VeryWickedMan:
You mean there are 13m yahoo boys

The Presidency, on Sunday, reacted to recent terrorist activities being publicised through the social media, maintaining that the war against terrorism requires public participation for success.

Terrorists who attacked the Kaduna-bound train in March posted videos of their kidnapped victims being tortured over the weekend on social media.

They also threatened to kidnap President Muhammadu Buhari and Kaduna Governor, Mallam Nasir el-Rufai.

However, reacting to recent activities of terrorists, the Presidency, in a statement by Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Mallam Garba Shehu, said Buhari, as Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, has done everything to fight the war and is only waiting for the Armed Forces to deliver victory to Nigerians.

While it tasked the general public to help security forces with needed support, the Presidency also charged the mainstream media to help the administration to curb the abusive exploitation of the social media by terrorists.

“The Presidency, in the meantime, wishes to reassure the public that the President has done all, and even more than what is expected of him as Commander-in-Chief by way of morale, material and equipment support to the military and expects nothing short of good results in the immediate.

“Terrorist activity using propaganda and the use of violence to force governments to accept or submit to political demands is not new all over world.

“The country’s security and defense forces are not clueless or helpless. They have their plans and ways of doing things which they will not display in the media.

“The dilemmas in dealing with the specific case of train terrorists are manifold: punitive action like the popular call for carpet bombing of the known locations may assuage the desire of an angry public for revenge, but what about the hostages? They have committed no offense. All they did was to board a train.

“It suffices to say that the security forces are not relenting. They are acutely aware of their duties, responsibilities and what the nation expects of them. Whenever they embark upon those actions, they expect that the public should provide them with the needed support.

“Terrorism is a global scourge that must be fought by all actors- the military, the civilian population and the communication service providers. This is the only way safe havens of terrorists are eliminated in every part of the world.

“To help the nation against ongoing situation, the media must increase their support for the fight against the exploitation of the internet and social media for terrorist purposes,” the statement reads.

Peter Obi National Support Group (PONSG) has vowed his supporters are poised to take over the grassroots in the country after conquering the social media where the Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate has a perceived dominance.

The National Coordinator of the group, Ambassador Churchill Enyia made the declaration at the Inauguration Ceremony of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) chapter of PONSG in Abuja on Saturday.

He affirmed that no Nigerian is in doubt that the supporters of Obi have taken over social media adding that they are now moving to the grassroots, to the rural dwellers to mobilize them for the task ahead.

Addressing the FCT Executives and supporters made up of many members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) who had joined Obi “because he is the symbol of change” that Nigerians want, he said that the grassroots just like the Social media will soon feel the impact of the Obi campaign.

Enyia criticised opponents of the former Anambra State governor who claim that he has no structures, saying “the structure of Labour party are unemployed youths, Nigerians who are hungry and tired of this administration are our structure.

“Nigerians are really tired of the status quo and want things to change. Many people that ordinarily will not be interested in politics are joining us. We have the North East Academic community, the South-South Academic community and all these people are part of our support group.

“We are moving to the grassroots, that is our next assignment, we have captured the social media, you know the middle class, the working class Nigerians are all Obi-Dient.

”We are now targeting the rural dwellers that is where we are moving to. Some people in the villages don’t understand how to differentiate between the party logos, that is our assignment now and we will succeed by the grace of God.”

The support group Coordinator also called on other Nigerians to join the support group, noting,”as we work for Obi, let us look at the situation in the country, the battered economy, hunger, poverty, insecurity and the free fall of the Naira, as we do that it will ginger us to work for Obi, because we believe he has what it takes to change the situation of things.’


Also speaking, the chairman of the ceremony Dr Chris Chukwukamuo stated that the youths are ready to take over the country now.

He added: “The youths can no longer wait to be leaders of tomorrow. The PVC is very important, youths should disregard those that said their votes don’t count. Votes do count, that is why the other parties buy votes. Vote buying thrives Because politicians believe and know that votes count.”

Lalasticlala, Mynd44

The Presidential candidate of Labour Party, Peter Obi, has debunked the notion that he's a stingy politician, saying he prefers to use public money for public good.

This is as he appealed to Nigerian politicians to be accountable with the public funds they've been entrusted with.

The former Anambra State Governor made this known at the Matter Dei Catholic Church on the occasion of an interdenominational Prayer Meeting organized by the Catholic Action of Nigeria, Umuahia Diocesan Chapter on Saturday, July 23, 2022.

According to The Punch, the event had in attendance dignitaries which include; Abia State governorship candidate of Labour Party, Dr. Alex Otti, Sen. Victor Ume of Anambra State; the Methodist Prelate, Kalu Uche; Christian Association of Nigeria, Abia Chairman, Apostle Agomuo; and Abia State chairman, Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria among others.

While making his speech, Obi said, “I am not stingy. I use public money for public good”.

The former governor also urged Nigerians to subject all the presidential candidates in the 2023 election to proper scrutiny, warning that failure to do that may result to anarchy.

Obi described as unacceptable that despite the huge resources God has deposited in Nigeria, many people still endure hunger and “don’t know when the next meal will come.”

He reiterated that he never took anything nor receive anything from anybody while he was governing Anambra State, adding that he preserved the state funds for the Anambra people.

Obi also harped on the need to transform the Nigerian economy from consumption to production, noting that as a President, “within two years, massive development will span across the states and make border cities to be one”.

In his speech, Otti said the time has come for Nigeria and Abia state to be taken over by a fresh political party.

He said, “Obi shares and practices frugality. If we want to fix this country, we must have to cut the cost of governance”.

Obi had earlier made a stop at the residence of Governor of Abia State, Okezie Ikpeazu, before proceeding to the event.

The Presidential Candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, has said that the Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, has lost his moral compass.

Tinubu stated this in a statement issued by his Media aide, Mr. Tunde Rahman.

He said Atiku in his desperate attempt to win the election by stoking religious bias reduced himself to uttering baseless lies during his exclusive interview with Arise TV.

Tinubu said: “We are saddened to see such a man become unhinged from the truth. So obsessed is he with his quest for office, Atiku is willing to render any form of untruth if he thinks it might gain him a single vote. Atiku may want to be president. However, all he has shown is that he is pathological,”

“Whatever moral compass he had has been lost. During a 22 July television interview, Atiku assaulted historic truth by lying that he did not name Tinubu as his running mate in 2007 on the Action Congress ticket because Atiku did not want a Muslim as his running mate.”

Responding to the false account of Atiku, Tinubu set the record straight, saying the former Vice President Atiku was not among those who founded the Action Congress.

He added: “It was the actual founders of the AC who offered the party’s flag to Atiku because of the need to fight the authoritarian designs then President Obasanjo and the PDP had on Nigeria’s democracy.

“At that moment, Atiku had been unceremoniously pushed aside if not out of the PDP by Obasanjo. We needed to rally all forces to confront the one-party state Obasanjo had in mind. Atiku was simply a beneficiary of this collective duty to fight the attack on multi-party democracy the PDP had launched.

“I feel sorry for dear old Atiku. Love of his own ambition has eclipsed his relationship with the truth and an honest account of the past. We formed the AC without his knowledge. When President Obasanjo virtually exiled him from the PDP, we lent him our support by giving him the AC platform for the 2007 election.

“Let me say openly that Atiku offered me the vice presidential ticket in 2007. Let me also say that my religion has not changed. When he offered the position to me, I was a Muslim and I believe he was aware of my religious faith at the time.”

Tinubu noted that Atiku’s calculations and deceit had nothing to do with religion or his sensitivity to it, adding that his conduct has everything to do with what they discovered about his paucity of character and love of intrigue.

He said: “True to form, Atiku, fifteen years later, promised HE Governor Nyesom Wike the same thing this electoral season and similarly reneged. Governor Wike is a Christian.

“When it comes to intrigue, we can say that Atiku is without bias. He will attempt to lie and deceive both Christian and Muslim with equal vigour.

“Atiku has no business raising the issue of a Muslim-Muslim ticket except as a hypocrite. Perhaps he believes people have forgotten his antics during the 1993 election. After he woefully lost his bid to be the presidential candidate of the Social Democratic Party, what did he do? He canvassed and lobbied harder than anyone to become the running mate to late Chief MKO Abiola. When it benefitted him personally, Atiku did not see anything wrong with Muslim-Muslim ticket. He saw everything right in such a ticket as long as he was on it.

“Now, Atiku criticizes my selection as running mate based on religion. He does so because he cannot criticize it on other grounds. If Atiku were to have one of his rare moments of honesty, he would admit that the person I selected as my running mate is more qualified for the position than the man who joined him. And this conclusion has nothing to do with religious faith. It has everything to do with competence, experience, ability, and vision.”

“My running mate and I are here to build a more just and prosperous society for all Nigerians, be they Christian, Muslim or adherents of other faiths. It seems that Atiku is here trying to build an edifice of lies and call that the house into which Nigerians should walk and reside. He will fail in this sad attempt to trick an entire nation.

“Let me restate my position on religion and politics. When I decided that Senator Shettima was the best selection as my running mate, I listened to and weighed in serious balance the advice received from a broad and representative array of wonderful Nigerians who deeply care about this nation and the path it must go.

“Some people counselled that I should select a Christian to garner support of the Christian community. Some said I should select a Muslim for a similar reason. I clearly could not do both. Both positions had merit and right on their side. But neither position expressed what was most right and needed for the moment in which we find ourselves and the nation.”

inoki247:
Abi himself go lobby for appointment even if na Okada Park appointment since he like driving Okada up nd down

President Muhammadu Buhari has said the unity, security and prosperity of the country would matter most to him, beyond his days in office as President.

The President said this while speaking with stakeholders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) led by the National Chairman of the party, Senator Abdullahi Adamu.

Buhari, who expressed delight that the party was on towards that eventuality, thanked the delegation “for the kind words on my role in processes leading to the emergence of our candidate, and his running mate, for the Presidential election in February, next year.

‘‘I want to thank you all for the roles you played in the build-up, first to our national convention earlier this year, and later, to the primary elections.
‘‘You were all of one mind, wanting the best for the Party, with the candidate emerging in a free and fair manner.

‘‘For us all, the cohesion and unity of the Party was the first priority, and ambition was second. I am glad that you all saw the larger picture, rather than narrow, self-serving interests.’’

Buhari recalled that when the presidential running mate, Senator Kashim Shettima, was presented to him a couple of days ago, he had said he would reserve his comments till the handover ceremony on May 29, 2023, at the Eagle Square.

‘‘I still maintain that same position,’’ the President said, lauding party members for acknowledging the many virtues that qualify the Vice Presidential Candidate for the noble position.

The President, in a statement issued by his spokesman, Femi Adesina, expressed confidence that Shettima would not disappoint the party, and Nigerians at large.

He also commended the party for resolving to further mobilise more Nigerians, particularly youths, to register, and get their Permanent Voters Cards (PVCs), saying ‘‘It is the way to go.’’

The National Chairman of the party, the Chairman, the Progressives Governors Forum and Governor of Kebbi State, Abubakar Atiku Bagudu, and Shettima, in separate remarks, expressed gratitude to the President for his exemplary leadership which had strengthened the party in the aftermath of the convention and primaries.

Adamu said: ‘‘Our main goal is to see the success of the APC in the forthcoming general elections. There’s no better parting gift than to ensure that the APC produces the next President.’’

Bagudu told the President that he had set a worthy precedence on internal democracy in political parties, saying: ‘‘Under pressure to dictate or suggest, you were determined that the democratic process should be given the opportunity to work and what we have seen is that democratic processes can produce very excellent results.

‘‘We have a Presidential Candidate and a running mate, whom we are all proud of.’’

President Muhammadu Buhari has said the outcome of recent governorship elections shows his commitment to violence-free and credible polls.

According to him, the elections in Anambra, Osun and Ekiti States have proven that.

Buhari stated this, on Friday, when he received a delegation from Nasarawa led by the Governor of the State, Abdullahi Sule, in Abuja.

The President noted that his desire is to bequeath “an irreversible political process” that will be “democratic and acceptable” to Nigerians.

“Recent elections in Anambra, Ekiti and Osun are proof of my administration’s irreversible commitment to credible and violence-free polls in Nigeria,” he said.

“This is also why I made sure I signed the new electoral act. We will always be committed to the tenets of the rule of law.

“On the issue of credible, free and fair elections in the country, I have always reassured my listeners both at home and abroad, my personal desire and indeed the priority of this administration is to bequeath to our nation an irreversible political process that continues to be both democratic and acceptable to the people.

“My desire for our nation is that the 2023 elections should clearly mark the commencement of the institutional strength of our electoral body in conducting acceptable, credible and violence-free elections,” he added.

The Federal Government has said it will make provision for subsidy in 2023 to the tune of N6.72 trillion.

Minister of Finance Budget and National Planning, Mrs Zainab Ahmed made this disclosure in Abuja on Thursday during the 2023 – 2025 Medium Term Expenditure Framework and Fiscal Strategic Paper (MTEF and FSP) Public Consultation.

Zainab Ahmed stated the government has projected fiscal outcomes in the medium term under two scenarios based on the underlying budget parameters/assumptions.

Under the first scenario, the Minister said that “the subsidy on PMS is estimated at N6.72 trillion for the full year 2023”. This amount she said “will remain and be fully provided for by the NNPC on behalf of the federation”.

The second scenario the minister explained is that “petrol subsidy will remain up to mid-2023 based on the 18-month extension announced early 2021, in which case only N3.36 trillion will be provided for”.

The Minister cautioned that “both scenarios have implications for net accretion to the Federation Account and projected deficit levels”.

Zainab Ahmed noted: “There will be tighter enforcement of the performance management framework for Government Owned Enterprises (GOEs) that will significantly increase operating surplus/dividend remittances in 2023”.

President Muhammadu Buhari has told Kashim Shettima, the running mate of the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Bola Tinubu, that he will respond to him when he is handing over to them in 2023.

According to a statement signed by Garba Shehu, the President’s aide on Media and Publicity, Buhari was responding to a flowery speech by Senator Shettima.

Shettima was picked as the running mate to Bola Ahmed Tinubu, in a controversial Muslim-Muslim-Muslim ticket of the APC and was unveiled before the party’s leadership on Wednesday.

“I will respond to your speech when I am handing over to you and your boss. God willing, you are going to win,” Buhari told Shettima.

Buhari said this when he received Shettima and Tinubu at the Presidential Villa shortly after he(Shettima) was unveiled, adding that he is very happy with the choice of the former Governor of Borno State as running mate.

“I wish you the best. Your consistency in the party is very respectful. You served your two terms as Governor and finished well.

“You have kept touch with your base. At every important occasion or event, you are maintaining support for the one who succeeded you. This is commendable,“ he said.

Tinubu and his party went ahead to select Shettima as the vice presidential candidate despite the resistance from Nigerians against a Muslim-Muslim or Christian-Christian ticket.

Buhari, who could not pick Tinubu, a Southern Muslim as as his running mate in 2014, said he is strongly optimistic that the former Lagos State Governor and his running mate will emerge victorious in 2023.

The selection of Shettima has received a wide range of mixed reactions from Nigerians. While some believe that competence should be the focus, others say that Nigeria at this point does not need a same-faith presidency.

The Independent National Electoral Commission, on Tuesday said that inmates in Nigeria Correctional Centres might vote during the 2023 general election.

INEC chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu who disclosed this when he received the Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Correctional Service, Haliru Nababa, and his team at the commission’s headquarters in Abuja said that it was high time inmates were granted voting rights in compliance with an existing High Court judgement in Benin City, which ruled in favour of inmate voting.

As of 2020, there were about 73,726 inmates in Nigeria’s correctional facilities across the country.

The INEC boss affirmed that the commission was committed to inclusivity, including the rights of inmates to vote during elections.

He pointed out that inmates’ voting rights have been recognised by Kenya and South Africa on the African continent, and Nigeria was ready to toe a similar path.

He said, “Let me start with the Legal Framework. Section 12, sub-section 1 of the Electoral Act 2022 lists five qualifications for registration as a voter in Nigeria, because you have to register as a voter before the right to exercise that right is conferred. That section of the Electoral Act has at least 5 qualifications.

“Number one, the prospective registrant must be a Nigerian citizen. Number two, he or she must be 18 years of age, at least. Number three, he or she must originate, reside or work in the local government or be covered by the registration centre or the point of registration. Number four, that citizen of Nigeria must present himself or herself to the registration officer for registration and support. And number five, which is really critical to our discussion today, is that he or she must not be subject to any legal incapacity to vote under any law, rule, or regulation imposed in Nigeria.

“This is one area that we need to discuss so that we know the categories of inmates that will exercise the right to vote and I’m happy that you came with your Director, Legal. We, therefore, need to work things out carefully. We want transparency of the process. Because everything that we do in the Commission, particularly when it comes to the rights of citizens to vote, must be done transparently.”

Other issues raised by the INEC chairman included location of polling units for inmates, possibility of political party campaigns in the correctional facilities, voter education for inmates, voter registration for inmates, and observers’ access to correctional facilities to monitor elections if polling units had to be situated in the facilities.

He stressed the need to address the issues militating against inmates’ voting as soon as possible, as he pointed out that the 2023 general election was seven months away.

Yakubu said, “The sooner we’re able to address these issues, the better for the process. But remember, we have only a little over seven months to the next general election. But the next general election is not going to be the last election conducted by Nigeria. So, even if we don’t meet all these critical thresholds in 2023, we’ll continue with a discussion to see what happens beyond 2023.”

The governor-elect of Osun State, Senator Ademola Adeleke, has said that the reason the state government is owing salaries and cannot pay pensioners is that a lot of Osun State’s money is taken to Lagos.

Adeleke disclosed this during an interview on Channels TV’s Politics Today.

The Independent National Electoral Commission on Sunday declared Adeleke the governor-elect of Osun State after scoring the majority of votes cast in the governorship election in the state.

He said, “I said it before that paying salary is not an achievement; if people work, you must pay them. What you bring to the table to improve the economy, the IGR is what you can call achievements. When I was debating with Governor Oyetola, the outgoing governor, I said paying salary is not an achievement; have you improved the economy?

“What I will do is that I will work with pensioners, retirees; sit together with them and have a meeting. Okay this is the money they are owing you and everything. Why they cannot pay you is that a lot of our money is going outside; what I mean is that a lot of our money is taken to Lagos or somewhere. So I will block those leakages.”

Adeleke who was visibly emotional added that his brother, Isiaka Adeleke, died in the course of freeing the people of Osun State from slavery.

The General Overseer of the Champions Royal Assembly, Prophet Joshua Iginla, has reacted to the Muslim-Muslim presidential ticket of the All Progressives Congress, APC,

Prophet Iginla said the APC Muslim-Muslim presidential ticket is a “sign of war.”

The APC presidential candidate, Bola Tinubu, had picked Borno State Senator, Kashim Shettima as his running mate.

While Tinubu is a Muslim from the Southern part of the country, Shettima is a Muslim from the north.

Tinubu’s choice was contrary to calls by Nigerians who had clamoured for a Christian running mate.

Reacting, Iginla described Tinubu’s decision as insensitive.

Addressing his church members in Abuja, Iginla said: ^{“I asked myself, in a country like Nigeria with too much strong religious beliefs, why will the ruling party go for a Muslim-Muslim ticket? Why will their presidential candidate, Bola Tinubu, go with that view? I asked myself again if we don’t know, we are sounding the drum of war in a place where there is unity, peace, and understanding despite our differences. Nigeria is a country for all and does not belong to a particular set of religion. It has never happened before in this country. Why now?}

“If we must make Nigeria great, we must allow equity, justice and sensitivity to be the watch of the day for our leaders. I am pleading in my heart; this was not the Nigeria I was born to. This was not the Nigeria that our great heroes fought for. What is going on? Our leaders, please save us because the Muslim-Muslim ticket is a sign of war”.

The Christian Association of Nigeria has finally given clear-cut directives to churches in the country on the ideal candidate to vote in the 2023 presidential election.

It cited religious intolerance, involvement with drugs and links with Boko Haram as some of the red flags to look out for when deciding on their preferred presidential candidates.

Recall that CAN had maintained that among other things, the association would not support any presidential candidate that fields a running mate of the same faith in the 2023 poll.

While CAN did not mention names, part of its description of candidates to avoid suits Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential candidate who has been under heavy criticism for picking a fellow Muslim as his running mate.

This website reported how findings by U.S investigators concluded that Tinubu was part of the international drug trade.

Meanwhile, CAN had said it would make a categorical statement as to who Nigerians should vote during next year’s presidential election.

Reacting to the ruling APC’s decision to field Muslims as its presidential and vice-presidential candidates, the association had accused the party of worsening the country’s ethno-religious challenges.

CAN’s fresh directive which was read in the Family Worship Centre, Abuja by a senior Pastor of the church, Sarah Omakwu, is expected to be circulated to churches across the country.

The directive was produced by the Political and Strategy Committee of the Christian Association of Nigeria.

An official of the CAN who spoke off-the-record confirmed the directive to our Correspondent.

According to the CAN, candidates should be voted based on character, competence, capacity and policies.

On character, CAN stated that the candidate must possess the following, “the fear of God, honesty and truthfulness, respect for the rule of law, justice and fairness for all, respect for religious and ethnic diversity, compassion and discipline, clean and credible lifestyle.”

Amid allegations of drug links to Tinubu, CAN stated that candidate’s record must show ” no membership of cult, no involvement in drugs and withcraft; no fanaticism, no relationship to Boko Haram or other violent religious group.”

On Competence, it urged Christians to look out for “Quality performance in previous positions, good education sufficient to manage a complex society, effective management of human and natural resources.”

Regarding capacity, the committee stated that any aspirant must have the ability to envision transformation, ability to communicate the vision to diverse peoples, ability to effectively execute the vision of transformations, as well as proof of good health, sound mind and physical fitness for the job.

As for policies, CAN advised the church to vote only for presidential candidates that support state police, restructuring, ranching, among other things.

On policies, CAN further states, “State police, religious neutrality of the Nigerian state , enforcement of fundamental human rights of all Nigerians, restructuring to decentralize governance, equitable and enforceable sharing of executive offices, equal ethnic and religious representation in military and Security agencies, self-determination for all Nigerian people, no to ruga, yes to ranching, education and free healthcare to all Nigerians (including Almajiri), no open grazing (rather modernization of animal husbandry), local control of local economy, including waters, rivers and forest.”

Senator Dino Melaye has congratulated the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Senator Ademola Adeleke on his victory at the just-concluded Osun governorship election.


Melaye, in a statement in Abuja, said Adeleke’s victory was well-deserved.

He, however, urged the former lawmaker to be magnanimous in victory in the interest of the people of the State and as well justify the confidence reposed in him by way of his election.


Melaye, who was a two-time member of the National Assembly, also rejoiced with the PDP presidential candidate in the 2023 elections, Atiku Abubakar, for the Osun victory, saying it was good omen for the party.

According to the former Kogi West lawmaker: “This is a good omen for our party and signs of things to come in 2023.

“The victory of our party in Osun State is an indication of the confidence of ordinary Nigerians in the ability of PDP to change the narrative and deliver good governance to all.”


Melaye also felicitated the people of Osun State for the smooth conduct of the election.

He noted that the people of Osun State are the real winners as they have been able to freely choose their leader for the next four years.

Lalasticlala, Mynd44

The Minister of Aviation, c said Nigeria will have a national carrier before the end of 2022.

Sirika said this at a two-day Africa Public Private Partnership Network (AP3N) Investment program held in Abuja on Tuesday.

The programme was organised by the Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission with the theme, “Financing Africa’s Infrastructure through Public-Private Partnership (PPP).”

Nigeria Air is the nation’s proposed national carrier which was unveiled at the Farnborough Air Show in the United Kingdom in July 2018.

The minister, represented by Mr. Akin Olateru, the Commissioner and Chief Executive Officer, Accident Investigation Bureau (AIB), said the Air Transport License had been issued.

“We have a team in place, the Air Transport License has been issued by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, and we are in the process of processing the Air Operator Certificate (AOC) which will lead to the start of the airline.

“When you are setting up an airline, there are five phases for the AOC process.

“You need to bring in airplanes when you are in phase three. So in phases one and two, you do not need to bring an airplane but you need to have identified them.

” But because people do not understand the process in aviation, they see it as another business. But aviation has its peculiarities and strict guidelines in everything we do.”

The panelist who discussed the topic “Transforming the Aviation Sector through Private Sector Participation” underscored the need for funding from private investment in the sector to ensure efficiency.

Capt. Rabiu Yadudu, the Managing Director, the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), said funding was a critical function in the aviation sector for it to function optimally.

According to him, funding is the lifeblood, you can have all the technical skills but without funding, the sector cannot function.

”Equipment and facilities need to be replaced and maintained as and when due.

“If stakeholders do not have confidence in the sector, then we cannot function, and our workers will not work if they do not feel safe using the equipment.

” If you get the stakeholders’ confidence, you would get the right participation. PPP is the way to go not only in aviation but in all sectors,” he said.

Mr. Isaac Balami, an aviator and Chief Executive Officer, 7Star Global Hanger, said there was the need to set up an Aviation Development Bank, given the key role the aviation industry played in the Nigerian economy and the African continent.

According to him, in terms of strategy, we must look inwards and believe in ourselves, and we must also consider local content.

Mr. Lai Are, the Managing Director, Catamaran Nigeria Ltd, said the foundation of any country was its infrastructure, adding that there was a need to bridge the infrastructure gap in Nigeria.

Are said without aviation, the country would not be able to attract the kind of finance needed in the transport sector.

” We are a country in need of investment, and most of this money cannot come from within but we need to look inward to see how we can present ourselves to the outside world.

“We need to see how we can look attractive to the outside world and attract investment for infrastructure development.”

He also said there must be the sanctity of agreements, saying that the government must honour agreements so that investors get returns on their investments at the agreed time.

“Yes, the private sector will come but they must ride on the back of the foundation the government has built,” he said.

Mr Suileman Ibrahim, the director, of Capital Projects and Infrastructure, PricewaterhouseCoopers(PwC), said that the government must see private investors as partners by creating policies that make investment possible.

Ibrahim also said that dedicated funds should also be set up for the aviation industry such as having an aviation bank or a bank dedicated to the transport sector.

“Having the right policies which include tax incentives and waivers, providing guarantees, supporting the environment and repatriation of foreign exchange are critical to investment in this space.”

The Federal Government has restated its appeal to the states to cooperate in ensuring that herders embrace ranching in ending the perennial Farmers-herdsmen clashes.

The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, restated the appeal in London during his engagements with some international media houses.

The minister is in London to engage the international media and tink-tank on the progress the administration is making in various endeavours.

Speaking on the outcome of his respective engagements with “Reuters”, “The Economist” and “Times of London”, the minister said issues on security, economy, fighting corruption and the power sector took the centre stage.

Mohammed said President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration had been able to find workable solutions to the perennial farmers-herdsmen conflicts worsened by climate change, forest desertification and demographic growth.

“Our solutions which can be found in National Livestock Transformation Plan have ranching at its core.

“All we are asking for is for states to cooperate more with the federal government to ensure that ranching take place in their states.

“Evidence has shown that in the states where ranching has been put in place, have less conflicts than the others,” he said.

Still on security, the minister told the media houses that the government is leaving no stone unturned to address the challenges and the efforts were yielding results.

“The success of our gallant military has resulted in about 51,000 insurgents surrendering between January and March this year alone.

“We have also been able to reintegrate about 1600 former fighters who had been able to learn one trade or the other,” he said.

The minister said the administration had taken very bold transformation steps to open up the economy.

He said they massively invested in infrastructure development as key to unleashing growth, connecting communities, and helping in bridging the gap between the have and have not.

Mohammed said the signing of the Petroleum Industry Bill into law after twenty years of failures by previous administrations was another success story of the administration.

“With the Petroleum Industry Act, we have completely opened up the oil and gas sector to investors.

“Importantly, we are now running NNPC as a commercial venture and we are going to be judged the way any other private company will be judged.

“This is already yielding dividends because a Canadian Trade Commission has already indicated interest to participate in the industry.

“Even oil giants like Chevron, Exxon Mobil , Shell have indicated interest also to come and invest in the oil and gas industry.

“We hope that certain decisions being taken by investing countries and the EU will not negate the gains of PIA,” he said.

The minister added that the 4000km sub-Saharan gas line which will deliver our gas to Europe via Morocco is also a giant stride.

The Director-General of the Voice of Nigeria (VON) and founding member of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Osita Okechukwu, has predicted that the party’s presidential flag bearer, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu at next year’s general election will win by 60 per cent.


He made this prediction on Sunday while chatting with newsmen at the party’s National Secretariat in Abuja.

Assessing the party’s candidate for the February 2023 presidential election, Okechukwu rated Tinubu high, insisting that the APC standard will win the election by 60 per cent victory over his other opponents.

Hear the APC leader: “Asiwaju has 60 percent of winning this election. We are in charge of 22 states of the federation. We have the majority in the National and State Houses of Assembly – they are not going to betray him.

“Even in the South-East, that has never been our (APC) stronghold, on the day of the election, we are going there to protect our mandate.”

Okechukwu argued that aside from the growing popularity of the APC flag bearer, he said all political appointees of the present administration who are party members would equally ensure victory for Asiwaju Tinubu.

According to the VON boss, “Whatever is my preference, if I want my office to remain it means I must support Asiwaju, it’s applicable to those who are board members whether you are coming from Yenogoa or Dutse so that is the power of incumbency.”

On the opposition parties, Okechukwu dismissed the Labour Party candidate as no match and argued that the emergence of Atiku Abubakar as the PDP and Musa Kwankwaso as New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) candidates negate the convention of rotation system, adding that this would be their albatross.

“They don’t believe in rotation convention. For them, the agitation or the glue and the bound that rotation created since independence. When Tafawa-Balewa as Prime Minister, the president or governor-general was Nnamdi Azikiwe from the South. When Gowon became Head of State, Obafemi Awolowo was his deputy, the same thing with Murtala and Obasanjo. Obasanjo/Shehu Yar-Adua; Shagari/Ekwueme down the line.

“It’s not as if rotation is a new thing. So, for the PDP because of Atiku’s muscle, they jettison the rotation of the presidency which was an injury to himself. Some of us in the south will forbid him because he touched on the ligament that is holding the country.

“That is why we thank the northern governors because they recognised the import of that ligament. You may not take it seriously but if you know the sense of belonging it brings to the north and south you can’t just dismiss it.

“So APC obeyed it. Kwankwaso I know they were afraid of us. I don’t want to name names. This rotation may not have its legal teeth but rotation is a convention. It has its moral angle. That’s why the UK does not have a written constitution they live on conventions. Atiku will not know what he did to himself until the day the votes come.

So is also the way Kwankwaso is playing with us. The areas he will capture in the north, I know he is not going to give up and since he doesn’t obey the convention, he will not nominate somebody to go with Peter and if Peter does not go strong north, we will be in CPC and ANPP in 2003 we had 12 million votes we didn’t win the south.

Nobody can win in Nigeria if you can’t have northern support. No northerner can win without a southern stronghold. Atiku has lost in the southern stronghold. That’s why I’m giving Tinubu about 60% chances.”

adekS1:
I wonder why ppl dey like to get at Arsenal.
Even Arsenal pay their players well,Auba even collect £350k bfr he was allowed to go to barca,ozil get 300k n partey sef start wt 200k.
Was surprise seeing Liverpool players on meagre wage structure yet working like elephants

mhizace:
me sef I wonder oo
u never person, u say u wan arrest her cos she aborted your pregnancy abi na uwna pregnancy