₦airaland Forum

By Samson Adenekan
Four ministers may have become politically stranded after their defeat in the presidential primary of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) which was held between Tuesday and Wednesday at the Eagle Square in Abuja.

A total of 28 aspirants bought the party’s N100 million expression of interest and nomination forms to participate in the primary but five of them did not return the forms. Eventually, only 14 stood in the primary election after nine other aspirants withdrew just before voting started.

A former governor of Lagos State, Bola Tinubu, eventually won the primary by taking about 60 per cent of the votes and will fly the flag of the APC in the February 25, 2023, presidential election.

The ministers who were forced to resign last month after obtaining the forms were Emeka Nwajiuba (Minister of State for Education), Godswill Akpabio (Niger Delta Affairs), Ogbonnaya Onu (Science and Technology) and Rotimi Amaechi (Transportation).

The Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige, and the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Timipre Sylva, had also obtained the presidential forms but pulled out after President Muhammadu Buhari asked the ministers to resign.

The Minister of Women Affairs, Pauline Tallen, also abandoned her interest in the senatorial election to keep her portfolio.

Despite declaring their intention to run in the 2023 elections, the ministers, except Mr Nwajiuba, had held on to their cabinet seats until Nigerians started calling out Mr Buhari for condoning a breach of section 84(12) of the Electoral Act 2022.

Mr Buhari on May 11 eventually demanded the resignation of the ministers.


Performance

Mr Amaechi emerged second in the APC presidential primary after scoring 316 votes. Two of the three other former ministers, Messrs Nwajiuba and Onu, got a single vote each from the 2,322 party delegates accredited to vote at the National Convention.

Mr Nwajiuba, who hails from Imo State, was at some point speculated to be Mr Buhari’s preferred candidate, under the impression that the president had acceded to the agitation for the party to zone its presidential ticket to the South-east.

However, once it became clear to him that the president would not name a “consensus candidate,” Mr Nwajiuba boycotted the convention while the other aspirants from the South-east used the time allocated to them to address the delegates to decry the “injustice” the party was meting to their region.

“Following the failure of all these entreaties, it became clear that the convention was headed away from these lofty ideals I subscribe to and will still pursue. I, therefore, declined to attend,” Mr Nwajiuba wrote in his public statement explaining his decision to boycott the event.

On his part, the former Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Mr Akpabio, who is from the South-south region, was one of the seven aspirants who stepped down for the eventual winner, Mr Tinubu.

But the 91 delegates from Mr Akpabio’s Akwa Ibom could not deliver their votes to Mr Tinubu due to a court injunction restraining them from voting at the primary.


Standing out

Amidst the abysmal performance of Mr Buhari’s ministers, Mr Amaechi stood out at the convention.

The former Rivers State governor polled 316 votes to take the second position ahead of Vice President Yemi Osinbajo who came third. Mr Osinbajo secured 235 votes.

Mr Amaechi’s state had only 69 delegates at the convention, an indication he got a lot more votes from outside the state.

Interestingly, Mr Amaechi’s kinsman and former political ally, Governor Nyesom Wike, also came second in the PDP presidential primary.


What is next?

What is next for the four ministers who gave up their seats to run unsuccessfully for the APC presidential ticket? Will the president reappoint them into his cabinet or what are the other options before them?

Mr Buhari, at a valedictory session in Abuja, for ministers leaving the Federal Executive Council, had promised to fill their vacant seats without delay. He has yet to do so.

None of the former ministers has suggested that they would not accept their ministerial positions if reappointed. Also, none of them is recognised by the electoral commission, INEC, as a candidate for any elective position in the 2023 general election, an indication that they may not be bugged down by personal political campaigns if reappointed.


Akpabio

PREMIUM TIMES had reported that Mr Akpabio on Thursday night emerged as the APC candidate for the Akwa Ibom North-West Senatorial seat, after reportedly winning a rerun of the party’s senatorial primary.

INEC, however, on Saturday rejected Mr Akpabio’s nomination, saying it recognizes only the winner of the original primary that its officials monitored.

INEC had also said the APC in Akwa Ibom State has no governorship candidate for the 2023 general elections, having failed to conduct a primary.

In 2019, Mr Akpabio lost the senatorial election before being appointed as minister. Will the president once again offer him a lifeline?


Amaechi

After Mr Amaechi’s defeat at the primary, a former Kaduna senator, Shehu Sani, suggested that “President Buhari should re-appoint Rotimi Amaechi back to the Transportation ministry to finish up his railway projects so that we are not left with uncompleted Rail lines.”

Mr Amaechi was one of the officials who pushed the president’s infrastructure agenda. He was also believed to have a good relationship with the ‘Aso Rock cabal.”

Mr Amaechi served as the Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly for eight years and served another two terms as governor of Rivers State before his appointment as minister.

It is yet unclear what he plans to do next in public life.


Onu

Mr Onu was the first governor of Abia State, between January 1992 and November 1993 before becoming the longest-serving minister in the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation following his appointment in 2015.

Mr Onu was nominated as the presidential candidate of the defunct All Peoples Party (APP) in 1999 but surrendered the ticket to Olu Falae after the party entered into an alliance with the defunct Alliance for Democracy (AD) for the 1999 presidential election.

His latest presidential bid was based on the hope that Mr Buhari and party leaders would zone the ticket to the South-east.


Nwajiuba

Before President Buhari appointed him the Minister of State for Education in 2019, Mr Nwajiuba had just been elected as a member of the House of Representatives from Okigwe North, his first national office.

He lost the Imo governorship elections on the platform of the All People’s Party (APP) in 2003, 2007 and 2011.

His state governor, Hope Uzodinma, is in his first term. Aside from the governor also being in the APC, the party is split into different factions in the state.

By Sami Tunji

The Federal Government’s total borrowing from the Central Bank of Nigeria through Ways and Means Advances rose from N17.46tn as of December 2021 to N19.01tn as of April 2022.

According to data from the CBN, this represents an increase of N1.55tn within the first four months of 2022.

The N19.01tn owed the apex bank by the Federal Government is not part of the country’s total public debt stock, which stood at N41.60tn as of March 2022, according to the Debt Management Office.

The public debt stock only includes the debts of the Federal Government of Nigeria, the 36 state governments, and the Federal Capital Territory.

Ways and Means Advances is a loan facility through which the CBN finances the government’s budget’s shortfalls.

According to Section 38 of the CBN Act, 2007, the apex bank may grant temporary advances to the Federal Government with regard to temporary deficiency of budget revenue at such rate of interest as the bank may determine.

The Act read in part, “The total amount of such advances outstanding shall not at any time exceed five per cent of the previous year’s actual revenue of the Federal Government.

“All advances shall be repaid as soon as possible and shall, in any event, be repayable by the end of the Federal Government financial year in which they are granted and if such advances remain unpaid at the end of the year, the power of the bank to grant such further advances in any subsequent year shall not be exercisable, unless the outstanding advances have been repaid.”

However, the CBN has said on its website that the Federal Government’s borrowing from it through the Ways and Means Advances could have adverse effects on the bank’s monetary policy to the detriment of domestic prices and exchange rates.

“The direct consequence of central banks’ financing of deficits are distortions or surges in monetary base leading to adverse effect on domestic prices and exchange rates i.e macroeconomic instability because of excess liquidity that has been injected into the economy,” it said.

In June last year, London-based Capital Economics, in a report titled ‘The perils of deficit monetisation in Nigeria’, noted that over the past six years, on average, around 55 per cent of annual budget shortfalls has been financed by the CBN.

“Many of the problems plaguing Nigeria’s economy – from high inflation to a persistently overvalued currency – are tied to the government’s sustained reliance on the central bank to cover fiscal financing gaps,” it said.

The World Bank had in November last year warned the Nigerian government against financing deficits by borrowing from the CBN through the Ways and Means Advances, saying this put fiscal pressures on the country’s expenditures.

The Washington-based bank added that the Federal Government’s borrowing from the CBN was increasing the cost of debt in the country.

“Cost of debt is high as Federal Government also resorts to overdraft (Ways and Means financing) from the CBN to meet in-year cash shortfalls,” it stated.

It, however, said that the Federal Government was making efforts to negotiate terms with the CBN in order to convert the stock of overdraft financing into a long-term debt instrument, which would lower the cost of debt for the government and enhance fiscal sustainability over the medium-long term.

Despite warnings from experts and organisations, the Federal Government has kept borrowing from the CBN to fund budget deficits.

The PUNCH had reported that the Federal Government paid an interest of N2.03tn from January 2020 to November 2021 on the loans it got from the CBN through the Ways and Means Advances.

A professor of Economics and Public Policy at the University of Uyo, Prof Akpan Ekpo, said there was a need for the government to minimise its usage of central bank financing.

He however noted that “I hope they are borrowing to finance capital projects, not for recurrent expenditure.”

“The ideal thing is to avoid the Ways and Means facility, and most countries avoid that,” he added.

The Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Financial Derivatives Company Limited, Mr Bismarck Rewane, had stressed the need for the government to securitise the debt, which he described as quite large.

He said, “What we need to do is to actually securitise this formally. But I think that right now, the Federal Ministry of Finance or DMO is paying interest on the Ways and Means advances. So, the effect is that there is a cost to the borrowing, and the central bank is receiving the interest on it.”

The Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Cowry Asset Management Limited, Mr Johnson Chukwu, said the central bank borrowing put pressure on the exchange rate and the inflation rate, with “liquidity that has no productivity attached to it coming into the system.”

He said, “What that means is that the central bank has been struggling with mopping up excess liquidity as a result of injection of liquidity not coming from productive activities but rather from Federal Government’s W&M borrowing.

According to Chukwu, the securitisation of the ways and means advances will further increase the interest obligations of the Federal Government.

“It might be difficult for the Federal Government to securitise those borrowings. The key thing for me is that we need to restructure the fiscal framework of the country so that we take out this dependence by the Federal Government on CBN funding,” he said.

An economist and public sector reforms expert, Dr Chiwuike Uba, who is also the chairman of the Board, Amaka Chiwuike-Uba Foundation, urged the government to reduce its appetite for borrowing.

He said, “The truth is that it will be very difficult to stop borrowing abruptly in light of the situation we are in. However, we must reduce our appetite for borrowing to refocus, redirect and rethink our need for borrowing.”

He further advised the government to adopt other public-private partnership arrangements to implement various capital projects in the country rather than accumulating debts.

A development economist, Aliyu Ilias, said the refusal of the government to remove petrol subsidy had significantly increased expenditure, forcing the government to resort to borrowing to close its widening fiscal deficit.

He advised the government to seek better ways to generate revenue, such as widening its tax net and privatising its assets.

By Oladeinde Olawoyin


Nigeria has lost its $1.7 billion claim against JP Morgan Chase Bank over the transfer of proceeds from the sale of OPL 245 in the controversial Malabu oil deal.

Judge Sara Cockerill ruled Tuesday that the Nigerian government could not show that it had been defrauded in the case.

In the suit, Nigeria claimed more than $1.7 billion for the bank’s role in the controversial deal. Nigeria also alleged that JP Morgan was “grossly negligent” in its decision to transfer funds paid by oil giants Shell and Eni into an escrow account controlled by a former Nigerian oil minister, Dan Etete.

Earlier in February, Nigeria’s lawyer, Roger Masefield, argued that the nation’s case rested on proving that there was fraud and JP Morgan was aware of the risk of fraud.

“The evidence of fraud is little short of overwhelming,” the lawyer told the court.

“Under its Quincecare duty, the bank was entitled to refuse to pay for as long as it had reasonable grounds for believing its customer was being defrauded.”

Judge Cockerill said Tuesday that by the time of the 2013 payments, the bank was “on notice of a risk” of fraud.

“There was a risk – but it was, on the evidence, no more than a possibility based on a slim foundation,” the judge ruled.

Magistrate Ejiro Kubeinje of the Ikeja Magistrates’ Court, Lagos, on Thursday, has ordered the remand of one Sakiru Oladosu, 50, and Tola Rasaq, 40, for defiling and impregnating a 13-year-old girl.

PUNCH Metro gathered that the defendants took the victim for an unlawful abortion after getting her pregnant.

The police had arraigned the defendants, who reside in the Mushin area of Lagos, on charges of defilement and unlawful procurement of abortion.

The punishment for defilement attracts up to life imprisonment, according to Section 137 and unlawful procurement of miscarriage is punishable with three years’ imprisonment under Section 135(1)(2) according to the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.

During the hearing, the prosecuting counsel, DSP Kehinde Ajayi, told the court that the defendants committed the offences in February on Odusanmi Street, Mushin, Lagos.

Ajayi said that Oladosu lured the teenager to his house, defiled her and impregnated her.

She said, “The defendant took the girl on April 3, to an undisclosed pharmacy on Ashofin Street, Okareju Mushin area in Lagos.

“Oladosu conspired with Rasaq to pay N4,000 to unlawfully administer an injection to abort the pregnancy,” Ajayi alleged.

Magistrate Kubeinje did not take their pleas and ordered that they should be kept at the Kirikiri Correctional Centre pending advice of the state Director of Public Prosecutions.

Kubeinje adjourned the case to July 7, 2022, for mention.

Nobel laureate, Prof Wole Soyinka, has dismissed as lies, reports of purported tributes paid by him to the presidential candidate of the ruling All Progressives Congress, Bola Tinubu.

The playwright was reported to have eulogised the former governor of Lagos State and national leader of APC shortly after he emerged the presidential candidate of the APC on Wednesday.

But Soyinka denied the mischievous report titled, “Prof Wole Soyinka’s tribute to Sen Asiwaju Tinubu” saying it never occurred.

A statement by the elder statesman issued on Friday through his spokesman, Abiola Owoaje, dismissed the report, describing it as the handiwork of indolent identity thieves whose preoccupation was to deceive the general public with fake social media posts to gain prominence.

Soyinka stated that he did not operate or own social media accounts.

The statement further said, “The literary luminary reiterated his position on the 2023 elections and the issues surrounding it, noting that he has no business meddling in the struggle for power by political parties in the country.

“Soyinka enjoins the general public to be on alert to the antics of faceless cowards spreading falsehood, adding that they should not partake in the despicable action of the authors by spreading the cocktail of lies.”

By Abdulkareem Mojeed


The emergence of a former Lagos State governor, Bola Tinubu, as the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for the 2023 general election was no doubt a well-fought victory.

The former governor defeated 13 other aspirants to clinch the ticket at the primary concluded on Wednesday in Abuja. He polled 1,271 votes to emerge winner while his closest rival, former Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, got 316 votes. Vice President Yemi Osinbajo came third with 253 votes. The Electoral Committee voided 13 votes after the exercise

Mr Tinubu was one of the 23 aspirants cleared to take part in the primary conducted in Abuja from June 7 to 8.

Before the voting process began, seven of the 23 aspirants withdrew from the contest and declared support for Mr Tinubu, while another one stepped down for Vice President Yemi Osinbajo. Furthermore, one aspirant stepped down but did not declare support for any of his co-contestants. As a result, only 14 of the 23 aspirants took part in the primary.

A total of 2,203 delegates accredited to vote were APC party members elected from the 774 local government areas in Nigeria.

Below are the real winners and losers of the primary election following the roles they played before and during the contest.

WINNERS

1. Bola Tinubu

Mr Tinubu cruised to victory with a landslide of 1,271 votes. While his emergence at the just concluded primary was his first attempt at the presidency, he expressed deep appreciation to all whose contributions in one way or the other made it happen.

An elated Mr Tinubu, who defeated his co-contestants with a wide margin, while delivering his acceptance speech, said he did not ‘expect to win the party’s presidential primary.

“I did not expect to win, I won. I must be intoxicated with victory,” he said.

Mr Tinubu also said he holds ‘no grudges’ against members of his party who worked against his candidature.

“The competition is now over. Those who did not support me, you have nothing to fear. I hold no grudges and grievances. Let us each agree to join hands in defeating PDP and beat back their retrogressive understanding of Nigeria,” he said.

Mr Tinubu faced stiff opposition from some of his former allies, including Mr Osinbajo, and some members of the ‘cabal,’ people believed to be close to President Muhammadu Buhari who wanted the president to endorse someone else as the consensus candidate.

Likewise, his victory suggests a major relief to some prominent members of the party who had stepped down to back his aspiration.

Also, it affirms the position of many members of the APC who believe Mr Tinubu is the most experienced among the contestants to face Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), in next year’s general elections.


2. Northern APC governors

But for the insistence of governors of northern states controlled by the APC that the presidential power should shift to the south after eight years of President Muhammadu Buhari, a northerner, the entire exercise may have gone a different direction. Also, Mr Tinubu may not have emerged victorious.

The governors on Saturday threw their weight behind the quest for a southern president. They eventually met with Mr Buhari to sell the idea to him. In the end, Governor Abubakar Badaru of Jigawa State withdrew from the race. But Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi State and former Governor Ahmed Sani of Zamfara State went ahead to run.

The APC has 14 northern governors. Just as the joint stance of 13 of them helped secure victory for Mr Tinubu, he could have lost the election if they had taken an opposite stance.


3. Kayode Fayemi

Mr Fayemi is considered a member of the broader Tinubu political family as the former Lagos governor played a prominent role in his governorship elections.

It did not, however, surprise many that Mr Fayemi decided to contest against his benefactor as the relationship between both men had deteriorated.

The stance of Mr Fayemi to contest against Mr Tinubu put him in the bad books of many of the latter’s supporters.

However, his decision to step down for his ‘leader’ just before the commencement of voting earned him the accolade of some of Mr Tinubu’s supporters. It is believed that the 48 delegates from Ekiti, most of whom would have voted for Mr Fayemi, ended up voting for Mr Tinubu.

Had Mr Fayemi not stepped down, it would not have been a surprise to see Mr Tinubu mobilise his resources (in the South-west) against Mr Fayemi’s anointed candidate in the June 18 governorship election in Ekiti.


4. Godswill Akpabio and others

Ex-Niger Delta minister and former governor of Akwa-Ibom State, Godswill Akpabio, was the first among the seven aspirants who stepped down to support Mr Tinubu to victory at the poll.

He asked the 93 delegates from his state to support Mr Tinubu.

Mr Akpabio may, however, have simply played smart as he knew before stepping down that all the Akwa Ibom delegates would not be allowed to vote due to a court order stopping them from participating in the process.

Although he may have gotten zero votes at the convention, his decision to step down, and him being the first to do so among the cleared aspirants, put him in the good books of supporters of Mr Tinubu.

The kind gesture earned Mr Akpabio and other aspirants – Ajayi Boroffice, Uju Ken-Ohanenye, Mr Fayemi, Ibikunle Amosun and former House of Representatives Speaker Oladimeji Bankole – who backed down from the race, special recognition from Mr Tinubu.

Like Mr Akpabio, the other six aspirants who stepped down can also be considered winners of the convention.

Mr Tinubu may have roles for them if he eventually wins the presidential election.

Mr Akpabio will also be hoping that Mr Buhari reappoints him to head the Niger Delta ministry as the post is still vacant.


5. Chris Ngige

Mr Ngige, the current labour minister, will consider himself a very lucky (or smart) person.

He had declared his presidential ambition and secured his N100 million nomination form.

But after President Buhari directed ministers seeking elective positions to resign, he had a rethink. He withdrew from the presidential race and preferred to keep his ministerial seat.

That has turned out to be a smart move.

The former Anambra governor may have gotten some votes, from Anambra delegates, but would have lost the presidential primary, and likely his ministerial seat.

6. APC

Arguably, the most important winner from the APC primary is the party itself.

Many analysts had predicted doom for a ruling party that has never gotten its house in order since it came into power in 2015. In fact, the party has had to postpone its convention several times to, among others, avert the worsening of its crises.

The crises in the APC are multi-faceted and multi-layered but the party appears to have temporarily put them aside with the outcome of the convention.

Mr Tinubu alluded to this in his victory speech when he said: “It appeared some weeks back that some newspapers and many people were ready to write the obituary of this party. We put together and pulled ourselves as a cat of nine lives.”

“Shame on them, our party is alive,” he said.

THE LOSERS

Of the 14 aspirants who gunned for the APC ticket, only six of the candidates managed to pull some significant votes from the delegates.

Ex-transport minister Rotimi Amaechi came second with 316 votes, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo came a distant third with 235 votes while Senate President Ahmad Lawan came fourth with 152 votes.

Others are Kogi State governor Yahaya Bello (47), Cross River State Governor Ben Ayade (37), Governor David Umahi of Ebonyi State (38) and former Zamfara governor, Ahmad Sani, who had four votes.

Four of the aspirants had zero votes.

But it was not only the aspirants that lost at the convention that were the losers, some of the real losers were not in the race.


1. Yahaya Bello of Kogi State

Mr Bello was the only governor of a northern state controlled by the APC that opposed the zoning of the party’s presidential ticket to the south.

The other 13 northern governors in the APC met and agreed to the zoning arrangement. Mr Bello, however, insisted on contesting and said he would win if the process was credible.

He also spent a lot of money on campaigns with his adverts donning billboards and appearing on prominent TV stations.

However, on the day of the primary, he could not even secure the votes of all the delegates from his state. Only 47 delegates voted for Mr Bello while Kogi has 63 delegates.

Despite his jubilation, after his vote was announced, Mr Bello’s campaign organisation described the primary as “a peaceful but highly compromised” one.


2. Ben Ayade of Cross River State

Mr Ayade was elected governor on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) but decamped to the APC last year.

Mr Ayade was one of the aspirants who did not win the primary, but he is on this list mainly because he could not secure all the votes of delegates from his state.

After describing himself as a man with “the enthusiasm of a youth and the wisdom of a 60-year-old” while addressing the delegates on Tuesday night, the governor could only secure 37 votes. Cross River has a total of 54 accredited delegates. This implies that at least 17 delegates from the state did not vote for their governor.


3. Rochas Okorocha, the Imo senator

Mr Okorocha addressed delegates in three languages (English, Hausa and Igbo) while trying to convince them. It was not enough.

Despite being Imo State governor for two consecutive terms (2011 to 2019) and currently a serving senator, Mr Okorocha could not get any of the 81 delegates from the state to vote for him. In fact, he could not get any of the over 2,000 delegates at the convention to vote for him as he scored zero votes.

He is currently being prosecuted for allegedly stealing public funds while he was governor.


4. Rotimi Amaechi

Mr Amaechi was the first runner up in the primary and scored more votes than some other major contenders including Vice President Yemi Osinbajo and Senate President Ahmad Lawan.

However, Mr Amaechi’s loss is not limited to losing the primary.

He is one of the ministers who had to resign their position to seek the presidential ticket.

He was also one of the star ministers of the Buhari administration and spearheaded the government’s rail projects across the country. It is unclear whether he would be reappointed as transport minister by President Buhari. The position is still vacant.

However, Mr Amaechi’s greatest loss from the primary may turn out to be something different from the ministerial position.

As a minister and close ally to the president, Mr Amaechi has been able to largely stave off the formerly stiff challenge for the control of the APC in his home Rivers State.

His major challenger for the control of Rivers APC, Magnus Abe, is a key ally of Mr Tinubu and strongly supported the ex-Lagos governor’s candidacy.

Mr Amaechi has congratulated Mr Tinubu and pledged his “commitment to your success at the polls” but observers will wait to see whether that will dissuade Mr Tinubu, should he win the presidential election, from helping Mr Abe take control of the Rivers APC.


5. Ogbonnaya Onu

For a man whose performance as a minister can be, at best, considered lacklustre, many were surprised when Mr Onu resigned his position to contest the presidential election.

Mr Onu, a former governor of the old Abia State, had also sought a presidential ticket of a major party in 1999, at the outset of Nigeria’s current democratic dispensation.

He was appointed minister of science and technology by Mr Buhari and resigned following the president’s directive after he had paid the N100 million for the presidential form of the APC.

He appeared to have based his presidential ambition on the hope that the APC would zone its presidential ticket to the South-east and railed about that while addressing the APC delegates on Tuesday.

Mr Onu could not even secure 10 per cent of the 39 votes of the delegates from his home Ebonyi State. He had only one vote at the convention.

He would be hoping that President Buhari reappoints him to his still vacant position of science and technology minister.


6. Emeka Nwajiuba

Many Nigerians were surprised when Mr Nwajiuba resigned his ministerial position to pursue his presidential ambition.

As minister of state for education, Mr Nwajiuba was relatively unknown and his ministry was among the worst-rated by Nigerians with incessant strikes by workers in the country’s educational institutions.

So, when Mr Nwajiuba paid N100 million for the APC presidential form, many expressed surprise. Perhaps because of his conviction that he could win, he was also the first minister to resign his position and did so before President Buhari’s directive.

He was, however, conspicuously absent at the APC convention explaining later that he was disappointed that the presidential ticket was not zoned to the South-east.

Despite his absence at the convention, he secured one vote.

It is uncertain if he would be reappointed minister to fill his still vacant position.

7. Aso Rock Cabal

Some relatives and associates of Mr Buhari at the presidential villa who the media call the “cabal”, tried to convince the president to anoint the Central Bank governor, Godwin Emefiele and former President Goodluck Jonathan as the APC’s presidential candidate. Their efforts failed.

The president’s wife, Aisha Buhari, had also in the past blamed the cabal for the tense relationship between Mr Buhari and Mr Tinubu. She accused them of hijacking her husband’s government.

With Mr Tinubu’s victory, the cabal’s moves to determine the potential successor of the president have failed.


8. Ahmad Lawan

Ahmad Lawan could have been Nigeria’s Senate President in 2015 when the APC came into power. He had the backing of the party leadership, particularly that of Mr Tinubu.

But Mr Buhari’s inaction, or indifference, led to victory for Kwara Senator Bukola Saraki. The APC government never recovered from that action in the first term of the president as there were incessant squabbles between the Executive and the Legislature.

However, in 2019, Mr Saraki, who had defected to the PDP, lost his senatorial election. The APC leadership, again including Mr Tinubu, mobilised support for Mr Lawan against Ali Ndume, another APC senator. Mr Lawan eventually emerged as senate president.

Mr Lawan was initially thought to be one of the backers of Mr Tinubu for the presidential race. He was a late entrant into the presidential race and was touted as the ‘consensus candidate.

In his victory speech on Wednesday, Mr Tinubu showed his displeasure at Mr Lawan’s decision to contest against him, although in a light mood.

“I would have been a little upset because you compete with me but that is over now since you can easily leak your wounds,” the winner said.


9. Yemi Osinbajo

Despite being the only aspirant who received a standing ovation from Mr Buhari after delivering a top-notch and highly spirited address to the delegates on Tuesday night, Mr Osinbajo lost the presidential primary.

In his final speech to the delegates before voting, Mr Osinbajo made a heartwarming plea on why he should get the party’s ticket.

“We are a religious nation; we believe in the power of prayer. We all pray for a country that is peaceful and prosperous,.

“But God allows us by our votes to show him whether we mean the prayers we pray or not. You cannot wish this country well and vote for someone you do not believe in.

“So, our dear delegates, when you vote tonight, know that your vote carries the answer to your prayers for the future of our children, for the future of our country,” he said.

Mr Osinbajo came third in the contest behind Messrs Tinubu and Amaechi.

But Mr Osinbajo’s loss goes beyond losing at the primary.

By choosing to contest against Mr Tinubu, his political benefactor, many Nigerians consider Mr Osinbajo a betrayal.

It was Mr Tinubu who appointed Mr Osinbajo, then an academic, as a commissioner. He served as justice commissioner for the eight years Mr Tinubu was the governor of Lagos.

It was also Mr Tinubu who nominated Mr Osinbajo as the vice-presidential candidate of Mr Buhari in 2015. Messrs Tinubu and Osinbajo were close allies until the build-up to the current elections.

Mr Osinbajo will, therefore, have lost many friends and former political allies and supporters because of his decision.

The vice president has congratulated Mr Tinubu and called on all APC members to support the party’s candidate.

Also, Mr Tinubu has appealed for Mr Osinbajo’s support and those of other co-contestants for the party to achieve victory in the 2023 election.

Abdullahi-Adamu

While Mr Tinubu knew he had 22 challengers for the APC ticket, arguably the greatest threat to his ambition was not from any of his opponents but from the head of the party.

As the national chairman of the APC, many would have expected Abdullahi Adamu to be neutral in the primaries or pretend to be neutral. He was neither.

As part of his antics to prevent Mr Tinubu from clinching the presidential ticket, Mr Adamu made two controversial moves a few days before the convention.

First, he threatened that the party would punish Mr Tinubu for his statement that appeared critical of President Buhari. Then he told the party’s leadership that President Buhari had endorsed Mr Lawan as the consensus candidate. Both views were rejected by other members of the party’s executive, the NWC.

The presidency also denied that Mr Buhari endorsed Mr Lawan or any other presidential aspirant.

Despite Mr Adamu’s machinations, Mr Tinubu won the primaries.

Mr Adamu has since congratulated Mr Tinubu and pledged to work for his victory in the presidential election.

Mr Tinubu may not want to rock the boat until after the main presidential election next year, but very few people would be surprised if Mr Adamu is removed as party chairman after the election.

By Seun Adeuyi

Dolapo, wife of the Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo, has hailed her husband, saying she is proud of him.

In a post on her Instagram page on Thursday, She shared a photo of her husband and hailed him.

“Oluyemi.. Oluleke.. Omoluabi.. Omo oko.. Oninu ire.. Oniwa Pele.. Oniwa tutu… Ologbon.. Olododo.. Alaanu.. I’m proud of you!,” the post read.

This is coming hours after Osibanjo congratulated the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for the 2023 poll, Bola Tinubu.

The Vice President in a statement titled, “VP Osinbajo congratulates Asiwaju Tinubu on his victory at APC Presidential Primary Election,” also called for unity among APC members, adding that Tinubu’s sterling contributions to democracy stood him out.

“For many decades, our Flagbearer has shown passion, patriotism, courage and determination in the cause of nation-building. His sterling contributions to our democracy and its progress stand him out. His wealth of experience will certainly be critical in our party’s continued efforts to attain a more secure and prosperous Nigeria.

“To all members of our great party, regardless of who you voted for at the primaries, we must now unite behind our Presidential Candidate and Flagbearer to ensure victory for our party in the 2023 elections,” the VP’s statement read in part.

Tinubu had polled 1,271 votes to emerge the APC candidate at a special convention of the party held at Eagle Square, Abuja. He defeated his closest rivals, ex-minister Rotimi Amaechi and the Vice President to clinch the party’s presidential ticket.

The insistence of the supporters of Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike on his nomination is causing a stalemate in the search for the running mate for the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar.

Atiku won the presidential primary of the PDP on May 29 and has since been consulting with the leaders of the party on his vice presidential pick.

The party has until June 17 to submit its list of candidates for all elective offices in the 2023 general elections to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

While the supporters of Mr Wike are insisting on his nomination as Atiku’s running mate, a majority of leaders of the PDP prefer the Governor of Delta State, Ifeanyi Okowa, for the position.

Mr Okowa had supported Atiku at the primary and is from a major South-South State like Mr Wike.

The presidential candidate is said to prefer Mr Okowa but is being forced to delay his decision by the contention that Mr Wike would bring on board the ticket stronger political structure and financial muscles than Mr Okowa.

The supporters of the Rivers governor are also referencing his roles in rescuing the party at numerous times of crises and how he had also supported PDP chapters across the country in states where the party does not run the government.

However, Mr Wike’s critics say he is not “presidential in conduct” and would be a dangerous deputy and divisive figure in the presidency should the party win the presidential election.

A source close to the negotiation said Atiku has offered to appoint Mr Wike petroleum minister or give him an opportunity to nominate one should the party win the election.

However, the Rivers State governor’s camp is insisting on the vice-presidential slot, saying “a promise is not as important as what is currently on hand”.

Hours after the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) elected Bola Tinubu as its presidential candidate on Wednesday, Atiku met with the 13 governors elected on the ticket of his own party in continuation of his search for the most suitable running mate. The meeting was unable to reach a decision.

The former vice president is now scheduled to meet the Board of Trustees of the party on Thursday (today) on the same matter. A party insider said the Board of Trustees might set up a committee to resolve the deadlock.

Atiku’s running mate in the 2019 presidential election, Peter Obi, defected from the PDP just before the presidential primary in which he was an aspirant and has now been nominated as the flag bearer of the Labour Party.

Olawale Olaleye


The emergence, yesterday, of a former Lagos State Governor, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, as the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), was the first and most important leg in the journey to next year’s presidential bout.

That, of course, ushers in the second leg and sets a new challenge for the ruling party, which is the search for a suitable running mate, whose combination could help the party to victory in the 2023 elections.

And, since the choice of a running mate is as critical as the candidate itself, to the outcome of a presidential election, it is expected that certain factors would be put into consideration, too, in settling for anyone at all.

However, to guide the APC in the choice of its running mate to Tinubu are a few factors, including capacity, education, experience, exposure, political networth, ethnicity and religion. While the APC is certain to go to the north for its pick, the part of the north it chooses to pull the lucky one from is equally germane to several other considerations as much as religion, which is a chief factor in the north.

Ironically, Tinubu, a Muslim southerner, is surrounded majorly by more Muslim northerners than their Christian brothers. In other words, the APC ticket appears to lean more to a Muslim-Muslim pairing than a Muslim-Christian blend. Yet, none of the options is cast in stone, as it were.

Thus, given the importance of this choice and how it could impact the election, what are the options before the APC? There are many of them, but a few readily come to mind.

They are the Kebbi State Governor, Atiku Bagudu; Kaduna State Governor, Malam Nasir El-Rufai; Kano State Governor, Abdulahi Ganduje; Plateau State Governor, Simon Lalong; Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Gida Mustapha and Malam Kashim Ibrahim-Imam.


Atiku Bagudu

The Kebbi State governor is the Chairman of Progressive Governors’ Forum and has been in the thick of events in the party, helping to moderate situations and proffering solutions to even the most difficult situations. From the North West zone, Bagudu is a loyal ally of the president, who is urbane and well-spoken. He is also popular amongst his peers, having chaired their elite group well for some time. He is a strong contender to the office, although a Muslim like Tinubu.


Nasir El-Rufai

Controversial, but principled and outspoken governor of Kaduna State, was about the first northern governor to speak in support of power shift to south and he sustained his position to the very end. Interestingly, Kaduna is a very crucial north central state, whose votes could help put the party in good stead. With an El-rufai, another Muslim on the ticket, it could as much strengthen the place of the party and at the same time stand in its way.


Abdulahi Ganduje

Governor of the North West Kano State, Ganduje, has always been in contention, indeed, advantaged by his state, which churns out very good votes, enough to determine any election. Ganduje, a Muslim, becomes more important in the equation, because aside giving some good votes, he could also help to neutralise the Kwankwasiyya influence in the state. Kwankwasiyya is a political movement led by a former governor of the state, Rabiu Kwankwaso influence, who is also contesting the presidential election on the platform of New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP).


Simon Lalong

A strong ally of former Minister of Transportation, Hon. Rotimi Amaechi, the Plateau State governor, could be a compensation for the Amaechi group, given their influence as evident in Amaechi’s emergence as the first runner up at the election. Besides, as the Chairman, Northern APC governors, Lalong has been critical to practically all that went down before and at the convention, which culminated in Tinubu’s emergence. He is, however, a Christian, which provides a good balance to the ticket, especially, coming also from North Central. But will the north accept him?


Boss Mustapha

Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Mustapha, is today about the most visible functionary in the presidency, working closely with the president and helping to navigate practically all the sensitive and not-so-sensitive assignments. With capacity and deep knowledge about the workings of the government of the day, particularly the presidency, no one sits better as a choice for running mate than Mustapha. What more, the cerebral and cosmopolitan Mustapha, is a Christian from Adamawa State, North East, the same place as the First Lady, Aisha Buhari, and which he has since held down for the party as a promising strong hold.


Kashim Ibrahim-Imam

A former PDP governorship candidate in 2003 and 2007 in Borno State, Ibrahim-Imam, is a noted confidant of the APC presidential candidate, and one believed to have held different positions in trust for him, with a relationship spanning over 40 years. A devout Muslim from Boko Haram-ravaged Borno, Ibrahim-Imam, could easily reap from the quiet effort, albeit on all sides, to give the North East some sense of belonging by putting them on the presidential ticket. A retired banker, accounting and finance expert, Ibrahim-Imam is a consummate politician, former President of Kings College Old Boys Association, KCOBA, who is grounded in pension funds management. Although urbane, cosmopolitan and well liked by friends and associates, he too remains a product of Muslim-Muslim combination, which raises concerns for the ticket.

But if Tinubu is looking for someone he can trust, then of course, Kashim fits the bill.


Abubakar Badaru

Current Governor of Jigawa State, Badaru, is another force among the governors with promising political career. Urbane, reserved and sound, he has both the academic and political aptitudes for the job, seen largely by his colleagues as a thinker and worthy ally to network with. He, like Bagudu of Kebbi, has been involved in the affairs of the party at the highest level and had done so much to help stabilise it at the highest level. His joining the presidential race was not an accident, likewise his withdrawal and standing down for Tinubu, was allegedly strategic on his part. Yet another Muslim from the North West, he fits the bill, no doubt, save for the same reservation that applies to the others.


Babagana Zulum

The Borno State Governor is one state chief executive, who had been marked early in the race for presidency as suitable for running mate. The debate about his choice became so debated that he issued a statement, dismissing the idea. Instead, Zulum stated he he would rather return to Borno and finish off what he started. Curiously, his name wouldn’t stop popping up, because of his stellar performance in his state and also because he has also become sellable over the years. A candidate of the academia, who is neck-deep in practical politics of development, Zulum is arguably an asset to the ticket, even though he is a Muslim. He is young and seen as a breath of fresh air in the murky waters of politics.

By Philip Shimnom Clement


A video is currently ciruculating on social media especially WhatsApp, insinuating that northern governors of the All Progressives Congress visited the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar on Wednesday after APC presidential primary at Eagle Square.

The APC national leader and former Lagos State Governor, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, emerged the party’s presidential candidate at the end of the exercise.

Full Text: The 29 seconds video captured Atiku, the Senate President, Ahmed Lawan, Yobe State Governor, Maimala Buni, Katsina State Governor, Aminu Bello Masari and Jigawa State Governor, Mohammed Badaru among others.

The video was captioned “THE GAME JUST GET STARTED.”

The text further read, “APC Northern Governors and Senate President went to visit Alhaji Atiku Abubakar immediately after their APC Presidential Primaries this morning when Tinubu was declared the winner of APC Presidential Ticket

“Northern blood brothers remain, Northern blood brothers, thes people might handover a life snake to Tinubu. There are two things they are going to do to make sure the north retains power, they are either going to start decamping to PDP or remain in APC and work against Tinubu’s interest. North and power are cousins. You don’t trust them when it comes to that.”


Verification

However Checks by Daily Trust revealed that the video was first taken in January this year during a condolence visit.

Using Invid, a video verification tool, Daily Trust established that the video first surfaced on the Internet on January 22, 2022, when Atiku paid a condolence visit to the family of Dahiru Mangal, a business magnate in Katsina who lost his 85-year-old mother.

The late Hajiya Murja Bara’u was the mother of Alhaji Dahiru Mangal who is the Chairman of Afdin Group, owners of Max Air, Afdin Petroleum, Afdin Construction, among others.

Also Daily Trust traced a tweet by the former vice president on his Twitter handle @atiku where he confirmed the condolence visit on the same day.

The tweet read, “Earlier today (January 22), I paid a condolence visit to Alhaji Dahiru Mangal in Katsina over the loss of his beloved mother and matriarch of their family, Hajiya Murja Bara’u. I pray that Almighty Allah will comfort the family and grant her Aljannah Firdaus in Paradise.”


Conclusion

The video currently in circulation is an old video from a condolence visit by Atiku and some northern APC governors to the family of Alhaji Dahiru Mangal and the video is being recycled. As such, the claim in the video that northern governors met with Atiku after Tinubu’s victory at the APC primary is false and misleading.

The Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Faruk Yahaya, says the nation’s political landscape is likely to get tenser across the six geo-political zones.

He spoke yesterday in Port Harcourt at a three-day second senior command and leadership seminar for commanders of various formations across the country.

The seminar had the theme ‘Building the Capacity of Nigerian Army to Meet Contemporary Security Challenges in a Joint Environment: The Role of Senior Leadership.’

The COAS warned troops to avoid politicking as the 2023 general elections approach.

He said no personnel would be allowed to participate in the elections or support any candidate as stipulated by the extant laws guarding the service.

“So, I want to remind all commanders that as the electioneering season approaches the political landscape is likely to become more tense across the geopolitical zones.

“Engagement of political thugs; use of hate speeches and other inimical activities by desperate politicians and their supporters will likely instigate a more fragile security situation in the coming days.

“I charge commanders at all levels to ensure that troops under command are adequately enlightened on the need to be apolitical and eschew all political vices.

“To this end, all army personnel must act within the ambit of the law; the provisions of the extant rule of engagement and code of conduct for the elections in 2023,” he warned.

Yahaya said the army would adopt a more superior system of operation to harness the collective potentials of all security stakeholders in the coming days and weeks.

He said the seminar was organised to brainstorm and proffer solutions to challenges confronting ongoing operations in the country.

“Our current operating environment is dynamic and has continued to expose new threats which require deeper insights to successfully overcome them.

“So, the forum offers senior commanders the opportunity to engage one another and introspect on our existing operational model so as to identify gaps.” (NAN)

In a manner suggesting that there could be some urgent issues to attend to, the vehicle conveying the governor raced into the venue.

The incident happened shortly after the agents representing various aspirants were asked to leave the sorting scene and watch from a distance.

Following Sunday’s attack on worshippers at St Francis Catholic Church, Owa-luwa Street, in Owo Local Government Area of Ondo State, schools, on Monday, were shut down as pupils stayed at home.

A source in the area told SaharaReporters that there is palpable fear in the community as parents have refused to release their children/wards to attend school. He, however, said academic activities might resume in the area by the following week.

The source, who lost a relation in the attack, said church activities have also been put on hold for now, particularly as the attackers had targeted a big cathedral in the area.

He said several cult activities have also been going on in the area for a while now, but the bloody attack on a church on Sunday was not expected.

This, he said, will even deter some Christian faithful from attending church services as no one knows the next target of the attackers.

“Several persons died in yesterday's attack and churches don't have security officials. They only have traffic wardens outside.

“Today (Monday), there is no school, the town is calm. My kids are at home, no one will allow their children to go anywhere. Even church, we are putting it on hold for now. I don't think large gatherings will be held anywhere in this place for now because of the fear of being attacked.

“The truth is, these guys are everywhere. I have been saying it, Yorubas gave Shasha to them, they gave Sabo to them and don't be surprised that when security agents check Shasha, there will be AK-47s everywhere.

“The truth is that Owo is not peaceful; for a long time now, cult clashes have become the order of the day. If they tell you Owo is peaceful, it's a lie. But we never experienced anything like Sunday’s incident. How can people just enter a church and start shooting at unarmed worshippers?

“Apart from the 2015 armed robbery incident that occurred a day before the presidential election that brought President Muhammadu Buhari to power, we have not had anything like this. Lots of persons were killed, they robbed banks but this is terrorism and it's a very big church.”

By Temidayo Akinsuyi


Ahead of the presidential pri­mary of the ruling All Progres­sives Congress (APC), political horse trading and last minute negotiations are currently go­ing on among stakeholders in the Southern part of the country where the presidential ticket has been technically zoned to.

Although the party listed Monday, June 6 and Tuesday, June 7, as the dates of the convention, the programme sighted by Daily Independent showed that the primary will take place on Tuesday where delegates are expected to elect the party’s next flagbearer.

Many Nigerians had thought the party will zone the ticket to the South since President Mu­hammadu Buhari, a Northern­er is already completing his two terms of eight years, however, the party decided to throw the ticket open to all qualified aspi­rants across the country.

John Odigie-Oyegun led screening committee screened 23 presidential aspirants last week and disqualified 10 of them from partaking in the primary election.

However, the leadership of the party disagreed with the recommendations of the committee and announced that it will be allowing all the aspirants to have their day at the primary election.

Events, however, took a dramatic twist at the weekend as 11 Northern APC governors and leaders informed President Muhammadu Buhari of their decision to back power shift to the South and asked Northern aspirants to quit the race.

Following this, Jigawa State governor, Mohammed Badaru, withdrew from the race. How­ever, the other three Northern aspirants, Senate President, Ahmad Lawan; Kogi State gov­ernor, Yahaya Bello, and former Zamfara State governor, Ahmed Yerima, are yet to quit.

Other aspirants currently in the race are Vice President Yemi Osinbajo; former Lagos State governor, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu; Governor Kayode Fayemi; ex-Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi; ex-Minister of State for Education, Emeka Nwajiu­ba; ex-Minister of Science and Technology, Ogbonnaya Onu; former Ogun State governor, Ibikunle Amosun; Ebonyi State governor, David Umahi, and former Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Godswill Akpabio.

Others include ex-Imo State governor, Rochas Okorocha; Pastor Tunde Bakare; Cross River State governor, Ben Aya­de; former Senate President, Ken Nnamani; Ikeobasi Moke­lu; former House of Representatives Speaker, Dimeji Bankole; Felix Nicholas, Senator Robert Borrofice, Tein Jack Rich, and Uju Ken Ohanenye.

Also during his meeting with the aspirants at the weekend, President Buhari asked them to consult among themselves and choose a formidable candidate before the party’s presidential primary.

Also, in a bid to present a consensus candidate, presidential aspirants and key stakeholders met in Abuja on Saturday night till the early hours of Sunday.

However, the meeting was deadlocked as none of the aspirants which include Osinba­jo, Tinubu, Fayemi, Amosun, Boroffice, Bankole, and Pastor Bakare agreed to step down.

Speaking on how the dele­gates will vote, a member of the National Working Committee (NWC), who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the gover­nors will determine the voting pattern at the convention.

“The governors will deter­mine the fate of the aspirants. In Lagos State, I see Governor Sanwo-Olu delivering the state to Tinubu. The same with Gov­ernor Oyetola of Osun State, the delegates will align with Tinubu.

“In Ekiti, the delegates will queue behind Fayemi if he doesn’t withdraw from the race while those of Ogun State will queue behind the Vice Presi­dent Osinbajo.

“I see the Northern aspirants withdrawing between today and tomorrow following the recommendation of the Northern governors that power should go South. If they don’t withdraw, I don’t see them getting delegate votes because the governors will direct them to give their votes to the Southern aspirants if there is no consensus candidate”.

Also on Sunday, strong indications emerged that not less than 18 of the APC governors may be rooting for the presidential ambition of Fayemi who is the Chairman of the Nigerian Governors’ Forum.

Party sources said this development may be in tandem with the decision of members of the Nigerian Governors’ Forum (NGF) across party lines that they must all work to ensure that one of them emerges the next president of Nigeria.

Multiple sources close to the inner workings of the NGF revealed that this decision had been sealed among the governors as far back as early 2021.

The governors were said to have been unanimous on one thing, that only a serving governor who feels the pain of the shoes of the present lopsided fiscal federalism status quo the states are forced to wear can effect drastic changes.

“This was what motivated the high number of governors across party lines to join the presidential race. The governors were also clear that only a governor of the present set and not the 1999 set could understand the issues better and make sweeping changes,” a source informed Daily Independent.

Another member of the Progressive Governors’ Forum, who also spoke to newsmen on condition of anonymity, also said, “Fayemi’s meeting with the governors is in continuation of the engagements he had had with them in the past and the recent meetings were at the instance of the governors, who wanted assurances on a number of issues.

“We are very optimistic about Fayemi’s chances and in the next couple of hours, many of the other governors on the sideline would come on board. We believe that some of the governors who are also aspiring would queue behind Fayemi.”

He further said: “Many gov­ernors have already pledged their support to Fayemi. They have also reiterated their stance that it is their collective decision for a governor to take over from President Muham­madu Buhari. With the support of 18 governors, Fayemi is expected to put up a strong fight for the presidential ticket of the APC.

“Fayemi’s choice is the least problematic for President Bu­hari because the governors control the delegates and will always direct them to put the vote behind the president’s anointed candidate. It is easier for the president to ask the governors to vote for one of their own than anyone outside that fold. That is the type of sense of solidarity among the governors,” the source explained.

In a related development, Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi State on Sunday said he will support whoever President Buhari picks as the consensus candidate.

He, however, said he will not accept the recommendations of the Northern governors on power shift to the South, saying it is not binding on him.

“If it comes from President Buhari himself, I will one hundred percent support the person if I am not selected. If it is any other person, I will support the person because that is his wisdom. He knows better than me and he sees better than me”, he said.

Former Lagos State Governor, Bola Tinubu has changed the mode of his ongoing campaign, amidst plans by President Muhammadu Buhari to work with governors to pick his successor.

Mr Tinubu, who is one of the leading aspirants for the presidential ticket of the ruling party, the All Progressives Congress, APC, spoke in Ogun State on Thursday.

Speaking in Yoruba, Tinubu said for over 25 years, he provided a political refuge for former Vice President Atiku Abubakar when he was chased out of the PDP by former President Olusegun Obasanjo. He narrated how he offered his ACN platform to Nuhu Ribadu in 2011.

While speaking, Mr Tinubu also directed his jab at his host, Governor Dapo Abiodun, saying “this one (Mr Abiodun), would he have become governor if I had not backed him?”

Even President Buhari was not spared in the jab.

“If not me that led the war from the front, Buhari would not have emerged as the president. He contested first, second and third times, but lost. He even said on television that he won’t contest again,” he said.

Mr Atiku, who is the presidential candidate of the PDP, contested for President in 2007 on the platform of Action Congress, the party of the former Lagos State governor.

In 2011, Mr Ribadu, former Economic and Financial Crimes Commission also contested on the platform of the ACN in 2011.

Across the country, Tinubu has sponsored several political associates for political offices, some of who are in the contest for the same presidential ticket.

Tinubu is believed to have nominated the Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo as Vice President in 2015. The two politicians are in the race for the presidential ticket of the party.

This outburst may not be unconnected with the recent pronouncement by President Muhammadu Buhari that State governors on the platform of the APC should back him to select a successor.

The president left the country immediately after dropping the bombshell on the party.

DAILY POST findings revealed that the statement by the president has created sharp division among the governors

In several of the meetings held, some governors from the North have called for a candidate from the North to battle the former Vice President Atiku. While some governors, who feel they are closer to the President, are seeing themselves as likely candidates.

Governors have been meeting behind closed doors to suggest candidates to the President, however, they have become more divided.

A source in Tinubu’s camp, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said Tinubu has switched the campaign to payback and demanding from loyalists to return the favour.

“We are barely 4 days away from the convention. The proposed consensus candidacy from southwest is not feasible and many of the aspirants from the region are not willing to step down.

“So, as you have seen in Abeokuta, the mode of the campaign has changed. While Sen Kashim Shettima may beg delegates in Calabar, at home, we have to remind them they owe us. The governor of Ogun State is not invincible. He is running for the second time, so it is crucial he is reminded of that fact,” he said.

Another source said the statement by the president has emboldened candidates from the north, citing the case of Ahmad Lawan, who has intensified his campaign since Atiku won the primaries.

It would be recalled that Mr Lawan appointed Orji Uzor Kalu as his campaign DG, while about 25 politicians from the southeast also gave open endorsement to the Senate President.

“We cannot take chances any longer. With reports that governors are debating power remaining in the North, there is a need for a change of approach,” the source said.

“At this point, taking the battle to Ogun State, the State of Osinbajo, is like sending a clear message to Abuja that even in Ogun State, Tinubu is strong.

“If you have been monitoring the primary in Ogun State. Two close allies of Tinubu defeated two incumbents. Olamilekan Yayi defeated Tolu Odebiyi and Gbenga Daniel defeated Lekan Mustapha.”

While campaigns are ongoing, everyone involved is still waiting for President Buhari, who is in Spain for a state visit. However, all aspirants are in last push for the finishing line.

The Trustees of Motorcycle Transport Union of Nigeria (MTUN) has dragged the Lagos State Government before the Federal High Court in Lagos.

MTUN and others are praying for a declaration that the ban on commercial motorcycles is illegal, unlawful and unconstitutional.

Other applicants in the suit include Comrade Peter Umoh, Pastor Tony Onuoha, David Abiona, Adebayo Oluwasegun, Gambo Muhammed, Yakubu Abubakar, Ayo Boluwade, Amaechi Peter and Nwamiri Monday.

The Lagos State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, Lagos State Task Force, Commissioner of Police, Lagos State, and Commissioner for Transport, Lagos State, are the defendants.

In the suit numbered FHC/L/CS/1016/2022, the applicants are praying the court for a declaration that the “purported proposed ban of commercial motorcycle transportation in Lagos State by the governor without hearing from the operators whose rights are affected or likely to be affected is a violation of the constitutional rights of the applicants to fair hearing provided for and encapsulated in Section 36 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended).”

The applicants are also praying for a declaration that the ban on the business of commercial motorcycle transportation in Lagos by the government “is a violation of the rights of the applicants guaranteed by Section 33 of the 1999 constitution who cannot be alive without food and other means of sustenance and whose income is the business of commercial motorcycle transportation.”

In the affidavit in support of the application, sworn to by one Pastor Emmanuel Donatus, the deponent averred that he and other operators had no means of sustenance apart from the business of Okada.

They prayed the government to restrict Okada operations on major highways to “approved areas” rather than banning their operations.

The suit has not been assigned to any judge.

Meanwhile, the Lagos State Police Command, on Wednesday, seized 170 motorcycles and arrested 16 passengers and riders as enforcement of the ban on the operations of Okada riders in the state commenced.

The state’s police spokesman, Benjamin Hundeyin, said 94 of the motorcycles were impounded by the police, while others were seized by men of the Lagos State Environmental Sanitation Enforcement Agency.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has released a former Zamfara State governor, Abdulaziz Yari.

Family sources confirmed the development to DAILY NIGERIAN, saying the former governor was released on Thursday evening.

Mr Yari was arrested in his Maitama, Abuja residence over alleged complicity in the N84 billion fraud involving the suspended Accountant-General of the Federation, Ahmed Idris.

DAILY NIGERIAN reports that Mr Idris was released on Wednesday night after spending weeks in detention.

Mr Yari was arrested alongside the managing director of a firm known as Finex Professional.

The former governor is said to have benefitted to the tune of N22 billion out of the N84 billion which the suspended AGF is being accused of diverting.

The former governor is reported to have received the huge cash through Finex Professional.

The National Power Training Institute of Nigeria, an agency of the Federal Government, has been contracted to train employees of the Egyptian Electricity Corporation as the organisation expands its activities in Africa.

NAPTIN also stated that it had trained power sector officials of Ghana and Liberia in a bid to boost the delivery of electricity in the West African nations and beyond.

The institute’s Director-General, Ahmed Bolaji, disclosed this to journalists in Abuja at the official presentation of QMS ISO 9001:2015 Certificate to NAPTIN by the Standards Organisation of Nigeria.

He said, “NAPTIN is centre of excellence in West Africa, for we have trained staff of the Liberia Electricity Corporation in Liberia and we’ve trained power employees of Ghana, i.e. GridCo and VRA, in the power sector in Ghana.

“We have gone as far as training power employees in Malawi in East Africa and we’ve been contracted to train staff of the Egyptian Electricity Corporation and my instructors will be embarking on the trip.

“So, we are now globally recognised and we are really a centre of excellence not only in Nigeria but in Africa.”

On the certificate by SON, Bolaji explained that the ISO 9001:2015 quality management system was a process development that would strengthen business performance, create efficiency in work and guarantee world-class corporate governance.

He said the ISO certificate would enable the institute to build enduring customer satisfaction, which was the ultimate goal of any product development organisation.

“This development will enhance the NAPTIN brand and product offerings and will guarantee quality assurance and meet standards of regulatory requirements,” he stated.

Bolaji said NAPTIN had continued to function as the power training centre in the West African sub-region under West African Power Pool and also the Association of Power Utilities of Africa under the African Network Centres of Excellence in Electricity project.

The Director-General, SON, Farouk Salim, advised NAPTIN to keep the system healthy and up to date to reap the benefits of the ISO approach to management.

He said, “This system, having been certified, has been placed on annual surveillance audits to ensure continuing suitability and effectiveness.

“In the course of the audit exercises, where non-conformance is observed and is effectively corrected within the specified time frame, the system will retain the certificate.

“However, the certificate will be withdrawn if the structures in place for certification break down and necessary corrective actions are not taken on observed non-conformance.”

Following Tuesday’s meeting between President Muhammadu Buhari, the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Adamu Abdulahi and 22 governors elected under the party, the coast seems clear for it to adopt the consensus option to select its presidential candidate in the forthcoming national convention.

During the meeting, which took place in his office at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, the President admonished them to come up with a candidate that reflects all the values and virtues of the party.

Buhari affirmed that consultations will continue in the days leading to the national convention to ensure that all the aspirants are carried along as he advised the meeting to work towards the emergence of a candidate who can give Nigerians a sense of victory and confidence before the 2023 election.

A statement issued by Femi Adesina, Special Adviser to the President (Media and Publicity) quoted the President telling the participants: “The processes for the 2023 General Elections have commenced in earnest and I note that the most successful political parties globally have always relied on their internal cohesion and a strong leadership brand to achieve bigger electoral fortunes. Our party, the APC, shall not be any different, more so as we are still implementing the blueprint for a more prosperous nation.”

The President warned that he will apply stronger control on the ruling party in his last year at the helm to ensure that it remains strong and united so that it can retain power.

He added: “As I begin the final year of my second term as President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and leader of the party, I recognize the compelling need for me to provide stronger leadership to the party under this transition process and to ensure that it happens in an orderly manner.

“Such leadership is required so that the party remains strong and united. It is also needed to improve our electoral fortunes by ensuring that it retains power at the centre, holds the great majority in various legislative chambers and also gains an additional number of states.

“In a few days, the party will be holding its Convention during which primaries would take place to pick the Presidential Flag Bearer for the 2023 General Elections. This is a very significant process and its outcome should prove to the world, the positive quality of the APC regarding democratic principles, culture as well as leadership.”

The President appealed to all the Governors “to allow our interests to converge, our focus to remain on the changing dynamics of our environment, the expectations of our citizens and the global community. Our objective must be the victory of our party and our choice of the candidate must be someone who would give the Nigerian masses a sense of victory and confidence even before the elections.”

While assuring that the consultation process will continue to ensure that all aspirants and stakeholders are brought on board right through to the convention, he stressed that it would also ensure that any anxiety occasioned by different factors is effectively brought under control, “and that our party emerges stronger.”

Speaking on behalf of the state governors, Governor Atiku Bagudu of Kebbi State and Chairman of Progressive Governors Forum said the party must build on the successes of its recent elective convention, and the primaries conducted so far, “and come up with a candidate who will walk in the footsteps of patriotism and love for the country, which Mr President has shown,” adding: “We will support Mr President to have a very successful convention.”

Meanwhile, it was gathered that President Buhari has recommended that the number of presidential aspirants going into the party primaries should be reduced to a manageable figure with the National Chairman expressing the hope that aspirants can be pruned to four.

Matthew Agbaje

A police sergeant, Ukeme Asuquo, on Monday, appeared before Justice O.H. Oshodi of the Ikeja High Court over alleged murder of a police inspector, Francis Adekunle.

PUNCH Metro gathered that detectives from the State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department, Yaba, Lagos, arrested the sergeant for allegedly inflicting machete cuts on the inspector.

Asuquo, who was attached to the Anti-Cultism Unit of the Lagos State Police Command, allegedly hacked Francis, who was attached to the Special Protective Unit, Ikeja, in their neighbour’s compound on Oyedeji Close, Agbale Kale, Aboru, Lagos.

The inspector later died at a hospital.

The sergeant was charged with murder, an offence contrary to Section 223 of the Criminal Law, C17, Vol.3, Laws of Lagos State, 2015.

The charge read in part, “That you, Ukeme Asuquo, on or about June 4, 2020, around 8pm, at 1, Olajide Close, Agbelekale, Aboru, Lagos State, in the Ikeja Judicial Division, did unlawfully kill one Ilesanmi (Francis) Adekunle by hacking him with a cutlass.”

The defendant pleaded not guilty.

During the court sitting, the prosecution counsel, M.O. Abari, led the widow of the deceased, Itunnu Adekunle, in evidence.

Itunnu said, “We just got back from work around 8pm on June 4, 2020, and while burning some refuse outside our compound, the defendant approached me and asked me to see him. He refused to answer me when I demanded his reason.

“Asuquo then drove in and shut the gate against me. I banged on the gate, as our co-tenant, Ayodele Eyitayo, approached the gate to open for me. Asuquo challenged him not to open the gate; he then pushed him to the ground.

“Upon my cry for help, my husband came down to stop them from fighting and open the gate for me. After our co-tenant (Eyitayo) went into his apartment, Asuquo went in as well but came out with a sword and chased me and my husband.

“We ran in different directions and after a while, one of our neighbours came back to inform me where I was hiding that my husband had been hacked by the defendant. I rushed to the scene and found my husband in a pool of blood in my neighbour’s compound. He was rushed in a tricycle to a hospital, where he died on the third day.”

Another witness, Taiwo Oluwatuyi, while being led by the prosecuting counsel, said despite his plea, Asuquo kept hitting the inspector with the weapon.

Justice Oshodi adjourned the matter until October 17, 2022, for continuation of trial.

Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom has charged the former Vice President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar and other leaders of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, to remain focused on moves to destroy the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC.

This was contained in a statement issued by his spokesman, Nathaniel Ikyur, while congratulating Atiku for clinching the presidential ticket of the main opposition party.

According to Ortom, Atiku’s victory at the PDP convention held on Saturday in Abuja was an act of God.

He described the primary election as peaceful, commending all aspirants, particularly the Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike and others who participated in the election.

He said, “In John 3.27, the Bible says ‘A man can receive nothing except it’s given to him from above.’ So, for the benefit of all Nigerians for whom we strive to make society better, let us now come together under the leadership of the party and be focused to dislodge the APC who have destroyed the very essence of our nationhood, by winning the 2023 general election to restore the dignity of Nigerians both at home and in the Diaspora.”

Ortom called on all patriotic members of the party to remain united in a bid to take over power in all levels of government via the 2023 general elections

By Fadehan Oyeyemi


Amid heavy security by its operatives, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has brought the former Imo State Governor, Rochas Okorocha before a Federal High Court in Abuja for arraignment over N2.9B corruption charges.

Okorocha was driven to the court premises at about 8:45 a.m. and was immediately led to the court room.

Dressed in his usual green coloured Agbada with a brown cap to match, the All Progressive Congress (APC) Presidential aspirant, who is wearing a pensive mood, was made to sit near a dock where his plea on the fraud charges against him would be taken this morning.


His usual smiles and waiving of handkerchief to admirers are completely absent in his mood in the court room.

Some of his family members and political associates who are in court ahead of his arrival could not get direct access to him due to heavy security mounted around him.

The aides comprising former Commissioners among others, are, however, miling around to catch a glimpse of the Senator representing Imo West in the Senate.

His lead counsel, Mr Kehinde Ogunwumiju, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, SAN, has also arrived in court with a retinue of other lawyers.

At the time of this report, Justice Inyang Eden Ekwo who is to handle the case is being awaited in the court.

However, the court Registrar and other workers are already on their seats.

Okorocha was forcefully arrested on Tuesday in his Abuja residence by EFCC operatives as part of efforts to ensure his appearance in court today.

It will be recalled that Justice Inyang Ekwo of the Federal High Court, Abuja had on Monday, March 28, issued a threat to strike out the N2.9 billion money laundering charges against Okorocha should the Federal Government fail again to cause his appearance in court.


The judge had threatened to throw out the charges following the inability of the Federal Government to serve charges on Okorocha as required by law.

At the March 28 proceedings, the Federal Government, for the second time through its counsel, Mr Cosmos Ugwu, had told Justice Ekwo that he has not been able to see Okorocha and serve him with the charges.

The Federal Government’s charges against Okorocha dated January 24, 2022, was signed by one A.O Ikota on behalf of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.

Okorocha, who is currently a Senator representing Imo West in the National Assembly, is to face trial alongside six others in the N2.9 billion money laundering criminal charges.

The Senator is being put on trial by the Federal Government on 17-count charges involving criminal diversion of public funds and properties

The emergence of the former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar as the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has placed the All Progressives Congress (APC) at the crossroads, making the leaders of the ruling party cautious of their next steps.

The APC leaders are weighing two options on who to put forward for the contest, Daily Trust can report.

This is just as impeccable sources at the leading opposition party said shopping for a running mate for Atiku has commenced. Top shot of the camp of Atiku said they are considering paring a serving governor from the South-South geopolitical zone with him.

After months of hide-and-seek by the two political parties on zoning their presidential tickets, the PDP on Saturday conducted its presidential primary and picked a northerner from Adamawa State.

Twice the ruling party had postponed its presidential primary. The party was blamed for the postponement of the June 3 deadline for the conduct of the parties’ primaries for the 2023 general elections by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Friday.


APC at crossroads, weighs 2 options

Seven days to the new date fixed for the APC presidential primary, Daily Trust reports that activities for the exercise have not commenced.

Party leaders, aspirants, and other stakeholders of the party are at crossroads over choices to make. The screening of the 23 presidential aspirants of the party slated for last Monday was postponed indefinitely.

Daily Trust reports that the National Working Committee (NWC) under the leadership of a former governor of Nasarawa State, Senator Abdullahi Adamu, has neither fixed a new date nor constituted a committee to carry out the exercise.

Out of the 23 aspirants, stakeholders in the party are looking in the direction of National Leader, Bola Ahmed Tinubu; Vice President Yemi Osinbajo; Senate President Ahmad Lawan and former Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi.

Sources in the ruling party told Daily Trust that two options are being weighed.

“It is either we dare the South and pick our candidate in the North or we throw open the race and risk its outcome,” a source in the party said.

Daily Trust had on May 17 exclusively reported the heightening of the push for the retention of the party’s presidential ticket in the North. The emergence of Atiku has amplified it. But a section of the power brokers in Abuja is said to be still rooting for former President Goodluck Jonathan as a possible flag bearer of the party.

The northerners in the race for the ticket are; Lawan; Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello; Jigawa State Governor, Mohammed Badaru Abubakar and former Zamfara State Governor, Sen. Ahmed Yarima. A former governor said the emergence of the former vice president has completely changed the dynamics.

He said; “Apart from some charlatans in the Villa dropping Buhari’s name and claiming that he has endorsed Amaechi, the emergence of Atiku has completely changed the dynamics.

“Apart from Tinubu, is there anyone who can match Atiku toe-to-toe across the nation and repeat the MKO success story when he defeated the late Bashir Othman Tofa in Kano?”

“Surely, Atiku is banking on northern votes. Kwankwaso will cut off some from North West. So a good running mate from North will square him off. And of course, attacking his home base of northeast is the deal.”

But a former Governor of Abia State, Senator Orji Uzor Kalu, yesterday said the emergence of Atiku has shut the doors on the southern contestants in the APC.

Kalu, the Chief Whip of the Senate and one of the promoters of Lawan, urged President Buhari to pick his successor.

“For our party the APC, it is no longer feasible to talk about southern candidates except the APC wants to go on political retirement.

The Abia senator also urged the party’s leadership to zone APC presidential ticket to the North East.

“I call on President Buhari to pick a successor from the North East and that will be the equity the South East needs. With the North East, the cycle will be closest to completion of regions producing the president of Nigeria,” he said in a statement.

But the Talban Bauchi, Tahir Ibrahim Tahir, in an article tagged, “APC’s bitter but puissant pill,” said Tinubu is the only aspirant that can match Atiku.

“APC must honour its unwritten agreement of power shift, in the spirit of federal character and rotation. Tinubu as a southerner is the only politician that has exhibited the northern brand of inclusiveness in politics,” he said.


S/West APC chieftains warn against Jonathan’s candidature

A coalition of chieftains of the APC in the South West has urged President Buhari not to breach the trust and agreement he reached with the leaders of the party in the region before his election in 2015.

The group in a statement issued yesterday by its National Convener, Mr Fatai Bola Adekunle, said Buhari was morally bound to support and ensure that a party member from the South West region succeeds him in the office next year.

Adekunle maintained that anything short of the aforementioned demand would amount to betrayal from President Buhari and his supporters to the people of the South West who he said helped him (Buhari) greatly to get into office in 2015.

“We are appealing to President Muhammadu Buhari to reciprocate the gesture of the people of the South West to him in 2015 by making sure that one of our sons emerges to succeed him in 2023 as a token of appreciation for the gesture of our people towards him.

“All of us were living witnesses to the roles played by our sons and daughters to ensure the emergence of Buhari as the president of the country. It is no gainsaying the fact that without that alliance between the South West and the North, the Buhari presidency that we have today would not have been possible”, they said.

They further cautioned the party leaders against the rumoured moves to foist former President Goodluck Jonathan as a presidential candidate.

Contacted, an aide of the president said Buhari was not part of a plot to draft Jonathan into APC presidential race.

He said on Sunday that instructions had been given that there shall be no public release of photos of any meetings between the former president and the incumbent at this time.

The president, it was gathered, did not want such images to be used to confer any modicum of support to the plot to get Jonathan into the race.

Daily Trust learnt that the Presidency was worried that the aides of the former president were involved in keeping the “Plot alive in the media by releasing photos of his visits to the APC Chairman and Alhaji Mamman Daura, to insinuate that these two gentlemen are in support of the plot”.


Ex-VP’s camp considers Okowa, Udom, elders make case for Wike

Reliable sources at the PDP told this paper that the shopping for a running mate for Atiku has commenced.

At the 2019 general election, Atiku, who was the candidate of the party picked a former governor of Anambra State, Peter Obi as his running mate. They were defeated by President Buhari.

A source close to Atiku said before the primary, they had resolved to pick the running mate from the South-South geopolitical zone.

He said at their inner circle, the Delta State Governor, Ifeanyi Okowa, was being considered for the plum seat given his contribution to the emergence of Atiku.

“Except for last-minute change, we are looking at Governor Okowa for the position. He has consistently supported our camp despite all backlashes. He mobilised resources for us and ensured that all the delegates of his voted for us,” the source, one of the leaders of the campaign team said.

But another source in the party, who confirmed that they have resolved that the running mate be picked from the South-South, said the issue of Okowa has not been sealed.

“There is a division on it, some are saying him but others especially elders of the party, said Wike should be considered because of his performance at the primary,” the party leader said.

He also said that Governor Udom Emmanuel Akwa Ibom, who came fourth with 38 votes at the primary, has begun moves to be considered for the seat.

According to him, the main factor that led to the defection of Peter Obi was the decision of the Atiku’s camp to look elsewhere for the running mate.

Meanwhile, a former Senate President, Anyim Pius Anyim, one of the presidential aspirants of the PDP, has expressed shock that the consideration by delegates during voting was based on the old primordial sentiments rather than on burning national issues and how to resolve them.

Anyim, who said this while reacting to the outcome of the PDP presidential primaries, however, congratulated former Vice President Atiku Abubakar for emerging the flag bearer of the party.

He said he was proud to have gone through the presidential race to the end, assuring that he would continue to stand tall “Until we birth the Nigeria of our collective dreams.”

By Eyo Charles

Militants of Ambazonia, a separatist group in South West Cameroon, have killed at least 20 people in a community in Boki Local Government Area of Cross River State.

Chief Cletus Obun, a former member of Cross River House of Assembly and an aspirant of House of Reps for Boki/Ikom federal constituency, confirmed the incident, saying it happened on Sunday.

“I can confirm that the Ambazonian soldiers crossed the Nigerian border Sunday morning to attack their compatriots who fled into Nigeria and refused to join their forces to fight.”

“They killed nearly 20. No one is sure yet if amongst those killed, there are Nigerian citizens.”

He said the remaining Cameroonians who also speak Bokye language of Boki people have now flooded Bashu community, not far from Danare, where Nigerian troops have a small camp.

Ambazonian militants regularly saunter into the Boki, where there are many Cameroonians, to wreak havoc or unwind.

When contacted, Information officer of 13 Brigade of Nigerian Army Calabar, Captain Tope Aluko, said they were yet to confirm the latest attack, which happened six months after a similar invasion in Taraba State.

Senate Deputy Minority Leader, Emmanuel Bwacha, had raised the alarm over how suspected Cameroonian militants gunned down the village head and some residents of Manga community in Taraba.

The lawmaker had said the Cameroonian separatists razed down the village.

Bwacha, who represents Taraba South in the Senate, said the separatists’ invasion threatened Nigeria’s territorial sovereignty as their motive is yet unknown.

He had said, “I rise this morning to draw the attention of our country men and particularly our security agencies to this unfortunate incident which undermines our integrity and sovereignty as a nation. Takum local government houses the 23 Battalion of the Nigerian Army, and so Mr. President, it is my humble submission that the Nigerian Army should rise to the challenge and curb this wanton territorial expansion.

“Their (Separatists) motive is yet unknown, whether they want to expand territory or lay claim for Southwest Cameroon is not yet clear.”

By Yemi Aruna

The Secretary to the Bauchi State Government (SSG), Ibrahim Kashim, on Wednesday won the governorship primary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state.

However, Mr Kashim won the primary as a proxy of Governor Bala Mohammed who will soon recover it from him since Mr Mohammed has lost his presidential bid.

Mr Kashim was the sole aspirant in the contest, at an elaborate event attended by the governor and his deputy, Baba Tela.

The victory of Mr Kashim, who became the SSG in June 2021, makes him the first man in the state to win its most coveted party ticket without publicly declaring his ambition or producing a single campaign billboard or poster.

Sources familiar with the circumstances that led to his “miraculous” victory said Mr Kashim was the last-minute choice of Governor Mohammed who on Saturday night polled 20 votes in the presidential primary of the opposition party.


Lone Candidate

Although they were all aware of the charade, delegates at Zaranda Hotel Bauchi, the venue of the primary election, dutifully cast 656 (one vote invalid) votes to affirm Mr Kashim as the 2023 governorship candidate of their party.

At the end of the voting, the returning officer, Hassan Grema, said: “By the powers conferred on me by the constitution of the PDP, I hereby declare Barrister Kashim Ibrahim as the winner of the PDP gubernatorial ticket for the 2023 general elections.”

Mr Kashim, who many delegates at the event were interfacing with for the first time, in his acceptance speech, said with his nomination, the PDP was poised to “win the next general election in the state.”

“The contest has just begun for 2023 and the PDP is ready to beat every other opposition,” he said.

“We must be a united party to be able to defeat others in the general elections. I am appealing to all of you to rally round and give the maximum support needed to win the general elections come 2023,” Mr Kashim said.

The former SSG then took time to commend Governor Mohammed “for providing purposeful leadership that has transformed Bauchi State far above its peers.”

He reassured his party members that he would consolidate on the achievements of the administration if elected governor next year.


Charade

Despite Mr Kashim’s victory speech, many in the state know he is not a genuine candidate.

Sahara Reporters had published a report on May 1, quoting a local Bauchi-based online newspaper, Wikitimes, detailing how Messrs Mohammed and Kashim had a secret pact which led to the latter’s secret resignation.

Sources within the Bauchi PDP informed PREMIUM TIMES that the SSG was only being used as a character in Governor Mohammed’s political subterfuge.

“The SSG is the governor’s plan-B, should His Excellency fail to clinch the presidential ticket next week,” one source said last week.

“No doubt Barrister Mohammed, who is barely known by many in Bauchi, is only helping his boss to hold forth until the presidential election primaries are concluded.”

Ironically, Section 35 of the Electoral Act is usually exploited to allow such charade to go through.

The Act says “A candidate may withdraw his candidature by notice in writing signed by him and delivered by himself to the political party that nominated him for the election and the political party shall convey such withdrawal to the Commission not later than 45 days to the election.”

Many agree that it is uncommon for a first-time governor who is hopeful of reelection to throw it away in the way Mr Mohammed and his SSG wanted Nigerians to believe.

Another Bauchi PDP chieftain who asked not to be named in this report said: “If truly the governor was quitting the state politics for good, he would not settle for his SSG as his replacement when there are big names like the deputy governor, Senator Tela around him.

“The PDP, regardless of its being the ruling party in Bauchi, would lose the 2023 elections should the SSG proceed to appear on the final ballot,” the source stressed.

When Governor Mohammed was receiving a report from his Presidential Aspiration Contact And Consultation Committee led by a senator, Adamu Gumba, he made a remark about his plans on how he would pursue the PDP presidential ticket and secure his seat in Bauchi at the same time.

The former FCT minister jokingly said he would entrust his governorship ticket to a less ambitious politician whom he trusted to hand it back when asked to do that.

“Bauchi can be better if I am at the centre,” Sahara Reporters quoted Mr Mohammed as saying.

“But certainly, we have to manage the two together. I told my brother and colleague that you should not be happy to send me forth so that you can take over the governorship; I am going to do the two together as Matawallen Sokoto (Governor Tambuwal) did in 2019.

“I am going to test it and I am not going to give somebody who will not give me back when I come back,” Governor Mohammed said.

“One of my brothers, a formidable and astute politician, Matawalle Sokoto (Aminu Tambuwal) did it before, so we are going to also test it,” the Sahara Reporters publication quoted Mr Mohammed as saying.

Governor Mohammed and his party are expected to utilise Section 35 of the Electoral Act in securing his second term ambition as governor.

Mr Kashim, who many in Bauchi believe still supervises the affairs of the Governor’s Office as SSG despite his resignation, will soon write to inform his party about his intention to withdraw as the governorship candidate.


Not unprecedented

When that happens, it will not make Governor Mohammed the first person to chase two rats at the same time.

As the governor said, his counterpart in Sokoto, Aminu Tambuwal, did the same thing in 2019. After his defeat at the PDP presidential primary in Port Harcourt that year, he returned home to recover the governorship ticket from a proxy whom he had prodded to take the ticket at the governorship primary.

This was also the favourite game of former Senate President Bukola Saraki, who was also a candidate at Saturday night’s presidential primary of the PDP like Messrs Tambuwal and Mohammed.

In 2011 and 2019, Mr Saraki used proxies to tie down the senatorial tickets of the PDP while running after the party’s presidential ticket.

When Nigeria’s President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd), defeated the incumbent President Goodluck Jonathan in February 2015, investors were upbeat. The peaceful handover of power from Jonathan to Buhari brought back investor confidence that was lost before the election due to apprehension.

In response, Nigerian stocks gained most in the world, with the yield on a $500 million Eurobond offered by the country falling to the lowest level since December 2014 due to a growing confidence. A falling yield on a bond means that investor confidence in an economy is rising, but the reverse is the case for a rising bond yield.

On April 1, 2015, the stock market all share index rose by 8.4 per cent and the naira firmed at N217/$ in the parallel market, gaining 0.46 per cent. The nation’s currency remained stable at N197/$ at the interbank market since February.

Consequently, Renaissance Capital remarked that “a Buhari win implies reformist policies,” noting that it would be positive for investors.

However, soon after Buhari was sworn in, his boom turned to bust as all the market indices began to tumble. By August 2015, the stock market had lost N2.5 trillion due to what the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry, LCCI, described as “lack of policy clarity and economic direction.”

Investors became jittery

Six months after Buhari came to power, he moved from one government ministry to another, assuring them of his vision and mission for the country. Ordinarily, according to market analyst, Ike Ibeabuchi, there was nothing wrong with the move. “But while he dilly-dallied, the economy began to wane and he had to pay a heavy price for that for that.”

Critical ministerial appointments were ignored, which turned out to be his Achilles heel. Investors soon started demanding an economic direction.

“Council urged the Buhari administration to make a clear pronouncement with respect to its fiscal policy, foreign exchange policy, tax policy, subsidy policy, trade policy, reform of oil and gas sector (upstream and downstream), the power sector, the 2015 budget, the auto policy, sectoral policies, etc. All these are necessary for investors to have a clear insight into the policy direction of the government and take strategic investment decisions,” the LCCI said in its statement released in August 2015, three months after Buhari’s swearing-in.

The delay began to have impact on the currency.

In response, the LCCI said, “Council, therefore, calls for a more strategic framework for the management of the foreign exchange market. Council urged the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to quickly set up an economic team that will interface with the CBN, the organised private sector and the key economic ministries to come up with a sustainable model for the management of the foreign exchange market.”

Investors told our reporters by August 2015 that they were awaiting Buhari’s ministers.

Recession came

While Nigeria burnt, Buhari fiddled. The urgency needed by the economy was not matched by Buhari’s responses, according to analysts.

At the time Buhari was reluctant to appoint ministers, the oil price was ebbing. The average oil price at that time was $50 – about $3 below the benchmark oil price in that year’s budget.

According to analysts, even when Buhari ended up appointing some ministers, investors were sceptical about their capacities to deliver. Due to global headwinds, oil price fell to $28 per barrel by December 2015, forcing the government into a panic mode.

One of the hallmarks of the Buhari administration was protectionism. With his mind set on stopping unbridled imports, Buhari’s government shut down borders, and this proved costly for the economy, especially in relation to food inflation.

In 2016, Africa’s most populous nation fell into recession, its worst in 33 years. The gross domestic product recorded a contraction of 3.62 per cent in the third quarter of 2020, with the cumulative GDP for the first nine months of 2020 standing at -2.48 per cent.

In 2020, the administration recorded another recession, this time, due to COVID-19 which hit many countries.

Indices continued to plunge

The record of Buhari’s administration on several economic indices are not looking good.

Unemployment rises by 437%

As at the fourth quarter of 2014, Nigeria’s unemployment rate was 6.2 per cent, according to data by the National Bureau of Statistics, NBS. As at the fourth quarter of 2021, the NBS disclosed that the joblessness rate in the economy had risen to 33.3 per cent, making it one of the worst in the world and signifying a 437 per cent increase over the seven-year period.

“Unemployment will continue to rise as school leavers join an economy that is weak at creating jobs,” said Augusto & Co., which had predicted that the unemployment rate would hit 35 per cent in 2021.

Naira weakens by 181%

The exchange rate management system is, perhaps, the area that has attracted most criticism to Buhari and the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN. As at May 2015, Naira exchange for dollar at N197/$ at the interbank market and N217/$ at the parallel market. On Friday, May 26, 2022, Naira-to-dollar exchange rate was N415.72 at the Importers and Exporters Window and nearly N610 at the parallel market.

By implication, dollar has weakened by 111 per cent in the official market and 181 per cent in the parallel market since Buhari came to power. Analysts generally blame the CBN for its focus on demand management rather than on the supply side which deals with foreign exchange earnings.

The Chief Executive Officer of Centre for the Promotion of the Private Enterprise, Dr Muda Yusuf, said in one of his statements that, “The CBN has not allowed the market to determine the market rate; it needs to give the market a chance. Its current approach would continue to deepen distortions in the economy, perpetuate round-tripping, fuel speculation, suppress forex supply and boost underground economy.”

He noted that what was happening in the foreign exchange market was a result of the CBN policy choice of a fixed exchange rate regime and administrative allocation of forex, which should not happen.

He further said that suppressing the market was like swimming against the tide, adding that moving retail forex transactions from BDCs to the banks was like kicking the can down the road.

“The same issues would manifest even with the banks. Managing a subsidy regime is typically a herculean task. We have seen this happen with fertiliser subsidy and petrol subsidy. The story cannot be different with foreign exchange.”

Subsidy rises by N3.9trn

As at 2015 when Buhari came to power, petrol subsidy had been pruned to N100 billion. In the 2022 budget, Buhari proposed N4 trillion to the National Assembly in a subsidy regime that has been described as fraudulent and opaque. Oil theft has also worsened as the country loses N30 to N60 trillion annually, according to a 2022 research supported by Shell.

The President of MAN, Mansur Ahmed, told Sunday PUNCH that petrol subsidy was a yoke on the Nigerian economy, arguing that placing much importance on petrol over issues of health and infrastructure was misdirected.

“We believe that subsidy is a yoke on our economy. First of all, the social sector is critical. Maybe people feel that fuel is so important, but if you compare it with health, education and security, you will notice it is nowhere near them,” he said.

A professor of Energy Economics at Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Uche Nwogwugwu, condemned the N4tn petrol subsidy, saying that it was a tax on consumption.

He said the amount was enough to subsidise the cost of local refining, noting that channelling Nigeria’s scarce resources to subsidy when issues of funding education, infrastructure and security were on the front burner was a waste of money.

“Nobody knows the basis of the N4trn subsidy. We in energy economics say that any subsidy on petroleum is corruption. A lot of development can be done with N4trn and we can develop alternative energy sources of energy and renewable energy with that amount, to rely less on fossil fuel.”

A development economist, Aliyu Iliyas, decried the poor state of the country, urging the Federal Government to eliminate fuel subsidy.

He said, “Well, the fact remains that the country is in a serious mess as the revenue is very poor. Consequently, the government has to borrow. However, the government’s borrowing rate is very dangerous.

“If you look at the oil market now, the price of oil has been increasing for some time now but the country isn’t benefiting from it because we are not producing at home. Unfortunately, as the price of oil continues to rise, so also will our subsidy bail-out which causes a series of problem. So, the best decision is not to borrow to pay for subsidy but to remove it and focus on revamping refineries in the country, in addition to the Dangote refinery that we are waiting for.

“However, with the route the government has chosen, it is clear that the economy will suffer and so will the Nigerian people. We should expect inflation to rise in the next few months and development in the country to suffer.”


Inflation soars by over 78%

Inflation is not spared as prices have risen by over 77.8 per cent since Buhari came to power. Inflation has since 2015 risen from 9.01 per cent (average number in 2015) to 16.02 (average so far in 2022).

When inflation rises, cost of living increases and standard of living deteriorates. According to analysts, more people are pushed into the poverty class with a rising inflation rate.

Interest rate fares better

By June 2015, the Monetary Policy Rate, MPR, which is the benchmark interest rate was 13 per cent. This is the same today, though the CBN had earlier maintained it at 11.5 per cent.

When the CBN raised this rate last Tuesday, several analysts said it would have implications on the economy.

The Deputy President of the LCCI, Gabriel Idahosa, described the development as an inevitability, considering the recent upward inflationary trend.

“It was actually expected because inflation has gone up to 16 per cent. The CBN target is 13 per cent, so we have lost the downward trending inflation rate that has been on for quite a number of months. By last week, the financial community expected the CBN to increase the interest rate, starting with the one just announced. It was predictable.”

He said the lending rate increase would give rise to more hardship due to the higher cost of borrowing that would apply to all sectors of the economy.

Similarly, the Director-General of the Nigerian-American Chamber of Commerce, Sola Obadimu, condemned the decision by the CBN. He further stated that indiscriminate increase of lending rate by the CBN would inevitably drive up the cost of doing business.

More misery for Nigerians

The Misery Index in 2015 was 47.7 points but it has risen to 50.48 points, meaning that more Nigerians are now more miserable than they were in 2015.

Similarly, in 2018, Nigeria was adjudged by the World Poverty Clock as world’s poverty capital. According to the World Bank, poverty rate was 33.1 per cent by end of 2014/ beginning of 2015, but poverty rate will likely sit at 42.6 per cent in 2022.

Similarly, economic growth in the fourth quarter of 2014 was 5.94 per cent and 2.5 per cent in the second quarter of 2015. The number was 3.11 per cent in the first quarter of 2022. Generally, however, growth has not been strong in the last seven years due to two recessions experienced so far.

By Clifford Ndujihe


THE stage is set. The main opposition Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, will pick its presidential flagbearer, the seventh since the 1999 return to civil rule, today.

The road that the PDP threaded to today’s presidential national convention has been rough. Several issues had propped up and the decisions that the PDP took on those knotty issues have shaped the texture of the election among the remaining 14 aspirants in the race.

The controversies that led to the sacking of the former National Working Committee, NWC, led by Prince Uche Secondus, the installation of new national officials led by Dr Iyorchia Ayu, and the ratification of the Governor Samuel Ortom-led committee on zoning of elective national offices have defined the outlook of the convention holding at the Velodrome of the MKO Abiola Stadium, Abuja.

In sum, 17 persons purchased the nomination and expression of interest forms. Two were disqualified by the David Mark-led screening committee. Former Governor of Anambra State, Mr. Peter Obi opted out of the race and resigned from the party, leaving 14 contenders.


The 810 Party delegates that will elect one of these presidential hopefuls started trooping into Abuja since Wednesday.

Following the foot work of the aspirants and a number of factors, some of them have emerged as front runners.

Currently, the contest is panning out as three horse race among former Vice President and 2019 presidential candidate of the PDP, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar; current governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike; and immediate past Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki.

Among the trio, Atiku appears to have upper hand as of now. Other aspirants that are poised to pull surprises at the convention include former governor of Kwara State, Bukola Saraki and the current governor of Sokoto State, Aminu Tambuwal.

Some delegates who spoke on condition anonymity said winning the election and returning to Aso Rock, winning majority of states and National Assembly slots are topmost priorities of PDP leaders ahead of the 2023 elections.

Thus, some of them said the primary position on zoning among the delegates is based on electing a candidate who can win the general election.

“The principal idea behind the decision of the party to throw the presidential position open to all geo-political zones is to ensure that the PDP does not deprive itself of the best candidate that can win the presidency for us in 2023. Every political party wants to win an election. A political party is not a pressure group.

“So, if we are here to win elections. That is our primary purpose. Where and how to allocate positions is not as important to a political party as who can win an election for the party.

This is the enlightened self interest of the PDP as at today. It is the reason the leadership of the party did not yield to the clamour for zoning and that same interest will determine the outcome of our convention on Saturday (today),” a delegate from Ondo State said.


Another delegate from Kaduna State said: “Everyone in the PDP knows that we won the last presidential election. The election was heavily rigged and yet the APC only managed to declare a defeat of Atiku by less than two million votes.

“I don’t think that there is any reason for us to change a candidate that we are used to. Someone with experience and is a good material to market across this country. With due respect to the other aspirants, I dare say that no one among them has name recognition like Atiku. Yes, Saraki has name recognition too, but you can’t compare him with Atiku.”


Effect of non-signing of amended Electoral Act

Until two weeks ago, the race appeared difficult to call. However, the refusal of President Muhammadu Buhari to sign the amended version of the Electoral Act 2022 has affected the planning of aspirants concerning logistic support to the delegates.

It also affected the number of delegates as statutory or super delegates made up of elected officials at all levels will not take part. Thus, only national delegates from the 774 local councils, six area councils in Abuja and 10 others will take part as delegates in today’s exercise.

Expectedly, the reduction in the number of delegates will no doubt affect the exercise.
“The expectation was that the President would sign the amendment and that primaries will hold according to the provision of the amendment. Unfortunately, we are forced to approach an election with a new law that has never been tested and you will expect that there will be some teething problems in terms of logistics.

“Although the reduction in the figure of delegates that will be voting at the convention is a good development, you cannot rule out the fact that it will affect planning and other critical concerns that the aspirants had planned ahead,” a party leader said.


More northern delegates

Another area where the change from the old system to the new law will likely affect the outcome of the election is in the geo-political distribution of the delegates.

With the old order, the South would have had more delegates because there are more PDP states in the region. However, with the exclusion of statutory delegates and the North having more local councils than the South, there is a shift in the balance of delegates, which now favours the North.

While the South has 355 LGAs and no fewer than 360 delegates, the North has 419 LGAs and if the six area councils of Abuja are added the figure comes to 425. That means the North has no fewer than 430 delegates.

The balance of delegates is one reason some delegates believe that Atiku holds the ace with some saying that Saraki and Tambuwal will pull a surprise.

The projection among many of the delegates is that the state caucuses of the party from the North will come to the convention in one bloc to vote for Atiku and Tambuwal. Although Wike is believed to have also made in-roads into some places in the North, sources said most northern delegates are not favourably disposed the Rivers State governor because of his stance on many national issues.


Conversely, a good number of delegates from the South are said to be favourably disposed to Northern aspirants, especially Atiku and Saraki.

A delegate from Abia State said the exit of Mr. Peter Obi from the race has opened the Eastern flanks for hunting and many of the delegates from the East will prefer to go with Atiku than Wike.

In some states in the South-West, for example, the PDP has been out of power in those states for almost 12 years and the yearning of delegates from those states is to crown an aspirant with formidable political stamina to help win back those states for the PDP.

A delegate from Ogun State said: “We are here from Ogun State, like many other states in the South-West, having been in opposition for almost 12 years. We are not here to play or to collect cheap inducements.

We are here for real business and what we are looking at is the aspirant among the lot of them who can win in the general election and mobilize federal power for us to win back our states for the PDP. You remember that before 2003, the whole of the South-West was in Alliance for Democracy. But you recall that it was Baba Obasanjo and Atiku that brought the PDP to government houses in the South-West.”

By Jude Aguguo Owuamanam


Betty Akeredolu, First Lady of Ondo State, who is contesting the All Progressives Congress (APC) Primary election in Imo West, was chased out of the party secretariat in Imo on Saturday.

The Ondo First Lady who hails from Imo had led her supporters to the secretariat to protest the consensus option adopted by the party in choosing its candidate for the 2023 election.

Confusion erupted when her supporters went berserk, insisting that they must be allowed to vote, but the police tried to control the crowd.

In the process, there was stampede as both journalists and delegates who had also arrived for the exercise scampered for safety.

The policemen had to chase Akeredolu and her supporters out of the premises to continue their protest.

Akeredolu, who addressed journalists at the gate of the secretariat, said that its injustice to allow aspirants to campaign only to be told that the party had adopted consensus option.

She said, ” I am insisting that we must go by delegate election. I cannot waste time and resources campaigning only to be told that candidates would emerge by consensus. We must vote and if I lose gallantly, I will accept the result,” she said.

Musa Mani, a top Commander of the Islamic State of the West Africa Province (ISWAP) has surrendered to the troops of the Multi-National Joint Task Force (MNJTF) following sustained joint operations on the fringes of the Lake Chad.

Zagazola Makama, a Counter Insurgency Expert and Security Analyst in Lake Chad disclosed this on his Twitter handle on Saturday.

Makama gathered that Mani, who was from Diffa in the Niger Republic, surrendered to troops of the task force in Damasak and Malam Fatori.

Impeccable sources told Makama the surrendered Commander of Hisbah Militant (civil police) was in charge of supervising activities of the insurgents with a view to ensuring right conduct as well as controlling logistics supplies, tax and levies being paid by fishermen and farmers in the Lake Chad.

The 43-year-old suspect, according to Makama’s tweet confessed that the ongoing offensive by troops of Operation Hadin Kai and Operation Lake Sani made him escape and surrender.

“The suspects told troops that dozens of fighters had died while many have escaped due to the fear of being killed,” he said.

He, however, noted that preliminary investigation revealed that the suspect is a high profile member of the terrorist group.

“The suspect is currently undergoing profiling in troops’ custody,” he added.

Friday Olokor


Ahead of the presidential primaries of the Peoples Democratic Party and the All Progressives Congress, indications have emerged that a former governor of Lagos State and national leader of the APC, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu; former governor of Anambra State, Peter Obi; and national leader of the New Nigeria Peoples Party, Rabiu Kwankwaso, may spearhead regional parties pending the outcome of the primaries that would take place this weekend.

Meanwhile, Peter Obi has been discussing with the NNPP but has not joined the party, The PUNCH learnt on Wednesday night.

A source close to Kwankwaso, who was reacting to speculations that Obi had joined the NNPP after leaving the PDP, said, “It is not official, but that rumour is going on. I’m not sure if he (Obi) has reached out to us. You know his resignation was just today (Wednesday). But I know they have been discussing it with Kwankwaso even before now.

“What might happen is that the politics of 2023 might turn to regional politics. The NNPP is already strong in the North. There is a possibility that Ike Ekweremadu, Enyinnaya Abaribe and Peter Obi might form an alliance under another party in the South East.

“If Asiwaju Bola Tinubu doesn’t get the APC ticket, he might also go back to South-West with the Social Democratic Party. So, these three parties might become the big parties representing the regions in 2023.”

The Borno State governor, Babagana Zulum, has disclosed that some close associates of key presidential aspirants of the All Progressives Congress, APC, have sent him offers for the position of running mate.

Mr Zulum made the disclosure on Thursday in Maiduguri, shortly after accepting his nomination as Borno APC candidate for the 2023 governorship election.

The governor, however, explained that he turned the offers because he preferred to stay back and work drastically for the people of Borno State.

According to him, working with others to hastily rebuild Borno State is the most urgent need and it is beyond any aspiration.

“I came to the conclusion that while a chance to become Vice President could benefit my profile as an individual, becoming reelected as Governor of Borno State has the potential of more overall and more assurance of benefit to the good people of Borno State.

“I, therefore, say that while I thank those who may be considering me for the position of VP, I prefer to stay back and work drastically for the people of Borno State because for me as a citizen of Borno State, working with others to hastily rebuild Borno State is the most urgent need and it is beyond any aspiration.

“I profoundly thank everyone who thought of me worthy of any responsibility and I +pray that Allah helps us to work towards the full restoration of peace, the full recovery and growth of Borno State,” Mr Zulum explained.

The governor, however, admitted that becoming Vice President is considered attractive.

He said: “I have thought about all the powers and privileges of being VP. I can see the honour of presiding over meetings attended by Governors and ministers and the privilege of having a presidential Jet at one’s disposal.

“I can see the honour of presidential receptions within and outside Nigeria.

“However, I have asked myself, that should I get the opportunity to become VP and raise my political profile, what happens to all our ongoing works for the people of Borno State?”

Mr Zulum recalled his administration has built more than 10, 000 houses and currently more of such and reconstructing existing ones.

He added that, “for ongoing resettlement of our people, we have resettled more than 20 communities so far.

“Yet, thousands of our fellow citizens are still homeless and in desperate need of food, water and healthcare.

“We have adopted a development plan that we are already implementing.

“I have asked myself, what happens to all these plans that I am central to, which are helping to fast track our recovery in Borno State?

“Ladies and gentlemen, the killings in Kala-Balge at the weekend made me more critical and the incident seriously reminded me of the challenges that are still ahead of us in Borno State.”