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) survey. So, Nigeria has not been able to reap the expected gains since the country cannot meet its allocation.

Brent prices have not touched $90 and $100 since 2014, when they were retreating from a record high above $115 to as low as $57 by the end of the year.

The OPEC+ oil producers have continued to hold back more than three million barrels per day (bpd) in output, although it continues to raise output targets each month.

Meanwhile, the US Energy Information Administration (EIA) has upgraded its oil demand outlook, for the Short-Term Energy Outlook (STEO), saying that crude oil prices will fall from 2021 levels.

In the fourth quarter of 2021, the price of Brent crude oil, the international pricing benchmark, averaged $79 per barrel. “We forecast that the price of Brent will average $75 per barrel in 2022 and $68 per barrel in 2023,” the EIA stated.

The agency said it expects global petroleum production to increase by 5.5 million bpd in 2022, driven by production increases in the United States, OPEC, and Russia, which together account for 84 per cent, or 4.6 million bpd, of the growth.

“We forecast increased tight oil production in the United States and gradually increasing crude oil production from OPEC+ (which includes OPEC members and Russia) will account for most of the increased crude oil production,” it added.

According to the organisation, global petroleum consumption will increase by 3.6 million bpd in 2022, driven by more consumption in the United States and China, which together account for 39 per cent of the consumption growth.

Also, Morgan Stanley in a note, stated that with the prospect of depleting crude inventories and low spare capacity by the second half of 2022, and limited investments in the oil and gas sector, the market will have little margin of safety.

In the same vein, JPMorgan analysts said Wednesday that they could see oil prices rising by up to $30 after the EIA lowered OPEC capacity estimates for 2022 by 0.8 million barrels per day (bpd) and 1.2 million bpd respectively.

The bank added that it also expects oil prices to “overshoot” to $125 a barrel this year, and $150 in 2023.

In the same vein, Rystad Energy’s said if OPEC was disciplined and wanted to keep the market tight, it could boost prices to $100.

But the Omani Oil Minister, Mohammed Al Rumhi, has agreed with the Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC), Mallam Mele Kyari that oil at $100 may be bad for the market. “The world is not ready for that,” Al Rumhi was quoted as saying by Bloomberg.

Kyari had said that the commodity at $50 to $60 was good for Nigeria, so as not to compel its customers to begin the search for alternatives.

Standard Chartered, meanwhile, has raised its 2022 Brent forecast by $8 to $75 a barrel and its 2023 Brent forecast by $17 to $77.

Senate President Ahmad Lawan has said that the upper chamber will work with revenue-generating agencies towards reducing the level of the nation’s borrowing.

Lawan made this known on Wednesday in Abuja, at an event to mark his 63rd birthday.

He said that the senate would support and supervise the agencies and keep them on their toes “for us to have more revenues in order to reduce the level of borrowing.”

“The upper chamber in the first quarter of this year will focus on addressing the challenges of revenue generation, collection and remittance to shore up earnings by the Federal Government.

“An improvement to the country’s revenue figures will reduce Nigeria’s dependence on external borrowings for the execution of capital projects captured in the national budget.

“We still have a huge responsibility, and in fact, it is something that we wanted to do last year, but because of the COVID-19 pandemic we couldn’t do so.

“This year, by the grace of God, we are going to resuscitate that plan and it is to keep and maintain focus on revenue generation, collection and remittance.

“Our revenue to GDP ratio is very low and the economists will tell you Nigeria’s problem is not debt, but revenue.

“So, if that is the case, it means those of us in government must focus on dealing with the challenges of revenue generation, revenue collection and remittance.

“This year, we are going to have engagements with the revenue-generating agencies such as Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Customs, Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) and so on, on a quarterly basis, to have their targets set for them, and we want them to come and brief us on their performance every quarter.

“We hope to start the first meeting, which is an exploratory kind of meeting with them either this month or early February.
“We want to see how we can make a positive difference in the area of revenue generation.

“Nobody likes taking loans, borrowing or accumulating debts, whether as an individual, a family, a community or as a country.

“But what can you do when you’re not able to generate enough? We are as concerned as anybody else about our level of borrowing, even though we have not saturated, but if we can do better why not reduce, and the best way to reduce is to get more revenues from especially independent sources.

“The government-owned enterprises are supposed to give us more money. In 2022, we are expecting maybe about a trillion, I’m not an economist, but I believe that we should be expecting maybe double or triple from them.”

Lawan further said that the National Assembly this year, would also focus on security through oversight of funds appropriated in the budget to the armed forces and security agencies.

He explained that doing so would guarantee transparency in the procurement process and ensure the welfare of military and security personnel tasked with restoring security across the country.

“Today, the security situation still begs for more attention. We will give a lot of attention to the security situation.

“We have appropriated about a trillion naira for our security agencies and armed forces, now it is for members of the National Assembly to ensure that the procurement process by the armed forces are transparent and everybody there is accountable.

“Of course, we should do oversight as much as possible for the welfare of our soldiers and security personnel. They need to continuously be motivated,” he said.

EmptyGarden:
He shouldn't bother, we were never suspended

obel laureate, Wole Soyinka, has distanced himself from media reports linking him to candidates running for president in the 2023 general election.

Mr Soyinka, said in a statement on Wednesday, described the reports as “fake news.”

“Here we go again, the same boring, illiterate public interlopers who lack the courage of their conviction and must steal the identities of their betters,” Mr Soyinka, a professor of literature, said in the statement he titled ‘Season of Fakery Galore.’

“One can only hope that the public has learnt to identify fake news and join in the urgent task of exposing and disgracing these despicable touts.”

A report shared on Facebook in November last year quoted Mr Soyinka as saying he would “campaign for his longtime friend and in 1993 Nadeco struggle.”

The post had a photo of Mr Soyinka placed beside that of the national leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Tinubu.

On Monday, Mr Tinubu officially declared his intention to run for president in 2023.

“For the avoidance of doubt, I have not even thought 2023, much less inserted candidates into coveted positions,” Mr Soyinka continued.

“The signature of this latest slowpoke is familiar — he or she does not even know the difference between ‘Laureate and Laurel.’ This is an ancient forgery being recycled for the umpteenth time. Those who pass it round do themselves and their recipients a disservice. Find something worthwhile to occupy your time.

“In any case, we have no business with politics in the land of the dead, and the most recent information I have on me is that I died sometime last year. The email account of the year’s Nobel ‘Laurel’ was hacked by these same agents to publicise my demise, so who is this still politicking WS ‘Laurel?'”

President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan, has admitted that the 9th Assembly under his leadership is not perfect and has made some errors.

Lawan, however, noted that the Assembly will correct its errors before the expiration of their tenure.

He spoke on Wednesday when the Senate Press Corps paid a visit to felicitate with him on the occasion of his 63rd birthday in Abuja.

The Senate President said the Senate and by extension the National Assembly remains committed to serving the interest of Nigerians in the discharge of its constitutional duties.

He added that no amount of name-calling by critics would deter the upper chamber from considering and passing pro-people legislations needed for the development and advancement of the country.

According to Lawan: “We believe that there is a price to pay for anything, but we are patriotic. Let us be called any name, what we want to do and achieve is for our country to be better.

“Tomorrow, some of these people that are calling us all types of names will be writing very good commentaries about what we have been able to achieve in this Ninth National Assembly.

“Majority of Nigerians are happy with what we are doing, we are not perfect, we make our errors and we will correct them.

“We identify with our citizens but we will always do what is in the best interest of our country.”

Ayo Adebanjo, leader of the Yoruba socio-political organisation, Afenifere, has given reasons why the group will not support Bola Tinubu or some other Presidential candidates.

Adebanjo said Afenifere will not support Tinubu or any candidate until the constitution is changed.

He noted that until the country is restructured, the group won’t queue behind any presidential candidate.

Addressing journalists in Lagos, Adebanjo, stressed that Tinubu has the right to run for the presidency in 2023.

Speaking on Tinubu’s presidential ambition, Adebanjo said: “Your man has every right to contest the election, he is not disabled, so what is the big deal about that?

“We are not contending who is the President now because we don’t believe in the constitution that we have. Until that constitution is changed, then we will talk about where the President will be.

“We have no candidate now until that constitution is changed because I don’t want to go on an uncharted sea that is the implication now.

“You must believe in the constitution before you say I want to be a part of it. I am not going to be part of the constitution or election that operates a military constitution. That’s the bone of contention and which President Buhari himself has not disputed. The constitution we have is a military one.”

Tinubu had on Monday made his presidential ambition public.

The former governor of Lagos State had informed President Muhammadu Buhari officially of his intention to run for the Presidency.

He had disclosed his ambition after a meeting with Buhari at the State House, Abuja.

Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike on Tuesday said members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) who are saying the presidency should not be zoned are agents of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Former Governor of Kano State, Rabiu Kwankwaso, who is interested in contesting the 2023 presidency had said on Monday that the presidency should not be zoned to the South.

Wike spoke when he visited Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State to commiserate with him on the death of the Olubadan of Ibadan land, Oba Saliu Adetunji.

“Forget about the people saying there should not be zoning. It is just a distraction. For me, those doing that are agents of the APC and they are not helping the party. Whichever way, we must sit down and take the best decision that will make Nigerians to be happy; that will make us to win the election.

“There is no basis for anything we do that won’t make us win the election, because it means we still want Nigerians to suffer and they cannot just continue to suffer. They have suffered enough in the hands of APC and God will not forgive PDP if we don’t rescue Nigerians,” he said.

“And I believe you are one of the people doing well in your state. We must take a decision. Not taking a decision means that there is no leadership. It is not like a situation we have in the APC where they will say one thing today and, tomorrow, they will say another thing. They don’t even know who is in charge. But you are in charge of Oyo State and you are doing well,” Wike told Makinde.

Wike said he and others had come to let Makinde know that it was important for them as a party to unite a lot of Nigerians who were waiting for the PDP and that the party could not afford to lose this opportunity.

“The governors must be united. It does not matter who would be the party’s presidential candidate. Once the party and governors are united, I can tell you that the victory is on our way. So, the unity of the governor is key to making sure the party gets it right.

“It was the way we were united that made us produce the National Chairman and the best National Convention, which got Nigerians surprised. We should also do the same by working hard to produce the presidential candidate, who will win the election for the PDP. This is because if we lose it this time around, Nigerians will not be happy with us.

“We cannot allow this evil they call APC to continue and that is why they cannot put themselves together. So, God has used people like you to unite the party and to organise the best convention. Mine is going around telling our people to let us work together as a party so that we will be able to stand APC in the next general election. We must all rally round anybody the party produces to be the presidential candidate and make sure that we win the election,” he said.


Wike further charged Makinde not to be distracted by criticisms, urging him to continue to do well, while also charging his aides and residents of the state to keep supporting him.

“People must criticise, even in a family, it happens. So, be focused and don’t be distracted. Continue to do well. This is a public office and not the same with a private business but that experience has helped you a lot to move the state forward.

“I also want to urge your aides to continue to give you the needed support. Most people fail because of their aides, because they are not committed. But for you to have travelled for some days and things still worked, it means your aides are committed and I want to commend you all. You are a part of those that have changed Oyo State,” Wike added.

Speaking, Makinde said Wike had shown leadership in piloting the affairs of Rivers State, saying he had shown leadership nationally and in pushing for what was right and just in the affairs of the party.

“We can only pray for more strength and good health so that you will continue to render your service, at least, till the end of your tenure in Rivers State.

“For us in Oyo State, we are following in your footsteps by giving dividends of democracy to our people. It is all about serving the people.

“You mentioned just now about individuals jostling for the Presidency of our country under our party’s banner and what they need to know. Well, you have demonstrated it, and this is what we are doing in Oyo State. It is not seeking power for the sake of wanting to be in power but for the sake of making our country and our state a little better than the way we have met it. This has been demonstrated time and time again, especially in Rivers State and that is what we are also doing here.

“The unity, especially that of the governors of our party is paramount and most of the successes we have recorded so far are really because we are together,” he said.


According to Makinde, 2022 would be a decisive year in the agenda to rescue Nigeria from the disaster brought upon it by close to seven years of APC leadership at the centre, hence the importance of the visit by Governor Wike and the unity among the PDP governors.

“This visit is timely and appreciated, because 2022 is the year when the political parties will take decisions on who would fly the flags of their parties, from the Presidency to even the lowest positions.

“This is a year we have to take serious decisions, because whatever we do and whatever the outcome is, Nigerians will have to live with that for the next four years.

“The past seven years have been a real disaster. If you look at the data, an economy that was growing at the rate of 5 to 6 per cent yearly before then suddenly became poor. We went into recession and we thought we were coming out but still went into another recession.

“Meanwhile, the population is also growing at an alarming rate. So, just like our party has been pushing, this is the time to rescue Nigeria. We have a serious role to play in that effort,” Makinde added.

Kriss216:
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South West Association of Skull Miners(SWASM).