₦airaland Forum

Justice Ahmed Mohammed of the Federal High Court, Abuja has ordered the arrest of a British, James Nolan, for jumping bail and refusing to appear for trial over the $9.6 billion Process and Industrial Development Limited (P&ID).

Nolan, a director of P&ID is standing trial with Lurgi Consult Limited and others in a money laundering case.

In a ruling he delivered yesterday, Justice Mohammed said Nolan had broken the terms of his bail and revoked it.

He thereafter issued a bench warrant for Nolan’s arrest.

Mohammed directed Nolan’s surety to appear in court at the next adjourned date to explain why the bail bond should not be forfeited to the court.

The prosecution counsel, Bala Sanga, had earlier prepared to proceed with the cross-examination of prosecuting witness (PW1), Temitope Erinomo, when the court was informed that the second defendant was nowhere to be found and efforts to ascertain his whereabouts proved abortive.

Sanga expressed dismay with the absence of Nolan in court, saying that the first defendant, Lurgi Consult Limited, has never been represented in court, as a corporate body, since the matter started.

He told the court that investigations by the EFCC showed that the property given by the surety, in Gwagwalada, Abuja, was not worth N100 million. He prayed the court to restrain the defence team from further delaying the case.

Responding to the absence of Nolan in court, defence counsel, Michael Ajara, claimed that his sudden disappearance was strange.

The director-general of the National Boundary Commission, Surveyor Adamu Adaji, said the memorandum of understanding is a welcome development, added that it will serve as an avenue of the unity and progress of Bauchi and Yobe.

While urging the benefiting states to take new steps towards resolving any disagreements for their own benefit, Adaji expressed the redness of the national boundary commission in addressing issues related to the boundaries in Nigeria.

The deputy governors of the two states were accompanied to the ceremony by traditional rulers and top government officials.

President Muhammadu Buhari in New York at the weekend urged African leaders to fight tirelessly to get rid of corruption, lamenting that the continent has remained at the far end of global development index because of its menace.

The president spoke in his capacity as the African Union champion on efforts to eliminate corruption in the continent at a High-Level side event on ‘’Food Security Response: Combating Illicit Financial Flows and Securing Asset Returns for Sustainable Development’‘, on the margins of the 77th Session of the UN General Assembly.

Providing his perspectives on the effects of corruption in the continent and the way forward at the event co-hosted by African Union Development Agency-New Partnership for Africa’s Development (AUDA-NEPAD) and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the Nigerian leader in a statement by Presidential spokesman, Femi Adesina said he was honoured to serve as AU Champion on anti-corruption since 2018:

‘’As you are all aware, this will be my last official participation at the United Nations General Assembly as president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

‘’I remain honoured and privileged to be president of Nigeria for two terms and I am grateful to the African Union for making me the continental organisation’s champion on efforts to eliminate corruption nationally and continent-wide.

‘’Over the years, we came to the painful realisation on how deeply embedded corruption has become in our countries and continent, as well as how corrosive it can be.



‘’Corruption has dwarfed our growth and tainted our nations and continent. Africa remains at the far end of development index and concerted efforts made in the last few years need to be sustained, deepened by good governance and accountability that are guided by the rule of law.

‘’I have strong faith that Africa and our national governments can do this with strong resolve and commitment to eliminating illicit financial flows. We need strong partnerships from our global partners to ensure that these efforts succeed. A developed and stable Africa will not only be a global partner for peace but for sustainable development and progress.’’

Buhari therefore challenged his colleagues that for the continent to rise to its full potentials, ‘’we must work tirelessly to get rid of corruption or by fighting it 24/7.’’

‘’Our national resources must not find safe-havens around the world. This fight is a necessity and not a choice to give our citizens a better life through economic prosperity, social peace and security,’’ he added.

The president urged his colleagues to recall the United Nations General Assembly Special Session Against Corruption political declaration of June 2021 and ensure its effective implementation toward global food security and sustainable infrastructural development in the continent.

On food security in Nigeria, the president disclosed that the Nigerian government has financed 2.5 million smallholder farmers to cultivate about 3.2 million hectares of farmland across the country, creating 10million direct and indirect jobs.

He also acknowledged programmes initiated by the AU and ECOWAS to address food security, apprising that at the federal level in Nigeria, the administration is working with state governments through initiatives such as the Anchor Borrowers Programme, to support local production of rice, maize, cotton and cassava.

He expressed delight that the implementation of such programmes has resulted in a significant decline in the country’s large food import bill, from $2.2billion Dollars in 2014 to $5.9million dollars at the end of 2018.

The president said rice imports alone dropped from $1billion dollars a year to $18.5million dollars.

Also, President Buhari has said with the renewed efforts of the Nigerian military, insecurity in Nigeria would soon be a thing of the past.

Speaking during an audience with the Prime Minister of Ireland, Michael Martin, President Buhari in a statement by his media aide, Femi Adesina said, “In the past few months, with new platforms and boosted morale among the security forces, Nigeria is moving steadily in the direction of overcoming its insecurity. We will continue to partner with nations across the globe especially in the use of technology so that Nigeria can learn something useful.”

Buhari told the prime minister that with the experience during the COVID-19 pandemic, it was better for the world to work together rather than independently for enhanced progress for humanity, hoping that the lessons that came with the pandemic would impact on other areas so that Nigerians and indeed the world can have sustainable peace.

He assured his guest that Nigeria would continue to do its best to sustain the relationship with Ireland if not improve on it, especially on the level of education, knowing that many Nigerians are doing well in Ireland, schooling and working there.

Mr Micheal Martin had told the Nigerian leader that Ireland was looking for ways to increase the level of relations with the country, even as Nigeria remains Ireland’s largest trading partner in Africa.

He expressed hope that his country would move into other areas like the deployment of technology, to help Nigeria overcome its challenges in health and security.

He added that Europe and the world now need to look elsewhere for sources of energy as the war in Ukraine has highlighted.

In a separate meeting with the Prime Minister of Greece, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, President Buhari urged for a closer partnership with Nigeria in education, health, security as well as   non-oil and gas sectors.

Stressing the importance of education and knowledge, President Buhari said the time has come to begin to look at practical ways of tackling health challenges that come without notice.

Kyriakos Mitsotakis told the President that “Greece possessed the technological know-how in security, surveillance, as well as  intelligence gathering and utilisation and was in a position to assist Nigeria” noting that, “though technology is not cheap, it is the best way to go as there is no alternative to peace.”

He added that he will put together a business delegation with experts in health, education as well as oil and gas to visit and interface with the private sector in Nigeria to look at parameters under which they can come in. The prime minister extended an invitation to President Buhari to visit Greece before the end of his tenure.

It became obvious that the crisis rocking the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is far from abating as the call for its national chairman, Dr Iyorchia Ayu, to resign resonated yesterday at the South-West PDP stakeholders meeting.

This is coming one week after it seemed Ayu had survived moves to remove him from office following the vote of confidence passed on him and the National Working Committee (NWC) by the 97th national executive committee (NEC) of the major opposition party.

But like a phoenix, the push for Ayu’s removal got a fresh life of its own yesterday when Oyo State governor, Seyi Makinde, insisted that Ayu must resign as PDP national chairman.

In response, presidential candidate of the party, Atiku Abubakar, said Ayu can only be removed through the amendment of the party’s constitution.

Speaking in Ibadan, Oyo State, during the South West PDP stakeholders meeting, the former vice president maintained that the resignation of Ayu was achievable only if the party’s constitution was amended.

According to the provisions of the party’s constitution, if Ayu is relieved of his job, it is the deputy national chairman from the North East, Damagum, who will succeed him.
 

Makinde, a key member of the aggrieved PDP governors, had reiterated the call for Ayu’s resignation, saying it is the only way the people of the South would feel a sense of belonging in the party.

Apart from Makinde, governors Nyesom Wike (Rivers); Samuel Ortom (Benue); Okezie Ikpeazu (Abia); Hon Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi (Enugu), had insisted on the resignation of Ayu as key condition for reconciliation.

The governors had been tackling the PDP over the national chairman of the party and the presidential candidate who are both from the North.

The governors had made the request to Atiku in London a few weeks before the PDP National Executive Committee (NEC) passed a vote of confidence on Ayu last Thursday.

In spite of the NEC declaration and the emergence of PDP Board of Trustees (BoT) chairman from the South, Senator Adolphus Wabara (after Sen Walid Jibrin from the North resigned), the protesting governors stood their ground on Ayu’s exit.

Confirming their position yesterday, Makinde, while speaking at the South-West PDP stakeholders meeting said, “The truth is that we do not have any issue either with our party or our candidate. If there are challenges they must be tabled”.

Makinde who described Atiku as “the incoming president of Nigeria in 2023 noted: “We are supposed to give hope to our people, we want them to listen to us. Our party wants to rescue Nigeria and our candidate is a unifier. He wants to restructure Nigeria.

“Eight years of the All Progressives Congress(PDP) have left us sharply divided. The issue is we must practice what we preach. If we want to unify Nigeria, we must unify the PDP first.

“If we want to restructure Nigeria, we must have the willingness to bring inclusivity to the PDP. Do we have the capacity? The answer is a resounding yes.

“The message from the South-West PDP is that the South-West is asking that the National Working Committee of the PDP should be restructured. We are asking the National Chairman to step down so that the South will be fully included. That is the message.”

Reacting, Atiku who acknowledged that the resignation of the party’s national chairman is achievable however said it can only be done through an amendment of the PDP constitution.

Atiku said, “Only if the PDP constitution is amended; the calls for the resignation of the national chairman or any national officer can only be achieved through the party’s constitution.

“The party’s constitution can only be amended. It is possible. When I was the vice president, we took over the South West except for Lagos State. I don’t want us to lose focus. The focus is how to win the 2023 elections. I know that we are capable, we can do that”.

Earlier Atiku, his running mate, Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta; Governor Makinde and relevant stakeholders had held a marathon closed door meeting.

It was gathered that the meeting was summoned by Atiku to resolve differences in various camps.

Also, the issue of the calls for the resignation of the national chairman Iyorcha Ayu was tabled and addressed at the meeting.

Makinde who took over the hosting right of the event from the former deputy governor of Oyo state, Barrister Hazeem Gbolarumi, had agreed to lead Atiku presidential campaign in the South West.

It was gathered that the development had created tension in the camp ofRivers State governor, Nyesom Wike.

The South West stakeholders’ interactive session was attended by leaders of the PDP across the six states of the geopolitical zone with a common resolution to ensure victory for the PDP in next year’s general election.

Other PDP leaders who attended the interactive session included governorship candidate of the PDP in Ogun State, Chief Ladi Adebutu, former governor of Ekiti State, Ayo Fayose; Osun State governor-elect, Senator Demola Adeleke; the governorship candidate of the PDP in Lagos State, Olajide Adediran, and deputy governorship candidate of the PDP in Lagos State, Funke Akindele.

Others are chairman of PDP Governors’ Forum and Governor of Sokoto State, Rt. Hon. Aminu Bello Tambuwal; former Governor of Cross River State, Liyel Imoke; Deputy National Chairman of the PDP (North), Umar Damagum and national deputy chairman of the PDP (South) Ambassador Taofeek Arapaja, among other stakeholders from the Southwest.

Meanwhile, the PDP Board of Trustees (BoT) met with Governor Ikpeazu in Abia State as part of their reconciliation efforts.

They met the governor who is a staunch ally of Wike in the call for Ayu’s sack.

Presidential candidate of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, yesterday, said he would resuscitate Nigeria’s ailing economy by launching a $10 billion Economic Stimulus Fund within his first 100 days in office, if he wins the 2023 presidential election. Atiku said the fund would prioritise support to micro, small and medium scale enterprises (MSMEs) that offer greatest opportunity for inclusive economic growth.

The PDP presidential candidate spoke in Lagos during the “Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) Presidential Economic Agenda Forum for the PDP.” He laid out his economic plan to salvage the country’s economic fortunes before members of Nigeria’s organised private sector.

Atiku also said he would rather privatise Nigeria’s dilapidated refineries rather than spend $1.55 billion on their revitalisation. He added that he would stop all fiscal support to ailing public enterprises and “over the medium term, I will propose legislation for the removal of the entire electricity value chain from the exclusive list and give states the power to generate, transmit and distribute electricity for themselves.”

Atiku, who commenced efforts to consolidate his support base in the South-west, was due to meet the Oyo State governor, Seyi Makinde, and some leaders in the zone today and tomorrow, in Ibadan.

The meeting was part of efforts to make peace with the camp of the Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike.

The presidential candidate of the main opposition party promised to support PDP to win Lagos State in next year’s governorship election.

Atiku assured the captains of industry of a warm handshake, saying he would listen to the private sector more, restore investors’ confidence in the Nigerian economy, break the jinx of infrastructure finance, declare a state of emergency in the power sector, undertake far-reaching fiscal restructuring that would improve liquidity in the economy and stimulate growth, create jobs, wage war against hunger as well as ensure that over the medium term, recurrent expenditure should not exceed 45 per cent of the budget

Atiku said, “Today, I will speak on the strategic steps that I will take to build the economy of our dreams and foster bondless prosperity for all Nigerians. Poverty reduction shall be the centrepiece of our economic development agenda and economic performance shall henceforth be measured by the number of jobs created and the number of people lifted out of poverty.

“Within the first 100 days of in office, I will create an Economic Stimulus Fund with an initial investment capacity of $10 billion to prioritise support to MSMEs across all the economic sectors, as they offer the greatest opportunities for achieving inclusive growth.

“I will undertake far-reaching fiscal restructuring to improve liquidity as well as the management of our fiscal resources in five bold steps.

“First, undertake an immediate review of government spending with a view to eliminating all leakages arising from subsidy payments. With its current precarious fiscal position and daunting development challenges, can Nigeria really afford to forego critical investments in education, health, security, etc. and channel scarce resources to subsidising the lifestyles of its elite?

“Second, stop all fiscal support to ailing state-owned enterprises. As with subsidy payments, by holding unto these underperforming enterprises, Nigeria is sacrificing investments in critical areas, including water, sanitation, and rural infrastructure. For example, the first phase in the rehabilitation of Nigeria’s refineries is expected to gulp $1.55 billion! I will sell of them.

“Third, take steps to improve spending efficiency by gradual reduction of government recurrent expenditures. Over the medium term, recurrent expenditures should not exceed 45 per cent of the budget.

‘Finally, focus on non-debt financing by promoting a private-sector led infrastructure development fund for the financing and delivery of key infrastructure projects.”

He added that his administration would be different, as it would support “the private sector to drive growth. We will establish strong partnership in investing in infrastructure, in creating jobs and income and in the fight against poverty. We will listen to the private sector more.”

The PDP candidate pointed out that the Nigerian economy was presently crawling rather than growing and that the country was broke and more Nigerians are getting poorer, more miserable today than in 2015, while capital has taken a flight.

Atiku made it clear that his administration would, “allow the Central Bank of Nigeria the independence to pursue its mandate but ensure that such policies are not detrimental to Nigeria’s quest for FDI and Nigeria’s long-term growth.”

He also promised to take “immediate steps to slow down the rate of debt accumulation by promoting more Public Private Partnerships in critical infrastructure funding and identifying more innovative funding options.

“Our economy is bleak and our challenges daunting. There is no doubt about that. No one should downplay the enormity of the tasks ahead. Indeed, I cannot think of a more daunting challenge than restoring confidence in the future of Nigeria as a dynamic economy and a stable democracy.”

President of the LCCI, Dr. Michael Oluwale-Cole, in his welcome address, stated that though the chamber was non-partisan, it was interested in the economic agenda of the candidates and their plans to make a better Nigeria in the next dispensation.

Oluwale-Cole said, “The chamber is aware of the overshadowing effect of politics over economics in managing the Nigerian economy and would, therefore, wish to contribute to the setting of a new economic order that can take our economy from the doldrums.

“New policy directions, institutional reforms, and sound governance are critical to creating a new economic order in Nigeria. This is why we are gathered here today.

“For the past 16 years LCCI has organised this session in every election cycle. This is a part of its public policy advocacy to provide a first-hand opportunity for presidential candidates of the leading political parties to speak to the organised private sector on their economic blueprint for Nigeria.

“All patriotic Nigerians would like to know the plans and intentions of a future president, and this will most likely enhance the choices people make at the polls.”

Atiku: I’ll Support PDP to Win Lagos

Buoyed by the presence of thousands of party faithful, who trooped out to welcome him, Atiku, yesterday, assured members of his party in Lagos State that he would give them all the necessary support to ensure that the party emerged victorious in the 2023 governorship election.

Atiku gave the assurance during an interactive meeting with party members at the Balmoral Hall of the Federal Palace Hotel, Victoria Island, Lagos. He said from what he could see, the PDP governorship candidate, Dr. Jide Adediran, aka Jandor, was poised to win the election.

The former vice president, who was careful and selective in the three minutes speech to the party members, said he would support the candidacy of Adediran all the way till the realisation of the dream of the party to take over the state.

He told the governorship candidate, “We will support you to any level. When I say I will support you, if you like bring down the sky, I am going to do it. Lagos is so much blessed, PDP is going to win Lagos. I believe you are going to win the governorship seat this time around. Therefore, we are going to support you to any level, when I say I will do something, I will make sure I do it.”

Atiku urged PDP members in the state to work harder so they could win all the elections in 2023, saying, “With the support, we will give you, we will win Lagos.

“I came to see for myself that PDP is on the ground in Lagos, and Olajide Adediran will be the next governor of Lagos State. You will see what we are going to do when the campaign starts.”

Earlier, Adediran said the people of Lagos were prepared to work for the success of Atiku in the 2023 presidential election. He said that was why they patiently waited to hear from him the former vice president.

Atiku Consolidates in S’West, Meets Makinde, Party Leaders

Presidential candidate of PDP, Atiku Abubakar, commenced inroads into the South-west, with a meeting with Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State and some PDP leaders in Ibadan today.

It was also believed that the move was part of effort to make peace with the camp of the Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike.

The visit to Ibadan was allegedly aimed at building confidence in his teeming supporters ahead of the take off of campaigns on the September 28, 2022.

The Zonal Executive Council of the party described the scheduled visit as a strategic move to reposition the party ahead of the 2023 general election.

In a statement by its Zonal Publicity Secretary, Chief Sanya Atoranti, PDP stated that the choice of Ibadan as the first point of call by the candidate was a clear signal that PDP was one united and indivisible family, which was committed to deliver the zone for the party’s candidate in the February presidential election.

The statement said, “On behalf of members of Zonal Executives Council of our great party, I welcome our candidate, His Excellency Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, to Ibadan, where he would hold a crucial meeting with all stakeholders of the party

“The visit could not have come at a better time than now in view of the on-going reconciliation and fence-mending moves by top hierarchy of the party at different levels to address various interests and agitations within the party, which were blown out of proportion by the ruling APC.

“As a truly democratic institution, the PDP welcomes all shades of opinions and interests, which sometimes might be misconstrued by the general public as crisis, but the inherent internal mechanism for conflict resolution of our party has set the PDP apart from our main challenger and the outcome of the recent reconciliatory moves has begun to bear fruit.

“I must also commend Governor Seyi Makinde for his exemplary leadership in the zone as he is billed to receive the visiting former Vice President on Wednesday and put in place logistics for the success of the event. Governor Makinde has once again demonstrated capacity to distinguish between self-interest and party supremacy because the PDP umbrella is our defining symbol, which must be, guided jealously going forward.

“I have always held the opinion that the PDP cannot afford to fail Nigerians, because the sufferings in the land is positive campaign to our party in 2023. Thanks to APC for mismanaging the country.

“So, the rescue mission of our country begins with the PDP and all hands must be on deck to put our house in order across all geo political zones and reclaim our stolen mandate of 2019. I equally enjoined Nigerians who are going through excruciating pains and agony foisted on them by APC-led wicked administration to keep their hope alive in the PDP because the storm will soon be over.”

The presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Peter Obi has slammed the flagbearer of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, saying that the 2023 presidential election is not the turn of anybody.

The former Governor of Anambra State stated this on Monday while taking a swipe at Tinubu’s ’Emi Lokan’ comment meaning I am the next during the party Leadership Retreat in Abuja.

According to him, religion or ethnicity should not be used by Nigerians to choose their next leader but rather, the people of the country should consider character, trust and competence.

He said, “We will do this retreat now, after the election we will do another one, the election next year will not be based on ethnicity, we have had it before, it would not be on religion.

“There is no place that Christians buy things cheaper, there is no place that Muslims buy things cheaper. It will not be by turn, it is nobody’s turn. It must not be by connection.

“The election next year must be based on character and trust, it must be based on competence.”

Speaking further, Obi said that there is a need for leaders to fight and be seen to be fighting corruption, adding that during his time as the Anambra State Governor, no money was missing.

He said, “If a leader is not stealing, and the family around him are not stealing we will reduce corruption by 70 per cent. I was Governor for eight years, there is nowhere money is missing.

“I am in this retreat to listen, let us put it in writing when we succeed, you must be around to say this is what we have agreed on. Even if we don’t achieve 100 per cent, we must have made sacrifices.

Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has said that out of the 2, 523,458 fresh registrants that registered between 28th June 2021 and 14th January 2022, 1,126,359 records were found to be invalid and consequently delisted.

The commission claimed that several double, multiple, and ineligible registrants have also been detected and invalidated, adding that these include entries that fail to meet the commission’s business rules.

The national commissioner and chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee, Festus Okoye who disclosed this in Abuja yesterday in a statement made available to newsmen insisted that a thorough process was being undertaken to clean up the registration data.

Similarly, he said Permanent Voters’ Cards (PVCs) for all valid registrants will be available for collection by the end of October/early November as promised.

Okoye said cleaning up of the register of voters using the Automated Biometric Identification System (ABIS) is ongoing since the suspension of the Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) on 31st July 2022.

The statement reads in part: “The ABIS for the period – 15th January to 31st July 2022 is almost completed. Several double, multiple, and ineligible registrants have also been detected and invalidated. These include entries that fail to meet the Commission’s business rules.

 

“The commission takes this responsibility seriously because a credible register is at the heart of electoral integrity.

“As soon as the process is concluded, the commission will provide the public with full information as usual.”

Thereafter, he said valid registrants will be added to the existing national register of voters before publishing same nationwide for scrutiny, claims and objections by citizens as required by section 19 (1) of the Electoral Act 2022.