₦airaland Forum

The Joint National Assembly Committee on Land Transport on Wednesday begged the Chinese Government to help rescue 62 passengers abducted from the Abuja-Kaduna passengers’ train on the 28th March 2022 by suspected terrorists.

Addressing journalists after an oversight visit to the Obafemi Awolowo Train Station in Ibadan, Chairman, Senate Committee on Land Transport, Senator Abdulafatai Buhari said that it’s embarrassing that 47 days after some passengers were kidnapped from the Abuja-Kaduna passenger train, they are yet to be rescued.

According to Senator Buhari, “Today makes it exactly 47 days that some Nigerians were abducted from the Abuja-Kaduna passenger train, yet nothing has been done to rescue them.

“Yesterday, some of the families of the abducted passengers met with the Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, and the accusation was that we the lawmakers are not doing anything about rescuing their relatives in captivity.

“What effort is the Chinese Government putting in place to assist the Nigerian Government in rescuing these people?

The Chinese Government makes money from the many rail projects that are being handled by the China Civil Engineering Construction Company (CCECC) here in Nigeria, so asking them to help us is not out of place.

“Nigerians are no longer ready to listen to the number of passengers that have been carried by the trains since they were commissioned. Nigerians are not interested in what has been put in the various stations by the CCECC. What we want to hear now is the effort being put into rescuing those people in captivity.

“If a Chinese national was among those people abducted, we know that the Chinese Government would have come to rescue him.

“I remembered when an American was kidnapped, the Americans came and took him away from where he was held captive. We know that with the level of technology that the Chinese have, even without leaving Beijing, they can help us track where these people are, or even give us enough intelligence that would aid their rescue.

“Imagine one of the abducted passengers giving birth while in captivity. This is unfair to Nigerians. When the Chinese came to help us build the trains, we were happy because it changed the way Nigerians use rail transport. However, the March 28 terrorists attack the Abuja-Kaduna passenger train has succeeded in turning what gave us joy initially to sorrow.”


When asked if his call that the Chinese Government intervene in the rescue of the 62 kidnapped passengers is a loss of confidence in Nigeria’s effort in rescuing them, Senator Buhari stated that Nigeria cannot compare with China when it comes to technology deployment.

“This is not an issue about loss of confidence or not. We are talking about human lives in danger. It’s been 47 days, and these people are still captive. You cannot compare the technology at the disposal of the Chinese with Nigeria. Even if they won’t show us, let them help us from their base in Beijing,” Senator Buhari stated while briefing newsmen after the oversight inspection.

Also speaking during the oversight inspection, the Deputy Managing Director of CCECC, Xia Lijun urged the Joint National  Assembly Committee to look into power supply issues and access road issues affecting most of the train stations.

In his words, “Most of our train stations don’t have good access roads. Please help us look into this issue. Again, the issue of power supply is a problem. Without us getting connected to the power supply from the national grid, getting signalling and communication of the trains up and running is difficult.”

Also speaking, the Managing Director of the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC), Engineer Fidet Okhiria who was represented by a Director in the agency said that the Corporation is increasing technology to restore confidence in the trains.

“We are deploying technology and it is only then when we are sure that we would open up the line.

“That would give people the assurance that things are being done. However, also on the existing lines, we are doing the same thing. We are increasing technology. We are increasing policing. We are using some things that I can’t really talk about on camera.

“But what I want to say is that the Nigerian Railway Corporation is doing everything possible within its power and with other sister agencies to ensure the security of our passengers on board.

“In terms of operation, you can imagine Abuja-Kaduna service, we have not resumed that but in terms of other lines, customers and passengers are getting the confidence back again and the number has started to go up again.”

A police officer, Olusegun Bamidele, serving with the homicide department of the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) Yaba, has told the court how investigations revealed where the late Usifo Ataga and Chidinma Ojukwu might have met before arriving at the crime scene.

The police officer testified on Tuesday in the murder case of the Chief Executive Officer of Super TV, Mr Ataga, at a High Court at the Tafawa Balewa Square in Lagos.

“While I was investigating into the background, I and a friend of the deceased went to Angel Villa Hotel in Lekki,” said Mr Bamidele.

“The owner of the hotel was approached and the story was related to him. Luckily the hotel had CCTV which revealed the presence of the deceased and Chidinma at the hotel.

“After we tracked her to her home in Alagomeji (Yaba) and brought her to the DCP’s office, she was asked about her relationship with the deceased. She denied it initially and this prompted us to deploy the CCTV. She then agreed that she is the Chidinma Adaora Ojukwu we were looking for”.

“We then took her in the company of her foster father, one Onoh Ojukwu, back to the house in Alagomeji where we initially arrested her. We conducted a search of the house in their presence”.

According to the officer, the search yielded a maroon-coloured cloth that Ms Ojukwu wore on the day Mr Ataga was murdered.

“The cloth was stained with blood. Then Onoh Ojukwu shouted: ‘Chidinma, you have killed me, you have done something wrong outside.’

“Chidinma was also crying. We also recovered the black/blue long sleeves gown she wore when she left the apartment in Lekki. This further established that she has something to do with the deceased,” he said.

“We recovered Access bank statements of the deceased, we recovered UBA bank statements with the name Mary Johnson, an ID card with Chidinma’s picture but which carried the name, Mary Johnson. An international passport with her picture, a Uniport certificate with Chidinma’s name boldly written on it, her phone, and some other documents I can’t recollect. We then went back to the office.”

He said at the office, he provided Ms Ojukwu with some food, malt drink, and water. She ate it, after which he started to question her and record her statement.

Mr Bamidele said that Ms Ojukwu said that the deceased was introduced to her by a friend at a hangout on Victoria Island and they developed a sexual relationship afterwards.

“I remember she mentioned a date, 12th June 2021. She received a call from the deceased that they needed to see and go out. Based on the request, she sourced for the apartment,” the officer said.

“She confessed that shortly after she arrived at the apartment, on the 13th, the deceased drove in, in his Range Rover. On his arrival, she said they were both hungry and drove out to eat and returned to the apartment, watched a film, and conversed leading up to sex. They also engaged in smoking Loud. On the 14th, they did the same thing.

“She said she initially came in with the Loud smoke. That’s the name she called it. After they finished it, they needed more. She recollected that she made a call to the second defendant, Quadri (Adedapo) who helped her source for the Loud and another drug called Rohypnol. She also mentioned that the items were brought in through a dispatch rider to the apartment.”

According to the police officer, the suspect described Mr Adedapo as her drug supplier.

“The IPO asked her the potency of the drugs. She responded that a tablet is enough to knock out whoever uses it while Loud is a cigarette light smoke,” he added.


Murder

Mr Bamidele said the event leading to the murder occurred when the deceased asked for more sex.

“She said she pushed him away, which resulted in him knocking her head against a stool that had a glass,” he said.

“Having sustained injury on the head and knees, there was a struggle between them and she said she managed to lay hands on a kitchen knife with which she stabbed the deceased on the neck twice. She confessed that she stabbed him severally without counting and the deceased eventually fell to the floor in the room.”

The police officer also narrated to the court how Ms Ojukwu met the second defendant, Mr Quadri.

“When we interacted with the first defendant, she mentioned the second defendant, Quadri, and how they met,” he said.

“On the premise of this, we searched the call logs of the 1st defendant since she said she doesn’t know his house or address. The call log showed regular calls between both of them.

He said they traced and arrested the second defendant in Surulere.

“During their interactions, he agreed to the request of Chidinma to assist her with preparing certain documents. The documents he assisted her to procure are a driver’s licence, an identity card, a UBA statement of accounts, an Access bank statement of accounts, and a passport.

“The UBA statement of account carried the name Mary Johnson while the Access bank statement had Michael Usifo Ataga’s name on it.

“The driver’s license has the picture of the first defendant on it with the name, Mary Johnson.” said the witness.

The prosecution lawyer told the court that it wants to make sure the officer gives evidence on all he knows about the case after which they will watch all the CD’s gathered as evidence.

The judge adjourned further proceedings till Thursday.

Governor Aminu Masari of Katsina State, yesterday, described All Progressives Congress (APC) national leader and presidential aspirant, Bola Tinubu, as the right person to address the country’s myriad problems.

Masari stated this when a Tinubu-led team was in the state to solicit support ahead of the party’s presidential primary election.
According to the governor, Nigeria is faced with several socio-economic challenges, including insecurity and unemployment, and needs the right leader to address the situation.

He said: “The problems facing Nigeria are many, but they are surmountable. But we need the right leader, and I believe Tinubu is the right man.”

Describing the former Lagos State governor as a cosmopolitan leader, who involved several Nigerians that were not indigenes of Lagos, in his government between 1999 and 2017.

Tinubu, on his part, commended President Muhammadu Buhari’s effort in tackling insecurity and other issues facing the country, promising to build on it.

Masari later went into a closed-door meeting with Tinubu’s team.

In Gombe State, Governor Muhammad Yahaya declared the state’s support for Vice President Yemi Osinbajo. Osinbajo was in Gombe to further his consultation with the state’s delegates and other critical stakeholders in preparedness for the party’s primaries.


Addressing his guest at the Emir of Gombe’s palace, Governor Yahaya said: “There is no one the presidential cap fits like you, the Vice President. We are solidly for you and behind you. It is you that this cap fits squarely, no doubt about that.

“I make bold to say that these people that you see here, in the traditional and other aspects of governance within our society, are committed to see that you actualise this ambition. You are the incoming president because we want this country to progress.”

The Emir, Alh. Abubakar Shehu, extolled Osinbajo as a worthy administrator and good ambassador of his kind, citing the VP’s role as the head of the country’s Economic Management Team (EMT).

He said: “Your role as the Head of the EMT has justified people’s support for you. We, therefore, pray for your continued success in your endeavours.”

FORMER Senate President, Pius Anyim, who is also aspiring for the country’s top job, has promised to end insecurity and provide jobs for unemployed youths, if he becomes president.

Anyim noted that Nigerian residents die like chicken due to banditry and terrorism. Speaking in Kaduna, yesterday, when he consulted with Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) delegates and other chieftains of the party, Anyim said: “Today, in Nigeria, if you are not influential, if you are killed it will not be in the news. Today, we talk of unemployment, insecurity and hunger.

“As a secondary school boy in the 1980s, I was in Kaduna because a brother of mine was working in the textile industry in Kaduna. In the morning, if you come along that rail in Kakuri and see thousands of people going to work in the textile companies, you will beat your chest and say this is Nigeria of our dream. It is unfortunate that the textile industry is now dead. That is the major reason of insecurity around here.”

According to the former senate leader, Nigerians have no other country and “what we look for at a time like this is a man who will reunite us to be our brother’s keeper – that is the leadership I am offering.”

The Ohanaeze Ndigbo has urged former President, Goodluck Jonathan, not to succumb to the “gimmicks of the enemy” aimed at pitching the Ijaw against the Igbo.
This is even as the group noted that there is no going back on its calls for zoning the presidency to the South-East region.

The group, in a statement by its Secretary-General, Okechukwu Isiguzoro, was reacting to a report that a coalition of northern socio-cultural groups purchased the All Progressives Congress (APC) N100million Expression of Interest and Nomination forms for the former President to contest for the 2023 presidency.

Ohanaeze said it was aware of frantic endeavours and backstage activities to resuscitate age-long enmity between the two ethnic groups which was demolished in 2011 when Igbos adopted Jonathan.

The Igbo group advised the former President to support Presidential candidates of Igbo extraction from the seven Igbo speaking states including Anioma (in Delta) or Ikwerre ( in Rivers), stating that it was time for Jonathan to pay back.

The statement reads, “Ohanaeze Ndigbo worldwide has reinstated that there is no going back on 2023 Nigerian President of Igbo stock and anything contrary to it amounts to a denial of equity, fairness, and Justice.

“We will not react to speculations about Jonathan's ambitions until he official declares to run for 2023 Presidency, as there are frantic endeavors and backstage activities to pitch Ijaws against Ndigbo, a repeat of 1966 enemy's gimmicks aimed at the resuscitation of the aged longed enmity between the two ethnic groups of old Eastern region, which was demolished in 2011 when Igbos adopted Jonathan as our own.

“We expect Goodluck Jonathan as elder statesman and African iconic personality to endorse an Igbo Presidency from the seven Igbo speaking states including Anioma (in Delta) or Ikwerre (In Rivers) States, which he has conceded to in the past that Southeast and Igbos were his citadels of support in 2011 and 2015

“We became marginalised and were regarded as 5% because of Igbos support for Jonathan in 2015, we will never forget but this should be a payback time for the sacrifices we paid for the Ijaws and Jonathan in particular.

“Endeavors to sow seeds of disunity and discord among the ethnic groups of the old Eastern region are dead on arrival.

“There is no compromise on the Igbo Project, no individual's ambition is more important than the collective interests of the Igbo, we await for further moves of the backstage power mongers who are enthusiastic about the division of Igbos and Ijaws of the old Eastern region for the gain of the North.”

Omeiza Ajayi, Abuja

A group of Fulani herdsmen and ‘Almajiri’ on Monday night picked the All Progressives Congress APC Presidential Nomination and Expression of Interest forms for former President Goodluck Jonathan.

Noting that Jonathan had a lot of initiatives for them, the group said the former president must be encouraged to come back and continue the good works he started for the Fulani.

Spokesman of the group, Ibrahim Abdullahi said they decided to pick the forms in order to beat the APC deadline, not minding if the former president accepts them or not.


Asked whether Jonathan is a member of the APC, he said; “yes, he is”.

Addressing journalists, Abdullahi said; “I represent two of the most vulnerable communities in our country. The nomadic pastoralist and the Almajiri communities who have decided to purchase these forms for our former president, Dr Goodluck Ebele Jonathan to come back and rule this country and continue with the good work he has started.

“You may recall that during Goodluck Jonathan’s era he was the first president since independence of Nigeria who had found it expedient, who was magnanimous enough some of us remember the Almajiri community, he brought a comprehensive policy of reformation and integration of the Almajiri into the mainstream educational system in Nigeria.


“It was the dream and the vision of President Goodluck Jonathan that if that programme had continued it would one day produce from the Almajiri system of education; Doctors, engineers etc. Unfortunately, that programme was kept aside as soon as he left. Other parts of the community ( the vulnerable community) that Goodluck Jonathan wanted to really give a sense of belonging was the Fulani community, the nomadic pastoralist.

“He set aside N60 billions in the coffers of the Central Bank of Nigeria which was to be used to develop livestock in Nigeria. I believe if government had continued with that programme, today, we would have been the Denmark, the Sweden, the Holland of the entire Africa in terms of livestock, in terms of beef and so on. Looking at this situation and of course the problems Nigeria today is facing, we believe that only a leader with that kind of patriotism, a leader with that kind of fairness who is ready to give every Nigerian sense of belonging, can be able to rule this country and that leader is Dr Goodluck Ebele Jonathan.

“As you may have heard, a lot of interest groups have been coming out to urge him to contest but we felt that because of the deadline that was given whether he agrees or not we need to purchase this form.


“Goodluck Jonathan is for all Nigeria. As Nigerians we believe he has interest of this country at heart, he will accept us. You can see that we are almost late to buy these forms, we have been trying with the Almajiri and the Fulani’s selling our cows. We were able to raise this money just yesterday and we decided to come and purchase these forms. Let Nigerians support this project. If you are talking about Goodluck Jonathan, I don’t think there is any aspirant so far that we have seen that can be compared in any way with Goodluck Ebele Jonathan.

“Unless if Nigerians are not serious, unless if we don’t want to integrate and unite in this country, unless if you want to continue playing the politics of religion, tribalism. You see I am a Fulani man, coming from the far north but I tell you there is no Nigerian today that I can cast my vote or campaign for except Jonathan. For me Jonathan is best among all the aspirants, irrespective of where he comes from and his religion.

“Goodluck Jonathan is the best president for Nigeria and I hope with this purchase of forms today, I call on all the aspirants if they are really patriotic, if they want Nigeria’s unity, if they want sense of belonging, if they want a president for all, if they want a president that has come out to say his ambition does not worth the blood of any Nigerian no matter how lowly or highly placed such Nigerian is and he lived to that word when the chips were down, I think it is time for Nigerians to tell that man to come back and lead us”, he stated.

By Kehinde Akintola



The Executive Director of Adopt A Goal Initiative (AAGI), Ariyo-Dare Atoye on Sunday pledged the support to Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) towards ongoing efforts by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) to tackle the menace of drug trafficking in Nigeria.

Comrade Atoye who pledged solidarity via a statement obtained by Tribune Online, observed that the request by NDLEA on political parties to conduct drug integrity tests for aspirants is another wake-up call to the epidemic nature of drugs in Nigeria.

He maintained that the nationwide agitation caused by the call was a significant score for the NDLEA to alert politicians and policymakers to the penetrating danger of drug abuse.

“We commend the patriotic zeal and courage of the Chairman of the NDLEA, Brigadier-General Buba Marwa (retd.), for making that soul-searching call that pricked the conscience of the political class.

“We may not be able to ascertain the contribution of drugs to moral decay in leadership and bad governance that has affected millions of Nigerians, except we agree with the recommendation of Gen. Marwa.

“If the political parties had accepted to include drug tests in their screening process, it would have substantially committed the next set of leaders from 2023 to partner with the NDLEA to fight the drug scourge in the country.

“Because the NDLEA will not come out to mention names of individuals but statistics, many Nigerians may not know that there are prominent families and individuals in the corridor of power battling with drug addiction.

“Mental health is the most critical factor in leadership thinking and action; if drugs mess it up, the people will also suffer from abuse of power and poor direction of affairs.


“For too long, our politicians have dithered over the scourge of drugs, and it is high time they did something about it and fully supported the NDLEA with the resources required to fight it.

“We wish to urge the NDLEA and Nigeria’s Drug Czar, Gen. Marwa, not to be discouraged by the carefree attitude of the political parties and their leadership to a well thought out request that will do the country a lot of good.

“As a civil society group, we will continue to support the NDLEA to adopt every necessary measure to combat the epidemic of drugs, including exploring the possibility of future commitment of these political parties and actors.

“Every concerned individual must commit to the pledge of fighting the drug cancer that is eating away the future of many and threatening the security and peace of our society,” the statement added.

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has released nine guidelines for the conduct of presidential, governorship and parliamentary aspirants ahead of primaries.

The contenders have been barred from going to court without first exhausting avenues for redress and ventilation of grievances.

The aspirants are also expected to sign undertakings to accept the outcomes of the shadow polls and support whoever emerges as a candidate for the general election.

The ruling party also directed them to take oaths not to engage in thuggery, anti-party activities, factionalisation or the creation of parallel congresses and party organs at any level.

These conditions are contained on page 17 of the nomination form given to the aspirants.

But of the nine conditions, most of the aspirants, especially presidential heavyweights, are uncomfortable with the “voluntary letter of withdrawal”, which they are expected to sign before a Commissioner for Oaths or a Notary Public.

They alleged that the withdrawal clause may lead to either imposition of a presidential candidate or abuse of the consensus clause in the Electoral Act 2022.

It was learnt that most presidential aspirants have been seeking legal advice on Page 18 of the nomination form, which they considered a booby trap.

A copy of the nomination form revealed the tough terms for aspirants who have paid humongous sums to participate in the primaries.

Although APC leadership claimed that the conditions were in line with Article 21. 2 (i — xii) of the APC Constitution, many aspirants faulted the conditions as inconsistent with fundamental human rights as enshrined in the 1999 Constitution.

[b]The conditions are: “Abide to preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the APC and the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

“Abide by the Primary election guidelines of APC and Nigerian Electoral Act.

“Abide to place APC above selfish interests,

“I, my primary campaign organisation and my supporters undertake to accept the outcome of the primary and support whoever emerges as APC candidate for the general election.

“Abide not to engage in dishonest practices, thuggery, being absent from meetings to which he/she is invited without reasonable cause; carrying out anti-party activities which tend to disrupt the peaceful, lawful and efficient organisation of the party or which are inconsistent with the aims and objectives of the party.

“Abide not to give wrong information to any organ of the party or unauthorised publicity of a party dispute without exhausting all avenues or settlement or redress within the party.

“Abide not to file any action in a court of law against the party or any of its officers on any matters relating to the discharge of the duties of the party without first exhausting all avenues for redress provided.

“Abide to always follow the path of justice, honesty and unity amongst fellow contestants and party members. So help me God.

“Abide not to factionalise or create a parallel congress, election, or party organ at any level.”[/b]


The aspirants, especially presidential contenders, have picked holes in Page 18 of the nomination form bordering on signing a voluntary letter of withdrawal before participating in the forthcoming exercise.

The letter, titled: Letter of Voluntary Withdrawal, says: “I…of the above address…vying for…hereby voluntarily withdraw my candidacy from the contest…scheduled to hold on…2023. My withdrawal is in the best interest of our great party, the APC.”

Apart from addressing the letter to the National Chairman of APC, Senator Abdullahi Adamu, each aspirant is expected to endorse the letter before a Commissioner for Oaths or Notary Public.

It was learnt that most aspirants were shocked by the attachment to the party’s nomination form.

A source said: “Most of the aspirants see it as a death warrant. The party can invoke the letter to disengage an aspirant from participating in any strand of the primaries.

“Also, it gives the party the liberty to impose a candidate at any level under the guise of abiding by the consensus clause in the Electoral Act 2022. With the letter, the conditions for consensus will easily be met.

“Technically, many aspirants see the letter as leaving their fate to the party. Other conditions have also boxed them into a tight corner. We have never had these draconian guidelines.”

It was learnt that some aspirants have opted for legal advice on whether or not to sign the letter of withdrawal.

An aide to a presidential aspirant said: “Our legal team, like those of others, is studying the implications of the letter.

“I am aware that presidential aspirants have been comparing notes on the letter, which is unacceptable to them.

“Although the party said the signing of the letter is optional, an aspirant will be submitting an incomplete nomination form without completing the letter. Such an aspirant can be disqualified. It is a tight situation.

“None of the presidential aspirants has been able to submit his or her nomination form because of this letter of withdrawal.

“Though the aspirants have up till May 11 to submit the form, they are making representation to the party leadership to have a rethink.”

By Jude Aguguo Owuamanam

Leader of the Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB), Chief Ralph Uwazuruike, has said though many aspirants from the South East are angling to be president of Nigeria in 2023, he is yet to see any serious aspirant among them.

He said at best what many of them are aspiring for is the vice presidential slot.

Uwazuruike, who spoke against the backdrop of criticism trailing his support for the presidential ambition of Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello, said as a Nigerian and as an adult he has the fundamental right to support whoever he wants.

Uwazuruike said, “No Igbo man is contesting for the presidency. All these people you are seeing are pretenders. They can’t come to me because they know that I know them. No Igbo man. I repeat is contesting for the president. Let them swear, all of them, that they are not going to the North to lobby for vice president.

“People have called me from the North telling me that all those clamouring to be president are the ones seeking to be vice presidents. I laughed because I know them. None of these people you are supporting today are serious. They are all looking for vice president; all of them, from A to Z, I challenge them. They are pretenders. They can fool you but they can’t fool me.”

While describing the story that he was summoned to Abuja as the figment of some people’s imagination, the MASSOB leader said, “This story that I was summoned to Abuja to come and defend myself over my support for somebody is a ruse.

“There is nothing like. To start with, what I did was my fundamental right to support who I want to support. During election, I can vote for anybody. So nobody can summon me to come and explain why I am supporting anybody because that same person has somebody he is also supporting. I am surprised that it’s even those in the forefront of the Biafran struggle are those carrying the Nigerian politics on their heads. So nobody summoned me and in fact nobody can summon me in the first place.”

He said though he is one of those seeking the actualization of Biafra, he’s not part of those saying that there will be no election.

By Joe Chukindi

Persons suspected to be members of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB on Sunday attacked a trailer carrying cattle.

In a viral video on the internet, the trailer bearing the cattle was seen going up in flames, while cattle which alighted from the truck were seen wandering without direction.

Sources said the incident happened at Ezinifite/Uga Road in Aguata Local Government Area of Anambra State at about 8am on Sunday morning.

The Anambra State Police Command Spokesperson, DSP Toochukwu Ikenga was yet to confirm the report at the time of filing this report.

The President of African Development Bank (AFDB), Dr. Akinwumi Adesina, may join the 2023 presidential race on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC), The Nation has learnt.

There are indications that Adesina might pick the nomination and expression of interest forms next week before the deadline.

Adesina, a former Minister of Agriculture, is the first Nigerian to occupy the top job at the development finance institution.

He has served in several high-profile positions internationally, including that of the Rockefeller Foundation.

He is serving a second term as AfDB President, which will elapse in 2025.

Although Adesina is yet to formally indicate his interest the race, a body of Nigerians in the diaspora — Diaspora Support Group of North America and Europe mobilising support for him to join the race.

Last week, Adesina, met with President Muhammadu Buhari at the presidential villa, Abuja.

The Convener, Diaspora Support Group of North America and Europe Dr. Tony Bello who spoke with The Nation on Saturday, said there’s 100 percent assurance that the support groups will pick up the forms for Adesina once he is drafted into the race.

According to Bello, the support groups are excited about the extended deadline for the sale of forms to May 10 by the APC.

Bello noted that Adesina is most qualified, better prepared and the best option.

He said: “We believe if we are able to convince Adesina to join the presidential race, under the platform of APC, that would be the best.

“We are excited that there’s possiblity that we’ll be bringing him on board. I don’t know if he’s a card-carrying member but we believe that Adesina would be considered by the leadership of the party.

“It is not too late for him to join, the expression of interest form and nomination form were extended, and there’s still time especially for those who are waiting to make decision.

“We are working with many other groups in Diaspora, and we are calling on him to join the race. We work as a team, and we are aligning our interest. Other groups across Nigeria are also working hard to promote his candidacy. We’ve global influence and local support groups across Nigeria, and we are getting others to talk to him (Adesina).

“It is a 50:50 chance at this stage, and there’s 100% chance that we’ll pick the forms for him.

“He has the capabilities to fix Nigeria. He has humble beginnings, and every Nigerians can relate to his life story especially how he grew up, and most importantly his decisions have always been based on merit. He is a detrablised Nigerian. He’ll bring visionary leadership to the country and help restore past glory.

“On the African stage, he has demonstrated that he has what it takes, if Nigeria succeeds, then Africa succeeds. We’ve had conversation with him, we are getting others involved. We need a technocrat at this stage of our democracy. We are working with many persons underground.

“Once we pick up the form, I believe we would have other persons who will join us. Groups such as Youths group including youth arise movement, prudent youth, women for a secured Nation, Northern Coalition progressives, Diaspora Group of North America and Europe.

“We do not belong to any party, we are looking for the interest of Nigeria, and looking for who can lead us, and someone who can manage the country especially issues such as insecurity, economy, others.”

In the race are former Senate President, Ken Nnamani, State Minister for Education, Emeka Nwajiuba, Labour and Employment Minister, Chris Ngige, former Imo governor, Rochas Okorocha, Governor Dave Umahi of Ebonyi State and former Abia governor and serving senator, Orji Uzor Kalu. They are all from the South-east.

Aspirants from the South-south are the Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, Governor Ben Ayade of Cross River, former Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State, and Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Godswill Akpabio.

Those from the North-west are Governor Abubakar Badaru of Jigawa State and former governor of Zamfara State, Sani Yerima.

In the South-West, those who have shown interest are Vice President Yemi Osinbajo; Asiwaju Bola Tinubu; Governor Kayode Fayemi ; Ibikunle Amosun; Boroffice; Mr Gbenga Olawepo-Hashim; Pastor Tunde Bakare and former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Dimeji Bankole

Kogi Governor Yahaya Bello is the only aspirant from the North-central region.

Olufemi Olaniyi


The race to fill the vacant stool of the Alaafin of Oyo has begun with at least 20 princes from the Owoade Ruling Family signifying their interest to succeed Oba Lamidi Adeyemi.

Owoade Ruling Family is one of the two ruling families under the Agunloye Ruling House, according to the Mogaji of the family, Prince Adediwura Owoade.

The Mogaji said this in an interview with our correspondent on Thursday.

He said the family had opened a register for all interested members of the family to write their names and submit their curriculum vitae.

He said the family would invite the vice-chancellor of one of the universities around to screen the names with the aim of presenting the best applicant to the Oyo Mesi, who are the kingmakers.

He said the family had been cheated for so long but was now ready to ensure that one of its princes ascends the throne.

Owoade said, “Twenty princes from Owoade Ruling Family have indicated their interest in becoming the next Alaafin. But like I told you we will screen them and present the best.

“All of them are my children. Everybody who is contesting from Owoade family is my son. We are one family. We met it like that and we want it to remain like that.

“I want to stress this that whoever is picked from Owoade family will work for the development of the town and we are ready to settle any rift with anybody in Oyo. We are for peace and whatever may be the cause of such fight, we are ready to settle it. We want unity in Oyo, we want Oyo be one in order to enhance development and security.”

The stool became vacant following the death Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi, on April 22 at the age of 83.

By Adeyemi Adepetun


While Nigerians are yet to come to terms with the planned 40 per cent hike in telecoms services tariffs by telecoms operators, it appears more pains will be inflicted in the coming days, as the report has it that the Federal Government has approved the collection of five per cent excise duty on telephone recharge cards and vouchers.

According to a report by TheCable, President Muhammadu Buhari actually gave the directive.

In a letter by the Association of Licensed Telecoms Operators of Nigeria (ALTON) to the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), the service providers had claimed that the economic challenges, rising energy costs, Russia/Ukraine war, among others, necessitated the need for them to hike the cost of calls, SMS, and data.

Based on ALTON’s proposal, the price floor of calls will increase from N6.4 to N8.95 while the price cap of SMS will increase from N4 to N5.61.

But in TheCable report, the five per cent charge is part of new items on the list of goods liable for excise duty on the Finance Act in the country.

Excise duty is a levy charged at the time of manufacturing. It is also a form of indirect tax on the sale or consumption of certain goods, products, services or activities such as tobacco, alcohol, narcotics, gambling etc., mainly to discourage their use and consumption. Nigeria’s Finance Act has extended the list to include beverages, and non-alcoholic drinks, among others.

According to the report, which made reference to a circular signed by the Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Zainab Ahmed, that directed the Nigerian Customs to create a tariff line for the collection of the excise on mobile telephones, electricity meters (components) and set up boxes at five per cent.

The Federal Government is expected to raise at least N150 billion from the duty, while customs will pocket about N10 billion, a seven per cent collection fee.

The circular conforms to another list of excisable items by customs to include telephone recharge cards and vouchers at five per cent.

It was also gathered that the collection was part of new items on the 2020 Finance Act signed by President Buhari. Although no rate was not stated, it is clear that the President might have okayed the collection of the duty at five per cent as empowered to do by the Act.

A telecoms expert, Kehinde Aluko, said fixing telecoms tariff is not impromptu, it takes processes. “Consultants will be contacted, the processes could take a year. The current tariff they are currently operating with went through that rigour. So, even if their demand will be considered, it will also take a process which is not going to encourage an instant implementation.”

“As much as there are challenges in the country, necessitating so many drastic situations, I believe telcos can still manage. They are still declaring huge profits. I will say instead of hiking tariffs, they should look at other areas they can explore to bring in more earnings.”

When The Guardian got across to NCC to confirm this, a senior official, who crave anonymity said the commission could not confirm it, “but it is possible that such may be in the pipeline.”

A senior ALTON official, however, said the body was in the know that the Nigerian Customs Service was directed to come up with excise duty on some telecoms products and services, “but I don’t know how far they have gone. Will cross-check and get back.”

About 71 per cent of Nigerian organisations were hit by ransomware in 2021, up from 22 per cent recorded a year earlier. According to a global cybersecurity firm, Sophos, in its yearly international survey and review of real-world ransomware experiences in the State of Ransomware 2022, 44 per cent of the organisations that had data encrypted paid ransoms to get their data back even if they had other means of data recovery, such as backups.

The report summarizes the impact of ransomware on 5,600 mid-sized organisations in 31 countries across Europe, the Americas, Asia-Pacific and Central Asia, the Middle East, and Africa.

Principal Research Scientist at Sophos, Chester Wisniewski, said the survey showed that, globally, the proportion of victims paying the ransom continues to increase, even when they may have other options available.

“There could be several reasons for this, including incomplete backups or the desire to prevent stolen data from appearing on a public leak site. In the aftermath of a ransomware attack, there is often intense pressure to get back up and running as soon as possible.

“Restoring encrypted data using backups can be a difficult and time-consuming process, so it can be tempting to think that paying a ransom for a decryption key is a faster option. It’s also an option fraught with risk. Organisations don’t know what the attackers might have done, such as adding backdoors, copying passwords and more.
If organizations don’t thoroughly clean up the recovered data, they’ll end up with all that potentially toxic material in their network and potentially exposed to a repeat attack,” Wisniewski stated.

The main findings of the State of Ransomware 2022 global survey from the Nigerian respondents, which covers ransomware incidents experienced during 2021, as well as related cyber insurance issues, include that more victims are paying the ransom – In 2021, 44 per cent of organisations that had data encrypted in a ransomware attack paid the ransom.

The report noted that the impact of a ransomware attack can be immense. It pointed out that the average cost to recover from the most recent ransomware attack in 2021 was $3.43 million. It took on average one month to recover from the damage and disruption. Ninety-seven per cent of organizations said the attack had impacted their ability to operate, and 96 per cent of the victims said they had lost business and/or revenue because of the attack.


Sophos said many organisations rely on cyber insurance to help them recover from a ransomware attack, with 81 per cent of mid-sized organisations having cyber insurance that covers them in the event of a ransomware attack – and, in 97 per cent of incidents, the insurer paid some or all the costs incurred.

The report said 91 per cent of those with cyber insurance said that their experience of getting it has changed over the last 12 months, with higher demands for cybersecurity measures, more complex or expensive policies and fewer organisations offering insurance protection

“The findings suggest we may have reached a peak in the evolutionary journey of ransomware, where attackers’ greed for ever higher ransom payments is colliding head-on with a hardening of the cyber insurance market as insurers increasingly seek to reduce their ransomware risk and exposure,” said Wisniewski, adding, “In recent years, it has become increasingly easy for cybercriminals to deploy ransomware, with almost everything available as-a-service. Second, many cyber insurance providers have covered a wide range of ransomware recovery costs, including the ransom, likely contributing to ever higher ransom demands. However, the results indicate that cyber insurance is getting tougher and in the future ransomware victims may become less willing or less able to pay sky-high ransoms. Sadly, this is unlikely to reduce the overall risk of a ransomware attack. Ransomware attacks are not as resource intensive as some other, more hand-crafted cyberattacks, so any return is a return worth grabbing and cybercriminals will continue to go after the low hanging fruit.”

To guard against further ransomware attacks, Sophos said there is the need to install and maintain high-quality defenses across all points in the organization’s environment and review security controls regularly and make sure they continue to meet the organization’s needs; proactively hunt for threats to identify and stop adversaries before they can execute their attack – if the team lacks the time or skills to do this in house, outsource to a Managed Detection and Response (MDR) specialist; harden the IT environment by searching for and closing key security gaps: unpatched devices, unprotected machines, open RDP ports, etc. Extended Detection and Response (XDR) solutions are ideal for this purpose; prepare for the worst. Know what to do if a cyber-incident occurs and keep the plan updated and make backups, and practice restoring from them so that the organisation can get back up and running as soon as possible, with minimum disruption.

In a bid to ensure that the South produces the next President, leaders in the South-East and the South-West are expected to meet separately on Thursday and Friday, The PUNCH has learnt.

The leaders of the pan-Igbo socio-cultural organisation, Ohanaeze Ndigbo and the leading members of the All Progressives Congress in the South-West, who spoke separately with our correspondents, warned that the high number of southern presidential aspirants was a threat to the efforts of the region to produce the next president.

The meetings in Enugu and Lagos, it was learnt, were convened to ensure that the number of aspirants is reduced in order to strengthen the unity in the zones.

Out of the 15 presidential aspirants that have been screened by the main opposition Peoples Democratic Party, five are from the North while 10 are from the South.

Those from the North are Governor Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto State; Governor Bala Mohammed of Bauchi State; former Governor Bukola Saraki; former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar and Economist, Mohammed Hayatudeen.

The PDP aspirants from the South are Governor Nyesom Wike, Governor Udom Emmanuel, former Governor Peter Obi, former Senate President, Pius Anyim; ex-President of the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria, Sam Ohuabunwa; Publisher, Ovation Magazine, Dele Momodu; Charles Ugwu, Chikwendu Kalu, Teriela Oliver and ex-Governor Ayodele Fayose.

In the APC, at least 14 southerners are already in the race. They are Governor Dave Umahi of Ebonyi State, Governor Ben Ayade of Cross River, former Governor Rochas Okorocha, ex-Governor Adams Oshiomhole, APC stalwart, Bola Tinubu, Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo, Governor Kayode Fayemi, the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Godswill Akpabio, the Minister of State for Education, Emeka Nwajuiba and a former Senate President, Ken Nnamani.

Others from the South contesting on the platform of the APC include the Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige, former Governor Ibikunle Amosun, Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, and influential Pastor, Tunde Bakare.

The number is expected to rise as the Minister of State for Petroleum, Timipre Sylva, is believed to be eyeing the presidential ticket. On the other hand, only three northern aspirants have declared their interest in the Presidency. They are Governor Yahaya Bello, Governor Mohammed Badaru and Gbenga Olawepo-Hashim.

It was learnt that southern elders are beginning to fear that the high number of aspirants in the South could divide the southern delegates and give the North an advantage at the APC and PDP primaries which come up at the end of the month.


S’East to present one aspirant each for PDP, APC – Ohanaeze

It was learnt that Imeobi Ohanaeze Ndigbo, an Igbo socio-cultural group, will meet on Thursday to review and take a final position on the 2023 presidency as it concerns Ndigbo.

The meeting which will hold at Ohanaeze Ndigbo National Secretariat, 7 Park Avenue, GRA, Enugu from 12pm will also discuss how to field a single aspirant for the presidential primaries of the two major political parties – the ruling All Progressives Congress and the Peoples Democratic Party.

The National Publicity Secretary of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Dr Alex Ogbonnia, who confirmed the meeting of the highest decision-making organ of Ohanaeze, in an interview with The PUNCH said the meeting would examine all the intricacies surrounding the 2023 presidency and the future of Nigeria

On the agenda of the meeting, he said, “It will focus mainly on the 2023 Presidency. At the end of the meeting, they (Imeobi Ohanaeze) will make a final resolution on the zoning of the presidency. The meeting will also talk about how to harmonise the various interests so that one aspirant will be presented in each of the two major political parties at the forthcoming presidential primaries.”


Igbo elders threaten to disown indigenes supporting other zones

Also, the Igbo Elders Forum led by a former Governor of Anambra State, Chukwuemeka Ezeife, said on Wednesday that any Igbo aspirant that supports an aspirant from a different zone would be disowned.

“The Igbo Elders want Nigerians and the whole world to note that the existence of Nigeria as a corporate entity may be seriously threatened by any attempt to deny the South, especially the South-East the opportunity to produce the next President in 2023,” he said.

Speaking on the Vice Presidency, Ezeife said, “It has come to our notice that some of our sons and daughters are colluding shamelessly with some unreasonable and dishonest Nigerians to sabotage our collective efforts to produce the next President of Nigeria of the South-East extraction.

“For the avoidance of doubt, the Igbo Elders Consultative Forum will not only pursue to a logical conclusion the sanctions of these shameless renegades and bootlickers, who plan to accept to be running mates to any presidential candidate not from the South as well as those who are working hard to sabotage our efforts masquerading as coordinators and promoters of presidential aspirants outside the South-East zone, but also curse them and their families publicly; we will visit them accordingly.”


Number of S’West aspirants too high, we mustn’t lose out – Party leader

Also, The PUNCH learnt that the five South-West governors of the APC will be joining all aspirants from the region in Lagos for a meeting on Friday.

The meeting, it was learnt, is being convened to ensure that the number of aspirants from the South-West is brought to a minimum.

An APC chieftain told The PUNCH that the South-West APC would be happy if all aspirants could stand behind one candidate in order to strengthen the unity and chances of the region.

He said, “This is the highest number of aspirants that has ever come out of the South-West for the Presidency. From the look of things, they may be up to eight by next week. So, what we are trying to do is to encourage them to meet and form a consensus.

“We need to ensure that we are united so that we don’t lose out. We must also ensure that the South gets the Presidency. We don’t want to lose out due to infighting.”


Group protests at APC, PDP secretariats

Meanwhile, a group, Concerned Nigerian Citizens, on Wednesday held a rally at the national secretariats of the PDP and the APC in Abuja.

The protesters, who carried placards with various inscriptions, demanded the zoning of the presidency to the Southern region of the country, stating that the North had had a fair share of power.

The group also delivered a letter to the national chairmen of APC and PDP, admonishing them to give their presidential tickets to southern aspirants.

The letter was jointly signed by the CNC Convener, Femi Osabinu; Alhaji Sidi (Secretary-General); Okpanachi Jacob (North-Central); Femi Lawson (South-West); Alhaji Ibrahim Mohammed (North-West); Dr Uzoh Chukwuemeka (South-East) and Preye Hossanah (South-South).

It read in part, “Sir, this letter becomes imperative in the wake of the national questions that have begun to emerge on the zoning of the Presidential ticket of your party, ahead of the forthcoming 2023 Presidential election in our country and presentation of zoning committee report expected to be laid today.

“We are seriously concerned as patriotic Nigerians that just a few days to the Presidential primaries of your party, the party has yet to intimate Nigerians about its decision in respect of where it is zoning the Presidential ticket to.

According to the group, conceding power to the south would not only be respecting the established convention of power rotation but would also help in restoring stability and national cohesion in the polity.


Fayemi, Oshiomhole, Akpabio declare

Meanwhile, the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Godswill Akpabio; Governor Kayode Fayemi and a former National Chairman of the APC, Adams Oshiomhole, all declared their interest in the Presidency on Wednesday.

Governor Badaru also purchased the Presidential forms in Abuja.

At his declaration, Oshiomhole, who is a former President of the Nigeria Labour Congress, said he would provide job-led growth for the economy in a way that economic growth figures links directly more jobs and opportunities for Nigerians.

Oshiomhole said this during his official declaration for the presidency in Abuja.

The former governor who lamented that Nigerian professors were underpaid noted that, as President, he would engage the Academic Staff Union of Universities and other stakeholders in Academia to provide commensurate remuneration for academics.

While declaring his ambition, Fayemi, on Wednesday in Abuja promises to “retool the Armed Forces and security agencies.”

He also promised decentralisation for the government to be brought closer to the people.

Fayemi stated these while unveiling his agenda for the presidency in 2023, with a promise to run a decent campaign.

He promised other aspirants to adhere to the highest standards of decorum and decency.

The event was attended by many dignitaries including a former governor of Ogun State, Ibikunle Amosun; former Senate President, Ameh Ebute; former Ekiti State Deputy Governor, Prof Modupe Adelabu; and many traditional rulers.

The governor said he was running for the position of the President because he was willing to work with Nigerians to surmount the current difficulties, foster trust and build bridges.

According to him, he would support any mode of primaries to be adopted by the APC in its forthcoming presidential primary elections.

He, therefore, promised to embrace any route that gives Nigerians a voice to decide their future.

Fayemi said, “I will retool the armed forces, intelligence agencies; the border guards will be pursued in tandem with an overhaul of the country’s policing system and the phasing in of bold universal social policies that will decisively tackle poverty and upgrade human capital and security. I will also run a decent campaign.”

Answering questions from guests, he said he was open to any mode of primaries that best captured the choices of Nigerians within and outside the APC.

Asked what route he would advise the governing party to take in choosing its presidential standard-bearer, the governor stated, “Let me begin with our Constitution. The constitution of our party identifies three ways to conduct our primaries. Now we have the Electoral Act, 2022 that says to have consensus, all parties must sign up.”

Also, Fayemi said that the presidential seat was not an inheritance nor was it a traditional title where a person would feel betrayed because other people decided to contest for the office.

Fayemi said this on the Channels Television programme, Politics Today, which was monitored by one of our correspondents.

The governor was asked if his decision to contest was not a betrayer to Tinubu.

He said, “The Asiwaju I know is a democrat and I am sure he wouldn’t share the views of betrayal. He believes politics is a marketplace of ideas and people should test their convictions.

“His courage of convictions is not in doubt, but I do not think that he will then want to stamp the convictions of others in terms of how Nigeria should go. It would be great for us to see things from the same point of view as democrats but if we don’t, then it’s useful to test those ideas and let Nigerians be the judge of the direction they want the country to go.”

“I don’t believe that we should see that as a basis for demonising anyone and the Asiwaju that I know and I have interacted with would not subscribe to that. I don’t believe that he would use terminologies like “betrayal” or whatever thing people called it.

“This is not an inheritance, it’s about Nigeria. Nigeria is the commonwealth of all Nigerians; it’s not a traditional title that we are seeking. The office we are seeking is to make improvements in the lives of Nigerians.”

The PDP in Ekiti State described Fayemi’s presidential declaration as a “declaration of failure.”

The PDP, while accusing the governor of wasting millions of naira belonging to Ekiti State on his presidential ambition, leaving entitlements of pensioners, salaries and deductions unpaid, challenged Fayemi “to tell Nigerians how well he has governed the state to qualify him as the President of Nigeria”.

The party stated this in a statement titled, “Fayemi wasted millions of naira, Ekiti money to declare failure in Abuja – PDP” by its state Publicity Secretary, Raphael Adeyanju.


APC extends sale of forms

In a related development, the APC National Working Committee, on Wednesday, extended the Party’s Sale of Expression of Interest and Nomination Forms for the 2023 General Elections to Tuesday, May 10, 2022.

This is according to a statement by the Party’s National Publicity Secretary, Felix Morka, titled ‘Breaking: APC extends sale of nomination forms to May 10.’

In a revised timetable issued by the APC National Organising Secretary, Sulaiman Argungu, the last day for Submission of completed forms and accompanying documents is now set for Wednesday, May 11, 2022.

Also, Congresses to elect Local Government Area, State and National Delegates will now be held from Thursday, May 12, to Saturday, May 14, 2022.

In a related development, a presidential aspirant on the platform of the PDP, Sam Ohuabunwa, in a chat with The PUNCH, stated, “If the abandonment of the zoning project is in good faith and in the best interest of the progress and peace of Nigeria, then no problem; but if it is a conspiracy to deny the South-East the opportunity to produce the Nigerian President in 2023, then it will fail. Any plan based on the wrong foundation will fail. Finally, no matter the plans of men, only God’s will shall stand in 2023.”

The police have detained Naomi Danlami, an Abuja-based police sergeant, following suspicions that she faked her own kidnap to extort ransom from well-wishers to fund her wedding.

On April 18, Danlami had announced her engagement on Facebook, but the next day, reports of her abduction were made on a Facebook group she belonged to.

https://i0.wp.com/fij.ng/article/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/WhatsApp-Image-2022-05-03-at-4.02.47-PM.jpeg?w=713&ssl=1
Facebook post by Naomi’s friends after her ‘abduction’.

According to a source in the Police who spoke with FIJ, when the policewoman’s family called her phone number, her supposed abductors said they didn’t want money but just wanted to kill her.

“Some of her friends in various social media groups started posting about raising funds for her, saying it would make her abductors free her,” the source said.

“During the fundraising exercise, there were dissenting voices who expressed doubts about the abduction story. Some of her colleagues said she had a history of criminal behaviour; they said she was not truthful, not to be trusted, and that her lifestyle was wayward.”

As efforts to secure her release intensified, Usman Baba-Alkali, the Inspector-General of Police, learnt of the matter, according to FIJ’s source, and ordered the Police Intelligence Response Team (IRT) to fish out Danlami’s abductors.

When the IRT got to work, they revealed her last known location to be somewhere in Nasarawa State.

Danlami would suddenly appear on Saturday, claiming she escaped from the kidnappers’ den where she was molested. She was reported to have insisted on returning to work as though nothing happened, to the surprise of those around her, consquently raising suspicion from the Force Headquarters.

“We all thought that if she was kidnapped and molested in addition, the first thing for her to do was go to a hospital for examination and possible treatment, not to show up at work straightaway,” said the source.

Danlami went to work, and the IRT detained her as they continued their investigation into the matter.

FIJ obtained an audio by a policewoman who, in addition to knowing Danlami, helped with the fundraising, In it, she accused Danlami of causing her discomfort during the supposed kidnap, only to turn out it was staged.

She said, “See suffer wey I suffer. Do you know that the kidnappers called; they are not kidnappers. It is set up, this girl just set [it] up; she needs money.

“That girl is wicked, see the wey I just de cry since.”

The IRT eventually released Danlami on Tuesday, according to the source, but the circumstances of her release remain unknown.

FIJ called Muyiwa Adejobi, Federal Police Force Public Relations Officer, for comments, but he said he was not aware of the incident.

He said he would get information from the relevant quarters, but as of press time, he was yet to get back to FIJ.

Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi has stated that the elite are the problem of Nigeria.

He advised citizens to vote the right people into leadership positions to fix the country’s challenges.

Amaechi gave the counsel on Tuesday at the 2022 World Press Freedom Day celebrations in Uyo, the Akwa Ibom State capital.

The former Rivers Governor also urged Nigerians to always hold politicians accountable.

“The problem of the country is not the poor man in Akwa Ibom or Rivers, in the South East or in the North. It is you and I, the elite,” he said.

NAN reports that Amaechi also dropped his take on the controversial issue of restructuring.

“Why you are hearing restructuring, it is because the elites’ consensus on sharing (the resources) is disappearing.

“It is because there is nothing to share again, we are broke. The problem facing this country is caused by the elites, including you”, he said.

Amaechi urged the media to help resolve the nation’s problems through objective, balanced and fair reportage.

A simultaneous military operation is needed in the Northwest and Niger State, Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai said yesterday.

He believes such an operation would secure the ungoverned spaces of Kaduna, Katsina, Zamfara, Sokoto, Kebbi, Plateau and Niger and tackle banditry.

The governor spoke in Zaria when the Emir of Zazzau, Ahmad Nuhu Bamalli, paid him the traditional Hawan Bariki visit.

El-Rufai noted that criminal elements were being assisted by a network of informants.

He urged traditional institutions to mobilise their networks to expose them and support the security forces with local intelligence.

The governor said: “My first official action as governor was to summon an emergency security meeting on May 30, 2015, to identify the security threats across the state and find answers to them.

“One outcome of that meeting was the decision to collaborate with the governors of the other states in the Northwest and Niger State to fund a joint military operation to clear the Kamuku-Kuyambana forest swathes in the Birnin Gwari axis of cattle rustlers hibernating in the ranges that cover Niger, Kaduna, Katsina and Zamfara States.

“While this action decimated the criminals, it is a matter for regret that the necessary follow up operations were not sustained by the security agencies.”

The governor said he was “convinced that comprehensive, simultaneous military and security operation in Kaduna, Katsina, Zamfara, Sokoto, Kebbi, Plateau and Niger states is vital to stopping the terrorists and reasserting the authority of the Nigerian state in the ungoverned spaces.”

He added: “We created a specialised Ministry of Internal Security and we continue to support the federal security agencies with logistics and other resources.

“We are engaging the highest echelons of government and the security structure on resolute action to protect the lives, liberty and livelihoods of our people.”

The governor called on the citizens to participate in the electoral process and “to make it a peaceful exercise in the freedom of choice.’’

“It is important to the integrity of the process and to the safety of citizens that everyone should conduct themselves with respect for law and order.

“We appeal for responsible behaviour and decent utterances all through the push and pull of political competition,” El-Rufai said.

A sharp crack has been created in the Senate caucus of the All Progressives Congress (APC) over the quest to endorse the Senate President, Ahmad Lawan as the consensus presidential candidate of the parliament.

Lawan, who has been at the National Assembly since 1999, is set to formally declare for the presidency this week, multiple sources around him confirmed.

But the Senate president told journalists that only God will determine his next step when asked about plans by some powerful forces in the North to support him for the presidency.

First elected into the House of Representatives in 1999, Lawan crossed over to the Senate in 2007 and since then he has remained in the Red Chamber.


Daily Trust gathered that ahead of the Yobe-born-lawmaker’s declaration, there were plans to declare him as the consensus candidate of the Senate.

It was gathered that the endorsement was being promoted by some of his allies in the parliament including Senator Yusuf Yusuf (APC, Taraba), Senator Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi (APC, Niger) and a former lawmaker, Senator Abdullahi Gumel.

The push for the endorsement, which started before the Senators’ Sallah recess has polarised the parliament, which is made of 71 APC, 37 PDP and one YPP member.

The Senators had last week embarked on a recess to enable them to celebrate this Eid-el-Fitr. They are to resume on Tuesday, May 10.

If he declares, Lawan will join the Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo, former House of Representatives Speaker, Dimeji Bankole (Ogun), Senator Ibikunle Amosun (Ogun), national leader of the APC, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu (Lagos) and the chairman of Nigerian Governors’ Forum, Dr. Kayode Fayemi (Ekiti) to slug it out for the APC presidential primaries.


Other aspirants eyeing the APC ticket include Dave Umahi (Ebonyi ), Dr Chris Ngige (Anambra), Minister of State for Education, Emeka Nwajiuba (Imo), Senator Rochas Okorocha (Imo), Ihechukwu Dallas Chima (Abia), Usman Iwu (Imo), Ben Ayade (Cross River), Rotimi Amaechi (Rivers), Gbenga Olawepo-Hashim (Kwara), Mr Tein Jack-Rich (Rivers), Yahaya Bello (Kogi) and Adamu Garba II (Adamawa)

The ruling party had fixed its primaries for May 30 and June 1, where its flag bearer for the presidency would be elected.


Crack in APC caucus

It was gathered that moves to endorse Lawan have created a crack in the APC caucus in the Upper Chamber.

Daily Trust reports that many lawmakers have since pitched tents with other aspirants. For instance, Senator Ali Ndume (APC, Borno), is leading the campaign for Amaechi, Senator Kashim Shettima (APC, Borno) is playing a leading role in Tinubu’s campaign, while Senator Kabiru Gaya (APC, Kano) is in charge of the campaigns of the vice president.

Aside from these three, there are other lawmakers who are involved in the campaigns of other aspirants, thus the moves to present Lawan as the consensus candidate has been hanging in the balance.

In a phone interview, Senator Ali Ndume said he has not been contacted by those promoting Lawan’s candidature, saying “They have not come because they know my position.

“I have nothing against Ahmad Lawan; he is my colleague but I have everything against injustice. I won’t support even my biological brother. Fielding a northerner is tantamount to injustice and tantamount to a third term. The so-called northern elders that are pushing it are doing so to perpetuate injustice.

“It’s the turn of the South and we have to support them to actualise this. I’m disappointed with those that are pushing this. I had since taken position even before my alignment with Amaechi,” he said.

Another lawmaker, while puncturing the claims that Lawan is under intense pressure to join the race for the presidency, said the project was “The brainchild of Lawan and his few allies.

“It is untrue that he is being pushed by northern elders. He is pushing himself; otherwise, tell them to mention the northern elders. Who are they?

“It is purely his aspiration and nobody is pushing him, rather he is pushing people to key into the project. They are planning to present him as the Senate consensus candidate and we are going to outrightly and publicly resist being railroaded into this failed project,” the lawmaker said.

But a lawmaker in Lawan’s camp insisted that the Senate president was being pressured to join the race by northern elders.

Asked to mention some of the northern elders pushing the Senate President, he said, “It is not for public consumption. I’m one of them. Am I not an elder at over 70 and I have been in politics for over four decades?”

Another lawmaker in the Senate president’s camp said “Lawan is one of us and we will do all possible within our reach to support him. He is one of us.”


Lawan to pick forms tomorrow – Aide

Contacted, one of the aides of the Senate president told our correspondent that arrangements have been concluded for the declaration of his boss.

“All things being equal, he would pick the expression of interest and nomination forms tomorrow. There is nothing wrong with a northerner to be aspiring to succeed President Buhari. The president would be happy to have a head of one of the arms of government succeed him.

“Let all the aspirants come out to test their popularity. What we all know is that Lawan is capable, experienced and can turn around the fortunes of the country positively. He is the candidate to beat,” he said.


God will determine my next step, says Lawan

While responding to his reported entry into the presidential race, Senator Lawan told State House reporters after joining other residents of the FCT on Sallah homage to President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, that God will determine his next step.

Asked to speak on the plans, he said: “I thought you were going to ask me about what we want to do in 2022. We passed the budget for 2022, a budget for consolidation of what we have been able to achieve in 2020, when we had an implementation of 100%.

“2022 has just finished, another 100% implementation of budget and we’re looking forward to ensure that the 2022 budget is also implemented by 100%.

“If we stabilize our economy, we stabilize our country, then people can contest, but for now everything is speculative and I believe that God, in His infinite mercy, will show us the way.”

But some political pundits said as a politician, Lawan simply dribbled his way and dodged the question which did not meant that he was not interested.

The Yobe born politician, who said people would have a place to contest elections when the economy and country were stabilised, called on citizens to shun partisanship and work towards making the country better organised.

Lawan, who said the country would have been in a better condition by now but for two recessions and the Covid-19 pandemic, stated that: “Today, we are happy to say that we’re still making progress, but would have done far better if we hadn’t had the COVID interruption.

“So, I believe that as a nation, we are moving in the right direction and President Muhammadu Buhari is giving us the leadership that we need and all that we need to do is to continue to support our leaders, continue to support our government and it’s in the best interest of everyone.

“Let no politics, let no partisanship, let no sentiments derail any of our programmes and projects because you need to have a Nigeria first if you are running to take over government at whatever level. You need to have a country, you need to have a stable country, you need to have a peaceful country in first place and if you do that, you can contest, for example. But as individuals, we have a date with a history.

“How much do we give to our nation? How much do we sacrifice for the sake of others in our communities and in our country? That determines a lot how far we can go because if we decide to be selfish, then I’m sorry, we may not make that kind of progress that we believe can take us to the Eldorado,” he said.

Despite the endorsement of the Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu by the highest decision-making organ of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state, Governance Advisory Council (GAC), the Akinwunmi Ambode Campaign Organisation (AMCO) has vowed to challenge the incumbent governor at the party’s primaries.

The chairman of AMCO and former commissioner for energy and mineral resources, Wale Oluwo, who made this known yesterday, said plans were afoot to return Ambode as governor in 2023.

He faulted GAC for endorsing Sanwo-Olu, saying its stance was not a true reflection of APC members

But, in a swift reaction, the Lagos State chapter of the APC through its acting publicity secretary Hon. Yesiro Karamo, said, ‘Our attention has been drawn to the distractive interview by a faceless group which calls itself Akinwunmi Ambode Campaign Group led by one Olawale Oluwo.

“For starters, the promoters of the group, if they are truly members of Lagos State All Progressives Congress, ought to know that the activities of clandestine groups have been banned because of their divisive tendencies.

“It is also interesting that it has taken three years after the ouster of the Ambode administration in the state for such a group to spring up and claim relevance.

“However, they could be pardoned because it is in the spirit of the season. It is worthy to recall that the Lagos State APC had earlier made it clear that the endorsement of the Governance Advisory Council (GAC) for another term in office did not foreclose the ambition of any other member.

“As a democratic party, we remain committed to providing a level playing field for all aspirants for various offices and ensure internal democracy,” he said.

Karamo said it is distasteful and unacceptable for a group purportedly committed to the party to take on the role of the opposition within the party.

“While we want to welcome back our members who hitherto left our party to the progressive family, we need to caution them not to unnecessarily heat up the polity with unguided utterances. In their absence, the party successfully conducted congresses at the ward, local, state and national levels to fill party offices.

“The process of reconciliation is also especially in Lagos State making steady progress. Therefore, our returning members will be expected to conduct themselves in a manner acceptable under our party’s constitution, rules and guidelines,” he said.

MINISTERS in the cabinet of President Muhammadu Buhari eyeing elective posts in 2023 remained in their offices as of Sunday, further deepening the confusion over their participation in their party’s primaries at the end of the month. 

The governing All Progressives Congress (APC), which has the president as the apex leader, had directed ambitious appointees at federal and state levels to resign their offices a month to the party’s primaries. 

While there has been noticeable compliance at the state level, appointees at the federal level, especially those serving in President Buhari’s cabinet, have refused to quit. 

The president has been publicly silent over their decision to stay in office and pursue their ambitions, though he had strongly objected to possible disenfranchisement through legislations. 

Three of his ministers, Rotimi Amaechi (Transport), Chris Ngige, (Labour and Employment) and Chukwuemeka Nwajiuba (state education), are aspiring to be president. Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, has declared for Kebbi State governorship. 

The governorship primaries hold 17 days from now. 

With the presidential primaries scheduled for May 30 through May 31, the party’s guidelines, which compelled resignation a month before, has now been observed in the breach by the ministers by their refusal to step down at the weekend. Nwajiuba, however, dismissed the concern, saying, “The resignation of a minister or anybody who is in office is guided by the constitution to contest elections.

“My position is that the law of the country rests on the grundnorm called the constitution. If you do not like the constitution, your work is to amend it. There is no subrogation of power that is required for you to include into a law what is not deemed as included in that law.” 

He was referring to the provision of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) which requires those in public service to retire 30 days before the election they seek to participate in. 

Their refusal to step down has also contravened the contentious Section 84(12) of the Electoral Act, which also demands resignation before participating in primaries. 

While it appears the ministers have their last hope against possible disqualification in the Constitution, senior lawyers have told them they could be walking a very tight rope. 

Leading lawyer, Mr Femi Falana, told Nigerian Tribune that those aspiring ministers are not covered by the constitution because they do not belong to the class of public servants envisaged by the provision. 

He said, “The appointees are not public servants. The provision in the Constitution applies only to those in public service. The ministers are not in this category and the Court of Appeal had stayed the judgment of the Umuahia court. So they are back to square one.” 

Kunle Edun, national welfare secretary of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), in an elaborate op-ed, told the affected appointees to get off while it is safe. 

Edun said, “The constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria is the grundnorm that guides our political, economic and social life. A political appointee is expected to resign if he wants to contest for any political office. It is more of a moral injunction. 

“The constitution states in Section 66(1)(f) for those interested in going to the Senate and the House of Representatives; Section 182(1)(g) for those that have gubernatorial ambitions and Section 107(1)(f) of same Constitution, for House of Assembly aspirants, that they must resign or retire from the public service at least 30 days before the election. 

“The constitution did not expressly state that the 30 days must be before the primaries of any political party or general election. In this wise, it would not be wrong to argue that since the Constitution is silent on whether the political appointee must resign before his party’s primary or general election, we cannot, therefore, read into it what it did not say. 

“However, a collective interpretation of the spirit of these sections of the constitution would indicate that the constitution is referring to resignation before the general election, not party primaries. 

“The interesting thing is that Section 84(12) of the Electoral Act is still extant as the Court of Appeal has stayed the judgment of the Federal High Court, Umuahia. 

“Therefore, all political appointees are still barred from voting or being voted for in their parties’ congresses. The general election is still far away, next year 2023. INEC has already issued timetable for political parties to hold their primaries before June 2022. 

“Any political appointee who does not resign now but goes ahead to participate in the primaries would be taking a huge risk that may occasion the nullification of the primaries or his purported election. 

“Therefore, a combined reading of the cited constitutional provisions, Section 84(12) of the Electoral Act and the INEC timetable would require all political appointees to resign now if they want to contest for any political office.” 

Kayode Ajulo, a doctoral degree holder in Law and counsel for the National Assembly in the appeal against the Umuahia court’s ruling, asked the appointees to thread with caution as the constitution may not end up providing the succour they assumed. 

According to Ajulo, “I am a leading counsel for the National Assembly in the appeal before the Court of Appeal, Owerri. So, I’m being careful about what I say. But I must point out that by the pronouncement of the Court of Appeal, the execution of the judgment of the lower court has been stayed. 

“It means that the Electoral Act is still the way the National Assembly passed it. Yes, the constitution does not specify the kind of election and that can be an alumni election, association election, primary election, general election or any other kind of election.”

As the clock ticks towards the 2023 elections, some governors who are completing their second terms next year have commenced moves to switch to the federal parliament, a place tagged as retirement home for state chief executives.

Since the beginning of the Fourth Republic, it has been a common practice among governors to retire to the National Assembly as senators after serving out their second term.

Former governors who are now serving as senators are Orji Uzor Kalu (Abia North), Theodore Orji (Abia Central), Gabriel Suswan (Benue North East), Kashim Shettima (Borno Central), Sam Egwu (Ebonyi North) and Chimaroke Nnamani (Enugu East).

Others are Danjuma Goje (Gombe Central), Rochas Okorocha (Imo North), Ibrahim Shekarau (Kano Central), Ibrahim Gaya (Kano South), Adamu Aliero (Kebbi South), Tanko Al-Makura (Nasarawa North), Ibikunle Amosun (Ogun Central), Aliyu Wamakko (Sokoto North), Ibrahim Gaidam (Yobe East) and Seriake Dickson (Bayelsa Central).

On the other hand, many lawmakers had also switched from the legislature to the executive as governors.

Bala Abdulkadir Mohammed (Bauchi), Douye Diri (Bayelsa), Hope Uzodinma (Imo), Aminu Bello Masari (Katsina) and Aminu Waziri Tambuwal (Sokoto) are former federal lawmakers currently serving as governors.

Currently, some serving senators are at loggerheads with their state governors, who are planning to return to the Red Chamber in 2023. Many of them currently represent senatorial districts of their governors.

Recently, at a valedictory session to mark the exit of three members of the upper chamber, some lawmakers expressed concern that the “rate of turnover” in the Senate was becoming worrisome as many of them may not return.

Here are some governors who are scheming to replace their senators in 2023.


Simon Bako Lalong (Plateau)

Lalong is first among the second term governors to pick expression of interest and nomination forms to contest the Plateau South senatorial ticket of the All Progressives Congress (APC). The senatorial seat is currently occupied by Nora Ladi Daduut, who was elected to the Red Chamber after the death of Ignatius Longjan.

Serving commissioners from Plateau State raised N60million to purchase the forms for Lalong, according Yakubu Datti, the chairman of the Commissioners Forum of Plateau State.

He said the commissioners took the decision to honour their principal based on his numerous achievements and contributions to the state, and that the Senate position would enable the entire country to benefit from his leadership potentials.


Muhammad Badaru Abubakar (Jigawa)

As Governor Badaru rounds off his second and final term in office come May 29, 2023, his next political move has become the subject of discourse in the state’s political circle.

While the governor had kept the issue close to his chest, some of his loyalists had linked him to a possible race to the Senate.

Daily Trust on Sunday gathered that the governor’s decision to move to the Red Chamber of the National Assembly was taken during a high-level meeting which took place last week Friday shortly before the governor travelled to Saudi Arabia on lesser hajj.

Should the governor decide to run for Senate, he would have to contend with the incumbent senator representing Jigawa North West, Abdullahi Danladi Sankara, who chairs the Senate Committee on Information.


Samuel Ortom (Benue)

Ortom, in early March, declared his interest to contest the Benue North West senatorial seat currently occupied by Senator Emmanuel Orker Jev.

Ortom said he made the move after a series of consultations with his kinsmen, telling them that he had finally been convinced that God had confirmed to him to contest the election.

Few weeks after his declaration, elders from the Masev, Ihyarev and Nongov Development Association (MINDA) in Benue State presented Peoples Democratic Party (PDP’s) expression of interest and nomination forms for the Senate race to the governor.

Political watchers in the state had predicted that Senator Orker Jev and the governor would soon fall apart over the latter’s move to replace the lawmaker in the Red Chamber.

But Jev said those speculating frosty relationship between him and his governor over the senatorial seat would be ‘terribly’ disappointed.


David Umahi (Ebonyi)

There were reports weeks ago that Umahi had dropped his presidential ambition to contest the Ebonyi South senatorial seat in the 2023 general elections. But the governor dismissed claims through the state’s Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Uchenna Orji. In a statement, he described the claims as falsehood peddled by political charlatans.

After declaring his presidential bid, Umahi has been battling to save his governorship seat after a court order sacked him and his deputy from office over their defection from the PDP to the APC.

Justice Inyang Ekwo of a Federal High Court in Abuja held that their defection was unconstitutional, and that they not only jettisoned the PDP, but also the votes that guaranteed their re-election.

However, a Court of Appeal in Enugu upheld Umahi’s position as governor, stating that his defection was constitutional, though immoral.


Ifeanyi Okowa (Delta)

Okowa, who vacated the Delta North senatorial seat after one tenure in 2015 to become governor, is yet to publicly declare his intention to return to the Red Chamber after completing his second term in 2023, but feelers from the state indicate that the governor is planning to switch over to the parliament.

The reported move had set Okowa against his successor, Senator Peter Nwaoboshi, who is serving his second tenure and would want to continue in 2023. Determined to retain his Senate seat, Nwaoboshi, after falling apart with his governor, dumped the PDP for the APC.

Earlier this month, the Delta governor had said his next political move would soon be made public after consultation with stakeholders.

Reacting to speculations that Okowa had procured the PDP nomination and expression of interest forms for senatorial election, his Commissioner for Information, Charles Aniagwu, said it was within his boss’s constitutional right to return to the Red Chamber.


Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi (Enugu)

Coast became cleared for Governor Ugwuanyi to move to the legislature in 2023 as the lawmaker representing his Enugu North senatorial district in the Red Chamber, Chukwuka Utazi, announced that he would not run for the senatorial seat.

Utazi, while addressing the delegates of the PDP from the senatorial district, said he decided not to contest to pave the way for the smooth emergence of Ugwuanyi as Enugu North senator in the 10th National Assembly.

“We will follow our brother and leader. We are going to be behind you, and pray that God would guide you to take this decision,” Utazi assured the governor, amid jubilation.


Darius Dickson Ishaku (Taraba)

Governor Ishaku has also commenced scheming to replace the senator representing his Taraba South senatorial district, Emmanuel Bwacha.

The frosty relationship between them forced Bwacha out of the PDP. The lawmaker said he left the party to escape the “apparent persecution” by his governor, whom he accused of being against his political progress.

“I have not made a public declaration about becoming a governor but there have been innuendos and insinuations. People have also been putting pressure on me to run for governor. And I overheard someone say that the only condition for me to sit with him (Ishaku) is if I would drop my gubernatorial ambition,” the lawmaker had said on Channels Television’s ‘Politics Today’ programme.


Aminu Tambuwal (Sokoto)

Tambuwal is a frontline presidential aspirant of the PDP. However, there are speculations in the state that his plan B is to contest the Sokoto South senatorial election in the event that he loses the party’s presidential primary.

There are insinuations that the governor had asked one of his commissioners, Aminu Bala Bodinga, to buy the PDP form for Sokoto South senatorial zone.

According to political watchers in the state, the governor took the decision because it would be easier for him to ‘retrieve’ the ticket from Bodinga than from Senator Ibrahim Danbaba, who is currently representing the senatorial district in the red chamber.

Danbaba, who was elected on the platform of the PDP, announced his defection to the APC on Wednesday, and many in the state linked his move to the governor’s purported political calculation.

Pundits said that even if Tambuwal got the PDP ticket for the Senate, it would not be an easy sail for him because the zone remains a strong hold of the APC.

In 2019, the Sokoto South senatorial election was won by the APC candidate, Abubakar Shehu Tambuwal, but the seat was given to the PDP candidate by the court on technical ground.

Also, all the members of the House of Representatives from Sokoto South are members of the APC with the exception of Balarabe Kakale, who is representing Bodinga, Dange-Shuni, Tureta federal constituency. He also got the seat through the court.

The aspirations of many deputy governors to succeed their principals are being frustrated in many states across the country as most governors have anointed other aspirants ahead of their parties’ primaries, leaving their deputies behind.

Findings by Sunday PUNCH revealed that in several states where incumbent governors are in their second term and are making frantic moves to produce their successors, no deputy governor has been favoured by either the party machinery or their governors.

In states like Ebonyi, Delta and Benue, the governors have anointed the Speakers of their respective Houses of Assembly in spite of their deputies showing interest in the race.

In Nigeria, incumbents more often than not influence who emerges as their parties’ candidates and oftentimes the winners of elections. It explains why aspirants jostle to be the governors’ choice.

In Delta State, the deputy governor, Mr Kingsley Otuaro, has since joined the race to succeed his boss, but Governor Ifeanyi Okowa is believed to be supporting the Speaker of the state House of Assembly, Mr Sheriff Oborevwori.

One of our correspondents learnt that Okowa had advised his deputy to run for the Senate to replace Senator James Manager, who has also joined the governorship race, but Otuaro was said to be more disposed to the governorship seat.

A chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party in the state, who spoke on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the matter, said, “What can be deduced from the governor’s disposition is that he is not supporting his deputy. He seems to prefer the Speaker. Regardless, the deputy governor has the right to contest.


“Don’t forget that the governor also refused to adopt the aspirant of his political godfather, Chief James Ibori, who is said to be rooting for a former finance commissioner, Olorogun David Edevbie.”

In Benue State, the intrigues over who will succeed Governor Samuel Ortom appear to have taken an interesting dimension.

The deputy governor, Benson Abounu, recently emerged as the consensus aspirant of the PDP in the Idoma ethnic group in the Benue South Senatorial District, whereas Ortom had, in conjunction with other stakeholders, chosen the Speaker of the House of Assembly, Titus Uba, as the party’s consensus aspirant for the Tiv ethnic group, which makes up Benue North-West and Benue North-East senatorial districts.

Apart from throwing up the age-long political battle between the Idoma and Tiv ethnic groups, the emergence of the Speaker and the deputy governor also shows clearly that Ortom is not in support of Abounu emerging as his likely successor. The deputy governor had, on the other hand, said at different forums, “My governor understands me and I understand him. He trusts me so much.”

Since the creation of the state in 1976, with five executive governors, the Idoma ethnic group has yet to produce the chief executive as it has been rotating between zones ‘A’ and ‘B’, being the Tiv ethnic group.

The spokesman for the PDP in the state, Bemgba Iortyom, dismissed the perceived political dominance of one ethnic group, saying, “I believe that in the event that we go into the primary, the aspirants will not limit themselves to their localities.”

A resident of the state, Ben Adamgbe, said, “Some deputies have the belief that their principals always short-change them and before you know it, a gully is created between the two. If the governor is a good principal, he will not shove his deputy aside, but the wicked ones will instigate an impeachment process against their subordinate.”

In Ebonyi State, there are clear indications that Governor David Umahi has looked beyond his deputy, Kelechi Igwe, to anoint the Speaker of the state House of Assembly, Francis Nwifuru, as his preferred successor.

The National Coordinator of Umahi Fans International, a support group for the governor, Vincent Dike, said Nwifuru’s choice was due to Igwe’s decision to contest the Ebonyi Central Senatorial District election and not because he and his principal were not on good terms.

In Abia State, the deputy governor, Ude Oko Chukwu, has since declared his intention to succeed the governor, Okezie Ikpeazu. Meanwhile, the governor is rumoured to be silently rooting for a former Vice-Chancellor of the Abia State University, Prof Uchenna Ikonne.

The governor has yet to take a position publicly, but there are strong indications that Chukwu, a former member of the state House of Assembly, may not get his principal’s nod.

Following the governor’s silence on the issue, Chukwu dismissed insinuations that there was a rift between both of them, saying he remained loyal to Ikpeazu. He insisted that his decision to join the governorship race had not in any way implied that he was no longer loyal to the governor.

“As the deputy governor of Abia State, I remain loyal, supportive and committed to my boss and governor of Abia State, Dr Okezie Ikpeazu. As a man of outstanding and tested integrity, I cannot betray the governor,” he stated.

In Ekiti State, ahead of the June 18 governorship election, a former Secretary to the State Government, Mr Biodun Oyebanji, emerged as the candidate of the All Progressives Congress. His emergence was said to have been made possible by the support of Governor Kayode Fayemi.


Though the deputy governor, Chief Bisi Egbeyemi, is from the Ekiti Central Senatorial District like Oyebanji, he was not in line to succeed his principal.

A chieftain of the APC in the state said, “In the history of Ekiti State, only a sitting deputy governor had emerged as a governorship candidate and that was Prof Kolapo Olusola during the Ayodele Fayose administration in 2018. Even at that, party members contested the ticket with him.

“In the present case, the sitting deputy governor was not known to have shown interest in succeeding Governor Kayode Fayemi. When aspirants started jostling, nobody heard that he was interested in the office, because I believe he knew it was not automatic.

“Besides, the people wanted a younger person as the candidate and eventually the governor, hence the massive support for Oyebanji culminating in his emergence. Again, the credentials and experience of Oyebanji as well as his ability to deliver placed him above any other person interested in the governorship ticket of the party and indeed the state.”

In Niger State, there are speculations that Governor Abubakar Bello is not supporting his deputy, Ahmed Ketso, to emerge as the candidate of the APC or the governor of the state.

There are also speculations that the deputy governor is aware of his boss’ disposition and may consider leaving the party if that works against him at the primary.

Bello and his deputy were said to have had a good working relationship, with the governor handing over the affairs of the state to Ketso anytime he was travelling at the inception of the administration until things began to change.

Musa Abdullahi, a member of the party from Agaie, said he believed the reason deputy governors hardly succeed their principals was the fact that they were seen mostly as a spare and they never really got to perform any state function except the governors were not available.

In Katsina State, the deputy governor, Mannir Yakubu, has declared his intention to contest the governorship primary, but it was not clear if Governor Aminu Masari will support his candidacy.

Yakubu had earlier resigned his appointment as the Commissioner for Agriculture and Natural Resources, a portfolio he had been handling since 2015.

He was said to have discussed his ambition with the governor, who has yet to speak or give any clue as to his preferred successor. It was learnt that Masari had been encouraging those interested in succeeding him to contest.

Yakubu, however, told journalists in Katsina on Saturday that he was the most qualified to succeed the governor.

In Kano State, there are also indications that the deputy governor, Dr Yusuf Gawuna, may not have the backing of his principal, Governor Abdullahi Ganduje, who alongside his wife, Hafsat, may throw their weight behind the immediate past Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Murtala Garo.

Gawuna had resigned his appointment as the Commissioner for Agriculture. His Chief Press Secretary, Musa Fagge, said the relationship between the governor and his principal was cordial, adding that the deputy governor had represented his principal at many functions. “It is mischief-makers who are spreading false stories; the governor has high regards for his deputy,” he added.


In Plateau State, the deputy governor, Prof Sonni Tyoden, has unveiled his plans to succeed Governor Simon Lalong, who has obtained his senatorial forms. The governor has yet to endorse any candidate.

Tyoden had expressed optimism that he would get Lalong’s support, but the governor said a few days ago that he was not considering anointing any aspirant to succeed him. “I have not adopted or anointed any aspirant for the governorship or any other office. I pray to God to guide all of us to make a choice that is in the best interest of the people, our state and nation,” he stated.

In Rivers State, Governor Nyesom Wike has yet to speak on whether or not he will support his deputy, Ipalibo Harry-Banigo, who has expressed interest in contesting the Rivers West Senatorial District election and has been screened already.

Asked why the governor did not anoint his deputy to succeed him, the Publicity Secretary of the PDP in the state, Sydney Gbara, said Harry-Banigo had preference for the Senate. “She said having served in the executive, she wants to experience the legislature as well and bring her wealth of experience to improve the relationship between the executive and the legislature,” Gbara stated.

Meanwhile, the Chairman, Rivers State Civil Society Organisations, Enefaa Georgewill, said governors see their deputies as spare tyres and might not consider them as being good enough to take over when they exit power.

“The intention of those who made our laws was that should anything happen to the President or governor, the deputy should naturally take over. However, it is unfortunate that they are relegated to the background. It is even worse that they don’t even see them as being good enough to even take over from them when they leave,” Georgewill noted.

In Enugu State, the deputy governor, Cecilia Ezeilo, is also not in line to succeed her principal, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi. She is said to be contesting the Udi/Ezeagu Federal Constituency seat at the House of Representatives.

Findings also indicate that she has a cordial relationship with the governor, but the zoning arrangement in the state does not favour her zone producing the next governor. She is from Enugu West, while Enugu East is expected to produce the next governor.

In Akwa Ibom State, where the governor and some other party chieftains in the state have settled for one of his commissioners, Pastor Umo Eno, the deputy governor, Mr Moses Ekpo, has said he is not interested in contesting any position after he leaves office.

His Press Secretary, Ekikere Umoh, said, “My boss is not interested in any position, be it political or not. In fact, he said during his 80th birthday that his tenure as deputy governor will be his last for any appointment, be it political or otherwise.”

In Cross River State, the deputy governor, Prof Ivara Esu, does not seem to be nursing any political ambition as he has yet to declare interest in any office even though he has a good relationship with the governor, Prof Ben Ayade, who has not publicly declared support for any candidate.

In Taraba State, the deputy governor, Haruna Manu, is currently not in line to succeed Governor Darius Ishaku, who has yet to indicate any preference for the state’s top job.

Manu has declared his intention to contest the Taraba Central Senatorial District election.

A Special Adviser to the governor, Jermiah Tyolanga, said the relationship between Ishaku and his deputy was very cordial, but that the governor had not openly supported anybody to succeed him.


Why govs don’t support deputies to succeed them – Kaka

Speaking on the possible reasons why governors rarely anoint their deputies as likely successors, a former deputy governor of Ogun State, Senator Gbenga Kaka, said he could only hazard a guess. He, however, noted that the reasons could range from unhealthy rivalry to personal interest and fear of a witch-hunt.

Kaka, who was the deputy to Chief Segun Osoba between 1999 and 2003 said, “They may have their reasons and since I am not a governor yet, I wouldn’t know why. We can only hazard a guess. There could be unhealthy rivalry.

“There could be the possibility of looking over the deputy’s shoulder and in the process breach of trust occurs both ways, and when we have breach of trust, to now say the deputy should succeed the governor may be difficult. In some cases, maltreatment of deputy governors may create fear in a sitting governor.”

He said in his case, Osoba was eyeing a second term, which did not work out, and so he and his former boss had never been in such a situation.


Governors suspect deputies, prefer successors they can control – Aluko

Also, a former deputy governor of Ekiti State, Chief Abiodun Aluko, said governors often suspect their deputies partly because party leaders nominate the running mates.

Aluko, who was deputy to Ayo Fayose during his first term in office, said, “In most cases, the deputy governorship candidates are forced on the governorship candidates by the parties. The candidate already has his class of friends, so by the time he gets into government, he relates with his friends to the exclusion of the deputy governor. In most instances, the deputy governor is not even consulted in most government decisions.

“Since the deputy governor is not his nominee, if the governor wants a successor, he wants somebody he can monitor and control because most of them don’t want to leave governance 100 per cent to their successors. They still want to be part of the government that will come after them.

“Unfortunately, the constitution does not allocate any responsibility to the deputy governor; it only states that there shall be a deputy governor in a state. Also, most of the governors will not want the competence or capabilities of their deputies to be exposed to the public so that in case of any unexpected event, people will not look up to the deputy as an alternative, except in the case of death, which nobody can do anything about.”

Also, a former Head of Political Science Department, Bayero University Kano, Prof Kamilu Fagge, said it could be to avoid a political witch-hunt, since the deputy had all the ‘sins’ of his principal at his fingertips.

“In our constitution, deputy governors do not have clearly defined roles; they are at the whim of the governors. In other words, their responsibilities are determined by the governor and if the governor likes, he can be close to his deputy and assign to him certain responsibilities beyond just being a spare,” he stated.

Fagge noted that in most cases, deputy governors were imposed on governors after primaries, which could impact on their working relationship.

A stakeholder from the Ikwuano Local Government Area of Abia State, Ezeogo Nkama, said absolute silence from any governor about his deputy’s bid to succeed him suggested no approval. “A governor who wants his deputy to take over from him must sell and campaign for his deputy, and in absence of that, there is disharmony,” he added.

By Oladeinde Olawoyin


Indications emerged Friday that the European Union may turn to Nigeria and other oil-producing countries for oil supply amid moves to approve an embargo on Russian oil.

The New York Times reported Friday that the oil embargo would be phased in over a period of some months.

Quoting EU officials who spoke on condition of anonymity, the newspaper said the new resolution is expected to be approved by E.U. ambassadors next week as part of plans to avoid delays.

The EU resolution comes against the background of new assessments that the Russian military’s eastern offensive was faltering amid plans to provide Ukraine with more weapons and support.

With about one quarter of the Europe’s yearly oil needs coming from Russia, European countries rely heavily on Russia for supply. But officials said the union is looking elsewhere for oil supply.

“As the oil embargo is phased in, officials said the bloc would seek to make up the shortfall by increasing imports from other sources, like Persian Gulf countries, Nigeria, Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan,” the New York Times reported Friday, quoting officials.

Since the invasion of Ukraine earlier in thee year, the EU embargo—If enacted— will be the biggest and most important new step in the E.U.’s sixth package of sanctions against Russia.

The new sanctions will also be directed at Russia’s biggest bank, Sberbank, according to officials who spoke to the New York Times.


Poor Production

Nigeria, Africa’s largest oil producer, has faced challenges with oil production in recent months. The nation has had to close a number of its oil wells to keep criminals at bay, Zainab Ahmed, the country’s Finance Minister, said in a recent interview with Bloomberg TV.

Mrs Ahmed said that upon opening the wells, Nigeria will meet its quota of producing 1.6 million barrels of crude per day (mbpd).

For many months, Nigeria has produced 20 per cent less than capacity due to oil bunkering and other criminal activities.

Amid oil price rally as a result of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Nigeria has struggled to meet its Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) quota of 1.73 mbpd.

The OPEC monthly oil market report (MOMR) for April 2022 showed that the country’s oil production fell by 20,000 barrels per day (tb/d) in March to 1.24 million bpd from 1.26 million in February 2022.

The nation also recorded a 24000 b/d decrease in oil output to 1.35 million bpd in March, down from 1.38 million bpd the previous month.

As the EU turns to Nigeria and others for supply, expectations are high that production would improve across the nation’s oil wells.

Nigeria relies heavily on crude oil sales to fix infrastructure, meet debt obligations and earn foreign exchange that would enable its monetary policy decision makers address inflation.

The Nigerian Army has said troops of Operation Desert Sanity neutralised several Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) and Boko Haram terrorists in Borno, northeast Nigeria.

It said the troops also killed the Amir (commander) and spiritual head of Galta, close to Mandara Mountain in the South of Borno, during an operation around Manjo Ali Qere in the state.

The army in a post on its official Twitter handle on Friday morning said arms and ammunition were also recovered during the operation.
“Gallant Troops of Operation Desert Sanity neutralized several ISWAP/BokoHaram terrorists including the Amir & spiritual head of Galta during an aggressive clearance operation around Manjo Ali Qere in Borno State on Thur 28 April 2022. Arms & Ammunition were also captured,” the army wrote.

Similarly, the Nigerian Military High Command said its troops had killed a prominent Islamic State of West Africa Province (ISWAP) Commander, Abubakar Dan-Buduma.
According to the military, scores of other terrorists were killed alongside the ISWAP commander.

It also said the troops rescued 848 civilians and arrested 119 terrorists in Northwestern Nigeria in separate operations.

Onyeuko also said a total number of 1,158 terrorists and their families comprising 164 men, 367 women and 627 children surrendered to troops in the last three weeks.

The picture of the newly born girl delivered in a terrorist den has been released. Recall that her mother was eight months pregnant when she was abducted by the terrorists along the Abuja /Kaduna train route on the 28th of March 2022.

Out of the 63 abducted train passengers that were under captivity, only one passenger, the Managing Director of the Bank of Agriculture (BOA), Alwan Hassan, was released after paying a ransom of N100m.

Thus, exactly one month when the incident happened, a woman delivered a new baby girl.

The picture of the new girl was released, on Wednesday evening, by the terrorist group suspected to be Ansaru, a breakaway group of Boko Haram.

Two days ago, the news of her birth was trending on both social media and the conventional media where a family member of the woman first hinted that she had delivered at the weekend.

Though, the identity of the newly born child was not disclosed until Wednesday when the terrorists released the picture of the baby girl.

Clad in a thick pink dress and a light lemon sweater cap, with her eyes closed, she looks healthy and well taken care of.

Tribune Online gathered that the terrorists invited a doctor to take the delivery.

The Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Defence, Ibrahim Kana, has said the federal government had concluded plans to create a brand new Ministry of Defence, with a view to repositioning the sector.

Mr Kana gave the hint when he paid a familiarisation visit to the Army Headquarters on Wednesday, in Abuja.

He said his appointment by President Muhammadu Buhari came with a mandate to implement the approved reform of the ministry and armed forces, to enhance efficiency.

Mr Kana added that when created, the new defence ministry would see the various services operating under the same roof in a ‘Pentagon-like’ style, where both military and civilian staff would be working together.

He said his assignment was to ensure full implementation of the reform of the armed forces and the ministry.

He added that the new reform would bring an end to the existing dichotomy within the services and the ministry.

Mr Kana said he would also facilitate the repositioning of health and educational facilities owned by the armed forces for optimal performance.

He pledged to work with the army chief to develop ways to move the Nigerian army to greater heights.

“On my appointment as the permanent secretary of this ministry, I was given a specific task of ensuring that I facilitate the work of the armed forces.

“I was also given the task of implementing the reforms, which had been carried out and approved by Mr President.

“The minister has decided to invite the major stakeholders to a meeting where we would look at the implementation strategy of the reforms documents, to see how we can commence the implementation.

“One of the important aspects of the reform which I have to state here is the creation of a new Ministry of Defence which will be like the Pentagon in the USA.

“If you enter the Pentagon, you see a mixture of military and civilians working together and that is going to be the nature of our new Ministry of Defence,” he said.

Responding, the Chief of Army Staff, Faruk Yahaya, commended the permanent secretary for his efforts so far and pledged to ensure good and harmonious working relationship with the ministry, to move it forward.

Mr Yahaya said the issues of education and health were important to the military, adding that the army was committed to improving on the existing facilities to better standards.

He said the army had been doing a lot to ensure that its schools remained schools of choice, adding that the army was ready to collaborate with the ministry to address the challenges.

According to him, health was very important for members of the armed forces because military personnel must be physically and mentally fit to be able to perform assigned tasks.

“We are already doing a lot in our medical facilities right from our hospitals, though we are ready to work towards improving and making them world class.

“We are always willing to interface with you on the legal issues with a view to strengthening them, where they exist.

“We are committed to tackling the security challenges headlong and our successes starting from the northeast are commendable, “he said.

The COAS assured the permanent secretary of the determination of the Nigerian army to tackle all security challenges bedeviling the country, saying the military would not be deterred.

He called on all Nigerians to support the efforts of the military by availing them with the relevant information needed to address the prevailing security situation.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Mr Kana, who was appointed recently as permanent secretary, had earlier visited the Defence Headquarters, where he interacted with the Chief of Defence Staff, Lucky Irabor, and principal staff officers.

He also visited the Naval and Air Force Headquarters for a similar purpose.

(NAN)

The Zamfara State government has dethroned two emirs and a district head over allegations of aiding the activities of bandits terrorising communities in the state.

The affected monarchs are the Emir of Zurmi, Abubakar Atiku, Emir of Dansadau, Hussaini Umar.

Alhaji Sulaiman Ibrahim, the District Head of Birnin Tsaba, was also affected.

The dethronement was revealed to journalists by the state Commissioner of Information, Alhaji Ibrahim Magaji Dosara immediately after the Council meeting.

The Council upheld the recommendation of a six man White Paper Committee set up by the state government to review the report of two separate committees earlier set up to investigate the involvement of the three traditional rulers in the activities of banditry in the state.

The three deposed monarch were earlier suspended by the state Government following wide allegations of serious involvement in the activities of bandits in the state.

The findings of the committees also revealed abuse of land act in their domain and the government ordered the reversal to status quo involving the lands illegally allocated.

According to the commissioner, the government has also ordered that all land titles issued by the affected traditional leaders be revoked.

“The State Executive Council has also directed the state Ministry of Justice to issue an executive order to back up the council resolution,” he added.

The deposition of the traditional leaders comes 10 months after they were suspended by the state government.

A new guideline released by the leadership of All Progressives Congress (APC) yesterday has stipulated that all political appointees who aspire to participate in its primary elections at all levels must resign at least 30 days after the conduct of the primaries.

The new guideline automatically leaves some of President Muhammadu Buhari’s appointees like Transportation Minister, Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi and his Labour counterpart, Chris Ngige, who are gunning for the 2023 presidency, with just three days to resign or forget their ambitions.

This is in consideration of the fact that the APC primary election for the presidency, according to the ruling party’s timetable has been scheduled to hold between May 30 and June 1.

By implication, the new guidelines have also put paid to the ambitions of other aspirants for different elective positions who have not resigned from their appointments as of yesterday (April 25).

Governorship, Senate, federal and state Assembly primary elections to select APC candidates for the general elections, according to the party’s timetable, will hold between May 18 and 23, meaning that appointees for such positions who are yet to resign by today would have lost whatever was left of their chances to contest in the primaries.

An official of the party who asked not to be named, last night, confirmed the development. He said presidential aspirants still occupying various appointive positions have up till the 30th of this month to resign their positions.

The official further explained that governorship aspirants occupying appointive positions who have not resigned before the 18th of this month are ineligible to vie for the governorship of their respective states.


“For those aspiring for presidential primaries, they have just four days from today (Tuesday) to step down because the Electoral Act stipulates that they must do so 30 days to the presidential primary on May 30.

“Those angling for the governorship who have not done so are out of it because the governorship primaries are scheduled to hold on the 18th of next month. This is in line with laid down rules and regulations,” he stated.

WITH this new guideline and stipulated time frame for resignation, the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, who is reported to be interested in the governorship position of his home state of Kebbi, no longer has a chance, as the new guideline has effectively cancelled his ambition.

Section 3(i) of the APC final guidelines for the conduct of primaries, states: “No political appointee at any level shall be a voting delegate or be voted for the purpose of the nomination of candidates. Any political office holder interested in contesting for an elective office shall leave office 30 days prior to the date of election or party primary for the office sought.”